Your Song (Shawn Mendes)

Chapter 11

Maria twisted the rings on her fingers anxiously as Shawn drove the familiar Canadian roads. They had five days off before their first show in Toronto and Maria's nerves were running at an all-time high. Not only was she back in the very place she had been taken from and Shawn's birthday was tomorrow, this would also be her first time meeting Shawn's family as his girlfriend. They had officially been dating for almost 4 months and Shawn felt it was time that she met his family. 

To say she was nervous would be the understatement of the century. 

She looked up at Shawn when she felt his hand gently take her own. "You're gonna be fine." He said, looking at her from the corner of his eye. "They're gonna love you."

She sent him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "Do they know about...?" She trailed off, squeezing his hand.

"They don't." He answered. "It's your decision if you want to tell them or not." She let out a breath. It was hard enough knowing that Shawn knew what happened to her, she didn't want to know that his parents and sister did as well. It felt like an eternity and no time at all before they pulled up to his house.

Maria didn't object when Shawn went around to open her door for her. She simply took his hand and allowed him to help her out. He tightened his grip on her hand when he felt it shake slightly. "I'm fine." She responded to his silent question. He didn't believe that for a second but kissed her on the forehead lightly.

Before either could say anything more, a voice called out, "Shawn!" Shawn barely had time to turn around before Aaliyah crashed into him in a hug. Maria let out a small laugh as Shawn tightly wrapped his arms around his sister. She looked up and her stomach twisted in nerves at the sight of Shawn's parents.

"Okay, Liyah." Karen chided lightly, pulling the girl off Shawn. "Shawn won't be able to finish his tour if he suffocates." She and Manuel pulled him into a tight hug. "Good to see you, Shawn."

"Good to be home, mom." Shawn responded, pulling away from the hug and Maria smiled lightly.

Aaliyah rolled her eyes. "Is anyone forgetting anything?" She asked sarcastically, gesturing to Maria. Maria felt her face flush and ducked her gaze.

Shawn chuckled and reached over to take Maria's hand. "Like I would ever forget about you." He said, just quiet enough so that only she could hear it. Her blush darkened and he smiled. He turned back to his parents, keeping her hand in his. "Mom, dad, this is Maria. Maria, this is my mom and dad and you already know Aaliyah."

Aaliyah smirked, knowing she was the reason they met. Maria politely stuck out a hand. "It's nice to meet you both." 

"It's nice to meet you as well." Manuel said, shaking her hand. "Shawn never seems to shut up about you."

"Dad!" Shawn whined. Maria giggled through her blush.

Karen smiled brightly as she shook Maria's hand. "And apparently you have Aaliyah to thank for you two meeting." Maria laughed a little and nodded. "Well, let's get your stuff inside so we can get to know you ourselves!"

Maria smiled, the tension leaving her shoulders. "Told you they would love you." Shawn taunted, moving to get her bag out of the car. She shook her head with a laugh before reaching to grab her guitar and violin cases. She froze in her tracks and almost dropped her precious instruments when she looked across the street. Standing on the other side was a man getting out of his car to walk to a house.

"No." She whispered. He turned to look at her and she had to suppress a scream, immediately turning away and praying he didn't see her.

"Maria?" Shawn asked, concerned. 

"Shawn, get me inside." She whispered harshly, keeping her face away from the other side of the street. 

"Maria, what's..."

She cut him off, tears burning in her eyes. "Shawn, don't ask any questions. Just get me inside now!" He saw her hands start to shake violently even with the cases in her hand and shut his mouth. He wrapped his free arm around her waist tightly and all but ran her into the house. He took the cases from her hands and set them down, bringing her to sit on the couch.

She buried her face in Shawn's neck and took shaky breaths. Karen, Manuel, and Aaliyah all came in wearing the same concerned look on their faces. "Shawn, what's going on? Is she okay?" Karen asked.

"I'm not sure." He answered, his throat tightening in fear. What the hell happened in one second to throw Maria into a panic attack? "She started having a panic attack and told me to get her inside. Liyah, get me a water bottle for her please?"

"On it." Aaliyah answered. She rushed into the kitchen and appeared a moment later with a water bottle in hand.

Shawn nodded his thanks, taking the water. He gently brought Maria up to cup her face and lean their foreheads together. "Maria, sweetheart, I need you to take one more deep breath. Can you do that?" He asked softly. She nodded and took a solid, deep breath. "Good, now I need you to drink okay?"

She nodded and took the water bottle with shaking hands. She gratefully gulped down a drink. Karen sat down next to her and softly put a hand on her shoulder. Maria flinched at the contact and Karen quickly retracted her hand. "Sorry." Maria apologized quietly. "Panic attack. One way to make a first impression on your boyfriend's parents."

Shawn cracked a small smile at her attempt to lighten the mood. He wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, bringing her into his side. "Maria, what happened?"

Maria let out a small whimper and Shawn tightened his grip. "He was there." Everyone raised an eyebrow. She turned to Shawn. "Across the street. I saw him! Shawn, he's back!" Shawn's eyes widened as he realized who she was talking about. Maria clenched her fists in Shawn's shirt so tightly that her knuckles turned white. "He's back and he's going to take me again!"

A sob ripped out of her throat and she hid her face in his chest, her sobs muffled by the fabric. "Shawn, what is going on?" Manuel demanded. "Who is she talking about?"

Shawn held Maria tightly against him as he answered, "Maria was kidnapped and tortured for 14 years." His family's eyes widened. "And I think she just saw her kidnapper across the street."

Manuel quickly rushed to the window and looked out to the street. "If he was there, he's not anymore." 

Shawn let out a small breath and buried his nose in Maria's hair. "Maria, listen to me." He said to her. "I'm not going to let him get to you. He is not going to even touch you. Do you understand?" Maria didn't answer. She simply gripped him tighter. He silently prayed he could keep that promise.

*******

Maria took a shaky breath as she stood in the darkness. It was well past midnight and everyone but her was asleep. She couldn't. Not even Shawn could calm her mind down enough to sleep. She had managed to slip out of Shawn's grasp to step outside. She hated this. She hated looking over her shoulder and never wanting to leave the house because someone may grab her again. Why her? Why did he have to take her?

The first tear had managed to leak past her lashes when she felt the barrel of a gun press to the back of her head. She froze as an all too familiar voice ordered, "Don't scream or you can watch me kill your little boyfriend before I put a bullet in you."