A/N: Just a quick litle Christmas oneshot, based on a song most of you have probably never heard of lol Merry Christmas everyone, and have a Happy New Year :)
HANNAH MONTANA
"SUSIE'S CHRISTMAS CARD"
...There's no place like home for Christmas
There's no better feeling I know
With presents 'round the tree
And your whole family
Now Christmas can Christmas
'Cause everybody's home…"
Katey's Christmas Card" - John Schneider
--
Crowley Corners, Tennessee
December 24, 2021
"Momma, momma!" Ten year old Susan Olivia Truscott-Stewart ran up to her mother, clutching a small red envelope in her hand. "Look what the mailman brought!"
"What is it honey?" Miley asked in a tired, weary voice.
"I think it's a Christmas card!" Susan said excitedly, jumping into her mother's lap. "Maybe it's from mommy!" Miley sighed.
"Sweetheart…"
"Come on, open it!" Susan said, thrusting the envelope into her mother's hands. Miley opened her mouth to argue, but she already knew it would be pointless. Susan was as stubborn as the blonde haired tomboy who was also her mother, and she wouldn't give up 'til she got what she wanted. Sighing again, Miley carefully took the envelope from her daughter's hands, giving her a gentle kiss on the top of head as she did so.
"All right darlin', I'll open it," she said with a little smile.
"Yay!" Susan cried out excitedly. Miley shook her head in amusement. Carefully opening the brilliant red envelope, Miley pulled out a large white Christmas card. It was decorated with the picture of a single candle and a large red bow. Merry Christmas My Love was written on it in flowing golden foil. Miley drew in a sharp breath. Slowly, her hands trembling, Miley opened the card. She instantly recognized the writing inside:
I miss you, my Smiley Miley… and I'll always love you. There's no place like home for Christmas… Love, Your Lilly Bear
"Oh, Lilly…" Miley whispered, fighting back tears. "I miss you too…" Three weeks ago, she and Lilly had gotten into a terrible argument - the worst Miley could ever remember them having in all the time they'd known and loved each other – and Lilly had gone to stay with her mother. They had barely talked at all since then – mostly because they were each too stubborn to apologize to the other - and the thought of spending Christmas without the woman she loved made Miley's heart ache even more than it already was…
--
"What do you think of my new Hannah dress, Lils?" Miley asked excitedly, striking a sexy pose for her wife. Lilly eyed the sparkling red dress with spaghetti straps and gave a low whistle.
"Muy caliente, Miles… though I think it'd look even sexier at the foot of our bed!" she said with a wink. Miley blushed.
"Lilly!" she squeaked.
"What, I can't tell my wife she's sexy?" Lilly asked innocently.
"Yes, you can," Miley managed. "I just don't want little Susie to overhear us…"
"Ah, I think she knows her mommies love each other," Lilly said warmly. "Where'd you got that sizzlin' dress anyway?"Miley paused.
"I, um… I bought it with the gift card daddy sent me for my birthday," she said hesitantly. Lilly frowned.
"Miley… that was supposed to be for you, not Hannah," she said carefully.
"Ah come on Lils, what difference does it make?" Miley asked, shrugging her shoulders slightly.
"Are you serious?" Lilly managed. "Miley, he gave that present to his little girl, not her ultra-famous counterpart. What does Hannah need with a new dress anyway?" Lilly shook her head.
"Lilly…"
"You don't understand, do you Miles?" Lilly continued.
"What I don't understand is why you're getting so upset about this," Miley remarked. "C'mon Lils, this is stupid!"
"Stupid?!" Lilly retorted, and the stricken expression on her face was enough to make Miley regret saying anything. "Miley, did you forget what happened the last time you forgot how to tell yourself and Hannah apart?'Cause I haven't… I almost lost you!"
"Lilly, please… I didn't mean…!"
"I can't… I can't go through that again, Miles! I can't!!"
"Will you stop worrying?!" Miley shouted, getting angry despite herself. "I'm not gonna leave you and Susie, and you know it!"
"So now you're gonna yell at me for loving you?!" Lilly shouted back, raising her own voice. "You know something Miles? I'm starting to wish you weren't Hannah Montana at all… maybe then we wouldn't be having these stupid arguments!"
"Hannah isn't stupid!" Miley shouted back. "It's because of her I can give you and Susie all the things you deserve!!"
"WE DON'T NEED HANNAH OR HER MONEY, WE JUST NEED YOU!!" Lilly practically screamed. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"I can't… I can't do this anymore Miles…" she managed through her tears.
"Can't do what?" Miley asked fearfully.
"All this… Hannah and Miley craziness…" Lilly said wearily. "It hurts too much…" She turned to leave.
"Lilly, wait! W-where are you going?!"
"To my mom's," Lilly said softly, not bothering to turn around. "I need some time alone, to think. I think you do, too…"
"Lilly, wait! Please don't go! I'm s-sorry! I'M SORRY!!" Lilly didn't respond though. She just turned and walked away… right out of Miley's life…
--
"Momma, are you all right?" Susan asked softly.
"I will be," Miley whispered sadly. "I, um… I think I better go start dinner now, sweetheart." In truth, she simply didn't want little Susan to see her cry. Her angelic daughter was the only joy Miley still found, even though she continually reminded her of the blonde tomboy she was so much like.
"Please don't cry momma," Susan said gently. "Mommy still loves you."
"Oh, sweetheart…" Miley pulled Susan to her in a hug, and felt her little daughter's arms wrap around her as well. At that moment, the doorbell rang.
"Stay here baby girl, I'll be right back," Miley whispered, and she stood and walked to the door. The moment she opened it, and saw who was standing on the porch, her jaw dropped open.
"L-Lilly…?" she managed.
"H-hey Miles," Lilly struggled to reply. She was shivering in the cold, and her eyes were red and swollen from crying. "I, uh… w-well, I was wondering…" She opened her jacket and pulled out a red envelope virtually identical to the one Miley had just opened.
"D-did you… send me this card?" Lilly asked carefully. With trembling hands, Miley took it from her and opened it. The Christmas card inside was exactly like the one she'd just opened, and the words written inside were very similar.
I love you and I miss you, Lilly Bear… Christmas just won't be Christmas if you're not coming home… Love, Your Smiley Miley
"I… love you too, Miles… and I'm so sorry. I want to come home…" Lilly whispered, and suddenly the whys and hows of the unexplained Christmas cards were no longer important. Tears sparkling in her eyes, Miley dropped the card and envelope and pulled Lilly into a loving, passionate kiss. Lilly moaned softly, a single tear trickling down her cheek as she wrapped her arms around Miley and kissed her back with all the love and desire in her heart.
"I'm sorry too, Lilly Bear… s-so sorry…!" Miley managed.
"G-god I've missed you, Miles… you can't even imagine…" Lilly whispered through their kiss.
"Not as much… as I've missed you…" Miley whispered back. "Please… please don't leave me again…"
"Never," Lilly promised. "I'll never leave you and Susan again. I'm here to stay… for the rest of our lives… and whatever's after that…!" Miley and Lilly shared a long, loving, tearful look… and then they fell into each other's arms again, their lips and hearts joining together once more.
Hiding nearby, little Susan watched her mothers together – joyfully reunited – and smiled as she thought of the two special Christmas cards she'd mailed just yesterday. Even as young as she was, she understood what love was, and she knew that anyone who loved each other as much as her mothers did belonged together. Wiping a joyful tear of her own away, Susan quietly tiptoed into the kitchen.
"Everything okay, doodlebug?" Ruthie Stewart asked her beloved great-granddaughter. Susan grinned.
"It worked, Mamaw Ruthie! Just like you said it would! Mommy's back to stay!" Ruthie grinned and held out her hand, and Susan shared an excited high-five with her.
"Mission accomplished, munchkin. Now how about we go see a movie and give your mommies some time alone together? I think they've earned it…"