My eyes flew open at the sound of a quiet, gentle knocking on my balcony door. I rubbed my eyes as I sat up, glancing at the glass door. He smiled a cheeky grin at me as I stood up and glanced at the clock. Jesus, why was he bothering me at three in the morning? I stood up and walked over to the large glass doors, blinking a few times before opening them and revealing my unshielded eyes to the piercing moonlight.

"Hey." He greeted, a fake smile spread across his face.

"What do you want, Nick?"

"I want to apologize to you for being a jerk."

"Shoot."

"I'm... sorry?"

"You're sorry? No explanation or anything? You're just... sorry?"

"I... you don't understand," He attempted to explain, the look in his eyes pleading me to forgive him for the millionth time. "It's not because I'm ashamed of you or anything. You have no idea that I know just how lucky I am to have someone like you. It's just, do you know what they'd say? Do you know how they'd react?"

"Yeah, I do, actually. I told my parents days ago."

"But your parents love me, that's different."

"Well, I'm sorry that your parents hate me so much."

"They don't hate you, baby."

"Then tell them."

"I will." He finally gave in.

"When?"

"In the morning."

"You swear?"

"Yeah."

"Pinky promise?" I stick my pinky out, the moon's bright light illuminating my shiny black nail as his own rough guitar hand pinky intertwined with mine. He smiled at me, obviously amused with my childish ways. "I love you." I whispered as I looked back up, our eyes connecting. His held a hazy look that told me that he knew telling his parents would be worth it.

"Come on." He told me before turning around and stepping over the edge of the railing to grab the large tree that had been there since we'd moved to L.A. His hands closed around the tree as he made his way down.

"I can't do that."

"What? You grew up on a farm, you can too."

I sighed as I followed his motions, making it safely to the ground. "Happy? I'm not even wearing shoes. I can't believe you made me do that."

He stayed silent as he picked me up, and I wrapped my legs around his waist so I didn't fall. He carried me further into the yard before putting me down gently, wrapping his arms around my waist. He let go after a minute to pick my arms up and bring them to his shoulders, and then slowly began dancing, resting his head on my shoulder and humming into my ear. "I love you too, by the way."

I giggled softly. "I know, baby."

"You're so beautiful."

"I'm wearing an old tanktop and a pair of your boxers." I giggled again, my fingers playing with the ends of his hair.

"Beautiful, don't you know by now that you don't need make-up or fancy clothes to look amazing?"

"I guess not." I joked as I leaned in, and his eyes fluttered close as my lips neared his. I pressed our lips together and his hands sunk down the small of my back, holding me closer to him as he ran his tongue along my lip. I carefully parted my lips and his tongue entered my mouth, quickly intertwining with my own. I pulled away after a minute or two to take some air in, and I ran a hand through his hair gently. "Yeah, yeah I do."

"Good, beautiful." He lips landed on my neck gently. "I love you so much."

I laughed softly, my fingers still entangled in his soft curls. "I love you too, Prince Charming."

His lips touched my neck lightly again. "Forever and ever and ever and ever."

"Always." I whispered into the silent night air as we stood on the perfect lawn in my backyard, dancing together as the moonlight shone down on us like a spotlight leading the way to happiness.

"Can we go back up to your room?" He joked, and I laughed as he pulled my body up against his.

"You're such a jerk."

"I love you." He whispered again, his lips pressing against my neck over and over.

"Now you're making me feel bad," I murmured into him. "I love you too, babe."

"I know you do." He whispered, resting his head on my shoulder. "You make me so happy, Miley Ray."

"Do you really wanna go make out?"

He laughed softly as he led me towards the swing set. I sat down and he stood behind me and pushed the swing. "No, Miley."

I turned my head to look at him and shot him a smile. "Miley?"

"That's your name, isn't it?" He teased, pulling my swing to a stop to kiss me.

"Yeah," I commented as he pulled away. "But since when am I not 'Mi' or 'babe' or something?"

"Mi?"

"Mhm?"

"Shut up."

I laughed softly as I leaned up to kiss him. He ran a hand through my hair softly, letting me know that he was joking and would never tell me to 'shut up'. His tongue ran over my lower lip and I parted my lips to let him in. He pulled me closed to him, his body pressed up against mine as he leaned down, his lips attached to mine.

"I love you." He whispered again as he pulled away, kissing my neck gently. I turned my head and connected our lips again for a second and he smiled at me.

"Nick?"

"Mhm?"

"Will you sleep over tonight?"

He paused, brushing my hair behind my ear gently. "Yeah."

"Cuz I know tomorrow morning you're gonna have to tell your parents where you were-"

"It's alright."

"Hmm?"

"You're my girlfriend, Miley."

"But they don't-"

"But they will tomorrow."

"Really?"

A small smile spread over his face. "Yeah, Mi, I already told you that."

"I didn't know if you were really going to."

"Of course I am."

"Why is it that big of a deal?"

"Miley..."

"What?"

"You know how my mom is. It's not specifically who you are, it's the fact that she thinks you're my ex-girlfriend."

"Oh." I paused as his fingers ran through my hair, letting it all fall over my right shoulder. "Remember when your mom loved me and we baked cookies together and talked about you and your brothers and she looked at me with this gleam in my eyes like I was her daughter?"

"Miley, my mom adores you. Everyone does."

"That's not true, but thank you anyway."

"Come on, babe. You look really tired." He lifted me up off the swings and I almost gasped at how strong he'd gotten. He carried me to the back door of the house and inside, doing his best to be silent. He knew which steps on the stairs were squeaky just as well as me. My body was released onto the bed and he took his shoes off before laying down next to me. I pulled the blanket over us and he wrapped his arms around me, kissing my forehead gently.

"I love you." He whispered for the millionth time that night as my eyes fell shut. I fell asleep in the one place that I felt 100 percent safe; his arms.

My barefoot Cinderella,

My mom called and screamed at me for not being home this morning so I have to go home and calm her down so we can tell her later. Whenever you finally get up, get ready and then just come over. I'll be waiting for you. I'm so glad we're finally telling my parents. Maybe after we tell them we can make out in my room, or hang out with Joe, or maybe make out in my room... ;)

I love you forever,

Prince Charming