With iCarly ending, I needed to write more for my other no angst tiny people couple. :) Started this after the Halloween episode, and after the Magazines and Made-Up Stuff scene, I had to finish. Austin is the sweetest.

Hope you enjoy!:)

"Hold my hand. We'll jump together." ❤

Five times Austin helped Ally overcome her fears.

The line behind her is growing with impatient park goers, and a very...vocal twelve year old boy yelling past the people in front of him towards her to just go already.

"Don't listen to that little punk Ally," Austin tells her.

She stares down, down, down at the pool that looks oh so distant and she can barely make out Trish, who's motioning her to come down with wild, meant to be supportive, gestures.

He kneels down next to her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "It's just a slide, Ally. You can do this."

"How about I just watch you?" she asks, about to stand back up and make a run past the others to the stairs down.

He laughs and shakes his head. "Oh no you don't," he says, steadying her hand. "You've made it this far – you're going to go down. The right way."

She groans and turns back around, perched up on the edge, heart racing all over again.

He nods firmly from behind her, as if some sort of lightbulb just went off in his head.

"Okay," he instructs, softly. "I know you're scared, but you just have to push ahead." He smiles, places his hand on her shoulder once more.

"Here's what you're gonna do. I want you to just take a breath and close your eyes. Don't look down, alright?"

She bites her lip. "Alright."

"Oh," he adds in way of an after thought. "Make sure you close your mouth at the bottom ––there might be pee in the pool."

Her head snaps around. "Austin!"

"Count of three," he continues, with a smirk.

"Okay."

"One..."

She takes a deep breath in.

"Two..."

A hum escapes from the back of her throat as she shuts her eyes.

"Three –"

Another breath and she's on her way, flying down, eyes still closed and her heart pounding from adrenaline.

She screams in delight as she makes a splash in the pool below, sliding under the water.

When she emerges it's to see Austin as he slides down after her, raising his arms in triumph with a loud "woo!"

He shakes his hair furiously when he comes up to breathe, sprinkling water across her face and she can't help the laugh that escapes.

"See! I knew you could do it! Wasn't it great?!"

"It totally was!" she agrees, as he wraps her up in a hug.

She smiles. "Thanks for helping me, Austin."

"No problem."

He bends forwards slightly and – a second later and she's graced with a splash of cold water to her back.

"Austin!"

"Oops?" He puts his hands up in fake surrender and trots across the pool before she can get the chance to retaliate.

She just smiles after him with a roll of her eyes.

"I just wanna go home," she mumbles, tiredly. "The pain's not that bad anymore..."

He gives her a sympathetic smile. "Ally, I think the pain meds might have something to do with that."

She huffs. "Still. Can't my appendix just stay in me?"

He tilts his head. "You rather deal with the pain of your appendix bursting than the having the surgery?"

"Hey!" she scolds with her best stern face put firmly in place. "What did we say about the 'S' word?

He laughs at her – he actually laughs at her.

The jerk.

She's trading him in for a new best friend immediately.

"The 'S' word," he repeats, still chuckling. "Hm, you mean sushi? Because I could totally go for some sushi after this."

"You don't even like sushi," she says with a curious squint.

"No – but you do."

She blinks down at her blanket and then up at him. "What if something goes wrong? You always hear stories on the news – about routine surgeries that go wrong – and oh my God!" she stops as the scary scenario dawns on her. "What if they take out the wrong organ?!"

"Alls," he starts, his voice soft, "remember when I had to have...the S word on my vocal chords at the beginning of last year?"

She nods. "Of course."

"Well, I was scared too," he continues. "You know that. But I got through it...You helped."

"How? I kept on saying the wrong thing – making you more nervous..." She trails off with a soft sigh.

"True."

She attempts a glare, fails miserably.

"But you were there. The whole time. Holding my hand before they took me in." He shrugs and beams down at her. "It made it better."

Her eyes brighten. "Yeah?"

He nods. "Yeah. So –" He pauses, takes her hand in his with a light squeeze, his smile warm and bright and so very Austin. "Try to not to be scared, okay?"

"And just push ahead, right?"

"Exactly."

She bites her lip. "And then we'll get sushi?"

He laughs again and uses his free hand to move a stray piece of hair away from her eyes. "And then we'll get sushi."

She smiles at that.

Well, okay then – maybe she'll keep him.

"Ally, you're knuckles are turning white from gripping the steering wheel so hard," he informs her, a hint of teasing in his voice as he points to her hand. "Just relax! And breathe."

She shakes her head, still staring ahead out at the parking lot. "I don't really need a license, do I?" Her head faces him with a hopeful smile. "There's always the bus – and walking...and I could –"

He cocks his head at her and gives her a look.

"Right. Okay." She takes a deep breath and shifts forward again. "Breathe."

"Alls..."

She blinks. "Yeah?"

"You do know you're actually going to have to start the engine if we're gonna move, right?"

"I knew that..." She ignores his quiet chuckle at her nervousness, breathing in deeply again before turning the key in the ignition.

"Progress!" he cheers and then, naturally, decides it the ideal time to turn up the radio.

"Austin!" Swiveling her head, she levels him with a look. "How do you expect me to concentrate with the music on?"

"Oh, come on, Ally. The best part of driving is blasting the tunes."

She barely contains an eye-roll. "Be that as it may – I need my undivided attention...on the road..." She stops suddenly, as the parking lot in front of her seems to be somehow expanding with every shallow breath she attempts.

"Ally."

Turning to him, she bites her lip with a shake of her head. "I don't get it. I'm clearly a nervous wreck – how are you okay with driving with me? I'm not okay with driving with me."

He laughs before resting his hand over hers. "Because I trust you."

She smiles, her eyes widening. "Really?"

"Of course," he says, easily, like it's ridiculous for her to think otherwise. "I've got complete faith in you."

It helps that at lease one of them does.

She nods. "Kay–– I can do this."

She turns the key – flashes him a quick smile, and her heartbeat's steady for the first time since they got in the car.

And they just drive ahead.

She can't breathe.

Her heart is racing out of control, everything around her is spinning – and oh God, is she going to throw up?

There's the crowed cheering just beyond the velvet curtain and all the sounds around her are blaring, making her head swim–

"Ally?'

She clears her throat and turns around to face him, shaking her head wildly.

"Yeah. – I'm not doing this," she says, resolutely. "I just can't."

Austin just smiles at her with a couple of steps closer in her direction. He rests a hand around her waist quickly and she blinks up at him, trying to regain any composure she has left.

"You're gonna be great, Ally."

But it's the first time she's doing this alone and she has no idea how her friends (mainly him) got her to agree in the first place.

No, Ally – I'm not performing at the club. You are.

Because I want everyone to hear how amazing you are, all on your own.

Because the night is going to be just about you.

Right. That was how.

"I just..."

"Ssh," he quiets her. "I'm going to be right out there sending out oozes of positive vibes, okay?"

She just nods weakly.

"So when you're out there, just keep your eyes on me and –" He stops to gently turn her around to face the curtain again.

"Don't look down," he finishes in a whisper above her ear. "Remember?"

She smiles instantly and angles her neck back to him and gives his hand a squeeze.

"Thanks, Austin."

Beaming brightly he backs away with a soft "you got this," as he makes his way towards the backstage steps to join the awaiting audience.

When the curtains go up, she scans the front row of tables to see him next to Trish and Dez, a proud, encouraging smile on his face.

Then her world stills.

She's pouring over her note cards for the umpteenth time, and her handwriting is starting blur together –

Deep breaths, she chides herself. Deep breaths.

"Hey there, Miss Valedictorian," she hears from down the quiet hallway, everyone else already packed together in their auditorium.

She offers a smile as he leans his back against the locker beside her. "Hey yourself, Mr. Most Likely To Succeed."

With two albums already out and a third in the works, she's fairly sure that's a safe bet.

He hums a soft laugh and shakes his head, wordlessly asking what's been weighing on both their minds.

When exactly did they get here?

When did they grow up?

Gesturing absently to the note cards in her hands, he asks, "You scared?"

"Yes."

It doesn't really have (much) to do with her speech.

"You," he says softly, without warning shifting closer while she turns her face to met his eyes, "are going to do amazing."

She's not sure whether the flutter in her chest is a testament to his words, or his close proximity.

He stops to give her a slow kiss on the cheek and she's finding it hard to breathe for completely different reasons than minutes before.

There's a gulp that she prays he doesn't hear, then – "Yeah, well. Or I could fall flat on my face on stage."

"Or that."

She laughs and rolls her eyes at the teasing smile that's lighting up his face. "I feel so much better now. Thanks."

But the truth is that she actually does.

He grins with a small shrug. "It's what I do."

She smiles back and rests against the locker again, her shoulder brushing his.

Her eyes squeeze shut for a second as they stand there, willing time to freeze.

Then she finds his hand is linking with hers and his thumb brushing across her knuckles.

"And I am going to be around to keep doing it," he promises.

All of a sudden, nothing seems scary anymore.

And the one time he didn't have to...

Almost everyone's gone now, and she's relishing in the quiet as she tugs at the hem of her dress, walking around the room – not quite ready to start the clean up just yet.

She tells Trish and Dez that it can wait until morning.

They turn to each other, giving matching "who is this girl and what has she done with Ally?" looks.

She just laughs, gives them each tight hugs.

Looking up to the stairs she bites her lip and then turns, addressing her friends once again.

"I'll see you both tomorrow," she says.

She hasn't gotten much time alone with him since after the ceremony, their respective parents swooping in with warm hugs and congratulations before leaving them to get swept away in the rush of the party.

He's sitting at the piano when she peers in the room, and she leans against the open door frame with a still smile as he plays.

"There's no way I could make it without you, do it without you, be here without you," she sings softly, taking a few slow steps into the room.

He looks up from the keys suddenly, though not seemingly surprised to see her there.

"First song you ever wrote by yourself," she muses, making her way to the piano bench to join him.

"Yeah well, I was inspired," he reminds her with a smile. They sit quietly for a moment, and her fingers lightly trail across the keys in front of her.

His shoulder bumps hers. "You know, that was a pretty stellar speech today, Dawson."

She grins and props her chin up on his shoulder. "You think so?"

"Mmhm."

"I guess I was inspired too," she whispers.

He laughs tiredly. "Oh really?"

"Really."

She inhales, running a hand loosely through her hair. "Do you maybe want to – do you wanna dance with me?"

His eyes widen for a brief moment and then she catches the glint of hesitation in his features. "Ally..."

Effectively stopping any further protest, she takes his hand. "Come on."

When they stand, he breaks contact to reach his iPod dock and presses play, turns the speaker up just barely.

Waiting in the middle of the room, she's all at once aware that she's been holding her breath – until he gets to her, puts his hands around her waist.

They start to dance and she can see the unasked question written all over his face before he even opens his mouth.

So she cuts him off.

"I'm jumping."

His eyebrow raises and it's obvious he understands the weight of her words (she knew he would) but now that she's finally, finally able to say everything out loud, she needs to finish.

"You, um, you remember what you said that night?"

"Of course, Ally," he answers, his lips curving.

"You said it was just like when we went bungee jumping."

He tightens his grip around her and she blinks down at her shoes before meeting his eyes again.

"That you'd give me all the time I needed…and that when I was ready –"

"We'd jump together."

She leans her forehead against his, nodding softy.

He breathes in and she finds it so endearing to see him nervous. "And you're sure about this? About us?"

A quiet laugh escapes her. "Yeah. Yes. I'm sure."

She moves back slightly, runs her fingers through the hair at the base of his neck –

"Jump with me?"

The smile he gives her, she will swear to anyone, leaves her positively weak.

"Always, Ally," he murmurs.

She grins, steps up on to her tip toes and kisses him softly –finally– and with no reservations.

Or fear.

Love writing for these two, hope I did them justice.

Thoughts? :)