A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's been awhile. Life is crazy and all that, still, but it's all good. A bit longer of an update. I hope you all like it:D
Chapter 23
Tommy and I walked into the front door and I didn't wait for him before tossing my keys on the table by the door and heading into the house and straight for the kitchen. I opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, my eyes breezing over a note held to the fridge with a magnet in my dad's handwriting saying he was meeting up with old friends and wouldn't be home til later. I nodded to myself as I twisted the lid off the bottle and took a long drink before lowering the bottle and closing my eyes with a sigh. Get yourself together Jude. I told myself.
"Jude, I" I heard Tommy's nervous voice say before he paused. I could feel his eyes on me before I turned around to see his helpless gaze.
"I'm sorry." I told him, dropping my gaze. "I don't know what's wrong with me."
"You're stressed." Tommy stated, simply and I looked back up at him. Was it so wrong that I really wanted him to remember? I missed our passion and complete trust. Then again, he read me so easily that it made me forget he didn't remember exactly who I was to him and how much he loved…loves? Me. We had our problems before the accident, but it wasn't anything we wouldn't get through with some more time. We were, after all, Tommy and Jude. Team Jommy, as Kat and Jamie often called us. We survived a lot of odds stacked against us and, suddenly, I found myself doubting we'd survive this one.
"Yeah…" I answered, looking into his eyes for any sign of the husband I remembered. "I guess I am."
Silence fell over us and I turned away from him. This wasn't one of those comfortable silences were neither person had to say anything. This was that uncomfortable silence that both people knew something needed to be said but neither wanted to spit it out. We were doing that lately, I noticed. Almost like before…when we were pretending we weren't madly in love with eachother. We both knew it was there, we'd have the perfect moments, and then one of us would snap out of it and awkwardness would set in. That's what this was like. It was like I was 15 again and in love with my producer who, I didn't think, liked me back. I blew out a long breath and turned back around to face him.
"I'm sorry." I stated. "I shouldn't unload all my crap on you like that and"
"Well," Tommy interrupted, shifting his weight nervously before continuing. "Isn't that what a spouse is for?"
"It's not fair to you."
Tommy sighed, almost in frustration, and stepped closer to me. I watched him, and I could feel my confusion crossing my face. His hands closed around my hips and pulled me to him. I closed my eyes, automatically reveling in the feel of our bodies close together again, in his scent, and his hands on me. I felt a pleasant weight settle on my forehead and I opened my eyes to his crystal blue eyes staring back at me, our foreheads touching, with the softest look in his eyes.
"Jude, you know that I" Tommy didn't get to finish his thought as the doorbell echoed through the room. I went to pull away from him to get the door but his hands tightened their hold on my hips, keeping me where I was. "Let me finish." He said as the doorbell rang again.
"I should really get that." I told him, feeling bad when I saw the look of irritation settle in. He sighed and dropped his hands and brushed past me. "Hey," He stopped but didn't turn to look at me and I felt my heart clench. Is this our 'first' fight? "We'll finish this later, ok?"
"Sure, whatever." He said with a heavy sigh, his frustration evident in his voice.
"Tommy, I-" I said as the doorbell rang again.
"I thought you were going to get that?" He spat as he turned around, arms crossing over his chest and staring at me with narrowed eyes; not quiet a glare but the effect was the same. I recoiled slightly, not expecting him to snap at me. I stared at him a moment, trying to figure out what he was so mad about before turning on my heel and going to get the door. It was at least one problem I could fix without someone being all pissy with me.
I pulled open the front door and my eyes instantly widened and flashbacks ran through my mind at the person before me.
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"Mrs. Quincy, your Husband was in a car accident…"
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"Mrs. Quincy, we're sorry; we've done all we can"
"Try harder!"
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"Mrs. Quincy, your Husband is now presumed dead. I'm very sorry for your loss."
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"Mrs. Quincy?" I snapped out of my thoughts and took a deep breath to pull myself together. Tommy's alive, I told myself. They can't be bringing bad news.
"Can I help you?" I asked, my voice shaking slightly from the aftermath of the flashbacks.
"We're here to investigate your Husband's kidnapping." The officer stated, and I felt my mouth open into an "o" of surprise. "We'd like to ask some questions." He continued. "Unless the time is not convenient. If that's the case, we can make an appointment and I can come back or you come to the station"
"No, no!" I said, shaking my head. "It's fine. I'm just…I wasn't…" I took a deep breath. "I wasn't expecting this." The officer gave me a sad smile.
"I'm still sorry we didn't meet under better circumstances, Mrs. Quincy." Officer Dubane stated, his eyes sympathetic. "I was very glad to hear your husband has been found, alive."
"Me too." I said, a small smile coming to my face.
"Jude?" I turned my head and saw Tommy staring quizzically at me from the staircase. I turned back to Officer Dubane and stepped back and waved him inside.
"Please, come in." He gave me a curt nod and stepped into the foyer. I closed the door behind him as the officer was introducing himself to Tommy.
"Mr. Quincy, I am Lieutenant Jacque Dubane with the Toronto Police Department, I was the investigating officer assigned to your case." He stated as Tommy eyed him suspiciously a moment before taking the officer's outstretched hand.
"I don't think nice to meet ya is appropriate here?" Tommy joked and the officer smiled.
"I wouldn't really expect it, no." The officer responded.
"Officer Dubane has some questions to ask." I told Tommy as he nodded and I could tell he really didn't want to do this from the stiffness of his posture and the way he guarded his expressions. Maybe this wasn't the time to do this, I thought, remembering our earlier fight in the kitchen.
"About what?" Tommy asked, crossing his arms over his chest and eyeing the lieutenant carefully.
"Jessica White."
"What about her?" Tommy asked and Dubane sighed. This really wasn't a good time, I thought with a wince.
"Ya know," I said speaking up, stepping between the two men. "I forgot about this…thing and this really probably isn't the best time to do this."
"Oh, no." I heard Tommy's voice. I turned around and gave him a pointed look and he just glared at me. "Let's do this now."
I gritted my teeth and turned back to the Dubane and waved him into the living room. "Let's sit down, then." I offered and Dubane gave me a nod and walked off. Tommy went to follow and I grabbed his arm.
"What?" He asked.
"What? What the hell is your problem!" I whispered.
"You can't back out now." Tommy stated with a shrug. "Might as well get this over with." He muttered.
"You know that's not what I'm talking about."
"Do I?" He asked, staring sarcastically at me a moment before brushing past me and into the living room and sitting down across from Jacque Dubane. I took a deep breath, trying to figure out what this was all about. I shook my head and sat down in the arm chair off to the side.
"Mr. Quincy, we presumed you dead after your body wasn't found after the accident"
"Yes, I know this." Tommy stated, giving the other man a look that asked to get to the point.
"The department wants to determine where we went wrong in the old investigation as well as open a case against Ms. White."
"Why?"
"She committed a felony by kidnapping you, Mr. Quincy, the province does not like to let someone like that go free." Dubane stated honestly, looking Tommy straight into the eyes.
"She shouldn't be able to." I stated and Tommy looked at me and then back at the Lieutenant.
"Why waste the time and resources?" Tommy asked and I gaped at him. Tommy ignored me and continued to talk to the officer. "We know what happened, more or less, I want to get on with my life."
"WHAT?!" I demanded. Tommy looked at me, a look of surprise on his face. "You want that…that…that…PSYCHOTIC BITCH TO GO FREE!?"
"Jude…I…"
"Mrs. Quincy, why don't you take a moment and calm down?" Dubane suggested and I closed my eyes, counted to ten and then took a deep breath before opening them again.
"That…that…woman ruined my life. Our lives." I continued, a bit more calm. I had to get Tommy to agree to this. To get answers. "I need answers, Tommy." I told him, staring directly into his eyes. "I need to know why," I said, my voice and eyes pleading with him.
"I … I can't lock her up and throw away the key." Tommy stated, looking away from my gaze and at the floor. "I just…I can't."
"I don't need a direct answer now, Mr. Quincy. Just enough to open the investigation." Dubane stated, his tone soft and understanding. I kept my gaze locked on Tommy. I needed this. I needed answers.
"OK." Tommy said, looking up with a sigh. "You can do your investigation but I don't want to press charges…not yet." I closed my eyes and felt myself relax into the chair.
I heard Tommy let the lieutenant out and the door close softly.
"Jude?" I opened my eyes and looked up at Tommy. He stood in the doorjam, hands in his pockets. "I get that you need answers, but so do I." I stared at him in confusion for a long moment. He sighed and walked over to me. "I agreed to do this, because I know how it is not to understand what's going on and why." He knelt down before and took my hand.
"Tommy?"
"Yeah?"
"I get it now." I told him with a sad smile. "I just…I don't want to lose you again."
"What if I promised if any of the bad side effects start to take effect, it's done."
"Do you?" I asked.
"Jude…I…" He sighed and shook his head. "I promise. I don't want to lose you either." I felt a smile come to my face. Our eyes were locked and I watched his smile slowly spread across his face, mirroring mine. I leaned down and threw my arms around him into a tight hug and his wrapped around me. I closed my eyes, thankful that he was here and whatever it was he was so mad about earlier was done and gone. I hated it when we fought; it always left me feeling anxious, worried, and hurt.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Tommy and I broke apart to see Briana running into the room. I felt a smile grow on my face as I got up and hugged my little girl.
"Bri! How's my baby girl?!" I asked as she backed away from me.
"Good! Aunt Sadie and I got ice cream!" I looked past my daughter to shoot a glare at Aunt Sadie who just shrugged in return.
"Thanks for picking her up." I told Sadie as Bri rushed over to Tommy and hugged him.
"No problem." Sadie said with a smile. Her smile faded as she took me in. "Are you ok?" She asked and I turned to glance at my husband and daughter and smiled at them as Bri talked adamantly about school and Tommy listened intently.
"Yeah, it's ok now."