As he walked into the designer store, Joe looked around frazzled, having no idea where to start, he turned to his best friend and wrapped his arm around her neck. Miley laughed lightly and put her hand on his back, attempting to assure him that everything would be okay. She took him to the men's department of the store and started to look around. Joe watched her intrigued. He noticed that she didn't just see a shirt, or a pair of pants, but a masterpiece, an entire ensemble that someone wears. Miley was artsy like that, it was something he admired about her.

"Can I ask you a question," he asked as she looked through the dress shirts as he stood there awkwardly.

She pulled out a dark blue polo and handed it to him, he took the hanger part of the shirt and held it carefully, "sure," she said as she scanned through other shirts and jackets.

"What happened with Nick when I withdrew from your apartment?"

Miley stifled a laugh and shook her head, " when you 'withdrew' from my apartment? Oh, Joey, I love you."

He chuckled and shook his head, his shaggy hair bouncing with every move, "don't avoid my question, Miles."

She sighed and looked at him quickly before taking out a leather jacket and holding it up to him, the blue eyed belle pushed it into his hands, "nothing happened, Joey. Nothing. No thing, no fling."

He cocked his eyebrows and looked around the store. There were a multitude of people at sales racks, in the shoe departments, and in general, shopping for clothes, he never understood shopping, but hoped that within the end of this, he did. He wanted to change. For Demi and for himself. Eyeing the leather jacket, he nodded before looking back at Miley, "really? Nothing? I'm surprised at that. I fell like Nick is fascinated with you. He rarely takes his eyes off of you when you're in the room, like I do with Demi. It's very odd to me that he has yet to make a move on you."

"Well, he didn't. Plus, we're just best friends. Ooo," she said geting a pair of skinny jeans and a pair of dress pants, "Alright, so go try this stuff on, I'll wait out here, come out when you have it on. Jeans with the shirt, and then dress pants with," she paused and looked around, getting a long sleeved white shirt, a black tie, and a black jacket, she handed it all to him, "with this. Okay," she pushed him lightly towards the changing room, "go."

He went in and came out in the casual outfit first. Miley's jaw dropped and she threw her head back, letting out a loud laugh, "damn! There's a sexy man in there," she gaped, "if I didn't already have my eyes on someone else, and you had a haircut, I would totally steal you before anyone else could."

Joe shook his head, his cheeks reddening a bit, "I'd prefer if you did not flirt with me, I also have my eye on someone else and you are like my sister," he laughed, "you really think this looks good?"

"Dude, you look hot, now go get into the other outfit."

He nodded and went into the changing room. A few minutes later, he walked out of the room and Miley laughed again, "what is going on? Joe! I'm so shocked," she giggled, "you're gorgeous!"

They went to store after store until a multitude of shopping bags filled their arms. He was wearing a new pair of dark colored skinny jeans, blue boat shoes, and a dark blue Polo. Next stop was the hair salon. They walked into a chic salon called "Jacque's", he'd heard of it, but never imagined ever going to it, it was one of the best salons in New York. The sign outside, in the hall of the ball was black with white lights illuminating every letter. In the salon, everything was white with mirrors lining the wall, the only thing that wasn't white was the clipping chairs and the

corner waiting lounge that held black leather couches and a black carpet with a black coffee table in the middle of the rug which held a number of hair and celebrity gossip magazines.

Sitting him in a chair, she smiled at her friend Jacque, "hi," she smiled.

"Ah, Miley," he said in is thick french accent, "what are you doing here? You don't have an appointment for a few weeks."

Miley nodded her head toward Joe and clasped her hands together as she bit her lip. Joe knew that look, he'd seen her give it to Nick dozens of times, and of course, whatever she wanted, after she looked at Nick like that, she usually, if not always, got what she wanted. "Could you please help me out here? Please? I begging you, my friend wants to change his look. I know he doesn't have an appointment, but I'll pay you double, I'll-"

Jacque laughed and shook his head, "don't worry, doll! My next appointment cancelled, if you had come at any other time, I would've had to say no, but we can fit him in."

Miley let out a high pitch joyful squeal and hugged him tight. Waving her hand at Joe, to motion him over, he walked over with his straight stance and perfect posture. The hairstylist nudged her and laughed lightly, "what's he got up his booty?"

She hit his arm and shook her head, "be nice, make him look so hot that all the girls at the University will want to invite him to an orgi fest, instead of a dorks-r-us fest," she laughed, "no offense, Joey. You know I love you."

"None taken," he sighed taking a seat in black leather clipping chair.

She kissed the top of his head, "okay. So, I'm just going to go sit over in the waiting area."

He nodded and smiled lightly to her in the mirror. Jacque stood next to him and ran his hands through Joe's hair, "okay, to the sinks."

An hour later, he walked over to Miley and nervously cleared his throat. Miley looked up from her phone, her eyes scanned over Joe and when they got to his hair, she gasped and squealed. Getting up, she started to jump and down. She laughed and wrapped her arms around him. His long dark brown curls had been chopped off and in replacement, a neat cut laid on top of his head, the curls down and it was a bit spiked. He looked like a new person, a gorgeous new person.

"What is the predicament of the situation," Joe questioned looking at her confused.

"JOEY, YOU LOOK HOT," she laughed and kissed his cheek.

Joe scrunched his nose and wiped his cheek, "I'm not a fan when one slobbers on me like a wet canine."

"Now, let's work on that vocabulary of your's," she said laughing as they walked out of the salon and to the restaurant across the street.

Later that night, Miley got out of the yellow New York City taxi after paying the cab driver and started to walk into her apartment building when she felt eyes on her. Looking around, she saw nothing. Goosebumps slithered onto her skin as a warm breeze hit her. Opening the door, she quickly walked into the building and shut the door tight behind her. Going up the elevator, she waited until the doors opened up onto the third floor and got off, walking to her apartment, she walked in and came face to face with a man who looked like a jailbird. He was inked all over his arms, in symbols that she didn't recognize and didn't want to recognize. Her hand clasped onto her cell phone and her purse. She wanted to run, that was her first instinct, but she knew he'd be able to catch her. Maybe if she hadn't been in six inch stilettos then she would've been able to beat him, but probably not.

The bald man in a white wife beater and low waisted jeans just smirked of her, "hello, Miley."

She gulped and looked down before looking back up at him for a brief moment, "h-how do you know my name," she asked, her voice shaking and fearful.

He shrugged and walked closer to her, "I have my ways," brushing a piece of hair out of her face, he let out a low chuckle and shook his head, "you're even prettier close up."

"Don't touch me," she snapped pushing him away.

His eyes scanned her body up and down and he licked his lips, "feisty, I like it. Did you have fun getting your friend all dolled up today," he questioned walking closer to her yet again. She looked into his cold dark eyes that looked to be almost hollow-like and quivered yet again.

"You've been following me?"

"Possibly. Or else we just happen to see you wherever we go," he smirked, "but that's probably not the case."

"Who are you?"

"That's for me to know and for your friend to find out," he smirked before pushing himself up against her so every inch of his body was covering hers. She used all her strength to try to push him away, but he was too heavy, and his muscles were too big. He laughed at her feeble attempt at getting rid of him and shook his head, "I say we have some fun."

She shook her head and bit her lip, "no."

He backed away and smirked at her yet again, "maybe next time then. Oh, and there will be a next time and then, I'll really get what I want. Wear something sexy tomorrow," he said winking at her before leaving. She slid down the wall, her body shaking. Taking out her phone, she pressed her speed dial number two and held it to her ear. Sobs errupted from her body as she put her knees up to her chest.

"Miles," Nick greeted answering his phone with a smile on his face. He was gald she'd called him. After their previous encounter, he wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to him. He heard her sobs and his body froze, "Mi? Mi, what's wrong," he queried.

"Can you come over? Please," she said holding herself tight, "I need you to come over."

"I'll be over as soon as I possibly can, okay?"

She nodded, but then realized that he couldn't see her and sighed, sniffling, "yeah, I-I"ll see you then." Hanging up, she went to the couch after locking the door and put herself into a fetal position while holding onto a blue throw pillow. A sense of terrified bewilderment ran through her body. Who was the guy? What did he want with her? How did he know where she lived? Why did he know her every move? Where had he come from?

About seven minutes later, there was a hurried knock on her door. She quickly got up and looked through the peep hole, seeing the head of curls of her best friend, Miley unlocked the door and he rushed in, shutting it behind him. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, nuzzling her head into his chest, the soft material of his long sleeved blue University sweatshirt rubbed against her cheek. Nick's arms snaked around her as he picked her up, brining her over to the couch. Sitting down, he held her like a baby on his lap, her head now burried into his neck.

He knew not to ask what happened, not until her crying had softened, so he just rubbed her back and whispered comforting things into her ear, telling her that she was okay and promising her that he wasn't going to go anywhere. She just nodded her head and held him closer with every word that dribbled out of his plump lips. After a while, she calmed down and looked into his eyes. Starting from the beginning, when she got out of the taxi, to the end, when she had called him, she told him everything and the only thing Nick felt throughout her story was anger and guilt. He knew exactly who had sent the messenger to Miley's apartment. His mind flashed to the gun he kept in his apartment and knew that for once, he'd be glad to use it.

Nick didn't know what to say, so he just kept whispering things into her ear to comfort her. She looked into his eyes and straddled him, her fingers combed through his hair and she smiled lightly, her hand left his hair a few moments later and her thumb skimmed his jaw bone, "you're always there for me," she whispered, "thank you," her voice cracked.

He shook his head and pulled her closer, "of course, Mi. No thanks is needed though, I'd do anything for you. You know that."

"Thank you," she repeated before pecking her lips and resting her head on his chest, "can you stay here with me for the night? Demi's visiting her parents."

He nodded and kissed her forehead, "of course. Come on, let's go to your room." Picking her up, he carried her into the bedroom and laid her down. Wrapping his arms around her, they both fell asleep. Miley still shook, but Nick slept like a baby, not only was he holding the woman he cared the most about, his best friend, but he was going to get revenge soon, and that was just like a cherry on top of an ice cream sundae.

A/N: Again, thank you all so much for your reviews! What do you guys think of this chapter? Is Nick really going to kill the intruder? Who is the intruder and what exactly does he want? Find out soon on Hit The Lights!

Peace. Love. Niley.

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