Hey everyone sorry this chapter took me so long to get to. There is a lot going on and I want to make sure that it all makes sense and comes out the way I want it to. There is a bit of a cliffhanger at the end of this chapter but I am sure you will all come to your own conclusions while I am working on the next chapter, which is exactly what you should be doing. Thanks so much for the comments! Keep them coming. Now on with the story.

Chapter 19

Jude spent what seemed like hours in Tommy's comforting arms before she pulled away. Everything around her was crumbling but she was going to act as strong as she could for the rest of the evening, she wasn't going to let the blackmailer ruin her last night with Tommy, at least she was going to try not to.

"How was the zoo?" She asked pulling herself together.

"It was great the girls really loved it." Tommy said. Jude looked around realizing now that the girls had not entered the house with Tommy.

"They loved it so much you decided to leave them there?" She joked.

"One of the agents has a connection at the zoo, the girls are camping out with a few other kids there tonight."

"Oh" She said glancing at Jessie to see if she seemed as surprised by this as Jude was, but Jessie quickly got up when her cell phone rang.

"Looks like it's just the two of us tonight superstar." Tommy said running a hand through his hair.

"Actually that's a good thing Tommy we need to talk."

"Okay, but first I have a surprise for you." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up out of her seat." Jude struggled against his embrace a little, she knew she was going to have to tell him this was their last night together and she wanted to do it now.

"Tommy I have to sign a form tomorrow that says you and I will not engage in a relationship while we are in the WPP." She paused wishing he would react but instead he stayed frozen. "Tommy?" She asked reaching out to touch his shoulder, but he took her hand instead and pulled her to him kissing her lightly. "I don't know if I can live in the same house as you and not be able to do that." She said resting her head against his chest. Tommy stayed silent knowing if he said anything to her now it might ruin what he and Jessie had been working on all day. Jude let out a heavy sigh. "There was a boy I was seeing back in Toronto just before I left, I don't know if you knew about him or not." Tommy just frowned and nodded letting her continue with her story. "Well right before I left he made me promise I wouldn't fall in love with…"

"Jude!" Jessie shouted slamming through the kitchen door. "We need to get you to the basement now!" She reached out for Jude and pushed her towards the stairs to the basement. Jude looked nervously back at Tommy.

"Go Jude, Everything is going to be alright." He said as she disappeared down the stairs. The next things he heard was her shrieking. He ran down the stairs after them, pausing slightly on the middle landing to prepare himself for what might be about to happen. When he reached the basement an ecstatic Jude leaped into his arms and kissed him passionately. They stood in a replica of their recording studio back a G-major. Tommy looked around appreciating everything he and Jessie had gone through to make this happen. It was something he had planned on doing since the day he knew she was coming. He had asked her to talk to Qwest before she left, but all he gave her was a number for Qwest to call. He had talked with one of the agents and was able to give them all of the measurements and specifics of the studio. Darius even had carpet and vinyl samples that Qwest was able to get a hold of and send the mysterious person on the other end of the phone. Tommy regretted that he wasn't able to talk to his best friend or tell him where he was, but he knew Qwest would be good for anything that Tommy asked of him, even if he didn't know Tommy was the one doing the asking.

"It's amazing Quincy" Jude said. "I had no idea all of this was going on beneath my feet."

"Good that was the point." Tommy laughed setting her down and pulling her into the recording booth. "I knew it was going to be hard for you to let go of making music for awhile, but I figured that since we are both here now we might as well start working on the third album. Right now." He said mischievously pulling her notebook out of his back pocket and setting it in front of her opening it to a specific page.

"This one? But Tommy this one is about…"

"Us." Tommy said finishing her sentence for her and moving to the other side of the booth where the recording equipment was.

"If this is going to be our last day together we ought to capture these feelings don't you think." Jude was dumbstruck.

"You knew. Tom Quincy, you knew I have to sign that form. Why didn't you say anything? Why did you let me wallow about it all on my own?"

"Just sing Jude." Tommy said putting on his headphones and adjusting a few levels on the board.

Four hours later Jude lay exhausted curled next to Tommy in the over sized chair upstairs. "Thank you Tommy." She said leaning in for a kiss.

"Happy birthday superstar." He said running a hand down her back. He tried to keep himself busy so that his nerves would settle.

"No one gets me like you do Tommy. That boy I was telling you about, he made me promise I wouldn't fall in love with anyone while I was gone, but here I am totally in love with you."

"That's what I was waiting to hear." Tommy said, kissing her again.

"Waiting?" Jude said wondering where he was going with that.

"Mmmmhmmm." Tommy mumbled into her hair.

"Waiting for what?" Jude asked starting to get little defensive.

"For this." Tommy said pulling a document and a pen out of his pocket. "And this" he added pulling out the velvet box and pushing it into the palm of her hand.