Thanks go to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, replies at the bottom!

I don't own Charmed, surprisingly.


The Square Root Of Trouble

Chapter Two

Piper stood her ground, her stance defiant and chocolate eyes glaring between her two sons. They had moved into the living room with Wyatt and Chris sitting, heads bowed on the sofa. Leo stood next to the fireplace, his arms crossed and a look of cool disappointment written on his face. Phoebe had left hurriedly with a quick glance of sympathy at the two boys, a kiss on the cheek to her sister and supportive hug to Leo.

"Is anyone going to speak, or are we just going to sit here all day?"

Chris glimpsed a look at his brother, but he remained silent making no contact with either one of his parents.

"Okay, so I'll start." Piper walked closer to the boys, "Let's see, first off, Wyatt, you find that there is a demon after you and you take off."

Wyatt's head sprang up, "How did you?"

"Know?" Leo cut in, "You're Aunt Paige told us, she was worried that you were running off into danger."

"With good reason, since as you wisely decided, with the knowledge that someone was out to kill you - it would be a good idea to go out and get wasted!" Piper sucked in air through clenched teeth. "And you decided to take your brother?"

"Mom," Chris cut in, "It wasn't-"

"No, Chris, there is no excuse for what either of you did, you are both underage to start with, and goodness knows what could have happened." She threw her hands up into the air and all three men flinched expecting some object or other to smash into pieces.

"But, I knew what I was doing, so did Wyatt." Chris spluttered.

"You both knew?" Leo asked incredulously. His question really referring only to Chris. Chris' mouth snapped shut and he stared off into the distance. "I'll take that as a yes." Anger rang clear in his tone; he could not believe how stupid the pair had been, and how easily he could have lost them.

With a sigh of disappointment, Piper's eyes fixed on Chris. "Go to your room, we'll be up later." Chris' mouth opened, but the look in Piper's eyes gave no room for arguments, he glanced to his Dad for help. Leo shook his head slowly, his jaw clenched tight. With reluctance, Chris heaved himself off the couch and retreated to his room.

Silence reigned in the manor for a moment until they heard a door shut. With Chris gone Piper and Leo's attention turned back to Wyatt. Leo spoke first, "Well are you going to talk now?"

Wyatt sighed; his hands clasped together at his knees. "Look, I'm sorry, alright?"

"No Wyatt, it's not as if you broke one of your Mom's ornaments. This is your life," Leo paused for the information to sink in, "and your brother's."

The teenager bit his lip, he was genuinely sorry that he had put Chris in danger, but he felt himself old enough to look after his own problems without running to his parents at any sign of trouble. "Chris should never have come I know, but me," he placed his hand on his chest, "I can take care of my own problems."

"Can you?" Piper asked. "Because to me it looked like you went out drowning your sorrows." Wyatt winced. He couldn't tell them why he had ordered alcohol, as then he would have to explain where they had been, if he thought they were mad now… he didn't even want to contemplate what they would think if they knew the truth. "I don't know, maybe you thought it would be more of a challenge that way."

"That was a mistake," he voiced, his eyes pleading for his parents to understand.

"You're damn right it was." Piper groaned and moved to sit next to her son; she placed a hand on his knee and patted him reassuringly. "Look, I know that you think you're old enough to sort everything out on your own, or at least start trying to, and you're right." Wyatt turned to look at her, his face confused. "Don't you think that your Aunts and I haven't felt this way at some point?"

Wyatt coughed, he had never thought about it in that way. "Well we have, but we've learnt through mistakes, just like you made, and will make, that we're a family." She smiled at him. "And families are there for each other, especially ours, what with all the trouble we get into." Piper smiled a memory playing in her head, "When I first got my powers I panicked, we all did and we were older than you."

Wyatt groaned, "Mom I know the story."

Piper laughed reminiscing the old days in her mind. "I know you do sweetie, and what I'm trying to get across is that at times I felt as if I was too dependant on my sisters, I felt as if I didn't control my life, but then one day I realised that they weren't a burden, I needed them and that I didn't have to go through this on my own. We were all going through it. However, I also knew that if I needed any space they would give it to me. Is that what you feel?"

Wyatt shrugged, he felt uncomfortable under close scrutiny. In all honesty he wasn't sure why he felt the need to handle it on his own. Perhaps it was a little pride, but the truth was that he felt sorry for his family; it seemed that they never got a break, if he could take just a little bit onto his own shoulders. "I suppose, I just thought that I could handle it, give you some time for yourself."

"Maybe you could," Piper suggested, smiling at the thought that he had wanted to give her some freedom. "But you don't need to." Wyatt shuffled. "If that had been Chris off to vanquish a demon on his own?"

Wyatt shook his head; he would go mad if he found out that Chris was foolishly trying to- "Oh."

"Exactly," Leo spoke up, "How do you think we felt, I know you think that you're all grown up, but you're still our baby." He mussed up the top of Wyatt's hair, cringing Wyatt moved away from him. Piper gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, "You always will be, get used to it."

"I'm sorry, I should have thought."

Leo waved a hand, "Like your Mom said it was a mistake, the drinking though, that's another matter and the fact that you took Chris with you."

Wyatt agreed, "So I'm grounded?"

"No." Wyatt blinked in surprise,

Piper took over, "You're old enough to know your own responsibilities and how your actions affect each of us, whether you realise it or not. Though I hope that with knowledge that a demon is after you, you won't go out anyway."

Wyatt nodded; he was receiving the guilt trip punishment, very subtle and very effective. "I understand I'll be in my room."

Piper smiled. "I'm glad we're getting through to you."

Wyatt sat up and walked over to the stairs, he placed his hand on the banister and his foot on the first step, for a second he loitered and then turned around. "For what it's worth, I really am sorry."

Leo wrapped an arm around Piper's waist, "Good, now get going." He gestured up the stairs with his head.

Piper turned her head to face her husband, her neck craning, "Round two?"


Phoebe placed her car keys onto the kitchen table, allowing herself a moment of pure relaxation before the inevitable shouting that seemed to consume her life these days. She had joked with Piper that she couldn't seem to do anything right, but hadn't quite realised until the journey home how much the sentence rang true. "Melinda, are you home?" She shouted into the deathly silence, perhaps she could fix some of that problem now. What was it that Piper did? Made hot chocolate and cookies and forced them to sit down and converse, she couldn't quite do the baking part, but she could whip up some hot chocolate and crack open a packet of cookies.

With the solution firmly in her mind, she began to ascend the stairs. "Melinda?"

"I'm up here… Mom, I need your help." Phoebe's heart raced for an instant, imagining scenarios with her daughter trapped helplessly in a corner. She took the stairs two at a time, racing to her daughter's door and throwing it open.

"Mom?" A quiet voice mumbled. Phoebe glanced around the room, there was no destruction, no unwanted visitors, just her daughter hiding under the covers of her bed.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Phoebe placed a hand on the duvet and gently pried it back to reveal a tear stained face and mop of coffee brown hair.

"I cast a spell." She glumly answered. Phoebe's mouth gaped open as she realised that she was staring at a ten-year-old version of, when she had last seen her, her fourteen-year-old daughter.

"Oh, okay." She placed a hand on her daughter's wet cheek. "We can fix this; do you still know the spell?"

Melinda shook her head, "I tried that, but nothing changed."

"Alright, well what was the spell about?" If Phoebe could get that out of her then maybe she could write one herself.

Melinda bit her lip and looked guiltily down at her hands. "It was about going back to like it used to be." Phoebe's eyes narrowed, her brain clicking as to why the spell had gone awry. "When you understood me."

Phoebe felt a pang of hurt and guilt that she had been the reason for her daughters spell. "Personal gain." She muttered. Melinda nodded once, a new tear slipping down her face. Phoebe hung her head in defeat, "Haven't we talked about this? No wonder the spell backfired."

Melinda's face crumpled at the soft rebuke, and before Phoebe's eyes, she shrunk in size, her hair shortening in length and turning a little lighter. Phoebe jumped back a little in surprise, "What happened?"

Melinda sniffed, "You don't understand." She sobbed.

Phoebe clicked her tongue; she would have to be careful about what she said, unless she wanted to end up with a shrieking toddler in her hands. "I do understand we'll talk about that whole part of it later." She moved her hands as if shoving aside the information. "Alright, I think this is telling us we need to work on some issues." Melinda looked up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Phoebe relaxed, "C'mere," She pulled the girl into a hug, Melinda tightening the hold and falling into her Mother's embrace.

A jingling sound resounded in the air and when the blue lights had dissipated and faded they revealed Paige. "Oops, sorry, have I interrupted a Mother/daughter bonding session?"

"You did," Phoebe spoke, "but perhaps you can help us anyway."

Paige looked intrigued, "Help how?" Phoebe pulled back from her daughter, allowing her Aunt to glimpse a now nine-year-old version of her niece. "Oh."

"Spell backfired." Phoebe answered.

"Ah, I see, and we need a new one?" Paige questioned, already rooting around in her pockets for some paper.

"No, I already tried, nothing works." Mel answered.

Phoebe swept aside a lock of stray hair from her daughters head. "Well we'll try again. If there's something that the Halliwell line doesn't do, it's give up." Paige nodded, coming over to the bed and sitting down.

The three read the spell, making adjustments where necessary and scribbling out parts that weren't needed. Phoebe re-read through the end product after they had all decided on a version that Melinda hadn't yet tried. "Well I can see why we hit trouble." She commented.

"Trouble," Paige gasped, remembering why she had come to Phoebe's in the first place. "Wyatt - is he okay?"

Phoebe grinned, "It depends on how you look at it." Paige's face took on a worried frown. "He's safe, don't worry. He and Chris are facing Leo and Piper's wrath right now."

"Chris, why?"

Phoebe waved a hand, "I'll explain later, impressionable ears are listening." She motioned to her daughter, her back not facing them, but Phoebe knew listening all the same. The last thing she wanted to do was give Melinda ideas of how to put more wrinkles on her Mothers face.


Chris sat perched on the end of his bed, a disgruntled look displayed on his face. The room was already feeling stuffy and claustrophobic and he was going to have to spend the next two weeks in it.

A light knock on the door broke his reverie, he was tempted to ignore whoever was standing outside his room, but that was probably not the way to worm his way back into their good books and it was most likely his Mom announcing dinner. "Come in," he grumbled, he would at least act put out. To his surprise, Wyatt walked into the room. Chris turned back around, "It's you."

Wyatt frowned at the less than friendly attitude, which could only mean that Chris was mad at him. He shook his shoulders and decided that he would carry on with what he had come to say anyway. "Listen, I just wanted to thank you for not telling them the full story." Chris made an uninterested grumble sound. "Ookay, so you're going to have to help me out here." Chris remained with his back towards his brother. Wyatt paused, clucking his tongue. "Why are you mad at me exactly?"

"You have to ask?" Wyatt had almost jumped at the sudden sound coming from his brother; he had expected the dreaded silence to continue for a while longer. Chris' speciality was silence, which his Aunt Paige always commented made him extra good at keeping secrets. For some reason whenever she said this around his parents or his Aunt Phoebe they would all smile funny at something only they knew.

Chris gave his brother a second to answer but no reply was forthcoming so he took it upon himself to supply it for him. "Let's see I'm grounded for two weeks because I tried to help out my idiot of a brother." Wyatt frowned at being referred to as an idiot. "What did you give him?"

Wyatt's features contorted. 'Give who?' Ringing in his head. He had no idea what his brother was going on about, but for some reason whatever it was made him an idiot. "I have no clue what you are on about," he answered honestly.

Chris' eyes fell upon him, his gaze narrowing. "The package, the demon, ring any bells, Wy?" Realisation dawned on the elder boy. Chris was wondering about the package that he had exchanged for information with the demon. "My idiot of a brother that's supplying demons with the knowledge to no doubt kill someone."

"That's not fair Chris, you don't-"

"Understand?" Chris spat. "Then why don't you explain."

Wyatt flopped down onto the bed, "It was a book, but," Chris' eyes glittered that he was right. Wyatt hesitated, he cringed at having to consent, "It was a book on love spells."

"Love spells?" he asked unbelievably.

"Yep." Wyatt's eyes fell embarrassingly down to the sheets, his fingers picking at the blue material that his brother favoured. "I wrote them for Abby a while back." Chris' eyebrow rose. "She thought they were romantic," he explained.

Chris stared at Wyatt to see if he was trying to crack a joke, there was no smile or glint of amusement in his eye; just plain discomfort. "So, if what you're saying is true… why would a demon want?"

"Let's just say this particular demon wanted a love spell," He shrugged. "Maybe he's having romantic problems. Demons can and do love you know." He punched Chris playfully on the shoulder.

"Ow." Chris rubbed the spot carefully. "I do know. Our family has had its fair share of romance with them." His Aunt Phoebe and Belthazor springing to mind, not to mention countless others, none of which he really wanted to think about. It never ended well. "Abbey liked love spells did she?" He teasingly asked.

"Shut it." Wyatt replied, punching his brother again on the shoulder. Chris glared rubbing the sore spot. "Let that be a lesson, you mention this to anyone…" He let the threat linger in the air.

Chris grinned; he now had advantage for the future. "So how long are you grounded for?"

"I'm not." Wyatt replied simply.

Chris' forehead crumpled. "You're not? Well what happened, oh, it's the car right, you can't use the car?"

"No. I got a lecture on responsibility and relying upon family." Chris' face fell, he had received all of that as well, and on top of that he was not aloud to do anything fun for the next two weeks. "I got a guilt trip, which means even though I'm not banned from leaving; if I did they wouldn't be too happy."

"Yes, but you can leave, you can orb out right now."

"That's kinda not the point little brother." He knelt up off the bed and patted Chris playfully on the head. "You have a lot to learn about our parents and a lot more groundings ahead to find out."

He left Chris to sit bewildered in his room, "Since when did you have the power of premonition?" he hollered back, Wyatt's retreating laughter echoing back from the hall.


A small explosion sounded, Paige, already prepared, with her hands clapped to her ears before moving to bat away the smoke from her niece. "Nothing is working." She sing-songed to Phoebe.

"Ooh I know, but my baby can't stay nine for the rest of her life."

"It's no use, I've cursed myself." Melinda sobbed.

"Don't be so melodramatic." Phoebe exclaimed. "We've fixed everything before, Paige here once made herself have huge-"

"Phoebe." Paige cautioned, realising the story her sister was going to repeat. Phoebe gestured to her chest and mouthed the word huge. Despite her predicament, Melinda giggled. "Phoebe," Paige whined.

"What?" Phoebe asked innocently, her hand reaching to her earlobe and fiddling, a habit she did whenever caught in the act. Paige looked unconvinced. Phoebe smiled prettily, "Well we fixed it sweetie, didn't we."

Paige glared at her. "The power of three." Two questioning looks focused on her. "Maybe that's what we need to reverse this, this, what's the opposite of growth spurt?"

Phoebe grabbed a hold of Melinda's hand, pulling her up. "You're looking at it, let's go." Paige grabbed a hold of both Melinda and Phoebe and orbed them to the manor.


Piper was cleaning up the remains of dinner when her sister's and niece arrived in a swirl of blue lights. Phoebe explained the situation, how they had tried to reverse the effects but to no avail and Paige's idea of how the power of three might help. Piper agreed and the three of them headed up to the book of shadows, leaving Melinda alone at the kitchen table. Melinda decided that she should at least make herself useful by cleaning up the reminding cups and dishes.

"Excuse me?" A voice sounded through the living room, Melinda placed down the cup she was drying and turned around to face her cousin, Wyatt. For a second Wyatt stared at her before voicing, "Mel?" In an unsure questioning tone.

"Yes, spell backfired." She huffed.

"Oh." Wyatt replied circling his shoulders and walking up to the table, he grabbed a plate and dunked it into the sink; Wyatt glanced down at his cousin and couldn't help a snort of laughter. Melinda glared up at him; she knew she looked ridiculous without him clarifying the fact. Wyatt tried to smother his laughter but it was no use, "Chris has got to see this."

Melinda's hands rose up in defence; she didn't need to be humiliated further. "No, he doesn't."

Wyatt pretended to think the matter over until Melinda let her guard down, immediately he lunged for his cousin, grabbing her around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder. She screamed in protest, her arms punching at his muscular back like a pixie hitting a giant.

Wyatt kicked open Chris' door, marched in to the room and dumped his cousin unceremoniously on to his brother's bed. Melinda lay laughing, almost drowning in the double bed due to her shrinkage in size. Wyatt's eyes darted around the room, which was suspiciously empty and devoid of noise except for Melinda's giggling. Sensing the mood of the room and her cousin, she calmed down. "Wyatt?" She asked tentatively. "What's up?"

"Chris isn't here."

Melinda rolled her eyes. "So? He's probably out."

"No, he's grounded."

"Oh, the trouble you two got in, Mom was telling Aunt Paige, but then she stopped because I was listening." Her eyes gleamed. "What did you do?"

Wyatt clicked his tongue, "I'll tell you, but first you have to do me a favour."

Melinda pursed her lips thinking over the deal. "Fine, what do you want?"

"I need you to go upstairs,"

"He could be in the attic helping." Melinda suggested though it sounded doubtful even to her.

"He isn't. I need you to be a decoy…"


Melinda crept up to the attic, all three sisters' heads turning at the sight of her. Phoebe spoke up first at the sight of her daughter. "We're nearly there."

"Nothing in the book." Paige chimed, followed by a grunt as Phoebe elbowed her.

"Positive." She sang.

"Alright." Melinda glumly answered. "Have you seen Chris?"

Piper's head perked up, but she didn't seem wary. "He should be in his room if he knows what's good for him."

Melinda nodded. "I'll go see him, is that alright Aunt Piper?"

"Sure sweetie, he's not barred from human contact."

Yet, Melinda thought ominously. She left the attic, Phoebe's voice trailing behind her, speaking to Paige. "See, I knew she was listening."


Melinda walked back into Chris' room and ruefully shook her head. "Aunt Piper said he'd better be in his room."

"Is she coming" Wyatt panicked.

"No, they're working on a counter spell. I just said I was looking for him."

Wyatt nervously tapped his fingers on the bed. "Okay, can you stay in here, lock the door and pretend we're in here?"

"I don't know." Melinda drawled.

Wyatt sighed, rummaging in his pocket. "Five dollars." He threw the note down in-between them. Melinda coughed, her eyes growing big and staring at Wyatt. He groaned and pulled out another note. "Alright, ten and my permission to mess with any of his stuff." he was hardly going to be using it himself if his parents found out.

"Deal," she smiled.

Wyatt scowled. "Chris owes me fifteen dollars." He relaxed his nerves, reaching out and locating his brother's whereabouts finding his brother he orbed to the location.

Wyatt opened his eyes to find himself around the corner from P3, the music was blaring and crowds of people were mingling together, making it difficult to spot one dark haired teen, let alone his brother.

"I'm the idiot, Chris?" He muttered, waving a hand at the door attendant and walking forward into the club.

To be continued…


There should be another chapter, maybe two to this fic, not a lot of action in this part I know, it's coming in the next. I seriously hope you are enjoying it, and we all know how to let me know one way or the other. Review.

Reviews from last chapter:

IcantthinkofaFnick - Wow, I actually danced around the room from your review, you had me beaming. I wouldn't call it perfect, but it's lovely to hear all the same. I decided to stick with Melinda anyway; it makes sense after Melinda Warren starting the line of witches. You are right though the future does change all the time, Piper was going to have a girl, thank god that didn't stick!

Charmed in Brooklyn - Did you actually check everyday? I'm glad you like, its how I imagine them to be as well, at least in the future with no evil Wyatt. Let's face it; trouble comes looking for them, though they do walk in to it too!

Simone1 - Thank you for both your reviews. I suppose in a way it is turning into a series, the fics just keep multiplying in my head. I have another one shot part typed up already that I'm going to have up after this. Though the way it's writing it could be tomorrow!

Dani - I hope this was soon enough for you, trust me it is soon for me. Glad you like it.

Alyssa Halliwell - I'm glad that you like the relationship between the boys. I'm writing them as most siblings are, up and down.

trina -k - Aw, thank you. I'm glad you are reading and enjoying. As I have said, that's how siblings are. My sister and I aren't too close. But it still enrages me when someone says something bad about her.

Vampiress66613 - I hope you waited. Thanks again it really means a lot that people are enjoying this fic.

Until next time.