Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Chapter 11 - Testing

Author's Note: ...I don't own WoWP...that I'm aware of... I'm still making this up as I go along so...let's see what happens next!(:

Justin's POV

"So, What's the point of the Wizard Competition?" Leah asked. She had been bombing us with curious questions for the past hour and a half. I was pretty surprised at all that she could come up with; the kid was a genius. She adjusted her position on the couch to where her head rested in Alex's lap and her feet in Mason's.

"Well, that's how you pass down the family's magic," Dad told her.

She rested her chin in her hands. "But why do they have to compete against each other?" she asked.

"Well, that's how you find out who the better wizard is."

"But it's not fair," Leah noted.

"In some ways," I replied. "But, in some ways it is. You see, some people aren't very good wizards. And some are. The Wizard Competition is how the better wizard is determined. Good wizards are needed in the Wizard World, and bad ones aren't."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense," she agreed hesitantly. She drummed her fingers on the unopened juice box rested in her hand. "But it still doesn't seem fair to me. What about all the other wizards that worked their whole lives to be a full wizard?" She flopped the box on the couch. "It just doesn't seem fair to me."

"Story of my life, hun," Alex remarked, rubbing her back in reasurance. She gave me a smirk. I replied with an eye roll, knowing exactly what she meant.

"Well," Mom said as she busted into the lair, "If we have all this sorted out by now, does anybody want some cake? We might as well not waste it, right?"

Alex, Leah, and Dad's heads intstantly snapped. "COMING!" they cried in unison. They jumped off their seats and dashed out of the lair, nearly plowing each other over at the staircase. I laughed. A three-generation cake lovers fest. Old habbits die hard.

Alex's POV

I settled myself in my favorite spot on the bright orange couch with my half eaten piece of cake, smiling at Leah, who was making her chocolate milk bubble with her straw. She figited in her seat, waiting on Harper to cut her a second piece.

"So, Alex, Mason," Justin began as he and Dad entered the room. "Can we talk to you for a minute?"

Mason and I exchanged glances, but agreed. We followed them to the dining room table.

"Justin and I have been talking," Dad began slightly above a whisper.

"And we're wondering why all this stuff is happening to Leah so soon." Justin finished.

"So? She's unique!" I replied.

"Yes, but, I'm really curious to what's making all this happen." Justin answered.

"How are you supposed-" I started. Then, I got the message. And I wasn't happy with it. "What? No! No way!"

"Come on, Alex! Aren't you the least bit curious?"

I stood my ground. "Forget it, Dude! There is NO way you're experimenting on my baby!"

"Not experementing!" He explained. "More like testing. To see how her genes and chromosomes work. Maybe we can find out any side effects, or prevent anything from going wrong."

I folded my arms over my chest. "You are not tampering with her genes! She's perfect the way she is!"

Mason spoke up. "I actually don't think its a bad idea." My jaw dropped when I looked at him.

"Are you crazy?" I demanded. "Justin? Testing on her? In case you haven't noticed, he's no scientist!"

"Think about it, Alex. She's obviously different to a degree that we don't know what could happen next. It's not like we can take her to a doctor. She would be poked and prodded and kept in a cage for her whole life!" He took my hand when I refused to look him in the eye. "For her safety."

I looked at the three of them, then at Leah. She was happily giggling and talking to Mom, Harper, and Max. My heart hurt a little on the inside just thinking about it. I glanced at Mason. He glanced back at me.

Mason and I stared at each other for the longest time. I was determind to stand my ground. We both knew that if I even looked in his eyes for half a second, he would win. He was naturally pursuasive. You would think that after seven years of being together, I'd build up an immuneity to his unfair way of influencing me. Sadly, that was way off. In order to stand my ground, I focused on his right eyebrow instead.

We continued to stare at each other, both our minds racing in opposite directions. I pushed my lips together, trying not to crack a smile. He knew I wouldn't be able to last in the silence much longer, I could feel it.

"Guys?" Dad asked. I silenced him with a raise of my index finger.

I stared and stared until my eyes were burning. I slightly fluttered my eyelids, hoping that he wouldn't notice. He did.

"You blinked." He informed me, cracking a very cute smile. I'm not sure why, but that sent me into a loud laughing fit. And I do mean loud.

I rocked back and forth in my chair, clutching my stomach in pain. I honestly had no idea what I was laughing at, but for a good five minutes, I was swinging my legs under the table, getting the bigget kick out of myself. Before I knew it, I had toppled out opf my chair and continued to laugh as I rolled in the floor.

Leah instantly hopped out of her seat and brought me a glass of water. Mason and Harper helped me to my feet. I sat back in my seat and wiped the tears out of my eyes My cheeks were sore and my face was probably as red as a firetruck. I gasped for air as I chugged the water down,

"Phew!" I exclaimed, trying to muffle my laughter. Mason rubbed my back, trying his best to keep a sstraight face.

"Breathe, Love!" he chuckled. I finally calmed down as best as I could. I sat in silence for about half a second. I layed my head on the table, giggling like an idiot to myself.

"So? Do you want to go through with it?" Justin finally asked after I quieted down. I stopped laughing and sighed. I didn't like the idea, not one little bit. It made me shudder just thinking about it. I didn't want to put my little lovebug through that. I didn't want to make her feel more like a freak than she already probably did after the past few little incidents. I couldn't. But, on the other hand, it would be nice to help us understand more of what she is. For the past three days, millions of questions flooded my mind. Like, how did thst happen? Could that be dangerous? Could someone get hurt? Why is this happening so soon? It would be nice to answer some of those, to ease my mind a little.

"Fine," I agreed reluctantly. "But no surgeries, no chemical reactions, no wack-a-doodle machine thingys, and no lasers. Got it?"

"Got it," Justin smiled. "But, one more thing."

Mason and I exchanged glances. "What?" Mason asked.

"I might need to take samples from you guys, too." He informed. My heart stopped. I had never been good at the doctor's. Especially, needles.

XxXxXxXxX

I had to say, Leah did a lot better with getting samples taken than I thought she would. She did a heck of a lot better than I did, that's for sure. Mason, on the other hand, was completely casual.

Cheek samples? No biggie.

Spit? I still don't see the point, but no problamo.

Drawing blood? ...Mason flintched. Leah cried just a little. I...

"Alex! You bit me!" Justin wailed, examining the pink double-cresent bite mark on his arm. He pulled the empty needle away from me.

"Sorry!" I replied, feeling very childish. I coundn't help it. I was pretty sure I was needliphobic. Even in high school. Yep, the rebel, dilinquet, tough as nails with a slight girly side, Miss too-cool-to-care Russo, was petrified of a tiny little needle. "You came on too fast!" I explained.

Dad shook his head and laughed. "Man, when she first showed signs of hating the doctor, I figured she'd outgrow it by 5th grade!"

"How did she show signs?" Leah asked curiously.

Dad howled with laughter. "Well, right after she was born, the nurse tried to take a blood sample."

"What'd she do?"

"When she pulled out the needle, your momma kicked her right in the face!" Dad slapped his knee and buried his head in his hands, trying to lessen the laughter. I shot him a red hot glare as the entire room laughed.

"Remember back in fourth grade when she had to get a flu shot?" Harper laughed, and looked at Leah, "I said she could sqeeze my hand if it hurt. I ended up having to go to the doctor, for a broken thumb!"

"Really?" Leah asked me, giggling away.

"Yep," I sighed, "And the same thing happened in eleventh grade, only I broke her wrist!"

Mason was laughing the loudest. He looked at me, as if to send me a silent message. Message recieved.

"Mason, you are not gonna tell them-" I started.

"Oh you should've seen her when Leah was born, and they had to hook herup to an IV!" He laughed.

"And, he's telling them." I said silently.

"They brought out the IV and she instantly started shaking! When they held up the needle and grabbed her hand to put it in, she was literally kicking and screaming and begging them not to! I tried to calm her down, but she wouldn't have it!" I gave him a death glare.

"I don't like needles." I informed them. Mason put his arm around me.

"On the bright side, Love, I'm sure that the nurses and doctors had a wonderful story to tell to their familes," He smiled. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, Mason. I'm sure a nineteen-year-old having a tantrum right before childbirth because she didn't want a shot was most definatly the talk of the household for a month." I sneered.

"It was at our house," he smiled. I rolled my eyes as he kissed my cheek.

"Sorry to interupt," Justin stated, after securely wrapping his 'injury' in a bandage, "but Alex, I need to take a blood sample from you. Do you think you can manage without me loosing a finger?"

I looked up at him, and then the needle rested in his hand. I sighed. "Okay," I agreed weakly. "But I can't promise that you'll walk away without a scratch."

I sat crisscross on the white table in Justin's old room (where we had been testing) and lifted Leah into my lap. I was hoping that she would help, since she always managed to calm me down. I covered my eyes with my free hand as Justin approached us. I whimpered softly into Mason's shoulder. My lower lip quivered when I felt my brother's hand grab my arm. My whimper quickly evolved into a bawl. I squeezed my eyes shut.

And then, nothing happened.

I reopened my eyes after about a minute. "Justin, stop taunting me! Just get it over with!"

"I'm done." He replied.

I lifted my head up. "What?"

"I'm done. See?" he held up the tiny container on the back of the shot, which was solid red. My stomach felt slightly queaser.

Leah looked up at me with a dazzling smile.

"You're welcome," she whispered.

I had soo much fun with this chapter!(: please review! I love hearing your opinions:D I have a new idea for a one-shot, but I'm not sure if I'm gonna go through with it. *shrugs* thanks for reading!:D

-Shay:)