I'm really tired.

"Miley!" Justin's voice echoed throughout her mind, knocking on the walls of her skull; bouncing back and threatening to knock her unconscious.

I've never really understood the need for sleep though.

The coffee shop fell silent as all eyes watched the falling girl. Everything was slow, her eyes closed slowly, her knees buckled slowly and the semi-content smile that slid onto her face came slowly.

8 hours you've wasted. 8 hours that could have been used to change the world. To make a difference.

"What's wrong?" a woman holding a two year old screeched. "Is she breathing?" a red headed employee exclaimed from behind the counter. "I've got 911 on the phone!" another employee shouted.

I don't like dreaming. Not while I'm asleep. Fantasizing is pointless when all your fantasies lie within your reach.

Justin pushed through the growing crowd surrounding Miley. He let his drink slip from his sweating fingertips and crash to the floor, letting the liquid spill out. "Miley" he whispered, brushing his fingertips against her cool, slowly paling cheeks.

Sleep catches up to you though. Pulling on your limbs, tugging at your thoughts and slipping into your muscles, and sometime…

Sirens sounded.

It wins.

Brandi sat silently next to Miley's hospital bed. She fiddled with her fingers for a few minutes, looked up to check on her sister, then went back to fiddling with her fingers; a routine. "Gonna talk soon?" Miley spoke up. She sounded fine, if you didn't look at her, you'd even assume she was fine. However, Brandi brought her eyes to meet Miley's dull blue ones and saw the exhaustion peering through. "You should've told us sooner" Brandi's voice was low. Miley rolled her eyes playfully, "We would've slowed things down until you could've handled it again" Brandi stared at her younger sister worriedly. The bags under her eyes were growing and becoming darker if that were even possible. Miley had claimed it was from dehydration, but that doctor had said it was from exhaustion and overworking her body … and that's all Billy Ray had needed to hear. Her photo shoot and interview with Teen Vogue tomorrow had already been cancelled.

"Don't you think you may be making too big of a deal out of this?" Miley had argued. "Rest Miley, that's all you have to worry about, resting" Trace smiled sweetly, brushing the hair in Miley's face out of her eyes. "Really that's all you need" the doctor started, "lots of sleep and fluids to stay hydrated…" Miley opened her mouth to interrupt, "No, you didn't faint from dehydration, it was exhaustion, so shut up and listen to the man" Braison cut her off, annoyed. For some reason this little downfall effected him the most it seemed. Everyone else in the family except Noah, who was currently with Mammy, had expected this sooner or later. The ladder being more anticipated. However, Noah and Braison had always looked at Miley as if she were a working machine; one without any malfunctions, a non stop worker. So this came out of no where to him and his little sister.

Now Miley lay in her bed while Brandi reprimanded her. "You can't please everyone all the time Miley. You need to slow it down." Miley inwardly groaned, "I don't want to slow things down and I'm not taking on too many things" she fought back. Her muscles ached and her eyelids felt heavy, but she tried to hide it to her best ability – for them to see her weak, she couldn't even imagine. Brandi stood from the sterile couch and walked over toward Miley's bedside. She took Miley's thin hand into hers and rubbed her thumb across Miley's three fingers. "Are you having those bad dreams again?" Miley looked away, directing her attention onto the window, luckily the blinds were open. "Miley … are you?" Brandi pushed.

"I brought bagels from Panera" Tish, Miley's mother, burst through the door wearing a calm look on her face. "French toast bagel for MRC of course" she smiled toward her daughter who was beaming because:

1. She just learned she was getting a free French toast bagel from Panera

2. Her mother had just saved her from a very, very complicated question.

Brandi's expression hadn't changed; she was still staring at Miley … blankly. Tish click clacked her way over to Miley, handing her the bagel and a hot chocolate. "Yum" Miley licked her lips. She quickly pulled her hand from Brandi's grasp and grabbed the hot chocolate greedily; Brandi's arms fell limp to her sides. Tish pressed a button on her Bluetooth and immediately began chatting. "Miley…" Brandi whispered. Miley reluctantly looked up from her hot chocolate, the cup of hot liquid still pressed to her lips.

"You've got Noah?"

"Please answer me" Brandi's face was scrunched up in concern. She's the only one that knew about the dreams.

"No, you still have to take her to school – I know it started three hours ago, but she still has to go!"

Miley casually took another sip of her hot chocolate and ripped a piece of her bagel off and stuffed it into her mouth. "You can tell me" Brandi tried to persuade her by using a soothing tone.

"I know she can be very persuading, but no matter how many times she pouts, she's going" Tish groaned, flipping the phone shut angrily, "Noah is such a little briber" Tish shook her head.

"Was that Mammy?" Miley spoke. Tish nodded, walked over to Miley's bed and sat at the foot of it, ripping a piece of Miley's bagel off and stuffing it into her mouth, "Noah's got her on lockdown." Brandi felt defeated and sat back down on the couch, her shoulders slumped.

Dr. Hanrahan sauntered into the room, wearing a bright smile and whiter than white lab coat. "Hi Miley" he greeted her. "Hi" she sighed. His eyes shifted to Tish, "Would you mind joining Mr. Cyrus and I in the hallway, Mrs. Cyrus?" he asked her politely. Tish nodded her head, dusting the crumbs off her white tank top and cardigan, "Not at all."

Soon it was just Miley and Brandi left in the room. "Brandi?" Miley finally spoke up after a few moments, "Yeah?"

"I promise to tell you about the dreams if you go down to the café and grab me some French fries" Brandi eyed her skeptically for a moment.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Brandi then disappeared through the door. Go time.

I don't like to sleep, closing my eyes scares me.

Her fingers gripped the wheel; she fought the urge to close her eyes as she sped down the back roads. "Just a little further…" she whispered.

Being unconscious. Not being able to pull yourself out of that dream. The one that haunts you … that's scary.

Turning the wheel to the left, she drove down the quiet rode. Her arms shook from anxiety. She just wanted to get there already.

How can you fall asleep not knowing what you're going to wake up to?

She dragged her body through the woods, wincing once when a stick scraped against her bare ankle. The jean capris she wore enclosed around her knee while her white, baby doll top fell loosely around her thin frame. A stream running was just ahead, she could see the thin line of water. It soon became bigger and bigger and bigger, until finally – she was standing in front of it. Her eyelids locked on the stream, the water flowing gracefully.

It was like a dream …

Skipping from rock to rock, she crossed the stream. Once on the other side, she began to run. Pushing her body to move forward; ignoring the stabbing pains in her thighs and the wrights resting on her eyelids. Her breath was shallow and her knees were weak, but she pushed on … she pushed on.

Her heart soared as her eyes set sight on the fort. The wood was split in many places, some of the blankets they used to separate room had torn or fallen, the ladder they used to climb to the "loft" was missing a step, but in spite of all that, it still looked beautiful.

A smile slowly grew on her face. It got bigger by the second, for she got happier by the second. "I'm here" her eyes were glistening. Slowly, she walked toward the fort, the grassy field enveloping her small body. Just a few more steps, just a few more steps. As she neared the ladder, she thought she saw a dark figure underneath the loft, in the small corner where they used to keep the leaves they used to pretend were food. They being she and him. Him being her worst nightmare. Her worst nightmare being … well, let's just keep it as her worst nightmare. She waved it off and climbed up the ladder; her hands gripped the bars as she tried to steady her feet.

7 more steps.

6 more.

4 more.

3 more.

1 more.

She lifted her weight of her body onto the flat, wooden surface and let realization sink in. She was back now; back home. She let her back rest on the siding that had their handprints imprinted on it; hers in purple, his in red. She sighed, turning her body to look at them. Involuntarily, the tips of her fingers traced the handprints longingly. The ladder creaked and she could hear the blankets down below whipping in the wind, her heart sped. "Hello?" she tried to say, but nothing came out. "Hello?" she tried again; still her voice was not cooperating. She gripped the small stool beside her; maybe she could use it as protection. Again, the ladder creaked. It would have to do. One more creak, she squinted her eyes so they weren't closed but her vision was blurred.

"I thought I head someone up here" a familiar voice passed through her eardrums. Her eyelids flew open, her lips not parted in surprise. He smiled sweetly, "I know, I didn't expect you either. I kind of came here on a limb." Still, she just stared at the boy, no teenager, no … man? He stepped further into the fort, closer to her. Her breath hitched. He sat down beside her, but left enough room for comfort. "So what brings you to 'Heaven'?" he asked curiously.

Heaven, that's what they had named it. Their getaway. Their escape. Their home away from home.

"I had to escape for a little while…" she didn't know how she was speaking, but she was. "From Tish? BRC? Brandi?..." he paused and swallowed the small lump in his throat, "Justin?"

"No" she shook her head, "Uh … from the hospital, I guess." The color in Nick's face was slowly draining, "Th-the hospital?" he paused, "What were you doing at the hospital?"

Miley stared at the opening her had just walked through, "I fainted in Starbucks" she replied simply, shrugging her shoulders casually.

"Wow, I fainted in Starbucks" she whispered to herself, laughing slightly. How could she do something like that?

"Nothing terrible, they say I'm exhausted, being overworked. But, they're over exaggerating." Nick furrowed his eyebrows, "Mil-" he started, trying to get her attention.

"Really, I'm fine. I don't see why they're making a big deal out of something so tiny" Miley forcibly laughed. Nick watched Miley smile, it wasn't right when it was fake, it didn't look ok on her. "Miley?" he whispered, "Hmm…?" she turned to him.

Blue & brown finally met, "When was the last time you've slept? Like a good, long sleep, where you're so comfy in your bed that all the bad thoughts are gone and all you can think about is the way the blankets are covering your body and how your head is snuggled into its pillow…" He had noticed the bags under hr eyes and the way she held her body the second her set his eyes on her. "Umm … a week ago?" she answered softly. "Miley…" his voice hardened. She sighed in defeat, "at least a month and a half ago."

Nick didn't respond, he simply slid closer to her until their shoulder were touched, "Lay your head on my chest" he whispered.

"What?" she asked, shocked.

"Just do it" he smiled sweetly and guided her head to his chest. She stiffened once she felt his skin underneath hers, but then slowly melted. "Why?" her voice squeaked, "It's ok; you can close your eyes."

Her heart immediately started to race and she pushed his body away, "No, I can't sleep… I can't."

This is the scary part.

"Miley, it's fine! I'll be here to guard things. I'll protect you" he promised. She shook her head frantically. It wasn't what was on the outside that she was scared of, but what was on the inside, what she created."Please Mi, I don't like seeing you like this…"

He was here. He wasn't leaving. That's what she kept telling herself. This wasn't like the other times, he wasn't going to disappear.

"Promise?" she breathed out, leaning close to him.

"I swear."

Once again, she rested her head on his chest, "Close your eyes" he whispered. So she did … and it didn't hurt. Not even a little. The darkness behind her eyelids comforted her and his arms encircled around her waist warmed her, while the warm breeze tickled her exposed skin and gave her that extra push as if to say, you're safe, it's ok. "I don't want to sleep" she mumbled against his plaid button down shirt he wore with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his grip tightened on her, "Let's go to Mexico" he whispered.

"What?" she laughed softly while opening her right eye half way to look at him, "Just bear with me" he smiled. Closing her eyes once more, she snuggled closer to him – she had missed this. "Ok, so we're in Mexico…" she muttered.

"It's late at night and the stars are out, shining so brightly that you're practically glowing."

She snorted which caused his smile to widen. "We're at the beach and the sand is so smooth and white."

"I like sand that's smooth and white" she tried to stifle a yawn, but failed miserably. "The water is so clear and refreshing, but it's not time to go swimming, not yes. Right now all we want to do is lie on the sand and stare at the stars. All night long and when the sun rises we'll feel reborn and renewed. We'll laugh and we'll play in the water-" his voice faded away as she sank into a deep slumber. The last thing she felt was his lips pressed to her forehead.

Slowly, she began to pull away from her dreams and return to reality. She dug her head deeper into the pillows and pulled the covers higher, up to her chin.

Wait – pillows … and covers?

Her body flung forward so that she was now sitting up in her bed. Why was she in her bed? Where was Nick? Then it hit her.

A silent tear rolled down her cheek, then more came and a quiet sob slipped out. Then they became louder and louder and louder until finally Brandi burst into her room, "Miley, Miley!" he exclaimed. Miley sat on top of her bed, her covers pushed to the bottom of the mattress and the pillows crinkled from her crushing them with her fists before. Her body shook as the tears and sobs continued, "You didn't…" Brandi started.

Miley nodded her head, "I had the dream again…"

Dreaming, that's easy. Waking up? That's what's hard.

Please tell me you all understood that. So everything I wrote there was her dream except for that last part with Brandi&Miley. Review please?

lovelovelove,
emkearsexx