Disclaimer: I do not own Camp Rock or Charlie and Lola.
Mitchie and Caitlyn had been best friends since they met at Camp Rock when they were 14. Ten years later, they were still as close as ever, which explained why Mitchie was currently watching Charlie and Lola instead of getting ready for a glamorous movie premiere later that evening. Caitlyn needed a nap way more than Mitchie needed to attend another red carpet event. Eventually Mitchie was going to have to convince her friend that it wasn't a crime to hire a nanny to help out sometimes, but for now, she could take a few days off to save Caitlyn's sanity.
Anyone who met them when they were teenagers would have guessed that the romantics Mitchie and Shane would be the ones married at 20. Most people were shocked when focused, driven Nate started to date Caitlyn, and no one except Mitchie and Shane expected the two to work. Nate had always been so intent on the band's future that his relationships never lasted more than a few weeks. Not even Mitchie and Shane could have predicted that Nate would break down and propose over the phone after a two month separation while the guys were in the middle of a European tour.
Ten years after they started dating, Mitchie and Shane were still crazy in love, totally committed to each other and not married. Shane always had a little rebellious streak, and he hated doing what was expected of him. They were both happy, and they saw no need to make any changes in their relationship. They had each other and their music. Mitchie knew she eventually wanted to have kids, but she was young and still had plenty of time. Shane was still a kid at heart, and he loved being the focus of her attention. The only time she ever felt her biological clock begin to tick was when she held Caitlyn's babies.
It still made Mitchie laugh when she thought about Caitlyn with kids. She had always imagined Caitlyn as a big-time music producer living in LA or New York, totally focused on her career. She never would have guessed that Caitlyn would be a stay-at-home mom with two kids. Caitlyn had been in high demand after working on Mitchie's second album, and she had had her pick of projects. Caitlyn has tried to juggle both, producing an album after her first daughter was born. But when someone else had heard her daughter's first word and seen her daughter's first steps, Caitlyn decided that her life had room for more than one dream. She could produce music later, but she could never get her daughter's childhood back. People in the industry thought she was crazy. Who walks away when they are the new "it" girl? Mitchie loved that about Caitlyn – her friend could look reality in the face and make her own decisions about what was important.
As the cartoon ended, Caitlyn walked into the room. Annabelle jumped up and ran to hug her mother. "Mommy I want to paint!"
Caitlyn groaned. Somehow her daughter always managed to get paint on everything in a 7 foot radius of the paper. "Please, Mommy!"
Caitlyn glanced over at Melody asleep on Mitchie's lap. "Okay, Annabelle. You go pick up the blocks you got out this morning, and then we can paint. Mitchie, why don't I take Melody, and you can go rest in your room."
'Resting' was their code word for escaping the chaos. Caitlyn appreciated all Mitchie's help, and she tried very hard to not take advantage of her friend. Mitchie looked down at the sleeping toddler and smiled.
"I'll take her. Maybe we could both use a little rest." Mitchie gave her best friend an evil grin. "You have fun painting."
Mitchie stood up carefully, trying not to disturb the little girl. Instead of taking Melody to her own room, Mitchie walked into the guest bedroom and lay down.
Later that day, Jason and Nate found Shane with his computer in front of him and a strange, soft look on his face. When they looked at the screen, they saw a picture of Mitchie and Melody asleep. Melody's head was resting on Mitchie's chest, and Mitchie was cradling the toddler.
Jason grinned at his friend. "She looks good like that, doesn't she?"
Shane nodded. Shane could see his future in that photo, and his voice was full of emotion when he responded. "She really does."