A/N: Hi! This is my first and probably only attempt at a Liley. I've only watched the show a couple of times but I instantly loved the Miley/Lilly dynamic.

So after listening to Miley Cyrus' "Goodbye" this one-shot came to mind.

I hope you enjoy.

I only own the plot line. The two other songs mentioned are "Thunder" by Boys Like Girls and "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" by The Script (I highly recommend that you listen to this song at some point it time it is PHENOMENAL)

Miley Stewart watched the sunset from her perch upon the roof. Being up there always seemed to put things into perspective for the young starlet. No matter how fucked up the world got, the moment she settled herself up there everything just seemed to wash away; troubles, worries, everything was gone. She was left alone with the striking beauty that washed over Malibu in these short hours between night and day.

Recently Miley was spending all her time on the roof. She didn't have to worry about school anymore seeing that she had graduated from high school just over a year and a half ago and was currently focusing on Hannah in hopes of earning enough money this summer to pay for all four years of college without completely depleting all the Hannah money she had earned over the years. She wasn't sure where or what it was that she wanted to study but she knew that it was going to involve music. Maybe I'll follow in Daddy's footsteps and become someone's manager someday? Or should I start my own record label?

"All this would be easier if you were here," Miley spoke to the few stars that had decided to make their appearance for the night. Everything would be easier if Lilly was still here with her instead of God knows where.

She felt the familiar stabbing at her heart just thinking about her blonde girlfriend, or should I say ex-girlfriend? We didn't even technically break up, she just up and left me. Miley furiously swiped at the tears that threatened to fall. They were the same damn tears that were her constant reminder of the love that she still held, and would always hold for Lilly Truscott. But every time she felt the tears fall she cursed at the world knowing that she shouldn't love someone that could so easily throw her heart away.

Miley Stewart was the happiest seventeen-year-old in the world. She had everything she could ever ask for; a caring family, the life of a secret popstar, the greatest friends ever, but most importantly she was in love. But she wasn't in love with just anyone; she was in love with her best friend Lilly Truscott. That's right a girl. And it didn't matter to Miley because it felt right; it felt like everything in her life was going exactly according to plan.

"What's got my Smiley so smiley?" Lilly asked with a bemused look as she walked towards Miley. It never ceased to amaze her how with one look at her girlfriend she was able to forget all her troubles and just enjoy life for what it was worth.

"Oh nothing, just thinking of a certain someone," Miley smirked while wrapping her arms around Lilly's waist pulling the shorter girl closer.

"Hmmm and who might that be?" Lilly asked coyly knowing exactly who Miley was talking about. Slowly twining her arms up and around Miley's slender neck Lilly started to play with the hairs at the nape knowing that this simple action turned her girlfriend to mush. It had only taken her a week into their six month relationship to figure this trick, along with many others, that turned the southern belle into putty.

"I'm pretty sure you know who I'm talking about," Miley practically purred at the sensations that Lilly's ministrations were stirring deep inside.

"Is that so?" Lilly teased loving the power she held over Miley.

"Mhmm," Miley mumbled right before her lips connected with Lilly's eagerly awaiting ones. This is what Miley loved the most, just simply holding Lilly and kissing her, it was all she really needed in life. She didn't need the fame or fortune, although it was nice at times, she simply needed the love and affection that radiated in her direction from her girlfriend.

"Would you two get a room?" Jackson moaned after spotting the girls the moment he entered the ranch house. The girls broke apart and simply glared at their intruder. "What?"

"Not on my watch," Robbie Ray spoke flatly. He loved the girls dearly and supported their relationship in every way possible but he didn't let that sway his belief in no sex before marriage.

"Don't worry Daddy," Miley spoke dryly while pulling Lilly onto her lap as she took her own seat on the couch. Miley kept her attention on playing with Lilly's hands instead of the conversation.

"Miles?"

"What?" Miley asked with the most confused look on her face. She hadn't even realized that Lilly shifted position so she was now sitting sideways on her lap. She was too busy with her fascination of Lilly's perfect fingers and how they easily fit in the spaces between her own, like there were made for each other.

"I just wanted to have a word with you on the porch," Robbie sighed really wishing that he could just get this conversation over with, it would be by far the toughest one he would have with his daughter.

Miley wordlessly stood from the couch lifting Lilly with her. She made sure to leave a chaste kiss on the blonde's lips before following her father outside.

Miley looked to the stars letting the tears fall. It was useless at this point to try and fight them; they had just become too powerful over Lilly's two year absence. "Why would she leave me? I thought she loved me?" Both questions that remained unanswered and would probably remain a mystery.

"How could she have known what we were talking about?"

"What do ya wanna talk about?" Miley asked slightly irritated at being interrupted from her much desired Lilly time. Ever since they had come out to their parents as a couple things were rocky to say the least. Robbie had supported them every step of the way while the Truscotts had put road blocks at every possible turn.

"It's just that…" he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He really hated what his dual duties of father and manager forced him to do. "I've noticed recently that things on the Hannah end have been suffering ever since you and Lilly started dating and I think that it's best if you two slow things down."

He waited with baited breath for the out lash that was awaiting him. But it never came. He opened his eyes slowly to be met with Miley's tear stained cheeks.

"How dare you," she whispered before disappearing back into the house.

The tears continued to fall as Miley thought about the last waking hours that she spent with Lilly before her life came crashing down. She had run up to her room not caring that Jackson and Lilly could see that she was clearly upset, she just needed to get away from her father before she did anything that she would regret. She expected Lilly to follow her upstairs but what she didn't expect was for that night to be their first and last time together.

"Why would she do that to me?" Miley choked out.

"Your voice was the

Soundtrack of my summer

Do you know you're unlike any other?

You'll always be my thunder"

Miley's head snapped towards the balcony doors where the haunting lyrics were coming from. "It couldn't be," she whispered not believing her own ears. She hadn't heard that ringtone in over two years and there was only one reason for that, it belonged to Lilly Truscott.

"And I said, you eyes

Are the brightest of all the colors

I don't wanna ever love another

You'll always be my thunder

So bring on the rain"

Miley sprinted through the balcony doors not being able to restrain herself, she couldn't shake the thought that this was actually happening, Lilly was actually calling her. And she knew that if she missed the chance to talk to Lilly she would be kicking herself all over Malibu and the rest of the country.

"Lilly?" Miley questioned, she couldn't restrain the slight pant to her voice, it was like ever cell in her body was on overdrive preparing her for whatever was going to happen.

"You remember when we kissed?" Lilly's whispered not trusting her voice with anything stronger. It took every fiber of her being to build up the courage to call Miley let alone, talking to her was a whole other story. She originally had every intention of calling Miley just to hear her voice, the voice that had always had a way of bringing her strength and comfort, the exact same strength and comfort that she needed right now. But the moment she did hear that voice she couldn't stand the thought of not hearing more. When Miley didn't answer Lilly continued. "I still feel it on my lips."

"Lilly, where are you?" Miley pleaded. She could hear the loneliness in Lilly's voice but there was something else, something darker and she couldn't put her finger on it and it scared her. Lilly's voice never carried darkness it was too beautiful to hold anything other than happiness. So she waited with baited breath for Lilly's answer. Minutes passed before she finally heard the voice she had dreamt about.

"Our spot."

"Don't move I'm on my way," and with that said Miley hung up her phone and was off like a rocket tearing through her house.

"Where's the fire bud?" Robbie Ray asked from his seat on the couch.

"Nothing's wrong. I just forgot that I was meeting Oliver at the beach. I'll be back late, don't wait up," Miley yelled over her shoulder on her way out the back door.

The pounding of her feet against the sand matched the beat of her heart against her chest. She couldn't believe that after all this time Lilly had called, her Lilly had finally broken the silence. It was so surreal but at the same time Miley could just picture Lilly waiting at their spot, waiting for her. What if she leaves? Her strides quickened at the thought that Lilly might leave before she made it, before she got to see her.

And just like that Miley was standing ten feet away from Lilly and she had never felt better in her life. It was like every night spent crying was washed away, every ounce of pain and sadness was gone with just being in Lilly's presence. The blonde had her head bowed but that didn't deter Miley's steps towards her, it didn't stop the magnetic pull that always brought them together.

"Lilly?" Miley asked tentatively. She could sense the apprehension coming off in waves from Lilly and it unnerved her. Never before had Lilly been nervous around her and that frightened Miley. Maybe she didn't want to see me.

"Miley," Lilly choked out not believing that Miley had actually come to see her. Not in her wildest dreams had she thought that Miley would come to her after everything that she had put her through. After every unspoken word that had formed over the two torturous years they had spent apart. But that was just another reason that Lilly had so easily fallen in love with Miley, her heart. Her heart that saw no evil that believed in the good in people. And Lilly knew that it was Miley's heart that had brought her out to their spot.

Without another word Miley took the final strides towards Lilly not being able to bear the separation any longer. Engulfing the smaller girl in a hug she couldn't help but feel like all the pieces to her world were starting to fall into place. She finally felt Lilly's arms wrap around her waist and let out a content sigh as their bodies molded together like they had on so many previous occasions.

Miley heard Lilly whimper when she tightened her grip on her small frame. Pulling back, only to arms length, Miley took a good look at the girl standing before her. Lilly kept her head bowed, for some reason that Miley couldn't understand, and her shoulders were ever so slightly trembling, like she was restraining from crying.

"Lilly, look at me," Miley demanded softly. She couldn't understand why Lilly wasn't making eye contact; better yet she couldn't understand why Lilly suddenly stiffened at the sound of her voice. "Please, I've missed you so much."

Slowly, and reluctantly, Lilly lifted her gaze to meet Miley's awaiting one. She sighed knowing that Miley wasn't going to be happy with what she saw, hell she wasn't even happy with what she saw in the mirror every day. She didn't recognize who was looking back at her anymore. The Lilly Truscott she once knew was gone only to be replaced by the shell of a person that she was today.

"L-Lilly," Miley stuttered. "What happened?" She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Lilly's beautiful face was marred by cuts and bruises. The inch long cut descending from her hair line seemed like the opportune place to start her examination of Lilly's injuries; ten shades of purple discolored her left cheekbone while a single red line split the right corner of her mouth.

"Miles?" Lilly asked while nervously shifting her eyes over Miley's face for any hint of emotion. The scrutiny of Miley's gaze was startling, the Miley that Lilly knew two years ago would have been halfway to the police station by now but this Miley couldn't seem to understand what she was seeing. "Mi…" Lilly trailed off as she watched Miley's fingers slowly move towards her cheek.

Lilly let out a sigh filled with content as she let her eyes flutter shut. The soothing and caring tingles running through her body from the simplest of touches from Miley brought back so many wonderful memories that even she had forgotten about. Even though Miley was tracing over the bruise on her cheek she didn't feel the pain, in fact all the pain in her body had vanished the moment she heard Miley's approaching footsteps.

"Who could do this?" Miley asked her whisper almost lost to the crashing of the waves, how could someone harm such a beautiful person?

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Lilly sighed. She really didn't want to go over this right now. All she wanted to do was cherish this time with Miley because she wasn't sure when it would come around again.

"Try me."

"I really don't wanna waste time on that," Lilly smiled hoping that Miley would just let it drop for now. She could see the struggle in the brunette's eyes, the Miley's were dueling. On one hand there was the always vigilant and protective side that would stop at nothing to find out what happened but on the other hand there was the Miley that just wanted to live in the moment and cherish and make up for their missing two years.

"Fine," she relented once again not being able to deny Lilly anything. "Why'd you finally call?

"Not beating around the bush," Lilly watched as Miley cringe at her choice of words. "Sorry," she whispered hating herself for making Miley so uncomfortable. How had everything gotten so fucked up between them? Easy genius, you fucking abandoned her after you make love to her for the first time. You don't call to let her know where you are. You suddenly call her after two years and show up looking like someone's punching bag. Any of these are perfectly good explanations, Lilly berated herself.

"I heard Hannah's new song and I guess it just made me realize that I couldn't live with this broken heart any longer. I knew the only chance I had at fixing it would be to at least hear your voice," Lilly finally answered. It was true; she'd been living with a broken heart ever since the moment she left Miley's room that fateful night. All the beatings that she'd received over the two year were nothing compared to the ache in her heart, if anything they became a welcomed distraction from the pain.

"So you just wanted to hear my voice? You didn't want to see me?" Miley asked while taking a step back from Lilly. She couldn't believe what she just heard. On one hand she was floored that Lilly had heard her song, after all it had been written for her. But on the other hand Lilly just wanted to hear her voice and nothing more.

"No!" Lilly shouted when she saw Miley taking further steps away from her. "No," she whispered as she retreated back into her shell. "I wanted to see you, I've wanted to see you ever since I left you it's…it's just that I was scared to see you."

"Why would you be scared of me?" Miley asked not being able to contain her heart break.

"I'm not scared of you, I was scared of what you'd think when you saw me," Lilly sighed not even fully understanding her fear. Deep down she knew that Miley would never judge her but on some level she was scared that even Miley wouldn't be able to accept her for everything that she'd been through.

"What're you talking about?"

Lilly could only scoff at Miley's question. "Do you not see what's right in front of you? Can't you see what I've become? What I've always been?"

"I don't understand," Miley whispered not knowing if her voice could hold anything stronger. She was slowly watching the breakdown of a stranger. This was not her Lilly Truscott that was standing before her; this was the Lilly Truscott that had fallen victim to the cruelties of the world.

"You wouldn't," Lilly spat. She hated that this was how her reunion with Miley was going but if this was what it took to get everything out in the open then Lilly was ready for anything.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" Miley snapped back.

"You wouldn't understand what it's like to be hated by your own family," Lilly yelled. Her breathing was erratic, she could feel the pains from her probably broken ribs but it didn't matter, nothing mattered if Miley continued to remain blind to everything. "Your family loves you. Your family wanted you. Your family doesn't resent you for every breath of air you take. You're loved and cared for, so no, you wouldn't understand."

Miley remained silent, she couldn't even begin to form coherent thoughts let alone sentences. It seemed that there was a lot that she didn't know about Lilly and that scared her. They were best friends above everything and they were supposed to know everything about each other; the secrets, heartaches, joys but for the first time since she'd met Lilly it felt like she didn't know her at all.

"Lilly, I don't know what to say."

"I wouldn't expect you to," she sighed. This really wasn't how she wanted things to go. All she wanted was to be back in Miley's arms and forget about everything.

"Then why don't you explain," Miley said finally taking steps towards Lilly not stopping until she was at arm's length from the blonde.

"There isn't much to explain. My parents didn't want me plain and simple. They just wanted Will and Ashley and I was their mistake that they were stuck with," Lilly sighed making sure to keep her head bowed. She was ashamed of the tears that were threatening to fall at the poor excuse of parents that she was 'blessed' with. She was ashamed that no matter what her parents did to her she would always love them. "So in order to make it loud and clear that they never wanted me my dad would beat me, ya know just to prove a point."

"I never knew."

"I didn't want you to know," Lilly sighed finally looking up. She watched as the tears poured from Miley's eyes and couldn't contain her own. "I didn't want you to realize what they knew all along. I didn't want you to see that I was a mistake."

"You could never be a mistake," Miley gasped as she pulled Lilly into a hug. She ran a soothing hand up and down her back as she let Lilly cry into her shoulder. "You have and always will be the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Really?" Lilly sniffled as she finally pulled her face from Miley's shoulder.

"Really," Miley said while nuzzling her nose against Lilly's. "You've always had this uncanny way of making me happy when it seems that everything is just falling apart. Even over these past two years I was still able to smile when I thought of all the good times we've had together."

"Now I know you're lying," Lilly chuckled despite herself. She loved that Miley was trying to make her feel better but she knew that not even Miley could've thought of her fondly in her absence.

"I'm serious. Whenever something went wrong with Daddy or Jackson or even Hannah all I had to do was think about you and I'd be happy. I wouldn't think about how you left but I would think about the everyday things. Like surfing, I would simply think about you out on the ocean gliding on those waves and I'd be able to turn everything that was going wrong around." Miley smiled as she watched the twinkle slowly return to Lilly's eyes, I'm getting to her. "All I had to do was think about the reason that I fell in love with you and everything would be ok."

"You're too good for me," Lilly whispered as she rested her head against Miley's shoulder. She could hear Miley's heart beating in rhythm with her own and it was the comfort that she had been looking for when she first dialed Miley's number.

"Nah, you deserve every ounce of it," Miley smiled as she planted a light kiss in the blonde tresses. They stayed intertwined like this for several silent minutes just taking in the comfort they brought each other. "We should really get you to the hospital."

"Way to ruin the moment," Lilly chuckled knowing that there were going to be many more moments like this in their future.

"If ruining the moment means that you're gonna be heeled then I'll ruin all the moments we have," Miley smiled down at Lilly.

The girls had gotten back to the Stewart houses from the hospital well into the wee hours of the morning with Lilly donning a cast on her wrist, an ice pack pressed to her cheek, a butterfly bandage on her forehead, and some pain medication. They had silently climbed the stairs to Miley's room not wanting to wake Robbie Ray; neither of them was ready to deal with explaining everything, at least not until morning.

The sun shone through the balcony doors lighting up the bedroom with a soft, warm, yellow glow. Miley had been awake for a bit and was just simply watching Lilly as she slept. In the light of day she could see all the stress that had overtaken Lilly's usually soft features. But Miley knew that things would get better with time, especially seeing that Miley had every intention of having Lilly stay with her.

Lilly began to stir, she could feel someone's gaze fixated on her. Blinking slowly, she was met with the most beautiful smile she had ever seen. Miley was just looking at her with the most adoration in the world and it easily brought a smile to her own lips.

"Morning," Lilly mumbled into the kiss that she placed on Miley's still smiling lips.

"A very good morning," Miley mumbled as she snuck another quick peck. "Did you sleep well?"

"Only the best sleep I've had in the past two years," Lilly replied with a smile a she snuggled further into Miley's side.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything," Lilly replied knowing that what Miley wanted to ask had something to do with her absence.

"Why did you leave?" It was the simplest question that Miley was pretty sure she already knew the answer to but she just had to know.

"I heard you talking with your Dad and I heard what he said about us and Hannah and…well…I didn't want to ruin your dreams too," Lilly sighed. She could tell without even having to look at Miley that she was confused by her response so she continued. "When I was born I ruined my parents' dreams and I just didn't wanna ruin yours too. So I left. I never meant on completely leaving but when I got home that night I found my room all packed and a 'SOLD' sign on my front lawn. Apparently my parents had sold the house and had bought an apartment in L.A. I wanted to tell you but there was this voice in my head telling me that my leaving was the only way that I wouldn't ruin Hannah for you."

"I wish you had stayed for just one more day," Miley sighed. "When I woke up that morning and saw that you were gone I knew that you had left because of what Daddy had said. But if you had stayed you would've heard me yelling at him telling him that the only reason I was still even performing was because of you." Lilly lifted her head from Miley's shoulder to give her a questioning gaze. "Hannah is more of a burden than anything. I was just getting tired of dealing with the double life but I wanted to make enough money so that we could have enough to live off of for the rest of our lives."

"Wow," Lilly whispered as she rested her head against Miley's shoulder.

"Yeah," Miley sighed. The shocked look on her father's face was all she could see. She knew that her conversation with him about Hannah had taken him by surprise. It had even surprised her at the resentment that she felt towards her alter ego but she was happy she had that conversation with her father. If it hadn't been for that talk Miley knew that her relationship with her father would've turned sour at a moment's notice.

"Miley! Breakfast!" Robbie Ray's voice filtered up the stairs.

"You ready for this?" Miley asked Lilly as they both stretched bracing themselves for what was about to happen.

"If it means pancakes them I'm ready for anything," Lilly smiled while holding out her unbroken hand for Miley to take.

Miley reached the bottom of the steps first noticing that Jackson's attention was glued to the TV while Robbie Ray's was still on the last bits of breakfast.

With a quick glance over his shoulder Robbie Ray let out a disgruntled sigh. "Miley if you would've told me that Lilly was staying over I would've made more…" but his rant trailed off as the words suddenly registered in his mind. Robbie Ray spun around and stood stock still as he took in the sight before him. Without a word he walked over to Lilly and engulfed her in a hug.

There was much to be explained but Miley knew that everything was going to be ok.

THE END

I really hope you enjoyed!

=D