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Post by leigh19 on Mar 27, 2005 4:08:26 GMT -5
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“Finally!” Piper exclaimed as her niece, followed quickly by her son, appeared in the manor’s kitchen. “Your food is getting cold.”<br> Everyone else had arrived several minutes ago, and they were all hungrily consuming the makeshift meal she had prepared. Piper had been a little disappointed to see that Paige and Phoebe were still avoiding each other- and that, strangely, Wyatt seemed to be mad a Jenny…but she supposed that in the stress of the night she couldn’t really expect everyone to get along perfectly.
At least they were all safe.
“Ha, beat you!” Mel exclaimed, grinning over at Chris.
He shook his head in amusement and took his spot at the table as Mel did the same. “You’re so mature.” He muttered under his breath.
Wyatt looked up from his plate and glanced between his brother and his cousin. “You guys okay?” he asked, resting his eyes directly on Mel.
“Yep, fine.” The girl replied, her voice rather chipper as she began attacking her pancakes. “Got some advice from my new whitelighter and all is well.”<br> “New whitelighter?” Leo asked, suddenly alarmed. “The elders never mentioned-”<br> “No no.” Mel cut in with a quiet laugh. “I meant Chris. We talked, and I decided that he’s good at the whole whitelighter thing.”<br> Chris blushed slightly and Leo’s face broke into a proud smile.
“What did you talk about?” Phoebe cut in, her motherly instincts immediately on alert.
“Stuff.” Mel replied, reaching for another pancake and giving a loud yawn.
Chris noticed Jenny shift uncomfortably in her seat and he placed a comforting hand over hers. He was glad to see that she could now sit in the same room as Mel without drawing back in fear. “It’s fine.” He whispered so that only she could hear. “Everything will be okay.”<br> The girl nodded and squeezed his hand tightly before taking a few small bites of her food.
Chris smiled slightly, he was sure that Jenny would apologise personally later and then, hopefully, everyone would be back on good terms. Finally, the night was beginning to look up.
Paige suddenly gave an excessively loud (and forced) yawn from across the table, causing everyone to glance over in her direction. “You know what goes good with pancakes?” she asked, shooting a glare over at Piper. “Coffee.”<br> “Honestly Paige.” Piper muttered as she shook her head at her youngest sister. “We get it you’re tired. We’re all tired to you know…”
“Well, then maybe, we should sleep.” Paige shot back, folding her arms across her chest.
Piper sighed. “Paige, really, I think-”<br> “You know, that’s not a bad idea.” Phoebe cut in before the oldest sister could finish. “You’re right, we’re all exhausted, we’ve had a long night, and we’re getting no where with the research…maybe after a few hours of rest we’ll be more productive.”<br> “Fine.” Piper said, throwing up her hand in exasperation. “Maybe you’re right…I just hate to think about all the time we’ll be wasting…”
“It’s not wasting.” Phoebe insisted. “We need this, or we’ll never get anywhere.”<br> After a slight pause, Piper agreed. “Okay, okay. You win. After we clean this up we’ll all get to bed…but I expect you up bight and early so we can reverse this stupid spell as soon as possible.”<br> “Deal.” Paige said, standing up quickly and bringing a few of the dishes to the sink. “I promise I’ll be nicer in the morning…” And with that she orbed out of the kitchen, eager to get all of the sleep that she could.
“She certainly didn’t hesitate.” Emily noted with amusement as she began to help Piper clear the rest of the used dishes. “Perhaps Jenny and I should go home now; I wouldn’t want to take advantage of any more of your hospitality.”<br> “Don’t be ridiculous.” Piper replied, giving the witch a warm smile. “You have been great- a huge help tonight- and you are more then welcome to stay- the more witches here to help reverse this spell tomorrow the better. We have a guestroom, and the couch in the living room pulls out into a bed…”
Emily smiled back. “If you’re sure.”<br> “I’m sure.”<br> “You can borrow some of my PJ’s” Phoebe added helpfully. “And Jenny can borrow Mel’s.”<br> Piper nodded as she took the last of the plates off the table. “Perfect. Now, all of you get going- we might as well take advantage of every last second we’ve got.”<br> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A few minutes later, Jenny hesitantly approached Mel’s room.
Phoebe had insisted that she borrow some of the girl’s pyjamas, and she didn’t want to appear rude by declining the offer, but she was more than a little worried aboutconfronting Mel.
Not because she was afraid…she wasn’t anymore…really. The love she sensed that both Wyatt and Chris held for their cousin made it difficult to deny that Mel was indeed good- despite her current appearance and recent actions. She had been hasty in her judgement, and she regretted it now…<br> She only hoped that Mel would forgive her…<br> Chris said it would be okay, but she could never be sure. Not until she confirmed it herself.
Taking a deep breath, Jenny knocked on the door and waited for a reply. Mel opened it only a moment later and, much to her surprise gave her a warm smile.
“Hey.” She said quietly. “Mom said you’d be coming up.” She took a few steps into the room and grabbed a pile of clothes off the bed. “It purple okay? This is the only set I have with a low cut back, which I figured you’d need because of the -err- wings.”<br> “They’re great.” Jenny said softly, taking the pyjamas. “Purple is my favourite colour.”<br> “Mine too.” Mel replied, smiling again.
There was a tense pause, and Jenny could hear nothing but the nervous beating of her heart. Mel certainly didn’t seem mad…<br> “Look, about earlier.” The girl began, looking down at the floor. “I’m really sorry about how I reacted- this night has just been so crazy- I was- am- so shaken up…”
“It’s alright.” Mel replied. “Sure, it pissed me off…but I understand.” She paused. “You never knew about magic before today?”<br> Jenny shook her head. “Nope. Not at all. And then I get hit with this strange grey mist in the school gym, run outside, faint and wake up with my own pair of white feathered wings…because, evidently, the father I have never met was actually an angel. It’s a little hard to digest.”<br> “Wow. Intense.” Mel said, looking at Jenny in fascination. “Well, if you ever need another witch to talk to call me up. I may look like a demon at the moment, but 99 of the time I’m, just your everyday average witch, who has never really had a female witch my age to share stuff with before.”<br> Jenny’s mouth dropped open in shock and her heart skipped a beat. Was it possible that –despite everything- Mel was still hoping that they could be friends?
That confirmed it…Mel wasn’t evil…no true demon could ever be that forgiving…<br> “Sure, it would be great to have someone to talk to.” Jenny replied, smiling widely.
Mel nodded. “Don’t get me wrong, Wyatt and Chris are great…but I have always wanted another girl to talk to…” she trailed off and smiled once again. “Well, good night- I guess I’ll see you in the morning- enjoy the PJ’s.”<br> “You too. Thanks.”<br> And with that Jenny walked off down the hall, feeling relieved, excited and most of all, happy.
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Post by staceface510 on Mar 27, 2005 19:33:10 GMT -5
Love it and I personally loved Paige just because I love coffee too. lol!!
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Post by CanadianHalliwell on Mar 27, 2005 22:04:20 GMT -5
I agree with Stace. I love it love it love it. I can't wait for more!
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Post by hollypop on Mar 28, 2005 0:05:45 GMT -5
Leigh, this story is so well done! I would love to read more
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Post by anglomaltese on Mar 28, 2005 11:20:08 GMT -5
This is a brilliant story, Leigh! I second the motion for more!
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Post by leigh19 on Mar 29, 2005 2:24:20 GMT -5
Ask and you shall recieve...Thanks for all the reviews guys! Hope you enjoy the next chapter...fluff alert;)
CHAPTER 16
“I have to give you credit Chris.” Wyatt said as he unbuttoned his shirt and threw it in the laundry hamper across the room. “You really cheered Mel up…I don’t know how you did it, but you did.”
Chris shrugged as he began to rummage around in the closet. The two brothers were now up in their room getting ready for some much needed sleep, and Chris was glad to see that much of the anger Wyatt had been holding on to earlier had now dissipated. “I guess I’m just good at giving advice.” He said with a slight smile. “I am part whitelighter…in case you hadn’t noticed.”
Wyatt’s eyes glanced over at his brother’s wings for a brief second and he returned the smile. “It’s hard not to at the moment.” He replied with a laugh. “And what ever you said to her worked- she was pretty much her old self when you guys came into the kitchen- except for the whole looking like a demon thing…”
“Yeah, she’ll be alright.” The younger brother commented as he managed to pull his own shirt off with some difficulty. “I pretty much just stated the obvious- told her I forgave her, and that she wasn’t really evil.”<br> Wyatt nodded; satisfied that something had finally worked out. He had been so relieved when Chris and Mel had appeared in the kitchen- Mel had actually been joking and smiling and it seemed that she really had managed to over come her doubts. “Good.” The older brother said before pausing and starring down at the white T-shirt he now held in his hand. “Err…do you think Mom would be mad if I tore a hole in this one?” he asked, looking over at Chris.
Chris shook his head and grabbed a shirt of his own. “She can’t be. We don’t have a choice-most shirts aren’t really designed to accommodate wings and we need to wear something.”<br> A smirk crossed the older brother’s face as he was struck by a sudden thought. “Oh, I don’t know about that.” He began playfully. “I’m sure Jenny would be more than happy to see you walking around half-naked.”
Chris turned bright red and glared at Wyatt. “Shut up Wy.” he said, telekinetically flinging a pillow at his brother.
Wyatt ducked out of the way, his eyes dancing with laughter. “Oh Chris, my handsome angel in shining armour.” He mocked in a high pitched girly voice as he pretended to swoon. “I’ll love you for ever and ever.”
“And I thought I was supposed to be the immature one.” Chris shot back, still glaring and looking less than amused.
“Okay okay.” Wyatt said, forcing the grin off of his face. “I’m sorry for making fun of you Chris. But seriously, the way that girl looks at you, it is so obvious that she just wants to-”
“Enough Wy!” Chris exclaimed. “Drop it alright? What goes on between me and Jenny is my business.” He took out some of his annoyance by tearing a large hole in the back of a dark greet T-shirt.
Wyatt rolled his eyes. “Fine, I’ll stop- but only because I’m tired. I’m your big brother, remember? It’s my job to make fun of you.”
“Yeah, I think you’ve made that pretty clear over the years.” Chris muttered as he pulled the shirt awkwardly over his head. He struggled for a minute before managing to finally force both of his wings through the large hole in the back. “Argh, this sucks.” He exclaimed, ruffling his feathers so that they fell back in place. “There is no way I am going to spend the rest of my life like this. I can hardly put a shirt on for god’s sakes.”
Wyatt nodded as he proceeded to tear a hole in his own shirt. “No kidding. I’m more worried about sleeping- I always sleep on my back- but somehow I don’t think that’s too practical anymore.”
“Yes, well hopefully this will be the only night that we have to worry about that. We’re going to fix this. We have to.” Chris replied, his face set with determination. He paused and gave a loud sigh. “I’ll be back in a sec Wy, I’m just gonna go check that Jenny is getting settled alright downstairs.”
Wyatt unsuccessfully tried to hide his smirk. “Alright…Be good.”
With another roll of his eyes, Chris shot his brother a look before orbing out in a swirl of blue. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Piper sighed loudly as she entered her bedroom. She still wasn’t fully convinced that stopping to sleep was the best choice of action- she wanted to find a solution as quickly as possible- and this was only stretching the process out…but it had been two against one. Phoebe and Paige had out voted her- democracy had spoken- and now everyone was finally settling in for the night. Most days, she probably would have fought harder to convince the others of her position, but today had worn her out far too much to even attempt an argument.
As much as she hated to admit it, she really was tired…maybe just a bit of sleep wouldn’t hurt.
She just hoped they would still be able to come up with something before the next day was through…<br> The feeling of someone’s hand on her shoulder caused her to give a sudden yelp of surprise, and she whirled around to see Leo standing behind her, a slight grin on his face.
“Sorry to scare you.” He said softly, as he pulled her in to an embrace. “You really are tense tonight…”
Piper rolled her eyes and rested her head on his broad chest. “Can you blame me?” I haven’t had to deal with this much stress in a long time.”<br> Leo gave a quiet chuckle as he led her over to the edge of the bed and placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. “You just have to look on the bright side.” He began, giving her a reassuring smile. “Phoebe and Mel are back, and good. The boys are fine, and you and Emily really seemed to hit it off…tonight hasn’t been all bad.”<br> “It’s been pretty bad.” Piper scoffed, shocked that her husband was still so cheery and optimistic after all that had gone on. “One half of our family tried to kill the other half of our family- Cole is still evil- Chris, Wyatt, and Paige were all shot by darklighter arrows…and killing the demon didn’t break the spell. I have no idea what we’re going to do…”
“We’ll think of something.”<br> “Will we?”
Pipers words rung in the air, and she struggled to fight back the tears beginning to well in her eyes. She was the oldest sister- everyone would be looking to her for answers…and she really didn’t know if she could provide any. She was just as lost as everyone else. She didn’t know what was causing this, and she didn’t know how they were going to find a way out.
“What if we don’t think of anything?” she demanded, her voice shaking slightly. “What if you and the boys stay this way forever? What if Cole and Mel are forced to look like demons for the rest of their lives?”
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Post by leigh19 on Mar 29, 2005 2:24:36 GMT -5
She felt Leo brush his fingers up and down her arm soothingly and she drew several deep breaths. “Piper, honey, you can’t think like that. Not yet. We’ll find a solution.” Leo said, his voice quiet and steady. “You just have to stay calm.”<br> Calm.
Stay calm…<br> She had had to deal with the pressure of being the oldest ever since Prue’s death many years ago…tonight wasn’t really any different…she could do this. She could keep everyone together. She could keep herself together.
She had to. She had to be strong…<br> “Alright.” She replied after several seconds of silence. “I’ll try.”<br> Leo gave her a comforting hug, and she could sense that he was now smiling. She really didn’t know where she would be without him sometimes. He was always her voice of reason- he always managed to keep her steady. His gentle voice had always held so much truth and earnesty that she could not help but believe all he said.
He was right…they would find a way.
She couldn’t give up yet.
Sighing to relive some of the built up tension, Piper allowed herself to relax against his chest and she smiled slightly as he began to run his fingers gently through the tips of her brown hair. “I guess everything’s just getting to me.” She said quietly, her eyes meeting his. “It’s days like these that remind me that my life will never be normal…I guess a part of me still desires that.”<br> She felt him tense slightly at her words.
“I’m sorry for that Piper.” He whispered, a frown forming on his lips. “I truly am.”<br> Piper quickly sat upright again, and looked at him with confusion etched on her face. “Leo, this isn’t your fault-” she began. But he cut her off before she could continue.
“It is- indirectly of course…” he trailed off and smiled sadly. “You could have had a normal life Piper- well, at least one more normal then this…but you choose me…and let’s face it, I’m far from normal. Tonight has shown us that.” He paused, and placed his hand over hers. “I can pretend to be human all I want Piper, but we both know I’m not. And the boys…because of me, they can never be normal either. I’m so sorry for that- and I wish things could be different.”<br> Piper stared into his green depths, shocked at the honestly in his words. She had thought they had dealt with these issues years ago…she thought that she had proven her devotion beyond any doubt.
But she could see it in his eyes…he really did feel responsible for her unhappiness…<br> “Leo,” she began, her voice barely above a whisper. “Don’t think for one second that I regret being with you. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me- you’re the reason I’ve been able to deal with all of the complications of being a witch- you keep me going every single day. I know you’re not normal- and I yes, I do wish that we could be together without the difficulties of magic- but after all this time I know I just have to accept that that isn’t a possibility. And as long as I have you, I’ll be okay…” She trailed off and raised a petite hand to tenderly brush the side of his cheek. “You’re my angel, Leo- literally and figuratively- and you helped me to create two little angels of our own. You’ve brought nothing but good into my life, and I love you for that. I’ll never stop loving you…”
Before she could say another word, his lips cut her off with a passionate kiss. Piper felt a warm tingle flow through her body and her heart fluttered as the man she loved held her in his strong arms.
“I love you too.” He whispered as they slowly drew apart. “We’ve been through so much together, and I don’t regret one second of it. You’re amazing Piper.”<br> He pulled her in for another longer kiss and Piper allowed her love for him to consume her completely. She needed this. She needed to feel safe and comforted in his embrace…it almost made her forget about the current chaos of their lives.
“Leo.” She whispered as he gently lay her down on the bed and continued to place soft kisses on her lips. Her hand laced around his back and she pulled him close. She could feel the desire building between them and she smiled slightly as her hand brushed the soft white feathers on his back.
It was all so surreal…and yet, it was all so wonderful.
So perfect.
His beautiful green eyes met hers and she could see the love contained so clearly inside of them. He may not have been able to provide the normal life that she had desired…but he had given her so much more than that. He had given her his devotion…he had given her two perfect boys…he hand given her strength and courage…he had given her a love greater then she had ever thought possible…<br> “Leo.” She whispered again. “Leo, I love you.”<br> He smiled and brushed a stray strand of hair away from her eyes. “Love you too.”<br> They kissed again, even more fervently then before, and Piper knew beyond any doubt, that she was in heaven…<br> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Jenny looked up as a mass of blue sparking lights began to form across the room. She knew who it was even before they solidified- she could sense his presence somehow…it was strange…and she couldn’t help but wonder if this was yet another of the powers she had received that night.
“Chris.” She said with a smile as the last of the lights faded away to reveal the boy and confirming what she had sensed.
“Hey.” He said, walking over to her and glancing around the room. “I just came to see if you were all set- and to say good night. Are you sure you’ll be okay on the couch? Do you need anything?”<br> She shook her head. “I’ll be fine.” She replied.
“Okay then…good.” Chris replied, feeling suddenly uncomfortable, as they stood in the silent room, both unsure of what to say. Several seconds passed before Jenny spoke. “I talked to Mel.” She said, her voice quiet. “I told her I was sorry- and I think she’s okay now.”
Chris smiled; relieved to hear that two of the most important women in his life had managed to make amends. “Good. I’m sure she’ll be fine, and I know you didn’t mean to hurt her.”
Jenny shook her head as she sat down on the edge of the sofa bed. “You’re right, I didn’t…I was just scared…I thought I had almost lost you.” She drew a deep breath and locked her blue eyes directly on is green. “I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you Chris- I’ve always known that there was something about you-I’ve always been drawn to you…and as crazy as this night has been, I’m glad that I finally know why…”
He smiled and joined her at the edge of the bed. “I feel the same way.” He began gently as he placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. “My entire life I thought I was always going to be alone- not really alone, there is my family of course, and my friends- but I thought I’d never find anybody that I could really relate to….who would really understand me. And now you’re here…and you’re just like me…and everything is suddenly so…”
“…perfect?” she asked, finishing his sentence before he could.
He smiled again. “My thoughts exactly.” Chris paused and glanced down at the floor. “I know I shouldn’t be saying this –considering all that’s gone on…but his night had been one of the best nights of my life.”<br> Jenny flushed a light pink and nodded in agreement. “I know.” She whispered. “I’m so glad I found you…”
A lopsided grin appeared on his face, and before she could say another word, he drew her in for a long and tender kiss. It was their second of the night, and it was every bit as magical as the first. Her body tingled with pent up desire, and she allowed herself to succumb to the charms of her adoring angel.
“I’m glad too.” Chris said, smiling as they drew apart. “Unbelievably so.”
Jenny gave a quiet laugh and the two young whitelighters leaned against the back of the couch, content in each others company. Chris placed an arm around her shoulders once again, and Jenny allowed her head to fall against his chest.
More silence passed between them, only this time much of the tension was gone.
They both felt relaxed, and they knew that this was exactly where they were meant to be.
“I still can’t believe it. I can’t believe that you’re an angel…that magic exists…It seems like something out of a story book.” Jenny said quietly as Chris brushed a few strands of blonde hair away from her eyes. “I’m worried that when I wake up tomorrow I’ll find out that this was all just a dream…”
He gave a quiet laugh. “Trust me, this isn’t a dream- I know it must seem weird, but I’ve lived in this reality my entire life…it’s not going away anytime soon.”<br> “Good.” She replied, her world slightly muffled by a yawn. “I don’t want it to go away. I don’t want you to go away…” She paused. “I love you.”<br> Chris smiled. His whole body felt suddenly light and his green eyes shone with adoration for the girl he had been destined to find. “I love you too.” He whispered. “And I won’t leave you. I promise…”
Silence consumed them once again, and a minute later the sound of Jenny’s heavy breathing told Chris that she had drifted off….
He considered orbing out from under her, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
She looked like a sleeping angel…<br> He could see a gentle smile across her beautiful face…she was so calm and content…he didn’t want to disturb her.
Sighing, and unable to fight back a smile of his own, Chris rested his head on the back of the couch and allowed himself to fade off into some much needed sleep…<br> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
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Post by leigh19 on Mar 29, 2005 2:26:10 GMT -5
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The manor was pitch black as Phoebe slowly made her way up the narrow stairway to the attic.
She had felt so alone as she lay in bed, starring up at the dark ceiling. The spot which was usually filled by the form of her husband was empty, and his comforting warmth was nowhere to be found. She had attempted to sleep, but she had been unable to suppress the thousands of discontenting thoughts which were circling in her mind. The entire night had been so long and confusing, but as much as she desired it, her own guilt and doubt prevented her from getting any rest.
She had betrayed her family…<br> Paige hated her…<br> Her daughter looked like a demon…<br> And her husband...the man with whom she had shared so many ups and downs…was still full of the hate she had almost let consume her earlier.
She never wanted to feel such malice…such evil…ever again, and it pained her to think that Cole was experiencing it even now. He had done so much to overcome the bad inside of him- he had fought it for her, for their love- and now this stupid spell had brought it all rushing back…<br> It wasn’t fair.
He didn’t deserve this…<br> And she couldn’t bear to leave him alone.
Phoebe quietly opened the attic door and stepped into the empty room.
Even in the dark she could see his form crumpled several feet away. He was awake now- and his head snapped up as he sensed her presence. His cold demonic eyes stared at her as she moved towards him, lacking the love she knew that they could possess.
“Have you come to free me?” Cole asked as she stopped less then a foot away from the crystal cage he was contained in.
She shook her head sadly. “I can’t honey…I wish I could, but I can’t.”<br> He grunted in response, and she could see several painful bruises which had formed on his arms and neck. “They’ve taken you back then.” He said coolly. “The whitelighters have corrupted you.”<br> Phoebe drew a deep breath, and slowly lowered herself down to the floor. She sat cross-legged in front of him, and silently contemplated her response. It was clear the spell still had him full force. “No Cole.” She began quietly. “We were the one that were corrupted- by the spell. It clouded our judgement…we never really hated our family, the spell just made us think we did. I know that now, Mel knows that now, and I only hope that you will realize it too.”<br>Cole did not reply, and he dropped his head to face the floor- avoiding her eyes- avoiding her love…<br> Sighing, Phoebe grabbed a nearby pillow and placed in on the attic floor. She nestled into it, knowing that she would sleep better here- at least then, she would be at his side.
“Good night Cole.” She said as she allowed her eyes to close. “You have to try to fight it…If you love me, and if you love Mel, you can break through all of the hate you’re feeling…I know you can…”
Her words trailed off as sleep over came her, but she could sense in her last moment of consciousness that she was beginning to get through…<br> XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX A/N Three cheers for fluff! Yes, that was a bit of a pointless chapter, but it was fun anyway, right? I had to get some P/L in here some where;) More plot in the next one…<br>
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Post by CanadianHalliwell on Mar 29, 2005 10:02:15 GMT -5
Fluff is always nice, it only makes your story better!
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Post by hollypop on Mar 31, 2005 10:04:33 GMT -5
Leigh... this story is really sucking me in. I love how you're writing the characters... and you showed a more vulnerable side of Piper - the part that is hard for her to show- and you wrote it perfectly! I guess you can tell what my fav part is LOL
But you're giving your characters depth- a sense of being 'real'. It draws in a reader. It doesn't have to be all drama all the time... that's the best part about 'fluff'.... it gives a chance for the writer and reader to enjoy and understand more about the characters in a story.
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Post by staceface510 on Mar 31, 2005 16:30:21 GMT -5
Go fluff!! lol!! Can't wait for the next chapter though.
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mjp3
Witch
Posts: 1,140
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Post by mjp3 on Mar 31, 2005 18:30:39 GMT -5
Three cheers for fluff! Yeey! And for Leigh! Yeey! I love this story and I think you´re an amazing writer. I love all your stories. Keep up the great work!
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Post by leigh19 on Apr 4, 2005 12:51:03 GMT -5
Thanks so much to those who reviewed! You guys are so nice *tear* I hope you enjoy this chapter too.
Hollypop- Thanks for what you said about the characters- I'm glad you think I'm staying true to their traits- I've been trying my best:)
CanadianHalliwell- thanks for your on going support! I really appreciate it!
Staceface- Glad you liked the fluff- sorry that it took me so long to get this chapter done.
mjp3- You’re too kind:) Thanks so much, your comments made me so happy:) (P.S. You've been reading "All We Have is Now" too, haven't you...I want to say that I'm SO sorry for the huge delay on that one. I hope you'll still be reading it by the time I get around to posting chapter 34. I'm also wondering- would you mind telling me which of the two stories you prefer- I want to know if I'm better at drama or fluff/comedy, lol. I'd totally appreciate the input. Personally, I like the other story...but people seem to like this one. *shrugs*) Thanks!
Now, on with the story...
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CHAPTER 17 “Just Talking”<br> Piper’s eyes fluttered open as she felt a warm beam of sunlight brush against her face. She groaned quietly and rolled over, forgetting for a few blissful seconds that there was a rather large problem that had to be dealt with. She could feel Leo’s arm wrapped protectively around her body, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself starring straight into his chest.
With a content smile, Piper snuggled closer to him, allowing her senses to be filled with warmth that was so undeniably Leo.
She opened her mouth to speak- to wake him- but that was when she saw it…<br> There were white feathered wings on her husband’s back…and in one heart sinking instant; it all came rushing back…<br> The spell…<br> The boys, Mel, Paige, Cole…<br> This was not a morning to relax. They needed to get back to work. They needed to find a solution.
Drawing a deep breath to calm her beating heat, Piper rolled back over to look at her bedside clock.
‘10:15 am’ it read in glowing green letters.
Her eyes widened and her body froze with panic. Ten fifteen? How could it be ten fifteen? Hadn’t she set the alarm to wake them up at six?
Piper’s mind drifted back to the previous night. She had come into the room, she and Leo had talked, then they had….
Her heart sank as she realized her mistake. She had been so wrapped up in the moment that she had completely forgotten to set it…and now they were hours behind…<br> Why hadn’t anyone else come to wake them?
They all couldn’t still be asleep…could they?
“Leo!” she exclaimed, giving her husband a rough shake. “Leo, wake up! We slept in!”<br> The man groaned quietly and pulled the corner of their quilt over his head, mumbling a few words she was unable to decipher.
“d**nit Leo!” she cried again, ripping off the blanket and leaving him fully exposed to the cold. “Get up now!”<br> Relived to see his green eyes slowly beginning to open, Piper jumped out of bed and frantically pulled on some of her discarded clothes. She found Leo’s shirt and pants draped haphazardly over a chair and flung them across the room- hitting him on the head and causing him to sit up with surprise.
“Wha-” he began to question, his voice still groggy as he looked down at the items his wife had thrown at him.
“Oh just get dressed and orb your ass downstairs ASAP.” Piper snapped, doing up the last button oh her shirt and rushing out the door.
She couldn’t believe her stupidity…how could she have forgotten? How could she have been so careless?
She walked quickly down the hallway, knocking on all of the doors as she passed.
“Mel, wake up.” She said loudly, as she reached her nieces room.
Piper knocked on the next door. “Chris, Wyatt, wake up.”<br> She hoped they would be able to make up for all of the lost time…<br> She looked down at her watch.
Ten seventeen.
It was already ten seventeen…
They could have made four hours progress by now. They could have found a solution and had everyone back to normal.
Instead, they had slept in.
This was all her fault…<br> Still frantic, Piper walked swiftly down the stairs, hoping that her family would have enough sense to shimmer, orb or walk to the kitchen as fast as they could. She would prepare a quick breakfast before sending everyone off on their various tasks…<br> Taking a deep breath to calm her jangled nerves, Piper turned the corner into the living room…<br> The sight that met her made stop mid step.
Her mouth fell open in surprise, and the overwhelming sweetness of the scene temporarily broke her away from her panic.
Chris and Jenny were snuggled peacefully on the couch, both consumed by a deep and restful sleep. Her little boy’s arm was draped protectively around the girl, and her head was nestled against his chest. She could see parts of their perfectly white wings sticking out from beneath the blanket that covered them, and the sunlight flooding in from a nearby window cast an almost heavenly glow over their sleeping forms.
It was absolutely breathtaking…<br> Piper knew that she should be slightly disappointed in her son for falling asleep with a girl…but there was such a sense of innocence radiating off them that she couldn’t harbour any disapproving feelings.
Allowing herself to simply observe for another few seconds, Piper gave a wistful sigh and quietly crept into the kitchen.
There really was no point in disturbing them until absolutely necessary…she would call them when breakfast was ready.
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Post by leigh19 on Apr 4, 2005 12:57:45 GMT -5
She pushed open the kitchen door, expecting to find the room empty, and was surprised to see Paige sitting at the table, a steaming mug in her hand.
The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and Piper sent a disapproving look at her youngest sister. “Paige…” she began with a raised eyebrow. “Where did you get the coffee? I thought we were out.”<br> Paige shrugged, and took a deep sip from her cup. “Uh, we were…”
The oldest charmed one folded her arms across her chest, and shot Paige a look that clearly said she wanted an explanation.
“I may have sort of summoned it this morning.” Paige said, avoiding her sister’s gaze and taking another sip. “And before you lecture me about personal gain again, consider this; if I don’t have my coffee, then I can’t help you guys vanquish the responsible demon and save the world…so, it really isn’t personal gain…I wouldn’t have done it unless absolutely necessary…”
Piper rolled her eyes at her sisters rambling and shook her head in disapproval. “Fine. We don’t have time to argue about this now…but you had better hope this doesn’t back fire. That’s the last thing we need.”<br> Smiling innocently, Paige downed the last of the coffee in her mug and jumped up to get a refill. “If anything happens- which I doubt- I take full responsibility.” She poured herself more of the dark steaming brew, savouring the aroma as it drifted up to wards her nose. “Yep, totally worth the personal gain.” She muttered.
Piper rolled her eyes again, and began to rummage around in the fridge for eggs, milk and everything else that could possibly be used to piece together a breakfast. “How long have you been up anyway?” she asked, placing the almost full egg carton on the counter.
“I don’t know….an hour….or two…”
“Two hours!” she exclaimed, half expecting something to blow up as she threw up her hands in anger. “Paige! Why didn’t you wake us up! I specifically said that I wanted us to get an early start…”
Paige shrugged. “Yesterday was busy- I thought everyone could use the sleep.”<br> Before Piper could get any angrier, both Leo and Wyatt orbed into the kitchen- looking tired and slightly disgruntled.
“Morning mom.” Wyatt mumbled as he took a seat at the table next to Paige. He gave a slight wave of his hand and orbed both the coffee pot and a clean mug in front of him.
“What is it with this family and personal gain?” Piper asked, glaring at her son in disapproval as he began to pour himself a cup. “For angels you certainly like to break the rules…”
Leo gave a slight laugh and placed a comforting arm around his wife’s shoulders. “And where would we be if we didn’t break the rules?” he asked, kissing her gently atop the head.
“He’s got you there.” Paige cut in. “I wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for this family’s tendency to break the rules…and neither would my two favourite nephews.”<br> “Good point.” Piper muttered quietly. “I don’t want to even think about that.”
She allowed herself the comfort of Leo’s embrace for a few seconds as she tried to bury that horrible idea. She couldn’t imagine life without her husband, sons, and little sister…no matter how rebellious they were at times.
“If you were so adamant about getting up early, then why didn’t you set your alarm?” Paige asked, glancing up from her coffee to look at Piper and Leo.
Leo cleared his throat nervously and set his gaze down to the floor, and Piper could feel a slight blush creep across her cheeks.
“Umm, we were just talking.” Piper replied as she began to fidget with her hands. “And then, um, doing other things…setting the alarm just slipped my mind.”<br>Paige’s eyes widened and her face scrunched up in disgust. “Other things? Eugh. I’m sorry I asked.” She paused and looked up at them again. “How could you have possibly been ‘in the mood’ for that after everything that went on yesterday?”<br> “Oh, I don’t know…” Piper replied, playfully kissing Leo on the cheek. “Sometimes I just find it hard to resist my handsome husband’s angelic charms...and trust me; he has quite a few…”
“I am not listening to this!” Wyatt exclaimed suddenly. His face had paled considerably, and he was clearly mortified at the thought of his parents doing…that.
Piper gave her son an amused smirk. “Aww, I’m sorry honey.” She said as she took a step away from Leo and began setting out breakfast ingredients in an organized manner. “But really-how do you think you got here? You didn’t just magically appear…”
“Enough!” Wyatt cried again, his blue eyes wide with horror.
Paige looked similarly grossed out, and Piper decided that she had tortured them enough.
“Okay, Okay. I’ll stop.” She said, taking out her favourite frying pan and cracking several eggs onto it. “Leo honey, could you please get out the plates?”<br> The whitelighter set off across the kitchen, almost bumping into Mel as she suddenly shimmered into the room, appearing to be quite cheerful and awake.
“Mmmm, smells good Aunt Piper.” She noted as she too took a seat at the table, looking as perky as a person with demonic features could. “Good morning everyone- did you sleep well?”
The other four muttered their various responses as Mel poured herself what remained of Paige’s pot of coffee. She took a sip and gave a quick glance around the room. “Where’s Chris?” she asked after several seconds, slightly surprised to see that her cousin- the notorious early riser- had not yet joined the family in the kitchen.
Wyatt suddenly snapped fully awake, and he too looked around the room- noticing for the first time that his little brother wasn’t present. “I don’t know.” He stated, standing up abruptly, his expression clearly worried. “When I woke up he wasn’t there…I just assumed he had orbed downstairs already. What if-”<br> A slight smile crossed Pipers lips as her mind drifted back to what she had seen in the living room. “Don’t worry Wyatt- he’s fine.” She replied, carefully flipping the first batch of eggs over. “He’s still asleep; I’ll wake him up soon.”<br> “Still asleep?” Wyatt questioned, confused by his mothers response. “But I just told you, he’s not upstairs…”
“That’s right. He’s not upstairs.” Piper replied, still smiling.
Wyatt was baffled, but before he could question her more, Chris and Jenny burst into the room, both looking hazy and tousled from sleep.
A look of realization crossed Wyatt’s face as he stared at the two. Their hands were clasped together as they seated themselves at the table…he could almost sense the sickeningly sweet adoration between them…<br> The pieces all fell into place.
Chris hadn’t come back upstairs last night. He had gone to check on Jenny and he had stayed with her…they had fallen asleep together…<br> Wyatt must have dozed off before any suspicion could set in the previous night.
He exchanged a wide eyed glance with Mel before looking back over at his little brother and the girl. A grin crossed his face as a hundred possible opportunities for blackmail and relentless teasing began to form in his mind.
It was all too easy…<br> “Well, this is certainly interesting…” Mel muttered to his left as she tired unsuccessfully to hide her own smirk.
Wyatt nodded in agreement before locking his blue eyes on his brother’s green. “So…Chris…” he began, smiling as devilishly as an angel could. “Did you sleep well last night?” he paused “Did you sleep at all, last night?”<br> Much to his satisfaction, Chris’ cheeks flushed a deep pink and he looked uncomfortably down at the table. “Shutup Wy.” He muttered, obviously hoping that his brother would drop it.
Unfortunately for Chris, Wyatt had other plans…<br> “Oh don’t worry Chris.” He began again. “It’s totally alright…I get to be the best man at your wedding though, right?” he paused. “And you know…I have always wanted a little niece or nephew…I suppose I won’t have to wait too long, will I?”<br> “Wyatt!” Piper exclaimed, looking up from her cooking, her eyes flashing with annoyance. “That’s enough. Leave your brother alone.”<br> Wyatt stifled a laugh. “Alright- I was only kidding.” He said, looking over at Chris and Jenny who were now both beet red with embarrassment.
He decided that it might be best to back off for now…but once his parents were out of hearing range, he would show no mercy… As he had said just yesterday, it was his job to make fun of his little brother- and this was an opportunity far too good to pass up.
“We were just talking.” Chris muttered, holding back the urge to send Wyatt hurtling into the nearest wall. “That’s it.”<br> “Yeah, your parents were ‘just talking’ last night too…” Paige added unhelpfully, as she raised an eyebrow.
Wyatt grinned again; his youngest aunt really could be cool at times…<br> “Paige!” Piper cried, aghast at what her family was implying about her baby boy. “You’re worse then a kid. We are dropping the subject…now.”<br>
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Post by leigh19 on Apr 4, 2005 13:02:51 GMT -5
“Dropping what subject?” a new voice asked, causing all present to turn in its direction.
Emily walked into the room, fully dressed and ready for action.
“Nothing Mom!” Jenny exclaimed, her voice quite a bit higher than usual. “Nothing.”<br> The woman looked at her daughter with confusion before shrugging it off and joining everyone around the table. “It’s almost eleven.” She noted, glancing down at her watch. “I guess we slept too long, eh?”<br> Piper nodded, glad for the distraction as she began to dish out the food. “Yes- well, let’s eat quickly then…there are demons to be killed and spells to reverse!”<br> “Agreed.” Chris said as he hopped up to help his mother distribute the food. “The sooner we get rid of these wings the better.”<br> The others nodded, all reminded of the task ahead. They were determined to reverse what had been done and make things as normal as they could possibly be in the Halliwell household.
Mel in particular was more then ready to say goodbye to her demonic form. It stood as an outward reminder of the evil she had felt, and she hoped that once the spell was reversed, she would never have to look at herself with such disgust again.
She stabbed at her eggs as a distraction, and tried to keep her mind away from her dark thoughts. It was a new day, with new hope…and she had complete faith that her family would find a solution.
Her mother had always said that there was nothing the Halliwell’s couldn’t do if they put their minds to it…<br> Mel was struck by a sudden thought and she slowly looked back up from her plate.
“Hey…” she began, glancing at her Aunt Piper for an answer. “Has anyone seen my mom this morning?”
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
“It’s about time you woke up.”
The words pulled Phoebe from her groggy state, and she painfully pulled herself off of the attic floor. She still felt extremely tired- and sore- but the sound of a familiar voice filled her with a sudden burst of hope.
“Cole?” she asked, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She could see her husband sitting peacefully in the crystal cage, watching her with a gentle smile. His features were still demonic, but his demeanour wasn’t…she could sense it…all of the rage and hate was gone…<br> “Yep, right where you left me.” He replied, his tone softer than it had been last night. “It’s not like I could go anywhere…even if I wanted too.”<br> A wide smile crossed the witch’s face, and relief filled her body.
He was okay…
Everything was going to be okay…<br> “You’re…you’re not a demon.” She stated, wanting some final confirmation.
Cole laughed. “Well, I suppose that depends on your definition…I certainly look like one.” He paused. “But I don’t feel like one. Last night…as I thought about what you said…and as I watched you sleep…something snapped inside of me. I realized how stupid I was being- and how my hate had blinded me from my love for you, and Mel and everyone…I’m so sorry Phoebe, I really am.”<br> “It’s alright Cole.” She replied with a sad smile. It was hard to fight back the tears welling in her eyes. Cole was back- the man she had always loved more than any other had overcome his inner darkness for her…again. She knew that their love was just as strong as it always had been. “It was a spell- it wasn’t you. And the important thing is that you over came it.”<br> He nodded slowly, and she could sense his strong remorse. It was just like that she could sense so strongly from her daughter.
“Come on.” She said, wanting to break through the overpowering emotions building in the room. “Lets go down and see what Piper has made for breakfast- I don’t know about you, but I’m starved…and everyone will be thrilled to see that you’re alright.”<br> Phoebe stood up and took a few steps towards the attic door before her trek was interrupted by her husband’s voice.
“Uh, Pheebs?” he began with a slight hint of amusement. “I’m still sort of trapped here…”
Her eyes widened and she gave a short laugh. “Right. Sorry about that…” She dashed back across the room and kicked one of the crystals, breaking the circle that had contained him.
“Thanks.” He said, taking a step forward and pulling her into a gentle embrace. “Now…what to you say we get down there as quickly as possible? You’re right, I am starved.”<br> Phoebe smiled and held onto him tightly as he shimmered them down to the rest of the family…<br>XXXXXXXXXXXXX
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Post by leigh19 on Apr 4, 2005 13:06:26 GMT -5
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
“She hasn’t come down yet…” Piper answered her niece, worry beginning to build as she pondered Phoebe’s whereabouts. She had knocked on her younger sisters door…she should have been awake by now. “She probably still getting dressed or something…”
“Yeah, probably.” Mel replied, going back to her eggs and trying not to let her mind wonder off to any irrational thoughts.
Piper joined her family at the table and glanced down at her plate for a second before coming to the realization that she wouldn’t be able to eat in peace until she was absolutely sure that Phoebe was alright. “I’m going to go tell her to hurry up.” She stated, standing up once again.
But before she could even begin to head for the door, two figures shimmered into the room, filling her with both apprehension and relief. She could feel Paige tense up beside her…she could see Leo and the boys exchange nervous glances…<br> Phoebe had arrived…<br> With Cole.
Forcing a smile, Piper sat back down. “Good morning Phoebe…good morning Cole.” She said, her voice unusually chipper.
“Dad!” Mel cried happily, jumping out of her seat to give him a tight hug. “Glad you’re back.”<br> Cole smiled and kissed the top of her head affectionately. “Glad to be back…I missed you, Ladybug.”<br> Mel smiled at the use of her childhood nickname and happily returned to her seat- clearly thrilled that her parents were both alright…and not evil.
Piper couldn’t deny that it was unsettling to see her brother in law standing in the kitchen, looking every inch a demon. Her mind instantly wondered to last night, and the crazed look of hate she had seen in his eyes…<br> The look was gone now.
There had been love in his interaction with his daughter.
This simple observation gave her huge comfort.
He must be fine…she trusted her sister’s judgement…she wouldn’t have released him if he hadn’t over come the demonic tendencies…<br> “Good morning.” Both Phoebe and Cole replied as they helped themselves to large helpings of breakfast. They were acting as if everything was completely normal…and Piper decided that it would be best to do the same.
“There is more orange juice in the fridge.” She said cheerily as she took a few bites of her own food.
“Thanks.” Cole replied, going over to fetch himself some before walking over to the table, where he and Phoebe filled the last two seats.
“Well, no use stalling anymore.” Paige said with forced enthusiasm, standing up only seconds after her sister and brother in law sat down. “Time to work…I’ll be looking through the book if you need me…”
And with that the youngest charmed one orbed out in a swirl of blue, making her remaining contempt glaringly obvious.
Uncomfortable silence filled the air.
No one knew what to say, or how to react…<br> Paige was angry, Jenny was nervous, Leo, Chris, Wyatt and Emily were confused….and Piper had no idea how she was going to get this family back to where it had been before last night…<br> They had been so happy- but the stupid spell had reminded them of their differences, and split them further apart then they had ever been…<br> “Um, good eggs, Piper.” Cole commented, clearly aware that he was the cause of the silence.
Piper smiled at his effort. “Thanks.” She replied. “Nothing special really…” she trailed off and searched for something else to say…<br> “You haven’t been introduced to our guests!” she exclaimed, struck by sudden inspiration. “Cole- this Jenny.” She said, gesturing toward the girl. “She’s a friend of Chris’ who just found out that she’s a witch-whitelighter too. And this is Jenny’s mother Emily- she’s here to help us with the remaining problem.”<br> Jenny merely stared at the large male demon with wide eyes, but Emily managed to suppress her doubts and extended her hand out for Cole to shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” She said with a genuine smile.
Phoebe beamed at the other witch’s acceptance of her husband- relieved that some of the tension was starting to dissipate.
“Like wise.” Cole replied, smiling slightly. “I assume you’re a witch and not a whitelighter.” He added with a glance over in Jenny’s direction.
“Yes,” Emily said, looking warmly at the demon. “Jenny’s father was the whitelighter…I’m the witch…I suppose that’s fairly obvious right now, huh?”<br> Cole laughed. “Oh, just a little.” He stated, surveying the rest of the family. “I have to say, I knew we demons had other forms, but I had no idea whitelighters did too…how come you guys never told me?”<br> “Because we didn’t know until yesterday either.” Chris replied, looking up at his uncle. “Well, Dad knew…but he didn’t think it was important to tell us that there was a possibility that we could have wings…” his voice was thick with sarcasm and he looked over at his father accusingly.
“I said I was sorry, Chris…” Leo muttered, his eyes starring down at his plate.
Piper shook her head at the argument between her husband and son. Truth be told she was still a little annoyed at Leo too…but there were bigger things to deal with at the moment then her husband’s secrecy.
“Alright.” Piper said, standing up to take her dish to the sink. “It’s time to get back at it.” Her voice had switched to business mode and her brown eyes were set with determination. “Emily, Jenny and Chris- go upstairs to help Paige look through the book. Phoebe, Cole, Mel and you stay here and work on the potions supply- we’ll need a few batches so I suggest getting out more then one pot…we don’t know what we’re dealing with, so make it as strong as possible. Wyatt, you’re going to help me write up a few spells that may be able to reverse the spell without killing the demon in charge, and Leo, I want you to go see what the elders know about this mess…they may have some useful information.”<br> As she finished speaking, all present began to clean up and shuffle off to complete their various tasks- knowing from Piper’s tone that there would be no toleration of anything else.
“I’ll be back soon honey.” Leo muttered as he quickly orbed out.
Chris orbed Emily and Jenny up to the attic and Cole, Phoebe and Mel all began rummaging in the cupboards for various potions ingredients.
Smiling with satisfaction, and feeling like some progress was finally about to be made, Piper grabbed onto her oldest son’s arm and dragged him to the living room where they could have peace and quiet to come up with spells.
“Do you think the power of three is strong enough to reverse this without vanquishing the responsible demon?” the Wyatt asked as he began to scan the room for pen and paper.
Piper shrugged. “I don’t know…I hope so. We’ll never know unless we try.”<br> He nodded, understanding her logic, and grabbed a pen off the coffee table before sitting down on the couch to think. He had always had quite the knack for coming up with good spells- he just hoped one would come to him right now…<br> Before Wyatt or Piper had the chance to record even the first word, the shrill sound of the door bell abruptly broke their concentration.
They exchanged a nervous glance- both wondering who it could possibly be.
“You stay here, I’ll get it.” Piper muttered, walking brusquely into the hallway and hoping that whoever it was wasn’t there to deliver more bad news…<br>XXXXXXXXXXXXX
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Post by Charmed Force on Apr 4, 2005 14:16:20 GMT -5
ohohoh... dying to find out what happens next!!! Who is at the door???
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Post by leigh19 on Apr 4, 2005 16:33:32 GMT -5
Thanks Charmedforce! This is actually part II of chapter 17...I thought I could get it up before anyone reviewed, lol. Guess not Enjoy! XXXXXXXXXXXXX Darryl Morris and his oldest son stood impatiently on the door step of the Halliwell manor, waiting for someone to answer their ring. They knew that they were taking a risk by coming here…but they also knew that they needed to tell their long time friends about the possible danger they were in. “Do you think they’re home?” DJ asked, giving his father an apprehensive look. The young man was just weeks shy of his 21st birthday, and like his father and grandfather, had decided to peruse a career in the San Francisco Police force. He had been tagging along on patrol with this dad last night when chaos had broken out on the streets, and he had insisted in sticking around to help deal with the mess. He and his father were the only ones who knew that magic was most likely involved…and that the Halliwells were their best hope of solving the problem. They had spend a sleepless night at the station, interviewing witnesses, dealing with prisoners, and trying to get a hold of any evidence that could provide proof of magic before it was given over to the media. Darryl shrugged. “I’m pretty sure they’ll be here…unless they’re down in the underworld vanquishing demons or something. I hope they know what’s going on.” A sudden shadowy movement behind one of the windows told them that, thankfully, someone was indeed there. Seconds later a rather frazzled looking Piper swung open the door, smiling slightly as she saw the familiar faces standing outside. “Darryl, DJ!” the woman exclaimed, gesturing for them to step inside. “I’m so glad it you.”<br> Darryl briefly retuned his friend’s smile, before remembering that they were here on serious business. “Good morning Piper.” He replied, his voice solemn. “I’m afraid we have some rather pressing news…” The witch’s face fell as father and son exchanged a nervous glance. “Do you know about what’s been happening out there?” DJ asked as he began rummaging around in his pockets for a disc he had brought. “With the demons…” Piper’s eyes grew wide as the young man spoke. “Yes we know about the spell…” she began, her voice suddenly full of worry. “But I almost forgot that it was happening out there too…we’ve been so distracted with family issues that we haven’t even had time to deal with the rest of the city…how bad is it?”<br> Darryl gave a loud sigh. “Pretty bad.” He replied honestly. “We’ve been up all night trying to deal with things…the station is in chaos with reports and calls from hundreds of eye witnesses. A few weaker demons have been captured, but most managed to escape during the night…and I don’t know if you’ve been watching the news, but it’s going to be pretty hard to cover up magic after this…some people are still convinced that it’s a Halloween prank…but others aren’t buying it.” DJ nodded in agreement and rubbed his tired eyes. “Yeah, the media is jumping all over this one…we’ve been trying our best to cover things up and make it seem like a prank, but it’s almost impossible.” He paused. “That’s why we came- we were hoping that you guys were working on a way to reverse this…it’s effected you too hasn’t it? This spell or whatever...”<br> “We’re working on it…and it certainly has effected us.” Piper agreed, her knees feeling weak as she tried to absorb the horrible news her friends had delivered. She had been so absorbed with the Phoebe-Mel- Cole issue that she had forgotten that exposed demons all across San Francisco were wreaking havoc. Just when things had been starting to look up, they had come crashing down once again. The family was more or less okay now…<br> But the rest of the city wasn’t…<br> “We think it’s some sort of true nature spell- cast by a demon.” Piper explained, leading DJ and Darryl into the next room where they could sit down and discuss matters further. “It reverts demons and other concealed magical creatures back to their natural form…but that’s about all we know right now.”<br> DJ opened his mouth to ask a question as they entered the next room, but the sight of Wyatt sitting on the couch temporarily took away his capacity for coherent speech. He had always been rather close with Wyatt- who was only a year younger then him- and he knew all about his friend’s magical nature…but he never would have imagined this…<br> “Woah.” The young man choked, his brown eyes wide as he stared unblinkingly at the witch-whitelighter. “Geez Wy…wow…” Wyatt flushed a bright shade of pink as his friend sated at his newly acquired wings in disbelief. “Yes, I know I look ridiculous.” He muttered, bitterly looking down at the floor. Darryl blinked several times to recover from his own shock, before looking over at his son. “Well, that confirms the disc then…” “Disc? What disc?” Piper asked, as she joined Wyatt on the couch. DJ pulled the small round object out from his pocket and walked over to the Halliwell TV. “Er- we came to talk to you about this too. Someone delivered it this morning…its home video footage they shot of ‘two angels’ that appeared on Everwood Ave. around ten pm yesterday…” “Uh oh.” Wyatt whispered, his mind drifting back to the embarrassing predicament he had Chris had been in last night. He had woken up on a street after being hit with the spell…and Chris had come to ‘save’ him…<br> They had barely escaped the group of nosey mortals… “Wyatt?” Piper questioned, her worried eyes locked on her son. “Is that where you ended up when you orbed back from the underworld…” The boy sighed. “I think so…” “Well, then it’s good that we got a hold of the video before the news station did.” Darryl commented as his son began to insert the disc into the appropriate player. “We suspected it might be you guys…but weren’t sure if you had actually been affected or not…and it’s rather difficult to make out the faces on the footage.” The cop stopped talking as the video began to play. Although it was rather shaky footage, they could make out a young man with wings surrounded by a group of people. Blue lights formed a second young man beside him, and an aggressive member of the crowd managed to pull of his jacket, revealing that he too had white feathered wings. The two struggled with the crowd until they eventually managed to break free and take off down the street…<br> Piper brought a hand to her mouth as the video finished, her heart beating rapidly as she thought about how close her boys had come to being captured and exposed. “Yep, that was me and Chris.” Wyatt confirmed quietly. Darryl nodded as DJ ejected the disc and passed it to Piper. “Don’t worry, we’re the only ones who have seen it…destroy it, hope this is the only copy, and we’ll try to pretend it was never delivered.” The witch smiled thankfully. The Morris’ had helped save them from possible disaster once again. “But…that’s not the only thing we think might be connected to your family.” DJ added sadly, taking a seat in a nearby chair. Piper’s heart sank again…<br> “We have received several reports from students at Bayside High…evidently a demon appeared in the middle of the school dance and threatened the students with fireballs…there are also accounts that she threw one straight at a boy- but instead of getting burnt he- um- exploded into a flurry of blue lights and reformed unharmed…” Realization dawned on the Halliwell’s faces. “Not good.” Wyatt stated, looking between his friend and his ‘uncle’ Darryl in shock. Piper nodded slowly, “Yes…that was Mel at the dance. The spell turned her into a demon- and she was possessed by evil for a few hours. And the boy must have been Chris…he tried to stop her and she blew him up.”<br> “We sort of figured.” The cop replied, shooting the woman a sympathetic look. “But luckily no names have been confirmed as of yet…hopefully we can cover that up too…” “Although.” DJ added, “Just before we left the station, a new witness arrived…a boy named Jake McDermott…he seemed like he might be ready to talk…” Piper gave a quiet gasp. “Jake McDermott?” she asked quietly. “That’s Mel’s boyfriend…the boy she went with to the dance. If anyone can give the police a name, it’s him.”<br> “I always knew the guy was a jerk.” Wyatt said bitterly. “He had better not turn in his own girlfriend.” He paused. “Poor Mel…”
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Post by leigh19 on Apr 4, 2005 16:37:51 GMT -5
“Poor Mel?” a voice asked as a fifth figure entered the room. “Why? What’s going on?”<br> Darryl, DJ, Piper and Wyatt all looked up to see the girl walk in from the kitchen, obviously curious about why they had been talking about her. The Morris’ took a second to absorb the young Halliwell’s new demonic appearance before giving her sympathetic smiles. “It’s because of Jake, honey…” Piper began gently, knowing that it would be best just to hand her the truth- no matter how unfortunate it might be. “DJ and Darryl were just telling us about the reports they have received from students after yesterday’s events…and they think that Jake may be willing to turn you in…did he see you change?”<br> Mel froze mid step, her eyes wide with horror. Her mind drifted back to the dance…<br> She had been in Jake’s arms…they had been swaying to the beat…having fun… And then the mist had hit…she had been overcome by hate and anger…<br> She could suddenly remember seeing the disgust in her boyfriends eyes as he stared down at her…he had been revolted…afraid…<br> “He did.” She whispered, trying hard to fight back tears. “He knows it was me…” Darryl gave a loud sigh and exchanged a glance with is son. “Then we had better get back to the station before it’s too late.” DJ nodded in agreement, his brown eyes flashing with anger as he thought about the cowardly boy who threatened to hurt the girl he cared for deeply… “Don’t worry about it Mel.” He said quietly as he took a few steps across the room and pulled her into a warm embrace. “We won’t let anything happen to you…I’ll kick his scrawny ass if he tries to turn you in…screw the police brutality rules…” He ignored his fathers disapproving look as he turned and headed for the door. “Come on dad; let’s get back as quickly as possible.” Darryl gave the Halliwell’s a short wave. “Bye guys…we’ll do our best to keep things under warps…but the sooner you can come up with a counter spell or something the better…” “We’ll try.” Piper replied as she watched the two leave the room. She heard the front door slam behind them, and she drew several deep breaths to calm her racing heart. This was bad…<br> Really bad. Not only did they have to worry about vanquishing the demon and reversing the spell, but now there was the threat of exposure. How could they possibly protect Mel if the police arrived demanding that they hand over the ‘demon’ which had threatened the students at the dance…and what if there was another copy of the footage which clearly showed that her sons were far from normal…<br> Darryl was right, the sooner they could reverse this, the better…<br> She only hoped that it wasn’t already too late to fix the damage that had been done. “I don’t believe this.” Mel whispered, taking a seat next to her cousin and wiping a few stray tears from her eyes. “How could he betray me like that…how can he be such a jack ass…?”<br> Wyatt placed a comforting arm around her shoulders. “It’ll be okay Mel.” He replied gently. “We’ve always know that mortals don’t take the idea of magic too well…especially not spineless mortals like Jake. You’re better off without him.” The girl sniffled. “Maybe…” she whispered, her voice full of sadness. “I can’t believe I actually thought he loved me…I’m such an idiot. How could anyone possibly love me? Look at me, I’m a freak…” “Oh honey, no you’re not.” Piper cut in, feeling terrible for her niece. She knew all too well what it was like to have your heart broken by a guy…but she also knew that finding true love was possible if only you didn’t give up trying. “He just wasn’t the right for you…I’m sure the perfect guy is out there some where…” Wyatt gave her a wide smile as he was struck by a sudden thought. “Or maybe he’s even closer then you think…” He paused before deciding to continue. “DJ cares for you quite a bit you know…and he did just say that he was willing to kick Jake’s ass for you…” “DJ?” Mel asked, locking eyes with her cousin. Her mind wondered to thoughts of her long time friend- they had always gotten along quite well- she had many fond memories of afternoons spent with him and Wyatt and Chris…but she had never really considered him in that respect…<br> He was quite sweet- and quite protective…<br> And there was no doubt they he was very good looking…<br> Six foot two, thoughtful brown eyes, flawless tan skin…not to mention the muscles that came from his recent police training. Maybe Wyatt was onto something…<br> Mel felt her cheeks heat up, and she knew that if not for the current demonic redness of her skin, she would have been blushing deeply. “You never know.” Wyatt shrugged, trying to look as innocent as possible. He had known for awhile how DJ really felt about his little cousin…and he hoped that his friend wouldn’t kill him when he found out that he had hinted of this to Mel. He had promised DJ he wouldn’t say anything…<br> But now that Mel’s idiotic boyfriend was out of the way, then maybe there was a chance that things could work out between them. Wyatt would much rather see his cousin with someone he trusted then another annoying mortal from her high school. She had dated enough of those…<br> Before Wyatt could contemplate the situation further, a swirl of blue orbs began to form across the room, drawing all of their attentions in that direction. His father formed seconds later, his face sombre and his green eyes full of worry. “Leo? Are you alright?” Piper asked, jumping up from her seat and rushing to her husband’s side. She too recognized the whitelighters worry…he had found out something bad…she knew it…<br> “Did you check with the elders?” she asked. Leo nodded slowly and drew in a deep breath as he looked over at his niece and son sympathetically. “It’s not good.” He muttered, not wanting to agonize his family further but knowing that he had too. There was not point in withholding the truth. “It’s not good at all…” “Well?” Piper asked, growing more impatient by the second. “What did they say?”<br> The man sighed and began to speak. “They say that it was a demon that cast the spell, and that he was only able to do so because of the heightened magical force on All Hallows Eve.” He paused and nervously looked over at his wife. “They also said that, because of the nature of the spell, if we don’t find a way to reverse it before eight o’clock tonight…the effects will be permanent…” Piper’s mouth fell open in disbelief and Wyatt stared at his father in horror. “So…I may look like an angel for the rest of my life?” he asked, hoping desperately that he had somehow misheard. Leo nodded. “If we can’t fix it in the next eight hours, we’ll be stuck this way forever…” XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX A/N Muhahaha. Good twist? I thought I needed to heighten the drama a bit. Hope you liked it…can you believe that it’s 20 pages in word!! The longest chapter I’ve ever written. I just couldn’t stop;) Hope the part with the Morris’s was okay…I’ve been wanting to write them in- and remind the Halliwell’s of the outside problems- but I hope it didn’t seem too random. I also wanted to give Mel as bit of hope that love was possible, lol, she’s been having a rough time, eh? Now, I am afraid that this will be the last update for awhile…but at least it was a long one, right? It is exam time for me…I have one tomorrow actually…and I really MUST study. It may be a few weeks before I manage to get the next bit up…please forgive me…and please review anyway…it will cheer me up greatly as I study (and it may even inspire me to take a break and write some more…) Lotsa luv, -Leigh
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Post by CanadianHalliwell on Apr 4, 2005 17:38:27 GMT -5
Oh Leigh as usual, your update was fantastic. Don't worry you brought Darryl and his son in perfectly and won't it be great for Mel to have a boyfriend that knows about her magic! Well, good luck with your studies, even if it means we will have to wait awhile for our update.
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