I do not own Charmed, nor do I intend to take any credit for it's making. The plot of this story is my own and any new characters are my own property.
Chapter One
Forever Charmed
"What do you mean you didn't see it coming? How can you not see a truck coming at you in the opposite direction? Tell me, please, I'd like to know!" Christopher Halliwell-Wyatt complained, he was pacing the living room in front of his younger sister Melinda Halliwell-Wyatt. "So I was a bit careless, it's nothing that can't be fixed," Melinda said, stubbornly.
"Careless? That's rich! Mom's jeep was flattened by a heavy loads truck and you say you were CARELESS? Melinda, you could of been killed." Chris said, playing the protective older brother. His sister, brown haired like himself, was the most naive person he had ever come across and, he suspected, ever would do. "What are you gonna tell mom? That the whole of the Golden Gate Bridge was cut off because of you joyriding her car"
"I was not joyriding, Chris, I was borrowing the car. Besides, I took your mind off demons for a while, huh?" Melinda asked, smiling broadly.
"Mel, grow up!" Chris begged her, "listen to me, you could of been killed, you could of become road kill for a demon; at the moment a tornado ripping through San Francisco wouldn't take my mind off that"
Melinda shifted awkwardly on her position on the cream colored couch in the Halliwell Manor. She had just received her driving permit and had all too anxious to get on the road; so anxious she had borrowed her mom's jeep, forgotten to signal right and had almost been flattened by a truck coming the opposite way. She hated it when her brother played the guilt game with her, and she hated it even more when he was right.
"Chris I'm sorry, I was stupid. I was stupid and blind and idiotic and..." she looked up at her brother, who didn't seem impressed. He had his hands crossed over his chest and was looking down at his sister, his just-the-right-size top, black with white sleeves, was creased where he had crossed his arms took long against them.
"Oh please Melinda, don't apologise to me, with you out the house they'd be more room and less crap littering the place," Chris turned away from her, finishing the sentence in his mind; there'd also be a lot less fun.
Wyatt Halliwell, the two's oldest brother, walked in, he crossed the room to the Kitchen and picked up a soda from the fridge; he gave Melinda his 'what were you thinking' look, which he had perfected on her many times.
"Not you too," she said quietly, she knew what the boys were saying was true; she had played into the hands of death and had almost certainly doomed the Charmed Ones.
"Yeah, me too, Mel; Chris is right, if you don't start growing up soon you better start on your will; mind leaving me all your allowance? I'll need it if I ever want a place of my own," Wyatt growled before orbing down to the basement where he and Chris slept.
"Maybe I was too harsh on her, she looked terrified." Chris said, as his brother orbed in.
Wyatt snorted, "you need to knock some sense into her man, trust me, you done exactly what mom and dad would of done," he finished his soda and chucked it at the bin in the corner. Chris sighed and moved the bin away a little with telekinesis; the soda can fell to the floor inches from the bin.
"Bad luck," he smiled as neat freak Wyatt picked the soda can up and threw it in the trash.
"She needs a good lesson; I don't think she's gonna start growing up anytime soon Chris, those things take time. Hell it's taken you eighteen years to get this far." Wyatt joked.
Chris looked at his brother seriously, brushing off the comment, "what we don't have is time Wyatt; the Source"
"Stop it Chris, you're obsessed completely with demons this and demons that," the half-Whitelighter twenty year old complained. "Live a little"
Chris laughed at the irony of his brothers word, "there'll be no living left to do if we don't find out who the new Source is going to be"
"Let mom and Aunt Paige and Phoebe deal with that; besides, Melinda needs a life lesson, not a demonic one," came the ticked off reply.
"Guys," came Melinda's soft voice, she walked down the stairs to the basement, almost tripping on the way. Melinda had a good soul but she didn't have a perfect brain; being bright wasn't her best quality. Sixteen years of living with her had taught her brothers that. "Look, I'm sorry for what I did, and I just"
"You've apologised enough, when mom gets back from Demon hunting tell her what you did, own up to it and tell her how stupid you were; not just for our amusement but for your own good Mel." Wyatt told her, the boy with the dirty blonde hair, he looked at his youngest sibling, then to his middle sibling. "Let's go see if we can get some info on this Source; Mel stay here and... amuse yourself in a way that doesn't pose a threat to anyone or anything." Wyatt and Chris orbed out separately; the middle sibling giving Mel a reassuring smile before he went. Chris had always been protective of his sister, and as much as he was constantly battling her he had always tried to keep her in line as a brother would, not an over-the-top Whitelighter.
Mel collapsed on Chris's bed, small beads of salty tears rolling down her cheeks and onto his pillow.
"I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry," she said; before she could react a demon shimmered in and grabbed her, shimmering out with her before she could say a word.
"We're home," Phoebe Halliwell called, looking around the house. "Chris? Wyatt? Melinda?" she asked. "Why isn't my car outside?" Piper Halliwell demanded angrily.
"I dunno, maybe Chris or Wyatt took it for a spin," Paige Matthews suggested, flicking green demon blood off her jacket.
"Yeah, a spin," Piper said, "I'd be surprised if Wyatt hadn't used to it run away or Chris is using to track demons," she said, thinking of her two sons.
"Well, we have the house to ourselves," Phoebe noted, collapsing on the couch, stopping Paige before she did the same and smeared it with demonic blood.
"Very true," Paige commented. "I'm using this time constructively and am going to use the shower seeing as there are no children pushing past hurrying to use it," Paige started for the stairs when the unmistakable sound of her two nephews orbing in made her turn on the spot. Chris was covered head to toe in the blood Paige was splattered with, and Wyatt was perfectly clean.
"You could of protected me too," Chris said, seething with anger at his older brother.
"Okay, fight later, don't drip demon blood on the new carpet now," Piper asked, freezing a bit of the blood just before it fell on to the carpet.
"Sorry mom," Chris said, looking around. "Where's Melinda?" he asked worriedly.
"We have no idea, she wasn't here when we got in," Phoebe replied, getting a cloth to get the demon blood in but Paige beat her to it, catching the blood in a vial.
"I'll make a vanquishing potion for this icky demon," she said, heading for the attic. She expected Wyatt or Chris to join her, but neither did.
"You mean... she's outside... alone?" Chris asked, looking at his brother.
"Yes but it's only nine o'clock Chris, relax," Phoebe told her nephew.
"Yeah, I forgot demons usually attack around tenish; I mean, according to their schedule they do." Chris replied, sarcasism in his voice.
"Chris, don't talk to your aunt like that," Piper snapped, freezing more blood. "And get rid of that blood, it might burn through your clothes or something... that's gonna be hell to get out," she commented, looking at the green oozing blood.
"Shouldn't we be in the slightest bit concerned about Melinda? Remember? Your only daughter." Chris asked, as Wyatt leant against the wall.
"Chris, lay off it, Melinda can protect herself, she isn't a damsel in distress, she doesn't need her big brother to rescue her every time she steps foot out the Manor," Wyatt said, heading for the attic. "I'll see what I can find out about those demons from the Book of Shadows, and then if we can't find anything we'll check with dad as a last resort"
Piper turned back to her middle child, looking at the blood with disgust.
"Go change your clothes and give me them," she ordered, as he sighed and headed for the basement. "You," Piper said, looking at Paige, "jacket." Paige pulled off the blue jacket and passed it to Piper; she then followed Wyatt up the staircase to find a vanquishing potion.
"Any luck?" Paige asked her nephew as he checked the book, he shook his head.
"Not even the slightest bit, we could always go to Magic School and see if they've got anything there," he suggested, looking at the Magic School's head teacher.
Paige nodded, "you go there and I'll check the book again... and again... and again for good measure"
Wyatt smiled at his aunt and orbed out to Magic School; Paige went back to looking for some asphodel before looking through the book as she had told Wyatt she would.
Melinda rapped on the side of the cage, looking at the demon pacing before her. "Hello," she said, in a sing-song voice. "Look, I'd really honestly love to stay and play hostage but I have places to be," she growled, trying to orb out of the cage. She got so far and fell to the floor of the underworld.
"Going somewhere?" the demon asked, striking Melinda down with an energy ball. Melinda winced as she fell back to the ground in pain, she continued to try to orb away. When she failed she flicked her hands at the demon trying to blow him up using the same power her mother possessed. When the demon didn't blow up she looked more scared, grabbing onto the cage to pull her up with.
"What kind of demon are you?" she asked, worriedly, her face turning pale.
"Not the kind that takes easily to being almost blown up," he growled, hitting her again with an energy ball. She screamed in pain as she tried to dodge another energy ball but it caught her directly in the face. She reached for the cage again, her hand finding an athame in-between the bars. She tried to draw her hand away but it wouldn't come, it seemed stuck inside the cage. "How did I know you'd do that?" the demon asked, advancing on her as he held another energy ball in his hand. Melinda squirmed, trying to get free, crying out to her father and brothers in turn. She suspected no one could orb down here though, seeing as she couldn't orb out and also that her cries wouldn't be heard.
"Say goodbye," the demon growled, taking aim at Melinda with a powerful energy ball that probably would have taken Melinda out.
"Goodbye," a new voice came as a demon blinked in, vanquishing the other with flames. Melinda didn't know whether to look over the moon someone had saved her, or that another demon was in the room. "Come on; let's get you out of here"
The demon was in a human form, he had blonde hair and light blue eyes, his build wasn't muscular but with a bit of work it could be. He reached his hand into the cage and pulled the Athame off Melinda, then pulled her hand out slowly.
"I... I don't know what to say," Melinda said, then thought of what her brothers would do. "How do I know I can trust you?" she asked, ready to blow the demon up if necessary.
"Whoa, let's not do that," the demon suggested, pulling Melinda's hands down. "I just saved your life; I think you know you can trust me. You're as paranoid as your brother is"
"What do you know about my brothers?" Melinda asked, her hands struggling against the demons forceful ones.
"Enough to know they'd of come for you too late," the demon replied. "I'm Jackson"
"I'm Charmed," Melinda smiled.
"Come on, let's go before more demons come," Jackson suggested, taking her hand again and blinking the both of them out.
Wyatt orbed back to his aunt, surprised to see his other brother and parents all looking over the book. "Found anything?" he asked, sharing a quick smile with his dad.
"Nothing yet, was Melinda at Magic School?" Paige asked, Wyatt shook his head and looked over the book with the rest. The doorbell rang and he looked at Chris, who reluctantly left the attic to get the door.
"Hi, we're a bit busy at the moment can you-" he stopped as James O'Riley, a friend of his sisters, came in the door forcefully. "What- what are you doing James?" Chris asked, watching the teenager search the house.
"I know something's going on in this house, I get a... vibe from it," James said, compulsively searching the house; under tables and behind the curtains.
Chris held back a laugh, "uh huh... Tell me James, have you had a shrink see to that head of yours"
"You think I'm mad!" James growled, he pulled out a crucifix from his pocket and shoved it in Chris's face. Chris pushed it away with a bemused look on his face.
"I don't think it man, I know it," he smiled. "Come on, we're having a family discussion upstairs, mind if we have it alone"
"No, I know something weird is happening in this house," James said, bending down to look under the dining table. Chris grew wide eyed as Melinda blinked in with a demon; he accidentally-on-purpose kicked James down so he fell to the floor underneath the table.
"Sorry," Chris said, his apology not at all convincing. "Come on, I'll shove you- show you the door"
Jackson and Melinda took a seat at the table and as James looked up he saw them and almost choked "When- when did you get there?" James asked, backing into Chris who pushed him away a little too hard than intended.
"Just a minute ago," Melinda said, "we came in... the back"
"And who are you?" James asked, looking at the blonde boy beside Melinda.
"Jackson Brown," the boy replied, holding his hand out to James.
"Right," James said, turning away and looking at Chris. "I'll be leaving now"
"Yes, you will," Chris agreed, shoving the boy towards the door. "Don't trip"
"Chris, be nice," Melinda snapped, her brother gave her a 'watch it' look then shut the door on James's face.
"He better not be a kleptomaniac or something," Chris told his sister. "What do you think you're doing hanging around with demons"
"I'm not hanging around with Jackson, he saved my life." Melinda replied.
"A demon? Save one of our lives?" Chris snorted. "Right, I suppose you're going to tell me he's harmless and defenceless"
"No, he saved my life and I trust him Chris, and you should too, not all demons are bent on killing every single on of us." Melinda took Jackson's wrist and started to pull him up the stairs. Chris just sighed; he knew his mom and aunts would most likely vanquish Jackson then give Melinda a talking to. Jackson left his jacket on the chair and followed Melinda up the stairs; when he was gone Chris reached inside of Jackson's jacket pocket and pulled out a laminated card.
"What?" he looked down at the card and frowned. "What kind of demon needs a passport and driving licence?" he asked himself.
Melinda and Jackson walked into the attic and the Halliwell clan jumped into action and stood in front of the Book of Shadows.
"Don't worry, Jackson's a demon," Melinda began, before she could explain any further her brother, Wyatt, had telekinetically smashed Jackson down the stairs. On the ground floor of the Halliwell Manor Chris smiled as he heard the noise, and then turned back to looking through Jackson's passport. "Wyatt stop!" Melinda begged, as her brother pushed her out the way.
"Why are you sticking up for a demon, Mel? Has he got you under some mind control?" Wyatt asked.
"No, he hasn't Wyatt, he saved my life; he was there for me when you should have been. Instead you orbed off to find out about the Source and left me here alone!" Melinda snapped, turning the blame on her brothers.
"You were attacked?" Wyatt asked, looking concerned.
"Yes, I was attacked and taken to the underworld, where I was put in a cage in a room I couldn't orb out of," Melinda replied, angrily. "And my brothers, who seem to live only to protect me from my every move, weren't there to help." "Melinda, I'm sorry, but we can't exactly save you from everything, why didn't you fight back or something?" Wyatt asked, his expression softening.
"Hello! Half strict pessimist!" Melinda growled, she helped Jackson to his feet and looked on as her parents and aunts discussed something.
"How do we know we can trust Jackson?" Leo Wyatt asked, looking at his daughter.
"He saved my butt; shouldn't that be enough proof for you?" Melinda asked, stubbornly.
"Melinda, in this family saving butts really just doesn't cut it in the trust department." Paige told her niece. "What demon are you Jackson?" she continued, looking over the Book of Shadows.
"My real name is Abdul," Jackson replied, Melinda looked up at the boys handsome features; not daring to believe this boy that had saved her could possibly be demonic.
"Abdul… here you are," Paige said, as Jackson looked over her shoulder cautiously.
"Abdul was a human that attempted to thwart a warlock; after doing so the warlock cursed Abdul to be a demon for eternity. His current whereabouts or identification is uncertain." Jackson read.
"I guess someone should change that last sentence," Piper chimed in, "to current whereabouts is in the Halliwell Manor saving a future Charmed One." "Please, Jackson is good; Jackson will help us find out about the demons that have been attacking recently… right Jackson?" Melinda asked, as Jackson turned around.
"Sure, if you want my help," Jackson smiled, "the demons you're looking for are known as Scatter Demons, their main tactic is divide and conquer." "A demon with a strategic plan, that's something you don't see every day," Leo said, thoughtfully.
"We haven't seen them in the process of divide and conquer yet, have we?" Paige asked her brow furrowing.
"I think we may of," Piper spoke up, looking at the group. "When Chris and Wyatt came back from getting information on the new Source they looked positively ready to murder one another; all because Wyatt didn't protect Chris from the Scatter Demon's blood." "Wyatt, Jackson, I need your help," Melinda asked suddenly, calling the two aside.
"What?" Wyatt asked, looking thoughtfully at his sister.
"I need you to get the surveillance tape from the CCTV camera outside Chucky Cheese." Melinda asked.
"What were you doing at Chucky Cheese?" Wyatt asked, before sighing. "Never mind, come on you," he looked at Jackson. "Let's roll." "Where are the guys off to?" Phoebe asked as she looked up from potion making with Paige.
"Nothing important, just a little errand," Melinda smiled.
None of the group noticed the door creak open by centimetres and someone peer in. Chris's footsteps were heard on the stairs and the person outside the attic froze in fear.
"Hey, mom, I need a sample of that demon blood," Chris asked, he froze too when he saw the person outside the attic. They pushed past him and Chris let him go as he fled in fear.
"What was that honey?" Piper asked, looking out the attic door. "What's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost, figuratively speaking, of course." "It was James," Chris said quietly as Melinda turned to look at her brother. "He heard and saw everything."
Melinda paced her bedroom frustrated; Chris had taken off in her aunt's car to see if he could find James. Her parents and aunts were discussing methods of memory removal and other potions and spells. "Look, James is human, we're not using any magic on him; I know James won't expose us, and so what if he does, no one is going to believe the word of a sixteen year old." Melinda turned to her family as she spoke, not daring to believe they would use magic on James.
"James knows our secret, and I'm not prepared to face the consequences of him telling people," Piper replied. "Not again." The group heard the sound of Chris pulling up outside, the boy stepped out and slammed the car door; his expression that of worry and concern. He walked up the path, swinging the car keys from his finger as he went.
"Hey, Chris," came a silky voice, Chris turned to see Georgina Yates, his brother's girlfriend.
"Hey Georgina, look, this is a really, really bad time," Chris explained. "Wyatt isn't home at the moment either." "It's not Wyatt I want to see, it's all of you. I had James tearing up the very turf on my front yard as he ran for my house; he was muttering about you lot and witchcraft, do you have any idea what he's talking about?" Georgina asked, her blonde hair in its old fashioned ringlets falling over her face casually.
"No," Chris replied, frowning, "he did come round earlier saying he sensed a vibe from the manor but let's face it; James thinks he gets a vibe from the kettle." Georgina laughed, "Very true, okay, I'll see you later." She smiled. "Shame about Melinda smashing up your moms Jeep." "Yeah, we haven't had the chance to tell mom about it yet, we're waiting for the perfect moment when she's relaxed and happy, not rushing about," Chris replied, standing on the steps as Georgina stood on the pavement.
"Taking the secret to your grave then mate?" Georgina joked, before heading off down the street. Chris let out a low whistle and opened the unlocked door and looked around as Wyatt and Jackson orbed and blinked in with a video tape clutched in Wyatt's hand.
"What's with the wake?" Wyatt asked, looking around slowly as if counting everyone, making sure they were still alive.
"James overheard us talking about magic and stuff, he went mad according to Georgina," Chris explained as Melinda took the tape from Wyatt.
"George was here? When?" Wyatt asked, reluctantly and absently letting the tape slip from his fingers, his sister grabbing it before it smashed on the floor.
"Just a second ago, she was asking about James," Chris replied.
"Do you think I can catch her up?" Wyatt asked; his brother trod very carefully on the nuts and bolts of his and Georgina's sometimes topsy-turvy relationship, after all, Georgina was a very suspicious girl.
"Only if you're a marathon runner; besides, we have Scatter Demons to think about as well as James, Georgina, Jackson and… other problems," Chris replied, looking at his sister knowingly.
"Exactly why we have no time to lose," Paige smiled, holding up a vanquishing potion. "Let's summon those Scatter Demons. Everyone grab a potion and get ready to chuck it, Piper and Mel, be ready to freeze and blow up, and Leo be ready to heal." The whole Halliwell clan had powers; the three sisters Piper, Paige and Phoebe were still the current Charmed Ones, but as far as they knew it wouldn't be long before Piper's children took over the destiny. Piper could freeze time and make objects or demons explode; Paige could orb things to her and orb herself; Phoebe had the power of premonition, levitation and empathy. The three children all had orbing and Chris and Wyatt were telekinetic while their sister could freeze time. Leo was able to orb and heal, and because he still had his place as Elder he could attack using lightening.
"Ready to go?" Paige asked as her sisters looked over the summoning spell.
"Ready as ever," Phoebe said, as her older sister agreed and they began to recite the spell:
Those who watch those who died,
Those who use powers to divide,
Come to us witches three,
Come to us, we summon thee.
There was a gust of wind as four green demons appeared in the middle of the living room, instantly Piper, Phoebe and Paige threw the potions, vanquishing one and getting covered in green oozing blood as the same time.
Melinda threw her potion but it missed by inches, she let out a sigh of frustration.
"Damn, I missed," she complained.
"Not quite," Wyatt smiled, moving the potion remains telekinetically from the carpet onto the demon, which was vanquished instantly. He threw his own potion by missed, but he didn't have the time to move that potion as the demon came straight for him and Chris.
The Scatter Demon knocked them backwards and Jackson jumped in to rescue them with a energy ball but Wyatt and Chris pushed the demon off them together; it screamed in pain as it exploded, splattering the people nearest it with blood.
"No one messes with my brothers," Melinda smiled, handing Jackson an athame.
"Whatever happened to strict pessimist then?" Chris asked, standing up.
"It might of slipped of mind," Melinda replied, as the four turned back to join the fray; there was one Scatter Demon left and it seemed to be working it's not so charming magic on Leo and Piper.
"You're never around for the children, or me," Piper scolded, ignoring the demon for the time.
"I have a job to do Piper!" Leo began, suddenly their fighting stopped as the demon before them was vanquished by Jackson's potion, thrown by Chris.
"Well done kids," Wyatt smiled from next to the couch.
"And I wish I could say that the danger was completely gone…" Paige sighed. "But we sitll have James to worry about."
Melinda dropped the house keys onto the side table and looked around, "nobody home?" she asked. The half witch, half whitelighter walked into the conservatory, only to find the back door open. The brunette turned on her heels, racing through the house looking for an intruder. She froze when she heard a crash from upstairs, running for the attic she swung the door open and looked inside.
"What is all this?" James's scared voice asked, shoving potions under Melinda's face. "What are you?" he asked, urgently, stepping back and smashing potions as he went. One blew up in his face, making him fall back to the floor.
"James, please; let me explain. I don't think I've been completely honest with you about some stuff, well, mainly this." Melinda said, "only this"
"Your whole family is into the occult? What are you, like a... dark cult?" James asked, looking at a green potion which smelt quite strong.
"No, not really. Not a dark cult, a good cult," Melinda said. "You deserve explainations and I promise you will get one in time, but at the moment you have to go before-" Melinda was cut off by Chris's orbing.
"I don't believe this," James said, paling. Before Melinda and Chris's very eyes he fainted on the floor, the potions in his hand rolling slowly to the side of the attic.
"Watch where you orb," Melinda said, angerily. "He was just coming around and you come a give him a lightshow right before his eyes"
"I'm sorry, besides, he didn't look like he was coming round; he looked about ready to chuck a potion at you," Chris replied, looking at the unconcious boy. "What should we do with him?" he asked, looking over at his sister.
"We can't well leave him here, orb him downstairs or something," Melinda said, bending down to collect the potions up, her brother sighed and orbed himself and James downstairs. She followed quickly, looking around the living room for her brother and her friend. "Chris?" she asked worriedly, she looked behind the couch and saw a patch of blood, she touched it lightly and looked down at it, then up at the ceiling. "Dad! Wyatt!"
The whole family, save Chris, sat in silence in the conservatory as Piper tried scrying for Chris again, her anxiety half blocking the magic. "Mom, sit down," Melinda asked, painfully. If only she had orbed downstairs with her brother, but than again she too may of been kidnapped then.
"This is impossible, first you now Chris, it's like-" Piper began.
"Like someone is out to get us? We know that honey," Phoebe said, reassuringly. Phoebe knew what it was like to have children and not know where they were, her own daughter, Prudence, was away with her father, Leslie St Claire in California.
"I was going to say it's like they have some conspiracy against Chris, Mel and Wyatt," Piper replied, giving her sister a look before turning back to the map.
"Piper," Leo said, holding her wrist back from the map. "You're too worried to be able to scry, sit down and let Melinda take over or something"
"Me?" Melinda asked, "I've never scryed before," Phoebe pushed her towards the table and her mom stood back.
"Go ahead, see if you can do it," Piper suggested. "Though to be honest I don't think Chris is still around, the demon probably took him to the Underworld"
"Then I have the perfect tourguide," Melinda smiled, flipping her phone open and smiling as she spoke to it to tell it which number to ring. "Jackson Brown," she said clearly.
Jackson was sat at a desk at a small apartment, his phone rang and it picked up automatically after two rings.
"Hey," he said, as he heard Melinda's voice, "slow down." he asked, looking down at the phone on the table. Frowning he headed for the door, pulling on his jacket. Reaching inside he found his drivers licence missing, he just sighed and looked out at the blue car parked out front. Why take the car when you could blink?
Melinda was talking on the phone as Jackson blinked in, he took the phone away from her ear and looked down at her with his cool blue eyes.
"You rang?" he asked, with a smile. "Is there a problem"
"Actually, yes," Melinda said, hanging up on her phone. "Chris has been taken, along with my friend James. We sort of need someone to help us around the Underworld"
Jackson's face paled, "I was afraid of this all along. I was afraid this was the Source's plan"
"What? What plan?" Melinda asked, pulling her demon friend into a seat.
"The Source wants to exterminate the Power of Three," Jackson replied.
"First, let's not use the word exterminate; we're not termite. Secondly, we are are Power of Three; can't any Source get their facts straight?" Piper asked, looking at the demon suspiciously.
"Actually, he's going after the future Power of Three... Chris, Melinda and Wyatt." Jackson replied, as Melinda looked at him in shock.
"We'll deal with this future issue thing later, now we need to find Chris," Piper cut in, "So the Source has Chris?" Jackson nodded and Piper grabbed up the scrying crystal and map. "Well then, we'll just give him a little taste of the current Power of Three." She was halfway up the stairs now and Jackson had no time to protest, he just raced after Melinda as she headed after her mom.
Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Melinda, Wyatt and Jackson all orbed down into the Underworld, some armed with potions and some with spells. "If this doesn't work..." Melinda began.
"Yeah, we know, we're screwed," Paige replied, "I'm getting too old for this," she joked. Piper looked around for any demons and started walking, Jackson taking the lead of the group and Wyatt bringing up the rear.
"Hi," Piper growled, seeing a demon, "if you haven't noticed we're looking for the demon that took my son and if you can't tell, we're very pissed." She blew the demon up with a flick of her wrist and continued walking. "Nice neighborhood actually"
"Mom, be careful," Wyatt told her from his position behind everyone.
"You're beginning to sound like Chris, giving out orders and keeping peace," Piper growled, blowing another demon up.
"Well someone has to," Wyatt replied, a little more harshly than intended. They reached a doorway protected by three demons, a female one stepped foward, keeping calm under presence of the witches.
"What are you doing here? You must be mad to think you can take on the Source," she told them.
"Guess you could call us insane," Piper quipped as she blew the demon up. "So much for demonic doormen being any help"
Jackson was about to speak when Melinda silenced him and Piper made quick work of the remaining demons. They entered the door and was immediatly attacked by a fireball, it sent Paige sprawling into the wall and she fell to the ground, breathing heavily.
Melinda threw her potion, it wasn't meant to do anything but stun the Source.
"Prudence, Penelope, Patricia, Melinda,
Ashford, Helen, Laura and Grace,
Halliwell witches stand strong beside us..." Piper, Phoebe and Piper only got so far before Piper was hit by a fireball too. The Source aimed another at her but Wyatt deflected it with his telekinesis and it hit the wall, scorching it.
"Aunt Paige!" Melinda called, pulling her aunt away as the Source aimed for her, it hit Melinda instead and she fell down onto her leg awkwardly. She stood up again painfully, looking around the room for Chris, she set off at a run for another doorway infrotn of her. The Source aimed another fireball at her but she narrowly avoided it by inches. She looked around the room and found Chris in a magical binding cage like she had been in; behind her Jackson folowed quickly. They both hit the magical cage reaptedly, Jackson resorting to using a fireball.
"You... you can use fireballs?" Melinda asked, scaredly as Jackson worked on getting her brother free.
"Yeah, just go check on James," Jackson told her, pointing to the unconcious boy to the side of the room.
"Melinda, get everyone out of here, it's a trap!" Chris told her, rattling the cage.
"We're not leaving without you, besides mom and Aunt Phoebe and Paige have it covered," Melinda replied, checking James's pulse.
"That's what I'm afraid of," Chris said, as the cage burst open and he ran to grab his sister, pulling her to the doorway as Wyuatt joined them. The Source turned and aimed a gaint fireball at the three, everything suddenly seemed in slow-motion as Melinda screamed and looked away, hiding her face in Chris's arm. Wyatt braced himself for the impact, which would surely kill the three of them... but it never came.
The three heard another scream, one belonging to their mom's. All three looked up to see their Aunt Phoebe jump infront of the fireball and hit the wall in such a force her body looked like a ragdoll.
"Aunt Phoebe!" Melinda cried, trying to run but both Chris and Wyatt held her back, throwing her back into the room as she weeped hysterically as her mom and remaining Aunt ran towards Phoebe's lifeless body.
To Be Continued