Disclaimer-I do not own charmed or any characters from it.
A/N this is the third episode of my Next Generation Season.
(X)
Four robed girls sat in a circle, surrounded by candles. A ceremonial athame passed from hand to hand. Each girl took a turn cutting her palm and holding her hand over the cauldron that sat in the circle's center.
"Now, we get to ask for what we want," breathed one girl excitedly.
"Yeah, shouldn't we be able to now? I mean we offered our blood and all…" came timidly from the girl on her right.
"We'll be lucky if it works at all," sighed the next girl, giving the first two a scornful look. "It's obvious the two of you aren't concentrating very hard." Anger smoldered in her hard gaze.
"We'll be lucky if it works at all, because we shouldn't be asking for gifts by using magic," interjected the last girl, calmly.
"Let's get on with it before Laura backs out," demanded the third girl, now focusing her scornful stare on the fourth.
"I just think that we should be more careful with magic. Have more respect," Laura replied coolly, unconcerned with her friend's dark mood. She continued in soft warning, "I also think we should be careful what we wish for."
(X)
With it's white marble columns, gauzy white material hanging over the sky painted mural walls, any first time diner at Angel's was always amazed. Piper had even demanded a mural painted on the floor, so that her customers felt that they were walking on clouds and seeing Earth from on high. The décor grabbed your attention, but Piper's heavenly cooking, kept it. Inside the beautifully unearthly restaurant, Piper was busily at work. Normally at this time of night, she would be home with Leo and Melinda, but today her hostess had called in sick and no one else could take her place, leaving Piper to hostess. Piper much preferred being in the kitchen than working the dining room, but sometimes, even as the owner, she didn't have a choice.
She spotted Palmer, her busboy. She was happy that Wyatt had vouched for him. He was a good worker, always on time and very polite. She wondered, though, if someone was bullying him; he often had a hunted look about him, which set her maternal instincts into overdrive. With his facial features and dark hair, he could easily belong to her family, except for his eyes. Only Prue had had eyes of such an intense blue.
Wyatt had started driving the young man home every night. Piper winced. Home for Palmer and his family was a hotel. She couldn't fathom it; she hoped his family settled quickly. How difficult it must be to live out of suitcases in a hotel! Luckily, Palmer's hotel was on the way to Wyatt's loft.
"I'm glad I got to work tonight," she said conspirationally to Palmer.
"Why?" He asked in bewilderment, everyone at Angel's knew the kitchen was Piper's domain and as a wife and mother, she would always choose to be home with her family in the evening.
"Because, I haven't really seen you since I hired you." She smiled warmly. "Janice tells me that you're taking college classes during the day. Are you doing okay with homework? I'm not making you work too many hours am I?"
"Not at all," Palmer grinned, "I'm just taking some courses to become a police officer. My dad was one, in our old town," he explained, "He's hoping to be hired by the San Francisco P.D. but until then he's quizzing me on my assignments."
"What does your mother do?" Piper asked, clearly interested, as she helped him clear the last table of the night.
"Nothing since we moved. She was a photographer, but she says she lost the heart for it. She said our old home was too ugly to be inspiring. My oldest brother started working at 415 and he keeps trying to get her to see the beauty of San Francisco, she's starting to come around." He grinned at Piper, his relief that his mother was starting to enjoy her new home clear on his face.
Piper grinned back.
(X)
In the loft that Chris and Wyatt shared, Chris was busy straightening up. Business at P3 had been doing so well that he'd hired another two bartenders and an assistant manager, which left Chris with a night off once in awhile. He was thankful that P3 was doing so well, and even more thankful because with 'demon duty' he could now afford to NOT be at P3 all the time.
Truth be told, Chris had expected to be having more trouble from the underworld by now. Magic had been back for a few weeks and still no major battles had been fought. The demon bartender from the first night hadn't bothered them again, yet. Chris was unsettled; he knew that when the battles started they would be fast and deadly. He wondered just what the underworld was waiting for. When he'd mentioned these fears to Wyatt, Wyatt had replied, "Maybe they don't want to tangle with us," and laughed before turning serious and warning Chris about jinxing them. Looking around the spotless room, he nodded in satisfaction.
Since no trouble had really presented itself, Chris had decided to tackle Pace, at least the mystery surrounding the man. Wyatt still had a few doubts about Pace, but at least he wasn't as vehemently opposed to him as he had been. Chris hoped to finally get to the bottom of Pace's story, and prove that Pace was no threat. Chris hated being inactive, he was a doer and a strategist by nature. When the doorbell rang, Chris answered it.
"Hi, Pace, come on in." Chris invited, stepping aside to allow the man to enter. 'Plan A: get Pace talking in a place where he couldn't hide behind his work and avoid answering questions. Check,' thought Chris.
"Wow, this place is amazing," Pace said as he entered. His blue eyes took in the open layout of the loft, the high ceilings and comfortable but stylish furnishings mixed with the occasional antique.
"Well, it's a bachelor residence anyway," Chris laughed, "Looks good, but no home cooked meals, we still go to Mom's for that."
"Yeah, well we're still living out of a hotel," Pace supplied.
Chris winced in sympathy, "No luck house hunting?"
"No, my mom is very particular about where she wants to live." Pace shook his head ruefully, "There wouldn't be any vacancies here would there?" He asked Chris hopefully, taking a seat on the overstuffed couch.
"I think the girl upstairs is moving out next month, but she's only got two bedrooms," Chris answered, taking the chair opposite. It was one thing to live with your family when you were in your twenties in fact; it was beyond acceptable in Chris' opinion, but quite another matter entirely to have to share a bedroom with your two adult brothers while you were at it!
"Maybe I can use the month to convince my mom that we don't all have to live together," Pace mused. "She's just gotten used to us all being in the same place again. Parker and I had an apartment in our last city. She really hated it, but she understood."
"Why did you all move?" Chris asked, leaping on the opening Pace had supplied.
"It was…bad, lot's of…um crime. My Aunt was killed by some de…decidedly bad guys and finally, Parker convinced mom that we should leave. Mom put her house on the market, it devastated her, that house had been in the family for generations."
"I can imagine. My mom's house is like that. My mom and Aunts were raised there; I can't ever see my mom not being at the manor." Chris shared. He hoped that his talking would encourage Pace to keep the conversation going.
"Funny thing is, bad as the city was, the house sold within a week. So, we came straight here. Mom has the money from the sale of the house, she could buy another but so far she hasn't found any that she likes." He shrugged.
The front door opened and Wyatt Halliwell entered the loft. "Hi, Pace," he said, "I just dropped Palmer at your hotel. He's doing really well," Wyatt knew that as an older brother it could be a relief to hear that a younger sibling was doing fine.
"Thanks," Pace smiled gratefully, "I'm taking him car shopping tomorrow."
"He told me," Wyatt said, "But what I don't get is that you had cars and homes where you came from, why didn't you drive here?" Wyatt asked.
Chris watched it happen, the unusually talkative Pace had just reverted to form, Chris sighed.
"It was just easier the way we did it," Pace said guardedly. Chris shot his brother a look, a look he hoped Wyatt would interpret as get the hell out of here, I've got it covered. Wyatt correctly interpreted the look and ignored it.
"It was easier to leave houses, cars, every personal belonging, jobs, family and friends to come here empty handed with no jobs and live in a hotel?" Wyatt argued softly, "Why didn't anyone at least set up jobs before the move?"
"We are the only family left, possessions meant nothing, and we wouldn't jeopardize any friends by having any. I thought things would be different here. Apparently, you two are so wrapped up in playing 'Good Cop/ Bad Cop' that you're forgetting that we are supposed to be friends, or at least friendly. If you're done interrogating me…" Pace stood and strode towards the door.
"Pace…" Wyatt began, only to be interrupted by a demon shimmering into the loft.
The demon was the bartender from P3, who had escaped. 'Obviously, he feels more confident,' Chris figured and then groaned. They did not need an attack now! Pace was already unsettled by Wyatt's Gestapo tactics, how freaked would he be by a demon? Chris didn't get a chance to look at Pace to see his reaction because the demon came in throwing fireballs. The fireballs seemed to be coming from everywhere, when Chris glanced around; he saw that the demon had come with company. 'No wonder he felt confident enough to face us even though we are together' Chris mused as he ducked under a ball of fire. Wyatt was busy volleying the other demon's fireballs back at him, finally hitting him with one. The demon burst into flame. Unfortunately, one of the fireballs had escaped Wyatt's tk volleys and was heading straight for Chris who didn't see it coming. Before Wyatt could shout a warning, the room froze. Wyatt stopped in shock, 'that's new' he thought. He looked at Chris, who seemed as surprised as he did. They both turned to Pace who was not frozen.
Correctly guessing what had happened, Chris warned, "You are so explaining when this is over!"
Pace shrugged, "I guess I can't keep it secret forever." Then he began to chant,
"Foul demon,
from the depths of hell,
death takes you with this spell." The demon burst into flame and disintegrated. "Low level demon," Pace explained, "I just thought up that spell."
Wyatt looked around at all the scorch marks, "We are definitely not getting our deposit back," he stated wryly.
Pace waved his hand again and the scorch marks disappeared.
Piper- Holly Marie Combs
Palmer- Zac Efron
Chris- Drew Fuller
Pace- Teddy Dunne
Wyatt- Wes Ramsey
A/N For any newcomers, I like to give my idea of who should play 'my' recurring characters. Btw I figure the Charmed Ones aged well ; )
NEW A/N I am reworking this epi now but plan on doing it in a more organized fashion. I'll leave little notes like this one to let you know that a chapter is thoroughly 'done'. I promise I will NOT introduce any new characters.