Austin POV

Austin strummed his guitar and nodded to the bass player in the band. Everything was sounding good. He had been looking forward to this music festival for the past month. At least he was until he saw the listing of other acts and their order on the two different stages.

How on earth did Austin end up playing right after him?

Austin had about a hundred reasons to hate Gavin. First off he showed up out of nowhere junior year and hit it off with Ally from the start. Ally. His Ally. The girl Austin loved but could never quite make dating work with. Then Gavin and Ally had made a good song writing team. That was awful. And Ally turned around and did the one thing she hadn't done for Austin: she stopped working with Gavin so she could date him. Not that Austin wanted to stop working with Ally. He couldn't imagine not making music with her. But he also wanted to date her.

And Gavin stayed. He seemed nice and Austin could have been friends with him under different circumstances which was worse. Austin had to watch from the sidelines as the girl he cared for was romanced by someone else. He had to hide his own heartache at her joy in a relationship with some other guy. Because just like they had said at that little girl's birthday party: he wanted her to be happy. Even if it hurt to watch.

Mister Country Star stuck around and played the nice boyfriend up until two months before Ally's high school graduation when he got offered a new record deal and a tour. Then Gavin left with barely a day's notice and broke Ally's heart. And who did Ally cry to? Austin, Trish and Dez: her real friends who loved her no matter what. She was so sad which made Austin both sad and angry on her behalf. The jerk who kept them apart didn't even care about the damage he caused when he left. Damage to Ally and Austin and their friends.

A week after the terrible breakup Ally shut Austin out. They had seen each other every day and then she refused to see anyone at all. It took three days for anyone to get through to her. Ally's parents even came to Austin asking for ideas to help their daughter. So, naturally, he climbed into her bedroom window.

That was when Austin found out what a complete jerk Gavin was. He had gotten Ally pregnant before he disappeared and wouldn't take or return phone calls. She didn't want anyone to know. She was embarrassed and ashamed and how could this happen? She had a plan that involved college, not kids. But she couldn't consider aborting it - the baby hadn't done anything wrong.

So Austin took a chance and made her an offer. He loved her, he always had, and he had been waiting for Gavin to get out of the way so he could make his move and tell Ally how he felt. So he told her then, holding her as they sat on her bed where she had been crying as she told him everything. He loved her and wanted to marry her and raise the baby with her. As crazy as it might sound, it felt right to him. He wanted to be with Ally and stand by her side no matter how difficult the situation might be. They would have money from their music and he would do anything to help her live her dream of going to college.

She surprised both him and herself by saying yes.

Austin hadn't regretted a moment since then. He had his Ally. They were married and graduated high school and she took one semester of summer classes before the baby came in the fall. A little boy they named together: Andrew.

Dez asked him once about why Andrew didn't look small enough to be premature. He didn't answer and his best friend accepted it since Austin was so thrilled to be a dad. And that was the scariest moment until now. Austin and Ally had been so happy and loved their little boy and everyone was happy for them. And then they continued to build their little family. The twins, Adam and Abe, brought Austin as much joy as Andrew had. He lived for his family.

In the dark corners of his mind Austin always feared the moment Gavin showed up again. He wasn't sure what Ally would do, if she would tell Gavin the truth about Andrew. She told Austin she didn't know what she would do. And that was the only thing in their five years of marriage that ever worried him. Austin couldn't bear to lose his oldest boy. Andrew had made Austin a father and given him Ally.

So when Austin finished preparing with the band he headed back to Ally and the kids for a final moment before his performance. His heart plummeted as he rounded the back corner of the outdoor stage to see Gavin standing directly in front of Ally and his boys playing on the grass. He sent up a silent prayer that he wouldn't lose everything as he walked toward them.

Austin remembered how to breathe when Andrew jumped up and ran to him, calling him daddy. He swept his son into his arms as he sidestepped the boy's birth father to greet his wife.

"How's my little man? Are you ready to watch daddy rock?" Austin smiled as the little boy nodded enthusiastically. "Hey honey. Everything ok back here?" he greeted Ally with a kiss which she didn't shy away from. He internally sighed in relief.

"Everything is great. Are you ready?" Ally asked as she took Andrew from him and Austin bent down to kiss the heads of the twins. He needed the comfort of his family. And he didn't want Gavin to have any idea how easily he could destroy Austin's life in that moment.

"Yeah. I just talked to the band and we'll go set up once the stage is clear." As soon as Gavin is gone. He added silently. Gathering all his courage he turned around. "Gavin. It's been a long time." He finally acknowledged the other man with a nod.

"Yes it has. So you two worked things out, huh?" Gavin asked, nodding at Austin's family, his world.

"We did. Everything worked out like it was supposed to." Ally spoke up and quelled some of his fears. When Austin slipped his arm around her she naturally turned into him like usual. His heart began to unclench a little more. Ally's left hand rose to Austin's chest and his forced smile became more genuine.

Gavin nodded and swallowed thickly. "Well congratulations. And break a leg Austin."

"Thanks." Austin accepted the wish of good luck and turned to his wife, searching her eyes. He saw nothing but love and reassurance there. "So I'll see you after. Love you." He gave her another quick kiss and felt her right hand tighten around his waist for a second. It gave him the confidence to go and do his show. He bent slightly and ruffled the hair of each of his sons beforing hurrying toward the stage.

He glanced back as he reached the platform and stood beside his band. Ally was smiling affectionately after him and more nerves settled. Her attention was pulled away by Gavin and Austin had to walk up the stairs to the stage. His band was being announced and he needed to focus on his music and put on a good show.

Austin raised his hands to greet the cheering crowd. Then when he turned toward his band for a final moment before they started playing he risked one last glance at his family. Ally had a hand placed on her belly and Gavin looked like he was going to be sick. Ally had been glowing all day and Austin had wondered if she were pregnant again but hadn't had a quiet moment to ask. Or was she finally telling Gavin about Andrew?

Austin didn't have time to think about it. The drummer struck a beat and Austin turned on the performance. By the second verse though he could see Ally and their boys just off to the side of the stage with their cute noise dampening headphones, happily dancing around to daddy's music. Gavin was nowhere to be seen. Austin sang his heart out and for once couldn't wait for the set to end so he could go hold his family tight for the rest of the day.

The end

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