Last one!

This is so OOC! Oy vey!

Chapter 29

"Daddy?"

The man looked shocked and hesitated if he should say something. He looked much older. But Mitchie was sure this man was her long lost father.

"Mitchie..." he sighed.

"It was you...?" Mitchie breathed, gesturing to the flowers in his hand.

Steve just nodded. It was too obvious for him to still not tell the truth.

Mitchie looked at her in awe from head to toe. She couldn't believe he was standing right in front of her.

"I thought I'd never see you again." she said, eyes brimming with tears. Joyful or sorrowful ones? Even she didn't know.

"I thought I'd never see you again too." Steve said. "But I'm here now." he added, holding the flowers in one hand and slowly opening his arms wide.

Mitchie was having second thoughts whether to give in or just stand there. But this was her "daddy," the one person who respected her childhood and believed in her and loved her unconditionally. And he was standing right there with those warm eyes and his arms welcoming her into a warm embrace.

Mitchie leaned in and he wrapped his arms around her. It was like he had never left.

"What the..." Shane watched as Mitchie hugged this stranger on the street.

"Who's that?" Tess asked, looking at Mitchie and the stranger.

"I think it's anonymous flower sender guy!"

The stranger handed Mitchie the flowers, put an arm around her and they started walking.

"We should follow them!" Shane hissed.

"But...wouldn't that be rude?" Tess surmised.

"Rude? You're talking about rude? We wouldn't be here in the first place if it weren't for you."

"Okay, I'm sorry! Let's go then."

"I just thought that was the best thing to do. Your mother thought so too. So, I left."

Steven filled Mitchie out on the events of his life and the reasons why he had to leave.

"You should have said goodbye, you know?"

Steven sighed. "I know. But I was a mess back then. And I really wanted to say goodbye but your mother said leaving without saying a word to you would probably be the best."

"Well, that's my mother for you." Mitchie joked.

Steve smiled. "But I want you to know that I thought about you every single day I was away."

Mitchie smiled as well. "Me too, daddy."

They sat there in silence in a noisy, crowded cafe absorbing everything that had just happened.

"I'm sorry for the flowers, Mitchie. But they were the only way I could get to you at first at tell you you are loved." Steve said, breaking the silence.

Mitchie laughed. "They were pretty scary at first. Did you know we went to the polive too?"

Steve's eyes widened.

"We did. But they were right, there was really no threat. And I kinda enjoyed getting them."

"I'm glad you did."

"So what made you come back?" Mitchie hesitated before asking.

"Well," Steve started, leaning his elbows on the table. "The obvious answer is that I missed you. And I realized, since you're older now, I could talk to you and you won't have your mother's biases to judge me."

"Well, I've been trying to keep away from those biases but sometimes I fail miserably."

"How is your mother anyway?"

Mitchie took in a deep breath. "Still ruining my life."

"I don't want to make it look like your mother is a big bad witch but hey, that's your mother for you."

Mitchie laughed.

"Don't you want to see her?" Mitchie asked, curiously.

"I don't know. And you'd think it would be much easier if I went to her first but I think it will complicate things even more."

"You're probably right. But you're going to have to face her someday."

"I know. And I will."

"Oh no he didn't!" Shane whispered harshly as he watched the strange man take Mitchie's hand from another table.

"Relax, Shane. It's just her hand."

Shane glowered at Tess. "He looks familiar," he mused.

Then it dawned on him that this man was the man who he was talking to at the launch party telling him to take care of Mitchie and all that stuff! This was way too creepy for Shane's liking.

"So what have you been up to? Aside from the magazine, of course."

"Well..." Mitchie gave him a far-off look. "I was about to go tell the person I love that I still love him and I want him back. Sort of."

"What happened?"

"Mother happened."

Steve was silent. Those two words were enough. "I'm so sorry about everything that's going on between you and your mother. I wish everything could be different. But at the same time, I'm just so happy that you're your own person."

"Oh daddy, you should have met me before Shane."

"Shane?"

"You know, the person I was talking about."

Steve nodded.

"I was a mess. And I had to change him and all that for mother's magazine but the opposite happened. He changed me."

"And now you're going to get him back."

"Exactly."

"Because?"

Mitchie's eyebrows furrowed. "Because I love him and he makes me happy?"

Steve smiled. "Then why didn't you go get him from the get go?"

"You're kind of in the way?" Mitchie teased.

"I'm sorry. But you'll see me some other time, will you?"

"Of course, daddy! I can bring mother if you like." Mitchie chided.

Steve hugged her. "He's a lucky man." he whispered.

"That's it! We're going in!" Shane charged towards Mitchie.

"Shane!" Tess stood up almost knocking over a waitress, trying to stop Shane.

Mitchie heard Shane's name and she turned and saw his infuriated eyes coming towards her. Everyone's eyes were following his every step.

"Shane?"

"Mitchie, what are you doing with this man?"

Mitchie looked at both of them. Shane looked like he recognized her father but that would have not been possible.

"What are you talking about? What are you doing here?" Mitchie asked, getting between Shane and Steve.

"You can't be with him, Mitchie. He's the one who's been sending the flowers, isn't he?"

"Yes, but-"

"He's been following you for so long now. He was at the launch, you know, acting all creepy and everything. Mitchie, you have to stay away from him."

"I can't, Shane." Mitchie just blurted out. "He...is my father."

Shane was flabbergasted. "Your...dad?"

"Yes..."

Steve gave a slight nod to Shane. A nod of greeting and approval.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was-"

"Shane!" he was cut off by Tess.

Mitchie narrowed his eyes at him. "And you just had to bring her too." she said with annoyance, gesturing to Tess.

"I did. But for a reason. Tess?"

"Mitchie," Tess started. "I'm so sorry for all the trouble I've caused you both but I couldn't live with myself knowing that I ruined some people's lives. I just wanted to tell you that whatever you found out about Shane and me was all a big lie. He blew me off and nothing happened."

Mitchie stared at Tess for a moment and then looked at Shane.

"That's the whole truth, Mitchie. I would never want to hurt you. Never."

Mitchie winced. "I'm sorry I never gave you the chance to explain." She could almost hear Kurt going 'I told you so.' "Friends?" she asked Shane.

"Friends?" Shane was taken aback.

Mitchie shrugged. "I guess that's the best place to start over?"

"Well, I don't know about you but I was kinda hoping you'd want to start where we left off."

"That's fine with me too." God, she missed Shane! "Screw this! Marry me, Shane!"

Pearls were clutched. Mouths were agape. Tea was spilt.

Shane stared at Mitchie like she had completely lost her marbles. But then again, He and Mitchie had always been a little crazy. But they were happy. He thought about spending the rest of his life with her being happy. And that was when he smiled.

"Do you know the saying gentlemen always finish last or something like that?" He asked Mitchie.

"I don't know where you're getting at but go on."

"Yeah, I have no idea what I'm saying either but all I want to say is I want you to marry me, Mitchie."

"Oh..."

"I don't have a ring or anything yet though," he said patting his pockets. "I mean, you kinda caught me off guard there."

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"And while we're at it, Mr..." Shane gestured to Steve.

"Call me Steve."

"Steve. Mr. Steve. You're totally okay with this, right?"

"Cool." Shane got down on one knee. "I've seen this being done in movies so many times so I guess it's the right thing to do." He took Mitchie's hand in his. "Mitchie, will you marry me?"

"Yup!"

THE END

I know this may not be the perfect ending but it was all my pink brain could come up with. :S But I just had to get this over with because it wouldn't let me sleep at night because I left it hanging!

Anyway, here comes goodbye...This is probably my last Smitchie fic ever. :( I just can't bring myself to write about them anymore after all that's happened. I actually can't bring myself to write anything else at all, for that matter. Even writing the ending to this was a struggle. :S

I don't want to say "life got in the way" like I always do because it honestly doesn't. Life is life and it's just there and there's really not much we can do about it other than just live it.

And this doesn't mean I love Smitchie any less. They will always have a special place in heart. And and everyone here too! You guys have been the best company ever since I started and I thank you for all the kind words and for everything else! I love you all!

And to all the friends I've made here, you know who you are, you've got your drama and I've got mine and we may not talk to each other as much as we used to but all I want to say is that I love you!

I have nothing else to give but love!

And this isn't the end. Duh! I may write for other things too or I may never write again but we'll never really know what happens next. *Shrug*

Stay strong bbs! Be nice and always keep your head up! :)

Until next time,

Loooove,

Jill