A/N: I seriously LOVE this chapter. I hope you all do too. It's what you've been waiting for...thanks again for all of your reviews. And I really hope you all ENJOY :-)

Jude's heart immediately quickened at the sight of Tommy standing outside her door and her mind raced over what she should do. Should she open the door? Or act like she hadn't heard the knock and wait for him to leave? She searched her mind frantically for the answer, jumping slightly as the knock behind the door sounded once again.

"Jude," she heard faintly from outside the door, "Please. I need to talk to you, it's important."

She recognized the edginess in his voice, almost sounding stressed. She turned back and looked into the peep hole again, seeing him run his hand through his hair, still leaning against the door.

"Please…" he murmured, now sounding desperate.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. How could she just leave him out there? But then again, how could she let him in?

She turned towards the door, hearing him shift against it on the other side. She bit her lip in hesitation, and latched the chain on the door, preventing it from opening too wide. She heard him move away from the door at the sound of her actions, as she slowly opened the door just wide enough to see him through.

"What do you want?" she asked bluntly through the narrow opening.

"Jude," he said, looking at her earnestly, "Please. I need to talk to you. It's important."

"How long have you been standing out here?" she asked, thinking about the song she had been singing just minutes ago.

"Ummm…I don't know…a minute or two…" he answered, confused by her question.

"So you…didn't hear anything?" she asked warily.

"What? No…I don't know what you're talking about," he replied, flustered and looking at her in bewilderment. "Is Rob here or something?"

She exhaled quietly in relief. "No, but…I don't have anything to say to you, Quincy," she replied, not budging or unchaining the door. "It's late. You shouldn't be here."

"Jude—wait," he insisted, pushing the door open as wide as it would go. "Please. I know you don't want to see me, but there's something I really need to talk to you about."

She eyed him coldly, observing the urgency in his eyes but not wanting to completely surrender.

"What's this about?" she asked, suspicious as to his urgency. "Can't it wait?"

"No, it can't," he responded quickly. "I wouldn't ask if it weren't important. Please."

She sighed and rolled her eyes, knowing that she was about to give in. Wordlessly, she closed the door and undid the chained lock, taking a deep breath before opening it fully.

"You have five minutes. Then you're out," she said brusquely, striding away from the door and leaving it open for him to enter.

"Thanks," he said quietly, walking through the door and closing it behind him.

She stood with her arms crossed next to the kitchen, watching him closely. He clearly hadn't slept, with dark circles around his eyes and an unshaven face. He was wearing his leather jacket over a t-shirt and jeans, but his shoelaces were untied. And he had a backpack in one hand, which he lightly placed next to the door.

She looked down at her watch then back up at him. "Okay, your five minutes begins now."

He took a deep breath and walked a little closer to her, careful to not come too close.

"Jude, I did what you asked and I haven't contacted you at all this week. And I know that after this, you're probably going to reinstate that whole no communication thing. But there's something I need. It's really important, and I need it before we cut off all ties."

"What is it?"

"It's an answer. To a question."

"What's the question?" she asked impatiently.

"I need to know…" he began timidly, looking down and running a hand through his matted hair, "I need to know how you feel about me."

"What?" she asked, as though she had misheard his request.

"I need to know how you feel about me," he repeated, looking at her expression turn from confusion to shock. "It's really important."

"Why?"

"It just is…I can't explain, but it is," he said, taking a step closer to her, locking his eyes with hers.

"I hope you're kidding—," she started, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I'm not," he said seriously, taking one more step closer. "I need you to tell me. How do you feel about me?"

"What? This is—Quincy, this is crazy!" she yelled, flailing her arms in the air and walking away from him. "Do you honestly think you can come in here and just ask me that question?"

"Jude—I know it sounds crazy. But I wouldn't ask if it weren't important," he said, watching her pace the living room.

"Why? Why is it so important?" she spat, crossing her arms and stopping her pacing.

"It just is—I need you to tell me," he pleaded, approaching her. "Do you care about me? Do you…have feelings for me?"

She opened her mouth to speak but became totally flustered. "I—why would you—what?"

"Do you have feelings for me? Do you care about me?" he repeated, swallowing hard and looking at her intensely, adding, "More than Rob?"

She looked at him, her eyes narrowed. "You did not seriously just ask me that question."

"I need to know. Please, just answer the question."

"I'm not answering that! Are you insane? Is this just some ego trip for you?"

"What? No! Jude, please!"

"No! I'm not doing it! Not until you tell me why you need to know."

"I can't…but Jude, please just trust me on this—"

"Trust you? That's quite the joke!" she yelled back with a bitter laugh. "If that's all you came for, you can leave now because I am not answering your question!"

"Jude—I know it sounds strange, but I really need to know," he pleaded. "Please, I'm begging you."

"No! I'm not telling you anything!"

"Do you love him?" he asked frankly.

"Of course I do!" she replied immediately.

"What about me? How do you feel about me? Do you love him…more than me?"

Her eyes widened in horror, completely startled by his question. "Get out. Now."

"Not before you tell me," his voice rising a little to become more firm, watching her walk towards the door to usher him out.

"Are you kidding? Are you delusional?" she asked angrily. "What the hell, Quincy? Who do you think you are?"

"I need to know—Jude, please. Just say it."

"I won't! I can't!" she yelled, growing infuriated.

"Please—say it!" he shouted back.

"No! Just leave!"

"Not before you tell me!"

"I can't!"

"Jude, just do it!"

"No!"

"Jude—"

"What do you want to hear, Quincy? That I have feelings for you? That I think about you more than my own boyfriend? That I tried so god damn hard to forget how I felt about you five years ago but it all just came back anyway? That you're the only person I ever feel like myself around but you're still the only one who gives me butterflies? Well, fine—there you go! It's all true! That's how I feel! Are you happy now? Happy that you got what you came here for!"

She stared at him for a few seconds, her face reddened from emotion. She held his intense gaze, until the realization of her admission set in and she felt the tears begin to well up in her eyes. She quickly turned her back to him so he wouldn't see her cry, taking a few steps away from him towards the kitchen.

The tears slowly rolled down her cheeks, as she heard him sigh behind her and take a seat on the couch. Silence set in as an awkward, eerie energy overwhelmed the room. A thoughtful yet anxious silence that had them both tongue tied. The room was completely still, except for the faint muffle of Jude's tears and Tommy's deep breathing.

No words were spoken. No more arguments or exchanges. Her confession was out there, and the second she heard the words fly out of her mouth, she wished instantly that she could take them back.

Minutes passed without a word, the silence growing torturous. Trying to control her overwhelming emotions, Jude took a deep breath. As she exhaled, she closed her eyes and wished for a brief moment that when she opened them, she would realize it was all just a dream.

But as she opened her eyes, she heard the quietest, softest voice behind her murmur,

"I broke up with Jessica."