A/N: Thanks again for the reviews, they are super motivating. Here's a little Austin and Ally piano bench flirtation action, if you enjoy, leave a note!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Rated T to M for mild language

looking for the one tonight

4: Angel

Ally's undivided focus was on her fingers as they danced across the keys. Her eyes squeezed shut as her pace picked up, letting her hands flow freely, filling the room with the melody. The image of his serene face as she kissed him appeared from its hiding place in her memories as she played on. She loved these solitary moments when she could just feel the music and express herself through it. It was often times easier for her to do that than to actually communicate in words what she wanted to say.

Austin cleared his throat, startling her clear up off the bench. She turned to look at him just leaning in the doorway. How could he be so nonchalant, so effortless? He wore a simple gray hoodie over a white t-shirt and jeans and the mere sight of him tugged at the muscles in her heart. He had no idea his effect on everyone around him. His humble unawareness was refreshing but so frustrating all at once.

Although she implicitly denied any escalating feelings to Trish, kissing him had only potentiated the way she thought and felt about him. Avoiding contact with him had only made him more pervasive in her thoughts. It's like he had taken up residence in her head; it was completely insidious and super annoying. Her heart could not win the battle against her head, she wanted to be around him, but the more she was around him, the more likely she was to reveal herself. At this point, him finding out would be very embarrassing, since it had been weeks since the party and if he found out now, it would just make her seem weird and crazy. No, there was definitely no turning back now.

He ran a hand through his intentionally mussed hair and her breath caught in her throat. Despite the momentarily lapse in actually knowing how to speak, somehow she managed to choke out a strangled, "Hey."

"Hey. Sorry to interrupt, you looked like you were really getting into it. What's got you so deep in thought?" He stepped into the room and stood before her, just a few feet away, but so much further apart in her mind.

She smiled shyly, giving him a small shrug. "Oh, nothing. What's up?"

"Ready to work on the song I've been thinking about?" he asked hesitantly. He wasn't sure if she was going to be in one of her standoffish moods or if she was going to welcome him with open arms. He hoped it was the latter; he had missed working with her more than he realized he would. She had just been so weird lately and it better not have to do anything with that Elliott character.

"Of course." She patted the bench next to her and he slipped down beside her. He unfolded a piece of paper from his pocket, and she leaned in to make out his shorthand. "Wow, these lyrics are awesome!" His eyes shined down with pride at her as she swallowed hard several times. She couldn't get rid of the damn lump that had formed in her throat. Being around him was now wreaking havoc on a visceral level.

"Well, don't sound so surprised," he stated, tilting his head towards her. Her eyes popped open, and he laughed at her stricken look. She opened her mouth to put her foot in it, but he elbowed her in the shoulder. "Ally, I'm just teasing you, I know you're the songwriting guru. See, I'm having some trouble with the melody part. I have most of the lyrics done. This part is the chorus." He leaned over to spread the lyrics out in front of them, his scent crashing like a wave in her face. That delicious Austin sweaty boy cologne mix.

She silently memorized the lyrics and closed her eyes. She opened them to see him gazing at her intensely. That made her shudder a little bit. He reddened, absorbing her embarrassment at being caught staring.

"Sorry," he muttered, retraining his gaze onto the black and white keys.

"It's okay. I think I've got something." She played a few notes in succession as his eyes lit up. She continued to play and tap her feet as the song formed itself. She sang along as he hung onto her every word. It was such a shame that she such bad stage fright; her voice was beautiful and he could listen to her sing all day.

"That's perfect! Ally you're a genius!" He reached over and hugged her to his shoulder. She felt like her insides would burst.

"Let's put the whole thing together, music and lyrics. Play along with me," she breathed, her voice barely audible.

She pressed her fingertips to the keys as his voice sang out. It was her turn to stare at his lips, parting and breathing life into their new song. He was mesmerizing, and she couldn't help it.

Their hands briefly touched on the keys, sending a shock up both their spines. As quickly as they had come together, their hands jumped away from the other, as if they'd been burned. Their eyes flickered in alignment once more before Ally broke the connection.

"So, is this song about the masked Juliet?" she asked innocently. He nodded, still trying to catch his bearings. There was no denying the feeling they both got with these brief touches. He loved the rush he felt whenever it happened, he just prayed that she didn't realize how out of sorts it made him.

Ally uncurled her toes, and tried to will the downy hairs on her arms to flatten. "How goes the mystery girl search, anyway?"

He sighed. "Still frustrating. Seems like there are no leads at all, like this girl didn't exist at all."

"Like she's a nobody?" Her hand twitched and her eyes widened. Her mouth opened but then closed immediately, stopping herself from saying anything else that would incriminate her.

Austin's eyes narrowed perceptibly as she imagined the little hamster wheel in his head rapidly turning. "Nobody?"

"I mean, not a nobody, that's not a nice thing to say, she's obviously a somebody, somebody out there. Miami is a really big city," she stammered, getting up off the bench.

"Yeah. I'm finding that out." He swiveled around to face her. "It's too bad you weren't there that night, I know you would have remembered her."

"Yeah, well I was here, working," she shrugged off his comment with a smile. She quickly changed the topic, "Oh, I was going to ask you, what are you doing May 11th?"

"Nothing yet. Why, are you asking me out, Miss Dawson? Just so you know, I expect the whole nine yards, dinner, movie, everything. I don't give it up for free, you know."

"Says the guy who's looking for a date by casting a public internet video. Don't flatter yourself, my mom's coming home and we're having a little get together for her book signing party. I was wondering if you could perform a few songs."

"Of course I'll be there, I'd love to do it! You must be so excited that your mom's coming back." He got up and walked towards her as she slowly continued to back away from him. The back of her legs hit the doorframe, effectively trapping her.

"You have no idea. I'm really excited for you to meet her, and for her to hear you sing my songs. She's the best," she mused, a giant smile on her face.

"Well, she made you, so yeah, I knew that already," he stated matter-of-factly, eliciting another flush of her cheeks. He nearly closed the gap between then, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

Ally's face melted as her heart thudded a quick beat in her chest. "You're so sweet, Austin, thanks." She could almost feel his sweet breath on her forehead and her eyelids fell, effectively shutting her eyes to their proximity.

"Ally, can you bring down a roll of receipt paper!?" her father called up.

"Sure, be right down!" She braced her hand against his shirt, pushing him away as she steadied herself. She rummaged through a desk drawer and hurried out the door as Austin looked after her. The perceptible heat in the room cooled immediately after she walked out the door. He let out the collective breath he had been holding as his eyes followed the gentle swish of her sundress down the stairs. What was wrong with him?

He walked back over to the piano and replayed the chords to their new song, but stopped abruptly.

There was something that didn't sit right with him about the comments she made. Could she be his mystery girl? She'd been working, but what if she had come to the party afterwards? But she knew what he had been wearing and thus she would have known that she was kissing him, her best friend. She wouldn't have kissed him, would she? Nah, that wasn't something Ally would do.

It seemed like she didn't mind their closeness a few seconds ago, though. He wouldn't mind if she was his mystery girl. They worked closely all the time, of course he noticed her cute little smiles and how her eyes always sparkled when she was concentrating on a song. He loved her passion and her energy about music. He loved writing with her. He liked the way she laughed at his jokes. He liked being around her.

But, she wouldn't let him go on this long without telling him that she was the one for whom he was looking. She wouldn't watch, no she couldn't watch him go out with all these other girls and practically audition them and parade them around right in front of her. No, that wasn't her style. Because he knew that kiss meant something, it was a spark, a livewire, and if he felt it, it had to mean that the girl felt it, too. It had to mean that she was out there feeling the same thing as he was. Ally loved love. She wouldn't ignore that kiss. The way the mystery girl boldly gripped his neck, kissing him, was so raw, so organic and spontaneous. It couldn't be Ally, that's something she would never do. He was sure of it.

A/N: So, yes, Austin's still in the dark about things...review and you shall receive progress :). I've also been working on a Raura story, which I've never done before (written about real people), so I feel a little weird about it. May be posting up the first chapter to see how it's received, but we'll see though.