A/N: Wow, so I haven't updated in a whole year! Well, technically this story is supposed to be completed but I got so many wonderful reviews so I figured I might as well add more to this story. I caught a quick marathon of the show and I really like the way they're making Phoebe's character develop. Sneaking out to parties, the stealing, and the lying. I just had to elaborate on that. She's becoming a badass, I love it!

"Maximus Octavius Thunderman, what were you thinking?!"

I wasn't. My plan was to skip town and go from there. I shouldn't be here right now, I should be on a city bus making its way out of Hiddenville. But instead I'm sitting in my family's kitchen getting an earful from my mom.

"I thought it would be best if I wasn't here."

This is all Phoebe's fault. As if I didn't think for a second she wouldn't tell Mom and Dad that I was planning on leaving.

"What you two did was wrong…but –but leaving would only make things worse." Dad chimes in. At least he's a lot more calm.

A sudden rush washes over me and I turn my head to look in the direction of the stairs. I can see dark brown hair poking from beyond the hallway. Phoebe's there and the second our eyes lock, her head ducks back behind the wall.

I want to swear out loud because she ratted me out but my parents have no idea that I saw her. I won't risk her getting in trouble for my selfishness.

"Listen to me Max." Mom then grips me by the shoulders. I'm focused on her now. "Things are going to be different now. I already had this same talk with Phoebe…I want you two to act as if nothing had ever happened."

Dad takes a few steps closer and brings his voice down a couple notches. "What would we tell neighbors if our oldest son just disappeared?"

Mom nods.

"And what would we say to Billy and Nora?" I stay silent."So for their sake please –just pretend none of this ever happened."

So that was it. My parents were more concerned about keeping up with appearances then the truth. I didn't even think it was possible to 'act as if everything were normal'. What Phoebe and I did…there's no going back to the normal.

I already knew that fighting back was a losing battle. But that won't change how I feel about her.

"I guess I understand. Goodnight." I stand up out of my seat and start walking to my room.

There's no possible way this will work.

It's around midnight and everyone has been asleep but I can't catch a wink. Every time I close my eyes, everything replays over and over in my mind. So many other possible outcomes that could have been if I had done it differently.

Maybe I should have pushed her away, but the second I knew my sister felt the same I couldn't think of anything else but her.

How could I move on?

"…Max?" A gentle touch on my shoulder.

No.

"Max, I'm sorry."

In a blink I go from frustrated to angry. Phoebe is the last person I want to see right now.

"Get out of my room."

"Please talk to me."

It's like Déjà vu all over again. Right before this mess started and I snap. I pull the covers off of myself.

"Why did you tell them?!" I angrily shout in a whisper. "I shouldn't be here!"

Phoebe cowers back, but only for a second. "You weren't thinking straight. Did you honestly think you'd be able to survive out there?"

"So what. It'd be much better than being here with-,"

"Me." Phoebe fills in the blank. There's hurt in her eyes and in an instant she's directly in front of me reaching out.

"Don't." I put my hand up to stop her. "I can't do it. I can't look at you like I don't want you."

I'd rather be gone, far away then to stay here and have to breathe another moment of knowing I can't have her.

Silence creeps over us.

"I-I don't think…I'll be able to pretend either."

Fuck. I don't need to hear this from her. The fact that I know what her lips feel like pressed against mine is making me tip the scales of right and wrong once again. She's just not making this easy for me, for the both of us.

"Please, Max-,"

I won't do it.

"Get out."

I get one last pleading look from her, before she gives up and leaves.

Morning comes way too soon. I didn't get any sleep so now I'm irritable.

Mom is over the stove cooking up what looks to be quite a meal. At least she's trying to make it seem as if everything is back to normal. I grab a bowl of cereal because it's quick and easy.

"Morning everyone!" Phoebe cheerfully enters the kitchen.

It looks like Phoebe is playing the game of Charades too.

I grunt in response, taking more of an interest in my food.

"Max, Phoebe, don't forget you guys have to pick me up from Track and Field after school." Billy mentions.

I had completely forgot. With everything that's been going on I find it an honest excuse. Phoebe sneaks a peek at me and she looks just as dumbfounded as I do.

"We –uh…?" Mom interrupts Phoebe.

"Phoebe will do it Billy. I need Max to get me some things from the groceries after school."

Nice save.

"Sure thing Mom." I mutter.

"Dude, why is your sister talking to Alex Fisher?" Oyster questions from over my shoulder.

I try my hardest not to slam my locker shut as I watch Phoebe giving 'the eyes' to the school's Senior Quarterback.

"Bro, she just gave him her number." Oyster tells me exactly what my eyes are seeing.

Phoebe knows I don't like that guy. We fought way back during my sophomore year, for a reason I can't really remember right now. If this is part of a dumb little plan to make me jealous it's working. But it's not enough to make me do anything stupid.

That is, until I see Alex's hand move freely down her lower back during their little hug. I lose it.

"Mother fu-,"

"Whoa whoa, what do you think you're doing?" Oyster hauls me back by the shoulders.

"Did you see what he just did?!"

"So. You're not gonna be one of those brothers who won't let their sisters have fun are you?"

Of course not. I'm not going to be one of those brothers because I'm not like them. If Phoebe wants to be with the one guy I literally can't stand then so be it. For now I wasn't going to get in her way.

"Whatever." I shoved his hands off me and turn to walk off in the opposite direction.

"Um, guys?" Billy snapped his fingers.

We were walking to my room to test activate some rockets, and the next thing I know we bumped into Phoebe. In comes Nora at the top of the stairs shortly after.

No one was talking.

That's already a bad sign. If Billy and Nora had any inkling of what Phoebe and I had done, they would pick up on it soon enough.

"…I was just going to my room." Phoebe murmured and tried to shuffle past us.

"You were in your room all day yesterday." Nora spoke up.

"Sorry Nora, I-," Phoebe was cut off when Billy blurted out again.

"And why are you avoiding Max?"

"Billy…?" I tried to get him to stop.

"What's wrong with the both of you?" Nora added. Great, they were taking turns interrogating us.

"Nora." Phoebe's eyebrows furrowed.

"I hope you're not fighting. Please don't fight." Billy fessed up.

"You're not even teasing each other like you used to!" Nora babbled out shortly after.

"Nora!"

"Billy!"

Phoebe and I yelled out their names, trying to get them both to relax. As if this situation wasn't awkward already.

I grabbed him harshly by the waist and cupped a hand over his mouth to keep it shut. "Calm down." I slowly let him go.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Nora pleaded, looking between Phoebe and me.

Then there was silence. No one said a thing. No one could.

"Whatever you think you're doing isn't going to work on me." Several days have passed but this is seriously bugging me.

I'm in her room, which I hate to be because everything surrounding me is all of her. It makes it really hard to think straight, I want to be upset but I can't when she's stretched out on her side staring up at me with that all knowing smirk.

"Too bad I have no idea what you're talking about, otherwise this would be amusing." She runs a hand through her hair.

I'm getting distracted.

"I'm serious Phoebe, cut it out."

"Cut what out?" She looks annoyed. Good, she should be.

"You and Alex." Eyebrows raise as I watch her catch on. "You know I hate that guy, what's your deal?"

"There is no deal. He's a nice guy and we're just talking."

"Well then…stop talking." Phoebe gets up and I can think somewhat better than before.

"You're making no sense. Besides, I didn't throw a fit when you asked Courtney out right after." Her hands sit on her hips.

So she did see that. I want to bring it to her attention but then…

"Face it Max, you don't like her." Phoebe struts closer. Dangerously close. "The way you like me." She whispers in my ear.

I stand there frozen in shock and little in something…else and stare at her.

There was something I was feeling right at that moment, something that I couldn't describe. It wasn't a violent urge, but it wasn't a gentle feeling either. All I know is that I want to throw her down on her bed and wipe that smug look off her face.

"Kids we're home!"

Phoebe, all cool and collected, brushes passed me and out the door.

At night, I would close my eyes until my head started to pound and my breath became shallow. I would grit my teeth and try to calm nerves, at least until little white dots sprung up in my mind. I tried not to think about her and the things I wanted to do but…

In my unconscious mind I would dream of warm, soft hands against my skin, long dark chocolate hair tickling my face. The smell of her had sunken deep within my bones and the soft murmur of her voice in my ear.

It's all a blurry mess in my mind, but I'd clearly rather not be reminded of the fault that are my feelings.

My mind keeps wandering and I'm back to where this chaos began, only I choose to filter out the bad of that night.

The feel of her body pressed against mine, the small noises that left her when my mouth found that spot on her neck. Just remembering the taste of her had me going insane and I find myself needing more. I haven't gotten a decent night of rest because I know what it's like to have Phoebe.

I can't get enough.

And I can't go on living like this.

"We need to talk."

"I'm getting ready for my date with Alex, can it wait?"

It's just then that I notice the outfit laying on her bed. My eyes zero in on the black mini skirt.

"No. Actually it can't." My blood boils.

"Fine." She sets her makeup down. "What is it?"

"I'm done. I'm done playing these games." I pinch the bridge of my nose.

Phoebe looks obviously confused. "Max, what are you-,"

I stop her. "Just hear me out, okay. I broke up with Courtney, actually I broke up with her a while ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

I'm seriously tired of the nonsense. Phoebe is the girl I want and I don't care about the consequences any more. It was only a matter of time before we got back to this point. Whether it be she made the first move or I did. This was bound to happen eventually. This feels like an out of body experience as I walk closer to her. I've been thinking about this for weeks and I won't be able to forgive myself if I don't do this.

"There's a reason why we broke up. I was kidding myself if I actually thought I could replace you."

"Max…"

"Phoebe, I-I can't stop thinking about you."

I've never seen her look so vulnerable before. Like she wants this just as badly as I do.

This is it.

Suddenly my lips are on hers, brushing onto her mouth with a gentle pressure that's quickly breaks off with a messy sort of abandon. I don't care about anything but this girl in my arms. Her arms reach out and twine around my neck, pulling me down to her, demanding.

I give in and taste her mouth, lowering my hands to her waist. Everything is perfect in all the wrong ways as the rest of her body melt into mine. I can't ease this urge to push my hips into hers or try to ignore the way the smooth groove of her lower waist fits in my hand.

I very carefully open my lips under hers and her warm tongue slides into my mouth. Then her hand comes up to grab the back of my neck and I hold her just as tightly into the kiss refusing to let her go.

I don't understand how I was able to fight this for so long.

My body ignites and these lips move from her mouth to her jaw and down her neck, just about anywhere I can get my mouth on. I dip my face into the curve where her neck meets her shoulder and breathe in that familiar fragrance before tracing my lips along her soft skin.

My palms lower to her hips and skim along the low dip at her back. Her skin is on fire as I bite at her collarbone, trailing teeth-marks all over her as she gasps softly.

"Oh God." She arches her back, pressing her breasts into my chest.

I quietly groan her name into her skin because everyone is downstairs and we're taking a huge risk doing this.

Those alarms begin to go off and I break off from the kiss, letting my forehead rest against hers. Collecting our breath and thoughts, there's a large part of me that doesn't want to stop. I'm sure Phoebe wants to keep going but this should be enough to hold me down.

"You can go on your date tonight, but if it doesn't work out…you know where to find me."

She wordlessly nods.

Late at night, where my heart beat was a little heavier. I'm pacing back and forth, for no good reason except that I'm anxious.

She might not even show up. What was I thinking? That she'd actually come down to my room and we would finish where we left off.

There's no way she would-

Phoebe walks down the last step and clears her throat. I'm ripped away from my jumbled thoughts and focused only on her.

She had that same look in her eyes from earlier.

We weren't going to act like siblings tonight.