AN: Next chapter!

FALL TO LOSE IT ALL

Richard's room was the smallest in the cabin; he had chosen it specifically because of that fact. He was used to cramped living conditions. At school, the dorms were uncomfortably small. During semesters abroad, they usually stayed in the spare bedroom of a family connected to the school. Even at home, his bedroom was barely large enough to have a bed and a small desk. The first time he ever had space in a bedroom was living at the Manor. There was another reason he wanted a small room. It made him feel less alone.

He grew up with a constant companion. He never had to do anything alone. He always had his twin brother. They had done everything together. Sure, they had different interests. He liked photography and art; Michael preferred sports and cars. Michael had been the one person he knew he could turn to for anything at any time. The feeling went both ways, or at least, he hoped it did.

Michael's death brought a gaping hole into his life. He was surrounded by family and friends and still felt alone. He knew he could not face a room that reminded him of the fact he was alone in the world. So he chose the cramped corner room, which could have easily passed for a linen closet aside for the window on one wall.

While others had slowly made the rooms their own, adding décor and changing the bedding, he left the room bare. The bedding was the same washed out grey sheets and comforter Sarah had provided him on their first night at the cabin. There was no desk, no place to put a picture frame or a computer. The built-in closet was just big enough to hold his meager wardrobe. He had never regretted his decision until now.

Beth stood by the shut door, arms folded. He wished there was more space between them, but he was backed against the opposite wall. He had been avoiding this conversation ever since Zach's rescue and the return of his brother. He was never big on confrontation. His new girlfriend looked peeved.

"You've been avoiding me," said Beth, hands on her hips.

Richard swallowed. "Can you—um—you know…"

Beth rolled her eyes and took a step further into the room. "Why, Rick?"

"Be—because—you—him…"

"Seriously?" Beth threw herself onto his bed. She bounced a few times and tucked a pillow under her head, staring up at him.

Richard stayed dead still, fearful any action on his part might set off a fight, an argument. He did not want an argument. He still wanted to be friends. The lump in his throat grew.

Beth closed her eyes. "Have you seen him?"

Richard slowly shook his head. "Not really."

"I haven't either, thanks for asking."

Richard frowned. He was certain his brother would want to see his girlfriend the moment their parents let him out of their sight. There were reasons for his brother to avoid him. He was partially to blame for Michael dying. He had gotten together with his girlfriend; they had been kissing on the porch when everyone had arrived back from the island. Richard knew his brother saw them together. He had tried to explain, but Michael had shoved him out of their parent's room.

Beth sat up. "Come on, sit."

Richard shivered and sat on the very edge of the single-sized bed. "Beth…"

Beth grabbed his arm and pulled him into her. He landed with his head in her lap. He felt his cheek and ears heat up. She bent down and kissed his cheek. "Rick, what's going on with you?"

He did not sit up. He did not want to lose what he felt would be the last contact he had with her. "I—um—I know—er—well, I know you love him still."

"And?"

He groaned. "I—understand if—if—you…"

Beth clicked and laughed. "You think I want to go back to him. Split up with you?"

He nodded against her jean-clad thigh, not trusting his ability to speak.

Beth stroked his cheek. "Babe, I love him. He was my first love. But," she bit her lower lip," but I—I love you. With Mike, it was intense and physical. I knew he loved me, but it never felt like it was forever. It was a puppy love. You—you've been amazing. We can talk. You're able to make me forget how horrible the world is at the moment. I'm not giving up on that. I love you too much to break up with you. Unless you…"

Richard bolted up, kneeling in front of her. "No! No, I don't want…"

He broke off and leaned forward and kissed her.

"Zach's a quiet guy," said Nathaniel.

The trees above him swayed gently in the breeze. Their fresh leaves rustled softly, glistening with a the occasional powdering of frost. He walked slowly, scuffing his shoes on the occasional pebble. Beside him, Kenny strode in silence, not looking at him.

Kenny arched an eyebrow, fiddling with something in his pocket. "He can be."

Nathaniel stopped and shoved his handed into the pockets of his grey jogging pants. "Has he—er…"

"He's not mentioned you or Rebecca while I've been around," finished Kenny gently. He shook his head. "Not that I've seen a lot of him. He hangs out with his mom mainly. It's only at breakfast and dinner that I've even spoken to him." Kenny rubbed the back of his neck, feeling like an intruder.

Nathaniel hunched his shoulders and stared off into the frost-flecked trees. "I was just getting used to being accepted."

Kenny kept silent.

"I know it's silly. He's come back—we just went to a funeral for his girlfriend. I know I shouldn't be worried. I know Becca loves me. It's just—sometimes, actually most of the time, there's a part of me that knows she loves him more." Nathaniel shuffled his feet.

Unsure how to react, Kenny copied his friend. Silence reigned, even the birds fell silent. Kenny fiddled with the ring in his pocket. He never went anywhere without it. It was a connection to a past he did not understand. It was a reminder he did not belong. He hated it.

"How's shape-shifting training going?" asked Kenny.

Nathaniel smirked briefly. "Nothing to it."

Kenny bobbed his head up and down, throwing ideas around in his head for something to talk about. He did not want to be asked anything about Zach and Rebecca. "So you can do it whenever you want?"

"It hurts like a motherfucker but yeah." The brown-haired teen sounded thankful for the change in topic.

Kenny pushed his thick black rim glasses further up his nose. "I always thought it'd be cool to be a werewolf. Not the bloodthirsty, crazed kind, but the ones that are still in control when they turn."

Nathaniel stepped in closer. "It kind of rocks. Plus, I'm a black panther. That's Rebecca's favorite animal."

They returned to the topic. Kenny silenced a groan. He knew he would have to say something. "You should just talk to her."

"Yeah right! Just tell my girlfriend I think she's going to go back to her ex," scoffed Nathaniel, kicking a small rock.

Kenny's eyes tracked the jagged stone's path. "I wouldn't phrase it quite like that, but aren't you supposed to be able to talk about stuff like that with your girlfriend? Isn't honesty and trust the two biggest parts of having a lasting relationship?"

Nathaniel pulled an annoyed face. "Heard anything from Amber?"

Kenny cast his eyes to the floor. "Nothing."

"That sucks, dude. Sorry. I'm sure she's fine, though."

Kenny shrugged. "You know she's been gone longer than we're together? I'm not even sure how to feel about it. Some days I'm so angry with her for leaving, for not sending a letter. Other days—I'm just praying she and her family are safe."

A nearby tree burst into bloom. Kenny and Nathaniel jumped.

"Sorry," muttered Kenny.

Nathaniel eyed the tree. "No worries, man."

The two eventually wandered back up to the house.

The black and white ward formed a solid semi-transparent dome over the cabin. The edges of the ward extended a foot or two beyond the porch. Despite Anakin's warning and orders, Piper was not about to lock herself in the basement. She did descend down the stairs to ensure all the younger children were inside. They were shaken and scared, but Phoebe was a master of distraction. She was entertaining most of them; some were even laughing when Piper entered the basement.

"Grandma Piper!" yelled Pippa excitedly.

Piper smiled broadly and opened her arms wide. Pippa ran over to the Halliwell matriarch and hugged her leg. Pippa's twin sister joined her. Piper bent down and hugged both girls. Her eyes drifted up to her sister. She could see the fear in Phoebe's eyes and knew Phoebe could see it in her eyes. They knew each other too well for them to hide something like that.

"I tried to call Paige and the others," said Phoebe extracting herself from the gathering of children.

Piper nodded. "Annie's put up some sort of ward over the cabin. He said there's an additional ward over the basement. Do you know about it?"

Phoebe's hand spasmed for a moment, searching for the comforting and familiar feeling of Coop's hand in her own. "Is he sure we need it?"

"Yes," said Piper. She lowered her voice. "Suyana is dead."

Phoebe closed her eyes. "No…"

Piper gasped down a sob. "Where are the teens?"

"Last I saw them—in the game room upstairs."

Piper nodded. "Alright, I'm going to find them."

Phoebe reached out and caught her hand. "Do we know…"

"No," said Piper firmly unwilling to entertain the dark thought.

She left the basement quickly and headed upstairs. The game room was empty. It was moments like these she really missed Leo. She felt the heartache every day. The loss of a soul mate was difficult to live with. Situations of action and loss were when she was reminded how heavily they relied on Leo as their whitelighter. She felt lost without him.

"Grandma?"

Piper jumped.

Matt stepped into the passageway from a room down the passage; eyes a bit puffy. "What's going on?"

Piper steadied her racing heart. "Are the others with you?"

Matt nodded, looking back into the room. "Yeah, they—um—have you looked outside?"

"There's a demon attacking," said Piper as evenly as she could. Her voice still shook. "We need you to come down to the basement."

"The basement?" asked Rebecca, stepping out from behind Matt. She was pale and did not look like she had been getting a lot of sleep.

Piper nodded, breathing in slowly. "It's got a few extra wards on it."

"I'm not holing myself up. Who's out there fighting?" asked Matt in the stubborn tone so much like his father.

Piper prayed for patience. Leo was always the one able to snap Chris out of his dogged streaks. "Annie's out there and Sarah. They'll be able to focus on the fight a lot better if they know you are all safe."

Matt narrowed his eyes. "What demon are they fighting?"

"I don't know," said Piper, hedging.

Rebecca ducked back into the room.

Piper walked a bit further down the passage, passing a bathroom. "Matt, please…"

Matt scrunched up his face. "We can fight, Grandma."

"Annie can handle it," reasoned Piper.

Rebecca and Sophia re-appeared with Beth. "We're going down. We're not much help in a fight."

Matt squeezed Sophia's shoulder. "Babe…" He said in a soft voice.

"We'll talk later," whispered Sophia.

Piper frowned as the two girls left quickly. "Matt?"

Matt shook his head. "It's nothing. The windows are all opaque. You can't see anything."

Piper sighed. "Anakin placed a ward…"

Matt interrupted her. "He's got a ward around the house, but he wants us in the basement? Nothing's breaking through that ward. Nothing but—is it Lucifer?"

Richard, Kenny, Andrew, and Danny all exited the room.

"Can't be…"

"…not possible…"

"Lucifer!"

Piper quieted them. "It's not Lucifer."

"Then what?" asked Matt seriously.

"Something strong," said Piper, dodging the question.

Nathaniel joined them, head hung low. Clearly it was not a good day for couples. Piper kept her observation to herself.

"Where's Mike?" asked Piper.

Richard answered, "no clue."

Piper frowned. "Rick…"

Matt jumped to his cousin's defense. "Mike's not really big on hanging out. He doesn't say anything to us. I think he went with the adults into town."

Piper shook her head. "Your mom wouldn't risk that."

The whole house shuddered.

"To the basement. NOW," commanded Piper.

"Grand…"

Piper glared at them. "NOW, BOYS!"

They left, but Matt lingered.

"Mike. What about Mike?"

Piper took a breath. "Can you sense him?"

Matt shook his head. "No, but I've never been able to since he returned. Maybe, Rick can."

Piper strode off in the direction of the stairs and the other teenagers, sweeping Matt along in her wake. She caught up to them at the bottom of the stairs. The house shook again. Windows shattered.

"Rick, can you sense your brother?"

Richard bowed his head in shame. "He's blocking me. Has been since he and Zach returned."

Piper pursed her lips in thought. "Alright, you go to the basement. I'll check the house."

"It'll go quicker with more of us," said Nathaniel timidly.

"No. I won't risk any of you. I'll be fine," refused Piper adamantly, sharing the Halliwell stubbornness. The boys slunk off in defeat. She waited and watched them leave before hurrying to find her grandson.

Zach, yes that was his name, woke up. His heart pounded in his small chest. It was beating so fast it hurt. He tried to rub his chest but discovered his hands were chained to the bitterly cold wall behind him. He shivered. He had always known the cold, but this room was colder than the dead of winter. He twisted his head, groaning as pain tinged all through his tiny body. He remembered the torture and the smile.

"You should save your strength," said a rough and broken voice in the darkness.

Zach froze.

The voice spoke again. "It's ok, Zach. It's me."

"Who?"

The voice laughed hollowly before it turned into a hacking cough. "Me. Annie."

"Annie?" Zach frowned, thinking hard. The forest returned. Out of the shadows of his hazy memory strode a large midnight feline with one green eye and one blue.

The man stifled his coughing fit. Zach could hear him struggling to catch his breath. He had heard people cough like that before. He remembered what normally happened to those people. He whimpered.

"Do not be afraid, Zach. You are strong. Stronger than he thinks. Stronger than you should have to be." The man coughed again. "You can beat this."

Zach shut his eyes against the tears. He wanted to curl up into a ball and cry. He wanted to be back in the warmth of the hovel. He wanted to be back with his grandfather. He remembered Leo, too, the kindly old healer. The first man he could recall to show him any sort of kindness. "You—cat."

The man remained silent for a moment. "I suppose."

"Suppose?"

The man sighed loudly. "I—it's more complicated than that."

"Clearly. Now, man," said Zach a little surer of himself.

Anakin chuckled. "I am a witch, or I was one."

Zach frowned. Magic was not unheard of. He knew magic existed, although he had never met a witch before, or had he. "Not witch?"

Another bout of wet coughs echoed in the darkness.

"I'm—our captor is more capable than I thought. He stripped me of my powers," said Anakin hoarsely.

Zach pondered the new information. He could tell Anakin was not telling him everything. He closed his eyes. He knew he must have met their captor. Shadows, all he remembered was shadows and screaming. His eyes snapped open.

"You—uncle…"

Zach wished the darkness would lift a little. He wanted to see the man. Slowly the black lifted. He was able to make out the figure of a man on the opposite wall. He too had his arms chained to the wall. He was bigger, older than Zach pictured him. He had short light hair.

Anakin looked directly at him. "I'm your uncle, yes."

"Leo. Granddad?"

Shifting slightly Anakin looked shocked to Zach. "Leo? You—you saw Leo?"

Zach nodded, unsure if Anakin noticed the action. The man appeared lost in his own world. "He look after me."

Anakin looked up. "Dad was always good at that."

"He dead," said Zach simply. The fact resonated in the chamber.

Sadly, slowly, Anakin nodded. "I know. What about your dad and mom?"

Zach swallowed. "Not sure. Can't remember."

"It's ok. Rest. We have time, I think."

Zach pulled against his chains. They held firm. "How?"

"What do you remember?" asked Anakin softly.

"Attack. Leo—d—dead. You. Storm. Dark. Shadows." Zach felt the fear overtaking him. His breath quickened. His heart jumped into his throat.

Anakin spoke louder. "Breathe. Zach, Breathe. Just breathe, Zachy."

"Zachy," gasped Zach. "You. You and Pax."

Zach could feel Anakin smile. He did not understand how. It was not normal.

Anakin groaned. "Think I broke a rib or two."

Zach ignored him. "You no know Pax."

"No. She was born after—after I…"

"Died," finished Zach.

Anakin's eyes flashed. "You remember that?"

Zach frowned. Anakin could not have died. He was right in front of him. He was chained to the wall. He shook his head. "Not. Wrong."

"No, Zach. It's not wrong. I died."

"How?"

Anakin wheezed. "I died when you were still very little. Then a year ago—I was brought back. You remember that?"

Zach wanted to clutch his head. The memories flickered. His mind raced. It was too much. He yelled. The castle shook.

"Ok, ok. Zach, it's ok," whispered Anakin.

Zach could hear him as if the man was right next to him. It did not make sense. His muscles ached, bringing tears to his eyes. The storm outside started up again. Nothing made sense. He knew Anakin died. He remembered the bright light. He remembered Anakin holding his hand, saving him from something. Eve. He gasped.

"No, no, no."

The world stilled. Footsteps echoed around them, hard and heavy.

Anakin struggled to stand. "Zach, breathe. It's all ok. Just breathe. Remember, you can beat him."

The door to the dungeon opened a crack. A shadowy figure stepped into the opening, backlit by a flickering torch. The figure was dressed in all black. Zach knew nothing of clothes, but even he knew the figure was dressed in the best cloths and fabrics. He stepped into the room, descending the few stairs.

"So, the boy has woken. What lies have you fed him?"

The figure lashed out and punched Anakin in the stomach. Zach yelled. Anakin spat out blood. The figure dismissed Anakin and approached Zach. Zach pulled back against the wall. The man's face was still clocked in shadows.

"Come, now, boy," said the man.

Zach sniveled softly.

The man turned back to Anakin. "I guess, you have not had much luck. Shall I release you so you can try some more? I do love this game."

Anakin slipped down the wall. "Zach," he moaned, "he's nothing. You can beat him."

The man laughed. It struck like ice in Zach's chest, freezing his heart. "The witch is dead. He was too weak. This is just the last futile and fearful gasp of a dead man."

Anakin eyes burned with hatred. Zach felt the heat and wondered how the man could not. The man turned his back on Anakin. The light from the torch in the passage illuminated the man's face. Zach inhaled in shock. It was impossible. It could not be true. The man, the monster in the castle, the most feared being in the entire valley was he.

"Suddenly remembered the truth, boy?"

Zach exhaled sharply. "You're not me."

The other Zach was taller than him. His blond hair was trimmed into a neat and regale haircut. His bright blue eyes were not sunken in their sockets from lack of sleep. He was not a scrawny little boy. He worked out and ate well. He held himself with a confidence and air of power Zach never possessed.

"No, I'm not you. I'm what your family never wanted for you. They wanted to keep you weak. They wanted to tame you. Protect the innocent. Ha. What a load of bullshit. With the power I possess, I deserve to be feared. I deserve to be revered."

Zach shook his head. "NO! No, power isn't meant for this. Not this. It's not for propping yourself up. It's meant to help. It allows you to protect those who can't protect themselves."

Anakin smiled weakly and nodded, catching Zach's eyes.

The man scoffed. "Lies fed to you by fools. What has protecting the innocent gotten you? Are you happy? Are you safe?"

Images of Rebecca. Matt smiling and laughing. Kenny pointing out a girl surreptitiously. Nights spent with Sophia and Andrew. His mom and dad. His grandmother. His family. Eve—Eve…

"Yes. There are days that suck. There are times the world knocks me down. I've lost people. Family. M-m-my baby." Zach's voice cracked. "I wouldn't change it. I won't be this. I won't let you be this."

The man laughed and his eyes turned pitch black. "You have no choice. I have your body. I have your power. I have your life. I AM YOU!"

The man struck. Zach dodged, his chains vanishing. The man's fist went through the wall. He yelled in fury and madness. His form contorted.

Anakin spoke loudly. "You can do this. Believe. Remember."

The man transformed into a monstrous gorilla-like creature. His eyes remained black obsidian. He roared, spit flying and dribbling from his mouth. Zach ducked the next blow and the next one. He kept backing up. He did not know how to fight. He could not win this. The beast grew.

"Zach. You must believe," said Anakin from the floor.

The beast turned on him. It raised a hand easily the size of a small boulder.

"NO!" screamed Zach.

Power rolled off him and knocked the creature. It lost its balance and missed Anakin, almost. It still struck a glancing blow. Anakin yelled in pain. His left shoulder hung longer than it should. The rest of the arm flapped at his side a useless bloody blob of flesh and shattered bone. Zach raced to his side.

"Annie," he breathed in concern.

Anakin gritted his teeth, face pale as a sheet. "Don't turn your back on it."

The creature twisted and shook, gathering its powerful limbs underneath it. Time stretched out as horror sank in, and it charged. Zach threw out his left hand balled into a fish. A telekinetic blast visibly poured out of him. The creature and the blast smashed together. For a moment it looked like the creature's momentum would overwhelm the blast. Abruptly movement shifted. Wide-eyed, the creature crashed through the remains of the wall Zach had been changed to. Anakin's chains vanished.

"What?"

Anakin breathed in short quick gasps. Beads of sweat covered his furrowed forehead. "You need to win."

Zach raised his hand to heal Anakin, but nothing happened.

"It won't work. It's all mental damage. Zach, we're in your mind." Anakin struggled to talk. His voice wavered and chocked.

"That thing—it's me," whispered Zach in shock.

"A part of you. Lucifer managed to unleash it. You need to beat it back. You can beat it. You must believe."

Zach stared at his uncle. Realization dawned on him. "I'm a naagolishii."

Anakin gulped and hissed. He squeezed his eyes shut. "Yes."

"You should kill me," said Zach quickly without emotion.

Anakin forced a laugh. It came out as a whimper. "Never. You can come back from this."

"I killed. Oh God! Please, no." Zach was not listening to his uncle. Images of death and destruction, real and imagined, staggered him.

Anakin tried to stand, cried out, and slumped back to the ground. He looked up at his nephew. "Zach. You didn't do anything. It did. Now, you need to defeat it. Lock it away. Destroy it."

"Who?" asked Zach in a shaky voice.

Anakin shook his head unwilling to answer. He knew the truth would devastate the young witch.

"TELL ME!" The castle shook.

Hesitant, still hoping he would not have to speak, Anakin opened his mouth. Slowly the name slipped passed his lips in barely more than a breath. "Suyana."

Zach ran his grimy fingers through his shaggy hair. His whole body shook with revulsion and disbelief. "Kill me."

Again, Anakin shook his head. More firmly he said, "No. I believe in you. You can beat this."

Zach stared down at his uncle, his dying uncle. He let out a stuttering breath. "I've messed up. This is all my fault."

Anakin kept silent, shaking his head. It hurt too much to speak. Zach bent down, sitting on his haunches. He looked his uncle in the eyes.

"You sacrificed everything to save the world. I used my powers to save myself from the guilt. This is the result."

Anakin gasped as the pain flared. "Zach, please, listen. None of this is a reflection on you. I've watched you grow up from afar. You have the best qualities from both your parents. You are a good person. This is all Lucifer, all of it…."

Anakin broke off. Something growled deep in the shadows of the destroyed wall. Both witches faced the wall, Zach standing up tall and defensively in front of his uncle. He set his jaw firm and took a deep breath. He caught the glimpse of movement. Zach raised a hand, conjuring a fire ball.

Coughing the older, more well kept, Zach stepped out of the darkness. He brushed off the dust from his black suit jacket with a look of dismissal and boredom. "The baby can fight. I'm impressed. You are not a complete pushover. It's a pity—you're no match for me. I'm you without the restraint of morality."

A hacking cough kept Anakin from talking.

The older Zach grinned. "Something to say, Twice Born? We'll have to change your title very soon. Your physical form won't be around much longer. You are running out of time."

Anakin haphazardly wiped away the spittle clinging to his cracked lips. "Zach…" He had to break off as more coughs rattled his weakened body.

Zach, the real Zach, closed his eyes and cringed at each cough. "Let him go," he begged.

His older doppelgänger laughed merrily. "That is not up to me."

Zach turned back to his uncle. "Go. You've got to survive."

"You are worth it. I'm n—n—not…"

The Zach in the suit cracked his knuckles idly. "Chit chat is so boring. You've given it your best shot, Zachy boy. Now, let me show you how it is done."

The other Zach shifted into a vaguely humanoid creature with yellow eyes and shiny and pale green scales for skin. The creature sprinted forward in a blink of an eye. It hit Zach dead on, shoulder first. All the air left Zach's lungs as he was lifted off his feet. He waved his arms wildly for a moment, trying to grab hold of something. The blow threw him back into the still intact wall. His head ricocheted off the stone wall.

The creature struck out at Anakin. Its hand transformed into a hideous mockery of an eagle's feet including the razor-sharp talons. Anakin's eyes glowed with a multitude of color. The talons ripped through skin and sliced through bone. Zach tried to scream. The creature did scream. It raised its hand up and stared at it in horror. Nothing remained but a scorched stump below the elbow. Anakin slumped to the ground, blood pooling around him.

Zach shoved himself off the wall. Blinded by rage, he attacked with everything he had. Fire balls and telekinetic empowered punches rained down on the startled creature. It backed off, but Zach kept up his attack. He roared in anguish and loss. The air around him shimmered. The whole castle began to collapse around them.

The creature transformed into a snake. Zach blasted it in two. The bisected muscular body writhed and twisted on the vanishing floor. Dark inky smoke poured out of the wound, shrouding the body. Zach paused and winced in pain. He clutched at his chest and felt something beneath his ruined shirt. He reached underneath and pulled out the simple necklace with the tooth talisman. The tooth was no longer a dull brown. It was a pure white. Zach held the tooth up higher to inspect it closer. Carved along the edge were tiny pictures.

The smoke cleared revealing a disheveled Zach, lying on the non-existent floor. His suit was ripped. His perfectly gelled hair fell around his sweat-covered face. He was panting heavily.

"That's not yours," he hissed.

Zach let it go. "You're right."

The other Zach climbed onto his feet, smiling. He held out his hand.

Zach frowned and stared at the hand with an arched eyebrow. "I do let my worries hold me back."

The other Zach blinked and backed up as realization dawned on him. Zach ripped the necklace off and held it aloft. He glared at his more suave twin and yelled out a word in a language he did not know. The talisman shattered, washing everything in a blinding white radiance.

"Matty," called little Phebe, walking up to the teenager.

Matt looked down at her with a smile. "What's up, sweetie?"

"When's my mommy and daddy going to be back?"

Matt cast a glance over at his great-aunt. Phoebe was entertaining some of the other younger children with help from Beth. He could see the concern on her face. She hid it well, but he caught her in a reflective moment. They had been locked in the basement for at least an hour. Piper had never returned. The house was not that big; there were not that many places for Michael to have been. He returned his gaze to his cousin and shrugged.

"I'm not sure, but they'll be back soon."

Phebe pulled an unimpressed face. "But I want them," she whined.

"I know. We all want our parents."

Phebe frowned incredulously. "But you're a big boy."

Matt smirked despite the situation. "Doesn't mean I can't miss my mom and dad."

"My mommy says if you missing someone it means they're thinking of you," she sniffed.

Matt bent down and pulled her onto his knee. He looked her in her eyes. "Really?"

She nodded her head fervently. "That's what she says."

Someone moved closer to them. Matt looked up. It was Sophia. He did not know how to feel. They had been going through a rough patch. The loss of her father hit Sophia hard. He had tried being there for her. In the end, even with the number of horrors he had experienced, he was thoroughly unprepared to help her. That feeling of uselessness never sat well with him, and it caused him to act insensitively. Before all hell broke lose, again, he was sure Sophia had been planning to break up with him. If Rebecca had not interrupted them, she probably would have already said the dreaded words.

"Matthew," said Sophia softly, "can we talk?"

Matt swallowed hollowly. "Can we not? Not right here, right now?"

Sophia's eyes were as bloodshot as his own. "Not about us. I've been reading through my d—da—dad's—notes on h—his encounters with magic. Really, they're his family's encounters; some of them date back to the witch trials as Salem."

Matt nodded. Phebe squirmed off his knee and wondered off. He stood up. "Right."

"It's a way to keep myself busy. Anyway, I read about an experience by one of my ancestors at the turn of the century. He was tracking a clan of werewolves near the Canadian border. One night he stumbled upon a small village. It was completely decimated. He initially attributed the damage to the werewolves, but in retrospect, he felt something much more sinister was to blame. Then he launched into an ancient legend he had heard from some Navajo elders about skinwalkers."

Matt continued to listen as his frown deepened.

Sophia grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the wall near the stairs. She bent down and drew a finger over a series of carved imaged near the base of the cold gray wall. "He had a sketch of similar pictographs on the following page. Do you know anything about Sarah's family?"

Matt shrugged studying the carvings. "Not much more than what we've learned being here. They never visited San Francisco. Zach never said anything about stuff like this."

"But Suyana was a shape shifter," said Sophia quieter.

Matt leaned in, catching the slightest whiff of her shampoo. He shook his head, ridding himself of the stray thoughts. "Are you thinking she's a skinwalker? I doubt that. I know Suyana's family was from South America. They're not Navajo."

Sophia turned her head to face him. They were almost nose-to-nose. She pulled back a bit, gaining a safe distance. "Navajo have their legends on skinwalkers, but it's not the story my ancestor wrote down. I think that this oral tradition comes from the far reaches of the Inca Empire. The pictographs are similar."

Matt folded his arms over his chest. "What's the point?"

"The naagolishii—a skinwalker—is one of the most feared beings. It is a corruption of a guardian spirit, a pure heart. What if—what if that thing we saw—what if it was Zach?"

Matt shook his head immediately. "Don't be absurd."

Sophia stared at him with wide eyes. "It could be. It could be what Lucifer was doing. He needed to turn Zach. We've always just imagined that meaning him being an evil witch, but it always struck me as odd Lucifer would choose Zach. He's powerful, but he's not a match for say his dad or your dad."

"They're also not teenagers," interjected Matt.

Sophia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, maybe. So why not truly try and corrupt you? He had you on the island for a while. He concentrated on Zach, though."

Matt shuddered against the rising memories. "Yeah, 'cause he's the strongest of us—the firstborn in his, our, generation."

"And if he's a union of something more? Look at the stuff written about your uncle. The Twice Blessed. Now, combine his legacy with that of a powerful family of shape shifters…"

Matt stared at her. His mouth opened and closed imitating a fish as he tried to process Sophia's suggestion. He had kept his time on the island to himself for the most part. At times, he would feel so cut off from the rest of his family and friends. The only one he never felt like he had to hide the damage from was Anakin purely because he knew Anakin saw right through the act. He wanted to confide in someone, but the war made his concerns seem insignificant. He wanted to talk to Zach. He needed his cousin to not be that thing he had seen.

"No—no…it can't be—no," mumbled Matt.

Sophia cocked her head to one side and reached out. He stared at her hand on his shoulder. He shifted and placed his hand over her hand. "I don't want to lose you," he said.

Sophia closed her eyes and looked away. "We're—it's…oh, Matt…"

Matt sniffed and cleared his throat. "What do these symbols mean?"

"I don't know. I've been looking for some sort of translation help. It's why I recognized them. Do you think the parents know?"

Matt looked over his shoulder at Phoebe. "It'd be just like them to not tell us everything."

Sophia chewed on her lip. "Matt…"

Matt shook his head. "Soph, please," he begged.

Sadly Sophia walked away without another word. Matt stayed with is eyes closed. He tried to steady his breathing. He felt the tears escape and trickle down his cheeks despite his best efforts. Sounds around him were muffled. Slinking further into the abandoned corner Matt took in a deep gulping breath. Angrily he kicked the wall. There was a battle raging outside. His grandmother and cousin were missing. Losing control, breaking down, was not an option at the moment.

The light hanging down from the nondescript roof flickered. Something exploded. A few of the children screamed. Matt picked up Pippa and hugged her tight. She was the nearest of the children to him. His eyes met Phoebe's worried eyes. He nodded his head once. She was holding a crying Patience. Keeping his grip on his younger cousin, he walked over to his great aunt.

"I've got them."

Patience clung onto Phoebe, shaking her head.

"Sweetie, it's alright. Everything's going to be fine. Look! Matt's right here. You like Matt don't you?"

Matt smiled, knowing his cheeks were stained with tears. "Come on, we can all play a game."

Paxton was nearby, and she placed her hands on her hips. "Don't try and distract us! We're not stupid."

Nathaniel jumped in before Matt or Phoebe could answer. "What? You're still too chicken after I whipped your butt the last time we played monopoly?"

Paxton blushed. "Na-ah."

Nathaniel arched a thick eyebrow. "Then prove it."

Matt adjusted Pippa more comfortably on his hip. She had her head buried into his aching shoulder. He might work out, but he had very little practice in holding children. He patted Patience on the back. She was still holding on tightly to Phoebe.

"Come on, Patience, I'm going to need your help."

Patience turned her head slightly. He could barely see her face beneath her curly thick black hair. "I want Mommy!"

Matt nodded. Patience allowed herself to be transferred into Matt's arm. "All our parents will be back soon."

Pippa perked up. "I want to be the race car!"

Phoebe raced up the stairs. There was something wrong. She could feel it in her bones. The house was silent and still. Nothing moved. Her heart pounded in her ears. A floorboard creaked. She jumped and threw a punch.

"OW!"

Phoebe covered her mouth with her hands. She punched Nathaniel. "Oh, sweetie!"

Nathaniel waved her back. "No, no. My fault. It—it just felt wrong letting you come out here alone."

Phoebe smiled. "I've being doing this for a long time."

"Yeah. Still. No one should be alone. I've seen the most action out of the teens."

The sobering thought chilled Phoebe. This handsome person before her was for all his bravado a baby still. Still when she used her empathy she did not detect an inkling of fear or dread from him. He was determined. She did not have time to talk him back into the basement.

"Sorry about the nose."

Nathaniel chuckled. "A war wound from one of the original Charmed Ones. I'll wear it with pride."

They reached a room with windows.

"That's weird," said Nathaniel pointing at the scene beyond the thin glass.

Phoebe looked out and did not see anything but the usual scenery. "What?"

"Where'd the ward go?"

Phoebe frowned deeply. "What ward?"

Nathaniel inched closer to the window. "The one Anakin put around the house. I assumed it was Anakin. Didn't you see it? It was this very opaque thing."

"He must have put it up after I got the kids into the basement." Phoebe stood beside Nathaniel. "Good or bad sign?"

Nathaniel shrugged. "No clue."

Phoebe squeezed his shoulder. "Haven't been around this family long enough. Surprises are hardly ever good. I wonder if Coop can get through the wards."

She closed her eyes and called for her husband in her mind. Nothing happened. Clearly Sarah's family had thought about their warding of the property very carefully. An idea popped into her head.

"Do you know where the warding stone is?"

Nathaniel shook his head confused. "What's a warding stone?"

Phoebe ignored him and walked out the room. Her knowledge on warding was very limited. Paige was the expert. She had set up all sorts of wards around the Manor when they had lived there. Then she made packages for them when they each moved into new places. Each package always included a stone or crystal, serving as an anchor for the protective magic.

"Anakin—Anakin would know," she said to herself.

A sharp pain in her chest forced a gasp out of her. She clutched her hand over her heart and dropped to the floor. It was unimaginable pain. Pain she had felt only once before on the worst day of her life. She had to find her sister.

"Piper!" she cried out.

Nathaniel helped her to her feet. "Are you ok?" He asked, concerned.

Phoebe steadied herself by resting her right hand against the nearest wall. Years of having premonitions meant she knew exactly what the feeling was. They were running out of time.

"Mrs. Love, are you alright?"

Phoebe nodded and pushed herself away from the wall. "We need to find my sister."

Nathaniel looked around. "She was looking for Michael."

The ground quaked beneath them, throwing them to the floor. A fire ball destroyed the nearby table, showering them in ash and dust. Phoebe flipped herself back onto her feet and darted behind the relative safety of the couch. Nathaniel rolled across the ground in the opposite direction.

"We should have brought someone with long range active powers," said Nathaniel glibly.

Phoebe arched an eyebrow. "Don't underestimate your powers."

Six demons shimmered into the room, all armed with energy balls. Phoebe popped her head out from behind the couch.

"Over here, fellas."

The demons reacted in a predictable fashion and threw their energy balls at her. Phoebe shoved her hands out and concentrated on the hatred radiating off the demons. The energy balls reversed course and vanquished their conjurers. The triumphant Charmed One stood up and gave her teenaged companion a smirk. Nathaniel mimed clapping and joined her in the middle of the room.

"If there are demons here…" started Nathaniel but he let his thought trail off.

Phoebe sucked in a deep breath. "We're going to need backup. With the wards down—but Coop didn't come."

Movement outside the window interrupted further discussion. Phoebe motioned for Nathaniel to move out of sight. She picked up one of the charred table legs and inched forward. The figure outside had its back to the window. Howls and screams drifted in through the shattered glass. Shards crunched beneath her feet. The experienced witch held her breath for the last few feet. She recognized the figure and relaxed.

Anakin stood in front of the window with his hands in front of his chest. Millions of translucent spindles of something spread out from his palms and fingers. They formed a cone of sorts, absorbing the dozens of fire balls and other demonic attacks.

Phoebe looked past her nephew. The field between the house and the surrounding woods was no longer recognizable. It resembled the destruction of no-man's land between the trenches of the world wars. At the outskirts of the woods stood a dozen figures. Three of the demons towered over the others. At her current distance from them, she could not identify the demons, but she bet the three were members of the Ennead.

Nathaniel tapped her on the shoulder, making her jump. He held up his hands in front of his face, defending his nose. "Sorry. Sorry. What is going on?"

Phoebe turned away from the window. "I don't see anyone else outside."

"Can't you sense them with your empathy?"

Phoebe shook her head. "Maybe on a calm day. I'm not a whitelighter."

Nathaniel balled his fists up in frustration. "Those are Ennead. How'd they get through the wards?"

Zach staggered into the room, helping a limping Piper along. "Because Michael sabotaged the wards."

Phoebe jumped into action and helped Piper onto the couch.

"It's just a twisted ankle," said Piper, annoyed.

Zach collapsed into a chair.

"Mike?"

"He's not Mike—I don't know. Anakin tried to explain but then the attack started." Zach coughed.

Piper swatted Phoebe off her. "Sarah's gone to get word to the others. Are the kids still in the basement?"

Phoebe nodded. "Mike? Seriously?"

"Yeah, you were all focusing on the wrong kid," snapped Zach.

Phoebe faced him. "Oh…"

Zach held up his hand. "I don't need to hear it, Aunt Phoebe. We just need to figure out how to get out of this alive. Anakin's not going to be able to keep them at bay indefinitely."

Piper struggled to sit up straight. "We've got to re-activate the wards. It'll keep more demons from getting inside."

"Where's the ward stone?"

Zach waved his hand and a stone the size of the watermelon appeared in the center of the room. It was cracked in three uneven parts. "That's what remains of it. Apep pulverized the rest."

"Apep?" asked Nathaniel softly.

Zach eyed him before answering. "He's the grey-haired one with the hat. I'm not sure about his powers or why he's here."

The fear in Zach's voice chilled the room.

Piper groaned and hugged her chest. "So they're not all the same?"

Zach shook his head slowly. He chose his words with care. "The Ennead have very different personalities. Some are pure extensions of Lucifer's will. Others are more self-aware. Isis is their leader and Lucifer's right hand. She's powerful and able to get people to do what she wants. Then there's Set. He's—he's the brains of the operation. Others are assassins that put th—the Phoenix to shame." His voice cracked. "Apep is an unknown. I hardly ever saw him."

A stray fire ball obliterated a part of the wall. Phoebe yelped in fright. Nathaniel threw himself to the floor.

"Grandma, you need to get downstairs," said Zach tiredly.

Piper bristled. "I'm not hiding away."

"Piper," started Phoebe.

Piper shook her head and her eyes flashed. "No. I'll sit in a wheelchair and blow up demons. You're not locking me up and then going out there alone. Not happening."

Zach shrugged and pushed himself out of the chair. "We don't have time to argue. We need to fix the wards and breaking the ones they have up."

"None of us know enough about…"

Zach knelt down by the stone ignoring Phoebe. "He was able to break it because of my transformation. We'll need my blood and the Power of Three."

Nathaniel approached the stone. Some of the runes glowed feebly. He backed up. "Um—I can, um, get them?"

"We're not Charmed—not anymore," whispered Zach, not looking at anyone.

"Zach…"

Zach stood up and stood in front of the window. "I'm not Charmed. Not while I'm still that thing. I've got it pushed aside, but I can feel it. It's right there. One wrong move—a slip of control…"

Someone roared, and Anakin slammed into the outside wall. He dropped to his knees. The shield was broken. Energy ball and fire balls started pounding against the side of the house. Light fixtures swung dangerously. Shelving toppled off the wall. The porch caught fire.

Kenny, Matt, and Richard ran into the room.

"What are you doing out of the basement!" yelled Piper.

Kenny waved his hand and extinguished the growing fire. He pointed his finger in the direction of the forest. A horizontal tornado ripped demonic attacks out of the air and tossed them back at their conjurers. His eyes darkened and thin black crease marks stretched out from his eyes and lips.

Zach orbed Anakin inside the room. He helped his uncle into a seat beside Piper.

"Now what?" gasped Kenny.

Anakin blinked slowly. "They can't cross the grounds. Suyana cursed them."

"Why don't they shimmer?"

"I don't know," said Anakin with a moan of pain.

Phoebe pulled out a long shard of glass from his shoulder. The wound healed itself.

"Need—plan…" Kenny squeezed his eyes shut. His arm shook under the strain of keeping the protective tornado under control.

"Where's Mike?" asked Richard.

Zach turned away.

Anakin opened his mouth and closed it again.

"Rick…" Phoebe faltered.

Richard gulped and crossed his arms. "He wasn't Mike, was he?"

"No," muttered Zach.

Richard rubbed his eyes. "Who was he?"

"Montu," hissed Anakin as Phoebe continued her removal of glass and wood splinters.

"How?"

Kenny stumbled back, dropping his arm. "Sorry."

Anakin tried to stand up, but Piper stopped him. The bombardment did not restart. Zach caught his uncle's eyes and stepped up to the window with Matt quickly following him. Phoebe stifled a shout of protest.

"Is Uriel's pet too scared to face me?" boomed a deep voice.

Zach glanced at Anakin. "He's busy."

The gravely voice laughed. "Apep is pleased. Apep likes his prey frightened."

"We're not afraid you bastard," yelled Matt defiantly.

A higher voice cackled. "Oh, it's the little one. Remember me, little one?"

Matt balled his hands into fists. "Sekhmet," he growled.

"I've still got those handcuffs in my bedside table," cooed Sekhmet.

A tree near Sekhmet exploded, vanquishing a dozen or more demons. Matt whole body vibrated. His nostrils flared. Zach reached over and squeezed his wrist.

"You're safe," he whispered.

Matt pulled his hand free. "We need to kill them."

Anakin dodged his mother and hobbled over to the window. "Not without my brothers. They'll destroy us."

One of the figures, Apep, stepped forward. The ground beneath his feet turned to molten rock, and he retreated. "We're here for what is my master's. You stole his apprentice. Return him, and we will leave."

"You'll have to kill me first," said Anakin with such venom even Zach and Matt took a step away from him.

"Suit yourself," said Apep and he turned his back on the house, slinking back into the forest.

Phoebe stepped up beside her nephew. "Why aren't they attacking?"

"Because we are." They all spun around. Michael stood in the doorway with an ornate silver dagger pressed against Nathaniel's neck. "No sudden movements. He's not family, but he's still an innocent."

"Drop the mask, Montu," said Anakin.

Montu dug the dagger deeper. A trickle of blood ran down Nathaniel's neck. "I think the brother should see this happen as is."

Richard choked back a shout.

Montu in Michael's body pressed his mouth against Nathaniel's left ear. "Go ahead and transform. Make my day."

Nathaniel looked fearful at the Halliwells.

Montu arched an eyebrow. "How's the ring, Kenny, love?"

Kenny's hand slipped into his pocket. Montu smiled knowingly. "And you, young Zachary, feeling the thirst for blood grow? Or is it just carnage you long for now?"

Anakin inched forward. Montu cut his blade in a smidge more. He waggled his finger. "Now, now, Twice Born, you don't want to be the cause of another innocent's death."

"What do you want?"

Montu frowned and looked at Piper. "You deaf or something, grandma? We want Zach."

"You can't have him," said Matt.

Montu laughed. "Oh, little Matt, Sekhmet showed me some of her tapes of your time together. We've already won the day. The only question is how many dead bodies we're leaving behind."

"Just one," choked out Nathaniel.

He transformed. Montu droved the dagger into his neck and spun away. The wounded black panther swiped his clawed paw at the Ennead's stomach. His claws racked across the soft tissue. Montu snapped his finger and the dagger exploded. Nathaniel's human body dropped to the floor, spilling blood from the massive wound where his head used to be.

AN: Yet another death...What did you think?