Trouble in Paradise
Chapter 1: Fireworks
A/N: This story has been in my head a very long time. I hope you like it. I have the first 5 chapters written down, and I've planned a few after that. This story will be kind of long. Please R&R and enjoy. I don't, in any way, own Charmed.
It had been planned for weeks. The Halliwells rarely had a normal night out. Such things had a tendency to go wrong. Magic seemed to follow them wherever they go. It was hard to find time away from it all. The Halliwell sisters were the Charmed Ones, the three most powerful witches in the world. They're the protectors of the innocent, and that in itself was a full time job. When Piper, the eldest, saw the add for a midsummer's fireworks display at Golden Gate Park in the Bay Mirror, she saw it as the perfect opportunity.
She could bring her sisters, Leo, and the boys. She had planned everything to the last minute detail. Nothing would go wrong. She wouldn't allow it. Paige could often be found laughing at Piper's constant list making. Paige took a more laid back attitude towards the whole thing. They'd go out, see a show, and have some fun. No big deal. The day leading up to the big night went perfectly. Paige was finally connecting with her newest charge, Phoebe submitted her column, Piper booked a great band for P3…they could do no wrong.
Even Wyatt and Chris were feeling the excitement. They left the house at 6 pm, 4 hours before the show was due to start. So far, there were no signs of crisis, super natural, or otherwise. They were surprised to find the traffic move alarmingly slow as they approached the park. They could see thousands of cars around them, moving at a snail's pace. Paige and Phoebe had decided to go in one car, while Piper and Leo and the boys had gone in another.
"It seems like the whole city came out to see this thing", said Paige, in an attempt to lighten the mood. Phoebe had been unnaturally quiet during the entire car ride. The truth was, Phoebe couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was going to happen. They arrived at the park a mere 15 minutes later and the feeling was, for the moment, pushed out of Phoebe's mind. There had to be at least a million people milling about the grass. It took Phoebe and Paige quite a while to find Piper, Leo, and the boys. When they found them, it took a lot of work to stick together.
They jostled themselves through the crowd of people, hoping to find a nice place to sit. They found one after almost an hour of apologizing to the slow moving crowd around them for bumping into some part or another. Piper, Paige and Leo decided to pass the rest of the time talking about anything and everything. Wyatt and Chris contented themselves by playing with the plush toys Piper had thought to bring. Phoebe felt it was best to keep out of the merriment. The feeling of uneasiness had come back, this time much stronger than before.
Phoebe watched the thousands of people who walked past, wondering which of them was in danger. The park was filled to capacity. There were so many people that making out individual faces was near impossible. With a bang, the marvelous display of pyrotechnics began. The crowd was utterly astounded. A million eyes were glued to the fantastic lights and pretty colours. The crowd gasped and applauded in all the right places like a single many headed entity. Phoebe felt fairly certain that her eyes were the only pair not fixed on the multicolored flashes.
Her eyes were frantically sweeping the crowd. The panic she felt had reached a crescendo. Something was about to happen. She knew it, she felt it. Everyone was looking away from the woods, and Phoebe was struck with a disturbing thought. While everyone was looking the other way, it would be extremely easy to sneak up behind someone and kill them. There would be no witnesses, since everyone's attention was elsewhere. The fireworks were so loud that no one would hear a scream. Phoebe shook her head. Why was she even thinking like that?
She concentrated hard on enjoying the rest of the display. Suddenly, Phoebe gasped. It felt as though someone was stabbing her in the gut. She doubled over, falling to the ground and groaning in pain. She could feel the blood seep out as her life slipped away, yet there was no wound. Piper, Paige and Leo all rushed to her side and knelt down beside her. Their faces were contorted in fear.
"What happened? What's wrong?" Paige asked the show before her forgotten. Piper and Leo leaned closer. Piper's face was chalk white. This seemed like a supernatural mystery, the very thing Piper was trying to avoid. Leo looked concerned, especially since he couldn't heal anymore. They all waited for her to answer, though they dreaded what she would say.
Phoebe spoke before she knew what she was saying. "Someone's dying…they've been stabbed…it hurts so much", Phoebe said. She didn't know why she said it, but she knew it was true. The pain was so blinding, tears flowed freely from her eyes. With a shuddering gasp she said, "It's over. He's dead."
Tbc…
Please R&R! If you do I'll continue. Up next…Chapter 2: No One Will Notice…a demon stalks his pray, waiting for the perfect time to strike.