A/N: Why do I feel like I'm under pressure for this to be good? Mentioning no names, of course...

'Wonder where he's got to,' Paige grumbled lightly as she flicked the pages of the book, Maddy was over at the other side of the attic trying to settle the boys- with little success.

'He'll be going as fast as he can. How are you getting on over there?'

'There's a lot about birds being symbols of pureness, something about one that created a coven, I dunno. Nothing about a demon that blows into five crows.'

'It's strange, don't you think?' Maddy said thoughtfully.

'Thought we'd established that already.'

'I mean, it's strange that it's not in the book, even stranger that Chris hasn't heard about it.'

'Sweetie,' Paige moved out from behind the pedestal. 'You're thinking too much.'

'You like me when I'm all intelligent though,' Maddy grinned slightly.

'Difference between being intelligent and being annoying,' Paige retorted as she gripped the welcoming waist.

'You know, we really should be getting on with this.'

'Yeah, okay,' she agreed reluctantly letting go.

An orb finally signified Chris' return- complete with worried frown. 'We've got problems.'

'So what's new?' Paige queried.

'Hey, I'm serious!'

Maddy's soothing tones calmed the situation. 'Did you find anything out?'

'There's nothing to find out! This demon, whatever it is, isn't known to the Elders, at least they're not telling me if it is, and I don't know anything about it. That means we're open to any attack.'

'Doesn't this seem strange to you?'

'Huh?'

'She's on a thinking kick,' Paige waved it away but Maddy pressed on.

'A mystery demon, I'd have thought at least you would've heard of it.'

As Chris pondered this Paige shot her girlfriend a look. What was to say this wasn't just an average demonic threat? Just because Maddy was becoming a bigger part of the family didn't mean she could question everything, she wasn't a magical being, she didn't know it all.

'Look,' Chris spoke eventually. 'You might have a point. I've got a contact in the Underworld, maybe he knows what's going on.'

'Be careful,' Maddy called after his orb.

Biting back a comment, Paige walked over to the play-pen where Wyatt was juggling orbs. 'Now you're just showing off, don't think I don't know what you're up to.'

'What is he up to?' Maddy questioned curiously.

'Trying to prove he's better than his little brother,' Paige replied, glad to know something she didn't.

'Oh.' Maddy was silent for a moment. 'I think you should check the book again.'

'There's nothing in there.'

'I think you're looking for the wrong thing.'

'Oh do you?'

'What if we didn't see what we thought we saw? I mean, perhaps it wasn't real.'

'What?'

'Didn't I read somewhere in the book,' Maddy explained. 'About illusion?'

In a way she was thankful Maddy had hit on something she could rubbish. 'That's wizards. And, fortunately, we vanquished the last one of those.'

'Are you sure?'

'He went kaput, okay?'

'No, I mean are you sure he was the last one?'

'Well, yeah, he said so.'

'But he was evil, you can't trust his word.'

'Leo confirmed his story, wizards are extinct.'

'Except him. If they didn't know about him maybe there's more.'

Paige opened her mouth to retort then angrily shut it again, this wasn't helping. 'Can you go downstairs and get Chris a bottle?'

'I gave him one not long ago.'

'I think he needs another.'

'Sure,' Maddy agreed without hesitation and, as she passed Paige, she planted a kiss lightly on her cheek.

What was it about it that made her withdraw even while her cheek was tingling? Perhaps Maddy had noticed but she didn't show it, walking out with the spring in her step that had so attracted Paige to her in the first place.

Was that really the way she felt after only eight months? What was she doing?