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Chapter 11: The Final Attack
"Baby Boy, do you have any idea where you're going?" Pogue hissed. He and his brothers had been wandering around the Underworld while Tyler tried to retrace the path to where they had first seen Chase. They figured that was where Mel and her brothers had gone. Almira had orbed them down here and wished them luck and then left them. The theory was, if they succeeded, Wyatt or Chris would orb them back. If they didn't…well, they were trying to not think about that.
"Do you wanna lead? It's not like I was paying attention to how we got there. I was kinda busy running for my life!" Tyler complained. He was feeling bad that they had just been wandering around but he really couldn't help it. Piper had said that she and her sisters still get lost and while they were still actively fighting demons, they were down here practically every week. The Underworld all looked the same.
"Look, if it's our destiny to face them, eventually we'll stumble onto that cavern you were talking about," Caleb put in.
Tyler suddenly stopped. "Wait. Wait. This looks familiar. I think we're on the right track."
"Look down, dude." Reid said, pointing toward the ground.
"Oh." There were footsteps in the dirt. The prints matched the Sons'. "I guess we went in a circle." Tyler sighed and frowned.
"Well, let's keep going." Caleb gave Tyler a little shove to start walking again.
Reid said to Pogue, "I've just added another outcome. They kill us, we save them, we kill Mel, or we starve to death."
Pogue groaned. "Reid," Caleb said through gritted teeth. Tyler was glaring at the blond Son.
"What?! What are you guys planning?" Tyler questioned angrily.
"What are you talking about, man? What plan?"
"The options," Tyler prompted.
Reid ticked them off using his fingers. "We die, we save them, we starve to death, or we kill…oh."
"Oh is right. What. The. Hell! You're planning on killing my girlfriend?" Tyler yelled.
"Tyler, it's not like that. We just…"
"You just what, Caleb? How would you act if it was Sarah? Or Kate, Pogue? Or Angela, Reid?"
The three older Sons looked at each other. They would hate it. Even Reid would and he still wasn't sure what exactly he had with Angela. "Tyler." Reid said, stepping toward his best friend. "We would hate it. I know that you don't like it. But if it comes down to it, if we can't save them, what are we supposed to do? Let them destroy the world? I don't think so."
Pogue tried to explain to Tyler while Caleb stood in silence, his eyes downcast. "We knew you wouldn't agree. Reid's right; if it was our girl we'd hate it too and fight about it. That's why we kept it from you and it's as a last resort anyway."
Tyler scoffed. "You're supposed to be my brothers. Have my back. Not stab it."
"That's not what we're trying to do, Baby Boy," Caleb said. "But if we have to, one of us will take out Mel. It might be the best way to save the world, if you're unable to reach her."
"I won't let you. You can follow me and try to get through to her yourselves but even if she stays evil, the last thing Mel will see is me defending her. Against you if I have to." Tyler shot one last glare at his friends and went to turn his back on them.
"Tyler!" Caleb exclaimed. He couldn't believe he was acting like this. Yeah, he knew Tyler wouldn't like it but Tyler was nothing if not sensible and Caleb thought that the youngest Son would eventually realize the necessity of their back up plan; not turn on his brothers.
"That's so sweet!" The Sons all whirled to the side to see Mel standing in the mouth of the nearby cavern. Turned out they were closer to Mel and her brothers than they thought, as in they had passed the entrance at least twice but it had been hidden by magic. Wyatt and Chris stood just behind her. "You want to protect me even though I'm probably going to kill you. I guess it really is love." She smirked and walked backwards, passing between her brothers who followed her. "Why don't you boys come on in and we can figure this whole thing out."
Tyler shot a look at his brothers and followed Mel in, his hand reaching into his pocket to clutch the potion he had there. Caleb and the others followed him into the cavern and they stood in the line behind him.
"Mel, come back. You don't want or need this. Everything you and your brothers are is back at the Manor with your family. You're good and deep down, you know that. Come back to me, your family," Tyler started talking.
Chris rolled his eyes. "That's so…sick. He's actually begging you to renounce your new nature and go back to that pathetic life we had, fighting demons. Let us fill you in, boys. The real life is here and it is great." Pogue was looking around the cavern as Chris spoke. "What are you looking for?" Chris demanded of Pogue.
The long haired Son looked at Chris. "Nothing. Just looking." I found it he thought to Caleb.
Good, he thought back. At least one thing will go right. Keep an eye on the bottle.
"I'm not going back, Tyler. We're not going back. This is where we want to be and if you can't accept that then we have a problem."
"Then we have a problem, Mel. I love you but I'm not going to let either you or your brothers unite the Underworld." At the exact same time, each Son withdrew a potion bottle from his pocket and threw it at Mel, the most vulnerable. Before the vials could reach her, Wyatt TK'd them away from her. Mel shook her head in disappointment.
"That's not going to work," Wyatt commented. "The Charmed Ones tried it and failed. What makes you think you'd be able to do it? I really hope that wasn't your only plan because that wasn't our last one." Wyatt closed his eyes in concentration and summoned a figure Tyler was familiar with. It was the genie, the one who had changed Wyatt and his siblings evil. "For my first wish, I wish the Sons of Ipswich were evil and would join us in our quest for Power."
Pogue, now! Caleb had yelled into Pogue's mind as soon as the genie had appeared. Pogue dived out of the way and went after the genie bottle, grabbing it before the genie could finish his wish. The colorful figure stopped mid-wave and looked at Pogue. He flashed in front of the long-haired Son and knelt. "Your wish, master?"
Pogue drew back in confusion. "Uh…go back in the bottle." The genie turned into smoke and filled the bottle. "Got it!"
"Reid!" Caleb yelled.
"On it!" Reid threw a punch at Chris, catching him off guard. His fist landed solidly on Chris's jaw and the Halliwell witch stumbled back. The two fought each other, both forgetting about their magic and just throwing punches and wrestling on the ground. Caleb, on the other hand, Used to throw his magic at Wyatt. He had discussed it with the other Sons; since Caleb had his father's Power as well, he decided to be the one to take on Wyatt. Both Wyatt and Caleb were throwing energy balls at each other.
Mel smiled at Tyler. "I guess it's us, huh?" She kicked out at Tyler, forcing him back. Before he could react, she slapped him across the face. "C'mon, Baby Boy," she said mockingly. "Be a man. Fight back." Mel drew an athame out of her back pocket. "Here," she said, throwing it on the ground in front of him. "An advantage because I know you won't attack me." Tyler bent down and picked it up. He held it uncertainly in front of him. He didn't want to use it on her either. She continued to force him back, until he hit a wall. She stood in front of him. "You are pathetic, Tyler. It's too bad, really. We could have been great together."
Pogue looked on in worry. His job had been to get a hold of the genie and distract Wyatt, Mel, or Chris if possible but the other Sons had volunteered to fight them. Of course, Tyler said he would get through to Mel, Caleb thought he was the closest in Power to Wyatt which is why he chose him, and Reid was just spoiling for a fight, which is why he was taking on the dark haired, temperamental Chris. As far as he could tell, Tyler was in the most danger; Reid and Caleb were actually holding their own. "Tyler," he said loudly. "It's gotta be done! It's you or her, man."
Tyler breathed deeply, looking at the girl in front of him. She stared back at him. "Your move," she said. "What are you going to do? Gonna go grow a pair?"
At that remark, Tyler got mad. He was tired of people implying that he wasn't really a man because he wouldn't always act on his impulses and thought things through. Catching Mel by surprise, he grabbed a hold of her arms and spun so she was pinned against the wall. Holding her wrists in one hand over her head, Tyler brought the athame to her throat. "I don't want to hurt you. Let me help you turn back, Mel. Please."
She pursed her lips and looked at her brothers who had finally bested the Sons. Wyatt had Caleb backed against a wall, Excalibur pointed at his stomach. Reid was lying face down in the dirt, his head bleeding. Chris had a foot planted in his back so Reid couldn't get up and Chris was breathing heavily. She looked at Tyler again. "Nahh. Do it. I dare you."
Tyler willed his hand to push harder. Deep down, very deep down, he knew it needed to be done. He hated it and didn't want to do it but… The knife scratched Mel's throat and a thin ribbon of blood trailed down. Tyler's stomach rolled and he pulled away, releasing Mel. "I can't do it. I don't care if you kill me but I can't hurt you." He dropped the knife and looked at Pogue. "I'm sorry." He looked back at Mel. "I love you." Mel shook her head.
"Enough of this," Wyatt said. Holding Excalibur with one hand still pointed at Caleb's stomach, and motioned with his other hand. A nearby athame lifted in the air and flew toward Tyler.
"Tyler!" Caleb yelled. Pogue yelled out for the genie, thinking maybe he could make a wish to save Tyler.
"NO!" Mel said. Tyler turned around to face the knife that was level with his heart, his face paling as he saw the knife about 4 feet from hitting him. Mel had frozen the athame.
"Melinda, what are you doing? They aren't going to join us; therefore we must take care of them." Wyatt broke the knife out of her freeze and moved it again. Putting both hands up, Mel froze the knife again.
She's using her witch powers. That means she's good still, deep down. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to tap into them. Tyler thought to his brothers.
Reid mentally groaned and lifted his head slightly. Guys? Wha?
Keeping an eye on the knife, Tyler thought back Reid, you're okay! Look, I'm…I'm sorry. All of you, I'm sorry.
Baby Boy, right now, you kinda have more things to worry about then apologizing. Wyatt is trying to kill you! Caleb's thought echoed in Tyler's head.
"Melinda, let go!" Wyatt pushed at the knife and it quivered in the air. He dropped Excalibur to concentrate on the knife. Mel concentrated just as hard, barely holding on to the knife.
Everyone watched as the knife moved forward, inch by inch. Mel was unable to freeze it any more; now she was just focusing on slowing it down as much as possible. With an extra shove of power, Wyatt won the match and the knife shot at Tyler. "NO!" Mel yelled and she moved her hands. The knife fell out of the air and Mel stared at her hands. She had just blown up something. Well, she hadn't actually blown it up but she hadn't frozen it or tapped into Wyatt's telekinesis, so that was the only option left. She had received another power.
She met Tyler's eyes, horror in her own as she really realized what was going on. She shook her head. "I'm so sorry!" Tyler watched as the girl he loved was surrounded by a white light. Glancing around quickly, he saw that the same thing was happening to Wyatt and Chris. The lights cleared and Mel, back to her normal self, collapsed onto the floor. Tyler looked at her, his eyes swimming with emotion.
Caleb and Pogue ran over to Reid and helped him up. As with most head wounds, his wasn't actually that bad, he just had a small cut on his forehead, but it was bleeding a lot. "Wyatt," Chris said. Wyatt shook his head.
"I can't believe what we did."
"You can make up for a little bit by healing me," Reid said groggily. His head was killing him. Wyatt joined their group and held a hand over the cut, a warm golden glow coming from his hand. "Thanks." The five turned to watch as Tyler approached Mel.
He bent down and sat on the ground. "Hey," he said lifting her chin up so he could meet her eyes. His heart hurt as he took note of the tears running down her face. He brushed them away with his thumb. "It's okay."
"How is it okay? I was going to kill you! You were trying to kill me! I-oh, my Goddess, I was going to take over the Underworld. I helped kill Chase. I-"
Tyler pulled her forward and kissed her, effectively silencing her. He could taste the salt from her tears and his eyes dropped a few also. He pulled back a little bit and looked deep into her eyes. "We'll figure it out." He stood up and pulled Mel to her feet. Slipping an arm around her waist, they walked over to the rest of the group.
Chris looked around. He was shocked by what had happened also. He looked at his siblings. "We're gonna have to do a lot of cleaning to our karma to make up for this."
"We'll do it," Wyatt said while Mel gave a shaky laugh. "Let's go home."
"Wait, the Book," Mel said. Chris orbed it to him. "Personal gain?"
"It's not going to make our karma any worse right now," Chris commented.
"Okay, let's go." Wyatt orbed out with Mel, Tyler, and Reid. Caleb and Pogue, who was still holding the genie bottle, hitched a ride with Chris.
Piper looked up as the younger generation orbed into the attic. "My babies," she said, managing, as only a mother can, to enfold her three children into her arms. Leo completed the family hug. After a few seconds of complete contentment, Piper pulled out and frowned at them. "A few things: 1) I'm glad you're back. 2) You're grounded. 3) I love you. 4) If you ever do that again, I swear to the Goddess that I will kick your asses. 5) You're grounded. 6) Don't ever bind our powers again. And did I mention you're grounded?"
"A couple of times," Leo said. "I think they get the point."
"Good. Now, could you please return our powers?" Piper asked. Paige and Phoebe nodded in agreement. When they didn't have their magic, it felt like a limb was missing from their bodies.
"Mel, you're the one who cast the spell," Wyatt reminded his sister.
"Oh, right. Um…Give back powers to the sisters three, as I will, so mote it be." Lights surrounded the Charmed Ones. Piper, grinning, blew up a nearby lamp and then froze the pieces before they could scatter.
"Piper," Paige said, her tone a little disapproving.
"What? Just making sure." Everyone gave a small laugh at that. Mel dropped her head on Tyler's shoulder, glad to be back home and good again.