Chapter 7: Scry Hard Part 1

The attic door opened as Leo and Piper walked through it into the attic.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Mm-hmm," Piper said.

"Surprise!" He removed his hands from Piper's eyes and showed her the new and improved attic.

Piper looked around at the changes Leo made. Everything is nice and neat and in its place, a far cry from the clutter and mess it was before. "Wow!"

"Isn't it great?" Leo asked.

"Um ... it's ... it's something," Piper said.

Leo sighed. "You hate it."

"No ... no. I don't hate anything. It's just, um ... the dining room ... and then the living room ... and, you know, when you rearranged the kitchen, I did kind of hate that."

"Piper, you're always complaining about what a mess it is up here," Leo said as Phoebe entered the attic.

"Woah," Phoebe said.

"Yeah, I know, but it's an attic. And it's supposed to be messy. Sweetie, it's not that I don't appreciate you helping around the house, because I do, really. It's just, um ... it's just a little much," Piper said as she walked over to the shelves.

Just then they heard someone orbing into the attic and turned to see Paige and Buffy.

"Hey, dad," Buffy said as Leo wrapped his arms around her.

"Phoebe, I'd like you to meet Buffy Sum…" Leo said as he steered his daughter toward Phoebe.

"Wyatt," Buffy said. "Buffy Wyatt. That's unofficial right now though. I plan to change my name when I turn eighteen and Hank no longer has to pay child support on me. Then I can change it."

Leo nodded. "That's up to you, Buffy. But I would be amiss if I didn't say I was proud that you wanted to have my name."

"So Buffy," Piper said as she hugged the teenager. "Are you ready to spend the weekend with your father?"

"You bet," Buffy said as she smiled at her father. "Thought Piper, I hope your not offended if I don't call you mom. It just feels weird you know."

"You can call me Leo," Leo said, "if you prefer."

"That's alright, Dad," Buffy said. "You are my father and while yes it is a little weird with our age different, physical age difference, I know you're really over fifty years old. I still want to call you, dad, okay, dad?"

"Okay," Leo said.

"It was nice to finally meet you, Buffy," Phoebe said. "I need to be at work."

"Want me to give you a lift?" Paige asked. "I need to head over to Magic School anyways. Got some backlog I need to deal with since I haven't been in since I started working in Sunnydale."

"Sure," Phoebe said as she moved next to her baby sister and took Paige's hand.

"Call me if you need me," Paige said as she orbed out with Phoebe.

"I'm sure you would like to meet your brothers," Piper said as she led Buffy toward the door.

Just then between Piper and Buffy and the door a demon shimmered in. He threw a boomerang grazing Leo and then the demon shimmered out.

The boomerang returned back from whence it came and lodged in the attic door.

"That was weird," Buffy said and then she noticed her father holding his shoulder. "Dad, you okay?"

"I'm fine," Leo said as he pulled the boomerang from the wall and walked toward the Book of Shadows.

"What are you doing?" Piper asked.

"I'm going to I.D. that demon," Leo said.

"Dad, you really should sit down while Piper goes to get some bandages and antiseptic," Buffy said.

Leo glanced at his wounded arm. "It's just a scratch," he said before looking at the boomerang with more interest. "I think this crescent might be tribal."

"You're not listening to Buffy or I," Piper said. "You're not vanquishing anybody."

"Why not?" Leo asked.

Piper and Buffy each took Leo by the hand and led him to the couch where the three of them sat down.

"Well, for one thing, because you can't self-heal anymore. Hunting demons is dangerous," Piper said.

"Okay, well, you can't self-heal either," Leo said. "And it doesn't stop you."

"Dad," Buffy said, "Piper and I both have powers. She can freeze things …"

"And blow things up," Piper added.

"And I'm also a Slayer besides being a witch and Whitelighter," Buffy continued. "I have increased strength, agilty, an enhanced healing rate."

Leo sighed. "Yeah. I noticed."

"Leo ..." Piper said.

"Look, I don't know why you two are making such a big deal out of this," he said.

"Because we don't want to lose you, Dad," Buffy said. "Right, Piper?"

"Right, Buffy," Piper agreed.

"Well, demons try to kill us almost every week. What do you two want me to do, go hide in Magic School?" Leo asked.

"It's a thought," Piper said with a nod.

Leo sighed. "I was kidding."

"Well, I'm not," Piper said.

"I don't know where this Magic School is or what it is," Buffy said. "But I just found you, Dad, I don't want to lose you."

"Also," Piper added, "It's great that you gave up your powers to be with us and everything, but things are gonna have to change. You've only got one life to live, and I'd like you to start taking care of it."

"Well, I didn't become mortal to go run and hide," Leo said. "I'm staying put."

"Leo, please –" Piper said.

"Dad," Buffy said.

Leo shook his head. "I made up my mind."

Piper looked to Buffy who resignedly nodded. She looked back at Leo and grabbed his arm as she pressed a cloth to his wound.

"Ow!"

"Well, I have to clean it, don't I?" Piper asked.

"Da-da."

They all looked to see Wyatt in the attic doorway.

"Hey, little guy," Buffy said as she walked over to Wyatt and knelt down. "You must be, Wyatt. I'm your big sis, Buffy."

Forgetting about his wound, Leo stood and moved beside Buffy, he knelt down next to her. "Hey, hey. Look, everything's okay," he said as she showed Wyatt his wound. "Look, see? It's just a scratch, okay? Yeah. It's nothing."

Piper and Buffy watched as Leo embraced Wyatt in a hug.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Paige sat her desk at Magic School working on scheduling trying to figure out a schedule with her Whitelighter duties in Sunnydale, her job in Sunnydale and her job at Magic School. Just then Piper walked through the door into the study.

"Busy?" Piper asked.

Paige looked up at her sister and sighed. "Just trying to figure out the scheduling; between being Buffy, Dawn and Joyce's Whitelighter, being Rupert's assistant in Sunnydale and being headmistress here. I don't know when I even have time for you guys anymore."

"You'll figure it out," Piper said.

"So what's up?"

"A demon attacked Leo," Piper said.

"What?" Paige asked. "Is he okay?"

Piper sighed as she sat down in the chair across Paige's desk. "He's fine, but I need you to scry with that thing and then vanquish the demon. I'd do it myself, but I have to get home and help Buffy protect Leo."

"Why didn't you just bring both Buffy and Leo here?" Paige wondered.

"Leo's being stubborn," Piper said. "Hence why Buffy is still there. She is a witch remember?"

"With no active power," Paige reminded her. "And still in training."

"Well the Slayer side of her will make up for that till she has learned more."

"Till she gets a handle on telekinetic orbing," Paige said. "She won't have a way to defend herself if a fireball is thrown at her. You have to remember, Piper, she has never dealt with demons like the ones we've fought. Most demons that are attracted to the Hellmouth are low level. She hasn't even faced a Warlock yet. Anyways back to Leo. Being human is a big adjustment for him. We are also going to have to adjust to the fact that he can't heal us anymore."

"Or himself," Piper added. "And I don't want to keep forcing Wyatt to tap into his powers before he's ready."

"Why not?" Paige asked. "He healed you before."

"Yeah. With some help. But we can't keep traumatizing him like that. We've got to find another way. So, you can handle all this?"

"Absolutely," Paige said.

Piper stood up and headed for the door. "Uh, you might want to call Phoebe. That thing is probably from some sort of tribe."

"Got it. All over it," Paige said. "I might call Joyce also; having someone who can turn invisible would help."

"Good thinking," Piper agreed. "And thanks for the help."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy sat next to Leo and Wyatt in front of a dollhouse as her littlest brother, Chris, sat in his playpen nearby.

"That's the attic, very good," Leo said to Wyatt. "That's where we are right now. What's this right here?" he pointed toward where his and Piper's room was. Wyatt motioned toward him in response. "That's mommy and daddy's room, right."

Chris gave off an excited squeal as Buffy looked at him and smiled. She got up and got Chris and held him as she sat back down.

Leo looked to Buffy and smiled. He couldn't be happier that she was taking the adjustment of being a big sister to two boys she hadn't met before today so easily.

"Hey. Hey ... everything all right?" Piper asked as she entered the attic.

Leo nodded. "Yeah. Yeah. Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, you know, seeing as how a demon tried to K-I-L-L you ..." Piper said.

"Right. Uh ... well, I'm fine," he said.

Piper glanced at Buffy a brief smiled appeared on her lips at the sight of her step-daughter holding her son. She looked back at Leo and the smile vanished. "Why are you so defensive?"

"Oh, guess maybe I feel like I have something to prove," Leo said.

Buffy sighed. "Dad, we were just trying to protect you. You're mortal now remember?"

Leo nodded. "I know," he said with a meaningful glance between Piper and Buffy telling them he knew why Buffy had stayed with him the entire time. "But you two don't need to be."

"Obviously, we do," Piper said.

"Yeah, Dad," Buffy agreed near tears. "I just found out about you two weeks ago. I don't want to lose you before I get a chance to know you." She put Chris back in the playpen as she got up and moved toward the door as Piper followed her.

"Piper, Buffy, wait," Leo said as he looked at Wyatt. "Me, mommy and your big sister have to have a grown-up conversation, okay? I'll be right back." He got up and followed Piper and Buffy out of the attic.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Paige, Phoebe and Joyce orbed into the underworld in search of the demon who threw the boomerang at Leo.

Joyce let out a sigh. "Paige, I'm thankful for you unbinding my powers, but I still don't know that I'm ready for this."

"You are, Joyce," Paige said. "Besides Phoebe and I will be doing most of the vanquishing. I thought you might be useful with your invisibility. Talking about which, can you make others invisible also."

"As long as they are touching me, yes," Joyce said.

"By the way, we have ten minutes," Phoebe said.

"What?" Paige said.

"I told them I'd be right back."

"Told who?" Joyce asked.

"Her editor Elise more than likely," Paige said. "Phoebe works for the Bay Mirror as the advice columnist." She looked toward her older sister. "And it's gonna take what it's gonna take."

Phoebe sighed. "Yeah, I know, but I have a deadline. Do you know how much work goes into one edition? And I can't believe Elise just dropped –"

"Phoebe, focus," Paige said.

"Okay, so now what do we do?" Phoebe asked.

"Good question," Joyce said as she took Phoebe and Paige's hands and they faded from view.

"Uh, I don't know," Paige said as they began to walk down the tunnel.

Just then Zankou flamed in front of them. "Greetings."

"He can see us?" Paige asked.

"No I can't," Zankou said. "But I can see where you have been." He motioned to their tracks behind them.

Joyce released Phoebe and Paige's hands so the sisters would be ready to fight if necessary.

"Zankou," Phoebe said. "What are you doing here? Paige, what is he doing here?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" Paige asked.

"Where's your, uh, other sister, Piper?" Zankou asked. "And who is this new witch?"

"Joyce," Joyce said. "I'm one of …"

"Why do you want to know?" Paige interrupted with a glance at Joyce saying sorry.

"I have my reasons," Zankou said.

"Okay, look, we'd love to stay and chat, but we have business that we need to attend to," Phoebe said.

"I know," he snapped his fingers and three demons appeared behind him.

"This is gonna take longer than ten minutes," Paige said as she and Phoebe threw their potions at Zankou, who ducked and the bottles hit the demons behind him, vanquishing them.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Leo walked down the stairs and found Buffy watching Piper watering the planets in the living room. "Why are you two so mad at me?" he asked.

"Because you're going to get yourself killed," Piper said as Buffy nodded in agreement. "That's why."

"But—well, I can handle myself," Leo said.

"Really, Dad," Buffy said. "The way you handled yourself earlier when the demon attacked."

"Yeah. You know, I could have handled that," Leo said as Piper moved to another planet.

"How?" Piper and Buffy asked simultaneously.

"Oh, you know, I would've thought of something."

"Well, I'm so glad you would've thought of something," Piper said. "And now neither I nor Buffy have to worry."

"Okay. It was good that you both were there, but that doesn't give either of you the right to protect me without my knowing about it," Leo remarked reminding them he knew why Buffy had stayed with him while Piper had gone to Magic School.

"We were trying to protect you, Dad," Buffy said.

"Well, okay, but I'm supposed to protect the both of you."

"Is that what all this is about?" Piper wondered.

Leo nodded. "It's part of it. Look, it's my instinct to protect you, Piper, as well as you, Buffy. And the reason I don't hide from demons is because I've never had to."

"I think Piper and I both realize that," Buffy said with a sigh. "But that was back when you weren't mortal either."

"It's good you both realize that, but Wyatt doesn't. You know, and now he's seen me get hurt. And I don't want that to hurt him," he said with a sigh.

Piper nodded. "Okay, look, we are going to get through this."

"I'm in agreement, Dad," Buffy agreed.

"I know we are," Leo said to the both of them. "But Piper, you, yourself, said it was going to take time, okay? And when I do, I need you both to be supporting me, you know, not drowning the plants."

"Well, I guess we all have our own ways of dealing with things," Piper said.

"She has a point," Buffy said. "If I could orb already, I likely would have went back to Sunnydale, found a nest and worked out my frustrations on some vampires."

Suddenly Craven and two demons appeared in the conservatory. Their backs are to Piper, Buffy and Leo. They turned around and appeared very surprised to find Buffy, Piper and Leo there in the manor.

"What are you doing here?!" Craven asked.

Piper waved her hands and blasted two of the demons just as Craven dives out of the way.

"Dining room," Leo said.

"We saw where he went," Buffy said as she was already moving in that direction.

"Stay here," Piper said.

"Buffy," Leo said. "Be careful. This is an upper level, not like those you faced."

"I got that, Dad," Buffy said as Piper followed her. They turned a corner expecting to see Craven, but found he was gone. "Let's split up. We have a better chance of finding him."

"Agreed," Piper said. "And do as your father said and be careful."

"Promise," Buffy said as she smiled at Piper as they turned in different directions.

In the sitting room Leo heard footsteps on the stairs. "Wyatt," he said as he moved toward the stairs. He turned into the main hallway and saw a shadow on the floor. He looked up and saw Wyatt standing at the top of the stairs. "Wyatt, get upstairs."

Craven standing in the conservatory took out a boomerang and threw it.

Piper stepped out from behind Craven as she noticed the boomerang. "Leo!" she shouted.

Buffy turned at the sound of Piper's voice and started running back towards Leo.

Piper blasted Craven, hitting him in the arm and only wounding him as he fell to the floor.

The boomerang hit Leo in the back of his left shoulder just as Buffy was about to reach him.

"Dad?" Buffy said, she noticed Wyatt on the stairs. "Hey little bro, why don't you go back upstairs."

Craven turned around and glared at Piper as ran to Leo.

Buffy pulled the boomerang out from Leo's shoulder as Piper reached them.

"Leo?" Piper asked while Buffy helped Leo to his feet as he groaned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. No, no. Don't let Wyatt see," Leo said.

Leo, Buffy and Piper looked toward Wyatt who still stood on the stairs.

"Honey, why don't you go upstairs?" Piper asked.

"Mommy, daddy and big sis are fine," Leo added.

"Hey little bro," Buffy said, "what's the matter?"

Wyatt looked at the three of them.

"What is he doing?" Piper muttered and then suddenly she, Buffy and Leo all vanished.