I don't know why, but drama is so fun to write sometimes. You just need a little comedy here and there to lighten the mood :)
I don't own WOWP or JONAS. Please please review :)
"Alex! You made it," Justin said in relief, hugging me.
"Course I did," I responded, squeezing him gently before moving on to Max, who was currently going through a no-touching-me teenager stage and made a face. I stepped back and glanced over at Mom. The distance between us felt like more like miles than the actual five feet, and the uncomfortable silence was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
"Glad you came, sweetie," Mom said haltingly, as if the words were hard for her to say. But I could hear the truth in them, and the wall between us dissolved.
Without speaking a word I walked over to her and enveloped her in a much-needed hug. Her body was rigged at first, but she soon relaxed. When we pulled away, she gave me a small smile before turning her attention to my husband.
"Nick," she acknowledged.
"Hey, Mrs. Russo," Nick said. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to call her Theresa yet, but Mrs. Russo seemed safe.
"So how's Dad?" I questioned, remembering the matter at hand.
Justin glanced at the doors of the waiting room, as if expecting a doctor to come through them any minute. "He's doing fine, but he's unconscious right now. It's kinda scary, seeing him like that," he admitted. "Come on, I'll take you to him."
Nick and I followed Justin through the doors and down the hall, leaving Mom behind with Max. He stopped at a door with the number 6204 and the label 'Russo' on it and pushed it open. Dad was lying in the bed, seemingly asleep. He had a nasty bruise on his forehead, but I had enough experience with hospitals and monitors to know that his condition was stable.
"Hey Daddy," I said softly, kissing the top of his head. I hadn't expected him to hear me, so it came as a surprise when his eyes twitched and blinked open. For some reason he didn't look very happy.
"You shouldn't be here, Alex. It's not safe," he said cryptically.
I glanced at Justin in confusion. His gray-blue gaze told me clearly that this is what he had meant by 'suspecting something more'. Nick looked just as bewildered as I was.
"I had to come, Dad. You were in an accident," I said.
Dad sighed; apparently talking required a lot of energy. I started to tell him he didn't have to say anything, but he silenced me.
"Just listen, Alex. I didn't want your mother to know about this. I kept it a secret for the longest time, even from you kids. I thought they had forgotten about us, but I was wrong. They were just biding their time. I was only the first obstacle. They're after you; always have been," he said slowly.
"What do you mean, Dad? Who's after Alex?" Justin asked, concerned.
"They're wizards, but they're not like us. They hunt the rest of us, stealing our magic to increase their own. And their favorite prey is those with natural powers, because it's far stronger. Taking it, however…"
Justin's eyes were wide as saucers, realization and fear filling them. "Would kill her," he finished.
Dad nodded. "Justin and Nick, I need you to protect Alex. Without my powers I'm useless, but you two have a chance. Do you promise me that you will?"
"We'd do anything for her, sir," Nick said fervently.
"Promise," Justin said, his tone serious.
Dad smiled and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep. We left the room quietly, shutting the door behind us.
"You don't actually believe him, do you?" I inquired, of the mind that the concussion he had received had made him a slight bit delusional.
Justin looked around to make sure we were alone before pulling something out of his pocket. It was a crumpled piece of metal, yellow in color but scratched beyond recognition. "I took this from the site of the accident. It was once part of the taxi Dad was riding in," he explained. He waved his hand over it and muttered a few words, and the yellow surface turned a jet-black color. I realized the black stuff was actually some kind of liquid that was oozing out of the metal and shivered.
"Black magic," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Justin nodded. "The taxi was saturated with it. Whatever hit it was definitely not another car. Or a normal one, at least."
I felt my stomach turn a little. "I still don't feel like I need protecting. They haven't bothering me yet; why would they start now?"
"Probably because they'll strike when you least expect it," Nick guessed.
"Wow, Popstar over there's actually catching on," Justin joked. "But seriously, you're going to be seeing a lot more of us from now on, whether you like it or not."
I groaned as my brother put his arm around my shoulder and steered me down the hall.
*****************
If anyone ever thought having sought-after natural powers was cool, they were seriously mistaken. Nick watched me like a hawk, and whenever he had engagements elsewhere involving the band he'd call up Justin to come over and 'hang out' with me. I even got a Merlin's Hat-equipped Max once when my older brother was busy; worst evening of my life. He invented some kind of game involving pineapples and bathrobes and I was so confused an hour and a half in that I just gave up and went to bed.
On the plus side, Dad was improving. He was at home now, totally milking it on the couch. Having a near-death experience apparently entitled him to limitless chocolate pudding and ice cream, all of which Mom willingly brought to him. Whenever I came to visit he was always his normal lighthearted self, but I never missed the grave look he gave Justin and Nick when they were in the room.
One chilly day in October, I awoke to Nick giving me a light peck on the cheek. I glanced over at the clock and saw that it was six am, and the sun hadn't even come up yet.
"Where are you going?" I asked, missing his warmth already. I wasn't feeling so good and wished he'd just lie back down again and hold me.
"Last minute meet-and-greet in California, and then two concerts. We'll be back by tomorrow afternoon, I promise," he told me.
I sighed. "So who got assigned watchdog duty this time?"
"Alex, I don't want you thinking of it like that. We're just trying to keep you safe," Nick said, trying to convey the importance of the issue in his voice.
"I know. I just feel so trapped sometimes," I responded.
Nick pressed his lips to mine, the passion behind his kiss making me forget for a short moment about how much I felt like a prisoner in my own home.
"I know how you feel, baby. Tell you what; when I get back, we'll go anywhere you want, just the two of us," he said, his breath tickling my ear.
"Anywhere?"
"Anywhere."
I smiled, thinking of a few places already. "Deal," I told him.
Nick kissed me one last time before saying, "I've gotta go now. Juliet's going to be here soon though, so you won't be alone for long."
"Juliet?"
"Yeah. I guess vampires are just as qualified as wizards in this situation." Nick seemed slightly hesitant, however, most likely uncomfortable with the idea of a blood-sucking creature watching over his wife. It hadn't been until last summer that he had learned what Juliet was and was still getting used to it.
"Well she's better than Max," I decided. I didn't want to say it, but I figured it might actually be fun to have a girl to talk to for once.
Nick laughed. "Yeah, I can understand that. Well I better get going now. See you tomorrow," he told me.
"See ya. Don't get trampled by fangirls," I joked.
"No worries. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve now." Nick held up his hand, and a few golden sparks shot out of the palm. He grinned, grabbed his suitcase, and headed downstairs. I heard the door open and shut, and then the sound of the deadbolt locking.
My stomach started to churn a few seconds after, and I practically flew to the bathroom to throw up. When I was done I brushed my teeth and changed out of my pajamas, hoping Juliet wouldn't notice what I was trying to hide.
Sure enough, my brother's girlfriend showed up two minutes later, coming through the window I had left open for her.
"Hey Alex! Look!" She said excitedly, slightly flushed. She held out her hand, displaying a ring sparkling on the fourth finger from the right.
"He didn't," I gasped in disbelief. Sure, Justin was twenty now and therefore past the mark he had set for himself, but he had also said it would probably be a while before he actually proposed.
Juliet couldn't stop smiling. "He did! Just last night. He said we'd have to wait until he finished college—you know how he is—but I've waited centuries for someone like him, so what's two more years?"
"Figures. Well I'm happy for you," I told her, remembering back when Nick proposed. For a second my smile faltered, and I swayed on the spot.
Juliet's joy faded quickly. "You okay? Something seems...I don't know, different about you," she said suspiciously.
"I'm fine," I replied, suddenly defensive. "This happens a lot when Nick leaves. The whole magical bond thing and all."
"No, it's not just that. There's something else." I tensed as the vampire sniffed the air. "You were just sick a second ago, weren't you?"
Drat! Maybe I should have settled for Max. Nothing got past this girl. "Maybe."
Juliet began to circle me, and I could feel her eyes inspecting every inch of my body. At last she stopped, facing me with a shocked yet thrilled expression. "Alex Lucas, why didn't you tell me?"
I looked down at my toes, avoiding her gaze. "I didn't want anyone to know. I thought I could hide it."
"Alex, you should know well enough by now that not even magic can hide a pregnancy. Especially when you're having twins."
My head snapped up in shock. "Twins? How do you know?"
Juliet tucked her long blond hair behind her ear placed her hand on my stomach, which was cleverly disguised by a hoodie. "Let's just say that smell isn't the only enhanced sense we vampires have. I can hear two heartbeats in there."
I sighed, falling into a nearby armchair. "I hadn't counted on there being two. Do you know what Justin and Nick are going to do once they find out? Not to mention my parents. They'll lock me up in a dungeon or something."
"I don't think they'd go that far. I mean, it's not like you meant for it to happen."
I didn't respond, taking interest in my toes once more and biting my lip.
"Oh for goodness sake, Alex. Don't tell me you did this on purpose," Juliet groaned.
"I don't know why I did it. You of all people should know it's slightly out of character for me. I just got this really strong desire for a baby, someone who looked a little like me but mostly like Nick, so I just kinda…let it happen," I explained shakily, not feeling so great again.
"Actually, I don't think it is your fault. I was reading through a couple of Justin's books about this magical bond thing, and I came across something that said it was uncommon for the couple not to have a child once they reached a certain age. I think it's supposed to strengthen the bond or something."
"Try explaining that to Justin. And my dad," I told her, my voice muffled considering I had buried my face in the arm of the chair. "I'm not sure Nick will survive long enough to even know he's going to be a father."
"Well, hopefully reason will win out before they do anything that would harm you." Juliet looked doubtful, and I was pretty sure she was planning on stepping in if need be. "But you realize this changes things, right? Your condition makes you weaker, more vulnerable, and therefore easier prey for the wizard hunters."
"Which means I'm never leaving this house again." My heart sank. I had been looking forward to that adventure with Nick, knowing full and well that we wouldn't be going now. Even if I neglected to tell him until after, I'm sure Juliet wouldn't. She wanted me safe as much as the rest of them.
Juliet started to say something, but she cut herself short and tilted her head to the side, listening. "Did you hear something?" She asked.
"No," I said, confused. Besides the ticking of the clock on the wall, the house seemed pretty quiet to me.
"There it is again. Like a window opening…" Juliet eyes widened, and she jumped off the corner of bed she had been leaning against. "Alex, we have to get out of here. Now."
"What is it?" I questioned, standing up. I knew better than to not listen to her.
Without warning, the door flew open. I had barely enough time to register that a man, dressed head to toe in black, was standing there, before something hit me squarely in the chest and threw me into the wall.
Juliet hissed in outrage. She darted through the barrage of magic that was spitting from the man's hands, barely flinching when it scorched her skin, and grabbed me. Then she launched out the still-open window, going into a steep dive before her wings snapped open and carried us up into the cold morning air.
Needless to say I passed out before I even knew where we were going.
Okay so obviously I like the whole baby idea a little too much. But this time I decided to go with more than just one :)
