Original Spell
Disclaimer : I don't own anyone. None of the characters including the children do I own. So , don't sue me.
Rating : T : Detailed death , frightening moments , medical terms , language , and some brief sexual implying.
Summary : There are some things I know for certain. Always throw spilled salt over
your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Plant lavender
for luck. And fall in love whenever you can.
Notes : Fear and butterflies have lot to little to do with Cole. At least not for right now.
Notes 2 : I've made a fairly awesome trailer so I if you'd like to see it just let me know in your review! Thanks everyone !
Crossover : With Practical Magic (1998 film with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman , also one of my favorite books written by 'Alice Hoffman') If you haven't seen the movie that's perfectly alright. You don't necessarily need to.
I hope you enjoy my story. I worked rather hard on it. I warn it starts out slow , but will get better. Read on ... On to Chapter 6 ..
Chapter 6 - Ghosts outside my window -
Aaron often wondered what it was like outside these walls, how people would accept him. He wondered if it would be safe for him to welcome life with open arms, even if they were not his own. He liked to let water drift between his fingers and he would smile. It would mean more if he could feel. He never tired, like strong men. He was gentle, and much more like a lamb. He was brave, some say like a lion.
Aaron had always been wiser, wiser than any grown man before the age of one. He'd grown up being teased and called names and every now and then you could catch him staying up-thinking about it all the late hours of night.
His mother knew he was special. Any little boy with those color eyes had to be a bit over mysterious. They were like magic and you didn't even have to stare into them to know that. You could watch the sun go down through them as well as the moon rising in the east. He harbored simple, practical magic. The kind you couldn't read about in story books.
Aaron wasn't sure why he had inherited the bookshop. He was neither very close or very loved by his grandfather and he'd spent hours trying to figure it out. He didn't particularly enjoy reading books. Truthfully, he had never been good at reading them. He wasn't slow by all means, it could have been he was just faster than others.
'Brilliance lacks common sense.'- his mother would tell him when he brought home cart loads of bad grades. School was for mishaps and no good snotty people, it wasn't for him...-or so he would tell himself at the age of ten.
He had mistreated all his teachers until he was finally told he needed to be home schooled. His mother hadn't appreciated it but he sure did. He loved being at home through out the day instead of being locked up in a tight classroom. The more he thinks about it back then, the more he comes to realize, life on a ranch with his horses was something every child deserved.
"Charlie..." He came into the minuscule kitchen, turned on the overhead light and smiled. His large black lab was laid out in the middle of the floor, paws front and yawning. Aaron stifled a laugh when she rolled onto her back like she was waiting for him to rub her belly..-a favorite past time that she shared with him since she was a puppy. "..what're you doing out in the middle of the floor? You're lucky I didn't trample over you." He bent down for a moment to pat the top of her head. "..not that you care."
The dog made a noise of utter contentment and laid it's head back down, too tired at this time of night to do much else than sleep. "..Good girl. Go back to sleep Charlie."
Aaron let his hands fall into the pockets of his flannel pajama pants. His hands were awfully sweaty and right after he regretted it. He came to the kitchen window, he had the best view in town. He lived directly above Whitman's ice cream parlor on Third and Senate and could see above the tip top of Salem cathedral when standing on his roof. He rather fancied sitting on the ledge of his building
and eating ice-cream cones with Charlie on warm summer nights. The stars would always be out and every time, if only for a second, Aaron would wish he could pluck one of them right out of the sky.
Aaron stared out his window. It looked chilly outside and he wondered what it would feel like to go atop his roof. No shirt, no shoes, no problem.
Aaron leaned against his marble counter. His loft was very old. Everything from the old wood floors to the dark maroon linens that hung from the ceiling instead of real doors. It wasn't dirty, Aaron took pride in keeping things clean. He scrubbed the floors every Sunday, washed the walls every Friday, and cleaned the linens every Monday night.
He looked through the glass and onto the street. So late at night as it was, nobody was down there. Except for a few stray cats. They were always prowling around down there. Aaron at one time decided to sit poison on the stoop but was later told that that was illegal. He wasn't a mean man, he was just a man without sleep.
He saw nothing but cold air behind the glass. Nothing but coldness. He waited and watched but saw nothing else, maybe his shadow. He hated seeing it though. To look in the mirror and see two people was a scary thought. His life was both a blessing and a curse.
Aaron stared, he stared until his fists turned white from the heat of his pocket. He stared until his eyes were droopy and his heart rate had slowed.
Aaron often wondered what it was like outside these walls, how people would accept him. He wondered if it would be safe for him to welcome life with open arms, even if they were not his own. He liked to let water drift between his fingers and he would smile. It would mean more if he could feel. He never tired, like strong men. He was gentle, and much more like a lamb. He was brave, some say like a lion.
Aaron sighed, turning on his heels, and walking back to his bedroom.
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Witches weren't commonly known to sleep peacefully but that wasn't a very good excuse as to why Phoebe Halliwell wasn't getting any. She stood at the far side of her room, looking out her window and giving a straight lined frown. She tucked her arms under her breasts and let her eyes roam over the river behind the house.
She'd been awake for almost an hour now and couldn't decide what she wanted to do with herself. It was overly-warm in the room so she had stripped of her wool sweater and was now dressed in nothing but her tiny night gown. Her hair had also been taken out of it's pony-tail and was now in
long strands of pure dark brown curl. She had often described it to her hair dressers as a mop that had collected dirt (mentioning the color of it). But regardless of the poor choice of name she looked absolutely stunning in the moon's light.
Every few minutes she would glance at Kylie and see her sleeping on the floor. Kylie looked as if she too wasn't having a peaceful night either. Phoebe wondered what it was like in Kylie's head. To be so wise as she was to only be nine. She was so tiny but so incredibly brave..yet, nobody saw it but Phoebe. Kylie would never tell Antonia of her magic, let alone her mother. Phoebe was the only person Kylie trusted. Well, except for the man in the roses.
Kylie had mentioned this man earlier that night, when the air was still cool. She talked about how he gave her gifts and played games with her. Phoebe had smiled and acknowledged that this 'man under the roses' was truly in Kylie's dreams. Kylie had pointed out that the man was very nice and he knew a lot about life. She said that he enjoyed the view from the rose bush over looking the ocean and at one point told her that she looked like his daughter, ...if only he ever had one.
Phoebe had to giggle when she had said this because if she really thought about it, anyone in their right minds would want to have Kylie as their daughter. Truthfully, Phoebe wished the same for herself.
Gillian hadn't even come to tell her good night, like she used to when they were kids. Gillian seemed to keep her distance lately and was like Paige's best friend. Phoebe wanted to believe that it was because she was pregnant yet she knew that wasn't it. Gillian avoided her for a purpose.
Phoebe didn't realize the extremeness of her change. Her looks, her soul, her heart, her mind. As much change was denied on the outside, the more it was clear on the in. Phoebe had been an emotional wreck for years now although if you yourself weren't depressed you might never catch it. For Phoebe was great at smiling and she could pull it through in the most unpleasant of situations.
That must have been Gillian's problem. Gillian had never overlooked a thing in her life and this must be one of those 'things'. Gillian knew, Gillian, like Phoebe, could feel the cold in the most hottest of airs. It just left Phoebe to question why she hadn't said anything of the sorts.
Phoebe slowly reached out to touch the window pane. Unlike her body, it was cold. Phoebe didn't understand why her daughter liked for her to always be sweaty but if that was what made her comfortable in mommy's womb Phoebe wouldn't change it. Being pregnant seemed to agree with Phoebe , and needless to say, she agreed with it right back.
Phoebe clawed at the window with the tips of her fingers. Stroking it in the middle and letting her fingernails drag. It was like a weight off her shoulders to touch. She too felt as if she knew the man under the roses. He was always toying with her, leaving her unexpected gifts and praising her for her beauty alone. Phoebe couldn't understand the demons inside her mind. Couldn't understand why she hid.
She just did.
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"Hi baby!" Piper cooed into the cordless phone, walking about the garden and smiling. Leo had called her a few minutes ago to let her know Wyatt woke from his sleep screaming for her, now she was talking to him. "Aw, sh, Wyatt. Mommy's here. Listen, Mommy's here."
"Ah, give it up, Piper. That child cries like the world's over." Paige sneered, sipping her coffee and sighing. "He's three and he already needs a shrink."
"With an aunt like you?" Piper covered the mouth piece of the phone and glared at Paige. "I don't blame him." Piper followed up the steps and headed back into the house and bypassed Billie at the door.
"Well..." Sally snorted, pouring her cold tea into the flower pot beside her patio chair. "She's got you there." Paige reached across the table to smack her but Sally leaned away far enough for Paige to miss. She laughed then moved her head and Paige finally was able to reach.
"Hey? What's going on?" Billie plopped down onto one of the patio chairs. She was still in her pajamas and her blonde hair was so messy you probably could start a gift shop in there. "Sal, why is Paige attacking you?"
"She's evil!" Sally accused, igniting an indignant shriek from her youngest cousin. "Yea, I'm talkin' about you over there."
"I never..."
"Oh, Paige, I'm sure you have." Gillian smiled, stocking up from the banks of the river and back up the hill to lie on the ground out in front of the patio table on a towel. It wasn't but eight in the wee morning and already Gillian had gone for a swim.
"Whew, I didn't realize how hard it is to be away from a toddler this long." Piper shut the back screen door and it gave a loud noise, so loud that she had to hold her heart for minutes after until she was seated and able to relax.
"I doubt it'll be much longer. I was up all last night thinking about it and I think I know who's behind this." She was returned four sets of raised eyebrows so she went on. "I'm not positive but it could be just a simple lower level demon, Merope. I saw him in the Book of Shadows last night and he fits the description to a fault."
"Hm. I don't think so, Billie, but we'll check it out later...I know Piper is just dying to get back to those sweet little cry babies she's raising." Paige stuck her tongue out at Sally and folded her arms. "But first I'd like to enjoy my time here. This is probably the only vacation I'll have all summer and I'm not about to waist it."
"Suit yourself." A voice came from the back door and trailed down the pathway followed by the footsteps of an adolescent. "Kylie and I have work that needs to be done."
"...and that work pertains to?" Piper tilted her head. Phoebe was looking pretty lovely today, a difference from yesterday evening. Piper had quickly taken a liking to Phoebe's wardrobe today too. She had on the brightest of lilac colored capris and a beautiful loose lace shirt to match. Piper expected this choice of clothing was chosen by one of Phoebe's stylists at work yet she wasn't sure. Phoebe had always been the best dressed in the house, that was for sure.
"Kylie and I are going to go check on Aaron." Phoebe nodded and smiled.
"Aaron hasn't been here long enough to know that every 3rd Monday of every 3rd month he has children's book club-which I'm a member of-so we thought, since he isn't very good with children, we could go help him." Kylie said matter-of-factly.
"Oh , okay." Sally hopped out of her seat. "Uh, Phoebe, could I see you for a moment?"
Phoebe followed Sally away from the group and passed where Gillian was lying. "What is it?"
"Phoebe, can you promise me something?...This will be the first time you've been alone in this town for eighteen years and I don't know if you forgot but there's kind of a death watch going on so please...please...please, watch my daughters life as if it were your own." Sally practically begged through a soft smile. She knew Phoebe was not like Paige or Billie and would do almost anything to save the life of someone she loved but considering that she had been the only one to run in with danger...Sally wasn't taking any chances.
Phoebe was agitated by this. She would pull Kylie from hell if she had to. Wasn't that apparent? "Sure, Sal. You don't even have to ask."
"Okay." Sally sighed. "We'll probably be here all day. If anything happens make sure you call. I'd like to have my child alive when she gets home. Thank you." Sally Owens had grown up the exact same person as her cousin, Piper. A woman with ambition, worrisomeness, and a heart that rarely cared to show itself except to the people she loved. Sally had majored in biology in highschool and went on to study English in college. A woman of common sense but didn't recognize just how brilliant she really was.
Phoebe shook her head. She wasn't going to let this ruin her day. She was going to go out and have a wonderful time with Kylie and hopefully get some laughs out of helping Aaron. Poor guy, at least to her, didn't know his right from his left and that made him intriguing. He seemed like a nice guy and if Kylie was right, he may be attacked again.
"Bye mommy, tell Antonia I'll play with her later." Kylie waved, her little sack of books on her shoulder and the sun glasses that Phoebe let her borrow on the top of her fiery bright red hair. "Bye everyone."
"Bye. We'll be back later..." Phoebe opened the garden gate and watched on as the little girl skipped down the pathway towards the lane. "...safe and sound."