Chapter Twenty Four.

Nick

I waited for her to speak. She didn't.

I wanted her to explain. She wouldn't.

I just wished I could help her. But she didn't want me to.

Instead I got silence.

Our house was surrounded by the deadly sound of nothing. Our kids were tucked up in bed, their minds lost in happy dreams that hopefully obscured their questions over why their mommy was too busy to say goodnight. While I was forced to face the reality, something had changed.

I returned with the twins from dinner and ice cream to find Miley gone. The panic was unimaginable in that moment, and it was worse to have to hide it from the twins as I calmly informed them to get ready for bed. I searched the whole damn house yet she wasn't anywhere. I was sure Miley had run again.

Then Devonne came rushing down pointing outside. I didn't understand entirely as she moved her hands rapidly, until finally I pieced a whole sentence together.

Why is mommy outside?

When I walked outside she was pacing, back and forth, completely oblivious to my presence. Devonne stood beside me as we both just watched Miley. She was so completely distant and unresponsive. It scared the shit out of me let alone Devonne. I took a chance and picked up Devonne, deciding I needed to make sure our daughter was safe in bed before I even attempted to solve my fiancé. I left hoping she'd still be pacing when I returned. Miley had stopped thankfully and was sitting by the pool when I came back, her eyes glued on the water.

That's when I asked her the question I already knew the answer to in my heart.

"You think you know who killed her don't you?" I asked simply.

I didn't need Mi to utter a word because her expression was enough. Miley's eyes glazed over and her chest tightened trying to withhold emotions. She was hurting. So badly I didn't know how to help her. I just wrapped my arm around Miley and sat there with her. We just sat for at least an hour until finally I asked the next question on my mind,

"You think it's Joe don't you?"

Miley turned looking at me shocked for a second before she shook her head,

"No, I don't think it's Joe, Nick." She whispered.

I frowned confused not understanding, "But he was the baby's dad, and what Wilmer said about her being afraid of the father…" I trailed off not wanting to consider it, but Joe had always been questionable. Where was his alibi?

"I think Demi wanted Joe to be the dad." Miley announced.

"Wanted?" I questioned.

Miley moved her hand down pressing it against the water causing small ripples to move outwards. "Demi made a lot of mistakes during her life Nick. She was introduced so young to a world that was corruptive, a world that we also became apart of. Yet unlike Demi we were strong characters, while she was already fighting personal demons." Miley murmured shaking her head, "Demi was losing control again Nick, this life, it got to her. She made a mistake and it cost Dems her life."

I watched her listening not wanting to interrupt in fear Miley would stop talking all together. "Joe wasn't the only person Demi was having a sexual relationship with. I'm sure now." Miley proclaimed looking distant again her lip trembling.

"Who else was Demi with Miley?" I asked carefully.

"A worse option, a person who she doubted was capable of being a father."

I took the words she was saying on board, attempting to decipher it, "Demi didn't know who the babies dad was…" I whispered. Miley nodded in agreement as I sighed clutching her tighter.

"Demi wanted it to be Joe, but she must have doubted it. She told Joe, but she must have felt guilty and told the other man too." Miley closed her eyes, her face paling, "That was her mistake Nick. She would have been okay, she would have been here if she'd just lived with the guilt of not knowing and just aborting the baby without telling anyone."

"Who was the other man Miley?" I asked her quietly.

I watched Miley open her eyes and stare across the pool touching the water, then at the veins in her wrist. I stared at her confused, not understanding the connection as she turned to me,

"I'm not sure," She whispered, "But I have a lead."

"Do you have evidence?"

Miley nodded only to stop and shake her head, "No, if anything the evidence I securely know about would probably end with me in jail for her murder. The other items have been tainted. There is only two pieces left…"

"Which are?"

"The drugs and the car," She announced standing up.

It was at that moment I knew our conversation was over. Miley wasn't going to give me any further explanation until she had solid proof. What she'd just said was enough for me though and I instantly followed her grabbing my fiancé's arm. Miley spun around as I looked at her,

"Are we safe Miley? Are you safe here right now?" I asked slowly.

Miley considered it for a moment then nodded, "I am right now, but Nick you need to let me do something. It's not dangerous, not yet anyway, but…it's risky so I'm going to need the gun back." I looked at her for a moment and considered it finally nodding.

"I trust you Mi."

I pulled her arm forcing Miley into a hug, "Just remember the flight is booked, and the accommodation is done. We're going to the Caribbean. If you're going to do something that could jeopardize your…" I stopped unwilling to think of the word life, "If you're going to do something, then do it now. Make this stop. Then we'll leave here, we'll never come back. We'll be away from this for good."

Miley looked up at me and nodded, "Okay."

"Good, but please, please don't make a mistake like Demi did." I whispered closing my eyes feeling anxiety towards our predicament, "I love you, so much and if I lost you, or anything happened-"

"You continue on, you have the twins. You need to live for them."

It scared me because this meant what she was about to step into was dangerous. There was no sugarcoating it because both of us had known. When Demi died and justice failed us we both knew the only answer was revenge.

"Can you get the gun now? I need to do something…" Miley trailed off as I gave he a look concerned, "Don't worry I'm not leaving the house. I just have to make a call."

I nodded stepping back, "I'll be back okay?"

Miley nodded trying to give me a smile but failing. I turned walking towards the door opening it loudly before stepping inside and waiting a few seconds. It didn't take long before I got my answer to what she was up too.

Miley pulled out her phone and pressed it to her ear waiting…

"Hey," She stated cheerful, "It's Miley look clearly you are busy but I've got some problems with my old car. You know the Mercedes? Anyway I was wondering if you could give me a hand with it? Call me back okay?"

No sooner had she hung up Miley was dialling again. "Hey I know this is probably late notice but can I have an appointment for tomorrow. Anytime and at any cost. Thank you."

I continued inside confused by both calls but one thing stood out. Miley thought the Mercedes that had blocked Wilmer's was hers? That just made me more confused. Miley hadn't been there I was sure, so who had been driving her car?

I climbed the staircase and went into our bedroom heading for my wardrobe. I was sure Miley already knew where the gun was, but she wanted my approval, something I was going to have to give her. I knew she'd do this with or without the gun, but at least giving it to her meant she'd have some sort of chance against whoever she faced.

I grabbed the gun out a shoe box and turned around finding Miley who frowned, "Nick that's hardly safe what is the twins had got there hands on it." She hissed at me as I rolled my eyes,

"It's not loaded, I'd never leave it armed. Here..."

I gave Miley the gun and grabbed a bag of ammunition from the top of the shelves. "Please Miley, don't use this unless you have to." I whispered seriously as I handed her the bag and she looked at me deadly serious.

"I won't."

Miley.

"I want to make changes to my will."

My attorney, Mr. Marks, looked up through his glasses staring at me apprehensively, "Okay Miss Cyrus, I don't exactly understand why this couldn't have been arranged via appointment next week." He responded dismally looking at the clock that read seven fifteen am, "Not that I mind the extra money of course but-"

"I will pay you anything to change it now."

He just frowned at me completely lost, "I don't understand, I'm your attorney, of course I can change your will for you, we just need a witness and-"

"Without a witness."

He looked at me and swallowed staring down, "Miss Cyrus, I can't, that's illegal."

"I'm begging," I whispered quietly my fingers clutched together nervously, "I need to change the custody of my children in case anything happens to me."

Mr. Marks looked up at me for a moment, his weary eyes and wrinkled face examining me for a moment before he spoke. "Ms. Cyrus, I'm going to ask you a personal question that you are free to disregard." He began watching me again as I nodded, "From your panicked call, your current expression and demand I feel the need to question your safety. Do you believe something is going to happen to you or Nick?"

I assessed his question slowly because my heart and my brain were clashing at the notion ever since the moment I realized the truth.

"Yes. I do." I stated confidently my mind taking the lead.

Mr. Mark's expression paled as he shuffled his papers, "Have you notified the police-"

"No. They can't help me. Just like they couldn't help her." I whispered.

"Miss-"

"No evidence. I have none but I know." I stated dismally, "I know, and that makes me a target. I need to change my will to protect my children." He looked at me slightly opened mouthed unsure, "Please, I can't have them growing up with my parents. They'll corrode their mind like they did mine. I want them to be happy, to have a life of joys if I'm not there. I want them to have a family who will always be there for them."

"Okay Miss Cyrus," He murmured staring at the paperwork, "So you want to change your children's custody in case of your death? I assume you want Devonne and Daniel to go to Nick Jonas? You do realize he does already have custody of them right?"

I swallowed and nodded, "Yes, but I also want to include another name in case anything happens to…" I trailed off feeling sick, the notion of harm coming to Nick was unfathomable yet unfortunately a reality I had to face if I pursued my revenge.

"In case something happens to him I want Joe Jonas to be appointed guardian of our children." I closed my eyes speaking the name completely certain with my choice.

"Okay." He whispered quietly, "You realize your parents still could fight for-"

"I know, but Joe is pure, he is good. The court would never choose my parents over him. There is not a bad bone in his body." I stated looking up at Mr. Marks who just stared down again thinking.

I'd made the will just before the twins were born. After Demi's death, I was fearful for my own life, now I still was. This will was my final say, and if anything happened I wanted to know at least I tried to help my kids have the life they'd deserved. With someone who loved them unconditionally and never saw anything wrong in them.

"Okay Ms. Cyrus I'll change it, your witness is-"

"Mandy, I've sent her a text letting her know it's being changed. If anything happens you won't be to blame I swear." I whispered as he looked at me and nodded.

"I'll change the date and the custody okay? That's it."

"That's all I wanted." I responded.

"I need you to sign one thing, I'll go get it." Mr. Marks proclaimed standing up as I nodded watching him leave the room.

It was sickening. This feeling in me. I knew. I knew the truth and it was killing me because I'd never be able to prove to the world the truth behind Demi's final moments. How a deranged and most likely drugged, intoxicated man murdered her out of spite for killing his believed unborn child. A child he had never deserved. An innocent girl who I'd stupidly introduced him to.

I looked at the bangle of my wrist staring at it, remembering it twisted up in the bed sheets lost in a moment of lust between two people I loved dearly. Demi's dirty stilettos lying carelessly on the floor just beyond that bed, only to be moved and placed in another's house in order to frame Wilmer. The bottle I'd questioned finding on the table, I knew it was illegal. I knew it was a drug, I just didn't know what it was until I sat last night goggling it's name. Gamma. Short for gamma hydroxybutyris acid or better known as the date rape drug. The exact substance found in my blood the night of Demi's murder.

Yet still I didn't want to believe it.

I didn't want to believe the truth…

That my own brother had killed my best friend

But he had. I was sure.

Trace didn't have an alibi for that night, well not a good one anyway. And during the time before Demi's death he'd been high so frequently even I started to question his judgment. But as I felt the anger swarming in me, my skin prickled at the realization. I'd introduced them. Trace brought Demi into a world of drugs that started her spiral. A world I allowed her to enter as a teen not knowing what the future would hold. But why she'd gone back to him years later after being strong for so long, it didn't make sense, but it didn't matter anyway. It didn't change what happened.

Demi was dead.

Trace had killed her.

The door opened as I looked up shaking all over. Mr. Marks took one look at me and shook his head, "Miss Cyrus please call the police this is-"

"Let me sign the sheet." I hissed.

He looked at me and nodded handing them over as I quickly signed along the doted line making sure I read everything first. I handed it back to him standing up. "Thank you, I'll send more cash over in the-"

"No, it's fine. Today's appointment charge is enough." Mr. Marks stated quietly staring at me, "You're going to be okay? Just don't face what ever is happening alone. The world can't lose you too."

I gave him a weak smile shaking my head, "The world already lost me. The day she died."

I walked out holding my head high trying to deal with the conflicting emotions. I loved him so much, he was my brother yet I wanted to put a gun to his head and kill the monster that had stolen so much from me. I wanted revenge and to do that I had to face him. I had to hear him say it.

I reached my car hearing my phone ringing. It was Nick. He was worried.

I answered it quietly, "Hey-"

"Please tell me you're okay." He asked straight away, "I woke up and you were gone, please come home."

"I'm on my way." I whispered.

Nick sighed in relief, "Okay good, I'm on my way to take Daniel to school." He stated slowly, "But I'm going to be home as soon as I can." I nodded listening to his words finding a flaw in them.

"What about Devonne?" I asked.

"Oh Trace is taking her to school-"

I stopped frozen terror flooding my body, "What?" I cried.

"Trace, he came round to see you he had stuff about your car? But you weren't there obviously, so he offered to take Von to school, said he'd grab breakfast so the three of us could have it together when we all got back." Nick announced as I covered my mouth screaming inside, he was with my little girl? The one he almost destroyed?

I stood there speechless wanting to run to Devonne, to grab her from that monster and hold her so tightly. Yet I had to remember, he didn't know, Trace didn't know I'd worked it out, not yet anyway. I had to stay calm.

"Miley?" Nick asked, "Are you still there?"

"Yeah, yeah I am." I whispered getting in my car,

"Mi are you sure you're okay?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat feeling angry tears filling my eyes as I nodded looking at my bag. The gun inside.

"Yes." I responded confidently, knowing what needed to be done. "I love you."

"I love you too, I'll see you at home."

"Okay."

I hung up not wanting to consider the conversation I just had with Nick could be my last. It wasn't a possibility. I had to clear those thoughts from my head and face Trace. Yet as I started the car, I felt the tears fall anyway because I could never escape the feeling of pain that lived within me. It was never ending.

When I arrived at the house I was ready. More ready then I'd ever been in my entire life and seeing his car there alone made me sure this was right. I got up my doubts filling me with every step as I opened the door,

"Trace?" My lips called out, the name tasting like poison on my lips.

"Hey Miles, I'm in the kitchen! Where were you so bright and early? You're hardly ever up before at least eight." His chirpy voice announced, the sound I'd grown up with and adored as a child only to feel hatred towards now.

"I had an appointment," My brain spoke for me, while my heart screamed at me to stop. Yet I couldn't.

Justice would never be served if I didn't take it into my own hands.

I walked into the kitchen Trace sitting at the table, a folder before him and a bunch of sweet pastries. He looked at me and smiled brightly, like an angel. Yet the devil had long ago claimed his soul. "I guess you talked to Nick, I took Devonne to school and brought the paperwork you needed. What's up with your old car?"

I dropped my bag and walked over smiling pleasantly at my brother,

"I have a fine that's unpaid, but I'm sure I wasn't driving it."

He frowned confused, "Fine? Shit that must be really overdue the police-"

"Will be issuing a warrant for my arrest soon." I stated lying through my teeth as he nodded quickly opening the folder,

"That's the last thing you need, who do you think was driving?"

"That's the thing." I stated leaning over him looking down, "I'm not sure. The ticket was for a few days before Demi was killed and I have this vague feeling the car had been taken in for it's service, but not by me."

Trace looked up at me awkwardly, "I took it in remember, you had a rehearsal or something?" Trace suddenly looked reflective as I stepped back, the nail now firmly smashed into my doubts. "Wait? Shit that means I got caught speeding. Fuck how much is the fine? It'll be like five grand!"

I just stood there as Trace turned looking at me confused, "Miley? How much is the fine?"

I looked at him and in that moment my brother was gone.

All I saw was a murderer.

Trace pushed back his chair, "Miles, god what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

He held his hand out to me but I stepped back looking at someone I'd searched years for, yet a part of me never expected to find. I'd waited for this moment to come, so I could feel rejoice that I'd learnt the truth when no one else could. This wasn't what I wanted though, this wasn't what I expected. It didn't feel right. This didn't give me closure. I grew up with him, I loved him, he was my blood, apart of my life. Yet in that moment none of that mattered because he'd done so many things that were unforgivable. I hated it was him, but it didn't change what I had to do.

"You killed her." I whispered simply, "You killed Demi…"

Trace just stared at me for a moment confused, "What?" He whispered.

"YOU MURDERED HER!" I screamed my whole body shaking, anger pulsing under my skin like fire. "YOU MURDERED MY BEST FRIEND."

Trace just looked at me head shaking, his eyes widening, "No, No I-"

"I have evidence!' I hissed through gritted teeth, "You took her life."

Trace just stared at me his head no longer moving but frozen. I watched my brother's eyes as they violently changed, realization dawning in them that this was over. He'd been winning for so long, but the game he'd been playing was out of control and finally someone caught on. I'd worked it out. Trace's eye blackened and his face hardened as my older brother looked directly at me.

"What evidence Miley?" He hissed deeply, like the devil was rising from within.

My feet stumbled back surprised at his tone, the fear suddenly clouding my judgment for a minute. Trace just looked at me his breathing shallow and pupils locked on mine like a snake ready to strike. To kill it's threat.

I sniffled putting my feet firmly together, "I'm not telling." I whispered like a child.

Trace's rage blew as his hand lunged for me catching my arm, "MILEY WHAT EVIDENCE?" He screamed into my face as I cowered his fingers pressing to my bone, "You'll tell me what evidence Miley or I'll-"

"Kill me too? Like you stabbed her?" I yelled ripping my arm away from his grip.

I twisted my hand around my back grabbing the gun from my bag as Trace lunged at me again. His movement faltered though as I held the weapon at his body, my hand shaking but the threat was enough to stop his momentum. I felt hysterical, I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak, all I was doing was choking on screams that I'd held for so long. I wanted him to feel the pain I'd felt for six long fucking years.

"Miley," Trace whispered, his voice calm as held both his hands up, "It's okay, it's okay I'm not going to hurt you. I'm your brother…"

He stepped forward as I just watched him through my blurry eyes, "Just put down the gun, it's fine we'll work this out. I never meant to hurt her okay? I never ever meant to hurt Demi, Miley. That person, it wasn't me. I've changed. I didn't mean for any of this to happen, I was just mad. I swear Miles, you know me, I'd never hurt anyone." My hand was shaking as he gave me a weak smile,

"Miley I'm your brother, we're family. We stick together."

He was believable, his words soothing yet he'd made a mistake. Just like Demi had. "You never meant for it to happen?" I asked quietly as he nodded looking at me full of sincerity as I stared into his evil eyes.

"You stabbed her countless time in the back, you drugged me, you framed Wilmer. You knew exactly what you were doing. You planned it! YOU MURDERED HER" I screamed my voice getting louder with every word and in that second all the calmness is his eyes diminished and he lunged at me again.

I didn't have any doubts now.

I knew what he was, what he'd done, and what he was still capable of.

I knew I'd have regrets.

I knew I'd feel guilty.

But he'd destroyed so much in my life…I wanted revenge.

Demi was my best friend. He'd taken her from the world so cruelly.

Devonne was my daughter. He'd hurt her.

Nick was my future husband. He'd ruined his life.

And me? I'd been happy. I never would be again. He'd destroyed that.

So I released the trigger and I killed Trace knowing exactly what I was doing.

A.N: So now you know, and lets face it most of you already knew :P This wasn't my planned ending, because in my original idea Miley and Nick were killed by Trace but because I had some lovely/angry comments on twitter about making this a happy ending I changed it. Although there is still one more chapter to go so you never know... ;)