AN: Thanks for the review D'Blacq! I love hearing your opinion on things.
IF YOU MUST WAIT
If you must wait,
Wait for them here in my arms as I shake
If you must weep,
Do it right here in my bed as I sleep
If you must mourn, my love
Mourn with the moon and the stars up above
If you must mourn,
Don't do it alone
- Keaton Henson
Sarah sat on the edge of her and Wyatt's bed. The bedroom door was closed and locked. In front of her paced a very pale Serena. She had found it a bit odd when her sister-in-law arrived at the Manor and insisted they needed to talk along. She had nothing against the beautiful blonde, but even though they knew each other for the better part of two decades they were not close friends. They simply had been in two very different points in their lives when they first met. By the time Serena was pregnant with Matt and she with Pax, the family was coming apart at the seams. Their relationship was never destined to be more than sisters-in-law.
Serena stopped pacing and held one hand in front of her mouth. Sarah knew immediately what was going to happen and jumped into action. She led the other woman into her bathroom and helped keep the hair out of the way as Serena threw up. She pulled a clean washcloth from the collection and wet it with cold water. Handing it to Serena, she studied the blonde woman closely.
Serena was showing the signs of stress. Big bags sat under her bloodshot eyes. Her normally perfectly styled hair showed signs of not being washed in a few days. She wore makeup but again not to her normal standards. A look of barely suppressed fear lingered in Serena's pale blue eyes.
"Are you ok?" voiced Sarah once Serena finished washing her mouth out.
Serena shook her head. "This is so fucked up."
Sarah's eyes widened. Serena never swore.
"What is?"
Serena stumbled back into the bedroom, and Sarah followed. She sat on the bed and hid her face in her hands. Sarah joined her and rubbed her shaking back.
"Did you know before all this Chris and I were discussing divorce?" asked Serena softly.
Sarah paused in her comforting circles. "What?"
Serena lowered her hands and sat up straight. "Yeah. It's not that we don't still have feeling for each other, but—I don't know. It just wasn't working out. We've grown distant. Our marriage was just fizzling out. There was a time I thought Chris was seeing someone else, but no, he's too good for that."
"Oh, Ser, I'm so sorry," said Sarah genuinely.
Serena chuckled wetly. "It's—I don't think we'd have lasted this long if it wasn't for Matt. He makes it easier to forget the cold shoulders. We've always got a game to get to or a friend's house. We—I could ignore the problem."
Sarah was in shock.
"Then this whole mess with God knows who kicked off. Even the little progress we made with at least facing up to reality was pushed aside."
"Do—er…" Sarah trailed off not wanting to know the answer to her question.
Serena faced her. "I'm pregnant."
Sarah stopped breathing. "WHAT!"
Serena rubbed her stomach. "I've known for a few weeks."
"Does—does Chris know?" inquired Sarah.
Serena shook her head. "No. He's hardly been at home. Always researching something or trying to keep that damn company afloat with civil war breaking out everywhere, and I can't complain. What a bitch that'd make me! He's out saving the world, making it a better place for our son. Some days I wished he did have a mistress."
Sarah tentatively placed a hand on Serena's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "He'd want to know. You know he would."
Serena nodded. "I don't want him to stay because of this. If—if divorce is what he wanted before all this. I don't need him to stay. He'll sacrifice his happiness; I know he will."
"A baby," muttered Sarah forlornly.
Serena blinked and a tear ran down her cheek. "I know. A baby. We never planned on having another, and I know you and Wyatt…"
Sarah smiled sadly looking at the picture of Pax and Zach on her dressing bureau. "This isn't about me and Wy. What do you want?"
Serena clutched her stomach. "It's funny how much you can care about a person you've never met. But what sort of world is he or she going to be born into? Is she going to be hunted and persecuted because of something she could not choose?"
Serena broke down and started to cry in earnest. Sarah patted her on the back and whispered calming nonsense. A small part of her wanted to slap her sister-in-law. A baby was a gift. She and Wyatt always wanted a large family, but then Pax died. They were talking about trying again when she found out she had cancer. The cure had robbed them of ever having another child.
Someone knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" called out Sarah, cradling Serena.
Chris's voice drifted through the door. "It's Chris. Have you seen Serena?"
Sarah knew he could sense her in the room. "Yeah, she's not feeling good. She's taking a nap."
There was a long pause. "Ok."
Serena sniffed and rubbed her eyes. "God, I'm being selfish. This is his baby too."
Sarah kept her face passive.
"I'll talk to him—and Matt. Matt deserves to know."
Sarah hugged her. "It's all going to work out."
Matt stood in the center of the Manor's attic with his eyes closed. He was trying to sense the pillows Zach was throwing at him. He would then deflect the incoming dust-filled projectile back at Zach. Of all the cousins, he had progressed the furthest with his powers. He could orb without a second thought. He had conjured an impressive replica of the sword that hung over his dad's desk at the house, right down to the unique enchantment set on said sword. His skill with telekinesis already surpassed that of Zach. Today, he was distracted, and so he was failing at the most basic task. After the twentieth pillow hit him in the face Zach called for a break.
"What's up?" asked Zach, orbing two bottles of water into his hands. He handed one to Matt.
Matt opened the water and drank half the bottle. "It doesn't matter."
Zach scoffed. "It seems to matter to you, and it's messing with your powers."
Matt walked over to the Book of Shadows and rifled through its pages. Zach waited patiently for his cousin to speak. He had learned this particular trick from his father. Matt stopped flipping pages and looked over the Book at him.
"Sophia called."
Zach let one eyebrow rise. "And?"
Matt exhaled. "She—she wants to call it quits. She says if I can't trust her without this, then how can she trust me? She can't be with someone she doesn't trust. Trust—TRUST! Like keeping this secret, has anything to do with trust."
Zach chewed his lower lip. "It's not like it's written in stone you can't tell her. You guys have been dating for a long time—and, and you do trust her."
It was Matt's turn to scoff. "Tell her I'm a witch? That all the times, I joined her parents in bashing magic users I was lying? She'd kick me in the balls and then dump me. You know she can't stand liars."
"Have you talked to your mom and dad about it?"
Matt rolled his eyes. "Dad's never home. He's at the office all day and then at Magic School all night. And what's Mom going to say? She—she doesn't know what it's like, having to hide something so fundamental to who you are. Besides she's dealing with the stuff with my grandpa."
Zach shrugged. "Don't sell your mom short. She knew about magic for a long time and never told a soul. She might even be able to tell you what Sophia's thinking."
Matt finished the water and squashed the bottle with a glare. "Let's try again."
Zach down the last of his water and waved his hand. Both his and Matt's bottle orbed away. "Matt…"
"Let's just do this, ok?"
Zach did not move.
Matt growled. "Come on! I don't want to talk. I want to blast pillows out of the air."
"We could tell them all," said Zach still not moving.
"What? Tell who?"
Zach nervously twiddled his fingers. "All of them. Andrew, Sophia, Beth, Danny…"
"And Rebecca," finished Matt harshly.
Zach flinched. "Yeah, her too. Look I agreed that we had to use memory dust on her after the attack last week. But there were—the things she saw. Memory dust won't hold. I read about it in the Book. If the memories are strong they eventually break through. I—I don't want her to just discover I've been lying to her."
Matt scratched his ear. "We—look, Zach, it's one thing to tell Sophie or Andrew about us. They've been your friends for years. You—ah—you don't know Rebecca."
Zach recoiled physically. "I do too."
"No, man, you don't. It sucks; because, I know you love her. But three months is not enough time to know someone and tell them about all this. Not when it could go horribly wrong," said Matt.
Zach frowned still rooted to the stop. "I can't lose her."
"Lose who?"
Both Matt and Zach jumped and turned around. Standing in the doorway stood Phoebe Halliwell a little worse for wear but still beautiful.
"AUNT PHOEBE!" yelled the two cousins, running to hug her.
Phoebe grinned and hugged them tightly. "Step back and let me take a look at you."
They did.
"Oh my, you both have grown so much!"
Zach smiled. "How are you?"
Phoebe tilted her head. "I've been good. Been visiting my children and grandchildren. They all say hi."
Matt's smile slipped slightly. There was something in Phoebe's voice. "How are Paisley, Patty, Payton, and the rest?"
"Scared, of course, but good. They're all dong really good," said Phoebe. "But I didn't come here to talk about them. It's been so long since I've seen you guys. You have to tell me everything."
Zach felt something brush against him. He looked around but could not find the source of the tickling sensation on the back of his head. He focused on the feeling as Matt and Phoebe talked. It grew stronger every time his grandaunt looked at him. He caught her eyes, and her eyes dropped to her lap. He frowned. Clearly this was not just a random visit.
"Is Uncle Coop here?" he asked abruptly, interrupting Matt's story about the baseball team.
Phoebe met his eyes this time. "He's talking to your dad about something."
Zach was not fooled. "They're talking about me."
"What? What makes you think that, sweetie?" asked Phoebe, eyes wide.
Zach glanced at Matt, and his younger cousin nodded. "Why are you here, Phoebe?"
"Can't a grandaunt drop by and see her nephews?" Color rushed to Phoebe's face. She had always been the worst at lying.
"Of course she can," said Matt in a placating fashion.
Zach sat down on the couch. "But she doesn't. Like you said it's been a long time since you've seen us. It's been years since the family has gotten together. But now that there's a crisis we have family members dropping in. Not that I'm complaining, I love you, but don't play us for fools. We've had enough of that. We took up the Charmed emblem; treat us with the respect that deserves."
Wyatt walked through the attic door followed by Coop and Piper. "And you would do well to remember that even if we don't see them often Phoebe and Coop are still your elders," he said warningly.
Zach bowed his head. "Sorry. I'm just sick of all this whispering and secrets. Yes, we're kids. Sure, we don't know what we're doing, but it's going to be us who have to take on these new bad guys. "
Phoebe joined her husband and sister. "He's got a point, Wy. We can't keep them in the dark and expect them to play along."
"We're not keeping you in the dark about anything concerning Rahab and Tiamat," said Wyatt coolly. "But you are still kids. You don't have to know everything."
Piper cleared her throat. "This affects them."
Wyatt rolled his eyes. "Really? I didn't know, mother."
Piper's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't think you're too old for me to ground you, mister."
Wyatt cringed sheepishly. "Sorry. It's been a long day."
Matt joined Zach on the couch. "What's going on?"
Zach shrugged a bit and spoke out of the corner of his mouth. "No idea. Something big clearly."
"Why have Phoebe use her empathy on us?"
Zach smiled inwardly. "You felt it too?"
Matt nodded; the adults were still ignoring them. "Coop scanned us when he entered the room. I saw his ring flash."
Zach spotted his mother enter the attic. She pulled Chris aside, and the two of them left. He watched as his grandmother followed them with her eyes. She saw him watching her, and she smiled. Bigger things were going on than just a battle against evil.
Piper raised her voice to be heard over the heavy mutterings. "I say you just tell them."
Wyatt heaved a sigh. "Fine, but if this backfires you're dealing with Sarah."
Piper smirked. "I don't think that's going to be a problem, pumpkin."
Wyatt shook his head and turned to his son and nephew. The two boys sat expectantly on the couch. He suddenly felt like he was back in his psychology practice standing off to the side as a mother and father told their children they were taking a break. The whole situation had been brewing for a while, but then the attack at the school made everything more imperative. San Francisco was no longer a safe city for his family.
"Well—right—ah, where to begin."
Zach cocked an eyebrow. "Why'd you have Phoebe come up where and try to read us with her empathy? Isn't that personal gain?"
Wyatt glanced at his aunt who smiled weakly. Of course his son would sense magic; he was too powerful for his own good.
Phoebe eventually stepped forward and bent down in front of the two cousins. "I'm sorry about that. We, your parents and I, just wanted to have some idea of how you were really doing."
"You could've just asked," said Matt, hurt.
"You're absolutely right," continued Phoebe. "I apologize. Sometimes adults forget that just because you are young doesn't mean you know less than us."
Zach, recognizing the psychological tactics, was reminded that his aunt like his father was a psychology graduate. "Did you find out what you wanted to know?"
Phoebe looked over her shoulder. Wyatt remained silent, but Coop and Piper nodded their heads. "Yes, and Coop confirmed it."
Zach interrupted her by standing up feeling hot under the collar. "Ok, but what's that got to do with anything." He did not need those words to be said out loud.
"Everything," said Wyatt. "Our powers are tied to our emotions. We had to know exactly how you guys felt because—because…because we're thinking of moving."
"WHAT!" Matt jumped to his feet. A few small objects around him toppled over. "Why?"
"This country isn't safe for witches. Phoebe and Coop have already moved their children and their families to friendlier countries. The Mitchells are taking an extended vacation to New Zealand."
Zach frowned, thinking. "But this is the Manor. We can't abandon the Manor."
Piper answered, "We'll ward the house. The nexus will be sealed off."
"We've lived through witch trials before. Demons like to use them to weaken us," explained Wyatt clinically. "If we stand a chance of defeating Tiamat and Rahab we've got to face them head on. This can't be a two fronted war."
Matt shook his head. "No. No way! We've got friends here. Lives. You can't just rip us up and move. I won't go."
Zach agreed. "We'll be retreating before they even tried anything. How can you even be thinking about doing this?"
Wyatt studied his son. "They've already drawn battle lines. Do you really think that the attack on the school was random? It was meant to expose us. As it stands we may very well be exposed. Kyle was arrested and questioned. Only his diplomatic immunity kept him from being locked away without trial."
Zach's eyes flickered from one adult to the next. "Where?"
"Matt's grandfather isn't doing so well. We thought they could go visit him in England. We'd take an extended holiday to visit family there," explained Wyatt succinctly.
Zach crossed his arms. "What about Andrew? You're just going to abandon him?"
Wyatt shook his head. "Of course not, but our petition to be his foster parents was squashed. Daniel's father has offered to step in and take on his case."
Zach kicked a stray empty potion vial across the room. "This is bullshit!"
"LANGUAGE!" snapped Wyatt.
Matt sneered, "Won't running make us look suspicious? I mean my dad and mom are hardly your average Joe and Jane from down the street. They run the largest medical charity in the world. Their absence would be very conspicuous."
The adults fell silent.
Coop spoke up. "Is that really what is bothering you?"
Zach glowered. "Do we have a choice?"
Wyatt shook his head. "No."
"Then you can all go to hell." He grabbed Matt's hand, and the two orbed out.
Phoebe sighed. "Well, that could have gone better."
Wyatt closed his eyes. "The little bugger is blocking me."
Piper chuckled. "Now you know how I felt, but I wouldn't worry. They're smart kids."
"Kids being the operative word," said Wyatt. "We should've just…"
Piper placed both hands on her hips. "What? Spring this on them the day of the flight? Come on, Wy, how would have you felt if your dad and I did something like that to you."
Coop patted Wyatt on the shoulder. "Better to have them running off now than while you guys are in England."
"And you're both certain?"
Phoebe nodded. "It's true love, or as true as love can be."
Wyatt breathed in through his nose and out his mouth, calming his thoughts. "We've just put a lot of people in danger."
Piper agreed silently. "Maybe we saved their lives; magic is dangerous. We made them dangerous. Their friends deserve the chance to choose."
Wyatt walked over to the Book and looked down at the open page. On it was the entry about Jonathan. The one Anakin and Lucien wrote after they thought he was vanquished the first time. He touched the page, wishing his baby brother was still around. He would have known exactly what to do. Somehow, Anakin always knew what to do.
"Love can be a powerful ally. It's what let Anakin do the impossible," stated Coop into the darkening silence.
Wyatt laughed coldly. "And it can be a terrible curse. It's what destroyed my brother in the end."
Matt and Zach rematerialized outside a massive mansion. Matt recognized it immediately and ripped his arm free of Zach's grip.
"What the hell!"
Zach stared up at the house. "She's home alone. Well, not alone, Rebecca's here as well. They're planning on going to visit Andrew and Danny."
Matt huffed, but his eyes betrayed him. Zach could see the longing in them. Somewhere in the depth of his subconscious he felt the manipulation. The way his father played them like a well-tuned fiddle. He hated how much he did not care. It was a relief to know he had his parents' blessing at least in some form to do it. Matt had his parents' as well if he would just get over his pride and fear. The adults would not have consented unless they were sure the girls felt the same. The idea lightened his mood.
Even though, they had told each other their feelings at his party. He had seen very little of Rebecca over the time since Halloween. They texted and talked on the phone, but they were still hesitant to say those words. After the attack, they talked even less, and he knew Rebecca suspected something. Even with the memory dust, she knew he was involved. It was fear that kept him from saying those words after the attack. He did not want to verbalize what could easily not be true on her part.
Matt hit him on the forehead. "Doofus, we going in or not?"
"I'm not—this isn't just my choice," said Zach gently.
Matt rolled his eyes. "It's not just mine either. Mike and Rick should be here. If we out ourselves, we out them. I'm not sure Mike will be impressed that we killed any chance he had with Beth."
Zach pulled his fingers through his hair. "Then we don't tell Beth. At least not yet."
"How's that fair? She's our friend. She's Kenny's sister."
Zach growled in frustration. "I don't know. Why's it my choice? My decision? I didn't ask for this, Matt. I didn't want to be Charmed, but you guys insisted. I told you it would suck. Don't make me take this on myself."
Matt crossed his arms. "You're the oldest. You had magic before."
"Yeah, when I was barely able to walk! I can't remember any of it. I was a toddler. How does that make me smarter than the rest of you? I'm not. You're ten times smarter than me. Richard is already a grade above me at school. I hate the spotlight. I don't want to be this—a leader."
"Yet you are." Matt's voice did not hold any pity. "Like it or not you're the one with veto power. You always have been, even before magic was a thing. We all looked up to you. Me. Mike. Rick. Pax. You were the cool big brother."
Zach tagged a few hairs out in frustration. "Then what? I don't get a choice?"
Matt slapped him on the back. "Zach, you say you're not a leader. Do you think Andrew and me would be friends if it weren't for you? Who was it that found the scrawny silent new boy and took him under his wing? Even Danny follows your advice, and he's a year older than you. You may hate it, but you can't help yourself. You are a leader. So you tell me, do we tell our friends the big family secret or not?"
Finding a small pebble on the ground near his foot, he kicked it into the street. Matt was right; he was always right. This was his circle of friends. They were his responsibility. If they were let in on the secret or not was up to him. The problem was he felt like he had blinders on. He loved Rebecca; he would do anything to not lose her even if it placed his family in danger. He was being selfish. It was why he tried to talk Matt into telling Sophia, but his younger cousin was too smart for him.
"If we tell them everything could go to hell."
Matt shrugged. "I'm already there."
Zach frowned; dark thoughts swirled around his brain. "She could hate me for this."
"True," said Matt unhelpfully.
Zach glared at him. "If we're forced to flee, why does it matter?"
"It makes all the difference in the world," commented Matt passively.
"I do hate you sometimes," snapped Zach.
Matt smirked, an odd expression on his somber face. "You love me, and you know it."
Zach made up his mind. He knocked on the door they had been approaching to whole time he had been thinking out aloud. As he knocked, he realized he had made up his mind the moment he had drunk that potion. If he was going to be a witch, he would not hide that from those closest to him. It was the only way his friendship with them could work.
Sophia answered the door; her butler got Sundays off. She smiled when she saw him. "We missed you at chur…" She trailed of spotting Matt.
Matt gulped and wrung his hands together. "Um—hi?"
Sophia scowled at Zach. "What the hell?"
Zach met Sophia's angry eyes. "I'll explain everything."
He tried to walk into the house, but Sophia blocked his path. "No, you don't, Halliwell. Don't think I haven't known whatever is going on concerns you too. The two of you are like conjoined twins; never have one without the other. You're keeping secrets, but I've let it go. You and I were just friends."
The words hurt Zach, and his face twitched. He and Sophia were so much more than just friends. She was his sister, a member of his family as much as any of those related to him by blood. They had survived the horrors of middle school together. High school would be torture without her by his side.
Matt, still eyeing the patterns on the floor, spoke up. "Don't…It's—we've—shit."
Rebecca appeared behind Sophia. "Hey, Zach! Why are you letting him in?" She saw Matt. "Oh."
Rebecca had a few scratches and bruises visible from her ordeal in the auditorium. She wore a tank top and loose tracksuit pants with minimal makeup. She blushed slightly embarrassed to be seen like this by her boyfriend. She had not been planning to see Zach today. She would have at least done her hair rather than have it tied up in a simple ponytail.
Zach smiled upon seeing his girlfriend, all thoughts of future hurt and loss forgotten in a moment of bliss. "How's it going, Becks?"
Rebecca kept her eyes on Matt. "Er—I'm—what's going on?"
Sophia rounded on Rebecca. "Your boyfriend has come to explain why keeping secrets from us is ok."
Zach let the harshness of Sophia's voice wash over him. "Sophie…"
She spun back to face him. "NO!"
She drilled an accusatory finger into his chest. "You don't get to call me that, Halliwell."
Hurt flashed in Zach's blue eyes, and he stepped back. He had never seen Sophia like this; she had always been the one in the group who brokered for peace. Even with Peter, despite everything he did to her in middle school, she rose above it all. With Andrew, their friendship had its ups and downs like any other, but Sophia had he had always been able to see eye to eye. They may not always agree, but they always got along.
Rebecca tried to step around Sophia, but Sophia stopped her. "Don't you want to hear what excuse he has for lying?"
Rebecca frowned at her friend. "Sophie, how do we know he's lied to us? Just because you think something doesn't make it true. He's your best friend. Surely he deserves the benefit of the doubt?"
Sophia gave Rebecca a scorning look and let her pass. "I've given people the benefit of the doubt. All it's ever gotten me is pain and regret. It cost my cousin, my best friend, her life. So no, Rebecca, he deserves shit."
His breath caught in Zach's chest as he was reminded of how similar Sophia's and his life stories were. They both experienced loss early in life, and they both blamed themselves for that death.
"I want to explain," said Matt firmly.
Sophia shot him a withering gaze. Matt balled his hands up and kept looking at her. She looked away first.
"We want to tell all of you everything," continued Matt sparing Rebecca an apologetic look. "But we should do it all together."
Rebecca stepped away from Zach. "What's he talking about, babe?"
Zach swallowed against a parched throat. "Maybe, we should tell them here. I can go tell Danny and Andrew later."
Sophia drummed her fingers against the doorframe impatiently. "We're waiting."
"Can we come in?" asked Matt.
Zach took Rebecca's hand in his and squeezed it. She did not return the gesture, but she did not remove her hand from his. His heart began its tap dance out of his chest and into his throat. This could all go horribly wrong.
Sophia ushered them in. They settled down in one of the rarely used living rooms. Zach and Rebecca sat together on one couch. Sophia took the chair nearest the unlit fireplace. Matt hesitated and sat down on another chair, staring longingly at the open spot beside Sophia.
Zach cleared his throat. "Ok, so Sophia's been right. We've been keeping a secret from you, and it's not because we wanted to. God, I wish we could have just told you. It's—it's just this isn't the sort of thing you just blurt out. For a long time I hoped the secret wouldn't apply to me. That I'd escape it somehow."
He paused to catch his breath. Sophia's gaze had not softened. Rebecca's hand slipped out of his. He felt his ability to continue fading.
"Halliwell," said Matt drawing all eyes on him. "That's our family's name. Sophia, you know history as well as some of the history majors at university. Surely you've looked the name up? After all, it is an infamous enough surname to have."
Sophia folded her arms defensively over her body. "Of course I did. The day I met Zach. There're rumors it was Halliwells who stopped that monster, Jonathan. Then during the Owain Glyndwr fiasco the name pops up in a few accounts. The name is linked to a family of powerful witches culminating in three sisters called the Charmed Ones."
Zach's eyes widened as Sophia continued to speak. He had no idea she knew so much about his family. Of course, he should not be surprised. Magic was hardly a secret, and there was a time immediately after Owain fell and Kyle was part of the President's Cabinet when witches were seen in a different light. A lot of magical history was released to the public.
Sophia eyed her former boyfriend. "Descriptions of the famed Halliwells don't exist as far as I know. They struck a deal with the government to have their records wiped clean."
Matt nodded. "Now, Halliwell is not a common name, but my family is hardly the only one. There are three in this area of the world by my last count, including my own. Two of them even have three sisters born about the right time to be the legendary Charmed Ones. Only—only I know—we know the truth; because, the Charmed Ones aren't descended from Halliwells initially but Warrens."
This time Sophia's eyes widen, and she gasped. "Impossible."
Zach shook his head gloomily. "It's true."
Rebecca looked around the room confused. "What's true?"
Zach turned to her. "Rebecca, baby, I'm—I'm—a—God it's difficult, ha."
He coughed. "I'm a witch."
Silence rang out after his pronouncement.
Sophia jumped to her feet. She walked over to Matt and slapped him across the face.
"OW!"
She bent down and kissed him.
Zach ignored everyone else but Rebecca. He imagined he could see the murky memories of the attack crystallize in her mind. The horror of the demon crouching over her. The moment he pulled her to safety. The way he stood up to the creature from hell. Her eyes glazed over, and she started to tremble.
"Rebecca?"
She shifted away from him. He remained in his seat.
"Th—that thing! It was after you?"
Zach shrugged honestly. "We don't know."
"It said it. It said it wanted you. Wanted to show you pleasures you couldn't dream of, and—and it wanted to give me to its brothers. Because of you!"
Zach crumpled under the truth of her accusations. She had been targeted because of him.
Rebecca pulled her legs up to her chest. "You saved me. You threw yourself in front of that wave of fair to protect me. Why?"
"I love you," he choked out.
Rebecca's cold eyes met his. "What does that even mean?"
Zach noticed Sophia and Matt had left the room. "It means—I love you. I'd do anything to protect you. I want you to be happy. No—no m—matter wh—what."
"I don't want to be the reason you die. I'm not some damsel in distress."
Zach laughed despite himself. "Never thought you were."
Rebecca slowly lowered her legs until she sat cross-legged. "Really? Even against that monster?"
Zach nodded. "Even against that monster. I just—I'd be lying I didn't want to save you. Seeing that demon leering at you made my blood run cold, but it wasn't because I thought you were weak."
"Good, because I'm not." Rebecca hooked her finger in a come hither motion. "But I'm glad you came, my knight in shining armor."
It was the first real kiss they shared since Halloween. Zach remembered the urgency and passion of the kiss at the front door of the Manor. It paled in comparison to this kiss. Their lips met, and she pulled him on top of her. She stretched out underneath him. One hand cupped behind his head; fingers entangled in his blond hair. The other hand glided down his back and back up this time touching bare skin. He shivered, and his arms nearly give way. She felt so small beneath him, and yet she fit perfectly against his body. A leg wrapped around him, pulling his waist into her own. They both groaned at the contact.
"OK!"
They both snapped apart.
Matt stood above them with a huge smirk on his face. His lips glowed with a healthy red.
"What?" growled Zach.
Matt's smirk only grew larger. "I think you guys need to hear what Sophia has to say."
Zach breathed out through his teeth. "Right now?"
"Oh, yeah. Right now is perfect," said Matt walking away.
Zach heaved a sigh and looked down at Rebecca. "You're beautiful."
Rebecca blushed. "You just want to get in my pants."
Zach's cheek heated up. "No, I'm serious. You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met."
Rebecca extracted herself a bit from beneath Zach. "What do you think Sophia needs to tell us that can't wait—um—half an hour?"
"Half-an-hour?" asked Zach with a raised eyebrow.
Rebecca moved her head from side to side, pondering a response. "Ok, ten minutes."
"HEY!" complained Zach.
"Let's go," she said, chuckling
Zach rolled off her and adjusted himself surreptitiously. He offered her a helping hand, which she playful smacked aside.
"I told you. I'm not a damsel in distress."
Zach ignored her and wrapped his arms around her with her facing away from him. He kissed the nape of her neck as they headed out of the room. They found Sophia and Matt in another living room. This one was decorated with swords and guns. Black and white pictures of men in uniforms surrounded them. Zach knew the members of her father's family were all military men.
"Impressive," said Rebecca awkwardly. She never felt comfortable around guns.
Sophia bit her lip. "It's not going to seem so in a bit."
Matt gave her a sidewise hug.
"I feel if we're sharing family secrets then it's only fair if I share mine."
Zach gave her a reassuring smile.
"You all know my dad is a producer. It's where all this money comes from. My granddad never forgave him for not following the family tradition. Only the thing is you see he wasn't always a producer. Not really. It was a cover."
"A cover?" asked Rebecca.
Zach, however, saw the end of the story. The blood in his veins turned to ice.
Sophia nodded. "He was CIA. He's retired now. He really is a movie producer. During the witch hunts, however, he was the clandestine liaison between Owain Glyndwr and the 'Company'."
"Shit," hissed Zach.
Sophia eyed her best friend. "It's ok. I'm never going to tell him about you. I—it's none of his business. I've seen some of the reports. I know not all witches are bad. I'm sorry for how I've been acting. Really I am! You're the best friend anyone could ask for, Zach. How could I betray you? How could I betray Matt?"
Zach forced himself to stay calm. "Sophie, they're your family. You love your family. We can't ask you to betray them."
Sophia took a deep breath. "I promise you. If they make me chose, I'll choose you and Matt."
Zach sat in the hospital two hours later, his head still spinning with bits and part of Sophia's confession. He was a best friend with the daughter of one of the elite witch hunters. Her father could very well be the commander who had ordered the raid on the Manor. Her father might be responsible for the death of his grandfather. Her father could have recorded his whole confession.
He had sent Matt back to the Manor to tell their parents about the latest twist in the plot. Sophia had been in tears in the end. He comforted her; because, she was his friend. Her pedigree did not matter even if he had just helped sign his family's death warrants. Rebecca stayed behind to help Sophia. He needed to finish what he had started.
Despite the claim that Danny had been the one to beat up Andrew, Chris was able to pull strings at the hospital for the two to share a room. The courts even though they had denied the Halliwell's petition for guardianship had barred Andrew's parents from visiting him in the hospital until everything was sorted out. Zach doubted they would have visited. They did not care about Andrew; they just did not want him to find happiness.
The doctors and nurses left the room. One of the nurses recognized Zach and smiled. He returned it along with a head bob. He waited until they whole entourage was out of the corridor before he got up. He entered the room and closed the door. He muttered the spell he had Matt write for him. A spark danced around the door handle. No one would be able to enter the room until he lifted the spell.
Andrew's bruises were slowly changing color. The swelling around his eyes had also gone down since the last time Zach had seen him. He still cringed with every breath and was missing a few teeth. Danny fared far worse. His skull had been shattered necessitating surgery to replace the broken bone with a metal plate. His right arm was in a cast. Sometime, during the fight, his left shoulder was dislocated, and ligaments were torn. Reconstructive surgery saved most of the function of the joint, but it would never be the same.
Zach knew he could not let his concern show; both boys hated being pitied. "How's it going?"
Danny mumbled something incoherent.
Andrew smiled through his grimace. "Not bad, and you?"
The joy in his friend's voice nearly broke him. If anyone deserved to be having a bad day and cursing the world, then Andrew did. Instead, he was almost his usual cheerful self. He acted like his injuries were from a nasty snowboarding accident rather than from his father beating him senseless.
"I can't complain," lied Zach.
Danny eyed him. "Bullshit."
Zach chuckled. "How'd you know?"
Danny tried to sit up and failed. He settled for raising his head a few inches. "Because you're a terrible liar. You've got a tell."
Zach shrugged. "Compared to the two of you I'm doing swimmingly."
"But you're here."
Zach pulled up a chair. "'Cause I've got to tell you something."
Andrew blinked sluggishly. "Well, spit it out. The nurse upped my dose of morphine. Not sure how much longer I'm going to be coherent."
Zach nodded. "We've been best friends for years; ever since we fought over Becky Johnson."
Andrew's eyes sparkled at the memory. "She was a looker."
Danny cleared his throat.
"Although she's nothing compared to my brilliant boyfriend." Andrew winked.
Zach silently laughed. "You've always wondered about some of the rules at my house."
"Like what the hell's so special about an attic?" interrupted Andrew.
"Yes, well, you see the attic is where—is where we keep our Book of Shadows."
"Your Book of what?" asked Danny, confused.
"Book of Shadows, repeated Zach clearly. "It's the book witches keep all their spells and potions in. My family collects information on all the demons they've met also."
Andrew leaned forward. "You're shitting me."
Zach shook his head. "Nope. I'm a witch. That attack during Homecoming was a wraith trying to kill me. He got damn close. It wasn't police lights you saw that night, Andrew. It was me orbing in."
"You orbing in?" mouthed Andrew.
Zach hung his head. "I only wish I'd sensed things earlier. Maybe I could have stopped all of this."
Danny cleared his throat. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Zach settled down and methodically told them about his family. He explained about witches and whitelighters. He clarified the differences between warlocks and witches and wizards. His bruised and battered friends lay in silence. He worried after a bit that the opioids had taken hold, but both were listening with rapt attention. He apologized for lying to them.
"What the hell are you saying sorry for?" snapped Andrew. "It'd been cool if you could do all this stuff, but it doesn't change who you are. It's a bit fucked up you didn't trust me enough to tell me before now, but it's no reason to be sorry. I'm not sure I'd tell you if I was a witch."
"Dumb ass," murmured Danny. "Why are you telling us?"
Zach chewed his tongue. "My parents are thinking about leaving the country for a bit. At least until things cool down a bit. There are these really bad guys coming after my family. We want to deal with them before it gets out of hand."
"You're leaving the country?" asked Andrew, and Zach heard the well-hidden fear in his voice.
Zach squeezed his friend's hand. "I'm trying to stop them. I don't want to go, but we may not have a choice. This is coming at the worst possible time. We need to be here for you. I need to be here."
"Don't be silly…"
Zach shook his head. "No, you can't go back to them. I promised you, and I don't break my promises."
"Danny's dads said they petitioned the courts," said Andrew softly.
"My dad told me."
Danny smiled. "It'll be awesome."
"My mom won't let it happen. My grandfather is a tough man to go against."
Zach leaned back in his seat. "Your dad beat you. You can tell the courts that. They'll have to listen."
"My mom will have them convinced that Danny's twisted my mind. That I'm confused or mentally unfit. My dad's business paid for most of the judges' last campaigns."
"We'll find a way. Maybe I'll cast a truth spell on them."
Andrew shook his head. "No, Zach. I forbid it. I'm not worth you getting exposed."
Zach's eyes welled up. "You're worth so much more, Andrew."
Andrew scoffed.
Danny agreed. "I've been telling him that for ages."
Zach checked his watch. He had to head home soon. Visiting hours were almost over and the next round of patient checks would commence shortly. He stood up.
"I promise you. We'll fix this."
Andrew stared at him. "Ok, but not with magic."
Zach gave him a noncommittal nod. "I'll see you, Danny."
"Later, Zach."
Zach waved his hand and the door unlocked. The door handle jiggled and the door opened. Zach's relief at releasing the spell in time changed to horror as the person on the other side entered the room.
"Peter!"
Peter Thomas sneered at him. "Halliwell."
Zach recovered quickly. "What are you doing here?"
"None of your beeswax," snarled the taller boy.
Danny spoke up. "Peter, let it go."
Peter's eyes briefly softened. "Weren't you going?"
Zach eyed his friends. Andrew waved him off; Danny ignored him. It was pointless to stay, but it irked him to give into Peter. A memory of Peter at lunch the other day bubbled to the surface. Was his mortal enemy capable of kindness? He left the room, found an unused bathroom and orbed back to the Manor.
The trip to England happened sooner than anyone had prepared for. Duke Richard Capell, Matthew's maternal grandfather, fell ill the week before Thanksgiving. Serena left the next day to be by her father's side. He died the following day peacefully in his sleep. Matt and Chris left that night to be with Serena. Piper, Phoebe, and Coop left early the next morning to spend the holidays with Paige. Wyatt thought it best to have the three sisters together in case of an attack.
Zach spent the following day packing enough clothes to last him a week or two. Plans were being made for Wyatt, Sarah, and Zach to visit Prue and her family following the funeral. Despite his arguments, his parents refused to see reason. They would spend at least the holidays in England possibly longer. He met his dad on the stairs. He dad was busy enchanting the house against evil but stopped to speak to him. Zach ignored his father.
He would have orbed directly out of his room to avoid all contact with his parents, but the house was already warded against orbing. His mother was in the kitchen preparing sandwiches. She also tried to start a conversation, but he continued on his way out onto the back patio. He felt the moment he left the confines of the ward and orbed away, his mother shouting something at him. He reappeared in Rebecca's room.
His girlfriend was nowhere to be seen, but the door to her bathroom was closed. He had been spending a lot of time in this room unbeknownst to her parents. Every free moment they had was spent together. With the city on lock down due to the attack on the high school and then a series of anti-magic bombings of occult shops, Rebecca's parents refused to let her leave the house without them, so he came to her. Sometimes he orbed into the bushes nearby and knocked on the front door. Those days they spent under the watchful eye of her father in the living room watching movies. Other days, like today, he orbed directly into her room. They had more fun those days.
Rebecca appeared to accept his being a witch without concern. It barely even came up in conversation. She treated him like he was an ordinary boy. She comforted him when he expressed his fears. He held her as she told him her concerns. This part of his life magic did not dictate or change.
His friendship with Sophia was strained. Neither of them spoke about it the few times they met, but something was different between them. His parents were not happy about her father but did not hold his actions against her. As far as he could tell, her relationship with Matt was going as hot and heavy as ever. It was just with him that she acted different. Rebecca said it was guilt over how she had hurt him that day. He was not so sure it was that simple.
Andrew and Danny were still in the hospital, and while they joked around and acted normal there was a tension in the air. Andrew felt betrayed that Zach was going to leave him in his moment of need. Zach could see it in his eyes even as his best friend denied any such thing.
With Rebecca, he could be himself. Something, he was eternally grateful for.
Rebecca walked out of her bathroom wearing only a polka dot bra and panties to match. She quickly stifled her scream and tried to cover herself up. Zach mind went temporarily blank at the sight, but he recovered and looked away. She hastily threw on the fluffy robe she was fond of.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, face still beet red.
Zach closed his eyes and willed his heart to stop beating so fast. "I—uh—my parents."
Rebecca sat down next to him on the bed. He tried to keep his mind off the dirtier thoughts floating around it. Her robe slipped up passed her knee. Her skin looked so smooth and inviting. He shook his head.
"What'd they do now?" she whispered in his ear.
A shiver ran down his spine, and he knew she was playing with him. She loved to see him flustered. She thought it was cute.
"I—uh—th—they—er—they refuse to l—lis—listen," he stuttered.
She blew softly against his ear. "Really?"
"Y—ye—ye—yes." His eyes fluttered shut.
She lifted his hand and placed it on the bare skin of her thigh. Slowly she kissed his earlobe, down his chin, further down his neck. She paused right over his pounding jugular vein and gave it a second kiss. His hand slid further up her thigh brushing aside the fluffy fabric of the pink robe.
"Maybe. You. Should. Just. Tell. Them. No." She punctuated each word with a kiss. Her voice grew husky.
Zach felt his fingers brush against a different kind of fabric. He pulled back still letting them wander around her thigh. She undid the zipper of his jacket. He helped her remove the item of clothing. He kissed her on the lips. Fingers ran through her hair. He returned her kisses, first on the cheek then on the neck. He found the sensitive spot on her neck and left his mark. She groaned in gratitude.
More buttons popped open, and his shirt slid off. It was the first time they had gone this far. The first time she had seen his bare chest, and the abs she loved to run her fingers over during their making out sessions. The sight left her breathless, but not to be outdone she wriggled her arms out of her robe. The pink robe coalesced around her waist, revealing her chest and bra again. Zach sucked in a breath.
"Wow."
She smirked. "You haven't seen nothing yet."
She bent down to kiss him, and someone knocked on the door.
"Shit," moaned Zach.
Rebecca glared at him warningly. "YES?"
Her mother called through the door. "You dad and I are going to the store. Do you want anything?"
Rebecca sighed in relief. "No, I'm ok, thanks."
"We won't be long."
"Ok, love you, bye."
"Love you too," said her mother.
Rebecca and Zach kept still until they heard a car engine. Zach forced his eyes back to Rebecca's face. "That was close."
Rebecca nodded suddenly feeling exposed. She pulled one side of the robe back over her shoulder. "Too close."
Zach threw his head back landing on the soft collection of pillows. "We—we should stop."
Rebecca crawled up next to him and laid her head on his bare chest. She started drawing patterns with her finger. "Do you want to stop?"
Zach chuckled gruffly. "You're asking a dude if he wants to stop. No, I don't want to stop."
"Then why should we?"
Zach gulped not expecting an answer like that. "Are you? Um, are you ready?"
Rebecca continued to doodle with her finger. She could see the effect she was having on him even through his jeans. "You're going to be gone for a long time. You'll go out with Rick and Mike. Maybe you'll meet a pretty girl…"
Zach shook his head violently. "Are you seriously worried about that? Baby, I love you. I won't even look at another girl."
Rebecca's hand inched further down and traced the outlines of his abs. She tickled the faintest beginnings of the trail of hair that ran from his bellybutton to inside his pants. "That's what you say now, but when you get there you might change your mind. It's happened before."
"Not with me," said Zach firmly. "Never with me. I don't care how difficult a long distance relationship is. I love you and only you. I could wait for forever."
Rebecca craned her head up. "Really?"
Zach nodded his head. "Really."
Rebecca slipped on top of him. "You shouldn't say romantic things like that, Zachary. You're bound to break a girl's heart."
Zach lifted his head and met her halfway for a kiss. "Not when I mean them."
AN: Thank you all for reading this part one of a chapter. Part two is being worked on as you read this. As always I'd love to hear what you think of this twisted creation of my mind. Again a huge thank you to D'Blacq for the constant support and to the many others who silently enjoy this story.
