ooookay. Don't be mad at me. i know i said this was going to be the last chapter but i changed my mind... i have at least 2 more small chapters coming. I just thought i'd give y'all an update so you didn't think i abandoned this story. So i'm still alive! still writing! don't worry. This chappie is alllll about Joshley. Enjoy!

Hayley crept quietly down the dark hallway of the mansion and made her way to Josh's room. As she (as quietly as possible) turned the doorknob slowly a sliver of light from the bathroom eased onto the floor of Josh's room. Hayley looked around and quickly spotted Josh asleep in his bed. His stomach moving up and down as he breathed.

She tip toed inside the room and knelt down next to his bed. Her face faced his, his eyes shut, his mouth closed, and his breathing steady. His light-brown silky hair in a ruffled sweep atop his head. Hayley thought he looked peaceful and she hated to have to do this in the middle of the night. More like, morning. It was nearly six o'clock AM. The sun would be rising soon and the pitch darkness would be made into light again. And Hayley would have to leave.

Hayley took a deep breath and held it while she placed her fingers on Josh's shoulder. It was warm, but hard with muscle under Hayley's cold fingers. She shook Josh to wake him.

"Josh!" she whispered, "Josh!"

Josh jerked awake, his eyes shooting open but then when he realized who was in front of him he calmed. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it. He looked sort of confused but a lot like he didn't want to hear what Hayley had to say. He didn't care anymore.

"Josh," Hayley whispered to the groggy fellow, "I... Sorry … I um…" Hayley could barely find the words. Here she was, interrupting Josh's peaceful sleep in the middle of the night, well morning, and now all she was doing was wasting his time and his energy.

"Sorry for waking you, I just…" she didn't quite know what to tell him.

"If you were really sorry, than you'd let me go back to sleep." Josh said in a low, bleary voice. He turned over in bed, his back facing Hayley.

"But Josh I have to talk to you about something."

Josh groaned faintly. He let out an unsteady sigh, a waver in his throat. "We already talked, remember?" he asked bitterly.

"No. I mean really talk, Josh."

There was silence in the room. Only the sound of the heater kicking on above them could be heard.

Josh let out another uneasy sigh. "I don't want to talk to you."

Hayley stood to her feet from her kneeling position and walked around to the other side of the bed so she could speak to Josh face to face.

"It's really important." Hayley persisted.

"Hayley-"

"Please," she pleaded, "It can't wait, just…"

Hayley trailed off and without another moment climbed into bed with Josh. She threw back the covers on the other side of the bed and then pulled them over her small body making herself comfortable next to him.

"Hayles…what are you..?"

Hayley adjusted the pillow under her head and then turned over to face her friend.

"We need to figure this out." She said, firmly.

Josh rolled his eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know damn well what I'm talking about, Josh."

Josh sighed and quit playing dumb. Because he did. He knew exactly what she was talking about. He just didn't want to bring it up. When she walked away his heart was broken forever. He hated thinking about it. Everything. Hayley and this whole situation. It made him sick to his stomach. All he wanted was for her to love him. If she didn't, than why waste his breath?

"What is there to talk about Hayley? You already gave me your answer."

Josh turned over again in the dark room. His back now facing Hayley again. Hayley reached over to the nightstand on her side of the bed and turned on the side lamp. Josh winced at the sudden burst of light. He shut his eyes and tried to make himself fall asleep before Hayley began speaking again. But Hayley didn't say anything. Not for a long while.

"Turn out the light." He whispered to her, so she did.

Josh closed his eyes once more. The next couple of minutes were completely silent yet again. Hayley didn't speak. Josh didn't speak.

Josh heard the rustling of his sheets being moved around and then Hayley finally spoke in a low whisper tone.

"Josh, please." She begged.

He refused to speak. He refused to give her the satisfaction of his cooperation. He wanted her to know how angry his was. How hurt he was.

Hayley scooted over closer to where Josh lay and pressed her face to his back. She wrapped her arms around his middle and inhaled the scent that lay embedded into his t-shirt.

Josh continued to stay silent. He didn't ask her what she was doing or to stop. He couldn't speak much anyway, considering his heart was practically ramming against his chest. Being this close to Hayley made his body go haywire. He tried to calm himself.

"I feel really bad, Josh." Hayley said. Her words came out muffled, for her face was still pressed to his back side.

You feel bad for not loving me? Josh wanted to say, but he remained silent.

"I mean, throughout this whole thing I've told myself to reiterate the fact that we're just friends, nothing more. I had no idea you felt the way you did, honest. I wasn't trying to hurt you."

Josh considered this. And though it made sense, it still didn't mean she loved him. And that was his main goal.

"When we woke up in the same bed, I don't think I really thought much of it until I realized I was, like, naked. We've slept that close to each other before and it didn't mean anything. Right Josh? As friends?"

Josh chewed on his bottom lip.

"Right Josh?" Hayley asked again.

A knot formed in Josh's throat but he sucked it back down.

"Say right, Josh." Hayley whispered in a voice barely able to be heard.

Josh swallowed again. "Right."

Hayley sighed; Josh could feel her warm breath on his back. It sent an odd chill down his spine and his skin erupted in goose bumps.

"But then when we kissed it was like…the world stopped. It was like a reality check." Hayley spoke.

Josh let out a breath. He prayed that there was something there. He prayed that she loved him back. He prayed she would be his.

Hayley's eyes welled up with tears of frustration and confusion. Her voice wavered as she spoke.

"And I know it means something to feel that way during a kiss. There's something there, I can feel it. I just…" Hayley trailed off and recollected herself before breaking down and crying. "I just don't know what."

Josh heaved a sigh. "Hayles I can't make you love me," he said gently "But I think I know what you're feeling. I feel it too."

Hayley let out a much-needed sob. She pressed her face closer to Josh's back and sure enough, Josh could soon feel her tears bleeding through the fabric of his shirt onto his skin.

"Hayley, why do you always—"

"This can't happen!" Hayley exclaimed, her voice breaking and tears spewing from her eyes.

"But it can." Josh whispered. He turned over on the bed, now coming face to face with Hayley, Their noses practically touching.

Hayley squeezed her eyes tight, trying to keep tears from running down her cheeks. She whimpered.

"Hayley look at me." Josh demanded.

Hayley kept her eyes shut. Resisting like a young child. She didn't want to face it. She came into Josh's room tonight with a purpose. To tell Josh how she really felt. That she loved him as a friend. To give him closure. So she could leave the mansion without feeling guilty. But now all she could think about was how much she loved him. How much she wanted to be with him. But she couldn't.

"Look. At. Me." Josh said again.

Hayley opened her green eyes as tears glistened in them.

"It could work, Hayley. Us…together." Josh said as he ran his fingers through Hayley's red-orange locks.

"No, it can't."

Josh moved closer, his breath fogging up Hayley's pale skin.

"What are you so afraid of?" Josh whispered.

Hayley sniffled. "I'm afraid that if we're together, when we break up, our friendship will be fucked up. I don't want to lose you."

"You're already losing me, Hayley. This whole situation has fucked us up enough."

Hayley let out another painful sob. She covered her face with her hands, warm tears trickled on her nose.

"Please, Hayley. Can we please just give us a try, please?"

Hayley shook her head. "You promised. We promised this would never happen again. For the fans, for our friendship, Josh. For the best."

"This isn't about the fans Hayley. This is about us. Why can't you just admit that you feel the same way as I do?"

Josh sat up in the dark room, his back aching from lying down so long. The knot in his throat tied tighter, it made him miserable to see Hayley this upset. He just wanted them to be happy together. He didn't understand why she couldn't admit that she was in love with him. It was very obvious.

"We just can't Josh. It's what I've been trying to tell you for a long time. It'll be better for us."

"If its gonna be so much better for us, than why are you crying? And why am I so Goddamn depressed?" Josh exclaimed angrily.

Hayley let out a startling scream, or a sob, or something. Josh didn't quite know. Hayley's feet kicked at the covers. It was almost as if she was having a tantrum.

"I can't decide!" Hayley screamed. She threw the covers of Josh's bed back and hopped out of the bed, heading for the door.

"I can't love you Josh, I just can't!"

Josh jumped out of bed as well, grabbing Hayley by the arm and spinning her around with great force.

"Why not?"

"Because the last time we broke up I was so miserable! I felt so alone and alienated! Besides the time my parents divorced, it was the worst I felt in my entire life. I don't want to feel that way again."

Josh softened and took a step closer to Hayley.

"Hayley, I promise I'll never break your heart."

"I'm not going to risk it." Hayley said irately, now annoyed with Josh's pleading. She wiped a tear from her eye. "I'm sorry."

With that Hayley left Josh's room and made her way back to her own bedroom.

"Consider our friendship over then." Josh shouted down the hallway.

Hayley stopped short and turned around to face him. "Josh…" she said, dejectedly.

Josh hung his head so that Hayley wouldn't see the tears that were about to pour from his eyes.

"And consider my heart broken." He said, slamming the door behind him.

You like? This chapter was rather hard to write. it took me about a week to really get into it, and it's still not perfect! but i hope you liked it. Review!