Part II - Tricks and Treats
September 2nd 2025 - Halliwell Manor
"Helena, thank you so much honey. You're a lifesaver," Piper greeted her niece.
"Don't worry about it. I don't start at school for a while."
"Thank you. They should be ready soon." The two hugged and Piper was out the door.
"Come on people, the Helenamobile waits for no witch on their first day of school!" she called up the stairs.
"We're coming, we're coming," Padget walked in, through the wall no less, munching on an orange. She held out a slice and Helena took it with a smile.
"Where are the others?"
"Pen is fixing her hair still, and Persia's… book hunting." Upon the words' appearance, a great white and gray wolf came in from upstairs, sniffing around.
"Persia? What are you looking for?" Helena asked. The wolf looked at her before turning back into her cousin. It was still kind of odd to see her transform like this, didn't matter how comfortable she was getting. This was little Persia, all grown up…
"My math book, I can't find it…"
"Did you look in the living room? You were looking through it yesterday." Persia looked into that room. "It could have slid under the couch…" She went to look, and a squeal was heard.
"Thank you, thank you!"
"No problem, now come on. Can't be late." Persia nodded and ran off. "Penelope, tic toc, let's go! Put down the brush already!"
Ten minutes later, Helena and her cousins piled into the car. On mornings when Piper, Leo, and Prue were busy, Helena was usually the one to step in to play driver to the girls' schools.
She was remembering past events of this world more and more, in fact she was almost positive she knew just about everything she was supposed to in this world. It was a few days after she arrived she remembered that here she had absolutely no aspirations to be a police officer. She supposed her father being alive had changed that.
Every time she saw him, her heart still went into a somersault. Her father, her dear Dad, alive and well… it was just a beautiful thing for her eyes to see. And as time had passed, she'd received something no letter or heroic tale could replace: real live memories of him. She remembered being little and going out for the weekly "Daddy and Helena's special fun Saturday morning". They would go eat, go to the park or the moves if it was raining. As she'd gotten older, if she couldn't make it, they would go to dinner a few nights later, then go rent a movie. Helena had always, in any reality, loved movies. But this love, which her father shared, had been nurtured differently in this world.
Perhaps that was how she'd found herself in the career direction she was here. For the moment, she was the assistant of a local television channel's entertainment segment host for the ten o'clock news. The woman was about to head into retirement and thanks to her recommendations, once Helena graduated from college, she would take over the task.
At this moment, she was on her way to the studio. She would start co-hosting with Carol Ford every now and then, to let the audience get to know her. Tonight would be her first time at it. She and Carol had become good friends in the time since they'd met. So she'd offered Helena a little outing. First there would be a meeting to discuss the night's segment. After that, Helena and Carol would go for lunch and shopping.
When she returned home in late afternoon, she put away her purchases after picking from them the outfit she'd wear for tonight. She dressed, then reviewed her notes. Reading there, she had become very concentrated. So when there was a small object placed in her line of vision, she jumped back a bit.
"My, my, aren't we jumpy," came her mother's voice. She sat next to her on the bed, handing her the box she'd waved in front of her. "This is a little something from your father and I, a… good luck charm for your new job. And you know in this family, that's not a halfway deal," she winked. Helena smiled.
"Thanks, Mom."
Finally, she left for the studio. The whole time they waited for their time to come, Helena held on to the pendant around her neck. And before she knew it, it was over. She'd done her first broadcast and Carol told her she handled herself like a pro, and the audience was in good hands once she took over. That made her nervous and happy at the same time.
She left for home at about eleven. She'd barely made it out the door when she heard the call.
"Helena!" a girl's voice was whisper-shouting. She looked around, finally spotting her hiding in a bush.
"Prue? What are you doing here?" she walked over. She saw then she wasn't alone. "Emily? Charlotte? Okay, what is going on here?" Approaching them, she saw each of them were sporting a few cuts and bruises. Emily had part of Charlotte's shirt wrapped around her left hand.
"Demons, lots of them, and they've got hostages," Emily explained. "Everyone's there now."
"We could use some… persuasion," Prue went on.
"Why didn't you guys come get me before?"
"Well, we didn't want to keep you from your job, we knew how important it is to you. So we waited," Charlotte explained.
"Well, it's done now, let's go." With that, the four girls went off.
When they rematerialized at the scene of the battle, Helena stood in shock. There was her whole family, fighting against a band of demons. Even her mother, father, aunts… they still held their own, even at their age. Her mother didn't need the cane in this world. And little Pad and Pen, just eleven but they sure knew how to use their powers to help the others. She doubted it had been the intention to have them there though, but the questions would have to wait.
"You four, go take care of the hostages!" Eric called from nearby. A second later, the demon he was fighting pulled out a knife.
"Dad, look out!" Helena shouted. Eric turned in time to see it, but not enough to completely deflect the blow, and the blade ran into his arm. He grunted and fell to his knees. "Dad!" She turned to her cousins. "You go ahead!" She ran at the demon and grabbed his arm in mid-swing. No one would take her father from her again, no way. With all the rage the thought of it was bringing her, she twisted the demon's arm, making him stab himself. He exploded in a small fire. Helena knelt at her father's side. "Are you okay?" she asked. Eric held on to his bleeding arm with a surprising calm.
"I'll be fine," he assured her. "Just send Leo my way and go help the others?" She nodded, hugging him quickly before standing and scanning the crowd. Only two demons were still here. Two she could handle. She closed her eyes and focused. She made the demons believe they'd been wounded, so that they'd soon be dead. They were fine, but in the panic it caused them, it allowed for Henry and Piper to each truly vanquish them. Once that was done, she ran off to help Prue, Emily and Charlotte, the hostages were no doubt being guarded. When she got there, she saw that the three had dealt with the guards well enough alone.
"Is your Dad okay?" Prue asked.
"He will be when yours gets here," she nodded.
"I'll call him," she went to the other room. Helena and the twins found the room where the hostages were kept. They were in the high school, and as she later found out, there was a charity sleepover with students and parents. Piper had been here with Persia, Padget, and Penelope. They hadn't been caged with the others because they'd orbed to safety just in time. They'd then called the others. The other parents and kids were held in the boys' locker room.
"You can go, you're safe now," Charlotte told the people as they opened the door. The people, about thirty of them, began to stand and walk out hurriedly. The last group came along with someone Helena was surprised but also simply thrilled to see.
"Simon?" He looked up at her. "I can't believe it…" No thought able to stop her, she hugged her step-brother. It took a few seconds for her to remember he didn't know her in this world.
"Uh… hello?" Simon finally spoke. Helena let him go.
"Sorry, I…" she looked down.
"How'd you know my name?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Simon, come on! I wanna go home!" a voice finally broke the awkwardness. Helena finally noticed the boy and two girls standing by her "brother", including the little eight-year-old girl who'd spoken just then.
"Uh, I should go, but…" Simon started.
"Do you have a way home?" Helena asked. She didn't want to let him go just yet.
"Actually, we don't. It's a long story, but it ends with we're supposed to be picked up only in the morning but I don't think they'll want to stay," he nodded to the girls in PJs.
"Uh, why don't you guys come with us and we'll figure something out."
"Alright, thank you…"
"Helena. Helena Norwood. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. I'm Simon Belland, but you already know that. These are my siblings, David, Amy, and Sarah."
Helena looked at the three of them. David looked like Simon at fourteen. Amy, ten years old, had some traits reminiscent of Cecilia and her blond hair and blue eyes. And little Sarah, eight, had eyes like Diana, and a head of dark brown hair. Just as she'd had to adjust to herself and her known cousins having new siblings, she now had to do the same toward Simon, and that was easier said than done.
She left the Belland kids with her cousins and went to check on her father. She found him escorting the freed hostages out just as the others were. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked him, hugging him tight. She almost trembled at the thought of losing him again. Somehow he must have felt it, and he hugged her back just as tight.
"What do you say we head out for breakfast tomorrow morning?"
"I like that idea," she kept him close.
"So how was your first night on the job? We taped it at home." She laughed.
"It went great."
Some time later, Helena, her parents, Margot, Samuel, and the Belland kids arrived home. She hadn't told her mother who the kids were, not that she was supposed to know… She wondered how their seeing each other would go. She wasn't worried about it breaking things, they were both married and all, but still in her memories, Glen had been with her mother, he had been her father as far as raising her went. So having them together made sense to her, but then so did her true parents. So having them all in the same room… She was about to find out, as the doorbell had just rung.
Only when she opened the door, she didn't find Glen. There stood a woman. "Yes?" She looked familiar, but she couldn't place her.
"My son called, he said he and the other kids were here." Now her face came back to her. She'd only seen her on pictures. This was Jessica, Simon's mother. But what was she doing here? She was supposed to be back in Seattle. Then Sarah came running in.
"Mommy, Mommy!" she ran into her arms.
"Hey baby, are you okay?" she kissed the top of her head. Amy joined the hug, and Jessica put one arm around her. Simon and David came in as well, standing there.
"Hello Jessica," her mother's voice came in.
"Paige. Long time…" Helena looked from one woman to the other and back.
"You two know each other?" Simon spoke up. They nodded quietly.
And then it came rocketing at her… a memory from 'three years ago'. Her mother had gotten a call. It had left her quite upset. When she'd finally explained, she said an old friend of hers had died. His seven-year-old daughter had fallen into a river. She didn't know how to swim. He'd gone in after her. He'd gotten her to safety before he was hit by a boat that hadn't seen him. They'd found his body the next morning. This friend had moved back to San Francisco after living in Seattle for a while. She'd run into him a few years back, but awkwardness from their last encounter had made things complicated. She'd gone to the funeral with Eric.
A seven-year-old daughter… three years ago. Little Amy was ten… no it couldn't be. It couldn't be, because then that would mean…
Slowly, unnoticed, she backed her way toward the stairs. She began climbing them just as the two women began to talk again.
"How've you been?" her mother asked.
"Oh, you know, it was hard at first. And I still miss him. But you adjust…" Helena saw the looks of sadness in the children's eyes, of almost guilt in Amy's, and she just had to get out of there. She quietly went up the stairs and into the attic, closing the door right before she finally lost it and broke down.
The next morning
Helena opened her eyes. She was still in the attic. It took her a few seconds to remember why she was there. Then it came back to her. She whimpered and sighed at once, running a hand through her hair. She stood and opened the door. Looking at her watch she saw it was 6:30am. She padded down the stairs and went toward the kitchen.
"Morning." She looked up. She hadn't noticed her father standing by the coffee machine.
"Morning," she repeated, sitting at the table. He looked at her, then made a cup and brought it to her.
"So. You shower and change and we'll go get that breakfast I promised." She smiled quietly. She stood again and returned upstairs with her cup. She got ready and returned downstairs at seven.
The drive to the restaurant was mostly quiet. It would have been just fine for Helena if he didn't notice, but at the same time she was glad he did. How she'd handle it, that was still being debated.
Sitting at their table, he finally spoke up. "Does this silent act have anything to do with your disappearance off to the attic last night?" he asked.
"You saw that, uh?" He nodded. "It's a long story, and not one I really want to get into honestly."
"Look. If you don't want to talk about it now, I'll respect that. I just have to know you're okay." She nodded once. "Alright. You know if you ever change your mind…"
"You'll be the first to know," she assured him.
"I better be." They laughed. "Watched the tape last night."
"And?"
"And suddenly I felt old." She laughed. "My little Helena… not so little anymore. I remember times, you were only a few months old, tiny thing you were." It always caused a pinching feeling in her when he talked of these… moments where in her world he hadn't truly been there. It was one thing, however wonderful, to have memories of this world come to her, but she hadn't in fact experienced them. This world's Helena had.
Since her arrival, she'd wondered how things were in her world. Had time stopped or was it still going? And did they have the other Helena or no Helena at all? Thinking it through had brought about a kind of frightful theory.
Why was she getting these memories? They had to come from somewhere, from someone. What if this person was the other Helena? It would mean when she came into this world, they became one single entity. It would also mean the other world didn't have a Helena. And if time indeed kept on going, then she'd disappeared from their world, their lives, almost two months ago. Her mother must be so scared, the others…
She had to get back. But she had to make sure she wouldn't take their Helena with her. But then what did it mean for her new memories? She didn't want to lose this world, her father…
"Helena? Are you sure you're okay?" She blinked, looking up at her father.
"I'm fine. I'm fine, Dad…"
A few weeks later - September 17 2025
"Are you sure about this?" Will asked Helena.
"Yeah," she nodded. "It's okay, really. Yes, it'll be strange, but…"
"That's not what I mean." She sighed and turned to him.
"I'll be okay, Will. I've dealt with it."
"Okay, okay," he approached her. "If you need a hand, you know where to reach me." She smiled.
"You know I have sisters about their ages, I think I can handle it."
"Okay. But that's just it. These girls could very well have been your sisters." Her face fell just a bit.
"I know." She looked down, then up. "I'll call, I promise. If I need it."
She left an hour later. In the past few weeks, she'd spent some time with the Bellands. It was odd but… being with them was like being with a part of her real world that this new world didn't have until she met them. Jessica had asked her to baby-sit Amy and Sarah that night. She had to go out of town and would be back after lunch the next day. She gladly accepted.
Just as she got to the car, Persia came running out of the house next door. 'Hey!" Helena waved to her. The girl came running to her.
"Can we talk?"
"Uh, if it doesn't take too long. I have to get to the Bellands' before Jessica has to leave."
"Can you drive me there?"
"Why?" Helena asked. Then she saw the look on Persia's face and smiled. It really put a new spin on the "little so-and-so, all grown up" concept. "Get in." The girl grinned and got into the front passenger seat. Helena shook her head and threw her overnight bag on the backseat. "Let's roll," she put on her sunglasses. Persia laughed. It was strange how this older Persia wasn't that different from the small one she knew.
"Helena?" she asked as they left Prescott Street.
"Yes?" There was a moment of silence.
"When… well, how old… uh… your first kiss, what was it like?" She almost lost the wheel for a second. "Nevermind."
"No, no, it's okay. You just sort of caught me by surprise, that's all. Why are you asking me?"
"I can't ask Mom or Prue, it'd be too weird!"
"I guess it kinda would," she grinned. "Well, let's see…" She almost wanted to give her the version from her world, but that could have brought on problems. So she settled for the "new memories" version. "I was actually fourteen, like you. Kevin Marcowitz, outside the gym one day. He and I didn't get along too well as kids, but he improved over the years." And this was true in both worlds. "Anyway, he pulled me aside and asked me to a dance that was coming up soon. I wasn't exactly over what he'd done years before and we kind of argued. And then I said yes. I guess it took that argument for me to understand I was carrying those issues around for too long. And he was really a nice guy now, compared to back then anyway."
"And he kissed you?" Persia asked, enthralled.
"And he kissed me," Helena nodded.
"How was it?" Helena couldn't help smiling. However new this memory was to her, she couldn't deny how nice it was.
"Everything I wanted it to be." She looked at Persia as they stopped at a red light. "And it will be for you too, I'm sure of it." She saw her cousin's cheeks take on a redness and it made her smile again.
They arrived at the Belland home. It was the same one Glen and Simon had been living in before they moved into the manor. It was so weird being here. She'd found out some things since the night in the school. Glen and Jessica had reunited almost two years after he and Simon moved to San Francisco. They were remarried and before long they had a second son, followed by two daughters. And before the accident… they were all happy together. Losing their father, the adjustments they'd had to make since then, all of it had resulted in their bond growing stronger and tighter. And seeing her dear brother so happy with a family that wasn't theirs was hard to take, she had to admit it.
Helena and Persia got out of the car. "Tell me something before we go in there…" Helena stopped Persia. She seemed to understand.
"Simon and David are going off to Seattle tonight, they're supposed to help their grandparents with something early tomorrow morning. That's why they can't stay with Amy and Sarah and why they need you. Before that, David wanted me to come over, hang out and stuff."
"Here?" She nodded. "Alright." They continued on to the front door. Persia rang the bell. Sarah's voice was heard.
"Who is it?"
"It's Helena." The words had barely been spoken that the door was swung open, revealing the giddy-looking eight-year-old. "Hey Sarah, how are you?"
"Good! We got moves from the store." Helena was awed by how much she reminded her of Cecilia sometimes. She spotted David coming down the stairs and moved into action.
"Why don't you show me? What do you say?" she asked the girl as she started ushering her out of the hall, throwing a wink to Persia over her shoulder. Her cousin mouthed a quick 'thank you'.
More weeks later - October 31 2025
Helena stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting the costume she'd rented for the night's events. Right at this moment, she should have been on her way to the now annual Norwood's San Francisco Halloween party. They all waited for it to come each year, and it never deceived. Only this year she was in a place where NSF didn't even exist. Times like these, holidays, birthdays… Cecilia's eleventh last September, made her be much more aware of how long she'd been away from them. Two and a half months… How frustrated she was that the way home hadn't been found yet could not be expressed. At times she almost felt guilty enjoying herself here, away from the family she'd grown with and knowing it was very possible they were worrying about her being time if she'd disappeared when she came here.
She heard the phone ring. A few seconds later, Sam walked into her room, holding out the handheld while covering his eyes with his other hand. Helena laughed. "It's okay, I'm dressed." He pulled his hand down. From what she understood, he'd been named after their mother's birth father, the one she and any of her siblings could thank for their orbing ability, and where their Sam got his powers. He dropped by from time to time, though their mother always called him Sam, never Dad or any variation of it.
"It's for you," he handed her the phone.
"Thanks. Hey, what are you doing tonight?"
"Going trick-or-treating with Padget and Pen."
"And Kiana?"
"You won't tell?"
"Our little secret," she winked. "But at some point we will have to talk to Aunt Piper." He nodded. "Alright then. Better go get ready." He nodded again and left. She brought the phone to her car. "Is it Prince Charming?" she asked sweetly. Will laughed.
"Something like that. You ready?"
"Just about."
"Good. I'll be there in two minutes."
"I'll be waiting!" She hung up and once she'd finished preparing, she came down the stairs.
"You two be careful out there. And spread the word, we have fabulous wartless skin," Paige came to see her daughter off.
"Will do," she laughed. Opening the door, she saw Will's car pulling into the driveway. She didn't know what he'd be dressed as, and he didn't know about her. They wanted to surprise each other. When he stepped out of the driver's seat, she felt a giggle coming. "Hi there…" she sauntered down to the driveway. "Love the nose…"
"Love the dress," he smiled, admiring her flapper look as she took in his clown look.
"Thanks." They kissed before getting in his car. "So we're stopping by Simon's party before Riley and Liz's, right?"
"Yeah, about that…" She turned to him.
"What?"
"I don't know. It's just… well…" He paused. "I seem to be getting this vibe off him."
"What kind of vibe?"
"He likes you." She laughed.
"Simon? No way! No, he… no." She shook her head. Then she thought about it. "Oh my goodness, you're… you're right."
"Now I'm not worried about you or anything, but… you might want to talk to him." She sighed.
"Great. I have to shoot down my brother. Alternate realities suck."
At the Belland home, they were greeted by Amy and Sarah, both dressed as fairies, Amy in blue and Sarah in green.
"Hey guys, you look great!" Helena smiled.
"Now where would someone go for some candy?" Will asked them. He'd been by to pick her up a few times and Helena had been pleased somehow at how much the two girls had taken to him.
She made her way around the house, looking for Simon. On the way she saw David and Persia. Since that day she drove her over, the two had become an item and though some part of it was weird to her for reasons they'd hopefully never have to know about, she found it kind of sweet.
She found Simon in the kitchen, making popcorn on the stove. "Did you put in The Blend yet?" she asked. He looked up at her almost taken aback. She remembered she didn't know about this here as she quickly changed subjects, heading into the dreaded intended subject. "Can we talk for a second?"
"I'll give you two because you look really great in that costume," he smiled. That only made things worse.
"Look, Simon… I may just be imagining things here but I'm getting the impression here that you have certain… feelings?"
"You noticed, uh?" he smiled despite slight embarrassment. She blinked. "Look, it's okay. I'm not going to try anything here. I would never try to break you and Will up. He's a great guy and you two look really happy together."
"We are," she smiled. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. I'll… get over it." She nodded. "So how do you know about The Blend?" She didn't know what to say. "Did my sisters tell you?"
"Yes, yes they did," she went for it.
"So they ratted me out," he winked. She laughed.
"You know, little sisters are like that. They admire something in an older sibling and want to do the same." She remembered how her sister used to come into her room, into her closet and try on her clothes. She could never be mad at her with those blond pigtails. Now what was her name again?
TBC
September 2nd 2025 - Halliwell Manor
"Helena, thank you so much honey. You're a lifesaver," Piper greeted her niece.
"Don't worry about it. I don't start at school for a while."
"Thank you. They should be ready soon." The two hugged and Piper was out the door.
"Come on people, the Helenamobile waits for no witch on their first day of school!" she called up the stairs.
"We're coming, we're coming," Padget walked in, through the wall no less, munching on an orange. She held out a slice and Helena took it with a smile.
"Where are the others?"
"Pen is fixing her hair still, and Persia's… book hunting." Upon the words' appearance, a great white and gray wolf came in from upstairs, sniffing around.
"Persia? What are you looking for?" Helena asked. The wolf looked at her before turning back into her cousin. It was still kind of odd to see her transform like this, didn't matter how comfortable she was getting. This was little Persia, all grown up…
"My math book, I can't find it…"
"Did you look in the living room? You were looking through it yesterday." Persia looked into that room. "It could have slid under the couch…" She went to look, and a squeal was heard.
"Thank you, thank you!"
"No problem, now come on. Can't be late." Persia nodded and ran off. "Penelope, tic toc, let's go! Put down the brush already!"
Ten minutes later, Helena and her cousins piled into the car. On mornings when Piper, Leo, and Prue were busy, Helena was usually the one to step in to play driver to the girls' schools.
She was remembering past events of this world more and more, in fact she was almost positive she knew just about everything she was supposed to in this world. It was a few days after she arrived she remembered that here she had absolutely no aspirations to be a police officer. She supposed her father being alive had changed that.
Every time she saw him, her heart still went into a somersault. Her father, her dear Dad, alive and well… it was just a beautiful thing for her eyes to see. And as time had passed, she'd received something no letter or heroic tale could replace: real live memories of him. She remembered being little and going out for the weekly "Daddy and Helena's special fun Saturday morning". They would go eat, go to the park or the moves if it was raining. As she'd gotten older, if she couldn't make it, they would go to dinner a few nights later, then go rent a movie. Helena had always, in any reality, loved movies. But this love, which her father shared, had been nurtured differently in this world.
Perhaps that was how she'd found herself in the career direction she was here. For the moment, she was the assistant of a local television channel's entertainment segment host for the ten o'clock news. The woman was about to head into retirement and thanks to her recommendations, once Helena graduated from college, she would take over the task.
At this moment, she was on her way to the studio. She would start co-hosting with Carol Ford every now and then, to let the audience get to know her. Tonight would be her first time at it. She and Carol had become good friends in the time since they'd met. So she'd offered Helena a little outing. First there would be a meeting to discuss the night's segment. After that, Helena and Carol would go for lunch and shopping.
When she returned home in late afternoon, she put away her purchases after picking from them the outfit she'd wear for tonight. She dressed, then reviewed her notes. Reading there, she had become very concentrated. So when there was a small object placed in her line of vision, she jumped back a bit.
"My, my, aren't we jumpy," came her mother's voice. She sat next to her on the bed, handing her the box she'd waved in front of her. "This is a little something from your father and I, a… good luck charm for your new job. And you know in this family, that's not a halfway deal," she winked. Helena smiled.
"Thanks, Mom."
Finally, she left for the studio. The whole time they waited for their time to come, Helena held on to the pendant around her neck. And before she knew it, it was over. She'd done her first broadcast and Carol told her she handled herself like a pro, and the audience was in good hands once she took over. That made her nervous and happy at the same time.
She left for home at about eleven. She'd barely made it out the door when she heard the call.
"Helena!" a girl's voice was whisper-shouting. She looked around, finally spotting her hiding in a bush.
"Prue? What are you doing here?" she walked over. She saw then she wasn't alone. "Emily? Charlotte? Okay, what is going on here?" Approaching them, she saw each of them were sporting a few cuts and bruises. Emily had part of Charlotte's shirt wrapped around her left hand.
"Demons, lots of them, and they've got hostages," Emily explained. "Everyone's there now."
"We could use some… persuasion," Prue went on.
"Why didn't you guys come get me before?"
"Well, we didn't want to keep you from your job, we knew how important it is to you. So we waited," Charlotte explained.
"Well, it's done now, let's go." With that, the four girls went off.
When they rematerialized at the scene of the battle, Helena stood in shock. There was her whole family, fighting against a band of demons. Even her mother, father, aunts… they still held their own, even at their age. Her mother didn't need the cane in this world. And little Pad and Pen, just eleven but they sure knew how to use their powers to help the others. She doubted it had been the intention to have them there though, but the questions would have to wait.
"You four, go take care of the hostages!" Eric called from nearby. A second later, the demon he was fighting pulled out a knife.
"Dad, look out!" Helena shouted. Eric turned in time to see it, but not enough to completely deflect the blow, and the blade ran into his arm. He grunted and fell to his knees. "Dad!" She turned to her cousins. "You go ahead!" She ran at the demon and grabbed his arm in mid-swing. No one would take her father from her again, no way. With all the rage the thought of it was bringing her, she twisted the demon's arm, making him stab himself. He exploded in a small fire. Helena knelt at her father's side. "Are you okay?" she asked. Eric held on to his bleeding arm with a surprising calm.
"I'll be fine," he assured her. "Just send Leo my way and go help the others?" She nodded, hugging him quickly before standing and scanning the crowd. Only two demons were still here. Two she could handle. She closed her eyes and focused. She made the demons believe they'd been wounded, so that they'd soon be dead. They were fine, but in the panic it caused them, it allowed for Henry and Piper to each truly vanquish them. Once that was done, she ran off to help Prue, Emily and Charlotte, the hostages were no doubt being guarded. When she got there, she saw that the three had dealt with the guards well enough alone.
"Is your Dad okay?" Prue asked.
"He will be when yours gets here," she nodded.
"I'll call him," she went to the other room. Helena and the twins found the room where the hostages were kept. They were in the high school, and as she later found out, there was a charity sleepover with students and parents. Piper had been here with Persia, Padget, and Penelope. They hadn't been caged with the others because they'd orbed to safety just in time. They'd then called the others. The other parents and kids were held in the boys' locker room.
"You can go, you're safe now," Charlotte told the people as they opened the door. The people, about thirty of them, began to stand and walk out hurriedly. The last group came along with someone Helena was surprised but also simply thrilled to see.
"Simon?" He looked up at her. "I can't believe it…" No thought able to stop her, she hugged her step-brother. It took a few seconds for her to remember he didn't know her in this world.
"Uh… hello?" Simon finally spoke. Helena let him go.
"Sorry, I…" she looked down.
"How'd you know my name?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Simon, come on! I wanna go home!" a voice finally broke the awkwardness. Helena finally noticed the boy and two girls standing by her "brother", including the little eight-year-old girl who'd spoken just then.
"Uh, I should go, but…" Simon started.
"Do you have a way home?" Helena asked. She didn't want to let him go just yet.
"Actually, we don't. It's a long story, but it ends with we're supposed to be picked up only in the morning but I don't think they'll want to stay," he nodded to the girls in PJs.
"Uh, why don't you guys come with us and we'll figure something out."
"Alright, thank you…"
"Helena. Helena Norwood. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. I'm Simon Belland, but you already know that. These are my siblings, David, Amy, and Sarah."
Helena looked at the three of them. David looked like Simon at fourteen. Amy, ten years old, had some traits reminiscent of Cecilia and her blond hair and blue eyes. And little Sarah, eight, had eyes like Diana, and a head of dark brown hair. Just as she'd had to adjust to herself and her known cousins having new siblings, she now had to do the same toward Simon, and that was easier said than done.
She left the Belland kids with her cousins and went to check on her father. She found him escorting the freed hostages out just as the others were. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked him, hugging him tight. She almost trembled at the thought of losing him again. Somehow he must have felt it, and he hugged her back just as tight.
"What do you say we head out for breakfast tomorrow morning?"
"I like that idea," she kept him close.
"So how was your first night on the job? We taped it at home." She laughed.
"It went great."
Some time later, Helena, her parents, Margot, Samuel, and the Belland kids arrived home. She hadn't told her mother who the kids were, not that she was supposed to know… She wondered how their seeing each other would go. She wasn't worried about it breaking things, they were both married and all, but still in her memories, Glen had been with her mother, he had been her father as far as raising her went. So having them together made sense to her, but then so did her true parents. So having them all in the same room… She was about to find out, as the doorbell had just rung.
Only when she opened the door, she didn't find Glen. There stood a woman. "Yes?" She looked familiar, but she couldn't place her.
"My son called, he said he and the other kids were here." Now her face came back to her. She'd only seen her on pictures. This was Jessica, Simon's mother. But what was she doing here? She was supposed to be back in Seattle. Then Sarah came running in.
"Mommy, Mommy!" she ran into her arms.
"Hey baby, are you okay?" she kissed the top of her head. Amy joined the hug, and Jessica put one arm around her. Simon and David came in as well, standing there.
"Hello Jessica," her mother's voice came in.
"Paige. Long time…" Helena looked from one woman to the other and back.
"You two know each other?" Simon spoke up. They nodded quietly.
And then it came rocketing at her… a memory from 'three years ago'. Her mother had gotten a call. It had left her quite upset. When she'd finally explained, she said an old friend of hers had died. His seven-year-old daughter had fallen into a river. She didn't know how to swim. He'd gone in after her. He'd gotten her to safety before he was hit by a boat that hadn't seen him. They'd found his body the next morning. This friend had moved back to San Francisco after living in Seattle for a while. She'd run into him a few years back, but awkwardness from their last encounter had made things complicated. She'd gone to the funeral with Eric.
A seven-year-old daughter… three years ago. Little Amy was ten… no it couldn't be. It couldn't be, because then that would mean…
Slowly, unnoticed, she backed her way toward the stairs. She began climbing them just as the two women began to talk again.
"How've you been?" her mother asked.
"Oh, you know, it was hard at first. And I still miss him. But you adjust…" Helena saw the looks of sadness in the children's eyes, of almost guilt in Amy's, and she just had to get out of there. She quietly went up the stairs and into the attic, closing the door right before she finally lost it and broke down.
The next morning
Helena opened her eyes. She was still in the attic. It took her a few seconds to remember why she was there. Then it came back to her. She whimpered and sighed at once, running a hand through her hair. She stood and opened the door. Looking at her watch she saw it was 6:30am. She padded down the stairs and went toward the kitchen.
"Morning." She looked up. She hadn't noticed her father standing by the coffee machine.
"Morning," she repeated, sitting at the table. He looked at her, then made a cup and brought it to her.
"So. You shower and change and we'll go get that breakfast I promised." She smiled quietly. She stood again and returned upstairs with her cup. She got ready and returned downstairs at seven.
The drive to the restaurant was mostly quiet. It would have been just fine for Helena if he didn't notice, but at the same time she was glad he did. How she'd handle it, that was still being debated.
Sitting at their table, he finally spoke up. "Does this silent act have anything to do with your disappearance off to the attic last night?" he asked.
"You saw that, uh?" He nodded. "It's a long story, and not one I really want to get into honestly."
"Look. If you don't want to talk about it now, I'll respect that. I just have to know you're okay." She nodded once. "Alright. You know if you ever change your mind…"
"You'll be the first to know," she assured him.
"I better be." They laughed. "Watched the tape last night."
"And?"
"And suddenly I felt old." She laughed. "My little Helena… not so little anymore. I remember times, you were only a few months old, tiny thing you were." It always caused a pinching feeling in her when he talked of these… moments where in her world he hadn't truly been there. It was one thing, however wonderful, to have memories of this world come to her, but she hadn't in fact experienced them. This world's Helena had.
Since her arrival, she'd wondered how things were in her world. Had time stopped or was it still going? And did they have the other Helena or no Helena at all? Thinking it through had brought about a kind of frightful theory.
Why was she getting these memories? They had to come from somewhere, from someone. What if this person was the other Helena? It would mean when she came into this world, they became one single entity. It would also mean the other world didn't have a Helena. And if time indeed kept on going, then she'd disappeared from their world, their lives, almost two months ago. Her mother must be so scared, the others…
She had to get back. But she had to make sure she wouldn't take their Helena with her. But then what did it mean for her new memories? She didn't want to lose this world, her father…
"Helena? Are you sure you're okay?" She blinked, looking up at her father.
"I'm fine. I'm fine, Dad…"
A few weeks later - September 17 2025
"Are you sure about this?" Will asked Helena.
"Yeah," she nodded. "It's okay, really. Yes, it'll be strange, but…"
"That's not what I mean." She sighed and turned to him.
"I'll be okay, Will. I've dealt with it."
"Okay, okay," he approached her. "If you need a hand, you know where to reach me." She smiled.
"You know I have sisters about their ages, I think I can handle it."
"Okay. But that's just it. These girls could very well have been your sisters." Her face fell just a bit.
"I know." She looked down, then up. "I'll call, I promise. If I need it."
She left an hour later. In the past few weeks, she'd spent some time with the Bellands. It was odd but… being with them was like being with a part of her real world that this new world didn't have until she met them. Jessica had asked her to baby-sit Amy and Sarah that night. She had to go out of town and would be back after lunch the next day. She gladly accepted.
Just as she got to the car, Persia came running out of the house next door. 'Hey!" Helena waved to her. The girl came running to her.
"Can we talk?"
"Uh, if it doesn't take too long. I have to get to the Bellands' before Jessica has to leave."
"Can you drive me there?"
"Why?" Helena asked. Then she saw the look on Persia's face and smiled. It really put a new spin on the "little so-and-so, all grown up" concept. "Get in." The girl grinned and got into the front passenger seat. Helena shook her head and threw her overnight bag on the backseat. "Let's roll," she put on her sunglasses. Persia laughed. It was strange how this older Persia wasn't that different from the small one she knew.
"Helena?" she asked as they left Prescott Street.
"Yes?" There was a moment of silence.
"When… well, how old… uh… your first kiss, what was it like?" She almost lost the wheel for a second. "Nevermind."
"No, no, it's okay. You just sort of caught me by surprise, that's all. Why are you asking me?"
"I can't ask Mom or Prue, it'd be too weird!"
"I guess it kinda would," she grinned. "Well, let's see…" She almost wanted to give her the version from her world, but that could have brought on problems. So she settled for the "new memories" version. "I was actually fourteen, like you. Kevin Marcowitz, outside the gym one day. He and I didn't get along too well as kids, but he improved over the years." And this was true in both worlds. "Anyway, he pulled me aside and asked me to a dance that was coming up soon. I wasn't exactly over what he'd done years before and we kind of argued. And then I said yes. I guess it took that argument for me to understand I was carrying those issues around for too long. And he was really a nice guy now, compared to back then anyway."
"And he kissed you?" Persia asked, enthralled.
"And he kissed me," Helena nodded.
"How was it?" Helena couldn't help smiling. However new this memory was to her, she couldn't deny how nice it was.
"Everything I wanted it to be." She looked at Persia as they stopped at a red light. "And it will be for you too, I'm sure of it." She saw her cousin's cheeks take on a redness and it made her smile again.
They arrived at the Belland home. It was the same one Glen and Simon had been living in before they moved into the manor. It was so weird being here. She'd found out some things since the night in the school. Glen and Jessica had reunited almost two years after he and Simon moved to San Francisco. They were remarried and before long they had a second son, followed by two daughters. And before the accident… they were all happy together. Losing their father, the adjustments they'd had to make since then, all of it had resulted in their bond growing stronger and tighter. And seeing her dear brother so happy with a family that wasn't theirs was hard to take, she had to admit it.
Helena and Persia got out of the car. "Tell me something before we go in there…" Helena stopped Persia. She seemed to understand.
"Simon and David are going off to Seattle tonight, they're supposed to help their grandparents with something early tomorrow morning. That's why they can't stay with Amy and Sarah and why they need you. Before that, David wanted me to come over, hang out and stuff."
"Here?" She nodded. "Alright." They continued on to the front door. Persia rang the bell. Sarah's voice was heard.
"Who is it?"
"It's Helena." The words had barely been spoken that the door was swung open, revealing the giddy-looking eight-year-old. "Hey Sarah, how are you?"
"Good! We got moves from the store." Helena was awed by how much she reminded her of Cecilia sometimes. She spotted David coming down the stairs and moved into action.
"Why don't you show me? What do you say?" she asked the girl as she started ushering her out of the hall, throwing a wink to Persia over her shoulder. Her cousin mouthed a quick 'thank you'.
More weeks later - October 31 2025
Helena stood in front of the full-length mirror, adjusting the costume she'd rented for the night's events. Right at this moment, she should have been on her way to the now annual Norwood's San Francisco Halloween party. They all waited for it to come each year, and it never deceived. Only this year she was in a place where NSF didn't even exist. Times like these, holidays, birthdays… Cecilia's eleventh last September, made her be much more aware of how long she'd been away from them. Two and a half months… How frustrated she was that the way home hadn't been found yet could not be expressed. At times she almost felt guilty enjoying herself here, away from the family she'd grown with and knowing it was very possible they were worrying about her being time if she'd disappeared when she came here.
She heard the phone ring. A few seconds later, Sam walked into her room, holding out the handheld while covering his eyes with his other hand. Helena laughed. "It's okay, I'm dressed." He pulled his hand down. From what she understood, he'd been named after their mother's birth father, the one she and any of her siblings could thank for their orbing ability, and where their Sam got his powers. He dropped by from time to time, though their mother always called him Sam, never Dad or any variation of it.
"It's for you," he handed her the phone.
"Thanks. Hey, what are you doing tonight?"
"Going trick-or-treating with Padget and Pen."
"And Kiana?"
"You won't tell?"
"Our little secret," she winked. "But at some point we will have to talk to Aunt Piper." He nodded. "Alright then. Better go get ready." He nodded again and left. She brought the phone to her car. "Is it Prince Charming?" she asked sweetly. Will laughed.
"Something like that. You ready?"
"Just about."
"Good. I'll be there in two minutes."
"I'll be waiting!" She hung up and once she'd finished preparing, she came down the stairs.
"You two be careful out there. And spread the word, we have fabulous wartless skin," Paige came to see her daughter off.
"Will do," she laughed. Opening the door, she saw Will's car pulling into the driveway. She didn't know what he'd be dressed as, and he didn't know about her. They wanted to surprise each other. When he stepped out of the driver's seat, she felt a giggle coming. "Hi there…" she sauntered down to the driveway. "Love the nose…"
"Love the dress," he smiled, admiring her flapper look as she took in his clown look.
"Thanks." They kissed before getting in his car. "So we're stopping by Simon's party before Riley and Liz's, right?"
"Yeah, about that…" She turned to him.
"What?"
"I don't know. It's just… well…" He paused. "I seem to be getting this vibe off him."
"What kind of vibe?"
"He likes you." She laughed.
"Simon? No way! No, he… no." She shook her head. Then she thought about it. "Oh my goodness, you're… you're right."
"Now I'm not worried about you or anything, but… you might want to talk to him." She sighed.
"Great. I have to shoot down my brother. Alternate realities suck."
At the Belland home, they were greeted by Amy and Sarah, both dressed as fairies, Amy in blue and Sarah in green.
"Hey guys, you look great!" Helena smiled.
"Now where would someone go for some candy?" Will asked them. He'd been by to pick her up a few times and Helena had been pleased somehow at how much the two girls had taken to him.
She made her way around the house, looking for Simon. On the way she saw David and Persia. Since that day she drove her over, the two had become an item and though some part of it was weird to her for reasons they'd hopefully never have to know about, she found it kind of sweet.
She found Simon in the kitchen, making popcorn on the stove. "Did you put in The Blend yet?" she asked. He looked up at her almost taken aback. She remembered she didn't know about this here as she quickly changed subjects, heading into the dreaded intended subject. "Can we talk for a second?"
"I'll give you two because you look really great in that costume," he smiled. That only made things worse.
"Look, Simon… I may just be imagining things here but I'm getting the impression here that you have certain… feelings?"
"You noticed, uh?" he smiled despite slight embarrassment. She blinked. "Look, it's okay. I'm not going to try anything here. I would never try to break you and Will up. He's a great guy and you two look really happy together."
"We are," she smiled. "I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. I'll… get over it." She nodded. "So how do you know about The Blend?" She didn't know what to say. "Did my sisters tell you?"
"Yes, yes they did," she went for it.
"So they ratted me out," he winked. She laughed.
"You know, little sisters are like that. They admire something in an older sibling and want to do the same." She remembered how her sister used to come into her room, into her closet and try on her clothes. She could never be mad at her with those blond pigtails. Now what was her name again?
TBC