I felt him laugh at me. He did that a lot. I get embarrassed easily and he found it amusing. I couldn't bring myself to look at our parents, for I knew what they thought of us now…
"**"
I thought it was kind of cute how she still got embarrassed when I kissed her. I loved the pink tint on her cheeks. After three years of dating her, she still got embarrassed when I kissed her. As shy as people thought she was, she wasn't. She would let you know what she wanted and I may have been the only one who couldn't refuse her. If she asked me to do anything and I bet I would do it in a split second without a doubt or regret.
"Shane can you get us away from everyone?" She asked me.
"You should go to bed and I'll see you tomorrow, okay." I whispered in her ear.
I felt her shiver before she nodded.
"Good night." She walked into her room and shut the door.
I stood and looked at our family. "Good night." I walked into the next bedroom, which was the room I stayed in.
"**"
"Shane…" I said as I walked into the room.
"Connie, I'm sorry. I just…" He sighed.
"Shane, it's fine really. We know you love her and you'll never hurt her." I smiled at him. "Can I ask you something, Shane?"
"Sure."
"Sit." He sat on the bed and I sat next to him. "I want a serious answer." He nodded. "If you could, would you marry Mitchie tonight?" I asked him.
I saw him smile and then he looked at the ground. He looked back up at me and smiled again. "Honestly, I would have married her two years ago."
"When you first started dating?" I asked. He nodded at me and I smiled. "I like you Shane. If you would have asked me two years ago to marry Mitch I would have let you."
He looked up at me and smiled. "If Mitch was ready for it I would have. She needed to trust me first and now she does fully. I love her and I know it's still weird for you to hear it, but I do and I know she's only 18, but I really do love her."
"I know you love her and I know she loves you." I told him with a smile. "Honey, it's not weird to hear you say you love her, we all know it. It's still a little weird to see her so open in front of us. She has never been the one to show emotion in front of people."
"She's not as shy as people think she is." He told me.
"Oh, you and I know that, but there are people who can't see passed the barriers she's built around her heart."
"I just…"
"Shane… mom I…" She looked nervously at me than at Shane.
"It's okay honey." I stood up. "You can stay in your room together. We trust you."
"Really." Mitchie asked me.
I laughed and nodded. "Yeah sweetie, I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"Thank you." She hugged me and walked over to Shane.
I walked out and shut the door, but I listened in.
"What's wrong Mitch?" Shane asked after I shut the door.
"Nothing, I just want my Grandma back." She started to cry. I could hear it in her voice.
"**"
"Baby, come here." I pulled her into my lap.
"Shane, I just want her back so I could talk to her. She was always there. Shane I don't know what to do anymore."
"I'm always here when you need me. I will never judge you, ever." I kissed her.
"I love you, Shane. Thank you for everything." She smiled at me and she relaxed against me.
"I love you too, baby. Come on let's get you to bed." I picked her up and just breathed in her sent. I never thought I would have ever missed her so much and we weren't even gone for a whole day when I told everyone we had to go back. I had to have her with me.
"**"
"Stay with me please." I heard Mitchie ask as they passed me in the hallway.
Shane looked at me and I smiled at him. "Sure baby." He smiled back.
That boy took everything from me and I thought that when she found that guy I would be upset, but that boy had touched or family in so many ways and I never thought Mitch would find such a perfect guy. She was shy until she meant him. I remembered the first time she stood up for herself it was the first Christmas they were together and the Grey' family decided to spend it here with us.
"**"
"Oh Leah." Lena, Mitchie's Grandma says and hugs her when Mitch opens the door.
"Grandma, come on in. I'd like you to meet Shane. Shane this is my grandma." Mitchie introduces the two of them.
Shane is the perfect gentlemen like always. "It's nice to meet you ma'am." He holds his hand out for Lena to take it, but she doesn't. Shane's smile fades, but comes back fully as Mitchie comes and stands next to him and she takes his hand and kisses his cheek.
"Leah." Her Grandma says, her voice appalling, by her granddaughter's behavior.
"What?" Mitch asks as she looks confused at her grandma's behavior.
"You are acting out of character. You are acting as if you are in love. You are still just a child." Lena looks them up and down. She looks at Shane, making him feel uneasy.
"**"
I remembered when Mitchie turned to me as I laughed at that. She saw my smile and I noticed their smiles. They were both so happy and in love.
"**"
She smiles shyly up at her Grandma than at Shane who smiles back at her.
"You are only 16 years old Leah, and you, you have to be at least 19." Lena points out.
"I am, but what does that have to do with anything, it's only two and a half years." Shane stands up to Lena. He knows she doesn't like him at the moment and yet he doesn't know why.
"She's not 18 yet." She turns to me. "I can't believe you let this boy take advantage of your daughter."
"I would never."Shane says before I can respond.
"Shane would never hurt me. How could you Grandma?" Mitchie is mad and she stands up for herself. She grabs her coat and runs outside.
"Mitchie." I yell after her.
"I got it Mrs. Andrews." He says as he puts his coat on.
"Shane, for the last time, call me Connie."
"Yes, ma'am… sorry Connie." I smile at him and he leaves going after my daughter.
"Lena if only you knew what they feel."
"Hey honey were did Shane and Mitchie go? I wanted to ask Shane about the new record and tour."Steve asks smiling looking around.
"He went after Mitchie."I tell him.
"Why, what happened?"He asks as his smile fades.
"How could you let your daughter date a 19 year old, she's still a kid." Lena tells him.
"I didn't like it at first. He loves her, she only has to be in the same room as him and no one else exists. She loves him too."Steve tells his mom.
"That boy is taking advantage of her."
"My son would never do that, especially to Mitchie." Denise walks into the room with her other three sons.
"I love Mitchie, she's pretty and nice."Frankie smiles.
"We've known Mitchie for two years now and she is like a sister to us. Shane loves her."Jason tells her.
"They may not have said it to each other yet, but they do love each other, more than any of us could tell you."Paul tells Lena.
"**"
I thought back to the first Christmas we had spent together.
Mitchie ran out and I had gone after her.
"**"
I catch up to her and grab her wrist to stop her. "Baby, stop."
"Shane, why is it, every time I tell people about us they always think you're the bad guy. Shane…" She places a hand on my cheek to hold my face to let me look at her. "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I just wish people could see that."
I kiss her roughly and pull her against me as much as I can. "People see it baby they just don't want to believe it."
She shyly looks up at me and wraps her hand around my tie. "We'll make them believe it then." She pulls me into another passionate kiss.
This one is more passionate than the other. I run my tongue along her bottom lip and ask for entrance. It is the first time I have tried this and she has no objections to it. She parts her lips to me and she moans as I really taste her. She tastes like caramel and vanilla. Let me tell you once I had done that I never wanted to stop. She is my addiction and she doesn't mind.
"We should head back before our families get worried." I tell her.
"Okay."She turns and gasps as she sees our family standing looking out the window, watching every move we make.
"We are so dead." I tells her.
She laughs and nods. "Well, since we are dead anyways what's one more kiss." She says not giving me time to register what she was doing. The next thing I know she's pushing against me again and this time she's asking for entrance and I give it to her. I don't know this girl anymore.
"Who are you and what, have you done with my shy Mitchie?" I ask her, looking in her eyes. I see her frown and tears start to come to her eyes.
"What?" Her voice was shaky and she turns to walk away from me.
"No, baby that's not what I meant. I like this new side of you. I just want to know what or who got to you; I'd like to thank them." I smile at her.
She smiles shyly before looking up at me through her lashes. She was going to be the death of me. "You got to me Shane. You are the one that lets me be me."
"I'm glad. I thought I would have to go beat some guy up." I smile at her.
She laughs and hugs me. "I'm sorry Melissa's not here; she wanted to spend it with her friends. She would have loved to meet you, but it probably is for the best right now. She's a little obsessed."
"Can't have that around the holidays."
"No." She giggles then looks back to her house. "Come on time to face reality."
I kiss her forehead and take her hand and start walking back.
"**"
She takes her coat off and I take her hands in mine. "You should have worn gloves, your hands are freezing." I tell her.
"As long as you're here to warm them back up I'm okay with it." She walks closer to me and I gladly pull her into my arms.
I was just about to kiss her when we hear… "Leah."
"Grandma, just leave us alone." I could tell she is never on her grandma's good side.
"Leah, Melissa was to marry rich."
"I'm not with Shane because he has money Grandma." She yells. "When will you get it? I… I…" she stops herself. "Why does Melissa get everything? Why do you hate me so much?"
"You're not perfect. Look at you." Her Grandma says. "You're not that skinny, and you need implants."
I pull Mitchie closer to me her back was to my chest and my hands on her hips pull her until her body molds against mine. "What is your problem?" I am getting mad who says that about their granddaughter. "Mitchie's perfect." I turn her around as she starts to cry. I push her gently to the next room for some privacy. "Where did the new Mitchie go?" I ask her smiling.
"No where she just went into hiding for a few minutes." I laugh at her as she holds on to me.
"Hey pumpkin, come on I want to show you something." Her dad came in.
"**"
He may not have known than, but that present was the best thing that I have ever gotten.
She walks outside and into the back yard. The yard is frozen over and he bought her new ice skates. She gasps and jumps into his arms. She put the skates on and takes my hands; she is still an inch shorter than me as I stand in front of her.
She looks at me shyly and gives me a kiss. "I love you, Shane." It is so quiet I almost don't hear it.
"I love you, Mitchie." She looks up at me and gives me that smile. I can't help myself as I kiss her. Her dad just smiles at us and goes back inside.
"**"
Her Grandma still didn't like me, but I smiled at the last memory that came into my head. She really was to be the death of me. I laid her down and she sighed. I laid next to her while she molded herself against me. "I love you Mitch." I whispered to her.
"I love you too, Popstar." She mumbled.
I kissed her head and fell asleep with her.
"**"
I woke up and Shane wasn't there beside me. I got up and took a shower and changed before I headed downstairs. I walked into the kitchen and saw Shane at the table with my dad. They sat and were having a conversation and I saw Shane laugh as my dad smiled.
Shane noticed my presence and smiled as he stood and walked over to me. "Hi baby, how are you today?" He kissed my forehead as he asked.
I leaned into him and sighed. "Better. Thank you for everything, Shane." I told him and looked up at him.
"You are so very welcome, my love." He said and gave me a quick kiss on the lips. I giggled as I laid my head on his chest and hugged him.
There was a cough and we separated. My dad looked at us. I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks and I heard Shane laugh at me.
"I'm glad you're feeling better, sweetie."
"Thanks dad. Where is everyone else?" I asked. I saw the look in their eyes. "What?" I asked nervous now.
"They're in the living room. Your Grandma came this morning. That's why I'm in here with Shane." Dad explained.
"I should go say hi, right?" I asked. My dad nodded.
"I'll go with you." Shane took my hand. "You look very beautiful today by the way." He told me while he smiled down at me and wrapped an arm around my waist.
I blushed and looked down at my shorts and yellow tank-top that flowed out. "Thank you." I said quietly, still not use to all the compliments I got from him.
He kissed my cheek and we walked into the living room.
"It's about time you got up Leah. I have been…"
My grandma was cut short by Shane. "She was up late last night crying, she deserved the time to sleep this morning and it is only 10."
I smiled up at him and kissed his jaw, not bothered to raise myself the other inch to kiss his cheek. He smiled back down at me. "I love you."
"**"
"I love you too." I told her. It still got me when she told me that. I pulled her closer to me.
"Leah, Melissa told me about how you and Tess had a fight a few days ago." Lena stated.
I looked at Mitchie and squeezed her side.
"Tess is a slut and a whore and I will not say sorry or anything else you want from me, so please drop it. I have to go to a funeral tomorrow and I'd appreciate a day where I don't have to defend myself. Sorry about my language." She told her grandma and apologized to her parents.
I smiled, I was so proud of her there. She was mad and I was amazed by her.
"What are you smiling about, Shawn?" Lena asked me.
Before I was able to correct her Mitch did. "It's Shane Lena. SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANE." She said slowly. "I love him, why can't you just accept that?" She didn't even wait for an answer. She walked out and I turned to her grandma.
"Your granddaughter just lost her real Grandma and now she doesn't have anymore and you're treating her like she's a bother." Lena went to stop me but I didn't let her. "Don't tell me you're her Grandma, because you aren't." I made sure she got my point.
"That girl is my granddaughter." She pointed her figure, angrily at me.
"THAT GIRL is my fiancée and I love her, can you say that you really love her?" I watched her. "Do you even know her?" I watched her look at me. "I have to go see if THAT GIRL is okay."
"**"
I walked into the kitchen and saw her on the porch with her guitar. I haven't seen or heard her play in three years. I opened the door and listened as she strummed the strings that made a beautiful melody that filled the air. She stopped and sighed, I smiled at her. I cleared my throat and she turned to me.
"Hey rock star, what's up?" She smiled at me.
"I haven't heard you play in so long, why?" I sat next to her.
She looked up at me and kissed me. "I didn't know you liked it."
"I love when you play. It inspires my music." I kissed her back.
"I stopped because I didn't think anyone listened." She looked down.
I placed my finger under her chin and lifted her head so she looked at me. "Baby, I listened and sometimes you didn't even know."
She looked up at me. I kissed her and she stood and moved over to me. Mitchie straddled me in the chair I sat in. It was a new side of Mitch and I knew that our parents could have found us yet we didn't care.
Her bare legs were exposed do to the shorts she had worn and they didn't help me at all. I couldn't help, but run my hand over her thighs. The tank top she had worn flowed from her body and it rode up and left my hand on her tanned skin.
"I love you, Shane." She whispered her lips brushed mine lightly as she talked.
"I love you too, Mitch." She kissed me again and we were pulled out of the kiss by her dad. He may have smiled at us, but he still gave me a glare when he caught us.
To my surprise she didn't even try to move from me. She blushed and buried her head in my shoulder.
"Your Grandma is very upset. I suggest you two go out and do something fun today. Take your mind off of everything." Steve suggested.
She looked up at him and nodded. "Okay, thank you." She said politely.
"Sure, pumpkin. I trust the two of you. You'll be leaving by Saturday, for the tour. The funeral is tomorrow and then you can head out."
I looked at Mitchie. "Are you sure you still want to go?" I asked her. She looked up at me surprise had been written all over her face.
"Yeah, of course I'm sure. I would never give all this up." She kissed me and then blushed again as she remembered her dad. "Sorry."
"No need to be sorry. Now go before I get in trouble for letting you go." He laughed.
"**"
We laughed as we walked back into the living room and made our way to the door.
"Where are you two going?" Connie asked us.
"I'm going to take Mitch out for the day, if that's okay with you?" I asked her.
"Of course Shane, go have fun." She smiled at us.
"We'll be back for dinner." I ensured her.
I saw Mitchie roll her eyes. "Of course we are, you, miss one of my mom's meals, please."
"Okay, you two. We know you can bicker for hours so let's skip it and you go have fun." Steve told us.
"Why don't you stay here and hang out with Tess and Melissa."
"Grandma, when will you get it? I hate Tess and Melissa hasn't been a sister to me since 6th grade."
"Melissa is a wonderful person and so is Tess."
"Do you listen to Mitchie?" I looked at Lena.
"You can't just come into her life and change and take over everything." Lena told me.
"I'm not trying too; you're the only one in this family other than Melissa that doesn't like me."
"Mom, Shane has changed a lot in our lives, but they are for the better. Mitchie isn't the shy little girl anymore. She has changed and I am proud of that. She deserves everything she's gotten in the last few years. Now, Shane is taking Mitchie out and we will stay here and make any last minute arrangements." Steve told Lena.
"Bye daddy, I'll see you later mom." Mitchie smiled at her parents before she took my hand and pulled me to the car with her.
"**"
"Hey, Baby?" Shane asked after I closed the door behind us.
I turned to him curious. "Yeah."
His callused fingers ran over my cheek as he stared at me. "I love you; no one can ever change that. I'm sorry I've been causing problems between your grandma and your family." He looked so apologetic and he hadn't done one thing to be sorry for.
"Shane, you haven't done anything to apologize for. You should be saying you're welcome more." I smiled at him and mirrored the movement on his jaw as he had done to my cheek "I love you, Shane and I'm sorry I come with all the drama."
"No drama at all." He smiled at me and I saw him look up. "Looks like we get some more company."
Before I could really turn around I was pulled into a hug by Jason. "Hey little sis. How is life today?" He asked me and I heard Shane chuckle and I giggled at him.
"Life is okay today. Thanks for asking though." I smiled at him and then Nate walked over and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "We'll all be here for you tomorrow." He told me and I had let a tear slip. I saw him look up at Shane before I felt myself being turned around and pulled into Shane's chest. I had let my tears go and cried for the next minute.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you cry." Nate looked so sorry.
"It's okay Nate. It doesn't take much to make me cry these days." I laughed.
He hugged me and I hugged him back. "I'm still sorry."
"Well, you're forgiven." I gave him a small smile.
"Where are you two going?" Jason asked.
"We were going to go to the mall. Lena showed up and well you can guess the rest." Shane explained while she wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled my back to his chest.
"Could we tag along?" Nate asked.
"Sure…" I smiled at them.
"You sure. We don't mind if you just want to hang out with Shane." Jason told me.
I laughed and so did Shane. "She would have said no if she didn't want you to go." Shane told him.
"True." Jason looked at me. "Okay then let's go."
"**"
They all got in my car and I had let Shane drive. I turned to talk to the guys. "So, Nate, how's Amelia?"
I saw him blush. "Fine, but you already knew that." He stated.
"I did, but I like to see you blush." I smirked at him.
"Little Miss. Evil is coming out of her shell." Nate teased me.
"Yeah, yeah." I turned back to look at Shane my smile fell as I saw the look on his face and in his eyes.
He looked sad. I laid my hand on his arm and he turned to look at me. "Are you okay, Shane?" I asked him curiously.
He parked the car and turned it off, before he turned back to me. "Has Lena always been like that to you?"
"Shane…" I sighed.
"No, I need to know." He looked at me with so much love like he always had. The look on his face was how he looked only when he looked at me.
I leaned over and kissed him; I pulled back and looked in his eyes. "Yeah, she's always been like that and no one knows why. I was never good enough. I'm not popular, I was never as pretty as Melissa, I was never as skinny as her, I was never perfect, I never wanted to be and that made her mad. I went after my dreams and I did what was needed to get there. She didn't like the independence."
"I admire that in you." He smiled as I blushed. His fingers ran over my cheek.
"You guys are so mushy." Nate said.
"I have to agree with him." Jason commented.
"Would you two stop ruining my moments, I swear every time I think back to a romantic moment you two pop up in it somewhere." Mitch said a little annoyed.
"Well, we can't help that you two are always so romantic." Jason mocked me.
"Well, you don't always have to tag along."
"You don't always have to say yes."
"Guys really come on this is supposed to be fun not this kind of fun." Nate laughed.
"**"
I got out of the car and linked my arm with Nate's. "Nate, you are acting more like a teenager again." I told him and ruffled his hair.
He kissed my head. "Well, I have you to thank for that, sis." He smiled down at me.
I laughed and smiled. "Well, you're welcome." I kissed his cheek.
"Hey, don't go steeling my girl now." I heard Shane behind me.
I made sure he was able hear my next statement. "Nate, he knows, what do we do now?"
Nate and I laughed at the look on Shane's face. Shane pulled me away from Nate and tightly to him.
"That wasn't funny." He said.
"Yes, it was, but you should know I love you."
He stopped and kissed me. "I love you too." He smiled at me.
"Come on love birds." Jason yelled from a few feet away.
"Coming." I pulled Shane with me while we laughed.
"**"
"Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I was hoping I could get a picture and an autograph." A girl about the age of 15 asked. I saw Mitchie step behind us. "…or not that's okay." She looked disappointed.
"No it's fine." Nate told her. "Do you have something for us to sign?
"I actually wanted to talk to Mitchie." She said nervously.
Shane laughed. "Sure…" He turned to the direction Mitchie walked off too. "Hey baby, come over here."
She walked over slowly and smiled as Shane put his arm around her. "She was talking to you."
"Me?" She asked surprised.
"Yeah, I'm a big fan. Sorry, I think you're great." She smiled at Mitchie.
Mitchie smiled and relaxed into Shane's side. I didn't think they even notice they did it anymore.
"Why don't you walk with us for awhile?" Mitchie asked the girl.
"Really, I'd love too." She said all excited
"I didn't get your name." Mitchie stopped her.
"Sorry, I'm Kayla."
"It's nice to meet you. I'm Mitchie." Mitchie told Kayla.
"**"
We had walked for awhile and Kayla and Mitchie just talked. I heard my phone ring. I had let go of Mitchie's hand and pulled my phone out. "Hello."
"Shane, Lena just sent Melissa and Tess to the mall." I stopped as Steve talked.
I noticed Mitchie stopped next to me and she looked at me concerned. "Okay Steve thanks." I just looked at her.
"Sure. Take Mitchie somewhere to relax, the beach is her favorite. If you stop by the house Caitlyn could have everything you guys need ready."
I pulled Mitch into my arms and kissed her head. "That would be great. Thanks Steve, we'll be there soon." I hung up and pulled back from her a little to look at her. "I really do not like your grandmother." I said as she relaxed back into the embrace.
"Why? What did she do now?" She looked at me as her chin rested on my chest and she smiled at me.
I smiled back and kissed her forehead. "She sent Melissa and Tess here."
She pulled away. "What?" She asked angry.
"I know, your dad said we should go to the beach. Caitlyn will be outside your house and with everything we need, if you want to go?" I told her. She walked back to me and just stood in front of me. "What?" I asked her confused.
"You sir, are the best." She told me and smiled brightly at me before she kissed me. "I love you."
"I love you too. Come on we need to leave before they find us."
"Too late." I looked over at Nate as he pointed to the two figures that seemed to have been on a search.
"Mitch, we need to go if you want to leave unnoticed." Jason told her.
She looked at me and then to her sister. "Okay." She sighed. A tear left her eye. I touched her cheek and hoped she would look at me, slowly her eyes met mine and I gently wiped at her tears.
"Baby I know it hurts. I know you wish you were closer to her, but you can't help who she is." She nodded before she spontaneously hugged me. I stumbled a few feet before I steadied and wrapped my arms around her. She held on tight and I tightened my hold on her too. "I love you." I whispered, with some hope to be able to bring some light into her world. I felt her smile against my neck.
"I love you too, Shane." She pressed her lips lightly to my chin before we moved out of our embrace. She turned to everyone. "Okay, let's go." She then turned to Kayla. "If you would like to come with, we can get you a swimsuit and call your parents."
Kayla's eyes widened "really?" She asked.
Mitchie laughed "Yes, if you want to?"
"Of course I do." Kayla pulled out her phone and dialed. She quickly talked, "I can go." She said with a wide smile.
Mitchie smiled, "Good, come on I have a suite that will fit you at the house."
"**"
Before Shane even had the car in park Mitchie was out of the car and over to Caitlyn to introduce her new friend.
"She's happy." Shane turned his head to me.
"Yeah." He looked back over to Mitchie.
"You make her happy." Shane turned to me again. "She loves you and she knows you adore her. She wouldn't have made it through these last few days without you, Shane." He looked at Mitchie then back to me. "I thank you for everything. She's my little girl and I thought giving her up would be hard."
"Sir, I have no…" He tried to interrupt.
"I'm still Steve, Shane, and I know you have no intention of doing so, but I'm her dad and that's how it feels. Shane, you have become part of the family and I trust you fully with her, that's why it's not so hard to give her to you."
Shane smiled at me. "Thank you, I love her."
I smiled back and placed a hand on his shoulder with a laugh. "I know you do and I also know she loves you with her whole heart."
"That seems impossible; she has the biggest heart I know. She invited a complete stranger, a fan to hang out with her just so she could have a dream come true, at one of the worst times of her life."
"She does, but that's just her. She has always been big hearted." I smiled at the man who turned his attention back to the house, where my daughter had went into. "Have you two decided on a date yet?"
He turned back to me again. "For what?" He asked confused.
"The wedding." I smiled.
"Oh, yes we have actually, but she wants to wait until after the funeral to tell everyone." He said before her looked back at the house where Mitchie had walked out of and started towards us, in her bikini and shorts.
"Hey Popstar, Kayla will be out soon and then we can leave." She smiled at him and I saw the light in her eyes.
"Okay, just make sure everyone gets here." Shane smiled at her.
She kissed him and let herself linger in the feeling before she pulled back, but made sure she was still in his arms. "Hey dad."
"Hi baby girl." I smiled as I saw that Shane's eyes mirrored hers.
"What are you two doing over here?" She looked me in the eyes.
"Just talking about you." Shane laughed at the look Mitchie had given him. "All good I promise." He kissed her head and smiled at him.
Mitchie had hit his chest lightly. "It better be good." Shane laughed. She relaxed in his arms and sighed content.
"I have nothing but good things to say, but your dad…" Shane chuckled.
Mitchie turned in Shane's embrace, but made sure he kept his arms around her. Shane moved his thumb around her bellybutton which made her sigh before she looked at me. "Daddy!" She said in fake shock. "I thought I was your favorite, your little girl."
I laughed at the both of them. "You two are terrible."
We all laughed as everyone piled out of the house. "I guess I should go change too. I'll be back in a minute." Shane kissed Mitchie's head before he walked into the house.
"Oh, baby girl." I said while I watched her while she stared at the door Shane had gone through.
"Hmm." Had left her mouth. She turned her head to look at me.
"I want you to know that I could never have asked for a better man for you." I told her.
She blushed and there was a long pause before she turned back to the door as Shane walked out of the house. "I couldn't either." Her shy smile got a raised eyebrow from Shane.
"What's with the blush?" He smiled as his question made Mitchie turn redder.
"Nothing, come on, I'd like to get there today." She said as she tugged my hand.
"So bossy, maybe I should get out while I…" He couldn't finish because Mitchie turned at top speed and kissed him hard and passionate. I shouldn't be shocked at the public display of affection, but this was the most passionate kiss I had ever seen between the two.
Mitchie pulled back a few inches. Shane tightened his grip on her hips. Mitchie's eyes opened and I could see the stars and her devious smile. "Still want to leave?" She asked.
Shane's eyes mirrored hers as he smiled adoringly at her. "Never." He kissed her again, but less passionate than the last. "I love you." He whispered, but I heard.
I couldn't help the smile that crossed my face as I watched them. I didn't want to break them up, but I saw that the others had sent poor Nate to break them apart and I thought I would give him a break. "Okay you two, as much as I don't want to ruin this moment the others are getting restless."
Mitchie buried her head in Shane's chest. "Sorry, come on baby." Shane opened her door and looked at me and smiled. "We'll be back for dinner."
"I trust you." I told him and I hoped he understood what I tried to say.
"Thank you." He got in the car and they were off to the beach.
"**"
I watched Mitchie as she laid the towels on the sand. Her swim suit was white which showed off her tanned skin, I noticed a few guys with their eyes on her. "Hey babe?"
"Yeah." She looked up with a dazzling smile.
"You are too beautiful for my own good." I reach out and pulled her to me.
"Your own good?" she asked with her eyebrow raised and a smile.
"You really don't notice all the guys staring at you?" I asked her.
She looked around surprised and shyly by my question. "Not until now." She said as she pulled my shirt over her shoulders and started to button the front to cover her.
I couldn't help the laugh that had left my throat. "Baby, you don't have to hide. I know you don't care and I love that about you." I told her taking the shirt off her shoulders. "Now, relax and have fun." I kissed her head as she wrapped her arms around my waist.
"I am thank you." She said so low I almost didn't hear it.
"I love you. You don't even know how deep that feeling goes, Mitch." I whispered; my lips lightly brushed her forehead.
"I think I do, because I love you too." She kissed my lips with an intensity that was starting to build between us, yet we had three more weeks before we could indulge in that feeling.
"Mmmm, baby." I sighed. "You are tempting me again."
"Yes, and I like doing so." She smirked at me.
"I'm sure you do." I picked her up and spun her around. Hearing her laugh was the best part of the day.
"**"
No one was sure what to say or do since we got back from the funeral. I walked down the stairs more cautiously than normal. I got to the kitchen and there was Shane with Mitchie in his lap. Her head was on his shoulder and his hand ran through her hair to comfort her.
"Hey." I said and placed a hand on Mitchie's head.
She turned to see who I was. "Hey." She said softly before she turned and put her face in Shane's neck.
"How are you, twin?" I heard a giggle from her as I called her my twin.
"Not so good, but thanks for trying to make it better." She smiled softly at me.
"No problem sis." I kissed her forehead before she turned back to Shane again. I went to get something to eat when Jason walked in.
"Hey, little sis; we are all here for you today, remember that if you need a shoulder, okay?" I thought the words were not the best thing he could have said, but the way he said it had her in tiers and out of Shane's lap hugging him.
"I love you too, big brother and you too little brother."
"Hey, you're only older by a few days." I told her, we were always fighting over the three days we were separated by.
She laughed. "Yeah, yeah, you only wish you were born first." Jason stepped out of the room and went to get the cars.
I looked over her shoulder to Shane's face. Shane's eyes were on Mitchie watching for a sign of a breakdown. He relaxed as she laughed and smiled at her as she turned to him and hugged him.
"Thank you for staying with me. I love you so much. Joe, it hurts sometimes how much I miss you, don't leave me ever okay." I knew I wasn't supposed to hear her and still it broke me. The tear left my eye before I could stop it and I saw Shane pull her as tight as he could to himself.
"As long as I can help it, baby and I love you so much too." He whispered back and looked up and met my gaze. 'You okay?' he mouthed.
'I'm fine.' I mouthed and left them to be.
"**"
Nick walked out of the room. "Could two people be any more right for each other?" I asked Nick.
"I don't think anyone could be any more right for each other as they are for each other." He said as he looked over his shoulder at Shane and Mitchie.
"You know, Shane is everything I have ever wanted for her." Connie said as she stood next to me. "He's the best thing that's ever happened to her."
"She's the best thing that's ever happened to him. I have always wanted a daughter and she is the best daughter I could have asked for. She became family so easily, so fast. It was like she was always part of the family." Denise said.
"We feel the same about Shane, Demise." Connie told her as Mitchie and Shane walked in.
"**"
"What about me, Connie?" Shane asked carrying a sleeping Mitchie. I walked over to Shane and touched his cheek with tears in my eyes. "What happened now, please tell me nothing bad. I can't tell her any more bad news." He looked as exhausted as my daughter. Steve walked in and stopped at the doorway.
"Shane…" I couldn't finish.
"What? It's really bad isn't it?" He looked nervous.
I shook my head. "No Shane, It's nothing bad. It's just…" I look at my daughter on his arms and then back to him. "It's just that we couldn't have asked for anyone, any family better then you and your family."
"Thank you, umm, I was just hoping I could stay with Mitchie tonight, if that's okay?" He asked looking at me and over my shoulder to Steve.
"Shane, we trust you. Go ahead I'll bring your bag up later if that's okay?" Steve asked Shane moving away from the doorway so Shane could get to the stairs.
"Yes, thank you Steve."
"No problem Shane." Steve patted Shane on the shoulder and we watched Shane walk up the stairs.
"god he loves that girl." Brown said from the corner of the room. Everyone in the room smiled and nodded.
"**"
I laid Mitchie on her bed and then took off my belt and jacket. I took Mitchie's heels and jacket off as well before I crawled into bed with her and pulled the covers over us. She turned in her sleep and pulled herself to lay on my right side. I pulled her closer and kissed her head. She sighed, "Shane."
"Mitch, are you awake?" I asked her.
"Yeah, I was hoping I could get you to get me my pajamas so I can change and then if you want I have some of your stuff in the second shelf in the closet."
I smile smugly at her. "You keep a shelf of my things here. No, wonder I love you." I laughed. "We are so in love with each other." I kissed her.
I came out of the closet with cloths for her and for me. I saw her struggling with the zipper. She heard the closet close and turned. "Could you help me with this please; I can't seem to get it."
"Sure." I pulled gently on the zipper and let my finger graze her soft silk skin. As her strap left her shoulder I kissed the skin. "Hmm." I hummed. "Baby, baby, you are driving me crazy." I told her kissing her neck.
She leaned back and I braced for her wait. "Just one more week, Shane."
"You do know everyone will be mad that you want to get married next Saturday, but I cannot wait to be married to you." I didn't even notice the dress hit the floor as I pulled her tight to my bare chest and into a heated kiss.
"Shane." She moaned kissing my chin.
"We have to stop Mitch." I whispered in her ear.
"Okay, next week?" She smiled at me.
"Definitely." I smiled back at her and pulled my shirt over her head after I changed. I pulled her back onto her bed and song our song to her quietly making her fall asleep.
"**"
Both of our families where here for breakfast and they were all looking intently at me and Shane. "So, we… I have picked a date for the wedding and I know you guys are going to question it, but it's what we want." I told them while I looked at Shane. He nodded looking over our family. I turned back to them. "We want to get married Saturday."
"This Saturday?" Both Connie and Denise asked shocked.
"Yes." Shane clarified.
I saw the look on our fathers faces. "Okay, baby girl. I guess that means you should start looking for a dress."
"Umm well, I already have a dress. No one, but my mom has seen it and I want to keep it that way until the wedding."
"No offence sweetie, but how did you pay for it?" Denise asked.
I blushed at the question and looked at my hand that was entwined with Shane's. "Shane told me to go and try on dresses and when I found one I liked to call him. I found a dress I loved and he came and paid for it. I tried to not let him, but he was very persistent about it." I nudged his shoulder.
"Hey, it's the least I could do. You agreed to marry me after all." He whispered in my ear.
I smiled at him and kissed him. "I did." I whispered back.
"Hey, why don't the two of you come back to the world?" Nick said kicking my foot under the table.
"Thanks Nick." I said as I kicked his shin maybe a little harder then I should have.
"Hey, it's on now twin." Nick said as he stood and ran to my side of the table. He picked me up and spun around. "Your already family, this is just making it official." He kissed my head and sat me down in Shane's lap. He leaned down and whispered in my ear. "I knew this is where you really want to be sitting."
I laughed at his words. "Oh, Nicky."
"Love ya too twin." He smiled at me.
Shane wrapped his arms around me and I leaned into him.
"So Saturday?" Brown asked.
"Yes." Shane and I answered.
"Okay where would you like the wedding at?" Steve asked.
"Umm well we were hoping that maybe Brown could convince the arena to let us use it for the Wedding."
"What? How many people are you planning on inviting?" Brown asked.
"You guys and a few friends, we want a very small wedding." I told Brown.
"Then why do you want to use an arena in LA." Brown asked.
"Umm It's were we first met."
"Mitchie…" He whined. "You meant here in Chicago. Oh, Mitch I don't know if I…" He started to say apologetically.
"Can you please try?" I gave him my best puppy dog eyes.
"Fine I'll do my best." He caved.
"Tha…" I fell on the floor before I could finish. I laughed at myself.
"Mitchie, are you okay?" Shane asked his finger holding my chin to look at me. He looked so concerned.
"Yeah… I'm Fine." I choked out through my laughter.
Shane started to laugh. "You are so clumsy."
"Yeah, but you like it cause you get to make fun of me."
"That is so true." He kissed my head and then lifted me up and sat down with me in his lap.
"Thank you, Brown."
He laughed. "You are so worth anything you could ever want Mitchie."
I was turning bright red and I knew Shane knew by the way he was laughing into my ear. I slapped his chest. "Stop it."
"Sorry I can't help it you're just too adorable." He started to tickle my sides and I squirmed in his arms.
"Shane, stop!" I laughed/screamed.
"**"
"Fine I will, but only if you kiss me." I whispered in her ear.
She turned to me and kissed my nose. "Better?" She asked.
"Much." I said kissing her lips quickly, before turning back to our family.
"Okay you two don't make us separate you guys, we all know exactly how that never works out." Demise said making not only Mitchie blush, but me too.
"Hey, they have to learn to be separated for a bit because they can't be around each other for twenty four hours before the wedding." Nick said.
"Who said we were doing that?" Mitchie asked him.
"Yeah, cause' we're not doing that." I agreed with her.
"Oh, yes you two are going to do that." Both Denise and Connie looked sternly at us.
"What? Why?" Both Mitchie and I whined.
"Because it's tradition and that's one tradition we are not breaking." Connie told us.
"Fine, I'll just have to deal with it." Mitchie said sadness in her voice and on her face.
"Don't even try it baby girl. It is only one night and then you never have to spend another night apart. Okay?"
"Okay." Mitchie said defeated. "I guess I'll live." She looked at me with her puppy eyes.
"Don't look at me like that baby. It's not me you have to convince. I don't want to leave you either." I kissed her softly before cradling her to me once again. "But one night won't kill us." I tried not to sound upset about it, but by the way she looked at me I knew she could hear the disappointment.
"Shane?" She asked playing with the buttons on my shirt.
"Yeah." I ran my hand through her hair.
"I want to go to the back yard and take a nap on the porch, please." She said leaning heavily on to me and her voice wavers.
She's falling asleep on me. "Sure baby." I look up at everyone. "I'm going to take her upstairs; she's falling asleep."
"Shane, go ahead and stay with her." Steve said.
"Thank you, for letting me into your family and approving of us and for letting me marry her." I thanked him sincerely.
"I should be thanking you. You made my baby girl stronger and more independent, and I thank you for that, Shane." Steve said as he looked at his daughter who was asleep by that time. "You've done more for us then we could ever repay you for."
"I don't want anything. Actually, I just want one thing, Mitchie." I told him truthfully.
He smiled and laughed chuckled. "I know and I am so glad that it's you Shane. I couldn't have given her to anyone else."
"We love you Shane. You were like a son to me the moment I met you." Connie said and kissed my head.
"Shaney." I heard behind me.
I groaned. "Connie, Steve I love you guys, but I'm sorry I can't stand your daughter."
They both laughed at me. "Go we'll take care of her, oh and so you know…" Connie's voice got quieter. "She's not really asleep; she just wanted you to herself."
I smiled at her. "I know, see you later Connie." I kissed her cheek and did the same to my mom before I said see you later to the rest of our family and headed to the porch.
"**"
"Okay, you can put me down now Shane." I told him as he shut the back door with his foot.
"I don't think so." Shane said to me.
"Why?" I asked him.
"Because, I love you." He said not convincingly.
"That's not the reason." I gave him a knowing look.
"**"
"No, but this is." I sat in the chair and set her on my lab straddling me and kissed her like I've never kissed her. I was feeling a million feelings; joy, proud, ecstatic, nervous, and passion.
Mitchie wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me closer to her. She kissed me back hungrily and molded herself to me as much as she could. "Shane." She whispered as she pulled back to breath.
"Baby, this is the worst wait of my life. I want to be married to you so bad." I told her and kissed her again.
"I want to be married to you too. We just have to wait a few more days and then everything will be perfect." She said and kissed me.