AN: OK, here it is: the long awaited chapter. I've been trying to post this for a few days now, but for some reason, it hasn't worked. Anyway, I hope you all like what I've written so far (I'm having the most fun time writing this!), and I'll keep trying to put in some Jude/Tommy moments, since I love them just as everyone else. OK, on with the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Instant Star, blah, blah, blah…But I do own the plot.

Chapter 5: All Alone:

While Sadie was feigning interest in learning how to set up the amps, Kwest and Tommy were talking, and Jude was practicing on her guitar, even though she was really listening in

"Man, I don't know how much longer I can take this," Kwest whined. "They've been here only 3 hours, and already it feels like they've been here 3 hours too long."

"Man, don't you remember what it's like to be a kid?" Tommy said, his eyes darting over to SME and back to Kwest. "Remember the time we pulled that prank on D in London? How fun was that?"

"It was great, except D blew up at everyone and made our lives hell," Kwest shuddered.

"But has he ever found out who came up with the idea in the first place?" Tommy urged.

"Nah, it's one we'll take with us to our graves," Kwest laughed.

"There, you see, it's OK to live a little every once in a while," Tommy said. He leaned in and said quietly, "But don't tell Speed that. He thinks I'm just 'Lord Frowny Face', that I don't have a sense of humor."

Kwest laughed so hard that Speed looked in their direction, as if to figure out what they were saying. "Lord Frowny Face? I'll have to remember that one," Kwest smiled as Tommy shot him a dirty look.

"Dude, shut it. If I ever hear you call me that, I'll tell everyone that you still sleep with the same teddy bear that you did when you were 7," Tommy warned, smiling at Kwest's instant embarrassment

Kwest sputtered, "Dude, you wouldn't."

"Try me," Tommy challenged, knowing he'd won. Kwest did have some dirt on Tommy, but if everyone found out, it'd just make Tommy look even better, and Kwest knew it.

"But, that's a lie," Kwest stated the obvious.

"Maybe, but the public doesn't know that," Tommy said, knowing he'd won this round…again.

"Fine," Kwest huffed, folding his arms and looking grumpy

Kwest, Tommy, and Jude covered their ears as an earsplitting noise came out of the amps.

"Dude!" Speed said.

"I'm sorry!" Sadie said, quickly trying to adjust the knobs. The noises continued until Kwest stepped in.

"Here, let me," he said, and Sadie gladly stepped aside. Within a few seconds, Kwest had jiggled the knob, and the reverberations finally faded into silence.

"And by the way, my wife's name is Sadie, not dude," Kwest said firmly.

"Sorry, dude," Speed blurted out. Kwest shot him a menacing glance. "I mean, Sadie."

"Was he always like this when you dated him, Jude?" Kwest asked, fearing her response.

"Yup," Jude nodded. "And there was this one time, where Speed brought me to the park, and we were walking by this fountain, and I saw this picnic set up, with the blanket, the basket, the food, some candles, and everything was so beautiful, and Speed told me, 'back corner'. I didn't know what he meant, until Kyle threw me the ball, and I didn't realize I was in a football game until Wally tackled me."

"He did what?" Sadie screeched. "Jude, why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"It was nothing, it was just a shock since it was supposed to be touch football," Jude shrugged. She didn't want to get too much more into it, since that was right before the whole Mason thing, and she definitely didn't want Sadie to know about what had happened with him.

"Touch football? As in no contact, no tackling? Only grabbing the person's flag?" Kwest said pointedly at Speed.

"No, dude, touch football, get it? Touch football is where you're allowed to tackle people. Flag football is where you're supposed to grab their flags," Speed pointed out to Kwest. Tommy tried to conceal his laughter, since the way Speed was explaining it was just too funny.

"Uh, I think you got that backwards, dude," Kwest mimicked. "Touch football and flag football are the same thing. Right, T?"

"Don't look at me," Tommy held up his hands. "I'm just a producer."

"Hey, I've got a great idea, dudes," Wally said. "Why don't we go play a game right now? Sir Kwest dude, do you have a football we could borrow?"

"Yes, I do. And my name is not 'Sir Kwest dude', 'dude', or any phrase with 'dude' in it, it's just Kwest. Got it?" Kwest ranted, getting annoyed with the nickname the SME boys had given him.

"Got it dude, er, I mean, Kwest," Speed said. Kyle turned to Wally and said, "I swore I saw him in Medieval Knights: Dinner and Tournament once. His name even fits: K-w-e-s-t as in q-u-e-s-t."

Wally started laughing hysterically, as Kwest narrowed his eyes. "What's so funny?"

"You man," Wally said, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "I can't see you going around, riding a horse and wearing tights and a skirt." The SME boys all cracked up this time, as did Jude, Tommy, and Sadie.

"HEY!" Kwest objected. It only made them laugh harder. "Sades, I thought you were the only one I could count on."

"I am," Sadie replied, between fits of laughter. "But come on, just think about it. You…on a horse…wearing tights and a skirt…"

"It's a suit of armor, and no, I've never worked for them, and I'll never work for them. Now every time I hear the name Medieval Knights: Dinner and Tournament., I'll think about what you just said, and it's not an impression I want to remember."

Just then, Kwest's cell rang, and he picked it up without looking. The others were still laughing to themselves over the possibility of seeing Kwest in medieval drag.

"Yeah?" Kwest nodded, as the person on the other end was speaking.

"Kwest? Do you think you can come down to G Major? I'm really short-staffed right now, so if you can make it…" Georgia sounded anxious.

"Yeah, I'll be there ASAP," Kwest said, relieved to be getting away from SME for a little while.

Kwest hung up, then pulled Sadie and Tommy aside. "I have to go into the studio for a bit, but do you think you can keep an eye on SME for a little bit?"

"Sure," Sadie said, wrapping her arms around Kwest. She planted a kiss on his cheek, then said, "Just don't be too long, OK?"

"Tommy, man, I'm counting on you," Kwest turned, and looked at his best friend.

"I got your back," Tommy promised, just as Sadie winced. The guys had been throwing his football around, and they'd knocked over a vase that had been in the Harrison family for generations.

"Hurry back," Sadie said, gritting her teeth.

"I will. I hope I can get back before the house is demolished." Kwest said goodbye again and rushed out the door.

AN: What happens next? You decide...Tell me what you want, and I'll work it into the storyline.