Me Without You II

oooo

But if confronted, he'd probably poke both eyes out before telling anyone that even after all these years, his heart still sometimes missed a beat at the sight of her.

"Hi."

ooooooooooooooo

Then she dashed across the room and jumped straight into his arms. He caught her in midair because, well, he'd been waiting for this moment his whole life.

He took a breath, about to confess his feelings, stumbling over half formed words and choking on his clumsy tongue. She laughed and shushed his mumbling with a soft finger against his lips.

She told him that he didn't have to say anything.

Because she already knew. She admitted that she was terrified and that they were probably in way over their heads.

But she loved him. She'd always loved him.

From the start. In the end. And all those moments in-between.

He kissed her. Because what else was there to do when a girl tells you that?

She folded herself into his arms. And together, they lived happily ever after.

oooooooooooo

At least that was how his brain pictured it.

In reality, there weren't any kiss, confessions or promises of forever.

Instead, she yelled at him. "Austin, have you been here this whole time?"

He sighed. Ally Dawson.

The girl who threw all his thoughts into disarray but for some twisted reason, his world never seemed quite right unless she was standing there beside him.

Think she feels the same?

"Everyone is looking for you. You can't just disappear an hour before takeoff because you wanted….a..a last minute jam session!"

He laughed.

Probably not.

"It's not funny." Ally narrowed her eyes, flicking on the lights. "Why didn't you answer your phone? I must've left like 27 messages." She stepped into the room, tripping over the jacket lying at her feet. "And what happened to your clothes?!"

He hesitated.

How to say that he had a sudden nervous breakdown which led to an episode of uncontrollable sweating causing his skin to feel like a deathtrap slowing suffocating him?

"Umm…"

"You know what," Ally interrupted before he made himself look anymore foolish. "I don't even want to know."

She grabbed the dark blazer off the floor, quickly dusting it off. "Everyone is looking for you. Trish had to give your number to these girls at the airport, hoping someone would be able to get a hold of you. She was that worried!"

Austin cocked his brows in disbelief.

"Okayyy," Ally admitted. "There might have been some money involved. But that's not the point. The point is—"

ooooooooooo

By now, Austin felt confident enough to say that when it came to Ally he was sort of an expert.

Her favorite color, favorite ice cream. Her crazy moods, her awesome smiles. Wildest hopes and most ridiculous fears.

He knew them all.

But if there was one thing you need to know about Ally Dawson, it was that she liked to talk.

A lot.

She talked when she was sad like a few summers ago when she thought she lost her inspiration to write. Then while feeding a flock of birds at the park she got attacked by a goose which reminded her of Pickles and that eventually reminded her of all the reasons why she loved songwriting. Ally talked about that story so much she even wrote a book about it. Really. He had a copy in his bedroom sitting on the top shelf.

And she talked the most when she was hurt or scared.

Like when she twisted her ankle skiing last winter. She talked all the way to the hospital while Dez hit every pothole along the icy roads with Trish screaming that they were all going to die.

And when a man in a fancy suit walked into Sonic Boom 3 months ago and offered Austin Mood a contract in sunny side California along with the opportunity to headline in an international world tour…Ally talked.

And when Ally talked Austin kept silent, nodding at the right moments while trying his best to look interested.

He didn't mind.

It was less creepy when he had a reason to stare at her.

ooooooooooooo

"Austin, blink." Her voice cut through his daydream. "Your eyes are glazing over. Have you listened to a word I said?"

Ah, he knew the answer to that question by now.

"Ally, I'm sorry."

"Austin," she sighed, shoulders drooping with disappointed. "You can't go thru life doing whatever you want then apologize thinking that's going to fix everything."

See? Crisis averted. Ally goes talking without ever realizing that he never had a clue as to what she was saying.

ooooooooooo

Would you believe he thought her annoying at the beginning? A bit bossy, actually.

But then he found out that she wrote these amazing songs and had crazy stage fright. Suddenly, her quirks became endearing. And one ordinary morning, he woke up only to realize that she put butterflies in his stomach and caused his palms to sweat.

Austin sat watching her, distracted by the dress she wore and how nicely it moved every time she took a step.

She was just too frickin' beautiful. She twisted him inside out and left him howling at the absurdity of their relationship. All his feelings wasted behind the label of being her "friend."

oooooooooooooooo

"…and don't even get me started on how far I had to walk to find a cab to get here." Ally's voice was muffled as she bent down to retrieve the shoe he tossed underneath the table. "You try walking in these heels."

She stood up but paused halfway to pull his tie out from the trashcan.

He'd seen Ally with some crazy expressions throughout the years but he'd never seen her quite as speechless as she was now. If he wasn't feeling so depressed, he'd probably find it adorable.

Austin stared at her nimble fingers as they worked to untangle the tie and smooth out its wrinkles. When that was finished, she neatly draped his jacket and tie over her forearm and made her way over to where he sat.

She stepped on one of his shoeless toes.

"Hey!"

Ally smiled down at him but worry dimmed her eyes. "You haven't said a word in the past half hour. I'm getting tired of hearing my own voice and that's never happened before."

One side of his mouth twitched. Austin wanted to say something funny but stopped when he noticed the floor behind her.

It was clean.

The scrunched up paper balls he tossed across the room were all in the trash. The guitar was back on the rack, his colorful picks were sitting in a neat pile on the desk and the water he spilled earlier was all cleaned up.

Could she get anymore perfect?

He made a move to stand and felt something brushed against his leg. Austin glanced down to find the shoe she placed at his feet. His gazed at the jacket tucked safely in her arms and the tie dangling between her fingers.

Typical Ally.

Austin had to laugh, remembering all the times she did exactly this. He'd make some crazy stupid decision and find his world in pieces only to have her rush in and put him back together again. Good as new.

Better.

He was probably smiling like a lunatic but he didn't care. In that split second, Austin made his decision.

There was no way he could do it without her.

So what if California offered a major record deal, an international world tour, perfect weather and a chance at great success?

Miami had plenty of sunshine.

But most importantly, Miami had Ally.

And for him success wouldn't be worth it without her.

NOTE: This would be such a perfect ending, right?! But I'm feeling like one more chapter is needed. Happily ever after can't be this easy. Or maybe it is? =)