A big giant thank you to everyone reading this! You all know I don't own anything.

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Derailed Chapter 4

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9th grade began and Austin turned 15. He got a lot of attention from girls at school between the cheerleaders at his basketball games and those who loved his singing. He liked it, but there was one girl who drew his attention above all others: the girl next door. Ally was his songwriting partner, his best friend, and now he admitted to himself that she was his crush as well. He didn't know how to say anything to her, however, and was afraid of ruining their friendship. Luckily he got plenty of time with her so he was happy.

. . .

One evening in March that year, not long after Ally turned 15 and got her braces off, she was home with her dad. After dinner he had a phone call and when Ally went upstairs to her room after doing homework she overheard him pacing his room while he spoke to someone on the speaker phone.

"It's malignant and inoperable. They said they will keep him comfortable at best." Penny's voice came through the door which was left ajar. Ally froze as she passed in the hallway. This sounded serious.

"Did they say how long they expected him to live?" Lester asked.

"Three months at most. The cancer is just so widespread." Penny said sadly.

"I understand. Is there anything. . . can I help in any way?" Lester offered. "I know we aren't together anymore, but he was still a second father to me."

"Dad would like some visits." Penny said. "I just don't know how we will tell Ally. But I'd like her to have some more time with her grandpa before he's gone."

Hearing her own name jolted Ally out of her stupor. Panic flooded her system. She didn't know how to deal with this. She'd never faced death in a close relative before and this was her grandpa.

She was vaguely aware of her parents talking more, their voices quiet and sad. They had their own pain to deal with and they didn't know she heard them. She needed something, someone, to hold her together. Without thought she rushed down the stairs and out the door. In seconds she was pounding on Austin's front door.

Austin opened the door to find Ally with tears streaming down her face. She threw herself into his arms and he shut the door behind them.

"Ally, what's wrong?" Austin asked, trying not to panic at his best friend's sudden breakdown. He hated seeing Ally hurt or upset and he just wanted to know what was wrong so he could fix it.

"I don't know what to do. I'm so scared."Ally clung to him in the front hall, still sobbing, and he gently led her upstairs to his room. He sat her on his bed and crouched in front of her, trying to get a look at her face. He was still getting used to seeing her without glasses or braces. She took his breath away, even with her face red and blotchy with tears like right now.

"Ally, you are scaring me here. Please tell me what's wrong." He pleaded, holding both of her hands, resting them on her knees.

She took a quavering breath, trying to calm herself so she could answer. "I just heard my parents talking, they don't know I know, but mom said that grandpa is dying. He has cancer and the doctor says he doesn't have long to live." Ally dissolved into tears again and Austin knelt in front of her, straightening up between her legs to hug her tight. Ally wrapped her arms around his shoulders and clung to him as sobs wracked her little body. She felt so small and fragile to him as he enveloped her in a hug and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry." He said. He couldn't change or fix this – no one knew how to cure cancer yet. All he could do was hold onto his Ally as she fell apart.

"Are you parents here? I don't want your mom to call my dad." Ally squeaked out.

Austin shook his head, liking the feel of her delicate shoulder under his chin. "No. They just left to have dinner with my Aunt and Uncle to talk about a trip this summer. They won't be home for a while."

"Good. I wouldn't want to explain to them. . . I just needed you." she said with her face still buried against his shoulder. He could feel her breath on the side of his neck as it came out in bursts between her sobs.

Austin gave her a squeeze. "I'm always here for you, you know that."

Ally hiccupped slightly as she squeezed him back, her knees tightening around his sides. "I know that." she repeated. "And I'm sorry to throw this on you. I just panicked and I couldn't think straight and I just knew I needed to see you."

He pulled back slightly to look at her face. "I'm glad you came."

Ally sniffed. "Me too. I just, I've never had someone close to me die before. I mean, I had a pet mouse once when I was little and it died, but that's nothing like losing a person, or a grandpa. I don't know what to do."

Austin smoothed the hair from her face and wiped a stray tear from her cheek with his thumb. "There's nothing to do but love him and think of all the good memories you have. If we lock someone inside our heart, then they never leave us, no matter where they go." He said.

Ally nodded. "You're right. He's not gone yet either. I just panicked. I don't know why." She said sadly.

"Because you love him. It's okay. But I am glad you are sharing it with me. You know I'll help you through anything if I can."

"I know you will. Thank you so much." Ally said.

Then Austin leaned into the hug again and held her as her tears lessened and finally subsided. Her breathing slowed and matched his as she calmed down, their bodies moving in unison, completely in sync. Austin smiled inwardly because they were always in sync, a matching set. And even though his Ally was sad her only thought had been to find him because he would make her feel better. She needed him and he hoped that he would be the only one she would ever need like that.

He had no idea how long he knelt there with her, but his knees began to hurt. He pulled back to look Ally in the eye and see how she was doing. As he stared into her brown eyes, Austin's heart thumped erratically. He was so much taller than her now, but here on his knees while she sat on his bed, they were face to face. His hands rested lightly on her lower back and her arms were draped around his shoulders. His longer torso was flush against hers and her legs were almost wrapped around his waist.

Suddenly he was all too aware of her body and the tingles running through his body from her touch. He tilted his head slightly and leaned in to kiss her. Ally gasped lightly against his lips and then melted into the kiss. It was a first for both of them and it came naturally. Any insecurity she had before about kissing or making out with boys vanished in the comfort and safety of Austin's arms. One of her hands slid up into his messy blonde hair as the kiss deepened and she was overwhelmed. She wanted this, wanted him. His hands slid from her back to her sides, clutching at her hips and she couldn't get enough. Somehow, as close as they were, it wasn't close enough anymore.

Instinct drove them as Austin leaned her back onto his bed and he crawled up beside her. They kissed slowly and learned this new kind of communication together. Time disappeared and all either of them knew anything about was the taste of each other's lips and the feel of their hands grasping each other close. They could feel each other breathing and the pounding of their hearts became the beat that drove them. There were also quiet moments when they paused and studied each other's eyes, or just listened to the sound of their breathing in the silence: a different kind of music. Then he would kiss her lips gently and she held him close. And when she fell asleep, nestled into his chest and looking calm and peaceful, he thanked his lucky stars that he had been able to help her past her initial shock and worry about her grandpa.

Austin heard his parents come home and left the warmth of Ally and his bed to stealthily lock his bedroom door. Then he gently woke her up with kisses and said it was late and she might want to go home so her dad didn't worry. He felt terrible when a wave a hurt swept her face as she remembered her grandpa but then she hugged him, pressing her warm body to his one last time. He kissed the top of her head as he held her and then she got up. Austin smoothed Ally's hair with his hands and rubbed her arms soothingly.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked in genuine concern.

Ally nodded. "I think so. It still hurts, but I think I can start to accept it now." She said.

"You are stronger than you think." He said.

Ally hugged him, sliding her arms around his waist and leaning her head against his chest. "Thank you Austin, for being here for me tonight."

"Of course. I'd do anything for you, Ally." He said. And when he looked down into her face he saw her blush slightly. And he loved her even more because she could still blush like that after shamelessly making out with him.

The next day was Sunday and Austin went over to Ally's house to see her in the afternoon. By now her parent's had officially told her about her grandpa and the whole house was quiet and somber. Austin held Ally's hand, and Ally suggested they watch a movie. So they curled up together on the couch in the family room and watched a chick flick that Ally picked and he hugged her tight the whole time to comfort her. When a few tears slid down her face he wiped them away and kissed the top of her head. Ally's dad smiled in on them and was glad his daughter had such a good friend to help her through this hard time.

. . .

Two months later Ally's grandpa passed away and she missed a week of school. Penny stayed with Ally and Lester in the guest room to be nearby for Ally as the three of them mourned her father's passing.

Austin picked up Ally's assignments from her teachers all week and took them to her house two days after the funeral. They studied quietly together in her room and he let her talk or cry and grieve how she needed to.

As the afternoon wore on and they finished one of their assignments Ally hugged Austin tight and kissed him on the lips. Austin responded immediately and they stretched out on her bed kissing. Austin slipped a hand under her shirt, touching the smooth skin of her lower back and she pressed her body into his, liking the feel of it. As their kisses deepened his hand rubbed and kneaded her skin, lifting her shirt slightly as he touched her back, side and stomach, inching higher all the time. Just as his hand hovered over her breast, settling down on the soft curve of her bra-clad flesh Ally's mom opened the door and walked into the room.

"Ally its time for. . . what are you doing?" Penny exclaimed as the teens jumped apart. Austin's hair was mussed and Ally's shirt was raised, revealing the milky skin of her stomach.

"Mom!" Ally squeaked.

The fifteen year olds sat up and began to fix themselves as Penny's face turned red. Austin ran a hand through his hair and Ally tugged her shirt back down.

She pointed at them. "You were supposed to be doing homework. How long has this been going on?" she demanded.

"Just a few minutes." Austin answered guiltily.

"A few weeks, but mom it's not. . ." Ally answered at the same time.

"Austin, go home. Now." Penny interrupted firmly.

He jumped off the bed and shoved his books and papers into his backpack, throwing Ally a look that said "I'm sorry" as he rushed out of the room under Penny's steely gaze. They heard him run down the stairs and out the front door.

"Please tell me it hasn't gone further than what I just saw." Penny said, the fingers of her right hand pinching the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes. She looked like she was in pain and Ally was scared.

"That was. . . we just. . . we were kissing . . . and. . ." Ally fumbled with her words, supremely embarrassed that her mom caught Austin touching her for the first time.

"I know all about and's. That's the part that worries me." Penny said.

Ally blushed scarlet. "No, mom, we haven't done anything else, Austin and I . . ."

"You two are getting too close I think. Your friendship was always so cute, maybe we didn't realize. . ." Penny started to muse, pacing the room.

"Mom, we were just kissing." Ally said in a quiet voice.

Penny looked at her daughter, sitting on her bed with hands clasped in her lap, shrinking in on herself, shame-faced. She let out a breath and sat next to Ally on the edge of the bed. "Oh sweetie. I'm sorry but you two kind of surprised me. I had no idea you would start doing these things so soon. But you are only 15 and I don't want you to make a mistake that you'll regret or that could . . . change all our lives." Penny winced, thinking of her own cousin and the toll her teenage pregnancy had taken on the family back when she was young. She wanted to spare Ally from having to deal with such adult issues for a few years more at least.

Penny sighed and patted Ally's knee. "I came up here to tell you that it's time for dinner. Come on down and we'll talk about this more later."

"Do we have to?" Ally asked, wishing for this agony to be over.

"Come on." Penny insisted. She followed Ally downstairs and into the kitchen where Lester was placing the last dish on the table. It was almost like old times since the funeral. Mom was staying in the guest room, but they had family meals and Ally had been able to pretend that they were a family again.

"Austin is getting fast. He ran out the door a few minutes ago in a blur. Has he tried out for track?" Lester asked good-naturedly.

"He might have had extra incentive to get out of here quickly." Penny hinted in a serious voice.

This caught Lester's attention. "Why is that?" he asked.

"He just learned the survival skill of getting away from a mama bear after feeling up her daughter." Penny told him and Ally winced from her seat at the table. She hadn't looked at her dad yet and now she dreaded it.

"He . . . he and Ally were. . ." Lester seemed to be struggling with this new information. "How bad?" he finally asked.

"We were kissing and he barely touched my breast. We've never done that before, I swear. It just happened." Ally burst out. She finally looked at her dad and he just nodded his head in thought.

"Alright. Then we might need to set some new rules around here." He said, looking at Ally with sad eyes, like she had changed somehow. In her head she heard the words he didn't say. 'she's not my baby girl anymore.'

"You two can't be alone in your room, or his, anymore." Penny said. "Haven't you been paying attention to them Lester? Do they spend a lot of time alone?"

"I thought they were just best friends. I had no idea anything had changed." Lester sounded overwhelmed.

Ally ducked her head to hide the tears that stung the back of her eyes. Her parents were arguing and it was her fault this time. And she couldn't go running to Austin right now because that would only make things worse. Her phone buzzed briefly in her pocket with a text and she slipped it out, holding it under the table and out of view of her parents who were beginning to yell.

Sorry I got you in trouble. - Austin

I wasn't complaining. But now they are fighting again and I just want to see you. - Ally

Me too. Pretend I'm hugging you now. Do you feel it? - Austin

Ally began to cry in earnest now. She loved Austin so much. He was always there for her no matter what.

I wish you were really here. -Ally

I'm going to tell my parents how I feel about you before yours call mine. -Austin

How do you feel? -Ally

Be my girlfriend? -Austin

Yes! -Ally

"Are you listening Ally?" Penny's voice interrupted her silent internal celebration.

"What?" Ally asked.

Penny grabbed the phone from her hand and set it on the table out of her reach. "Okay, no phone, no friends for a week. We have some talking to do as a family." she said.

"Penny, it's been a stressful week. We need to just calm down." Lester said.

"We can't make excuses, Lester." Penny snapped. "Doing things like that can lead to other things and some very big consequences and I want to talk to Ally about this. My father's passing is no excuse to let this slide."

Ally slumped further down in her seat wishing she could disappear rather than have the talks her mom was suggesting. Little did she know where those talks would lead them.

. . .

Austin rushed out of the classroom the moment the bell rang. He was down the hall and waiting outside of Ally's classroom in record time, ready for her to walk out the door. As soon as she did he reached for her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. She smiled up at him, said a quiet hello, and they began walking toward the cafeteria for lunch.

This had become Austin's habit in the three weeks since Ally's grandpa's funeral. She was grounded from him ever since Penny caught them kissing and her social life outside of school had been limited to only involving Trish. But here at school Penny had no power and they were able to act like the couple they wanted to be. They both got to school early so they could see each other before classes, they sat next to each other in their English and choir classes, they spent lunch together, and they lingered after school leaving as slowly as possible without arousing her parent's suspicion.

Ally told him about the lecture her mom gave her about being alone with boys. There was a long horrible story about Penny's cousin getting pregnant as a teenager. Ally had blushed a bit while telling him about that, but they had always been honest and spoken freely to each other about everything so he didn't mind the gory details. It also gave him the chance to let Ally know that while he liked kissing her, the physical stuff wasn't the reason he wanted her to be his girlfriend. She was his best friend and they knew each other and got along so well that it just felt right. She made him happy and he wanted to make her happy too.

So they had naturally fallen into this new pattern of being together only during school hours. They held hands every chance they got and kissed goodbye at the end of the day. Sadly, their music was affected too because they could no longer spend hours playing and singing together. But they talked and came up with ideas that Ally fleshed out into songs while she was stuck doing homework in the office at Sonic Boom every afternoon. Lester had been sympathetic to their relationship but Penny checked with him constantly so he was keeping a closer eye on his daughter. When he was busy out front in the store she would sometimes call Austin and run through song ideas with him. It wasn't the best situation but they made due.

Ally tugged lightly at Austin's hand as they got in line for food at the cafeteria. He released her while they collected food and then sat side by side at their usual table. Trish and Dez joined them soon and the four fell into their usual conversation.

"I spoke to the mall again about your concert in two weeks and cleared everything with Jimmy." Trish said, getting down to business. She was supportive of Austin and Ally being together and had really taken to her self-appointed role as Austin's manager. "Do you two have any new songs to debut there?"

"We've been working on something this week that should be ready." Ally said. She poked at the salad she picked for lunch and then reached over and grabbed one of Austin's french fries off his tray.

He just smiled at her. She always insisted on getting healthy food which she did like overall, but she would still steal bites of junk food off his tray frequently as well. It was one of their things.

"Austin, did you talk to those guys about being back up dancers for you?" Trish continued.

"Yeah. They're in. I'm meeting with them Saturday." Austin answered and went back to eating.

"Hold on Trish." Dez interrupted. "You still haven't given me an answer on our budget for the new video. Can we afford the camel or the turtle?"

Ally snickered and hid her face in Austin's shoulder. He nudged her gently with his arm and she lifted her face so he could look into her gorgeous brown eyes. He leaned her way and they shared a small kiss.

"The bad news is that I think this is the last mini concert that I get to plan. Jimmy said he is going to call Austin with some more songs to check out for the cd he wants to release this fall and he will be handling your publicity from now on. Dez, you need to talk to him about future videos too." Trish said.

"Aw, Trish." Ally said.

"It's okay. This has been fun but dad says I need to try to get a real, paying job this summer. He thinks I spend too much money on clothes and I need to use my own money for more shoes." she shrugged. "So I'll give that a try."

"So you're saying I need to talk to Jimmy about the camel?" Dez confirmed.

Trish rolled her eyes. "Yes, you Doof."

They finished lunch and Austin walked Ally toward her next class. They stopped outside the door, putting off their goodbyes until the bell rang and Austin had to leave. He pulled her into a hug.
"My mom is going to call your dad and invite you guys over for dinner sunday." he told her.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Mom likes you. She thinks you keep me out of trouble."

"Do I?" Ally asked.

Austin shrugged. "I don't know. But she's on our side right now so I won't question it."

"Good point." Ally agreed. She squeezed him a little tighter. "I'm sorry my mom is over-reacting. My dad likes you but he's trying not to make her more mad. You know what else? I like you too."

That made him smile. "Good, because I like you a lot." Then he kissed his girlfriend for a few minutes until class started.

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