Hey people! Oh my gosh, you have no idea how happy those reviews made me. I wasn't planning on updating today, but I got all my homework done and I had a lot of time left so I wrote a little. I honestly was not planning on having this happen so soon, or the way that it did happen, but sometimes when I start writing things just sort of flow from my fingers that I never planned. Anyways, I'm not sure I like how this chapter turned out, but I think the story will get more interesting soon. Not sure how long it's going to be either. Anyway, thank you SO MUCH for reading, reviewing, following, favoriting or silent reading. Thank you for just reading this, it means a lot to me :)

I already said this, but I don't own Austin and Ally.

I froze in my spot, not moving despite the little girl tugging on my arms. His entire body was in shadow, but I knew he was looking at me. I could feel his gaze. It traveled from my feet to my head and I couldn't help but think that it was unfair. After five years of being unable to see each other, he got that privilege but I didn't. I suppose that was fine though, because life was never fair.

I don't know how long we both stayed there. Time seemed to stand still and even Arynn faded into the background. That is, until he turned away. He turned his body stiffly in the other direction, back into the practice room, and closed the door. I opened my mouth to call after him, to do something, but just like that day five years ago, no words came through. It was ironic, in an almost sick way, that he had gone into my old practice room to avoid me. But it wasn't mine anymore. I worked at a diner and my dad rented out the practice room to aspiring musicians. Nothing was the same anymore.

I was shoved back into normal time when Arynn asked what was wrong. I'd been frozen too long, and she had just told me that one of her favorite musicians was here.

"Nothing's wrong sweetie," I said, brushing back her blonde curls. "I just…know him from a long, long time ago."

"You knew Austin Moon?" she squealed, so loud I could practically see the flashes of the paparazzi cameras that would surround us if she continued. I shushed her, using the universal pointer-finger-in-front-of-your-lips sign. She nodded, glancing around the room suspiciously.

"Why do I have to be quiet?" she whispered, "there's nobody here."

I laughed, but it wasn't as carefree as I would have liked and Arynn noticed. She switched to another topic before I could answer her first question.

"But Mama," she started, and I could feel that question hanging off the end of her tongue. The one I'd been dreading since she was born. It came in a different form than the normal "who is my daddy" that you hear about in stories. But it was equivalently the same question. "How do you know Austin Moon?" she asked.

My heart stuttered and I swear I couldn't breathe for a moment. I knew, I'd always known that I would have to tell her one day. I just never pictured it being so soon. I pictured sitting her down one day, telling her in a planned, sophisticated way that her father was Austin Moon. Sometime in her teen years when I thought she would understand the reason I had to raise her without him. Not now.

Turns out, I never got the chance to explain. For the first time in five years, I heard Austin's voice in person. Not through the TV or the radio, but right behind me. In the center of the staircase, stood an older, scruffier version of my Austin Moon. His cheeks had hints of a blonde 5'o'clock shadow growing in, his muscles more pronounced through his thin T-shirt than they had once been. But that wasn't what had me near tears at the sight of him.

It was his face. His eyes, to be more specific. They were clouded with absolute hatred. Anger screamed from his body language; tightened hands, stiff muscles. I couldn't breathe from the intensity of that gaze. It was nothing like how he used to look at me.

"Mama?" he whispered. His voice held the same hatred as his eyes, along with shock and something else I couldn't place. I opened my mouth, but again words failed me. I could feel the hairs rising on the back of my neck, Arynn's hands tightening around mine as she noticed that almost visible tension in the store.

"Everything he said was true," he said, "everything Jimmy said was true."

If I was speechless before, I was mute now. Jimmy? What had Jimmy told Austin? Why hadn't I thought of that before now? I simply left, not asking why Austin had looked so distraught, seeing me with Dallas that last time here. He knew that Dallas and I had become decent friends. He'd said he was fine with it. So why had he run off at the sight of me hugging him?

I never got to ask. Austin stormed down the staircase, brushing past me and Arynn, who was standing next to me, completely unsure of what was happening. Her eyes were wide and almost frightened, and I knew that, even if I had known what to say to Austin—which I didn't—I wouldn't have gone after him. I needed to take care of my baby first, as always.

I heard the cowbell ringing like crazy as the door slammed behind him. I cringed, turning my whole body to face my daughter.

"Mama…" she whispered, obviously not knowing what to say.

"Baby," I breathed out, "I think I need to tell you something," she nodded, eyes still wide and scared. It broke my heart, and I knew that that feeling could end up ten times worse in just a few minutes, depending on how she reacted to the news. Another thing she had in common with Austin; her ability to surprise me in any situation. And sometimes that wasn't a good thing.

"I think I need to tell you who your father is."

The words hung between us, almost tangible in their seriousness. Her hands gripped mine with strength unknown to me. It seemed to give me the will to move on.

"Baby," I said, "You know the stories I tell you about him? The ones about the prince and the princess and the present?" she nodded. I continued, "Well, I sort of changed the story. See, your daddy wasn't a prince. He was someone very famous, a lot like a prince, but he wasn't. And the prince and the princess—or your daddy and I, I guess—didn't really get married. But I really did get a special present. One that was a whole lot of responsibility and might end up hurting your daddy's career. You were that present baby. I love you more than anything in this entire universe, you know that, but I couldn't let your daddy leave his dreams behind because you came along. He would have, because he loved you. He didn't even know about you but he loved you, and you need to know that okay?" her eyes were wet with tears and I had the strong urge to hold her close and tell her everything would be alright. But she needed to hear this whole thing.

"Arynn, your daddy doesn't know about you. But now you know about him, okay? Your daddy is Austin Moon."

I don't think she believed me at first. Her eyes were still wide and filled with tears, but there was something there that hadn't been there before. She seemed unsure. She didn't seem to understand what she was supposed to do now. She reached up, pulling on a long strand of her golden hair until she could stare at it. I could see her eyes marking all the things she had in common with the man who sang all her favorite songs. It took a while, but soon enough she was smiling at me like she'd just won the lottery.

"My daddy's Austin Moon!" she cried, throwing her arms around me and squealing.

"Yeah sweetie," I replied quietly, "but he doesn't know about you. And him and I…well, sweetheart we don't really get along that well anymore."

"How do you know Mama?" she asked, "How do you know that you don't get along with him anymore? It's been a very long time since the princess talked to her prince. She doesn't know what he's thinking." She looked at me with eyes much to wise for her age. I couldn't help the small smile that played on my lips.

"You've got a good point sweetie," I said, "so what do you think the princess should do?"

"She needs to go find her prince."

So...yeah. Again, not sure I like it, but whatever. Thanks again for reading! Say whatever you want in reviews so long as it's appropriate (PG-13 ish). I can take criticism decently well, and if anyone wants to give me ideas or whatever you want to say, feel free. I like reading comments :) but if you don't review that's cool too cause you still read my story which is ALL I really care about so THANK YOU! Kay...don't know when I'll update next. I promise something will be up by at least Saturday night.