Chapter Five

Teresa Russo had spent her day thankful that her two eldest children were getting along normally, now. That is – until she saw them barge through the Waverly substation front door entwined and tickling each other.

It was like being smacked upside the head for her – the memories of Justin and Alex hugging and tickling each other as small children was a sore memory to her – until she decided to bring them apart. She knew all those years ago that it would have repercussions. She watched as the light in Alex's eyes burned out, faded away, as they came face to face with their mother. Justin's hands snapped back to his side, and she noticed that he was carrying his sister's rucksack, which was…unusual. However, Teresa decided not to show her curious face and pretended that she saw nothing wrong. Deep down, she regretted not doing or saying anything but for the sake of her children's seemingly deteriorating childhood memories, it would seem the best option to keep her mouth closed. Teresa observed Justin – his facial expression was overcome with guilt – it was as if he knew he was doing something wrong. Alex was just mirroring his actions, or perhaps, she knew exactly what Teresa was thinking.

It was on days like these that she liked to sit there and think back a few months, heck, perhaps even a few days, to when she saw little bits of Alex shine through Justin's actions and vice versa. For instance, when Alex was eight, Justin proudly watched as his sister took responsibility when Max had cut himself on their father's razor. She didn't call for Justin, or their mom, she simply took Max to the medicine cupboard, washed the cut and put a plaster over it. Justin told her 'well done' and went back to reading his book. Teresa remembered the time Justin's first prank on Alex didn't go so well – he ended up getting his hair coloured blue. He was twelve. Alex felt bad for Justin so she tried to find the spell that would reverse it. It didn't really work – her hair ended up turning blue as well. Justin laughed. Alex clued his entire calculus set to his desk upstairs.

In more recent times, when Alex had wished for the genie to make people stop comparing her to her brother – ultimately making people actually forget about Justin, she was a wreck after a while. Teresa remembered the lost, irrevocable look in Alex's eyes when she finally broke down when no one could remember who Justin was – her brother, her protector – she remembered how she cried and begged for them to remember. She remembered the tears in her eyes.

She remembered that Alex would always love Justin no matter what.

No matter what.

When Teresa had discovered that Justin had a little crush on a new girl named Miranda Hampsen from school; she saw that as good because it would mean that Justin would really have another girl in his life apart from Alex. It was when Miranda first came to the sub shop, and got a really good look at her, that she knew it was too good to be true – even the girl, the girl that Justin had only know for a week, displayed a striking resemblance to Alex. From the colour of her hair, her jawline, her facial features although with distinct differences and of course, her brash attitude. She was even the same height as Alex.

This pretty much soiled everything that Teresa thought about her son. She loved him unconditionally, and although he wasn't doing it consciously she had a hard time realising that Justin wouldn't find girls that didn't look like Alex the slightest bit attractive or appealing.

Teresa observed the way Alex carried herself around Miranda. She spoke to her, occasionally, but her voice was strained. The way Alex would watch Miranda, observing her, tilting her head slightly to the side to watch the way her hips swayed when she walked and most importantly; the way Justin looked at her when she did it. Justin, being a boy, looked. Alex felt a tinge of jealously but decided to carry on and act as if everything was normal.

Why should she be jealous of another girl catching Justin's attention, anyway?

But the one thing that Teresa found important, especially now, was the way everything detail from their early childhood was rolling back into their personalities; the way they carried themselves and acted around each other. There wasn't any hugging; any play fighting or kissing but it was more of how they reacted to certain things the other did.

For example, a few days ago, upon finding out that Dean Moriarty had kissed Harper Finkle in the roller-rink during their supposed 'date' – the same one Justin had been fretting over since finding out that was the place Dean took girls to kiss them – Alex ran home and barged through the front door with tears streaming down her face. She was soaked from head to toe, her hair plastered to her face. She looked at her family who were preparing themselves for dinner, Justin, who was sat on the couch, watched as his little sister's bottom lip quivered. Teresa stepped forward to go to her daughter, but she ran past her and ran straight into Justin's arms, crawling onto his lap, she wrapped her arm around his neck and buried her head there too – Justin held her close, holding her just as tightly, as she began to sob into his chest.

Teresa and Jerry exchanged glances. Jerry whispered for Teresa to put Alex's dinner on a plate for later, while Max offered to run her a hot shower.

Teresa watched as Justin leaned into Alex's ear and whispered something into her ear. Alex, sheepishly, looked up and nodded. She pulled herself off Justin and he got up, holding her still, and took her upstairs without another word to either of their parents. She saw the young, innocent children in her eyes for the first time in years. Perhaps, she had wondered if she'd ever see it again. She hoped she never would.

Teresa felt her heart freeze over. It was happening. It was happening again. The repercussions were happening in front of her very eyes.