I had just finished watching the Russo family competition and this popped into my head before I found out what Alex did to help Justin. So, check this out. It's a short fic while I'm trying to get over the writer's block on my other fics. Sorry to all those who are waiting for those fics, but I can't seem to get where I want to be with them. While you read this, I'm figuring out how to continue and writing down more lyrics for Knight in Shining Armor. Check this out.
You don't have proof that I'm NOT Todd Greenwald so you'll just have to take my word for it.
The Russos had just entered the tunnel of mist and everyone was waiting anxiously to see who would come out first. The three siblings had been in the tunnel for quite some time and the sounds of arguing could be heard through the exit. Jerry and Teresa looked at each other in fright and made for the exit just as a scream was heard. Everyone froze because, even at his girliest, Justin's screams couldn't go that high and there was no way Max's could. Mason and Juliet glanced at each other in surprise as Justin raced through the entrance. He smiled and pumped his fist in the air as an invisible audience began cheering his arrival.
Chancellor Tutti Tutti slowly held the mike to his mouth and said, "And Justin Russo is the first through the portal." No one clapped, not even Juliet, and Justin's parents looked at him suspiciously. Just then, Max ran through the portal; he was covered in blood and looking wildly around.
"Justin!" he yelled. "You have to help me with Alex!"
"Why?" Justin asked, stepping off the podium.
"Because she's losing blood really fast." Max sighed, looking up at Justin imploringly.
"Blood?" Teresa cried.
"What did you do to Alex!" Mason and Juliet both roared.
"There can't be any blood, it was a minor spell!" Justin said, glancing around at everyone present nervously. Harper, Juliet, Mason, Professor Crumbs and Jerry all followed the two boys back into the tunnel of mist.
"Someone clear out this damn mist!" Mason shouted. Justin waved his wand and the mist cleared a path so they could see where they were going.
"Where is Alex?" Juliet asked worriedly.
Mason stepped up to Justin and took his shirt in hand. "Clear all of it before I bite you right here, right now." he growled, glaring into Justin's eyes.
Justin nodded frantically and cleared all of the mist away; there was a collective gasp from everyone who could see and Mason whimpered, "I take it back, put the mist back up."
The scene before them was horrific, burning itself into their minds. Alex Russo lay before them, bloody and dying. Her once-flawless tanned skin now an unnaturally paper-white pale and her vibrant, brown eyes were lidded and dull. Blood seeped from gashes all over her naked body and everyone could see a hole just above her heart. Mason and Juliet both gasped and rounded on Justin while Harper and Professor Crumbs set to work on Alex and Jerry began crying into Max's shoulder at the sight of his baby girl so broken and helpless.
After thirty seconds, Professor Crumbs sighed and shook his head. "There is nothing we can do to help her." He said, a saddened expression on his face. "She is going to die."
"NO!" Harper, Juliet and Mason screamed.
"She can't die!" Harper cried, her eyes filling with tears. "She's my best friend!"
"She can't die, I love her!" Mason shouted, his entire feature going pale at the prospect of losing Alex.
Just then, Juliet fell to her knees beside Alex, sobbing uncontrollably. "She's my mate!" Juliet screamed, looking down at Alex fearfully. "She dies, I go with her." Everyone froze in shock as Juliet laid across Alex and clutched the dying Latina to her.
"Sh-She's your mate?" Justin asked, heartbroken, but Juliet paid him no mind and whispered reassurance to Alex, stroking her sweaty hair.
Jerry stormed toward his son and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. "Justin," he said lowly, but everyone froze again at the dangerous tone. "I will ask this once and you had better answer me. What spell did you use?"
"I-it was an accident!" Justin pleaded. "It wasn't supposed to go like this!"
"What spell was it?" Mason roared.
"I used… it was…" Justin looked helplessly between Alex's fading form and his father's death glare. "I used… I used a forbidden curse. Two, actually." he mumbled.
Professor Crumbs, Harper, Max and Jerry all gasped in horror and Professor Crumbs stepped forward. "Justin, you know it's against Wizard Law to use a forbidden curse! Now we can't be completely sure which curse you put on your sister and she is the one paying the price for it."
Juliet stood and the look on her face read murderous intent. "You used a forbidden curse on your own sister?" she hissed, her voice very low, but Justin was just as terrified as if she had screamed it. "You said you would die before you used one of those curses. You told me, promised me, that you would never stray to the dark side again. You swore on your mother's brother that you would never use one of those curses and you used it on your own sister!" Juliet was right in front of Justin now and she was practically trembling with enraged energy.
"Juliet…" Justin squeaked. "I can't lose you again. I just wanted to stay with you."
"So you attacked your sister for it?" Juliet screamed. "You attacked your sister so that you could keep your wizard powers and gloat about it. Well, look at her now, Justin. I hope you're happy because I don't think I'll speak to you for as long as you live." Juliet fell to her knees beside Alex and tried to make the brunette look at her.
Alex's eyes, though half-closed, slowly rolled to look up at her brother. Justin looked deep into the chocolate eyes that once held so much mischief and joy and felt himself break. To him, those eyes were saying, "So this is how you repay me for helping you through your mess-ups?"
"Alex…" he choked out as the last forms of life began fading from his sister.
"Mason?" Juliet's head shot up as an idea came to her. "Would you be ok if your girlfriend was a vampire?"
"Yes, I would. I love Alex." Mason nodded his head vigorously.
"It won't work." Justin said softly. "The curse kills whatever it's been cast upon. So even if Alex were to turn into a vampire, she would still die."
Juliet sent an incredulous look at him and began shaking again. "I hate you!" she spat. "I hate you so much right now, Justin Russo."
"Wait!" Max said suddenly. "What if we freeze time? Would that stop the curse long enough for us to find a cure?"
"That's a crazy idea, but we don't have many options." Justin nodded.
"Everyone hold onto me." Professor Crumbs commanded. Juliet reached out her hand to touch him, but he shook his head. "You have to let go of Alex or the spell won't work."
Juliet's eyes widened. "L-let go? Of A-Alex?" she whispered. "No, I can't. If I let go, she could die without me. I'll stay frozen too, just go."
Professor Crumbs nodded and told Justin to cast the spell. Justin raised his foot and did as told, freezing time around them. Everyone gave a sigh of relief to see that Alex's bleeding stopped and they hurried away. "Good, now I will levitate you and you will show us where this book is." Justin nodded and let Professor Crumbs lift him up. Everyone minus Juliet and Alex hurried out the door and Justin led the way to WizTech's library. Going all the way back to the oldest books, he pulled one from the shelf and flipped to the correct page, pointing out the spell.
"You used the Wincotti Meat-chopper Curse?" Jerry exclaimed, looking at the page in horror.
"It said that it only causes slight bruising and only a small loss of blood." Justin said, crossing his arms.
"But you didn't read in-between the lines!" Jerry said.
Professor Crumbs summoned a magnifying glass and held it up to the spell. There, between the words of the incantation and its explanation, was a warning. Justin leaned closer and read aloud. "Warning: Though this curse seems small, the amount of emotion a wizard puts into it is what makes it so dangerous. Make sure emotions are under tight control or your opponent may end up with… severe… death-inducing… injuries." Justin's shoulders sank in defeat.
"What was the other curse you used on her, Justin?" Professor Crumbs asked.
"I used… I used the… the Tybaltian Fie." Justin whispered, watching as both Professor Crumbs and Jerry both nearly fainted.
"You used a Shakespearean Curse?" Jerry half-yelled half-moaned.
"That was my worst subject in school," Professor Crumbs mumbled, shaking his head. "So I am no help in trying to undo it."
"But there must be a reversal spell!" Justin shouted, looking panicked as tears began welling in his own eyes.. He didn't want to be pinned as a murderer, especially not to his sister. Professor Crumbs shook his head.
"I'm afraid not, Justin. You have successfully killed your one and only sister." Justin fell to his knees as he screamed and everyone gasped in horror.
"What have you done?" Harper screamed as time began moving again. "We'll never make it back in time!"
"In time for what?" Justin shouted. "I screwed up! I killed Alex and there's nothing anyone can do about it. I'm going to be sent to wizard jail for using a forbidden curse. And then, when I'm out of wizard jail, I'll be sent to mortal jail for murder. And Alex is going to die."
A cloud hung over everyone's heads as they began trudging back to the Competition Room. When they got there, they were prepared to see a grieving Juliet waiting to meet them back and tell them that Alex was dead. So they were very surprised to see Alex lying on the laps of Teresa and Juliet, sipping water that Juliet tenderly held to her lips. Max and Jerry raced over with Harper and Mason close behind while Professor Crumbs and Justin hung back.
"Alex?" Harper breathed.
"How are you alive?" Max queried.
"Are you feeling ok?" Jerry added.
"Do you need something to eat?" Mason inquired, making to get her something.
Alex simply looked up at them all blankly and Juliet spoke up. "It seems Justin was right. Vampire venom wouldn't do anything to help her. But vampire blood could. Just because she was human didn't mean that I couldn't donate some blood to her. The blood helped Alex's immune cells become stronger and fight off the curse. Now she's recovering. Her throat is sore because most of the blood, she threw up and she only wants to eat something cold. So maybe ice cream, Mason."
The werewolf nodded and sprang away immediately, looking for the buffet table. Max sighed in relief and hugged his sister gently, followed by Jerry. Professor Crumbs moved forward and gave Alex a reassuring smile.
"Glad to know you're alright, Alex." He murmured to her.
Alex, for her part, simply blinked up at him and Juliet gave Professor Crumbs an apologetic smile. "She's temporarily paralyzed while my blood is still taking effect on her body to make sure that the curse is gone. She can only move her eyes right now." Professor Crumbs sighed and nodded. Stepping onto the podium, he cleared his throat and gained everyone's attention.
"Due to the circumstances, Justin Russo will not be the family wizard." Professor Crumbs began and Justin nodded, his head bent. "So, the next through the portal was Max Russo and so, I declare him to be the Russo family wizard."
There was some scattered applause as Max stepped up to the podium. He took a deep breath before stepping away again. "I can't take it." He said clearly. "I don't deserve it."
Two reviews for the second chapter.