Revelations- part two (Finished!)

[mcharmed21]

Author: RedPhoenix

Bianca paces back and forth inside the living room of Halliwell Manor. Sunlight peeks in through the small cracks in the boarded windows of the Manor and falls on Bianca’s face, illuminating her sharp features.

She has been pacing inside the living room for hours now, ever since her husband, Christopher Halliwell, has gone out with their team-mate, Steven Thomas, on a demon-hunt. She has been, for the past half-hour or so, biting her fingernails in anxiety. She looks down at her hands and stares at disbelief, “Yeech!” She has bitten all of her nails to the quick. Still, she continues to bite them and gnaw at them, attacking her nails nervously.

Sarah Mitchell, their new innocent-turned-ally, is sitting on one of the couches in the living room, reading the Book of Shadows, memorizing spells, glancing at potion recipes. “Man, look at these weird potions! Hey, did you know that there’s a cool shape-shifting potion in here?” asks Sarah enthusiastically, looking at Bianca with a grin.

Bianca stops and looks at the page in the Book of Shadows that Sarah is checking out. “Yeah, I wouldn’t recommend it. Used it before, boy, big drama!” She throws her arms over her head, remembering the time she and Chris has used it on one of their demon-hunting escapades. She closes her eyes and continues to pace around the living room, which causes Sarah to roll her eyes.

“Ugh!” Sarah winces in pain, her power starting to kick in, letting her pick up on someone’s stray thoughts- Bianca’s. “Will you stop it with the pacing and the thinking already? Your walking all over the place is making me dizzy!”

Bianca ignores her and continues to pace all over the place, making Sarah’s head hurt more. Sarah looks at the Phoenix and asks point-blank, “What are you so nervous about anyway?”<br>
Bianca stops mid-stride, looks at Sarah, and grins innocently, “Me? Nervous? Why would I be?” She finally stops pacing and sits across from her new friend.

“You tell me. I mean, I’m getting these really tense vibrations from you, Bianca,” Sarah reaches her hand out to touch Bianca’s, “I’m your ally, Bianca, and your friend, and friendship flowers with trust. If we’re ever gonna be close, I want you to know that you can trust me with whatever’s bothering you,” Sarah says empathically.

“Well, urrmmm….” But before Bianca can explain her situation, Sarah “reads” another one of Bianca’s emotions.

“Oh my Goddess!” Sarah’s eyes grow big with surprise. “You.. you...you’re…”

Bianca’s face turns into a mixture of shock and horror, “Yes…I am, but how…wait, did you just ‘read’ me?”<br>
Sarah shrugs her shoulders, “Sorry, but I still can’t control this power…so, when did you find out?”<br>
“Just this morning…I…I felt something, and when I scanned myself…” Bianca trails off, leaving the rest for the tele-empath to read.

“I see. Have you told Chris yet?”<br>
Bianca buries her head in her hands and replies, “No, not yet. I haven’t found the chance to tell him yet, what with all the demon-hunting, and the newbie-training…I just…I just don’t want to add to his load.”<br>
“Oh honey,” Sarah walks over to Bianca and gives her a hug, “You have to tell him some time. He deserves to know it, too.”<br>
“I…I know, but not now. We…we have to concentrate on vanquishing demons first,” says Bianca, then he looks at Sarah, “Please, don’t tell him yet. I want to be the one to break the news to him.”<br>
“Sure, no problem.” Sarah continues to hug her friend, when Chris and Steven orb into the Manor, covered in red and purple slime, laughing hysterically.

Bianca and Sarah both look up. “What happened to the two of you?”<br>

[mcharmed21]

Chapter 1

After Steven and Chris have washed themselves up, they return to the living room, where the two women are waiting.

Sarah and Bianca have been deciding when to tell Chris about Bianca’s condition. Now is not the best time, the duo decide.

“So, what was up with all the laughing and the slime?” asks Bianca, forcing herself to sound cheerful.

“Oh, *snicker* we…we umm..kinda got into a friendly competition,” replies Steven.

“Yeah,” Chris nods, “We wanted to see who could vanquish more demons- him or me.”<br>
“Turns out, I’m better than *snicker* old-man Halliwell here,” laughs Steven, his head shaking with laughter.

“Old-man Halliwell?!?” Sarah asks, laughing at Steven’s joke, “That’s a good one!”<br>
“Shut up, you!” Chris playfully hurls a pillow at Sarah telekinetically. He turns to Steven, “And FYI, you won by one demon only. ONE,” he says as he lifts a finger, “and that demon was a troll, no less. By rights, this contest should be a tie.”<br>
“Aww…stop pouting, old-timer, I’ll let you win next time,” Steven can’t stop laughing.

Chris hurls a pillow at Steven too, “Stop calling me that!”<br>
Pretty soon, the foursome ends up laughing; unaware of the danger awaiting them.

Chapter 2

Leo Wyatt has been hiding inside the Manor’s basement for hours now, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. He is sent here on a mission by his firstborn- Wyatt Matthew Halliwell, the Lord of the Underworld.

“Hide in Halliwell Manor, find the right moment, and kill Christopher Halliwell,” Leo remembers Wyatt’s command verbatim, recalling how Wyatt has given him the Darklighter bow and arrows. “Shoot him, slave, or Paige Matthews and Phoebe Halliwell die.”

Leo still recalls how Wyatt has commanded him to kill Chris, his second child. “Kill him, Leo, DON’T fail me. Fail, and you will regret having known me.” The words of the Lord of the Underworld still haunt him as he lay in the basement, waiting for the right time to strike.

Leo shakes the anxious feeling he has had since the moment he has accepted his mission. He walks around the basement, silent as the night, and smiles. For the first time since Wyatt has captured him and has turned him into his general, Leo smiles. It hurts his face at first, his hardened face muscles refusing to budge, but as he continues to walk around the musty basement, memories of a once-peaceful and blissful life permeates his thoughts.

Walking to a wall, he spots the words Piper Halliwell and Leo Wyatt FOREVER all over it in red and pink paint. The words have faded over time, and the word FOREVER is almost gone, leaving only his name and his wife’s visible. He grins, remembering exactly how, when he and Piper have snuck into the basement to make out, they have written those words. He and Piper have been kissing in the dim basement for hours, experiencing and exploring each other’s body lovingly. Leo recalls how Piper has looked at him teasingly and grabbed a bucket of paint from a nearby container. Leo chuckles as he recalls Piper writing her name on the wall in pink paint, the paint dripping on their exposed bodies. He follows his wife’s lead, and grabbing a paintbrush, writes his name on the wall in red paint. Then, with alternating strokes, he and Piper has taken turns writing the word FOREVER in capital letters.

[mcharmed21]

Leo blinks, trying hard to fight back tears. He reaches out and touches the wall, gingerly kissing his wife’s name. He laughs quietly as he remembers Phoebe Halliwell opening the basement door, catching the couple making out.

He continues to go around the basement, stopping here and there to stoop and look and objects and forgotten mementos. He stops and picks up a small, round ball. He snickers; remembering the times he and Wyatt has spent playing around.

He goes around more and thinks, “Life has changed…” He closes his eyes, sensing that it is time for him to carry out his mission. “Gods, Goddesses, if you’re listening, please forgive me for what I am about to do.” Reluctantly, he darks orbs out, a tear dropping to the basement floor.

Leo dark orbs into the kitchen, stealthily making his way into the living room, where the foursome has been discussing the day’s events. He creeps silently, careful not to make a sound. He peeks behind a door, looking for his prey. He sees Chris and Bianca, sitting beside each other, with Chris’ hands draped around Bianca’s shoulders. They are both smiling, happy. Leo feels thousands of daggers of slicing through his heart, but he still presses on, ignoring the pain slowly killing him inside.

Before Leo can move any further, Sarah picks up on Leo’s stray thoughts. “Argh,” she cries out in pain. “Demon!” she alerts the others. Steven, Chris, and Bianca stand up from their respective seats and poise for battle.

“Where?” Chris asks her immediately, scanning the room.

Leo jumps up from his hiding place, Darklighter weapon in hand, and shouts “Here!” He shoots an arrow at Chris, who dodges it just in time. The arrow hits the back of the couch, missing Chris by a centimeter.

Bianca forms an energy ball in her hand and tosses it to Leo. Leo dark orbs out and materializes in front of her and backhands her, sending Bianca flying into a wall. Sarah rushes over to the fallen Phoenix and tends to her. Steven flies directly in front of Leo and gestures, causing Leo to explode in a million of dark orbs. “Go!” he yells, looking back at his teammates. “I’ll distra…” before he can finish, Leo reforms and quickly punches the young witch, sending him flying next to Bianca.

“So much for my plan, huh,” Steven sheepishly grins, rubbing his head.

Chris quickly assesses the situation. He stands up from behind the couch, and flings his hands out, throwing Leo telekinetically. “Bianca, get the two of them out of here! Shimmer them to a safe place,” shouts Chris, not taking his eyes off of his father.

“But, I just can’t leave you here, Chris!” Bianca pleads.

“Just GO! I’ll join you guys later.” He stretcher his hands out again, sending Leo flying into another wall. “GO!”<br>
Bianca nods, grabs hold of Steven and Sarah, and shimmers out, leaving Chris alone to fight his father.

“How dare you enter my home!” Chris glares angrily at his father, who was struggling to get up.

“This is my home, too.” Leo replies sarcastically.

“No! You lost all your rights to enter this place when you began working for HIM! Leave now!” Chris sends his father flying to another wall.

[mcharmed21]

Leo feels a pang of hurt from Chris’ words and he momentarily gets distracted. “I..It’s not…like that,” he whispers. Focusing on the mission, Leo dark orbs out again.

“Where are you?!? Do you really think that you can hide from me? Show yourself!” Chris roars angrily.

Upon Chris’ command, Leo materializes behind Chris. Chris turns around just in time to see his father shoot an arrow straight at him. As if time has slowed down, Chris can see the arrow slowly rocketing to him, piercing the very air around them. Chris waves his hand slowly, trying to deflect the arrow. His powers fail him, and he looks, in horror, as the poisonous Darklighter arrow stabs him in the chest.

“Ugh…” Chris falls to the ground, shocked.

“Forgive me,” is all Leo can say as he bows his head down in regret and dark-orbs out.

Chapter 3

Bianca shimmers in with Steven and Sarah into the attic. Before they can fully materialize, Bianca drops down to the ground. “CHRIS…Chris,” she cries out in pain, sensing her husband’s pain. Pulling her arms off of Sarah’s and Steven’s, she shimmers again out of the attic into the living room.

Bianca scans the living room desperately for Chris. “Chris, Chris! Where are you?” She sees Chris lying down on the floor, sweating profusely, with a Darklighter arrow stuck to his chest.

“Uhh...Bianca…hey…” Chris musters all of his strength to lift his head and look at his wife. “Not a pretty *cough cough* sight, huh,” Chris jokes, in spite of his situation.

Steven and Sarah come bounding down the stairs and see Chris lying down on the floor. They quickly rush to Bianca’s side, seeing if they can be of any assistance. Steven removes his shirt and forms it into a make-shift pillow, placing it under Chris’ head.

“Hey, man. Hold it up. Don’t give in.” Steven says, trying his best not to cry.

Tears begin to cascade down Bianca’s face now. “Chris, save your strength.” She reaches out and holds Chris’ hands and kisses them tenderly.

Sarah asks, “What happened to him? What…what can we do?”<br>
Bianca looks at Sarah with tear-streaked eyes, “He…he was hit by a Darklighter arrow…”

“Can’t we just pull it out and heal his wound?” asks Sarah hopefully.

“No, we can’t,” Steven answers sadly. “Darklighter arrows contain poisons that are very lethal to Whitelighters…and since Chris here is part-Whitelighter…” Steven trails off, leaving Sarah to connect the dots.

Bianca continues to cry, when suddenly, an idea comes to her. She looks at Chris unwaveringly and stands up, “Wait, I think I have an idea,” she says as she begins looking for the Book of Shadows.

“*cough cough* What *cough* do you have in mind, Bianca?” asks Chris weakly, his face and hair wet with sweat.

Sarah could feel Chris’ pain as she wipes the sweat off of his face. “Conserve your strength, Chris,” she advises, “reading” Chris’ faltering life-force.

Bianca continues to search for the Book of Shadows, tossing chairs and other run-down furniture out of her way with her Phoenix-strength. “Where is that damn book?” she wonders out loud as she lifts a couch and tosses it out of her way.

“Bianca…*cough*” Chris forces his weak body to sit up, but he winces in pain as the wound persists on debilitating him.

“Chris, I said conserve your strength!” cries Bianca desperately. “Please…” she runs over to her husband’s side and kisses his lips softly.

“I don’t have much *cough* time…I can already *cough* *a-hum* feel myself slip..p..ing…away…” Chris says, his eyes half-closed.

“NO! Chris, DO NOT give up on me…please…!” pleads Bianca, “Please, open your eyes..please…please?” She wipes her face, and with grim determination, turns to Steve and orders him to find the Book of Shadows.

“Steve, find that damn book. HURRY!”

[mcharmed21]

Steven gets up from his spot on the floor, sweat dripping from his half-naked body. His muscles tense up as he begins looking for the Book of Shadows. “C’mon, c’mon, where are you???” he murmurs to himself. He begins searching behind the nooks and crannies of the living room.

“Aha! Found it!” he yells to the others as he finds the book lying underneath the old grandfather clock. He tries to grab it, but his muscles are too big to fit under the clock. He hesitates for a couple of seconds, and finally decides, “Sorry, Bianca, I know how much you love this clock,” he says as he gestures, blowing the grandfather clock to a million pieces. He bends down and picks up the heavy book. He rushes over to Bianca and hurriedly hands her the magickal tome.

Bianca flips through the book madly. She pauses once in a while to look at Chris, who has his eyes closed, resting. “Here!” Bianca squeals as she finds the spell she has been looking for- the Power-Switching spell.

Bianca carefully puts her hand out over Chris’ chest. She closes her tear-streaked eyes, and chants,

“What's mine is yours,
What's yours is mine,
Let our powers cross the line.
I offer up my gift to share,
Switch our powers through the air.”<br>
Bianca can feel the air around her sizzle with electricity, magickally-charged with her energy.

She chants the spell two more times, and on the third time, she and Chris both glow.

“Whoa,” murmurs Sarah and Steven in awe.

Bianca sees if the spell has indeed worked and flings her arms out, focusing her energy on a nearby vase. The vase flies to a wall, breaking into a million glass shards. Finally, she stirs Chris from his sleep and tells him of her plans.

“Chris, Chris honey, wake up. Come on, please open your eyes for me,” Bianca calls out to the now-wheezing Chris.

It takes Chris all of his remaining strength to lift his heavy eyelids. “H..h..honey..wh.. what are you p..p..planning?”

Bianca looks at her husband lovingly, “I just switched our powers, Chris. Now shush, I’m going to hea…”

Before Bianca can finish telling Chris her plans, Chris howls in agony. “Argh!” The wound on his chest begins to bleed more. Chris begins to wheeze and gasp for breath. As he struggles to breathe, he whispers a single “I love you” to Bianca, and then his entire body goes limp. He breathes one last time, and finally his hands slip from Bianca’s.

Chapter 4

Chris becomes aware of his body getting lighter and lighter, as if his entire body is made up of air. He looks down and flinches- right there on the floor is his body, limp and lifeless. Sitting beside his body is a shirtless Steven who is clutching a weeping Sarah. But what really caught his attention is Bianca. He can feel Bianca calling out to him; he can sense her pain.

“Chris! CHRIS! Don’t leave me, please! Chris! I…I love you…Please…please come back…” Bianca cries out in pain.

Chris wants to reach down and give his wife a final embrace, but he knows that ghosts cannot touch and hold living beings. He looks sadly at the scene before him, and with one final glance, his body rises up to through the ceiling. He floats higher and higher, and soon, he is overlooking the entire war-torn San Francisco.

He closes his eyes, and a tunnel suddenly appears above him. Curiosity gets the better of him and he enters, floating warily inside the tunnel of light. As he gets deeper and deeper into the tunnel, Chris feels more and more peaceful. The light becomes brighter and brighter as he nears the end of the tunnel.

He reaches the end of the tunnel and he cannot help but squint. Light brighter than the sun’s fills the entire place. It takes Chris minutes to adjust his eyes to the brightness of the place. “Ugh, where am I?” Chris says as he blinks away the spots in front of him. He looks around; his eyes are almost adapted to the brightness now. He can make out the shape of towering marble doors and huge white pillars everywhere. At the heart of the room, he can see the shape of a wide fountain. Surrounding the fountain are four hooded figures. He sees the four hooded figures suddenly approaching him. Due to the brightness of the place, he cannot fully see the faces of the four figures. One of them speaks, and Chris feels his heart leap.

“Welcome, Chris, to paradise.”

Tears form in Chris’ eyes. He is at a loss for words; his tongue is caught in between his throat. He stutters, unable to talk. Finally, he is able to speak, and he is surprised at the sound of his own croaky and husky voice, “M…mom?”

[mcharmed21]

The figure that has spoken to Chris removes the hood of her robe, revealing long brown hair and a motherly face- the face of Piper Halliwell.

Piper smiles, “Chris. My son...” Tears begin streaking down Piper’s face. She runs over to where Chris is standing, the flaps of her flowing robe billowing as she runs, and gives her son a big hug, “Oh…Chris…”

“Mom!” Chris gives her mom a tight squeeze; he is overwhelmed by being once again reunited with his dead mother. “I’ve missed you so much…” Chris breaks down and cries on his mother’s shoulders, his body shakes uncontrollably. “I…I…,” he cannot find the strength to continue. He is too overcome by his emotions, words failing to come out of his mouth. There are a million things that he would like to ask his mother, but he doesn’t know where to start. He clings on to Piper tighter, afraid that if he lets go, he would lose her again.

“Oh my sweet, sweet child,” Piper strokes Chris’ head gently, tenderly. She clutches him closer and kisses his hair, his head, and his forehead. She holds her son, letting him cry and release all of the pent-up emotions he has held all this time. “It’s all right, sweetie…I’m here…I’ve always been by your side, honey.”<br>
Finally, Chris pulls away at Piper. He looks at her longingly with tear-rimmed eyes. He reaches his hands out and touches her features, tracing the edges of his mother’s serene face.

The three other figures surround Piper and Chris, removing the hoods of their robes as well. Chris is surprised to see their faces- surrounding him are Penelope, Patricia, and Prudence Halliwell. He blinks his eyes rapidly, unbelieving his eyes. “Great-grandma? Grandma! Auntie Prue!” He smiles eagerly, like a child seeing his parents for the first time.

“My great grandson…Blessed Be,” Grams reaches her hands out, observing Chris’ features. “What a fine young man you’ve grown up to be.”<br>
“Goodness, will you look at my grandson, Piper,” says Patty, her eyes inspecting Chris from head to toe. “He’s so grown up now!”<br>
It is Prue’s turn to examine her nephew now, “Lemme see… wow! Girls must be swooning over you, huh?” Prue looks at Chris jokingly. “He’s definitely got his good looks from the Halliwell line,” Prue chuckles.

Piper beams proudly as the three Halliwells praise her second child. “Hey, leave some for his momma,” Piper says lightheartedly.

Pretty soon, the five Halliwells begin laughing and hugging one another; the tears on Piper’s and Chris’ face have been replaced by smiles. Chris starts to look around, his eyes tracing the length of the gigantic doors and pillars. “Wow, where are we, mom?” he asks curiously, “Is this…is this really Paradise?”

Piper holds Chris’ hands and leads him around. “Yes, honey…The place that was and the place that will forever be. This is where fallen witches reside, Chris.”<br>
“I’ve learned of this place from magickal texts, but I never imagined this place to be this big, I mean WOW!” Chris exclaims excitedly, “Where’s my room? Where will I stay?”

Piper looks at Chris, smiling at her son’s enthusiasm, “Hold your horses, sweetie. Before you can start unpacking your bags, you must first pass the Test.”

“Test? What test?” Chris looks at his mom with a confused look in his eyes. “Man, I hate tests!”<br>
Piper smiles, faces her son, and begins explaining, “Listen carefully, Chris. Before any witch can fully enter this place, he or she must undergo a Rite of Passage. The test involves that huge pool of water over there,” Piper pauses and points to the huge pool of water in the center of the room. “It’s called the Pool of Truth. Fallen witches enter the pool with an immortal guide called the Boatman, and there, they see whether they have fulfilled their destinies or not. A witch with an unfulfilled destiny returns to the corporeal world, back into his or her body; he or she is given another shot at life, to make sure that he or she completes his or her specific destiny.”<br>
“But…but what will I see there?” Chris asks, rubbing his chin.

“I can’t say for sure, Chris,” Piper says, “Different witches see different things. All I can say is be prepared for what it is that the Pool of Truth will show you. And most importantly, listen carefully to the Boatman and be honest. Open your heart and your mind…”

“But…but what if I fail? What if the Boatman, whoever he is, decides that my destiny is unfulfilled? What if I…I… the Boatman sends me back? I don’t want to go back to that world anymore, now that I’ve found you; I want to stay here with you!”<br>
Piper looks at her son sadly, knowing what he means, “The Boatman knows all, Chris. His word is law here. We…I…cannot defy his word.”<br>
Chris nods thoughtfully, taking in his mother’s words. After a long pause, Chris finally opens his mouth to speak, “When will I take this test?”<br>
Piper reaches out and strokes Chris’ hair, “We need to go over some purification rites- cleansing and consecrating. Then we’ll proceed on to summoning the Boatman.”<br>
Chris holds his mother’s gaze and stares into her eyes before finally embracing her, “I’m afraid, mom…”

[mcharmed21]

Chapter 5

Chris is led before an enormous wall by Prue and Piper. “This is the first step in preparation for your journey with the Boatman, Chris,” says Prue, concern in her voice.
“Are you ready?”

“Yeah, yeah, I guess I am…” replies Chris, unsure of what lies ahead.

“Good. We’ll guide you through the purification rites, sweetie. But once we summon the Boatman, it’s gonna be all you. Are you sure you’re ready?” Piper looks at her son, hoping that he wouldn’t have to go through this ordeal.

“Yes..Yes, I am,” Chris replies, more determined this time.

Prue uses her telekinesis and the huge door swung open, revealing a vast room that is filled with candles. The flames of almost a million candles illuminate the room, making it shine radiantly with a golden glow. The room emits a serene ambience, reminding Chris of a Buddhist temple of pre-Wyatt era. Inside the room is Grams, standing near an unlit flame, beckoning Chris to enter.

“Grams will be your guide, Chris. She’s a high priestess, after all,” Piper looks at her grandmother and smiles at her proudly. “Just listen to her and everything will proceed smoothly.”<br>
Chris nods and gives his mother and aunt the thumbs-up signal, “All right, I’m going in.” He looks apprehensively at his Grams, nervous and excited at the same time. He tentatively takes a step forward, and then takes another. He inhales, convincing himself that there is nothing to be afraid of. He looks back at Piper and Prue, and gives them both a reassuring smile. He finally enters the room, the doors closing magickally behind him.

“Come, Chris, sweetie,” Penny Halliwell calls out to him.

He goes to his great-grandmother and asks, “What are we going to do, great-grandma?”<br>
“We’re going to do a simple purification ritual, honey. Now, I want you to remove all your clothes and put on this robe.”

Chris does as he is told and undresses. He removes his shirt, then slips the robe on. He then unbuttons his pants and soon, all he is clothed in is the white, ceremonial robe. “What next, great- grandma?”<br>
“Here, hold this candle,” Grams hands him a white pillar candle. “I want you to light this up with the flames of that central candle over there,” she points at a great wide candle at the center of the room.

Chris walks over to the candle and lights his own. Lighting his candle, he thinks to himself, “Hey, this isn’t so bad…”

“Now, sit down, and relax,” Grams says, pulling him out of his thoughts.

Chris pulls his candle from the center candle and does as he is told. He sits in a lotus position on the floor, feeling the warmth of the room.

“I want you to calm yourself. Ground and center,” Grams says soothingly, guiding Chris to a simple meditation. “Now, repeat after me.

“Flames of magick,
Fires so bright,
Purify my being,
With thy cleansing light.”<br>
Chris says the spell after the high priestess. After repeating the spell over and over again, Chris could feel himself being filled with a white light- a white light as bright as the room’s. He can feel himself being one with the light, energy coursing through him. He feels calm and at peace, as if all the worries of life have slipped wordlessly. Chris feels peaceful and serene, “There are no words to describe how peaceful I’m feeling,” he thinks with a smile. He is one with the pulsating light, rhythmically moving along with the energy. He feels more energy build up in him, moving in every molecule of his body. Suddenly, without warning, he sees the energy accumulate inside him and without warning, the energy explodes, and he flings his eyes open, strength and vigor in every inch of his body.

“How was it, Chris?” Grams asks, smiling.

“It was…it was…there are no words, great-grandma! It was like, I became one with the light, and it flowed through me…WOW! It was so exhilarating!” Chris says, shaking his limbs, experiencing new strength and vitality.

“Very good,” Grams beams; she is satisfied with the results. “Now, let’s proceed on to calling the Boatman, shall we?” Grams uses her telekinesis and mentally opens the heavy doors of the meditation room. Piper and Prue greet them with smiles. “How was it?” Piper asks.

“It was awesome, mom!” Chris cries out happily.

Piper smiles at her son, recalling her very own meditation. The three women then lead Chris to the Pool of Truth. Grams looks at Chris, and with a fierce look in her eyes, “Now it’s time to call for the Boatman.”<br>

[mcharmed21]

“Open these waters, part the waves,
reveal thy secrets through watery gates,
we summon the Boatman, we call to thee
Guide this Halliwell to what is to be!”<br>
Grams, Patty, Prue, and Piper chant the spell for the third time. Chris looks down upon the Pool of Truth, expecting the Boatman to pull him from beneath the pool. “Why isn’t anything happening?” Chris asks to himself. “Maybe the Boatman has decided not to come and test me. Maybe I can stay here with mom!” He thinks happily.

Chris continues to gaze at the Pool of Truth, when suddenly, an image appears in front of him. Curious, he stares down, watching the pool swirl about, colors appearing before his very eyes. With a surprised look, he looks down and sees his own reflection. Without warning, the room begins to spin, slowly at first. It begins to spin faster and faster, until the four Halliwells disappear from Chris’ sight, disappearing in gold and white balls of light.

Chris is still looking at the pool, when he hears a voice. “Welcome, Christopher Halliwell, to the verge of reality,” declares a figure in a black robe, standing on top of a rickety boat.

Chris blinks in surprise. “Who…who are you? Are you the Boatman?” Chris realizes that he is standing on the edge of the pool. He looks down at his bare feet, standing on coarse brown sand.

The Boatman is standing on a brown ancient boat; clad in a velvety black robe. His face is concealed in the shadows of his robe, veiling him in with a mysterious aura. He calls out to Chris, “Come, young Halliwell, and let us embark on thy journey.” He stretches out his hand, and in the proverbial blink of an eye, Chris is standing next to him.

The Boatman waves his hand, and an oar appears in front of him. He grabs it and begins to row the boat, taking Chris deeper into the pool. Chris watches as the Boatman sails the boat farther and farther away from the shore. He is unsure of their destination, but he is determined to complete this test and pass it.

“Uh, so where are we going?” asks Chris, hoping to make some light conversation.

The Boatman continues to paddle the boat deeper into the pool, silent as the night. He stops paddling as they reach the center of the vast pool. He turns to Chris, his face is still concealed in his robe. “Young one, I beseech thee, look in thy yonder waters,” the boatman says, pointing at the center of the water.

Chris sits on the boat and looks at the water. His heart leaps as images begin to float around on the pool. Faces begin floating around, and Chris remembers all of them. Scenes start to unfold, and Chris cannot do anything but watch.

Chris recognizes the first scene that the Pool of Truth shows him. He watches in awe as the image of him returning from the future to save Paige Matthews from the Titans.

“Thy destiny begins on that fateful day, young Halliwell,” says the Boatman.
He continues to watch as he sees his “younger self” jump out from a portal and covers Phoebe Halliwell’s eyes to protect her from turning to stone. Then he watches as more scenes start to unfold, showing him helping the Charmed Ones, under the guise of Chris Perry, Whitelighter-from-the-future.

The Pool of Truth begins to swirl again, changing the images in front of Chris. He watches, with a little tinge of pain, as he dies in Leo’s arms. He remembers Leo’s words exactly, as if the event in the water has happened only yesterday.

Chris remembers Leo clutch his hand and say, “It’s okay, I’m here now, I’m here, just hold on, okay? Just hold on, don’t you dare give up.”<br>
He chuckles at the scene, remembering himself saying, “You either.” Then he watches as he slowly fades away into nothing. He observes closely as he sees his father, still an Elder, still a force of good, tries desperately to grab hold of his fading form.

He examines the pool again as it churns again, replacing the old image. Chris watches as the water show him himself- as a baby. He watches as his mother, a much younger and very much happier Piper, clutches baby Chris in her chest, cradling him softly.

He watches in surprise, for what he sees next shocks him. He sees his fading self that has come back from the future return to its timeline, not to its future self, but to a different body- a teenage Chris.

“And this, thy destiny is rewritten, Christopher Halliwell. Thy memories still haunt thee, thou dost realize thou hath come back to thy same future, nothing hath changed. Thy self hath just delayed the inevitable,” the Boatman speaks.

He watches as the pool shows him images of a baby Chris and a baby Wyatt, playing happily in their play pen while the Halliwell household watch in glee. Then the water slowly fades, revealing images of Chris and Wyatt as young adults, barely in their teens, working on their potions and their spells. Seeing Wyatt makes Chris’ blood boil a little, remembering his memories from his future self, but he continues to watch anyway.

[mcharmed21]

He watches, recognizing the scene exactly as it has transpired:

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige had been supervising them as Wyatt and Chris both work on their Evil-Repelling Potions. They had been measuring potion ingredients for hours, calculating and following the directions from the Book of Shadows. Finally, they had both completed their potions; they had cast a simple spell over the potion to activate their powers.

“Magick potion, Potion bright,
Repel all evil, From my sight!”<br>
Chris’ spell made his potion turn from pale red to a golden color. “Good!” Piper had commented, smiling proudly at Chris.

Wyatt turned to them, envious at his brother, his potion still its red color. Out of spite and anger, Wyatt had shouted, “This is the stupidest magickal training ever!” The liquid in the vial had turned from red to black, and Wyatt had thrown it in surprise.

A vortex had risen from the puddle created by Wyatt’s black potion. Everyone in the room turned in surprise as a Darklighter came from the vortex. “Chris, Wyatt, orb out! Now!” Piper had shouted at a teenaged Chris and Wyatt. Chris and his older brother did what they were told, and within minutes, they were in the attic.

“Look what you’ve done!” Chris yelled, looking at Wyatt.

Wyatt looked at him angrily, “ME?!? What the hell did I do?”<br>
“How can you call our magicks stupid?” Chris had asked, fearing that Wyatt is turning evil, once again. “You’re turning evil again…” he muttered under his breath.

“What did you just say?” Wyatt had asked Chris, glaring enviously at his younger brother.

“Nothing, I said you better apologize to mom, and to our aunts,” said Chris, glaring back at his older brother.

“Why should I?” Wyatt shrugged, “It’s not my fault that the damn spell conked out on me.”<br>
Chris returns to the present, and he realizes that he has been having flashbacks, rather than looking at the pool. He watches intently, as the pool shifts once again, taking Chris to yet another memory.

Chapter 7

He stares keenly at the pool, where images begin to unfold. Chris also remembers this memory, and as he watches, he can feel his blood going into his head, enveloping him in anger and fury.

“Dost thou hark back to thy memory, young Halliwell?” asks the Boatman, staring at Chris with his concealed eyes.

“I do,” he replies curtly, grinding his teeth in anger.

Chris continues to gaze into the pool as the images begin to form clearer pictures. Chris watches as the events in the Pool of Truth reflect those that are tugging at his consciousness:

“How dare you disrespect me, Wyatt Matthews Halliwell!” Piper Halliwell screamed out.
Young Wyatt Matthews Halliwell stormed into the living room of Halliwell Manor at the stroke of midnight. He slammed the door behind him, causing a nineteen year old Chris to drop his athame, distracting him from a spell, and instigating Piper’s anger.

“Where did you go off to? Look at the time! Do you know how dangerous it is out there?” the pool echoing Piper’s shouts. “You could’ve been attacked by demons and warlocks! Wyatt, Wyatt!” Piper’s screams reverberated from the pool as she called out to Wyatt, who continued to walk towards the living room and up the stairs, ignoring his mother.

Teen-Chris continued to witness his frustrated mother try her best to talk to Wyatt. He watched as his mother blocked Wyatt’s way, obstructing the way to the stairs.

“Oh no no no, I am talking to you, Wyatt, answer me!”

Teen- Chris’ skin began to burn; anger coursing through him as Wyatt slowly waved his hand, causing Piper to fly across the room, crashing into a table. Teen-Chris rushed to his mother’s side, helping her to her feet.

“That’s my answer!” Wyatt screamed as he continued walking towards the stairs.

In anger, Piper stretched her hands out, blowing the stair’s banister, causing Wyatt to disappear into a flash of blue and violet orbs, and fall down the stairs. “I’m still talking to you, Wyatt! Don’t you dare walk out on me!”<br>
Teen-Chris could see Wyatt’s face contort into a sneer. “I’ll bet you’d never use your powers on good little Chris. He’s always the good one, he’s good with potions, he’s good with spells. He’s the perfect little witch.” He glared at teen-Chris menacingly, “Isn’t that right, Mr.-Goodie-Two-Shoes?”<br>
Teen-Chris glared back at his older brother defiantly, as he pulled Piper up to her feet.

Ripples form in the Pool of Truth, dissipating the images, causing Chris to blink in surprise.

[mcharmed21]

Here's another segment of Chapter 7 everyone, enjoy!

Chris could see another set of images begin to form on the Pool of Truth. He stands on the boat, anticipating what the pool would show him next.

Chris could make out the shape of a birthday cake on the watery face of the pool. He could see the shape of figures that are huddled around it. Chris beams, recalling the next memory that the pool is showing him.

Chris could make out the shape of a birthday cake on the surface of the Pool of Truth, seeing fifteen lit candles on it. Chris gives in to the memory as he fades into nostalgia:

“Happy birthday to you, my dear Melinda…” sang Phoebe Halliwell to her eldest daughter.

Everyone clapped as the young witch blew the candles on her cake; everyone, that is, except Wyatt. He was standing near a corner, smirking at the entire scene.

“Here’s my gift to you, my darling niece,” said Piper, handing Melinda an athame, its blade glinting in the early morning sun. “I blessed it myself, and it will be a very good tool against evil.”

Melinda quickly examined the athame, smiling eagerly at her family. “Thank you so much, auntie Piper. I am so loving this, I will be using this to cast my circles from now on!” She walked over to Piper and hugged her.

“And this, Melinda, is my gift to you, happy birthday!” Paige smiled, giving Melinda a small package. Melinda eagerly tore the pink wrapping paper apart and squealed as she saw the thick book inside. “Your very own Book of Shadows. I know you’re tired of sharing one with Chris here, so I decided to give you one. Open it,” Paige said, “there’s tons of spells that I’ve written there, spells I’ve collected through my Witchy years.”<br>
Melinda rushed over to Paige and gave her a quick squeeze, “I love you, auntie Paige! I wonder what cool stuff is in here? Maybe I’ll find a spell here to turn Chris into a toad!”

“And finally, here’s my gift for you, my sweet daughter,” Phoebe said, reaching into her bag. She pulled out a small pendant, which twinkled as the sun struck it with light- it was a triquetra pendant, the symbol of the Charmed Ones. “This is a reminder of your heritage, your destiny. You are, and always forever will be, Charmed.”<br>
“Isn’t that sweet?” said Wyatt, glaring at his cousin.

“Don’t spoil this day for your little cousin, Wyatt,” Piper said, looking at Wyatt.

“Me?” Wyatt said, feigning innocence, “but I just wanna give my present to dear Melinda.”<br>
Everyone blinked in surprise. Teen- Chris thought, “Wyatt? Giving a gift? This must be some kind of trick.” Teen-Chris’s body tensed, preparing himself for whatever trick Wyatt had under his sleeve.

“Are you ready for my present, my little cousin?” Wyatt asked in faux sweetness, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a sheet of crumpled paper. He began to recite in a menacing tone:

“Hear these words, hear my rhyme,
demons from the other side,
come to me, I summon thee,
cross now the Great Divide!”<br>
Everyone stood up from where they were seated in surprise.

“Wyatt! You sick little…” Teen-Chris shouted in anger.

“Happy Birthday, dear cousin,” Wyatt sneered as a vortex opened up from the ground. To everyone’s surprise, instead of orbing, Wyatt shimmered out. As the winds picked up, Phoebe Halliwell was able to mutter a single command, “Chris, get Melinda out of here!” before a demon emerged from the vortex.

The image of the battle slowly fades, and the mind of Christopher Halliwell snaps back to the boat and the Boatman. “We are nearing the end of thy journey, young witch. Brace thyself, for what is to come,” the Boatman says.

[mcharmed21]

The Pool of Truth begins to swirl once more, and Chris stares into the pool. He quickly recognizes the memory, and tears come running down on Chris’ cheeks. He watches, in pain, as the pool reflects his memories:

It was a crisp autumn afternoon, and the Halliwell household was anything but peaceful. The tension inside the Manor was so thick that it can be felt in the walls. The aura in the room was so heavy; everyone was hectic.

“Pheebs, any luck with the scrying?” asked Piper Halliwell, wiping her forehead.

Phoebe Halliwell shook her head, “No, I can’t find him anywhere. It’s like he just dropped out of the planet.”<br>
“Where could he have gone off to?!? He’s been gone for three straight days! Three days, without contacting us!” Piper began to rant, screaming at everyone in the living room.

“I’m not sensing him either.” Leo Wyatt said curtly.

Paige Matthews and Melinda Halliwell came bounding down the stairs, the Book of Shadows clutched carefully in Paige’s arms. Paige looked at Leo, and with a short sigh, said, “There’s nothing in the book either. Nothing from the ‘Prophecy’ section, nothing from the spells section.”

Leo looked sadly at Paige and turned to Melinda, “Did you manage to get premonitions from your cousin’s things, Melinda?”

“No, I’m sorry, Unc..I mean, Leo.” Melinda shook her head apologetically, “Auntie Paige thinks Wyatt cast a spell on his stuff to block out mom’s and my premonitions. I’m sorry.”

Phoebe stood up from the floor and rested the scrying crystal on top of the world map in front of her. She went over to Melinda and hugged her, “It’s alright, sweetie. We’ll find your cousin, sooner or later.” She looked at Leo, who was pacing back and forth in the living room, “We will find your son, Leo. I promise you that.” She also looked at Chris, and sensing his angst, said reassuringly, “We will find your brother, Chris…”

“Where did we go wrong? I…we…we did our best to ensure that…that Wyatt wouldn’t turn evil…but…but we failed…and what’s worse…I failed! I’m his mother…and I failed him…” Piper began to shake uncontrollably, tears running down her cheeks. Chris Halliwell rushed to his mother and hugged her, comforting her. Piper sank into Chris’ arms and continued to cry.

“There’s nothing we could have done, mom,” said Chris. “It…It’s my fault. I wasn’t able to…to prevent Wyatt from turning evil after all. I…I guess we..we couldn’t change the Threads of Destiny from weaving themselves. But we will find a way to get through this.” Chris said determinedly, clutching his mother tighter.

Paige and Phoebe also went to where Piper was sitting and gave their eldest sister a hug. They clung to each other for a long time, never letting go. Tears were streaking down Phoebe’s eyes, empathically feeling her sister’s pain. Finally, she said, “Chris is right. We will get through this. We are the Charmed Ones, Piper, and there is nothing we cannot do.”<br>
“Yeah, what she said,” said a now-sobbing Paige, holding her sister tighter. “We’ll turn Wyatt back, Piper.”

Melinda ran to her mother and joined the other Halliwells, giving her Auntie Piper a tight squeeze. Suddenly, both Melinda and Phoebe yelped in pain, clutching their heads in agony. The mother and daughter witches collapsed to the floor, screaming out in distress.

[mcharmed21]

Piper and Paige knelt to tend to their sister and niece. “What’s wrong? What is it? What’s happening?” Paige asked, kneeling over her sister.

“Evil…intense evil…I can…I can feel it,” stuttered Phoebe, her eyes rolling in her head.

“Approaching…approaching fast…arrrghh!” Melinda screamed in pain.

Leo rushed to the Halliwells’ side and helped Phoebe and Melinda to their feet. He concernedly asked the witches, “Where? How close is it? Phoebe, Melinda, focus, ground and center…remember our training.”<br>
Phoebe turned to her daughter, who was very dizzy and was still shivering, “Melinda, honey, you better sit down first, you took a nasty hit…”

Phoebe then shook her head, trying to return to reality, to break free from the wave of empathic pain that she had just picked up. She did as Leo told her, and closing her eyes, tried to locate the source of intense evil that she and her daughter had felt. She grabbed on to Leo’s shoulder for support and concentrating, she said, “It…it’s somewhere close… I...I can sense it…”

Suddenly, without warning, a voice echoed inside the living room. “Looking for me?” It was a very familiar voice, and everyone in the Manor shivered as they recognized the tone. Everyone turned to the direction of the voice, and was very surprised to see Wyatt dark-orb into the stairway.

Piper gasped as she saw the way that Wyatt had changed- his short, brown hair had grown longer, his chin covered in a blanket of thick, black hair, and his arms were full of tattooed runes and sigils.

“Surprise!” Wyatt grinned, baring his teeth, his face contorting into a sneer. “Missed me?” He pulled his left hand from inside his robe’s pocket, and after chanting a spell in Latin, a Darklighter’s crossbow appeared in his outstretched palm. He continued to sneer down at his family, enjoying the fear and anger burning in their eyes.

“WYATT!” Piper and Leo cried out, a mixture of fear, concern, and anger apparent in their voice. Piper stepped forward and asked, “We’ve been worried sick looking for you! Where in Heaven’s name did you go off to?”

“I think you need to rephrase your question, dear mother,” Wyatt looked down at her mother, sneering sarcastically at the worried Piper, “I think the better question would be: Where in Hell’s name have you been?” He laughed and his voice echoed throughout the entire Manor.

Paige was the first to step up, making her way to the stairs; but before she can proceed any further, Wyatt spoke up, “Uh uh uh, I’d be more careful, if I were you, Auntie Paige. You are half-Whitelighter, and if I’m not mistaken, you’re still susceptible to this sweet little thing in my hand.” Wyatt aimed his crossbow at a nervous Paige.

“Wyatt! Put that thing down! What’s happened to you?!?” Piper asked her son, “Who..who did this to you? This…this can’t be…” Piper began to hyperventilate, “You…he…must be under some kind of mind spell…”

“Au contraire, mother,” Wyatt snickered, “I’ve never been more in control of my mind. Shocking, no?”

“Phoe…Phoebe…scan him. Sense him. Do whatever it takes, just tell me that it’s not true!” Piper began to cry again. “Tell me that that’s not my firstborn son talking! Please.. please…please…”

Phoebe grabbed hold of a sobbing Piper and supported her elder sister. She focused her gaze on Wyatt and concentrated, losing herself in the river of thoughts that her Empathy allowed her to hear.

Phoebe Halliwell tried her best to scan her alleged deranged nephew. She scanned Wyatt for any sign of Brain-wiping spells or for any outside magickal influence. “I sense…I sense…” she trailed off, certain that what she would say next would devastate Piper. “I am so sorry, Piper…”

“NO!” Piper Halliwell bellowed, digging her nails through her younger sister’s arms. “Scan him again, Phoebe! Please!!!” Piper begged, “please…that can’t be my little Wyatt…please, Phoebe…”

Wyatt laughed tauntingly, “Hahaha…yes, my lovely Empath, please do scan me. I can’t wait.”

[mcharmed21]

Chris and Leo kept their eyes on Wyatt, in case he tried anything. Phoebe squinted again, concentrating on Wyatt. She focused all of her magick into her nephew, feeling and reading his energy. As soon as Phoebe gathered all her magickal strength, she pushed at Wyatt’s energy field. Once she hit Wyatt’s psychic defenses with her Empathic field, Phoebe screamed in agony- her body shook violently, as if she were being electrocuted.

Wyatt laughed, his deep husky voice echoing throughout the entire Manor. “Stupid witch! Do you really think I’d let you touch me again with your filthy power?” Wyatt flung his right arm out and sent Phoebe flying through the air, throwing her across the living room. She crashed into the grandfather clock, head-first.

“Uuuuh…” Phoebe moaned as she struggled to remain conscious. She felt a damp spot on her head, and when she reached up to her forehead with her right hand, she discovered that her head was bleeding mercilessly. “Leo…” she called out, before she finally slumped down to the ground, unconscious.

Leo rushed to Phoebe’s side and worked his magicks. Soon, his hands glowed golden, and Phoebe’s blood began to rush back inside her head- her wound non-existent. The Elder helped the staggering witch to her feet and led her back to the center of the living room, where a hysterical Piper and Chris were talking to Wyatt.

“….no longer the Wyatt you know, witch! I am more powerful than any of you can conceive!” said Wyatt, her crossbow now aimed at his mother.

“I don’t care how powerful you are, Wyatt, you’re still my son!” Piper said helplessly. “I brought you to this world! You’re my little Wyatt! I love you…”

“Love? You’re talking about LOVE?!? Hah! You never did love me!” Wyatt shouted back, pain in his voice. He aimed the Darklighter crossbow at Chris and screamed, “You’ve always loved HIM better!!! He’s always better with spells, he’s always better with his powers! Damn it, he’s always better at everything! Guess what, I’m sick of it, and I’m sick of all of you…” He pointed the crossbow at his younger brother, “Bye, little brother…” and with a sneer, pushed the trigger.

“NO!” Piper and Paige both screamed in surprise. Paige jumped, and in mid-orb, pushed a stunned Chris out of the way. The venomous arrow passed through Paige’s blue and white orbs and flew through them harmlessly- it struck the wall just centimeters away from Melinda’s ear.

“Eeek!” Melinda shrieked in surprise, as she ran to her mother’s side.

“Curse you all!” Wyatt bellowed and threw the Darklighter crossbow aside. He lifted his hands into the air, and instantly, the air was charged with electricity. Lightning flew from his hands in every direction, causing all the appliances in the Manor to explode in a series of sparks. “Arrggh!!!” He screamed in anger, causing the lightning from his hands to fly in every direction. The Charmed Ones, the two Whitelighters, and Melinda hurriedly scrambled for cover, hiding behind the sofas, tables, and chairs. “I hate you all! I- HATE- YOU!!!” A stray lightning bolt ran across the living room, incinerating a framed picture of the Halliwell household. Wyatt then began to descend the stairs, taking each deliberate step, his footsteps echoing with the muffled cries of Melinda and Piper.

[mcharmed21]

“Here, here, little witchies…” Wyatt called out tauntingly.

Piper and Phoebe were hiding behind the now- dilapidated couch in the living room, with Melinda in between them, clutching her mother tightly. She was trying her best to appear brave, biting her lips to prevent her sobs from escaping her lips; her breathing was jagged and her eyes were red and tear-rimmed. Paige was using the living room table as a make-shift cover, obscuring her from Wyatt’s view; Leo and Chris, on the other hand, were using the walls for partial protection.

“Come out, come out, little witches! Don’t you want to come out and play?” Wyatt said sarcastically, “I know you’re in there somewhere…” He trailed off, pointing a finger at the table that Paige was using as a shield. Lightning shot out from his outstretched finger, and in a heartbeat, Paige’s table- shield was reduced into a pile of ashes. “Why, Auntie Paige, nice of you to come out and play,” Wyatt laughed, and pointed his finger at Paige. Red lightning shot out from his index finger, flying straight at Paige.

“Ah!” screamed a crouched Paige in surprise; she instinctively turned to her magicks and was able to orb just in time. The red lightning then hit what was supposed to be Paige’s shoulders. Instead, the projectile flew through the blue and white orbs. Surprisingly, the red lightning collided into Paige’s orbs, and in a split-second, her orbs turned into a red color. Piper and Phoebe watched in terror as Paige’s orbs exploded into tiny million sparks- the half-witch half-Whitelighter’s orbs flying into every direction.

“PAIGE!” Piper screamed in horror, slowly losing her grip on her sanity.

Chris could see, from his hiding place near the wall, that his mother was on the verge of yet another breakdown. His heart ached; he wanted to reach out and comfort her, to tell her that everything will be all right. However, Chris knew fully well that his words would just sound hollow and meaningless. He wasn’t entirely sure if they could get out of this situation, but he wasn’t going to just sit around and do nothing. He gathered all of his strength and courage and was about to take a step forward. Chris suddenly stopped in mid-stride as Leo called him out of his stupor and put a heavy hand on his shoulder, yanking him backwards- a stray bolt of lightning almost hitting him in the head.

“That was a close one, thanks, dad,” Chris muttered, his heart still pounding from the near miss. He sank deeper into the walls, using it as a shield from Wyatt’s deadly projectiles.

“Argh! Missed!” Wyatt called out angrily. He began to walk slowly to the couch where the three witches were hiding. He stopped, when suddenly, without warning, a scream echoed above them. “Aaaahhh!” A mass of blue and white orbs swirled together and flew above the living room, darting across to where Piper, Phoebe, and Melinda were hiding. The dancing orbs hovered a few inches above Phoebe’s head, and within seconds, rematerialized into Paige. She came crashing down into the ground, almost falling head-on with Phoebe. She landed hard on the floor on her face with a loud thud, pale and unmoving.

“Paige!!!” Piper and Phoebe called out, relieved that their sister was still alive and was able to materialize again, and at the same time, horrified at the sight of their unmoving sister. Phoebe was exceptionally worried- she wasn’t getting any Empathic reading on Paige.

“Piper, I’m not…I’m not…getting…any…anything…from her,” Phoebe said in between sobs. She reached out and grabbed Melinda, hugging her, her hands shaking violently. She buried her head on her daughter’s head and tried her best not to cry, at least not yet.

Piper reached out and turned Paige on her back. What she saw next shocked both her and Phoebe: there was a huge gash on Paige’s chest, exactly where the red lightning struck her when she tried to orb out of its way. Red, sticky blood was streaming out of her chest mercilessly. Piper was speechless, the events of the last few minutes slowly inching their way into her sanity, eating away at her judgment. She was at a loss for words; she cannot find the strength to speak, and she just sat there, rocking uncontrollably. She hugged herself tightly and just stared at her unmoving sister.

[mcharmed21]

“Piper? Did…did you hear me?” Phoebe said as she lifted her head and turned to her
elder sister. “PIPER!” Phoebe called out in pain as she saw Piper rocking back and forth beside her, her lifeless eyes staring into empty space. She crept closer to Piper and hugged her tight, ignoring the loud footsteps of Wyatt fast approaching them. “Oh, Piper…” tears began to form around Phoebe’s eyes, her emotions threatening to engulf her.

“That’s it, I can’t stand this anymore,” Phoebe said unwaveringly, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her shirt. “No more Ms. Little Nice Witch.” She bared her teeth and slowly stood up, determined to put a stop to this.

“Why, Aunt Phoebe, have you decided to come out and play too?” Wyatt said with a half-smile as he saw Phoebe emerge from her hiding place behind the couch.

“PHOEBE! What are you doing?!?” Leo called out as he saw Phoebe face Wyatt from his position on the wall. Leo and Chris watched as Phoebe began to square off against Wyatt.

“I’ve had enough of you, you sick little bastard.” Phoebe said through clenched teeth, staring straight into Wyatt’s eyes. “Why?!? Why are you doing this to us? Why are you doing this to Piper? She’s your mother, for goodness’ sake!!! She brought you into this world!!! We’re your family, damn it! ”<br>
“Family? Hahahahaha,” Wyatt laughed, his deep voice resonated throughout the entire Manor, causing the small hairs on Phoebe’s neck to stand. “I… have… NO… family! You all make me sick, witch. You, and your pathetic group of weaklings, disgust me, most especially HER!!!” he said, a hint of anger and contempt in his voice. His face contorted into a sneer and for a split-second, pain and anguish hovered around his eyes like a shadow; however, it disappeared as quickly as it came. Shaking it off, he stared deeply into Phoebe’s eyes and grinned menacingly. “I’ve had enough of this senseless blabber,” tired of talking, he aimed his hands out at his aunt and bursts of lightning of intense red shot out from his outstretched palm, flying directly at Phoebe. “Die, witch!”

Reacting on pure instinct, Phoebe quickly jumped into the air without a moment’s hesitation. She used her power of levitation just in time and evaded the current of electricity flying straight at her. Hovering safely into the air, Phoebe quickly called out to her daughter, who was still hiding behind the couch, an idea creeping into her mind, “Melinda, hurry! Repeat after me!”<br>
Melinda looked up and nodded at her mother, unsure of what her mother was up to.

Phoebe closed her eyes, and started to chant, loud enough for Melinda to hear her.

“Mighty winds, Blow around,”<br>
She paused, waiting for Melinda to repeat the first verse of the spell, and continued:

“Pin this enemy to the ground!”<br>
Phoebe and Melinda ended the spell, and suddenly, gale-force winds blew into the Manor. Broken furniture, paper, dust, and splinters of wood rapidly flew all over the room. Leo and Chris had to hold on to the walls tightly to prevent themselves from being blown away. Strong winds propelled around Wyatt, blowing dust and broken furniture around him. Two small tornadoes suddenly sprang from the ground and swallowed Wyatt in their vortex. The winds suddenly stopped blowing around the living room and concentrated on pummeling Wyatt.

[mcharmed21]

Phoebe dropped back into the ground and ran back to the couch. She knelt next to Melinda and gave her a hug.

“Did I do well, mom?” Melinda asked, uncertain of her own power.

“Yes, yes, you did well, my darling, I’m so proud of you…” Phoebe said reassuringly, looking up from behind the couch as the tornadoes continued to distract Wyatt.

“Ahhhh!!” Wyatt screamed out in anger, “You think these winds will stop me? I’ll get you for this, witch!”

Phoebe looked back at her two sisters- Paige was still bleeding and Piper was still in deep shock. She breathed in slowly, “Okay, Phoebe, you can do this…one sister at a time.” She exhaled, releasing her tension, and called for Leo and Chris.

Leo and Chris rushed to where Phoebe and her sisters were taking cover. Chris was the first to arrive and knelt beside Piper, giving her a tight hug.

“Leo, Chris,” Phoebe said urgently as the Elder and half-Whitelighter joined her, “Hurry! Heal Paige, she…she’s lost a lot of blood…”

Leo and Chris stumbled to where Paige was lying. Working as a team, Chris expertly pumped pressure on Paige’s wound and Leo stretched his palm over her, working his Healing Touch on her. Phoebe looked up again from behind the couch and saw that the winds from her Whirlwind Spell were slowly dissipating.

“Hurry, Leo…the effects of our spell is slowly wearing off…” Phoebe said. She looked back as Leo and Chris continued to work their magicks on Paige. She was getting desperate, not knowing what to do next- she can hear the whirlwinds quiet down, Piper was still in shock, and Paige was still unconscious. “Please, gods and goddesses, help us…” She turned to prayer and closed her eyes, embracing her daughter firmly.

“Ph..Phoebe? P..Piper?” a voice broke into Phoebe’s concentration. Phoebe’s heart leapt, it was Paige! She opened her eyes, and tears began to roll down her cheeks. Hurriedly, she crept to where Paige was recovering and kissed her sister on the forehead, wiping it gingerly. “Y..You’re alive!! Thank the Goddess and the God!” She wrapped her arms around her sister, and kissed her again.

“Hey, ow, not that I’m not grateful for the sudden outburst of affection, but, ow…you’re strangling me!” Paige said and coughed, forcing herself to sit.

Phoebe released her grip on her younger sister and smiled, giving her sister one last kiss on the cheek. “Okay, that’s one down…” she muttered.

“What? What do you mea…” Paige was barely able to finish her sentence, when without warning; the couch that they were using for cover was blasted apart. The winds from Phoebe’s spell had dissipated, releasing Wyatt from its grip.

Wyatt stood threateningly over the Halliwell household, his hands hovering ominously above his head, charging the air around them with his energy. He smiled condescendingly, looking down at the family huddled together in front of him with anger and disgust.

Piper was still in total shock; she wasn’t aware of the events unfolding before her. Her eyes stared lifelessly into space, her body still rocking back and forth. Phoebe and Paige were crouched beside their elder sister, protecting her in an embrace. Leo and Chris were in front of Melinda, protecting her from Wyatt’s threat.

“Well well well…Isn’t this sweet? The Halliwells’ last stand!” He sneered, lightning forming in his palms, “Any last words before I end all of your pathetic lives?” He slowly lowered his palms, taking in the fear in the Halliwells’ eyes.

[mcharmed21]

A tense silence enveloped the room- it was as if time had slipped into slow motion. Phoebe watched in horror as Chris’ muscles tensed and in a heartbeat, lunged at Wyatt, catching his older brother off-guard. He tackled Wyatt in the chest, causing the both of them to fall over. Chris fell on top of Wyatt and pressed all of his weight on his older brother, pinning him to the ground. “Just one: DIE,” Chris said through gritted teeth.

The lightning that had formed in the living room dissipated as the two siblings dropped on the floor. Wyatt was struggling under Chris’ unyielding hold, squirming and punching at his younger brother. Chris called out to the others; trying to resist the strength of Wyatt’s punches, “Go, while you still can! I’ll try to hold him as long as I can. GO!” Chris used his elbow to strangle Wyatt’s neck, cutting off his oxygen supply. They rolled very near to where the sisters were hiding, Wyatt kicking at Chris.

Phoebe took a step back and quickly assessed their situation, trying to find a way out of these bleak circumstances. She looked around her and an idea slowly formed in her mind. “Leo,” Phoebe turned to the Elder who was in position and ready for battle, “I want you to orb Melinda out of here; orb her to the attic, Up There, I don’t care, just get her away from here, as far away as you can!”

Chris saw Melinda turn to her mother and began to protest, “NO! Mom, I want to stay here and help you! Please…I don’t want to leave you here!” Tears began to fill her eyes and she began to sob, pleading to her mother to let her stay.

Phoebe felt her daughter’s pain, and she too began to cry. “I…I know, sweetie, I don’t want to…to leave you too, but this battle is…is too much for you… we may…we may,” Phoebe paused, the realization of the situation finally dawning on her, “we may never… come out of this battle… alive…” Tears flowed freely down her dust-filled cheeks, her emotions getting the best of her. Her body quivered, and she leant on Paige for support. She looked back at Chris and Wyatt, and saw that Chris was slowly losing to his brother.

“Now, go, Chris can’t restrain Wyatt for long. I want you to listen to Leo, okay, sweetie?” she held Melinda’s face for a minute and kissed her daughter tenderly. “I love you…”

“I love you, too…” Melinda held on to Leo’s shoulders, ready to orb out with him.

“Leo, please take good care of my daughter…now, go...” She bid Leo and her daughter good-bye.

Leo nodded and grabbed on to Melinda’s arms, “But how about you and your sisters? Chris?”<br>
Paige squeezed her sister’s arms tighter and answered for her, “We’ll stay here and try to cast a Power of Three spell, attempt to stop Wyatt from hurting us and from hurting himself…”

Phoebe wiped her face and tried to regain her composure. She sobbed one last time and said, “We’ll follow you as soon as we end this fight. Now, go.”<br>
Leo’s body began to disappear into a blur of blue and white lights. Phoebe and Paige looked back to where Chris and Wyatt were fighting. Wyatt was rapidly getting the upper hand- Chris was losing strength against the more powerful Wyatt.

“Leo, hurry!!! Orb Melinda out of here!” Paige said urgently.

In a blink of an eye, Leo vanished into the air.

[mcharmed21]

“Paige, we need to come up with a Power of Three spell. Sooner or later, Chris’ll eventually tire out,” Phoebe said, grasping her sister’s hand. “We’ll need something powerful enough to restrain all of Wyatt’s powers.”<br>
“How do you plan to do that exactly? We’re one sister short for a Power of Three spell. And in case you hadn’t noticed, Wyatt has like a gazillion powers under his belt…”

“GET OFF OF ME!” Wyatt screamed, his fist colliding with Chris’ jaws. Wyatt stood up and walked over to the sisters as Chris rolled to his side, rubbing his jaw gently. Wasting no time, he telekinetically hurled Wyatt across the room, away from the sisters.

“We’re running out of time, Paige, now’s not the time to be pessimistic! We’ll worry
about tapping into Piper’s energies later,” Phoebe urged her sister. “Just help me with a spell…”

“Uhh..okay..how about this one… By the Power of Three, take this evil away from this place…” Paige trailed off.

Phoebe picked up from where Paige left off and continued, “Vanquish this evil from time and space…”

Paige continued, “Remove his power and his might,”<br>
“…erase him now from our sight!”

“Perfect!” Paige said as Phoebe completed their spell. “Don’t forget that spell, okay? Now, all we have to do is wake Piper up…”

“Right,” Phoebe whispered as she crept towards Piper. She nudged her elder sister gently, trying to shake her out of her stupor. She waved her hands in front of Piper, to no avail. She placed her mouth near Piper’s ear and called out to her, “Piper! Piper!”

Phoebe’s efforts were all in vain; for Piper was still in shock- her eyes remained empty and hollow.

“Hey, how about a spell? Let’s cast one to…I don’t know, wake Piper up or something,” Paige said, looking over Phoebe’s shoulder, shuddering as Chris hurled a table leg telekinetically at Wyatt.

“Wouldn’t that be too risky?” Phoebe said, remembering the spells that had gone wrong in the past.

“Just word the spell properly, hurry, Chris isn’t doing very well against Wyatt.” Paige watched as Phoebe began casting a spell on Piper.

“How dare you hurt my family! You’ll pay for this, Wyatt,” Chris screamed as he threw slivers of wood at Wyatt with his powers. In his anger, he stretched his palms out and Wyatt flew across the room, hitting his head on a wall. He ran back to his aunts and mother and saw that Piper finally regained consciousness. He ran to his mother and hugged her firmly in his muscled arms.

“Mom!!!” he cried happily, ignoring his bleeding forehead.

“Wh…Where am I? Chris? Why are you bleeding?” Piper looked around, scratching her head.

“No time to explain, Piper…we need you to cast this spell wi…” Phoebe was about to finish her sentence, when Chris was hurled across the room. Phoebe turned to see Wyatt, his arms bleeding, throw Chris away telekinetically.

[mcharmed21]

“Say the spell with us, Piper!” Paige reached out and linked hands with her eldest sister.

Phoebe did the same and grabbed Piper’s right hand. She began to speak in a low voice, chanting. The three sisters stood up. They turned to face an approaching Wyatt, a grim determination emanating from the Charmed Ones.

“By the Power of Three, take this evil away from this place,”<br>
Piper and Paige joined in, their power combining with Phoebe’s.

Phoebe continued, her voice accompanied by her two sisters.

“Vanquish this evil from time and space.
Remove his power and his might,”<br>
Before the Charmed Ones could finish their spell, Wyatt launched a black energy ball in their direction. Chris gasped when a mysterious blue light suddenly shot out in front of the three sisters, shielding them from the energy projectile. The Charmed Ones continued to chant, tears streaking down Piper’s face as she realized what was happening- she was going to vanquish her own son.

“erase him now from our sight!”

The three witches continued to chant the vanquishing spell- their voices rising after each verse.

Wyatt staggered at the ferocity of the Charmed Ones’ attack. He stumbled a few steps backwards as white bolts of energy hit him directly in the chest. “Uuuhhh.” He gradually raised his arms and a black light surrounded him, protecting him from the force-bolts that the Charmed Ones’ spell generated. He ignored the force-bolts, taking each step deliberately, showing the sisters that they were no match for him.

“It’s not working, Phoebe!” Paige exclaimed.

“Ah. The infamous Power of Three. So, is this all you’ve got?” Wyatt said, leering at the sisters. “Oh stop, that tickles!” He laughed as a force-bolt hit his shield. He continued to walk towards the sisters, a flaming energy ball forming in his hand. The energy ball grew bigger with Wyatt’s each step, rotating and swirling as it grew. “You know, I’m really disappointed with you…here I thought that I would finally find someone who can challenge my power… hmph, I guess not even the Power of Three can stop me, huh. Tsk.” Wyatt was only inches away from the Charmed Ones and he can smell the fear and panic in their eyes.

The Charmed Ones continued to chant their spell, their energies increasing in ferocity after each verse.

“Remove his power and his might,
Erase him now from our sight.”

The Charmed Ones screamed out, their magicks almost exhausted. Power of Three spells always took a lot from the sisters. Paige’s knees began to buckle; Phoebe following after her. They were both on their knees, but they ignored the pain, and continued to chant.

[mcharmed21]

Chris slowly got up to his feet and could see that Piper was the only sister standing. He could see how hard his mother struggled to remain standing; he could feel her waning magicks slipping away.

Piper saw, from her peripheral view that her sisters were weakening. She too, began to feel her magickal reserves ebbing away, the spell sapping her strength. Ultimately, she succumbed to the effects of the spell, her power leaving her. The blue light hovered around Piper and her sisters for a couple of seconds and soon vanished, leaving the Charmed Ones defenseless against the approaching Wyatt.

“Is that the best you’ve got?” Wyatt smirked, tossing the gigantic fire ball between his hands.

Piper finally collapsed on the floor, falling on her knees. She stayed on her knees, and looked Wyatt in the eye- she gasped, not recognizing the eyes that met hers. Gathering all her strength, she tried to find the voice to speak. “Who…who are you?” Tears began to fall down Piper’s eyes. “Wh…why are you doing to this…to…to us?”

“Why? WHY?!?” Wyatt bellowed, sparks flying from Wyatt’s fireball, scorching the torn carpet beneath his feet. “I think it’s too late to ask ‘why’ now, dear mother, I think it’s time to die.” Wyatt closed his hands over the huge fireball, clamping it, and seemingly extinguishing it. However, when he opened his hands, the fireball went from a fiery red to an empty black. He looked at the Charmed Ones and said sarcastically, “Hmm… who should die first?” He scanned the room and looked at the three witches, all of whom were on their knees, exhausted and drained.

Piper simply closed her eyes and remained on her knees. Phoebe and Paige, on the other hand, slowly stood up and prepared for the fight awaiting them.