Synopsis: Set in Alex's senior year of high school, Justin's freshman year of college, and Max's sophomore year. Concern for his sister arises during Justin's freshman year at college. Events in her life are causing Alex to seek out ways of filling a void in her heart, in self destructive ways. Justin seems to be the only one aware of her down ward spiral. Feeling responsible, Justin tries to save Alex while Max is trying to keep his family from falling apart. How will the Russo's survive something worse then any spell?
Pretty dark fic. I've been known for taking campy kiddy shows/cartoons and being inspired to write the complete opposite kind of story. (.net/~lokiyamimegami is my old pen name)
PAIRING: N/A
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Chapter 4: Use Somebody
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"She just needs some time to herself, trust me. I'll make sure she's doing her school work and keep her on track." Pause. "No, mom. She's not in trouble... I promise. I promise... I PROMISE, now I have to get us ready for school, k?" Definitely snap of a shut phone.
Alex pulls away from the bedroom door, her hair dripping as she tightens the towel around her body. Her heart is pounding loudly in her chest and she feels breathless. She had been an anxious nervous wreck whenever she was left alone. Paranoid even. She jumps back as the door opens. Justin comes to a stop and stares in confusion. "Were you listening on my conversation?"
She wrinkles her nose and shrugs. "Maybe." She whips herself around to face Justin's dresser. She thoughtlessly opens the top drawer while Justin moves to his closet, both of them sifting through his wardrobe. "So mom's ok with me staying here?"
"Temporarily."
"Cool."
"Can we talk about it now?"
"Nope." She replies. He slams his closet shut and Alex almost flinched. Almost. She sighs and turns her damp head to give him a dull look. That smug expression gets wiped off her face at the intense look from Justin. She swallows and averts her gaze back, suddenly timid as she continues to look for something to wear. She releases a shaky breath and notices her hands are trembling.
Calm down, Alex. It's no big deal.
"Alex, you lied to me."
"You left." She clenches her jaw, trying to find some venom to infuse with her bitterness. "Again." But it came off heavy and sad rather then angry or even annoyed.
"Is that the problem here? You miss me?!"
"Oh don't be so egotistical." She slams the drawer shut in frustration. "You left. You can leave. I have to stay. You're free and I'm not."
"You're jealous?" He asks, furrowing his brows and trying to understand.
Alex tosses her hands up and rolls her eyes. "No! It's not about always about you, Justin! I'm trapped! I'm trapped in that house, with Mom and Dad who fight every day now-"
"Because of you, according to Max." Justin interjects, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.
"Because of you! You're so damn perfect every mistake I make just looks that much worst!" She explains, adjusting the towel again to ensure nothing embarrassing occurred. She really needed to get more clothes here.
"I don't think that's what this is about. You're being far too self destructive and you attacked Lily. Elixir? Do you have any idea what that stuff does? In order to give you magic, it drain your life source and your soul to create magic... it kills you. People don't do that stuff just because they're suffering from middle child syndrome." Justin states with such a sterile and firm tone that Alex begins to feel like she's trapped with a psychiatrist.
"Don't talk to me like that." She snaps.
"Like what?"
"Like i'm crazy! You totally think I'm insane." She crosses her arms now, taking a defensive stance. Justin moves quickly and it catches Alex off guard. By the time she decides she wants to run away, he's grabs her arms and begins a to shake her a little. Not too violent but enough to stun her.
"Stop putting words in my mouth. I'm trying to help you Alex."
"By doing what they do? Keeping me imprisoned here? By, by treating me like a character in that Jack Nicholson movie about the crazy people? If this is you helping me, I'm better off back at home." She tries to sound confident and flippant and coy like she had known herself to be. But her voice was still shaky and she wasn't exactly comfortable. She was still damp, in a towel and suffering wicked withdrawal. And she never really did like emotional confrontations.
"Do you have any idea what you're doing to us? Max begged me, begged me, Alex, to make you better because he thinks you're trying to kill yourself! Mom's pissed about something you did, Harper moved out of our house and in with her parents because of whatever happened and Dad is in serious denial. Now if you don't tell me, Alex, I'll magic-"
"Fine!" She breaks. Justin closes his mouth and continues his intense stare. Alex looks down. "I... There was this guy. Harper thought he was bad news and he was older and..." She shrugs. "He wanted something form me and I was stupid. I'm always the stupid one."
Justin's face pales. "Oh no, Alex, you didn't."
She rolls her eyes and glares at him. "Of course I did. He didn't like it so he left, never saw him again. He was a Wizard to, worst part. He was the first person to introduce me to Elixir. Mom only found out about the sex part because Harper told her. Mom got pissed, I got pissed at Harper. Harper left. That's it." She looks up and glares.
"There, happy?"
Justin shakes his head. His empathy telling him there is something deeper and he can;t get her to pull it out. He takes a deep breath. "Alex?"
"Yes?"
"What aren't you telling me-"
"That's it Justin-"
Justin wraps his arms around her, embracing her and holding her. She blinks, confused and knowing this was some tactic to get her to breakdown and give in. But it was effective. She closes her eyes and relaxes. "I'm not gonna leave you, let me help you. what is it that Harper and Mom don't know that's making you... punish yourself."
Alex's eyes widen. That was too close, too direct. She shuts her mind and stiffens, pulling herself away. "No. You can't do that! You can't go in my head like that, ever!" She slaps him and glares. "I trusted you!"
"Alex-"
"Get out."
"It's my room-"
"Get out!!" she shouts, and he jumps. He frowns and walks out of the room, pausing at the door.
"I'm just-" She pushes him into the wall and slams the door to the bedroom shut, locking it. Her slight shaking had evolved into full out quaking and her heart was pounding so fast and erratic that she could feel it through out her body. She couldn't breath, it heart to try but try she did, heaving and wheezing. She embraces herself, feeling cold. She collapses to her knees.
Was she having a heart attack?! Oh god it felt terrible, like she was drowning and couldn't escape. Her eyes swell with tears and it pours from her, the pain and secrets she kept bottled up inside her.
No one knew, she didn't deserve to use it as an excuse.
She covers her mouth, heaving and struggling. She had nearly passed out when Justin magiced the door open and ran to her side. She could barely hear him, something about attack. She clings to him until she's exhausted herself into unconsciousness.
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"A panic attack?" Lily whispers as Justin closes the door behind him and nods. Max sits on the couch and frowns. He looks to Justin who looks ragged and exhausted. It had been a week since Alex had been brought to his place and only today had he decided to call his mom, even if Max had already assured her.
It was a hellish week. Alex's withdrawals were really bad and she had become very moody and physical. Despite how bad she was during the day, every night she would crawl into his bed and asked to be held until she fell asleep. The ups and downs were straining and Justin couldn't keep up all the time. But always obliged. But she had calmed down considerably the pass two days, Justin thought it was time to get some answers.
Maybe he jumped the gun too soon. "Yeah." Lily puts the bag she brought with Alex's stuff next to the couch and moves to sit next to Max. "She's resting now, it was pretty intense." Justin combs his fingers through his hair and sits down on the other couch.
After taking Max's hand, Lily looks to Justin again. "Everything with Alex is pretty intense. But Harper leaving wasn't just because of Alex but she also wanted to leave because of you and that whole evil warlock kidnapping her thing. Not to mention college. I think we should call her and find out from her."
Max finally raises his voice to speak. "That's not it, you know that, right? Alex started acting up even worse after that and that's when Mom started getting on her case. She was always out, she even hooked up with one of the teachers at school. She went to school drunk, I mean doing some really stupid stuff, Justin."
"I know there's more to it but I can't force her to tell me, Max."
"But she trusts you, more then us."
"Guys, give Alex some time." Lily interjects. "Let her recover, help her get back on her feet and support her. Whatever her demons are, she's fighting them alone and failing. She needs you guys, she trusts you two... and you have me, Max, I'm with you guys on this."
Justin smiles and Max nods in agreement. "Now, I'm gonna give Harper a ring, I'll be back." She pecks Max's cheek and walks out to make her call. Justin and Max look to each other.
"Why can't mom and dad help her?" Justin finally asks.
"You know Alex, Justin. She will never let mom or dad help her with anything. She'd kill herself first..." Max shudders at the very real possibility of a scenario like that playing itself out.
Justin sighs and leans forward to place a hand on Max's shoulder. "I know this is going to sound really lame. But maybe it's this Alex drama asking me sappy but Max... I'm really proud of you. You're a great brother to have, I should know." Justin smiles.
Max smiles but it's a reserved sort of smile. "Then why can't I fix Alex?" Justin frowns then pulls Max into a hug. It may not be the most manly thing to do... but it was the right thing to do.
"Well, this is cute." The two look up to see a semi-awake Alex standing with a too big long sleeve T shirt that belonged to Justin. She bites her lip. "I like it better when we fight!" Then surprises all of them by leaping onto the boys and a wrestling match ensued.
Lily returned... very confused. Relieved... but confused. "I swear Russos are savages." She mutters. The three kids stop, look to each other, then grin. Lily blinks. Uh oh. She yelps as Max grabs her and lifts her, tossing her onto the sofa while Alex and Justin beat her with pillows.
There was a lot of work that still needed to be done with Alex but this... this gave Justin hope. This gave Max hope. Lily, too.
But most importantly... it gave Alex hope to.
Maybe she wasn't so lost after all.
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I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I really like the idea of the siblings relying on each other more so then on their parents, sorry if it makes Theresa and Jerry look like the bad guys but that's why this is fan ficton lol.
