Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or any of its characters; my story is fan fiction and no breach of copyright is intended.
Background information: Cole is half demon (he never became the source) and is married to Phoebe. Ben Turner is Cole & Phoebe's son he is 2 months old and named after Cole's father. Melinda Halliwell-Wyatt is Leo & Piper's daughter she is 3 years old (they binded her powers just after she was born). Prue is dead and Paige lives with them at the manor.
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15 years earlier (2006):
At the manor;
Piper watched as Melinda leant over her cousin's crib, she loved to make him laugh. Piper knew the others hadn't agreed with her about binding Melinda's powers, but she didn't want her to grow up, constantly surrounded with danger and demons. At least she had the chance of a vaguely normal childhood.
Covered in paint from completing her latest piece of artwork, Melinda showed Ben her picture. "Look, that's Kit our cat. When you get bigger I'll show you how to do painting and I'll always look after you for ever and ever." Said Melinda with the innocence of her age.
"Sorry honey, but Ben has to have a bath and go to bed," said Cole as he entered the room, smiling as he saw his niece with Ben. He swiftly scooped up his son. "Shall we go have a bath then, Benjamin?" he said as he shimmed from the room.
"Let's go get you ready for bed too honey, because mummy, Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige all have to go out for just a little while" said Piper as she held out her arms to Melinda.
Slipping into her mothers grasp, she settled against her shoulder "Will you tell me a bedtime story" whispered Melinda.
"A short one" Piper promised.
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Paige sat on Phoebe's bed, with a map of San Francisco trying to Scry for the latest demon/warlock that Phoebe's premonitions had shown, whilst Phoebe looked through the book of shadows in the attic.
"Got you" said Paige "hmmm, what is it with demons and warlocks hanging about in alleys" she exclaimed as she began counting in her head the vast number of them they had vanquished in alleys.
"Phoebe, I've found him" shouted Paige from the room, whilst she put away the crystal and folded up the map, "Do you know what were up against yet?"
Phoebe had just found the page as she heard Paige yell. "A Warlock called Kristof, that kills witches to take their powers, the following spell will vanquish him" muttered Phoebe to herself "Well that seems pretty easy, haven't had just a warlock to deal with for quite a while"
"Okay, we've got everything," agreed Phoebe and Paige as they met up at the bottom of the stairs leading to the attic. "Piper" they shouted in union.
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Hearing her sisters shout, Piper kissed Melinda goodnight and slowly began backing out of Melinda and Ben's bedroom. "It's lucky they're both heavy sleepers," sighed Piper with relief as neither was woken by the yells. Just as she reached the door, Melinda stirred and murmured, "promise you'll be back when I wake up, mummy?"
Piper regarded her little girl and softly said, "I promise"
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"So what exactly have we got this time?" complained piper
"A warlock" Phoebe said smiling, as she headed down the stairs to the front door
"A warlock? Just a warlock?" said Piper "Wow this shouldn't take long"
"Be careful, " warned Leo as he orbed in beside his wife, "even a warlock, has the power to kill you"
"Hi sweetheart" murmured Leo
"Hi" said Piper giving him a kiss; "Melinda and Ben are both asleep so you'll have some piece and quiet, while we're gone" proclaimed Piper
As Phoebe put her hand on the front door, Cole shimmered in and complained "Leaving without me?"
"Its just a warlock. The power of three will easily be enough," said Phoebe "Why don't you stay and make sure Ben's okay while we're gone"
"I'm coming whether you want me to or not" announced Cole, "I'm sure Leo is capable of watching Ben and Melinda"
"I'll watch them both," said Leo "taking Cole with you won't do any harm, it will only make you stronger"
"He's right," said Piper
"Well of course you would agree with him Piper," teased Phoebe. "Come on then Cole, we're off to kill a warlock called Kristof"
"Umm, Phoebe" laughed Paige, as Phoebe began to open the front door and pick up the car keys from the table " wouldn't it be quicker for us to orb!"
"Very good point" agreed Phoebe "It would be quicker that way," she said as Paige grabbed her sisters and orbed out.
Cole shimmered out in pursuit of the others, laughing.
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In the alley;
"The alley's empty" whispered Paige, as she orbed in with Piper and Phoebe.
"I hadn't noticed" Cole replied sarcastically as he shimmered in. Paige just glared at him.
"Let's look around then," said piper "Cole; you and Phoebe go that way," she told them pointing to the left, "Paige and I'll go this way. If you find something, yell; then either Paige will orb us to you or Cole, you can shimmer Phoebe and yourself to us"
"This is a little dull" sighed Cole as he turned to face Phoebe "I could think of something a lot more interesting to do now that were alone" Cole smiled slyly
"Cole, this isn't the time for...." began Phoebe "PAIGE, PIPER" she finished as she saw Kristof appearing behind Cole
As Cole glanced over his shoulder, Piper and Paige appeared beside them. Piper froze Kristof and they began reciting the spell Phoebe had copied from the book:
"together we stand, together we fight
together we embrace the light
banish this evil from the land
remove the rock on which he stands"
"Did he just move?" thought Cole as they began the spell, but he quickly cleared his doubt when he could see no more signs that Kristof was moving, "anyway" he thought "Kristof is just a Warlock, he wouldn't be immune to Piper's freezing power".
As they finished the spell the four of them looked up expectantly. Nothing happened!
"Why didn't it work?" inquired Paige
"I don't know" Phoebe confusedly replied, "It should have worked"
"Uh oh" thought Cole "what if he hadn't imagined him moving, this might be more trouble than they thought"
Leaning over Phoebe, Cole quickly whispered to Piper "I'm not sure he's actually frozen"
"What?" exclaimed Piper quietly
"When you began the spell I thought I saw his hand move, the one with the symbol on it" he replied in a murmur
"I did wonder if one of you would notice I wasn't frozen," laughed Kristof, startling Paige, Piper and Phoebe. "This was almost too easy" he grinned
"Why didn't the spell work on you?" demanded Piper, "Why didn't my powers work on you?"
"I guess you'll never" he coyly replied. With that he threw out his arms and a terrible power was brought forth. Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Cole were thrown back against the wall, with his energy crackling around the alley. Piper, Phoebe and Paige lay crumpled on the floor.
"Leo" Cole uttered as he lay on the floor, pain radiating through his body.
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Meanwhile back at the Manor;
Leo went to the kitchen and grabbed something to eat. "Unbelievable how hungry, orbing can make you" muttered Leo as he finished of his sandwich.
He orbed upstairs up to check on his daughter and nephew. Appearing next to Ben's cot, he looked down to see Ben fast asleep. Walking quietly over to Melinda's bed he saw his little girl was dreaming deeply, "Goodnight Princess" whispered Leo as he kissed Melinda on her forehead.
It was ironic that it was at this moment, as he looked down on his daughter, that he thought how perfect things were.
Just a fraction of a second later he sensed something had happened, something was terribly wrong, faintly he could hear Cole calling. He didn't want to leave the children alone, but it would only take a few seconds to find out what was going on and Paige, Phoebe or Pipers life might depend on it. As he orbed to the alley he murmured to the children, "I'll be back in a minute" even though he knew they couldn't hear him.
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The Alley;
The sight that greeted him as he appeared in the alley shocked him, like never before. "This is impossible," gasped Leo. He collapsed next to each of the girls in turn, placed his hands over them, pleading in his heart that it would work; it didn't, it was too late, he couldn't heal them, they were all dead. Going over to Cole he realised that he too had been killed. Returning to Piper, he crouched beside her lifeless body. As tears cascaded down his face he whispered to himself "How did this happen? Who would have the strength to do all this?"
In his grief, he didn't see the darklighter approaching from behind him, crossbow in hand. As the arrow hit him he turned to see the darklighter before him, the man smiled and held the bow to his chest, exposing the symbol (#) on his hand.
"I love you Piper" Leo chocked out, the poison quickly taking hold of him. His grief became his weakness, as the poison sapped the little strength he had left. "I'm so sorry Melinda," he whispered and the blackness engulfed him.
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Back at the manor in the children's room, the only indication anything had just happened was the brief glow of light; the indication Melinda's powers had become unbound. Meanwhile Melinda and Ben slept on, blissfully unaware.
*I will try and finish the story very soon, please tell me what you think of the story so far*