Justin pulled his shirt closer. It had been a week and 4 days since he and Alex were expelled from their home and since then, all that they'd hoped wouldn't happen, had.

The blizzard had come right on schedule exactly three days later and was growing stronger by the hour, stretching over days. He had cast a heat spell a while ago, just keep them going. It helped, not by much, but it helped.

And Alex was barely living.

Her wounds had long since begun infecting and he knew she needed great medical attention that Justin just couldn't give. He was more freezing now that the jacket he once wore was around his sister's shoulders and not his. But it was worth it, in the hopes she'd strive to live just like he was. But with their depletion of food, that wasn't lasting very long. She was drifting it and out as it was.

Justin himself was fine as he could be. For once in a long-time, he thanked his so-called 'parents' for engaging him in the Boy-Scouts. He already knew his limit was two weeks. He only hoped he wouldn't have to push it.

When he could, he could summon food, but they'd have to move quickly in case the family wanted to track them down. And with the amount of snow and Alex's frail state, that hadn't happened lately.

Justin looked down at his lover. She was asleep once more. He sighed, pulling her close and resting his head on top hers, closing his eyes. It was all he could do lately. Think about what happened, how bad off they were, and hold Alex close to him. Alex was all that kept him going and he knew he was the same for her.

"J-Ju-Jus…"Alex's mouth clattered.

"Shh…" Justin said through clenched teeth. He never wanted her to speak, granted something wanted to fly down her throat and kill her. Think it, Alex. Don't say it.

-I'm so cold, Justin. We have to get out of here.

Justin sighed. Cautiously, he pulled her up and began searching for a safe – great lack of snow; no people – for them to hide away in. Down the alleyway they already sat in seemed their best bet. He practically dragged Alex alongside him to the new destination. Sitting them down, he pulled her close. His hand erupted in a bright orange. The only good thing, Justin would say about his whole, was that they learned to control their awakening powers.

Alex had too quickly gained control of her telepathy. It was their only way of communication. Not to mention when the insane – honestly, who mugs people in the middle of a blizzard?! – idiot came by, she found she could actually control them. Except, that was another reason why she was the way she was.

His empathy deemed necessary and he had grasped hold of it just as quickly. Pulsing alerted his paranoid and over-thinking mind anything he wanted to know about her. Lightning and Fire seemed to just add to the package, waking her up and warming her heart. But that took just as much energy away as Alex's mind control.

But Justin didn't mind; he just hoped that they could make it.

Thank you,

-You're welcome. Now go back to sleep.

I…

Alex? Justin looked down at her head on his shoulder. His fire gone, he felt her forehead – hot as his flame. His hand trailed down her face and jumped away – cold as the snow beneath them. He focused and felt…nothing. No pulse at the back of his mind. No hum of warmth from her heart; nothingness, black. "Alex!" Shaking her, she was just an old rag doll in his arms.

Oh boy. Justin looked up to the skies for an answer. He only received one. Lexxi…forgive me.

Our parents don't accept who we are

So let the memory be long and far.

Do not let us forget,

Our meetings in secret shall be set.

A light came to blind him and he held on tight to his sister – his girlfriend – hoping that all would be okay when the light faded.

It did quicker then he thought and once again, they stood in the sandwich shop. Looking about, the shop was practically vacant, with no sign of his parents. Now or never, Justin.

"Mom! Dad!" He called, pulling away from Alex for just a second.

Pushing out of the kitchen were the two faces he wanted to see. "Justin! What's going on?!" Theresa yelled, fussing over her unconscious daughter. Jerry hurried over to join her, taking his middle child from his eldest's arms, not noticing how Justin had tried to hold on for a second longer. The Russo mother turned her attention to Justin, gently poking him. The coldness of his skin was too much. "What happened?!"

"I…I saw her…walking from my window and I went out to get her. She just fell." It worked! I just hope I'm not too late.

Justin slowly walked into the ever-familiar bedroom of his sister. My girl. She was in her bed, blankets, quilts, comforters, and duvets all piled high atop her. The room was even hotter in effect of a steamer hidden somewhere. While it was actually quite annoying to Justin, he was with a smile on his face. They were finally warm, even if they wouldn't have been welcomed back warmly.

Strolling to her bed, he kneeled down. For once, her face wasn't contorted in a nightmare. He stroked her cheek, happy it wasn't freezing. He gave her a kiss. At the touch of moisture, her eyes tightened and slowly opened. Justin jumped up. "Alex?!"

"Justin? Where are you? Where am I? Why can't I move? What's going on? What happened? Why is it so hot?" The questions just flew out her mouth.

"I'm right here, Lexxi." Justin kneeled back down, stroking her cheek. Alex turned her head and smiled. "We're back home." Justin never thought he saw her smile vanish quicker.

"WHAT?!" She snapped. "But…Mom and Dad…"

"Don't remember." Justin interrupted. "I cast a spell on them so they wouldn't remember." Justin sighed. "I didn't know what else to do."

Alex joined in. "So…what do we now?"

"We can't be…together in front of them." Alex rolled her eyes 'obviously' projecting into his mind. "And you can't say anything about Live." Those rolling eyes widened. "If you do, it'll set off the memories and we'll be back on the streets." Justin held her face, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

"How long?"

"Five months."

"Can we last that long?"

"We'll…" Justin thought. "We'll meet on the weekends, when everybody's asleep. We'll cast spells so only we can enter." He gave a reassuring smile. "We'll be okay."

Alex nodded.