-Author's POV-

Madison and Rita share a look at the dinner table that night, a smirk, shy and innocent. The teen was trying everything in her not to let her walls crumble, but with the blonde being so gentle and caring, she can't help but tear a few bricks down.

"What do you say Champ?" Jamie brings the teen out of her daze.

"Hm?" She blinks, no idea what her Dad was on about.

"Were you even listening?"

"Yeah obviously.." She shifts her eyes, lying.

"Oh yeah?" Jamie winks at Rita, letting her know he was joking. "What were we talking about then?"

"Something."

"Something like?" He pushes.

"... Erm." Madison clears her throat, "Could you repeat that."

Rita giggles, "He was saying that we should go on a little trip soon." She bites her lower lip, "What do you say?"

"I don't know." The teen shrugs, "I'll have to ask my parents."

Rita frowns, looking away to hide her sudden annoyance.

"I'm sure Cheryl nor Kimberley would mind." Jamie smiles, reaching over and giving his daughters hand an affectionate squeeze, "I just want to hangout with my two favorite girls."

Guilt. That's exactly what she was feeling.

"Erm.." Madison abruptly stands to her feet, "Mum wanted me to call her around this time, excuse me." She quickly dashes away before Jamie could say another word, leaving both Rita and her father in distress.

What am I doing? She mentally hisses to herself, pacing back and forth in her bedroom. He's going to be heartbroken.

The look of love in her fathers eyes made her feel like sh*t. And whatever was growing between her and Rita had to stop, it had to. At least that's what she was telling herself.

She calls her Mum, needing to calm herself down.

"I should have blocked your number, Madam." Kimberley answers, "Who is that?" She hears her Mam in the background.

"Hi." Madison breathes, sitting on the cushioned bench.

"You okay?" Kimberley asks, concern in her tone.

"Yeah fine, just miss yous – I'm sorry I called. I just wanted to talk—"

"Don't listen to her sweets," Cheryl snatches the phone from her wife. "Hi honey." This gets a smile to instantly grow upon Madison's expression. "Your Mum is just being rotten because.. Well, can't really tell you."

"I don't care to hear about your sex life Mam!" Madison groans, "I just called to say hi – don't make me regret it."

"Ah no," Cheryl pouts. "Your Mum was being right cute tonight, yeah, she's got this cute little setup here for us in the middle of her bakery."

"I know."

"You knew?!" The Geordie screeches, "You had us thinking she didn't love us anymore."

"No that was you just being overly dramatic once again." Madison rolls her eyes, smiling.

"I'll get you back for that – you're lucky you're not in front of us right now—"

"Why?" The teen smirks, "What're you going to do?"

"Kiss ya because you're so fcuking cute I just wanna eat ya."

Madison pulls a face.

"Don't talk dirty to our daughter, Cheryl!" Kimberley snatches the phone back, "Sorry your Mam is still pretty horny—"

"Kimberley!"

"Mum!" Madison squeals, "Enough!" She huffs. "Look I just called to check in."

"Are you enjoying your night, babe?"

"Yeah. I'm having a splendid time you see."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, amazing. We're having pork-chops like." She sarcastically speaks, "And we've got the telly going, and we also have crazy conversations. I don't know if you're ready to hear all of this."

Kimberley laughs, "You're being cheeky aren't you?"

"No. This is who I am."

"Yeah, annoying is who you are."

"Can you take me out tomorrow?" Madison asks, needing her parents love at the moment.

"Of course? What's brought this on—"

"I just.." The teen sighs.

"Babe do you need us to come pick you up? Your Mam and I will leave right now—"

"No! No honestly," She stops them, needing her parents to enjoy their tenth anniversary. She didn't want to be that child. The child that ruined her parents intimate moments, the love, the spark, she didn't want to ruin any of it. "I just miss you both is all." She shrugs, playing it coolly.

"Alright, I'll pretend I believe you—"

"It's true." She breathes, "I love you." She adds, needing to end this call.

"I love you too, we both do."

"I know. Look, I best let yous get back to your fun.. Dad wants me back at the table."

Kimberley pouts, "Okay babe, your Mam and I love you— Us more!" Her Mam adds in the background, earning them a giggle from the teen.

"Okay I know, I love you both, bye!" She quickly ends the call, taking a few deep breaths before returning to Jamie and Rita.

"Are they alright?" Jamie asks, taking a mouthful of his wine.

"Yeah? Why wouldn't they be?" The teen frowns, eyebrows furrowing together in confusion.

"Well," He chuckles, "Last time I saw them.. They.. Yeah." He chuckles further.

"Well, they're fine. Don't worry about it—"

"Alright, sheesh, Sensitive Sally."

She takes a deep breath, "How's about you—"

"Madison." Rita stops the teen, "I think that's enough."

"Who the fcuk are you!?" Madison scoffs. "Don't you ever talk about Mum or Mam ever again." She tells Jamie off, "Ever. Again."

"I was only joking—"

"I don't take that as a fcuking joke."

Jamie raises his hands up, "Alright, I'm sorry."

It goes silent, an awkward tension settles.

"You don't know half the sh*t they put up with because of me, so don't ever talk badly about them ever again." She grits, standing to her feet.

"Champ, I said I was sorry." Jamie genuinely apologizes, "It won't happen again."

"Whatever. I'm going to bed."

Rita sighs, never taking her eyes off Madison as she exits the dinning room.

"I don't know where that came from." Jamie frowns, "She's a firecracker, just like her Mam." He shakes his head.

"Babe, that's enough." She stops him, "It obviously upsets her when you talk about Cheryl and Kimberley, so.. Enough of that."

He shrugs, never understanding women.

"I'm going to go check on her."

"By all means, at least she likes one of us." He lets his girlfriend follow his daughter, never noticing the connection between the two.

Rita skips steps running up the stairs just to get to Madison, she didn't like it when she was upset.

"Babe?" She knocks on the bedroom door, letting herself in.

"Could you possibly fcuk off so I can sleep tonight off and go home?" Madison rolls her eyes, turning over and giving her back to the older woman.

"What's gotten into you?"

"I'm over this Rita, leave me alone." The teen says coldly.

Rita closes the bedroom door, and storms her way to the teen.

"What is your fcuking problem!?" She hisses, "One second you're loving me up and the next second you're telling me to fcuk off!"

"Calm down will you?" Madison rolls her eyes, "Don't you have adult things to do? Like, washing the fcuking dishes and sucking your boyfriend off or something?"

Rita clenches her jaw.

"Fcuk you."

"Nah mate you'll never fcuk me." She laughs dryly, "Could you possibly leave and shut the door on your way out? I'm trying to sleep."

Rita hisses her breathing, "I'm not leaving until you tell me what your fcuking deal is!" She gives the teen a poke to the back, getting Madison to sit up and kick the covers off her.

"This," She points to them. "We will never be anything. So go down to your boyfriend and leave me alone—"

"I'm up here checking on you—"

"I don't need to be checked on. I'm going to my Mam and Mum tomorrow and they'll do that just fine."

"Oh yeah?" Rita smirks, the darkened room still easing light form the outside world, giving both of them the ability to see each other clearly with the moonlight cascading through the large windows. "Are you going to tell your Mam and Mum how I felt up their daughter?" her smirk grows. "Or are you going to tell them half the sh*t you opened up to me about? I bet you've never told them half of the sh*t you've told me today."

"I fed you bullsh*t, honey." Madison lies. "And look how quick you were to strip naked for me. Desperate tramp—" Rita slaps Madison, the teen gasps to the sudden echoing of her skin, "Get the fcuk out!" Madison presses her palm to the sizzling of her left cheek, burning to the touch.

"Fcuk you."

"Get the fcuk out I said!" The teen grits.

"Gladly." With that, Rita exits the bedroom, slamming the door on her way out. Leaving Madison in a flood of tears, hand remains cradling her throbbing cheek.

-------

"Much better." Cheryl sighs, cozying up to her wife in their bed. "I always did love our bed." She giggles.

"What's gotten into you tonight Mrs. Giggles?" Kimberley smirks, pulling in her naked wife into a tight cuddle. "I quite like it better when you're in a mood with me."

"You're never satisfied." The Geordie rolls her eyes.

"I think I was pretty satisfied a few minutes ago," Kimberley winks, "Catch my flow?"

"Ew what're you?" Cheryl pulls a face.

"Shush and cuddle."

They go into a peaceful silence, comfortable and perfect for the two.

"Babe?" Cheryl whispers, breaking the tranquil ambiance.

"What is it now?" Kimberley pretends to be in a mood.

"I love you," The sweet tone in Cheryl's voice gets Kimberley to completely crumble, melting to the ground. "Thank you for loving us the way you do, thank you for always putting us first and protecting our family." She sighs softly, "Everyday feels like our anniversary, even on our worst days, we always work through it all.. I.. I just want to say," She clears her throat, shuffling up and meeting her wife's teary blue eyes. "I wanted to tell you that I would go through hell and back, just to see you happy.. I didn't give you our anniversary present, because, because we have to go together to get it."

Kimberley sniffs, "Baby, I don't need presents. I have you."

Cheryl heartbeats anxiously, "No.. No, I.. I.. Made an appointment for us."

"'Appointment? For what?" Kimberley frowns, "You're confusing me."

Cheryl places a chaste kiss to her wife's lips, "So we can start our family."

Kimberley's mouth goes dry; her world drops and explodes into a million shooting stars, just to those simple words that have left her wife's lips.

"W-What? What? What're you s-saying?!" Kimberley cries and laughs all at once, "What are you saying!?" She repeats, now fully crying in her wife's arms, repeating over and over again. "What're you s-saying?" She howls, Cheryl holding her tightly, both now crying.

"We're g-going to grow our fa-family Kimba." They cry, holding onto each other.

"Ah." Kimberley cries out, nails digging into Cheryl's back as she holds on, shaking, and releasing every agonizing memory that still remains haunting her. "What're you saying." Her words sound into faint whispers, losing herself in the tears.

The tears of love.

--------

Morning crept through the teens bedroom, soft yellow glows waking her from the gentle dreams she escaped to. She was at ease, calmness settling in the ambiance of her bedroom, a ghostly smile appearing to her lips as she remembers, today she will be returning home.

She sighs, rolling over, lying there for a few minutes before finally climbing out of bed. Madison wasn't in the mood to speak to her father, nor ready to make eye contact with Rita. She just wanted to go home. That's all she really wanted.

Her iPhone vibrates, indicating a text message.

Mumster👸🏼😈: Good morning Madz, am I picking you up or is Jamie dropping you off? Let me know. xx

She quickly replies.

Madison: Can you please pick me up? And come now?

She scurries around, changing out of her pajamas.

New Message.

Mumster👸🏼😈: I'll be there in a few minutes. xx

She takes her phone as she exits the bedroom, creeping down the stairs that early morning. Not a soul in sight, her lower lip remains clasped between her teeth, not wanting to wake anyone.

"If you're trying to sneak out you're doing a terrible job." Rita leans against the kitchen counter, having her morning after workout shake.

Madison jumps, rolling her eyes.

"Well I'm leaving."

"Wait." The older woman rushes over to her, still breathless from her workout.

"Make it quick, Mum's outside—"

"No she's not."

"Well she should be." The teen smiles sarcastically, "Can you move now?" She attempts to walk around Rita, but the older woman grasps her by the shoulders, forcing her into place.

"Babe, listen to me." Madison remains silent, desperately wanting to go home. "I don't want you leaving with us on a bad note, I'm really sorry for slapping you last night – babe, please, just listen."

"Leave me alone Rita." The teen grits, pushing Rita away. "You've got some nerve, just, stay away." She pushes her back one last time, successfully walking out of the home and rushing down the lengthy lot just to get to her Mum, needing to get the fcuk out.

"Check you with all this energy." Kimberley tells her daughter, her smile soon turns into a frown. "What's the matter?" She asks.

"N-Nothing." And with the stuttering of her word, Madison was unable to contain her tears. She cries out, sobbing and hiccupping in the passenger seat.

"Maddo?" Kimberley quickly reaches over and pulls her daughter onto her lap. "What's the matter? Hey.. Shhh." She hums, holding her tightly against her chest. She rocks her back and forth, just like a child, humming and kissing her daughter repeatedly until her tears and sobs settled into soft hiccups. "What happened?"

Madison hiccups in reply.

"Do I have to go in there and kill someone?" This gets a giggle from the teen. "I do, don't I?" Kimberley pretends to shuffle, ready to get out of the car.

"Nooo." Madison whines, sniffs, giggles and hiccups all at once.

"Talk to me?"

"Do y-you think you could p-possibly drive home with me on your lap?" She asks, not wanting to lose contact.

"Well," Kimberley clears her throat, looking around the empty roads. "It is pretty.. Ghostly.." She thinks, "Why the hell not." She sits them up, putting her car into drive and cautiously driving them back home with Madison holding onto her Mum tightly.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" Kimberley asks, glancing down at her exhausted daughter. "I don't like seeing you like this." She adds, looking back up to the road, switching lanes and taking the exit in which led to their gated home.

"I just missed you—"

"Don't give me that bullsh*t—"

"It's not!" Madison sits up.

"Sit down!" Kimberley snaps, nearly getting into a car accident. "Bloody hell." She huffs, "We'll talk when we get home." She holds her daughter tightly, afraid for the teen's life being put at risk.

Madison hiccups, remaining still until they've driven past the gates leading to their mansion.

Kimberley parks the car, and breaks the tensed silence.

"Talk to me." She looks down, gently running her fingers through Madison's silk brown locks, "Please."

"I just.. I don't know, I was having one of those emotional mornings. It felt weird sleeping at Jamie's—"

"It's not like it was the first time you've slept at his house—"

"But it was different this time."

Kimberley softly grasps either side of her daughters face, forcing their eyes to mee.

"Are you lying to me?"

Madison shifts her eyes, "No."

"Madison." Kimberley grits, knowing her daughter was lying.

"I'm not!"

"Fine." The blonde opens the car door, "Out you get." She helps the teen out, soon following her. "If you don't want to tell me, fine, but don't think I wont tell your Mam and have her worried out of her damn mind—"

"No don't tell Mam, please!" Madison stops her Mum from walking any further, "Please." She repeats.

"Why?"

"B-Because, please."

"Madison, tell me what's going on. Now." Kimberley speaks sternly, "Now." She repeats.

"I don't have to tell you everything that happens in my fcuking life!" The teen snaps, frustrated with herself more than anything.

"Then don't fcuking cry and beg for me to hold you!" Kimberley bites back, pointing her finger. "If you don't want to fcuking open up to me and tell me what has upset you, then learn to fcuking control your emotions!" She walks away, leaving Madison sniffling her tears away. The teen watches her mother walk into the home, leaving her in the winter weather, surrounded in complete gloom.

Kimberley breathes heavily, hands shaking as she makes a cup of coffee. She was fuming, a million scenes playing in her mind of what could possibly be wrong with her daughter.

Cheryl strolls through the kitchen, "Where's Maddy? I thought you went and picked her up?" She casually asks, walking up to her wife and placing a kiss to the blonde's cheek. "Hm? Babe?" She frowns, "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," Kimberley shuffles away, "She's just outside."

Cheryl rolls her eyes, "Are you going to pretend like you didn't just step away from us? What's the matter?"

"Go talk to her." Kimberley sighs, "She started crying when I picked her up."

Cheryl quickly rushes out of the house, tying the ropes to her robe tightly around her waist.

"Babe?" She blasts down the front steps; Madison sat on the last step. "Hey? What're you doing out here in the bloody cold?"

"I just need a breather."

"What happened?" Cheryl pouts, sitting beside the teen, uncaring of the icy winds kissing her cheeks.

"Nothing, honestly." Madison shrugs, gently resting her head against her Mam's shoulder. "Rita and I got into an argument."

Cheryl clenches her jaw.

"It was over something stupid," She lies. "They want to take a family trip somewhere and I don't know if I'm up for it." She lies further, needing to come up with something, fast.

"Well, you can tell them to go to hell because you're not taking any family trips with them." Cheryl's anger bubbles deep inside, if only she knew exactly why her baby was crying, then all hell would come pouring out of her.

"I was just upset for a minute and I don't know why, but I'm over it now." Madison sits up, giving her Mam the best smile she possibly could. "It's almost Christmas, so, I shouldn't really be crying." She giggles.

"Isn't that the truth." They share a smile. "I've got an idea," Cheryl lovingly places a fallen strand of hair behind her daughters ear, "Go freshen up and change, and we'll go out and do a bit of shopping, just like you wanted to."

Madison smiles, "That would be nice."

"Go on then," Cheryl stops her daughter from standing. "Where's me good morning kisses?" She pouts.

Madison giggles, kissing and hugging her Mam, "I love you."

"And I you."