Disclaimer: See prologue chapter

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Chapter 24

Mitchie and the Shane

"It's been an hour and he's still storming." Mitchie sighed as she laid her head in her brother's lap; curling her legs under her as she did so. "He didn't even try to hear anything that Brown said when he went in to try and calm him down."

Ever since the identity of the support group for LA had been revealed, Shane had been shut away in the music room, raving at the top of his voice.

It was the first time that the two girls and the Torres had actually seen him lose his rather famous temper, and as impressive as it was, they were all hoping that he would calm down sooner rather than later.

They were also all hoping that this did not mean a return to the Shane Gray of pre- Mitchie and Camp Rock as well.

Jason sighed, running his hand soothingly through her hair. "Have you tried yet, Mitch?" He could feel her shake her head against his leg and he found himself slightly taken aback, "Why not?"

"Because I spent at least ten minutes throwing things at Nate – who I still need to apologise to, sorry Nate by the way – just for being the messenger and telling me." Mitchie sat up and leant against the back of the sofa they were sitting on, closing her eyes. "Shane deserves to spend at least an hour doing this."

All of them were spread out across the sitting room. Jason and Mitchie had the sofa she normally shared with Shane when they were in this room while Nate was on the opposite sofa, spread out flat on his back with a pillow over his face.

"I still confused why anyone would think…" Caitlyn spoke up from where she sat curled up in one of the armchairs and actually gave a little scream as she was unable to think of an epitaph to use to describe the person in question. "…would be a good opening act for Connect 3 anyway."

"I get the feeling that the label booked them before Shane was sent to Camp Rock." Nate replied as he removed the pillow from his face and put it under his head. "The LA leg was always outside summer vacation on the original tour plan, so they must have just given them the new dates when we confirmed that it was going ahead again and you're forgiven, Mitch."

"There has to be some way of getting out of it." Caitlyn sat up and crossed her legs in the seat, balancing her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. "Especially if we put our heads together and think about it."

"You go right ahead and do just that, Caitlyn." Mitch rose to her feet, stretching slightly as she did so.

"Where are you going?" Jason caught hold of her hand.

"Well, brother dear, I'm going to see if the myth is true about music soothing temper of the savage beast." Mitchie grinned down at him as she ran her hand through his currently curly hair. "Just remember that I love you all dearly."

Behind her, Nate sat up and said solemnly. "That has to be one of the bravest girls in the world just there."

Caitlyn and Jason merely sniggered.

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Mitchie slipped into the music room, carrying her guitar case and closed the door quietly behind her.

Shane was still walking back and across the room, hands waving in the air and still muttering under his breath furiously. His hair looked as if a hurricane had blown throw the room, it was so ruffled and out of style – and she couldn't help but think just how incredibly handsome he looked just at that moment in time.

With a silent laugh at herself, Mitchie walked over to her piano and sat down, putting her case down so that it leant against the bench. After a quick debate over which instrument she should start with, she opened up the case and pulled her guitar out.

Having sensibly tuned it before she came downstairs, she started to play a melody that she knew would be familiar to both of them. Softly she plucked the strings, allowing the song to build quietly until it filled the room, using the sound of his footsteps as a background rhythm.

After a while, Mitchie realised that she could no longer hear Shane's voice nor see him pacing the room. Continuing to play, she cast a quick look around the room and then out of the corner of her eyes, she caught sight of him sitting behind her on the bench.

She changed the song she was playing to one that was also familiar to him and startled a surprised laugh out of him. A moment later, she felt him turn round behind her and start to play the same melody on the piano.

They continued that way for a while, just playing the music until Mitchie started to sing softly the words that had revealed her identity to him at Final Jam. Just as he had that night, he combined his voice with hers in this softer quieter version of what was their song.

Even as they finished that song, Mitchie eased into another on her guitar and Shane gently wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder so that he wouldn't interfere with her playing.

"Feeling calmer?" She asked softly, keeping her eyes fastened on her fingers.

He took in a deep breath and rested his head against hers for a moment before speaking, his voice only audible to her because of where his head was, "Just a bit and you?"

"Why do you think I was throwing things at Nate?" She replied just as softly. "Good job I wasn't aiming to hit him, I might have hurt him."

That surprised a chuckle out of him and he tightened his arms around her waist. "What are we going to do Mitch, we can't have..." He growled, equally incapable of thinking of a suitable epitaph as Caitlyn, "... as part of our tour. It will ruin everything."

"I left the others thinking about just that." She replied, as she leant back against him, no longer playing her guitar. She turned her head slightly and kissed his cheek. "Something will turn up, Shane, I'm sure that it will."

"I hope so, sweetheart, I really do." He replied, as he changed her position in his arms so that he could kiss her properly – even as she kept hold of her guitar. He pulled back to press his forehead to hers.

"Because there is no way I am sharing a stage with Tess Tyler." He continued. "No way what so ever, I promise you that."

"How about sharing it with Mitchie Richmond-Torres instead?"

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There you go, a revelation and a startling question!!!!! I had considered stringing out even further but decided not to.

And in case anyone is wondering, yes, Tess will be appearing and no, she has not redeemed herself.

And thank you for all the comments, they have kept me highly entertained

As always looking forward to seeing what you think!! ;0p