AN: Argghhh! I forgot to keep this in Jude's perspective again! I had it all set up, but I guess it didn't get saved. Oh well, maybe this time it'll work. Katy, props to you for being the only reviewer for my last chapter. Even though 85 people looked at it, you were the only one who bothered to respond. You so rock! And of course I'm totally jealous of other writers who write a chapter and like 10+ people respond within the first 5 seconds after it posts (OK, gross exaggeration, but you know what I mean). It's so not fair! My writing doesn't suck, does it? I put a lot of effort into making it good, but every chapter I put up gets less and less viewers. I could do a one-shot, but I don't have that many different ideas. At least that haven't been done, since there are now like 450 people writing stories on the Instant Star page. But if this keeps up, I think I'm going to quit writing altogether and conclude that it's just not for me (even though I've wanted to be a writer for some time now, and was going to be one after I graduate from college, but maybe I'm just not cut out for this, and I'll let your lack of reviews shatter my dreams).
OK, one more little rant. Did anyone think that the girl Tommy saw was not his daughter? I get the feeling she's not his, but I could be wrong. And I definitely don't think she's Portia's. I'm also thinking that the little girl's mother is Shay's mother too. I don't know, any guesses?
OK, I'm done ranting. You can look now.
Disclaimer: Of course I don't own Instant Star or any of the characters. If I did, Tommy wouldn't have run off, he and Jude would've told Darius, Liam, SME, Jamie, and anyone else I've missed about their forbidden relationship, and our favorite punk princess and her beloved prince could have a chance to live happily ever after in their rockin' realm (despite what everyone else thinks).
Last time:
A few minutes later, I saw Speed burst out from the hallway that he had just gone down.
"Someone call 911!" Speed gasped, as he struggled to keep calm.
Sadie had just come back from the kitchen, and at Speed's words, her face drained of color. "Who…what…" she managed to squeak out.
"It's…Kwest…" Speed gasped, clutching his sides.
At the hospital…
Hours passed, and with each hour gone, there was still no word. Sadie was close to tears, and Jude was unsuccessfully trying to comfort her. For once, the SME boys were completely quiet, and had not said a word the whole way there. They also managed to keep still in their seats, which Tommy noted humorlessly, was a first.
The sun went down, and night fell as patients were admitted and discharged. Finally, a middle-aged doctor came out, and everyone stood up. He looked grim, and I thought, this can't be good.
Looking over his clipboard at his notes, he finally spoke.
Chapter 10: The Verdict
"Mrs. Barnes?" The doctor looked at Sadie, then his gaze shifted over to me questioningly.
"Yes, how is he?" Sadie asked, getting up and sounding anxious.
"He's fine, but there is something I would like to talk to you about in private," the doctor motioned at the group.
Sadie nodded, and motioned for Tommy to come over. The doctor looked quizzically at him, until Sadie explained that Tommy was his co-worker at the studio, not to mention his best friend.
"Has he been going through a lot of stress lately?" the doctor asked.
Tommy rolled his eyes, while Sadie shot a look at him to behave. Then she motioned over to SME, and explained that they were staying with her and Kwest while they were looking for a place to stay.
The doctor looked amused now, and said, "I know how that can be, I've got two teenagers myself."
Then he got serious again, and told them that they would be keeping Kwest overnight for observation, and that Kwest would be discharged tomorrow afternoon. He instructed Sadie and Tommy to keep Kwest from being any more stressed than he already was, and to call him at any time if he had any signs of collapsing, getting pale, perspiring profusely, or other classic symptoms of stress. He told them that catching these symptoms early and knowing what to do would help prevent more major instances, like a heart attack, or a stroke, before they happen.
Sadie and Tommy thanked the doctor, then went back to the group.
"Is he OK?" Jude worried.
"He'll be fine," Sadie reassured her. "As long as these clowns don't keep driving him crazy."
"Ooh, that reminds me, I heard the circus is in town. Can we go see it?" Speed said, excitement all over his face.
"Aren't you afraid of evil clowns and scary magicians that can turn your worst nightmares into reality?" Kyle said, hoping to look impressive in Sadie's eyes.
"No way, dude. I got over that when I was 5," boasted Speed, although he wasn't. He just said it in the hopes of impressing Jude and winning her away from Tommy.
"Yeah, I want to go see it too. I've always wanted to see the lions, tigers, and bears," Wally said.
"Oh, my," Tommy thought, not in the least entertained.
Tommy's POV: "Jude Harrison, Back-Up Band Spiederman Mind Explosion, and little Tommy Q blow concert for night at circus." So not the kind of media attention they should be getting. And there's no way they're pulling me into this. Not before pigs fly and hell freezes over, and I go to the circus.
"So, babe, can we go?" Kyle said, draping an arm around Sadie.
Sadie grimaced as she removed his arm from around her neck. "Fine, but on one condition: don't ever call me babe again."
"OK, babe," Kyle said, grinning at her like a lovesick puppy.
"Argghhh!" Sadie threw up her hands in resignation, and I saw Tommy go over to her.
After a few minutes of talking, Sadie looked relieved.
"OK, everyone," Sadie said, sounding like the head cheerleader she used to be before she graduated. "The circus idea is canceled, but I do have another idea that I'm sure you'll all love."
"What?" SME roared in protest.
"Keep your pants on," Sadie said, before she realized that she said it out loud. Wally and Speed nudged Kyle, who turned a deep shade of red.
"Moving on," Sadie said quickly. "I vote that we all go to the opera." She smiled in satisfaction as SME grabbed their throats and made choking noises. "No children allowed," she added smugly.
"Tommy, can I talk to you for a second?" I said.
"OK," Tommy and I distanced ourselves from the others.
I asked him, "Was the opera your idea?"
"Yeah, I thought it'd be good to get away from the boys for a bit."
"Come on, Tommy, you know how much I love the circus," I coaxed, giving him my special smile, the one reserved only for him, and Tommy slowly smiled back.
"OK, I'll do it. Anything for you, girl," Tommy replied. I lost myself in his gaze. Those penetratingly clear blue eyes, the kinds you could feel drowning yourself in for hours. The same ones that pierced you down to your very soul, until nothing was left uncovered.
"Thank you, Tommy!" I squealed, throwing myself into his arms. "I want to see the fortune teller, the hot dog vendor, the peanuts guy, the cotton candy guy…"
Tommy laughed, holding me close in his arms. "Jude, is that why you want to go see the circus? You can get food anywhere else. I happen to make a mean linguini with mussels." He laughed again at my expression of disgust.
"Mussels? Eww. They're slimy, salty, and just plain yucky," I muttered, then regretted it as I saw Tommy's look of hurt.
"I mean, sure, they're great. Who doesn't love linguini with mussels?" I smiled, hoping to sound genuine.
Tommy smiled back at me. "It's OK, girl. I don't mind. That's one of the things I love about you. The way you always manage to make me smile, even when you're insulting my favorite dish." He pulled me even closer to him, and I relished the feeling of being in his loving and protective arms.
Then Tommy turned around, and said, "Sadie, change of plans. We're going to the circus." Sadie cringed and shrank down in her seat as the SME boys cheered in response, getting angry glares from the hospital staff and patients in the waiting room.
"Come on, we'd better go before we get kicked out of here," Sadie said, getting up. Tommy and I followed suit, grabbing the SME boys and dragging them out behind us, which was difficult as they were completely enthralled in the moment.
AN: I hope you liked the Jommy moment! I know I did. I'll try to put a few in from time to time, whenever I can, because just like you, I love Jude and Tommy together. As always, please review! Thank you!