Back in New York Again

Disclaimer: The author retains no rights to the recognizable features derived from Wizards of Waverly Place and used in the following story. Only what her imagination produces for the public to read is hers to claim.

Author's Note: I apologize to anyone out there who is or was reading The Witching Hour, as I have decided for the time being to discontinue it. The inspiration has left the building on that one and in starting this new chapter fic; I hope to regain what has been lost. Also, this is written before the end of the current season and it disregards another certain episode so it will have a high alternative universe quality.

Prologue

~Two Years Ago~

They were whispering more than usual. Hunched over tables at the Sub Station, on the orange couch in the Russo family loft, on busy sidewalks and in nearly empty boutiques. And later, holed up in the basement bedroom that his parents had given Harper. Never was he able to hear just what exactly the whispers pertained to as they would stop anytime either spotted someone lurking close by, but he knew the subject matter had to be of a serious nature as neither smiled and both appeared bothered. And since he never heard an admonishing Alex, he knew not one of their whispering sessions had to do with some scheme his sister cooked up or was in the midst of cooking up.

Although he was grateful that the more time Alex and Harper spent with their heads bent together meant less time that he had to look over his shoulder, the fact remained that the level of whispering was far higher than what he considered normal. Frankly, that was enough to worry him.

It got to the point that one was so rarely seen without the other that when she was alone, he took the time to look at her. He really looked at her. She had changed in just a few short weeks but not so drastically that only an acquaintance would notice the shift. He even doubted that those close to her would notice the change. However, he had become a sort of expert throughout their association on who she was and what made her tick—a byproduct of being the victim of her obsession.

So he knew that the smile on her face no longer matched the look in her shadowed eyes and that her clothing had become subdued by her standards. He also knew that while the hi Justin that she delivered each and every time that they happened upon each other sounded the same as it always had, it was no longer a natural instinct but an act forced to maintain the illusion of normalcy. But as much as he was relieved that he was receiving highly desired breathing room and as much as he enjoyed the slight bond that was beginning to form between them, he still found himself unable to completely relax as the whispers were growing daily and he still had no idea what they were about.

With each passing day, the lingering worry that ate at the pit of his stomach and messed with his head—because when a dream borders on disturbing more than once, it can no longer be a fluke or blamed on nighttime snacks—began to mount until it became a concern he could no longer ignore. And just as he was ready to approach her, to sit her down, to demand to know all the answers that revolved around the whispering, she made the first move.

He knew that it was scientifically impossible for one's stomach to drop. But the moment he was let in on the secret that his sister and Harper had spent weeks discussing behind closed doors, he wondered if any scientists had actually proved it.

For the first time in her life that she could recall, she finally felt like she belonged. Sure, she still received strange looks here and there from her peers and Justin still approached her at times like he was afraid she was going to jump him. And yes, she was very much estranged from both her parents and the teachers gave her those expectant stares as though she was supposed to set her best friend on the straight and narrow path.

However, none of that mattered too much since everything else in her life was falling into place. The Russo clan had taken her in when her parents had been more than happy to unload her and in doing so, she had gained two pseudo-brothers, her friendship with Alex was more in the realm of sisterhood and she had two new parental units who actually cared. She found that she was more open to experiences that before would have had her turning tale and running for dear life, which had allowed her to actually pursue a guy that she liked without scaring him away and become closer to the one she actually had frightened. She also looked better than ever, if she did say so herself, as she had toned down her wardrobe enough to be deemed socially acceptable even if there were days when her themes seemed a bit extreme.

Experience should have taught her by now that when everything seemed to be going right, she should expect the other shoe to drop and trip her up. And that was exactly what had happened on the last day of school. While the Waverly Sub Station was teeming with teenagers celebrating their last day of school and happily discussing plans for the summer, Harper had deliberately separated herself from the crowds and was sitting in her dank basement bedroom. Cross-legged on her bed and a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, she eyed the envelope with the return address marked Pittsburgh with trepidation.

"Harper," Alex called as she descended the stairs. "What are you doing down here?"

She opened her mouth to answer and promptly shut it with an audible snap, her bottom lip slipping between her teeth. She knew if she were to speak that her voice would either take on a shaky quality or a high-pitched one and whichever one would immediately alert Alex that all was not copasetic. But she also knew that the moment her friend reached her and viewed the stricken expression on her face, the secret that Harper was not at all okay would be common knowledge.

"Harper? Oh God, what did Zeke do?" Alex demanded, simultaneously plopping on the bed and rolling her eyes.

"It's not...Zeke didn't do anything," Harper murmured. She picked up the envelope and handed it to Alex. "I can't open it."

"A letter from your parents? Shouldn't you be thrilled instead of looking like someone kicked your puppy?"

"Alex, when have you ever known my parents to take time out of their fighting to ask me how I am?" Harper croaked.

Alex immediately grew serious. "You're right. Do you want me to read it?"

Despite herself, Harper brightened at the suggestion. "Could you?"

Tearing open the envelope, Alex removed the thin slip of stationary and cleared her throat. "Harper, I hope the time since your last visit has been enjoyable and I apologize if this letter reaches you at a bad time. As you may remember, your father and I spoke of attending therapy in your absence and the improvements it has made for both our marriage and our lack of parenting techniques. It may come as a shock to you, but neither of us was really ready to be parents when you came along—we were really just learning how to shift from being single to sharing our lives with another person permanently.

"Now, your father and I know that it was agreed that you would stay with the Russo family until graduation since we thought it would be hardly fair to uproot you from what you are accustomed to when there was another option available. That decision has worked for all parties involved, even exceeded our expectations as we have noticed how much you've matured in our absence, until now."

Alex stopped abruptly at those words and stared wide-eyed at a barely breathing, white-knuckled Harper. "Your parents can't be saying they want you home now. Do they know how incredibly unfair they're being? We're going to be seniors this year. Don't they know that's like the most important year ever? I mean, you finally have a boyfriend and not just an imaginary relationship with my brother."

Unclenching her fists, Harper reached out and ripped the letter from Alex's shaking hands. She felt as though she had entered a nightmare and until she heard her parents' words in her own voice, reality would never set in. Swallowing hard, she continued where Alex left off.

"As I've mentioned before, therapy has caused your father and I to grow closer and even rediscover what made us fall in love in the first place. Our relationship has come to resemble what it did during our first year of marriage and if you know anything about our family history, you should know that it was during our first year that you came along. As though history is repeating itself, I found out from my doctor last week that I am pregnant and you will soon have a sibling of your very own."

It was at this point that her breathing had turned into hyperventilating and Alex took over the reading once again. "I know this news probably shocks and worries you more than it does excite you so I will assure you that things will be different this time. With the help of our therapist and the newfound bond that has strengthened between your father and me, we believe that none of the mistakes that we made parenting you will happen again. And in that regard, we will need your help to support us in our change and to remind us when we are reverting back to old habits. You're going to be upset and we understand that but you'll need to understand that your familial obligations come first. And as great as the Russos have been, they do not actually qualify as being your family.

"To show that we are not trying to ruin your life, your father, our therapist and I have discussed your move down here quite extensively before coming to this conclusion. To allow you to share thorough goodbyes with your friends and to enjoy a bit of the summer before being forced to adjust to new surroundings and people, we are giving you some time instead of requesting you come down immediately. On the weekend of July 31, your father will be there with the moving van and, to show your gratitude, we expect you to have all your possessions ready to go. Signed, your mother," Alex finished.

Numb. Was it possible to lose complete feeling in your body? And cold. The room must have been nearing eighty due to the meager amount of airflow and Harper actually shivered. The year before when the choice was stay in the place she loved or uproot her entire life for someplace unknown, it had been a no-brainer. A year before, her parents had been more than happy to unload her on the neighboring family.

Now they wanted her back. Not because they loved her or wanted her but because their marriage was rejuvenated and they were having a baby. It was as though her parents had been granted a do-over by the fates and their image of what a perfect family looked like would be incomplete without the estranged daughter. It did not seem to matter how greatly they were ruining her life as long as they obtained what they envisioned.

"This is so not fair," Alex whined.

"Alex, you know my parents. They don't care about what's fair as long as they get what they want," Harper spat out in biting tones.

"Maybe if we talk to my parents, they could help change your parents' minds."

"Thanks, but I think it might be best I go. I can't let them raise my little brother or sister the way they raised me. It wouldn't be right," Harper concluded.

Alex sighed, leaning forward to wrap her arms around the girl she thought of as a sister. "I can't believe you're making me go through senior year by myself."

Two weeks of movies, shopping, sightseeing—because even though they had both lived in New York the majority of their lives, neither had really taken the time to play tourist and visit the state's main attraction—and basically creating enough memories to last the time apart, Harper finally allowed Zeke to catch up with her. Ever since that afternoon in the basement, she had been avoiding the older male because the last thing she wanted was to tell him they had to end things. She had to say goodbye to her first real relationship because her parents did not know to handle their own.

And this was what she explained to him on a Wednesday evening, sitting on a park bench and watching as the sun slowly slipped away. "So...Pittsburgh, huh? I take it Mr. and Mrs. Russo have no idea," Zeke said, his voice sounding as faraway as the look in his eyes.

Harper concentrated on the ground. "Actually, the only person who knows is Alex. She helped me read the letter they sent."

Zeke nodded. "Well, I guess I should just be glad that we're not breaking up because you realized you're still in love with Justin."

Her head shot up and she was surprised to find his eyes glassy with unshed tears. "I would never break up with you because of Justin. You were actually worried about that?"

"Of course, I mean, you had a crush on him forever and there was that brief time you two dated. Besides, Justin always got the girl and I figured that it was just a matter of time before he got you too," Zeke admitted, shrugging his shoulders. They shared a momentary lapse of awkward silence. "I'm going to miss you."

"Me too," was all she could manage before the tears began and her throat closed.

Allowing herself to be pulled into his arms, she squeezed her eyes shut and took in as many deep breaths to memorize his scent as she could before they had to part ways. It was dark when they finally left the park and when they reached the Sub Station; they shared their first and only kiss before saying the final goodbye.

She spent the night on the orange couch with Alex, eating pints of ice cream while watching movies with tragic endings and sobbing over what was lost.

The last three weeks of her stay in New York were a flourish of activity. Their days were filled with helping out in the sandwich shop as the establishment had been overrun with teenagers who were no longer occupied with school. This left the night and the odd day off to discreetly pack away Harper's possessions in boxes they had secreted away after deliveries. And as it appeared that Justin was beginning to become suspicious of the duo, they had to save how Harper would make her announcement for the nights as well.

Although they had planned for a big announcement in front of the family, it seemed that one would remain in the realm of impossibility. For the last day of July finally arrived and not one person besides Alex and Zeke was the wiser. Even a huge emotional goodbye between Harper and the Russos was out of the picture because her father had chosen to arrive in the early hours of morning when the only member of the Russo clan still awake was Alex.

Between the three of them, the van was packed and the redhead was Pennsylvania bound in less than an hour. Standing next to the passenger side of the car as her father busied himself with making the last of the adjustments to the cargo; Harper shared her last tearful goodbyes with her best friend. "I can't believe I won't have to spend all my time trying and failing to keep you out of trouble," Harper sniffled.

Alex blinked back the tears that had been percolating since Harper's dad arrived. "Promise me you'll call when you get there. And try not to find a new best friend."

"I don't know if that'll ever be possible." The girls chuckled and threw their arms around each other, laughing and crying at the same time. "I can't believe I'm leaving. I feel like I should be doing this next year."

"I can't believe I'm the only one who gets to see you go," said Alex, wiping her eyes and then Harper's when their hug ended. Both rolled their eyes when Mr. Finkle tapped the top of the van and gave a five-minute warning gesture. "I'm still surprised you didn't spill the beans to Justin."

Harper merely shrugged, reaching into her pocket and handing Alex and stack of envelopes. "There's one in there for everybody, including you and Zeke. Can you make sure they get to the right people?"

"Aw, they're sealed."

"Duh." Her father tapped the top of the van again, this time with a two-minute warning. Throwing her arms around Alex, she gave her pseudo-sister one final hug. "You know, Pittsburgh isn't that far away by train. We'll probably see each other more than we think."

It was a reassuring thought that neither believed. With a last glance at what had been her home for so long, she jerked open the van door and slipped inside. Resting her head against the window, she closed her eyes and let sleep overwhelm her.

TBC...