Chapter seven:
AN: Sorry it took so long for me to post this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters yet, but I will, and then everyone is doomed. HaHaHa.
Piper, Phoebe, Prue, Leo and Cole are sitting in the kitchen. Suddenly a silver body appears and forms into a girl the girl looks similar to Ann but looks younger.
Before anyone even has time to ask she has already started a little monologue about herself, her voice seems to be devoid of emotion.
Girl: I'm Cassandra, Cass for short. If anyone calls me Cassie they'll be sorry. I'm Anna's younger sister and I don't want to be here any more than you'll want me here once you've met me but I have to be here cos Anna's busy and the situation has got real bad. I'm thirteen by the way, and I wont get in your way if you don't get in mine.
With that she stomped up the stairs, went into the room Ann had slept in a few weeks before and slammed the door shut.
Prue: Well she definitely didn't act like Ann.
Cole: Did you guys notice she kept calling Ann Anna maybe she isn't her sister.
Piper: Or maybe because Ann is a fake name.
Phoebe: Well I guess for now we just have to trust her.
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The source from the future appears in Cyonique's room.
Cyon: My liege.
Source: You are doing well; you have got everyone in the future on full alert. But you must work quicker. This time Cassandra has been sent here. But we can probably turn this to our advantage.
Cyon: How?
Source: The oracle has found that for some reason that is unknown if your plan is successful it wont be as though she never existed, it will just be her stopping to exist at that moment in time in the future. So Cassandra will probably take over where her sister left off. But Cassandra is a very vengeful girl so it has been decided that you must attempt to turn her evil.
Cyon: I will try.
Source: I can tell that you are breaking Piper, but you are not succeeding with Leo. What are you planning to do about this?
Cyon: First of all whether Leo is breaking or not doesn't matter. There is a significant strain on their relationship and second of all if I make Leo's dreams too intense he will catch on, unlike the witch he knows of dream weavers.
Source: Do not take that tone with me; it is for me to say what has relevance. Explain what you plan on doing and I will decide on whether your plan is competent.
Cyon: Well I have a number of options on where to go from here. I can keep bombarding them with dreams so intense that they don't want to go to sleep, they will keep awake and will soon start falling asleep through the day eventually they wont be able to tell when they are asleep or awake. It will drive them insane.
Source: I have a feeling there is a but
Cyon: Well it definitely increases the chances of them finding out. Also if the dreams are so bad it will be easier for them to believe that they aren't true, it could backfire and bring them closer.
Source: You imbecile, you better have a better plan or I might have to give you a first hand tour of the torture chamber.
Cyon: (Nervous) er, yes of course I do my liege, I could give them subtle dreams to make them believe the other one no longer care's about them or the other one is being unfaithful or thinking of leaving them. They would start to argue about each other not being honest and get increasingly agitated that they are being blamed for something and not knowing what. They would decide that it is better to end the relationship.
Source: And what is the draw back of this one.
Cyon: It will take time.
Source: More than the two months we have?
Cyon: Maybe, maybe not.
Source: (Yelling) What do you mean, maybes do us no good, you are hinging this plan on a maybe.
Cyon: I will pull it off if needs be, I'll just have to be careful.
Source: Any other plans?
Cyon: I could send them dreams of bad things happening to their children and try to convince them that bringing children into the world of the charmed ones would be cruel.
Source: I don't like that plan. You will come up with a better plan or another dream weaver will be sent here to carry out the mission.
Cyon: Yes my Liege.
The source left.
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Next day, morning. Cyonique hadn't given Leo or Piper any dreams that night as she was still thinking of an angle. Kitchen, Piper is serving Phoebe, Cole and Cassandra pancakes for breakfast. (Everyone else has already had breakfast.)
Cole: So Cassandra what's with the attitude?
Phoebe: Cole don't
Cole: Well someone had to ask.
Cass: I hate you that's what's up, but I have to help if you're gonna save the future.
Piper: Would you mind telling us why you hate us so much?
Cass: (After a short silence.) That would involve telling you the future, can't do that.
Phoebe: So Piper how are things with you and Leo going.
Piper: Just fine, we're working on things, I'm sure we can deal with anything that comes along. I can't believe I had decided that we should get a divorce so hastily.
Phoebe: Well I suppose everyone has times when they doubt their marriage.
Piper: I suppose you are right.
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(Fourth date.)
Lunchtime, Prue is meeting Marc for lunch.
Marc: Hi Prue, how's your day been?
Prue: You know work is work…
Marc: But seeing me gets you through the day.
Prue: Cocky aren't you.
Marc: It's how I got where I am today.
Prue: So what job do you do?
Marc: (Hesitating.) Well I'm kind of a jack-of-all-trades, can't really stay in one place. I actually just quit a job as a veterinary nurse on Wednesday.
Prue: Why?
Marc: Just time to move on.
Prue: I don't think I could ever do that I always crave stability. Although when I left my job at bucklands to become a photographer that was a bit spontaneous. So what other jobs have you had?
Marc: Well it's been quite a variety; Advertising agent, skydiving instructor, stock broker, Youth worker/councillor, business owner, those are all the main ones I'm sure I've had hundreds of odd jobs though working in small shops, cleaning, things like that.
Prue: That definitely is variety.
Marc: I'm really sorry but I have to go, shall we have dinner tonight my place?
Prue: But you just got here, what's the matter?
Marc: Nothing I just need to go right now
Prue: Well all right.
Marc: I'll pick you up tonight at eight.
Prue: Sure. (He rushes off.)
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At the manor.
Cyon: Hello Cassandra, I see you aren't faking your name like your sister.
Cass: Melinda had to fake her name otherwise everyone would have known. You do know you have no chance of getting away with this.
Cyon: You know I have noticed that you are very different from Melinda, people say you are nowhere near as powerful as her. I could give you a chance to prove them wrong.
Cass: Are you saying I should join evil.
Cyon: You have an extremely vengeful personality. I know you must hate always being overshadowed by your sister, she always got all of your parent's attention and you got none. I know you resent her; I'm giving you the chance to destroy her.
Cass: You are right I do believe in vengeance and on a certain level I resent my sister. But I am vengeful because unlike Melinda I was raised on the battlefield. And unlike Melinda I watched my mother dying. Then watched my father-the pacifist- snap the necks of every demon in the squadron that had killed her. Sometimes vengeance is called for.
Cyon: That is my point, she was always kept protected kept out of harms way while you suffered you deserve vengeance on her. Us working together would be the best for both of us.
Cass: My family is all I have, and you want to destroy them. I will not work with you; it is taking a great effort from stopping every fibre of my being from destroying you.
Cyon: But you know what will happen if you destroy me.
Cassandra grabs Cyonique by the neck and pushes her up against the wall, she keeps a firm grip on her neck while she speaks.
Cass: Yes I do. But unlike my older sister I don't care as much for the greater good, I don't care if the entire population of the world die as long as I can keep my family safe. I'm not going to refrain from doing things just because it might interfere with the greater good. And that includes that I will not refrain from killing you if needs be. (She lets go of her neck.)
Cyon: You speak as though you are evil already. That's probably why your parent's always treated you the way they do, they knew you would turn evil.
Cass: (Yelling.) My parents care the same amount for both of us. Our circumstances are merely different.
Cyon: Come on Cassandra, I can see all the hate in you.
Cass: It's hatred for you. (With that she stormed out of the room, she was furious. What Cyonique had said had really got to her, it always did. Everyone thought she was so strong but she wasn't.)
She stormed into the kitchen to get a glass of water but when she saw Cole sitting alone there, her rage got control of her. She grabbed a knife and rapidly brought it towards Cole, trying to stab him in the heart.
Cass: I don't care how many innocents you save in the future it would be better for everyone if you died now.
Cole luckily caught on to her wrist but as he tried to push the knife away from himself it slipped and sliced into Cassandra's arm.
Cass: Aaargh, get away from me. (She ran to the corner of the kitchen and put a force field around herself, it was dome shaped, transparent and pale blue. Then she sank to the floor and broke down crying, it was a mixture of frustration and pain: both emotional pain and physical pain, emotional pain from all the turmoil in her life and physical pain from the cut running down her forearm with a stream of blood gushing out of it. She then started screaming.)
Cass: Daaaaad, daaad.
All the commotion brought everyone into the kitchen.
Phoebe: What's the matter, what's going on?
Cass: He attacked me; he was trying to kill me. (She then began screaming for her father again. The others tried to approach her but the force field prevented them from doing so. They could see she was very upset and they all shot cold glares at Cole who just stood there helplessly he knew there was nothing he could say that would make them believe him.)
Soon a silver figure began forming, it looked like 1and ½ people. As soon as they were fully formed everyone could see there was a young child of about six in the persons arms. The person immediately kneeled down and enveloped Cassandra into a hug and without hesitation healed her.
Person: Calm down, what's going on.
Everyone could immediately tell by the voice that it was Leo. So they were not that surprised when he turned and they saw him. He looked older his eyes held much sorrow and regret. Seemingly not caring about how odd it must seem or about having blown their cover he turned to everyone and said calmly: What is going on? (A/N: From this point in time this Leo will be referred to as future Leo, F.Leo for short.)
Phoebe: It seems that Cole tried to hurt Cassandra.
F.Leo: (To Cassandra.) Okay what actually happened?
Cass: (Mumbling.) I tried to stab him.
Everyone looks shocked. Then everyone began talking at once asking questions and lecturing it was quite chaotic.
F.Leo: All your questions will get answered in time, there is no use bombarding us with them now. But I believe one of Phoebe's questions was valid, why did you try to stab him?
Cass: I don't know.
There was silence. The little six-year-old girl that had come with F.Leo was now staring intently at Piper.
Girl: Mummy?
F.Leo realised that faith would probably bring up Piper being dead very soon if they didn't leave. Also Cassandra would probably only make the situation worse, it was time for them to leave. He took Cassandra's hand.
F.Leo: (To Cassandra.) I think it would be better if you came back to the future. (He then pulled Faith away from Piper before she could divulge any information that would make the situation dire.) Come on Faith we have to leave.
Without another word F.Leo, Cassandra and Faith leave the same way Ann/Melinda did.
Everyone just stands around not sure what to say or do.
Phoebe: What just happened.
Prue: I have no idea.
Piper: Do you think Cole could be evil in the future?
Cole: She said something about me saving innocents though. Besides I can't think of anything that would make me turn back. Cassandra just seemed really angry about something.
Piper: Maybe she was angry with someone. Okay who was the last person to speak to her?
Phoebe: Does it really matter?
Piper: Yes it does matter I refuse to believe that one of my future children tried to kill someone for no apparent reason.
Leo: I saw her coming out of Cyonique's room.
Prue: Okay come on lets go talk to her.
Leo: Wait a minute, something weird is going on I think we should talk about this first.
Cole: What do you mean?
Leo: When was the last time you had a premonition about the "demon" that was going to attack Cyonique?
Phoebe: About a couple of weeks ago.
Prue: That is quite long.
Phoebe: Yeah I can't believe I didn't realise it, I have never had premonitions so far before the attack.
Cole: Maybe your powers are advancing.
Leo: I don't think this would be a result of powers advancing.
Piper: Then what can it be?
Leo: Was there anything different about your premonitions with Cyonique in them?
Phoebe: Well now that I think of it they looked exactly like ordinary premonitions but they didn't feel the same, I didn't have the same physical connection with what was happening. What could that mean?
Leo: I have no idea.
Cole: Could it be possible for the source to send premonitions to Phoebe?
Leo: Since the elders send some premonitions to Phoebe it should be possible I suppose.
Prue: Do you think the source sent the premonitions as a distraction?
Cole: Maybe, there must be a reason why Cassandra was so angry with Cyonique.
Phoebe: (Jokingly.) Maybe Cyonique is the demon.
Everyone turns to look at her looks of realisation on their faces.
Prue: She could be.
Piper: But wouldn't Melinda or Cassandra have told us if that was the case.
Leo: Well there is all that affecting the future stuff they had to let us figure it on our own. Although we still cannot be sure that she is a demon.
Prue: We should have someone watching her room at all times, but at the same time we have to make sure she doesn't suspect us thinking these things.
Piper: I'll go on first watch.
Prue: Okay make sure she doesn't spot you. I have to get ready for my date.
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(1 hour later.)
Prue and Marc are sitting in his house eating.
Prue: This is a lovely meal, do you cook often?
Marc: Not really, I do like cooking though. But I'm always so busy.
Prue: I know what you mean I never seem to have a spare moment.
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Piper is standing outside Cyonique's room looking through the keyhole. Leo walks over to her.
Leo: I can take over now if you want.
Piper: No its okay, I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight anyway I might as well just stay here all night.
Leo: Are you okay.
Piper: Yes, I was just thinking about our children. Cassandra is very violent.
Leo: Well she definitely didn't get it from me.
Piper: (Laughs) I know, I was just thinking I knew that bringing up a child around all this violence would have affects, but I never thought that one of my kids would end up like that.
Leo: Well we don't really have the whole picture, anything could have happened and judging by how different Melinda and Cassandra are I would say that something did.
(They hear the front door slam, and walk downstairs to see Prue storming in upset.)
Piper: Woah, Prue what's wrong?
Prue: All guys are jerks.
Piper: I take it your date didn't go so well. What happened?
Prue: I thought everything was going great and then he just said he had to leave all of a sudden, he didn't have any reason to leave the phone never rang and his pager never went off.
Leo: Well maybe he just remembered he had to be somewhere.
Prue: He didn't even tell me where he was going, he just rushed off.
Piper: Don't you think you are overreacting just a little? There was probably a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Prue: But this isn't even the first time, he is always rushing off like this.
Piper: Well the best thing to do is to talk to him.
Prue: Yeah I will.
A while later, Prue is sitting alone in the solarium when the phone rings. She answers.
Prue: Hello, Prue Halliwell.
Marc: Hi, I just wanted to apologise I got the feeling you were upset when I left.
Prue: Of course I was upset, you just ran off. You better have a good reason for it.
Marc: I do have a good reason. There is something really important I have to tell you and after I do you might not want us to be together anymore.
Prue: What are you talking about?
Marc: I think it would be best if I told you in person.
Prue: Oh no you don't, you aren't going to postpone telling me whatever it is that is so important.
Marc: That's why I'm right here. (The doorbell rings.)
Prue: (Laughs as she opens the door.) If you keep turning up like this I'm going to start thinking you are stalking me.
Marc: Well I'm just not willing to loose you. This is the first time in a long time I have felt this strongly about a woman.
Prue: I have strong feelings about you as well, now why don't you come in and tell me what you need to.
Marc: (Tensing up.) Why don't you make us both some coffee first?
Prue: (Laughs quietly.) Fine leave me in suspense. (She says trying to lighten the mood.)
Marc: (Sits on the sofa as Prue makes the coffee.) His thoughts are as follows: Why am I telling her this, we stand no chance. Even if she doesn't freak out completely she still wont want anything to do with me.
Prue: Her thoughts are as follows: I can't believe this, the first decent guy I meet in ages. It must be really serious he is nowhere near his usual happy-go-lucky self. I bet he wants to tell me he is married with 2.4 children or something like that. (She hands Marc his coffee.)
Marc: Well I guess I should start. Erm well um er I know this is going to sound well …I would just like to ask you to listen to the whole explanation before you tell me to get out. This is going to be hard.
Prue: I can't promise anything, it depends on what you are going to say.
Marc: Well here goes then…
AN: What is Marc hiding? Will him and Prue make it through? Does anyone care? Will they ever figure out that Cyon is a demon? Tune in next time to find out. Please review, and try to guess what Marc wants to tell Prue. The prize you will get for guessing correctly is invisible and doesn't exist but it may give me a random idea of how predictable I'm being.