Thanks for the continued reviews! Alright, I know that cliffy was mean... I'm pretty mean I guess! I'm sorry, hope this next chapter helps!! *mwah*

Disclaimer: I own nothing copyrighted!

----------------------------

After hearing disturbing noises coming from Alex's room, Justin decided he needed to investigate. He stared into the hallway, bracing himself for danger. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, so he ventured out and walked quietly towards Alex's room. He hadn't heard two voices in her room; there was only hers… and he hadn't heard her yelling or screaming, so she was more than likely just dreaming. Justin, however, was not taking any chances.

This is freaky… Justin thought. She'd BETTER be having a nightmare. If I find that creep in there, so help me…

He finally reached Alex's door. Their rooms were right next to each other, but the short walk felt like it had taken an eternity. Justin grasped the doorknob and opened her door quietly.

He peered around the room for a moment, not able to see much as his eyes were still adjusting. He didn't hear voices, just the sound of Alex tossing and turning. When Justin's could finally see a little better, he saw that Alex was definitely alone, and she was indeed having a nightmare. She had been thrashing about in her sleep. Her alarm clock had been knocked over, and her comforter had been thrown to the floor, and she was tangled in her top sheet.

That prick is haunting her dreams, too?! Oh, he's going down…

He walked quietly to her bed, and said softly, "Alex…Alex, wake up. It's Justin…you're having a nightmare."

"No…" Alex moaned, pushing her pillow off the bed.

Justin called, a little louder this time, "Alex…it's just me. Wake up…" He finally reached her bedside, and placed one of his hands gently on her head. "It's OK…just open your eyes…"

One of her arms swung around and nearly hit him. He put one hand on her bed, and the other hand on that arm to avoid getting hit, and this contact disturbed her enough to make her reach up and push against his chest. He tried shaking her a little bit to wake her, but her movements only became sharper.

"Alex," Justin said, still shaking her lightly, "you're just dreaming. Wake up, it's Justin!"

Finally Alex's eyes flew open, and at the sight of a young man hovering over her, her upper body sprang up and she cried, "NO!", and she scrambled backwards until she hit the wall.

"Alex! It's just me!" Justin assured her in hushed tones, "You're safe; you were just having a nightmare!" he said, hands up and keeping his distance.

Still with a look of shock on her face, Alex stared at him for a moment, terrified and panting. Without warning, she reached for Justin and burst into tears. He came to her and embraced her tightly, trying desperately to make her feel safe again. She crumpled into his lap like a baby. Justin noticed briefly that Alex was not wearing pants, but he tried to ignore this fact in the interest of comforting her.

"Justin, he… he had a knife… in my dream, he c-came to my room… w-with a knife..."

"It's over, Alex… it's over," Justin said, blood boiling, "It didn't happen, and it never will happen."

Alex calmed down a bit as they continued to squeeze one another. Justin had been rubbing her back soothingly, still trying not to look at her smooth bare legs across his lap, and Alex had her face buried in the warmth of his neck. He pushed her hair aside kissed her temple lovingly. Their breathing became in sync and Justin rocked her slightly.

Alex's lips had been brushing against his neck, and out of nowhere, he quite distinctly felt his sister leave a kiss there.

Justin pulled back and looked at her, his expression questioning. Alex didn't falter, but only gazed at him longingly in the dim moonlight. She knew what she wanted, and at this point she was just waiting for Justin to show her that he wanted the same thing.

He returned her gaze, letting a minute pass and wondering whether he could overlook yet another intimate moment with Alex. The brief moments had grown increasingly more intense and hard to ignore. What with her abrupt exit from his room that evening, Justin didn't want to risk triggering anything that might upset her.

Reaching his hand up, he let his thumb trace her cheek and jaw line, and then tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He continued tracing, eventually reaching her lips and tracing them as well. She took that opportunity to kiss his thumb as he did so.

Feeling slightly bolder, Justin brought her wrist to his mouth, kissing it gently. He placed another kiss slightly further down her arm, inching closer to her. Alex brought her free hand up to cup his face, and he paused the kissing of her arm to look at her.

Alex put her hands on either side of his face now.

She began to lean closer to him, growing impatient. Justin slowly leaned in as well, and the space between them grew smaller. Their faces stopped within an inch of each other, and Justin leaned his forehead against hers, closing his eyes.

Do I really want to do this…? Justin thought. Once this happens, there is no going back. Nothing will ever be the same.

He could almost hear the sound of both their hearts pounding. He stopped leaning against her forehead and brought their faces parallel to each other. Both of them had their eyes closed, and their lips were nearly touching.

Alex had finally had enough waiting. With her hands already holding his face, she pulled his mouth to hers. Their lips met softly at last, catching a top lip upon a bottom lip. They both finally exhaled, not knowing how long they had been holding their breath. Their mouths opened slightly as their lips embraced again. They inhaled deeply, almost gasping, as Alex wrapped her arms around his neck and their lips met yet again, more passionately.

Alex's tongue traced Justin's upper lip as their longing for one another escalated. Their tongues met and lapped at each other rhythmically. Between breaths, Justin nibbled Alex's lower lip. Their kissing began to grow hungrier; Justin's hand tangled in Alex's thick hair as his other hand pressed against her lower back and pulled her closer to him. He was kissing her jaw line now, moving down to her neck, where he nipped softly.

Alex let out a soft moan and tried to reposition herself so she could straddle him. She grinned excitedly, feeling his hardness beneath her.

Justin suddenly realized that he was sporting some serious wood. For his sister.

It hit him that he was still conflicted. Justin stopped his ministrations on Alex's neck and moved her off of his lap quite swiftly.

"Justin, wha-"

"Alex, I am so sorry!" He said, scrambling off of her bed and to his feet. "I can't believe I just did that! Oh my God, you must hate me right now… I'm sorry!"

He started to turn for her door, but Alex had gotten up and grabbed his hand.

"Justin, stop for a second! You totally didn't do anything, I did!" Alex assured, intertwining her fingers in his, "That was MY choice, and you have NO idea how long I've been wishing that would happen."

"But there is no way we can do this… there is no possibility that this could end well!"

"Pfft, what do you know? Neither of us have ever done this before, and I'm willing to see what happens," Alex reasoned, "and you need to take a risk for once in your life! Don't you think I'm worth that much?"

Oh, that's low… Justin thought. She's pulling the pity card. Ugh, now she's doing that pouty lip thing… gah! She really is pure evil, walking around pouting and not wearing pants and kissing me…

"Ugh, Alex… yes, I think you are worth a lot more than I could ever explain. And I do want this… I want you."

"Me, too," Alex said, putting her arms back around Justin's neck.

"…Are you sure? You definitely want this?"

"What? Oh, I was agreeing that I'm worth more than anyone could ever explain," Alex said, grinning to herself as Justin rolled his eyes. "And yeah… that too. I want this, Justin. And I need you." She leaned forward and kissed him sweetly.

Justin broke the kiss before it could heat up again.

"OK…I still think we should hit the brakes a little, though. At least for tonight." He began to remove Alex's hands from his neck so he could go back to his room, but she stopped him yet again.

"Wait… will you at least stay with me? We don't have to do anything but sleep," Alex asked, batting her eyelashes and pouting yet again.

Justin stared at her a moment. Even though they had both just made a life-altering and probably detrimental decision, she seemed absolutely fine, in true Alex fashion.

"OK, Alex… I'll stay here. But put on some pants."

Hands linking again, they walked back to her bed. She threw on some little shorts and sat down.

"Better?" Alex asked.

"….Not really… but whatever. Let's just sleep."

He sat beside her, and they lay down, pulling the comforter back up from the floor to wrap around themselves. They curled up together in a spooning position, and fell asleep quickly.

How was that, pumpkins? You likeee? I enjoyed writing that chapter. :)

FYI, this is NOT the end of the story! I hope you know that I wouldn't end it that abruptly or lamely...

Review please!

-L