A/N: I am soooooooo sorry for not updating for like, three weeks! I have been so unbelievably SWAMPED with homework, studying, sports practices, and Driver's Ed twice a week, and it's just all so overwhelming, so I haven't had ANY time to write :\ I missed you guys every day, believe me! But thank you guys for being so patient with me, and for reviewing and reading this story, and for all of your support on it, you're all so amazing and I seriously love all of you guys. Is it weird I consider you guys my fans? Because I do :) You're all awesome!

Here's a long chapter to make up for my absence and lack of uploading! Enjoy :)

Disclaimer: don't own A&A.

Ally POV

"What do you want with your pancakes?"

"Just pancakes is fine."

"You sure you don't want strawberries? Or raspberries?"

"Pancakes is good, Ally, I'm fine."

"Or orange juice, or-"

"Ally!" Austin laughed. "I promise I'm fine."

"Sorry, I'm just trying to make up for being an idiot," I admitted. It was only the morning after Austin came back, and he hadn't seen Maci yet. Well, he had, but not when she was awake. I was in the process of making him an "I'm Sorry" breakfast.

"We've been over this, Als, don't be sorry. We're good now," he smiled. "But seriously, I'm good with just pancakes. I could eat these all day."

"Fine," I sighed. "If you insist." I grabbed my plate and joined him at the table. "So what are you doing today?"

"Whatever you're doing," he shrugged before shoving a pancake in his mouth.

"Well, I was going to clean the house."

"Then cleaning the house it is!" Austin announced.

"Seriously?" I laughed. "That's the first time you've willingly wanted to help clean."

"That's not true!"

"Name one more time you offered to help," I challenged.

"Well, there was that time when I did the dishes."

"You did the dishes? When was that?"

"Ha ha. I've done them lots, but I'm talking about that time when Trish was over and you were helping Trish with some work crisis."

"I asked you to do them that time."

"Hey, the point is, I have helped you clean before," he said.

Before I could say anything, the baby monitor indicated that Maci was awake.

"I'll get her," I said as I got up and walked out of the kitchen to the grand staircase, trekking up them and down the hallway into Maci's room. She was standing in her crib with her hands on the side, eyes watery.

"Don't want to sleep anymore?" I asked her as I hauled her out and went back into the hallway. "Guess who wants to see you? Let's go see daddy."

"Daddy?" she murmured.

"Yeah, daddy," I smiled as I headed downstairs.

I shifted her to my other side as I walked down the hallway and into the kitchen, where Austin was chugging his milk.

"Who's that?" I asked Maci as I set her down.

Austin looked over. His face immediately broke into a huge grin, and he turned in his chair with his arms out. "Hey, sweetie. Come here."

"Daddy!" Maci hurried over to him. I slipped back into my seat across from him.

"Oh," Austin groaned as he hauled her up. "Jeez, Maci, I swear you're getting heavier every day." He kissed her forehead and then her cheek. "I missed you so much, girlie."

I smiled as Maci curled herself into his arms, her fists going into his blond hair. "She missed you, too, I can tell you that much."

He gently set his cheek on her head and closed his eyes, and when he opened them again a few seconds later, they were watery.

I didn't say anything because I knew what he was thinking. I just quietly got up and walked around the table to where he was sitting and slid onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around him and he buried his face in my neck while he cried.

"Shh," I said softly as I stroked his back.

"I'm so sorry for leaving you two," Austin sobbed, pulling Maci closer. "I feel like a complete ass."

"Hey," I said sharply. "Look at me. Austin, look at me."

When he did, I set my hand on his cheek to hold him in place. "You have nothing to be sorry about. It's over. You're back, Maci's happy. Everybody's happy. Okay?"

He drew in a shaky breath and looked away. "You understand me, Austin Monica Moon?"

"Okay," he said quietly.

"Good."

Maci's stomach growled, and Austin started laughing. "I guess you need to eat, too. I'll feed you."

"I'll get her food." I slid off his lap and went to the cupboards to grab some strawberries, mashing them up. I walked back to the table and set the bowl in front of Austin.

While Austin fed Maci, I could see that he was the happiest he had been in so long, being back with his family. It was evident that Maci was the same. I watched while I finished eating as my boyfriend played around with her, laughing and smiling as she shrieked and giggled.

"Now, let's clean up our dishes and get to work on the house. Maci's toys are all over the place, so she is obligated to help. Right, Mace?" I lightly poked her stomach.

She shook her head, and Austin and I laughed. I slid off of his lap and gathered my dishes. "I'll start in the living room."

"I'll do the den and Maci's play room," Austin said, setting Maci down so he could clean up his spot.

"I'll start with the living room, I guess. Maci's toys are all over the place in there." I loaded the dishwasher with the dishes and turned it on. I turned to Austin. "Alright, let's do this."

"Maci, where's your dad? I can't find him."

She looked at me and continued to bounce in her bouncer. "Alright, then. Well, I guess-"

"I'm ready to clean, Als!"

I turned around to find Austin decked out in a full body apron over older clothes, rubber gloves, a broom in one hand and a bucket of water in the other, rubber boots, and a sweat band around his head.

I burst out laughing. "What the heck are you wearing?"

"I'm wearing my cleaning clothes. Duh."

"See, now this is what tells me you never clean," I smirked, crossing my arms. "Maci, your dad has lost his mind."

"Hey, it won't be me complaining when I spill bleach or get dirt all over myself," he defended.

I walked over and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "At least you look cute. But please, take the sweat band off."

He pouted. "Nu uh; I rock it."

"Austin-"

"Ally."

"Austin, can you please take it off?"

"Ner."

"Did you just say ner?"

"Yer."

"Did you just-"

"Bark."

I let out a breath of exasperation. "Lord help us all. Fine, keep that band on."

Austin fist pumped. "Yes!" He galloped over to Maci- yes, he galloped- and bent to kiss her head. "Daddy wins again, Mace!"

She chewed on her rubber toy keys while kicking her legs and I grinned. "Okay, Mr. Clean. Go get started on the den."

"On it!" He ran into the hallway.

"Austin, don't run, you're carrying a bucket of-"

I heard a big splash on the ground and a "Dammit!" shortly after.

I sighed. "Water." I picked Maci up and carried her and her bouncer to the living room before setting her back down in it. I started picking up some of her toys and setting them back in their box or her playpen, and I grabbed the blankets from the couch, folding them again. Maci started whimpering a bit.

"Hey, Austin?" I called.

"What, babe?" he yelled back from the other side of the house. I barely heard him; it was a huge house. Well, mansion, if you want to get technical.

"Where did you put Maci's pacifier?"

"Uh, I think I put it on the table in the hallway!"

I walked into the hallway and found it where he said. "Thanks!"

I hurried back to Maci and popped it in her mouth. "Here you go, sweetie. I know, this isn't very fun to watch."

After I swept the floor, Austin walked in, covered in water. I stifled a laugh at his face. "You've got a little water on your apron," I teased.

"Ha, you're funny."

"I told you not to run with the bucket of water," I chastised.

"You tell me lots of things that I do the opposite of."

"Which makes you an idiot."

He grinned and sauntered over to me. "A very handsome and sexy idiot?"

I smirked and ducked out of his reach. "Don't even try hugging me right now."

"Why not?"

"Because you're covered in water!"

Austin turned to Maci. "Your mom is being mean to me."

Maci tilted her head at him and made a little, "Eh?" sound.

I smiled. "You still have Maci's play room to clean. Go before I cave in to your advances."

"My advances?" he smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Will you quite possibly cave in to them tonight?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes and shoved him in the shoulder. "Fine."

He grinned. "Cool." He left the room again and I bent to pick up another one of Maci's toys.

"Maci, you have way too many toys," I told her. "They're everywhere. It's like we run a toy shop."

She giggled and looked up at me from her bouncer. "You think that's funny? What happens if somebody-"

As I was talking, I was walking towards the TV to wipe it down, and apparently, I had forgotten to pick up her squeaky puppy. So you can imagine what happened when I took a step and landed on the toy. There goes my ankle.

"Ow!" I yelled as I fell on my knees.

I heard footsteps running in the hallway and Austin appeared in the doorway a few seconds later. "What happened?" He asked as he ran over to me.

"I just stepped on Maci's damn puppy!" I exclaimed.

"Can you walk?" he said, going to help me.

I waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." I got up and as I took as step, pain shot through my ankle. "Okay, I'm not fine!" Austin caught me under my armpits as I lost my balance.

"Here, let's get you to the couch." He put his arms around me and supported me as I hopped to the couch and lied down. He kneeled in front of me. "Here, let me see it."

I started laughing. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take you seriously right now while you're wearing that outfit. Especially with that sweat band around your head."

He pulled the apron and gloves off and ripped the sweat band off his head. "Better?"

I nodded. He was still wearing the rubber boots, but whatever, it wasn't as ridiculous. "Good. Now show me your ankle."

I stuck my left foot out at him and he carefully pushed the bottom of my skinny jeans up from my ankle and winced. "Ally, that doesn't look good at all."

"What are you talking about?" I went to look. "I'm sure it's- oooh, yeah, you're right." I tilted my head. "I don't think it's supposed to be that big."

"I think you might have broken it, Als. We should get you to the doctor. Like now."

I groaned. "Ugh, do we have to?"

"Yes! Just hold on." Austin stood up and left the room. He came back with an icepack and a couple towels. He wrapped the icepack in one towel and set it on my ankle before wrapping the other towel around it to hold it in place. "There, that's all we can do for now." He then went over to Maci, hauling her out of her bouncer. "Alright, princess, time to take mommy to the doctor." He bent to wrap his free arm around me and helped me stand up. He turned around. "Get on my back."

"I can't get on your back when you're holding Maci!"

He set Maci on the couch. "Get on my back now."

I rolled my eyes and crawled on, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. He bent to pick Maci up again. Talk about multi tasking.

"How the heck-"

"Ally, I'm strong. I can handle a one year old, and you, you're just….well, you're a small girl."

"Thanks," I deadpanned as he slowly made his way out to the vehicle.

"Just be quiet and let me help you." He bent and I slid off his back when we got to the vehicle and slipped into the passenger seat while he strapped Maci in. A moment later, he jumped in the driver's seat and pulled out of the driveway.

"How does it feel?" Austin asked.

"Not too bad. It's throbbing, but it's not unbearable," I replied.

"I'm serious, Ally, I think it's broken."

"Well, I seriously hope it's not. I can't afford to be in a cast for six weeks, especially with Maci."

"You might have to be, unfortunately. But hey, you've got me and everybody else to help."

I crossed my arms. "All because of a stupid toy puppy. Curse it."

Austin patted my leg. "Awe, don't hate on the puppy."

"Sorry," I mumbled.

He smiled and, a few minutes later, pulled into hospital parking lot near the emergency entrance. I opened my door when he cut the engine and slid out slowly, standing on one leg while he got Maci's stroller out of the back of the vehicle and set her in it. He pushed her over and told me to get on his back again, and I did this time without complaining, seeing as how it would be easier for him with Maci in the stroller now.

Since he couldn't exactly hold me on his back because he was pushing the stroller, I had to hold on pretty hard, and without choking him, too. It was pretty difficult.

"How can I help you, kids?" the receptionist asked kindly, although she did look at us funny when she said kids and saw Maci in the stroller in front of us.

"My girlfriend tripped on one of our daughter's toys, and hurt her ankle pretty badly. I'm no doctor, but it looks broken to me," Austin told her. Yep, there's the confirmation the receptionist needed, by the look on her face.

"How much pain are you in, honey?" She asked me.

"A lot now," I said through gritted teeth, which was true. My ankle had started throbbing severely a couple minutes before getting to the hospital. "Can I get some pain meds?"

"I'll get a doctor. You guys can wait over there." She stood up and walked into the back room before coming back out with a wheelchair. Awe, bless her heart.

"Thanks," Austin said gratefully as he took it. I slid down and sat in it. Austin took Maci out of her stroller and set her on my lap. "She's going to have to sit on your lap; I can't push you both."

I nodded. "That's fine."

He folded the stroller up and carried it under his arm as he pushed me towards the waiting room.

"We better not have to wait long," I groaned. "It's seriously starting to hurt, Austin."

"I know, Als, just hang in there," he said gently.

"I'm trying," I snapped before softening. "I'm sorry, Austin, it's not your fault. I appreciate the help."

"Nah, it's fine. It's not nearly as bad as when you were in labour. Now that was awful." I slapped him across the arm. "Ow!"

"Shut up."

A male doctor came into the room. "Ally Dawson?"

"That's me," I said as Austin stood up.

"Follow me," he said as we started down the hallway. Once we got to the room, Austin put Maci on a chair before he picked me up and sat me on the bed. He went over to the chair and sat in it with Maci in his lap.

"I'm Dr. Stevens. It looks like we've got an ankle injury, correct?" the doctor said kindly. He was fairly young, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties.

"Looks like it," I said. "I tripped on one of her toys." I gestured at Maci.

"How long ago did it happen?" Dr. Stevens asked as he bent to examine it.

"Maybe half an hour ago, if that."

He whistled. "Yep, we're going to have to x-ray that. It's very possible it's a fracture or a break."

"Lovely," I muttered. "Maci, from now on, you do NOT leave your toys everywhere."

"Kay, mommy!" she piped from Austin's lap.

The doctor smiled. "Come on; let's get you to the x-ray room."

"So, blue, black, pink, purple, green, or white cast?" the doctor asked me.

"I guess I'll go with the pink," I said.

Turns out I really did break my ankle, as Austin predicted. Damn it ALL.

"So how long do I have to have this thing on?" I asked as the doctor got to work.

"Six weeks, then you'll have to come back in so we can take a look at it. If it isn't set, we may have to do surgery."

"Surgery?" I squeaked. Austin squeezed my hand.

"It's highly unlikely," Dr. Stevens said. "But there is a slight possibility. Don't worry, it won't affect anything. It's a small procedure, but no sense in worrying about it when you most likely won't need it. Let's just deal with that when the time comes."

I nodded weakly. "Okay."

"While you're in this cast, you can't do a lot of things, obviously, since you'll be on crutches. If you want, we can supply you with a wheelchair as well if it makes transportation easier."

"That would be good, thanks," I said. "It'll make moving Maci around easier."

The doctor nodded. "Bathing will be easier than showering, but if you feel like you can shower, you may. You'll want your boyfriend here to help you with that."

Austin and I went red in the face. I mean, it was no embarrassment to us, because, you know, we had seen everything of each other numerous times, obviously. But it was embarrassing having the doctor tell you things like that.

"Wrap it in plastic so the cast doesn't get wet. If the cast gets wet at any time, come back and we'll change it. Keep the ankle elevated for the first few days as much as possible."

Austin nodded, taking everything in. "Have fun playing doctor," I said to him.

"Not like I have a choice," he replied.

As Dr. Stevens was putting the cast on my ankle, Maci was getting cranky so Austin was trying to keep her entertained by bouncing her on his lap. When she finally started squirming in his arms, and Austin was having trouble holding her, he sighed and stood up. "You know what, Ally, I'm just going to take her out to the waiting room. I'll talk to the receptionist and set up another appointment."

"Alright," I said. He left the room.

When the doctor finished, I inspected the cast. Bright pink and fun on the outside. Not so bright pink and fun on the inside.

"Thanks, Dr. Stevens," I said gratefully.

"No problem, Ally. I'll prescribe some pain medication for you as well."

"Awesome," I sighed, which made him grin. After he prescribed me with the meds, he gave me some crutches and fixed them so they were suitable for my height. He wheeled me out to the waiting room where Austin was waiting by the door.

"Hey," he said. "Looks good."

"Doesn't feel good," I replied.

"Thanks again, doctor," Austin said, shaking his hand.

"You're most welcome, Mr. Moon. Call if you have any questions, or if you have any concerns with the ankle."

"We will," I assured him. The doctor waved and went off down the hall again. Austin set Maci in my lap, who was now sleeping.

"She was quiet as soon as we got out here," he said as he wheeled me to the vehicle.

"I don't blame her; I would hate being cooped up in that room for that long too if I was her."

When we got home, Austin put Maci to bed after he helped me to the couch and grabbed a few pillows to elevate my ankle. While he was upstairs, I grabbed the TV remote to see if anything good was on.

Austin sat down beside my feet when he came back down. "Hey, cripple."

"Call me that one more time," I threatened.

He put his hands up. "Sorry, I had to."

I sighed. "I feel so hopeless. I can't believe I broke my ankle. Now I have this stupid cast on for six weeks!

"Ally, getting mad at the cast isn't going to do anything."

"I know, I'm just upset."

He leaned over carefully and kissed me quickly. "You've got me to help you with everything, and Trish, Dez, your parents, my parents, Quinn's family." He paused. "And Jesse."

My eyes brightened. "You'll meet him!?"

"Yes, I'll meet him."

"Yay!" I exclaimed, grabbing him in a hug. "But don't kill him."

"Jesus, Ally, I won't. Relax," Austin said.

"Sorry." I winced. "That's sore."

"Yeah, it's going to be for a while. Do you need anything?"

"Can you get me a glass of water?"

"Of course." He jumped up and went into the kitchen. A few minutes later, he came back with my water and handed it to me.

"Thanks," I smiled. "You're the best."

"I try," he grinned. "This doctor thing is going to be quite the adjustment. I'll have to take time off of my music."

"No, no, don't be ridiculous. I can still move around and do things."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Alright," Austin said. "If you say so." He kissed my forehead. "I love you."

"Love you more," I replied.

"Wanna watch a movie? I figure since you're going to be a couch potato for a few days, might as well watch some good movies!" Austin said, sitting down beside me again.

"Sure," I laughed as he flipped through them. "What do you want to watch?"

"Wreck It Ralph."

"Of course you do," I sighed.

"That's my favourite movie right now."

"Believe me, I know."

A/N: Awe, broken ankle! Poor Ally :( Read and review it up! :) Now, I'm going to try REALLY hard to update as soon as I can, but I'm still really busy. But luckily driver's ed is over soon so I won't be as busy, but I still will be :/ oh dear, the life of a teenager!

Can we just emphasize on the fact that the R5 concert I'm going to is in 19 days? OMG! :D So excited! First time going, first time meeting them! I'll die :p

Love you all!

Joelle xx

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