A/N: Hey guys, sorry that it took practically a week to update. A lot of stuff has been going on and I'm starting to get major writer's block. I already got several chapters of this story written, but I'm going to be taking a break from this story for most likely a week or two, thanks for the awesome reviews, please read and review.
The next week was filled with Tanner and Jess texting each other, and then Jess working on some music for the soundtrack. Jess continually looked at the script for the movie as she jotted down some lyrics for a song. Jude could tell her daughter was healing, she saw with each smile Tanner had brought to her face. Jude was sitting down on the couch reading a book when she felt for the first time since almost 18 years before, that butterfly feeling of the baby's first kicks.
"Ooooh my god! Tommy! Jess! Come in here now!" Jude yelled as the two ran from their bedrooms and knelt down in front of Jude.
"He's kicking," Jude said softly. The doctor had called Jude a few days after they arrived in Toronto that they were blessed with a baby boy.
"Oh my god," Tommy said with a smile as he placed his hand on Jude's belly, and felt the baby's kicks.
"Can I feel him?" Jess asked and Jude nodded as she placed her hand on her mom's stomach. Jess bit her bottom lip and smiled as she felt the baby's kicks.
"I can't believe he's really there," Tommy said smiling at Jude. The three stayed together for a moment, drowing in the feeling of the new addition to their family finally making his presence known.
The next day was the first day of filming. For Jess, it would be her first day of recording. She was going to be working on "Because of You" (Kelly Clarkson), her mother had already her the song before, it didn't hurt her, it just brought her the insight to what leaning on her daughter did. Jess was standing in the sound booth, the headphones over her head and Tommy was on the other side of the sound board, with a very pregnant Jude who was now almost done with her second trimester. Tommy looked up at Jess and gave her signal to start singing. As soon as she heard the piano, she started to hum a little bit, and then jumped into the first verse.
Jude sat there, with Tommy as they both watched their baby girl sing her emotions of just a little more than two years ago. Jude watched her, seeing the emotions in her eyes as she brought them back out. Tanner was on his lunch break and decided to see what was going on with the musical aspect of the movie, when he entered, Jess was on the second chorus. Jude smiled at him and signaled him with her eyes that it was ok for him to sit in and listen. Jess saw him, and just focused on the music.
When Jess hit the bridge, Tanner's eyes narrowed on her's, watching the emotions pour from her eyes and hear it drip from her voice. He was captivated, she had the pipes to pull of a career like her mother's and the writing ability to maybe even got further. Jess brought the song back to it's piano keys and hummed the song down as it ended.
"You nailed it sweetie, good job," Tommy said into the speaker as he swiveled his chair around and saw Tanner. "Hey Tanner, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on set?"
"Well, I'm on my lunch break right now, and the director decided he wanted each actor to spend a day with the real people. So he practically kicked me off set. He also said you have the rest of the day off," Tanner told him in his most respectful manner.
"Alright, let me just save this song to the lap top and we'll be on our way," Tommy said as Tanner just nodded. Jess walked out from the sound booth and took a seat on the couch.
"Good job Jess, the song was really good," Tanner said in a polite voice.
"Alright Tanner, song's saved let's get going," Tommy said hurriedly as he grabbed his coat and held the door open for Tanner to follow. Tanner waved at Jess and Jude and followed Tommy out the door.
"He's such a Dad," Jess said with a laugh as she sat down next to her mother.
"Yeah, he just loves you. Tanner is so much like Tommy though, it's really scary," Jude said as she felt the growing baby boy start to kick. "Hey! Hey! I'm talkin' here,"
Jess started laugh hysterically at her mom. "Did you just tell an unborn child to stop? Mom! That's insane,"
"Yeah, I know, but you could have killed me when you were kicking, I'm trying to do anything I can to make sure this one doesn't do the same," Jude said with a laugh.
"Yeah yeah, but still, hate to say it Mom, but I like working with you and Dad," Jess said with a smile.
"Yeah, you know, if you really want to, I'll let you record a demi, self produced and all, and we'll see if you're ready to make an album," Jude said starting to stand up.
"Are you serious mom? That'd be awesome!" Jess said hugging her mother.
"Don't hug too tight, we don't wanna kill the baby," Jude said as the two just smiled. Jude walked out of the studio and started to look for Rebecca, while Jess sat at the soundboard and she heard a knock on the door.
"Hey Jess? I'm Erica, I'm going to be playing the you at 7," said the little girl, there was an older girl about 16 behind her with her hands on her shoulders.
"And I'm Francesca, Frankie for short, I'm playing you at 15," the older girl had said.
"Oh hey, I totally just forgot that we're spending the day together, come on in," Jess said as the two girls did as they were told.
"How old are you?" Frankie asked.
"I'm going to be 18 at the end of the week, you look about 15 or 16," Jess replied.
"I'm 15, so it's true, you really are making an album?" Frankie asked.
"Oh, well, no not really. But I'm helping with the music for the movie and the soundtrack," Jess said with a smile.
"Oh, that's cool," Frankie replied.
"So, why don't we go out and do some shopping? I know a couple places around here that have some pretty cool clothes," Jess said, the two girls shrugged and nodded as Jess grabbed her purse and the three took off shopping.
Tommy and Tanner were sitting at a coffee shop having lunch. Tommy was pretty much quiet the whole time, as was Tanner, they both found this really awkward.
"So, Tanner. You're quite the lady's man right?" Tommy said putting the menu down.
"Excuse me sir?" Tanner said, shocked at what he said.
"C'mon, I know all the moves, you're talking to Tom Quincy here, I'm nearly a legend with women," Tom said cockily, he was trying to get to him.
"Mr. Quincy, look, I'm not going to lie to you and say I'm not 'experienced' in that area, but I'd rather not talk about my personal life," Tanner said respectfully.
"Look, Tanner. I'm tired of beating around the bush here, and I just want to get straight to the point. What are your intentions with my daughter?" Tommy said taking off his shades and looking Tanner straight in the eyes.
"To be her friend Mr. Quincy. She's going to be on set for a year at least and since I'm going to be seeing her quite often, I thought I'd mind as well become a friend of hers," Tanner said honestly, Tommy could see the honesty in his eyes, but he could also see the emotions behind his eyes that meant something more. Not that Tanner wanted something more, but the emotions behind his eyes meant his heart wanted something more.
"Tanner, I see the way you look at Jess. You're looking at her the same way I looked at Jude when I first met her," Tommy said.
"What are you-"
"Tanner, shut up. I know, you see Jess and you can't help but think, what's inside her head? Is she thinking about you? You wonder what's her favorite color, you can't help but feel a pang in your heart when you see her look down and bite her lip when she's in pain. I know what's going through your head Tanner, I know you are falling for my daughter. And you're afraid that you are, because you've never felt something like this before. And it scares you, because old habits do die hard, and the last thing you ever want to do is hurt her," Tommy explained. Tanner looked him in the eyes and couldn't help but know that Tommy was telling the truth.
"I have to go," Tanner said leaving some money on the table to pay for what he ordered.
"Tanner sit down, now," Tommy said, Tanner couldn't help but listen to his words, and sat down.
"Accept this Tanner. Or else not only will you be hurting my daughter, but yourself," Tommy said staring firmly in his eyes, not even blinking.
"Why are you telling me to do this? I thought you wouldn't be supportive," Tanner said, his voice almost shy sounding.
"Because Tanner, I denied my feelings. And look what happened, I broke her heart more times than she deserved. What I'm happy about, is that you just met my daughter, she's older and wiser than Jude was when I fell in love with her. I'm trusting my wife's words when she says Jess can handle this and I'm hoping you will take my advice and accept your feelings and not hurt my daughter," Tommy added.
"But Jess doesn't feel that way about me," Tanner mentioned.
"Don't say that, I see the way she talks when she's with you, the way her eyes light up, and the way she can't help but smile. Jude was the same way. Now I'm not saying you both are going to end up like Jude and me, but take a chance and see what happens," Tommy said. Tanner nodded and their food was brought to them. The two ate their lunch in a comfortable silence before branching out into another conversation.
Jess, Frankie, and Erica finished shopping. Jess had bought them both outfits and took them out to lunch. Jess had also explained to them how to do certain scenes the way she had lived them. Frankie and Erica absorbed their words as if they were coming from a teacher and being passed down to the students, and in a way, they were.
When Jess got home, she saw Tommy and Tanner and Jude playing rummy at the kitchen table. Jess looked at her Dad as if she had just witnessed a miracle and took a seat at the table.
"Hey sweetie, how did your day go?" Jude asked kissing the top of her head.
"It went well, I'm a little tired, that little seven year old has sooooo much energy, how did you deal with me?" Jess said as the two just laughed.
"Well, if I may speak for Tommy and Tanner, they both seemed to have bonded while spending the day together," Tanner just looked at Jess and Jude and smiled at them and then looked back down to his cards. It was his turn and he did his move.
"Rummy," Tanner said with a joking smile.
"You cheated!" Tommy exclaimed as if he were 10 years old all over.
"Nope, no cheating Mr. Quincy, that's not my style," Tanner said, looking over at Jess when he said that last part. The two smiled at each other and Jude noticed this.
"Hey Quincy, let's go to the bedroom, there's something I want to show you," Jude said, almost seductively, as Tanner and Jess just stifled laughter at her sentence.
"You have to show me something?" Tommy asked, trying to relay this correctly.
"Yes, I have to show you something," Jude said with a playful smile.
"In the bedroom?" Tommy asked.
"In the bedroom," Jude said with finality.
"Our bedroom?" Tommy asked sarcastically.
Jude lightly pushed him and laughed, "Who else's babe?" and Jude led Tommy out of the room and looked back to Jess and gave her a coy smile and wink and then turned back to Tommy.
"That was hilarious," Tanner said busting out in laughter.
"Haha, I know. My mom is insane, she really knows how to get my dad's attention," Jess said laughing still too.
"So, how are you? Honestly," Tanner asked, looking Jess in her piercing clear blue eyes.
"I'm better. I'm better than when I found out, and I'm healing. Oh, and guess what," Jess said with a smile.
"What?" Tanner asked.
"My mom said if I can self-produce my own demo, and if she and my dad like it, they'll produce my debut album," Jess said with excitement dripping from her words.
"Really? That's great!" Tanner said pulling Jess into a hug.
"I know! I can't believe it either!" Jess said pulling away. Tanner's hands found his way around her waist. The two stared into each other's eyes for a moment longer, Tanner brushing a piece of her hair out of her eyes. The two leaned in, they could feel the sparks between their lips before they could meet, when-
"I forgot my book!" Jude said grabbing her book, looking up to see that Jess was blushing and Tanner was atleast two feet away from Jess. She smirked at the two and then walked back to her bedroom. Tommy was sitting there waiting for Jude to explain her smirk.
"What were they doing?" Tommy asked, his arms across his chest.
"Nothing Sherlock, they were just talking," Jude said covering up for her daughter.
"Mhmm," Tommy said as Jude sat down next to him.
"What did you and Tanner talk about that made you two so buddy buddy today?" Jude asked, her curiosity sparking.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Tommy teased her.
"Seriously, what did you say to him?" Jude asked. Tommy looked into her eyes, and kissed her softly yet passionately on the lips.
"I told him the truth," Tommy said, leaving his answer open to interpretation. Jude feeling unsatisfied with his answer threw a pillow at him and then kissed him again.
Jess looked at Tanner for a moment, and then just smiled, and looked away again. Tanner started to laugh a little just as Jess started to also. They looked at each other for another moment and started to laugh harder.
"You should have seen your face when my mom walked in," Jess said placing a hand over her mouth as she laughed.
"You should have seen your face too, it was probably funnier," Tanner said laughing along with her.
"Ahh, I hadn't laughed so hard in a while," Jess said leaning back on the cushions in the chair.
"I'm glad my face makes you laugh," Tanner said sarcastically, feigning hurt. Jess dipped her fingers in her water and splashed Tanner.
Tanner tilted his head for a moment, licked his lips and then looked back at Jess with a grin on his face.
"You did NOT, just do that," he said dipping his fingers in his water and splashing her just the way she had.
"Well, but the way you fought back, it looks like I did," Jess said with a smile while she wiped away the water that was under her eye.
"Aww, did lil ol' me make Jessie Wessie cwy?" Tanner teased and Jess lightly pushed him.
"Shut up, it was your damn water," Jess replied with a laugh.
"I should go, I have an early call time tomorrow, I'll see you on set," Tanner said kissing Jess on her cheek as he showed himself out the door.
Jess watched him walk out, she couldn't help but exhale deeply, she felt like she had been holding her breath the whole time he was there with her. She smiled to herself, and bit her bottom lip.
Is this what real love feels like?
