Disclaimer: Don't own anything, yeah yeah, property of Stephen Sommers and the almighty God Joss Wheadon. If you really want to see what I originally said, go to chapter one.

A/N: Oh my God my readers, I am SO sorry that it's been so long since I've updated my story. A LOT has been going on in my life preventing me from updating: College work, tests, assessments, assignments blah blah blah… My life personally, and my commitments to stories I'm writing for my friends. But a real writer never gives up on a story, so here's chapter three of mine. It's short and something to help us get to know Madison a little better. Enjoy.

For Madison, the day had gone by as if in slow motion. The people around her were blurs, and all she could think about was the dream she'd had the night before.

She couldn't concentrate on her job as a waitress in a posh restaurant, and it had gotten her a verbal warning from her conceited boss. It had taken all of her self - control not to hit him until he bled, as was the case with most of the other employees. She had left work with her head hanging and a frown upon her face.

Walking along the bustling streets, nobody noticed her walking past, which was just fine with her as she didn't feel like making friendly conversation with a stranger.

Trudging through the front door of her studio apartment, she threw her coat onto the floor and collapsed onto her dusty three - seater couch. Reaching over reluctantly to her answering machine, she pressed the play button. No messages. Nothing new there then.

Sighing deeply, she kicked her shoes off and spread out over the couch, feeling the sudden urge to have a quick nap. Momentarily forgetting the night before, she began slowly closing her eyes. A vision of the handsome stranger suddenly entered her head and her eyes snapped open.

Sitting up, she massaged the back of her head slowly, then sped up almost as if it would get rid of the memories of the horrific dream. Leaping off the couch, she began furiously pacing backwards and forwards across the floor, hands entwined behind her back. After a while, she decided she'd better stop before wearing a hole in her carpet.

Sitting perched on the edge of her couch, she extended a shaking arm towards her phone, thinking she should call her watcher and ask him about it. Picking up the receiver, she was about to dial the number when she panicked and slammed it back down. Running her hands through her hair in frustration, she had to wipe away a stray tear that began snaking it's way down her face.

She hadn't had any contact with her watcher in two years, despite everything he had done for her. After her parents were brutally murdered in front of her by a gang of vampires when she was ten, her watcher had taken her in and raised her.

For the first year living with him, he had treated her as nothing more than an object he had to train, but for the next four years, he saw her as much more than that. He saw her as the daughter he never had. As well as her training, he also schooled her within the confines of his large Victorian house. Teaching her everything from mathematics to ancient art, she enjoyed the experience immensely, learning more from him than anybody could of taught her.

Then, at age fifteen, Madison began to rebel. She began skipping her training, staying out late at night, getting into fights with civilians and drinking. Once or twice she forgot to patrol, often resulting in the death of somebody.

Staggering through the front door at two am one night, her watcher was standing there waiting for her, arms crossed defiantly across his chest, a packed bag lying at his feet. She stood by the open door, a look of confusion taking over. Before she could even open her mouth, her watcher began talking in a monotonous tone. What he said had sounded rehearsed.

"Madison, this simply cannot continue. The life you are currently leading not only endangers innocent people's lives, but also your own. As your watcher I have trained and prepared you for the past five years of your life, but as the only person who cares about you more than anything in his life, I have raised you as a daughter, preparing you for the prospect of living life on your own. However, in the past few months, it has become evident that you're either not ready for the responsibilities of being a fully - fledged slayer, or simply don't care. People have died because of you Madison, people that should be living their lives right now are dead because you wanted to go out with your friends and party. God help me Madison, I love you but you've left me no other choice."

He bent down and grabbed the handle of the bag, and slid it across the floor towards her. It stopped a few inches away from her feet, and it suddenly occurred to her that this was her black leather carry bag, the one that she often used for weapons. Looking down at it like it was a poisonous snake, she looked back up at her watcher, tears gliding down her face.

"What are you saying David?" she choked. He clenched his jaw shut, and she knew he was trying desperately to stop himself from crying.

"I'm asking you to leave Madison. I've tried, I really have, but I can no longer tolerate you're selfish and immature behaviour. I've packed most of your things, and I'm going to give you enough money to make a start for yourself elsewhere."

Madison was completely lost for words. He was kicking her out? But she was the slayer! He needed her, and she needed him! Staring at him in disbelief, it was almost as if he'd read her mind.

"I'm aware of your rather unique situation. I've contacted the watcher's council, and they too agree that what I'm doing is for the best. It will give you a chance to live an independent life, learning to depend on yourself instead of not having to worry who's going to pay the bills and put food on the table. You will in time learn that living your life of leisure is no option, and eventually return to your slayer responsibilities. When that time comes, I will be willing to welcome you back into my home, but until then…"

He couldn't continue as Madison cut him off. She was shaking with fury, and had to exercise all of her restraint in order not to beat him to a bloody pulp. Snatching her back off the floor and throwing it over her shoulder, she gave David a piece of her mind.

"You know what? Don't even bother with all of this 'Oh I'm so sorry, but' crap! We both know what you're trying to say, so just come out and say it you coward! I'm a failure, a waste of space, an embarrassment to you! You say you care about me?! That's bull! At the first sign of trouble, you decide to throw me away like a piece of garbage! You're scared, don't know what to do because all your life you've been used to telling people what to do, used to being in control. A pompous stuck up Brit that thinks he's God himself because he reluctantly took me in and raised me. The past five years of my life, you've seen me as nothing more than a burden on your tweed shoulders. And you have the audacity to say that you'll take me back when I'm no longer a problem? The easy way out. Well, you know what? Screw you. I don't need your help or your charity. I'm ten times more prepared for life than any other girl my age and I can cut it on my own."

He was completely taken aback. Staring at her open mouthed, he looked like he wanted to say something, but couldn't. His bottom lip began trembling like a child's.

"Madison…"

Once again, she cut him off.

"No, don't even try it David. You want me gone, I'm going. That's all there is to it. Don't dig an even deeper hole for yourself by trying to explain. You already have."

There was a long pause in which both parties simply stared at each other. Nothing was said, but they both had a feeling of finality. It was over, the bond they had built over the past five years had been shattered in one night.

Without another word, Madison spun around on the spot and marched down the gravel path leading from the front door without looking back. Leaping over the white picket fence, she headed into town, with every intention of going to the large bus stop.

Unbeknown to her, fifteen minutes after she had left, David had stood in the same spot, staring at her retreating back even when it wasn't there. Walking towards the front door like a zombie, he slowly closed it, hoping he might have caught a final glimpse of his slayer before she left. He never did.

That night, Madison had boarded the first bus that came to the stop, no idea where it headed, but she didn't care. She had used the last of her money to pay for the ticket, but told herself again and again that she wouldn't take David's offer. Settling into one of seats at the back, she gazed absent - mindedly out of the window, watching her past roll by her in a blur.

Seven hours later, she stepped off the bus into the streets of New Compton. As the door hissed and closed behind her, she felt that the last of her life was driving away with the bus. Looking around at the town, she licked her lips and nodded.

"I can make this work," she mumbled before trudging off into the night.

Thinking back to the painful memories had caused Madison great emotional strain. For the past two years she had avoided at all costs thinking about that night, but it was always there, in the very back of her mind just waiting to resurface. Seeing the pained look on David's face as she screamed at him was the worst. She had hated herself immensely afterwards, the horrible things she had said playing over and over again in her mind.

Curling up into a ball on her couch, she allowed the tears to flow, telling herself that it was okay. She eventually fell into a dreamless sleep, with one or two more stray tears spilling after she had fallen asleep.

Unknown to her, a mysterious figure stood outside her apartment complex, staring up at her window through narrowed eyes. After a few moments, he took a deep breath and nodded. Turning swiftly around, he marched off, all the while sticking to the shadows.

A/N: There! What'd you think of that? I apologise once again for the extreme lateness of the chapter, but, like I said, I've been rather busy hehe. I hope you didn't find it too boring, but, like I said at the beginning, I thought it'd be better if we saw a little bit of Madison's past before the story progressed. You know the drill now… please r&r!