Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed
A/N this is my Episode 5 of the Next Generation series
A/N Reworking this one now
(X)
Night in San Francisco, everything is calm, except the three people walking down the street. The three walked astride, arguing and pushing pedestrians out of the way. Had any of the pedestrians been a Halliwell, they would have recognized the three for what the really were. Unfortunately, there were no Halliwells on this particular street. The pedestrians may not have recognized that demons walked amongst them but they did recognize the danger of the three 'people' on the street. The people, who hurried out of their way, hoping to avoid notice, never realized how close to death they had come.
"How are we going to be victorious, when so many of our predecessors have not!" yelled the tallest of the three. At 6'5", he would have stood out in most crowds by virtue of height alone. The fact that his aura was so menacing that everyone around him, save his two companions, shuddered when they got too close added to his scary persona.
"It's an honor. If you're afraid…." The woman, Zahra, let her disdain trail. Tall for a woman, she came to her companions shoulder. Her straight hair was held severely back in a long ponytail. Her stride was almost catlike, purposeful and lean.
"I'm not afraid!" He denied, anger thickening his voice. The scurrying people sped up at the sound of his rage. "I just want a plan. I don't want to die. I am not stupid." He spat.
"I have a plan." The shorter man spoke, stalling the fight between his companions, "Besides, it's not as if we're going after the Charmed Ones. We're going after a group of young witches new to their powers, their deaths will destroy the Charmed Ones … figuratively," he smiled evilly, "Then, we can destroy them literally." Out of the three, he was the most menacing. Looking into his eyes was as close to looking into hell as most people would get without first dying.
(X)
As Chris entered P3, he noticed the delivery truck outside. With satisfaction, he saw that Pace was busy putting away the day's delivery. Slowly, he and Pace were getting to be friends. Chris had plenty of relatives he could relate to, no pun intended. But Chris had never had a friend that he could be himself around. After Pace had come clean about who and what he and his family were, he'd become more open and less guarded. Pace's dropping of his walls forced Chris to realize that when it came to magic, he had walls of his own. He liked having a friend that he didn't have to hide his true nature from.
"How are you today, Pace?"
"Good. Pop got hired today. Thanks for putting in a good word with your friend."
Chris smiled, "No problem. If anyone should be a cop it's your dad." Chris and his older brother Wyatt had spoken to longtime family friend Daryll Morris about Drew Bennett, Pace's father. Pace and his family had fled their reality when demons had taken over. Drew had been a police officer in his own reality but without the brothers' help would have had a harder time getting a job at SFPD.
Pace agreed, "He is a great cop. But I think he's more relieved to be doing something… finally feeling at home." He frowned. "We didn't think it would take so long to adjust to this new reality."
Chris noticed the frown, "What about your mom?" He asked, guessing correctly the cause.
"She definitely got a spark of life when she helped you and Wyatt out with that girl. I just wish she could find something to keep that spark going…"
Chris thought for a moment, "All we need to do is get your mom a job. It can't be good for her to be holed up in a hotel suite like some escaped con. Getting out in the world should help remind her of why it's such a great place." Inspiration struck, "What would she think about teaching at magic school?"
"Magic what?" Pace asked confused.
"Magic School," Chris supplied, "Self explanatory, a school for magical children and teens." He frowned, "You didn't have magic school?"
Pace shook his head in the negative, "If there was one, I never heard about it."
"My dad is kind of in charge there. I just thought maybe it would be fitting, considering the rest of your family seems to be working with mine. I'm pretty sure that they could use more help." At Pace's confused expression, Chris elaborated, "When magic was on hiatus, magic school was the one place where mortals still had magic…toned down. But there were kids who didn't come from magical families who had no idea that they had powers…"
"Until magic came back," Pace finished, grasping the situation.
Chris nodded, "So enrollment has almost doubled, 'toned down' is not the term for magic school this year. Everyone's flexing their magical muscles, newcomers to the craft have to be taught restraint…okay, it's a school, and they all have to be taught restraint. It's fairly daunting. Do you think your mom could teach?"
"My mom can do anything!" Pace said with a laugh, obviously proud of his mom.
"You love her a lot." Chris stated. "Don't worry, you won't get any 'momma's boy' jokes from me," He assured Pace, then with a shrug, "Besides, it's not so bad being a momma's boy when momma kicks ass." They both laughed. "I know you want her to be happy, to adjust. I know you worry about her and are protective." At Pace's questioning look, Chris added, "I know what it's like to have a family you love."
"We're all protective of Mom. It's mostly unnecessary; my mom can definitely take care of herself. She's just so sad, that we sometimes forget how strong she really is. My mom's entire family was destroyed by The Source. She lost her baby sister a year ago. She feels guilty, like she should have protected her better. She's got the big sister mentality."
"I can definitely relate. My mom's the same." Chris agreed, encouraging the young man to continue.
"When each of her siblings died, Mom felt a little more guilt. She had a sister who died in childbirth and STILL she felt guilty about it. It weighs her down a lot. She deserves to be happy. We all left our version of San Francisco behind, hoping to leave some of Mom's pain in that reality."
"I really hope that she has happiness in her new life. My mom's older sister died before I was born and still on the anniversary of her death Mom lights a candle and says a prayer. She still mourns my Aunt Prue and insists, to this day, that Prue was the best of them. She had a hard time accepting Paige when she discovered she had another sister, and poor Aunt Paige had a tough time trying to fit in and fill Prue's wonder witch shoes. I could not imagine losing either Wyatt or Melinda. I can't fathom the pain of losing a sibling. I hope I never find out." Chris wished aloud fervently.
"Pray you don't, my friend. With demonic power active and awake, it could happen. Protect them, always." Pace counseled.
From the shadows of the entrance to the club, the delivery driver listened raptly. He quickly exited and headed to the truck. He slid into the driver's seat and looked to his right. His double was on the seat except his head was at an odd angle.
"Well, I'll have to get rid of YOU and the truck," he said peevishly, glaring at the man as if it were his fault that he was dead and such a nuisance.