A/N: Hello! I hope everyone liked the intro! So this is a futuristic AU!Niff. It is set up plot wise as Next to Normal because I just love the Henry/Natalie story and the whole story in general. So Next To Normal songs will be used throughout.

And yes, I know I shouldn't be starting a new story, but I couldn't help this one.

So review and enjoy and fave and subscribe, etc. Follow me on Tumblr and Twitter(links on my page)

-Madison

We find ourselves in the humble abode of Madame Claire. Her house was quaint and cozy, but it was just the right size for her students.

As of 2063, Madame Claire had seven students: Jeffrey Sterling, Nicholas Duval, Morrison Kahnter, Joshin Grimesy, Leila Freem, Lindsey Harowld, and Cam Yackson. All of them were taken from their homes between ages five and ten. But the other five students don't matter.

We meet the tragic lovers of our story in separate piano rooms.

Nicholas Duval came from a family of whack jobs and hooligans. When he was five, his mother was officially diagnosed as crazy. His father was diagnosed as half-crazy. Both his parents and all future descendants of the Duval family were exiled from the community. To save Nicholas, his parents dropped him off onto the doorstep of Madame Claire as a baby. They explained their dilemma and gave her their number and other contact information for their dear Nicholas for the future. They asked Madame to tell them their story and that they love him. They asked him to say they didn't mean to leave him.

They told him that themselves, but he was too young to understand what was going on. They doubted he would even remember what happened before Madame's house. They figured he would forget them.

They left Madame with a photo album and told her to let him visit and call them when he became older. Madame promised to care for him as her own, and she did. Nicholas grew up to be a bright child. He may not have been the greatest piano player, but Madame worked with him everyday so that he would be just as good as the other six students at Madame's house. Madame gave him the photo album when she thought he was ready and told him all about his parents. He vaguely remembered some things, while he remembered his mother's craziness clearly. Nick visited them in the next community over when he was thirteen. He arrived at the house and tripped right over the shock machine wires in the living room. The floor was unable to be seen with all of the pill bottles thrown carelessly all over the floor.

Nicholas had been so frightened he never went back unless absolutely necessary. He remained in touch with his real parents by phone call and email only. That is where we continue with the young Duval.

He was on his daily phone call with his father. His father had been talking about the new procedure the doctor's from their community were going to try on his mother to cure her. This was the hot topic of every conversation. They fought over what should be done with his mother.

Nicholas's mother became crazy over the fact that his older brother had died before Nicholas was even born. Nicholas knew he was just a replacement. His parents acted like they loved him, but he could tell deep down by the tone in their voices he wasn't their favorite. Nicholas sometimes wondered whether they replaced him through all the years. He felt bad for that child. It would be even less loved then himself, which is not that much to begin with.

"Maybe you could even come live with us if she gets better." Nicholas could tell his father was just deadpanning that. He could tell it was all fake.

"I wouldn't be able to anyway, father. I'm part of the piano club and I'm not allowed to leave Mo-Madame's house."

"Yes, I always seem to forget. Well, I wish you were able to visit us. It's unfortunate that you caught that infection when you were little that the doctors won't let you leave the community." That was a lie. Nicholas just didn't want to go back to their house. His parents kept asking why he never visited so he had to make something up on the spot. Somehow his parents believed him. He thinks it's because they never really cared much in the first place anyway.

"I wish so too dad," Now here comes the fighting. "So how exactly does this procedure work for mom?" Nicholas was anticipating the worst.

"Well, they do a simple procedure to insert the electricity into her brai-"

"Wait! They're putting fucking electricity into her fucking brain?"

"NICHOLAS DAVON DUVAL! You do NOT you that language in front of m-" His father doesn't know about his recklessness. There's a whole other side to Nicholas. It helps him take away the pain of his parents.

"Who cares? You're letting your wife's brain fry and you don't even fucking care! You act like you're buying a new fucking puppy! Did you ever stop to think how I feel? Or that she could DIE from this? NO!"

"You know what son? You don't LIVE here! You can't make a decision for your mother! You don't even know how she's like! She's getting worse each and ev-" Nicholas hung up. He didn't want to hear anymore.

He picked up the piano bench he had knocked over in his anger and sat down on it. He turned his phone off and threw it across the room. He didn't want any distractions.

He started plucking at the keys and began to sing

When you walk into the room and they just stop the conversation,
When there's no room for your Clearasil with all the medication.
When your house has much more nudity, profanity, and crudity,
Then any crap you'd ever seen on cable
You're growing up unstable.

Unknown, a blond boy of about seventeen came out of his piano room and was standing outside of Nicholas's piano room.

When they haul her off and hook her up to try to fry her brain out
When you do the shit you have to do to drain the stupid pain out
When you're trying to disguise it all while your father just denies it all
And lets you sell him any sort of fable
You're growing up unstable

The blond listened in, intrigued by the brunet pouring his soul out into a story right before his own eyes. He started drifting closer and closer to being inside out the room.

And now am I allowed to live my teenage years
My footloose days of running fast and free
And how can I enjoy my rash and reckless teenage years
When my mom will always be much crazier than me?

The blond boy wanted to help cure the brunet's pain. He felt a pang in his chest with every note the brunet sang.

When they tell you that they're sure this cure will do the trick and change her
When they say that every time, and every time she just gets stranger
When you know you've heard those lies before,
Seen it in their eyes before,
As you sat at that pathetic dinner table
Knowing you'd leave if only you were able
That feeling has a label
You're growing up unstable

Nicholas was heavily breathing by the end. He was choking back his tears as he heard slow clapping come from behind him. He jumped as he snapped back to reality and turned around.

Madame walked in with a young-looking blond boy that couldn't be much older than himself. "Ah, yes Nicholas, I'm glad I caught you. This is the boy I want you to do a duet with for the pick Government's Ball Recital. This is Jeffrey Sterling."

Something clicked as the lover's eyes met each other for the first time.