Present: Justin – 20, Alex – 18

Trudging up the spiral staircase with a standard sized box labeled 'Christmas,' Justin placed the somewhat heavy box next to the tree that the family had gotten the night before. Wiping away a small trail of sweat from his brow, he glared at the back of his sister's head. She was currently lounging on the couch while everyone was decorating for Christmas elsewhere in the house and in the shop.

"You know, Alex, it wouldn't kill you to help bring up the decorations and decorate," Justin condescended as he started to open the box he just brought up; it entailed all the tree decorations.

"Well, Justin, you do know that you can do all of this with magic, right?" Alex countered, turning her body around, so that her arms rested on the top of the couch and she could look at her brother's figure. A soft twinkle was in her eyes; just like it always was when she mentioned using magic.

"Yes, I do know that, Alex, but not everything has to be done with magic. It completely takes away the Christmas spirit!"

"Ehh," Alex shortly sounded, waving her hand nonchalantly as she turned back around in her seat to continue watching television.

Justin rolled his eyes. Typical Alex.

He brushed Alex's scrooge vibe off and enlightened his Christmas spirit by unwrapping each delicate tree ornament and placing it on one the branches. Soon the smell of pine engulfed his nose and memories of previous Christmases washed over his mind.

He laughed thinking of one memory in particular. "Hey, Alex, do you remember when Max got that toy helicopter for Christmas and practically cut Dad's head off?" He chuckled again at the thought of his younger, fuller-haired dad suddenly sporting a balding eagle hair-do.

Justin heard Alex giggle from across the room, which enticed a smile of his own. Her laugh just had that kind of effect on him, for reasons he'd rather not touch upon at the moment.

"His hair never was the same after that…" she commented. She then lifted herself off the couch to walk over to the tree. "But do you remember that time when you got that Captain Jim Rob Sherriff thing and I hid it from you until you ended up crying?"

Justin's face faltered and his expression turned cold. "Alex, you've been doing that for the past 10 years," he stated dryly, not trying to mask the cold glare he was giving his sister.

Alex hackled, slapping her knees. "And it never gets old," she said, sighing contently, obviously proud of her achievements.

Justin scooped up the last of the ornaments and placed them on the tree. No help from Alex of course, who was just sitting on the stool nearby, watching and critiquing his ornament placement just because she knew it would bug him, which is did.

As Justin was about to close the box up, he noticed a pile of papers scattered across the bottom. Intrigued, Justin took them out and examined them. They were old letters to Santa from Justin, Alex, and Max from when they were younger.

He looked at all the letters he sent to Santa, asking for various books or collectible action figures. Max's letters were obviously bizarre in nature. And then there was Alex's letters, which weren't even letters, but instead drawings of the things she wanted. Justin smiled at the smaller Alex's drawings and admiring the talent she even had then.

"What are you smiling at, dork?" Alex asked, breaking his attention from the letters. "New discovery in that nerd-verse of yours?"

Justin disregarded her last statement as he walked over to Alex to show her her old Santa letters. She took them in her hands and started looking at each one carefully.

"Even then you were a drawing maniac, huh?" Justin asked as he watched her.

"That's because I wasn't a loser like you! Only true losers write a novel for Santa," Alex teased. "Man, I was such a cool little kid," She immediately added as she continued to shuffle through the memories.

Justin watched as her face lit up with each passing letter, but suddenly her eyes lost their sparkle for a moment, before she quickly disregarded that one sheet and quickly went to the next. Justin bit his lip in confusion.

"What was that last one?" Justin curiously asked, reaching his hand out to look at it.

"It was nothing," Alex insisted, retracting her hands so the pile was away from his reach. "Just some childish wish." Her voice was layered with agitation, annoyance, and sadness.

"All Christmas wishes are childish. We were children!" Justin tried to reason with a laughing smile as he stepped forward towards Alex to steal the letter in question.

Alex stepped back, a faint hue of red painting itself on her cheeks. "It's none of your business."

"Fine," Justin gave in, raising his hands up innocently, calling truce. He stepped back, letting Alex feel less guarded. "But can it honestly be that bad?" He asked.

Alex frowned, her brows descended downwards in confusion and indecision. She stood there for a moment, licking her lips, before rushing hurriedly past him without saying a word.

Justin watched her run up the staircase in bewilderment, not quite understanding why something Alex wished for years ago would be too embarrassing or terrible to share with him.

"Women are so complicated," a deep, familiar voice said, causing Justin to jump in fright. It was Kelbo, sitting idly in the living room. "I still don't know how to figure them out!"

"Uncle Kelbo? What are you doing here?" Justin questioned his uncle as he gave the present wizard a quick hug.

"Here to drop off my presents for you all!" He exclaimed with a cheeky grin that gave away his magical intentions, just like Alex with her eyes. Kelbo then poofed a small box into his hands and handed it to Justin. "Merry Christmas, nephew!"

Kelbo was always known for getting the best magical gifts for birthdays and Christmas. Not something Jerry always appreciated, since they usually got the kids into a lot of mayhem. Justin happily took it from his uncle to place under the tree, but Kelbo stopped him before he could.

"Open it!" Kelbo encouraged.

Justin looked unsurely at his uncle. He wasn't one who liked to open gifts before Christmas Day; it just didn't feel right. But after much persuasion, Justin reluctantly opened the small box, but all he saw was something that looked like a gift-card.

"Uh, thanks…" Justin said, disappointment evident in his tone.

"You don't even know what it's for, do you?" Kelbo laughed. He snatched the box from his nephew and took out the card. "It's a gift card for Past, Present, Future! I set you up for the three-hour Christmas Carol special! Apparently, you spend an hour in the past, present, and future, or something like that without technically time-traveling. Though you have to use it today!" Kelbo explained.

Justin stared puzzlingly at the card, then at his uncle. "Why did you get me this?"

"I thought you would like it, especially now after that weird, little mishap you just had with your sister," Kelbo told him. "You might even be able to find out what she's hiding…"

Justin closed his eyes tightly in thought. He really wanted to know what Alex was hiding, but he'd probably feel too guilty afterwards, knowing he betrayed her. She would tell him if she wanted him to know. It didn't feel right to go behind her back and use magic to fulfill his curiosity.

Kelbo could tell Justin was thinking about it too hard, so before Justin could make up his mind, Kelbo cashed in the gift card by slicing it through the crack of the closet door and threw Justin into the whirl-wind of the portal that appeared when he opened the door. "Have fun!" was all Justin could hear before everything went black.

…

Justin - 9, Alex - 7

Justin was being thrown farther and farther into the blackness before he hit something hard and stumbled through the closet door. Holding his head as he rose to his feet, he half wondered if Kelbo was playing a prank on him, but as soon as he saw his 9-year-old self bounding down the staircase, he knew he was no longer in his own time.

Justin had to chuckle at his younger self. Spiffy in one of his church suits and his hair slicked to the side nicely, he looked like his eyes just gazed upon Santa himself. The younger Justin was coaxing his mother to come upstairs, which Theresa kindly complied.

The present Justin followed his younger counterpart and his mother up the staircase to Alex's room, where she was wearing a small, white flower-girl dress she had to wear for a wedding previously that year.

Present Justin then remembered that him and Alex had become obsessed with weddings ever since that said wedding, setting up one every month or so, resulting in Alex and Justin being "married" to which their father, mother, and little Maxy would clapped along to.

As he watched the little Justin and Alex get play-married, he was reminded that the two of them used to get along so well. He frowned, wondering why that ever changed.

All of a sudden, the scene before faded and it was now dark outside. He was in his room, but in the past. Justin looked around in the dark room, which was only illuminated by the trusty planet themed nightlight, trying to find his younger self, when he saw two lumpy figures underneath his Captain Jim Bob Sherwood covers, giggling.

The door to Justin's room then opened, streaming in a wave of light from the doorway. It was their mother.

"Do I hear giggling?" She questioned lightly. Further giggling ensued. Theresa's face was smiling broadly at the two under the covers. She rested herself on the side of the bed. "Well I just got a call from Santa saying that if he hears anymore giggling coming from this room that he'll have to skip this house…" Theresa told the duo and the laughter immediately stopped. Theresa couldn't hold in the chuckle that escaped.

Younger Justin and Alex pulled down the covers to view their mother. "No gigglin' here," younger Justin proclaimed proudly.

"Good," Theresa cooed, tucking them both into bed snuggly.

"Did you like our weddin' today, mommy?" Alex asked. Her voice so soft, yet bubbly with excitement.

Theresa smiled down warmly at her two oldest, brushing back parts of their hair. "It was a very lovely wedding, mija and mijo," she told them earnestly, giving a peck to each of them on the forehead.

"When I get present, I'm gonna marry Justin for real, no play!" She said happily. Younger Justin smiled vibrantly besides her, nodding his head in agreement.

"Ohh, kids," Theresa started sympathetically, "you can't marry your brother or sister? It's not allowed. But I'm sure you two will find lovely people to marry. Your own princess and prince charming! Like in the stories I read you."

Present Justin's stomach gutted from hearing this, and knowing from the expression on his younger self's face, he had felt the exact same then, too. Alex's lip noticeably quivered, but she didn't cry.

"Mommy? If I'm a really really really good girl, will Santa get me anything I want for Christmas?" Alex quietly asked. "Like my prince charming?"

Theresa smiled fondly down at her daughter, laughter on the tip of her tongue. "Only if you're really really really good, mija," Theresa told her. "Then maybe Santa will get you your prince charming."

Theresa gave the duo each another kiss and quietly told them goodnight.

Minutes passed by and present Justin wondered what was still keeping him here, when he saw Alex's form cuddle closer to his younger self, who was already asleep. It was faint, but Justin could hear it crystal clear.

"You will always be my prince charming, Justin. I don't care what mommy says."

Before he could see or hear anything else, Justin was whipped into another whirlwind.

…

Justin – 10, Alex – 8

Justin landed harshly on the ground of his bedroom. He let out a gruff and yelp of pain. The landings definitely needed to be improved. He stood up, brushing off some dirt he gathered from the floor and realized from the site that it must only be a year later, considering he and Alex looked pretty much the same.

Looking at Alex made him think of the last thing he heard in the other event he previously saw, where she told his younger, sleeping self that he would always be her prince charming. His heart beat was pulsing abnormally as he gazed at the younger Alex, wondering if she still thought that. Maybe even hoped that present Alex might still think that deep down.

They were currently sprawled out on Justin's bedroom floor, writing down things on paper. Present Justin stepped closer to see just what they were making and realized they were making their annual letter to Santa. His younger self was wishing for a book on dinosaurs and the Jurassic period. Younger Justin triumphantly held his letter up, proclaiming he finished, and asked what Alex was asking for Christmas.

Alex replied saying, "nothing" as she folded her own up, placing it in an envelope. Her ears were pink and her face was red as well. It made present Justin think of present Alex when Justin asked about one of the letters. Could this possibly be the same one?

Present Justin followed the two down the stairs to Theresa, who would later lick and mail away their letter for them, or at least that's what she said she always did. After the younger Justin and Alex left the room, the present Justin waited with his mother. He knew she would be opening the letters and soon she did. As she opened up Alex's, she called Jerry over. Laughing, they looked at her picture, which showed her in one house and Justin in another.

"I think she wants to send Justin away," Theresa laughed and Jerry joined his wife in the laughter.

Justin hiked his eyebrow up. Why would Alex be afraid or humiliated to show his present self this letter? It's not like she hadn't said it to him before. Was she afraid that he would take offense to it anyway?

Just then, Justin noticed a glistening on the back of the letter. He knew that glistening mark. It was from a magic invisible marker, which only wizards and magic creatures alike could pinpoint.

Alex doesn't write. Ever. So, if she wrote on this one, it must have been something important or serious. What did she write?

The scene then faded and another one took its place. All three kids were currently under the tree, unwrapping their gifts, however, Alex didn't look very pleased for whatever reason.

Present Justin could see her secretly taking the Captain Jim Bob Sherwood collectible from his Christmas pile a little while later and run up the stairs with it. His present self ran after her, wondering why and where she was taking it.

Alex ran all the way to her room, quickly stashing the action figure under a floor board under her bed.

"So that's where she hides it," present Justin thought to himself, before repositioning his gaze to the younger Alex. She was kneeling next to her bed, sniffing back tears.

"I was so good this year!" She cried quietly. "Why didn't I get what I wanted? Stupid Justin!"

Justin wanted to comfort this little Alex. She was so broken looking. He just wanted to lift her in his arms and make her Christmas wish come true, whatever it was, even if it meant leaving her…

At that thought, the portal sucked him back in.

…

Present

He landed outside of Alex's room this time, nearly hitting his head harshly against the wooden floors. Justin looked around the halls and they looked exactly like they did in the present day, so Justin could only conclude that it was the time period he was in. Justin soon thought that maybe Kelbo's gift was over, but as Justin went to knock on Alex's door, Justin's hand went through it.

Ohhhh, this was so not over yet.

Hesitantly, Justin poked his head inside his sister's room. She was sitting on her bed, looking attentively at the almighty letter that had gotten her so overwhelmed. From where Justin stood, he could tell it was the same one Theresa and Jerry were laughing over in the past time.

Alex seemed to suddenly make a decision and swiftly waved her hand down the page, revealing the hidden text. Tempted to look, but not wanting to impose on Alex's privacy anymore than he was, Justin battled himself on whether to look or not.

It seems like Alex decided to answer that for him. She angrily threw the paper to the side, making it land right at Justin's feet.

He crouched down and read the little, faded print.

Dear Santa,
I know I'm not always the goodest girl, but this year I really really tried to be good. I only want one thing for Christmas this year and that is for Justin to not be my brother anymore.

After reading that part of the letter, Justin's heart constricted. Did he ever do anything so horrible for her to wish this? He reluctantly continued.

Mommy said I can't marry my brother, but if Justin isn't my brother then that wouldn't be a problem. I know about magic now, Justin's a wizard. He makes things appear for me like daddy says I will be one too soon. We have a magic lair, which is where I got this marker, but anyway, I know you are magic, Santa, so I was hoping you could help me.

I promise that I will be a good girl for the rest of my life if you do this for me, Santa. Pwease!
From, Alex Russo

Justin stood up from his crouched position, gazing at the woman before him. Her younger self wasn't wishing him away, per se, but trying to get make them not siblings anymore so they could get married one day. A pained smile surfaced onto his face. He could kinda see why she would be embarrassed for him to see this. Sure, she was younger and didn't understand how complicated the whole thing was, but she still wished it and wanted it to happen. They were her feelings, at least when she was little, and no one wanted to be made fun of their feelings. But because she was still embarrassed and upset over it, did that mean she still would want it? Was he still considered her prince charming like she said years ago?

A white light then brightened the whole room, blinding Justin's vision.

…

Justin – 30, Alex – 28

He shielded his eyes until he felt the light subside. Once his eyes accustomed to the light again, he saw a much present version of himself knocking on the door of his childhood home. His arm was wrapped around Juliet with two little girls on either side of them, both with blonde hair just like Juliet's.

Justin's breath hitched as he watched, what he assumed, his family walk into the Russo household.

His present self seemed happy and successful by the way he talked to his parents and brother. Juliet seemed like the perfect, loving, faithful wife. His kids seemed angelic. What else could he want?

That's when she entered the room. Alex walked in unannounced with Mason trailing behind her like the good little dog he was. Present Justin felt like laughing, but he just smiled at the fact that Alex was the same even after all this passed time.

Everyone stopped what they were doing to watch her entrance, which stroke present Justin as very odd. He watched his present self stare at her longingly, not that he could blame him. The years made Alex look even more beautiful.

He watched his present self quickly go to Alex's side, hugging her tightly and asking if he could speak to her when they separated. Alex was in shock over the hug and looked skeptical about talking with him, but decided to take him up on his offer.

Present Justin followed his future self and Alex out to the terrace. The terrace was peppered lightly with snow. The air was crisp, but not unbearable for a December night, let alone, Christmas.

At first, neither said a word, but watched the night stars quietly, then Justin spoke up. "I'm glad you came," he whispered. "It's been too long."

Long?

"10 years today would be considered long, eh?" Alex whispered back.

10 YEARS? That-That would mean she would be leaving the next day in the present world!

"Any reason why you ran away? Any reason you refused to talk to me this whole time?" Justin asked, pain evident in his voice from all the memories of failed contact.

"You wouldn't understand…" Was all Alex said. She turned to leave, but the future Justin grabbed her hand. She stopped immediately, watching their connected hands intensely.

"Tell me, please, Alex," The future Justin beseeched the future Alex. He grabbed her other hand, a small tear escaping his one eye. "I missed you so much and I was worried for so long. You can't just come back without any answers for me!"

Alex shyly met his future part's intense gaze. "Dammit, Justin!" she hollered, obviously frustrated and on the verge of shedding her own tears. "It's because I-"

And right before Alex's declaration was completely said, Justin was pulled back into the portal.

…

Justin fell out of the closet, tangled in clothing hangers and suitcases. He jumped up, trying to disentangle himself from the mess as he ran back to the closet, hoping the portal would still be open and he could somehow manage to hear the end of future Alex's confession, but the closet was no more than a closet.

Justin sighed, sitting dejectedly on the couch. If the future he saw was true, Alex would be leaving the next day and he couldn't let that happen!

"Tell her how you feel," A voice spoke, causing Justin to jump once again. Justin turned his head and it was Kelbo again.

"What?" Justin nervously questioned, swallowing uneasily as his uncle stared at him.

"Tell Alex that you love her," Kelbo told him boldly.

"Why are you encouraging this, Uncle Kelbo?" Justin inquired suspiciously.

Kelbo laughed, but soon a beard as white as fresh snow appeared on his face, along with a matching red suit and cap on his body.

Justin's mouth fell open in shock. "Uncle Kelbo, don't tell me you're also Santa Claus, too?"

"Ho, ho, ho," The man chuckled. Hearing the actual laugh was pretty freaky to Justin's ears. He had to pinch himself to truly believe he wasn't dreaming. And no he wasn't dreaming.

"I only took Kelbo's appearance so you would trust me," the historic figure admitted. His cheeks really were rosy and his voice sounded so sincere and jolly.

"Well, if you really are Santa…" Justin said, still skeptic, "why are you helping me? Showing me all of this?"

"Believe it or not, you and your sister are actually near the top of the nice list. Sure you bicker and pick fights, but compared to the good you have done for the world, I think you both deserve some good returned to you," The Saint Nick explained.

Justin nodded slowly, still trying to wrap his head around what was happening. It's not every day someone finds out Santa is real and is trying to hook you up with your sister.

"But, in the future, it said Alex would be running away tomorrow!"

"Not if you go up there and talk to her now," Santa told him. Justin sat still for awhile, reeling from the new news. He could change the future. He needed to change the future because a future with Alex absent didn't sound so appealing.

"Well go on, boy," Santa ushered, "I kinda have other places to be tonight!" He said with a grin.

Justin ran up the stairs at Santa's request, stopping right outside Alex's door. Justin felt a sense of déjà vu, but when his hand didn't go through the door like before, he felt somewhat comforted.

He heard a muffled reply from inside that he wasn't sure was a cue to enter or not, but he decided to open the door anyway.

Alex was lying down on her bed, face planted into her pillow. The letter was still lying on the floor like it had been in the portal version of the present. He picked the letter up just as Alex lifted her head. Fear was made apparent in her eyes and she immediately ran to his side, begging him to not read it, but Justin told her he already did.

Flustered by that fact, Alex quickly sat down on her bed, head shyly downcast. "Go ahead, make fun of me," she said, expectantly a joke at the least.

"I'm not going to make fun of you," Justin told her, taking a seat besides her on the bed.

Alex cautiously glanced at Justin. "Why? It's perfect payback…" She said, looking down at her feet as they dangled off the bed.

"Because I think it's actually really sweet," Justin expressed, giving her a reassuring smile.

Justin could see Alex blush, something that was usually so rare, but today seemed to be the norm.

After a moment passed, Justin cupped Alex's face in his one hand, making her face him. "I just want you to know that I will do my best to be your prince charming forever. I don't care what mom says," He ended with a small chuckle, partly because her face was full of shock and awe by him paraphrasing something she didn't know he knew she said, and partly because this was just so incredibly cheesy you had to laugh at it.

"How-I-I thought you were asleep when I said that to you," She whispered. Her face was completely red now.

Justin chuckled. "Let's just say that I wasn't exactly asleep."

"You know, after Santa didn't grant that wish, I thought why even try to be good anymore," Alex said bitterly. "That's why I started acting out so much and picking on you. Kinda like payback towards him, which is even more foolish considering he's not even real," Alex continued, laughing afterwards at her naïve ways.

Justin chuckled nervously, not quite sure if he was supposed to tell her that Santa was their matchmaker, but decided to tell her that bit of information another day.

He then interlaced their fingers together, kissing her knuckles gently, sending chills down Alex's spine. Alex seemed to be in a daze, not quite ready to believe all of this was happening to her right now. After all these years of secretly pinning over her brother, the possibility that he felt the same seemed so far-fetched that all this happening couldn't be real, but it somehow was.

"Help me put the angel on top of the tree?" Justin asked Alex, smiling stupidly but with adoration.

"Of course," Alex said after a few paused moments, composing herself now, "Who else would put it up better than me?" She got up from her bed to exit her door, Justin right behind her, laughing quietly to himself.

…

The next morning Justin and Alex walked down the stairs together, refraining from any major contact because of their family, but nevertheless together and happy. They both opened their presents with their family just like every year, except this time Christmas wasn't so bittersweet, but blissfully happy.

Justin looked fondly at what transpired in just one day. He got to relive some of his favorite memories and hopefully created a more Alex-filled future. He looked happily upon his opened presents to find that one was missing!

"ALEX!" Justin yelled. "Give me my Captain Jim Bob Sherwood action figure!"

Alex was sprawled out on her back, laughing hilariously. "Not until you cry, Justin! Not until you cry!" She hollered back playfully, and winking at him discreetly, nevertheless.

Justin then smirked. "That won't be necessary since I happen to know where you hid it!" He said smugly, already running up the staircase to her room to retrieve his gift.

Alex's face immediately dropped. "What? How? Justin!" And ran up the stairs after him.

A/N: Heyyy, guys! What's up! First, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays for you all! I wanted to upload something for the Christmas Season. This all sounded way better in my head, so I apologize if it sucks, a lot! XD I hope you all have a safe and fun holiday! Thanks for reading and reviewing would be lovely :)

*Here In Your Arms readers: I did not forget about you guys. lol. I just finished my semester, so hopefully I'll have time to write more. I did just move too, so I'm a little busy with that, but more chapters will be coming eventually! Stay with me here! XD