Chapter 9

Noah POV

"So she called you over as well?"

"Uhuh," I stated leaning on the front gate to Miley's house staring at my two brothers,

"No idea why she called us, how about you?" Trace questioned locking his car and I shook my head, I had no idea why Miley had called us over I thought it had only been me until I noticed just now Braison and Trace's cars pulling up.

"Maybe it's to do with last night?" Braison suggested walking over, "I mean she missed Brandi announcing she was engaged to the family, and Brandi is the only sibling not here..."

"Miley already knew though," I stated,

"Well it has to be Brandi related right? I mean why else would she have called us over here?" Braison asked confused,

"Who knows, it's Miley!"

We all turned heading in through the gates and up the driveway wondering what our sister wanted. Last night she was supposed to attend dinner, but instead we'd got a call from Nick which sure made our entire family confused at his presence near Miley after everything. He told us Miah had come down sick with a fever and Miley didn't want to have to leave her with someone else just in case. Instantly none of us believed the story, but mom accepted it and soon all the attention was taken off my little sister and onto my now engaged big sister.

"Hopefully it's something good" I stated,

"Let's hope so!" Trace muttered, "We need something good right now, well Miley does anyway."

"We going to question why Nick was at her house yesterday?" Braison questioned, we all exchanged looks and shook our heads. That would most likely end in Miley becoming very awkward with us, that or she would get angry.

I leaned up and knocked on the front door as it flew open, we all looked down to see Miah grinning.

"Mommy said you were coming so I waited by the door for you…" Miah stated tilting her head smiling at us, Trace gave a laugh as Braison quickly scooped her up."Uncle Braison I missed you! Mommy is cooking, she isn't a very good cook, but don't tell her I said that!"

"Thanks Miah" I heard my older sister say,

"Sorry mommy, but you're not" Miah stated as I gave a laugh,

Miley walked out and we all just stared at her, "Wow good look" Braison muttered, there was flour covering her entire body practically but that wasn't what surprised me, it was the smile on her face that truly confused me. I gazed at her up and down she, was happy? What had happened? What had changed?

"Come inside, how was dinner last night?" She questioned

"Good, it was so good Miles!" Trace stated "Mom was ecstatic you should have seen her!"

"You should have seen me when I found out" Miley stated giving a laugh,

"Good to see you're feeling better Miah" Braison stated, Miah instantly looked at him really confused,

"I wasn't sick!"

"You weren't?"

"Yes you were, Miah you were right" Miley hissed, Miah turned and stared at her mom shaking her little head,

"No I wasn't, Uncle Nick said you were sick...I wasn't sick"

"We got a call from Uncle Nick" Trace muttered as Miley's smile fell, "He said Miah was sick, and Miley you don't really look sick...what happened? You two have another fight?"

"No"

I looked at her hesitant face as she sighed, "He just helped me I guess, kind of. Let's just stop talking about Nick!"

"And talk about why we are here maybe?" Trace questioned,

"Right yes, hold that thought" She stated and disappeared into the kitchen

We all exchanged looks and followed her into the kitchen to see even more flour covering most of the kitchen. We watched as she pulled out a bunch of newly made muffins, which Miah instantly reached for and Miley just frowned shaking her head.

"You can have one in a minute when they're cooler Miah" Miley stated as Braison put Miah down,

We all moved over inspecting the muffins, "These actually don't look too bad, are they out of a box?"

"No made them all myself! Liam's mom taught me how to cook...kind of," Miley stated proudly as we all smiled,

"Right anyway back to work! Well I was thinking we should throw Brandi and Sam a surprise engagement party seeing as I know that neither of them will actually bother planning one themselves!" Miley explained, we all nodded as she smiled again wow she was just too happy! What the hell had Nick done? What ever he'd said was working though.

"It sounds good Miles" Trace stated, I nodded with Braison as her grin got wider, "But are you really up to this? I mean last week you were a lot different, what changed?" She looked over at us and just shrugged.

"Someone gave me some advice that I needed to hear that's all" She muttered, well that's what Nick was doing here, "I was thinking this Saturday!" Miley stated trying to get away from our questioning, as we all stared at her and I clicked…

"No…" I stated,

"Why not?"

"Because that's the last day of your two week get happy program…it's the most important night of the whole thing" I stated looking at her and she let out a groan,

"Damn it! I thought I'd got out of it"

"No you haven't no way! The day thing might have been canceled, but no way are you missing the last day of it!"

"Fine" She huffed pulling a muffin out and handing it to Miah,

"Okay how about this Sunday, I know that only gives us four days but it's better then Saturday night and I'm not at uni right now, Miley isn't busy…we should be able to work something out!" Braison stated as we all nodded in agreement.

"Right well I was thinking we could have it here? I'll cook and everything I was thinking like fifty people at the most?" Miley asked,

All three of us exchanged a look, "I think maybe a caterer would be better Miles"

"You trying to insult my cooking?"

"No...maybe" Trace stated as she pushed a muffin at him.

"Just let me cook, it will give me something to do, pretty please?"

"Fine, but you really want to do this?" Braison questioned,

"I'm sure!"

"Then we have a lot of planning to do!" I announced,

"So how about I ring around? Braison you can help with food and decorations while Noah…you can…" Trace stated as everyone gazed over at me.

"Make sure Brandi and Sam don't find out" Miley stated seriously, I nodded knowing they didn't want me to obviously help but that was cool with me!

"What about me?" Miah demanded holding her half eaten muffin in her fingers gazing up at Miley with pleading eyes, Miley gave her a smile trying to think up something.

"You are the secret keeper"

"Okay!" She stated and looked at Miley, "Can I tell Daddy Mommy, about the party?" Instantly we all just fell silent and Miley didn't look upset by it just more confused. Miah just didn't understand this at all…

"Miah baby…daddy is in heaven remember…" She stated calmly her voice filled with pain though as Miah smiled at her and shook her little head,

"No mommy he visits me every night, but when I wake up he's gone? Can I tell him mommy please? Why don't you see him?" Miah whispered pleadingly as Miley gave a sigh and nodded looking at the table.

"Yeah I see daddy too Miah at night and yes you can tell him" Miley stated with a sigh standing up grabbing our plates…and like that Miley's smile was gone.

Miley POV

I played with Miah's hair while she slept soundlessly in my arms, my siblings had all finally left and I had a moment to myself to celebrate how good I was at acting. I'd fooled them all with my fake smiles, baking food and planning a party…it was everything they wanted to hear and see I was doing, all of these things showed them I was moving on even though I wasn't…

"I think it's bed time Miah," I stated standing up pulling Miah up as I careful rested her cheek on my shoulder and started walking up the stairs, now I had a party to plan…at least it would give me something to do, even if I was kind of regretting making such a big commitment.

I walked into Miah's room and slowly placed her down on the bright florescent green bed sheets that Taylor had thought were pretty. I smiled pulling them over her and kissing my angel gently on the head. I walked out flicking the switch knowing she would wake up at a weird time tonight demanding dinner but I could deal with that later. I climbed back down the stairs gazing at the many boxes still floating around needing to be unpacked. I decided why not start doing some more tonight, I climbed over two and slowly moved in flipping the cardboard open gazing directly in to see a bunch of candles…obviously Chris had packed them because I certainly didn't.

I sighed pulling them all out and let out a laugh finding my old songbook buried underneath the candles with a lot of random photos. I picked up the whole box, I knew what I was going to do tonight…I knew it had to be done and tonight seemed like a perfect night.

I pushed open the back door gazing at all the stars above, it was a clear night for winter which suited me perfectly. I walked out and started pulling out all the candles around a deck chair along side the pool I threw all the rest of the stuff on the chair and walked back inside. I grabbed a bottle of red wine and threw on a jumper quickly moving back outside, and lit the candles.

"Maybe this will help" I whispered grabbing the photos and the song book and sitting down on the deck chair pouring myself a glass of wine and relaxing back into the chair.

I took the first photo gazing at myself, Liam and Miah all lying on the beach fast asleep, I smiled remembering that day with all of Liam's family for his mom's birthday. I took the songbook and flicked it open to a new page closing my eyes as I felt words suddenly start filling my head. I opened my eyes and the second my fingers touched the pen to paper every emotion that I was trying to hold onto was being written down as lyrics…

"Why don't you sleep?" Nick suggested to me,

I replayed the words I'd just said to him...I love you. I hadn't said that to a guy and meant it since Liam had died and now I'd just said it to Nick. The thing was although he meant it in a friend way, I hadn't because some where inside me I was still in love with him, and I didn't regret saying it. I looked at him and sighed leaning over, very confused about my feelings right now.

"No I don't want to sleep, I have to go out for dinner anyway"

"Who with?" He questioned rubbing my back,

"The family, Brandi is announcing her engagement"

"Oh, Miles I don't really think you're up for that" He stated honestly and I nodded,

"Me either,"

"How about instead we spend the rest of the afternoon together?" Nick suggested and I just turned staring at him,

"What about Selena?"

"I'll tell her I'm at the studio working late," He stated and I nodded, "I'll ring you're parents and tell them Miah is sick, then they won't question you"

"Kay"

He took my left hand tracing his fingers over the wedding rings, "I know it's not my place, but maybe if you took them off it would give you closure Miley" I looked at him nervously and then down to the two rings on my finger, maybe he had a point...and right now any suggestion was a good one.


"She's taken them off, look her wedding ring, and the engagement ring? Maybe we should wake her up!" I heard Demi whisper,

I could feel people moving around me, I must have fallen asleep. I remember writing songs and then I took the rings off. Nick was right Liam was gone, and they only brought back memories, I had to move on even if I didn't want too.

"She's been writing and drinking, since when does she drink?" I heard my older sister say, I mentally groaned great what was she doing here! I was enjoying being alone.

"Miley…Miles…" I heard Mandy say shaking my arm,

I let out a sigh opening my eyes to see four faces all staring down at me worried, there face's illuminated by all the candles and the moon light.

"What are you doing here?" I asked sitting up, I gazed over to see my half filled glass the rings placed next to it, as I quickly looked away. It was done. He was gone, we weren't married…I wouldn't put them back on, I just had to force myself to move on.

"We brought you food over, late night Chinese? What do you think?" Taylor suggested giving a grin as I saw the look of worry on all of their faces and I nodded sitting up,

"It sounds good…" I stated giving a smile, "Don't look at me like that…I am fine, I needed to do it okay, I couldn't wear them forever" I stood up and they all just stared at me as I gave a weak smile.

"So where is the food, I am starving!" I complained as instantly they all smiled at me, which I returned…I just had to put my brave face on, because maybe some how I could eventually one day get over this.

A/N- If you didn't realize the italic bit in Miley's section was from the night before (last chapter) when she was with Nick :P