Legacy: What Dreams May Come

by Lady Dawson

Chapter One: The Slumber Demon

"Now, are you absolutely sure that you are going to be able to handle everything this weekend?" Brooke Murphy asked her best friend Susan Dawson as they headed down the stairs. "Because, you know, we don't have to go. I mean, we can really just have just a good a time as any right here. There's plenty of stuff that we can do here."

"Brooke, you have been worried about this trip ever since you and Wyatt asked me and Chris if it was okay that you were going," Susan said, exasperated. "You're going. It's just three days in L. A., what's the worst that could happen?"

"It's not me that I'm worried about, Susan, it's you guys. With this demonic uprising thing, I feel like we shouldn't stray too far apart."

Susan sighed, torn between exasperation and amusement. "Brooke, I have been fighting demons since I was thirteen. Chris has been fighting demons practically since he was born. We are both grown adults and can take care of ourselves. If anything happens, then Wyatt's just an orb away and we will call him if we need you." She shook her head. "You were so excited about this trip when you asked, Brooke, what happened?"

Brooke groaned. "I don't know . . . it's just spending alone time in another city with an incredible hot and irresistible guy . . . I guess I'm freaking out a little."

"Gee, you think?" Susan wondered out loud as they made the last descend on the stairs. Chris Halliwell looked around at them as he was packing up the bags. His brother Wyatt was working on the engine. "We just about finished, fellas?" she asked.

"Just about," Wyatt answered as he gave a grunt. "Okay, that fixed it. Yeah, we're good to go."

"Great, because I can't wait to get rid of this girl for a couple of days," Susan said, pushing Brooke towards Wyatt. "Please, take her off my hands, good sir, I am begging you." She clasped her hands in front of her dramatically. Even Brooke laughed at this.

"Okay, you guys are sure that you'll be able to handle everything?" Brooke said once they stopped laughing. "I mean, this demon stuff and everything else . . . you're sure?"

"Brooke Kathryn Murphy!" Susan exclaimed, placing her hands on her hips. "If you do not get into that car this instant, young lady, I am going to throw you in there personally!"

Giving a squeak of alarm, Brooke practically dove into the car, shutting the door behind her. Susan let out a breath of relief and went to go put Brooke's suitcase into the back. Wyatt stared at her, then at Chris carefully.

"You're sure that you're safe alone with her?" he wanted to know. Chris laughed. "'Cause she's scary, Chris. Seriously, very scary when you get on the wrong side of her."

"Oh, I know, Wy," Chris said as Susan made a face at Wyatt. He did the mature thing and stuck his tongue at her. "But every time that I kiss her, I don't care." Susan shook her head as Wyatt conceded this point.

"Boys," she grumbled. Wyatt grinned at her as he gave his brother a hug before he turned to go to the driver's side of his fully restored 2008 Equinox. "Well, call us when you get there, okay? I would like to know that you both got there safely."

"Oh, Susan," Wyatt said, smiling at her. "I'm touched. You actually care about both of our safety?"

Chris shook his head and Susan chuckled as she walked over to him, hugging Wyatt in a very sisterly way. "You guys have a good time, all right?" she asked. "We'll call you if we need anything."

"Yeah, yeah," Wyatt said, rolling his eyes. "But please don't need us, because I would like to have a demon-free weekend. We'll see how that works out, because I doubt L.A. has any less demonic activity than San Francisco. But you know, I can always hope, right?"

"Have fun!" Chris yelled after him as Wyatt slammed the door behind him. "Don't drink a whole lot!"

"And after you're done not drinking, make sure you drink plenty of water and lots of aspirin!" Susan added. Wyatt honked the horn in reply and they could see him laughing as they headed out of the parking lot and down the highway.

Susan chuckled as she looked up at Chris, who wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "So, what now?" she asked.

"We go enjoy ourselves for once," Chris responded with a grin. "Up for some ice cream?"

Just as Susan was about to open her mouth to reply, another voice cut her off. "I'm afraid there won't be any time for that."

Both witchlighters turned around to find Susan's Whitelighter Brandon James walking towards them. Susan let out an exasperated sigh as she glared at him. "I thought you were supposed to be getting some information on my demonic stepmother?"

"Who says that I'm not? Besides, she's not a demon. Not exactly," he added dryly. "Anyway, we've got demonic trouble. And it's enough for Them to be worried about it." He glanced upwards.

Susan looked towards the heavens, scowling at the thought of the Elders before returning her gaze towards Brandon. "So?" she said when he didn't say anything else. "What demon?"

"That's what we need to find out," Brandon replied. "But what we do know is that he's been imprisoning witches in their dreams . . . before their dreams slowly consume them."

Susan stared at Brandon before looking towards Chris, who wore an equally worried look on his face.

--

"You're certain that this plan is going to work?" Peter Connelly asked the demon as she stood in front of the desk. "I've had too many demons fail me in the past and I am getting sick and tired of this girl ruining my plans. You are certain that you can strike her with the spell?"

"Her Whitelighter has been informed of the witches' deaths, my lord," the demon he'd hired to get rid of the Dawson girl said. Her name was Aisling and she dealt specially with dreams and visions. It was her specialty. "It will not be long before she investigates the witches I've already taken care of with the young Halliwell witch."

"Christopher Halliwell is not apart of this plan," Peter snapped, annoyed. "Two together makes them stronger than one alone. If they get all four together, then it is almost impossible to stop them. In fact, it's usually a better idea to retreat before they stop us."

"There is no need to worry, my lord," Aisling told him. "The twice-blessed and the nymph-girl have left town. By the time that they get back, both Susan Dawson and Christopher Halliwell will be dead. I would rather get rid of two of them, because few can claim that they've managed to exterminate a Halliwell witch. It looks good on my résumé, you see."

"Hmm." Peter stared at her for a moment. "Very well. Continue with your plan. You've gotten this far, Aisling. But few have gotten farther than this when they've worked for me. See that you don't follow that ugly tradition. I'm getting sick of failure."

"If you don't mind my saying, sir," Aisling said quietly. "It seems to me that you may have a traitor in your midst. I would keep an eye out on those who you keep near you. Once bought, a traitor is hard to return to our side."

"Do not advise me, Aisling," Peter warned her. "More powerful demons than you have learned from that mistake the hard way. The only reason why you're not dead now is because you've proved valuable to me. For the time being," he added menacingly.

Aisling bowed without another word. "As you wish," she said as she shimmered away.

Peter shook his head, walking out of the office and slamming the door behind him. Had he thought to come back a few seconds later, he would have seen a teenage boy reappear from the shadows.

Bobby Connelly stared where his father had left in shock before picking up the files on his desk, staring at the pictures of his half-sister. "He's really trying to do it," he whispered, returning them to where they were as he sat down in shock. "He's really trying to kill Susan."

There was no time to waste. If his father had his way, then Susan would be dead. And this demon, Aisling, was closer than any demon he'd sent before, which meant that she was pretty close. He had to go and help her, stop Aisling before she hurt Susan—or killed her.

Not thinking twice, Bobby hurtled from the office, running down the steps and seizing his jacket off of the coat rack, ignoring his father's call as he raced outside. For some unknown reason, his father had temporarily bound his materialising power, so he had to get there on foot.

When he was a block away from his house, he heard a car honk and whirled around, ready to defend himself, when he recognised the driver.

"Parker," he said, lowering his hands. The son of Paige Matthews-Mitchell stared at him, eyebrows raised. "Uh . . . what are you doing here?"

"Just taking a drive," Parker replied with a grin. They went to the same school and Parker was in some of his classes. He was one of the last people that his father wanted him to hang out with, but admitted that it might do some good to be able to assimilate into the Halliwells' lives without suspicion. "You need a ride somewhere?"

Bobby didn't hesitate. "San Francisco Memorial," he told him, relieved to have a way to get there.

Parker shrugged, opening the passenger door and Bobby dived in as Parker shifted into drive and started moving towards the hospital where Bobby knew that the witches Aisling attacked were. Doubtlessly, Susan was already on her way there, with Parker's cousin Chris. If they found out everything, then he was going to have some explaining to do. But still, that was a whole lot better than the alternative.

He'd already lost his older brother; he wasn't planning on losing his sister, too, anytime soon. Even if he had to love her from a distance, then that was better than nothing.

At least . . . for now.

--Opening Credits--

Title Song: "Chariot" by Gavin Degraw

Drew Fuller as Chris Halliwell

Wes Ramsey as Wyatt Halliwell

Michelle Trachtenberg as Susan Dawson

Anne Hathaway as Brooke Murphy

Hayden Christensen as Brandon James

and Shawn Ashmore as Bobby Connelly