A/N: Hello again. I have no idea how I'm managing to stay on top of my stories now. Maybe because I'm currently jobless and 200 miles from my family. (The BF and I recently moved from the middle of the state to the other side). So here's the next chapter, I hope you like it. THanks to everyone who reviewed. Smithsbabe65 is teh awesome. As is BOOM, Channilover, iheartdisney128, dramoinelurver, and randomsmileyperson and unknown.

Based on Smithsbabe65's comment in her review, I am toying with the idea of doing a multichapter Jalex (surprise surprise) loosely based on the plot of "Family Man" where Justin wakes up married to Alex with a few kids. Just an idea.

I don't own Wizards of Waverly Place.

Chapter 2:

Justin strolled into the office that morning with a broad smile on his face. He greeted his coworkers with extra cordiality and spent a few minutes more at the water cooler. In short, he was like a man who had just had the best night of his life. With a bounce in his step he walked into his own office and turned on his computer.

There were ten unread emails, five work-related, one spam which he deleted, one from Uncle Kelbo who was doing a concert in Madrid and two from his mother. One was a forward that he deleted with a grimace. When would his mom learn that forwards were essentially useless spam? The other was an announcement about Max's graduation from grad-school. He sent his RSVP and got down to task.

Before long, Mr. Dawson showed up to check on the Disney account and Justin found his opening.

"Mr. Dawson!" he cried. "Isn't this a brilliant day?"

"Who put percocet in your coffee?" his boss asked. Justin laughed.

"I'm just having a great day. Can't a man have a great day?" Mr. Dawson eyed him suspiciously and Justin decided to cut the theatricals. "It's just so great for me today because my girlfriend said yes last night. I'm engaged!"

"Wow, that's wonderful!" Mr. Dawson said. "I didn't know you even had a girlfriend."

"Uh, yeah, we've only been together a month. But when you know, you know, right?" Justin nodded. "I didn't want to say anything to you yesterday because I didn't want to jinx the proposal. You know?"

Mr. Dawson was beaming. He cast his eyes down on Justin's desk where he noticed a framed photo. "This must be the fiance here!" he grabbed the frame. "I can see the love and passion in your eyes!"

"N-!" Justin's exclamation was cut short by Zeke's arrival into his office.

"Beakerman," Mr. Dawson nodded his head to Zeke who nodded in return.

"So, did she say yes?" Zeke asked. Justin looked at his friend. Don't overdo it, Zeke. Justin hoped his friend wouldn't overact like he did in their high school production of Peter Pan.

"Mr. Russo was just telling me all about his fiance," Mr. Dawson said. "He was even showing me a picture of her!" He showed the photo to Zeke who looked at Justin quizzically.

"Isn't that..."

"Yes that's Alex," Justin chimed in. "My fiance!"

:What a lovely girl," Mr. Dawson said. "I want to meet this Alex of yours. You know what, bring her to our Thanksgiving Potluck this Friday," he said quickly. "I won't take no for an answer!" he insisted. Justin gulped.

"Oh-okay Mr. Dawson, will do," he smiled queasily.

"Great. Time to get back to work. And Beakerman, don't you work on the eighth floor?" Zeke nodded and made a nervous gesture with a laugh and Mr. Dawson left.

"Dude, ALEX?" Zeke shrieked. Justin looked contrite and put his head in his hands.

"I know," he moaned. "But what was I supposed to do? Mr. Dawson would have expected I would have a picture of my girlfriend on my desk, right?"

"I don't know what you're going to do now," Zeke said. Justin admitted he had no idea.

"I just think this thing is spinning out of control," he said. "Maybe I should back out."

"Are you really going to give up on your dream of becoming Director of Advertising?" Zeke demanded.

"No!" Justin exclaimed. "I'll just have to come up with a different route. This is becoming too complicated already."

"I don't know what you're going to do but I should get back to work too," Zeke said. "Before Mr. Dawson tells my boss I was down here." With that he left Justin alone to ponder just how he would fix the mess that was growing from his lies. This is why he didn't lie! He knew it was a bad idea but he was so desperate for the job he had worked so hard for.

A knock on his door made him snap to attention.

"Come in," he said. Mark Sanford appeared in the doorway and Justin mentally groaned. Just perfect.

"Just wanted to say hi to my new Assistant," Sanford said with a cheesy smile. "Can't wait to start working with my number one guy!" He gave Justin the point-and-wink and Justin faked a smile and nodded.

"So, just remember you can come to the Sand-Man with any problems, OK Russo" Justin barely managed to keep from breaking his fake smile and nodded again.

Sanford left and Justin stared at the photo of him and Alex. No way was he going to let Mr. Cheesy Ego Man get the job over him. Whatever it took, right?

*Tis the season to be jolly*

"Alex, hey. It's Justin. Are you free to talk?" he said into the phone.

"Sure, what's up?" Alex asked. She was trying to figure out how to best make Grady jealous but she figured Justin needed to talk, based on the tone of his voice.

"I have this problem," he said. "It's sort of dumb. You know, you'll laugh when you hear it. In fact, it's..."

"Spit it out," she said impatiently. She might have time for him but she really wanted to get back to figuring out her Grady-situation.

"Okay, okay," Justin said. "My boss is retiring at the end of the year and instead of promoting me, he's going to promote this other guy. This other guy has a family and stuff and that's why he's getting the job. Even though he's not had nearly as much experience as I've had and he's really just so.."

"Justin," Alex warned. Her brother still had a tendency to ramble, even now at the age of 35.

"Anyway, basically Zeke said I should fake a fiance to get the promotion instead of the other guy. Only now my boss somehow got the crazy idea that...you...are my fiance."

"WHAT?" Alex screeched. "That's just...WHAT?"

"I know!" Justin sounded desperate. "I wanted to correct him but he left before I could. Now I'm getting into this horrible mess and I need your help. I can't let this other guy get MY job. I just can't!"

"Justin, I don't know about this..." Alex said. She turned slightly in her chair and caught a glimpse of Grady passing by her office. He gave her a quick smile and her heart fluttered in her chest.

"So what do you say?" Justin was still talking but Alex's thoughts were elsewere. "Alex?"

"What?" Alex snapped back to reality and tried to focus,

"I asked if you would come with me to our office Thanksgiving Potluck next Friday," Justin repeated. Alex rifled through her mail, thinking about this whole crazy, awkward situation Justin had gotten himself into. If she wasn't beyond laughing at his misfortune nowadays she just might let out a belly rumbler.

"I don't know. Isn't that kind of awkward, me posing as your fiance?" she asked.

"C'mon, when we were kids you pretended to be married to me and we pretended to be Max's parents."

"Yeah but that's different," Alex protested.

"Is it?"

"I don't know..." Alex chewed her lip and glanced at the hallway again. She really wanted to figure out how to get out of this and get back to cracking the Making-Grady-Jealous Plan. Then it hit her. She could use this, she could use her fake engagement to Justin to make Grady jealous and make him realize how in love with her he really was! It was brilliant.

"Justin," Alex said suddenly. "I'll do it."

"What, you will?" Justin asked. Alex was agreeing to his crazy, hairbrained scheme? "What's the catch?"

"No catch!" Alex's voice was all high and breathy like when she was lying.

"Alex..."

"Fine. I need to make this guy jealous. I think he likes me but I heard him say he wasn't sure so I need to make him jealous so he knows how much he likes me and will finally ask me out."

"Is that the best way to get a guy?" Justin asked.

"Is that the best way to get a promotion?" Alex pointed out.

"Fine, it looks like we both need each other," Justin said. He ran a hand through his dark hair, wondering if he should get a haircut. He'd worn it long but maybe a Director should have shorter hair.

"So when's this shindig?" Alex asked.

"Friday from two to four. Wear something nice. It'll be at the Firestone Plaza downtown."

"I'll be there," Alex said. They both hung up. Alex sat in her office chair, staring at her sketches, wondering what in Merlin's name she had gotten herself into.

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