Happily Never After Could Happen to Us

Maddie

"T.J," I whined for the thousandth time. It was as if he didn't want to go to Rosie and Leo's party.

"Maddie, just, we'll be there. Chill out, okay," T.J growled at me as he continued his rampage throughout his closet. I shook my head as I glanced at the clock. We were already fifteen minutes late, and T.J was still wearing the towel from his shower.

"T.J, just move," I said in an annoyed tone as I drug him out of the closet.

"No, Maddie," he whined as I stepped around him. I rolled my eyes as I grabbed a dark green polo shirt and a pair of random jeans he had lying on a shelf.

"Here, now get dressed. I'll be waiting outside. If you're not out there in exactly seven minutes then I'll leave by myself," I instructed as I headed for the door.

"Why seven minutes," he asked as he slipped the shirt on.

"Because it takes you five to get dressed and do whatever it is you do to your hair, so I figured I'd give you a few extra minutes to get through the house before I steal your car," I explained. He nodded and I turned on my heel and walked out of the house.

T.J had given me the keys to the car that he was giving my daughter for her sixteenth birthday. I should have known that he would give her something that was just as lethal as she could be. A brand new, well not really new, Jaguar. He had it painted purple with red stars on it. I smiled her favorite colors were the colors that basically signified who her parents are.

I opened the passenger side door and got in. I didn't want to drive her car. I didn't even want her to come live with me. I just wanted her to accept me. Leo, oh my sweet boy, he had the opportunity even if it was for a short while to know me. Rosie has probably only seen pictures. Hopefully not the pictures of me after I had gotten out of the hospital, but still it made me sad.

I couldn't afford to be sad today. That's why I left Johnny's memory back in California. We had a huge argument before I left, and it still stung to think about it. Even though I knew he had a point.

"I can't wait to meet your family," Johnny whispered as we peered at the stars from a park bench. That one sentance brought my world to the ground.

"Baby, I think I should do this alone," I said without glancing at him. I felt his body shift as he moved to look at me.

"What," he asked in a bit of a shocked and angry tone.

"I think I need to see my kids alone," I repeated myself.

"You can't just go trapsing off to see that vampire and werewolf alone," he stated angrily.

"Why can't I? They won't hurt me," I argued.

"Maddie," he half hissed. I turned my eyes towards him. His face was contorted with so many emotions that I couldn't read them all. I coud tell he was angry, but I wasn't giving up.

"Johnny, you're not going," I said in a 'this is the end of it' tone.

"If I'm not going, then this is over," he stated bitterly as he pointed towards the engagement ring he had given me.

"Fine, you want the ring back," I asked sourly.

"Are you going alone."

"Without a doubt." And with that he simply stuck out his hand palm side up. I glared at him as I slipped the simple silver ring with a small ruby for a stone off my finger and into his hand. "I've got packing to do," I said bitterly at him as I got off the bench and started to walk away.

"Madeline, don't do this," he stated when he realized I was serious.

"I'm going alone," I shouted back. After that argument, I didn't see him again because two days later I was standing at the train station when T.J's corvette passed by and picked me up.

"You ready to go," T.J asked as he climbed into the driver's seat. His voice pulled all thoughts of Johnny from my mind, and replaced them with thoughts of Kegan.

"I'm a little nervous. I also want to know why you wouldn't let me go alone," I answered as I stared into the distance.

"You're nervous. Imgine how I feel. I'm sending the girl that I spent most of my teenage years wanting into the war path of her ex fiancee, and his family, plus a little girl that pretty much hates you," T.J stated bluntly.

"Well gee, it's nice to know I've been missed," I griped.

"Maddie, you left us remember. It's not like we had any warning, not to mention you left your daughter on my door step. I don't know anything about raising a vampire, but I did the best I could because I knew that's what you wanted for her," he explained.

"Yeah, what about Leo," I sighed.

"He got it a lot worse than Rosie. I mean he looks just like you, and Kegan resented that for song long. For the first six years of his life he thought Regan was his dad!"

The rest of the ride was silent. With each passing moment, I thought about how stupid I had been for coming here. My kids didn't need me, nor did they want me, but I had to see them. Each day was breaking my heart, even with Johnny trying to mend it back together again. This was my chance to become whole again, and I was taking it.

We pulled into the long drive way, and T.J was determined to park the car in the middle of the party set up. The only person there that I even bothered to notice was Kegan, and as I watched him stand there with his unchanged figure, I knew why I wanted to come her alone. I also knew that I had no hope of getting my child hood back. There was no point in dreaming of fairy tales because my had ended a long time ago.

Tons of people were gathered around the yard. The crowd parted as T.J drove the car to the middle of the yard. He parked the car and we stepped out. He put his hands over his eyes as if searching the open ocean for land as he asked, "Where's the birthday girl?"

"I'm right here," Rosie answered as she stepped to Kegan's side.

"What do you think about your new car," T.J asked.

"It's great, but I prefer the 2009 Ferrari F70 that Kegan got me," she spoke as she pointed towards another side of the yard. There sat an Italian sports car that was red with purple trimming.

"Oh," T.J sighed in a disappointed tone.

"It's a great car, Tee. Don't let it get to you," I whispered. Kegan glared, and suddenly smirked just like old times. That beautiful smirk that I hated yet loved so much.

"Hey guys, my dad has arrived," Kegan announced to Rosie and Leo. They both stood there excitely waiting. A black limo pulled up behind T.J's car and out stepped the girl that I should have killed the first time.

Her long dirty blond hair, her big brown eyes, and those freaking long legs. "Amanda Garret," I said coyly. I looked just as good as she did and I had already had two kids! Ha, beat that.

"Hello, um, I'm sorry I don't remember you," she laughed, but her eyes said she was lying. I smiled brightly at her.

"I no longer go by my nick name and I've cut my hair since you last saw me. It's Madeline Garver," I held out my hand for her to shake. As soon as she took it I glanced at Kegan, "Acutally soon to be Madeline Walker." His face twisted, and it made me feel slightly better, but not much.

"Oh, congratulations. Where is the lucky man," she asked as she eyed the crowd.

"He's running a little late, actually he might be a day late. He had some business to take care of back in Hollywood, where I live now."

"Kegan, love, is the bathroom still in the same place as it used to be. I feel like a mess," I sighed as I glanced back at him. He put on a fang filled grin, as if he didn't know I hated his fangs, and nodded.

"Nothing's changed since you were away," he answered. I nodded before stepping through the crowed towards the house.

I walked through his front door, half expecting Camillia to greet me in that way of hers, and walked hastely to the bathroom. I locked the door and slid the lenght of the wall down to the floor. Tears welled in my eyes, and I couldn't hold them back. I couldn't believe he was seeing her again. I knew he had a life, but not her.

As I cried, I could feel the tiny daggers that had been stabbed straight into my heart. I didn't know what I was expecting, but I knew it was something better than Kegan and Amanda.