Disclaimer: All characters and events related to Hannah Montana are owned by Disney Channel and It's a Laugh Productions.

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Chapter One: Sleepless Beach

Jackson could not get any sleep. He stayed up a quarter of the night, tossing and turning in his bed. He figured he could get more sleep while lying on the living room's couch. There, he slept half the night. However, at four o'clock in the morning, Jackson woke up again, unable to fall back asleep. Frustrated, he set off to the dark, deserted beach.

Sitting down on a small hill of cool, white sand, Jackson stared out to sea as he rested his arms on his knees. A light breeze whipped through his sandy blonde hair as he concentrated intensely on his thoughts. The black waves rolling onto shore matched his eyes. Both were filled with sorrow and concern, though his feelings and thoughts were more complex than the ocean that reflected in his eyes.

Today was the anniversary of his mother's death. He had thought by now he had gotten over her death and moved on with his life, but this year was different. A few days ago, he started rummaging through dusty boxes packed up in the attic. No one had been up there since his family moved into the house four years ago. Coming across a box full of his childhood mementos, he ripped off the packing tape. Inside, he found belongings he did not even know he had. Then that is when he saw it. His birth certificate.

Jackson always wondered why his dad never gave him the same attention and affection that his younger sister got. His dad never made him feel like he was really his son. Now he knew why. According to his birth certificate, he was not even his father's son. In panic, he shoved the birth certificate back into the box and ran out of attic. He did not want anyone to know what he had just experienced. He was never in the attic, he never found his birth certificate, and his father was still his father.

Now he wanted the truth. Who was his father? Was his mother pregnant with him when she remarried? These were the thoughts that were going through his head as he sat outside in the cool morning.

The sound of someone's feet shuffling underneath the sand came from behind him. He did not look to see who was coming, nor did he question who was approaching him. He had a good idea who was there. His younger sister, Miley sat down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder, her arms wrapped around her legs. "You miss her, don't you?" she asked.

"Yeah," he responded in a soft, low voice.

"But why?" she asked, lifting her head up. "I thought that you didn't care anymore."

"Miley, she was my mom too. Of course I care," he said, trying to control himself from yelling. "I just can't hang onto her the way you do. I had to let her go."

"I'm sorry, it's just…" Tears started to form in her eyes.

He hushed her, wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to him, lightly rubbing her arm with his hand. "It's okay."

They sat together without saying anything to each other for a while, thinking of the day their mother died. "Jackson," Miley finally spoke, "Why can't you be like this everyday?" He smiled at her and shoved her at her jokingly. "Hey!" she yelled, tossing some sand at him. Suddenly they fell silent again, smiling at each other. "Come on," he said. "Let's get back inside the house."

End of Chapter One

Author's Note: This fanfiction was originally written before the release of season two. So I apologize for any discontinuities.

3 September 2007