March 2nd, around 9 p.m.

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"Don't bite me!" Alex giggled at her companion nibbling on her finger. He bit down a tad bit too hard.

"Ow, punk."

"Punk." He mocked.

She glared at her feathery friend. "Ya know Chest, you better control ya self, I might let you go one day. Might accidentally leave the front door open and buh bye."

The bird just turned his head and started to squawk loudly and repeatedly. "What is it?"

A second later she heard the door open and shut. She heard his voice ring out through the downstairs. "...bout car I drive or the ICE around my neck...la la la laaa...bout clothes I wear and where I go and whieeee..."

He stopped as he spotted his girlfriend sitting in his living room with Chester on her wrist. "Hey baby." He said in a sing-songy voice.

"Well, someone's in a good mood." She smiled and he nodded and danced around, walking back in the kitchen.

"Yup! It was great. Got this new song we are working on, its gonna be hot. How was your day?"

Alex stood up and walked over to the kitchen with her bird. She put her pet up and turned back to Justin who was searching the refrigerator. "It was great. I had the best time at the lab. They got a new piece of equipment so we were able to try it out all afternoon. And-"

"We have like no food." He interrupted her, pulling out a carton of milk. "Sorry, go on."

She just giggled as he reached in a cabinet and pulled out a box of Captain Crunch. "Well, I got back my test score for that Astrology exam I had."

He set the bowl and spoon he had down on the counter and bit his lip. He had spent at least 5 good hours helping her cram for that test. It was almost if he had had the exam too the next day. "And..."

She smiled and pointed to the fridge. He turned and looked on the outside. Sure enough there was a paper stuck to the silver surface with a magnet. He looked at the number and a huge smile came on his face. "A 93? Lexia, that is awesome!"

"I know. That's why it's on the fridge!!" She giggled. He walked over to her and picked her up in a hug. "I told you it would be ok."

"I know, thanks for helping me study." He set her back on the floor but kept his arms around her. His lips descended on her forehead and moved down between her eyebrows, down the bridge of her nose to the tip. He pulled away and smiled. "I'm so proud of my Lexia."

She giggled as he kissed her for a brief moment on her lips and pulled away, completely. "I'm also so hungry! I haven't eaten since lunch."

"Well, I'll go to the grocery store tomorrow and get us some food. Make me a list of what cha want." She leaned on the counter as he made him self a bowl of cereal.

"This is awesome, we have both had a great day." Justin smiled and put the spoon with a huge helping of cereal in his mouth. He grinned as he crunched.

"Ya know? I thought Jon was bad about cereal but I think you are worse. It's like all you eat."

"So?" He mumbled.

She giggled and walked over to Chester's cage and covered him. "Night Chesty."

"You are right. That bird is REAL messy. You'd think he'd be able to keep his little bird food in the cage." Just as Justin said that a piece of cereal fell out of his mouth and landed on the floor.

Alex clamped her mouth shut as he took a papertowel and cleaned up after himself. "I guess I'm not one to talk, eh?"

After a few minutes of just watching him devour his cereal in pleaseure Alex spoke. "Justin, I wanna tell ya something." She walked over to him and wrapped one arm around his waist and pulled his bowl from his grasp and set it on the counter.

"And that is..." His speech was drawn out.

She grinned and wrapped her other arm around him, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "I've been so happy this past week. I mean I've had a lot to do with getting settled fully in here and catching up with school and lab work. But I've been really happy. And its something I haven't been in a while."

A sigh sounded from his mouth and he rubbed her back affectionately in his hug. "I'm really glad to hear you say that. Ya know? Nothing could ruin our week. I mean, it just feels good to be settled and relaxed. Everything is just back to normal."

She moved her lips to his neck and pressed a kiss to his skin and whispered. "I know exactly what ya mean."

"Maaannn, you know that's my spot." Justin groaned as she sucked on the part right below his jawbone, close to his ear.

She chuckled and let her arms hug him tightly as she continued to kiss his neck with him holding her.

But as soon as his head tilted down towards her face, to maybe let their little moment of time together expand when neither of them had to study or record or whatever, was interrupted by the shrill of the phone.

"Just let the machine get it."

"That's a good idea, but I better get that." He shuffled over to the phone with her still in his arms and answered it. "Hello?"

Alexandria sighed and scratched his back as she held him. But suddenly he pulled away from her and mumbled a "Uh huh" in the phone. He clicked it off with a "bye mom".

"What is it?" Alex asked, concerned by his furrowed brow and worried face.

He turned and looked at her. "We need to go over to moms. Jon is...he's asking for you."

"What?"

"He had a nightmare again. Mom says its real bad." His eyes pleaded with hers to help in any way.

"Well, come on. Let's go." Alex automatically grabbed her keys and walked towards the door, not even bothering to change from her pjs. Justin followed, biting his lip trying to hold down the worry that was building inside of him.

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"Mom, what's going on?" Justin asked as she led him and Alex up the steps and to Jon's room.

Lynn sighed and shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, he was screaming because of his nightmare and then he just started crying saying he wished Lexy were here. I couldn't do anything." She looked a bit shocked and Justin knocked on the door to Jon's room.

"Hey buddy. It's Big J. Why don't you let me come in?"

Alex leaned against the wall, trying to think of a way to get Jon out of his room. "I just came in and woke him up and I went to get him something to drink and when I came back he had locked himself in."

"Or everyone else, out." Alex mumbled.

Justin turned and looked at her at her statement. He knocked loudly again. "Come on Jon, this isn't funny. Open the door."

A minute later, nothing had changed. Alexandria walked over to Justin and lightly pushed him out of the way. She knocked twice and then flattened her hand on the door and slapped it. A moment later the same knock was echoed back to her. "It's our secret knock. I'll be right back." With that Alex ran down the steps and searched for a piece of paper and a pen, she wrote a message on in and ran back up the steps. She knelt and slid it in the crack under the door.

"What are you doin?" Justin asked.

She stayed knelling. "One time when I was baby-sitting there was a really bad storm, and he got scared. The power never went out, but we turned off the lights anyway and got flashlights and pretended we were spies. We had secret passageway and knocks and hideouts. It was actually kinda fun. And we would send spy messages this way." As soon as she finished talking the paper flew back toward them under the crack.

Alex read the child's uneven handwriting. It read: "Lexy come in."

Her eyes went wide, she wasn't really expecting him to order her to come in but she stood up and turned the knob that was now unlocked and peeked in the door. He was sitting on his bed, clutching his ratty Simba stuffed animal. She looked back at a worried Lynn and an eager Justin.

"I'll be back." She whispered and stepped in the room and closed the door.

"Lock it." He sniffed.

She turned and locked the door behind her. She walked over to him and sat on the edge of the bed. "Jon..."

"It got me Lexy. The monster got me. It almost got you." His voice trembled.

"Jon, what is this monster? I mean is he big and hairy and makes faces like this..." She contorted her face into an ugly shape and began to attack him with her fingers making him giggle. She was so happy to hear that sound.

"Nnnnoooo." She pulled away and looked at him sincerely.

"Then what is it Jon? You've been having these nightmares for a while. Now this is serious if you MOM has to call me and Justin to come over here."

"I don't know!" He yelled and whined as only little boys could. "It's just bad and it already got Justin and it got me tonight and I was scared and then I saw it go after you." He picked at his Simba.

"I don't know what to do buddy. I mean I don't know what this monster is so I cant help you."

"Well, its weird. It's not really like a monster like they have on Pokemon. It's like a lot of things. I don't know." He rubbed his eye and bit his lip in thought.

"It's a lot of things? Well what are those things?"

He looked up at her in thought. "It's weird, Lexy. It's like there are all these girls and then there are cameras. And everytime someone takes a picture it hurts Justin and tonight it hurt me and then they went to you."

The wheels in Alex's head were turning, and she did not like what was going on. She started being afraid of what this monster was. "Has anyone else been hurt by the monster in your dreams?"

"The first one I had Britney was in. And I've seen Chris and Joey in them, but they are usually all Justin. And usually I'm in them, trying to help him. But tonight it got me too."

"Jon..." Alex scooted over a bit and pulled the boy towards her. He willingly accepted her hug, dropping his stuffed animal. "...Listen. I know it's hard for you to understand, but your brother's job causes him to be yelled at and grabbed at. But if he didn't like it, you know he wouldn't be in it. Every job has its downs, and sometimes Justin's downs are a little worse than others. But Jon, Justin loves making music, he loves singing, and he loves performing. It's going to be ok. All this crazy stuff will die down sometime."

"I know, but it scares me." He gripped her shoulders tighter and she resituated him in her lap.

"I know Jon, I know." She kissed the side of his head and wiped away the little bit of tears that had escaped from his eyes. "Why don't we go downstairs and get you some milk. Ok?"

He nodded and she stood up, hoisting him around her torso. He remained latched to her front, hugging her and getting his little fingers tangled in her hair. When she unlocked and opened the door she was practically attacked by Justin. "Hey, Jon? Are you ok buddy?"

Jon just nodded against her shoulder and turned the other way from his brother. "What was wrong?" He pleaded with Alex.

She shook her head and quiet said in a stern voice, "not now, Justin" before turning to walk down the steps.