A/N: Yes, I am back. I know, its been over three months. Yes, I am a terrible person for not posting. I really hope I still have a few readers left! I have every intention of finshing this story. I'll try my hardest not to disappear for so long ever again, k?
Chapter 15
It was now just past a month since Jude and Tommy wrote You and I Misbehaving, and it had just been released as a single a week or so before. It was already topping the charts. Jude remembered Darius' reaction to the song when she and Tommy played it for him the first time.
"This is different," Darius kept his expression blank as usual.
Jude glanced at Tommy anxiously, digging her fingernails into her palms.
"Come from you two, anything would be huge," Darius stated. "But…"
"I know that it's a little different than my previous stuff. But what better a time to try something different?" said Jude.
"We want it to be the first single, D," Tommy stated confidently.
Darius shrugged nonchalantly, his poker face still a mask. Slowly, he allowed a grin to cover his features. They could nearly see the money signs flashing in his eyes. "It's going to be huge."
The song was climbing quickly already – it was on its way to number one and would quite certainly be there within a few weeks. Jude and Tommy were enormously pleased. Recording with Tommy had secretly always been one of Jude's dreams. Now that they were realized, it was better than she had expected. After that night about a month ago, the couple had worked through their issues and were eagerly working together and recording more and more.
Tommy was still in shock. Sure, he knew Jude could hit it huge. He even knew Little Tommy Q could climb the charts. But Tom Quincy? Taken seriously as an artist? He didn't know it was possible. Sure, he had always wanted it. But to get it was surreal.
Darius pulled the pair out of the studio one afternoon and into his office. Jude and Tommy sat down in front of his desk, waiting for Darius to begin whatever he had pulled them in for.
"We need a music video."
If there had been anything Jude had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that. Interviews…a press release, maybe? Not this.
Jude gasped at her manager and smiled.
Tommy's expression remained stoic.
Darius continued, "You haven't had a music video since 'Waste My Time' with Shay. It's about time you do one, I think."
"Okay," Jude replied, surprise laced in her voice.
"Both of you," Darius stated.
Tommy opened his mouth to speak, but Darius cut him off sharply.
"For 'You and I Misbehaving'."
Tommy looked contemplative, and Jude nodded carefully.
Darius continued, "We don't have a real concept yet, but we'll definitely need male and female leads for both of you. Jude, we'll be starting auditions for your male lead next week. Things have already been set into motion."
Jude spoke slowly, "Male…lead?
Darius rolled his eyes. "Yes. As in an actor. I know you're not that great in school, but I thought you were reasonably sharp, Harrison."
Tommy scowled mutely.
"I don't understand," Jude conceded tentatively. "It's me and Tommy's song…why can't it star me and Tommy?"
"You and your producer, who is seven years older than you?" Darius responded quickly.
"Co-producer," Jude corrected under her breath.
"I can really see where Jude is coming from, D." It's just a video, the fans know that. It would make a lot more sense, don't you think?"
"You're underage," Darius stated. "It wouldn't make you look good."
"Wouldn't it?" Jude countered. "Think of all the publicity."
Darius' expression changed, and Jude knew she had said the right thing.
"The fan reaction," Tommy began, "would be pretty epic."
"Seriously, D. I'm nearly 18. The fans don't care. They would eat up everything we gave them, and you know it."
Jude knew Darius could feel the truth in her words.
"We'll try it," Darius decided. "But if I don't like how it's working, we're casting actors." He gave them both a hard, calculated look. "It is strictly professional."
Tommy replied easily, "Of course."
Darius stared at him seriously for a few fleeting moments and dismissed the both of them.
"Do you think he knows?" Jude asked once the pair was inside the studio again.
"No," Tommy responded in a decisive tone. "He'd do something serious if he knew that we were actually together. But he's always known there was something going on." He shrugged. "We can only hide so much."
Jude nodded in agreement.
"We should probably be more careful, though," said Tommy. "Especially around D. And while we're in the studio." He ran a hand over his face and sighed. "We're taking too many risks. It would mean both of our reputations if we get caught."
"I know," Jude whispered sadly. "It'll be easier next month, when I'm 18."
Tommy nodded. "We'll still need to keep things a secret, though."
"Yeah," she responded quietly.
The pair worked in silence.
Stuart Harrison sighed heavily upon entering his household. He had just gotten off work, and it had been a long, exhausting, and tedious day. He entered the kitchen and grabbed a glass from the cabinet. He reached for his bottle of over-priced single-malt scotch and poured a drink's worth in his glass. He took a long sip.
Stuart rubbed his eyes wearily and took a seat on his chair in the den. He took another long drink.
He'd gotten a call from Yvette earlier. He had ended things with her a long time ago, after his family found out about his affair, and today she had called him up out of nowhere, asking how he was. She told him that she missed him. They'd talked for quite some time, simply catching up. He did not lead her on or anything of the sort. Stuart had no intentions of going back down that road. It would be a constant reminder of the destruction he had caused to his family.
It reminded him of the pain he had caused his daughter, Jude. How much pain he was still causing her, only on entirely different topic.
"Tom Quincy," Stuart muttered the words under his bitter breath and took another drink from his glass.
He knew that Tommy made Jude happy. Right now. But he had seen the destruction of Quincy before – to both of his daughters – and he did not want any of those experiences repeated.
To be perfectly honest, Stuart saw a bit of himself in Tom. They were certainly very different people, but Quincy was a cheater, just like himself. He had heard about Tom's early, and notably short, marriage to Portia Mills, and he did not want his daughter getting involved in that. He knew the man's reputation. Playboy extraordinaire. That was hardly what Jude needed. He could ruin her – emotionally and in a career sense. Not only was he bad for her in those respects, but it was also mixing business with pleasure. It was inappropriate and unprofessional. If people caught wind, it would change Jude's reputation.
Not to mention the fact that he was Sadie's ex! Jude was – for all he knew – shacking up with her sister's ex-boyfriend. Stuart wondered if Sadie knew about the relationship. He knew how badly Tom had hurt Sadie – Stuart was there to pick up the pieces. Sadie was someone who fell hard, but her younger sister fell much, much harder. Once her heart was set on someone, it was quite hard to change. And her stubborn attitude certainly didn't help matters.
Stuart sighed heavily and flipped on the television. Jude must have left the music channel on, he thought. He was about to flip stations when the reporter started talking about "Jude Harrison and Tom Quincy's hit new single, quickly climbing the charts – 'You and I Misbehaving'!"
He groaned miserably and shut off the television. One of the downsides of being on minimal speaking terms with his musically-inclined daughter was that he had little warning on what was happening in her career. Stuart had heard the song on the radio earlier today, driving in his car, and he knew the song was meant for him.
Needless to say, it was a long drive home.
"I'm so excited!" Jude nearly bounced, showing all of her youth, as she and Tommy continued their work in the studio.
"We should draw up a contract," Tommy suggested suddenly. "I want a clause stating my refusal to wear white. And I do not want a bandana anywhere on set."
Jude guffawed. "Anywhere on set?"
"Anywhere on set," he confirmed. "I haven't done a video since my Boyz Attack days, and I don't want any reminders."
"No ass shaking?" Jude faked dismay.
Tommy replied with a resolute, "No."
"Damn. You know," she changed to a more serious note, "I wanted to tell you something."
Tommy took a seat next to her.
Jude continued, "I've been doing a lot of thinking lately. Largely about the time you were gone. I was pretty broken," she said with feeling. "But Tommy," she touched his hand gently, "You picked up the pieces…"
Tommy's jaw fell open.
"…and put me back together again!"
Tommy lunged at her, and Jude jumped away, cackling.
"JUDE!" Tommy bellowed. "Not cool!"
The classic pout graced Tommy's features.
"I'm serious, Tommy!" Jude exclaimed. "It's like I was…adrift in an ocean…all alone!"
"Why are you doing this to me?" Tommy was exasperated by her antics.
"You came and rescued me," Jude stated, "when I was far from home."
Tommy clenched his teeth and released a deep, seething breath.
Jude smiles as sweetly as could be. "I just wanted to tell you that."
Quincy rolled his eyes. "You done, Harrison?"
"Expressing my deepest feelings?"
"Yeah," Tommy replied dryly. "That."
She shrugged. "I suppose."
"Good," he stepped towards her. "Because now," he whispered breathily into her ear, "you are going to get it."
Jude shuddered, eyes wide, and bit her lip.
A throat cleared loudly in the doorway, and Jude turned to find her irritated farther, there to pick her up.
She glanced apologetically at her boyfriend and trailed her father, leaving.
And that, Tommy thought, is why we need to be more careful in the studio.
"Let's talk video!"
Tommy and Jude looked dubiously at one another the next afternoon. They had been called into Darius' office a few minutes prior and were meeting with the music video director.
"I have several exciting concepts," the man rubbed his hands together excitedly. "Shall we run through them?" the man who had introduced himself as Frank asked in an over-the-top manner. He looked as though he may burst.
"Sure," Jude said in monotone.
"Well, the first idea is a bit western," the glee dripped through Frank's voice. "The thing would be shot in sepia tone…do you know what sepia tone is?" He did not wait for a response. "You know older film, often westerns, how they had that orangey-brown tint? Anyway, Tommy walks into a saloon…"
Jude struggled to maintain a professional disposition as Tommy shook his head in an almost violent manner.
"No?" Frank seemed disappointed. "On to the next one then." He waved his hands in front of his face dramatically, setting the tone as he spoke, "The year: 2050. A futuristic love story. You play star-crossed lovers from different planets. But the enemy, the dangerous King Xialop, wants to keep you apart."
"Um…" Jude struggled to contain her mirth. "Do you have anything more…current? In the present?"
Frank wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. He contemplated the question and muttered under his breath, "I suppose that eliminates the Elizabethan one…and the Roaring 20s…" He scratched his head.
"Maybe we can collaborate?" Tommy questioned hesitantly, not wanting to step on any toes.
Thankfully, Frank simply looked relieved. "Of course! If you want a different direction, I would be most elated to oblige and collaborate with the pair of you."
The group bounces ideas off of each other for a good few minutes.
"What if we kept it more…real?" Frank suggested. "Jude playing Jude and Tom playing Tom."
Finally, a reasonable suggestion from the man.
"But we spice it up a bit," he continued. "You're in a forbidden relationship."
Jude glanced at Tommy, who it seemed was already looking at her. They nodded in unison, urging him to continue.
"People disapprove. And people speculate – you're still celebrities. Tabloids, friends, paparazzi. All sorts of drama."
"I like it," Jude stated.
Frank beamed at the encouragement and continues. "And through this, there could be another plot. An alternative reality for the two of you. Strangers from across the room, seeing each other for the first time and instantly connecting. What it would be like if weren't, well, you."
A small smile flitted across Tommy's lips. "I like it, too."
Darius gave his approval, nodding his consent. "It works. It will sell, and the fans will love it."
Frank turned to Jude and Tommy and asked gravely. "How do you feel about kissing scenes?"
Jude bit her lip dramatically. "For the sake of the video, I suppose its okay."
"Yeah, I guess I can do that," Tommy agreed nonchalantly.
"Great!" Frank clasped his hands together, simply glowing at the prospect. "I'll do some mock-ups. Run through some ideas. Lay down some scene concepts."
Jude and Tommy blinked in synchronization.
Tommy turned to Darius. "When will this be filmed?"
"You've got a while," was his response.
"Pre-production takes a tremendous amount of time and effort!" Frank huffed.
Jude smiled meekly.
Producer and co-producer left D's office, unable to keep the secretive and excited smiles off their faces.
That's the end of chapter fifteen. Next time: drama from Tommy's past unfolds.
So, I'm feeling ambitious. Can we get this story to 100 reviews, please? It's really not many to ask, I just desperate want to be in the double digits. :P
