Author's Name: always Krissy
Disclaimer: Charmed doesn't belong to me.
Written for ladybug218 for Livejournal's first charmedflashfic round.
Pairing or Character: Combination of Paige/Darryl and future!Wyatt
Rating: PG
Spoiler Warnings: No, not really, except I guess to Chris-Cross, *if* that
Author's Note: A couple notes... I couldn't remember which of Paige's powers were first, so if I have the wrong one, consider this an AU fic. I *think* its right, but I don't know for sure. And this partially takes place about a week after she is introduced. :D
Lips pressed into a thin line, Paige closed her eyes tightly together, silently chanting to herself.
I can do this. I can do this. I can do this.
Slowly, she let out her held breath, and opened her eyes. She held out a shaking hand, and clearly said, "I want my flashlight."
There was a long silence and Paige stared at her hand, annoyed.
"How about any usable flashlight!"
A branch cracked in the distance, and Paige remembered where she was. She was in the park, and it was far past dark. Approaching late evening, she was sure. She'd promised her sisters she'd be back hours ago. Like that had happened. She didn't even want to think about the argument that awaited her back at the Halliwell mansion. Things had been very stressful there, which is why she'd left the house for the afternoon, wanting to familiarize herself in her surroundings. The area was nice, beautiful even, and she was glad she was there, stress or no stress.
She glanced around the park, eyes narrowing when she realized how dark it really was.
Maybe training out here wasn't such a wise idea. Too late to change her mind about it now, though. Tentatively, she allowed the small amount of moonlight guide her down the trail, and she couldn't help but wish for a flashlight.
"Oh, c'mon, I just want a flashlight. Any one will do."
"Hey!" A voice complained, "Where'd my flashlight go?"
"Uh, right here," Paige murmured, staring down at her hands. Well, at least she got her flashlight...
"Oh, it's you," a panting figure said, jogging up to her a few moments later. Paige paused at the sound of the slightly familiar voice. Unthinking, she shone the flashlight at the person. He, oh he was def. male, wore a police uniform and he wore an annoyed expression on his face.
"Uh..." Paige bit her lip, trying to remember who he was. Piper and Phoebe had introduced her to him, but for the life of her... "Oh! You're Darryl, right? The witch friendly cop."
"Yep," Darryl offered a small smile, "That would be me. And you're Paige, the newest slave to magic."
Paige returned a rueful smile, "It isn't that bad. Just hard to get used to. So, you've been involved with my sisters for a long time?"
"Since practically forever," he replied with a roll of his eyes. "And now that I think about it, it probably has been forever... What, with all their time hopping."
"That's cool," Paige said, "You know my sisters better than I do."
"Don't worry," he assured her, "that's a good thing. Trust me; knowing them well isn't all what it's cracked up to be. But you're their sister," he added, barely hiding a grimace at the idea of actually being *related* to magic, "and you will know them better than yourself."
Paige smiled. "Hey, you're kinda good at the whole counseling thing. You should go into the social services."
"Being a cop is as far as social I'd like to get."
"Aww... Well, that wasn't the kind of social *I* meant, but you'd be good with helping the kids. Not that you don't help being a cop and all, because I'm sure you're really good at it," she added, alarmed at her own babbling words, "but you know..."
"Yeah," he smiled, "I know."
There was a long beat of silence and Paige found herself staring at him, unable to help herself. She realized that he looked really... good. She'd only been with her sisters for a week and she hadn't felt as comfortable with them as she did with Darryl, who she'd only met a few moments ago. And they really hadn't said much to each other at all! Maybe it was because they were still reacting to Prue's death, or maybe it was because of her mother's betrayal to them of never mentioning her, or maybe it was just because they weren't used to new people. But it didn't really matter why, because she knew they'd eventually get over it. Because they were family.
"Do you ever go to P3?" She tried to ask this as if she asked it to every guy she talked to. He shook his head, and her smile brightened. "Then let me take you!" She paused, "Or are you on duty? 'Cause I know cops can't have fun on their work time."
"Oh, I'm off-duty," he assured her, "and I have been to P3, 'though not very often... It's a demon magnet at times, if you will." He was beginning to frown, and Paige panicked, but before she could say anything, he continued, "So, when do you want to leave?"
"Right now?"
"Sure," he easily said, "only if you give me back my flashlight."
---
The dream sequence, or rather memory, came to an end, and Wyatt smiled to himself. It had been a long time since he'd found a new way to torture. Repressed memories seemed to be the easiest way to torture his family.
All it took was reminding Piper about Leo's betrayal, and then all that followed. It was almost the same way for Leo, but he never cracked like the way Piper would begin to sob in her sleep. No, his parents were as different as night and day, and that was just another reminder of their differences.
With Phoebe, all it took was Prue's death, over and over... Plus her failures as a witch. And that list was ever so long. Of course, it didn't help that Wyatt enjoyed twisting the truth.
And Paige... Paige was his favorite. He'd killed Darryl long ago, and her sisters had never known what Paige had hidden away from them. Her crush. Maybe love, but Paige had never gotten the chance to develop it. Now, years later, it would probably destroy the last of their bond if they knew. And as much as the idea appealed to him, he wasn't done with them... Yet. Their deaths would come soon enough.
And when they did, he'd be the first one to rejoice.
==
End.