Chapter Text
As Austin walks into Ally’s hospital room, he knows he’s going to cry.
Her breathing looks so staggered, she might slip away. He keeps having to tell himself it’s only temporary, that she will be walking around like the bright sun she is in a short while. A very short while. He hopes.
As he’s lost in his own thoughts, her eyes flutter open and he smiles.
“Ally. You’re awake.” The words escape his lips almost like a whisper.
“Of course, Austin. You really think I would stay away from you this long?” She smirks. “You know it’s not that big of a deal that I’m in here, right? I know you’ve been worrying.”
Austin raises one of his fingers. “One: no, I wasn’t. Two, why would you think that?”
“You have those worry lines on your forehead. And your facial expressions are softer, which means you’ve been thinking. I know you, Austin. Don’t worry about me.”
“Ally, I can’t help but worry about you! You know I love you. And after what happened, which I know you’ve told me not to blame myself for but I still think is my fault, we both know that it’s gonna take a lot for you to get better.”
“A lot of what?” She crosses her arms, but winces at the stinging pain of her broken arm. Looking down at it, it’s obvious it’s been heavily bruised.
“A lot of effort, which you can’t give when you can barely move. A lot of money, which we don't have after the A&A music factory went downhill and our record deals reached their end. A lot of time, which we don’t have anymore!” Austin yells. He knows as soon as the words have left his mouth that it’s a mistake.
Ally looks like she’s ready for battle, but then stops her words. “Austin, we both know that even though I can barely move right now, I will get better. I know this for a fact. Even if it takes me a month to a decade. And I don’t want to waste my words on someone who seems to think that I can’t do anything.”
“I’m really sorry Ally! The words just came out, and I-” He gets cut off by Ally again.
“Even though I’m small and frail, I think I can do anything. If you’re not willing to stand by me, then I don’t want to talk to you.”
A receptionist of sorts comes in. “Mr. Moon, your time to visit Ms. Dawson is over. Please leave.”
Ally echoes the receptionist with a simple “please leave”.
So he goes.