Here is the next chapter. Thanks for sticking with me! I love the comments so keep them coming. B

Chapter Five

Jude found herself facing a very serious Liam as soon as she walked in the doors of G Major. Dean had dropped her off with a kiss on the hand and a promise to call. She was starting to like him and hoped that he would live up to his promise. But at the moment there are more important things to worry about she reminded herself. Liam didn't say a word to Jude as he escorted her from the main entrance to Darius's office. Jude had thought a meeting with D at 9:30 at night was a bit odd, but she was beginning to feel a pit in her stomach as she realized not a single other person was at G Major. Sadie wasn't at the front desk and she noticed all the studios were black. Whatever was going on, it didn't feel right.

"Jude, thanks for coming. Why don't you have a seat." Darius was sitting at his desk with his back facing the door. As Jude took her place on the couch positioned in front of the desk, she heard Liam lock the door behind him as he entered the room. Jude whipped around to look at him but he had moved over to the side of the door keeping his head down. She wished he would have warned her what was waiting for her, but that was the past now. She swallowed slowly and looked Darius in the eye as her turned around in his chair.

"Darius I don't know what is going on but whatever it is I will fix it! At least I will try." She pleaded with him. Darius took a manila envelope out of his desk drawer and tossed it to Jude.

"Take a look at these and tell me if they look familiar." Jude opened the folder and slipped out twenty pictures. As she examined each and every on her heart began to sink. They were photos of her from the night Tommy had disappeared. She had gone to find Mason and ended up getting incredibly drunk with a stranger at the bar. Her memories of the night were foggy and she certainly didn't remember taking him up to the hotel room with her. For three months she had convinced herself that that night had not existed, it was easier for her to deal with the pain if she didn't think about that day. But now proof was lying in her lap. Proof that Tommy had left her, proof that she had run away from her CD release party, and proof that she had been broken. What Jude hadn't expected was the return of all the feelings she had repressed from that night. She rubbed the heel of her hand against her heart hoping that the shattering feeling would subside long enough for her to come to terms with what the appearance of these picture meant. Her eyes began to fill with tears as she looked up to Darius again.

"I , well it was a rough night." She said sorrowfully as she looked down at her shoes.

"Jude these pictures were sent to us two months ago. You'll notice the note that accompanied the pictures." She simply nodded. "The guy who sent these pictures is trying to blackmail you. At first I was pissed about this, but you are young and I know things have been difficult for you lately." Since Tommy left is what he meant. "Liam and I have been trying to deal with this situation without bringing you into it, but it looks like we are going to need you. This scumbag only wants to negotiate with you. Liam and I are still going to be involved with any contact this guy has with you, but we can't give him the money and we can't let this go to the press." He let that sink in a minute before he continued. Watching her cry was horrible but this had to be done. He walked around his desk and picked up the pictures from Jude's lap. "This kind of behavior is unforgivable! Do you understand me? But I can't punish you right now because anything out of the ordinary will give someone a hint that things aren't right. If those pictures do go to press G Major will not be able to support you Jude. Liam and I will deny ever knowing anything about this. But hopefully it's not going to come to that. You take some time to deal with this, but we need to negotiate with this guy soon. Jude do you understand what I am telling you." Jude had pulled herself together and as confidently as she could muster; she looked Darius in the eye and repeated everything he had just told her.

"Good" Darius said as he sat down at his desk again. "Liam could you give us a moment alone please." Liam began to protest but Darius shot him a look that sent him through the door in a hurry.

"Now what?" Jude moaned as she shifted in her seat. She wasn't sure she could take any more bad news. Darius waited a few moments watching her try to keep her calm.

"Jude you are a smart girl. When Tom Quincy walked out that door I lost a great producer but I understand you feel like you lost more than that. I don't approve of those feelings, but if you have them there is nothing I can do to stop you from having them. Tom has not contacted me since he disappeared three months ago and as far as I know he hasn't contacted anyone else here either. Whatever feelings you have left for Tom you need to get rid of them. If the boy didn't contact you by now holding on to any feelings you have for him is a mistake." Jude fidgeted with the trimming of the couch. She understood what Darius was telling her but she wasn't ready to let anyone other than Jamie know that Tommy had contacted her.

"I understand D. I'm doing my best." She said hoping that would be enough for him. It seemed that it was because he stood up from his chair and ushered her to the door of his office.

"Things are tough right now. Keep your head high and act like nothing is going on, it's the only way we are going to pull this off, okay?" She nodded and walked quickly past him and out the front of G Major. She got in her car and drove herself home before she let herself think of anything that had just happened. As she pulled into the driveway of her house she grabbed her bag and fished out her cell phone. She punched in the number she knew by heart and prayed he would pick up.

"Hello?"

"Tommy!" Jude said relieved and fighting back the tears that were threatening her composure.

"Jude is everything okay? You don't sound right. Tell me what's wrong Jude."

"Oh Tommy I've ruined everything" She sobbed into the phone letting every emotion that had been trapped inside her flood out.

"Start at the beginning and don't leave anything out. I'm here girl. Everything going to be okay" He cooed into the phone, wishing he could be there to hold her.