Author's Note: Thanks again for all the nice reviews! As always, they make a writer feel very happy. One reader had requested that I go into more detail with the sex scenes. While I have written stories like that, they all tend to go past the Mature rating straight into Adults Only, which isn't allowed on Plus, for this story, I like leaving the details of just what our heroines do up to the readers' mind. That way, everyone can imagine the details as they want to see them. Finally, I think that it just wouldn't fit with the feel of this story. The sense of the story I'm getting as I write it is tenderness and young love, and those are the emotions I want to convey with this story. While sex is definitely part of Miley's and Lilly's relationship, it doesn't overshadow the devotion and caring they have for each other; I think getting those feelings across is paramount, in this story at least. However, I have let them get a bit more frisky the last two chapters, and they haven't complained yet.Hi everyone, this is Lilly! Frisky is good!!! Tell her to keep it upI do want to notify everyone of one thing: I had to put some original characters in this chapter. I really don't like doing that, but it was necessary for the story to progress correctly. Hope no one minds. Standard legal disclaimers from the previous chapters apply to all these others.

You and Me, Together

by Jo P.

Chapter 10: Partners

Isn't it great that you know that

I'm ready to go wherever you're at

Anywhere

I'll be there

--Hannah Montana"Right Here"

After a little over an hour, the girls were exhausted but glowing. Covered in sweat, Miley looked at her girlfriend lying beside her. Lilly's smile looked like it might be permanently fixed on her face, and her eyes glittered at she looked back at Miley. Her blonde hair was somewhat disheveled now, but it only made her look more wild and more beautiful to Miley. "You are amazing, Lilly," Miley said quietly, twirling a lock of Lilly's golden hair between her fingers.

Lilly was thinking along the same lines as Miley, taking in how gorgeous her fiancée was. Miley's dark hair was thoroughly slick with sweat, and she had pulled it back right after the girls started making love, fixing it with a hair band to keep it in place. Lilly actually liked Miley's hair hanging down in her face and tickling her nose, but Miley had said that she wanted to be able to see Lilly's face as they made love and that her hair was in the way. A small sacrifice, Lilly thought with a smile. At Miley's words, Lilly leaned over and kissed her girlfriend. "Miley, you're pretty terrific yourself," she purred, caressing Miley's face with her right hand.

"Let's rinse off real quick, before Daddy gets home," Miley said, jumping up from the bed. Lilly chased her into the bathroom, cornering her at the shower. "Let me turn on the water, Lil," Miley said, doing so. As soon as the water had been started, Lilly grabbed Miley from behind, pulling her close and kissing the back of her neck, coaxing a soft growl from Miley.

"Does that turn you on?" whispered Lilly, knowing full well what the answer to her question was.

"Yes," breathed Miley, curling her back in pleasure from her lover's kisses and touches. "Don't stop, Lilly, please, no matter what," Miley begged.

As Lilly continued to kiss Miley, she let her left hand stray down, tracing her fingertips along Miley's stomach as she went. "I wasn't planning on stopping," she whispered to Miley, as her hand found its target. Miley gasped at the intimate touch of her lover, as she reached back and grabbed Lilly's head, her fingers gently gripping Lilly's blonde locks, hanging on as if her life depended on it. After a few minutes, Miley's orgasm shook her entire body as she gasped Lilly's name once, twice, three times, then was quiet as her body continued to shudder. Lilly held her lover as she shook, whispering, "I love you," as Miley grew silent, but she continued to hold Miley's trembling body as she came back to reality. After about thirty seconds, Miley's shaking stilled, and she turned to face Lilly, her eyes glazed with pleasure and red with desire.

"You touch me like you know me completely," she said to Lilly, still amazed at the intensity of passion her girlfriend could induce in her. "And I love it."

"Mmmm, that makes two of us, lover," Lilly said gently, still supporting Miley for the moment. As she grew certain that Miley had regained enough strength to stand, she gently released her, then smacked her butt lightly. "Time to get in the shower, or we'll still be having sex when your dad gets home," she said, with an evil grin on her face.

Miley opened the shower for Lilly, following her lover inside and under the spray of water. "Like I said," she said to Lilly, who was already under the water stream, "your appetite for me doesn't stop!"

Lilly raised her head from under the spray of water, her hair now thoroughly wet. She smiled as she moved to the side, letting Miley step under the stream of warm water. "And I don't ever want it to," she said. "Do you?"

Miley didn't even lift her head from the cascade of water as she answered, "Heck no!" That got a giggle from Lilly. Miley continued, "I fully expect you to be wanting me that way for a long, long time, Truscott."

"That I can do," said Lilly, the honesty in her voice plain and clear.

Since the girls had already shampooed their hair earlier and since bedtime was approaching, they just rinsed their hair out, then got out of the shower. Miley put on a pink bathrobe, while Lilly stepped into Miley's bedroom totally nude. She went over to Miley's underwear drawer and retrieved a pair of Miley's panties, slipping them on as she got them out, then she went to the bottom drawer and pulled out a sports bra that she kept at Miley's, slipping it on as well. She then went into Miley's closet, sneaking a kiss on Miley's cheek along the way, and retrieved pajamas. "Do you think your dad will run me home when he gets here?" she asked Miley.

"Yeah, of course he will, hon," Miley said. The sound of the door closing downstairs told Miley that either Robbie Ray or Jackson was home, as it was just past eight o'clock. "Hello!" she called out, hearing her father's voice answer, "Hey bud!"

"Daddy's home, Lil," she said. "Let's go ask if he'll run you home."

"Okay," said Lilly, following Miley downstairs.

As they reached the ground floor, Miley said, "Hi Dad! I know you just got home, and I hate to ask you, but could you run Lilly home, pleeeeeease?"

Lilly said, "I'd really appreciate it, Mr. Stewart. We had a long day today, and my legs are kinda sore."

Miley snorted a bit at Lilly's comment, getting a very wicked glare from her girlfriend in return. Trying to recover, Miley said, "We played soccer on the beach today, and running in that sand is murder on your legs!"

Lilly turned to look at Miley, whispering, "Nice save."

Miley smiled and whispered back, "I try."

Though Robbie Ray did indeed look tired himself, he gamely said, "Course I will, girls. Lilly, let's get you home, darlin'." He put his left arm around Lilly and started to walk to the door, but then Lilly said, "One sec, please," running back over to Miley to kiss her good night.

"Love you, have a good night," she said to Miley, smiling as they parted lips.

"Love you too, Lilly," Miley said. "See you in the morning?"

"Count on it," Lilly said. She ran back across the living room, passing Jackson with a "Hi Jackson, bye Jackson!" as he entered, finally closing the door as she went out with Mr. Stewart.

Jackson didn't bother trying to turn around to catch Lilly; she was already going out the door as he answered, "Night Lilly!" He walked on over to the kitchen, poking through the refrigerator in search of something to eat.

"Does Rico not let you eat while you're working?" Miley asked.

"Yeah, but he charges me full price!" said Jackson with dismay. "You and Lilly have fun?" he asked, a smirk on his face.

The glow on Miley's face was answer enough. "Yeah," she coyly said. "We had a lot of fun."

"You are turning SO red!" Jackson said, pointing at her. "Oh, it's a good thing Dad's takin' Lilly home, 'cause you would be so busted!"

"Shut up!" said Miley, still grinning at the thought of hers and Lilly's evening. Turning more serious, she looked at Jackson and said, "I never realized I could feel this way about someone. I mean, it's like I want to be around her every minute of every day, like we could be touching all the time but it never be enough."

Jackson was watching her from around a Sprite he was drinking. When he finished, he said, "I really am happy for you, Miles. Lilly's a great girl, and she's sure been good for you from the first day you met her."

Thinking back to that first day at school, Miley couldn't help but smile at how adorable Lilly was, even back then. And she told me I was "totally cute!" Oh my gosh, why didn't I see it then? Why didn't either of us see it then? As she pondered that, Miley realized the answer. Because we wouldn't have appreciated it then like we do now. We had to go through all those other trials before we'd really appreciate having each other.

"Hello? Earth to Miley!" Jackson said, waving his hand at her.

"What?" Miley said, snapping out of her remembrance. "Sorry, I was just thinking back to the first time I met Lilly."

"Yeah, I figured," said Jackson. "That goofy look on your face kinda gave it away." He turned back to the refrigerator, still searching for a snack. "So answer me this, Miley," he said, still with his face in the refrigerator. "Why can't I find a great girlfriend?"

Miley rolled her eyes. "Hello? Because you're, well...you!"

"Gee, thanks, Sis," Jackson said, munching on a dill pickle strip. "Seriously, what is it about me that frightens all the ladies off?"

Miley just looked at him for a long minute. "I am so not going to answer that. If I do, we'll be here all night." However, she then remembered something. "Didn't Sarah have a thing for you, Jackson?"

"SARAH?!?" he yelled. "Save-the-Earth Sarah?"

Miley nodded. "Yeah, that's the one. What was it she said about you... Oh, that you weren't 'mature enough' for her yet."

Jackson laughed, saying, "Right on the money with that one."

Miley also laughed at his joke, saying, "Well, she did have a good point. But my point is that you have had girls interested in you, Jackson."

He considered that, then he said, "But they're not the girls I was interested in!"

Miley grinned. "Sometimes, the right girl for us isn't exactly the one we set out looking for." She pointed her thumbs at herself. "Perfect example right now, big brother. And if I hadn't been open to being with Lilly, I'd have missed the one I was supposed to be with." She walked over and gave him a loose hug. "I'm just saying, try to keep an open mind. You might be pleasantly surprised." She then turned, walking upstairs to get ready for bed. "Night, Jackson."

"Night, Miles."

When Miley got to her room, her cell phone rang. Checking the ID, she smiled when she saw it was Lilly. Opening it and hitting the Receive button, she said, "Hello?"

"Hi Miley! Just calling to tell you good night, and I love you."

"Love you too, Lilly. Sweet dreams, hon."

"You too. See you in the morning!"

"'Kay. Bye!" Miley and Lilly hung up at the same time. Miley settled back down on her bed, holding the cell phone to her chest. Just the sound of her voice makes me smile.

A soft knock at her bedroom door brought her out of her daydream. "Miles, can you talk for a minute?" her dad asked.

"Yeah Dad, come on in," she said, setting the phone on the nightstand. As the door opened and her father stepped in the room, Miley got up and crossed the room to give him a hug. "Thank you so much for taking Lilly home. That kept me from worrying about her," Miley said.

"Aw, you're welcome, darlin'. You know I'd do anything for you, or Lilly, or Jackson." He walked back over to her bed with Miley. "Got a minute?" he asked again.

Miley sat down, saying, "Sure, Dad. What's up?"

Robbie Ray sat down on the end of the bed. "Well, some of the people at the record company are a bit worried about Hannah's recent publicity."

Miley was afraid this would be coming, but part of her had still hoped there would be no backlash. Still, she tried to be a realist. "What are they worried about, Dad?"

"Miles, I think you know what they're worried about."

Miley looked down. "Yeah." But then she started to get angry. This is MY life! "Why do they care who Hannah is in love with?" she said angrily.

Robbie Ray sighed. He really didn't want to have to tell his daughter this news, but better him than someone else. "They care because they think it might hurt Hannah's ability to sell records. I talked to several of them tonight, and I convinced them to wait a week before they say or do anything." He put his arm around Miley. "That way, we can see what the record sales do."

Strangely enough, Miley wasn't that sad about this turn of events. When she put this in perspective, her career as Hannah wasn't as important as her future life with Lilly, nor was it as important as her family. Looking at things that way gave Miley a certain amount of freedom to consider things from all angles. With new resolve, she said, "If they give me an ultimatum, I'm ready for it."

Robbie Ray said, "Now, remember, nothin's going to be said for a week. But it things turn out for the worst and they ask you to give up Lola for Hannah's career, what would you tell them?"

Miley's head spun around, her eyes flashing. "I'd tell them to go to hell! I love her, and I won't back down on that! Not ever!"

Robbie Ray was surprised by his daughter's fury. "Now Miles, that's probably not the best way to go about it, but I get your point. And I'll support you with it," he said. "But you need to start thinking about what you'd want to do, both for the best case and the worst case that could come out of this."

Miley thought for a minute, burying her head in her father's chest not to cry, but to think. I will not give up Lilly or Lola. That's not up for debate. I'm also not going to apologize for loving her. We're happy together; why can't everyone see that and be happy for us? She lifted her head up to look at her father. "But so many people have already been positive about this, about us! Not just you and Lilly's family, but the reporters, and the television shows! All the talk out there is 90 positive, at least!"

"But Miley, sometimes that other 10 can make a lot of noise," Robbie Ray said. "Now, I think that you know your fans pretty well. I also think that they're gonna react to Hannah and Lola just like you're expectin.' But you still need to be ready for some other people at the record company to be mad about this."

Miley knew her dad well enough to realize there was something else he hadn't told her. Yet. "What are you leaving out, Dad?" she asked, looking up at him.

Robbie Ray turned his gaze away from his daughter for a minute, then said, "One of the new singers on the label has been pretty mad about all the attention Hannah has gotten from this romance. And he's doin' his dead-level best to stir up trouble."

"Who is it?" Miley asked, her curiosity just beating out anger as the main motivation for wanting to know.

"Danny Lusitain," Robbie Ray said. "He's a newer artist with 'em, just been with the label for about nine months, but he's pretty hot with the age group right above yours, the 18 to 25 crowd. And you know as well as I do that's a real important target for the record company, so while he's new, he's got a voice in the company right now."

"So why is he so upset? Does he think I'm going to steal away his audience or something?" Miley said, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"I'm not real sure why, darlin', I just know that he's the one who's really raisin' a stink about this. But if I had to guess, I think he's probably upset that Hannah's announcement came right before his first album is released this comin' week."

Miley thought about that. "Well, I guess I see why he'd think Hannah was taking his publicity, but that's not why I proposed to Lilly!"

"But he doesn't know that. And right now, I bet he wouldn't care even if he did. He thinks that you took his publicity, and he's mad about it."

Miley sighed. "Well, it sounds like he's a big ol' baby to me."

Robbie Ray laughed. "I kinda think you're right, but I'm wantin' you to be thinkin' about things this week. If this does come down to a disagreement between Hannah and him, you need to know how far you're willin' to go."

"When Lilly's involved?" Miley asked. "As far as it takes. I am not losing her, and I am not denying that I love her. No matter what it costs."

Robbie Ray stood up. "I figured that's what you'd say, both tonight and next week. But I want you to think about somethin' else, Miles. The best way out of a disagreement between two people is when each of them wins somethin'. That way nobody goes home empty-handed." As he walked to the door, he turned back to Miley. "And just so you know, I already told the company president that Hannah and Lola are happy and are gonna be together for a long, long time."

At her father's simple statement, Miley started crying. "Thank you, Daddy," she said, running across her room and hugging him. "I don't want to cause trouble at my record company, but I can't give up Lilly, and Hannah can't give up Lola."

"Nobody's askin' you to, bud. Even if sales do drop, it's always your choice. And if you want to go someplace else, I think Hannah Montana is always going to find a home somewhere." He paused. "But I think this next week is gonna surprise a few people at that company, including this Danny Lusitain."

"I hope he's gonna be there next week when I go talk to the company's directors," Miley said. The venom in her voice was very out of place for her, but it spoke volumes about how serious this situation had become to her.

The next morning, Miley was almost to Lilly's house when the door opened and Lilly came running out, her backpack slung over her shoulders and her helmet and pads already on. She tossed her skateboard down and set off for Miley's, then she looked up and saw her. "Morning, Miles!" she said cheerfully as she skated toward her. Reaching her girlfriend, Lilly shifted all her weight to the back of board, pinning down the rear and pivoting quickly to change direction so that she and Miley were moving in the same direction now. "You doing okay this morning? Well, other than having to sleep alone last night?" she said with a knowing smile.

Miley said, "I guess," rather glumly. "My dad told me last night that one of my record company's new artists is pitching a big fit about Hannah and Lola."

That got Lilly's attention. She stopped and hopped off her board, picking it up and walking directly beside Miley. "Over what? Is he mad that we're into each other, or is he jealous, or what?"

"Daddy says he has a new album coming out tomorrow, and he thinks that Hannah's proposal is going to draw everyone's attention away from him."

"Who is this jerk?" Lilly asked, now irritated with whomever it was.

"Danny Lusitain," said Miley.

Lilly said, "Oh." She had seen his new video a few times already. She wasn't really into the whole emo/brooding guy thing, but the video was well done, and he had some solid appeal among her brother's friends. "He's okay, if you're into that whole tragic overemotional stuff. Not exactly my taste, if you know what I mean."

Miley cast a glance over at Lilly. "And what is your taste exactly, Truscott?" she asked.

Lilly glanced back. "Oh, you know, blonde pop stars with great voices and killer bodies," she answered, grinning. She lowered her voice, then added, "Plus I have a secret thing for sexy brunettes who pretend to be blonde pop stars with great voices and killer bodies."

Miley laughed. "Good thing I hit both categories, huh?"

Lilly said, "Good for you and me both, Stewart!" She hugged her girlfriend, then said, "Look, whatever this guy pulls, Hannah is a bankable star. He's the new kid. If it comes down to the label choosing between you two, Hannah is going to win."

"Yeah, I think so too, but my dad said something last night about the best outcome when two people argue is a way where everyone wins. I just can't think of how to make that happen."

Lilly kept her right arm around Miley as she looked at her and said, "You mean not yet. You'll think of something. I have faith in you, girl!"

Miley smiled back, putting her left arm around Lilly, matching her girlfriend's embrace. "Thanks, Lilly." She looked at Lilly and said, "I want you to know that no matter what, I'm with you, and you're with me. Same goes for Hannah and Lola. I'm going to refuse to do or say anything that goes against our relationship."

Lilly smiled back, then she said, "I already knew that, Miley. Like I said, I have faith in you. And in us."

School went uneventfully that day and the next two. Thursday, however, Miley had a better mood. Early reports showed that Lusitain's album had debuted at number four on the Billboard chart, which was a good debut for a new artist. However, Miley took great pleasure in seeing how her own album fared. Her second album's sales, which were still doing quite well before the proposal, rocketed back up sixty percent, putting her firmly into the number one spot again. Also, her first album re-entered the Top 100 at number seventeen. This boy needs to learn who the big dog is around here, Miley thought with a smile. And it's great that my fans are okay with Lola and Hannah being together.

Lilly had a dentist's appointment today, so she didn't get to class until third period. Immediately after the bell rung, she cornered Miley in the hall, knowing what today was. "So how were the record sales?"

Miley couldn't suppress a grin. "Hannah's back at number one."

"What?!" said Lilly. "Are you kidding me?"

Miley shook her head. "Nope, no joking. The first figures look like her sales went up nearly sixty percent since she proposed to Lola. Plus, her first album is back in the top twenty-five, sitting at number seventeen."

Lilly was thrilled. "Well, looks like one of our fears is taken care of."

Miley nodded, saying, "Yeah, that takes a big worry off my mind. And emo boy's album started at number four."

Lilly considered that. "Not bad for a new artist, but do you think he's going to be mad about Hannah's sales shooting up so high this week?"

"That's what I was worried about. If he's so self-absorbed that he thinks we did that to draw attention away from him, those figures'll feed right into that line of thinking."

Lilly wrinkled her forehead as she thought, making Miley smile at how cute she looked when she did that. "So pretty much one worry is taken care of, while the other might be worse."

"Yeah, exactly."

As they reached their lockers, Lilly suddenly pulled Miley in for a hug. "Boys are just so much trouble, aren't they?" she said, looking into Miley's eyes.

Miley grinned and said, "Yeah. That they are." As Lilly giggled, Miley leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. "Okay, we need to hurry if we don't want to be late to class."

Lilly nodded, grabbing her books from her locker and dropping the others off. Miley did the same, and they set off for class.

During lunch, the girls found Oliver in the courtyard outside, taking their places beside him.

Oliver slid over, making room for Miley and Lilly. "Hey girls! How's your day going?"

"Better," said Miley.

"Wonderful, as always," said Lilly, being overly cheerful. Lilly sat right next to Miley, their legs touching as they ate.

"Ready for your soccer game tonight, Lilly?" Oliver asked.

Lilly had been practicing with the shorthanded team the last three afternoons after school, getting a refresher course in the team's strategy. While she had played with most of the girls in middle school, she hadn't been with the team last year, and she was still a bit rusty. Still, Lilly was definitely a natural athlete, and Miley was sure that she'd do well in tonight's game.

Lilly nodded to Oliver's question. "Yeah, I think so. They're probably going to play me at striker, because I'm really not comfortable enough with the team layout to play midfield."

Oliver said, "You just don't want to run back and forth is what it is! You've become a soccer diva!" He started laughing. "Admit it, Truscott, you held out for the goal-scoring position so you could show off for your girlfriend!"

Lilly said, "I did not!" protesting a bit too forcefully. She lowered her gaze, then said quietly, "Okay, maybe I did ask for it. A little bit."

Miley saw that her girlfriend was turning red at being figured out, so she tried to lessen the embarrassment. "I think that's very sweet, Lilly! And for each goal you score tonight, you'll get something special," she said.

Lilly's and Oliver's heads both whirled around. Lilly said, "Oh really?" Miley nodded, a mischievous look on her face. "And just how special would these rewards be?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Very special," answered Miley, thinly disguised desire in her voice and gaze.

Oliver watched them banter back and forth. When they told him the news about their being in love, he had absolutely no problem with his best friends being into each other. Now he wondered how he could have missed the signs of their mutual attraction for as long as he did. The yearning looks, the frequent touches and hugs, the utter devotion to each other, the hurt and jealousy when someone else took the other's attention from where it was supposed to be, all those signs had been there from the beginning. But now Oliver was just glad that his friends were happy. And best of all, they hadn't left him out in their new romance. They still did things together, and while it would have been more balanced if Oliver had a girlfriend with him as well, Miley and Lilly did their best to not leave him out. The one exception was their little flirting games; no one was allowed to play those with them, so he didn't feel left out there.

As the teasing wound down, Oliver looked at his watch. "We need to dump these trays and get to the lockers, bell's going to ring in a few minutes." They hastily took their trays then hurried down to their lockers, reaching them as the bell rang.

Miley tugged her notebook and textbook out of the mess of her locker, then turned to Lilly. "Want me to walk you to class, or you want to walk me?"

Lilly slammed her locker door and said, "I'll walk you today," smiling. As they threaded their way through the crowded hall, they linked hands, using the crush of others to hide their show of affection. After just a minute, they arrived at Miley's class. At the door, Lilly reluctantly released Miley's hand. "See you after school?"

Miley nodded. "Yeah, I can't wait to watch you play tonight. I get to cheer my girlfriend!" she said excitedly, forgetting where they were for just a moment and giving Lilly a quick kiss. Luckily, Miley's teacher didn't see them. Lilly grinned, then waved as she turned down the hall, off to her class.

As Miley found her seat, one of her classmates, a rather snotty blonde girl named Jen Kittrell, said, "Don't know if they told you this, Stewart, but lesbians aren't allowed at the soccer games!"

Miley turned to look at Jen. "Oh Jen, I don't know if they told you this, but you need to have your hair done again. Your roots are showing."

Jen gasped at Miley's display of attitude. She was a senior, and Miley was a sophomore; that type of talk wasn't acceptable. "You need to watch your mouth, Stewart, or it'll get you in trouble," she said with an ominous voice.

"Ms. Stewart! Ms. Kittrell!" Their teacher's voice immediately broke up the gathering tension between the two girls. "Do I need to send you two to the Student Affairs office to finish your little chat?"

"No ma'am," both girls said simultaneously. Nothing further was said between Miley and Jen, for that day at least.

When school let out, Miley and Lilly met up outside the school, giving each other a long hug, then a soft kiss just off the school campus. "Missed you," Miley said, smiling at her girlfriend.

"Missed you too," Lilly answered. Looking over Miley's shoulder, she said, "Why is Jen Kittrell walking this way, and why does she look like someone just peed in her cereal?"

Miley spun in time to see Jen come to a halt within striking distance, a fact Miley was suddenly very aware of. While Jen wasn't that much bigger than she was, she was considerably stronger, plus she was on the school's soccer team. She's going to be on the field with Lilly tonight, Miley thought with a growing sense of worry in the back of her mind. Instinctively, Miley held her arms out behind her, trying to restrain Lilly in case Jen tried to start something.

Jen sneered at the girls, "I'm not happy about you playing tonight, Truscott. I think I'd rather forfeit that have to play with someone like you."

"What, a good player?" said Miley. "Or did you mean something else?" Miley really didn't want this to get ugly, but she wasn't going to let this bitch insult her lover.

Jen looked back at Miley. "I think you know what I mean, Stewart."

Lilly tried to ease the tension, saying, "Jen, I'm just going out there tonight so we have enough to play, because I want us to beat East Malibu as much as you do. There's no agenda past that."

Jen regarded Lilly coolly. "Then we'll just have to see how good you play," she said, then she turned around and walked off.

After she got about ten yards away, Lilly said, "What the heck was that about?"

Miley turned and said, "She saw us kiss when you walked me to World History, and I guess she didn't like it. She told me that lesbians weren't allowed at the soccer game tonight, so I told her she needed to do her roots again."

Lilly sputtered at that, narrowly missing spraying Miley. "Oh, I bet that went over well," she said as she wiped her mouth.

"Yeah, about as well as you'd expect," Miley muttered. "I thought she was going to belt me one just now."

Lilly said, "Is that why you were trying to hold me back?" Miley nodded. "Miles, if she'd hit you, I'd have let her have it!"

Miley leaned in and kissed Lilly, soothing the brewing anger in her heart. As they broke the kiss, Miley said, "I know. But I'd gladly take that punch for you, and she needed to see that."

Lilly was confused now. "Jen needed to see it?" she asked.

Miley nodded again, "Yup. See, the way I see it, she's all serious about her boyfriend, right?"

Lilly said, "Yeah, they've been together for, like, forever, and everyone figures they'll get married after they graduate."

Miley said, "Okay, so what she needs to see is that you and I are as serious about each other as the two of them are. Once she realizes that, I bet she'll back off with the smart remarks."

"Has she said anything else?" Lilly asked, now worried.

"Not to me, until today. But several people in the class have told me she's got some beef with us being in love." Miley chewed her lower lip. "Not sure what exactly it is, but maybe I can find out. Or maybe Oliver can."

Lilly turned, tugging Miley with her as they started walking again. "Let's go, so I can get changed. Game starts at six, but I have to be there at five."

Miley looked at her girlfriend. "Why do coaches always make players do that?"

Lilly shrugged her shoulders. "Because they can? Seriously, I do need to work with some of the other players on passing. Not playing with them last year is going to make it hard to know what they're thinking. I need all the help I can get, I'm afraid."

Miley put her arm around Lilly, pulling her close. "You'll do just fine, sweetie. You're a good player, and they're lucky to have you." Miley knew that once Lilly got on the field, her competitive nature would more than compensate for her being rusty. Lilly stayed in great shape, and her natural athletic ability was strong. She'd do well, Miley was sure of it. "You just be careful out there, okay?"

Lilly nodded. "Count on it."

After a minute or two of walking, Miley said, "I'd like for Lola to be with me when I go talk to the record company president tomorrow night."

Lilly wasn't expecting that. "Why? I mean, you know I'll be there for you, Miley, all you had to do was ask, but why do you want Lola there?"

"Because I feel stronger with you by my side. And because I want them to see how beautiful and special you truly are."

"You're so sweet," Lilly said, smiling at Miley's compliments. "But I'm afraid I might not contribute much."

"Well, I just have this feeling that you're supposed to be there. It's been there for the last two days, and it's telling me that I need you there."

Lilly said, "Then I'll be there." She stopped walking, stopping Miley with her as she turned to face her. "Miley, I'll always be there for you. No matter what, I promise you."

Miley said, "Good. I'll hold you to that promise, you know." Inside, she felt better about the upcoming meeting. She hadn't just been saying that about the feeling Lilly should be there; she really had been having that feeling for the last two days, and it was growing stronger. But now, it was subsiding, since she knew Lilly was going to be there. "We're each pretty special by ourselves, but together..." she trailed off.

Lilly nodded, finishing, "Together, we're unstoppable. Those guys better watch out tomorrow night, because they're no match for the Montana couple!"

Miley laughed, "That'll be fun to figure out. Are we going to be the Mrs. Montanas for formal events?"

Lilly said, "Sure, why not," laughing as they started walking again, now nearly to Lilly's house. As they reached Lilly's door, Lilly kissed Miley goodbye and said, "Love you, see you tonight."

Miley replied, "Love you too. Score some goals tonight for me."

Lilly said, "I'll see what I can do. I want my rewards!" She opened the door and went on inside, waving goodbye to Miley through the window. Miley turned and headed for home, looking forward to the game tonight.

As Miley walked in the door, she saw her dad fixing dinner. "Hi Daddy!" she said. "Can we go watch Lilly play soccer tonight?"

"Sure, bud," Robbie Ray answered. "I'm just about done here, and the chicken'll be done in just a few minutes."

"Can I help?" asked Miley, crossing over behind the island to stand beside her father. "Oh, I can do the rolls," she said, picking up the small tub of whipped butter and gently depositing a small amount on top of each uncooked roll on the baking pan. When the chicken was done, the rolls would go in for a few minutes, then be ready to take out and eat.

"Thanks. How was school today?" Robbie Ray asked.

"Oh, not bad," Miley said. No point in bothering him with what Jen had said to her today. "By the way, I asked Lilly to come with us to the meeting tomorrow. I just think she needs to be there, especially since she and I are the issue being discussed."

Robbie Ray looked at his daughter. "Well, I'll leave that up to you two. It could be either good or bad, not sure which way it'll turn out."

"Okay, thanks, Dad. I think it'll be a good thing, because Lilly helps me stay grounded."

"Unless someone insults her. Then you get pretty hot, Miles," her father warned her.

"True," said Miley. "Which is why I'll need you and Lilly both to help me out." As the oven chimed, she used a potholder to take the chicken out, then she slid the rolls in and reset the timer. "I just wish I could come up with some way to resolve this without it coming down to me or him," she said plaintively, looking at her dad. "You know, a way where both of us win, like you said before."

Robbie Ray smiled at his daughter, already very mature for her young age and maturing even more with each new day. "Well Miles, I have faith in you and know you'll do what's right. I've also learned that sometimes really tough situations have a solution that's dying to show itself, if we'd just be quiet and let it."

Miley thought about that as they set the table to eat. Right on cue, Jackson walked in. "Man, that smells good!" he said, ambling over to the table and sitting down.

Miley sighed as she finished setting the table. "You can get your own drink, Jackson, since Dad fixed dinner and I set the table," she said.

"Works for me," said Jackson, apparently not upset with that arrangement in the least.

The dinner went well, with the standard small talk about school. Jackson's eye had been caught by a new transfer student. He didn't know her name yet, but he was sure that he would by the end of the day tomorrow. Miley really did hope that he could find someone who could put up with him, because right now she wanted everyone to have the chance to be as happy as she was.

Thinking about that led her to a more somber train of thought. If her parents had been as happy together as she and Lilly already were, what torture would it have been for her father to go through that kind of loss? Miley couldn't imagine being without Lilly, not even for a few days. In fact, they hadn't spent a whole day without seeing each other since they had started dating. Miley realized that they were very lucky to live as close as they did to each other, as well as to have parents as understanding and accepting of them. How would she fare if something happened to Lilly?

That was a dark, ugly subject. Could she survive? Could she keep living without Lilly? Or rather, would she want to? Miley had no romantic thoughts about suicide; she knew that while suicide ended earthly suffering for one person, it only created suffering for many more. Without even considering the religious ramifications, she didn't think she would kill herself if anything happened to Lilly, but she knew she'd hate each day without her love. As Miley's thoughts turned back to her father and what he went through when her mother died, she realized that having to care for Jackson and her is what probably pulled her dad through the loss of his wife. Could I be that strong, if something happened to Lilly after we had children? She hoped she would. But even more so, she hoped she'd never have to find out that question's answer.

Suddenly exhausted, Miley yawned as she started to get up and take her plate to the dishwasher. "Excuse me," she said as she finished the yawn.

"You tired or something, Miles?" Jackson said, a knowing smirk on his face. "I bet your legs are probably still sore from yesterday too, huh?"

Miley gave Jackson a glare that would have frozen water at ten feet. 'Yes, Jackson, tired and sore. Anything else you want to add?"

Jackson took the hint. "Nope, just noticed that great big yawn. Reminded me of that bass we caught last year in Tellico Lake, huh Dad?" he said, laughing.

"Ha ha," said Miley, completely without mirth. She got up and rinsed her plate, then set it, her glass and fork in the dishwasher. "I think I might take a short nap before we leave, Daddy."

"Okay darlin', you go right ahead. What time you want to leave for the game?"

"What game?" asked Jackson.

Miley stopped when she was almost to the stairs and turned back around to face Jackson and her father. "Lilly's playing soccer tonight for the school. They're short players due to injury, and they didn't have many to begin with, so she was asked to play for a few games." Looking at her dad, she said, "Well, the game starts at six, so I'd like to be there around a quarter 'til, if that's okay with you?"

"Fine with me, Miles," her dad said. "You comin' with us, Jackson?"

He thought for a minute. "Sure, why not? I'm not working tonight, and students get in free to the games. Might be fun to see ol' Truscott play."

Miley said, "Alright, off to nap land for me." She went up the steps, feeling the fatigue from the stress of this week settle squarely on her shoulders. As she went into her room, she didn't even bother to turn down the bed, just climbing on top of the covers and immediately falling asleep.

When Miley awoke, she didn't immediately recognize where she was. The room was bigger than her bedroom, and the walls were different. But the arm across her chest and the head next to hers she knew intimately. Lilly was sound asleep, and Miley noticed that she looked...older. Not terribly older, but several years, at least. Miley gently disentangled herself from Lilly's grasp and stood up. She took a robe from beside the bed and slipped it on to cover her naked body, then she glanced around the room.

NOW she recognized the room. It was her dad's room, or at least it used to be his room. But it looked like she and Lilly had been here for some time. The walls were covered with framed gold and platinum CDs, while all the flat surfaces had pictures very neatly arranged. Most were of Lilly, Miley, or the two of them together, but there was one of Lilly's parents, and one of Miley's dad and Jackson, and one of...

Miley hurried out of the room, scarcely believing what she seen in that last picture. Was this just another dream? Or was this a special dream, like the one she and Lilly had shared earlier? She went down the hall, looking first in what used to be Jackson's room. While neat and ready to be slept in, the room looked unused. Maybe a guest room. She padded on down the hall, until she came to what used to be her bedroom. Her heart was pounding as she paused, not quite ready to look in the room just yet. But she knew she had to.

Silently, she walked into the room, over to the bed that she and Lilly had slept in many times, first as friends, then as lovers, finally as wives. She looked down into the bed, and tears came unbidden to her eyes as she gazed down upon their beautiful daughter. Barely three years old, she was fast asleep, protected by safety rails all around the bed. Her resemblance to Lilly was uncanny, down to her fine blonde hair and soft features. Unable to help herself, Miley carefully scooped her up and carried her over to the rocking chair in the corner, where she had rocked little Brooke many times before. She sat down, covering them up with a quilt her mother had made before her death. They had brought it back with them the last time they had gone to see Miley's family in Tennessee. As she rocked her little girl, she felt someone else in the room with her. "Mommy?"

Miley looked over to see her mother standing next to the door, watching the two of them rock. "Is this really going to happen?" she asked her, both excited and frightened at once. Her mother nodded slowly, a smile on her face. "When? I mean, how long until we..." She glanced down at the toddler in her arms. "You know!"

"I can't tell you that, Miley," her mother said. "But it will happen, in good time."

Miley found herself at a loss for words, an unusual situation for her. So instead of panicking, she simply closed her eyes and leaned her head back, rocking and enjoying the feeling of the child in her arms. Lilly's child. Her child. THEIR child. She opened her eyes back up and asked her mother, "How did we do this? I mean, she looks so much like Lilly, so I guess Lilly is the biological mother. But I can't remember which of us carried her, or when she born, or--" Her mother's gentle fingers on her lips stopped Miley's stream of words.

"It's alright, Miley. Like I said, everything will happen in its own time. I had told you earlier that I'd be watching over you and Lilly, and you've been so troubled about your meeting coming up."

"How did you know about that?" Miley said, then she realized just how silly a question that really was.

"The same way I know how you're going to deal with this conflict inside your record company. But you still have to figure that one out for yourself. Just remember, sometimes very large conflicts can be settled by very small actions. Trust in yourself and your ideas, and trust in Lilly. That's all you need to know to find the right answer." Her mother turned and walked out the door, and Miley stood and followed her, carrying little Brooke, who was still snoozing.

As they walked downstairs, Miley looked around. While the basic floor plan was unchanged, the downstairs looked rather different. The floors were the same, but the couches were different, more of a suede fabric. The television had been replaced with a large wall-mounted plasma unit, with an entertainment center underneath it. However, what caught Miley's eyes was the large display case, standing where the old television had been. "Oh my gosh..." she whispered, crossing the room.

As she walked over to the display case, a light inside it winked on, sensing her approach. Miley gasped as she looked at the golden statuettes inside the case. "Are these...Grammys? Are they my Grammys?" she asked her mother.

"Yes, they are, Miley," her mother answered, glowing with pride in her daughter's success.

Miley estimated there had to be twenty or so Grammys, and while she started by looking at them, her eyes soon settled on the other statuettes in the case, the ones that were different. "An Emmy? Wait, three Emmys?" She whirled around to look at her mother again, noticing the proud smile on her face. "Are those mine too?" she asked, incredulously.

Her mother shook her head. "No, Miley, those aren't yours."

"Then who..." Miley gasped. "LILLY?"

Her mother nodded.

"Lilly is an actress?!?" Miley started to shout, then she caught herself before she woke up Brooke, lowering her voice just in time.

"Yes, and a very good one, too," her mom replied.

Miley was immensely proud of her Lilly; in fact, she didn't think she had ever been more proud of her than she was at that moment. Just then the package in her arms sleepily turned, whimpering, "Momma." Miley shifted her daughter in her arms, holding her in more of an upright position with Brooke's head resting on her right shoulder. "Shhh, it's okay baby, Momma's got you."

Miley returned her attention to the trophy case, and she finally glanced at the very top. She didn't think she could have been surprised any more, but somehow she was. "Okay Mom, whose Oscars are those?!?"

Her mother smiled again. "One for each of you, Miley. Lilly won for Best Actress, and you won for Best Original Song. It was an amazing movie, but I can't tell you any more about it either, I'm afraid. Just know that I'll be very proud of both of you for doing this movie when the time comes."

Footsteps coming down the steps caught Miley's ear, and she turned in time to see Lilly softly walking down the steps, wearing a cutoff t-shirt and pajama shorts. "Oh Lilly, you are so beautiful..." Miley's voice cracked as she took in how Lilly looked, fully grown into her womanhood.

Lilly's voice sounded like she was trying not to laugh as she said, "What's up with you, Miles? You okay--" Lilly froze as she reached the ground floor and looked at Miley. "Miles...is that your mom?" Lilly said softly.

Miley said, "Yeah."

"Is this another dream, like the one we had years ago, right before we told each other how we felt?" Lilly asked, as she slowly moved over to Miley's mother. "Hi," she said.

"Hello Lilly," said Miley's mother, then she hugged Lilly firmly. "Thank you for being so good to my baby girl, and now to my granddaughter."

Lilly was crying at this point, and Miley's eyes were full of tears too. Lilly said, "It's my pleasure, Mrs. Stewart. You knew all along how much we loved each other, and you were there to tell us we were right to give in to our love. I could never, ever thank you enough for what you've given me," Lilly said as she hugged her again.

"All I did was let you know that the two of you were going in the right direction. It was how good you two have been for each other that led you to all this you have today," Mrs. Stewart said.

Lilly reached back for Miley, and Miley stepped over, handing Lilly their little girl. "Hi, little lump," Lilly said as she settled her head on her left shoulder, mirroring how Miley had been holding her. Turning to Miley, Lilly said, "I remember this now, Miley. You having this dream, I mean. You had this one by yourself, and you told me then that I wouldn't have the dream myself until much later. And you never would tell me what you had seen, just that it was wonderful." Lilly was wiping tears with her free hand as she finished, "And you were right, it is wonderful."

Miley couldn't take it any more, and she let go and allowed the tears to fall freely. She was laughing and smiling, but the tears came nonetheless. "I just..." She was unable to put what she was feeling into words, so she just quit trying. Instead, she just held her wife and her daughter, letting go of all her fears, all her worries, and losing herself in the love of their embrace.

The shrill ringing of the alarm clock made Miley nearly jump out of her skin. She did a double-take around her room, convincing herself that she was back in her proper time. While some details of the dream were already starting to fade a bit, Miley was sure that other parts of it would remain crystal clear as long as she lived. Now it was time to get ready for Lilly's soccer game.

Author's Afterword: Wow, another deeply emotional chapter. Something about those dreams just gets me; I was nearly crying at several points while I was writing this one, too. I had thought about putting the soccer game in this chapter as well, but anything after the dream would have been anticlimactic. Hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll get working on the last two or three as soon as I can!

-- Jo --