First off: THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR REVIEWING, READING, AND JUST STICKING WITH MY WEIRD SCHEDULES, I WRITE FOR YOU. So with that said, I now notice why I don't write a lot. Its not because I have the time, which I do but never really do much. It's not because I get lost in some stories and have to reread like three to four previous chapters, which happens A LOT. But it's because I've been typing on my Dell laptop for the past three-five months and everyone knows I like to use my Toshiba. Bad news, the stupid thing has broken 'S-D-C and E' keys. What kind of stuff is that? And considering my password for that one was 'DemenaGurl,' (never for anything else, haha.) how in the world am I going to be able to do anything on it. And the touch pad doesn't work. So I'll be buying stuff for it and hopefully I'll be able to write more. Give me two weeks. I really want to write a lot more. Oh, and enjoy.

"And that is the last one." The sub shop was now empty, or at least it held my family and Mitchie only. Harper went home just a few minutes ago and now it felt great to just relax.

"So, what's the plan for tonight?" Justin slid a plate of cookies over to me as I sat at one of the back tables. Everyone else were wiping things down or carrying out trash, even Mitchie was chipping in.

"Plan? Sleep!" I stated.

"Boring. But did you figure out what you were doing for Mitchie's birthday? Or what either of you were doing for that matter? You know it is in a couple of days."

"I know, I just…," tired was an understatement, I was exhausted. I faced my mom who was counting the money at the register before my eyes gazed over Mitchie next to her. She was dancing to a song in her head I suppose as she wiped down the counter.

"Alex."

"Oh." I whispered re-facing my brother as he bit into one of the oatmeal cookies before him. "I want to do something special."

"Are you asking for my help?"

"No. I'm begging for it."

"Alex Russo begs?" Justin swallowed what he had already bitten before trying to reach for the water next to him.

"Water and cookies?"

"You begging…" His breath was quick as I heard Max yelling from the steps.

"I think I want to do something crazy."

"Yeah, like not talk about anything remotely psychotic to your brother."

"You're losing me. Look Justin, listen to me. I need your help with something."

"Anything."

"Good." I pulled one of his cookies from the plate, gazing over it before re-speaking, "Tomorrow we'll do it."

"Do what?"

"Justin."

"I don't speak girl. I mean one word doesn't usually click for me, what are we doing?" His face had a clueless expression spread across it as I opened my mouth to speak, but I felt a warm heat brush across me. I turned to spot Mitchie trying to sneak up on me.

"I don't think so." I told her as she sighed with a smile on her face, as she joined Justin and I.

"So, why aren't we helping?" She looked between us as I tapped my cookie against the plate.

"We were talking about your birthday."

"I see. I don't want anything special, hanging with you guys is all I ask for."

"So in that case you want a huge party?" I ask, not truly committed to that plan in my head anyway.

"No." I watched Mitchie's bang shake back and forth as she ran her fingers through the tip of her black hair. "Hey, do you guys think I should dye my hair back to a brownish color, or maybe even blonde, or something."

"I love your hair the way it is. And I loved it the way it was." I was kind of glad that the conversation had veered into another direction. The sub shop grew quiet behind me as my parents and Max went into the house.

"So no matter what I do you'll still love me?" Mitchie's smile was bright, her eyes glistening as I nodded.

"Cheesy." Justin coughed out as I reached over to hit his head. "That is cheesy, its all…girly."

"It's called emotions." Mitchie told him.

"You're not showing expressions on your face though."

"I didn't say expressions." She pulled a cookie from Justin's plate as he faced me. I only shrugged, they both lost me in their conversation. Now how was I going to pull something like this off without letting Mitchie on at all? I could just let Justin do everything for me, but then again I wanted to help do this, it was my idea and overall I had to be the one to surprise Mitchie anyway. Ha, I could just write on a letter and say, check 'yes' or 'no,' that'd be hilarious. I should of did that in high school when I wanted to date her, if you like me check 'yes' or 'no'.

"Alex, Earth to Alex, come in Alex." Mitchie had her hand in front of my face, waving it back and forth as I finally watched her fingers move. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I shook my head swiftly before standing, "I have to work some things out, so I'll be back." And just like that I moved away from the table and made my way towards the spiral steps, leaving Mitchie with Justin. It was odd feeling my heart race by just walking. Yeah I get that it beats faster while you're moving but the fact is my thoughts were the cause of my heart racing. Max was the only one I could see in the house, he was tossing pillows in the corner as I watched him.

"Hey Alex, check this out." Max ran in circles as I watched him. I didn't get what he was showing me.

"What are you doing?"

"It's a obstacle for Coco, see, she'll jump over this, and dive this way, and then land like this." He was seriously losing his mind.

"Coco isn't even here, I left her at Mitchie's."

"Yeah I know," he gasped for air, "but I just thought I'd test this out first."

"Good to know its safe. Hey Max, where's mom and dad?" I couldn't hear any noise going in the house and usually my mom would cook around this time.

"Um, I think the folks went out to get some grub, pizza I think."

"As always." I sighed before walking over to my brother. He was still moving things around before I stopped him. "I need your help with something."

"It depends."

"Max we all know you'd do anything for your big sister right?"

"Who are these mislead people in which you speak?"

"Ha-ha, very funny." I moved the boy over to the cushion less sofa before we both sat down. "Its something that I need to do for Mitchie."

"Oh."

"Well..I mean its…look I just need your help, so are you in?"

"I don't know, the last time I helped you with something I got in trouble for it."

"Max I'm not planning on getting anyone in trouble." I watched as he thought about it, putting on his thinking face. I never got how he thought that face was something to be proud of, he looked as if he was constipated or something.

"Fine." Max stood, "but what's in it for me?"

"Your own game room."

"No way, seriously?"

"But you have to keep it down, we can't ruin the surprise."

"Got'cha." He nodded as I made it upstairs to my room, this was going to take a lot out of me.

….

Mitchie's P.O.V

Justin and I sat next to each other eating away at the cookies he had.

"What do you think she's up to?" I asked as Justin shrugged, he was busy starring at the floating particles in his water.

"I think I need something else to drink."

"I can't believe you're drinking water with cookies, no one does that."

"I do." He stood in a defensive pose.

"No one but you."

"You're starting to sound like Alex."

"Sorry. I think after all these years she's starting to rub off on me." Justin left the table, cup in hand as I faced the window behind me, opening the blinds just a tad. It was dark, the street was empty, and a few lights were flicking outside. I only watched as one by one began flicking off, before the table slowly shook.

"Justin!" I paced myself towards the kitchen as Justin held a new glass of water up in victory I suppose.

"He-zah." He rose his cup in the air, sipping the liquid slowly as the lights flickered.

"I think it's an earthquake." I've lived in Waverly my entire life, earthquakes were the norm.

"Nah, maybe the power is just gonna' go out."

"And you're not worried?"

"Nah. Lets just head upstairs." He slid his cup into the sink as I walked before him up the spiral staircase before all the lights shut off. The stairs lead us to the narrowest part of the house, a small closed in place where only the steps sat perfectly aligned. It was almost claustrophobic. I let my hands lead me to where I was going, one step at a time as well before ticking was heard.

"Walk a little faster there Mitchie."

"I don't wanna' fall."

"If you do then I'll fall too."

"No, I have a habit of falling up stairs, not down them." Every step I took, Justin took two more. "Justin, stop." We both stood still, listening to a slight cracking noise.

"What's that?"

"I don't know." I shook my head before running up the last few steps with Justin in toe. I couldn't see a thing once we were in the house, but I could hear Max.

"Halt, who goes there?" He asked.

"Where's Alex?" I called to the boy and considering I knew him, I bet he shrugged, even if I couldn't see him.

"Where's mom and dad?" Justin asked.

"Pizza, god you people ask too many questions…whoever you are."

"Max it Mitchie and Justin." I told the boy as he began saying 'aw.' I made it to where I thought the couch was, but as I made it that way I tripped over something soft. My knee knocked into the edge of the couch and I went falling forward, catching myself just before I hit the floor. My knee began throbbing.

"Really Max? What's on the floor?" I managed to say, ignoring the pain throbbing against my knee.

"Oh, that's just my doggy course."

"A what now?" I asked, picking myself back up before I stood against a lamp.

"A dog- course- for- a- dog."

"I can hear, I'm not deaf."

I couldn't tell where Justin or Max was now, all I could hear was that eerily cracking noise. I ran my finger against the wall, running my hand over books before I found the other spiral staircase.

"EARTHQUAKE!" Max shouted as my heart leapt. I could finally feel the floor basically moving beneath me. I fell to my knees, accidently knocking my bruised right one against the hardwood harshly. I whimpered as Justin said something and soon the cracking noise grew.

"Oh my god something's breaking." I held the railing to the stairs as I heard something fall against the floor.

"Max!" Alex didn't yell, she seemed calmer then anyone else. I could hear her voice trail from upstairs. "Max, are you okay?" She asked as the floor continued to shake. The lights flicked on, and then back off once more. The pain in my knee shot down my leg for one quick second.

"OW." I ran my hand over my knee as I felt something land beside me.

"Mitchie what's wrong?" Alex asked, her voice getting closer. I stayed quiet until I felt the floor stop shaking.

"Anyone wanna' bet we'll have an aftershock?" Max happily asked.

"You wanna' bet that if we have one I'll punch you?" Justin's voice almost made me laugh as the lights outside flicked on, and those inside stayed off.

"I think it's safe." Alex's shape was recognizable since the patio doors were open. I stood up next to her, wanting to scare her but not really feeling it, the only thing I could focus on was the throbbing against my knee.

"Man, no lights." Max spoke up, "Cool."

"Besides Max not wanting the lights on, does anyone know where a flashlight is?...Justin." Alex made it over to her brother, not noticing me, which was funny in a way.

"I have one in my room, oh mom has one in the cabinet drawer under the sink." The house grew quiet for a few seconds, only footsteps were heard and suddenly Alex flashed the light around the room.

"I spy with my little eye, Max, and Justin, both are gross and unappealing to the eye." She laughed before walking a few steps forward and flashing the light around. "I spy a hottie, hey girl, what's yo' name?" Alex jokingly asked as I giggled. She made her way over to me and just as she passed the couch a crashing noise broke through downstairs.

"AHHH," Max and I both screamed as Justin and Alex ran towards the stairs leading back to the shop.

"Hello!" Justin called.

"Stupid." I could see Alex swat the boy in the back of his head. "You don't go and hello people in the dark." I watched as she went down one step and Justin followed close behind.

"Alex get back up here." I whispered to the girl as Max finally made it next to me. I moved towards the couch, sitting against the arm of the thing as Justin and Alex's voices disappeared.

"If you hear someone scream, run for it." Max informed me as I nodded, not really finding a thing funny. Maybe at another time I would laugh, but who knows what was happening downstairs.

"I think I'm bleeding." I felt something warm running down my leg as I tried to stare at my hand.

"Um girl problems aren't something I want to hear about."

"Max this isn't a girl problem, its my knee." I felt my leg again, this time trying hard not to put a lot of pressure against my skin.

"Oh, I'll go and get Justin's flashlight."

"Okay." I nodded as he went off and made it up the stairs, and soon I was left in the condo downstairs all alone. I tried to listen for Alex or Justin but neither said a thing. I heard a few people in the hallway as my heart began beating faster.

"Found it." Max ran down the stairs and over to me as he flashed the light over my left knee.

"The other one." I told him as he nodded. I could see the even cut line and a small dent against my knee. There wasn't a lot of blood but it was enough, running down my leg slowly.

"Great, do you know where anything is, the band aids or…"

"You need more then a band aid." He flashed the light up to my face as I squinted to see him.

"Thanks a lot Sherlock Holmes, you're such a great detective." I pulled the light from the boy's hand as he sat next to me. I watched my knee as the liquid slid down my leg.

…

Alex's P.O.V

I felt Justin holding onto the back of my shirt as we made it into the sub shop. I couldn't see a thing except for what the flashlight flicked over. A spark went off above my head as I moved, Justin following closed behind as I stepped over smashed glass.

"Found the problem." I saw a broken ceiling light against the floor, the wires barley attached to it.

"Oh, so I guess it must of fell out of the wall."

"No really? What gave you the clue?"

"The fact that it was in the ceiling."

"Wow Justin, all these years and you still can't pick up on my sarcasm." I moved over towards the doors to make sure they were locked, and to make sure the windows were fine.

"All clear?"

"All clear." I nodded as the lights flicked on. "Oooo. Mom isn't gonna like the sight of that." Not only did the ceiling fan fall, but a long crack leading from the kitchen to the door stood in the wall.

"You think the ceiling is gonna' fall in?"

"Don't be stupid Justin, the floor will." I tossed the flashlight over to him as I spotted my mom and dad getting ready to walk into the condo around the corner. "Hey, catch mom and dad, I'll check on Max and Mitchie."

"Why can't it be the other way around?"

"Because Justin, I wanted you to be a girl and look I ended up with two brothers."

"But I was born first." He defended himself.

"So." I shrugged as we crossed paths and went our separate ways, me up the stairs, as he went out the sub door. I hated the spiral steps that lead up to the house from the shop, it was a stupid narrow path that only let you go up or down, although that's what stairs usually do.

"Hey guys are you okay?" I saw Max replacing the couch pillows as he nodded.

"I'm good. Mitchie's knee is cut, she's…," before my brother could finish I was on my way up the stairs.

"Mitch." I called for the girl as I spotted the hall bathroom light on. I walked into the space, watching the girl glide over items on different shelves. "What happened?" I spotted the glob of blood against her leg.

"I cut it, its no biggy."

"Let me see it."

"Alex I'm fine."

"And that's going to stop me from looking at it how?" I asked as she smiled, shaking her head and sighing, completely facing me as I made it over to her. I ran my fingers under the back of her leg, raising it a bit so I could gaze over the cut. Mitchie held herself up against the sink behind her.

"So what's the problem doc?" She asked still smiling.

"Does it hurt?"

"Like hell."

"Let me fix it."

"I can do it."

"I know you can." I watched as she sighed.

"Fine Alex. Lets play doctor." I moved a few things on the counter, helping Mitchie sit on the thing before I shifted through some of the cabinets. My mom had three large cabinets with nothing but medicine and first aid stuff. I pulled a few cotton balls down and some cleaning solution before pulling up a medium band-aid.

"Do you want spider-man, or Dora?" I lifted them as Mitchie giggled.

"Either one."

"So Dora?" I nodded as she agreed. I ran the water next to her, watching the sink fill before I stopped it up and dipped a gauze into it.

"Don't put a lot of pressure on it."

"Wah, wah, wah." I mocked her, before sliding the gauze across the blood starting from the ankle and working my way up.

"You know Alex, you'd be an excellent doctor."

"Psh. Yeah, okay." I continued to clean Mitchie's leg before placing the band-aid across it. Her eyes never left mine, even when I wasn't looking her way.

"Thanks."

"I'm suppose to protect you right?"

"Right. You're doing an awesome job." I watched her as she lifted her arms out to me. "Down."

"Are you a toddler now?"

"No, I'm still Mitchie, its just that whatever you put on here burns." I shook my head after she spoke, sliding my arms across her waist, before helping her stand. Once I pulled back Mitchie kissed me quickly.

"Thank you." She whispered against my lips as I narrowed my eyes at her, nodding.

"You're welcome." I watched as she began moving out of the room before she pulled my hand for me to follow. We made it back downstairs where the pizza and Max was.

"Where's mom and dad?" I asked my brother.

"Downstairs, they're looking at the damage down there." Max quickly bit into a slice of pizza as I swiped a box and sat against the couch, Mitchie soon followed.

"So, what were you planning for my birthday?" She asked. I had totally forgot that I was even talking about that earlier.

"Um. You'll see." I told her, lifting a slice of sausage in one hand and pepperoni in the other.

"I'll see?" She asked as I nodded, before Justin came in from the back.

"Yes, food." He was making it over towards us before I pointed to Max.

"I should call my parents." Mitchie told me as I reached to grab the phone on its charger.

"Call away."

…

Mitchie's P.O.V

It was two in the morning by the time any of us in the house made it to bed. Alex was moving things into a box as I watched her. She was trying to keep whatever she as doing for my birthday a secret. I couldn't remember the last time she seemed so nerve wrecked.

"I'm sure whatever you do for my birthday I'll love it."

"What?" Alex looked up to me, "Um, yeah, I hope so." She went back to moving things as I laid against the pillow in the middle. I heard a vibrating noise next to me.

"Who always calls or texts at night?" I asked sitting up before reaching for my phone. Nothing was on it, so I grabbed Alex's. She was in her closest now, so I pressed 'view.'

Mackenzie: And what will you do for me again?"

I gazed over the message a few times, my heart beating fast before I looked to see if Alex was coming. I took a deep breath, a lump forming in my throat, but I wasn't going to jump to conclusions. I held the phone open as Alex came back in. She was dressed in her pajamas as she crawled into the bed form the foot end. Before she made it over to me I held out her phone so she could see her message. She plucked the device from my hand before texting back. I only watched her.

"What's that about?" I asked.

"Its for your birthday."

"Oh." I'm sure I didn't sound too happy about it, because it just didn't make me feel right thinking Alex was talking to Mackenzie again.

"Its really for your birthday, she's helping me."

"Mackenzie is?"

"Yeah, and Conrad." Alex was smiling as I nodded. She slid over next to me before handing me her phone again. "I promise."

I didn't say anything, I only nodded before placing her phone back on the nightstand and laying back down once more. Alex slid into me as I giggled.

"Who's cutting the light off?" I asked.

"You!" She quickly answered.

"Oh no I'm not."

"Yes you are." She told me.

"You're closer."

"No you are."

"Alex you're closer." I poked her cheek. This reminded me so much of the cruise.

"Mitch." She whined.

"Light." I signaled to her as she gazed at me.

"What do I get in return?"

"A good nights sleep." I giggled as she grabbed my hand under the cover and squeezed it playfully.

"That's it? A good nights sleep?"

"Yup." I nodded as she pushed me over onto my back and I watched her climb above me. I was still giggling before she straddled me, holding my hands downs lightly. "A good nights sleep? Is that your final offer?"

"Alex. Cut the light off you bully." I tapped her finger's as best as I could with my own as she let my hands go. She crossed her arms.

"I shall not move."

"Really?" I asked, as she nodded. I pulled the bottom rim of her shirt before crating a circling motion and sliding my hand under her shirt and against her stomach. Alex rarely laughed by ticking, she never really laughed at it, matter a fact, she despised it. I quickly shook my hands against her sides before she gazed at me clueless.

"Laugh." I told her.

"Mitchie."

"Come on, laugh."

"That's not going to work." She told me, as I decided to give up on making her laugh and touch the lower bottom of her back. She hated when I did that, I'm not sure why, but I knew she did. I ran my fingers over her side, and she just stared at me. So I used both my hands and slid them to her back, sliding my fingers down to her middle lower back as she stiffened. Her eyes locked on mine as I giggled under her.

"Cut off the light."

"M-move your hand." She sat stiff as I giggled.

"Are you going to cut off the light?"

"Ye—yeah." She nodded before I ran my hands back to her side and from under her shirt. She grabbed my hands quickly, coming into my face as she stared at me. "Don't do that."

"Why? Is that like your weird g-spot?" I giggled as she focused on me.

"Really Mitch. D-don't do that." She pressed her lips into mine, I was still giggling obviously as she pulled away and made it towards the light. I fixed the covers as the light went off and Alex rejoined me. She was laying next to me as I faced her.

"I'm sorry, I won't touch your g-spot." I giggled again as she rose her eyebrow. We both sat facing toward one another.

"Keep laughing and I'll have to touch the back of your neck."

"Ooo kinky," I giggled once more as I stuck out her tongue as I shook my head. I quickly flipped myself around, pressing my back into her chest before reaching for her arm, wrapping it around my waist. "Night Lexi."

"Night Mitch." I felt her blow her breath on the back of my neck as I rose my shoulders.

"Stop it Alex."

"Hey you turned the wrong way."

"I'm going to sleep." I told her as she shifted, kissing the back of my neck as I shook slightly. "O-o-okay I get it. Don't touch your g-spot, now stop it."

"Okay then. Goodnight." She was the one to giggle this time, as I tried to suppress thoughts that now arose in my head.

Focus on your knee pain Mitchie, focus on your knee pain. I chanted over and over to myself, before I finally was able to actually close my eyes.

Okay, I have to rush and do a lot of things, I like using my time wisely, and I want to write more so that's what I'm doing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and sorry about not posting enough last week, I wasn't busy, I was just reading stuff that wasn't scheduled for school.