Jude sat in one of the benches outside of G Major. She drew her knee up to her chin and sighed.

"Hey, girl. You okay?" Tommy questioned sitting down next to her, concerned.

"Tommy." She said mildly surprised. "I didn't even hear you come out." She figured she should be angry with him for the little stunt her pulled in the conference room, but didn't want to be. Two days after Tommy Quincy blew back into her life, she found it harder and harder to stay mad at him.

"Yeah maybe I should wear a bell or something." He kidded letting the joke fill the silence. When Jude didn't say anything back, he became even more worried that what Kwest said was true. "Having second thoughts?"

"No." She answered, but then exhaled again. "That's the problem Tommy." She began as she placed her leg down and turned her body to face him more. "I'm not having second thoughts, I'm excited if anything. You know I always wanted to perform with you, I respect you so much, but I feel guilty about being happy about it."

"Why, because of Chris?" He said keeping his tone even.

"Yeah. I know you don't like him Tommy, but I don't want to hurt him, okay? I don't want him to read into this and think there's something going on between us, cause there's not." She said, wishing for just a fleeting moment that there was. "But he probably won't see it that way, so I need to explain it to him carefully."

"Jude, you're the most wonderful person I have ever met." When Jude went to cut in, Tommy stopped her. "I mean that as a friend, okay? You shouldn't worry what Chris thinks, if he's really crazy about you, if he really gets you, he'll understand that this is your career and that you wouldn't interfere in his, would you?" When Jude shook her head no, he continued. "So hopefully, considering your both in the entertainment industry, he'll understand. I'm sure they make him promote his new movie with his costar." Tommy pointed out.

She nodded her head, realizing Tommy actually made sense. "Thanks Tommy." She leaned in to give him a hug.

Tommy squeezed her a little, wishing he didn't have to let go. "No problem, girl. But let's get in there and start writing the song, or we won't even have a duet to perform." Jude laughed as Tommy grabbed her arm and took her inside G Major.

Three weeks Later

Jude sat in the recording studio, listening intently to the music that poured out. Tommy sat beside her doing the same. After numerous cups of coffee, tons of paper, and countless late nights, they had finished writing their duet 5 days ago. They immediately went to work on recording, and had finished it this morning, now they were listening to the end result. Jude didn't realize how fast these past three weeks had went. Tomorrow they'd start working on the video. She felt it was just yesterday that she had told Chris about the duet.

Flashback (5 days later after the day they found out about the duet)

"You're what?" Chris exclaimed as he and Jude stood outside of G Major. He had been so busy with his new movie for the last few days, the only conversation they had had been a quick hello, how are you, and good-bye. So this had been the first opportunity Jude had to tell Chris about her and Tommy's song.

"Chris, please." She asked him, as she took his hands. "Try and understand, okay? This is gonna be great for the album. Tommy hasn't publicly sang for over 5 years. The press is gonna love it."

"Yeah, I bet they will." He answered sarcastically. "They'll have a real field day with this one."

"Chris, I'm not gonna tell you for the next several months, that there's nothing going on between Tommy and I! Who cares what it prints if it's not true!" She cared though, but she didn't want to make matters worse.

"Maybe now there's not, but what's gonna happen in the next few weeks? You don't think he won't pull out all the stops to try and get you? He's gonna use all those late nights to his advantage. He's gonna make you want him, love him-"

"I love you!" She blurted out, but then her hand flew up to her mouth when she realized what she said.

Chris ceased all conversation and thoughts when he heard Jude say that. His eyes grew wide. "Really?"

Jude exhaled, not knowing where to go from here. "Yes, I know maybe I shouldn't have said that but-" Chris silenced her words when he picked her up and spun her around. Jude laughed when he kissed her.

"I love you, too." He said as he pulled away from her. He felt like the luckiest guy alive. "Let's go celebrate."

Jude tilted her head and gave him a strange look. "Why, because I said I love you?"

"Exactly." He grinned.

"Okay! Lemme just go tell Georgia, all right?" She excitedly said as she hopped up the stairs. When she opened the door, she nearly ran into Tommy. "Oh! Hey Tommy, I didn't see you there." She gave him a smile as she walked past him to go see Georgia. Tommy just looked back, his face expressionless.

Present

Jude thought of that day with a smile. Chris and her had become even closer and she was so happy to be with him. She knew the next few weeks would be hard considering he started production on the new movie and she began the video with Tommy-She stopped mentally for a second as his name ran through her mind. He'd been surprisingly normal the last few weeks. It was like they fell back into their old ways, with only a touch of the occasional awkwardness. She figured that since they'd be working so close, he would constantly be basing Chris, and well, to be honest, trying to make a play for her. But he hadn't been any of that. It was really felt like old times. They worked on their duet nonstop, but Tommy never made an advances on her or any wise cracks about Chris. She knew she should be happy about that, thankful too, but for some unexplainable reason it left a hollow feeling in her stomach.

Little did she know that Tommy was thinking of the same day Jude had been. That afternoon he had gone to grab something out of his car when he saw Jude and Chris talking. He stopped and stayed out of sight until they were finished. He listened to every word they said, and when Jude told Chris she loved him he felt like someone had just stabbed him in the heart. He knew that Jude liked Chris, but love was a whole different story, a whole different ball game. He remembered walking back inside when he saw Jude hurry up the stairs. When she knocked into him, he caught the look in her face. It screamed 'inexplicable joy'. He had numbly wondered if he'd ever be able to put that look on Jude's face. It seemed whenever he had talked to Jude since he's been back, the only emotion she'd show was anger, sadness, indifference, or the worse-hurt. He knew at that exact moment, as she ran away from him to find Georgia, that he needed to step back.

He couldn't play with her emotions for the next several months if she was with somebody else. It damn near killed him to be this close to Jude for these last weeks, and ignore the feelings he had for her as he watched her dote on Chris. He had played the part of the friendly producer, the part he had played so many months ago, the part he once swore he'd never play. Playing that role was the reason he left in the first place, and he absently wondered how much longer he could continue with it before he couldn't take it any longer. He immediately shut that thought out of his head. He didn't care how much it hurt to be around Jude, to see Jude with someone else, he made a vow to himself at the moment she saw him at her party that he'd never leave her again, he'd never be responsible for the wounded look in her eye. He silently wondered how he was going to handle the video with Jude. They had the premises of it established already and Tommy knew that if he thought being this close to Jude was bad, he'd be in hell when they started filming tomorrow. He mentally kicked himself now for ever suggested the duet, and came to the conclusion that would Kwest had said that day was true. His idea had bit him in the ass.

"Well, what do you think?"

"Hm?" Tommy looked at Jude, her voice bringing him back down to reality. When he noticed that the song finished, he nodded. "It's good, real good. I think we got a hit on our hands, girl." He smiled at her, as he thought dimly of what the next day would bring.

Jude softly knocked on Sadie's door. She had just left the studio, where Tommy still was claiming he had to do a few, quick things before he left as well. She needed to come home and say good-bye to Sadie, though.

"Come in!" Sadie's voiced called out. Jude opened the door to reveal Sadie in the mists of packing. Clothes, shoes, and bags were strewn over her chair, desk, mirror, and bed. It even continued into the bathroom. Sadie was headed to the States with a few friends for a cross country trip in honor of all their 20th birthdays for about a month or so.

Jude stepped over a boot, a backpack, and a pair of black slacks. She stomped on a pair of jeans which she picked up. "These are mine." She gave Sadie a look.

She grinned sheepishly at Jude as she grabbed them out of her hand and stuffed them in the nearest suitcase. "You won't miss 'em."

Jude shrugged because she knew it was the truth, and then became silent. "I'm gonna miss you." She said as she rubbed her foot into the carpet.

Sadie stopped packing, and walked over to Jude. "Me too, I wish I could stay for the video."

"Yeah, it would have been nice to have you around."

Sadie gave Jude a sympathetic look. "Nervous about shooting the video with Tommy?"

"Somewhat." Jude answered truthfully.

Sadie had her thoughts and opinions on Tommy, but she didn't reveal them. She nodded her head understandedly. A comfortable silence filled the room as Jude helped fold a few clothes that were strewn about on Sadie's bed.

"You excited about going away?" She asked as she placed a pink top in Sadie's suitcase.

"Yes." She answered. "I can't wait to find me some American boys." She grinned mischeouvisly as Jude laughed.

"Different boy in every city?" Jude offered.

"Why not?" Sadie giggled as Jude joined in. Sadie couldn't wait to go away, but she worried about her sister. " I know you nervous but, you excited about the video?"

"Yes." Jude replied without hesitation.

Sadie looked thoughtful, but just nodded. "So how'd the song come out?"

Jude's face broke out in a huge grin. "Fantastic. I really had my doubts about it, but Tommy's a genius when it comes to music. It's got this gritty feel to it, not bubble gum pop at all, which I figured Tommy would do considering his boy band roots. I can't explain it, it's just great." She gushed to her sister.

"So, okay I guess." Sadie smiled, joking.

"What time are you getting out of here tomorrow?" Jude questioned.

"Marie is picking me up at 8." Sadie replied, talking about one of her fellow friends.

"Hm, okay. I'm not schedule to the video shoot until 9. I'll make sure I catch you in the morning, kay?" Jude asked as she went to leave the room. She wanted a good night's sleep for tomorrow, she needed it. Sadie nodded her head as Jude went out of the room.

Just as Jude walked into her room, her cell rang. "Hello?" She picked up, knowing who it was.

"Jude?" Chris's voice came through the phone.

"Hey!" She excitedly said.

"How are you?" He asked quickly. He glanced at his watch and realized he didn't have much time to talk, but he couldn't help calling Jude.

"Good, good, you?" She asked.

"All right, better if you were here with me" He told her.

"I wish, how's filming going? How are the states?"

"It's coming, and it's nice here in the US." He answered in reference to where he was shooting the film. "You start the video tomorrow, right?" He asked with a hint of apprehension in his voice.

"Yeah." She answered softly. Jude heard the sound of people in the background talking quickly.

"I hate to cut this short, Babe, but I gotta go. I love you, kay?" He told her.

"Yeah, love you too." She said as she hung up the phone. She wished for a second that she was with him, and didn't have to do the video tomorrow. She was excited, there was no question to that, but she knew that her nervousness was stronger. She thought of the song again. Tommy and she had written together, but she sang more of it. Tommy thought it be better that way, but when he did sing in it, like the chorus, it added so much more to the song. She yawned a little, tired. She'd take a quick shower, she figured than would hit the sack.

Tommy sat in G Major at midnight, as their song played over on the CD. 'Their song'. He thought ruefully. It was one thing they both really shared, that and tomorrow's video. He smiled grimly at that thought. He didn't know how he was going to be able to be 'Cool Tommy Q', when every time he looked at Jude his insides turned into a knot. He shut off the CD with a flick of the finger, moved out of the chair, and grabbed his coat off the back of it. The one thing he did know was that he needed sleep.