She didn't know if she could get used to riding around in a limo.
But, maybe she was going to have to.
She was currently sitting in a plush leather seat across from Nate and Jason, who either couldn't or wouldn't stop staring at her. Shane's arm wrapped around her shoulders was the only thing keeping her sane. She'd pressed her face into his shoulder the moment he had led her out the the limo, and she hadn't looked up, or spoken a word since. And although she so desperately wished that she wasn't doing so, she in turn, was staring back at Jason.
She had a brother.
Her brother was Jason (Parker) Green, of Connect 3.
Her brother had spent the last ten years searching for her.
Her brother currently had custody of her, and she didn't know how to feel about that.
She was terrified about one thing: the limo was currently en-route to the airport, and she had never been on a plane before. Or, at least, not that she could remember. Anything before the age of five was still kind of a blur.
Sensing her discomfort, Shane's grip tightened.
"You're gonna love L.A, Mitch." He whispered. "Sunny days, beautiful beaches, me..."
"I like the sound of that last one." Mitchie teased, pressing her lips to his cheek. "Promise me you won't leave my side?"
Shane offered her a playful wink. "You're stuck with me."
Because he was so concentrated on the fifteen-year-old, the shaggy haired rock star didn't seem to notice that his band mate and longtime friend was glowering at him.
Nate opened his mouth to say something, but Jason shook his head.
He was wary of Shane's growing relationship with his sister, and he had a right to feel that way. He had already missed so much of Mitchie's life, but of course now that he had found his sister, he got to deal with the fact that she was going to date.
Why did it have to be Shane?
Shane was one of his best friends, he was almost like a brother to Jason, and knowing Shane as well as he did, he knew that he would never do anything to hurt Mitchie.
If he did, his ass would have been grass.
Jason knew he was going to have to have a man-to-man talk with Shane, where he would lay down the laws. He'd spent years imaging, and dreading the day that Michelle would start dating. And now, right in front of his very eyes, she was falling hard for his band mate.
Why did it have to be Shane?
He wasn't opposed to the relationship, per say, but he was her older brother, and it was killing him not to have a connection to her when his best friend did. Though he finally had Mitchie back, he had lost her a long time ago.
He no longer knew how to be her brother.
Part of him did want the five-year-old version of his sister: The Michelle who had known and loved him, the Michelle who had gone to him for anything and anything. The Michelle, or Mitchie, as she now referring to herself as Mitchie, who remembered that she has a brother.
He loved Mitchie, more than anything in the world, and he was going to prove that to her.
"I've got a surprise for you, Mitchie."
Much to his surprise, she pulled away from Shane to look him in the eye.
There was a genuine smile on her face.
None of this was Jason's fault, and she knew that she needed to stop blaming him. Right then and there, he was the only family she had, and she couldn't lose him too.
"Does it match the rug?"
The two siblings began to crack up, while Shane and Nate shared a confused smile. While they were happy to see brother and sister finally getting along, they were also beginning to realize that they had a lot to learn about not only
Mitchie's past, but Jason's as well.
"No, munchkin." Jason muttered, reaching out to squeeze her knee. "I painted the walls purple, not pink. I promise."
What was it that she had said to Jason that day? While waiting for the DNA results?
Purple...
I wanted to paint my bedroom purple, but mom wanted everything to be pink, because she thought it would match the carper better.
She'd always hated the color pink, Jason realized. In a logic that could only make sense to Elizabeth Parker, girls wore pink, and boys wore blue. He'd spent more than half of his childhood dressed in blue, until he'd thrown a fit, and his father, who rarely went up against his mother, had stepped in and told Elizabeth that Jason was old enough to make his own choices.
If Mitchie wanted a purple bedroom, then she was going to have a purple bedroom.
"You're making that look so easy, Nate."
He shot her a hard look, yanking hard on the handle of her suitcase. His knuckles were turning white from his tight grasp, but with the right amount of force, he finally got the piece of luggage up to the second step.
Mitchie turned to Shane. "So... This is gonna take a while."
"Shut. Up. Mitchie."
Shane chuckled, leaning down to rest his forehead against hers.
Just like their last day at camp, he had yet to leave her side. He'd sat beside her on the plane, his arm wrapped around her middle in an unbreakable hold. Though he usually hated the paparazzi, he'd allowed himself to be photographed holding her hand as he led her towards the limo. The picture would most likely end up on the front page of every gossip magazine and tabloid ('Shane Gray holds hands with Mystery Girl while out and about with his band mates: Jason Green and Nate Black! A new interest, perhaps?) but they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
"Don't worry." He whispered. "I think he'll be hitting the gym before Caitlyn comes to visit."
"Shut. Up. Shane."
Mitchie raised an eye brow. "Caitlyn's coming to visit?"
"We fly her out here periodically. Her parents will feel more comfortable with it, now that you're here."
But how long would she be there for?
Right now, she had no choice but to live with Jason. He had custody of her at the moment, but what was going to happen when her parents were cleared?
Because they had had nothing to do with her kidnapping.
Would they fight to get her back? Would they let her stay with Jason? Would Jason be willing to let her live with someone else?
She had a feeling that the answer to that last question would be a big fat no.
Shane was staring at her, his eyes full of confusion and concern. She needed to stop spacing out on him, she could tell it was starting to freak him out. It was a bad habit.
She was pretty sure Jason did the exact same thing whenever he was deep in thought: ignore the rest of the world. She had a vague memory of walking into his room, and doing everything except slapping him to try and get his attention.
She could also remember reaching for the glass of water sitting on his bedside, chucking it at him.
Instead of getting his attention, she had been awarded with a very long timeout.
"Mitch?"
She blushed. "Sorry, Shane."
Shane chuckled before pressing his lips to her own. During the distraction, he was able to take the duffle bag from her hand, smirking at her as he pulled away.
Mitchie opened her mouth to protest, but he just kissed her again and started towards the stairs.
The boys, who had been raised to be gentlemen, weren't letting her lift a finger. Mitchie, who had been taught to pull her own weight, felt out of place in Jason, Shane and Nate's world of the rock n roll lifestyle.
She was in the Connect 3 mansion!
Mitchie could only guess that if Tess were there, she would have fainted already.
She was in Connect 3's mansion! And for the next month, or so, the Connect 3 mansion was to be her new home. Life was about to get very interesting.
Jason, Shane and Nate had good taste, she had to give them that.
The four story home was located in a secluded neighborhood, and they had 24/7 security manning the gate in front of their house. The gate, which could only be opened by a key, was there to keep the paparazzi out, and Mitchie inside.
Jason had made it pretty clear that she wasn't allowed to leave the grounds without himself, Shane, or Nate, and she wasn't complaining.
The media didn't know that Michelle Parker had been found, or that she was now known as Mitchie Torres, or that Jason Green even had a little sister who had gone missing, and he wanted to keep it that way.
He was only trying to protect her, and Mitchie was grateful for that.
"Babe." Shane said, holding a hand out to her. "C'mon. Jase wants to show you your room."
Mitchie's cheeks were burning as she took his outstretched hand, allowing him to pull her along behind him.
Shane Gray had just called her babe!
Shane Gray had kissed her, many times.
So... What were they?
It was almost like he'd read her mind. As they reached the top of the stairs, he glanced over his shoulder before dropping her bag to loop his arms around her waist.
"Question." Shane whispered. "What do you say you and I break away later and I finally take you on a first date?"
Mitchie laughed, beaming up at him. "Answer... I'd like that."
Shane laughed too, leaning down to press his lips to hers. They kissed until an impatient Nate called for them to hurry up. He knelt down to pick up her duffle bag before offering her his hand again.
Mitchie's new bedroom was located on the third floor, and just as Jason had promised, the walls were painted purple.
It was absolutely beautiful.
There was a twin sized bed by the far wall, with satin purple sheets, and a white, lace comforter. She had an old fashioned white vanity and a white wardrobe. There was a brand new MacBook plugged in, sitting on the desk, and her keyboard had been set up in the opposite corner. She had a reading area, complete with a bookshelf full of books, and a plush purple chair. Sitting on the chair, wrapped up with a purple satin ribbon, was a brand new guitar.
It was perfect.
"Oh my god..." Mitchie breathed, stepping inside. "It's... I love it! Thank you guys, so much!"
With a grin on his face, Nate gestured to the oldest person in the room. "It was all Jason, Mitchie."
She crossed the room, reaching out to take her brother's hands. He squeezed back softly.
Jason wanted nothing more than to hug his sister, but Mitchie wasn't there yet, and he had to respect that.
"It's beautiful." She whispered. "Thank you, Jay."
"You're welcome, Munchkin." Jason replied with a smile. "C'mon, guys. Let's let Mitchie get settled in."
Shane opened his mouth to protest, but Nate already had him by his shirt collar, yanking him out the door. Jason remained for a moment longer.
"Mitchie?"
"Yeah, Jay?"
She'd given up on correcting herself when it came to calling him Jay. It had been her nickname for him once, and it was a habit she couldn't seem to break.
"I know this wasn't your choice." Jason muttered. "And I am more sorry for that than you will ever know... This might not mean anything to you, but I'm really glad you're here."
Mitchie took hold of his hands once again. "So am I, Jay. No matter what happens... You are my brother, and I'm glad I found you."
