That evening...

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"Do you see them anywhere?" Alex asked, scanning the few people in the Juneau airport. It was a small airport and their weren't many people around.

"No, babe. I don't." Justin replied looking the other direction.

Suddenly someone jumped on Alex's back and covered her eyes. "ALEX ALEX ALEX!!"

"Scott, GET OFF ME!!" Alex giggled as Scott hopped off her. "What's up bro?"

The two hugged and Scott chuckled. "Not much. Sup, Justin? See ya snagged her." Scott smiled and shook hands with Justin.

"Where's mom and dad?" Alex asked, taking her hat and forcing it on her brother's head.

"They coming. They had to park. Sorry we were late. Highway 3 was blocked off because of an anvelance."

"Ohh, figures."

"Yeah."

Justin's eyes widen. "Avenlance?"

"Yeah, happens all the time." Alex shrugged and spotted her mom. "MOMMY!"

"Baby!" She ran to her mom and hugged her tightly. "I'm so excited about having Justin here. Ohh gosh, he even looks good after he gets off a plane!"

Alex rolled her eyes, smiling and walked over to her dad. "Hey Daddy."

"Hey alleycat." The two hugged and Alex stayed in her father's arms as they walked back over to where Justin and Scott were talking.

"Justin, give me a hug." Justin's eyes widened a bit and he hugged Alex's mom.

"It's good to see you Mrs. Smith."

She pulled away. "I keep telling ya, call me Sandra or Sandy. None of this Mrs. stuff. You guys ready to get back?"

"YES! I need my bed." Alex groaned.

"How ya doin' Justin?" Charlie asked him.

"I'm doing good sir." He said quietly.

"Come on, I'm ready to get home!" Alex whined.

"Ok, ok. Let's go." Scott piped up and they started heading towards baggage claim.

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"Wow, this is so cool. It's like another world." Justin said looking outside at everything that was snow covered. IT was dark too. It was only 4:30 or so Alaska time and it was as dark as the wee hours of the morning.

"Wake me up when we get there." Alex groaned quoting Justin, curling up in between Justin and Scott in the back of the Smith's Explorer. Her head was in Justin's lap and her feet in Scott's.

"Moooommmm, Alex is bothering meeeee." Scott mock whined like a little kid.

"Ohh, gosh." Charles chuckled as he drove their car.

"Justin, take your hat off." Alex giggled.

"No." He firmly said.

"Come on, do it." She poked him in the stomach.

"Ok, ok. I got my head shaved and Alex wont shut up about it." He took off his hat and Scott started laughing.

"Oh my gosh. That is funny. I mean, you don't look funny, but there is this girl at school who is like obsessed with you and she loves your hair and ohh, I just wow, she's going to die."

"Going into the army Justin?" Charles asked with a smile.

"You guys stop picking on him. I think it's sexy."

"Eww mom!" Scott groaned.

"What? It is." She defended herself.

Alex could feel the movement of Justin's stomach as he laughed and she smiled. "Ok, me and Justin are putting up a wall, yall cant cross it."

"She just said yall." Scott pointed out.

"Shut up." Alex groaned, kicking him.

"Just pointing out that you are turning into a southerner."

"Ain't nuttin wrong wit dat!" She said in a country twang.

"What happened to your wall, sis?" Scott giggled.

"Mom, Scott's bothering me."

Sandra said in a stern voice, "Scott stop bothering your sister."

"Wait a second. When I said that nobody said anything!" He shouted.

"That's cause we like Alex better." Her father spoke up.

"Aww, that hurts." Scott pouted and sniffed.

Justin spoke for the first time in minutes. "Don't worry Scott, I like you a whole lot better than Lexia."

"Ah HA! The superstar likes me and not you!" Scott poked her leg.

"So, he's my boyfriend." She smiled and started tracing patterns on the fabric of Justin's jeans.

"I know. You tell me that everytime I talk to you." Scott groaned.

Scott and Alex's bickering faded out in Justin's mind as he reached down to pick up her hand. He caressed her delicate fingers with his own and let his other hand, reach down and undo her braids and run through her hair.

Scott slumped in his seat. "Well, we got at least 30 minutes till we get NEAR our house. I'm going to sleep!"

"Thank you." Alex groaned.

A few minutes later the car was quiet except for the quiet sounds of James Taylor's voice coming through the car stereo. Alex's mom was humming and her dad was singing quietly. Scott was breathing quite loud in his sleep and Justin was listening to the music and running his hands through Alex's hair.

Alex was asleep.

Sandra turned; knowing it was a little too quiet in the backseat. She smiled at the site of Justin looking down at her daughter as she slept.

Her daughter seemed different in a way that only mothers could pick up on. She had seen the love Justin and her had for each other the last time she saw them together. But this was something different, something deeper.

There was passion and desire when they looked at each other, now.

She turned back around and looked over at her husband singing. She grabbed his hand and turned to look out at the peaceful scenery of Alaska.

She and Alexandria would be having a talk, a long talk.

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A little later

"Guys, we are almost there." Charles spoke softly.

Alex opened her eyes and stretched, hitting both of the guys in the process.

Scott groaned. "God, Lex."

"Mmm." Justin moaned.

"Sorry." She mumbled and sat up straight.

A large front yard came in view. They had been on a long dirt road for a few minutes and now, a house was in view. It wasn't small, but wasn't huge. It was two stories, nice, had a big front porch, and had an amazing amount of land around it. Conifer trees made a barrier around the yard. The snow lingered, everywhere.

To Justin it looked like it was out of a movie or postcard or something. He would have never pictured Lexia living in a place like this, so far out in the country, so far away from everything.

They pulled their car into a garage. Justin noted the basketball net placed off to the side. Scott opened his door and Justin did the same, stretching when he stepped out. As soon as he was about to go get his luggage from the back, a pair of slender arms snugly fitted around his waist. "I'm tired, Justin."

"I know Lexia. Come on we gotta get our luggage."

"Don't worry about it Justin. Alley you go on and show him the house. We'll get it."

"K dad." Justin began to protest but Alex pulled on his hand. "Come on."

When they stepped in the house, Justin took in how it was semi-rustic yet modern at the same time. They stepped into the kitchen from the back porch and a dining room was connected to the kitchen. A small but nice and cozy living room was fitted in the back of the house and a foyer with steps that led upstairs. Beside the steps was the master bedroom.

"Where's your room?" Justin teased.

"Up here, come on." Alex said leading him up the steps. She veered to the right at the top and opened a door. Justin noted the poster of Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, and Pamela Anderson on the walls.

"Scott's room." Alex stated. "That's where you will be sleeping. Now over here..." She smiled and walked the opposite direction to a door. Her name was painted in flowery blue "Alexandria" on the doorway

She pushed it open and allowed him in. Her room was kinda girlie. It was pinks, lavenders, and light blues.

Her bed was frilly and fluffy and there were lines of stuffed animals against the widow seat she had. Her ceiling wasn't painted, but her walls were like a garden. Flowers, grass, and a bird or butterfly was painted here and there.

Justin just glanced at her as she sat down on her bed and let him survey her room. He ran his fingers over her white desk to her window that faced the front yard. He turned around and smiled at her. He narrowed his eyes at something on the otherside of her room beside her dresser, which was beside the door that led to her bathroom. There were shelves of awards and ribbons. All of them for basketball.

"Wow Lexia."

"I told you I was good."

"I know you are good. But I didn't know you played for high school or anything."

"Yeah." She hopped off her bed and wrapped her arms around him from behind. He sat down the small ribbon he had been fingering and looked over his shoulder at her. "You wanna see something really special?"

"Yeah, sure." He smiled and turned as she left him. She grabbed his hand and brought him back over to her window seat and motioned for him to sit amongst her stuff animals. There was a blown up picture on the wall and she took it off it hook and sat down in between his legs and leaned back against his chest.

"That's my brother. That's Andrew." She whispered. He picked up the frame and looked at the picture. A young Alexandria was there in overalls and a high ponytail. She looked about 9 or 10. With her was a handsome teenager in jeans and a shirt. He had brownish hair and charming face. He had Alex on his back and they were both smiling.

"That's why I love that picture with Jon on your back so much. It reminds me of him." She said quietly.

Justin let her have her picture back and she held it to her chest as he wrapped his arms around her and held her there. "Thank you for sharing that with me."

She turned her head and looked up at him. He stared down at her. "Justin..." She paused and snuggled a bit more into his embrace. "...I love you."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "I know, Lexia. I know."