Chapter 5

Maddie and Miley

Miley knocked on Maddie's door.

"Come in."

"I hope I'm not disturbing you." Miley said as she stuck her head into the room.

"No come in Miley. What's on you mind?"

Miley walked over and join Maddie on the bed. Miley started playing with the bed cover as she tried to find a voice for her feelings.

"Is everything okay?"

"Hey, I guess so…kind of."

Maddie sat there quietly and watched Miley.

"Tell you what, turn around here." Maddie instructed Miley as she turned Miley so that Miley's back was to her. Maddie then picked up her hairbrush of the nightstand and started to brush Miley's hair.

"You have very soft hair Miley. I would have thought that it would be damage from been under your wig."

Maddie continued to brush Miley's hair as Miley still tried to voice her feelings, but before she could, Miley started crying. Not loud enough for Maddie to notice right way, but when Maddie went to brush some hair by Miley's eye, her hand came away wet. Taking Miley by the shoulders, she slowly turned Miley to face her. Tears were running down Miley's face as Miley tried to put a brave face on.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

Finally, it was too much for Miley to hold back and her fears came crashing out.

"Please don't take Jackson from me. Please." Miley begged and clasped onto Maddie's shoulder.

"Oh Miley." Maddie wrapped her arms around Miley.

"I would never take Jackson away from you."

"But you really like him don't you."

"Yes."

"Really, really like him."

"Yes Miley, I do. I love your brother."

"See. You're going to take him away." Miley sobbed.

"Miley, I love your brother for who he is, and part of that is the love that he has for you. You should hear him talk about you. Sometimes he goes on for hours, and I love that about him. Why would I want to change that?"

"I don't know. I'm just scared I guess."

"Don't be. You will always have your brother." Maddie started to stroke Miley's hair. Miley seemed to make herself into a small ball. Maddie sighed and lend over to turn off the light. Then she flipped the covers over Miley and herself and settled into bed with Miley stilled balled up.

"Tell you what Miley, what say we spend some time together tomorrow. We could get to know each other better. Okay?"

Miley just nodded. Soon she was fast asleep.

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Jackson gently knocked on the door to Maddie's room and then opened it and looked in. He was a little surprise to see Miley in there too, but maybe they talked last night. Jackson quietly walked into the room and to the side that Maddie was on. When he reached her side, Jackson gave her a kiss on the cheek. Maddie stirred.

"Good morning." She smiled up at him.

"Good morning yourself." He smiled back.

"What's Miley doing with you?"

"She was just a little scared last night."

"Of my surgery?"

"No, more of me stealing you away from her."

"Why would she think that?"

"I don't know why, I just know that she is afraid that you well forget about her because of me."

"What do you think we should do?"

"Well, we are going to spend the morning together for starters."

"Tell you what, for lunch, ask Miley to take you to the Root Beer Float restaurant. I'll meet you guys there at 12:30. Don't tell Miley. I want to surprise her."

"Okay. Sounds like a good plan. Now get out of here." Maddie pushed him away.

"Fine, I can tell when I'm not wanted." Jackson pouted as he left the room and closed the door. Maddie just rolled her eyes. How could she have been so lucky to fall in love with someone that had such a huge scene of humor? Maddie turned to Miley and started to gently shake her shoulder.

"Miley. Miley. It's time to wake up. Miley." Maddie said softly.

Miley stirred to Maddie's touch. Miley stretched, looked around and sat up quickly as she realized that she was not in her room.

"I'm sorry Maddie. I didn't mean to fall asleep." Miley said as she looked to Maddie.

"It's okay Miley. Besides, we have to get moving if we are going to spend the day together."

"I'll go and get ready. I'm really looking forward to this." Miley said with a smile. A smile that Maddie recognized from all the Hannah pictures she seen. Maddie smiled herself. Jackson was right. Miley is a very special person.

"So Miley, Maddie tells me you two are going to spend some time together today." Robbie stated as he give his daughter his special pancake breakfast.

"That's right daddy. We girls need to get to know each other." Maddie smiled back at Miley.

"I'll in that case, I don't expect you to let me down." Robbie said as he took his daughter's hand. When he let go, her charge card was in her hand. Miley looked from the card to her dad.

"Do you really mean it daddy." Miley asked not believing her luck.

"Yes I do bud." Robbie smiled back. He then turned to Maddie.

"I think you might need these too." Robbie handed his keys to Maddie.

"Thanks Mr. Stewart. I'll be really careful with your car."

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They started the day out getting facials. After that, they got their nails done. From there, they went shopping. Miley was finding that Maddie shared the same tasted in clothes that she had, but Maddie kept Miley in hand when it came to getting things, as Miley was finding out.

"Look at these shoes Maddie!" Miley said as they passed in front of Payless.

"They are great looking shoes Miley." Maddie said as she caught up to Miley in the store.

"Don't get me wrong, but don't you already have a pair like those already?"

"Well, yea I do, but I don't have these. Just look at them."

"Miley, I don't want to be a party pooper here, but didn't you tell your dad that you wouldn't let him down?"

"Yea. I guess you're right." Miley looked longingly over her shoulder at the shoes. Maddie took Miley's hand and lead hear to a food court were they got some drinks.

"Miley, do you shop like this all the time?"

"I wished. Daddy hardly ever lets me have my credit card."

"Why's that?"

"He thinks I need to earn my spending money. Like I don't do that already."

"Well, you do have a point, but he has a point too. Take my friend London. She doesn't really have an idea where her money comes from or how to earn it. She just spends it."

"Yeah, I guess, but I do earn all my money, why do I have to earn it again?"

"Well, I kind of know how you feel Miley."

"You do? Your parents won't let you get what you want either?"

"Yes and no."

"How's that?"

"Well, we really don't have that much money. You could say that we are almost poor. Not that we don't have the money, it's just used up getting the things that are really important. There isn't that much spending money left when all the bills are paid. That's why I work the candy counter at the Tipton."

"Oh, I must look like one of those spoiled celebrities that has to have everything that they see." Miley hung her head.

"No, you look like someone that just won a shopping spree." Maddie lifted Miley's head. Miley smiled. Maddie smiled back.

"Why don't you show me how you shop when you don't have your credit card with you."

"Okay." They got up and threw their cups away. As they started to decide where to go next, two unwanted voices spoke out.

"Well, if it isn't the hillbilly back from the hills."

"Why Ashley, I do believe she brought back one of her kind too."

Miley stiffen and started to turn around, but Maddie put her hand on Miley's.

"I'll handle this." She whispered to Miley.

Maddie turned around and saw two girls that were exactly what she expected to see.

"Do you even know what a hillbilly is?" Maddie asked Amber and Ashley.

"Yeah, you two." Ashley laughed.

"We'll you're both wrong. Let me in lighten you both. A hillbilly as defined by Webster is one who lives in or comes from the mountains or back woods of the South. Specifically the Appalachia Mountains. Seeing that Miley is from the major Tennessee city of Nashville and I come from Boston, Massachusetts, neither one of us qualify as hillbillies. However since you are using the term to imply that we are dumb, I believe the term applies to you two hillbillies for not know what a hillbilly is. Tootles." Maddie turned and took Miley by the arm to lead her away. Amber and Ashley stood there speechless just staring at their backs.

"That was great!" Miley squealed.

"Come on, I'm hungry and I want to go to the Root Beer Float."

"I love that place. Wait a minute, how do you know about it?"

"Jackson took me there on a date the last time I was here."

"Okay. Let's go."

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"Wow Maddie, they look awfully busy. I don't think we'll be able to get a table any time soon."

"That's okay Miley. I have a reservation."

"They don't take reservations Maddie."

"They have one for us." Maddie smile at Miley's confused look.

Maddie parked the car and they both went into the restaurant. Maddie started to look around the restaurant like she was looking for something or someone. Miley looked at her and followed her gaze to see what she was looking for, but before Miley could see what Maddie was looking for, Maddie grabbed her hand and pulled her behind her. Soon they came to a table with someone sitting at it.

"Hi." Maddie said.

"Hi yourself." Jackson smiled.

"Jackson?"

"That's right Miles."

"What are you doing here? What a minute…you two set this up."

"Guilty." Maddie said as she sat down by Jackson. Miley sat down on the other side of the table.

"So, what is this all about?" Miley asked.

"Well," Maddie began, "you were kind of worried about losing your brother Miley."

"You're not going to lose me Miles. I'm your brother and I love you. Nothing is ever going to change that." Jackson reached over and took his sister's hand.

"But you're going to leave and go off with Maddie." Miley sniffled as she looked at her lap.

"Right now Miley, we don't even now what the future holds for us, but I would never think to ask or want him to leave his family behind. How could I do that and say that I love your brother."

"You love Jackson?"

"Yes I do."

"And you love Maddie?"

"Yes Miley, I do." Jackson smiled at Maddie.

"See, where does that leave me?" Miley asked with a sad confused look on her face.

"That leaves you with a new sister Miley." Maddie said excitedly. Miley thought about this for a little bit. Maddie and Jackson watched as Miley digested this information and saw a smile start to spread over her face.

"Well, I guess," Miley paused, "you better not blow this Jackson because I really like Maddie." Miley finished with a stern look to Jackson.

"Alright Miles. Besides I haven't done anything."

"Yet."

"What do you mean yet?" Jackson asked all shocked.

"Can we save the brother and sister love act for someplace else. I'm hungry." Maddie laughed.

"That is a good idea since I can't eat after this." Jackson complained with a pout on his face.

"Well if we must." Miley laughed as she took a menu.