Author's Note: CraftyNotepad and Simply Sarah I' am truly sorry! The reason for my little outburst was because your reviews are so convincing. (And this is the millionth time I've re-written my outline.) I love your reviews because you bring so much to the brainstorming table. So always pester me with ideas and 'what if' situations. No more tug of war. Ask questions. I'm just scared of disappointing my readers.

CraftyNotepad: Are those chains above your comment or are my eyes deceiving me? Oh yeah try the innocent look... I've always thought of Oliver as being that "nice guy" type. In the show he's comes across as any teenage boy but I think there's something deeper there. I mean his two best friends are girls. I'm so glad your really looking at Oliver's character with depth. And I loved what you said about him being her anchor (if only he could) that gave me this wonderful image of them together.

Simply Sarah: I was hoping you would appreciate the Wuthering Heights snippet. And my lips are sealed on your idea of it foreshadowing in the near future. And don't ever stop rambling! I love long rambles! Please proceed! I have missed the old Lily as well so here we will see her in a different time all together. Happy reading.

Lilein91: I'm happy to see you liked the younger Lily part. Because I've gone back in time for this chapter.

Simplypink: Man! I really am the worst speller! Thanks for pointing that out. I love hearing everyone's theories. Most of the time I get ideas from what all of you guys share with me. So don't keep anything to yourself. Who knows it might just be put in the next chapter. (And yes Lily is just upset with Beatrix's situation.)

GoldnWlf: Well hello! A new face (or pen name)! Welcome to the universe of time traveling! I'm so pleased to see you are jumping in with your thoughts and feeling towards the story. And you'll just have to wait and see what happens. Thanks for reviewing.

Summer1994: No worries my sister thinks I'm pretty weird as well. I didn't think anyone would like that line because it seems a little sad. But I'm glad you caught the humor in it, which is what I was rooting for.

Spencer-Sweetie: Too true, Lily has had one rough life but her sense of humor and family and friends will help her through it, even when she pushes them away. You and Summer1994 both liked that line! Yeah!

Everyone: I'm a wimp. I'm saving all of my juicy stuff for later. I really want to keep this story going. Also praise Jesus for Modest Mouse and The Futureheads without them I couldn't have gotten through this chapter without pulling my hair out. And I've become very attached to my hair lately.

…..

(July 8, 2005 Lily and Oliver: 14)

LILY: Two things, one I'm totally and completely comfortable. Two, it smells so good here. I'm drunk with sleep and snuggle deeper into my pillows and blankets. There is something solid next to me. It's a nice feeling.

Oh I could just stay here wrapped up in dreamland forever. I sigh and turn over but the sun shines onto my eyelids and I open them and squint. My window isn't on the left side of the room.

My room isn't painted brown. I sit up quickly. I'm wearing Oliver's The Doors T-shirt and tangled in his navy blue sheets. Oliver is lying on his side slightly curled and sleeping soundly. He is snoring softly.

I slept here last night! What are my parents going to think? What are Oliver's parents going to think? He's mom's a freaking cop! I try and untangle myself from the sheets and fall over hip first onto the floor.

"Ow…" I moan and stand up slowly. My mouth is dry and still tastes faintly of blood. I rub my jaw and look to Oliver. He mumbles something about strawberries and pulls the covers up to his chin and smiles.

He looks perfectly content. The sun gives a lazy glow about him. I don't want to leave. I'd like to just crawl back into his bed and… whoa! Hold the phone! This is Oliver, as in Oliver the giant donut.

The boy who mashes all of the food groups in one sandwich. The boy who still thinks Batman is the greatest cartoon out there. The boy who… held me all night long as I cried. Stop it Truscott! Get your head together! I can't let him in on my secret.

I stand up a little straighter and turn away from the sleeping boy. It's still very early in the morning. I creep down Oliver's stairs I try my best not to hit the areas where the floor creeks. I'm passing the kitchen and I stop dead in my tracks. Mrs. Oken has her back turned making coffee.

I feel like one of the characters in the movie The Breakfast Club. I pick up one leg and slide it across the wood floor. What would she think, finding me half naked sneaking out of her house at six in the morning? I mean sure when we were little Oliver and I used to stay at each other's houses but we're in high school now.

I get to the front door. I hear Mrs. Oken open her paper and seat herself at the table. I put my sweaty hand on the knob and turn it slowly. Easy now, easy. As the door opens a loud crack explodes from the bottom of the door. I stop.

"It's now or never." I whisper to myself hastily. I open the door as far as I need to just to slip right through to the other side. Once I get out onto the lawn I look up at Oliver's window. A new sensation has spread through me. Longing.

I walk home slowly. The sidewalk is cool on my warm bare feet. "Step on a crack break your mother's back." I say to myself as I over step a long crack in the sidewalk. My house is right next to Oliver's. I turn and walk through the grass and let the dew soak my feet.

I open my front door without much care. My dad is sitting in the kitchen drinking orange juice. He is wearing one of my favorite ties on him. A green tie with blue strips running down the sides. It's a little goofy and he only wears it to please me because I got it for him for his birthday.

"Hey pop!" I smile taking a seat across from him. He coughs in his glass and wipes the juice from his beard. "Lily? Where have you been?"

"To the future!" I exclaim with my index finger pointing up. He shakes his head at me. "Your mother has been worried sick. We were really scared when Marty found your toothbrush on the ground and clothes lying amiss."

I shrug my shoulders. "Nothing much I can do about it. But I'm cool now." My dad gets up and kisses me on the head and folds the paper placing it gently on the edge of the table.

As he is about to walk off and head off to work he stops in the doorway and turns to me. "Whose shirt is that?" I turn around and face him. "Well you it's just a shirt I found lying around and…" I've got nothing.

"It's Oliver's shirt isn't it?"

I nod. "How'd you know?" My dad smirks. "Come on who else do you know that listens to The Doors?"

My dad leaves and I sit for a minute. I haven't had a moment alone to really think. That travel was frightening. Mostly when I vanish out of thin air I visit myself a few days in the near future or days past. We'll hang out and lay around. But this time it was different. What would come next?

I sip my dad's orange juice and stare out the window… I need to brush my teeth.

Later.

"Come one Lily! I want to hit the beach before it gets too crowded. I really hate tourists!" Miley whines dragging me along the sidewalk. She asked me where I was yesterday and I blew it off. I told her I fell asleep and lost track of time.

The best part was that actually happened to me once so my act was very believable. I haven't seen Oliver anywhere and I thank my lucky stars. I really don't want to have that awkward 'Why were you crying in my room wearing my T-shirt' conversation just yet. Better yet how about never.

Miley is sitting on one of the bar stools at 'Rico's' sipping a banana smoothie. I'm standing up being my own personal Oliver look out machine.

"Lily what are you doing?"

"Nothing." I smile nervously sitting next to her. She eyes me suspiciously and I sigh. "It's really not anything. I'm just being me, little crazy ol' me… Come on let's catch some waves."

I try to pull Miley up but she frowns. "When have you ever seen me surf? I can't do that, that's a you and Oliver thing remember?"

I feel like banging my head against the counter. I really need to get my thoughts straight.

OLIVER: I feel the heat of the sun on my face. As I open my eyes there's no one lying next to me. I'm not sure why but I half hoped she'd be here when I got up. My clock flashes ten and I turn over.

Maybe it was all a dream. Maybe Lily didn't let her guard down and show the soft sweet side of herself to me. But I know that it's a lie. I smell her Lily scent all over my pillows. Its so nice… I could get use to that.

I sit up quickly. Lily? I could get use to waking up to Lily? I shake my head and get up. I need to talk to her. Get my thoughts straightened out. And I need to know what was bothering her last night.

I take a slow shower. I check in the mirror afterwards for any chest hairs or hair growing on my chin. Nothing, oh one can try I suppose. I run downstairs and fight Olivia over a piece of toast and then I'm gone.

I decide on just walking to the beach. Skateboarding would be fun but I'm not in the mood to crash into things today. Lily's still teaching me, it's not going over too well. I kick a stray rock and begin the short walk to the beach.

I hear her before I see her she's laughing. I peer out from behind the large green bush. Jackson is juggling water bottles and failing miserable. For an odd reason something inside of me catches flame.

I don't like the fact that she's giving attention to Jackson. I want her to give her laughs to me… Man! There it is again! What is this? "Hey Oliver!" Miley waves at me. I walk over and try to control myself.

Lily shrinks in her seat and blushes as I sit next to her. Her smile fades and her eyes grow dim. Is this the kind of effect I have on her? "Hey guys…" I say dryly. Lily makes an unknowledgeable grunt in responds.

Miley darts her eyes from me to Lily. "What is going on?" She says placing her hands on her hips. Part of me wants to snap back with: 'I don't know ask Lily!' But that would put her on the spot and Lily cried to me. Cried. I just have to get her alone…

The three of us sit together in a roll, not talking. Miley is waiting for her answer. I'm looking at Lily and she is staring intently at her toenails, which are painted blue. "I gotta go." Lily says hastily. I let her run off with her skateboard.

"I'm going to get to the bottom of this." Miley says with a scowl. "She's been acting weird lately."

"No kidding." I agree along with Miley. "Well I better go. I promised my dad I would help him out this afternoon cleaning the rain gutters."

"Fun." Miley laughs sarcastically. I shrug and jog off in the direction Lily went. I can't find her at first. It's getting late and the tourists are heading home. There are crowds of people walking off, dragging their kids into cars, and folding up their towels.

I find Lily sitting on a bench playing with her skateboard wheels. Turning them 'round and 'round. I take a breath and walk over. Talking serious with Lily is like a whole new language. We are usually pretty good at making jokes and letting things pile up. We're so much alike it's a little scary.

"Hey Lily." I say with a wave. She doesn't look at me. I sit down ignoring the clear cut sign of: 'Go away!' I sit at the very edge of the bench and wait. She turns a wheel again and I make a popping noise with my lips.

She looks up from her long curtain of hair and glares daggers at me. Not good, so not good. I guess she's regretting the whole opening up thing. Sure, I'm a guy and I try to avoid touchy feely stuff but Lily is my best bud and if something is really bothering her, I want to know.

"Do you want to talk about what happened yesterday?"

"No!" She says quickly still frowning but looking away from me. I sigh, this is going to be harder then I thought. I place my hand on her shoulder, she becomes very still and stiff. "I really care for you Lily. You are my best friend. And if something is truly bothering you, tell me. I can help."

"No you can't…" Her voice is so soft that I almost don't catch what she's saying. "Is it that bad?" I ask, very interested at this point. She nods.

I breathe in sharply. "Lily you're not being like… abused or hurt by someone? I mean no one has touched you or done something…?" I feel my hands ball up into fists if anyone has land one finger on her the wrong way I'll kill them.

She shrugs. Not helping. I take her face and make her look at me. "Listen Lily, you tell me right now! Is something seriously wrong?"

I wait, my hands still cupping her cheeks, I take a moment to notice how soft and flushed they are. She shakes her head. "Oliver I can't talk about it, but it's ok. It'll be ok. One day I'll tell you, just not now… you can let go of my face."

I drop my hands and blush. "So we cool?"

She punches my shoulder. "Always." I walk her home and make sure she gets inside safely. And it's right here and now that I will try everything I can to understand.

LILY: I'm a terrible person. I wanted to tell him! My whole body was aching to let him in! To share my dark secret. But I just couldn't I can't deal with that right now. Letting him know this might screw something up. Maybe my future is already planned out and I'm destined to live alone.

Because I'm always alone in this time or the next. Past, present, or future.

(July 9, 2008 Lily and Oliver: 17)

LILY: I inwardly cringe. This isn't good. The scene is set. Miley is sitting up in her bed staring at me wide eyed; probably thinking I'm some deranged pervert who was disguised as her best friend for the past seven years.

I'm not sure what time it is but the sun isn't shinning. There are only three stars in the sky, no moon he's hiding behind the big mean cloud. The room is dark but I know she knows I'm naked.

I pick up her white robe with the flower running down the middle. I slip it on and it's nice and warm. I was back in 1993 on December 14 in New York. It was a tad chilly. I try and find somewhere to sit. Miley still hasn't spoken and it really bothers me.

I try to think of anything I could say or do. But all that comes to mind is a children's poem my mother used to say to me early in the morning and late at night. But I can only remember bits and pieces. It was about a caterpillar. A brown furry caterpillar.

"Lily?"

Oh thank god, she spoke first. "Yeah?" I say playing with my wet hair, damn New York snow.

"Not that I'm always happy to see you but… why are you in my room at one in the morning?"

Great question, I'd like to know that too. "Well I was…" I was what? Walking around naked and thought: What the heck, why not visit Miley!

I swallow hard. Miley waits.

"You're not going to tell me are you? What is with you and keeping secrets? I feel like I don't know you anymore…" She trails off and gets out of her bed. She turns on the lights and the sudden light stings my eyes, I flinch.

"Oh my god!" Miley breathes out putting a hand to her mouth. Oh yea, she probably saw my black eye. To be honest I think I had it coming. I tired my hand at stealing a woman's purse, it didn't go so well. How was I supposed to know she took karate?

"Lily! What happened to you!?"

"I got socked." I reply simply taking a seat at her computer chair, I have a feeling I'm not getting out of telling her this time.

"Well that's plain to see but… but how? Why? When? Answer me Lily!"

"You want to know?" I ask casually and she nods fiercely. "I time travel. I was in New York not two seconds ago trying to take some women's purse. And she punched me right in the eye and I fell back and landed here in your room."

Miley's eyes look concerned, but not in the friendly way. She looks scared, like I'm completely mad; which is very much possible. Maybe I've dreamed all of this up… although I highly doubt it.

"Umm Lily?"

"Yes?"

"Are you um are you….?" She can't say it so I'll say it for her.

"Are you wondering if I'm crazy?" I ask her bluntly but she just keeps looking at me like I've grown an extra head. "Well new flash I'm not. Ask my parents they'll explain as much as they can. It happens spontaneously. There's never a warning except a tiny punch of pain and then I' am no more."

Miley licks her lips. "So this is real? You travel through time?"

"Pretty much."

"So this would explain all those times I found you hunting through the Hannah closet during a contest? Because you were naked? And all those times you never showed up for the movies or were late for school?"

I nod. "Pretty much… so are you like freaked out?"

"Well… "Miley says sitting down on the edge of her bed. "I guess this is payback for springing the Hannah thing on you."

"If you choose to look at it that way." I say carefully deciding on my words. "I prefer to think of it as a pain in the ass." Miley laughs and I know we will be fine.

"So how far have you gone into the future?"

"I've seen us at twenty. Well mainly just me I haven't seen Oliver or much of anyone else."

"Oh." Miley says clearly disappointed. "So I guess you wouldn't know if Jake and I… if we…"

"Just spit it out Miley!" I tell her grinning.

"I guess you wouldn't know if we're still together." She tells me shyly.

I smile because I have seen them, I once caught them making out on the couch of my future apartment. "Do you want to know?"

Miley takes a moment to think it over. "I don't know." She finally says. "I mean if we don't I'll just end up breaking up with him. But I really like him and I want to stay with him."

I shrug. "Then stay with him. Don't be bothered by what I say. Make your own future Miley, not the one I tell you."

She smiles up at me with a smirk. "When did you get so smart?"

"I guess it comes with the traveling. I feel like I've had to grow up faster then anyone else. I mean I've been stranded out in the middle of nowhere. Miley I've done so many horrible things. I've had to steal, cheat, and lie just to stay alive. I hate the fact that I had to tell you this. I really doubt you need this right now."

Miley shakes her head and takes my hands. "You are my best friend. I don't care what you've done. That doesn't make me love you any less. I'll help you."

I nod. "Thanks Miles."

"Any time… So are you going to tell Oliver?"

"Not yet. I just want to pretend to be normal for a little whole longer."

Miley nods with me and we smile at each other. I'm so lucky to have everyone siding with me.

"Let's get some sleep." Miley yawns. I stand up but my head starts to pound. I stand still and wait. "Lily? Lily what's wrong?"

"I've got to go."

"What?"

I can feel it coming. I shut my eyes and…

….

Author's Note: Leave your thoughts… (p.s. the futurehead's song skip to the end is pretty spiffy.)