A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I've been posting a part a day but tomorrow I'll be out of town so I may not be able to post part seven until Monday or Tuesday. Thanks again for all the comments!

"Unhinged"

Part Six

Jamie's sweaty palm rubbed moisture against Jude's trembling mouth. The salty taste stung bitter on her lips. Jude swallowed down a wave of nausea while pleading inwardly for her aching stomach to keep from emptying its contents. Her arms hung limp at her sides, her hand still clinging to her cell phone. When she was younger Jude used to carry around a small stuffed panda bear whenever she felt scared. Her cell phone was just as good as her soft stuffed toy.

Jude's eyes remained glued to Jamie's, like a bad accident, she couldn't look away even though she wanted to. His inner struggles fought violently within him; daring her to stay and watch what happened next. His eyes so haunted, so unlike Jamie. Why was she so afraid of Jamie? Kung-fu loving, song writing buddy. Her protector; her best friend? Jude had her own battle playing out deep within her breaking heart. Should she take off and run into the arms of safety or give into the burning desire to stay and save her friend?

"Do you remember when Pappy died?" Jamie finally asked. Because his hand still covered her mouth all Jude could do was nod in reply. "I was so upset. He was the only dad I really remembered. He took me fishing, played catch with me in the backyard. He always told me how proud of me he was and how much I reminded him of my dad

I wanted to be just like him. I wanted to grow up and have everything he did." Jamie's hand trembled over Jude's mouth, causing her stomach to clench in protest. "I'm nothing like him. I never could be. He was great and I'm just--- me." His eyes closed; the movement causing a tear to fall upon his cheek.

Jude started to reach up in order to wipe the fallen tear away but Jamie moved his head a breath away from her touch. "Don't," he whispered. "you made me a promise the day of Pappy's funeral, remember?" Needing to hear Jude's answer Jamie removed his hand from its spot against her mouth.

Jude coughed as Jamie's hand slipped away, falling stiffly to his side…the sticky moisture of his sweat lingered upon her plump lips, the taste of salt and something else she couldn't place was almost enough to make her gag out loud. "Y-yeah," Jude stuttered in response to his question.

"You promised me you would never leave me and that it would always just be the two of us. No one else; just you and me." Jamie's voice trembled. The desire to shake Jude until she was begging for forgiveness was so strong he could taste the sweetness just waiting for him to lick. "another one of your broken promises."

"I-I-I was nine Jamie."

"You promised me!"

"I've always been here for you Jaim, I never left you," Jude tried to reason with him.

Jamie shook his head. "No you weren't you left me just like everyone else!"

"How can you say that? I'm still here and so is Nana."

"Nana?" Jamie cackled loudly. The sound of his wicked humorless laugh sent tiny pin like pricks into Jude's body. "Nana hasn't been the same since Pappy died! You know that Jude. She went from this fun loving incredible woman into what she is now."

Jude knew exactly what he was talking about. When Nana lost Pappy she lost herself as well. Pappy was the heart of the Andrews family and without him no one knew how to live. Nana crawled under the covers and never came out… what was left was the Nana who was cold and grumpy but Jude knew without a doubt Jamie was her life. She would do anything for her grandson. "She loves you Jamie, you're all she has left of her family. If you talked to her I know she would listen. She may even be able to help you."

"This isn't even about Nana." Jamie rubbed a shaky hand across his pale face. His dry lips cracked and Jude could see a small line of blood forming. "It's about how you made me a promise then turned around and broke it."

"I never broke any promise! I never left you, I'm standing right in front of you," Jude yelled out angrily. "When everyone else walked away. When you needed a friend. When you needed a family who was there? HUH? Who was there? ME!" Jamming a finger against his chest Jude simmered with frustration. "I have been nothing but good to you since we were kids. I gave you everything you always asked for and then some. Yeah I hurt you---" her voice paused. She had hurt him so much. She knew that. "I can't forgive myself for some of the things I've done to you Jamie. I know it's asking too much. But please you know me better than anyone, you know I never did anything on purpose."

"You still did it and you owe me!" Jamie spoke through gritted teeth. The muscles in his jaw tightened.

"I don't owe you anything."

"No. You owe me everything." Blood smeared between Jamie's lips with every word he spoke. The motions making him look more than creepy.

Jude licked her lips in nervous habit and gagged softly as the taste of Jamie's sweat came off on her tongue. "Oh---," another wave of nausea slammed into her and Jude knew if she didn't get away she'd throw up. "I-I-I," she stammered trying to speak. Oh God. Covering her mouth with her free hand Jude pushed away from Jamie and started to run down the hall. She couldn't tell if she was going towards the elevator or towards the rehearsal space. Oh God Oh God. I'm going to get sick. She thought as her stomach tightened, pushing the bile up.

"Get back here," Jamie called after Jude. He took off down the hall and once again caught her before she could reach the elevator. She thought she was smart and could get away. She once again underestimated him. "That's it. I warned you more than once princess." Ignoring the panicked paleness in her face, or the fact that she was dry heaving in her hand Jamie grabbed hold of her shoulders and pushed her roughly against the wall. "I wouldn't push my buttons Jude! You have no idea what I'm capable of doing."

Jamie's fingers tightened around her shoulders. The pain ignored as Jude fought to hold down the bile rising in her throat…the acid burned a small trail of grief inside her body. This was it. She was stuck here. Tears bubbled beneath her eyelashes and suddenly a sob broke free from her mouth. "Where are you Tommy?" Jude called out quietly.

Jamie swore under his breath, "He's not coming Jude." He swore again as Jude's tear-filled eyes met his angry ones. "I left the note. I knew you would come if you thought Tommy was meeting you here."

What!? Jude wanted to shout, unfortunately her body denied her the voice. Instead her tears started to fall down her cheeks, leaving behind soft trails to mark her fear. Jamie had set her up and like a love sick fool she had fallen prey to his trap. Now here she was, standing in the hallway of a building on the bad side of town with someone who was supposed to be there for her. Not this time, this guy who held her firmly and painfully against the wall stared down at her with a gleam in his eye she was too afraid to question.

"You broke your promise to me Jude," Jamie whispered. The scent of his breath. The sight of his blood smeared lips. The look of a hunter in his eyes. All of it was too much. Jude sobbed against her hand and felt her legs slowly give out on her.

To be continued…