AN: The fact that I had Boom Clap stuck in my head during the last half of this chapter pretty much annoyed me... But it should tell you something from the offset!

So I'm going to put my long authors note with all I have to say up here so that I can just let the story end in a blaze of glory that it totally deserves.

First, Happy Anniversary to my wonderful, inspiring, Austin Moon-esque boyfriend! 3 years, boy! Now we can add this to our anniversary celebrations, haha:P

And now onto an emotional part for me. I'm so thankful and happy that people are actually reading this. I'm even more amazed that there have been people that have read since day one. Like, I started this in February. That's amazing! I also find it cool that there are people who sit down and binge read this whole thing. Is it really that good? My reviews seem to say so.

I love all of you that say down each week and reviewed. I love that people are taking that much time out of their lives and caring about something as simple as this story. This is my baby to me. This is the first thing I've actually ever completed. All the other full scale stories I've written kind of fizzle out. I thank all my readers, reviewers, favouritors, and followers for not letting me fizzle out. Because here I am, thirty chapters later and my baby has finally come to an end. It's all grown up now. I can change the switch from 'In Progress' to 'Complete'. I honestly can't believe I'm at that point...

I'm amazed and I'm proud of myself and I really hope you all enjoyed this ride as much as I did.

Thank you all!

Oh, and this is not the last of me! I don't know when you'll hear from me next (until then you should re-read this one to get your fill:P) but I am still writing. I have stories planned for this fandom, which I hope you like as much as you liked this one. More will be explained when I put the first one up!

Until then, Read, Review, and Enjoy!:')

Disclaimer: One final time! I don't own the show Austin & Ally but the idea and execution of this story is all mine. Au Revoir!

Parties & Mistakes

Chapter 30: Ally's POV

I don't know what to do with that boy.

There's nothing that tells me what to do with Austin. I love him, but I hate him - although everything that wants me to hate him can't. I need him, but I can't have him. I want to talk, but I can't find the words of what to say. I want him, but does he want me?

I don't have a frame of reference to know what to do.

I sighed and cut open the box of sheet music. My first shift since... I'm not thinking of it. Sitting down on the floor, I grabbed a handful song books and began stacking them in the display cases.

Beginner Guitar, Beginner Piano, Beginner Saxophone, Beginner Clarinet; all filed from the box and onto the shelves. I glanced inside at the contents and realized all of them were for beginners. It's good I came to the right shelf then. I flipped through the beginner piano book, remembering how I had mastered all of this without even cracking it open. They always said I had the perfect ear for these things.

I stacked the rest of them on the shelf, my hand straying to the guitar books. Austin had told me he learned music much like I had. He picked up a guitar one day and played. He was self taught and knew how to work with melody put us together and we made a perfect musical couple.

God, I love him.

He's almost too perfect. How did I even manage to have someone like him in my life? His caring, majestic, collected, honest, friendly personality was something that just stood out. He was a better person than I ever could be. A better person than most people could be. And I loved him for that. I loved every inch of that beautiful man.

I left a few song books at the bottom of the box with every intention of compiling them with the other leftovers in the stock room. As I closed up the cardboard box, I was overwhelmed with thoughts of Austin. Why would I ever tell him to go away? I wiped my hand over my face and pulled my hair back into a ponytail.

It's okay. All you have to do is tell him you love him and you want to be his girlfriend and you need him and you're sorry.

I brushed the dirt off my skirt and slowly stood up. Bending to pick up the box, I noticed the incessant Christmas music had stopped playing. Well, I guess that means I have to go reset the playlist again. I sighed, straightening with the box in hand and turned towards the stockroom. It was on this quick pivot that I saw him.

Oh Austin Moon.

I nearly dropped the box. He had just walked in. Just stood there in all his glory. His hair messily brushed back, his body clad in a black button up and dark jeans, his eyes shining with anticipation. I bit my lip and walked away from him. I couldn't bare to look at his fidgeting, uncertain hands any longer.

Running my hands along my face in the stock room, I tried to gain my composure. This is what you wanted, Ally. Just tell him everything. I let out a huge sigh and glanced at myself in the old oval mirror.

Let your hair down.

Fluff it up.

Hold your head high.

Stick your chest out.

Swipe some blush on.

Pretend like you've got it all together.

I ran my hands along my thighs and walked out of the stock room. Austin was pacing around the store, running his hands along the checkout table, the piano, the loungers. Oh God, he's nervous. What the hell did that mean?

I swallowed. "Okay," I said from across the room. "Talk."

Austin turned towards me, eyes wide. His fingers were dancing on the keys on the piano, playing a melody that made no sense. He sat down on the bench and I quickly hurried over. He didn't even glance at me, his focus remaining on the keys. I rested my left hand over the ivories, absently playing out a simplified version of one of Austin's songs.

He chuffed out a laugh, removing his fingers from the keys and drawing his attention upwards. He still didn't look at me, as though he couldn't build up the nerve. His eyes trailed along the curves of the piano and eventually stopped on the book that sat atop. When did I leave my songbook here?

I snatched it away before he could read my darkest secrets and unfinished songs. His hand met mind as I pulled away and he laughed once again.

"Don't touch my book," I said as he finally met my eyes.

A grin took over his features. "That's the Ally I know."

I placed the book back down on the piano and snickered. Somehow I had found myself again.

Arms enveloped me and I never wanted to let go. The safety I found against Austin's chest rivaled everything I had ever felt it my whole life. It rivaled every famous love story that had ever been written. That had ever happened.

It was ours.

We held on to each other for far longer than what would be considered normal. I clung to his chest, feeling comfort in his hands trailing up and down my back. Eventually we would have to pull away, but there was no telling when that would actually happen. Everything that had remained unsaid between us came crashing down around me. It became an unspoken conversation during the duration of this hug. All the words, all the worries, all the cries, all the fears, all the wants, and all the need just became clear.

I needed him and I wasn't ever letting him go. There would never be another moment where I sent him away. We were a team. We worked so well together. As a couple, we were perfect.

I couldn't ever picture myself having this perfect of a moment with anyone but him.

It was Austin.

He was it for me.

He's my soulmate.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked him, pulling back from his arms.

He shook his head. "No," he said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "I'm not and you shouldn't be either."

"How'd you know I was mad at myself?"

"I know you, Al," he said simply. "I know how guilty you've felt and how secluded you've made yourself. I've spent this whole day trying to figure out what I was going to say to you and I still don't know."

"You were avoiding me," I stated.

He nodded. "Only because I didn't know if you wanted me around. I didn't want to be a burden but at the same time Trish and Dez kept telling me to talk to you and I knew I had to. Since I left your house on Tuesday I knew I had to keep talking. I knew you didn't mean it... Or at least I hoped."

"I never wanted you to leave," I told him, dropping my eyes to my neon pink skirt. I clasped and unclasped my hands in my lap. "I just didn't want to drag anyone down. I knew how messed up everything was and I knew that it all started because of what we did. I didn't know how to finish it."

"Not by breaking up with me," he deadpanned.

My eyes shot up to his. All I could read was pain. "I know. I knew that the second you walked out. I've spent the whole day today hoping that you still loved me. I -"

"Of course I still love you," Austin stated. His eyebrows drew up in shock that I would even consider that. "I'm too invested in this to stop loving you over something as stupid as you breaking up with me."

I laughed. "Most people would probably move on at that point."

"Well is it time to move on?" he asked cocking his head to the side.

"No."

"I didn't think so."

I felt him lean towards me, his left hand tracing my jawline and caressing my cheek. He stared into my eyes as though he was reading my soul. I could tell he was gauging my emotions, trying to figure out what I was thinking. The only thing was, I didn't know myself.

And then his lips were on mine. I sighed and let my eyes drift shut. My body felt electric. Sparks ignited at this simple connection. From my lips, to my fingers, to my toes. Everything knew.

Austin pulled back and I kept my eyes shut for a minute, trying to commit that moment to memory. When I finally opened my eyes, he was staring at me a lazy smirk on his lips.

I shook my head and lightly shoved his shoulder. "Proud of yourself, are ya?"

He laughed and pushed up. I rounded, pivoting on the piano bench watching him sit on the front counter. Thank God we weren't busy right now. The Christmas shoppers would be busy tomorrow when the madness sale started at the mall, but today was ours.

I sighed and stretched out my back. "What's even happened?"

"What?" Austin asked.

"These past two months," I stated. "I have no idea what's happening anymore."

"It's something," Austin mumbled.

I watched as he kicked his legs back and forth, hanging over the edge.

"I can't believe any of it," I whispered.

Austin ran a hand through his hair. "Me either."

"How do you move on from something like this?" I asked.

He hopped down from the desk and stopped directly in front of me. He took my hands and held them right, squeezing them three times in a little code of love.

"All we do is our best. But I know one thing for sure, I'm never letting you pull away again. I don't care how stressful or devastating whatever you're going through is, I'm always going to be here for you. I'm always going to make you talk. There's no silence because you think you're taking me down with you. It's just me and you." he told me, keeping absolute focus and staring into my eyes.

I stood and draped my arms around his neck. "Thank you,"

"You don't have to thank me, I'll always be here. This is just what we have to do to move past all of this madness. I'll do whatever I can."

I nodded. "I love you."

His face erupted into a gigantic grin. They were the words he had so desperately wanted to hear. The words that I had been so terrified to say with everything going on. They were out in the open, and it they were the truth.

I could scream it from the rooftops. I'm in love with Austin Moon!

"I love you too," he mumbled before his lips landed on mine.

The fire ignited this time. I closed my eyes and gave in to every whim. Our lips were dancing fervently, passionately, needingly. My toes tingled, my soul soared, my mind grew dazed with thoughts of Austin.

The kiss made me realize everything I had missed. This was it. This was all I needed for the rest of my life. I wasn't ever going to pull away. I wasn't ever going to leave him. If I was falling down I would drag him with me, only to be picked back up. I'd never been so sure of anything.

We pulled back and I sniffed. Somehow - in the throw of passion - I had begun to cry. Austin gently wiped the tear away from my cheek.

I shook my head. "I love you."

"I know," he laughed.

"But I love you," I giggled, I didn't know what else to say.

"I love you."

"I love you."

"You're perfect," he whispered, resting his forehead against mine.

I breathed out, this display of romance overwhelming me. It was perfect. We were perfect. Everything that happened to us, could have taken us down. All of it had threatened to break us. But here we are standing on the other side, lost in a sea of love. Here we are making promises to never leave and kissing like my feet won't ever touch the ground again. Here we are declaring our love and realizing just how right we have it. Here we are. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.

THE END