A/N: Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, you guys rock! :)

Here's the next chapter, feel free to scream and dance at the end :p at least I hope you do haha.

Disclaimer: Don't own A&A. Oh, and the beginning scene is inspired by a scene in "Life as We Know It." I love that movie, some of you guys have probably seen it and will know what scene it is :)

Ally POV

"I'm really glad we got to do this. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" I said. "You know, I don't usually do dinner like this, especially with all of these rumours going around right now. You look really pretty tonight. Is that a new shirt? It really brings out the color of your eyes. What do you think of this meal?"

Maci just stared at me before she stuck the crushed watermelon in her mouth with her fingers.

I sighed and dropped my fork onto my plate. "I'm losing it, Mace. I wish your dad would come home."

Pancakes walked over and set her head on my lap. I looked down. "Hey, girl. You miss him, too?"

She whimpered in response, and I stroked her fur. "I thought so."

It had been another three days, bringing it to a full week since Austin had walked out. Three days since Dez had called and I let out my frustrations to Austin, who I knew was listening on the other end with Dez. I was hoping Austin would have at least called, or *something, but nope. Nothing.

"Maci, you're dripping all over your new shirt," I sighed as I grabbed a napkin and wiped her front. "That's why you use a spoon."

She shook her head hard, kicking her feet. "Okay, okay, use your fingers. Sheesh." That got a wicked grin out of her. Austin and I called it her 'Victory Grin'. It was probably one of the creepiest things we've ever seen.

I glanced at the clock. It was six in the evening. "Awe, nice. The Vampire Diaries is on!"

I grabbed the TV remote and flicked on the TV to the right channel. You could watch TV in the living room from our dining room because the wall seperating the two rooms wasn't a full wall; it was lower, maybe three feet tall.

I watched as I cleaned up mine and Maci's supper. "No! Damon, why'd you turn Elena's humanity off? She's going crazy!" I got really into that show, as you could tell. "It's okay, I still love you. You're lucky you're gorgeous."

If any of you readers watch The Vampire Diaries and are Team Damon, then I, Ally Dawson, am your new best friend. You know where it's at.

I glanced over at Maci when the show finished and saw that she was dozing off. "Oh, sweetie, how can you be tired?" I laughed lightly as I walked over and scooped her up. "You just had a nap not too long ago."

She curled her hands into my hair and yawned, so I took that as a cue to take her to bed. I grabbed her monkey and headed up the grand staircase, Pancakes following close behind.

"Alright, sweetie, stay awake for two more minutes," I told Maci. I set her down and rummaged around in her drawer for pyjamas. Pulling out her favorite Care Bear ones, I quickly but gently undressed her and changed her diaper before slipping her into the pyjamas. I ran a brush through her thick blonde hair before setting her in her crib.

I gently hummed until her eyes closed. When I knew she was asleep, I leaned over and kissed her head before turning her mobile on.

I pointed at Pancakes. "Keep an good eye on her, girl," I whispered. "You always do."

She prodded my knee with her head and curled into a ball at the edge of the crib. I bent to pet her. "Best guard dog ever."

When I got back downstairs, I heard a song playing on the radio that I had left on. When I got closer to the dining room, I recognized the lyrics and voice. It was "I Think About You", the song Austin had serenaded me with back when we were 16.

"And I wonder if you miss me, too. If you don't, here's the one thing that I wish you knew." I sang softly, tears threatening to fall. "I think about you, every morning when I open my eyes. I think about you, every evening when I turn out the lights…"

"Okay, come on, Ally," I scolded myself, wiping my eyes. I flipped off the radio. "Get it together." I grabbed my songbook and went to the piano. Maybe writing would clear my mind and pass the time.

After an hour, I was ready to fall asleep, so I turned out the lights and headed upstairs to the bedroom. After changing into comfy sleep shorts and a tank top, I brushed my teeth and washed my face.

When I got back to the bed, I stared down at it. I did this every night. It felt wrong sleeping alone. When Austin was away at a concert or something work-related, I at least knew that it was for a good reason, so it didn't feel as weird; you know what I mean? But with our current situation...well, it changed the atmosphere. It was just...cold. And lonely.

There was nothing I could do about it, however, so I reluctantly crawled under the blankets on my side of the bed and closed my eyes, trying to block out everything around me.

All I could hear was crying.

"Maci," I groaned sleepily, rolling over. "Mommy's tired." I glanced at the alarm clock. It was six in the morning.

When she wouldn't stop, I sighed and rolled out of bed, shuffling over to her room. Pancakes was still asleep on the floor.

I gathered Maci in my arms and rubbed her back. "What's wrong, honey?"

She sniffed and kept crying, so I brought her to my bedroom and sat on my bed. "You're probably hungry. Hey?"

I grabbed her bottle from my bedside table that I had made just incase she would wake up and brought it to her lips. She immediately grabbed it.

"I thought that was the problem," I smiled. "You did go to bed early." I shifted her in my lap. "You're not as light as you used to be, Mace. You're getting too big for my liking."

After she finished her bottle, which was fifteen minutes later, she was asleep again, so I brought her back to her bed.

"No point in going back to bed now," I muttered, going downstairs to make breakfast. I decided to make bacon and eggs, and while the stove heated, I turned on music quietly.

"I've seen a million girls, none of them amaze me," I sang as I got the bacon ready. "But when I'm close to you, I start acting crazy."

I went to put it on the frying pan, but my hand skimmed the edge of the pan. I yelped. "Mother fu-"

My phone ringing cut me off, which is probably a good thing. "Who calls this early?" I groaned, sticking my hand under cold water. I answered my phone with the other hand. "Yes?"

"Ally?"

I was so surprised, I dropped my phone. "Shit!" I exclaimed, going to grab it before it hit the floor. I fumbled with it for a second before pressing it back to my ear. "H-hi, Austin. Um, I didn't recognize the number."

"I'm calling from Dez's landline."

"Oh."

It was quiet for a few seconds before Austin spoke again. "Uh, I was just calling to see how you and Maci were doing."

My heart sank and it took all I had not to burst into tears once again. "O-oh. I'm fine. Maci's fine," I lied before snapping, "What, it couldn't have waited until a later time of day?"

"You're usually up this early," Austin shot back. "And apparently I was right. Is that water running?"

"Yes. I burnt my hand."

"On what?"

"The element on the stove," I said impatiently.

"Are you okay?"

For a second, Austin sounded concerned, and I caught a glimpse of his gentler side, but I pushed it away. "I'm fine. Not that you care."

"Ally, why wouldn't I care?" He sighed.

"Um, because you're pissed at me? To the point where you left, might I add."

"If I was still pissed at you, I wouldn't have called you. And I left because I needed space."

"I've given you Grand Canyons of space!"

"Ally, I really don't want to have this conversation over the phone."

"Fine. Then come back home." It sounded like a plead, and truthfully, it was. "Maci misses you." I hesitated before adding, "I miss you."

Austin was quiet before he said on the other end. "Ally, I-"

"Austin, please," I cut him off quietly. "It's been a week. And I know you aren't mad about that news article, or mad about any of this Jesse stuff anymore; Dez told me. So what are you waiting for? Austin, I know you better than anyone; you want to come home."

There was silence for a moment before he finally said in a thick voice, "I'll be there this afternoon."

I smiled to myself. "Okay, good. I'll see you then."

"See you later," he said. I hung up and set my phone down before turning the kitchen tap off and letting out a little girly laugh.

Maybe this will all finally be over with and we can go back to normal.

A/N: Sorry it was kind of short, but I wanted to get it up because I was dying to! I know you guys were dying for another chapter as well :p

Oh, and on a super duper duper happy note, I got my learner's license! WOOOO! Well, technically I got it on Wednesday :) I am now a partially licensed driver...is that how you would describe that? Well that's how I'm going to describe it, so yay me! :) Lol, London Tipton much? Sorry, I'm in a fabulous mood today :p SPRING BREAK! DOUBLE WOOOO! Oh, and a Rihanna concert on Monday! TRIPLE WOOO! K, I'm done!

Reviews make my liiiiiiife! :)

Joelle xx

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