Disclaimer: I do not own Camp Rock

Author's Note: I wanted to try something new, and I had never done a Shane/Caitlyn story. When my best friend called to say that her father sent her a Christmas card telling her congratulations on finishing school and best of luck in the workplace (and she still has one semester left in her graduate program), I decided to let out my anger on paper. I'm running out of ideas, so I'm open to suggestions. Just no babies for awhile; I'm babied out.

Dedication: This is for applepips16 who always reviews and is a genuinely kind person.

Caitlyn had finally accepted that she wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. She needed something to distract her, and so far television, books and pacing around her apartment mumbling to herself while she cried hadn't done the job. It was time for drastic measures. She flipped open her phone and scrolled down until she found the name she was wanted. She typed a message and took a deep breath before hitting send. She brushed the tears off of her face and waited.

Shane glanced down at his phone and was pleasantly surprised to see Caitlyn's name pop up. He hadn't heard from her in a few weeks. His surprise changed to worry when he read the message, "Up for a little fun tonight? I could use a distraction. Come over." That didn't sound like Caitlyn; maybe someone had her phone. He dialed her number and waited to see who picked up.

"So you in, rock star?" he heard a woman's voice ask.

"Caitlyn, is that you?"

"Yes, Shane, it's me," Caitlyn responded. "And before you ask, it was a genuine offer of sex with no strings attached. Are you in or not?"

He hesitated for a moment. "Do you still live at the same place?"

"Yes," Caitlyn answered.

Shane looked down at his watch. "I'll be there in twenty minutes."

As soon as Shane walked through the door, Caitlyn reached up and pulled him into a fierce kiss. Shane froze in shock. Did she actually think he had come over to have sex with her? He gently pulled away and held Caitlyn in place. She looked pale and listless. Her eyes were bloodshot, but she didn't smell like she had been drinking. Shane would have bet a lot of money that she would've had to be drunk to send him that text. Somehow the fact that she seemed sober worried him even more. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Shane. I wanted to have a little fun and thought you might be up for it. End of story."

Shane reached out, brushed her hair away from her face and looked her in the eyes. She flinched and pulled away. "Caitlyn, I know you. This isn't like you. Tell me what's wrong."

"God, Shane, if I had wanted sensitive and sincere, I would've texted Nate," Caitlyn snapped.

Shane took a deep breath and tried to ignore how much it stung to hear her say that. "Caity, just tell me what's wrong. Please," he added quietly.

The "please" seemed to work. She turned away, grabbed something off her kitchen counter and stomped back towards Shane. "You want to know what's wrong?" she asked through clenched teeth. "This is what's wrong," she said and thrust a Christmas card into Shane's hands.

The front of the card looked innocuous enough – a snowy hillside with a house and a sleigh. Shane opened the card and read the message inside,

Dear Caitlyn –

Good luck with finals. Maybe we can get together before New Year's.

Dad

Shane looked up at Caitlyn in confusion. "Didn't you graduate in June?" he asked.

"Yes," Caitlyn snapped, "With honors. And apparently my best friend's ex-boyfriend can remember that, but my own father can't."

Shane wanted to protest that he was more than Mitchie's ex-boyfriend. He liked to think he and Caitlyn were friends, but this was not the moment to clarify their relationship status. As he tried to think of something appropriate to say, Caitlyn moved closer to him and ran her hands up his chest. She stood on her tiptoes and spoke huskily in his ear, "So are you going to help distract me now?"

Shane couldn't control the shiver that ran through him when her hot breath tickled his ear. He closed his eyes, relishing the feeling of having her hands on him before gaining control. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her to him. "I have no problem with the idea of having sex with you, Caitlyn," he said. "In fact, I've thought about it more than I'd like to admit over the past few years. But I care about you way too much for it to be like this."

He held her tightly as he felt her try to pull away. He knew her well enough to know that she was embarrassed both by letting him see why she was upset and his refusal to go along with her advances. Kissing the top of her head, he asked, "Where exactly do you think you're going, Gellar?"

Shane loosened his hold on her enough to allow her to look up at him. Caitlyn's face was splotchy and her eyes had welled up with tears. "Could you just go now?" she whispered. Caitlyn was usually so strong; seeing her broken like this tore him up.

Shane shook his head. "There's no way I'm leaving you alone tonight. So how about I find some other way to distract you from thinking about your idiot father?" He looked around Caitlyn's living room before spying a collection of board games. He grinned down at her, "Monopoly?"

Caitlyn looked at him incredulously. She asked for sex with no strings, and bad boy Shane Gray was offering her Monopoly? He smirked at her, "Bet you an even thousand I can beat you. I'm a Monopoly master!"

"Shane, I don't have a thousand dollars," Caitlyn said wearily.

"Okay. How about I give you a thousand dollars if you win," he paused for dramatic effect. "And if I win, you go on a date with me."

When Caitlyn didn't answer, Shane let go of her and started rambling, "No expectations, I promise. I mean, I'm not expecting sex or anything. Just going to dinner with me. As a friend if you want…"

Caitlyn had fantasized about what it would be like to sleep with Shane, but she had never considered actually going on a date with him. As she thought about it, thought about how he had behaved since he arrived at her apartment, the idea grew on her. She finally cut him off, "Okay."

Shane looked at her closely for confirmation that he heard her correctly. "Okay?"

"Yes, if you win I will go a date with you." Caitlyn paused. "Actually, I'd probably go on a date with you even if you lose."

Shane grinned at Caitlyn. "Good to know." He placed his arm around her shoulder and led her across the room. "Now how about starting that game?"

Caitlyn couldn't believe how much better Shane had made her feel. As she sat at her kitchen table watching him set up the game, she was surprised at how much she really wished they were in her bedroom right now. Not because she wanted to be distracted anymore; she just wanted to be with him. She was pretty sure that regardless of Shane's expectations for their date, she knew exactly how it would end.

"You ready to lose, Gellar?" Shane asked.

Caitlyn smiled at him before replying, "Bring it on Gray. I saw a great pair of shoes at Neimans the other day, and after I beat you they'll be mine."