"Alex and Justin, you guys are on clean up duty. Max, come with us to the shop to finish closing up." Mom told us as her, my dad and Max went into the sub shop. Justin and I stacked plates, cups, and cutlery and dumped them in the sink, then Justin started washing and handed me dishes to dry. This is how we had always done it, how we always would. I felt something wet on my face. I looked over at Justin who was 'innocently' washing dishes with a slight smirk on his face. I reached over and splashed him back. Soon it became an all out war. We were soaked to the bone, but we kept splashing and spraying each other, laughing, yelling, and, in my case, squealing. Our parents and Max came up about twenty minutes into our water war. My mom looked like we had just broken that precious lamp again, except this time, there was a slight sparkle in her eye. The one she gets when she sees me and Justin getting along.

"WHAT is going ON in here!?" She said, trying to be stern. Me and Justin shrugged innocently, our hands behind our backs. Mom sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I don't want to know. Just go take a shower, and come back so we can watch the movie." I smiled brightly.

"Oh, what movie!?" Justin smirked.

"You'll see." I pouted, and trudged upstairs.

As I let the water run over me for the second time that day, I thought about what that old lady said about me and Justin in the restaurant. Was it possible that me and Justin acted more like a couple than I thought? We teased and made fun, but we took care of each other. I suppose what happened in the restaurant and while washing the dishes could be considered as flirting. But we do it everyday, and we're siblings, so does it count? I massaged my scalp with shampoo, contemplating my 'revelation'. I suppose I never really thought of Justin as a brother, more like my best friend. He can be dorky and annoying, but so can Harper. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't think of him the same way I do Max. It's just different with him, I suppose. I finished washing my hair and stepped out of the shower. Wrapping a towel around under my arms and around my hair, I stepped out of the steamy bathroom and shivered as the cold air of the hallway hit my skin. I hurried to my room to get dressed in my pajamas.

I walked downstairs toweling my hair. Justin was already sitting on the orange couch in front the TV. Mom and Max were doing their 'mother/son snuggle' thing on the love seat, and Dad was on his chair opposite them. Justin saw me walk down the stairs and swung his legs over the edge of the couch, and spread them. I handed him my towel and sat on the floor in between his legs. I leaned my head back on the towel he had placed in his lap, and sighed as he began to massage my head with the towel. My eyes closed, I asked what movie we were watching.

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." Justin answered. I nodded and leaned more into him.

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About ten minutes into the movie, Justin tapped my shoulder. I stood up as he swung his legs back onto the couch. I crawled onto the couch and in between his bent legs. I settled against his chest, and he stretched his legs out, wrapping them around my legs in the process. He settled his arms around my waist, and we turned back to the movie.

JALEXJALEXJALEXJALEXJALEX

I watched as Ron, Harry, and Hermione laughed about Harry's kiss with Cho, or something like that, I wasn't really paying attention. I was actually getting kind of sleepy. I leaned more into Justin's chest, and let my eyes close. The noises faded, and my breathing slowed. I was teetering on the brink of sleep, about to fall into my dreams. Almost there, and ---

DING-DONG! DING-DONG! DING-DONG! DING-DONG!

OH, REALLY!? COME ON!

"Alex, can you get that?" My dad asked.

I groaned, unwilling to leave my spot on Justin's chest. He nudged me gently, and I dragged myself off the couch. I trudged over to the door, dragging my feet. I opened the door, and looked around. There was no one there. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? I GOT UP FOR THIS!? I was startled out of my thoughts, when a whimper came from a bundle at my feet. Only just noticing it, I picked it up. I moved the cloth and a pair of wide, green eyes stared up at me. Black peach fuzz was sticking up from the static the cloth left. The baby crinkled it's tiny button nose, and let out another whimper. Tears started to gather at the corners of it's eyes. My eyes widened. I tried not to panic as I rocked the tiny child in my arms.

"Oh, n-n-n-n-no. Shhh, shh. It's okay, don't cry, baby. Shh. Oh, please don't cry." The baby started to calm down, and slowly drifted to sleep. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alex? Alex, honey, what's taking so long?" Mom asked from behind me. I turned around, only just remembering they were there. Mom took one look at the child in my arms, and fainted. I jumped back in surprise, holding the sleeping infant closer to my chest subconsciously. My dad and Max went over to her and tried to get her to come to. Justin walked over to me and the small human in my arms. He looked at it. Just looked at it. I was feeling a little uncomfortable with him staring at us so. I was saved by my mom waking up. She stumbled over to us. She looked at me, then at Justin. She sighed.

"Alex, honey, we can't keep it. That baby needs it's real parents." A strange possessiveness came over me as I heard her say that. I was angry. Couldn't she see that it's real parents didn't want it? That's why it was left on our doorstep. Some part of me knew that this baby was meant to be mine. I'm supposed to take care of it. I don't know what came over me, but I held the child tighter, and backed towards the stairs, hunched low, clutching the infant protectively to my chest. I shook my head violently.

"NO, mom. This baby was left on our doorstep. That means it has nowhere to go, it's birth parents are either dead, or don't want it. I'm keeping it." My mom sighed. Justin came up on my right, and gently brought me out of my stooped position. He looked pointedly at my parents. They looked at each other and nodded. My dad stepped forward, and I instinctively took a step back. He put hi hands up in surrender, and backed away again.

"Whoa, okay Alex. Calm down. If you want to keep the baby so badly, fine, but you have to take proper responsibility. Justin will help you. Come on, we'll go set up a cot in your room for it to sleep in." I nodded, and allowed Justin to lead me up the stairs and into my room, where he and my dad began to set up a cot.

okay, chapter two is down. I'm having trouble coming up with baby names, so when you review (hint, hint) write your favorite boy or girl name. or both. I'll choose later what the the gender will be. Sorry it took so long to update. preseason started for field hockey, so i am lucky to have gotten this chapter done. don't expect the next one until the weekend. sorry guys. KEEP REVIEWING!