Better Together | Auslly One Shots & Mini Fanfics

you will always break my fall, part 3

I'M BACK, Y'ALL!!!

I'm not gonna lie, school has been kicking my butt. I would start to work on this, and then realize that I was behind on something and end up doing that instead. College is no joke, y'all. BUT, I'm back with this fic (the last part of it :() and will definitely be posting more over break! I wanted to get this one up before the craziness of the holidays with my family and friends began, so I've been writing this in between when I'm working and hanging with the fam. Anyway, here it is! :)

This one is a little bit more uplifting, but then again, once you think it's gonna get better, it all comes crashing down again. Make of that what you will lol.

Anyway, I am so excited to finally post chapter three of "you will always break my fall!" I will talk more to you guys at the end, but for now I'll shut up and let you read. Also, this chapter corresponds to chapters 16/17 and 27 in two in a million, so if you haven't read my other fanfic please do so!

-Ej

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cw/tw: depression, sadness, loss

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chapter three: when you're holding me

september 17, 2027

one month before austin and jimmy's trial
around 5:30 p.m.

"Dinner's ready!" Ally yelled down to the basement, where she knew the boys were playing video games. Austin had recently taken an interest in the nonviolent ones, so he could teach them to Alex and they could "bond," as he'd put it. Since both Ally and Austin had been spending time with Ava teaching her music the past few days, he'd figured that he needed to carve some time out with his son, too— especially since Ally had been pretty quick to shut down his idea about the Nerf guns.

"Just a minute!" Austin yelled back. Ally rolled her eyes. Typical.

"Ava, sweetie, dinner's ready." Ava, who'd had her nose in a book, looked up, set it down, and trotted into the kitchen, sitting in her usual spot.

"At least one of my children listens to me," Ally mused as she grabbed the pan containing grilled chicken and set it down on top of a hot pad. She bustled about the kitchen for the next thirty seconds or so, grabbing the vegetables and a few other things before sitting down herself. "Alright, everything's ready." she paused. "Except your father and brother. Let's go see what's taking them so long, shall we?"

Ally bounded down the stairs to the basement, Ava trailing not far behind. When she poked her head into the game room/ Austin's man cave, both were staring at the screen, transfixed. But the video game they were playing wasn't as innocent as Austin had said. Ally stood in the doorway, wide-eyed as she realized that Austin was teaching their two-year-old son how to kill virtual zombies.

"And then," he said, reaching over to tap a button on Alex's controller, "to shoot the zombies, you just push this button. Easy." Alex did as he said, and a loud gun-like sound effect rang out through the sound system. Ava put her hands over her ears, letting out a little shriek, which caught Austin's attention. He turned around and stood quickly, his eyes growing wide as saucers. "H-hey, Ally."

Ally said nothing but but her hands on her hips. "Dinner is ready. Be up in five minutes or we'll start without you." She put her hand on the small of Ava's back, turned around, and led her back up the stairs. She wasn't about to chew Austin out— at least not now, while the kids were around.

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forty five minutes later

After they'd finished dinner, which had consisted of a little small talk and a whole lot of awkwardness, Ally stood up and started collecting the dishes, bringing them over to the sink. Ava retreated back over to the couch to continue reading and Alex went with her, grabbing one of his trucks and starting to play with it silently. Austin stood, grabbed the milk jug and condiments, put them back in the fridge and approached his wife. She gazed up at him, annoyed.