Author's note: here is a new oneshot! This is based on The Girl and the Dreamcatcher's song, Make You Stay. (I don't own the song!) This is an alternate ending to my favorite A&A episode, Fresh Starts & Farewells! I hope you like it!
P.S. This is not to say I don't like the ending of Fresh Starts & Farewells. I think that's what makes it my favorite episode, because I like kind of sad things. This is just an alternate ending because I love speculation:)
Austin's POV
I can't believe I'm going on my first national tour! Actually, I can believe it. I can't believe that I'm going on my first national tour, and Ally might not come. I always dreamed of traveling and performing with all of my friends, and now that might not happen. It's all because of Ronnie Ramone. At first, Ally was obviously going to come, but then he offered her a record deal, but if she accepts, she can't stay with us on tour. I won't blame her if she doesn't stay with us. This is what she's always wanted, and I know that she should do what she thinks is right, even if that means leaving her best friends for 94 days.
Of course, if she accepts the record deal, that means that I won't see her for that long. 94 days is a long time, and it might really affect our friendship if we're apart for so long. Maybe more than our friendship.
Okay, so I still like Ally. I don't think I ever stopped, even after we broke up. It's fine that we're just friends, though, because I know that it's what's going to help us in our careers. Maybe sometime in the future, we can be more than just friends. Just not yet. That doesn't stop me from feeling sad, knowing that Ally might not stay with us. I would miss her tons, and performing just wouldn't be the same without her.
That doesn't mean that she'll necessarily leave! She might stay with us, come on tour, but only if she doesn't accept the record deal. It's definitely pretty hard to walk away from, but if she wants to, she can. I won't pressure her to, though. I know that she'll make the decision that's right for her, and if that means leaving me for 94 days, then she'll do it.
Speaking of not seeing her, I haven't seen Ally for a whole day. She decided to stay at home instead of hang out at the beach club with us yesterday, and she's not responding to any of our texts. I know that she's really distressed, trying to make a decision.
I suddenly hear my phone play I Think About You, which is Ally's ringtone. I jump up and grab it, and I see that I have a new text.
Ally: I'm not staying with you guys. I'm sorry, Austin. :(
I nearly cry just seeing it. Ally's finally made her decision, and she decided to abandon the tour. I reply to her text.
Austin: Congrats on your record deal
Ally: Thx, I'm gonna miss u a lot. Have fun on tour and see u in 95 days :/
I jump up and realize that we're getting on the bus in less than two hours. I totally forgot! Now I won't even have time to say goodbye to Ally. I'm just going to have to head over to Jimmy's office and go on tour.
Austin: I have to say goodbye to u
Ally: There's no time, u have to go :(
Austin: NO! I have to see u
Ally: Austin, I live really far away from ur house
Austin: Doesn't matter I need to see u
Ally: I'm gonna miss u so much but u know that Jimmy's gonna be mad
Austin: I don't care I need to see u
Ally: I'll come to find u
A single tear drips down my face as I realize that, after tonight, I'm never going to see the love of my life until the end of my tour. She's not staying with us, she's leaving to record with Ronnie. Of course, I can see her after my tour, but that makes the whole tour less enjoyable.
I pull out my songbook. Ally gave it to me a while ago, and I sometimes like to write my own songs in it. Of course, my songs aren't nearly as good as hers, so I usually just write them when I need to get ideas out of my head. Pretty much all of the songs that I've written are about her, but she doesn't know that. I decide to write a song reflecting my feelings about my tour, and about Ally.
We could be,
We could be anything tonight, just tell me everything you like
Can't you see,
We could be something if we tried, just tell me how to make you mine
What have I gotta do to make you
What have I gotta do to make you
What have I gotta do to make you
Stay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay
It's not bad! Who knew I was suddenly such a good songwriter? Too bad no one will ever know about this song.
An hour later, Ally still hasn't showed up. She probably doesn't want to see me. Or she couldn't get her dad to drive her here. I decide to text her to ask, but I see that I have quite a few texts on the Team Austin group chat.
Trish: Where ru Austin?
Jimmy: Austin, we're leaving for tour in less than an hour
Dez: Buddy! Don't ditch the tour!
Jimmy: Austin, this is serious. We told you to get here 15 minutes ago.
Trish: Austin ur late!
Jimmy: If you don't have a good explanation for this, you're in big trouble
Dez: I'm calling ur parents if u don't show up soon!
Austin: I'm on my way
I sigh and start to put away my phone, but I decide to text Ally before I leave my house. I don't care how late I'm going to be, it just seems wrong to me not to check in with her.
Austin: I have 2 go so I'm probably not gonna see u until my tour's over. I'm gonna miss u so much Ally but congrats on the record deal! Even if we're 100000000 miles away from each other ur still my best friend no matter what and I'm always here 4 u so call or text me any time and I'll b there
I wait a minute, but there's no reply. I sigh, put away my phone, and head out the door.
I arrive at Jimmy's office fifteen minutes before the bus is supposed to leave, so that gives us only fifteen minutes to get ready. It also gives Jimmy and Trish fifteen minutes to yell at me.
"Austin, you're so late!"
"Austin, this is very unprofessional of you!"
"Austin, how could you keep us waiting like this?"
"Austin, I'm very disappointed in you."
"Austin, this is a terrible start to your tour!"
"Austin, you'd better not disappoint your fans like you disappointed us."
Finally, Dez speaks up. "Has anyone heard from Ally?"
"I have." I reply. "She...she's not staying with us. She's staying in Miami."
His face falls, and I know that he's happy that Ally got a record deal, but he's also sad that one of his best friends isn't going to be spending the summer with us.
"Yeah," I continue, "she texted me. She's not coming."
"I knew she wasn't coming!" Trish exclaims triumphantly. "You guys all said she was, but I knew she would take the record deal! Who wouldn't?"
"Get on the bus, everyone." Jimmy interrupts. "We have to leave or else we'll get stuck in traffic in the morning."
Trish immediately gets on the bus right after Jimmy and Dez reluctantly follows. I stay outside.
"We could be, we could be anything tonight, just tell me everything you like. Can't you see, we could be something if we tried, just tell me how to make you mine." I sing softly.
"Austin, get on the bus!" Jimmy yells.
I sigh and start walking towards the door of the bus. I look around, hoping that Ally would somehow show up, but she doesn't.
"What have I gotta do to make you, what have I gotta do to make you, what have I gotta do to make you, stay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay." I continue singing softly.
All of a sudden, I feel someone's arms wrapped around me in a hug. I would recognize that hug anywhere.
"Ally!" I exclaim.
"Austin!" she replies, out of breath. "I'm-I'm sorry, I tried to get to your house, but I left home without enough money to catch the bus to your house, so I had to come here, and...and then there was traffic, and I barely got here on time...I'm going to miss you so much, Austin..."
"Ally..." I whisper, pulling her into another hug.
"I'm going to miss you so much, Austin..." she sniffs.
"Austin! Get on the bus!" Jimmy yells again.
"Well...I guess this is goodbye." I say. "I'm going to miss you, Ally. A lot. I guess I'll see you in 95 days."
I hug her again, and then I head towards the door of the bus. I'm about to get on the bus when I remember something.
"Wait! Ally!" I exclaim, running off again.
"What?" she asks, eyes wide.
"I...I wrote this song for you." I say, giving her the piece of paper that I tore out of my songbook. "I was going to mail it to you on tour. I planned to add some verses, but seeing as you're here...well, here it is."
"Austin...this is so sweet, thank you so much..." she whispers, in tears.
"And...and I had something else to tell you..." I trail off.
"Yeah?" she breathes.
"Uh...actually...nothing." I reply.
"Okay..." she says. "I'm going to miss you so much, Austin, but I'm so proud of you! I mean, your first national tour! I'm sure you'll have a great time."
"AUSTIN, GET ON THE BUS!" Jimmy yells, louder than before.
"Well...this is goodbye for real." I finally say. "I'm going to miss you...I love you, Ally."
Then I run on the bus so that I won't have to see her reaction, and so that she won't have to see me cry. I don't make it very far before I feel her pulling me into a hug from behind.
"I love you too, Austin." she whispers.
"Really?" I whisper.
She nods. "I have for a long time."
Her eyes are glistening with tears but her face shining in the moonlight is just so beautiful that I have to kiss her. So I do. She kisses me back passionately and it's just like when we were filming Dez's movie, except this time it's just us and it's for real. I feel both ecstatic and heartbroken at the same time, knowing that after this, it's goodbye, because there's no way Jimmy would be happy if he had to yell at me again to get on the bus.
We finally pull apart and I get on the bus in tears. I only have it in me to wave goodbye, even though we've already said it many times before. To my surprise, Ally runs up to me and follows me onto the bus.
"What are you doing, Ally?" I ask.
"I think I'm going to stay with you guys on tour." she replies, smiling. "I mean, sure, I'm throwing away my record deal, but how could I possibly not come on your first tour with you? And how could I not spend the summer with my best friends and my boyfriend?"
"I'm your boyfriend now?" I ask jokingly.
"No, Dez is!" she replies, laughing. "Of course you are!"
"AUSTIN, GET ON THE- Ally?" Jimmy exclaims, walking towards the door of the bus.
"Jimmy, I'm coming on tour with you guys instead of recording with Ronnie Ramone. I know that probably doesn't matter to you, seeing as though you didn't really seem to care whether I showed up or not, but I just thought I should tell you." she says.
"It's great to have you with us, Ally!" Jimmy exclaims. "And really, it does matter to me. You've been Austin's partner for a long time, and I know that he can't make music without you. You're a talented girl! So, since you've turned down Ramone Records' deal, why don't you sign with Starr Records? I'd be happy to have you as an artist, and it would be great to have two of my stars working together."
"Really?" she says. "You're actually offering me a record deal?"
"Well, you said no the first time I asked you, after that unfortunate mishap with Kira's record. Trish declined on your behalf, remember? But the offer's still available." he replies.
"That would be amazing!" she exclaims. "Thank you so much, Jimmy!"
"You're welcome! But seriously, we have to start driving now! Austin, get on the bus! You too, Ally!"
We both laugh and sit down while Jimmy walks to the driver's seat at the front of the bus.
"Hey, where are Trish and Dez?" I ask.
"They're sleeping." Jimmy replies, starting the bus. "And you should probably get some sleep, too! You've got a big tour ahead."
"Yeah, I guess so." I say.
Ally rests her head on my shoulder and snuggles up to me. I smile as I pull her closer to me, and I see that she's already almost asleep.
"Austin?" she mumbles.
"Yeah?"
"Can you sing to me?"
"Okay," I say, pulling out my guitar. "What have I gotta do to make you, what have I gotta do to make you, what have I gotta do to make you stay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay."
She smiles and closes her eyes, and soon she's asleep. I look out the window and see my hometown, Miami. I won't be back until the end of the summer, but I know that with all of my friends here, I'm right at home.
Author's note: And that's it! This is really just a oneshot because I don't really want to make another multi-chap about Austin's tour (I already wrote The Tour Bus), but I hope you liked it! :)