Author's Note: Okay, here's a nice long chapter for you to try and make up for taking so long to get it posted. Heck, even picking the right intro music was a chore. I couldn't so much as get anything typed for it until tonight, and I changed it three or four times while I was finishing this chapter! However, I'm happy with my final choice, because it works on many levels for this chapter. Now go read! (Please.)

Here are my standard disclaimers: I make no claims on any of Disney's, Miley Cyrus', Emily Osment's or Hannah Montana's trademarks or copyrights, and no infringement is intended on them or those of any other artist or publication mentioned. Be forewarned that this story most certainly will contain femslash. If love and affection between two consenting young adults of the same sex bothers you, I suggest you turn right around and find something else to read. Keep any flames to yourself and remember that what our world needs now is more love and acceptance, not more hate. Reviews are always welcomed and appreciated!

We Got Nerve

by Jo P.

Chapter 13: Oh, It's On

So, may I have your attention

Look in my direction

Here you'll see the sun never sets

No, we don't have to worry

Never in a hurry

One by one the stars go to bed

And we step into the spotlight again

--Hannah Montana,"Spotlight"

The chiming of Lilly's cell phone drew her attention away from the game of cards being played at Ruthie Stewart's kitchen table. She had never seen anyone play Rook before, but she didn't imagine that most families took it as seriously as the Stewarts did. "Hello?" she said into her cell phone as she stepped out into the winter night, shivering in the biting cold.

"Lola?"

Lilly smiled at the sound of Jen Kittrell's voice. "Hey Jen," she replied cheerily, trying to keep the shivering she felt building in her muscles out of her voice as she spoke. "What could make you call us out here?"

"Some news you and Hannah need to hear."

That got Lilly's attention. "Okay... What is it?"

"It seems that not everyone at Dyseni is against you and Hannah. In fact, there are still quite a few staffers out there who miss her."

"No surprise. I figure the spoiled princess and her evil stepmother are making enemies quick out there."

"Is Margot really her stepmother?" asked Jen, surprised.

Lilly laughed. "No, just a running joke between Hannah and me," she clarified.

"Oh. Anyway, I got the most interesting phone call this morning from someone who still works at Dyseni. It seems that a certain bratty singer has this top secret appearance scheduled on CNN's Nancy Grace show tomorrow, where she's going to be slamming the two of you for your 'immoral' behavior."

"Oh, you have got to be kidding," muttered Lilly. "Before Christmas? Of all times?"

"Apparently they're taking a religious angle on things. Mikayla's really playing up the Catholic thing now. Even though nobody really believes it, she's doing a good job of selling it to the media out here, and they're eating it up. The source that tipped me off said she was tired of the brat misusing her religion as a way to attack you."

Lilly put her hand on her forehead. The cold was slowly overpowering her body heat, especially now that it was dark outside. "Okay, Jen, thanks for the heads up. We'll avoid the television tomorrow."

"No no! I don't want you to avoid it!" Jen said suddenly, then there was a pause. "Is there a network affiliate close to the two of you out there?"

Lilly looked up the stars, twinkling like a field of diamonds in the blackness of the night sky. "I guess there's one within a few hours of here," she said. "Maybe Knoxville, and I know Nashville would have some. Why?"

"I want the two of you to go on the Nancy Grace show too. If they want to launch some surprise attack, then I think it's only fair we strike back when they least expect it."

"Which would be right then and there," Lilly said, nodding her head. "Nice work, Jen."

"You pay for the best. I try to deliver."

"I'll tell Hannah. We'll call you back in just a few minutes with some names and numbers for television stations here."

"As long as they've got a studio and are equipped to handle satellite uplinks we should be good to go. Soon as you give me some numbers I'll make the calls. Do you two need any clothes or anything?"

"No, we came prepared," Lilly said, smiling as she involuntarily shivered once again. "Look, I need to go back inside. It's cold out here."

"Put on a fucking coat."

"Love you too, Jen," said Lilly, grinning. "Call you right back."

"Okay."

As the line went dead, Lilly closed her phone and went back inside, basking in the warmth of the brightly lit country home that she had grown to love over the last seven years.

"Everything okay, hon?" asked Miley, gazing at Lilly with both general interest and concern.

"Yeah," said Lilly. And in truth she knew it was going to be okay, because she and Miley had each other. Their love was and would be forever, and everything else would pass. "Come in the bedroom just a minute; I need to talk to you about something."

As they went into the guest bedroom that they used when staying with Miley's grandmother, Lilly closed the door behind them. "Jen just called to tell us that Mikayla is going on CNN tomorrow night to launch some kind of attack on us because we're 'immoral.' She didn't give any details other than that, but it's probably more of the same old crap that she's tried to say about us before."

Miley sighed as she sat down on their bed. "She's persistent, that's for sure." She reached up and smiled, then she took Lilly's hand and tugged her down onto the bed beside her. However, Lilly turned that tug into a playful tackle, knocking Miley backwards and straddling her legs. She quickly wrestled Miley's arms down, pinning them down beside her while being careful to not lean directly on her wife's pregnant abdomen.

"You give?" asked Lilly, smiling from her rather dominant position.

Even though Miley was in much better shape than she had been years ago, she was still no match for Lilly's strength plus the leverage her wife held over her. "Yeah, I give," she huffed, looking away in a fake pout only to jump and shriek as Lilly tickled her bare ribs underneath her shirt. "Your hands are freezing!" Miley yelped, trying to get away.

Lilly looked down at her wife, and Miley could see the spark of love in those bright blue eyes fan into a flame of desire. "Then I'll warm them up," Lilly said, sliding back off Miley's legs and onto the floor. She reached forward and grabbed Miley's shorts, pulling them and her panties off with a smooth, steady motion that put Miley's body into a full state of arousal as she kept her eyes locked onto Lilly's.

"Is that door locked?" asked Miley, her heart starting to pound with both love and lust as it always did when Lilly got this way with her.

"Uh huh," mumbled Lilly as she climbed onto the bed beside Miley, on her knees. She reached down and back with her right hand as she leaned forward, meeting her wife's lips with her own as Miley lifted her back off the bed to meet her lover and wrap her arms around her shoulders. Miley gasped as she felt Lilly's chilly fingers slide into her, one at a time, no more and no less until each digit had had its worshipful turn inside her.

"That feels better," whispered Lilly as she kissed Miley hungrily.

Miley reached down with her left arm and grabbed Lilly's right hand, which had made its way up to her neck, and shoved that hand back down toward her hips. "They need to warm up some more," she managed to get out between hot kisses, then Lilly lifted her into a state where she was unable to speak coherently at all.

Twenty minutes later the two of them lay underneath the covers of the bed, wrapped against each other's naked body. "Mmm, that was really good," said Miley happily as she ran a hand through her thick hair. "Great way to start the night."

"Glad you enjoyed it," said Lilly proudly. "And I have to say you did a very nice job yourself."

Miley smiled as she looked over at her best friend who had pledged her life to her. "Why, thank you Mrs. Truscott," Miley said cheerily.

Lilly let a giggle slip out as she replied, "You are most welcome, Mrs. Truscott!" with the same cheerful voice that Miley had just used. They hugged each other tightly, neither wanting to let go. "That was Jen who had called us, hon," Lilly finally said, reluctant to break the afterglow with business. "She said that the bratty princess is going to go on Nancy Grace tomorrow and try to sling mud at us."

Miley stiffened reflexively. "I'm gettin' really tired of her pullin' this shit," Miley swore softly.

"Jen wants you to find a local network affiliate here so Hannah and Lola can make a surprise appearance on the show and respond," said Lilly. She could feel the anger seething inside her best friend, and she didn't really like it very much. "Honey, she's not worth getting this upset," Lilly whispered against Miley's cheek.

"You've never done anything against her, Lilly, except stick up for me. Hannah I could see her bein' angry at, but not you. When she goes after you, it pushes me really close to losin' my temper."

Lilly ran her fingernails lightly up and down Miley's chest, trailing them over the soft skin between her wife's breasts from the base of her neck to the curve of her pregnant abdomen. "We're a package deal, Miles. You know that. She goes after one of us, she goes after both of us. That's how we do things. And I can handle myself, you know."

Miley rolled over to look into Lilly's eyes, a hazy blue in the dim light of their room. "I know you can, Lilly. I just like being able to protect you, too."

"I know, and thank you." Lilly kissed Miley on the lips softly, smiling as they pulled back.

"And I'm sorry about these hormones. They make my temper want to flare up somethin' fierce whenever somebody pushes my buttons."

"Hmm, they also make you horny a lot more, too." Lilly nuzzled her face into Miley's neck, trailing soft pecks down her lover's neck to kiss the curve of Miley's collarbone. "And I'm not complaining. It just takes some getting used to that I can't lie on top you right now when we make love."

Miley ran a hand through Lilly's blonde curls, wet with sweat. "You seem to have adapted pretty well," she said smugly. "And it's only for a few more months, hon."

"I know," Lilly sighed, "I guess I've gotten used to us doing whatever we want whenever we want, and it's just frustrating sometimes when we can't."

"Hey," said Miley, staring deep into her best friend's eyes, "are you having second tho—"

"No!" said Lilly quickly. "No, Miles. Never. Not about our baby and not about having her now!" But something did have her confused, Lilly knew that. It had been getting worse over the last few days, and today she had felt that confusion like a pressure deep inside her body.

"Then what's goin' on?" Miley asked, and her bright eyes were full of concern for her partner. "I can feel that somethin' inside has you all confused, Lilly Bear. Been that way for a day or two." She kissed Lilly on the tip of her nose, getting an amused smile from her wife. "Whatever it is, you can tell me, baby. Let me talk to you about it, and I know we can work it out, whatever it is."

As the realization washed over Lilly, she felt dumb for not realizing sooner what had caused her so much worry and uncertainty. "That's it, Miles! You can feel it!"

Miley looked at Lilly, not following her partner's logic for a moment. "What? That I can tell that you're worryin' about somethin'?"

"Yes! And I can feel you, too!" Lilly smiled, proud to have figured it out. "The mood swings, Miles! The weird feelings that you're having because of the pregnancy! I'm feeling some of them with you!"

Miley sighed. "Haven't seemed to have any of the weird food cravings," she muttered.

"What, like, more than usual?" Lilly replied flippantly.

"Good point."

The next day saw Hannah and Lola Montana waiting inside the studio of Knoxville's NBC affiliate. They were happily posing for pictures and signing autographs for the station's employees, and they had even arrived early to be interviewed for several of the station's upcoming shows. Jen had indeed taken care of things last night after Miley and Lilly had called back with the station's telephone number, and in just a few minutes the Nancy Grace show would begin on CNN. The satellite uplink had been established, and all the two young women needed to do was take their seats in front of the cameras and monitors.

Lilly looked into Miley's eyes as she checked her wife's dusting of makeup. "You look beautiful," she said with a smile as Miley performed the same inspection on Lilly.

"So do you," said Miley in reply, giving Lilly a soft tweak on the end of her nose. Together they turned and stepped up onto the dais where their chairs were located. A monitor had been placed so they could see the video feed from CNN, and they had both been given earpieces to listen to the audio feed. They remained silent as the show began, listening through the introduction given for Mikayla. Their audio feeds weren't supposed to be on just yet, but Miley and Lilly had now been in the celebrity business long enough to be careful with what they said, even when they supposedly weren't being recorded.

In fact, the show went fairly well while discussing Mikayla's career. Nancy Grace herself wasn't present; instead another journalist named Faye Keller was hosting the show while Grace was away. Miley and Lilly both noted that Mikayla quickly avoided any discussion about what she had been up to for the few years she had been out of the music industry, instead shifting the interview's focus back to her successful return. Miley and Lilly looked at each other the second time the younger woman dodged the question, but they still remained silent because they knew they could discuss things later in private. Finally the interview reached a turning point.

"So Mikayla, it seems that there's no love lost between you and Hannah Montana. From the moment you came onto the music scene several years ago, there were rumors that the two of you were significantly less friendly behind the scenes than you were when the cameras were rolling."

Mikayla smiled and tossed her full head of glossy black hair. "Oh, she was worried about me the first time we ever met. She put on a real show of acting friendly, but I could tell that she was ready to do everything she could to keep me from taking her fans from her."

Miley's mouth shot open, only to be covered by Lilly's quick hand. "We'll get our turn, sweetheart," Lilly whispered. "Be patient. Let her give them some more lies first."

Miley closed her mouth and nodded, but inside she could feel the anger starting to build. Lilly glanced over at her wife. She could feel her own heart starting to speed up in time with Miley's, but even without their empathic connection Lilly could tell that Miley's temper was starting to build. She reached over and took Miley's left hand into her right, giving her a light squeeze that succeeded in getting Miley to return her gaze and smile. Immediately Lilly could feel Miley's inner fury ease slightly, but it refused to fade entirely.

After a particularly long and seemingly well-rehearsed speech on how unnatural homosexuality was and what a terrible example the Montanas were setting for girls and young women across the country, Miley was practically hopping up and down in her seat in her eagerness to retaliate. That chance finally arrived.

"Well, now it's time to hear from our other special guests tonight," Keller said, turning to look into the camera. The look of surprise of Mikayla's face was both notable and amusing as Keller said, "Joining us via satellite uplink from Tennessee are Hannah and Lola Montana, and I expect they have some things they'd like to say."

"What?!" shouted Mikayla. "I thought—"

"Oh yeah, we've got somethin' to say!" Miley said loudly, leaning forward in her seat. "First, Mikayla, I already told you that I really don't care if you're successful or not, because you are most definitely not a threat to me, and you never were. You had a lot of attitude when you started, but that was about all you had, and it looks like you've still got plenty of it!"

"I've got enough to take you down a peg or two," Mikayla snapped back, "if you'd ever quit hiding behind your lesbian buddy!"

"Wow," said Lilly, interrupting her wife before the cycle of shouts could continue any further, "I think that might be a record for the fastest we've ever been called lesbians in a hateful manner during an interview." There were a few snickers in the local studio at Lilly's dry remark, and it seemed that even the host had to stifle a grin.

"I would appreciate it if everyone refrained from any name-calling during this interview," Keller said, politely looking first at Mikayla and then into the camera.

"That would be much appreciated," said Lilly pleasantly, which seemed to irritate Mikayla even more. Seizing the chance, Lilly asked, "So what is your big problem with Hannah and me being in love, being happily married, and starting a family, Mikayla?" Beside the fact that you have none of the above, she almost said, but she managed to catch the words before they left her mouth.

"Homosexuality goes completely against God's will, just like it says in the Bible."

"And where in the Bible does it say that?" asked Lilly, adding a smile to her question. "Do you have a particular book, or maybe a chapter and verse, or something like that? Because I still like that one part that says that we're neither Jew nor gentile, man nor woman, but instead we are all as one in the eyes of God and Jesus."

"How about the one where the devil can quote scriptures to suit his—or her—own ends?" Mikayla spat back.

"Or maybe put on some black hair extensions, heavily promote a so-so album and jump onto cable talk shows to try and stir up some publicity?" said Miley, venom dripping from her words. "Oh, wait, you did that already!"

Mikayla sat up straighter in her seat. Now that she had recovered from the initial surprise, she found herself starting to enjoy this battle. "It's unnatural for two women or two men to be in love and try to live like they're married! It's not what God wants!" She was having to force herself to remember the religious angle at this point, when she really wanted to just call Hannah Montana... Well, lots of bad things. Things that would get her fined by the FCC.

"And why exactly is it unnatural?" asked Lilly.

"Because marriage is supposed to be between a man and a woman! Why can't you see that?" shouted Mikayla.

Miley leaned forward even more, teetering close to the edge of her seat. "And what could some man give me that I can't get from my best friend, who understands me and loves me more than anyone else ever could?" she said hotly. "Or are you gonna say that God wants a woman to be with a man because that's how we reproduce?"

"Yes! That's exactly what I'm—"

"OPEN YOUR EYES, MIKAYLA!" Miley shouted as she stood up, lifting the bottom of her shirt to show her abdomen, starting to clearly show her pregnancy at this stage. "Lola and I are having a baby together! My eggs, her sperm, made from her stem cells! God let us have this baby through medicine and science, and we're grateful every day for her!"

"My sperm," said Lilly with a grin as she looked at Miley. "That still sounds so weird."

"It's unnatural," said Mikayla, and she felt a shiver run up her back as the words left her mouth. "Having children should be natural—"

"It's hard to get more natural than a rattlesnake," said Miley coldly, "and they'll kill ya as sure as anything else." She glared into the camera connecting her and Lilly to the CNN studio as she said, "I don't see many houses growing out of the ground. Maybe we shouldn't live in them because they're unnatural, too? Oh, and cars! Let's just quit driving since they're unnatural. And we could quit using cell phones, and computers, and television, and books while we're at it!" She took another look at the monitor showing Mikayla's furious face. "Oh, and honey? Those boobs you've got are about the most unnatural things I've seen all week."

"You bitch!" screamed Mikayla shrilly. "What makes you so much better than me, that you get to act this way and people still love you?"

"I'm actin' this way because of the mean, hateful things you say about me, my wife, and millions of people around the world, just because you don't agree with who we fall in love with or who we're attracted to! Somebody has to stand up and tell you what a mean, nasty, hateful, bigoted piece of shit you are, and I'm happy to be the one to do it!"

Miley paused to catch her breath before she said in a calmer voice, "I don't care what kind of a music career you have, Mikayla. And whether you believe it or not, I don't care about whether or not you're more successful than I am, either. I haven't for a long time. What I do care about is the woman I love and the baby we're havin' together, and when you start attackin' them, I fight back! Now, I've tried to take the high road and have some class when it comes to you and your big mouth, but apparently you just don't get that. So right here, tonight, I'm tellin' you clearly. You want a fight?" Miley paused, then she said, "You got one."

Lilly turned to look at the engineer in the studio. "We're done," she said flatly. "Turn it off." She got up out of her seat and walked off the raised platform of the soundstage, removing her microphone as she did so. She turned to look at the cameras and said loudly, "I said, Turn it off!"

Miley got up out of her seat and hurried to catch up with Lilly, her heart still pounding from the vicious exchange between herself and Mikayla. "Lola," she called out to her wife, but Lilly didn't seem to hear her. "Lola!"

Lilly kept walking, not trusting herself to speak until Miley grabbed her arm. "You okay?" Miley asked as Lilly turned around.

"No," Lilly said, her voice eerily flat. She refused to turn around to look at Miley, which bothered Miley more than just about anything her wife could have said just then. "I'm not saying anything to you until we're in the car, where no one else can hear us."

Miley felt her heart pound as they walked out of the television station. She managed to thank the receptionist as they left, but her mouth went completely dry as they approached the rental Blazer they had driven over to the studio. Miley unlocked the door, opening Lilly's passenger door for her best friend to slide into the seat. Lilly still didn't speak or even look at Miley's face, which did little to assuage Miley's fears at that moment.

The walk around the Blazer was a ponderously long one, and Miley found herself wishing it would go on even longer than it did. Whatever Lilly was keeping pent up, it was going to be ugly when she finally let it out, true love or not.

Miley opened her door and climbed into the Blazer, starting the engine and pulling out of the parking lot. Once they were on the main road, they removed their wigs at the same time, with Lilly taking Miley's Hannah wig and putting it into the silk bag she was carrying in her oversized purse. Lola's wig similarly disappeared into another silk bag next to the first, also inside the large purse. Only after that was done did Lilly finally open her mouth to speak.

"Miley May Stewart Truscott, I love you with every bit of my body, heart and soul, but right now I'm so pissed off at you that I can't see straight," Lilly said carefully. "Do you realize what you just did in there?"

"Lilly, I—"

"DO YOU?!" Lilly shouted.

Miley thought carefully before she opened her mouth. Part of her was getting angry at the way Lilly was talking to her—her, the woman carrying their baby—but another part of her was ashamed for losing her temper and stooping to Mikayla's level, on live television no less. Yet another part of Miley was confused, thrown into a tailspin at being talked to this way by the woman she loved, and it was this part that very softly uttered, "What did I do?"

"You just called her out, Miley, on live television! You just challenged her! That means not only did you lower us to her level, you gave that crazy bitch and her stupid comments respectability! That's what you did!"

Miley carefully said, "I didn't say anything about you, sweetheart. I told her that I was giving her a fight if she wanted one."

Lilly sighed, and now she finally turned to look at her wife. "Miles, we're partners, remember? If you're going to wrestle her in the mud, then I'm going to be there with you. But you could have at least asked me first before pulling some stunt like that." Lilly turned to watch the cars pass by next to them. "I bet that clip's going to be on every stinking news program and gossip show by the end of the night. And every newspaper in the morning."

Miley reached over to take Lilly's hand, and there was a slight hesitation before Lilly took it. But take her best friend's hand she did, and she laced her fingers among Miley's the way she always did, giving Miley a fleeting feeling of joy during her regret at losing her cool earlier. "What do you want me to do about it?" she asked, trying to quell her temper, still burning dangerously hot. "Turn around and go apologize to her for standing up for my family?"

Lilly whirled her head to glare at Miley. "No, Miley, of course I don't want you to do that," she said coldly.

"That just what do you want me to do, because you're chewin' my ass over it, but I don't remember you offering anything helpful when she was callin' me a bitch!"

"That's because you were doing a really swell job of stuffing your foot into your mouth at the time!" Lilly replied, her own voice rising in volume in response to Miley's yelling. "And you don't need to get so angry! It's not good for the baby!"

"Don't you try and bring her into this!" Miley shouted angrily. "She didn't do anything to—" Miley froze, suddenly realizing that she and Lilly were yelling at each other for no good reason. What are we thinking? "Lilly, I..."

"Don't, Miles," Lilly said quickly, holding up a hand to stop her wife's words. She waited a few seconds before saying, "I still love you, Miley, and nothing can ever change that, but I think it's best if we don't talk for a bit while I calm down. Not until I can cool off some more, because I really don't want to fight with you or argue with you over our Christmas time here. You mean too much to me and our time here means too much to me for us to get into a fight over this. So give me a little time to work through this, okay?"

"Okay," said Miley, her lips going numb as she processed the soft but stinging words she was hearing Lilly, her Lilly, her wife and the woman she absolutely had to have to continue to live, say. But neither of them released each other's hand, not for the entire fifty-minute drive back to Misty Hollow and Ruthie Stewart's house, and Miley drew strength from that simple contact they continued to share.

As the car came to a stop in the driveway, Miley switched off the engine. They looked at each other, and Lilly gave a Miley a soft but guarded smile that nearly broke Miley's heart. It was rare indeed for a barrier to be present between them, and the knowledge that her sharp tongue and fiery temper had raised that damned barrier threatened to break Miley's heart.

"I'm going to go down to the barn and think for a bit," Lilly said. She turned and got out of the Blazer, leaving her heavy coat on over Lola's clothes as she walked through the field, frozen ground softly crunching under her feet as she made her way to the large barn across the field.

When Lilly's door closed, Miley slumped her head forward against the steering wheel. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" she swore softly, finally slapping the steering wheel with an open palm. She looked down at her tingling hand idly, wondering how quick it would take for it to turn red. What do I do? Do I go back on television and apologize to everyone for losing my cool? Do I apologize to Mikayla for letting my pregnant hormones run away with me, for letting her bitchy mouth finally push me enough to snap back at her? Do I apologize to my fans for yelling and swearing and essentially calling Mikayla out for a fight?

She got out of the car and turned to look down at the barn. She could just see Lilly's figure step into the large barn, where at least she'd be out of the chilling wind. She, however, was very much still in the wind's path, and its icy teeth bit into her skin as it blew angrily. "Don't mess with me tonight, wind," she said quietly. "It won't work out well for either of us." She put her head down and went inside, walking up the steps with a heaviness in her heart that she knew Lilly was feeling too.

As she went inside she could see that Mamaw was cooking in the kitchen. Apparently her leg was doing better, because she was working away at making something. Miley didn't really register the smell of the food; instead she immediately thought about how Lilly would be right over there, offering to help long enough to sample whatever it was Mamaw was cooking for them.

Miley hurried into their room, barely making it inside and closing the door before the tears fell uncontrollably. It was always bad enough on those rare occasions when they fought, but with her being pregnant it was ten times worse on Miley. She threw off her coat and Hannah's clothes, flinging them on the closed suitcase holding the rest of Hannah's and Lola's clothes before throwing herself onto the bed and burying her head in a pillow. Then she could finally let out all the regret, all the sorrow, all the anger and rage and fury and fear that she had coursing through her mind at that moment. After crying until she felt numb, Miley rolled over and took several deep breaths, finally opening her eyes to stare at the ceiling. As she focused on trying to control her breathing and pounding heart, Miley could feel deep inside her a stinging agony that nearly made her start sobbing all over again.

Lilly's pain. The anguish that her best friend was feeling, made worse by being apart from the love and support of her other half, just like Miley was right now. She could feel it now that her own emotions had been temporarily purged, and it brought her to a sobering revelation. It doesn't matter what the hell I say to Mikayla, or to my record company, or to my fans or even my family. All that matters is what I say to Lilly. What I do for Lilly. Everything else comes second to her. She reached down and rubbed her stomach, daring a tiny smile. To our family.

Miley reached over and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. She found the number she was looking for and hit the Send button.

"Hello?" said a female voice.

"Hey," Miley said. "Where are you?"

"Hey to you, too, Miley. I'm, uh, at Daddy and Noel's. We went out to dinner, and we're just sittin' out here in the car talkin'. Ron's wantin' to go inside and see the house."

Left unsaid was just how much Luanne didn't want to go inside the house that she had grown up in, but Miley knew. "How about I give you an escape? Because I need you to do somethin' for me."

The relief in Luanne's voice was evident as she replied, "You got it."

"Okay, pick me up at Mamaw's. I need you to take me into town real fast."

"On my way. I'll let Ron stay here with Noel and Daddy while I come pick you up. Be there in just a couple minutes."

"Be careful, sis."

"I will, Miley. See you in just a few."

Miley hopped up and began putting on some regular clothes. She had some things to do to try and make things right with the person most important in the world to her.

That particular person was sitting in the Stewart barn at the moment, legs and knees pulled up to her chest as she sat atop a large pile of hay bales. It was chilly out here, but the horses that were currently inside the barn provided a little heat, and that heat was concentrated up in the hayloft where Lilly was sitting. She finally pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed one of the numbers on her speed dial list. As soon as she heard the other person pick up, she said, "Hey Jen, this is Lilly."

"Well, this is a surprise," said Jen Kittrell. There was a pause, then she said, "You better not be calling to tell me we have to fly back to L.A., because we just fucking got to Hawaii and I'll be royally pissed if we have to get back on that fucking airplane for another umpteen hours."

Despite her heart aching, Lilly couldn't help but smile at her friend's brusque manner. "No, you don't have to fly back to L.A."

"Well, thank fucking God."

Lilly shook her head. "You're taking advantage of the baby not being able to hear you right now, aren't you?"

"Who, me?" replied Jen, and the humor in her voice couldn't have been clearer. "Hey, I have to enjoy the opportunity when it pops up, right? And anyway, you must be wanting to tell me something if you're calling me from wherever in Tennessee you are."

"Right," Lilly said, checking her phone's signal again. Wow. Two bars up here. Never thought to check the hayloft. "I want you to start looking into something when you get back to L.A., Jen."

"Sure. What is it?"

Lilly was silent as she considered what she was about to do. It crossed several lines that she wasn't entirely comfortable crossing, but when it came to her Miley there was no line that she wouldn't cross. Not if it had to be crossed to protect the woman she loved. Whether they were fighting at the moment was irrelevant; they'd both cool off and make up soon enough. But this couldn't really wait; it had to be done now, to get things into motion. "I need you to start digging up anything you can find on Mikayla, Jen."

There was a pause, then Jen said, "Excuse me? That sounded like you wanted me to—"

"Start digging up dirt on her, yes. That's exactly what I want you do. There's no big rush, so take your time and do it as quietly as you can. But do whatever it takes, pay whatever it takes to get something on that bitch. I mean, something or somethings that can ruin her and her career."

After a long delay, Jen's voice finally said, "Wow."

"She got Miles to lose her temper tonight, on live TV. And I'm afraid it's going to get ugly, Jen." Lilly felt a tear slide out of her right eye and trickle down her cheek. "I can't let her hurt Miley, Jen. I won't let her hurt Miley. And if that means I have to get dirty to protect Miles, then I'll get dirty."

"Okay," Jen said, somberly. "I'll be careful to keep it silent."

"That would be good," Lilly said, wiping another tear out of her left eye. "And Jen..." Lilly shook her head, not quite believing she was about to say this. "Let's just keep this between us for right now, okay? I don't want Miley to know, not unless she has to."

"Okay. You're the boss."

"Thank you," Lilly said as her chin started to quiver. "Enjoy your trip, okay? And I'm sorry for asking you to do this."

"It's okay," said Jen, and the concern for her friend in her voice was now strongly present, the earlier gruffness completely washed away. "Do you need to talk about something? I mean, I know I'm not the most sensitive person, but you are my friend."

"Thank you," said Lilly, "but I'll be okay. We just had a fight, and I'm still mad at her for losing her temper during that TV show, but I think it was just a combination of that little skank pushing her buttons and all those pregnancy hormones that made her lose it. We'll be okay, we're just taking some time to cool off before we talk about it. We learned that worked well a long time ago."

"Okay. But if you need to talk, I guess you can call me."

Lilly smiled. "Nice to know you care."

"Don't fucking tell anybody, okay? I don't want that shit to get out."

"Your secret is safe with me, Jen. I promise."

"Go tell your wife you love her. Then screw her brains out to show her how much you love her."

Lilly nodded. "I can do that. Thanks, Jen."

"You're welcome. I'll catch up with you in a couple of weeks."

"Okay. Have fun." Lilly ended the call and closed her phone. She looked over at the roof of the barn, at the door that opened out to reveal the glittering stars scattered across the night sky. Lilly stood up and unlatched the door, swinging it out and open. She stood with her arms folded in front of her for a long time, looking up at the stars above her. She and Miley would be fine in a few minutes, after tempers had cooled and hurt feelings had calmed down. Their love was much more powerful than one little fight, and the stings from that fight would quickly fade. But Lilly still felt dirty for what she had asked her friend to do, and even though it was done to protect her wife it would take some time for that unclean feeling to go away. She only hoped that when the time came, she would make the right decision on what to do with whatever Jen would find. For now, she could only sit down in the hay and shiver slightly as she pulled her legs back up to her chest and tugged her coat around herself tightly, gazing up into the vastness of the Tennessee winter sky.

Fifty-two minutes later the small gold Saturn that belonged to Luanne's stepmother Noel pulled up to Ruthie Stewart's house. Luanne got out and walked around to the passenger side, snickering as she walked. She opened the door, revealing a mass of flowers that did a very nice job of hiding her sister Miley. "The door's open, in case you can't tell behind all those flowers," she said smartly.

"Ha ha," replied Miley, her face still hidden behind the assortment of roses ranging from red to pink to white. Miley carefully moved the gigantic bouquet of flowers, easing it out ahead of her body as she climbed out of the car.

"Why did you buy so many flowers, Miley?" asked Luanne, knowing the answer but still feeling like someone had to question her sister's sanity for buying six dozen roses over a relatively small fight.

As Miley stood, she lowered the bouquet so that she could look into Luanne's eyes. "Because I'm pregnant and insane," she said, her expression perfectly serious.

Luanne looked back into her sister's blue eyes for a few seconds before she said, "Fair enough," and turned to lead the way to the house.

As Miley stepped into the warm house while Luanne held the door, she heard her grandmother exclaim, "Lord have mercy! Did a floral shop explode?"

Miley looked around the flowers to her Mamaw. "Where is she, Mamaw?" she asked somberly.

Ruthie's expression turned from a playful one to a look of concern. "She's in your room, ladybug," Ruthie said softly. "She just came in a minute ago, right before you two pulled in the driveway. Looked like she was half froze to death, but the stubborn thing wouldn't let me give her a blanket or anything. She just said she'd wait on you."

"Thanks, Mamaw," Miley said before turning to look at her secret sister. "And thank you, Lu. For everything."

Luanne grinned. "You've both been there for me, Miley. And I'll always be there for you two. Now go apologize to your wife and show you that you love her."

"Count on it," Miley said, a smile easing across her face. "Night, Lu."

"Night, Miles."

Miley stole down the hall, stopping to knock lightly on the closed door to their guest room. When she didn't get an answer she fumbled until she could turn the doorknob, then she pushed the door open carefully. The room was dark, lit only by the light spilling out of the bathroom. Miley eased into the bedroom, pushing the door closed with her foot. She could hear the shower running in the bathroom, and she guessed that Lilly was warming up already. She carefully walked up to the bathroom door, then she pushed it open as she said, "Hey sweetheart!" She stepped into the steamy bathroom, saying, "I got something for you, and I am so—"

She stopped in mid-sentence as she saw Lilly sitting on a towel spread on the bathroom floor, naked but completely dry as she sat curled up while the shower ran behind her. "Lilly?" Miley asked, her heart full of concern. "What's wrong, baby?"

Lilly looked up, and Miley could see that she had been crying. Her face was still red, and her eyes were swollen from the tears that had obviously been shed. But as Lilly's eyes saw Miley and the massive bouquet of roses, a smile appeared on Lilly Truscott's face, and at that moment Miley Truscott would have sworn that there was no more beautiful sight on earth.

Lilly stood, no concern for her nakedness as she rushed to throw her arms around her wife. Miley managed to shift the vase holding the roses to her right hand as Lilly flung herself against her best friend, holding on as though her life depended on the contact between them.

Maybe it does, Miley thought. I think both our lives depend on it. She peeked out of the corner of her eye to make sure she was setting the vase of roses on the bathroom counter, far enough away from the edge to where she wouldn't worry about it falling, then she wrapped her other arm around Lilly.

"I'm so sorry, Miley," Lilly said against Miley's shoulder. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Lilly, sweetheart, I'm the one who's sorry. I lost my temper and I wouldn't have hurt or embarrassed you for the world and I just want to tell you how much I love you," Miley babbled right before Lilly kissed her on the lips, the lingering chill on her wife's lips startling Miley briefly. After a long and longing kiss Miley said, "Honey, were you outside the whole time I was gone?"

Lilly nodded as she looked into Miley's bright blue eyes, trying to draw all the heat she could from her true love. "I needed to think," she said simply.

"You couldn't think somewhere warm?" Miley said, trying to lighten the mood.

Lilly shook her head. "I didn't want to be warm. Not without you."

"Oh, Lilly..."

"And I didn't want to get in the shower, not until you were back here and could get in with me." She looked down at the roses beside them, finally registering them. "Oh, Miley! Where the heck did you find all those this late in the day?"

Miley looked down at the roses. "Around," she finally said. "Lu drove me into town." Left unsaid were the details about going to two grocery stores and one Wal-Mart until she found all the roses she was looking for. "Do you like them?"

Lilly smiled even more broadly now, and Miley became acutely aware of just how naked her partner of over seven years was. And how closely she was snuggled against Miley's body. And how badly Miley wanted her own clothes off at that moment, but she was unwilling to let Lilly go to take them off.

"I love them," Lilly said, her smile once again bright enough to shame the sun as far as Miley was concerned. "But I love you even more. Thank you for going and getting them for me, Miley." She kissed Miley again, and Miley felt her heart completely melt with love.

"I feel terrible about losing my temper and going off like that, sweetheart. I should have talked to you first before I did anything like—"

Lilly silenced Miley by placing a finger on her wife's lips. "Hush," she said tenderly. "We've apologized, we forgive each other, and it's time to put that in the past where it belongs."

"We live in the present," Miley said, finally allowing herself to smile freely.

"Yes," said Lilly. "And in the present I want to take a shower with my amazingly sexy wife and have her warm me up."

Miley released Lilly long enough to pull off her shoes, then she stood and pushed Lilly back to the shower. Lilly grinned and slid back the shower curtain, stepping into the warm water with a contented sigh. But when Miley immediately followed her under the water's spray, Lilly's eyes shot open. "Miles! You still have your clothes on!" she said quickly.

"Not for long," Miley said with her cocky grin that Lilly loved more than words could ever describe. She peeled her now-soaked shirt off as Lilly knelt down and went to work on her sweatpants and panties, laughing all the way.

Long after the hot water had run out and slightly after everyone else had gone to bed, Miley and Lilly lay in their bed, arms still wrapped around each other protectively as they both gazed at the ceilings with blissful smiles on their faces.

"As much as I hate when we fight, we do really good at the making up part, don't we?" asked Miley as she ran her fingers through Lilly's blonde hair.

"Mm hmm," Lilly purred against Miley's neck as she reveled in that intoxicating scent of her lover that was unlike anything else she would ever smell. "You did really good with the making up part tonight, going all the way back to the flowers."

"We need to put some water in them, don't we?"

"Probably. I hope the steam doesn't zap them."

"Well, we left the door open. That should keep it from getting too hot on them. Let me go put some more water in the vase." Miley tried to sit up, but she was quickly pulled back down by two strong arms.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked Lilly.

"Um, to put some more water in the flowers?"

"Uh uh. Not tonight, wildcat. Tonight you're all mine, and those flowers can just wait. Even if they are beautiful."

Miley rolled over, looking directly into Lilly's sapphire eyes filled with love. "Everything can wait except for you, Lil," she said as she leaned in and pressed her lips to her wife's in a kiss that spoke the word love more eloquently than any words ever could.

Author's Afterword: My apologies for making everyone wait so long for this chapter, but I did try to make it up to you. The story originally wanted to stop after Lilly's phone call to Jen, but I couldn't leave everyone hanging on that note. Instead I went a bit longer so we could end the chapter on more of a happy note rather than some cliffhanger. Next chapter we get to see some reaction to the interview, and it might not be exactly what most of you are thinking. See you then!

-- Jo --