-Author's POV-

Cheryl holds back her cries. She fights every sob begging to escape; her heart beats rapidly, each beat thumps with fear of the unknown.

Henry drives her home that late afternoon, as promised to be home within four hours. With Madison permanently in her mind, she never loses sight of her promise to her daughter. It was a day bursting with questions, cameras, and hurtful words.

All Cheryl wanted to do was get home as soon as. She wanted to be in the bubble the Tweedy-Walsh family created, the bubble that would forever be her safe haven.

"We're here Miss." Henry speaks through the partition. The car door locks click, allowing her to climb out of the car, head up the grand stairs and straight into the home with need.

She's met with loud laughs and screeches coming from the front room.

This brings a smile to her face.

Her heels clink against the marbled flooring, she walks into the large space finding Kimberley tickling their teenage daughter.

"GET OFF!" Madison screams, "S-Stop!!" The teen howls out with tears in her eyes.

"Say you're sorry you sh*t bag!" Kimberley cackles, her fingers still working away at the sensitive tummy.

Madison screams, her eyes suddenly meet a smiling Cheryl.

"Cheryl!" She shouts for help, "C-Cheryl!!" she screams once more, resulting to Kimberley's hands to stop their tickling.

Madison breathes a sigh of relief.

"Get off!" She shoves a giggling Kimberley away.

They both straighten up in unison.

"Hi." Cheryl gives her best smile; it doesn't go unnoticed by the two.

"You okay?" Kimberley frowns, she stands to her feet and walks over to the exhausted Geordie.

"I'm fine." She laughs lightly, her smile soon turns into a shocked expression as Kimberley stands in front of her.

"What the hell did youse do!?" The brown eyes bolt out in shock. "I leave the two of you for four hours and come back and find me wife's hairs gone pink!" She screeches.

"You don't like it?" Kimberley asks, her fingers run through the pink locks in nervousness.

Cheryl sighs.

"You look beautiful baby.. But I mean.. Pink?"

"I think she looks pretty fcuking cool-"

"And let me guess cheeky, this was your idea?" Cheryl questions, her arms fold and foot taps in question.

"Well.. It was sort of.. Like.. We were getting sweeties-"

"Is that what you've had all day?" Cheryl notices the wrappers thrown carelessly on the coffee table, drinks, crisp bags, and unopened sweeties sprawled out messily.

"Why is this room a mess?!" She sighs; the aggravation of her earlier problems is now being taken out on her girls. "It's called a bloody rubbish bin!" She snaps; cleaning up the mess she came home to.

"Kimberley you're meant to be an adult," She continues her rambling, "I'm always coming home to some sort of sh*t like this, always us needing to clean after you!" Her actions surprise Madison.

The teen can't help but look at the blue-greyed beauty in question.

'What the fcuk is going on?' She mouths to Kimberley.

"Always us fcuking cleaning every god damn thing in this fcuking house!" Cheryl grabs the last of the trash and stomps her way out of the front room.

"What the fcuk.." Madison whispers.

"I'll go talk to her, she's probably upset over something." Kimberley reassures the teen and follows her wife into the kitchen, she finds Cheryl fighting the rubbish bin.

"What's gotten into you-"

"Us!? What's gotten into us?!" Cheryl kicks the bin; her fists clench once straightening back up. "Do you not know how to fcuking clean up after yourself?!"

"Now you and I both know this isn't about the mess you came home to-"

"Don't fcuking tell us what this sh*t is about!"

"Cheryl-"

"Why is this fcuking kitchen a mess!?" Cheryl hisses, her eyes work around the messy kitchen. "I don't even want to fcuking know what the bathroom is looking like upstairs!" She begins to clean the kitchen; Kimberley stands by the entrance with a smirk slowly playing to her lips.

"Are you going to tell me what the matter is-"

"Leave us alone! Just go! I need some fcuking space!" Cheryl sets the sponge down, and walks over to her wife. "Get out!" She gives her a push; Kimberley grasps her hands and forces her to calm down.

"Would you stop that-"

"Let us go! Get out!"

Madison sits uncomfortably in the front room; she listens to every word echoing through the grand home.

Should I go outside? She asks herself.

This is so awkward.

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what your problem is." Kimberley repeats, her voice remains calm and sweet.

"I'll tell you... Just leave us alone for now." She nods, letting go of the Geordie.

Kimberley sighs, she steps out of the kitchen and returns to the front room.

"Let's go for a walk-"

"No," Madison shakes her head, "Can.. Can I go talk to her?" She asks, her eyes shift to the living room doors in hopes to catch a glimpse of the Geordie.

"She doesn't want to talk to anyone-"

"I'll talk to her."

Kimberley sighs.

"Alright, I'll be outside." She walks past the teen, and steps out to the back garden.

Madison takes a deep breath, she bravely heads to the kitchen and finds Cheryl fiercely cleaning the kitchen. Her glamour still beams, the heels, the makeup and hair. Her couture clothes still on, unfazed to change her attire.

"Cheryl?"

The Geordie ignores her daughter; she doesn't want to say the wrong thing. Madison was the last person she wanted to release all her anger on.

Madison clears her throat; she timidly walks over and sits herself on the barstool.

Silence lingers in the air; the only sound to be heard was the sponge currently scuffing against the granite top.

"I think that's clean." Madison comments.

Cheryl ignores the teen.

Madison goes to speak again, but her phone rings to life. This gets the Geordie to slow down her hands working away at the counter top.

Madison retrieves her phone from her back pocket, she smiles once seeing the caller ID.

Mum.

"Hello?" She answers, her eyes meet the browns, and for a moment the world went silent.

"...Posting it online without my permission! Madison Harris you're coming home this instant!" Clara's harsh tone brings her back to reality, her heartbeat quickens to the words her mother spoke.

"Wait.. What?" She breathes.

Cheryl sets down the sponge, dries her hands, and walks around the island to stand beside her daughter.

"Did you not see her post on the internet? She didn't even ask for my permission! Your father and I are coming to get your immediately-"

"Mum no-"

"Don't you dare tell me what to do," Clara shouts. "I'm coming and so is your father. Go collect your belongings!"

Clara ends the call before Madison has a chance to protest.

"What happened?" Cheryl furrows her eyebrows.

"I.. My.. My Mum and Dad are coming to get me-"

"What do you mean they're coming to get you?!" Cheryl grits her teeth, her anger bubbles over. "We still have a week and some together!"

"She's upset you posted the photo," Madison hops off the stool; she's stopped from walking out.

"Please.. You can't go-"

"You're already in a mood.. Maybe the space will be good-"

"No.. No," Cheryl takes a deep breath. "Let us explain what happened."

Madison shrugs. "It's not going to make a difference.. Mum is already upset-"

"I'm your Mam!" Cheryl cries, "Not her!" She howls; her hand holds the teens in desperation.

Madison looks down, "You might be my.. My Mam by blood.. But she raised me after all." She releases her hand from the tight hold.

Cheryl covers her mouth in hopes to control the sobs, "Please don't go." Her words muffle. "We were h-having such a good day-"

"You're the one in a mood.." Madison turns around, but is instantly stopped once again.

"I-I said I'd explain-"

"It's not going to make a difference," Madison sighs. "Mum and Dad are already coming."

The teen walks out of the kitchen, leaving Cheryl in a heaping mess. She cries out for her daughter, she needed the teen in her life - they both did. Kimberley returns into the home, the sound of her wife's cries alarm her.

She sprints to the kitchen.

"Hey, hey!"  She catches the Geordie as she falls, "What happened? Baby, what's the matter?" Cheryl holds onto her wife, her fingers clench to the top with the tears pouring out of her distraught brown eyes.

"I-I-I messed up." The words repeat. "I-I-I messed up."

"What? What did you mess up sweetheart?" Kimberley pulls her up, forcing Cheryl to stand up straight. "Look at me." She demands.

Cheryl nods, her tears still freely flowing. "C-Clara.. They're coming to get her."

"Sit here for a minute," She helps the Geordie to a seat. "Let me just see what all of this is about, I'll be right back." Cheryl nods, and watches her wife run out of the kitchen, and race up the stairs.

"Madison!" Kimberley calls out, her legs still working fast to get to the teens bedroom.

"Madison." She opens the bedroom door, and releases a breath. "What, are you doing?" She pants.

"I'm just collecting my things." Kimberley walks over and forces her daughter to stop packing.

"Where are you going-"

"Mum and Dad are coming to get me-"

"Like fcuking hell they are-"

"Mum is really upset. She's seen Cheryl's post and was shouting down the phone. Cheryl should have asked for permission before posting it. I should have known better, Mum was really upset. She's so upset Kimba." And with an instant, the teen breaks down. She drops to her knees; her hands cover the beauty of her face.

"She's s-so upset." She cries.

Kimberley forces her own tears back, she cautiously gets on the floor and takes her daughter into a much-needed embrace.

"Sh-She's so u-upset." It was the need to please her mother, the acceptance, and the never-ending must of acknowledgement that drove Madison crazy.

I messed up. The words repeat.

I messed up.

"I messed up." The words sound aloud.

Kimberley clenches her teeth, "You did nothing wrong-"

"A-A girl sh-should al-always ask her Mu-Mum for permission." She howls the last of her words.

"Shhh calm down-"

"I messed up." Her words sound in a whisper.

The bedroom door creaks open, getting Kimberley's attention. Madison is too far gone in her fcuked up mind to give any notice to the Geordie currently creeping in.

Kimberley gives her a wife an apologetic smile.

"Mado, hey sweetheart look who's here." She gives her daughter a squeeze, hoping it would stop her crying.

Cheryl sits beside her wife and daughter, timidly reaching out and stroking her daughters beautiful brown locks.

"C'mere baby." Cheryl sniffs; she opens her arms for the teen, immediately getting a response.

She sighs once Madison is in her arms, both clinging onto each other.

Tears forever flowing.

"How about this," Kimberley speaks softly. "I'll talk to them once they come here, we'll figure this out and solve the problem."

Madison shakes her head.

"Th-They wont listen.. I messed up." She cries.

Cheryl sighs; she rests her hand to the teen head and brings her in as close as possible.

Madison can hear every thump to the Geordie's heart.

The heart belonging to her.

"We'll see about that-"

"No," The teen stops Kimberley from standing. "You'll only make it worse."

Cheryl and Kimberley's eye's connect. Unsaide words speak loudly in their haven.

"Do you trust me Mado?" The pink haired beauty asks.

She never did trust women, but she found herself answering without a second thought.

"Mhm." Madison nods, her eyes sealed firmly.

"Then trust me when I tell you this," Kimberley takes her daughter's hand into her own. "I will fix this."

She believes her; every word sounded from Kimberley is taken in and absorbed.

"I-I... I-I love you." She hiccups.

"And I love you.. Now go wash your face babe, go on." She stands to her feet and helps both Cheryl and Madison up.

The teen sluggishly walks to the ensuite. She wasn't ready to leave this home, the home she'd finally found comfort in.

This was her home.

"You alright?" Kimberley asks her wife, she draws the Geordie into her arms and kisses her sweetly.

"No more tears sweetheart." She coos, wiping the evident tears from the flawless olive skin.

Cheryl sniffs, "I could kill them."

"Nobody will be killing anyone.. But me of course, I'll do the killing here." This gets a giggle from the brown-eyed goddess.

"You're crazy."

"Crazy for you." Kimberley giggles, she wraps her arms tightly around the Geordie, she kisses her like never before. This kiss is filled with love, and hopes to never see her wife cry ever again.

"No more tears baby," She whispers against Cheryl's lips. "No more." Their lips mingle, and linger together.  

Madison returns, cheeks and nose red, her sniffs have yet to die down. She smiles at the married couple, so in love, and so caring for each other.

I wish Mum and Dad were like that.

Cheryl is first to notice her daughter's presence; their lips come undone. A smile stays in place once making eye contact with her little girl.

"You're looking fresh as a daisy sweets." Madison giggles to Cheryl's words, she beckons her daughter over, getting them to embrace once more.

"Everything will be alright." The teen nods, her arms cling around the Geordie.

Kimberley smiles, but soon, her smile crumbles to the bell gates going off.

"That's them, come on. No more tears." She takes their hands, and leads the way down to the front entrance.

Madison's heart beats wildly. Her eyes never leave Kimberley, she watches the older woman accept the guests, and opening the gate.

Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.

I messed up.

It didn't take long for Clara and Connor to park the car, and rush up the grand stairs.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Kimberley gives her wife and daughter a smile, hoping it would calm them down.

The moment Kimberley opens the door; Madison's hand releases the Geordies. Instantly breaking Cheryl's heart.

"I'm not here to talk, I'm here to get my daughter." Clara stops Kimberley from speaking. "Where is she - ah have you collected your things?" The mother asks the teen, getting a timid nod in return.

"Can I have a word with you-"

Clara cuts Kimberley off once more.

"I said I'm not here to talk-"

"Clara, honey, let's not make a big deal out of this-"

"Connor. We've discussed this. Please go collect our daughter's stuff from the bedroom she was staying in." Connor sighs softly.

"Madison," He smiles at the timid teen, "Please show me to the room." She gives him a slight nod, never protesting.

Kimbelrey allows the teen to lead her father out of sight, giving her a chance to tell Clara off.

"I don't know who you fcuking think you are-"

"Now you listen here, both of you." Clara speaks firmly, "She's not your fcuking daughter, she's mine.. Don't ever, for one fcuking second think she'd choose you two dimwits over me." She laughs evilly. "You must be out of your mind.. Look at the both of you," She picks at them. "You're nothing but a washed up pop star hanging on her last solo album.. And you," She chuckles. "I mean.. Just look at you, you're a mess."

Kimberley is left speechless, both women feeling exposed in front of the elegant woman.

Madison and her father's footsteps get all three women to straighten up.

Cheryl turns around and watches her daughter trail behind Connor, a sad expression plays to Madison's face.

She internally sighs.

There is nothing she can do. The teen wasn't legally hers, blood could only do so much.

"Alright sweetheart," Clara puts a bright smile on. "You can say your goodbyes while we wait in the car." She plays the role.

"It was nice seeing you Kimberley, Cheryl." She gives them a smile, the evil evident in her hazel eyes.

"Come on Connor." The father follows his wife out, holding the teen's luggage in each hand.

"She's a b*tch," Kimberley spits her words.

"She's my Mum," Madison defends her. "I.. I should go-"

"Wait." Cheryl stops her. "Can.. Can we at least have a cuddle? I still want to see you? I still want us to see each other." The tears form in the brown orbs, breaking Madison's heart.

"Yeah, of course." She gives her a smile.

Kimberley and Cheryl embrace their daughter, kissing her to the head with affection, need, and love.

"I love you." The married couple whisper simultaneously.

Their arms release from around each other, they watch the teen slowly walk to the front door.

Madison pauses, her hand rests to the doorknob in contemplation.

"I.." She goes to speak, but the words are unable to sound. "I.. I don't want to say goodbye." Her eyes never avert from the door.

Cheryl speaks up, "Then don't." She whispers. "Say.. I'll see you later."

The teen smiles, she turns around and rushes back to the couple's arms.

"I'll see you later." She breathes. "I'll see you later." She repeats. Cheryl's lips work at kissing her daughter's face, needing to feel her warmth once more.

A horn sounds, and it was finally time to let go.

"I'll see you later." Madison sniffs, she steps back and looks at the couple one more time, she takes a mental image of the two.

"See you later." Kimberley smiles.

They watch their daughter leave the home, the door shutting with an echo, soon followed with Cheryl's cries.

The teen collects herself all the way down the grand stairs leading to the luxury car her parents impatiently wait in.

She climbs in the back, "Well, that's that." Her words sound.

Clara smiles "Think that was more than enough days spent with those two."

"Clara-"

"Connor." The older woman speaks. "Drive us to the best restaurant in the city, I think this calls for a celebration, and a family night."

Family night. The words bring beats to Madison's heart.

"Really?" The teen asks, undoubtedly taken back with her mother's words.

"Why of course." Clara turns in her seat, finally taking a proper look at her daughter. "Have you been crying?" She asks, already knowing the answer.

"No." Madison laughs lightly. "I was washing my face before youse came." She gives the best convincing smile.

"Alright," Clara smiles. "Put your hair up, it's looking a mess. Have you not showered since you stayed with them-"

"Of course I did-"

"Your clothes are a mess, you've got chocolate stains on your yellow vest, your shorts have dirt on them-"

"I was riding my bike Mum," She groans. "I didn't notice."

Clara stops herself; she needed the teen to be happy with her. Her plan to win her daughter over wasn't going to work if Madison was in a mood.

"Oh I guess it's alright," She smiles, "Better put those in the wash when we get you home." She gives the teen a wink, and turns back in her seat.

Madison sighs softly; she pulls her phone out and contemplates messaging the women.

Before she thinks further, a message comes through.

Group Message with Cheryl and Kimberley.

Cheryl💖👸🏽👑: We miss you already! xxxx

Kimba🙆🏻💩💘: Hurry home Mado-Pado!! xxxxxxxxx

She forces herself not to cry, instead, her smile masks her true emotions.

See you later! Miss you more! xxxxxxxxxxxxx

She comes back to reality with Connor parking the luxury car, and both mother and father climbing out. Madison quickly shuffles out and follows them into the crowded five star restaurant.

They're instantly seated.

She sighs, still fiddling with her phone and messaging the couple back and forth.

"Hey," The waitress squints to the teen. "Aren't you Cheryl's little girl?" She asks.

Clara speaks before Madison has a chance to reply. "Excuse you, I didn't realize it was your job to question our daughter. Please do your job before you're left without a job."

The waitress nods, "I apologize, what can I get for you?"

------

Surprisingly, she enjoyed herself. For once, Clara and Connor gave her a second of their time. She rambled for what seemed like hours; Cheryl and Kimberley never crossed her mind whilst sitting at the table. Unbothered with the healthy meal Clara chose for her.

"Mummy?" Madison whispers.

"Yes?" Clara turns in her seat, she meets her daughters sparkling green eyes.

"Can I ride my bike once we get home?"

The mother frowns, "And where will you be going?" She asks.

"Just for a bike ride-"

"Your bike is at Cheryl and Kimberley's-"

"We have plenty of bikes in the garage." The teen giggles lightly.

The mother sighs, "Fine. But, don't go too far." She turns back around in her seat, leaving Madison to smile widely in the back.

The teen rests her head to the window, basking in the beautiful yellow glows emitting from the sunset. It had been a long day, filled with emotions, but surprisingly ending well with Madison receiving all the attention she'd craved from her parents.

Connor parks the car gently; finally, they've arrived home.

The family climbs out in unison, always in an elegant manner. It was never rushed, nor chaotic.

Suddenly, she missed Kimberley's tone, and Cheryl's sweet words.

"Wait, wait, wait." Clara stops her daughter.

Connor walks ahead, going straight into the home, leaving the mother and daughter alone.

"Now promise me you won't be going anywhere I wont like." Clara speaks with control.

Madison nods.

"No I want to hear it, I don't want you going anywhere that will upset me. You don't want to upset me? Do you sweetheart?"

"Of course not." The teen smiles, "I promise."

"Alright, off you go." She watches her daughter run off to select a bike, and pedal away in the opposite direction.

Madison had planned to see Kimberley and Cheryl, but now she's promised her Mum. She didn't want to upset Clara; the woman had more control over the teen then Clara herself would ever know.

She pedals her way to Christopher, the teen was in need of love, and even though he was not here, he still managed love to course through her.

Her soul was haunted by him, telling her she was fine. That all the hurt, and sadness would diminish.

It would never leave her.

He would forever keep her in a dark place, filled with want and need for him to return. She needed her brother; he was the only one who kept her strong, letting her know there was a reason to live.

She reaches the graveyard, quickly putting the expensive bike to a stop, and dropping it carelessly to the ground.

The tears flow before she reaches the gravestone.

"Hi." She breathes, settling down the grassed ground.

"Mum and-and Dad took-took me back." She cries, it was therapeutic for her. The words would effortlessly sound when she was in his presence, she missed him; he was her soul mate. A connected vessel transporting them together, even with worlds apart. Heaven and Earth couldn't stop the connection they had.

"Kimberley and Cheryl were so upset, I..I love Mum you know, but she doesn't like them. Why doesn't she like them?" She cries out. "I need you here.. I need you to come make this better."

As if Christopher was lingering in the calm air, a soft light flares when the sun finally set. Leaving the world in a blue glow.

"I love you too." She sniffs. "I love you too." The words repeat.

She remains in her place, until her fragile skin could not tolerate the coolness in the air. With a kiss to the gravestone, she stands to her feet and heads to the abandoned building. Her tears still flow, it doesn't bother her, she wanted to feel the emotions that were locked away.

The skies still fill with light, slowly creeping into dark. She makes it to her haven, quickly turning on the candles scattered around, she needed to write, she needed to let her mind be put to paper. The candles flicker, with the natural light still flowing through the broken paneled windows.

She grasps her guitar, and settles down on the suede sofa.

With paper and pen set out in front of her, she strums her guitar and writes out the lyrics to match the melody she'd created.

The words allow her to escape, and unexpectedly the stars were too much to bare. She couldn't look up to the dark sky and escape with each twinkle in the night. It reminded her of Christopher, and the words she wrote down were the stars that he owned.

Like a fire in the sky, he left it all behind for her to gaze at each and every night. But, tonight was different, she couldn't look out the window, she could look at the stars. They made her wonder where he was each night, and the heavens beaming down on her. Christopher was so far away, and just like Chris, Kimberley and Cheryl were far too. She was filled with a million emotions.

The last lyric is scribbled, and now she needs to sing the words to the night.

"I lit a fire with the love you left behind.. And it burned wild and crept up the mountainside. I followed your ashes into outer space.. I can't look out the window, I can't look at this place." The words sound beautifully through the opened space, and ironically, she sits out by the window to sing the words into the night. The guitars strings play gracefully against her soft fingers.

"I can't look at the stars.. They make me wonder where you are... Stars, up on heaven's boulevard.. And if I know you at all, I know you've gone too far... So I, I can't look at the stars." Her tears have no end, but her voice never stops singing the words she'd wrote to him. She sings them loudly, with each sob and hiccup; she continues to sing. Forcing her words to be heard up to heavens gates.

"All those times we looked up at the sky... Looking out so far, it felt like we could fly, and now I'm all-alone in the dark of night... And the moon is shining, but I can't see the light." Madison keeps her teary green orbs focusing on the moonlight, but it's difficult to see a thing with tears washing away her line of vision.

"And I can't look at the stars... They make me wonder where you are. Stars, up on heaven's boulevard, and if I know you at all, I know you've gone too far... So I, I can't look at the stars." She forces herself to sing the last set of lyrics. Needing Christopher to hear her in the heavens above.

"Stars, they make me wonder where you are... Stars, up on heaven's boulevard, and if I know you at all, I know you've gone too far... So I can't look at the stars." The last of her lyrics are released, followed by the last strum of her guitar. The instrument falls to the ground, followed by her loud cries howling into the night.

She cries for many reasons. Christopher, Kimberley, and Cheryl. How her life had turned into a whirlwind of fcuked up emotions, and need for love.. And it wasn't just form her parents this time. It was from those who could not give it to her when she needed it; she was shielded and locked away with Clara holding the castle door keys.

"I miss you." The words whisper, with her tears forever flowing.