Chapter 8: Long, Stormy Night

"Luanne… has… copies?" Jake asked after I had told him our new problem.

"Yeah."

"What are we gonna do? She can reveal my secret, then yours, and we'll have some trouble hanging out because of all the paparazzi!" Jake panicked.

"Get a hold of yourself, Jacob!" I said, shaking him by the shoulders. "I have no idea what we're gonna do about this, but let's hurry up and get out of here."

Jake nodded. We headed towards the Bobby Ray's house. When we got close to the door, Luanne joined us.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll follow my lead," she said to us.

We all walked inside the house and into the living room. Dad, Aunt Dolly, Uncle Zeke, Uncle Bobby Ray, and Jackson were still sitting on the couches. Aunt Alice, Uncle Bobby's wife, was now there with them.

"What took ya'll so long?" dad asks.

"We were feeding the pigs," Luanne said. "We couldn't find the food at first."

Before anything else happened, someone knocked on the front door.

"I'll get it," Luanne says, skipping to the door.

She twisted the knob without even looking out the window to see who was. She pulled the door open, revealing a boy about our age, maybe a year older. He had pale blonde hair scattered across his forehead, with pale blue eyes to match. He wore dark green cargo shorts and a designed white t-shirt, with sneakers on his feet.

"Daniel!" Luanne squealed, giving Daniel a quick hug.

"Hey Lu," Daniel greeted.

I stood still, wondering who the heck this Daniel guy was. I turned to Jake and Jackson, who looked equally confused.

"Oh yeah," Luanne said, realizing we didn't know him. "Uncle Robbie, Jackson, Jake, and Miley, I'd like you to meet," she paused for a second. Oh gosh, here comes that sugary-sweet smile. "Daniel, my boyfriend."

Boyfriend… boyfriend… boyfriend…

The word echoed repeatedly in my head. This makes no sense.

"Nice to meet ya'll," Daniel said, eyeing me.

"Y-yeah, same here," I said, feeling uncomfortable with him staring at me. Jake entwined his hand with mine, sensing that I was uncomfortable.

"Let's go guys," dad says. "Nice to meet you, Daniel."

"Same here, sir," Daniel said politely. Jackson, Jake, and I then followed dad out, waving to everyone inside.


"How the heck did Luanne get a boyfriend?!" I shout when we walked back into our room.

"I have no idea," Jake said.

"This has to be some sorta joke," Jackson adds. I hopped onto my bed and untied my shoes, kicking them towards my closet.

"Maybe it is," I said after a moment of thought.

"Well, while you guys think about that, I'm gonna go to the campgrounds and see what Sarah's doing," Jackson says leaving the room.

"Thanks for the help Jackson!" I yell sarcastically.

"It's alright, Miley," Jake says, taking a seat next to me on my bed. "We'll handle this."

"But what if she was joking? We can't chance it. Luanne would reveal your secret, and she can reveal mine just as easily."

"Shh…" Jake wrapped arms around me and whispered, "Whatever happens, we'll make it through this."

I took Jake's words to heart. We spent the rest of the afternoon today, ignoring our problems.


A couple of hours later, Jake and I were setting the table for dinner. Dad, Uncle Zeke, and Aunt Dolly were in the kitchen making dinner. Jackson walked into the house.

"I'm back!" he yells.

"Hey Jackson," I said.

"What's up?" Jake asks him.

"Not much, just had some dinner with Sarah at camp," Jackson replies.

"So I'm guessing you're not hungry," dad says, carrying out dinner and placing it on the table.

"You don't know me at all!" Jackson answers, sitting down at the table. We all laugh.


I lay down in bed that night, trying to get to sleep. Jake and Jackson had already fallen asleep a while back. I can't fall asleep tonight. I don't know why. I turn to my other side, and adjust the covers over me. After a few minutes, I finally fall asleep to the faint sound of thunder.

Dream/ Flashback

"Your mom was in a car crash this afternoon. I got a call from the hospital around 4, so Dolly and me went straight here. We haven't been able to see her yet; the doctors are doing some tests right now, so we have been waiting," dad responded. Jackson and me silently sat down, and a few minutes later, the doctors came out.

"You can see her now, but please, one at a time," he said.

Dad went in first, then Aunt Dolly, and then Jackson. Now, it was my turn, which I had been avoiding. I'm afraid to see my mom in the hospital room. Jackson came out and I went in. She was sleeping, so that's probably why dad, Aunt Dolly, and Jackson weren't in here very long. Mom's face was pale and the room was silent except for the heart monitor and the rain from outside.

"Hey mom," I say, even thought she was sleeping. I couldn't bear to looking at her so I just stared out the window, watching the rain fall outside. "You're really scaring us. Dad and Aunt Dolly and Jackson and me are real worried."

"Hey Smiley," mom said quietly, saying my old nickname.

"Mom," I whisper. I walked over to her and give her a light hug, afraid I would hurt her, because she looked so fragile. As if one simple touch would make her fall to pieces.

"I'm sorry I missed your musical today," mom said. How could she be thinking of something so insignificant compared to this right now?!

"Mom, it's okay, it doesn't matter," I said.

"Just remember Mile, you're an amazing person, and don't let anyone tell you different," mom said. By now, I had tears streaming down my face. "I'm gonna miss you so much Miley. I love you," she said before closing her eyes.

"What do you mean you gonna miss me?! You're not going anywhere mommy!" I cried right before the heart monitor made a long beep. Doctors rushed into the room and I got out.

End Dream/ Flashback

"Mommy," I whimper, tears streaming down my face and onto my pillow. Had I been crying in my sleep?

Thunder roared and the rain fell heavy outside. This is the same rain. I hurried off my bed and over to Jackson's.

"Jackson… Jackson," I cried, shaking his shoulder roughly. Why did this boy become so hard to wake up?!

"Miley…" he mumbled while sitting up. "What happened?"

"I- I had a-a-a n-nightmare. Ab-bout m-m-mom," I stutter horribly. I was gasping for air because I was crying so hard. Jackson holds in a hug.

"Shh…" he says drowsily, rubbing my back. He stays silent for a minute, and stops rubbing my back. Jackson lays down on his pillow, already asleep again.

"Jackson," I cry, wishing that I was anything but alone at the moment.

I fell to floor and curled up into a ball. I started to cry even harder.

"Miley?" I hear Jake ask, standing right in front of me.

His voice had a mixture of concern, tiredness, and softness. He picks me off of the floor and carries me over to me over to my bed. Jake pulls me onto his lap. He strokes my hair murmuring, "Shh, it'll be okay," over and over again. We lay down side by side. He wraps his arms over me protectively. My tears start to subside.

"What happened?" Jake whispered to me. It surprised me that he asked, seeing as I thought that he was almost asleep. I took a deep breath, not wanting to stutter my answer.

"I had a nightmare. It was like a replay of the night my mom… pasted away," I said slowly, trying to have a steady voice. Jake's glowing green eyes continued to stare at me. "I miss her, Jake," I whisper, starting to cry again.

Jake held onto me, comforting me. I don't know how long we stayed like that. I fell asleep with Jake stroking my hair, making sure that I fell asleep before him.


A/N: Hey peoples! I felt really bad about saying I was going to leave this story. I'm going to finish this story. I might not update frequently, but I will update. I know the beginning of the chapter was kinda rough. The hardest part was getting started writing again.

I saw last night's episode and was so happy. They're obviously are denying their love. I see Jake walking out her door, and I'm like 'Oh, no! Not again!' He turns around though. I was so happy. It was cool that they acknowledged the fact that Jake knows that Miley is Hannah. Too bad Miley didn't call him Leslie. That would've been funny. If you guys want, I just wrote an alternate ending for that episode in my collection of Jiley oneshots, 'What If?' check it out.

I'd like to thank everyone who offered to finish this story. 'When You Wish You Weren't The Star' is still up for grabs. PM me if anyone's still interested.