A/N: I don't own Austin and Ally.
Derailed chapter 12
. . .
Austin woke up earlier than usual and got ready. He opened the curtains in his hotel room and looked out at Madrid. Ally was somewhere out there, driving toward him at that very moment. Her flight left London in the wee hours of the morning and by now she had landed and was riding in the private car Scarlett arranged for her. He smiled to himself as he thought of all the comments his manager and her assistant Andrea had made about Ally recently. They'd seen him date casually over the years but it was clear that they liked Ally more than any other girl he'd been with.
A knock on his door drew him from the window. He let Scarlett in and she looked him over.
"Up and dressed at this hour - you must be excited to see Ally." she said.
"Can you blame me?" Austin asked.
"No. But I will blame you if you let her go. She's special, different from other girls you've dated." Scarlett commented.
"I'm not letting her go again." Austin stated.
"So you two will be busy all day, I assume?" she asked and Austin nodded. "Well, here is a map and some places of interest you may want to check out while you are out and about. Just be to the venue by 6pm for my sanity please. We'll do a final soundcheck, get you dressed and put on a show."
"Sounds good." Austin took the paper she held out for him, glancing down at the city map with red dots designating the points of interest. Ally would like that.
"Andrea will have everything Ally likes offstage and will keep her company as usual during the show. She'd be heartbroken too if you mess this up with Ally by the way." Scarlett said.
Austin grinned. "I'm beginning to think you two like Ally more than me and you barely know her."
"Of course we like her better." Scarlett threw back and smirked before returning to her list of things to do.
"Ha ha." Austin responded and then pulled his phone from his pocket as it registered a new text. "She's here."
"See you at 6. Have fun." Scarlett said as they walked out of his room together. She went down the hall to her room and he headed for the elevator. He found Ally in the lobby chatting with Andrea while she waited for him. He pulled her into a hug as soon as he reached her.
"Ready to have some fun?" he asked.
"Let's go." Ally said. "See you later Andrea."
"Bye." Andrea waved them off as Austin took Ally's hand and led her out the front doors of the hotel.
They explored the city together, eventually making their way toward the venue as evening approached.
"This once a week thing is killing me." Austin complained to Ally as they finished eating dinner with some dessert. "I want to see you more often."
"Well, you are coming to London for a few days after you last show on Wednesday, right?" Ally said.
"Yeah."
"So that's only four days away, not a whole week." Ally pointed out.
"You're right. But after that I won't see you for three weeks."
"But then we'll be in Miami together for the whole summer. You may get sick of me after all that time together." Ally joked.
"No way." he promised. "I can't wait for Miami. I've never been so excited about going home before."
"I'm a little nervous to see my dad again." Ally admitted.
"Don't be. He's missed you."
"Well, I'm excited for you to meet my friends here this weekend. They didn't get a chance at all last time you were in London. Well, except for James: he got to meet you." Ally changed the subject before she got emotional.
"He's cool. It will be nice to put faces with the rest of the names."
"Do you have a place to stay yet?"
"Scarlett set something up. I think I'll be in the same hotel as last time which isn't too far from you."
"I'll still have classes in the mornings but my afternoons aren't bad and the nights are all yours. We can do whatever you want."Ally said.
"What do you and your friends usually do? Just let me join in and maybe steal you away for a date Saturday night just the two of us."
"Okay." Ally said and blushed lightly.
"And when we're in Miami I'll take you out every weekend. I'll finally be able to treat you like my girlfriend." Austin said.
"A few years late."
Austin shook his head. "Maybe not. Maybe the time is right now. Either way, I'll do things right this time. I don't want you to have any reason to break up with me again."
Ally ducked her head. "Are you ever going to let me live that down?" she asked quietly.
"That's not what I meant. I'm not blaming you: neither of us saw a way out of what was happening. I get it. I just don't want to repeat it." Austin hurried to correct her.
"Neither do I." Ally agreed.
They left the restaurant and walked back toward the venue, entering the back door to avoid the line of fans waiting out front who would swallow Austin whole if they saw him. Austin left Ally with Andrea so he could go get ready for the show. He had a few minutes with her just before the show and they talked for a moment. Following his new habit he left a kiss on her cheek just before running on stage to greet his audience.
After the show Ally was tired from her very long day and fell asleep on Austin's shoulder during the short car ride to his hotel. Austin carried Ally up to his room when she didn't wake at his gentle prodding.
. . .
Austin ran his hand up and down Ally's back softly while morning light streamed in the window. She stirred and made a contented noise as she snuggled closer into him. They were both lying on their sides facing each other and she pressed her face into his collarbone, her hands curled up between their bodies. She was so cute like this. Not that she wasn't cute all the time, but he had wondered what it would be like to wake up with Ally Dawson for years.
"Mmmm." She hummed appreciatively as his hand continued it's circuit along her back. He brought his hand to her waist and stopped. Ally's eyes fluttered open and a small smile graced her lips.
"Austin." She murmured.
"Good morning." He said quietly.
Ally's eyes suddenly widened and she pushed away from him, practically falling off the bed in her haste to get away.
"What am I doing here?" She got to her feet and looked around the room.
"Ally?" He sat up.
"Where's Andrea?" Ally asked and did a quick inventory of herself. She was in last night's clothes, only missing her shoes which she located at the foot of the bed. Thankfully Austin was clothed as well, in pajama pants and a white t-shirt. His hair was messier than normal but he still looked good despite the shock on his face. She shook that thought from her head.
"She's probably still sleeping in her room." He said.
"Why am I here?" Ally asked.
"You came to Madrid to see my show."
"No. Why am I in your bed?" She asked and her face burned as she blushed.
"You fell asleep in the car. I didn't think you'd mind so I brought you here. What's wrong?"
"I was supposed to share a room with Andrea again."
Austin stood up and approached her. "Ally, what's the problem? We just slept. We've done this before, back when we were kids remember? After our first kiss you napped on my bed, and all those times we fell asleep studying at my house or yours. It's no big deal."
"It is a big deal. That's the stuff that got me sent to Africa!" Ally said loudly.
"Shhh. Okay, calm down." Austin put his hands on her shoulders and kept eye contact. "It's going to be okay."
"I've never slept with someone, never spent the night with a guy before." she admitted.
"Never?"
Ally shook her head and turned away from him to look out the window.
"I've been trying to avoid this conversation. I mean we've only seen each other a couple of times and we're still figuring this whole thing out. I don't know what your expectations are from a girlfriend, but I don't have any more experience than I did last time I saw you. Mom discouraged contact with guys and the few first dates I've been on since I started at Oxford weren't all that great. Over the years I was told all these horror stories about things that can go wrong with intimacy and pregnancy and I haven't . . . it's just not something I've let myself think about. . ." Ally trailed off as Austin's arms wound around her stomach from behind and he looked out the window over her shoulder, gazing at the city below with her.
"I'm scared." she finally said.
They were quiet for a moment and Austin squeezed gently. She felt comforted and safe again.
"Is this okay?" he asked.
"Yes."
"You seem to be okay with kissing." he commented.
"Only with you." she said.
"I don't want to mess up this second chance. So just talk to me, okay? Tell me if I do something wrong so I can fix it. And you don't have to stay the night with me unless you want to. I wasn't trying to upset you." Austin said.
Ally turned in his arms and hugged him. "I'm sorry I panicked. I was so comfortable with you when I woke up and then I had this sudden fear of being taken away again. It's the worst feeling. I don't want to lose you."
"I know. But you aren't going to be in trouble for this. And no one can make me stay away from you, but you." he said.
"I don't want you to stay away." she said.
"Then I won't." He promised.
Ally hugged him tight, hiding her face against his shoulder. He simply held her, neither of them noting the passage of time as they breathed together. Austin felt his own heart beating, matching time with hers and was reminded of another time years ago when he held her and first began to fall in love with his best friend.
Eventually Austin spoke. "Waking up to your hugs isn't too bad. I could do without the panic attack though." he teased gently.
Ally pulled back and slapped his arm half-heartedly. He just grinned and kissed her forehead before moving away and picking up a menu from the nightstand.
"Are you hungry? I can order room service for breakfast. Their pancakes are pretty good here." Austin offered.
Ally's stomach growled in response. "Yes. Get me anything, I'm not picky." she said as she headed toward the bathroom and Austin picked up the phone.
They turned on a Spanish news station and sat on the bed cross-legged while they ate breakfast, making bad translations of what the newscasters were saying and laughing together. Scarlett and Andrea showed up just as they finished their food to go over an itinerary with Austin. A car had been arranged to take Ally to the airport but Austin couldn't go with her. He had a press engagement that afternoon and the next day they were on the road again to his last concert of the tour.
Ally cleaned herself up as well as she could with the few items she brought in her bag. She didn't have a change of clothes and since she couldn't wear her pajamas on the plane she straightened up the best she could, brushed her hair and teeth and got ready to say goodbye.
She hugged Scarlett and Andrea quickly and then Austin pulled her aside for a soft kiss that made her tingle all over.
"I'll see you in a few days." he said.
"Be safe. And get ready for James, he's brutally honest but luckily he likes you. So far." Ally said.
Austin chuckled. "I'll try to stay on his good side."
. . .
Austin walked out of the airport amidst flashing cameras and into Dez's car in LA. He had spent the last four days in London with Ally and her friends; sending Scarlett, Andrea and their crew home ahead of him. He flew home alone and now it was good to see a friendly face.
"Welcome home Buddy!" Dez greeted him happily.
Austin gave a small smile as he slumped into the seat and they drove away. "Hi Dez. How's it going?"
"I keep getting calls from all your old girlfriends asking about Ally. And the press won't listen to a thing about my new movie because they only want to know about you two."
"Sorry man." Austin said but his smile grew at the mention of Ally.
"No you aren't. Was it really that good to see her again?" Dez asked.
"She's beautiful and smart and everything I remember but better and she's mine." Austin sighed happily.
"Oh no. I've lost you to Africa again." Dez complained.
"Probably forever." Austin confirmed happily.
Dez looked at him and then smiled in return. "I'm glad you are happy. On the phone you told me she's still in school over there though. How is this going to work?"
"Well, I'm going to start looking for a place in Miami tomorrow. I'll stay there this summer while she gets some time with her dad again. Then I think I'll go to London with her when she has to go back in the fall. But I haven't told her that part yet."
"You're going to move to London?"
"Why not? I can make music there as well as I can in Miami or LA. It doesn't matter where I am. And Ally and I wrote a song our first day together. Maybe we can do more writing just like we used to. And I'll be where she is so we can have a real relationship this time. When she graduates next year we'll figure out what to do next." Austin said.
"You're serious." Dez said.
"Of course I am: I love her Dez, I always have. I can't explain it, but we're good together. Seeing her was like coming home and it didn't matter that it was in London and not here. She's what I want."
"When are you going to see her again?" Dez asked.
"A few weeks. She will fly home to Miami and I'll be there. We talked to Lester yesterday while I was still in London and he's going to get her old room ready. She even asked to work in the store to earn extra cash this summer. He is excited to see her and I'm looking forward to seeing my parents too."
"You haven't gone home in a while."
"You know I was avoiding it because it makes me think of Ally. Now that won't be a problem anymore." Austin said.
"Maybe I can come back for a week or two. My mom keeps complaining that video chatting isn't the same as seeing me in person. And Didi will have her baby by then." Dez mused.
"That would be great!" Austin responded happily.
. . .
Ally walked off the plane into the humid Miami air. She took a deep breath and there was something innately home about the smells that greeted her. It had been 7 years since she set foot in Miami and she was both nervous and excited. After retrieving her luggage she went to the pick-up area where she was met by a small group of people. Lester rushed forward the moment he saw her and pulled her into a tight hug. He blubbered into her shoulder but she didn't mind and held on tight, happy to finally see her dad again. Trish and Austin waited off to the side and were each rewarded with hugs in turn. Austin carried Ally's bags out to the car while Lester kept Ally busy talking.
While Ally had spoken on the phone with him often over the years, it was refreshing to finally be with her father in person again. They piled into a large suv Austin rented and he drove while Lester continued to bask in the return of his only child.
They pulled onto the old familiar street and Austin parked in the Dawson's driveway. The closer they got the faster Ally's heart raced in excitement. She was finally coming home! It was six years later than she originally imagined, but she was here now and that was all that mattered. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet in anticipation as Lester unlocked the door and she rushed inside, eager to see each room and feel that long lost sensation of home. Her bedroom door was open and when she walked inside it looked and smelled clean rather than the abandoned space it had been. Her father got it ready as he promised. It was still decorated according to her 15 year old self's style and she would have to make some changes, but above all else it just felt good to be in that space again.
"Wow, this is like time traveling. It's exactly the same as when we were kids." Trish commented.
"It is. I may change a few things since I'm not exactly 12 anymore." Ally said with a laugh.
"Oh, I brought you a welcome home gift but it's out in my car. I'll be right back." Trish said and hurried out of the room.
Ally grinned happily as Austin paused in the doorway, leaning casually against the side and smiling at her.
"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" he asked.
"Yes! It feels so good to finally come home." she said.
Austin chuckled and let her pull him into the room by the hand, leaving her luggage in the hall.
"I have a lot of great memories of you here too." she said.
"Yeah?" Austin asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaning in for a small kiss.
"Oh no. Not this again." Lester groaned from the doorway.
"Dad, Austin is my boyfriend now: we're going to kiss." Ally said.
"I know. You stopped being my little girl a long time ago but a dad is always protective of his daughter." Lester defended.
"Don't worry Mr. Dawson, only PG rated stuff here in Ally's room. I remember." Austin joked.
Lester smiled at the joke but then sobered. "You know, I never had that big of a problem with you Austin. I could see that you two liked each other and you were happy together. Ally could do a lot worse than date her best friend."
"Thanks Dad." Ally said and went over to hug Lester again. He gave her a tight squeeze then pulled back and cleared his throat. "I'll just go and start dinner then, unless you want to go out to celebrate?"
"I'd love to just eat here with you, like the old days." Ally assured him.
Lester smiled happily and left the room as Trish came back with a small wrapped gift. Austin sat down on the bed to watch the girls.
"Trish! You didn't have to get me anything." Ally said.
"How often does a long lost friend come home again, right? It's not much anyway, I just want you to know it's great to see you again." Trish said.
Ally quickly opened the gift and pulled out a charm bracelet like one she lost in the jungle years ago. "No way, Trish! This is perfect! Thank you." she slipped on the bracelet and hugged her old friend.
"There are a few new ones on there too, for each of us and different things we've been doing." Trish pointed them out.
"You guys are so great. It's incredible to be here again. I kind of gave up hope on it a few years ago so this is amazing." Ally said, smiling at her friends.
"Well, I for one am glad you finally made it back. We have to hang out a lot this summer. But right now I have to go get ready for work: I'm closing tonight." Trish said and made a face.
"Okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Ally promised.
Trish gave her one more hug and then left. Ally sat down on the bed beside Austin and sighed.
"I'm really here, right? I feel like I should ask you to pinch me or something." she said.
"It's real. And I can prove it by taking you next door to my old house. My parents really want to see you again." Austin said.
"They do?"
"Of course. My mom is thrilled that we are finally dating, so she may welcome you to the family and try to crown you princess of Moon's Mattress Kingdom or something, but don't let it scare you." Austin said with a laugh.
"Your parents were always like a second family to me. I knew them better than some of my own relatives." Ally said. Then she added quietly, in a sadder tone, "I'm glad they are okay with us being together."
"Your mom?" Austin asked.
Ally nodded. "She showed up last weekend, at my house, with no warning."
"What happened?"
"Well, we haven't talked since that awful phone call when you were in Milan. I was planning on calling yesterday before I left London no matter what so she beat me to the punch. She knocked on my door and asked if she could take me to lunch. I was in the middle of studying for finals and needed a break so I agreed. We talked. She's still nervous about me having any kind of relationship with a man. I defended you, us, but it didn't seem to matter. She seems to think that being involved with guys just leads to problems no matter what."
"You aren't having second thoughts about us are you?" Austin asked, afraid of Penny's influence over Ally.
She shook her head. "No. Because this feels so right." she slipped her hand into his, lacing their fingers. "And sure, life is full of problems, but I think people are stronger when they face them together. And I wouldn't mind facing some things with you by my side."
Austin smiled. "That's why I love you." He sighed.
Their eyes widened simultaneously. It was the first time since they reunited that either of them had said Love. Austin wasn't planning on saying it that moment either, it just slipped out naturally.
"I love you too." Ally said.
Austin breathed again. "I was afraid it was too early to say and I didn't want to scare you away. But I've always loved you Ally. Being apart didn't change anything for me."
"I know the feeling." Ally nodded and leaned closer to him. She kissed him tenderly, slowly. She was in no rush because what they had was a forever kind of thing.
. . .
Austin left a short time later but only went to his parent's house next door. Ally promised to try and come over that night. After saying goodbye to Austin she went into the kitchen where her dad was making a huge mess while he tried to cook a fancy dinner for Ally.
He glanced up at her as she walked in and then continued stirring something in a pot on the stovetop.
"I've been planning this dinner for a week now. I just want to get it all right." he said.
"Dad."
"I usually only have to worry about myself so I keep it simple. And I eat out a lot when I stay late at work so it's been a while since I made a full meal to share with someone."
"It's okay. I'm sure it will be good. But you really don't have to go to all this trouble." Ally said.
Lester stopped his stirring and looked at her. "Yes I do. I messed up, letting you go with your mother all those years ago. Back then I convinced myself I was doing what was best for you but I've questioned that decision for a long time now."
Ally's heart sped up and she felt tears gathering in her eyes at her father's confession. "I wish you had fought harder for me. I thought you didn't want me here."
"No! No no, not at all. I missed you every day. I couldn't look Austin in the eye and Mimi wouldn't let me forget what I did. Not that I ever could have forgotten anyway, or forgiven myself. I thought it would only be for a year and then Penny and I would talk and you would come home. She always had an argument and you were already there with her. I didn't have the money or help at the store to just leave it and come get you myself. And time kept stretching on and suddenly you were in Germany. It broke my heart to tell you no every time you asked to come home. This house was so empty without you."
A few tears had escaped Ally's eyes and slid down her cheeks as her dad spoke. Lester rounded the counter and pulled her into another hug.
"I'm so sorry." Lester said as he hugged his daughter tight.
A timer on the oven beeped and Lester let Ally go so he could pull something from the oven. At his direction, Ally sat down at the set table and let Lester finish up and bring everything to the table. They ate and talked, with some of the more painful conversation now out of the way. It didn't change anything or bring back the time they'd lost, but it was comforting for Ally to know that her father had missed her as much as she missed him.
When dinner was finished Ally walked the familiar path to the Moon's house next door and rang the bell. Mike answered and pulled her inside with a huge smile and his usual exuberant greeting. He called for Mimi and Austin who quickly joined them in the front hall. Ally was almost crushed by Mimi's hug and then pulled back to the family room to chat. Austin simply watched and laughed from the sidelines.
She spent an hour there answering all the Moon's questions about Africa, Oxford, Penny and Gorillas. When she began to yawn Mimi's motherly instincts kicked into high gear and she sent Ally back home to rest after her long flight and busy day. Austin walked her to the front door and kissed her goodnight before he left to sleep in his new apartment.
. . .
Ally straightened the violin display in Sonic Boom and thought back over her first week back home in Miami. She spent the first two days being dragged all around Miami by Trish one day and Austin the next. They were determined to remind her of every fun thing they had ever done or wanted to do. Trish also took Ally to see the apartment where she lived and meet her roommates. They invited her to join them for a game night the following week and she was happy to accept and have the possibility of making some more friends here.
Austin showed off the apartment he was renting for the summer and Ally was barely able to convince him to put off the beach for a little while. She hadn't gone to one in years and didn't even have a bathing suit. So they stuck to other familiar places.
Then she started working part time at her dad's music store Sonic Boom. It was a relief to have a schedule and a purpose. She liked being busy and having something to focus on while she figured out her new place in Miami.
She also loved having access to all the musical instruments she had missed so much. Since she got home she had spent several hours reacquainting herself with her old piano at the house. Now, at the store, she was able to play with all the instruments during free moments, testing her memory on how to play them. She began to experiment with original melodies again as she had done with Austin back in London. She felt like part of her had been sleeping for a long time and was finally waking as she let her creativity flow freely. She loved it.
On Saturday, one week after she returned to Miami, she made plans with Austin to go out. She was getting ready for that date when Penny called her. Ally had upgraded her phone on her own to handle international calls back when she moved to London. It was one of several things her parents hadn't allowed that she made sure to get herself as soon as she got out on her own and had the money.
"Hi Mom. I don't have a lot of time." Ally answered the phone.
"Oh, okay sweetie. I just wanted to make sure you were settling in okay there." Penny said.
"Everything is great, Mom. Dad had my room all ready, I've got a part time job, I'm going to hang out with Trish and some girls next week and I have a date with Austin in a few minutes. I think I'm going to have a great summer here." Ally said as she slipped on the shoes that went with her summer dress.
"Wow. You sound so busy."
"I'm spending time the way I always wanted to." Ally said.
"I see. Well, have a nice time and make good decisions." Penny said.
"I will. I'll talk to you another time Mom." Ally promised, trying not to let her annoyance creep into her voice. Her Mom might mean well, but Ally knew exactly what she meant by her last comment. 'Don't waste time with men and get yourself pregnant.' She'd heard the speeches and rants too often over the years to believe her mother could mean anything else.
"Alright. Bye sweetie."
"Bye Mom."
Ally ended the call and quickly slipped a necklace over her head just in time for the doorbell to ring. She heard Lester answer the door and walked downstairs to find him chatting with Austin.
"Hello Beautiful." Austin greeted her and held out his arm for her. Ally kissed her dad's cheek and took Austin's arm. As he led her down the walk in front of the house he held out a single red rose for her. She smiled at the thoughtful gesture and took the rose, happy to finally be going on a date with her boyfriend in Miami without having to hide from parents or trick anyone. Somehow, with everything that happened over the years, they had come full circle to end up right where they were supposed to be.
. . .
Alright lovelies - tell me what you think! Do you want to see more from this storyline or should I stop there? I have some ideas of where it will go and set a little up in this chapter, but if this is a good spot to stop, let me know. Thanks for reading - you guys are incredible!
weesh