A/N: So here we have the product of an author who becomes obsessed with a few songs for about a week and then decides to throw them together into one story. Be warned: I have another one in mind. Plus D of F is still running, I'm just very busy...

Warning: I am hungover. Please read on if you wish :) Also, I disclaim any ownership of HM or the song lyrics involved to make up this...thing I've written.

Enjoy.

Gold

If this is what we've got,
Then what we've got is gold.
You're shining bright and I want you,
I want you to know…

It was seventy-two degrees, with zero chance of rain. The day had been perfect and now the sun was setting and the night was about to begin.

Miley Stewart smiled to herself as she eased her foot down a little lower on the accelerator and gave her car that extra burst of speed on the highway; the roof was down and her hair streamed back behind her. The world was tinted amber behind her large sunglasses and it felt good to have the wind rolling over her face.

She was back in California after a hectic tour as Hannah Montana across Europe during the last part of the summer which had taken about a month. Miley had sorely missed her friends and tonight she had a house party planned at her home on the beach. Her father was out of town and she had invited practically the whole of ex-senior year just before they all set off for their different colleges.

The red convertible eased its way through Malibu and she felt the permanent smile on her face grow as she clocked the streets she knew so well. She steered herself down a familiar route that took her to a car-park set on the edge of the water. The ocean was spread out before her with the sun descending down towards the waves, but not quite there yet.

Miley pulled haphazardly into a space and killed the engine. She ran her fingers through her hair a few times, pulling it back over her shoulders before turning her rear-view mirror towards herself and checking her reflection. Miley flashed a grin at herself, set the mirror right and eased herself out of the car. She tugged down on her skirt until it covered her thighs more decently, closed the door behind her and aimed towards the beach.

The car's lights flashed behind her when she zapped it locked and slipped the keys into her bag. The heels of her cowboy boots clicked against the tarmac surface and she hummed quietly to herself as she walked over to the place where they had all planned to meet that evening.

Her two best friends were already at the waterfront, leaning against the old concrete ledge with their feet in the sand whilst they stood in the orange light and watched the sun complete its journey towards the waves.

Oliver Oken, with his hair recently cropped slightly shorter, had both of his arms spread out behind him along the top of the wall. His fingertips were tapping out a tuneless rhythm on the hard surface; his right hand edging nearer to the shoulder of the girl standing beside him as they scanned the horizon. The girl apparently didn't notice Oliver's intentions and stood near him with her arms crossed over her torso, her head tilted at an angle which was looking away from Oliver and towards the clouds. She was probably studying their turn from creamy white to stained pink.

Miley stopped a few feet away and watched her friends. Lilly Truscott changed her stance slightly as she shifted her weight onto her other foot and Oliver, momentarily taken off-guard by her sudden movement, retracted his hand quickly and ran it through his hair.

Miley smiled, and then cleared her throat, "Hey."

Lilly's head snapped around at once and all of her previous disinterest in the situation fled from her features at once. "Miley…" Lilly murmured in a breath that sounded like she had been holding it for a long time.

"Oh, hi Miles." Oliver greeted her somewhat awkwardly.

Miley merely raised an eyebrow in response and looked Oliver over quickly with scrutiny hidden behind her dark shades. He didn't see this, however, for a brighter grin overtook her hostility.

The brunette crossed the distance until she reached the edge of the concrete barrier, "Erm, a little help here?"

Lilly laughed lightly and at once offered her hand to Miley, who took it slowly, relishing in the feel of Lilly's soft fingers curling around her own before she hopped down and her boots sank into the sand.

Miley embraced her best friend at once, "Hey." She whispered softly into the cascade of gold that was Lilly's hair, and she was squeezed even tighter. "Can't breathe, Lilly!" Miley choked and when the blonde released her she laughed even louder.

Oliver shuffled over and was awarded with a hug of his own, "Missed you, Miley." Oliver grunted emotionally and Miley sighed.

"It's been too long. I thought the tour was never gonna end."

"Well it has and now you have a great party lined up to celebrate." Lilly chirped brightly from the other side of Miley.

Miley refocused all of her attention on Lilly at once, "You're right, although the people coming to the party can't know this. Obviously we're all gathered together as a last goodbye before college."

"Of course." Lilly grinned and gazed into Miley's eyes with an affection that burned.

"So, what time does the party start?" Oliver interrupted their moment, as Miley knew he would, and she turned reluctantly away from Lilly's sky-like eyes.

"In about an hour."

"…Is the house going to be ready by then?" Oliver asked hesitantly.

Miley laughed, "What else do you think I've paid a host full of party planners for? And I even got Jackson to supervise so I think it's gonna be a good setup."

Lilly looped her arm through Miley's suddenly and all of Miley's attention was back to her, "Can we go there, like, now?"

"What's the hurry…?" Oliver started to ask.

"Of course." Miley murmured. "Are you gonna be alright getting there Ollie? I only have space for one other person in my car."

"S'fine. I drove over here anyway." Oliver replied and shrugged his shoulders in resignation. "I'll see you there in about an hour."

"As late as that?" Lilly asked.

"Hey, boy needs some time to get looking sharp." Oliver replied and popped the collar of his shirt.

Miley chuckled, "We'll see you later Oliver."

Oliver grinned and heaved himself up over the ledge to walk quickly to his car, right at the back of the parking lot.

Miley turned to try to figure out how she would get back up the wall, until Lilly's hand on her arm stopped her. "Wait, Miles. Can we just watch the sun set first?"

Miley let out a long breath and leaned back against the barrier with Lilly. "Sure."

x-x-x

Lilly was looking at her reflection in the mirror on the door of the secret Hannah closet, which was heavily padlocked, with deep concentration as she applied mascara to her eyelashes. Miley was watching her covertly from behind.

Her blonde best friend was wearing her tightest pair of black jeans, which hugged her behind closely and made her legs look even longer. On Lilly's top half was a long, loose top that was secured in place with a large waist belt. She looks really good, Miley thought to herself.

Miley ran her hands over her dress, smoothing it out where the material had bunched around her belt, and pulling strands of her hair from being entangled in the long necklace which hung down to her stomach.

"Do I look okay?" Lilly asked when she turned away from the mirror.

Miley quirked an eyebrow, "You look great." She replied, without looking up whilst she plucked some fluff from the shoulder strap of her dress.

Lilly crossed the room until she was standing just in front of Miley, who took a glance to find Lilly blinking rapidly and then her eyes became still again, "Is my make-up smudging?"

Miley smiled, "No, it's not."

Lilly grinned back, "I've been applying the stuff for the last four years of my life and I still can't get it right."

Miley paused before reaching out to adjust Lilly's lopsided necklace, until all the beads were parallel to their matching colours, "I think you're pretty without any make-up on." She conceded quietly and Lilly's cheeks flushed pink.

"So, who's coming tonight?" Lilly asked breezily as she turned to float back to the mirror and apply the last touches of lip-gloss.

"Everyone" Miley confirmed.

x-x-x

Miley and Lilly descended the stairs to the lounge with Miley a couple of steps in front. Both girls gazed in admiration at the scene which Jackson had helped to arrange for them.

"You like?" Miley's brother asked when they reached him on the ground floor.

"Jackson, I love it." Miley replied and looked over the house with one hand on her brother's arm, which she squeezed to show her appreciation.

All of the furniture had been moved out, probably to a holding space somewhere, to leave a huge space for a dance floor where the television watching area normally was. Miley hadn't realised how big the room was before, but when she had Jackson measure it during their phone conversations whilst she was on tour he had assured her it would do.

Lights had been wired in that would work in time with the music, so there was no need for a DJ. A play list had been set up for the night and was to be operated discreetly by Jackson on a laptop if people had requests for songs they liked.

On top of the kitchen island were huge piles of plastic cups and a big bowl filled with a suspicious looking punch. There was a keg of beer on the worktop and various bottles of vodka, Bacardi and other such spirits. The back door onto the beach was open, as was the front whilst Miley awaited her first guests.

"Tonight is going to be a good night." Lilly predicted quietly from behind Miley.

x-x-x

The house was filled with a mixture of different colours and sounds due to the amount of people that Miley had managed to cram inside, with enough space to still move around.

Lights flashed; red, purple, green, blue and yellow, each time briefly illuminating the features of her guests who moved on the dance floor. Miley knew every one of these people and she moved through them as lithely as water slides off a plane of glass. They made way for her and acknowledged her as the hostess, offering to fetch her drinks and dancing alongside her.

"Looking hot Oliver." Miley complimented her best friend where he leaned against the back doorframe beside Jackson, who was holding a bottle of beer whilst Oliver swigged from a large plastic cup filled with the red punch.

Oliver allowed Miley to kiss him on the cheek, before he pointed forward with the hand that was holding his drink, "Not as hot as Lilly tonight." He replied and Miley's eyes automatically followed him to where Lilly was holding her own on the dance floor.

Miley's lips curled into a smile, "She's having a good time."

"She's missed you." Oliver muttered and Miley looked away.

"Yeah, well, I've missed you guys too." She glimpsed back to Lilly who was laughing with Joannie as they attempted to remember the dance moves for one of their favourite tracks.

"Miley, drink." Jackson said and pushed some punch into her empty hands.

"Thanks." Miley replied and took a sip. She felt the spirits burn the back of her throat and knew her head would be light after only one cupful. "Jesus Jackson, what's in this stuff?"

Jackson smirked, "Let's just say I found one of dad's old recipes. We have fizzy wine, vodka, some orange flavoured liquor and maybe a dash of brandy." He ticked each of the ingredients off his hand while he talked and Miley held her cup up in front of her, regarding it closely before sipping from it again.

"I hate to admit it but it's pretty good."

"Packs a punch, right?" Jackson giggled at his pun and Miley quirked an eyebrow.

"Have you had any of this already?"

"Only a mouthful or so…" Jackson shrugged, but he looked guilty.

Miley took another drink and marvelled that she knew where the liquid was travelling to in her body. It was almost as if she could feel it drop into her stomach and she acknowledged this wasn't necessarily a good sign.

"Wanna dance, Miles?" Oliver asked and she nodded.

"Let's go."

The pair made their way over to the floor, where people moved over and welcomed them in. Miley let the music carry her over to Lilly and Joannie, who greeted her brightly. Lilly's lips were stained a little red and Miley knew instantly that she had been helping herself to the punch.

"Great party Miley!" Joannie shouted above the noise to Miley who mouthed a thank you in return.

The music changed into another of Miley's favourite dancing songs. She had meticulously selected every track that would be on offer and as such knew it would be difficult to stop dancing. There was enough music on the play list to keep them moving until dawn, but with the energy and the alcohol that pumped through Miley's veins she felt in that moment that she could have danced until she died.

"Do you want another drink?" Lilly asked Miley a couple of songs later. Miley let the lyrics trickle through her for another chorus and then she gave in to her thirst.

Lilly gripped Miley's hand whilst they moved through the crowds towards the island in the middle. The contact was unnecessary, but too familiar to the girls for them to want to let go of each other.

The blonde was grinning as she poured them both heavy measures of vodka and then mixed a little cola in. "Here you go."

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Truscott?" Miley asked in a low voice.

Lilly tilted her head to one side and her eyes sparked brightly before they dimmed and became neutral, "Of course. That is, if I'm going to have my way with you later." Lilly winked and then laughed, immediately erasing the entire connotation.

Miley smiled, "I wouldn't put it past you."

The song switched then and Lilly's expression lit up at once, "Michael Jackson? Dude! I love it!"

Miley laughed, "Lilly, firstly I'm not a dude and secondly, yeah a Michael song is on."

Lilly's face suddenly became very concentrated, and she began to mouth along with the words, before forgetting her inhibitions in front of Miley and singing in full, "…Billie Jean is not my lover! She's just a girl who claims that I am the one, but the kid is not my son…"

Lilly waggled her finger close to Miley's nose and Miley burst out laughing. Lilly was drunk and completely out of tune, but it was enough to make Miley's heart thud hard; although that could have just been palpitations from the alcohol.

x-x-x

Oliver and Miley were laughing and she was leaning against the island in the kitchen to keep herself stable. "…And all I wanted was a hotdog!" Oliver exclaimed dramatically and Miley wiped the tears that had streamed from her eyes.

Jackson was smiling with them, "You and Lilly were lame at pretending to be Miley and me when we snuck out to separate parties."

"No way, man," Oliver argued back, "your dad was just too wise. You know? That guy is always on top of things."

"I hate to admit it but, yeah, he is." Miley nodded and chuckled again.

Jackson put his drink down on the side, "I'm gonna go to the bathroom and then come back and find some of my music to play."

Miley rolled her eyes, "Oh please Jackson, don't put that on us. We just want to have a good time tonight and that means keeping guests at a party."

Jackson stuck his tongue out at her, "There's nothing wrong with a little grinding music."

"Hey!" Miley called after his retreating back, "We're keeping this party clean Jackson. I don't wanna be the one in charge of mopping up the stains." Miley shuddered and Oliver laughed.

"Cool it, Miles. People aren't about to start having sex in the lounge."

Miley wrinkled her nose, "Not actual sex, but dry sex, ya know?"

Oliver raised his eyebrows, "You did not just go there."

Miley blinked, "I must be drunker than I thought I was."

"We're all a little bit drunk tonight Miley." Oliver admitted, before happily taking another mouthful of beer.

Miley frowned and sipped from her concoction of vodka and soda. "Hey Ollie, as a drunk friend, can I ask you something?"

Oliver lowered his drink, "Sure."

Miley chewed her lip hesitantly whilst she found her words through her slightly alcohol-muddled brain, "What was going on with you and Lilly on the beach earlier?"

"What?" Oliver's jaw tightened and Miley noticed.

"I saw you. Oliver, do you like Lilly?"

Miley had turned to face Oliver fully and he reflexively took a step backwards. "No."

"It's okay if you do, you know? It's not a crime."

Oliver shook his head, "It's not okay for me to like Lilly, and I don't."

"Why is it not…" Miley began, but Oliver cut her off.

"Miley," he held out his hand, palm upwards, entreatingly "I can assure you that I don't like Lilly. I'm just… What's the word? Oh, protective of her."

Miley straightened herself up, "And what does she need protecting from?"

Oliver shook his head, "I don't know. She just seems… Well, not really very Lilly and hasn't done all summer."

Miley looked over to where Lilly was dancing solo in amidst the packed crowds of people there, "She looks fine to me."

"Now she's okay." Oliver mumbled and he seemed somewhat bitter.

"That's more like it!" Jackson's cry of victory interrupted anything else Miley could think of saying as he bounded towards them and clapped his hand down on Oliver's shoulder.

Miley's ears tuned in to the song at once and she groaned, "Flo Rida?"

"Hell yeah." Jackson nodded and got a hi-five out of Oliver.

Miley grimaced and turned her attention back to the dance floor, to watch the effect the music would have on her guests. As expected, the proximity between males and females was dramatically closed and her high-school friends celebrated the lowering of the tone, in the descent of their bodies to the floor as they got low.

Then her eyes wandered over a sight that she wasn't accustomed to seeing and reached over to tug on Oliver's shirt, "Ollie, who's that guy behind Lilly? I don't know him."

"Hmm?" Oliver was craning his neck forward to where Miley's finger was pointing, "I don't either but I think he's a friend of Matt's. He arrived with him tonight."

Miley's eyes narrowed as she noticed where Matt's friend's attention had become fixated. "He's staring at Lilly's ass." Miley said in a cold voice.

"Err… yeah." Oliver replied weakly.

It was as if a red wall was building up in front of Miley's eyes and she continued to watch the guy as he moved nearer, until he was standing closer to her best friend. Then, and Miley's heart hardened to see it, he placed his hands on her waist and started dancing behind her.

Miley whimpered and put her hand to her throat suddenly when she heard the sound. She didn't know where it had come from. She glanced back over again and the wall of red just grew higher.

"He can't dance with her like that." Miley said flatly and Jackson looked towards her with confusion in his eyes.

"It's not against the law, Miley."

Miley didn't even bother to glare at him. She kept her eyes glued on the way the boy's crutch was grinding up against her best friend's behind and it made her feel like her insides were being smeared with grit.

Oliver shifted awkwardly beside her and Miley closed her eyes, bowing her head downwards to take a deep breath, confirming with herself that it was a free country and that Lilly was indeed allowed to dance with whomever she wanted. Even if he was a rapist, arse-clinger who deserved to have Miley's heeled shoe shoved up his…

Miley shook her head and opened her eyes, wiping the mutinous expression free from her features. And then she found Lilly again, who was watching Miley now whilst the boy moved behind her. Miley's composure softened and she forced a weak smile.

Lilly reached out to remove his hands from her hips and turned to say a few words to him with an apologetic grimace. He only shrugged and moved off to the side, scanning for another girl to take her place.

Then Lilly raised her hand and beckoned for Miley to come over. "Jackson?" Miley murmured to her brother, "Change the song. But, do it discreetly."

Jackson winked before moving to find his computer and subtly phase the music out. Miley discovered that her legs could still carry her over to Lilly and, ignoring everyone else, descended into the crowds.

Oh… L.O.V.E… oh, L.O.V.E…

Miley laughed and pivoted on the spot to look to her brother, who only shrugged with a big grin on his face. She had asked him to change the tone, but switching on an old Hannah track was definitely a strange song to play.

Lilly gladly welcomed the change and danced over to Miley, taking both of her hands in her own and twirling Miley around.

"We all wanna believe in love! We all wanna believe in something, bigger than just us!" Lilly sang, or shouted, above the music and Miley laughed all the louder when her best friend went out of her way to dance erratically to Miley's soppy old song.

"We have such a long way to go, but I know we're getting closer everyday!" Miley sang with her friend.

She was surprised to see that Lilly was enjoying the music as much as she was, but then the blonde had always professed to be Hannah Montana's number one fan. Her face was exultant as she sang each word of the song. Lilly's blonde hair flew everywhere as she jumped about, crashing into other guests and spilling people's drinks. Miley could hardly take her eyes off her.

"It's love, it's love…"

"…That's bigger than us!" Miley finished the line and Lilly went crazy, before collapsing into Miley's arms for a close hug.

"Miley," Lilly said breathlessly into Miley's ear, "it meant nothing, you know? That guy, I don't even know who he is, we were just dancing."

Lilly's mouth was hot against her skin and Miley pulled away, to meet Lilly's eyes with strong conviction in her own, "Lilly, it's okay. I know it didn't mean anything." Miley replied and smiled brightly. "You can dance with whoever you want to."

Her best friend grinned, "Good, because I just want to dance with you for the rest of the night."

Miley put her hand to her chest; she could have sworn that her heart had just turned over itself. "Well, I'm not going to be the one to stop you."

x-x-x

The floor was sticky beneath their feet from the amount of drinks that had been spilt on Robbie Ray's precious hard-wood floorboards. Miley made a mental note to clean it all up later as her heel accidentally sent another empty cup spinning across the room.

Dancers had thinned out gradually over the past hour, since dawn was not far away and her guests had either left for their beds or passed out. Some had undoubtedly taken solace with each other in the Stewart household's many rooms.

Miley stopped dancing and cast her eyes over Lilly, who was still swaying to the track with her eyes closed and lost in the music surrounding them. Miley smiled before reaching out to rest her hands on Lilly's hips, at the top of her best friend's skin tight jeans.

Lilly's eyes opened and then an instant grin quickly overtook her confusion as she noticed it was Miley stopping her. She became still at once. "The morning's on its way." Miley murmured, "I think everyone's said goodbye now… Do you wanna stay the night?"

"Sure." Lilly's smile softened and then she looked about her, as if aware for the first time of the lack of people in the room. "Wow. Everyone really is gone."

"Not quite!" Oliver stumbled in from the back door. "Jackson passed out on the beach." He sighed, "Too much punch." Oliver shrugged and Miley laughed. "It's not funny!" Oliver grimaced, "He started telling me he loved me and that we had a 'Bromance' and then he vomited in the sea."

Miley laughed even harder and Lilly joined in. "W-where is he now?" Lilly asked in between gasps.

"Still out there." Oliver groaned, "He started singing Hannah Montana songs so I left him to it."

"Oliver, that's not a very responsible thing to do." Miley chided him, "Can you please put my brother to bed?"

Oliver scowled, "He's your brother."

"I can't lift him." Miley shrugged. "Plus, you want a bed for the night? Well, looks like the only space left is sharing with him."

Oliver ran his hands through his hair and released a groan of discontent, "Aw man. Not after the 'Bromance' speech and everything?" Miley nodded stoically, "And after he puked…?"

"Hey, I would say you can take the couch, but it's either bunking with Jackson or the floor." Miley replied and pointed to the boards covered in cups and various spilled liquids.

"You owe me." Oliver grumbled and turned to assist Jackson on the beach.

Miley grinned at Lilly, "Shall we go upstairs?"

"Sounds great." Lilly's eyes lingered on Miley for a little longer, until Miley placed her best friend's hand in her own. She ran her thumb over the top of Lilly's and then carefully took the lead back up towards her room.

Miley pushed open her bedroom door and her eyes widened. "Erm, Lils, looks like this is a no go area tonight." Lilly frowned and peered past her best friend.

"Gosh..."

The room was house to no fewer than eleven sleeping teenagers. Miley's bed was spilling over with three girls, and on her small couch two boys were leaning against the arms with their mouths open. Others were sleeping on the floor, underneath the bed comforter which was spread thinly over them. Her balcony doors were open and she could have sworn there were people snoozing on the deckchairs.

"Guest room?" Lilly offered.

This room was also full, and Jackson's had a stray male passed out on the floor when Miley poked the door ajar. "To be honest, this one was never an option." Miley whispered.

Her father's door was locked and Miley groaned when she pressed her shoulder up against the barrier and tried harder. "Dang flabbit. Daddy always knows…" Miley sighed.

"We could walk to my house?" Lilly offered weakly.

Miley shook her head, "There's one room left."

Still holding Lilly's hand she indicated a door that was often overlooked in the house. Lilly raised an eyebrow, "Someone would have taken this already."

"Please," Miley murmured, "this room looks like a frickin' closet. Plus, the key's up here." Miley winked and reached above to a small ledge where her fingers grasped a little key that unlocked the door. "The emergency bedroom." Miley said and she pushed the door open to reveal a small room.

She walked in at once but Lilly paused in the doorway, "Are we both going to sleep in that bed?"

Miley glanced over to the single bed which was pushed up against the wall. "We've shared a one-man tent before, and that wasn't a problem…"

Lilly nodded, "Just wanted to check you were okay with sleeping with me. I mean, sharing a bed." Lilly swallowed and reached up to push a little of her hair back from her face.

Miley tilted her head to one side, "If you want you can sleep here alone and I'll find somewhere else."

Lilly stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She shook her head, "No. I'll sleep with you."

It was as if a hand had grasped at Miley's heart and she could only nod. Her eyes cast aside to the small window which had a view that looked out over neighbouring houses. "The sun will be up in an hour."

Lilly was standing closer. "Miley?"

"Yeah?" Miley turned back to her.

Lilly was fiddling with her necklace, "Nothing." Her eyes shifted to the floor, "Just, thanks for a great party."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Lilly replied and there was a distinct tremble in her tone. When she glanced up again, her voice was stronger, "Really, I'm fine."

Miley nodded and looked to the bed again. She inhaled shakily, and then put on her mask of confidence. Lilly was still standing quietly near the door and Miley made her decision, unclasped her belt and then reached up to find the fastening of her 's eyes widened when she realised that Miley was slowly sliding the zipper of her dress down and releasing inch after inch of bare skin on her back.

The dress slipped off Miley's shoulders, to the floor.

"M-Miley?" Lilly gasped as her eyes descended on her best friend, standing only in her underwear before her.

Miley's necklace fell down between the curves of her breasts, concealed in a black lace bra with matching pants. "I can't sleep in my dress." Miley stated simply.

Her burning eyes locked onto Lilly's face, "Are you going to sleep in your clothes?"

Lilly couldn't stop her eyes from roaming over Miley's body, "I-I don't know." She looked helpless and Miley smiled softly, approaching her best friend.

"Just tell me if you want me to stop." Miley said hoarsely and Lilly's eyes blazed when Miley's hands landed on the buckle of her belt.

Miley slowly drew back the leather strap until the metal clasp popped out and Lilly's belt joined Miley's in a pile on the floor. Then Miley's fingers curled beneath the hem of her shirt. She was aware now of the alcohol which still plagued her system. Where before it had made her head fuzzy, she felt refined in her thoughts as the effects wore off, leaving her only with this calm confidence that contrasted neatly with the rising heat which rolled from her skin.

She began to lift the shirt up and smiled when Lilly complied in the raising of her arms. This item of clothing soon landed on top of Miley's dress.

Miley's hands drifted down until her fingers were toying with the button at the top of Lilly's jeans. Her eyes hovered over the swell of Lilly's breasts, where she could admire them from above, and she felt her pulse throb in her throat, and between her legs.

With one deft movement of her fingers, the fastening of Lilly's jeans was released and the zipper slid down with Miley's nails delicately scraping the material of Lilly's underwear beneath, without seeming to.

It was enough for Lilly and she called out to her best friend in a strangled whisper, "Miley?"

Miley's eyes flickered up at once and her oceanic blue eyes met Lilly's sky-like irises. "I want you." Miley whispered, "I want you to know that."

Lilly's eyes were half-closed with desire, "Is this a dream?"

Miley shook her head and leaned in to kiss Lilly's lips softly, before drawing away, "No."

"Thank god…" Lilly gasped and, wrapping her strong hands into Miley's hair, crashed their mouths together tightly.

Miley's arms circled Lilly's waist, to stroke the smooth skin of her tanned back, pulling Lilly towards her and pushing her back against the door in the same movement.

Lilly moaned against Miley's mouth and then broke away from her lips to press heated kisses against her cheeks and along her jaw, "Your heart's racing." She whispered as her lips ghosted over Miley's throat.

"You turn me on…" Miley replied in a moan, "It's those damn jeans and your eyes and… Everything. Lord, Lilly…"

Miley's hands changed their attention and started tugging at Lilly's jeans. Lilly returned her kisses to Miley's mouth and then assisted her in pulling her tight pants away from her legs.

Miley adored the feel of Lilly's bare legs pressed up against her own as she thudded Lilly into the door once more. She was ravenous for the other girl's touch and soon her hot mouth was at Lilly's neck, lightly biting and kissing down her skin. Miley could taste the perfume that still lingered there and she whimpered from the longing which the fibres of her being held for this other girl.

Then Lilly was fighting against Miley's pressure and pushing back herself. She was directing Miley to the bed where both girls fell heavily on top of the mattress. Lilly pinned Miley down and kissed her soundly, before pulling away and meeting Miley's eyes with a burning expression.

She didn't need to say anything and her hand slipped lower. Lilly kissed Miley sweetly, with a sincere passion, leaving Miley knowing that what had happened that night was very real.

x-x-x

Gold light splashed Miley's naked body with the colour of the dawn that was passing through. She lay with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling of the small bedroom with a wide smile creasing up her features into an expression of pure joy.

Somewhere amidst the lurching of the bed springs and the frantic kisses, where hands had driven mouths to cry out squeals of pleasure and moans of passion, both girls had fallen asleep; though this was not until they were both exhausted in each other's arms.

Miley inhaled deeply, taking the fresh air of a new day into her lungs. One of her hands was tucked behind her head and the other was tangled in the sun-kissed strands of Lilly's hair, spread out across the pillow. The blonde girl was fast asleep beside her with a leg thrown across Miley's waist as she lay on her side, facing Miley. Her breasts were pressed together desirably, and partly crushed beneath the arm that was reaching out to Miley, ending in a hand that was an inch short of cupping Miley's breast.

The placement of Lilly's hand had Miley's breath hitching at once, especially when Lilly stirred in her sleep, emitting a soft moan and her fingers slipped cruelly lower. Miley's smile grew in recognition of the familiar pulse between her legs and a vein twitched in her throat when she wet her lips, which tasted of something very sweet indeed.

Slowly, Lilly's eyes blinked open when Miley's fingertips drifted from her hair to trace soft patterns across Lilly's cheek, chasing the light of the dawn across her face.

"Hey." Lilly muttered sleepily, her eyes becoming brighter at once when she found herself lost in Miley's adoring gaze.

"Hey to you too." Miley murmured.

Lilly blinked then and in the motion she broke their contact and swept her sky-like irises over Miley's naked torso. "When I met you on the beach yesterday evening, I don't think I could have predicted waking up like this." Lilly admitted quietly with a yawn.

Miley smiled peacefully, "Me neither."

"You didn't?" Surprise took new light in Lilly's eyes and Miley chuckled softly.

"Nope. I had no idea. I know that I wanted it to happen… I knew it the moment I saw Oliver's arm creep towards you along the top of that wall."

Lilly's expression shifted instantly to confusion, "I don't know what you mean."

Miley shook her head, her brunette curls rustling over the pillow, "I misinterpreted his intentions. Like always." Miley rolled her eyes.

Lilly smiled knowingly, "You always see the things you shouldn't take note of and you're blind to everything that you really should realise is important."

"Like you."

Lilly swallowed, "I don't know that I'm important…"

"Trust me, you are." Miley's throat tightened. "You were all I could think about whilst I was on tour. Whenever I saw a pretty attraction, or sat a while on my own in a park, or enjoyed a good meal, I thought of you. I was so alone without you there, and the thought of returning to you just made the Californian sun shine even brighter."

Her best friend blushed, "Stop being so nice."

"Can't help it. And I'm going to get a lot nicer."

"Really?" Lilly groaned, yet in her eyes there was growing a burning excitement.

"Yeah. You're going to hate it when I take you out for dinner tonight and then later ask you to be my girlfriend."

Lilly bit her lip, but the action was not enough to help the smile from making itself known, "It sucks that I've never been able to say no to you."

"Sure does." Miley sighed, "It also sucks that we're going to be sharing a room at college, and that I'm going to make love to you every night."

Lilly buried her face in the pillow and Miley laughed triumphantly, before reaching beneath to draw Lilly back out again with a gentle hand.

"Can I tell you something?" Lilly asked quickly, her cheeks still pink and her expression uncharacteristically anxious.

"Don't hold back." Miley replied, and her voice was deep with the desire that ran through it.

"I kind of… Well, Miley… I've fallen in love with you."

Miley smiled, "Lilly, every time you looked at me last night my heart would stop and, with just one touch, I knew that you and me had something and… I love you too."

With a cry of happiness, Lilly raised herself until she was above Miley and then leaned in to press soft kisses against her best friend's lips, cheeks, eyelashes and as much of her as she could sample in the short moments before Miley's hands found a way to hold her still. "Next time," Miley whispered, "I'm not leaving you behind."

Lilly was beaming with all the light of the sun that filled the tiny room that morning, "Then let's run away and never look back." She breathed, kissing Miley again, deeply and with a rush of feeling which she didn't even know truly existed until less than twenty-four hours ago.

You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream,
The way you turn me on.
I can't sleep –
Let's run away and don't ever look back,
Don't ever look back…