Just to let you know this chapter is very sad and gave me feels writing it. But it'll get better, I promise :). I own nothing.

"Austin! Please talk to me!" Ally's voice was desperate now, and all she wanted was an answer. Just something. What could Austin be hiding that he just couldn't tell her? She panted as she struggled to keep up with him. But he didn't answer.

He had been avoiding him all day, and she couldn't take this anymore. This horrible pain. If anything, the demand for him to tell her only made Austin go faster.

"You won't understand! Just drop it!" Austin snapped as he crossed the street away from Marino High. But Ally couldn't drop it. It was funny how she could get almost anything from Austin, but know it seemed impossible.

"I will! Just tell me!" she demanded. "How are we ever going to work out our differences if we don't talk about them?" Austin stopped and turned to face her. Finally, Ally thought. some cooperation. He walked up to her and hugged her. She smiled as she felt sparks rush though her body.

"You're right," he admitted. "Okay. This may sound crazy but... Ross came to me... in a dream."

This wasn't expected for her to hear. Ross? She opened her mouth but it felt dry. She swallowed. "Oh," was all she could say. Austin shook his head in disapproval.

"See, that's exactly how I knew you would respond." He walked Away slowly, but Ally stopped him, feeling anger bubble in her stomach. There was nothing that could explain it. Part of her wanted to tell Austin everything was okay, the other half, well, wanted to pull her hair out and exclaim, "That's not what I said!"

Ally looked straight into Austin's eyes. She wanted to find what was in that head of his. He was still waiting for an answer of why she tugged him back. Once again, Ally experienced a loss of words. "I wasn't... I didn't..." she stuttered.

"Really? Because I think that's exactly what you were saying," he frowned and walked away; but then turned to face her. "You don't know what it's like- to have no one but your sister to depend on, and half of the time, she's not there because she has to work and go to school to support you." Austin looked close to tears. "And to come home to know that the only family you know is dead. To cry every single day, longing to have them back. And I know that I'm just being stupid and need to get over myself, but I just can't. All my life I felt for some unknown reason that I have to prove myself. To everyone. You don't know how it felt to have everyone stare at you because of were you came from." Austin's voice started to crack.

"Austin, look I'm sorry okay? But you can't keep on reflecting on the past! That will only make you feel worse inside. You have to focus on what you have now. It's going to be okay," she argued, but Austin didn't agree.

"No! Stop making this all about you! It's not about you. And don't tell me that everything will be okay, because I know that it won't. And you only tell me that because you don't want to deal with my whining." Right there, Ally knew he was wrong. Oh, so I'm selfish now? She was about to protest, but was interrupted. His voice quieted down. "If you love me, leave me alone and just stop following me! I don't need you, I never needed you, or Piper, or anyone. I'm better off alone."

She watched him angry and quickly walk away; this time, Ally didn't follow. She stayed were she was, wondering what had gotten into Austin. Her heart literally felt like it was breaking. What did she do that was so wrong? She didn't expect him to even say that. Ally tried her hardest to understand what he was going through.

But then that brought her back to what started to the whole thing.

His brother... coming in his dreams...?

How was that possible?

Ally shook her head, trying to get Austin out of her mind. She needed to focus on herself right now. She needed to find a suitable college. Because before anything, education was the most important. Ally had always gotten that lecture from her dad.

But Austin stilled crossed her mind, and that was something she could never get out of her mind since the day she met the blond.

The brunette didn't even bother to take the bus today. Austin was far off to his house now, and that's where she needed to be, too. She forced her stiff legs to move.

The rest of the night, Ally locked herself in her room. And all she did in that time was cry, even though she felt stupid doing it. "Stop whining, get yourself together!" she yelled at herself through a puddle of tears. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! You should be there for him, not feeling sorry for yourself! And the worst part is... you don't even know what you did! He lost everything, and look what you have! A family. It may be broken, but no one is dead!"

Ally continued to sob. This pain was too much. It's not your fault. IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. But the other side of her thought otherwise. I was the one. It was all me.

Austin's words echoed in her head. "You only tell me that because you don't want to deal with my whining." And those where the words that hurt her most. It wasn't true, and Austin knew it. "I never needed you, or Piper, or anyone. I'm better off by myself." That's what made her the most angry at him.

She never told him everything would be alright because she was sick of his whining. "I love him!" Ally yelled to herself. "Why would he even think..." she let out a growl of frustration. She was just thankful that no one was home to hear it. They were out bowling. It sounded like fun but she refused to go. "I love him." The brunette repeated, this time whispering, laying on her bed and looking into the light that seemed so bright.

"And I was so stupid to actually think he cared! To think that someone cared!"

The brokenhearted girl turned away from the light that was blinding her eyes and buried her head into the pillow. Tears fell on it. More tears. She would do anything for Austin to just be happy through this hard time. No matter how hard she hoped or prayed. But she still tried.

"Look God, I want you to watch over Austin and help him. He's going through such a rough time. All I can do is be there for him, but I need to learn to except that he doesn't want my pity. He's independent. But I know he's just trying to act that way because he's too proud. So I ask you: if you could just somehow... help his situation. Please. I know he didn't mean what he said." Ally said through quiet sobs.

For once, she ignored the voice in her head that said she was useless. If she could easily come to God, then she could do anything.

Her tears started to dry, and she sat up in her bed and budded her knees. Austin... doesn't need me...

...

The next morning Ally woke up, feeling empty inside. Was this how Austin felt? She sat at the table across from Patrick, not saying a word. She once again watched her brother stuff his face with pancakes. Austin loved pancakes.

Snap out of it Dawson! He doesn't need you. You heard him yourself.

But of course, she didn't listen to the voice inside her head; everything reminded her of him and there was nothing those voices could do to stop it.

Lester placed her plate of pancakes in front of her. Ally groaned and pushed them away. "I'm not hungry."

"I'll take them," Patrick offered almost instantly.

"Help yourself," she said miserably. Her father frowned. Patrick smiled, pushing his other plate away so he could eat her pancakes.

"Ally? Are you okay?" Lester questioned worryingly.

"Yes I'm very happy." Ally lied, not even bothering to fake a smile.

"Ally," Lester said more firmly. She sighed, honestly not wanting to remind herself of what happened.

"Austin and I... had a fight... and he said some things."

"Young love can be so difficult at your age, especially-"

"Dad," she cut him off. Ally had heard this speech from her father many times, and she didn't want to hear it again. "Please. It's fine."

Liar! a voice yelled. And it was right. It wasn't fine. The only person in her life that understood was mad; angry at the world. Ally didn't blame him. Lester silenced to her surprise and sat at the table, drinking his coffee.

"Wait," Patrick interrupted. "I thought Austin was suppose to be the good guy."

"Me too Patrick. Me too..." her voice cracked. "But," she swallowed the tears. "It is what it is."

...

The whole day was a cold dead blur for Ally. Austin wasn't at school, and that worried her. What if he wasn't there on purpose? It seemed like she was living in the world before Austin was there.

People picked on her and Austin wasn't there to protect her, being like her night in shining armor. But he wasn't there to be that, and if he was, she wouldn't know what to do. Would he talk to her? Maybe I just need to get used to it, she thought sadly.

Still part of her knew that there was still a chance for them, and that Austin was just upset in ways she couldn't understand. It was a big part of her; and Austin was a big part of her.

Her only comfort was Trish. She told her the whole thing about Austin. "...and he said he didn't need anyone, including me," she finished. Trish closed her locker and answered.

"No, no. He's wrong," the Latino concluded.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Ally warned. "He sounded so serious." She took herself back to the memory when he seemed so angry about what the world had taken from him. Trish looked like she was going to say something but she dropped it.

"So... what are you gonna do?" she asked as if she regretted asking. Ally hesitated, not honestly knowing what to say. For one thing she didn't know what to do. All she knew was that she wanted him to hold her in him arms again, to be her night it shining armor, to be there for her.

"I...I don't know," she admitted.

"Look Ally, I don't think this is so bad. Soon enough, Austin is going to realize that you're the one that he needs most. You're the one that helped him through everything. And all you have to do is wait it out. Austin loves you, just give it time."

Her friends' advice wasn't bad, it was really good and sounded professional. "Maybe you're right," she muttered. "Thanks." Trish nodded and gave her a pat on the shoulder and left her alone.

Only then Ally realized that the bell had rung. She quickly made her way to the last period of the day- Social Studies, which of course was a blur too.

But it didn't seem to last long, and Ally was free. She burst out the doors in relieve that the horror of school was finally over. It was only Tuesday but the next day would be half way though the week. Ally loved school, but without Austin in it it felt so empty.

So kinda sad but I feel proud of this one. It'll get better :). Please review thank you!