Author Note: Argh! It's been aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaages, I know! I hope you can forgive my laziness and inability to update fics long enough to read this. It's longer than usual, but that probably doesn't make up for it! I be most of you have forgotton about this fic anyway. Feedback greatly appreciated, I feel newly inspired about this fic!

Chapter 10

"Babe, just relax. Everyone will love you, I promise."

Paige and Craig walked along a stony path by the river in the park, his arm draped casually around her waist.

"Sure?"

Paige stretched up and kissed him on the lips. "I promise."

"Ok, but it sounds like your sister had a family bonding thing planned, are you sure she won't mind me crashing your party?"

"Don't worry about it." She placed a hand on his chest, standing still for a moment. "Piper stresses too much anyway."

"Piper… She's the eldest right?"

Paige rolled her eyes. "Yes. If you're not good with names or complicated families, you really should start learning."

"Paige?" He looked her straight in the eyes and feigned annoyance. "That really doesn't inspire me with much confidence."

"Stop it! We're meeting them just past those trees. Stop worrying!"

"Brooke! Come here!"

Wyatt snapped at her and she turned around. "What? I thought you said we should go and see?"

Wyatt shuffled awkwardly. "Well, I'm not so sure."

"Wimp!" Replied Brooke and raced over to her Mom.

"Hey Mom, wanna come and play ball with me and Wyatt?"

Phoebe pulled away from Cole in surprise. "Brooke! What are you doing?"

Brooke looked confused. "Coming to find you Mommy, you were being ages." She grabbed Phoebe around the waist and looked at the tall, dark haired guy she was with. "Who's this?"

Phoebe didn't say anything, she just stood there. "He's erm… A friend."

"You mean like Aunt Piper and Uncle Leo?"

"Not really sweetie. Why don't you go back to the picnic, I'll be there in a minute."

Brooke looked confused for a moment but did as she was told. She grabbed Wyatt who was standing a short way back from Phoebe and Cole and raced back up the bank.

"Aaaaargh!" Kahn picked up the stone ritual table and threw it across the cave. His subjects cowered, bowing before him on one knee, terrified of the demon that they were forced to serve. He swung round and faced one unfortunate lower being that was trying to make himself look invisible in an alcove cast in shadow.

His face was barely visible beneath his hooded cloak but his piercing yellow eyes boor into anyone who dared to look at him. "Get me Balthezor!" he roared.

"I… Please, master…" his subjects backed further into the corner. Kahn raised both his hands and the short pathetic excuse for a demon lifted off the ground and floated towards him.

"I need his blood for the ritual" he said, not really to the petrified creature suspended in mid air, or anyone else in the room. He was staring past his subjects and seemed only to be talking to himself. "Without his blood, I'm finished. I want eternal life and there's only one way I can get it." His eyes snapped back and he stared once again at the hovering demon. "I've tried my hardest" he continued in a mock self-pitying tone, "but he has that stupid witch on his side. I need to get rid of them both, if I can do it in one fell swoop, so much the better."

"Erm, sir…" one creature raised his head and nervously dared to speak.

"What!" he boomed.

"Um, there may be a way."

Kahn's gnarled, strong hands were inches from the floating demon's neck but when the second demon spoke up, he didn't seem interested on torturing him anymore. He released him magic from him and he flopped to the floor, gasping for breath. He slowly began to walk towards the minion that was brave enough to speak up.

"Really?" he said, already plotting a plan. "How might that be?"

"I er… There's a child."

"A child?"

"Yes" the demon's confidence seemed to grow. "The child of Balthezor and the witch in question."

"That's impossible. The father of the Halliwell child is a mortal."

"Some of us have recently discovered that that isn't so…" There were nods and mumbles from the gathered crowd who had relaxed now that the focus was no longer on them. "The charmed ones cast a spell" he continued, "to mask the evil that lies deep within the child. But I can assure you, she is the daughter of the one you are after."

Kahn had been leaning menacingly down to the creature's height but he now straightened up. "Really…" he said, thinking for a moment. "How interesting. Where would they be now?"

"In the park."

"Fantastic" he said, in a satisfied voice and the lower demon he had been interrogating burst into flames.

"Hey guys" Phoebe greeted as she walked back towards the picnic. She did her best to fake a smile. Piper appeared to notice something was wrong but only looked at her curiosly, deciding not to spoil the family atmosphere.

"I saved you a cheese and tomato sandwich Mom" Brooke said, thrusting a plate at her mother. She seemed to have forgotten the strange man she'd met or was putting it out of her mind.

Phoebe was somewhat distracted, she took it without thinking and placed it on the grass. "Thanks sweetie." Brooke grinned and skipped off across the grass towards Paige and Craig who were approaching the family from only 10 metres away. Phoebe made no attempt to call her back to her lunch.

Piper's brow furrowed and she looked curiously at her sister. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing." Phoebe's reply was far from convincing. Her eyes held a distant, detached gaze that Piper of all people could see straight through. She was about to say something, when an excited little squeal distracted her.

"Pwetty! Pwetty!" chanted Meg, clapping her hands together and fidgeting from side to side. She reached her chubby little hands towards the orange swirling light that was forming in front of them.

"What the…?" Leo studied it. He had no idea what was happening, but it didn't take a genius to work out that it wasn't good.

Piper looked to Paige, who she could see pick up Brooke and swing her into her arms. They appeared not to notice.

The light grew brighter and Piper had to squint to keep sight of what was going on. 2 cloaked figures lept out of the portal and made their way swiftly but calmly towards the trio.

"Mom…." Wyatt clung to Piper. His heart was beating faster and faster and his breathing increased. Piper wrapped an arm around him and at the same time, instinctively grabbed Meg's wrist. The child whimpered, clearly protesting, but was too mesmerized by the light to put up much of a fuss.

Piper sat there, frozen to the spot, unable to move of say anything.

"Hey there trouble!" Paige lifted her niece into her arms and kissed her on the forehead.

Brooke looked inquisitively to her aunt's companion. "Who's that?"

"Craig" Paige replied. "I was about to come and introduce him to you all. Shouldn't you be eating your lunch?"

Brooke shrugged. "I don't know." That usually meant 'yes'.

"I bet your mom made something really nice, why don't we…"

Paige took her eyes of the child for a moment, just long enough to notice a couple of demons heading towards them. In broad daylight. If she wasn't so terrified, perhaps she would have taken the time to wonder why they didn't fear detection in such a public place. But as it was, everything moved too fast for her to think much at all.

One of them, the larger of the two, placed his hands roughly on Brooke's shoulders. He yanked hard and Brooke screamed. Paige could feel her grasp slip and tried desperately to cling on. "No! Let her go!"

He pulled harder, and Brooke was pulled from her arms. She lunged forward, in an attempt to stop them heading back through that portal but was knocked to the floor. From her position on the ground and her hazy vision, Paige thought she saw another figure punch the other demon in the face. Then they both disappeared.

She groaned, her face throbbing, and tried to push herself up. But her arms gave way and she collapsed, loosing consciousness.