Chapter One

November 3rd

Miley forgot about her food on the table momentarily to focus all her attention on her friend across from her with the totally lost look spread across her face. "I think you should do it. What you need right now is to get away. The paparazzi, Joe, Selena, and Ashley and especially the tour may be too much to take. I love you, but all of these factors aren't making you the Demi that I love so much."

"I know." She had the saddest expression on her face, Miley wished she could fight all her demons for her but knew she had to do this on her own, even though it was breaking her. She was going to be there to catch her, though.

She held her hand across the top of the table giving her a comforting smile, letting Demi know in actions rather than words that she would be there, considering they had big ears all around them, big nosy ears.

"Thank you, Miles." Demi brushed her hand warily through her new golden locks, making them fall away from her face. "All this drama with me and I haven't even asked how you're doing with the divorce."

"I'm just... staying busy. It helps if I don't have to think about it."

"And the breakup?"

"The same. He was seen with a model last week." She shook her head as if it didn't matter. "Life goes on. We just have to stay away from the people who bring us down."

"Just don't make the mistake that I did." Demi said. "I lost everyone. Even Joe's parents are mad at me."

Miley wanted to tell her that some people didn't matter but she didn't want to sound like a hypocrite. She always lived by the saying 'every person matters'. "Not me. You'll always have me." Miley said instead. "Eat something."

November 5th

After seeing Demi off and hugging her for about ten minutes, Miley returned to the hotel exhausted. She collapsed on the suite's couch and sighed pushing the button on her remote, turning the television on. There she was again. Center story on ENews. Miley Cyrus once again tangles with paparazzi. Miley punched the button again turning the television off, then threw the remote at the tv. Why couldn't she just exit a restaurant in peace? Was she the most interesting thing tonight? No Kardashians to follow? She groaned when her cell phone rang, not really wanting to talk to anyone but Demi. She reached in her bag and glanced at the caller ID. Nick Jonas. Surprise. She hadn't seen him since September 16th. She and Demi had attended his eighteenth birthday dinner along with Demi's ex, Joe, Joe's current girlfriend, Ashley and Kevin and Danielle. Demi had also brought along Robert Kardashian to make it seem as if she had moved on from Joe. It had been a very intense night but they had to keep up appearances. She hadn't talked to him since then and didn't want to talk to him now. Miley brought her attention back to the call and answered the phone. "What do you want?" She snapped. Appearances definitely no longer needed to be kept.

"I'm worried about Demi. They're saying some pretty bad things about her. That she punched one of her backup dancers. She threatened Ashley. She has bulimia. She.. She's going into rehab?"

"Did you call me about the latest news, to tell me what's going on with my best friend? Because I can assure you. I know exactly whats going on. I've been here everyday, Nick. Everyday." Miley could feel the tears hit the back of her hand that was laying in her. "She feels like she's been left out of some club. I didn't have the nerve to tell her that your group, your so-called friends, are the people in high school no oneshould look up to."

"Miley." There was a long pause on the other end if the line.

She shook her head from side slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose between her index finger and her thumb. "What'd you call for, Nick?"

"We're all worried about her, Miley."

"Well, it's too late for that. When Demi gets back, I'm going to make sure she stays far away from you and your family andyour friends." Miley hung up the phone and threw it exactly where she had hurled the remote earlier. "Thanks a lot, Nick Jonas."

November 6th

Selena sat down across from Miley while she was eating breakfast at a lone table at a corner of an open restaurant. "Long time. No see." She joked half-heartedly. Selena and her never really talked at all, being that they were the two on and off girlfriends of the one and only Nick Jonas. They always said that there was never any tension between them to the press but in reality they just never got the hang of being around each other even though they stayed in the same circles of Hollywood. And it's not like Miley hadn't tried. They did have one thing in common. Their love for Nick.

"I hope you're not here for the Jonases. If you are, you can just go tell them I'm not telling them anything." Miley looked back down at her phone where she decided to look like she was busy.

"Nick and I are friends but I'm here for Demi. I know that you and her are closer than we are now." Selena stared down at an imaginary speck on the table.

Miley looked up at her to see why she had paused and saw tears running down Selena's face. "Oh, Selena."

"But-"

Miley stood up. "Let's talk in my car. There's no privacy whatsoever here." Miley's eyes darted across the street where the paparazzi stood flashing their cameras. She didn't wait for Selena to follow her. She just darted for her car. She didn't notice Selena until she was safely inside her car and Selena slid into the passenger seat with tears still on her face. Miley reached for her local box of tissues under her seat and handed them to Selena.

"I hate myself, you know."

"For what?"

"Abandoning her. It was just one fight and it was so stupid. I wanted someone to coddle me and tell me my music was good." She sniffled, then rubbed her nose with the tissue. "She didn't like one of my songs and didn't hesitate to tell me so. I stopped picking up my phone."

Miley stayed silent.

"Another difference between me and you. She's probably never told you she hasn't liked one of your songs."

"Friends for nine years and that's what it comes down to, Selena? Your career?" Miley nodded slowly biting her lip. "I think… some things are more important than that."

"I don't care about it anymore. I swear. I just... It was always Demi. She was always the one I was compared to. And she always came out on top. I wanted to be myself for awhile. I needed some space."

"Away from Demi?"

She nodded.

Miley's silence spoke volumes.

"I know that you're judging me." Selena stared out the car window.

"I don't judge people."

"You judged the Jonases."

Miley let out a bitter laugh. "Do you need judging like they do? Is that what you're here for? You're not them."

"I don't know." Selena finally looked Miley in the eyes. "Do you think they're bad people?"

Miley shrugged. "I just know they're not good for my friend right now. You're not a bad person Selena. Demi always spoke well about you. She always talked about your fight like it was her fault. She said she wasn't supportive of you and she always mentally kicked herself over it. I could see it in her eyes. But you can't tell everything from the eyes." Miley trailed off then looked at Selena. "As we both can attest to, because we both dated Nick Jonas."

Selena laughed but from it, Miley could tell all her sadness remained. "Yes, we can."

Miley had a sudden urge to hug Selena so she did. It seemed like they had one more thing in common. They both cared about Demi. Miley felt one tear slide down her cheek. "She's going to be fine."

November 7th

Taylor Swift. That was all that was needed to describe her second visitor. Sexy superstar country singer, dumped horribly on the phone by Joe Jonas before going on to talk about him in many more songs and skits. Some people said she overreacted but Miley always thought she acted like any other normal girl would have reacted had she been scorned as Taylor had. She dated Taylor Lautner after Joe, who played a certain gorgeous werewolf on a famous vampire series. Miley had been a fan if it herself. She had dumped Taylor in December of last year right after her twentieth birthday even though most people say she's still in love with him. She says she felt them getting too serious too fast, but Miley knew the real reason. Taylor had been concerned about their age difference. Everyone kept picking it apart like it a scab that needed to be uncovered. So therefore from then they had turned Taylor skeptical over the little over two year difference. She moved on to John Mayer, a fellow singer, who again broke her heart and then to another sexy actor, Jake Gyllenhaal, who she's dating now. Miley and her had been friends for awhile now.

Miley smiled moving in for a hug. "Hey, girl."

"That's the first time I've seen you smile in weeks." Taylor's arm stayed tight around her. "Paparazzi can't even get a grimace out of you."

Miley pulled back then gave Taylor a sad sideways smile. "Bad things happen to the best if us." She said simply.

"I know. I heard about everything. I'm so sorry. I should've gotten here faster."

"I understand. The record needs publicity. You have to do that. And plus, I had Demi. I wasn't alone at all."

"Now you are." Taylor led Miley over to the bed noticing the dark circles underneath her eyes and the cell phone broken on the floor by the television. She nodded to it. "Someone bothering you?"

"I got a call from Nick. He wanted to know about Demi. I don't take calls from that crowd well as you can see. Especially calls from the people who wore her down."

"How are you getting calls?"

"I'm not. I don't need Ryan Seacrest calling me trying to get the scoop."

Taylor nodded. "I think we need to cheer you up. What's something that cheers you up?"

Miley pulled her IPod from her sweater pocket and turned the song she had been listening to earlier.

"Back To December?"

"No. Just your music in general."

"Can you turn that one off, please?" Taylor made it sound like a polite request but Miley saw the pain cross her eyes and knew she meant business. She cut the song off and took Taylor's hand.

"Listen. I know what it's like, Tay, to still love someone when you break up with them. Out of anyone, I know. And I make it a rule to not give any advice on the subject because I'm definitely not an expert on love, but I do want you to know I understand. You could talk to me if you want."

Taylor shook her head. "I'm not even going to get into it. I've been trying to move on and it's working so far." she looked back at Miley. "Hey, you're a great friend. Demi is pretty lucky to have you. Tell her to be strong. From me. I have to split." She smiled. "Jimmy Kimmel is promoting my CD on his show." She hugged Miley and quickly left.

Miley decided to let that awkward situation go and hightail it down to the store to get another cell phone before Demi called or worse, her parents.

November 8th

Miley was sick to her stomach. And she was tired. She felt like if she went to sleep she wouldn't wake up for days. She slid her new cell phone she bought after Taylor left yesterday. She checked her messages. None. She wondered why Demi hadn't called. Maybe they weren't letting her make any calls. That was okay with Miley as long as they made her better. It was Monday. A new week. A new beginning, she hoped. Except her new beginning began with a stomachache, a headache, and a conscience ache. Her mom had called earlier. She said Mr. Jonas had called her. She had also decided to reiterate why she thought it was important that Miley should think of others' feelings. Only, that's all Miley did. Constantly thought of others. It was better that the Jonases know nothing. For their sake and Demi's. Mileys mom had said that she set up a meeting with the heads of the Jonas family and no matter how much she vehemently vetoed that decision, her mother fervently ignored her request. Her phone rang and she instantly answered startled out of her haze of thoughts. "Hello."

"Miles, hey." The sad voice over the phone line snapped Miley to a sitting position. "I called you like two days ago and your phone was like 'sorry. The phone you have called is unavailable'."

Miley laughed softly at Demi's impression of the mechanical voice. "Hey. Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I broke it along with my remote. I had a difference of opinion with the television."

"Oh, they're talking about me, huh?" Demi sounded as if she was biting her lip.

"Yeah, but we had to expect it, right?"

There was a pause on the line and Miley called out Demi's name into the receiver.

"Can you do something for me, Miley?"

"Always."

Demi smiled. "I'm sort of rethinking telling Joe and the others how I'm doing so… could you? Well, not Joe directly, but... you know."

Miley took a deep breath. "Why?"

"I know you don't care for them but Nick, Kevin, and Danielle were my friends and I don't want them to worry about how I'm doing."

Miley nodded. "And how are you doing?"

"Fine. I'm good. I sort of won't be able to call you for a couple weeks because they're afraid of outsiders being the ones who allow things to get inside my head. They don't really say it but I can tell that's what they're thinking. The only reason I'm able to make this phone call is because I told them you were the one who encouraged me to come here."

"Alright. I love you, Dems."

"I love you, too, Miles. Phone hug."

"Phone hug back. Bye." Miley hung up before she got choked up. She, then thought about telling the Jonases about Demi. She was going to do it, but she was going to do it her way, not theirs. She was going over there.

A Few Hours Later

"Why? Why? Why?" She had constantly berated herself on the way over here to their house. She sat in the car by the gate waiting for security to buzz her in with clearance from the Jonases. The gate made a clucking sound as it started to squeak forward allowing her to enter. She drove her car through the gate and parked it at the door for a quick getaway. She was greeted by Nick and Big Rob. She gave Nick a simple head nod with her hands in her pocket. She smiled at Big Rob. "Hey, big guy."

"I don't get a hug, young lady?"

"Of course you do." She raced the two feet to him, throwing her arms around Big Rob as he squashed her body in his tight hold, and she felt, for once, in these horrible two weeks as if she weren't hugging someone to comfort them or herself. She turned to Nick as Big Rob released her. "Needed a bodyguard to defend you against me?"

"I don't know. Did you come for a fight?"

"Not today. Demi wanted me to inform you of her condition because although you may not care-"

"I care." Nick interrupted, discontentedly. "How is she?" He asked quietly, leading her in the house with Big Rob following them.

"I'm going to tell everyone at once, so I can just head straight out after."

"You're just going to leave?"

"I didn't come for a friendly visit, Nick." She turned the corner into a great big dining room to find the whole family waiting there. Even Elvis, the family dog. "Hey."

There was a resounding 'heys' all around until Mrs. Denise Jonas said. "You can sit down, Miley."

Kevin pulled a chair out for her next to his wife, Danielle.

If she sat down she'd have to stay but she couldn't refuse. That would make her the rude one. She slid into the seat, reluctantly. "I'm here for Demi."

"We figured as much. How is she?"

Miley's eyes went to Nicks father and then back to Nick. "Um, she's fine. She's doing good. They aren't going to let her talk to anybody in the outside world for a few weeks but she says they're okay."

"Anybody? They're not going to let her talk to anybody?"

Miley had told herself before she came here today that she wasn't going to roll her eyes at Joe Jonas but she couldn't help it when she looked over at him. "They don't change rules for famous people." Especially you, she thought.

"I didn't say that they woul-"

"Joseph!" Mrs. Jonas reprimanded. "Not now."

Joe clamped his mouth shut.

"I'm sorry. Demi asked me to come here. I really have to go now." Miley pushed out her chair and stood up. She turned to the doorway where Nick blocked her way.

"I'll see you out." Nick said before standing back to let her through in front of him.

Miley nodded a goodbye to the rest of the family before disappearing down the hall.

"Hey. Wait up."

Miley glanced behind him as she kept walking. "What? No Big Rob? Finally feel like I pose no threat?"

"When does Demi get out of there?"

Miley shrugged. "When she's better." She finally reached her car but turned and looked at him. Before she could say anything she noticed a flash and knew the paparazzi was there already. "Great. I've been here for five minutes and they've already found me. I can already see the headline. 'Miley visits the Jonases. Whose side is she on? Demi or them?"

"Why does there have to be sides? Why can't we all just love Demi?" Nick stepped forward toward Miley.

Miley shook her head. "Why don't you go write a song about it, Nick?" She stomped to her side of the car, sliding in and slamming the door. She drove off in a temper.

Why hello. I'm Carrie. This is an old story that I have already posted on Youtube/weebly. I'm posting it here for fanfiction fans. NILEY, of course, so I hope you enjoy. It also has bit of Delena and Tay-Tay.

You can follow me on twitter if you want. My username is LOLatlovingyou for now. I think I'll post some more chapters today if you want.