Disclaimer : Don't own Charmed

Reminder: Craig is on the floor twitching and has scared that demon guys pretty bad!

Phoebe and Paige raced into the corridor and were confronted with a huge ferocious lion. Phoebe rose her hands slowly, on the floor lay a bleeding demon.

He had two huge slashes in his chest. Phoebe felt like gagging but knew they were immediate danger as the lion approached.

"Nice kitty, don't eat us please…?" Phoebe asked worriedly.

"Yeah, we have no meat on us… just stringy and…" Paige saw her sister's condescending glare. "And we would taste just lovely…"

"You haven't eaten any of our friends have you kitty?" Phoebe asked.

The lion ignored their comment and leapt lightly onto the demon's chest.

Paige and Phoebe edged closer as the demon muttered something.

"Stupid dweeb." He croaked.

The lion snarled and sliced his throat open. The demon burst into flames, the lion startled jumped away.

"How did a lion get in here?" Paige whimpered.

"I don't know but it's a right scaredy-cat!" Phoebe hissed.

Carla raced into the hallway and yelped when she first saw the lion and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Paige. She jogged over to them, "Chris is in pretty bad shape, get in there!" She hissed at Paige.
Paige nudged her sister's ribs, Phoebe went into the room behind them.

Paige turned to Carla, "Go in there, I'll handle it."

"Nope… this is my job to protect you, write a healing spell, I'll be in there in a minute." Carla patted Paige's back.

Paige looked unsure.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'm a firestarter after all. It's time for me to get a grip on these powers." Carla smiled briefly.

Paige walked away reluctantly.

Carla took in a deep breath and placed her palms together in prayer. She had only ever attempted this once… that time she was practising outside her grandparents caravan, a tough lesson. She had accidentally set the caravan on fire, trapping her grandparents in there.

She hadn't been one to trust her powers after that.

But when her whitelighter had appeared and taken care of her and showed her that magic wasn't evil. But she had never embraced her powers like she was about to.

"Ok… let's do this." She breathed.

She concentrated and let her magic engulf her like she had done before…

A circle of fire surrounded her and then she concentrated on the lion. Fear struck through it's features, the hair on it's neck bristled.

Then it began to twitch and Carla paused her hands dropped to her sides. The lion began to morph into Craig … naked Craig…

Piper stood over Phoebe's unconscious body, she waited patiently.

She knew she had to somehow vanquish Barbas, but was reluctant to leave her sister alone, in case the usual demonic attack happened again.

As waited staring at Phoebe's body… there was a loud crash coming from downstairs.

She decided to risk leaving Phoebe alone.

Hurriedly Piper grabbed a box with crystals and quickly surrounded Phoebe with them and raced downstairs.

That was the best she could do.

She saw a demon smashing up her floral arrangements, polite, she rose her hands and froze him, a good trick she liked to play was to only unfreeze their head and make them talk.

It wasn't a particularly favourite pastime but it worked and was efficient.

"Talk and I don't blow your hand off." She growled unfreezing his head.

"Who are you?" The demon asked.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Piper cried offended, this guy breaks into her house and forgets she is a Charmed one, who did he think he is?

"I'm looking for the nexus…"

"Why?" Piper snapped.

"So we can use it's power to make a rip between the worlds."

They sent an amateur when it came to keeping their mouths shut, she wasn't even trying and he was spilling his guts.

"So we can get into the House of Horrors and destroy the remaining magical beings."

"Anything else?" Piper asked.

"The council want Barbas dead." He spat.

Piper ignored her boots that had demon saliva on with gritted teeth. But couldn't hold it in for long and flicked her wrist in irritation, the demon's right hand exploded leaving a bloody stump. The demon howled in agony.

"Who are the council?" She snarled.

"A collection of demons who determine the rule of the underworld."
"So your republicans now?"

"No one decides."

"Then…?"

The demon closed his mouth.

Piper rose her hand threateningly.

"It's the most powerful demon of each kind, then the most powerful demon leaders join to make the council, the head is… no one knows."

"Ok… anything else you want to tell me?"

The demon shook his head weakly.

"Good, well then why our nexus?"

"Because it… has enough power to break between the worlds, the council are sending a group to make a hole between the worlds and get into the house to finish the witches off," The demon's head began to shake exasperatedly, "I shouldn't be telling you, you'll tell the Charmed ones." His face filled terror.

That was the last straw for Piper. Every freaking demon in the underworld knew who they were, this guy had to the gall to break in and not even recognise, a) her looks or b) her powers.

Minions were becoming much more dumber.

"Ok… before I let you go I have a secret to tell you."

"What…?" The demon cringed.

"I am a Charmed one! See?" She flicked her wrists and the demon exploded. "Tada!"

"YOU'RE A SHAPESHIFTER?" Paige cried incredulously. "YOU?"

"Yup…" Craig had a ragged lab coat wrapped around his waist, thankfully it was arranged to not be showing anything embarrassing.

"He was the lion." Carla reminded them.

"Do it again." Phoebe said excitedly.

"Nooo… it hurts. And I only do it when a demon guy approaches me with a knife."

Phoebe sighed moodily.

"Spell?" Carla looked at Paige expectantly.

"It's a pretty crappy spell… but it'll work…"

"What is it?" Chris mumbled.

"I was thinking of just the vanishing spell?" Paige asked shrugging.

"Sure, why not?" Carla asked.

"Spell?" Craig clutched his head.

"Ok… you got it ready?" Carla asked ignoring Craig completely.

"I remember it yeah."

"Go for it then." Phoebe grinned slapping her on the back encouragingly.

"Ok…

Let the object of objection become but a dream

As I cause the seen to be unseen."

The burns and scars on Chris' arms disappeared, except on his right arm.

"Cool… it's working!" Carla clapped.

Chris sat up and rolled his shoulders.

He looked to his right and on the floor his right arm lay wriggling.

Demons were gathering around the hot spot. The Heads personal bodyguard led them.

"Here is what we are going to! Use all of your long range attacks. Only ones that explode on contact, darklighters etc will not be involved in the beginning of this excavation so rest somewhere else for now. We will need you to pierce through the armour.

"ALL RIGHT LET'S MOVE IT LADIES! ANYONE NOT PARTICIPATING EXCEPT THE FOREMENTIONED ARE OFFICIALLY DEAD. YOU HEAR ME?"

"Aye sir." The crowd of demons yelped.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"AYE!"

"Let's get moving then."

"The group is in position!" A Darklighter informed them.

"If your minions do as well as you say then you will part of our council. You are aware." The Head asked.

"I am aware." The Darklighter replied.

"Good, we are leaking in demons, we have just sent a small battalion of harpies to start. They will weaken the groups force." The Fury hissed.

"Yes, we were going to send in a Darklighter… if you could find a candidate willing enough?" The Gremlock asked.

"I could find one… yes I know the perfect one."

"Where did you leave Barbas Dalia?" The Head asked the Harpy.

"He is still in his building… I just taught him a lesson he won't be in a hurry to forget." Dalia flexed her long green dagger like nails.

"Good, he will not disrupt our demons again, good."

"What now?" The Trok demon asked impatiently.

"Send in your Darklighter, Bresk, now we wait." The Head explained.

"I hate waiting." Dalia muttered

"Wait, that was just a vanishing spell!" Paige cried frustrated.

"My arm…?" Chris looked at his right arm lying on the floor beside him.

"How did it not work?" Carla asked anxiously.

"It probably reacted badly with the magic keeping us in here. You know Barbas?" Everyone swung around and stared at Craig. "What? I listen … occasionally."

"My arm!" Chris yelped.

"It's ok… your arm is fine." Paige said softly.

Chris glared at her, "It's 2 feet away from my shoulder! How is it ok?"

"Well, it is in one piece isn't it?" Paige snapped.

"Don't you act high and mighty with me aunty! You have both your arms attached to you!" Chris growled.

"Aunty?" Craig asked incredulously.

"Wait… whoa hold up! Aunty?" Carla wove her hands madly.

"Long story short… Chris is from the future." Phoebe replied.

Chris looked away and Carla and Craig stared at him with great interest.

"Just 20 years or so…" He mumbled.

"Whoa…" Craig muttered.

"ARM!" Paige reminded them.

"Oh my God yeah… that!" Carla snapped back to reality.

"My arm!" Chris mumbled.

"I will write another spell… or we will stitch it back on?" Paige suggested.

"God no!" Chris yelped at the thought.

"What do you want us to do…? Leave you armless?"

"NO but I would like it back painlessly. Is that too much to ask?" Chris snapped.

"I could cauterise it on… with a little help from a spell…" Carla suggested.

Craig and Phoebe looked at her perplexed, Chris looked terrified of the idea.

"You know, burn it back together…?"

"EW!" Phoebe winced.

"I could write a spell for no pain…?" Paige suggested.

"Well I'll heat it up… someone stitch then we finish with a healing spell -which we should have used in the first place…?" Carla took command.

"Fine, it's an idea!" Phoebe smiled.

"Cool!" Carla grinned.

Chris snatched his moving arm from the floor, "You guys aren't coming anywhere near me with sharp or hot stitching equipment!" He said holding his arm up as a barrier.

"Come on… it'll only hurt for a little while." Paige pleaded.

"Nuh uh!" Chris said stumbling to his feet.

He wove his hand at the door and it swung open.

Carla put her hands together and the door was engulfed in flames her eyes shone red for a mere few seconds.

"You aren't leaving till we fix you!" She said.

Chris fell to his knees in defeat.

"Phoebe, Paige, I'm going to find some clothes for Craig, just use a painless spell for the stitching," Then before anyone could object Carla walked through the wall of fire and into the corridor without even a scratch.

"Great, I'm stuck with you freaks, again! What are you freaks again?" Craig asked.

"Astral Projection."

"Half angel, half witch." Chris wove his hand.

"Charmed one."

"And I'm a …?"

"Shapeshifter." Phoebe told him nodding.

"I'm a freak!"

"No you are gifted." Phoebe explained, "You have been given a special power that is meant to help people, you should practise too. When I first got my premonitions it took me a load of practise."

"I'm not practising!" Craig yelped.

Paige sighed, he had to, she had to make him somehow… "Knife!" She hurled it at him.

He threw himself to the floor and began to morph.

"Wonder what he'll morph into this time." Phoebe pondered stepping over the twitching body.

"Needle." Paige commanded. "Thread… is in the compartment to the left of the first aid box. And the tweezers are over there."

Phoebe did as told and gave Paige her equipment obediently.

Chris whimpered as Paige began to pierce his flesh with the needle.

Then to take his mind away from the pain looked at Craig lying on the floor twitching.

He noticed silver fur covering him. Craig then morphed into a wolf in front of Chris.

Paige playfully nudged Chris' shoulder. It was all over just a spell now.

Craig sat a pink rough tongue ran over his nose.

He was a silver wolf. Phoebe followed Chris' gaze and jumped at the sight of Craig, a blue eyed wolf with silver and black fur. He was beautiful.

"Hey Craig." Chris held up his hand.

"He isn't going to wave at you Chris!" But much to Phoebe's surprise the silver wolf lifted one of it's forepaws over it's head and shook it. Only Craig would have that sense of humour.

"Good boy!" Chris gushed.

"He is sexy even as an animal…" Paige sighed.

Craig howled playfully.

Chris looked down at his shoulder, Paige may be good at most things but stitching in a straight line wasn't one of them unfortunately. How did he not feel that?

Carla wandered along the corridors, the idea was to find the room with the caretaker gear in and get Craig some baggy overalls. At least the chances were during his hulk transformations he had less chance of ripping them.

She saw movement at the end of the corridor, she ran down to see if it was any survivors… she should have known there wasn't any survivors left as a harpy lunged at her. She joined her hands again and shut her eyes. The Harpy never made contact with her. She had created a fire force field around herself, the Harpy had burst into flames before even touching a hair on her.

She rose her arm fire shot from her hand blowing up another Harpy as it approached her. Firestarters had these powers but most were pacifists afraid that if they used their powers demons would hunt them down and steal them.

Carla had learned from a young age how to kill a demon who threatened her so she never had this problem. But the only other times she had actually created this much magic to make a force field… was the caravan incident. She had vowed never to do it again, in case she killed another friend.

She had nearly killed Chris today, and she still used her powers. This was more a life or death situation though.

She walked along the corridor and killed two more Harpies.

She raced down the stairs to the basement, a congregation of demons were gathered down there. Mainly Harpies and one Darklighter. What were they doing?

She feared taking them on would make her too outnumbered so went to get the rest of the guys.

Say the spell and go and kick demonic ass.

That was a good plan even if Carla did say so herself!

Piper wandered around the manor helplessly. Demons were creating a hole between the worlds and were trying to get to their nexus to kill Paige.

Things were getting better and better. This wasn't the usual potion spell vanquish. This was war. Piper raced upstairs and began to brew as many potions as she could.

She was going to take the offensive. Cast a spell go to the underworld get through their little hole in the white building save her sisters and have a pizza. First she needed potions though. Because she was aware there would be lots of demons she just brewed as many as she could remember, harpy, fury, gremlock, darklighters. The usual suspects. Then she made a few out of the box vanquishing potions like a Trok demon one even a vampire one just incase. She was not taking any chances today. She'd taken enough letting her sister astral project there!

The group ran down to the basement and quickly disposed of the Harpies and the Darklighter as quick as possible. This involved Carla setting fire to the darklighter and a handful of Harpies and Craig leaping and slashing the rest to death.

In the middle of the basement an orange pool of light began to grow. Underneath they could see movement. The advanced towards it.

A rumble in the ground caused them to stop, Phoebe swung around, what was that?

She realised that demons were below them but that couldn't be the underworld… could it?

Phoebe stared in horror as a clawed hand reached through the barrier between the two separated worlds, the hand groped around and curled into a fist. It shot into the air and a flew into the air levitating above the hole that had been created.

Phoebe fell backwards, and scrambled to her feet.

Enough running, it was time to fight. She turned to look at her motley crew of absolute nobodies, Chris who was nobody more than most (being from the future and everything), Carla a photocopy girl with super duper fire powers, Craig… a guy who was a bloodthirsty shape shifter and hated the sight of demon guts… and her, an astral projection. Prue had always had that extra edge when astral projecting, like she could flip and other less then usual combat moves, time to check It out.

The demon hovered waiting for them to throw their first move.

Bring it on was all Phoebe could say.