How many of you suffered waiting for the new chapter? I suffered in the worst road trip of my life. Which, usually, I love long car rides. This, however… Ill explain at the bottom so you can jump right into the story. Personally, I feel like I'm letting you guys down with this story, cause it's not 'living up to its potential' but, it's the best I can give you at the time. And… I know you are all excited for the Wedding Chapter, but you've got a chapter or two before that! I've got something really… cute… planned that will let you see a new side to Shane… or explain a new side of Shane. The only good thing about that trip was all the plotting I did.

Chapter 16:

To Shane's surprise, we did have to meet up with everyone. We were supposed to be meeting them for lunch. Caitlyn called earlier in the morning and asked if we wanted to go out to lunch. This was the reason I was already up. Not because I was avoiding my fiancé. Seeing as we had no other plans, I accepted. I was utterly surprised when we arrived at the restaurant. Shane was as well.

When I asked for Gellar, we were lead to a big party room, where a collective "Surprise!" rang out through the room full of women.

"Oh my god." I gasped.

"Welcome to your Surprise Bridal Shower, Mitchie!" Caitlyn greeted, guiding me to a big chair in a corner.

"Shane, thank you for escorting you're lovely wife to be, however, no boys allowed. Henchmen!" Anastasia called out, clapping her hands together twice. Jason and Nate dutifully appeared out of nowhere and picked Shane up by his arms, caring him out. He yelled to me, laughing as they did.

Everyone began coming up to me and saying hello. My family as well as Shane's was there. All of the Camp Rock crew came, including Dee and other staff members I knew were there in addition to Peggy and Ella and the rest of the campers. Mr. Bradley's secretary and wife were even there. Jayden popped up next to me.

"Jayden!" I hugged her, surprising her. "Of course you'd be here!" I smiled.

"Okay, now that the icky boys are gone…" Anastasia said dramatically. "Mitchie, while you weren't here… we kept your guests entertained with a questionnaire."

"A what?" I asked bemused.

Caitlyn explained. "We gave them a bunch of questions to answer about you and Shane. It's fun, it's tradition, and… it… was… Stas' idea…?" She fumbled for a third reason. Anastasia looked over at her in confusion but shrugged. "But we give our answers, and you have to give us the correct answer."

"So, first question you must answer! What is your and Shane's favorite colors?" Anastasia asked. I smiled, shaking my head.

"Shane's is green." Nicky said rolling her eyes.

"Everyone knows that… what about Mitchie?" Caitlyn replied.

"Purple." "Yellow." "Green." Various colors were called out. Caitlyn turned to me for the right answer.

"That's a trick question." I answered. "I don't have one." I smiled.

"Does no answer count as a right answer?" One of Shane's aunts asked.

I smiled. "Sure!"

"Next question!" Anastasia said excitedly. "When did you and Shane first meet?"

"Camp Rock!" Most people called out.

"Duh. We all know that." Caitlyn said. "Like specifically and exactly."

"Like, met met or met?" I asked blushing slightly.

"First met." Anastasia repeated, smirking.

I blushed deeper "In the kitchen."

"I thought you ran into him at the dock…" Nicky asked confused.

"As Mitchie, yeah. But I first met him when he came into the kitchen and complained. I had flour all over my face so he wouldn't recognize me." I admitted.

"Does he know that?" Someone asked. I shrugged. I don't know if he does or not.

"Okay," Caitlyn started, "What was the best moment of your life?"

"Getting into Camp Rock." Peggy suggested.

"Going on tour with Connect 3!" Ella yelled out.

I rolled my eyes. "The day Shane proposed." Nicky said.

"No, the day he gave you the promise ring." Anastasia said.

I shook my head no to all of them. Caitlyn and Mom smiled knowingly. "The day Shane sang to her for the first time." Mom said.

I nodded enthusiastically, smiling brightly. "Yup. That is the day I started to fall for him."

"Okay, next question. What are Shane and Mitchie's pet names for each other?"

"Shane always calls her baby. Nothing else." I nodded.

"Shane's kind of easy… isn't he?" I asked. Most of the younger girls giggled. "So not what I meant. Okay, moving on. My nickname for Shane?"

Mrs. Grey answered that one excitedly. "Pop star or jerk."

"How are those pet names?" Someone, I believe one of my cousins, asked.

I smiled. "It's just our thing. The first time I talked to Shane not covered in flour, we called his music cookie-cutter-pop-star-stuff. So, he's a pop star. But he always calls himself a rock star. And whenever I call him a jerk, he says he's my jerk."

The questions continued and I continued to answer them while we ate lunch. Finally, with that over, we began to open presents. I smiled giddily and began opening the first gift. I opened various house-ware gifts that were by no means going to be used anytime soon. When were we going to use them? Honestly?

When I opened Caitlyn and Anastasia's gift I laughed so hard I fell off the chair. There was a note attached to the cover, which was funnier than the gift. I was actually blushing from the gift. Nicky took the note and read it out loud. "Dear Mitchie & Shane, we know you. And we know you are going to be having lots and lots of sex when you're married. So, we thought we'd help keep it interesting. You'll have to give us your suggestions when we get married. Insert winking smiling face." Nicky doubled over in laughter when she saw the book. "Kama Sutra. Wow."

I gasped at Nicky as she read the note. "I can't believe you just read that in front of my and your grandmothers!"

She shrugged. "What? Obviously they've done it if we're here…" She was way too cool with other people's sex lives. I shuddered thinking about my grandparents having sex.

"Nicole Josephine Grey!" Her mother scolded. She shrugged again.

"Moving on." I rolled my eyes. "Thanks guys." I replied cheekily at my best friends.

Finally, I opened Mom's gift. I gasp from surprise, though not embarrassment this time. Inside the box I pulled out a beautiful white baby doll nightie. It was customary for the mother of the bride to buy her, her 'wedding night outfit'. My mother picked something absolutely beautiful and totally me.

"Though I doubt you'll even wear it for very long, if at all." She winked at me. Once again, I was blushing.

Once all of the presents were opened, I thanked everyone and people started to leave. The only people left were Caitlyn, Anastasia, Nicky, Jayden, Mom and Mrs. Grey aside from myself.

"Wow, thank you." I said hugging Caitlyn and Anastasia, who were closest. "This was amazing. But... how am I supposed to get it home?" I asked.

"Us!" Jason said coming in, trailed by Shane, Nate, Kevin, Dad, and Mr. Grey.

I ran over to Shane, feeling silly. I jumped in his arms. He caught me and spun me around. "What's gotten into you?" He asked, smiling as he set me on the ground.

I shrugged and kissed him sweetly. "Dunno. I'm just so happy. I don't know. Who cares?" I asked shrugging again.

Shane shook his head, but kissed my forehead and left me to help move our new stuff. "Mitchie?" He called, looking at one of the presents.

"Yeah?" I asked, coming closer to him.

"Who got us Kama Sutra?" He asked smirking over his shoulder. I glared at Anastasia and Caitlyn. "Thanks." He smirked while nodding toward them. I glared while they smiled brightly.

That night, I was laying on the couch, curled up with Shane watching a movie. We weren't paying much attention to it though, as we were talking. Nicky drove home with her parents and would be in Massachusetts for the next day for a friend's birthday, but would be home the next night via train.

"What are we going to do with all of that stuff?" He asked me, looking over to the dinning room table which was piled high in shower gifts.

I shrugged. "I have no idea. We could store it at the house." I suggested.

"You're mother will be tempted to use it." He laughed.

"Well… we could leave it here. I mean, until you get back from tour and all. And then we'll decide what to do with it. I mean, it'll be in our apartment then."

"Our apartment?" He asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"You want to buy a house while I'm still in college? I'm already in debt with student loans." I asked.

"You realize once we get married, you'll lose your financial aid for next year, right?" He asked.

I groaned. "Why does this have to be so hard?" I laid head against his chest sighing pathetically.

"Relax. I can afford-"

"No." I cut him off. "You are not paying for my schooling. I am." He opened his mouth to argue. "I'm serious, Shane." I could feel him sighing as he accepted my answer. I knew he was pouting, as well. "What did I tell you about pouting?" I said turning to lay on him.

"That it turns you on." He whined ever so slightly, continuing to pout rather sexily.

I bit my lip and smiled down at him. "Jerk." He kissed me smiling brightly.

Shane adjusted himself as I laid my head back down on his chest so we were now laying on the couch together. "I love you." Shane whispered into my hair. I smiled.

"I love you, too."

Of course, weddings cannot be blissful. I had a final fitting the next day for my wedding dress to ensure that everything was done correctly and that nothing had to be fixed. I came home in tears.

Shane and Nicky looked up from the couch as I entered with tears pouring down my face. Jayden dropped me off since I didn't bother taking Caitlyn or Anastasia for the fitting.

"What's wrong?" Shane demanded, immediately jumping up and coming over to me. Nicky stayed seated, but I could see the concern in her face.

"M-my dress." I cried.

Nicky jumped up, too, now. "What about it? You loved it, what's wrong?"

"I don't have one!" I cried even harder. "The seamstress tried to get it done last night because she was behind and she was rushing and she snagged the material and it ripped up the back of my dress and they don't have another one in my size. Why is this all going wrong?" I cried into Shane's neck as he wrapped his arms around me. Nicky stood next to us, rubbing my back.

"It'll be fine, Mitchie. The wedding isn't for 3 weeks yet." Shane said trying to soothe me.

"And it's taken them 5 so far." I cried even harder. "They're never going to get it done."

"Oh, Mitch. I'm sorry, baby." He whispered, kissing my temple.

I sniffled. "I'm gonna go take a shower and then go to bed." I pulled away from him. I could see the concern in his eyes as he watched me walk away to the bathroom.

When I got out of the bathroom, I didn't bother to get dressed, and laid down on the bed in my towel with my towel dried and still damp hair splayed out around me. Shane poked his head in a moment later. He frowned and came into the room, laying down on his side next to me.

"You okay?" He asked rubbing my arm gently.

I shook my head no. "I'm just… why is this so hard, Shane? Seriously? Is this a sign we shouldn't be getting married or something?" I asked. I watched his face fall and his frown deepen.

"No, baby, it's not." His hand moved up to my cheek, caressing it gently. "We are meant to get married. There are so many things going right. You can't let every little thing that goes wrong convince you this is wrong."

"I know. I'm sorry." I blinked away tears. "Wow. Could I be anymore pathetic?" I asked with a watery laugh.

He smiled. "You aren't pathetic. You're just a typical bride freaking out. You need to relax. I called a David's Bridal in Massachusetts and they're overnight-ing the dress to another store near here, but not the one we've been using. I know you loved that dress, but they keep screwing it up, so the tailoring will be done elsewhere."

I smiled up at him. "You are too amazing." I cradled his face in my hands. "What did I do to deserve you?"

"You saved me." He smiled, kissing me softly.

I smiled back. "Love you."

"Love you, too." He kissed my forehead. "Let's take a nap. You look like you need it."

I nodded weakly and curled up into his arms. Before falling asleep, I whispered sleepily, "What would I do without you, Shane?" I don't know what his answer was, because I fell asleep the moment his name slipped through my lips.

The next morning, I groggily rolled out of bed, surprised I was… well naked… under one of his t-shirts. My towel from the night before was laying on the back of the chair in his room. I groaned seeing my hair. It was everywhere. I brushed it out, but it was still everywhere. Shane found me a little while later in the bathroom straightening my hair.

He raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Why are you straightening your hair?" He asked.

I glared at him. "Because I didn't brush my hair before it dried, so it's all… bleh. And I want it straight." I explained.

He nodded, not entirely understanding. "Well, get dressed, you have a dress fitting to get to in an hour."

I dropped his straightener. "A what?" He frowned, picking up his straightener and inspecting it, making sure it didn't break. I rolled my eyes. "Shane!"

"A dress fitting." He repeated finally convinced his precious was still in tact and working order. Finally looking back at me, he smiled. "The store got your dress this morning, and they made a fitting for you in an hour. I already called Jayden, so she'll be meeting us there. I'm gonna drive you and pick you up, though."

I smiled at him. "Shane…" I awed. I wrapped my arms around him, burying my head into his neck. "You never cease to amaze me." He hugged me back, rubbing small circles into my lower back.

"I know." He replied playfully. "I like it like that."

I rolled my eyes and went to get dressed. He stood in the doorway, watching me. My back was to him as I slipped on a bra, as I'd already put underwear on before I left for the bathroom. I pulled on one of my typical shirts that was tight across the chest and flared out below my breasts. It had thin straps, but was still very much my style. I looked over at him to find him smiling with this dazed look in his eyes, like he wasn't really looking at me, more like toward me.

"What's up?" I asked as I slipped a loose vest over it.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. You know, you will look extra cute when we have kids." He commented, startling me a bit.

"W-what?" I stuttered.

"Not now!" He assured me. "I mean, like in a few years. Your style is very flattering for pregnant women… not that you look pregnant, but… when you are… you won't necessarily know… and you will never be able to tell me you look hideous. You'll still be as beautiful, if not more so." He rambled.

"You're weird." I commented as I slid on my capris. He shrugged. "Okay, let's go." I passed him through the doorway, and he trailed behind me. "Where's Nick?" I asked.

"Still asleep." He commented. "We stayed up watching TV. I went to bed when she put on Bridezilla." He explained.

I laughed. "I'm not like that, right?" I asked, stopping and looking at him seriously.

"Not at all." He assured. "We keep you on a leash." He laughed.

I pouted. "That wasn't nice."

He wrapped his arms around me. "Sorry." He said, kissing my pouting lip. I responded, kissing him back fully. He groaned pulling away. "We have to go." He ushered me out of the apartment.

There were more reporters out there, and it looked like some ready to follow us. I shook my head and headed to the Mustang.

When we got to the store, the reporters following us stopped their vehicles, but didn't get out. The stayed in the cars, taking pictures.

Shane walked with me to the door. He smirked down at me before cradling my face in his hands and kissing me soundly. His ring was cool against my skin and I knew that the pictures were getting a clear shot of it still there. I smiled into the kiss as well.

"Love you." He whispered against my lips.

"Love you, too." As I entered the store, I heard the reporters begin to ask him questions. I laughed and bit my lip, looking around for Jayden.

"Hey." She appeared. "Shane called me this morning. You're my only story, so…"

I smiled. "Gee, now I feel special." I teased, hugging her slightly. "Okay, so, since my first dress was ruined, we now have the same dress being altered at a different store location." I explained. "Shane arranged all of it because he is amazing." Jayden nodded, writing notes down as I headed to the back of the store.

"Miss Torres." The seamstress greeted me. "Right this way." She lead me to a changing room where my dress was waiting. I changed me shoes and slid on the dress. After Jayden zipped me up, I went to stand on the platform.

"I don't know if Mr. Grey explained to you that we can't guarantee that the dress will be done by your wedding." She explained while pinning the hem.

I nodded. He hadn't. "No, he hadn't, but I understand. On such short notice and all."

"We want to make sure it's done right this time, so we won't be rushing it. However, we have other orders that we need to fill first." She explained.

Again, I nodded. "I appreciate that. And I can totally understand that I'm last on the list."

When she was finished, I called Shane to pick me up, praying silently to myself that my dress would be done.

I was supposed to leave Friday morning. Then that changed to Friday afternoon. Then that changed to Saturday morning. Then maybe Saturday night. Finally, we were leaving Sunday morning, which ended up being Sunday afternoon, but… still. So, I missed my cousin's birthday party Saturday, because I was home, waiting on them. The trip itself was… deadly… you could say. The poor cats and dog traveling with us were like on the verge of getting heat stroke or something. And I was in the car with my aunt, making sure she didn't fall asleep… not fun. Slightly frightening. I was supposed to get to Florida Monday night or Tuesday morning. Then her car kept dying every night, so we had to keep getting it jumped. We stopped Monday night in South Carolina and didn't get out of South Carolina until 2 the next afternoon. It's only like 2 and half hours long… seriously. Finally, I got to Florida around 5:30 Tuesday night. I was supposed to be back in Jersey by then! We'd changed my flight that morning from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon. My aunt and uncle's new house is 1 and half hours from the airport… we left at 10:30, my flight was at 12:30. I got to the airport at 12:07 and missed my flight. So then I was on standby and thankfully was able to get on the next flight at 1:50, which was then delayed on the runway for almost an hour. Trip from hell. Absolute trip from hell. So, take comfort in the fact that I suffered just as much -if not more than- you did.