Author's note: Wow you guys, I'm so sorry it took me so long to get this last chapter up! I wanted to say thank you to everyone who stuck with me through my first Camp Rock fic, I really appreciate it. I'm really terrible at endings, so I hope this doesn't disappoint! I've got a one-shot in mind that I'm going to get up hopefully by Friday, and then I'm going to Disneyland for the weekend so it'll be a week or so before I get the first chapter of my next story up. The one-shot is going to be a stand-alone piece, but it'll also fit as an extension of this story, so you should really check it out. Please subscribe to me as an author so you can check those out, and please review this last chapter to let me know what you think of it and the story as a whole! Thank you so much!

Chapter Ten

Music once again began to fill Mitchie's ears as she stood at the top of the staircase.

"I hate this song." Shane squeezed her hand protectively as she made idle conversation.

"Am I making you nervous now?"

"You've always made me nervous," Mitchie admitted. She clung tightly to Shane, certain she looked like a cowering child, "And now we have to go back down there…what is everyone going to say? I can't handle people staring at me, you know that."

"I know, baby, but I've got you; just don't let go of me an you'll be fine." Shane's voice was soft and careful, making her nerves calm, if only a little. He didn't mind the way Mitchie leaned on him, pressing herself slightly against him; in fact, it made him feel as if he had finally discovered his purpose in life.

"Are you sure we can't just stay up here all night?" Mitchie suggested with a hopeful smile.

"No way," Shane shook his head, "I want to show off to the whole party." He cupped her face gently with his free hand, bringing their lips together. His kiss was so soft, so careful, and Mitchie thought she could feel herself melting into him. It seemed as if she had never truly experienced love before that moment, because nothing had ever been so right.

"Are you ready?" Shane asked with concern as the two pulled apart.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Mitchie said with a sigh.

"That's my girl! Let's go make some people jealous." Shane led Mitchie down the stairs, allowing her to lean against him in order to control her nervous shakes. Their feet finally met the ground floor, and the first reactions they received were barely noticeable. A few people shot curious glances their direction, but Mitchie paid them no mind. What really bothered her was a small cluster of girls that reminded her less-than-fondly of high school, looks of disgust on their faces as they contemplated how the no-name girl managed to snag the rock star.

"Do you see those girls staring at me?" Mitchie stopped, getting on her tiptoes to speak in Shane's ear, "They're probably making fun of my dress; I wore it to prom, it's old. I can just tell they're picking me apart, like the last time we were together." Shane felt the weight of guilt on his shoulders as Mitchie finished speaking, dropping back onto her heels. It was his fault she had attended that prom alone (they were supposed to go together), it was his fault she was constantly looked down upon when they were together (it seemed the world was under the false impression that she was worth less than him, but it was just the opposite); why did such grief seem to follow him? He had to make it up to her, right all his wrongs, and he found it a good time to start. He shifted the path on which they were walking, bringing them to a stop right outside the group of catty girls.

"Wait here," Shane said. Mitchie felt her heart sink into her chest as he released her hand from his, certain she'd fall to the ground as he left her standing alone, much to the delight of her grinning critics. As quickly as it had come the feeling subsided, her lover's intentions suddenly revealing themselves.

"Ladies," Shane shouted over the music with a wave, "I wanted you four to know something." The girls looked at one another, trying to hide their excitement.

"What's that?" One of the girls managed to reply, flipping her blonde hair seductively.

"As someone older and more experienced, I just wanted to tell you that jealous is a very unbecoming trait." The smiles slid off the girls' faces as Shane turned and returned to Mitchie, placing the safety of his strong arm around her shoulders.

"Should you have done that? I mean, isn't that bad for your image?"

"Maybe, but I don't care," Shane stated, pressing his lips briefly against Mitchie's forehead, "those aren't the kind of 'fans' I want, anyway. Let's go find the guys, I bet they think we died!" If the pair was dead, Mitchie thought, then she must've been experiencing Heaven. She felt as if she was floating as they made their way across the crowded house, smiling as her three friends came into view. They were making small talk and trying to conceal their anticipation of the return of the couple. The reactions they each displayed were vastly different: Nate looked apathetic-he never doubted the pair would reunite, Jason looked thrilled-he was satisfied with the part he'd had in the matchmaking, and Travis looked completely shocked.

"We were beginning to think you guys left or something," Nate said loudly as the pair approached.

"No, we're still here, and now we're going to dance!" Shane looked at Mitchie, waiting until she gave her nod of approval to pull her close in front of him. Whether the song was fast or slow they refused to part, holding tight to each other as they swayed to the music.

"It's about time, huh?" Jason leaned over, speaking with pride in Travis' ear. Travis, tightly gripping his drink, was unable to agree. He couldn't' believe what he was seeing, and after several songs he could no longer stand it all.

"Hold this," Travis said absent-mindedly, thrusting his glass into Jason's hands before stepping over to the dancing couple.

"Mitch, can I talk to you outside for a minute?" Travis tapped Mitchie on the shoulder, forcing her out of her own little world, buried deep in Shane's arms. She obviously didn't want to stray from the comfort Shane was providing her, but he gave her a nod which said she should go. He pulled his jacket off and slid it over her shoulders, watching as Travis took her by the hand and led her towards the front door.

"What's up?" Mitchie asked as they entered the cold, dark outdoors. Travis was surprised, maybe even frustrated, but how nonchalantly his friend was acting.

"What the hell happened in there?"

"What do you mean?" Mitchie neglected to give the question her full attention, preoccupied with pulling her arms through the sleeves of Shane's jacket. She inhaled deeply, overcome by the scent of him which lingered on all of her clothing.

"What's going on with you and Shane, Mitch? I'm really confused right now." Travis was in awe of the night's events; his friend had apparently reunited with her ex-boyfriend, and it seemed she wasn't even going to tell him about it.

"I love him," Mitchie said quietly after along moment, offering the only explanation that seemed to work.

"Is it really that easy? You spent the last three years hating the guy, and in twenty minutes you're able to just fall back in love with him? I want to know what's going on in your head."

"I never fell out of love with Shane! It took me a while to realize it, but I see it now. I'm happy tonight, Travis, really, truly happy; why do you seem so mad about it?" The words left Mitchie's lips with a hint of frustration. She crossed her arms in front of herself, party out of anger, and party because of the snow drifting down around her.

"I'm not mad, Mitch, I'm just worried about you. To see your heart broken again would probably kill me." Travis' eyes fell to the ground, his feet kicking around piles of slush in an attempt to escape the serious moment.

"Come here," Mitchie sighed, uncrossing her arms and wrapping them around her tall friend, "I'm so lucky that I have you to worry about me! I'm going to be just fine, I promise. Can we go back inside now? It's getting really late."

"Sure, Mitch. We need to go home soon and get some sleep, anyway; we're leaving tomorrow, remember?" Mitchie nodded as Travis pulled away. She had forgotten until then about their plans, but it all came back to her. The following day they were to pack up and travel to Travis' parents' home to spend Christmas, as was their holiday tradition. She had no clue what would happen now considering all the circumstances, but she wasn't going to spend any of her night worrying about it. The two walked back through the door they originally entered hours earlier, noticing the party was beginning to wind down throughout the house. The music had died down slightly, and the crowd had dissipated, making it easier to navigate.

"I missed you!" Shane couldn't help but exclaim as Mitchie came back into his view.

"You two are kind of sickening," Travis said with a roll of his eyes, earning a nod of agreement from Nate.

"Don't be jealous, you guys," Shane scoffed, "do you want to dance some more?" He pulled Mitchie into him again, but she shook her head against his chest.

"It's getting pretty late, Shane; maybe we should go?" Mitchie looked up, searching Shane's eyes for the answer she wanted. Her expression said she was done with the party, and he took the hint.

"Sure, baby, I'll walk you home. See you guys later?" Shane looked to each of his band mates. He noticed the way Travis stared at him suspiciously, and he tried his best to shake it off.

"Goodnight, boys." Mitchie stepped away from Shane for a moment to say her goodbyes. She gave Nate a friendly handshake, and then turned her attention to Jason. She cracked a smile and threw her arms around his neck, greeted by the feeling of his hands on her waist.

"Are you happy?" Jason whispered, his mouth right beside Mitchie's ear.

"Very much so."

"Then so am I. take care of Shane, alright? He's nothing without you." Jason's words drew a laugh out of Mitchie as the two pulled apart. The only person left was Travis, who was still too busy trying to be upset.

"Aren't you going to say 'goodnight?'" Mitchie pleaded, adjusting her friend's crooked tie. He tried to keep his stoic face, but he was all too aware that her begging eyes were a pair he couldn't resist.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mitch," Travis sighed, accepting his defeat. It was enough for Mitchie, who promptly released his tie and gave the three boys one last wave before leading Shane out of the house.

"So, did you at least have some fun tonight? I know you didn't want to come," Shane said, watching the snow land softly in Mitchie's hair as she buttoned up her borrowed jacket.

"Are you joking? It was the best night I've had in a long time!" Mitchie took Shane's hand in hers, swinging their arms with joy as they strolled down the dimly-lit street.

"I'm glad to hear it," Shane said with a smile, "This feels like a dream, you know? I love you so much, and I never thought I'd be with you, but here I am, walking you home." He shook his head, unsure the disbelief would ever fade.

"No, you're not," Mitchie disagreed, causing Shane to look at her with confusion, "I'm going home with you, if that's okay."

"Of course it's okay," Shane spoke, trying to hide his excitement. He changed their path, pulling her in the direction of his hotel.

Several minutes later the two strode through the deserted building, walking carefully as if they were afraid to break its silence. It took until they reached Shane's familiar hallway for the circumstances to hit Mitchie, the discomfort evident on her face.

"Are you okay? Is this too weird?" Shane was now in protective mode. Mitchie's discomfort was the most distressing thing he could imagine; he never wanted to see her upset.

"No…I don't know, I just keep thinking about yesterday." Mitchie couldn't process how much life had changed in one single day. She wanted to forget it all, wipe the slate clean and start new, but she wasn't sure that was possible.

"Just don't think about it, please? What's done is done; we can make new memories now," Shane offered. He looked lovingly at Mitchie and she knew he was right. She had learned along time ago that Shane only spoke to her when he really meant it, and she couldn't deny how much he cared about her. She allowed him to guide her inside, deciding to give herself one happy night before she had to deal with the conflicting reality tomorrow would bring.

The following morning Mitchie awoke bright and early, nearly forgetting where she was until her eyes opened to the sight of Shane staring back at her.

"Oh, God, how long have you been watching me?" Mitchie attempted to pull the covers over her face, horrified by the thought of her disheveled morning appearance.

"Hey, stop it." Shane laughed as he yanked the blanket back down, "I just woke up, too. But you look beautiful, Mitchie; I could really get used to this." Guilt began to fill Mitchie as she listened to him talk, a concerned sigh escaping her lips.

"What did I say? Am I moving too fast? Tell me, please; I don't want to screw things up again." Shane looked as if he actually might cry, afraid he'd said something to anger Mitchie.

"No, Shane, you didn't say anything wrong," Mitchie assured, leaning in to give him a quick kiss, "I'm just worrying about us right now." She wasn't certain it wasn't too soon to even use the term 'us,' but it didn't seem to faze Shane at all.

"What could you possibly be worrying about, baby?" The world seemed as perfect as it could be to Shane, and he couldn't imagine what was wrong.

"There's something I didn't tell you…" Mitchie trailed off.

"Oh, come on, what could it be? Another boyfriend? A husband? A kid?" Shane joked, "Whatever it is, you shouldn't be afraid to tell me. I love you."

"I love you too, and maybe that's the problem. I mean, that's not a problem," Mitchie stumbled over her words, "but where is this going to go? I didn't tell you that I'm leaving tomorrow-I'm going to Travis' for Christmas. What's going to happen after that, when you go back to work? The long-distance thing didn't' work for us last time." A weight was lifted off of her shoulders as she spilled her last secret, but she couldn't avoid a feeling of regret. Shane was so optimistic about their relationship; why did she have to put a damper on everything?

"Is that it, baby?" Shane asked, pulling Mitchie into his arms. "This time we can make it through anything, I promise. We're older, and I make my own decisions about work now. Do you trust me?"

"Completely," Mitchie said with no hesitation.

"So let's just worry about this week to start with, alright? I'm not concerned, baby." Shane pulled Mitchie into him tightly and it all felt so right, but she knew she couldn't stay.

"I have to go back," Mitchie sighed, "We're going to be gone for two weeks." The thought wasn't too appealing at the current moment; she loved Travis, but she wished she could be spending that time differently. She wanted to spend her break with Shane, but above all to be home with her parents was her ultimate Christmas dream.

"Well, go do what you have to do," Shane replied, causing Mitchie to give him a little huff. She had hoped he'd offer to help, or at least try and coax her into staying in bed a bit longer.

"Just go pack for an hour or so and then I'll come say 'bye,' okay?" Shane elaborated, noticing the way Mitchie begrudgingly dragged herself out of bed.

"You don't want to come help me?"

"I've got some work to do, but I swear it won't take long," Shane promised as he followed suit by rising to his feet. Mitchie was reluctant to go along with the plan-Why was he so willing to just let her go? Hadn't he promised work wouldn't get in their way?-but things were going far too well for her to make any objections.

An hour and a half later Mitchie sat alone in her empty dorm room. A good chunk of her belongings were packed away, two suitcases stacked by her side.

"Mitchie?" Shane's voice rattled Mitchie from her thoughts, causing her to quickly turn towards the door.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Shane said as he walked inside and sad down beside Mitchie on the floor, "The girl at the front desk was leaving, but she told me which room is yours." Mitchie shook her head as she looked at him.

"It's okay. Did you get all of your work done?"

"Yeah, I got everything taken care of," Shane nodded. "Baby, I think you forgot something." He pointed to the shoebox sitting just behind Mitchie. She turned around to see what he was talking about, shaking her head as she turned back to face him.

"I don't know what to do with that anymore; tell me what you think." Mitchie shrugged, urging Shane to investigate further. He curiously reached back and lifted the box with surprise-it was heavier than he'd expected-and brought it to a rest in his lap. He pulled back the lid to reveal hundreds of pictures, letters, and trinkets-just about every remnant from their relationship so long ago.

"You kept all of this?" Shane asked, sifting through all the pieces which seemed to be from a different life. The faces staring back at him from each photograph seemed so young, so foreign; he couldn't believe he'd forgotten about it all.

"Of course I kept it," Mitchie said quietly, "I always held on to you, at least partly. But now what do I do with it all? I've got you here beside me; I don't need a box."

"Hm…how long did you pack for?" Shane asked.

"Two weeks, Shane; I'm going to be gone for two weeks." Mitchie was annoyed; she'd already told Shane the details of her break, and she didn't know why he was changing the subject so abruptly. She started at him, waiting for an explanation, but his eyes were still fixed silently on the box.

"Travis is going to be here soon to pick me up," Mitchie stated, snapping her fingers in front of Shane's face, "Earth to Shane, do you want to say 'goodbye?'"

"No," Shane said with a shake of his head, "I don't need to; Travis isn't picking you up today."

"What are you talking about now? I'm all packed." Mitchie looked at her bags with confusion.

"You're leaving, but you aren't going home with Travis," Shane explained, "I'm giving you your Christmas present a little early: I'm flying you home to see your parents." Mitchie's jaw dropped in disbelief; was this really happening?

"Are you serious? Don't mess with me like this, Shane."

"I'm completely serious, baby. I know how much your parents mean to you, so I'm making sure you get to spend your holiday the way you want. Come on, we've got a plane to catch!" Shane rose to his feet and offered a hand to Mitchie. She looked him in the eyes, pleased to find the same old Shane she'd fallen in love with. People would always tell her, all those years ago, that he'd do anything if it meant making her happy, and she finally found the truth in that statement. She watched as he picked up her luggage and filed out of the room, her heart filling with joy in the moment. She let all the worry drain from her, no longer letting uncertainty take control. She knew their love wasn't an easy one, but she'd learned the hard way that they needed each other. One was nothing without the other, and she knew, from that point on, they would never be apart.