Justin

Emily came in late that night. She slipped into bed quietly, on the furthest edge of the mattress to keep as far away as possible. It was obvious she was still mad at me but I couldn't do anything to make it better. I didn't think convincing her she was mad at the wrong version of me would be helpful.

She left before I woke up; I rolled over and rubbed my hand over the empty spot where she lay, hoping to feel closer to her.

I washed the sleep out of my eyes before going about to make breakfast. It was about 9:00 when the doorbell rang. I shuffled to the door; who would be here at this hour? I opened it and was instantly ambushed by a bleary eyed Alex.

"Alex, you okay?" I asked, patting her messy hair as she hugged me. She hadn't answered my calls yesterday after she walked out on breakfast and I knew she felt guilty about what she had done, or was going to do one day. I tried to come up with as many possibilities as possible but I kept coming back to Alex somehow making us all lose her powers. But I couldn't be mad at something she technically hadn't done yet so I'd decided to drop the matter entirely until we knew more.

"No, I feel like crap."

In any other circumstance, I would have told her off but she looked terrible so I allowed it. "C'mon in, I'm making breakfast."

She sat down at the counter and I set a bowl of cereal down in front of her. She smiled and started to shovel it into her mouth.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm a slut."

I choked on my own cereal and had to spit it out into the sink, coughing for at least a minute before I could form any words. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," she said miserably, gazing into her food.

"I don't understand," I said, putting down my bowl of cereal in case she came out with more revelations that made me want to gag on my breakfast.

"I'm dating Dean. Except I'm not dating Dean. He has a girlfriend and I'm his other woman, his floozy, his girl on the side. "

"You're joking right?"

"Nope," she answered, her mouth popping on the 'p' sound.

"Dean? As in your high school boyfriend Dean? Gear-head Dean Moriarty?"

"The very same," she said, holding her spoon up before swallowing its contents. "And apparently it's very much a physical relationship since he comes around for frequent 'booty calls'."

Ewww. I really didn't want to hear about my sister's late night activities.

"Wow, you really are a slut," I teased.

She leaned across and promptly proceeded to hit me."You don't like it when I swear yet you don't have a problem calling me a slut."

"I'm kidding," I said, pleading innocence.

She sighed. "What happened to me?"

"I don't know, but the beauty of us being here means that when we go back, you can change all of this."

"What if I can't?"

Silence fell but not for long. Alex rushed off her seat and turned on my television, switching to a channel with a news segment on.

"Have you been watching the news lately?"

"We've been here three days Alex and I've been a bit preoccupied," I told her, emptying my breakfast into the kitchen sink, having lost my appetite during our conversation.

"Did you know that everyone knows about magic?"

"What? How do mortals know?"

"I don't know but it's common knowledge now. Everyone is very aware of it."

I recalled the time when Future Harper arrived back in our time to publish books about our adventures. I remembered her saying that she couldn't do this in her own time because everyone knew about magic. I just hadn't realised it had happened so soon, considering that version of Harper was in her late thirties.

Thinking about that incident also reminded me of something she'd said to Alex: "Has Mason broken up with you yet?"

She must have been talking about the split that led her to date Dean, or do whatever it was she was doing with Dean.

"Well since we're sharing, I've been suspended from work and I have a lawsuit against me. Except I have no idea why."

Alex started fidgeting and playing with her nails; the kinds of things she did when she was hiding something.

"What do you know Alex?"

"Know? I don't know anything."

"Yes, you do now spill it," I said, leering at her.

She looked away. "Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes! Did I mix up a file, get into a fight with another doctor, cause someone brain damage, what was it?"

"You killed a patient."

Once she said that…it was like someone had punched me in the chest. I was winded almost, finding it hard to breathe.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, squeezing my arm.

I'd taken a life. I mean I knew that was part of the job but the fact that a lawsuit came along with it meant I'd made a mistake. The patient would have lived if I had done the right thing but I hadn't and now that person was dead.

"We'll go back and change that too."

"What if we can't?" I said, echoing her earlier words.

She fell quiet and slumped against my shoulder, resting her head on me. We sat there for a while, both worrying over problems that hadn't even been created yet in our lives that we'd left behind. We both had things we'd change but the same thing always came back to us.

What if we can't?

Max

Who knew this business stuff could be so hard?

There were so many numbers and details to concentrate on and I just couldn't do it. Dad and Mom were working downstairs when I saw the man who I'd encountered on the first day we got here enter the loft.

"Morning Mr Russo," he said, screwing his face up when he saw me. He regarded me appraisingly and I looked down at the black jeans and white v-neck I'd chucked on this morning. It didn't seem that unfashionable and it was certainly a step-up in comfort from the suit I'd worn.

"Morning Jeeves," I responded before cursing silently. I really had to learn this guy's name since he seemed to be my assistant or something.

"Could you not call me Jeeves Sir, it's rather degrading," he said, with a hint of annoyance.

"Sorry," I apologised, getting up from my seat to shake his hand. "Do you think you could finish up these documents and then go to the staff meeting today in place of me?"

"Sir, this is your franchise, you really need to meet with the investors for them to have any kind of faith in your plans."

"I'm busy today J-" I stopped myself. "Dude, I'm very busy. Just go for me, take notes and report back later."

His lip curled up and he merely nodded his head. "Of course Mr Russo. I'll do what you ask."

He exited and I smiled. Man it was good to be boss.

Now that I was done for the day, it was time to head out. I jumped the stairs, two at a time until I was in the substation. "You going somewhere Max?" Dad asked, wiping the counter.

"Justin's," I answered automatically.

Mom came dashing out of the kitchen like a mad woman, her face frenetic. "If you see Alex, you know if you just happen to see her, tell her to please call us."

She looked so desperate, so sad that I nodded. "I will Mom."

She went teary and squeezed my face between her hands. "I'm so proud of the man you've become Maximilian."

I was speechless as she wrapped her arms around me and tightly squeezed. But I soon found words. "Mom, Mom, you're crushing my internal organs."

"Oh sorry," she laughed gently, wiping her eyes. "I'll just go…." She tottered back into the kitchen and I was left staring at Dad, who was watching me weirdly.

"Mothers," I said to him with a shrug. "So overly emotional."

Alex

I stayed at Justin's for most of the day, preferring to be here instead of at my apartment where there was a possibility Dean might show up. We watched television, lounged around, basically what I usually did back in 2010. Around lunchtime when Justin ordered pizza, we heard keys jangling in the front door lock.

"Quick, hide, it might be Emily," Justin whispered urgently, pushing me into his bedroom.

"Why do I have to hide?" I asked as he gave me one final shove.

"Because we're supposed to hate each other."

"But I do hate you Justin."

He gave me his no nonsense look and I smiled. "Just kidding."

He rolled his eyes and quietly closed the door. I sat down on his bed and tried to listen to their conversation but I couldn't hear anything so I moved closer to the door.

"Why are you going to the bedroom?' asked Justin loudly. I realised why his voice was so loud; he was warning me to hide. I got on my knees only to find there was no space under the bed. Then I saw the closet and instantly launched myself into it, moving around the clothes to make space.

I pressed my cheek up against the wood as the door opened and footsteps could be heard.

"I'm sorry for the other day," Justin began.

"No I'm sorry," cut across a female voice, obviously Emily. "Let me make it up to you."

Oh no.

I heard noises I did not want to hear ever for a couple of minutes until Justin's voice rang out again. "We can't do this."

"Are you kidding me? What's wrong with you Justin? Do you not find me attractive anymore?"

I stifled a giggle. Listening in on my brother's marital problems was kind of fun; it was certainly better than hearing them do stuff that would almost certainly scar me for life.

"No Emily, that's not it, it's just-"

"Stop making excuses Justin. I'm going to go and by tonight, you better be ready."

The door slammed shut but I was fearful she might come back, until I heard Justin drawl, "Come out Alex."

I crept out slowly to see him doing up the buttons of his shirt, looking quite exasperated.

"I think your wife's crazy dude."

He sighed. "I think so too."