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Unrequited: Chapter Three

"Are you upset little friend? Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don't worry...I'm here. The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you". - Charlie Brown to Snoopy

Mend – (verb) to set right; make better; improve

The first thing that registered with Lilly as she woke up was that something warm was pressed against her, and with it was something that smelled positively delicious. Blinking to adjust her eyes, she realized that it was Miley's scent that was engulfing her. The brunette shifted in her sleep to face Lilly, and one of her legs was pressed between her own and her head was completely tucked underneath Lilly's chin. One of Lilly's arms was pinned beneath Miley, and her other was thrown across Miley's middle.

Miley was hugging Lilly, her arms completely around the blonde as if she were holding onto her for dear life. While cuddling wasn't a new thing for them, Lilly had never found herself in this position before with Miley. It was, dare she say it, intimate.

The sun was still low in the sky casting a soft, early morning glow across their bedroom. Miley shifted slightly, bending the knee that was in between Lilly's legs and pulling her even closer. Lilly slammed her eyes shut; Miley's knee was now directly pressing on her center.

Miley was now lazily running her hand up and down Lilly's back, and she shifted her head so that it rested on the pillow directly next to Lilly's. She looked so peaceful, and Lilly knew once Miley opened her eyes that peacefulness would be no more.

Lilly just watched as Miley slept, and all too soon, the brunette stretched, pulling herself away from Lilly slightly as she stirred into consciousness. They were no longer pressed completely together and Lilly found that she missed the contact immensely.

"Mmm" Miley moaned, her eyes still closed as she took Lilly's hand, bringing it to her mouth and kissing it repeatedly. Lilly sucked in a breath of air as Miley slowly opened her eyes, a small smile on her face. Even after being a crying mess last night, Miley was breathtakingly beautiful.

Miley just stared at Lilly for a moment before reality set in. Both girls' arms were still around each other, and Lilly felt Miley tense considerably in her arms, and that small, cute early morning smile was gone, replaced with a look of fear.

"Lilly, I-"Miley's voice was husky in the morning, something Lilly secretly loved.

"Sshh, its ok Miley. Good morning."

Miley was searching Lilly's eyes finding nothing but compassion, sadness and understanding. "Good mornin' Lilly" Miley said, her words catching in her throat as tears started to form and she ducked her head. "You know, don't you?"

Lilly quickly lifted Miley's chin to look in her eyes. "Yes, I heard everything last night." Lilly closed her eyes, failing at fighting her own tears off. "Miley, why didn't you tell me?"

Miley was now sobbing uncontrollably again "You were happy, and I didn't want to wreck that happiness or our friendship. I'm sorry Lilly; I've tried to stop loving you but I just can't."

"Oh, Miley" Lilly said, crying as she held her broken friend. "I love you, and nothing can change that. We're gonna get through this together. I'm going to help and we're going to mend your broken heart."

"H-how?" Miley asked weakly.

"First, I'm going to talk to Oliver. I'm going to tell him that I can't be in a relationship with him."

"But you love him, Lilly don't-"

"He asked me to marry him last night Miley" Lilly said. A strangled sob escaped the brunette. "I wasn't going to tell you, but I don't want to keep it or anything else from you. He asked me, he had a ring and I hesitated. I didn't automatically say yes, and your dad helped me to realize that last night. If it was so right I wouldn't have had to think twice."

Miley nodded as she tried to get her sobs under control. "Can I ask you something Miley?" Lilly asked. Miley nodded her head again. "What is love to you?"

Before giving her a chance to answer, Lilly reached over to the bedside table and grabbed the box of tissues. Lilly sat up and pulled Miley with her, sitting so that they faced each other. Lilly handed Miley a tissue, grabbing another one to wipe her best friend's eyes before wiping her own.

Miley reached for Lilly, and Lilly automatically grabbed her hand to hold. "Love is… you, Lilly, are the first thing I think of when I wake up in the morning and the last before I go to bed. You walk into a room and everything is suddenly brighter and better. When I'm with you I feel as if I need nothing else in this world. You stand by me and are there for me with everything, and you're the first person I look for when I've got news, or gossip or anything. You make me strive to be a better person. You're perfect, Lilly. I never sleep as good on my own as I do when we share a bed and you're in my arms. I need to touch you, to be in constant contact with you. You're my magnet; no matter where you are I'm pulled to you. You're happiness means the world to me and if you're sad I'm in agony, wanting to take your pain away. I'm sorry if I haven't answered your question the way you wanted me to, but you're love to me Lilly; I close my eyes and all I see is you."

Tears were now freely falling down Lilly's face as she took in her best friends words.

"I'm sorry Lilly, did I say something wrong?" Miley asked shakily.

"No, god no, Miley that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."

Miley smiled slightly and squeezed Lilly's hand. "Well it's the truth. I love you Lilly Truscott. No matter what, I want you to know that I love you so completely and I will love you for the rest of my life."

Lilly just stared at Miley, the raw honesty penetrating her to the core, making her entire body feel like a warm current was running through it. With very little thought needed, Lilly leaned forward and chastely kissed Miley's lips. Miley sucked in a breath of air and Lilly felt her tremble.

"I love you Miley, I need you to know that. The love you described, I want that, and I know now that yes, I do love Oliver but I'm not in love with him. let's take a nap since it's still early, then we'll get up and have breakfast and then I'll go talk to Oliver and tonight, you and I will have dinner and talk. How does that sound?"

"That sounds wonderful, Lilly." Miley had a hopeful look on her face and all Lilly wanted to do was make her smile. Quietly, they got back under the covers, Miley automatically spooning Lilly as they quickly fell asleep.

"So, you don't want to marry me because Miley's in love with you? You don't want to be with me anymore?" Oliver said, his voice laced with frustration.

"I hesitated when you asked me last night. I'm sorry, Oliver, I am. I asked Miley what she thought love was, and she listed all these things she loves about me and I realized that I love you but I'm not in love with you." Lilly said as she handed the ring back to him.

"I broke my best friend, unknowingly, but she's broken and hurting because of me and she needs me. I love her and can't stand the thought of hurting her. God, if you heard what I did last night…"

Oliver looked at the ring for a moment before putting it in his pocket. "You can't stand the thought of hurting her but you'll hurt me?"

Lilly was taken aback. "You know I don't want to hurt you, come on don't say something like that."

"I'm sorry, that was a low blow."

Lilly was quiet for a moment, looking around Oliver's room at the few pictures he had. Most were of the three of them, and in those shots Lilly could see Miley's gaze always on her. "You know, sometimes it takes something big, something life altering to make you see what's right in front of you."

Oliver nodded his head. "So, what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to be there for Miley, I'm going to try and help her. She needs me, she needs us."

Oliver ran his hands through his hair. "Can I ask you something?" When Lilly nodded, he continued. "Do you love Miley, could you see yourself with her?"

"Yes, I love her, and when I think about it, I can see myself with her. I never considered the possibility because she's a girl. You know how it is, I was raised to be polite, grow up, meet a nice man and get married. I never even considered that I could look for a woman as well. I don't know if I'm in love with her, but I think I could be if I allowed myself to."

"I've always thought that you two were connected deeper than normal friends and, I can see you with her and I've always had a feeling that I would lose, that you would end up with her. When I asked you to marry me last night, selfishly I was trying to keep you with me. I'm sorry Lilly. It's going to take me some time to get used to this, but I just want you, and Miley to be happy. I don't want to see her hurting anymore than you do."

Lilly hugged Oliver. "Thank you. I love you."

"I love you too." Oliver said.

TBC

So, did this chapter totally suck?