a/n: I haven't updated this story in a while. Sorry sorry.
Austin's head was bent over the desk, his fingers wound tightly into his hair. By now I knew that meant he was concentrating very hard and completely lost to the world.
I knew this man almost as well as I knew myself and it had only been a few weeks. I loved the way his forehead scrunched when he was thinking, the way he tapped his leg when he he was bored, and the laugh lines under his eyes.
"Yes! Ally!" Austin jumped up, his chair scraping against the ground, his eyes wide and alive. "I've found it! I have! Ally, look at this!"
My heart stopped and then started again. Moving to look at Austin's work, I saw what he was talking about. Stupid. We'd been so stupid. It had been right under our noses the whole time.
The final ingredient wasn't a plant at all, but the animal that frequently ate it. Ants. Tropical ants.
I looked up into Austin's eyes and saw the whole world in them. He'd finally done it, after all these years he'd finally found what he'd been looking for.
A smile broke out in my face, and I jumped into Austin's arms. "You did it! Austin. You found the cure for cancer."
Austin pulled back a little, so that we were face to face. "I could not have done this without you, Ally. Really. I don't know how to thank you."
He bent down so that our lips just barely touched. The kiss was so sweet and it set off a burning fire inside of me.
I wrapped my fingers in the collar of his shirt, holding him to me. I wanted to be closer, wanted to feel every part of him. His arms were like steel bands around my waist, keeping me from falling.
A knock on the door forced us apart, and Austin reluctantly set me on the floor.
Naru, one of the natives who assisted Austin stepped into the hut. Naru said something in his native tongue. Even though I'd only been here for three weeks I was already starting to catch on. I caught the words female scientist and institution.
The smile on Austin's face slowly faded, replaced with a steely look.
"Austin. What's wrong?" I placed my hand on his arm.
Austin wouldn't look me in the eye. "It's your boss at the institute. He says your three weeks are up, and it's time for you to go home."
The words were like a shard of glass through my heart. How could I leave? How could I leave Austin?
From the first day, all I'd wanted was just that. To get the hell out of here, back to my clean and safe lab. But now. . .
"Oh." What was I supposed to say? "Right. Three weeks."
Austin nodded. "Apparently you're three weeks are up."
"Maybe I could call them, ask them for an extension." I was grasping at straws. I'd do anything to stay. To stay with Austin.
Austin ran a hand through his hair, and I could tell he was angry. "What's the point? You'll just have to leave eventually anyway."
I swallowed, trying to keep from crying. I wanted to protest, but I realized he was right. I'd have to go home someday.
What was the point in prolonging the pain?
A single tear fell over the edge, slipping down my cheek. "Austin. . ."
"Just go home, Ally. You don't belong here anyway."
The shard of glass fought it's way even deeper into my heart, and before I knew what had happened my heart had broken. Shattered. There was no way even I could pick up all those little pieces.
I nodded, the tears falling freely now. "You're right. Of course. I never liked it here anyway."
Austin nodded. "Right. Of course. Far too messy for you here." And with that, he was gone. Out of the hut, and out of my life.
My legs finally gave out, and I collapsed into the chair.
This was good, I tried to tell myself. He would have broken my heart sooner or later anyway. At least I could go home now.
Three months later
I leaned over the toilet, completely emptying the contents of my stomach. Sitting back up, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.
God. Being pregnant sucked.
I picked myself up off the floor, one hand over my quickly expanding tummy.
Taking a drink of the water, I always kept on the bathroom sink, I contemplated just how I had gotten here.
After leaving the jungle and Austin, I'd come back to the institute, my heart completely broken. They'd been very surprised to hear what Austin had discovered, but I had forced them not to send any teams out, explaining that all the foreigners would bring diseases that could hurt the native people.
Despite my shattered heart, I remembered how much Austin cared about those people.
I'd gone back to my work after, gone back to my life. Before everything, I had never questioned my life, never questioned my work. But now, there was this empty feeling inside of me. It scraped at the edges, leaving me feeling misplaced and tired.
I'd discovered I was pregnant about two weeks after I'd gotten home. All I wanted to do was tell Austin, but how could I? Every time I found myself smiling about this baby, I'd remember Austin and the empty feeling would return.
I didn't know what was more painful; the fact that I would never see Austin again, or the fact that I still desperately wanted to even after he'd smashed my heart.
I sank down onto the couch, my hand still clutching my stomach. What the hell was I going to do? My life was a mess. I was a mess. And I certainly didn't want to bring my baby, Austin's baby, into a world where it's mother wasn't happy. But I didn't really see how any of this was going to change.
The phone ringing brought me out of my reverie.
"Hello, Ally?" My boss's voice sounded almost urgent.
"Speaking."
"We need you down here immediately." The phone clicked as he hung up.
I set my phone down. What the hell could this be about?
a/n" Soooo, a lot of things happened and it was kinda depressing. Sorry about that. But there is hope! (And I should know, seeing as I am writing the story).
