Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed. BTW Wyatt will think of the sister he grew up with as Annie and the time traveller as Anna to distinguish them.
Chapter Fourteen
Crow: Survival and Resourcefulness
August 10th, 2003: The Heavens
The worst part of pretending to be a Whitelighter, at least in Anna's opinion, was the weekly Whitelighter meetings. They were full of Elders rambling on about Greater Good, the Balance and spouting various feel good phrases. Anna hated the meetings with a passion, and had genuinely gotten sick with disgust a few times. It amazed her that Wyatt actually enjoyed them. He liked chatting to the other Whitelighters as well.
Anna flipped her ponytail back over her shoulder as she listened to Sandra. Of all the Elders, Sandra, Zola and Kevin were the only ones she liked. That had a lot to do with them being the only Elders to refuse to remain in the Heavens when they were sealed off. Instead those three, along with a few of braver remaining Whitelighters had abandoned the Upper Regions and gone to aid the Resistance. They were truly Good, in Anna's opinion.
The sound of orbs drew her back out of her thoughts, and Anna blinked, realizing that the meeting had ended without her noticing. Wyatt was walking up to her. He wore a relaxed smile, with tension lining his spine and jaw.
Truthfully, most people wouldn't notice the subtle signs of distress, but Anna was an expert at reading people, even if she struggled with the social norms of this non-war-torn era. With their bond, fragmented though it was, reading Wyatt was as easy as reading a kids' book.
"Ready to go?" Wyatt asked cheerfully. Again, Anna hid a wince at the fakeness of it. How did no one notice? She nodded casually, pushing off the column she had been leaning against.
"Yeah, let's go." They orbed away, rematerializing in the condo Cole was making them stay in. Truthfully, Anna had only put up a token protest before agreeing to move. She didn't enjoy living in an unprotected and damp warehouse after all. She was just used to it.
"What's wrong?" She demanded immediately. "You're all tense."
Wyatt ran a hand through his blonde curls, worry now openly shining on his face. "Word's going 'round Up There that Leo's got a lead on who sent him to Valhalla."
"Fuck," Anna swore. "Did you hear who he suspected?"
Wyatt shook his head grimly. "Danny didn't know," he told her. "What are we gonna do?"
Anna chewed her lip as she thought. She wandered over to the cauldron and started to prepare the ingredients for a vanquishing potion for a clan she planned to target on her next hunt. Wyatt stayed silent, recognizing the actions. Both Annie and Anna used cooking/potion making as a way to sort through her thoughts. But unlike Annie, if Anna was interrupted whilst deep in thought, he was actually at risk of serious injury.
Anna evenly chopped the sage as she considered what to do. Leo had no way to prove that they were involved in his kidnapping, she was almost sure about that. And yet. Wyatt wasn't the most subtle of witches, as proven by Cole suspecting them within a month, and confronting them within three.
He wasn't used to black ops, which was exactly what sending Leo to Valhalla had been. It was entirely conceivable that he'd left evidence of their actions behind. Besides that, there was the possibility of one of the Warriors or Valkyries telling him something.
"We'll have to just ask him," she finally decided. "Make it seem like we're curious. After all, he's been very open about his accusations. It's natural that we'd be interested in his investigation. Just remember." She turned to bore into him with her eyes. "We aren't guilty." She emphasized each word firmly. Wyatt inhaled deeply, giving a firm nod.
"Now?"
"When I'm done with my potion. Then we'll go look for him."
August 10th, 2003: P3
They orbed into their mother's bar to find Piper with Phoebe and Cole. They all had mildly concerned looks on their faces and Cole was rubbing his chin seriously. Anna and Wyatt recognized those expressions from a million instances during their childhoods, and instantly went on alert, Leo going to the back of their minds.
"What's wrong?" Anna asked for the second time that day. The three turned to look at the two new arrivals. Cole smiled automatically at his niece and nephew. His attempt to reassure them failed, as they both recognized it as his 'don't-scare-the-kids' expression.
"It's probably nothing," Piper said calmly. "But when I went into the attic this morning, I found the Book of Shadows on the floor. None of us left it there of course. We're worried a demon was trying to steal it."
The two frowned and Anna popped her lip absently. Realizing that she'd once again slipped into the old habit, she shoved her hands in the pockets of her worn-out old denim jeans.
"I think that I vaguely remember a story that started like that in the future," she mused frowning at the wall opposite.
"Me too," Wyatt agreed. "I can't remember the details, but someone's definitely after the book."
"What else is new?" Phoebe groused, throwing her hands in the air. "I can't believe this! At least our date is tomorrow night. We should count our blessings we got through Paige and your birthdays, Piper."
"You should take this seriously," Anna warned. "I'm pretty sure that this time they actually get it."
"But we get it back," Cole pointed out logically. "Otherwise you'd be a lot more frantic about this." Anna made a face but nodded grudgingly at that.
"At least warn Paige," Wyatt coaxed to ease his sister's stress. He did get why Anna found their casualness in regards to demon attacks so distressing, even if he didn't feel the same way. After all, Anna was the one who saw the Charmed Ones be defeated, not Wyatt. Naturally she found the thought of them getting cocky upsetting.
"Where is Paige anyway?" Anna asked, as she finally registered the lack of sarcastic redheads in the room.
"She's at her new temp job," Phoebe answered brightly. Anna blinked in disbelief.
"She's still on that kick?"
Piper gave her a scolding look that forced her to hide her nervous shifting. "It's not a kick, Anna. It's her quest for happiness outside of magic."
"Yeah, but it's a temp job," Anna protested, trailing after her young mother. "Who finds happiness on a temp job?"
"She'll get over it soon," Cole said confidently. "She just needs to find something that suits her. Personally, I think that she should go back to being a Social Worker. She really enjoyed it, and it let her connect with her Whitelighter half by helping people. Plus, she loves kids."
Wyatt grunted as Anna's elbow hit his stomach right before he started to blurt out about Paige becoming Headmistress of Magic School. "Oomph!"
"Will?" Piper frowned at him. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I just stubbed my toe," he lied, feeling the now familiar guilt twist his stomach at yet again lying to his mother. She eyed him doubtfully, but nodded and went back to sorting through some glasses at the bar.
A jab of homesickness had him crossing his arms defensively. His mother in his time would never have believed him, nor would she have let it go so easily. He wasn't sure which option was more upsetting.
"What are you guys doing here anyway?" Phoebe suddenly asked. She flushed in embarrassment at Cole's chiding look. "No offense, just-"
"It's fine," Anna waved her off. She and Wyatt exchanged quick glances before she continued. "We were wondering if you knew where Leo was."
"Leo?" Piper's face was shocked. "Why the heck would you two be looking for Leo? You guys hate each other."
"There's a rumour going around Up There that he's got a lead on who sent him to Valhalla," Wyatt explained briskly. "If you see him, let us know. Okay?"
"Got it," Cole agreed. The siblings flashed matching grins at him before dissolving into orbs and disappearing.
July 15th, 2019: The Underworld (Unchanged Future)
"I thought you were dead Phae," Anna begged. "I was injured and I was trying to save Pamela! You were lying in a pool of blood after being stabbed through your stomach! I swear I thought you were dead! I would never have left you otherwise!"
Phaedra Charlotte Halliwell-Turner, eldest child of Phoebe and Cole, had changed. She was only thirteen, almost fourteen, but was dressed in the revealing black leather outfit Wyatt had all his female followers wear. At least she had a black trench coat to cover her body a bit. Wyatt had some care for his only loyal family. She was armed with a long steel athame, a ruby inserted into the hilt. Her blue eyes, once full of innocence and cheer, were cold as ice and utterly merciless.
Wyatt had taken Phae and turned her into a shell of her former self.
"It doesn't matter that you thought I was dead," Phae answered coldly. "You went against the family code. You betrayed Wyatt and I by helping ward the Resistance. Oh yes," she added at Anna's look. "We recognized your wards on that safe house we raided last month. I can't believe you could do this to your own brother."
Anna felt her temper flare at that. "I betrayed you and Wyatt? Me? Says the one going around killing innocents and tainting our family legacy! I bet you can't even touch the Book anymore!" She smirked at the expression that flashed briefly through her cousin's ice-blue eyes.
Phae scowled. Anna thought it had to be her signature expression now adays.
"I'm tainting the family legacy?" Phae hissed. "How dare you?! We would have the peaceful life our family always wanted if not for you helping those terrorists!"
"Terrorists?" Anna scoffed back. "How are we terrorists by fighting to stop demons? The same thing our family spent their lives doing since Melinda Warren? Why are you helping Wyatt? He's never cared about anyone in the family, ever! Why did you choose him?"
"Because he's right Anna," Phae seriously replied. "He's right. I mean, we fought demons but my dad was born a demon. Your father is an Elder, but he's the one who suggested sealing off the Heavens. Wyatt's right, and we could have peace if you would just stop." For once she just sounded like a scared, desperate little girl instead of Wyatt's cold-hearted favourite assassin.
Anna's eyes fluttered briefly closed before she reopened them. Her eyes drifted to the body of her fellow Resistance scout, a Valhallan warrior named Derek.
"You killed him," she stated. Phae gave a cold smirk and Anna felt bile rise in her throat.
"How could you Phae?" She whispered. "Why are you doing this? Your parents-"
"Are dead!" Phae shrieked. "They died because of their precious cause! If they hadn't been so goddamned obsessed with protecting people who didn't know or care about them, they'd still be alive!"
"Do you hear yourself?" Anna yelled back in frustration.
"You're letting grief rule you!" Anna went on furiously. "Our parents weren't killed protecting innocents, they were killed because they were too powerful and the Underworld wanted them dead! And you're working with the ones who killed them!"
She jabbed an accusing finger at the younger Warren. Phae's eyes flashed angrily, and Anna was caught off guard by the sudden attack she launched. Despite everything that had happened in the past few months, some part of Anna had believed that even Wyatt and Phae would hold true to at least some of the Halliwell's philosophies. You never used your powers against family.
The blast of fire that hit her straight in the stomach and sent her flying corrected her assumption firmly. She slammed into the wall and her Levitation kicked in as she sent herself flying upwards out of the way of a second hit. She landed and stared in shock at her cousin. Her hands were raised to defend herself, but she couldn't bring herself to launch a return attack.
"You attacked me!"
There was no regret on Phae's face as she nodded. In fact, Anna thought that she looked a bit pleased. Anna's heat froze in her chest as Phae began to power up an energy ball instead of replying with words.
Training kicked in and Anna deflected the ball with her telekinesis. Working on autopilot, she used her telekinesis to send it back at her. She sank into a blank state as she kept blocking and returning Phae's attacks in ways that she knew would be non-lethal. Despite the circumstances, Anna would never try and kill her cousin or brother. That meant not using her newly gained Psychic Reflection or Aerokinesis.
But she still knew that she had to end the fight, and frankly she was desperate to do so. She wanted to get away from this nightmare of a demon impersonating her sweet cousin. She flung Phae back into a wall and began to concentrate intensely. She activated her latest psychic advancement of Clairaudience and used her telepathy to direct it at her younger cousin.
Kara had spent a lot of time with her and Juliana O'Farrell, the three of them working on coming up with creative ways to combine her powers and use them.
Phae screamed in pain, clutching her head as she was suddenly bombarded by all the sounds within the surrounding five hundred miles. She crumpled to her knees, tears leaking from her eyes at the pain and Anna took advantage to grab Derek's body and hefted him up with a grunt. Phae let out another sob and she faltered as she was about to orb away.
She gazed at Phae, feeling torn. But when the younger girl managed to lift her head to look back at her, there was nothing but hatred in her eyes. In that moment, Phae died in Anna's mind, replaced by Phaedra, Lieutenant of Emperor Wyatt.
August 10th, 2003: The Underworld
It was almost disturbing, how indifferent Anna was to killing. She showed nothing but cool contempt as she fought with her targets. Well they were victims really, from the way she systematically cut through one Mercury demon after another. Since they were upper-levels best dealt with by the Power of Three, it was also quite of impressive.
Cole studied his unborn-yet-still-in-her-twenties niece as he watched her fight. She clearly didn't need help, choking one demon to death while using Cryokinesis to freeze another into an ice statue. She then flung yet another demon into said statue, vanquishing them both.
She stood panting, her only injury a burn from an energy ball on her left arm. It had to hurt, but Anna had simply fought through the impact without even seeming to notice it. It didn't say good things about her timeline.
"Where's your brother?" Cole finally asked. "He seems a bit protective of you. I'm surprised that he lets you go demon hunting alone."
Anna spun, green eyes flashing in anger. She looked so much like Prue, Cole genuinely couldn't believe none of the others had put two and two together yet. Then again, Anna had cast a good spell, Cole was just trained to see through such things.
"No one lets me do anything!" Anna snarled. "Especially not Wyatt!"
Cole raised an eyebrow at the blatant fury in her voice. "Come to my office," he ordered. "I want you to go over everything with me again."
"Why should I?" She demanded mutinously. "I'm twenty-one not one. You don't get to tell me what to do."
Cole sighed slightly, raking a hand through his hair. He knew the signs. Now that Anna didn't have to pretend to see him as a charge, at least in private, she could let her true feelings out. From what Wyatt had said, at the very least Piper had been killed in Anna's timeline.
According to Victor, Anna had been twelve at the time. Without the Power of Three, and with all the demons seeking revenge against the Charmed Ones and Belthazor, Paige, Phoebe and Cole wouldn't have lasted long. That was if they hadn't died at the same time as Piper.
Seeing as she had implied to Victor that he was dead too, and she had a bad relationship with Leo in her timeline, Anna would have been left alone with a brother turning to evil. The Warren matriarch, seeing as the title of family head was passed through the female line. Which meant she would've had to guard the Nexus and be the primary defence against the demonic attacks.
And she probably had cousins to care for as well. Cole and Phoebe had discussed kids a few times already, but agreed to wait a little longer, until they felt more prepared for the responsibility. And Paige wanted to be a mother too. It was a lot of pressure and Anna would've been raised with a mentality that demon attacks were easily, if inconveniently dealt with. That was the way the girls were attacking lately anyway.
Cole wouldn't be surprised if Anna felt that he and the Charmed Ones had abandoned her by dying. She'd been so young. She was still so young. Too young to be responsible for saving the world.
"I know that you don't have to do what I tell you to," he told her softly. "But I'm asking you to please come to my office and go over everything with me again."
Anna lifted her chin a fraction but eventually nodded. "Fine," she agreed curtly. She orbed away. Cole took another deep breath, determined to break through the barrier his niece had put around herself for protection, before he used his Elder-given Fading ability to transport himself to his office.
August 10th, 2003: Cole Turner's Office
Cole Faded back into his office. He was sincerely thankful to the Elders for giving him his Pyrokinesis and Fading as a reward for helping defeat the Source twice. While he had willingly given up his demonic powers for Phoebe's sake, being useless had been agonizing for him. As had having to either drive or get Leo or Paige to orb him places.
Anna was leaning against the window, a shadowed expression on her face as she stared out over the city. Turner's Attorneys were a small firm, but Cole had a lot of money both from his father, who'd been quite rich, and from his century of life. He had a nice view of the Golden Gate Bridge. She stiffened as he appeared in the room.
"Anna," Cole sighed, walking up beside her and resting a hand on her shoulder. She didn't respond. "We're all dead in your timeline aren't we?"
"I can't tell you ha," she answered flatly. "Anything my brother or I reveal about our times create the risk of making it worse. Wyatt's timeline has already been erased by his coming back to save me and telling me who the enemy is."
"Wyatt told me already that in his timeline you admitted to Victor that Piper died and you hinted he had problems from his smoking. I'm a clever man, Anna. Without the most powerful sister, and the with the Power of Three gone, the rest of us wouldn't have lasted long. You don't have to say what happened, but we are dead aren't we?"
It was subtle, but she definitely nodded a bit. Cole exhaled heavily before continuing. "I'm sorry," he told her. "We never wanted to leave our kids without us."
"You won't this time apparently," she replied in a monotone. "That is if Wyatt hasn't screwed things up again. He should've left things the way they were. My life isn't worth it."
"To the world you may be one person," Cole answered. "But to one person you are the world."
She turned to face him, arms crossed protectively in front of her chest. "I thought you wanted me to go back over everything with you again."
"Just let me go over this," he responded, though the both knew it was merely an excuse he'd used to make her talk to him. "You come from a world where Wyatt is kidnapped right before your birth. The trauma and other small instances over his childhood turned him evil. Your mother, aunts (his voice shook slightly at the thought of Phoebe dying) and I are all dead. Wyatt is the Source, magic is exposed and Good is on the verge of losing completely. Correct?"
"Pretty much," Anna nodded. "But Good isn't losing, it's lost. There's only a few safe havens left that we hide in but they won't last much longer."
"Okay," Cole muttered before he continued with his review of the information Wyatt had given him against Anna's protests. "Because of all of this, you decided to come back in time and stop Wyatt's turn. Your brother is from the new timeline that you created.
And he came back because in his timeline you were killed saving him. Those wounds appeared on your other-self at the equivalent age. Wyatt came back to save you. And it was all the fault of an Elder named Gideon who feared the power Wyatt has. And several months ago, you snuck into Magic School to spy on him and overheard him plotting the deaths of all the children of the Charmed Ones with an evil him from a parallel world. Am I missing anything?"
Anna shook her head. "No, that's about everything," she said flatly.
"Okay," Cole blew some air out in an exhale. "What I want to know is this: If we went to the future today, which future would we be in?"
"Mine," Anna answered certainly. She explained quickly. "Wyatt is good right now because his younger self is good. But we haven't done anything that could have stopped Gideon from attacking, meaning he still would have successfully kidnapped Wyatt in November '04. That would lead to him turning evil. People from both Wyatt and I's respective futures could come back to this time, until Gideon's stopped, only my future is accessible."
Cole nodded slowly as Anna's face took on the distant look of a Whitelighter being summoned by one of their charges. She blinked, refocusing on him.
"Wyatt's calling me," she explained. "I have to go."
"Alright," Cole agreed. "Anna," he called right before she disappeared. She paused to give him a curious look.
"I love you kiddo. And I'm damn proud of you as well."
Anna went pale before orbing away. Cole didn't blame her, but he wasn't going to stop pushing her into accepting that she wasn't alone anymore. Not ever again if Cole had his way about it.