"Best Friends"

Summary: Tommy Quincy hates Jamie Andrews with a passion. But why? Takes place after "Date With the Night."

Disclaimer: All chapter titles are songs by Fall Out Boy. Also I don't own anything related to "Instant Star" except for a couple of Jude-centric fantasies.

Author's Note: Why does everyone assume it's Darius in the room with Jamie? It's not. Not everything I do is life threatening; just most of it.

88

Tommy watched as Jude glanced at the clock, worry written on her face. "I'm sure he's fine," he said.

Jude nodded absently. "Yeah, yeah. I'm sure he's fine, too."

Tommy sighed and sat down at the kitchen table. He looked around the group of people that had assembled for Jamie's 'Welcome Back' party and wondered for the umpteenth time where the hell he was. "No news?" Liam asked, sitting next to him.

Tommy shook his head. "No."

Liam clucked and turned his attention to his Jude. "Let's hope he gets here soon."

88

Jamie stood nervously. "Hey, Patsy."

"Jamie," she smiled back. "How you and Jude working out?" She said this with such malice that an odd thought struck Jamie.

"Did you do something?" he demanded, sounding braver than he felt. Patsy had always been a little unstable and he didn't want to set her off.

"Like what?" she grinned maliciously.

Jamie grabbed her shoulders. "Patsy!"

A look Jamie had never seen on Patsy before, flashed across her face. "Yeah, okay."

Jamie turned her around and pushed her out the door. "What are you doing, Andrews?" she asked.

"You're gonna confess," Jamie replied.

Patsy began to protest but the look on Jamie's face left no room for argument.

88

Tommy knocked on Jude's door, unsure what he was going to say if she answered. The young woman opened the door and for a moment Tommy couldn't think of a thing to say. "Yeah?" she grinned.

"Can I come in?" Tommy asked finally.

Jude moved aside, letting him in. "What's up?"

Tommy sat on the edge of her bed, trying to ignore the queasy feeling in his stomach. "I wanted to talk. Just make sure you were okay with Jamie not showing up."

"I'm sure he's fine," Jude said. Most people would've believed her but Tommy saw straight through her lie.

"Jude."

The blonde sighed and sat down next to him. "Okay," she admitted. "With all that's happened, how could I not be worried?"

Tommy put his arm around her and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "I can't tell you everything will be okay because it may not be; but I can tell you I will always be here for you."

Jude turned to face him, so that they looked each other in the eyes, and said, "I know."

Tommy suddenly felt the urge to kiss Jude but he willed himself not to; that is until Jude parted her lips slightly and whatever self-control Tommy had disappeared. He leaned in to kiss her but she gently pushed him away. "I can't."

Disappointment and embarrassment hit Tommy. He nodded and was saved from apologizing by a car pulling up in the driveway. Jude jumped up and looked out her window. "It's him!" Before Tommy could say anything, she ran out of the room to greet Jamie.

Tommy followed, much slower, and tried to avoid the gazes of the party guests when he reached downstairs. "I'm gonna go say hi," he called out to them, wanting to get away. He heard footsteps behind him, but didn't turn around. Once outside he saw Jude and Jamie, standing in front of a jeep, kissing with such passion that he felt like ripping Jamie's arms off and beating him to death with them.

As he approached, a car pulled up in the driveway and Kwest emerged, packs of soda in his arms. "Hey Jamie," he smiled. "You finally turned up!"

"Turned up?" Jamie asked, confused. As Jude and Kwest explained to Jamie about the party, Tommy felt a hand his shoulder and realized that whoever had followed him out of the house had finally caught up. He glanced back and was surprised to find Stuart standing there.

"You okay?" he questioned.

"Great," Tommy smiled. "Just perfect."

Stuart opened his mouth to say something, then closed it as if he thought better of it. "C'mon, everyone," he said. "Let's get inside."

As the group began walking back towards the house, a sound like thunder reached their ears and in the next instant, the house went up in flames.