Disclaimer: Don't own it.
So tell me when you hear my heart stop,
You're the only one who knows,
Tell me when you hear my silence,
There's a possibility,
I wouldn't know.
Possibility- Lykke Li
Chapter Ten
She knows that something is wrong with him. She knows that he's in trouble. She wakes up in the middle of the night, her clock displaying three AM in obnoxiously bright blue. Her breathing is heavy like it is after a nightmare, her brow sweaty and her heart beating hard in her chest.
Alex throws her blankets off of her body and rushes out of her door and into her parent's room.
"Mom," she whispers frantically, shaking Theresa's shoulder, "mom, wake up now."
Her dad groans from the other side of the bed as Theresa sits up, wiping the sleep from her eyes and turning on her bedside lamp, looking up at her daughter with concern, "What's wrong, mija?"
Jerry pulls the covers over his head, "Is it morning? Is the Sub Station on fire?" He sniffs at the air, "Nope, didn't think so. Go back to bed, Alex."
Theresa glares at him and slaps at his frame hiding under the sheets, "Jerry, stop it." She turns back to Alex, her expression softening, "What's wrong, Alex? Are you feeling sick again? Do you need me to—"
Alex cuts her off, "Shut up! Both of you! Something's wrong with Justin! We need to go find him! Call him! Drive to Ithaca! Please! Mom! He's," Alex swallows hard, keeping her tears at bay, "Mom, he's in trouble. I just know it."
Theresa frowns and pulls Alex down onto the bed, gripping her daughter's hands tightly, "Alex," she says, "Sweetie, it was just a bad dream. Justin is fine. And safe. In his dorm sleeping or studying," she rubs Alex's arms, the friction burning her arms, "just go back to sleep and we'll call him in the morning."
Alex shakes her head, a tear rolling down her cheek, "Mom, no. I just know that something isn't right."
Theresa sighs and turns to her husband, "Couch tonight, Jerry. Alex is sleeping in bed with me."
Jerry emerges from the blankets and sighs heavily, "Alright, alright. But I get breakfast for dinner tomorrow for this." He kisses Theresa lightly on the lips and rubs Alex's back, kissing the back of her head before shuffling out of the room to his makeshift bed for the night.
Theresa scoots over in bed to her husband's side and pulls Alex down with her. Alex's begins to cry, loud sobs that fill the room and break her mother's heart.
Theresa kisses her daughter's temple and sighs, "Oh, Alex. Shh. It's okay."
"It's just a spell, Justin," a sixteen year old Alex states, hands on her hips as she looks up at her older brother, a stern look on her face.
Justin frowns and begins to panic, "No it isn't! Alex! God!" He pulls lightly at his hair, "Don't you read anything?"
Alex frowns, her forehead creasing and begins gesturing with her hands like she always does during one of their routine fights. "Of course I do! I thought it would be helpful!"
Justin glares at her, "God. Alex, can't you ever do anything right? I'm sick of fixing everything for you! Guess what? I can't fix this! You found one of the few spells in magic that's irreversible and you had to go and use it on me!"
Alex's face falls and she sinks down into her typical spot on the couch in the Lair. Her voice is quiet and thick as she says, "I just wanted a way to be connected with you always. You're going away to college soon. I want to be able to know if you're okay. I know I tease you but…"
"But what?" He asks in the same soft tone his sister is using.
Alex looks down at the floor for a minute before hesitantly looking up at her brother, "Justin," she says, in a tone that tells him everything he needs to know. She needs him. She would be lost without him. Just like he'd be lost without her.
He approaches her slowly, sits next to her on the couch and looks down at the floor like she is. "You know this bonds us forever, right?" He clears his throat, his cheeks flushing, "Did you see what the spell is typically used for?"
Alex glances at him briefly and he catches her eye, making her cheeks turn bright red, "Yes," she whispers so quietly.
"Lovers," he says hoarsely, his voice breaking when he says the word.
Alex just gives him a look, staring at him so intently with her big brown eyes, eyes he hasn't been able to resist since he was two years old. She holds his gaze for a few minutes before standing up and leaving the room.
He takes a deep breath, the scent of her hair filling his nose and he bites his lip. Bites it until his lip aches and blood runs down his chin.
Blood that he shares with her.
Alex wakes up with a headache the next day in her mom and dad's bed. She doesn't know what time it is, the curtains are drawn and the room is still dark. It must be sometime in the afternoon. Which means her mom let her stay home from school for the day.
She rubs her face with her hands, groaning as she does so and begins to run small circles on her forehead, trying to soothe the pain in her throbbing head.
Her stomach hurts, too. She's so exhausted from the past few months. The lack of Justin. The tension with him when she does see him. The detoxing from the potion. It's been a week since Justin has called the house. Which is typical for him.
But she knows, can feel it, that something is wrong with her brother. He's in trouble. And no one believes her.
It's not like she can tell them, "Oh yeah. My brother and I are bonded through this magical spell that's intended for lovers. It lets me know when something is wrong with him. When he's in danger. It's really handy."
No. She has to keep this to herself. She has to do this on her own. Something that she isn't used to. She's grown up with Justin by her side. Keeping her safe, fixing her mistakes, helping solve everything.
What is she going to do now? Ask Max? The idea makes her snort. She can't ask Harper. Her mom obviously doesn't believe her. Neither does her dad. And Uncle Kelbo? Let's face it; he's fun to prank people with, but problem solving? Not his strong suit.
She sits up in bed, brings her knees to her chest and rests her chin on them.
Alex Russo needs a plan.
A/N: wow. i am so, unbelievably sorry about the delay for this chapter. i'm sure i lost a lot of readers. and i'm so sorry to have disappointed all of you. i've been through so much personally the past few months. not to mention, i haven't had any internet. but internet is back! and more chapters to come after this! and hopefully more of your reviews! and thank you to all of those that PMed or continued to review! i appreciate it sooo much! i hope you enjoyed the chapter!