Hey guys! Sorry I left you hanging on that cliff so long! I'm gonna try to update the next chapter in just a couple days, cause I'll be starting school this week and I probably can't update as often. I'm so happy you guys like this story and i hope you continue to enjoy it! Read & review! :D

AUSTIN'S POV

She looked at me with confusion, wondering how I could possibly know who did this to her.

"Who was it?" She asked, seeming eager to know.

"It was..." I started, sighing once more, "It was Dallas' older brother."

She looked down, and she seemed to be deep in thought. "But, but why? Why me? What did he have against me?"

"Uh, I don't know..." I lied, directing my vision away from her.

"You would have to know. You already said it wasn't a coincidence. You can't say that unless you know why. Tell me what's going on Austin." Ally said sternly, looking me dead in the eye.

I felt guilt crawling through my insides. I can't believe this was my fault. I should've known I would've gotten her into trouble. Because I know how Dallas is. He is the one behind all of this. I couldn't tell her that she nearly died because of me. I could barely tell myself that. And I knew that me being with her was just putting her in more danger. As much as it hurt, I knew what I had to do. Because even still, everything I do is for her.

I leaned over to Ally, grasping one of her hands. I looked her in the eye and said the sentence that put me in unbearable misery.

"I love you Ally, I really do, don't forget that. But...I can't..." I choked up, and a tear slipped out of the corner of my eye. "But I can't be with you anymore."

Her face fell, sending daggers to my heart. She seemed confused and in shock. Finally, the tears began to form in her eyes as well. This only increased my pain, and I couldn't bear it.

I bent down and kissed her forehead gently, letting my lips linger on her skin for a couple extra seconds. "I'm so sorry Ally." I whispered against her forehead.

Then I got up and left the room before I could hurt her, and myself, any longer. I was on the verge of breaking down right there in the lobby. I forced myself to stay strong and stormed out of the building. I remembered my car was still at the hotel. I groaned in frustration and walked all the way there anyway.

It took me a good two hours to get back by foot. It gave me a chance to help clear my head though. Although, two hours of walking still wasn't enough to get rid of the guilt. My guilt was being replaced though. With a burning rage towards Dallas. He has always been a total jerk, but this time, things have gone too far. Innocent people were injured and killed all because of his excessive thirst for revenge.

Dallas was childish. If somebody hurt him, he had to get even and then some. At school, if someone would say even just a small measly insult, he would take it too seriously and beat you up. That was just in elementary and middle school. Once we hit high school, his revenge became more serious. He was taken to juvey more than once, only to be bailed out by his brother. His older brother was his legal guardian because his parents were involved in drug mishaps and other criminal records. Like father like son.

Anyway, back to the point. I was the first guy to ever beat him up. Nobody ever messed with Dallas. So I guess I shocked him when I stood up to him. I remember the look he gave me as he was getting up off the ground, after I hit him. I knew right then and there that I was going to pay. But I was too concerned with Ally at the time to prevent him from getting away with something.

Apparently I crossed his line, and he attacked what he knew would hurt me the most. Ally. His older brother was always in with his schemes, and that's why he sent him to do the dirty work. Dallas knew that if he himself went, he'd be recognized. Dallas usually got a whole group of guys to help out, and honestly, I wouldn't be surprise if his 'revenge' isn't over yet.

I finally got back to my car and prepared to drive back home, expecting the worst from my mom. I felt like my life was ending. I was forced to give up the best thing in my life, because of petty revenge. I was zoning out of the road, becoming lost in my thoughts. I veered off a couple times, but I kept it under control.

I got back home somewhere around four in the morning. I parked the car, and glumly walked to the front door. I grabbed the knob to start walking in, but the door was locked.

"Are you kidding me?!" I yelled to the cool, early morning air.

I couldn't bang on the door to get in, or my parents would come out with a gun or something. I walked around to the back to see if, by chance, the porch door was unlocked. Just my luck, it wasn't. I sighed, throwing my arms up in frustration. I walked back to my car, got in, and leaned my seat back all the way. I tried getting comfortable, preparing to spend the rest of the morning in my car.

I dozed off, but I was taken into a horrible nightmare. Someone continued to hurt Ally, and in turn, hurting me. It was a group of people, destroying everything they walked past. The scene resembled the bloody mess from the hotel. I tried to wake up but I couldn't. Eventually though, I jumped awake, hitting my head on the car ceiling in the process. I looked at the time on my phone, it was only 6:30. I got out of the car and proceeded to walk to the place where nothing bad happens.

When I finally got down to the fort, I thought I was still inside my nightmare. The windows were smashed, the garden was dug up, and red spray paint covered the outside and inside. Some of the walls had words spray painted on them. It read: 'You will pay' 'the worst isn't over yet' 'we will get her'. How did Dallas even know this fort existed? That was besides the point right now. He was way out of line at the hotel, but he has now destroyed my one place of happiness. He was the one that was going to pay, and I was making sure of that.

...

ALLY'S POV

One minute, I was practically dead on the beach, the next minute, I was waking up in the emergency room. I was a little confused, but I relaxed quickly because it wasn't like I hadn't been in this situation before. I was lying in the bed, floating through my own thoughts, when the door opened and I saw the face I've been wanting to see.

He walked in with a smile on his face and it made me smile too. He sat down next to me, talking about how this was like old times. I rolled my eyes, but I knew it was true. I was a magnet for bad luck. Then he started apologizing, but I didn't understand why. It's not like this was his fault. But then he started acting like it was, saying this wasn't just coincidental. And that he knew who the killer was.

I wondered who it was that did all this. After all, I did vaguely recognize the guy, I'd like to finally figure out who it was. It turns out it was Dallas' older brother. That would explain the recognition. I've only seen his brother once when he came to pick up Dallas from school. But they did look extremely similar. That still didn't explain why he was the one that did this. What did he have against me?

Austin started acting all nervous, and I could tell he was avoiding something. I asked for him to tell me what was going on, but he just sat there. He stared out in space, seeming deep in thought. He finally confronted me, held my hand, told me he loved me, then said that he couldn't be with me anymore. What? Where did that come from?

I immediately felt a pang of hurt in my chest. Tears began to form in my eyes, and I searched his eyes looking for explanation. He kissed my forehead, apologized, then left. The tears wasted no time streaming down my face. What was all this about? If he loves me, why is he leaving me? Maybe he never loved me...

The nurse came in the room, seeing my sobbing episode, asking me what's wrong. I told her what just happened with Austin, giving very little detail. I still didn't think random people needed to know about my life.

"Well I'm sorry things haven't been in your favor recently." The nurse told me. Then she asked a question that sent my mind back to many other painful memories. "We have been trying to contact your parents, with no luck. Do you know where they are or how we can contact them?"

I haven't thought about the bad side of my life in a while. And now, it was like being drowned in a wave of bad memories. I fumbled around trying to find an answer for her that wouldn't cause another breakdown from me.

"Uh, um, I know where they are, but there's no way to contact them." I said quietly.

"Why not? Maybe if you tell where they are, I'm sure we could find a way to contact them?" She responded.

Could this lady not take a hint? "Um, I promise you aren't going to contact either one of them." I said again.

"Are you sure? I..." She continued.

"They're dead!" I yelled, cutting her off.

"Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't know..." She apologized quietly.

"My mom died about four years ago, and my dad died about six months ago." The words slipped out of my mouth almost involuntarily.

"How old are you ma'am?" The nurse asked.

"I turn seventeen in two months. Why does this matter?" I questioned.

"Because if you are under the age of 18, you aren't allowed to live without a guardian. Do you have grandparents or other relatives to live with?" She questioned.

"No, I haven't seen my grandparents or been in contact with them since I was about three years old. Or any of my relatives actually." I answered.

"Then I'm afraid you'll have to be in foster care until you're eighteen." She informed me.

"What?!"

...

Another cliffy! Haha I'm so sorry I just had to. But I promise you won't have to wait long on this one. I'm actually gonna try to update tomorrow if I get lots of reviews. So see ya soon! :D