Chapter 8: Christmas Away Part 2

Alex dropped his bag off at the foot of his bed and went to his dresser and changed out of the jeans and long sleeve shirt he was wearing. He changed into a white wife-beater tank and a pair of athletic shorts and tennis shoes. He grabbed his MP3 player off the nightstand next to his bed and put the earbuds in his ears.

Now that he was back at Stonecastle, he needed something to take his mind off of Ginny. He headed down to the "gym" that was on the first floor of the massive house that he grew up in. It was there that he was going to spend his time and bide his time until he went back to England. It was here that Jason and Tony found him two days later.

"Jay, I worried about him. I have never seen him throw himself into his workout before. I think making him come back here was wrong. He's been snappy towards the others and he wont eat or go out for his runs with the others. He's either in here or locked in his room." Tony told his Alpha. "I've warned the others to give him his space, but you know Nick, he wants to push things.

"Yeah Tony, you're right. Molly and Arthur said Alex was welcome to stay with them at the Burrow. Guess we should had let him stay." Jason said, turning to his childhood best friend. "Did you by chance pick up any scents when we were there?"

"If you mean did I smell his scent on her, yeah I did. She confirmed them being intimate too. She didn't want her brothers or parents to know though. So do you think that is why he is acting like this, because we have seperated him from his mate?"

Jason only nodded his head when a sound from the living room caught his attention. "Stay here and watch him." He told Tony as he made his way to the living room.

Tony turned his attention back to watching Alex as he now moved from the weight bench to the long kicking bag. He watched as Alex threw different combinations of kicks and punchs at the bag, trying to free himself from the hurt of being seperated from his new mate. The longer Tony watched Alex, the more he felt bad for the kid. He finally finds that "one" to be with and then he gets pulled away from her for two weeks. He was so focused watching Alex that he didn't hear Teri come up behind him.

"How's he doing?" she whispered, causing Tony to jump.

"About the same. He's been in here all day hitting the weights and the bags. He must be completely head over heels in love with this girl for him to shut everyone out." Tony said. "Hey I need you and Dalton to do something for me please. Have Nick lay off Alex. He won't listen to me and I'm his father. I'm afraid if he pushes Alex too hard about Ginny, Alex is going to seriously hurt him. Hell, as soon as we got here the other day, Nick smarted off to him and found himself getting thrown out of the second floor balcony. It took everything me and Jason had to hold Alex back."

Terri just laughed to herself. "So that's why Jason told him to go to the gym and workout. I heard Jason tell him that if he wanted something to hit, to go hit the bags or he would lock him down stairs in the cell for two weeks. By the time Dal and I got in, he was just entering the gym."

"Yeah that was why. Don't think Jason thought he would spend his entire time in here though." Tony said shaking his head. "Hey, what was the noise about in the living room?"

"Remus is here. I guess they having some problems at the Burrow with Ginny. Remus is trying to talk Jason into letting Alex go back to England, although I don't think he has to try very hard. I'm under the impression that Jason is feeling guilty about making Alex leave." Terri said, now watching her young Pack brother move to the Bowflex to start working out there.

"Stay here and keep an eye on him while I go see if there is any thing I can do to help with getting him back to England." Tony said as he turned to leave.

Teri gave Tony a brief nod and got her self settled in the door way of the gym, blocking any one who tried to bother Alex.

Tony walked into the living room Remus and Jason were discussing the problems they were faced with.

"What can I do to help get this kid back to young Miss Weasley?" Tony said right off. "He's hurting Remus. He's hurting bad. I have never seen anyone this upset about leaving a mate behind. I have the feeling that if we don't get him back to her soon, he is going to do one of two things. One, he is going to completely snap and seriously hurt someone causing Jay here to take action against him, or two, we are going to wake up one morning and he will be gone. Gone as in he took off without notice and is fighting his way back to her. I don't know about you Jay, but I would like to keep either of these from happening."

Jason looked at both of his long time friends and nodded in agreement. "John, I know I was wrong to make him leave. Can you get him back to her safely? Can you watch him while he is over there?"

Remus knew that when Jason called him by his middle name, he meant business. Jason cared a great deal for his Pack and he took his Alpha duties very seriously. If a decision that he made jepordized the Pack's well-being, he did everything he could to fix his mistake. This was one mistake that was hurting everyone because no one could stand to see Alex suffer. Even though Alex was the youngest member of the pack, he was clearly the heart and soul of it. If he was hurting, they all felt it.

"Dalton." Jason called, "bring Alex to me in my office please. I need to speak with him in private."

Remus and Tony looked at each other and smiled, Jason was sending him back to where he now belonged, with Ginny.

Jason had just poured him a drink when he heard the office door open then close.

"Dalton said you wanted to see me." Alex said in an out of breathe tone.

"Yes I did. Have a seat or stay standing, it doesn't matter. Listen Alex, we all know that you don't want to be here. You've quit eating and I knew that you have refused to go on runs and hunts with the others for the past few days. Since we got back, I've been trying to give you your space because I know you hate me right now."

"I don't hate you Jay." Alex said interupting Jason.

Jason put his hand up to quiet Alex. "Maybe hate isn't the right word, but I do know that you're not happy with me for making you leave her. I've thought it over and I have decided to let you return to England and spend your holiday with Ginny. Remus is here and he has brought me some upseting news. I guess that the Weasley's are having the same problem with Ginny as I have been having with you here. I've been told that she refuses to come out of her room and she refuses to eat. Miss. Granger has informed them that she wont sleep either. If she does, it is only because she has cried herself to sleep. No one there knows what to do for her."

"Remus is here to take you back. Go get cleaned up and changed and meet me back here." Jason started to stay. He didn't get to the last few words out before Alex has flung the office door open and was already sprinting up the stairs to his room to change.

A few minutes later, Alex had returned showered and fresh clothes on him. He dropped his bag that he had repacked and had it sitting by the door. He was dressed in his favorite pair of faded relax fitting Levis, a lightly pressed dark grey long sleeve shirt and his black lace-up military boots. He was finishing up getting his black leather belt in place when he reentered the office.

"Alright Jay, I back. What else did you want to say?" Alex said after he finished with his belt and sat down on the leather couch there in the office.

"Have you gotten Ginny anything for Christmas?" Jason asked him.

"I got her a necklace when we went to Hogsmeade for our weekend in the small town." Alex chuckled to himself. "It has a wolf on it howling at the moon. It was one of those things I couldn't resist. And before you say anything, yes she knows what I am and she is perfectly fine with it. I made her promise not to say a word to any one. I trust her Jay."

Jason nodded his head in approval and knew that if Ginny said she wasn't going to say anyting, then she wasn't talking to any one. If Alex trusted her, then so did he. "May I make another suggestion for a present for her?"

Alex nodded as Jason gestured towards the stack of paintings that he had finished the months before. As Alex started looking through the paintings, it didn't take him long to find the one he wanted for her. Jason had finished the collage painting of Alex. It was a mixture of Alex in human form and of him in his wolf form. He noticed that his wolf form never changed over the years but he watched himself grow up with the now finished painting.

He carefully pulled the painting from its protective sleeve and gently rolled it up and placed it in an art tube that he expanded so he could fit the custom sized leather frame for the painting in with the painting. As Alex was putting the end cap on the tube, there was a soft knock on the door. Teri slowly stuck her head in and looked over to Alex.

"Remus is ready to go when you are. He asked if I would come check on you."

"Yeah, I'm ready. I just had to get Ginny's present together." he said with a smile.

He crossed the room and picked his bag up from the floor and follwed Teri to the living room where everyone was now gathered. Remus stood by the fireplace and smiled when he saw Alex ready to go.

"Let's get you back to your girl shall we?" Remus said to him as Alex nodded.

"Alex, one last thing before you go. I know these past few days have

been hard on you and trust me when I say I don't want to have to go through that again with you." Jason said. "Molly and Arthur have agreed to take in you into their home, that way it won't be so hard on me on getting you back and forth to Hogwarts, WITH the exception that you do come here for a few days AFTER school term ends. It only for a couple of days and then you go right back. Remus has been so kind and got the house hooked up to the floo network and as of right now, the Burrow is the only placed you or any of us can go. If you need anything, call or send an owl to Remus. I will get your account at Gringotts set up and you will have access to your money there. You take care and keep in touch with us."

Alex stepped out of the floo and into the kitchen of the Burrow. As he dusted himself off, Remus went and let Mrs. Weasley know that Alex had arrived. She walked over to Alex with a smile on her face and arms open to give him a welcoming hug.

"Alex, dearie. So nice to have you here now. Remus has told us so much about you and so have the boys. They tell me that you are head over heels for my daughter and by that little display at the station, I would say so. I really hope with you here that Ginny will come out of this terrible mood she has been in." Mrs. Weasley said as she released him from her crushing hug.

"Mooney said she was pretty down when we parted a few days ago. I know how she feels. I'll do what I can but cann't make any promises. Mooney said just me being here should be enough. If I may, where is she?" Alex asked, with concern in his voice for his girlfriend.

Before Mrs. Weasley could answer, Hermione came down the stairs. She looked up just in time to see Alex turn and flash her one of his smiles that always drove the girls crazy.

"Alex! You're here! When? How?" Hermione said.

"I just got here and Mooney brought me. He said something about Ginny being depressed and locked in her room. Thought I would come see if I could get her to come out." Alex said as he hugged his friend.

"Up the stairs, second landing, door on the right. Knock before you go in, or you're liable to get hexed." Hermione told him as he started up the stairs.

When he reached Ginny bedroom door, he took a deep breath and knocked gently on the door. From the other side, he heard a muffled "Go away," and slowly opened the door. He braced himself for the hexing he thought he was going to recieve. When none came, he stuck his head around the door and what he saw tore at his heart.

There sitting on the window ledge was Ginny. She looked frail and weak from not eating, the evidence sitting on the desk untouched. Her knees were drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs to hold them there. She was slowly rocking back and forth, and he could hear her sniffling from crying.

Alex rushed to her side and wrapped his arms around her, causing her to jump and scream from being startled. He buried his face into her hair and pulled her into his lap.

"Ginny, talk to me please." he whispered to her softly.

She slowly raised her head and buried her face into the side of Alex's neck sobbing. She released her arms from her legs and wrapped them tightly around his neck. Alex pulled her even closer and rocked her gently.

After sitting there in her window and rocking her gently, Alex heard her crying subside and her breathing slowed down a great deal. He chanced a look and he had to laugh to himself quietly, Ginny had fallen asleep to his rocking motion.

He carefully stood up holding her and crossed her room to her bed. With a small flick of his wrist, he drew back her blankets and laid her down in her bed. He had to carefully pry her arms off around his neck and covered her up with her blanket when he was finally able to get free.

He quietly crossed the room and pulled the door all the way open. He then turned back around and conjured a rocking chair for him to sit in. After he got himself comfortable, he conjured a light blanket and slowly started to rock back and forth. Before he knew it, Alex had fallen asleep in the chair while watching Ginny sleep.

Hermione carried yet another tray up to Ginny's room, but this tray had twice the food on it. This tray was for Alex and Ginny both. Mrs. Weasley, after learning from Remus that Alex hadn't eaten anything in the past few days as well, fixed up a tray for the two teenagers and sent it up with Hermione. Hermione was the only one who could ever get into Ginny's room without her friend trying to hex her at every move. When she reached Ginny's room, the first thing she noticed was the door was wide open.

As she approached the door, she cautiously looked around the corner and almost dropped the tray. Ginny was tucked into her bed and Alex was asleep in a rocking chair he conjured next to her.

Well at least she is not crying herself to sleep tonight. By the look on Alex's shirt, I'd say she did her crying into his chest. At least now, maybe they can get back to their normal selves. Remus said that Alex was having a hard time being away as well. I cann't wake them if they are asleep now. Merlin knows that neither of them slept much the past few days. Hermione thought as she turned and headed back down to the kitchen with the food tray.

As Hermione sat the tray on the countertop, Mrs. Weasley threw a fit.

"OH NO! Those two WILL eat some dinner. They've gone long enough without food. You march right back up there and leave that tray with them. On second thought. I will take the tray to them."

She picked up the tray and marched straight up the stairs to Ginny's room to give her daughter and Alex a piece of her mind. She stopped dead in her tracks when she entered Ginny's room and saw both of them fast asleep, Alex in the rocking chair and Ginny tucked in her bed. Seeing that, her heart broke and she just couldn't bring herself to waking them up and making them eat. She quietly turned and moved back out the door. But before she left, she placed a silencing charm around the room. This way, they could sleep in peace and not be distrubed.

"Couldn't wake them up could you, Mrs. Weasley?" Hermione asked with a knowing smirk on her face.

"It was just that they looked so peaceful sleeping and I just didn't want to distrub that. Let them rest, we all know that they need it." Mrs. Weasley said as she took her seat at the kitchen table for dinner. The dinner sat on the counter with an extended warming charm placed on it.

Alex slowly began to wake. He didn't intend on falling asleep in the rocking chair but ended up doing so. Some time in the night, someone came in and covered him with a blanket. He slowy turned his head towards Ginny's bed and found her still asleep. He slowly stood and stretched out the stiff muscles from sleeping in the chair and made his way to her bed in the few steps it took to get there.

He sat down carefully on the edge of the bed and lightly moved a few strands of her hair so he could see her face more clearly. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her temple, taking in her scent once again. He missed the scent of her hair most of all the past few days. The smell of her hair was one of his favorite scents of her.

As he slowly drew back, Ginny started to stir slowly. She blinked her eyes a few times, letting them adjust to the sunlight streaming into her bedroom. When she realized who was sitting on her bed, she sat straight up and wrapped not only her arms but her legs around Alex and began to kiss him all over.

Alex had to brace himself when Ginny launched herself at him. He pulled her closer to him and held her tightly as he leaned back and propped himself up on her bed with his back to the wall. He placed both hands on Ginny's face and pulled her into a deep kiss as her hands found their way into his hair. He released his hold on her face and let his hands roam her body as they moved down her sides and back. His hands found their way to her waist and he felt her press her body into him even more.

His body came alive as Ginny ran her hands under his shirt and along his bare chest. She withdrew her hands and started to pop the buttons on his shirt to get it out of the way. As Ginny leaned down to place some kisses on his chest, a clearing of the throat made them both jump.

"Either wait until I'm out of the room or go find another empty room before you to start that." Hermione said with a laugh. "As happy as I am that the two of you are together, I really don't want to watch you to have sex. Besides Ginny, doesn't your mum have certain charms in place to let her know if anyone in the house has sex?"

Ginny let out a groan and pulled away from Alex. "Thanks 'Mione, I just about forgot about mum's charms she has in place. She did it to keep track of Bill and Charlie and to keep them honest. "Sorry love, as bad as I want you, not in the house though."

Alex just laughed and waved a hand over his shirt, fixing it to where it was no longer missing buttons. "No worries Gin." As he leaned in for another kiss, the smell of food caught him in the nose and he sniffed the sir for more. "Please tell me that your mom is an excellent cook."

He grabbed her by the hand and lead her and Hermione to the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley had Christmas breakfast cooking. She turned and looked at the three newcomers and rushed over to hug Alex and Ginny.

"Finally decided to come out of your room did ya?" Bill Weasley said, teasing his baby sister which caused all the occupants at the table to laugh.

"That's enough boys. Leave your sister be. Merlin knows it hasn't been easy for her to be away Alex." Mr. Weasley said, trying to hide the laugh by trying to hide behind his coffee mug.

Alex and Ginny were shown their seats at the table while Molly placed two very filled plates in front of them with the orders to eat. Alex gave Ginny a quick side ways glance before he dug into his food. Hermione, who was sitting across from Alex and next to Ron, let out a sound of disgust.

"One, I don't know who is worse, Alex or Ron when it comes to shoveling food into their mouths whole. Two, you two do realize it does help to CHEW your food before swallowing. Three, no one here in their right mind would try to take your food or plates away from either of you, so stop guarding it with your lives. And four, this is not a contest guys, slow down and actually enjoy Mrs. Weasley's cooking."

Everyone at the table broke out in a laugh at the sight of Alex and Ron frozen in place with their forks suspended in mid air at Hermione's comment.

Alex cleared his mouth from all the food before he spoke, "sorry about that Hermione. Forgot that I'm not at Stonecastle and having to fight my brothers off from my food. Nick and Dalton have a game to see who can swipe the food off my plate before I can get it all ate. Hard to change habits just like that you know."

The rest of breakfast passed quickly and everyone made their way to the sitting room where the tree and presents were piled high. Alex sat in the floor in front of the couch and pulled Ginny down into his lap as everyone laughed at the look on her face.

"Alex!" she yelped as she landed in his lap.

"What?" he responded as he kissed her lips in front of everyone.

"OI! Get a room you two." George and Fred said at the same time.

Before Alex could answer, Mrs. Weasley shot a glare in the twin's direction which caused all the boys to cringe. Judging by the reaction, Alex found it best to keep quiet and slid Ginny off his lap and into the floor next to him.

"Mum, since this is Alex's first Christmas with us, why don't we let him open the first gift?" Ginny asked.

"What a wonderful idea. Yes, yes, Alex you get to open the first gift." Molly said as she handed him a present with him name on it from her. He carefully unwrapped his gift and held up the most beautiful hand knitted sweater he had ever since. It was a royal blue in color with greyish-silver mixed with it. On the front, in the middle was a big greyish-silver 'A'.

"Oh wow!" Alex said as he ran his fingers over the sweater. "This is great Mrs. Weasley, thank you. The 'A' I take it stands for "Alex" right?"

"Yes dearie it does. Since now that you have become family, it's mum and dad to you, understand?" Mrs. Weasley said to him.

"Yes mum, I understand fully." Alex said as he blushed a deep red. The only ones he had considered family was Jason and the Pack. He never thought that he would have a "family" outside the Pack but it was quite clear now that he did.

Alex unbuttoned his shirt and removed it and pulled his new sweater over his head and proudly displayed his sweater. He was taken back how warm and soft if felt against his arms and body. He looked up to see tears starting to glisten in Molly's eyes so he stood up and crossed the sitting room and embraced the woman he now considered his adopted mom. He gave her a hug that only moms can get from her sons.

"Thank you so much." he whispered in her ear. He placed a warm gentle kiss on her head and went and rejoined Ginny by the couch. On his way back to Ginny, he noticed his bag and the portait tube by couch. He grabbed both as he went to sit down.

After he got settled, he opened his bag and pulled out the flat box that he had wrapped for Ginny. He saw her eyes light up out of the corner of his eye and he handed her the present.

"You can thank Hermione for it as well." Alex told her as she unwrapped the gift. "I picked it out when we went to Hogsmeade back in October. I had Hermione distract you so I could get it for you."

"Oh my Alex. This is beautiful. Thank you." Ginny said with tears in her eyes.

Alex had found a beautiful gold chain necklace that was in the form of a celtic knot. The trinket that was on it was a wolf howling at the moon from cliffside. Every few seconds, the wolf would tilt his head back and mimick a howl. He had managed to find the matching earrings to go with the trinket, so all three wolves howled in unision.

Ginny held the box up so everyone could see the wonderful present from Alex. After the many oohs and ahhs, presents were handed out and opened. After the last gift was unwrapped, Alex stood up in the center of the room and holding the portait tube in his hand.

"I didn't really get a chance to wrap this one and I wanted to save this one for last." Alex said. "I had alot of help with this one and I can say that you will never find another one like it any where. Jason has worked on this since I was about five years old. It is kinda like my life story in picture form and I want you Ginny to have it."

Ginny stood up and joined Alex in the middle of the room. He handed her the portait tube and took the cap off the end to reveal a rolled up painting inside. Ginny carefully pulled the painting out and slowly unrolled it to where only she could see it. Alex gently took the top corners as Ginny slowly unrolled the painting of Alex. Ginny was simply amazed at the detail that Jason had put into the painting.

Starting in the top left corner of the painting, was a young dark haired boy about the age of five. He was sitting on what looked to be a rock wall and a massive greyish-black wolf was off to his right. Underneath the boy's feet was a ribbon with Alex's age on it. She literally got to see Alex grow up in the painting. Jason had worked on it for close to ten years and had manged to catch the very heart and soul of Alex with the work.

In the center, was the teenage Alex. Of all the different poses that Jason had got of Alex, the center pose was by far her favorite. Alex was standing with his hands stuffed in his pockets of his jeans, bare footed and bare chested. His hair was the clean cut blonde that it was now. He had his head tilted down but staring right at the painter with a big mischievous grin across his face, daring you to take your eyes off of him for one second. His bare feet were at shoulder's width apart and were in his famous fighting stance.

"Let go of the bottom for a minute Gin." Alex asked.

Ginny let go of the bottom of the painting and Alex carefully laid the painting down, painting side facing the floor. He reached over and tipped the tube over and the frame pieces fell out. He assemblied the leather frame around the back side of the painting and waved his hand over it. All of the pieces forged together and the edges of the painting self glued itself to the frame. Once the work was done, Alex carefully picked the painting up and handed it to Ginny.

Ginny turned the painting around so all could see the wonderful job that Jason did.

"Mate is it me or do you have a fetish for your wolf? It seems like by every picture of you, there is the same wolf." Charlie asked as he looked at the painting's detail.

"Umm, that was a wolf that has been on the property since I have been there. It kinda adpoted me. Everywhere I go, he goes, well except for here. He was so happy to see me the other day. Jason tried to get him to move but as you can see, he wanted his picture painted as well." Alex said, trying his best to explain why his wolf form was all over the painting as well.

"Alex I think it's great. You should tell Jason thank you for me. He did a wonderful job on you and on this." Ginny said, still not taking her eyes off the center picture of Alex.

"You're quite welcome Ginny. I was going to give it to Alex when he came home, but as you can see, he chose to give it to you instead. of all the paintings I have done of Alex, he gives you the one I just finished." Jason said, stepping into the sitting room with Remus and Tonks. "Molly. Arthur. I am sorry for being late. Had an issue come up at the last minute that needed to be tended to."

"Jay? What are you doing here?" Alex said in a shocked voice.

"Well I realized that you weren't going to be home this year for Christmas and therefore you wouldn't be able to get ur gifts. Talked it over with Molly and Arthur last night while you were asleep and they invited me over for today. Remus and Tonks showed up on time but I was trying to tend to your brother and Teri. Guess Dalton decided now was going to be the perfect time to screw up and start a massive fight with her. Just spent nearly three hours trying to keep Teri from killing Dalton. Whatever he did, it was bad enough for her to pack up and leave again."

"Will this affect how things get done now?" Alex asked, dreading the answer that was possibly coming. He didn't want to have to go back to Stonecastle to pick up Dalton's slack because he and Teri were fighting, again.

"Don't worry Alex. There is no need for you to rush back. Things will be back to normal soon. " Jason said, noting the panick in the young man's eyes. "Besides, I wanted to bring you your gifts from everyone."

Jason walked over and set down the box that he had been holding. Alex sat down and pulled the box to him and started to open them one by one. When he reached the bottom, Jason rushed over and placed his hand on it, stopping Alex from opening it. He whispered into Alex's ear and Alex only nodded. He knew that this one present had to be opened in private and away from prying eyes. He put his new clothes and books ontop of the one unwrapped gift. He was given some paintings done by Jason but his were with all of the Pack as a group shot. There were a couple of single paintings that were just of Alex.

Alex took his stuff up to his room that Molly had told him was his for when he stayed at the Burrow. He was given Percy Weasley's old room, since Percy had found it too much a hassle to have anything to do with his family. Bill and Charlie had spent the entire day before moving all of Percy's stuff out to the storage shed. The walls and bed had been stripped down and redecorated to fit Alex.

With a wave of his hand, all of his stuff was neatly put away. The numerous books he had gotten were placed neatly on the bookshelf that was left for Alex's use. Once he was satified with how his room looked, he unwrapped his personal copy of the Pack's guidebook, the Legend. Jason had Remus and Tonks make a duplicate copy of the original book and gave the copy to Alex for Christmas. The Legend dated the Pack's history back a few centuries and told of all the Pack's most kept secrets.

Even though Alex knew the Legend by heart, he settled down on his bed and opened the old book up to read the history once more.