Across the Universe
Chapter 4
A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in forever… it's not like anyone's reading this anyways, but moving along. Okay so I've finally thought up of something good. I think. I'm going to use my only review to help me move along.

The next morning was a late morning. Thursday, September 4th. No one cared about where they had to be; who they had to tend; jobs that needed to be completed; all forgotten. When Krist finally woke up, ten minutes after two, he stepped outside of the building.

Max rolled off the beat-up living room couch soon after and strode outside out to the nearest pub.

Lucy woke up, plugged in the phone, then tried to find some coffee.

Jude got up the latest and laid in bed for a while, just thinking. Prudence was nowhere to be found.

When Jude finally emerged from his room, Lucy had found a very small tin of ground coffee and had made herself a cup. Jude sat beside her on the couch gave her a look-over.

"What?" Lucy shot him a dirty look.

"Nothing… it's just…" Jude looked away, embarrassed.

"Kurt did this to me." Lucy stated firmly.

"Well who else would? Why would you stay with him if you knew it would end up like this?" Jude looked at her face, trying to catch her eye but got nothing in return. Other than a look in her coffee mug.

"The relationship was bad between us, I know. But I needed something-someone-new, Jude; we needed some space." She looked up.

"Then why didn't you talk to me? You got quiet after a bit and then… well one thing led to another. I knew something was up. Lucy, you wanted this relationship to be open. We could be open to each other. But now it leads to this." There was silence.

"I met him at one of Skinner Box's gigs. You know that Frankie guy you helped deliver papers or something like that? That band? Well I found out he was in it. Lead singer. Things were fine; it was the night when you decided to go home earlier because of the terrible headache you had. I stayed longer and he was drunk. I soon was wasted and then… well I think you could guess." She took a sip from her mug then looked away once again.

Jude shook his head and turned his body away from her.

"So are you running back here for protection or you really need someplace to stay?" He finally asked.

"Well I figured I had to apologize to some people: my mother, Max, Prudence, Sadie, Jojo… you."

Why Sadie and Jojo? Jude wondered to himself.

"You really should've stayed in Liverpool, Jude." Lucy continued. "You didn't have to stay with me, but what about your mother?"

"She has someone for her, don't you worry." Jude just couldn't get over the fact that Lucy came back to America to apologize to him! And to get away but…

"But Jude, it's your mother. Aren't you going to scare him away?" Lucy sat up straight and tried to grab Jude's eye.

"Lucy, I'm sure he can handle a sick woman. Maybe me mum needs some loving in her life. It's good for her." Jude looked at Lucy for a split second then stood up just as Lucy was finishing her drink.

Jude's certainly gone crazy if he isn't going back to take care of his mom. He's always been there for her and somewhat the other way around too. He's never let any man step into his home until they pass his approval. He seems to be shaking off everything I tell him. Lucy thought to herself while she shook around the last drop in the cup.

"Sounds like your trying to drive me away." Jude looked back as he stepped from the living room into his bedroom.

"I'm not trying to scare you out of here, Jude. I'm telling you what's wrong with your mom. I thought you would care." But Jude didn't listen. He changed his shirt, slipped on his only pair of shoes and headed toward the front door.

"If you see Max, tell him I'm out earning some money for a meal tonight." Jude smiled and shut the door behind him. Lucy stared at the closed entrance for quite a bit before standing up and rinsing her cup.

Well, now what? She asked herself when she was finished. She leaned on the chipped counter and was thinking of what she could do with herself for the whole day when the phone rang.

"Hello?" She answered in a sophisticated manner.

"Lucy?" A scraggy voice answered back.

"Kurt, I already told you, I'm done with you and your… games. How could you find out the number for this phone anyways? It changed because I'm in America." She sounded almost frightened.

"I went through a lot of trouble to find this number, baby. But now we can be together at last." He sounded… possessed.

Probably with drugs. Lucy thought while rolling her eyes. The scariness from the conversation vanished immediately.

"Kurt, where are you? Liverpool? Found someone new yet?" Lucy tried to make conversation.

"Haven't found anyone worthy yet. What about you? Any new card that you feel like playing? What's his name? Is that why you left?" He pondered.

"No one new. My brother is the only man here. His friends visit-girls only pretty much the whole time. Where are you?" She answered somewhat politely.

"America." He answered, with (it sounded like) a smirk on his face.

She froze and gathered herself up again.

"Whereabouts?" She tried not to sound so intent for the answer.

"New York." She twisted the phone cord in between her fingers in wonder.

It's not like he can find me here. She tried to tell herself.

"Whereabouts?" Lucy asked again.

"Why don't you just answer your front door?"