Disclaimer: I own nothing. Hannah Montana and all its characters belong to the Disney Channel. No infringement intended.

A.N. So, originally this was going to be a two-shot, but not anymore. I don't know how many chapters it will be. Hope you like it =)

Unrequited Chapter Two

"Seeing despair and heartbreak, it'll bring you to your knees." – John Brady

Heartbreak – (noun) Great sorrow, grief, or anguish

Eighteen year old Lilly Truscott couldn't help but stare at the diamond ring that adorned a very important finger on her left hand. The stone wasn't the biggest, but it sparkled just so and was set in a simple white gold band that fit her perfectly. Tonight, Oliver had asked for her hand in marriage, asked for her to share her life with him and she'd said yes.

Lilly loved Oliver; they'd known each other since preschool and quickly became the best of friends, and when Miley came into the picture they were like the three musketeers, although Lilly will admit that she felt closer to Miley than Oliver, despite not knowing her for as long.

But then two years ago, she and Oliver had begun dating and things were going great. It was just a natural progression to their relationship seeing as they'd been best friends for so long that they know absolutely everything about each other. It wasn't weird, or awkward.

"Marry me, Lilly." Oliver had asked. Sure, Lilly was shocked; hell, they were only eighteen years old and the thought of marriage freaked her out – she wasn't ready to settle down yet.

"Woah, Ollie…" Lilly wasn't expecting it at all. "We… Aren't we too young?"

"You're my best friend Lilly, this doesn't mean that we have to get married now, or even sometime in the near future, it just means that someday we will. I want to spend my life with you. I love you."

"Ok" Lilly said shakily and watched as Oliver placed the ring on her finger. Oliver proposed as they were taking a moonlit stroll along the surf, the waves splashing at their feet with a full moon behind them and Lilly was shocked that he'd thought of something so… romantic.

Very few words were spoken on the way home. Oliver walked Lilly to her bedroom door and kissed her goodnight before leaving, and when Lilly saw that Miley wasn't in their room, she decided to go see if she was in the main house.

When she got to the back door, she paused when she saw Joanie and Sarah walk Miley to the couch, and from where she stood she could tell that she was drunk. She watched as her friends left and Mr. Stewart went over to her.

"How much have you had to drink?" Robbie Ray asked Miley.

"Enough. Enough to dull the pain." Miley said.

Pain? Miley was in pain? Lilly was worried. Earlier, Sarah called her and asked what was wrong with Miley, and she didn't know.

"I'm not hurt or sick, well, physically anyway. You see Daddy, I'm in love; powerfully and painfully in love. And it's the worst kind of love imaginable. It's the worst kind of love because, my love is completely unrequited."

Lilly felt tears spring to her eyes. She could hear the anguish in her best friends voice; the voice that was usually filled with happiness and laughter.

"I love Lilly, Daddy, since the day I met her eight years ago. I realized I was in love with her when we were twelve, and ever since then my love for her just keeps growing, more than I thought it could. I have all these feelings inside me that I hold back, all this passion that I've kept from her and from everyone for too long and I just can't take it anymore. I want to hold her and kiss her. I want to make passionate, earth shattering love to her until we can't even move, I want to take long walks with her and have a house with a white picket fence and a little dog. I want to have kids with her and travel the world with her by my side."

Lilly watched in a stunned silence as Robbie Ray soothingly stroked Miley's back to comfort her. Her best friend was in love with her, and crying because of her. Tears were quickly forming in her eyes and she had to bite her fist to keep from screaming out loud.

"Did you ever tell her?" Robbie Ray asked and Lilly watched as Miley shook her head no.

"No. I was going to the minute I got back from filming Indiana Joanie two years ago, but I caught her and Oliver kissing. I ran to my room and busted out crying because I knew then that I didn't have a shot. Seeing her with him… she was happy and I didn't want to do anything to wreck that."

"We share a room now and sometimes we share a bed, and when I wake up and she's in my arms it's the most amazing feeling in the world for about five seconds and then I realize that she's not mine. I have dreams, vivid dreams of my life spent with her, dreams that seem so utterly real that when I wake up I'm confused and disappointed because the dream is so much better than reality. I would give anything to be with her."

Lilly continued to listen as Miley spilled her guts to her father. Miley knew of Oliver's plans to ask for Lilly's hand in marriage, and she listened as Robbie Ray tried to be as positive as possible, suggesting that she tell her how she feels.

Lilly's chest tightened considerably and she felt like her own heart was being choked. Miley was hurting and she was the cause of her best friends pain.

"It hurts, it hurts so badly. Make it stop, please just make it stop." Miley was clutching her chest and sobbing uncontrollably and Lilly didn't know what to do. After about five minutes, she sensed that Miley was asleep so she quietly tiptoed over to the couch.

"Lilly" Robbie Ray whispered. His face was puffy from crying, and he looked up into Lilly's eyes to see that she too was a mess, knowing instantly that she heard everything. "You heard?"

"Mr. S., I-"Lilly swiped at her tears, sucking in a strangled cry. "I had no idea." Lilly kneeled on the floor in front of the couch. She ran her hands through Miley's hair.

"Lilly" Miley called out.

Lilly closed her eyes tight before looking up at Robbie Ray.

"She senses you." The elder Stewart said.

Lilly raised her left hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, forgetting about the ring on her finger. Robbie Ray's eyes went right to her hand.

"So, Oliver asked you." He said as more of a statement rather than a question.

Lilly nodded.

"And you said yes."

Lilly nodded again. "If I had known…"

"Don't do that Lilly. If you're happy to marry Oliver then do it, don't second guess yourself because you overheard a conversation."

"But how can I not second guess myself after what I heard? Miley's broken because of me, and I love her and I don't want to cause her any more pain. I had no idea…"

"Tell me something, Lilly" Robbie Ray asked. "Do you love Oliver, the way Miley loves you?"

"The way she loves me? I don't know…" Lilly looked at Miley, bringing her hand up to stroke her cheek.

Robbie Ray raised his eyebrows. "Well, then I think that's your answer. If you truly did, you wouldn't have hesitated."

Lilly looked down at the ring once more. "If Miley sees this she's going to freak out. I can't do that to her."

"Then what are you going to do?" Robbie Ray asked.

Lilly slipped the ring off her finger and slipped it in her pocket. "Tomorrow I'm going to talk to Oliver. I can't marry him, not like this. I think he will understand."

Robbie Ray nodded. "Will you help me get Miley into bed?"

"Yes."

Lilly lead the way, opening the door and turning on the light. Robbie Ray placed Miley in her bed and watched as Lilly removed her shoes before tucking the covers around her. Watching for a moment longer, Robbie Ray went to the door before leaving.

"Lilly, I hope you don't mind this question, but; how do you feel about my daughter?"

Lilly was shocked, but boldly met his eyes. "I love her." she said without hesitating.

"But do you love her the way she loves you?"

"Truthfully, no, at least I don't think I do, not yet at least. I never even considered Miley as an option because she's a girl. I know that that probably sounds horrible, but knowing what I do now…. I love her; I know everything about her and if I think about it, I could see myself with her."

Robbie Ray stared into Lilly's eyes. "I just want her to be happy."

"I know, Mr. S., believe me I want that too. It's killing me that I'm the reason she's so distraught."

Robbie Ray hugged Lilly and kissed her head before shutting the door behind him. Lilly quickly took the ring from her pocket and safely put it into the zipper compartment of her purse. Shutting the lights, she slipped off her jeans and shoes and climbed into bed with Miley.

"Oh, Miley" she whispered to the sleeping girl. Lilly quickly spooned the girl, for once being the one to hold rather than be held. Miley immediately cuddled back into Lilly, grabbing hold of her arm and hugging it to her stomach.

"Mmm, Lilly. I love you" Miley said in her sleep.

Lilly closed her eyes and let the tears come. She cried for the girl who loved her so completely, she cried for the heartbroken soul so full of pain, and most of all she cried for being the source of that pain. In the morning, they would talk, but for now Lilly just held Miley as they slept.

TBC

Reviews are always welcome =)