So here's the real chapter fourteen. Sorry about that long rant in my Authors note, but it just really irks me. Special thanks to Laraaram and NicoFan-of-Apollo, for looking out for me. You guys made me aware of the situation and I'm working on taking care of it, so thanks again. But anyway, back to focusing on this chapter, I guess I'm not that great at suspense because everyone who guessed, pretty much guessed right. :P haha, but I hope you enjoy it anyway! Read and Review! The reviews on the last chapter were sooooo great! I love you guys! :D

ALLY'S POV

My idea was crazy, but I didn't see any other options at this point. It was the only place that I've always trusted, a place that never let me down. I put shoes on and walked out of the shed. I stepped towards the woods and stared into the distance wondering if I was really going to do this. Yes. Yes, I was.

I started down the all too familiar path into the woods. I've been down this path so many times, I could walk it with my eyes closed. I know it by heart. Before long, I saw what I had came here for. It was old, worn down, and about to fall completely apart. But it was there.

The fort. The place I practically grew up in. My entire childhood basically revolves around this old place. And here it was, holding out after all these years. Time has definitely taken its toll on the place, but it was fighting to keep our memories alive. I didn't even know for sure if it would still be here, standing. But I had hope that someone, or rather something, was still holding out for me.

I stepped closer and slid my hand across the side of the dry, old slab of wood that was making up a wall. My fingers lingered on the places that my hands had touched many years ago. It was like looking into the past. I smiled to myself as the memories came flooding back into my brain. On one of the sides, I saw a carving in the wood. It said 'A&A forever'. I saw another that read 'Rulers of the Forest'. A tear slipped down my cheek, and I didn't even try and stop it from falling.

I walked around to the other side, and found the secret trap door that we created. It was really just a hole dug in the ground, with a board over top of the hole. I lifted the board to reveal a box resting in the hole. I couldn't remember what exactly was in it, so I decided to look. I picked up the box and brushed the dirt off of it. After cleaning it off, I realized that the box belonged to my mom. It was an antique that she received from her grandmother. There were carvings and patterns etched into the wood. My mom had let me have it, so I could one day pass it on to my children and grandchildren.

My heart felt warmer, thinking of my mom and my family, and yet it also felt empty and lonely at the same time. I missed her so much. Not many people know what it's like to lose the most important person in your life. I finally decided to see what was in the box. I clicked open the rusty gold latch on the box, and the lid creaked open. Inside, there were a couple of things. First, there was a letter. It read:

Dear person who is reading this,
You have found and opened our secret box. It is very special. If the fort is still here, it belongs to two people. Austin Moon and Ally Dawson. We are best friends. When we wrote this, we were only nine years old, but now, we are probably all grown up. We left this note so someone might find it, and take care of our fort for us, since we are too old. It is really cool and magical. Nothing bad ever happens here, so feel free to visit anytime. There are a few other things in this box that you might find interesting. They are things that were important and useful to us, and we are handing them down, so someone else can continue the adventure and keep the magic alive. Make what you want of it, and DREAM BIG. ~Austin&Ally

I now remembered the day we wrote this letter. We thought that we needed a way to tell the future generation how to keep our fort in good condition. I folded the letter and set it aside. I continue to look through the contents of the box. I found a smooth, flat rock. I remembered that it was our best water-skipping rock. We would take turns skipping it across the creek, but we would have to go through the water to get it back, because it was too good to lose.

Also in the box, was a collection of arrowheads. We had made these by sharpening rocks. We used them for play, and for carving the phrases into the fort. Lastly, at the bottom of the box, were two rings. They weren't real, they were made of tightly braided grass. One was Austin's, and one was mine. They were both tiny, so that they could fit our toddler size hands. We used them to signify our friendship, and how we were as strong as the grass used to braid the rings together. It was actually really strong grass.

I examined the rings, and more tears fell from my eyes. I put the contents back in the box, back in the hole, and replaced the board to recreate the trap door. Somebody deserved to experience this fort in the future, so I left it looking undisturbed.

Just then, I heard the crunching of leaves. I looked around to see who could possibly be out here, and was shocked to find Austin standing there. Of all the places, he meets me here. That shouldn't even surprise me. He looked just as shocked to see me here, as I was to see him.

"What are you doing here?" We both asked at the same time.

"You first." We said together again.

Even though I didn't particularly want to see him, I giggled. This caused him to chuckle too, and soon, we were both laughing with each other. My mood felt enlightened, like I was a little kid again. Back in the fort, with my best friend. He walked over and accompanied me next to the fort.

"When was the last time we were both here together, huh?" Austin asked after laughing.

"A long time ago." I said, stopping my laughter as well.

"So now, why are you down here?" Austin asked me.

"I don't know." I lied. But I really didn't exactly know why I thought coming down here would help.

"Yeah you do. You and I both know we came here for the same reason." He said knowingly.

"I doubt it." I grumbled.

"To get away from the world? Take a break from it all? Live out your dreams instead of suffering through reality?" He asked rhetorically.

"Okay, so maybe you do know..." I trailed off. I wondered how he knew about all of that.

"Why wouldn't I know? That's the only reason we ever came down here in the first place." He explained.

"I know, it's just,...it's been so long." I said quietly.

"I know. Too long." He said.

We walked into the fort and looked around. We read the stuff on the walls that we had written many years ago. We sat there, just reflecting on the past. It was silent for a long while, but it was comfortable silence.

"Mango?" I questioned, breaking the silence. My conscious scolded me for saying that. He just gave me a confused look.

"That day in the hospital when you brought me a strawberry smoothie, and you told me to guess what flavor yours was. It was mango wasn't it?" I said plainly.

I was doing something that I knew I shouldn't be doing. I was opening up. Letting him in again. But I couldn't help it. I wanted so badly to hate him. But he made it so hard for me to hate him. I know I shouldn't love him, but I do. I love him so much. He's the only one who has ever understood me, other than my mom. He has been there for me. I would be dead right now if it wasn't for him. He is walking around with my heart and he doesn't even know it. He's my everything. He's my savior.

His face broke into a huge smile and he just nodded. "Yeah, it was mango."

I just smiled back and turned my attention back to the walls of the fort. I sat down on the wooden bench and hugged my knees up to my chest, resting my chin on my knees. Austin sat down on the other bench. We talked and laughed about so many things. We relived nearly every memory that took place in this fort. It was almost like magic. I always knew this place had some supernatural force living inside. You could feel it. Bombs could be going off, destroying everything at home right now, but it would still feel bright and peaceful here.

I noticed that the sky was getting dark. I should probably be going home soon. Ugh. Home. Back to reality. Austin must've picked up on the fading light as well, because he said that we should probably go back home. I nodded in agreement and we stood up and walked out of the fort.

"Do you need me to walk you home?" Austin asked.

"No, I'm okay, thanks." I said.

"Alright, bye Ally. I love you." He said gently.

My consciousness starting taking over again since our break from reality was over. My face turned into a frown and I ignored him, turning to head back and face reality. I saw his face drop to a frown also, when I ignored him. Part of me wanted to tell him that I loved him, but the more bitter side of me rejected that option. That side of me had more experience, so it usually won most of my mental battles.

I got back home and went to sleep immediately. I instantly regretted my stubbornness. Why did I have to be so complicated?

AUSTIN'S POV

I had just arrived at the fort to escape for a little while. But I noticed Ally was already there. What are the odds of me and her here together again after so many years? We tried talking and asking questions, but we both kept saying the same thing at the same time. It caused some laughs and eventually we actually talked.

Then she did something totally unexpected. She mentioned a reference to our past. She was opening up to me and talking for once. We hadn't just talked since we were kids. It made me feel like everything was perfect right now.

I was looking back at some of our writings and carvings left in the rotting wood. Some of it was funny. One quote read: 'All hail the Purple Penguin Prince'. I don't even remember what that was supposed to mean. But hey, we were little kids. We had creative imaginations.

Ally and I talked and laughed about so much. I never thought she would open up like this to me again. But here we are, reminiscing about our entire childhood. The magic in this fort is helping me now, just like it did about nine years ago.

It was getting dark, and I reluctantly suggested that we probably should get going. She nodded in agreement and we stood to leave.

"I love you." I said, as we were saying our goodbyes.

I was actually hoping to get some sort of response from her this time, but I was wrong. Her smile faded to a frown and she ignored me and walked off. It really made me upset that we sat here and talked and laughed for hours, and then she'll go right back to ignoring me. I thought she was mad about our past before, but she seemed to have no problem with it tonight. I let it go for now, and went home. I crawled into bed and drifted into sleep immediately.

My dreams took over and I was back in the fort. With Ally. We were six years old and having fun pretending to be king and queen. But then a dark shadowy figure took her away from me. It sucked her into a dark black cloud and she screamed and cried for me to help. But I could only watch, as my six year old body was powerless.

I whispered one last 'I love you' to her before she vanished. But after I said this, the darkness filled her eyes until they were pools of solid black. She grew ten years older to her current age and she was absolutely soulless. She scoffed at me and it echoed throughout the woods in a low rumble. She turned away in ignorance just as she does in reality. Then she was gone.

I woke up very startled from my nightmare. I looked at the clock. It was only 1:00 am. I walked downstairs to the kitchen to get some water. I then walked back up to my room for more sleep. I drifted back off, without nightmares this time. I slowly dreaded going back to school tomorrow.

So are things working out for them or not? Ally is conflicted an Austin is getting a little upset. Could this lead to more problems and drama, or bring them closer together? Stay tuned to find out! Don't forget to review! :D