A/N: Warning, total Justin & Alex fluffy cotton stuff ahead :D But it's intended to be brother/sister love! Sorry it's a short chapter :/
Disclaimer: I don't own anything cool... including WOWP :[
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The car ride home was quiet. No radio, no talk. Justin kept glancing at Alex and she just kept staring out the window. She figured she must look pretty bad because when Justin helped her into the car, every touch was careful. Like he was afraid she would break. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the cool window glass, just wanting to sleep.
They pulled in at almost one and Alex got out of the car quickly, eager for Justin to see she could walk herself. She wanted to show him she was still tough, even though she felt anything but. She felt broken and humiliated. Yes, Dean didn't actually succeed in…whatever he was going to do; but he had still shattered her confidence, her faith in herself.
Alex tried to think, "It'll all be okay tomorrow, I'll be over it and I won't be scared of him. It'll be okay right?"
Justin led her up the stairs with an arm around her waist. He nudged her towards the bathroom and turned on the shower scalding hot; just how Alex liked it.
"Do you um… need help?" he asked, not quite meeting her eyes but gesturing vaguely towards her clothes.
Alex smirked at her brother. Wow, I can still smile? "No, I think I can handle it."
Justin smiled back at his sister's playfulness. Wow, she can still smile, even after…
Then the thought of Dean's hands on Alex entered his mind again and his smile vanished. So did Alex's.
"I'll be in my room when you're done, in case you need me," he said as he walked out of the bathroom.
Justin clicked on the lamp in his room and picked up a book to read while he waited for Alex. He sat on the edge of his bed, not opening his book but instead losing himself in thought. Horrible, terrible thoughts filled his brain. Thoughts of pummeling Dean's face so bad you couldn't even recognize him… thoughts of killing him. He sat like that until Alex came to his room, fantasizing about all the ways Dean would die.
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Alex didn't even wash her hair or her body. She just sat in the tub letting the water cascade over her. It felt nice, like it was washing away her bad decisions. But of course it didn't. Alex's mind kept thinking thoughts of self-blame.
God, how could I have been so stupid?
Why did I even drink in the first place, to be cool?
It is my fault, I was dressed like a whore, I was practically begging for it…Maybe I am one.
This entire time, from the car ride home to the steaming shower, Alex had not cried. She refused to. The tears were just waiting to come out though. Even when there was water pouring on her face she didn't cry, although it would have been so easy. Finally, after a good half hour Alex hoisted herself up and turned the handle to stop the flow of water. She stepped out of the tub and shrugged on her favorite cotton robe. Then she collected all of her dirty [whore] clothes and dropped them into her room underneath her covers so she could throw them away later. Slinking past her parents' bedroom, she made her way down the hall to Justin.
She peeked around the corner in his door and saw Justin's figure, back to the door, just sitting on the bed. She watched him for a couple minutes and he never moved. She sighed, alerting him of her presence and he turned around slowly. Wordlessly, he motioned for her to come inside and patted the spot next to him on his bed.
As soon as she sat down the dim light of Justin's lamp illuminated his face. She watched him carefully. He didn't speak for a long while; his eyes were blank like he was in deep thought, his mouth was set in a small frown, and his hands were clenched into fists
He knew she was watching him, but he wasn't ready to talk yet. He could barely move without the urge to throw something heavy across the room. After a couple minutes, Alex sighed and scooted closer to her brother. Her eyes still on his face, she slowly extended her hand to rest on top of his fist. A few seconds of contact and Justin's fist released and let her fingers intertwine with his.
Alex could feel the tears were going to erupt any second. She was strong, but she could only hold out for so long. With all the strength she could muster she whispered, "I'm so sorry."
Justin jerked his head sharply, eyes wide, "What?"
Alex said a fraction louder, "I'm…so sorry. This is all my fault." She couldn't help but plead with her eyes, begging for some sort of mercy from her older brother, the one who had told her to be careful.
Justin's eyes narrowed and whispered back in disbelief, "You're…sorry?"
Alex lost it. Trying to muffle her sobs so her parents wouldn't hear she buried herself in Justin's chest, arms flew around his neck.
"Yes. So sorry. My fault." She choked out between sobs. Justin had wrapped his own arms around her and started to rock back and forth, trying to sooth her, trying not to cry.
"Please don't hate me. Please don't hate me." Alex begged him over and over again.
Justin couldn't hold it in any longer. Her pain and cries were too much for him to bear. His lip quivered and tears spilled out over his closed eyes. He placed his hand against the crown of her head, holding her close to him.
"Never. I could never ever hate you. I love you, Alex," Justin's voice cracked. He pulled his head away to face her. She kept her head bowed down, but he could still see the tears streaming down her cheeks. He took her chin in his fingers and tilted her head up to meet his gaze. The light from his lamp danced across her face. Justin could see up close the bruises that were already forming on Alex's cheeks and mouth. He looked away as a slight hiss escaped his clenched teeth. Justin took a deep breath and turned his face back to Alex's.
She looked at him, eyes red and swollen. Justin whispered, "I'm not mad at you, how could you even think that?"
Alex scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "B- but I lied to mom and dad and you. I went to the party! I got drunk and I practically l-let Dean…" she sputtered. Alex looked down at her knees again, so ashamed of herself.
"Alex," Justin said softly. She didn't look up. "Hey Alex, look at me," he said with more force.
She looked up once again, eyes fresh with tears.
"It is not your fault. What he did to you? Not your fault. Don't ever think that. I'm not going to say you made the best decision in sneaking off to a party and drinking but I'm not mad at you for that. I would've been surprised if you had done anything different." He smirked a little at his comment, trying desperately to lighten the mood, to make her feel better.
"But don't blame yourself for what that piece of shit did to you, okay?" He continued.
Alex giggled. Justin swore. She looked at her brother who stared right back at her in bewilderment. That just made Alex laugh. "Wha- why are you laughing?" Justin asked warily.
Alex chuckled, "You swore! I've never heard you say anything like that before. It's a little scary!" she finished with a giggle. Then her face sobered and became serious, "He really made you that mad?"
Justin's fists clenched again. "You could say that. I don't know Alex, when I saw him doing that I- something snapped. I was so angry and so scared that you were- I'm so sorry you saw me like that, I don't want you to be afraid of me." It was Justin's turn to look down, ashamed.
"How did you even find me?" Alex asked out of the blue, realizing she hadn't quite figured out how her brother got to be at the party in the first place.
"Zeke sent me a text telling me. He told me Dean was texting everyone saying- um..." Justin wasn't sure if telling his sister the rest would upset her more.
"Saying what?" Alex pressed.
"Saying he was going to "nail you" once you were drunk…" He winced and waited for more tears to come, but they never did.
"And what did you say to him before we left?" Alex just continued, not letting the previous answer phase her.
Justin's lips twitched, holding back a smile. "I just told him that he would arrange to never talk to or see you again."
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Back in the basement.
Justin's face slanted down inches away from Dean's. The pathetic wretch was trying to scoot away, but Justin seized his shirt with his fists. His green eyes were wild with fire. Justin had never been so mad in his entire life. And he was going to make sure Dean knew it. He leaned in and whispered:
"Do you know about mummification?" Dean looked up at Justin with swollen eyes.
"When the pharaoh died his servants went through a long process to preserve the body," Justin began to explain. Dean just stared at him thinking, This freak is giving me a history lesson?
"It involved cutting out the tongue and removing the brain out through the nose with a long metal rod, among other things. Now if you ever touch, speak to, make eye contact, or otherwise try to see Alex again, I will make damn sure that's what will happen to you. Only, you'll be alive when I do it."
He spat out the last sentence with as much venom as he could. Dean felt his blood run cold as Justin stood up. Without another word to him, Justin turned his back on Dean and strode over to the door to take Alex home.
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He didn't go into details, and Alex didn't push it.
"Justin, I'm not afraid of you," Alex clutched his shoulder. "I feel safe with you…"
"You are safe with me. I'm your brother and I will always be there for you, to keep you safe."
"Pinky promise?" Alex prompted, eyes dazzling with the innocence of her childhood.
Justin smiled as he took her pinky in his and answered, "Pinky promise."
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A/N #2: Okay, I know the whole "mummy threatening" thing is a little bizarre. I just didn't want Justin to be a full-on macho man, I tried to keep him a little nerdy :D
And I'm going to let you all in on a secret............................................................................... *whispers* Reviews make me super happy!!!
