Author's Note: I was sitting at home last night typing the new chapters to 'Lean on Me,' Bon Voyage,' and 'When a Man Loves a Woman' when inspiration hit. Wouldn't you know. I also want to say before I start this new story that congratulations are in order for FrozenFireHeart for acing her French exam. I hope Viva La France helped (laugh out loud), and I wanted to give a special thanks to Saralyleth for PMing me yesterday wondering about where I was. My boss had me run errands but it just does wonderful things for me to know you guys look for me. It really does. I kept reading all of the reviews I got before I left work (I always print them out), and this idea struck. What if Tommy and Jude communicated over E-mail and then later met. What would they both do. Cyberspace dating. Hot stuff these days. Lots of smiles to you guys. Let me now what you think. Please R&R. Takes place Three months after finale. Disclaimer: I do not own Instant Star or its characters.

"There's something I want you to see, Tom." Madalyn said in an excited tone as Tommy looked up from the paperwork he had been viewing just in time to see his sister looking over at him impatiently. Tom sighed. His little sister was old enough now to be self-sufficient but still young enough at ten to drive him absolutely nuts. Suffice it to say, she had been a surprise for his parents. The legal documents he had been looking at determining the adoption procedures for his niece was beginning to wear on him anyway. He stood up as he moved toward her.

"This had better be good, Maddie, or I swear I'll hold you upside down by your feet." Tommy mumbled as he followed her wearily into her room where she had her laptop spread out onto her bed. Tom raised a brow. If only he had the amenities this chick had when he had been her age. He shrugged as Maddie turned the screen toward him.

"I've been playing around on a website that caters to those who are interested in music. There's a musician here who has written some fantastic lyrics. Only now she says she's blocked—stuck. I know how much you miss doing that. Maybe you should try helping her out, huh?" Maddie asked as Tommy shook his head.

"I don't do computers, Maddie." Tommy said simply before turning to walk out of the room. Maddie grabbed him by the arm.

"Please, just look at it. Pretty please!" Maddie pleaded as Tommy winced at her shrill tone and pouty face. Oh, she'd be a damned force to reckon with if he didn't at least look.

"Fine." He mumbled as he sat down with her on the edge of her bed. She lifted the computer onto his lap. The lyrics immediately got his attention—made him squint harder at the screen. Maddie just looked satisfied as if she had known it would more than interest him.

I'm running scared as if I'm afraid of the larger fight.

Still haunted—haunted by the images of fading taillights.

It's like I'm reaching for a reckoning—a moment of need.

An explanation for the torment—the reason behind the speed.

Let me know what you think guys, Kudos—puppetonastring

Tom stared at it a minute before looking up over at his sister.

"That's not bad at all. That girl might actually have some potential. Add her to my Instant Messenger, kiddo. I don't get on that thing much, but I'll get on tonight and see if I can't help her out some." Tommy replied as he ruffled his sister's hair before getting up and going back to work. Maddie just smiled as she sat down again on her bed. She knew about her brother's life in Toronto—knew about Jude Harrison although he didn't talk about it much. She scrolled down the screen and added 'puppetonastring' to her brother's account. What Tom didn't know was that the handle she had just added was the newest one used by Jude Harrison online. She changed it periodically to fit her mood. Right now Jude seemed to feel confused and pulled in a million different directions. Maybe, by doing this, Maddie was helping Tommy figure out his own confusion.

Tom logged onto his Instant messenger account—changing the handle on it first in case anyone from the studio was still looking for him. He needed just a little more time in Montana to complete his business before he returned. He hadn't been able to get those lyrics out of his head since he had read them earlier. He began to type wondering why he bothered with this at all. Maybe he just needed the distraction—the need to get away from the grief of losing his older sister and with the hassle he was having getting her daughter, Christianna, signed over to his parents. It was enough to make him look for an outlet—for a chance to work with music again.