To Be Happy Now

"Alaska," Austin sighed, after the millionth time she changed. "You looked equally as beautiful each time you changed. Please, God, tell me this is the one."

Alaska stared at herself in the mirror and tugged at her dress and nodded her head, spinning in place just to be extra sure.

"Yes. I like this one."

"Great!" Austin exclaimed. "Now, let's go!"

"You're lucky that my parents already know you," she grumbled, following him out to her driveway, where his truck was parked.

Austin chuckled. "My parents know you, too. You were just smaller last they saw you."

"Do they know I have cancer?" Alaska asked.

He nodded his head. "Yes, they know."

Alaska didn't say anything. Austin sighed and said, "They're not gonna ask you questions about it. They don't want that to be the focus of the dinner–none of us do, right?"

"Yeah," Alaska nodded.

Austin kissed her on the cheek and held her hand in his the entire drive over to his parents house. Alaska was growing more and more nervous, even though Austin promised to stay by her side the entire time. His parents were actually great when it came to the girls he brought over, but that didn't ease her conscious one bit.

"Ready?" Austin said, parking in his parent's driveway.

"No," she shook her head.

"Hey," he took her head in his hands. "My parents will love you. They already do–they feel like they know you because of Ricky. I promise, this isn't going to go bad at all."

Alaska nodded her head and he smiled, kissing her lightly on the lips before leading heer inside and introducing her to his parents.

"Mom, dad," he said to his grinning parents. "This is Alaska."

"Hi," she said, politely.

"It's nice to finally meet you as Austin's girlfriend, Alaska," his mother gushed. "I remember you being a junior in high school last I saw you. What are you now? In college?"

"Yeah," Alaska nodded. "I'm a sophomore."

"Better than anything Austin was ever put through in school," his dad rolled his eyes, but kept the joking manner. "He and Ricky were such reckless kids."

Alaska laughed, "Oh, believe me, I know."

Austin rolled his eyes. "Okay, we can stop talking about how stupid we were back then and get to the food, please? I'm starving."

They sat down at the dinner table and Mrs. Gibbs brought out the food with the assistance of Alaska, who volunteered to help.

"You know," Mrs. Gibbs said in the kitchen. "Charlie and Alexandra would've loved to meet you. Alexandra, especially. Austin just won't stop talking about you to her and she's just so riled up."

"He talks about me a lot?" Alaska blushed.

Mrs. Gibbs nodded. "He's never talked about a girl since Kat. He really likes you, Alaska."

Alaska smiled and followed Mrs. Gibbs into the dining room and sat down next to Austin, who took her hand in his again. He squeezed it and smiled at her before resuming the conversation he was having with his dad about the Suns.

"So, I'm just really curious," Mrs. Gibbs said, half-way through dinner. "How on earth did Ricky take your relationship?"

Alaska and Austin glanced at each other and chuckled.

"Oh, he was mad," Alaska said.

"He almost hit me," Austin piped up.

"But he got over it," Alaska shrugged. "I mean, he can't do anything about it, but he's okay with it now."

"We're best friends, we've been through a lot," Austin said.

Dinner went by surprisingly well, for Alaska. Her nerves were completely gone by the time dessert came around, and when they finished, Alaska found herself easily walking around the house, as though she belonged there.

She explored the place while Austin was forced to do the dishes. She only glanced into Charlie and Alexandra's room, because she didn't want to intrude in someone else's space, but when she got to Austin's room, she let herself in.

He obviously didn't live there anymore, but some of his stuff still remained. Like the pictures on his dresser, or the posters on his wall, or old clothes he never wanted to wear again. It felt very home-y.

"Alaska?" It was Mrs. Gibbs. She knocked on the door and entered the room.

"Oh, sorry," Alaska said, apologetically, setting down a certain picture of Austin from high school. "I guess I shouldn't be in here."

Mrs. Gibbs shook her head. "No, you're fine. I just wanted to see how you were. Austin told me how nervous you were."

"I've never had a boyfriend before," she shrugged. "And nor do I know how to act around people who know I have cancer. I've never been in this situation."

Mrs. Gibbs gave her a smile. "I'm so sorry, Alaska."

Alaska shrugged. "Don't be, Mrs. Gibbs. You should be sorry for Austin. He's the one with the girlfriend who has cancer."

"You know," Mrs. Gibbs sat down on his bed. "When Kat died, I don't think I've ever seen Austin so devastated. He truly loved that girl and having her taken away from him like that was just brutal. I felt like I lost my son along with her. And then you came along and you made him better. He needs someone like you, even if it is entering dangerous waters, what with your condition and all, but if he didn't believe you'd live through this, Alaska, then I don't think he'd still be with you. He's been through too much to be able to handle that."

"Oh God, that's so much pressure."

Mrs. Gibbs laughed and Alaska laughed with her.

"I'm trying," Alaska said. "I don't think Austin really believes me, but I am trying. There's only so much I can do, you know?"

"I do," Mrs. Gibbs nodded.

"Thank you for understanding."

"Thank you for making my son happy again."

"Mom?" Austin knocked on the door and poked his head in. "What are you doing with Alaska?" he asked, suspiciously.

Mrs. Gibbs rolled her eyes. "We're just having a heart-to-heart, Austin."

Austin entered his room and gave his mother a suspicious glare before offering Alaska his hand. He pulled her up and said, "Well, I'm going to take Alaska home before you give her more of a 'heart-to-heart'."

Alaska chuckled and rolled her eyes. "We really were having a heart-to-heart." She smiled at Austin's mother and gave her a hug. Mr. Gibbs walked in and she gave him a hug too, saying goodbye to the two of them and following Austin out.

"I saved you," Austin said, while driving. "My mom would've broken out the baby pictures if we stayed any longer."

"Baby pictures?!" Alaska exclaimed. "Oh man, I wanna see your baby pictures!"

Austin rolled his eyes. "You'd rather see baby pictures of me rather than actually being with me?"

"Yes."

"Wow, thanks."

"You're welcome."

Austin shot her a look and she laughed. They arrived at his place and didn't bother changing. They plopped down on his bed and snuggled together.

"I really should go home tonight, but this is too comfortable," Alaska mumbled.

"No," Austin said. "Stay."

"Ricky would blow a fuse. He got so mad last time. He thought we did, you know, more."

Austin chuckled. "Oh, Ricky..."

"Oh, Ricky..." Alaska repeated, closing her eyes.

They were silent for a moment before Alaska said, "I like your family. They're nice people. I want to meet your siblings!"

"I'd love for you to meet them," Austin said. "My parents love you and I'm pretty sure my brother and my sister would love you more, judging by their reactions when I tell you about them."

Alaska sighed. "Your mom told me that I make you happy. Do I really make you happy?"

Austin nodded. "You do make me happy."

Alaska looked up at him. "Really? Because last time we went out, I didn't make you all that happy."

Austin nodded his head again. "You really do make me happy, Alaska Sumner. You can piss me off sometimes, but you truly make me happy."

Alaska smiled and kissed him on the lips.

"Well, you truly make me happy too, Austin Gibbs."