A/N: Okay, please read this. I actually worked really hard on this, so if you could maybe give it a chance and review with your thoughts? ^^ It's a bit long, but hopefully worth it! Plus, there is a happy endinggggg! (:
It's one of those moments where you'd look back at and want to slap your previous self in the face. Only, in Austin's case, it's more of a wanting to kill his past self violently with a chair kind of deal. This whole thing was his fault. He shouldn't have let her come. He should've watched her. Maybe then, she'd be here with him, Trish, and Dez instead of in the hospital with three cracked ribs, a concussion, and a fractured leg. Maybe she wouldn't be unresponsive.
Austin had agreed to let her come with to his friend Derek's roof party. Only, Derek's a fucking asshole and with a keg of beer in his system, he was insanely drunk. He ended up falling straight into the boom box, knocking over the entire table set. Ally just had to be by the tables at that exact moment, and it sent her hurtling off the roof along with the boom box.
Dez and Trish immediately called 911, but Austin sprinted down the stairs, leaping through each set of the stairs one by one rather than steps. In mere seconds he was by her side, but she was unconscious and from what he could see, badly bleeding in her leg, which had absorbed most of the impact from the fall. The ambulance took her to Miami County Hospital, which led the rest of Team Austin to where they were now. In the waiting room, with Austin's leg shaking violently, Dez trying to distract himself by fiddling with his suspenders, and Trish almost in tears. Lester and Penny both had coffees in their hands, standing to the side of the trio. None of them could go into the room. Trish had tried, once, trying to prove herself to be the strength of the group once again, but she couldn't. She backed out as soon as she walked in. Austin couldn't blame her. The medical equipment scared the shit out of him, especially since he didn't know what half of it did. There was no point in going in. She wasn't awake. She wasn't….responsive, as the doctors called it. They assured everyone that Ally was just reacting to the crash and the trauma of it, but Austin wasn't stupid. She wasn't sleeping. And if they wanted to call it that - fine - but it still didn't change the fact she might not wake up. Austin looked up to see Trish asleep in Dez's arms and he almost cracked a smile. Any other time he would've found it impossible and think he was dreaming. But this wasn't a dream. It was a literal nightmare, even though Ally was the one asleep.
/
It was two days when Austin finally worked up the courage to go into the room. Baby steps at first, before awkwardly entering the room. He felt his limbs stiffen up as he took a seat in the chair. His eyes had been focused on the floor this whole time. He really didn't want to look up.
"So, um, Ally," Austin said, clearing his throat. "I don't know if you can hear me or not, the docs say there's a chance you can."
He looked around awkwardly, unaware of how to proceed his speech. He decided to finally look up. To look at her. With so many machines and wires hooked up to her. Usually, when they were alone, he'd hear her humming a tune - maybe one of their songs, something they'd write later, or whatever struck her as a pleasant melody. Now, all he could hear was the faint whirring of those damn machines and it made his stomach churn.
"Oh god, Ally," were the only words he could manage to sputter out.
He clutched at his chest and ran out of the 'd try again. He promised himself he would, for her.
/
It was Trish's turn next. After her freak out the first time, she reminded herself it was just a hospital. And Ally needed her. She had already quit her job at Frank's, not that it had mattered.
"Ally?" Trish asked. It was different than her usual voice. Normally, she was full of spunk, and an edge that while feminine, slightly scary. This time, it wavered and cracked unpleasantly.
"Well..I miss you a lot. I've only gotten fired from 2 jobs in these past 2 weeks, but maybe that's cause I've been waiting on you to wake up," she started. She pushed a lock of curls out of her eyes.
"You know who else is? Austin. He broke up with Kira as soon as you got put in here, Ally," Trish said, smiling.
"If you- I mean, when you wake up, I might think about buying one of those Team Ally shirts from Freckles."
Trish laughed slightly, before realizing Dez and Lester were staring at her through the glass.
"I'll talk to you later Als," Trish said, brushing past Dez and Lester on her way out.
Patricia De La Rosa did not cry, she repeated to herself.
/
Dez's vivid clown shoes were the next to step inside the monotone room. He had always been the comic relief guy, the one that could de-stress any situation. Except this one, of course. He may not be as smart as Ally, Trish, maybe even Austin, but he did know when things were looking grim. And while he may not be serious all the time, he sure as hell was now.
He didn't say anything in his visit. He just stared at her, blankly. Wondering if she'd wake up. Not just for him, she was like the little sister he'd never had. But for Austin as well.
Dez knew as well as anyone Austin would never be the same if he lost Ally. Frankly, neither would he or Trish, but eventually, they would cope. He wasn't so sure about Austin. Even if he denied it, crossed his heart and hoped to die, Austin was in love with Ally. Everyone with eyes could see that. Even the blind woman that lives next door to him knew it, actually.
He sighed and hopped up, the sound of his suspenders clanking together disrupting the empty silence of the room.
/
Lester and Penny's visits were always the longest. That was, Austin deemed, understandable. That was their only child.
He was really curious to what they said in there. Obviously, Dez, Trish, and her parents were doing much better at "talking" to Ally than he was. He felt guilty, really, but he just couldn't bring himself to do anything.
"I'm sorry, man," Dez said, putting his hand on Austin's shoulder.
Austin nodded meekly. Trish took a seat beside them.
"She'll be okay," Trish muttered. All three of them wanted to believe it, they really did.
The wariness in Trish's voice was evident, though. The doubt in the room was completely common knowledge.
/
Austin finally mustered up enough courage to go into the room again. When he stepped in, he noticed the room had been decked out in cards and music notes so it was perfectly Ally-esque. If it weren't for the situation, he would've smiled bigger than he ever had.
Unlike Dez, Trish, or her parents, Austin took his seat on Ally's bed. He took her hand in his.
"Ally, I miss you so, so much. And not like the time when I missed pancakes because my parents grounded me from them, or like when I missed Dez when he was at the film festival. I mean, you're here, physically, but…it's like we're all falling apart. Dez was rambling on about how you were the spirit of the group. It's kind of funny, don't you think? One moment, he's making gingerbread families, the next he's some deep, psycho-what-icologist like you are," Austin said, words spewing out of him before he could register what he was saying. "That's probably not the official term, but eh."
He smiled. He thought of how much she resembled sleeping beauty. A kiss from a prince was all she needed to awaken.
A jump startled him, breaking his train of thoughts. He looked down and almost screamed.
Her hand moved. It curled around his.
He jumped up and immediately called for a nurse, practically screaming like a child who got extra sweets.
"She moved! She did! I swear, her hand, it shifted!"
The nurse, who had stuck a flashlight in both Ally's eyes, sighed.
"It could have been just nerves," she said, finally breaking the silence. "However, it does show she's not totally gone and that she's fighting."
Austin smiled breathlessly, before running outside and engulfing Trish and Dez in a hug.
It was the first flicker of hope he'd had in two weeks.
/
Ally, who was doing progressively better according to the head doctor, was now allowed multiple visitors at a time. She was still unresponsive, but every now and then, she'd have slight nerve reactions. It was the first time Austin actually listened to what a doctor said.
Sometimes, the trio would just sit in silence. A comfortable silence, but a silence nonetheless. Other times, they'd reminisce about old memories, or invite Lester & Penny to join them.
Trish hadn't had a job in three weeks, Dez hadn't told a joke in two, and Austin hadn't sang in three. The moment was never right and they hadn't gone out besides home or to this very hospital. Austin hadn't been home in two weeks, other than to shower and get changes of clothes when Dez and Trish were watching her. He couldn't take the chance of her waking up and him not being there.
He had to be there.
/
It officially had been a month.
A month since the accident.
A month since Trish, Dez, or Austin have been genuinely happy.
A month since they had heard Ally's voice.
Trish brought three candles from her old job at the candle store and lit them at 2:14 AM, the moment she went unresponsive. Austin sang the chorus of "You Can Come To Me" softly, while Dez stood in the background with his hair brushed in front of his face.
Trish felt a hot stream of water roll down her face. She didn't bother to wipe it away, before she walked out of the room abruptly and headed towards the wash room. Dez patted Austin on the back twice before leaving.
The sound of the door shutting echoed in the room. Austin slung his guitar around to his back and tried to ignore the fact tears were playing at his eyes.
He walked over towards her carefully, after blowing the candles out, and kissed her on the forehead. She felt…cold.
He felt a tear slip down and he moved his hair in front of his eyes.
One month down, how many more to go?
/
Dez, who played his job as the Love Whisperer unusually well, was taking this moment as an opportunity.
"Austin. I know how hard this is on you," he said in the most endearing voice possible.
"It's hard on everyone, Dez," Austin said through gritted teeth.
"Especially you. You like her, buddy. That's obvious."
Austin shook his head. "No."
Before Dez could object that he was denying his feelings, Austin continued.
"I'm in love with her."
/
"Remember when we all went to that amusement park and we all rode the really big water slide?" Trish perked up, playing cards with Dez.
"The one that inspired Don't Look Down?" Austin said, studying Dez's hand.
"Yeah," she echoed.
"That was fun," Dez said. "Or when Ally gave me piano lessons."
All three softly chuckled as Trish set a card on the table.
"I can't believe we thought Ally going to MUNY would be the worst thing to happen to us," Trish said under her breath.
"I can't believe I let her go to that party," Austin murmured, shaking his head.
"Austin, it wasn't your fault," Trish said, and Dez nodded.
"Whatever, regardless of whose fault it was she fell, I took her to that party, I promised Lester I'd take care of her. She was in MY care, you guys," Austin said.
"It's that dumbass Derek's fault for drinking beer! You can't seriously blame yourself for this!" Trish yelled.
"Well, I do!" Austin said. "I'm outta here."
He grabbed his coat and whisked out the door, slamming it on the way out.
/
When Ally showed visible signs of improvement, the meltdown Austin had all faded away. All of the group that had been waiting at the hospital since forever were ecstatic, since Ally had officially been taken off the ventilator - she could now breathe on her own. It wasn't keeping her alive anymore. She was keeping herself alive.
That was enough for Austin. He was smiling, laughing, playing "A Billion Hits" on his guitar. Dez was telling a joke about a plumber and a rabbi, Trish was sharing her experience with Penny to see about a job at her zoo, and Lester was already figuring up ways to save money. It was the happiest they'd all been since it happened.
/
That night, Trish and Dez had taken up the entire futon. Austin didn't feel like running home, and he was dead tired. He walked into the room, seeing how Ally only took up half of the bed with her petite figure. It wouldn't be so wrong to sleep in the bed. After all, they've always never had a rule with personal space. Even on the long sonic boom benches, they sat as close as possible to each other. They enjoyed the other's presence.
Only this time, Austin wasn't so sure if she was really present. He'd take what he could get, though. He slowly and carefully placed himself on her bed, wrapping his arms around her and burying her into his chest. He smiled to himself at how she was regaining her warmth.
He drifted off to sleep soon after, with her still pressed into him.
/
One month, a week, four days, two hours and three minutes.
Everyone was gathered in the room - even Lester and Ally. Austin had planned on singing something. That was, before he heard a rustle from behind him.
He spun around to find Ally, hand to her head, eyelids flustering open slowly.
"Austin?" she croaked, sweat dripping down her face. A bell rang in his ears, bringing him back into the real world. Her voice.
"Ally?" he said, and he heard a gasp from behind him, probably from Trish.
"Did…did we finish the song?" Ally asked.
"Actually," Austin began, but decided to save the explanations for later. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers gently, running a hand through her hair which was still silky. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing back thoroughly, as he lifted her up slighty from the bed.
When they pulled away, Ally was mesmerized. "Wow, um..that must have been a really good song."
Austin chuckled and tugged at the hair at the back of his neck. "It was, Ally."
She was alive. She was alive, she was okay, she was breathing, she was here. She was with them again, and he had never felt more alive, or more awake, even if it was 4:17 in the morning. He couldn't believe she was here, it was like he was talking to a ghost, even though she was never dead. He could've sworn if it weren't for his masculinity he would've cried like he did at the end of "The Notebook" when he watched it with Dez. He had never been so happy in his life, and if it weren't for all the wires attached to her, he would have swooped her up right then and there and spun her around in a tight waist hug. And he'd never, ever let go.
And suddenly, everyone else was aware of it. Lester and Penny almost rushed to her, Trish and Dez following not far behind. The sound of squealing, sobbing, and chatter filled his ears. He didn't care about any of it, or about the several missed calls from Kira.
He had woken up Sleeping Beauty.
And as her prince, he promised to protect her.
Because he swore to himself he'd never let her be hurt again.