Disclaimer: Why do I bother?? I—DON'T—OWN—CHARMED. Deal with it and move on. (pouts).


"So, what kind of spell should we make?" asked Bianca, looking at them for input. "My mom does spells all the time, but she won't let me help. She keeps saying it's for 'adult' stuff. I think she vanquishes demons."

"So do our parents," said Wyatt. He thought for a moment. "Let's make a spell for candy!"

"What rhymes with candy?" Bianca wrinkled her nose at the impossibility.

"Sandy?" Chris suggested. "Dandy?"

"That works!" exclaimed Wyatt. "She said it has to be four lines. So, uh...I'll start. Bring to us some...yummy candy."

"Only the best, make it dandy," Chris added.

"We need to have a sugary treat..." Bianca shrugged.

Chris' eyes lit up. "So give us the morsels so we can eat!"

They all giggled at their success. "You always were good at making spells in my visions," said Bianca shyly. Chris felt himself turn red for the umpteenth time that day.

"Thanks," he mumbled. "So are you."

Pretty soon the class was once again coming to an end. Chris felt the dread growing in his stomach, almost certain now that he'd be waiting for someone outside to meet his doom. This really wasn't going to be enjoyable. Tick, tock...tick, tock...

RING!

He shot up from his seat in surprise. The class laughed but he barely noticed. He was trying to think up a way to get rid of Wyatt and ensure that he had his privacy when confronting this mysterious note-leaver. But how?!

"Hey, Wyatt, I need your help with something," Paige called. "Come here." She turned to Chris. "Wait outside, we'll only be a few minutes."

"Okay," he said, relieved. He didn't even think about why Paige was holding Wyatt back—he bolted out the door before he could pick up anymore thoughts. He waited outside, heart pounding. He reminded himself that nobody would hurt him. Not here, at least. Not with Paige and Wyatt in the next room, able to help at any moment.

"I've been waiting."

Out of the shadows came Phil. Chris took a step back.

"Don't be afraid of me. I want to assure you that I mean no harm."

Chris relaxed a bit but he still scrambled his thoughts. This hadn't been what he was expecting. The telepath? The one that was encouraging the brawl on his first day?

"Why did you ask to meet me?" Chris finally struck up the nerve to ask.

"Because I know you're background. I'm a shape shifter, Chris."

Chris gasped. "You're a demon!"

"No, I'm not...I'm human. It's one of my powers. I'm like you—a witch with a lot of magic. I know of all of your struggles—I'm a telepath. And I'm under the guise of a bully. In truth, I'm a twin."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"I'm not just anybody's twin."

Chris looked at him quizzically, then jumped back in horror as Phil's entire body seemed to melt and reform into...Sammy.

"You're kidding me," Chris choked.

"No, I'm not. My real name is Cam and I'm Sammy's identical twin brother."

Chris opened his mouth to protest. He couldn't be Sammy's twin! Sammy had no powers and he was at an orphanage!

"I can explain. It's similar to your story." Phil—er, Cam—sighed. "I read your mind the other day, when you first came here. I thought I heard something about Sammy. When I put it all together, I realized that you'd only be scared of the elders if you'd have to hide from them and pretend like you don't exist."

"But...where's the real Sammy then?"

"At the orphanage. When we were born we were mortal—no powers, no weird abilities. We lived like normal children. Then I got my powers and the elders kidnapped me and sent my brother to the orphanage when we were about two. When I was old enough, I started shapeshifting. I can only become different humans, though, and they're always the same voice. What's handy about it is that I've been able to sneak out of Magic School and contact Sammy every now and then. And as soon as I became a telepath..." He gulped. "I read Gideon's mind. He didn't want me for magical purposes. He had to get me and Sammy out of the way so he could kill our parents, thinking that they were too much of a threat."

"That's terrible," said Chris.

"Yeah, but you're in a lot of trouble now, too. Gideon suspects you. It won't be long until he finds you. He was thinking yesterday that he may randomly orb down to the manor, asking for Paige, or he may go down to the orphanage and check to see if you're there."

"Everyone at the orphanage thinks I'm dead."

"Chris...Gideon can cast a truth spell."

"On my family? He wouldn't. They'd know!"

"No, Chris...I made a mistake. That's why I needed to tell you this. Sammy knows," he said.

"W-what?"

"Sammy knows you're still alive. And if Gideon goes down there and casts a truth spell on him...they're going to find you. And this time they're going to kill you."

Chris was lost for words. "I thought Elders were supposed to be, you know, GOOD."

"They're trying to be. They're idiots."

"Thanks...for telling me this."

"No problem. Look—I'd really like to be friends, but I'm trying to be Phil right now, so I'm still going to have to bully you. It's the best way to avoid Gideon—taking on a completely different identity. The real Phil was sent down to earth to live with his mortal family a year ago. I stole his image so I could hide."

The door opened. "Chris," said Paige, "and Phil. What are you two doing?"

"Just talking," said Cam in a rude tone. "Catch ya later, Halliwell." And then with a telepathic message, he managed to send out the words, 'Don't tell Wyatt. Don't tell any of them. It's too risky. Good luck.'

Chris nodded and looked at Wyatt, shrugging. "He wanted to know if we could help him with his rhyming," he lied.

"That's weird. Phil's usually good with that sort of thing." Paige shrugged as well, then took them by the hand and orbed them to the manor.

They were still in the middle of the orb when he saw it. Gideon, standing by the kitchen counter with an angry look on his face. He remembered Phil's warning and by reflex broke Paige's orb and orbed away by his own power, making it seem as if he was never there.


"G-Gideon, hello," Paige greeted the elder. She looked down and to her shock and relief, Wyatt was the only one with her. She must have accidentally left Chris at Magic School. But...

"Hello, Paige. I've been waiting," he said angrily.

"Sorry. I had to clean up the classroom. Spell making materials—"

"I don't want an explanation. I want to know where you've hidden the boy."

"Wyatt? He's right here. I just orbed him here from Magic School," Paige said confidently. "Is there a problem?"

"Yes, there is a problem. The second Halliwell boy is missing from the orphanage. Care to explain?" he snapped, visibly furious now.

"Where have you hidden him? We've been searching for nine years! Tell us where he is! You were wrong to take him from us. What have you done to him?" she demanded. Wyatt was amazed. Paige was really good at pretending they had no idea where Chris was, even though he was supposed to be with them right now.

But Wyatt felt Chris' panic and he felt him orb away. He must have seen with that vision-power of his what Paige and Wyatt could not—Gideon.

"We haven't done anything, but I fear you have," Gideon snarled. "He's undetectable. We can't find him. We've been keeping tabs on this boy since his birth, and you want us to believe that he's not with you?!"

"G-Gideon...we don't have him. Could that mean...he's d-dead?" Paige choked.

Wow, thought Wyatt. She really is convincing!

"He can't be," Wyatt added to make it convincing. "But if you can't sense him..." He tried his very best to look sad. "I wish I could've known him. After all, he was my brother. Why'd you take him away?"

"Look, Paige," Gideon sneered in an unnaturally cruel tone. "I will find that boy. And when I do, I'll kill him." He orbed away.

"LEO!" Paige called the instant Gideon left. "LEO!"

"What, Paige? What's wrong?" Leo asked.

"It's Chris. Gideon was here, he's looking for him. He says he'll kill him if he finds out where he is."

Leo looked around. "Um, Paige...where is he?"

"I don't know!" she cried.

"He orbed out," Wyatt explained. "He has that weird vision power. He saw Gideon before the rest of us did and orbed out in panic. I don't know where."

Leo closed his eyes, sensing. "Not again," he said, panicking. He orbed out.


Chris clutched the pillar and held on for dear life. Why did he always orb here? It made no sense. He didn't even want to orb here. All he was thinking of was, 'Get away from Gideon, get somewhere safe,' and he ended up here. Again.

He wished he was a little more specific. If he'd had the choice, he wouldn't be hundreds of feet up from San Francisco Bay and the whirring cars beneath him.

He took in a deep breath and told himself not to panic. It was just a silly mistake. Any minute now, Leo would find him and orb him back to the manor and everything would be okay.

So when was he going to come? What if Gideon found him first? He'd be killed!

"One...two...three..." He started to count, distracting himself from the perils that would meet him should he fall. "Four...five...six..." He made all the way to fifty-two when he felt himself slipping. Don't panic, he told himself. Don't panic...just keep holding on to the pillar...

The hot sun beat down on his head and warmed the pillar. It felt almost too hot to touch. He felt his hands and arms turning red and winced, wondering when somebody would come...IF somebody would come....

"Chris!" It was Leo's voice. He sighed in relief.

"Dad...?"

"Buddy...you scared us. Thank goodness, Gideon was..." He shook his head, eyes watering, and grabbed Chris to orb him back.

After the mayhem was all settled and dinner was served, the adults insisted that Wyatt and Chris go to bed early. It had been a rough day with the intrusion of Gideon. They needed to come up with a more foolproof plan, because Gideon was obviously not buying it.


Chris was standing over at the altar where the Book of Shadows lay, eyes occasionally flickering over in the direction of a blonde toddler. He needed to protect him. He couldn't let Gideon take him.

There was a noise and he looked up. Nobody was there.

Suddenly a man orbed in. It was Gideon! He held a knife in his hand, sending Chris flying out at the wall. Chris shot back up, poised to attack.

"Don't make me sacrifice you both," Gideon hissed.

No, this couldn't happen! He'd worked too hard!

He raised his hand and telekinetically threw Gideon at the wall and ran for the toddler in the playpen. He was too late. Gideon recovered, orbed in front of him and—

Blood gushed down his shirt and pain shot through his every nerve. He'd been stabbed.

"Dad..." he said weakly.


He shot up in bed in cold sweat and looked to the side of the room for Wyatt, but saw instead the glinting reflection of a blade.

"Did you think you could hide from me, Chris?" Gideon cackled from the doorway.

Chris screamed.


I shall update as soon as I can...SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW!! SOMEBODY SHOOT ME!!!