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“Where’s Jude?” Gerard asked, walking back into the room.

Mikey nodded towards the bathroom door where Jude could be heard singing Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles.

“She’s been in there for about 15 minutes, she should be out soon. Then she’ll probably go smoke a cigarette and call Dad.”

Gerard snorted “Dad, HA. He’s no father to me.”

“Yeah, I’m thinking that’s the reason why we haven’t heard from Jude.”

“He was so detached and almost rude when I called him. You’d think he would want to know his sons…”

Mikey shrugged, picking up his book again. “I say fuck him.”

“I’m gonna go get some coffee, want some?”

“Are you really asking ME that, Gee?”

“Want Starbucks?” When Mikey nodded, Gerard knocked upon the bathroom door. “Hey Jude! Do you want anything from Starbucks?”

Jude heard him just fine because she had already gotten out of the shower. “A Caramel Macchiato would be appreciated, thank you.”

She quickly got dressed into a fresh pair of dark blue skinny jeans that hit her a little past the ankle and a white tank top with music notes all over it in green. She slipped her feet into white flip-flops and started to put a little bit of make up on her fresh face. She left her hair wet and soon gathered all of her stuff and walked out of the bathroom.

“Well you look better.” Mikey joked when she emerged.

She laughed and nodded “Definitely. I don’t smell anymore.” She grabbed at her bag and headed towards the door. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

He nodded, his nose still in his book.

Jude walked out of the room and started towards the elevator she came up on.

“I see you’ve showered.” A deep voice called out to her and she quickly turned to see the handsome face of Dr. Johnson.

“Oh hello Doctor, yes I have. I feel so much better.”

“Looks like it. Where are you headed?”

Jude held up her cell phone with a smile. “I need to call my father back in Newcastle.”

“I’ve never heard of Newcastle before.”

“We’re decently large; I’ve lived there since I was 9 years old. Gorgeous place.”

The doctor smiled and nodded his head. “I might just have to visit there one day.”

“You would love it Doctor, I promise.”

“Please call me Steven.”

Jude’s eyes widened slightly “Are you sure? That doesn’t seem—”

“It’s really fine” He reassured with a smile.

“It seems a little disrespectful to me.”

Doctor Johnson let out a hearty laugh. “I’m the one telling you to call me Steven. But if it bothers you so much, you can call me Doctor around my colleagues.”

Jude smiled slightly “Well okay, Steven. I better go make this call before my father is completely narked.”

“Excuse me?”

“Oh” she giggled slightly “you would say pissed.”

“Why didn’t you just say that then?” He teased with a smile.

Jude rolled her eyes, turning to walk away. “That means drunk to me, love.”

She was soon making her way down to the ground level on the elevator. Not having had a cigarette in over 12 hours, Jude was starting to get a little irritable. She quickly made it outside and pulled out a pack of Marlboro Lights and lit up.

“This is bloody marvelous.” Jude inhaled deeply with sigh.

Turning her cell phone back on, she decided to call her Father first.

“Darling, are you okay?”

“Yes Daddy, I’m perfectly fine.” Jude replied, taking another drag.

Donald sighed on the other end. “How is your mother?”

“She has a bad case of phenomena and the steroids aren’t working.”

“Do the doctors think that they will?”

“Mum’s doctor seems to think that me being here will help raise her spirits, leading to a quicker recovery.”

“I hope so; I want you back as soon as possible.” Donald’s stern, demanding voice came through.

Jude scoffed, getting angry. ”That is complete bollocks! I am not leaving right away! I haven’t seen my bloody family in ages and you expect me to just LEAVE. Sod off Father, I can’t believe you.”

“Judith Avery, you will NOT—”

Jude quickly hung up on her father, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. Noticing her cigarette was at its end, she quickly snuffed it out, getting another out. This stress was starting to take a toll on her.

Loud, boisterous laughter snapped Jude’s thoughts away from everything, causing her to look in the direction of three men. Two were very tall, and one was significantly shorter but he was clearly the most handsome. The tallest man had an afro of reddish brown curly hair and pouty lips, the second tallest was more burly is build with blonde hair and striking blue eyes that Jude could see at their distance. The shortest man had a long black hair that lay in a mop on top of his head and his left arm was covered in colorful tattoos.

Jude quickly turned her attention to her cell phone, dialing Wiley’s number.

“I’m gonna smoke before I go up, see ya idiots in a bit.”

“All right, see ya Pansy!”

Jude looked up, taking another drag of her fresh cigarette. The dark haired man stood outside the door, taking out a cigarette.

“Jude, love! How are you?” Wiley’s voice broke over the phone, drawing Jude’s attention away from the gorgeous stranger.

“I’m fine, bloody knackered.” she replied, flicking away her ashes in the large ashtray.

Jude heard grumbling from the stranger and looked up to see a pair of gorgeous hazel eyes staring straight into hers.

“Can I bum a light?” his gruff voice made her heart accelerate slightly.

She nodded, pulling out her lighter from her tight jean pocket. “Here.”

When he took it from her, she noticed his knuckles were also tattooed. “Thank you.”

“Hello, Jude! Are you listening to me?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. What did you say?” she chuckled slightly.

Wiley sighed on the other end. “I said, why haven’t you gotten any sleep yet?”

”I went straight to see my mum, what did you expect me to do?”

“Thank you for the light.” That voice again.

She met his eyes one more time, biting her lip. “You’re welcome.”

“Who are you talking to?”

“Some bloke bummed a light, does it matter?”

“What?”

Jude sighed, closing her eyes. “Oh bloody hell Wi, I’m out here smoking a fag and some bloke asked for a light. Are you that dim?”

She heard the stranger laugh lightly but he was turned away from her.

”I’m sorry, no need to get shirty with me.”

“Stuff it, Wiley.” Jude laughed slightly, taking the last drag of her cigarette before putting it out. “My father is a total wanker. I called him for the same reason I called you and he just blows up telling me to come back as soon as it’s bloody possible! I told him to sod off, I actually told him to sod off.”

“It’s about time, but love I need to go. Work is calling my name, unfortunately.”

“Okay bye darling.”

Jude hung up the phone and then turning it off after making sure she had no messages. She smiled slightly at the stranger before returning to the building, towards the elevator. She waited for a few minutes on the elevator and it soon arrived. She stepped in, pressing the button for the 4th floor.

“Hold the elevator!”

Jude quickly hit the ‘open doors’ button and was rewarded by having the handsome stranger walk in the elevator, slightly out of breath.

“Thank you, again.”

“You’re very welcome.” Jude smiled. “What floor?”

“4th.”

Nodding, she hit the 4th floor button again, watching the doors close.

“I’m Frank by the way.”

“Nice to meet you Frank, I’m Jude.” Jude gave him a smile as she popped a piece of gum into her mouth. “Would you care for a piece?” she offered.

“Thanks” he smiled a bright smile that Jude couldn’t help but admire.

He stuffed the trash in his pants which were tight black drainpipes that sat low on his hips. Jude tried not to stare but almost couldn’t help it.

The elevator stopped moving and the doors soon opened.

Jude stepped out first, heading down the hallway towards her mother’s room. She couldn’t help but notice the footsteps behind her. As she neared the room, more voices were heard in the room and Jude became a little suspicious. Who was here to see her mum?

“Wait a minute, are you Jude Way?” Frank’s voice made her stop and turn around.

“Yes I am…”

Frank’s face broke from its confused state to a smile. “I’m your brothers’ friend!”

“What a coincidence.” Jude muttered, walking into the room.

“Judey, meet my band!”

The man with the afro smiled “You were outside.”

“Wait, you’ve met Frank?” Mikey looked a little confused, but was still smiling.

Jude nodded, setting her things down. “He bummed a light off of me and we shared the elevator on the way up.”

“That’s cool. But this is Ray” the man with the afro waved at Jude. “and this is Bob” The man with the striking blue eyes smiled.

“It’s nice to meet you both, I’m Jude.”

Bob gave a small smirk “You had to have been switched at birth. You’re too pretty to be a Way.”

“You wouldn’t have thought so if you came a half hour ago.”

“Are you trying to say something Bryar? Am I not pretty enough for you?” Mikey acted insulted, closing his book.

Gerard appeared at the door, coffee tray in hand. “You idiots are here already, great.”

“You know you were just dying to see us, Gee.” Frank laughed merrily, coming out as almost a giggle.

“Frankie, Ma’s sleeping so you need to tone it town a bit.”

Frank gasped, putting on an innocent face. “I’m always on my best behavior! I’m shocked, Gerard.”

Jude laughed slightly at his offended stance as she grabbed her favorite coffee from her brother. “Thank you very much. You have no idea how much I need that, and another fag.”

“Haha, I just had one.”

“I did as well, two actually. I still need another one.” Jude laughed, shaking her head.

“Chain smoke much?” Mikey asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I went over 12 hours without one, you tell me!”

Even with everyone speaking in hushed voices, the room was still getting a bit loud because Frank wouldn’t leave Bob alone and Ray just kept laughing at the two. Gerard and Mikey fit quite well with the trio, not afraid to throw something in here or there. Jude admired the sight of her brothers having fun as she sat back comfortably in her chair, knees drawn to her chest.

“Oh OH—”

“Frank!” Mikey scolded, with a laugh.

Frank laughed, hunching his shoulders in apology. “Sorry. But I was gonna suggest something.”

“Oh god, what are you suggesting?”

“I’m suggesting that we ask Jude here whatever we want to get to know her!”

Jude’s eyes grew about twelve times as big as she opened her mouth to speak.

“That’s a good idea. I feel like I don’t know you Judey.” Gerard spoke with a small smile on his face.

She sighed with a smile. “All right, let me have it boys.”

Bob was the first one to speak “We’ll keep it easy, what’s your favorite food?”

“Of course, BOB would ask that question.” Frank continued his assault on Bob.

“My favorite food… oh dear… I like food a lot. But I’ll have to say chicken enchiladas.”

The boys burst into quiet laughter and Jude chuckled herself.

“Oh man, Mexican food. What’s your favorite color?” Mikey asked next.

“Green”

Ray soon joined the conversation with asking “Who’s your favorite band?”

“Are you bloody kidding me? That’s the hardest question known to mankind.” Jude laughed, letting her legs settle on the ground.

“C’mon you gotta have a favorite!”

She thought for a minute and then opened her mouth. “I love the Beatles a lot. But I also love The Sex Pistols, and I definitely love Black Flag. But you can’t leave out ACDC and Led Zepplin. But then there is The Used who are AMAZING and I just can’t… And GREEN DAY… And HIM, there’s an amazing band. And The Spill Canvas, I haven’t heard lyrics like theirs in so long…”

“Okay we get it; you’re in love with a lot of bands…”

“Well what can you do? Music is the best, you all should know. Being musicians and all”

Gerard smiled slightly. “Hey Jude—”

“Haha, HEY JUDE! That’s a Beatles song!” Bob laughed loudly.

Everyone groaned and laughed at Bob’s idiotic behavior.

“ANYWAY, you know what the sweet part about being a musician is?”

Jude looked confused, but shook her head as she rested her chin on her knees that she pulled to her chest once again.

“Well, I get to meet cool people and make amazing friends…”

“And your point being?”

He laughed, scratching his nose. “Want to know who my best friend is, Judey?”

“I don’t know, John Lennon?” She asked sarcastically with a smile on her face.

Gerard shook his head and whispered “Bert McCracken.”

Her eyes widened and her mouth hung open. “Are you bloody KIDDING me?” her voice rose quickly but she threw her hands over her mouth suddenly, looking at her sleeping mother.

“Next question, what’s your favorite book?” Mikey asked this question, quickly moving the subject along.

“There’s another one that is hard to answer. Music, books, and photography… Those are my vices.” Jude laughed but began to answer. “To Kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Catcher in the Rye, and Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles.”

“I LOVE Harry Potter! YES!” Frank jumped from his chair to give Jude a high five.

Jude couldn’t help but let a smile slip when her hand came in contact with Frank’s. She was oddly attracted to him, more than she should be with only knowing him for not even 45 minutes.

“How about your favorite movie?” Gerard asked with a shrug.

“Musical or plain movie?”

“Both”

Jude nodded and quickly gave her answer. “I have two favorite musicals, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and White Christmas. And my favorite movie, anything by Tim Burton and Casablanca.”

“Do you enjoy old black and white movies?”

“Of course; I have an obsession with Old Hollywood.”

Ray cocked his head to the side “Okay, who are your favorite actors?”

“Johnny Depp, Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, and Bing Crosby.” Jude replied without any thought, taking a sip of her coffee.

Bob then shot in “Serious question! What animal do you think your animal spirit is?”

“What the hell?” A few of the guys asked, looking at Bob with awkward expressions.

“Um… I’d like to say a tiger.” Jude wiggled her eyebrows a little with innuendo.

Gerard and Mikey groaned. “SICK!”

Jude laughed, with a roll of her eyes. “Oh stuff it”

“All right, all right. Favorite holiday?”

“Oooh, either Saint Patrick’s Day because I love green, or Halloween because it’s fun.”

“Halloween! That’s my birthday!” Frank grinned again, bouncing in his chair.

Jude couldn’t keep in her giggles. “What is WRONG with him?”

“Nothing… that’s just Frankie.”

Within in the next hour, Jude had questions thrown at her left and right and she answered them all honestly. Even the really tough questions…

“Soooo Jude, are you a virgin?” Frank asked with a wink.

Jude stared for a minute, noticing the protests of her brothers. They were complaining about how they didn’t want to hear that.

“Well honestly, I am.”

“Really, and you said you’re 22?” When Jude nodded, Frank continued talking. “Wow, that’s impressive. I don’t think I’ve talked to an attractive woman who is a virgin at your age.”

She shrugged “It’s not something I’m rushing into. What’s the point?”

Everyone stayed in silence while Jude got up to throw away her coffee cup.

“Anything else?” She asked.

“Yeah actually, the one question that has been eating away at me since I knew you were coming…” Gerard spoke up, running a hand through his long dark hair.

“Yeah I want to know the answer to this one too…” Mikey added, adjusting his glasses.

“Why didn’t you ever contact us? You left 13 years ago!”

Jude hung her head. “It’s not as easy as it sounds. Father wouldn’t let me.”

“You’re 22 for Christ’s sake!”

“Do you know how hard it is to talk to Father about any of this? Let alone MENTIONING Mum, or you and Mikey?! I have nightmares all the time about the day that we left… and every time I asked Father about you all he would have a bloody meltdown! How could I when I knew nothing about you? Not even where to look!” Jude let everything pour out, tears pooling in her eyes.

Gerard walked over and kneeled in front of his little sister. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to make you cry. I was just so confused… I didn’t know how to find you either. I had to go digging through Ma’s things to find any trace of you.”

“You’re fine; it’s not your fault. I really have tried, you have to believe me! Dad’s just an arse.”

“I love you Judey.”

Jude scooted into Gerard’s open arms and wiped at her face. “Mikey, come here.”

He complied, walking over to his siblings and kissing Jude on the forehead. “It’s gonna be okay, Ma’ll get better and then you’ll never have to leave us. Well at least we’ll stay in touch.”

“Then you guys can come and visit me in Newcastle.” When she saw the hesitation between her two brothers she added “You wouldn’t have to see Dad. I just meant to meet my flatmates and see where I work and where I live.”

Another half hour went by with casual conversation and laughs.

“Oh no, guys we have practice.” Ray commented, looking at the clock on the wall.

“But I don’t want to leave Jude here alone.” Gerard protested, looking at his little sister.

Jude shook her head “Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine; I want to be here when Mummy wakes up.”

“Plus she won’t be alone, Dr. Johnson will be here.” Mikey added with emphasis, laughing.

“Uh oh, does someone have a crush on the doctor?” Ray asked, smiling.

Jude hid her blushing face and shook her head. “NO. But I’m fine; I’ll see you all later.”

“Damn, maybe I should’ve been a doctor.” Frank muttered, walking out of the room.

“We’ll be back in a few hours, no worries.” Gerard hugged Jude and then Mikey followed suit, waving goodbye.