CHARMED
"FAMILY TIES"
by J. B. Tilton
email: aramath@isot.com
Rating:
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are
the property of the WB television network, except for those characters
specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction
and no infringement of copyright is intended.
* * *
(Authors note: This story takes place between season 2 episodes
"Devils' Music" and "She's A Man, Baby, A Man".)
* * *
When their mothers' father returns, the sisters gain a family
member they though had died long ago. But it soon becomes evident
that reuniting with his granddaughters is not the only thin on this
mans' agenda.
* * *
ONE
A man stood outside the Halliwell manor looking at the front
door. Although he appeared to be nearly seventy years old, he also
appeared to be in very good shape. He wore an expensive suit and his
gray hair and beard were immaculately trimmed.
The man took a deep breath and then walked up to the front door.
He glanced around apprehensively. Then he reached up and rang the
doorbell. He waited patiently as he heard movement inside the old
house. Finally, Phoebe opened the door. The man looked at her dark
hair and radiant smile as if he were trying to recapture some past
moment.
"Can I help you?" asked Phoebe.
"I'm not really sure what to say," said the man. "You look like
your grandmother. It's been so long since I was here last but it
seems like only yesterday."
"Who are you looking for?" asked Phoebe.
"You," said the man, smiling. "Although I must confess I'm not
quite sure which of the sisters you are. With that smile I'd have to
guess that you're Phoebe. She was right. Your smile does light up
the entire room."
Just then Prue came down the stairs.
"Phoebe, who's at the door?" asked Prue.
"I'm not sure," said Phoebe. "But he seems to know me."
"More like I know of you," said the man.
"Okay then," said Prue. "Why don't we start with who you are?
Like, for instance, your name?"
"Direct and forceful," said the man. "That must mean you have
to be Prudence. Which leaves only Piper out of the gathering."
"Okay, who are you and what do you want?" asked Prue, pulling
Phoebe back from the doorway.
"And protective," said the man. "Yes, you're Prudence, all
right. Always looking out for your two younger sisters."
"Listen, mister," said Prue, "I don't know who you are or what
you want, but I'm warning you. We can take care of ourselves."
"I have absolutely no doubt about that," said the man, smiling
again. "And I can assure you I am no threat to you. I just was in
town and thought I'd stop by. Maybe we could get to know each other.
It is way past due."
"Then tell us who you are," demanded Prue, here patience nearly
gone.
"My name," said the man, "is George Grayson."
"That name sounds familiar," said Phoebe.
"That's impossible," said Prue. "George Grayson died years
ago."
"No, that's what you were told," said Grayson. "We felt it best
if we just said I had died. Since I wasn't going to be around for
your mother."
"We, who?" asked Phoebe.
"Your grandmother," said Grayson. "Grams, I believe you called
her. We kept in touch until her death. She told me quite a bit about
all of you."
"Prue, do you know what he's talking about?" asked Phoebe.
"I know what he appears to be claiming," said Prue. "Only
that's not possible. Like I said, George Grayson died years ago.
Before we were every born."
"Who's George Grayson?" asked Piper, coming out of the kitchen.
"Why is that name familiar?"
"I'm George Grayson," said the Grayson, "which means you must be
Piper. And my name is familiar for a very simple reason. I'm your
grandfather."
TWO
Piper suggested they move to the living room instead of talking
in the doorway.
"Like I said," said Prue, "George Grayson died before any of us
were born."
"Penny told me you were always the most skeptical, Prudence,"
said Grayson.
"I go by Prue, not Prudence," said Prue.
"Very well," said Grayson. "But as I said, Prue, we thought it
best if we just said I had died. Patty wasn't very old and we felt it
would be easier for her to understand if she just thought I had gone
to heaven. Penny always planned to tell you all the truth. I guess
she never found the right time."
"So, how do we know you're telling the truth?" asked Piper. "Do
you expect us to just take your word on it?"
Grayson pulled out his wallet and removed a photograph. It was
old and very worn. It was in black and white instead of color. The
photo depicted a man obviously Grayson, but much younger. In the
photo he appeared to be about Phoebe's age.
Next to the younger Grayson stood a woman about the same age.
None of the sisters had trouble identifying Penny Halliwell, even
considering her young age. The man and woman were dressed as a bride
and groom.
"I've seen this picture before," aid Phoebe. "There's one just
like it in a box in the attic."
"It was our wedding picture," said Grayson. "It's the only
thing I still have from then."
"It's still hard to accept that you're our grandfather," said
Prue. "Like I said, we were always told you had died."
"As I said," said Grayson, "your mother was quite young. It
would have been difficult trying to explain why daddy wouldn't be
living with them any more. You have to remember it was a different
time. Divorce wasn't as widespread as it is now. It was harder for a
young child to understand back them."
"So why did you break up?" asked Piper. "Grams rarely spoke
about any of her husbands."
"Everything was fine for a while," said Grayson. "We were very
happy together. But something happened that I had trouble accepting.
I found a book in the attic that changed our entire relationship."
The girls all looked at each other. There were a number of
books packed away in the attic. But there was only one book that
could cause that kind of reaction.
"I see you know the book," said Grayson. "I wasn't sure. Penny
once told me that your lineage would sometimes skip a generation. It
didn't with Patty. I didn't know if it had with you or not."
"What do you mean 'our heritage'?" asked Prue.
"Your heritage from Melinda Warren," said Grayson. "There's no
sense in denying it. I can tell from the looks on your face that you
know exactly what I'm talking about. The Book of Shadows."
All three sisters stiffened.
"I can see I'm right," said Grayson. "So, are you three
witches, too? Penny once mentioned something about the Charmed Ones.
Three sisters who were all witches."
"Yes," said Prue, "we're all witches. And we are the Charmed
Ones."
"That's where Penny and I had problems," said Grayson. "When I
found out she was a witch, I couldn't handle it. I insisted she give
it up.
"Well, you know your grandmother. She said she couldn't. She
said being a witch wasn't what she did. It was who she was."
"That sounds like grams," said Prue.
"Then, when she said Patty was a witch, too," continued Grayson,
"I couldn't take it. It wasn't something I was willing to accept.
So, we split up and I left. The rest you know."
"So, I suppose you've come to take the Book of Shadows away,"
said Prue suspiciously. "To protect your granddaughters from the evil
it attracts?"
"Prue still remembered quite clearly when their father had
returned. Returned with shape shifters to steal the Book of Shadows.
"Heavens, no," said Grayson, putting his hands up. "I've had as
much contact with that book that I care to for one lifetime. When I
found it in the attic a demon appeared and tried to take it. Nearly
got Penny and me both killed. I don't care to ever see that thing
again."
"So, if you don't want the book," said Piper, "what do you
want?"
"I just wanted to get to know my granddaughters," said Grayson.
"I'm kind of up in years and you're the only family I have. I was
hoping we'd be able to spend some time together, that's all."
"That's it?" asked Prue.
"Listen," said Grayson, "I know this is awkward. My showing up
like this out of the blue. I wasn't around when Penny passed away.
Or when your mother died. I just didn't want to miss this opportunity
to get to know you. I'm not sure I'll ever get the chance again."
Piper and Phoebe both looked at Prue. They wee convinced he was
on the up and up. But Prue was the skeptical one of the three. It
wouldn't be the same unless she accepted him, too.
"In that case," said Prue, "welcome home, grandfather."
She hugged the man close, as did her sisters. They spent the
next few hours learning all about each other.
THREE
George Grayson walked into his hotel room. He flipped on the
light and closed the door. As he turned back into the room he noticed
a man sitting in one of the chairs. The man looked to be about thirty
years old. Like Grayson, this man wore a very expensive suit. He was
clean-shaven and had blonde hair.
"What are you doing here?" asked Grayson.
"Just wanted to check on your progress," said the man.
"Listen, Smith," said Grayson, "when I have something to report,
I will. If you insist on continuously checking up on me, this is
going to take longer."
"What about the sisters?" asked Smith as if he hadn't heard
Grayson. "Did they accept you into their home?"
"Of course," said Grayson. "I'm their grandfather. Why
wouldn't they?"
"Good," said Smith. It shouldn't be much longer, should it?"
"Listen," said Grayson, "you hired me because I'm the best. You
can't always predict how these things will go. It will take as long
as it takes."
"You're being paid a great deal of money for this," said Smith.
"I expect results."
"And you'll get them," said Grayson. "But if anyone else could
do this, you wouldn't have to come to me. You need me more than I
need you. So, if you want results, leave me alone and let me do what
you hired me for."
Suddenly Smiths' form changed. He stood in front of Grayson as
an exact duplicate of the older man. It almost appeared as if Grayson
were standing in front of a mirror.
"I can duplicate your form," said Smith. "Now that you're
inside, why shouldn't I just kill you and take your place?"
"And what will you do if they ask you something?" asked Grayson.
"Such as their mother's birthday or their grandmothers' middle name?
You may be able to look like me but you can't duplicate what's up
here." He pointed at his head. "If you could, you wouldn't need me."
Smith returned to his previous form. He looked at Grayson.
"Just don't take too long," said Smith. "I've waited a long
time for this. I don't want to wait any longer than is necessary."
"I'll have what you want very soon," said Grayson. Just have a
little patience."
"I'll be expecting to hear something soon," said Smith.
"You will," said Grayson. "In the mean time, don't come to my
room again. I do expect a certain measure of privacy."
"I'll wait for your call," said Smith.
"Uh, use the door like everyone else," said Grayson.
Smith didn't say another word. He just stormed out of the room,
slamming the door behind him. Grayson just shook his head.
"I should know better than to get involved with his kind," said
Grayson out lout to no one in particular. "Still, he is paying me
enough to allow me to retire comfortably. Guess I shouldn't complain
too much."
Grayson opened a briefcase sitting next to the desk in the room.
He pulled out a star shaped piece of jewelry. A diamond was inset in
the very center of the star. At each star point was set what looked
like emeralds. The entire thing glistened in the light.
"Not bad," he said. "Even after all these years, I still
remembered exactly what it looked like. With this duplicate, it
should be a simple matter to get the original out of the manor without
a problem."
He looked over at a photograph sitting on the nightstand next to
the bed. It was a photo of a very young Penny Halliwell. Grayson
just smiled.
"You never did understand the potential your magic had in my
line of work," he said to the photo. "But this will make up for all
that. In a couple of days Smith will have his amulet and I'll have
enough money to go wherever I want."
Grayson smiled once more and put the piece of jewelry into his
coat pocket. He had been invited to dinner at the manor. That would
give him the perfect opportunity to look around. Now, all he had to
do was try to figure out where Penny might have hidden the amulet.
FOUR
Dinner at the Halliwell manor was stiff and awkward at first.
It was clear that Prue did not fully trust Grayson. Whether she
suspected him of being a fraud or that he might have an ulterior
motive was unclear to Grayson.
After a while, even Prue seemed more relaxed with their newfound
grandfather. He knew things about the manor and the family that only
a close family member would have known.
Grayson was careful to steer clear of any talk about magic
unless one of the sisters brought it up first. If he seemed too
eager, they might get suspicious. He was too close to risk that now.
They were sitting in the living room drinking coffee.
"Your grandmother told me you were a very good cook," said
Grayson to Piper. "I can see she didn't exaggerate. That was one of
the best meals I've had in a very long time."
"Thanks," said Piper. "It's nice to be able to cook for someone
other than my sisters for a change. With the new club and all the
only cooking I get to do is at home."
"Most of my meals come from restaurants or room service," said
Grayson. "I don't get much of a change to get a home cooked meal with
all the traveling I do. And I must say you girls have really kept the
old place up. I have some very fond memories of this old manor."
"Thanks to Leo," said Phoebe. "He's a handyman who does most of
the repairs. And we do seem to keep him busy with that."
"He does a fine job," said Grayson. "Do you think it would be
okay if I took a look around? I haven't been here in more than thirty
years. It'd be nice to see the place again."
"I guess that would be okay," said Prue. "It probably hasn't
changed all that much. We didn't make that many changes after grams
died."
"Great," said Grayson. "Phoebe would you care to give me the
twenty-five cent tour?"
"Sure," said Phoebe.
Piper and Prue went into the kitchen to start the dishes as
Phoebe showed Grayson around the manor. Phoebe wasn't the least
surprised to find that he knew the place well.
"So, what do you think?" Piper asked Prue.
"Well, he seems sincere," said Prue. "I guess maybe I'm just
being paranoid because of dad. I'm seeing conspiracies everywhere."
"It's kind of nice having a grandfather," said Piper.
"Yeah, it is," said Prue. "I hope he gets to stay for a while
so we can learn more about him."
Phoebe and Grayson were still touring the manor. They had gone
through nearly the entire house. When they got to the attic, Grayson
looked in cautiously.
"This is where your grandmother kept the Book of Shadows," he
said. "The last time I was in there we both nearly got killed.
Something or other tried to steal the book and only your grandmothers'
magic saved us."
"We still keep the book in here," said Phoebe. "But we don't
have that much trouble with uninvited guests. It's safe, trust me."
Phoebe noticed that Grayson only glanced at the Book of Shadows
as they entered the attic. He didn't even offer to move toward it.
Apparently his assertion that he had no interest in it was true. He
stood in the doorway, looking around the attic.
"It was much more crowded when I lived here," he said. "Penny
would never throw away anything that still worked. She always said we
never knew when we might need something."
"It used to be a lot more crowded," said Phoebe. "We cleaned
out a lot of old stuff when we moved in."
Grayson looked around the attic. It had been a long time since
he had been here. Still, he remembered it in every detail. As if he
had only been there yesterday. Especially one bureau that sat against
the wall.
Or rather, what was behind the bureau. The brick wall behind
the bureau looked as intact and as sturdy as the others. But Grayson
knew its' secret. A secret he was pretty sure the sisters hadn't yet
discovered or they would have moved the bureau.
"Thank you for the tour," Grayson said to Phoebe. "It's brought
back a lot of old memories."
"My pleasure, grandpa," said Phoebe. "We know s few of our
relatives. It's nice to have one around for a change."
"I suppose I should be going now," said Grayson. "I have a
number of phone calls to make tomorrow. Perhaps we could spend some
time together the next day."
"Sure," said Phoebe. "I'm sure Piper and Prue will enjoy it,
too."
"No doubt," said Grayson as Phoebe walked him to the front door.
"Please thank Piper again for the wonderful meal. I'll see you all in
a day or two."
"Okay," said Phoebe.
* * *
Back in his hotel room Grayson picked up the phone. He dialed a
number and waited patiently for an answer.
"Smith," said Grayson finally, "I think I know where the amulet
is hidden. Have the rest of my money ready tomorrow. I'll bring it
to you tomorrow afternoon."
He dropped the phone back onto its' cradle. He was going to
miss the girls once he left. They were all very nice. Perhaps he'd
visit them again. After all these years it actually felt nice to have
a family.
FIVE
Grayson sat in his rented car and watched as Piper and Phoebe
pulled away from the manor. He had sat down the street from the manor
for several hours waiting for them to leave. Prue had left earlier
for an important meeting he remembered she had mentioned the night
before. Piper and Phoebe had talked about going to the grocery store.
Now, the manor was empty.
This would be simple. He knew where the amulet was hidden.
Prue, presumably, would be gone for several hours with her meeting.
Piper and Phoebe would probably be at the store at least a couple of
hours. He would need no more than fifteen or twenty minutes.
He got out of his car and made his way to the back of the manor.
Picking the lock on the back door proved ridiculously easy. Such
antiquated locks practically opened themselves.
Quietly he made his way to the attic. The duplicate amulet was
still in his pocket. Once he switched it for the real thing, it might
be months or even years before anyone discovered the switch. By then,
he'd be long gone.
He walked into the attic and glanced at the Book of Shadows.
That thing made him nervous. As tempting as it was, he knew the
danger was even greater. Of course, he wasn't after the book. He
walked over and pulled the bureau away from the wall.
It made a terrible racket as it slid across the floor. Looking
behind the bureau, he found what he was looking for. A section of the
brick wall was slightly discolored. As if a slightly different hue of
brick had been used in that section. The difference was so slight
that only someone who was looking for it would have noticed.
Grayson reached out and pressed on the end of one of the bricks.
The other end of the brick slid easily out from the wall. He grabbed
the exposed end and then pulled the brick out of the wall. Reaching
into the exposed opening left by the brick he removed a large cloth.
He opened the cloth to reveal a piece of jewelry identical to
the one in his pocket. Smiling, he picked up the star-brooch and
looked at it. It glistened in the sunlight streaming in the window.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the duplicate brooch
comparing the two. They were a perfect match.
"Those are pretty," said Piper from the doorway to the attic.
"If I hadn't forgotten my checkbook, I might have missed this."
Grayson looked over at Piper. She walked into the attic, Phoebe
close behind. Piper stood in front of Grayson, a look of anger on her
face.
"So, this is what you really came back for, isn't it?" asked
Piper.
"Grandpa," said Phoebe, "what's going on here?"
"I know how this looks," said Grayson. "Just give me a chance
to explain."
"This should be interesting," said Prue, walking into the attic.
"Claire called and said the client had cancelled the meeting. So I
decided to take the morning off. Now, grandpa, care to explain what
you're doing up here?"
Before Grayson could answer, a man suddenly appeared behind him.
It was Smith, the man Grayson had talked with in his hotel room.
Smith put a dagger to Grayson's throat.
"Give me the amulet, old man," said Smith, "or I'll cut your
throat. No one move or he won't live long enough to hit the floor."
Without hesitation Grayson handed one of the stars to Smith.
Smith pushed Grayson away and Grayson fell to the floor. Smith then
turned to the sisters, holding the amulet in one hand.
"I've waited a long time to get my hands on this," he said.
"Its' enchantment makes me immune to a witches powers. With it, I can
steal all the powers I need with impunity. Starting with yours."
He threw the dagger directly at Prue. Instinctively, Piper
raised her hands and froze the dagger in midair. Smith also froze in
place.
"Wait a minute," said Phoebe. "I thought he said the amulet
made him immune to our powers?"
"He should have made sure I gave him the right amulet," said
Grayson, holding up the other amulet. "I just switched them while he
wasn't looking. That backstabber was gong to cheat me out of what he
owed me."
"What he owed you for stolen merchandise?" asked Piper, taking
the amulet from Grayson. "Prue, we need to be rid of this warlock
before he unfreezes."
Prue tapped into her telekinetic power. She moved Smith around
until he was directly in front of the thrown dagger. Several seconds
later Pipers' freeze wore off. Smith was only surprised for a split
second. The next instant the dagger plunged into his chest. The
warlock burst into a conflagration and vanished.
"So much for one warlock," said Phoebe.
"I'm really sorry about this," said Grayson. "No one was
supposed to get hurt. Smith wanted the amulet and I said I could get
it for him. For an appropriate fee, of course. I never imagined that
he'd try to hurt any of you."
"You didn't think a warlock would try to hurt a witch?"
questioned Phoebe. "That's what warlocks do. They kill witches for
their powers."
"Believe me, I didn't know he was a warlock," said Grayson. "I
thought he was a witch, just like you. I would never have put you in
that kind of danger if I had known."
"I don't believe you," said Prue.
"I do," said a disembodied voice.
Everyone watched as Penny Halliwell suddenly materialized next
to the Book of Shadows.
SIX
"Hello, Harry," said grams. "I truly never expected to see you
here again."
"Hello, Penny," said Grayson. "You're looking good,
considering."
"Hold on a second," said Piper. "Why did you call him Harry?
He said his name was George Grayson, moms' dad."
"His real name is Harcourt Maurice Demopolis," said Penny.
"Harry to his close friends. Harry was my second husband, but he
wasn't your grandfather."
"You slime," said Phoebe. "You lied to us. And here we were
treating you like family."
"Easy girls," said Demopolis. "If I hadn't switched those
amulets, you'd be dead right now. That has to count for something."
"Harry's not bad," said Penny, "just greedy. When he found out
I was a witch, he wanted me to use my powers to make us rich. When I
refused, he tried to do it himself. And nearly got us both killed.
After we divorced I put a spell on the manor so he couldn't get back
in. But, of course, with my death, the spell was cancelled."
"You know I really did love you," said Demopolis. "And I would
never have put your granddaughters in harms' way deliberately."
"Love was never the problem, Harry," said Penny. "You were
always too greedy for your own good. But I do know you never meant
any harm to my girls. Deep down you're really a decent person."
Suddenly they all heard voices downstairs.
"Prue," they heard Darryl call out, "Piper, Phoebe. Are you
here?"
"In the attic," hollered Piper.
"I'll come back," said Penny.
She has just vanished when Darryl, followed by two uniformed
officers, entered the attic. They all had their weapons drawn.
"There was a call that this guy was acting suspiciously," said
Darryl, looking at Demopolis. "One of your neighbors said he broke
into the house."
"His name is Harcourt Demopolis," said Prue. "You might say he
was a friend of our grandmothers'."
"You want to press charges for breaking and entering?" asked
Darryl.
"No real harm was done," said Demopolis, looking at the sisters.
"And I did help you out, remember?"
"I guess not," said Prue. "Let's just call it a
misunderstanding."
"Thank you," said Demopolis. "I promise I won't bother you
again. I'll just show myself out."
"Not so fast," said Darryl, stopping the old man.
"You heard them," said Demopolis. "They aren't pressing any
charges."
"Harry Demopolis," said Darryl. "Or should I call you Harold
Denning. Or maybe Harrison Connors. Or even Harmon Delco. Or any
one of a dozen other aliases. You're a professional con artist wanted
in at least six states and by the FBI for questioning in some rather
dubious business ventures. We have a flyer on you at the station."
He motioned for the uniformed officers to take Demopolis away.
"Are you three okay?" Darryl asked the sisters.
"We're fine," said Prue. "I don't think he was dangerous or
violent."
"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider about pressing
charges?" asked Darryl.
"I don't think so," said Piper. "I think Harry is going to have
enough trouble to deal with as it is."
"Okay," said Darryl. "I'd better get back to the station and
get the paperwork on him started."
After Darryl left, Penny reappeared.
"Poor Harry," she said. "Always looking for a get rich quick
scheme."
"What about this?" asked Piper, holding up the amulet.
"I took it off a warlock some years ago," said Penny. "I didn't
even know Harry knew about it."
"Let's put it back where it was," suggested Prue. "It wouldn't
do to have it falling into the wrong hands."
"Good idea," said Penny.
"Is there anything else up here we should know about?" Piper
asked Penny.
"No, Piper, there isn't," said Penny. "It's been so long since
I hid that amulet I had completely forgotten about it."
"Well, Harry sure didn't forget about it," said Phoebe. "I hope
we've seen the last of him."
"I think we have," said Piper.
"You girls take care of yourselves," said Penny. "I have to be
going."
"No, wait," said Prue as their grandmother just faded from
sight.
"I wish she'd stick around once in a while," said Prue. "It
would be nice to get some answers to a few questions."
"Maybe next time, sweetie," said Piper. "For now, Phoebe and I
still need to get to the store or there won't be any dinner."
"Let's go, then," said Phoebe. "Shotgun."
"Very funny, baby sister," said Piper as she followed Phoebe out
of the attic.
The End
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.
"FAMILY TIES"
by J. B. Tilton
email: aramath@isot.com
Rating:
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are
the property of the WB television network, except for those characters
specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction
and no infringement of copyright is intended.
* * *
(Authors note: This story takes place between season 2 episodes
"Devils' Music" and "She's A Man, Baby, A Man".)
* * *
When their mothers' father returns, the sisters gain a family
member they though had died long ago. But it soon becomes evident
that reuniting with his granddaughters is not the only thin on this
mans' agenda.
* * *
ONE
A man stood outside the Halliwell manor looking at the front
door. Although he appeared to be nearly seventy years old, he also
appeared to be in very good shape. He wore an expensive suit and his
gray hair and beard were immaculately trimmed.
The man took a deep breath and then walked up to the front door.
He glanced around apprehensively. Then he reached up and rang the
doorbell. He waited patiently as he heard movement inside the old
house. Finally, Phoebe opened the door. The man looked at her dark
hair and radiant smile as if he were trying to recapture some past
moment.
"Can I help you?" asked Phoebe.
"I'm not really sure what to say," said the man. "You look like
your grandmother. It's been so long since I was here last but it
seems like only yesterday."
"Who are you looking for?" asked Phoebe.
"You," said the man, smiling. "Although I must confess I'm not
quite sure which of the sisters you are. With that smile I'd have to
guess that you're Phoebe. She was right. Your smile does light up
the entire room."
Just then Prue came down the stairs.
"Phoebe, who's at the door?" asked Prue.
"I'm not sure," said Phoebe. "But he seems to know me."
"More like I know of you," said the man.
"Okay then," said Prue. "Why don't we start with who you are?
Like, for instance, your name?"
"Direct and forceful," said the man. "That must mean you have
to be Prudence. Which leaves only Piper out of the gathering."
"Okay, who are you and what do you want?" asked Prue, pulling
Phoebe back from the doorway.
"And protective," said the man. "Yes, you're Prudence, all
right. Always looking out for your two younger sisters."
"Listen, mister," said Prue, "I don't know who you are or what
you want, but I'm warning you. We can take care of ourselves."
"I have absolutely no doubt about that," said the man, smiling
again. "And I can assure you I am no threat to you. I just was in
town and thought I'd stop by. Maybe we could get to know each other.
It is way past due."
"Then tell us who you are," demanded Prue, here patience nearly
gone.
"My name," said the man, "is George Grayson."
"That name sounds familiar," said Phoebe.
"That's impossible," said Prue. "George Grayson died years
ago."
"No, that's what you were told," said Grayson. "We felt it best
if we just said I had died. Since I wasn't going to be around for
your mother."
"We, who?" asked Phoebe.
"Your grandmother," said Grayson. "Grams, I believe you called
her. We kept in touch until her death. She told me quite a bit about
all of you."
"Prue, do you know what he's talking about?" asked Phoebe.
"I know what he appears to be claiming," said Prue. "Only
that's not possible. Like I said, George Grayson died years ago.
Before we were every born."
"Who's George Grayson?" asked Piper, coming out of the kitchen.
"Why is that name familiar?"
"I'm George Grayson," said the Grayson, "which means you must be
Piper. And my name is familiar for a very simple reason. I'm your
grandfather."
TWO
Piper suggested they move to the living room instead of talking
in the doorway.
"Like I said," said Prue, "George Grayson died before any of us
were born."
"Penny told me you were always the most skeptical, Prudence,"
said Grayson.
"I go by Prue, not Prudence," said Prue.
"Very well," said Grayson. "But as I said, Prue, we thought it
best if we just said I had died. Patty wasn't very old and we felt it
would be easier for her to understand if she just thought I had gone
to heaven. Penny always planned to tell you all the truth. I guess
she never found the right time."
"So, how do we know you're telling the truth?" asked Piper. "Do
you expect us to just take your word on it?"
Grayson pulled out his wallet and removed a photograph. It was
old and very worn. It was in black and white instead of color. The
photo depicted a man obviously Grayson, but much younger. In the
photo he appeared to be about Phoebe's age.
Next to the younger Grayson stood a woman about the same age.
None of the sisters had trouble identifying Penny Halliwell, even
considering her young age. The man and woman were dressed as a bride
and groom.
"I've seen this picture before," aid Phoebe. "There's one just
like it in a box in the attic."
"It was our wedding picture," said Grayson. "It's the only
thing I still have from then."
"It's still hard to accept that you're our grandfather," said
Prue. "Like I said, we were always told you had died."
"As I said," said Grayson, "your mother was quite young. It
would have been difficult trying to explain why daddy wouldn't be
living with them any more. You have to remember it was a different
time. Divorce wasn't as widespread as it is now. It was harder for a
young child to understand back them."
"So why did you break up?" asked Piper. "Grams rarely spoke
about any of her husbands."
"Everything was fine for a while," said Grayson. "We were very
happy together. But something happened that I had trouble accepting.
I found a book in the attic that changed our entire relationship."
The girls all looked at each other. There were a number of
books packed away in the attic. But there was only one book that
could cause that kind of reaction.
"I see you know the book," said Grayson. "I wasn't sure. Penny
once told me that your lineage would sometimes skip a generation. It
didn't with Patty. I didn't know if it had with you or not."
"What do you mean 'our heritage'?" asked Prue.
"Your heritage from Melinda Warren," said Grayson. "There's no
sense in denying it. I can tell from the looks on your face that you
know exactly what I'm talking about. The Book of Shadows."
All three sisters stiffened.
"I can see I'm right," said Grayson. "So, are you three
witches, too? Penny once mentioned something about the Charmed Ones.
Three sisters who were all witches."
"Yes," said Prue, "we're all witches. And we are the Charmed
Ones."
"That's where Penny and I had problems," said Grayson. "When I
found out she was a witch, I couldn't handle it. I insisted she give
it up.
"Well, you know your grandmother. She said she couldn't. She
said being a witch wasn't what she did. It was who she was."
"That sounds like grams," said Prue.
"Then, when she said Patty was a witch, too," continued Grayson,
"I couldn't take it. It wasn't something I was willing to accept.
So, we split up and I left. The rest you know."
"So, I suppose you've come to take the Book of Shadows away,"
said Prue suspiciously. "To protect your granddaughters from the evil
it attracts?"
"Prue still remembered quite clearly when their father had
returned. Returned with shape shifters to steal the Book of Shadows.
"Heavens, no," said Grayson, putting his hands up. "I've had as
much contact with that book that I care to for one lifetime. When I
found it in the attic a demon appeared and tried to take it. Nearly
got Penny and me both killed. I don't care to ever see that thing
again."
"So, if you don't want the book," said Piper, "what do you
want?"
"I just wanted to get to know my granddaughters," said Grayson.
"I'm kind of up in years and you're the only family I have. I was
hoping we'd be able to spend some time together, that's all."
"That's it?" asked Prue.
"Listen," said Grayson, "I know this is awkward. My showing up
like this out of the blue. I wasn't around when Penny passed away.
Or when your mother died. I just didn't want to miss this opportunity
to get to know you. I'm not sure I'll ever get the chance again."
Piper and Phoebe both looked at Prue. They wee convinced he was
on the up and up. But Prue was the skeptical one of the three. It
wouldn't be the same unless she accepted him, too.
"In that case," said Prue, "welcome home, grandfather."
She hugged the man close, as did her sisters. They spent the
next few hours learning all about each other.
THREE
George Grayson walked into his hotel room. He flipped on the
light and closed the door. As he turned back into the room he noticed
a man sitting in one of the chairs. The man looked to be about thirty
years old. Like Grayson, this man wore a very expensive suit. He was
clean-shaven and had blonde hair.
"What are you doing here?" asked Grayson.
"Just wanted to check on your progress," said the man.
"Listen, Smith," said Grayson, "when I have something to report,
I will. If you insist on continuously checking up on me, this is
going to take longer."
"What about the sisters?" asked Smith as if he hadn't heard
Grayson. "Did they accept you into their home?"
"Of course," said Grayson. "I'm their grandfather. Why
wouldn't they?"
"Good," said Smith. It shouldn't be much longer, should it?"
"Listen," said Grayson, "you hired me because I'm the best. You
can't always predict how these things will go. It will take as long
as it takes."
"You're being paid a great deal of money for this," said Smith.
"I expect results."
"And you'll get them," said Grayson. "But if anyone else could
do this, you wouldn't have to come to me. You need me more than I
need you. So, if you want results, leave me alone and let me do what
you hired me for."
Suddenly Smiths' form changed. He stood in front of Grayson as
an exact duplicate of the older man. It almost appeared as if Grayson
were standing in front of a mirror.
"I can duplicate your form," said Smith. "Now that you're
inside, why shouldn't I just kill you and take your place?"
"And what will you do if they ask you something?" asked Grayson.
"Such as their mother's birthday or their grandmothers' middle name?
You may be able to look like me but you can't duplicate what's up
here." He pointed at his head. "If you could, you wouldn't need me."
Smith returned to his previous form. He looked at Grayson.
"Just don't take too long," said Smith. "I've waited a long
time for this. I don't want to wait any longer than is necessary."
"I'll have what you want very soon," said Grayson. Just have a
little patience."
"I'll be expecting to hear something soon," said Smith.
"You will," said Grayson. "In the mean time, don't come to my
room again. I do expect a certain measure of privacy."
"I'll wait for your call," said Smith.
"Uh, use the door like everyone else," said Grayson.
Smith didn't say another word. He just stormed out of the room,
slamming the door behind him. Grayson just shook his head.
"I should know better than to get involved with his kind," said
Grayson out lout to no one in particular. "Still, he is paying me
enough to allow me to retire comfortably. Guess I shouldn't complain
too much."
Grayson opened a briefcase sitting next to the desk in the room.
He pulled out a star shaped piece of jewelry. A diamond was inset in
the very center of the star. At each star point was set what looked
like emeralds. The entire thing glistened in the light.
"Not bad," he said. "Even after all these years, I still
remembered exactly what it looked like. With this duplicate, it
should be a simple matter to get the original out of the manor without
a problem."
He looked over at a photograph sitting on the nightstand next to
the bed. It was a photo of a very young Penny Halliwell. Grayson
just smiled.
"You never did understand the potential your magic had in my
line of work," he said to the photo. "But this will make up for all
that. In a couple of days Smith will have his amulet and I'll have
enough money to go wherever I want."
Grayson smiled once more and put the piece of jewelry into his
coat pocket. He had been invited to dinner at the manor. That would
give him the perfect opportunity to look around. Now, all he had to
do was try to figure out where Penny might have hidden the amulet.
FOUR
Dinner at the Halliwell manor was stiff and awkward at first.
It was clear that Prue did not fully trust Grayson. Whether she
suspected him of being a fraud or that he might have an ulterior
motive was unclear to Grayson.
After a while, even Prue seemed more relaxed with their newfound
grandfather. He knew things about the manor and the family that only
a close family member would have known.
Grayson was careful to steer clear of any talk about magic
unless one of the sisters brought it up first. If he seemed too
eager, they might get suspicious. He was too close to risk that now.
They were sitting in the living room drinking coffee.
"Your grandmother told me you were a very good cook," said
Grayson to Piper. "I can see she didn't exaggerate. That was one of
the best meals I've had in a very long time."
"Thanks," said Piper. "It's nice to be able to cook for someone
other than my sisters for a change. With the new club and all the
only cooking I get to do is at home."
"Most of my meals come from restaurants or room service," said
Grayson. "I don't get much of a change to get a home cooked meal with
all the traveling I do. And I must say you girls have really kept the
old place up. I have some very fond memories of this old manor."
"Thanks to Leo," said Phoebe. "He's a handyman who does most of
the repairs. And we do seem to keep him busy with that."
"He does a fine job," said Grayson. "Do you think it would be
okay if I took a look around? I haven't been here in more than thirty
years. It'd be nice to see the place again."
"I guess that would be okay," said Prue. "It probably hasn't
changed all that much. We didn't make that many changes after grams
died."
"Great," said Grayson. "Phoebe would you care to give me the
twenty-five cent tour?"
"Sure," said Phoebe.
Piper and Prue went into the kitchen to start the dishes as
Phoebe showed Grayson around the manor. Phoebe wasn't the least
surprised to find that he knew the place well.
"So, what do you think?" Piper asked Prue.
"Well, he seems sincere," said Prue. "I guess maybe I'm just
being paranoid because of dad. I'm seeing conspiracies everywhere."
"It's kind of nice having a grandfather," said Piper.
"Yeah, it is," said Prue. "I hope he gets to stay for a while
so we can learn more about him."
Phoebe and Grayson were still touring the manor. They had gone
through nearly the entire house. When they got to the attic, Grayson
looked in cautiously.
"This is where your grandmother kept the Book of Shadows," he
said. "The last time I was in there we both nearly got killed.
Something or other tried to steal the book and only your grandmothers'
magic saved us."
"We still keep the book in here," said Phoebe. "But we don't
have that much trouble with uninvited guests. It's safe, trust me."
Phoebe noticed that Grayson only glanced at the Book of Shadows
as they entered the attic. He didn't even offer to move toward it.
Apparently his assertion that he had no interest in it was true. He
stood in the doorway, looking around the attic.
"It was much more crowded when I lived here," he said. "Penny
would never throw away anything that still worked. She always said we
never knew when we might need something."
"It used to be a lot more crowded," said Phoebe. "We cleaned
out a lot of old stuff when we moved in."
Grayson looked around the attic. It had been a long time since
he had been here. Still, he remembered it in every detail. As if he
had only been there yesterday. Especially one bureau that sat against
the wall.
Or rather, what was behind the bureau. The brick wall behind
the bureau looked as intact and as sturdy as the others. But Grayson
knew its' secret. A secret he was pretty sure the sisters hadn't yet
discovered or they would have moved the bureau.
"Thank you for the tour," Grayson said to Phoebe. "It's brought
back a lot of old memories."
"My pleasure, grandpa," said Phoebe. "We know s few of our
relatives. It's nice to have one around for a change."
"I suppose I should be going now," said Grayson. "I have a
number of phone calls to make tomorrow. Perhaps we could spend some
time together the next day."
"Sure," said Phoebe. "I'm sure Piper and Prue will enjoy it,
too."
"No doubt," said Grayson as Phoebe walked him to the front door.
"Please thank Piper again for the wonderful meal. I'll see you all in
a day or two."
"Okay," said Phoebe.
* * *
Back in his hotel room Grayson picked up the phone. He dialed a
number and waited patiently for an answer.
"Smith," said Grayson finally, "I think I know where the amulet
is hidden. Have the rest of my money ready tomorrow. I'll bring it
to you tomorrow afternoon."
He dropped the phone back onto its' cradle. He was going to
miss the girls once he left. They were all very nice. Perhaps he'd
visit them again. After all these years it actually felt nice to have
a family.
FIVE
Grayson sat in his rented car and watched as Piper and Phoebe
pulled away from the manor. He had sat down the street from the manor
for several hours waiting for them to leave. Prue had left earlier
for an important meeting he remembered she had mentioned the night
before. Piper and Phoebe had talked about going to the grocery store.
Now, the manor was empty.
This would be simple. He knew where the amulet was hidden.
Prue, presumably, would be gone for several hours with her meeting.
Piper and Phoebe would probably be at the store at least a couple of
hours. He would need no more than fifteen or twenty minutes.
He got out of his car and made his way to the back of the manor.
Picking the lock on the back door proved ridiculously easy. Such
antiquated locks practically opened themselves.
Quietly he made his way to the attic. The duplicate amulet was
still in his pocket. Once he switched it for the real thing, it might
be months or even years before anyone discovered the switch. By then,
he'd be long gone.
He walked into the attic and glanced at the Book of Shadows.
That thing made him nervous. As tempting as it was, he knew the
danger was even greater. Of course, he wasn't after the book. He
walked over and pulled the bureau away from the wall.
It made a terrible racket as it slid across the floor. Looking
behind the bureau, he found what he was looking for. A section of the
brick wall was slightly discolored. As if a slightly different hue of
brick had been used in that section. The difference was so slight
that only someone who was looking for it would have noticed.
Grayson reached out and pressed on the end of one of the bricks.
The other end of the brick slid easily out from the wall. He grabbed
the exposed end and then pulled the brick out of the wall. Reaching
into the exposed opening left by the brick he removed a large cloth.
He opened the cloth to reveal a piece of jewelry identical to
the one in his pocket. Smiling, he picked up the star-brooch and
looked at it. It glistened in the sunlight streaming in the window.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the duplicate brooch
comparing the two. They were a perfect match.
"Those are pretty," said Piper from the doorway to the attic.
"If I hadn't forgotten my checkbook, I might have missed this."
Grayson looked over at Piper. She walked into the attic, Phoebe
close behind. Piper stood in front of Grayson, a look of anger on her
face.
"So, this is what you really came back for, isn't it?" asked
Piper.
"Grandpa," said Phoebe, "what's going on here?"
"I know how this looks," said Grayson. "Just give me a chance
to explain."
"This should be interesting," said Prue, walking into the attic.
"Claire called and said the client had cancelled the meeting. So I
decided to take the morning off. Now, grandpa, care to explain what
you're doing up here?"
Before Grayson could answer, a man suddenly appeared behind him.
It was Smith, the man Grayson had talked with in his hotel room.
Smith put a dagger to Grayson's throat.
"Give me the amulet, old man," said Smith, "or I'll cut your
throat. No one move or he won't live long enough to hit the floor."
Without hesitation Grayson handed one of the stars to Smith.
Smith pushed Grayson away and Grayson fell to the floor. Smith then
turned to the sisters, holding the amulet in one hand.
"I've waited a long time to get my hands on this," he said.
"Its' enchantment makes me immune to a witches powers. With it, I can
steal all the powers I need with impunity. Starting with yours."
He threw the dagger directly at Prue. Instinctively, Piper
raised her hands and froze the dagger in midair. Smith also froze in
place.
"Wait a minute," said Phoebe. "I thought he said the amulet
made him immune to our powers?"
"He should have made sure I gave him the right amulet," said
Grayson, holding up the other amulet. "I just switched them while he
wasn't looking. That backstabber was gong to cheat me out of what he
owed me."
"What he owed you for stolen merchandise?" asked Piper, taking
the amulet from Grayson. "Prue, we need to be rid of this warlock
before he unfreezes."
Prue tapped into her telekinetic power. She moved Smith around
until he was directly in front of the thrown dagger. Several seconds
later Pipers' freeze wore off. Smith was only surprised for a split
second. The next instant the dagger plunged into his chest. The
warlock burst into a conflagration and vanished.
"So much for one warlock," said Phoebe.
"I'm really sorry about this," said Grayson. "No one was
supposed to get hurt. Smith wanted the amulet and I said I could get
it for him. For an appropriate fee, of course. I never imagined that
he'd try to hurt any of you."
"You didn't think a warlock would try to hurt a witch?"
questioned Phoebe. "That's what warlocks do. They kill witches for
their powers."
"Believe me, I didn't know he was a warlock," said Grayson. "I
thought he was a witch, just like you. I would never have put you in
that kind of danger if I had known."
"I don't believe you," said Prue.
"I do," said a disembodied voice.
Everyone watched as Penny Halliwell suddenly materialized next
to the Book of Shadows.
SIX
"Hello, Harry," said grams. "I truly never expected to see you
here again."
"Hello, Penny," said Grayson. "You're looking good,
considering."
"Hold on a second," said Piper. "Why did you call him Harry?
He said his name was George Grayson, moms' dad."
"His real name is Harcourt Maurice Demopolis," said Penny.
"Harry to his close friends. Harry was my second husband, but he
wasn't your grandfather."
"You slime," said Phoebe. "You lied to us. And here we were
treating you like family."
"Easy girls," said Demopolis. "If I hadn't switched those
amulets, you'd be dead right now. That has to count for something."
"Harry's not bad," said Penny, "just greedy. When he found out
I was a witch, he wanted me to use my powers to make us rich. When I
refused, he tried to do it himself. And nearly got us both killed.
After we divorced I put a spell on the manor so he couldn't get back
in. But, of course, with my death, the spell was cancelled."
"You know I really did love you," said Demopolis. "And I would
never have put your granddaughters in harms' way deliberately."
"Love was never the problem, Harry," said Penny. "You were
always too greedy for your own good. But I do know you never meant
any harm to my girls. Deep down you're really a decent person."
Suddenly they all heard voices downstairs.
"Prue," they heard Darryl call out, "Piper, Phoebe. Are you
here?"
"In the attic," hollered Piper.
"I'll come back," said Penny.
She has just vanished when Darryl, followed by two uniformed
officers, entered the attic. They all had their weapons drawn.
"There was a call that this guy was acting suspiciously," said
Darryl, looking at Demopolis. "One of your neighbors said he broke
into the house."
"His name is Harcourt Demopolis," said Prue. "You might say he
was a friend of our grandmothers'."
"You want to press charges for breaking and entering?" asked
Darryl.
"No real harm was done," said Demopolis, looking at the sisters.
"And I did help you out, remember?"
"I guess not," said Prue. "Let's just call it a
misunderstanding."
"Thank you," said Demopolis. "I promise I won't bother you
again. I'll just show myself out."
"Not so fast," said Darryl, stopping the old man.
"You heard them," said Demopolis. "They aren't pressing any
charges."
"Harry Demopolis," said Darryl. "Or should I call you Harold
Denning. Or maybe Harrison Connors. Or even Harmon Delco. Or any
one of a dozen other aliases. You're a professional con artist wanted
in at least six states and by the FBI for questioning in some rather
dubious business ventures. We have a flyer on you at the station."
He motioned for the uniformed officers to take Demopolis away.
"Are you three okay?" Darryl asked the sisters.
"We're fine," said Prue. "I don't think he was dangerous or
violent."
"Are you sure you don't want to reconsider about pressing
charges?" asked Darryl.
"I don't think so," said Piper. "I think Harry is going to have
enough trouble to deal with as it is."
"Okay," said Darryl. "I'd better get back to the station and
get the paperwork on him started."
After Darryl left, Penny reappeared.
"Poor Harry," she said. "Always looking for a get rich quick
scheme."
"What about this?" asked Piper, holding up the amulet.
"I took it off a warlock some years ago," said Penny. "I didn't
even know Harry knew about it."
"Let's put it back where it was," suggested Prue. "It wouldn't
do to have it falling into the wrong hands."
"Good idea," said Penny.
"Is there anything else up here we should know about?" Piper
asked Penny.
"No, Piper, there isn't," said Penny. "It's been so long since
I hid that amulet I had completely forgotten about it."
"Well, Harry sure didn't forget about it," said Phoebe. "I hope
we've seen the last of him."
"I think we have," said Piper.
"You girls take care of yourselves," said Penny. "I have to be
going."
"No, wait," said Prue as their grandmother just faded from
sight.
"I wish she'd stick around once in a while," said Prue. "It
would be nice to get some answers to a few questions."
"Maybe next time, sweetie," said Piper. "For now, Phoebe and I
still need to get to the store or there won't be any dinner."
"Let's go, then," said Phoebe. "Shotgun."
"Very funny, baby sister," said Piper as she followed Phoebe out
of the attic.
The End
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.