A/N: (Sorry the title's messy - I ran out of space. Edit - nevermind, I changed the title from 'Loneliness and Longing(Harper'sDecision)' to just 'Loneliness and Longing (Harper)', the lack of spaces was irritating me too much.)

Well, the results are in and they were unanimous (okay, to be fair only two of you voted - but you voted for the same option!): Harper is on her way to the Sunshine State - Cali- I mean, Florida (seriously, are they both the Sunshine State? Oh sorry, I googled it - apparently California is actually the Golden State)!

Can I also put this out there - how would people feel about me occasionally checking in with Juliet over in Transylvania? I have a soft spot for her, okay? So I don't want her to be heartbroken (hm, am I giving away totally obvious spoilers?) - or alternatively lied to if Justin didn't break up with her immediately, so I'm thinking she'll be feeling equally guilty about her relationship with Justin (I've pretty much decided why that is), so that they're both eventually happy with breaking the relationship off. Is everyone alright with that or are you not that keen on all the added subplots (next thing you know, I'll be writing Zeke a story, haha)?

Don't worry, this definitely won't overtake the main plot - we'll only be seeing what Harper's up to a few times, when it fits into the rest of the movie. I just love getting inside different characters heads and, hopefully, if you're a Harper fan you'll enjoy this. Plus it builds the tension - you have to wait longer for Jalex! *Evilini laugh* (Like my reference?).

P.S. Is it just me, or do I keep subconsciously putting in light and darkness imagery? Hm, I like it.

Thanks for your feedback so far - don't hesitate to give me any suggestions as they come to you!

Warnings: There's actually no strong language this time (well, what did you expect? Alex isn't here), however Harper's parents are seriously neglectful (and verbally abusive) and Harper's loneliness and longing may just kill your heart - but, do not fear, the chapter ends on a happy note. Guest Starring Monotone Woman.

Harper was sat at the kitchen table in her family's apartment. The light outside was getting dim, but she could still make out the orange flowers on the sixth Russo family outfit - the one made to her measurements.

Of course she hadn't had the time to make five outfits overnight - Alex really had no concept of how long it took to create things, what with her wand acting like a microwave except on everything: what would have taken a wizard like Alex minutes to construct had taken Harper weeks. They were supposed to be a gift for when the Russos asked her to move in with them and be a member of the family (she'd be happy even if it wasn't through Justin asking her to marry him) - but why live in a fantasy world, right? That was never going to happen.

Harper sighed and the sound seemed to echo throughout the empty house. If she squeezed her eyes shut really tightly, then she could hear that turquoise-blue ocean of the Caribbean, see her new siblings goofing around by the pool, feel Teresa's arm around her shoulders as the two of them pose for a photograph.

Harper Russo. It sounded like happiness.

Her real parents were on tour again. She'd been tasked with making their outfits for the performances - they had so many costume changes in a night, it was no wonder that she could whip up an outfit for herself in the space of an evening. But she didn't want to make anything for her parents today, she'd tell them that the mail was delayed if they asked why nothing new had arrived at their motel in Las Vegas. They weren't due back for another month.

Don't be such a moping Milly, Harper! You go out and have some fun, she told herself. If people didn't try to be happy, then everyone would be miserable all the time... wouldn't they? She wasn't sure she had it in her to go out tonight - where was there to go? If Justin was still around, maybe he'd go to a silent movie with her again and she could pretend he was her boyfriend; maybe he'd propose to her and she'd really be able to move into the Sub shop after all and she could divide her time between Alex and Justin - because they'd both be fighting for her attention. And, oh, she'd spend the evenings helping Mrs. Russo, Oh, sweetie, call me Teresa. Oh, I'm sorry, Mrs. Russo- I mean, Teresa, why don't you go sit down and put up your feet - I'll finish making the dinner. And she'd teach Max to apply logic to things, and she'd compliment Mr. Russo on his business and magic teaching - because she knew he sometimes felt like he wasn't a good father. And-

But Justin wasn't here either. Heck, even Juliet wasn't here - not that she really wanted to hang out with the girl who'd stolen her man and almost stole her best friend, but right now she'd really take anyone.

Harper could feel her eyes stinging and her throat getting sore and the ache in her chest getting stronger. She had an almost uncontrollable urge to cry. She couldn't cry though, if she cried it would mean everything wasn't okay - and things were always okay, as long as you kept a positive attitude and didn't let little things like your friend leaving and your family not giving one cent about your well-being get you down. It really wasn't anything to cry about, she was being silly.

She grabbed her coat and left, locking the door behind her.

Out on the streets of Lower Manhattan, a sixteen-year-old dressed as a desert island (the skirt of her coat acting as the sand, her exposed legs the sea, her torso the trunk of a palm tree and her head, adorned in an elaborate hat, the leaves. Her earrings were coconuts) wandered aimlessly. She felt her outfit this evening complimented her feelings of isolation well, while giving outsiders the impression of exoticism and adventure - and eccentricity, always eccentricity.

Harper found herself gazing out over the river - the other side seemed so far away. How many miles away were the Russos? Had they arrived in the Caribbean yet? Harper briefly considered calling Alex but the cost of calling cross-country would be too great. She could email? But she didn't know if the resort had free wifi - Alex's dad wouldn't be paying extra for it, and she couldn't see Alex bothering to get to an internet cafe anytime soon.

There was one other person who cared about Harper - but she was also many miles away. On her way here Harper had passed a travel agents, offering trips to Florida. Nana Franny lived there in Palm Beach these days. Harper could still smell apple pies and old-fashioned make-up powder when she remembered being hugged by her. Her Nana Franny was wonderful.

How many days was it until she'd be with people again? Fourteen? There were only so many conversations a crazy outfit could start - and most were single exchanges: Amazing outfit! a passer by would say, Thanks, I made it myself, she'd reply. And then they'd be gone. Of course not all of the statements were positive but it was no use sweating about those too much.

Would her Nana Franny let her stay with her? Her parents wouldn't care, as long as she kept making their outfits and didn't leave anything in the apartment worth being stolen. And Nana Franny was always pleased to receive guests - her cousins, down in Miami, visited all the time.

Would it be alright? Would it be that simple - to just get on a train and go? It was Friday today. She could be at her Nana's house by Sunday morning.

She rushed back to that travel agents as quickly as her outfit would allow without breaking (Harper couldn't ruin the illusion for others). She took it as a good sign that the store was still open at this time.

'Excuse me?' she said as a bell chimed, signalling her entrance, here goes nothing, 'I'd like to buy a ticket to Florida!'

There was something familiar about the woman at the counter - her monotone drone and bored expression reminded Harper of somebody she'd seen at a hotdog vendor once, or was it at a department store? Or her short-lived job at that frozen yoghurt place? Or even at the art museum, actually- oh, never mind. 'Sure. Sounds fun. One ticket to Florida coming up.'

Soon Harper would be with family - family which actually loved her - and, for once, maybe everything would really be okay for real this time.