So, so, so sorry for not updating on this. I had other ideas for other stories, that some of you may have noticed, but I'll try and write that party somebody wanted. With a disco…
And I've mainly been working on an alternate opening to a story I hope to publish one day. If you want, I'll post it in an author's note at the end of the next chapter, considering I remember.
And don't forget to vote! You have until tomorrow!
After the fine dinner, the bill split between the adults, they all returned to the Jackson residence, what with it being the largest house out of the lot of them.
The music was on, champagne was opened- Max steered well clear- and laughter and chatter was high in the air. Joy was quite happily singing along to whatever song and dived into whatever conversation she could.
The only thing missing from the party was Alvie.
He dreaded social occasions, no matter who was there. Crystal suspected he had gone to find somewhere quiet to read, the unsociable little git.
She, with Max's help, searched the house from top to bottom, but Alvie wasn't hiding in any of the rooms. He wasn't in his wardrobe or on his bed or anywhere.
"Oh, the idiot. Where is he?" Crystal sighed, running a hand through her hair. Max looked just as troubled as her.
Then he brightened and dashed for Alvie's room. Crystal mentally slapped herself and hurried after him, arriving just in time to see him climb out the window. "Max?" She called.
"Ha! He's on the roof!"
"What the hell is he doing up there?"
"Reading, obviously. Alvie, come on, don't be unsociable."
"I'm not… too many people."
"Yeah, I know. But it's rude. Up, now." Max gave a triumphant laugh and there was a scuffle, somebody scrambling to their feet. "Or the book gets it."
"Max, you better not be picking on him!" Crystal demanded.
"I'm not!"
"He's stolen my book!"
"Haha, midget."
"Give it back!"
"Come down to the party and I will."
"But I don't want to…" Alvie complained. "No! Put me down!" Max reappeared seconds later, Alvie slung over his shoulder and holding the book.
"Sup?" He grinned, easily lowering himself through the open window, minding Alvie's head on the frame. He set his brother down once they were on safe ground and ruffled his hair. Crystal glared at the older brother, linking her arm with Alvie's.
"Don't be mean. He saved your life."
"I'm not being mean; I'm just trying to get him to be social so he won't be so flaming shy."
"That's physically impossible." Crystal muttered, checking Alvie over. He looked a bit shaken, but she wasn't sure why. Had the climb down unnerved him?
"Oh, right." Max said, bopping himself on the forehead. "Sorry, bro. Forgot." Alvie just nodded. Max tackled him in a hug, his arms around his neck. "I won't do it again. Pwomise." He said childishly. Alvie smiled weakly and shrugged his brother off. Max grinned reassuringly and left.
"Are you OK?" Crystal asked. Alvie nodded. "You just want to sit somewhere quiet and read, don't you?" He gave a sheepish, admitting smile and Crystal laughed. "OK, I'll compromise. An hour with everyone else and then I'll let you go back to reading wherever you want and I won't drag you back to the party. Deal?" She smiled, holding her hand out. Alvie studied her for a few seconds before smiling and shaking her hand.
"An hour." He held his hand up, tapping his watch. "I'm timing."
"Cheeky git." But the deal had been made and he didn't resist when she took his hand and led him back downstairs. She had an hour to get him to interact with everyone or as many people possible and that was exactly what she was going to do.
Joy attacked Alvie the second he appeared in the living room.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She sang, grabbing his hands and dancing around, making him stumble along with her. His bewildered expression was adorable and Crystal smiled to herself.
Then Joy turned on her, pointing at Alvie insistently without looking at him. "You are marrying him." Alvie went bright red and Crystal felt like her face was on fire. The others were laughing, which didn't help whatsoever and Alvie avoided her gaze, looking down at his shoes and looking like he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole.
The poor soul had an hour of this. Crystal wished she had an hour of this.
"Mom, you can't-"
"You are or so help me, I'll make you."
"How will-?"
"Arranged marriage. Frowned upon, but it can be done."
"Mom-" But Joy had already bounced off, having spotted Annabeth disappearing into the kitchen. She was hungry and she was getting food or else.
Crystal glanced at Alvie. His socks were, apparently, incredibly fascinating. Crystal looked at her own and realised they actually were quite interesting- a penguin in a Santa hat and standing on snow with snowflakes falling around the penguin from the night sky. His socks weren't so interesting in her opinion- dark green with red spots.
She moved over to him, well aware of everyone watching them. "Sorry about Mom." She mumbled, bumping him with her shoulder. He just nodded, biting his lip. "I personally think it's a bit weird that she was wittering on about a marriage at a divorce party."
"She is a bit weird." Crystal stared at him and the realisation of what he had said sunk in and he looked horrified with himself. "I- I didn't mean-"
"No, it's OK." She smiled, laughing. "Mom admits she's weird all the time." Alvie relaxed slightly, but he still looked anxious.
"Nico, are you sure you can drive?"
"I'm fine. I had, like, two."
"You had six."
"Seven." Tobias corrected.
"No, I counted nine."
"I'll drive." Joy said.
"But it's my car!" Nico protested. Joy shot him a warning look and Nico sulked. "My car…" He grumbled, but he relented.
"Ooh, I can drive." Crystal smirked.
"Definitely not." Joy and Nico said firmly.
"Awww…. Buzzkill."
Crystal followed her parents out after hugging Alvie goodbye- this bought up the subject of her marrying him again. Joy and Nico held hands, Joy talking excitedly about baby plans and then randomly arranging Crystal and Alvie's wedding.
Yes, Crystal loved Alvie to pieces, but she couldn't think that far ahead. She tried to imagine marrying Alvie, but it simply didn't click in her mind. They had only been dating for nearly four months now, so it was pretty obvious why the puzzle pieces didn't settle.
Her phone rang then and she frowned. Who the hell was ringing her at this hour?
She answered without checking the caller ID- she never checked it.
"Hello?"
Alvie couldn't sleep.
Joy's comment earlier had kicked new ideas into his mind and that was keeping him awake. He couldn't even settle to read, he was so stressed with these new options.
He was nearly twelve- nearly- and he had no idea what he expected in the future. Heck, he didn't even know what to expect tomorrow.
Thinking about tomorrow gave him a bad feeling and that nagged at him more than the marriage idea. It was one of those feelings that sent a chill twisting down his spine and flaring in his stomach.
Somebody knocked on his door and Max poked his head round.
"Hi." He whispered, giving a timid wave. "You are awake, right?" He hissed when Alvie didn't respond.
"Yeah." Alvie mumbled. Max grinned and entered, closing the door behind him. He padded over quietly and sat on the bed next to Alvie.
"You OK?" Alvie nodded, resting his head on his brother's shoulder. Max's arm went around him. "Sorry about earlier." Max said quietly. "It totally escaped my mind. I forgot you hated heights."
"It's OK."
"Why are you awake anyway?"
"Can't sleep."
"Ooh, thinking about Crystal?" Max teased. Alvie felt heat rise in his cheeks and was glad it was dark so Max couldn't see. Max snickered. "Hey, if you do get married, I want to be best man. There, I beat Tobias to it." Max seemed mildly proud of himself, giving a content nod.
They sat in silence, the soft ticking of Alvie's clock the only thing disturbing the quiet. Alvie startled Max by randomly putting a hand on his chest. He felt Alvie relax seconds later and confusion washed over him. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing." Alvie dropped his hand and Max put his there, feeling his heart beat against his palm.
"Oh. I'm alive, don't worry."
"Sorry." Alvie said quietly.
"For what?"
"The tunnel. I got it wrong."
"Alvie, it doesn't matter. You bought me back and I couldn't be more grateful." Max suddenly grinned. "You saved my life; I am eternally grateful." He crushed Alvie in a hug, laughing. "You're the best little brother ever and I'm so sorry for making your life hell."
"You didn't." Alvie choked, squirming. Max loosened his hold slightly, but didn't let go.
"I did." There was a spark in Max's voice, one Alvie couldn't place. "Here, instead of arguing over who's sorry about what, how about we draw a line under it and start again?" Alvie nodded. "Almiester." Max sighed. "That's such a cool name. I'm just flipping Maximus."
"That's Latin for 'greatest'."
"Almiester sounds better."
Annabeth checked on her children, as she always did in the morning after getting up. The triplets were there, snoozing and entangled in their bedding as usual. Sage was up and getting dressed- she was an early riser, just like her mother.
Max's room, horrifyingly, was empty. Annabeth shouted for her husband, who instantly came hurrying.
"What?" He demanded. He saw Max's empty bed. Annabeth darted in and checked the whole room over while Percy scrambled to check on Alvie.
He was a bit surprised to see Max and Alvie fast asleep, Max's arm around his younger brother. Percy laughed in relief and quietly snuck back to his wife, who was frantic with worry. What if Max had run away again?
Percy caught her by the shoulders. "It's OK. Look." He took her hand and led her back to Alvie's room.
The relief from her was over-powering, but then she decided to give Max a rude awakening.
"Maximus Daniel Jackson!" Max woke with a start, effectively waking his brother up to. Both of them were equally confused at first, but then they saw their mother fuming at Max.
"Um… hi." Max managed a smile, but he looked petrified.
"What are you doing in here?!" Annabeth demanded.
"I couldn't sleep, so I came in here to talk to Alvie. Dozed off." He mumbled. Annabeth looked ready to throttle him for making her panic. "Sorry, Mom."
"Idiot…" She grumbled. Max stayed quiet while his mother calmed down. Alvie was clearly uncomfortable, wary of his mother beating them up with a frying pan like she did to Tobias whenever he stepped out of line. "Max, don't scare me like that. I thought you'd run away." Max bit his lip.
"Sorry." He repeated. He glanced at his younger brother before shakily getting to his feet. Annabeth strangled him in a hug, calling him an 'idiot' again.
"Alvie, you OK, sweetie?" She asked over Max's shoulder. Alvie nodded, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Annabeth smiled at him and then went to strangle her second eldest properly for being an idiot.
Just some family dynamics and whatnot.
Um… next chapter- all written and whatnot and… it's mean… very mean…
Don't forget to vote! And if you guys want, I'll post that bit for my story. It's not much, but it was better than the first opening- gods, that was awful…