Chapter 23:

The next few days flew by quickly. Shane had helped Mitchie with the dissolving of her old household in LA, paying for it pretty much covered it as they spent the whole time together as a family while some firm took care of the relocation. The three of them enjoyed every minute together and spent their time decorating Riley's new room and some parts of the houses. They finally and completely got rid of every piece that reminded them of Brown, Shane's uncle and soon the Gray's Estate was a more welcoming and homelike place than it ever had been in the years before.

Shane was glad about that change, he had thought of it so many times but somehow never found the time and guts to finally get rid of the past. Together with Mitchie it was done easily and quickly. And it also was symbolic as they had promised each other to just forget the past and to concentrate on them, on Riley and their future together.

When they came to take the closet where his father had kept the belts, Mitchie hadn't said anything she just wrapped her tiny arms around him showing him her support and that she was there with him. Even though she was a lot smaller than him and not as strong as he was, he still felt save and protected. He was so happy with the new situation he couldn't even put it in words. As there wasn't a word that summed it up how he felt, even the words 'I love you' felt too small for the feelings he had for his Mitchie and his daughter Riley…

They took it slow, kissing was okay but Shane insisted that they would wait until Mitchie would be ready for more. She wasn't, not just yet and Shane had been very understanding as soon as he had found out about what Thomas had done to Mitchie when he exceptionally hasn't hit her…except for one night...

~flashback-WARNING! M Rated Section~

Shane was laying on the bed waiting for Mitchie to come out of the bathroom so that he could ask her where she wanted to go for dinner when Mitchie came out in nothing but a small thin white towel. They looked at each other with nothing but lust and passion. He stood and walked to her. She starred him strait into his eyes and then their lips met; gently at first, tentatively exploring each other, whispering murmurs into each others' mouths that only they could understand. The kiss grew deeper, before his arms locked around her waist, pulling her up into his arms. The towel dropped, but she hardly noticed as Shane stepped back and lay her down on the bed. He froze above her, and she forced herself to keep breathing as he surveyed her with naked longing in his eyes. He stretched, yanking his shirt off, and discarding his pants. Mitchie was amused to find he wasn't wearing any underwear.

Shane slid her legs apart gently with his hands, kissing her soft inner thigh. He cupped her bottom in his palms, then spread her open with his thumbs. He slid his tongue up the slippery path to her clit, and she groaned, reaching out and gripping the edge of the sheet. He worked his way in with his tongue, and god, she'd missed him. The way he knew exactly how to bring her up to her peak with his mouth alone, before his thumb found her clit, helping to finish her off, until she was writhing beneath him. He looked up and grinned cockily, before he reached over to his dresser, and retrieved a condom. Shane quickly put it on and crawled up her body, kissing her again deeply, so she could taste herself in his mouth.

She couldn't quite believe what was happening as he slid inside her body, stretching her again, filling her with glorious warmth. She moaned, arching her hips up to meet his thrusts as he moved inside her, setting a rhythm. It wasn't long before he lost all control, panting her name and clutching the sheets beside her head. She urged him on in a sultry, soft murmur, and his fingers found her clit again in a rush of sensation. She came against him, biting lightly at his shoulder, and he groaned before letting his orgasm consume him.

He rolled to his side beside her and gathered her into his arms, releasing a pent-up breath, as if in relief. "I needed that," he sighed. "Needed you." He nuzzled his nose into her neck just before succumbing to slumber. She watched him sleep, and thanked god that Riley was at her grandfathers for the night.

~End Flashback~

They were happy, all three of them, enjoying the new life and it's advantages. But reality caught up with them fast, faster than they had expected it.

It was a letter from the court addressed to Mrs. Mitchie Arlington. An invitation for her to appear as a witness in the case of the abuse of Riley Arlington and herself. Since that letter Mitchie's happiness was gone, even though Shane tried everything to cheer her up Mitchie became more and more silent and thoughtful and also nervous, even though everyone assured her that she doesn't have to be.

Shane was angry that she let that come to her and when he realized that she felt guilty and that she didn't really want to tell the court to put Thomas behind bars he was furious.

He had a hard time explaining her that what Thomas had done was not to be taken easily, that he has to be penalized for what he had done to Riley and also to her. He hated that man and he did want him behind bars but Mitchie still remembered him as the good friend he had been before Riley was born and felt bad about it. They started fighting about this subject, every now and then until it got out of hand.

As always when Shane and Mitchie fought they hurt each other more than they actually intended to. They screamed and blamed each other with things that they have decided to leave in the past. But obviously couldn't!

It all ended with Mitchie moving out and her staying with her father until the day came, where she had to face Thomas again. She still visited the Gray's Estate but only to meet up with her daughter who didn't understand the changes at all and was very sad that her mother has left her and her father alone in the big house.

Riley had loved the times where they had been together, her parents kissing and snuggling all the time. She had been so happy about seeing her mother smile and laugh again and now every time she saw her she again had teary eyes and that made the little girl very unhappy. Shane as well, he had tried to apologize but Mitchie had just looked at him, hurt and sad: "I have to sort things out first, I am sorry!" she had apologized and had left again.

Shane could understand that she needed some sort of closure but he wanted to support her as she had done when he had trouble digesting the things his father had done. It broke his heart seeing her so tired and worn out every time she came to visit her daughter. That's when he decided to go with her to court no matter how many times she would tell him to piss off, which was what she had told him when he had announced it to her. But he didn't let her impress him, make him back away, he just looked at her stubbornly: "Please Mitch, I won't say a word, just let me be with you as you have been with me. Please don't take this burden alone, let me in…" he had whispered in her ear, hugging her tightly: "Please let me be there for you!" he pleaded and that was when she had given in.

So when the day of the trial came, Shane drove over with little Riley on the backseat to pick Mitchie up. Peggy had agreed on watching the little girl while Shane and Dan would accompany Mitchie to the court…