A/N Just 'snapshots' of Justin's and Alex's life together. Implied Jalex. Please, please review! I own Wizards of Waverly Place. If you believed that, you're not smart enough to read this fanfic. JK!
April 1st, 1993:
"Justin, come meet your baby sister." Jerry Russo said as he led his son into the hospital room.
"Hi, honey." An exhausted Theresa whispered.
Theresa's mother followed Justin and Jerry into the room. And Jerry's parents were right behind her. They all exclaimed how cute she was, how she had her fathers eyes and her mothers lips. She had just a tuft of black hair on her tiny head.
"What's her name?" Theresa's mother asked.
"Alexandra Margarita Russo." Theresa was so tired.
Justin hid nervously behind his father.
"Go ahead Justin. Say hello." Jerry pushed his son forward.
Justin walked up to his mother and baby sister and handed her the doll him and his father picked out for the new arrival in the hospital gift shop.
Little baby Alex grabbed her brothers finger and grinned a toothless grin. His silver eyes looked into her chocolate brown ones.
"Hi, Alex." Justin whispered to her.
October 3rd, 1997:
Alex saw the school doors open and her big brother walk out with his friends.
"Justin! Justin! Justin!" Alex called out to him, waving her arms and jumping up and down so he would see her.
Theresa was standing a little ways back with a one year old Max in his stroller while chatting with the other mothers.
"Hi Justin!" Alex ran up to him.
"Hi! Where's mom?" Justin looked around for there mother.
"She's over there talking to your friend Zeke's mommy. How was school? Did you colour again today?" Alex loved hearing about Justin's school and couldn't wait to go. Justin was now in Senior Kindergarten and next year he would be in Grade One when Alex would be in Junior Kindergarten. She was disappointed that she and Justin couldn't be in the same class.
"Yup! And I drew you this!" He proudly handed her a drawing of herself in a bright blue princess dress with a tiara on. The paper was decorated with painted noodles and glitter glue.
Alex held it gently in her hands. "Thank you!"
Justin took the paper back. "And look! The marker I used is scented!" He sniffed it then handed it back to her. She brought the drawing to her nose and inhaled deeply. "It smells like Blueberries!" She cried.
"What smells like Blueberries?" Asked their mother as she walked up to them pushing the stroller.
"The drawing Justin drew for me!" Alex excitedly shoved it in her mothers face.
"Oh, yes it does, mija!" Theresa affectionately said to her daughter.
"Can we have Blueberries for lunch, mommy?" Justin said.
"Yeah, sure. Why not?" Theresa said and the little family made their way back to their apartment. Theresa pushing Max's stroller and Justin and Alex holding hands.
August 7th, 2001:
"I'm going on the swings, okay mom?" Alex shouted at her mother as she ran across the playground. Theresa had taken Max, Alex and Justin to the playground in Central Park for the afternoon. Justin was hanging out with his friends by the slide and Theresa was giving Max a snack.
There was a line to the swings so Alex stepped back and waited. The line was super long but Alex tried to be patient. It had seemed like forever (but it was probably only a couple of minutes later) when Alex finally got her turn. She reached out for the seat when a bigger kid pushed her aside and sat on the swing. Even though Alex was only eight, she was as tough as the eleven year old boy who took her swing.
"Hey!" Alex yelled.
But the kid ignored her and started to pump his legs.
"That's my swing!" Now Alex was mad. It was one thing to steal, but no one ignored Alex Russo.
"Not anymore it isn't." The mean boy grunted.
Justin must have heard her shouts because he left his friends and came over to her.
"What's wrong, Alex?" Her big brother asked.
"That mean boy took my swing!" Alex shouted and pointed to the kid.
Justin was a whole year younger than the boy, but he was tall for his age.
"That's my sister's swing. Get off." Justin crossed his arms and glared at the boy.
"Does it have her name on it?" The stupid boy said.
"Who even says that even more?! That's the lamest comeback ever!" An angry Alex screamed.
That made the boy get off the swing. He took a step towards Alex and his hands curled into fists.
Justin stood in front of Alex and raised his fists.
"Step away or I'll be forced to fight you." Justin growled at the bully.
Alex sighed. Her brother had good intentions, but sometimes he could be such a geek!
"I'll fight you too!" Alex said as she stood in front of the older boy.
Justin pushed her behind him. "No, Alex. I won't let you get beaten up by a big dumb moron."
"Moron, am I?" The big boy snarled and launched himself at Justin. He got in a good punch to Justin's face before Justin got his act in gear and fought back.
Maybe it was the shouts of the two boys or maybe it was Alex's cheers of encouragement that drove Theresa from her bench to investigate the noise. Either way, she walked right into a playground brawl.
"Justin, Alex, knock it off!" Theresa yelled. She reached down and pulled the two boys apart. By now, Justin had a black eye and the bully had a bloody nose.
"What is going on here?" demanded the Latino woman.
"That boy stole Alex's swing!" Justin pointed to the older boy. Theresa glared at all three of them.
"We're leaving now. And it'll be up to you to explain to your father how you got that black eye." She let out a string of Spanish swear words and went to pack up their bag they brought with them.
"Thanks for sticking up for me." whispered Alex to Justin.
She smiled at him then sped up to catch up with their mother and brother.
Justin smiled as well. Though she acted tough, he knew Alex was a big softie. At least around him.
May 13th, 2003:
"But it's not fair!" Alex cried passionately.
"Life isn't fair. " Her mother said tiredly. She was used to this argument. Justin had just gotten his powers a couple weeks ago and Alex wanted powers too. She always wanted what her brother had.
"Your powers will come soon, Alex." Her father was used to this discussion as well.
"But I want them now!" Alex stamped her foot in frustration.
"How about I show you a couple of tricks after dinner, Alex? I can show you how to turn Max's hair blue!" Justin consoled his little sister.
"Cool!" Max exclaimed.
"No, not cool! Justin, don't ever use magic on your siblings! Right, Jer?" Theresa snapped as she put some mashed potatoes on Max's plate.
"Right. Justin, magic is a serious thing. And you must never use it on your brother or sister." Jerry said.
"Wait- they never said anything about using magic on them! Quick, Justin! Hit 'em with a spell!" Alex shrieked excitedly at her brother.
"No Justin! Don't listen to your sister! Don't use magic on anybody! I guess your magic lessons should start soon." Jerry exclaimed
"Justin has to have lessons?" Alex questioned.
"You can sit with me during them if you want." Justin offered. He knew that Alex liked having the same things he had.
"Eww, more school? No way." Alex shoved more steak into her mouth.
"I thought you liked school? You met that nice girl Harper, didn't you?" Theresa asked her daughter.
"Yeah, she's okay. But there's too much work involved with school." Alex muttered.
Justin smiled and rolled his eyes at his lazy sister.
September 2nd, 2009:
"Oh, my little man is growing up so fast! What are we going to do without you?!" Theresa cried and threw herself into Justin's arms.
"Mom, it's just Boston. It's not that far. And I'll see you on Thanksgiving." Justin awkwardly pat his mother on her back and she sobbed into his jacket.
The whole Russo family waited with Justin at the bus stop for the bus to Boston. Justin was going to Harvard.
"See you later, dude." Max said to his brother.
Justin gently pried his mother off himself then turned to his brother. "Later." They bumped fists.
"Send me an iguana from your school." Max handed Justin a purple box. "Put him in this."
"Why would there be……? Nevermind." Justin knew his brother too well and just quietly accepted the box.
"Bye, son. Good luck." Jerry quickly hugged his son.
"Alex, go say good bye to your brother." Theresa scolded.
Alex rolled her eyes and dragged her feet to her where her brother was standing.
"Bye, loser." She muttered and crossed her arms like it was no big deal. But Justin grabbed her and pulled her into a hug, where he immediately felt her arms tighten around him.
"I'll miss you." He whispered to her.
"I'll miss you too." She whispered back, for his ears only.
They stayed wrapped in each others tight embrace until Theresa said she could see the bus coming.
Alex stepped away from Justin and wiped her eyes.
"Were you crying?" He quietly teased her.
"No!" She immediately snapped back and wiped at her eyes harder.
The bus pulled into the station.
Theresa swore in Spanish and wrapped her arms around her oldest son again.
"Mom, I have to go." Justin pulled away from their mother and looked at his family on more time. Theresa was bawling her eyes out. Jerry was sniffing quietly too. Max was picking his nose and Justin could see Alex's lower lip quivering.
He squeezed her hand one last time. "I'll be back at Thanksgiving." He said to her and stepped onto the bus.
As the bus drove away Alex felt a tear drip down her face. But she denied it later.
December 20th, 2011:
"Hi, Justin! Where's my Iguana?" Max swung the apartment door wide open and greeted his brother. Justin was back from his second year at Harvard for Christmas and every time he came back home, Max would ask him where his iguana was.
"Still haven't seen any iguanas in Boston, but I'll let you know." Justin said as he stepped into the cozy apartment.
"Oh, my mijo is home at last! I've missed you!" Theresa pulled Justin into a strong hug and kissed his head.
"Hey Justin." Justin reached over and shook hands with his father.
Theresa let go of him and wiped her eyes.
"Where's Alex?" Justin tried not to seem too eager to see his sister but he couldn't help the grin on his face.
"Over here." Alex called from her perch on one of the kitchen stools.
He smirked and ran over to her and swept her up into a hug.
"Ewww! Let go of me! You're all snowy!" Alex shrieked and swatted at him with her hands.
"I brought presents!" He teased.
"Well, okay." She laughed and allowed a couple seconds more of hugging before she squirmed to be let down.
"Can we open Justin's present now?" Max exclaimed.
"No, we open Justin's presents on Christmas morning, just like every other present." Jerry told his son. Max sighed.
"I'm going to put my suitcases upstairs." Justin lifted up one of his bags but was having a bit of trouble with the other ones so Theresa told Alex to help him bring up the rest.
She dragged the suitcases up the twirling staircases and cursed under her breath.
"What in God's name do you have in that thing?!" Alex panted.
"Christmas presents!"
"Ooh, what did you get me?" Instantly she straightened up and her irritation disappeared.
"You'll have to wait and see!"
"Oh come on! Just sneak me one! I won't tell! Don't you want to live a little?" Alex tried to convince her brother.
"If you're definition of 'living' is giving you a better present than what you probably got me before Christmas, I'll pass." Justin took off his coat and started to unpack his bags.
"Oh, you're no fun." Alex pouted. But she stuck out her tongue to let him know she was only teasing.
"Wait- I just remembered! I want to show you something!" she grabbed her brother's hand and dragged him into her room.
On her bed was a dusty cardboard box.
"We were cleaning out the basement again and guess what I found?" Alex's hands were already inside the box and out again before he had a chance to guess.
She pulled out two very old, very delicate looking things.
"Do you remember these?" she was so excited she was hopping from foot to foot and her curls were bouncing along with her.
"Oh my God, you kept these?" Justin took them from her.
"Of course! They were special! That's the drawing you made me back when you were in Kindergarten and that's the doll you got me when I was first born!" The drawing was slightly yellowed and faded and the doll was grubby and worn, but when Alex took them back from Justin and put them back gently in the box, she showed how much they meant to her.
Justin watched his little sister handle the old things he gave her with such love and realized that even though she was a senior in high school now and he was in University, nothing had changed between them since the beginning.
May 13th, 2014:
"Alex Russo!"
Alex walked up to the podium as her name was called. She was graduating university. She was finally done with school forever!
When her Professor handed her diploma, she turned towards the audience to see her whole family on their feet cheering. Justin was holding the video camera and cheering the loudest. She stuck her tongue out at them and shot them the peace sign.
When the ceremony was done, she ran to her family and they enveloped her in a big group hug.
"I'm so proud of you, honey! We didn't think you could do it, but you did! You graduated from the University of New York!" Theresa squealed.
"And that gallery is going to display your paintings too! You're going to go far! My little girl is growing up so fast!" Jerry looked close to tears so Alex patted his arm and scooted over to Justin.
He was standing a little way away from their parents talking to Max, but when Alex walked up to them, Max went back to Jerry and Theresa.
"Hey." She said.
"Hey." He said back. They were trying for normalcy, but their shimmering eyes betrayed them. They were both riding on the excitement of Alex's graduation.
"I'm really proud that your art got into that gallery. You're going to be famous and I can say that I'm related to a famous artist!" Justin teased.
"Yup! It's so much cooler than being a robotics engineer, you nerd! Don't stand so close to me, I'll catch your nerdiness!" She teased. She knew it was a super lame insult, but was still high from excitement and happiness.
"Oh, really? Than maybe I shouldn't touch you…." He said nonchalantly.
He then leaned over and picked her up in a bear hug and swung her around. She shrieked and people started to stare at the graduate and the man swinging her around like a child.
A pretty blonde came up to the pair and asked Alex, "Are you going to Mike's party tonight? If you come, you should bring your boyfriend, he's cute." She winked at Justin and walked away, swinging her hips a little too much to be natural.
"No, wait! Justin's not my……" Alex trailed off, the girl had already gone.
"Who's that?" Justin asked.
"This girl Amy from my class. She's kind of an idiot." Alex rolled her eyes.
"She's kind of cute. Is she single?"
"Yeah, but-"
"Tell mom and dad I can't make it to your graduation party. I'm busy tonight." Justin stared at Amy and then followed after her.
He missed the look of anger and hurt in his sister's eyes.
November 22nd, 2017:
"I'm getting married!" Justin said as he burst into the Russo apartment. It was Thanksgiving and all the children had come back to celebrate it with their parents even though they had all moved out years ago.
"To who?" Max asked.
"To the girl I've been dating for the last three years. Amy." Justin said to his little brother. Max really hadn't changed much.
"Hi, guys! Hi, Alex!" Amy chirped from beside Justin. Alex waved half-heartedly from her spot on the couch. Amy didn't seem to catch on that Alex barely tolerated her.
"Oh my God! You are?! When?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?! You should get married in the spring! I have to send out the invitations! What type of flowers were you thinking of having?! What's your colour scheme?!" Theresa said in a very quick breath.
"Welcome to the family, Amy." Jerry shook Amy's hand.
"Cool! Now I'll have two sisters!" Max exclaimed.
"Would you girls like to help me with dinner?" Theresa asked. Amy immediately went over to help and Alex rolled her eyes.
"I need some air." She went out onto the terrace and managed to convince herself that the wetness on her cheeks were tears of joy for Justin.
"What's up?"
She quickly wiped off her face and turned to face Justin.
"Oh, nothing really. Just thinking about my gallery. I'm glad I have something to do. Who would have guessed that Max would be the one to win the Wizard Competition all those years ago?" Alex said.
"I know. I thought you would be the one to win. Just like the vacation." Justin said quietly.
"Does Amy…… know?" Alex asked. Justin knew what she was talking about. She was asking if his fiancé knew they were wizards.
"Yeah I told her right after I asked her to marry me. She wasn't pleased. She almost broke up with me but I told I couldn't do magic anymore, only Max can. She seemed okay after that."
"You're marrying someone who doesn't like magic? That's bad, Justin! " Alex said shocked.
"It's not that she doesn't like it, I think she's just scared of it." Justin felt the need to defend his future wife, but deep down he knew his sister was right.
"When are you going to get married? Aren't you with that guy who works at that garage? What's his name? Jake?" Justin asked.
"Jack. And never. I'm never going to get married. I'm happy just being a girlfriend. I don't need to be called a wife to know that the man I love loves me back and we can be together forever." Alex said stubbornly.
"That's very refreshing, Alex. I've never met a girl who doesn't want to grow up, get married and have babies." Justin said.
"Well, I'm not like other girls." Alex said then stuck out her tongue at her brother.
"That's true, that's why I like you." Justin grinned at her.
"Then why do you like Amy?"
"Because….. because she's smart and pretty and nice and fun to be around."
"Everyone says that! What's the real reason you like her?" Alex held her breath as Justin thought for a minute. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer.
Just as he opened his mouth to say something, the terrace door swung open and Amy herself stood there calling them in for the feast Theresa had prepared.
Amy walked back inside and Justin followed her. When he reached the door, he turned back to Alex and smiled a smile that was a little different from the smile he gave Amy. His silver eyes looked warmly back at her and her own brown ones looked back. It was like his eyes were saying, "Even though I'm getting married, you'll always be my best girl."
And her eyes were staring in a way that clearly said, "I know."
July 16th, 2021:
"So what do you think?" Justin asked his sister as they stood by the edge of the dance floor.
"Nicest wedding I've ever seen. Except yours." Alex replied.
They watched their little brother dance with his brand new bride, Hannah. Her waist-length red hair was neatly piled on top of her head and make up covered her many freckles.
"They're good together. They're both really forgetful. And weird." Justin commented.
"And she's a wizard, which is a plus." Alex said mildly. Justin looked at is mortal wife who was talking to Alex's latest boyfriend, Joey. As if she could feel his eyes on her, Amy looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back.
The song ended and Hannah and Max came over to talk to Justin and Alex.
"Thanks for being my maid of honor, Alex." Hannah said sweetly.
"No problem. I was also a bridesmaid for Justin's wife. So it was easy."
"Oh, where is she? I need to thank her for being my other bridesmaid!" Hannah wandered off towards Amy, only tripping once on her long white dress. She was a little clumsy.
"Isn't she perfect?" Max asked aloud. His starry eyes never left Hannah's slim frame. She turned back and winked at her new husband.
He left to join her and Justin said to Alex, "You want to dance?"
She was shocked to feel her cheeks reddening. "Sure." She replied shyly.
Justin led her onto the dance floor and held her close to him.
"I think I'm going to break up with Joey." Alex blurted out.
"Why? I thought you really liked him?" Justin said, confused.
"I did. But he keeps saying how nice this wedding is and how big Hannah's ring is and how he could afford a nice one like that. I think he's going to ask me to marry him, Justin!"
Justin felt his jaw clench and his hands tighten around Alex's waist. For some reason, he just hated the thought of Alex getting married.
The swayed to the beat until a certain person came up to them and asked if she could cut in.
"Sure, Amy." Alex said tensely. She stepped away from Justin and back towards her own boyfriend.
Justin's arms dropped as Alex left his side. Amy took her place but she wasn't nearly as good of a dancer as Alex.
December 25th, 2026:
"Merry Christmas, Ellie!" Max shouted to his four year old daughter.
Hannah handed her a purple present, then rubbed her swollen belly. She was pregnant again. It was Christmas time at the Russo's, and like every other Christmas, they whole clan had gathered at the Sub Shop to celebrate.
The grown ups were sitting on the couches watching the only child in the family shriek and giggle over the whole event.
"Wow, she's so cute. So you said you're pregnant with a boy?" Amy said to Hannah while shooting daggers at Justin.
"Yes, we're thinking of naming him Leo." Hannah said as she handed another present to her daughter.
"That is such nice name. I wonder what I would name my baby if I had one." Amy practically growled. It was no secret in the family that she desperately wanted kids and Justin didn't.
Justin sighed and rubbed his eyes. He wished Alex would come down soon but she hated waking up early. Even on Christmas.
Theresa was busy in the kitchen making a Spanish breakfast and Jerry was sitting on the floor with Ellie. If Alex was Daddy's Little Girl, Ellie was so Grandpa's Little Girl.
"Morning." Justin heard from behind him. He turned around to see a sleepy looking Alex standing at the foot of the stairs.
"Aunt Alex! Look!" Ellie shrieked at her. She held up a baby doll.
"Cool, kid." Alex said back. She smiled softly at her niece. While Alex didn't normally like kids all that much, she had a soft spot for Ellie.
"Any coffee, mom?" Alex sleepily asked her mother. Theresa poured the coffee into her daughter's favorite chipped elephant mug. Alex smiled.
Justin got off the couch and sat next to Alex on a kitchen stool. Theresa finished cooking and went to serve it to her family in the living room.
Alex sipped her hot coffee.
"I like being back at the sub shop, it feels like old times when we used to have magic lessons. Remember those? I used to hate them but now I would give anything to have powers again." Alex said wistfully.
Justin sighed and nodded. They both looked over to Max to see him shooting sparks out of his wand much to the amusement of his wife and daughter.
"Maybe it's a good thing you don't have powers anymore. The world's not ready for your kind of evil." Justin teased his sister.
"Well what would you have done with your powers? Keep making lame inventions that hardly work? Hunt monsters? Please enlighten me." She snapped.
"Calm down, I was only kidding. And Max is doing okay with our powers. He's a good kid." Justin said.
"He's not a kid anymore, Justin. He's thirty-one years old. He has a family. When did he grow up?" Alex said.
"Same time you did." Justin said. He looked into Alex's eyes. He suddenly had a flashback of her birth. It was his first memory. He remembered his whole life with her. She was his best friend growing up. And no matter what she said, he knew she felt the same way about him.
April 7th, 2036:
Alex was in the middle of a very intense painting about cruelty to animals when she heard her doorbell ring. It was amazing that she could hear it at all. The microwave was on cooking a TV dinner and she had her radio turned up almost too full blast.
She was semi annoyed that her creativity flow was interrupted but when she opened the door, all she felt was surprise.
"Justin? What are you doing here?" Alex asked.
Her older brother was standing on the door step to her apartment soaking wet from the rain. He was also holding a suitcase.
"Can I stay here for a while? Amy kicked me out." He said miserably.
She nodded and opened the door wider to let him in.
"What happened?" She asked quietly. She knew better than to tease him right now.
"We got into a fight. She said I don't pay enough attention to her. She said that I spend too much time with you. She said that I don't respect her wishes. She basically said a lot of crap." He said angrily.
"Well I did warn you. Remember when you first met her? I did tell you she was an idiot. And now you've figured it out for yourself." She said as she plopped onto her ratty old second hand couch. She turned down the radio as he hung up his dripping coat.
"I know. I remember. But she seemed perfect." He said. His eyes looked lost.
"But whenever someone seems perfect, they're the ones who are farthest from it. And the people, who seem so imperfect, are actually flawless on the inside." She said to him.
"Wow. That was really deep." He said and cracked a half grin at her.
"Well, I am an artist." She grinned back.
She got her food from the microwave and gave it to Justin and then poured him a cup of coffee.
They ate in silence and then Justin said, "My wife left me Alex. I'm all alone."
"You're not alone. You have me." She said seriously to him.
His eyes filled with tears and he tried to brush them away but Alex held his hand back.
"It's okay, Justin. You can cry for her."
"I'm not crying! It's – it's my allergies!"
"Uh huh, okay, Justin."
Eventually Justin succumbed to his "allergies" and cried himself to sleep on Alex's couch. She was tired and would have like to have gone to sleep herself but her brother's head was currently in her lap.
She looked down at his face. His hair was receding somewhat and there was a lot more gray in it than she remembered. But he still had the familiar laugh lines around his eyes and lips. He still had the same long straight nose and messy black hair.
She kissed his forehead and pushed him off her lap.
He crashed onto the floor and shouted at her, "What was that for?"
"I'm tired." She simply said than made her way into her own room.
May 30th, 2046:
"I feel old." Justin said.
"It's because you are old." His sister replied.
"Oh, grow up."
They were sitting beside each other watching their niece walk down the aisle. Her future husband was waiting for her at the end of the aisle. He was a nice mortal man. But then again, she was mortal now too. Ellie wasn't the one to win the competition, her little sister April was. Their brother, Leo, was standing up by the groom and April was walking one step ahead of her sister as the maid of honor.
"Look at Max, he looks so sad and scared." Justin whispered to Alex. She nodded and grinned back. As Max passed them, he glanced over to them and Alex made a funny face for him. The look of extreme sadness left his face to be replaced by one of humor.
"Act your age!" Justin reprimanded his little sister. She was fifty-four years old but still acted like she was fifteen.
She rolled her brown eyes at him. Amy had left Justin and he hadn't seen her for years. Alex had just broken up with her latest boyfriend, Charles. He didn't like the fact that Alex was a grown woman always covered in paint.
The minister did the usual wedding vows and Alex yawned. Justin elbowed her. She elbowed him back. It was only when Theresa shot them a look did they stop. Justin looked at the empty seat beside his mother and felt the familiar heartache. Their father would be sitting beside her if he hadn't died of heart attack three years prior.
Alex caught him looking at the space beside their mother and patted his hand with her own wrinkly limb.
She wiggled in her seat a little and grumbled under breath. Justin knew her hip was probably killing her. She broke it last year and it had never healed properly.
When she moved, her dress moved with her to reveal her old red converse shoes.
"Oh, Alex why would you wear those to a wedding?" Justin sighed and demanded.
"They're really comfortable and you know that my arthritis is acting up again." She snapped at him.
He rolled his eyes at his immature sister.
Justin looked around at the woman in the audience. They all had tears in their eyes and warm smiles on their faces. Except Alex. She never bothered to colour her hair so her once chestnut locks were now striking sliver. And unlike the other woman her age, her hair was still loose and curly. She also had a huge pout on her face.
The bride and groom both said 'I do' and had their first kiss. Alex rolled her eyes and wiggled in her seat some more. Most people would be annoyed by her cynical and slightly pessimistic attitude, but not Justin. He would stand by her side for better or for worse, through the thick and the thin. Like the young couple standing at the front of the church. But not really.
September 29th, 2050:
"Ouch, my back is killing me." Justin groaned. It was the day after Ellie's daughter's third birthday and Great-Uncle Justin tried to pick her up but twisted his back.
"Well, my back hurts too but you don't hear me complaining about it." Alex said from the couch. She had terrible arthritis.
Ever since that night when Amy left Justin, he's lived there. Neither one of them seems to mind all that much.
"You just did!" Justin cried.
"I am unable to paint my toes because I can't bend over! That is a tragedy!" Alex the Drama Queen said.
"How about this: you rub my back and I'll paint your toenails." Justin offered.
She thought for a minute then agreed.
He sat down on a chair and she stood up behind him. She saw his slightly hunched back twist when she started. From this angle she could see the little bald spot he had on the top of his head. She found it incredibly unfair that he was sixty years old and had less grey hair then she did. Her whole head was silver but she streaked it lime green.
She tried the best she could but her whole body ached. Including her hands. All of her joints felt like they were constantly on fire. She carried on for a few more minutes but when the pain became too intense she stopped and said, "My turn. I want this colour on my nails." She held up the bottle.
"What?" Justin croaked. "You were like two seconds!"
He was about to protest some more but he turned around to see Alex rubbing her hands. He knew they hurt but she was too proud to admit to it.
He helped her sit back on the couch and propped her feet up onto the footstool. He neatly applied the fire engine red nail polish Alex wanted onto her shriveled wrinkled foot.
She ripped her foot away with an angry giggle. "That tickles Justin!"
"Sit still Alex! You made me mess up!" He pulled her foot back down.
'You messed yourself up! Just admit you're terrible at this!"
"Oh, really?" Fueled by the challenge, Justin continued to paint his sister's nails. He then massaged her feet with a sweet smelling skin cream. He took her quiet moans as a good sign. After a few more minutes of quiet, he realized she had fallen asleep. He picked up her frail body and carried her to her room. He was slow, but he eventually got there. He gently laid her down and tucked her in.
His back felt even worse now. He was ashamed to admit he was old. It seemed like yesterday when Alex constantly needed his help. But she wasn't a little girl anymore. He looked at her silver and green streaked hair and it reminded him that she still carried some of her spunk and youth. Just like him.
August 31st, 2055:
"Alex can you hear me? Answer me Alex!" Justin cried at his unconscious sister.
They were currently riding in an ambulance, rushing Alex to the hospital. She had tripped and fallen down the stairs at their apartment. The paramedics thought she might have a concussion and maybe a few broken ribs.
Justin had never been more afraid in his life. Alex looked so still. Just like she was……
"We're here, sir!" The paramedic shouted at Justin. They carried her into the hospital quickly on a stretcher. Justin had to really hurry to catch up. He didn't need a cane yet but he was still slow.
He followed them into her room and watched them try to help her. She was still unconscious. They doctors recommended he go get some coffee and maybe come back in a little while. He hated to leave her but the doctors insisted.
He got himself a to-go cup of coffee and Alex a bouquet of yellow tulips from the gift shop because he knew they were her favorite. When he got back to her room, he saw that she was awake.
"Alex! Oh, Alex." He hugged her tight. Tears were freely falling from his eyes so great was his relief to see her awake.
"Allergies?" She asked him quietly. Her voice was so soft, it scared him. She looked ghost white against the pillow. Has her face always been that thin? Justin thought.
"Yeah." He said.
"Nice flowers." And then she coughed so hard that it shook her whole body. She brought her hand up to cover her mouth and when she brought it back down again, Justin could see something red glistening on her palm.
He yanked her hand towards him, "Is that blood? Are you coughing up blood?"
She looked away from him, out the window, "Yeah. The doctors said that one of my broken ribs pierced my lungs."
"Well, then why aren't they in here patching you up? I'm going to call a nurse." Justin said. He stood up but Alex's cool touch on his arm brought him back to his chair.
"The doctors….. don't see a point. Nothing can help me now." She said quietly. Her lower lip trembled. And for the first time in a long time, Alex Russo cried. At the sight of her tears, Justin broke down as well. He held her close and when she coughed blood onto his shirt, he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was the feel of Alex's heartbeat against his chest. He knew they had a limited amount of time before she choked to death on her own blood. It sounded so gruesome, so sick.
It was late at night when Justin felt his sister's heartbeat slow. Her voice sounded like Death himself when she said, "No matter what I have said in the past, I love you Justin."
He managed to say without crying, "I love you to."
And then…. He felt her heart stop. Her terrible coughs stop. Her breath stop. They were both covered in the blood she coughed up.
"No, Alex! No! Come back! Please come back! Please! Don't leave me Alex!" Justin sobbed into her cold body. He wasn't even aware he had an audience until he felt a pair of arms pull him away from his sister. It was the doctor and a couple of nurses. They all looked so sad for him. They led him out away from her body and called their family. Max was their only family now that Theresa had died from cancer last year. He felt so alone. Alex was the one constant in his life. She was his life. He had no idea what he was going to do without her.
September 5th, 2055:
"May she rest in peace with God. Alex Russo is gone from our home but not our hearts. She touched everyone special love and kindness. Ms. Russo graced her family with her kind and virtuous love and modesty. Our Lord will protect her in His house with love until we meet her again." The minister said.
Justin was hardly listening. This was Alex's funeral, yet nothing the minister said sounded remotely like his sister. Justin's heart felt beaten and suddenly he couldn't take it anymore.
"You know no nothing about her! She wasn't patient and kind and loving like you said! She was annoying and cynical and pessimistic and sometimes you felt like you wanted to kill her but it was all worth it in the end when she hugged you and looked at you with that smile! She was fiercely loyal and protective; she's been my best friend or sixty-three years! She's nothing like what you say she is she's better! She's my little sister and I love her." Justin's voice broke when he said 'love'. The whole church was staring at him now. Justin knew what they were thinking. Probably something like, "Senile old man. He's so crazy."
But he looked at Max and he knew Max understood. Maybe not to the degree Justin did, but he understood.
It was too hot in the church. Justin left. He ran as fast as he could to the plot where they were going to put Alex's coffin.
He picked some flowers from outside the church. They weren't tulips but they were good enough. He dropped the flowers into the dirt whole and looked into the cloudy heavens.
"I miss you, Alex. But I'll be with you soon." He whispered.
Justin liked to think that the cool breeze that brushed across his cheek after he said that was Alex's way of answering him from above.
The sound of the wind whispering through the trees sounded like her sweet voice saying, "'Til then, Justin."
THE END