Author's Note: Yay! Time for the next story in my Lileyverse. This one picks up about two months after my first story, "You and Me, Together," and will span from mid-November through New Year's Day. As for the girls' birthdays, as far as I know there hasn't been an official birthday declared for either character. If I'm wrong on that, please let me know so I can cry, because I like these birthdays in the story.

Here are my standard disclaimers: I make no claims on any of Disney's, Miley Cyrus' or Hannah Montana's trademarks or copyrights, and no infringement is intended. 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!

All I Want

by Jo P.

Chapter 1: Hearts and Minds

I see your face, I look in your eyes

What you feel is no surprise

Everyone needs something to believe in

Tell me your dreams and I'll tell you mine

In our hearts we'll look inside

And see all the colors of the rainbow

--Hannah Montana"Bigger than Us"

It was six o'clock on a Friday night, and Lilly Truscott found herself growing nervous. She and Miley were going on a double date tonight with Jackson and his new girlfriend, Kaela Davis, a classmate of theirs. Jackson had been asking her out for two months now, and she had finally said yes. Even though Lilly had played on the soccer team with her for most of those two months, she really hadn't gotten to know Kaela at all. She kept to herself almost all the time, only really becoming friends with two other girls on the team.

Lilly was also torn between staying with the team or doing as she had said she would and leave the team once their three injured players had all returned. While Lilly didn't want to take playing time away from any player who had tried out and practiced for the team, she did enjoy playing, and not just for the competition. She got a thrill whenever she heard Miley cheering for her from the stands, and it had become her celebration to give Miley a kiss whenever she scored a goal, running to meet her at the sideline for an all-too-short kiss from her lover. The ritual had caused some controversy at a few of their games, but no one had brought the issue before the school board. At least, not yet.

The sound of the doorbell ringing shook Lilly out of her internal debate. She looked at the two shirts she was trying to choose between, and finally threw them on her bed, then turned out the light. She walked over to the bed, grabbed one and put it on. She then turned the light back on. She had picked out a very cute black long-sleeve shirt with pink hearts printed down the sleeves. She was already wearing a khaki miniskirt with her black tennis shoes, and the outfit looked good. Admit it Truscott, you're wearing the skirt for Miley, in case she wants to fool around. She smiled as the object of her desire walked into her bedroom.

"Hey Lilly," Miley said, crossing the room to kiss her girlfriend warmly. They wrapped each other into a close hug, closing their eyes and enjoying the feel and smell of each other. Miley loved the strawberry scent of Lilly's hair, and Lilly was similarly enchanted by the smell of Miley's orange-scented shampoo. As they pulled back, they stared into each other's eyes, each girl getting lost in the blue depths of her lover's gaze.

In the two months that they had been an official couple, they had grown even closer, something no one would have believed possible. The girls still could barely wait to get married, but they remained patient, as they knew that neither of them was going anywhere. Miley's initial concerns about losing Lilly in an accident like she had lost her mother had faded at this point. The eerie but prophetic dreams she had experienced two months ago had reassured her that she and Lilly were going to have a long, happy future together, so she had let her unfounded worry go.

As their sixteenth birthdays approached, the girls had decided to have their birthday parties together, since their birthdays were only a few days apart. Lilly's birthday was November 17th, and Miley's was November 19th, so they had elected to have their birthday party on the 16th, the Saturday before their birthdays. Miley had convinced Robbie Ray, her father, and Jackson, her older brother, to take a trip out of town that evening, so the two men had decided to go a basketball game out of town and spend the night, so the girls could have an evening by themselves. While their parents hadn't come right out and asked them if they were having sex (with the exception of Lilly's mother), Miley and Lilly were pretty sure they knew. Lilly's mom, naturally, had bluntly suggested they not be having sex while Miley's father was at home, causing some embarrassment for her daughter and future daughter-in-law. Robbie Ray and Lilly's father had never asked, but the girls had noticed that whenever they spent the night together, they were given their privacy. During the week, the girls usually stayed at their own houses, but almost every weekend they stayed together, alternating between Miley's house and Lilly's house. Wherever they were, they contributed to that house by doing chores and cleaning on the weekend.

As the girls stared longingly into each other's eyes, they both had matching smiles on their faces. "You ready?" Miley asked Lilly. "Oh, that's the shirt I got you!" she said, recognizing it and smiling. She had bought it for Lilly on a shopping trip last week, and she was thrilled that Lilly was wearing it tonight, as Miley thought it was adorable.

"Yeah, I think it's cute," Lilly said. She took a moment to assess what Miley was wearing, and she was quite pleased. Miley had on a nearly skin-tight yellow t-shirt with a light windbreaker, in case the rain that had forecast did indeed develop. For her pants, she was wearing a pair of vertically-striped capris, mainly brown but with several different colors of stripes, including yellow, pink, and light blue. The striped legs, which ended right below her knees, made Miley's gorgeous legs seem even longer than they were, and Lilly approved of how the outfit accentuated her lover's build and striking good looks. "You, on the other hand, look totally hot!" she said to Miley, getting a grin out of her.

Miley struck a modeling pose and said, "All this hotness is for you, girlfriend!"

Lilly nodded appreciatively and said, "Oh yeah, Lilly most definitely likey."

After turning once for Lilly, Miley said, "We need to get going, Jackson is waiting on us. We're going to pick up Kaela next. And I must say, you look mighty fine yourself." As Lilly crossed in front of her, Miley gave her butt a slight pinch, getting a small hop forward and a smile from over Lilly's shoulder.

Lilly grabbed her cell phone, her keys, and her wallet, dropping them in her small purse. She normally didn't carry a purse, instead preferring to keep her hands and arms free whenever possible. Also, those hands and arms were put to much better use holding Miley. Still, her miniskirt didn't leave much room for carrying things, so Lilly was making a compromise tonight. "Bye Mom!" Lilly yelled as they were leaving, while Miley added, "Bye Mrs. Truscott!"

The girls ran outside into the slightly cool Malibu air, the feel of impending rain mixing with the over-present smell of the ocean to create a heady mixture. Jackson was waiting for them in his car, a silver four-door Impala. It wasn't the newest model, but it was a recent one, and it ran quite smoothly. Robbie Ray had picked it out for him a few weeks ago to replace the aging vehicle Jackson had been driving. Lilly got to the car first, opening the left rear door for Miley to hop inside, then she followed her girlfriend inside. "So where are we going, Jackson?" Miley asked her brother as they pulled out of the Truscotts' driveway. She was leaning forward between the two front seats, until Lilly smacked her left thigh. "What?" Miley said, turning to look at Lilly. Lilly's response was to tug on her seat belt and give Miley a Look. Recognizing the Look, Miley acquiesced and sat back, buckling her seat belt. When Miley's belt was fastened, Lilly put the Look away and smiled as she took Miley's hand in hers.

"Well, in no particular order, dinner, something fun, and something romantic," Jackson said.

"Good plan," said Lilly, as Miley nodded her agreement. "Movies are always romantic," Lilly suggested.

Miley said, "So are walks on the beach at night."

"Oh, that sounds really nice, Miles," Lilly said excitedly. "But it might rain later tonight," she added, her smile fading.

"True," Miley said. "Well, we could always ask her!"

Jackson said, "Okay, we can do that. For dinner, I was thinking the Italian restaurant Allegria."

Lilly said, "Ooooh, that's supposed to be really nice. That sounds great to me, how about you, sweetheart?"

Miley said, "That's fine with me. I know you'll love it, Lilly," Miley said, grinning at Lilly's healthy appetite.

Lilly laughed, then said, "I have such a healthy appetite because you keep me worn out, Ms. Stewart!" Lilly leaned over and kissed Miley on her now-blushing cheek. "But I love it, and I love you for it." Miley didn't try to dispute Lilly's statement, instead just treating Lilly to a kiss that started softly but grew in intensity quickly. After a few seconds, the girls parted lips. Lilly unconsciously licked her lips as Miley pulled back just slightly, smiling at the effect she had on her lover.

Jackson interrupted the tender moment by loudly saying, "Are you two gonna keep making out, or are you gonna help me find this house?"

Her eyes still closed, Lilly said, "Who says we can't do both," getting a giggle from Miley. That finally got her to open her eyes, and Miley could see sparkles in their aqua depths. Turning to face forward again, Lilly said in a louder voice, "Seriously Jackson, it's freakin' Malibu! It's not that hard a city to drive in."

Miley said, "He's just giving us a hard time, Lilly. I bet he's already driven out here at least twice to make sure he knew the way." She looked at Jackson. "Am I right, big boy?" she asked with a saucy tone.

Jackson didn't reply for a minute, then he sheepishly said, "Well, I had to make sure I could find it both in sunlight and at night!"

Lilly's mouth dropped open. "You mean, you just said that to get us to stop kissing? You are mean, Jackson Stewart!" She held her angry face for a few seconds before Miley's sputtering laugh triggered her own laughing meltdown.

Jackson glanced up in the rear view mirror briefly, quickly returning his view to the road as he said, "I know you two are in love, but you might want to cool it a bit tonight. I mean, I don't know how Kaela might feel about you two practicing mouth-to-mouth all night." He grimaced, bracing himself for the scolding he was about to receive.

"You know, Jackson, that was uncalled for, even from you," Miley said, anger evident in her words. "Kaela knows that Lilly and I are engaged and in love, you know. I mean, she's watched us kiss at how many soccer games now, Lilly?"

"Gosh, at least twelve, I guess," Lilly replied. "Plus, she knows it's a double date with us, Jackson. It's not like this is going to blindside her or anything," Lilly said, her tone of voice cool. "And if we get the first sign that she's uncomfortable, then we'll stop and talk to her about it. We are sensitive, you know."

Miley turned to Lilly and said, "Hey Lilly, remember that story I was telling you about putting the snake in Jackson's sleeping bag when I was ten?"

Lilly's face drew into a frighteningly grim smile as she replied, "Oh yeah, that was the time when he passed out, right?"

Jackson said, "Oh no. You better not.."

Miley interrupted him. "Yes, that was it! I also remember the time when he was eight, and he decided he liked coffee. He drank four cups of it, and by the time Mommy and Daddy figured out why he was so hyper and caught him, he had peed all over himself and all over the living room floor!"

Lilly laughed. "No! Did he really?" she said.

Miley said, "Yup. They never could get the stain completely out of the carpet. We started calling it Jackson's--"

"OKAY!" Jackson yelled. "Okay! I get the point. I apologize, okay? Just don't drag out any more of those stories, please!"

"Apology accepted," Miley and Lilly said at the same time, giggling when they realized what they had done. "You know, we seem to do that a lot," Miley said. "I hope Amber and Ashley aren't rubbing off on us."

"Eeeeeeew!" Lilly grimaced. "You mean, rub off like a fungus?"

"Ha! Nice one, Lil," Miley said as she cackled. "I'll have to remember that one."

Jackson said, "Hate to interrupt the insults on those two, but we're here." They pulled up to a modest but nice duplex, parking just inside the driveway. Jackson got out of the car, leaving the engine running as he walked to the door.

"Would you really have told Kaela those stories?" Lilly asked Miley.

"No," Miley said, sighing. "At least, not on the first date." Lilly smiled, then they turned to watch Jackson ring the doorbell.

"Why is this kind of fun watching him get so nervous?" she asked Miley.

"I dunno, but it is entertaining," Miley said, unbuckling her seat belt and leaning for a better angle to watch her brother fidget. Fortunately for Lilly, the leaning brought Miley close enough to Lilly for her to grab her girlfriend, pulling Miley into her lap with a muffled squeal. Once her quarry was in her grasp, Lilly smiled down at her girlfriend, enjoying the sight of Miley's dark brown hair spilling across her lap, a smile firmly fixed on Miley's lips. "You are so gorgeous," Lilly said.

"So are you, Lil," Miley replied. "Not that I don't like being in your lap, but can I get up and watch Jackson sweat?" she asked politely.

Lilly helped her up, just in time to see Jackson talking to someone just inside the door. He turned and started walking back to the car, a grim look on his face. "What's wrong?" Lilly asked Miley. "Did they run him off?"

Miley was just as perplexed. "I don't know, but he doesn't look mad or heartbroken, just ... annoyed, maybe?"

Jackson reached the car, opening Lilly's door. "Her mom wants to meet the couple that Kaela and I are going on the date with," he said. By the tone in his voice, it was obvious he didn't think this would have a good outcome.

Lilly hopped out of the car, extending her hand to help Miley out. "Let's go, hon, we have to be put on parade again," Lilly said, sounding exasperated. She and Miley had pretty much gotten used to the novelty of being a teenage lesbian couple, and they accepted that it was something unseen by many people they met. They also had found that most of the time, once they got the points across that, yes, they really were in love, and no, their parents and families didn't have a problem with their romance, people usually didn't have much of a problem with them being a couple. There was always the chance of a bad reaction, though, and neither Miley nor Lilly wanted Jackson's first date with Kaela to end before it ever started.

Miley brushed Lilly's shirt, smoothing it down, while Lilly fixed Miley's hair, making sure it looked just right. "Beautiful," Lilly said. Miley said, "You look great too, hon. Let's go." They held hands and started walking to the door. As they reached the door, Miley said, "Jackson, you want to do the honors?"

Jackson said, "Um, yeah, sure. They said for me to just bring you two in, while Kaela finishes getting ready." He knocked then opened the door, stepping inside and holding the door open for Miley and Lilly to enter. As the girls stepped inside, they saw that no one was in the foyer, but as they looked around, a tall auburn-haired woman who appeared to be in her mid-thirties rounded the corner, stepping into the foyer. "Oh! Excuse me," she said, then her voice trailed off as she saw Jackson, Lilly and Miley. "Are there two other couples with you and Kaela tonight, Jackson? I thought there was just one other," she asked, looking a bit puzzled.

"No ma'am," Miley said, holding out her right hand. "I'm Jackson's sister, Miley, and this is my fiancée, Lilly Truscott," she said as she shook the woman's hand.

Lilly helpfully added, "We're the other couple on the date tonight, Ms. Davis."

"Oh," Kaela's mother said, somewhat surprised. "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that," she said, laughing softly.

Lilly said, "It's okay, we get that reaction a lot the first time people meet us." Miley nodded in agreement.

Kaela's mother said, "And you said Lilly was your fiancée, Miley?" with a look of wonder on her face.

Miley said, "Yes, ma'am," and the girls dutifully extended their left arms in unison, to show her their engagement rings. Both rings were gold bands with a diamond solitaire, but slightly different cuts and sizes. The ring Miley was wearing had been an heirloom in Lilly's family since the time of the Civil War, but it had been well taken care of. Recently polished and cleaned, it gleamed as if it was only a few years old. Lilly's ring had a slightly larger and equally sparkling diamond, but it had the same simple, delicate look as Miley's ring. The resemblance between the two rings was rather peculiar, and the girls had discussed that fact several times already.

"So both of you got an engagement ring?" Ms. Davis asked, obviously intrigued by how the girls had done that.

Miley and Lilly nodded in unison, as Miley said, "It only seemed fair. I mean, what girl doesn't want an engagement ring?" she said, grinning as Lilly laughed.

"I know I certainly did," Lilly added. "Especially from such an amazing woman as Miley." The look of affection on her face for Miley was plainly evident, as Lilly smiled a warm smile at her lover.

Miley returned the warm smile, her lips parting to let her teeth flash through in her grin for just a moment before she said, "Plus, this way neither of us gets hit on. We don't do the whole flirting/jealousy thing. We know who we want, and we're not interested in anyone else."

Lilly added, "Exactly. We're planning on getting married before we go to college, probably after graduation but maybe sometime during our senior year. We just haven't decided yet."

"How old are you girls?" Kaela's mother asked, a slight smile on her face.

"We turn sixteen later this month," Lilly answered.

At that point Kaela came into the foyer. She was taller than everyone present, including her mother. Without shoes, Kaela stood right at six feet tall; with her pumps, she was close to six foot two. Her red hair was straight and hung down halfway her back, curls at the end. She was wearing a pastel pink blouse with a knee-length khaki skirt, brown pumps finishing the outfit. "Hi Jackson," Kaela said first, smiling at him as she spoke, then she said, "Hey Lilly! And Miley, it's nice to finally get to meet you," Kaela said, holding out her hand to Miley.

"Wow, you're ... tall!" Miley said, looking up to Kaela and shaking her hand. "I've never really gotten to stand next to you, so I never noticed how tall you were."

"Well, I love my legs, but shopping for clothes is a huge pain in the ass," she said, getting a light smack on her right arm from her mother.

"Language, Kae," Ms. Davis said, getting a grin from both Miley and Lilly.

Kaela gave her mother a reproachful look, but she didn't say anything to her. "Anyway Miley, I've heard so much about you from Lilly, but I've just never had the chance to get to meet you. Every time I see you at the soccer games, you tend to be, um, occupied." Kaela had her own sly grin as she finished her last sentence.

Lilly laughed, saying, "Oh, you are busted, Stewart!" to Miley, getting her own smack on the arm from her girlfriend.

"I don't hear you complaining!" said Miley.

"And you never will," said Lilly softly, her laughter fading into a gentle smile. "I love you kissing me when I score a goal."

Kaela smiled as she said, "It's really cute, Mom. Lilly runs over to the sideline and Miley meets her there for a kiss whenever Lilly scores a goal."

"How sweet!" Kaela's mother said. "Well, with my work schedule it's very difficult for me to make it to Kaela's games, but I'll look for you two when I can get to one."

Lilly and Miley both smiled, then Miley said, "Well, nice to met you Ms. Davis, but we need to get going, because our dinner reservations are in ten minutes."

"Nice to meet you," Lilly said, waving as they stepped outside.

Jackson held the door open for Kaela, then said, "We'll be back by eleven; Kaela said that was her curfew."

Her mother nodded and said, "Eleven would be good. And Kaela has her cell phone, in case we need to get in touch with her."

Showing a moment of foresight, Jackson said, "Let me give you my cell phone number too, Ms. Davis, just in case something happens to hers." He gave her the number, which she immediately programmed into her phone.

"Thank you, Jackson, that's very thoughtful,' she said, smiling at him. "You four have a wonderful evening!" she called out, waving as she closed the door.

As they reached the car, Miley opened the left rear door for Lilly, while Jackson walked over and opened Kaela's door for her. As Lilly and Kaela slid into the car, they glanced at each other. Lilly always seemed to be smiling anyway, but she noticed that a grin spread across Kaela's face as well.

Kaela turned around and asked Lilly, "So do you and Miley trade off things like opening doors for each other?"

Lilly said, "Yeah, usually." Miley sat down beside Lilly, scooting right against her and buckling the middle lap belt rather than the shoulder belt on her side of the back seat. As Lilly opened her mouth to say something, Miley quickly said, "I am IN a seat belt, Truscott, so you can't say anything."

Lilly paused for a minute, then said, "Well, lap belts aren't as safe as shoulder belts."

Miley raised an eyebrow at her girlfriend. Then she said, "They also make it much harder for wandering hands to, you know, ... wander!"

This seemed to strike a chord in Lilly, who raised her own eyebrow in response and said, "Carry on." She turned back to Kaela as Miley snuggled against her. "Kaela was just asking if we took turns opening doors for each other and things like that," she said to Miley, giving a Kaela a soft smile.

Miley took Lilly's left hand in her right hand, then she smiled at Kaela and said, "Pretty much. We both try to be really thoughtful with things like that. I mean, it's not like one of us has the 'boy' role and the other has the 'girl' role. We're both definitely girls," she said, giggling as Lilly did the same.

"Yeeeah, that they are," Jackson said as he started the car and began backing out of the driveway. As he was turned around, he saw Miley giving him a look. What? he mouthed to her, getting an intense glare from his sister. Miley then cut her eyes toward Kaela, then gave another stern look. Finally, she reached down and tugged on her dress. Jackson got the hint that time, and he just barely tipped his head to Miley. As he started the car down the road, he turned to Kaela and said, "You look beautiful tonight, Kaela. That outfit is really ... great." Miley rolled her eyes at her brother's choice of compliments, but she was pleased he tried.

Just a few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant Allegria. One of Malibu's best Italian restaurants, it was well-known for its romantic atmosphere. Jackson pulled up to the door, letting the girls climb out of the car. Before she got out of the car, Lilly turned to Miley and said, "Okay Miles, now you behave while I get out of this car. Remember, Kaela is right here, and we don't want to scandalize her."

Miley grinned, knowing that Lilly's miniskirt would give her a very tempting view as Lilly climbed out of the car. She said, "I promise not to do anything too scandalous," trying her best to keep an innocent look on her face. Lilly's look of disbelief told her that her effort fell short of the mark.

Lilly looked over Miley's shoulder and said, "Oh no! Is that Amber and Ashley?" As Miley turned to look, Lilly shot out of the car, nearly falling in her haste. Catching herself, she stood and smoothed out her miniskirt.

Miley gave her lover a glare at being tricked, getting laughter in return from both Kaela and Lilly. "Nice trick, Truscott," she grumbled as she got out herself. Lilly stepped over and extended her right hand; when Miley took it, Lilly helped her get out of the car. "Thank you, sweetie," Miley said, not releasing Lilly's hand. Miley turned to Kaela and said, "Kaela, if we ever make you uncomfortable, please say something, 'kay?"

Lilly added, "Yeah, please. We're just so used to being around each other that it's second nature to be touching and holding each other, but we realize that it's probably different that what you're used to seeing."

Kaela's face was neutral as she said, "No, it's cool. It is a bit different, but the whole school knows you two are nuts for each other, and it really doesn't bother me." She turned to look at Jackson, who was walking over to them. "Hopefully your brother will keep my eyes occupied," she said, with a sly grin on her face. That comment got a brief double-take from Miley and prompted Lilly to say quietly, "You work it, Kaela! The way you look tonight, Jackson's eyes are going to be all over you, that's for sure."

As Jackson the others, he opened the door, letting Kaela enter first with Lilly and Miley entering together. As Miley walked by Jackson, she surreptitiously gave him an A-OK sign, getting a grin from him in return. Kaela waited inside the lobby for Jackson, so Lilly and Miley walked up to the seating stand. "Stewart, party of four, reservations for ... now, I guess," Miley said, looking at her watch. The hostess checked her board, then she smiled and said, "Yes, right here. One of our most romantic tables. Follow me please." She took four menus, then she led them between the tables of the softly lit restaurant, the aroma of Italian food, bringing smiles to the faces of both Lilly and Jackson.

"That smells great, Miley," Lilly said as they led the way, holding hands as they walked between the tables, Lilly leading the way and Miley right behind her. As they reached the table, Lilly pulled out a chair then moved to the side. Miley said, "Thank you, sweetie," giving Lilly a smile as she sat. Jackson did the same for Kaela, getting a "Thank you" and a smile for his efforts. Lilly went ahead and took her seat on Miley's right, with Kaela on her right and Jackson directly across the table from her. The hostess gave everyone a menu, then she disappeared. After a minute, a waitress arrived at their table. "Hi, my name's Allison, and I'll be your server tonight." She placed a glass of water in front of everyone, then she took their drink orders. When she left, they went to work deciding what everyone was getting to eat.

Miley said, "I think I'll get the chicken marsala. How about you, Lil?"

Lilly said, "Your old standby, huh?" Miley grinned sheepishly, and Lilly said, "I know how much you love that, hon. I think I'll try this Tuscan mixed grill. It sounds really good." She folded her menu, placing it under Miley's on the table.

Jackson opted for lasagna, while Kaela went with the chicken and grilled vegetables. Miley and Lilly made eye contact at Kaela's order, recognizing it as a "safe" first choice on a date: not too messy, not giving the impression of eating too much, and implying that eating healthy was a prime consideration. Jackson's selection of lasagna met none of those three criteria, but then he was a boy, blissfully unaware of such concerns.

While the two couples waited on their food, they found out a bit more about each other. Kaela and her mother had moved from Washington state for her mom's work as a fiber optic network specialist. The move to California gave her mother better pay, more time with Kaela, and much fewer emergency calls. Kaela missed her friends, whom she had grown up with, but she was slowly trying to make a few new friends at Seaview High.

When the meals arrived, Kaela indulged and allowed herself to ask the question she had been wanting to ask for the entire evening. "So, Miley, Lilly, how did you two start, you know, seeing each other?"

The two girls looked at each other, then Lilly started. "Well, we had been best friends for several years beforehand. We both had just kind of fallen in love with each other, but we were both scared to tell each other."

Miley said, "We both went on dates and had a few boyfriends, but none of them really felt right. We felt better and had more fun with each other than we did with any of them." She looked at Lilly, then took her hand as it rested on top of the table. "Then one night, we went to a party together, and it was like we had this connection, deeper than what we already had, and we were just starting to realize it."

Lilly looked lovingly at Miley as she said, "Miley sang a song at the party, and while she was singing it, she kept looking at me with this look that just heated me up inside. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that she had feelings for me like I had for her, and I knew I had to tell her how I felt."

Miley then took over again, adding, "When we got to my house that night, because Lilly was spending the night with me, she just passed out on my bed. I went to move her over, and she started flirting with me."

Lilly said, "I believe my words were, 'Come get me warm, Miles.' And you hopped right in when I said it."

Miley nodded, grinning. "Oh yeah! I couldn't let that pass, not when I had been having nightmares about..." Miley paused, a flash of fear crossing her face so fast that Lilly was the only one who really noticed it. "About you being gone. So when we snuggled up, Lilly looked at me with this look that was just unreadable, then she leaned forward and kissed me."

"And then we told each other how we felt," Lilly finished, kissing Miley's right hand as she finished. By previous agreement, the girls made no mention of the dream about Miley's mother that had followed their first night together as a couple in love. Those dreams remained secrets, known only to the two girls.

Miley turned to Kaela and asked, "So, Kaela, what in the world possessed you to go out with my brother?" Jackson said, "Hey!" but talking around a mouth stuffed full of lasagna failed to get much attention.

Kaela said, "Well, it was my second day at Seaview, and I got totally lost. Jackson happened by and helped my find my class. He introduced himself, then in the next class we realized we had it together. We sat beside each other and things just sort of grew from there."

Jackson finally swallowed his mouthful of food, saying, "I thought Kaela was gorgeous to begin with, but I got to see she was really funny and pretty smart, too. The more I talked to her, the more I wanted to do stuff with her and spend time around her."

Miley smiled at her brother, pleased with his words. He really does like her, she thought. Good. Miley glanced at Lilly, smiling to communicate that she had a positive feeling about Kaela. Lilly smiled back, understanding Miley's intention and silently agreeing with her. "So, Kaela, what are you up for tonight?" Miley asked. "We were trying to think of something fun to do, but we're having trouble deciding. Got any suggestions?"

Author's Afterword: This is shaping up to be a loooong story. Consider yourself warned. But I'm looking forward to writing it. Expect lots of holiday fun and heaping helpings of Liley love, as well as a trip to Tennessee. As always, give me three or four days between updates; that usually gives me enough time to write the story, proofread it twice, and post it. Feel free to share your reviews, comments, and any mistakes I make so I can correct them.

-- Jo --