Hanging Up The Cloak - A Charmed Roleplay

[Astral Alex]

Paige sighed.

'Henry will be thinking I've left him I've been gone that long!'

Moving over to the singed floorboards, she scooped up a bit of residue and strolled over to a large map of San Francisco and produced the scrying crystal from a small box at the side of the map. She sprinkled a slight bit of ash onto the crystal and began spinning it in a circular motion over the map.

Paige watched as Piper's eyes narrowed, taking a piece of paper and throwing it over her shoulder, evidently starting a fresh with the spell.

Paige snapped back to her senses as she heard a piercing cry, Leo sighed and exited the attic, tending to a snappy Melinda who must have woken up again. Gazing into space, she wondered if Henry would mind moving into the Manor, he seemed to get on well with Leo and Coop, and seemed to take every opportunity to go out to the bar with them. Paige smiled as she remembered the time the three of them had strolled into her house at three in the morning, completely off their heads.

Suddenly, Paige felt a pull as the crystal was magically pulled towards a spot on the map.

"It's in the middle of the bay." Paige muttered, confused.

Piper looked over, a look of confusion on her face.

"There must be some unplotted land there, shall we orb?" Paige said, standing up. Ready for action.

[Astral Echo]

Phoebe's waiting didn't last long as soon enough the phone was picked up. "Hi honey, it's only me." Phoebe spoke down the phone, there was no response.

"Hello?" Phoebe called. There was a pause by soon enough a little voice responded.

"Mommy?" Arianna queried, not sure if it was her mother or not.

"Ari, honey. Put your Dad on, please." Phoebe asked nicely, glancing down at her watch, it was past midnight, her daughter shouldn't still be up at this hour, the poor little thing must of been soon frightened by the whole ordeal that she now couldn't get a wink of sleep.

[SARI-SINISTER!]

Coop looked calmly at Phoebe. He nodded, and rubbed his hand against the back of his head. "I g-guess we could do that. I'm just concer..." Coop was cut off by the appearance of the youngest sister, Paige, who suddenly orbed in. He looked at her as Phoebe and Paige both spoke.

"You two can go, I'll keep the three in Ari's room. We'll be fine sweetie! Mmk?" He kissed her head, and just in time to pull back, they disappeared in a matter of seconds. He turned back to the room, and walked cautiously to it. He peaked in, and then fully opened the door.

Coop cautiously walked into the room. He picked Allegra up into his arms'. A few minutes had passed now. Coop was sitting calmly on Ari's bed with Allegra in his arms, and Alayna a few inches away. Coop let Ari get up to answer the phone. She ran into her room, and handed Coop the phone. "Who is it?" He asked.

"It's mommy..." Arianna said to her father. Coop took it and stood, laying Allegra down beside Alayna.

"Phoebe? Hello? What's going on, are you okay?" He was a little worried, but stood as Ari sat on the otherside of Allegra. Both of the sisters' protected their littlest sister.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Henry had finally gotten little Henry to eat. He was full so Henry turned his belly against his chest. Softly patting his back, and awaiting for him to burp. Thankfully he remembered to put the burp rag on his shoulder first. Kat and Tamara sat quietly.

"You girls' have anything to do? Clean your rooms? Take a bath?" Both girls' sat staring at him. In an instant they both ran out of the kitchen to their rooms. Little Henry finally burped, and Henry walked into the living room, and sat little Henry down in the playpen.

"I really hate not have super powers'. If I did I could have all of you protected for sure. Right now, I'm a little iffy on everything. I hope your mother's alright." Henry was talking to his little boy. Although little Henry was to small to understand. He giggled in response.

"Yeah, you think thats funny don'tcha. Lucky you, you'll prolly all get orbing powers." Henry said bending down to the little boy. Cooing quietly, as he spoke to him. Henry dropped his head into his hands'. He had a long long day ahead of him.

[Astral Echo]

"Change of plan, Piper thinks it will be better if all nine kids are under one roof and I think I agree with her." She told him, walking into what used to be her old room. "So bring the girls over here when your ready and we'll talk more then, alright?" Phoebe added, opening the door to her old wardrobe. It's been empty and had been for a few years now.

Being the coldest room in the house and boys still being young, this room was left empty for guests while Wyatt and Chris shared Paige's old room, which formerly belonged to her oldest sister Prue.

[SARI-SINISTER!]

Coop was silent as Phoebe spoke. He didn't like the fact, but did completely agree. They would all be safer, and once this demon was vanquished life could continue. "Okay, we'll be there in a few..." He said, and pressed the end button. He turned to his daughters'.

"Well, we're going to go live with your aunt Piper and uncle Leo..." The girls' got up, at first confused but instantly excited. "Just hold onto me tight!" Coop responded to the excitement, and picked Allegra up into his arms. Alayna, and Ari both grabbed Coop's legs. The hearted in seconds to the manor. He was in the foyer. "Phoebe?" He yelled, and the girls' let go slowly.

Coop stood waiting for Phoebe to respond.

[Astral Echo]

Phoebe walked down the stairs, smiling as she saw her family standing before her. "Hey girls!" Phoebe called, walking over and kissing all three on the forehead.

Arianna squirmed and ran off up the stairs. Phoebe watched as darted off before turning back to Coop. "Hey you." She said, pecking him on the lips delicately. Taking Allegra into her arms she ran her fingers through her daughters long brown hair.

[SARI-SINISTER!]

Coop smiled finally having Phoebe close to him. "I tried to have them go to sleep, Allegra did for about 30 minutes. They are to wound up, and it's going to be horrible in the morning." Coop was actually surprised they weren't crying. Usually, when they missed a nap time, or stayed up this late they cried the whole time.

There was a lot going on right now though. How could anyone sleep? They had thought this was over. This life of demon hunting, and endless fighting. It would never be over, and as long as the girls' and boys' were safe though, Coop would be fine.

He would die to protect his girls'...

[Astral Alex]

The jingling sound echoed around the hallway of Paige and Henry's San Francisco Town House. Paige materialised in a flurry of blue orbs, noticing that all the lights were on.

"And he moans about our electricity bill!" Paige mumbled, turning off the huge, electronic candleabra that radiated the hallway in light.

Paige made her way through the living room and into the kitchen where she saw Tamara and Kat, sat in their pajamas at the breakfast bar, making cutlery chase each other round the table. Just as Paige walked in there was a cry of "Fork!" and the fork orbed out and into Tamara's outstretched hand.

"I'll take that!" Paige said loudly, allowing her daughters to realise her presence. Paige held out her hand, causing the fork to orb from her daughter to her, all done non-verbally.

"Mommy!" The twins cried in unison, jumping off the stool's and hugging their mother. Both standing on her feet to gain a dew extra millimetres in height.

"Why aren't you in bed? Where is your dad? Anyway, girls listen; something has happened, and we're going to be staying with Aunt Piper, Uncle Leo, Wyatt, Chris and Melinda for a couple of days, Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Coop will be with us too, and the girls."

"You mean like a giant sleepover?" Kat piped up, her pearly white baby teeth glowing as she swayed from side to side in a childlike motion.

Paige laughed at her daughters innocence.

"Yeah, something like that. Now, I'm gonna orb you there yeah? And Aunt Piper and Aunt Phoebe will set you up in Melinda's room, I'll get some stuff and me, your dad and Henry will be there in a bit."

As Paige finished speaking, Henry walked into view, with their little man perched on his shoulder. Paige smirked at Henry, and then turned back to girls and cried "Manor!"

With a swoosh of her hand, Kat and Tamara both glowed with dazzling blue lights, slowly dissipating into nothingness.
Henry looked at her in shock, what was going on?

[Jad]

The two Devlor Demons that just left the manor flamed into the alley where just a few minutes before one of them was trapped in a magical circle. Jack was standing further into the alleyway looking bemused at the demons cleverness by its ability to levitate itself out of the circle. His look changed completely when they famed in and confronted him. Both demons smirked at Jack as they threw fireballs at Jack.

Engulfed in the two fireballs, Jack screamed in terror, but as the fireballs dissapated, Jack found that he was only singed a little bit.

"That's new!" Jack exclaimed, surprised to still be alive.

The demons just gawked at Jack surprised themselves.

Jack used this lull to retreat through a door at the back of the alley. As he shut the door, he said. "Albierto!"

Hidden sigils and symbols glowed a dull golden color before going out and invisible again. The devlor that was trapped in the manor and tried to open the door. He was balsted back by a large charge of electrical energy. He went flying back and landed at the feet of the other demon, "He's full of tricks that one." The standing demon chided his clan mate on the ground.

As the one demon got back to its feet, the other demon suggested, "He can't stay in there for ever. You stay here and watch the door, and I'll go around front and watch for him there."

The demon that was trapped in the attic leaned against a wall in the shadows with a good view of the door which Jack exited the alley. The other one left the alley on to Bush Street; he set himself up in the shadows so that he could see the whole street.

[Astral Echo]

Phoebe saw as two little orbs formed in the Foyer of the Manor, blankets clutched in there hands, Tamara and Kat materialized into view. "Well, well. Look what we have here. Double trouble." She said with a cheeky smile before turning back to Coop with a smile. "Why don't you try and get Ava down while I take Allegra and the twins upstairs into Melinda's room." She told him, before taking Kat's little hand into hers.

"Well come on you two, I think Aunt Piper's made you two up a special little twin bed!" Phoebe joked, the girls "yayed" before running ahead of her. "Wait up you two, your Mommy wouldn't forgive me if I lost you in this house!" She joked before trudging up the stairs behind them with Allegra in her arms.

[Astral Alex]

Stone torches flickered, illuminating the dark, dingy cave.

Almost integral with the darkness, four figures appeared, composed of dark shadowy energy. They materialized into almost human form, however there was a distinct glow of black surrounding them.

"Did you succeed Atra?" One of the figures called, his voice echoing around the cavern.

"No my brother, the witch's mother and father ambushed me."

"But how? You were cloaked." A slightly taller, more ominous shadow called, he seemed superior to Atra and the remaining two.

"The Charmed One used a spell on me. They are more powerful than we think." Atra said, bowing his head so not to find eye contact with his superior.

"What about you Silum? I hear you had a run in with one of the sisters." The superior Shadow spoke.

"Yes, although it was unplanned, she managed to track me. It was only a minor skurmish, I think she gave up and orbed out. I didn't manage to defeat her." The demon stood next to Atra said solemnly.

"We don't need to defeat them," another Shadow butted in, "only turn them to evil, to locate the location of the Grimoire - it is central to our plan, is it not Nigro?"

The superior demon, Nigro nodded slowly as the second Shadow spoke.

Dancing light from the stone torches then illuminated his face. His eyes were completely white, with no pupil; they stood out against his dark skin. It was unclear whether he was wearing a weightless, floaty robe, or whether he was simply wearing the Shadow energy he possessed. He closed his eyes and suddenly a humming noise sounded throughout the cave, the fellow Shadow Demons didn't flinch however.

"They are preparing to act, they are congregating at the Manor. We only need them to be distracted long enough to turn one of their children." Nigro boomed.

"I believe we should change targets, it was foolish of us to presume Phoebe was the weakest. They are all of equal power." The last Shadow Demon, Silum, spoke.

"I agree Silum. I think we should change our target, Paige or Piper's children."

The Shadow Demons nodded and in a whisp of dark energy, they vanished into the air.

[SARI-SINISTER!]

Coop nodded at Phoebe, and quickly attempted to get Ava to lay down. At first there was resistance. After a few moments, Ava was fast asleep. Coop walked out of the room, and towards Phoebe. "Hey, Ava's asleep sweetie." Coop spoke softly to her.

----------------------------------------------------

Henry stood staring in awe as Paige appeared. He was over joyed she had showed up. "Finally, I almost died trying to take care of these three!" He said staring at her still.

"I'm guessing we will have to go to?" Henry walked over to Paige, and kissed her cheek. Smiling widely he nudged her with little Henry. The baby cooed.

[Astral Alex]

Trying to move it on a bit, it's the morning after.

The sound of wailing babies had woken Paige early. She was now sat in the conservatory, a mug of coffee on the small table as she dozed on the wicker sofa.

Suddenly she felt a nudge as Leo sat down next to her, holding little Henry in his arms.

"I think someone wants his mummy!" Leo chuckled, handing over the tiny baby to Paige who gave a tired laugh, nestling Henry into her bosom.

"Thanks Leo, I thought Henry had him." Paige said, rocking slowly, trying to get Henry Jr. back to sleep.

"It's fine, and no, he's asleep still, he deserves it." Paige smiled.

As she and Leo chatted, Wyatt entered the room, dressed in his pajamas, the little eight year old hopped up onto the sofa next to his father and aunt and spoke:

"Can I hold Henry, Auntie Paige?"

Paige smiled at Wyatt and tousled his hair, he was clutching his teddy bear to his chest.

"Sure, but be careful sweetie, he isn't as big as you."

Paige handed Henry over to Wyatt, Leo was waiting in the wings for if Wyatt dropped him.

"Has he come into his powers yet honey?" Leo asked as he cooed at little Henry.

"No, it's strange really, the twins had lots of magic in the womb. Hell do you not remember the time when I began conjuring balls of light and shadows? Err, it was weird."

"Well, look at Chris, he didn't come into them till he was nearly two." Leo said, as Wyatt bounced slightly whilst holding Henry.

"Yeah but Leo, will all these threats going on, I half want him to come into them, at least he'll have some sort of protection."

[Astral Echo]

Phoebe rolled over and looked to her husband who is soundly sleeping by her side, she rolled back over and looked to the large, bay windows at the other end of the room. She observed the sunlight gleamed through the crack in the curtains, rolling across the room brightening everything around her. She sat up and looked around her. She did miss this old house. She really missed this room. She even missed the chill bounced about the room filling all the spacious nooks and crannies.

She then looked down at Arianna and Allegra cuddled up in twin sleeping bags on the hardwood floor. She watched them sleep soundly on the floor. Ava started to stir in the corner - probably time for her morning feed! Phoebe thought to herself.

Slipping out of bed quietly, she tiptoed across the room and picked Ava up out of the playpen she had been sleeping in.

[Jad]

Piper woke up when a sliver of light peeked through the curtains on to her eyes. She rolled away from the light and thought to herself. Full house, big breakfast to cook, she sighed to herself, but they did have a big day. Shadow Demons to hunt and the Devlor to deal with. Everybody should have abig breakfast cause you never knew in demon hunting when the next time you'd find a chance to eat. Piper smiled to herself before she rolling quietly out of bed with a wide smile on her face.

Piper got dressed quikly and quietly before heading down to the kitchen. She quickly nodded at Paige in the conservatory as she passed into the dining room before entering the kitchen.

Piper started cooking happily humming to herself content in the moment.

[Astral Alex]

As Paige took Henry off Wyatt and placed him in the Moses Basket in the conservatory she heard the creak of the stairs and saw Piper walk past, she nodded and smiled at her as she made her way to the kitchen.

Paige got up off the sofa and followed, sitting down at the breakfast bar she seemed to occupy so much. It was like her thinking spot.

"What's cooking?" Paige smiled as Piper emptied a packet of bacon into a pan.

[Jad]

Piper smirked, smiled and snickered at Paige all at the same time, "Now that's loaded question," Piper retorted.

"Are you asking about breakffast or other things?" Piper continued, "Did you ever see where the scying lead. Although, the middle of the bay doesn't sound too likely a spot. You might want to try scrying again before you get wet. Remeber the last time you got orbed into the bay, you had a cold for over a week."

[Astral Echo]

Wearing a purple, silk dressing gown, Phoebe walked down the stairs of the Halliwell Manor with baby Ava cradled in her arms. She walked into the kitchen to see her sisters at the breakfast table, Piper behind the stove with Paige close by enjoying the smell of her cooking. "Morning." Phoebe smiled, she had missed this, the three of them together again under the same roof.

Opening the fridge, Phoebe pulled a bottle of milk and proceeding to warm it up in the microwave. "Is Leo going to be around to watch the girls today? I've got a massive deadline at the paper this morning." Phoebe asked, looking at Piper before announcing to the rest of the room that she was going to be busy today. "We'd usually take her down to her playgroup and one of the other Mom's watches her in the afternoon but considering everything, I'd prefer to know she was in more capable hands." Phoebe told them.

[Astral Alex]

"No, but I get what you mean. I think it might be a trap. I'm worrying about these Shadow Demons as well, if they tried getting Ari, what's to say they won't try getting the twins or Henry, or Wyatt, Chris or Melinda?"

Paige bit at her lip as Piper stared at her solemnly, serving fried eggs onto modern, crisp white, square plates before returning the bacon in the frying pan.

As Piper was about to reply, Phoebe entered the room.

"Morning." Phoebe smiled.

Paige returned the smile and began playing with her long brown hair, it had grown down to below her breasts now. Paige had always wanted it this long.

She sat and listened to Phoebe talking about her deadline and childcare, she then thought back to sitting on this same stool five years ago, plotting how to defeat Billie and Christy, no childcare to discuss. How times changed.

"Yeah, Henry would honey but he's gotta go to work too. And so do I!" Paige announced, hoping for a reaction from her two sisters.

Piper turned from her bacon and Phoebe turned away from the microwave.

"Well, kinda, I just want to go to Magic School, the restoration is over now, and The Elders are trying to re-staff, so I thought I'd help out a little."

"That's great!" The voice of Leo sounded, stepping into the kitchen with little Henry in his arms.

"I think it's time for his feed Paige," Leo said, handing the baby over to her. Paige sighed, she loved little Henry to pieces, but trying to raise nine kids in the same house was going to be difficult.

"Phoebe, would you mind?" Paige said and Phoebe proceeded to warm up a second bottle, whilst feeding Ava with the first.

"I'll come with you Paige, I always told the Elders that I'd help out when it was up and running again." Leo quipped, sitting next to Paige and reaching over to grab a piece of toast from the rack on the bar. Piper slapped his hand away and Leo laughed.

[Astral Echo]

Phoebe took Henry from her sister and placed him in the highchair, he was a little too small for it really but he had gotten to the stage now where he could pretty much feed himself. She helped the youngster start his bottle before passing it into his little hands. "So...as were all busy and your not, would you mind keeping an eye on all of them today Piper?" She asked.

"I'm happy to do the morning school run, Wyatt and Chris' elementary isn't far from the office." She added.