Hey. For the people who were wondering if I based the last chapter off of the new GMW on Friday- yes. I really loved the episode and forgiveness is an important thing.

Anyway, here's a longer chapter for you guys :)

Austin picked at his food. He wasn't very hungry, even though he hadn't ate all day. He didn't want to. It had only been a day since the fire. Austin got released from the hospital just this morning. He didn't feel happy because he was free. He'd only be happy if Ally got released too.

Him, Piper, Trish, and Dez were at the cafeteria in the hospital.

He felt Piper nudge him. "Eat."

"I don't want to," he muttered angrily.

"I bought this disgusting hospital food for you know eat it," she snapped.

"Lay off!" He felt anger in his vains. He was already miserable and angry at the world because of all the bad stuff happening. But at the same time he couldn't be mad at her without feeling bad. She was going through a lot. And plus just a day ago Lincoln, the school she was teaching at, burnt down. "You're not the only one that's going through a hard time!" Stop, a voice rang in his head. But he didn't listen to it. "Get over yourself-"

"Don't tell me what to do!" Piper interrupted. "And if you had a day in my shoes you wouldn't be too happy either!"

"You think you have it bad? My fiancé might die and all you can think about is how depressed and miserable you are. 'Oh I'm Piper and I'm depressed because everyone I love leaves me,'" he mimicked her terribly. "Why don't you just grow up?"

"Why don't you just-"

"Stop fighting!" Dez interrupted. "No one ever solved anything fighting."

"Shut up Dez!" they said at the same time.

Dez slumped down in his seat and sighed.

"No you guys shut up," Trish finally spoke up, her voice firm. "We're all going through a hard time. All of us. Austin, be a good boy and eat your food; and don't blame Piper for being down in the dumps; Piper, take it easy on him, he's going through something that none of the rest of us can understand." Her tone calmed as she patched up the argument.

"Well said," Dez said, and she smiled at him.

"Sorry," Austin said quietly.

"Sorry," Piper said in the monotone.

Austin looked at his plate, and looked back at Piper. "You look weak," she said. "I know it's not the best food but please just have a few bites. You look half-starved."

He took a few bites of the mac in cheese, and his stomach started to feel better. He hadn't eaten anything since yesterday, and that was only cereal for breakfast. "Thanks for the food Pips," he said, feeling bad for the things he said to her even though he said he was sorry.

"No problem." She glanced at the stroller next to her where Jason was. He was asleep. "Well, Jason and I should go home. I gotta grade some-" she cut herself off. She almost forgot she wasn't a teacher anymore. "Bye," she waved, not bothering to correct her mistake. She took the stroller and exited the cafeteria.

"I'm worried about her," Trish said as soon as she was gone.

"She's not herself," Austin added. "She hasn't been for a long time." And she wasn't. She hadn't been herself, really, since Elliot left. She was only getting worse. She was going to explode, holding it in like that. But what could he do?

When Austin got home, he plopped on the couch.

He missed Ally.

A lot.

He was tired, but he didn't want to sleep. Because all he had since the fire was nightmares. Nightmares that haunted his dreams. Fire didn't belong in his dreams. The nightmares seemed so real, and never-ending. Most of them were about Ally dying, and him begging her not to go, and all she said was "I will be fine". Some of them were about both him and Ally dying in the school, like they thought they would. Maybe it would be better that way, if they died together. Maybe he wouldn't be in so much pain right now. And maybe she wouldn't be in so much pain.

Sighing, Austin closed his eyes.

He saw the school on fire. He saw Ally begging for him not to go in. He saw firemen, trying with all of their mite to but the flames out...

Austin opened his eyes quickly. Stop doing this! he begged himself.

He looked at his phone, that lit of on the coffee table. It was an unknown number, but he picked it up anyway. "Hello?"

"Austin!" a familiar voice exclaimed. It seemed jumpy.

"Hazel?" he asked surprisingly. Why would she be calling? He didn't have her number of course, but he didn't know she had a phone.

"Yeah, I-"

"Why are you calling?"

"I need you to listen. Patrick is hurt!"

"What happened?" he asked, sitting up.

"I'll explain when you get here. We're at the park. Bring a first aid kit if you have one- and hurry!"

Austin hung up the phone and grabbed the first aid kit out of the kitchen where it had been, and drove to the park.

It was raining heavily, and Austin tried his best not to speed, especially in the rain, but Patrick was hurt. It must have been really bad. Hazel sounded like she was going to cry.

He took a deep breath and left the first aid kit in the car. Patrick was coming to his house to get cleaned up.

When he got to the park, he spotted Hazel, crouching over a bloody body. It was Patrick's. Austin winced. As he got closer, Hazel noticed his presence and hugged him. "Thank God you're here," she said through her tears.

He nodded a little and pulled away from the hug, slowly approaching Patrick's body.

He gasped.

Patrick's whole body was gushing with blood, scratches, and bruises. Both of his eyes were closed, and black. His arms and legs had blood and bruises on them. The sight was scary.

"Patrick?" he asked quietly. He almost looked died, but his breaths rose and fell; it repeated over and over again. But they were faint, and a little forced. "Hey, Pat." Austin shook him a little.

"Aus...Austin?" he whispered hoarsely.

"That's right." He let Patrick lean on his shoulder for support while Hazel supported his other side. "C'mon, lets get you cleaned up."

The car ride home was silent. Patrick's eyes were opened slightly, he looked exhausted. Hazel was in the back with him, staring at him with concern. Austin knew they liked each other; they were best friends. But it could blossom into something more other the years, he thought silently.

When they got inside, Austin and Hazel set him down in the couch. "Okay," Austin started, "tell me what happened."

"Well... H-Hazel and I went to the park after school to work on homework. We were going to meet some friends there. But a few minutes after we got there..." his voice trailed off.

Hazel helped him. "Danny and a group of his 'friends' came and... they hurt him real bad," she said slowly.

Austin clenched his fist into a ball. "Stupid kid," he muttered angrily. He didn't understand. "I told you to tell the principal!" He tried to control his anger. He didn't want Patrick to be even more upset and scared than he already was.

"I did!" Patrick said loudly. "He may be able to be controlled inside of school but outside..."

Austin grew silent. "Hold still," was all he said as he applied bandages on him and soaked a cloth and put it on his eyes.

After about twenty minutes of silence, Austin took the cloth off. "Why didn't you call your father? Or even Sidney?" he asked, trying to be gentle. He wasn't really mad at Patrick, just the people that did these horrible things to him. It wasn't his fault he was treated so bad. What did he do to deserve that kind of pain?

"I don't know, I thought you'd handle it better."

"Okay, but call him so he knows where you are, and maybe you two can spend the night." He nodded towards them. "If your parents are okay with it." He looked at Hazel.

"Oh, I hope so. My parents have been fighting, and my older sister is away. She moved to New York about four years ago. She went to MUNY and decided-"

"Hazel," Austin interrupted. "What is your sisters name? Ally and I went to MUNY, maybe we know her."

"Ridley," she answered.

Ridley. She had became one of Austin's really close friends, and she was Ally's roommate. "Oh, she was Ally's roommate. I knew she reminded me of someone."

"Wow, it is really a small world," the girl smiled.

"Yes it is," he smiled back. "Now ask your parents if you can spend the night, I can use some company."

Hazel called her mom and Patrick called Lester and to Austin's surprise, both of their parents said it was okay, as long as they were home at a certain time. Their stuff was dropped off, and they set it in the guest room.

It was almost 4. "Hey Hazel, think fast!" Patrick said as he threw Austin's basketball. It hit her face, and she looked at him crossly.

"What was that for?"

"I said think fast," he shrugged.

"Idiot," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"You only say that because you like me," he smiled for the first time. It was about an hour later, and Patrick was feeling a lot better. The three were just hanging out in the living room.

"Whatever."

"You know you do," he nudged her gently, and she smiled.

"If you tell me I'll tell you."

"Okay, the way I feel about you is..." he head went down and his eyes closed, as if he just died right there in that couch.

"Patrick?" she asked nervously.

No answer.

Austin was trying not to laugh at this point. He knew Patrick was pretending to be dead.

"Patrick?" she said again. His eyes remained closed and his head stayed down. "I hate you!" She walked out of the room. And as soon as she left, one eye opened to make sure she was gone, and the other opened when he was sure she was; he laughed. (1)

"You're good at that stuff man," Austin laughed

"It's a gift."

The rest of the night, Austin took the seventh graders the MacDonalds and a movie. It got things off of his and their minds. He had so much on his mind. By the time the movie was over he knew he didn't have time to visit Ally, visiting hours ended at eight and it was five minutes to eight.

Even though it was early, Austin just wanted to sleep. "Alright guys, I'm going to bed so keep it down. You can watch TV if you want and you're welcome to have anything in the kitchen. Don't stay up too late. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Hazel and Patrick both said.

Austin turned around, his back facing them. He was so ready for his head to hit that pillow. "Austin," he heard Hazel say.

He turned. "Yeah?"

"Are you happy?"

"Yeah, why?" he asked in confusion. Why would she ask that?

"I don't know," she shrugged. "You just seem so down."

"I'm okay," he assured her. "I'm okay." That time he was more trying to convince himself that. Because a simple "I'm okay" can be a mask, hiding sadness and every other hurtful feeling; the opposite of joy. "Well goodnight guys," he said, going to his bed.

The bed felt so big. But yet, as if a big piece of it was missing. That's how Austin heart felt. He had a good heart, but it didn't feel right. It felt empty. It felt like a huge piece of it was missing. It felt broken.

Broken because Ally wasn't there with him.

Austin didn't even want to get out of bed the next morning. He barely slept at all without Ally there, in his arms. He needed sleep, but he barely had got any. But he had to get up when there was a knock at the door.

"What is it guys?" he asked Gavin and Jeanette, who were right in front of them.

"We have some news," Gavin said.

Please let it be good, he thought. He couldn't take anymore of this bad news. But they were smiling, so hopefully it was good. "What is it?" he asked, less scared when he saw their smiling faces.

"I'm on remission!" Jeanette said excitedly.

"That's great!" he wrapped the three of them into a hug

Thank God. Maybe things are finally starting to turn around.

Yay! I like this chapter! What do you think? I'm proud of it although I'm in a rush because I need to finish my homework. So there's probably a lot of mistakes.

1) Got that from Boy Meets World, don't know if anyone remembers probably not XD

QOTD: Okay I want your honest opinion for this one. Which story do you like better- Promises or this one? And why?

MA- Honestly I like this one better because when I look back I realize how much my writing has approved and it makes me feel good about myself. I feel like this story has better drama and I like that Gavin isn't a jerk and we get to see a different side of him. I also like it better because it includes an Auslly wedding and them living together.

Okay I'm giving myself too much praise XD. I'll just go do my homework now.

Review!

Oh, happy Veterans Day :)