Summary: Miley Stewart has been signed on to write a duet with her ex-boyfriend Nick Lucas and this puts a strain on her relationship with Jake. Can Nick manage to find a way to get things back between them to the way they were before the storm? Rated T for language and mature themes. xxNileyxx Crossover: Hannah Montana & JONAS.

Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit work of fan fiction written by smileyniley487 :) I do not own and/or associate or liaise with Disney, Miley Cyrus, JONAS or any of the JoBros or associated third parties or any parties but I do love them and their work dearly.

A/N: Hey everyone! Okay, so I saw pictures of Selena and Nick hanging out and looking so sweet and adorable together it made me lose all inspiration for Niley and as a result All Part of the Act is on an indefinite hiatus. I'm sorry, I just can't write Niley when there is so much Nelena in the air. But I remembered I've still got heaps of Before the Storm on my computer that hasn't been uploaded yet so I thought I'd update this. Also, am working on a new story so look out for it. xoxo smileyniley487

Chapter Three - New York

Miley had been thinking about Jake a lot lately and how he'd handle the news that when she went to New York, she'd be having lunch with her ex-boyfriend, the guy who also recently beat up Jake for making out with her at a party. She also couldn't help but think that the event of the night was her fault. She'd thought she could handle being with her boyfriend in public but she hadn't expected the Lucas Brothers to show up - they never attended anything they got invited to--(and they were invited to everything).

Nick's intentions that evening, sweet as they were, were wrong, and she knew Jake was in no mind to ever forgive him. Jake was convinced that Nick was in love with Miley for the simple reason that she was now unavailable and he warned Miley against Nick. Jake had this whole theory regarding Nick that included the phrase, 'If I can't have her no one can,' which he was using as Nick's motive. In fact, he also didn't want Miley anywhere near Nick at all and he had mentioned that several times.

To make things even harder, like life was purposely pointing a giant neon 'LOL' sign towards her, it wasn't like Miley could simply hide the fact that she was going to be having lunch with the famous Nick Lucas. Now that everyone knew she was Jake Ryan's girlfriend, hanging out with a JONAS band member meant she was sure that her and Nick's every move would be photographed ten million times over, enough times so that when you flicked through the photos, the whole thing would seem to play like a video. It was hard enough covering up Nick Lucas' and Jake Ryan's fight—thank God that some paparazzi still took bribes if you paid them well enough.

So, bottom line - Miley really didn't know how she was going to break the news to Jake. And then she had to worry about if Nick had beat him up because he still loved her-- but he had sounded so damn serious on the phone when she had talked to him and had her convinced that NYC was going to all be about business. (Even if the tabloids were wishing it otherwise)-- And boy, were the tabloids going to make a big deal out of this.

She could see the headlines now: 'Miley Stewart Slays Jake Ryan's Heart'--even if she tried to tell them she wasn't cheating on Jake. The media twisted everything. And she couldn't tell them the truth either, that she was in fact in New York to write a song with Nick because that would blow her Hannah cover. She had invented Hannah for a reason: to specifically keep her out of the spotlight. But now, plain old Miley Stewart was at risk of making the news… which was why she was going as Hannah to see Nick and save Miley from the attention.

Miley and Jake met up for dinner, the night before she was meant to leave to New York. They hadn't gone anywhere fancy but it was still a very nice evening and she was so scared it was going to be ruined because of what she had to tell him. She was nervous and she'd always been rather confident her whole life. Jake noticed the change in her immediately.

"What's wrong Miles?" he asked her, "You're not acting like yourself at all tonight. Something you wanna talk about?"

He had stopped eating so that his whole attention was focused on her and she looked down at her own untouched plate as she spoke.

"So, as you know, I'll be away in New York for a couple of days, strictly business. My label's got a new idea for a song and they want me to start working on it."

Jake nodded, "Yeah, that's why I'm really grateful we have tonight to spend together. I'm gonna miss you being on the other side of the States. But why the long face Miles? I thought you loved New York? And writing anything always gets you so excited but you seemed really bummed out."

Miley sighed. It was now or never. "Well, I found out something about the song I have to work on. It's gonna be a duet and it's meant for someone else's new CD that'll be coming out soon."

Jake shrugged his head, "Typical. Some new up and coming star they wanna promote so give them a duet with Hannah Montana and then everyone will know who they are. I hate the way your label uses you to make other people famous."

He'd gone back to his plate and he wasn't looking at Miley anymore so she found it in herself to tell him the truth. It was so much easier when they weren't staring at you in the eye. "That's just the thing Jake… these stars are already famous. They don't need me for that. The label is trying to generate some friendly rumors and a little publicity. They want me to do the duet with Nick Lucas from JONAS."

Jake's reaction was instant. He immediately stopped eating and stared at her as though she was playing a practical joke on him. "Wait - this the same kid from JONAS who attacked me the other day?"

Miley nodded feeling bad; Jake's reaction was just how she feared. "The same JONAS kid who thought he was too good for you and broke your heart?"

Again, Miley nodded. Jake resorted to laughter, "The same JONAS kid who's now apparently still in love with you?"

This time she paused, thinking best how to answer the question; she decided explaining Nick's intentions might work. "Jake - he's not in love with me. He just lost it over some stupid rumors he heard at the party. Wouldn't you bash up some guy you thought was trying to take advantage of me?"

"You know I would," and for a while Miley almost thought everything had gone okay but Jake couldn't hold it in, "But you want to know what else I think?" he said, "I actually can't believe you're defending him. All I wanted was to share a nice quiet evening with my girlfriend before she flies away, and now she tells me she's running off to New York to spend time with her ex!"

Miley was shocked, "Jake! You're taking this the wrong way! I'm not running off to see him. And besides, I'll be disguised as Hannah the whole time! The label just wants us working together on one song. Nick's only got business on his mind when it comes to this. He's really serious that way. Any discussion he'll have with me from here on end will be nothing but professional. I spoke to him just yesterday. C'mon Jake, don't you trust me?"

She knew she was throwing the guilt card in there with the dreaded 'T' word; a word that so often rose up in her previous relationship, but the card seemed to be working. Jake sighed. "I'm sorry, Miley. But I don't want you anywhere around Nick Lucas. Tell the label you're not interested."

"I can't do that," Miley whispered, "And who I spend my time around is really not your decision, Jake. I know you love me. I couldn't be more grateful and blessed to have you as my boyfriend right now. But if you want this relationship to work, you're gonna have to accept the fact that I've got a history with Nick Lucas. A history, the whole world knows about, and at times wants to exploit and exaggerate. It's as if they want to create something that isn't there, by twisting everything else around it, to make it all out to be bigger than it really is-- and for what? A couple of dollars and a good story! But at the end of the day, I know who I'm with. And kill me for throwing the guilt card in again, but if you love me, you're gonna have to trust me. Nick never did and look at where we ended up."

There was a long pause. Jake sighed and taking out his wallet, he placed a fifty and a couple of tens on the table. "That should cover the tip," he said, and then he kissed her very gently on her forehead whispering, "Have fun in New York, Miley. Don't buy too many shoes."

She watched him walk away; her heart wouldn't let her call out after him. He was upset but he was letting her go and she knew what a big move on his part that was. She stared at her uneaten plate for several minutes, drank a sip of water as tears threatened to fall, and then got up and left.

~.~

Nick hadn't been lying when he said he'd pick up Miley from the airport. He had dressed extremely casual with a grey sweater reading New York Soul-- and then he saw Miley get off the plane looking extremely perfect, and he felt so normal and boring in contrast to her. She was parading a Louis Vitton bag and wearing an expensive designer sparkly grey blouse and blue skinny leg jeans with enormous heels. She had come as Hannah Montana with her huge glasses and was wearing her too-perfect blonde wig, and her face was ever-so-lightly caked in makeup. To top off everything, it was sunny in New York and the sunlight was reflecting off her hair. He used to call her his Tennessee Angel and the fact that she was glowing now was like a reminder pointing one hell of a neon giant 'LOL' sign towards him.

She noticed him at once and gave him a half smile and then took out her hand for him to shake. He stared at it for one long moment and then realized what an opportunity this was…

"I don't do handshakes, I do hugs." She had used the very same phrase the first time they had met.

Miley and Nick embraced very quickly; the hug had only lasted a second and he knew she was giving him the 'look' that meant there was something she was gonna tell him that he wasn't necessarily gonna like.

She sighed, "Well, lucky thing there doesn't seem to be as many paparazzi inside as there is outside so this might be my only chance to tell you… Jake is really crushed about what went down the other night so he's not comfortable with me working with you. I know why you came to my defense and I really appreciate that but if there's something more going on you need to tell me now."

Nick just looked at her as if he couldn't understand if she was being serious or not. She was putting him on the spot. How could she expect him to answer a question like that on the spot? There was only one option…

"Hannah, as far as I'm concerned you're single. Miley, on the other hand is the one dating Jake Ryan. We're here for business and lunch. No secret agendas."

…he had to lie.

She shrugged it off but didn't say any more. They got into his car and instantly cameras and camera phones started flashing. Miley even caught the media's frenzied questions.

"Hannah, how does it feel going out with a member of JONAS?"

"When will you publicly be announcing your relationship?"

"Nick, any thoughts of popping the question?"

As much as she wished to yell at them to all SHUT UP, ridiculous as the questions were, she instead sat casually besides Nick in his Fender and closed her eyes smiling as she thought This'll all be over in a couple of days…

Nick chanced a glance at Miley when he knew from the corner of his eye that she had closed hers. She was smiling and he longed to know what she was thinking about. He had counted on the media to make such a big deal about this and he knew all his future interviews after today would not be about his music or his writing just Miley, Miley, Miley…

"I've missed New York," Miley whispered and there was a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Yeah, New York's great," agreed Nick, and she smiled at him, noting the similar tone of sarcasm that he held in his voice. "I hope you don't mind," he continued, "But I've already ordered us lunch inside a hotel."

Miley raised an eyebrow, "Not that I have a problem with what you're wearing now but aren't you a little underdressed for a hotel restaurant?"

Nick shook his head, "Not if I'm having them send it up to my room."

She smirked at him, "Tell me again how you haven't planned any secret agendas?" Miley asked rhetorically.

They reached the hotel and Nick parked around the other side and as soon as they got out the mass of flash photography began and reporters began yelling questions again but they ignored them all.

Nick was desperate to take Miley's hand and run into the hotel with her but he knew they would purposely interpret it the wrong way so he instead pulled his hat down harder and turned on his serious mode (which wasn't so hard to do when you're Nick Lucas) and casually led Miley inside.

"That wasn't so hard," Miley joked as they reached Nick's room.

He smiled, opened the door and the smell of pizza greeted them as Kevin and Joe were in there munching on pepperoni slices and practicing guitar.

"Joe!" hissed Nick, "That pizza was meant for me and Hannah! I had it especially sent up for us!"

"That's okay," Miley said, "I'm not that hungry and there's still a few slices left anyway."

"Here let me get you one," offered Kevin. He reached over to hand Miley the food and Nick saw what was coming all too fast. Miley went to reach out and take it, Kevin swerved and the saucy food, pepperoni and all, fell all over Miley's new and expensive grey blouse.

A/N: please review! And please check out my new story, I'm really into it ;) xoxo smileyniley487