Just a reminder for the purpose of this story: Miley's hypoglycaemic, hence the need of sugar intakes every so often.

Chapter Three

"You started it! You kissed me!" She accused. "You came into my dressing room, you made me believe you wanted this! So don't you dare blame this on me!"

"I'm not!" I tried to counter.

"Yes you are! You're acting like you didn't even want this..." Her eyes were glassy with a layer of unshed tears.

"Miley, you left!" My voice raised in frustration. "We didn't even get a chance to talk, you simply took off!"

"Because you were nowhere to be found and I had a movie to shoot in Georgia!" The tears had finally spilled over the brim of her eyes and my heart broke little by little at the sight. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, attempting to handle the situation the best way I could.

"I needed to think."

"You let me drown in guilt. You let me believe that-" Her voice cracked and she shook her head. "Just stay away from me."

My heart dropped and my anger disappeared only to be replaced with sadness.

"Miley-"

"Just go." She choked out. The anger in her eyes wavered as she spoke up again: "I'm done."

"No-"

"No contact, Nick. It's better we stay away from each other from now on."

I woke up, pearls of sweat dripping down my temples and neck. I blinked a few times to re-situate myself. My bedroom. Toluka Lake. LA. I took a sharp intake of oxygen and dropped my head in my hands only to feel the moisture on my cheeks.

Damp streaks.

Tears.

"Good god." I muttered to myself. I threw the comforter off my body and made a run for the bathroom to wash my face. Happy thoughts, Nick, happy thoughts I tried to talk some sense into myself only to have the memory replay in my mind.

I blew out my cheeks and made my way downstairs to find the house filled with an eerie silence. It was barely day break, no wonder.

I resigned myself to watching some television until the house was buzzing with the daily routines of a 20 year old, a teenager (me), a 9 year old topped with stressed out parents.

........................

Ring. Ring. Ring.

It took her exactly three rings to cut my call and an entire five minutes to answer the multiple texts I had sent her.

I'm busy.

An answer... that was a start. It was probably the first and last I was going to get from her since the whole Selena/Liam fiasco had been set in motion. Unless...

Leaning over, I reached for my car keys and headed for the front door.

It took me exactly five minutes to pull up in her driveway and another five for her to open the door. The shouts I heard coming from her wing told me there was tension in the air and I could only guess who might have caused it... The tall Australian stormed out of the house without even acknowledging my presence.

"What are you doing here?" Miley appeared at the door, arms crossed over her chest. She did not look pleased.

"You won't answer my calls."

"There is a reason for that." She responded, tight lipped.

"You're keeping me in the dark here, Miley." She eyed me curiously.

"We agreed to stay away."

"No, you decided we were going to stay away... I never really got a say in it. You know as well as I do that things didn't play out like you claim they did."

"So what? You rock up, what, 6 months later saying you're not happy with this arrangement?" Did she always need to be so sarcastic? I decided to ignore her poor mathematical skills. Precisely nine months had passes since we had taken different roads.

"Better late than never, right?" I knew my boldness and confidence would only serve to aggravate her and I used it to my advantage.

"Why are you here Nick? Don't you have something better to do? Like- I don't know! Go visit Selena?" I smirked.

"I don't want to see Sel, I want to see you." Just like I had envisioned, her mouth twitched and her eyes blazed. Selena's nickname irked her, even more so coming out of my mouth.

"I don't think your girlfriend would like to know you'd rather visit your ex-girlfriend." She huffed.

"She's not my girlfriend, I thought you knew that?" I teased, reminding her of our first encounter at the KCAs.

"Oh that's right, she dumped you." She chuckled humourlessly.

"I didn't date her to begin with." She fought the surprised expression that was twitching her mouth. "Look" I blew out my cheeks to gain some confidence in myself "can we just.... talk?"

"Nick-"

"I'll behave, I promise." I tried to bargain but to no avail. "We can't do it here. Liam will be back any second and-" I held a hand up to stop her.

"Got it." I rocked back and forth on my feet. "So... when?"

"I'll- I'll call you."

"You will?" I narrowed my eyes disbelievingly and was rewarded with a soft laugh from her part, a laugh so unlike her signature Miley laugh, the very same laugh I had fallen in love with.

"I promise." She held her hand out as a truce and I shook it gently.

"I'll be waiting." And with that, I turned around and left, so far satisfied with her acceptance to at least talk. If I played my cards right she could just as well forgive me...

..........................

American Idol – April 2, 2010

"Why am I even here?" I groaned dramatically.

"For moral support." Demi hadn't ceased teasing me since we had set foot into the car to drive to the American Idol set.

"For you?" I scoffed. "I thought that was Joe's job."

"Well I'm making it your job too. Plus look at him, he's a nervous wreck." My eyes trailed towards my brother who was hitting his head against the wall just down the hall. I stifled a laugh at the sight and my gaze returned to Demi.

"You're setting me up." I complained.

"You'll thank me one day." She lifted her chin proudly.

"Dem, she hates me."

"Can you blame her?" Her eyebrows rose challengingly. I grunted in frustration at her know-it-all act and slumped against the wall. "It's the perfect opportunity for you to show her you meant it when you said you would be there for her. Just... take a chance for once." Her wise words had my mind reeling and my stomach clenching nervously.

"She said she'd call a whole week ago. She never did." Demi rolled her eyes at me.

"I think it's going to take a little more than a visit to her house to win her over, Nick."

"Like?"

"I don't know!" She threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "Come up with something! Use your brain!"

"Miley isn't some kind of mushy romantic."

"That's what she likes people to think." I caught the knowing look in her eye and grinned at her way of dropping a hint. Miley wasn't a romantic but she didn't mind thoughtful actions every now and then. I knew that for a fact.

Half an hour and a quick text to Rob later I was heading down the hallway, towards the backstage exit. I winked at the big burly man who had become part of my life and earned a place in each one of our hearts.

"Thanks man, I owe you." I took the bag he was handing me and jogged towards Miley's assigned dressing room for the night. I emptied the bag and hid the items behind my back before knocking against the white door.

"Just- One sec!" I heard her shout and just a few moments later, the door was opened. My eyes widened at the sight of her. She looked even more beautiful than I remembered if at all that was possible. Her long auburn locks had been curled out smoothly and her face was coated with the needed layer of makeup for a television show.

"Get in here." She grabbed my arm and pulled me inside. She was clutching a white strapless dress so it wouldn't fall off and I understood why when she turned around to stand in front of the mirror. It was only halfway zipped up, leaving plenty of skin apparent to my wandering eyes.

"Need some help?"

"Please." Her eyes met mine in the mirror as I took a step forward to help her. I set down the items I had been holding on the nearby table and proceeded to zip her dress. I gulped when I noticed the lack of a strap across her back... she wasn't wearing a bra.

"You um... look nice." I complimented as I retracted my hands a little too quickly. The feel of her skin had my head reeling and I fought to keep my hormones under control.

"Thanks." She turned around so give me a clear view and my breath caught in my throat. The corset cupped her breasts alluringly and the exposed skin of her bare shoulders had me licking my lips. I tore my eyes away from her and gestured towards the table where I had set down what Big Rob had bought moments earlier.

"I um... I got some orange juice to keep your sugar levels in check and some marshmallows..."

"You remembered." She smiled as she lunged for the bag of squishy candy she was so fond of.

"You always used to munch on them when we were on tour, before every performance." I smiled at the memory.

"They help relax my nerves." She explained as she stuck a marshmallow into her mouth.

"What nerves?" I tried to joke. I had never known such a confident person as Miley to be nervous about anything.

"I feel like one of those contestants who is going to be ripped apart by Simon." She was referring to the judge everyone knew to be brutally honest and I couldn't help the laughter that escaped from my lips.

"He is not going to tear you apart." I rolled my eyes at her as I took a seat on the arm of the small orange couch. She became silent, as if she was deep in thought, and her gaze remained focused on me.

"Who put you up to this?" Her eyes narrowed my way and I sensed the sudden shift in the mood; her tone was no longer playful.

"Up to what?"

"This whole sudden turn around."

"You lost me." I blinked in confusion.

"We haven't talked for months... and you suddenly show up wanting to talk. Geez, I'm sorry for being suspicious here, Nick!" She set the marshmallows aside and crossed her arms over her chest. She stood tall on her stilettos and she was almost intimidating.

"I already told you... I just-"

"Who?!" She demanded. "Your publicist? Your manager? Are you trying to make up for the rumours about us feuding?" Her cold words sliced through my heart and I simply shook my head. I stood up abruptly and brushed my hands on my legs.

"Miss Stewart?" A knock on the door alerted us. "You're on in five."

"Thank you." She called out through the door.

"Nick-" Her eyes softened at the sight of my hurt expression.

"Good luck out there." I answered curtly before disappearing into the hallway.

Upon reaching my brother and Demi sitting on two large crates in an adjoining hallway, I set my hands on the wall and hit my head repeatedly against it.

"That bad?" Demi questioned worriedly. Her hand came to rest on my shoulder and she rubbed my tense muscles sympathetically.

"She thinks my managers put me up to earning her forgiveness." I turned around and leaned my back against the wall. "For my reputation."

"Ouch." Joe grimaced.

"Yeah." I rubbed my hands over my face. "Maybe I should just get out of here."

"What?! No!" Demi exclaimed, wide eyed. "I need your support, remember?"

"Whatever." I mumbled tiredly.

"As soon as we're done singing you can leave. Deal?" She spoke up moments later and I nodded my head in agreement, eager to disappear before Miley could throw another harsh comment my way. Not that I didn't deserve them...

So... I'm a little disappointed with the lack of reviews and enthusiasm regarding this story... I'm usually not a quitter but I have a lot going on (like all of you, I'm sure) and although I write for the fun of it, I could very well just stop the story right here and give up on it. I was really expecting more from all my readers who have supported me through my previous stories. Most of you begged me to write a sequel to HOMH or a new story and here I am with a new one! So if you're really enthusiastic for this story and want to read it TELL ME :D lol. Even if you don't like it, tell me!

I don't mean to complain, I just thought I should be honest about how I feel!

Xoxo