A/N: Hey, sorry it's been a while since the last update. I've kinda been busy with exams but now that they're all over, I have more time to devote to the story. I would like to thank Dragonfireceo who pointed out some grammatical errors in the story. I'm sorry about that but I have gone through and hopefully corrected most of them. Some of the errors that were brought to my attention aren't actually errors but different rules of English. As I'm Australian, the rules in spelling and grammar are a bit different to say the American style, so I'm sorry if this causes any inconvenience. Anyway, I hope you like this next chapter, so please read and review.
Thanks for your reviews: Pink-Charmed-One, Sickle Sword, X3, Cat, Willows2, cherry7up56, buffspike, Dragonfireceo, Claddagh Ring and Kel.
Wyatt Halliwell orbed into the living room and braced himself. He could sense a demon was moments from shimmering in. As he held up his hand, a blue energy ball appeared. It felt like an eternity before the demon materialised but Wyatt didn't waste any time. He threw the energy ball towards the demon, but before it could connect and destroy it, some kind of protective field enveloped the demon. "Hey that's so not fair!" Wyatt exclaimed as he tried to telekinetically throw the demon against the wall.
The demon however, simply stared Wyatt down, his protective field reflecting his attack. Before Wyatt could react, he was sent flying into the display cabinet. "You stupid witch. Do you honestly think you can fight me?" The demon hissed, its green eyes glowing menacingly.
"I'd given it some thought." Wyatt retorted before forcing himself up. The demon simply sneered and sent a fireball towards him.
Wyatt, this time ready for the demon's attack deflected the fireball. "Mum demon!" Wyatt called out hoping his mother was around somewhere.
"What's this, the Twice-blessed child summoning his mother to vanquish the bad widdle demon?" The demon mocked as everybody was making their way down the stairs.
"Hey! We just finished cleaning in there!" Paige exclaimed orbing a large piece of wood at the demon. Unfortunately, the demon once again protected itself with its force field.
"What!" Melinda cried. "Did I like miss the memo on how to get your own energy barrier?" Vanessa simply laughed as her cousin's jealousy over Chris' new power resurfaced. "Can it Ness."
"Girls I want you to go up stairs." Phoebe said as she and her sisters ran to help Wyatt.
"Aww but..." Both girls cried out in unison.
"No buts, now scram." Phoebe retorted.
"And the same goes for you Chris. I want you safe until we figure out what happened." Piper added as the demon threw a fireball towards Paige, who managed to redirect it back at the demon.
"Mum I can help. I vanquished the last demon all by my self." Chris whined in reply.
"I don't care, I want to know you're safe." Piper shot back. Chris knew better than to argue with is Mum, especially when it came to fighting demons. As Piper disappeared into the living room, Vanessa and Melinda started back upstairs.
"I can't believe they still treat us like babies." Melinda said with a hint of bitterness in her voice.
"Well then," Chris began, catching the attention of both his cousins. "Looks like we'll just have to prove we can hold our own."
"Okay this is totally unfair!" Phoebe said as she once again picked herself up off the floor. "Every time we try and kill it, it just hides behind that energy barrier!"
"You don't possess the power to destroy me witches! My master had blessed all demons against your magic." The demon hissed as he threw Piper into Phoebe knocking her to the floor once again.
"Oh honey, I'm sorry." Piper said as she rolled off her sister.
"No you're not." Phoebe retorted. "You think this is just so very funny!" Piper couldn't hold back her laughter as Phoebe glared at her. "Oh sure laugh it up. Just wait 'til the next time I'm set flying, I'll aim for you." Just as Piper was about to reply, both Paige and Wyatt were sent flying into the conservatory. "Paige!"
"Wyatt!" Both Piper and Phoebe rushed into the conservatory to see if anyone was badly injured. "Are you alright?" Piper asked seeing her eldest son sprawled over what was once the coffee table. However, before he could answer several fireballs were sent their way.
"Look out!" Melinda bellowed as the fireballs came rushing closer.
"Whoa!" Piper exclaimed as she flicked her hands, freezing the fireballs mere inches away from her.
"Oww! Okay this, this is just getting ridiculous." Paige said as Vanessa rushed over to help her mother off the floor.
"You're telling me." Phoebe replied. "And didn't I tell you two to stay upstairs?" Phoebe continued eyeing Melinda and Vanessa, who were now standing rather sheepishly to one side.
"Less talk, more vanquishing!" Chris replied as the demon appeared in the doorway. Piper again flicked her hands but nothing happened.
"Erm... he won't freeze. Why won't he freeze?" Piper asked backing up slightly.
"How should I know? Blow him up instead." Paige shot back. Piper again flicked her hands towards the demon, this time intending to blow him up. "Anytime you're ready Piper!"
"I'm trying. It's not working." The demon continued to advance, seeing the Charmed Ones feeble attempts at destroying him, he merely laughed.
As the demon was preparing to strike out at the Charmed Ones, Chris charged, attempting to tackle the demon to the ground. "You fool!" The demon roared as he sent Chris threw a window.
"Chris!" Piper bellowed as her baby disappeared from sight. "That's it!" Piper turned back to the demon, rage emanating from her eyes. She tried once more to blow the demon up. Her rage fuelling her power, Piper was able to send the demon flying back into the living room.
"Go Mum!" Wyatt exclaimed as he moved to stand beside her. "Remind me never to annoy you." Everyone was now moving to see if Piper had managed to vanquish the demon.
"You think it's that easy to defeat me? I've existed for untold centuries." The demon bellowed as he stood up from behind the couch.
"Well I really don't give a damn!" The six Halliwell's could only look on as Chris orbed in and sent the demon flying once again.
"Okay this day just keeps getting better!" Melinda said vehemently. "Not only does he get an energy barrier, but he is kicking some serious demon butt!"
"What energy barrier?" Wyatt asked looking at his younger brother. However, before anyone could answer the demon sent a wave of fireballs in Chris' direction. "Chris!" Wyatt yelled moving to help his brother, but he was too slow, before Wyatt could even think about redirecting the attack an energy barrier erected in front of Chris, absorbing the fireballs. "Okay that's new."
"You have no idea." Chris replied as he smiled at his brother. "We need the book."
"Well there's one small problem, it's gone." Paige replied, as she brushed a piece of wood out of her hair.
"What! What do you mean the books gone?" Wyatt asked, his concern etched over his face. "Where is it?"
"How should I know? One moment it was there," Paige answered pointing to the spot on the conservatory floor where the book had vanished from, "The next it was gone."
"Today I will become the most infamous demon in the underworld. For today I destroy the Halliwell line forever." The demon hissed as he sent a massive fireball in Chris' direction once again.
"Whoa!" Chris exclaimed as he began to move out of the way, however, as he moved the whole room froze. "Thanks Mum. I owe you big time." Chris said as he moved over to his mother.
"I... I didn't do this. It wasn't me." Piper replied as she surveyed both the fireball and the demon, both of which were frozen.
"Well if you didn't, who did?" Chris asked looking from one family member to the next.
"Well I know it wasn't me." Phoebe replied, "I mean, it can only really be three people."
"Huh, which three?" Wyatt asked, as his face contorted in confusion.
"It was either Piper, Wyatt or Chris. Cause I know Melinda doesn't have the ability to freeze time and I'm fairly certain Vanessa can't either." Phoebe answered.
"Well it wasn't me, I mean I tried before and it didn't work." Piper said, her gaze travelling from Wyatt to Chris, as if searching for the answer.
"Hey I maybe the Twice-blessed one but it wasn't me." Wyatt retorted as the sisters eyes fell on him.
"My god something the all powerful Wyatt can't do." Melinda whispered to Vanessa, luckily only Chris overheard her.
"Well that leaves you honey." Piper said looking to Chris. "Is there any chance you did this?" Unfortunately, before Chris could answer both the fireball and the demon unfroze. "Hey!" Piper exclaimed as the fireball destroyed the picture above the fireplace.
"We need the Book of Shadows to check for a vanquishing spell!" Paige said as Chris and Wyatt both used their telekinetic powers to throw the demon against the wall.
"Summon it then. That's how the ancestors did it." Chris replied as the demon sent Wyatt into the wall.
"How?" Phoebe asked as Chris was also sent flying.
As Chris hit the floor he managed to say the first line of the summoning spell, he only hoped that it would work.
I call upon the ancient power...
As if understanding what he was trying to do Melinda used her telepathy to read his mind.
To help us in this darkest hour,
Let the book return to this place...
But before she could say anymore, the demon sent her flying into Vanessa.
"Hey!" Paige bellowed orbing a large shard of glass towards the demon; however, the protective force field prevented it from contacting once again. "That is seriously getting annoying.
Phoebe understood what Chris and Melinda had started so she used her own telepathy to finish the spell.
Claim refuge in its rightful space.
As Phoebe said the final words of the spell, a blinding light erupted above her head and the book fell to the floor. "Yes!" Phoebe exclaimed. As she bent down to collect the book the pages began to turn on their own. "You know that's still kinda creepy." The book stopped on a page wit the very demon they were now fighting. "Okay, there is a vanquishing spell here." Phoebe called out. "But it's not a power of three spell!"
"Oh good." Piper replied as she ducted another fireball. "Anytime you're ready Pheebs!"
"Yeah, about that, I can't do this spell!" Phoebe replied with a nervous chuckle.
"What! Why?" Paige and Piper both exclaimed in unison.
"Well, it requires the two son's of the Charmed Ones."
"Huh!" Both Chris and Wyatt replied together. This confusion gave the demon another opportunity to once again reclaim the upper hand. Realising his powers weren't yet strong enough to destroy Wyatt he sent a fireball in Melinda's direction.
"Mel!" Chris bellowed as he saw the fireball make contact, sending her flying into the wall. Chris didn't know how it happened but the Book of Shadows flew into his arms as he cried out, watching his cousin's limp body fall to the floor. He looked down at the page as Wyatt ran to his side.
A brother's bond reaching out through time and space,
Summon the magic to this place,
Let our powers cross the line,
And vanquish this demon from this and every time.
As both brothers looked up from the Book of Shadows, they noticed the demon wincing and screaming out in pain. As they continued to watch, the demon's skin began to crack, a bright white light erupted. The demon's cries increased as the light intensified. Everyone had to shield their eyes as the light reached unbearable levels. Then there was silence. Chris tried to look past the light to see if the demon had been vanquished but as he attempted to move closer, everyone was knocked over by the force of the demon exploding.
"Now that was cool!" Wyatt said as he sat up, surveying the place where the demon had just stood.
"Mel!" Phoebe cried as she rushed over to her daughter's side.
"Oh God, Leo! Leo we need you." Piper called out. Melinda lay on the floor, a flowing wound in her chest. "Leo, Melinda's hurt! We need you to heal her." Piper called again but still Leo didn't appear.
"Dad!" Chris bellowed as he ran to Melinda's side. "No, no, no, no this wasn't supposed to happen!" Chris continued, tears forming in his eyes.
"Where's Leo? He should be here by now!" Phoebe snapped.
Chris knew his father wasn't coming. It was the same story; he was busy elsewhere, saving other innocents, other charges. But Chris also knew this was different, his father wasn't just abandoning him this time, no, this time he was abandoning his niece. As Chris' thoughts progressed, he came to an understanding, if his father wasn't going to help, then it was up to him. He just hoped the ancestors had given him the ability to heal.
As Chris placed his hands over Melinda's chest, he finally noticed the look of sheer terror etched across her face. This was not going to be her last expression. No one deserved to die with a look of pure fear on their face. Chris tried to calm his mind and search for the power to heal, but it never came. All he could feel was the warmth of Melinda's blood as it covered his hands. "What's the use of being half Whitelighter if you can't heal!" Chris spat as Melinda lay in front of him, motionless.
Everyone was in too much shock to think. Their niece, their cousin was lying before them, bleeding to death and the only person capable of saving her was nowhere to be seen.
Vanessa was now kneeling beside Chris, her tears flowing over her checks. How could a day that started out great end up causing her so much pain? She had almost lost her older cousin after he saved the Charmed Ones, now it looked like she was going to lose Melinda. "Mel you... you can't give up... you can't leave me with both the boys to deal with." Vanessa said through her sobs. As she reached out to touch Melinda's shoulder, a lone tear fell on her hand. The moment Vanessa's hand connected with Melinda it began to glow a heavenly gold.
"Ne...Ness?" Everyone was startled as Melinda's eyes opened.
"Melinda!" Phoebe exclaimed as her daughter spoke. "You're okay!" Phoebe continued as she examined where the wound had been just moments before. "How? Who?" The situation was beginning to take its toll on Phoebe, as she was no longer able to form even basic sentences.
"Vanessa healed me." Melinda retorted. "I could feel her, hear her. She said I couldn't leave her with the boys. Then I felt this warm force healing me." Melinda said, smiling at her younger cousin.
The fullness finally hit Vanessa, she had a new power, she could heal. Before she could voice her excitement, Phoebe engulfed her in the tightest hug she'd ever received. "Thank you, thank you thank you!"
"Erm... Aunt Phoebe I... I can't breathe." Vanessa finally managed to say as Phoebe was almost crushing her.
"Oh sorry." Phoebe replied as she released her niece, smiling sheepishly.
Several hours after the attack on the Charmed Ones, the Underworld was in chaos. Now more demons were gathered at the Source's chamber. "You pathetic fools, the Charmed Ones are supposed to be dead, yet they still live!" The cloaked figure bellowed.
"You ask us to do the impossible. The Charmed Ones are too powerful!" A lower level demon responded, cowering as the cloaked figure directed his gaze upon the demon.
"I granted those who were to destroy the witches a sample of my power. They should have succeeded!"
"If you are all powerful, then why don't you destroy the witches yourself?" Another demon retorted.
"Yeah, if you are as powerful as you claim, destroy them yourself!" Several demons called out. Unfortunately, before any more demons could join in the uproar, the cloaked figure waved his hand and several demons erupted in flames.
"If it were that simple I would have destroy the witches long ago!" The cloaked figure bellowed as a new demon materialised within the chamber.
"My Lord, I have some news which you will find most pleasing." The new demon said as she approached the throne.
"What is it? Have you seen a way to destroy the Charmed Ones?" The figure replied, directing his full attention to the new comer.
"Tomorrow night the magic which prevents you from directly attacking the witches will expire. You will go to them and destroy them." The chamber fell into silence as every demon listened to this news. The Charmed Ones would be destroyed tomorrow night and all demon kind would dance on their graves.
"What of the children? Their power grows with each passing day." The figure pressed on.
"I see no problem regarding the young witches. Their power is no match for the darkness you possess."
The Manor was once again clean. It was a good thing that using magic to fix things that were broken by demonic attacks didn't fall under the personal gain category or the clean up would have taken all night.
Phoebe and Paige had taken their daughters home around midnight and Wyatt had gone back to his friend's house before the clean up had started, leaving Piper and Chris alone to talk. "Chris honey I know something's wrong and I want you to talk to me. I want to help" Piper said as they lay on Chris' bed.
"There's nothing wrong Mum." Noticing his mother's concerned look Chris continued. "I promise. I'm fine."
Piper wanted to believe him but Melinda's words kept echoing through her mind.
He thinks Uncle Leo believes he was an accident...
"Chris, now don't get mad at her but..." Chris didn't like where this was heading. Had Melinda told her? But she promised, she promised she would never tell anyone, even she wasn't supposed to know.
Flashback Begins
An eight-year-old Wyatt and his younger brother were playing in the backyard. They loved throwing a ball around even if Wyatt would cheat by orbing the ball to different places as Chris was about to catch it. "Hey no powers!" Chris whined as once again Wyatt orbed the ball to the other side of the garden. "Mum said no powers Wyatt." Chris added as he pouted. Chris knew how much his older brother loved to show off, he was after all destined to be the greatest force in magic.
"Where's the fun in that?" Wyatt replied as he orbed the ball back into his hand. Just as he was about to throw it back to his little brother, a demon shimmered into the garden.
"Hello little kiddies!" The demon hissed producing an energy ball.
"Demon!" Wyatt bellowed, hoping his mum would hear him. As the demon saw Chris, standing there stark still, an evil smile crossed its face. "Chris!" Wyatt called out, realising the demon was about to attack his little brother. "Run!" But Chris was too scared; he'd never been so close to a demon before. Every time a demon would attack his mum or his aunt's they'd have Wyatt orb him and his cousins upstairs.
"Your powers will be mine!" The demon hissed as it threw the energy ball at Chris. Wyatt tried to run over to his brother but before he could move, everything froze. Wyatt turned around to find his mother and his Aunt Phoebe looking at the demon, a fury in their eyes.
"Mum!" Wyatt exclaimed as he run to her.
Piper looked down and smiled before calling Chris. "Chris honey, come here." Hearing his mother's voice snapped him out of his daze.
"Mommy!" Chris cried as he ran into her open arms.
"It's okay honey. You're not hurt are you? Leo!" Piper called her husband, in moments he appeared in a swirl of blue light.
"Piper what is it? What's wrong?" Leo asked as Wyatt rushed to hug his father.
"A demon attacked. I want you to check the boys." Piper replied motioning to the frozen demon in the middle of the garden.
"A Seeker demon. They only attack when they sense a young witch using their powers." Leo said as he looked from the demon to his son's. "Where either of you two using magic?" Leo continued, the seriousness of his voice was starting to scare both of them. They both knew they weren't supposed to use their powers for anything but protection.
"We... we were playing with the ball and..." Leo was now eying Wyatt very closely. "And Chris tried to catch the ball but he missed and so he used his powers."
"Chris is this true?" Leo asked glaring at him. "Did you use your powers when you were playing." Chris was shocked Wyatt had just openly lied to his father and accused him of using his powers.
"I... I didn't..." Chris stammered, his father was now getting very angry.
"Chris you know that you can't go around using your powers for the sake of it. Wyatt knows it; the sisters know it, why don't you? You could have exposed magic. Do you know what happened the last time magic was exposed? "
"Leo aren't you being a little hard on him?" Phoebe interjected, remembering the last time they had exposed magic they lost a sister. "We all make mistakes, I know I have but Chris is just a child, he's five years old for heaven's sake." Chris couldn't take it anymore so he ran into the house, tears streaming down his face.
"Chris... Chris honey wait!" Piper called out but he didn't stop. "You were too hard on him Leo."
"He wasn't just risking his own life Piper, he was risking Wyatt's as well." Piper had heard enough before she turned to see if Chris was all right, she blew the demon up.
"Well the demon's gone, now if you don't mind I'm going to see if Chris is okay." With that, Piper walked into the house.
Chris was hiding in the basement; he knew that no one would look for him down there, as it scared most of them. The basement held many secrets; many years ago, when his mother was a little girl his Great Grams had trapped a shadow demon beneath the floor. He remembered his mother telling him once that the Woogie had possessed his Aunt Phoebe turning her evil, but that she had imprisoned it once again, in order to save her sisters. Chris would normally come down to the basement when he wanted to be alone. No one knew that he'd spend hours down there just thinking.
"Chris." The soft voice nearly scared him half to death. "Chris are you down there?" The little voice asked. Chris knew immediately who it was; it was his four-year-old cousin Melinda.
"Mel, leave me alone, please." Chris pleaded as he heard her footsteps on the stairway.
"Aunt Piper is looking for you. Why are you hiding down here?" Chris looked up from his hiding place to see his cousin standing in front of him, her eyes conveying her concern. Chris couldn't hold back anymore, the pain he was feeling was crushing him.
"He hates me." Chris finally let out as his tears stained his face. "He thinks I'm gonna hurt Wyatt." Melinda rushed over to her cousin, she's never seen him like this, so sad and vulnerable.
"Shhh, he doesn't hate you Chris. He was just upset that he could have lost you." Melinda said as she placed her arms around him.
"I wish that were true." Chris managed to say through his quite sobs.
Flashback Ends