Kay looked at Momoko. "Are you okay?"

Momoko nodded. She was resting on the sofa with her feet up, so the boys could take turns waiting on her. Kay had come as soon as she heard.

"No concussion, thank goodness," Jude said, sitting next to Momoko and slipping an arm around her. "Just a strained shoulder and the clout on the jaw. I could murder the wanker."

"So what steps have been taken to assure that this doesn't happen again?" Kay asked.

"We've taken out a restraining order against him," Momoko said.  "He can't be within a hundred yards of me."

"And what punishment did he get?"

"He had to pay a fine," Tommy told Kay in an aggrieved voice. He was sitting in one of the easy chairs. "Can you believe it? Because it was a 'first offense,' they said. We told them about the time at the bar and about right here at the loft, but they said that those don't count because we didn't report them."

"I just need to know he's not going to show up at a gig and screw things up for you guys professionally," Kay said. "Don't get me wrong, of course I care about Momoko, and don't want her to be hurt, but my job is to take care of your careers, and I have to look at things that way as well, you understand? If he's going to attempt to show up at a show and pull her off stage or shoot her or something, I have to arrange security and all that, you see?"

Momoko looked at Kay, eyes huge. "He'd never do anything like that," she assured the older woman.

Kay gave Momoko a look as she shook her head. "Did you ever think he'd hit you in the face on the street in front of a bunch of strangers?" she asked, not unkindly.

Momoko's hand stole up to her face as she shook her head.

Sully, who sat at her feet, picked up one pink-sock clad foot and rubbed it while saying, "Don't get upset, Peaches, it's over, he's way over at his apartment, and he can't come within one hundred yards of you, remember. And we won't let him hurt you. One of us will be with you all the time, won't we, boys?"

There were sounds of assent from all four of them, including Dane, who was making her a smoothie in the kitchen.

"Well, this is all very nice, but you have a gig tonight, and you all seem to be miles away in terms of head space," Kay said. "You okay to perform? I mean, now that you have management, you need to think of every show in terms of potential representation, you understand? I'm working to get labels to every gig, I'm spreading the word about you to everyone I know. I'm not prefacing what I say with, 'tonight might not be their best show because the lead singer got attacked by her crazy ex yesterday,' you know?"

"We understand, Kay," Momoko firmly. "We don't need to be at the venue until 6:30, and we'll be there. Ronnie and the others came for our equipment already, and we'll be ready, promise."

Kay rose. "I'm not trying to sound harsh or uncaring, you know that, right?"

Momoko nodded. "We know. It's time to put on our big kid underwear and be professionals, that's all."

"Exactly." She leaned over and pecked Momoko on the cheek. "Okay, sweetie, hope you feel better. See you at the club in a few hours." She turned to the guys. "See you later, boys."

"Later, Kay."

"Wow, she seemed a little cold-hearted," Sullivan said after he closed the door behind her.

"I must say I agree," Jude said with a nod.

"No, now, guys, she was just being professional, like she said," Momoko protested from her place on the sofa. "Like she keeps telling us, it's not called 'show art,' or 'show fun,' it's called 'show business,' because that's what it is. We can't let asshole Hunter fuck up this chance for us, that's all. Let's not let him get in our heads and ruin tonight, okay? Who knows, some important bigwig from a huge label might be there, and we might miss our big chance because we're all worried about him hurting me or my shoulder or whatever."

She turned to Jude. "Now, how bad does the bruise on my jaw look?"

Jude looked at it critically. "Not bad, actually, looks more like a shadow than anything. A little of your pre-show bathroom magic ought to do the trick." He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss along the bruise. "Honestly, I could just murder him for doing this to you."

Dane brought her the smoothie and presented it with a flourish. "Fresh everything, even the juice, Peaches. You'll be right as rain in no time." He sat next to Momoko and Jude to watch her drink it.

After she finished her smoothie, Momoko rose to shower and get ready for the show. She winced as she rose, grabbing at her shoulder. "Well, this is going to be interesting," she said with a little laugh. "If I'm not out of the shower in an hour, come in after me," she joked.

"Maybe you should take a bath instead," Sully suggested. "It might be more comfortable, and it's not like we don't have the time."

"Good idea," Momoko agreed. She headed for the yellow bathroom, which had a nice, over-sized tub, instead of the blue bathroom, which was closer to her bedroom and therefore more convenient.

She ran the water, sprinkled in some bath salts and bubble bath to relax herself, and slowly settled into it, thinking of Chandler and the episode of Friends where he was enamored of taking baths. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, tried to put the images of Hunter hurting her out of her mind. It wasn't the first time, but it was the worst in that it was in front of other people, people she cared about. He looked crazy, and he also looked like he was enjoying it. That was the scariest part.

Momoko opened her eyes when she felt fresh air on her face. It was Jude, entering wrapped in a towel. He smiled, showing his tiny dimple as he gave a little wave. "We flipped for the privilege, and I won," he explained. "Even in the bath tub, it's going to be difficult to wash your hair, yeah?"

Momoko nodded and sat up, smiling, looking enchanting to Jude with the bubbles all around her.

He stepped in, letting out a sigh as the warm water covered him. He lowered himself carefully next to her, lying down behind her, cradling her between his legs, feeling her smooth body on top of him. "Ah, this is nice," he said, kissing the top of her head. "You all right? Comfortable?"

"Mm hmm."

He wrapped his arms across her smooth tummy as he put his legs over hers. They remained that way for a while, just letting the warm water do its work. "I say we tell the guys to sod off and just stay here for the rest of the evening, what do you think, mm Peaches?" He leaned forward and kissed Momoko's neck as she bent her head to give him better access.

"Sounds so nice, Jude, but we're professionals, right?" Momoko murmured, picking up his hand and rubbing it on her breast. "Tonight could be our big break.

"Ah, but surely we have time for just a quick one? Hm? Just for you?" Jude moved the hand that wasn't on her breast down to Momoko's sex and began rubbing, fingers moving between the soft folds to enter her warm channel, making her gasp and roll her hips.

"Doesn't that feel nice?" he asked, whispering into her ear, his breath warm. "Come on, darling, come for me, now. His knowing hand kept up its work, fingers moving in and out while his thumb found her clit and began flicking at it in rhythm with his fingers.

Momoko's hand found her other breast and began squeezing as she gasped and moaned and writhed against Jude's thin body. For long moments her breathing was the only sound in the bathroom.

"Ah, there we go, feels nice, yeah? God, you're so fucking sexy, Peaches, so sexy. Come on, then, come for me, I want to feel you, want to feel you on my fingers, darling." He sucked on her earlobe. "Here we go, here we go, then, come for me, come for me, yeah--"

Momoko clenched as she arched her body, mewling softly, grasping Jude's wrist and making the water slosh a little.

Then, slowly, she relaxed against his body, settling into the water, heaving for breath, turning to kiss his chest.

"Wow, thanks, Jude," she said with a smile.

"My pleasure, Mademoiselle," he chuckled. "And now we should have a lash at washing your hair, yeah? Actually bathing?"

"But what about you?" Momoko asked.

"Are you kidding?" Jude asked as he gently sat her up, mindful of her shoulder. "all that tossing and thrashing you were doing on top of me? Don't worry, Peaches, I got mine."

Momoko turned to look at him. "Really?"

Jude nodded.

"And I didn't even notice?"

"You were a bit preoccupied, I think." He winked at her.

"I was," she agreed.

"Well, that's my shampoo right there, if you're really going to help me." She pointed.

So Jude lathered her up and helped her rinse. "Your hair's really gorgeous, you know?" Jude said. "It's like the perfect combination of Asian and Caucasian, I reckon." He rinsed it, and tied it on top of her head.

Momoko smiled at him, flattered.

"You need help washing anyplace else?" Jude quipped as he handed her a washcloth and the soap.

"No, I'm good, honest, especially after what we just did," Momoko assured him. "I feel amazing, totally relaxed in every way. And I think my shoulder might even hurt less, if that's possible."

"Marvelous. My work here is done, then. Now let me hop out first, then I'll help you, yeah?"

Jude rose, wrapped a towel around his hips, then helped Momoko out. He surprised her by picking her up and carrying her out of the bathroom wrapped in the fluffy towel while she laughed.

"Put me down, put me down, we're all wet, you're going to drop me!" she shrieked.

He set her down on the sofa, still wrapped in the towel. The other guys were all waiting, freshly showered already.

"You two took forever," Tommy complained. "The three of us all had time to shower in the blue bathroom while you were in there doing whatever it is you were doing."

"Don't you wish you knew," Jude joked.

"Anyway," Momoko interrupted. "I feel great, just let me get dressed and put some makeup on and I'll be ready, okay? Gimme twenty minutes?"

She wrapped the towel more securely around herself and rose. She turned when she was nearly to the blue bathroom to address the boys.

"You don't seriously think Hunter would ignore the restraining order and show up at a gig, do you?"