Not really sure how this happened. I wanted to write a story, but this just got away from me.

Chapter 1: Hear You Me

It was three in the morning when the phone woke her. She fumbled around for her phone, accidentally sweeping the device to the floor. Ally Dawson groaned, rolling over and reaching down to grab her phone off the floor.

"...hello?" she mumbled, half asleep.

"...Ally?" It was Austin. His voice was meek and she could hear machinery in the background. "Ally, I... I'm in the hospital. Can you come stay with me?" Ally jumped out of bed and grabbed her purse. "Ally? Say something."

"What? Why?! What happened? You know what, tell me when I get there; I'm on my way. Okay? Hang tight. Do you need me to stay on the phone?" His breath was unsteady.

"No, please... just drive safe, Ally." He hung up. She didn't bother changing out of her pajamas, she just threw on a bra and a pair of shoes and ran out the door. She made it to the hospital in record time and demanded to see Austin. They let her go up to his room without argument. She poked her head into his room. He was cradling his head in his hands. It was obvious he was in pain, he was breathing hard and sweating.

"Knock knock," Ally whispered, prompting Austin to lift his head. His face was covered in cuts and scratches. His nose was bandaged and his eyes were blackened and bruised. "Austin, what happened to you?" Ally sat by his bedside, finally noticing his right arm was in a sling.

"My parents and I were coming home from visiting family and someone smashed into our car," he recounted, lowering his head back into his hands. "The driver fell asleep and ran a red light. My parents, they... they didn't make it." His breath hitched and his voice broke. "I made it out, but I broke my right collarbone, my shoulder dislocated and tore my rotator cuff. My airbag broke my nose." He kept rambling, but Ally was numb. She couldn't help but stare as he collapsed backward and covered his eyes with his left arm. She didn't know how to react. There was no way to comfort him; his parents had just died.

"Austin, I'm so sorry." He sat up in his hospital bed, wiped his face and leaned in to kiss her. "What are you doing?" He looked at her. He was so vulnerable, she didn't know what else to do.

"Please, Ally." He kissed her. His lips were chapped and tasted of blood. "Can you stay with me?" She was hesitant. He was vulnerable.

"I don't think we'll fit in this bed. You'll hurt yourself," she reasoned as he placed several kiss on her neck.

"I don't care. I'll be okay. please?" He slid over to make room for her. She slipped into his bed. "I love you, Ally."

Ally slipped out of his bed and back into her seat. She stared at Austin's sleeping form and her heart wrenched. It was hard to wrap her head around the fact that her boyfriend had just been orphaned at eighteen. She couldn't even begin to imagine what he was going through.

Shortly after she awoke, Austin stirred from his sleep. He still looked exhausted and he couldn't speak through his pain. The nurse came by and changed out his IV and gave him his meds. He remained quiet until the pain of his injuries died down.

"I still haven't told Dez or Trish what happened. I just didn't know what to tell them."

"...Do you want me to call them?" she asked, watching him nod in response. "I'll call them for you." Ally stood and turned to walk out of the room, but Austin grabbed her hand.

"Please don't leave me alone," he pleaded, "I don't want to be alone right now." Without letting go of his hand, she sat back down. Fumbling with one hand, she managed to call Dez and Trish.

The pair arrived together and after Dez made mention to Ally's "ugly pajamas", they all sat in an uncomfortable silence. Austin kept his head low and stared at Ally's hand to avoid eye contact. Ally could tell he was trying to work himself up, trying to get into some mindset to be able to explain to their friends what had happened. She silently told him to take as long as he needed. Twenty minutes passed. With his head still lowered, he explained to Dez and Trish what had happened.

"...I don't even get to say goodbye." He leaned into Ally and closed his eyes. "I have surgery tomorrow for my rotator cuff."

"Austin, I'm so sorry," Trish said, sitting at the foot of his bed. Dez sat opposite of Ally.

"Me too, man," Dez added, a serious edge to his voice. "If you need anything, we got your back." The girls agreed.

"Do you have a place to stay after you're released?" Trish asked, glancing over at Ally. She nodded.

"He's staying with me until he feels well enough to be on his own." Austin raised his head and smiled weakly.

"Thanks for being here with me, you guys." The group embraced him, trying to assure him that he wasn't alone in this at all. An hour passed as the group tried to come to terms with what had happened. Trish had to leave for work and Dez left without an explanation. Ally could only assume he was going to a family event. It wasn't long after that when the nurse asked Ally to leave. Austin needed to rest before his surgery the next day.

She visited as soon as he was out of surgery and able to have visitors. Ally was the first person he asked for when he was coming out of anesthesia. She took his hand and held it tight. Ally wouldn't leave him for anything.

Thanks for reading. I've been trying to figure out where this story is going, so forgive me if there's some time in between updates. The chapters are all going to be named after songs. This one is Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World.

xo