Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you all enjoy! Trying to finish this next chapter by the end of the week, though I make no promises.
Something Can't Confess
Secrets, One Republic
October 14, 1992
Penny Halliwell sat at her ancient dining table, calmly across from Penelope and Patricia. A stormy and loud Phoebe had stomped and slammed quite a few doors on her way to her room, but had disappeared since she had arrived.
"So what exactly can I help you with?" Penny asked her hands folded over a cup of tea. Tricia looked expectantly at Penelope. Neither girl had come up with a plan quite yet.
"We have traveled a long way," The young Penelope started explaining.
A vision flashed before Patricia, as the girl dropped her glass of water and let it shatter underneath her.
"Are you all right child?" Penny gave Patricia a shocked stare that reminded the young lady of her mother, quite a bit.
"Yes, I'm sorry. Startled a bit. We've been running from demons for some time." Tricia explained.
"Alone?" Penny frowned at the young girls. Penelope and Tricia nodded, though Pen was glancing nervously at Tricia.
"That's why we have sought you out. You are a Warren Witch and we have heard of your magical abilities." Tricia stated confidently.
"Well darling, what is it that you need from me?" Penelope smiled, feeling a sense of pride swell.
"We would like you…" Pen started but Tricia held out her arm signaling for her to stop.
"I want you to permanently bind my powers." Tricia stated seriously.
"Tri… I mean, Helen… You can't be serious?" Penelope gapped at her.
"Your friend was not aware this is why you were coming?" Penny asked suspiciously.
"My young friend does not understand that magic is the reason for all our problems." Tricia shrugged.
"Magic makes you who you are dear," Penny studied the girl sitting in front of her. Tricia with her light brown hair and hazel eyes, burning with a desire, looked far too familiar.
"We arrived here on accident, possibly by dark magic! We were just going to ask for guidance to returning home…" Penelope shook her head, desperately trying to regain control of the situation.
Penny caught sight of the young witch's eyes and frowned suddenly.
"Your eyes are purple…" Penny commented.
"Phoebe is climbing down the fire escape," Penelope choked looking away from her great grandmother.
"Ah curse that girl," Penny sighed as she ruffled through her pockets and pulled out a little black book.
"For a Halliwell that will not heed her elder's word, keep her sealed within her home." Penny mumbled the spell quickly, almost to softly for either cousin to understand. But Phoebe was no longer as close as she had been and Penelope's eyes returned to a controlled dark brown with only a hint of purple.
"You are powerful indeed." Penny glanced at the girls again. But she stood now and walked around the kitchen counter.
"I think we came from a powerful family, from Europe." Pen tried explaining.
"But we have long since been left alone, our family killed off one by one by demons." Tricia explained. Pen glared at her and kicked the older cousin in the ankle underneath the table.
"Are you sisters than?" Penny asked.
"Cousins." Pen mumbled through clenched teeth.
"Binding your powers might not stop the attacks you know," Penny explained carefully walking around the dinning table. Tricia shifted uncomfortably as she felt the heavy gaze of a maternal strength.
"I have explained that." Pen nodded.
"I want to be normal," Tricia mumbled.
"Being normal is overrated. You are special." Penny stated simply as she sat back down. Piper had often said the same thing to Melinda, now the cousins knew where the phrase had come from.
"We were sent here for a reason." Tricia argued.
"Yes, I suppose you were." Penny nodded.
"It wasn't for this," Penelope argued.
"But neither of you know for sure, do you?" Penny tapped her fingers on the table, thinking to herself.
"Well no," Pen whispered.
"I will make you both a deal," Penny nodded to herself pleased with her own idea. "We will give the magic time to work, three days. If by the third day you still want me to bind your powers, I will."
"But," Pen jumped up to protest.
"Ah," Penny held out her finger in a maternal fashion that demanded silence. "You came for my help and my wisdom and this is what you get. You can stay here, in Prue and Piper's old room and you are registered in school in this city?"
"Yes ma'am." Tricia replied chirper. Pen threw her cousin a dirty look, her eyes shifted into a blood red that didn't last.
"Well yes, then that's of course what we'll do. Go on up then, second door on the right. Wash up before dinner." Penny waved her hands at the girls before turning to her stove.
"I'm going to kill you, in your sleep." Pen grumbled.
"Girls, I won't tolerate fighting." Penny shouted at them before they started up the stairs. Pen shook with anger but nothing could bother Patricia, who happily skipped up the stairs convinced she was finally going to finally get her normal life. The girls walked into the familiar hallway of the second floor and Phoebe was walking out of the bathroom.
"Who are you people?" Phoebe asked harshly before re-entering her room.
"Your grandmother knows our parents, they are out of town for a few days. She is letting us crash her." Patricia explained the story that Penny had developed earlier.
"Right, good luck with that." Phoebe snorted before slamming her door.
October 15, 2023
Patience sat at the bar of her family's loft, uncontrollably crying. Coop appeared in the kitchen as Phoebe was walking down the stairs, and Patience looked up at her father as if she was about to speak but her mouth hung open without sound.
"Princess, why are you crying?" Phoebe asked. But Coop shook his head.
"Hold on," He whispered. Patience stared at her parents and the tears stopped.
"I can't remember something," She frowned.
"Coop?" Phoebe questioned her husband. Coop gave his daughter a sad smile.
"It's your little sister's birthday tomorrow, and you promised that you would help?" Coop prompted.
"That might be it," Patience said slowly not looking convinced. She rose from her stool, the dry tracks of her tears still visible in the afternoon sun as she proudly strolled into her room.
"Coop?" Phoebe turned around and crossed her arms.
"She can't remember Dervin," Coop admitted.
"She can't what now?" Phoebe threw her hands up surprised.
"That's where I found her," Coop started to explain. "In Dervin's dorm room."
"Wait, what? She's grounded! she can't go flittering around to her boyfriend's dorm room. Though, if I could have transported myself as a teenager, oh the places I would have gone." Phoebe grabbed a cup of coffee.
"Phoebe," Coop sighed.
"Right, like I said she is totally grounded. I'm going to have a few words with Miss Patience about her little habit of completely disregarding when she's grounded." Phoebe started moving forward towards her oldest child's room but Coop wrapped his hands around her shoulders and pulled him back.
"Phoebe, she can't remember Dervin. I sealed them from each other." Coop explained to his wife.
"Sealed them? Isn't that the dangerous cupid thing that creates lost lovers?" Phoebe focused on her husband's eyes, placing one hand on his chest and finding the beat of his heart.
"It's only temporary Phoebe, very temporary. It shouldn't affect anything. Honestly, I don't even think she'll not remember him for long. But it's for their own safety. She's reckless, he's reckless when their together and with Penelope missing and the rising new source. I can't bear the thought that I could lose her," Coop stated stubbornly avoiding the disappointment in his wife's eyes.
"Coop, you're a cupid! You believe in the power of love, its part of your nature." Phoebe took a step back, trying to force Coop to look at her.
"I also know the dark power of love, and so do you." Coop whispered.
"I don't like this Coop, I don't like it at all. And I'm not pleased that you went ahead and made a decision that affected one of OUR girls without me." Phoebe stepped away from Coop, annoyed at her husband but not mad at his protective nature.
"Phoebe, I can feel how distracted she has been. I could sense the danger." Coop tried to explain.
"She's a teenage girl! For heaven's sake Coop, you can't keep her from growing up." Phoebe shouted.
"Phoebe! Keep your voice down. I am not trying to keep her from growing up, I'm trying to keep her from dying young like so many of her ancestors…" Coop said the words forcefully until he noticed his wife's falling face.
"Like Prue? Like Andy? Is that what you mean?" Phoebe snapped.
"A rising source isn't trouble for you and your sisters anymore. It's trouble for the boys and our girls," Coop stepped forward.
"Are you fighting?" Primrose had wandered out of her room and the living room.
"No bug, we're not fighting." Phoebe wiped a tear away from her cheek before scurrying over to her youngest.
"It sounded like you were fighting." Primrose stated squirming away from her mother and towards her father. Coop bent down and scooped up the girl, lovingly hugging her into his chest. At least one of his daughters was safe, young and not in love.
"Not fighting," Coop winked at her.
"Is mommy mad at Patience or is she mad at you?" Primrose wrinkled her nose at her father, as if she could smell the emotion.
"Both of us, apparently Patience isn't the only one that makes mistakes." Coop laughed. Phoebe giggled at her husband and youngest, forgetting her anger and fear.
"Are you both scared for Penelope?" Primrose asked her parents.
"Why would you ask us that, bug?" Phoebe frowned at the little girl as she rubbed the girl's back.
"I can smell scared and anger." Primrose shrugged.
"You can smell it?" Phoebe sniffed at the air trying to understand the little girl.
"Yes and it also smells of sad and confused." Primrose nodded squirming down out of her father's arms and skipping towards Patience room.
"Yes, sad and confused." Primrose pointed at the door.
"She can smell emotions, maybe the bug is going to get your empath power?" Coop shrugged.
"We had to have half-breeds." Phoebe sighed still frowning at Primrose.
"Dervin and Penelope are going to miss my birthday party." Prim turned to reproach her parents.
"Not because they want to, when your sister gets back we'll celebrate again. You never know she might be back tomorrow." Phoebe leaned down with her hands on her knees.
"As of right now, you have magical defense class with Chris." Coop quickly reminded the girl before she could point out anymore of his or Phoebe's insecurities.
"Chris is going to teach us how to kick today!" Primrose clapped excitedly. Phoebe laughed as she imagined many of her valuables being kicked and broken.
Chris felt an invisible light guiding him, like a ghost memory of Wyatt's body, to his destination. He nervously ran his hand through his brother's hair, aggravated to get his fingers caught in the tangled curls.
"Stupid surfer hair, he insists on having." Chris grumbled. He sat himself down at a little metal table, near a coffee cart before he realized that he wasn't in a classroom at all.
"I thought he said something about class," Chris frowned trying to think about a classroom but feeling the power of another's mind. There was no doubt in Chris mind that he belonged in this spot, at this time.
A pair of brown knee high boots kicked up onto Wyatt's jean clad knee. Chris stared up, wishing he had sunglasses as the sun beamed into his eyes.
"Feeling reckless today?" Bianca frowned down at him. Chris stared at her, confused by her presence and familiarity. Bianca was sporting a jersey knit green dress that tightly fit around her shoulders down to her waist until it flared out until half way down her thigh. She lifted her arms, slipping her hands above his head suddenly pulling down a pair of sunglasses dropped over Chris' eyes.
"Where did those come from?" Chris jumped.
"You conjured them, what are you taking lessons from rebel without a cause?" Bianca laughed.
"Rebel without a cause?" Chris asked still trying to make sense of the situation.
"Little brother?" Bianca frowned at him.
"Me…I mean, Chris?" Chris asked now.
"Yes, my. He must have shaken you up. What happened? I stopped by your dorm to visit you last night, but you weren't there…" Bianca pouted.
"Bianca," Chris finally stated, remembering the woman in front of him. "You tried to kill…Chris."
"I thought we were over that," Bianca slipped her hands around Wyatt's torso. Chris felt her touch and remembered the feel of the soft hands, but not in the same way as Wyatt.
"Bianca," Chris whispered again trying to reach a memory far beyond him.
"Or are you trying to get me to make it up to you…" Bianca whispered into his ear as she pressed her lips onto his. Chris struggled for a moment, as memories of Wyatt's body reacted faster than the memories of his mind could. Struggled only for seconds before he just started kissing back.
"Are we dating?" Chris asked as Bianca released him.
"I suppose we are, young king." Bianca winked at him.
"I am so going to kill him," Chris growled.
"Usually, maybe though just for today you can let mom deal with him?" Bianca smiled brightly. "Not be big brother protector, let the kid suffer some consequences."
"Oh, he's going to get some consequences…" Chris mumbled darkly. Bianca shook her head and pushed Chris in Wyatt's body back down on the table.
"We have a paper to write anyway." Bianca settled across the table from him. "Aren't you going to offer to get us coffee?" She asked him surprised as she pulled out her notebook that Wyatt was just sitting and staring at her.
"Coffee," Chris stated and two cups appeared onto the table.
"Wyatt!" Bianca snapped at him, trying to move her hands over the cups of coffee. She shuffled the items around, attempting to confuse anyone looking unto the scene.
"What is wrong with you?" Bianca glared at him.
"I don't know," Chris stared at the coffee. He knew he had managed to conjure them. Wyatt's magic worked much differently than his own, and his power was jumping to be used. Chris could feel the beat of the magic coursing through his brother's body.
"How does he manage to control it," Chris shifted his weight uncomfortably.
"Are you feeling all right?" Bianca whispered leaning her body over the table and placing her hand over Chris twitching hand.
"Yeah, let's just get this done. If he can do this then so can I." Chris snapped his fingers under the table, focusing his thoughts on Wyatt's backpack. The bag appeared in his hand, almost at the very thought.
"You and Chris having some kind of mental argument there, Wyatt?" Bianca smiled mockingly at the boy.
"Something like that," Chris nodded. The two started opening notebooks and books and sipping on their conjured coffee.
Chris stood in the middle of the empty classroom as Wyatt was trying to will his brother's body to orb. The lesson had not gone as smoothly as Wyatt had hoped. It was harder than it sounded to teach the munchkins, as Chris so lovingly called them, than Wyatt ever gave to his brother.
"If I admit that he is a better teacher than me, then will I orb?" Wyatt demanded of the ceiling.
"Having trouble Wyatt?" Primrose squeaked as she shuffled out from underneath a pile of cushions.
"Primrose! I thought you left with Uncle Coop ages ago…" Wyatt turned around startled. He frowned realizing that the youngest cousin had called him Wyatt and not Chris.
"Daddy needed to check out some materials from the library, so I came back to check on you. Why do you look like Chris? Is Chris in trouble?" Primrose skipped along the lines of the marble flooring, nonchalantly questioning her oldest cousin.
"I am Chris," Wyatt responded immediately, pointing to his body.
"No," Primrose stopped skipping, one foot balancing in the air as she gave him a resentful stare. "You're Wyatt, Chris never talks like you do…"
"Never talks like I do?" Wyatt demanded, bending down to stare at the short cupitch in front of him.
"And you don't have much patience," Primrose nodded.
"Patience! Yeah because Christopher uses it all up…" Wyatt grumbled.
"You are Wyatt!" Primrose giggled.
"You can't tell anyone," Wyatt started.
"Usually, I can't." Primrose shrugged. Wyatt frowned and suddenly out shot his hands to hold Primrose still.
"What secrets are you hiding for Chris?" Wyatt asked the girl. Primrose sparked energy from her shoulders, sending Chris' body backwards. Wyatt sat on the ground looking confused about why the young girl's power could have such an affect on him.
"Secrets, Wyatt." Primrose stuck out her tongue.
"Look here, Prim. If Chris is doing something naughty you must tell me," Wyatt clenched his fists in frustration.
"If Chris in trouble now?" Primrose asked again.
"When I find him…" Wyatt started grumbling before he noticed how concerned his young cousin looked. "No, not right now."
"Can you not use his powers?" Primrose placed her hands on her hips. Wyatt licked his lips, impatiently and uncomfortably shifting under the little girl's gaze.
"No, I didn't think so. I can smell your frustration." Primrose wrinkled her nose up in disgust. "I dislike the smell."
"You can smell it?" Wyatt stared confused at her. Coop stepped back into the room, laughing.
"She's been doing that since this morning. Surprised Wyatt hasn't called, noticed the oddity of the power itself." Coop outstretched his arms for Primrose as she jumped up.
"Your girlfriend is rather upset with you, not that I want to get involved because believe me Christopher, I have more than a few things to say about your dating an Oracle, and if Wyatt were to find out…" Coop shook his head. Somehow Chris' face remained unchanged, Wyatt stood shocked.
"Try letting your need guide you." Primrose whispered as Coop winked and the two disappeared. Wyatt took a deep breath, feeling his hands shaking with his own anger as he finally orbed away.
The small cottage of Melinda Warren sat majestically tranquil in the New England countryside. Upon first glance nothing would seem unusual or particularly striking about the site, but step inside the four walls and chaos was abundant.
Nemod sat like a toddler in his parent's chair, his knees inches apart and his fist clenched over the wooden table in front of him. The demon's dark eyes were fixated on the wall that shelves holding glass vials, some with gleaming red blood and others still empty. Schedules, photographs, post-it notes and lunar calendars were pasted onto the wall, like an odd assembly of a high school girl's room. Nemod was throwing darts at the wall in a nonchalant manner while pursuing his lips critically at the demons gathered around his table.
"You should be prepare with the underworld to take power, instead of prancing around like vampire after blood. Many of more powerful demons have been led astray from their purpose by the Charmed Ones." A glowing member of the triad chastised Nemod.
"I'm not following the charmed ones." Nemod rolled his eyes.
"Your insolence should not be tolerated!" The member of the triad shouted.
"Yet, you will tolerate it because without me you would still be a whimpering glow of nothing. For…" The young demon paused for dramatic effect and counted on his fingers, "another forty years."
Nemod leaned forward, winking at the glowing triad member. The triad member glowered at the young demon but pressed his lips together in silence.
"You cannot ignore the traditional preparations!" Another demon stated roughly.
"Maybe I won't, but I am doing my own preparations so those are on my priority list." Nemod shrugged.
"The second moon phase is upon us, there are responsibilities. You can not expect the underworld to take to you as much as the Halliwells have," Yet another demon snapped.
"The Halliwells haven't quite taken to me," Nemod laughed.
"You must gain the support of the underworld before you can begin the ceremonial steps that must begin on the first night of the visible full moon." The dark demon with a scarred face grumbled at the end of the table.
"I have been summoning demons from the ancient depths of the earth, the underworld will accept me." Nemod snarled.
"Christopher's appointment." The Seer floated into the room.
"Yes, well darkly creatures. I suspect the brothers Halliwell will be wandering into our humble abode in about…" Nemod stared at the Seer.
"Fifteen minutes, Sir." She stated simply.
"Yes, and I have to summon some friends for them you understand?" Nemod waved off the older elite of the demons.
"I can not crown you, without the process." The scared demon warned before the four demons disappeared. Nemod was left with his seer as Klea appeared.
"New recruits yet?" He smiled at the floating eyes.
"You must decide, watch the Halliwells or get new members of the brotherhood." Klea snapped in irritation.
"Why can no one in the underworld multitask? This is why good magic always wins with us, have you seen the charmed ones? Fighting demons, having children, opening business. I mean there is nothing those three women can't do…" Nemod glanced down at the table, where Phoebe's picture opened her column on marriage.
"Twelve minutes." The Seer stated.
"Yes, how about some mummies?" Nemod laughed.
"And the blinding incantation?" Klea tapped her foot.
"Yes, yes. Take care of that will you? Tell the mummies, to wait until the boys are lulled into security. And that I want Wyatt's blood tonight, I'm going to go talk to our nigt-mare friends." Nemod clapped his hands and dissolved into smoke.
Chris appeared a mile away, standing confused in the mist of the woods. He spun around and trying to decipher where he was.
"How is it that I came to be here?" Wyatt wondered to himself. A voice somewhere in his mind responded.
"You switched souls, but it's Chris body. A body that knows its own patterns."
"That doesn't even make sense." Wyatt scratched his brother's temples. A series of white orbs appeared next, forming into Wyatt's familiar body.
"I never noticed you are shorter than I am…" Wyatt glanced up at Chris.
"And I never took you for a lying self-centered older brother." Chris spat back at him.
"Seriously? We're in the middle of some wood because you have the reckless need to chase demons like a maniac with a death wish!" Wyatt punched his own shoulder.
"You're dating someone who tried to kill me!" Chris smacked the back of his own head.
"And you're dating an ORACLE little brother?" Wyatt crossed his arms, hoping he looked as menacing in Chris body as he often did in his own. The brothers stood glaring at each other, magic tensing the air around them enough to make the hairs on their arms still high.
"Excuse me, are one of you Christopher Halliwell?" A woman in a matching business suit had wandered up to the bickering siblings.
"I…" Chris started but Wyatt quickly snapped in.
"I'm Chris, this is my brother." He snapped annoyed.
"His older brother," Chris nodded. Wyatt shot him a your pushing your luck look, but Chris simply ignored it.
"Well the property is down this way," The woman led the boys down a path.
"The property?" Chris whispered.
"Once belonged to your family, correct Mr. Halliwell?" The woman glanced over her shoulder at the younger of the brothers.
"Um," Wyatt stared at her.
"Yes, It was in the family for over a century, before a great aunt abandoned it as a summer cottage. I think sometime in the late 1800s the city declared it a possible historical site, but never generated enough funds to maintain it as a museum." Wyatt nodded.
"Yes you've done your research. When Chris contacted me I did some research myself, I explored the site and the house surprisingly is intact. Historic societies have been using it for events but you were quite right it is still very livable and cozy." The realtor nodded and smiled.
"Livable?" Wyatt stared at his own blue eyes, trying to focus on the reflection of Chris' own green irises. The woman stopped strolling and pulled out a key in front of the small quaint cottage.
"I have collected the proper paperwork and listing prices for you to look over. Would you like to look at those now?" The woman asked as she pushed the door open.
"Actually I think I would like to inspect the place with my brother, alone for a second. If you don't mind?" Wyatt asked sweetly.
"Of course, take your time." The woman smiled and nodded, stepping away as she pulled out her phone. Chris tried to step in quicker than Wyatt, but his own hand shot out and grabbed him instantly.
"Livable? What is this Christopher?" Wyatt demanded as the boys stepped into the darken entry hall.
"This is Melinda Halliwell's cottage, and we won't have much time to look at it but I think it may be Nemod's headquarters. So you can lecture later," Chris struggled out of his brother's arm.
"You were going to come here alone?" Wyatt stated through his gritted teeth.
"Usually." Chris smiled as he wandered into the dark home. Cobwebs spread out across the hallways and high up in the corners of the cottage. Piles of dust coated the surfaces and the place appeared as if it had been abandoned for decades.
"And we are here because?" Wyatt asked, with a twinge of Chris' regular sarcasm dripping through.
"I thought that Nemod was based here, for sure…" Chris commented as he climbed the small staircase. Wyatt tried to hold out his hands to feel for the power that had to be radiating from the place if his brother was correct. But the young man forgot that his powers hadn't transferred with his soul. There was a blast from above that shook the walls of the cottage and caused a rain of dust and dirt to fall upon Wyatt's head.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Wyatt shouted.
"NOT SURE!" Chris shouted back faintly.
Wyatt jogged up the creaking stairs to find his brother. Wyatt found Chris underneath a broken bookcase.
"What did you do?" Wyatt sighed as he started to lift pieces of wood off his brother.
"I was thinking about how this place had to be Nemod's headquarters, and then this thing exploded." Chris kicked off more pieces of wood.
"My powers are more subtle than yours," Wyatt mumbled.
"How do you manage it? Just a thought conjures things." Chris jumped up and wiped dust from his arms and shook it out of his hair.
"Control little brother, its all about control." Wyatt nodded. "You should be able to sense if there is more power here."
"Sense it? How do I know if I'm sensing power?" Chris complained.
"You always were bad at new powers, might be why you haven't gotten one in ages." Wyatt rolled his eyes.
"Yes, yes let's point out how much more powerful you are, yet again," Chris shoved his brother.
"Do you want my help or not?" Wyatt crossed his arms and took a step back. Chris leaned back against the wall and tried yet again to run his hand through his hair.
"Don't you ever comb your stupid hair?" Chris snapped.
"How many fights have you been in lately? I think one of your ribs is broken," Wyatt rubbed his brother's ribcage, wincing in pain.
"Yeah… so how do I do this power sensing thing?" Chris asked holding out his hands, pretending to grab invisible items.
"Not your best avoidance transition," Wyatt rolled his eyes but stepped forward again.
"You have to concentrate, feel your own power." Wyatt suggested. Chris frowned.
"You mean your power," He grumbled.
"Ok, can you for once focus on the task at hand and not have a Christopher Pity Party?" Wyatt snapped. Chris held up his hands and closed his eyes and tried to focus. He could feel the power, the same power he had been feeling all day. With that thought Chris realized that now he could feel the difference in power, different powers. Before Chris could understand the powers, the door burst open and a menacing grunting was the only warning the either brother received before being thrown through the second story window.
"You couldn't tell me there was a demon coming?" Wyatt groaned in pain.
"Couldn't tell you what I didn't know," Chris felt the familiar trickle of blood on his leg, but only for seconds before Wyatt's body self healed.
"If you didn't have enough injuries…" Wyatt stated faintly before knocking out. Chris panicked and jumped to his feet to look over his own body. He now could sense the dark powers behind him.
"I don't even self heal as well as you do, thanks for that big brother…" Chris whined as he placed his hands over his own body expectantly.
"Come on, come on." Chris shook his hands trying to make them heal his brother. He could feel the darker powers getting close. He glanced over his shoulder and noticed the fast moving mummies.
"Crap, I can't do this right now. Really, MUMMIES?" Chris shouted at the house in anger. He put his hand on his shoulder and the brothers orbed away from the cabin quickly.
It was hours before Wyatt woke up to a headache and an unfamiliar bed. He groaned as he sat up slowly and scanned his dark surroundings.
"You have blood on your clothing again," Melinda sighed. "You should change before dinner, because mom is already on the war path about you."
"Christ Melinda, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Wyatt jumped. Melinda frowned.
"You usually know that I'm here," She whispered.
"Sorry Mels, I'm just a little edgy." Wyatt flicked his wrist at the lights switch causing the room to flood with colors.
"Wyatt left you here hours ago. Why didn't he heal you? Did you piss him off again? Is he trying to teach you some kind of lesson again? And why is your healing taking so much longer lately?" Melinda jumped to her feet, running over to examine her brother.
"What do you mean my healing is taking longer? And I do not leave either of you two ever hurt to teach you any sorts of lessons, how dare you suggest something like that Melinda." Wyatt snapped starring at his brother's bare torso in the mirror.
"Wyatt?" Melinda squinted at the reflection of her brother.
"Yes, Wyatt would never leave me hurt…" Wyatt tried to fix his slip of the tongue. But Melinda was on to the scent that something was different, but before the girl could put her finger on anything Piper's voice beckoned her children down to the dinner.
"Go on down, tell mom I will be right there?" Wyatt winked at her in a way he had seen Chris do countless times to relax their youngest sister. Melinda pursed her lips but ducked out of her brother's room.
The kitchen of Halliwell Manor smelled of baked cupcakes and cookies, as Piper had been preparing for Primrose's birthday party most of the afternoon. Piper was scooping out pasta onto her daughter's plate, while Leo was pouring out some lemonade.
"You both know that Melinda is old enough to serve herself dinner?" Wyatt commented as he jogged into the room, he started pulling out his regular chair where no place setting sat but a concerned frown from Melinda made him realize his mistake.
"You would think you would be old enough to get to dinner on time and be clean," Piper frowned at him. Wyatt slid down into his seat and snatched a bread roll.
"Sorry mom," He mumbled.
"I heard you had some trouble with the kids this morning," Leo steered the conversation away from his wife.
"Was a little off my game this morning is all," Wyatt shrugged.
"Are you still not getting any sleep?" Piper demanded.
"Piper, can't we enjoy dinner before you grill into the boy?" Leo begged.
"Fine," Piper sighed annoyed.
"Mom, can I go out and buy Primrose a present after dinner?" Melinda asked sweetly.
"You're still grounded." Piper responded.
"While you're yelling at Chris?" Melinda pushed.
"Melinda," Leo frowned at her.
"What were you thinking about getting?" Wyatt asked as trying to diffuse tension.
"This nail art kit, she's totally going to love. Don't you want her to have a great birthday party?" Melinda asked her mother.
"Melinda," Leo frowned.
"I would ask Chris to take me, but seeing as he has a scheduled lecture tonight…" Melinda shrugged.
"You're just a lovely sister," Wyatt shook his head.
"You can be gone for thirty minutes and that's it, and just because I need more frosting for the cupcakes that you can pick up while you're gone." Piper gave in.
"Thanks mom!" Melinda smiled brightly at her mother. "This pasta is delicious."
"You got what you wanted already, no need to suck up." Wyatt popped his lips.
"Do you not like my pasta peanut?" Piper smiled slightly.
"Of course mom, everything you make is delicious." Wyatt smiled.
"Now who's sucking up," Melinda mumbled.
The dinner went by quickly in family banter and discussion of Primrose's birthday. The youngest Halliwell was having a craft birthday party at the local painting ceramics shop. At the end of dinner, Melinda ran out the door snatching the extra set of Jeep keys from the hook leaving her brother sitting at the table with both parents.
"Are you ready to tell us what exactly has been going on Christopher?" Piper folded her arms calmly in front of her. Wyatt shifted his weight uncomfortably under his mother's critical stare and his father's disappointed face.
"I thought we were going to call Wyatt," Wyatt squeaked.
"We wanted to give you the opportunity to tell us without having to call Wyatt," Leo sighed and Wyatt could hear the disappointment. He hated his younger brother for putting him in this position, this predicament of disappointing both his parents no matter how removed. There was an awkward silence, unfamiliar to Wyatt but rather common for the body he was residing in. Often, Chris played chicken with his own parents seeing who would tire of the silence first.
"Fine, I'm calling your brother and if he won't explain it either I am calling your aunts. And you are going to wish you were more reasonable." Piper stated stubbornly. She whipped out her phone and pressed a button quickly, pressing the phone to her ear. Leo stared at Wyatt, calmly and collected.
"Son?" Leo whispered. Wyatt snapped his attention to Leo, carefully studying the way that his father stared at his younger brother. There was something different, a reservation, a brimming fear of something that Wyatt didn't recognize.
"You can't do everything alone because you think you should, or because you're trying to prove you can…" Leo started quietly.
"Dad, that's not…" Wyatt started arguing but Leo shook his head.
"You have to be careful, if anything happened to you it would devastate all of us. I don't think you understand how much it would ruin the entire family…"
Wyatt's eyes stung at the guilt tearing through his body now, how could Chris deal with these guilt trips? Wyatt knew that his younger brother often had to put up with this unfounded guilt trips that eluded to his past self, dying in his father's arms.
"Wyatt, I want you here now. I want you to tell me what is going on immediately." Piper was snapping into the phone.
"What do you mean you can't come right now?" Piper hand tapped impatiently at the table. Wyatt snapped his head towards his mother, what game was his brother playing.
"Wyatt?" Wyatt said loudly. Piper pressed the speakerphone button on her cell and placed the little square on the table.
"I'm busy with a school project, sorry mom. But little brother didn't tell me anything anyway, as stubborn as the stone that Excalibur was in…" Chris stated sarcastically. A memory clicked in Wyatt, it was Sunday night and he had a date with Bianca involving training. Chris couldn't seriously be doing this to him; Wyatt was already plotting out his revenge on his younger brother. He was too busy with his plans to notice the strange look of confusion that had crossed his father's face.
"Did you even try to get it out of him Wyatt?" Piper was now demanding.
"I did mom, he's just being unreasonable. I even followed him to another demon attack earlier, or did he not tell you about that?" Chris followed the same pattern that Wyatt had often attempted in the same position. In an aggravated reaction to Chris keeping secrets at all, Wyatt often over shared things that would get the younger brother in trouble with their mother.
"Why didn't you call me then?" Piper asked alarmed. Wyatt couldn't help but smile. He had often walked into this same trap.
"I thought that if we did things his way, he might finally trust me enough to tell me what is going on but…" Chris sighed. Wyatt rolled his eyes.
"All right pumpkin, remember to use a dream catcher and drink tea before bed tonight? I don't want those nigt-mares to be attacking you before I can get to them." Piper pleaded before bidding Wyatt, or at least who she thought to be her oldest, good night.
"Anything to say for yourself young man?" Piper demanded. Wyatt opened his mouth, ready to confess anything. The problem was that Wyatt didn't know anything about what Chris had been doing and he had never been good at lying or creating stories like Chris.
"Mom why can't you just trust me to take care of this?" Wyatt begged.
"There is a point at which, it is dangerous for us not to know what's going on. Two of your cousins are stuck in the past," Leo started.
"Because of Pandora!" Wyatt exclaimed.
"One of your cousins is running around after a forced charge that is constantly in trouble." Leo continued.
"Your younger sister is too occupied with her social life to realize the danger your all in," Piper inserted. "And your older brother is avoiding his magical responsibilities…"
"I am, I mean he is not." Wyatt stated defensively.
"With the rising source, you kids can't live your own separate lives. You have to start acting like a team…" Leo urged.
"Like the charmed ones…" Wyatt whispered.
"Exactly." Piper nodded.
"The charmed ones were usually preoccupied with their own lives," Wyatt spat back.
"Christopher Perry, you watch your tone." Piper clicked her heel decisively as she stood up.
"And that's usually when things went terribly wrong. You, of all people, should know that." Leo frowned. Wyatt shifted his weight again, staring down at his hands.
"If you won't act like an adult, magically leashed to me." Piper pressed another button on her phone as she shouted at the ceiling.
"Paige!" She called.
"Mom, you can't be serious! You haven't done that to any of us, since that stupid zoo trip…" Wyatt started.
"When you wandered into the lion's habitat?" Leo asked pointedly.
"I was four!" Wyatt reproached, remembering how mad he had been at Chris when the courageous toddler had decided to prove he was braver than Wyatt.
"Maybe that is a bit unreasonable Piper," Leo was frowning at his son, suspiciously while he tried to deter his wife. Phoebe and Paige appeared in the kitchen.
"Chris, baby why can't you behave?" Phoebe hurried back over to Chris.
"Really, isn't he a little old for us to still be binding his powers?" Paige snatched up a scone from the kitchen counter.
"We bound his powers just six months ago before he turned 19…" Piper defended.
"Oh yeah, that nasty conjuring a prom date business of yours. Not your finest moment…" Paige popped her lips.
"Mom, please? There's a rising source? This is a terrible idea…" Wyatt tried to defend himself.
"Piper, I don't think this is a good idea either." Phoebe nodded.
"A few days without his powers, will keep him out of trouble while we find Penelope and Patricia and get rid of these nigt-mares. I do not need to be constantly worried that he's out getting himself killed, unless you are ready to tell me what it is you've been doing in the underworld?" Piper crossed her arms and stared at him. Wyatt opened and closed his mouth, the things he was going to do to Chris.
"Stubborn, just like his mother." Phoebe petted Chris lovingly.
"Coddling him, really helpful Phoebe." Leo shook his head.
"All right, I have my own miscreants to get back to…" Paige snapped her fingers.
Leo watched as Chris, uncharacteristically sat awaiting his punishment to be doled out.
Henry popped carrying two mugs of tea down the hallway, towards his children's rooms. He popped into HJ's room first, quietly entering noticing his son sitting at his computer reading on Pandora's box.
"Researching your charge then?" Henry asked as he placed the mug on the desk.
"The internet, what witches before did without it…" HJ shook his head slightly.
"Read books, I suppose." Henry shrugged at his son.
"Yeah, well that might end up being what I do, there isn't anything aside from myths and Wiccan theories on here." HJ sighed disappointed.
"You don't think that you should be more concerned with the rising source than with Amelle?' Henry commented to his son.
"Or maybe about my missing sister and cousin," HJ nodded distractedly starring off. "Unless, they are all connected…"
"Yeah, your mother has been thinking that for a few days now. Has Chris shared any of his theories?" Henry asked cautiously. The cousins were all rather protective of each other, especially of Chris. The younger cousins, HJ and Patience especially, trusted Chris' every thought and action almost blindly.
"He has been disappearing more lately." HJ shook his head. At last his hazel eyes settled back at the tea and frowned. "Tea?"
"Your mother and Piper insist that all of you are to drink this before bed and put up one of these," Henry dug out a small dream catcher from his pocket.
"For the nightmares?" HJ guessed. Henry stood up and patted his son on the shoulder.
"We can still keep you safe from some things." Henry whispered as he stepped out of the room. HJ waited to hear his father enter his sister's room before he tilted his head up opening his window and with a flick of his fingers sent the contents of the mug flying out into the night. Before kicking off his shoes, he threw the little dream catcher into a drawer of his desk without a thought.
Patience was crying at her desk, thoughtlessly drawing little hearts all over a notepad on her desk. The girl could not remember why she was so sad, but she couldn't control the emotion. So much were her emotions raging that the witch was floating, effortlessly midair. Also items were freezing around her uncontrollably, her digital clock was almost an hour behind from the constant stops.
Suddenly writing appeared on the notepad, not in her handwriting.
What are you crying about did that boy dump you again?
Patience didn't notice the writing instead she became occupied with practically flying around her room. She wasn't controlling her magic, anymore than usual.
"Chris would be upset with you." Cole's familiar voice chastised suddenly.
"Prince!" Patience clapped, forgetting her tears and suddenly dropping from the air onto her own bed. Cole hadn't materialized, an ability that expended far more energy than the lost soul wanted to expend. He had merely forced his voice to be heard, which on occasion he did to interact with his favorite Halliwell cousins.
"You've been crying for hours…" Cole commented.
"Yes, yes I suppose I have…." Patience frowned, as she pushed her shoulders into her pillows. There was a knock at the door softly before Phoebe walked into her daughter's room carrying a steaming mug and a small dream catcher.
"Drink this before you go to bed and we'll just put this up right here." Phoebe set down the mug and tacked up the dream catcher above the bed.
"I didn't realize you were being tormented by nigt-mares?" Cole sounded alarmed.
"You okay baby?" Phoebe frowned down at the girl, worrying shadowing her features.
"Just tired, I think." Patience shrugged, still confused about her intense sadness.
"Right tired, will this should help you sleep." Phoebe pushed the mug at Patience and kissed the girl's forehead goodnight before leaving.
"Prince?" Patience yawned as the tears started again.
"You know my name is Cole," Cole started.
"Yes, yes. Might you read me to sleep, like you do sometimes when I'm sad?" Patience wiggled under her blankets.
"Try to control your emotions," He sighed before starting to recite, not read one of the many stories he had memorized in the last two decades.
"Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene…" Cole's voice started strong, though both spirit and witch knew his strength would fade before the end of act one.
"I love this one, because of…" She blinked, trying to concentrate on something just out of her reach.
Chris stood in the middle of dance room, feeling ridiculous holding a plastic sword. Bianca was sporting a pair of shorts that were almost distracting enough for Chris to forget about the absurdity of the situation.
"Bianca, you can't possibly be serious about this toy sword fighting?" Chris sighed. Bianca didn't even turn around to look at him, as she ran her fingers through her hair before tying it into a messy bun. Before Chris could ask again though the girl spun around, beautifully graceful holding another toy sword. She didn't hold it as a toy in her hands it appeared to be the real flesh tearing and fighting weapon. It did help that the witch was charging intensely at Chris. Wyatt's body reacted far before Chris could even have a thought, as his hands grasped the hilt of the sword and he protected his torso from the oncoming attack. The plastic clashed louder than Chris thought was even possible of plastic. The sword became heavier at the first contact with the second sword and Chris pushed from his shoulders, causing the two swords to roll around each other in a circular motion.
"These are some toy swords," Chris commented.
"You act like we've never enchanted toy swords before," Bianca rolled her eyes as she ducked around Wyatt and pulled her sword away from his. Wyatt's body again reacted before Chris could and he ducked and swung the sword at Bianca's feet as the witch aimed for his missing head.
"Good, you're thinking about the weapon more." Bianca praised as she started swinging the sword at the good looking blond.
"You're going to lose your balance soon if you carry all the weight on your right side," Bianca managed to smack Wyatt's torso on the right with the side of the blade.
"Damn it Bianca, that hurt." Chris whined.
"Yes, swords hurt. Stupid boy." Bianca rolled her eyes. "I can't believe in all the years you've been alive that your parents didn't enroll you in fencing! You're the master of Excalibur!" Bianca lifted the sword above her head to strike down at Wyatt, but Chris caught on. With a powerful swing Chris sent Bianca's sword flying across the room.
"You might be ready to pull out that fancy play toy for real then," Bianca nodded respectfully. Chris huffed as he dropped his sword to his side. Bianca snapped her fingers and instantly had a tiny dagger that Chris recognized from his first meeting with the witch. Bianca was at his throat in moments, and the metal was cold against his throat.
"What the hell?" Chris demanded.
"You shouldn't let your guard down." Bianca whispered. Chris closed his eyes he like Wyatt had never bothered with combat training, as their powers had always been enough before. A vision danced on his closed eyelids, of Bianca kissing him and not Wyatt. Chris reacted on impulse and planted his lips onto Bianca.
Wyatt wasn't even trying to be discreet about his rummaging in Chris' desk. He was angry at the way he felt powerless, at the betrayal he felt Chris had thrown at him. Wyatt was not use to being left in the dark, at being powerless and of being guilt into contrition for something he didn't do. He was done playing these games with his brother, done at not having his way. He forcefully pulled out drawers and let them crash onto the ground in frustration that he couldn't just snap his fingers and find what he wanted.
"Did you forget where you put something?" Pale white arms started to wrap around Chris shoulders. Wyatt jumped and pushed the arms back forcefully.
"Jumpy and angry that mommy took your powers away again?" Verity sniffled from her dejected spot on the bed.
"Miss Vanguard?" Wyatt frowned at her as he shook his head. Was there no protection to Chris room at all, he had people appear and disappear like flipping a light switch. It was no wonder that the young man was so neurotic.
"Miss Vanguard? Really? You stand me up twice now Christopher Halliwell, and now you're being formal with me?" Verity crossed her arms and pouted.
"Stood you up…" Wyatt tried to remember from earlier, his brother was dating the oracle.
"Yes, now you promised to introduce me…" Verity stood up and started to walk towards the door. Wyatt jumped to the door and blocked it with his brother's body, the last thing he needed while in his brother's body tonight was his mother finding this Oracle in her house.
"Not now, it's late." Wyatt shook his head urgently.
"But you promised," Verity shot her hand out to grab the doorknob. Wyatt bent down and quickly picked the girl up in a prince like motion. Wyatt held the girl to his brother's body, feeling the warm familiarity.
"Kiss her, his body wants to…" The voice taunted in his head. Wyatt placed the Oracle on the bed and stopped worrying about controlling his emotions, without powers it didn't matter. As the young man was kissing the neck of the Oracle on his bed, someone knocked.
"Go away," Wyatt snapped.
"Chris," Melinda whined.
"Not now." Wyatt growled as Verity started kissing Chris arms.
"I'm going to get mom," Melinda warned. Wyatt muttered a profanity under his breath as he struggled to push himself away from the exotic creature on the bed.
"Hold on," Wyatt pressed his finger onto her lips. He shuffled over to the door and opened it only a crack.
"What do you want?" He demanded of his younger sister.
"Mom wanted you to have this tea for the mares. And I wanted to check that you were all right? It's not my fault you're a stubborn ass pig," Melinda spat him.
"Stop being a brat," Wyatt took the mug from her though he had not intention of drinking the tea. Wyatt started closing the door again, but Melinda shot out her hand.
"Chris," Melinda squinted her eyes at her brother suspiciously.
"What?" Wyatt demanded.
"Who was my first kiss?" She asked rather suddenly, as if she had just made the decision to say the question aloud.
"I don't know, Javin…" Wyatt stared at her confused.
"No, you remember it was Michael…" Melinda nodded.
"Michael, who?" Wyatt whispered, thinking.
"Michael, you know Wyatt's best friend in the fourth grade. You promised never to tell him," Melinda watched her brother's face carefully.
"You made out with Michael Canon!" Wyatt demanded, forgetting himself.
"So you're not Chris," Melinda nodded as Wyatt furious, slammed his door.