FIVE

Willow incanted a spell and flames erupted around The First. The demon howled in agony and then suddenly the flames vanished.

"My, you are a powerful one, aren't you?" questioned The First. "But not powerful enough."

"Get away from my baby," said Piper slowly and deliberately.

"I can't do that," said The First. "This is my big opportunity. He's perfect. The child of a Charmed One. Powerful enough to withstand my magic and yet still human. With his power combined with mine, no one will be able to stop me. I can finish what I started. What that accursed Slayer stopped me from doing."

"I thought you said her power was suspended when she took human form?" Leo questioned Piper and the others.

"That's what Lemmick said," said Piper.

"Lemmick was wrong," said The First. "Right now you're probably wondering how you made such a dreadful mistake. It's nearly 12:15. Well past midnight. My power should be waning. Only you made the same mistake that humans have been making for hundreds of years. You relied on your clocks and watches."

"Heavens," said Giles, "it's right. What a fool I was. I should have realized."

"Realized what?" asked Phoebe.

"I've existed for thousands of years," said The First. "Long before the invention of clocks and watches and most other artificial time pieces. Midnight is not usually when your clocks show twelve o'clock. Midnight is exactly halfway through night. When there's equal time between dusk of the previous day and dawn of the following day. That would be approximately 12:17 by your clocks today. You thought the danger had passed. But because of your foolishness you've only given me the opportunity to complete what I've started. And no one can stop me."

"Well, I don't want to stop you, but I do have a slight alteration to your plans," said a voice from the solarium.

Everyone looked over to see grown up Wyatt standing in the door of the solarium. Behind him stood two demons in human form. Suddenly, nearly a dozen other demons in human form shimmered into the manor. Piper, her sisters, and their friends were badly outnumbered. Even as powerful as they were, sheer numbers could still defeat them.

"My little addition to the party tonight," said Wyatt. "Mom, dad, I'm home. Had a rough day at the office. But things are better now. I'm with my loving family."

"Who you murdered," said Chris, glaring at Wyatt.

"Preemptive strike," said Wyatt. "If I hadn't gotten to them first they would have gotten to me."

"Wyatt," said Piper, "it's me, your mother. How could you do this to us? To your own family?"

"It was easy," said Wyatt. "With all your nagging and constantly telling me I couldn't use my powers for personal gain. While all around me the demons and warlocks did whatever they wanted without so much as anyone saying a cross word to them. And you." He looked at Leo. "One of heralded Elders. Savior of mankind by helping to defeat the Titans. My father, the legendary Leo Wyatt. Did you really think you could bind my powers without me learning about it? Oh, of course, it hasn't come to that yet. But it did. You said I was a danger to everyone, especially myself. That the only way to protect me and everyone else was to bind my powers so I couldn't hurt anyone else. You shouldn't have tried to do that.

"And finally we have little brother. I offered you power at my right hand. No one would have dared challenge you. Everyone - demons, witches, White Lighters, warlocks - they would all have answered to you. I offered you unlimited power over everyone. And how did you repay me? By trying to kill me and then by coming back here to prevent me from getting the power that is rightfully mine."

"Who are you?" demanded The First. "You seem familiar but I don't recall ever meeting you."

"That's because I am you," said Wyatt, smiling. "I'm from the future, just like little brother there." He looked down into the playpen. "I'm him all grown up.

"But I'm also you. The reason I seem so familiar is because you're sensing your own power in me. And you're right. When our powers combined, we became unstoppable. The Elders, the demonic leadership, even the famous Charmed Ones weren't strong enough to stop us."

"So why change things?" Chris asked. "You didn't organize the demonic underground on Earth before. You just wiped out the demonic leadership in the underworld and took over. Why do everything you've done since you came back? I thought you had come back to kill me?"

"I did," said Wyatt. "But, of course, my first attempt failed. That damned Druid interfered. And as long as he has that sword of his not even I can challenge him. So I had to make a few changes to my plans. All in all I think they'll work out quite well. I organize the demonic underground and when it's time for me to take out their leadership my followers will step in and take control immediately. It won't take as long to take over the underworld that way."

"Wyatt," said Leo, "son, we can talk about this. We can make changes. There's no reason for you to do all this. If we made mistakes, it's only because we loved you and wanted what was best for you."

"Love," scoffed Wyatt. "That's such an outdated concept. There really is no such thing. There's only power. Those who have it rule those who don't."

"I see there is something of me in you," said The First. "So, what are you doing here now? Come to stop me from possessing the child?"

"Heavens, no," said Wyatt. "If I do that I can never go back. Once I return to the future I'll change. But I knew that eventually Chris would tell them what had really happened. I also knew they would be ready for you when you got here. So I brought some friends to the party." He indicated the demons standing around the manor. "My lieutenants, if you will. The most powerful demons in the underground. We're here to make sure you are successful. Once it's done we'll dispose of them. I'll make sure you get a good home with a deserving demon. And I'll tell the demon what you will need to know as you grow up. That way it will be easier to take over the mortal plane. And we can establish the order it needs. Also, with them dead, there won't be any siblings to try to come back and change things."

"I like your thinking," said The First.

"Our thinking," said Wyatt. "There was a lot of destruction when I took over. A lot of people died who didn't have to. This time around we should be able to prevent that. Now, if you'd care to slip into something a little less ancient, my friends and I will see to it that you aren't disturbed."

The First turned back to the playpen. Baby Wyatt sensed the evil over him and immediately activated his force shield. Grown up Wyatt just smiled and passed his hand over the shield. It vanished. Piper could do nothing but stand and watch as The First prepared to take her son.

They were too badly outnumbered. Grown up Wyatt stood next to The First prepared to defend the evil while it possessed the young child. Even if they should attempt to defend themselves against the intruders, it would cost them valuable time. Time enough for The First to complete the possession. Time enough to thwart everything they had done to prevent it.