-Author's POV-

Deep breaths.

It was finally time to take the stage; it was her dream to stand in front of an audience. But it was always the judgment that came along with the singing, the picking and choosing of what's perfect and what's perfectly imperfect. Everything was perfect to her, and although many didn't see it, she saw beauty in the world that was filled with dark souls.

A world occupied with the tug and pull, power and fortune. Her attitude always masked her true feelings, true emotions, and most of all; the love that was thrown out a long time ago. Fifteen but filled with so much wisdom and hurt. Lying to herself, and biting back to everyone was the only thing she ever knew how to do.

"Hello" Her voice resounds into the silent arena.

"Hello," Simon greets the confident teen. Her entire look screamed popstar, and Simon loved every second of it. "What's your name?"

"Madison" She replies, her eyes work wildly as she tries to take in every inch of the large stage. The judges only a few feet away, she can practically hear their thoughts, but it doesn't bother her, in fact, she wanted to hear every word they thought about her. She locks eyes with every judge. Right, that's Louis.. Mel.. Cheryl.. and Simon.

"How old are you sweetheart?" Cheryl asks, dimples forming with the world famous smile. She returns the smile, her own dimples mirroring the Geordie judge.

"Fifteen"

"Don't you think you're too young?" Cheryl asks.

"Don't think you're ever to young to follow your dreams. Why? Do you think I'm too young?" Madison takes the judges by surprise. Simon sits back in his seat with a grin. We've got ourselves a little popstar. He chuckles to himself.

"That's true," Cheryl begins with a smile "Your talent will always be there next year, don't you think?"

"Why wait until next year when you've got the present? Why make the age limit fourteen if you think I'm too young?" She rolls her eyes, suddenly getting annoyed with the questions.

"Fair point," Simon laughs "Who are you here with today?"

"I thought this was a singing competition?" The teen fires back. Mel and Cheryl look at each other with raised eyebrows, completely unimpressed with the teen's attitude.

"I wanted the girls.. Not so sure anymore" Mel whispers to Cheryl, in which they laugh. Madison sighs and cocks her head to the side, waiting for Simon to give tech crew the cue for the music.

"Alright, you win." He holds his hand up, the music fills the arena immediately. Madison takes in a deep breath, and makes the stage her own.

She confidently sings every word, her body working with the music. It's not an upbeat tune, but she can't control the music that takes over every part of her being.

"Take it back, I want the girls!" Mel quickly says to Cheryl. The Geordie is too engrossed in the performance to look or hear anything else but Madison. The teens long brown locks sway with her hips, like a snake slithering, she rolls them ever so gracefully. She shows off her body in the crop top she'd opted for her audition. Dressed in all black, head-to-toe. It was her favorite color, and she was sure it matched her soul. Dark and tar.

The last lyric echoes. The arena erupts with loud claps and screams of pure ecstasy at the teenager's performance.

"I think we've got ourselves a little popstar!" Louis shouts into the microphone, clapping his hands wildly. Simon nods his head at Madison with a smile. She's not sure how to respond with such exhilarating claps from the audience; all she can do is take it in. These moments don't last forever.

"I want the girls!" Mel shouts with a cackle, "I want you on my team!" Madison giggles at the woman's excitement.

"Guess you're right," Cheryl speaks with a sparkle in her eyes. Madison's green orbs lock with the browns, and suddenly the world has gone silent in the teen's world.

"You're ready for this competition!" The Geordie finishes her words, getting another round of applause in the arena.

"I think it's time to vote" Simon pipes in. She's confident in herself, and if she doesn't get the four yes's then so be it. She holds her breath.

"Yes!" Louis throws his fist into the air.

"Yes!" Mel shouts.

"One million percent yes!" Cheryl smiles widely, and awaits for simons last words.

"We make competitions to find talent like you. It's a yes from me." No reaction is made from Madison's end. She simply smiles and replies with a:

"Thank you" It surprises the judges, and most of all, it surprises Cheryl. Something about this teenager was interesting sort of speak, but there was much more to her and she wanted in.

"Just a thank you?" Simon chuckles.

"Erm.. Thank you very much." She smiles one last time and walks off stage. Her breathing was even; handing over the microphone she accepts kind smiles from congratulating strangers. She grabs her leather jacket, along with her bag she'd left carelessly before taking the stage.

"Madison!" A crewmember stops her, turning around in her tracks; a bulky looking man meets her line of vision.

"We'll be calling you for the next part of the competition."

"Okay, thank you" Smiling at the kind man, she begins her journey out of the loud arena. Leaving everyone with her memory, finally, her face has made it somewhere other than a picture on the fireplace mantel at home.

She spots her ride instantly.

"Hello Jeffry!" She greets him with a warm hug.

"Take it good news?" He chuckles, their hug coming undone naturally.

"I got four yes's!" She squeals, showing her emotions to a familiar face.

"I knew you could do it! .. I was getting worried waiting out here for you-"

"I'm sorry.. I didn't want you coming in.. You know, they'd ask a million questions.." She explains with apologies projecting through her green orbs.

"They'll eventually find out Madison, nothing is kept secret in this industry.." He reasons gently; she leans against the blackened car and sighs sadly.

"It's not that big of a deal is it?"

"What? There's nothing wrong with your life." Taking in his words, she nods in agreement.

"Just wished they came you know.." She trails off.

"I know I'm just your driver, and I'm not your Mum or Dad.. but, they're busy Madison-"

"They're always busy aren't they? Sometimes I feel like they don't want me, it's almost like they occupy their time so they don't spend time with me. I'm not that bad am I? Eh Jeffy? I'm pretty cool ain't I?" She always covered her true emotions with a smile and laugh. Many believed it, they believed she was happy, but Jeffry saw right through it.

"Not bad at all," He smiles warmly at her "Tell you what, how's about I get you the biggest ice cream sundae one could buy? We have to celebrate somehow."

"Thought you'd never ask!" Squealing in excitement she climbs into the backseat of the luxury car. Jeffry has yet again found a way to make her smile, and it wasn't forced, it was a genuine smile filled with happy thoughts. For a short while, she doesn't think about her parents, she focuses on that ice cream sundae she'd be devouring.

--

Cheryl sighs with happiness as she walks into her home that night. It's quiet, just the way she loved it to be at this time. Kicking off her heels, she follows the smell of food cooking in the kitchen; the once silent ambiance now fills with her wife's humming. Sneakily, she walks up behind a happy Kimberley; wrapping her arms around her waist and swaying them to the hums escaping her wife's lips.

"Hi baby" Cheryl greets her with a kiss to the neck.

"Mm you're back a little early. Was hoping to surprise you with a bit of dinner."

"You didn't have to" The Geordie argues, giving Kimberley another kiss to the neck. She couldn't get enough, even after years of being together; she'd never get enough of her wife's touches and kisses. Never getting enough of their love.

"I wanted to," Finally, the blonde turns around and meets her wife's lips with her own. They mingle and fuss together, sighing happily into the gentle kiss.

"How was work? I'm sorry I didn't come.. I wasn't up for it today." Kimberley apologizes and swiftly turns back around finishing up the dish she'd been cooking. Cheryl fiddles with the hem of her wife's shirt, letting her hands roam under the short top.

"It's okay, wasn't that interesting anyways" Cheryl places kisses to Kimberley's shoulder. Watching her stir the chicken and veggies.

"Nobody interesting auditioned today?" She asks, the dish has cooked to perfection. Pulling away from Cheryl's touch, she plates the food and leads them into the front room.

"Hmm?" She gets Cheryl's attention. The brunette beauty smiles and sits herself beside Kimberley, accepting to share a plate full of food.

"Well, there were a few."

"Like?" Kimberley asks with full interest, she loved hearing about her wife's day. It was always detailed and full of excitement. Cheryl loved what she did, and nobody knew that more than Kimberley herself.

"There was this girl that audition towards the end.. Her name was.." She takes a moment to remember the cheeky teen.

"Madison-"

"Aw! I love that name" Kimberley pouts cutely, Cheryl couldn't help but kiss the now greasy lips. They eat their meal, feeding each other every so often.

"Me too, although, I must admit she's got herself a little attitude"

"Is she good?"

"So good" Cheryl sighs with a wide smile "She could win it"

"Reckon so?"

"If she drops her attitude then I'm sure she could win it all"

"Is she that bad?"

"She's not that bad, but I know if we give her enough jabs she'll probably explode on us" They laugh.

"She's actually really beautiful" Cheryl adds, nodding to her words.

"More beautiful than me?" Kimberley pouts comically

"Don't start with that" Cheryl tuts and forks a veggie.

"Start what?" The blonde raises her eyebrow and pulls the delicious plate of food out of her wifes reach.

"Every time I compliment someone you do that" She huffs, reaching for the food.

"I was only joking" Kimberley rolls her eyes and hands the plate over to the hungry Geordie.

"Sure you were" Cheryl stuffs her face and eats off the rest of the plate.

"You know I've only got eyes for you, plus, I don't go around checking fifteen year old girls out" The gorgeous brunette laughs with a mouthful of food.

"Agh," Kimberley clasps her hand against her wifes mouth "If I had known about your manners before we got together things would be different now" She jokingly cringes.

"Kimba!" Cheryl gasps and swats Kimberley's hand "Don't be mean"

"I'm not" The blonde giggles "I'm joking! Oh god, I'm joking baby." Taking the empty plate away from her sulking wife, she places it on the coffee table and pushes Cheryl back into the sofa.

"Kiss it better" Kimberley giggles and shakes her head. They kiss sweetly for some time, getting lost in each other's touches, lips, and hands grazing the sculptured bodies.

"Are you going to keep this dress on? Or are you going to take it off?" Kimberley grins, tugging the top of the couture fabric.

"Was hoping you'd help with that bit"

"My thoughts exactly"

--

"Wish you's came" Madison speaks over her chatty parents. They sit in the front room with the television playing aimlessly in the background; nobody pays much attention to it. Clara and Connor discuss a book they'd both been engrossed in, not giving much attention to the teen.

"I said I wish you's came!" She repeats a little louder.

"We apologized already Madison, what more do you want?"

"I wish you's came, that's what I wish.. I mean, why bother getting a child if you're not going to care, and give it any attention?" The teenager throws her hands up, and waits for an answer she'd hoped to find a bit of comfort in.

"We give you attention." Connor reasons.

"When?" Pushing limits was her strong point, and she always managed to push her parents to every edge possible.

"We got you that.. You know what was it called darling?" Connor asks his wife.

"That old fashion typewriter you wanted for Christmas"

"Oh," Madison speaks with sarcasm "Of course," She nods "How could I forget the typewriter, and oh wait! How about the paper as well? Can't forget the paper.. Took you's ages to find the right paper for that typewriter" She nods, pretending to agree with her words.

"Oh no wait. That was your assistant that found the bloody paper, my bad." She laughs, Connor and Clara share a look and return their gaze to the upset teen.

"I wish Abigail was here! Maybe she'd care to come and watch me perform!" She abruptly stands to her feet and storms to the front room door. Stopping to say a few last words.

"Why adopt a child to begin with! Huh?" Clara stands up and finally gives her daughter the attention she'd been craving.

"C'mere" She forces Madison into her arms and hugs her tightly. Connor mirroring his wife's actions; they embrace each other in a cuddle.

"Promise to come to the next one? There's one more." She begs, her eyes plead to be watched pursuing her dreams.

"We promise. Go on and get dressed for bed and come back down. We'll watch a film, anyone you want." The mother encourages the teen with a smile; Madison instantly relaxes and softens to Clara's words.

It was dreams that were chased each and everyday. Mother and Father's taking care of their children with love, watching dreams being committed. Dreams that glittered, wishes turning into reality and following it until the end. That was Madison, just a girl chasing her dreams without a fear in her being. Nothing would stop her, not even the constant battle that happened in her mind. No father or mother would ever stand in the way of the stage lights.