A Cromwell's Tale
Chapter One:
Receiving the News.
Her life shattered. Her mouth hung open in shock. The news that she had just received seemed to hang in the air. 'I am so sorry to be the one to tell you this, Miss Martinez, but your mother was in a accident. She, she didn't make it.' The officer had said, then turned on his heel and walked back to his squad car. He cast one last remorseful look at her before getting in the car and speeding off. Gabriela closed the door and leaned against it. Her legs couldn't seem to hold her weight much longer, so she slid down the door until she was in a sitting position. The news seemed to finally sink in and she could feel her eyes start to water. As tears streamed down her face, she looked back over all the memories that she had with her mother, the good and the bad, as well as the happy and the sad.
The more that she thought about her mother, the more she cried. And the more she cried, the more she thought about her mother. The last thought that ran through Gabriela's mind before everything faded to black was, 'I didn't even get to say goodbye.'
Gabriela woke-up in a position much more comfortable than the one that she fell asleep in. Her muscles ached with every move that she made. Gabriela looked around and all the memories from the previous night came rushing back to her at once, making her head throb. When the pain stopped, she noticed that she wasn't in her house anymore. The ocean blue and onyx grey walls had been replaced by ugly and plain white ones. The bed that she was lying in was much more comfortable than the position that she had fallen asleep in last night, but it was still uncomfortable. Gabriela looked towards the door as she heard it creak open. A nurse came in looking surprised to see Gabriela up in bed.
"Oh! You're up!" The nurse said. "How are you feeling?"
Gabriela raised a hand to her head. "Like someone knocked me out with a sledge hammer. What happened?"
A sad look crossed the nurse's face before she asked Gabriela, "Sweetie, what do you remember, exactly?"
Gabriela rubbed her head as though trying to stimulate her brain to find an answer to the nurse's question.
"Um," She started, "I remember watching TV on the couch when the door bell rang. When I opened the door, there was a young police officer standing on the front porch. I asked him if I was in trouble for some reason and then he told me that my mom…, that my mom had been in an accident, and that she didn't make it." At this point, a lone tear escaped her eye and the elderly nurse felt a tug at her heart for this young girl. She'd already lost her father at the age of three, and now, at 17 she's lost her mother.
"Well," The elder nurse started, "You fainted. Lucky for you, your neighbor saw you through the window and called 9-1-1. You were brought here and have been out for most of the night."
Gabriela couldn't believe it. Her mother was actually gone. She was now an orphan.
"Where am I going to stay?" She asked. "I have no family left!"
The nurse looked at her sympathetically. Then her face brightened visibly.
"I know where you can go! I remember the doctor mentioning your father's sister who lives in San Francisco! If you want, I can try contacting her for you. I believe her name is Patricia. Yes, that's it! Patricia Halliwell."
Without waiting for an answer, the nurse scurried off, leaving Gabriela to her thoughts.
"Dad has a sister?" She muttered to herself.
San Francisco, California
Halliwell Residence
Ring, Ring. Came the shrill ringing of the telephone. Ring, Ring. Ring, Ring.
"Don't everybody rush to get it!" Twenty-one year old Phoebe Halliwell exclaimed as she reached the phone.
"Hello, Halliwell residence, this is Phoebe speaking." She answered the phone.
"Hello, miss Halliwell. This is Dr. Roberts from Miami General Hospital calling. May I please speak to Patricia Halliwell? It's rather urgent." Came the voice on the other end.
"I'm sorry, but my mom has been dead for eighteen years in June." Phoebe said trying to keep the quiver from her voice. "But, you could tell me I guess."
"Alright. I am so very sorry for your lose. Did you know that your mother had a brother?" Dr. Roberts asked her.
Phoebe was in shock. 'Mom has a brother?' She thought.
"No, I had no idea." She said. Then something occurred to her. "Wait, what do you mean had?"
"He died about fifteen years ago. The reason I am asking you this is because his wife just died, leaving his seventeen year old daughter an orphan. You and your family are the only living family that she has left, and she has nowhere else to go, so I was wondering if you and your family would be willing to take her in." Dr. Roberts asked.
"Well, I would love to take her in," Phoebe started, "But I would have to talk to my two older sisters first. Is there any way I could contact you when we have made a decision?"
After the doctor had left her a number on which to reach him, she called Prue, her eldest sister.
"Prue," Phoebe said as soon as her sister answered. "Call Piper and link the call. You will never believe the news that I have to tell you."
Miami General Hospital
Miami, Florida
A lawyer was sitting in a chair next to the foot of her bed, reading her mother's will.
"Your mother has left you everything to do with what you please. There is something that she wishes you to keep with you. Apparently it has been passed down from generation to generation in your mother's side of the family." He said while handing her a book. Gabriela looked at the book as she grasped it in her hands. 'The Book of Cromwell Tales.' The title read.
Gabriela flipped through the pages. Each page contained words and illustrations of battles with all kinds of creatures. Both human and non human. And each story or tales were written in different handwritings. The stories each sported the name of, who Gabriela assumed was, the author. Underneath the name was the date of when it was written. 1819. That was when the last story was dated to be written.
That was over 188 years ago. Gabriela thought. I wonder what happened so that the stories stopped being written.
San Francisco, California
Halliwell Residence
"What is the ever so important news that couldn't wait till tonight?" 24-year old Piper Halliwell asked, from Quake, the restaurant that she managed.
"Mom had a brother." Phoebe informed her sisters.
"What?!" Came the reply of her sisters.
"But, I thought that mom was an only child." Piper said, clearly confused.
"That's what I thought, too," Phoebe said, "But apparently we were wrong."
"What does mom having a brother have to do with anything?" Twenty-seven year old Prue Halliwell, asked.
"I was wondering when one of you was going to ask that. He died about fifteen years ago. I got a call from a doctor at Miami General Hospital, telling me that his wife just died about twelve hours ago, leaving their seventeen year old daughter an orphan. He was wondering if, even though we have never met her, we could take her in, seeing as though she has no other living relatives. I said that I had to talk to you guys first. But, I can't help feel sorry for the poor girl, I mean when we lost mom, we had grams, and each other, but she has no-one." Phoebe rambled.
"Pheebs! Chill!" Prue said. "I think that we should take her in, but… well, I don't know. I mean, what if she doesn't know about magick, and she stumbles upon the 'Book of Shadows' on accident?" She said, referring to the sacred book that was passed down from generation to generation of Warren witches throughout the years, upon starting with the beginning of their family line, Melinda Warren.
"I agree," Piper started. "But, if she doesn't have anywhere else to go to, and if we are her family, well, then…" She trailed off.
"I think that we should talk to Raven first and stuff. We don't want to make her anymore uncomfortable than she already is. You know how skittish she can be when meeting new people." Phoebe reminded her sisters.
"Speaking about me?" Came a voice from the top of the stairs. Phoebe looked up to see Raven gracefully coming down the stairs. Her name really fit her well. Her jet black hair was like the plumage of a raven bird. Her green eyes were sharp like those of her namesake's too.
"Speak of the devil." Phoebe muttered into the phone. "Why don't you guys come home so that we can all talk to her together."
"We are on our way." Piper said as she and Prue both hung up.
"Hey, Raven, Piper and Prue are on their way home. We have to talk to you about something important. Would you like some tea or something while we wait?" Phoebe asked.
"Coffee would be good, please." Raven said. As Phoebe walked into the kitchen to make the tea and coffee, Raven look around the conservatory while remembering the first time she meet the Halliwell sisters.
Fifteen year old Raven sat in the room with all the other kids at the orphanage, just watching them play with the few toys that were scattered over the room. She felt saddened at the fact that these didn't have any parents or any family that they could be with instead of being here. She felt someone sit down next to her, but instead of shying away like she normally would have, she shifted her body to face her companion. It was the new volunteer, Phoebe Halliwell.
"Hi, I'm Phoebe." Phoebe introduced herself.
"I'm Raven." The two soon started talking and getting to know more about each other. Before they knew it, three hours had passed and Prue and Piper had walked over to them.
"Hey, Pheebs, we're here to pick you up. Who's your friend?" Piper had asked.
"Hey guys, this is Raven. Raven, these are my older sisters, Prue and Piper." Ever since that day, nothing had ever been the same again.
Raven was shaken out of her day-dream as the front door slammed.
"Phoebe?" Piper's voice called out.
"In the conservatory," Phoebe replied. Raven hadn't even noticed that she had come back from the kitchen. Prue and Piper walked in and noticed Raven sitting there.
"Oh, hey Rave." Prue said. "Have you told her yet?" The last part was directed to Phoebe.
"No, I decided to wait 'till you guys got home." She replied.
"Tell me what?" Raven asked, confused. The sisters drew in a breath as they began to tell the story.
After Phoebe had finished with her story, Raven just sat there thinking.
"Of course, you are still more than welcome to stay here with us. That is, if you want to." Piper said.
"I would like that," Raven said, "Since I have no where else to go."
"Then I will go call the doctor right now." Phoebe said, reaching for the phone, and taking the call into the other room. When she got off she said, "Okay, so we are picking Gabriela up Friday at 9:30 at the main entrance of the airport.
San Francisco International Airport
Gabriela tried to maneuver her way through the crowed that was filling out of the plane that she just exited and made her way to the baggage claim area. Today was Thursday. One day after we was released from the hospital. Two days since her mother's death. Don't think about that, Briella. Stay strong. She thought. Gabriela looked around the area for a sign with her name on it. Finding none, she sighed.
Might as well call a cab to take me there. She thought. After finally managing to get a cab, she got into the back seat and gave the cab driver the address that the doctor had given her earlier. She leaned back and tried to get comfortable. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.
About ten minutes later, Gabriela felt herself being shaken awake. She sat up with a jolt, and then she remembered where she was. She got out and paid the taxi driver. Gabriela got her luggage up the first small flight of stairs leading to the house. At the top, she stopped and admired the beautiful Victorian house in front of her. This is my new home. She thought sadly.
"Looks like you're a bit hesitant to go up to the door." Came a voice from her right.
Startled, Gabriela quickly spun around to face the person who the silky-smooth voice belonged to, but her foot got caught in the hem of her other pant leg tacking her down like a ton of bricks.
She expected her body to hit the ground at any second, but instead she felt two strong muscled arms encircle her waist, keeping her from meeting the ground. Gabriela looked up and her chocolate brown eyes met a pair of cobalt blue eyes that seemed to be as deep as the deepest end of the ocean.
"Thanks." Gabriela mumbled, still staring into the newcomer's eyes.
"No problem. I'm Blaize Reeves." The boy with the amazing blue eyes introduced himself.
"I'm Gabriela Martinez." Gabriela introduced herself. She looked a bit awkward when she realized that Blaize was still holding her. "Um… Not that I'm not grateful that you kept me from introducing myself to the ground in then not so grateful of ways, but, could you let me up?" She asked with a smile on her face.
Blaize chuckled as he helped her back onto her feet. "So, Gabriela Martinez. May I inquire as to why you looked so hesitant to you up to the door?" He asked.
"Well, Blaize Reeves, you see, my mom was in a car accident and she didn't pull through. My dad died when I was almost three and the only living relatives that I have left are the Halliwell's, who are my cousins on my dad's side. I can't believe that I just told that to a complete stranger! Real smooth Gabriel." Gabriela smacked herself on the forehead.
"Whoa, there!" Blaize halted her hand before it reached her head again. "I am really sorry about your parents." His blue eyes sincere. "And I may be a stranger, but I am a trustworthy stranger. Just ask the sisters."
Gabriela cocked her head to the side in confusion and curiosity. "The sisters?"
"The Halliwell sisters." Blaize explained. "I have been living next door to them for about nine months now."
Gabriela nodded. "Well, I should probably go up." She said while tilting her head towards the door.
"Yeah, I can hear my mom calling me." Blaize said. With that he turned around and walked back towards his house. When he reached the door, he turned around. "By the way, welcome to San Francisco, Brie." Then he went inside.
Brie. Gabriela thought. I like it. And I like him even more. With that thought lingering in her head, she walked up the rest of the way to the door, and raised her hand to knock.
A.N.: I don't own Charmed or any of the characters that you recognize from the T.V. show, those belong to Constance M. Burge and the WB! The only things that I own are Gabriela, Karissa, Reese, Blaize, and other original characters. Raven is based off of my best friend, Tegan and Dysis are based off of two of my other best friends, and Xavier is based off of another friend.