Everything But You
Chapter 10; The last obstacle.
Lilly could pretend that everything was fine, but being realistic is way more safe and she's glad she was, because when a trash can was knocked behind her, she spun, putting her hands up.
There was still one more obstacle to get around and that obstacle was attacking her.
He had her arms pinned to her sides and her back to the wall, so hard; it was cutting into her shirt. His face was close to hers and she could smell the alcohol all over it.
"You bitch." She turned her head and he released one hand, throwing her so hard, she rolled into the other wall. She tried to get up, but the cuts lining her arm surprised her and when she put her hand on the ground to push herself up, she took a sharp intake of breath and her arm collapsed. He grabbed her by the shoulder, digging his nails in and making her clamp her mouth shut to stop from yelping in pain, but she did yelp in pain when he slammed her against the wall, her arm, shoulder and now her back pulsing in pain. Her eyes opened in shock when she saw his hand ball into a fist, then raise up, she ducked and he yelped in pain when his fist hit the wall, but she ducked too hard and her cut up arm met the pavement and only made it worse, going from a trickle of blood, to more. He was moving towards her, seething, not walking in a straight line. She used her feet to push herself back, gaining room on him, then quickly pushing her self up onto her knees, then jumping up. She raised her hand and slapped him hard across the jaw, he smiled, stumbling backwards, leaning against the wall, he took a deep breath and pushed himself back up and started charging, but before she knew it, he was flying into that same trash can he kicked and groaning in pain.
Oliver grabbed her good arm and pulled her away into a more public place, then gently taking her cut up arm and checking it over. He looked her in the eyes.
"The moment I saw Jake, I knew something was up and followed him." Lilly smiled and opened her mouth, but Oliver cut her off. "Yeah, yeah – don't tell Miley. But, you know Lilly? It's going to be damn hard to cover up this." He lifted her arm gently, again. "I can patch you up, you can put on a long sleeved shirt, but she's going to find out eventually, because she knows you better then anyone else." He crossed his arms. "And, besides, I'd rather you go to her, because she's going to do a Hell of a lot better patching that up then I am."
"But she's going to freak out." He nodded in agreement.
"I'll walk you there and we'll both talk to her, I'm sure with both of us there we can get her to calm down long enough to get her to understand." Lilly nodded and Oliver wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
She leaned in, letting him help her walk to Miley's house, her heart pounding.
--
As soon as Lilly walked in and Miley noticed her arm, Miley ran her hands viciously through her hair, yelling, "I knew it! That asshole being gone for a week was way too good to be true!" Oliver gently approached her, his hands up.
"Miley, please just listen." She slapped the counter.
"No! No! No way. I'm going to find him, I'm going to slaughter him and then I'm going to scatter the remains all over town for the world to see. Who the Hell does he think he is?" She stomped away, going up the stairs and Lilly and Oliver looked at each other, fearful that she was going to bring down a bat or a chainsaw, but she stomped back down with a few cotton balls, a bandage wrap and alcohol. "He cannot do that and get away with it." Miley grabbed Lilly's good arm and pulled her onto the couch, sitting next to her and dipping the cotton ball at the top of the bottle and tipping the bottle to get the right amount of alcohol on the cotton ball. She looked into Lilly's eyes, then gently lifted Lilly's arm with one hand and brought the cotton ball up with her other. "Ready?" Miley suddenly was soft, no anger. Lilly nodded and Miley dabbed, both of them holding their breath as Lilly closed her eyes to block out the little stings. "You two are not going to stop me from slaughtering him." She was angry, again and Lilly smiled. Miley gently wrapped a bandage around Lilly's arm and then stood up, stomping towards the stairs, again. But Oliver stood in front of her.
"Think about it, Miles." Miley glared.
"Move, please, Oliver." Miley said between clenched teeth. Oliver looked back at Lilly with pleading eyes. Lilly stood up, grabbed Miley's hand and pulled her towards her. Miley was seething and she refused to wrap her arms back around Lilly. Lilly nodded towards Oliver.
"Miley. It's what he wants, you to go back to him. What if he tries the same thing with you? You can't do that; you'd be letting him win. He would know that it got to you –" Miley tried pulling away without touching Lilly, afraid of hurting her, but Lilly wasn't letting go.
"It did get to me!" Miley had her hands in the air, trying to wiggle out of Lilly's grasp.
"You know what he means, Miley. If you run back to him, he's going to find some way to turn it against you, knowing him. He might let you beat him, then go to the paparazzi, make Hannah look bad or maybe sue you or worse, try to get you in jail. He'll do anything to separate us." Miley stopped struggling, but didn't wrap her arms around Lilly and Lilly knew why because she was angry, not only at Jake but also with herself. She was blaming herself.
"I'll be watching you, Miley. Don't do anything, please for both Lilly and I? We don't want to see you getting hurt, too." Oliver patted Miley's back, then leaned down and kissed Lilly on the cheek. "I better go, see you two later." Miley was looking away and Lilly could practically hear her thinking. She let go of Miley and tapped her head, gently.
"Whatchu you thinking about, babe." Miley looked at her, a half smile on her face before she walked away, sitting down at the table, her head in her hands. Lilly wrapped her arms around her from behind, putting her chin on Miley's shoulder.
"Stop it, right this instance. This is not even remotely your fault." Miley slapped her hand on the counter.
"Yes it is!" She shouted, then slapped her hand, again. Looked at it, then kept slapping, seeming to try to get rid of something. Lilly sighed, running her hand down Miley's arm and holding it in place by Miley's wrist.
"No." Lilly said firmly and she felt Miley relax underneath her. "You didn't attack me, you didn't know he was going to attack me and you had no way a part in any of it." Miley turned her head, lacing her fingers through Lilly's.
"But, if I just changed a few things. Stopped playing with his heart, didn't –" She took a breath as she felt Lilly tense up. "You know, maybe he wouldn't have. So, it is my fault. Lilly buried her head deeper in Miley's neck, breathing in the beautiful scent of Miley and that amazing perfume she wears.
"I want to make sure you'll be fine, so, Miley, promise me you won't do anything." Miley sighed and Lilly smiled, because Miley can't break a promise to Lilly.
"I promise Lilly, I won't do, anything."
Lilly should've caught it then, Miley was good at getting around things.
--
Lilly was glaring at Robby Ray, he put his hands up. "I should've known. Her dressing room is straight down that hallway. I thought something was up, the moment she didn't think twice about inviting you."
She actually had to learn about the concert from Oliver, who learned about it from Jackson. Oliver and Lilly's eyes widened and he offered to drive, now he's keeping guard at the door, just incase Jake was late and they could catch him before he even showed up at the concert.
Lilly ran down the hallway, skidding to a stop in front of Hannah's dressing room. She could hear the shouting from halfway down the hall. She turns her head and Robby Ray nods his. Her hand flies for the doorknob and she pushes it open, making it bang off the wall.
It effectively makes the shouting stop dead and the two noisemakers, standing only a breath away, both turn their heads in Lilly and Robby Ray's direction. There was a chair tipped over and a vase broken against the door. Jake's lip was bleeding and Hannah's wig was all messed up, twisted to the side, hair sticking up everywhere.
Rage boils at Lilly's skin, making her fists ball, her eyes glare and her teeth clench. She feels a hand on her shoulder and she takes a step into the room. Jake throws his hands up in annoyance.
"Why won't you just listen to me?" Miley's head spins back to him. "She – They –"
"Listen to you!? You haven't been saying much of anything, it's all nonsense!" Miley moves close to him, again, pushing him backward. "You are a lying, cheating s-" Robby Ray moved in front of Lilly, his hand still on her shoulder.
"Miley." He scolded and she stopped, taking a step back and crossing her arms. "Alright, Jake. You have 5 seconds to get out or I'm having Lilly call the security, but it's not them you have to worry about, they're just the one's that are gonna carry your remains out. Got it?" Jake glared, but stomped out, pushing Robby Ray and Lilly apart as he stormed out of the door. "I'll go check if he actually leaves and gets far, far away." Robby Ray winked and walked out the door. Lilly gently took the doorknob and shut the door lightly, leaning against.
"Miley…" She whined. Miley raised her hands.
"I didn't do anything. He came here." She looked defiantly at Lilly and Lilly sighed. Miley sighed right after, righting her tipped vanity chair and sitting in it, re-crossing her arms. "He deserved it, Lilly." Lilly walked up to her, wrapping her arms around Miley's neck and leaning her lips against her forehead.
"But, you could've gotten hurt, Miley." Lilly leaned back, her breath taken away from the look in Miley's eyes, directed straight for her.
"I did get hurt, Lilly, when he hurt you." Lilly studied Miley's face. Miley closed her eyes and Lilly could hear her breathing. She wanted nothing but to hold her forever. She gently slid the Hannah wig off and when she ran her hands through Miley's real, beautiful hair, she could hear Miley breath out and relax.
And, in that moment, as Miley took Lilly's hand in her own, eyes still closed and laid her head against Lilly's chest, there was no question. She could feel her heart beat pick up, her breath go ragged. There was no question. I love Miley. She wrapped her arms tight around Miley, laying her head on Miley's head and smiling, from ear to ear.
Because, now, nothing could get in the way. Jake's not going to be a problem any longer. Oliver was never really a problem. It feels like, she was in the dark and the sun has finally come out. She can see everything clearly. The way she loves playing with Miley's hair. The feel of Miley's arms around her, like nothing else in the world mattered.
"I love you, Miley." Lilly could feel Miley's arms tighten around her, because every time she said that before, it wasn't said right and now it sounds perfect. Lilly just wants to say it over and over, again.
"I love you, too, Lilly." Lilly buries her head in Miley's hair, her heart soaring.
Now, it feels like everything fits together perfectly.