Partners & Parachutes

"It's like I'm watching the best romantic movie ever!"

- Dez to Austin

"Partners & Parachutes", originally known as "Shut-Ins & Situations", is the eleventh episode in season 2 of Austin & Ally. It aired on March 17, 2013. This episode was the tenth episode filmed of season 2. On its premiere, it earned approximately 4.4 million viewers.

Overview
After talking to her mom and Trish about Austin, Ally decides to focus on her music career now that she's conquered her stage fright. Meanwhile, Austin is unsure about his friendship with Kira.

Episode Summary
There is a brief overview of the last few episodes, starting from Girlfriends & Girl Friends to the cliffhanger ending of Chapters & Choices, before this episode truly starts. When this episode actually continues on, Ally tries to make up excuses as to why she has to leave, but since she keeps accidentally hinting that a kiss occurred, she merely runs off. Trish goes after her, leaving Austin with the just-as-shocked Dez and the oblivious Kira.

The next day, Ally talks to her mother and Trish about the kiss, and it is revealed that Austin was Ally's first kiss. She is obviously down about it, seeing as she makes fairy tale references that aren't so optimistic (see Quotes below) and Trish adds on to the joke, but only makes it worse. Penny then makes Ally feel better by telling her to think of last night as the night that she conquered her stage fright, and Trish agrees with Penny, then adding on that Ally should start a solo career now that she isn't restricted by her fright. Trish even offers to manage Ally, and Ally agrees to go along with going solo.

In the next scene, Austin and Dez are eating at Mini's when Austin spots Ally. He calls her over, and after relocating to an empty table, they discuss the kiss. While they admit that the kiss was amazing (see Quotes below for exact description) Ally won't take Austin as her boyfriend unless he breaks up with Kira. Since he hadn't yet, Ally simply leaves. After joining Dez again and inadvertantly causing the tower of French fries to collapse, Austin vows to break up with Kira so that he can be with Ally.

Meanwhile, Trish and Ally have their first ever Team Ally meeting- which just consists of the two of them- and Ally admits that she has made some progress in both roles (singing and songwriting). Trish then admits that as Ally's manager, she, too, has made some progress: she's gotten Ally an interview with Megan from Cheetah Beat. However, that doesn't go so well when Megan leaves before asking Ally any questions relevant to her solo career- she's interested in getting some news about Austin's girlfriend.

Austin and Dez are discussing ways to break up with Kira, and once Dez gives a good idea (Get Jimmy to find out, so that he'll do the breaking up for them) Austin goes through with it. He calls Jimmy down to Mini's, and even though Jimmy has a strict policy for his daughter not to date any singers, he makes an exception and gives the couple his blessings since Austin was responsible enough to ask for his permission. Soon, however, Austin finally gets the opportunity to break up with Kira, and although Kira is okay with it for the most part, she screams at him at the beginning. Fortunately for Austin, he only hears her scream the words "You inconsiderate" before construction noises in the background drown out her screaming. After she gets that out, they hug as friends, unaware that Megan has snapped a picture of them hugging.

Later on, Austin tries to ask Ally out again, saying that Kira is out of the picture, but as soon as Trish shows the magazine with Austin and Kira hugging on the cover, his chances are blown and Ally turns away. At school, Trish shows Ally some publicity photos for Ally to use, but they're not really to her liking. Austin and Dez then walk up to the girl pair, and he suggests writing a few new songs with Ally, but Ally walks away, using the valid excuse that she and Trish have to create some better publicity shots. Austin then complained to Dez that getting her attention was difficult, and Dez suggests doing something big. Austin suggests giving her a piano to use at her first concert, but after Dez tells him to think something bigger, Dez then gives Austin the idea to send her a piano using a parachute.

At the party, the plan goes terribly wrong when Dez never pulls the parachute string- the party is ruined due to the crashing piano. Austin apologizes and leaves with Dez. They head back to Sonic Boom, and in the practice room, they find a new song (I Think About You) in Ally's diary/songbook by flipping to the page with the bookmark, or the note that Austin sent to her in Girlfriends & Girl Friends. After singing the chorus of the song, he realizes that Ally has harbored feelings towards him the entire time, and he plots a way to win her over for good. Later, he sings I Think About You to Ally, and during the performance, the episode shows some clips from previous episodes. Once the performance is over, Ally is speechless; Austin puts his finger on Ally's lips, hindering her from speaking, and the two happily hug while Megan snaps some pictures of them.

In the ending scene, Trish comes in holding up the new issue of Cheetah Beat which has Austin and Ally on the cover and Austin says, "I guess we're officially a couple," before putting his arm around Ally. Meanwhile, Dez is trying to put the broken piano back together, and after "successfully" resurrecting it, he begins to play and sing I Think About You in a way that makes the others awkwardly laugh.

Main Cast

 * Ross Lynch as Austin Moon
 * Laura Marano as Ally DawsonParteners_&_Parachutes_photo.png
 * Raini Rodriguez as Trish De la Rosa
 * Calum Worthy as Dez

Guest Cast

 * Aubrey K. Miller as Megan Simms
 * Andy Milder as Lester Dawson
 * Julia Campbell as Penny Dawson
 * Kiersey Clemons as Kira Starr
 * Richard Whiten as Jimmy Starr

Song(s) Featured

 * Can't Do It Without You (theme song)
 * You Can Come To Me ("Previously" sequence) Dawwww.png
 * I Think About You (premiere)

Trivia

 * This episode, as revealed in a live chat with Ross Lynch and Laura Marano, went through many creative changes. A few days into the week of filming, the writers and producers completely changed the script, as well as the title (which was originally named Shut-Ins & Situations).
 * This is the second time Austin secretly "borrows" one of Ally's songs and performs it. The first being Rockers & Writers.
 * This episode is a bookend to Rockers & Writers.
 * This is the continuation of Chapters & Choices.
 * Partners_Parachutes27.png Simms reappears in this episode.
 * This is Megan Simms's third appearance.
 * Austin and Kira break up.
 * Austin attempts to break up with Kira twice.
 * Austin says that he and Ally are officially a couple.
 * "Partners" in the title probably refers to the fact that Ally is going to leave Austin and not be his partner, while "Parachutes" refers to the parachute that is supposed to carry the piano but fails to.
 * There is a new song called I Think About You, which Austin seranades to Ally.
 * It is revealed that Austin was Ally's first kiss.
 * Austin and Ally described their kiss was magical and really good.
 * Dez wears his Team Ally t-shirt for the second time in this episode.
 * Austin and Ally are on the cover of Cheetah Beat Magazine.
 * This episode also reveals that Ally has kept the note that Austin gave her in Girlfriends & Girl Friends.
 * It is revealed that Austin & Ally are now a couple.
 * When Trish was showing merchandise for Ally, it refers to the episode Rockers & Writers when Dez was showing merchandise for Austin.
 * Dez calls himself the Love Whisperer again; Austin and him start a similar conversation to the one they had during Diners & Daters.
 * This episode received 4.38 million viewers
 * Penny commented about Ally mixing up her fairy tales and Trish added "It was pretty Grimm", she refers to Grimm's Fairy Tales.

Goofs

 * When Ally told Austin she and Trish had to come up with better publicity photos, she said "Me and Trish", when the correct grammar would be "Trish and I".