A/N: Thanks so much for all the reviews :D They honestly are my fuel.

Chapter One -- Insomnia

See my head aches from all this thinkin'
Feels like a ship God, God knows I'm sinkin'

As I lie awake in bed, the only audible sound is Alex's snoring next to me (I actually find her obnoxious snoring to be kind of ... sexy ) I belong in a mental institution.. clearly.

Her dark, messy hair is all over the place... consuming my sheets. It smells like vanilla and a hint of strawberries. But I digress..

It's three in the morning. I haven't slept at all. Apparently my brain things it's time to run wild with thoughts... And God dammit if her skin brushes against mine one more time , I won't be held responsible for my actions.

This beautiful... frustrating girl ... The girl I want more than anything (more than being the family wizard) is laying next to me ... in all her unattainable glory.

I should be used to this by now.

It's been four months. Four months since "the incident" (as I now refer to it).

She claims to be feeling a lot better and as the days go by, she's mentioning Ma--The 'M" word, less and less. I don't mention Juliet at all... It's better this way. Better for everybody.

Harper thinks it's great progress, I have to agree. Although the pained look in Alex's eyes whenever Max 'accidently' brings Wolff boy up, doesn't go unnoticed by me.

One day at a time I suppose...

Alex has slept in my bed every night for the duration of four months (and every night my mind seems to be more interested in the anatomy of her body than actual sleep.) But honestly, she could be wearing a fucking garbage bag and I'd still get turned on... (resulting in a lot of cold showers) I think we have the metal institution bit covered...

Her tears have seized but still she comes every night.

We sleep and only sleep. I don't question her motives.. At least not out loud.

It's become like an unspoken agreement between us.

"Justin," Alex whispers, interrupting me from my thoughts. "Are you awake?"

Of course I'm awake... I've become a fucking insomniac.

I sigh turning to face her, "Yeah. I can't sleep for some reason." She was the reason. But I wasn't about to tell her that.

"Why not?" She asks, a yawn escaping from her mouth.

"You know, just a lot on my mind I guess." I say.

The last thing I need is her worrying about me.. or my self inflicted insomnia.

Maybe I should invest in some sleeping pills? Or perhaps there's a spell that can help... While I'm at it, maybe there's a spell to cure my sickness all together.

But that would be too easy, wouldn't it?

"Yeah I know what you mean. " She says quietly. "I can't sleep either." Her body shifts closer to mine (if humanly possible) . Her hair briefly brushes against my nose .. vanilla and strawberries.. Mmm..

"Really? Cause you've been snoring nonstop for like... hours." I tease.

She gasps over dramatically and hits me playfully in the stomach. I cringe in mock pain (Alex couldn't hurt a fly... Really she couldn't.)

"You hit like a girl." I say.

"Well in my defense, I am a girl. " She reasons. "And shut up, I do not snore!" She exclaims, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Um you do too. It's like nails on a damn chalk board!" I tell her.

This is the kind of banter that defines us.

Alex frowns, clearly offended. But before I can say 'just kidding' , her expression changes into a smirk. Her infamous smirk. Nothing good can come from her smirking this way. "Well you babble like an idiot in your sleep!" She fires back.

I automatically tense. "I do not." Do I?

"You do too." She insists, as if reading my mind.

"Do not!" I say back, all too quickly.

"Do too."

"Do not."

What are we six now?

She clears her throat, as if preparing for a demonstration. I raise my eyebrows in suspicion.

"Oh my God, your so fucking beautiful! I love you! I want to fuck the shit out of you!" Alex imitates in a husky voice, grunting for added effect.

I'm suddenly grateful for the lack of light in this room because my face is burning up. This can only mean one thing... I'm blushing. I'm blushing like a fucking pansy.

"I don't know what you're talking about Alex. You have a overactive imagination..." Damn my voice for cracking mid sentence. Dammit!

She giggles. "Relax Justin. It's perfectly normal for you to have dreams about Juliet of the erotic nature. "

JULIET?! She thinks I dream about Juliet... in that way?

'Well you're a pervert for listening." I say lamely, regaining my voice at last.

Really? That's the best I can come up with? I'm pathetic.

She's laughing now... She's full on laughing -- In my face.

This girl will be the death of me I swear.

"Yeah well, it's hard not to listen when your like an inch away from my ear. " She says mater-of-factually , shrugging her shoulders.

How could she be so nonchalant about this?

'Well you do have your own room you know... with a perfectly good bed. Maybe you should try sleeping in it for once." I say. But once the words leave my mouth, I instantly regret saying them.

I could see her flinch, even in the darkness of my bedroom.

I broke the silent agreement. That was the first time in four months that our current sleeping arrangement was pointed out.

Leave it to me to make things awkward between us.

But for argument's sake, I'm an awkward guy. It's my M.O. to ruin a good thing.

"Your right.." She finally speaks. "Maybe I should sleep in my own room for the rest of the night... and every night from now on." She trails off as if pondering her next sentence. "I mean you've been a great brother to me... " It was my turn to flinch. The 'B' word. I dreaded hearing it a hundred times more than the 'M' word. "But I'm over Ma-- him . I don't need you to protect me anymore." She adds, pulling the covers off of her.

I open my mouth to speak but she cuts me off. "I appreciate you being here for me Justin... I really do." And just like that she was gone from my bed and gone from my room.

Maybe this is exactly what we needed. Some normalcy... It took an awkward moment to snap us out of whatever this has been for the past four months.

Maybe this is all for the best.

Science is against us. Society is against us. God is against us...

Who am I kidding? Normal went out the window a long time ago.

-

R&R