By J. B. Tilton email: Rating: K
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.
(Authors note: This story takes place between season 6 episodes "Little Monsters" and "Chris-Crossed".)
When the sisters face a demon in the same house where they once faced the Collector, they learn that sometimes art really does imitate life.
ONE
Paige pulled her car over to the curb and stopped. She looked at the house just up the street. She was very familiar with that house. Two years previously she and Phoebe had nearly become victims of the Collector - a demon that turned people into dolls. She had barely been a Charmed One then and Piper, most of all, was still having trouble trusting her.
Even being new to her powers she could sense the evil in that house. Paige's "feeling" about the house had led them to the demon and they had been able to vanquish him. She still remembered that feeling clearly.
A lot had changed in those two years. After they had vanquished the Collector, her feeling about the house had changed. For two years it had set empty and she had given it no more thought than any of the other houses along the block. Every time she had passed it, it had seemed like all the other houses.
That had changed today. As she drove past the house, a feeling had overtaken her. Different from the feeling she had when the Collector had inhabited it she nevertheless knew something wasn't quite right about it.
She looked up at the house and noticed a curtain on one the second story suddenly fall. As if someone had been holding them open slightly and suddenly let go. She also noticed some letters in the mailbox. And near the back corner of the driveway were several boxes. The kind people used when they moved.
Someone had moved in and apparently recently. It could be another demon. If it were, her sisters would have to know about it. Another demon in that house so close to the manor couldn't be coincidence. And if it was another demon it wasn't hard to figure out what it was there for. Paige pulled away from the curb and headed for the manor.
"Another feeling?" Piper asked after Paige had told them about the house. "Are you sure you weren't just imagining it?"
"No, I wasn't," insisted Paige. "I drive past that house all the time on my way to and from work. Since we vanquished the Collector it's just seemed like any other house. But there was definitely something about it today. Different from when the Collector was there but definitely something."
"It couldn't be the Collector," said Phoebe. "We vanquished him."
"It just seems odd that another demon would move in there after we did vanquish him," said Piper.
"Maybe not," said Leo. "There are places that attract evil. This might be one of those places."
"Why would evil be attracted to that house?" Paige asked.
"There are a number of reasons," said Chris. "It could be consecrated to evil. Or maybe it's some kind of focal point. You vanquished a demon there. It's possible some residual energy was left over. That might attract another demon."
"Someone is definitely living there," said Paige. "I saw them looking out the window. And there are moving cartons in the back and some mail in the mailbox."
"Did you get a look at who it was?" Leo asked.
"No," said Paige. "I just saw someone parting the curtains set over one of the windows. I couldn't tell who - or what - it was."
"Well, if another demon has moved in," said Piper, "we need to find out which one it is right away."
"What, no accusations that it might be my imagination this time like the last time?" Paige asked a little surprised.
"There's been a lot of water under that bridge," said Piper. "It was a long time ago. A lot has changed since then. You've more than proven yourself even to me. Besides, you were right the first time."
"Thanks," said Paige. "I appreciate that."
"Don't mention it, little sister," said Piper.
"So," Leo asked, "how do we find out if this is a demon? You want me to orb in and take a look around?"
"No," said Piper. "We don't know that it is a demon. If it's not I don't think it would be right to go snooping around their house."
"So what do we do?" Phoebe asked. "Just walk up and ask them if they're demons sent to kill us?"
"I think I'll bake some cookies," Piper said.
"Cookies?" Paige questioned. "Now? There might be a demon living right down the street and you want to bake cookies?"
"Sure," said Piper. "Once the cookies are finished we can take them over to our new neighbors. Sort of a 'welcome to the neighborhood' gesture."
"Which gives us a chance to at least see who it is," said Phoebe. "And maybe learn something about them."
"The direct approach," said Paige. "I like it."
Piper smiled and went into the kitchen to start the cookies.