I Wonder If I'll Ever See You Again

Author's Note: Thanks for your reviews and adds. I'm gonna try and update as much as possible but I'll be moving in about a week so who knows what's gonna happen then. Another Shane/Tess chapter. Eventually I'll have chapters with both character storylines, but I'm writing these quickly when I get a chance.

"All of my life where have you been? I wonder if I'll ever see you again. And if that day comes I know we could win. I wonder if I'll ever see you again."

Chapter Four: A New Door

I can see that look in your eyes. You're in need of something you can't find. You're tired of holding on to the pain. You haven't got the strength to hold the reigns. You are out of lane. I know you can't take it. I know you can't take it anymore. I know you can't fake it. I know you can't fake it anymore. Now it's time for you to open a new door

TESS & SHANE

"I'm sorry." Tess said after a few moments of staying in Shane's arms. She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked up apologetically.

"It's ok. Do you want to talk about it or should I leave you alone?" Shane asked.

"No!...I mean I don't really want to be alone. I just found out my grandfather died." Tess explained.

"Oh I'm so sorry." Shane replied.

"He was like my best friend. I don't know what I'm going to do without him. He's gone and I'm all alone." Tess sniffled for effect. "God, he is eating this all up." She thought to herself.

"Look you've got lots of people that care about you. Your mom, Peggy, Ella…" Shane tried to console her.

"Hah. My mom barely calls. Peggy and Ella…well they don't really care about me. They just care that I'm TJ Tyler's daughter." Tess said, knowing that Shane would sympathize with her. She'd overheard his little conversation with Mitchie about never knowing who really cared about him.

Shane was silent for a moment. She was so much like him, but he hadn't really paid her too much attention. She was too cookie cutter pop star for him. But then again, wasn't that what everyone thought of him. Maybe she was just looking for someone to see the real her. He thought of her song again. "I know how you feel. Well…I'm here if you ever need anyone to talk to." Shane said finally.

Tess was relieved when he finally spoke. He was silent for a while and she was afraid she'd laid it on a little too thick. But fortunately he still seemed to be buying her story. "Thanks Shane, you don't know what that means to me. Um…what were you saying when you first found me? I didn't catch it?" Tess asked.

Shane smiled, glad that she seemed to be perking up. "The song you were singing…It's the one I've been looking for. You know…the girl with the voice? Is it yours?" He asked.

Tess took this opportunity to start tearing up again.

"I'm sorry. Did I say something?" Shane asked.

"No. I'm sorry. It's just…I was singing it because…My grandfather and I wrote it. I don't really want to think about it anymore." Tess said.

"Oh. Well, I'm still glad I finally found you." Shane said, hiding his disappointment at not getting to her hear the song again.

"Really? Well, what does it mean…that I'm the girl with the voice?" Tess asked.

"It means I want to spend some time with you…I think you've got a lot to offer" Shane realized how that sound… "musically…I mean." He added.

Tess laughed, "do you mean it?" she asked.

"Yes." Shane answered.

Tess gave him a quick hug and smiled at him. Shane didn't know how mhe felt about all of this touching. The last thing he needed right now was another girl to distract him. But when Tess looked up at him he had to admit that without the posse she was pretty. She was now looking shyly up at him. He gave her a smile. She then leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before jumping up and rushing off.

"Give him something to think about." Tess thought to herself.

And Shane was thinking. He was thinking that maybe he'd found the way to erase the memory of Mitchie from his mind completely.

Over the next two weeks before final jam, Tess and Shane spent a lot of time together. Tess was careful to show her vulnerable side to Shane while maintaining her true self towards everyone else. If Shane noticed, he never mentioned it. She figured he'd understand her need to "put on a front." Too bad he didn't realize which was a front and which was the real her. Tess was frustrated that their relationship hadn't really moved beyond friendship. It wasn't for her lack of trying. She took every opportunity to get them in intimate situations. But Shane always found a way to get out of them. But Tess knew she was making progress.

It was the night before Final Jam and Tess was in Shane's cabin yet again. Shane was sitting on his bed, brooding as usual. Tess sure hoped it wasn't about Mitchie. "God, she's been gone for weeks and he is still thinking about her." She thought to herself. She had to do something now or he'd leave forever and never think about her again.

She started to hum "This is me" quietly, knowing it would get Shane's attention. She started to tear up again.

Shane instantly recognized the tune and turned towards the girl sitting by his bed. Honestly, he didn't know how he felt about Tess. Half the time she was super sweet and half the time she was something else. But still, she'd shared her vulnerable side with him and that was something.

"Hey, what's wrong? Is it your grandfather again?" Shane asked.

"Um…Can I be honest with you?" Tess asked, knowing honesty was something that would suck him in.

"Of course." Shane replied, willing himself not to think of another not-so-honest girl.

"It's you." Tess said quietly.

"Me?" Shane asked, confused.

"Well…me and you. I really like you Shane. But I don't know how you feel about me. And I really don't want to get hurt. I just know you're going to leave Camp Rock and never think about me again. And I'll be all alone again." Tess said, letting tears flow again.

Shane leaned over and wrapped his arms around her. He wasn't the kind of guy to leave a girl broken-hearted. He did care about Tess. "Don't worry. I wouldn't do that to you." He said.

"So it's ok if I do this?" Tess said. Before he could ask what, Tess leaned in and kissed him gently on the mouth.

It took him by surprise, but he didn't pull away. If she'd been more aggressive he probably would have stopped her. But there was something vulnerable in her tentative kiss. So he let her finish the kiss, but didn't really kiss her back.

Tess was disappointed that he didn't seem to be kissing her back. But she was happy that he hadn't pulled away. "Shane?"She asked, shyly.

"Yeah, it's ok. It's just…let's take this slow ok." Shane responded.

Tess was overjoyed, "But we don't really have much time left…" She said, hoping she sounded innocent.

"Well you live in LA and we're headed there anyway to finish up work on our next album. We'll have plenty of time." Shane said.

Tess was ready to jump up and down. Her plans had worked. But she had to seal the deal, "Do you mean we can…you know..date?"

Shane didn't know why the thought bothered him, but he brushed it aside. Here was an honest, sweet, pretty, and talented girl who simply wanted to date him. "Yeah…we can date." Shane finally answered.

Tess was so happy she didn't notice the slight grimace of pain on Shane's face. She was practically glowing. She couldn't wait to get back to the other campers to discreetly spread the news that she was Shane's new girlfriend. "Good bye, Mitchie," she thought to herself.

Meanwhile a certain part of Shane's unconscious was trying to kick him into realizing the mistake he was making. He grimaced at the pain. "Must have been something I ate."