A/N: Sorry it's taken a while, I've had a serious case of writers block. Btw, for all you Vampire Diaries fans out there; check out my new story, "Zombie". I've only posted the prologue, but if I get a good reader response, I'll carry on writing the story. So, yeah, check it out =D
Melinda sat at the large vanity that stood in the guest bedroom at Caleb's house. It had been a long day. After Melinda had proved to Caleb's mother that she was really a witch, Caleb had sat his mother down and told her everything they knew about Chase, and what he wanted. Caleb was planning to take Chase down himself, but Evelyn had refused. Although she hadn't actually said anything at the time, Melinda agreed with Evelyn; if there was anything that her Mom had taught her it was that there was safety in numbers. Caleb going up against Chase alone was, in her opinion, stupid. That was why she had come up with her own plan: Caleb had finally come round to the idea of her being 'bait', but unknown to Caleb, Melinda wasn't just going to be bait, she would fight Chase too. The only problem was that she didn't know how much she'd be able to hurt Chase with her powers. She needed something a bit more heavy duty. Specifically, the most powerful vanquishing potion she knew. Melinda had phoned Prue to brew the potion and bring it over, along with Melinda's dress for the fall-fest. But it was getting closer and closer to the dance and Prue hadn't shown up yet. Melinda sighed and looked at her reflection in the large, gilt framed mirror. She'd had no idea what do with her hair, so she had left it down, the long, brown waves cascading down her back in loose curls. Her make-up was simple, and looking at the girl staring back at her looked a hell of a lot more relaxed than she did. After checking her watch for what was the 1000th time that night, Melinda was about to call her cousin and ask her what was taking so long, when she saw that familiar twinkle of white blue lights from the corner of her eye.
"Finally." Melinda said, swiveling around to face her cousin, "What took you-" Melinda's words dried up, as she saw her Mother and her Aunts standing in front of her, with bemused expressions on their faces. "Mom!" Melinda got up and ran to her mother, giving her a big hug. As Melinda felt her mother wrap her arms around her, Melinda felt for the first time that day that everything was going to be okay. "What are you doing here?" Melinda asked her Mom, pulling away from the hug. Piper smiled at her only daughter,
"You didn't think I'd miss my baby's first dance with her fiancée did you?" Melinda rolled her eyes and turned away from her mother,
"Well, I guess you guys didn't get the memo. Calebs not my fiancée. Chase is." Paige waved her hand in the air dismissively,
"Not if you vanquish Chase." Paige set down the large white box she had been carrying on the bed, "If you vanquish Chase, then, to fulfill the terms of the Pact, you'd have to marry the next son of the bloodline, which in this case, is Caleb."
"That's easier said than done Aunt Paige." Melinda looked at her aunt, "I have no idea how to defeat Chase. I figured a vanquishing potion might work, but, I have no idea whether or not it would work." Phoebe smiled,
"It'll work." She said, holding up the three potion bottles she held in her hand, "Just throw these at Chase, the red one first, then the blue, then the green. And then you have to recite the vanquishing spell we used on Cole. Do you remember it?" Melinda nodded. "Good. Do that and then you'll be okay." Melinda took the vials from her aunt and processed the information. Piper held up the white box.
"Its one of Billie's designs. There's a little holster for the potion bottles hidden in the bodice." Melinda smiled and lifted the dress out of the box; Billie spent her time demon-hunting and developing her fashion line. The line was called 'Charming Angel' in honor of Paige; her Charmed guardian angel. Billie's formal dresses were known for being remarkably beautiful and the dress before Melinda was no exception. It was a beautiful pale-pink creation of thousands of chiffon rosettes that had been hand-stitched to create an ethereal elegance; the strapless bodice, with oh so discreet potion holster, and the 20 foot train, made Melinda to gasp; Billie had really outdone herself this time.
"Wow." Melinda breathed as she held the dress out in front of her. Phoebe laughed,
"That's exactly what Prue said." Piper smiled at the sight of her daughter, regarding the dress as if it were from another planet.
"You know honey," The Matriarch of the Halliwell line checked her watch, "You should probably finish getting ready." Melinda shook herself out of the trance.
"Right," the young brunette said, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry." The Charmed Ones smiled and helped Melinda into the dress.
CHARMED
Meanwhile, downstairs in the living room, Evelyn Danvers paced the floor,
"Caleb, you cannot do this alone." She walked up to her son, "We have to go to the others." Caleb stood motionless, with his arms folded across his chest,
"We can't do that." He told his Mother. "He'll kill us all, including you. Pogue was the final warning." Evelyn looked up at her son,
"We have to go to your Father then." Caleb shook his head,
"No. I know what you're thinking Mother. And you'll know what will happen." Evelyn place her hands on either side on her sons face,
"But he loves you." Caleb gently removed his mother's hands,
"Well then, he'll die with that secret." Evelyn stared at her son for a few seconds before turning away. Caleb turned to Reid and Tyler, who were standing quietly in the corner of the room,
"I want you two to take Melinda to the dance. I'll meet you there." He told them; he still wasn't sure if using Melinda as bait was right, but she was adamant that it was the only way to distract Chase, plus, it was hard for him to resist the puppy dog eyes she had set on him. "Melinda thinks that that's where Chase would attack." He finished.
"Would you just let us help you?" Reid asked, "You know we've got your back."
"I know you do." Caleb assured him, "But please, just once, do as I ask?" He pleaded. Reid and Tyler nodded reluctantly. Caleb nodded and turned towards his mother,
"Where's Melinda?" He asked.
"Upstairs, getting ready." Evelyn replied, "She's powerful, Caleb. She and her family could help you." Caleb was about to reply, when a voice from the stairs interrupted,
"Your Mother's right Caleb." Melinda said, slowly descending the grand staircase, Caleb looked up and felt his heart stop in his chest, and then suddenly start beating ten times faster. 'If tonight ends badly,' Caleb thought as he watched Melinda descend the final step, 'then Chase was one lucky son of a bitch.' He thought bitterly. "My family could help you out." Melinda stepped off of the staircase and walked over to where Caleb stood.
"Wow." The Danvers son breathed as he took her into his arms, "You look amazing." He said, meaning every word.
"You look stunning my dear." Evelyn turned towards Melinda. Melinda smiled and looked up at Caleb,
"I'm serious Caleb. You can't go up against Chase alone." She said her eyes boring into his. Caleb shook his head and wrapped his arms around her waist a little tighter,
"This is my fight; I'm not going to let you get caught up in the crossfire."
"But-"Melinda started, but Caleb cut her off by pressing his lips on hers,
"No buts. Okay?" Melinda nodded slowly; it really didn't matter what Caleb thought, because she WAS going to fight Chase whether Caleb liked it or not. Evidently satisfied with Melinda's lack of protest, Caleb nodded,
"Ready?" He asked her.
"Yeah." Melinda turned to go, but Evelyn's voice stopped her,
"Caleb, you go ahead, I'd like to talk to Melinda alone." Caleb looked at his mother for a few seconds,
"Fine." He said, looking down at Melinda. "Meet me outside when you're done okay?" Melinda nodded. "Come on guys." Caleb motioned for Reid and Tyler to follow him outside. Soon, Melinda was all alone with Evelyn. There was silence in the room for a while,
"So," Evelyn began. "You have no intention of sitting on the sidelines and watching my son fight alone do you?" Melinda looked at the older woman surprised.
"How did you-"she began, but Evelyn held up her hand,
"You're a Halliwell." She said, "It's not in your nature to simply sit and observe" Melinda stared at the woman for a few seconds in obvious confusion; how was it that Evelyn had head of her family, but Caleb hadn't? Evelyn noticed the young witch's confusion,
"I'd known about the legend of the Charmed Ones even before I met you, William told me their story and we used to tell it to Caleb as a bedtime story; although I doubt he remembers now." Evelyn mused. She walked over to where Melinda stood, and placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, "My dear, I may not know all there is to know about you family, but I do know that you were born to protect the innocent, so I am begging you, from the bottom of my heart, please, please do everything you can to protect my son." Evelyn pleaded with the young witch. Melinda smiled and held the older woman's hands in her own,
"I promise. You will see your son again." Evelyn smiled and hugged Melinda,
"Thank you." Melinda let go of Evelyn and walked towards the door, where she knew that Caleb had been listening in on their conversation.
CHARMED
"You know," Melinda said as she and Caleb walked down the impossibly large driveway of the Danvers mansion hand in hand. "You should seriously work on your eavesdropping skills; I totally KNEW you were there." Caleb held on to her hand a little tighter as they approached Tyler's Hummer.
"I know what you promised my Mother." He turned her around so that she was facing him, "And I want you to promise that you won't try to protect me. I won't let you lose your life for me." Melinda broke away from his embrace,
"Caleb. I'm not just going to STAND there and watch Chase kill you. You told me that he was too powerful to stop with your current set of powers, so what are you going to do? You need help. I am help. Why is it so hard for you to let me help you?"
"Because I- I love you too much to risk losing you." Caleb said, looking down at the ground. Melinda stared at the boy for a few seconds,
"Did you just say-?" Melinda said, unable to repeat those words.
"That I loved you? Yes, I did." Caleb said, looking her directly in the eye. Melinda stood there speechless, Caleb took advantage of her silence, "You're too important to me and I don't want you anywhere near Chase, and you being bait is hard enough for me without-"Melinda, having overcome her silence broke in,
"Trust me Caleb," she said as she opened the door to Tyler's Hummer, "I've gone up against far more scarier demons than Chase Collins. I think I'll be fine." Melinda started to get into Tyler's car, but Caleb stopped her,
"Its not that I think you can't take of yourself, I know you can, its just this whole Pact thing. It makes everything personal. I'm worried that if you're there then Chase might-"
"Sweep her away for a shotgun wedding?" Reid suggested from the passenger seat. Melinda frowned and looked back at Reid,
"Eavesdrop much?" Reid just shrugged and looked ahead; Caleb looked down at Melinda,
"What Reid said." Melinda wrapped her arms around Caleb's neck,
"If that happens, then I'll kick his ass and then I'll come back to you. Don't worry. I'll be fine." Caleb warped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss; this one more urgent than their first one. It was as if Caleb was worried that this kiss may be their last. Melinda pulled away, slightly breathless,
"See? I'll be just fine." She said. Caleb handed her into the car and shut the door. Melinda tuned around in her seat and saw Caleb standing by the gate; watching them leave.
The car ride to the dance was mostly silent, both Reid and Tyler worried for Caleb, and Melinda anxiously going over Caleb's confession in her head; he had told her that he loved her. That was big. Melinda wondered if she felt the same way. The whole Chase thing seriously messed things up. Her heart told her to love Caleb, but her brain stopped her and told her that there was no point in loving Caleb because she was going to marry Chase. If she did manage to get rid of Chase, then she'd tell Caleb how she really felt about him. Because deep down, she knew that loved him back.
They got to the dance and Melinda stood outside with Reid and Tyler, her instincts on high alert. What she hadn't told Caleb was that she had asked Wyatt and Chris to observe the dance from a safe distance, so that if anything went wrong, they could intervene, they had only been there for a while, but Melinda felt that something was about to go down. She turned to Tyler, because Reid was on the phone with Caleb, who was still on his way to Spenser,
"Tyler," she said, her breath fogging up, "something's about to happen, I can feel it." Tyler looked at her and then looked in the direction of the trees. A shiver went up Melinda's spine as she felt something drop down behind her. One second. That was all it had taken. Reid and Tyler's backs had been turned and Chase had struck; he quickly turned her around to face him; his smiling face was the last thing she saw as her world began to go black.
CHARMED
A/N: So there you have it; another cliffy for you. The next chapter might take a little longer to post because I need to re-work the fight to include the Halliwells in it. So be warned. In the meantime, review, and also check out my new story, especially if you're a Vampire Diaries fan =D