Disclaimer: I don't own Austin&Ally or Melanie Martinez song "Mad Hatter". Enjoy!
You think I'm psycho, you think I'm gone
"Are you crazy?"
"Actually yes, that's what I'm stuck here." He replies jokingly even if a light bitterness can be heard in his tone.
"Oh, God. I'm sorry, that's not what I meant."
"But you said it nonetheless. And you're speaking the truth."
He gazes at her with a hard look. Sadness glistens in his beautiful hazel eyes. At least, he's not taking it so seriously. Ally has a difficult time concentrating on her usual work when this young patient has been messing with her head for the past half hour, waiting for his appointment with Dr. Wade. He has not only given her a headache by pointing out different flaws in her work but also played with her emotions when he's told her about his depressing life story. Ally's heart has ached the entire time. Sadly, that's how the job works. Although there have been more and more heartbreaking stories lately.
Ally is part of the team who works at the Miami Hospital. She's been a nurse for a few years now, helping patients with mental issues to pay for her studies at the local college. She's never dreamed of going there but life has decided for herself. She would become a doctor nevertheless, wherever she has studied. She suddenly snaps out of her daze when she notices that the blond man is still talking to her.
"... In fact, it looks like I'm insane but I went through a lot, you know? And I'm finally realizing this. Dr. Wade said I made a lot of progress these last weeks and he actually told me that I was almost ready to leave this hell. I'm not complaining but I'm not 100% convinced that his statement is true though. I've come a long way but-"
"Is ranting part of your illness?" She questions lightheartedly, amused by his rambles. She admits that he's been bugging her a little bit but she's still relieved that he has found the courage to talk to her, when he's supposed to confess his anxiety to his psychiatrist.
Her interruption provokes something she has never seen on him before. He blushes. He looks redder and redder by the minute and stares at his feet in shame. Ally can't help but thinks it's totally adorable.
"Relax." She mutters softly. "I'm just teasing."
"You've got a weird way of doing it."
All of a sudden, he seems almost nervous to look at her in the eyes. It confuses her how confident he can be one second then completely lose his cool the next one. Ally feels instantaneously guilty about the way she has embarrassed him. She shouldn't be making fun of him when he's only trying to build a conversation. Regaining her composure, she shoots him an apologizing smile, hoping to comfort him.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."
"That's because you've never asked for it." He scolds, harsher than Ally thinks.
And he turns away from her, marching straightly to his doctor who's waiting for him at his office's door. Dez Wade gives her a polite nod and closes the door after him. At this precise moment, Ally realizes two things : the young man didn't give her a proper answer, and he might still be ill because nothing other than his mental problem could explain his lunatic behavior.
I'm nuts, baby, I'm mad,
The craziest friend that you've ever had
A few weeks have passed and Ally still hasn't heard from the anxious blond boy and she begins to think that he has already left. However, she surprisingly bumps into him on her way to lunch and nothing could make her happier than to see his beautiful face. He's wearing a gray beanie to cover a part of his blonde locks and to be honest, she's never found a boy this attractive before. She reluctantly admits that she's developing a crush on a boy whom she doesn't even know the first name. This doesn't make any sense. This crush can't be good, she knows it.
"You." He murmurs bitterly.
"Me."
When the two are left all alone, standing in the middle of the cafeteria, she finally decides to make her move before it gets too late.
"I'm Ally. Ally Dawson."
"The nurse who doesn't care about her patients' feelings."
Ouch.
"Well, you didn't care about mine either." She reciprocates.
"Yeah, but you're not a patient."
"I'm trying to be nice here, why don't we simply bury the hatchet?"
"Bury the hatchet? We're enemies now?"
Ally is certainly dreaming but there's actually a shadow of a smirk on his features.
"You're mocking me!" She protests, crossing her arms over her chest like a capricious child.
"Like you did, not even three weeks ago."
She feels him looking down at her while she's still pouting like a little girl. Out of the blue, a firm hand gently envelops hers and squeezes it tightly, warming her body all over.
"Austin Moon."
So what if I'm crazy? The best people are
"But Allyyy, I'm so bored!"
"Stop acting like a whiny child, Moon. I've got other things to do."
"Look who's talking now."
Ally sighs for the umpteenth time of the day. Austin has been begging her to entertain him like she was a vulgar clown and his complains are starting to get on her nerves. Austin's roommate is gone for the day and unfortunately, has decided to leave her dealing by herself with this blond idiot. Not that she's complaining about listening to his deep and sexy voice, but she would rather be with him when he's not sulking like a five-year-old.
She doesn't respond to him and keeps on getting her tasks done. She wouldn't want her boss to reprimand her because she's conversing with patients instead of doing her job.
"You're not like any other nurse, Ally." He blurts out all at once.
Her heart skips a beat.
"Is this the part where you're supposed to confess your undying love for me?" She asks jokingly but deep down, she's completely freaking out.
"Kinda. I like you, Ally. A lot."
"And I want Leonardo DiCaprio for husband but that's not happening." Why does she like to make things harder than they already are?
"Why is it so difficult to believe me?"
"Because you're under the influence of morphine and other pharmaceutical drugs to keep you sane. You don't know what you're talking about. I'm not the one for you."
"Of course you are! We're the perfect match!" Austin replies forcefully, becoming frustrated.
"Stop using lame and cheesy movie lines on me. I'm not succumbing."
Austin curses angrily under his breath.
"I know you think that everything would be much easier if we had met under other circumstances, but that's not the problem. I may not be in a psychiatric hospital or have a mental disorder but I'm just as broken as you, Austin. Our relationship would be toxic."
She takes a deep but shaky breath. "I'm sorry."
And without looking back at his shattered expression, Ally retires from the blank room where a nice blond man is left heartbroken.
Tell the psychiatrist something is wrong
Ally's phone buzzes abruptly during the night from Monday to Tuesday, alerting her of a real danger. She's never got a night call from the hospital before and what's about to happen scares her to death. She hesitantly picks up while biting her nails nervously, a bad habit of hers.
"Hello?"
"Oh, thank God you're awake!" A voice shouts brutally in the receiver, panting from exertion. "I'm asking for your help, Ally! We need you!"
"What for?" She questions quietly, afraid of what she's about to hear.
"Austin... He's-"
"I'm on my way."
When it comes to her new friend, she doesn't need to be told multiple times. She's not sure about their situation at the moment but she knows that she can not abandon him. If he requests her help, then she's willing to offer him all the support he requires. She eventually understands that she's not giving up on him. On them.
Where is my prescription?
Doctor, doctor please listen
My brain is scattered
"Austin... You need to breathe, mate. C'mon."
This is the first thing she sees when she enters the room : an hyperventilating Austin, completely breathless, who's trying to avoid suffocating with all his strength. He's lying by the side of his bed, leaning on his elbow and hiccuping loudly. Others nurses are by his side but he's rejecting their hands and needles. This is not the proper way to calm him down.
She makes her way through the little crowd surrounding him (and suffocating him even more) and pushes forcefully her hands aside, dismissing the nurses.
"Damn it! Give him some space!"
She suddenly cradles him into her arms, brushing everyone aside and taking care of her own patient. His eyes widen at the sight of her but he doesn't make a comment, obviously still freaking out.
"Hey, Blondie." She murmurs softly, brushing his bangs with her hands. "Focus on me. Count to ten and look at me."
He attempts to take bigger gulps of air while gazing into her mahogany eyes. She counts out loud with him, holding his head with her two palms.
Soon, his breath is back to steady and calm and she lays a kiss on his forehead, congratulating him. Relieved, the other women retire from the room, leaving the blond patient and his carring nurse alone.
Ally carefully moves her legs beneath his body in order to put delicately his head in her lap. Curiously, the situation doesn't turn uncomfortable and embarrassing for the both of them. In the silence of the night, Ally feels unbelievably confident and relaxed. She doesn't question him about his crisis, he doesn't say a word about their intimate position and they lie there on the floor, until the time has come to separate ways.
The atmosphere is full of unsaid promises and secret confessions.
All the best people are crazy, all the best people are
"C'mon, Austin! We gotta go pack your things and get you ready to leave!"
Ally hears the loud noise before she can actually see what it is about. When she turns around, she's looking at a young blond man, kneeling on the floor and holding his head in his palms. Her heart breaks all over again.
"Austin...?"
"I can't do it, Ally!" All of a sudden, he's sobbing violently and gripping on his hair.
"Why would you think that?"
She leaves the section of the room to meet him at his side and put a reassuring hand on his thigh.
"What if I don't make it? What if I don't find another job? My parents are already so disappointed in me, I don't think I can prove them wrong."
She's never been mad at him before. She's never felt her heart shattering into a million pieces.
"Alright, listen to me carefully, Austin." She prevents him from burying his head in his hands by grabbing his chin. "You're one of the strongest, bravest, most stubborn person I've ever known. You went through so much and yet, you didn't give up. I believe in you. I know what you're capable of doing. You might not be the most stable person at the moment, but it's only going to get better. I promise."
Austin looks at her with pure confusion in his eyes and another sentiment that she's never seen before. It can't be love.
"How can you be so sure about that?"
"Because I have faith in you." She pauses for a few seconds, before pressing her lips together.
"And I'm not going anywhere until you cell this conversation with a kiss."
Stunned, he slowly raises his head and stops in front of her beautiful pinky lips.
This is so wrong. But screw it all!
They both inhale at the same time before taking a step toward each other and leaning in hesitantly.
The next second, Austin has captured Ally's lips in his own and they let the butterflies fly in their stomachs, both oblivious at the electricity all around them.
They may be broken on their own, but they've never felt so complete together.
FIN
So I hope you liked it. As you can tell, this one-shot doesn't look like a real song fic because I've chosen the lyrics after writing this story but it fitted pretty well so I just decided to add them. Check out Melanie Martinez if you don't know her, she's absolutely amazing!
A little review would definitely make my day! Thanks.