CHAPTER NINE

August 2nd

Connect 3 was performing at animal night camp fire tonight. Jason is a bird - with a lot of colorful, fluffy feathers sticking out of everywhere he could get them - and Nate was a more modest and discreet bird costume. Which started because Brown said the three of us should match and Jason wanted to be a bird. Despite what he said I still insisted he was obsessed. Miley and I were the same; both of us with dark bird wings and feathers. Loverbirds.

"Tweet tweet." I spun around where I was waiting behind the stage for our set to see Miley.

"Huh?" I furrowed my brow in confussion.

"I'm a bird." Miley rolled her eyes playfully. "I was speaking like a bird."

"And what were you saying?" I questioned, absently reaching up and playing with a couple of dark feathers on her shoulder.

"You're a bird, you should know." She teased with a giggle.

"Hmm, well in that case; tweet." I kissed her lips. "Tweet." Another chaste kiss. "Tweet."

"I tweet you too, Joey." Miley blushed and I grinned, even just repeating the same word over and over Miley understood me. "You guys are performing?"

"Yeah, Uncle Brown is making us do practically everything leading up to Final Jam." I shrugged, looking around the area; the animal camp fire was almost over, which meant we were going to be up soon. "We're doing a new song tonight. It's called Six Minutes."

"I bet it's great." Miley grinned.

"And now." Dee La Duke said as one act left the stage. "Let's give a big jungle welcome to one Miss Miley Stewart!" My jaw dropped as Miley blushed and picked up her guitar.

"Miles?" I asked, she never told me she was performing.

"Surprise." Miley pecked my lips before heading on stage. I followed after her, standing at the edge of the stage, staring up at her. "Hi, I'm Miley, and this song is See You Again." She started strumming her guitar and singing, her voice like the sound of Angels to me. I leaned against the edge of the stage, staring up at Miley with wonder.

"Shane!" Jason found his way next to me, but I didn't take my eyes off of Miley. "Shane, c'mon, we've got to get ready."

"But, Miley-" I stared up at her and she was staring right back at me with a smile

"You can still listen, but we're on next, Bro." Jason said, trying to drag me away.

"I don't wanna." I held onto the stage, refusing to budge. "Look at her, Jason, listen; she's perfect." I was mesmerised.

"Thank-you." Miley smiled into the microphone when she finished and I finally let Jason move me as I was applauding. Miley blushed and exited the stage as a tambourine was thrust into one hand and a microphone into the other. I preffered to play guitar or piano, but Brown said since I was the lead singer I should be free to move around more and be more flexible and a guitar would only keep me weighted. I didn't agree, but whatever, I complied as long as I got to play on some songs and Nate didn't play when he sang lead. We'd tried getting Jason to sing leadd a couple of times, but he always hid behind his guiatar.

"I don't wanna play tambourine." I whined and Nate rolled his eyes.

"Boo hoo." He muttered, checking the keyboard was plugged in.

"Hey." Miley jumped off the stage.

"Hey." I kissed her cheek. "You were amazing."

"Thanks." She blushed and I stroked her redened skin.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise." Miley shrugged as Dee took to the stage again. "I'd wish you luck, but you don't need it." She pecked my lips. "Love you."

"Love you." I grinned as Dee anounced Connect 3. I grabbed my guitar before Brown or anyone else could object and jumped up on stage after Jason and Nate.

"What's up?" Nate spoke into his microphone as Brown tried to scold me, waving the tamourine around for me to take. Stupid tambourine.

"We're Connect Three." Jason checked his guitar. "I'm Jason." The girls in the crowd cheered, I guess we were getting pretty popular. "That's my cousin Nate." Nate smirked at the crowd when the girls cheered. "And that's my new brother Joseph Shane." I smiled at him in thanks, at least he called me by my name half the time, it was more than anyone else - other thn Papi and Miley - did.

"And this first song is Six Minutes." I said into my microphone. I nodded at Jason who signalled the drummer who had volunteered for the night and he tapped us out to four to start plaing. Jason and I started strumming, Nate started playing, the drummer kept beat.

She's the kind of girl that you see in the movies
Seen her in my dreams and now she's standing next to me
Down by the shore, first weekend of the Summer
Gotta take a chance and just ask for her number

Miley was standing at the edge where I'd been when she was performing. A smile lighting up her beautiful face. It was obvious to anyone who knew us that the song was about her.

CR

August 6th

"My life is over." Miley announced when she sat down opposite me at breakfast.

"Goodmorning." I greeted because I didn't really know how to respond to that.

"Someone was recording me the other night when I performed and they put it on the internet." Miley explained and my eyes widened. "And now apparently my Dad has seen it."

"It can't be that bad." I tried to assure, but I knew that her Dad seeing her perform was the worst thing in the world for Miley. I didn't really understand why, she loves to perform and she loves music, and that's what her Dad wants. But, I love Miley and I respect her decisions.

"Joseph, my Dad saw me performing. And now he's gonna be here for Final Jam again this year and he's demanding that I perform." Miley complained with a sigh. "Why can't he just be a normal Dad?"

"Maybe he doesn't know how any more?" I shrugged and she looked at me weirdly. "I mean, he always had your Mom before, and maybe he doesn't know how to do it on his own?" I suggested weakly.

"It's not that difficult." Miley grumbled, "Jackson was thirteen, I was ten. It's not like we were babies."

"Have you told him that?" I wondered, hoping Miley wouldn't get mad at me. "Have you actually talked to him, like had a conversation with him, since your Mom died?"

"And hear what a disapointment I am because I don't have a song in the top ten charts?" She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I get enough of that without inviting him to do it."

"You should try it." I told her, "I don't know, maybe it would help?"

"Unlikely." I sighed, clearly Miley was allowed to help me with my family problems, but was too stuborn to let me help her.

"Okay." I looked down at my egg whites. "What are you doing today?"

"Figuring out what I'm gonna do about Final Jam." So, I guess she wasn't in the mood to hang out today? She sighed and looked at me. "Thank-you for listening, Joseph, but this isn't something that can just be fixed because I want it to."

"Neither was me and Nate, but look at us now." I pointed out, pushing my eggs away. I don't know why but Brown and Dee got a new kitchen staff this Summer and I don't know what they did, but they made my egg whites taste funny and I didn't like it. "If we can go from last Summer to now then there's hope for you and your Dad."

"Not much, but thanks for trying." Miley smiled sadly and moved around the table to sit next to me, kissing my cheek as she did so.

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't try to make the girl I'm in love with happy?" I replied, I wasn't going to give up, but I didn't want to push Miley too much. Which is how I found myself trying to casually walk into Uncle Browns office a couple of hours later when Miley was in dance class.

"What are you doing here, Shane?" I winced at Uncle Brown's voice. "Don't you have class?"

"Uh..." I'd never been good under pressure. "I need to check..." What do I need to check? "My allergies?" I made it sound like a question. "I mean, uh, I need to check my file to make sure all my allergies are listed." I corrected only slighty more confidently.

"Really?" Brown crossed his arms and eyed me sceptically.

"Yeah." I nodded earnestly.

"Well, let's go check it then." Brown smirked and I paled.

CR

August 7th

I crept quietly around the back of the administration building with a torch lighting my way. Yesterday I'd failed miserably to get to Miley's file to get her Dad's number. And I'd been in class or with Miley all day today so I couldn't do it then. So now I was creeping around after lights out. Huh, I'm about to commit a crime; breaking and enetering. But, if there was a chance it would help Miley be happier then I'd do it without hesitation.

It was easy to open one of the office windows and climb in, but then I was faced with a dark office and locked filing cabinets. I should have thought ahead a little more, Brown had the keys on his keychain, in his cabin. I knew the filing cabinets were alphabetical by last name, but now I had no way to get into them. I'd seen it in movies enough, maybe I could pick the lock on the filing cabinet for R-S-T? I was trying to figure out what to do with the paperclips when my flashlight was rendered useless by the overhead lights flickering on.

"Uh..." I blinked up at Uncle Brown.

"Shane." Brown sighed, "what are you doing here?"

"Uh..." I didn't have an excuse this time. Even a totally lame one like yesterday.

"You should be in bed, Shane." Brown scolded. "What do you want in Miley's file so badly?"

"Her Dad's phone number." I sighed, I was busted and we both knew it. Brown raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I just wish Miley and her Dad could get along so Miley can be happy, so I thought I could talk to her Dad or something."

"Shane." Brown shook his head. "Whatever is happening with Miley and her Dad, they need to sort it out on their own."

"Miley won't even talk to him, I doubt she's going to sort anything out with him." I muttered dejectedly.

"It's just a rough patch-"

"It's been over five years, that's more than a rough patch." I cut in defiantly. "Miley helped me and Nate, and I just want her to be happy."

"Well, why don't you just go to bed and talk to Miley in the morning? That's the best way you can help her." Brown was just trying to placate me.

"Ugh, fine." I stood up, glaring at him. "If you don't want to help me then just say it and I'll find another way." I grumbled, stalking past him.

"Shane, wait-" Brown started, but I was in no mood to listen anymore.


1) It's short, it's late, and I don't like it.
2) Only one chapter left; anything anyone wants to see happen in the last chapter?
3) Does anyone want a Year 4? (Keeping in mind if it goes thatfar then Year 5 would be Camp Rock movie)
4) If I don't update before then; Happy Easter!:D

Smiler For Joe!