well i kept you guys waiting for a while just for this epilogue, i'm extremely sorry! it means a lot to me that you guys still kept up with the fanfic even when austin & ally has been over for a year now and the fandom has been declared dead.

here's the end!

Two Months Later

Austin

"Happy Anniversary to you.

Happy Anniversary to you.

Happy Anniversary, Austin Moon.

Happy Anniversary to you."

I look at Dez over the top of my dark shades. "That's how you sing the birthday song, dumbass."

He unloads the box from his shoulder onto the floor. "Fuck you, fucker," he says and adds the two-handed one-finger salute. "It's close enough."

The laughter rolls out of me. "You really should stay for Thanksgiving."

He shrugs. "Nah, I have some things to do."

"Well, if you change your mind, come over tomorrow."

His nod tells me he has no intention of changing his mind. It's the open road, his video camera, and that manuscript he's been working on for him.

It's scary how well I know him.

Hard to believe one year ago, I moved to this beach town with nothing but a duffle bag and a bad attitude. I knew one person, Dez Wade, my best fucking friend. Lucky for me he'd recently rented a house on the beach and invited me to move in with him. And even luckier for me, I did. The fucker went out of his way to help me out. He hooked me up with a job, showed me the lay of the land, and introduced me to Trish. And as they say in the movies... the rest is history.

But let's not give him too much credit or it will go to his head, and it's already big enough because of his movie-star good looks.

"Is that it?" I ask, glancing around the bedroom that used to be Ally's, but is now Dez's.

"That's it," he says, plopping on his bed. "Operation musical houses is complete."

Walking past him to the door, I slap a hand on his shoulder. "Seriously, bro. Thanks for doing this."

He slants a glance at me. "Oh, dude, you are so going to owe me for this."

I stop at the door and turn around. "Anything, anyplace— you name it."

"I'm going to remember you said that."

"My word, man." I thump my heart with my first.

I'm so fucked.

Downstairs, Trish is busy in the kitchen with her boyfriend Jace. He's actually a pretty cool dude compared to the others she has dated and Trish seems to be very interested in him.

I clear my throat. "How's that pumpkin pie coming for tomorrow?" I ask in amusement. It must have a little bit of tongue and a dash of saliva, because they are making out hot and heavy, tongues and all.

Trish breaks away from Jace. "I'm about to start it. Don't worry, I'll have it ready by tomorrow and be over with bells on to help with Thanksgiving dinner."

I stride past the happy couple. "I hope so, because it's not your bells I'm worried about." I look down. "It's mine," I joke.

"Right," she laughs. "Can you please do something to make Ally less nervous about meeting your mother and sister tomorrow? Please. I don't care what."

I twist my head around. "I have just the thing in mind."

"Go get her, tiger," Trish roars, showing me her claws.

I shake my head.

She's too much.

I wish it were that easy, though. She's nervous because I'm nervous. My sister agreed to come even with my mother and new husband coming only because they weren't staying with me. What she doesn't know is they're staying at Trish's, in Trish's room, and Trish is staying with Jace.

So that's why Ally is a nervous wreck. She wants everyone to get along.

Shit, I'm not sure that's possible.

But I have hope.

Walking up the path and around to the house that Ally and I are now officially sharing, I look into the kitchen to see her standing at the sink. Hair down. Tousled. A little messy. Wearing a tight tank top. Looking sexy as hell.

And right here, with my foot on the step, the feeling strikes.

A sense of home.

It's been a long road and a lot has happened, but yes, I'm finally home.

And it feels fanfuckingtastic.