Every Time You Fall Apart You Can Hide Here In My Arms

At 10:00pm, Austin emerged from her bathroom in her bedroom, dried off, and pulled on a tank top and a pair of PJ pants. The house seemed a little too quiet which was weird, because when she'd gotten into the shower, Matt and Mattie could both be heard giggling about something from the living room.

She flicked on the hallway light and wandered down the tile floor in her bare feet. When she got to the living room she couldn't help but smile. Mattie was tucked firmly in Matt's arms as they both sat on the couch fast asleep. Cartoon characters bounced across the TV screen as Ghost laid on the floor and watched in amusement. Another one of his traits. He liked his cartoons.

Austin shut off the TV causing her cat to bound up onto the nearest chair and get comfy. He knew it was bed time.

"Matt," Austin slid her hand easily up and down his forearm. The last thing she wanted to do was scare him.

Matt grumbled in his sleep and his grip around Mattie loosened. She looked like she was going to wake up.

"Matt," she stated again in a hushed tone. He never moved a muscle.

Austin sighed. At this rate she was going to wake Maddison before Matt. She didn't want that. Instead, she carefully maneuvered Mattie out of her dads arms and picked her up. Like her dad, Mattie mumbled and wrapped her little arms around Austin's neck. Austin froze. Here she was, in the middle of her house, holding her boyfriends kid. She couldn't count the number of times she'd imagined this, only as her and Matt's kid. Now that she was actually partly living that dream, it was kinda scary. She wasn't ready to be a step-mom of sorts let alone a mom herself.

Realizing she probably looked like an idiot just standing there, she carried Mattie to her bedroom, carefully pulling back the covers and laying her small body down. She decided to forget all about changing the girl into her pajamas because it'd never happen without her waking up. And then, Austin would be in hell. Probably Matt too. Maddison would most likely wanna go home.

Pulling the blankets up Austin left the room again in an attempt to wake up Matt because there was no way in hell she was carrying him.

"Matt," she shook him a little more firmly this time. She finally got a response.

His eyes shot open and he sat up quickly, "where's Mattie?"

Austin stared at him for a moment, "she's in my bed waiting for you. I'll sleep on the couch."

Matt frowned, "why are you sleeping on the couch?"

"Because there won't be a whole lot of room in my bed with the three of us," Austin stood up straight, "not to mention, I don't think Mattie would appreciate it."

Matt laughed softly and pryed himself up off the couch. "She's sleeping Austin, she's not going to care."

"She will in the morning," Austin protested, "and what's she gonna tell Val?"

"What does it matter what she tells Val?" Matt asked running his hand through his very short hair, "we're dating Austin, we're allowed to sleep together. It's not like we're having sex while she's right there."

Austin wrinkled her nose at the thought. "That's not what I meant. I just...Val probably wants you to spend time with Mattie. She doesn't want me around, and it's not hard to see that, Matt."

"Well she's going to have to get over it," Matt grasped her around the wrist and began pulling her down the hallway.

Austin flicked off lights as they moved along and soon he was pulling her into her bedroom.

"Mattie's on this side," she informed him so they could move around the bed.

Matt dropped his jeans and ditched his tshirt, leaving him in his boxers before he crawled into the bed first. Austin hesitated before crawling in beside him.

With her back to his chest he wrapped an arm around her waist and held her tightly against his body.

"Goodnight, Austin," he muttered against her ear through her hair.

Austin placed one of her arms over his, locking their fingers together. She remembered sleeping like this way back when they were still in school. And still just best friends. So much had changed since then.

"Night, Matt," she whispered softly.

***

The next morning Austin awoke to being alone in bed. She glanced at her alarm clock. It read 7:30am.

Groaning out loud she crawled out of bed, and quickly got dressed in a pinstripe fitted pant suit. She was more than likely going to be late for work again. Grabbing her sunglasses and throwing them on top of her head, she switched everything out of one purse into a different one, then slipped on a pair of shoes. She made her way down the hallway, her heels clicking against the floor and was greeted by the smell of cooking breakfast.

"Hey," Matt's head popped up when he saw her enter the kitchen. Mattie was sitting on the floor playing with Ghost, who had sometime during the little girls stay, decided that she was alright with him.

Austin tried for the soft approach, "morning, Mattie."

Mattie never answered her, simply returned her attention to the cat.

"Mattie," Matt gentlly prodded her, "it wouldn't kill you to say good morning."

"I wanna go see mom," the little girl stated firmly. It seemed as if they'd been sharing this conversation before Austin had even entered the room.

"Mattie, I'm sure mom taught you your manners. Say good morning."

"Matt," Austin placed her hand on Matt's arm. Mattie didn't trust her yet, and that was fine.

"But I don't like her!"

"Maddison Sanders," Matt barked sternly, "you go sit in the corner."

Mattie looked up at him with big eyes. Austin guessed that he'd never yelled at his daughter before. She felt sorry for her. The look Matt gave when he was disappointed was enough to make your heart break, let alone hearing his anger as well.

"How long do I have to sit there?" she squeaked.

"Until you're sorry."

"Oh good," Mattie looked up at her dad, "I'm sorry now."

Austin bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. After all, that'd completely ruin the whole 'lesson' he wanted her to learn.

"Don't appologize to me," Matt crossed his arms over his chest and Austin noticed that's where Mattie had no doubt learned it from.

The little girl copied her father and crossed her arms over her chest and scowled up at Austin, "sorry."

"That's okay," Austin assured her and snatched a piece of bacon off the plate, "I have to get to work," she smiled.

Matt nodded, "Val's coming in a little while to take Mattie, I'll get her to give me a ride to the apartment."

"Alright," Austin nodded.

"Do you wanna do something tonight?"

She picked her purse up off the counter and though about it, she was super tired but a night alone with Matt would be nice.

"Alright," she agreed, "I'll see you after work."

***

Val dropped Matt off at his and Johnny's apartment before taking Mattie home. He walked slowly up the stairs of the apartment building and down the hallway, stopping at his door. He unlocked it to find the guys jamming, as quietly as possible in the living room.

"Where the hell have you been?" Johnny asked.

Syn did a once over and grinned, "Austin's?"

Matt nodded and sank down onto the couch beside Zacky who was playing an acoustic guitar from the sitting position.

"How are you doing this?" he asked Rev who was sitting on the loveseat with two drumsticks in hand, but no drums.

Jimmy smiled, and tapped a rythym lightly against the top of the coffee table causing all the guys to laugh.

"What?" he grinned, "it works."

Zacky laughed and sat up straight, "this is like the most ghetto Jam session we've ever had."

"We could go back and play at our house," Rev leaned back and stretched his arms above his head.

"What about Leana?" Matt asked.

"She's not home," Rev informed them, "she went to stay with her sister for a couple days."

"Well then, let's go," Matt nodded and got up from the couch.

A few guys from down the hall stopped them in the hallway wanting to chat like they were all long lost friends. The guys humored them and chatted for a moment before going on their way again.

"So what's up with you and Austin? Everything good now?" Syn asked Matt as they trailed the pack, decending the stairs and out the back door into the parking lot.

Zacky and Rev climbed into Johnny's car, and Syn climbed into Matt's.

"I think we're good," Matt admitted what he'd hoped as he followed Johnny out of the parking lot.

Syn nodded, "that's good man. Did you two talk about the whole James issue?"

Matt was silent and Syn knew exactly what that meant, "didn't think so."

"Doesn't matter to me," Matt spoke finally.

"Hah," Syn scoffed, "bullshit. You looked like you were ready to kill him."

"It doesn't matter to me," Matt repeated. But they both knew better.