Disclaimer: I own nothing/no one except the plot.

"Yesterday Nick and I got coffee," she decided to throw out in their conversation. Joe nodded and continue being silent. They were eating cereal in his kitchen. Nick confused Miley with his many mysteries. She still had no idea what was bugging him that badly.

Joe hadn't been acting like himself lately either. The two of them, Joe and Miley, had continued being friends through it all. Kevin had drifted in and out of a friendship with her, but overall the two of them knew the events that had occurred could never be overcome. They left it at that and haven't talked in almost a year. She wasn't even invited to his wedding.

The second-family she once had with Nick's family was close. She'd grown close to Kevin and Joe as her older brothers, she was the older sister Frankie always wanted. Their parents adored her. But one day in December of oh-seven, all of that changed and her second-family was lost. The closeness was no longer there and Miley knew it'd never come back again.

"My brother is a hot mess, Miles," Joe sighed. "He's never been himself after two years ago, you know." Miley couldn't tell if he was just trying to make her feel bad or was dead serious. All she could do was nod and concentrate on her bowl of fruity pebbles. They both were quiet for a couple of minutes.

"What's his problem, Joe?" Miley questioned, breaking the silence and stirring her soggy cereal. "When he was talking to me, he just seemed so down." Joe continued looking at the marble counter and took a deep breath. "Let's just say my brother isn't as good as you or anyone else thinks he is." Joe's attitude was similar to his younger brother. They both were upset, shameful and lacked any enthusiasm whatsoever.

"Will you two stop being so vague? It's not like I'm going to completely flip a shit or anything. Even if I do, it wouldn't be that bad." Miley tried to persuade the answers out of him, but he stayed silent. "I care about Nick and I deserve to know. Is it something with your family?"

"Yeah, something with the family," he muttered. "Honestly? Or is it just a cover-up? You boys are so confusing it drives me crazy." She pushed the bowl across the counter so that now it was in front of Joe. "Stirring that makes me less agitated, take a whirl."

"Touching your germ-infested spoon doesn't interest me," he laughed pushing it back to her. Miley just shook her head and brought the bowl to the sink. "Your secret is safe with me," she said quietly, hoping her sincerity would make him spill. He took a deep breath and then walked over to her. Leaning against the wall next to the sink, he opened his mouth.

"Speak of this and I'll deny it." She turned to face him and he shut his eyes. "Selena's pregnant." Miley's eyes widened, gained a disgusted look and glazed over. "What a little whore, I mean seriously! How dare she do that to Nick, they just broke up and now she's getting knocked up? She's so-"

"It's Nick's kid."

Miley's jaw dropped and her legs felt like they were about to give out on her. "…What?" she breathed. "Speak of it and I'll deny it," he repeated slowly, his voice shaky. Her heart felt heavy, she thought she wasn't supposed to be hurt because she had a boyfriend, because she loved Liam, not Nick. "How did this happen? They both seemed so… committed."

"Kids will be kids," Joe smiled awkwardly. "Not those kids. Not me. Stupid kids will be kids and it's shocking that he falls into the stupid category." She sat down on the stool and shut her eyes.

Her heart was beating out her chest and she couldn't determine how she felt. She was angry at him, he was so irresponsible. She was disappointed in him; he completely changed himself for the worst. She was also heartbroken over this. That one she couldn't exactly understand why.

"I'm so disappointed in him…" Joe trailed off. "He broke up with her because he's in denial. He claims it's not his kid." Miley felt a stab in her heart and had no idea why she was so hurt from his actions towards another girl. Her dazed and confused look turned into a bitter, hateful glare at the wall.

"What the fuck did this world do to him? He used to always take responsibility for the shit he did and now he's denying his own flesh and blood? How pathetic is that?" She got off the stool and started pacing the kitchen. As she paced, the boy she officially loathed walked into the kitchen. She looked up and met his eyes with the most disgusted, angered look in her eyes.

"Hi Miley," Nick greeted. "Are you alright?" She just stared daggers into him. "Okay..." he mumbled as he raised an eyebrow at her. "Miley, please," Joe whispered. That made the volcano blow.

"I hate Selena," she fumed as she inched towards Nick. "But I hate you even more. You're seventeen, where the hell is your brain?" Joe tried to clear his throat to get her attention to point out that she was getting too close to the subject. "Whoa chill out, what'd I do?" He threw his hands up in confusion.

Miley looked over at Joe and then back at Nick. "You completely shattered my heart with a ninety pound hammer," she lied storming out of the back door. Covering up for Joe's sorry ass was officially a big mistake. She knew she shouldn't have said that, he'd think she still loved him like before when clearly she didn't. Her pain and anger were all in sympathy for Selena.

Right?


A/N: This is really chatty, short and I apologize. There was so much to say and nothing to put in between and yes, I know I just posted the first chapter but I couldn't wait to get this out there. Review? :D