"This man is only just eighteen years old and has already achieved far more than anyone could have dreamed of in their lifetime.

We are incredibly lucky to have been able to have him here with us today on stage and watch as he shocked everyone with his incredible performance this evening. This man's talent blew us away, and we are so fortunate that he took his time to come here for us, for you, today.

Everyone give it up for the great, the amazing.. Tommy Awe!" The announcer spoke through the microphone, raising his voice at the end as cheers errupted.

Tommy stepped forward, bowing smoothly before reaching over to take the microphone from where the announcer had been holding it out for him.

Blinding lights flashed in his face as claps and cheers rung in his ears.

"What is up, yeah?" Tommy shouted into the mic, only erupting more cheers from the live audience. "I just want to thank you all for coming, it's been an honour to perform today. I want to thank the the members and cast for allowing me in, yada yada, all that shit."

A burst of laughs echoed through the room and Tommy waited for them to die down a bit before speaking again.

"This has been fun but it wouldn't have been as enjoyable if I didn't have you, the audience, the TV crew, the security, the backstage workers, everyone, here with me today.

This is honestly an experience of a lifetime to be able to perform in one of the most world-known theatres and having people actually know my name.

I was asked, just this morning, if I could perform an unreleased song of mine... And I couldn't say no as it was by none other than Michael, our favourite boy. So, here's a song I wrote back when I was eleven and still living with biological family."

Tommy, with a smile on his face, made his way over to the piano that sat on the corner of the stage and clipped the microphone into the stand that sat behind the piano but leaned over the top of it.

"This, is called 'Matilda'."

He started by playing a few starting notes, setting the mood in the theatre.

He then took a breathe, exhaled and started singing.

--

"You don't have to be sorry, no." Was when Phil eventually turned the TV off, enveloping the room in a silence.

It had been... shocking, to say the least, to see Tommy, their boy, famous and live on television right in front of them, singing about them and how they were "awful." (Phil didn't even know Tommy could sing or play piano! Was it something he learnt when he left?) They were anything but awful.

Okay, maybe Phil can't remember a time he kissed Tommy's wounds better after he fell, or a time when he calmed him down after a nightmare, or a time when he got to meet his boy's friends, or a time when-

Okay, so maybe they were a little bad. But every family had their flaws, right?

Like when Phil didn't have time for him because he was working, that was normal for a dad. When Wilbur would pretend he didn't hear him crying, that was acceptable because he was busy with school. And when Techno went out of his way to ignore him, that's what all brothers done, wasn't it?

So then why did Tommy think they were so bad?

They couldn't have done much damage to Tommy from not being around, just helped to toughen him up for the real world. Not everyone is going to pay attention to you like you're the main character in every single person's story. Because you're not.

So, logically, Phil shouldn't feel guilty sitting on this couch with his arms draped around his two boys. There was no reason to feel guilt, he'd done nothing wrong.

His wife's passing was hard, with three boys, it's not his fault he had to work more hours and sometimes forgot how many sons he had. He was losing himself.

But when Phil moved, every thing changed. It was like a switch flipped. He was no longer going insane and he'd gotten a better, higher-paying job. He had more time to breathe, cook dinner, clean the house and look after his boys.

He never really felt that feeling of something missing, he didn't really feel a lot of feelings anymore. It didn't matter to Phil anyways, the only feelings he needed were love and happiness, which he got by being with Wilbur and Techno.

They were all he needed.

And they would be all he would ever need.

--

Tommy wiped the tears from his eyes as he stood back stage, listening to the applause that had never decreased in volume for the past ten minutes.

He never imagined this when he said no to going with his "family". Never imagined this when he ended up in an orphanage. Never imagined this when his favourite teacher turned up to adopt him.

Sam had offered his home, his love, to him. And what did he get in exchange? Someone to share his home with? Someone to love? He got a broken child, almost in teenage years, that had grown up unloved, unwanted. Essentially grown up unliving. That's what Sam got. And he didn't care, he helped Tommy through it, helped to get him on his feet and pushed him when he needed it.

Look where that got him. Blinding lights, filled audiences. Tommy couldn't have been more happier.

A clap on the back made Tommy jump and quickly spin around to see who the culprit was.

It was his dad! Sam!

"I'm so proud of you, kiddo." Sam said, opening his arms out in an invitation for a hug and, of course, Tommy took it, crashing into his dad's warm arms.

"You were awesome up there, like always." He continued, not having left enough room for Tommy to reply.

"Thank you." Tommy whispered softly, burying his face into the crook of his father's neck and sniffing his shirt for the familiar smell of safety.

A silence.

"Do you..." a pause.

"Do I?" Sam prompted with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you think she'd be... proud of me?" he asked quietly. He missed her, he really did. It was hard growing up without a mother, the only thing you have of her being old photos from when you were a toddler. It wasn't fair on Tommy. Why did everyone else get to have their mums and not him?

"Oh, Toms. She would one hundred percent be so so proud of you. She is so proud of you. She's watching you, from wherever she is. She loves you so much, even if she isn't here to show it." Sam reassured softly. And that's all Tommy needed to smile and call it a day.

With a hug to his father, a quick conversation with his friends, Tubbo and Ranboo, he went home and straight to bed.

What a day he'd had.

He's got an even better day tomorrow.

AN

WOOOOO

BOY AM I GLAD TO BE DONE WITH THIS BOOK!!

YES THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER !!!

i did delay posting this for a long time because i thought it was cringe and it just really wasnt at all up to my standards (the whole book wasnt tbh) but i just decided fuck it and posted it.

i hope you enjoy like i didnt enjoy writing this hahahahahahaha

im hilarious

bye.