AN: You guys are the best reviewers I've ever come across, and I love everything that you say (even if it is negative feedback). I want to know what you want to happen in the story, and by reading your reviews, I can get a better idea of what that is. As always, I dedicate each and every chapter to all of you. You guys ROCK!!
Oh yeah, this chapter's going to have some flashbacks (of Smitchie, of course). It just makes sense that way, don't you think?
And FYI, I'll be going out of town for a relative's wedding on Thursday, so this will probably be my last post for a while (until next Monday). I don't know if I'll have time to write, let alone have Internet access. But if I do, you'll see it soon enough.
Disclaimer: I wish I owned Camp Rock and the Jonas Brothers. But only in my dreams.
Chapter 27 – The Secret's Out (Part 2)
Mitchie sat huddled in Shane's hospital room, ignoring the pain shooting through her body. She had gotten quite a few scratches and bumps, but Shane lay in a coma. Mitchie glanced at him, tears flowing down her face, as nurses came in and out to check on him. They gave her sympathetic glances, but Mitchie didn't even notice.
Mitchie's POV: Oh my Gray, it's all my fault that Shane's in a coma, this never would've happened if he hadn't been looking at me in the car.
Mitchie thought back to the first time she saw Shane up close and personal. She smiled sadly as she remembered what had happened in the kitchen, and she'd thrown flour all over her face just before coming out of her hiding place, and Shane had looked at her with a slightly scared expression on his face. They'd gotten to know each other more, as Shane had taught her class, and they quickly became friends.
Mitchie also remembered the first time Shane had asked her to go on a canoe ride with him, and how they couldn't manage to go anywhere, but around in circles. She remembered how she felt, looking into his deep brown eyes, and feeling jittery just being around him. That canoe ride became the first of many, and Mitchie had enjoyed each and every one of them.
Mitchie walked over to Shane's side, and knelt down, placing her head on his chest. She cried and begged Shane to wake up, and the nurses left them alone, asking her to call them if anything happened.
"Shane, please, wake up, baby. I need you," Mitchie cried. "I love you so much, you have to wake up now. For me, OK?" Mitchie cried, getting no response from Shane.
"Mitchie…" Jason and Ella came in, followed by Caitlyn and Nate. They all hugged her, as Mitchie sobbed uncontrollably.
"What happened?" Ella asked, not knowing the full story.
"Shane and I…we were in the car…paparazzi were chasing us…" Mitchie cried, as Caitlyn and Nate looked at her, then at each other.
"So, paparazzi were following you…" Caitlyn tried to piece together what happened.
"And you crashed!" Jason said, looking pleased with himself. Then he looked apologetically at Mitchie. "Are you OK?'
"I'm fine, Jason. Just a few bumps and bruises, that's all. But Shane…" Mitchie let her tears fall down faster now.
"It's OK, Mitchie. Shane's the toughest guy I know. He'll come out of this like nothing happened," Nate tried to reassure her.
"Yeah, and he wouldn't want you to be upset about what happened, or scared for him, or anything like that," Caitlyn added.
"I know, it's just…why did Shane have to be the one injured? Why not me?" Mitchie sniffled.
"I don't know," Ella said, thinking hard. "Maybe he was protecting you from getting hurt?"
Mitchie closed her eyes and tried to recall exactly what had happened.
"Come on," Shane said, as they spotted reporters nearby. They started to rush towards them, and Shane grabbed Mitchie's hand and jumped in the nearest car, a convertible.
"How'd you know how to hotwire a car like that?" Mitchie asked, as Shane started the engine and sped away.
"I've had to get away from reporters a lot," Shane said.
"Wow," Mitchie said, as Shane looked over at her, smiling.
"You OK?" Shane said, noticing Mitchie's expression. He noticed a few cars following them. Paparazzi again. But he didn't want to worry Mitchie. Shane turned his attention back to Mitchie.
"Did I sound OK? Or did I sound unprepared?" Mitchie worried.
"You did fine, I would've done worse if it were my first time," Shane said, recalling his first interview. He remembered feeling sick to his stomach, and running out of the interview when the camera zoomed in on him. He told Mitchie, and she laughed. Shane relaxed as he saw Mitchie smiling again.
Shane's POV: I love it when Mitchie smiles and laughs. Her smile lights up a room.
"SHANE, LOOK OUT!" Mitchie's scream cut into Shane's thoughts. A car had pulled right in front of him, and Shane would've seen it if he hadn't been looking at Mitchie.
Shane swerved, and then…
CRASH!! Shane hit a second car. Seconds before impact, he'd let go of the wheel, and grabbed Mitchie, shielding her body from the glass, while flooring the brake. The brakes squealed, and since Shane hadn't noticed the car until it was right in front of them, there was no way he could've stopped in time.
"SHANE!" Mitchie said, just before impact. Then everything went black…
"Yeah, that's exactly what happened," Mitchie said, as everyone stared at her. "Shane tried to protect me, and it was all my fault."
"What? Why?" Caitlyn looked confused.
Mitchie explained, and the others disagreed with her.
"Mitchie, I know you. Not as well as Shane does, but well enough. This isn't your fault," Nate insisted. "Things just happened, and it's out of your hands. If you want, you can use our lawyer if this goes to court."
"As long as Shane's OK, I don't care about anything else. And it is my fault," Mitchie insisted. "If I hadn't been in the car with him, he'd still be OK." Mitchie walked out, needing to get some air.
"Mitchie, wait!" Jason chased after her, followed by Ella.
"Look, Jason, I really don't want to talk right now," Mitchie sighed. "I just want Shane back, that's all. And it's not going to happen anytime soon, I get that."
"Then listen. I was in a car crash like Shane's, a long time ago. That's why everyone thinks I'm spacey, but the truth is, it affected my memory, my brain. I had surgery years ago, but I've never been the same since. That's why I'm the way I am. I've gotten better, but still…" Jason said, as Ella looked at him, surprised.
"You never told me that," Ella pouted.
"Well, now you know," Jason said, looking away. "I didn't want anyone to look down on me, so I just pretended to be loopy, so I wouldn't have to explain myself."
"Why are you telling us this?" Mitchie wondered.
"Because…I didn't have control over the situation. Just like Shane didn't. And you didn't. So you can't blame yourself for what happened. It happened, but it's not your fault. Or Shane's. And you shouldn't feel guilty for Shane being in a coma right now," Jason explained. "Do you think Shane would want you to feel what you're feeling?"
"Wow, Jason, that's deep!" Ella squealed, as she kissed him.
"Mitchie?" Jason prompted.
"No, I guess he wouldn't. And I know I shouldn't, but I can't help it," Mitchie said, feeling guilty again. "I shouldn't be OK, when I know he's in there, and I don't know when he'll wake up. If…"
"He'll be fine," Jason said. "If I know Shane, he'll be up in a few hours. Group hug?" He tried to change the subject. Mitchie nodded, and she was instantly squeezed between Jason and Ella, who were trying to hug each other.
"Mmmph…" Mitchie tried to speak, but couldn't.
"Sorry," Ella backed off, letting Mitchie get some air.
"Maybe I'll go see if he's up now," Mitchie said, knowing she'd feel better if she could just watch him. Jason and Ella went with her as Mitchie passed by Caitlyn and Nate.
"Hey, Mitchie, you OK?" Caitlyn asked, worried about her friend.
"Yeah, I'm just gonna go see how Shane is," Mitchie said.
"Want me to come with you?" Caitlyn offered.
"Yeah, me too, Mitchie," Nate said, trying to comfort her.
"ME THREE!" Jason said excitedly.
"Thanks, guys. Maybe in a minute?" Mitchie said. The others nodded, and waited patiently for Mitchie to have some time alone with Shane.
Mitchie walked into Shane's room, noticing that nothing had changed. She knelt by Shane's side, taking his hand in hers, and she broke down.
"Shane, baby, come on, come back to me, please," Mitchie pleaded. "It's time to wake up now. Wake up, baby. I need you. I can't live without you, Shane. I love you," Mitchie lay her head on Shane's chest, sobbing.
Just then, Shane stirred. He reached for Mitchie's hand, and held it. Mitchie looked up, surprised. "Shane?" Mitchie said, her eyes filled with tears.
"Hey, Mitchie," Shane said, looking straight into her eyes. "Don't cry, I can't stand it." He let go of Mitchie's hand, and wrapped his arms around her as she cried tears of relief now.
"I can't help it, I thought…" Mitchie admitted.
"I couldn't. I could never leave you like that," Shane said. "I love you too much."
"Me too," Mitchie said, her eyes glistening with tears. "Shane, this was all my fault. If I hadn't been in the car…"
"Don't say that, Mitchie. Don't even think that. It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself for what happened. I don't, and I never will," Shane gave her a look, and Mitchie felt like a ton of bricks had been lifted off of her.
"If you're sure…" Mitchie said, as Shane hugged her.
"I'm sure…" Shane insisted. "I just want to get out of here ASAP. I hate hospitals…"
Mitchie giggled, knowing Shane was back to his old self.
"Not so fast, man," Brown said, stepping through the doorway.
"Hey, Uncle Brown," Shane said. "What do you mean?"
"You've got a lot of rest and recovering to do. You're not going anywhere," Brown said, knowing how Shane would react.
"What about the tour?" Shane said.
"Until further notice, the tour is on hold. You need to get better, is that understood?" Brown said, using his camp counselor voice.
"But…" Shane protested.
"No buts, Shane. You're not to go on tour, or rehearsals, or anything until you're completely healed," Brown said, looking stern.
"And the CD?" Shane worried.
"Everything can wait, I'll handle the label, and anyone else who needs you. Including your millions of adoring female fans," Brown quickly glanced at Mitchie to see if there was any trace of jealousy on her face. There wasn't.
Brown's POV: I knew Mitchie would be perfect for Shane. I knew ever since Shane started talking about her, and he didn't even know her name. They're a match made in heaven, they are.
"You just get better, all right?" Brown said decisively.
"Fine, Uncle Brown," Shane said. "But do I have to stay in the hospital? I hate it here."
"I know, you always have, ever since you were a little kid," Brown said, smiling at the memory. "I'll see what I can do. Anything else?"
"Yeah," Shane said. "Can Mitchie stay with me?"
"We'll see," Brown smiled mysteriously, as Shane and Mitchie looked disappointed. "I don't want to catch you two doing something you're not supposed to."
"We know," Shane said, a little annoyed.
"Not to mention your parents would kill me," Brown said to Mitchie.
"Yeah, they probably would," Mitchie said honestly. "Please, Brown?"
"I don't know. I'd have to convince them…" Brown said. "It'll take some doing on my part. Maybe if I…"
"Thank you, Brown!" Mitchie went up and hugged Brown.
"I didn't say you could yet," Brown said, then turned to his nephew. "However, I do believe that Mitchie'd get you back to normal in no time at all. If the Torreses agree, I'm sure we'd be glad to have you, wouldn't we, Shane?"
"Right, Uncle Brown. I'd love to have Mitchie around," Shane said, making Mitchie blush.
"Right then, I'll leave you two alone, so I can keep an eye on the others. I don't have to watch you two, do I?" Brown said, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
"No, Uncle Brown, don't worry. I won't do anything, I promise," Shane said, wanting more than anything to kiss Mitchie the second his uncle left.
"Yeah right. I know how teen male superstars are. And it's not that long ago that I was a teen myself," Brown smiled, and Shane laughed. Brown looked furious at first, then slowly, he began to smile. Soon, his smile turned into a laugh. Mitchie joined in with Shane and Brown, and they laughed for a few moments. Then Brown got a call, and left. The second the door closed behind him, Shane pulled Mitchie into a deep kiss.
"Ow," Shane groaned, as Mitchie held him close.
"OMG, I'm so sorry, Shane!" Mitchie said, pulling away quickly.
"It's OK, I can take it," Shane gritted his teeth. "Really, it's a good kind of pain."
"I don't know," Mitchie said, but Shane cut her off with his lips. Mitchie smiled as she relaxed into Shane's embrace. Shane pulled her closer, and they continued making out.
"Sorry to interrupt," Brown said, walking into the room again. He'd covered his face with his hands before entering. "Your parents called. They'll be here tomorrow, so be ready to explain yourselves."
"WHAT??" Shane and Mitchie broke apart, shocked at the news.
AN: So, what'd you think? Was it OK? I know you guys hate cliffhangers, so I tried not to end this chapter on one. At least, it's not that big of a cliffhanger, is it?
Please review, I'd really appreciate it. I'm sure you know how much I love getting reviews by now (since I ask you for them every chapter). And if you haven't done so already, please add me to your favorites list and alerts list.