Disclaimer: See prologue chapter

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Chapter 43

Into Arizona

"Well, that's the state boundary ahead of us there." Rob drew the bus to a stop, putting it into neutral and turned to look at Richard.

"After the trouble we had in the last two states, just how much fun do we have to look forward to in Arizona." Richard asked as he sat down in the bucket seat next to him. He looked over at the head of Connect 3's security and groaned. "And just how much am I going to regret that last statement of mine."

"More than you know. This is where Jason and Mitchie were brought up until she was taken." Rob rose to his feet. "Their parents still live here."

"Oh! The parents that..." Richard began as he looked back over his shoulder into the bus.

"Yes, those parents." Rob opened the door and shouted. "Anyone wanting to stretch their legs needs to get here in the next five minutes or we're moving on."

"And the reason for shouting that was..." Caitlyn asked as she jumped in front of him, managing to make him jump.

"It got your attention didn't it? I never know where you lot are when you are back there, you know that." He replied as he pulled his sunglasses into place. "Anyone else... you lot took your time." He growled as the others suddenly appeared behind her.

"Shoes, Rob, some of us needed shoes." Mitchie replied as she threw a glare over her shoulder at her currently smooth haired brother. "And one of us thought it would be funny to hide all my converses."

"I was bored." He replied shrugging his shoulders.

"Be bored with your own shoes, Jake and I really didn't like the way that sounded." Mitchie buried her head in Shane's back for a moment before looking round him. "So where exactly are we?"

"NM side of the state boarder," Rob replied as he opened the door to let them out. "There's a small market over there, why don't you load up with supplies that you want for the bus. You have half an hour, no stretching it out."

"As if we would," Caitlyn huffed in mock offense. "Megan, will you come with Mitch and me, there's a couple of things that we need."

"I really don't want to know what you mean by that." Nate shuddered as the girls grinned at each other.

"Poor dear innocent boy," Mitchie patted him on the cheek as she moved past him, jumping to the ground. "And guys, you better make sure to stock up on the chocolate or I promise you, you won't like the consequences."

All three boys shuddered in mock horror, making all three women laugh.

"That wasn't nice, Mitch." Shane murmured in her ear as he jumped down to her side.

"Better to be warned than have it come up on you unknowing." She replied, as she hooked her arm in his as they walked to the market. "Shane..."

"Yes, love." He replied as he entwined their hands together, swinging them between them.

"Make sure that you get some M&Ms for me."

Shane laughed, raising her hand to his lips to press a kiss to her knuckles.

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"I'd forgotten how beautiful the desert was." Mitchie murmured to her brother looking out of the window at the top of the bus.

Jason scrunched his nose. "It's okay I suppose. I prefer what you have back in Dallas with Connie and Steve, now that feels like a home."

Mitchie sighed. "I prefer San Antonio, there's just something about being connected to the history of the place."

"Now why I am not surprised to hear that," Jason grinned as he drew her into a hug. "The Sanchez grandparents did have a tendency to spoil you when we were there."

"That's not why and you know it," Mitchie slapped one of the arms holding her before leaning back against him. "Jake, I know what they told you when we were back at the camp but do you think..." She broke off, her voice unsure.

"I don't know, Mitch." Jason tightened his hold around her. "I gave up trying to understand why they think the way they do a long time ago." He pressed a kiss to her head. "Did I tell you that the Richmond grandparents are hoping to come to the concert in Phoenix?"

"Jake!" Mitchie swung round to look at him, eyes and mouth open in astonishment. "They're too old!"

"Don't let them hear you say that, young lady." He grinned at her. "Grandpa Richmond still likes to play a mean game of golf and Grandmother simply digs our music, I think she's one of our biggest fans."

"Way to ruin a good walk, I still maintain." Mitchie muttered, as she stood up stretching before turning to glare at him. "And grandmother always did have good taste; it's a pity it didn't pass to her son."

"Mitchie!" Jason exclaimed, grinning himself at just how close she had come to being rude about their father without actually being so. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know, I thought I might just go and see what Shane is doing?" She murmured as she started down the corridor towards Shane's room, stopping just outside his door. "And stay away from my shoes, Jason, I mean it. Annoy Nate and Caitlyn instead."

"Now where would be the fun in that when they are doing such a good job of annoying each other?" Jason groaned. "Come on, Mitch."

Mitchie turned to look at him, a thoughtful look gracing her face. "Then why don't you try sitting one of them down and getting to the bottom of their current sniping battle."

She knocked on Shane's door and at his quiet "Come in!" opened it but stopped, looking back at her brother.

"Jake..."

"Yes, Mitch." He replied as he rose to his feet.

"Try Caitlyn first but don't push it. She'll just turn stubborn and become a bigger pain in the neck." Mitchie scowled. "And we can do without that at the moment."

"Perhaps I should remind them of that." Jason ran his hands threw his hair. "You don't believe in easy things to give me, do you?"

"You could always start to build me my birdhouse!" She called as she finally entered Shane's room, closing the door of her brother's almost disbelieving laughter.

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Shane looked up from where he was lying face down on his bed, a broad smile on his face as he listened to the end of Mitchie's conversation with her brother.

As she closed the door behind her and leant against it, he pushed himself up onto one elbow. "You're sending Jason to try and work out what is going on between them?"

"I wouldn't hold your breath on what Jake might actually be able to do, Shane, he's surprisingly perceptive, you know that." Mitchie replied as she lay down on the bed next to him, grabbing a cushion with both arms and holding it against her.

Shane looked at her carefully, catching the slight strain around her eyes and stroked her cheek with the back of his free hand. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"This is the first time in six years that I have been back in Arizona, Shane." She suddenly covered her face with the cushion and deliberately muffled her next statement.

"Mitch..." Shane pulled the cushion away from her, throwing it across the room as he leant over her and cupped her cheek, holding her there so that he could look into her eyes. "What did you say?"

She closed her eyes, frustrating him for a moment before they flew open again and she caught hold of her his shirt. "I'm scared. I don't know if I really want to be here yet at the same time I do."

Shane pulled her into his arms, running his hand down her back as he felt her trembling. "Oh love, that's understandable when you think about it."

"How can it be understandable?" She asked him, "I don't have the same problem when travelling where I was found."

"Sweetheart..." He kissed her forehead, then her nose and then her lips. "Sweetheart, you said yourself that this is the first time that you have been back here in six years, of course, you're scared."

"I don't want to be." She whined, pouting much to his amusement. "I don't like being weak like this."

"You're not weak; Mitchie Torres and I won't let you talk like that." Shane ran his hand into her hair, resting his forehead on hers. "Love, all you have to do is remember that you are not alone now. You have me and your brother, you have Nate and Caitlyn. We all love you and we are going to be here with you every step of the way."

He bent down to kiss her again and she ran his hands into his hair, holding him to her as their kiss deepened.

"Promise," She murmured against his lips when they broke for air.

"Forever promise." He replied as he curled his arm around her, holding her to him and kissing her again before drawing away slightly. "You have me seriously reconsidering things I really shouldn't be reconsidering, Mitchie Richmond-Torres."

She ran her hand down his cheek. "That's one way to boost a girl's esteem, querido because you seriously have me doing the same as well."

"Always good to hear," He murmured as he kissed her again. "But..."

"But..." She agreed even as they could hear their names being called from the lower deck. "And hot on their cue..."

They looked at each other before breaking into soft laughter.

Shane rolled off the bed and then pulled Mitchie up into his arms, snatching another quick kiss from her, making her blush slightly. "Shall we join them?"

"Oh if we must," Shane sighed in a way that had his girlfriend looking at him.

"You're channelling Edward Cullen again, Shane." She grinned at the offended look on his face and reached up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "And a very handsome vampire you would make too."

He just shook his head and allowed her to pull him out of his room, both unaware of what they were about to descend into.

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I hope that answers everyone questions from the previous chapter.

I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed. With the last chapter you equalled the amount of reviews I received for entirety of Rejoined Connection

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