No one's POV

Ally opened her eyes slowly only to close them again. Am I alive? she thought, weakly lifting her head up and it fell back down onto the dirt. She didn't even have the strength to lift her head.

She blinked once.

She blinked twice.

Everything felt sore and weak. Her elbows and knees stained with dry blood, and when she tried to get up, her body stung. She let out a small cry of pain as her body plopped back down.

Small waves caved around the left side every few seconds, swishing up and down calmly. She realized the river was more calm now than it had been when she fell.

How far did I go?

The last thing she remembered was falling in the river and immediately being knocked out by a large rock. And here she was.

After a few times of trying to get up, she gave up, putting her head down, tears forming and nuzzling herself in the soft dirt, knowing what was going to come next if she couldn't get up, and if she lay there long enough with no food or water.

And she knew it would happen all along the moment she fell into the river.

Austin was starving, but he didn't eat. He pushed aside his hunger and thought about what had just happened last night. He had gotten absolutely no sleep last night, even though he felt so tired he wanted nothing more than to just curl up and sleep, and as he slept, he'd sleep soundly and wake up to see Ally sitting on the side of his bed, singing a peaceful melody.

But that wasn't possible.

He couldn't sleep. Whenever his eyes closed in hope of sleep, they flew back open, because what he saw when he closed his eyes was all the same: Ally falling backwards off the cliff and into the water; Kira following, not a signal head popped out of the river, only blood.

Turning to his side, his gaze met Ally's songbook, and his heart sunk. But he held onto it as if it was all he had, and right now, it seemed as if it was all he had. His mother and father heard his soft sobs last night, and they were now aware that Ally was dead, but they had to work to put food at the table; Cassidy had went to school, unlike him because his parents wanted him to skip school today. And Austin was thankful for that, he was in no condition to go to school. He was still a mess and in need of a shower, but he felt no need to do anything but lay there and soak in his own grief.

He inhaled the book, knowing that it must have looked weird if someone had been watching him but he wouldn't even care if someone was watching him; if they had something to say about it then they'd say it themselves rather they thought he was creepy or abnormal.

"Ally..." he whispered, not expecting a reply. "Ally," he repeated. "Oh, Ally." He tugged it closer to him and cried. "Why did have to leave me?" Because she loves you. She saved you, and everyone else, a voice rang in his head.

Kira was the reason Ally was dead. Anger surged through Austin. She's responsible for this!

He was interrupted when the doorbell rang.

Groaning, Austin got up, knowing that he couldn't just leave whoever it was waiting. "Coming!" he called weakly, snatching the songbook and putting his arms around it so it was safely secured, buried in his chest. For a moment it almost felt as if it wasn't a book at all, but Ally's head on his chest. But he looked down, and no one was there, just him and the leather book as they walked together slowly down the stairs.

Austin opened the door to see Vanessa. "Oh, hi Vanessa," he greeted, sniffing.

"Hey," she replied weakly, her face red and puffy telling Austin that she wasn't taking this any easier.

"What are you doing here? Not that I mind, but-"

"Elliot is...not doing so good. This morning I found him passed out on the couch."

He's drinking his pain away, Austin realized. "Oh." He shuffled his feet.

"I just had to get out. I couldn't stay there. So, here I am," she concluded, gesturing her arms with a weak smile.

"Well, come in then," he invited, knowing that maybe some company would do him good.

They sat down on the couch in silence. "What do you got there?" Vanessa asked, pointing at the songbook that she couldn't really see over his arms that were draped around it.

"Oh, Elliot didn't tell you? He...He gave me Ally's songbook." He held it up for her to see.

"No, he didn't mention it. Why did he give it to you?"

"Dunno, I-I guess he trusted me. And-And for me it's...like having her with me. I can breath in her scent, hold it liked I held her…" he trailed off when he realized Vanessa was right there, and he was rambling on about Ally. He put his head down. "Sorry. I could talk about Ally for hours."

"It's okay." Vanessa looked somewhat amused. "She does-" she paused "-did it too. She always found something new to say about you. She rambled on and on about you. She annoyed the heck out of Elliot but I knew that he was happy that she found love again."

Austin was about to reply, but he didn't know how.

Vanessa put her hand on the songbook and ran it down the faded A. "S-She never let me touch it," she whimpered, looking like she was going to burst into a pool of tears.

"Come here." He pulled Vanessa closer. "I miss her too."

They were both holding the songbook, as if it were all they would ever have.

When they pulled away, Austin looked into her brown eyes, and she turned into Ally; before he knew it his lips were pressed against Vanessa's. "Whoa!" Vanessa looked shocked as she pushed him away, hands on his chest, her voice quiet, but her her eyes widened with shock. "What was that about?"

"Uh- I- Er-" he stuttered. You idiot! Stupid stupid stupid! he scolded himself.

"I...Think I should go." She stood up slowly, still shocked that he'd kiss her.

"Vanessa I'm so sorry," Austin finally got out. "Oh, God, I'm sorry. It's not- I wasn't trying to…" He still was trying to get his thoughts together.

"I...I'll see you later…" she backed up and before he could walk her to the door she was already gone, confusion on her face as she drove away he'd ever kiss her.

She doesn't understand. I wouldn't expect her too. All I know is that Vanessa isn't Ally, and she'll never be, no matter how I try to imagine, Ally's gone…

Woah. I hope you liked it. The last chapter will be out soon and HOW THE HELL DO YOU DO THOSE FACES WERE YOU HAVE TO LIKE CHOOSE BETWEEN A HAPPY FACE AND A SAD FACE?! PLEASE TELL ME BECAUSE I SPENT LIKE FIVE MINUTES TRYING TO DO IT AND I GOT NOTHING PLEASE PUT IT IN YOUR REVIEW CAUSE I COMPLETELY SPACED OUT ON HOW TO DO IT.

Anyway...Byeee 😊👋