A/N: Data here again, with my latest chapter. Thank you all again for continuing to read and review our story - and thanks also to my talented co-writer Heir. This story wouldn't be anywhere near as good or as fun to write without her :)
CHAPTER SEVEN
The new day finally dawned in sunny Las Vegas, what would actually be their last before heading home. Their flight was later in the evening. Before then, Hannah Montana was expected to show up at a special autograph signing session for her fans at the Virgin MegaStore inside Caesar's Palace.
"You sure you want us to go with you?" Vicky asked her as they were getting dressed.
"Of course I'm sure," Miley replied with a smile. "Where Hannah Montana goes, her best fiends go with her!" Vicky laughed.
"Whatever you say, Miley," she said. "I still think no one's gonna care if we're there or not."
"I'll care, okay?" Miley responded, reaching out to gently pat Vicky's hand. "Besides, you're famous now… you don't want to disappoint Vannah Zima's fans, do you?" She grinned as she said the last part.
"All right, all right," Vicky laughed again. "I know when I can't win!" She walked over to her large closet in the room to begin getting dressed.
"You know, you've got a bossy girlfriend," she whispered jokingly to Lilly as she walked by.
"I heard that!" Miley called out. Vicky and Lilly laughed loudly.
A little over an hour later, the trio arrived at the Virgin MegaStore to begin the autograph signing session for Hannah's fans. The store was packed with excited young girls and their parents, and a gradually growing line led outside into the faux night inside the Forum Shops.
Miley smiled and greeted each of her young fans as they walked up to her, gladly signing anything they brought her. Vicky couldn't help but be touched at how genuinely caring her best friend was. She was astonished when a few of the young fans asked for not only Lilly's autograph, but hers as well.
"You… you really want my autograph?" she asked, sounding slightly stunned. The little blonde haired girl standing in front of Vicky nodded enthusiastically.
"Sure!" she replied. "You're one'a Hannah Montana's best friends!" Vicky blushed slightly, but nevertheless signed her name for the excited little girl. She had to remind herself to sign as 'Vannah Zima', and not her real name. After the little girl happily walked away with her mother, Vicky leaned over and whispered to Miley.
"Okay, that was really cool!" she said under her breath. Miley smiled.
"Aren't you glad you came with me now?" she responded. Vicky just laughed and nodded.
The autograph session lasted for about three hours, and Miley refused to leave until she was able to sign something for every last one of her waiting fans. Finally, the three girls and Robbie Ray bid a fond farewell and took a limousine back to the airport, where Hannah's jet was fueled and waiting for them. After a quick pre-flight check they were soon airborne and headed back to Malibu at last.
"Well, how did you like Vegas, Vicky?" Miley asked her Maltese best friend with a weary smile.
"That was so beyond awesome!" Vicky gushed. She rested a hand atop Miley's. "I'm never gonna forget any of it; thank you so much for bringing me."
"Thank you for coming with me," Miley replied softly. "One of the things that makes dealing with the crazier side of being Hannah Montana easier is being able to share it with the people I care about the most. I'm really glad you were there with me, Vicky." Vicky felt tears beginning to sting her eyes.
"No fair trying to make me cry," she playfully complained. Miley laughed.
"Isn't anyone glad I was there?" Lilly whined. Miley knew her girlfriend well enough to know she was only joking, and favored her with a warm smile.
"I'm always glad you're with me, Lilly-Bear," Miley responded, reaching out to brush a stray strand of blonde hair away from Lilly's face. "I love you."
"I love you, too, Miley Ray Stewart," Lilly whispered, smiling shyly. "Want me to show you how much?" she asked teasingly. Miley swallowed and began to slowly lean towards Lilly, their eyes locked together. Their lips met, and for a moment all the world was lost as their gentle, loving embrace swept them away. Then Vicky gave a small cough.
"Should I leave the room now?" she joked a little. It wasn't that seeing her two best friends showing their obvious love for one another made her uncomfortable; she loved them dearly, and seeing the tender love they shared just about made her heart melt. Sometimes though, she felt as though she was intruding on their private moments together.
"Stinker," Miley replied with a laugh, reluctantly pulling away from her loving embrace with Lilly. Their hands remained joined though.
"You just wait," Miley continued, wagging a finger. "Once you and Martina get together, I'm gonna embarrass you too!" She laughed again. Vicky felt her cheeks grow warm.
"I'm sorry," Miley apologized, noticing her friend's obvious discomfort. "I was only playing Vicky, really."
"I know," Vicky responded quietly. "It's not that; it's just… I never even thought about Tina and I, y'know… being together like that."
"Don't you want to be with her?" Lilly asked. Vicky was silent for a long moment, listening to the beating of her heart and the insistent voice of her conscience.
"Yes," she answered a moment later, her voice ragged with emotion. "I do want to be with her… more than anything."
"If it's meant to be, it'll happen," Miley said softly to her, resting one of her hands gently on Vicky's shoulder. "You'll see, Vicky." Vicky smiled.
"Thank you, Miley… for everything."
"What are best friends for?" Miley replied with a smile of her own.
"You were thinkin' about kissing Martina just now, weren't you?" the ever irrepressible Lilly teased. Vicky immediately blushed a deep scarlet.
"Stop that!" she sputtered, laughing nervously. "I was not!"
"Oh, you are so busted!" Lilly laughed as well. Vicky stuck her tongue out.
"I'll never talk," she quipped.
"All right you two," Miley interrupted, shaking her head and smiling at her best friend's antics. "It'll be really late by the time we get home, so how about we get some sleep while we can?"
"Sounds good to me," Lilly replied, yawning and snuggling against the young woman she loved. She couldn't one last parting shot, however. She looked over at Vicky and winked.
"I bet you're gonna dream about kissing her now!" she teased her Maltese friend. Unwilling to let Lilly have the last word, Vicky fired back a final retort of her own.
"Try not to get jealous," she retorted playfully. Then she closed her eyes and let sleep take her.
It was nearly midnight when Robbie Ray and the three weary girls finally made it back to the Stewart house. They said a quick good night, and the three girls headed up to Miley's room for the night. Costumes were quickly shed in favor of comfortable pajamas, and soon they were all lying together in the darkness.
Although Vicky had protested at first, Miley had insisted on the three of them sharing her king size bed. There was no way she going to make one of her best friends sleep on the floor, if she could help it. Fortunately, the bed was large enough for all three girls to sleep in comfortably. Miley slept in the middle, with Lilly and Vicky on either side of her. For some reason though, sleep was now proving difficult for Vicky, despite how late it was and how tired she felt. She lay on her side, staring at the wall in the dark bedroom, conflicting thoughts and emotions filling her head.
"Are you okay, Vicky?" Miley's asked in the darkness.
"Yeah," Vicky replied, somewhat distantly. "Just… thinking." There was a pause.
"About Martina?" Miley asked carefully. Vicky drew in a breath.
"Yes," she answered softly. "Miley… I think I'm scared." She felt Miley's hand brush the back of her shoulder. .
"It's going to be all right, Vicky, I promise," Miley replied softly.
"What if she doesn't feel the same way I do?" Vicky replied. "What if she hates me, and doesn't want to be my friend anymore?" She choked back a sob.
"I don't think I could take that… she's one of my best friends Miley, I can't stand the thought of losing her!"
"Please don't cry, Vicky," Miley said, her voice filled with loving concern. "It'll work out somehow, you'll see." Without really realizing she was doing it, Vicky rolled over, and instantly Miley enveloped her in a hug. She felt one of Lilly's arms reach across her body as well.
"We're not gonna let anything hurt you, Vicky," Lilly whispered. "We'll find a way to get you through this, okay?" Vicky sniffled.
"Thank you… both of you. I love you guys, you know that right?"
"Of course we do… just like you know we love you too," Miley replied gently.
"I have an idea," Lilly said carefully.
"What's that?" Vicky asked.
"Well… what if you call Martina and talk to her?" Lilly suggested. "Not to, you know, confess your feelings or anything!" she quickly added. "Just to talk to her, to hear her voice, and see if maybe she's missing you like you're missing her. Maybe you can tell if she's feeling the same way you are."
"That's not a bad idea," Miley said. "What do you think, Vicky?"
Half a word away, on the island of Malta, Martina was jolted awake by the sound of her phone ringing. She assumed it would be one of her friends, who had a habit of calling at all hours. Checking the digital alarm clock, she sighed. She was tired, and training today had been tough, but she had better not keep the person waiting. And so she picked it up and flipped it opened without thinking.
"Hello?" she greeted whoever was on the other end. Her heart practically leapt into her throat when she heard the voice answering her.
"Tina?" Vicky's voice was quiet, but unmistakable. "It's Vicky."