Thanks for the reviews! Just to give a little background so there's no confusion in my story the E/M breakup is a little different which will come out in future chapters. Also they never slept together and well... some things are just a little different. As far as his illness…well I'm not really sure what he's got yet. I'm just kind of figuring it out as I go along so we'll see where that goes and you all will find out pretty much as I do. :) Anyway enjoy!

Madison was having a rough start to the day, having difficulty coming up with any fresh idea for her new line. She sat at her desk in her office at home trying to find some type of inspiration searching for something to get her creative juices flowing. But she found nothing, finally deciding to leave her work and release her frustration into a punching bag. After going at it for about thirty minutes she was completely exhausted and was dripping with perspiration. She sat for a moment and then found her way to the bathroom to start her shower, hoping that this would relax her. She got undressed and jumped into the shower. About ten minutes later she heard her door bell ring, at first she just ignored it but then realized it had to be her delivery guy dropping off some samples of fabrics. So she hurriedly stopped the shower and grabbed her robe and put it around her body loosely rushing downstairs to unlock the door, "Hey, come on in Stan, umm you can leave the boxes in the usual place" she said as she unlocked the door and then turned around to look for something on a nearby table.

Ephram, standing outside the door a little unsure of what he should do put his hand on the door knob and opened the door and for the first time in years he laid his eyes upon her perfect figure.

Madison spoke with her back to him, "Gosh, I tell you it was just right here, where'd it go. I was hoping after you dropped off the boxes you might delivery something for me but that can't happen if I can't find it," she began to get a little frustrated when she found what she was looking for, an envelope, "Oh, yup here it is," she said pleased with her self as she spun around and her wet hair flung around with her.

"Sorry, no boxes, but maybe I'll do instead," Ephram said to her as they met face to face once again.

Madison dropped her envelope as her jaw dropped open a little as she blinked in complete shock. She wet her lips, swallowed down hard, and tried to breathe as she let out his name a little louder than a whisper, "Ephram."

He looked at her, she was absolutely gorgeous form head to toe, with her wet hair dangling down passed her shoulders, and her exquisite body wrapped in a gold silk robe that went down to her knees. "Hey you... I'm not exactly who you where expecting, uh," he said with a smile creeping across his face.

Blinking furiously as she set eyes on the first person she had every loved, "No...," long pause, "not that, I mean I'm gl-, uh ya look umm," sighing and then finally saying and smiling, "It's good to see you."

Ephram looked down to the floor where he was looking at her feet as he shuffed his hands into his jeans pockets, "Um, I probably should of, I don't know called or something, I didn't mean to catch you at a bad time or anything." He noticed that she had the perfect pedicure, and to his surprise was wearing a gold anklet, with a dolphin dangling from it on her right foot, the one he had given to her right before they broke up.

Madison realizing why he was doing so, she pulled her robe tighter and closer to her body with her arms around her keeping it in place. "Oh, uh no it's alright," she loved how respectful he was to this day even though he had seen her like that many a time before.

"Maybe I should come back at a better time ya know," he said not moving and keeping his gaze away from her body which he wanted nothing more than to look at, and feel in his arms again.

"No! I mean its ok, I can just go and get dressed real quick, and then, umm, we can... uh..." searching for words to say.

"Talk," Ephram added, helping her.

"Yup, sure that sounds good." There was a long pause, "Ephram?"

Looking up and looking at her in her eyes, "Yea."

"It really is good to see you," she said sincerely and simply looking into his eyes.

He quickly looked away and remembered her envelope she had dropped and bent down to pick it up and moved closer to her to give it to her, "Here you go," he said as now he was just a foot away from her.

She moved her hand to take it from his, and they touched, startling her as she dropped it once again. Bending down along with Ephram to pick it back up, "Sorry, I just..." she looked at him, he was right in front of her inches from her face. She couldn't help but get lost in his eyes, they were deeper and more soulful then even she had remembered. Looking into his eyes it seemed like he had aged so much, there was something there that she couldn't recognize, she was unable to tear herself away. She should have looked away, but she couldn't, no matter how much she knew she had to she couldn't.

Ephram was frozen, the love of his life was staring into his eyes, and he into hers, he was getting carried away with them, he could see her, she was so surprised to see him, but he didn't think it was a bad type of surprise. Before he could get any further into her eyes, her soul he spoke and stood again taking a step back all very quickly. "Uh, um I think I should maybe come back later."

Madison was snapped out of her trance, she was so close to figuring out what it was that was so, so very different about him. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't really hear what Ephram had said, she stayed still for a moment and then stood up, "Sorry what?"

"I think I'm gonna come back later uh, when your dres-, uh when your not as busy, yea. When you're not busy okay."

Madison not really wanting him to leave, "Are you sure I mean it won't take me long to get dressed." There were so many questions she had.

"Yea I think its best, but if you could give me your phone number I could call you, so you could be a little more prepared for me, I didn't mean to startle you earlier."

"Its ok I was just a little surprised is all, here," she turned around to the table and wrote down her home, and cell numbers on a piece of paper, "these are my numbers so you should call me and we'll figure something out ok." Saying as she extended her hand out to him, to give him the paper.

Ephram took it carefully being sure not to touch her again, "Thanks, I'll do that." He moved towards the front door starting to walk away, his back turned to her, "I guess I'll be leaving now so um have a good day."

Madison called out, "Hey, um so where are you staying, I mean when your in town?" she was honestly curious, but was trying to keep him there as long as she could, she didn't want him to leave. She knew that as soon as he did she would feel lonely again.

He opened the door and then turned towards her, "I'm at my dad's house right now, and I think I'll be staying there the whole time. He and Delia are actually out of town themselves on vacation I think, so I'm pretty much by myself there."

Madison took him in, he looked so good, so grown, he was taller and was honestly so perfect. Her thoughts were interrupted, "Madison, uh Madison?" Ephram said.

"Yea, sorry"

"I'm gonna be leaving ok, I'll talk to you later."

She walked over to the door as he walked out, "Yea ok, uh I'll talk to you later then."

He turned his head towards her as he walked out to his SUV, "Bye," he gave her a slight wave, and then a wink.

"Bye," she said softly, he winked, he winked at me, did he just wink at me she thought to herself as she stood in the doorway and watched him walk to his car. She then slowly closed the door and leaned against it, she had so many thoughts racing through her mind. He was in Everwood, why was he in Everwood? More importantly why did he come to see me? He looked great, his eyes as seductive as ever, he was and looked older, he was different, but how? What am I supposed to feel, happy to see him, mad, no, not mad, but is it ok to be happy? She questioned herself.

She honestly wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel, but she knew that she was really happy to see him. Madison also wanted to see him again, desperately wanting to be apart of his life, obviously he wanted to be in hers if he showed up at her door. But she wondered if it was just a one day thing, would he call her and come back, she thought of course he would, well at least the old Ephram would. Madison didn't really know Ephram, not the Ephram that see saw and talked to today. She only knew the old Ephram, the sixteen year old that she had fallen so totally in love with so many years ago. Could he be the same, or different, he looked different, would that reflect the same thing about his personality. She decided not to get her self too worked up, she couldn't allow herself to think about things that might not even happen, want things that might not happen. So she tried, very hard to put him to the back of her mind and get dressed and back to work once again.

Ephram was in his car driving just driving and thinking not really knowing exactly where he was going. He was so concentrated on Madison; he loved her, seeing her today made that so very clear to him. She was still extremely attractive; her features hadn't changed at all. He could tell she still cared for her body as she had before, but he hadn't really been able to absorb all of her again. After all she wasn't even dressed and he wasn't just going to gawk at her in her robe, that wouldn't be right, it'd be disrespectful and wrong. He didn't want to disrespect her, he wanted to do everything right, wanted to make her feel comfortable. Ephram wondered what he should do next; send her something, no he decided against that. He didn't want to assume that it would ok, he had to talk to her, needed to become her friend again, get to know her. The things she did, if she still liked the same things. He had to spend quality time with her, not really caring what they did, just as long as they were together and he with her individual attention.

Later that day in the evening Madison walked into her home and put away her coat in the closet, kicked off her shoes and walked towards the kitchen carrying a grocery bag in her hand. She had gone out to buy some cookie dough ice cream and chocolate chip cookies both her favorites. She had been having a difficult time all day trying to work, so she had to get out of the house, for anything, and that's the only excuse she could think of at the moment. She put them away and then looked at her answering machine, realizing she had 3 new messages. It amazed her how she was always being sought out, never really having any peace, she had no doubt the messages were about work. She hit the play all button and began to listen. "Bonjour, Madison!! Ce n'est que moi,-" the answer machine began before she hit the next button, it was her boss in Paris and she didn't want to hear anymore about work tonight. The next message was from her mother so she quickly hit the next button again, she didn't have a good relationship with her, her mother was never satisfied with her and was disappointed with Madison's whole life. Finally the last message, "Hey, Madison, it's me Ephram. Just wanted to call you and see if maybe you wanted to get together tomorrow, and again I'm really sorry about earlier today, I should of called or something. Well just give me a call at the house. Bye."

She quickly moved for the cordless phone and gripped it in her palm and dialed the number deciding weather or not to hit the talk button. What was she going to say, what would they do tomorrow? Then it came to her they'd have lunch, just lunch and then she'd go back to her house and work. She hit the talk button.

"Hello," a man's voice.

"Hi, um I'm trying to reach Ephram Brown."

"This is he."

"Oh hi it's Madison," she found it funny that even after listening to his message she hadn't realized until now how much his voice had changed, it was so manly, sexy even.

"Hey you, so you got my message?" he asked the tone in his voice now cheery, up beat, happy.

"Sure did, sorry I missed your call I had to step out for a little bit."

"It's alright I was just wondering if you wanted to go out tomorrow and spend some time together. Ya know catch up, it's been a long time."

"Yea, four years," she responded, while thinking to herself that that hadn't been her decision. She quickly pushed the thought away deciding to leave the past alone.

"Well, are you free anytime tomorrow? I'm pretty flexible."

"Yea, uh let me check real quick," trying to be calm, and composed, "I think I can do lunch tomorrow, is that good for you?"

"Definitely"

"Great, then I'll see you tomorrow at uh Mama Joy's." Not thinking and just speaking, regretting saying Mama Joy's, there were so many memories there. But then again when it came to her and Ephram there wasn't really a place in Everwood where there weren't memories.

"Sure, um how bout, say, 12:30?"

"I'll see you there."

"Perfect."

"Good night Ephram."

"Hold on a sec," Ephram blurted out not wanting to get off the phone.

Reluctantly, "Yeah"

"Um...," trying to figure out what to say, "answer me a question if you could"

Confused, "Sure"

"Do they still have the best chocolate chip cookies in town?" remembering they used to always go there and he'd buy her, her favorite cookie.

"Matter of fact they do."

"Ok, well good to know, thanks, I'll see you tomorrow"

Laughing, "Alright, bye Ephram"

"Bye"

Around eight o'clock that evening Madison hears the ring of her doorbell and makes her way from the couch, where she was watching T.V., to the door. She opens the door and finds Ephram standing in front of her. She shivers as the cold comes in from outside.

"Hey" Ephram says.

"Hey, come in it's freezing out there." She motions as she steps aside and opens the door wider.

"Thanks"

"So, twice in one day Ephram Brown at my doorstep, at least your not trying to sell me anything, right?" she joked.

"Oh yea sorry forgot my catalog at home."

"So why are you here?" She asked as she led him into the living room sitting back down on the couch.

"I realized while I was out getting gas for tomorrow that we really didn't talk about specifics, so I figured I'd come by real quick and ask."

"Ok yea your right I didn't think about that earlier."

"I hope I'm not intruding."

"Oh no of course not, I was just watching T.V."

"Good. So I was thinking that tomorrow I could swing by here and pick you up for lunch. There's really no need for both of us to have to drive. Unless you have somewhere you have to be afterwards?"

"No, that sounds great. It's a good thing you came by I don't think my car would have made it to Mama Joy's."

"Really, why do you say that?"

"It's just that it's been making this really weird sound lately and sometimes it just won't start. I guess I should get it looked at, huh?"

"I'd say so, just like you to wait till the car breaks down to get it fixed." Ephram joked.

"This coming from the guy who ran out of gas, oh ten different times in what was it a month."

"Hey, come on now you know it was closer to two."

"Right, two months. Well anyways I'm a busy girl and greasy guys staring at you trying to figure out how much they can take you for isn't exactly the way I like to spend my days. Just because I'm a girl and blonde does that automatically make me stupid to all the middle aged, bold mechanics in the world."

"Oh I know that happens to me all the time." Ephram said grinning.

"Hey you're lucky."

"Why's that?"

"Oh lets see first of all you don't have to go through all the hassle of makeup and the other countless things women have to do to make themselves," motioning quotation marks with her hands, " "presentable to the outside world," oh and if you drive in to get your oil changed they'll only charge you double instead of quadruple like they do if they see a women. Also isn't it just great how men can start talking about a sport they know anything about and be accepted even if there wrong, but if a women whispers a word about anything athletic it's disregarded and laughed off."

"Wow, how long as that frustration been building up?"

"Sorry didn't mean for that to come out the way it did."

"That's ok I'm tough, got anything else you wanna throw this way?"

Laughing, "Nope I think I got it all out for today."

"Ya sure, come on you know you wanna take another shot. Umm what about women running for president, got anything to say about that?"

"Oh no we'll leave politics to another night."

He thought to himself, another night, that's good to know, "Ok then, but by the way I fully support a women's right to run for president." He says with a smile.

"Ah, good to know that women have Ephram Brown's support, I'll send out a memo."

"Well, I don't want to take up to much of your time."

"Hey I welcome any excuse not to have to get back to the reality that I shouldn't be watching TV but working."

"I see know your just using me." Ephram said jokingly.

Madison let out a sigh and lowered her eyebrows saying seriously, "Ephram" she couldn't help but be reminded of the past by his comment.

Interrupting her, "Oh, Madison its ok, it was a joke."

"Oh," long awkward silence.

Deciding to speak and break the silence "Hey, I should really be getting home."

"Sure, well then I'll see you for lunch." Getting up as he did, and walking him to the door.

"Have a good rest of the night." He said as he walked out the door.

"You do the same, bye" Madison said watching as he walked briskly to his car, she then closed the door to the cold and found her way upstairs to her bedroom for the night.