Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"Alex!"

Justin's voice rang throughout the loft, a sound that was echoing quite often the last couple of days. With only two weeks of summer vacation left, Justin had started studying to prepare for the upcoming school year, an act that Alex found absolutely repulsive. So, since she was a loving step-sister, she kept hiding all of his books and study materials.

Strangely enough, he didn't appreciate all the hard work she was putting in to help him.

Jerk.

The door to her bedroom swung open, revealing a very annoyed Justin.

"Alex, where are my color coded flashcards?"

She groaned, looking over at the clock and seeing that it was only 10:21 AM. Ugh, the boy was sick and twisted. Who got up this early? If she would have known he'd do this, maybe she wouldn't have stolen his things last night.

No that's a lie. She totally would have.

"Oh, Justin," she cooed, rolling onto her back but keeping her eyes closed as she taunted him despite the early hour. "Sweet, sweet Justin. Listen to the words that just came out of your mouth, now think about how ridiculous they are since we have two weeks left before we're forced back into that horrible place."

He entered her room, heading to the bed to tower over where she was sprawled.

"Unlike you, I like school. I find it interesting, and I like the fact that I succeed at the challenges it presents."

"Justin, seriously." She sat up and rubbed her eyes before looking up at him. "You need to relax. You're so tightly wound all the time, just take this time we have left to have some fun."

"Fun." His eyes narrowed as he looked over her. "Wait a minute... What do you want? Why are you so determined to get me to stop studying? What are you up to?"

"Me?" she asked innocently, batting her eyelashes.

Which only made him cross his arms over his chest.

"I'm waiting..."

"Okay, so there may be an amazing party in Brooklyn that I want to go to tonight with Harper. Unfortunately, my dad said I can't go because it's not chaperoned. We kind of argued about it and he said that if your responsible, boring ass went too then he'd let me go."

"Well when you put it like that, how could I say no?" he snarked with insincere enthusiasm.

"Justin," she whined. "Come on. I really want to go. Please?"

He watched as her expression slowly turned into the puppy dog/Disney princess face.

"Oh no!" he shouted, whirling around to escape the power of her doleful, dark eyes and pouty lip.

Alex, however, quickly scampered out of her bed and past him, slamming her door shut and throwing her back against it to block his exit.

His hands raised to cover his eyes, trying to shield himself.

"Oh no you don't! I won't let you manipulate me."

She reached up, taking hold of his wrists and tugging gently.

"Justin, please," she practically whimpered, forcing some tears to her eyes and a catch in her throat.

Finally, he let her remove his hands from his eyes so he could stare down at her, his jaw clenching tightly.

"Please," she whispered, rocking up on her toes towards him, her grip on him tightening so she wouldn't topple over.

After a long moment of him gazing at her, his shoulders slumped and he sighed.

"Fine, but we're going to be back at a decent hour."

Alex dropped her facade quickly, and she rolled her eyes with a scoff.

"Yeah, sure. Dean Moriarty is going to be there, and I am so going to put in some ground work now before school starts ."

"Great. Sounds like fun."

Being in a crowded, loud, obnoxious environment watching his step-sister hit on some guy. He could hardly wait.

"What do you know? You're the least fun person in the world. "

Shaking his head, and trying to ignore the pain the comment inflicted, he put his hands on her arms, moving her aside so he could open the door to leave. Hearing from her what all his classmates had said about him stung, even though she didn't mean to be cruel.

"I still want my flashcards back, and we're all supposed to be downstairs working in an hour. Plan accordingly."

Alex frowned, watching him leave.

It was a pretty slow day, granted most of them were. Alex was sketching on a napkin when Theresa answered her cell phone and snuck away to talk.

Max was experimenting with new sandwich creations while Justin and Jerry watched, in both awe and disgust.

Ladies and gentleman, this was her life.

Twenty minutes later, when Max finished his mess of a meal, Theresa came back down the stairs, wringing her phone between her hands.

"Justin?" she said, approaching her son who was laughing with Jerry over Max's antics.

"Yeah, mom?"

"I just got off the phone with your father."

Alex watched as every trace of humor and happiness left Justin's face.

"What?"

"He'll be here in half an hour to pick you up for lunch."

His eyes darkened while he clenched his jaw, folding his arms tightly over his chest. Now, Alex had proudly annoyed and angered him over the past couple of months, but she had never seen him like this.

She didn't know he could even be like this.

"I'm not going."

"Justin," Theresa said in a lightly scolding tone. "He's your father. You're going to go and you'll behave."

"God, Mom, how can you say that? After everything he's done?"

"Your father and I have had some serious issues, but we've worked them out. Everything ended well," she said, smiling over at Jerry before focusing her attention back to her son. "Now don't make a fuss. We both know you're not going disobey your father. I'm sure he's taking you uptown so you might as well go change now."

His glare softened a little into a look of betrayal.

"For once," he said quietly, already ripping his apron off, "it'd be nice for you to take my side instead of his."

Tossing the black material onto the table, he headed up the stairs, ignoring Theresa when she called his name angrily.

Alex watched as Jerry pulled his wife into a hug as she expressed how she couldn't believe Justin would say something like that.

Max and Alex's gaze met for a moment before she slid out of the booth and hurried up the stairs after her stepbrother. While Max was good for a humorous distraction, they both knew that, in moments like these, Justin needed her more.

She quickly found him in his room, sitting on his bed with his head in his hands.

"Parents, huh? What a bummer?" she snarked.

He picked his head up and looked over at her, completely unamused.

"See, that was supposed to be me lightening the mood, but wrong place, wrong time. I get it."

Sighing, he got to his feet.

"What do you want, Alex? Need to manipulate me some more? Embarrass me in front of someone? Or is this just the usual blackmail scenario?"

She blinked, unable to keep herself from getting defensive at his cold and careless tone.

"Is that how you see our relationship?"

"'Relationship'? It's more like a business transaction. What do I have to give up to make you happy?"

A tightness gripped her heart, but she squared her shoulders and narrowed her eyes.

"I came here to cheer you up."

"And then use it against me later on?"

"Stop it! Why are you being such an ass?"

"I'm being honest, Alex. I know that's a difficult concept for you, but seriously, I hate how you act like you actually care about me sometimes, because it's all a lie! You just keep twisting me around your little finger, making me such a sucker for your big, sad eyes and quivering lip, but it's all just checks and balances for you, isn't it? Act like you need me, just to use me. Well guess what! I don't need you. I don't need anyone in this dysfunctional household. None of you've got my back, so why should I give a shit about you guys? Now get out. I have to get ready to meet my father."

"Yeah, well looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I hear your father is a heartless bastard and looks like you are, too!"

She spun around and left his room, slamming the door behind her.

Justin glared at where she had been standing, the anger he felt for his father tarnishing any remorse he would have felt for saying such things to her.

Alex stomped back down into the restaurant, heading straight for the booth and plopping down onto the vinyl seat. Max quietly approached her, sliding in across from his sister.

"What happened?"

"Justin is a jerk. What else is new?"

"No, he's not. He's-"

"Seriously, Max. He doesn't care about us, so don't waste your time worrying about him. You know, for one second, I thought he was okay, that we got along, that we... connected or something, but I was so wrong... so stupid."

Max frowned, not completely understanding what his sister was ranting about, but knew that it wasn't good.

"But he's family."

"No, Max. We are family. He's a stranger. We don't owe him anything."

The Russo siblings stopped talking when they heard Justin coming down the stairs. Alex ground her teeth together when she saw him wearing a suit, being reminded of just how stuck up and pompous he actually was.

"See Justin," Theresa said, approaching him to fiddle with his clothing, despite it already being perfect. "This isn't so bad. Just give him a chance. You know how he is. I'm sure he just wants to catch up and see what you've been up to."

He brushed her hands away, the dark look still over his face.

"You may have forgiven him, but I can't."

"Justin," she scolded. "We have a new family. Everything is perfect. You need to get over this insane grudge against him. He's your father."

"He's an asshole."

"Justin! Watch your language!"

Justin shook his head angrily and walked past her, leaving the Sub Station to wait for his father by the street.

Alex, who had been watching the entire exchange in morbid curiosity, frowned and got to her feet, crossing her arms over her chest as she approached her stepmother. This wasn't just angry!Justin. This rage came from a place of hurt. Something was wrong with him.

"What was that all about?" she asked Theresa.

"Justin and his father don't exactly see eye to eye."

"Yeah, I was able to pick up on that part all by myself."

Theresa took a deep breath, and fiddled with her hair. "Oh, don't worry about it, Alex. That's all in the past. Justin will move on soon."

"Well it doesn't look like he's dealing with any of it now."

"Justin will behave and do as he's told. He always does. He may have been talking back and getting grounded, but an afternoon with his father will set him back on track. He's been so distracted lately, that I think he needed this. He'll be good as new when he comes back. Just let him do what he needs to do."

She smiled over at Alex and patted her shoulder before heading up the stairs.

Alex's frown deepened as she mulled over what Theresa had just said.

Justin was distracted? Acting up? For as much as Theresa had said she wanted Justin to act like a normal teenager, she sure seemed to overreact when he did. Sure, they were out late and didn't let them know, and they were banned from a community center. Sure he was much more quick witted and sarcastic now, he bickered and teased, even pulled the occasional prank, but he was still the uptight nerd he always had been.

Right?

Alex reminisced over the last few weeks.

No... he wasn't. He was much more normal now.

He was having fun, letting loose.

He was happy.

Or... he was...

Oh no.

This wasn't just a lunch with his father.

Theresa just sent him to be reprogrammed, brainwashed back into that unhappy, self-loathing brainiac she had met at the restaurant.

Picking her head up, she took off running, wrenching the door open and shoving people aside.

"Justin!" she called out, rushing to try to get to him. "Justin, wait!"

A town car pulled up in front of him and she futilely watched as he slipped inside of the vehicle, never hearing his stepsister trying to get to him.

"Good afternoon, Justin."

"Afternoon."

Justin stiffly sat next to his father, his gaze focused on the buildings passing by the window as they drove.

"What an interesting area your mother has moved you to," Martin said, looking wholly unimpressed with the neighborhood.

"Why exactly did you want to meet?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Watch your tone, son. I called your mother because I knew you'd be hesitant about having this lunch with me, but when I heard what she had to say about your recent behavior... well, we both thought it was necessary."

"My behavior? What about my behavior?"

"Don't be obtuse, Justin. Your mother had to ground you; she told me about your new so called sense of humor, the way you've been acting up with this new stepsister of yours. I was appalled. She agreed to have you come with me so that I can straighten you out before school begins and you do something that will tarnish your perfect record."

Justin clenched his jaw, feeling as if his mother had stabbed him in the back. If she was worried about him, why not talk to him? Why go to his father? She knew how he felt about him!

"Well your concern is misplaced. I'm fine."

"Really? How has your studying been going?"

Justin froze, hesitating before answering with a simple "Fine."

"That's strange, because your mother said that your stepsister has been stealing and hiding your study materials."

"She's just messing around," he replied lightly.

"From what I hear she's sixteen. She should be focusing on her own academic success, but it sounds like she prefers to spend her time sabotaging you, or does she always just act like a child?"

"You don't even-"

The car stopped in front of a fancy restaurant.

"We're here. Don't make a scene," Martin ordered, getting out of the car and leaving Justin to sit there and quell his anger.

Slowly, he too slipped out of the car and headed inside where the host led them to an already occupied table.

"Justin, you remember Vicki."

Justin's body tensed as he saw the young woman who helped tear his family apart. He couldn't believe that this is what his father brought him to. Why rub his face in his new life?

"Wow, Justin. You look so grown up," Vicki cooed, looking as if she was one step away from pinching his cheeks.

His brow furrowed.

"I'm three years younger than you."

"Justin, don't," his father said sternly, before motioning to the stroller beside Vicki. "And this is your little sister Katherine."

His gaze fell on the baby bundled up in the carrier, his heart beating so quickly in his chest as he was flooded with such a wide range of emotions, so many that it was too hard to discern which was which.

And again, they did this to him in a restaurant, trying to shame him into not making a scene.

"Justin, sit down."

His body automatically obeyed his father. He sat across from the new happy couple, adjacent to the stroller.

"She's perfect, isn't she?" Vicki grinned, looking over at the baby.

"Why did you bring me here?" Justin muttered, still reeling.

"Well, my lovely Vicki here wanted our baby girl to meet her big brother. Now you have another reason to get your affairs in order, Justin. I won't have my daughter being around someone as irresponsible as how you've been acting."

The waiter approached to take their orders, but Justin declined to have anything.

He doubted he'd ever have an appetite again.

For the next hour, he sat in a shocked daze, barely listening to his father and his new wife as they regaled him with stories of their wedding, their honeymoon, and the baby.

His little sister.

"Would you like to hold her?" Vicki asked him, pulling him from his catatonia.

"No thank you."

"Are you sure?"

Justin looked over at the baby again, the little girl who already looked exactly like her mother, and as much as he knew it was wrong, as much as he knew he shouldn't, he couldn't help but feel absolutely nothing for this baby. No warmth or affection whatsoever.

"Absolutely."

When he focused his gaze once again, his father was glaring furiously at him.

"I'm sorry, darling," Martin said softly to Vicki as he motioned for the waiter to bring the check. "I have to take Justin back. I trust you will find your way home all right?"

She nodded.

As he signed the bill, Vicki reached over to place her hand on Justin's arm, stilling him when he tried to leave.

"I know this is a little strange, but I hope that one day you'll see me as a mother figure. Katherine will need her big brother one day."

Justin just couldn't believe the audacity of this woman. She tore apart his family, caused so much anguish and heartbreak and here she was acting as if everything was okay. That he just didn't care that he had to watch his father ruin everything for her.

"You don't get it, do you?" he said. "Katherine doesn't have a big brother."

With that, he pulled his arm away and headed towards the exit.

The valet pulled the car up just as his father exited the restaurant.

"Get in," he seethed, glaring at his son.

And of course, Justin did as he was told.

The car ride back was silent, and Justin almost thought he was home free until his father told the driver to wait once they pulled up to the curb of Waverly Place.

Justin led his father towards the Sub Station, knowing that Martin was looking over the area with disdain.

He opened the door to the restaurant, thankful that the sign said 'CLOSED' and that the place was empty because once the two Stohler men were alone, the elder started.

"What is wrong with you? You really have completely forgotten who you are."

"No, I haven't," he replied calmly, "I've just stopped being who you wanted me to be."

"And that's what you want? To be a disgrace to your parents? I have never in my life been so embarrassed to call you my son. Your mother doesn't even know what to do with you."

"What exactly did I do wrong?"

"You were disrespectful to your new mother."

"I was shocked was all," he muttered. Even though he was eighteen, even though he was so very angry, Justin couldn't defend himself.

"No. You're changing, son. That stepsister of yours is turning you into something horrible."

"Leave her out of this. It has nothing to do with you," he said much more strongly, his gaze finally meeting his father's.

"I know about her. She's some spoiled rebel who always has to get her way. She can barely stay in school, Justin. I don't know what possessed your mother to drag you out to this humiliating neighborhood, but I will not allow you to associate with that girl."

"Well thank God it's not up to you!" Justin shouted, startling his father. "That girl is the only one that has ever understood me. She may not approve or even like me all the time, but she gets me. I feel like I can finally breathe when I'm around her, like this burden that you and mom shove onto my shoulders finally becomes bearable. I actually like who I am around her; she makes me happy, and if that means I'm not getting into Harvard or meeting your outrageous expectations then fine. I don't care."

"I will not let you throw away everything. I'll talk your mother into sending you to boarding school if I have to."

"You wouldn't," Justin muttered.

"I will. Now forget all of this nonsense about your stepsister. Either shape up or you will go away for school," he threatened.

Martin turned and left Justin, exiting the restaurant and passing the fake subway car.

Where Alex had been listening to the whole conversation.

Justin turned and, in a daze, walked up the stairs to go to the loft, wondering what he was going to do now that the ultimatum has been thrown his way.

Alex snuck out of the car and went outside, this time easily navigating her way through the crowd.

"Hey!" she shouted once she was behind Martin Stohler.

The man turned, looking down his nose at her.

"Can I help you?"

"Yeah, you can leave Justin the hell alone," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"And you are...?"

"The evil stepsister."

"Well I think we both know I have control over him. I'm his father."

"A poor excuse of one if you ask me. Justin is the most painfully selfless and caring person I've ever met. He's intelligent and witty, loyal and just a good person. But somehow, some way you can't see that. You make him hate himself."

"I push him so that he can achieve his full potential."

"You berate him into submission! You know, loving fathers want their sons to be happy, not work themselves to death just to get them to say a kind word to them. The bottom line is this: you don't deserve to have Justin in your life. You had your chance and you knocked some bitch up instead, so now he's mine and there is no way I'm going to let you take him from me. You want to send him to boarding school? Fine. I'll burn the place to the ground. You try to ship him off somewhere else? I will find him and drag him back to me. You say you know me, then you know I get what I want. I always get what I want, and I want Justin." Alex glared up at him, cocking an eyebrow. "So I guess this makes this your move, asshole."

Smirking cruelly, she brushed past him, walking back to the restaurant.

If Martin Stohler thought she was a spoiled rebel, then he'd see just how disobedient and rebellious she can be to get her way.

Alex entered the loft, finding her dad and brother watching television and her stepmother cooking.

"Where's Justin?" she asked.

"In his room. I swear I ought to buy the two of you lo-jacks for each other," Jerry said. "It seems like whenever one of you enter the room the first thing you ask is where the other one is."

"Just keeping tabs," she replied, falling onto the chair and watching the idiot box with her family.

Hours passed and Justin remained in his room, skipping dinner completely. Around eight o'clock, she headed up the stairs and barged into his bedroom, finding him sitting on his bed.

Studying.

His brow was furrowed as he tried to concentrate, his hair was sticking up from where he had been running his fingers through it. It was obvious that he was obsessing about the ultimatum and not AP Physics.

God, she really hated his dad.

"Justin," she said, making him jump as he hadn't realized she was in his room.

"Alex, I-" he looked over, wincing at the time. "Oh, God. Your party, I didn't realize-"

"Justin!" she snapped, cutting him off before he went into full ranting mode. Sighing, she approached the bed, moving the books and notebooks to his nightstand before sitting in front of him. "I'm not going to the party."

"Why? I thought you were looking forward to it. Laying ground work or something."

"I was, but something came up." She watched him frown in confusion. "My stubborn, sometimes idiotic stepbrother needs me to have his back instead."

The confusion dissipated into remorse as he shamefully lowered his gaze to the space between them. "I am so sorry for what I said earlier. I don't think of our relationship like that. I was just so angry about my dad, and I took it out on you. Alex, I swear to you. I didn't mean any of it."

Alex caught sight of his eyes, how open and sorrowful they were. She wasn't the only one who could break someone down with puppy dog eyes because he could probably get away with murder with that face.

"I know. I may have gotten a tad defensive about it when I should have just let you blow off some steam. It's just... you get me, Justin. You see through my bullshit and you see the real me. I've never really connected with someone the way I have with you, and it hurt to hear you say that it wasn't real."

"I'm so sorry. I don't want to you think that it's not real, because... I feel the same way."

She smiled softly, shifting so they could sit next to one another, both resting back against the headboard.

"I know you do," she whispered, resting her head against his shoulder, her knees pressing against his thigh as she curled towards him. "I just don't want you to think that I'm just some spoiled rebel."

He winced, shifting a little so he could rest his chin on top of her head. "You heard that?"

"All of it. Thanks for sticking up for me, by the way. I know that must have been difficult to do with your dad."

"It was worth it. I just hope he doesn't try to send me away."

Alex huddled into his arm a little more.

"I wouldn't worry about that."

The sureness in her voice worried him a little.

Actually, it worried him a lot.

"What did you do?"

"Let's just say your father and I had a conversation and he's been made aware of what could possibly happen if he tries to take you away from me."

"You had a conversation with him?"

"Justin!" she said, getting fired up all over again. "He lost his chance of having you in his life. All he did was make you miserable and doubt yourself! He can't just waltz back in here and act like he has jurisdiction when it comes to bossing you around. That's my job now and I believe I am infinitely better at it."

He rolled his eyes, laughing quietly as he caressed her hair and gently laid her head back onto his shoulder.

A moment of peaceful silence passed between them before he quietly muttered, "Thank you."

"For what?" she replied, just as quietly.

"Dealing with me today."

"I hate how me makes you feel," she whispered sadly.

"I'm used to it."

And that fact just about broke her heart.

"You shouldn't be."

"It's not so bad."

He had her now.

"Justin, just promise me you'll have my back if my mom comes back into my life."

Justin closed his eyes as he shifted his head, resting his temple against her soft, silky hair.

"I promise."

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I love them. Again, I'd take requests under consideration as far as ideas for episodic chapters are concerned. Unfortunately, I will be leaving the country in a week. I will be gone for 4 weeks, so I won't be updating. I will have some time to brainstorm so I hope that helps. Feedback helps me churn out chapters so please review.