Nothing seemed right anymore; not here in Tree Hill or back home in Everwood. Madison guess that nothing would feel right anywhere she went with this dark secret looming over her head. She didn't want to live like this. She wanted a normal life just like all the other twenty year old college students. It wasn't fair that she got dealt a crappy hand over and over again and yet she was expected to play them no matter what the stakes are.

"Madison, can I come in?" Deb asked as she cracked the door open.

"Yeah, just a minute." Madison glanced at the mirror and wiped away her mascara tears that stained her cheeks black.

"How are you feeling honey?" Deb knew that Madison was feeling terrible, not only the pregnancy but with everything else too.

"Pretty crappy if you didn't notice." Madison laughed nervously.

"I thought that much." Deb didn't really know what to say to her young niece that would comfort her, "You want to talk about it?"

"I don't know what to talk about." Madison bit on her bottom lip as she did when she was nervous, "There's just so much going on and only one of me."

"You have to take care of yourself Madison and something is tearing you apart. I can see it. You have to get over whatever it is and start thinking about you baby." Deb parented her just like she would if Madison was her own daughter.

"But it's so hard." Madison thought about the fact that her and her baby would be alone. She would be too busy with the baby and trying to make ends meet and she would be utterly alone.

"It shouldn't be hard Madison." Deb said firmly, "This baby comes first no matter what. When was your last doctor's appointment?"

"With Dr. Brown in Everwood." Madison hadn't really even thought about doctor's appointment yet. She was still settling in.

"That was well over a month ago." Deb was astonished, "And I figured that so I made you an appointment for tomorrow morning."

"Thanks Aunt Deb." Madison was ashamed of herself. She hadn't really thought about herself and her baby. It was all about Ephram. It was always about Ephram, "I'm sorry it's just I've had my mind on other things."

"Could this other thing have a name and live in Everwood?" Deb had that mother's intuition that Madison hadn't had in a while.

"I just can't stop thinking about him. I don't know if I've done the right thing or not." Madison flopped backwards on her bed next to Deb.

"You know what I want you to do?" Deb asked rhetorically, "Write a letter to him. Tell him everything. How you're feeling. How you made your decision."

"I can't do that Deb." Madison was shocked. She had communicated with Ephram since the breakup. Dr. Brown wouldn't be happy either.

"You don't have to send it. Just get it all out of your system. You'll feel better and when you're ready to send it you can." Deb patted her shoulder and got up to leave, "I'll be down at the café if you need me."

"Thanks Deb." Madison grabbed her notebook which was used to get down lyrics and just began writing.


"Hey Karen." Deb walked behind the counter to find Karen scrubbing away at the floor, "I see you've been holding down the fort while I've been gone."

"Deb!" Karen shot up and gave to woman a hug, "How have you been?"

"I've been stuck with Dan for a few weeks. I've been great." Deb missed the way she and Karen could poke jokes at the common factor they both shared, "I decided I should get away for a little while."

"Is he doing okay?" Karen genuinely cared.

"He's doing fine. He'll make it." Deb reassured her, "Did you really think Dan would die? Who would be left to torture us?"

"Point taken." Karen laughed. She wondered what Tree Hill would've been like without Dan Scott.

"Well I really came in here today to ask you a favor." Deb, being a partner didn't really feel she needed to ask but Karen started the business so she had final say.

"Anything," Karen thought, "Within limits."

"Well, my niece Madison is staying with me," Deb started.

"She's you're niece!" Karen was shocked, "I met her the other day."

"Yeah, anyway," Deb wanted to finish, "She pregnant and needs money so I thought she could take my shifts until Dan's back on his feet."

"Well, really I have this covered but I'm sure Peyton could use the help at TRIC." Karen said thoughtfully. Peyton was going through a lot lately and Karen knew she couldn't put the club on a seventeen year old girl's shoulders.

"Are you sure, cause that would be great." Deb smiled brightly with gratitude for her friend.

"Absolutely." Karen nodded, "She can start as soon as she wants."

"Thanks a lot Karen," Deb walked back towards the door, "I'll see you later."


"Hello?" Madison had been in a writing trance since Deb left. All her feelings were pouring out of her and she couldn't stop them. She didn't want to stop them.

"Guess what Madison?" Deb said excitedly.

"What?" Madison was getting anxious.

"How would you like to manage a hot new night club?" Deb asked.

"I don't know." Madison was shocked, "Is the pay good?"

"Of course it's good!" Deb comforted her, "Would I find you any less than good?"

"Of course not." Madison agreed. It was always the best for Madison.

"You can start when you're ready. I got to go now. I'll see you later." Deb hung up leaving Madison to get back to her letter.


"I kind of feel bad for her, you know." Haley said as Nathan and her drove home from school.

"You shouldn't." Nathan knew the last thing Madison wanted was pity, "She's my cousin. She can handle anything."

"If I was in her position I would be scared to death." Haley stated.

"Being scared and handling things are two different things. You can handle something and still be scared at the same time." Nathan explained. He was scared to death to stand up to Dan but he did and when he did it felt great. Years of buildup just disappeared. That's all Madison had to do is release the inner battles she was facing.

"I know but still. Having a baby is different than anything else." Haley didn't really know how to explain. It was a girl thing and she didn't really expect Nathan to understand where she was coming from.

"Yeah it is but don't feel sorry for her." Nathan shook his head, "That's all I'm asking."

"I don't feel sorry for people Nathan." Haley said blankly, her mind obviously somewhere else, "I think she should come out with me, Brooke and Peyton sometime."

"Do you think that's the best idea?" Nathan thought of the last time the girls went out and Haley came home drunk.

"She needs to have a little fun don't you think?" Haley began planning in her head, "We could have a sleepover!"

"Whatever you say." Nathan didn't really get the whole girl sleepover thing. He really didn't care to either.

"Let's go see her." Haley pleaded. She needed to tell Madison of her master plan.

"Let's just hope Mom's not home." Nathan prayed. He didn't need the crap his mom gave him about Haley.

Nathan let himself in his former home and led Haley up to where he guessed Madison was staying. He had been right with the only other choice being his room and they found Madison laying on her bed writing in a journal.

"Surprise!" Haley jumped out. She was bursting at the seams excited for an unknown cause to Madison.

"Hey guys." Madison shut her notebook quickly and shoved it behind her, "What's up?"

"Haley has an idea she wants to run by you." Nathan leaned up against the doorframe as Haley bounced on the bed with Madison.

"Well I was thinking maybe you'd like to come out with me and Brooke and Peyton and we could have a sleepover and just hang out. Just us girls." Haley smiled widely like a kid in a candy store as she told Madison her idea, "What do you say?"

"I say let me think about it." Madison really didn't want to be around people right now.

"It's yes or no," Haley put her foot down, "And I won't take no as an answer."

"So I guess the answer is clear." Madison really wouldn't have picture Haley and Nathan ending up with each other. They were completely different people but maybe that's why they worked so well.

"We'll be by around sevenish." Haley hugged her cousin-in-law and pulled Nathan down back outside so she could call Peyton and Brooke to give them a heads-up.

Madison had learned over her years of writing that you never throw anything away no matter how crappy it was. Instead she just started over on a clean piece of paper rewording her previous thought so it sounded just right. She had to be precise with her words, as if they were delicate poetry, to be satisfied. She also wanted to finish her letter before Haley and the girls came to pick her up. She had never really been into the whole girl power thing which caused her to gravitate more towards guys. They were just easier for her to get along with because they really didn't give a damn about anything. Madison just wished girls weren't so petty and materialistic.

Finally her pen scratched the last word on the paper before she signed her name. Deb had been right, she felt much better now. The words were down on paper and weren't able to cloud her brain anymore. She carefully ripped the four page letter out of her note book and sealed them safely inside an envelope. She debated whether to address the letter or not and finally decided to just to feel that extra sense of closure.

The doorbell actually made her jump as she leapt from her bed, throwing the envelope on her dresser before grabbing the essential she had stuffed in a bag prior to the letter finishing.

At the door stood Haley and two other shadows, obviously Brooke and Peyton. From what she had picked up from Nathan and Lucas, they were both Lucas' exes and both equally mad at Lucas for some unknown reasons. It really didn't matter because actually knowing the details would be gossip and Madison was no gossiper.

"Hello hello!" Haley pulled Madison out the door. Madison had never seen a girl so high on life before, "Ready for some fun?"

"Sure I guess." Madison examined the faces of Brooke and Peyton, not quiet sure which was which.

"Madison, these are the girls." Haley gestured, "Brooke and Peyton."

The girls seemed totally different. Brooke, with the perfect body, designer clothes, make-up and flowing chocolate brown hair, was most likely the most popular girl in school. Peyton, dressed in a faded vintage looking concert tee and crazy blonde curls, looked to be the complete opposite of Brooke. Peyton looked the type that didn't give a damn about the world.

"So are we just going to stand here all night?" A grin found it's way onto Brooke's face, "Or are we going to party?"

"If fun is what you're after Tigger, then fun is what you shall have." Haley said linking arms with both Brooke and Madison as she skipped towards the car, dragging the two behind her.

"So where are we going exactly?" Madison asked from the backseat where she sat with Peyton.

"I have to swing by TRIC for a few minutes to pick up some things I left last night but other than that it's all in their hands." Peyton was the only one to answer, seeing as Haley and Brooke were too into a new Lindsay Lohan song.

"God I can't stand this shit." Madison mumbled to herself. She had never been a supporter of pop music especially actresses gone singer people.

"I here you." Peyton whispered back, "I'm more of a Guns N' Roses type of girl."

"I'd drink to that." Madison agreed, "I used to be in a band. Almost had a record deal too."

"That's so cool!" Peyton smiled. It was the first time Madison had seen her smile in the time she met her, "But what do you mean by almost?"

"Well when I moved out here I had to quit the band. They were disappointed but they probably found themselves a new girl to take my place already." Madison missed her band most of all. They were closer than anyone could imagine because their songs were like windows to their souls.

"That's too bad." Peyton's smile faded, "Our very own Haley James is pretty talented."

"Oh Peyton stop it." Haley said refocusing on the road.

"Really?" Madison was always open to talking about music, "I'd love to here some of your stuff."

"Um, yeah sure." Haley's cheeks burned at the sheer thought of performing again. Though she enjoined it and couldn't wait to do it again she was still the quiet, shy Haley James that didn't talk if she didn't have anything to say.

The car pulled to a stop in front of a building with TRIC illuminating in neon letters. There was a line out the door of people waiting to get in just like any other night club. Madison didn't even know the town had that many people.

"Hey ladies." The bouncer said opening the door for the quartet, "Don't start any trouble."

"Don't count on it." Peyton winked at him as the door closed behind him.

"How did we get in just like that?" Madison was confused putting her ID back in her bag.

"I manage this club." Peyton explained slipping behind the bar, searching for something.

"Oh wow." Madison smiled taking in the popularity of this club.

"Peyton, Brooke, Haley," Karen appeared, "Oh hello Madison."

"Hi Karen." Madison returned the salutation.

"What are you doing here Peyton? Don't you know how to enjoy a night off?" Karen laughed leaning against the bar.

"I left some sketches here last night. Just wanted to get them out of the way." Peyton flashed a sketch book that she had carefully hidden behind many bottle of liquor.

"Now get out of here and be a seventeen year old." Karen shooed her from behind the bar.

"Alright, alright." Peyton said in defeat, "We're going!"

"Have fun girls! Don't get into any trouble because I'm not going to bail you out!" Karen laughed, "And let me know when you want to start Madison."

"Alright." Madison didn't know what she meant by that at first and then it clicked that this was the 'hot new night club' she would be managing.

Taking one more glimpse at the club the four girls stepped back out into the dimming night. It had gotten much cooler and the wind blew the few fallen leaves around.

"What was that all about?" Brooke asked as they made their way to the car.

"Deb got me a job here." Madison explained, "Though I didn't realize Karen owned this own too."

"Deb owns it just as much as Karen owns it." Haley added.

"Aunt Deb didn't tell me that." Madison got back into the same seat she sat in on the ride over here.

"Well with Dan and everything she probably just forgot." Haley turned out of the parking lot, "Where to next girls?"

"Let's stay at my place." Brooke chimed in, "Or what's left of it."

"Sounds good to me." Haley said turning off the main road onto one of the more plentiful mansions. Stopping in front of a white one the girls jumped out of the car and were headed to the front door, their overnight bags in hand. Madison followed behind the group taking in all these people had.

"Home sweet home." Brooke said flatly. The house was lacking many things. There were nails on the wall were things must have been hanging. The living room was lacking some furniture as well as every other room in view.

"This was your idea so don't go getting all depressed on us." Haley slung her arm around Brooke in that friendly reassuring way that never really seemed to help.

"Yeah, that's Peyton's job." Brooke leaned on Haley.

"That's right and you better not forget it." Peyton poked Brooke's sides so she giggled a little before squirming out of Haley's grasp.

"Who's up for pizza?" Haley asked taking the phone off the wall.

"You read my mind Tutor wife." Brooke jumped to sit on the counter in the kitchen as Haley talked to the pizza place.

"Madison you can come closer. We don't bite." Peyton joined the girls around the island in the middle of the kitchen.

"Not hard at least." They were all sent into a fit of laughter. Madison just felt a little weird. These girls were only, what, seventeen if that and Madison was turning twenty one in a few months.

"Sorry, I'm just really tired." Madison leaned in trying to have a little fun with these girls.

"Well that can't be good!" Brooke made her way towards Madison, "How are you going to have any fun if you're tired?"

"Good question." Madison shrugged.

"I've got just the thing." Brooke went to the refrigerator and pulled out four beers, "What do you say?"

"I don't drink." Madison said politely though she could've really used a beer at that point.

"Sounds like tutor wife over here." Brooke said putting one back, "But we broke that side didn't we."

"Yeah and I don't know if that was good or bad." Haley took a swig just as the doorbell rang.

"That was fast." Madison remarked as they opened the door to reveal a pizza boy.

"Thanks Mouth." Brooke winked as Haley paid him, "He's a friend. This is Madison."

"Nice to meet you Madison. I'm Mouth." Mouth seemed a little uneasy in the presence of all the girls, "Well I have to get back now. Have fun ladies."

"Bye Mouth!" They all yelled at his receding figure.

"God I love that boy!" Brooke flopped on the couch with pizza.

"I think the feeling is mutual." Peyton giggled taking a slice from the pie.

The smell of all the greasy cheese and the burnt dough made Madison nauseous. She needed to find a bathroom before it was too late.

"Where's the bathroom?" Madison jumped to her feet.

"Down the hall and on your left." Brooke replied with a mouthful of pizza.

With that Madison darted down the hallway and into the bathroom, making it just in time. She tried to keep herself as quiet as she could so the others wouldn't hear her.

But they did hear her and they exchanged confused glances. Haley was the only one to get up and help Madison. Haley stood behind Madison holding her hair back until Madison had finished.

"Are you alright?" Haley handed Madison a wad of toilet paper to wipe her mouth.

"Perks of pregnancy." Madison said with a strained smile. She couldn't even believe that she had decided to go through with the pregnancy. She should've plead temporary insanity.

"Mouthwash?" Haley held a bottle of Listerine out to Madison who willingly took it. After rinsing her mouth out and splashing cool water on her face she was ready to rejoin the 'party'.

"Pizza?" Brooke timidly offered Madison as she took a seat on the floor where they had set up a bed of pillows and blankets.

"No I think I'm just going to go to sleep." Madison curled up under a blanket shutting her eyes, "Don't worry I'm a heavy sleeper. Carry on with whatever you had planned."

"Are you alright?" Peyton studied Madison trying to figure her out.

"Yeah just not feeling the best tonight." Madison had the feeling if she told these girls all of Tree Hill would know her little secret.

"Alright well feel better." Brooke followed Haley's lead into her bedroom to give Madison some privacy.

"Goodnight guys." Madison pulled the blanket up to her chin, "I had fun while it lasted."

"Us too." Peyton was the last to leave the room, hoping that maybe Madison would reveal something to her. Once inside Brooke's room everyone had questions on their mind but they were pushed to the back burner as a pillow fight broke out in a whirl of laughter and feathers.