Hi everyone, welcome back to this story!
Happy Christmas Eve! This is the one day a year when this story's current time setting is actually accurate, and I wanna try and make the most of that! So, here is an extra-long chapter, completing all the events that happen on Christmas Eve!
Disclaimer: I do not own RENT: The Musical (or movie), Austin & Ally or anything you recognise from the show in any way, shape or form, nor do I own any recognisable brands, songs or lyrics within them.
I hope you guys like this chapter!
. . . . .
Chapter 12
"Hi, you're Dez, right?" Ally asked as she approached the tall redhead Austin had pointed her towards. As she walked towards him she decided he looked kind, very friendly, and judging by the strange amount and mixture of colour he was wearing, slightly eccentric. She'd always been a good instant judge of character.
"That's me!" The redhead replied excitedly with a smile, offering his hand for Ally to shake. "I'm guessing you're Ally." She nods. "Man. I can totally see why Austin's already so obsessed with you." He says nonchalantly.
Ally initially giggles at what Dez says, and is about to thank him for the compliment, when what he had said actually processed in her brain and her face changed into one of confusion. "Wait, what? What do you me-''
She is cut off by a man she has never seen before running over, dragging another unfamiliar man behind him. "Hey Dez!" The first man announces loudly and excitedly.
"Hey Dallas, Elliot." Dez replies calmly. "Guys, this is Ally, Austin's date to dinner tonight." He introduces the short brunette, who smiles gently at the two men.
"Oooh giiiiirl, you are smoking! Austin has better taste than I give him credit for." Dallas compliments, making Ally giggle as he pulls her into a hug. "I'm Dallas, this is my new boyfriend-'' Dallas and Elliot smile at each other as he says this. "Elliot."
"Nice to meet you." Elliot says, extending his hand for Ally to shake, which she does.
"Nice to meet you both. I'm guessing you guys are Austin's friends too?" She replies, already taking a liking to Dallas in particular. She could tell already this was gonna be a great group of friends to be with.
"Elliot's been mine and Austin's best mate since we moved here, but we only met Dallas tonight." Dez explained.
"Oh, I won't be the only newbie in the group tonight then." Ally says with a relieved giggle, looking at Dallas.
"You got that right; we're in this together babes." Dallas replies, and he and Ally share a small laugh. "You are just gonna be my best friend, I can tell already." He continues, linking their arms whilst holding Elliot's hand with his other.
"Oh hey, Ally, where actually is Austin?" Dez asked, suddenly curious realising the tall blonde's absence.
Ally also has a moment of realisation. "Oh… he said he'd be just behind me when I came over to introduce myself to you…" She explains.
Just then the man in question returned, appearing beside Ally and slinging an arm around her shoulders. "Hey guys. Elliot. Dallas." He greets, nodding to the two men and fist-bumping them. "Everyone excited for the performance?"
Everyone nods and comments about how excited they are to see Kira tear apart Jace's policies in protest – they didn't all know Kira personally, but she certainly already had a reputation and everyone knew that if there was anyone who could make this protest it was her.
"Well what are we waiting for? Come on, let's go!" Dez says excitedly, leading the pack off out of the square in the direction of the performance space.
Dallas and Elliot followed immediately behind him, hand in hand, and Austin and Ally just behind them. However, as they were leaving the square, Austin caught a glimpse of the dealer who had threatened him a few minutes previously, glaring at him and his arm around Ally. It made him feel uneasy, almost scared, causing his arm to instantly drop from around Ally's shoulders.
This takes Ally by surprise, and she turns her head to look at him in confusion. "You okay?" She asks.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good." He replies, looking down.
"Okay…" Ally replies, still confused and a little hurt at his sudden coldness.
Austin keeps thinking about his encounter with the man, and the threat he received to stay away from Ally. He definitely looked like a dealer, but he couldn't be certain. Was Ally a drug addict? It would definitely make sense, considering the stash she had dropped when she came into his apartment earlier. He didn't know what to make of that. Part of him wanted to protect her more because of that, and a larger part wanted to stay away from her. He started to reconsider whether asking her here had been the best idea… yes, she was beautiful and captivating and seemed to have quite a sweet personality – he definitely wanted to be with her, but his head was suggesting that it would be wiser if he wasn't. Especially if it's going to put them both in danger.
And besides that, there's the one huge fact that follows Austin everywhere and haunts his life – he's got AIDs. Ally might not, and he couldn't live with himself if he ruined her life by giving her that as well. Austin never wanted Ally to be hurt again, and in his mind it just seemed that every outcome from them being together would result in exactly that.
He made his decision then and there… that he couldn't be with Ally.
He was about to turn his head and open his mouth to talk to Ally and explain everything, when Dez announced they'd arrived at the performance space. 'I guess it'll have to wait.' Austin thought to himself. 'In the meantime, I guess I'll just have to not speak to her. I don't want to lead her on.'
The group made their way to the front of the crowd, right in front of the stage. There is a palpable buzz of excitement in the crowd, everyone eager to see Kira's performance. After a few minutes, Kira struts out onto the stage and begins her performance.
*A/N: THE FOLLOWING SECTION, DESCRIBING KIRA'S PERFORMANCE, WILL PROBABLY MAKE ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN RENT, OR AT LEAST THIS SCENE! THEREFORE, I HIGHLY SUGGEST THAT BEFORE/WHILST READING THIS SECTION, YOU WATCH A CLIP OF THIS SCENE ON YOUTUBE. IF YOU JUST TYPE IN "RENT OVER THE MOON" YOU'LL FIND PLENTY OF RESULTS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO, IT WILL JUST HELP THIS PERFORMANCE MAKE MORE SENSE. OKAY COOL. ENJOY.*
She starts speaking. "Last night I had a dream. I found myself in a desert called 'Cyberland'. It was hot. My canteen had sprung a leak and I was thirsty. Out of the abyss walked a cow - Elsie. I asked if she had anything to drink.
She said," Kira then suddenly started singing.
" 'I'm forbidden to produce milk.
In Cyberland, we only drink Diet Coke.'
She said, 'Only thing to do is jump over the moon.
They've closed everything real down ... like barns, troughs, performance spaces ...
And replaced it all with lies and rules and virtual life.
But there is a way out ...
Only thing to do is jump over the moon
I gotta get out of here! It's like I'm being tied
To the hood of a yellow rental truck,
Being packed in with fertilizer and fuel oil,
Pushed over a cliff by a suicidal Mickey Mouse!
I've gotta find a way
To jump over the moon,
Only thing to do is jump over the moon!' "
Kira then started speaking again. "Then a little bulldog entered. His name (we have learned) was Jace." She pointed to Jace at this point, who was stood at the back of the crowd with a few other men, all in suits. The crowd jeered, also all turning to look at him and boo. "And although he once had principles, he abandoned them to live as a lap dog to a wealthy daughter of the revolution."
At this point, Kira began a rap section:
" 'That's bull,' he said.
'Ever since the cat took up the fiddle, that cow's been jumpy.
The dish and the spoon were evicted from the table - and eloped ...
She's had trouble with that milk and the moon ever since.
Maybe it's a female thing.
'Cause who'd want to leave Cyberland anyway?...
Walls ain't so bad.
The dish and the spoon for instance.
They were down on their luck - knocked on my doghouse door.
I said, "Not in my backyard, utensils! Go back to China!"'"
" 'The only wait out is up!' Elsie whispered. 'A leap of faith! Still thirsty?' 'Parched.' 'Have some milk!' And I lowered myself beneath her swollen udder, and I sucked the sweetest milk I have ever tasted!" Kira then proceeded to make several huge slurping sounds. " 'Climb on board!' She said, and has a harvest moon rose up over Cyberland, we reared back and sprang into a gallop, leaping, out of orbit! I awoke, singing…"
Kira then began singing the now familiar chorus once more:
"Only thing to do,
Only thing to do is jump,
Only thing to do is jump over the moon!
Only thing to do is jump over the moon!
Over the moon - over the…
Moooooooo!"
She finished by letting out a long, low moo, impersonating a cow. She followed this by letting out another moo, and then another, before looking up and reaching her arms out to the audience. "Moo with me!" She encouraged, and it didn't take much for the entire crowd to start mooing, an uproar of noise directed at Jace, building and building to a crescendo, when Kira cut them off by waving her arms, regaining their attention. "Thank you!" Kira shouted, bowing, and the crowd let out an almighty roar, cheering and clapping for the end of Kira's performance. It had gone down a storm.
As they cheered for Kira, the crowd continued to moo at Jace, as he and his companions left the performance space, and as soon as they were gone, let out an even louder roar, cheering and hugging.
As soon as Kira stepped down from the stage, she was swamped by people running over to thank her, hug her and congratulate her on her performance. Trish battled her way to the front of that crowd and Kira kissed her passionately. "Thank you, pookie! Thank you for everything!"
As they continued to embrace, Austin, Ally, Dez, Dallas and Elliot made their way towards the back and onto the street, where they had arranged to meet up with Kira and Trish before they all went to a restaurant together. "Wow." Austin simply said as they walked.
"I know right." Dez laughs. " I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't that!"
"I loved it!" Said Ally excitedly.
"Me too, trust Kira to make a statement like that." Dallas agreed, huddling into Elliot's side for warmth.
Seeing the two men like that, Ally glanced over at Austin for a second, wanting nothing more than to do the same and for Austin to wrap his arm around her, but as she looked at him they made eye contact for about half a second before Austin looked down at the floor.
Ally was hurt and confused… why did he keep playing with her emotions? First he rejects her when she asks him to go out to a club with her, then makes a super sweet, and seemingly heartfelt, apology and invites her out to dinner, and now he's completely ignoring her and being cold towards her again. She refuses to let herself cry, though, even though she can feel the tears pricking the backs of her eyes, as she too looks down at her feet and wraps her flimsy jacket, desperately seeking both warm from it and comfort.
Dez noticed Ally's movement, and with a single glance at Austin could easily read the guilt written across his face and he soon put together what was happening and sent Austin the harshest death glare he could. Why was his best friend so infuriating? Since he could tell Austin was being a jerk, he decided to do the chivalrous thing and took off his scarf, offering it to Ally who quickly and gratefully snatched it out of his hands with a quick "Thanks" and wrapped it around her neck.
Thankfully, just as the situation was about to officially reach the 'awkward' level, Kira and Trish walked over to the group and everyone once again congratulated Kira and gave her a hug.
"Hi, I'm Ally." Ally said, introducing herself to Kira and Trish as she hugged them.
"Do I recognise you from somewhere?" Kira asked, studying the short brunette girl in front of her.
"I dance at the Cat Scratch Club sometimes, have you ever been?" Ally asked, thinking of where most people she came across were most likely to have recognised her from.
"Yeah that's it!" Kira said happily. "I watched you dance once, you're really good!" She complimented.
"Thanks. Your performance was really great tonight, I loved it." Ally returned the compliment, and the two women smiled at each other.
"Thanks! Right, well what are we waiting for? Come on everybody, let's go eat!" She exclaims excitedly and everyone cheered, except Trish who looked down awkwardly. Kira noticed this. "What's up, babe?" She asked Trish.
"I, uh, I can't come and have dinner with you. Not yet, anyway. I might be able to come along a little later, but I need to go call my Dad first, that okay?" Trish asks timidly, knowing it might make Kira upset as they hadn't spent a whole lot of time together recently.
Kira's face fell in disappointment. "Oh… okay, just try and come along later, yeah?" She asks, holding Trish's hand.
"Of course, I promise I'll try!" Trish replies, nodding.
"Okay. See you later, pookie." Kira said resignedly, giving Trish a quick chaste kiss before turning back to the others as Trish headed off and pulled out her cell phone. "Alright, everyone ready?" She asked, instantly back to her high-energy self.
"Let's do it!" Exclaimed Dez as the group headed off.
It took them about twenty minutes to walk to their favourite small café, 'Life Café', right in the heart of bohemian, downtown Miami. As soon as they walked through the door, a waiter, who knew them and was accustomed to their ways, came straight over saying "No, no, not tonight! Please just go, we can't have a scene."
"What?" Dez asked with a chuckle, fully knowing what he meant about their tendency to not really buy much if anything.
"You sit here all night, taking up space, causing a riot, and never buy anything!" The waiter said, clearly frustrated.
"That's not true!" Dez countered. "Last time I was here I bought a coffee!"
The waiter started at him for a couple of seconds before replying simply. "You couldn't pay."
Dez's face fell. "Oh yeah."
Kira stepped forward at this point, placing her hand on the waiter's chest. "Don't worry, we're definitely buying tonight. We're celebrating." She then looked over his shoulder and saw, also sat in the restaurant, was Jace and his business partner Mr Young. "Oh God," She announced upon seeing him, turning to the others. "It's the bulldog. Never mind." She turned back to the waiter. "We'll stay." She finished, before pushing past the waiter and strutting over to a large table, the others following quickly behind her.
They all get seated at the table, and not a minute later Jace himself strolls over to their table with a glass of wine in hand. "What are you doing here? I thought you were too good for bohemia." Elliot challenged with a smirk.
Jace chuckled and raised his glass. "I'd like to propose a toast. To Kira's performance." Everyone looked slightly puzzled. "It went well."
Kira rolled her eyes and grabbed her own drink, muttering under her breath "Go to hell."
"Too bad you can't change anything." He finished with a smirk, before looking around the table, eyes resting on Ally. "Ally, it's a surprise to see you here." He said, the smirk growing bigger, and everyone turned to look at Ally with confusion. Did she know him? "What's a bright, beautiful, charming girl like you doing hanging around with these slackers?" He asks.
Ally says nothing and stares down at the table, uncomfortable. She shuffles subconsciously towards Austin, sat on her right, hoping against hope he'll wrap his arms around her and protect her. But, of course, he does nothing, in his own mind wondering what association Ally has with Jace, feeling further and further away from her by the second.
Benny chuckles and shakes his head, realising he's not going to get anything out of her, before returning to address the table as a whole, but Kira in particular. "Nice thinking with the cow and the mooing." He jests. "But just remember, you're mocking, but I'm the one trying to do some good here." Everyone scoffs at this. "What? Do you really want to live in a neighbourhood full of homelessness, robbery, and crime? Because, I hate to break it to you, that's what the 'bohemia' you all claim to love is all about. Face it. Bohemia is dead." And with one final chuckle, he walks back over to his own table and sits down.
There is silence for a couple of seconds, and Dallas mutters. "Way to kill a mood."
Kira looks up and smiles. "He's wrong." She says, shaking her head slightly. "Bohemia is so much more than that. Come on, we all know that, let's have fun!" She says and the alcohol starts flowing, the entire group laughing and joking and having a good time as they discuss what they love about the lives they live.
At one point, Ally, excuses herself and gets up to go to the bathroom, and as she's walking past Jace's table, she feels his hand on her arm and she freezes in place as he stands up, far too close to her for her liking, and starts talking in her ear. "So, your new boyfriend doesn't know about us?" He says.
"There's nothing to know." Ally denies, trying to seem strong, as she backs away from him ever so slightly.
He chuckles and shakes his head. "Ally, Ally, Ally. Don't you think we should discuss-''
She holds her hand out and stops him. "It was three months ago."
"Well, he certainly doesn't act like he's with you." Jace challenges with a smirk.
"W-we're taking it slow." Ally covers, thinking on her feet, struggling to make it through this conversation as she thinks of Austin's cold behaviour towards her and resolving she needs to talk to him about it, and fast.
She sees Jace glance over her shoulder and smirk wider, before questioning "Where is he now?"
She furrows her eyebrows in confusion, before turning and pointing at their table, saying "He's right-'' She stops upon realising Austin is nowhere to be seen.
"Mm-hmm." She hears Jace hum behind her.
"Where'd he go?" Ally wonders aloud, confused.
Jace chuckles again. "Go on, Ally. Go find lover boy." He mocks, sitting down. Ally huffs at him before quickly walking back over to the table.
"Where did Austin go?" She asked Dez.
"I don't know, he suddenly just stood up and walked out a minute ago." Dez responded, confused. "He seemed pretty pissed about something."
"Oh God…" Ally muttered under her breath, turning and walking out of the restaurant to try and find Austin.
Austin had indeed stormed out of the restaurant. He'd looked up and seen Ally talking to… him, and something inside him just snapped and he couldn't take it anymore, he had to get out of there and get some fresh air. Why was Ally talking to Jace? What's going on between them? And why does it hurt so much? He knew he liked Ally, but he never got that defensive about someone having only known them for literally a few hours.
He was sat on a bench just outside the restaurant, eyes closed breathing in the cool night air, when he heard Ally's soft voice. "Did I do something wrong?"
He looks up and sees her stood just in front of him, nervously fiddling with her hair. "What?" He questions.
"Did I do something wrong?" She repeats, sitting down next to him. "I mean you invited me here but then you've just ignored me all night long." She explains.
"I've been trying!" Austin replies frustrated, but neither of them could really tell what he meant by that. "Look, Ally, nobody's perfect. I've got baggage, you know!" He exclaims, not really annoyed at Ally at this point, just at life in general, getting sudden flashbacks to finding Cassidy's suicide note and the feeling of his world crumbling around him, brought out of this when he feels Ally's soft, warm hand on his arm. He looks over at her.
"Don't you get it, Austin?" Ally asks, looking into his eyes. "Life's too short for this! I'm looking for baggage that goes with mine!" She says, and he can see some tears collecting in her eyes.
"I-I need to tell you something…" Austin says quietly, realising he needs to just tell Ally about his AIDs and get it over with.
"I've got baggage too." Ally says.
"No, I need to tell you tha-''
He's cut off by a beeping sound. Ally pulls out her phone and turns off the alarm. "AZT break." She said resignedly, pulling out a small case of pills from her pocket and putting one in her mouth.
Austin feels a strange weight come off his shoulders as he realises Ally's familiar situation. "You…" He tries to speak, but can't quite form words.
"Me." Ally replies with a hint of sadness, shrugging her shoulders a little. "You?" She asks gently, looking back at Austin and their eyes locked. He took both her hands in his and a small smile came onto his face.
"Me." He said quietly, nodding. "Ally, I-I should tell you, I'm some sort of a disaster." He says with a chuckle.
Ally smiles and shakes her head. "You're not the only one." There's silence between them for a couple of seconds, before Ally speaks up again. "Austin… I really like you." She admits, completely turning to face him.
Austin smiles. "I really like you too, Ally. I know it seems stupid to say that because we only met today, but it's the truth. And I'm sorry for being so cold towards you earlier, I was just… scared."
"It's okay, I understand." Ally replies with a smile.
"Ally, will you be my girlfriend?" Austin asks timidly.
Ally giggles. "I would love that." She replies, before leaning in and kissing him.
The kiss is amazing, for both of them. Neither of them want it to end, but it has to eventually and they lean their foreheads against each other, eyes closed and smiling.
After a few seconds they stand up, intertwine their fingers and walk back into the café. Ally is beyond thrilled to see that Jace has left by this point, and Dez, Kira, Elliot and Dallas all cheer as they see the new couple walking towards each other holding hands, and Austin and Ally smile at each other and the entire table as they retake their seats next to each other and Ally snuggles into his side, his arm instantly wrapping itself around her.
The party atmosphere amongst the group of friends continues for another hour or so, until suddenly Trish comes running in, glee written all over her face! "Guys guys guys guys!" She says excitedly as she rushes over to their table.
"What's going on, pookie?" Kira asks.
"Okay, so, Jace padlocked your building-'' She is cut off by Kira.
"That little shit!"
"BUT," Trish continues. "People started a riot! The police were called, but they don't know what to do – nobody's moving, they're all just sat there MOOING!"
Everyone cheers and celebrates at the obvious success of Kira's performance on people to give them the strength to stand up against the authorities trying to keep them repressed and as a giant middle finger at Jace and his associates.
"Come on, we need to see this!" Kira exclaims excitedly, throwing a pile of money on the table to pay for all the food and drinks they've had, and running out of the café, everyone else following quickly behind her.
The group quickly made their way to the apartment building in question, and as they round the corner their mouths drop and their breath is taken away at the sight.
The huge Christmas tree at the end of the street is up in flames, and the sound of mooing can be heard clearly.
Dez immediately grabbed his video camera out of his bag and started recording, realising this could be his way to get his filming out there if he can send this into a news channel and get noticed as a name. As he filmed the scene, Dallas, Elliot, Kira and Trish went to get closer to the action and find out exactly what was happening.
Austin and Ally, meanwhile, stayed stood at the end of the street, enjoying the warm glow coming from the burning Christmas tree.
They turned to each other and smiled, before Austin leant down and kissed her, arms wrapping around her waist as hers went around his neck.
When they broke away, they kept smiling at each other. "Merry Christmas, Ally." He said.
"Merry Christmas." She replied, before kissing him again.
. . . . .
Boom!
That marks the end of the events on Christmas Eve, and also more importantly the end of Act 1 of the play! That means we are about halfway through the story!
Austin and Ally are together, so it would be tempting to end the story like that. But where's the fun in that? There's a lot still to come in this story, the drama has only just begun people!
Sorry for the long time it's been since this story was updated, but hopefully this longer chapter kind of made up for that… I'm hopeful to try and get more of this story written and posted asap!
Please remember to follow, favourite and review, it really helps me when I'm writing!
Catch you later! :)