Flashback

It had been a week since the letter from the university had arrived. It had been so long since she applied that she had totally forgotten about it. Her life was absolutely perfect, and now it might just get even better. The only problem was that it required her to leave Everwood, and enter a world so unknown to her. That of course was the world of New York City. A place she had heard so much about from Ephram, the guy she was head over heels in love with. He was the reason that would make leaving so hard to do. That is of course was if she chose to go, and pursue this great opportunity.

Telling Ephram about the letter was probably the hardest thing Madison had ever had to do at this point in her life. How do you tell someone you love that you're thinking about leaving them, to go to start something that has nothing to do with them? Madison had had the hardest time finding the answer to this question, until she finally couldn't keep the news to herself.

Remembering the day as though it was yesterday Madison recalled the day she told Ephram.

She was at the Brown's house babysitting Delia as she usually did Monday's through Friday. Delia was upstairs and Ephram had just walked in the door from school.

"Hey you" Said Ephram as he made his way toward Madison. Wrapping his arms around her and giving her a kiss.

"Hey you back, I missed you." Replied Madison returning the kiss Ephram just gave her.

"Well I am the miss-able type, or so I've been told." Joked Ephram as he held Madison not wanting to let her go just yet.

"Oh really told by whom?" asked Madison as she placed her hands on his shoulders while he held her. "Because I don't recall ever inflating your ego that much" said Madison with a smirk as she titled her head to the side.

"My ego is not inflated I assure you, but I can't help it if I'm miss-able and you just can't admit it" said Ephram with a laugh as he gave her a peck on the lips, which she gladly accepted. He loved these little moments he had with Madison, they made everything worth wild.

"Whatever lover boy. I actually have to talk to you about something that's a little more serious than the subject of you being missed" replied Madison as she strummed her fingers on his shoulders.

"Oh really what is it? Is it something bad?" he replied as he let go of her and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"Well it depends on how you look at it. I got a letter." Said Madison as she watched Ephram's expressions closely.

"O…K, what kind of letter was it?" said Ephram a little confused. What could be so serious about a letter?

"A letter from the university…of NYU. I...I got accepted there Ephram. They want me to attend this fall." She replied glad to get it off her chest, but worried about his reaction.

"Wow um…I don't know what to say. This is huge for us." Said Ephram as he tried to process everything.

"I know that's why I needed to tell you before I sent the letter in." she replied before she had time to think of what she had said.

"Oh so your going? Were you even gonna tell me you were leaving. Cause last time I checked fall was like two weeks away Madison." Said Ephram with anger and hurt in his voice.

"To answer your first question yeah I think I am gonna go. Its only for a year Eph, I just have to finish my course there. Please don't be mad I really need you support on this." She said pleading with him to understand.

"Don't be mad? How do you want me to do that? You're the only reason why I actually like this place, and your leaving." He replied with more emotion then he had ever showed her. As she started to approach him he backed away.

"I have to go…I can't be here right now." Said Ephram as he rushed through the front door in record time.

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It had been almost a week and a half since Ephram left the house since Madison last talked to him. He wouldn't answer her phone calls, and when she was at the Browns he always avoided any sort of contact. He just wasn't willing to work things out. This was killing Madison because in just 3 weeks time she was suppose to get on a plane and leave for New York, and she wanted him to be there to see her off.

Finally getting to the point where she couldn't stand all the tension between them Madison decided to fix the problems between them, or at least try. It was now or never, and the timing was in her favor. Delia was sleeping over at Britney's and Dr. Brown was working late, so Madison seized the moment. Ephram wouldn't be expecting her so she waited on the porch till he got home. Finally seeing him walk up the walk way she made herself noticed.

"You know in some places this is considered stalking" Said Ephram once he saw her.

"Yeah well I figured you've done it so many times, I wanted to see what it was like" replied Madison referring to all the times Ephram had waited around for her to apologize after something he had done.

"As you can see the fun is minimal, and well you don't even have any props. So I don't see how this can work" said Ephram with a small smile remembering what she had once said.

"Please just talk to me. I hate the way things are between us. Just let me explain okay?" asked Madison as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

Making his way up the porch steps Ephram opened the front door. "Come in" was all he said to her.

Once inside there was an awkward silence between them. Ephram finally broke it.

"Did you have something to say?" he asked in an almost harsh tone.

"Um…yeah I did. Look I want us to work things out. I don't want to leave with things like this Ephram." Madison said kind of shocked at his tone.

"Would it really make a difference Madison? Your still leaving so what ever happens between us doesn't matter anymore." Replied Ephram turning away and walking toward the fireplace.

"How can you say that? Of course it matters I want us to work out Ephram. I don't want this to be the end." She said trying to get him to understand how she felt.

"Well I'm not so sure I feel the same way." Replied Ephram

"Wow…okay this isn't how things were suppose to go." Said Madison expressing her thoughts out loud. "Look at what we have and your just gonna throw it all away? Doesn't this mean anything to you?" asked Madison referring to their relationship. She was getting a little mad at the way he was acting. What had happened to the Ephram she knew in the last week and a half?

"You know what I'm not so sure this does mean anything to me anymore. If you're willing to throw it all away, why should I give a damn? This has all been a waste of my time." Said Ephram in a bitter tone. It was as if he was lying to himself.

"Well please tell me how you really feel Ephram. Where is all this coming from? I thought your were happy?" asked Madison. She was now on the verge of tears, she didn't want it to end like this. Why was he saying these things that hurt her so much?

"Well I guess you thought wrong. I'm not happy, and this is all coming from me…what did you expect? I don't want us anymore, just leave Madison I don't even want to hear it anymore." Said Ephram as he made his way to the door holding it open for Madison to leave.

"sigh ok I'm gone. I shouldn't have even bothered, I knew I should have never let myself fall in love with you." Replied Madison as she made her way out the door.

As soon as she got into her car she broke down crying. That had been the worse 10 minutes of her life. She couldn't believe all the horrible things Ephram had said. It was as if it were all coming from a different person. She wondered if he had even meant them. How could I have been so blind? She thought.

It wasn't long before anger settled in and she thought she could kill him for making her feel this way. It gave her the momentum to get her to buy the plane ticket for New York. It helped her find some sort of strength through all the awful emotions she was feeling. At times it seemed as if a part of her was missing. There were times when she heard something on the radio or TV and just wanted to call him and tell him about it, but had to remind herself of all the things he said. Remind herself of whom he truly was.

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It was now or never, she thought as she stood in the airport getting ready to board the plane that would get her out of Everwood, and away from her problems. She still couldn't stop herself from wishing he would run in and apologize for all the things he had said. She wanted him to just tell her one more time that he loved her, that he would be here when she got back. Eventually she gave up on that thought and stopped looking back for him. Mindy had helped her get here; she said it was for the best. And somehow it was as if she was saying it as though she knew. Madison thought this was very weird, but never said anything about it.

It wasn't until they called her flight to board that Madison realized she was leaving a life she had known forever, but at this moment that's all she wanted to do. Forget about Everwood; forget about the one guy in Everwood that had broken her heart in a million pieces. She finally got on that plane with the intention of never coming back. Ever.

End Flashback.

Madison was broken out of her flashback at the sound of a knock at the door. When she woke up she realized she must have fallen asleep because it was now morning, and someone was asking for it knocking like that. Getting up she made her way to the front door.

A/N: First off SORRY for the major lack in updates. Second off I hope I made up for it this is a very long chapter. So like always read and review, because that's what makes me want to write more. If you have any questions just ask away. Well I'm off ENJOY! -Anna