Archive of Our Own

The Russo family returned from their family vacation a few weeks ago and things were settling back to normal.

Theresa Russo hummed happily, some Roberto Carlos song from her childhood, as she mixed together the wet and dry ingredients for pancakes. The last of the vacation laundry was done, all of the sand they'd accidentally brought home was vacuumed and the suitcases were put away. The kids had started school two weeks ago and Wizard Studies had resumed shortly after.

The Russo parents shared a soft morning kiss, enjoying the quiet Wednesday morning before the children disturbed it: Max bouncing around with his strange ideas, Justin studying for the Wizard Family competition, and Alex still avoiding doing any work whenever possible; just the regular hustle and bustle of home.

Jerry Russo grinned at the sound of his wife humming, contentedly swaying around her as they made pancakes and eggs for breakfast. He started the second pot of coffee so it would be ready by the time Alex deemed to join them. Hopefully it wasn't cold by the time she came down the stairs.

The kids were even behaving! They only used their magic in magic class in the study behind the Sub Station's freezer. Theresa and Jerry relaxed at the lack of backpacks or food flying past. It was wonderful what a vacation could do.

Max froze in the middle of brushing his teeth. Did he remember his tenth birthday? Firetruck! He got a firetruck toy that year. Jerry and Theresa are mom and dad. Justin and Alex, his older siblings. They made it back from family vacation. They were fine.

He rushed through cleaning his teeth and rinsed his mouth before quickly – but not running – moving through the halls quietly on socked feet, listening for the closest person. Justin in his room, mumbling to himself- possibly in Spanish. Alex- probably still in bed, snuffling or snoring softly. Mom and Dad, in the kitchen.

Max slowly opened Alex's door, just to check she was still there. She was, her hair recently cut to just above her shoulders, the pink fur wallpaper he and Justin had helped put up only slightly untidy. He took a deep breath and closed the door carefully.

Justin was clearly awake; Max couldn't just peek in on him. Could he? No. Better to go downstairs.

The youngest Russo tried to maintain his usual energy coming down the spiral staircase into the dining area.

"Morning, honey!" Mom called with a smile.

"Hey buddy. How'd you sleep?" Dad smiled widely.

Max's shoulder's loosened and a more natural grin spread across his face. "It was ok." He jogged two steps closer and hugged Ma.

"Oh, I love you too, honey."

Dad reached around them both and squeezed. "Group hug!"

They laughed and broke apart. Max stepped back and slid onto one of the stools to watch his parents make breakfast.

Justin came down just in time as Dad was plating up the first batch of eggs. Max stood just long enough to give him a quick bro hug before sitting back down and fighting over chocolate chip pancakes and syrup.

The boys had almost finished when Alex came stumbling down the stairs, still in her purple pajama shirt and pants.

"Morning mija!" Mom called.

"Come on, Alex. Pancakes are getting cold!" Dad waved her over.

She slid into her seat with a grunt, between Justin and Max instead of her usual spot at the end of the counter. Max slid her steaming hot coffee cup closer to her and then piled two pancakes on her plate.

"Thanks, Maxie." Alex grumbled, ruffling his hair.

Max grinned, the last of the tension in his shoulders and neck released.

Everyone remembered. Everyone was here. It was just another normal day.

"Hurry up, Alex. We're gonna be late!" He turned back to his own plate, scarfing down the last bites of pancake and chugging his orange juice.

His sister grumbled and drank deeply from her coffee before tearing the dry pancake into pieces and eating it slowly, taking another sip after eat bite.

Justin rolled his eyes and shared a glance with Max. It would be at least an hour before Alex woke up enough to not grumble at everything. One pancake remained on her plate untouched as Alex finished her coffee. Max swiped the pancake and shoved it into his mouth, letting it dangle as he picked up the now empty plate and brought it to the sink. His parents shooed him out of the kitchen, so he bumped shoulders with Justin before casually leaning against his older brother.

"I gotta grab my backpack!" Max jumped back and ran up the stairs. He burst into Alex's room first and found her school bag underneath the jacket she wore yesterday. Max put the bag close to the door but still inside her room. He didn't want to get yelled at for going into her room again. He ran into his own room and dug around until he found both backpack and the sheets of homework he'd mostly finished. Alex brushed past him in the hallway looking tired.

Jogging over to the door, his backpack bounced on his back as he shoved his feet into his sneakers. With one free hand, he pulled Justin's sneakers out and tossed them lightly over to where Justin always sat to put them on, backpack already leaning against the wall next to the door.

Justin shook his head and walked over calmly. Slipping into his shoes and standing ready by the door, he picked up his backpack.

"Alex!" Justin shouted. "We're leaving now!"

Alex grumbled as she came back downstairs, accepting a thermos of coffee from Dad.

Justin shook his head and ruffled Max's hair.

"Hey!" Max pouted, running his fingers through the slightly longer hair to smooth it out. "I just fixed it!"

"Whatever."

"Alright, I'm here. Let's go." Alex stomped over, boots already on and backpack over one shoulder, thermos in one hand. She started waving them through the door right after Justin opened it.

The three siblings pushed and shoved each other through the door and down the hall, Max's worry already forgotten as he laughed, running off to school.

The fear of losing everything once again faded further into the background with each reassurance that everything was normal.

Well, normal as a family of wizards living in New York City could be.

Justin woke up in a sweat.

He'd lost the Family Wizard competition. Again.

Alex kept pulling off miracle after miracle in his dreams. Nightmares.

He studied more. Nature spells, elemental spells. But in his dreams he could never beat Alex.

Hot rage rose in his chest again. Alex just had to use the wand, had to get them into that situation in the first place. Had to win.

Justin took a deep breath, pulled his blanket over his head, and counted to ten. He knew she didn't mean for all that to happen, knew it from the conversations they had while searching for the Stone of Dreams.

But still, it was hard not to be mad at her. Without that, he wouldn't feel the pressure, heavier than ever before, to learn, study, WIN.

Another count to ten, this time in Spanish, and he could think once more as he flipped the blanket off. Pushing down those thoughts blaming Alex for everything. Shoving away the look on Mom's face, on Max's face, without recognition. Rolled out of bed reminiscent of Max more than himself.

"I do remember you," Max had said–his baby brother reaching out as some magic tornado whisked him away.

Justin moved on autopilot to his closet and then the bathroom.

He remembered, if only a little, a time before Max. Back when he and Alex shared their parents. But it was so long ago.

Max had never not known Justin. Alex too. Justin was the oldest, the most responsible, the smartest, but he was there for Alex's first words, Max's first steps.

Anger at Alex–at the Competition, at himself–was safer.

He paused in the middle of the hall, staring vacantly at the stairs only a few steps away, something holding him back.

Alex's door was closed - he would have sworn it had been ever so slightly ajar last night. He silently stepped closer, bracing gently against the doorframe to listen in on the room beyond.

A soft, wet hiccup reached his ears, followed shortly by a soft, equally wet gasp for breath and then a shaky but controlled breath out. Justin heard a sniffle and slow, wet breathing before shoving himself away and striding to the stairs, down to breakfast. He slowed down as he reached the bottom of the stairs, Max bouncing between two chairs as he chatted with their parents.

Justin noticed Max's eyes widen, a corner of his lips curled into a small smile, before the younger boy reached out for a quick but warm bro hug. He patted Max on the back before moving away to sit down on one end of the counter just in time for Mom to put a plate of pancakes and eggs in front of each of them. Dad moved the syrup to the counter, within reach, before moving to the table by the balcony.

Anger was hard to hold on to when the subject of his anger was slowly breaking apart, alone in her bedroom. It was equally hard to ignore Max reaching out every now and again just to brush against Justin, to receive some acknowledgement.

The boys had nearly finished their pancakes when Alex plodded down the stairs still in her purple pajamas, looking almost perfectly normal.

Justin squinted a little, trying to compare Alex from Before and After as he finished his morning cup of OJ.

Before Alex would roll her eyes as she sauntered into the kitchen to grab her coffee.

After Alex put on make up before coming down the stairs.

Before Alex used her wand to change into her clothes for the day.

After Alex didn't hold her wand unless Dad ordered her to in magic class.

Before Alex would never slip between her brothers at the counter, too close to both of them but no one willing to move away.

After Alex was doing exactly that, drinking her steaming coffee as she brushed shoulders with Max and Justin.

Looking up, Justin watched his parents completely miss Alex's expression turning slightly queasy as she finished her first pancake. Max must have noticed something similar as he shoved the remaining pancake into his mouth, took the plate, and brought it to the sink. They shooed Max out of the way of cleaning up the breakfast mess, not noticing the way his younger sibling's face fell at the brush off. The chocolate chip pancake hanging from his mouth as Max came over and leaned into Justin's arm, opposite Alex.

How could they miss this? The three of them couldn't have hidden everything that happened during vacation. But surely their parents could tell something was different.

Justin pulled a spell book out of his back pocket and started reading, trying to ignore Max's touching and Alex sitting too close. Their warmth radiating across his right arm. As they split to gather their school things, Justin started listing what else had changed about his siblings.

Max was more tactile than he was before, but took up less space somehow. Just a touch, fingertips to Justin's arm or sleeve or back, and then Max would back away. He watched as Max swung in close to their parents for hugs and the tension in Max's shoulders faded with every casual touch. Justin had caught him mumbling to himself, freezing and closing his eyes. He'd caught himself doing the same once or twice.

Alex's eyes were puffy and a little red when he caught a glimpse of her heading to the bathroom in the mornings; sometimes her hands shook. It was harder to watch her. She was an expert at distracting others from what she didn't want them to pay attention to. Harsher words, forced laughter, fake anger. But she was reaching out, too. But while Max would make contact, hug, bump shoulders, Alex would stop short, freezing before pulling herself not just back but also curling in on herself as if hiding from something.

Justin put the spell book into his back pocket and joined Max by the door to put on his sneakers. It wouldn't give him the answers he wanted, couldn't help him fix what was broken in his siblings. It wouldn't even help him in the wizard competition; Household Spells and How to Use Them was more for chores than battles. And he'd read it before. Twice. But the simplicity of the spells within was calming. Their rhymes, soothing. None of these spells had large, catastrophic uses or ways to abuse them. Well, Alex and Max could probably figure out something. Not that they'd read it.

Anything to improve his skill in magic, to help him win.

Walking out the door, Justin bumped into Alex and Max down the hall until they reached the street. They never took the Sub Station stairs to school just in case there were people waiting for a morning sandwich.

Alex may have wished everything was back to normal, but not even the Stone of Dreams could tear away what the siblings went through. The memories of the time-that-wasn't lingered – the time he lost.

Justin knew he was upset with Alex, mad at himself. Furious at Mom and Dad for their willful blindness. Were they always like this?

Alex had been Daddy's Little Girl since they'd brought her home. She always got whatever she wanted, got away with the most ridiculous stunts. Max was a Mama's boy, basking in the love and attention. How did neither parent see their children breaking in front of them?

Justin held in a sigh as Alex disappeared on their walk to school. Max found his friends in front of the building, slapping one on the back above his backpack before jumping on another, his smile nearly infectious.

Tucking the spell book into a secret magical pocket in his backpack, Justin strode into the high school to find Zeke. Hopefully, his friend's latest weekend plans would be entertaining enough to distract Justin from his own.

Too early for a Wednesday morning, Alex slipped out of her too warm covers on the opposite side from the door. She slid down next to her bed and leaned against her furry wall, knees curled up to her chest and forehead pressed against them. She was shaking, either from the chill or something else. Her chest ached and her eyes became wet. The same four faces flashed in front of her eyes, with the same confused look. All asking, "Who are you? Do I know you? Should I?"

Alex had known the night was going to suck. She'd barely slept the last two weeks, except that first night back from vacation when she'd clambered up to her room and fell face first into bed and slept like the dead for fourteen hours. Every night since a shaking, stuttering feeling running up and down her spine and into her fingers and toes kept her on the edge between deep sleep and memories that haunted her.

She wasn't sure anymore what was keeping her going, either the shame of causing everything that happened or the determination to shove it all down so it didn't affect anyone else. Or because she didn't know how to do anything else.

Probably that last one.

Alex dug her nails into her bare arms, hoping the pain would drag her out of this. Instead it brought on different memories. Max being taken. Mom walking away. Justin's confused face.

How could he not hate her? She messed everything up. From accidentally casting the spell, to losing the stone to that god-awful bird. Winning the wizard competition and knowing that Justin wanted to win it more than anything in the world.

Wizard studies couldn't get much worse. Her only relief was she could still slip her wand into her boot and walk around with it, no problem. But the second it was in her hand it was all she could to do keep the memories off her face. Mom not recognizing her. Dad not knowing her. Max being swept away by some freaky magical tornado . Followed by Justin, looking at her without any recognition on his face. On less terrible days she could hear his saying "I don't remember you, but I won't leave you. I could never leave you."

On the truly bad days, Alex only hears "I don't know you."

Remembers the shaky rhymes she had cried out to save her brothers. Remembers her failure.

Despite her desperate wish on the Stone of Dreams for everything to be exactly the way it was, things were different. She was different, even her brothers were different.

The biggest change was Alex's magic. Casting spells became more hazardous than ever before. Rhymes and limericks that once flowed so easily now tripped along her tongue. When she managed one, the magic that once slid from her core and through her wand now slithered and crawled in jolts leaving her shuddering through the experience. Better attempts resulted in the magic stopping entirely before she could fully cast anything. Worse attempts resulted in wild magic spinning through her wand and affecting anything in the room with her.

The sound of shuffling in the hallway ripped her out of the memories, her face wet with tears. Alex scrambled back into bed and threw the blanket over her face. No one would come close enough when checking in on her, if they even bothered. Hiding under the covers, the echoes of memories not so long ago grew louder. Every mistake, flaw, regret flashed before her with no escape.

Last night, she just tried to remember–old birthdays, meeting Harper for the first time, when her parents brought Max home–anything and everything to prove she wasn't losing her memories. Because if she wasn't, her brothers weren't.

Alex never asked how Max had led their parents to the cave. She couldn't bring herself to force Max to relive those moments.

It was the smell of coffee that pulled her out of her bed. A quick trip through the bathroom to smear some concealer under her eyes to hide the bags under there, blending it in with her fingers as she walked down the stairs. She climbed onto the empty stool at the counter and a cup of steaming coffee slid towards her. Alex didn't ask who or why, just grabbed the mug and started drinking. She didn't realize until several sips in she was sitting between Justin and Max at the kitchen counter. Uncomfortably close, brushing against them, surrounded by their warmth.

Two pancakes slid onto her plate and Alex's gut twisted uncomfortably, but not eating them wasn't an option. Show no weakness. She thanked Max and ruffled his hair, hiding the instinctive flinch at his smile. Alex slowly ate one, taking small bites and chewing a lot, washing it all down with coffee.

The second remained on the plate as she finished her coffee. Max took it and cleared her place before returning to Justin's other side.

He didn't need her.

Alex pushed her empty cup away and shoved herself away to get ready for school and grab her things. As Justin and Max waited impatiently by the door, her dad handed over a thermos of coffee. Out the door they went.

Alex stuck with her brothers until the school was in sight, then she faded away. Faking being alright worked until they got to school. Once they separated, all she had to do was avoid Harper–harder than it should be–and no one would ask questions.

She spotted Harper at the opposite end of the hall. Worse, Harper saw Alex. She could see Harper's eyes widen and the other girl stepped forward. Alex froze, running through the places she could hide in her head. Harper looked down and then around at the crowd of students wandering to their next class. Alex took the chance and disappeared into the nearest classroom.

"Alex Russo! So glad you could make it."

Alex flinched before turning slowly to face Mr. Laritate. "Uh, Hi, Mr. Laritate."

"Sit on down, buckeroo."

She slid into her usual seat in the back of the classroom and hunkered down, pulling a notebook and her pencil case of colored pens out of her bag.

Mr. Laritate's history lecture was interspersed with cowboy lingo, comfortably familiar and calming in a way Alex didn't expect. She didn't pay attention to what he was saying, but allowed his voice to wash over her as she doodled in her notebook.

Class let out and she shoved her supplies into her bag and followed everyone else out the door, ducking her head to avoid catching Mr. Laritate's eye. Her next couple of classes went similarly and she skipped lunch entirely. She didn't share another class with Harper until mid afternoon, Alex would skip that one, whichever class it was- she'd have to check her schedule. In the hallways she could accidentally run into her brothers or Harper at any moment. Without magic to help her hide, Alex wasn't positive how she'd continue to avoid them.

Alex stayed in the center of the semi-crowded hall, moving with it as much as it was moving her in the way crowds do. She scanned the halls as she passed them and kept one eye on the path ahead.

Shit.

There was Justin, leaning against the locker talking to Zeke.

Alex turned to push against the crowd only to spot Max smiling with his friends, wrapping an arm around their shoulders and standing very close.

There was an intersection just a few feet away. Alex shoved her way to the edge of the crowd, spotting Harper once more looking for her.

Alex spun quickly, Justin and Max weren't looking for her, but she still didn't want to get too close. There! On the other side of the flood of students was a janitor's closet. She shoved her way back through the crowd, breathing heavily, ears ringing. Whether luck or magic, the door swung open when she pulled the handle. Alex slammed it behind her. Taking a moment, she rested her forehead against the wooden door and listened, waiting for the crowd to pass and the bell to ring for next period.

It didn't take long. Next class was English- she could show up late to that. The teacher liked her well enough. Only three more classes to go.

She took a deep, steadying breath and cracked the door open. Confirming it was clear, she strolled out and down the hall as if nothing had happened, making plans to hide in the art room for her class with Harper.

The last bell rang and Alex walked with purpose outside, using the flow of students to hide. She'd successfully avoided Harper all day; just the walk back home and she'd be fine. Pausing just off to the side of the rush, she scanned the students for her brothers and Harper.

Justin walked over, expressionless, and stood just out of reach at an angle to watch the crowd.

"Where's Max?" She asked, trying to be casual.

"He's gone already."

Gone? Max was gone. Alex remembered the tornado that had come out of nowhere. Max reaching for them as he was swept away by magic.

The crowd of students became a faceless, colorful blur around her. The chatter of students, honking of cars, and the unending dull roar of New York City were replaced by the whirl of wind whipping around in her memory.

He's gone. I did this. My fault.

Why did I steal the book? The wand? It's always me. I don't deserve him. Them.

She crumbled down, falling back to land on her butt. Wrapping her arms around her knees, digging her nails into the skin as she pressed her face into them hard enough to hurt.

Why do I keep using everyone around me? Everything for my own ends.

Max is gone because of me. Justin is gone. My fault, always my fault.

Alex ignored the gravel digging into her butt, the pounding in her head, and her sharp nails digging into her calves.

I use magic for everything. I don't help anyone. I ignored him, called them names.

I'm mean. Always mean.

I don't deserve any of them. This is my punishment.

Something slick ran down her legs. It didn't matter.

Pulling on her hair didn't matter.

Something shoved between her lips. It didn't matter.

Just the roaring wind in her ears, spinning her mind in circles.

Sour?

A grainy coating on something squishy, chewy. Alex bit down automatically as the roaring in her ears quieted.

Her mind continued to replay Max and Justin's disappearance as another something brushed against her lips.

Blinking, the first thing Alex saw was Harper, kneeling in front of her with a deeply concerned look on her face. Her arm outstretched and hand against Alex's cheek, thumb brushing sour grains from her lips.

Alex tried to scramble back and hit a pair of legs. She looked up slowly. Justin was standing behind her, scowling at anyone who looked at them with his arms crossed.

Justin's gone. I don't deserve him. How is he-?

Harper slammed into Alex's knees and wrapped her arms around Alex's shoulders, squeezing hard as she pressed her friend into Justin's legs.

Show no weakness.

Alex struggled to breathe through Harper's hug. She hiccuped and felt something in her chest relax as tears came to her eyes. They burned a little as the tears escaped, running down her face as if they haven't in a long time. Her throat tightened and she hiccup-sobbed, burying her face in Harper's shoulder, dampening the cute, puffy sleeves the other girl had inevitably made herself.

Justin's shins dug deeper into her back as he braced against her weight.

I don't deserve either of them. Why are they still here?

Why am I crying?

With each sob, the tears slowed until she gasped, "Can't breathe!"

Harper let go, kneeling back on her toes and watching her with a concerned look.

"You ok, Alex?"

"Fine," She muttered, turning away from her friend and pushing herself to her feet before wiping the tears from her cheeks and brushing the gravel from her butt. "I'm fine. I gotta-"

"Come on." Justin picked up Alex's bag, threw an arm around Alex and pulled her away, nodding to Harper as they left. "Thanks, Harper."

She could hear Harper's quiet, "okay" as they walked away.

Alex let Justin's arm stay around her shoulders until they were out of sight of the school and their fellow students. She tried pulling out of his grasp, but Justin's arm only tightened. Her shoulders hunched to her ears and arms tucked tightly around her waist all the way home.

Back to Waverly Sub Station, pretending everything was fine.

It wasn't. Would it ever be fine again?

Did she eat lunch? Probably not, judging by the way her hands were shaking. Alex clenched one hand and opened it again, a useless attempt to calm herself. Hopefully she could stomach something; everything she ate turned to ash on her tongue after just a few bites.

Once they entered the sub shop, Alex ducked out from Justin's loosened grip and speed-walked into the kitchen to assemble something resembling a sandwich.

When she took a bite, Alex grimaced. It was Max's sandwich, "To The Max". Peanut butter, mashed potatoes and chicken nuggets. She stared at it, trying to decide if she could make another sandwich- an edible one this time. It wasn't looking good.

Max appeared out of nowhere, swinging in close to take a look at her sandwich.

"Hey, that's my sandwich! Thanks!"

Alex shoved it over and nearly dropped her head into her hands. No signs of weakness. When did he get back anyway?

Max was sitting just a little too close and he scarfed down the sandwich. The motion of his elbows and the warmth of his body calmed the shaking more than a bite of sandwich did. She only closed her eyes for a moment before she felt Max tapping on her shoulder.

"I made you one, too." She looked down and there was a half-sandwich with her favorite fillings.

Shoulders dropping, Alex looked up at Max and whispered, "Thanks."

He bumped shoulders with her and bounced around to an empty booth. Her little brother was safe and here and fine.

Harper had known the Russos for a long time. And while she hadn't known about magic until recently, one of the few secrets Alex managed to keep from her, she recognized something was wrong.

But only with the siblings.

Mr. and Mrs. Russo seemed fine. Normal, even.

But catching one of the siblings long enough to ask was surprisingly impossible.

Max clung to her when she hugged him, more frequently now than before their family vacation, before he ran off. Harper responded to his touches after school at the sub shop, reaching back in a strange game of tag, complete with small, soft smiles.

Max was always fun like that- silly and absurd but ready to try anything that popped into his brain. His ideas were less crazy now.

Justin was surly, maybe even dour. Like a pot of water simmering on the stove but never burning or boiling. His answers were shorter, his glares more common and not just aimed at Alex (though he was doing that more too). Why would Justin be mad at his parents?

He was studying harder too, reading every wizard book he could get his hands on. Harper quizzed him when she could, learning bits of magic and spells as Justin recited the answers word for word back to her. He never seemed happy when he got them right anymore and wouldn't stick around if she tried to ask other questions. Especially about their family vacation.

Alex had shrunk back. That wasn't really new–she'd never been particularly emotionally expressive–but the expression on her face wasn't exasperation like normal. It was shame and a little fear.

That worried Harper more than anything else. Alex was never scared- never. But now? Alex wasn't just running away from her problems, she was running away from everything and everyone.

All Harper could do was be there and hope that one of them would tell her what happened on their, in Mrs. Russo's words, "wonderful, relaxing family vacation"; because there was clearly some sort of secret disaster.

The one thought continuously popping into Harper's mind-

Why didn't the Russo parents notice?

Harper kept watching, waiting for her moment during school or hanging out at the Sub Station afterwards. Alex's panic attack yesterday was the last straw. She needed answers. And she was going to get them.

Cornering Alex was hopeless; the other girl was far too good at getting out of seemingly impossible situations and was completely avoiding Harper: her best friend. Harper tried not to be hurt by this, clearly something else was going on, but it was hard. Alex was her best friend, had always been. Harper missed her sarcastic, clever remarks and questions about Harper's latest fashion design.

Even though Alex was avoiding her, Harper still felt welcome enough to work through most of her homework in the Sub Station before heading home.

There was the usual lull that late-afternoon as Harper settled in to work on homework in an open booth in the sub-car; Justin and Max were mildly bickering on their way to the kitchen.

Harper watched them from across the Sub Station, hands tightening around her favorite mechanical pencil and crinkling the top page of her open notebook. Alex had long since disappeared up the spiral stairs to the apartment above.

Her top page of notes ripped from her notebook as her fist clenched.

Justin and Max were alone in the kitchen. Heads down, each building their own sandwich and moving around each other as needed. The rest of the Sub Station was nearly empty; Alex and the Russo parents were upstairs.

She'd never gotten a chance like this since they'd gotten back from their vacation two weeks ago. She might not get one again.

Harper slammed her pencil down and shoved herself up to storm across the seating area, around the corner and into the kitchen. Hands still clenched tight into fists and her shoulders curled forward, Harper glared at the two boys who had immediately quieted upon seeing her. She walked toward them slowly, feeling bigger and stronger and madder than she ever had before as she backed them against the far side of the kitchen and away from the not-just-a-freezer.

"You WILL tell me what's going on," she demanded, stomping her foot and pointing her finger at each of them in turn.

Justin and Max stared back at her, wide-eyed and leaning backwards over the cutting board and sink behind them.

"Uhhh," Justin stumbled.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Max crossed his arms a beat later than he normally would with that line.

"Something happened during that vacation of yours." Harper stepped closer. "All of you are acting weird and Alex is avoiding me. I want my best friend back so you will TELL ME what HAPPENED so I can FIX IT!" Her voice shook with emotion as she tried not to yell and gain the attention of the few remaining patrons in the shop.

Max and Justin shared a shocked glance.

"Well," Max started, biting his lip and looking at his older brother.

Justin looked down and away. "Alex cast a spell-"