"Melinda!" Piper cried. She tried to run forward but Phoebe held her
back. "Phoebe, what are you doing?" she demanded.
"It isn't Melinda, not anymore." She narrowed her eyes at Wyatt, anger coursing through her. "He did something to her."
Wyatt laughed a cold, bitter laugh. "Such the smart little witch."
Phoebe's face paled. "You sent me that vision. You wanted us to think you were going to kill her, but you didn't did you? You just turned her evil . . ."
Wyatt grinned and nodded. Horror struck Piper like a slap in the face. She felt cold all over. How could this be happening? How???
Melinda held her hand out, palm up. A fireball formed in it. She looked at Piper, her eyes blank and emotionless. She lifted her hand up beside her, palm facing outward, ready to throw the fireball.
"Melinda, don't! Fight it, I know you can!" Piper said, trying to keep her tone calm. "Please, sweetie, it's me, your mom! Please fight it!'
Melinda tilted her head slightly to the side, then released the fireball. Piper didn't move.
"Piper!" Paige cried. Piper was engulfed in orbs and disappeared. Seconds later, the fireball landed right where Piper had been standing and she appeared again, this time right beside Paige and Phoebe.
Piper ignored it, acted as if her own daughter hadn't nearly killed her. She stepped forward.
"Melinda, fight this. I know you can!" Piper snapped harshly. "I know I shouldn't have kept magic hidden from you. I know that now! And I promise no more secrets. But you have to fight this! You have to come back to me!!"
Melinda simply stared at Piper. She blinked once and Piper was thrown backwards into the wall. She fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Phoebe ran over to Piper to make sure she was okay.
Wyatt laughed. "How does it feel, mother," he asked, when Piper was back on her feet, "to have your sweet little girl try and kill you? Breaks your heart, does it not?"
"You evil bastard!" Piper hissed. She ran at Wyatt. Halfway there, however, Melinda formed another fireball and threw it at her. Piper gasped and tried to move away, but the fireball still managed to graze her arm, then fly into the wall, leaving a black mark.
Chris orbed out of the room, then back in behind Melinda. He grabbed her around the waist. He was about to orb out when a hand came down and smashed into the side of his face with a tremendous force. It knocked him off balance. He lost his grip on Melinda and fell sideways onto the ground. His cheek stinging, he forced himself up, but was quickly thrown off his feet once again; Wyatt had used his telekinesis to throw Chris up into the air and back down on top of one of the antique, wooden chairs. The chair snapped and sent Chris sprawling onto the floor.
Piper held one hand over her arm, hissing in pain. But she still forced herself to stand up. She glared at Wyatt with hate. "How could you do this? Why are you doing this?"
"For my own personal pleasure," he replied, grinning. "Oh, and so you'll give up your powers and feel as if life isn't worth living since Melinda is on my side now and you've lost two children, three once I finish off Chris."
"No, don't you dare touch him!" Piper howled, throwing her hands up in an attempt to blow Wyatt up. Instead, he simply fell back a step. This made him laugh.
"Nice try, mother. But it won't work. You can't blow me up. I may be evil, but your blood still runs in me, and as long as it does, I am invincible. From you, at least. By the time you figure out how to destroy me, I will have destroyed you," Wyatt promised. He grinned, then took Melinda's hand and shimmered them out of the room.
Piper collapsed to the ground, sobbing. The pain in her arm had melted away; she was numb. Paige ran to help Chris and Phoebe went to Piper.
"Piper, it'll be o-"Phoebe began, but Piper interrupted, "Don't say it, Phoebe!" she hissed. "Don't tell me it will be okay because it won't! Wyatt is stronger than we are. He has Melinda under his control now and we'll never get her back!"
"You can't think that," Paige insisted, helping Chris to his feet. "We need to get you two cleaned up. Leo!" she called. "Leo, we need some healing here!"
Leo orbed down into the attic. He took one look around before going to Chris and healing his wounds, then doing the same to Piper. He sighed. "What happened?"
"Wyatt. He attacked us," Chris responded gruffly.
"He still has Melinda, Leo!" Piper cried. She paced the attic, angry that she hadn't been able to help Melinda, angry with Wyatt for putting her through this, angry that she hadn't told Melinda about her powers sooner. If she had known about her powers, she would have been able to protect herself from Wyatt.
"There's still my plan . . ., "Chris said suddenly.
"It's too dangerous, Chris. I won't risk loosing you, too," Piper murmured, not looking at him.
Leo looked skyward, then at his family. "Look, I was in the middle of an important meeting with the Elders. They might have a way to get Melinda back. So I need to go back up there. But I'm just an orb away . . . "When no one answered him, he orbed out.
"I'm going to go check the Book again," Paige said, walking over to it and flipping the pages.
"And I'll scry for Melinda again," Phoebe offered, going back to the map and dangling the crystal over it.
"It won't work. Why are you wasting your time?" Piper asked bitterly. "We've failed. We failed the moment Wyatt became evil. We failed to vanquish him when we had the chance. We failed to save Melinda."
Chris was silent, as the sister's continued to argue. His eyes were closed and he looked as if he were concentrating very hard on something. After a moment, he opened his eyes.
"Mom," Chris said lightly.
Piper turned to Chris, anger and sadness dancing in her eyes, but then she noticed the look on Chris' face and frowned. "Chris what is it?"
"I love you," Chris replied before orbing out.
"Oh no . . . no he didn't!" Piper shrieked. "Please, tell me he didn't go after Wyatt alone!"
Phoebe and Paige couldn't answer and didn't have to. They all knew the answer to Piper's question. What they didn't know was whether or not they'd ever see Chris again.
Chris walked cautiously. The Underworld was reeling with demons, warlocks, and Darklighters. He walked down a faintly lit tunnel, his body tense and alert. At the end of the tunnel, he peaked into a room that was almost dimmer than the tunnel, if that was possible. Inside the room, Wyatt spoke quietly to the Source while Melinda patiently waited at his side. Chris' heart broke into pieces, seeing his little sister standing there, brainwashed and helpless.
Wyatt and the Source spoke louder. Chris leaned closer to listen.
"Yes, Source. That was going to be my next job. But I don't think it wise to bring Melinda. Mother and her stubborn sister's might eventually figure out how to undo the magic I have used on her. I doubt they will. I used a very strong potion. But in the off chance they do, I do not want them to get her back. I want my mother to suffer," Wyatt said slowly and calmly.
The Source nodded. "Very well. Leave her with me. Return to the Manor and get me the Book. Once you have it, we will turn it evil and strip the witches of their powers."
That was Chris' cue. He stepped out from hiding and sauntered over as if he owned the place. "Wouldn't it be easier if someone else got the Book?"
Wyatt turned to stare at Chris. The corners of his mouth turned up in a grin. "Chris." Wyatt looked in a daze, as if he were thinking up all the ways he could torture Chris, slow and painfully. He blinked and came back to reality. "To what do we owe this . . .pleasure?"
"Well, you want the Book right? The sister's will be waiting for you to come back. They figured out a way to vanquish you and get Melinda back," Chris said, his expression blank and unreadable.
Wyatt narrowed his eyes. "Have they?" he asked, watching for even the slightest change of expression, any hint Chris was lying. When he got none, he continued. "And what does this have to do with you?"
"I could get the Book for you. I'll wait until everyone is downstairs. I'll go into the attic, grab the Book, and bring it to you," Chris explained.
"And what do you get in return?" Wyatt questioned; knowing there had to be a catch.
"Remove whatever magic you out on Melinda and let me take her home," Chris responded. "And don't ever try to hurt her or the sister's again. I'll keep them out of your hair."
"Why do I not believe you, Chris?" Wyatt asked, frowning deeply. "Do you really think I'd believe such a story? Especially coming from you."
Chris shrugged. "That's up to you. But if you go to the Manor, you might not get out. You'd have a better chance trusting me to do it."
Wyatt was silent a moment before nodding. "Fine. But if you are disloyal to me, you will die."
Chris nodded once. "Remove the magic from Melinda so I can take her home, then I'll go get the Book."
"I'm not stupid, Chris," Wyatt replied, laughing. "No, no. Get the Book for me and then I will remove the magic."
Chris didn't want to do this. He didn't trust Wyatt anymore than Wyatt trusted him. But he also knew Wyatt was stubborn. If Chris didn't do his part first, he'd never get Melinda.
"Fine." Chris nodded once and then orbed back to the Manor.
The sister's sat in the living room. Chris tiptoed past, trying not to be seen. But Piper spotted him.
"Chris, where were you?" she demanded, jumping up and rushing to him, embracing him. "We were so worried!"
"I went to see Bianca, at our spot," Chris replied. "I'm going upstairs to lie down." He untangled himself from his mom and walked slowly to the stairs, down the hall, and then to the attic. He paused at the door, taking in a deep breath. He then walked to the Book and picked it up, starring at it for a long time. He shook his head and turned around, about to orb out when he spotted Piper, Phoebe, and Paige standing in the doorway.
"What are you doing with the Book?" Piper asked suspiciously.
Chris gulped. "I was going to bring it downstairs so I could look at it again."
"But you said you were going to lie down," Phoebe countered.
"Oh . . .right. I meant, I was going to take it into my room to look at."
"So why were you about to orb out of the attic with it? Your room isn't that far away," Paige questioned.
Chris felt his face turn red. The sisters stared at him.
Busted.
"It isn't Melinda, not anymore." She narrowed her eyes at Wyatt, anger coursing through her. "He did something to her."
Wyatt laughed a cold, bitter laugh. "Such the smart little witch."
Phoebe's face paled. "You sent me that vision. You wanted us to think you were going to kill her, but you didn't did you? You just turned her evil . . ."
Wyatt grinned and nodded. Horror struck Piper like a slap in the face. She felt cold all over. How could this be happening? How???
Melinda held her hand out, palm up. A fireball formed in it. She looked at Piper, her eyes blank and emotionless. She lifted her hand up beside her, palm facing outward, ready to throw the fireball.
"Melinda, don't! Fight it, I know you can!" Piper said, trying to keep her tone calm. "Please, sweetie, it's me, your mom! Please fight it!'
Melinda tilted her head slightly to the side, then released the fireball. Piper didn't move.
"Piper!" Paige cried. Piper was engulfed in orbs and disappeared. Seconds later, the fireball landed right where Piper had been standing and she appeared again, this time right beside Paige and Phoebe.
Piper ignored it, acted as if her own daughter hadn't nearly killed her. She stepped forward.
"Melinda, fight this. I know you can!" Piper snapped harshly. "I know I shouldn't have kept magic hidden from you. I know that now! And I promise no more secrets. But you have to fight this! You have to come back to me!!"
Melinda simply stared at Piper. She blinked once and Piper was thrown backwards into the wall. She fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Phoebe ran over to Piper to make sure she was okay.
Wyatt laughed. "How does it feel, mother," he asked, when Piper was back on her feet, "to have your sweet little girl try and kill you? Breaks your heart, does it not?"
"You evil bastard!" Piper hissed. She ran at Wyatt. Halfway there, however, Melinda formed another fireball and threw it at her. Piper gasped and tried to move away, but the fireball still managed to graze her arm, then fly into the wall, leaving a black mark.
Chris orbed out of the room, then back in behind Melinda. He grabbed her around the waist. He was about to orb out when a hand came down and smashed into the side of his face with a tremendous force. It knocked him off balance. He lost his grip on Melinda and fell sideways onto the ground. His cheek stinging, he forced himself up, but was quickly thrown off his feet once again; Wyatt had used his telekinesis to throw Chris up into the air and back down on top of one of the antique, wooden chairs. The chair snapped and sent Chris sprawling onto the floor.
Piper held one hand over her arm, hissing in pain. But she still forced herself to stand up. She glared at Wyatt with hate. "How could you do this? Why are you doing this?"
"For my own personal pleasure," he replied, grinning. "Oh, and so you'll give up your powers and feel as if life isn't worth living since Melinda is on my side now and you've lost two children, three once I finish off Chris."
"No, don't you dare touch him!" Piper howled, throwing her hands up in an attempt to blow Wyatt up. Instead, he simply fell back a step. This made him laugh.
"Nice try, mother. But it won't work. You can't blow me up. I may be evil, but your blood still runs in me, and as long as it does, I am invincible. From you, at least. By the time you figure out how to destroy me, I will have destroyed you," Wyatt promised. He grinned, then took Melinda's hand and shimmered them out of the room.
Piper collapsed to the ground, sobbing. The pain in her arm had melted away; she was numb. Paige ran to help Chris and Phoebe went to Piper.
"Piper, it'll be o-"Phoebe began, but Piper interrupted, "Don't say it, Phoebe!" she hissed. "Don't tell me it will be okay because it won't! Wyatt is stronger than we are. He has Melinda under his control now and we'll never get her back!"
"You can't think that," Paige insisted, helping Chris to his feet. "We need to get you two cleaned up. Leo!" she called. "Leo, we need some healing here!"
Leo orbed down into the attic. He took one look around before going to Chris and healing his wounds, then doing the same to Piper. He sighed. "What happened?"
"Wyatt. He attacked us," Chris responded gruffly.
"He still has Melinda, Leo!" Piper cried. She paced the attic, angry that she hadn't been able to help Melinda, angry with Wyatt for putting her through this, angry that she hadn't told Melinda about her powers sooner. If she had known about her powers, she would have been able to protect herself from Wyatt.
"There's still my plan . . ., "Chris said suddenly.
"It's too dangerous, Chris. I won't risk loosing you, too," Piper murmured, not looking at him.
Leo looked skyward, then at his family. "Look, I was in the middle of an important meeting with the Elders. They might have a way to get Melinda back. So I need to go back up there. But I'm just an orb away . . . "When no one answered him, he orbed out.
"I'm going to go check the Book again," Paige said, walking over to it and flipping the pages.
"And I'll scry for Melinda again," Phoebe offered, going back to the map and dangling the crystal over it.
"It won't work. Why are you wasting your time?" Piper asked bitterly. "We've failed. We failed the moment Wyatt became evil. We failed to vanquish him when we had the chance. We failed to save Melinda."
Chris was silent, as the sister's continued to argue. His eyes were closed and he looked as if he were concentrating very hard on something. After a moment, he opened his eyes.
"Mom," Chris said lightly.
Piper turned to Chris, anger and sadness dancing in her eyes, but then she noticed the look on Chris' face and frowned. "Chris what is it?"
"I love you," Chris replied before orbing out.
"Oh no . . . no he didn't!" Piper shrieked. "Please, tell me he didn't go after Wyatt alone!"
Phoebe and Paige couldn't answer and didn't have to. They all knew the answer to Piper's question. What they didn't know was whether or not they'd ever see Chris again.
Chris walked cautiously. The Underworld was reeling with demons, warlocks, and Darklighters. He walked down a faintly lit tunnel, his body tense and alert. At the end of the tunnel, he peaked into a room that was almost dimmer than the tunnel, if that was possible. Inside the room, Wyatt spoke quietly to the Source while Melinda patiently waited at his side. Chris' heart broke into pieces, seeing his little sister standing there, brainwashed and helpless.
Wyatt and the Source spoke louder. Chris leaned closer to listen.
"Yes, Source. That was going to be my next job. But I don't think it wise to bring Melinda. Mother and her stubborn sister's might eventually figure out how to undo the magic I have used on her. I doubt they will. I used a very strong potion. But in the off chance they do, I do not want them to get her back. I want my mother to suffer," Wyatt said slowly and calmly.
The Source nodded. "Very well. Leave her with me. Return to the Manor and get me the Book. Once you have it, we will turn it evil and strip the witches of their powers."
That was Chris' cue. He stepped out from hiding and sauntered over as if he owned the place. "Wouldn't it be easier if someone else got the Book?"
Wyatt turned to stare at Chris. The corners of his mouth turned up in a grin. "Chris." Wyatt looked in a daze, as if he were thinking up all the ways he could torture Chris, slow and painfully. He blinked and came back to reality. "To what do we owe this . . .pleasure?"
"Well, you want the Book right? The sister's will be waiting for you to come back. They figured out a way to vanquish you and get Melinda back," Chris said, his expression blank and unreadable.
Wyatt narrowed his eyes. "Have they?" he asked, watching for even the slightest change of expression, any hint Chris was lying. When he got none, he continued. "And what does this have to do with you?"
"I could get the Book for you. I'll wait until everyone is downstairs. I'll go into the attic, grab the Book, and bring it to you," Chris explained.
"And what do you get in return?" Wyatt questioned; knowing there had to be a catch.
"Remove whatever magic you out on Melinda and let me take her home," Chris responded. "And don't ever try to hurt her or the sister's again. I'll keep them out of your hair."
"Why do I not believe you, Chris?" Wyatt asked, frowning deeply. "Do you really think I'd believe such a story? Especially coming from you."
Chris shrugged. "That's up to you. But if you go to the Manor, you might not get out. You'd have a better chance trusting me to do it."
Wyatt was silent a moment before nodding. "Fine. But if you are disloyal to me, you will die."
Chris nodded once. "Remove the magic from Melinda so I can take her home, then I'll go get the Book."
"I'm not stupid, Chris," Wyatt replied, laughing. "No, no. Get the Book for me and then I will remove the magic."
Chris didn't want to do this. He didn't trust Wyatt anymore than Wyatt trusted him. But he also knew Wyatt was stubborn. If Chris didn't do his part first, he'd never get Melinda.
"Fine." Chris nodded once and then orbed back to the Manor.
The sister's sat in the living room. Chris tiptoed past, trying not to be seen. But Piper spotted him.
"Chris, where were you?" she demanded, jumping up and rushing to him, embracing him. "We were so worried!"
"I went to see Bianca, at our spot," Chris replied. "I'm going upstairs to lie down." He untangled himself from his mom and walked slowly to the stairs, down the hall, and then to the attic. He paused at the door, taking in a deep breath. He then walked to the Book and picked it up, starring at it for a long time. He shook his head and turned around, about to orb out when he spotted Piper, Phoebe, and Paige standing in the doorway.
"What are you doing with the Book?" Piper asked suspiciously.
Chris gulped. "I was going to bring it downstairs so I could look at it again."
"But you said you were going to lie down," Phoebe countered.
"Oh . . .right. I meant, I was going to take it into my room to look at."
"So why were you about to orb out of the attic with it? Your room isn't that far away," Paige questioned.
Chris felt his face turn red. The sisters stared at him.
Busted.