Disclaimer: See prologue chapter

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Chapter 3

In the Car

"Okay Mitch, just what did you mean when you said that it would be safer at your place than staying at the hotel?" Nate asked as he settled
in the seat next to the brunette.

Jason was sitting opposite them, (mock sulking it had to be said as his pleasant sister had pushed him there on entering the car herself,
"Saying you had me to yourself on the ride here, this is your punishment for sneaking out on them).

Mitchie herself was sitting between Shane and Nate, leaning against the former, his arm around her waist.

"Did I ever tell you exactly what it was Steve did when he wasn't running his successful hardware store?" She asked, as she settled into Shane's
embrace, entwining her fingers with his as she did so and looking up at him with a gentle smile. "The reason why we had access to so many extra
security guards around the camp."

All three boys looked at each other and then down at the brunette, saying simply. "No."

"Ah well..." Mitch grinned. "Steve helps to run one of the more successful security firms in Texas. He created it shortly after I was found six years
ago when he left the Dallas PD. He has links with every law enforcement organisation there is, including the armed forces, now that I think of it."

"That is just... well, can I just say, a little unexpected." Nate finally got out.

"It's one of the reasons why I don't go to public or private school, although there's another reason for that as well." Mitchie shrugged slightly,
"Even my tutor is a former marine, I think."

"Why do I get the sudden feeling that Connie is not what she seems either." Jason asked.

"No, Connie is. Okay, yes she was in the DPD when I was found but the catering business was her mother's and Connie inherited it shortly after the
accident as well." Mitchie felt Shane's arm tighten around her as she mentioned the accident she had been involved in when she was ten. "She felt
that it was a more suitable business for her to be in while looking after a young child."

"Mitch, why do I get the feeling that there's a lot more that you haven't told us?" Nate asked as he turned in his seat to look at her.

"Honestly, Nate..." Mitchie sighed and pulled Shane's arms around her, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I'm still getting my memories back of
the first ten years of my life, I've just found out..."

She grinned at her brother shyly. "I'm just as rich as my foster father, well I think I am, I really couldn't tell you, as I've never been bothered with the
green stuff, I've always had to earn whatever I needed, even though they would give it to me if they wanted to and mpf..."

Shane released her hand and covered her lips, grinning. "Alright, Mitch, I think they got the picture, sweetheart."

Jason and Nate were also hiding grins that had her promptly blushing, hiding her face against Shane's side as quickly as she could.

Leaning down, Shane pressed a kiss to her head and murmured, "Original question, Mitch."

Still blushing, Mitchie emerged and settled back against his side once more, resting her hand on his knee (and which he covered immediately with his
own hand).

"We live in a gated community, with security from Steve's firm. There are reasons why, and I really don't want to go into them at the moment." There
was a dark look in her eyes that had the three young men look at each other, slightly concerned.

"No-one gets in without the guards knowing about it." She continued, a grin suddenly replacing the dark look. "The guys have a very unique way of
dealing with over enthusiastic fans."

"And just how do you know that, Miss Mitch?" Nate asked, as he settled back into his corner of the seat.

"Remember the story in Hot Tunes about the fans that ended up in a water bath last year when they tried to follow Jenny Dakota to where she was
staying during her concert week in Dallas?" She asked, the grin growing even broader.

"Couldn't miss it; laughed about it for a day afterwards." Nate replied before catching the evil look in her eyes. "You're saying that it was, no, Mitchie
it was here where we are going."

"Oh yes." Mitchie said with glee, "May not be all that fond of Ms Dakota but I had a front row seat when the fans tried to charge the gates. I had been
coming home from a lesson and the guards on duty had to pull me through before they turned the water hoses on them."

"Mitch, you could have been killed!" Jason exclaimed, reaching out to catch hold of her free hand. "Her stalker was in the group that charged the gate."

"Co-incidence, Jake. The guys had been on the lookout for me when her cars came through at the same time and I went in through the personnel gate,
rather than the main gates, I always do."

"We are so going to sit down sometime and you are going to fill me in." Jason looked at her, decidedly serious. "I mean it, Mitchie; I need to know what
you haven't been telling me."

"Yes, Jason." Mitchie sighed, freeing her hand and sinking back once more into Shane's arms.

Shane immediately moved slightly so that he could look down into her eyes as she rested against him. "You have to tell him sometime, Mitchie." He whispered
as he ran his finger down her cheek. "He's your brother and he loves you."

"I know that too." She caught hold of his hand, holding him against her cheek for a moment. "But..."

"I know." He pressed his lips to her forehead, holding her even closer. "But with what we have to face, Mitchie, we need to know everything that could be a
problem."

Mitchie buried her face against his neck. "I'm scared."

Shane wrapped both arms around her, running his hand through her hair. "And I'll be right there beside you, Mitch, together you and I can do anything."

He drew her out of hiding again, and then without a thought for the two sharing the car with them, lowered his head and kissed her.

Immediately, they could hear Jason start to hum and Nate start laughing.

Shaking his head, Shane kissed Mitchie softly once more before letting her turn back to lean against him, his arms around her. Mitchie sighed, stuck her
tongue out at her brother and closed her eyes, settling into his embrace.

And with that, the four fell into comfortable silence as they travelled the distance to Mitchie's Dallas home.

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Well, apparently I've managed to find a slight plot with this chapter and yet even more mystery abounds for Mitchie.

Thanks for the questions guys, really appreciate them, they will help the press conference tremendously

AND major apologies to The Demi Factor, I really can't understand why we are unable to hook up on IM, I've been sending you the address
but I get the feeling that this program has been removing it from the message. Sincerely sorry about that. (just been given proof of that, here in fact ugh!)

As always looking forward to seeing what you have to say.