Chapter 2: Sanctuary
The Charmed Ones slowly walked up to the manor.
"It's a museum," Phoebe realized.
"That means there might be security cameras and guards," said Paige.
"Well, we're close enough. Let's try the first spell," Piper suggested.
"What's that?" Paige asked, referring to a probe.
The probe approached the three and scanned Piper first. It then glowed red and emitted a loud beeping noise.
"Oh, that can't be good," Phoebe commented.
Four demons shimmered into the area. Piper immediately blew one up. Another attacked the sisters with a long blade, but Paige used her powers to force the blade into the demon, killing him. Phoebe kicked and punched the third demon into submission, allowing Piper to blow him up. The fourth demon was ready to strike when a knife was plunged into her back. The Charmed Ones turned to her as she screamed, and then saw another witch holding the knife.
"Come on! More might be on the way!"
The sisters looked at each other before following the witch through some alleys.
"Are we really doing this again?" Paige asked.
"Who are you?" asked Piper.
"I'm Laurel," the witch responded as she stopped at a house and entered through a cellar door. "Come on."
The sisters were welcomed by a group of other magical entities.
"What is this place?" asked Phoebe.
"This is sort of a refuge," Laurel answered. "It's a hiding place until Darryl comes back."
"He's not coming back," someone said sharply.
"Darryl who?" Phoebe asked.
"Darryl Morris. He used to find people like us and transport us into a parallel dimension to be safe."
"What?" Piper asked. "How? He's doesn't have powers."
"He has a special amulet. He uses it to open a portal."
"But he's been gone for a while?" asked Paige.
"He's probably been killed. If he's been captured, there's no point in keeping him alive," someone said.
"Who are you?" Piper asked.
"I'm Katie. Our numbers have been growing here and our resources, like space, are dwindling. We'll need a plan B soon, preferably before we start to starve and before we're found out."
"Can James and Anna help again?" another suggested.
"Any other ideas?" someone else asked.
"No need, I'm here," Darryl suddenly said.
Laurel ran to Darryl and hugged him. "Darryl! What happened?"
"I was captured, but there was a lot of activity when Duke Christopher reappeared and I managed to break out."
Darryl eyed the Charmed Ones suspiciously.
"They're new," Laurel informed. "I just brought them here a few minutes ago."
"Can we talk to you?" Piper asked Darryl.
"Actually, if you don't mind, this would be a good time to open the portal," Katie noted. "Do you still have the amulet?"
"Yeah," Darryl replied. "I grabbed it from its hiding spot on the way here."
"It's time!" a leprechaun cried.
Activity began to bubble in the house as people gathered their belongings. The rush of various groups prevented the sisters from even approaching Darryl.
"Where did you get that amulet?" Phoebe asked, over the crowd.
"It was a gift from the Charmed Ones," Darryl replied as he began rubbing the amulet.
A portal opened along the wall, revealing a room on the other side.
"Hey! You're back!" said someone on the other side.
"Paige?" Piper exclaimed.
"You know me?" the other Paige asked.
"A moment, please," someone requested.
The conversation was interrupted when the flood of inhabitants crossed over to the other side.
Three people appeared to be the last.
"Kirk, Elaine, are you sure you want to stay?" Laurel asked near the portal.
"Someone needs to," Kirk replied. "There are plenty of more people out there who will need this portal."
"Actually, you should go," Darryl said.
"Why? What's wrong?" Elaine asked.
"I didn't want to say it before, but I'm not well. After what I went through, I don't have much more time."
"Darryl," Piper quietly said.
"I'll take the amulet," Kirk said. "We'll continue your work."
"I'm sorry," Darryl replied. "The Charmed Ones entrusted it to me. I'm the only one who can operate it."
Kirk and Laurel looked at each other, uncertain about what to do.
"You've saved a lot of people," Laurel finally told Darryl. "A lot of people owe their lives you to and you did an amazing thing. The Charmed Ones would be proud of you. It's okay if it can't last. Kirk, Elaine come on."
Kirk and Elaine stepped through the portal.
"I'm going to keep on doing this as long as I can," said Darryl, earning a nod and hug from Laurel.
"You three?" Laurel asked the sisters.
"We knew the Charmed Ones," Paige answered. "Out of respect for them, we're going to stay on this side for a little while and take care of Darryl."
"I'd love to heard about them from you," said Darryl.
"Take this," Laurel told Phoebe, handing over a business card. "They can help. Darryl hasn't met them yet, but I trust them."
Laurel stepped through to the other side.
"Can you keep it open a little longer?" Phoebe asked Darryl about the portal.
"Yeah."
"Good," said Phoebe as she looked around. With no one else seemingly on her side and the refugees on the other side being guided away by others, she turned to the Paige on the other side.
"Paige, Darryl, it's us! I'm Phoebe. This is Piper and our Paige. We're from the past! We have a glamour on."
"What? How?" the other Paige asked.
"Chris - " Paige began.
"That would be Duke Christopher," Piper corrected. "He went to the past, telling us he was trying to save the future. We didn't really trust him, so we recited a spell to learn the truth that accidentally sent us back here."
"So what are you doing here? How did you get separated?" Darryl asked.
"We found out that he's a part of Wyatt's regime, so we split," said Paige.
"Wait, go back a step," said the Paige in the other dimension. "You didn't really trust him, so you tried to find out about him?"
"Yeah," Piper responded.
"You don't know who he is?" the other Paige asked.
"No, who is he?" Paige answered.
The other Paige hesitated.
"Oh, no. We have had enough of him not telling us anything," said Phoebe. "You can't keep this to yourself, Paige."
"I'm sorry. I don't want to be the one to tell you. I'm sure you'll find out and when you do, you'll understand. I'm sorry in so many ways. I really am."
"So, he's part of an evil empire there, too?" Paige asked.
"No, Wyatt is good here and so is Chris."
"Well, we wrote a few possible spells to send us back to the past," informed Piper. "We'll use the Power of Three to get us back home and we'll leave Chris here."
The portal began to fade.
"There's a limit and we're pushing it," Darryl said.
"Take care of yourselves, then," said the other Paige. "Good luck."
The sisters bid the other side farewell and the portal then closed.
"Well, I would like to rummage around this place first to look for some food," Paige commented.
"Right, then we'll head back home," Phoebe agreed, standing next to Paige. "I also want to look for weapons. If Chris was actually truthful and the Power of Three will give us away, we might need to defend ourselves."
"You know, I don't think Chris is really that bad," said Darryl. "I think there's something else going on and Wyatt's held back because of him."
"It doesn't matter. We're going to raise Wyatt right and keep him away from any brunettes named Chris," declared Piper.
"You sound like you're blaming Chris," Darryl noted.
"I'm not, but I doubt he's helping."
"I think there's more going on."
"You're taking his side? asked Piper.
"No, but you know that things aren't always what they seem."
Darryl looked around and noticed Phoebe and Paige gone. "Where did they go? I could have just told them where the food is."
Darryl went after Phoebe and Paige and Piper followed. He turned the corner and saw a stairway with lights on.
"I'm afraid to ask," began Piper. "Where's Sheila?"
Darryl looked at Piper and suddenly dashed down the stairs.
Piper followed and realized that the basement she was in resembled a mausoleum. In the distance, she noticed a kitchen that emitted a pleasant aroma.
"Phoebe? Paige?" Darryl cried.
Darryl and Piper suddenly stopped as they found Phoebe standing over a coffin.
Phoebe looked up at Darryl. "Why is your name on this casket?"
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