A.N: Nice long chapter for you guys here, (over 3,500 words!) that leads up to the big drama... :) Everything's going to pick up in the next chapter, don't worry. Enjoy, guys!

P.S. Yes, I hate them too. A lot :)

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own CR. Reviews make me happy. I am really uncomfortable right now. All these things are true :P

Chapter 21- My Fair Lady

"What are you doing, Mom?" Austen whined, staring as Michaela rushed around the house, her eyes only darting to his for a few seconds before she rolled her eyes, stopped what she was writing, and came over to him. Although she was more than careful to make sure none of her other children noticed it. She'd fill them in when the time was right.

"Tomorrow, is the day." She whispered at him, and Austen's eyes widened in understanding. He stared at her in shock as she returned to her paper, scribbling fiercely as if she hadn't said anything at all. His head spinning - not from fear, or regret, but from the sudden adrenaline rush he'd gotten just thinking about what was going to happen later on tomorrow. Yes, he was sick and twisted, but he didn't care.

Poor, innocent little Mitchie wasn't going to stand a second. She wouldn't even know what had hit her, until it was too late. And that was just the way he wanted it to be.

*-*-*

"And la la." Mitchie laughed, shaking her head at her own antics, while Caitlyn simply stared on, amused, questioning the sanity of her now-carefree friend. I couldn't help but laugh along with her - what could I say, she wasn't actually half-bad at what she was doing - which now sent Caitlyn glaring at two people.

"I thought it was 'ta da'?" I asked, and Mitchie just rolled her eyes at me, as if I was missing the point of something.

"I know, it's meant to be like that. Do you have a funny bone in your body?" She asked, smirking. "Oh, hey," Mitchie stopped laughing abruptly, as if remembering something that she'd forgotten to mention, and spoke again. "Isn't the fair in town today?" She asked questioningly, raising her eyebrows at Caitlyn and I. I shrugged, briefly remembering seeing an ad in the paper for it, but too unsure to speak up. Caitlyn, however, nodded, rolling her eyes at Mitchie's fascination with something as simple as a fair. "Aww, come on, let's go! It'll be fun!" She insisted, her eyes sparkling just at the thought. Nodding - who could resist the fun day that the fair was sure to offer? - I stood, moving to her side and wrapping my arms around her waist. She flinched slightly, but her upwards glance and smiley expression told me that she didn't mind what I'd done.

"Why don't we go now?" I asked, and Mitchie's smile brightened. I smiled down at her, glad that we would finally be able to do something that was fun and just care-free, away from the usual drama. "As long as you promise not to push yourself too hard, Missy." I raised my eyebrow, watching as she tried to cover up a giggle, her cheeks turning a light shade of red. "You know what the doctor said now."

"Stop being so protective of me!" She smacked me, rolling her eyes, and I grinned down softly at her. "I'm fine - as much it is hard to believe, I do happen to know what I can and can't do and how far I'm capable of pushing myself." She chuckled, smirking up at me, and I had to (once again) resist the urge to lean down and kiss her right then and there. It was just so darn hard not too. But I knew better than anyone not to push her too far too fast. I didn't want to loose her again.

"Well, just let me go and get changed." She announced, grabbing her water bottle as she swallowed most of it before fast-walking out of the room. I laughed at her natural ability to be so... well, put simply, just so wonderful. Caitlyn scoffed at my back, and I turned to face her raised eyebrows and crossed arms.

"I know you still like her, Shane." It wasn't a question, seeing as we both knew the answer to what she'd just said. So, it was true - I'd never be able to erase my feelings for Mitchie. She just had the kind of unforgettable personality. I opened my mouth to reply, but was cut off as Caitlyn made a noise, shoving her hand forwards, stopping me from speaking. "Don't you try to deny it."

"Okay, Cait, firstly, I wasn't going to deny it. I do like Mitchie - more than like, really, but I don't think she's ready to hear that. And I'm hoping that once she remembers everything, then maybe we'll get the chance to go back to what we used to have, ya know? I just don't want to rush her too fast or anything - I want her to make the decision that she likes me too. I don't want to push her and then loose her. And you know that I won't hurt her, Caity, so why do I get the feeling you're going to give me THAT speech?" I rambled, all in one, and was surprised when Caitlyn actually remained silent.

Now, that worried me. I'd expected her to launch right into a fully detailed speech of the many ways she would kill me if I - whether accidentally or purposely - broke Mitchie's heart. Not that I thought I'd even be capable of doing something as horrible as that.

Caitlyn still wasn't speaking. I felt my palms grow sweaty, and I'm sure I felt a drop of sweat on my forehead as I waited anxiously for her to reply. When she did, however, it wasn't what I was expecting, either. It seems I really don't know Caity at all, after all.

A smile formed on her lips right before she burst into laughter, her clear voice ringing throughout the house. I watched, completely shocked and unsure of what to do, as Caitlyn doubled over, holding her sides as she went into a full-out laughing frenzy.

Mitchie re-appeared, wearing a loose-fitting bright orange shirt that was slung over a black Cami, and black skinny jeans with boots. She frowned, staring at Caitlyn's laughing fit and my nervous expression, and raised her eyebrows, glancing between the two of us, trying to understand what was so funny (or to me, scary). Unable to figure it out, she rolled her eyes as she stepped over to my side, probably deciding that it was better not to know what she was missing out on.

"So, let's go!" She yelled happily, completely ignoring the fact that Caitlyn and I had just been in the middle of a conversation. "Come on, come on!" She giggled as she grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the door.

"Slow down Mitch, I'm sure the fair will still be there if I take the time to put on some shoes!" Caitlyn yelled from behind us, and Mitchie spun around, still keeping her expression that said 'I'm a five-year old who just heard I'm getting candy" on. "Mitch," Caitlyn's serious expression made Mitchie raise her eyebrow, looking slightly worried. That was, of course, before Caitlyn finished her sentence. "Please, just try to remember that you're not five anymore, and that people will stare at you if you act like it?" Both Mitchie and Caitlyn burst into laughter, Mitchie shaking her head as she continued to make her way towards the door.

"We'll be waiting for you in the car!" She yelled as she pulled me outside and into the small car that was waiting for us.

*-*-*

"And I'll keep singing this song if you'll keep believing it, believing it..." Mitchie sang along with the radio loudly, laughing as the song came to an end. Her giddy expression wouldn't give anyway any of the past events that she'd been through, and once again I was forced to marvel at how fast she was able to spring back. One moment, she was convinced that she was going no where in life, or worrying about issues, and the next she was acting like a five year old, jumping up and down and singing along to the radio.

We were on our way to the fair, Mitchie in the passenger seat and Caitlyn, Nate, and Jason (whom we'd stopped to pick up just a few minutes ago) in the back, with myself driving. Which left me to be the only responsible adult while the rest of my bandmates and the two girls goofed off, joking around and playing. I'll tell you, it's much more fun to be in the latter crowd, because as much as I might look older, I still was the same nineteen year old boy who just wanted to act like a fool.

"I just wanna play my music!" All of us joined in when the familair tune came on, smiles lighting up at the memories. Even Mitchie sang along, even though she probably didn't remember the first time she'd heard it. Of course, she would know the words, seeing as how it was the single that had saved our career, and hence was played on almost every radio station at one time or the other. But, she wouldn't know that it was inspiration of her that had made me write the hit, and that it was her that had, in reality, saved our career. I smiled at the thought as the song's chorus began, subconciously mouthing the words as I thought back to that day of when we'd sung it that first time at Camp Rock. I remembered smiling down at Mitchie, who had blushed as her huge grin broadened, clapping her hands along with the music.

"Shane?" Mitchie's melodic voice drew me out of my thoughts, and I turned to her, glancing at her before I was forced to return my eyes to the road, or else I'd probably end up head-first in a ditch somewhere. "Hey, do you know how much longer until we get there?" Jeez, she was like a five year old, even asking that dreaded question, the one that had every parent driven up the wall... "Are we there yet?"

"Not much longer now, Mitch." I laughed, considering that she'd already asked me that question at least five times, although each time she'd done so, she'd tried her hardest to sound adult-like and polite. But she already knew that even just asking that question made her sound twenty years younger. "Five more miles to go."

"Yes!" Mitchie pumped her fist in the air, grinning maniacially, and I shook my head at her crazy antics. She was acting so carefree, despite everything, and it made me envious how easy it was for her to bounce back. But I've already mentioned that before.

Five more miles.

*-*-*

"Is everything in place?" Austen asked Michaela, seeing as she'd finally settled for sitting on the couch, staring at the TV boredly. Hearing Austen's question, she turned to her son, nodding.

"It's all set up for tomorrow. Now, all we have to do is lead Mitchie to the bait." She replied, rubbing her hands together as she and her son exchanged an evil, knowing look. Austen smirked, his mind filled with Mitchie's various reactions that he might have the enjoyment of experiencing. Oh, how he was sure that she knew about him now - some because she'd actually remembered it, and most of it what Caitlyn had told her. My grin grew wider as I thought of the next day, and what was to come... oh, let's see lover boy rescue her from our grand masterpiece of a plan.

"Which is..." Of course, Austen had the general idea, but he just wanted to double check that it was the same thing they'd been planning ever since five years ago, the day Mitchie broke off her connections with them. The day that they'd gotten their revenge on her and caused her to end up with amnesia. The day that things should have ended. She should have been dead...

Michaela's smirk drew him out of his thoughts. Oh yes, if he knew anything about her, it was what they'd been planning.

"What do you think, dear boy? Of course it's still the same. Just because she doesn't fully remember us doesn't change a thing. Nothing will change until she's no longer with us." Her tone had turned malicious, and Austen smiled, knowing fully well that she meant this would be over when she was dead.

Not much longer now.

*-*-*

Mitchie squealed in excitement as she literally dragged me over to the pirate ship ride. Caitlyn and Nate had split off of our group, going off somewhere by themselves (if I knew them at all, it was probably to go on some slow romantic ride like the Lazy River or something), and Jason had just jumped off, yelling something about a buying a cotton candy in the shape of a bird. That left Mitchie and I, and one ride that I wasn't so sure about. It just looked like it was all too easy for you to fall up the moment it swung up in the air. Mitchie, however, just stared in awe and forced me into the line, her smile lighting up as she watched it swinging back and forth, back and forth.

"Are you sure you don't want to go on the Gravatron 3000 instead?" I asked hopefully, although Mitchie just shook her head, flashed her wristband at the man standing next to the enter, and pulled me up the stairs and into the second to last seat from the back. Oh crap... I'd watched as the tail of the 'pirate ship' was going up, and I still wasn't sure how the passengers had managed to keep themselves from falling down.

It was too late for regrets, second thoughts, or plans for escape, though, because the 'ship' had just started to move. Slowly, gaining momentom with each swing, it rose, higher and higher, and I felt sicker as we lifted up, reaching for the sky, before plummeting back down to the ground. I gasped - yes, Shane Gray just gasped, but in my defence, it was really scary - reaching over and feeling Mitchie's fingers slip into my own. Although I knew that she wasn't scared, she was only trying to comfort me.

I glanced at her, and saw that she was trying to mask the fact she was secretly enjoying the ride and pretend that she was scared, just to make me feel better. I smiled - how lucky was I to have someone as sweet, caring, and considerate as her? Even though this was obviously one of her favorite rides, she still wasn't going to rub in the fact that I was scared and she wasn't.

I smiled thankfully at her, and she just winked in my direction, leaning into me as we rose higher into the air. I put my arm around her waist, pulling her closer to me as we dropped, and she laughed happily, smirking at me. Once she'd established the fact that it was okay, she threw her hands up in the air, letting out an scream as we flung towards the ground, laughing insanely.

Finally, the ride pulled to a jolting halt, and I stumbled off, not about to admit that my legs were shaking from the fear of the ride. I watched as a few middle school children got on, and shook my head. How they could enjoy such a death trap was beyond my knowledge. I really didn't understand any of it.

Mitchie appeared at my side, slipping her arm through mine, smiling happily, her grin widening as she caught sight of Jason taking a picture of himself with his bird-shaped cotton candy. Shaking her head with a laugh, she smiled brightly, she led the way over to where he was standing, surveying the candy as if trying to decide what part to eat first.

"Hey Jase." Mitchie said easily, "Enjoying your cotton candy?" She asked, grinning at the mess that had been Jason's cotton candy just moments earlier, before he'd attacked it all at once (since he hadn't known which to eat first, he just swallowed the whole thing in one bite). Jason's head shot up, and he grinned, nodding as he attempted to swallow the mouth-full of the sugary candy. How he was able to, I'm not sure - it still ceases to amaze me.

"Want to go ride the roller coasters with us, Jase?" Mitchie continued, and Jason's face flickered with instant fear as he shook his head fiercely, staring at the roller coasters off in the distance with a look of horror on his face. Mitchie frowned, tilting her head slightly at him. "What's wrong, buddy? Are you afraid of the roller coasters?" She said it gently, and it was obvious that she wasn't trying to make fun of him. Jason, however, swiftly shook his head and finished swallowing the rest of his cotton candy before speaking.

"Did you know that a roller coaster once killed a bird? Can you imagine, the poor little creature... so innocent, and then one day, just splat..." Tears formed in Jason's eyes as he shook his head again. "No, I won't go on those bird-killing machines, you two have fun. I think I'll go buy a cotton candy shaped like a birdhouse this time!" His roller coaster thoughts already long gone, he bounced off towards the vending machine, a carefree smile on his face. Mitche laughed as she watched his retreading back - skipping all the way over to the cart. Sighing, she turned away and we made our way over to the ride which I didn't know the name of, but it was nice and slow as you sat in the small cart and it rose into the air and pulled you along a wire over to the other part of the fair... yes, I suck at explaining things, but... oh well. At least it wasn't another pirate ship.

We hopped into the cart and it began to move, nice and slowly, and Mitchie's eyes slowly left Jason's shrinking form as she turned to me, a sort of sadness in her eyes.

"I sometimes envy Jason." She sighed suddenly, leaning against me as we stared out over the fair. "He's so happy and care-free - I wish I could be more like him. Just enjoying life and savoring the small things." She smiled sadly, glancing up at me. I wasn't sure how to respond, so I simply sat in silence, giving her a knowing look. She returned the gesture with a small smile, and leaned her head against my shoulder, her eyes running over all the people that now looked as if they were far away from us, tiny compared to us.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever been to a fair that was this big!" She commented, once again placing the bubbly smile on her face, and I grinned, nodding my agreement. We spotted Nate and Caitlyn smiling at each other as they waited in line for the farris wheel, hands clasped together. Slowly, Mitchie intertwined her fingers with mine, smiling up at me as we sat back, enjoying the peaceful silence for the rest of the ride.

*-*-*

"What a day!" Mitchie exclaimed as she made her way into Caitlyn's apartment, stifling a yawn in the proccess. Still unable to keep from laughing, she dropped down on Caitlyn's couch, gratefully pulling off her boots once she'd hit the couch.

"It was awesome, wasn't it?" I agreed, smiling brightly, and Mitchie nodded, sitting up so that there was room for me on the couch next to her. I slid in, watching as she tilted her head, the memories of our wonderful day replaying through her mind. She grinned, resting her head against her shoulder. Everything was perfect.

If only we'd known that all this would change by tomorrow, we might have started running. But even then, it would've been too late.