*Serious Discussion*
Wyatt miserably threw a tennis ball at his bedroom wall and caught it expertly without even thinking. Once again he threw it and caught it, threw it and caught it.
He'd been banned from all witchcraft - even orbing! - for a whole two weeks, and grounded for the punishment of the food fight. Aunt Phoebe had sent Grace home after the incident and Wyatt knew he'd never be more bored.
Melinda thumped up the stairs and burst into his room. 'Mom wants you to come down!' She said in a singsong voice, before running back out. Wyatt reluctantly went downstairs, where Phoebe, Piper, Serena and Melinda were waiting.
'Grace should be here too.' Wyatt said forlornly.
'It doesn't matter. Now Wyatt, what exactly was the wording of this spell again? We've tried everything!' Piper asked in despair. She sat at the now unpainted island, flipping through the book of shadows.
'Maybe it won't work anyway.' Melinda suggested hopefully. 'Because it was a personal gain thing.'
Phoebe looked at Piper, who shrugged. 'She could be right. Personal gain always seems to backfire. What're we supposed to do now?'
'Maybe we should wait till the others get home to fix this problem.' Phoebe replied, as three orbs filled the room. 'And here they are.'
Leo looked around the kitchen in wonder. 'Did I miss something? Or am I just not as observant as I thought I was?'
'Long, long story.' Piper replied. 'In short, Wyatt and Grace had a food fight then used a spell to clean it up.'
'Oh. Over cleaning. Personal gain.' Prue said, nodding.
'Okay does everyone know about personal gain this but me?' Phoebe asked with a frown. 'Because I don't seem to know a lot now.'
'Well we have more important things to worry about now.' Andy spoke up, as he, Prue and Leo took seats at the island. 'Melinda, Wyatt, if you'd please?'
'Mommy do I have to? Why can't I listen? Please mommy? Daddy?' Melinda turned her large dark eyes onto her father and gave him her best daddy's - girl look. 'Please daddy? Can I listen?' She wheedled.
'Sure you can Mellie.' Leo reached down and picked Melinda up and set her on his lap. 'You sit right here.'
Melinda grinned happily, then poked her tongue out at Wyatt. 'Hey!' Piper exclaimed. 'Melinda Charlotte Halliwell! You stop that right now!'
Melinda withdrew her tongue with a cheeky grin.
'Shouldn't we wait till Paige and Glen are here?' Prue asked Andy and Leo, leaning over to stroke Serena's dark hair. Serena stirred, before going back to sleep in her bassinet.
'It's fine. We can till them later. Who knows when they'll be in.' Leo assured her. Prue shrugged, and reached in and scooped Serena up. 'You are adorable.' She cooed, 'you are absolutely adorable. Ooh Paige is so lucky!' She settled back in her seat with Serena in her arms as Leo began.
'Well the elders have been conferring. A lot.' Leo began. 'And after the little battle Melinda, Wyatt and Grace had they're worried. Very worried.' Melinda looked up at him, and settled back in his lap. Piper frowned, before beckoning Wyatt to her.
'They think moving Grace was a bad idea.' Continued Andy. 'Not only is Cole rarely home, but also they think that there's some sort of democracy going on in the Underworld. No more source, instead a new way of running things. And now, without anyone they're to rule over them, they're all going crazy and throwing themselves at you.' Before Andy could finish someone shimmered in.
It was some lowly demon out to prove himself Piper would have guessed, but she just flicked her hand at him, and gestured for Andy or Leo to continue.
Prue did instead. 'So now we'll be having about a billion demons a week.' She concluded. 'It's not safe for the kids, but the elders want to test them, see how powerful they are.'
'I thought there was only one set of charmed ones in the present.' Phoebe asked. 'You know when we all went back into the seventies?'
'Right. We couldn't use our powers. Little Prue and Piper had them.' Prue confirmed. 'Only this time it's the next generation, not actually us in a different time. Different rules I guess. So the elders want us to protect the kids, but let them loose on demons at the same time. Leashed of course.'
'To see the extent of what they can do at a young age.' Leo finished. 'I don't want to do it, I mean Melinda's only three.'
Everyone looked at the little girl, who had now fallen asleep in Leo's lap.
'Well the elders want it done.'
'When have we ever listened to them? I'm not letting Melinda and Wyatt loose on demons Leo! It's too dangerous! They're only kids!' Piper cried.
'Piper we haven't much choice. We don't listen when they're wrong, but this time they're right. The only thing that makes you believe they're wrong is that it's your motherly instinct.'
'Well go instinct.' Piper retorted. 'Phoebe? You agree with me don't you?'
'Well Grace would obviously have to move back here.' Phoebe said slowly. 'But I guess so. I mean I was a little harsh. She didn't do anything and I sent her to live with Cole.'
'So what's the decision? Either way the elders are insisting.' Prue spoke up, as she put Serena back in her bassinet, went to the fridge and managed to find a tub of ice cream that had escaped the food fight.
'Obviously I don't have a say in this.' Piper snapped, storming out. Leo watched her leave with an unreadable expression.
'You okay?' Phoebe asked softly, nudging him. Piper and Leo had already been through enough as it was.
'I'm fine.' Leo nodded, then looked down at Melinda. 'I'm going to get Melinda to sleep.' Slowly he eased off the chair. 'You coming buddy?'
Wyatt nodded and followed Leo and a sleeping Melinda out of the room.
'Prue put that away before you hurt yourself.' Andy joked to Prue, who was demolishing the ice cream carton.
'I should get Grace then. I really don't want to drive right now, can someone orb me?' Phoebe pleaded.
'I will.' Andy nodded. 'I know how much Prue hates going to Cole's.'
Prue scowled, before continuing her ice cream. 'I still haven't forgiven him for a lot of things.' She muttered.
* *
Paige and Glen let themselves in, laughing. 'I had fun tonight.' Paige said. As Leo, Melinda and Wyatt entered the room they were in a clinch.
'Oh! Oh!' Paige broke away. 'Hi you guys. Did I miss anything?'
'Uh yeah. Prue's in the kitchen. Eating.' Leo grinned, before going on his way upstairs with Melinda still asleep in his arms.
* *
Piper was sitting at the top step, her face a mask of worry. She stood up as Leo came up, and took Melinda from him, as Leo picked up a yawning Wyatt.
'I'm just worried.' She said to him quietly, as she paused as he dropped Wyatt off into the bathroom, before they continued to Melinda's room.
'I know you are.' Leo nodded. 'I am too.'
* *
Early the next morning Piper felt something on her. It wasn't that heavy, but it definitely wasn't normal. She opened her eyes.
'Mommy!' Melinda exclaimed. 'Hi!' Melinda sat on Piper's stomach, wearing the Pyjamas Piper had put on her last night - her favourite ones, the lilac ones with feet.
'Hi Mellie. What time is it?'
'Early!' Melinda announced cheerfully. 'Daddy's making breakfast today. He's making waffles! Yeah!'
Piper smiled and looked at the clock. 8:00 - not bad. 'Come on then Miss Mellie. I'm just going to go to the bathroom.'
Melinda rolled off of Piper, who went to the bathroom. As she was brushing her teeth she heard a terrified shriek, and stuck her head out of the bathroom in time to see Melinda waving her hands at a blonde demon.
'Go away!' Melinda sniffed, as he exploded. 'Mo-o-o-mm-y!'
'I'm here!' Piper spat out her toothbrush, spat and rinsed, before hurrying to her daughter's aid. 'What happened?'
'He just shimmered!' Melinda said, eyes wide. 'He said in a growly voice - he sounded like a bear - "I'll get you Charmed one".'
Piper grimaced. 'Come on. Let me get changed and we'll go downstairs and tell everyone about this little. episode.'
Wyatt miserably threw a tennis ball at his bedroom wall and caught it expertly without even thinking. Once again he threw it and caught it, threw it and caught it.
He'd been banned from all witchcraft - even orbing! - for a whole two weeks, and grounded for the punishment of the food fight. Aunt Phoebe had sent Grace home after the incident and Wyatt knew he'd never be more bored.
Melinda thumped up the stairs and burst into his room. 'Mom wants you to come down!' She said in a singsong voice, before running back out. Wyatt reluctantly went downstairs, where Phoebe, Piper, Serena and Melinda were waiting.
'Grace should be here too.' Wyatt said forlornly.
'It doesn't matter. Now Wyatt, what exactly was the wording of this spell again? We've tried everything!' Piper asked in despair. She sat at the now unpainted island, flipping through the book of shadows.
'Maybe it won't work anyway.' Melinda suggested hopefully. 'Because it was a personal gain thing.'
Phoebe looked at Piper, who shrugged. 'She could be right. Personal gain always seems to backfire. What're we supposed to do now?'
'Maybe we should wait till the others get home to fix this problem.' Phoebe replied, as three orbs filled the room. 'And here they are.'
Leo looked around the kitchen in wonder. 'Did I miss something? Or am I just not as observant as I thought I was?'
'Long, long story.' Piper replied. 'In short, Wyatt and Grace had a food fight then used a spell to clean it up.'
'Oh. Over cleaning. Personal gain.' Prue said, nodding.
'Okay does everyone know about personal gain this but me?' Phoebe asked with a frown. 'Because I don't seem to know a lot now.'
'Well we have more important things to worry about now.' Andy spoke up, as he, Prue and Leo took seats at the island. 'Melinda, Wyatt, if you'd please?'
'Mommy do I have to? Why can't I listen? Please mommy? Daddy?' Melinda turned her large dark eyes onto her father and gave him her best daddy's - girl look. 'Please daddy? Can I listen?' She wheedled.
'Sure you can Mellie.' Leo reached down and picked Melinda up and set her on his lap. 'You sit right here.'
Melinda grinned happily, then poked her tongue out at Wyatt. 'Hey!' Piper exclaimed. 'Melinda Charlotte Halliwell! You stop that right now!'
Melinda withdrew her tongue with a cheeky grin.
'Shouldn't we wait till Paige and Glen are here?' Prue asked Andy and Leo, leaning over to stroke Serena's dark hair. Serena stirred, before going back to sleep in her bassinet.
'It's fine. We can till them later. Who knows when they'll be in.' Leo assured her. Prue shrugged, and reached in and scooped Serena up. 'You are adorable.' She cooed, 'you are absolutely adorable. Ooh Paige is so lucky!' She settled back in her seat with Serena in her arms as Leo began.
'Well the elders have been conferring. A lot.' Leo began. 'And after the little battle Melinda, Wyatt and Grace had they're worried. Very worried.' Melinda looked up at him, and settled back in his lap. Piper frowned, before beckoning Wyatt to her.
'They think moving Grace was a bad idea.' Continued Andy. 'Not only is Cole rarely home, but also they think that there's some sort of democracy going on in the Underworld. No more source, instead a new way of running things. And now, without anyone they're to rule over them, they're all going crazy and throwing themselves at you.' Before Andy could finish someone shimmered in.
It was some lowly demon out to prove himself Piper would have guessed, but she just flicked her hand at him, and gestured for Andy or Leo to continue.
Prue did instead. 'So now we'll be having about a billion demons a week.' She concluded. 'It's not safe for the kids, but the elders want to test them, see how powerful they are.'
'I thought there was only one set of charmed ones in the present.' Phoebe asked. 'You know when we all went back into the seventies?'
'Right. We couldn't use our powers. Little Prue and Piper had them.' Prue confirmed. 'Only this time it's the next generation, not actually us in a different time. Different rules I guess. So the elders want us to protect the kids, but let them loose on demons at the same time. Leashed of course.'
'To see the extent of what they can do at a young age.' Leo finished. 'I don't want to do it, I mean Melinda's only three.'
Everyone looked at the little girl, who had now fallen asleep in Leo's lap.
'Well the elders want it done.'
'When have we ever listened to them? I'm not letting Melinda and Wyatt loose on demons Leo! It's too dangerous! They're only kids!' Piper cried.
'Piper we haven't much choice. We don't listen when they're wrong, but this time they're right. The only thing that makes you believe they're wrong is that it's your motherly instinct.'
'Well go instinct.' Piper retorted. 'Phoebe? You agree with me don't you?'
'Well Grace would obviously have to move back here.' Phoebe said slowly. 'But I guess so. I mean I was a little harsh. She didn't do anything and I sent her to live with Cole.'
'So what's the decision? Either way the elders are insisting.' Prue spoke up, as she put Serena back in her bassinet, went to the fridge and managed to find a tub of ice cream that had escaped the food fight.
'Obviously I don't have a say in this.' Piper snapped, storming out. Leo watched her leave with an unreadable expression.
'You okay?' Phoebe asked softly, nudging him. Piper and Leo had already been through enough as it was.
'I'm fine.' Leo nodded, then looked down at Melinda. 'I'm going to get Melinda to sleep.' Slowly he eased off the chair. 'You coming buddy?'
Wyatt nodded and followed Leo and a sleeping Melinda out of the room.
'Prue put that away before you hurt yourself.' Andy joked to Prue, who was demolishing the ice cream carton.
'I should get Grace then. I really don't want to drive right now, can someone orb me?' Phoebe pleaded.
'I will.' Andy nodded. 'I know how much Prue hates going to Cole's.'
Prue scowled, before continuing her ice cream. 'I still haven't forgiven him for a lot of things.' She muttered.
* *
Paige and Glen let themselves in, laughing. 'I had fun tonight.' Paige said. As Leo, Melinda and Wyatt entered the room they were in a clinch.
'Oh! Oh!' Paige broke away. 'Hi you guys. Did I miss anything?'
'Uh yeah. Prue's in the kitchen. Eating.' Leo grinned, before going on his way upstairs with Melinda still asleep in his arms.
* *
Piper was sitting at the top step, her face a mask of worry. She stood up as Leo came up, and took Melinda from him, as Leo picked up a yawning Wyatt.
'I'm just worried.' She said to him quietly, as she paused as he dropped Wyatt off into the bathroom, before they continued to Melinda's room.
'I know you are.' Leo nodded. 'I am too.'
* *
Early the next morning Piper felt something on her. It wasn't that heavy, but it definitely wasn't normal. She opened her eyes.
'Mommy!' Melinda exclaimed. 'Hi!' Melinda sat on Piper's stomach, wearing the Pyjamas Piper had put on her last night - her favourite ones, the lilac ones with feet.
'Hi Mellie. What time is it?'
'Early!' Melinda announced cheerfully. 'Daddy's making breakfast today. He's making waffles! Yeah!'
Piper smiled and looked at the clock. 8:00 - not bad. 'Come on then Miss Mellie. I'm just going to go to the bathroom.'
Melinda rolled off of Piper, who went to the bathroom. As she was brushing her teeth she heard a terrified shriek, and stuck her head out of the bathroom in time to see Melinda waving her hands at a blonde demon.
'Go away!' Melinda sniffed, as he exploded. 'Mo-o-o-mm-y!'
'I'm here!' Piper spat out her toothbrush, spat and rinsed, before hurrying to her daughter's aid. 'What happened?'
'He just shimmered!' Melinda said, eyes wide. 'He said in a growly voice - he sounded like a bear - "I'll get you Charmed one".'
Piper grimaced. 'Come on. Let me get changed and we'll go downstairs and tell everyone about this little. episode.'