AN: I hope you like this chapter. Review!
Recap from chapter 4:
"…raised his shield from her blast. She blast through his shield and stood up.
"I'm outta here." She shimmered away.
"THE Melinda Warren? The one who started the Halliwell line?" Phoebe was amazed that their old ancestor was here, in the manor.
"Yes. And there is little time. We must hurry and find Melinda. Before he does."
Chapter 5: Memory lane
"He? Who is he?" Leo was becoming almost as nervous as Piper was getting. (if possible).
"I cannot reveal his identity for it is not time. What is most important now is that we must find Melinda. The fate of our lives depends on it."
'Wow, does she always speak with such wisdom?' Phoebe was still in amaze that their oldest ancestor was in their house.
"How do we search for her? She's not a witch anymore." Wyatt motioned for Melinda to sit. (AN: Melinda Warren will be called 'Melinda' and Piper's daughter will be called 'Mel.' For non-confusion purposes.)
"No matter what she becomes, she will always be a witch, although it may be quite difficult. You will need more than a little spell to do the job." Melinda knew that she was not to give the Charmed Ones too much information on where Mel was. This was their journey and she was merely a guide.
"What are we supposed to do?" Paige faced Melinda.
"I cannot tell you that. You have to figure it out. You have all the resources that you require." The former Charmed Ones were going to be frustrated, but they would have to learn to work together.
Mel walked around the underworld, embracing her newfound power. Many demons were vanquished since she arrived, which was not even an hour ago. 'I could get used to this. I don't know why I wasn't evil earlier.' She continued to walk until Barbas walked up to her.
"Who are you?" Mel asked, getting ready to power up an energy ball.
"My, my aren't we feisty today?" He circled her and Mel followed his gaze, never turning her back against him.
"I asked you a question, now answer it!" she snarled. She didn't have time for games.
"Fine. I am Barbas, demon of fear, my dear Melinda." Barbas inwardly grinned, seeing the surprise on her face. "How do I know your name? Ah…I have my secrets." Mel now had a powered up energy ball in her hand. She threw it at him, but he dodged it.
"How could you use energy balls?" now it was his turn to be surprised.
"Of course I can, evil witches tend to be able to do that. Now if you excuse me, I have random demons to kill." She tired to walk away, but Barbas blocked her way.
"I have a friend, and he may want to see you." Barbas smiled and shimmered them to the master's lair.
"How could we let this happen?" Piper had been pacing around the room since Mel left. Paige was looking through the book for a spell to find or call Mel to them. Phoebe was scrying for Mel, hoping that Mel was above ground. Leo and Chris had gone to magic school to look through the books. Wyatt had finals and had to go back to school. Melinda was sitting there, surveying the scene. 'Their desire to find Mel has made them careless in their search. They need to focus.'
"Phoebe, scrying isn't going to work. Piper, what you're doing isn't helping." She noted.
"Then what the hell are we going to do now? This is the best we have! We're trying our best!" Phoebe just snapped. She has had problems with Dex lately and this wasn't helping.
"You're being careless. Focus. Stop worrying whether or not she's ok but focus on what you know and work from there." Phoebe put the crystal down on the map.
"Ok. We know that she's evil with evil powers." Phoebe brainstormed.
"And evil people tend to go to the underworld!" Paige added.
"But once we're down there, how do we search for her? Leo can't sense her because she's not a witch." Piper finally stopped pacing and sat down. They were all quiet and had their heads down.
"Maybe we can use a spell to call her to us? We can tweak the 'call for a lost witch' spell. Use daughter instead of witch." Phoebe began to look through the Book of Shadows. She began to leaf through the pages until she found the call for a lost witch spell.
Call for a Lost Witch Spell
Powers of the Witches Rise,
Course unseen across the skies,
Come to us who call you near,
Come to us and Settle here,
Blood to blood we summon thee,
Blood to blood return to me.
"Ok…we can exchange this for this and…" Phoebe began to edit the spell for their use. "Done!" and she showed Piper the spell. And Piper began to recite.
"Powers of Halliwells rise,
Course unseen across the skies,
Come to us who call you near,
Come to us, Melinda Halliwell and settle here,
Blood to blood we summon thee,
Blood to blood return my daughter to me." Nothing happened.
"Why didn't that spell work? It was fine." Paige questioned.
"She must have been able to block that spell. She's a very powerful witch you, know." Melinda answered.
"How 'bout calling Chris to say the spell, since he's now a Charmed One," Phoebe suggested. "Or maybe Wyatt's done with his finals and he can help too. Chris! Wyatt!" Phoebe called for her nephews. Soon enough, Piper's sons orbed in with their father.
"Have you found her yet?" Chris was eager to find his sister.
"No, but we were hoping that you could." Paige showed them the spell. They shrugged and recited the spell. Like before, nothing happened.
"I don't get, it. The spell is perfectly fine. Maybe she was able to block that one too?" Piper was surprised at how powerful her daughter was, to be able to block the power of the Charmed Ones.
"Melinda is a very powerful witch." Melinda began.
"I think we have that point down." Paige noted.
"No. I think it's time that I tell you." Melinda motioned for everyone to take a seat. "You have heard the story that I prophesied for three witches to become the ultimate good, named the Charmed Ones?" they nodded. "Well, I also prophesied that the first daughter of the eldest Charmed one, Piper, would have the ultimate power. Powers like mine." She finished and the room fell silent. "That is why she was able to block all of the spells. More important, why we must find her and turn her good again before she is evil forever."
"But we tried everything. Nothing works." Phoebe was starting to loose faith in this search. Everyone was.
"Maybe we could recite the spell in the underworld? Because we're closer, the power might be stronger." Leo suggested.
"It's better than nothing." They all orbed to the underworld, leaving a smiling Melinda. 'I'm so glad our family is in such good hands.' And she disappeared, back 'up there'.
Barbas appeared in the lair with Mel.
"Who is this you bring?" his voice boomed, sending shivers down Mel's back.
"Melinda Halliwell. She's on our side now." Barbas informed.
"Wait…I never said anything about working with you." Mel huffed.
"Ah, but we all have the same goal. Kill the Charmed Ones. Or at least 2 of them" Referring to Wyatt and Chris.
"No!" Mel yelled out. The two men looked at her. Mel was grabbing her head, her face scrunched in pain.
"What's happening? Barbas asked.
"Look's like her good side is trying to get through." The figure wasn't going to give up on this moment. They were too close to victory.
"…Blood to Blood, return our sister to thee." Chris and Wyatt finished. Soon, everyone was surrounded by bright orbs and transported to where Mel was. They reappeared and Piper motioned for them to hide behind a rock.
"What happened?" Chris whispered, keeping his voice low.
"I think the spell brought us to Mel, not her to us." Leo answered.
"Shhh…listen." Paige quieted them. They could see Mel talking to two figures, but they couldn't make out who they were.
"We cannot allow for Melinda's good side to come through. Or else the witches might be able vanquish us." Barbas stepped out the shadows and the witches gasped.
"What is Barbas doing here? I thought he was long gone." Phoebe knew that Barbas was a strong weakness that the underworld could've used against them. And they have, many times. To make matters worse, Bianca shimmered in.
"I see that you've found her. After I turned her, the witches had taken them away. I guess you woke up." Bianca faced Mel and snickered. "You can thank me later."
The second that Bianca shimmered in, Chris was frozen in shock. He turned his head and slid down the side of the wall. He couldn't watch this anymore. She'd promise that she was through with evil. How could she do this to him? Wyatt placed a hand on his shoulder for support, but he knew that Chris had to deal with this on his own.
"I was able to kill the priest who turned her, to prevent my cover from blowing, but I think that he was almost…" she began.
"Almost! That still leaves room for her good side to get through!" Bianca was going to pay if her good side did get through.
"I think I have a plan." Barbas waved his hand over Mel and a black glow surrounded her.
"No…" Piper whispered. She knew what he was doing all too well. He was going to use her fear against her.
"What have you done?" the voice shook the lair.
"I have put her in her greatest fear. She will be so scared that her evil side will kick in so fast that her vengeance for the Halliwells will compel her to kill them with no room for good Mel to come through." His plan was foolproof.
"Oh, no! She'll kill us and because she's so powerful, there's no way to stop her." Paige whispered, dropping her head in defeat.
"Wait doesn't Barbas make her fears in her subconscious?" Phoebe thought aloud.
"So?" Wyatt didn't see this going anywhere.
"We can cast a spell to go into her subconscious mind and help her through her fear, and maybe turn her good again." Phoebe's genius idea did sound reasonable. "Ok, Leo, we need you to go back to the manor and orb our bodies back to the manor when we cast the spell and look for a plan b if this doesn't work or we don't come out." He nodded. The witches joined hands and Phoebe recited the spell.
"Life to life and mind to mind,
Our spirits now will intertwine.
We meld our souls and journey to,
The ones who thoughts we wish we knew."
White glows exited the five witches and entered Mel's mind, unbeknownst to Barbas, Bianca, and the figure. Leo quickly orbed them back to the manor, without anyone looking.
Mel looked around the dark void. "Not here again." She hugged herself and looked around for a way out. She turned and a bright light consumed her and the witches shortly after their arrival.
It was like they were watching a movie. Mel still hadn't noticed that the witches were with her, because she was so captivated with what was happening.
An 8-year old Mel ran through a large house. "It's my birthday! It's my birthday!" She laughed as she ran around. She entered the kitchen and continued her chant. Her mother (AN: her foster mom) was sitting at the table paying bills and her dad (AN: foster) was on the phone.
"I understand. I'll be at the office immediately." He hung up the phone and faced his wife. "I have to go, I might be back late tonight." He kissed his wife, messed with Mel's hair, and went out the door with his keys.
"Mom, but what about my party?" she walked up to her mom and tugged on her sleeve.
"Not now, sweetie, mommy's got a lot of work to do. Maybe later." And she continued to work.
"You never did get that party, did you, Mel?" a voice questioned.
"Shut up!" the older Mel answered. Tears were going down her cheeks.
"You were never loved and never appreciated." The voice continued. Paige could feel a tear roll down her cheek. Another light surrounded them.
A twelve-year-old Mel was in her soccer uniform and it was pouring rain. She was sitting on a sidewalk, all alone. The entire park was empty and the sun was setting.
Mel remembered this all too well. She had gone to a soccer game and her parents had forgotten to pick her up. She ended up walking home and was grounded for coming home past her curfew.
"Do you know how worried you were of us?" her father screamed.
"It was your fault that you didn't come pick me up! I was soaking in the rain!" she countered.
"You knew that both you and your father had meetings today. You should've asked for a ride home!"
"I've been asking for rides home ever since I started soccer!" and Mel ran up the stairs.
"Make it stop!" Mel cried. Tears were now flowing freely down her face.
"You've been abandoned ever since you were a little child. Even until now." Barbas taunted. Piper wanted to walk up to her and just hug her, but she couldn't interfere. Not yet. Another light was coming.
"Not another one." Mel whispered. This one, Piper recognized.
It was when Mel froze the room. Mel had just left.
"I can't believe she was so careless. I wish she wasn't here." Piper mumbled.
'I never said that!' Piper exclaimed. The other witches noticed that too.
"Barbas must've twisted her memories so it would be like it was worse than it really was. To make her even more vulnerable." Phoebe was the first to break the silence between them.
"We have to convince her that this isn't true!" Chris was about to walk up to her, but Wyatt stopped her. He shook his head. Chris stood still. They continued to watch.
"I can't believe I have a daughter like that. She's a disgrace." Leo spat. Everyone in the memory had red eyes. Evil red eyes. Finally, the memory stopped and Mel was on the ground, sobbing to herself.
"You've never been loved. But now is your chance to set revenge on your 'so called' family. Kill them and we will make you feel appreciated." Barbas finished. Mel stood up.
"Kill Halliwells." Piper nodded to her family and they walked up to Mel.
"Mel, don't listen to them! They're lies! We're here to help you." Paige coxed, while Wyatt and Chris stealthy walked up behind her, I case she tried to run.
"Whatever. I saw that. You never really took me in. I was just an excuse for my old parents to let go of me." She faced her mother and aunts.
"Look at me. Do I look like I hate you?" Piper walked up to her and took her by the arms. Mel shook her off.
"No one has cared for me in my entire life! No one!" Mel powered up an energy ball and prepared to throw it at Piper.
"No has loved me ever! I never had a mom to help me through my first break up, no dad to take me out to soccer games. My parents never watched a single soccer game of mine. You probably gave me up because you didn't have time for me." She growled. Piper was speechless. 'What have I done? I gave up my own daughter to such people?' She needed to breathe. Paige saw this, took her by the shoulders, and walked with her. Phoebe walked up to her.
"How dare you talk to your mother like that! Giving you up was the hardest decision that she had to make!" Phoebe knew that her premonition power wasn't something that she cold control, but she was angry and needed to prove a point. She grabbed Mel's shoulder and shared her memory with Mel.
After Piper gave Mel up, she was pale and discouraged about everything. She wouldn't eat right, or exercise and she was getting sloppy with her magic.
"Ow!" Paige was blown back from the explosion. Piper had accidentally blown a vase next to Paige up, instead of the demon. Phoebe threw the potion to the demon and he was vanquished.
"Piper, are you ok? You've been kinda out of it since…" Phoebe didn't want to remind her of it, but sometimes she had to.
"I'll be fine…I just need some time alone." And she went back upstairs.
"This Mel thing has been really bothering her." Paige got up.
"All of us. Wyatt has been kinda lonely lately too. I guess he misses his sister." Phoebe turned her gaze her oldest nephew playing with his toys.
Upstairs, Piper was sitting on her bed, crying. 'How could I let you go?' And she continued to cry, like she did, every night.
The memory ended and Mel was speechless. 'She really did care for me. They all did.' She looked around and found Piper looking up at her. 'I know that this family loves me and I won't have to be afraid of not being loved anymore.' A bright glow surrounded Mel. Everyone was relieved. She walked up to Piper and gave her a big hug.
"Thanks, mom. For everything." Piper let go.
"You called me mom. You never call me mom."
"What else would I call you?" She smiled and hugged her again. They got up and faced everyone else.
"Ready to go home?" They joined hands and Mel transported them all to the manor. (AN: Mel's body went to the manor too).
The witches returned to their bodies and Mel hugged Leo.
"Hey, dad." She was happy to be somewhere where she mattered.
"Dad? What happened back there?" He was surprised at the sudden change of heart.
"Let's just say that I'm good and that's all that matters."
"What do you mean, she's gone!" the voice echoed through the walls.
"I don't know! She must've overcome her fears and turned good again. She's probably at the manor now." Barbas answered. The figure got up and faced Barbas.
"Since she's gone, I guess I have no use for you now." And he sent Barbas back to hell.
"I suppose I have to take matters into my own hands." He laughed evilly.
End Chapter 5
AN: sorry this chapter was depressing. I needed drama though…review!