Back From The Moon. (Maddie.)

14- Growing Older.

"Hello everyone, I wanted to thank you for taking the time out of your lives to appreciate one that meant the world to me. I loved him, and he loved me. He loved all of you. This loss is devastating, to us, and to you. We have spent the last few months wondering what happened, and why this happened to us. We had no clue he was struggling as much as he was. There is no comprehending a loss like this. Dalton was such a wonderful soul. Please remember him that way. Remember him as the person he was, rather than for his passing. It's important for any of you who feel this way to know that you are loved. You are important. You matter. Do not leave your stage in the middle of your song. His song was unfinished, but yours does not have to be.
Dalton, if you are listening, I hope you're at peace now. I love you more than words. To the moon and back." Maddie cried through her speech, but it didn't matter. Every word was heard, not a word missed. Maddie paused to wipe a few stray tears from her face, collecting her thoughts.

"When- After all of this happened, we found this song in his things, a recording. It is the last recording we have of his voice. We want for you to hear it." She finished, passing the microphone she was holding over to Cole. Everyone on the stage sat and turned around as the song began playing. A slideshow of him was projected onto the back wall. Maddie sobbed softly, leaning into Will's shoulder. His arm wrapped warmly across her back. She felt protected, safe. She could hear sniffling throughout the crowd, but for the most part they were silent. Just taking in the song, truly listening to the words.

However bittersweet, she thought about how thankful that he was documented as well as he was. She can never forget the sound of his voice, soft and sure. Maddie thought it wasn't fair. It's not fair that this happened to them. They were supposed to have forever. They were supposed to see reunions where Dalton performed with Will, where he reinvented his music time and time again. Where he was able to just be.

The song drifted to a close. There was not a dry eye in the crowd. The world ended, the music is over, the time is up. Will thanked everyone for coming, and informed them to keep up with their individual accounts for the future personal music endeavors. It's over. There is no more band. Maddie sighed, waving her goodbyes. She thought she'd feel vindicated, or even relieved. Instead, still just the same numbness. The same giant empty hole in her chest. Just nothing. She makes sure she gets her CD back. Then she returns to her hotel room, the boys follow.

"So this is it?" Coke asks once they're settled and comfortable across Maddie's hotel room.

"I don't know. I don't know what to do now." Maddie spoke, lying back on the bed and starring at the ceiling. She spun her ring around her finger.

"You could stay here. You don't have to go back." Will offered, spinning the desk chair he was sitting in back and forth. Dana nodded in agreement, leaning against the bed.

"No, I don't think so. There's too much of him here. I thought I'd feel better, more connected. I just- I feel nothing, I feel sad. I don't know what I want to do from here." Maddie scoffed, tasting the bitterness of her own words.

"Are you going back home then?" Coke asked, sitting next to her against the headboard.

"I think I need to. At least to get my things, figure out my game plan." Maddie ran a hand across her face, sitting up.

"This feels like goodbye forever. This better not be goodbye forever." Dana fiddled with his sleeve.

"Not forever. Just for now. I love you guys, I just need to figure out who I am without him." She muttered, nudging him. The room is heavy, sad. She doesn't know how to fix herself, or help this group of people who loved him either. Even with all the damage they'd done to each-other already, there was still love. They all still cared, even to the end. Even after the end.

"Maddie, you know you always have a place with us right? If you need any of us, at all, we're here. Just a call away." Will smiled softly. She could not appreciate him more. Ever so slightly, a small smirk graced her face.

"Oh Will, if only you could get rid of me that easily. We are all gonna keep in touch." She promised, saluting him.

"Promise?" His voice sounded small.

"Swear on it. I'm sure that I'm gonna need an insightful Will conversation in my future." Will stood. He pushed his way next to Maddie on the bed, sandwiching her between him and Cole.

"I'm gonna miss you." Cole said, leaning into her. "I'm gonna miss everyone."

Everyone hummed in agreement, the room gradually fell to silence. Maddie didn't know how long they sat there, trying to avoid what comes next. The silence gave her the space to think, but their presence gave her the security and strength to carry on. Today was hard. Today was goodbye.

From here, she doesn't know which way to go. There's the open road in front of her, no path back. She just hopes that one day, at the end, it'll bring her back to him. Until then, she carries on. She keeps him in her heart, in her thoughts.

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"...Loss is such a heavy thing. It leaves unfixable holes in the lives of people you know. Empty spaces in the conversations. It destroys those who are close to you. If you or someone you love are presenting signs of depression or self harm, please get help. The light is brighter at the end of the tunnel." Maddie bowed her head, as an entire room of professionals clapped. Her suit sashayed against her heels as she exited the stage. Finding her way to the back of the expo, she saw several familiar faces.

"Hello there, stranger." She grinned, hugging Cole. His hair was much longer, he had grown quite the beard as well. "Going for the Duck Dynasty special, are we?"

"That's the goal, if I can get the beard long enough." He laughed, hugging her back.

"Thank you for coming!" She turned to hug Will, who also had grown his hair out quite a bit.

"Missed you, Mad. I'm so proud of you." He exclaimed, returning her hug. Over Will's shoulder, she saw Dana.

"Oh my god, when did you get so tall?" She reached up to his shoulders. "I feel tiny."

"You've always been tiny, Maddie." Dana jested, hugging her.  "I'm happy to see you."

"I'm so happy you all responded to the invitation. I wanted you to see what I've been working on, my new company of sorts." She smiled.

"Oh you thought you'd get rid of me that easily, did you?" Will joked, echoing her words from several years prior. Everyone sat around the table Maddie had reserved for them. "We kept tabs on you, of course. Your project went viral."

"I never thought I'd be in this field, but I'm doing so much good here with this project." She affirmed, a smile gracing her face.

"It's nice to see you happy. It's been forever since we've seen you." Cole commented, leaning back in his chair.

"God, what's it been, 10 years since L.A.?" Dana asked. Maddie shook her head, time passed too fast.

"Almost 10. I've seen you guys before this though, just not all at once!" She elbowed Will, who was sat to her right. "There is someone you need to meet, by the way."

"Oh? Is he here? Do we finally get to meet him?" Will rushed out excitedly. Maddie nodded and stood from the table.

"I will be right back." She laughed as she walked away. When she returned a small baby was in her arms, along with a man following her.

"This is Oliver Dalton Summers, he is 6 months old yesterday. He is very, very excited to meet you all." She smiled, showing her baby's face to them. Nodding toward her fiancé, "And you all have met Thomas, of course."

"Oh my goodness look at his little face." Will gushed as Maddie passed the sleeping baby to him. The three all gushed over the baby as Thomas wrapped his hand around Maddie's waist.

"I think he would love that you gave your son his namesake." Cole commented, as he took his turn meeting her son.

"I think he would too." She smiled, looking up toward the sky. Even in the expo room, she imagined him among the stars, watching over her.

-FIN-