CHAPTER 3- Hey everyone. So, I'm sorry for not updating but there is a reason for that:

I have been really stressed lately. It is incredibly hard for me to get anything done, and I have just lost all inspiration for just about anything Fanfiction related, except, strangely, the Secret Life of Candace series, which I wasn't planning on continuing but might. MIGHT.

I will still be updating this story, just not regularly. For more information on what's going on, go to my profile.

Guest: Well, I mean, that isn't really what I intended. This is just to help out with the story line, and so I don't make any non-religious people uncomfortable by mentioning heaven or something.

Koryandrs: She wasn't really intended for anything. She's one of my really good friends, and she gave me permission to use her in any story. She just happened to be put in another story first. But I'll try to make it less so. I just hate creating a new OC for everything, and think it's easier to re-use them in certain cases.

I don't own Austin and Ally.

Olivia smiled impishly and Austin had a feeling that maybe, just maybe, he'd be ok.

GENERAL POV

"So," said Olivia, leaning lightly on the bench, "I already told you that you can walk through things. I want you to give it a shot."

Austin's eyebrows shot up. "You want me to…huh?"

Olivia shrugged and let herself sink through the bench and onto the pavement. Austin's eyes widened. "I want you to try it."

Austin bit his lip and stood up from his seat, turning around and staring down at the hard wood. "You want me to, like, walk through that?" he asked slowly.

Olivia got up and nodded. "Yup."

Austin frowned in concentration and started moving towards the bench, stopping an inch or two before he hit it. "This is stupid. What if I hit it?"

Olivia gave a small chuckle. "You probably won't hit it unless you want to hit it, Austin."

The teen sighed, shut his eyes, and stepped directly through the bench. He peeked one eye open and looked down at his legs, which were engulfed in the bench.

Austin wasn't really sure how he was supposed to feel. Yeah, he was happy that he could walk through things; heck, he'd wanted to do that since he was a kid. He just hadn't wanted to die for it to happen.

Olivia realized this and she gently grabbed his wrist, pulling him from the bench. "Hey, I know this is hard. Believe me. I had to go through it too. But you'll get used to it eventually."

Austin sighed and pulled his hand away, rubbing his shoulder and staring at the ground. "Yeah. I know. But…I'm just worried about my family and friends."

Olivia smiled gently. "You know you can check up on them, right?"

Austin glanced up, brushing a strand of hair from his eyes. "I mean…I know, but it'll be so hard. Seeing them, I mean."

Olivia put a hand on his shoulder. "Austin, I should probably tell you this now, so you're not freaked out later. When a person dies, and then comes back to visit his or her family and friends, there's always at least one person who can see them."

Austin's head shot up and he stared at Olivia in disbelief. "You're kidding me."

She shook her head, a small smile on her face. "No. They can't touch you, but they can hear and see you. It's never the same person for everyone, like your mom or dad or something. It's just someone who was close to you. Or sometimes not."

Austin tilted his head. "What do you mean, sometimes not?"

She shrugged. "Every now and then, the person who can see them is someone that the person wasn't close to them, or even that they hated. But that's pretty rare."

The singer nodded slowly, contemplating this idea. "Okay. I…do you know who it will be?"

Olivia sighed. "I do, but I'm not allowed to tell you. You have to figure that out on your own. Sorry, Austin."

Austin chewed on his lip and then nodded. "Okay. Um…so, I just go and see them? Like, my family and my friends? Do I need to walk there, or…?"

Olivia smiled. "You're about to ask if you can fly, aren't you?"

Austin grinned sheepishly. "Kind of, yeah."

"It's okay. No, you can't fly. Kind of disappointing, really. But you can move a lot faster than you could before. It'll probably only take you a minute or so to get to your house."

"Well darn," Austin murmured. "That's a little depressing. But all right. I um…I guess I'll go see my parents then. Are you going to come with me?"

Olivia shook her head, her blonde hair swinging. "No. But if you need anything from me, all you have to do is call my name and I'll show up. I want to give you some privacy. This can be a difficult process for you to go through."

Austin smiled and stepped back on the pavement. "Thank you, Olivia."

Olivia shrugged. "Thank you Austin. You are the most cooperative newly dead I have ever seen, even including myself. I freaked out so much more than you did."

Austin crossed his arms and stepped out onto the sidewalk, leaving Olivia alone on the sidewalk. "Oh believe me; I'm freaking out a lot on the inside. I'm just…trying to make it easy on you."

"I appreciate that. Good luck, Austin."

Austin stood in front of his house for a long time, a trembling fist pressed to his mouth as he stared at the comforting façade. He couldn't do it. He just wasn't ready.

The boy turned away from his home and shut his eyes, squeezing his hands into fists tightly. "Okay. Get a grip, Austin. You can do this. Chances are they might be able to see you."

He paused, opening his eyes and staring at the sidewalk, noting all the sparkly pieces that glimmered at him in the mid-morning sunlight.

Would it really be a good thing, if his parents could see him? Or would it kill them on the inside, seeing and hearing him but not being able to hug him or kiss him, or never see him again? He wouldn't wish that on his parents; he wouldn't wish it on anyone.

But as much as Austin wanted to be able to walk away and not potentially have his parents collapse, he couldn't do it. He needed to see them one last time.

The singer shook out his hands, adjusted his blindingly white jacket, and, with minimal concentration, managed to step through the door. He smiled briefly at his accomplishment, but sobered up immediately when he heard the sound of crying coming from the living room.

Austin stepped into the room and winced.

His mother was pressed tightly against his father, clutching at his chest and sobbing into his shirt. Austin's father had his chin on top of her head, and he was murmuring soothing words. But Austin could see the tears streaming down his cheeks, the silent sobs that shook his body.

"Honey, he…he's in a better place now. The police said he died instantly."

"I don't care! He was just a teenager; he shouldn't have had to die like this! He had his whole life ahead of him, a successful music career that could have taken him so far," his mother bawled.

Austin gulped and moved silently over to his parents, noting immediately that neither of them could have seen him, or they would have said something by this point.

In one way, it was a relief that they couldn't see him. And yet, it was incredibly depressing too. As much as Austin didn't want his parents hurting because of his death, he also really wished he could have talked to either one of them. It was hard seeing them this way and not being able to do anything about it.

He hesitantly reached out and tried to place his hand on his mother's shoulder, but it of course went right through her. Austin yanked his hand away immediately, horrified at what had just happened.

He clutched his hand to his chest, his throat hurting and his eyes stinging. He couldn't stay anymore. He just couldn't.

"And his poor friends. God, I thought Ally was going to die on the spot," whispered his mother.

Austin flinched at the mention of his partner and crush, pressing a hand to his forehead and brushing his hair away.

"I'm pretty sure Trish dislocated her knee from falling on the pavement like that," his father murmured.

Austin winced again and shook his head, moving to the doorway. He had to get out of here. He couldn't hear this anymore; it was just too painful for him.

Austin walked back outside, standing in the sun for a moment before realizing that it wasn't warming him up, and that it never would again. He sighed in disappointment and slid down his steps, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking down the driveway.

He turned right, only because Trish lived closest to him and her house was a block or two to the right. Out of habit, he checked the road before crossing the street, mentally cursing himself for not having done exactly that the previous night. He couldn't only blame the drunk driver on this one.

He walked quietly, not moving quickly because he needed time to think, time to understand what was going on. That and he was preparing himself to see Trish.

He knew from a few previous visits that she had a cat, and that for some reason that cat hated everyone but himself and Trish. Olivia had said that he would be able to touch animals, and for that Austin was eternally grateful. He wasn't sure he would be able to go much longer without touching anything.

The boy sighed and looked up, realizing with surprise that he was already at Trish's house. He took a metaphorical breath and stepped through her front door, coming across her parents and brother in the living room.

"It's just so awful," her mother was saying. "I feel so bad for Austin's parents, and Trish is just destroyed."

Austin grimaced and moved up the stairs silently. Trish's cat greeted him at the landing with a soft meow and Austin smiled in relief, leaning down and stroking the cat lightly. It purred loudly and followed Austin down the hall towards Trish's room.

He paused outside the shut door, took a deep breath, and stepped through the door and over the threshold.

So again, I'll update when I can. But no promises on weekly updates! I'll do my best! And tell me what you think I should name Trish's cat.

Again, check my profile for what's going on, and let me know if you have any questions.

Please continue to review, favorite, and follow! It means a lot to me right now