Back to You

Waking up was the one thing that Austin hated. It always meant the start of a new day. She wasn't particularly found of new days, but this one, this one was going to be a bitch. She was hungover, curtesy of how much she had drank the night before. She knew if she was late she was dead, so she managed a quick shower, dragged a brush through her hair and yanked on clothes. As she darted out of her bedroom she stopped in the hall and slipped her feet in the black flats that were in the closet as she grabbed her keys off the hook. She stopped at the door and darted back down the hall to her room and grabbed her cell phone, unplugging it and tossing it into her purse and barely remembered to lock the door on her way out of her apartment. She all but flew to her car.

When she got to Storm she parked her car and raised an eyebrow when she saw her Dad's Corvette and an unknown black Escalade. With a sigh she slipped out of her camero and locked it before heading inside. She was praying to whatever god that would listen that she was wrong about why her father wanted her there that early. She dropped her keys into her purse and pulled open the door taking a deep breath. She hadn't done her partying here, she had done it down in Long Beach last night.

“Austin, glad to see you up this morning after the night you had last night.”

“Christ, what are you having me followed now?” She asked staring at her father. She had yet to take off her sunglasses or look around the room.

“Is that anyway to talk to your father?” Austin rolled her eyes before taking off her aviators, which she hadn't even bothered moving to the top of her head.

“Why am I here?” She asked ignoring the question that her mother had asked.

“We'd like you to meet someone.” Austin's eyebrow shot up,

“Great, I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning.”

“Austin, this is Matthew...”

“I really don't give a flying fuck who he is.” She hadn't even bothered looking in the direction that her mother had indicated where he was standing. Arms crossed over his chest, almost as annoyed as she was, with his parents. “I should've stayed in Long Beach.” She groaned as she collapsed onto a stool at the bar and lar her head down on her arms. This was not happening. Not to her. She wasn't her pathetic little sister that did everything to please their parents. They had done the same to Little Miss Perfect.

“I hate you, so you know.” She said lifting her head up off her arms and narrowing her eyes at her father.

“I know.”

“When?” She growled still not looking at the others in the bar.

“You have a month to find a dress.” Her father told her. She shook her head. They had waited to tell her until they had the entire thing, except her dress planned.

“This is bullshit.” She muttered as she stood, replaced her aviators and grabbed her purse before slamming from the club. She got in her car and sat there. Her hands were shaking, so she gripped the steering wheel, tightly as she tried to calm down. She glanced towards the door when she saw it open out of the corner of her eye. She watched the three she had ignored as they argued. Apparently the other couples son was not thrilled either. When he glanced up she got a look at his face. Behind the lenses of her sunglasses her eyes widenend in shock.

This isn't happening, not to me. Not with him of all people. I am going to kill my parents. I mean seriously this is fucking bullshit. Why the hell are they...

She was drawn out of her thoughts when she realized that he was walking towards her car. She groaned. Very slowly she got out of the car and stood leaning against it as he made his way over. And she pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head so he could see the pure hatred in her eyes. She however didn't get a chance to say anything because her parents walked out, locking the club behind them.

“Austin, we're all going to breakfast. You're sister is meeting us there.” They didn't hear the growl that sounded in her throat, but Matt did. Her fist balled when they continued speaking. “He's riding with you so you have no choice but to be there.”

“Fucking perfect.” And she ripped open the drivers side door and replaced her sunglasses. She spun around immediately when her keys were ripped from her hands.

“I'd rather drive. I don't trust you not to kill me.”

“Burn in hell Sanders.” Austin growled and crawled through to the passenger side to lazy to walk around. He got in and started the engine and she put her seat belt on crossing her arms over chest and staring out the window. She wasn't paying attention to him, and was ignoring whatever it was he was saying.

“I sure hope you don't plan on sleeping with James again.” She moved quick and slammed a fist as hard as possible into his arm. He swerved and hit the brake, pulling over to the side of the road.

“Are you fucking crazy? Are you trying to get us killed?”

“Me? I'm not the one running my fucking mouth!” Austin yelled and undid her seat belt and shoved out of the car. He rolled his eyes and followed.

“Get back in the car.”

“Fuck you!” She growled shoving her hair out of her face. She watched him raise an eyebrow and her eyes narrowed. “Not even in your dreams. Give me my keys.”

“Come and get 'em.” Matt said and went to move so she had to go around the car to get to him. She grinned and crawled through and yanked the keys out of his hand and pulled the door shut before he had even realized what had happened. She locked her door and glanced towards the passengers seat. He narrowed his eyes but moved around the car. She started the engine and turned the radio on, and up, tuning him out.

Ten minutes later they pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant that her mother loved so much and she recognized her sisters car as it pulled in. She groaned.

“I fucking hate Saturday's.”

“They aren't that bad.” Matt said as he refrained from hitting her.

“What the hell took you two so long? We knew it'd take your sister and her family a bit to get here...” Austin narrowed her eyes at her mother.

“He was arguing about letting me drive.”

“She's the one that punched me!”

“You are so childish.”

“Austin, wait for your sister. We'll meet you all inside.”

“Asshole.” She growled under her breath in her father's direction.

“Did you just...”

“Shut the hell up.” She muttered then forced a smile on her face. “Whitney!” She watched as her very blonde sister turned her head and smiled.

“Wow, I see why you hate your sister so much, she's ten times hotter than you.”

“Please, she ain't all that pretty.” Austin grumbled.

“Austin! Do you know why Mom and Dad wanted us all here this morning?” She glanced at the man with her sister. “Don't you hate him?”

“Whitney, do you ever shut up?”

“I just asked a question.”

“Please don't make her cry...” Christopher said looking at Austin.

“I didn't do anything!” Austin said throwing her hands up in the air. She lead the way inside and Christopher made sure Whitney was okay before they followed Austin and Matt.

----

“God, this is bullshit Lexi!” Austin said to her best friend as she paced her friends living room.

“You have been saying that for the past hour! Will you tell me what is bullshit?”

“You remember how my parents arranged that marriage for Whitney?”

“Yeah, and look how happy she is, if you're worried about your sister, I wouldn't be.”

“I'm not worried about her! I'm worried about me! They're making me get married!”

“Wait, what?”

“You heard me!”

“No actually I think I hallucinated. Mind repeating that?”

“My. Parents. Are. Making. Me. Get. Married.”

“To who?” Lexi said at the same time as her husband walked into the room and said it.

“This conversation has nothing to do with you Baker.” Austin growled.

“Whatever. Babe, me and the others are going to Matt's he's pissed about something.”

“Okay, that doesn't mean you're getting out of dinner at my parents house.”

“Damn.” He muttered and kissed her on the cheek before walking out the door again.

“Still haven't told them he knocked you up.”

“Shut up. No, wait don't shut up, answer my question. Who?”

“Your asshole husband already did.” Lexi stared at Austin for a minute. She was speechless. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out. She sat down on the couch and Austin sighed.

“...You're marrying Matt...”

“Jesus Christ, I don't want to get married again! I mean seriously the first time should've never fucking happened either! I was...”

“Lucky you got out of that one.” It was Austin's turn to stare. “Yeah, I've known, Zack was honest with me about it. After all you are my best friend.” Austin sighed. “Beside's we've never not been honest with one another. I just don't know how he'll react to me being pregnant. We haven't talked about having kids.”

“Oh please, if he knows you as well as he should, he knows you want them. And if he loves you like you say, he knows he better keep his mouth shut and be happy.”

“God, you really are pissy.”

“You would be too! I have to marry Matthew Sanders, the stupid fucking bastard that got me pregnant when I was 17 and didn't even care when when I lost the baby in early labor!”

“You used to love him Austin.”

“He met Whitney for the first time today. She was in Europe with my parents that year. He said she was ten times hotter than me.”

“He was fucking with your head, like he always does.”

“Well he needs to fucking stop. He's the asshole. He's the one that ended it not me. After everything that I went through he was gone when I got out of the hospital! Why the hell do you think my parents let me got to Europe alone when I gradutated early?”

“Maybe it's time you stopped running from it Austin.”

“What do you want me to do Lexi? Pretend everything is okay? Because it's not.” And for once in her life she was beyond pissed at her best friend. She stormed out of the house and out to her car. Once she was behind the wheel she hit it a few time with hands. She had done everything in her power to forget about the little girl that had died because of the car accident she was in. The little girl that never had a chance to live. She hadn't named her, she couldn't.

----

Two weeks had passed and Austin was getting harder and harder to deal with. She avoided everyone and refused to go with her mother to find a dress. She went on her own. She just wanted to get it over with. She'd found a dress, but hadn't been all that into it. So she had gone back another day and decided on the dress. She'd closed her eyes and pretended that she actually wanted to get married.

Austin sighed as she stood arms crossed staring at the entrance to the building across the street. They were working on an album and she really didn't want to go in. But she had to talk to him. That and Lexi was there and she needed to apologize to her best friend. She was holding a drink from the Starbucks she had just walked out of in one hand. She sighed and moved to cross the street she got to the door at the same time as a severally pregnant blonde did.

“Sweet, I don't have to go in now. Sara! Do a girl a favor?”

“Should I be worried?”

“Send Lexi out? I don't really want to go in there.”

“I don't blame you. Sure.”

“Thanks.” Austin took a seat on one of the benches outside of the building and sighed. She heard someone walk out and turned her head. “Dammit.” She growled. “Why do people never fucking listen to me?”

“We need to talk.”

“You can burn in hell Sanders.”

“Is that anyway to talk to me?” He asked her as she stood.

“You do not want me to answer that. I didn't come here to talk to you, I came here to talk to Lexi.”

“She's a little preoccupied sucking face with your ex-husband.”

“Does everyone fucking know about that? You know what never mind. Go the fuck away.” And Austin turned to walk away.

“Austin...” She didn't hear him as she moved quickly and was already down the block. He sighed, “...I love you.” He finished quietly. He leaned against the wall and sighed. He raked his hands over his face and stood there watching as she disappeared in the crowd before going back inside. He looked around and realized that Brian and Sara were standing there making out in the middle of the room, and the Bakers hadn't come up for air. He wondered where Johnny and Arin had gotten to. He watched as Arin walked back in with a soda and his girlfriend Katrina's hand in his. They sat on one of the couches and she curled into him.

“Hey Matt, do you know where Johnny is?” Arin asked.

“No.” He growled.

----

Austin sighed as her mother helped her into her dress. She sighed.

“Can't we just call this off, pretend it was never even thought of?”

“Austin you'll be fine.”

“He didn't care.” Austin said and turned to face her mother.

“Do you really believe that? He could've just been upset. It was his baby too.”

“He didn't come to the hospital. He never even called afterwards. Grandpa said, that he said that he hoped I didn't make it either.”

“I'm sorry your grandfather said what?” Both Austin and her mother turned.

“Kim.” She said quietly.

“My son cried for fucking days! They told him you were only staying with him because of the baby! The only thing that man has ever wanted other than the band is you!”

“Is that why you agreed to this? Because he wants me? No matter what happened or didn't happen when we were seventeen?” Austin asked slowly.

“I figured it would be the only way to make him happy! And now I want the fucking truth. Before you go out there. What really happened?”

“The accident... my cousin picked me up to take me to my doctors appointment Matt had detention, and couldn't get out of it. The light turned too fast and we were hit. I woke up screaming for Matt... well, after... after they delivered her. Jesus she died as soon as she was born. My grandparents told me he didn't care. I didn't want to believe them. But he never tried to call. He never tried to come over...I took classes over the summer and graduated early and then left for Europe. Only coming back a year before Lexi and Zack got married... oh god...” And Austin turned red, teary eyes towards her mother. Both Kim and her mother moved to her and wrapped her in their arms.

“Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry.” Lyndsey told her daughter.

“Please tell me her grandparents aren't here. I'll kill them myself.”

“We dont' talk to them. They almost ruined Whitney's wedding.”

“Hey every... Mom, Austin, what's wrong?” Whiteny asked walking into the room. You could tell that she was pregnant.

“I'm killing your fathers parents.” Lyndsey told her oldest daughter. Whitney's eyes went wide.

“Well do it later. Here, I have something for her eyes.”

Thirty minutes later than the wedding was supposed to start Austin glanced at herself in the mirror, and sighed. She moved from the room and to the doors that lead to a man that she really needed to talk to. But first, they were going to get married. And the only thing that she could thing was how twisted the whole situation was.

Matt stood there and sighed. When she walked through the doors beside her father, he just stared. Even though she had used the drops her sister had given her, and added some extra makeup, he could still tell that she had been crying. When she got to him he swallowed and she stepped up beside him and he watched the smile form on her face.

I love you

she whispered it so only he would hear and he did his best to hide the shock on his face. And after they'd said 'I do' he stared at her and when he was told to kiss her, was shocked when she smiled and moved when he did. When their lips met, it took only a second for the kiss to deepen before they pulled apart.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Sanders.” Matt took her hand as they turned to face their friends and families. Austin caught Kim's eye and the woman smiled. Matt didn't miss the smile that Austin sent back to his mother. Once they were alone, on the way to the reception, he turned and looked at her.

“Do you want to tell me what the fuck is going on?”

“Well, lets just leave it at, tomorrow, before we leave, my fathers parents are going to be really close to ending up six feet under. And I'm burning whatever bridge remains between me and them.”

“Why?” He growled. She sighed and looked at him.

“I wanted you when I woke up. I woke up screaming for you.” He stared at her.

“But... they...”

“They never approved of it Matt. They never approved of you. They were pissed when I refused to get...”

“Yeah... you... you didn't just stay with me because of the baby?”

“No, I loved you Matthew. I've never stopped loving you. Even though I thought you wanted me dead.”

“I'm going to murder them.” He growled.

“I know baby. I know.” She said and he gently pulled her to him. He placed his lips to hers in a tender kiss and she sighed against his lips when they pulled apart. He smiled at her.

“I love you Austin.”

“I know.” She said quietly.

----

Austin sighed as she woke the next morning. She stretched and turned when an arm snaked around her and pulled her to the body that it was connected to. Once she was facing the man that had been her very fist boyfriend, as well as the boy she had given her virginity too, she smiled, because now, now he was her husband.

“You look so beautiful in the mornings.” He said watching her. She laughed.

“I haven't felt this amazing in the morning in a very long time.” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“What the hell does that mean?” He asked. She sighed and cuddled into him.

“It means, I haven't woken up happy since...” She said trailed off. He wrapped his arms around her tightly. She buried her face against his chest and he didn't let go. A moment later the alarm on his nightstand went off. He rolled to turn it off, and she laughed because he didn't let go of her. She reached out and slapped the button on the clock to shut it up, before shifting to so she was sitting on his stomach. She leaned down and whispered into his ear.

Make love to me Matt.

He grinned up at her and pulled her back to him. His lips gently touching hers. He rolled them so he was above her. She sighed happily as he ran his hands over her body. He started to trail kisses down her neck, and her chest. When she sighed happily he looked up and he took his time with her, doing as she asked, and slowly made love to her.

----

Ian sighed as he stared at his parents house. He glanced at his wife and she sighed. They turned when another car pulled up. They got out of the car and walked to Austin.

“And the two of you are here why? Shouldn't you be leaving for Greece?”

“We have unfinished business Mom.” Austin said.

“Yeah, don't we all.” Ian replied. He took Lyndsey's hand, and Matt took Austin's.

The four of them walked to the front door and Austin shrunk into Matt's embrace. Ian and Lyndsey smiled as Ian raised his hand to knock. They waited a ten minutes before someone answered the door.

“Jesus, do they always make people fucking wait?” Matt muttered.

“Yes.” Ian growled. A minute later the door opened and Pamela Jefferson stood on the other side. She narrowed her eyes at them.

“Well this is a surprise son.” She looked at Matt. “And who is this.” She asked glancing back at Austin, and then her son and daughter in law.

“What don't recognize Matt?” Austin snarled.

“Who?”

“That's right you don't recognize him do you? He's not a seventeen year old boy anymore! How the hell could you! I woke up screaming for him! But he wasn't there because of you!” Austin screamed before she slammed a fist into her Grandmother's face.

“What in the hell is going...Ian.” Mitchell said upon seeing his son.

“Father.” Ian growled. Ian pulled his daughter off of his mother. A moment later Pamela screamed.

“I did what was best for you! You were seventeen and he ruined your life. Do you really think that he'd have stuck around once that little brat was born?” Austin's eyes widened.

“You stupid fucking bitch. I don't ever want to hear from you again. I don't want you to even try and contact me. You ruined my life. I've spent twelve years thinking that he hated me! I've never gotten over what happened. And I never will. It wasn't your right to tell him what you did. I loved him then and I love him now. And now, there is nothing you can do about it. As of yesterday Matt and I are married. Stay the fuck out of our lives.”

----

Austin lay a month later naked and satisfied as she laughed as Matt rolled out of bed and reached for his cell phone. He was calling his parents, to tell them that they were staying in Greece for another few weeks.

“Can't it wait Matt?” Austin whined. He looked at her laying there on the bed and sighed. He moved back to the bed, dropping his phone and crawling back into the bed with her. He leaned down and placed a kiss to her lips and she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer to her.

“Fine.” He murmured against her lips. “I love you. You are the most beautiful, amazing woman in the world.”

“You just want laid.” Austin said smiling up at him.

“I was being serious but that too. Although I do have a question for you.”

“What?”

“How is you ended up married to Zack for just under twenty four hours?”

“I was drunk? I had seen you for the first time in years that night. And it brought everything back. You were with some bleached blonde tramp...”

“Dianna. I broke up with her that night. I saw you too. And it killed me. I hadn't really dated since.”

“Well now you have no reason to date.” She said and ran her hands over his chest.

----

They were on a plane back to California and Austin didn't know how to tell him what she had found out while they were at the airport. She had gotten sick a few times in the last few days. They had eventually called their parents and told them they were staying longer. She cuddled with him on the plane and she couldn't wait to get home.

“I wonder if Lexi told Zack she's pregnant.”

“Seriously? First Brian and now Zack?” She looked at him and sighed. She didn't think that telling him on a plane was a good idea.

“Yeah. Lexi's been scared to tell him.”

“It hurts doesn't it?” He asked her quietly. Seeing them...”

“Yeah. What do you thinks gonna happen if I...”

“Well when that happens we'll deal with it.”

“Matt...” She said, tipping her head to look at him.

“Austin, no...” He said looking at her face. She swallowed and nodded. “There has to... oh god...” And Matt pulled away from her to scrub his hands over his face. He wanted to pace, and he knew he coudln't.

“Matt, I'm sorry.” He looked at her and sighed.

“No, it's our fault. Jesus Austin, seriously?”

“We haven't stopped since...”

“I know but. I'm not ready, we're not ready.”

“I know we aren't Matt. But we don't have a choice. It's happening. And I'm scared. Matt I'm really scared.” He wrapped his arm around her and just held her.

“Me too honey, me too.”

----

Matt was sitting beside the hospital bed, his hand holding his wife's. With his free hand, he tucked her hair behind her ears, as he bit his lip. They were both still really nervous about having the baby. They had both come to want the little one that Austin was carrying, but were both scared.

“I love you.” Austin said looking at Matt. He smiled at her and leaned forward placing a kiss to her forehead.

“I love you too.” He replied, managing a moment later not to wince as she gripped his hand tightly through another contraction.

“How are you two holding up?” Kim asked walking in a moment later. She could see that not all the pain in her daughter in laws eyes, and what was written on her face was from the current pains of labor.

“I want Mom.” Was all Austin could manage out.

“I'll go get her sweetie. Everything is going to be fine. You'll see.” She didn't tell her son to go get something to eat or a drink, because the same scared, pained look was on his face.

Eight hours passed, bringing the total hours she was in labor to fourteen, before a baby in a pink blanket was being placed in Austin's arms. She looked at the baby in her arms, and to Matt, tears started falling down her face, and she saw that he too, had tears falling. He reached up and brushed her tears away and she managed to shift so he could sit beside her and a moment later, the little girl in her arms was looking at him as he spoke.

“She's so little.” Austin rested her head against his shoulder as they watched dark green eyes look at Matt and then her curiously.

“She really is.” Austin said quietly. A moment later they watched as she stretched a little and closed her eyes, curling into her mother. “What are we gonna name her?”

“Whatever you want.” Matt said watching his daughter sleep in his wife's arms.

“Reanna Elise Sanders.” Austin said after a moment.

“I like it.” Matt said quietly. She smiled and bit her lip.

“Do you want to hold her?”

“Later, when she wakes up. Let her sleep for now.”

“Okay.” They looked up as a nurse walked in.

“Your family wants to come back.” And the way she said it, and tone in her voice had Reanna waking up and then fussing. Matt's head turned to glare at the woman, but she had already left the room.

“I'll go get them.” He told her. She nodded and less than a minute later he was back beside his wife, and he watched as Reanna lay watching him as he sat on the bed beside Austin. She carefully handed the baby to Matt and as he held her she immediately stopped fussing the rest of the way and cuddled herself into him, much like she had done to her mother half an hour earlier. When their parents, and siblings walked in, they were quiet as possible.

“Does she have a name?” Whiteny asked her sister softly. Her son was at her husbands parents house. They had brought their five year old with them. The little boy was being quiet, more than likely bribed by his father to be as silent as he was.

“Reanna Elise Sanders.” Austin said smiling weakly.

“Beautiful name.” Kim said watching her son, hold her grandchild.

“It is.” Lyndsey said agreeing. Austin was just glad, they all had the sense not to ask to hold her.

----

Two days later Matt was following Austin into the house and watched as she turned almost immediately and he sat Reanna's carrier on the table in the entry way, moving so she could remove the little girl from it. Once Reanna was in her arms she moved up the stairs, Matt going back out to get the rest of their things from the SUV. When he came back inside he went straight upstairs, and found his wife in the nursery sitting in the chair she had picked for the room. Reanna was in her arms and it made Matt smile. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and took a quick photo of it, making a mental note to make it the background on his phone later. He let her sit there as he brought everything upstairs.

“It's okay now right Matt?” She asked him when he walked back in with a bottle of water for her and coke for him.

“Yeah. It's okay Austin. Everything is.”

“Your Mom was right then.”

“Yeah. She was.”

“I love you, I love Reanna, and I don't know what I'd do without either of you.”

“You'd find a way to survive. But, I'm glad we have one another.”

“Me too.”

“And now, I've got the two most important women in my life to take care of. And both of you need to eat. Let's go downstairs, you can feed the baby, and I'll cook for you.”

“Yeah, so glad to have you back.” Austin said. She stood and looked at the baby in her arms. “Your Daddy is the most amazing man you will ever have in your life baby girl.” She said before following Matt from the room. This was the beginning of the rest of their life together. And this time, nothing was going to come between them.