A/N: this chapter starts immediately after the events in chapter two. On
another note, No silent readers.please read and review, I want to know how
I'm doing, good or bad.
A/N 2: words with around them indicate a premonition.
Chapter three: Just A Little Whitelighter Lie
Leo landed back in his and Piper's room, and was glad to find it unoccupied. Flopping down on the bed, he stared blankly at the opposite wall. Leo could still feel the buzzing sensation in his mind where the glamour spell had recently dislodged itself. The spell had been built to last and would have amplified over time. Oden had wanted long term control over him. Why? Possibly to control his future statement at the council Leo figured. He sighed; it didn't really matter now.
Leo's mind wandered back to Jackie, and he found himself also thinking of his own icy suffocating nightmares. He couldn't imagine the fear and pain she went through. If only he could have been there, she wouldn't be dead in the first place.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Leo saw bright blue orbing lights trickle into the room from an unseen dimension. The lights disappeared and a young boy stood beside the bed. Leo quickly stood, and looked at the child with a quizzical gaze.
The boy, maybe twelve years old, was dressed in a long white robe that pooled around his feet. Well, the boy at least looked twelve, but Leo figured he was much older. He smiled sweetly at the whitelighter. "You must be Leo Wyatt." He extended his hand as a greeting. The hand was clean and white, nails trimmed.
Leo reached out slowly, and accepted the gesture. The boy's palm was warm and fleshy, solid and healthy feeling. Leo smiled. "And who are you?" he asked, releasing his grip.
"I am Aaron," he introduced, "I am here to observe you for the next three days, and then make a report to the Elders."
Leo raised his eyebrows in surprise. "This report is for the council that will be held, I suppose."
The boy nodded. "Don't worry about me getting in the way," Aaron reassured, "You probably won't even be able to see me most of the time." His tone of voice was purely business which felt odd wrapped around his boyish pre-pubescent voice. The "child" barely stood at Leo's shoulders, and his form was slightly out of proportion, the lanky somewhat gawky body of a growing boy. However, he must have remained frozen in that stage for quite some time; he managed to move with practiced grace. His face was porcelain clear, and still held the pudginess of baby fat. Leo wondered if his hand would sink into the doughy skin if he touched it. Leo was actually more drawn to the boy's eyes than his skin. Two large chocolate cesspools glittered behind a veil of thick curly lashes. They spoke of every exuberance that belonged to youth.
Aaron cocked his head as though he were listening to something. "Well, I must be going," he smiled once more to Leo then orbed away.
Leo scratched the back of his head trying to come to terms with everything that had happened in the last hour or so. Mentally, he ticked off all that had occurred. Item one: There was a possibility that Jackie may never become a whitelighter. Item two: The Elders might blame him for her death. Item three: Oden had put a spell on him for some unknown reason. And finally.Item four: One of the Elders' messenger boys was going to be trailing him around for the next three days.
All in all, everything was looking pretty crappy right now. Leo moved back and forth across the room trying to think of a solution. As much as he hated to admit it, for the last year or so all of his other charges had fallen under the shadow of the Charmed Ones. Being a husband and future father was time consuming as well. He used to make weekly visits, at least, to all of his charges. Leo had known everything about them and their families, but now, as time passed, some of them seem like strangers.
Guilt washed over him, but Leo fought hard to keep it at bay. He needed to think clearly, decisively. If he could somehow prove himself as an example whitelighter, he just might be able to save Jackie. He had to start putting his charges first.
* * *
Piper had just gotten out of the shower. Wrapped in a towel, which exaggerated the pregnant curves of her body, she padded into the bedroom to change. Upon entering, she saw Leo pacing feverishly. He didn't even look up or seem to notice she was there.
This behavior was much different than earlier. Leo didn't seem deflated or beaten down any longer; he was animated, lively and.dangerous? No, Piper shook her head, that wasn't it. 'On a mission' was more like it. Well, whatever it was, Leo was determined about something.
Piper cleared her throat loudly, and Leo snapped his head up to look at her. "Glad I have your attention. You know most men would notice if their wife walked into a room wearing only a towel."
Leo smiled bashfully and looked down at the floor as his way of apology.
Tucking the towel more securely around her, Piper walked towards her husband. She took hold of his hand and kneaded the fingers between her own. "What's going on?" she asked suddenly breaking the silence, "What are you hiding from me?"
"Oh, it's just whitelighter stuff," he answered vaguely without meeting her hard earnest stare.
"What kind of stuff?" Piper asked. Retracting her hand, she crossed her arms over her chest.
Leo paused and chewed the words around in his mind. He really didn't want to get her involved. This was his problem, and he wanted to figure it out on his own. "It's nothing really," he shrugged.
"You won't tell me?" Piper's voice was tight, and she looked as though she were fighting tears.
Leo sighed with impatience and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Listen honey-"
"Don't 'honey' me!" Piper interrupted loudly and knocked his hand away. A few tears slipped out, but she didn't seem to notice. Piper was too focused on expelling her frustrations.
Leo tried to get another word in, but she cut him off fiercely. "I want to know what's going on!" Piper's voice rose even more in volume giving her an edge which she gladly took to, and exorcized the rest of her anger at a near scream. "I want to know why you've been sullen lately. I want to know why you've been having nightmares," she roared, "and I want to know why you won't let me help you." That last statement came out softer, coated thick with tears, and a hint of desperation.
Piper stared at him red eyed and breathing heavily, waiting for an answer.
"It's nothing you need to get involved in, Piper," he spoke quietly, not wanting to arouse anymore of her anger.
Piper's scream fest seemed to have sated her for the time being; she didn't look ready to attack him anymore. Yelling arguments weren't her forte as it was. Giving the cold shoulder was usually her tactic of choice. "I'm your wife," she stated firmly and evenly, "doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"It means the world to me," Leo smiled then glanced at his watch. "Shouldn't you be heading out to see Eva?" Changing the subject. That was his tactic of choice.
"I was just getting ready to leave," Piper's voice was cold, "you coming along?" she asked without interest.
"No, I have some whitelighter things to do. I'll see you later," Leo kissed her cheek and orbed out leaving Piper standing there alone in her towel.
* * *
After getting dressed into something comfortable, meaning something with an elastic waist that would conform to her swelling midsection, Piper headed downstairs. She found Phoebe waiting for her on the bottom step.
"What's going of between you and Leo?" Phoebe asked.
"You heard that, huh?" Piper looked a little sheepish.
"I'm surprised the whole neighborhood didn't hear you," Phoebe exclaimed. She then wrapped a loving arm around her older sister. "What's going on?" she ask again with serious concern.
"I don't know," Piper shook her head and leaned into Phoebe, "Leo won't tell me. He's been acting so strange, but he won't tell me what's wrong."
Phoebe sighed and gave Piper a reassuring squeeze. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Actually, yeah. I think there might be." Piper paused to wipe her eyes, clearing away the threatening tears. "This morning, Leo was watching the news and then he started to act really weird."
"So you think something in the news story is what's causing him to act this way?" Phoebe asked.
Piper shrugged, "well, it's the only thing I have to go on. The news story was about a woman who drowned in the ocean. And what's really weird is that Leo's been having nightmares and I think they've been about drowning."
"What do you want me to do?" Phoebe asked earnestly. There's nothing she wouldn't do for her sisters.
"Go talk to Daryl," Piper instructed after some careful thought. She was still wiping at her face and trying to pull herself together. "See if they've come up with any more information on the woman. Maybe we'll come across something helpful."
"Will do, sis," Phoebe nodded.
* * *
After twenty minutes of driving, Phoebe finally found a parking spot nearly five blocks removed from the police station. Grumbling, she got out of the car, and walked around to the meter. She grabbed several quarters from the bottom of her purse to pay for the privilege of occupying this crummy spot. As soon as her fingers touched the parking meter, Phoebe was grabbed by a premonition. A strong one. She felt as though her conscious mind had imploded upon itself and images beyond her control had completely taken over. She didn't even hear to quarters drop from her hand.
Phoebe saw herself. She was standing by the parking meter, but it was the future. A few hours into the future when dusk was setting in. A man dressed all in black stood a few feet away. He looked like a darklighter, and he was laughing. A strange branded symbol marred his upper left arm.
Phoebe landed back in the present as quickly as she'd left. The jarring experience left her slightly dizzy, and she tightly gripped the parking meter for balance. When her bearings finally caught up with her, she hurriedly made her way down the street to the police station.
Her shoes made a brisk clicking sound as they hit the concrete, and Phoebe quickly glanced into each dark ally she passed. Even though the foreseen encounter would not occur for several hours, she was already on heart-racing full alert. Digging around in her purse, Phoebe retrieved her cell phone. She dialed the manor.
Paige picked up on the other end, and Phoebe quickly explained the premonition, and the odd symbol she'd seen.
"Could you see if there's a symbol like that in the Book of Shadows?" Phoebe asked.
"Sure thing," Paige responded dutifully and with a touch of enthusiasm, "I needed some excitement around here," she sighed. "So, have you found out anything about the woman who drowned?"
"No, I'm just going to see Morris now," Phoebe answered.
"Okay sweetie, take care of yourself."
* * *
Paige hung up the phone, and uncurled herself from the couch where she had been flipping through a magazine. Then, she headed upstairs to read the Book of Shadows.
The refrigerator door slammed shut in the kitchen, and Leo emerged with a sandwich. He had orbed home just in time to catch Paige's half of the conversation.
TBC.
A/N 2: words with around them indicate a premonition.
Chapter three: Just A Little Whitelighter Lie
Leo landed back in his and Piper's room, and was glad to find it unoccupied. Flopping down on the bed, he stared blankly at the opposite wall. Leo could still feel the buzzing sensation in his mind where the glamour spell had recently dislodged itself. The spell had been built to last and would have amplified over time. Oden had wanted long term control over him. Why? Possibly to control his future statement at the council Leo figured. He sighed; it didn't really matter now.
Leo's mind wandered back to Jackie, and he found himself also thinking of his own icy suffocating nightmares. He couldn't imagine the fear and pain she went through. If only he could have been there, she wouldn't be dead in the first place.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Leo saw bright blue orbing lights trickle into the room from an unseen dimension. The lights disappeared and a young boy stood beside the bed. Leo quickly stood, and looked at the child with a quizzical gaze.
The boy, maybe twelve years old, was dressed in a long white robe that pooled around his feet. Well, the boy at least looked twelve, but Leo figured he was much older. He smiled sweetly at the whitelighter. "You must be Leo Wyatt." He extended his hand as a greeting. The hand was clean and white, nails trimmed.
Leo reached out slowly, and accepted the gesture. The boy's palm was warm and fleshy, solid and healthy feeling. Leo smiled. "And who are you?" he asked, releasing his grip.
"I am Aaron," he introduced, "I am here to observe you for the next three days, and then make a report to the Elders."
Leo raised his eyebrows in surprise. "This report is for the council that will be held, I suppose."
The boy nodded. "Don't worry about me getting in the way," Aaron reassured, "You probably won't even be able to see me most of the time." His tone of voice was purely business which felt odd wrapped around his boyish pre-pubescent voice. The "child" barely stood at Leo's shoulders, and his form was slightly out of proportion, the lanky somewhat gawky body of a growing boy. However, he must have remained frozen in that stage for quite some time; he managed to move with practiced grace. His face was porcelain clear, and still held the pudginess of baby fat. Leo wondered if his hand would sink into the doughy skin if he touched it. Leo was actually more drawn to the boy's eyes than his skin. Two large chocolate cesspools glittered behind a veil of thick curly lashes. They spoke of every exuberance that belonged to youth.
Aaron cocked his head as though he were listening to something. "Well, I must be going," he smiled once more to Leo then orbed away.
Leo scratched the back of his head trying to come to terms with everything that had happened in the last hour or so. Mentally, he ticked off all that had occurred. Item one: There was a possibility that Jackie may never become a whitelighter. Item two: The Elders might blame him for her death. Item three: Oden had put a spell on him for some unknown reason. And finally.Item four: One of the Elders' messenger boys was going to be trailing him around for the next three days.
All in all, everything was looking pretty crappy right now. Leo moved back and forth across the room trying to think of a solution. As much as he hated to admit it, for the last year or so all of his other charges had fallen under the shadow of the Charmed Ones. Being a husband and future father was time consuming as well. He used to make weekly visits, at least, to all of his charges. Leo had known everything about them and their families, but now, as time passed, some of them seem like strangers.
Guilt washed over him, but Leo fought hard to keep it at bay. He needed to think clearly, decisively. If he could somehow prove himself as an example whitelighter, he just might be able to save Jackie. He had to start putting his charges first.
* * *
Piper had just gotten out of the shower. Wrapped in a towel, which exaggerated the pregnant curves of her body, she padded into the bedroom to change. Upon entering, she saw Leo pacing feverishly. He didn't even look up or seem to notice she was there.
This behavior was much different than earlier. Leo didn't seem deflated or beaten down any longer; he was animated, lively and.dangerous? No, Piper shook her head, that wasn't it. 'On a mission' was more like it. Well, whatever it was, Leo was determined about something.
Piper cleared her throat loudly, and Leo snapped his head up to look at her. "Glad I have your attention. You know most men would notice if their wife walked into a room wearing only a towel."
Leo smiled bashfully and looked down at the floor as his way of apology.
Tucking the towel more securely around her, Piper walked towards her husband. She took hold of his hand and kneaded the fingers between her own. "What's going on?" she asked suddenly breaking the silence, "What are you hiding from me?"
"Oh, it's just whitelighter stuff," he answered vaguely without meeting her hard earnest stare.
"What kind of stuff?" Piper asked. Retracting her hand, she crossed her arms over her chest.
Leo paused and chewed the words around in his mind. He really didn't want to get her involved. This was his problem, and he wanted to figure it out on his own. "It's nothing really," he shrugged.
"You won't tell me?" Piper's voice was tight, and she looked as though she were fighting tears.
Leo sighed with impatience and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Listen honey-"
"Don't 'honey' me!" Piper interrupted loudly and knocked his hand away. A few tears slipped out, but she didn't seem to notice. Piper was too focused on expelling her frustrations.
Leo tried to get another word in, but she cut him off fiercely. "I want to know what's going on!" Piper's voice rose even more in volume giving her an edge which she gladly took to, and exorcized the rest of her anger at a near scream. "I want to know why you've been sullen lately. I want to know why you've been having nightmares," she roared, "and I want to know why you won't let me help you." That last statement came out softer, coated thick with tears, and a hint of desperation.
Piper stared at him red eyed and breathing heavily, waiting for an answer.
"It's nothing you need to get involved in, Piper," he spoke quietly, not wanting to arouse anymore of her anger.
Piper's scream fest seemed to have sated her for the time being; she didn't look ready to attack him anymore. Yelling arguments weren't her forte as it was. Giving the cold shoulder was usually her tactic of choice. "I'm your wife," she stated firmly and evenly, "doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"It means the world to me," Leo smiled then glanced at his watch. "Shouldn't you be heading out to see Eva?" Changing the subject. That was his tactic of choice.
"I was just getting ready to leave," Piper's voice was cold, "you coming along?" she asked without interest.
"No, I have some whitelighter things to do. I'll see you later," Leo kissed her cheek and orbed out leaving Piper standing there alone in her towel.
* * *
After getting dressed into something comfortable, meaning something with an elastic waist that would conform to her swelling midsection, Piper headed downstairs. She found Phoebe waiting for her on the bottom step.
"What's going of between you and Leo?" Phoebe asked.
"You heard that, huh?" Piper looked a little sheepish.
"I'm surprised the whole neighborhood didn't hear you," Phoebe exclaimed. She then wrapped a loving arm around her older sister. "What's going on?" she ask again with serious concern.
"I don't know," Piper shook her head and leaned into Phoebe, "Leo won't tell me. He's been acting so strange, but he won't tell me what's wrong."
Phoebe sighed and gave Piper a reassuring squeeze. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Actually, yeah. I think there might be." Piper paused to wipe her eyes, clearing away the threatening tears. "This morning, Leo was watching the news and then he started to act really weird."
"So you think something in the news story is what's causing him to act this way?" Phoebe asked.
Piper shrugged, "well, it's the only thing I have to go on. The news story was about a woman who drowned in the ocean. And what's really weird is that Leo's been having nightmares and I think they've been about drowning."
"What do you want me to do?" Phoebe asked earnestly. There's nothing she wouldn't do for her sisters.
"Go talk to Daryl," Piper instructed after some careful thought. She was still wiping at her face and trying to pull herself together. "See if they've come up with any more information on the woman. Maybe we'll come across something helpful."
"Will do, sis," Phoebe nodded.
* * *
After twenty minutes of driving, Phoebe finally found a parking spot nearly five blocks removed from the police station. Grumbling, she got out of the car, and walked around to the meter. She grabbed several quarters from the bottom of her purse to pay for the privilege of occupying this crummy spot. As soon as her fingers touched the parking meter, Phoebe was grabbed by a premonition. A strong one. She felt as though her conscious mind had imploded upon itself and images beyond her control had completely taken over. She didn't even hear to quarters drop from her hand.
Phoebe saw herself. She was standing by the parking meter, but it was the future. A few hours into the future when dusk was setting in. A man dressed all in black stood a few feet away. He looked like a darklighter, and he was laughing. A strange branded symbol marred his upper left arm.
Phoebe landed back in the present as quickly as she'd left. The jarring experience left her slightly dizzy, and she tightly gripped the parking meter for balance. When her bearings finally caught up with her, she hurriedly made her way down the street to the police station.
Her shoes made a brisk clicking sound as they hit the concrete, and Phoebe quickly glanced into each dark ally she passed. Even though the foreseen encounter would not occur for several hours, she was already on heart-racing full alert. Digging around in her purse, Phoebe retrieved her cell phone. She dialed the manor.
Paige picked up on the other end, and Phoebe quickly explained the premonition, and the odd symbol she'd seen.
"Could you see if there's a symbol like that in the Book of Shadows?" Phoebe asked.
"Sure thing," Paige responded dutifully and with a touch of enthusiasm, "I needed some excitement around here," she sighed. "So, have you found out anything about the woman who drowned?"
"No, I'm just going to see Morris now," Phoebe answered.
"Okay sweetie, take care of yourself."
* * *
Paige hung up the phone, and uncurled herself from the couch where she had been flipping through a magazine. Then, she headed upstairs to read the Book of Shadows.
The refrigerator door slammed shut in the kitchen, and Leo emerged with a sandwich. He had orbed home just in time to catch Paige's half of the conversation.
TBC.