DISCLAIMER: I wish I did…but, sadly, I don't.

Goodbye – Chapter Eight

One Sorry, One Break-up, One Hundred Questions

Maddie woke up to the afternoon sun. She looked at the clock. Damn. I should never have stayed up late. It was now 1:36 PM. She's never stayed in bed this late before.

Suddenly, all the happenings from last night came flooding in her brain. Her father came home. Her brother punched her father. She got mad at her brother. They didn't really make a good impression, did they? She groaned and buried her face in her pillow. Then she heard a light knocking on her door. The person on the other side didn't bother to wait for her reply. She heard her door open and she felt the shift in her bed as the person sat down.

"Maddie, I know you're awake." Ghoul said.

"And?" she said, but her voice was muffled by her pillow. But he understood.

"And I wanted to talk to you." He said and she lifted her head up and turned her head to look at him.

"About what?"

"About last night. Sorry if I punched him…but I did tell you I would."

"Why are you apologizing to me?" she said before sitting up to face him. He just shrugged.

"Oh my gosh." She said as something struck her. "Are you shy to talk to him?" she said before erupting in a fit of giggles.

"Shut up. What the hell is so funny about it? You are too! I mean, come on. We've never actually met him have we? Plus, I am not shy. I am nervous." He admitted. She giggled even more.

"You? Guillaume Russo? Nervous?" she said in between giggles.

"There's a first time for everything! What do we even say? 'Hi, I know you have no idea who I am but I'm your kid?' That actually sounds retarded to me. Or maybe, we should act like obsessed fangirls! 'Like, ohmygod, Nate Gray you are, like, the awesomest person ever! Did I, like, ever tell you that I'm, like, your kid?'" he said, imitating an overly annoying girl voice. Maddie laughed even harder.

"You know, you did an even better impression than Shane did. One girl did say that to me. Minus the 'Did I ever tell you that I'm your kid?' part." Nate Gray said from the doorway and Maddie instantly stopped laughing. Speak of the devil.

Nate reluctantly walked in and sat on the edge of the bed, opposite Ghoul. Awkward silence filled the room. They all just sat their silently until Ghoul spoke up.

"Sorry for punching your face."

"I think I deserved that."

"Yeah, you did."

More awkward silence.

"Look, I know just saying sorry won't do anything about what already happened, but I just…I gotta try, right? So…I'm sorry for…you know, everything. I don't even know what made me abandon Alex like that. I should never have believed Dean, but…well, I can't really explain it but I dunno. I believed him and I was an idiot for doing so. I tried to go after her, but she didn't want me anymore. I'm sorry for not trying harder. I'm sorry for not being there. I'm sorry for…every single thing. The truth is, I'm only with Hannah because I felt like I owe her for being there for me. Then she wouldn't let me break up with her. So I forced myself to believe I actually liked her. But I'm not over Alex. I never was. I felt like an asshole for leaving her and…well, yeah. I'm really, really, really and truly and sincerely sorry." He rambled on, expecting them to make him leave. Boy, was he wrong.

Maddie crawled over to him and wrapped her arms around him. His face instantly brightened with a smile and he hugged her back. They let go and Maddie looked at Ghoul. He raised his fist and Maddie rolled her eyes at her brother. Nate just smiled and hit Ghoul's fist with his own.

"Cause hugs are overrated, just FYI…" Ghoul quoted-sang and they all fell into light giggles.

"Aww. This is such a family moment." Mitchie cooed from the doorway. "I wish I had it on tape."

"Mitchie?" Nate asked.

"Yeah?"

"You just ruined the family moment." Nate said.

"Whatever, Penta B—I mean, Hannah Montana is here for you." Mitchie said 'Hannah Montana' like she was gagging.

"Penta B?" Nate asked, confused.

"Nevermind. She's here, looking for Natey." Mitchie rolled her eyes before walking away. She was the one who hated Hannah Montana the most in this house. Nate looked at Maddie and Ghoul first before smiling apologetically and walking out.

"I wanna go down." Maddie said after awhile.

"Why?" Ghouls asked, narrowing his eyes.

"I just wanna see Penta B." she said before walking out of the room herself. She heard Ghoul follow her.

"What do you mean you want to break up with me?" they heard Hannah Montana whine as they walked down the stairs.

"Look, I don't think I ever really loved you. Let alone liked you. No wait. I never really did love you." Nate said.

"But, Natey, you can't break up with me! We love each other!" she whined even more.

"I repeat. I. Never. Loved. You." Nate said.

Just then the twins caught Hannah's eye as they walked down the last steps of the stairs. They were looking at Mitchie who was leaning against the front door, behind Hannah and who was holding a tape recorder. She hated Hannah Montana that much? Oh wait, Hannah ruined her best friend/cousin's love life. Of course she did.

"Who are you?" she asked, like she was talking to mud. Nate didn't like it.

"They are my kids. With Alex." He said and Hannah's eyes filled with anger and hate.

"So they're the reason you're breaking up with me? I can't believe it! After that wonderful plan of mine was going so well! I mean, for me. Not for Dean. He never got Alex. But I got you! Now, all because they show up, you're breaking up with me?" Hannah said, not realizing the words that came out of her mouth.

"So you made Dean tell me Alex was cheating on me! If it wasn't for you, we would still be together now!" Nate said, enraged.

"Of course! That girl never deserved you! I did! I just had to make her leave for you to see it!"

"Actually, I think you don't deserve anybody." Nate said calmly.

"What did you just say?! I'm freaking Hannah Montana! I get everything I want! I deserve everything I want!" Hannah yelled. Wow. Bitch much.

"You know what? I'm tired of your conceited ways! Get out of my house!" Nate growled.

"Nobody tells me to leave a house!"

"GET THE FUCK OUT!"

"No one yells at me! We're over! I'm breaking up with you!" When Hannah said this, Ghoul started shaking with laughter. Didn't she already get dumped?

Just then Mitchie got really pissed. Mitchie walked over to Hannah and slapped her face. Hard.

"Nobody slaps me!" Hannah yelled-whined, her hand on her cheek.

"I just did. I slapped you. Nate just broke up with you. He just yelled at you and told you to leave his house. So you better do. You're just a washed-up, annoying popstar who's so full of herself she couldn't even see that people don't like her anymore. We don't need people like that. So leave." Mitchie spat. That shut Hannah up. She huffed and walked out, slamming the front door.

"Whoa. I just saw the dark side of Mitchie Torres. I don't think I like it." Ghoul said.

"You shouldn't. So next time you think of creating trouble, remember that." Mitchie warned. Ghoul nodded.

"Hey, I think we have to call a press conference." Jason blurted out.

"What for?" Nate asked.

"Well, you just broke up with Hannah. There's absolutely no way she would keep that quiet…and she would make up a big lie as to why. So we should go tell the press the truth now before Hannah Montana gives them a lie." He reasoned. Nate thought about it.

"You guys okay with that?" Nate asked Ghoul and Maddie. They both just shrugged and nodded.

Later that night, Connect 3, Mitchie Torres, Ella Perez and the twins were inside a limo, making their way to a hotel were the press conference was being held. The limo immediately stopped in front of a back door where there were no paparazzis. Everybody climbed out of the limo and was ushered in by the manager.

"You guys ready?" Nate asked the twins.

"Yup." Maddie said with a smile.

"I'm ready for anything." Ghoul assured.

"Don't answer the question if you think it's too personal. Don't mumble. Show them what you're made of. Don't be rude or answer rudely or talk back or curse. Those things like that could destroy you." Mitchie advised before the manager led them to a door.

"Ready?" he asked. They all nodded. He opened the door and blinding lights flashed everywhere. Maddie had to shield her eyes just so that she could walk up the stage and sit next to Mitchie. Nate was in the middle. Shane was on his right and Jason was on his left. Ella was beside Jason and Mitchie was beside Shane. Maddie was beside Mitchie and Ghoul was beside her. A hundred questions were thrown at them. They ignored it. For now.

"We called this press conference regarding the family." Nate stated into the microphone. "I know you've heard that Hannah Montana and I broke up today and I want to clear up why. Let's start." He pointed to a guy with big, afro hair.

"Why did you break up with Hannah? And who are those teenagers beside Ms. Torres?" he asked.

"Well, they're my kids." A hundred questions came flying towards him. "Yes. I have kids. They're twins. When I was sixteen I got the love of my life pregnant, but then Hannah Montana happened. Which brings us back to the question 'Why did I break up with her?' Well, I just recently found out that Hannah Montana lied so that I would break up with my girlfriend and leave them fatherless. She was the reason why I wasn't with them. So I broke up with her. Truthfully, I didn't even really love her." He pointed to a redheaded girl.

"Who's the mother?" she asked. Nate looked at the twins. They subtly shook their heads, indicating that he shouldn't say.

"I'm sorry, but that's currently too personal. We will let you know who she is when she's ready." He pointed to a bald man.

"Will you ever get back together with their mother?"

"Now that I know the truth, of course I would. If she would let me." He pointed to a really tall man.

"What did Hannah Montana say to get you to leave their mother?"

"I'm sorry, but that's too personal. We will tell you when we decide to tell you." He pointed to a blonde woman.

"Can I ask the twins something?" Nate looked at them and they nodded. "Go ahead."

"What are you names?"

"Um…My name is Madeleine and he's Guillaume. M-a-d-e-l-e-i-n-e and G-u-i-l-l-a-u-m-e. But you can call us Maddie and Ghoul." Maddie answered. As soon as he heard their whole names, Nate's memory took him back fifteen years ago, when Alex asked him what names he liked. He said he liked Madeleine and Guillaume.

"Whose last name do you use?" Maddie and Ghoul didn't know how to answer this. If they were going to protect Alex, were they supposed to use her last name? Nate was thinking the same thing.

"To protect their mother's identity, they will use Gray." he answered for them. This time he pointed to a man with glasses.

"Where were you born and where did you grow up?" he asked the twins. Ghoul answered this time.

"We were born in Nantucket, but we lived in Quebec, Canada, until we were eight. Then we moved to Vancouver."

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen." Maddie answered.

"Are you going to pursue a career in singing or acting?"

"We're not sure yet." Ghoul answered. They were alternating questions.

"When were you born?"

"August 19."

"Who's older?"

"I'm nine minutes older."

"Are you going to school here?"

"Right now? No. But we might." Then Maddie saw Mitchie's face. "I mean, we will."

"Where are you going to school?"

"We don't know yet."

"Are you happy that you met your dad?"

"Of course."

"Is your mother coming here?"

"It depends with her. My mother is very independent."

"Ms. Torres, how do you feel about this?"

"I'm happy, of course. These are great kids."

"Shane, what do you feel?"

"Ecstatic! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Jason, what do you feel?"

"Happy! I love them. The more the merrier!"

"Ella?"

"Of course I'm happy!"

"Where will they be staying?" the attention was back on Nate.

"With us, of course."

"Will they ever legally take your last name?"

"If they want."

"Did you know about them?"

"Yes, I did. I think it's time to end this conference. Thank you for your time." Nate said before standing up and everyone followed. They made their way out the same way they went in. When they were finally back in the limo, Maddie sighed.

"Wow."

"Yeah. Wow." Mitchie agreed. "Tomorrow, our phones would be ringing off the hook."

"I know…so, do we grant any interviews?" Jason asked.

"Depends who they are…and depends one whether Maddie and Ghoul would want to." Nate answered. They shrugged. They weren't sure just yet.

"Tomorrow, we're doing something big." Mitchie announced.

"What?" Ella asked excitedly.

"We find a school so that we could enroll the twins."

"No!" they protested in unison.

"You have to. The only reason you're mom let you stay was because we told her you would get an education. If you don't go to school, you have to go back to Canada." Mitchie said.

Maddie and Ghoul crossed their arms over their chests and sighed, defeated.

School.

a/n: so yeah…they're going to school because I have someone special they have to meet there. Plus, love lives. ANY IDEAS FOR A SCHOOL NAME???

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