Episode 1: Demon Worship

Part 2: Protective Brothers

"Why are you making a potion?" Nicole had her arms crossed and leaned against the wall. Chris was at the table in the middle of the attic searching for a specific bottle with the next ingredient to add.

"To defeat the Lazarus Demon," he replied without looking at her.

"Can't we just blow him up? I guess mom would have done that if she ever met him in the past," the girl noticed.

"Niki, the Book is already for generations in our family," Chris said, finally looking up. "Who knows how old the information is. Besides: they grow stronger the longer they are out of cemetery grounds. Maybe it has been walking freely for years. We just need to be sure we have a potion strong enough with us."

Nicole sighed. "You're the more experienced one." She walked towards him and picked up a bottle in which a pig's feet was included. The girl felt becoming sick and quickly put it back. "I think this is more useful to get to know everything about magic then back on school. Magic School is okay, but it's different. You never get to think of the Demon you need to vanquish with the potion: all you get is the list with ingredients and how to make it." She smiled at her brother who kept working. "You already showed me after several minutes you need to think of a whole lot more."

"You'll get that far. You don't think I could have done this after two years? Let alone mom and dad would let me." Chris had to laugh.

"You were a lot younger when you attended Magic School."

"Still…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Nicole sighed. "But you need to start trusting me. I can handle magic now and maybe that's the point: the magic has been in me all these years and I was older when I started practicing it. Maybe that helps me to control it faster."

Chris looked back up and walked at his little sister. He stopped right in front of her. He was about a head taller than her and he put both his hands on her shoulders. "Niki, you'll always be my little sister. Big brothers are always protective-"

"Yeah, I've noticed that with you and Wyatt," Nicole mumbled.

"-and I just want to make sure you're okay. You've been through a lot. I want to make sure you make the right decisions."

"About what?" Nicole looked confused.

"About your future," Chris explained. "You see… Wyatt never liked having charges. He loves showing off his powers of course, but a real Whitelighter he isn't without charges. Melinda instead doesn't really like to hunt down Demons and kill them. She basically decided to be just one side of what mom and dad gave her, the opposite of Wyatt. Me…"

"Yes, you're the mix. You have charges, but hunt Demons with Wyatt as well, I know." She groaned. "So? You want me to make the right decision about what I want to be. Then let me go on more hunts. The more I do, the earlier I find out how much I love it – yes, I love hunting Demons, Chris. I guess I'll be like you or Wyatt."

It didn't really satisfy Chris, but he seemed to be delighted that she wasn't so stubborn that she already refused to be a Whitelighter. There was hope. Suddenly he had his attention focused on something on Nicole's arm. "What's that? Niki, did you get a tattoo?" he asked surprised. He tried to grab her arm.

"What?" Nicole looked shocked. "No! Why do you think that?" She pulled her arm away, but her brother was too fast. He grabbed her wrist and moved her watch.

"What's this then?"

"Nothing, okay?" She pulled her arm back and hid the mark again. "Birthmark, okay? I've had it all my life. I try to hide it because it's so huge. Happy now?"

"I'm sorry, Niki," Chris apologized. "I just don't see you as a tattoo-type."

"Yeah, yeah, and you want to protect me. I've heard the riddle enough for today. How about the potion? Almost done?"

Chris turned quickly back to the potion where smoke was coming from. "Almost." He grabbed a vial and let the liquid drop into the bowl. "So, how are things going between you and your friend Jeremy?"

Nicole's mouth fell open. "Chris, really?" she asked. "You really want to talk about… that?"

"Hey," Chris started to defend himself while looking back up, "I might know him because you've been best friends since you went to Magic School several years ago, but when things change in a relationship people change as well. I need to make sure he doesn't or I'll change my mind about all of it."

Nicole sighed. "Chris," she replied, "you and Wyatt aren't so different, you know that? Wyatt is less protective when it comes to boyfriends, but he is worse about Demon hunts I guess. Well…" She changed her mind. "Okay, he lets me come with you, but never loses me out of his sight. You're both terrible at that point. And now you want to fight who is worse in caring about me? Jeremy is sweet and still the same. I like him for who he is, so don't worry: if he would change, I'd be gone before he knows it."

Chris grinned and finally added the last ingredient to the potion before he started to fill vials. "Jeremy is okay, you know both Wyatt and I think about it that way, but let's say… let's say you'd date a different guy… I'm not sure I'd agree to that. I think I'd try to chase him away before he got the chance."

"Chris, dare to do that and I'll turn you into a toad!"

"Do you know how to do that then?" he teased.

"Don't worry, I'll create my own spell for that. As you know I'm pretty good at it. Unlike potions," Nicole added with a groan. "I hate it. I don't know if I hate it because I'm terrible at making them or just hate it which makes me terrible at creating them. Anyway, spells I can."

"Fine, then you can make a spell to locate the Demon," Chris smiled as he filled another vial.

"Why doing difficult?" Nicole walked towards the table. "We can scry for him."

Chris didn't want to argue and let his sister go her way. "Let me know when you find him."