Disclaimer: I do not own Everwood, or the lyrics used in the chapters. Blah blah blah.

A/N: I liked writing this chapter a lot, so I hope you all enjoy reading it. :) Be sure to read the second author's note at the end.

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CHAPTER 4:

Ephram had been genuinely surprised when Madison had walked in to Mama Joy's, so he did the first thing that came to his mind—tried to hide from having his girlfriend see him with another girl. He knew it made it seem to Amy like he was embarrassed about their friendship, which wasn't it at all. He realized immediately that he had messed up big time when he saw Amy walk down the sidewalk angrily. It didn't help matters when he found Madison glaring at him.

She marched over. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," he said quietly.

"Why did you try to hide from me? Is there something I should know?" Madison said bitterly.

"No, Madison, there's nothing—"

"You're lying!"

Madison was blowing this way out of proportion, but Ephram didn't know what to do. He just stood there, speechless. Probably because he was just thinking about Amy and how he hoped she was okay walking home in the huge snowstorm that was starting up.

***

"Ephram, what's wrong?" Andy asked his son when he walked in that evening.

"I'm the biggest screw-up that ever existed," Ephram muttered as he started up the stairs.

Andy was confused, but Delia interrupted his thoughts. "Daddy, can we go get some ice cream now?"

"Sure, honey." He made a mental note to talk to Ephram later.

***

Ephram laid on his bed in his room, staring at the ceiling. This is stupid, he thought. I have to call her.

He picked up the phone and paused. But who is "her," anyway?

Ephram sighed in confusion. This had been going on for too long. He had to choose between Madison and Amy.

He rolled over and closed his eyes, waiting for dreams to come. Hopefully good ones.

***

Amy walked up to her front door and went straight to her room after going inside. She was glad to finally be home—the wind was really starting to pick up and the snow fell down in sheets.

She wondered how she could have been so stupid. Why had she blown up at Ephram like that? Everything had been going great for them—and she had to be the one to screw it up.

Amy started to cry. She flung herself onto her bed and let her tears soak her pillow. I'm such an idiot, she thought. She just wanted everything between her and Ephram to be normal again. Whatever that is, Amy thought to herself as she cried some more.

***

The next afternoon, Madison showed up on the Brown's doorstep. "Why, hello, Madison," Andy greeted her. "It's Sunday, what are you doing here?"

Madison looked serious. "I need to talk to Ephram."

"Well, sure, that's fine. He's up in his room," Andy said, pointing to his stairs on his way back to the living room.

There was a knock on Ephram's door.

"Come in," Ephram mumbled, figuring it was just his dad. When Madison walked in, he was surprised. "Madison," he said, standing up and trying to flatten his hair nonchalantly. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you."

Ephram rolled his eyes. "Really? Because I thought you were here to let me borrow your blow dryer."

Madison looked at the floor for a moment. "I think you and I both know that this isn't working out."

"What? The fact that you're jealous and not able to trust me? That's weird, because I thought it was," Ephram said sarcastically.

"Why are you making this harder than it already is?" Madison shouted.

"Because it doesn't matter," Ephram said. "You're going to break up with me anyway, aren't you? Well, that's fine, because I don't know if I want to be with you either. Look, Amy was my best friend when I first moved to this stupid town. We've been through some really hard times, but she's still very important to me." He paused. "And so is Bright. I know you don't like him either, but both of them are big parts of my lives. They're my best friends."

Madison nodded. "Well, I didn't want it to end this way, but I guess it has to."

"Yeah, I guess so." Ephram said. Madison turned and started to walk out. "Hey," he said before she left. "Don't let this mess up Delia," he said quietly. "I know I'm not going to. She's going to freak out if you quit, and I don't want her to."

Madison just stared at him for a minute before quietly exiting.

Ephram sat back down on his bed. He felt horrible, but he knew he'd get over it eventually. Now there was just one thing left to do—call Amy.

***

Ring. Ring.

Amy sniffed and picked up the phone, figuring it was probably Laynie. "Hello?"

Ephram got worried when she answered. She sounded like she had been crying. "Amy, it's Ephram. Are you okay?"

"Oh my god, Ephram," Amy wiped at her eyes and sat up on her bed.

"Amy, I'm so, so sorry for what happened yesterday…"

"Ephram, there's nothing to be sorry for. I'm the one who messed up."

"No you didn't," he insisted. "Hey, why don't I just come over there so we can talk."

"Okay," Amy said, feeling better.

"Great," Ephram said. "I'll be there in ten minutes."

***

Ephram rung the doorbell when he reached the Abbott's doorstep. Bright answered the door. "Hey, man, what's up?"

"I came to see Amy."

"Oh, okay, well she's upstairs," Bright pointed with his thumb as he opened the door wider so that Ephram could come in.

"Thanks," Ephram said as he went up.

Ephram knocked on Amy's bedroom door. "Amy?"

Amy opened the door and smiled. "Hi, Ephram," she said. "Thanks for coming."

"No problem," he said. "I wanted to." They both sat down on her bed, feeling a little awkward not knowing what else to say.

Amy broke the tension by letting out a small laugh. She turned to Ephram and smiled. "So is everything okay with us?"

Ephram smiled back. "I hope so."

Amy nodded.

"Um, I broke up with Madison today."

"You did?" Amy said, surprised.

"Yeah," Ephram said quietly.

"You broke up with her?"

"If you're asking if she broke up with me, the answer is yes and no. It was kind of a mutual thing," Ephram explained, "but I'm afraid it didn't go all that well."

Amy winced. "I'm sorry, Ephram."

"It's okay. I did it because of you anyway," Ephram blurted out without thinking.

Amy sat there, surprised. "You did?" She said after a few moments. Ephram slowly nodded.

Amy looked at Ephram with tears in her eyes.

"Amy…" Ephram said, concerned. "Why are you crying?"

"Oh, don't worry," Amy said reassuringly. "These tears are happy ones."

Ephram kissed her forehead and pulled her into a long hug.

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A/N: *Hallelujah chorus music plays* Ephram and Amy are back again! And you all got your wish--Ephram broke up with Madison. :) So please tell me what you want to see happen next--it helps me a lot!