Where The Next Road Goes- An Instant Star Humor Fic!

Chapter 1: Toronto, G-Major Studios

Author's Note: Picture a newly hooked-up Tommy and Jude... on the road with Speiderman Mind Explosion. Clearly, a recipe for craziness!. My first attempt at a humor fic.

And yes- it is part of the "Next Generation' series. This is set after "First Date" and "First Time"...

Oh- Being a bigger fan of season 1 than season 2, and considering that all my stories are really based on the first season... I kept certain old-school elements in this story. G-Major is still owned by Georgia. Darius is only Jude's manager. Jude and Speed did go out, though.

Chapter 1: Toronto, G-Major Studios

"Through the hourglass, I saw you..."

"In time, you slipped away."

"When the mirror crashed, I called you..."

"And turned to hear you say..."

"If only for today."

"I am unafraid."

"Take my breath away..."

"My love..."

"Take my breath away..."

Jude finished her encore. Linking hands with her bandmates, together they took their bows. The enraptured audience exploded in thunderous applause.

"Jude Harrison and Speiderman Mind Explosion!" Darius's booming voice announced.

After taking one more bow, Jude released Speed's hand and slipped off the makeshift stage at G-Major. She desperately needed a few quiet moments before rejoining the eager crowd of people who had come to the joint release party for her third album "Breathless" and SME's debut solo record "Complex Machinery".

Moving stealthily, she managed to slip inside one of the studios without anyone following her. It was dark and seemingly empty inside. Then a light suddenly snapped on.

"Miss Harrison?" a deep, incredibly sexy male voice intoned, as its owner held a chilled bottle of water out to her.

"Thanks!" she said, taking it and draining the container in one long gulp.

"And here." he added, picking up a soft plush towel. He started to give it to her, then suddenly stopped, thinking of a better plan.

Gently, he moved the fabric over her glistening face. Jude smiled peacefully, loving his affectionate touch and the way he took care of her.

"Better?" he whispered solicitously.

"Yeah... You knew just what I needed..."

"I pay attention." Tommy said seductively.

Jude just nodded, as he put the towel down, but continued caressing her face with his bare hands.

"And I know something else you need right now..."

"What?"

"This" he murmured, lowering his mouth on hers for a soft, beautiful kiss.

Jude's heart raced. She pulled him closer, intending to deepen the kiss, when she heard an insistent knocking on the door.

"Jude!" a sharp voice called.

"Georgia" she whispered breathlessly, as Tommy reluctantly stepped back from her.

"Coming!" she replied, reaching out to open the door for her friend and the owner of her record label.

Georgia entered the room, followed closely by Darius.

"Excellent job tonight. Really good." she praised Jude and hugged her.

"Just want to congratulate you both!" Darius said.

"This new album's the jam! Best you two have done yet! Jude, G & I have been thinking about your tour. Since you're done with school now, we can set up a longer one. At least six months, hitting major cities in the US as well as Canada. With SME as the opening act! Bigger arenas... A lotta publicity!" Darius boasted.

Jude looked at Tommy and her eyes darkened; she detected a similar flicker of sadness in his.

"We knew this was coming... but we haven't talked about it... Being apart for so long..." she thought.

"I don't want to be away from her!" Tommy realized with a jolt. In all his time touring and traveling, he had never felt that way about anyone before.

"Not now... when everything's finally right... It took so long..."

"Tom? Jude? Everything ok?" Georgia asked, knowing her question was rhetorical. Knowing them so well, she easily guessed what was bothering them.

"Uh- yeah!" Jude quickly blurted out.

"Good. Come on, both of you. You've got work to do..."

"We'll figure this out somehow..." Jude thought, as Tommy curled his protective fingers around hers.

The after party seemed endless, as they both attempted to focus on the hordes of people around them. The press was relentless; everyone wanted pictures of and interviews with the white-hot celebrity couple. Jude and Tommy's newly minted relationship easily garnered more attention than her newly-released album.

Finally, in the early hours of the morning, the party ended. They slipped inside their limousine, Tommy's arms wrapped around her. Both remained silent, too exhausted to speak. Jude buried her head against his chest and closed her eyes. She dozed off, as did he. His eyes automatically snapped open when the car stopped.

"Jude... Sweetheart..." he whispered, brushing his lips against her temple. She responded with a faint whimper.

Unable to resist, he moved his mouth down to her own, repeating its caressing motion.

Drawing back, he saw her eyelashes flutter and open.

"Hi" she mumbled sleepily.

"Hi. We're home..."

"Mmm... good..."

Taking her hand, he carefully led her upstairs, closing his apartment door behind them.

Fully awake now, Jude smiled as Tommy pulled her close.

"Finally... I have you all to myself, girl..." he said. "Did I even tell you how wonderful you were tonight?"

"No... you didn't" Jude replied with a smile.

"But something tells me... you're going to."

"Just amazing... Beautiful... Talented... Passionate... And... mine." he added, dipping his head towards hers and showing her exactly what he felt.

Two hours later, they lay entwined together in bed, still awake, but fully satisfied. Jude sighed contentedly as the sun's early morning rays broke through, warming them. She hated to disturb the moment, but needed to ask Tommy something important.

"Tommy?" she whispered.

"Yes?"

"About... the tour..."

"Yeah..."

"Six months is a very long time..."

"Yeah... And D said it might be longer... I'll be counting the moments..."

"What if... you didn't have to?"

Their eyes met.

"Come with me" she purred invitingly, punctuating the question with a kiss and soft caresses.

"You know you want to..." she teased, noting the glow in his eyes.

"Of course I do... thought you'd never ask.! Just one problem. Darius and Georgia have to okay it... It is his tour, after all... And G will need to manage that long without me..."

"She'll have to..." Jude replied.

"Yes. Because I can't manage that long without you..."

"We'll talk to them. Convince them." she answered, crawling on top of him and kissing him again, this time more deeply.

"Yes..." Tommy replied breathlessly, as he once again lost himself in her.

Without too much difficulty, he did succeed in convincing Georgia and Darius. Easily, they saw the value in having Tommy around to supervise and produce such a big and important tour. Tommy did have to assure Georgia that he would keep in frequent contact with her through phone calls and emails, as well as review the many projects she would send him. Kwest was then appointed to take over the rest of Tommy's responsibilities for the duration of the tour.

Two weeks later, at the early hour of 6:30 AM, Tommy carefully parked his Viper in the G-Major lot, just a few feet from where the large bus awaited them.

"Ready?" Jude asked, unfastening her seatbelt.

"Ready" he replied.

Stepping out of the car, he popped open the trunk and two roadies promptly took their bags onto the bus.

"Thanks!" both Tommy and Jude called out, as they boarded the vehicle.

"Tour bus Betty" Jude commented fondly, surveying the familiar space.

"Looks just like I remembered..."

"Not exactly..." Tommy grinned knowingly, leading Jude to the very back of the bus.

"One small... but essential alteration." he announced, opening a newly built door.

"Your suite, Miss Harrison."

"You built me a room on the bus?" Jude gasped with pleasure.

"Actually, Georgia did." Tommy confessed. "The bus was being refurbished anyway... She felt that you could use some space, traveling so much with a bunch of guys."

Jude raised a questioning eyebrow at her producer-turned-boyfriend.

"Actually... she built this before I told her about us. Afterwards... I think she wanted to tear it down..."

"I bet!" Jude laughed, thinking of Georgia's protectiveness.

"I'm just glad she agreed to let you come."

"Well, she thought I could make myself useful."

"I bet you can..."

"That's not what she meant..." Tommy murmured helplessly, as his arms snaked around her.

"So... you're taken care of. Where am I sleeping?" he asked.

"Well... my bed looks pretty comfortable..."

"Kinda small for the two of us... don't you think?" he whispered hungrily.

"We could... find out..." Jude said, sliding onto the mattress and pulling him down with her.

"A tight fit... " Tommy mumbled, covering Jude's body with his and bringing his face to hers. "But this could work..."

"Jude! Hello! Tour bus babe!" someone yelled.

"Or not!" Tommy groaned, sitting up and removing his hands from her soft skin.

"Oh... Sorry, producer dude." Speed apologized, walking towards them, an amused Kyle and an embarrassed Wally right behind him.

"Hope we're not interrupting anything!" he added, snidely.

"No problem" Tommy answered, shaking his head, and thinking.

"This could be a really long six months..."