Guyss, I am on a roll! I've updated like three chapters in the past week, and now I'm uploading this one! I also am already halfway through the next chapter! Can you believe that?

I hope you guys don't hate me for Leo's passing. I'm saddened by it too, I promise, but you'll see my point as the storyline continues.

I hope you guys enjoy!

Question: Does anyone know if Courtney and Ross have broken up? If they have, and I'm extremely late, I'm sorry, but I can't find proof anywhere. So, I don't know if it is a rumor or not. If you guys now, please leave the answer down in the review box! :))

Onto the chapter...

NOT EDITED.

Everywhere that Ally went, she was surrounded by Leo.

Texts kept coming a week after the funeral to give condolences. Miniature things around Ally's room; things he had gotten her, left at her house, or the numerous amounts of pictures. The cheer team. The roses and pictures in front of Leo's locker at school. Everything.

While Ally wanted to mope, she did not allow herself. As soon as school started back the week after the funeral, Ally threw herself into her studies, into being cheer captain. She had taken up rearranging the entire house whenever she ran out of things do. She never allowed herself time to breathe. That was her goal.

Trish walked into Ally's room, confusion immediately controlling her features when seeing clothing scattered throughout Ally's bedroom, but no Ally.

"Al?"

"In here!"

Walking towards the closet, Trish sidestepped a flying shirt. "Sorry." Ally apologized, taking a step back as she wiped her forehead. Ally smiled.

"Hey, T. What's up?"

Trish looked around. "Ally, why is the majority of your closet in your bedroom?" Trish asked, sitting on the bean bag in the corner. Her closet was too big.

"I've decided to do a clear out. Get rid of things that don't fit, I don't want, or I don't like anymore." Ally shrugged. Trish's eyes widened. "Ally, your entire closet is basically gone."

Ally chuckled before turning back to her 'clearing out'. Trish cleared her throat, hesitant. "Ally..are you doing this because Leo was the one that organized your closet?"

Ally froze, her eyes glazing over with a harsh glare directed towards her best friend. "No, Trish. I'm just clearing out my damn closet. How does that have anything to do with Leo?"

Trish held up her hands in defense. "Nothing, Ally. I'm just asking a question. I mean, I know you do a New Year clear out every year, but this is a little overboard. I mean, your entire house is different. Your entire room is different, and now, you are basically getting rid of every item of clothing you own. That's a little much for a New Year's resolution."

Ally rolled her eyes before forcing a smile back on her face. Trish did not miss it.

"There is nothing wrong with what I am doing. Just a little something new, that is all."

"Well, then change your hair. Get a new workout routine, rearrange your room, but don't get rid of everything. Al, you are crazed by grief. Whenever you snap out of it, you'll regret it. I promise." Trish tried, but Ally forcefully glared.

"Trish, I am not up for any sort of advice. What I am doing is what I choose to do, and it has nothing to do with you. Got it? Good." Ally snapped, making Trish flinch. With that, she walked out of the closet.

"Damn," Trish muttered under her breath. Hearing the sound of Ally's phone on her shoe rack, Trish leaned over to answer it.

Finally, I was getting worried there for a minute, gorgeous.

Trish sighed, leaning back into the bean bag. Apparently, she was ignoring Austin's calls as well.

"Austin? It's Trish."

Hey, T. Where is Ally?

Trish looked out of the closet to see if she could spot Ally, but she was nowhere to be found.

"I think downstairs. I take it you have been trying to reach her all day?"

Yeah, I was getting worried. Has she been ignoring my calls?

"I think so. I was trying to reach her earlier, got worried, and came over. Granted, she was knee deep in clearing out her closet, but her phone was still on loud, so." Trish explained, looking over her shoulder to make sure Ally had not magically appeared again.

She is what? Christ, she has already cleared out her bedroom. Is her closet next?

Trish nodded, although he could not see her. "I'm worried about her. I mean, I'm taking it hard, but I'm grieving like normal. Ally is not letting herself grieve and it's starting to frighten me."

Trish heard Austin sigh. I think she is going through a freaky five stages of grief type thing. I think she is angry, although that is the first one, she has already done the denial, which is stage two.

Trish groaned. "I need my best friend right now. She is here physically, but mentally.."

Austin sighed. I know. I know.

Hearing footsteps travel up the stairs, Trish panicked. "I gotta go, talk to you later. She is coming back, and I don't want her to be angry with me for answering her phone. Bye."

Not giving him a chance to answer, Trish hung up the phone, leaning to place it back where it was. Seconds later, Ally returned with a garbage bag. "Help me?"

/

It had been two weeks since Leo's funeral. And, for the first time since Austin and Ally's relationship began, Austin could finally say that Ally was annoying the hell out of him, but not in a way that others might think.

Ever since the passing of Leo and the funeral, Ally had been on a rampage of productivity. Completely ignoring everything and everyone around her as her main focus was on her next project.

In the past two weeks, Austin had barely seen his girlfriend, and he would like to think that this would be when she needed him the most. However; it seemed like that was not the case.

"Ally?" Austin called out to her as he took a seat next to her in their sixth period.

She stayed silent, completely consumed in whatever she was writing onto her notepad. Usually, Austin's greetings consisted of pet names or her nicknames, however; he stopped those two days ago when she went to completely ignore everyone until she could not anymore.

"Ally." Placing a hand on her shoulder, Austin forcefully turned her to look at him. "What?" She had snapped. Something that was not rare upon interacting with her anymore. "Can you put down the damn pencil for a couple of minutes to talk to me, your boyfriend," Austin argued, growing irritated at her attitude. He knew she was going through a lot right now but damn it.

Ally sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose to calm herself and the oncoming headache.

"What, babe." The pet name was out of mockery, and it sure as hell was not meant to be a question, but he ignored it.

"Do you want to come out with Trish, Shane, Dez, and I to the boardwalk tonight?"

The way she stared at him made him angry as if asking her to come was a crime or something that should not have happened. Like it was below her.

"No, not tonight," she simply rejected, and Austin held back the groan that wanted so badly to fall from his lips. "Why not," he asked slowly, controlling his temper, something he had been doing for the past two weeks now.

Something in her clicked whenever returning back to her normal life. Austin was not staring at the same girl that was crying her heart out in his bedroom while he held her.

"I have plans." Austin furrowed his eyebrows.

"Who do you have plans with? All of your friends are going out tonight, which I'm trying to invite you too, and your father is out of town. I sure as hell know it is not your mother, so tell me, who else do you have plans with." He spoke sharply. Others looked around at the couple in concern. It was not usual that they saw Austin Moon and Ally Dawson bickering in the middle of a classroom.

Ally sighed, running her fingers through her hair.

"Austin, it is none of your damn business where I am going tonight. Okay?"

"Actually, I would like to think it is some kind of my business when it comes to you."

Ally snapped her head towards him, anger sparking in her eyes. "Austin, I'm your girlfriend. Not your fucking property, so back the fuck off."

Austin felt his mouth drop slightly and went to argue with her before the teacher arrived, starting the lecture.

Throughout the class, Austin kept shooting glances at Ally, but she was acting completely normal. Taking notes and paying attention. However; the only thing that was off was the lack of constant whispers and giggles between the two. In fact, both failed to say a word to each other until the bell rang.

"Ally, can you wait for just a second." Austin tried, but she was already out the door. Austin growled, placing his elbows on the desk before placing his head in his hands.

"Girl troubles, son?"

Austin looked up to see Mr. Maxwell, their teacher taking a seat on the table beside them. Austin sighed before shaking his head. "Something like that."

Maxwell hummed. "Wanna talk about it, I may have a few years on you, but I'm not too old to understand how the girl mind works."

Austin sighed. "It isn't really her if that makes sense. She lost her best friend, Leo Thompson, three weeks ago, and she has been off ever since," Austin admitted, and Maxwell nodded thoughtfully.

"She is angry. I can tell she is angry, but she doesn't act like it until you are on her case about something. She has thrown herself into anything and everything that can keep her busy. She won't allow herself to breathe, and God, I can't help but worry sick about her. She has already been through so much shit this past year, and if I'm being honest, I'm scared to death I'm gonna lose her too," Austin ranted, finally getting his depressing thoughts off of his chest, although he did not realize that it would be to a teacher.

Maxwell frowned down at the young male.

"Grief makes people do some things that you would never imagine. I went through something like that at her age. I was honor roll student, straight A's, football team captain, full ride to college, and was graduating top ten in my class. I lost my best friend since pre-school right before graduation. I was a mess. I made some bad decisions after graduation, decisions I'm not proud of, but I can tell you from personal experiences. My friends and my girlfriend were there for me through every step of the way for an entire year. I can't tell you how many times they wanted to give up on me, and one of those friends were also extremely close to my best friend as well, but he put his grief aside to help me through mine. I made stupid decisions, landed myself in jail, and broke it off with my girlfriend, who is now my wife. I was grief-stricken, more so than I thought I was." Maxwell took a breath, turning to the door that Ally had just left out of.

"But, if it were not for my friends, I would probably be dead by now. The world is a cruel, harsh place, Austin. In high school, they don't teach teenagers things like that, which causes teens to do something rash things that affect them and those around them drastically. I'm sure Ally is not in her right mind. No matter how hard it may be, don't give up on her. She needs you more than ever right now."

Austin shook his head. Thoughts and images flashing through his mind. He could never give up on her, ever.

"She may not know that she needs you. She'll look over you like you are nothing. But, I promise you, the simple fact of knowing that your there is keeping her going. Knowing that when, not if, when she breaks down, she'll have you.

Austin nodded.

"I'm here if you ever need to talk. Okay? I also know that Leo and Ally were attached at the hip, so I was positive upon hearing the news that she would not take it so well. But, I also know that you were good friends with him too, so, my door is always open, just like many other teachers."

Austin smiled, standing. "Thank you, Mr. Maxwell."

"Anytime, son."

/

Austin paced back and forth in Ally's room. Multiple things running through his mind, mostly the conversation he had, had with Mr. Maxwell in his classroom nearly a week and a half ago.

It had been a month since Leo's passing, and three and a half weeks since the funeral. Ally was still, if not more, distant. She had gone from snapping at people, to completely ignoring them in passing. Austin had not had a real conversation with his girlfriend since New York.

God, what he would give to go back to New York. The trip was short lived, but he loved seeing Ally in that environment. It fit her. Everything at the beginning of the month happened so quickly. One minute they were in the middle of the condo in New York, and the next they were sitting in a pew at the church house. How had that happened?

Now, the girl he loved was no longer the girl he had fallen in love with. She was completely different. It amazed him really.

It was unbelievable that someone could change that quickly in such a short amount of time. Ally was changing in front of everyone, but no one had seemed to notice until it got bad enough, other than Austin himself.

She was no longer that carefree girl who laughed at nothing in the most awkward situations. The one who stood in front of a window as it thunder-stormed outside, completely amazed by the lightning strikes in the sky. The someone that laughed at the corniest jokes he had ever heard. The one who stole his food without asking in the most adorable way possible that made it okay. She no longer smiled at everyone while walking down the hallway. No longer the girl who curled into the passenger seat of his truck, screaming the lyrics that played on the radio. No longer the one who took joyrides or ice-cream runs with her friends at two a.m.

He missed that laugh. He missed that smile. He missed that adorableness. He missed that girl.

A yelp pulled him from his thoughts as he turned to spot Ally. She placed a hand to her chest and laughed before shooting him a smile. Fake.

"Gosh, Austin. You scared me. What are you doing here?"

She walked in, placed her bag on the hook behind her door, and sat on the bed. No greeting hugs or kisses. No teasing or tackling.

"I needed to talk to you." He stated seriously, leaning against her desk with his arms crossed over his chest.

She raised her eyebrows in curiosity before nodding at him to continue. Not an ounce of worry crossed her face. Shouldn't that sentence or statement freak her out?

Austin stayed silent, honestly not expecting to get this far with her.

"What did you want to talk about, Austin?" She urged.

"I need you to come back to me." His statement was simple, and Ally grew confused. "Austin, what are you talking about. I never left you, silly." Her sentence was slow, and Austin felt a spark of hope as he saw the worry cross her face quickly. She was scared of losing him.

"Maybe not. But this person you've become is not my girlfriend. I don't know who she is, and I don't know what it'll take to get her back, but." Austin glowered at her, not easing up. If tough love was what it would take, then that was what she would get.

Ally furrowed her eyebrows. "Austin, I don't understand what you are talking ab-"

"Yes, you do, Ally!" He yelled, and Ally jumped. While Austin and Ally have had their fair share of arguments, Austin yelling at Ally was always a rare sight to see. "You don't see what you are doing! How you act, but I do! This is not you! Where in the hell are you in there!"

Ally took a step back, her eyes wide, but her demeanor calm while slightly confused.

Austin stood, waiting for her to say something. "Are you seriously not going to say anything?"

Ally shrugged. "What do you want me to say, Austin? I have no idea what you are talking about."

Austin was livid. "Ally, in the past three years I've known you, you have never acted like this."

Suddenly, something in Ally had snapped.

"How in the fuck do you want me to act, Austin!" She shouted, anger dripping from her voice like venom. Austin smirked. This is what he wanted.

"Huh? What do you expect me to do! Run down the halls skipping while singing the fucking campfire song? I lost my best fucking friend! I saw him three days prior, texted him that morning only to get a call that he was dead. My best friend in the entire world is gone! I'll never get to see him again, ever. You don't know how that feels!"

Tears were falling like a waterfall, but still, this is what Austin wanted. He wanted a reaction. He wanted that spark that he knew was still in there. That spark to know that she was still a spitfire with determination running through her like the blood running her veins.

Both held eye contact, neither wanting to break it. That was until Ally collapsed, cupping her face in her hands as she sobbed.

This is what she was trying to avoid. The pain of remorse ripping through her chest like a wildfire never to cease. It hurt.

"It hurts." She whimpered, and for a spilt-second, Austin was sorry that he did this to her. "It hurts so damn bad."

Austin kneeled before her, finally taking her into his arms for the first time in three weeks. Austin clenched her tightly, wanting nothing but to put her broken pieces back together. Ally responded, wrapping herself around him like a vine, shaking like a leaf that was about to fall.

"I'm so sorry." Ally whimpered into his shoulder. "I'm so, so sorry."

He rocked them back and forth. While he hated being the one to do it, she needed this.

"Shh, gorgeous. It's okay. You'll be okay."

As her crying subsided, they still sat in the middle of her floor, Austin leisurely rocking them back and forth.

"I love you." It was soft with a crack of emotion in the middle, but he missed hearing her say that so much.

Kissing her temple, he moved to place a soft kiss on her lips before kissing away some of her tears.

"I love you, gorgeous." He pulled her into his shoulder again. "So damn much."

There you go, guys. I hope you enjoyed!

A lot of people will not approve of Ally's attitude, but I hope you all understand that grief makes you do some crazy, stupid things. She is not meaning to hurt the people she loves, all she can think about is avoiding anything and everything that keeps her from feeling that remorse of Leo's passing.

Next chapter will be quite a time skip! Two months. Closer to graduation for Austin, spring break with the warmer weather, and some unexpected page turners ;)) I don't know when that should be up, but I do know it'll be soon considering I'm half-way through it.

Happy New Year!

God Bless.

~Meg