Celeste walked up to the terminal and handed the young woman her credit card.

"Where to Miss?" The young woman asked her.

"Toronto, soonest possible flight."

"I have one boarding now, one more seat left."

"Oh, okay, I'll take it!" Celeste said as the woman handed her the boarding pass and credit card. Celeste ran as fast as she could and just made the plane, she sat in her seat and thought to herself, Well just a few hours until I get there and have to face what ever Jude has in store for me.

At six o'clock the next morning Celeste arrived in Toronto, sleepy eyed from just waking up, and she looked around for Jude; she saw that little Mustang and knew it was her. She walked over to Jude and gave her a hug.

"Hey Jude."

"Hey Celeste. Here, welcome back gift." Jude said as she handed her a coffee. "Just how you like it, four sugars though, thought you could use the extra pickup."

"You are an Angel, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know." Jude said smiling. "Get in the car. Where ya wanna go first? My place or G-Major, Tommy's wanting to talk to you by the way?" Jude asked.

"Your place, I need to clean up after being on a flight for six hours. And I'm so gonna kill you."

"Home it is, and you know you love me." Jude said as she drove to her house.

When they arrived, Celeste headed straight tot he bathroom and took a shower, changing into a denim mini skirt and a white, skin tight, tube top. She came downstairs, her hair now straight, the black highlights showed up more; and she saw Jude sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and decided to pour her own.

"Feel better?" Jude asked as Celeste sat down opposite of her.

"Yeah, a lot so." Celeste said as she sipped the coffee.

"You ready to face G-major?" Jude asked as she finished her coffee.

"I think I am." Celeste said as she downed her coffee.

"Alright, let's go." Jude said as she grabbed her keys and they left.

The ride over to G-Major was mostly quiet, Jude was worried about Celeste and Celeste was worried what everyone would think or what Tommy was going to do. When they finally arrived it took Celeste a moment to finally walk in, that's when she saw Sadie.

"Hey Sadie."

"Celeste! God I haven't seen you in years!!" Sadie cried as she hugged her.

"Yeah, I haven't seen you in a long time." Celeste smiled.

"Well, well, look who's back." A booming voice sounded from across the room.

"Darius!" She cried as she hugged him.

"How's my U.S. star been?"

"My career's been great. Me, not so much."

"Well hopefully a vacation will clear that up, where's Lance?"

"Lookin' after the band, makin' sure they don't get inta too much trouble."

"Ahh good, tell him we all say hi."

"Will do." She said and laughed as she saw Darius leave as quickly as he had came. Unfortunately, she heard a voice that wasn't welcome.

"Do my eyes deceive me? It's Miss Celeste Custree." He called and she winced at the rhyme.

"If it isn't little Tommy Q." Celeste mocked as she turned around and face him, using the nickname that she knew he absolutely hated.

"Don't call me that." Tommy said and he stared at her. She's changed so much over the years, and what's with the blonde and black punk look? He thought.

"Too much for you to take, Quincy."

"Never, come on, we're goin' out back." He said as he grabbed her upper arm and pulled her out in the alleyway.

"Jesus Quincy, chill on my arm, your going to bruise it."

"The Celeste I knew didn't bruise so easily."

"The Celeste you knew is gone, she had to become tough in order to live in New York. She's never coming back," She said as she turned away from him and looked at the ground, her skirt and hair blew ever so slightly in the breeze.

"Obviously, because Jude tells me your considering quitting." Come on, look at me Celeste.

"I am." She stated simply, her arms hugging herself. I can't do this with you again Tommy.

"Why? What's changed?" I put my hand on her shoulder, she was acting strange.

"Many reasons, one being I just don't have the passion for it anymore." Another being its not the same without you by my side.

"You don't have the passion for it anymore'?" Tommy repeated. I'll just see about that.

"No, I just don't."

"Sing me something." Tommy said as he stood mere inches from behind her.

"No." She whispered, barely audible. Please, oh please, don't stop.

"Sing me something Celeste." Tommy moved her hair off of her shoulder and whispered in her ear. Come on girl, you can do this.

"I can't." She whispered and gasped quietly as he put his hand on her stomach to push on her diaphragm. "Tom, I--" She cut off.

"Shh...just sing."

"I have not the ti-ime now, to stop and expla-a-ain, I just keep movin', 'cause it helps to e-e-ease, the pain..." Celeste sang as she turned around and looked him in the eye. "There, happy Tommy?" She said as she turned away from him.

Tommy grabbed her wrist and pulled her into him and then pushed her against the wall.

"The look in your eyes, when you sing, is the reason I did that; the reason I do everything I do. Don't have the passion? You have it, and so much more, I don't know what ever made you doubt that." Tommy said and his mouth came crashing down onto hers.

For a while Celeste allowed Tommy to kiss her, and returned it with equal fervor. But then she remembered everything, from Christian to the events that transpired between Tommy and herself.

"No, Tommy, stop." She said as she pushed him away.

"Why? What's wrong?" He asked as he looked into her glassy sapphire eyes.

"I just, I can't do this--not now." She said, trying desperately to prevent herself from crying.

"How come? What's with the change?" What the hell, I know I felt it from you, why are you so scared all of the sudden?

"Because. Okay!!" She screamed at him. "I'm with this other guy, and--and--and remember what happened the last time?" Not to mention you scare the hell out of me, Tom.

"Okay, I'm guessin' he's another musician, barely has time for you. And let's remember, we never broke up, you just took off."

"I know, I know! And yes he's a musician! But it's not any of your business!" She yelled as she completely pushed passed him and walked back into G-Major. "Hey Jude, I'mma go to the gym, I'll see you later." She said as she picked up her bag and went down to the gym.

When Celeste got to the gym she smiled at the man at the front desk and went into dressing room to change. She slipped into a black tank top and camo shorts, she always carried an extra set of clothes in her bag. She walked over to the front desk,

"Hey Johnny."

"Celeste, I haven't seen you around in a few years, where ya been?" Johnny asked.

"I left, went down to New York, but Jude called me back and now I need to work off some frustration."

"Tommy?"

"Tommy."

"Go ahead, work it off, its on me this time." Johnny said smiling at her as she went back to the treadmill.

Celeste stepped onto the treadmill, she stuck her headphones in her ears and turned it on. As Numb by Linkin' Park began to play, she ran as fast as she could. Everything that had happened, both today, in the past, and ever since she left Toronto flashed before her eyes.

Jude was laying upside down on the couch while she waited for Tommy, he had went on a coffee run, it was certain to be a long day because the were re-recording White Lines. While she waited she started to sing softly to herself,

By yon Bonnie banks

And by yon Bonnie braes

Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond

Where me and my true love will never meet again

On the Bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

O-oh you take the high road and I'll take the low road

And I'll be in Scotland before you

But the broken heart it knows

No second spring again-- Jude was cut off by Tommy's smooth voice breaking her concentration.

"Wow, girl."

"Oh Tommy, hey." Jude said as she flipped upright and brushed a lock of blonde hair out of her eyes and behind her ear.

"Didn't know you were into Choral music." Tommy said as he laughed slightly.

"I'm not, Celeste's C.D. she was listening to this morning had it on it. She was in choir all growing up. She taught me the song before she left too." Jude said as he deep blue eyes shifted to the floor.

"What is it Jude?" Tommy asked concerned.

"I'm just really worried about Celeste. She hasn't been herself of late, since she left actually. Lance called me a few days ago and spoke of his fears for her. She's been picking up guys after every gig and cutting them loose, that was until this latest guy, Christian."

"Lance? I thought he was all for her leaving? What do you think she's trying to do?"

"He was, thought leaving would do her some good. But now he's worried and so am I, and I think she's hiding; trying to run from herself."

"Hmm...well you want to get to work on the song?"

"Mmm--not really, but I guess we should go ahead and get started." She said as she walked into the sound booth.

Celeste looked down at her watch, wow, I've been at this for two hours now, maybe I should take a break. And just then her cellphone began to vibrate. She removed her ear buds and slipped her ipod into her pocket. She answered the phone and her voice was a bit scratchy from lack of hydration.

"Go for Celeste."

"Hey Cece." Lance's crystal clear voice rang over the phone.

"Oh, hey, I was so going to call you." Celeste said as she grabbed her bag and walked passed Johnny, who nodded to her, and out the door.

"Yeah, I bet."

"No seriously I was, I just got wrapped up."

"Let me guess, you were in the gym."

"How'd you--"

"And Tommy did something to upset you. Cece, I've known you since we were born."

"I really forgot how good you were at reading me Lance."

"Well there's not usually a need, you tell me every single detail of your life."

"True."

"So what did he do this time?"

"He kissed me." Celeste said and anticipated what was to come.

"HE WHAT?!" Lances voice yelled as she held the phone away from her ear.

You hate me now don't you? Well I wanted to get this much up for my faithful readers and alerts, and the one review I've gotten. Love you by the way, and I so love instant star also. But this is for you my faithful readers, just a bit to tide you over because the next one's going to be hard to write. Here's a test, the following songs will be in the next chapter:

Fever

White Lines

Nothing Better To Do

'Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore

Stay

Concrete Angel

If you can guess who sings them and give a reason why you think they sing them, I'll give you a preview of the next chapter before I post it..good luck!! By the way, there are two duets..do you know which and who sings them?? This will tell me how close you paid attention to the characters, because if you take their personality into account, its pretty easy to figure out. Hope you enjoyed this chappie!! This did come up a bit short and for that I apologize.

§Cassandra§