A/N: Sorry this update took so long... I was trying hard to make sure it came out right. I'm also really not good with love scenes, but oh well :) I hope you all like it

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"BREAKOUT"

- Two Years Later -

In just two short years, Miley Stewart's life had transformed into something she could've never imagined in her wildest dreams. She had completed and released her very first album as Hannah Montana, simply titled 'Meet Hannah Montana', and it was a huge success. It went platinum (which Miley learned was another way of saying it had sold 1,000,000 copies) in just under six months, and suddenly everyone wanted to meet the talented young girl behind it. She had appeared on several talk shows, given radio interviews, and even made a personal appearance for the record company, meeting and signing autographs for her newfound fans. In a very short time, Miley found herself caught up in a whirlwind of sudden success and celebrity.

Fortunately though, she had a loving and caring family ready to lend her a hand whenever she needed it and help keep her grounded. She also had the eternal and unceasing love and companionship of her best friend and girlfriend Lilly Truscott, who remained by her side as always. As much as she was truly loving being Hannah Montana, Miley loved Lilly even more, and the love they shared gave Miley the strength to balance the two very different lives she was now living.

While still trying to deal with the incredible success and growing demands of her new identity, Miley was also struggling with completing her senior year at Pine Ridge High School. Like all soon-to-be-graduating teenagers, she also found herself thinking a lot about the unknown future that was rushing up to meet her, and what it would it bring for both of her lives. Miley hated to admit it, but she realized she was more than little afraid. As hard as she tried to hide those feelings though, she was like an open book to the one person who knew her better than she knew herself.

"What's wrong, Miles?" Lilly asked her as they sat together on the back porch swing at the Stewart farm one night. Miley's distant demeanor had not escaped Lilly's notice, just as the brunette had known it wouldn't.

"Just… thinking," Miley said softly.

"About what?" Lilly asked, entwining her fingers with Miley's.

"The future," Miley admitted, turning to look at her girlfriend. "Everything's happenin' so fast, Lils…"

"I know," Lilly replied. "I also know how strong you are Miles, and what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. You can handle whatever the future brings." Miley smiled shyly, and not for the first time, Lilly felt her heart skip a beat. It was an affect only Miley had ever had on her, and it was one of the things that told her just how much she loved the young woman sitting beside her.

"Thanks, Lils," Miley responded in a quiet voice. She leaned over and rested her head on Lilly's shoulder. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Well, you're never gonna have to find out," Lilly whispered, her voice full of promise.

"What do you think is gonna happen to us after graduation?" Miley asked her best friend.

"Well, you already know I wanna go to college," Lilly replied thoughtfully. "You'll probably be out rockin' the world as Hannah. We'll meet somewhere in the middle, and live happily ever after." Miley grinned.

"I hope so," she said. "I just… I just don't want things to get so crazy we never see each other."

"They won't," Lilly assured her. "We can have whatever future we want, Miles, as long as we're willin' to fight for it." Miley smiled again.

"When did you get so smart, Truscott?" she teased her best friend. Lilly chuckled.

"Hey, I've always been the smart one," she replied playfully, "just like you've always been the pretty one."

Oh, please," Miley retorted, her eyes twinkling. "I'm not the one all the guys follow around on the basketball court. I swear, you should see the way they all stare at your butt in those little shorts of yours!"

"You did not just go there," Lilly managed, laughing and trying not to turn a deep crimson.

"Yup, I went there," Miley replied with a grin. "I can be sassy when I want to be!"

"I see that," Lilly chuckled. "Hey, I just had a great idea. Do you happen have a spare blanket lyin' around Miles?"

"I think so, but what for?" Miley asked.

"Trust me," Lilly said with a smile. "Go grab it and meet me back out here." Wondering just what her mischievous best friend was up to, Miley did as she was asked and returned barely a minute later with the blanket under her arm. Lilly was sitting out on the grass smiling happily, and she gestured for Miley to join her. Miley did so and Lilly then took the blanket from her and spread it out on the grass.

"Now lay down," Lilly instructed. Miley opened her mouth to say something, but Lilly stopped her with a gentle finger against her lips.

"I just want to lie here and look at the stars with the woman I love, okay?" Lilly said softly. "Please, Miley… hold me?" Not quite trusting herself to say anything, Miley simply laid down and pulled Lilly close to her, breathing in the citrus scent of her shampoo.

"Is this… okay?" she managed to ask.

"Mmm-hmmm," Lilly whispered. She sighed contentedly and snuggled closer against her girlfriend's warm body. Miley smiled and kissed her gently on the top of her head.

"By the way, this was a really good idea, Lils," Miley whispered back.

"Thought you'd like it," Lilly murmured happily. "Besides, you needed to relax and get your mind off things." She smiled and let her gaze drift skyward, to the velvety darkness overhead and its blanket of shimmering stars.

"So pretty," she whispered again. "Miley look, I see the Big Dipper!" She carefully pointed towards the particular constellation of stars far above them.

"I see it," Miley replied softly, smiling at her girlfriend's enthusiasm. "I think I see the Little Dipper too."

"Yup, almost straight up from the Big Dipper," Lilly replied. "It's sorta upside down though." Miley giggled.

"It's supposed to be that way, Lils."

"I know," Lilly retorted playfully, sounding almost insulted. "I did pay attention in Mr. Allen's physical science class." Miley grinned.

"Okay, smarty pants," she teased. "Show me another group a' stars up there, then."

"All right," Lilly replied, scanning the night sky again. She paused to kiss Miley softly on the side of her neck, making her girlfriend shiver pleasantly.

"I'm gonna get you for that," Miley warned. Lilly just arched an amused eyebrow.

"Think so, Stewart?" she quipped. "I'd like to see you try. Oh, and by the way… Virgo."

"I don't have to 'try'," Miley said saucily. She carefully slid one hand under the hem of Lilly's baby blue t-shirt, gently running her fingers along her girlfriend's firm stomach. Lilly gasped slightly, and Miley smirked in triumph.

"Told ya," she said with a wink, "and what's a Virgo?"

"It's another constellation, genius," Lilly managed, Miley's hand still firmly in place beneath her shirt. "You challenged me, remember?"

"Yeah, I guess I did," Miley admitted, smiling again. "So where is it?"

"Find the bottom of the Big Dipper and go down a ways… it looks kinda like the letter 'H' doing a cheer," Lilly replied with a grin. "See it?"

"I think I see it," Miley replied after a moment. "Sweet niblets!" she suddenly exclaimed, feeling Lilly sneak an exploring hand up the back of her own shirt.

"Like that, huh?" Lilly teased. Miley felt Lilly's hand lazily caressing the warm skin of her bare back and swallowed.

"Lilly…" she managed.

"Too much?" Lilly asked apologetically. She carefully removed her hand from where it had been and wrapped her arm around Miley again. "Sorry."

"Don't ever be sorry," Miley responded earnestly. "You know I want to be with you, I'm just not… ready yet."

"I understand, Miles," Lilly responded sweetly. "It's ok; I'd wait forever for you." Miley blinked back a tear.

"I don't know how I ever got so lucky," she whispered, "but I thank God every day for bringing you into my life. I love you, Lilly." Lilly smiled.

"I love you too, Miley," she breathed, "forever and always." Then she leaned forward and captured Miley's lips in a searing kiss. Miley moaned softly and pulled Lilly close, letting the world fall away as she held the woman she loved in her arms.

A few days later, Miley and Lilly were finishing their preparations for the upcoming Senior Prom. Their dresses were ready and Miley's father had paid for a limousine to take them to the prom and out to dinner. To Miley's chagrin, he also insisted on being one of the chaperones at the dance, as did Lilly's mother.

"They're just want to make sure we're behaving ourselves," Lilly had told her. "Besides, the good stuff can wait 'til later, right?" Miley smiled, remembering Lilly's mischievous grin and the way she'd winked at the last part. She also remembered the way it made her heartbeat quicken, and the unexpected rush of desire that accompanied it.

Miley knew she loved Lilly with all her heart; and she had never once questioned that, and knew she never would. She also knew she didn't want to be with anyone else. When the time was right, it was Lilly she wanted to share that most special moment with, and it was Lilly she wanted to have the most precious gift she could give. The powerful feelings of desire that Lilly could trigger in her was still something she was getting used to, however. She had never felt like that about anyone… and while it kind of scared her, she was finally beginning to feel ready to explore those feelings, with Lilly.

So, Miley decided to do something she had not originally planned on… but the more she thought about it, the more right it felt. She had reserved a hotel room for the both of them after the dance, at the nice new Hilton downtown. Miley wasn't sure what made her more nervous: what Lilly would do when she found out, or what her father would do if he found out.

To keep that from happening, Miley told her father she and Lilly would be going to a party after the Prom, and might end up just crashing there... which was at least partly true. One of their friends and classmates, Tammy Harkness, was having a party afterwards and had invited her & Lilly. Miley just didn't plan on staying at the party for very long.

The way Robbie Ray looked at his daughter when she told him that made Miley think he might just be on to her, but he just asked her if there would be adults present, she replied that there would be, and finally he smiled, nodded slowly and told her to have fun.

When the night of the Senior Prom finally arrived, it was everything Miley could do to try and contain her nervousness. She suspected she and Lilly would be the only same-sex couple at the dance, but that didn't bother her. No one at school had stopped them from buying tickets after all, so Miley doubted anyone was going to say anything, and she didn't really care. As long as she was with Lilly, she was happy. There were other things wearing at her though, not the least of which was the dress she had picked out for the dance.

Using some of her Hannah money – with her father's blessing – Miley had purchased a fairly simply but stunning purple dress with a strapless bodice, jeweled beading along the midriff and a long, flowing ball gown skirt. Mamaw Ruthie had come over specifically to help her granddaughter get ready for the prom, a gesture which deeply touched Miley. She still missed her mother dearly, and having her grandma help her with something her mother normally would've done helped take some of the sorrow out of the moment. Now, dressed and ready, she stood in front of her full length mirror, staring at her reflection in it.

"You look beautiful, sweetheart," Mamaw said softly from behind her.

"Thank you, mamaw," Miley managed, blinking back a tear. "I wish momma could've been here to see me. I missed her a lot tonight…"

"I know, honey," Mamaw replied, wrapping a gentle around Miley. "She's still here with you, though… and I know she's watching you from Heaven and smiling." Miley turned around and embraced her grandmother warmly.

"Thank you for everything, mamaw… it really means a lot to me," Miley whispered. "I love you so much." Ruthie smiled and hugged her granddaughter back, running a comforting ran up and down her back.

"I love you too, sweetheart; I'll always be here whenever you need me."

"Miles!" Robbie Ray's voice called out from behind her closed bedroom door. "Your date's here!" At the merest mention of Lilly, Miley found herself smiling broadly, happiness already chasing away her sadness. Ruthie instantly noticed the sudden change in her granddaughter's demeanor, and the reason behind it, and smiled warmly.

"You really love her, don't you?" she asked softly. Miley nodded.

"More than anything, mamaw," she said happily. "When I'm with Lilly, everything just seems… right." Ruthie's smile grew and she lovingly brushed a strand of long auburn hair away from her granddaughter's face.

"I'm happy for you, pumpkin," she said, using one of Miley's old childhood nicknames. "I can tell Lilly feels the same way about you… and I want you to know you'll both always be welcome in my house and in this family."

"You really need to stop making me cry, mamaw!" Miley half laughed, brushing away yet another year. Finally she composed herself.

"How do I look?" she asked quickly. Ruthie smiled again.

"Like a beautiful young woman I'm proud to call my granddaughter," she answered. "Now get out there… it's not polite to make your poor girlfriend wait!" She made what Miley fondly called her 'git' gesture, and Miley hurried out of her room, smiling broadly. Nothing could have prepared her for the sight of Lilly in her own prom dress, however. The moment she walked into the living room and saw her, Miley's jaw dropped.

Lilly was wearing a sparkling strapless black dress with a pleated bodice and a long flared gown. She had curled her long blonde hair and it cascaded down the back of her dress like a pale golden waterfall. A small golden chain hung around her neck, ending in a delicate heart. She wore a bare minimum of makeup, allowing her already breathtaking beauty to shine clearly through. She watched Miley slowly walk towards her and smiled brightly. The stunned expression on Miley's face almost made her laugh.

"I told you Miley would like it," Heather Truscott said to her daughter.

"Yeah, I think that's what that expression means," Lilly replied teasingly. She walked carefully over to the woman she loved and gave her a tiny kiss on her cheek.

"Now close your mouth before you start drawing flies, Miles," she quipped.

"Lilly, you look… you look incredible!" Miley blurted out. Lilly smiled and blushed politely.

"Thanks, Smiley… you look pretty hot yourself."

"All right you two," Robbie Ray interrupted with a smile. "You've got a few people here wanting some pictures before the limo shows up." Both girls grinned and wrapped their arms around each other, posing for the eagerly awaiting cameras held by their parents and grandparents. They even allowed a picture to be taken of them sharing a quick kiss.

"Oh, girls, that turned out so cute!" Heather Truscott gushed.

"Better send us a copy then, mom," Lilly said teasingly. The sound of a polite knock on the front door startled them all. Robbie Ray paused to peer out the front window and smiled.

"Sounds like your ride's here, ladies," he announced. "You better get going. We'll see you at the dance."

The Prom itself was being held in the Pine Ridge High School gymnasium, as always. Fortunately, the graduating class was small enough for everyone to fit inside comfortably. The theme of the Prom was "Winter Wonderland", and the entire gymnasium had been stunningly decorated to match. Blue and white streamers hung down from the ceiling, and faux cotton 'snow' covered virtually anything and everything. Twinkling white lights lit up much of the place, while the gym's usually bright overhead lights had been dimmed somewhat to add to the atmosphere.

"Whoa, they really did an awesome job decorating this place!" Lilly gushed as she and Miley slowly walked inside.

"They sure did," Miley replied with a smile. "I never thought the old gymnasium could look so good!" Hand in hand, they walked over to the tables that had been set up for all the couples attending the dance to check in.

"Names please?" the teacher on duty asked.

"Miley Stewart and Lilly Truscott," Miley replied. The teacher found their names on her list and quickly checked them off. Then she looked up and smiled.

"You two have fun now… and you both look wonderful tonight."

"Thanks Mrs. Fisher," Miley and Lilly said simultaneously. Mrs. Fisher, a petite older woman with short, dark brown hair was the school's librarian, and all of the students liked her. Smiling, Miley & Lilly walked inside.

The band was just getting ready to start their first song, and Miley was already looking forward to dancing with her girlfriend, but Lilly wanted to get their pictures taken first, so Miley relented. They walked over to the waiting backdrop of big sparkling snowflakes and waited patiently for their turn. Eventually they took their place in front of the camera and posed for the photographer. Wrapping their arms around each other, holding each other close, they smiled happily as their picture was taken. After a few more cute poses, they took the ticket to order their pictures later and made their way back to the dance floor.

The band, a local group called 'Serenity', was just beginning to play a beautiful slow song, and Miley wasted no time in pulling Lilly close again.

"Having fun, Miles?" Lilly asked her girlfriend shyly.

"When I'm with you? Always," Miley replied softly. She smiled and leaned forward to kiss Lilly gently on the forehead as they continued to sway to the music.

"People are staring, Miles," Lilly whispered teasingly.

"They're just jealous 'cause I'm dancing with the hottest girl in school," Miley said with a smile. Lilly immediately turned a delicate shade of pink.

"Stop it, Miles," she managed, burying her face in her girlfriend's long brown hair. "I'm nowhere near that, and you know it!"

"Yes, you are, baby," Miley whispered to her. "You're the most beautiful woman in the world."

"Oh, Miley," Lilly sighed. "I don't deserve that."

"Yes, you do," Miley said with a smile. "You've always been there for me, and helped me, and loved me like no one else ever has. You'll always be the most wonderful person in the world to me." Lilly blinked back tears.

"I love you too, Miles," she managed. "Meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Really?" Miley asked quietly. Lilly looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Well, the first time we kissed runs a pretty close second," she said teasingly, "but yeah, really." She blushed slightly.

"You know what I did when I got home that day?" Lilly asked the beautiful young woman in her arms. Miley just shook her head.

"I wrote your name in my diary and drew a big ol' heart around it," Lilly admitted shyly.

"Aww, Lilly," Miley gushed. "That's so sweet!"

"So are you," Lilly replied, and she gave Miley a quick peck on the lips.

Sometime later, as the Prom was slowly winding down, Miley & Lilly found themselves standing just outside the gymnasium, waiting for the limousine to come pick them up again.

"I had a really great time tonight, Miles," Lilly said softly.

"Me too, Lils," Miley agreed. "That was the best Prom ever."

"Well, I had the best Prom date ever," Lilly whispered, grinning. Miley started to say something, but Lilly stopped her with a well-timed kiss. They were still kissing when the limo finally arrived a few minutes later. They climbed in, hand in hand, and the limo slowly pulled away.

"So, are we going to Tammy's party?" Lilly asked aloud.

"Well, actually…" Miley replied, suddenly feeling very nervous. "I, um… thought we might go somewhere else instead." Lilly arched an eyebrow.

"Like where?" she asked, "and why are you acting so nervous?"

"How do you know me so well?" Miley whispered.

"We've been best friends for 9 years," Lilly laughed softly. "I've picked up a few things. Now… what's going on, Smiley?" Miley lowered her head, suddenly unable to look at her radiant girlfriend.

"You, um… you don't have to say yes Lilly, but… I got us a hotel room." Lilly suddenly felt her heart start to beat faster, and her mouth had gone dry.

"Miley, I… I don't know what to say," she stammered. "I mean… I thought you weren't, you know… ready?"

"I wasn't," Miley admitted. "I am now. I mean… if you are…" Lilly took both of Miley's hands in her own and leaned forward until their faces were just inches apart.

"Yes," she whispered softly. Miley smiled radiantly and leaned forward to kiss her again.

Miley didn't remember much about the rest of the ride to the hotel, or even checking into their room. In fact, when she tried to remember most of the details of that night later, the first thing she could truly remember was lying on the big queen-sized bed with Lilly, more nervous than she could ever remember being in her life.

"Are you still sure you want to do this, Miles?" Lilly asked her softly. "We don't have to, you know. If you're not comfortable…"

"I want to share this with you, Lilly, really," Miley insisted. "I want to be with you, I swear. I'm just really nervous. I've never, you know…"

"I haven't either, Miles," Lilly said gently. "We'll figure it out together, okay?" She smiled, and Miley felt her heart melt.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too, Miles," Lilly whispered back, and they closed the distance between themselves to share a gentle kiss. The kiss slowly grew deeper, and the two young women carefully began to explore each other with soft, feather light touches. At some point, those touches became more urgent and needy, and soon they began to remove each other's clothes. As bare skin met, soft hisses of pleasure filled the night, and soon their kisses became fiercer and hungrier. There in the darkness, Miley & Lilly made love for the very first time, their bodies joining together just as surely as their hearts and souls