Hello! This is my first post here but it's by all means not my first fanfiction. It's the first english one though, so if you spot mistakes have mercy. I'm speaking english since 11 years, still it's difficult sometimes to find the right words.

This is set directly after the episode 'Eat to the Beat' Season 3 - actually I kind of missed an ending scene between Justin and Alex, since the whole episode allready was so jalexish. The italic written parts refer to the dialouge with Stevie. So here it is, I hope you enjoy it!

It's how we show we care

Alex laughed hard while she ran through the school corridors, Justin chasing after her.

He shouted after her, but she was quicker than him. The hunt didn't last long - she willingly stopped by the lockers, turning around to smile at him, while he slithered to stop in front of her.

Fat was running all over his hair and face and he looked really mad.

Alex practically beamed at his sight.

Justin build himself up in front her, seemingly at loss for words to equal her crimes, finally pointing a finger at her accusingly.

"That was totally your plan!"

That earned him an even wider smile which surely took a bit of wind out of his sails. He lowered his hand.

"What, getting my brother to hire a metal band so he could get a conniption and then dance stupidly in front half of the school, with guts all over his face? You got it!"

With that she lunged forward to pull him into a hug, laughing, but Justin immediately backed away.

"What are you up to now?"

For some reason these so often heard words by her brother made Alex' heart sting. She had to think of her conversation with Stevie earlier and the story her friend told

her of her own brother washed her smile away and suddenly she felt like tearing up.

So she ignored Justin's defensive pose and wrapped her arms tight around him, burying her face in his chest.

"What-?" She felt Justin stiffen under her embrace, he was confused but she could tell he knew already she was bothered. He always knew.

Hesitantly he returned her embrace and laid one hand gently on her hair, the other rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"What's wrong Alex?" he asked with concern and all the suspicion had left his voice.

Alex clung even closer at him. How was it that even with her constant mischievous plans he always noticed she was upset and serious and forgave her everything she did just minutes before?

If you keep fighting like that the caring will go away.

"Justin?" she heard herself say in a low and cracked voice but for once didn't try to overplay it. "You know I care for you, right?"

Justin was stunned. For seconds that seemed like eternity he remained silent, Alex' heart beating hard against her chest and his. There was no sound but her

heartbeat and the soft tune of the jazz echoing through the halls.

Then she felt him pressing his cheek against hers.

"Yeah" he replied softly in her ear and his skin stroked hers softly "Of course I know that."

She let out a shuddering breath she didn't even know she had been holding. With their faces so close she could feel the soft stubble on Justin's chin and suddenly a

bunch of random information rushed over her: Justin was a senior, soon to be graduating, heading for college and - and leaving home. Each fact ran like ice trough her

veins.

Me and my brother used to fight like that. And I didn't think about it too much and then - then we just stopped talking. I don't even know where he is anymore.

Alex panicked. Without thinking she busted out: 'And all those pranks you know, I don't mean them, I mean I mean them, but not bad, I mean I don't want you to stop

talking to me, if you want to stop talking to me you just must talk to me about it!"

Justin loosed himself a little to look into her face. His eyebrows were raised and he looked at her like she was crazy, but the soft gleam in his eyes didn't pass her.

"What are you talkin about? "He asked in his funny voice "Are you feeling ill?"

Alex tried to keep the sadness from her smile when she looked back at him. He didn't get it, at least not in its full meaning. She needed him to know she cared for him

deeply. Deeper than Stevie or even he could ever know.

But she shrugged it off, before it could come out of her completely. Just like always.

What else could she do?

She shrugged and smirked.

"I don't know! Maybe the Smooth Jazz finally got onto me."

Justin snorted and laughed a little.

"Yeah, right!" He looked over to his shoulder towards the launch hall, from where the music reached them.

"But I must say" he added thoughtfully "Considering they look like stuffed out animals they play pretty good."

Alex chuckled and then noticed that his arms were still around her waist.

Smiling she started to move a little. Justin looked back at her in surprise and his eyes widened.

Alex rolled her eyes at him. "Common nimrod, you were the one who wanted to dance."

She placed her hands on his shoulders and forced him to move with her shifts, along with the music.

Justin gave her a last suspicious glare, then the hint of a smile crossed his face and he interlaced their hands, taking the lead.

"Well, I guess you are right about that."

Alex smiled at him, a little shy. But neither of them broke their gaze while they continued to dance in slow circles, their bodies pressed against each other gently, in the

back of the corridor, far away from the others.

It's how we show we care about each other.

Yeah it's pretty fluffy I admit. But I felt it had to be written. Reviews are very much apreciated and if you liked it, I have another Jalex story finished. If this gets positive reviews I will post it. Thanks so much for reading!