A/N: so you guys keep up to date on how far along Miley is, I am including this little bit at the begining of every chapter, if I remember.

Month: August (4)

previous chapters:

1- June (nearly 2)

2- July (3)

3- August (4)

"Dad?" Miley asked nervously, walking over to where he was eating a piece of chocolate cake he had "earned" by running to get the mail. That cake looked so good.

"What is it Miles?" he asked, looking up from the cake. She grabbed the fork he momentarily dropped as she sat down opposite him.

"I want to have the baby at home" she said bluntly, taking a bite of the cake. It tasted better than it looked.

"Miles" he said, starting in on his many excuses he'd probably had lined up since that day back in May that he'd found out.

"I was born at home, right? That's what you've always told me." It was true. Miley had been born with a midwife in their bed while Dolly played with baby Jackson in his room. There was a long tradition of family members having home births. "And Lilly's mom is a certified midwife."

"Bud, if the doctor says okay,"

"She already has."

"Then my only advice is to really think this through. You're fourteen and truthfully, your mom said it was the worst pain she'd ever been through."

"I'll deal." She told him, handing back his fork and springing up from her seat.

"Miley." He said warningly, "don't jump."

"Right" she said, stroking her stomach. It was now very, very obvious, enveloping most of her petite frame, but she still had to grow more to be healthy, she hadn't gained enough weight.

That night she slept over at Lilly's, although she spent a good portion of the evening talking to her mother with Robby while Lilly finished up her summer reading requirement. Eventually the two ended up watching a movie, Lilly on her sleeping bag on the floor, Miley on the couch.

"There is no future, there is not past." Mark sang.

"Thank God this moment's not the last."

"I love this movie." Lilly sighed, picking a large crumb off her brownie.

"Yeah, and Adam Pascal is so cute!" Miley squealed, she had already finished her brownie and was now chewing on carrot sticks, as of Mrs. Trescot's and Robbie Ray's orders.

"Is that the only part you like?" Lilly asked, glaring at her.

"No, Rossario Daweson and Idina Menzel are good too. And Idina's husband, really cute. All the guys are, except maybe Angel."

"Miley! This story is about how love can change your life!"

"It certainly changed mine." She retorted, "I like the movie just fine, I'd just prefer to watch The Devil Wears Prada or something like that.

"How about an episode of Gilmore Girls?" Lilly offered, "We just got a disk from Netflix."

"Sure." Miley said, perking up. They decided to watch the episode "Dear Emily and Richard", because of the flashbacks, but they didn't remember that this was also the episode in which Sherry gave birth to Gigi.

"Miley, are you okay?" Lilly asked, pausing the show on Sherry's face, contorted in pain. Her friend's green eyes were staring blankly at the screen, she didn't come to until Lilly waved her hand infront of her face. "Miley?"

"Sorry, you can put it back on play." She offered, shaking her head.

"Are you sure?" Lilly asked skeptically, "wouldn't you rather watch another episode?"

"No, this one's fine." Miley told her, trying to grab the clicker.

"Miley, something bothered you, tell me. You've never kept secrets before. Okay, one secret." It didn't take anything more for Miley to spill, she wanted to talk.

"I'm scared. I'm scared it's gonna hurt, and I'm not gonna love him or her, and I know Jake's going to run off with someone else and leave me all alone." She told her, sitting up and pulling the blanket around her shoulders, so that the only thing peeking out from the blanket was her stomach.

"Jake loves you." Lilly told her, moving to sit next to her, "you know that, he'd be an idiot to leave you. And as for loving this baby, how would you feel if I said that I'm taking away this tummy" she put her hand on the protruding bump, "and all it's contents."

"I'd kill you." Miley responded.

"You already love that kid." Lilly told her, smiling, "and if you want I'll be there for you. I was there for my cousin and I'll be there for you. My mom's great at this."

"Thanks Lil" Miley said with an unwilling smile, hugging her best friend.

"You two need some sleep." Mr. Trescot ordered, covering a yawn.

"Right." Miley said, letting go. Lilly jumped into her sleeping bag and Mr. Trescot left to go back up stairs.

"No prob" she answered, turning on the captions and putting the TV on mute.