A/N: Hey!

So I just cleared up the messed-up madness about Austin supposed to be the one bipolar from my Author's Note a few chapters ago, and I got it all worked out in my head. :)

Honestly, I've been blasting R5's SMILE while I wrote this chapter... I've been obsessed with it ever since it came out.

They even came to my home state last night! I almost went to see them, but something came up :( It's ok, because I got to watch the DWTS Finale! I was pretty happy with the results. By the way, did anyone else see R5 there on Week 10? I saw that Ross and Riker had an interview, and Ryland had a few seconds on TV when Derek passed him the frame on his way to get his results.

Anywhoo, I'm pretty sure you guys just want to get to the story, so...

Disclaimer: Today I feel like blowin' all my cash on you, until I'm broke. Today I don't own anything, so if you could just do, get me this show. Woa-oh-oh. (told you I love that song)

Recap:

Bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump-bump

Ally's heart raced as she allowed herself to slow to a jog, her breathing leaving a cold, dry feeling in her lungs. She couldn't tell exactly how much farther the tunnel went, but she was half convinced that this may be a literal Underground Railroad, stretching from the southern part of the country to the northern part. Sweat coated the whole range of her body, stinging the place beneath the bandage on her cheek.

At the sound of her growling stomach, she finally gave in, stopping her legs completely while hunching over, her hands on her knees. Dry, ragged breaths pushed past her lips, and balance became a talent slipping from her buttery grasp. Chomping down on her lower lip, she staggered a few more steps before a compact, dusty wall came in contact with her body, and the world seemed to spin before it disintegrated.

Her body slid to the floor, her head in her hands as she willed the sharp buzzing cries in her ears to go away. But as her breathing became quieter, the buzzing grew louder.

Chapter 10- You Found Me

Lost and insecure
You found me, you found me
Lyin' on the floor
Surrounded, surrounded
Why'd you have to wait?
Where were you? Where were you?
Just a little late
You found me, you found me

-The Fray

He stopped at that moment, watching as she raced on without him, her face one of pure fright. Good. Not because she was scared, no. Because she kept going. If she had stayed to see what happened next, he was sure she'd have another anxiety attack.

"Long-time-no-see, Moon."

Austin whipped around to see that the two men had already caught up to him. "Drock. Blargue."

"What, not excited to see us, 'ol pal?" The shorter one sneered, stepping forward.

The blonde took a step back. "Fuck off, Ethan."

"Odd. I thought you'd be ecstatic to introduce us to your new lady-friend. The girl, what's her name?"

"Her name is none of your business," Austin spit.

"That hot little thing? 'Course she is. We're all in this now." Ethan tilted his head. "But you just seem to be fooling around-"

"Ethan." The taller, tan man cut him off.

"What?"

"Focus." He turned to Austin. "Unless you've been out of the system, Moon, you'd know that they're all out for Dawson now."

"Who?"

"Everyone."

"Trent, I swear, if you don't tell me-"

"I said, everyone, Moon! We've given you enough of a head start. No more pity from here on out. I been lenient with you, but Val has gotten persistent. Sorry, man, but we have jobs now, too."

Austin shook his head. "Of all the people who would still be working for that looney-cat, I never thought it would be Ethan Drock and Trent Blargue."

"Hey, Sunshine, in case you haven't noticed, we were smart enough to stay here, rather than go MIA and let our girlfriends get hay-wired." Ethan poked him in the chest, his expression daring.

Thump. The brunette's body hit the ground, and Austin was on top of him in seconds. "You listen up, Little-Shit. That wasn't my fault, isn't my fault. So you're going to fuck off and keep your grabby little hands away from my Ally, you got that?" His hands were gripping Ethan's shirt, holding him mere inches off the ground as their faces had a glaring battle.

And then Ethan was smirking. "'My Ally?' Don't tell me our little Austy is getting attached?"

Austin slammed him against the ground, but he went on with a grunt.

"This just won't work, bud. You need to learn how to share. You had her for a week- I think it's our turn, don't you?"

The smaller man's vision went red as blood trickled from his now broken nose.

Austin's knuckle, now stained with the blood of Ethan's nose, was suddenly swung toward Trent's face. The dark-skinned man ducked, recuperating from shock with his own fist, which collided with the blonde's cheek. He stumbled, and Trent took the opportunity to throw another punch. It landed his temple, and he fell to the ground, waves of dizziness looping his vision. Austin watched as Trent lifted his foot, and he twisted his body to catch the leg between his own two mid-kick, thrusting his knee into the back of Trent's and sweeping his grounded foot so that he came crashing down too. Austin whipped back to his feet, delivering a kick of his own to Blargue's attractive face.

He whirled around, only to find the place on the floor where Ethan had inhabited was now empty. Muttering a curse under his breath, he broke into a sprint down the dark corridor, lifting up his discarded bag as he went.

"Hey, Ally."

Ally pried open her eyes, only to be greeted by two green ones. "Who are you?" she croaked.

"I'm Eli. Austin had to go take care of something, so he sent me to come get you."

She tilted her head in confusion. "Aus never mentioned and Eli."

"Oh, that's alright. Moon never seems to remember to mention his teammates."

"Teammates?"

"Yeah. Austin never told you?" He watched her shake her head as he turned on a faux smile. "We play hockey together. Us and the team, we have this brotherhood thing. He brought us down to the condo every year since he joined the team when we were fourteen. He showed us the tunnels when we played Man Hunt back then."

Ally sat up. But he said he rarely ever came here? She scrunched up her little face. "What happened to your nose?" There was a small trail of dried blood above his lip, as he had cracked it back into place.

Ethan shrugged it off. "Nothing much. I was just running when I got down here without a light. Ran straight into a wall. I guess I don't know this place as well as I thought."

"Oh."

"Yeah." Ethan took a step toward her. "Well, we should get going," he said, holding a hand out toward her.

Ally scrutinized it for a moment, and for gullible oblivion, took it as he lifted up her duffel bag. Ethan prepared to lead the way as a familiar voice called out, "Put one more hand on her, and I swear, your nose won't be the only thing broken."

Both the brunettes' heads bolted up, with very opposite reactions to the blonde's presence.

"Moon?"

"Austin!"

Ally stepped toward, and Ethan yanked her two steps back. She rubbed her shoulder in pain.

"Hey! I thought I told you to fuck off, Drock," Austin growled, taking a step toward the shorter boy.

Ethan shoved Ally behind him. "I did, man. That's why I went to Ally."

Austin curled his tongue behind his teeth. "You know what I mean."

Ethan opened his mouth to speak, but with a jolt of a lightbulb blowing up his head, he turned to an obviously puzzled Ally, a devious grin germinating on his juvenile features. "No, I don't Austin. Why don't you explain this to me- better yet, both of us?"

The taller boy seethed. That just about did it. He lunged for Drock, who, agile as he was, quickly slipped away from his grasp.

"Come on, Moon. Weren't you always the one to say to stay on top of things?" He slipped out of Austin's grasp again. "Don't be the first to attack?" And again. "Be the smartest in the room?" "Use your skill?" "Don't speak it?" "Throw aside weakness?" "Stay focused?" "Don't let anything get between you and the enemy?" Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again.

He was teasing, and in a struggle of desperation, Austin shot out an arm, latching tightly onto Drock's black jacket. Not a second for Ethan came to escape as he found the blonde's fist to his eye once more, and he stumbled back from the impact. It was as though he were a bullet, and ricocheted back to Austin as his fist rebounded in a similar fashion. Although, he wasn't the only one to have quick reflexes, as the taller of the two side-swept his arm and twisted it behind his back, cracking it upwards as he stepped on the back of Ethan's shin. Drock collapsed, and in a split-second effort to not let the victim escape, leapt up and had the stitches in his back bleeding once again, a searing pain shooting up his spine as his muscles rippled and contracted, and he fell to one knee.

The sound of clicking came quick as Austin lifted his head, his eyes only to meet Ally's mortified ones as she gasped, her hands fighting the death grip Ethan had on her waist, his fist pressed into the front of her throat as he held the shiny, polished switch-blade to the side of her throat.

"Right. Perfect. Just perfect, man." Ethan tsked as he planted his feet on the dirt floor behind the writhing girl. "That was a good one. 'Nothing between you and the enemy.' Was that scripted? I gotta give it to you, dude. That was perfect, the things you said back then. 'Nothing... no one...' Oh, man, that is just peachy. I'm actually pleased to remember some sort of advise from good 'ol 'Austin Moon, only the best in the business.'"

"Ethan..."

"Oh, what? Taking back wise words now, are we?"

"Austin, what's he talking about?" Said boy's eyes flickered to Ally's frightened ones, a mistake he'd have to pay for.

"Alls..."

"Oh, shit don't tell me this is her!" Drock hollered, his tone a bit too excited for the situation. "This is that 'Alls' girl you were always talking about? Oh crap, dude! This just keeps getting better!"

Austin shook his head. He'd never mentioned Ally to anyone, and he knew he was just playing into Ethan's game. At this rate, he was bound to lose that trust Ally had given him a shot at.

"And you're actually going to discard that rule, just for her? Gosh man, you got it bad!"

"Ethan," Austin glowered, already regretting his next words. "I need her, alive and well."

"Oh, I know all about that, man." Drock smirked. "Val has the same requirements. She just never said how well..."

A tense moment passed.

Austin inhaled, squeezing his eyes shut. "Ethan. Just. Let. Go."

"Hmm," Drock hummed. "Not feeling very persuaded, Moon."

The oldest of the three grit his teeth. "I'll get you out of the system."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Desperate now, aren't we, Moon?"

"Come, on Drock."

"Idiot. I'm not even in the reports. I'm virtually non-existent."

"Maybe not immediately. Your footprints are still there. But I can hack into the DPW software and pull you out completely. I'd be like you never existed. Just like a legend."

Drock lifted his chin. "How do I know you're not lying?"

"You ever seen me in the system?"

"Good point." He loosened his grip on Ally. Austin took an instinctive step toward them. "But-" he pulled her back again. "if I find any tomfoolery in this deal, you've run out of pity, just as Trent said."

Austin glanced nervously toward the poor fear-stricken girl. "Got it."

Ethan grinned deviously, slowly running the blade across Ally's neck until he drew a trickle of blood, then dropped his arms from behind her and shoved her toward the blonde.

She crashed into his body, her legs giving out as he caught her. His hard brown eyes were still trained on Drock.

"You get a head start," Drock warned, flipping the switch-blade closed, the small bit of blood still staining the tip. He tucked it back into his belt loop, bumping shoulders as he went past, probably to collect his fallen comrade. "Last bit of pity, man..." he called, before disappearing into the darkness.

Austin whipped his head toward the frail seventeen-year-old girl in his arms. "Ally?"

Her head, now buried in his chest, shook slightly. The rest of her body was trembling.

"Ally, please look at me," Austin pleaded, moving one of his large hands to the back of her head.

She shook her head again.

He lowered his head to the top of hers, his lips in her hair as he spoke. "Ally... Please..."

A beat passed before her head moved, and he pulled his away from hers as she stared up at him with those scared, innocent brown eyes. They glistened with oncoming moisture, which, in his hesitant timidity to speak, rolled down her soft white cheek as though it were burning through her skin. The dark chocolate waves of her hair now fell limp around her shoulders, the small trickle of blood from her throat running and flowing into the thick, soft strands.

"Al... are..." He bit his tongue. Of course she wasn't okay. He needn't have to ask.

She sunk her teeth into her lower lip and shook her head anyway.

The grip she had on his shoulders tightened, and he moved a hand to her face, a soft, terrifyingly comforting gesture. The tips of his fingers sunk into her hair, as his thumb swiped back and forth over her damp cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she leaned her head against his chest once again. She moved her hands, balling them up in fists by her chest as he encased her in his warmth, a scary, enigmatic warmth that she was afraid would dupe her into a false trust.

"I'm sorry, Alls. I'm so sorry... I know... just don't..." He buried his face in her hair. "I'm sorry."

She cried even harder. After all, she had just had a knife held to her throat, and for once, there was nothing Austin could do about it.

"There should be a ladder somewhere around here," Austin mumbled, running his hand over the firm wall as he gazed up at the ceiling. "It's just difficult to-"

"Is it that?"

His head whipped toward Ally, her head thrown back as she squinted up at something. He came and stood behind her, fixating his eyes on the crack in the ceiling, a thin sliver of light poking through the space. "That's it." Austin made his way to the wall closest to the crack, feeling around until his hand came in contact with a cool metal handle. Curling his fingers around it, he tensed his muscles as he yanked it out, revealing the steel ladder that had been hidden among the dirt wall. He turned back to Ally, opening his arms as a sort of showcase.

"Ladies first."

She stepped forward, touching the bottom metal rung. Her eyes trailed toward the top, where the tiny sliver of light stretched for about a yard. Swallowing her momentary doubts, she lifted her foot three feet off the ground to the bottom rung, and began to ascend the ladder. Gripping the steel side, she reached the point where her head was mere inches from the light, and she could see the parallel lines running perpendicular from both ends of the crack to the wall clearly now. A pair of arms closed over the sides of the ladder from behind her, and she realized that Austin was standing with his feet two rungs beneath hers, his head now level with hers. One of his arms moved up to the now clear rectangle on the ceiling, his fingers pulling one of the latches as the other arm flexed to keep him balanced.

The latch opened with a click, and Ally reached a hand up to push open the door. Immediately, salt-like grains filed through the opening, and they turned their heads to protect their eyes. A moment passed and she pushed again, allowing the door to swing open completely as she crawled up the last few steps, and back into the open. Her bag landed beside the door, and she shut her eyes at the sudden feeling of the sun peaking through the clouds, onto her face. She fell back, her elbow covering her eyes as she lay down in the soft sand.

Austin pulled himself up beside her, shutting the door tightly with the sounds of the ladder sliding back into the wall, and the reassuring click of the latch as he piled sand back over top of it to conceal its whereabouts. Ally shifted beside him, and he placed a hand on her arm. "Hey."

No response.

"Ally."

None.

"C'mon, Ally. Look at me."

Begrudgingly, the girl unshielded her face, and Austin silently wished she hadn't. He wasn't ready. He was anticipating anger, or rage, or sadness, but not this. She was confused. With the most innocent scrunch of her brows and tilt of her head, she was beyond puzzled. And that stung.

When Austin had been making his return trip, he hadn't known what he expected, nor what he wanted to expect. He didn't know if she'd become strong, or weak, but the one thing that's he'd been afraid of was that she'd lost her innocence. It described the little girl he knew, how sweet and gullible she was, despite her lack of unintelligence when it came to academics. And now, that fear had come back and bit him, because she still had that last bit of innocence, sitting right there in the sand before him, and he was gong to be the one to take it away. He was going to spoil everything he'd been holding so tightly onto, and he just couldn't live knowing that after all the things she'd suffered through while he was gone, she still had an ounce of oblivious innocence, and he had taken it away.

She was too good for that.

Austin gnawed the inside of his cheek as he stood, holding his hand out for her. "Let's go."

Whenever Ally had fallen asleep beside Austin, she had seemed to find him as a fairly comfortable pillow. This was no exception. She had avoided all forms of physical contact with him all afternoon, almost as if she were afraid to even touch him. But now, with her head buried within his jacket and a blanket draped over their legs, she couldn't seem to steal enough of his body heat. The day had been humid and muggy, and the night was turning chilly and damp, a telltale sign that they were no longer in the same Miami heat.

Austin watched the headlights of passing cars as they drove in the opposite direction of the bus, heading toward Florida. The large vehicle had its windows shut soundly, the whizzing of passing cars mute as the only noises were that of Ally's soft breathing, and the murmuring of the college-age identical twin girls toward the back. Austin and Ally's bags were at their feet, Ally's slightly open after she had fished out an old, brown leather book a few hours previous, half-way into the ride. She'd been clutching it to her chest when she fell asleep, and now it was held loosely in her two hands, ready to fall into Austin's lap at any time.

His eyes flickered to it. He wasn't allowed to touch it.

But then again, she wouldn't talk to him all afternoon.

But it was her private property.

But he had always wanted to know what had gone down when he was gone.

He glanced at it again. Was he really going to do this?

Was he really going to invade her thoughts, break apart all of her personal emotions, jeopardize any secrets of hers, just to see what he had missed out on?

Yes.

He was. He was going to do it, and he was not proud. At all.

Sucking in a breath and swallowing his guilt, he overlapped his warm, rough hands over her small, dainty ones. He gently ran his thumb over her knuckle, watching her hand loosen from the tattered book. Carefully, he coaxed her other hand from the book and took it into his own hands, holding his breath without daring to move as she wormed her cool hands into the confines of his hoodie, clutching his new, white t-shirt for all his warmth was worth. By then, half her body was practically in his lap. Austin let out a sigh of relief.

He shifted so that one arm circled her upper body, meeting the other in his lap, where he held the book with both hands. Ally moved her forehead to the crook of his neck, and he rested his chin atop of her hair. Austin caught a whiff of her watermelon-scented travel shampoo before he peeled open the book, cracking the spine as he turned to the first page.

A/N: So that happened... umm... yeah. Kind of uneventful, but I think Ethan threw enough at the poor girl for a day, don't you? It's alright, I have the next chap all planned out, with the aftermath and some rising questions ;)

But gosh, Austin curses a lot in here, doesn't he? Oops. Well, I kind of meant to do that, but... hmm.

The good news is, apparently, Ross has a new major movie role! ClevverTV says its a supernatural comedy written by the person who did 17 Again, so that'll be awesome! And Calum has two movies too I think? One's a Rom-com, so I want to see that!

Shoutouts: Sandra98, page12, AwkwardGirl16, TazzieLuv13, blueiscool, maddiegirl56, AustinAndAllyForeverX, R5-Folive-152, March to my own Heartbeat, and DaddysLittlePsycho

You guys are awesome, seriously. I love hearing your feedback, constructive criticisms, whatever it is, I really appreciate it. Love it? Hate it? Overrate it, understate it, you tell me!

Let's see if we can reach 48-50 reviews for next chap, yeah?

Keep Kool!

Bie!

-K8ie