..:Our Hope Endures:...

.:A Jalex Oneshot:.

Hey guys, I spent a really long time on this so please review and let me know if you hated it or like it or loved it. I know it's not perfect but a lot of my heart went into it, despite my personal beliefs. Yeah, yeah, I know..incest, old news, right? But it's more than that. Much, much more. So read on and see.

The girl walked down the street, her chocolate eyes lifted to the heavens. Rain drenched the sidewalk in a misty mirage, the droplets hitting the ground in a muffled thump pattern.

The young woman turned her face to the stormy skies, her eyelids sliding shut as thunder rumbled predictably. The rain smacked against her face with growing force and she let it, welcoming the stinging pain of the peppering assault.

How had everything gone so wrong? What had changed? Those were the questions that consistently haunted her.

But then again, she already knew where it had begun; she'd just been fighting to avoid the memory, knowing that it would only cause pain. Pain because it was one of her happiest moments and now it was forbidden to her.

It had started with a kiss. One simple kiss that shouldn't have sown such damage.

His lips molded against hers, tasting of chocolate suckers and fresh strawberries. With the kiss carried a promise of forbidden love, one she knew she should have avoided in the first place. But how is it possible to avoid your true love, no matter what the circumstances?

"Wow," he whispered as he pulled back from the kiss, his vision glazed and dreamy.

"Justin, this can't happen," Alex responded bleakly, knotting her hair in between her clenched fingers. "Why did you kiss me?"

"You know why," he answered, stroking her cheek with the pad of his thumb lightly.

"This can't happen," Alex repeated, tears brimming in her brown irises. "You…me…us…you're my God damn brother, Justin!"

"What if I don't care?" Justin replied, kissing her cheek. She didn't know when her brother had become so bold.

"If our parents…friends…God, Justin if they find out…we'd never be able to see each other again," Alex rambled, upset by the turn of events. Her cheek burned where moments ago his lips had pressed and a tear spilled down her face, cooling the flush in her cheekbones.

"You can't tell me that this doesn't mean anything," Justin murmured, placing a trail of kisses that led to the corner of her lips.

Alex trembled with fear. Somehow in the space of a few months their personalities had reversed, "We can't. I could never bear losing you."

"Then let's make this our own little secret," Justin whispered seductively before capturing her lips with his.

The brunette allowed the tears to escape from her eyes, knowing that the rain would only wash them away and conceal the fact that she'd been crying. A little sniffle escaped her clogged nose; she hated appearing so weak.

Sure, their story had started with a little kiss. One little secret. That's all it was ever supposed to be: an event that could be steadily erased from the mind, a velvet cloth that would smooth away the wrinkles of their devastating mistake.

But the timeline of their lives had already been weaved into their earliest years; for while on the front of the beautiful tapestry a bloom of fantastic combinations weaved intricately on the back threads of gray, indecision, lurked in jumbled patterns.

"Justin," the five year old girl called out for her older brother cutely. "Come help me play the piano."

The boy wandered over to Alex, sighing, "Fine, I'll help you." Seating himself so that Alex rested between his thighs Justin cupped her fingers in his and set them on the piano.

A couple of warbled notes emerged.

"I don't think we're doing this right," Alex remarked with a frown, giggling as Justin kissed her cheek.

"I don't care," he told her calmly, squeezing her fingers in his tighter.

"Your fingers feel…right in mine," Alex attempted to convey her feelings, smiling radiantly up at her sibling.

"Shh," Justin hushed her. "Mamma said you can't say stuff like that. It's bad."

"Why is it bad?" She asked. "You're my brother and I love you. That's not bad."

"I don't know why," Justin admitted, kissing her rounded lips in a friendly gesture. It seemed…good to kiss her like that. Did all siblings feel like this?

Rounding the corner the brunette traveled down a set of worn cement steps, emerging onto a twisted road leading to all sorts of random tourist shops.

She knew he wouldn't be here. That was the only reason she dared come back again after such a long time.

If he'd listened to her in the first place, however, none of this would have escalated. Nobody would have found out. They could have kept one little secret.

If he'd listened to her she would have been with him right now, not crossing a familiar street towards her dreaded destination.

Alex, now six, giggled joyfully, "You can't catch me!" Charging across the freshly mowed lawn she turned back to flash her older brother a cocky smirk.

"Yeah, right," he argued playfully, sprinting after her fleeting form. "You're such a slowpoke."

"Am not!" She insisted with a boisterous laugh, squealing in shock as Justin slammed into her from behind, knocking them both to the ground.

Squirming around in her brother's arms Alex planted a kiss on Justin's cheek, "Fine, you win. Can you let me up now?"

He pretended to ponder her pleading, "No, I don't think I will." Lowering his head, he nuzzled his nose into the crook of her neck.

"That tickles!" Alex giggled, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly just as a funny sensation attacked her stomach. "Um…Justin?"

"Hm?" He wondered, kissing her neck sweetly.

"My tummy feels weird," she admitted, wrinkling her nose up. "It feels like I have butterflies crawling around."

"Oh," Justin replied vaguely before getting off her. "I feel them too." He didn't go into anymore detail. A siren was going off in his head, telling him something was really wrong with this situation.

But nothing could be wrong, could it?

After all, they were only siblings and siblings did these sort of things, he attempted to dissuade himself.

Pausing at a specific set of glass paned doors the brunette slid into the sub shop, inhaling the familiar scent of bologna and dog hair, probably from years ago when Mason used to visit her.

Thinking about Mason sent her stomach tying into complex knots.

She still felt so guilty about everything she'd put him through, every lie that she'd told him. She'd only wanted to protect him from the truth.

She'd been so confused about every feeling throbbing in her heart then – it hadn't yet sunk in how scary things would become.

She hadn't known that she would betray Mason like that.

So she went along pretending to love him, telling herself every two seconds that she couldn't live without Mason, kissing him, trying to place the spark back where it had once resided.

"I didn't know." The words escaped in a hoarse whisper. "I didn't know I would hurt you that much."

She wanted to want say that she was sorry; she wanted to want to feel upset and she wanted to want to love Mason again.

She wanted to want so many things. But she couldn't desire them anymore.

Sixteen year old Alex Russo watched her brother leave the sub station with his beloved girlfriend and soul-mate, Juliet.

Her heart hurt watching them nuzzle noses. It hurt like knives were stabbing her heart over and over again without mercy.

"It doesn't matter to me. I love Mason," Alex whispered under her breath.

"My beautiful Alex," Mason chimed as he entered the sub station, the door swinging open to allow passage to Justin and Juliet.

So, as expected by everyone else, Alex flung her arms around Mason and kissed him, missing the spark that once accompanied the touching of their lips.

Her eyes never left Justin as he linked hands with Juliet, smiling happily in his girlfriend's direction.

But as she turned back to gratify her boyfriend she missed the sad little glance that Justin shot her way, burning with guilt and need. She wanted to cry so, so badly.

She wanted to want to miss Mason until her heart cracked and writhed on the ground for all to see.

"But I don't love you in that way," she whispered into the silence, picturing the afternoon that she'd broken it off with Mason.

Oh, but if she could love him again. Life would be so much simpler. She wouldn't be trying to escape her horrible, frightening past.

She wouldn't want to break down and sob all the time.

She would be carefree and giggly – or possibly, depending on what Mason could fulfill.

But she would never love him. And besides, Mason was never coming back anyways.

All because of the hateful words she'd spat in his direction that one afternoon.

The afternoon Justin found out everything.

"Alex, what in the world are you talking about?" Mason whispered, his eyes shimmering with tears.

"I don't love you anymore, Mason! Why can't you just get that in your stupid wolfish head?" The seventeen year old Alex yelled, her vision blurred.

"But the…the love n-necklace," he stuttered, pulling it off from around his neck and holding it out for her inspection.

While in his palm the jewel glowed bright crimson, the everlasting reminder of his undying love for her.

Love she couldn't return anymore – it just wasn't fair to Mason.

As Alex's fingers brushed the necklace, intertwining their fingers for the last time, the ruby hue to the necklace dimmed slight, hinting at the saddening finale to this whole charade.

"I'm so sorry, Mason," she whispered, placing the gem around her necklace so that it swung to rest over her heart.

Instantly the light in the jewel faltered, finally flickering out – the awful truth had been revealed.

As Alex's chocolate orbs met her boyfriend's she bit her lower lip, fighting not to break down.

Mason's whole body trembled and an animalistic growl slipped through his teeth. His body began to blur and the Alex backed away from him.

"M-mason?" She whimpered, crying out in pain as his now hair covered paw slapped heavily against her cheek, his claws digging into her fragile skin. Blood dripped down her face as Alex stumbled to collapse on the floor, tears rushing to fill her eyes.

"How could you do this to me?" Mason howled, working to keep from shifting into full wolf form. His gaze clotted with guilt as he saw the blood dripping down his girlfriend's face.

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't do it anymore," Alex protested weakly, refusing to allow the tears to spill down her cheeks.

Just then Justin walked through the door – her older brother; her protector and savior (much more than he should have ever become).

He saw his little sister. He saw her lying there on the floor. He saw the blood.

Molten lava flowed through him and his vision flashed seething red. Later Justin would reminisce and determine that no normal brother would ever react so strongly to such a situation.

But by then he didn't even care.

Alex couldn't watch what horrible things her brother did to Mason. Squeezing her eyes tightly shut she began to sob, too paralyzed with fear to move a muscle.

It was horrible enough hearing it.

But after it was all over and Justin stood there breathing heavily, Mason's blood dripping down his arms, hands and fingertips, she couldn't manage to discover regret.

"You killed Mason!" Alex screamed, but she couldn't stay angry at him.

She was scared – she was so, so scared and she didn't know where else to turn. Her world was spinning and there were no handrails to grab and hold on for dear life.

These feelings weren't rational – they weren't safe; they were completely illegal and she was sick to even be considering that such feelings existed.

"Alex?" He ran after his little sister as she sprinted up the stairs, running for the temporary safety of her bedroom.

But there was no safety with him here. There was nowhere to run…nowhere to hide.

And as she turned and their bodies touched accidentally her cheeks flooded with heat and she realized that she'd made the worst mistake of her life.

The love necklace was trapped between their two bodies, their two fluttering heartbeats – the gem brightened and infused the room with an illuminated crimson glow.

Their heartbeats accelerated past the point of normal, venturing into the land of the insane, psychotic individuals.

Justin looked at the necklace and then at her, his gaze filled with pain, fury and something else she couldn't quite place. "W-why?"

"I don't know," Alex whispered, heartbroken by the one word he'd asked.

She ran away, unable to get his expression out of her mind, the tears streaking down her cheeks, the sobs wracking her frail body.

Justin knew. And now, she was all alone. She remembered feeling like her world was crashing down that terrifying afternoon.

Then again, every emotion that punctuated within her very soul was scary, to state the lowest possible factor.

It was beyond scary.

Then, she hadn't known until much, much later. But now, after living without him for weeks and months and years scary had transitioned into living nightmares and visions of her tortured spirit.

The brunette wished for the lustful afternoons when their feelings were still considered innocent and not punishable by eternal separation and prison time.

They sat watching the sunset together, their hands linked comfortably within each other's palms. At ages six and eight such words as 'incest' didn't exist.

As the mountaintops seemed to swallow the bleeding remains of the sun whole, Alex whimpered, "It's gone."

"Don't worry. The sun will come back tomorrow morning," Justin reassured her, lifting her hands to press his lips against her fair skin.

"I'm scared of the night," Alex lisped, her head collapsing onto her brother's shoulder. "I wish the sun would come back." She shivered.

"Everything ends," Justin told her, nestling his head onto hers. "Everything has to end, otherwise nothing could begin."

"You won't leave me, right?" Alex asked him, her voice shaking with fright. "I love you too much, Justin."

"I love you too much to ever leave you," Justin confirmed with a smile, pressing his lips gently against his sister's and pecking her lips affectionately. "I'll always be here." He pointed to her heart.

…

Alex stood outside of her brother's bedroom door, watching him pack in preparation for his departure to Wiztech tomorrow morning.

One part of her heart wanted her to go in there and beg him to stay but her more rational side reminded her that this…thing…would always be forbidden.

He was forbidden to her.

"Alex?" He'd spotted her and he wasn't happy; this much she could tell by his impatient tone of voice.

Resisting the urge to run away from Justin she stepped into the dazzling light, revealing her puffy, red eyes. Neither of them spoke.

"You're leaving." Finally, she stated the obvious.

"Yes," Justin replied evenly, averting his gaze from his little sister. He couldn't let her see the pain sparkling in his eyes.

"It's wrong." Both of them whispered those two words at the same time, unheard to each other.

They both wanted to believe that they could deny the truth forever, because it was wrong and forbidden and they just couldn't do that to each other.

"You promised me that you'd never leave," Alex rehearsed quietly, tears gathering in her defensive gaze. "You said that you loved me too much to leave, ever."

"I love you like a sibling, Alex," Justin snarled, pushing past all the rest of the words and responding appropriately.

Neither of them wanted to speak the words that would sent the barriers crumbling down.

"You can't go," Alex choked out, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"I have to," Justin argued, refusing to look at her, knowing that if he did he would break apart completely. He couldn't do that to his own little sister.

Another long moment passed in which both siblings prepared themselves for the last word.

Finally, Alex whispered, "Goodbye, Justin." Her tone was laced with hurt and she stepped away before he could say a word in protest.

Once she was gone Justin allowed the tears to slip down his cheeks, "I love you too much to destroy your life, Alex."

If only he knew she'd been standing outside his shadowed doorway and heard those words. They pierced her heart and healed the gash all at once.

He was forbidden. This was so wrong. And so very, very tantalizing.

And it scared her beyond belief.

Ascending the stairs two at a time she paused at the threshold of his bedroom, inhaling the stale scent of his intoxicating smell.

There were traces of her old Angelic perfume in the air, mixing with his heady cologne in a forbidden dance.

But now, there were only memories left, because they'd crossed the unforgivable line so many years ago. They'd made the choice not to turn back, but to plow on ahead into the great unknown.

She'd known the consequences. And so had he. But they had ignored the world and loved each other anyways, without prerequisites and without the threat of separation hanging over their heads.

It was simply…love for them.

She could still remember the scene in his bedroom that night when they'd finally given in and crushed the barriers surrounding their battered and bruised hearts.

They'd given up running from each other, at least for one night.

The moon shone outside of Alex's bedroom window and she sat up in bed, brushing the sleep from the corners of her eyes.

It was impossible to find closure with the whole reason for her anguish sleeping just feet away, their bodies separated only by a thin beige wall.

But it was good that the wall was there – it remained a barrier to keep them from each other, to remind them that sacrificing their happiness was for the best.

They were terrified of being discovered so nothing ever started. And it was probably best that way.

Alex's mind kept shifting back to her brother's hateful words from earlier and then blossomed into a feeling she didn't want to acknowledge – because if she acknowledged the disturbing feeling then they would be discovered.

They couldn't cross that line.

They couldn't even admit it because they didn't want to be crazy. She didn't want to feel so stupid, so idiotic, so lonely and so blissfully happy at the same time.

She wanted to want so desperately to be normal.

But how could she be normal when the thought of what had occurred earlier – how her older brother had torn Mason to shreds to protect her – sent chills racing up and down her spine?

Shoving her feet into her fluffy slippers Alex padded into the hallway, her heart leaping into her throat as she approached her brother's door.

And there she stood, unwilling to cross the forbidden line, knowing that everything would change if she did so.

So she stood there, the tears streaming down her pale cheeks. She felt so helpless, so insignificant in this cold, cruel world.

She felt her heart pounding in her chest as she watched her brother slumber on.

Only Justin wasn't sleeping, only watching her watching him pretend to sleep in the shadows of his bedroom.

"Hey," he breathed.

Alex stiffened with guilt and brushed the tears from her face, "I'm sorry…I h-have to go." But she didn't move. She couldn't move away from him any longer. She couldn't stay away.

Justin had somehow moved and now stood in front of her, looking down upon his trembling little sister. This was so incredibly wrong but so impossible to resist!

He'd been avoiding her for too long, as she'd been denying everything, pushing the evidence to the side, determined to be as normal as possible.

"It hurts so badly," she choked out, looking up at him, begging him with her eyes to understand. "I don't want to feel this way, Justin, I don't. I want to be normal; I want to be n-normal, but I'm not."

"We're not normal people," Justin whispered to Alex, stroking her wet cheek with his fingers, brushing away her tears. He was drowning in her chocolate pools, struggling to escape and diving ever closer to destruction with each passing second.

"We can't do this," she mumbled guiltily, more to herself than him. But she didn't mean the words. They were only words.

And then he kissed her and everything fell into place because it felt so right.

For the first time in their lives the two siblings felt whole inside – they needed each other to survive and yet they were the cause of their eventual annihilation.

But in that moment, none of it mattered.

"Mija?" Her mother's voice rang out, full of surprise and the older woman appeared from the lair. She still wore faded jeans and a pink v-neck with a sleek black apron. Her hair remained frazzled, half within a hair-bow, the rest spread around her neck and shoulders haphazardly.

"Mom." She said simply, staring down her conceiver.

Neither one of them wanted to speak the words. Neither one of them wanted to admit that anything was wrong with their family.

"All of that…it's done. I'm done with him." She hated lying to her mom but right now it was the best thing. "I'm over it; I promise."

Her mom's arms were around her then and her mom was sobbing, "Thank God. I've missed my babies so much."

"Has he come back?" She was so much better at hiding the tension and hesitation that came with mentioning him now.

Now, no one could see the hairline fractures climbing through to her very soul and tearing her apart from the inside out.

She would lie to protect them from the awful truth. Because it wasn't their problem to deal with anymore; she was an adult and made her own decisions – they'd found out about the forbidden secret when she was eighteen and it had ruined her life.

So now, they would know nothing more on the subject.

"No," her mother replied so hesitantly, so cautiously, brushing back a renegade strand of hair and looping it around her finger.

Her mother wanted to play dollhouse and transform into super thin, blonde haired Barbie. She wanted to meet Ken, fall in love because the script had already been written for that part and marry him. She wanted to decorate the walls beige and the curtains cream and have beige carpets and everything as neutral as possible.

She wanted to live life in the kiddy pool and swim in the shallow, purified water with all the innocent babies. She was pushing away the past just as much as her own daughter was.

And yet, even though they both fought the same battle, the betrayal had resulted in a chasm that had split the family apart.

She didn't want to admit to the public that there was anything wrong with their family.

So she got rid of the problem, that being her two oldest children.

"So you're just going to keep denying it." She stated it seriously, without marked concern on her mother's reaction. "We're not normal, mom. Things happened and yet we deny them!"

"Nothing happened, ever," her mother insisted in a strangled hiss. "We are a normal family!"

"Yeah, only cause the two incest-absorbed freaks are out of the house," she argued, brushing back her dark brown hair as she glared piercingly at her mother.

"Don't bring it up again, okay?" Her mother snarled furiously. "We're over that and if you bring it up we'll have to kick you out again! I don't want to kick my own daughter out of the house twice!"

"What am I supposed to do?" She questioned, gritting her teeth. "Do you want me to just pretend it never happened?"

"There's no reason to pretend. It didn't happen. It never happened." Her mother concluded, her voice a throaty growl.

"Just like you said the first time," she whispered, fighting back tears as the memory blossomed. "I'm spending the night but I'll be gone by tomorrow morning. Don't worry about me." She headed for the stairs, her hair swishing behind her.

"I can't worry about you anymore, honey. I'm sorry; I just can't deal with your problems," her mother admitted. "You'd better be gone by nine tomorrow or I'll call the cops." With that final word she vanished into the lair.

She felt her heart crack in the silence and the sound reverberated around the walls of the place.

Yes, she and her brother had known what they were getting into but that didn't mean it didn't hurt magnificently.

It still scared her – it scared her so, so much. She was just good at hiding her fear.

"Alex, this has to stop," Justin said for the billionth time as his little sister's lips grazed his cheek before she got up to pick up a book from the opposing shelf.

"Why?" She asked, seating herself perpendicular to his body so that she could rest her legs on his.

Her head tilted in that adorable way and her chocolate brown pools gazed pleadingly in his direction…damn, it was so hard to refuse her anything when she looked at him like that.

"Because, I've – I've violated you and its…w-wrong," Justin stuttered, trying to find the right words to end this because it was wrong and sick.

"I've violated you just as much," Alex pointed out in a blasé fashion, the toe of her Converse petting his thigh in an example of her stated point.

"I know…it has to stop," he said again, sighing as she gazed forlornly into his eyes.

"Again, I ask…why? You're off at Wiz-tech and I only see you on holidays, so I don't understand why it's such a big problem," she insinuated solemnly.

"Someone's going to find out sooner or later," he fought weakly, hating to hurt her like this. "It's better to end it now."

"Do you love me?" Alex asked, throwing her big brother off track.

"Yes," Justin responded truthfully, the tips of his ears turning bright red. Even though they sat in between the Y and Z section of the library, the place hardly anybody visited, it still felt…bad…talking about their forbidden feelings here. "Do you love me?"

"Of course," Alex whispered, capturing his lips in a brief kiss. "Besides, it's you and me. How can anything stand in our way?"

He was about to state some stuffy theorem when her warm lips pressed against his mouth again and they resumed kissing sweetly, just like when they were six and eight, sitting on the back porch and watching the sunset.

It was times like these that confused Justin to no end – they were intensely complex, altering between simplicity and fear of being uncovered and separated from Alex.

But when he kissed her all those problems seemed to fade away and become non-important.

She fell onto her bed, clutching the sheets and sighing into the warm material, wishing that she could be lying in his bed right now.

Sure he wouldn't be there; he was halfway around the world in a magical realm learning all about mathematics and other such dorky subjects.

But she hated lying in her own bed – it only reminded her of what she'd sacrificed, of what she'd been so stupid to let go all those years ago.

Her bed felt empty with just her in it.

Sitting up she looked at the dully illuminated surface of her room; she'd lived in this room up through the end of high school.

For the truth had been revealed and they had been chased from their own home, forced to live in the adult world and grow up much faster than they'd have liked to.

Then again, he always had talked about growing up and living on his own. He couldn't wait for that point in his life.

And she felt so guilty for taking away his future just like that…literally, in the blink of an eye.

Sure he was on his own, but what about his dreams of finding that perfect girl and getting married and raising a family? Those were all washed down the drain now.

Dragging a ratty tank-top and some gray sweatpants out of the closet she dragged them on, glancing at her weary reflection in the mirror – she remembered standing in front of the mirror modeling a fancy dress and feeling the butterflies dance in her stomach as he picked her up and swung her around, ruining the front of the dress.

"How could I do this to you?" She questioned a picture of him on her nightstand, surprised that her parents had allowed it to remain there.

She remembered taking that picture – she had stored away all the precious moments the two siblings had created during that one portion of now frozen time.

She shouldn't have remembered that afternoon, or his infectious smile and laugh – normal siblings didn't do that, normal siblings didn't act this way.

Then again, he had said: 'We're not normal people.'

"Yeah," Sixteen year old Justin was telling his enraptured parents. "Zeke and I made it onto the tennis team with absolutely no problem, y'know."

"Huh, sure," Alex commented dryly, slipping off the wall to stand by her older brother's side. "Where's your tennis racket and uniform?"

Justin sputtered for an answer, "Um…coach said we don't get the uniforms until the first actual practice." His lips curled up smugly.

"Ok…and the tennis racket?" She pressed, her fourteen year old eyes glinting with mirth and a sprinkle of something unidentifiable. Their parents hadn't guessed it yet but it was there…oh it was there.

The monster had already reared its ugly head and trapped them into a cataclysmic cycle of disturbing feelings – they couldn't escape even if they wanted to.

"Um…I…ugh…ALEX!" Justin's hand curled around her upper arm, sending shock waves through both hormonal teens. "Upstairs…talk…now!"

"Jerry," his wife began, "we should probably go and check up on them."

"Or we could go restock the cucumbers," Jerry offered, a sly smile creeping up both parents' faces.

Upstairs Justin was pacing like a caged animal while Alex lounged on the couch, smirking up at him.

"Dude, why are you making such a big deal out of this?" She asked him cautiously, standing up and shooting a picture of him with her new camera.

"You wouldn't understand," he muttered angrily, spinning to face her calm, expectant expression. "Mom and Dad don't except anything from you. Stop that!" He added as she took another snapshot.

"Ouch, I'm hurt," she remarked sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "Mom and Dad will love you even if you suck at sports." Patting her brother's back awkwardly Alex strode a few feet away, placing the camera down on one of the end-tables.

Space was the best remedy in this situation – some kind of medicine had to cure it but for right now this would have to do.

So busy feeling revolted with herself Alex droned out her brother's next words, "What?"

"Were you listening at all?" He cried, running a hand through his silky brown hair. He wasn't really angry at her though, no matter how much he wanted to storm and rage until she sobbed.

He would kill himself if he ever hurt her.

"No," Alex shrugged, flipping her hair and watching him carefully, noting how the sweat beaded on his neck and how his lips parted just so when he ranted. "But is that really news when it comes to me? I think not." She pointed out with a chuckle.

Justin sighed again, collapsing on the couch and smiling as she sat beside him, linking their fingers comfortably, "Sometimes I feel like nothing is ever going to be right again." As he said those words his voice broke.

Because his little sister would never understand how sick and disturbed he was. She would never comprehend the disastrous, monstrous feelings he held for her – feelings that made him want to rip her clothes off and do unspeakable things.

"Hey," she attempted to comfort him. This wasn't her forte. "We're wizards. We can do whatever we want to."

"Sometimes magic can't fix everything," Justin whispered, clenching her fingers too tightly until she winced.

But a nagging voice echoed in his mind – the imp wondered if magic could perhaps cure him of these feelings and make him normal once more.

"Well, it always works for me. Well actually I'm always the one who messes things up and then my amazing brother comes and fixes everything," Alex recalled, her eyes glazing over. "I love you, Justin." She curled into him.

She could barely live with herself as she snuggled into his chest, breathing in the familiar, calming scent of his cologne – she hated the feelings that swarmed to gather in her chest and constrict her breathing until she had problems inhaling and exhaling.

"I love you too, Alex," he mumbled guiltily.

But she managed to push off the crushing pain that came with his touch as his lips pressed against her hair. It was forbidden, yes.

But they couldn't live without it.

As soon as she flipped off the bedside light the room dissolved into pure darkness.

It scared her, as stupid as that sounded. Ever since their separation a lot of things had scared her.

She'd simply constructed a mask to hide her emotions and smiled on the outside, waving to any curious expressions – on the inside the cracks resulted in confusion and inescapable pain.

And yet, her best friend had almost seen through her façade; she'd had to work hard to persuade her otherwise.

"Alex?" Harper's voice rang out as she descended the stairs, peering around the substation. Finally she spotted her best friend lounging on one of the barstools eating sugar from the containers.

The fifteen year old brunette sighed, sinking further into her seat, "What do you want, Harper?"

"Where's Dean?" Harper asked, a frown settling on her lips as she spotted the pain and guilt that flickered across Alex's face.

"He broke up with me," Alex finally mumbled, her voice cracking on the words. It hurt so bad to be away from Dean and yet even then her heart was torn.

But she couldn't tell her best friend that the main reason for her breakdown wasn't really related to Dean at all. So she pretended to blot away fake tears instead and looked out the window with another little sigh.

"I'm sorry," Harper apologized before wrapping her arms around her best friend and squeezing her into a hug.

Alex's breath caught in her throat as her brother walked across Waverly Place, right in front of her vision through the glass. He couldn't see her, thankfully, so it would do no harm to observe him.

"What's happening to me, Justin?" She pleaded under her breath for an answer, her breath fogging the glass as she exhaled shakily. "I n-need you."

Immoral! Illegal! The words screamed in her skull and no matter how much she swatted them away they always returned, ringing true.

Choking on tears Alex turned to Harper and whispered, "I miss him so much."

Harper would never know that Alex didn't mean Dean, but someone entirely different.

"Someday a young man is going to come along and sweep you off your feet," Harper consoled, not knowing that she was making the situation so much worse. "Then you'll be really happy, Alex, I know it."

Alex shook her head vigorously, her heart plummeting as she eyed her older brother picking up a gardening magazine from the shop across the street.

She wanted to tell the words in her heart to shut up; she wanted to scream and writhe on the floor and tear her heart out and watch it convulse and then quit beating forever.

The facts were building up now, choking her in their midst. Wrong! Forbidden! How could you be in love with your own brother? You're sick, Alex, you're sick! You don't deserve to live anymore!

"Are you staring at your brother?" Harper's question interrupted her inner anguish and Alex's eyes widened.

But, pushing off the panic, she answered in a snobbish tone, "Ugh, he wishes. I wanted to catch him reading some dorky gardening magazine so I can tease him about it later."

"Oh, that makes sense," Harper conceded, smiling amiably. Her eyes softened, "You know, somebody Justin is going to notice me and we'll get married and have eighteen children."

Alex choked on air, biting back agonized cries at her best friend's words. Sick! Forbidden! Illegal!

"Alex, why are you acting like this? What's going on?" Harper asked suspiciously.

"Harper, I'm so sick," Alex whimpered, alluding to her terrible thoughts about her own brother. This couldn't possibly be happening to her.

I'm so sick about Justin, was the whole truth. I need help – I don't know what to do. I'm scared…I'm so, so scared and I feel all alone.

"Do you need me to take you to the hospital?" Harper asked, already worried.

But, being Alex – or, at least, what was left of the innocent Alex Russo – she had to play the noncommittal, brave role.

"I'm fine," she grunted. "I think I'll go take some cold medicine or something."

Alex's eyes flashed one last time to settle on the figure of her older brother reading a gardening magazine and a hint of a smile crept onto her lips before she retreated up the stairs.

Harper watched her best friend head up the stairs, catching the tiny gaze she gave Justin as she went. A horrible suspicion began to awaken in her mind.

"What in the world is going on?" The normally cheerful girl whispered into the silence.

She just couldn't do it. She couldn't stay in her room with the light off, compressed into the never ending blackness when the howls of ghosts and haunted spirited whooshed around.

She may as well consider herself one of them.

Getting up the brunette wrapped the patterned blanket her brother had knitted for her when she was twelve. If she sniffed carefully she could still make out his heady scent.

She remembered how he gave it to her – his lips quivering and his expression hopeful.

She hadn't realized what that expression had meant yet but oh she wished she had. Otherwise she might not have accepted the gift, knowing the emotional imbalance it would cause her brother.

Then again, she had only been twelve years old, at the brink of adolescence, perfectly innocent, a blossoming flower if you will. How was she to know how the complicated world of a brother-sister relationship was extremely fragile, delicate to the lightest touch?

Alex shivered as she watched the snow fall; she was bored and since it was snowing she couldn't leave the house. Her parents and Max sat over in the living room playing Twister (which really wasn't a good idea considering how much weight her dad had put on) but she didn't feel like joining them.

At twelve years old Alex was beginning to grow out of her 'pleasing my parents' phase and into 'rebellion' mode.

She knew her parents didn't like the constants arguments between siblings and the like, but Alex just couldn't help it sometimes. At random times anger would spark and she'd be struck with the urge to squabble with whoever was closest to her – that being Justin for the most part.

"Alex?" Speak of the devil; there was his nasally voice now.

"What do you want, Justin?" She asked sharply, narrowing her eyes to shoot him a questioning glare. "Because I don't think you deserve to be talking to me."

Her parents shot each other 'the look.'

"What did I do?" Her older brother asked, confused.

"Oh, like you don't know!" Alex snapped, crossing her arms.

"What did you do this time?" Nine year old Max wondered with his goofy grin.

Justin shrugged as if to say 'I have absolutely no clue.'

"Max, stay out of this!" Alex yelled, causing her little brother to let out a whimper. Then she turned to Justin, fuming, "You cut the hair off all my dolls!"

Justin frowned, automatically reaching up to straighten his tidy brown locks, "No, I didn't."

"Don't lie!" She screamed, getting in his face until their breath mingled.

Alex pretended not to notice the way her brother's breath hitched when she got this close and ignored the fact that she sort of…liked his reaction.

Meanwhile, inwardly, Justin was sweating bullets at their intimate distance from each other. It wasn't always the closeness that bothered him and did funny things to his stomach, however.

It was how furious she got with him; it was that she would ignore him for two weeks and then love him again.

It was torture and pure bliss all at once. But he wouldn't think about that now; he wouldn't let it become important. This was his little, impudent sister.

"I didn't do it," he swore, gazing into her angry chocolate pools.

"Then who did?" She asked in a hiss, waving her arms in the air like a crazy person.

"I did it," Max confessed with a toothy smile, holding up chunks of blonde and brunette doll hair in between his chubby fingers.

Alex visibly deflated as she stared at her little brother; for whatever reason she couldn't stay mad at Max and sometimes she wished it was that way with Justin. But it couldn't stop. Fighting was her and Justin's thing now.

"Oh," Alex mumbled, chewing on a strand of her dark brown hair, unwilling to apologize.

But Justin saw the guilt in her eyes and knew exactly what his little sister was struggling to say, "It's alright. I forgive you."

Immediately Alex tensed, "Who said I needed forgiving?"

Justin's shoulder's slumped, "Whatever. I made you this." He handed her a carefully wrapped box with a blue ribbon on top; he knew how much Alex loathed pink.

Alex felt extremely bad as she took the present from her brother, "You made me a present?" Her voice sounded tiny, insignificant.

Justin nodded in confirmation as their parents cooed over their eldest son's generosity and kindheartedness.

"You made me a Christmas present," Alex mused to herself as she tore off the wrapping paper, making her brother wince.

Alex's eyes widened as she held up a handmade quilt, the edges serrated so perfectly, the rounded edges sculpted to flawlessness. The background color was a chocolate brown laced with midnight black and little twinkles of dazzling blue permeated the darkness of the solid backing in star patterns.

"Wow," was all that she could say, her lips trembling.

As Justin wrapped the quilt around her shoulders Alex fell into her brother's warm embrace, nuzzling into the crook of his neck and listening to his heartbeat.

"Do you like it?" The words made his chest thrum, eliciting a shiver from the girl.

"Yes," she whispered simply, kissing his neck in thanks and smiling to herself.

And that's when Justin knew that he was all forgiven.

Moving out into the hallway she let out a tense breath before slipping into her brother's old room.

Immediately she felt at home.

His scent was everywhere, lingering on everything he'd touched with the merest finger.

His action figures that she'd so often teased him on sat stacked on a far shelf and his queen sized bed was covered with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle sheets.

She should have burst out laughing at how ridiculous this was. But she hadn't laughed in so long.

And then, a chuckle escaped. It was so tiny: a whisper in a storm, but it was there. It made her heart hurt and her ears thrum and her feet shake and her knees nearly crumble but at least it was there.

She laughed again, testing it out, welcoming the crashing pain that came with it, relishing the feelings that overpowered the numbness.

"I miss you so much," she admitted into the solicitude of his bedroom, capping one of his action figures in her palm and looking at it.

He had touched this action figure; his fingers had brushed it and he'd pretended that he could escape into an alternate reality with it.

For a second, she nearly escaped the box she was trapped in. She nearly permeated the dark cloud shrouding her happy emotions far, far away. She was so close.

And yet, she simply was.

She existed, yes, but now, it felt like her purpose had vanished, leaving her to simply be.

It had been years since she'd last seen his face and she wondered if things had changed.

But everything had to change eventually.

And that's when she crumpled onto his bed and cried. She cried and cried and cried until there couldn't possibly be any tears anymore and then cries changed to sobs and to hysterics.

She curled into a little ball, burrowing beneath the covers, inhaling his scent, breathing him in, wishing desperately for his presence.

But wishing wouldn't bring him back.

And the pain came from knowing that she'd never truly let him go like she'd promised that night.

She'd held on to her brother like he was a life-vest in the middle of a storm but when the storm had passed she'd just kept on clinging to the straps and stubbornly refusing to drift to safety.

The pain came from knowing what she would have to do when she saw him again.

Banging into Justin's dorm room eighteen year old Alex locked eyes with her brother, crying hopelessly.

There was something within her she just couldn't describe; something that told her this was the last time she'd see her big brother for a long, long time.

Something that reduced her to a hollow shell of her former self.

"Alex, what's wrong?" Instantly Justin was rushing across the room, pulling her against his broad chest and kissing her lips gently.

She couldn't manage to find the words to explain, but something that would make sense to him remained, "I n-need you, Justin."

"I'm right here," he crooned, stroking her damp hair with his warm hand.

Brown eyes met brown and she knew that he knew what was coming just as much as she did; he was just braver than her, willing to suffer inwardly but put on a smile for her all the same.

"No, Justin, I need you tonight. Just you and me," she whispered, begging him with her eyes to understand.

His lips pressed against hers again and she discovered that his mouth was trembling.

"We can't," Justin whispered when they parted for air, tears gathering in his brown orbs.

Biting back a scream Alex locked her hands behind her brother's neck, releasing the words that would destroy their world, "Make love to me, Justin."

She needed the words screeching Wrong and Forbidden to stop for just one night and this was her one escape. She needed him before she would lose him forever.

"No, Alex. You don't want this," he argued tremulously.

"Please?" She whimpered for the first time in her life, kissing him sweetly.

The words shook the barriers separating their two hearts and sent them crumbling to the ground.

There was no going back now.

"Okay," Justin agreed quietly, leading her to the bed and lying her down. Alex shivered as his body rested on top of hers, heating her up from the inside out.

They began kissing again; this time their kisses were desperate, as though they were trying to pull each other's souls out.

"I'm scared," Alex confessed as her brother pulled her shirt up and over her head, exposing her wire threaded black bra.

"Me too," he said before capturing her lips again.

When they pulled apart a single thread remained, binding them together temporarily. If they chose to continue on the thread would run molten gold and secure in place for eternity.

"Are you sure?" Justin asked his little sister, the last words that would determine their fate.

"Yes," Alex Russo whispered submissively, securing their future forever.

And so they continued on to the first and last night of their consummation, absolutely no regrets between them.

There was only…love.

The next morning dawned bright and cheerful – well, no actually, it was partly cloudy with a chance of mild rain later that afternoon.

But to the girl lying on her brother's bed blinking the sleep from the corners of her eyes the day seemed sunny compared to her mood.

She lay there, shrunken beyond belief, unable to move more than the occasional brush of her lungs inhaling and exhaling life into her body.

She didn't want to move, but the clock on the wall spoke differently – 8:56…mom said she'd call the cops by nine; then again, he always did set the clock twenty eight minutes ahead of schedule. For once his nubbish qualities come in useful.

Several minutes later she'd managed to stumble out of bed and into her room, averting her gaze from the countless "precious" memories stacking the shelves and cluttering the wall space.

For whatever reason she felt like dressing up today – it's definitely a first; he's rubbing off on me.

So, with a nonchalant shrug she began leafing through her clothes.

"Mama, what are you doing?" Six year old Alex wondered, gazing up at her mother as the woman applied a thick coat of ruby lipstick.

"Sometimes girls like dressing up," Theresa answered with a smile, straightening the low cut black dress around her chest and fastening two buttons on the back that kept popping out. "Your father and I are having dinner tonight at a fancy restaurant!" She squealed happily.

(Little did she know the fancy restaurant would be Bob's Burger Joint several blocks down.)

"Well, I don't like dressing up," Alex protested, gazing down at her wrinkled pants and T-shirt that read: Zombie Prom: Cheerleaders Watch Out!

"Someday you will, precious," the woman remarked gently, pressing kiss against her daughter's forehead.

"Ugh, spit," Alex groaned, wiping her skin fanatically to get the clear saliva off.

"Watch it, or I'll have your father turn you into a newt again," Theresa warned her rather…opinionated first grader. "I think justice would win out this round, even though you know I hate magic!"

"But newts are so cool with their…" Alex died off as she saw her mom's expression. "Um, sorry?" She grinned from ear to ear as chuckles slipped from her mouth.

Theresa sighed, shaking her head from side to side, "Maybe I should just make you dress up like this instead!" She motioned to her own fancy dress and strappy high heels.

"No, no, no," Alex wailed, backing away. "Anything but that!" Her eyebrows curled apologetically.

Her mom only smiled, "Don't give me any ideas."

…

Eighteen year old Alex wrapped the fuzzy, pure white robe tighter about her shoulders, hiding her trembling nude form. The moon still shone peacefully in the night sky, its eerie light filtering through the curtains, but she couldn't sleep after the indescribable night they'd had.

What words could possibly describe this phenomenon? Neither the physical nor emotion aspect could be cleanly dissected and expressed.

And yet, the incredible impact of their time together, as one being, left both scars and illuminated passageways throughout the girl's heart.

She was crumbling apart and yet this act had acted as a duct tape of sorts, barely holding her together.

"Alex." His voice breathed in the silence, shaking with something she couldn't place. Anger? Love? Disappointment?

Yes, there it was.

Disappointment and humiliation clotted any other rational emotions from the boy's brain.

She couldn't face him; she didn't want to see the pain flickering in his eyes, reflecting her own broken sight right now.

"What did we just do?" Justin croaked, running a hand through his dark hair in an attempt to balance his teetering world.

Alex's fingers tightened around the marble countertop, her skin bleaching with each passing second. She was simply waiting for the words that would end this forever.

"Alex, l-look at me," her older brother pleaded quietly.

How could she refuse?

"What, Justin?" Alex cried as she whirled to face her brother and lover, watching as he hurriedly covered his naked body with the comforter. "I'm waiting for you to tell me that this was all a huge mistake! So just get this over with and say it already!" Tears budded in her chocolate orbs, captivating him.

He never could resist her tempting russet pools, no matter what state he might be in.

Alex fought to keep from crumbling to the floor as she demanded, "Well?"

"This was a mistake," Justin whispered, wishing he could say otherwise, "but I don't regret it."

Her head snapped back at his words, her stormy eyes probing him, "W-what?" Her robe fell open a bit but she quickly covered herself up.

"I love you, Alex Russo," Justin confessed, getting up and wrapping a blanket around his nether regions.

"How can you love someone as pitiful, ugly and sickening as me?" She asked, turning her head as the tears blurred her vision.

They were both sick, getting themselves into this – the thought connected then and both siblings realized what they'd just done to each other.

"I slept with my little sister," Justin choked, covering his mouth as Alex turned to face the mirror again, shaking like a leaf.

"I slept with my big brother," Alex whimpered under her breath, her horrified gaze reverberating on the mirror's slick surface and hitting her over and over again.

And the worst part was that she didn't even regret it.

"How could I be so selfish," Alex questioned bitterly, wringing her hands together.

She didn't even notice her brother creeping up behind her until his warm arms slid around her waist, prying the robe open a bit. Justin's head thudded down on her curved shoulder and he gazed, enraptured, at his sister's breathtaking reflection.

"Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" He asked softly, twirling a strand of her black hair around his pointer finger lazily.

"I don't feel beautiful, Justin," Alex admitted hoarsely, turning her head slightly so that she could gaze at his eyes through the mirror. "I feel dirty and vulnerable and –"

Justin kissed her then and for a second everything fell into place – tears slid down the girl's cheeks as she recognized how cruel fate was, bearing them into the same family where they would have to suffer forbidden love.

"I l-love you," she told him when their lips broke apart, her voice trembling. "I love you so damn much."

She couldn't bear to say goodbye just yet.

Twenty six minutes later found her standing in front of her closet door mirror, observing her appearance. She now wore a dazzling, short, midnight blue dress with fishnet stockings and her converse (she just had to keep one item of rational clothing.) Her dark hair was curled nicely and she'd even painted her nails black.

"I look good," she told her reflection, smiling slightly before grabbing her purse and leaving her room for the last time.

She never wanted to come back to this place – it only harvested haunted memories of forbidden love and bruising lectures. About him, though, mainly, and those who hadn't accepted her for who she was.

Descending the stairs she allowed her hand to press against the cool rail, pretending that it was the arm of her brother - the thought was utterly sickening and delicious in the same wavelength.

Because she wanted it so damn bad and yet loathed it as well. She had to hate it; otherwise it would destroy her mind and cripple her forever.

Shock rippled through her as her voice was stated and she turned to see her (ex) best friend, "H-harper?"

She wasn't sure why she stuttered on the name; maybe it was the shock of seeing the auburn haired girl after so long. She had never expected to see Harper again after that afternoon.

"You're leaving again." Harper simply stated those words but they carried with them an immense burden.

"Yes," she answered quietly, reaching out to pull her (ex) best friend into a hug and wincing as Harper pulled away from the physical contact. It only reminded her of the whole (ex) thing.

Loathing physical contact used to be her thing, though.

Over time, however, her sardonic behavior had fractured and cracked and eventual bound itself off into an abyss of bleeding colors, taking the selfishly absorbed part of her heart along with it.

"You lost the right to hug me when you took off with your own brother!" Harper yelled.

"I know," she accepted tremulously, knowing that she deserved every shred of anger Harper was currently sending her way.

It was about time her (ex) best friend made up for the years of hurt she had caused her.

"Do you still love him?" Harper whispered, probably already knowing the answer, unwilling to bring up his name as well.

What was the point of arguing anymore?

But instead of answering 'yes' or 'no' she mumbled, "I have to fix things." Her dark irises glinted with determination and agony nobody could possibly comprehend.

"I never want to talk to you again," Harper said without a shred of doubt, walking up the stairs, probably to find Max.

But there were cracks and fissures within her (ex) best friend as well, just not as pronounced as her.

Everybody just wanted to keep denying it.

Eighteen year old Alex thumped down the stairs, preparing to greet her best friend with a humongous hug when suddenly her breath caught in her throat.

Her family – including Justin and Harper – stood there in the sub shop just looking up at her blankly. There were no evident glares yet.

Max's lower lip was trembling as he glanced at his older sister, trying to deny the conversation he'd just overhead between his parents.

Theresa and Jerry stood there giving each other marked looks, their expressions melting away to incredulous gapes as they saw their daughter.

Harper's arms were crossed and her mouth was shivering as well. Absolute horror resided in her normally cheery eyes.

Justin was crying – yes, actually crying, the tears streaming down his pale cheeks in waves. His intense gaze nearly burned holes through her as he silently begged for her to rush back upstairs.

Alex didn't get the chance.

"Alex Russo," her dad began, knotting his fingers together. But then he choked up and couldn't continue.

Her mom took a tentative step forward, struggling not to cry, clearly furious with her only daughter, "How could you do this to us? How could you do this!"

"W-what did I do? Justin, what's going on?" She turned towards her brother, needing answers, seeking comfort from afar.

He only looked at her, still crying desperately.

"I thought we were normal! But instead I find this mess of lies…betrayal…incest!" Theresa screamed.

They knew. They knew everything. All the lies and the pain and the confusion. They knew.

Suddenly it was hard to breathe and Alex fought not to slump to the ground and fall apart.

Sneaking another glance at Justin she memorized her brother's face, confident she wouldn't see it for a long, long time. Tears blurred her vision as she worked to intake a struggling breath.

"How could you do this, Alex?" Her mom screamed again, the words ringing in the air until it physically hurt.

"I'm sorry, okay? This wasn't my decision!" Alex yelled right back, tears rolling viciously down her cheeks.

"Damn it, you're in love with your own brother! You kissed him…groped him…what else did you do?" Her mom asked, pointing her finger threateningly.

Alex didn't say anything, battling the walls of darkness closing in on her. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen…this couldn't be how it ended…

"What else did you do?" Her mom asked again, madder than her daughter had ever seen her.

"I slept with him, okay? I had sex with my own brother!" Alex choked harshly, gasping for air as the tears squashed her lungs.

Everyone in the sub shop inhaled sharply, permeating the sudden silence with a symphony of shocked exclamations.

Harper was shaking her head again; she still hadn't said a word but her murderous, stricken expression told all.

"Get upstairs and pack your stuff, both of you," their mom whispered in a deadly serious tone. "You will never speak to each other again and you will never speak to us again until these atrocious feelings have ended. You'd better be out of this house in thirty minutes or I'll call the police."

Alex was drowning in a world of pain, slipping into a whirlwind of emotions with no possible escape.

"This didn't happen. It never happened," Theresa denied, tears gathering in her chocolate brown orbs.

Harper took one last betrayed look at her best friend before rushing out of the house.

"Mommy, please don't do this," Alex begged, crying so hard that everything spun like a colorful top. "Please…you can't do this to us!"

"I no longer have a daughter," Theresa stated coldly before vanishing into the lair.

Alex slumped to the cold ground of the stairs, bending over and curling into a little ball as the sobs wracked her frail body. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen…

She smiled to herself as the cool breeze tickled her skin and swept her hair into the hair, undulating the thick brown stalks like streamers in a parade.

Sometimes it hurt so bad that she just had to laugh – because if she didn't laugh then she would as sure as hell break down crying.

Today she would end everything. She would end the confusion and the nerve-wracking pain.

She would sever their ties and just let them live separate lives, wholesome legal lives filled with as much happiness as an incest victim could get.

She would save them from themselves before they were broken into thousands of pieces in a cataclysmic emotion-knotted event.

"Alex." It wasn't a question. He recognized her just as she recognized that melodious tenor voice.

For a long time she couldn't even bear to look up; her eyes remained locked on the scuffed soles of his converse, tracing the various equations her brother had jotted into the scratched white surface over the years.

Where had all her time gone? What happened to the days of their youth when they could simply be content chasing each other around the backyard, giggling and tackling each other into the dew tipped grass stalks? Where had the moments slumbering innocently in each other's arms vanished to?

Storm clouds thundered overhead, announcing the presence of the coming rain and she almost welcomed the jolt from her thoughts.

Things just weren't simple anymore - had they really been simple to start with, if she really thought about it? They'd known what this sickening path would lead to.

Alex Russo looked up into the freezing cold yet boiling hot gaze of her big brother/lover Justin Russo, a face she hadn't seen in years.

"It's wrong," both siblings murmured to themselves, their eyes never disconnecting, chocolate melting and twisting into one sample of DNA.

"I love you," she admitted, wrapping her arms around his neck, unable to keep the distance between them any longer.

Saying those two little words hurt more than she could have ever imagined; they scraped the back of her throat on the way out, hissing and stinging as they convulsed into syllables.

He couldn't bear to answer her. It hurt too much, because he knew what she was about to say.

Rain began to pour from the skies, drenching the siblings in a sphere of translucent droplets. The heavens opened then, illuminating their pale skin in the sun's powerful glow.

"I love you, Justin, but I can't love you as more than a sibling." Alex forced the words out, biting her tongue as tears squirmed to the surface of her eyes.

They hugged then, allowing the rain to pelt their skin with freezing icicles and wet promises.

He wanted to kiss her so bad – she wanted to feel his body press against hers as they fell on top of the hotel bed again.

They couldn't love each other anymore, but they still needed each other.

They needed each other's presence, more desperately then either was willing to admit.

Chocolate met chocolate as they kissed for the very last time, memories of their lives spanning out in front of them like a canvas and marking out every mistake they'd made.

You know, after that night, I just couldn't breathe anymore.

They'd ruined their lives…their parents hated them…and they couldn't be together.

I love you, but I have to let you go now.

And yet, there was no possible way to regret their mistakes.

And it's going to hurt like hell, but I have to protect me.

For what they had was simply…love.

You know what they say. If you love someone, set them free. And if they really love you, they'll come back…

SPARKNOTES:

Well I hope you enjoyed that. I know it brought me to tears but perhaps that's just me :'( I guess the ending is sort of bittersweet, because they can't be together romantically but they still need each other so they'll move past the pain and remain close siblings.

Anyways, review and give me your thoughts! :D

-mktoddsparky