Demi stirred quietly in bed as she turned inward and felt nothing. Her eyes immediately opened to an empty space next to her in bed and she rolled her eyes slightly as the fact that her husband just wasn't there. She let out a loud sigh as she laid back against the bed again staring at the ceiling knowing very well where Joe could be.

Ever since Joe and Miley rushed into the house last week urging her to leave the house even though she was covered in oil pastel in her art studio in the backyard and pushing her towards the part of town she had tried so hard to ignore since Miley had left, had Joe spent less time at home and so much more time than she would have liked at the warehouse. She had fallen in love with the idea that Miley start her own business here designing the clothes that she so often brought to her high clientele. Better off she was just in love with the idea that Miley was staying, she was going to stay in this town. It was the very same town that Demi had grown to love since she moved here with her parents that summer of her teenage years.

She wanted to lay in bed forever that moment even though she knew she would have to drag Joe back home. If it was one thing that Joe love, it was redecorating and building construction, otherwise she wouldn't have gotten the art studio she loved so dearly in the backyard. Demi was about to pull the covers up to her head once more to block out the sun when she heard the front door open and close. Her eyes caught the time and knew it wasn't Joe because his pretty head was stuck in the heavens at that warehouse to even bother leaving when he had just gotten there about two hours ago. She racked her brains and wonder who could possibly walk into her house at this time. Not Miley, certainly not Selena since running into her and Taylor while shopping with Miley had created a tension between them. But who else?

Her thoughts were cut when a figure reached her door panting and trying to catch his breath. Of course she thought as she saw the curly mess of hair in front of her.

"Demi!" Nick managed between his short breaths.

"Nick!" Demi sarcastically mocked him.

Nick looked at her slightly and laughed. He walked over to her and plopped himself onto Joe's side of the bed. Silence captured them for a moment as they stared at the ceiling and then broken by Demi's voice.

"Why, may I ask, are you panting coming up the stairs?" Demi joked. "Told you to lay off the donuts Nick!"

"Ha Ha" Nick shot back at her, pretending for pretend sake. "I wanted to know where Joe was."

"What are you not satisfied with Sel, that you have to come and steal my man?" Demi remarked in a witty way satisfied with herself, "well you're too late anyways, Miley has already stolen him from me the past week."

Nick's face winced at the mention of Miley but Demi hadn't seen it since they were both still staring at the ceiling. He hadn't talked to Miley since the dinner they shared last week and he had been trying to avoid her at all cost for Selena's sake but secretly for his. The past week had been filled up with Selena events and he wasn't complaining (because of course, he loved her right?)

Demi guessed she had caught Nick at an awkward situation when she mention Miley and made a mental note not to do so, so easily anymore. She has tried everything she could possibly since Miley had been here to make them friends again and she knew when to admit defeat.

"Oh," Nick broke her thoughts again, "well then maybe you can help me!"

She turned to face him in the bed as he said this statement and gave him an unconvincing face. Demi didn't like the sound of this at all because whatever he had needed Joe for was certainly a man moment that she did not want to participate in.

Nick smirked as he turn in also facing her, "It's nothing bad! Just need to buy Selena something."

Demi's face calmed down a little bit before twitching in a weird fashion, "And you were going to ask Joe?"

"I knew you would say that!" Nick exasperated. "But he's actually pretty good, well we're pretty good when we're thinking together, who do you think suggested your art studio so long ago?"

Her face brightened at the mention of the studio and Nick knew he had said the right thing and smiled at her. Demi had grown to be like a sister to him and he couldn't have it any better.

"Okay! Let me get ready." Demi exclaimed as she pushed the comforter off her body.

xx

The loud noises were getting to her head and she wondered how life had brought her here in this very moment at this very spot in a place she had loved so much about this town. Miley gazed almost adoringly at her surroundings. Joe had been so great and right about how this place turned out. It was as if he had reconstructed it to have so much of her in the walls and she wondered how he knew so much about her before remembering the late nights they spent together talking when Nick was out of town with his family or the early morning when she brought him to the coffee shop across the street.

"There's my girl!" Miley shook herself out of her thoughts and smiled brightly at Joe in a yellow construction hat.

"It looks soo great Joe!" Miley gushed to him, "Demi was so right when she said you have a knack for things like this!"

Joe smiled full of pride at her compliment. "Well it's almost done! Let me show you," he exclaimed as he held of his arm.

Miley beamed as she curtsied and then grabbed a hold of his arm ready to see the beauty of this place that Joe had put so much effort into in the past week.

"It's such a huge place Miley, I didn't know what to do with most of it so I hope you like it so far." Joe began as they walked to the front. "When you're ready and done, this will be the shop," he motioned at the windows and the lovely island for the cashier then moved back to the back of the warehouse. "And here is your studio," as he pushed the purple curtains aside.

Miley gasped. No way, she thought to herself. How had he known? Everything was the way she imagined it since she dreamed of becoming a fashion designer in high school.

From the purple walls to the black wooden floors, Miley stared admiring every little detail. The big black table right near the window to her left where she could cut the material that she would work with and a small work table to the right of it where she could draw and think of her designs. There was even a leather couch near the two tables just by the wall with different shades of bright purple pillows. And one wall of mirrors just like a ballet studio with christmas lights stringed from corner to corner. Two tall cabinets behind the work table filled with empty spaces for designer books but currently placed with dozen scented candles. Random shadow boxes hung against the wall for her liking. There was just enough space for her to work and enough cabinets to put her supplies.

"Joe I love it!" Miley rushed to hug him as she finished turning around staring at the whole place. "How did you know?"

He smiled slightly before telling her, "Demi wasn't the only one who visited your mother for long periods of time."

And before she could even stop it, tears cascaded down her cheeks and she hugged Joe again not knowing what else to say. Joe held her tightly knowing to stay quiet at this moment.

She wiped off her tears with one arm and pulled away from Joe, "Come on, I'm buying you coffee!" Miley grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the warehouse towards across the street.

Joe laughed and followed her satisfied with how happy he had just made her since she same home. Yes, he thought, home was a safe word to say.

xx

Demi pulled Nick's arm towards the mall as they got out of his car. "Hurry Nick!"

"It's only the afternoon Dems!" Nick laughed. "The mall isn't going to close anytime soon!"

At this remark, Demi stuck her tongue out at him and pulled him harder towards the mall. As they entered the front entrance, Demi spoke, "So why are you shopping for Selena again?"

Nick sighed at the question, he didn't want to mention to Demi what had happen even though he was surprise that Miley hadn't told her what had happened between them that night. He was just glad she wasn't outside when he was confronted by Selena.

"Why can't I just be the greatest boyfriend ever and buy her things at random times, hmm Demi?" Nick played it off.

Demi rolled her eyes a bit at the statement and mockingly said, "Please, Nick when are you ever the greatest boyfriend?"

Nick punched her jokingly in the arm and told her to shut up before they made their way to the first store. He didn't know what to get Selena. It wasn't as if he was trying to be forgiven by the thoughts of gifts, no he wasn't that type of guy. He knew that nothing could be forgiven when he came to any girl named Miley, and there was only one girl with that name in this town. Selena could tell him off and he wouldn't know how to fix it, she could pack her bags and leave back to Hollywood where she belong with better recording studios, no he knew she could do anything she pleased and he wouldn't have anymore lifelines.

Yes, he understood perfectly. (or did he?)

His thoughts were all a blur when Demi pulled on his arm towards the jewelry section.

"Well mister greatest boyfriend ever," Demi joked, "here would be the place to start."

Nick stared at the gleaming diamonds on the necklaces lined in the glass case to the bracelets aligned on top in neat little patterns. But his eyes made an obvious motion towards the rings placed in the other glass cases.

He thought for a minute and looked here and there for Demi's sake because this was her idea to begin with. And he wasn't the type of man to put down a girl's idea the very first minute she mentions it.

Of course, the necklace with a heart pendant would have been wonderful along Selena's collarbone. And he imagined kissing the very spot before putting it around her neck. The sapphire tennis bracelet would have sat beautifully against her slender wrist and as his eyes yielded again to the rings he imagined a beauty of a diamond along her smooth fingers.

But he knew this wasn't the right present. Jewelry should not be made for apologizes in his opinion. Jewelry like these were meant for moments that were wonderful and filled with love, not filled with quick movements that weren't thought out too well or decided rashly.

Nick turned to Demi and shook his head, "No, this isn't the right idea Dems."

Demi nodded, understandingly. To her, she knew jewelry wasn't the type of gift that Nick would give Selena. She understood that Nick thought of jewelry as something special and in her heart (or so she hoped) there was only one girl that was that special to him and she wasn't lying in the same bed with him the past nights.

They roamed through the stores looking at clothes and bags even shoes before Nick realized that the right gift was not in the mall. Demi however thought the gold, glimmering with diamonds, heels had come close. To this, Nick laughed and made a mental note to come back and buy for her since Demi's birthday was just around the corner.

They walked back to the car arm in arm with ice creams that they had gotten from the food court laughing over nothing important and forgetting that their trip had been nothing at all successful.

xx

Selena sat silently in their room wondering where the hell her boyfriend could be. She had just come home from the recording studio and gotten out of a recent phone call that made her agitated. It had been nearly three years since Nick had released his last album. The record label was asking for another the past year. And no matter how hard she tried and pushed, he had little motivation to write the songs that made her fall in love with him the first place.

Agitated, Selena began cleaning the house starting with their room. She thought back to the moment where he had asked her to go on their first date. It was a soft and kind of sullen moment but she made the most out of it because he had finally made the move and gave them a chance. She knew he was hurt, but she made it her mission to focus on making him better.

It had been going so great until a turn of events. Her mother dying, she remembered being there holding onto Nick's hand as the tears sunk down to his lips. She could still imagine the taste of them as she kissed him that night.

Then she came back.

And it was downhill from there. Selena felt it the moment she caught Joe and Nick talking in this very room.

Her thoughts continued to run as she picked up the laundry basket of clean clothes to fold. She pulled the drawer open to fill it up with his shirts before stopping to pull a few up and her eyes caught the little black box.

She had found it so long ago; it seemed like years when really it had only been later the past year when she came across it. She dared not to open it because she thought maybe just maybe it was for her and he would ask just soon enough.

The thought that they had only been dating for a year and a half at that time she first saw the box didn't cross her mind. Now it had been almost three years and he still hadn't asked. And she didn't dare mention that she had found it but she liked to look at the box every here and there wondering what beauty was in there.

Her fingers held the box and her desires took over as she gingerly opened the box with her delicate fingers. And she gasped.

How could it be anymore gorgeous than I had imagined, she thought. It was a princess cut diamond that stood in the middle of silver lines that entangled among themselves and smaller diamonds laid among the empty spaces.

She wanted to try it on, to feel the heavy weight among her ring finger. But she heard the door open and shut the box quickly putting it back into the drawer as the footsteps came closer to the room.

"Sel?" a tiny voice became clear as the door open.

She sighed to herself and was glad it wasn't Nick but Taylor. "Taylor!" she smiled brightly.

Selena picked up the folded material and stuffed it quickly into the drawers then urged Taylor towards the kitchen.

"What are you here for?" she asked a bit too cheerily as she poured a cup of tea for the two of them.

Taylor smiled and answered, "Just wanted to drop by since I'm in the neighborhood."

Selena nodded as she sipped the cup. Taylor had moved a couple miles away from the rest of the gang some months ago. Selena supposed it was because Taylor just couldn't stand living in an area that reminded her of a mother figure she loved so much; Miley's mother of course.

And Selena cursed to herself quietly, this whole town seemed to be revolved around Miley and her mother.

The two girls sat there all afternoon sipping tea and talking amongst themselves catching up. At the end of it all as Selena watched Taylor pull out of the driveway, she was grateful to have met such a wonderful friend like Taylor while she was here. It wasn't that Demi and Joe weren't wonderful, but she never felt the kind of closeness with them as she did with Taylor.

She made a silent movement towards the drawer again as she entered the room but sidetracked herself as she heard the door open again certain that it was Nick this time and not anyone else.

xx

Joe and Miley had talked away their afternoon over vanilla bean coffee before closing up the warehouse and heading back home.

Miley wanted to drive directly home but Joe had insisted that Demi would want her to come by before letting her go home. She pulled out of the parking lot after Joe and followed him back home. She turned the audio on and had forgotten that his CD was still playing since she last took this car out.

She let his words drown her thoughts until reaching the driveway that Joe had pulled in. Her thoughts had been too occupied that Miley hadn't seen Nick's car parked along the street in front of the house.

Laughing, she followed Joe into the house hearing voices in the kitchen and stopped. Joe begged silently with his eyes for her to just say hello. But Miley didn't want to. Of course she hadn't told anyone what had happen but it was because she didn't want to restate what she had saw and what she had felt.

But Joe kept begging and Miley couldn't say no any longer before being dragged into the kitchen.

Demi and Nick were in the middle of laughing when they both looked up to see Joe and Miley at the edge of the kitchen.

"Baby!" Demi screamed laughing and running to hug Joe, while Nick looked away uncomfortably and Miley laughed at her best friend.

Nick looked around uncomfortably before deciding it was time to go home. "Okay I guess I should go" he stated looking up at three pairs of eyes, "Thanks Demi for today and good to see you Joe!"

Miley shifted uncomfortably. "Oh please don't go, I was just going to leave and I'm sure they would rather have your company than mine," she mumbled as she looked at him.

Demi clung onto Joe awkwardly as the scene unfolded them.

"I just wanted to say hi to Dems and ask her for some paint." Miley continued looking at Demi.

"Oh!" Demi jumped out of Joe's embrace, "Of course Miles!" and dragged her away to her studio in the backyard.

Joe stood there awkwardly with Nick for a moment as the girls rushed out.

"What the hell happen between you two?" Joe started as he looked over at Nick.

Before Nick could answer (not like he wanted to answer) the girls had walked in and Miley was carrying a bucket of black paint.

"Well," Miley started again awkwardly. "Thanks Dems for the paint and Joe for today." She hugged her best friend and gave Joe a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later." She made her way to the door.

"Bye Nick," she whispered wondering if he had caught it at all and slipped through the door way towards her car.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Nick bid the couple goodbye and headed out to his car towards home.

xx

Miley had rushed out of there as quickly as she could and pulled her car into her driveway and glanced over at where she had been. She saw Nick reach his car, made a u-turn towards his house and past her before she could get out of hers.

Holding on the can of black paint and her purse she found little difficulty getting the key into the lock and opening her house. She set her purse on the couch and held a tight grip onto the handle of the can. She made her way around the kitchen finding a paint brush before heading upstairs.

Reaching the right room, she pulled open the closet door and dripped the paintbrush in the black can. After a few minutes, she stood back to look at her handiwork.

The black paint had made it less noticeable and that made her happy.

Nick + Miley = Forever didn't shine so bright among the black paint and that made her happy.

But it didn't stop her from sinking down the wall with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.


Enjoy! :) I kind of like this chapter a lot. Review please, I would greatly appreciate it. Let me know what you guys think will happen in the future.