Again I do not own this story it belongs to The Black arrow but it is one of my favorites.

I do not own Austin and Ally or anything else you may recognize

Chapter Three: Diamond Denial

"It's a ring." Ally remained calm, to her credit, as austin seethed, his fingers plucking at the ring, examining the offending article, his expression murderous. She pictured in her mind the night that elliot proposed; the beautiful restaurant, how he had placed the pale blue Tiffany box on the side of her plate, his satisfied smile as she had said yes.

Austin threw her hand back at her as if she had burned him. "Why are you telling me that?" He hissed. "What the FUCK?"

Ally stepped back from him, put a safe distance between them, finally back in her element. She had been party to hundreds of his tantrums over the years. She knew he would never hurt her. She had witnessed first hand what he did to those who did hurt her. He just needed room to allow his fury to properly detonate. She backed over to a flat, wet stone, sat and waited.

He was incredible when he was angry. He stood towering over her, blocking the light, his energy radiating from him almost visibly. The air around him seemed to crackle. He appeared to be trying to frame a coherent sentence.

"Fuck," he repeated several times, each sharper and louder than the previous. He began running his hand through his hair.

She had once told him that he looked like a vaudeville villain on a stage, tearing his hair out at particularly bad news. It was true. She winced in sympathy for his poor hair, the gorgeous mess being punished.

"Why are you doing this now?" He said finally, his voice like poison.

"What do you mean, doing this now?" She said, incredulous. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"You know what I mean," he countered, kicking at a nearby lump of turf, sending it flying. "This is the worst possible timing. In case you've forgotten in your post engagement high"- here, his voice became mocking, breathy and high pitched like a girl- "My mother is dying." He finished on a roar again, the final word hanging in the air like an ugly stench.

His chest was rising and falling rapidly, and ally watched impassively as he worked himself into a true rage.

She could see now, after their separation, what he was doing. Her years of therapy helped her to recognize it, to understand him better. He had no capacity for vulnerability, for showing pain, and instead it was channeled into anger.

His older brother, Ethan, would be able to sit beside her, to lay his head on her shoulder, to speak the words and experience the pain, to seek comfort. But austin could not do that. Instead, he took it out on the closest person, in this case, her.

"You idiot! You are so predictable. Picket fency ally, wanting to wear a white veil and be the princess, baking cupcakes and cooling pies on the windowsill, and ironing whatshisname's hideous white business shirts." His hazel eyes were more a mossy-black as he screamed at her. He was probably tearing chunks of hair out, by the looks of it.

She spoke softly. "Austin, I'm so sorry about Mimi. So, so sorry."

He whirled on her. "Don't you dare start that 'she's been like my mother' crap with me, ally dawson. She's not your mother. She's MINE."

Ally forced herself to not cringe back as he crouched to kneel in front of her, his knee on the rock beside her leg. His body was shaking with anger.

"She's not only yours," she protested, "She's everybody's. You don't own her. She belongs to Mike and Ethan too. And to me, a little bit, as much as you hate it." Her voice ended on a whisper. His face was inches from hers. His pain was as palpable as his anger.

"Austin," ally tried tentatively, her hand wrapping around his wrist. "Austin, calm down." She breathed deep, forced her mind to be calm, serene, but instead unwittingly remembered doing the same thing when they were seventeen and Austin had beaten Joey smith unconscious in the car park during a school dance.

Austins face twisted in amusement at her memory. "That'll learn him to try to make second base with you."

Ally shook her head ruefully. "I still don't understand why you did that. It was completely unnecessary. And you left me outside to wait for the paramedics, while you went inside and got a hand job from Cassidy in the teacher's lounge."

Austin smiled cruelly. "I have never denied having double standards."

Ally let go of his wrist in irritation. Austins rage was flagging now, and he twisted around to sit beside her on the rock, almost squashing her.

"And besides," Austin continued, "You covered for me very nicely. You told your dad it was some guys you had never seen before, that they jumped poor old Joey." Amusement tinged his features, and ally knew that the outburst was over. He sagged companionably against her.

"I should never have said that. I should have let you get arrested, you horrible boy. Poor Joey. I wonder what he's up to now."

"Keeping his hands to himself, I'd wager. That, and working as a car wash attendant, or some shit."

Ally bit back a smile, and shivered at a blast of cold wind. She tugged the back of her jacket down over her exposed back.

It was lucky elliot hadn't come along; she can't imagine what he would have made of Austin. The thought of the two together in the same room was horrifying. They were polar opposites. They were from practically different species.

She had gone into Elliot's office on the way out of town, to say goodbye. He had been sitting at his desk, in an ice blue shirt and immaculate pale grey suit, his brown hair carefully smoothed.

"Ally," he had said in a warning tone as she hovered uncertainly in the doorway, "I've asked you not to come here unannounced."

"I'm sorry," she had replied, "I'm just going to be gone for a while, and I wanted to say goodbye…"

Elliot stood, and she thought he was coming to kiss her. Instead, he motioned her aside as one of his colleagues approached the door.

"Have a nice time," he had said, dismissing her, as he extended his hand to the man. A nice time? Was he insane? Her Godmother was dying. She had cried in her car as she drove away from the courts.

Ally realized she had been lost in her thoughts, and Austins hand had slowly slid up under the back of jacket, stroking her skin with his cold hand. "Get out of there," she told him sharply, "Your hand is freezing."

"But you're so warm. Don't be mean." She shoved his hand out roughly with her own, twisted her hand out of his as he snatched at the engagement ring again.

"Stop eavesdropping."

"You've made a big mistake." Austin said darkly.

"I certainly haven't. Elliot is a really nice guy. He's really good to me." Ally traced a crack in the rock they were sitting on with her fingertip. "He's a prosecutor."

Austin snarled. "I don't care about him. Don't bother telling me about him. It's not going to happen."

Ally stood and turned to face Austin, who slouched nonchalantly. Out of his grip, out of range of his apple scent, she allowed her mind to register his appearance again.

He had faint stubble, and his lips always looked like he had just been kissing. He lounged on the rock as though he were reclining on a feather bed. He was completely, utterly delicious.

But, she told herself as she slapped herself mentally, he was also completely dysfunctional, self centred and immature.

Still, her traitorous eyes followed the lean length of his legs as he leaned back on his elbows. His stomach looked very flat and hard under that t-shirt. Ally closed her eyes, willed herself to focus.

"I always kissed you goodbye," he said, biting his bottom lip with his white teeth and narrowing his eyes at her speculatively.

Ally snorted. "Yes, and always slightly inappropriately."

He raised an eyebrow. "Only slightly?" His dark hazel eyes that missed nothing, including her inventory of his body, noted with delight the blush burned her cheeks.

Her voice was hurried as she steered the conversation back to safer terrain.

"About my engagement. I want to tell Mimi. I want to have her know that someone will take care of me once she's gone." She watched her words sink in.

Austins face darkened, his eyes flashing, and in that instant she was afraid of him. She took a step back as he slowly got to his feet.

"Firstly, you are telling her no fucking such thing."

Ally backed away further, her sneakers sucking at the ground.

"Secondly, you are going to take that revolting ring off your finger."

Allys hand formed a fist. "I will not."

"Thirdly", he continued as if she had not spoken, "You were only asked down here so early because Mimi was hoping you'd end up with me."

Ally stared at him. "That's ridiculous. She's never wanted that."

"How do you know?" Austin countered. "She never stops hinting about it to me. We had a talk about it just the other night on the phone."

Ally began shaking her head furiously. "You're wrong. You're lying. She knows we would be a disaster together."

"Would we?" He said. "I find you very attractive."

He advanced on her, vampirish in black, looking very much like he was about to suck the blood from her body. The image of his mouth on her throat flashed behind her eyes.

"Austin, you find anything breathing and female attractive."

Ally jabbed her finger at him, her frustration escalating. "It's too late. Maybe I had a little crush on you when we were kids, but I'm engaged now, and I want you to try to be happy for me."

"You'd deny Mimi her final wish?" Austins words were calculatedly cruel.

"Austin, be serious. I can see what you're doing. You can't admit to yourself that one of your 'possessions' is not yours any more."

She stepped over to him, wrapped her arms around his waist, suddenly fighting off tears.

"You're like a damn collector. She's leaving us, Austin." Ally could feel the tension in his body, and she hugged him tighter. Wanting to absorb some of his pain. His arms hung limply at his sides and he made no move to hug her back.

He spoke, his voice soft now. "She's been worried, ally. Ethan has Kira. But I won't have anyone."

Ally rolled her eyes as she leaned back to look at his face. She could detect no trace of insincerity. Usually she could tell when he was lying. He always looked pleased with himself. Now, he just looked tired.

She suddenly noticed the dark circles under his eyes, his face just a little gaunt. Knowing Austin, he had been stewing on this, fretting over it. He probably had a huge ulcer.

"I don't believe you." She said flatly, and released his waist.

Wordlessly, he took out a small, thin mobile, selected a number and dialed. It was on speakerphone.

"Hello?" Mimi's voice was faint, weak. Instantly, Austins entire demeanor changed. He seemed to soften, and his scowl melted. His face was a mask of agonized pain.

"Did I wake you, ma?" He said, sinking back down to sit on the rock. Ally copied him.

"No, no, just lying here, looking at the clouds out the window. It's going to storm any second."

Tears began streaming down ally's cheeks.

"Ma, I wanted to ask you something, about what we were talking about before. About ally." His voice was light, conversational, and he shot a warning look at ally to keep quiet.

"Oh, ally, my beautiful ally." Mimi's voice was a bare whisper.

"You said something that was interesting to me. About how maybe ally might be the girl for me."

"Austin, I'm so sure she is. I love her more than life." They could hear blankets rustling, settling, ally imagining Mimi rolling over awkwardly to speak conspiratorially with the telephone.

"She's got such a special energy around her."

"But do you think that she's my… soul mate?" Austin asked. Everybody knew that Mimi believed fervently, passionately in soul mates.

"She is your soul mate, Austin. She was born three hours after you. It was like she couldn't bear you being in the world without her." Austin threw a triumphant look at ally.

"She's your other half. She balances you perfectly. You are dark, and she is light." Mimi laughed lightly. "I sound like a greeting card." She sighed. There was a long pause, and Austin made no attempt to fill it.

"But Austin," Mimi warned, "If ally is still seeing elliot, I want you to promise not to interfere. Promise me, Austin."

Austin laughed and hung up. He turned to ally. "I will promise no such thing."

Ally wiped away her tears with the back of her hand and turned to look at Austin, her heart sinking. She recognized his expression from years ago. It was the same look he had shot her when teachers asked them to stay back after class, after any social function, and whenever he checked caller ID and held the phone out to her.

The look was a threatening glint in his eye, coupled with a smirk hovering around his lips. He wanted her to lie.

"What do you want?" She said tonelessly as he took her hands, pulled her to her feet.

"You're to pretend to be falling in love with me."

Ally shook her head, toed the ground with her shoe. "No."

"You're going to do it, and my mother can die in peace. Her son will be all taken care of, and she won't have to worry about you. Neat and tidy," he said to himself as he took her hand and worked the ring from her finger.

"Disgusting thing," he commented as he held it aloft. Ally snatched it before he could do something terrible, like throw it in the mud. She wouldn't put it past him.

"How long does she have?" Ally asked the dreaded question.

"One week….. two, possibly."

These horrible words echoed in her ears and made fresh tears prick the backs of her eyes.

Austin stepped close, his arms finally wrapping around her, one hand edging up under her clothes and onto her skin again. He cradled her firmly, his belt buckle pressing into her stomach. Her cheek lay on his soft t-shirt, and the smell of wet leather and his sweet scent filled her nostrils.

He always somehow fit her body against his perfectly despite being a foot taller than her. Unwittingly, her arms had risen to wrap themselves around his waist.

"We fit together well, don't we?" He muttered against her temple. She struggled, tried to push him away. She had enjoyed having some mental privacy these last few years.

"I'm sorry. I wish I couldn't do it." He said, and he truly did sound regretful. "I can't stop. I mean, I can stop, but I want to so badly. It's addictive."

"Try." She said.

"Only if you do this one thing for me."

Ally Sighed. She thought of how badly she had wanted to tel Mimi about Elliot's proposal, to talk wedding dresses and flowers. She had thought it would have made her so happy.

"It would be terrible news for her," Austin said softly. "It would mean her last hope for me would be gone."

Ally could see that once again, he had trapped her into a corner.

"I don't mean to make you feel trapped," he said, his breath hot in her hair. "I know I do. Something about you makes me want to trap you."

"That's messed up, Austin." She managed to say.

"Will you do it?"

She said nothing for what seemed like an eternity. Finally she spoke. "As usual, you give me no choice."