Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star or anything that I may refer to.

Chapter 24: I'm with Shay!

I sat happily at the table set up in the G Major lobby with Tommy Jr. in my lap. I listened as the group sang to my son. I helped him blow out his candle. I know that most people would see this as them getting old but I felt so happy.

The front doors opened as Tommy came in. "Sorry I'm late everyone," he called. He sat down next to me and kissed the top of our son's head.

The doors opened again and Shay came in this time. He sat down on my other side and kissed Tommy Jr.'s forehead. "How's my favorite one-year-old doin'?" He asked.

"Thay!" The little boy in my arms cooed.

I giggled and said, "Sorry, he's still working on saying 'Shay'."

"That's okay," he replied. "For now I can just be his uncle 'Thay'."

I smiled at him. I thought of everything he'd done for me, especially lately. He had been so great to me and I felt as if I needed to repay him.

Tommy stood up and clinked his knife against his glass. "Attention everyone!" He called over the uproar. "I would just like to say a few words." He smiled. "I know what most of you are thinking; who are you again?" He paused as the group laughed. "I know that I haven't been around for most of my son's life but I'm glad that I could be here for his first birthday." He smiled down at me. "And I have something that I want to ask Jude."

I could feel my stomach lurch. I didn't know what he wanted to ask me but I had a feeling that it wasn't going to be a good thing.

He knelt down so he was face to face with me. "Jude, I know that I've messed up in the past. I know that you have no reason to forgive me. I just want to know… Will you marry me?" He held up the engagement ring that I had thrown at him when I kicked him out.

I froze. "I- I- um…" I paused and knew what my answer was. "No." I stood and walked over to Sadie, giving her Tommy Jr. I walked into Studio A, Tommy on my heels.

"Jude, I don't understand…" He said softly.

I turned on him. "What don't you understand, Tommy? I said no. And don't you dare pretend that you don't know why."

"But I don't! I thought that we had connected recently, like we were getting on track again. I want us to be okay."

"Don't do this to me, Tommy!"

"Don't do what?"

"Make me the bad guy! Make me feel like this is all my fault! Because it's not! You were the one that cheated on me! What am I supposed to do? Just forget about it and continue in a lie of a life? No! I don't want that kind of life!"

"I know that I screwed up! But I've changed! I want to be with you and our son!"

"But that's too damn bad! Because I'm with Shay now!" I froze. It was true that I was starting to like Shay a little bit now, and he obviously liked me… But we hadn't talked about anything.

Lucky for me, Shay came into the studio. He put his arm around me and looked over to Tommy. "I'm sorry that you had to find out this way," he said. "We just felt we needed to hide it from you and everyone because we wanted to spare your feelings."

"Great…" Tommy muttered to himself. He looked up at me. "Jude, I'm just going to go." He brushed past me and walked out of G Major.

I turned to Shay and hugged him. "Thank you so much," I said gratefully.

I could feel his arms tighten around me. "I would do anything for you…" He replied. He let me go and nodded towards the door. "We should get back to the party."

"I meant what I said…" I blurted.

He looked back at me. "What are you talking about?"

"You've been so much better to me than Tommy. You've been more like a father to Tommy Jr. than he has. You've actually been there for his entire life. And I want you continue being there… For both of us."

He looked down at me with those intense eyes. His hand rested on the back of my neck and his soft lips gently kissed mine. "And I want to be there for you guys."

I hugged him once again. For the first time in a long time, I felt safe. Standing there in Shay's arms, I felt like nothing, no one, could hurt me. I wish I could feel like that all the time. But I knew Shay had to let me go.

"Let's get back to the party," he said, gesturing towards the door. He took me by the hand and walked back into the lobby.

Tommy Jr. woke me at 2:00 that morning. I picked him up from his crib and walked down into the kitchen. I could feel Sadie following right behind me. When we reached the kitchen, she took Little Tommy from my arms as I started to prepare the formula.

"So what's with you and Shay?" She asked me.

"What do you mean?" I replied, even though I knew exactly what she meant.

"Are you guys dating or what?"

"Yes we are."

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Why not?"

"If you are going to be with someone, shouldn't it be the father of your child?"

"I just can't deal with Tommy right now."

"I guess that's understandable."

"I mean, I like Shay. And while I like Tommy, I can't stand him."

AN: Ever just want to kill a guy? Join the club! Well, sorry that it took so long to update but I've been busy with school and getting over a fractured elbow. Anyways, please R&R!