Four Witches and a Funeral 4
Xxx
When she heard the doorbell rang, Piper walked over to the front door and opened it. In front of her stood her sister, Phoebe. Despite both being in their fifties, Phoebe still managed to look beautiful and like a woman in her forties at most, something Piper kind of resented her for. Of course, being a famous author and local celebrity, it was expected of her to always look her best.
"How are you, honey?" Phoebe asked as she hugged her sister.
"I'm okay." Piper said. "I am more worried about Melinda."
"Of course." Phoebe said. "That's why I'm here. How can I help?"
"That's great, Pheebs, but shouldn't you be watching your girls?" Piper asked. "They could be the next target."
"Coop is home with them." Phoebe said. "Besides, they nearly kicked me out. They don't want to hang out with their old mother like when they were little."
"I know what you mean." Piper said.
"So how is Melinda doing?" Phoebe asked.
"She is trying to find something in the Book of Shadows, though I think it's just her way of coping." Piper said. "There is nothing in there that can help us. This warlock is too prepared."
"I heard." Phoebe said. "So what are we doing?"
"Well, we are rewriting the spell we used to vanquish Eames and trying to combine it with a potion." Piper said.
"If you work in all the warlock's stolen powers, that should work." Phoebe said.
"Let's go to the kitchen, Chris is there writing the spell." Piper said.
The two Charmed Ones made their way to the kitchen, where Chris was standing by the kitchen counter tapping a pen while staring at a piece of paper.
"How is it going?" Piper asked as she walked to the potion brewing on the fire.
"I think I got it, listen to this." Chris said. 'Oh, hey aunt Phoebe."
"Hi Chris, let's hear the spell." Phoebe replied.
"Alright." Chris said and started chanting the spell.
"A warlock born, in family of power,
Last in line, now meet your final hour.
A time for amends,
And a victim's revenge.
Hidden from sight, now revealed to light.
Power to change, turn to strange."
"How was that?" Chris asked after finishing the vanquishing spell.
"I think that will work." Piper said.
"But 'power to change, turn to strange'?" Chris asked. "Seriously, who came up with that?"
"Hey! I wasn't a good spell writer back then." Piper said defensively. "And besides, it worked on Eames, didn't it?"
"At least it doesn't sound like a bad country song." Phoebe said with a smile.
"What?" Chris asked confused.
"Never mind." Phoebe said. "How is the potion coming along?"
"Nearly finished." Piper said while stirring. "It's the strongest we've got, so it should do the trick."
"It had better." Chris said.
"So I guess you got it all figured out." Phoebe said. "Makes me feel kind of useless here."
"Oh, Phoebe, you're not useless." Piper said. "You can help me fill the bottles."
"Great." Phoebe said with a smirk. "Just when I was wearing a new top."
Xxx
Ryan was still trapped in the run-down apartment with his arms and legs tied. His kidnapper was standing by the window. Ryan was staring at him like the guy was insane. He was clearly delusional since he was talking about magic and warlocks and witches. Magic wasn't real, but then again, the guy did appear out of thin air, and he had told him Melinda was a witch. Ryan had always known there was something different about Melinda, but he never imagined anything like this.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ryan asked.
"Don't play dumb, you heard what I said." The warlock replied. "Your girlfriend is a witch."
"So why are you trying to kill her?" Ryan asked.
"Because I want her power." The warlock explained. "Every witch has powers. Warlocks can steal those powers by killing witches."
"But why Melinda?" Ryan asked.
"Because she is a powerful witch." The warlock said. "a member of the Warren bloodline, daughter of a Charmed One."
"What is a Charmed One?" Ryan asked.
"I am getting really tired of these questions, mortal." The warlock said impatiently.
"I think you are insane, magic doesn't exist." Ryan said, though he barely believed that anymore.
"Fine, do you need me to prove it too you?" the warlock asked.
The warlock walked over to Ryan and kneeled in front of him. He stared Ryan in the eyes and suddenly his appearance shifted, like his face was melting. A second later it was like Ryan was staring in the mirror. The warlock looked exactly like him.
"How did you do that?" Ryan asked freaked out.
"A power I stole from a witch." The warlock said. "Now I need to go have a little chat with your girlfriend. See if she is willing to cooperate peacefully in exchange for your life."
"No, I won't let you trade my life for hers!" Ryan said angrily.
"We'll see what she has to say about that." The warlock replied. "You see, witches always feel the need to protect the so-called innocents. If she can save your life by sacrificing hers, she'll do it. She's a witch, after all."
"No!" Ryan said. "I won't let you!"
"Idiot." The warlock said with a smile. "You can't stop me."
The warlock blinked and suddenly he was gone. Ryan struggled against his bonds to get free. He had to find a way to escape, he couldn't let Melinda give her life for him.
Xxx
Melinda sat in the attic with the Book of Shadows in her lap. She was determined to find a way to reach Ryan but there was nothing in the book that could help her. Angrily she slammed the book shut and got up to place it on the pedestal. Maybe she should get downstairs and see if the others had thought of something. She headed downstairs when she suddenly heard Ryan's voice behind her.
"Where are you going?" Ryan asked.
Melinda quickly spun around and saw Ryan standing the middle of the attic. But that was impossible, something wasn't right.
"Mel, aren't you happy to see me?" Ryan asked.
There was something in the tone of his voice and in his eyes that Melinda didn't trust or recognize. Whoever was standing in front of her, wasn't Ryan. It had to be Anders, the warlock.
"Where is Ryan?" Melinda asked. "And drop the act."
"But I kinda like the way he looks." Anders said with a smile. "You're really lucky, though I am surprised you hadn't told him the truth yet. He was very shocked to find out you were a witch."
"That's between him and me." Melinda said angrily. "What do you want?"
"You know what I want." Anders said threatening. "It's easy, surrender and go with me peacefully, and I will let Ryan go."
"No, you bring him to me first." Melinda said.
"You are in no position to make demands, witch." Anders said. "I hold all the cards."
"Not all of them, you can't steal my powers without your athame." Melinda replied.
"Are you really that naïve?" Anders said.
He reached behind his back and pulled another athame from his belt.
"I come from a large family, you know." Anders said as he waved around the athame. "I have inherited a lot of these."
"Inherited?" Melinda asked.
"I come from a great family. Our bloodline dates back to the witch trials, just like yours." Anders explained. "But my entirely family was slaughtered by witches when I was four years old. I watched it all happen from the closet."
"That's horrible." Melinda said.
"Don't mock me!" Anders said angrily.
"I'm not." Melinda assured him. "No child should have to go to that. But it doesn't excuse you from killing those witches, or taking Ryan."
"I am taking revenge for my family." Anders replied. "I needed those witches' powers just like I needs yours and all the powers in your family."
"And then what? Kill all witches until there are none left, what then?" Melinda asked.
"Then the whitelighters, then the Elders." Anders said. "They ordered those witches to kill my family."
"You really are evil." Melinda said. "No matter what happened, you still made the choice to kill those witches, nothing can justify that, especially not revenge. "
"Then I guess the talking part is done." Anders said. "Come with me and your boyfriend lives, refuse and he dies."
"Just bring him back and I will go with you." Melinda said.
"It doesn't work like that." Anders replied.
"Hey, I am the good one here." Melinda said. "You have more reason to trust me then I have to trust you."
"That's so typical of a witch." Anders remarked. "Thinking you are better than us because the Elders favored you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Melinda asked.
"You clearly don't know anything about our history." Anders said. "You have until tonight to make a decision. I will wait for you at your mother's restaurant, at midnight, come alone."
Anders, still in the shape of Ryan, blinked away, leaving Melinda alone and wondering what she should do.
xxx
Meanwhile Piper and Phoebe were finishing up the potions in the kitchen while Chris was trying to scry with the athame again. When Melinda came down they all looked at her.
"How are you doing, sweetie?" Piper asked. "Did you find out anything?"
"I'm fine." Melinda lied. "And I haven't found anything useful."
Melinda sat down at the table, nervous about the fact that she lied. She had to lie, because her family would never let her bargain with the warlock for Ryan, and right now that seemed like the only option there was. They still couldn't find the warlock and every moment Ryan was there, he was in danger. Melinda looked up and noticed her aunt Phoebe giving her a sympathetic yet suspicious look. Could she know she was hiding something? She was an Empath after all, so could sense her emotions.
"Melinda, are you okay?" Phoebe asked. "You seem nervous."
"Of course she is nervous." Piper said. "Who could blame her?"
"No, it's not that." Phoebe said. "It's something else."
Piper turned and looked her daughter in the eye. Melinda knew her mother would sense something was wrong as well, she had never been able to hide anything from her.
"Melinda, what aren't you telling us?" Piper asked.
"Fine. The warlock came to see me, up in the attic just now." Melinda said, knowing there was no point left in hiding it.
"What? Why didn't you call us?" Chris called out.
"He just came to talk." Melinda said.
"Well, what did he say?" Piper asked.
"He wants to trade me for Ryan, tonight, at the restaurant." Melinda said.
"No way!" Chris said immediately. "There is no way, we can't trust him."
"We've tried everything else, Chris." Melinda replied. "You can't track him with the athame because he has more of them, they belonged to his family. There is no way to find him."
"We will find another way." Chris said.
"No, we won't." Melinda said "And I am not going to let Ryan die for me."
"Melinda." Piper said. "Do you think Ryan would want you to die for him instead?"
"No, but is had to be this way." Melinda said. "He is an innocent, he would never have gotten involved in this if it wasn't for me."
"But letting yourself die is not the answer either." Chris replied.
"Guys, please." Phoebe intervened. "There had to be something we haven't tried yet."
"Like what?" Chris asked. "The warlock is able to block everything we try. We can't scry for him and spells are not working."
"I have an idea." Phoebe suddenly said. "We have tried all the Wiccan ways, how about we try the Cupid way?"
"What are you talking about?" Piper asked confused.
"It's easy." Phoebe explained. "Melinda and Ryan love each other, right? That love creates a connection between them, a bond. A cupid might be able to track Ryan through that bond."
"Would that really work?" Melinda asked hopeful.
"If you truly love each other it should work." Phoebe said.
"I do, we do." Melinda said determined. "I love Ryan, and I can't imagine a life without him."
"So we need a Cupid. Can Coop do it?" Chris asked.
"Of course." Phoebe said. "I'll tell him to beam the girls to Magic School for a while and to get over here as soon as possible."
Phoebe picked her phone out of her purse and left the kitchen. Melinda hoped her uncle Coop could really help them find Ryan. She knew she loved him more than anything, so her love should be strong enough to find him. She only wondered if he would still love her back, now that he knew she was a witch. For him to find out through a warlock was the worst way to find out.
Xxx
While everyone waited for Coop to arrive, Piper was pacing down the conservatory. She hoped that they would be able to find Ryan, knowing it would destroy Melinda if something happened. Over the last year she had seem them falling in love and she was so happy for both of them.
Melinda was her youngest child, though the one she had been waiting for the longest. She had first known she would have a daughter when she visited the future. After giving birth to her first child, she was surprised it turned out to be a boy. Though she loved Wyatt and Chris just as much as Melinda, Piper had kept waiting for her little girl to arrive. When Melinda was born, Piper felt complete, like the last piece of her life had fallen into place.
Now all her children were grown up and moving on with their lives. Wyatt was nearly graduating from college, Chris was getting ready to move out and become independent and Melinda had started working in the restaurant. Piper had already become to train her so she could take over someday. Pretty soon her children wouldn't need her anymore.
Piper heard a sound coming from the hallway, when she entered the hallway she saw the door to Magic School appearing in the stairway and her husband stepping out.
"Any news?" Leo asked when he walked down the stairs.
"Phoebe had an idea." Piper said. "She thought Coop might be able to track Ryan through their combined love."
"Of course, but a bond like that would only work if they are truly soul mates." Leo said.
"Well, let's hope they are." Piper said.
"But Ryan is a mortal, he doesn't understand the magic world." Leo said.
"So what?" Piper said. "Henry mortal and he and Paige made it work."
"So you truly believe he is the one for her?" Leo asked.
"Do you know how many people asked me that about you?" Piper asked. "The elders, my family, the rest of the world. They all had bouts about us."
"I know. I just wanted to make sure." Leo said with a smile. "I love you, you know. I always have, no matter what happened or how many people were against us."
"I know." Piper replied. "I love you too."
The witch and her former whitelighter leaned in and kissed each other. Just at that moment a pink light appeared in the room and Coop appeared.
"Excellent timing, Coop." Piper remarked.
"What can I say, I sensed the love in the room." Coop said with a smile. "Let's get started."
A few moments later everyone had gathered in the living room. Coop had Melinda sat down on the couch and sat down next to her. Meanwhile Piper grabbed Leo's hand and prayed this would work.
"Alright. I need you to close your eyes and think about Ryan." Coop said. "Think about nothing else but Ryan, and your love for him."
"Okay." Melinda said as she closed her eyes.
Coop took Melinda's hands in his own and closed his eyes as well. Suddenly a pink light started to glow in Coop, which spread to Melinda, surrounding them both.
"That's it." Coop said softly. "Just let your love guide you too him."
"I am trying." Melinda replied. "Where are you, Ryan?"
The pink light surrounding them both started glowing brighter. Suddenly Melinda gasped and opened her eyes. She let go of Coop and the light faded away.
"I found him." Melinda said.
Xxx
A column or orbs appeared in a dark alley and materialized into Chris, with his mother and sister right behind him. Chris quickly looked around to make sure they weren't spotted and turned to his sister.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Chris asked.
"I'm sure." Melinda said as she stared at the run-down apartment building across the street. "He is in there, I sensed it."
"Then we know the warlock in there as well." Piper said.
"Yeah, we have to be careful." Chris said. "He has the powers of invisibility and shapeshifting, so he can be anywhere and anything."
"I don't care, we have to get in there." Melinda said and took a step forward.
Chris grabbed Melinda by her arm and pulled her back. He knew that if they weren't careful, the warlock could kill them. He could be in there, just waiting for them. They needed to be smart about this, not emotional.
"Chris!" Melinda said as she shook him off.
"Melinda, we have to be careful." Chris reminder her. "If we rush in there, we could all die, Ryan included."
"Why can't we just orb in, grab Ryan and get out?" Melinda asked.
"Because the warlock probably put up protective spells that prevent orbing in." Piper said. "Just like he was able to block our scrying and spells."
"We should sneak in through the back." Chris said. "Do you know where Ryan is, exactly?"
"He's on the third floor." Melinda said.
"Alright." Chris said. "Once we go in, we need to stay together and be careful. Keep an eye out for the warlock."
Melinda and Piper quickly nodded. The three witches quickly ran across the street and headed toward the building, unaware of the fact that they were being watches through one of the busted windows on the third floor.
xxx