I DO NOT OWN WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE

"Hey!" Julia said happily, coming through the door to the Russo house the next morning. Max looked up from the counter when he heard her voice, but said nothing in response, sort of shocked that she was over so early. It was getting difficult for him to be shocked by anything she did, even though it was always unexpected. "I could smell the sweets from down the street!" She told him as she came over to where he was, the skirt of her lavender dress swaying and her hot pink streaked ponytail bouncing as she went.

"I'm sorry Justin and Harper didn't think to make you a cupcake, this one's mine." He told her as stared at the dessert food, almost lovingly. When Julia saw, she put her hands on her hips, making her many bangles jingle. "Max! That's you're idea of breakfast?!" She yelled, looking utterly appalled. Hearing that, he slowly put the cupcake back down on the counter, feeling sort of ashamed of himself. The second he did that, Julia snatched it up and scarfed it down so fast, she almost forgot to take off the paper.

In reaction, Max could only do one thing: stutter, trying to yell, since he couldn't believe he'd fallen for that, along with how hard she was laughing. He just stared at her, more disappointed than angry. "Why are you looking at me like that? I already ate breakfast." Max scowled. "That was my cupcake, and yes, that was my idea of breakfast. Which means you just ate two breakfasts, which makes you greedy!" He laughed when he reached his conclusion, as if it was an insult to her. Julia pouted briefly, made a face like she was about to cry, but then smiled. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."

It wasn't the smell of dinners and desserts that woke Alex up that morning, but the smell of bacon made her jolt up out of bed. She thought she'd smelled bacon the night before, but decided that was only a dream. Of course waking up to a find cupcake by her bedside was a bit weird, but she was too excited about the bacon to care. Before she went to get dressed, she read the note next to the cupcake:

Dear Alex,

Enjoy!

Love,

Justin & Harper "Sweet!"

"Who's cookin' bacon?" Alex asked happily, as soon as she got downstairs. "Me!" Julia announced, using a slotted spatula to take it out of the frying pan. She put four pieces of it on a plate completely covered by a ham and cheese omelet, that she slid over to Max. She put the rest on another plate and went to clean up her cooking mess. "You think this is making it up to me?" He asked her, pointing to his plate as if he was disgusted. "I used four cheeses." She argued. "So what?!" "Ooh, that looks good." Alex commented. "Wanna trade?" Max asked, seeing that she had her cupcake in her hand.

"Huh, no." She answered, with a mouth full of cupcake. Julia laughed silently, and Max went to half-heartedly eating his omelet. Alex looked around, suddenly confused. "This is weird, even I'm up, and no one else is?" Knowing Alex, the others had to agree. Where was everybody?

After Max finished eating, the three kids went to find out. They went downstairs to find costumers flooding the sub shop. Alex's jaw dropped in shock and she ran to find her older brother, pushing through the huge crowd to get to him.

Max and Julia stayed at the bottom of the steps, watching people pass by. "Justin? Justin!" He couldn't hear his sister calling over the chatter coming from all the people, along with him telling everyone: "Trust me, you guys haven't even tasted the best yet, but if you come back later—" Once he said that, everyone sterted arguing at once, asking why they had to wait and telling him he should be smarter than that.

"Well, some people sleep 'til noon and are way too lazy—" "To go to work on a Saturday? Why would I wanna do that?" Justin turned to face Alex when he heard her voice. "Oh, good. You're up, finally." Alex laughed sarcastically in reply. "Yeah, and I had a rude awakining… except for the bacon part, but anyway: Were's Mom, Dad, and Harper and WHAT ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE DOING HERE?!"

Justin ignored her furious expression and went to answer her question, in list form. "Went out for breakfast, went for a walk and trying free samples." He said the last part quickly, but Alex understood. She narrowed her eyes, asking: "Do Mom and Dad know about this?" "No." He answered honestly, not even threatened by the fact that she was trying to look menacing, with her narrowed eyes and crossed arms.

Alex seemed amused by that. "Sneaky, I like it." She told him. "Uh, thanks." He replied, rolling his eyes. "Wait a second." Alex said as she realized something. "This is gonna help them, isn't it?" Justin scoffed, since he thought that should've been obvious. "Of course it is." "I take it back." She said bluntly, walking away. Justin shrugged, indifferent.

People started leaving then, knowing they'd be rushing back in the evening. After all of the costumers filed out, Alex looked at Max and Julia. "Wanna go find Harper?" She suggested. "It's better then hanging around here." Max nodded and the three headed for the door. "Maybe while we're out, Julia can buy me another cupcake…"

The second they left, Justin found himself running to his room. He couldn't stop his addiction he had with reading Harper's journal, it really had become like a drug for him. He didn't see a problem with it, since it couldn't be a risk to his health. Sure, reading from the journal ripped his heart out every time, but he knew it couldn't hurt him physically.

He started to doubt that when he nearly ran into his bedroom door, being so anxious to start reading again. He found the journal in the exact place he'd left it last time he'd read, at the bottom of his trophy shelf. He flipped through to the page he was up to, not even having to think about it. Instead of being dated, the entry he was about to read had a title. His heart nearly stopped when he saw what it was.

The Perfect Son

I honestly don't know how I kept my concentration. How could I possibly act like I hadn't heard what I know I did? How could I smile? I lost a hero today.

The absence of pleading eyes, that's what I can't understand. How can someone not beg to be noticed when they are basically called worthless? How can someone not cry when they are completely forgotten? Even without seeing what went on, I know that he smiled. Of all people. Him. Maybe I lost two heroes today, but I guess that only proves that he and I are more alike that I could've ever thought.

She called him perfect. She did. The one that I look up to. Almost idolize. She never says as much as the others, but it always counts the most. So it blew my mind. How could she say something so stupid, about her own son? And how can he just sit there and smile?

I never thought of him as perfect. I never thought of anyone as perfect. To hear her say that just shatters the near perfect image I used to have of her. It's a mistake I know can never be forgiven, yet they both say nothing in argument. How can their mother be so wrong? I almost wish I had the guts to tell her that I thought she was, but I can't even stand up to the nice one.

No matter how much those words secretly hurt anyone involved today, the whole experience only makes me wonder. Doesn't she know?

Her youngest son is not bulletproof… and she took such a cheap shot.

The journal slipped from Justin's grasp. He let it fall to the floor with the thud it mad being the only sound heard in the entire house. He brought his hands up to his eyes to keep in the tears, not wanting to have anything to explain to his parents, knowing they'd be home soon. His head was swimming, and the thoughts that overwhelmed it only made him feel like screaming. Of all those thoughts, he picked out the one that was strongest, the one that had the most questions attached to it.

He wanted Harper home.

I'll update soon, tell me what you think!

.