Ally stood by the wall, near the back of the room. She fidgeted with her hands guiltily. She peered over at Austin through her long lashes, looking away quickly when Jimmy nearly caught her eye.

"I am sick of the disrespect I get from you." Jimmy chided. Austin tapped his fingers on the table impatiently. The corners of his lips were tilted upwards, dismissing the scolding silently. Jimmy stood up, letting out a breathy laugh as he paced, "In fact," he continued, "I'm sick of the disrespect everyone gets from you. I get no respect. Cassidy gets no respect. Trish gets no respect. Even Ally, the one who is giving your career a second chance!"

The corners of Ally's eyes wrinkled as she grimaced. The guilt felt heavy on her shoulders, and she bit her lip to prevent herself from yelping out an explanation. It wasn't entirely Austin's fault that he'd missed his photoshoot and meeting with Jimmy the other day, it was partly Ally's, too. Ally should have got him back. Ally should have told Trish everything.

But she didn't.

And now Austin was taking the heat for the entire thing.

"Jimmy-"

"Nu-uh!" Jimmy silenced Austin, "It's my turn, and sit up straight!"

Austin rolled his eyes discretely as he straightened up in his seat. "Go on." Austin muttered.

"You don't just leave after a show without telling anyone where you're going. You don't just miss a photoshoot, you don't just not show up to a meeting! You don't have Ally chasing you over the whole goddamn city looking for you!" Jimmy growled.

"It wasn't the entire city." Austin replied, smugly.

"You know, Austin, you need a kick in the ass." Jimmy snarled as Austin tried not to sigh disdainfully. "You're lucky that I own this record label, that I want you apart of my team! You're lucky that I know how to put up with you! Do you realize that you are this close to being dropped from my label?" Jimmy inched his index finger and thumb together, proving his point.

Austin's upper lip curled into a small scorn. It was too late to wipe it away. Austin was mad, and he wasn't afraid to show it. "You're overreacting."

"Am I?" quizzed Jimmy, "Last I checked, this was my label, and you're the one walking into the fire!" he sneered. "You are choosing this for yourself, Austin! You have a job. Now, do it."

Trish narrowed her eyes at Ally curiously. Ally's fingers were intertwined in front of her waist as her thumb gently rubbed her index finger, soothingly. Her lips were pressed together tightly, as if she was shushing herself from blurting out something completely ridiculous.

"Is everything okay?" she whispered into the assistant's ear.

Ally's eyes widened as she looked at Trish. She nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, everything's...everything's good. It's fine." she said, hurriedly.

Trish arched a brow. "You seem...jumpy. Is there something Austin hasn't said that you know about?"

"Nope." Ally squeaked. Trish eyed her, but let the topic drop.

"Can we get on with the meeting?" Austin spat, acidly. "I didn't come here to be treated like a schoolboy."

Jimmy inhaled through his flared nostrils, asking God for the courage not to tear Austin's head off. He cared for this boy, and he saw wonderful things in him; he just wished Austin would change his attitude, he wished Austin would appreciate things.

"Right." muttered Jimmy, taking a seat. He waved with his finger for Trish to sit down. "Well, Trish and I have decided that maybe you need some road-time." Jimmy said. "You leave for an American tour next week. We also thought that maybe you could afford to do something helpful for once, so all of the funds will be donated to charity."

"We're trusting that you don't cause trouble this time around." Trish sent him a pointed look, silently recalling in her own mind Austin's bad behavior.

"Yes, Mom." he teased. Trish shook her head.

"You're dismissed. Get out of here." Jimmy said with annoyance. He knew if he spent another second listening to Austin's arrogant and stupidity, he just might lash out. Austin got up from the chair and headed for the door.

Or what Ally thought was the door.

He stood in front of here, noses inches apart. A feathery smirk sat on his lips. She felt like the oxygen was trapped in her lungs. "Our first road trip together." he said, playfully, his words hit her lips hotly. He tapped her chin with his finger, making her wince at the sudden contact. Then he'd stepped away from her and exited the room.

Ally was able to exhale now that he was out of her face.

Despite his smug and teasing tone, she could sense that he was angry at Jimmy, and most likely, trying to hold his composure. She nodded once at Jimmy and Trish who were staring at her.

Trish got up from her seat, dismissing herself and Ally, the two walked out of the conference room. "That was odd." Trish said, thinking about how close Austin had stood to her.

"Yeah." Was all the assistant managed to say.

"If you need me to tell him to back off, I will. Promise." Trish offered, giving her a playful smile.

An interesting fact: Ally kind of didn't want him to back off.

She gave a breathy giggle. The simple thought of Austin being so close had her skin feeling on fire. Ally shook her head, ridding herself of the thought and followed Trish who started out an entire list of tasks for Ally to accomplish for Austin's American tour.

x

Ally grunted as she banged her head down on her table. She had a cup of hot coffee keeping her company as she sifted through sheets of paper. Trish had made organizing the tour schedule one of Ally's very long and horrible tasks.

She really wished Jimmy and Trish would have given her a head's up for the tour instead of throwing it at her a week before it would start.

There was a rapping at her door. Ally frowned and left the table, heading for the door. She hesitated to unlock it, wondering if seeing whoever was behind her door was worth seeing. She decides to be just and opens the door. Her eyes widening at who she sees.

A familiar blonde boy. One whom she's beginning to know very well.

"Ally."

Austin addressed her nonchalantly, stumbling inside. Ally moved out of the way and looked at him confusedly as his eyes roamed her apartment. She carefully shut the door and turned to him.

"Austin, you're...at my apartment?" she popped up one brow.

"Yup." His mouth made a loud popping sound.

She caught a whiff of something strong, something that made her cringe. "And you're drunk." she stated.

"Lock the door." Austin demanded, a small slur in his words.

Ally shook her head. "I'm not locking my door. You're leaving. Come on." She waved him to come closer but he wandered towards her living room. Ally sighed. "Austin," she called, following him. He dropped down on her couch with a thud.

"Why were you drinking?" Ally asked him, crossing her arms.

"Why do you think?" he retorted, shoving his fingers through his hair.

"Are you upset about what Jimmy said?" Ally wondered, gently.

He looked at her. "Why did I come here?" he voiced, "Why is it that I ended up here and not at Trish's? Not at Dez's? Why did I end up in this achingly small apartment?" he narrowed his eyes at her. Ally swallowed and then he cracked a smile and pointed at her. "That's why."

"What?" she lifted an eye brow, quizzically.

He shook his head. "You'll see why. Come here." he said, sitting up straight and lazily opening his arms for her.

Ally's eyes widened and shook her head. "No." she said.

"Come here," he repeated, more adamantly. Ally shook her head. He grunted and leaned his head back on the couch as he looked at her. He patted the place beside him. "Then sit here."

"Austin," she sighed, "I have work to do. I don't have time to babysit your drunken state."

"I won't remember anything tomorrow." he said, dismissively. Ally sighed and looked at him. She shook her head and went back to her kitchen table to continue getting work down. "Ally," he called, "Ally..!"

"If you're going to come to my apartment drunk, the least you can do is sit quietly while I finish work." Ally remarked. He laughed.

Ally shook her head and took her seat. She tried to focus on what she was doing, but she couldn't when her "boss" was sitting on her couch, drunk, and humming melodies to himself.

"Ally," he called again.

"What?" she growled, annoyed.

"I want to talk." There was a pout in his voice. She stopped what she was doing and looked over her shoulder towards her living room. She couldn't see him as he was laying down on the couch again, hiding his face with his palms while he sulked.

"About what?" she pressed.

"Everything. But mainly Jimmy. I want to talk bad about Jimmy."

Ally laughed slightly. "I'm not going to let you talk bad about the man who gave you your career in the first place." Ally said.

"He's a jackass." Austin voiced. "I mean, did you hear him today? Treating me like I'm a loser, a deadbeat with no life. God, I can't stand him sometimes."

Ally got up from her chair and headed into the living room area. She flopped down on the other couch and watched Austin as he mumbled incoherent things into his hands, most of them being insults about Jimmy.

"I don't blame Jimmy's wife for leaving him. I mean, the man has an opinion about everything and I can't be alone for one goddamn moment without him accusing me of...you know...stuff." Austin slurred in a huff.

"Austin, you shouldn't say-"

"-Stop it." he silenced her, attempting to point at her but having his finger thrusted in the wrong direction. "Stop it, Ally."

"Austin-"

"-I don't care about what I'm saying. I don't care because it's true." he said. Ally sighed. "And then Trish, my best goddamn friend taking his side! Does our friendships mean nothing? I know I say things to her but I always apologize. I call her almost every night and we talk about stupid things and I feel like I'm me again and then she pulls these fucking stunts! What am I supposed to think about her?"

"She's looking out for you, Austin." Ally said. "She doesn't want to take Jimmy's side over yours, but...maybe she thinks Jimmy has a point."

"Hey, Ally?"

"Yeah?"

"You're my assistant. You have to be on my side. I'm paying you to be on my side." Austin said.

"Actually, the management is paying me."

"You still have to be on my side."

"Okay."

There was a long silence. Ally thought that perhaps Austin had fallen asleep. She'd thought wrong.

"My Dad called me."

Ally looked at him. "Tonight?"

Austin nodded his head. "We haven't spoken in three months, but nobody knows that. He didn't apologize or even tell me that he missed talking. He just said that he needed money to pay his rent." Austin shook his head, a bitter laugh jumping out of his lips. "Bastard shouldn't be spending it on booze."

Ally felt her heart sink for him. She carefully got up from the couch and then kneeled down next to him, eyeing him cautiously. Austin felt her presence and removed his arms from in front of his eyes and looked over at her.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

"I'm drunk. No, I'm not okay." Austin replied. She cracked a small, sad smile. He stared at her, hesitating before asking, "Have you ever worried about me?"

"I am right now." she whispered. It really wasn't something you should be telling the man you work for, but it leapt out of her lips before she had the chance to snatch it back and swallow it.

The corner of his mouth twitched. He wanted to smile, but he wouldn't let himself. He shook his head and looked up at the ceiling.

"Come here." he repeated, not looking at her but his arm opened lazily again.

She'd felt so bad that she didn't argue this time. She got up and sat in place where he wanted her to. She felt him twist his arms around her, holding her to him. She felt his tight muscles relax. She placed her head on his shoulder, his breathing sounded uneven but relaxed. She didn't mind that he smelled strongly of alcohol.

"My Mom set our house on fire."

He frowned slightly and looked at her. "She what?"

"I was ten. She had a little too much to drink, I guess, or maybe she was fully sane, I don't remember. I was sitting in my room when I smelled this awful smell. I ran downstairs and she was asleep on the couch. There was huge flames all over the walls, completely destroying everything. There was some surrounding her, but she didn't even wake up." Ally explained.

There was a silence. Ally added softly, "I was so mad, I almost let her burn with the house."

"But you didn't." Austin replied.

Ally shook her head. "No. I didn't. I grabbed her and we ran outside. The funny thing, is that she started yelling at me like it was my fault when she was the one who fell asleep with a cigarette in her mouth."

Austin reached up and touched her face gently with the back of his fingers. "A couple years ago, I was about seventeen, Trish had thrown me a birthday party and it was the first one since my Mom had been gone. I actually had a great time, they had games, and music, and I got some pretty nice things actually. Everyone was pretty thoughtful of my Mom not being there, too. Then my dad had shown up, and he was...just drunk off his ass. He was yelling at me in front of everyone and in the middle of it, he trips on a chair and falls right into the cake, breaking the table and everything. I was so embarrassed."

"I wish my Dad was different." Austin continued, "I wish he never started drinking. I wish he could go back to the way he was before."

Ally nodded her head. "It's okay to be angry, Austin. I get angry, too."

Austin looked down at her. He nodded his head. "I know." he whispered. Suddenly, he didn't seem so drunk anymore. In fact, it was almost like the topic had drained it completely from his system.

Ally pushed herself up, placing her palms on Austin's shoulders, her face directly above Austin's. He pushed away the strands of hair that fell in front of her eyes. Her breathing was uneven, being at such a close proximity to Austin.

Ally leaned her face a little closer until she felt his breath hitting her mouth. It was odd, not having him smirking at her, not having him spewing insults, or just simply being an annoyance. But she didn't mind this.

Just before Ally's mouth met Austin's, a thought crossed her mind. It made her pull away. Austin stared up at her, confused. He decided to make a move himself, but she pushed on his chest, keeping him away. He frowned.

"You're drunk." she said, quietly.

"I'm not that drunk." he replied.

Ally shook her head. "No, Austin. We shouldn't. We can't." She scrambled to get away from him but he held her in place. "Austin, please let go."

"Why?" he asked.

"I already told you: You're drunk. You don't mean it. This whole thing is just you being out of your head. You're not yourself." she replied. "Besides, I'm your assistant. We can't...do this."

He released her as he felt her resistance grow. He sighed as she stepped away from him. He felt cold. "You could've had me, Ally." he said, breezily, tutting his tongue, a smirk grew on his face.

Ally looked over at him. There was the Austin she knew. The cocky, self-centered one. The one who wanted her, the one who was listening to her and being nice to her, that wasn't the real Austin.

But as he laid there on the couch quietly, she wondered if he was even still drunk. He seemed to have sobered up over the time that they were talking. She shook her head. Still, still she can't have him. She is his assistant, not his love interest.

"I thought it was me who was supposed to do the pushing away thing, but you do one hell of a job." Austin voiced.

Ally looked down at him. "I'm not pushing you away. You're drunk, and I'm being professional."

"Alright." Austin shrugged.

Suddenly, Ally's cell phone started ringing.

Ally grabbed it. "Hello?" she said into the device, glancing over at Austin who was watching her. "Austin? Um..." He shook his head. "No, I haven't seen him. Yeah, I'll...find him for you. Okay. Bye." Ally hung up the phone.

"Found me." he grinned. She shook her head.

"You can't be here, Austin. You need to go home." Ally said. Then she frowned, "How did you get here?"

"I drove."

"Drunk?"

"Mhm."

Ally sighed. "You can stay."

He grinned victoriously. "Good. I wasn't planning on leaving."