Title: You Don't Know (How It Feels)
Genre: Drama
Rating: T, just to be safe
Type: Chapter-Fic
Summary: When Theresa and Jerry Russo divorce and split the three Russo children up, all their lives are thrown into chaos.
Pairings: Alex/Justin (perhaps), Alex/Dean, Max/Jeanette, Justin/OC slight Theresa/Jerry
Timeline: Sometime in season 2, most likely just after Harper finds out they are wizards. In a way, it's a little bit AU; because you have to imagine Theresa and Jerry fighting at the beginning of season 2 a little bit more.
Also, I couldn't resist adding Jeanette in from 'Alex Does Good'. Jeanette didn't seem that bad.
Disclaimer: I only own the people you don't recognize
"Mom and Dad have been fighting an awful lot lately," fifteen year old Alex Russo commented casually to her seventeen year old brother, Justin as they walked through the halls of Tribecca Prep. Justin nodded as he stopped at his locker and opened it.
"I know, and most of it is just silly. I hope they work it out," Justin said. Alex nodded as she spotted her boyfriend Dean, waving to her, his friends surrounding him as usual. Alex was mesmerized immediately, all thoughts about her parents and family gone from her mind.
Dean always made her like this, so happy and giddy. She really cared about him a lot, possibly even love him. Dean was her first boyfriend (Riley in her opinion, so didn't count) and if she ever lost him for whatever reason, she didn't know how she would feel.
"Yeah, I'm sure they'll be fine. We're probably over-reacting. Bye," Alex said distractedly as she walked over to Dean and pecked him on the lips.
"Hey Dean," she said flirtatiously.
"'Sup Russo?" Dean asked her with his usual sort of cocky manner. His friends were all laughing and talking in the background.
"Nothing much. You want to get a bite at my family's sub shop after school? I can get you a deal, and afterwards we can watch some TV or go to the movies or something," Alex suggested. Dean nodded.
"That would be cool. See you later, I gotta meet up with Mr. LarryTate, for something extra credit related," Dean said, spotting Mr. LarryTate.
"Ok, see you," Alex said as mysteriously as she could manage. As soon as Dean was out of sight, Harper Finkle rushed over.
"Wow, you two seem pretty tight lately. You're serious about him," Harper commented. Alex rolled her eyes.
"Yes Harper, I really am. This is the first boy I truly really like and I don't want us to break up, especially since we've been dating for three months already," Alex said. Harper grinned.
"Well, that's good. Because maybe this weekend, you'd like to join me and my date at the art museum," Harper suggested. Alex smiled.
"You have a date? Who?" Alex asked. Harper sighed dreamily.
"His name is Austin Wilder and he's an artist too. He's so cute, and he lives next door to me," Harper declared happily.
"That sounds great Harper, it really does," Alex said as the bell rang. Harper sighed.
"I have to get to History. See you later Alex. And try to get to class on time," Harper asked as she made her way down the hall.
"Sure, of course!" Alex said, waving. As soon as Harper was out of sight, Alex scoffed. "Yeah, so not going to Art History on time," she said outloud as she walked outside.
The sub station was as usual, noisy, and so were Theresa and Jerry Russo. Once Alex, Justin, and twelve year old Max (turning thirteen in a month) reached their home, they entered through their family's sub station, where Theresa took orders very calmly, and Jerry was making the sandwiches.
"Ok, so Dean's coming over and we might go out later tonight to a movie, or we'll stay here and watch TV, so if you guys bug us, I swear I'll kill you," Alex warned her brothers. Max feigned shock.
"Us? What would we do?" Max asked innocently. Alex rolled her eyes and smacked her brother.
"Just don't, please," Alex said before going upstairs and dumping her bag in her room. On the way downstairs, she took a look in the mirror.
"I so look good," Alex said confidentially. Justin rolled his eyes as he past Alex.
"You so wish, little sister," Justin said.
"At least I am dating someone!" Alex said.
"So am I! Olivia Truscott," Justin bragged. Alex just laughed as she pushed past her brother.
"Oh, really? You wish you were going out with her Justin! You're a dork, and she's a peppy cheerleader!" Alex said to him. Justin was going to comeback but then Jerry's voice traveled upstairs.
"Alex, your boyfriend, Dean is here!" he called up. Alex grinned as she shoved Justin into the wall and hopped down the stairs, smiling when she saw Dean.
"Hey," she said. Dean gave her a curt nod, but he was smiling as well too. Alex grabbed his hand and led him upstairs to their living room. Alex pulled Dean down onto the couch, kissing his lips.
Dean broke apart the kiss about a minute later.
"What was that for Russo?" he asked, smiling. Alex shrugged.
"Just for fun I guess, and to thank you for being my boyfriend," she answered. Dean smiled as he carefully wrapped an arm around her waist.
"Anytime," he joked. Alex smiled as she cuddled against Dean as they turned on the TV.
Meanwhile, Justin and Max watched from the staircase quietly.
"So, do you want to start bugging her?" Max asked excitedly. Justin shook his head, looking at his watch.
"I can't, I have to meet up with Olivia," Justin answered, causing Max to eye him.
"You're still dating Olivia after two months? Wow Justin, I don't see why you don't tell people about you two. I mean, you told me," Max argued. Justin rolled his eyes.
"I didn't tell you, Max, you caught us making out in a closet, and no one would believe me anyways. I mean, I told Alex and she laughed, thinking I was joking. Besides, Olivia doesn't know how to tell her overprotective parents she has a boyfriend, even though she has to wait until she's in university to have a boyfriend," Justin told him quietly.
"Yeah, she's probably afraid what people would say when they find out she's dating a dork!" Max laughed, causing Justin to glare at him.
"I may be a dork, but I'm not as bad as Nose Picking Peter," Justin said, shuddering at the dorkiest twelfth grader in all of Manhattan. Max laughed as Justin turned and jogged downstairs, where Theresa and Jerry were fighting.
"Oh, so it's my responsibility to tell the kids? Right Jerry, because I'm a woman, right?" Theresa yelled. Jerry shook his head.
"Not at all Theresa, it's just that I'll mess it up," Jerry mimicked Theresa's voice, rolling his eyes. Theresa glared.
"Well, this time I'm not telling them! You can tell them you big fat jerk!" Theresa said sternly. Jerry looked like he was about to argue back but spotted Justin standing at the stairs, looking at them, as well as the other customers.
"We'll tell them together, later," Jerry told her quietly. Theresa nodded, crossing her arms.
"Fine. Hey Justin, where are you going?" she asked her son as brightly as she could. Justin offered a small smile, though inside he was worried. What did his parents have to tell them? Was it bad? It sounded bad. Justin was just lucky that he had a few more months until college started in September. It was January after all, so a few more months, then summer and then finally college. He just felt bad for Alex and Max for being stuck with his parents. Hopefully they would work out their problems soon.
"Um, I'm going to meet up with my friend. I'll be back by seven," Justin said. Theresa nodded.
"Have fun Justin!" she said brightly. Jerry offered a small smile before disappearing into the kitchen again. Justin sighed as he left to go meet up with Olivia. He was going to take her to the park to just talk and spend time with her. Maybe he could bring up the idea of telling people. Both didn't want to, but Justin knew they had to, if they wanted to kiss in public and spend time together. After all, Olivia was always busy with cheerleading and Justin with his homework and chess club.
He couldn't believe when he was assigned to tutor Olivia in English. Both didn't tell anyone in October when they started, when she was already failing English. Then, in November, after a month of tutoring, they somehow fell for each other and started dating secretly. It was a miracle for Justin. He had another girlfriend, and this time, she wasn't Goth or anything like that. If Olivia wanted to wait to make their relationship public, he wouldn't argue, because he'd do anything for Olivia.
Justin sighed as he walked outside, hearing his parents start to fight again, something this time about a sandwich.
Meanwhile, Max managed to sneak upstairs, past the two lovebirds on the couch, and closed his door quietly. It was no fun tormenting his siblings if they were too much in love with their significant other to help.
Then again, Max shouldn't complain. Just like Justin, he had a secret girlfriend, except, nobody, not even Justin, knew. He and Jeanette had only been dating for a week, but still, it was really nice. He went out on his first date with her last Friday, and though he hadn't kissed her yet, they were spending as much time together as possible. Max was planning to tell his family tonight that he had a girlfriend. Both weren't good at keeping secrets anyways.
Around Jeanette, Max felt different. He didn't feel like the dumb, youngest brother anymore. He didn't feel unloved, and unappreciated. He didn't feel like he was making his father proud, or anything. He didn't feel like he was the only Russo that wouldn't make it past the first round of the wizards competition. With Jeanette, he felt powerful, happy and complete. He felt smart, even though Jeanette was a straight A student. She didn't care if Max had his many dumb moments, she didn't care about any of that.
Max didn't know what true love felt like, but this felt totally right, and he could totally picture Jeanette marrying him in the future. He was only twelve (so close to being a teen) but he liked thinking ahead for things that mattered to him.
Max sighed as he locked his door and grabbed his phone, pressing three on his speed dial. He listened to it ring a few times before Jeanette finally answered.
"Hey Max," she greeted him. Max smiled.
"Hey Nettie, what's going on? How's life at home with your three brothers and two sisters?" Max asked. Jeanette laughed.
"Hectic, but ok. My six year old brother, Walter, took my eight year old brother, Robert's journal, so now my seventeen year old brother Jon, is trying to stop them from fighting. And my fourteen year old sisters Wendy and Amber are, because they're finally in high school and makes fun of me for being in seventh grade, are experimenting with high heels and mini skirts," Jeanette said. Max laughed.
"Wow, that does sound hectic. The most my family is doing is Alex making out with her boyfriend, Justin out with someone and my parents fighting," Max said, his voice dying off as he heard a distant crash coming from the sub station. Max winced. He hated his parents fighting as much as Alex and Justin hated it. Jeanette sighed.
"I'm sorry about your parents. Maybe they'll work it out. Have they been to counseling? It helped for my aunt and uncle," Jeanette suggested. Max thought.
"They haven't. I'll certainly suggest it to them. Thanks Nettie," Max said.
"Any time Maxi," Jeanette said as a crash from her end of the phone sounded, and it was loud. "Listen, I have to go. Walter just broke Mom's vase. I gotta go strangle the guy. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye," Jeanette said.
"Bye!" Max said before hanging up his own phone. He sighed as he opened his door and walked downstairs to find Alex and Dean still pretty much making out. He made a face.
"Gross guys, can't you take it somewhere else?" Max interrupted, causing them to stop. Alex looked up to see Max, though disgusted, smirking. Alex groaned as she stood up.
"I'll be right back Dean, I have to take care of a little problem," Alex said, smirking evilly. Max paused, processing this sentence and looking at her mischievous and evil face before finally realizing what she meant. He started running up the stairs, Alex close on his heels.
"ALEX, LEAVE ME ALONE!" Max's voice was heard. There were several thumps and screams before finally Alex came back down, a satisfied look on her face.
"All taken care of Dean," she said sweetly before sitting back beside him.
"I don't even want to know what you did to Max. Sometimes, Russo, you're even more violent than me," Dean commented.
"Aww, thanks Dean, but nobody can beat the pro violent, sort of scary guy," Alex said. Dean laughed as they continued watching the movie, Highway To Nowhere. Alex rolled her eyes to the cheesiness of it.
"This is so stupid. I mean, a group of college students go on a road trip with no destination? You should always have some kind of plan. Instead, they're just driving and seeing where it takes them," Alex laughed. Dean laughed too.
"I know. Why are we even watching this?" Dean asked. Alex looked at him.
"I don't know," she answered. Dean took the remote and changed it to wrestling. Alex grinned.
"Much better," she agreed. Suddenly, footsteps came down the stairs and Max appeared, his shirt all rumpled and his underwear stuck to his head.
"Thanks a lot Alex," Max said sarcastically as he stumbled into the bathroom down the hall. Alex just giggled. Dean looked absolutely amused.
"Nice work," Dean complimented. Suddenly, footsteps sounded and Alex turned to see her mother coming upstairs, a worried look on her face. She walked straight to the kitchen.
"Hey Dean, hey Alex. Where's your brother? I heard some shouts coming from up here," Theresa asked. Alex shrugged.
"He's in the bathroom. Everything ok Mom?" Alex asked. Theresa nodded.
"Yeah. Actually, me and your father have to talk to you three about something really important. Do you mind calling Justin on his cell? He went out somewhere and I'd like him to come home," Theresa asked. Alex nodded.
"I guess that's my cue to leave," Dean said, standing up.
"Dean, wait, you don't have to leave right this moment. It's only four," Alex protested. Dean shook his head.
"I should get going. I'll see you tomorrow, Alex," Dean said, calling her by her name. He pecked her on the cheek before leaving out the front door. Alex smiled as he left before turning to her mother and grabbing the home phone, dialing Justin's number. It rang three times before he picked up. Weird, Alex noted. Justin always picked up by the second ring at least.
"Hello?" he asked. He sounded a little out of breath, and way too happy.
"Hey, Justin, mom wants you home now. She and dad have something to tell us," Alex commanded. Justin sighed, and Alex heard him whispering to something.
"Fine, I'll be home in twenty minutes," Justin said. Before Alex could say anything, he hung up. Alex hung up the phone, sighing.
"What's for dinner Mom?" she asked. Theresa rolled her eyes.
"I'm making the family's favourite, chicken teriyaki with rice on the side," Theresa answered. Alex licked her lips hungrily.
"Yum," she declared. Alex settled down to watch TV while her mother made dinner. Max came out of the bathroom and disappeared upstairs. About forty five minutes later, Justin came home, which was weird because he was always earlier than he said he would be. Theresa was finishing dinner and Jerry had just closed up the shop and was upstairs, sitting beside Alex as they watched basketball.
Finally, dinner was served and the five sat at the table, in silence.
"So, um, how was school?" Jerry asked, breaking the silence.
"It was ok," Max stated awkwardly. Justin nodded. Alex, who was definitely impatient, blurted out, "What do you need to tell us?"
Jerry and Theresa glanced at each other, silently speaking to each other. Alex perked up a bit. Maybe it wasn't bad. Maybe they were going to counseling or something. Maybe a long vacation, just the two of them, to settle their differences.
"Well, me and your father, as you know, haven't exactly been getting along for the past few months," Theresa started awkwardly. Alex nodded, yeah, they all knew about that.
"So, your mother and I have talked about this for a long time, and yes we've talked, not just yelled. And we've come to an agreement," Jerry continued, glancing at Theresa for support.
"So, what is it? Did you guys work out your problems?" Alex asked. Max smiled.
"Are you guys going to counseling to stop fighting?" Max asked. Justin looked at his parents' faces and knew this was not going to be a happy time for them. Jerry and Theresa looked at each other again before Theresa spoke.
"Um, we're….getting a divorce," she answered, causing all three children to freeze with horror and shock.
I hope you guys enjoyed that. Review!!! Tell me, who's going to live with who, in your opinion? Who's going to move away and who's going to stay to run the Sub Station? Only I know the answer to that. You'll find out next chapter.