DISCLAIMER: MEG CABOT OWNS ALL CHARACTERS, THE RAMONES OWN 'HERE TODAY, GONE TOMORROW', AND RADIOHEAD OWN 'CREEP'

Note: Due to the policy of not posting song lyrics I have not written myself, I am removing the lyrics to 'Here Today, Gone Tomorrow' from the story and from the chapter titles. Please Google them to see how they would fit with the story.

I'm baaaaaack! Yes, It's been longer than I said it would be for this to come out, but I wanted this to be the next story I put up, and it just took ages to get ready. In fact, it's still not completely finished, but I just want to get rid of it, it's causing too many problems.

This is the sequel to 'Creep', so if you haven't read that, you might want to read it first. And to the girl who flamed me for Creep, saying that it sounds nothing like them, remember that it's years after the books were set, and people change! So please don't read this.

Ok, the song 'Here Today, Gone Tomorrow' is property of The Ramones, but everytime I use it, it's Rooney's upbeat version. So picture that one.

And if you think the chapters are too short, they probably are. But it's hard to only use one character's POV per chapter, because sometimes I really need to change to the other persons POV, so I have to cut it off. But I'll be updating hopefully quickly. So long as I can get it finished of course.

And remember, reviews make me update faster.

Mia's POV…

It's so typical that Michael and I finally get together, and then I have to go to Genovia for Christmas holidays the very next day!

What if Michael's forgotten about me? What if he's back with horrible Holly? We hardly had chance to talk in the few weeks I've been away, I've been really busy and it's hard to dial outside of the palace.

But I'm on my way home now, home to the arms of my boyfriend, Michael Moscovitz.

It seems so weird to call him that, my boyfriend. But that's what he is now. After so long, he finally is.

Now I just have to get back to him. I wish this plane would fly faster!

I'm back! Finally!

Although, I'm at the Loft, not at Columbia. Mom wanted me to come here first, since I didn't get to spend Christmas with her either.

So I have to spend a certain amount of time mingling here, exchanging presents and eating a belated Christmas Dinner, but then I get to leave and see Michael! I just hope it's not too late to stop by and see him.

"Here, Mia," mom handed me a small gift wrapped in silver foil.

I thanked her and opened it, inside was a delicate silver chain with a small, diamond encrusted horseshoe charm. It really was pretty.

"Wow, thanks, mom." I hugged her.

"It's from Frank too," she said, indicating to my stepfather and ex-algebra teacher.

"Of course. Thanks Frank."

"No worries kiddo. I hope you like it."

"I do."

"Mia?" My four-year-old brother pulled on the hem of my knee length skirt to get my attention.

"Yeah, Rock?" I bend down to his level and he thrust a present in my hands.

"I made you something," he said, a shy smile accompanying it.

"Thanks, Rocky." I opened the hastily wrapped present to find he'd made me a colourful drawing. It depicted me and him, swinging at the playground. He'd had it framed in a simple silver frame.

"Like it?" he asked anxiously.

"It's great!" I answered truthfully. I hate recieving presents that people feel they have to give me, like they feel they have to live up to an expectation since I'm a princess. And those presents are always so impersonal, like an expensive necklace I'd never want to wear anyway. It's good to see that Rocky thinks of me as his sister, not as a princess.

I handed out my presents, things I'd gotten before I'd left for Genovia, and we sat down and stuffed our faces with the elaborate Christmas dinner mom had prepared. Well, it was elaborate compared to what mom would usually cook. Or order in for that matter.

Eventually I was released from my mother's grasp, and free to find my boyfriend.

Even though I'm dead tired, due to the time difference and all, I still want to see him. I need to. To make sure that what happened before I left wasn't a dream.

I arrived outside his door, my eyelids as heavy as two very heavy bricks, and probably as red as apples, but I don't care; and I don't think Michael will either. I knocked and waited.

After what seemed like an eternity, but was actually probably only a minute, the door opened and I readied myself for what I'd been waiting since Christmas for.

But I was shocked when the person who opened the door wasn't Michael at all. It was none other than Holly, his skanky ex.

"Oh, it's you," she said, as if she was supposed to be in Michael's apartment and I was an unwelcome visitor.

I stared at her, my mouth wide open.

"Geez, you look like shit. Well, I'd better get going; I've been here long enough. Michael! You have a visitor! Bye, I'll see you later!" she called out to him, before turning back to me. "You know, you could really do with a good nights sleep, I'm not saying it'll work wonders, not for you anyway, but it might do some good. And it wouldn't hurt if you tried not to look like a gaping frog. It might just help you hold onto your man. Although," she added in an undertone, "Sometimes nothing can help you... See you later!"

I watched her skip down the hallway as if she were on the yellow brick road.

Then I walked into Michael's room, a look of shock still on my face. What had Holly been doing here? And what did she mean by '…It might help you hold onto your man. Although… sometimes nothing can help you…."

"Mia!" Michael, sitting on the edge of his bed with his guitar, jumped up when he saw me and threw his arms around my neck.

"Uh, hi, Michael."

"God, I missed you," he said, kissing me on the lips.

"I missed you too," I admitted. "But, Michael, what was Holly doing here?"

"Holly?" he asked, as if he'd momentarily forgotten the girl who'd been in his room just minutes before. "Oh, she just wanted to resume computer tutoring. That's all."

"That's all?" I echoed.

"What, you didn't think I'd leave you for her, did you? That's crazy!"

"No, I just… I don't know."

"Mia, you have nothing to worry about. Nothing," he emphasised, kissing me more.

"Ok," I said sheepishly.

After five minutes of welcome home kissing, I pulled away to give him his birthday present, since I'd missed it while in Genovia.

"I'd rather have this for my birthday," he said, nibbling my left ear.

"Michael, just open it. You'll love it, I'm sure of it."

"Ok," he reluctantly pulled back and took the tiny box that I held out to him. "But you know, Mia, I told you that you didn't have to get me anything. I'm just happy to have you back."

"I know, but how could I not give you anything? And I saw this and knew you'd love it."

Michael sat up on the bed, his back against the wall, and carefully opened the box, revealing the teeny, tiny present inside.

"It's a rock," he said, not understanding the significance of this particular rock.

"It's not just any rock, Michael. It's a moon rock," I told him.

He gaped at me, probably just like I'd gaped at Holly earlier. "From the moon?"

"That is generally where moon rocks get their name from."

"Mia, this is too much. You shouldn't have."

"But I wanted to. You like it right? If you don't like it I can take it back. To the palace I mean, not to the moon," I was babbling and I knew it. But how can he not like it? It's perfect for him.

"Nuh-uh," he said, pulling the box from my grasp. "I'll keep it, but it really is too much."

"Well, it's my way of telling you how worth it you are. I love you, Michael." I pushed myself up so I was sitting next to him, my back against the wall and my feet out in front of me, and I laid my head on his shoulder.

"I love you too, Mia. And thanks, this is the best birthday present ever, and I don't just mean the rock."

We sat like that for a while, with his arm protectively around me as I fell asleep, succumbed to jetlag.

Hopefully I'll update soon for ya. That chapter was kinda boring compared to what's to come, but I had to include bits about her family and whatever.

Review now!