Disclaimer: I do not own Instant Star. Wouldn't it be cool if I did though? It would still be on and the episodes would be even more awesome if that's even possible lol. But, I don't own Instant Star. I also don't own the song "Fade To Black" by Metallica.

Author's Note: I'm finished with school until the fall, so I should have faster updates. Enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 8

At G-Major

"Spied just called. Jude's not at the rehearsal space." Jamie told Sadie.

Sadie was sitting on the steps trying on the heels that Portia let her have. "She needs to be here like right now. The party starts in 3 hours."

"I don't know where else she could be. You sure she didn't leave a note while you were on the phone? I mean she wouldn't leave without telling anyone." Jamie said.

"She did just leave without telling anyone. And it's Spied's fault because he made her upset. She left so fast that she forgot her phone." A light bulb went off in Sadie's head. "Maybe we should call...nah that wouldn't work." Sadie quickly changed her mind.

"Call who? What were you going to say?" Jamie asked.

Sadie thought about it once again and said, "Maybe we could call…David?"

"David? I don't think he and Jude has spoken since they broke up." Jamie said.

"That's what I was thinking, but he sent her a text, asking if they could talk. So, maybe he knows where she is?" Sadie explained.

"Okay give me the number."

Jamie dialed David's number. After a few long rings, David answered.

"Hello?" David said in an eerie voice.

"Hi. Can I speak to David?"

"You're speaking to him."

"Hey David, it's Jamie Andrews, Jude's best-friend. How are ya?"

"Umm, I'm okay. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you knew where Jude was? I know you two probably haven't talked since the breakup. She has a performance to do and no one can seem to find her.

David thought for a minute. He hadn't seen or talked to Jude, and he was mad at her for leaving him. He knew G-Major had a party every year, so he made up a lie.

"I just talked to Jude actually. We're trying to be friends again, so she invited me to the party, but she was in a hurry, so she never told me when or where it was?

"It's tonight at 8:00. It's going to be at the G-Major studio this year." Jamie told him.

"Okay, thanks and I'm sure Jude will turn up." David had a devious smile on his face.

"Okay, see you later." Jamie hung up the phone.

"So…what did he say?" Sadie asked.

"He just talked to Jude. They're trying to be friends again, so she invited him to the party. So, I guess Jude is fine."

"If Jude invited him to the party, then why did he need to know where it was going to be at?" Sadie asked.

"He said she was in a hurry so she probably forgot." Jamie said, looking confused.

"Something doesn't add up."

"If Jude is trying to be friends with him again, then she won't be sad anymore, and that means no more tabloids about her drinking. So, as long as she's happy, then I'm happy." Jamie said.

"Something still doesn't seem right." Sadie said.

Shay's tour bus pulled into the G-Major parking lot. After he took a shower to rid himself of the miscellaneous and weird items sprayed all over him, T-Bone began to unload the stuff off the bus. Jude and Shay were still laughing. Shay turned to Jude with a serious expression.

"You ready to go in there?" he asked her.

"Yeah. Thanks for listening and not judging me. I really appreciate it." She hugged him. He returned her embrace.

"No problem shorty. Now come on."

Shay and Jude walked into G-Major hand in hand. Everyone turned to look at them. They were surprised to see Jude and Shay together. Everyone began to gossip and whisper about them getting back together.

"This feels just like high school all over again." Jude said.

"Everybody's talking about how good we look." Shay said with a cocky tone.

"See, I told you Jude would show up. And she looks just fine." Jamie said.

"Okay, but why is she with Shay?" Sadie asked.

"Maybe they're back together." Kwest said, as he walked up to the receptionist desk. Sadie shot him a mean look. "Or maybe not." Kwest quickly retracted his statement.

"She wouldn't get back together with that jerk!" Sadie said angrily.

Darius came out of his office to see what the commotion was about. He saw Jude and Shay standing there.

"Jude, where the hell have you been?" Darius began to yell at her. "You just waltz up in here like you don't have a show to do! And you didn't even finish recording the song with Kwest!

Shay saw Jude's sad look. And now that he knows everything, he wasn't going to let anyone treat Jude badly, even if it was his uncle. So, he spoke up.

"You need to chill out Uncle D!"

Jude looked at him, surprised that he actually stood up to him for her.

"Shay who are you talking to?" Darius said, shocked that his nephew was talking to him like that.

"I'm talking to you! Jude is only one person. She can't be doing 20 things at once. You need to lay off and give her a damn break!"

Everyone's eyes were bulged out as they stared at Darius, Shay, and Jude. Darius felt like he was losing control of the room, so he had to correct that quickly.

"Shay and Jude! My office right now! Everybody else get back to work or you're going to be standing in the unemployment line!"

Everyone scattered around to find something to do and Jude and Shay went to Darius office.

"You didn't have to do that, but I'm glad you did." Jude whispered.

"I got your back. And it felt damn good doing it." Shay smiled.

"So, you think you're tough now. I send you on tour and you find the Wizard to get some courage." Darius was referring to Shay as the Cowardly Lion on The Wizard of Oz.

"I'm just saying Uncle D, you gotta cut her some slack." Shay replied.

Darius looked over at Jude, who was scared to say anything. "Alright Dorothy, go get ready for the party. Meet Kwest in sound check." Jude quickly left his office.

Darius looked at Shay, trying to size him up. He still saw his nephew, but he also saw a grown man. "I liked that you stood up for Jude. I'm proud of you. But don't you ever talk to me like that again. I run shit around here." Darius said in a calm voice.

Shay wasn't sure how to react. This bravery act was new to him and the fact that his uncle was speaking in a calm voice was confusing him even more.

"I understand that, but Jude has been through a lot. She don't need somebody hollering at her and criticizing her." Shay said.

"Okay, now go get ready." Darius and Shay did their handshake that Shay made up when he was five years old. "You getting rusty Uncle D." Shay said, laughing at his uncle's attempt to be cool. "Get out of here." Darius waved him off. He sat back down in his seat and smiled. "Kids." he said, shaking his head.

In the dressing room

Jude just finished sound check with Kwest and SME. Now, she was with Sadie getting dressed. While Sadie was helping Jude get dressed, she decided to talk about Shay.

"So, you and Shay huh?"

"Have you seen my phone?" Jude asked, ignoring Sadie's question.

Sadie handed Jude her phone. She wants to ask about David's cryptic message (If you don't remember the message, here it is: Hey Jude. I know I'm the last person u want 2 hear from and I'm sorry about what happened but we really need 2 talk – David.) but she doesn't want to irritate Jude before she have to perform. So, she subtly says, "Jude, you know that I'm here for you. Is there something you want to tell me?" Jude hasn't read the message yet, so she has no clue that Sadie went through her phone and read it. So, Jude thinks Sadie is talking about Shay, not David. She doesn't want to talk about Shay because that might bring up the conversation they had on the tour bus.

So, Jude says "No."

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about anything?" Sadie asks.

"Well, there is this one thing", she says.

Sadie's eyes light up because Jude was finally about to confide in her.

"…I don't want to perform at this stupid party." Jude says with a smirk. She knew what Sadie was thinking, and she wasn't going to tell her anything.

Portia's House

Tommy was occupying the downstairs, getting ready, while Portia and Maya had the upstairs. Tommy had taken his shower, styled his hair, and was buttoning his shirt. Upstairs, Portia had dressed Maya and was curling her hair. After she finished Maya's hair she began to get ready. Fifteen minutes later, Portia, Tommy, and Maya were all in Portia's room, standing in front of the big mirror finishing the last touches to their clothes.

"We look like a family getting ready to go out to dinner." Tommy smiled as he watched Maya buckle her shoe. "Come on honey, we're going to be late." he joked.

"We could've been a family, but you just couldn't leave your precious models that you cheated on me with. So, our chances of actually being a family are a little slim to none." Portia said bitterly.

Tommy felt extremely bad. "I don't know how many times I have to say it Portia. I'm sorry. That happened years ago."

"You don't think it still hurts?" she asked him.

Maya just stared at them in the mirror. They saw her staring and they stopped arguing.

"Auntie Portia are you mad at Uncle Tommy?" Maya asked.

"A little" Portia said.

"Uncle Tommy are you sawwy for what you did?"

"Yeah My-My I'm sorry for what I did." Tommy admitted.

"Do you fo-give him?" Maya asked Portia.

"I guess so." Portia replied.

"If you fo-give him, you can move on. I fo-give my mommy and I move on." Maya said.

"Wow!" was all Tommy could say. He was completely blown away.

"You're right Maya. I forgive you Tommy." Portia said.

"Okay. I going to watch SpongeBob." Maya giggled and ran out of the room.

"That little girl is remarkable." Tommy said.

"She is way ahead of her time." Portia agreed.

"Look Porsh, I'm sorry okay. I want you to know that I did love you." Tommy said.

"I know. I loved you too. I was just so angry, but I'm over it, thanks to Maya." Portia laughed.

They hugged, then Portia began fixing Tommy's tie.

"Speaking of love, you nervous about seeing Jude?" Portia asked Tommy.

"Truthfully, I'm as nervous as I've ever been." Tommy's face was turning pale.

"Breathe. Everything is going to work out in due time."

The Party

People began to show up to the annual G-Major party. Paparazzi were snapping pictures of celebrities on the red carpet. Shay escorted Jude down the red carpet. The cameras were going wild. The paparazzi were in a frenzy, snapping pictures of them. The press was asking Jude and Shay if they were a couple again, but they didn't answer. They just smiled and waved at the photographers.

The paparazzi weren't their only admirers. Tommy, Portia, and Maya arrived just in time to see Shay and Jude walk down the red carpet, looking very much like a couple again. Tommy instantly got mad.

"You have got to be kidding me! Not that punk again." he said, referring to Shay.

"Down, Tommy!" Portia told him as they were approaching the red carpet. "You can't pee on trees and mark your territory again right now. Give her time. Now let's smile at these cameras and get this over with."

Tommy held Maya's right hand and Portia held Maya's left hand, and they began walking down the red carpet with smiles plastered on their faces. They looked like the perfect family.

Jude and Shay saw them walk down the red carpet, and Jude automatically assumes that the little girl is Tommy and Portia's daughter. Jude is heartbroken all over again. She hadn't seen Tommy in three years, and all of a sudden he comes back, and he has a daughter!

"Wow! I can't believe how big Maya is now." Shay said.

Jude quickly pulled away from him, shocked. "You knew Tommy had a kid! And you didn't tell me, after everything I told you!" Jude says, feeling betrayed. Shay looked at her confused.

"It's not what you think…" Shay was trying to explain.

"Whatever!" Jude yelled, and then she ran off in another direction. Shay doesn't want her mad at him because she was just starting to trust him. So, he runs in the direction Jude went.

Tommy saw Jude yelling at Shay, but he didn't hear what it was about. He just figured that Shay made her mad, and he made a mental note to address Shay later. But for right now, he had to take Maya to Darius office.

Jude ran into the restroom. Shay was outside the door, trying to explain to Jude that Maya is his cousin, and Darius' daughter, but the music was too loud for Jude to hear him. Patsy insults Shay, who is blocking the door. "Excuse me 20 Cent, I need to get in there." When she got into the restroom, she saw Jude leaning over the sink, crying.

"Wow Blondie. You're going to let Tommy Q ruin your night. He's finally here and you run into the crap-hole and cry about him. I thought you were pissed off when he left you on your date?" Patsy aggressively said.

"I-I was. I mean I am still pissed off." Jude said, unsure of herself.

"Well, why don't you perform one of those 'Tommy can eat shit' songs that you played for us?"

"I can't. Darius has a playlist that he wants me to perform."

"You remember what I told you when we first met?" Patsy asked.

Jude smiled a little bit. "Yeah. You told me to be merciless!"

"Okay, so are you going to take my advice and make gel boy regret ever leaving you?" Patsy said in a revolutionary tone.

"The last time I did something you urged me to do, I got arrested, so…yeah, sure, what the hell!" Jude declared, as she wiped her tears.

"That's the spirit!" Patsy said as she walked out of the restroom.

Darius Office

"Thanks a lot T. I really appreciate you doing this." Darius thanked Tommy and shook his hand.

"No problem D. I would do anything for Maya." Tommy said as he hugged the little girl.

Tommy was leaving the office when Darius said, "Give her time, she'll come around." Tommy just nodded his head.

The Restroom

Jude got herself together and was about to leave the restroom. When she opened the door, she didn't see Shay anywhere but she could see Tommy leaving Darius' office. Just the sight of him made her vulnerable. She ran back into the restroom and began crying all over again. "So much for being merciless", she thought.

After a few minutes, Sadie burst into the restroom. "Jude what happened? Shay said you were having a meltdown."

"Sadie, he's here." Jude said through tears.

"Who?" Sadie asked confused.

"Tommy."

"Wow." Sadie said realizing how much pain her little sister was in. "You can make it without him Jude. He doesn't control your life." Sadie said, as she thought about a previous conversation she had with Jamie. (see chapter 2) Now come on. I have to fix your make-up before Portia kill me!"

Later on, in the night

Various artists performed. Everyone were meeting and greeting, and Darius just closed the deal on another investor for G-Major. Jude and Tommy hadn't spoken to each other yet. She was backstage getting ready to perform and Tommy was mingling with other producers from different labels.

SME just performed and Jude was up next. Jude was in a depressed state of mind, so she sang her new song Fade To Black.

Fade To Black by Metallica

Life it seems will fade away

Drifting further every day

Getting lost within myself

Nothing matters, no one else

I have lost the will to live

Simply nothing more to give

There is nothing more for me

Need the end to set me free

Things not what they used to be

Missing one inside of me

Deathly lost, this can't be real

Cannot stand this hell I feel

Emptiness is filling me

To the point of agony

Growing darkness taking dawn

I was me but now he's gone

No one but me can save myself

But it's too late

Now I can't think

Think why I should even try

Yesterday seems as though

It never existed

Death greets me warm

Now I will just say goodbye

Tommy watched her as she sang. He saw the despair written all over her face. Her music was different from its usual tune. It was dark and gloomy. Tommy saw Kwest walking by and he grabbed his arm. "Kwest, what the hell was that!" he yelled at him.

"That's the type of songs she sings now." Kwest said.

"What's wrong with her?" Tommy asked.

"Man, I don't know. Everybody tries to help her but she is always depressed." Kwest answered.

"It's probably because of her new boyfriend Shay." Tommy said with a disgusting look.

"Well since you're her producer again, you can change that."

Tommy thought about what Kwest said, then he saw Shay sitting at the bar. "I'll be back." he told Kwest. He went over to Shay and leaned against the bar. "So, you and Jude huh?" he said to Shay.

Shay looked at him confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I saw her yelling at you. And I'm here to say that if you ever hurt her again, I will end you!" Tommy said in an angry tone. Just then, he saw Jude go through the back door to the alley.

"I'm not the one you need to worry about hurting her." Shay said.

Tommy heard what he said, but he was too distracted, trying to get to Jude. He walked away from Shay and went out to the alley. Jude was sitting on the stairs with her head in her hands, crying.

"Hey girl." he said.

Jude looked up and saw Tommy. He saw her tear-stained face and he sat down beside her.

"What are you doing here?" Jude asked.

"I'm back for good." he told her.

Jude didn't say anything.

"How have you been?" he asked her.

"Just fine." she said, sarcastically.

Inside

"Dude you missed it. Shay yelled at Darius! It was awesome!" Wally told Spied.

"I didn't know Shay had it in him." Jamie said.

"Aw, I'm so bummed I missed it. I know Darius bald head turned all kinds of colors. Spied laughed. Just then, someone interrupted their conversation.

"Excuse me. Can you tell me where Jude is?" David asked.

"Hey David. How've you been?" Jamie asked politely.

"Good, now where's Jude?" he asked a little impatient.

The Alley

After a few minutes of silence, Tommy spoke. He had a whole speech planned out on what he was going to say when he was face to face with her, but this is what came out, "Nice dress."

"I know you didn't come back to tell me my dress looks nice. So, why are you back? Why are you here?" she said in an exhausted tone.

"Jude, I…" he was interrupted by her cell phone vibrating. She read the new text message. Jude where r u? David's here. Panic immediately set in. "What is he doing here?" Jude thought. Tommy saw the worried look on her face.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"You wanna go somewhere?" Jude asked, standing up from the stairs.

"Where?" Tommy asked. Sure, he would go anywhere with her, but why was she panicking?

"Come on. Let's get out of here!" Jude said.

They ran to a waiting limo and got inside. "Drive!" Jude yelled to the driver. "Where do you wish to go Miss?" the driver asked her. "Anywhere just drive!" she yelled again. The driver put the limo into gear and quickly sped off.

The driver drove around aimlessly. Jude's mind was racing. She didn't know why David would show up at G-Major. She began to think about all the times David hit her. And if he came to see her, it wouldn't end well. She was trying to keep herself together in front of Tommy, but a tear slid down her cheek. Tommy saw it. He was about to hug her, but when he slid close to her, she quickly backed away. Tommy looked confused.

"Jude what's going on?" he asked.

She ignored him. "Can you take me home?" she asked the driver.

Back at G-Major

"She didn't text me back." Jamie told David.

David was angry, but he didn't want to show his anger in front of Jamie. The party was just about over. Sadie and Kwest already left. Spied, Wally, and Kyle were gathering the sound equipment on stage. And Darius was saying goodbyes to the guests. So, David decided to leave, but he would be back…for Jude.

Limo

The limo arrived in front of Jude's house. Jude was about to get out, but Tommy gently grabbed her arm to talk to her. She shivered at his touch. Tommy saw this and he immediately let go.

"I'm sorry." he apologized. She got out and walked to the door. Tommy would've walked her to her door but he didn't want to frighten her any more than she already was.

"See you tomorrow." he told her. He was her producer again, so he would be seeing her at G-Major.

Next chapter coming soon. Review :)