Sacrificial Offerings

The early afternoon sun was dancing through the kitchen windows of Halliwell Manor. Two baby carriers sat on the table, each occupied by a sleeping infant. Chris rushed in with diaper bags, rummaging in the fridge for bottles. It had been two months since the twins had been born. Wyatt was still tentative around Jake. Tossing the bottles in the bags Chris moved to the table.

"Ready to go for a ride guys?" he asked softly. Jake opened his eyes and yawned. Matt gave no response.

"Are they ready?" Kenzie asked, poking her head in from the front hall.

"Yeah," Chris answered, picking up a carrier in each hand. Just then Wyatt appeared and moved to take Matt from his younger brother.

"I have him. Take Jake," Chris ordered and Wyatt obeyed, holding the child away from him just in case.

"Grow up loser," Melinda taunted as she jumped off the bottom step.

Piper pulled open the door and they all piled into the brand new van. Shortly they were on their way to the park for a family gathering.

"Piper, the stop sign!" Leo shouted as Piper nearly ran a stop sign.

"I see it," Piper remarked and pressed harder on the breaks.

"I asked if you wanted to drive," she muttered under her breath as he continued down the street before turning left and into a parking space.

"Everybody out," Piper announced and doors began to fly open, people piling out.

Two spots down Henry, Paige and their three children were disembarking as well. The two contingents of the family exchanged smiles and waves as the infants were put in a double stroller. The groups converged and began scouting a place to take over.

"There's a good spot over there," Leo pointed out.

"There are people there already," Henry answered.

"Yeah, Phoebe and Coop," Leo retorted. He took the stroller from his son and headed over.

"Hey guys," Phoebe called, waving her hand in a wide arch to get their attention.

Melissa and Paisley rushed towards Leo, both reaching for a sleeping baby. Before either girl could undo the straps keeping them in, Coop cleared his throat.

"Girls," he called.

"Yes Daddy?" she answered in unison.

"What did we tell you about holding the babies?"

"To ask Chris first," Melissa answered.

"Chris can we hold them?" Paisley begged, giving her cousin the best puppy dog eyes she could.

"Not right now Pais. They're napping. When they wake up, maybe you can feed them," Chris answered, sitting down against a tree.

Losing interest quickly, Paisley dragged her older sister to the swing set. Piper began to unpack the basket of food she'd brought. Paige rummaged in her own bag for plates, napkins and utensil while Phoebe pulled out drinks.

"I knew there was a reason I liked this family," Henry commented as he piled a large helping of potato salad on his plate.

"And here I thought it was because of me," Paige whined as she took a large forkful from his plate.

A short distance away Kenzie sat watching the family interaction. Even after having been accepted into the family, she still felt like an outsider. Since the twins had been born, she found herself trying to hone her witch powers and rely less on her orbing. She'd been pondering what to do for ages.

"Hey babe. You ok?" Chris broke into her thoughts as he handed her a plate of food.

"Yeah…I'm fine," she murmured absently. She was just about to take a bite when Matt started the wail at the top of his little lungs.

"Guess someone's up," she said with only a hint of a smile as she pushed herself up and made her way over to her fussing son. She picked him up and cradled him to her chest, whispering to him. Just as she managed to quiet him, Jake made his presence known. Chris rushed to the noisy infant and began to shush him. The pair sat down and proceeded to tend to the babies.

"Look at that Walter. Absolutely atrocious," an elderly woman remarked loudly to her husband as they walked by.

"Yes Gladys dear. Far too young for that sort of thing," Walter answered with a nod.

"Hey! Those are my grandkids you old bats!" Piper shouted. The couple hurried away.

"Thanks Mom," Chris called with a chuckle.

As the family of 18 enjoyed the rest of the day, the underworld was astir. Elza burst into the room looking absolutely livid. The demon in toe was doing his best to avoid being vanquished.

"Seer!" she bellowed, making the cavern rumble.

"Elza," the Seer rasped, emerging from the shadows.

"How is it that those children should have been born by now and yet I have seen nothing of them," Elza queried, beginning to circle the woman.

"I do not know," the Seer answered, edging closer to the pool.

"I want those children. Show me where they are," Elza demanded, all but shoving the Seer into the pool. The Seer took a moment to regain her balance.

"They are with the boy's family," the Seer began.

"That little bitch!" the darklighter howled, beginning to orb.

"But it would be useless to try and attack. The magic of the entire Halliwell Line is no match for you," the Seer called. Elza reappeared.

"What did you just say?" she hissed.

"It would be suicide to go up against the entire family. Their magic is too strong," the Seer reiterated.

"I will have those babies," Elza snarled before storming out of the room.

"Her fate is not pretty," the Seer sighed, shooing the minion away.

Back at the Manor Kenzie walked into the sun room to find Piper watering the plants. Not wanting to startle her, Kenzie waited for her to finish. Piper turned and smiled at the girl.

"What's up?" Piper inquired.

"I need to ask you something," Kenzie began nervously.

"Sure," Piper answered, offering the girl a seat.

"I've been thinking about this for a while and it's a favor," Kenzie continued.

"What is it? Because if it's if you can live here, I hope you know the answer is yes," Piper interjected.

"That's not it…but thank you," Kenzie replied.

"I…I want to bind my powers," the sixteen-year-old blurted.

"What? Why?" Piper questioned.

"I just feel…that as long as I have darklighter powers…I don't fit in…I'm still a stranger. I want to keep my witch powers though," she answered.

"We'd have to write a spell but we can do that easily," Piper commented.

"If you're sure you really want to do this, I'll have Paige get started on the potion and I'll get to work on a spell," she added, getting up.

"I'm sure. It's the right thing to do," Kenzie murmured, standing as well.

"Paige! We have a potion to make," Piper yelled up the stairs. Paige appeared at the foot of the steps.

"Why?"

"Binding potion," Piper told her simply and ushered her into the kitchen to start making it.

"Have you told Chris yet?" Piper asked as the two of them walked upstairs.

"No."

"Tell him while I work on the spell," Piper ordered and went in search of a pen and paper.

Kenzie headed toward Wyatt and Chris' room and knocked. The door opened to reveal Chris lying on his bed with the boys. She smiled at the trio and climbed on top of her boyfriend.

"Hi," Chris murmured through a kiss.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm binding my powers," she informed him casually.

"What? Why?" Chris asked.

"Your mom asked me the exact same thing," she said with a laugh.

"I'm only binding my darklighter powers. It's not like I'll be mortal," Kenz assured him.

"Ok. As long as you know what you're doing," Chris muttered, wrapping his arms around her. Footsteps entered the room and Piper sat down next to Jake.

"Hi," she said in a high pitched voice, making the child gurgle happily.

"At least you don't shun the poor guy," Chris muttered.

"Your brother is getting better," Piper remarked.

"Are you ready?" she questioned Kenzie.

"The potion's done already?" Kenzie asked skeptically.

"Paige can be fast when she wants to be."

Chris sat up and let Kenzie go. He took Jake from Piper and carefully carried the twins downstairs, placing them in the playpen in the living room. The group reassembled in the kitchen where Paige was pouring the potion into a glass.

"God that looks disgusting," Kenzie whined, feeling a lump rise in her throat.

"Most potions are," Chris commented.

"So do I drink the potion and then you say the spell?" Piper and Paige nodded.

"Do we need Phoebe here for this?" Paige asked.

"Need me here for what?" Phoebe asked walking in.

"We're binding her darklighter powers," Piper informed her younger sister.

"Power of Three wouldn't hurt," Phoebe said with a shrug.

Kenzie downed the potion, gagging on it slightly but managing to hold it down. Piper held the piece of paper out in front of her so she and her sisters could read the spell.

In this time and in this hour
We call upon her darkest power
Bind it so none can see
Hidden away forever be

Kenzie felt something invisible take hold of her and she gasped as the invisible hand bound her darklighter powers. Chris, Piper, Phoebe and Paige stared at her.

"I think it worked," Kenzie announced breathlessly.

"Try orbing," Chris suggested. She concentrated but went nowhere.

"It did work!" she cried happily, running and pulling the sisters into a hug.

"You're welcome," Piper said, squeezing the girl tight.

"I think…I need to make one last visit down there…to inform my mother she's going to have nothing to do with me or my boys," she said confidently.

"I'll go with you," Chris offered.

"Be careful please. You can't orb anymore…and you…well both of you come back," Piper said, getting slightly teary eyed.

With that Chris took Kenzie by the hand and they disappeared in a swirl of blue and white orbs.