Version 1
"What instrument do you two need for your songs?" Ellen asked.
"I need an acoustic guitar. Jason can I borrow the one you brought with you, that's my favorite?" Nate said.
Jason laughed and said "I was wondering why it kept vanishing I was beginning to think it grew legs." Before walking off to get it.
"Is there a piano I could use? If not I can pick a different song." Mitchie asked timidly.
"Of course there is one right over there where we have our musical guests perform we can just move the competition over there since immediately after the competition the show will be over." Ellen said before excusing herself to tell the staff the plan so they could hook microphones up and stuff.
Jason came over and handed the guitar to Jason and said "I'll trade you the bright blue guitar Miley got you for your 15th birthday for this one."
"Done." Nate hurriedly said before smiling and thanking Jason.
"Alright follow me and we will head over and get you set up before commercial ends." Ellen said when she returned. We all went and Mitchie practically ran to the piano visibly relaxing. Shane hadn't been exaggerating when he said that Mitchie began teaching herself piano when she was four and she has always been extremely musically talented. She was even good on the music production and recording side. She actually helped the producer of the Connect 3 newest album mix and record the tracks on the cd.
After a quick sound check there was about 3 minutes left until the commercial was over. They had decided that to make things interesting they were going to flip a coin after the break to see who was going first. Mitchie sat behind the piano and closed her eyes as she played the very recognizable and beautiful classical piano song "Clair de Lune" by Debussy. As she played the tune was amplified over the audience members who immediately quieted and looked over. Mitchie was so lost in the music that it seemed that she didn't even remember there was people around to hear her. She kept her eyes shut and put so much emotion into the song and played it so beautifully that even just watching her play it was beautiful. Driven by the emotion Mitchie put into the song some people in the audience even began to cry. Nobody noticed when the 'On Air' light went on except the people controlling the cameras in the tech box, they focused the camera on Mitchie as she played and occasionally moved the cameras around to show the mesmerized audience, Connect 3, Ellen, even crew members as a partial form of explanation as to why nothing was happening. When the song ended everyone erupted into a loud round of applause and even gave her a standing ovation. Mitchie blushed uncontrollably remembering where she was.
Ellen and the crew snapped out of it "Oh my God! I'm sorry we are back on the air. Sorry about that people on the couch. Mitchie surprised us with an amazing performance of "Clair de Lune" by Debussy and we all just forgot where we were. But anyway, we are about to start the sing-off competition that was instigated before the brake by none other than Nate Greywho knows just what to say to get his fake twin sister to agree to any challenge. Even when she doesn't want to. These boys haven't heard Mitchie sing or play in six years and finally managed to trick Mitchie into playing and left her no way out. So to decide who goes first we are going to flip a coin. Tails for Nate and heads for Mitchie." Ellen flipped the coin and caught it in her hand before flipping it onto her wrist. "And it's heads! Mitchie first!"
Mitchie smiled still in the calm haze induced from her world of music and said "Okay, well I wrote this song a few years ago. The boys had just hit the big times and I was now a secret. When they left however I didn't have any other real friends to fall back on and it didn't feel like I fit anywhere so I wrote this song to help me feel better." Mitchie turned back to the piano and began to play after the first chord she opened her mouth and began to sing in an impressive and mature voice that took the breath from everyone. Once again everyone was captivated. Even the camera people had stopped switching camera angles and instead left it on a close up image of Mitchie as she played. Her eyes were closed again as she perfectly conveyed and transferred every emotion she had been feeling when she wrote it to her audience. Not a single sound was heard from the audience they wanted to listen, to hear her voice, her words. It was almost as if Mitchie had some kind of hypnotic power over them. They couldn't look away, they couldn't think of anything else, the only thing that mattered was listening to what the beautiful piano and voice and understanding the true meaning of the song.
Sometimes I wonder
Where I've been
Who I am, do I fit in?
Make-believing is hard alone
Out here, on my own
We're always proving
Who we are
Always reaching
For that rising star
To guide me far
And shine me home
Out here on my own
When I'm down and feeling blue
I close my eyes so I can be with you
Oh, baby, be strong for me
Baby, belong to me
Help me through
Help me need you
Until the morning sun appears
Making light of all my fears
I dry the tears I've never shown
out here on my own
But when I'm down and feeling blue
I close my eyes so I can be with you
Oh, baby, be strong for me
Baby, belong to me
Help me through
Help me need you
Sometimes I wonder
Where I've been
Who I am, do I fit in?
I may not win
But I can't be thrown
Out here on my own
On my own
There was a long moment of silence after the song, during which the cameras snapped back into action and captured the reaction of the audience. Mitchie sat there in the silence staring straight into nothingness breathing heavily while a single tear rolled down her cheek completely oblivious once again that people were around her and staring intently at her. Suddenly a member of the audience stood up and began clapping which brought everyone back to reality where they quickly rose and joined in the applause. Mitchie jumped when the clapping started and then seemed to take a moment remember where she was. When she did she blushed a bit but looked at Nate and said "Beat that little brother!"
Nate shook his head and said "There is no way in the world I could ever beat you in music. You have always and will always be more talented than me and I knew that when I challenged you. You are amazing and your music is freakishly hypnotic. You just needed the push to start sharing your music again. That is what I gave you with this. Thousands of people just heard how amazing you are including several people that are high up in the music industry that we texted and told them to watch. And now that you have opened up and shared your music again the three of us aren't going to hesitate in offering you recording contract with our label even though I am very positive that you will be receiving calls from several companies all over the world."
It seemed like Mitchie didn't know what to say to that so in a small voice she said "You can't forfeit, rules are you have to see the challenge to the end."
Nate smiled lovingly at her and said "And I would never break the rules of our 'super-secret-superhero twins club' I mean we have had them since we were in kindergarten, I don't even want to think about what would happen if I broke them."
Mitchie smiled back before running into his arms "I love you twin."
"I love you too twin." Nate said before letting her going and saying "Now if you excuse me I need to go and loose another music competition to you." Everyone laughed at the two while Nate situated himself at the piano having changed his mind on what song he was going to play "Okay so God knows I can't compete with that but I do have a song I wrote for Mitchie but have never been able to perform before. However, after that song she just sang I figured now would be the perfect time to. I wrote this right after Mitchie and Shane broke up for a bit last year and I was spending a majority of my time holding my twin sister as she cried. I have to say, that is not a favorite pass-time with her, especially when I knew my biological brother was the one that made my non-biological twin sister cry. I love them both to death though. So here is my song called 'I'll Stand By You'." Nate started to play the piano and sing his song looking right at Mitchie. Even though it was impressive and invoked many emotions from the audience, it wasn't as captivating as Mitchie was.
Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don't be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
'Cause I've seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
So, if you're mad, get mad!
Don't hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
But I'm a lot like you
When you're standing at the crossroads
Don't know which path to choose
Let me come along
'Cause even if you're wrong
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
And when, when the night falls on you baby
You're feeling all alone
You won't be on your own
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
Take me in into your darkest hour
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
And I'll never desert you
I'll stand by you
I'll stand by you
Won't let nobody hurt you
I'll stand by you
As soon as the song was finished a tearful Mitchie was running to the piano to throw her arms around him again. Nate chuckled as he caught her and just held her close as the crowd also gave Nate a standing ovation. Allowing the two to have their moment Ellen spoke to the Jason and Shane "So what do our two judges think? Who won?"
"Awe… come on why are we judges? I would be a bad big brother no matter which one I pick!" Jason said.
Shane laughed "Yea! Are you seriously asking me to pick between my baby brother and my girlfriend? Either way we answer we are screwed."
"Ohhh…I've got an idea that will let us pick and not have to pick between them!" Jason told Shane excited.
Shane looked hopeful "What?"
Jason turned to Ellen and said "I think they are both amazing and can't pick between therefore I pick both!"
Everyone laughed and Shane threw his hands up and cheered "whoo… I agree! It is a tie! You both win and at the same time you both lose and have to do the punishments previously agreed to."
"You know I'm actually really excited for the number of cookies Nate is going to make Mitchie bake." Jason said to Shane.
"Who wouldn't be?! They are amazing and she only makes them like once every 5 months and those only last like 2 days, even when she makes 2 batches." Shane said
Mitchie and Nate were now standing next to them and Nate said "Speaking of which I want cookies tonight." Smiling at Mitchie.
"Fine then I want Rocky Road ice cream tonight." Mitchie said as she slid her arm around Shane's waist. Shane placed his arm around the middle of her back and held her close to his side.
Ellen laughed and said "Well we are out of time now unfortunately. I hope you enjoy my most off topic, least structured and most entertaining show. I'll see you next week. Stay tuned for a new episode of NCIS.
The show finished and everyone went backstage to take the microphones off. Shane immediately informed Ellen on the creepy microphone guy and she said she would take care of it. Because Shane scared all the tech guys off none of them dared to touch Mitchie to take her microphone off. Shane smiled before going over and doing it himself seeing as Mitchie couldn't. When all of the tape was removed from Mitchie's lower back, there was a bright red angry mark on her skin from having the tape ripped off, no matter how gently Jo tried to be. Sighing Shane leaned down and placed a quick chaste kiss in the middle of the mark before pulling her shirt back down. After they gave the microphones back Shane and Mitchie walked off with their arms wrapped around each other.