The next two months were a blur. The school term finished and summer vacation started for Tyler, Maddie had her house on the market and Seth was preparing to pitch his next movie idea to Universal Studios.

A week into summer vacation, Maddie waved Tyler off as he went to a nearby science camp for a couple of weeks with friends, while Maddie got everything sorted with the house. It had sold very quickly and Maddie couldn't believe that by the time Tyler got back from camp, they would already be living with Seth.

'Just like that' Maddie said to Seth when they were preparing dinner on the night the deal was approved. 'They looked around the house once, decided they wanted it and decided right there and then.'

'It's a good house in a good neighbourhood.'

'And, they went 10% over the asking price to make sure they got it! Life is good!' she cheekily ate a piece of pepper and fed Seth a piece.

'Brilliant! I can't wait for you and Ty to move in here.' He put his hands on Maddie's waist and pulled her close.

Maddie put her arms around his neck. 'Me too.' They kissed in the kitchen. There they stood the image of the perfect couple. 'By the way, you need to give me your bank details so I can put the money I get for the house in your account.'

'You don't need to do that. The house is all paid for. All you need to do is move in.'

'And while that is a lovely offer, I need to give you some money and sign a contract to make sure we're legally living here. You know, if anything should happen.'

'What's going to happen?'

'Well nothing I hope. I just need reassurance on the whole security thing. For Ty's sake mainly.'

'Look, sign the contract by all means honey, but you don't need to give me any money. Put it in a trust fund for Ty for when he goes to college. I promise you' he said looking into her eyes without breaking contact 'this will be your home as much as mine.'

'So I'll be legally living here, but Ty will have the money for college?'

'Yes. I just want you. Not your money.'

'How did I get so lucky all of a sudden?'

'How did I get so lucky?' They kissed but Maddie pulled away abruptly taking Seth by surprise.

'No. I can't Seth. I have to give you something so I'm going to buy my share of the house, end of story.'

'You don't have to.'

'I know! I know but I need to so please just accept it and make your peace with it.'

'Ok.' Seth sighed. 'If it will make you happy, then fine.'

'Thank you.' Maddie said sounding relieved.

That night as Maddie slept, Seth kept thinking about how Maddie had insisted he take the money for the house. He wanted her to be happy moving in, but to him it felt too much. After all, she didn't have as much as him, and Tyler would benefit from the money much more in a few years' time. This was just one of the thoughts that consumed him as he drifted of into sleep that night.

The next morning, they both left the house at the same time to go to work, and they would be getting home at the same time. Maddie was teaching all day and had barely had time to rest. She was working with her fourth class of the day when an excited Dean came in to her studio holding a poster.

'Maddie, look at this.' She took the poster from him and looked at it. She caught Dean's eye and smiled as she read it out loud.

'The Katselas Theatre Co. of Los Angeles seeks an experienced 30-40 year old female to play the character of Mrs Johnstone in the revival of Willy Russell's Blood Brothers. Open auditions between 12-5pm at the Beverley Hills Playhouse theatre on Friday 16th of August. Candidates will be expected to sing and act using a Liverpool accent to the act one finale number Bright New Day.'

'What do you think? The audition is tomorrow , so-'

'It's perfect! I can get back on stage again! Assuming I get it.'

'Fantastic! Well I will cover your classes for you while you practise your song this afternoon!'

'Thanks. I know it quite well already. I see it every time there is a production, so I think this could go well.'

Maddie spent the rest of the day brimming with excitement. She couldn't wait to tell Seth. When they arrived home that night, he looked as though he also had some news to share. She bounced into the lounge still holding the poster Dean had given her earlier that day.

'Hey! I've got a surprise for you!' Seth held a box out in front of her wrapped in red paper. Maddie took it from him and unwrapped the gift to reveal a Marc Jacobs watch, studded with diamantes. She gasped happily and smiled widely.

'Oh my God, it's gorgeous Seth! Thank you so much! What's the occasion?'

Seth took it out of the box and put it on her wrist. 'We're celebrating baby. I got something to tell you.'

'Oh, me too!'

'Me first. Remember I told you last week I pitched the sequel to Ted to Universal? They took it! Baby, Ted 2 starts pre-production next week and we're shooting on location in Boston again!'

'Seth, that's amazing! Good for you!' Maddie hugged him tightly and kissed him in celebration of his news. It was his dream to make successful movies people would love, so she knew how important this was to him.

'Oh yeah, so what is your news?' Seth asked, still in their embrace.

'Well, Dean found out that the Katselas Theatre Company is reviving Blood Brothers in Beverly Hills this fall and I'm going to audition for the lead!' Seth let go of Maddie and took a step back from her with a less than happy expression on his face. Not the reaction she had expected from him, especially since she had just been so happy for him. 'Why aren't you happy for me? I could be making my theatre comeback soon.'

'Yeah, and where would the time for us be? Presuming of course this would all happen 6 days a week with 8 performances.'

'It will be a struggle but you'll be working a lot too with your new movie taking off too.'

'Not all the time though. You'll be working at your studio during the day, taking care of Ty in the afternoon and performing at night. There won't be time for us. And where are you going to find the time to do all of that while you rehearse?'

'Probably the same time you'll be running your TV shows and shooting your movie.' Maddie said with a hint of sarcasm and crossing her arms.

'That's not the same.'

'How is it different?' Maddie had begun to get upset by the fact Seth wasn't happy for her.

'I don't know-'

'I am perfect for this Seth, just be happy for me, like I am for you.'

'Please, the only reason you're happy for me is because I bought you an expensive watch!'

Maddie was shocked by this. She immediately took the watch off and threw it on a nearby chair. She walked out of the room and went upstairs. She wasn't tearful at all, just angry. She couldn't believe Seth, the compassionate man she had fallen in love with again had just behaved the way he did. She grabbed one of her weekend bags she had left there a few nights ago and began stuffing it roughly with the clothes she had already unpacked in his closet. She heard him come up stairs so quickly finished packing. He was standing in the door frame when she brushed past him, in a hurry to get out.

'Maddie don't leave. I didn't mean it!'

'Well I don't think that's true. I think you really meant it.' She said making her way down stairs.

'Look I'm sorry I said what I said, but can you blame me?'

'I'm sorry, I just don't understand why it's ok for you to start producing a movie, but I can't even audition for a musical?'

'Ok, when you say it like that-'

'Didn't you say during our break up conversation when you first moved here that you could work on Family Guy and I could work in the theatres in LA?'

'Yes I did.'

'So what is the problem with me auditioning? I might not even get the part!'

'I just don't understand why you want to ruin everything when it's going so well with us.'

'You think I'm ruining this?'

'If you do this audition, yes!' Seth said impulsively. He didn't mean to say yes to that question, but he couldn't help it. It just slipped out. 'Sorry Maddie, I shouldn't have said that.' he put a hand on his forehead in frustration and looked up at Maddie whose anger had reduced her to tears.

She turned around and walked towards the front door. 'I never should have sold my house, I never should have let you talk me into moving here, and in fact moving back to California was a big mistake.'

'You moved here 8 years ago don't blame the move! Maddie? Maddie! Where are going?'

Maddie didn't answer. She slammed the door behind her. Seth ran to it and opened the door to see her speeding down the drive, out of sight. He wondered if she would go home. Apart from her furniture that the new buyers had bought off her, the house barely had anything left in it. He thought about going after her, but decided it was best to let her cool off. His anger subsided quickly.

He laid in bed that night alone. He couldn't sleep. Just thinking about how he had promised to himself, he wouldn't let Maddie go again; after he had let her go again. Seth was devastated. He loved Maddie so much and had let her slip away again. He knew she would be at her audition tomorrow, so couldn't talk to her until the evening, but he was going to fix it. He had to.

His Friday at work was the longest day he could remember. He sat in his office and didn't want to talk to anyone. Unfortunately, Rachael had other ideas.

'So what's up with you? You look like someone has just told you Santa isn't real!'

'Rach, I fucked things up.'

'What have you fucked up?' Seth told his sister everything that had happened the night before from the time he announced the movie to the point where Maddie had walked out and not looked back.

'Is it fixable?'

'I don't know, Seth. It sounds like you've really fucked up!'

'I know! What am I going to do?'

'Well for starters you can man up a bit. Maddie isn't going to respond well to you sitting around moping. You need to talk to her now. Have you called her?'

'She's at that stupid audition now, I can't see her until tonight. And even then I don't know where I would go to find her.'

'I wouldn't mention her audition is stupid when you go and see her later.'

'Where do I go to find her?'

'Where you did before. You retrace your steps: dance studio then her house.' Rachael stood up to leave but said one last thing before leaving. 'Seth, girls like Maddie aren't going to keep showing up. Go and let her know how much she means to you. Don't be an idiot and wait 14 years again.'

Rachael left leaving Seth on his own. It was only 2pm and even though he couldn't see Maddie for at least another 4 hours, he left work. He needed to run a few errands that took a fair while. He didn't finish running around until early evening. He knew Maddie would be finished by now and if he knew her like he thought, she would be with Sean telling him about her audition. He drove to Maddie's house where he pulled into the drive. He walked to the door, hesitated slightly, but knocked. Sean answered.

'Sean, is she here?'

'Yeah. You've tracked her down.' He moved aside and let Seth in.

'Is everything sorted?' Seth had called Sean earlier and briefed him with his plan to make things right with Maddie.

'Yes. Are you sure it's going to work?'

'Positive! I'll leave you two alone.'

Sean closed the door behind him. Seth walked in. He found Maddie in the lounge. She was sitting on the couch sipping a glass of wine slowly. She turned around to see him standing there. He put his bag down and their eyes made contact and they stared at each other as if it was the first time they had met.

'I know you're mad at me, but please hear me out.' Maddie nodded as Seth sat next to her. 'I know what I said to you was so out of line and I'm sorry. But know that I love you Maddie. I really love you and I don't want to make the same mistake as I did before.' He paused and laughed nervously. 'God that sounds like a line from a bad movie!'

'I don't want to make any more mistakes either, come here.' Maddie pulled Seth in and kissed him. 'And I'm sorry for leaving last night, I don't know what I was thinking, but I do love you too. Let's not fight anymore.'

'Agree. No more fights.' Seth relaxed on the couch and let Maddie lean on him. He put his arms around her. 'I can't believe I almost lost you again.'

'Well, we're ok now. Let's close the book on yesterday and just move on.' He kissed her again.

'Just so you know, I'm not doing Ted 2.'

'What? Why?'

'Because, being obsessed with the job is what made me lose you in the first place. I'm not letting anything get in our way again.'

'Seth if you back out of Ted 2, I will smother you with a pillow! Do it, you have to.'

'Maddie, you don't know what these jobs are like. It will take a toll on us.'

'Well yeah, but we love each other. We'll just have to get creative and see each other whenever we can.'

'Oh, I forgot, did you have your audition?'

'Yeah, I didn't get it.'

'No! Why not?'

'I don't know. Doesn't matter.' Maddie smiled. 'I don't really want to talk about it now. Anyway, at least I have more time for other things. Like making you work on your new movie.'

'Are you sure? It will really test our relationship, you know?'

'I think we can get through it.'

'Do you still want to move in?'

'If you'll still have me.'

'Hey baby, I'll always have you.' Seth got up from the couch and rummaged through the back he brought in with him. 'In fact, I ran a few errands in town today and have a couple of ways to show you how much I want you in my life.'

Maddie heart fluttered. He gave her a manila envelope which she opened and clapped a hand to her mouth when she saw the heading "Certificate of Adoption".

'It's not valid unless you sign it. What do you say? Will you let me adopt Tyler?' He smiled at her confidently, offering her a pen.

She nodded with a smile and a tear in her eye. 'He's going to be so excited. Thank you for doing this. She took the pen from him and signed it straightaway.

'I need to send this to my lawyer now for authentication, but as of this moment, I am Tyler's father.' Maddie kissed Seth to show her gratitude. She was over the moon he had made this kind of gesture.

Seth broke apart from Maddie again. 'I also have one more.' He reached into the bag once again and pulled out the same box he tried to give her yesterday. Only this time it didn't have a watch in it. 'When I was in town today, I called Sean to find out exactly what you'd like. And from his description, I think this is perfect. Very much reminded me of the Emerald City.'

Seth opened the box. Inside was a gold ring with a large emerald in the middle, and two diamonds either side so it sparkled from all angles. It very much reminded Maddie of the Emerald City and took her breath away.

'Oh my God!' she exclaimed looking up at Seth.

'And, I had it inscribed too.' Maddie picked it up and looked closely at the inscription that simply said the word "always". 'Sean also told me, it was your favourite quote from the Harry Potter books because it means that I always have, and always will love you.' He took the ring from her and sat next to her. 'I know you don't like anything to corny and after all these bad lines I think that's enough, so I won't get down on one knee, but Maddie, will you marry me?'

'Yes. Easy question!' Seth slipped the ring on her finger. They both stood up and kissed each other, holding on tightly. They went upstairs onto the bed Maddie had made up in a very minimalistic bedroom. They made love several times that night and didn't stop smiling, even as the drifted off into sleep holding each other. They were so in love and so happy. Their fight had only made them realise how much they both loved each other.