Disclaimer: Based on real events, but some things are made up to help the story. Slight AU. Goes in a different direction.

Chapter 7 - February 4th, 2017

"On my heart where you're resting your head. And you just look so beautiful, just like you were an angel." - Excerpt from Lights Down Low, Max Schneider

"Dude, I cannot believe you did that to Miley!"

Nick rolled his eyes at his brother Joe but couldn't help but feel a little worried. After all, who in the right mind would accept a 'hang out' with her ex-boyfriend/lover when she was engaged to someone else? "Joe, what're you doing here? Miley's going to be here soon."

Joe sniffed exaggeratedly. "Funny, the minute you get a girl, you ditch your brother."

Nick scoffed. "Dry your callous tears—and Miley isn't my girl." Yet. "We're just hanging out and catching up."

"Yeah right," Joe scoffed. "You were on the phone with her for four hours last night."

"I was not!" Nick fumed. "It was four and a half, get your facts straight!"

Joe laughed. "That doesn't improve the situation, Nick. You gave me this huge lecture earlier on how Miley told you how completely and utterly pissed Liam was—and now you tell me to get out?" Before Nick could open his mouth to speak, Joe powered on. "I mean, just yesterday you said you wished I was at your concert." Joe shook his head, feinting disappointment. "And now you kick me out? I just don't understand you sometimes—"

"For the record," Nick cut in, "I didn't tell you to get out—"

"—it was implied—"

"—no, I don't think it was, but—"

"Shut up, Nick!" Joe fumed. "I'm the mad one!" Nick laughed, which seemed to enrage Joe even more so, even if Joe wasn't really mad. Because how could Joe be mad at Nick? He was Nick Jonas, after all. "I mean, we all knew you were completely in love with Miley years ago—you didn't have to ruin her relationship and her life all in one by announcing it to the world—"

"—actually, I announced it at a party—"

"Does it make any difference?" Joe interrupted. "It still got to the press!"

"Everything gets to the press!" Nick hissed. "If I sneezed, it would probably get to the press!"

Joe scoffed. Nick scoffed. A third scoff sounded—

—and it didn't come from either of them.

Nick slowly turned towards the open door, where a flustered-looking brunette was standing. Nick felt himself redden as he stared at her. She was wearing a simple Happy Hippie sweater and black shorts with black boots. Her hair was slightly curled, and she wore no make up. Nick stared... and stared and stared and stared. "M-Miley," he stuttered.

She smiled awkwardly. "Hey... Nick... Sorry to interrupt this... um, quarrel..."

"H-how much did you hear?" Nick asked nervously.

Miley laughed nervously. "Um..." That obviously meant all of it.

Nick scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry."

Joe scoffed at Nick and coughed, "Blundering idiot," before heading over to Miley and hugging her briefly. Miley looked a little surprised at the hug but returned it with a small smile. "It's good to see you again, Miley," he said with a little smile. "You know, you must really pity Nick"—Nick snorted at this—"or you must really want a reason to see Elvis if you're coming to this dump, but I suppose—"

"Shut it, Joe," Nick hissed.

Miley laughed and winked at Nick. "Yes, well, what can I say? I promised the world, didn't I?"

Joe laughed. "He always knew that peer pressure—"

"Joe," Nick said, glaring.

Joe stuck his tongue out at him. "Nick."

"You're so infuriating it's a wonder anyone can stand you!" Nick scoffed.

"You're so infuriating it's a wonder anyone can stand you!" Joe mimicked in a high-pitched voice.

"You're so infuriating it's a wonder anyone can stand you!" Nick said, mimicking Joe's high-pitched voice. Then, they simultaneously started doing it. "You're so infuriating it's a wonder anyone can stand you! You're so infuriating it's a wonder anyone can stand you!" Miley laughed, and it took Nick a moment to realize what he and Joe were doing—and why it was so funny.

Miley grinned, showing all her teeth. "Well, Jackson and Miley, can you please finish your mimic fight?"

Joe glared daggers at Nick. "He started it!" he fumed.

"No, he started it!" Nick countered.

"No, he started it! No, he started it! No, he started it—"

"Enough!" Miley said, eyes wide as she stared at them, half-appalled, half-amused. "Apologize," she ordered.

Nick stared sulkily at him. "Sorry."

"Sorry."

Then, Joe grinned. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself, lil bro." Joe messed up Nick's hair. "Well, toodles to you guys. See ya."

As soon as Joe went out the door, Miley burst out laughing. "Did he just say toodles?"

Nick felt a smile tugging on his lips. "Yes, that appears to be so."

An awkward silence filled the room before Elvis came bounding from Nick's room. The dog sniffed Miley, and the girl laughed and stroked the dog. "You remember me, boy?" she cooed, caressing the dog's face. Elvis licked her face, and Miley laughed. Nick didn't mean to, but he felt like melting at the adorable sight of Miley getting tangled up with his dog...

Fine! He was also feeling a bit jealous, too.

Miley looked up at him and blushed, as if she thought that she wasn't aloud to have a good time. Nick smiled back and tugged Elvis away from Miley. The dog whined softly, and Miley stroked the dog's ears. "Come on, boy," Nick grunted, heaving the dog backwards. A soft smile graced Miley's lips as she strode inside, her eyes taking in the surroundings.

Nick sighed a little as he watched her. She looked different but the same all at once. Her hair was considerably shorter, though it was still a few inches longer than her shoulders—and Nick didn't mind that because she was so, so beautiful either way; she just had a natural sort of beauty that nothing could really change—but when she had been his, her hair was long and brown and had cascaded down her back gracefully.

Her sweatshirt concealed her tattoos—the tattoos that hadn't been there when he could call her his.

Nick wrinkled his nose as his dog padded towards Miley. "God, Elvis," he hissed. "I'm going to give you a bath if you keep doing that."

Miley turned to him, amused. "Do you want to give him a bath?"

Nick laughed. "It's been a while since I did that." Then, he grinned. "Want to?"

She smiled, delighted. "Sure."

Nick grinned teasingly. "You know how he is."

Miley's grin widened, and their earlier awkwardness melted away. Miley stripped off her Happy Hippie sweatshirt to reveal a white tank top underneath as they headed outside and tossed it to the side. "If Elvis is still the same, it'll take a miracle for us to make it out of this not completely drenched." Nick smiled, liking her use of the word 'us.' He liked it very much, more so than he ought to.

Nick pulled off his shoes and socks so he was standing there, in his jeans and a t-shirt, barefoot on the lawn with Miley, who also pulled off her boots and socks. He got the hose and whistled. Elvis came bounding out, and Nick quickly shut the door. The dog cocked his head nervously as the wind gusted through his golden fur. Nick smirked, exchanged a gaze with Miley, and turned on the hose, firing away at the dog.

Barking sounded as Elvis tried to escape the water's vise-grip. Miley grinned, and Nick called, "Get him to stay still," as he directed the hose in a different direction.

Miley headed over to Elvis, cooing and murmuring nonsense words in his ear. She caressed the dog's wet fur, and Elvis' tail wagged happily as he covered her face in licks. Miley hugged the dog, and Nick smirked. He shot the hose in their direction, and Miley shrieked as the water hit them. "Nick!" she shouted as Elvis darted out of her grasp.

Nick couldn't stop laughing as he drenched Miley in water. Miley ran at him and wrenched the hose out of his hand. Nick gasped as water streamed at him, soaking his clothes and hair and face. "Miley!" he complained as he tried—and failed—to grab the hose from her. She laughed at him as he chased her around the backyard. Finally, she stopped, gasping for air, after, like, ten minutes of running, laughing, vengeful snickers, and excited gasps.

"You win," she gasped as she sprayed him with water.

He grabbed it from her, smirking, and pointed it at her. She held up her hands to block the majority of the blast and laughed as the cool water ran down her sides. Nick laughed as Elvis trotted under his feet, making him trip and fall. The hose fell on the ground, and the dog growled at it, nudging the apparatus with his nose before heading to Miley, who stroked Elvis' wet fur.

They finally managed to wash Elvis, which took around two hours, most of which when they were running after the dog, who seemed thrilled at the game of 'cat and mouse.' Nick sat down next to Miley, both drenched. Smiles were plastered on their faces, and Nick laughed again. "God, Elvis is so impossible when it comes to washing! Honestly!"

Miley laughed. "Yeah, but at least we did it."

He smiled at that and reached out to her, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her eyes. She blushed, and Nick took the time to actually appraise her. She was soaked to the skin, and he could see the blatant outline of her black bra through her white t-shirt. Water dripped off of her shorts and hair, but Miley looked happy—if slightly embarrassed—enough.

Nick stripped off his t-shirt and jeans, leaving him in his shorts. "God, this is so uncomfortable," he laughed, squeezing water out of his shirt.

"Ugh!" Miley said, wrinkling her nose. "God, I have to change. Where's your bathroom?"

He watched her, quirking a brow. "You brought extra clothes?"

She made a face. "Some," she said with a dubious smile.

Nick laughed. "I'll get you a shirt."

She blushed at his words, and they headed inside. He headed to his room and pulled out towels and handed one to her. She began wiping her face and hair immediately, and Nick rummaged through his closet to find a t-shirt. He smirked. It was a 'Jonas' t-shirt, which 'Jonas' written smack on it in spiky caps lock letters. He turned to her and handed it to her.

She shot him a rueful smile. "Really?"

"Yes, really," he said, mimicking her tone.

She rolled her eyes and headed inside his bathroom. Nick headed back in his own room and changed into a fresh t-shirt and shorts, not bothering with socks or shoes. He headed into his kitchen and pulled out a glass of water. He drank it slowly before washing out the glass. By the time he was finished, Miley came out, wearing faded blue shorts that looked as if she had cut them off from jeans and his JONAS t-shirt.

She smiled sheepishly. "This t-shirt doesn't fit," she complained good-humoredly.

He grinned. "Of course it doesn't. It's supposed to fit me."

She blushed and glanced at him as he opened the fridge and pulled out some lemons. "What're you making?" she asked.

"Lemonade," Nick announced. "You can help."

She laughed. "I didn't know you made lemonade. The last time you made coke—out of a can, actually—you messed it up."

Nick made a face at her and fumed, "The lid was too tight, and it wasn't my fault Joe had poured lemon juice and salt in it!"

"Blind Jonas," Miley teased. "You should've seen the salt, at least."

"I was preoccupied," he huffed.

"With what? Opening a coke can?"

He huffed but said nothing. Miley grinned and took one of the lemons, took a knife after some rummaging, cut the lemon in half, and squeezed the juice into a pitcher that Nick had just laid on the counter. Nick pulled out more lemons, and the two worked together in a steady silence. After they got enough lemon juice, Miley pulled out the sugar and dumped a bunch in, making a face. "You know, you suck at cooking and stuff, and I'm pretty sure you don't even check what kind of lemons you get."

Nick made a face at her but didn't contradict her because it was true.

He poured them each a glass and raised his. "To reconnections," he announced.

She smiled, feinting seriousness. "To reconnections," she echoed as they clinked glasses and took a draught of the drink. Miley made a face. "God, this is awful!"

"It isn't that bad," Nick defended.

"Not that bad?" she repeated, groaning. "God, Nick." She settled the drink down.

He settled his down and caught her eye. She smiled softly, and he said, "Let's go outside." She shrugged, and they headed out to his front porch this time, still barefoot. There was no one in sight, Nick was pleased to see, outside. Nick turned to Miley and smiled at her. "You know... thanks for coming. I... I had a really good time today."

A smile lit up her face. "Don't thank me, it was fun." Then, a teasing smile lit up her face. "Though I'm still gonna get you back for asking me in front of everyone." She made a face.

He smiled apologetically. "Yeah, sorry about that."

He watched her. She was easily, easily the most beautiful person Nick had ever seen. She was dressed in his t-shirt, and she looked so, so beautiful. The light from the sun lit up her hair to its angelic brilliance, and her eyes shone, the blue from the sky teasing some gray into her eyes. He watched her, breathless. She noticed his appraisal and blushed. "Why're you looking at me like that?"

"You're beautiful," he breathed.

Then, he cupped her face lightly and leaned forward. Her lips were inches away from his, heartbeats away, a breath away. He wanted to kiss her, he wanted to kiss her so badly. He closed his eyes, leaning a millimeter closer. He could feel her sweet scent wrap around him, as if promising him that everything would be alright in the world. He leaned a little closer, and—

She stumbled back, eyes wide. He felt his cheeks heat up. "I—I'm sorry," he stuttered.

Her eyes were still wide with shock and disbelief, and she backed away from him towards the door a little. She headed inside, and Nick stared after her, face burning. His heart ached for her, and he felt emotions racing through him, as well as adrenaline from their almost-kiss. Horror struck him as he realized something else. Anguish pooled deep through his heart, mingling with his horror.

Did he just ruin everything?

QotD: Who thought they would've kissed?

#Half & half for me.

A/N: Hey, it's Darky! DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA. I swear, I have GOT to write the next chapter right now! I'm just brimming with excitement because I know exactly how I'm going to write that one down. So expect more drama! And wasn't this chapter just so full of Niley? My heart was crying out to write something Niley, so I'm so glad this chapter's out!

Originally, I was going to make them kiss. But I held back against it. I thought I was moving way too fast as this is only the seventh chapter, and I wanted them to have more time to explore where they stand in their relationship before anything happened. After all, this is the FIRST time they've connected in THREE FREAKING YEARS.

They still know each other (kind of), but they're aren't naive teenagers now. Anyway, loved writing that little thing with Joe. ;) Gotta add more of him in future chapters!

Review your answer to the QotD! Tell me your thoughts? I appreciate it though you don't need to. But who doesn't love reviews? ;)

- Darky