A/N: This is the first fanfic I've ever done, and the first piece of creative writing for about 10 years. I also had the flu. Please bear that in mind while reading!

17-year-old Ally Barone pulled her white Honda Civic up to the curb. She killed the engine and removed the keys from the ignition, placing them neatly in her handbag. She then grabbed her lip gloss out and applied it, taking her time placing that back. Realizing she couldn't stall any longer, Ally exited the car and walked up to the doorway of a familiar house. She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

Amy opened the door and tried to hide the look of surprise that crossed her features. She smiled at her younger niece instead, opening the door wider to let Ally in. "Hello Ally, come in," Amy said warmly.

Ally walked in and sat on the three-seater lounge awkwardly, dropping her handbag on the floor next to her.

"You picked a good day to come over," Amy said, following behind her. She sat across from Ally on the armchair. "Robert's on duty and little Maddy's at daycare. I've got a personal day off work. Anyway, did you want something to drink? Coffee, tea?"

Ally was jittery enough without the added caffeine, so she answered, "Just water, please."

Amy headed to the kitchen, wondering what brought her niece to her house that day, looking so nervous. She returned to the living room a few minutes later, juggling two glasses of water and a plate of cookies. She set Ally's water and the cookie plate down on the coffee table, saying, "Your Grandma dropped these by this morning. You know how she is."

Ally tried to laugh but didn't quite make it. She took a sip of water and set it down again but ignored the cookies, her stomach a mess of knots. Ally asked, "Amy, can I talk to you? Like, talk talk?"

Amy set her own water on the coffee table and leaned toward Ally. Nodding quickly, she answered, "Of course, sweetheart. You know that you can talk to me about anything."

"Okay," Ally took another deep breath before answering. "You know that Chris and I have been together for about nine months now, right? Well, a few weeks ago, Chris… me and Chris… "Ally looked down at her hands and began fiddling with the silver ring her parents had bought her for her birthday. "Well… we-kinda-had-sex."

Amy picked up on the word 'sex' and understood why her niece was so nervous. A horrifying thought dawned on her. "Ally, dear, did you use… protection?"

"Oh, of course!" Ally hastened to add. "Chris insisted on using a condom, and the day after it happened, I went straight to my doctor to get on birth control for, you know," Ally blushed furiously, "next time."

"Good girl." Amy was visibly relieved. "I know that must have been hard to tell me, but I'm glad that you did. Though I do feel like there's more to the story because you still look upset."

"Well..." Ally continued to fiddle with the ring, changing it from one finger to another. "Chris has hardly talked to me since the, you know, and that was almost three weeks ago. What if he just used me for sex? Does that make me a," Ally dropped her voice," a slut?"

"Oh, Ally," Amy got up from her chair and sat next to Ally, putting her arms around her niece's shoulders. Amy's heart went out the young girl sitting next to her. "First off, I doubt that Chris will just leave now that you guys have done it. He was with you for a long time before that, remember? And even if he does leave, that doesn't say anything about the kind of girl you are. It just means that he's a jerk who doesn't deserve to be with you. Ally, you deserve better than that."

Ally stopped fiddling and put her head on her Aunt's shoulder, visibly relieved.

"I might be prying too much here, but… what was it like? The night, I mean," Amy continued, stroking Ally's shoulder.

Ally lifted her head and sat up straighter. "It was the night after my birthday. Remember how Chris and I were supposed to have reservations at that new French restaurant on the edge of town? He wanted to take me on my actual birthday because he thought it would be more special, but Grandma put up such a fuss because she says that birthdays are supposed to be spent with family and family only? Mom tried to argue with her, but you know how stubborn she can get."

Amy nodded, vaguely remembering something that Debra had said about her fighting with Marie over Ally's birthday celebrations.

"Anyway," Ally continued, "turns out that Chris didn't have to change his reservations after all, because there were none! Chris got his parents to leave the house that night and when I came in, there were candles on the table and romantic music was playing. Chris was wearing a suit and tie, and he had cooked the dinner himself. We ate, and then… one thing led to another."

Amy let her mind wander for a moment, remembering her first time. It took place in Robert's apartment, and they had been caught out by some of the other tenants in his building, turning a meaningful experience into a humiliation she would rather forget. Amy was glad that her niece's first time was special and romantic, and something that she would remember pleasantly for the rest of her life.

"I feel bad," Ally's voice cut into Amy's thoughts, "because Mom and I had the talk a few months ago, and she made me promise that I would tell her when we felt ready to, you know, so that I could be totally prepared. And I planned to, honest! But I didn't expect it to be that night. It just happened."

"It's okay, honey," Amy said reassuringly, reaching over to grab her glass of water again. "I'm sure your Mom would understand. Times have changed, and

she's a lot more laid-back than my mother or your grandmother. Just talk to her, woman to woman. I know that she'll be pleased that you shared this big moment in your life with her."

As Amy sipped her water, Ally thought about it. "Okay," she agreed finally. "But it'll just be our little secret, between the three of us. If you tell Robert then he'll tell Dad, then Grandpa will find out, and Grandma will pry it out of him…"

"Say no more," Amy cut in. "Just us. I promise, okay?"

Before Ally could say anything, the sound of a cell phone ringing cut through the room. Ally reached into her purse and pulled it out, and Amy could tell by the look on her face that it was Chris. Ally left the room, then returned a few minutes later, looking very relieved.

"That was Chris," she said. "He apologized for being so distant, but he's been really busy with finals and college applications. He's going to take me out to dinner tonight to make up for it, at that French place that I told you about before." A thought entered Ally's mind, and she dropped her cell phone into her bag and jumped up. "I'd better go home and start getting ready!"

Amy laughed at the sudden change in the younger girl. "Okay," she agreed, getting to her feet. "I guess I'll see you soon, then."

Ally headed to the door then turned back again. "One more thing," she said.

"What's that?" Amy asked.

"Can I have a biscuit for the road? You know how much I love Grandma's cookies," Ally said, smiling sweetly.

"Of course," Amy said, peeling back the cover to grab a few for Ally. Ally slipped them into her handbag and turned around, then turned back again. "Oh, and Amy?" she asked.

"Yes?"

"Thank you," Ally said, giving her Aunt a tight hug. Amy returned the gesture, feeling a rush of pride toward the other girl. Ally was young, but she was mature. She had good parents and a level head on her shoulders. Amy was certain that Ally was going to be fine, despite the pressures she would feel while growing up. After all, Ally was no longer a girl, but a young woman now.

The two women broke apart and said their goodbyes. Ally walked out the door, fishing for her keys. She felt like a different girl to the one that had entered only an hour earlier. Calmer, happier, more confident. Not that she was surprised. After all, what were aunts for?