I watched the 'He Could be the One' episode and I'm pretty sure it's my favorite one. Last night, it was on again and this plot kind of came into my head. I figured it would be fun to write.

Title: He Could Be The One
Summary: Nine years after Miley picks Jake, they are getting married. After a debate of whether or not to invite Jesse, she does. But what happens when he actually shows up?
Pairing(s): Jake/Miley, Jesse/Miley, Lilly/Oliver, Jackson/OC.
Warning(s): Spoilers, adult themes.

Miley had carefully inserted the rest of the invitations, all one by one, into the public mail box. Except for the one she was holding in her hand, staring down at as if it had the cure for cancer written across it. But it didn't have the cure for anything. Just one name and one address.

Jesse Shea

Miley took a deep breath as she studied the curve of the 'J' that was in Melanie's, Jackson's girlfriend, amazing calligraphy. A loud hunk behind Miley made her jump and turn around. Lilly was sitting in the passenger seat of Miley's red Volkswagen beetle.

"How much longer do you plan on standing there?" Lilly Oaken-Trescott asked. "We have to go pick up your dress before four, that way Wilma can adjust it if it doesn't fit." Lilly reminded her.

"Do you really think I should invite him?" Miley asked, looking back down at the envelope.

"Him who?" Lilly asked.

"Jesse...after what happened, I mean."

There was a bit of a silence while Lilly tried to figure out what to say. Finally, she had it.

"Miley, it was six months ago. It's not like it will happen again." Lilly asked. "Right?" she added in a firm voice.

"Of course right!" Miley said. "It was a mistake and it definitely won't happen again."

Miley remembered IT very well.

It was the night of her birthday party and the entire gang, plus like, a hundred of their closest friends, had rented out a new club called Colony that had just opened up the month before. Miley didn't like the fog machine, coupled with the pounding bass of the music, coupled with the flashy strobe lights. The three things combined were giving her a serious headache, so she'd spent most of the night in a back storage room, drinking ginger ale. Every now and then, she'd walk into the crowd to make an appearance, give hugs and thanks to people for coming, open presents that people thrust into her arms, tell Jake she loved him and had to go to the bathroom.

"You having a good birthday?" Jake said as they slow danced. The fog machine and the flashy lights were still driving her crazy.

"Yeah. I just gotta stop drinking ginger ale. My bladder has about had it up to here." Miley said, holding her hand up. "I'll be back in a minute." she said before kissing him softly on the lips and heading towards the bathroom. She made a sharp right turn towards the storage closet and was reaching for the door knob when someone beat her to it. She looked up to see a pair of big brown eyes and a half-smile.

"Jesse!" she gasped, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him.

They'd been close friends for years, but over the last few, everything had been too hectic and busy for them to ever see each other. Miley hadn't even been sure that he was still living at the same address when Lily said she was inviting him to the party. Miley had almost forgotten about it until he showed up, right in between her and her safe haven.

"Happy birthday." Jesse smiled. "Escaping?" he asked. Miley smiled guilty and nodded.

"The bass and lights are too much for me." she said, gesturing wildly around.

"Mind if I join--"

"Jesse! There you are!" an annoying squeal came from behind Miley. She looked over her shoulder to see a tall, pretty red head headed towards them. The girl wrapped her arms around Jesse's and Miley took a step back. "Hi. I'm Elenor." the girl said with a big smile. "Jesse's girlfriend."

"Oh. I'm Miley." Miley nodded.

"Oh my God, the birthday girl!" Elenor grinned. "Happy Birthday!" she said loudly.

"Thank you." Miley said.

"El, Miley doesn't feel good. I was going to take her in here to see if there was any medicine or anything." Jesse lied smoothly. Miley rolled her eyes and Elenor nodded.

"Okay. I'll be by the bar. Feel better, Miley." she said sweetly before scampering away.

Jesse sighed and opened the door for Miley, who stepped in and made room for him. He closed and locked the door.

"She seems to really like you." Miley said as she slid to the floor.

"Yeah.." Jesse said dryly, sitting next to her. "They always do."

"You don't like them?" she asked, sipping her bottle of ginger ale.

"It's not that. I guess...I just don't like them enough." he shrugged.

"Well...she is sort of...overbearingly nice." Miley said. "Are they always like that?" she asked.

"No. Usually, they're normal nice. She was a last minute thing. I just didn't want to show up alone." Jesse shrugged.

"Then why is she saying she's your girlfriend if she's just your date?" Miley asked.

"Confused, I guess." he shrugged again.

Miley shook her head. Jesse was a player, no two ways about it. That had been part of what had influenced her decision. He may have had eyes for only her then, but what about a week later?

"So...what about the other ones? The normal nice ones?" she asked.

His gaze turned on her and Miley could only describe the look he was giving her as 'intense'. He almost looked irritated as well.

"You really have to ask?" he said.

"Um...yes? What's wrong with them?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

And then It happened. Jesse reached up and placed his hand on the crook of Miley's neck. Not possessively, but softly, tenderly. And then he brought her lips to his. What made it even worse was that Miley didn't push him away like she knew she should. Not when his hand moved from her neck to tangle in her hair, not when his tongue prodded against her lips for access, and not even when his other hand came up and held her face as their lips danced together and their tongues battled.

And what made it the absolute worst of the worst was that Jesse was the one who had enough control to pull away. Jesse. Who had no romantic entanglements other than a confused girl at the bar. Jesse who hadn't been dating the most perfect guy for nine years. Jesse who started the kiss in the first place had ended it.

"None of them are you." Jesse said, while Miley sat, totally speechless and completely frozen. "Happy birthday, Miley." he said before dropping a long, black velvet box into her lap.

Without another word, he got up and left closing the door behind him. It was a few minutes before Miley gained the brain power to pick up the box and open it with a soft click. Laying across lush, black velvet was a blue topaz tennis bracelet. Her birthstone. Miley touched it softly, wishing she could tell him how beautiful it was. She snapped the box shut and stood up, throwing the door open. She threw herself into the crowd, looking around for him. Elenor wasn't by the bar. Did that mean they'd left? Dammit, Miley thought.

Shortly after, Jake had found her and when she showed him what Jesse had gotten her, he took her to the red beetle that she'd had her eyes on for months. Ever since Jake and Jesse had met, Jake had been trying to outdo Jesse. Every present he got for Miley had to be better than the one that Jesse got her. But it was what was in the car that made Jake's present better. Sitting on the passenger seat was a square box, a note attached to it. When Miley sat in her car, she reached over and flipped the note open.

Marry me?

Miley gasped and looked at Jake when he got into the car. Without hesitation, she threw her arms around him. "Yes! Yes! Definitely!" she squealed.

But she couldn't help the image of Jesse that popped into her head, gazing at her with his warm fingers pressed against her neck and cheek.

It was now May twenty-third and she and Jake were getting married in three weeks after six months of preparations. And Miley couldn't be happier. She knew she was in love with Jake, and she'd never once doubted that. Except for when Jesse kissed her with no abandon and she kissed him right back.

"It was just a kiss anyways." Lilly interrupted Miley's thoughts. "Just invite him. Make it his choice to come or not." she shrugged.

Miley nodded. "You're right. It was forever ago. We can get over it. We're adults, and we can handle this in a mature adult way." Miley said, shoving the invitation in the slot.

"Even though you haven't spoken since it happened." Lilly prompted.

"Oh my God, you're right. What if he doesn't remember who Miley Stewart and Jake Ryan are? What if he doesn't live at the same address? What-"

"What if you got in the car right now and drove to the bridal store so we can make sure your dress fits right?" Lilly interrupted.

Miley nodded and climbed in. When she put her hands on the wheel, two things glinted. Her engagement ring and the tennis bracelet. She never took either off, no matter what she was wearing. The engagement ring was normal to always wear, but Miley could tell that Jake would prefer if she took the bracelet off every once in a while.

"We gonna leave?" Lilly asked.

"Yep." Miley nodded before driving off.

---

"Oh my goodness, it looks even better than I thought it would!" Wilma Tressel grinned, clapping her hands. "You look gorgeous, Miley!" she said.

Miley smiled, spinning around in the mirror, smoothing her hands over the front of her dress. "You know, Lilly, I was a little nervous about the corset back, but I think it looks really good!" she said excitedly.

"Jake is going to pass out when he sees you! You look awesome." Lilly nodded.

"So this is my dress." Miley grinned. "I'm getting married in three weeks. And this is what I'm wearing." Miley nodded. "I'm getting married." she added in a whisper. "Mrs. Jake Ryan." she said. "Oh, boy." she said, suddenly feeling lightheaded. Lilly jumped up, catching her before she could fall.

"This is no time to feel faint, missy! You're not getting cold feet, are you? Miley, Jake is perfect for you! You guys have been together forever, and that's how it always will be." Lilly said in a firm tone.

"No, no, not cold feet." Miley said, shaking her head, pulling herself upright. "I just...can't believe it." she sighed. "I'm getting married, Lilly!"

Lilly held up her own left hand, showing the engagement ring and wedding band. "Gee. Could you tell me what that's like?" Lilly asked with a smile.

Lilly and Oliver had been married for over two years now, so Miley knew that Lilly probably wasn't going to be the best person to gush to about wedding jitters.

"I know, but you remember how nervous you were? I had to slap you right before you walked down the aisle." Miley pointed out.

"Yeah...And then I had a red mark all the way through the reception!" Lilly said, placing her hands on her hips.

"Oh, stop. If I hadn't done it, you would have been hyperventilating through the entire ceremony." Miley said, looking at herself in the dress again. "I can't believe I'm going to be wearing this when I become Miley Ryan." she said, taking a deep breath.

"Oh, please. It's not like you'll be wearing it that long anyways. I'm sure that Jake will make the reception cut short so that you guys can go to the hotel room where he'll be able to rip it off of you in private." Lilly snickered.

"Haha, very funny." Miley said. "He is so not ripping this dress." she said, turning around to look at her back side for the millionth time.

"So, it's a good fit then?" Wilma said. "Not too tight, or too long or anything?"

"Nope. It's perfect." Miley grinned. "Thank you so much for doing this, Wilma. You're amazing." Miley said, wrapping her arms around the short, chubby woman.

"It's nothing, really. I like to live vicariously through the beautiful girls who come to my shop." Wilma smiled.

Miley smiled back and then they got her out of the dress and back into her jeans and blouse. "We'll pick it up the night before the wedding." Miley said. "Thanks again!" she said as she and Lilly headed out the door.

So there's the first chapter. Sorry if it's a little lacking. I had to redo it three times because my internet kept crashing.

But make sure to review! It's a fan fiction sin to read without reviewing. Haha.

Pictures of the dress, bracelet, and ring are all on my profile for those of you who would like a visual. Thanks for reading.