This chapter's long. But I couldn't find a place that I felt I could interrupt it. I hope you enjoy it! I'm open to any ideas, criticism, etc that you have… Abs

Chloe fell head first into water. She quickly swam to the surface, where catching her breath, she turned around to see what she had stepped out of—a huge waterfall towered over her. She treaded water and looked around her. She was in a pool that led further down to a river, with forest on either side. Spitting out a mouth full of water, she swam to the side and waded out before collapsing on the bank. Her heart was pounding, her senses were spinning, and she had no idea what she had just encountered. Upon entering the mirror she was swept into a vortex of images, memories, smells, sounds, tastes and even touch. It was like the whole world had been collapsed into a carnival of the senses. She had lived a whole series of conversations, memories and emotions, some of which couldn't possibly be hers. But they were so real! She could feel the sunshine on her cheeks in the conservatory. She could smell the aroma of the potion her mom and aunts were brewing. She could feel Wyatt's anger and Leo's pain and confusion. It was all so real it made her sick to her stomach. "Dad, where the hell are you? What is this place?" she asked while sluggishly rolling over onto her stomach to push herself up.

She sat still listening to the sounds of the birds and the waterfall while her breathing and pulse slowed to their normal rates. The sunlight danced through the tree branches and made the sand she was sitting on look like a bed of diamonds—for all she knew, it could be a bed of diamonds. Tracing her finger through the sand, "What have I gotten myself into?" she asked no one in particular. Chloe had never been to visit Cole here before. He had told her, that if she ever needed him, she would be able to find him. And he had instructed that it was best to use a mirror—although he never explained why.

Feeling that her strength was back, Chloe collected her belongings and got to her feet. She didn't know how she was going to find Cole, she was just going to start walking until it made sense. Cole had explained to her that they were connected—and that her power of telepathy would draw her to him. She had been able to sense her father's presence for as long as she could remember, but she had never been able to just shimmer or think of him and find him. "Hopefully, he'll just sense and find me," she spoke aloud again, "and I'm talking to myself because it makes me feel less scared." She started walking through the forest, following the setting sun.

There were no animals. Sure, she could hear the birds singing, but she never saw one. There were no squirrels, no rabbits, no deer. She encountered nothing. But she kept walking. "Eventually I'll have to come across something," she mumbled trying to convince herself. So she started humming. "At least whenI humI won't bedeafened by the silence," she thought pushing back a tree branch.

Cole had lived here for the past four years. After the Charmed Ones' defeat and demise, and Cole's involvement in the fight, the situation in the real world had fallen apart. The battle that was still raging, the same in which Chris and Chloe now fought, and had begun seven years ago when Chloe was fourteen and freshman in high school. The sisters had been anticipating it for years. They had defeated the Source, twice counting Cole, and the demonic world had been turned upside-down. Factions were waging wars against each other, mortals, and witches trying to prove who was the strongest and most evil to overtake the thrown as The Source. Mostly they were kept under control, if not by the forces of good then by each other—until a new power emerged. A power that no one could identify or had never been reported being seen, but everyone mortal or magical alike feared.

What ended up surfacing was a series of hieroglyphs describing a source of evil that could only be likened to have originated with the devil himself, with Biblical implications of mayhem and fear. The hieroglyphs were later found to be translated in Greek writings in the early AD. The group was called the κακό, or simply "evil." In the magical world, the κακό was one of the first organized factions of evil in the underworld—encompassing members of all different demonic varieties—from vampires, banshees, and warlocks to demons unnamed. It had been thought to have been decimated during the crusades, when unbeknownst to the Christian crusaders, the war against good and evil expanded far beyond the Holy Land. World wide, good had the upper hand and evil was beginning to fall. No more of the identifying amulets or athames were found, no more victims with the tattoo on their forehead. They were gone.

Until now.

When Cole abandoned the Avatars neutral position and very openly fought on the side of good, he was ostracized. Fortunately, his copious powers had kept him safe. He was still indestructible, and mostly immortal—the years of his life were beginning to show, with the weight of all he had seen and done heavy on his mind. Having lost the love of his life and fearing for the life of his daughter, Cole had once again tried to reverse time so that only he could remember what had happened to thwart the sisters' deaths and mistakes. However, he was caught and exiled. He had "interfered too much" and was now going to have to suffer—living in a space outside of time, outside of reality, and alone for eternity—thus leaving his daughter alone as well.

Cole still had the power to project his thoughts, and often visited his daughter in her dreams, or in the reflection in a mirror or on the water, or in the smile of a stranger. Still, Chloe hadn't felt her dad hug her since she was seventeen and he was taken away. It was that night that she joined Wyatt. And she joined the resurrected κακό, playing to her strengths and her powers of deception and perception. A double agent with a passion to kill those she felt had betrayed and stolen her family.

Chloe stopped and realized that the sun was lower in the sky—at least the sun that she had been following was lower in the sky. She had realized after several minutes walking that although she was following the sun, there was a glint of light to her right that would catch her eye every so often. Stopping in a clearing, she realized there was another sun to the north, presuming the sun she was following was to the west. She had chosen to trudge on following her setting sun, convinced that since it was the first one she saw, it should be the right one. "Trust your instincts, trust your heart," her mother had always told her, "Your power of telepathy is tied to your intuition and perception. It will guide you." And intuition told her that she was walking in the right direction.

Weariness, dehydration, and hunger were starting to wane her strength, so Chloe sat on the ground, tossing her cloak and bag aside. "DAD! I'm here! Come find me! Daddy!" she yelled as loud as she could. A few birds flew away. No one answered. Dejected she closed her eyes, breathed deeply in through her nose and out through her mouth, and tried to center her thoughts and quiet her nerves. Chloe adopted a meditative pose and focused on Cole. "You'll always be able to find me," he'd said. "Trust your instincts," Phoebe had counseled. Suddenly Chloe saw an image of Cole, sitting alone in a valley in front of a fire, watching the flames dance as the suns set over each shoulder respectively. He was smiling at her, and he waved, "I've been waiting for you."

Chloe opened her eyes and she was sitting directly across the fire from her father. She jumped up and looked around. The forest that she been wandering in for hours was now several yards behind her. The valley was open, and beautiful, with a river meandering through it and a small house to her right. But the most amazing sight Chloe beheld was directly in front of her, with his arms open and tears in his eyes, "Dad," she gasped and ran into his arms. "You found me," she rested her head of his chest, afraid to pull away, afraid it was all a dream.

"No, you found me," Cole corrected kissing the top of his daughter's head.

A tear fell on Chloe's head. She saw her mom walking into her father's study as he typed away on the computer. He had once again become a lawyer for the great city of San Francisco—funny how no one had remembered him or his previous positions. She turned his chair around and sat in his lap. Kissing him sweetly and gently on the lips, she pulled away. "Hmm," Cole had sighed, "is that an invitation?"

"Nope," Phoebe played with the hair behind his left ear, "it's an announcement. You're going to be a daddy."

Cole said nothing, he looked into Phoebe's eyes which were alight with excitement and anticipation. "I'm, I'm going to be a daddy?"

"Yeah, a daddy… of a good, powerful, baby girl," Phoebe continued to play with his hair.

Cole quickly pulled Phoebe into a passionate and deep kiss. Overtaking her senses with his passion and delight, "I'm going to be a daddy," he repeated.

Chloe opened her eyes, and backed away from her father's chest, but took his hand—afraid of letting go completely. "You bought me Eddy Bear before I was born. Before you ever saw me?" she teased.

"Reading me again?" Cole spun her under his arm as though they were dancing, "Must have my guard down."

"I still have that bear. He's on my bed," Chloe smiled. And paused, "You said, I found you. How'd I find you?"

"You haven't noticed?" Cole's eyes sparkled, "Your powers are amplified here. I told you that you would be able to find me. You had to trust your abilities, and all you had to do was look. You were just wandering around before, not thinking, not focusing. It wasn't until you were still and quiet did you find me. Come on, let's go inside."

Chloe followed Cole inside the house. It was well-furnished, and surprisingly modern. Chloe had thought that a world void of grocery stores, malls, cars, and electricity would produce a barren home life. She was very wrong. "There's food in here. And I think I've seen that sofa in a store window—in one of the less war-torn cities, that is. How'd you get all this stuff."

"I'm never in need," Cole said grudgingly, "it all appears. I think, 'hmm, a chocolate milk shake would be nice,' and poof, there it is," he snapped, "I don't know if it's my powers amplified or the Avatar's idea of hell."

"This is hell?" Chloe asked shocked.

"It's not heaven," Cole sighed, "I don't have to work for anything. I have every earthly position a man could want, and all the time to enjoy it. But I don't have freedom, because I'm stuck here against my will. I don't get a sense of accomplishment because everything is done for me. And I'm alone. I'm away from all I love because I'm away from you and…" he couldn't say Phoebe's name. "Well, I take that back," he turned after watching Chloe's eyes fall, "I'm not alone, I have Odin."

"O-who?"

"Odin. You'll meet him. He's an ogre that unknowingly banished himself here. All of his tribe perished centuries ago. He thought he was completely alone, and in his grief somehow woke up here. He doesn't know there are still ogres in the world, and I don't have the heart to tell him," Cole began pulling food items out of the fridge. "Dinner?"

"Please!" Chloe surprised herself with her fervor.

"Alright then," Cole raised his eyebrows as Chloe blushed.

Chloe dropped her fork on her plate, "That was delicious, dad, I didn't know you knew how to cook."

"I didn't," Cole got up from the table and took his and Chloe's plates to the sink, "I get all the food I need, but I have to cook it. Another reason I think this is some sort of twisted hell dimension."

Standing from the table, Chloe's knees wobbled, "Whoa," she tripped into the table, "I think that wine is getting to me," she kidded. She took a couple more steps towards Cole, who wouldn't make eye contact with her, "I've never considered myself a light-weight," she steadied herself on the counter before falling back.

Cole stepped behind Chloe and caught her before she hit the ground. He lifted her off her feet and into his arms before walking into one of the bedrooms. Gently laying her in the bed, tucking her in, he kissed her forehead, "Sorry my princess. I had to do it. It's why you're here, and I'm here to help you." He turned off the light before sitting in the recliner in the corner of the bedroom—watching his little girl sleep.

-----

"Please read chapter 15 beforetomorrow. We're talking about cell division and reproduction in single cell organisms. It would be nice if you had an idea of what the lecture is about before hand. Lab will begin promptly at 3:15 this afternoon, do not be late," the bell rang, "Class dismissed."

Chloe shut her notebook and Biology book, crammed them in her bag, and did a series of side steps reminiscent of a line-dance to get out of the classroom. Physical contact with others had become painful. Her powers were progressing and whenever she touched someone she was thrown into a vision—blurred images, and muted voices—all causing her head to pound. She had begged her mother not to make her come to school today, butPhoebe told her she had to learn to control it…and she wasn't missing school to do so. Instead, Chloe spent the day avoiding people and making herself appear more reclusive to the general population than she already was.

Barely avoiding touching her neighbor's arm, Chloe finally got her locker combination to work. She shoved her Biology books in and pulled out Algebra, "I hate math," she mumbled to herself.

"If you ask me, freshman biology is the real demon," a male voice wafted through her locker door.

Interesting choice of words, she thought as she stood on her tip toes to see through the cracks,not recognizing the face, "It's my favorite class," she shut the door, "It fascinates me," Chloe pulled her books close, arms and hands tight to her body.

"That's the way to make a first impression," the guy blushed, "I'm…" he held out his hand in introduction, but Chloe just smiled and turned away. Her new gentlemen friend followed her, "Um, Chloe Halliwell, right?"

Chloe stopped and looked at him more closely, "Have we met?" she was captivated by his brilliant blue eyes and stunning hair color—his eyeswere almost violet the color was so deep, and his hairso blonde it was almost white"You look oddly familiar."

"I get that, a lot" he nodded his head, "I know your brother, Chris. We're the same age."

"Ah," Chloe turned to walk on towards Algebra, "my cousin."

"Excuse me?" the stranger ran to catch up.

Letting one hand drop from her books, "Chris is my cousin," she smiled.

"Oh, man. That makes me 0 for 2," he blushed again, bringing out the color of his eyes even more brightly.

Chloe laughed, "No, 1 for 3, you got my name right," she winked.

The redness disappeared from his cheeks, "I'm," he started to introduce himself while grabbing Chloe's free hand for a handshake. She never heard his name, all she could hear was a cacophony of voices, and blurs of green, gold, and violet images. When she came out of it, she was on her knees in the middle of the hall, her books in a pile in front of her, and the guy now ghostly pale. "Are you alright?"

"She'll be fine," a familiar voice came from behind her as Chloe felt herself being pulled to her feet, "I'll take those," Chris took Chloe's books from the stranger. "She's been having fainting spells… anemia, she's taking something for it. No worries. Thanks for your help. Come on, Chloe."

Chris walked Chloe to her next class, "Are you sure you're going to be ok? Maybe I should orb you home."

"I'll be fine," Chloe grabbed her books from Chris's arms, barely missing touching him.

"Chloe, calm down. Breathe," Chris reached to touch her shoulder, but she pulled away.

"Don't," tears welled in Chloe's eyes, "I've got to deal with this. Go to class. I'll see you at lunch," she turned into her classroom leaving Chris in the doorway.

"Good to see you again, Mr. Halliwell. Are you going to be joining us today, too? I've saved you your old seat," Coach Mac teased.

"No sir," Chris smiled, "I've had my fill of math. And I think I'll be missed in Chemistry. Thanks though," he left, Chloe, be careful, he thought as the door shut.

I always am, Chloe wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

Algebra flew by without incident, not counting the fact that information went in one ear and out the other. "I really hate math," Chloe muttered again walking out of the classroom, making sure her choreography insured she didn't touch anybody. She by-passed her trip to her locker, opting to miss any future confrontations with her would-be suitor, and went straight to the cafeteria.

This was her least favorite part of the day because people were everywhere. Running into someone was entirely inevitable. Bracing herself, Chloe made a straight line for the nearest table. The unavoidable happened, she tripped over a bookbag and fell into the arms of a senior football player.

"I'm going to blow-up the boys' bathrooms on the 3rd floor," he pushed her back onto her feet.

"Thanks," Chloe's eyes widened and the guy turned to walk away, "With sodium?" she asked him astounded, her flair for a fight kicking in.

He turned back to her, his eyes now wide, "What did you say to me?" he walked closer to her with malicious intent painted across his face, "I didn't say anything to you."

Chloe realized she must have heard his thoughts as she backed away from him, "I was asking Lex other there if they have any salt. You know sodium chloride? You just didn't hear my whole sentence."

Satisfied, the brute walked away. Chloe's mind raced. This big football oaf was planning to blow up the boys' bathroom using sodium stolen from the chemistry lab—that explosion could kill people! "Chris," she rushed to his table where he was eating with a few friends, "Hi" she looked around as the guys looked at her strangely. Can we talk right now? She thought.

"Hey, I'll be there," he inclined his head to the adjacent table, "Be right back," he told his friends.

Chloe's heart raced, "That big boor that I just ran into is planning to blow up the boys bathroom on the 3rd floor."

"What?" Chris exclaimed, "How do you know that?"

"I ran into him," Chloe confessed.

Chris's breathing slowed, "Now, Clo, you don't have control of this power yet. How do you know it was legitimate?"

Chloe's stare hardened, and it seemed like fire lit behind her eyes, "I know what I heard. It was clear as crystal. He plans on blowing up the bathroom with sodium he stole from chemistry."

"Football player?" Chris asked.

"Yeah."

"That's Jackson Rhodes. He's in my chemistry class. And we just came from there before lunch," Chris explained.

"I'm going to tell the principal," Chloe started to storm away, but Chris held up his hand and telekinetically stopped her.

"And tell him what? I'm psychic. I ran into this guy and heard his thoughts and he's planning on blowing up the bathroom? You're crazy," Chris warned stoically.

"I'm not letting him blow up the bathroom. I'm telling the principal I overheard him talking about it. Don't stop me," she shoved him back. Chris just shook his head as Chloe bolted out of the cafeteria.

Sitting in Geography, Chloe listened to the chatty-Cathies sitting behind her, "Did you hear about Jackson? He got suspended! The principal found sodium he had stolen from a chemistry lab in his bookbag. He wouldn't admit why he had it, but he got suspended for stealing." I guess he believed me, Chloe sighed to herself.

After class was over Chloe packed up her things and left the room. School was over, Thank God, and she was on her way to Biology lab, her favorite. "Excuse me," a familiar voice came from behind her.

Chloe laughed, "You are persistent, 1 for 3. I'll give you that much. I don't know why…but you are." She turned to him with a wink, "Why are you being so persistent?"

The guy smiled. He had a beautiful smile, beautiful eyes. Chloe was flattered that this guy was trying so hard to befriend her—even if that wasn't his ultimate intention. She hadn't met many people at the new school. She had immersed herself in her school work and tried to avoid getting close to anyone. With a secret as big as her family's, she was afraid to get close to anyone. At magic school it didn't matter—everyone was magical! And everyone knew her family, the whole magical world knew her family. She had many friends and nothing to hide. But in the "real world" she had no friends and everything to hide. It made her very uncomfortable. After having lost an aunt, grandmother, and great grandmother though, it seemed worth it. Since her powers had been progressing, she was even more afraid of getting close to anyone. You're too cute. Oh, how I want a friend.

"I wanted to apologize," he said, "I didn't know you were psychic. I never would have touched you if I had known it would hurt you."

"Excuse me?" Chloe was flabbergasted.

"I didn't know you were psychic. Even though, given Phoebe is your mom since you said Chris was your cousin, I should have considered it knowingher powers."

Chloe was speechless. She just stared at the stranger. "I don't know who you are, or what you're trying to pull. But I'm not psychic, and neither is my mom. And if you're anything else…" she let that hang, "You need to be careful. I'm running late for lab, excuse me."

"Wait," he ran after her, "I'm going about this wrong way." Chloe kept walking. "Will you stop and talk to me for a second? Please look at me," he asked. Chloe turned to look at him with agitation in her eyes. She waited thinking that if this guy tried to do anything, she would throw him into the nearest locker—either telekinetically or with a well rehearsed martial arts move. "Can I show you something? Trust me?" he motioned her towards the door. Chloe acquiesced. He pushed open the door to the flower bed that was outside in the courtyard. He placed his hand on the ground, and a rosebush grew from the ground and sprouted exquisite pink roses.

"What are you?" Chloe took a step back inside.

"Mixed," the guy smirked, "Mom's a wood nymph, dad's a witch. He raised me because my mom went back to her satyr after I was born. I didn't mean to scare you."

Chloe just stared at him in disbelief, "You said you know Chris."

"I do. I've known him since pre-school at Magic School. I started public schools when my dad married my mortal step-mom," he explained, "And before anything else happens, my name is Trey. I'd shake your hand but I don't want you to have any more painful visions."

She started to chuckle, "You're a witch," she continued to laugh.

Trey started laughing, too, "Yeah, and we're not the only ones. There's more. But you're running late and they'll be time to chat later. It was nice to meet you, Chloe."

Chloe nodded and rushed to her Biology lab.

A couple of weeks went by as Chloe began to get better control of her powers. She now could touch people without fainting, and was starting to be able to understand what was happening in the visions. She wasn't seeing the future like her mother did, she was seeing the past, and reading their thoughts. It could prove to be an invaluable power in the future.

What she hadn't noticed was the lack of Jackson Rhode's presence. She hadn't seen him around school until after school one day.

"Hey you," someone yelled at Chloe as she walked between buildings on her way to the gym. "I want to talk to you," the voice was threatening. Chloe turned around and saw Mr. Jackson Rhodes followed closely by two other guys—equally brutish. "Listen, I don't know how you knew about my little stunt…but I know it was you who told Principal Morris. And because of it, I was suspended and missed two games."

"I'm sorry," Chloe's courageous spirit welled, "but I wasn't going to let you get away with it. You could have killed somebody."

"That's not what you need to be worrying about right now," Jackson got in her face, close enough to kiss her, and looked down her shirt.

Chloe's eyes narrowed and she took a step back, "I'm leaving. And so are you. I don't think you need any more demerits on your record." She turned to leave but was blocked by the two extra thugs. She huffed, "Excuse me, guys," she started forward again, but Jackson stepped in front of her.

"Who said we were done here," he looked at her lustfully.

"I did," Chloe stood her ground, "You don't know what you're doing."

"Of course, I do. What do you think is going to happen?" he took another longing step toward her.

"I think if you get any closer to me I will have to kick your ass," Chloe warned. Jackson and the others laughed as he took another menacing step towards her, "Don't say I didn't warn you," Chloe's signature grin graced her face. She grabbed Jackson by the arm and flipped him over her shoulder plunging him into the ground on his back, knocking his breath out of him. One of the others lunged at her but Chloe blocked his punch and slung him into the wall, before turning and kicking the other guy in the stomach. "Now, from where I'm standing, you'll let me go inside, or the school will find out you got beat up by a freshman girl."

"Not if I can help it," Jackson got to his feet and pulled a knife out of his sock. The other two got behind him and cornered Chloe in an alley between the buildings. Her only way out would be revealing her powers—she didn't know what to do, Chris, help! She thought.

"What's going on here, guys?" it was Wyatt.

Jackson grabbed Chloe by the arm and flipped her around so that he had the knife hidden, but pointed into her back, "Nothing that concerns you, Halliwell. I have it under control."

"Oh, but you're wrong. It does concern me," there was an edge in Wyatt's voice that Chloe had never heard before, "You see," he took a step forward, "that's my cousin. And you're going to let her go."

Jackson pushed the knife further into Chloe's back, causing her to gasp and arch her back to keep it from breaking the skin, Knife! In my back!

"He's got a knife," Chris stepped up from behind the corner of the building, "It's going in her back," he said through gritted teeth. The other two guys stepped toward Wyatt and Chris.

"You think she kicked your ass, you haven't seen anything yet. Let her go, now," Wyatt ordered.

"Make me," Jackson laughed.

"Remember you said that," Wyatt smiled maniacally. He held up his hand and one of the guys flew into the side wall. Jackson turned with Chloe, but the knife slashed her back and she screamed.

"Chloe, get out of there," Chris ordered. Chloe spun down low and knocked Jackson off his feet, and the knife from his hand. During the confusion, she shimmered in behind Chris and Wyatt, panting in pain. Chris turned and put his arm under Chloe and lifted her to her feet.

Wyatt kicked one of the other guys hard in the stomach and sent him to the ground.

"Who are you? What are you? How'd she get over there?" Jackson backed away from Wyatt in a panic.

"I'm someone you don't want to cross, and you crossed me in a big, big way. You're going to leave my cousin alone, do you understand?" Wyatt's eyes narrowed, and the rocks on the ground began toshake as if there was an earthquake—but there wasn't. Wyatt was angry.

One of the guys had regained his composure, and without anyone's noticing had crawled to the knife. He stood up and was walking to Wyatt's back, "Wyatt, watch out!" Chloe yelled and flung her arm at the guy. An energy ball erupted from her hand and was going toward the other football player. In a split-second Wyatt had turned and exploded the energy ball in the air before it hit the would-be attacker.

Everyone stood there stunned. Chloe fell to her knees and stared at her hands. Chris's eyes searched Wyatt's. "Get her home," Wyatt commanded. Chris grabbed Chloe's shoulders and orbed her out, regardless of witnesses. Wyatt waved his hand as the three seniors and himself were instantly transported to the roof of the gym. The guys were hanging precariously over the edge of the roof line, suspended in the air, opening their mouths to scream, but no sound came out. "Listen to me," Wyatt paced, "You're going to forget everything you've seen. You're going to leave my family alone. And if you break either of those rules, you're going to have to deal with me. Understand?" They nodded. "Good," Wyatt snapped his fingers. The guys began to fall and scream, but when they opened their eyes they were standing firmly on the ground below the gym. Wyatt looked down on them and laughed before orbing home to heal Chloe.

-----

Chloe awoke covered in sweat. She ran her hand along her back, but there was no wound. She looked around the room. The suns were starting to rise, and the smell of bacon filled the house. Taking a deep breath, she rolled over and grabbed the robe Cole had laid out for her. "What was in that wine? AHH!" she screamed as she saw a huge man with long black hair standing behind the stove. He turned to her with a large knife in his hand, her mind still reeling from the dream, Chloe screamed and stumbled backwards again and into her father's arms. Cole caught her and put her back on her feet, but Chloe scrambled to stand behind him and flicked her hand sending the knife flying out of the giant's hand and into the nearest wall.

"Honey," Cole grabbed her hands and held them tight in front of him. Chloe was levitating a couple of inches of the ground, so he pulled her back down, "Sweetie," he walked her calmly towards the ogre, "Remember me telling you about Odin last night?" Chloe nodded standing in front of the at least 8 foot tall man, whose head was scraping the ceiling. "This is Odin. He will not hurt you. So let's try to keep all those wonderful powers of yours under control," Cole pulled the knife out of the wall and handed it back to Odin. Chloe stood and stared up at Odin with her jaw hanging open. Cole placed his hand on her chin and pushed, so that Chloe closed her mouth, "It's rude to stare, Clo. We taught you better than that," he mock-scolded her.

Finding her voice, "You are the biggest ogre I have ever seen," Chloe still stood before him and stared.

"Thank you," Odin's voice boomed.

"Uh-huh," Chloe nodded subconsciously.

Cole took her by the shoulders and set her down at the table. "Odin has prepared you breakfast. He's heard a lot about you and wanted to do something nice. Isn't that nice of him?" Cole took a seat next to Chloe who was continuing to watch Odin like an oddity. "You'd think you'd never seen another magical creature," Cole shook his head, "Chloe," he kicked her under the table. "Isn't it nice of him?"

"Very," she came out of her trance, "Thank you, Odin. I'm sorry I screamed when I saw you. You startled me."

"That's ok," Odin spoke, "Would you like some eggs and bacon?"

"Please," Chloe held up her plate to him.

The three of them ate in silence. When they had finished, Odin took the plates to the sink. "The last time I ate, I fell into some kind of weird sleep. You wouldn't know anything about that, dad? This food was potion-free, I'm assuming?"

Cole blushed, "Yeah, you figured me out." Chloe nodded vehemently. "Well, get dressed then come meet me outside. We'll talk about it." She didn't move. "You're here to learn more about your dreams. You needed to sleep to dream. And that's not the only reason you're here. So get dressed, and meet me outside. I'm still your father. Do as I say," he finished with a wink.

"Right," Chloe pushed her chair back, playfully punched her father in the stomach, and went to her room to change.

"Kids," Odin shook his head.

Chloe got dressed in sweat pants and an old high school t-shirt. It seemed appropriate after last night's dream. Although her world was turned upside-down when she was sixteen with the deaths of her mother and aunts, she still managed to finish high school. As bad as the world had gotten, as war-torn as society had become, life was still managing to trudge on. The battles that took place on the streets between gangs were reminiscent of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries in other countries during wartime—Russia, China, Japan, the UK, even the US—life managed to find a way to normalcy even in the chaos. Now things were getting more difficult. Many schools, worldwide, had been shut down for lack of funding and students. Parents were afraid to send their children to school because there was no guarantee they would be safe anymore. Only schools that had been safe-guarded by the gangs, by the κακό, were being used—and at heavy monetary prices. Most people didn't have that kind of money, so children weren't finishing school. Chloe was lucky.

The suns had inched up in the sky, and the light and warmth tickled Chloe's cheeks. She looked out the window to see Cole practicing his martial art forms, slowly, smoothly, rhythmically. Chloe had always been fascinated and envious of his skill. He made it look easy, like a dance. She could watch him for hours. But she knew she needed to join him if she was to learn anything.

Careful not to startle him, Chloe spoke quietly, "Where exactly are we? I feel like I'm in Wonderland."

"You are," Cole surprised her.

"I am?"

Cole lowered himself to the ground and continued stretching, "Yeah, Lewis Carroll made many trips here. Where do you think he got the ideas from?"

"Acid trips," Chloe answered under her breath.

"That, too," Cole laughed as he pushed himself into a headstand.

"Does that mean I have to fight the Jaberwocky?" Chloe asked rhetorically, at least hoping it was a rhetorical question.

"I don't think so, but if it will help you learn control. You need to learn control," Cole said to her pushing further up into a handstand as she walked up and took a seat on a mat next to him.

"I have control. It's not like I just started this yesterday," Chloe rolled her eyes.

Cole lowered himself down from the headstand and wiped his face with a towel. "Do you?" he asked. "You were levitating when you got scared of Odin earlier. I haven't seen you do that since you were four."

"So," Chloe shook her head.

"Watch your tone," Cole reprimanded. Chloe nodded. "So? There is obviously something wrong with your powers or you wouldn't be here. You would have control over your dreams. Or better, over your senses so that you could understand what the dreams mean. You have a power boast here. So if you can control them here, you'll be able to control them at home. Stand up." Chloe stood. "Ok, now close your eyes. We're going to go through a little exercise. I'm going to throw some low-voltage energy balls at you…"

"You're going to what?" Chloe exclaimed as Cole went flying backwards.

He picked himself off the ground, "You're proving my point… control…"

"Sorry," Chloe apologized.

"Right, I'm going to throw low-voltage energy balls at you. They shouldn't hurt you, especially since you can throw them, too. But I want you to duck them, dodge them, move away. No magic."

Chloe sighed, "How does it help if I can't use my powers."

Shaking his head slightly disappointed, "Chloe, what was the first thing you learned in martial arts?" Chloe nodded her head remembering, "To use your mind, to be open, and to be aware of your surroundings. We're starting at the beginning. Do you trust me?"

"Always," Chloe beamed at her father who returned the sentiment.