A/N: 5 months later, and I'm back! Sorry guys, life got insane and every time I sat down to work on this chapter, it just sucked even worst. Hopefully this will be good and another update will occur before another 5 months. College sucks. I'm officially at "Accounting School" and the class I just took an exam for was pretty brutal. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy the chapter. I'm a bit rusty, but I don't think the chapter is that bad. More drama to come! This fic isn't over yet. :D Be on the lookout as well for a oneshot I was working on back in August but never finished – though I had, but hadn't. Winter break is gonna be spent writing :D

Chapter 26

"Are you sure you're doing ok?" Jude asked me. I sighed as I opened my eyes to blink at her. Her brow was creased with fine lines of concern as she looked critically at me. It'd been the hundredth time today she's asked me that since we came back from my second treatment at the hospital earlier today. Jude did have a reason to worry, even if it was misplaced. Since we left the hospital, I had been feeling slightly feverish and light headed, my head hurt with sharp, painful pulses and sometimes my vision blurred a bit. Jude didn't know that last part. Dr. Franchi said the symptoms were normal, but if the fever persisted or got worst by morning, to call back.

"I'll be ok." I told her, giving her a small smile of reassurance. Jude sighed and shook her head. "Really." I offered and she opened her eyes and lifted her hand to my forehead. Her hand was cool against my forehead.

"You're fever's down from earlier." She stated, looking a little less worried than before as she lowered her hand.

"Told you," I said, smirking at her and she rolled her eyes in response. "Look, I don't have to"

"You need to." I stated with a pointed look and she pursed her lips in annoyance.

"I'm fine, really." I told her, taking her hand in mine, but something felt…wrong. Like her hand didn't feel like it's usual softness, but harder…firmer.

"I don't…I wouldn't feel right going out."

"Jude, I'll" I paused a moment, catching a scent of something strong and slightly fowl. Almost like something was…burning. I blinked in confusion and the memory? Vision? Faded away, leaving me standing in the kitchen, near the stove, the scrambled eggs I was making now charred black, spatula in my hand, almost like how I was holding Jude's before. "Shit," I cursed, reaching for the knob on the stove to shut it off, smoke starting to fill the room.

"I think you killed it." Jude stated, her voice sounding amused as she walked in behind me. I turned around to look at her, and she was looking past my shoulder at what was left of breakfast.

"You sure? I think it could use a couple more minutes."

Jude just raised an eyebrow at me and shoved me out of the way and started cleaning up my mess.

"I'll do it," I told her as she started attempting to scrape charred eggs off the skillet.

"I've had tons of practice, it's fine." Jude said, giving me a grin as she turned her attention back to the pan. "How'd you mess up so bad?" Jude asked as she worked.

"I…I got distracted." I said with a sheepish look. Jude shot me an understanding smile and turned her attention back to the task at hand. I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief she didn't press the issue. I don't know what that was and I didn't want to worry her about it until I knew for sure. Note to self, stay away from cooking or anything similar that could end in disaster. "Sorry," I added and Jude shut off the water and grabbed a dishtowel and dried the pan and held it up. It looked almost as good as new. I was impressed.

"I've done it a bazillion times in the past," She said with a shrug, setting the pan down and looking expectantly at me. "So mind if I ask what that was supposed to be?"

"Scrambled eggs." I told her solemnly. "Bri asked for them."

"You didn't have to make breakfast…"

"I know, I wanted to." I stated and Jude gave me a smile and going back to the fridge. "How about we make 'em together so if one of us gets distracted, we're covered." Jude stated and I laughed.

"I guess we better hope we both don't get distracted eh?" Jude rolled her eyes in response. I grinned and together we managed to get breakfast made without any further distractions.

Breakfast was uneventful. Bri "helped" wash dishes, and managed to get dish soap and water across the room and even all over the ceiling.

"Daddy!" Bri called, trying to get my attention when Jude and I finished cleaning up.

"Yeah Bri?" I asked watching her while she swaying slightly as she stared up at me.

"Piggy Tails?" She asked, her eyes begging me to say something in the affirmative. I glanced over at Jude for clarification but she wasn't paying attention. OK Tommy, think. Little girl…piggy tails. I scrambled through my brain to try and make some kind of connection to figure out what she was talking about. Unfortunately, I was failing miserably and Briana's face was beginning to fall and tears were beginning to form in her eyes.

"Bri, Honey, Don't cry," I pleaded, bending down to get eye level with her, noticing her lip beginning to quiver. "I just…I don't know what piggy tails are." I told her softly, feeling stupid for the admission. Briana looked at me with a look of pure horror and I tried not to laugh.

"Come Daddy," She said, taking my hand and pulling me with her. For a five year old, she was surprisingly strong. Briana half dragged me up the stairs to her room and motioned for me to sit. I did as directed, knowing better than to cross my determined daughter, as she rushed out of the room and came back with a brush and a couple of those hair things girls use to put their hair back into pony tails. Bri handed me the brush and sat down before me, making sure all her hair was behind her. I stared stupidly at the brush in my hand for a long moment until Bri finally got impatient and turned around to look at me, her eyes filled with annoyance. "Daddy, I can't bwrush by myself." She pointed out and I realized what she wanted me to do and I felt a moment of panic overcome me. My daughter wanted me to do her hair. Bri giggled at me and turned back around, getting herself comfortable. "You're funny Daddy." She stated, waiting for me to start brushing her hair.

I lifted the brush and tentatively brought it to Bri's head and began the process of brushing out her long dark brown hair. I don't know how long it was I tried to brush out her hair but my arm was starting to get tired and Jude walked in, took one look at our daughter, me and the brush and snatched it out of my hand before I could process the fact she moved across the room.

"What did you do?" Jude demanded, trying to keep her volume low and voice even, but I could hear the anger and looking at the mess that was Bri's hair…I'm glad she came to the rescue.

"Bri asked me to do her hair." I mumbled. Jude closed her eyes and motioned for me to move and I did. Jude took my place and started undoing the damage I had done. I watched her for a moment and left the room, knowing there was nothing I could do there.

Minutes later, Jude found me downstairs, sitting on the couch, staring at an old picture of Jude, Briana, and Me. Briana couldn't have been more than a couple months old in the picture and I couldn't help but notice how happy we all looked. I sighed and looked over at Jude.

"How the hell did you manage to do that?!" She asked me, sounding annoyed. I sighed.

"I don't know, it was tangley and…I don't know." Jude shook her head and walked past me, still angry. I watched her go, suddenly feeling my own temper start to rise. Why the hell was she so pissed off at me? I was only trying to be a good father to my daughter and a husband to my wife.

"Why the hell are you so mad?" I demanded, getting up from the couch to follow her. Jude turned around and glared at me.

"I'm not mad." Jude said curtly, turning away from me but I grabbed her arm and made her stay.

"Yes, you are." I insisted, staring into her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"You want to know what's wrong, Tommy?" She asked me, staring straight into my eyes. "You! You are my problem!"

"Me?"

"What the hell where you thinking?" She demanded, hands on her hips as she challenged me. I stared stupidly at her for a long moment before I answered her question.

"I was trying to do our daughter's hair." Jude rolled her eyes and shook her head. "What? What the hell did I do that was so wrong?" I demanded.

"You could have killed our daughter!" I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing and Jude continued to glare at me. She reached up and hit me in the arm and I stopped laughing, realizing she was being serious.

"It was a knot, Jude, not"

"That's not what I'm talking about." She hissed, glaring at me and I felt my anger rising. What the hell was her problem?

"Care to enlighten me then? Cuz you're starting to sound like a crazy person."

"You just don't think! You just do whatever the hell you feel like and damn the consequences!" She yelled at me and I closed my eyes. I was trying to not loose it with her, I really was. But she isn't making it easy. "What if you would have zoned out again and Bri had gotten hurt? What if"

"You don't trust me." I stated and she stared at me a moment and didn't say anything. I threw my hands up and walked past her. I couldn't stay here for now. I needed to think and she wasn't going to make it easy.

"Where are you going?" Jude asked me, following me and I stopped and turned around to look back at her.

"I'm sorry I don't remember." I stated, taking a breath and letting it out in a sigh. "I'm sorry I don't remember how to be a perfect husband or a good father to Bri, but…" I shook my head and headed towards the door.

"Tommy-"

"Jude, don't." I said softly, opening the front door and pausing for a moment. "I just…I need to think." I told her and left, shutting the door behind me and shoved my hands into my pockets and left the house.