Alright, I don't like to post until I've got a good chunk of the story line worked out. But I would really use some feedback on this, because I've been working it over for a few weeks, and its proving harder to write than my last two. So I would really appreciate anything really. I know it will be hard to see where I'm going with the story from the first part alone, but the hook of the story is always within the first few lines, it'll hook you or bore you.

She could feel the weight of the chain around her ankle, holding her in place. The taste in her mouth was rancid, worse than anything she could remember. It made her stomach turn. It took her a moment to make out the face, the unfocused eyes staring back at her.

"Here drink this." She handed her a cup.

Jude looked around the room, her basement walls covered in blankets, but the thing that caught her eye was the silver gleam of the hammer in Megan's hand. Just as quickly as she saw the hammer it was replaced with the staple gun. She could feel her heart pounding with every flash of anger.

Jude Harrison woke up with a scream. The only thing she could hear were the sound of her own heavy breaths. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dark room, to take in the surroundings. She wasn't sure where she was at first, but as her vision became clearer, she could make out the walls of her London bedroom. She was safe in her flat, an ocean between separated the two. But she knew that her heart wouldn't stop until the light was on.

Her whole roomed a soft yellow. She could see the boxes still stacked Sadie had sent from Toronto. She could still feel her heart pounding as her feet touched the cold ground. She walked down the short hallway, past her kitchen and living room, straight to the door. She had to double check each lock, ensuring her door was closed tight. She looked at the security systems and nodded at the green flashing light, signaling it was on.

She knew that she was safe in London, she had been there for fourteen weeks, five days, and as she glanced at the clock, 15 hours. It wasn't that she was counting the time, since she had left Toronto, she was counting down to the day she had to return. She could see it circled in red on her calendar that laid on her desk, scattered with papers, sheets of music, and notes she had scribbled, reminders.

She went back to her bedroom, and crawled in the middle of her bed, reaching for her phone sitting the night stand. There was only one voice she wanted to hear now, and she watched as his number appeared on the screen, the soft ringing filled the other line.

"Jude?" she could already hear the panic and concern in his voice, it had been there since the day she had left her home, left Toronto. She suddenly wondered if she had woken him, feeling guilty she looked for a clock, trying to do the math in her head. How far ahead was it there? She couldn't remember the time difference. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything is fine." She lied, and she knew he would be able to tell, but it was easier to say things were fine, than to say she was falling apart. "I'm sorry dad, did I wake you?"

She could hear him smile, followed by a soft chuckle. "It's mid afternoon here Jude, I'm more worried about why you're awake."

Right, she remembered, nine hours, Sydney was nine hours ahead. She could picture the post it she had written it on, buried in a pile of other reminders. "Just nerves." She sighed.

"You know all you have to do is say the word, and I'll be on the next flight home." Stuart Harrison reassured his daughter.

Jude remembered the conversation they had a week ago over a video conference at Burmanzie Records.

The office was bright despite the rain she could hear falling outside. The room was filled with people, everyone disusing what to do about Jude returning to Toronto, returning of Megan's court date. They had received the phone call a week prior, reminding them all of the date, the date Jude would have rather forgotten.

"I don't want her traveling alone," Stuart said from the computer screen. Jude couldn't help but smile at her father, he had insisted that he be present, even if it meant video conference.

"I think we all can agree with you on that Mr. Harrison, no one wants to see her return alone." Nicola Dumar spoke from her chair.

"There are plenty of people that can protect me there, I can hire Big Lou, I'm sure he'd be more than willing." Jude pleaded, slouched down in the chair. She didn't like the idea of having a body guard following her around.

"I don't like the idea of these two going alone." Stuart pointed to the silent girl sitting next to Jude. "She's no bigger than Jude."

Jude looked over at her assistant. "Dad, we're going to be fine."

"I can come home, just say the word." Stuart said.

"Honestly sir, there are a lot of people there, and I will make sure I stick by Jude's side the whole time. Safety in numbers, right?" Gwen asked, Jude nodded in agreement. She didn't want to make this into any bigger of a deal than it already was.

"We're going to be fine." Jude nodded. "And Nicola is right, the press is going to be all over me as it is, and being trailed by a team of body guards would only make it worse."

She could still hear in the uncertainty in his voice, and she knew he could hear it in hers as well. "Have you packed yet? You shouldn't wait until a few hours before you leave, I know you're going to."

Jude smiled and looked at the empty suitcase sitting on her floor. She had started to pack before she had gone to bed, but it was too much for her to think about, going back, facing Megan. "I've been working on it."

"And your passport, did you find it?" he wondered. He knew it daughter better than anyone else, and he knew how scatter brained she could be.

"Actually I have it." Jude laughed. "You shouldn't underestimate me."

"I would never dream of doing such a thing." He laughed as well.

Jude could feel the conversation coming to an end, she had needed to hear him, to help put her mind at ease, and that is what he had done. "Thanks dad."

"Anytime kiddo."

"I'll call you when I land in Toronto." Jude said. It was easy to say she was going back to Toronto, but it was harder to think about. "I love you."

"I love you too." He said before they both hit their end buttons.

Jude stared at the empty suitcase. She hadn't even finished unpacking her things yet, and she was already getting ready to return home. She knew that it wasn't going to be forever. She just need to get through the hearing, then she could return to her new life in London.