This was a tough chapter to write. Just so you know.

**Nothing from Supernatural or Charmed belongs to me.**

Chapter Twenty-One

They were sitting in the attic, literally on edge, waiting for Peyton and Dean to bring Melinda back. Piper and Leo were huddled together, as were Phoebe and Coop, while Sam paced the floor. Paige, Wyatt, and Chris were forming a strategy, some way to use all of their healing abilities on Melinda at once. She had to be in pretty bad shape by now, but they tried not to think of that.

Phoebe was the first to see the light, which was a dim, almost fading pink now, not at all like it was before. They all turned, and watched as the three they had been waiting on appeared. Their joy at seeing them quickly went south, and in a moment of shock and horror, they could only watch as Peyton let go of Melinda and Dean's hands, falling to the floor. The three of them were laying on the floor, unconscious, eerily still, and no one moved. Blood was pooling on the floor under Dean's back, from Peyton's head, and dripping from Melinda's arm. A split second later, the attic was in chaos.

Screams filled the room and everyone began to cry. Piper hit her knees with Leo beside her, picking a limp Melinda up and cradling her in their arms. Phoebe and Coop knelt beside Peyton, holding her, and Sam took Dean in his arms. Wyatt knelt beside his parents, Chris beside Dean and Sam, and Paige with Phoebe and Coop. They started trying to heal, when Dean's eyes fluttered open, and Sam laughed.

"Hey! Hey, Dean. Hold on. Just hang on."
"Mel. They—they have to help Mel."
"They will, man. Just hold on."
"No. Mel."

Dean tried to wave Chris off, while Phoebe sobbed as she held her daughter. The whitelighters were doing their best, but the injuries to each person were so severe. Paige finally spoke through her tears.

"Boys, come here."
"Paige, they're trying to help Melinda."
"It will work best if we're all three together."
"Melinda needs—"
"She'll get it, Piper! We can only help one of them at a time. Boys, get over here."

Wyatt and Chris backed away from Piper, who let out a sob, and held Melinda closer.

"Hang on, baby girl. You're okay. Just hold on."

Paige focused on healing Peyton's head, while Wyatt stayed at her chest, and Chris at her abdomen. Their hands were glowing, but Peyton was still out. Paige let out a groan.

"Wyatt, you have to help me."

Wyatt moved up, and he and Paige worked on healing Peyton's head together. Phoebe sobbed in Coop's arms, until Peyton made a noise. Sam's head popped up, just in time to see Peyton's eyes blink open slowly. Phoebe smiled as she cried, and laid beside Peyton, holding her in her arms.

"Melinda, help Melinda!"

The whitelighters moved to Melinda, each taking their positions again. Wyatt healed Melinda's arm, where the blood loss had been so great, while Chris focused on the internal injuries she'd received from the blast as James was vanquished. Paige stayed at her head, which wasn't nearly as injured as Peyton's had been. Paige moved down to help Chris, as Wyatt moved a hand across Melinda's forehead. Her blue eyes fluttered open, and Piper and Leo let out matching laughing sobs.

"Hi, baby girl! Oh, honey!"

Melinda let out a moan, and Paige, Wyatt, and Chris scrambled over to Sam and Dean. Melinda blinked her eyes open, and Piper kept caressing her face.

"Mama."
"Hi, baby."
"Mama. What … what happened?"
"We'll talk about it later."

Piper smiled through her tears, and Melinda tried not to focus on how badly she still hurt.

"Mama, did we do it?"
"I think you did, honey."
"I don't remember… Peyton. Where … where's Peyton?"

Melinda looked around, until she saw Peyton smiling back at her. Melinda reached out her hand, and Peyton took it, giving it a weak squeeze. Melinda smiled back, then looked back to her mother. Piper and Leo were looking away, but Melinda couldn't tell what they were looking at.

"Mama. Mama, where's Dean?"

Piper looked down at her, trying to smile. Melinda looked over to Leo, and she could see the worry etched across his face.

"Daddy, what… Where is he?"

Melinda tried to sit up, groaning in pain, but trying anyway.

"No, Melinda. Stop. Lay down. Honey, lay down."
"Where is he, Mama? I need Dean. I need to—"

She saw him then, as Piper gently pressed her shoulders back to the floor. Sam had backed up, laying Dean flat on the floor, as Paige, Chris, and Wyatt hovered over him, holding their hands out.

"Why aren't their hands glowing? Daddy, why aren't their hands glowing?"

Leo didn't answer her. Melinda tried again to sit up, as Wyatt leaned back. Piper tried gently pushing her down again.

"Melinda, honey. You're hurt. Lay down."
"Why—what are they doing?"
"Mel, you're bleeding again. Lay back down."
"Mama, why isn't it working? Daddy, what's happening?"
"Honey, lay d—"
"No!"

Melinda sat up, wincing in pain. Her eyes were wide, and Chris turned back to look at her, tears in his eyes.

"What are you doing? Heal him."

Wyatt, Chris, and Paige looked down at their hands, and Phoebe gasped. Piper covered her mouth as Leo leaned over to take her in his arms. Melinda shook her head.

"Christopher, heal him."

Peyton tried to sit up, but Sam came over and laid beside her, taking her in his arms and burying his head in her shoulder. Melinda could hear the sobs coming from him, but she shook her head against it.

"Chris, what are you doing? Wyatt. Aunt Paige. Heal him. You healed us, so heal Dean. He needs you to heal him."
"Melinda…"
"What?!"

Melinda looked at Chris, as a tear fell down his face. Chris looked over, his brown eyes locked onto her blue ones.

"We can't heal the dead."