Let it be said that I do not own Wizards of Waverly Place.
She never shows her family all of her artwork. Even Harper hasn't seen it all.
As her painting improved, she started painting presents for their parents, Harper and even Max, nothing for Justin. He wasn't sure what to think about that yet.
He's about to leave for NYU- if that could be called leaving. In the moments where he's truly honest with himself he knows that he's staying close to home for her, those moments don't happen too often. To counterbalance the fact that he's not leaving the state for school, he decides to move into the dorms. His Mom isn't too happy about that, evident by how clingy she's gotten.
Dad and Max have plans for his vacated room. (Dad wants to turn it into a home theatre, Max wants to put in a pool filled with pudding.) Surprisingly Alex insists that they leave his room alone with their mom backing her up.
After that Alex is withdrawn. Justin is a little worried.
The night before he is due to leave he is laying in his bed, trying to sleep. Key word: trying. His mind is racing, thoughts of anticipation and worries. He hears his door open and the soft padding of feet, at first he thinks it could be either of his parents- but something tells him that it's not. He stiffly sits up in bed and whisper-yells
"Who's there?"
"It's just me, chill out." sounds a recognizable annoyed voice.
"Alex?" he leans over and switches on his bedside light.
She's wearing her painting clothes her hair in a ponytail with dried paint in her hair. She's holding what looks like a present.
Alex follows his eyes from her face to the present, back up to her face.
"It's for you" she explains simply. "I was just going to leave it here for you" Her eyes are averted from his. She sits next to him and looks up as she offers it to him. Her eyes tell him it's something special to her. His eyes look at her questioningly; she gives him a tight smile and nods. He handles the present gently. He tears at the paper and removes the top from the box. He inhales sharply. She is watching him closely. He picks up the canvas- it's a painting.
It's a painting of them as children. Their mom snapped many pictures of them as children- but there was one picture that was his favorite. He was 7 and she was 5, she had just fallen a cut her knee- Justin being the brother that he is administered to the wound, the snapshot was taken just after Justin hugged her- he was trying to cheer her up with cookies, their mom took the photo just as Justin was laughing, and Alex was looking at him with a smile. Something about her eyes in that picture, told Justin that Alex did appreciate him. That picture is what made him willing to help her out of everything she got into.
Alex recreated the photo in the top left corner of the canvas adding her own artistic flair- on the right side was the prominent feature. Them, older, and Alex looking at him just like she was in the photo, and Justin smiling back at her, the surroundings blurred reds and violets.
Justin looked at his sister, his eyes beginning to water, her face is impassive- he knows she's holding back on him. He lays down the painting down and encircles her before she can escape.
"Thank you Alex." He breathes in her ear. "Thank you so much" Her body relaxes into his, and she reciprocates. They hold each other for a while- enjoying the silence and the comfort of their embrace.
Alex's voice breaks as she says into his ear "I just wanted you to know."