A/N: Alright everyone, here's another update! This one is a bit shorter than the norm, but it works for what I need it for. Future chapters will be a bit longer in length. Glad you all seem to be enjoying the fic. I'm excited for the ending of this to unravel. It's been in my head for so long, I can't wait to find out how you all think about it...even though it's another 10-15 chapters away! LOL! Anyway, even though it's a short one, I hope it's still a good one for ya. OH, another note, I opted not to beta this one. So if things seem kinda weird or misspelled or wrote grammatically odd...that's why. I apologize. I handwrote (GASP) the chapter in my classes thursday and typed it up today so...yeah. I didn't deem it necessary to bug FMB to look at it. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 29

The next couple of days were a blur. Jude and I were on better terms; the broken lines of communications seemed to have been mended. Things were better between us and both of us were getting to be happy again.

I was standing by the sink in the kitchen, rubbing my throbbing temples. The memories…hallucinations…whatever it was they were seemed to be getting more frequent, and the headaches skull splitting. I closed my eyes and took a couple deep breathes, trying to get the pounding in my head to subside.

I winced as the shrill ringing of my cell cut through the silence of the house. I sighed and answered the damned thing before it succeeded in making the jackhammer in my head worst.

"Hello?"

"Jason?" My heart stopped and eyes widened, even the jackhammer seemed to have stopped – or I just didn't notice it anymore. "Jas?" She asked again and I took a calming breathe and snapped myself out of my funk.

"It's not Jason, Jessica, you know that."

"Don't be like that Jase." She pleaded and I could feel my jaw clench and eyes close in irritation.

"What do you want?" I asked her.

"I miss you," She whined. "I want to see you."

"I don't think that's a good idea." I stated automatically.

"Please Jase?" She asked, her voice pleading with me. I closed my eyes, remembering a time not so long ago when that voice would have made me drop anything to rush to her side. Now…it just annoyed me. It was strange how quickly things could change.

"I made it clear that I don't feel the same way about you."

"Jase, please, let me explain"

"We're done, Jessica. You call me again and I'll have you listed as a stalker." I snapped before closing my phone and setting it down on the counter, scowling at it a moment before the headache started to make itself known again. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. I didn't want to see her. I knew that much, but the part of me that remembers being her Jason wanted to. It's better this way, I told myself. I didn't need to rehash that again. I was done with the drama that's Jessica and Jason and was focusing on my real life as Tom Quincy; that much I was sure of.

"Hey!" I looked up and saw Jude walk into the room, grinning, her face lighting up the room.

"What are you doing home?" I asked as she stopped infront of me and kissed my cheek.

"Nothing to do at the studio," She said with a shrug and a grin. "So I figured I'd come home and be with my wonderful husband." She said, leaning forward and kissing me.

"Lucky bastard," I murmured and I could feel her smile as she wrapped her arms around the back of my neck and deepened the kiss. I wrapped my arms around her slender waist and pulled her closer to me.

"Oh!" Jude exclaimed as she pulled away from the kiss, much too soon for my liking "Who was on the phone?" She asked.

"Wrong number." I stated and immediately felt guilty. I didn't want her to worry about Jessica but I didn't want to lie to her either. Jude seemed satisfied with the answer and changed the subject before I could correct myself.

"So I was thinking," She started to say, breaking out of my embrace and picking things up around the kitchen. "That I could call Kat and Jamie and have them watch Bri for the night and we could go out with just us or with Kwest and Sadie…" She trailed off as she looked over her shoulder at me and I nodded my agreement, watching her busy herself. "I thought it'd be nice to do something just"

"I have a confession." I blurted out and Jude stopped and automatically turned around to face me, her expression turning from happy Jude to worry Jude.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her eyes locking onto mine as she searched for some indication of what I was about to say.

"I…" Say it, I scolded myself. "I…I love it when you skip out of work." Chicken, I chided myself. Jude beamed proudly and walked across the room and wrapped her arms around me, obviously happy with what I told her.

"I love you," She said and I could hear the happiness in her voice. I returned the embrace, hating myself for not saying what was on my mind. Jessica called. I've been experiencing mild delusions and they seem to be getting worst. It's not that hard. Instead of speaking the truth, telling her what was really on my mind, I took the easy way out. "I love you too," I told her and she just grinned happily at me and I forced a smile. Jude kissed me quickly before stepping away from me, talking about how she was going to call Kat and Jamie and see if they'd watch Bri so we could go out tonight. I just nodded my agreement, trying to figure out why I couldn't tell her.