OMG! Two updates within a week!? Le gasp! And it's long! So, I reread ATCR, LKG, and the first 10 chapters of AINE (honestly I didn't want to read the horribleness that was the later AINE chapters) and I realized so many things I'd forgotten and it really spurred a new chapter. I think I've managed to fix a few things that I had gotten wrong or confused and such. Also, anyone who's read the entire series in one shot would notice things like in ATCR, Nicky's full name is Nicole Josephine, and in LKG it was Nicole Leigh, and in ATCR Riley's last name was McIntire, and in LKG it was McCartney. :D Oops. Oh, and did I mention this chapter is LONG! It is officially the longest chapter of the series. 5971 words. The last longest chapter was chapter Chapter 39 of LKG with 5500 words, roughly. I wanted to beat that… and originally I hadn't, but I came close… and then when Becky edited this, I ended up deleting quite a few pieces so I didn't think I was still going to break 5000, and then I added 1 scene… and ended up almost break 6000. Let's call it 6k okay? :D Hope you enjoy it! And go buy Lines, Vines, and Trying times if you're a JB fan. Then we can discuss. I'm going to the store in like, 2 hours. XD
Chapter 20:
Though New Years came quickly, Shane and I spent the days between New Years and Christmas having some serious discussions about our future. Nicky's words had really gotten me thinking: if I was 'Snow White' when Shane and I got married, what had changed so drastically that we ended up here? After looking through my journal, I realized… a lot had.
Originally, I had wanted to stay home with the baby, but Shane refused to let me not finish school. I had forgotten that. My doctor was able to make me realize that a lot of the things Shane and I wanted now, were the opposite of what we wanted then. Her theory was that in our attempts to make each other happy, we changed our opinions to match the others, ultimately switching positions. I always enjoyed when she psycho-analyzed Shane, too. It made me feel less neurotic.
Knowing that a major part of our problem was never telling the other what was wrong, I took our new approach of being open and honest about everything. I sat down with Shane, ready to hash every thing out. The twins were with his mother, so we could yell or scream if it came down to it. I was hoping to avoid that, honestly, but I wasn't shying away from a discussion just because it might have gotten out of control.
"I don't want you to stop touring," I stated, opening the conversation.
Shane gave me an incredulous look and looked almost ready to slap me. "What?"
I sighed. "Hear me out?" I asked. He nodded. "When I was first pregnant you wouldn't let me not finish school. I had wanted to stay home with the baby. And, we also agreed we didn't want a new born on a tour bus. I'm not saying I want you jet setting across Europe again, because that's too much for an infant, but the twins will be a year old by the time a new tour would start, that's not exactly a new born."
"So, after the huge fights we had over you going back to school, you're going to not go back to school?" he asked, confused.
I shook my head no. "Let me explain. I will finish this semester at Berklee. Then, we'll be doing Camp Rock. But, the rest of my schooling will be based around whether or not you're touring. If you're going to be touring, I'll take online courses. I've decided I want to get my accreditation as a teacher. I know you want me to sing, but singing professionally isn't the important part. I just need to be in touch with music. That's all I want. I promise to sing around the house more if it will make you happy," I explained.
"You really want me to tour again?" he asked.
I grinned. "Yes! I mean… Anastasia might not want you guys to, because the baby will only be a couple months then, but as my wifely input, I won't mind my husband going on tour. You promised me you'd never go on a tour that your children couldn't go on. Well, I think they're old enough, so I think you could do an American tour."
"You realize that means living on a tour bus with two 1 year olds, crawling everywhere, learning to walk and talk. Imitating what's around them, which you know with some roadies, isn't always the best things to be imitating. They'll be away from their primary doctor, meaning we'll have to either hire a nurse to travel with us or hope we can find doctors on the road who will see us on short notice. I'm not saying I don't want to go back on tour, but when we were going to raise them on the road… we weren't parents yet. It's a whole different perspective now. You sure you want to raise them on a tour bus?"
"I think we can handle it. Them being away from their doctor is like saying I shouldn't take them to the park because it might unexpectedly rain," I reasoned.
Shane rolled his eyes. "The weather report tells you the weather. There's no gage on the kids saying, 'Hey, they might get sick soon'," he replied annoyed.
"So? It could still rain. Weather reports aren't always right. Doctor's aren't always right. I got the go ahead to fly to Serbia and I was fine until I got back. Then I went into premature labor. We don't know what life is going to do, and hiding from it isn't going to change anything. You know damn well you would have paid the doctor to fly to Serbia if he didn't think I should go," I argued.
"Mitchie everything you're citing as 'examples'," he scoffed slightly, "Are proving my point. We don't know what's going to happen, so why chance them getting sick away from their doctor?"
"Shane," I said calmly, "If you get sick on the road, what are you going to do?"
"Call a doctor," he shrugged. I looked at him pointedly. "I'm a grown adult with a much less sensitive immune system," he replied.
I groaned in frustration. "You're being too cautious!" I yelled slightly.
"You're being too careless!" he yelled back, louder. I began chuckling as realization hit me. There was a time when he was the reckless one and I was the cautious one. The irony was not lost on me. "What?" he demanded.
"We seem to have switched roles," I answered.
He thought for a moment before he, too, cracked a smile. The tension that had built up seemed to fade quite a bit after that. "Let's try to compromise, okay?" he asked, still smiling slightly. I nodded. "If we go on tour, we hire a nurse or a nanny or something to help you. I won't be much use if I'm performing and you'll need help. And I'd feel better with someone who has a medical knowledge if one of them starts to get sick," he offered.
I thought for a moment. "A nurse, who is not solely for the twins, but for everyone's health, you, the guys, the back up band, the roadies… everyone. And I'm the only one taking care of my babies. I don't need a nanny or a nurse's help," I replied.
Shane sighed. "Only if," he paused for dramatic effect, "You agree to a nanny if you or I feel you're getting overwhelmed."
"Deal," I stuck out my hand, smiling cheekily. He rolled his eyes and grabbed my hand.
"Now, you want to become a teacher?" he asked. "Where did that even come from?
I nodded. "Shane, you once told me that if you could teach someone to love music the way you do, that'd be amazing. I want to do that! But, I also don't see your career ending any time soon. By the time I'd get my degree, the twins would be old enough to start learning. I could teach them on the road, you wouldn't have to stop touring and such."
Shane thought for a moment before asking, "But if you get a teaching degree to teach our kids on the road, how will that help you teach music?"
"Double major? You need to pass a test to get your teaching degree even as a Music teacher. You study Music Theory, and you take a few teaching classes. I'd have to do both anyway. I'm just going one step further," I explained. "No different than a chemist wanting to become a Chemistry teacher."
Shane looked down at the table for a few moments, trying to process everything. "Seriously, where'd all of this come from?"
"My sessions. We were looking through my journal and I realized that I had wanted all of these things, and suddenly, I'd forgotten them. And then we were talking about why I decided we should take over Camp Rock, and everything just started falling in place. Shane, I'm happy. I haven't… I haven't been on my anti-depressants for two weeks. By dr.'s orders. She thinks we're on our way back to being happy and I don't need them. That… my environment is what helps or hurts me. The three months I was ignoring everything, they weren't really doing much for me because my environment was hurting me. But, we're so much better now. I can honestly say to you I'm happy." I reached out to stroke his cheek . "Because of you."
He reached across the table to grab my other hand. "Are you sure all of that is what you want?" he asked, rubbing his thumb across my knuckles. "Me touring, you getting your degree online, raising the kids on a tour bus?"
"I'm as sure as I can be. I can't guarantee I'll like the choices I've made, but I know they're my choices and I have to live with them, even if they don't go as planned."
"We'll talk about it with everyone else at dinner," he said before leaning over to kiss my forehead.
Shane and I decided to host a New Year's Eve party, inviting all of our friends and my brother and sister-in-law. Before our party, though, we were going out to dinner with Caitlyn, Nate, Jason and Anastasia. Marybeth and the twins stayed with Naomi and Kevin at our apartment, giving us 'grown up time' as Naomi dubbed it.
"I miss them," I pouted while we waited for our meals.
Everyone laughed at me a little. "You are such a mother!" Nate teased.
"Just you wait, Nate!" I threatened playfully while holding my fork up menacingly.
"Oh, god," he gasped dramatically. "Is she pregnant again?!" Okay, so I may have threatened Nate with sharp objects a few times while pregnant. So what? Anastasia has, too.
"What?" Shane asked, his head snapping back to look at me.
I glared at Nate who was smirking back at me. "No, I'm not pregnant again, jerk."
"Could have fooled me," he replied.
"Hey! I'm the only one allowed to be hormonal at this table then, unless Cait's got some news to share," Anastasia interrupted. Caitlyn glared while Nate grimaced. I knew for a fact that Caitlyn wanted a baby of her own and Nate hated not being able to give that to her yet.
Quickly, I changed the subject a bit. "You're really going to be showing soon! I can't wait!" I gushed placing a hand on her 4 and a half month swollen pregnant belly.
" I know!" Anastasia squealed happily. She sighed contently. "I can't believe this is real, ya know?"
"Oh, I believe it's real," Jason pouted.
Shane chuckled, "Stas, are you being mean to your husband?" he teased.
"No more than Mitchie was to you," she threw back.
He shrugged in response. "Guess I could just handle it better."
"Thanks, man," Jason glared.
Caitlyn decided to change the subject and asked, "When are you due, Stas?"
"May 25th," she answered rubbing her stomach. "Have you two thought anymore about having another one? I mean, when the twins are at least a year old?" Anastasia inquired of Shane and myself.
We shared a look for a moment before I answered, "I'm going back to school for this semester, and then we're… taking over Camp Rock this summer. After that, it depends on whether or not the guys have a tour. We talked it out, and once the twins are a year old, there's no reason we can't take them on a tour bus. But I don't think we'll be planning anymore kids for right now."
"Camp Rock?!" "Tours?!" "What about school?"
"Woah, one at a time, cause I have no idea who asked what there," I said trying to process it all.
Nate spoke up first, excitedly. "Tours? Meaning, recording a new album, planning a tour, reconnecting with our fans again?"
"If it's okay with the other two wives sitting here," Shane amended. "Our kids would be old enough to take with us. A year old isn't that bad. And Mitchie's figured out what she wants to do with school and stuff on her own, but whether or not we go back on tour is completely up to the three of them agreeing to it. There is no majority vote. It's all or nothing."
"I can't raise a baby and go to school by myself," Anastasia sighed. "I'm not due until May!"
"And I'm not going to not be around my child," Jason insisted.
"Which is understandable, Stas. That's why this has got to be everyone in agreement," I explained. I reached over an put my hand on hers. "We'd never make you give up school or try to juggle raising a baby and school at the same time."
"We can't," Caitlyn shrugged. "Not with Marybeth, Nate. They're never going to let you adopt her if you're taking her on the road. Granted, Mitchie will be there, but your parents are already hellbent on not letting you," she reminded him. She seemed upset she had to deflate his hopes like that.
"Wait, your parents?" Shane asked.
Nate sighed. "My dad is refusing to give me custody of Marybeth. After we asked her, I talked to my Dad to let him know what was up, and he told me he wouldn't let me. Marybeth is his way of trying to make up for his mistakes with my sister, and it's not fair to her. She doesn't want to be her mother's replacement and she hates it there. I don't know what I'm going to do. If my father won't sign over custody, I have to go through the legal procedures to get custody, and if I do, they'll see Caity and I are married. That will help me get custody, but seriously hurt our careers."
"Oh, Nate!" Anastasia cried, hugging him. She pulled make moments later. "Sorry, sorry. Hormones. Emotions. I'm good," she assured us, trying to wipe her tears away.
"Ooookay… moving on. Nate, honestly, just go for it. If people question that you're married, say you made the decision to get married quickly so you could adopt Marybeth. You'll get the sympathy because of Marybeth," Shane suggested.
"But we still would have been lying. Technically, we've been married longer than Jason and Stas," Nate admitted.
"What?!" Anastasia shrieked. "You were married at my wedding?" she hissed. "That's messed up!"
"There's a reason we didn't tell you," Caitlyn said pointedly.
Anastasia continued to pout while the rest of us kept discussing the current issue. "Maybe, you can explain to Marybeth that you have to wait until you guys are married?" I offered.
"Why don't you just get married?" Jason asked. We all stopped, even Anastasia who stopped pouting, and looked at him.
"They are married, Jase. That's part of the problem," Shane replied.
Jason sighed and rolled his eyes. "I know that, you know that. The press doesn't. What if they… elope, again. But with us actually there this time? When you do 'damage control' you tell them that you were already engaged and hadn't really started planning the wedding yet, but in order to get custody of Marybeth you have to apply to adopt her. You wanted to wait until you were married to legal adopt her, so that A. you were doing it together and B. you had a better chance of getting the adoption to go through." The blank looks didn't fade from our faces, shocked that Jason had a good idea.
"We could plan… a short wedding," Caitlyn shrugged.
Jason shook his head no. "No, Cait, you wanted a long engagement with your perfect wedding. If you elope to the press, you can have a real ceremony later on, just like you were planning. But if you have a real ceremony now, it won't be the same to have a big wedding later on."
"He has a point," Shane agreed. "Cait deserves the wedding of her dreams, just like Mitchie and Stas got."
"Then that brings us back to point a. I still have no idea what I'm going to do," Nate sighed, dropping his head back into his hands.
"Well, we've already eloped. We can do it again. If it means we can adopt Marybeth, then that's the important part," Caitlyn smiled slightly.
"I've already ruined your wedding day once, I'm not gonna make you marry me again when it's not how you imagined it," Nate insisted.
"Nate, it's fine," she replied. "Honestly. I hate seeing her face every time we take her back your parents. It's heartbreaking. If we really want to adopt her, we need to think about her before ourselves. Shane, Mitchie, your children's happiness comes first, right?" she asked us. We nodded. "Nate, I love you. We're already married, and honestly the guilt's been eating at the both of us. I can still have my big wedding in a year or so."
"Are you absolutely sure?" he asked her. "Any point before we elope, you can change your mind."
"This is what's best for her. And maybe, it'll be what's best for us, too, Nate," Caitlyn assured him. Nate kissed her temple as he brought her tighter to his side.
Before we could keep that conversation going, our meals were brought out. While eating, Caitlyn brought our earlier conversation back up. "So, Mitchie, Camp Rock?" she asked.
"Well, Brown came to us back in the beginning of Camp Rock last summer asking if we'd like to take it over. Lava's opening up a performing arts school, and they want Brown to be in charge of it. Did you know he had teaching certifications? I didn't. He's going to be the performance director of the school, handling all of the music, dance, and theatre classes. There will be a real principal to over see the academics of it and all," I explained.
"We just recently decided that we would be taking over Camp Rock. We were going to wait until everything was a little more set in stone to tell you guys. This is Brown's last year, most likely. We're going to be running it beside him, learning to take over the reigns and stuff," Shane added.
"That's so cool!" Jason exclaimed.
"What do you think, Cait?" I asked timidly.
"I think," she paused. "That's exactly where you two belong," she grinned.
The conversation lulled for a bit as we continued eating. "So, what about you two?" I asked Caitlyn and Nate. "Once you elope for a second time, you gonna start planning on kids?"
Caitlyn blushed deeply as Nate started stammering. Shane nudged me as Anastasia giggled.
"We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Nate answered, trying to get the color back to his face.
I pouted but accepted the answer as a maybe. Maybes were good. For the rest of dinner we kept serious conversations out. When we got back to our apartment, people had already started showing up and Naomi and Marybeth were playing hostesses while Kevin sat playing with the twins.
Marybeth looked adorable following Naomi around as she made sure everyone was happy and enjoying themselves.
"Naomi, why didn't you call us?" Shane asked as he came in.
She shrugged. "Wasn't anything we couldn't handle. Did you enjoy yourselves?" she asked.
"We did," I smiled at her before pulling her away from the others. "Nicky here yet?" I asked in a hushed tone.
"Yeah. And Riley called the house phone asking if we needed anything, so I'm guessing he should be here soon," she replied back.
"Good. I like you," I teased hugging her. She giggled a little and made her way back to Kevin.
It wasn't too long after that Riley did show up. As soon as he walked through the door, Nicky glared at me from across the room. I know she was still mad at me, but honestly. Shane and I were actually pretty close to Riley.
Nicky was next to me within moments, snarling, "What is he doing here?!"
"Nicky, Shane and I are still friends with him. You need to remember that. Come on, please, be civil. I'm not meddling. Okay, maybe I should have given you a heads up, but I didn't want you to not come because you felt like we were choosing him over you. Things are still tense between you and me and I wouldn't intentionally make them worse. Besides, I wouldn't set up Riley to get rejected by you all over again. You're set in your decisions. Just be civil, please," I begged her. So, I was blatantly lying, but no one but Naomi knew that.
She huffed. But turned around and found herself face to face with Riley. "Hi," she squeaked.
"Hey," he replied quietly. "Mitchie," he reached out and hugged me.
"Good to see you, Ri. Glad you could make it. Naomi said you called to see if we needed anything, thanks for that," I replied.
He shrugged and smiled slightly.
Nicky huffed, knowing Naomi didn't tell her Riley would be there, either. "You didn't tell me you were coming, Riley," Nicky shrugged, a fake smile plastered on her face.
"You haven't talked to me since I gave you your Christmas present. I figured you knew I was coming," Riley replied equally tightly. "You know what, maybe I should just go," he offered, hitching his thumb towards the door as he took a step back.
"No!" Nicky insisted, reaching to grab his other wrist. "Stay. We haven't…. hung out… in a while. It's fine. Stay, please." I could see Riley having an internal battle.
"Well, I have more guests to greet. I'll catch you two later," I stated as I began inching away from them. "Oh! Riley, be sure to see Shane! He's missed you," I called before winking playfully at him. Riley shook his head at me but was grinning widely.
"What did you do?" Shane asked, snaking his arm around my waist.
"Me? Nothing," I tried to dismiss it. "Have you checked on the kids?" I asked trying to change the subject.
"Are you playing matchmaker?" he asked. I didn't answer him. "Mitchie, come on, she just got over being pissed at you for meddling!" he groaned.
I huffed. "I didn't meddle!" I insisted. "I just happened to cause them to unknowingly be at the same place at the same time. Riley went up to her, not me. He offered to leave, she insisted he stays. I did no matchmaking."
"Who helped you?" he asked knowingly.
I looked away and mumbled, "Naomi."
Shane chuckled. "Let's just hope they get back together," he rolled his eyes.
I grinned and kissed his cheek.
3 hours later, I was putting the twins to sleep. I was about to go make sure the guest bedroom was cleaned up so Marybeth could lay down when she passed out somewhere when I found the door locked. A little perturbed and worried, I knocked. I received no answer and went to find Shane.
"I think someone's in the guest bedroom," I told him biting my lip.
Shane scanned the crowd, trying to figure out who might have been missing. Realization settled on his features as he opened his mouth. "Where's Nic-" he began before the door to the guest room opened and Nicky came running out in an… interesting state of dress.
"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," she was mumbling as she ran out of the apartment.
Riley was on her heels, yelling out after her, clad in jeans and hopping to put on his shoes with no socks. "Nicky!" he called after her.
Riley paused for a moment, smiled half heartedly, chuckled, waved, and ran out of the apartment as well.
Shane recovered first out of all of the partiers who stood with their mouths agape. "I'm going to kill him-" he started, already moving toward the door.
"Stop," I rolled my eyes, pushing him back. "Do you remember her promise to us?" I asked. He nodded. "Exactly. Maybe they'll get back together now?" I shrugged.
Shane sighed but nodded in agreement. "Fine," he huffed.
"Cait!" I called out to her. She appeared at my side a moment later. "I need a favor. Go find Nicky. She's not going to listen to Riley. But, I'm pretty sure you've been in a similar situation. She'll listen to you," I insisted.
She nodded and quickly grabbed her coat, heading out the door to find Nicky. It wasn't too long later a cold and dejected Riley came back in. He slipped back into our guest bedroom silently, though he stopped and apologized to Shane briefly.
"Nate!" I yelled. He materialized quickly, holding a sleeping Marybeth. "Oh, Shane, take her to our room? Grab a clean blanket to put over her though…" I frowned slightly. Shane did as I asked as Nate waited to know what I wanted. "Can you go talk to Riley? I have Cait talking to Nicky. You've been in his place, haven't you? Cait was really withdrawn from you after the first time you guys… you know."
"Yeah, no problem," Nate replied touching my arm briefly. "I'll report back," he smiled knowingly and winked before heading off to find Riley.
"Ugh," I collapsed onto the couch, more specifically Kevin's lap.
"Oof!" Kevin groaned as I did.
"Naomi," I whined. "They weren't supposed to get back together, not have sex!" I mumbled getting comfy on Kevin.
"Comfortable?" Kevin asked looking down at me.
I nodded as Naomi giggled. "Well, I'm no advocate for premarital sex, but… maybe Nicky realizes she and Riley should be together?" she shrugged.
Kevin huffed underneath me. "Not likely," he snorted. "She's too stubborn."
"Buuuuuuuuuuut, she might?" I said hopefully pouting.
Shane passed us for a moment then back tracked. "Why is my wife sitting on you with your girlfriend next to you?" he asked Kevin
"Because you weren't here for me to sit on and I was talking to Naomi," I answered.
Shane rolled his eyes as he pulled Naomi and I up from our seats before sitting in the vacant seat. I giggled as he pulled me down on his lap, leaving Naomi to sit in Kevin's. "Better?" he asked Kevin.
"Yes. Naomi's butt isn't as boney," Kevin answered. I gasped slightly and smacked his arm.
We stayed there talking to Kevin and Naomi for a while before we heard the bedroom door creak open. A fully clothed Riley and Nate exited the room.
"Am I allowed to give that minor alcohol?" Shane asked taking in the dejected look on Riley's face.
"We've learned from personal experience alcohol doesn't help any," I reminded him pointedly. He grumbled underneath me.
"Mitchie!" Nate called to me, beckoning over to him. I followed him into the kitchen, bringing Naomi with me. We grabbed Anastasia on our way.
"What's the scoop?" I demanded.
Nate glared at me. "Seriously, Mitchie? You had to bring them, too?" he asked.
"I would have just told them anyway, I'm making things simpler," I shrugged.
He sighed. "Fine, they were talking and just enjoying each others company and he went to go to the bathroom. She met him outside the bathroom and led him into the guest bedroom. Apparently it was loud out here or something and she wanted to hear herself think for a bit. Then he kissed her, one thing led to another, they had sex, fell asleep, Mitchie knocking on the door woke them up. Nicky freaked," Nate summarized.
"We figured," Anastasia shrugged. "Anything we didn't already figure out?" she asked.
"Snippy much?" Nate asked. "And no, I guess not. He's just… confused. And hurt. She wouldn't talk to him. She just kept saying it was a mistake," Nate shrugged.
Shane and Jason came into the kitchen and smacked Nate in the back of the head. "Way to break guy code," Jason sighed rolling his eyes.
"You deny them gossip. Go ahead, I dare you," Nate challenged.
"Nicky and Cait just got back," Shane stated ignoring Nate. We all moved to go find them, but Shane blocked the doorway. "1 of you go and report back to the others."
We shared looks and then Naomi and Anastasia stepped back. I smiled at Shane as he let me through. I found Nicky and Caitlyn in the guest room. Nicky was putting on her clothing properly and Caitlyn was sitting on the bed fiddling with her thumbs.
"Did ya have to do it in my guest room?" I groaned playfully sitting next to Caitlyn.
Nicky glared at me a bit and then cracked a smile. "Sorry," she mumbled.
I didn't say anything for a while, waiting for Nicky to say something. She wasn't talking to so I turned to Caitlyn. "Your husband's a gossip queen," I informed her.
Caitlyn raised an eyebrow while Nicky squeaked, "What?!"
"He got the scoop from Riley while you were gone and gave us the rundown in the kitchen," I explained.
"You were talking about me?!" Nicky shrieked. "And what do you mean her husband?"
Caitlyn gave me a look to say 'gee thanks'. "Anyway, I sent Nate to check up on Riley, and he decided to share," I shrugged.
"I'm sure," Nicky rolled her eyes. "So, uh, what did Riley say?" she asked.
"I said Nate was a gossip queen, not me. I'm not getting involved. You want to know what Riley said, ask him," I replied. "I told you, I didn't invite both of you to set you guys up. You insisted he stayed."
Nicky huffed. "I know. It's my fault. Happy? Owning up to my mistakes. I should have told him to leave not… drag him into a bedroom with me."
"If you think that's what would have been better," I shrugged.
"You aren't telling me why I'm wrong," she stated, tilting her head like Jacob often does. "Why aren't you telling me what I should have done?" she demanded.
"You told me not to," I answered confused. "I'm respecting your wishes and keeping my opinions to myself."
"Mitchie," she sighed, growling slightly. Caitlyn was next to me trying not to laugh. I was being a bit of a bitch, but I was giving Nicky exactly what she wanted. And it was driving Nicky insane.
"What, Nick? I'm just respecting your wishes. I mean, honestly I think you should have-. No, never mind. I'm not going to cause another fight between us," I replied. I tried my best to keep my smirk off my face.
"Just tell me," she said.
"No, you'll get mad. I promised Shane I wouldn't," I insisted.
She practically growled at me as she replied, "Tell me!" She looked away for a minute and when she looked back she was on the verge of tears. "I screwed up and I don't know how to fix it. Just! Gah! Stop being stubborn and tell me what to do!"
I shrugged. "Talk to Riley? Sort this out with him? Seems like the best thing. Not hiding in my guest bedroom where you… oh ew!" I immediately jumped up from the bed, suddenly remembering where they had sex.
"Get over it," Nicky replied. "You seriously think I should talk to him? I mean, after I ran away from him after we… had sex?" she asked.
"Nicky, answer me something, why did you have sex with him?" I asked.
She sighed. "Because he kissed me," she replied. I caught myself before I snapped at her and turned towards the door. "Okay, fine, because I wanted to. Because it felt right. He stopped and he asked me if I wanted this and I told him I did, and when I woke up I realized it was a mistake. I'm not ready to be with him yet, even if I do love him."
"Still? Nicky!" I groaned turning around and throwing my hands up in the air. "I can't help you," I decided. "You are hellbent on not being with him yet and I just, can't help you until you let go of that idea. I don't know how to help you otherwise. When I took a break from Shane, I was miserable and thought I lost him for good, and I just… I wasn't ready to lose him. Everytime I've almost lost him… I knew in my heart it wasn't what I wanted, even if I wasn't ready for what was coming. You and I are different. And I can't give you advise when you do things in a completely different way than I do."
"But, Mitchie, I don't know what to do!" Nicky cried.
"Talk to Riley. That's the only advise I can give you is talk to Riley. I'm sorry, I need to go. I promised Shane we wouldn't fight, so… I'm just gonna go before we do," I decided before leaving the room.
I found Shane a few moments later and screamed softly into his shoulders behind him. "What happened?" he asked knowingly, not even bothering to turned around as I snaked my arms around him.
"She still doesn't think she's ready to be with him. I can't help her. I left," I explained.
Caitlyn came out not too longer after I did and found Riley. I was shocked when Riley went into the guest room Nicky was still in.
"Balls gonna drop soon," Shane informed me, looking up at the clock on the wall. I nodded and went to gather everyone up.
I sat on the floor with Caitlyn, Anastasia, and Naomi, with our respective husbands and boyfriends behind us on the couch. The other guests were littered around the living room as well. As the 1 minute count down started, Riley and Nicky emerged hand in hand. She sat next to me while Riley perched himself on the edge of the couch next to Shane. She reached over and hugged me for a moment before the final countdown started.
"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1! Happy New Year!" we all yelled. I leaned my head back as Shane leaned forward.
After checking on the babies and Jacob after all of the commotion of the ball dropping, Shane stood up on a chair and tapped his glass. With everyone's attention on him, he began, "This year is going to bring us many new things. New family members…" he looked at Anastasia and then Caitlyn and Nate. "New hopes, new disappointments, new friends, new relationships, new experiences. But it's also going to strength and build on everything we already have. Family bonds, relationships, friendships. Life won't be perfect, far from it, but it'll be worth it. Happy New Years everyone!" he raised his glass. "Cheers!"
I can't say any better than my husband did. The new year was far from perfect, but definitely worth it.
So, next chapter is already in the planning phase, and along with the next chapter, there will be the first 'Director's Cut' (the other POV's of certain or missing scenes) and it's a Naitlyn scene. So, when you see the update for the chapter after this one (not yet) be sure to look for the Naitlyn one-shot as well.