Hi everyone! After contemplating for a while I've decided to actually do the sequel to Affections & Obstacles! Yay! I had an outline for this done while I was still working on A&O but I didn't know how to actually start it. Once A&O ended and some of you said you'd read a sequel I decided to do it. This took a while because I was doing some research on Juilliard. I wanted to make it as realistic as possible. Although some of the things about Juilliard here may not be a hundred percent correct. I did my best though... Anyways, here it is the sequel to Affections & Obstacles, Distance & Devotion! Woo!

Disclaimer: I do not own Austin & Ally.

Ally arrived at JFK at around noon, she felt so out of place, New York was completely different than Miami. It was crowded and busy, there were people buzzing around. Ally had only been to New York a couple of times before during Austin's tours. But right now, in the midst of all the people, she was alone. No Trish, no Dez and no Austin, just herself in the Big Apple. She still had a hard time accepting the fact that her friends aren't with her to face a new beginning in her life. Sure they would be supporting her from Miami, but it will never be the same. Being around all the strangers and the unfamiliarity of New York, Ally felt like crying again. She wanted to jump back on a plane heading back to Miami; she wanted to feel safe, with her friends. Then she thought of Austin and what he would think if he saw her like this, on the verge of tears. She missed him so much and it's only been a few hours since they last saw each other. Ally laughed at herself, she felt so pathetic, so cowardly and so weak. Austin was always her source of confidence, and now that he's not here with her, she had to give herself the confidence she needed. She rubbed her eyes and took a deep breath. She thought about Austin, Trish and Dez and how they'd want her to be happy, she thought about all the wonderful memories she had with her best friends, she thought about the song Austin sang for her when he told her that he loved her. Her friends are back in Miami waiting for her to come back with a music degree, she couldn't let them down. There was a hint of confidence in Ally's eyes; the thought of her friends back in Miami calmed her heart. Ally slung her backpack behind her back and dragged her carry on as she grabbed a taxi.

On the ride to campus, Ally looked out the window and was amazed at the beauty that is New York. The taxi's radio played Frank Sinatra's 'New York, New York', how appropriate. Somehow the city looked a lot bigger than the last time she was there. The buildings were taller and the streets were busier. Ally smiled for the first time since she left Miami, confidence burning in her eyes. She fiddled with the ring on her finger, the promise ring that Austin gave her before she left. His words still repeating in her mind: "To love you forever, no matter how far apart we are. To give you the best hugs and kisses you'll ever get. To talk to you, no matter what time, whenever you're lonely. And to always be your best friend, no matter what." Ally smiled at the memory. 'I'll make you proud Austin, I promise.' She said in her head.

After the relatively long ride, Ally finally arrived at Juilliard. It was everything she'd thought it would be. There were students sitting under the trees, playing their instruments. She saw music halls and other interesting buildings. There was music everywhere; it was like a much larger version of Sonic Boom. Her luggage had already been sent to her dorm room, all she had to do was find it. Upon entering the building, Ally was greeted by an upperclassman, only a few years older than her.

"Hi, you must be Ally Dawson; it's a pleasure to meet you." The upperclassman offered her hand. "My name is Natalie White and I'm a junior."

Ally shook Natalie's hand. "Nice to meet you."

"Let me show you to your room." Natalie helped Ally with her carry on and headed for Ally's dorm room.

It was a simple room, no bigger than the practice room back at Sonic Boom. It had a single bed and a small bathroom. There was a desk for her to study and also a keyboard for her to play. The view was beautiful, it over looked the Lincoln Center. She could see all the new students piling into the building.

"It's small but cozy. If you need anything, I live at the end of the hall. Well, I've got other freshmen to attend to, it was a pleasure meeting you Ally."

Ally smiled. "You too."

Natalie left the room and Ally immediately jumped onto the bed and sighed. This was it, the beginning of her new life, alone. She looked at the ring on her hand, smiled, and reached into her pocket and took out her phone. Ally scrolled through the contacts and called Austin. It ringed two times before Austin picked up.

"Ally! How was your flight? I miss you already!" Austin was clearly excited that Ally had called him.

Ally giggled at how cute Austin was being. "Hi Austin, I miss you too, the flight was okay I guess. I never liked airplanes, I get so air sick."

"Well, I'm glad that you made it safely. How's New York? How's Juilliard?

Ally explained to Austin about all the students and instruments she saw. She talked about the buildings and her dorm room. Before Austin could respond, Ally heard Trish's screaming from the phone. "Austin! Is that Ally?! Why didn't you tell me she called?! Let me talk to her! Give me the phone Austin! HI ALLY!"

Ally burst into laughter as she heard Austin and Trish fight over the phone. "Hi Trish, I miss you. How are you guys doing?"

"We're missing you like crazy!" Trish managed to pry the phone out of Austin's hand. "When are you coming back to Miami to visit us?"

"I just got here Trish." Ally giggled, she was glad to hear her friend's voices again. "When does the tour start?"

"In two weeks, we—"

"AAAALLLLLYYYY!" This time Dez was heard screaming and running to the phone.

Ally's sad mood was definitely lifted by the cheerfulness of her friends. "Hey Dez, what's up?"

"I totally got a new idea for a movie, are you coming back anytime soon? I need you!"

"Aw, sorry Dez, I think I'll have to pass." Ally tried to hide her sadness. Sure it was great that she got to talk to her friends, she missed them terribly. But it also reminded her that she won't be able to see them in person for a very long time.

"Guys, she's my girlfriend! LET ME TALK TO HER!" Austin practically jumped on Dez and Trish, trying to get the phone. Ally erupted into laughter again; her friend's energy was just so refreshing. After a few minutes, Austin managed to get the phone from them. He went to the practice room and locked the door behind him for some privacy. "Sorry about that Ally. They just don't understand that I need to hear my amazing girlfriend's beautiful voice."

Ally giggled at Austin's compliment. He would always compliment her like that, even before they were dating. It just shows what kind of relationship Austin and Ally have always had. "So when are you coming over to visit me?" There was a hint of sadness in her voice.

Austin noticed the sadness and frowned. "Not sure yet Ally, but I'll be sure to tell you as soon as I find out."

Ally smiled a little, still feeling a little upset. "Okay…"

"Look Ally, I know you're sad. But don't be, going to music school is your dream and you've got to be happy."

"But I'm all alone." She sniffled.

"No you're not, Trish, Dez and I will always be with you, in your heart. Yes, it sounds incredibly cheesy, but it's true." Austin chuckled. "Besides if you miss me that much, I could always video chat and you can call me anytime. I'll always be here for you."

"Thanks Austin."

They talked for a while, just missing and listening to each other's voices. Even though they just saw each other this morning, they talked like they haven't seen each other in years. Hearing Austin's voice really eased Ally's mind and heart, it was like she was there with him even though she wasn't. But it also added to the sadness she was feeling, she really wished she could go on tour with him, but she had a dream to accomplish. Austin couldn't stop thinking about how much she missed Ally, he felt like taking the next flight to New York and seeing her. He wanted to be with her and hold her tight, but he knew she had to focus on her own career as opposed to his own. It was hard for the both of them, especially since they've only been together as a couple for a few months. They missed each other like crazy.

Time flew as they talked and it was time for Ally to got to the welcome ceremony for the new students. Although she didn't want to, Ally had to say goodbye to Austin. She promised to call him again before going to bed because she didn't know how long the ceremony would go for. She reluctantly hung up and changed into a knee length dress, a cardigan and a scarf. She matched it with some boots and put on some make up, but not too much. Ally checked herself in the mirror, made sure to put her songbook in her bag and exited her room.

It was fall so the air was a little chilly, but not too much. The leaves were brown as some of them slowly fell from the trees. The welcome ceremony was crowded; there were people from all over the place carrying so many different instruments. There were guitars, violins, flutes, there were so many different kinds that Ally lost count. It felt like she was at Sonic Boom again, being surrounded by so many instruments. The thought made her a little sad but she remembered what Austin said and tried to make the best of it. She took a deep breath as she tried to channel her confidence. But after the phone call from her friends, it was a little hard. Ally took a seat next to a young blond girl and looked to the stage. A man in his fifties came to the podium and started talking.

"Welcome new students to the Juilliard School. My name is Bryce Young and I am the head of the music division here. This is going to be a wonderful year and I hope you all learn more about your individual instrument." He continued to talk about the many things that Juilliard had to offer. "And now, to cut the ribbon and release the balloons that represent each and every one of you. These balloons will fly high, much like you should." The release of the balloons was beautiful. Ally watched as each balloon floated higher and higher until it was nowhere to be seen. The rest of the ceremony basically consisted of various professors talking about Juillard and the classes.

"What do you play?" The girl with wavy blond hair and deep blue eyes next to her asked.

Ally turned to the girl. "Me?" She nodded. "Um, I play the piano, you?"

"I play the violin; my name is Claire Joy, nice to meet you." She was petit and looked a little younger than Ally, she also had what looked like a violin case on her lap.

"I'm Ally Dawson; it's nice to meet you too."

"No way, Ally Dawson?" Claire nearly dropped her violin and Ally nodded. "You're Austin Moon's songwriter and not to mention girlfriend!"

Ally turned a bright shade of red and fiddled with her hair. "Uh, yeah, I guess."

"I'm a huge fan, I think you're amazing!"

Ally's eyes went wide. "Me? You're a huge fan of me? Why?"

"I mean, Austin is an amazing singer, I think he's great. But you, you're the one who writes the songs and I think that's totally cool!" Claire's eyes were sparkling.

Ally was speechless; she's never met someone who was more of a fan of her than Austin. "Thank you, that's so sweet."

Ally and Claire talked for a while. She definitely was a sweet girl; she was a year younger than Ally, having skipped a grade in high school. They talked about everything, from their interests and hobbies to their family and friends. Claire was from Manhattan and so her family wasn't too far. She's half French from her mother's side and is an only child. She has been playing the violin for as long as she could remember. Overall, Claire was a happy and spirited young girl and Ally knew she could get along with her. Claire's room was also just across Ally's so they could easily see each other. After the welcoming ceremony ended they decided to have dinner together.

They talked some more during dinner, sharing stories about their lives. Claire was particularly interested about Ally and Austin's relationship. Ally talked about how they met and how they got together. She doesn't usually like talking about something as personal as this, but there was something about Claire, Ally knew she could trust her. Maybe it was the fact the Claire looked genuinely interested about Ally's life, she didn't look like someone that would sell the story to a celebrity tabloid. She listened like a child listening to a fairy tale. Claire truly thought that Ally's story was the most romantic thing she's ever heard. After dinner they headed to their respected rooms for some rest. Orientation starts early in the morning on the next day and they didn't want to be late. They said their goodnights and went to their rooms.

Ally changed into some comfy pajamas and freshened up for bed. She was beat, today has been one of the most tiring days ever. Well, apart from when paparazzi surrounded Sonic Boom and they got kept in the practice room for hours because the news that Austin and her were dating just got out. Remembering that made Ally just a little sad and teary, it was the beginning of their relationship and it was already rocky. And now another obstacle is thrown at them, and it's called distance. Ally sighed as she hopped on her bed and took out her phone. She wiped away her tears and called Austin. As usual, Austin immediately picked up.

"Hey Ally, heading to bed?"

"Yeah, today was so tiring. I feel like sleeping for the next week."

Austin chuckled. "But then you'll miss out on all the fun things that you get to do." Austin could hear Ally's exhaustion, and there was also a hint of sadness in her voice. It pained Austin that Ally sounded so down, she was supposed to be doing something she loved and yet she seemed so unhappy. "Ally, are you happy to be there?"

Uh-oh, trouble already? Are you happy, Ally?

Tell me what you think?

I'm also working on Summer & Romance so I'll probably alternate between the two with the updating. And again, with classes back on it probably won't be as frequent. But I shall try my best! :D