Hi, new fic from me :) Yeah, I know, I have so many balls in the air, and I certainly hope that I'll catch every one of them, you know I probably will. I mean, I just begun "A New Beginning", posting 3rd chapter today, and now this. I did also promise a lot of my very loyal readers, that I would make a sequel to "The Story of Our Lives", and I'm working on it! Seriously! My story-line is pretty much done, and I just have to write the first chapter, and then post it. Anyway, I'm just rambling, tend to do that. So, I hope you'll like this story, and I can promise you some Lobster love, but it'll not be from the very beginning. But as they say; things take time. I just want to tell you what you can expect. Anyway-.. I'll begin this now. Enjoy your reading…

Disclaimer; I don't own anything related to Friends, and I don't own the song "Sommerfugl" which this story is loosely (and I mean loosely) based on. Actually, it's the poem from this chapter, which is based on the song. And then the story is based on the poem. No, really forget I wrote that. I just don't own the song.

Picking Up the Pieces

Prologue.

"And the next there's up here tonight, will be Ashley from 9th grade." Mrs. Jones said, "And it took me a lot of time to convince Ashley to be here tonight. It was a… few months ago it all begun. I gave the class a big project. They had to pick a subject, and make this whole big… thing. And in this was a smaller thing. They were supposed to write a poem…" Mrs. Jones paused. "Ashley did this, a very good poem. It came from the heart, and when I read it… I asked her to read it out in the class. She didn't really want to, but when she finally did it, the rest of the class… were amused. Shocked. Some of them were crying, because they know Ashley so well. We convinced her to read her beautiful poem for you too. And to help her here tonight, she has her best friend, and step brother, Ben. Will you give them a big welcome?"

Ashley stood outside with Ben's hand in hers. She took a deep breath and stepped in on the stage.

Ben trailed behind her, taking a seat in front of the key-board.

"Hi." Ashley said, taking her place in front of the microphone, "I'm Ashley… But you all know that. Eh, Mrs. Jones told it all. I just wanna add something… What I'm about to read now, might offend someone I care about a lot. But just think, I hope you understand, that this will help. I know it'll hurt your feelings, and also your pride, but I really think it'll liberate you." Ashley sighed, and begun again, "As a lot of you might now, they say you have to go through a lot to be the person you can be. You have to give people time, and let them think about their problems. And this poem, I'm going to read for you today, is… Is hard for me to do. To read. Ehm, I'm opening up now. And I hope you wont think less of me, or of my mother, after what you're going to hear now. I hope it is okay, mom?"

Ashley caught her mother's eyes between the hundreds of others. Parents. Students. Teachers. She threw her an apology by her eyes, and somehow she knew, that her mom was gonna be okay. It was hard. It was horrible. But really, it was necessary.

Ashley blinked and went back to the moment; "And to help me, I have my wonderful step brother Ben, who's gonna play the key-board for me, while I read. Anyway, my poem is called ´Butterfly´, and here we go…"

Ashley sighed one more time and turned to look at her paper. The first word stuck in her throat, but she knew she had to do it.

It would liberate her mom.

And it would liberate her.

She opened her mouth and begun…

"You are marked for ever,

And a part of your heart, will always be empty

You try to hide it,

You will forget it, by covering it up

But I can hear you,

And I just try to, write your blues

'Cause you're a butterfly, spread your wings and fly"

Ashley paused, while the soft sounds of Ben's key-board were filling the room.

"The punch hits her cheek and paralyzes her mind,

Cause she never, ever thought that he'd hit her again.

Now she's stocked. Not capable of reacting.

Her husband's domination makes her trained and domestic.

Suppressed,

The feeling is burning under her skin.

Her soul is screaming, and she's in a spiritual loss.

Sad,

She picks up the pieces from the cup,

He broke on his way out of this house,

Build on blues.

She sees questions in her girl's eyes.

Should she tell her the truth or just fill her with lies?

She does the last, 'cause it's clearly the easiest.

Convinced that the girl soon will forget it.

But what a waste, her face is too swollen,

And it's not the first time that she's been beaten.

But she pretends like nothing has happened,

'Cause soon the clock shows five, and he'll be home again"

Her tears were flowing freely now. But Ashley didn't care. And she didn't care that her voice was cracking and that everyone were looking. She had never been able to read it without crying. Why would it be different now?

She stole a look at her mom, who was leaning against her husband, crying too.

"You're still marked,

And a part of your heart, is still so empty.

You're still trying to hide it,

Maybe you will forget it, by covering it up.

And I could hear you,

And I still try to, get your clues.

And you're a butterfly, spread your wings and fly

-

I've tried, but some things can't be explained.

They have to be learned, before they'll be revealed.

You have to give people the time it takes,

Before they're ready to open up for all the good advices you have.

Too bad her self-worth is anaesthetized.

She lies in the dust, is insecure, sad and sorrowful .

She's been so used to be submissive,

His words sting when he yells,

But she smiles on as usual.

She can hide her heart, but not the grey hairs,

And deep wrinkles, which confirms her sorrow.

This reflection does something, she cannot lie

She has to break the shell, spread her wings and fly

-

You can't give up and you can't say stop.

Stand on your feet, it'll be okay.

You can't give up and you can't say stop.

You know you've got what it takes…"

Ashley sighed and looked at her mom again. Now came the new part. The best part. The one she knew she was proud of. The part she knew would be remembered. She would always do so. Remember her mom. As a woman with strength.

She really did have what it took.

"She does no longer walk blindly now.

She's a different woman now.

With the want and power to win now.

And she's shining, no man is screaming.

She's no longer restricted, can no longer be stopped.

Is no longer the same place, she's moved on.

Even though the memory sometimes comes up and bites.

And her fight have been hard, and she's been thorn,

I'm her firstborn…

She's my mom!"

Ashley sighed again, and went on to the next part. She wanted this moment to be perfect.

After everything that had happened, it had to be.

Be perfect.

"You'll always be marked,

And a part of your heart, is still so empty.

You try to hide it,

But you wont forget it, by covering it up

But I could always hear you,

And now I try to, tell your blues.

'Cause you're a butterfly, spread your wings and fly

Yeah mom… You really are a butterfly, you've spread your wings and flied…"

The whole room was silent.

Ashley looked up and smiled.

They cheered her.

And between all the mixed faces so full of emotion, she saw her mom.

Smiling, but crying.

Yeah, she really was… is a butterfly.

A beautiful one.

Yes my friends. After this unbelievable long prologue (Sarcastic? Oh yes, I think so!), I'll end this. Tell me if you want me to continue this. I'll be happy to if you want it :p Leave a review for me and you'll make my day. And just so you know, I have a feeling that there's already a story by this name on this board, but I wont change the title. And also, I'll try not to be too long with the chapters, but with two stories and everything... I just had to post this before I totally forgot about it, because I do actually think that this idea is good. Wow, look at me again, still rambling. Sorry. Remember that review we talked about. Thanks, Stessa.