February 20, 2007
Miley and Nick had been separated only 5 days and Miley had cried at least once for 4 of them. Miley was generally a happy person; not a lot got her down. She wasn't even unhappy, she just missed Nick a lot.
"Miley, we're going to be late!" Tish called over the intercom to her daughter. Miley was looking for her other shoe.
"I'll be there in a second!" Miley said into the white box on her wall.
"5 minutes!" Tish sternly told her. Miley sighed. Even though her room was usually a mess, it was an organized mess at least. She knew where things were, but since Nick left, she had been a mess and completely out of it.
Today, Miley, her mom, and her dad were going into the city to meet with Eddie and Gary to talk about some new Hannah stuff. Miley loved her job, but sometimes she wished the meetings didn't have to be at 8 o'clock in the morning.
Miley came downstairs and her parents were already waiting for. Brandi was in charge of Braison and Noah today, like most days. Miley was still worried about Brandi. She still hadn't said anything to her parents or to Trace. Miley was going to give her until the end of the day to do it.
"I'm going to tell them tonight if you don't," Miley whispered as she walked past Brandi. Her older sister shot her a look of dread.
"Don't," Brandi warned.
"I will," Miley told her, completely serious. Miley didn't have too many opportunities to be there for Brandi, she was always there for Miley just like an older sister should be, but as much as Miley liked helping other people, she hated this situation.
Miley and her parents left and in half an hour they were at Eddie's office. Gary was already there when they got there. Eddie was sitting behind his desk when the three of them came in, but quickly got up.
"My favorite girl!" Eddie said as Miley came over to him and gave him a hug. They all greeted each other and sat down in the small sitting area in his office. Eddie and Billy Ray sat on one couch, Miley and her mom on the other, and Gary sat in the big armchair. Miley sat as far away from him as possible. She still couldn't believe that he had told Vanessa not to see Zac!
"So what've we got today?" Billy Ray asked and clapped his hands together.
"Well, we wanted to first let Miley know that its official, Jesse McCartney will be on the show. We'll start filming again in May and he'll be your first guest," Eddie first told her.
"YES!" Miley shrieked and raised her hands in the air in excitement.
"Glad you are happy about that," Eddie told her.
"Why won't we be filming until May?" Billy Ray asked him.
"We've decided that Hannah should promote her new album for awhile," Gary explained to them.
"So signings and lots of appearances?" Tish assumed.
"Well, yes and no. The Cheetah Girls are losing their opening act in two weeks. We know it's kind of short notice, but we'd love for Hannah to perform with them," said Gary. Miley's face lit up and she answered for her parents.
"Hannah would love to!" she screamed. She hadn't been on tour before and she was so excited.
"So she'd be back in May?" Tish asked.
"No, she'd actually be back in April, but we wanted to give her a little time off in between the end of the tour and getting back into the swing of things. Tour can be really hard for the first time and we want her to be perfect," Eddie said.
They talked about other small things with the show and some minor details about the tour, but her parents would come back in a few days to sign everything and get everything worked out for her. This was the part she was really thankful for the fact that she was still a minor and her parents had to deal with everything.
On the way home, she called Nick and left a message on his phone. She figured that he was probably still sleeping or he was out eating breakfast. She just told him to call her back, she had exciting news.
They got home and Miley ran all over the house, with Noah on her heels, both of them screaming "I'm going on tour! I'm going on tour!"
"Tour, huh?" Trace asked as he walked out of his room, his hair a mess from obviously just being woken up.
"Yes! I'm so excited!" Miley yelled and jumped on his back as he turned to go back into his room. He fell to the floor from the surprise. "Sorry," she apologized as she got off of him.
"It's fine," Trace said. "I guess I'm up now, anyway," he said and followed Miley out the door, only to almost be run down by Noah.
"I'm going on tour! I'm going on tour!" she shrieked at him and he picked her up and carried her downstairs with them.
"That's what I heard," Trace laughed at his baby sister. They walked into the living room and Brandi and Braison were sitting down with Billy Ray and Tish.
"Hey guys, come sit down," Billy Ray said to the three of them. They did as they were told and sat down in the living room. "So I guess we all know that Miles is going on tour?" he asked as a question, but already knew the answer. They all nodded.
"Well, obviously Miley is going, and I'm going with her. Noah will be coming with us as well and so will Brandi because she'll play for Miley," Tish explained. Miley loved that her big sister was one of her guitarists. It made the few shows that she had done a lot of fun.
"Am I going?" Braison whined. He pretended he didn't want to be on a bus with 4 other girls for a few months, but he really didn't want to sit at home with his dad. He loved his sisters and him and Miley were really close.
"That's up to you. You are old enough that you can make that decision on your own," Billy Ray told him. Now Braison was stuck. If he didn't go, he'd be miserable, but if he did go, his friends would make fun of him.
"Brais, please?" Miley asked him.
"Fine!" he said, trying to be upset about it.
"Now, Jimmy, you don't have to go if ya don't want to," Billy Ray told him. Jimmy had been Braison's nickname forever; kind of like Miley, but, well, Jimmy.
"It's fine, I'll go," Braison said finally. Miley leapt over and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Yay!" she screamed, partially in his ear. She was quite excited. Then her phone rang.
"Oh my gosh, it's Nick! I gotta go!" Miley said and ran off.
"That girl is crazy!" Brandi laughed.
"Shut up, you know you're excited!" Trace told her and playfully pushed her.
"Of course I'm excited, Trace. But she's out of control!" Brandi pointed out and they all laughed.
"Okay, fine, I'll have to agree with you there. I'm just glad I don't have to go. I don't think I could stand being on a bus with the only testosterone being Brais. It's really not enough," Trace laughed.
In the game room, Miley was on the phone.
"Nick! Oh my God! You will not believe what happened today!" she screamed into the phone.
"Umm, why don't you tell me?" Nick asked her, wondering why she was so excited and laughing a little at her.
"Guess!" Miley yelled.
"Umm, did you get a new puppy?" Nick asked, thinking that would be the only logical thing that could have happened.
"Nope, but that would have been pretty cool!" she paused and took a breath.
"What is it?" Nick said loudly into the phone, excited now himself.
"I'm going on tour!" she squealed and laughed.
"Babe, that's awesome!" he said to her. Now he completely understood her excitement.
"I know! I leave in two weeks!" she said. "It's with the Cheetah Girls. It'll be short, I'm kind of just filling in for the end of their tour. I'll be back at the end of April," Miley explained to him quickly.
"That's about when we'll be back. First week of May," Nick told her.
"I know. I miss you so much," Miley said, sadly.
"Miles, don't you dare. You have a right to be excited right now. Maybe we'll be close for a few dates and we can meet up?" Nick told her, trying to bring her hopes up, as well as his own. In a month when they were planning to do some shows in California, he was hoping to see her. Looks like that wasn't going to happen now.
"Okay, fine," she said and he could just picture her smiling. "But I do miss you."
"I miss you too, Miley." he said.
"At least now I'll be busy so I won't cry everyday," she told him, laughing a little.
"You've been crying?" he asked her, feeling worried.
"Just a few times. It's just weird not being able to see you whenever I want to, that's all," she explained to him. "I'm fine, though, really."
"Okay, fine. But you can call me whenever you need to. I mean that," he told her. She knew he was being truthful, but it still didn't change that she couldn't see him.
They talked for awhile longer until Nick had to get off the phone. They were having an early meet and greet with some fans that had won a contest.
"Don't find a new girl," Miley warned him and laughed a little. She knew he would never do that.
"The only girl I want to find is in her parents house in California," Nick told her.
"Well there could be lots of girls that fit that category," Miley informed him.
"Oh really? A girl who has brown curly hair and blue green eyes that I can't say no to? A girl named Miley? A girl that I'm in love with?" Nick joked with her.
"Okay, so maybe it's me?" Miley said and giggled.
"Maybe," Nick deadpanned.
"Nick!"
"Of course it's you, babe. But I really gotta go. I love you so much."
"I love you, too. Call me later when you get a chance." Miley told him.
"I will. Bye!" Nick said to Miley.
"Tootles!" she said and laughed as she hung up the phone.
"You love him?" said a voice from behind Miley. She turned around and her face changed to a shade of dark pink.
"Umm, yes, I mean, no, I just, Trace, come on," Miley said, calming herself and walking over to him. She punched him in the arm and stuck her tongue out at him.
"I just worry about you, Miles. I don't want to see you get hurt," he said.
"Nick won't hurt me," Miley said as she stared him down.
"Hey! I like Nick! I'm just saying, be careful. You don't want everybody knowing that the two of you are together now do you?" Traced asked her.
"I can't say that it would be the worst thing that could happen, but we're not really telling anyone we are even together. His brothers suspect, but they don't officially know. I told you guys before we decided not to tell anyone," Miley explained to him.
"Okay, fine! I'll back off," he said and took a few steps back. "So how cool is it that you are going on tour?" he asked and prepared himself to be bombarded.
"Oh my gosh, Trace! I'm so excited!" she screamed at him and started jumping up and down.
"Here we go again," he said as he laughed at his little sister.
Miley and Brandi were hanging out in Miley's room, talking about boys, mostly Nick, of course.
"He's really been great for you Miley," Brandi said of Nick. Miley smiled.
"I know. He's really probably the best thing that's ever happened to me. At least in my personal life," Miley said and the girls laughed. "I just love that he gets along with all of you; that all of you like him and stuff."
"Of course we like him. Trace was really the only one I was worried about not liking him, but he really does, even if he won't admit it," Brandi said, reassuring her sister.
"Speaking of Trace," Miley started and looked seriously at her sister, "have you told him about David yet?" Brandi's head dropped.
"No," she said softly. Miley sighed loudly.
"Brands, you have to!" Miley begged.
"I know, I just don't know when to do it. I don't even know how to bring it up."
"Then I will," Miley said and stood up and walked to the door. "Trace! Can you come in here for a minute?" she yelled.
"Miley!" Brandi yelled back.
"It's for your own good, Brandi," Miley said as she looked back at her sister. "You have to get this out."
"What?" Trace yelled back as he came out of his room.
"Come here, Brandi needs to talk to you," Miley explained and Trace made his way down the hall to his sister's room.
"What's up?" he said as he walked in the room and approached Miley's bed where Brandi was sitting. Miley shut the door behind him and came to sit down next to Brandi. Miley patted a spot for Trace to sit down. "What's going on?"
"Brandi has something to tell you," Miley said as she grabbed her sister's hand with her own, and put her other hand on Brandi's arm. Brandi was silent.
"Brandi, what's this about?" Trace asked, concerned now. Brandi paused for a moment before she said anything.
"Dad called," Brandi said, finally looking up at her younger brother.
"Umm, okay? Why did he call you if he is downstairs?" Trace asked, obviously confused.
"Our dad, Trace. David," Brandi clarified for him. Trace tensed up and his eyes almost shot out of his head.
"He what?" Trace yelled as he jumped off the bed and started pacing around the room. "When?"
"It started a little after the first of the year," Brandi said softly. Trace whipped around to face her.
"This has been going on for a month and a half? Brandi! What were you thinking?" he yelled at her. Trace was two years younger than Brandi, but he always had been like the protective older brother. However, he had never really yelled at her, at least not like this.
"I'm sorry, okay?!" Brandi shouted back. "It's not like I didn't want to tell you! I was just scared!"
Miley put her arm around Brandi, and let her lean into her. Brandi started to cry and Trace kept pacing until he saw her.
"Brands, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I just wish you would have told me sooner," Trace said when he sat down on the bed next to her, replacing Miley as Brandi's support. "We need to tell Mom," he said quietly as he kissed the top of her head and rocked her softly back and forth. Brandi took in a deep sobbing breath and nodded her head into Trace's chest.
"I'm going to leave," Miley said softly as she approached Brandi's door to go to her own and let her older siblings have some time alone.
"No, come here, Miles. You're old enough that you need to know what's going on in this family. Will you go get Mom and Dad and have them come up here?" Trace asked her.
"NO! I don't want to tell them yet," Brandi said as she lifted her head off of Trace.
"We are telling them now," Trace said firmly and with weak eyes, Brandi gave him a look of understanding and nodded her head again. Trace looked and Miley and Miley left to go find her parents.
"Mom?" Miley called out as she came down the stairs.
"Yeah, baby," Tish called from the game room. Miley entered to find the rest of her family on the floor playing Clue.
"You wanna play?" Braison asked her and Miley shook her head no. She just stood there for a few minutes until she could finally speak.
"Mom, Dad, can I talk to you?" Miley asked them. They both looked up at her with worried looks on their faces.
"Sure, let's go into the living room," Billy Ray said as he helped Tish off of the floor. The three of them walked into the living room after Tish told Braison and Noah to keep playing the game.
"What's wrong?" Tish asked her daughter and Miley looked up at both of her parents.
"Well, it's not really me," Miley started to say and both of her parents looked at her in confusion. "It's Brandi. She and Trace are up in her room. Trace told me to come and get you."
"Is she hurt?" Billy Ray asked as he took off for the stairs, taking them two at a time, and Tish close behind.
"No! She's not hurt. Just be gentle when you go in. She's upset," Miley told them and they both slowed down. Miley followed them to Brandi's room. Her door was open from when Miley had left, but Billy Ray knocked anyway. Brandi had stopped crying for the time being and her and Trace were just facing each other talking quietly.
"What's up?" Tish asked her daughter and son as she walked into the room, passing Billy Ray in an attempt to get to the bed first. She sat down on the other side of Brandi and put a hand on her leg to comfort her. "What's wrong, baby?"
"I, I, I, he, and I just, I'm sorry," Brandi stuttered as she started sobbing again into Trace's shirt that was already soaked with tears. Brandi usually was not this emotional, but something David had said obviously upset her. Tish looked up to Trace, looking for some sort of answer.
"You want me to tell them?" Trace asked as he looked down at his older sister. She nodded yes and he cleared his throat and paused for a second. Billy Ray stood at the end of the bed, Miley sitting on it next to him, and Tish were all waiting for Trace's response. Miley wondered how he was going to tell them.
"Well?" Billy Ray asked, getting impatient.
"David called," Trace said softly and Tish's eyes got wider than Trace's had when he found out. Billy Ray turned red and started pacing. Trace had obviously pick up on that habit from him.
"When?" Billy Ray yelled. He didn't really mean to yell at Brandi, but he was upset.
"Early January," Trace replied, knowing that Brandi wasn't ready to talk yet.
"Oh my God, Billy Ray, stop!" Tish yelled at her husband for him to stop pacing. "It's okay, honey, we'll get through this," she said and took her daughter into her arms from Trace. Trace reached over for Miley's hand and she gladly offered it to him. She knew he was really upset about all of this, too.
"What did he say?" Billy Ray asked as he firmly planted himself next to the bed where he had been before, trying to stay calm.
"I'm not sure. She wouldn't really tell me," Trace said, looking up at Billy Ray and then back down to Brandi, waiting for an answer.
"He just wants to keep in contact with me. He told me that he was my real father and that Dad was just doing it because he had to. And I think he wants me to move in with him," Brandi said slowly through the sobs.
"Brands, you know that's not true. I love you just as much as I love Miley and Braison and Noah. Both of you," Billy Ray said and put a hand on Trace's shoulder. "I am your dad, no matter who your father is."
"I know that, just the way he said it. It was so cold. I kinda feel bad for him. He hasn't seen Trace or I in years," Brandi said. She was always a softie.
"He made that choice, sweetie," Tish told her and rubbed her back. "He decided that he didn't want to be a father anymore. Billy did."
"I guess. I just don't know how he even found my number to call me in the first place. He said he's in California," Brandi told them and Tish got a worried look on her face.
"We'll get a restraining order. And you'll get a new phone number," Billy Ray said, very protective of all of his children, biological or not.
"And let's not tell people about this," Tish said. "The last thing we need is David thinking that he's going to be famous because of this."
The five of them, well really four because Miley just sat and listened, talked about all of the issues for awhile longer. She didn't have much input because she didn't really understand all the legal stuff they were talking about, but she wanted to be there for Brandi, and for Trace.
Billy Ray and Tish left after awhile and let Brandi and Trace be together and talk about things.
"I'm going to go, too. It's getting late and I should be getting to bed," Miley said and stood up to leave.
"Miles, thank you," Brandi said, reaching out and touching her arm.
"I'd do anything for you, Brands, you know that," Miley replied with a smile.
"I know, but, just, thank you."
"Anytime."
"I'm glad you finally made her tell me," Trace said to Miley as he got up and hugged her tight.
"Me too," Miley mumbled into his chest and hugged back. "Goodnight."
"Night," he replied.
"Night Brandi," Miley said as she reached the door.
"Goodnight," Brandi said and smiled for the first time that night.
Miley went into her room and changed into her pajamas and washed her face and brushed her teeth. She heard Trace's door open and close and assumed that he had decided to go to bed as well. She left her room to go get a bottle of water from the kitchen before she went to bed. As she passed Brandi's room, the door was open just enough for Miley to see in. She heard a guitar playing softly and couldn't help but listen to what Brandi was writing about. However, it wasn't Brandi's voice she heard.
"So don't let anyone scare you, you know that I'll protect you, always all through the thick and thin, until the end," Trace sang to Brandi as she lied on her bed, eyes half open, listening to her brother sing to her. Miley stood in the doorway and watched. "You better watch it, you know you don't cross it because I'm always here for you. And I'll be here for you. I know how it feels believe me, I've been there. I know what it feels like, tell me Brandi."
After Trace stopped playing, he kissed the top of her head and turned to walk out of her room. Miley had moved just a few seconds before, because she didn't want to get caught. She ran down the stairs and into the kitchen to get her water.
"Oh, hey, I thought you went to sleep," Trace said, surprised to see Miley in the kitchen.
"Oh, umm, yeah, I had to get something to drink," she said and held up the bottle.
"K," he replied and walked past her to the fridge himself, looking for something to eat.
"It's a really good song, Trace," Miley said softly. Trace stopped looking and shut the door, turning around to look at Miley.
"I was just singing, ya know. I'm worried about her. She cares too much about people," he said and walked over to Miley. "Kind of like someone else I know," he said as he grabbed her in a hug, his arms closing just over her shoulders because he was so tall. They stayed that way for a moment, until Miley realized how tired she really was.
"Love you, Trace," she said as she pulled away from him.
"Love you, too, Smiley," he said and messed up the front of her hair as he rubbed it. She scorned at him and stuck her tongue out before she started laughing. "You're going to wake everyone up," Trace whispered.
"Fine. Goodnight," Miley smiled and waved at her brother as she walked out of the kitchen.
"Night," Trace said as she left. He went back to the fridge and opened it up to see what he could find. He didn't see anything worth eating, so he shut the door again and leaned up against it. "God," he said as he looked up to the ceiling, "please let Brandi be okay. And don't let anything like this ever happen to Noah or Miley. I don't think I could handle it."
Sorry it took so long again. I really just have so much going on right now that it's hard to get inspiration to write. If anyone has anything that they would like me to include, I'm all up for ideas. The next few chapters will be about Nick and Miley on the road and separated. Also, him coming out with his diabetes at the DLife Carnival for a Cure. Is there anything else you'd like me to put in the next few chapters? Let me know, please! And as always, review, please! Thanks!
And here's the question for this chapter: If Miley and Nick ever got married, where do you think they would live? California? Tennessee? New Jersey? Somewhere else? Let me know what you think in your review! Thanks!