A/N: I apologize for not updating "Two Hearts" yet, but the muse would not be quieted on this one. I hope you all like it :)

HANNAH MONTANA

"A FISH TALE"

One fine day

Love came for me

When love was rare

As love can be

I saw stars

Shining in clear blue skies

We flow together

Once and forever

Love came for me…

- Rita Coolidge, "Love Came For Me"

Catalina Island

June 26, 1998

- Ten Years Ago -

"Momma, look!" Six year old Miley Stewart called out, pointing excitedly at something in the sparkling blue waters rushing by below. She and her family – her parents and her older brother Jackson – were traveling on the ferry from Catalina Island back to Long Beach, as their summer vacation together came to an end.

"What is it, honey?" her mother, Susan Stewart, responded.

"It looks like gold!" Miley exclaimed, pointing again at the water. Susan saw the brilliant golden rays of the afternoon sun shimmering on the ocean waves and smiled.

"That's the sun shining on the water, baby girl," she explained to her young daughter. "It's really pretty, isn't it?" Miley nodded, but didn't reply. To her, there seemed to be more than just sunlight making the water sparkle and shine. Her six year old mind couldn't explain it, but she just knew there was something there more magical and special than that.

"It's so pretty," Miley breathed. "I wish I could touch it!" She leaned forward slightly, stretching out her hand towards the water.

"Be careful," she heard her mother warn her. "You keep both your feet on the deck, all right?"

"Okay, momma," Miley answered quietly. Nevertheless, she found herself leaning out further than she was supposed to, eager to get closer to whatever sparkling, magical thing seemed to be hiding in the ocean's depths, winking at her from below. Suddenly, without warning, the railing Miley was leaning on cracked and gave way, sending the startled six year old plunging in the cool waters of the Pacific Ocean.

"MILEY!!!" Susan cried out in terror. Alarm bells began ringing all over the ferry as the ship's crew raced to rescue her.

Miley, meanwhile, thrashed about wildly as she sank deep into the ocean's depths, desperately trying to fight her way back to the surface. Her lungs felt like they were ready to burst, and the terrible thought she might not survive seized her young mind.

Unexpectedly, Miley felt a soft pair of hands reach out and grab hers, and instantly she calmed down. Instantly, her need for air seemed to vanish. She expected to see her father, or maybe even her old brother, had come to her rescue… but instead, she saw a young girl about her age, with striking blue eyes and long, flowing blonde hair. The girl was holding both of Miley's hands in her own, flashing a wide, friendly smile. She wore a delicate necklace of silvery sea shells around her neck.

Miley couldn't talk of course, and neither could the strange girl, but somehow they didn't need to; everything that needed to said between the two was spoken by their shining eyes and matching grins. Floating there, hand in hand with the girl who had miraculously saved her life, Miley felt more comfortable and happy that she ever had in her so far short life.

Abruptly, something large and heavy splashed down into the water nearby, jolting the two young girls apart. A strong arm wrapped itself around Miley's waist and began tugging her towards the surface. She didn't really want to go, but she knew she didn't have much of a choice. She took one last, longing look at the beautiful blonde haired girl and then she was being thrust above the surface of the ocean and pulled back aboard the ferry.

"Sweetie, are you all right?!" Susan Stewart called out, wrapping Miley in a fierce hug.

"I'm okay, momma," Miley said simply. She wanted to tell her mother what she'd seen underwater – who she'd seen – but she was certain no one would believe her. Part of her wasn't sure she hadn't imagined it. In the end, she decided to say nothing.

As the ferry got underway again, the mysterious blonde-haired girl peeked above the surface for a brief moment, staring at the boat that was taking her new friend away. Blinking back tears, she dove beneath the waves again and disappeared…

Seaview High School

Malibu, California

- Present Day -

The final bell rang at Seaview High School, signaling the end of another school day. A throng of excited teenagers quickly began to spill outside, anxious to enjoy their sudden freedom. Not everyone was quite so eager, though.

In another part of the school, sixteen year old Miley Ray Stewart walked slowly to her locker to grab the books she would need for her homework that night, silently grateful for the end of another day. Her last class, history, had been brutal, and tomorrow she was facing a very difficult test. She knew what her father would say if she failed another test, but she honestly didn't believe she could avoid it, even with a whole night of study.

"Hey, Miley," a friendly voice called out. Miley looked up to see her friend Oliver standing in his usual place by her locker, smiling widely.

"Hey, Ollie," Miley responded, smiling back. "We meet again, huh?"

"That's kinda what happens when you have lockers right next to each other," Oliver quipped. "You okay? You seem kinda down today." Miley shrugged.

"Ah, just the usual… another big test," she muttered.

"You shouldn't let it bother you so much," Oliver said carefully. "I'm sure you'll do fine, you just need to study tonight."

"I'll try," Miley replied, though she didn't really believe it. "What about you, Ollie?"

"Me?" Oliver answered, smiling again. "I'll get by like I always do. Besides, I've got a date with Ashley tonight. We're gonna go see that new horror movie."

"You just want her holding on to you for dear life," Miley said with a knowing smirk.

"Maybe," Oliver said teasingly. "Anyway, I gotta get going. See you tomorrow, Miley!" He closed his locker and walked away, pausing for a moment to turn and before he disappeared into the distance. Gathering up her books, Miley closed her own locker and started walking home.

In truth, Miley had always struggled with history, but lately school seemed to be even harder for her… perhaps because she still didn't quite feel like she belonged there. Oliver was one of her few friends, and they weren't very close. In fact, she wasn't close friends with anyone. Miley supposed it was because she seemed so quiet, so distant, but she could hardly be blamed for that. She was in a new town, attending a new school, and still just trying to find a place where she belonged.

Just a few years before, her mother had been killed in a terrible car accident, and Miley suddenly found her life turned upside down. Though the wounds no longer ached quite as badly as they once did, losing her mother had left a hole in her heart that had still not healed... and perhaps never would. Her father, Robbie Ray, had moved the family to a new house in a new neighborhood, and Miley faced the challenge of attending a completely new school as well. Still dealing with her mother's death, trying to start over in a place where she hardly knew anyone, there were times when Miley truly felt lost.

"Hey, bud," Robbie Ray greeted his daughter as she walked into their house a few minutes later. "How was school?"

"It was all right, daddy," Miley replied softly. "I've got a big history test tomorrow, though." Robbie Ray nodded understandingly.

"I remember those tests," he said sympathetically. "Sounds like you're gonna need to hit the books."

"Yeah," Miley agreed.

"Are you okay bud?" Robbie Ray asked carefully. Miley nodded slowly.

"Just… missing momma a lot," she admitted sadly. Robbie Ray walked over to her and wrapped his arms around his daughter in a warm hug.

"I miss her too, darlin'… I miss her too."

"Thank you, daddy," Miley whispered. "I love you."

"I love you too, bud," Robbie Ray said softly. They parted a few moments later and Robbie Ray started to walk back towards the kitchen, where he had been getting ready to make dinner.

"Oh, by the way… Jake called again," he said over his shoulder. Miley grimaced.

"We kind of… broke up today," she muttered. Robbie Ray looked over at her.

"I'm sorry, bud," he said gently.

"I'm not," Miley replied, anger creeping into her voice. "Jake always cared more about his ego than he did me. Now they can be happy together!" Jake Ryan was the captain of the football team at Seaview High, and had been Miley's boyfriend until just a few hours ago. Every girl in school wanted to be with him… and he knew it. He never let anyone forget it either.

"I take it you were the one breaking up with him then," Robbie Ray said with a small smile. Miley nodded slowly.

"Yeah," she said simply. "He took it about as well as I expected." Which, for Jake Ryan, was utter disbelief that anyone would want to break up with him; Miley was less than concerned.

"Well, you deserve better anyway, bud," Robbie Ray said honestly. Miley smiled.

"Thanks, daddy," she said. "Well, I guess I better start my homework."

"Good luck, bud; I'll let you know when dinner's ready."

Later that night, long after everyone in Malibu was fast asleep, a lone figure slipped quietly out of the ocean waves not far from Miley's house. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her bare shoulders, while her pale blue eyes peered uncertainly into the darkness. In one hand she held the tattered remains of a newspaper article, showing a sad-eyed young girl with long brown hair and her family. Beneath their picture was a simple, chilling caption: 'MALIBU WOMAN KILLED IN TRAGIC ACCIDENT'.

The young blonde didn't necessarily under all of it, but it was the picture that interested her anyway; in particular, the young brown haired girl in the picture. It had been years since she had seen them last, but the blonde recognized her eyes… those piercing blue eyes… and was determined to find their owner again; the one who held the other half of her soul.

She started to make her way down the beach, wondering just how she was going to find the other girl, when suddenly a blinding white light shone in her eyes.

"What are you doing out here all alone, young lady?" a deep voice called out. It belonged to a policeman, who frowned at her from underneath his patrolman's hat.

"Wait a minute, where are your clothes?" he practically shouted, finally noticing that she wasn't wearing anything. The girl could only smile, not having the slightest idea how to respond.

"Can't you talk?" the policeman continued. When the girl simply shook her head, he reached out to grab her arm. She jerked back, startled.

"Don't worry, I'm gonna help you," he said carefully. "I'll take you someplace safe, okay?" Something about him seemed trustworthy, and the girl really didn't know what else to do, so she calmly let the policeman lead her away.

The mysterious blonde-haired girl eventually found herself at a small orphanage nearby, run by a kindly lady named Mrs. Edison. The girl was given clothes to wear, food to eat and a warm bed to sleep in. She was also given something she had never had before: an English name.

"All right Lilly," Mrs. Edison called out softly. "You get a good night's sleep and tomorrow we'll see if we can't figure out where you come from, okay?" Lilly smiled and nodded and Mrs. Edison smiled back. Then she flipped off the lights in the room, closed the door and slowly walked away, leaving Lilly alone.

"Lil-ly," she whispered to herself, trying out her new name for the first time. It sounded strange to her ears, but she decided she liked it. "Lil-ly," she said again, smiling.

Looking around the small room she was in, she soon noticed what appeared to be a small black and gray box lying on the nightstand near her bed. She carefully picked it up and began to run her fingers over it, wondering what sort of amazing thing it was. Quite by accident, one of her fingers hit the large red button at the top of the box… and suddenly, the television across from her bed flickered on. Lilly jumped and nearly dropped the little box she'd picked up.

"Tonight on the Eleven O'Clock News… President-Elect Obama and President Bush meet for the first time at the White House!" the announcer's voice called out. Lilly cocked her head to one side, listening to the words. She didn't entirely understand them, but they were interesting nonetheless. A commercial flashed on the screen a few moments later, advertising some kind of toothpaste. It showed a young boy and girl – presumably brother and sister – arguing over a tube of the stuff. Fascinated, Lilly reached out her hand towards the glowing tv screen. There was no way she could actually touch it – it was all the way across the room – but she was utterly transfixed by it anyway.

"…let me try!" the little boy on the screen cried out. "Mom!!"

"Mom," Lilly repeated, trying out the sound of the word.

"Try new Colgate Winter-Fresh Gel!" the narrator announced.

"Col-gate," Lilly said slowly, trying carefully to pronounce the new word. It was definitely more difficult than the last, but she managed. Tentatively, she reached out and pressed another button on the box – a remote control, although Lilly had no way of knowing that – and the channel changed. She jumped again, but a smile soon crept across her face when she heard music coming from the television. It was like nothing she'd ever heard before, but she instantly knew she loved it. The young woman on the tv screen – blonde like her – was dancing and singing energetically, aided by a group of backup dancers. Grinning widely, Lilly began mimicking the dance movies as best she could, though she was still lying in bed. Soon, she began to sing, softly and haltingly.

"Li-fe's… what you… ma-ke it… so let's… ma-ke it ro-ck…!"

By morning, Lilly had watched enough television to be able to speak English very well, if not fluently. Eager to continue her search for the one who held the other half of her soul, she waited until just after breakfast and then crept out of her bedroom window. Taking a last, long look at the orphanage, she quickly snuck away, the newspaper clipping safely hidden in her pocket.

Lilly knew it was going to be a long and difficult search. She knew almost nothing about the world of humans, and even less about where she might be able to find the brown haired girl, but she refused to give up. Still, she had picked up enough from the television to realize that the one she was searching for had to be in a school somewhere, so she decided to pay a careful visit to each of the schools in Malibu, hoping to somehow catch sight of the girl she sought.

It was nearly lunchtime when Lilly crept near Seaview High School, and she was beginning to feel as though she might never find the brown-haired girl she longed for. She had been to three schools so far, and her soulmate was nowhere to be found. Carefully and quietly, Lilly made her way around the fenced-in field surrounding the school, searching for any signs of the one she sought. A bell rang in the distance, and a crowd of teenagers surged out of their classrooms to begin their lunch break. Most of them made their way to a covered area outside, where various tables had been set up for them to relax and eat their lunch. As hard as she tried though, Lilly couldn't see the brown haired girl anywhere.

Then, abruptly, the crowd of teenagers seemed to part, and Lilly caught sight of a girl with long brown hair sitting alone at one of the tables, peering at an open book… and somehow, she just knew. Even though she couldn't see the other girl's face, Lilly felt the unspoken connection between them surging through her entire body, and knew that she had at last found the one she loved. Then the girl turned around, revealing her face at last, and Lilly drew in a sharp breath. Never in her life had she seen anything – or anyone – so beautiful. Delicate long brown hair cascaded down around her face, and her sapphire blue eyes – the eyes Lilly remembered so well – sparkled softly. Her perfect pink lips were pursed in thought, and in that moment Lilly would have given anything to kiss them.

Taking a deep breath, forcibly tearing her gaze away from the one she had waited so long for, Lilly quickly and carefully climbed over the fence. Then, heart beating in her chest, she slowly began walking towards the table the brown haired girl was sitting at. Halfway there, she noticed she was practically the only person at the school not eating something.

Right… it's lunchtime here! Maybe I should try to do what everyone else is doing…

The only problem, she realized, was that she didn't have any way of actually getting any food. She certainly didn't have any of the money humans were always using to buy things. Then she noticed a tray of food on another table nearby, and its owner seemed to be away at the moment. It wasn't exactly honest, but Lilly was desperate. She wasn't going to back out now, not when she was finally so close to the one she'd longed for.

Making sure no one was looking, Lilly quickly snatched the tray of food from the empty table and hurried away. Pretending it was her own, she continued walking towards the brown haired girl. Behind her, she could hear the tray's former owner loudly complaining when he discovered his food was suddenly gone.

"What the hell…? Who took my food?!"

Meanwhile, Miley was eating a quiet lunch alone, struggling to study just a little bit more for her upcoming test. She was still certain she was going to fail her history test, but she figured a little extra studying couldn't hurt. When a shadow suddenly fell across the open pages of her textbook, Miley realized someone was standing behind her, and she automatically assumed it was Jake, still trying to get her to change her mind. She irritably turned to confront him.

"Listen Jake, I told you…!" Her mouth dropped open when she saw it wasn't Jake at all, but a striking blonde-haired girl about her age, holding a tray of food and smiling shyly at her.

"Oh gosh, I'm sorry!" Miley gasped. "I thought you were someone else," she added sheepishly.

"That's okay," the girl said softly. "I was just gonna ask if I could sit here."

"Oh, um… sure, if you want to," Miley answered. The girl flashed a radiant smile and sat down at the table beside Miley. She had long, flowing blonde hair which cascaded down over her shoulders. Her eyes were a pale, sparkling blue, like the color of the sea. She wore a bright yellow long sleeved blouse and faded blue jeans. For reasons she didn't quite understand, Miley found herself unable to take her eyes off the newcomer for several long moments.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," the girl continued. "You just looked like you could use a friend. Oh, my name's Lilly, by the way." Her words seemed to snap Miley back to reality.

"I'm Miley," she managed. "Miley Stewart."

"It's great to meet you, Miley," Lilly said enthusiastically. "That's a really pretty name." Miley felt herself blush.

What the heck?! Why am I blushing… just because she likes my name?

"Thanks, Lilly," Miley replied, and her lips curved upward in a smile of her own. "It's nice to meet you too."

"Watcha doing there?" Lilly asked, noticing the open textbook. She craned her neck to see it. "Oh, history, huh?" Are you studying or something?" She scanned the contents of her stolen tray of food for a moment, then snatched a french fry and quickly devoured it.

"Yeah," Miley admitted. "I have a big test later today, and I just know I'm not gonna pass…!"

"Want some help?" Lilly suggested. Miley looked at her, taken slightly aback by the question, but something about Lilly made her feel comfortable almost at once.

"Okay," Miley said, smiling again. "I could really use some help, actually."

'Great!" Lilly said happily. She slid a little closer to Miley, and the brunette girl felt herself tense slightly.

What the sam hill is wrong with me?! Miley wondered to herself.

"So, what chapter are you studying?" Lilly asked her.

"Uh… Chapter 4, the fall of Rome," Miley responded, sounding slightly distracted.

"Okay," Lilly said, picking up the textbook. "I'll ask you a question and you tell me the answer, okay?" Smiling despite herself, Miley nodded.

Lilly was waiting for Miley when she emerged from her history class later that day, and grinned as Miley ran over to her. They had studied together throughout lunch, and Lilly had hoped their work together would help Miley through the test she had been dreading.

"Lilly, I passed! I passed!!" Miley shouted excitedly as she ran up to her new friend. Lilly smiled warmly.

"I knew you could do it, Miley," Lilly said happily.

"Thanks to you," Miley replied warmly. Without really thinking about it, she wrapped her arms around Lilly and pulled her into a hug. The blonde girl's eyes fluttered shut, a joyful smile on her face.

"That's what friends are for," Lilly said softly.

"Really?" Miley replied, pulling back slightly to look at Lilly.

"I mean, if you want to be friends," Lilly hastily corrected herself. Miley grinned widely.

"Yes," she said happily. "I'd really like that, Lilly."

"Friends, then," Lilly said with a smile.

"Hey, want to come over to my house after school?" Miley asked her, grinning widely.

"Sure," Lilly answered, trying to contain her excitement.

"Great!" Miley exclaimed. "I want you to meet my dad!"

"We've known each other all of three hours and already you want me to meet your parents?" Lilly teased. "You move fast, Stewart."

Just… just my dad, actually," Miley said softly. "My mom… passed away a few years ago." She couldn't believe she was telling Lilly this already, but something about the blonde girl just made Miley feel like she could trust her.

"I'm so sorry, Miley," Lilly whispered. "You must miss her so much." She squeezed Miley gently in the hug they were still sharing.

"Thanks, Lilly," Miley whispered back. She smiled gratefully.

"Well, how about we get out this kid prison while we still can?" Lilly suggested. Miley laughed and nodded.

"Let me just drop a few things off in my locker first," she replied. The two new friends walked off together, hand in hand, and for the first time since she moved to Malibu, Miley felt truly happy.

"Hey, daddy!" Miley called out as she and Lilly walked through the front door of her house a short while later. Robbie Ray was sitting on the couch in the living room, watching television.

"How'd you do on your big test, bud?" he asked his daughter.

"Great!" Miley responded, hurrying over to him. "I actually passed!"

"That's great, Miles," Robbie Ray said with a smile. "I'm proud of you."

"It's all because of my new friend!" Miley continued. She practically pulled Lilly up beside her. "Daddy, this is Lilly."

"Nice to meet you, Lilly," Robbie Ray greeted her. "Sounds like you're one heck of a friend." Lilly smiled, blushing a little.

"I guess," she said shyly.

"Well, Miley's never really brought a friend home before, so I think that says something," Robbie Ray responded with a friendly smile. "You're welcome to stay for dinner if you like, Lilly." Lilly looked over at Miley and smiled.

"I'd like that," she said happily.

"Well, I hope you like ribs then," he said, standing up. "I was just gettin' ready to throw some on the grill."

"Sounds awesome," Lilly replied. "Thanks, Mr. S!"

"Daddy, is it okay if Lilly and I go out on the beach for a bit?" Miley asked.

"Sure, bud; I'll call you when dinner's ready."

"I didn't bring a suit or anything," Lilly said hurriedly. "Besides, I'm not a very good swimmer, and…"

"Take it easy," Miley said with a laugh. "We don't have to go swimming; we can just go hang out."

"Oh, all right," Lilly responded. "That sounds great." She smiled again, the same radiant smile she'd given when Miley earlier, and Miley felt her insides go flip-flop.

Sweet niblets… what is wrong with me?!

"Come on," Lilly said, taking Miley's hand in her own. "Let's get started with the hanging out!" Miley couldn't help but grin.

"All right," she said softly. We'll be back, daddy!" Hand in hand, the two friends walked out the sliding glass door on the Stewart's back patio and then down onto a quiet stretch of sandy beach.

"So are you new at school?" Miley asked as they walked along the beach together. "I don't think I've seen you before…"

"Yeah, I am," Lilly said quietly. "I just started this week. I was hoping I might make a friend, but I never dreamed I'd meet the nicest, prettiest girl at school." Miley blinked.

"You don't… actually think all that about me, do you?" she managed to ask. Lilly grinned and nodded.

"Absolutely; who else would invite me to their house the first day we met?" she asked brightly.

"Well, I…" Miley swallowed. Something about the way Lilly was looking at her was making it difficult to speak.

"I like you, Lilly," she finally managed to say. "No one's ever been as nice to me as you have." Lilly smiled.

"I like you too, Miley… a lot." She paused for a moment. "I hope I don't make you uncomfortable when I say that." Miley shook her head.

"No… kinda the opposite, I think," she admitted shyly. Grinning, Lilly rested her head gently on Miley's shoulder.

"Hey, have you ever made a sand castle?" Lilly suddenly asked eagerly.

"Well, not in a long time…" Miley hesitated.

"Let's make one together then," Lilly suggested with a smile. "Come on, it'll be fun!"

"All right," Miley relented, smiling shyly. "I'm not very good at it, though…!"

"You'll be fine," Lilly promised her, smiling back. "Trust me…"

"What in the world were you two doing?" Robbie Ray asked with a smile as Miley and Lilly walked back inside for dinner sometime later. Both girls' clothes were covered with sand.

"We were making a sand castle, daddy," Miley answered simply.

"Must've been some sand castle," Robbie Ray quipped.

"You shoulda seen it, Mr. S," Lilly said enthusiastically. "I swear, it must've been ten feet tall!" Robbie Ray laughed.

"Well I'm glad you had fun; why don't you two go get cleaned up a little and I'll get dinner on the table." Two heads – one blonde, the other brunette – nodded, and Robbie Ray, grinning, went to go remove the rest of the ribs from the grill.

"That was so much fun," Miley whispered to Lilly as they hurried upstairs together. "I swear, I haven't done anything like that since I was a kid!"

"You're only as old as you feel, you know," Lilly said with a smile. They walked into Miley's private bathroom, where they quickly began to clean themselves up. Once they had brushed off most of the clinging sand, they took a moment to wash their hands as well.

"I really had a good time, Miley," Lilly said shyly.

"Me too, Lils," Miley replied, smiling as well. "We definitely have to do that again!"

"Anytime you want, Miles," Lilly said softly. She reached out and gently entwined her soapy fingers with Miley's in the stream of warm water coming from the faucet. The sensations caused by the simple touch made Miley shiver. She looked down at their entwined fingers, then up again at Lilly. Slowly, a smile made its way onto her face.

"I hope so," she said softly.

Back downstairs, everyone gathered together to enjoy the delicious dinner Robbie Ray had made. Miley introduced Lilly to her older brother Jackson at the dinner table, and grimaced as her brother wasted no time trying some of his usual lines on her new friend. She'd heard his terrible attempts at impressing girls on more than few occasions, but hearing him try them on Lilly caused Miley to feel something she was certain she'd never felt before… jealousy.

Why the heck am I jealous?! She wondered to herself. It's not like Jackson has a chance in h-e-double hockey sticks, so why are his stupid come-ons bothering me so much? She didn't even realize how tense she'd become as a result until she suddenly felt Lilly's hand brush hers under the table. Miley looked up to see Lilly smiling at her.

"Don't worry," Lilly whispered to her. "You're the only one at this table I'm interested in."

"Good," Miley said with a little grin.

Wait, what did she just say? What am I saying?! This is crazy… I can't… I can't… like Lilly like that! Can I?

"You okay, bud?" Robbie Ray asked, noticing the apparent distress on his daughter's face.

"What? Oh, yeah!" Miley exclaimed, catching herself. "These are really great ribs, dad."

"Glad you like them, bud," Robbie Ray said with a small smirk.

"Hey dad, do you think Lilly could spend the night on Friday?" Miley found herself suddenly asking.

"I don't see why not," Robbie Ray replied. "If she wants to."

"I'd really like that," Lilly said honestly. She gently squeezed the hand she was still holding under the table.

"Great!" Miley said happily. At that moment, Friday suddenly seemed very far away…

Much later, as midnight cloaked Malibu in darkness, Lilly crept down to the beach once again. She had nowhere else to go, but at least she could be close to the water again. She hated having to lie to Miley though, even to protect her secret. She'd had to convince her new friend that she had no phone at home – something she also didn't have – and that was why they'd have to wait until tomorrow at school to talk again. Lilly realized she'd also have to find a way to pretend to be a student at Seaview High School, but it would be worth it to be close to Miley.

Sitting down carefully at the edge of the water, Lilly slipped off her shoes and socks. Then, when she was certain no one was around, she quickly shed the rest of her clothes as well and dipped her bare feet into the cool surf. The water splashed up around her, and suddenly her human legs vanished… only to be replaced by the long, shiny green tail and fins of a mermaid.

Three days passed, and Miley and Lilly quickly became close friends. In just a very short amount of time, they were soon inseparable, doing anything and everything they could together. By the time Friday finally arrived, Miley was so excited she could hardly stand it.

Lilly walked home with Miley after school, like they always did, and then enjoyed another wonderful dinner with her and her family. Afterwards, they went up to Miley's room together, put on their pajamas and sat down to watch a movie together. Fortunately, Lilly had been able to 'borrow' the clothes they'd given her in the orphanage, so she actually had something else to change into.

"So what do you wanna watch, Lils?" Miley asked her. Lilly had never actually seen a movie, but the title of one in particular in Miley's collection caught her attention.

"How about this one?" she suggested, pointing to The Little Mermaid.

"That's one of my favorites," Miley admitted shyly.

"Great," Lilly said with a grin. She handed it to Miley, who put in the player and settled back to enjoy it. Smiling, Lilly slid up beside her, resting her head on Miley's shoulder and wrapping one arm around her best friend. She heard Miley draw in a soft breath.

"Is this okay?" she asked carefully. Miley nodded.

"It's fine," she said softly. "Just, uh… don't move, okay?"

"What?" Lilly replied, not understanding.

"I mean, I uh… I just w-want to stay like this," Miley stammered. Lilly smiled.

"I'm not going anywhere," she promised sweetly. They laid there together, in each other's arms, and watched the movie. Lilly decided she liked the film's spunky heroine, Ariel, and prayed that she too could find her happily ever after. As she watched Ariel and her Prince kiss, ending the movie, Lilly unconsciously began to move her arm up Miley's body.

"Uh, Lilly?" Miley squeaked. "What are you doing?" Lilly turned to look at her friend and noticed what she had done.

"Oh, sorry," she said sheepishly. She started to pull her arm away, but Miley stopped her.

"It's okay, really," Miley said softly. "You didn't do anything wrong, Lils; you just caught me by surprise." The love and honestly shining in Miley's eyes made Lilly's heart ache. Unable to stand it, she looked away.

"Miley?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah, Lils?" Miley responded.

"Have you ever… really, really liked someone… but were afraid they didn't feel the same way?" Lilly whispered.

"Yeah," Miley answered simply, her own voice sounding slightly strangled. "Yeah, I have."

"What did you do?" Lilly asked her.

"Well… my momma always taught me that if you want something, you should ask," Miley said softly. Lilly turned to look at her again, and this time she saw it; what she'd been waiting for. Reflected in Miley's shimmering blue eyes was the same love and desire Lilly was also feeling, and she knew it was waiting for her and her alone. She didn't question the moment; she just accepted it. Reaching up, she threaded her fingers through Miley's long chestnut hair and pulled her down into a soft, sweet kiss. Miley kissed her back, pressing her lips firmly against Lilly's as she pulled her blonde haired best friend closer, their bodies melding together. Miley moaned softly, and Lilly felt a jolt pass through her body. After a few long, blissful moments, the need for air forced them to part.

"Wow," Miley breathed.

"I love you," Lilly whispered, and she knew she meant the words with every beat of her heart. Looking at Lilly, seeing the love and desire reflected in the depths of her fierce blue eyes, Miley felt her heart beat in kind, and knew without a doubt that she felt the same way.

"I love you too, Lilly," she said softly. Their lips met again, and were joined by eagerly roaming and gently caressing hands. Miley hissed in pleasure when she felt one of Lilly's hands begin to slip under her pajama top, teasing its way across her stomach. Then the delicately questing hand began to roam higher, until it found the satiny material of Miley's bra. Miley's eyes snapped open, her entire body going rigid.

"Lilly…" she managed.

"Do you… want me to stop?" Lilly asked her carefully. Miley thought about it for a moment, then emphatically shook her head.

"No," she said softly. "It's just… I've never… with anyone…" The words Miley sought didn't seem to want to come.

"I haven't either," Lilly admitted. "I'm as nervous as you are, Miley… but I want this… with you; only with you." Miley swallowed, her mouth suddenly very dry. There was no doubting how she felt though, and what her heart was telling her. Very carefully, she sat up and pulled her pajama top off over her head. Then her hands went for the clasp of her bra, and Lilly sucked in a breath. Closing her eyes, Miley slipped the garment off and tossed it aside. She opened them again to find Lilly staring at her in rapture.

"You're so beautiful," she breathed.

"Lilly… I…" Miley had difficulty forming the words. "I want to… see you too…" Lilly smiled shyly.

"Only for you," she whispered, and began unbuttoning her own pajama top. She let it fall to the ground, and a few moments later her plain white bra joined it. Then there were no more words, as their arms and lips found each other again. Lilly's fingers found the waistband of Miley's pajama bottoms, Miley responded in kind, and soon the rest of their clothes were shed as well, as the two young women continued to make love.

Morning sunlight streamed in through Miley's bedroom, illuminating the two young women still lying in each other's tender embrace. The light fell across Lilly's face and she moaned softly. A moment later she slowly opened her eyes.

"Who turned the lights on?" she muttered groggily. Then she remembered where she was, and carefully looked over at the beautiful young woman still sleeping soundly in her arms. A joyful smile lit up her face. Reaching up, she gently brushed a strand of curly chestnut hair away from Miley's face and drew a soft finger slowly down over Miley's cheek.

"I knew it was you," she whispered. "I knew you were the one." She leaned forward and gently kissed the woman she loved with all her heart. Miley's eyes slowly opened.

"Hi," Lilly whispered shyly.

"Hey you," Miley whispered back. "Awake already?"

"Just now," Lilly replied. "I think I've found a new favorite hobby, though."

"What's that?" Miley asked with a smile.

"Watching you sleep," Lilly said softly. "Do you know how beautiful you are?" Miley blushed deeply. Smiling, Lilly pulled Miley close and kissed her softly.

"I love you, Miley… so much."

"I love you too, Lilly," Miley breathed. "Last night was… beyond words."

"For me too," Lilly admitted. "Still is," she quipped, reveling in the feel of Miley's soft, warm skin against hers.

"So what does this mean for us now?" Miley asked carefully.

"I'd like it to mean we're together now," Lilly replied. She dropped her voice to a whisper. "I don't ever want to let you go, Miley."

"You won't ever have to," Miley whispered back. She smiled, and they kissed again.

Lilly ended up staying the whole weekend with Miley, who managed to keep the depths of their new relationship a secret from everyone else. Not that she was ashamed of it, because she was most certainly not. She just felt like keeping Lilly all to herself, at least for a little while.

On Saturday afternoon, Miley and Lilly decided to go hang out at the mall together. Mostly they just window shopped, checking out the latest fashions and wishing they had the money to buy them, but it was each other's company that was most important to the two young lovers; what they happened to be doing together was nowhere near as important.

"Hungry Lils?" Miley asked after a little while. Lilly's stomach growled in response, and she blushed politely.

"I'll take that as a yes," Miley laughed. "Come on, let's get some lunch at the food court. Do you like McDonald's?"

"Sure," Lilly replied, though she really had no idea what a "McDonald's" was.

"Great!" Miley said happily. "I've got just enough money to buy us both some lunch!" Hand in hand, they walked to the food court, where Miley ordered them both cheeseburger Happy Meals. Afterwards they found a small table where they could be by themselves and sat down to enjoy their lunch together.

"What's this?" Lilly asked, holding up the small toy that was also in the box –a small Barbie doll figurine with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a brilliant red dress.

"Um… it's a toy, Lils," Miley answered, not quite understanding the question. "Looks like a Barbie doll."

"She's beautiful!" Lilly replied, gently running a finger over the doll's long blonde hair. "Can I keep her?"

"Sure," Miley laughed. "You know, she even kinda looks like you, Lils… but you're much more beautiful." Lilly blushed.

"Not as beautiful as you," she said playfully. She reached out and found Miley's hand under the table. Miley smiled and carefully entwined her fingers with Lilly's.

"Miley?" an unexpected voice called out. Miley groaned, recognizing it instantly. She turned slightly to see her ex-boyfriend Jake Ryan standing behind her.

"What do you want, Jake?" Miley asked irritably. He was the last person she wanted to see. "I told you, it's over."

"Look," Jake said hesitantly. "I know I was a jerk, okay?"

"That's putting it mildly," Miley growled. "Jake, I don't want to talk about it anymore, okay? We're through… accept it."

"I know you don't mean that," Jake continued. "I'm willing to forgive and forget if you are."

"Just what do you think Miley needs to be forgiven for?" Lilly spoke up. Jake was really beginning to aggravate her; she didn't like the way he talked to Miley at all. Jake turned to look at her, frowning.

"This has nothing to do with you… whoever you are," he snapped.

"Leave her alone, Jake," Miley said threateningly.

"Hey, she's the one sticking her nose in other people's business!" Jake shouted. "I'm just trying to give you a second chance, and she butted into our conversation!"

"Don't you understand, she doesn't want you anymore!" Lilly shouted back, growing truly angry for the first time in her life. "She's found someone else, who'll treat her better than you ever could!"

"Oh yeah, who?" Jake scoffed. Then he looked down and noticed the way Miley and Lilly were holding hands, partially hidden by the table. He blinked.

"You can't be serious," he muttered. "You and… and… her?!" Lilly felt Miley tense beside her, and she immediately began to regret her outburst. To her surprise though, Miley didn't even try to deny their relationship.

"Yes, her," Miley repeated, her voice husky. "I love her, all right? More than I could ever or would ever love you… or anyone else. Now please… just leave, Jake."

"You're actually dumping Jake Ryan… for a girl?!" Jake spat in disbelief.

"No contest," Miley said, smiling grimly. "Now, for the last time Jake… leave, or I swear I'll call mall security!"

"Fine," Jake said in disgust. "You haven't heard the last of this though… I promise." He turned and stalked away. Once he was gone, Lilly turned to Miley.

"Miley, I'm sorry… I never meant to...!" Miley smiled and gently squeezed the hand she was still holding.

"It's okay, Lils. I love you… and I don't care what anyone thinks."

"Do you really mean that?" Lilly whispered in reply, joyful tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Miley nodded.

"With all my heart," she whispered back, and she quickly closed the distance between them to kiss her girlfriend gently.

In another part of the mall, just outside the food court in fact, the ever-arrogant Jake Ryan returned in defeat to the small group of friends waiting for him.

"So?" one of them asked, a tall boy with unruly dark brown hair and bulging muscles. Jake glared at him.

"Shut it, Gaston," he growled.

"She actually shut you down, huh?" the boy continued. "Maybe she's got some taste after all."

"Keep it up, Justin, and I'm gonna flatten you just like I do on the football field!" Jake thundered. The boy held up his hands in surrender.

"Take it easy, Jake," Justin replied calmly. "Honestly, I don't even know what you see in her."

"That's not the point," Jake muttered. "How could she dump me… for some girl?!" Justin looked like he was about to say something sarcastic, but he apparently changed his mind.

"So what are you going to do about it then?" he asked instead.

"What do you think?" Jake retorted. "I'm gonna find a way to ruin their little so-called relationship… and then maybe she'll think twice about turning down Jake Ryan!"

Later that night, Jake crept along the beach near Miley's house, intent on sneaking up to her home. He planned to spy on her, in hopes of finding something he could use to ruin her relationship with Lilly. He didn't know exactly what that might be, but he was confident he could find it.

As he drew near to the house however, he heard a faint splashing sound coming from the water nearby. As he crept closer to it, Jake thought he could make out what appeared to be a large fish, which had somehow beached itself in the wet sand. His mouth dropped open when he realized the so-called 'fish' was actually a woman… at least from the waist up.

"This can't be real," he muttered to himself. Suddenly, a piece of driftwood snapped noisily under his heel, and the mermaid – assuming Jake actually believed what he was seeing – darted into the waves and vanished. Before she did so, however, Jake was able to get a close enough look at her face for him to realize who she was.

"No way," he whispered into the darkness. "The high and mighty Miley Stewart… is in love with a fish?!" It didn't make any sense… unless Miley herself didn't know. Slowly, a cold, cruel smile worked its way onto Jake Ryan's mouth.

"Perfect," he said softly. He reached into his pocket, flipped open his cell phone and quickly dialed the person currently occupying the top of his contacts list. A moment later, a deep male voice answered.

"Dad?" Jake replied. "Do you think your museum would be interested in an exhibit… about a mermaid?" Jake's equally arrogant father, Samuel Ryan, was a powerful businessman in Southern California. Among other things, he sat on the Board of Directors for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

"I'm in no mood for jokes, Jacob," Mr. Ryan retorted.

"What if I prove it to you?" Jake continued. "If I show you a mermaid really does exist, would your museum be interested?"

"I'll tell you what," Mr. Ryan answered, an edge to his voice. "If you can prove this isn't some ridiculous teenage prank, you'll have my interest… and not until then." He hung up, and Jake found himself alone once again, wondering how in the world he was going to prove, to everyone, what he had discovered about Lilly.

Two days later, as another week began at Seaview High School, Lilly again snuck inside to be with Miley. She was getting almost used to it, but she was also beginning to wonder how much longer she could conveniently appear on campus without someone realizing she didn't belong there. As it was, having to lie to Miley was killing her. Sooner or later, she knew she was going to have to tell Miley the truth… and hope she would understand.

"Hey, Lils!" Miley called out happily as she walked out of her English class.

"Hey, Miles," Lilly said with a smile. She hugged her girlfriend warmly as Miley drew near.

"Miss me?" Miley teased.

"Always," Lilly whispered.

"So how was Geometry?" Miley asked her as they parted.

"Oh, you know, same ol' boring shapes and… shape-y stuff," she quipped. She cringed at how terrible the lie sounded.

"Are you okay, Lils?" Miley asked her, noticing the expression on her face.

"Yeah," Lilly tried to assure her.

"Something's bothering you," Miley said softly. It wasn't a question. "Come on Lilly, I know you too well." Even though they had only been together for a short while, they were already so close they could somehow sense what the other was thinking or feeling.

"I'm never gonna be able to hide anything from you, am I?" Lilly asked with a sheepish grin.

"Not any more than I can hide things from you," Miley responded sweetly. "I just want to help you Lilly, whatever it is." Lilly looked into the eyes of the young woman she loved so much, and the adoration and concern she saw reflected in them made her heart ache.

"Miley…" she managed, her voice barely above a whisper. "There's something I need to tell you." Sensing the feeling of dread washing over Miley, Lilly quickly added "I'm not leaving, I swear!" Swallowing, she took Miley's hands in her own.

"I promise, Miley; I'm yours forever… or as long as you'll have me." Miley smiled, tears filling her eyes.

"Forever then," she whispered. Lilly smiled gratefully back.

"I love you with all my heart Miley, and I'm never gonna stop… but I need to tell you something, okay? It's… it's really important."

"Whatever it is, you can tell me," Miley said softly.

"Not here," Lilly replied with a shake of her head.

"Okay," Miley answered understandingly. "Let's find someplace quiet then…"

"You want to do what?" Justin exclaimed, staring at Jake like he'd lost his mind. They were standing near the school gym, talking… though Justin was having a very hard time believing what his old friend was telling him.

"I'm telling you, all we have to do is get her wet!" Jake continued. "I read a couple books about it. She's got a tail in the water, and legs out of the water; all we have to do is get her wet, and everyone will see her for what she really is!"

"You're really serious about this, aren't you?" Justin replied, dropping his voice.

"I know what I saw, all right?" Jake muttered. "Now, are you with me or not?!"

"Okay, okay, just calm down," Justin answered. "I've always had your back, haven't I? I'm just not sure I believe all this…"

"Trust me, okay Justin? You'll see… everyone's gonna see."

"So what's your plan then?" Justin asked him cautiously.

"You know those buckets coach keeps in his office?" Jake replied with a question of his own. "The ones he uses at practice?" Justin nodded, still not understanding.

"We're gonna go borrow those, fill 'em with some water… and find a good place to give Miley's little girlfriend an unexpected bath!"

Meanwhile, Miley and Lilly were making their way to an isolated spot behind the gym, where they could safely talk. They had no way of knowing what Jake and Justin were up to, though Miley suspected Jake probably wasn't done causing trouble. For the moment though, their thoughts were only for each other.

Moments after they passed by the main entrance to the gym, Jake emerged from the same doorway, followed by Justin. He held two large buckets in his hands, both filled with cold water.

"Look!" he hissed. "There they are! Come on!" He crept around the side of the gym, trying his best to follow Miley and Lilly without being noticed. He saw them stop in a secluded corner in the back of the building and motioned for Justin to follow him.

"We'll get her now!" he almost shouted. "Go get all the guys, and anyone else you can find, and bring them here as quick as you can!" Justin looked for a moment like he was going to argue, but he simply nodded and ran off. Alone again, Jake crept slowly and carefully towards Miley and Lilly once more, ready to strike. He finally stopped just on the other side of them wall from them, where he set one bucket down on the ground and readied the other.

"All right, Miley… let's see how high and mighty you are now!" he whispered to himself, and then he sprang around the corner, hurling the contents of the bucket towards his would-be target. Unfortunately for Jake, just as he did so, another figure stepped suddenly in front of him, and was quickly drenched by his attack instead.

"What the hell?!" an angry female voice shouted. Jake looked up to see none other than Ms. Connors, the girls' basketball teacher, standing in front of him… very big, very tall, very wet and very angry!

"Ryan!! Is this your idea of a joke?!" she thundered.

"N-no, Ms. Connors, I swear!" Jake stammered. "It was just a simple mistake!"

"You wanna see a mistake, Ryan?!" Ms. Connors roared. Miley and Lilly, watching everything unfold in front of them with startled eyes, took the opportunity to make themselves scarce, not wanting to witness Ms. Connor's wrath. By the time Justin and the small crowd he had managed to gather arrived on the scene, there was nothing left for them to see… except star quarterback Jake Ryan lying flat on his back, soaking wet, with a rapidly swelling black eye.

"What was all that about?" Miley asked Lilly as they made hurried away from the gym.

"Beats me," Lilly replied, though she had a terrible suspicion. "All I know is, he ruined everything."

"No, he didn't," Miley insisted. "You can still tell me, Lils, I promise… but maybe we better wait until we get back to my house, in case Jake tries anything else."

"All right," Lilly said sadly. "I guess you're right."

"Hey, I like that," Miley said teasingly. "You should get used to saying those words!" Lilly grinned.

"Don't count on it," she said softly, and she entwined her fingers with Miley's once again.

"So what the heck happened?" Justin asked curiously. Jake all but ignored him.

"Never mind," he muttered, slogging through the school hallways, his shoes making wet squishy sounds with every step. "We're not done yet, okay?"

"What are you gonna do now?" Justin pressed him.

"I'll think of something," Jake replied thoughtfully. Suddenly, his eyes fell on the emergency fire hose stored near one of the school's fire alarms. It was sealed behind a pane of glass, but that was hardly an impenetrable barrier.

"Hey Jake," Justin called out. "There's your 'friends' now." He pointed down the hallway. Miley and Lilly were slowly walking in their direction, not knowing Jake and Justin were waiting for them just ahead.

"Perfect," Jake whispered. "Cover me." Using his elbow, Jake smashed through the glass and grabbed the fire hose from where it hung. He quickly turned the valve to start the flow of water and stepped up behind Justin.

"Are they close?" Jake whispered to him. Justin nodded.

"Whatever you're gonna do, just do it," he muttered. Jake nodded, and with a devilish grin, jumped out from behind his friend and sent a drenching spray down the small hallway. Unlike his previous attempt, he was able to thoroughly drench both Miley and Lilly this time, sending them both sprawling to the ground.

"Sweet niblets!" Miley cried out. "Jake, you're insane!! What do you think you're…!"

"I knew it!" Jake crowed triumphantly. "Look, everyone… behold the mermaid!!" Miley didn't understand a single thing Jake was saying. Then she turned to look at Lilly, to make sure she was all right… and her eyes widened at the sight before her: where once Lilly's long, tan legs had been, now there was only a long, green, scaly tail; a fish's tail. Lilly's secret had been revealed to everyone, in the cruelest way imaginable: she was a mermaid.

Things happened very quickly after that. The students at Seaview High School panicked, their teachers did little better. They quickly called the police, and Lilly was taken away. Jake's father finally had the proof he sought, and he arranged for the young mermaid to be secretly transported to the research facilities beneath the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Almost immediately, a team of scientists began to poke, prod, and examine her in every cruel way imaginable.

As for Miley, her father was summoned to the school to pick her up. She remained deathly silent the whole trip home, staring wide eyed out the windows and saying nothing. Before long, reports began to show up outside the Stewart home, everyone wanting to interview the 'fish girl' who had actually been friends with a mermaid. Robbie Ray, with a little help from Miley's older brother Jackson, kept the reports away from the house, refusing to let them anywhere near his little girl.

"Looks like they're keepin' their distance," Jackson reported, staring out the sliding glass patio door.

"They better, if they know what's good for them," Robbie Ray muttered crossly. "Stay here and keep an eye on 'em for me, son… I need to go talk to your sister." Jackson nodded dutifully and Robbie Ray carefully made his way upstairs to Miley's bedroom. He found her lying on her bed, staring aimlessly out her bedroom window.

"Miles?" he called out softly. "Bud? Are you okay?" Miley didn't answer for a long, tense moment.

"Daddy… why is this happening?" she whispered, struggling not to cry.

"I don't know bud, I really don't," Robbie Ray said softly, "but things will work out somehow." Miley looked up at him then, her eyes filled with tears.

"I love her, daddy," she said softly. Robbie Ray paused, not entirely certain how to take his daughter's admission.

"What do you mean, bud?" he asked after a moment.

"Lilly and I… we were in love," she said quietly. "It all happened so fast, but… we just fell in love with each other." She swallowed. "Now Lilly's… a mermaid… and I don't know what to think anymore!"

"Do you still love her?" Robbie Ray asked his daughter carefully. Miley let herself think about Lilly, about everything they had been done together, and been through together, and meant to each other. She couldn't quite seem to get the image of Lilly's suddenly appearing tail out of her mind, but above it all, she still saw Lilly's brilliant, sunny smile… and the very thought tugged at her heart in a way she knew all too well.

"I think I do, daddy," Miley said at last. "Please don't be mad at me."

"Mad at you?" Robbie Ray repeated. "Darlin', why would you ever think something like that?" His response caught Miley off guard.

"Because Lilly and I are both… and she's…" Miley stammered. "You mean… you're not mad?" Robbie Ray smiled gently.

"Miles… the only thing I've ever wanted for you is to be happy," he said softly, reaching out to gently stroke his daughter's hair. "There were times, after your momma passed away – God rest her soul – that I thought I'd never see you smile again… and then Lilly walked into our lives. I know she's the one who brought your smile back... and I'm always be grateful for that. If she's the one you love, darlin'… I wouldn't dare object."

"Oh, daddy…" Miley sagged into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I love you so much!"

"I love you too, baby girl… I always will, no matter what." They parted after a moment, and Miley looked at her father with newfound resolve.

"I need to see her, daddy," she said urgently. "I need to know if she still loves me too!"

"You know I'll help you, darlin', but we don't even know where she's been taken to," Robbie Ray replied. Miley's eyes narrowed.

"I bet I know someone who does," she said in a low voice, and a plan began to take shape in her mind.

Jake Ryan was sitting by himself in his brand new sports car – a gift from his father – thinking about the events of the last few hours. Everything had gone completely and utterly crazy since he revealed Lilly's secret to the world. Reporters were following him everywhere, and their unceasing presence was beginning to annoy even him. Jake normally thrived on such attention and adoration, but he was rapidly discovering that even he had his limits.

Then there was everyone at school. He had expected everyone to thank him for revealing the freak of nature in their midst, to call him a hero… but instead, it seemed as though everyone had turned on him, and wanted nothing more to do with him. In just a few short hours, Jake Ryan – once the biggest man on campus - had all but become an outcast.

He jumped when he heard someone suddenly knocking on the driver's side window of his car. Assuming it was just another reporter, he angrily waved them away.

"Go away," he growled.

"Sorry, Jakey," an eerily familiar voice replied. "We gotta talk!" The car door flew open and Jake was dragged outside by none other than Jackson Stewart, who then threw the football hero roughly against the side of his own car.

"Stewart, what the hell?!" Jake roared.

"Shut up," Jackson hissed. "After everything you've done to my sister, you oughta consider yourself lucky I don't punch your lights out right now!"

"Consider yourself even luckier he doesn't let me at you," Miley added darkly, walking up beside her older brother.

"Miley," Jake said weakly. "Wait a second… please, just let me explain!"

"Where is she, Jake?" Miley cut him off angrily. "Where did they take Lilly?!" Jackson cocked his fist, ready to carry out his sister's threat.

"The museum," Jake responded warily. "They took her to the museum."

"What museum?" Miley pressed him.

"The Natural History Museum," Jake replied. "My dad… he's on their board of directors." Jackson and Miley shared a quick look, then Miley turned her attention back to Jake.

"How do we get inside?" Miley asked him.

"You can't," Jake managed, watching Jackson's fist out of the corner of his eye. "The research labs are top secret… authorized personnel only. You'd never even get close to her…" He paused for a long moment. "Without me."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Jackson growled. "Why in the world would you, of all people, want to help us?"

"Don't listen to him, Jackson," Miley spat. "Jake doesn't care about anyone but himself. He doesn't have the slightest clue how to actually care about someone else." Jake ignored the comment.

"You really love her, don't you?" he asked Miley instead. For the first time Miley could ever remember, Jake actually sounded sincere.

"Yes, I do," she said softly, tears stinging her eyes. "Something else you wouldn't know anything about."

"Maybe," Jake admitted, "but I'm man enough to admit when I was wrong." Miley blinked.

"Jerk ex-boyfriend about to get his lights punched out say what?" she demanded warily.

"I was wrong, okay?" Jake managed. "Nothing's turned out the way I thought it would. Everything's… everything's gone all wrong."

"Coming from the person who caused it all, that rings pretty hollow, Jake," Miley growled.

"I know," Jake replied slowly, "and I'm… I'm sorry, Miley. I'm not asking you to forgive me, cause I know I don't deserve it, I just want to try and make things right." Miley and Jackson exchanged another look, and this time Miley nodded. Jackson relaxed his grip on the front of Jake's shirt and slowly lowered his fist.

"All right, Jake… since we need you to get Lilly back, I guess we don't have much of a choice anyway. So, how are we going to get inside the labs beneath the Museum, Mr. Football Hero?"

"Well," Jake said hesitantly. "How good are you guys at holding your breath?"

"Identify yourself!" the uniformed guard at the entrance to Museum's research labs barked. Jake tried his best to give a friendly smile.

"I'm Jake Ryan," he replied confidently. "My father is Samuel Ryan, the Chairman of the Board of Directors. He asked me to bring this here." He nodded at the large black trunk resting on the floor beside him. The guard looked unimpressed, and unconvinced.

"Just what is in that?" he asked warily.

"Some kind of research equipment, I guess," Jake answered. "I don't really know, to be honest. Dad just told me to bring it, and not to ask too many questions. Anyway, he's gonna be mad if I'm late, and you really don't want me to have to tell him it was because of you, do you?" The guard raised one eyebrow behind his dark glasses, but said nothing. He glanced at Jake's ID badge, confirmed it was authentic, and finally gave a short, severe nod.

"All right; go ahead; but next time I better see some papers boy, I don't care who your father is." Jake nodded once.

"Yes, sir… and thanks; you're doing a great job!" Grunting, he hauled the large black trunk through the big double doors behind the guard and into the antiseptic corridors beyond. He managed to pull it into a small janitor's closet nearby and quickly opened it to reveal a slightly out of breath Miley and Jackson Stewart.

"It's about time!" Jackson grumbled. "It was getting hot in there!"

"Be quiet!" Jake hissed. "If anyone finds us here, we'll all go to jail, got it?!" He handed Miley and Jackson a pair of lab coats he'd also hidden inside the trunk.

"Put these on," he instructed. "You'll look like your just two more student apprentices here." Miley and Jackson did as they were told, and then all three carefully crept out of the small janitor's closet together.

"Where is she?" Miley asked urgently.

"Follow me," Jake answered her. He led the Stewarts down a long, sterile white corridor and down a flight of stairs, then finally to another set of double doors where yet another guard was waiting. Jake managed to convince the guard he was just introducing the two 'apprentices' to his father, as a favor to them, and they were let inside without much of an argument. The moment they stepped inside the small lab beyond, Miley felt the breath catch in her throat.

A large water-filled tank took up most of the room, and floating suspended in it, hooked up to dozens of wires and cables, was none other than Lilly. She looked pale and weak, and Miley could only imagine the hell she'd been through.

"Lilly!" she called out, bolting towards the tank. Lilly opened her eyes, expecting to see another of the cruel scientists, but her heart leapt when she saw Miley rushing towards her instead. Grinning widely, she burst to the surface of the tank just as Miley vaulted up the stairs beside it, meeting her soul mate with a fierce hug and a passionate kiss. Before, Miley would've been somewhat hesitant to show such emotion in front of others; now she could've cared less, eagerly returning Lilly's wonderful embrace. Jackson smiled to see his sister so happy. Jake tried to his best to avert his gaze, feeling as though he had no right to watch their reunion, since he was responsible for them being split apart in the first place.

"Are you okay?!" Miley asked Lilly desperately when they finally parted. Lilly just nodded.

"I will be," she answered. "Miley… don't feel guilty." Miley frowned.

"Huh? Guilty for what?" she asked, not understanding.

"For not loving me any more," Lilly said softly.

"Oh, Lilly…" Miley whispered, feeling tears sting her eyes again. "All the time we were together, you always seemed to know how I was feelin'… can't you tell now?" Lilly searched Miley's eyes, and her heart began to beat wildly when she felt the love and adoration still flowing freely from Miley. Blinking away tears of her own, she pulled Miley into another powerful kiss.

"I love you, Miley," she whispered a moment later.

"I love you too, Lilly… so much," Miley whispered back. She smiled. "So is this the big secret you wanted to tell me, that you're a mermaid? Or is there somethin' else?" she asked with amusement. Lilly grinned widely.

"No, that's it," she said happily, glad she didn't have to hide anymore. "I was so afraid you wouldn't want me anymore, if you knew the truth."

"I love you, Lilly… I'll take you any way I can get you," Miley said with a smile. She leaned in to kiss Lilly again, but a soft cough interrupted her.

"I hate to interrupt, but we need to get going before someone finds us," Jake called out.

"We'll never get Lilly past those guards," Jackson pointed out.

"Yes we will," Jackson countered. "I already have a plan for that… but we need to hurry. My dad and his team of scientists will be back soon."

"What kinda plan?" Jackson asked suspiciously.

"You help your sister get Lilly out of that tank and wrap her in these," Jake responded, tossing Jackson what appeared to be a pile of surgical scrubs and lab coats. "I'll take her place." Miley looked over at him, her eyes wide.

"What?" shed asked in disbelief.

"Don't argue with me, all right?" Jake replied. "I caused all this… and now I'm gonna put an end to it."

"Get out of the way!!" Jackson's panicked voice echoed through the corridors of the subterranean research laboratory. He and Miley bolted through the double doors, holding Lilly's shrouded form between them.

"It's Mr. Ryan's son!" Miley shouted to the astonished guard. "He was showing us the mermaid, and suddenly she made this unearthly sound and he just collapsed!"

"I'd better summon help!" the guard replied, reaching for the alarm panel on the wall near him.

"Don't panic, man!" Jackson shouted, suddenly backhanding the guard before he could sound the alarm. "There's no telling what she might do to anyone else! Just seal off the entire area and we'll go for help!"

"Once we get Mr. Ryan's son to the hospital, of course!" Miley quickly added. She didn't wait for the guard to reply; she elbowed Jackson and the two of them hurried away as fast as they could. Fortunately, Robbie Ray was waiting outside in the car, and he started the engine as soon as he saw them coming.

"Do I wanna know?" he asked as Miley and Jackson slid into the backseat, the still covered Lilly between them.

"Just go, dad!" Jackson shouted. Robbie Ray nodded and roared away from the curb, putting as much distance between them and the museum as he could. In the back seat, Lilly emerged from her disguise, fully dressed again. She was also completely dry again, her tail replaced by human legs.

"Nice to see you again, Lilly," Robbie Ray greeted her warmly, smiling at her in the rear view mirror.

"Hey, Mr. S," Lilly replied, smiling back. She felt Miley take her hand and turned to look at the young woman who had captured her heart.

"He knows," Miley said softly, "and he's okay with it."

"As long as you're both happy, I'm happy for you," Robbie Ray added warmly.

"That might be a problem," Jackson quipped, staring out the rear window. "I think we've got company." Miley and Lilly both turned to see what he was looking at, and gasped as they saw what appeared to be a pair of dark green military troop transports rushing towards them. Miley felt her heart sink.

"Now that they know who you are, they're never gonna leave you alone," she said sadly to Lilly.

"I know," Lilly agreed sadly. "Now I've put all of you in danger as well. You have to let me go."

"Don't talk like that!" Miley shouted. "I just got you back, Lilly… I can't lose you again. I just can't…!" Tears stung her eyes, and Lilly felt her own eyes begin to fill with tears as well. Miley turned to look at her father.

"Daddy, please! There's gotta be something you can do!" she wailed.

"I think I have an idea," Robbie Ray said grimly. "Everybody hang on!" They sped through traffic – narrowly avoiding more than one near-miss accident – and managed to put some distance between them and their dogged pursuers. Eventually, they found themselves rushing towards a long wooden pier. To Miley's astonishment, her father actually drove them up the pier itself, finally screeching to a halt at the very end. Everyone quickly jumped out of the car.

"I'm sorry baby girl, but this is the only way," Robbie Ray said softly to his daughter. "If Lilly goes back where she was, she'll be safe; they'll never be able to find her there."

"He's right, Miley," Lilly whispered to the girl she loved, taking Miley's hands in her own. "I have to go." She swallowed back the painful lump forming in her throat.

"I was ready to spend forever with you," she whispered sadly.

"This isn't fair," Miley sobbed. "I love you!!"

"I love you too Miley… you'll never know how much," Lilly whispered, releasing one of Miley's hands to wipe away her lover's tears.

"I wish I could go with you," Miley said softly, her bottom lip trembling. Lilly's eyes widened.

"Miley… you can! It can be done!" she exclaimed.

"How?!" Miley gasped.

"Do you remember, when you were six years old, and you fell off that boat?" Lilly asked her. Miley nodded, too stunned to ask how Lilly could've known about that.

"You were safe under the water, weren't you?" she pressed. Miley nodded slowly. She'd always thought she'd imagined what happened to her under the water that fateful day, but she could still distinctly remember her burning need for air suddenly fading away when her hands joined with another's

"Y-yeah, but how?" she managed to ask. Lilly smiled.

"You were with me, Miley," she said simply. Miley's eyes grew huge. Her memories of the beautiful little blonde girl she had met all those years ago flooded back to her, and suddenly everything made sense.

"Y-you mean… that was real?!" she gasped. "That was you?!" Lilly nodded, her smile widening.

"Oh my God, that was you!" Miley shouted happily, and she pulled Lilly into a fierce, tearful hug.

"Miley…" Lilly said softly, gently pulling away, but keeping her arms around Miley still. "If you go with me, you'll be safe, but…you can't ever come back." Miley's newfound joy threatened to shrivel up and die as quickly as it had been born.

"L-Lilly… I… I can't…" she managed, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "Daddy… and Jackson… I… I can't just…" Lilly nodded sadly.

"I understand, Miley," she said softly.

"Miley," Robbie Ray called out gently. "Baby girl… is this really what you want?" Miley looked up at her father, her eyes red from crying.

"Daddy, I… I love you and Jackson so much… I can't imagine life without you, both of you!"

"Without Lilly, though… you won't really be living at all," Jackson said quietly. He looked at his father as well, and the two shared a sad look.

"You need her, sis… and she needs you. You're supposed to be together."

"B-but…!" Miley stammered.

"Go on, bud," Robbie Ray said softly. "You know your brother and I will always be with you… in your heart and in your mind. Finding the one you're supposed to spend the rest of you life with, though… that only comes along once in a lifetime. Believe me, I know."

"Oh, daddy!" Miley rushed over to him and squeezed him in a desperate hug, and Jackson joined them.

"I'll always love you, bud… but I know you need to follow your heart." A loud screeching sound tore through the silence, and everyone looked up to see a platoon of heavily armed soldiers rushing towards them.

"You have to go, bud… now!" Robbie Ray shouted. Blinking back tears, Miley ran back over to Lilly and grabbed her hand once again. The simple touch, binding them together forever, brought electric tingles and huge grins to both young women. Then, as one, they dove off the end of the pier and into the cool water of the Pacific Ocean below. Robbie Ray and Jackson rushed to the end of the pier just in time to see Miley and Lilly surface long enough to wave goodbye, then both disappeared beneath the water.

Beneath the waves, Miley and Lilly swam along hand in hand, smiling happily at each other. Although Miley's heart still ached at the thought of what she had given up to go with Lilly, she knew what her father had said was true: Lilly was the One she was always supposed to be with, and now she would be. Still smiling, Miley leaned over and kissed Lilly warmly.

"I love you too, Miley… forever and always." Miley's eyes snapped open.

"Lilly! I can hear you in my head! How are you doing that?!" Lilly just smiled.

"It's telepathy, Miles… we can hear each other's thoughts, and talk with our minds."

"Oh, wow…" Miley thought back. "Is this something your… um… people can do?"

"Something like that," Lilly thought, laughing slightly.

"So where are we going?" Miley asked. Lilly squeezed Miley's hand and smiled happily.

"Home," she said simply. In the distance, an incredible palace began to take shape, alive with a soft aqua glow. Hand in hand, Miley and Lilly swam towards their destiny together…