Title: Nothing Gold Can Stay

Author Name: TrueLoveFan

Rating: PG-13

Warnings for: None

Notes:

- The title "Nothing Gold Can Stay" comes from the poem by Robert Frost.

Disclaimer:

All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of TrueLoveFan. TrueLoveFan is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Justin stood in Alex's doorway, waiting to be allowed inside. The magic councilmen were attempting to make it so that he could enter without being turned into a bunny rabbit or something by the sparks of Alex's magic. He could hear the chants from the robed men as they cast the spells necessary, but found himself unable to tear his eyes off the prone form of the teenage girl.

She was floating a couple inches off her mattress and sparks were flying off of her like she was a giant sparkler or something. He assumed, from all he knew of magic rejection which wasn't much, that she'd started out floating a couple of centimeters from her ceiling and as her magic drained out she was brought down to the bed. The fact she was so close to her bed was worrisome. What if he arrived too late and no amount of magic could supplement the little amount remaining? It didn't matter. However much she'd need, he would give. Justin could live without magic. He'd been planning on it when he thought he was Russo. That's why he'd used magic so conservatively. He hadn't wanted to battle it out with his siblings; not over something he was willing to give to them anyway. Besides, if they had battled, chances were high that it would come down to him and Alex. Justin may have been book smart about magic but Alex was passionate about it. She would have won. So, Justin was prepared, always had been, to give Alex his magic.

The spell casting grew louder and louder. So much, in fact, that Justin had to cover his ears. A yellow bubble surrounded Alex and as he watched the bubble grew thicker and thicker. As it grew the more sparks were trapped inside it. Some of them were bouncing off the yellow bubble wall and hitting Alex again, but Alex's facial expression didn't change. Not that it would even if the magic sparks were hurting her. Alex was, for a lack of a better way to state this, comatose.

Justin hoped Max was distracting Marie as diligently as he promised when he came and took the small girl from Theresa and Jerry's room. He hoped Max took her to the lair. It was soundproof and Justin had a feeling Marie would get a kick out of seeing real magic books. Fred didn't teach them magic. There were no lessons; nothing. He somehow expected his children to just know the spells and enchantments without lessons, or books, or homework, or even wands. It was completely ridiculous! Maybe Marie would use the time to learn instead of worrying herself to bits about Alex and himself.

"Once you enter the doorway you must hurry and lie next to Ms. Russo on the bed and hold onto her hand. Under no circumstances are you to let go, do you understand?" The head councilman shouted over the din of the sparks hitting the magic wall. It was hard to hear, but Justin got the message. He see could the strain it was taking on the councilmen to hold the bubble so with one breath to calm his nerves he crossed the threshold and ran to the other side of Alex's bed. He quickly lay down and grabbed onto Alex's hand for dear life.

When they were sure Justin was where he needed to be for the magic transfer to work, they dropped the yellow bubble that had been protecting Justin from Alex's magic. The second the bubble was gone they started the transfer spell. Justin flinched as three sparks of Alex's magic were absorbed into his skin. It stung, but it didn't hurt as bad as he thought it would and at least he wasn't a furry bunny now. The eldest Michaels' child turned his head and looked at Alex's face. The spell was making him sleepy, which was to be expected. Justin saw Jerry and Theresa standing safely in the doorway. They were watching over Alex and Justin and that made him feel good. It had been far too long since someone looked out for him. He refocused his gaze on Alex's face as it became harder and harder to stay awake. She was so beautiful. Like an angel, he decided, and with that final thought let sleep overcome him.

Theresa watched as Justin's blue magic ran through him and into Alex. It flowed in a thin line from Justin's left hand through his torso into his right hand and into Alex's left hand. It looked kind of like a blood transfusion without the tubes and without the blood actually exiting the body. They were told this procedure could take several hours, but Theresa didn't really want to move from her spot.

There was a little girl downstairs, however, that was probably hungry and Theresa wasn't about to let Max feed her one of his many concoctions. For all Theresa knew Max's concoctions were poisonous. She stood with Jerry's support and started down the stairs.

It was all going to be different now. If this worked, both Max and Alex would grow up to be wizards. There would be no need for her children to fight amongst themselves. That was a good thing for Theresa would no longer have to fret over the upcoming magic battle. If it does not work, Alex could die. That mere thought made Theresa's knees go weak and she had to grab the stair railing before she fell down them. It couldn't happen. She couldn't lose her baby girl; she was meant to pass on long before Alex. It was the rule of time. She wouldn't have her family break the rule of time. Not like this.

Gathering herself together, Theresa put on a smile and entered the empty downstairs sub shop. It was eerie down here. It was so quiet, excusing of course, the light chanting upcoming from the upstairs. She walked into the kitchen of the sub shop and began making sandwiches for the two youngest occupants of the building. She didn't know what Marie liked on her sandwiches so she chose peanut butter and jelly was her best option. Once, Theresa was finished creating edible masterpieces, she banged heavily on the freezer door. It was soundproof in there, but she hoped Max and Marie could hear her.

The door swung open and out rushed Marie giggling like mad with Max following quickly behind her. The sound of laughter made Theresa smile unconsciously. The purple hands which Max controlled were tickling the six-year-old like mad. Marie attempted to hide behind Theresa hoping that being blocked would distract the hands from their pursuit of her. Her tactic, though quite bright for a first grader, was unsuccessful in stopping onslaught of tickling be Max's spell.

"Stop, Max, stop." Marie gasped out between giggles. Max shook his head no and Theresa knew she had to step in. Marie was red-faced from laughing so much and she looked ready to pass out from lack of oxygen.

"Maxwell Edison Russo, stop that right now." Theresa ordered. Max flinched at the use of his real name and dropped the spell immediately. Marie got this ashamed look on her face and ducked out from behind Theresa. Theresa wanted to say something else to lower the tension in the small kitchen but could think of nothing so she simply handed Max and Marie each a plate with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, apple slices, and a glass of milk and instructed them to sit at table number 1. With hung heads, the two marched over to the table and sat down facing each other.

"Sorry, Max, I didn't want to get you in trouble." Marie whispered; close to tears. She'd just made friends with Max and she got him in trouble. Oh man! He was going to hate her now! Suddenly a hand, only slightly larger, clasped over hers.

"You didn't. I'm not in trouble. Mom was just getting me to stop; apparently I don't respond well to normal commands." He informed her gently and then made a funny face. She chuckled and then picked up her sandwich and bit into it.

"Oh, yay!" She exclaimed. "Peanut butter and jelly! Justin makes this for me for ALL THE TIME! It's so yummy!" Max smiled at Marie's child-like enthusiasm. It was contagious, after all, but her words they made stop and think.

"So…uh…Justin makes your lunches? What about your mom? Does she make your lunches sometimes?" It was a curious thought. Theresa always made his and Alex's (and Justin when he was still a Russo) lunches. Always. Except, of course, when Max insisted on making his own. He couldn't picture anyone but his mom doing such a mom-type job.

"Yeah, ah huh. Justin makes the best lunches." She replied casually; taking yet another bite of her lunch. "His lunches are defiantly better then the little bits I had to snag from my classmates' lunchboxes during naptime in kindergarten. So much better then the lunches I had to make myself before I started school." She informed him as if it were no big deal. As if what she were telling him wasn't something neglectful parents got arrested for. Suddenly Max was no longer hungry. He offered his untouched sandwich to the starving little girl, who had gobbled hers in like five bites. Marie grateful accepted the offered food and gobbled it up as well. His heart clenched as he watched her eat. He wanted to make it better. He'd never felt like this before; never wanted to protect someone this bad.

Suddenly, he stood up and slid in next to Marie. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. Marie made a slight noise of surprise, but wrapped her arms around him in return. She wasn't going to give up an excuse for a free hug even if she didn't understand why she was being embraced.

Theresa sat with her back against the counters, tears pouring down her face, having heard Marie's sad story. It was all too much; just too much. After a few minutes of silence, Marie and Max's laughter filled the still area of the sub shop and Theresa dried her eyes and stood up. It was time an adult cared took care of that girl and Theresa was going to do just that.

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! How about 12 reviews this time?