Disclaimer:
"Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.
Author's Note:
Chris has been having nightmares for over a week now and nothing he's tried has worked to make them disappear. His sleep deprivation will show up in some funny and unkind ways. Wyatt will be keeping his own secrets from his parents until Melinda discovers several of his truths. Finally, when Bianca gets her things and settles into the Manor her and Piper will have that talk they've both dreaded. Read more and see secrets revealed on this "episode" of Turning Bianca!
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Melinda woke up only to realize she was already late. She could have sworn she set her alarm, but here it was 7:00 and she needed to be at an early practice. Great now she would have to share the practice room at school which made her cranky because some of her orchestra contemporaries didn't take rehearsal serious enough for Melinda. Actually most people didn't take anything as serious as Melinda thought they should. She hated being in a house with only a bath and a half and now with an extra person she did not feel confident about getting out of the Manor anytime soon.
She grabbed her robe and walked into the hallway and was immediately struck by the calm and quiet. It didn't seem like anyone was up at all. This was odd because her mother was usually up before everyone and Wyatt and her dad always had coffee and talked about Magic School happenings before they traded off from night shift to day shift. Whatever, she thought as she slipped into the bathroom locking both doors into the room and turning on the hot water.
What she hadn't realized was that Leo and Piper were snuggled up talking about Chris and Bianca and Wyatt hadn't ever come home. And Chris, not having slept much at all was still sprawled out downstairs on the couch in front of the television. He had gone down to pop in a movie and once he'd gotten through the second full length feature and the sun started to come up he had finally slipped into a fit-less slumber.
When Bianca turned over she noticed Mel wasn't in bed and that it was still too early for her to be up. She thought she would sneak off to Chris' room, but did not want to run the risk of meeting Piper in the hallway again. She thought about shimmering, but if any of her relatives sensed her magic being used it could foil her plans before they got started. So, she stayed put and stared at the ceiling. Talk about odd. She was used to her apartment being quiet but she assumed a house with so many people would be bustling all the time. The quiet was a little disconcerting.
The door swung open and Melinda barreled in with her hair dripping water across the floor. "You mean to tell me you didn't take this opportunity to slink off to my brother's room. Smart move since I haven't seen my mom yet and who knows what doorway or hallway she'll come popping out of if she thinks you're trying get some early morning booty."
Bianca sat straight up in the bed and looked at her junior hostess in disbelief.
"Spare me the shocked look I'm 15 not 5. Look if you want a hot shower and not a lukewarm one I suggest you put your pout in gear and get in there before one of the oafs wakes up."
Bianca was awed but did start moving then she stopped cold because she realized she didn't have a thing to her name in this house. Melinda took note of her confusion and helped to fill in the blanks.
"There's an extra robe in the closet and you can borrow whatever fits you best. I'll be gone hopefully by the time you come out. As long as someone with a license is up to take me to school. Oh, and anything else you need is in the bathroom." With that Mel went into her closet and grabbed a pair of cargo pants and then realized she didn't have a shirt clean that matched. So off to her brother's room she went.
She had on pants and a tank top and marched across the hall in bare feet. Standing outside of the door she knocked with her hand on the doorknob. Once more for good measure she thought and then she crept in and headed for Chris' drawers. Wyatt was so tall that all of his shirts swam on her, but Chris' fit just right. Mel wasn't into showing off her body and liked the way boys clothes hung on her better. Her mother wasn't crazy about the look and wouldn't finance it, so she resorted to sibling thievery.
"Holy crap on a stick," she shouted when she looked up. Wyatt had orbed in behind her while she was bent down rifling through shirts. "What are you doing sneaking in the house like this?"
"Quiet. It's because I don't need the whole house up. Where's dad?" Wyatt didn't much care what Mel was doing in his bedroom. He figured that would be between her and Chris. His biggest concern was dodging Leo. He'd deal with Magic School issues tonight. Right now he had to deal with regular school issues and if he missed one more lab or project he'd be redoing this semester without question.
"I'm the only one awake, besides or new houseguest. Again, what are you doing sneaking in the house?" Melinda picked out the long sleeve t-shirt she wanted and pulled it over her head waiting for an answer.
Wyatt would only indulge this questioning from his baby sister for as long as it would take to get what he needed and get out of the Manor undetected. "Look I have an early lab and I had to bail Magic School before my 'dad-debriefing'. If he asks you haven't seen me." With that he kissed her on top of the head, which she hated and found condescending, and orbed back out. Whatever she thought, that would be between him and dad. She slipped back out of the room and was pleased to hear movement downstairs. Her only hope was that Chris was already gone. The shower was still running which meant Bianca was still in there or more people were up then there was ten minutes before.
Melinda rushed downstairs and did the whole stop, look and listen routine. She just needed to get pass Chris and she was home free. She bee-lined it to the kitchen and found her mother in the passionate throes of breakfast preparation.
"Good morning baby," Piper offered up a very cheerful greeting. Oddly enough she was in a better mood. Her talk with Leo had eased her mind, slightly and for the time being. He reminded and reassured her that in this time Bianca was neutral where magic was concerned. That until she used her powers for a definitive action for or against good all they had were suspicsions. And forcing Chris to make a decision would only make him hold on to her even tighter. So, for now she was going to ride the situation out.
Just as Melinda was guzzling down a large glass of grapefruit juice and waving a pleasant 'morning mom to Piper, Leo was coming in on a mission.
"Has anyone seen Wyatt? I've checked upstairs and called for him and he's not responding."
Piper stopped stirring to make eye contact with her husband. "Can you sense him? Is he danger?"
"No honey, nothing like that. I can sense him, but he's just choosing not to respond."
Without breaking her brother's trust Melinda offered up her unsolicited opinion. "He probably just had an early lab or class. Dad I really need a ride to school. I should have put in an extra 45-minutes of practice time and now I'll be lucky if I get in 25-minutes of so-so time."
"Melinda, when you're going to need an early ride you're supposed to make plans with us in advance. What if I couldn't drop everything?"
Leo knew this was a pointless lecture as his daughter, an exact duplicate of the love of his life, looked at him with pleading chocolate kiss eyes. She reached over and tossed him the keys to his antique car that no one was allowed to drive. She didn't love riding in it, but it beat the "cheese" bus any day.
As they were about to cross through the back door a motion stopping, hair standing yell came from the living room.
"NO!!!! Dad, please help!"
Leo immediately orbed out and Piper and Melinda followed. They crossed Bianca running down the stairs in her borrowed robe with her hair wrapped in a towel. When they got to the room Chris was sitting straight up staring ahead. Sweat dripped from his brow and he was shaking like a cold chill ran up and down his spine, even though there wasn't even a breeze in the room. Chris began slowly rocking back and forth and then leaned all the way back into the sofa cushions. Leo knelt down and started to call out to him gently while attempting to make physical contact. Piper got a sinking feeling as Chris came out of it and his eyes started to focus in on the people in the room. As he turned around all eyes followed his, and too, fell on Bianca. Not an utterance was made, but deep inside Piper knew they were balancing on quicksand and that having this girl in the house was a disaster waiting to happen.
Bianca wore a classic deer caught in the headlights look and wanted to break everyone's gaze but stood rooted in her spot. Leo finally spoke and shifted the focus back onto the Chris.
"Son, what's wrong? You were screaming out for my help."
Slowly he straightened up and rotated his neck attempting to work out the stiffness. He was taking extra time trying to formulate his answer so he wouldn't freak anyone out or say something he shouldn't. "I'm not sure. Maybe it was some sort of nightmare. I did fall asleep down here watching a crazy spy flick. Didn't mean to freak ya'll out. I'm good, really I'm okay."
"Great, he's okay. I'm down to 20 minutes of practice now. Any longer and I'll have to practice in the hall on the way to first period." Melinda went through the archway past the parlor and back toward the kitchen where she had left her things."
Upon her exit Chris noticed his orange t-shirt and screamed after her, "I expect it washed, ironed and put back where you got it!"
Realizing that things were normal with her son again she suggested Bianca go and get dressed so she could be ready when Leo got back from taking Melinda. Leo shot up and started to dash off behind his daughter, least she think driving herself was a good idea. He gave Chris a backward glance and then doubled back for a quick kiss from his wife. Bianca took off up the stairs to see what she could pilfer from Melinda's closet. Piper sat on the couch next to her baby boy and just waited for him to say something. Chris knew what she was doing, but wasn't interested in throwing her a communication bone.
"So, how long are we going to do this? You were reacting to something bigger then a nightmare over some movie. What's going on?"
"You worry too much. It's nothing, really. No more spy flicks and late snacks for me." He got up and walked out of the room and headed for the kitchen. Piper hated trailing behind her sons, because her legs and steps were considerably shorter. He started picking at things fully or half done and poured some juice to wash it all down.
Piper stood in the doorway staring. "If you stop picking I might just make a full plate. That is unless you want to tell me about your nightmare."
Chris snatched a section of the newspaper off of the counter and shoved sausage link in his mouth so that shaking his head no to his mother's question was the only response he could give. Piper bore her eyes at him and even though he could feel the penetration he refused to look over the paper to make eye contact. So she continued fixing a plate for him and flipping pancakes as Bianca entered the kitchen with damp hair that cascaded far to seductively down her back; wearing a denim skirt and peasant shirt of Melinda's (both of which fit a smidge to close). Her feet were bare for the time being.
"Good morning Piper," Chris dropped the newspaper and met his freshly showered and very hot girlfriend before she could get to him. He planted a kiss square on her mouth that made both his mother and Bianca blush a little. She pushed him back from her about 2-feet to increase everyone's comfort level. Then she cut him a look that read as very reproachful. Chris backed up and took his seat, closest to the backdoor, again. Piper never looked up, but out of the corner of her eye watched Bianca handle her son in a fashion not unlike one she herself would use.
"Bianca would you like something to eat? Leo won't be back for about another twenty minutes or so. Then you two will head to your place and pick your things up. Now you're sure your mother won't be a problem?"
"My God mom what the hell do you expect her say. She knows what her mother is and she doesn't need you rubbing it in or reminding her." Both Piper and Bianca glowered at Chris. Bianca was the first to speak though.
"Chris I don't think your mom meant anything by that. It was just a question." She was very uncomfortable.
Bianca may have been uncomfortable, but Piper was ticked off. "Chris I know you're tired and we're all short on patience, but I'm still your mother. Don't speak to me that way."
Catching himself Chris back pedaled and tried to ease things with his mom. "I'm sorry. And I know you didn't mean anything by it I'm just wound up." He got up and kissed his mom on the cheek before sitting back down.
