DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Wizards Of Waverly Place or its characters. Those rights belong to Disney and associates. I am NOT making any monetary profit from this.

A/N: Well, here's the second chapter to my very first fanfic! I was up almost all night writing this chapter and thinking up ideas. I had worked so hard on the last chapter, almost a week and a half, that I thought that maybe I had spent all my creativity. See, I'm also working on an original story, and the only reason why I began this one was not only because I was inspired by all the wonderful authors here at , but because I needed a small break from my other story. But I'm determined to do well with this story. Especially since, it has been reviewed. Thank you, Gracie05girl for your kind words on my very first fanfic. I'm quite flattered you took the time to review my story. I wasn't expecting that and I was pleasantly surprised. It made my day. Thanks again! Here we go!

Someone To Save Me

Elm Treigh

2.

Two weeks later...

He was surprised to smell blueberry waffles, eggs, and bacon, so early in the morning. It was six in the morning last time he checked, coming out of the shower, and dressed in his suit. How is it that he was welcomed with such a breakfast? He walked into the kitchen and saw her. So, that's where the smell of the food was coming from. He had forgotten he had accepted his sister in his life. Not that he had much of a choice. That Social Worker practically ambushed him, while at the same time, she had the nerve to evaluate his eligibility to care for his sister. He was more than capable, its just he wasn't sure he had wanted to. But he saw the Social Worker had a point, and so, after the assessment was done, he was appointed Carmen's legal guardian. Paperwork was done, signed, approved, and everything. No going back now. Not that he was thinking of backing out. Was he?

"Good morning!" she exclaimed as she set a good helping of blueberry waffles, eggs, bacon, and a cup of freshly brewed coffee on the table.

"Uh... thanks?" he replied, taking a seat, and taking a sip of the coffee. It was delicious! He stared at the food in front of him. It looked as scrumptious as it smelled. His mouth began to water.

"Blueberry waffles are still your favorite breakfast, right?" Carmen asked, unsure. She saw him stare at the breakfast she made hesitantly. But smiled when she saw him eating.

Jesse nodded. "Yeah. Just like Mom used to make them."

Carmen winced. She could hear the sarcasm in his words. She had hoped that by making his favorite breakfast, he would see that she could be an asset. That she wasn't a burden, a thorn in his side, or a disturbance to the established life he had made for himself in New York. But, unfortunately, he was going to hold her liable for the night he left. She sighed, as she walked toward the island in the kitchen. Maybe she was wasting her time. Maybe she should cut back on all the extra chores she's been doing, and just stick to staying out of his way. He seemed to prefer it that way.

She walked back to the stove and began to clean up the mess she made. Who was she kidding? She knew she wasn't going to give up on him. She knew she would take up as much work in the flat as needed, for her brother to realize that she didn't have the same opinions or sentiments her parents had that night. She was willing to endure his sarcasm, his days of silent treatment, his judging glares, anything, so that he can see that she loves him. He was the only family she had left. She loves her older brother, Jesse, and nothing he does to push her away will take away her love for him. She was determined to make him see. She could wait.

"Don't you have school?" Jesse asked, glancing at the stove's clock. It was six forty-five now. He put his dirty dishes in the sink, since Carmen was washing dishes.

"Yes," she replied in a small voice.

He looked at his sister. Gosh, she looked so much like their mother. He wondered if he could do this. If he could handle having his baby sister live with him. If he could handle having the past live with him. She had his mother's features, but his father's eyes. She was petite like their mother, with the same long chocolate brown hair, smooth sun-kissed skin, and long lashes. But it was her eyes that disturbed him the most. He had spent the last five years trying to run from those hazel-green eyes that used to bore into him; disapproving everything in his life. It had taken him those same five years for him to be able to stare at his reflection and see that the man in the mirror was him, not his father. He had his father's features. He had his fathers dark, wavy hair, and smooth tanned skin. But he had his mother's dark brown eyes. He had hoped that by leaving, he would be leaving that heartache in California, five years ago. Yet, it managed to catch up to him in the form of his sister.

"Are you sure you can find your way to school?" he asked, standing beside her as she was finishing up the dishes, and drying her hands.

Carmen turned to face him and smiled brightly at him, causing Jesse to take a step back, away from her, and inhale sharply. Carmen tried not to frown.

"Yes," she said. "I'm pretty sure I can find my way. I've been studying the maps and I've already gotten a bus pass and a subway pass. I've also studied the best route, just to be sure. I'll be fine."

Jesse gave her a curt nod and walked quickly away from her. He always felt unnerved by Carmen and her optimism. She wanted to be here. She wanted to live with him. He could see that. Her efforts didn't go unnoticed. He knew she was doing more, taking on more responsibilities in the flat because she didn't want to be a hinder in his life. He understood that Carmen was trying to make it easier for him. He could see she was glad to see him, to be with him, and he appreciated that. But she had his father's eyes! She looked so much like their mother and he found himself reliving the night he left over and over. He resented Carmen for bringing back the memories that took all of his strength to forget. He had tried vainly to forget the words said that night. To forget the hurt look on his mother's face when he told her he was leaving, that he couldn't take it anymore. He tried to forget the disappointed look his father gave him when he was walking out the door. Those eyes! It was his father's eyes that had haunted him. And now it seemed he was going to have to start all over to forget because his baby sister was handed to him because his parents died.

"Well, I'm leaving. Here," Carmen said, holding what looked like a lunch bag in front of her toward Jesse.

"What's this?" he asked, eying the bag.

"I made you lunch." Carmen said simply.

"Why?"

Carmen shrugged. "I just―"

"You're not Mom, you know," Jesse said walking further away from the bag toward the coat rack by the door.

"I'm not―"

"Just because you look like her doesn't mean you need to take up the 'mother' role. I don't need a mom. I haven't needed a mother for a long time." He finished as he walked away from her for the second time that morning.

"But I wasn't―" But it was too late. He had already left, without glancing back, or saying good-bye.

Carmen set the lunch she worked so hard to make on the island, feeling dispirited. She, too, walked toward the coat rack, grabbed a light sweater and her book bag that was on the arm chair near by, and walked outside. She took one quick once over with her eyes at the flat before locking the door, and whispered, "Bye, Jesse." Then turned and left for Tribeca Prep. Her first day in her new school.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

"This is Harper. Harper, this is Carmen Santiago. I'd like you to help, Miss Santiago get to her class." said the Guidance Counselor.

"Sure thing, Mrs. Brinks." Harper said, grabbing a hold of Carmen's hand, and walked out the Guidance office. "You're going to love Tribeca Prep!"

Carmen smiled politely at Harper. She was a happy-go-lucky girl, wearing an odd attire, who's theme was... lime? Carmen smiled, amused this time. She could see Harper was definitely her own woman.

"Here we are!" Harper exclaimed. "Let me know if you need anything, OK?" And she walked away. Carmen sighed and bowed her head. Everyone seemed to be walking away from her this morning. She looked up to watch Harper walk away and grinned, appreciatively, when she found her waving good-bye, amiably.

Once Harper was out of sight, she focused her attention to the door. She let out a nervous sigh, opened the door, and walked into her AP class. All the students looked up from their books to stare at Carmen, the new girl. Carmen blushed, bowed her head so her hair could cover her face, and walked toward the teacher to hand him her paper.

The rest of the day went on pretty much like that. She'd find her class, after getting lost numerous of times, walk in, the students would stare at her, she'd blush, hide her face or stalk quickly toward the teacher, and hand them her paper, then take a seat; preferably close to the door so that she could have a head start at finding her next class. She was glad that some of her teachers didn't keep her in front of the class and have her introduce herself, and say something about herself, where she came from, etc. The few teachers that did were often distracted and she was dismissed to her seat, which she eagerly took.

By lunch time, she found herself being guided toward a large table in the center of the cafeteria, by a skinny blond girl, wearing stylish clothes, and two other girls that followed her like moths to a flame. But these moths were wearing the same stylish clothes, the flame was wearing. Carmen couldn't believe she allowed herself to be dragged into the cafeteria. She stumbled upon the blond girl, while she was at a vending machine, getting a drink. She heard the blond girl make a comment about her, her clothes, noticed that she was new, and next thing she knows, the two moth clones were pulling her along with them. She was disoriented by how it happened, she hadn't noticed the blond girl was talking to her.

"It's probably better for you to know this now, than later." The blond girl said.

"I'm sorry. Know what?" Carmen asked timidly.

The blond girl and her moth clones gave Carmen an irritated sigh, followed by a quick hair flip. "I said: It's better for you to know that this is my school. I rule this school. What I say is final around here." The blond girl said, arrogantly.

Carmen stared at the girl. Was she serious? She thought. "I'm sorry," Carmen repeated. "But I didn't catch your name...?"

One of the moth clones stared incredulously at Carmen. As if she couldn't believe that the new girl didn't know who her stylish flame was. "This is Gigi, duh!" She replied.

"Right," Carmen said as she watched the girls take a seat at the table. Carmen stayed where she was, her bottled drink in hand. She didn't want to sit with them.

"Well? What are you waiting for, Carly? Sit!" Gigi commanded.

Carmen raised a brow. Carly? "My name's Carmen, not Carly," she answered hotly. "And I don't care if you own the city. I'm not sitting with you or your clone drones!" And with that, Carmen turned and left, huffing angrily. Carly. Humph.

Gigi and company stared at Carmen's retreating figure disbelievingly. How could this new girl reject her offer? She'd be lucky to sit with her! She's Gigi! The most popular, the most prettiest, stylish girl in school! Everyone liked her! How could she insult her?

Leaving the cafeteria in a bitter mood, Carmen lost her appetite, and decided she should take this opportunity to get to know her new school better. So, she began to roam the hallways, only stopping to look at a bulletin on the bulletin board or a poster or a flier, or peering in a classroom. A lot was going on in this school.

She came upon wood shop, and walked toward some of the machines. She stroked the machine closest to her gently, and smiled. She remembered when Jesse used to make her figurines from the wood shop. She had little wooden horses and wooden lions and wooden tigers and all sorts of wooden creatures. She had them on a shelf that he had made for her in her old room. She sighed. She missed those days.

"Hey! Be careful with that!"

Carmen jumped back, startled. She turned to see the owner of the voice, her face already feeling warm. She was probably blushing... again.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered.

"It's OK," the boy said, coming closer. "It's just, these machines could be dangerous."

Carmen nodded. She stared at the boy that was within arms length from her. He was slightly taller than her, lean, but in a lean muscular way. He had dark hair that occasionally fell into his eyes and dark eyes. But it was the way he smiled crookedly at her that had her speechless. No doubt the boy was good looking but that crooked smile...

"I'm sorry," Carmen repeated and turned to leave. She took a few steps when...

"Wait!" the boy said.

Carmen halted, but didn't turn to look at him. She had a sudden case of butterflies in her stomach and she couldn't explain why.

"You new, here?" he asked. Carmen nodded. "What? Did I scare you that bad that you can't even look at me?" He teased.

Carmen sighed, turned to look at the boy, and smiled timidly at him. The boy returned the smile. He waved his hand in front of him, signaling they should leave. Carmen nodded and began toward the door. The boy walking right beside her.

"So, how do you like it here?" the boy asked. Carmen shrugged. "Yeah. It's a good school." Carmen shrugged again. She saw the smile creep on the boy's face. "You don't talk much, do you?" Carmen smiled, and shrugged again. "OK. OK."

The school bell rang. "Well, I guess I'll see you around." The boy said as he walked toward his next class, glanced back at Carmen, smiled, and then was out of sight.

Carmen tilted her head to the right, curiously, as she stared at the boy's retreating figure. The butterflies in her stomach fluttering, uncomfortably. Why did she have butterflies in her stomach? She recalled the boy's smile and the fluttering commenced again. Was she falling for this stranger?

"Hey!"

Carmen jumped, startled again. But she recognized the voice. It was Harper. She liked Harper. She decided she liked her from the moment she took the time to wave good-bye to her, before she left. That small gesture was a sweet gesture and she appreciated it very much. It was what she needed to start off her day.

"Hey, Harper," she replied as friendly a manner as she could.

"How was your day so far?" Harper asked.

"Fine," Carmen answered.

"That's good. Do you need help getting to your next class?" Harper offered.

Carmen smiled and shook her head. "No, thank you. I think I can find my way around. I've been studying the maps and I think I can handle it."

Harper nodded. "So, who were you staring at?" she asked looking in the direction that Carmen had previously been looking.

Carmen felt her face become warm again. "N-No one." she stuttered, a habit, she realized she would have when she was nervous.

Harper smiled at Carmen, knowingly. "OK. I guess I'll see you later?" Carmen nodded.

Carmen watched Harper leave and smiled warmly again when she saw her wave good-bye. Carmen returned the gesture. Yes. She really liked her lime-themed friend, Harper.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Once school was over, Carmen made her way onto the subway, relieved that she survived her first day of school. She came to the conclusion that she liked her new school and the students seemed friendly. Except for the delusional blond girl, Gigi, and her moth clones. But aside from them, she deduced it was, overall, a productive day. She liked her teachers, well most of them, and she liked her classes. There was this particular student in some of her AP classes who seemed to pride himself as a 'know-it-all', but she found that oddly attractive. She noticed Harper had the same attraction when she saw her talking to him in the hallway. But her attraction seemed to be the kind that would require a restraining order.

She laughed softly. Harper was definitely a unique person. She got off the subway, and made her way down a street. She looked up to see Harper waving at her. She waved back, surprised, she hadn't realized she was in Waverly Place already, being lost in her thoughts. She walked towards Harper, realizing once she reached her, that Harper wasn't alone. She was accompanied by two other people. One of which was the proud 'know-it-all'. She smiled a friendly smile, or at least she hoped it looked friendly.

"Hey Carmen! I'd like you to meet my friends," Harper said as she turned her attention to her friends standing beside her. "This is my best friend Alex Russo and her brother Justin."

Carmen extended a hand toward Alex, which she took with a welcoming smile on her face, and then took Justin's hand, chuckling softly as she remembered Harper's insane attraction to him. "Hi! My name's Carmen Santiago. It's nice to meet you."

"Wait, aren't you in my AP class?" Justin asked.

Carmen shrugged. "Probably. I didn't notice you, though. I'm sorry." Carmen lied.

"That's OK. Justin's used to girls not noticing him." Alex retorted with a laugh.

"I noticed you, Justin. I notice you all the time." Harper added, trying to place a hand on his arm, but Justin just scooted away from Harper, uneasily.

Carmen giggled at the scene before her. She found the sibling banter amusing. She remembered when her brother used to tease her, mercilessly, but would always apologize later by bringing her a new stuffed animal. Now, however, she'd be lucky if she could get him to say 'hi' or 'good morning' to her.

"So, where'd you move from?" asked Alex as they walked into a sandwich shop.

"California. San Marino, California," Carmen answered.

They walked toward a booth where they sat. Harper sat next to Carmen, Justin sat across from Carmen, and Alex sat next to Justin. A young boy with misfit light brown hair, and colored eyes, approached them.

"Hey guys!" he said staring at Carmen. Carmen smiled at him.

"Hey Maxi! Could you take this upstairs for me?" Alex asked, handing Max her school bag. Max eyed the bag, stared at Carmen, who was still smiling at him, and nodded as he took the bag, and left.

"Was that your brother?" Carmen asked, staring after him.

Alex and Justin nodded. "That's Max," Justin said.

"He's adorable! How many of you are there?" she asked.

"Three. I'm the oldest and Max is the youngest." Justin answered.

"Must be nice to have more than one brother or sister," Carmen commented.

"Feel free to borrow mine anytime," Alex said smiling at Justin who glared at her. Carmen giggled.

Just then, Carmen's cell phone rang. "Excuse me." She said as she answered it. "Hello?... Hi, Jesse!... I'm with some friends... B-But I-I didn't―... Yes, Jesse, I'll be right home." She hung up the phone and stared apologetically at Harper, Alex, and Justin. "I'm sorry, guys. That was my brother. I need to go home."

Carmen got up to leave, as did Harper to let her through. She apologized again for leaving so abruptly, and walked away just as Max walked in.

"Where's the new girl going?" He asked a little disappointed. Alex, Harper, and Justin smiled at Max.