A/N: I know it's been awhile, but I think I'm going to continue this story. I might not be updating as much as I used to, but I'm definitely working on future chapters.

Hope you enjoy this chapter. I squished so many things in. The beginning was written like a whole month before the last part, so the tone I wrote in might be a little different. Hahaa. Anyway, REVIEW and tell me what you think! Oh, and review on what you want to happen and what you think will happen. Thanksforreadinggx3

"You've been looking different, boy," Old John cocked his wrinkly old head to the side and examined me.

I rolled my eyes and took my usual seat on the worn out couch at the far side of the room. "You said that already… Four times."

John shrugged his shoulders and squinted his eyes. "I don't know. It's like you've got this glow in you. Like those pregnant women."

"So you're saying I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant with love."

I doubled over in laughter, but John didn't seem to find the humor in his comment. I waved my hand at him dismissively. "Just go before I laugh out a lung."

"Just saying, boy. Miley's changing you and you don't even know it."

He walked away at that moment, letting the words settle into my head. After a few moments of thinking, my short attention span traveled to thinking about why apartments were called apartments when they weren't 'apart'. I mean, seriously. Why not call them 'togetherments'?

"Boy!" John called out from outside the garage where he was taking the car out.

I rolled my eyes and sat up a little straighter, straining to hear the old guy's voice better. "I have a name you know."

"Someone's out here to see you. Some friend of yours or something."

Confused, I pulled myself off the couch and sauntered outside only to find Old John in conversation with Liam Powers. I could tell from the way Ol' John's eyebrows wrinkled together to make a white caterpillar that he didn't like the looks of Liam. The tattoos and piercings just might have had something to do with it.

"Liam," I mumbled quickly, glancing in between him and John.

A soft, lazy smile twisted onto the blond's lips as he stepped forward. "Nick. Long time no see."

I snapped my lips shut, not wanting to say anything else, or rather not knowing what else to say. John glanced between us with one of those weird looks. "You two know each other."

"From way back," I answered tensely, my jaw grinding together in the process.

Liam gave me a skeptical look, but nodded slowly. "Way, way back."

Old John wiped at his oil- stained hands and sighed. "Fine. Go talk to your friend for an hour, but you better be back before I kick your sorry butt to the curb."

Great. The day I WANT to stay at work, the old guy is kicking me out. I flashed him the best HELP ME OR THIS GUY WILL KILL ME WITH A FREAKING BAT look, but these things don't really carry on well with short glances. Suddenly, John's eyes widened as he caught my stare. Maybe he had read my thoughts after all!

"Stop looking at me like that, boy. It's freaking me out."

Or not.

"Come on, Nick. I think we have some things to talk about." Liam had already begun to walk down the street. With no other choice, I flashed Old John another death stare before striding forward until I caught up to Liam's quick pace. None of us said anything until we reached a deserted part of town. Yay. The perfect place to beat my brains out.

"Just do it," I winced, shutting my eyes.

"Do what?" Liam asked, his voice filling with confusion.

"Hit me, kick me, whatever you have to do. Just get it over with."

Liam actually chuckled. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Seriously. Just get it over with." I definitely wasn't going to believe someone who robbed girls for a living. After a few moments of silence, Liam moved forward and shoved me lightly.

"There. Now can you open your eyes and talk to me?"

Finally, I slowly blinked my eyes open expecting Liam's fist to be placed right in front of my face, but it wasn't like that at all. He was standing a few feet away, a safe enough distance and his hands were stuffed into his jeans pockets. He looked almost nervous or shy. "I don't get it. Isn't this the part where you cut me into pieces and throw me into that dumpster?"

Liam sighed and flickered his forest green eyes at me. "Like I said, I just want to talk."

"About Miley…"

"If that's the girl's name, then yes."

I found myself relaxing in a way from just the tone of voice Liam had used. It didn't sound threatening in any way. Instead, it sounded almost curious. "If you're wondering if she knows, then no. Her memory is still gone." I chose to leave out the part that her memory of that day might eventually come back.

"Good," Liam sighed, relief filling his expression. "I didn't want Tyler to find out."

"Tyler doesn't know she's still in town?" I asked, bewildered. "But you saw her with me a few days ago… And you didn't tell him?"

Liam smiled sadly and glanced up at me. "I'm not always the bad guy, Nick. I might have made some mistakes in the past few years, but I'm still partly the same guy you knew in high school."

I stayed silent, not really knowing what else to say. "So what do I do about Miley?"

"Just keep her out of Tyler's side of town. You guys have something going on, don't you?"

I nodded shyly as I felt my face burn up. "How'd you find out?"

Tyler moved his shoulders in a small shrug. "The way you looked at her that night I saw you two… I can't really describe it, but it was there."

"You should probably go," I quickly mumbled, remembering John's 5 minute rule. "I have to get back to work."

Liam chuckled and rubbed at the back of his neck. "That boss of yours… He scares me."

I laughed and nodded. "Yeah, but he's a good guy."

Liam paused, studying me again. "You've changed since high school."

"I think we all have."

His eyes filled with an emotion I couldn't read as he took in my words. Finally, he took a step back and another before slowly walking away. "Hey!" I called out. He turned around slowly, as if not sure he had heard me at all. "Thank you," I smiled softly. I didn't say exactly what I was thankful for, but I knew from the way he smiled back that he already understood.

By the time I got back, John chucked a wrench at my head. "2 minutes late, boy."

I rolled my eyes for the 10th time that day and patted the old guy on the back as I passed by him. "Glad to be back too."

"Miley?" I called out, throwing my keys on the table. I found her sitting in the living room with her feet crossed underneath her. The TV was on some marathon and a girl in her teenage years was busily playing Mozart on the piano. I quietly took the seat next to her on the couch and kissed her forehead. "Hey."

She rested her head on my shoulder, and said nothing. She just continued to watch. The piano piece was long. It must have lasted almost ten minutes, but neither of said a word while we were watching. Finally, as the girl pushed her bench back and sat up to bow and take in her applause, Miley sighed next to me.

"I miss playing the piano. I wish I knew why I quit."

"Maybe you got tired of it," I shrugged casually. She shook her head quickly as if it were the most absurd thing she had ever heard.

"No. That's impossible."

"Okay… Maybe you wanted to be something else more?"

"No. I don't think so. I have a feeling about it, but I just can't remember why I feel so strongly about it."

I smoothed out her uneven bangs and smiled, trying my best to cheer her up. "It'll come back eventually."

After a few moments of silence, she snuggled into my chest closer. "You know, sometimes I wish I just stopped remembering all together. Especially when it involved remembering something bad. It's like reliving the pain all over again." She paused and shut her eyes as if lulling herself to sleep.

I rubbed her shoulders in silence, being that I'm most probably the worst comforter in the whole universe. "What can I do to make you feel better?"

Miley titled her face upwards and kissed my cheek softly, but she didn't give me an answer. Instead, she just turned her attention back to the TV as the teenage girl returned to the piano for another piece by Mozart. I watched as she raised the volume until the music echoed throughout the whole apartment, filling the room and blocking away the rest of the world from the two of us.

Miley stepped out in the same navy blue dress she had worn on the first few days she had woken up. I realized that she hadn't bought anything in almost awhile. I didn't know whether to be worried or happy. "Are you ready?" I asked, leaning down to make a mock bow. She curtsied and laughed along as she took my arm.

We entered the small elaborate restaurant, probably the fanciest thing you'll ever find in a town like this and was greeted by a waiter. "For two, please."

The waiter, who seemed to tower over us by feet stooped down to look into his tiny computer. He grabbed two menus before leading us to a table secluded at the back. It was perfect.

"Here is your table. I hope it's suitable," the waiter replied snottily. His voice sounded like he had damn oranges stuffed in his nose. I held back a comment slipping through my lips and just nodded, and I could tell Miley noticed my hesitation. She smirked at me and rolled those blue- gray eyes of hers before taking a seat.

"Hey. I was supposed to pull your seat out for you and do all that other gentleman stuff," I whined teasingly. Miley rolled her eyes again and let a laugh escape her lips. The simple sound made my heart beat a little faster.

"It doesn't matter. I love you exactly the way you are." She smiled and leaned forward to peck my lips with a short kiss. I felt my cheeks blush that damn red I always hated, but I couldn't help it. Miley Stewart could perform miracles on me.

"So," she finally said as our drinks arrived. "What's the celebration?"

"Nothing," I shrugged casually.

She snorted that adorable snort of hers and propped her chin on her hand as she leaned forward. "Oh please, Nicky. You don't take girls to these kind of places just for anything. What happened? Job promotion? You won the lottery?"

"Nah," I smirked as I reached forward and wrapped a strand of that beautiful honey brown hair around my finger. "I just wanted to make you feel special for one night. I know being stuck in that damn apartment all day can be kind of annoying so I thought you deserved something like this; something better."

Her blue gray eyes softened as her hold on my hand tightened. "Nick…"

"You know I care about you, right?"

I watched in complete captivation as those beautiful lips twisted into a smile. She leaned forward until our foreheads touched gently.

I tilted my head down to kiss her lips, but she simply giggled and pulled back. She was such a damn tease, but I loved her for it. "Oh, and there's a surprise after dinner."

Miley's eyes widened as she bit back a building grin. I always knew she was a sucker for surprises. I sat back in my chair amused as I watched her eyes fill with childlike curiosity. I knew she would be thinking about the surprise all through tonight, but I wouldn't give in…. Well, I hope not. Who knows. I can never tell what Miley Stewart could do to me.

"Can I at least have a clue?" she asked with a mischievous smile dancing across her lips.

"Nope."

"Just one clue."

"Nuh- uh."

"I'll kiss you right now if you tell me," she whispered slyly.

Oh crap…

"Um…," I stuttered. Damn Miley Stewart and her genius mind. I held back my manly temptations and continued to stare at the floor like an idiot. One look at those goddamn lips of hers and I was gone with. This secret needed to be kept until the perfect time.

"Fine," Miley sighed dramatically. "I guess you don't care about me enough."

"Oh please," I rolled my eyes as a smirk grew on my face. "Like you actually think I'll fall for that. That's just low."

Miley sighed again as she began toying with the plate of pasta in front of her. "Oh well. It was worth a try."

"No one gets anything past Nick Grey," I stated proudly.

"Right, Nicky. Right," Miley smirked as if she had a freakin' secret to herself.

"What?"

"Nothing."

I grumbled under my breath, "You are so frustrating sometimes." I snapped my mouth close suddenly remembering who I was talking to. The Queen of 'take everything seriously'. I glanced up, ready to take my punishment but instead I see her grinning.

"You have a little pasta on your face," she smiled as she reached over and smudged her thumb across the corner of my lips. I raised an eyebrow but she had already changed the subject to something Demi had told her earlier.

And that was that. Conversation ended.

"So is it time for the surprise?"

"What happened to patience?"

"Well, it doesn't really work when you've got me blindfolded and I have no idea where I am," she grumbled, though I could tell from the tone in her voice that she was enjoying it. I squeezed onto her hand as I led her through the door, making sure she made it all the way in.

"If you slam my face into the wall, I will come after you Nick Grey."

"I'm shaking scared," I teased.

She paused as a tiny smirk danced across those goddamn perfect lips of hers. "Did I ever tell you I've been studying martial arts since I was 9? Dad's idea for self- defense."

Crap.

"Wait. We're almost here."

I entered the room, pleased to see that what I was waiting for was exactly where it was supposed to. I walked behind Miley and began to untie the blindfold (which was just some old t- shirt I found in the back of my car. Shh. Don't tell her.) "Nick, what—"

The moment her eyes caught sight of the large sleek object placed only a few feet away from her, I could already tell she had fallen in love with it. But hell, that didn't mean that the stubborn Miley Stewart had to come out. "Nick. This is too much. A piano? I couldn't—"

I grabbed her by the wrists and kissed her until I ran out of every damn breath in my body. "I love you. This makes you happy, and I wouldn't have wanted anything more in the world than that."

"But where did you even get the money for this?"

"I used the money I won from the competition."

Her eyes twinkled with something I couldn't quite read, but she looked as if she was about to cry right there in front of me. I grazed her cheek with my finger lightly, and knitted my eyebrows together in confusion. "What?"

Miley Stewart shook her head as if laughing to herself before placing her hand on my cheek. I tried to ignore the feeling that captivated my entire goddamn body the moment her skin touched mine, because honestly, all I wanted to do at that moment was melt into her touch. What was I? A freakin' cat?

"Seriously, what?" I asked a little frustrated. I hated when I felt like I wasn't part of a joke everyone else understood except me.

"Nothing," she smiled up at me. "It's just that… you never told me you loved me before."

Aw damn. "Oh," I mumbled suddenly feeling my cheeks heat up. I probably looked like a damn plate of ketchup at the moment. "Is that a problem?"

Miley laughed again as if everything I was saying was so amusing. How could she stand there laughing and look so goddamn perfect, while I stand here, blushing my face off and probably looking more like a retard than I already do? Oh yeah. Cause she was Miley Stewart.

"Not even close," Miley finally whispered as she tip- toed to level her face with mine. She was so close that I could see every feature on her face, from her eyes to the curve of her lips and to the texture of her skin. I never had the guts to tell anyone cause I would sound like a complete stalker, but I loved her skin. I loved looking at it, I loved touching it, I loved kissing it. Goddamn. I even loved smelling it. It was always so clear and perfectly tanned at just the right places. And god. Those freckles that powdered across her nose. No one else would notice them if they weren't standing any closer than a few inches away. I almost didn't notice them until I had opened my eyes after kissing her, and there they were. Probably the best damn freckles you will ever get to witness. It was just one of those things you had to make yours.

"You do realize we've only known each other for 12 days," Miley whispered, her breath sliding across my cheeks like a mist from standing so closely.

"You've been counting?" I teased, even though I was too.

"Just shut up and kiss me," Miley giggled as she tugged at my curls and pulled her lips to mine. I cupped the side of her cheek with my free hand while the other held onto the curve of her back for support. If there was any way to describe how I much I love this girl's kisses, then Taylor might as well have been the next Einstein of the century. It was from the way her lips moved across mine, or the way she tasted, or the way it made my entire body feel like an erupting firework. God. It was everything. Absolutely everything.

By the time she pulled away, she rested her forehead right on mine. I couldn't help but let my eyes wander to those goddamn freckles I loved so much, wanting to just lean forward an inch and kiss them. "I will never get tired of that," she smiled as she fluttered her eyes open to meet mine.

"Me either," I mumbled like an idiot, the kiss still messing around in my mind.

"Thank you for the piano. I love it," Miley beamed up at me with one of her perfect toothed smiles.

"Can you play for me?"

She got this huge grin on her face as if I had just asked if she wanted 5 grand. She pulled away for a quick moment and the emptiness in my arms and chest where she had just stood felt so wrong.

"Are you coming?" she asked with a tiny smirk, patting the left- over room on the piano bench.

I shook my head and shrugged. "I like to watch you play."

Her lips twisted into a curious smile that held so many questions and secrets that just one of those looks made me go crazy. "Fine."

She began with a slow tune that echoed throughout the whole apartment. The melody suddenly reminded me how little sleep I had gotten in the last few days as my eyes began to feel like weight were pulling them down my freakin' face. I took a seat on the couch opposite to where the piano was now placed and rested my head to continue watching her. Miley Stewart. My Miley Stewart.

Her eyes were closed shut as her fingers moved across the milk white keys, and her body swayed back and forth to the melody. Sometimes I wondered how a prick like me could have ever ended up so lucky to meet a girl like her. I definitely didn't deserve this. Girls like her were saved for princes, and presidents, and billionaires. People who made a difference in the world. Not me. Not even close.

Before I knew it, my eyes had drifted shut and I was already half dreaming. I couldn't tell much of what was happening, like all my other god- forsaken dreams. It wasn't like most of my dreams though. Firstly, Megan Fox was nowhere to be seen, and second, I was by the lake where we had first visited Miley's parents lake house. One minute, I'm lying down on my back on the wet soil, and next thing I know I'm floating on top of the lake water. Every few seconds, I would feel a panic rising in me that I would drown, that the water would grow arms and pull me under… but every time the arms would appear, a light would appear right with it.

And every time that light would appear the hands would vanish and I would be safe again. Finally, realizing I had every control over my dream, I looked closer to the shining ball of light only to see it was the shape of a person; a girl.

Are you an angel? I found myself asking, but my lips wouldn't move. Nothing would. Suddenly, I felt myself panicking as horror filled my senses. It wasn't until the ball of light reappeared just inches above me that I felt all signs of panic disappear. Whatever this light was, it made every bad thing go away. It was saving me. As if my mind was giving me a sign, I fluttered my eyes open to notice that Miley wasn't playing the piano anymore, but rather she was standing right in front of me.

Half- asleep, I reached out for her. Could she have been the light in my dream?

"I love you, Nick," Miley whispered as something warm brushed my lips. The moment I heard the words, something inside my chest lifted.

And suddenly, I didn't have to ask. I already knew.