"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" Shane's father roared. Shane jumped a mile and spun around, having just opened the door to his suite and stepping inside.

"Huh?" he asked, obviously confused. "I went to Mitchie's…didn't mom say?"

"You're late," Mr. Gray said.

"The storm kept me at her house," Shane said. "I couldn't leave…they don't have a car."

Mr. Gray rolled his eyes. "Just don't do it again," he grumbled and left.

Shane sighed and looked around the suite. It was exactly the way he'd left it. Pillow on the ground, sheets ruffled on the bed, TV remote on the floor…

And his brothers still standing in the room.

"What?" Shane demanded. "You turning into stalkers or something."

Nate clenched his jaw. "I wish you'd left Mitchie Torres out of your problems," he said. "When the press finds out your already going and doing another girl…"

"What?!" Shane interrupted. "What do you mean? Mitchie and I are friends…we're not like that!" He'd already had the talk with Mr. Torres; and he didn't need a lecture from his brothers.

"Shane," Jason sighed. "Just be careful."

"I am!" Shane shouted. "I didn't do a damn thing to Mitchie or Tess!" He wrenched the door of his room open and pointed at it. "Get the hell out of my room."

"I can't believe this," he breathed.

--

-ring-ring-

"What now?" Shane thought as he grabbed his phone.

"Unknown number?"

"Hello?" he answered.

"Shane?"

"Mitchie? Is that you?" he asked.

He didn't get a reply, except for a frustrated sob.

"Mitch? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"My dad...Once you left he got mad about the whole T-Tess thing...and he started b-blaming you...all I-I did was defend you...then I don't know, I left," Mitchie said.

"Mitchie, where are you? I'll come and get you," Shane said, jumping off the bed and grabbing his jacket, "Mitch, where are you?"

"I'm at the park on Barlow Street,"

"I'll be right there," Shane said hanging up the phone and heading out the door.

Jason and Nate were in the the hallway, giving him a puzzeled look.

"Where are you going?" Jason asked.

"No where," he said as he darted past them.

His brothers called his name. He was no longer going to avail to his so-called support that was supposed to be his brothers. Shane didn't need them or anyone else to believe him. The refused not to listen to his truthful side of the story and decided to listen to lying Tess and the garbage the media decided to print to make him look like an ass.

As he exited the hotel, he hugged the long black trench coat tighter around himself, looking down both sides of the sidewalk. Wondering wherever Barlow Street was in the unknown city. His first instict was: Left. Picking up into a light jog, the only thing that was on his mind was getting to Mitchie. Not the people he was bumping into or the cars he ran in front of. Mitchie, Mitchie, Mitchie.

The he spotted it. Aiden Park on Barlow Street. His pace quicked as he ran past the giant rock entrance. Then he saw her. Sitting on a bench, obviously crying.

"Mitchie!" he called.

Her pink face came up and looked at him. Mitchie shot up from the bench and ran to Shane. Her black coat opening in the wind. The white beret on top of her straightned hair flying off and hitting the ground. Shane caught her as she came into reaching grasp, Mitchie collapsing into his arms. Realisng a sob into his chest. Shane hugged her tighter, trying to keep her from dropping to the cracked pavement.

"God Mitchie, this is all my fault," Shane whispered.

Mitchie looked up at him. The only sound now being the leaves rustling in the November wind and her occasional sniffing.

"No Shane, I was just defending you. My dad said some awful things and-,"

"Mitchie, you don't have to defend me. I can handel it. Anything they all throw my way," Shena said.

Mitchie leaned her head on his chest.

"I just wanted to help,"

"You are. By just being here, right now,"

Mitchie closed her eyes and listened to Shane heart beat. Shane hugged her tighter as a strong wind flushed them with cold air.

"I should get you back home," Shane whispered.

"NO. I'm not going back. For what, so I can hear my father talk more shit, no thank you," Mitchie replied sternly.

"Well, then come back tot he hotel with me. Its late, you shouldn't be by yourself,".

Mitchie simply responded with a nod, once again burying her face into Shane's coat-clad chest.

"Let's go," he whispered as he ushered her to the entrance of the park.

In silence they made their way back to the hotel, finally escaping the chilly night as the entered the lobby of the hotel.

Shane and Mitchie made their way past the sitting area of the lobby towards the elevators, only to be stopped by Nate and Jason.

"What is SHE doing here?" Nate spat as though he had just taken poison.

"Shut it Nate," Shane growled as he slightly pushed Mitchei towards the elevators.

He shot his younger brother a glare and turned to the elevators.

"Shane, Mom and Dad aren't going-,"

"I told you to shut up Nate," Shane hissed.

He and Mitchie entered the elevetor. Shane pressed his floor as they remained in silence,

"Well aren't I just their favorite person," Mitchie said.

"I'm sorry about Nate, he can be a bit outspoken sometimes," Shane replied,

Mitchie sighed. "It's okay," she mumbled. "I'm not very popular now, am I?"

"Don't worry about them," Shane said. "They don't know the truth. At least we do."

"Yeah," Mitchie agreed. The elevator dinged and they stepped out.

"You can stay here for a while," Shane said as he unlocked his door. "Until you think things will calm down at your place."

"Thanks," Mitchie said. They stepped inside and Shane moved towards the mini fridge.

"You want anything?" he asked. "Soda...water...something?"

"Sprite?" Mitchie asked hesitantly.

"Sure." He handed her one and cracked open his own. After a minute of silence... "So...what do you want to do? I have a few movies..." he trailed off.

"That's fine," Mitchie said brightly. "Watcha have?"

"Um..." Shane looked through his suitcases. "...Transformers?"

"Never seen it," Mitchie commented. "Pop it in."

"Okay."

She sat hesitantly down on the little couch, and Shane sat on his queen-sized bed, fast forwarding through the commercials. When the movie started, he sighed and rolled back onto the it.

They sat in silence as the movie progressed.

"Oh, my god," Mitchie whispered at one point when Sam was cornered by a Decepticon. "That would be scary."

"Totally," Shane agreed. "I love this movie."

"I do already," Mitchie murmured.

Almost to the end of the movie, Mitchie yawned. "Gosh, what time is it?"

"Almost eleven," Shane said with surprise, glancing at the clock.

"Oh..." she murmured. "Well...maybe I should get back...home..."

"Maybe," Shane agreed. But neither of them moved.

Mitchie yawned again and laid back on the couch.

"You can take the bed," Shane said suddenly. "You look tired. It'll be more comfortable."

"I'm fine," Mitchie murmured blearily. "I really should get back..."

CR-ASH! BOOM!

The teens jumped and looked out the window. The storm was back.

"Uh, oh," Shane muttered. "I...don't think you're going to get back tonight."

"Oh, no!" Mitchie groaned, now a bit more awake. "My parents are going to murder me!"

"Calm down," Shane said and tossed her his cell phone. "Call them."

"And tell them what, Shane?" Mitchie demanded. "'Mom and Dad, I'm stuck here in Shane Gray's hotel room for the night, see you in the morning, love you?' Yeah, that'll settle real nicely with them." She grabbed her coat. "I better just try to get back...maybe take the bus or something."

"Mitchie, you'll kill yourself," Shane protested. "It's not like we'll do anything in here, so why should your parents be angry?"

"Because I shouldn't have gone out in the first place!" Mitchie cried angrily. "Dammit..."

"Whoa, hold the phone," Shane said. "I didn't know Mitchie Torres cussed."

She blushed. "only when I'm upset," she said quietly. "And I really can't stay."

Mitchie turned to leave but was stopped by Shane.

"Mitch, you can't leave. The storm," Shane said.

"Shane, I'll be in loads of trouble if I don't go back,"

"Just stay, please. I wanna know that your safe," Shane whispered.

Mitchie hesitated.

CRACK!

"I guess I could," Mitchie burst after the crackle of thunder.

"That's my girl," said Shane, taking Mitchie into a hug.

Mitchie smiled and broke away from him, walking over to the couch and lying on it.

Shane let out a laugh.

"Hey, what's so funny?" Mitchie asked.

"Two things," he said walking over to his suitcases and pulling out a t-shirt and pajama bottoms, "Here, you can wear these,".

"Thanks," Mitchie said, getting up and dissapearing in the bathroom.

Mitchie stepped out of the bathroom, Shane's garments draping on her small frame.

'Wow, that only took forever!" Shane played.

"Shut up," Mitchei said taking a seat on the couch.

"Ok, number two. You take the bed and I'll sleep on the sofa,".

"Shane, I can't take the bed. You've already done enough ny letting me stay here," Mitchie said.

"No, no. I insist that you take the bed," Shane urged.

"Shane. No,"

"Mitchieee! I'm trying to be a gentalman here! You gotta take the bed,"

"Fine, fine. But only if you sleep in it too. I would sleep comfortable knowing that you gave up your bed,"

"Deal,"

Shane tossed for the fifth time on the uncomfartble hotel bed.

"Can't sleep?" Mitchie whispered.

"Oh. I thought you you were asleep,"

"I was. But the moving of the bed woke me up," Mitchie said.

"I'm sorry, I told you I should have stayed on the couch," Shane murmured.

Mitchie let out a giggle.

"Nope, it wouldn't be right to me," Mitchie said.

They both remained silent for several minutes. Shane, eventually breaking it.

"Thank you Mitchie,"
"For what?"

"For believe me. At this point everyone is agaisnt me, and its great to know someone is on Team Shane,"

"Shane, I believe you. And I will always, no number of Hollywood break-ups can't change that,"


Mya:...I must say, i love the park scene. Well that's all I got to say..EXCEPT review!

Alyssa: MITCHIE AND SHANE ARE GETTING IT ONN!!! JK! Luved this chapter personally...and now i will go back to staring at my BFF's baby picture and trying to get out of writers block! YAY ME!

Angie: I have invented the Kevin Jonas scream...REVIEW!