Lineage

Disclaimer: The only characters I own are Michael, Damien, Lisa and Veraline.

CHAPTER 1: Destiny

Castle Stonehenge, England...Present Day

He sat on the stone floor, eyes closed. His legs were crossed under his body. His breath was controlled and deep. Slowly, his mind became receptive to the metaphysical. A rush of energy coursed through his body as the universe revealed itself to him.

For five years, he had lived in the ancient castle of his ancestors, studying, training, refining his skills. His body had reached its peak physical condition, as evidenced by his muscle tone. His powers had grown stronger and increased in number.

And now, it seemed to be coming to an end.

Yesterday, Master Merlin had told his descendent that his training was complete, and soon, he would receive a sign in meditation that it was time to return to the world he knew.

Michael Smith sighed to himself. He knew that the moment he left the castle, he would be out of the protection shield and the Source would be aware of his presence again. However, he had worked too hard to succumb to fear now. He had a destiny to fulfill.

Suddenly, he felt a cry within his mind.

A cry of a voice he had not heard since that day, five long years ago, when he had left the love of his life behind to embrace his family's legacy.

It was a cry of pain, a cry of longing, which went straight to his heart.

She was calling out to him, although she had no idea that he could hear her or that she was even doing it.

How could she, when he had never revealed the truth to her?

Michael opened his eyes. He had received his sign.

It was time to go back.

A single tear ran down his cheek as he spoke her name, the name of the woman who had given him more love than he could have imagined possible.

"Phoebe..."

****

Halliwell Manor, San Francisco...Present Day

Phoebe lay in bed, crying softly to herself. She wondered if it was possible for a girl to never meet her soulmate, the man she would spend the rest of her life giving of herself.

'Cole...'

His presence dominated her thoughts. When they had first fallen in love, back when Cole had still had Belthazor as his demonic alter ego, she thought that she had finally found her true love, her soulmate. Even during the circumstances leading up to Prue's death, when Phoebe had prayed that the potion she had would counteract what Raynor had done to him, she had never lost hope, never doubted in the strength of their love.

And then, all hell indeed broke loose.

Cole's sacrifice to save them from the Source, taking in the Hollow, had set off a time bomb that had just been waiting to go off.

The Source possessed him, using his body so that he could marry Phoebe and create a child that would lead evil to absolute victory. In the end, Phoebe had to choose between Cole and her sisters, between evil and good.

It was the most painful choice she'd ever had to make.

How could a choice of that magnitude not be painful?

Looking back, she felt as though she had done the right thing. However, at the moment when he was vanquished as the Source, she felt something die inside of her: the part of her heart that was reserved for her true love.

She felt it shrivel up and grow cold as Cole was consumed in fire.

When Cole had called out to her from the Wasteland and she realized that his soul was still intact, she had felt joy at his survival. Yet, it was overpowered by fear; fear that if she gave in to her love for him, her world would collapse around her again.

So, she closed her heart from him.

That decision, more than anything else, was the direct cause of his insanity. He couldn't understand why she was scared of him, why she couldn't give him a second chance.

And now, he was gone, apparently for good.

It seemed strange to her that she didn't even know when the exact moment was that Cole had been vanquished since it had taken place in an alternate reality. However, somehow it didn't surprise her that her double had been the one to throw the potion.

She wondered if she would ever be able to feel love like that again.

And then, unbidden, memories long buried came to the surface of her mind.

They were memories of the man that had once held the same place in her heart as Cole, who had unwillingly walked out of her life five years ago.

Her mind traveled back through the years, through the moments, to the beginning...

****

New York, NY...February 1998

"Phoebe, come on!" said Lisa.

"This is New York! It's crowded everywhere!" Phoebe shouted back. The two girls were excited. New York was good place for college students to hang out, and Phoebe and her roommate Lisa had just heard about a club called Rockers Café. It was supposedly a good hang out spot, and a great place to meet guys.

Phoebe and Lisa were admitted without delay, and they quickly found a spot to stand near the stage. "I'm really glad you found this place, Lisa," said Phoebe. "I love rock music."

"Me, too," she responded. "I heard the featured band tonight does great covers." Just then, the club's PA came on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is now our pleasure to present one of the best hard rock club bands in New York. Please put your hands together for DARK SIDE!" The crowd burst into applause. The curtains and lights went up at the same time. Phoebe caught sight of the band's leader, and her heart started to pound. He seemed only slightly older than she, with dark hair, warm brown eyes, and the handsome figure to match. His voice was deep and rich as he spoke. "Thank you very much," he said. "We're glad to be here tonight. This is 'Behind Blue Eyes' by The Who." He took the pick from his guitar and began to play.

No one knows what it's like To be the bad man, To be the sad man behind blue eyes.

No one knows what it's like To be hated, To be fated, to telling only lies.

Phoebe was captivated by him. His voice was perfect, and he played the legendary chords of Pete Townshend with ease.

But my dreams, they are as empty As my conscience seems to be.

I have hours, only lonely. My love is vengeance, that's never free.

****

As Michael finished the first song and the crowd burst into applause, he noticed a girl near the stage. His breath was caught in his throat at the sight of her. Her brown hair shined brightly in the stage lights, and her face was open and kind. She was, without a doubt, the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on. He quickly regained his concentration and said, "Thank you very much. For our next song, we'd like to play from what was one of the best-selling rock albums of all time. As a matter of fact, it's where we got our name from. This is 'Time' from Pink Floyd's legendary Dark Side of the Moon."

Ticking away the moments that make up the dull day, Fritter and waste the hours in an all fine way.

Picking around on a piece of ground in your hometown, Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

Tired of lying in the sunshine, Staying home to watch the rain.

And you are young and life is long, And there is time to kill today.

And then one day you find, Ten years have got behind you. No one told you when to run. You missed the starting gun.

Michael began to wail away on his Gibson guitar as he played his solo. He noticed that the brown-haired girl was staring at him and smiling. He returned the smile, and even from this distance, he could see the blush in her cheeks.

****

Phoebe applauded loudly as the band's set came to a close. Lisa said, "Listen, Phoebe, I'm pretty tired so I'm going to head back now. Do you want to come now?"

As Phoebe caught sight of the lead singer again, she said, "No, I'm going to stick around here for a while. See you later." She saw that the lead singer approach the bar, and she quickly ran to meet him.

****

"What'll it be?" asked the bartender of Michael.

"Ice water," he replied. He then noticed the brown-haired girl from before approaching him. She smiled and sat down in the stool next to him. "May I buy you a drink?" he asked her.

"I'll have what he's having," she said. Michael's head spun at the sound of her voice. Without even forcing it, the voice was seductive. The bartender brought over the two ice waters.

"You were great up there tonight," she said. "I've never seen that kind of stage presence before."

"Thanks," he said. "My name is Michael Smith."

"Phoebe Halliwell," she said.

"Do you go to college around here?" asked Michael.

"No. I took some time off after freshman year, actually. Personal reasons," she said. "How about you?"

"I already graduated," he said with an embarrassed grin. "I was one of those gifted kids. It also helps if your father happens to be the owner of one of the largest software companies in the country. I went to Oxford for computer science and business."

"Oh, so you're one of THOSE Smiths," said Phoebe. "Not that it's a bad thing," she said, smiling at him. She hesitated before saying, "Are you involved with anybody?" She blushed with embarrassment.

"Don't feel that way," he said. "I don't mind you asking. No, I'm not. Are you?"

"Nope," she said. 'Oh, please, ask me,' she thought.

"You want to go out some time?" asked Michael.

'YES!' "Sure, I'd love to," she answered. "Would you mind walking me back to my apartment? It's only a few blocks from here."

"Sure, no problem," said Michael. As they left the club together, Phoebe asked, "So, how does the son of the owner of a software company end up playing guitar for a hard rock band?"

"Let's just say that my father and I don't agree on certain things. For instance, he wants me to follow in his footsteps. I don't necessarily believe that our entire destiny is mapped out by anyone. I've made my own choices." He paused and smiled. "Besides, I love playing guitar."

"I could see that," said Phoebe, putting her arm around him. He did likewise. As they walked by an alley, an arm came out and grabbed Phoebe. Michael saw a man take out a knife and hold it at her throat.

"Give me your wallet or the babe gets it," the man snarled.

"Okay, just take it easy," said Michael. "Phoebe, don't move." He slowly reached into his pocket to remove his wallet. However, as he did so, Phoebe quickly lifted her leg right into the man's groin. The knife moved away from her throat. As she started to move, she felt something slam into her stomach, and everything went black.

****

Phoebe regained consciousness. She opened her eyes and saw Michael staring at her with a relieved smile on his face. "What happened?" she asked.

"The guy punched you in the stomach. You got the wind knocked out of you. I guess the blow was hard enough that it knocked you out. Fortunately, I managed to fight him off. Something tells me he won't be hurting anyone anytime soon."

Michael helped her to her feet, and Phoebe looked at him with a mix of awe and love. "You saved my life." Before he could protest, Phoebe wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately. At that moment, both felt a feeling of completeness come over them, as though they were two lost souls that had found each other. As they pulled apart, Phoebe said, "You want to come to my place?"

"Absolutely," said Michael, smiling knowingly at her.

****

Halliwell Manor, San Francisco...Present Day

Phoebe sighed as she remembered the night they first met. It seemed as though things were moving too fast, but being with him was so wonderful that it didn't matter to either one of them. For two months, they'd felt like they were in heaven.

And then, in one moment, their happiness was shattered.

****

New York, NY...April 1998

"This is the best veal I've ever had," commented Phoebe. Michael had invited her over to his lavish penthouse for dinner that night, which he had prepared for them. Michael's cooking tended to be exquisite and delicious.

"I'm glad you like it," said Michael, reaching across the table and taking her hand. They stood up and Michael led her to his living room and sat down on the couch.

Phoebe leaned over and kissed him passionately. She whispered in his ear, "I love you." As she pulled away, she noticed that Michael had a pensive look on his face, which was odd for him. Usually, he didn't seem to worry about anything. "What's wrong, baby?" she asked, snuggling beside him.

Michael sighed and put his arm around her. Her warmth was enough to reassure him that she truly loved him, and that he owed her the truth. "I have something to tell you. Don't worry, it's nothing bad, but it's something I think you should know." However, before he could get in another word, the phone rang. As it did, Michael suddenly felt as though something was being ripped from his soul, emptiness left in its wake. As he reluctantly excused himself from her embrace, he walked over and picked up the phone. "Hello? Hi, Mom. What's the matter?" Suddenly, all the color left his face.

Phoebe shivered. Something terrible had happened. She waited a moment as Michael finished speaking with his mother in a hushed voice. As soon as he hung up the phone, his legs gave out and he collapsed to his knees. Phoebe immediately ran over and put her arms around him. "What happened?" she asked.

Michael pulled away slightly and looked into Phoebe's eyes. It seemed as though his vibrant energy had been sucked right out of him. His voice was tired as he spoke.

"My father was murdered."

****

Two weeks passed.

Michael's father had run his business out of London, so his body was flown back to New York for the funeral. Phoebe was there with him, comforting him. He seemed grateful for her presence there, yet somehow she got the impression that he had distanced himself. The mourners gathered back at his family's New York estate, a half-hour outside the city.

Michael took Phoebe back to her apartment. He was about to make the most painful decision of his life, and even though he knew that it was the right thing, there was no doubt that Phoebe's heart would break. "I have to go away," he said, averting her eyes.

A pang of sadness echoed through her heart. "Why?" she asked.

"I have to go to London. My father left me the family business, so I have to run things over there." His heart felt like it was being ripped to shreds.

"When will you come back?" she asked, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I don't know," he said. He forced himself to meet her eyes. "I guess destiny has a funny way of showing you that it's inevitable," he said in a faraway tone. Then, he said in a firmer tone, "I will come back for you, no matter how long it takes. I promise." He cupped her face with his hands and kissed her. The kiss was long and passionate. Phoebe didn't want it to end. He pulled away, his hands still on her cheeks, his deep brown eyes locked on hers. "I love you. Goodbye, Phoebe."

And then, he walked out of her life and embraced his destiny.

****

Castle Stonehenge, England...Present Day

Michael finished gathering his belongings. He paused, looking around his quarters. He had spent five years in this place, called it his home. Now, it was time to open his heart again and return to his real home.

A spirit materialized behind him. Michael turned and smiled as his eyes beheld Merlin, legendary wizard of Camelot, the founder of his family line. "You're still here?" said Merlin.

"Well, I certainly wasn't going to leave without saying goodbye, Master Merlin," said Michael.

"You know that all you have to do is call my name and I'll come to you," said Merlin.

"I know," said his pupil.

"You've made me proud, Michael," said Merlin. "And before you go, I have something I want to give you." Merlin gestured. Moments later, a sword with a bright, polished blade was floating in the air. Michael grabbed the hilt, and he could feel the power within. "I think Arthur would have wanted you to have it." Merlin paused a moment. "Do you think she still has the same feelings for you?"

"I won't know until I see her," said Michael. "At least it won't be as difficult for me to tell her the truth now, since she and I are the same. I felt it when her powers were unbound, when I realized what she was and that she also had a great destiny.as a Charmed One. As soon as that happened, I had the urge to orb straight to her and tell her everything, but, I knew she wasn't ready to handle it yet...and I wasn't ready to re- enter the game." He sighed, and then looked at his mentor. "Goodbye, Merlin, and thank you." Merlin bowed in response, and dematerialized.

Michael orbed out, hoping that this time, his destiny would not get in the way of his heart.

TO BE CONTINUED...