Disclaimer: Don't own a thing. Do we still need to do these? I'm guessing so.

A/N: Well, uh, hi. The song used is Waiting For Superman by Daughtry. Anyways, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays everyone. I can bet you don't even remember me ;)

Dedication: This is dedicated to Tessa, or shiksa goddess as your Christmas present from me. I actually forgot how to write a thing so please forgive me and I hope it's not too awful...

Excuse mistakes as I've barely read over this and just wanted to get it posted :)

Christmas Magic

:::

she's talking to angels

"Well, you look very pretty, don't you?" Ally says as she squats in front of a blonde haired little girl, giving her arms a gentle squeeze and adjusting her halo. "A beautiful angel."

Austin tries to suppress his smile as he watches Ally and the children. He's supposed to be mad at her.

She'd dragged him along to the local elementary school's Christmas performance, something one of the teachers had written —and bragged about— which was all about angels. Ally got herself roped into the event by offering to write the closing song for one of the little girls to sing.

Then she'd forced him to come along too.

He does these things for Ally because they make her happy, and that's something Austin loves to see. He swears to himself for the umpteenth time that he will do something about the fact he's in love with her.

Soon.

He zones back into the conversation to hear Ally telling all the girls they look gorgeous, and shakes his head fondly at the brunette. When she stands, they crowd her, all trying to hug a part of her and Ally giggles, patting the children closest to her on the head softly.

"Time to perform, girls!" the rather rude class teacher snaps at the children. Austin leans forward slightly and sees the boys gathered behind her, some of them shaking. Whether from fright of the woman before them or nerves, he doesn't know. He catches a glimpse of a Santa and a few elves before the door is abruptly closed and he realises everyone has gone apart from Ally and him.

"You okay?" Ally asks as she appears in front of a him, a warm but concerned smile greeting him.

"M'fine," Austin shrugs and then takes her hand, leading her out of the classroom-turned-make-shift-dressing room and behind the curtain at the side of the stage.

He neglects to let her hand fall from his.

"I'm sure they'll all be brilliant!" Ally squeals. "They're so cute, all those little angels." She sighs happily and Austin nudges her with his side.

"You're really good with kids Ally." He looks away as he anticipates she will stare at him after what he's about to say. "You're gonna be a great mom someday."

Just as he guessed, he can feel her eyes on him, searching him up and down. He risks looking at her and revels in the grin he finds.

"Don't think you'll be such a bad dad yourself," Ally chuckles.

Austin just squeezes her hand and refrains from saying something silly like don't you worry, we'll have a little angel of our own someday.

:::

she's counting the stars, making a wish on a passing car

"I still don't get why you like to do this," Austin sighs as he lies next to Ally, both of them resting comfortably on the hood of his car and looking up into the night sky. They're parked somewhere far away from either of their houses, all alone, as if they are the only two people in the world.

"It's quiet..." Ally says. "Sometimes our lives just seem so loud— I know that's so cliché, but it's true. We've got so much going on that if there's ever a moment to just stop and think about everything then I would take it. Every time. In a heartbeat."

There's a silence in which the only thing Austin hears is Ally's slow breaths.

"And I wouldn't watch the stars with anyone but you."

Austin holds his breath and no one talks for a while. Then he chances a glance at Ally and sees she's concentrating far too hard on the sky.

"You'll never be able to count them all you know."

"I know," she almost laughs. "I could try though."

"I'd rather you kissed me."

He says it before he even thinks about what he's going to say and is met with Ally's wide eyes and the swallow of her throat as she gulps.

"Bit forward tonight aren't you?" Ally says nervously.

"Must, ah," Austin scratches the back of his neck. "Must be the magic of Christmas."

They stare at each other for what seems like an eternity before the sound of a car engine rumbles past and distracts them both from the other. Austin sees Ally close her eyes tightly and frowns, confused by her action.

"Ally...?"

"Sh, I'm making a wish."

He looks at her oddly for a few seconds before grinning. Ally always has been a weird one.

"What did you wish for?" He asks when he's staring once again into her brown eyes.

"If I tell you it won't come true."

He inches closer to her and sees her chest begin to rise and fall more quickly as he does so. He takes hold of her hand, bringing it to his lips, sighing out a laugh as his nose brushes her wrist and the ridiculous Christmas jumper that's keeping her warm.

"Maybe I could make it come true," he mumbles and Ally gasps.

He doesn't see the fear in her eyes as she speaks, "I wished," she gulps, "I wished that you would kiss me first."

In an instant his lips are covering hers and she's gasping into his mouth. Absentmindedly, he notes she seems to be doing a lot of that, but then she opens her mouth for him and all coherent thought is lost.

:::

she's dancing with strangers,

He watches her as he tugs at his collar, something his mother told him he should not do, but it's just so hot that he can't help it. There was an Ally by his side a few minutes ago, but he'd told her he needed to get something to drink if he was going to keep up with her energetic dancing.

Chuckling to himself, he takes a sip of his drink and searches the room for her, looking beautiful in her blue dress that matches his tie.

He spots her, and laughs out loud as she washes the windows with some guy he doesn't know. This guy seems to think that Ally's dancing is the best he's ever seen, and readily copies it as best he can.

Austin probably shouldn't be grinning, but he can't help it. She's just so adorable.

He is, however, determined to get to her in time for the first slow dance of the night, because he's going to make this Winter Formal perfect for her if it kills him.

(Which it won't, because generally Ally's pretty easily pleased. Well, when things concern him, anyway.)

He strides purposefully over to her, giving Dez a pat on the back as he goes, and smoothly comes to a stop in front of the petite girl. Even with her heels on, he can gaze down at her in that loving way of his.

Austin takes her hand just as the music starts and gently guides it to his neck, the other following suit whilst he lets go to place his own arms around her waist, pulling her close and gently swaying them.

"Is it more fun to dance with me, or with strangers?" He asks.

"You," Ally says and grins, her tongue caught delicately between her pearly white teeth. "I'm glad they decided to make the dance in December," she tells him. "It means it's kind of like a Christmas dance too."

He laughs and nods, knowing Ally's love for Christmas and all its attachments.

"Don't you think this place looks pretty?" she asks and relaxes fully against him, staring past him at fairy lights and decorations alike.

"Mhmm," he pauses.

"If you're about to say, 'but not as pretty as you,' I will hit you."

He gasps mockingly and whispers, "How dare you," and then she's giggling. "I was just going to be a nice, romantic boyfriend, and there you go, ruining my plans. Gosh."

Her laugh is just as much of a melody as the song they're swaying to.

:::

she's falling apart, waiting for superman to pick her up

"But Mom you can't go away again!" Ally's face is set in a hard frown and Austin puts a comforting hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, but she just shrugs it off. "You can't leave before Christmas!"

"Look honey, I'm sorry!" Penny sighs and puts her hands up in the air in surrender. "I know the big day isn't very far away, but if I don't take this opportunity now I may never get another one like it again. How could I pass that up?"

"What about me, mom? How could you pass up our first Christmas in forever?"

Ally's bottom lip wobbles and Austin comes to stand behind her, chin on her head and hands securely at her hips, supporting her.

"Oh sweetie I'm sorry, it's not like that. But I have to do this, for you as well as me. It's a good experience, and I can't turn it down."

Ally knows she can't, and more importantly, she won't. She hates to sound bitter, but the woman she calls her mother has been out of her life for so long that another Christmas probably won't even matter to her. Actually being with her daughter on Christmas would be a rarer occurrence.

The older brunette sighs and looks helplessly to Austin, who shrugs. He will always side with Ally no matter what and he can tell that inside she's angry, therefore, so is he.

Ally shrugs too and is almost limp as she hugs her mother goodbye, telling her she loves her with silent tears streaming down her face. As her mother closes the door softly, Ally all but flies into Austin's arms again.

"How could she just leave me after coming back?" Ally cries and Austin himself whimpers at the pain in her voice.

"I don't know, Ally, I don't know how anyone could ever want to leave you. How anyone would even think it was possible to walk away from you at all."

Ally smiles reluctantly through her tears. "I just thought this year would be different."

"Hey, sh," he whispers as he strokes her hair and then kisses her temple. "It will be, okay? Because you have me, and you and your dad can come and spend Christmas with my family, even if there are, like, 50 of us all in one place."

Ally lets out a small laugh, and Austin knows it isn't over, but she'll be okay for now.

And he's going to make sure this is most definitely the Best. Christmas. Ever.

Even if it is just to see the grin that will light up her face when he does.

and she smiles, oh the way she smiles

A/N: and there we are. Sort of Christmas-y. I did my best, which admittedly probably isn't as good as it used to be. I literally wrote this in about two hours so yeah if it's not up to my "usual standard" then I'm really sorry about that. Nonetheless, I hope you liked it anyway (especially Tessa!)

Maybe if you review I'd be inclined to starts writing again? It makes me happy too :)

Love, Sophie.