Just for the record, this DOES NOT count as a chapter in Mitchie's POV since it's mostly gonna be flashbacks. Also, I apologize in advance for any typos. My "n" key isn't working that well. It only works if you press it pretty hard, and once I get going, i usually press the keys lightly seeing as its easier. so if I'm missing any "n"s, its just because of the stupid key.

2009

Ugh. Where was I? My head was pounding, and my stomach had that awful empty feeling you get before you throw up. Wasn't I just heading home? I tried taking in my surroundings, but my mind was too fuzzy to notice anything. Besides a strange whirring sound. It sounded like tires agaist pavement, and it was getting annoying.

"Maybe some hair dye," a woman said. I froze, hardly daring to breathe. Who was that? They were defiitely NOT my mom. I may be only half concious, but I know my mother's voice when I hear it.

"And a new name." And that was definitely not my father. Who were these people? Something soft touched my wrist, then my cheek. My eyelids fluttered, and I moaned as my head rocked to the right. My eyes slowly opened. I was lying in the backseat of a car, my head cradle in a woman's lap. She smiled dow at me, and I stared blankly back at her.

"Hey there, sleepy head," she said. She was about my mom's age. She looked a little like her too. The only differences I could spot at the time were her eyes were gray, and she looked smaller. She began to stroke my hair lightly.

"Where am I?" I croaked. My throat felt thick and sore. "Who are you?"

"I'm your new mother," the woman said. "That's your new father."

"Where are my parents?"

"We're right here."

"You're ot my mother!" I'd meant to scream, but my throat was so dry, it had no volume to it. My vision blurred, and my tears fell onto her lap.

"Shh," she soothed me in a motherly tone. "Shh, it's okay. It's going to be alright." She laid my head on the seat carefully, then opened a big, bulky suitcase. My stomach churned, and I groaned, clutching my stomach and rolling over.

"Lauren, I thinks she's gonna be sick," the man said, looking at me with concern. He was right. The woman, Lauren, held a bin under my chin, and she whispered comforting words into my ear and held my hair back as I retched violently in the bin. I coughed and sputtered, praying that I was done. When my throat cleared, Lauren laid my head back down on the seat. My sobs became louder, and my sides ached. Tears fell freely now, and I began to hyperventilate. The sides of the car spun, and I felt light headed. I closed my eyes in a sad attempt to calm myself down. Somethig stung my arm, right inside my elbow. Almost immediatly, my thoughts fogged over, turning them into an incoherent jumble, and the darkness swallowed me whole.

-

My eyes opened again to the sun overhead. I was in the guy's arms, being carried. Had we driven through the night? Where were we now?

"You're awake!" the man crowed happily. No shit Sherlock.

"Where are we?" I whispered.

"Welcome to Calhoun Falls, South Carolina," he said. I looked around, and saw horse stables to my right, and a big pen full of sheep. To my left was a field of apple trees, stretching as far as I could see.

"Can I walk?" I was still whispering, but only because I felt so exposed here. I had no idea what to expect, or where exactly Calhoun Falls was.

"Sure, as long as you don't run off," the man joked lightly. Where would I run to? I had no idea where to go. He set me on the ground, and my legs felt wobbly and unstable from disuse.

"This is your new home," he said. "We already have a room set up for you and everything." The house was huge. It had 3 storeis, and it was bigger than any house I'd ever seen in my life. The sheep were bleating loudly, and the air was dry and a little dusty. Something settled on my head, and I realized it was a cowboy hat. I looked at the man questioningly.

"You're a country girl now," he said. "I'm Timothy Lancaster, but you can call me Tim. I figure you won't be too comfortable with calling me 'Dad'."

"I'm Mitchie, but I overheard you say I need a new name. Why?"

"Well, uh, my wife, Lauren, can't have kids," he said, "and we really wanted a daughter. But she didn't want to go through all the potty training and stuff, so we told everyone we were adopting a teenager. And we chose you." Okay, these people were really starting to creep me out.

"Um," was the brilliant answer I cam up with.

"So what do you want to be called?" he asked. "You can call yourself whatever you like."

"I always liked the name Melanie," I said, biting my lip.

"Melanie it is." Tim walked ahead of me, into the house. Looking around again, I realized I could never go back. I didn't know how to get there, and the would catch me before I got very far. Maybe once I was eighteen I could visit my real parents again. Once I was eighteen, I was a legal adult, and i could do whatever I wanted to.

Taking in a deep breath, I walked forward as Melanie Lancaster, leaving Mitchie Torres behind.

-

2011

My heart trembled in the base of my throat as I took cautious steps down the aisle. It wasn't very long, but it might as well be a mile. Tim and Lauren watched me with proud eyes. We had become pretty close in just two years, and I knew they couldn't be prouder of me right now. Me? I wanted to be anywhere but here. I didn't even love Vince! He's nice and all, i guess, but he's not the one. I'm only marrying him because he's Lauren's best friend's son. It's not like they're forcing us to get married, but he proposed right in front of Tim and Lauren! What was I supposed to do?

The ceremony passed in a blur. Was I supposed to walk that fast? What were my vows? Shit. Before I knew it, Vince's lips were on mine, and the priest announced us as Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Quigley. Ugh.

-

2012

I threw myself into the closet, hoping for some hiding place. Vince was on a rampage, and to make matters worse, he was completely drunk. He was always like this now, and I didn't have the guts to divorce him. I was too afraid that he would come after me.

"MELANIEEEEE!" he called. "Come out, come out wherever you are." I pressed my fist to my mouth to keep myself from screaming, and silently prayed that he wouldn't find me. God wasn't on my side. The closet doors flew open, and I was dragged roughly out by my hair. Vince grabbed my arm and twisted it up behind my back, and I felt something snap. I cried out, and Vince dropped me to the floor.

"You stupid bitch," he growled, kicking my side. He continued kicking me, and I tried to crawl away, but he kicked me against the wall.

"Please... please, no!" I begged. He responded by punching me in the mouth. I could taste the blood, and my stomach flip flopped.

"If you weren't so stupid, maybe I wouldn't have to teach you these lessons," he said in a deathly calm voice. "I'm tired of having to teach you. You're so stupid, you'll never get it." He walked out of the room, and I snatched the phone out of the cradle. It rang twice before a familiar voice picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Lauren, Lauren, it's me, Melanie." I gasped into the phone. I think he broke my rib.

"Mel?"

"Please, get me out of here. Vince is-"

"Melanie!" Uh oh. Vince was back. He knocked the phone out of my hands and hit me with the wine bottle in his hand. I screamed, and warm blood trickled down my arm. He clawed at my face, opening more wounds, and I try to push him off. I can hear Lauren screaming my name from the phone.

"Vince, no!" I shrieked. I kicked him off of me and ran outside, but he followed me. I vault over the white gate at the edge of our yard and dart across the street. I head for the woods, hoping I can lose him in there. I zig zag through the trees, but I can hear him crashing through trees right behind me. It wasn't long before I came across another road. I barely make it across before I collapse. I can't breathe. I look in terror as Vince starts running across the street. A loud blaring comes out of nowhere, and Vince is lit up by light. I close my eyes as Vince turns to his right, and yelling is the last thing I hear before I pass out.

-

I curl myself into Kevin's side, completely content. What happened to Vince, you ask? After he started to cross the road, he was hit by a drunk driver. The driver wasn't wasted enough not care, but he couldn't stop the car either. Later, when he was sober enough to apologize, I'd hugged him, and he looked as if he thought he was still drunk. But I was so glad that he'd killed Vince. So I'd gone off to college, 18, and already a widow

I married Kevin four moths ago. We have a son, but he's not mine. You see, Kevin knocked up his girlfriend, Danielle. Then when their son, Joey (his full name is Joseph, but everyone just calls him Joey), was only a month old, she left, saying she couldn't handle it. So Kevin was left to raise Jpey on his own.

I met him a month and a half later. He was an absolute mess. He had no idea how to balance a baby and a job, and he couldn't afford day care. When I met him, we were at McDonalds, and he was ordering something, and at the same time, trying to get Joey to stop crying. Since I was right behind him, I started to make funny faces at Joey. When Joey began to laugh, Kevin turned atound to find me cross-eyed, trying to touch my tongue to my nose. We got to know each other a little better, and Kevin proposed on Easter. On the day we got married, I promised Kevin to love Joey as if he were my own. I'm pretty sure he now knows I didn't have to promise him. I love Joey to death, and I wouldn't give him up for anything. Kevin says I'm a natural at being a mom.

"So your birthday's next month," Kevin said casually. "Any idea of what you want?" I looked up at him, wondering why he would ask that.

"I don't want anything," I said. When he opened his mouth to protest, I added, "I have everything I could ever want."

"Mel, you're crazy," Kevin said, kissing me lightly. I deepend the kiss, but then the doorbell rang. I pulled away, groaning, and looked at the clock. Who would be here at 8:37?

"I'll get it," Kevin said begrudginly (Ooh. Big word.). I followed him to the top of the stairs, then watched as he opened the door. A stranger pushed his way into the house, and kevin closed the door.

"You Melanie Lancaster?" the stranger asked gruffly.

"Uh, yes?" I said, then watched in horror as he pulled out a gun and aimed it at my chest.

"I assure you, this is nothing personal," he said. "Don't panic." Too late. Kevin was creeping towards the fireplace.

"Stall," he mouthed to me.

"What do you want?" I demanded in a shaky voice. I'd meant to sound confident, but I couldn't help but sound terrified.

"I have orders to take Joey," he said. My heart froze, and my thoughts immediately jumped to the nursery down the hall.

"Danielle wants him back," he was saying. "Please, step away from the stairs. I much prefer not using this." He motioned towards the gun.

"No," I whispered, but I knew the sound carried. "No, you're not taking him. You can't."

"Melanie, please."

"No. Danielle abandoned him, eight months ago. She doesn't deserve him!" Kevin had the pokey thing from the fireplace, and was getting ready to hit the man.

"Melanie, please. I don't want to hurt anyone. Just let me take Joey, and I'll be gone. No harm dine. However, if you don't move, I will shoot." The gun was aimed straight at my chest, but I held my ground. There was no way he was getting Joey. He was more my baby than Danielle's. How do I know? I'd willingly give up my life to save his.

Kevin hit the stranger at the same time the man pulled the trigger. The shot was a foot away from it's target, but I hit the ground anyway and began crawling towards the nursery. I could hear Kevin and the stranger fighting, but I kept moving. I wanted to go back and help, but Joey needed someone to protect him.

I knew the stranger would stop at nothing until he got Joey. I slammed the door behind me and started throwing Joey's clothes into a bag. Joey laid in his crib, staring at me with wide eyes, but not making a sound. His eyes were so full of wonder and hope. Pounding feet and gunshots brought me back to the present, and I snatched Joey from his crib, holding him close. Kevin burst through the door and pressed himself against it. The stranger threw himself against the door, and Kevin dug his heels into the carpet.

"Melanie, run! Take Joey and run!" kevin whispered urgently.

"What? No! No, kevin, no! I am NOT leaving you behind!"

"Open the door!" the stranger roared.

"Kevin..."

"Go! Now!"

"I'm giving you to the count of thirty."

"Kevin, come on!"

"No, Melanie, just go. I'll hold him off."

"One, two three, four..."

"I love you," I whispered to Kevin. I kissed him one last time, then turned to the window. My tears fell onto Joey's pajamas. I turned back to look at Kevin one more time.

"I love you, Melanie," he said. "More than my own life. Go, be happy. Appriciate it all. For me."

"I will," I promised. "I will protect Joey with my own life." The stranger was at fifteen. I climbed out the window, and closed my eyes as I jumped off the roof. My knees collapsed under me when I landed, and I just barely managed to twist myself so Joey wouldn't get crushed. I stood up and rant to the van, strapping Joey into his car seat, then running to the dirver's seat and getting in. But before I could start the car, there were gunshots from the open upstairs window. I started the engine, put the car into reverse, and floored it. I drove like a madman down the streets, not caring about the speed limits. I needed to get away, fast. Only when I was on the highway did I let myself cry. Kevin was dead. I was being chased, and my life was being threatened. I was solely resposible for Joey, and we only had each other now.

End of flashback

"Oh my God," Caitlyn said, hugging me.

"I went to New York," I said. "I figured it would be harder to track me in a busy city. I changed my name to Mary, too."

"I never thought I'd see you again," Caitlyn said. "Everyine thought you were dead. We even had a memorial. All of your friends were there, and so were all your favorite things. Your guitars, your songs, your stuffed animals from when you were little. Your parents had me and Sierra give speechs, but we were so distraught, we could hardly get any words out."

"Really?" Caitlyn nodded.

"Everyone was there. Even after it, the papers ran stories about you. You were like a mini celebrity!"

"I think I'd rather become famous some other way."

"Only shane ever hoped we'd find you," Caitlyn said. "He even hired a PI!" (For those of you who don't know, PI stands for Private Investigator)

"Wow, he must've really loved me," I said. He probably would never go for me again, though. That was all those years ago, when we were young. Besides, he was probably seeing someone else.

"He still does!" Caitlyn said. "He still loves you! Why else would he go through all this?"

"He does? but doesn't he have a girlfriend, or something?"

"Mitchie, you are so blind! Shane loves you! Mitchie Torres! not Melanie Lancaster, not Mary. Mitchie Torres." My heart soared. Shane still loved me! But i loved him too much to let him get hurt.

"But what about Danielle? And the psychopath she hired who tried to kill me? it's not safe for any of you to be close to me. Danielle will do anything to get Joey back, and if that means hurting my friends, she'll do it. I just... i don't want anyone to get hurt because of me. I'd never be able to live with myself."

"Well, you can't just expect us to stay away!" Caitlyn cried, throwing her hands up in the air. "You meant a lot to everyone who knew you!"

"How do I know you're not just saying that?"

"Mitchie, Tess was at your memorial. Tess Tyler."

"But what about my parents? And you, and Nate, and Shane and Lola? Or even Tim and Lauren. They might've kidnapped me, but they took care of me and made sure I had a roof over my head, and that I was happy. Well, as happy as I could be."

"Mama?" a little voice interrupted us. We looked down, and Joey looked back up at me with sleepy eyes. I realized that it was almost his bedtime. Had we really been here that long?

"I better go," I said, picking my son up.

"Okay, but we're continuing this eventually," Caitlyn said. "Be careful. Don't get kidnapped!" I laughed and hugger her.

"Bye!" I called, walking down the sidewalk to my car.

Ta da! Mitchie's story! and possibly the longest chapter i will ever write!

Okay, so I have good news, more good news, bad news, and even more good news. and it only makes sense in that order.

good news is, todays my birthday! lol. i got an ipod touch and i was playing with the thing all day. like seriously im not kidding. i was playing with it literally all day.

more good news is, twilight came out on DVD and blue-ray today! which made me weven more ecited. half of my day was spent watching the movie over and over, then going back and watching my fav clips.

okay, the only bad news is, since i have a new ipod and my favorite movie is on it, i will be fascinated with it for quite some time. i might not post as much, but i promise you, i will not abandon my stories!

even more good news is, i finally finished this story! no, this is no the last chapter. i wrote it all in a notebook, and had my frineds read it and tell me how it was, and i finished it in there. which makes for more updates, and faster. but like i said before, i will be fascintaed by my ipod for a while, so please bear with me.