A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks to everyone that has reviewed. I really appreciate it and I'm glad y'all like it so far. I'm going out of town this weekend so I might not get any writing down. I'll try my best but look for an update Sunday or Monday-ish at the latest. R&R and Enjoy!

Chapter Nine: I'm Here

One Week Later

Tommy had decided to stay on tour with Jude for the final week. Tristan was long gone but he felt better knowing that she was just on the other end of the bus from him instead of an entire city away. Tommy had called Darius and told him everything that went down and upon hearing that he allowed Tommy another week off. Jude only had one more show left and he couldn't be more thrilled. He hadn't been on a tour bus since his Boyz Attack days. Things hadn't changed much; he still hated it. Everyone else on the bus was asleep but him, he could never sleep in a moving vehicle.

Instead of being in the back on the couch where he was stationed he was in the front with Jude's guitar fiddling with the strings. He played quietly so he wouldn't wake anyone up, they all deserved the rest especially Jude. She had been through a lot on this tour and yet she managed to come ahead just fine. That's Jude for you though, a fighter and a survivor. Tommy's thoughts were interrupted when Jude stumbled down the narrow hallway running her fingers through her knotted hair. She looked up at Tommy and a small smile appeared on her face.

"Hey." She said quietly as she sat across from Tom. He smiled back at her.

"Hey, what are you doing up? I didn't wake you did I?" Tommy asked, putting the guitar down. Jude shook her head.

"No, you didn't. I just couldn't sleep." She replied, stifling a yawn. Tommy chuckled.

"So I see. You were great tonight Jude."

"Thanks. I can't believe the tour is almost over. It feels like it just started, you know?" Jude said as she put her legs up so she could hug them to her. Tommy nodded his head and relaxed into a more comfortable position.

"I remember one of my tours. I felt the same way then as you do now. Well, maybe not. I didn't go through half as much as you did. Jude, I'm sorry." Jude stood up and sat down beside Tommy. She put her hand on his knee and forced him to look at her.

"Why are you apologizing? You didn't cause anything to happen. If it weren't for you…" Jude trailed off, she couldn't finish that thought. Tommy put his hand on top of Jude's to comfort her.

"I'm apologizing because if I had argued with Darius, I would've been here the entire time and probably could have prevented that jerk from hurting you. I'm apologizing for being a coward and not seeing you off that day. Lastly, I'm apologizing for hurting you." Tommy said never once taking his eyes off hers. Jude turned her hand palm up and intertwined her fingers with his.

"Tom..." she started but was stopped by Tommy's lips caressing hers. At first she was shocked and rightfully so but as the kiss went on she began to kiss him back. Her hand had become untangled from his and was placed against Tom's cheek. Tommy's hands moved around Jude's waist bringing her closer to him. Jude felt as if she were floating in mid-air. She thought she had put away her feelings for Tommy but the kiss ignited something inside her. Even when she was with Tristan all she could think about was Tommy, no matter how hard she tried not to.

Tommy was feeling similar things. He didn't know what caused him to kiss Jude but he knew it was no mistake. He had been hiding from his feelings for far too long and it was time to be a man about it and admit them. He could feel Jude's hands running up and down his back and he moaned at the sensation. He needed to take a breath so he pulled back after kissing her softly one last time. He looked over at her and smiled at the sight. Her eyes were still closed, her lips swollen and red from the assault and slightly parted. Once she opened her eyes, she looked at him in confusion.

"What…" she began but stopped when she felt Tom's fingers over her lips.

"Don't question it Jude, not now." He said. Jude nodded and put her head on Tommy's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and rested his head on hers. He sighed in contentment and closed his eyes. Jude heard his sigh and smiled slightly. She moved her body so it was more comfortable and closed her eyes.

Jude woke up the next morning to snickering. She tried to move but couldn't. She opened her eyes and saw Speed, Wally and Kyle sitting across from her and smiling widely.

"Guys?" she said before she felt movement beside her. She turned her head and softly smiled at the sight before her. She was face to face with Tom. Evidently they had fallen asleep and moved into more comfortable positions. Tommy was lying on his side against the back of the couch and Jude was in front of him with his arm around her waist keeping her from falling off the edge. Tommy's eyes slowly opened and he smiled at Jude.

"Hey." He whispered. Jude made a gagging face and turned around.

"You got some major morning breath Quincy, jeesh." She replied laughing. Tommy gasped and pushed her down off the couch. He chuckled when he heard the thud but that was cut short when he heard others laughing with him. He looked up and saw the guys of SME smiling knowingly at him. Speed was raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively. Jude had gotten up off the floor and was dusting herself off when she noticed the silence. She looked at Tommy who was glaring at Speed. She looked at Speed who was now making rude hand motions. She blushed and went to the back of the bus to change into some new clothes.

"Nothing happened Vincent so you can stop making a fool of yourself now." Tom said as he sat up. Speed glared at Tom.

"What is it with people using my first name? Gosh." He replied as he stood up to storm to the back of the bus. Tommy shook his head and stretched trying to get the kinks out. He heard whispering and looked up to see Wally and Kyle looking back and forth between him and the back of the bus. He cleared his throat and the guys immediately stopped talking.

"Hey Tom, uh yeah, I gotta…go get something from the back…yeah, that's it." Wally said jumping up and walking away. Kyle nodded and stood up as well.

"Yeah, what he said."

Tommy chuckled and stood up. He was working out a kink in his back when Jude reappeared from the back. He stopped stretching and looked at her. She had washed her face and reapplied her makeup and changed her clothes. Her hair had been brushed and put back in a sloppy bun.

"Take a picture Quincy." She said smiling at him. She even struck a pose. He laughed and pretended to take a picture. She shook her head at him and went to sit down at the mini kitchen table.

"About last night Jude..." Tommy said as he sat down across from her. Jude looked at him expectantly. 'He better not say that didn't happen.' She thought to herself.

"I'm not going to sit here and lie about it. It did happen." He said, seemingly reading Jude's mind. She smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, it did Tommy. Want to tell me what caused it?" Jude asked, putting her head in her hand as she continued to watch Tom. Tommy was about to start explaining how he had finally given in to his feelings when SME marched into the kitchen area.

"Jude! Your phone was ringing and seeing as how you weren't there I answered it and it was Tristan." Speed said slowly. Jude's eyes widened and looked from Speed to Tom.

"What did he want?" Tom asked in a voice Jude had never heard from him before. Speed looked over at Tom and shrugged.

"After I said 'Hello' for the second time he cursed Jude and hung up." Speed handed Jude her phone and walked back in the back. Taking Speed's lead Wally and Kyle followed. Jude stared down at her phone.

"Why does he decide to call now? It's like he won't let me forget what happened!" Jude said. Tommy took Jude's phone out her hands, put it down on the table and grabbed Jude's hands again.

"He wants you to be scared of him Jude. It's some sick power trip he's playing." Tom replied.

"Well he got what he wanted." When Tommy heard the break in her voice he released her hands to move from across the table to next to her. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. Jude clutched the front of Tom's shirt and sighed. Tommy rubbed Jude's back comfortingly. He closed his eyes and cursed Tristan Hill to hell for causing his girl pain.

"You don't have to be scared Jude, I'm here. Do you hear me? I won't let him hurt you anymore." Jude nodded her head against Tom's chest. "I'm here girl."