Disclaimer: Charmed and The Magnificent Seven weren't created by and aren't owned by me, and I only use them in fanfiction for fun without any money-making involved.
Warnings: There are a few minor swearwords/curse words used in this story. There's also a short non-gruesome description of a warlock's death later in this story that may or may not upset people.
Main Characters: Buck, surprise FC (from Mag. 7 canon), Charles Wilmington (OMC), Bianca Wilmington (OFC)
AU Type: The Charmed Seven Past - spin off from The Charmed Seven (also created by me). I've decided to split the AU into two: Stories about any of the guys as children or teenagers (17 or younger) will be in an AU called "The Charmed Seven Past" (if written from now onwards - all previous past stories are in "The Charmed Seven Family Past Series"); and stories where none of the guys are below 18 will be in the AU named "The Charmed Seven". The first The Charmed Seven story is "The Seventh Brother".
Open AU, but please let me know by email if you are planning to write in the AU.
Author's Note: To avoid advertising any popular American stores, I made up one for this story called "SmartMart" in the hope there isn't one somewhere - any resemblance to any real stores is purely coincidental. Also, the OFCs and OMCs in this story are fictional characters and not intended to bear resemblance to any real people, living or dead. Any canon characters used may have slight differences from the ones in "The Magnificent Seven" TV series - I'm warning here as I won't accept complaints about this later.
Story Note: Takes place shortly after Part 7: The Charmed Seventh of The Charmed Seven Family Past series
Acknowledgments: Thanks to Jessie Jane for helping me make this story make more sense than it did to start with, and finding any errors I missed. Also, thanks to her for continuing to beta in this AU after betaing so many Charmed Seven stories for me already.
Spoilers: For "The Seventh Brother" (if you haven't read it yet).
Chapter 1 - another "The Charmed Seven" story without a Teaser.
After Buck's sixth birthday, his father decided to introduce his son to 'Westerns' in the hope that the two could have a common interest. Charles' own father had gotten him interested in the old movies, so it would be nice to keep the interest in the family. Buck's mom was all for the boy being interested in anything non-magical, so was happy to help make sure Charles and the boy could sit down and watch the movies together.
One evening after Charles came home from work, he told Buck they'd be watching their first Western together, as there was one on that night.
CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P
"Those horses sure are fast, Dad," commented Buck, fidgeting on the sofa. The little boy wasn't good at sitting still for long, and his dad had nick-named him 'wriggler'.
"Yeah, horses needed to be fast back then," answered Charles, glad to see that Buck seemed interested. "It was so the cowboys could catch the bad guys and protect the good ones. The guy in the black cowboy hat is a good guy. It's his job to make sure the bad guys don't do no bad things like shoot good people or rob banks."
They watched as the good cowboy shot at one of the other men riding a horse. The other man fell off the horse, dead.
"That man who got shot was a bad guy," explained Charles, just in case Buck wasn't sure. "He just escaped from jail and would've shot all the good guys if he weren't shot first."
The father and son continued to watch the movie together, and Buck began learning about the Old West.
CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P
The next morning at the Wilmington home, Bianca said her usual words to her son before he had to leave for school.
"Honey, you be a good boy at school today, and then you can watch that Western with your Pa tonight," said Bianca. Then she bent down and kissed Buck on the forehead. "Don't forget to be nice to the little girls and don't go pulling their pig-tails."
"Yes, Mom," said Buck with a sigh. How many times had his Mom told him to be nice to girls now? Little did he realize that Bianca was drilling it into him because of how much she'd been teased by boys at school when she was little. She didn't want her son to be like the nasty boys she remembered.
It was a week since Buck had watched his first Western, and that night there was to be another movie with the same cowboy hero shown on TV. Charles had promised Buck they'd watch it together, feeling certain that his work wouldn't make him late in getting home.
"Make sure you do your work as well - you'll make a fine doctor one day if you do."
"But, Mom, I don't wanna be a doctor. I wanna be a cowboy and ride horses and shoot bad guys."
Bianca laughed. "Cowboys aren't around anymore. Wouldn't you prefer to make people all better when they get ill?" She wouldn't want her son in a job where he risked his life every day - especially one where he had to carry a gun.
The little boy looked at his mom in disgust. "Doctors don't catch bad guys OR ride horses."
A smile showed on Bianca's face. "Okay, dear. We'll have to see if we can get you a job like a cowboy when you're all grown up then. You'd better be going now, or you'll miss your bus." As Buck was only a little boy, he could easily change his mind about his future career several times between then and when he graduated school. There was a chance the boy might decide he'd like to be a doctor when he grew a little older.
Buck grinned and adjusted the backpack on his back before turning to leave. Then he turned back and waved to his mum before he started walking to the bus-stop down the street.
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Later that day at recess, Buck met a new girl named Olivia. Her family had just moved to a town not far from Denver and that school was the closest one with an available space for their little girl.
"Do you like cowboys, 'Livia?" asked Buck, as the two sat on a bench to chat.
"Cowboys are so cool; riding horses all the time and shooting all the bad guys," answered the girl, receiving a smile from her new friend.
"Maybe you can come to my house and watch a cowboy movie with me and Pa some time."
"I can't wait."
CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P - CH7P
High on the flat roof of a high-rise office building, two old men in long white robes stood talking.
"It was ingenious, making the boy's first guardian the same age as him," said the slightly taller man. "That way she can be close to him without him being suspicious."
"I fear a child won't be much use against groups of attackers though," said the second man seriously.
"She's more powerful than she may seem, Tobias."
"I hope so, Joseph. Let's go."
White orbs appeared around both men and took them back to the place where they resided in the heavens. In truth, both men were Elders, and they had been assigned to make sure that one of the prophesied witches was protected while his powers were still bound. It was crucial that the boy stay alive to grow up to become a witch and fulfill the prophecy. Without any magic, the boy was a sitting duck for demons and warlocks if they learnt that he had a special destiny. There was a rule in the Underworld not to trouble witches who'd had their powers bound, but some evil beings ignored rules like that and would do anything to become more highly respected in the Underworld. Turning an enemy with a special destiny to their side or killing them would earn any demon or warlock responsible a lot of respect, despite the breaking of the rules to achieve it.
To be continued...