A/N: Okay, so this was inspired by two things: 1.) my recent fascination with the Xander/Madison pairing (but I'm still a HUGE Nick/Madison fan) and 2.) some experiences in my life that I needed to vent about. I hope everyone enjoys! Reviews - whether good or bad - are appreciated and constructive criticism is always welcome!

Disclaimer: Power Rangers Mystic Force belongs to Disney - not me!

Summary: Madison receives a heartbreaking letter from Nick. In an attempt to get her mind off of it, Xander takes her out on a date. But what happens when the date goes really well and Xander starts to have feelings for her…?

Chapter One

Madison sat on her bed wrapped up in the little red blanket that Nick had given her before he left. It had been over a year and the only form of communication they had established had been a letter every week or two. It wasn't much - and waiting on Nick's letters had made her a very stressed and anxious person - but for Madison it was good enough. Having the man she loved in her life this way was far better than not having him in her life at all. So she sat staring out the window, impatiently waiting on the mailman to drive up to the Rocca household and deliver their mail.

"Hey, sis!" Vida's voice rang as she flung open Madison's bedroom door and came inside. "Waiting on the mail again?"

"Yeah," Madison replied with a sigh. "I should be getting Nick's letter today. It's been almost two weeks!"

Vida stared down at the floor for a moment before looking back up at her sister. She clearly wore a look of disapproval on her face. Madison quickly turned her attention back to the world outside.

"Don't say it, V." she warned.

"I don't need to."

And with that, the young woman in pink shook her head and walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. Madison never turned her gaze from her focus on the window. During the past few months, she and her sister had been fighting more and more. And in recent weeks Chip and Xander had become targets of her impatience and frustration. They all tried to talk to her but it went ignored and unappreciated. Madison had convinced herself that Nick was coming back for her and she was going to wait, no matter how long it took.

"Madison! The mailman is here!" the voice of her mother calling from downstairs snapped her back to reality. She had been so lost in thought that she didn't see or hear him pull into her driveway.

"Coming, mom!"

She threw the blanket off of her and ran downstairs. As soon as she was in the living room, her mother handed her a small, white envelope. Madison knew it was from Nick the moment she saw that the sending and return addresses were written in red ink. For the first time in weeks, a smile crossed her face and she quickly ran back upstairs to read her letter in the safety of her room.

Hey! How are you? I'm sorry it took me so long to write you back. I've just been busy. How are Xander, Chip, and Vida? Good, I hope. Tell them I say hey! Listen, Maddie…I've got something that I really need to talk to you about. I met someone.

Madison took a deep breath. Her heart began to race and a sick feeling rose in the pit of her stomach. Nick had…met someone?

Her name is Julie. She's a lot like you - kind, compassionate, and beautiful both inside and out. When I first met her, I didn't think of her as anything more than a friend. But then as time went on, I've come to find that I like her more than that.

Against her will, tears began to form in the corners of Madison's eyes. "No, no…" she whispered to herself. How could he do this to her? All the time she had been faithfully waiting on him, he had been out with someone else?

But I don't know what to do. I really like you, Maddie, and I don't want to hurt you. But I also like Julie. Things would be much less complicated if I could just…I don't know. Just please Maddie, tell me what to do. Because I don't know anymore.

"Come back!" she yelled desperately at the letter, as if Nick could hear her through the paper. "That's what you can do, Nick! Come back to Briarwood and be with me!" But she knew she couldn't really ask him to do that. It would be selfish and unfair. She didn't know what to do right then, but nothing good could come from finishing Nick's letter. So she threw it on her bed beside of the red blanket she had so desperately clung to and ran out the door. On the way down the stairs she passed Vida, who was walking up them.

"Madison?" she questioned worriedly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, V, just leave me alone." she cried softly and quickly made her way outside the house.

But Vida wouldn't just leave her alone. Madison was her sister and even though they hadn't exactly been getting along lately, she still loved her and cared for her very much. So she ran into Madison's room to see exactly what could have been the cause of her outburst…and she didn't like what she found.