Disclaimer: See chapter 1

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Chapter 24

Through the Shadows

Jason sat on the steps of his sister's cabin, a thoughtful look on his face as he looked at the picture that was normally found on his bedside table. It was the picture of a young teenager holding a little long haired girl in his arms. Both were clearly laughing merrily, frozen at that precise moment in time in sheer happiness.

"We looked really happy then." A soft voice said from behind him and Mitchie emerged to sit next to him. She reached out and ran a finger down the side of the frame. "Was that before or after you gave me this, I don't quite remember everything yet, not in detail."

Her hand automatically went to the J&M guitar pendant.

"After." Jason replied, looking down at the picture once more and then holding it out to her. "This is your one by the way. I've been carrying it around for you."

Mitchie took it from him and then leant backwards to put it inside the cabin safely before returning to her place next to him. For a moment she looked at him, a strange almost bewildered look in her eyes before leaning against his arm, her head on his shoulder.

"I missed you even though I didn't know it, Jake." Mitchie's voice was so soft, it was barely audible. "I always knew that there was a missing piece of me that was more important than my memories, I think it was you."

Jason stood abruptly and moved away from her a couple of paces. "I should never have come here; I should have been home with you. You wouldn't have been left alone if I had been there."

"Stop it Jake, stop it right now. Don't you ever regret coming to Camp Rock, I won't let you." Mitchie rose to her feet, glaring at his back. "How the…!"

"Mitchie…" There was a clear warning note in his voice as he turned to look at her.

"I wasn't going to," She snarled back. "What happened to me is not your fault. If they hadn't taken me, it would have been someone else's daughter or sister, Jake."

"But it wasn't, Mitch. Those… people…" He changed the word he had wanted to use at her warning look in return. "Those people took you, stole you from us; STOLE YOU FROM ME!"

He literally shouted the last four words and without thinking, she literally launched herself from the steps of the cabin and into his arms, her own arms wrapped around his neck, legs around his waist. "But I'm back, Jake, you found me."

"I think Camp Rock found you, Mitchie." He murmured, wrapping her in his arms. "You always said that you would find a way to get here."

He drew back from her slightly and as much as he didn't want to ask the question, he knew that he had to. "I don't want to ask this Mitchie, I really don't but I have to know."

She dropped to the ground, still in his arms and looked up at him. "Know what, Jake? I'll answer any question that I can remember the answer for."

He took a deep breath and then took her by the shoulders, looking down into her eyes. "Do you remember what happened that summer, Mitch?"

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The two siblings sat together on the sofa in Brown's cabin, Mitchie in the curve of her brother's arm and Connie at her side, their hands joined.

Brown and Steve leant on the desk to the right of them while Caitlyn sat curled up in pillows on the floor in front of them. Nate and Shane had taken seats opposite them in the single chairs.

Shane had a peculiar look in his eyes that neither his uncle nor his two band-mates had ever seen before. His eyes also never left the pale face of the girl opposite him – leaving Jason to wonder once more what had happened between his sister and his friend.

He was distracted from his perusal of Shane's face and his intentions (a fact he was laughing internally at for even using the old fashioned term especially with the seriousness of the current situation) when Steve Torres coughed.

"Are you sure that you want to do this now, niña?" Steve asked as he folded his arms across his chest. "You've only just started to remember those missing years. This could be extremely painful for you; perhaps we should wait until…"

"No, please." His foster daughter looked up at him, tears glinting with the merest hint of tears. "If I don't do it now, Steve, I really don't think that I will want to."

"Mija…"

"Please Connie, don't." Mitchie tightened her hold on Connie's hand, leaning into her shoulder for a moment before retreating into Jason's hold once more.

He immediately smiled at her in reassurance and she wrinkled her nose at him. Across from them, Shane raised his hand to cover a smile while Caitlyn and Nate happened to glance at each other, swallowing a laugh.

Over her head, Connie and Steve shared a quick look. They were amazed at just how easily Jason and Mitchie had fallen so quickly into their sibling relationship once more. It was almost as if the six years had not really happened and they had never been separated.

Steve remained was unsure as to whether they should be concerned or just let the cards fall as they were dealt. Connie however had seen the look in Mitchie's eyes as she looked up at her brother on the way to the cabin. She had never seen such a look of trust before in the teenager's eyes before, not even when she had looked at them.

"Alright, if you are sure," Mitchie nodded and Steve sighed heavily, resigning himself. "You know I'm going to have to record this for back home, Mitch, for the official record."

"I know." She replied. "You better start the recording then because once I start, I don't want to stop until, well you'll see."

Steve sighed again. "As you wish…"

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Like I said, I'm on a roll, now the only thing that can stop me is going to be whatever is going to be doing this weekend.

Thank you for all your lovely comments, especially JonasBrothersMusic, yes you were the 200th reviewer, congratulations.
so looking forward to the groans when you realise I've left you with another cliffhanger!!! LOL ;)