EYES LIKE RAZORS

(107) Boxing

"I don't want everyone around me to watch it happen to me. It's scaring me." Madison tells her, "I can remember how awful it made the atmosphere."

"I don't wanna be that." Madi says, "I don't wanna die. I don't want these fucking voices telling me to kill myself. To kill everyone. Telling me it's my fault everyone I've ever loved has died."

"I'm scared that I won't be able to fight them. That's what today was... I lost control. I was weak and unable to fight the voices. They took over, and look what happened. I hate what's happening. I hate that I can't stop it... I feel like it's inevitable."

Chloe stood there, unsure of what to say, opting to hug her wife, who instantly buried her face against the red heads shoulder.

"I don't wanna die." Madi mutters, "I don't want to leave you again."

"You're not going to," Chloe says softly, "I have no idea what you're feeling, I'm not going to pretend I do. But you're not going to die."

"You say that like you believe it." Madison whispers, "that's because I do Mads, you're not going to die." Chloe replies, "I say it like I believe it, because I believe in you."

"You are never one to back down from a challenge," Chloe says, "this might be the greatest that you've had to face, but you will make it. I know you will, because I will not let you fail."

"I won't let anything happen to you." Chloe states, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"I was going to shoot Thomas," Madison says, "I- fuck, I mean he is a fucking prick and I hate him for what he's done... but I don't wanna kill him. I don't want him dead."

"Don't focus on him, okay?" Chloe says, "talk to him some other time, focus on yourself. Do what you need to, to feel better. Fuck everyone else. Be selfish for once, Mads."

"I don't know what I need to do," Madison shrugs, as she pulled away from her wife, "I wish I did, Chlo, but I have no fucking clue."

"Then we'll work it out together," Chloe replies, "we'll get through this together, it will all be okay."

-

"Umm... hello?" Ash asks, walking into the lounge, confused when he sees a teenager he doesn't recognise sat on the sofa with Millie, and Hugo.

"This is Mark, he is Millies boyfriend," Hugo says, uttering the last two words as civilly as he could muster.

"Boyfriend?" Ashton asks, straightening up and narrowing his eyes at Mark, as he folded his arms across his chest.

"Yeah, it's nice to meet you. Are you Hugos brother?" Mark asks.

"No, I'm his... Uncle." Ashton responds, smiling at Millie "nice to see you again, Millie."

"You too, Ash." Millie blushes.

"So what are you kids up to?" Ashton queries, as Eddie and Madison walk in, seemingly bickering, Madi giving him a slight nudge when she sees the teenagers sat on the sofa.

"We were just catching up," Millie says.

"Madison!" Tommy's voice calls through the house, Madi ignores his shouts and sits on the settee opposite the kids.

"Madison," Polly states, as she and her two eldest nephews walk into the room, "in here now."

"Why?" Madison asks.

"Because I told you to," Polly responds, "now up and in here. Now."

"Come on, Mads," Arthur sighs.

"Where's Chloe?" Madison queries, "you were meant to be with her."

"She's with Finn and that lot. Now come on, we're not asking. We're telling you." Polly commands.