They all sat on a couch in the back room of the Crashdown, reading various versions of schoolbooks and sharing homework. A muffled ringing made itself known from the depths of Maria's purse and she scrambled towards it.
"Hello, oh hey!"
"Yeah, yeah, that would be cool."
"Uh-huh! So when are you getting in?"
"Wow, that's pretty freaking early."
"Yeah, my house is good."
"Okay. I love you. Bye."
Liz had been looking at her curiously, "Who was that?"
"It's my aunts, from San Francisco. They're coming to say with me for a while. They'll be in tomorrow morning!" Maria couldn't contain her smile.
"That's great," Alex said. "You haven't had any family here since I can remember."
"Think never, Alex." Liz chided.
"Well anyway," Maria continued. "They're coming and they just told me they'll be here for a couple of days at the most."
Michael turned grave. "That's not going to fuck up our sleeping arrangements, is it?"
"I don't think I could sleep without you. Besides, I'm not ashamed. I love you." She grasped his hand.
"I love you, too." He lifted her hand to his mouth and brushed his lips across her fingers.
"Did they say when they were coming?" Max asked.
"Tomorrow morning. I have to pick them up from the airport at nine."
"It will be good to see them, won't it?" Taja guessed.
"Yeah, it will."
Taja stretched out a hand, which Maria grasped in support. Their connection was a strong one, stemming from their mutual love of Michael and constantly living together.
* * * * *
FLIGHT 279 FROM SAN FRANCISCO IS NOW ARRIVING AT GATE 12. REPEAT. FLIGHT 279 FROM SAN FRANCISCO IS NOW ARRIVING AT GATE 12.
Maria began jumping up and down. "They're here! They're here! Oh God, how do I look?"
Michael turned his bouncing girlfriend around and held her face in his hands. "You're perfect, you're beautiful, and they love you, so it doesn't matter." He kissed her nose with the last word.
"You're right. Of course you're right." Maria smiled. "Thank you, Michael."
Michael reached out a hand to her shoulder to pause her frantic movements and handed her the vial of Cyprus Oil he kept for her. She drew in a breath deeply like a crack addict taking a long-needed hit. Capping the bottle, she sighed and handed it back to Michael.
"Maria!" Phoebe's voice could be heard behind her.
"Phoebe! Piper! Ahhh!" Maria took off.
"Oh, shit." Michael backed away from the tornado of arms and emotions.
In a flurry of arms and legs, the three women ran to each other, colliding in a hug. Another dark-haired female exited the plane next to two tall men, all three of who moved towards the huddle.
"Oh, it's so good to see you!" Maria was still wrapped in the arms of her aunts, Phoebe and Piper. "I haven't looked at you since I was fourteen."
Piper began to stroke her hair. "Four years ago. So much has changed in four years." She looked down at her niece in wonder. "You're eighteen now, aren't you?"
"Yeah," she nodded.
"So grown up. There's so much to tell you. Let's go to your home, Maria."
"Okay."
Phoebe spoke, "Don't worry, we'll introduce everyone there, it's just gonna take some time."
* * * * *
Back at the DeLuca residence, Michael went of immediately to get drinks for the crowd as Maria hustled them to the living room. After everyone was seated, they began to talk.
Maria plopped down on the couch, "Alright, introductions, please."
Piper smiled and started. "Well, this handsome blond next to me is my husband, Leo."
Maria's eyebrows rose. "When did you get married."
"About a year ago." Leo took Piper's hand.
"The dark, broody-looking guy is my boyfriend, Cole Turner." Phoebe offered.
"Hi."
"Well, if we're introducing guys, the longhaired rebel-without-a-cause over there is Michael Guerin, my sou…my…" Maria trailed off.
"I'm her boyfriend." He came to stand behind the couch where Maria was sitting.
Maria turned to Paige. "So who are you?"
"I'm Paige."
Phoebe broke in, "Paige is our half-sister."
"From your mom?" Maria asked.
"Yeah." Piper answered. "After Mom and Dad got their divorce, Mom was…involved…with another man."
Paige continued. "I was adopted, but I recently found out the Halliwell's are my sisters."
"That's great." Maria turned to Piper again. "So where's Prue? Did she have to stay behind?"
Piper's tone was sorrowful as she spoke. "That's part of the reason we came to see you."
"What's wrong?" Maria sensed something.
Phoebe spoke with tears in voice, "Prue died…this summer."
"Oh, God. Oh, man, I am so sorry. How did it happen?"
"There was a break-in." Leo spoke in a voice full of sorrow as well.
"That is so terrible. Did they catch him? The man who did this?"
Piper was solemn. "We got him."
"Well, that's something."
Michael circled around the couch to his beloved and knelt before her, gathering her close. She leaned against his shoulder for a moment, then dragged him onto the couch next to her.
Leo watched the two of them with a knowing eye. Something was different with the couple, something off. Somehow, he didn't think they would be that surprised by what they had to say.
"Maria, there's something else we need to talk to you about." Piper glanced at Michael, then to Leo and her sisters.
Maria caught the look. "Whatever you have to say, you say in front of Michael. I'd tell him anyway. We can't, don't keep secrets from one another."
Phoebe shook her head. "I don't know is this is the type of thing you share with a lot of people."
Michael looked up. "Believe me, I know all about secrets."
Cole stepped up to Michael. "Not secrets like these," he said in a cold tone.
"You'd be surprised." Michael's tone was hard and equally cold.
"Okay!" Piper snapped. "Cole, we don't need any of this right now!"
"Piper." Leo's voice broke the tension and motivated Piper to begin.
"We live a life in San Francisco that is very different form the life that most people live. It's dangerous and time-consuming, and leaves you little energy for anything else. It's because of our family history. Something our mother passed to us, that she received from her mother, and so on. She was a witch." Piper paused. "We're all witches."
"Witches," Maria repeated blankly.
"It's passed down through the female blood so you're not a witch, nor was your mother." Piper reassured her. "But you are in danger. Your connection to us makes dark forces notice you."
Leo continued, "Before, they wouldn't have spared you a backward glance, but since Prue was killed…"
"I thought you said it was a break-in?" Maria interrupted.
Phoebe smiled sadly. "It's complicated. We're the Charmed Ones. It's a prophecy that one day, three sister witches would be born who would fight evil together. Our spells are more powerful when we have the 'Power of Three' and we are the most powerful witched on Earth."
"Because of this," Piper took up, "the Source is constantly trying to destroy the Power of Three. They sent someone to kill me with a deadly virus. Prue traveled back in time to save me and they killed her instead." She grasped her husband's hand for strength and continued. "When Prue died, we thought that we had lost the Power of Three forever. Then Grams and Mom told us about Paige."
Phoebe took over for her elder sister once again. "After Mom and Dad divorced, Mom went to go live on a lake. She fell in love with her Whitelighter and they had a child. Because the child was from a forbidden love, they gave her up for adoption."
"What's a Whitelighter?" Michael asked, interrupting the story.
Leo turned to Michael as if he hadn't remembered he was still there. "Every witch has a Whitelighter who acts like a guide and healer for their witch. Relationships between Whitelighters and their witches simply aren't allowed. They say that the emotional involvement doesn't allow either party to be objective enough to protect themselves or innocents." Leo looked into Piper's eyes as he spoke again. "Piper and I went through hell to get married. We were even encouraged not to see each other for fear of banishment from our callings and each other."
"You're a Whitelighter." Michael concluded with a nod.
"I'm the Whitelighter assigned to the Charmed Ones."
"So what powers do you have?" Michael was so curious, but then realized the moment would have to wait. "Sorry, I just want to know all that you can do. We can talk later."
Phoebe rolled her eyes. "So anyway. The Source saw how Paige replaced Prue as a Charmed One and they're all freaked out that any female of our line may now take up ranks with us. We're afraid that even though you aren't blood, we could somehow arrange for you to succeed. They may come after you, which is why we came."
Maria sighed. "So my life is in danger." It wasn't a question.
"Yes," Cole answered. "And they'll hunt you, no matter where you try to hide, 'til you're dead or bleeding before them."
"They've been after Cole since he killed the Triad…" Phoebe trailed off.
"We have to tell Max." Michael insisted, looking at Maria with fear for her in his eyes.
"No! You can't tell people!" Piper looked wildly around. "Don't you understand? Not only do you put them in danger but you run the risk of press and exposure!"
Maria tried to soothe her aunt. "We can deal with all of those things. We've protected ourselves for three years now and Michael, Isabel and Max all their lives. We have secrets of our own."
Piper turned to Maria, angry and trying to get her to understand. "Normal, everyday secrets don't put your life in danger. The Source, they don't stop when you need a vacation or get sick. They take advantage of your weaknesses. The more people you tell, the more weaknesses you have."
"Piper, what's the Source? And who's the Triad?" Maria asked apologetically.
"She said Cole killed the Triad."
"I know."
Cole broke their thoughts. "The Triad were demons who navigated portals into our dimension. They work for the source of all evil, or the Source as we call it. They exist in a balance with the Powers That Be, who are on the side of good. I killed the Triad because they sent assassins to kill me when I left their brotherhood."
"Cole was a demon up until recently." Piper spoke, the traces of old suspicion echoing there.
"I was born half demon. My mother was human. I became the demon Balthazar when angered or provoked. For a thousand years, I worked in the Brotherhood of the Triad until they sent me to kill the Charmed Ones. I fell in love with Phoebe. She changed me." Cole wrapped his arms around Phoebe's waist and brought her closer.
Michael was curious, "How did you stop being a demon? I mean, isn't that like saying you just stopped being human or something?"
Phoebe kissed Cole's palm. "I made a potion that would remove his powers. When they were gone, he was human."
"Man, to just become human." Michael looked to Maria.
"Do you ever resent it?"
"That I'm not human? No, not anymore. I have you, a family, love. I'm happy."
Paige, oblivious to their silent communication, looked between the couple in amazement. "So none of this really bugs you guys at all? You're really okay with this?"
Maria spoke for the both of them. "It's a shock that my family are witches, but I've recently learned that there are lots of things bigger than me, things that exist whether I know or believe in them or not."
"Our lives aren't that normal, either." Michael said ruefully.
"Alright, then." Leo said, ending the discussion and placing his faith in the teens.
"Wait." Michael cried. "Is it a possibility that any demons have followed you here?"
"Yes, unfortunately. They're always after us."
"We'll be on our guard, then." Michael looked over at Leo. "Would you like to settle into your rooms now?"
"That would be nice, thanks."
"How would you like to do this?"
"Talk to Taja and ask her if she can stay with Liz for a few days."
"Piper and Leo, we'll put you in my old bedroom. Taja's been living there so it may be a bit messy."
"Taja?" Piper asked.
"Michael's sister. She lives here now that she's moved from New York. Michael and I share the master and Taja took my room when I got the house."
"Michael lives here? Aren't you a little young to be living together?" Phoebe questioned, eyebrows raised.
"No." Maria was firm in her answer. "The circumstances are different for both of us. Please don't disapprove our decision. You'll only cause more tension than is necessary. It won't change anything." Maria continued. "Phoebe and Cole, I'll put you in the guest bedroom together. Paige, I can either put you on the extremely comfortable pullout bed from the couch, or we can switch it around so that you, Piper, and Phoebe share a room while Cole and Leo share the other. It's up to you."
"I'll just sleep on the couch."
"It's really not that bad, I promise you. Okay, go get settled in. I've got to run and tell Liz and Max we're not going to Mexico."
"I totally forgot about that!" Michael exclaimed.
"You were going to Mexico?" Paige asked. "God, we're sorry. We didn't mean to mess with your vacation."
"How about you all come back to San Francisco with us instead." Piper offered. "You can hang out at the club and the beach if you want. It'll be great. You haven't stayed with us in so long."
"I'll talk to the guys and see. There's a lot more of us now. We'll have to stay in a hotel room."
"We'll figure something out later." Leo said. "Go to your friends. We can settle in and meet you somewhere."
"Come to the Crashdown when you're done. All of us will be there." Michael got up and walked out of the house with Maria behind him. They got in the car and drove away.
* * * * *
