As we sat there, on the ground and in the dirt, I had made my way into Austin's lap, legs wrapped around his waist and arms around his neck as my head leaned on his shoulder. My eyes were wandering around the tattoos on his neck and soon, my fingers were dancing over the colorful design.

My breathing was still shaky from my recent breakdown.. Each breath I let out came out staggered and weak. And it only got worse when I started talking.

Austin wasn't necessarily making me talk about it, but he wanted me to and I know he's right. I really do need to just get it out. I can't live with everything anymore.

"Haze, slow down, baby. Don't get yourself worked up.. nice and easy," Austin cooed into my ear, rubbing my back when I stumbled and freaked over the words I tried to spit out. "I know it's gona be hard, but I'm right here. You're safe. Just take your time."

Austin was right. I have no reason to freak out over this. I've got him right here.

"Okay.." I whispered, preparing myself for this. "Ian.. He took me," I started with my obvious comment, racking my brain for how to say everything. "Mike had called me over and then he just came out of no where and just... jumped me. I remember I passed out, but then next thing I know I wake up in his car. He told me he tracked me, figured out I was in a band.. He said he was gona go after my brother and hurt him like I hurt his. But I was an even better prize," I gulped, trying to keep myself calm. There was no reason to freak out again. It hurts, but Austin's right here, holding me together. "Then he took me to the home where Mark was at. He told me he'd hurt me if I tried to run, so I didn't. And he took me right up to Mark. He took me to him and made me look at him and kept saying 'look what you did! This is your fault!'," I had to pause to take in another shaky breath. It all just... hurt.
"And he was right. It was all my fault. I did it. I was the one that did that to Mark... He looked so.. dead. He looked like the Mark that I had tried to forget all these years... He looked like the one who I once thought I loved, the one that hurt me, the one that I was afraid of.. But at the same time, it didn't seem real. He didn't seem real," I sighed out, trying to breathe out the pain even though it felt good to open up to Austin. "But he was real. And Ian kept telling me how bad I was.. How I was such a bad person.. How I don't deserve to be happy."

"Baby.. You know he's wrong, right?" Austin asked lightly, still rubbing my back in whatever pattern his hand was moving in.

I nodded against his shoulder a bit. "I know.. I mean, I guess sometimes I doubt it, but even if I don't deserve to be happy, I still can be. It's hard not to be with you and the guys around. You make me happy."

"Good," Austin sounded a little happier, but then he remembered the story wasn't over. "What happened after that?"

"Well," I started, thinking. "I responded to Ian and when I did Mark's heart monitor started beeping really fast.. Like he heard me..." I guess it's not hard to believe since it's been said that people in comas sometimes can still hear somethings people say to them. "It was the first reaction he's had in... in forever.. Ian started freaking out, kept yelling at me to say something else.. So I did... I thought Mark was going to wake up... Or that he was going to come back and hurt me.." I gripped onto Austin's shirt a bit. "But then Ian shoved me out of the room so a bunch of nurses could come in. I was so afraid that both Mark and Ian were gona be up and want to hurt me. Hell, I was terrified. None of this was supposed to happen.." I trailed off topic a bit. "But Mark... He didn't come back. He just... Slipped away," this time I swallowed down the sadness. As much as I hated Mark, it still hurt to know the man I had 'fallen in love' with was dead.
"He was just.. gone. And it was my fault... Ian knew this too and he started freaking out again. He was screaming and started punching the wall and then.. he swung at me," Austin tensed a bit, not liking what I said. "I thought he was going to hurt me worse.. hurt Jelly Bean," Austin now had his fists clenched, instead of rubbing my back. He absolutely did not like what I was saying. I know he wants to go find Ian and hurt him for even putting both of us in danger, but he can't. "But when he found out I was pregnant, he stopped. And he just.. let me go."

"He let you go.." Austin repeated, sounding a little worked up. Ian definitely wasn't one of his favorite people.

I nodded a bit. "Ian wasn't a bad guy before all this... But what happened to his brother changed him. It changed everyone. But deep down inside we're all the same. And Ian truly isn't bad... Just broken."

"Well to me he's an evil bastard that deserves to get his hands cut off for laying a finger on you," Austin said, trying to keep amusement in his voice to not work himself up too much.

"Yeah, he's that too," I agreed, getting a light chuckle from Austin in response.

We fell into a comfortable silence for a little while after that, until I thought of something important.
Lifting my head off Austin's shoulder, I made it even with his and looked into his big, brown eyes. "I'm sorry, Austin," I started simply, making his eyes furrow in confusion and his mouth open to question. "Wh-"

"Hey, shush. Let me finish," I put my finger up to his lips, making the corner of his mouth perk up into a smile. He nodded for me to continue, and with a sigh, I did.

"I've been selfish," I started, not moving my eyes from Austin's once. "This has been hard on you, too... Even the guys, also. And I'm sorry for that, Aus. I'm sorry I troubled you.. But just know that I only trouble you so much because I love you enough to trust you with all of my fucked up problems. And I'm so damn thankful that you put up with me."

By now Austin had a grin on his face, and his eyes were clouded with the sparkle they always seem to have. And I could easily see the love in them that I'm positive mine replicated.

He reached his hands up to cup my face, brushing his thumbs over the skin on my cheek as he looked up to me. I sighed out at his touch, but let our intense eye contact remain. "I love you too, Hazel," he grinned.

His words sounded so good in my ears that it made me breathe easier. And his happy expression was a sight for sore eyes. "Te amo más que el mundo," Austin spoke in a light but beautiful voice. Of course with the spanish. He was somewhat fluent in it from school and all the time he's visited his dad who lives down in a spanish speaking place. And he said he kind of taught himself some of it, but from all the time he spends talking in it to me, I've started to pick up on some of it.

"Te amo," I repeated, it being the only phrase I really know.

Austin's face lit up in a little bit of shock, but then he started laughing through his big smile. "Beautiful," he chuckled, still looking into my eyes. I was waiting for him to kiss me, so badly wanting more of his gentle touch, but he wouldn't do the moment it's justice. And I didn't want to just kiss him because it seemed he was deep in thought.

"Austin?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"Will you kiss me already?"

He let out another laugh, his eyes crinkling, but he nodded at the same time. "You don't have to ask me twice," he said as he leaned closer to me, lips brushing against my own as I put my arms around his neck, finally connecting the kiss.

I felt the butterflies that made my heart flutter inside of me and I sighed, loving the fact that I am actually feeling something. And something good at that.

The kiss lingered, the underlying passion and love under it making me feel all warm on the inside. But after a little bit of soft kissing, we broke away.

I rested my forehead on Austin's while his hands ran up and down my back. It was a peaceful and comforting moment, even when Austin started to lean up and kiss my nose, cheeks, and anything he could reach.

When he stopped, I leaned back, looking into his milky brown eyes before wrapping him up in one big, sudden hug.

It was a quick one, but it meant a lot. And after, Austin was helping me off the ground so we could hug properly once more. I could never get enough of his hugs.

"C'mon beautiful," he said when he broke away. He signaled back to the bus, but walked past me, over to the hill where he bent down to pick up the ring I threw.

When he came back, expecting me to walk with him, I reached out and grabbed his hand, stopping him. I could feel the could metal of the ring against my skin, but didn't dare look at it. "Austin, this isn't beautiful," I signaled to myself, but talked about the situation. "I'm not a damsel in distress.. I'm just a.. girl with problems. Nothing beautiful to it."

Austin sighed and stepped back over to me, brushing hair out of my face. "To me you are always beautiful.. Even when your problems aren't."

"Why?" I asked in a whisper, trying to figure out why he'd chose someone as messed up as me to be with.

Austin didn't hesitate to answer. "Because I love you," he stated, confident. "You're the one, Hazel.. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

His words had blush creeping up on my cheeks, making me look down at my shoes to hide it. But this only made Austin's hand come up to cup my chin, making me look up at him. He always seemed to enjoy when he made me blush.

"I'm taking you to dinner," Austin said proudly while I raised an eyebrow at him. "I think we both deserve it." I can agree with that.

Austin's empty hand reached down to grab mine, and this time I let him lead me back towards the bus. When we got there, Alan was sitting on the couch and nervously bitting at his thumb nail.

I let go of Austin's hand and went over to him, bending down to squeeze him in a hug. He didn't even see me coming, so he jumped when he felt my presence, but soon hugged back. "Thank you," I whispered into the hug.

Alan hugged bag tightly before we broke away, the look in our eyes telling each other all we needed to know. We were both glad we had each other as a best friend.

"We were thinkin' of just getting some take out tonight," Alan said, switching topics and breaking the silence.

"Actually, Haze and I our going to dinner tonight, so count us out," Austin informed him as he came over and regained the hold on my hand, intertwining his fingers with mine.

A shit eating smile came over Alan's face and he nodded. "Don't have too much fun, love birds," and with that Austin stuck his tongue out at him before leading me to the bunk areas.

We decided to change our clothes because we got them a little dirty from sitting on the ground.. Oops.

Austin basically changing into another pair of black jeans that looked exactly the same, but also his long sleeve, red and plaid button up.
I didn't have many clothes here to change into, but Austin laughed and went to find a pair of pants of mine that apparently I left here one time.

I rolled my eyes and took them from him, changing into him and then into one of his t-shirts he gave me that actually still had the sleeves on it. I also still had his jacket, so I put that back on with the shirt since evening was starting to set in with the chilled air.

"Ready to go?" Austin asked me, sticking his hands in his pockets.

I was about to nod, but caught sight of a beanie in his bunk which I couldn't help but reach over to grab.
Bitting my tongue in concentration a bit, I went up onto my tippy toes and slid the beanie onto Austin's head, giving him a silly smirk after.

Austin laughed and fixed it so it was more comfortable on his head as I went back down onto the heels of my feet. "You look cute in a beanie," I said, making him chuckle.

"Alright, lets go before you start dressing me up like a doll," he said, laughing as he put his hands on my hips to spin me around and start walking out.

We weaved goodbye to the guys as we passed them and soon we were outside, Austin's arm around my shoulders as I leaned into him and held a hand on my little bump of a belly.

"What sounds good for you and the little Jelly Bean tonight?" Austin asked, looking down at me as we walked towards the town.

"Hmm... Chicken and potatoes," I said, rubbing my tummy that nearly growled at the idea of food.

Austin laughed and leaned down to kiss the top of my head, "chicken and potatoes it is then."

He navigated on his phone to a restaurant in the town not too far away that seemed it would have chicken and potatoes.
It didn't take long at all to walk there and soon we were being led to a table to eat.

And man, I was hungry for some chicken and potatoes.

Notes

In spanish austin said "i love you more than the world" and hazel just said "i love you" !!

Pregnant people can eat chicken right? Hahaha I'm not sure what you can and can't do while pregnant very much because well, I've never been pregnant!

But anyway, this is just a short and sweet chapter for you guys! Mostly here I'm just trying to show Hazel getting better by talking to Austin and wanting to eat again! Yay(:

I'm trying to stay on top of my updates so you guys don't have to wait to long, and that shouldn't be too hard now since I have basically the rest of this story planned out and a lot of free time coming up!
I'm excited to wrap this up (it may still be a little bit) and start the sequel that is going to be so exciting to write!

Thank you all for the comments and subscribtions and votes! It makes me so happy to see that so many of you like my story and only makes me want to write more.
Let me know what you think!