Instant Star Fan Fiction (original) (raw)

Title: '3rd Time's the Charm' - Instant Star
Timeline: set for after 'Lose Your Skin'; Jude's father has left. Tommy and Jude have dismissed their kiss from her birthday; Jamie and Kat have broken up
Pairing: Tommy/oc , Jude/Jamie
Synopsis: When a former flame of Tommy enters the picture, he has to decide between the love of his life or the girl who showed him there was more. And now Jude needs to find shelter in the arms of the one who was there all along.
Note: I got the idea for this story after seeing the preview for "All Apologies". I thought about how things would be if Tommy really had to come a long way before he was the "Nice Guy" he is now. What if the past had much darker secrets than Jude knows about, and it's come back...

"I thought you'd never make it." Tommy had been sitting at The Sentry's best table for almost an hour before Nicole made her appearance through the frosted copper doors of the city's trendiest hotspot. She had changed outfits, into a red halter dress with bright sparkling gold jewelry. Tommy had been sitting at the restaurant for almost an hour, watching the votive candles around him slowly flicker out, one by one.

"Well," Nicole gracefully took her seat at the dark oak table across from him. "I had to go to Atlantic and talk over details for the press release and then I had to meet with the guys and talk to them about Jude." She took the menu in front of her and scanned it quickly before folding it back up in front of her. "You know how it all works."

One of the waiters sauntered over to the pair, in his bowtie and vest. Tommy couldn't help but think that the guy looked like a penguin. "Good evening. My name is Lawrence and I'll be your waiter this evening. Are you ready to order or do you need more time?"

"No, we're all set." Nicole blurted out before Tommy could even think of a response. "I'll have vodka martini, please and he'll have a scotch on the rocks." Lawrence nodded politly and scurried off to the bar to place their orders.

Tommy's eyes followed Lawrence as he left. "You don't forget anything, do you?

"It was my job, Tommy. If I remember correctly, you requested a bottle of scotch and a bucket of ice before each performance. Couldn't go on with at least a few drinks." Tommy's expression turned sour, and he glared at Nicole across the table, who wore her self-satisfied smile once again. Although he had dealt with the problems he had with his excessive drinking a few years ago, he still felt uncomfortable when ever that part of his past was brought up. The waiter appeared again and put the drinks in front of them before disappearing into the ambiance of the eatery. Nicole reached for her martini and raised it into the air. "What shall we toast to?"

Tommy raised his glass, although hesitantly, mimicking Nicole. Since it had been pointed out, he felt as if every move he made was now going to be scrutinized. "To Jude."

"To Jude." She echoed. The glasses tinked together and a little alcohol disappeared from each glass.
Nicole tilted her head back and took a big swig before setting her glass down on the table. She could still see Tommy was uncomfortable. "It's nothing to be ashamed of. We all had our problems. You kicked it," She eyed his his slightly less full glass in front of him. 'for the most part."

Annoyed with the comments, Tommy pushed the glass away from him and towards the edge of the table. "Enough of this, Nicole. What's going on?" He hushed his voice slightly when he realized how loud his voice was becoming. "Why didn't you let me know about this? About the group getting together."

"Please." Nicole took another swig from her glass. "You know as well as I do that even if the option was placed in front of you, you wouldn't have said yes." Tommy laid back in his chair and stared across the table. How did she know what he would say? "Don't give me that look. After BoyzAttack gave you everything you wanted, you wanted out of there so fast. If I didn't have your contract practically stapled to my hand, you would have headed for the door after the 3rd single."

Who was he kidding. Tommy knew what she was saying was true. He wouldn't have gone back. He was through with that part of his life. Being a teen idol, covering the walls of prepubscent girls walls. Now, he could be respected, revered... "Who's decision was it?"

"Chaz. And Stevie. And Alex and Jeremiah agreed too. Basically the entire band." Nicole now looked down at her drink, swirling the olive on a toothpick in her glass The whole time she was sitting at the table, her expression had been easy, even teasing. But her eyes were now drooping, and she looked undoubtedly serious. "They were tired of you getting all the attention. Constantly, the magazine covers wanted interviews with 'Little Tommy Q', and if BoyzAttack came along for the ride, then great. But all the focus was on you. The band wanted to be a unit. They thought you would make it fracture." She paused. "You already did." Her voice had gone to sounding almost sad, and her deep brown eyes mirrored Tommy's, staring back at one another. "I wanted you back. Of course before the band made any decisions, they came to me. I mean, I haven't had a real job since you called it quits. But they found me. And I asked about you."

Tommy's ears perked up a little when he heard that Nicole had gone to bat for him. "Obviously it didn't work."

"Obviously. But the guys believed you wouldn't want back in anyway. They knew about you, and your new path. After you tried going for a solo career, and Chaz and Alex, you were doing something successful. They figured you wouldn't break it. Not to mention all the negative press at the end..." Nicole sighed and took the last sip of the martini. She reached her hand out and grabbed Tommy's curled fist on the table. Their fingers intertwined and Tommy looked back at Nicole who's expression was incredibly solemn. "I'm serious though. I really wanted you back." She rubbed her thumb in Tommy's palm, rough and calaced from the hours of piano and guitar play. "I missed you."

His thumb was moving in the same motion as hers, caressing her palm and moving up along her fingers. "Well, we didn't exactly part on the best of terms."

"No. We didn't." Nicole's hand drew away at once, and she tucked it behind her sheet and began fishing around in the briefcase she brought in with her. She drew out an almost identical packet of blue paper and pushed them across the table in front of Tommy.

His hand, which hadn't moved from where Nicole left it, now was sifting through. "Royalites contract."

"You wrote most of BoyzAttack's material. They want to sing them on tour and at live performances. They need your signature. As you can see, you'll be financially compensated for the music." Nicole was through being nostalgic. Serious expression, flat tone. Business now. "If you just sign, we can be done here. You'll never have to see me again, except my name on the bottom of the check you'll receive each month." She pulled a pen out from behind her, and put it next to Tommy's hand.

Tommy took the pen and allowed it to hover over the last page a few seconds before letting the black ink flow and swirl into his signature. "There. You are contractually through with me." He tried to disguise his voice, as not to give away how truly disappointed he was.

Nicole reached out and grabbed the pen and blue papers off the table and threw them into her case. She stood up, and threw her briefcase over her shoulder. "It would have been really nice to have you back, Tommy." She put her hand out for a shake. Tommy coyly threw his out as well, and when the palms met, he pulled her hand in, and kissed the top. She was a little shocked by his gesture, and drew her hand away almost immediatly. When she had managed to regain her composure, she stood straight up, dignifyed. "Best of luck, Tommy." As she walked past him, she ran her hand across the shoulders of his jean jacket, and her heels clicked as she headed for the door.

**

Jude sat in her living room, strumming on her acoustic guitar, working out new lyrics in her head, discarding them, and then trying some more. Her mom was out with her dad, in a vain attempt to try and salvage their relationship and Sadie was out, probably shopping. It was one of the few times that she had the house to herself.

"SURPRISE!" Jamie burst threw the door and flung himself over the couch next to Jude. Her few moments of peace gone. "And the pizza will be here in about," he checked his watch "10 minutes."

"Great." She continued to strum and fish through ideas.

Jamie leaned over and looked at Jude's hand move. "What'cha doing?" He sat mesmerized.

She heaved a sigh and laid the guitar across the couch before throwing her heads in her hands. "It's the new song. T-O-M-M-Y wants new lyrics to the song, but I'm stuck."

Jamie's expression was a little hurt. "But...I...I think they were okay. I mean, they weren't your best, but I thought they were good." Jude didn't move from her crouched over position. "But I take it Little Tommy Q didn't."

"Don't call him that." She was agitated and moved away from the couch and into the kitchen. Jamie trailed behind her, swinging her guitar and casually running his fingers across the chords. "He hates that. I'm just, I'm so sick of him telling me that the songs that I write or wrote or plan to write aren't good enough. All the time. Just a constant barrage of hostility from him and everyone. I really...I wish he'd listen instead of...insult."

Jude had moved her way to the fridge and fished out a bottle of water and handed it to Jamie before grabbing one for herself. Jamie opened his bottle up and took a big gulp . "Well, all I can say is...he sucks."

She couldn't help but laugh. But it ended quickly and she was reminded again about how unhappy she was at the moment. "Jamie," she stopped suddenly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. What's going on?" That was Jamie, always there to listen.

Jude took a deep breath. She really couldn't verbalize what she was feeling lately. "Would you do something, something that could intentionally hurt someone if this person did something just as hurtful back?" Jamie shrugged. She was being vague, a usual Jude move. Jamie shot her a blank look. Her attempts to cover up what she was feeling with hazy descriptions was failing."I mean...all right." She huffed. "The manager of BoyzAttack came to the studio today, and she wants me to write a new song for the group."

"Wait, wait, wait." Jamie waved his hands in front to get Jude to stop talking for a minute. "BoyzAttack? You mean Tommy's getting back together with his old band?"

"I don't know." Jude shook her head and whined a little. "I don't think so. I mean, he seemed really surprised when she showed up."

"SHE?" Jamie nearly choked on his water.

"The former manager. Her name is Nicole. Nicolette Andromedia. Her name sounds so fake." Jude jumped up on the counter and fiddled with the mail left on the counter. Junk mail...and a letter for her dad. "But, yeah. I saw how upset he was. And I think he might...not want me to do it. But I've just been so angry with him lately." Jamie jumped up and joined her. "Would it make me a bad person to do this?"

Jamie put his arm around Jude and pulled her in. "Honestly, for your career, it would look good to get other songs with your name on them. And between you and me," He whispered in her ear. "I wouldn't think less of you for doing it, even though I think you already made up your mind."

A loud laugh escaped Jude's lungs, and she felt a little bit better. Always count on Jamie to make her feel better about decisions. "Thanks Jamie." She threw her other arm around Jamie and pulled him into a hug, and then nuzzled into his shoulder. "You're the best." And before Jamie could realize what he was doing, he pulled Jude in, and kissed her.