A/N: So sorry that it's been so long since an update. I got severe writers block on this one, so I started another story, and then I was finishing up a class and just didn't have time. Unfortunately, my spring semester classes start tomorrow, but I'll try my hardest. I'm shooting for at least one update a week. Sorry if this chapter's a little mushy or cliché, I couldn't get it out of my head. I hope you all enjoy. PLEASE Read and Review: even if it's only a two word review…I'd REALLY appreciate it!

Chapter 6: A Night of Normalcy

"You cannot wear that!" Kali exclaimed Rain as soon as the accused poor dresser walked into the room.

"Why not?" Rain asked, looking at herself in Kali's mirror. She didn't see a problem. She had on a baggy pair of guys' cargo pants (Rain was a firm believer that girls got gypped in the clothing department, and that guys clothes were much more comfortable and practical) and Wyatt's high school football sweatshirt.

"Ok, I don't even know where to begin. First off, you cannot go to one of the city's hottest clubs/restaurants wearing...that," Kali waved vaguely at Rain's upper body.

"I have a T-shirt on underneath to wear once we get th…"

"No," Kali cut her off. "Also, you cannot wear a sweatshirt, especially not my boyfriend's, on your first official date."

"It's Chris, big deal."

"It is a big deal. This is your first date, EVER! I have been waiting for this day since we became best friends when we were six. I can't believe that you made me wait this long, and I'm sure as hell not going to let you ruin it for me."

Rain's obvious disinterest in relationships during their high school years was probably the one thing that Kali had never understood about her. Rain was extremely attractive, was super sweet and smart, and was always there to help anyone who asked. Of course, when you spent 4 days of the week working non-stop in a dance studio, and the other three doing your schoolwork (which had always come naturally for her), making time for friends and family, and attempting to rid the world of evil, it made it a little hard to work in time for guys.

It didn't help that Rain didn't even TRY, which is what infuriated Kali even more. It seemed to Kali that Rain almost went out of her way to not get guys. She was a complete and total tomboy ever since they were little kids, and that's how she had remained, despite Kali's best efforts. She didn't even try to flirt with most.

This is why Kali had been so shocked when she had noticed Rain's instant attraction to Wy's little brother. The only thing that shocked her even more was Chris's immediate acceptance of the way Rain was, and his attraction to it. Rain was a stubborn, sarcastic, smart-ass that would do anything for the people she loved…and as it turned out so was Chris. 'Perfect match,' Kali thought to herself as she shook her head at her best friend.

"If it's my date, shouldn't it be what I want?"

"No. Now, go put this on," Kali handed Rain a black sleeveless top with a deep-V in the front and an even deeper cut back, along with a short jean skirt.

Rain looked at her friend with a look of amusement on her face. "I know you don't think I'm putting that on, 'cause it ain't happening," Rain shook her head as she pointed to the skirt.

"Can't blame me for trying. Now, go put this shirt on, and change your pants. I know you have at least one pair of cute girl jeans in there."

Rain walked out of Kali's room, through the bathroom, and then into her and Wyatt's room.

(A/N: For those of you who are curios, the way the houses are set up is that there are two floors. Each floor has dorm rooms lining three walls, a lounge at the other wall, and a community bathroom in the center. Hope that's not to confusing.)

As Rain opened the door she watched a man dressed in black go up in flames, leaving a scorch mark on the floor where he had stood. She looked around to see the room incomplete disarray.

Wyatt smiled at her nervously when she entered. "Uh…so…I guess…that there's…"

"Save it," Rain cut him off. Normally she'd love to watch him squirm, but she didn't have time.

Powers of the Earth and Skies,

In this hour I bid you rise.

Clean I wish this place to be,

And as I will it, so Mote It Be.

Rain spoke the words clearly and smiled as the room returned to its original state. She then proceeded to look for the jeans that Kali had told her to put on.

"Wha…Who…Wha…huh?" Wyatt stuttered as he stood against his bed as he watched his roommate dig through her closet, cursing quietly under her breath.

Rain turned to her confused roommate and sighed loudly. "You're acting like you've never met a magickal being outside your house before."

"What are you?"

"Thanks Wy, I appreciate that. Now, turn around so I can change." Wyatt quickly obliged and faced the window.

"How long have you known about me?"

"Since last night. Look, I'll explain it all later, but if I don't get back over to Kali's room, she might hurt me, and I want to enjoy this night with no issues. So, do me a favor. Act like this didn't happen, and don't tell your family yet. I'll explain why later." Rain threw the clothes she had been wearing on her bed and headed back out the door. She heard Wyatt trying to stutter something out, but chose to ignore.

"Ok, Kali, does this pass your inspection?"

"Yes, now sit down so I can fix your hair and make-up."

"There is nothing wrong with my hair, and I don't need make-up. I don't think that I should have to put on make-up and 'look nice' for Chris to like me. I'd rather he like me anyways."

"Obviously he already does, or he wouldn't have asked you out. Don't think of it as doing something to attract attention, or make yourself prettier. Think of it as doing something different. He always sees you like this. Change things up a bit."

Rain rolled her eyes and sat in Kali's chair. She could have easily refused, it would have done her no harm, but she just wasn't in the mood.

Twenty minutes later Wyatt walked into Kali's room and literally fell to the floor laughing when he saw Rain in Kali's black shirt with her hair and make-up done to perfection.

"Shut it," Rain told him icily. Wyatt continued to laugh so hard that tears actually began to fall down his face.

"Do I look that ridiculous?"

"No," Wyatt gasped for air. "You look that good."

"Whatever, let's go."

Wyatt stood from the floor, straightened his shirt, and took Kali's hand. Wyatt and Kali had separately planned a date at the restaurant the previous night as well, and so the group had decided to turn it into a double date. Chris was already at the restaurant being as he had to manage it, so Wyatt was taking both Kali and Rain.

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45 Minutes later…

Wyatt led the girl's into his brother's restaurant, smiling brightly as he walked through the doors and began to lead the girls to the private booth. His smile faded quickly when the restaurant's host stepped into his path.

"Excuse me, Sir. Do you have a reservation?"

"What?" Wyatt looked at the man incredulously. "I don't need a reservation."

"I'm sorry, Sir, but Saturday and Sunday nights are by reservation only."

"You're new here, aren't you?"

"I started last week, not that it is relevant."

"Look, I'm Piper's son, and these two lovely ladies and I are going to the private booths in the back of the restaurant." Wyatt tried to push his way past the man, but he wouldn't move.

"You are not the owner's son."

"I'm not?"

"No. The owner's son happens to be the manager of this fine establishment."

"He's my younger brother. Why don't you just go get him and we'll settle this."

"The manager is very busy tonight, and cannot spare any time for such things."

"Gonna make it really hard for him to enjoy his date tonight then," Wyatt replied snidely as he pulled out his cell phone and quickly texted his brother as the man blocking his path spoke again.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave if you don't have a reservation." When Wyatt just continued typing on his phone, the man continued. "Please don't make a scene."

Wyatt flipped his phone closed and smiled at the man. "Of course not, Sir," Wyatt purposely over-flowed his words with innocence. "You're not going to make us wait for our ride outside though, are you?" he asked, sitting on the couch in the waiting area. He sighed as he plopped down between Kali and Rain, wrapping an arm around each.

Hardly a minute later, Chris came rushing from the kitchen. "Hey Wy, what with the 9…1…1..pa.." Chris found that he could not find words when he saw Rain stand up from the couch. True, compared to most girls she was still quite casual, but for Rain's standards she might as well have been dressed for her wedding. He had always thought she was gorgeous, but this was something else entirely. She looked like a goddess in his eyes. It was just so different. He was broken from his thoughts as he felt the object of his confusion push his lower jaw back into its normal position.

"That would be why I don't bother. It is so wrong that you have to put on some eye-shadow and straighten your hair to get a reaction."

"Your really cynical about this stuff, you know," Wyatt laughed at his roommate's obvious disdain for his brother's reaction.

"Childhood trauma. Don't ask. Can we eat now, please?"

"Uh, yeah, of course." Chris finally truly broke from his trance as he unconsciously smoothed out the untucked blue dress shirt that he was wearing. He held out his hand and couldn't help but smile at the feeling of her hand in his.

Chris turned to the man that had hindered Wy's entrance to the restaurant and spoke, "Ok François, I know that you came from a five-star restaurant in New York, but we're a little more lax here. Just try not to be so serious."

"Of course, Sir."

"And don't call me 'Sir', please. I am 20 and no where near Sirdom."

As the group walked to the booth, Wyatt couldn't help but send Chris a taunting telepathic message. "Ya know, bro. If you ever want to enter into 'Sirdom', I'm sure I can arrange it for ya, being the next King Arthur and wielder of Excalibur and all."

"Please, make my inferiority complex worse. Just grind it in a little deeper."

Wyatt's laughter in his mind was Chris's only response.

After the group had gotten seated in the private section reserved for family and friends, and had ordered, Chris stood and looked down apologetically at his date. "I have to go and do a quick round of the restaurant really quickly. I'll be right back.

Chris returned right as their food arrived, and as he sat down, he handed Rain a sweatshirt. "I couldn't stand the goose bumps that kept rising on your arm, probably because your sitting right under the air vent."

"I'm not allowed to wear a sweatshirt," Rain said sarcastically before she pulled it on over her head. "Oooo…it's even more comfortable than Wyatt's, and it smells better."

"Good keep his and give me mine back."

"Yea that way I can steal it," Kali smiled and wrinkled her nose at her boyfriend.

"I don't know. I was kind of attached to walking around with 'Halliwell' written on my back. It made me feel special."

"Chris's shirt is even better," Wyatt assured her. "It's his basketball sweatshirt, so it has his name and number, which was 13, on the back of it."

"Please take Chris's. It gives me free domain over Wyatt's. We all get what we want this way."

"Except me!" Chris and Wyatt exclaimed together.

"You guys may think you've won, but they're still our shirts," Chris explained to them slowly, as if they were children.

"And being so, we'll decide when you may where them or not," Wyatt added.

"I'll never sleep with you again," Kali told Wyatt nonchalantly.

"Please, wear it all you want."

Chris rolled his eyes at his brother and looked at Rain. "That won't work on me."

"That's fine, I'd rather steal it from you on occasion, preferably right after you've worn it. The yummy smell is over half the reason girls steal their boy's clothes. Once it's washed you can have it back until you've worn it again."

"That's why you always gave me my sweatshirt back after you'd washed it."

"You stole my boy's sweatshirt so that you could smell him?"

"Well, it was comfortable, and I usually imagined it smelled like Drew Fuller or Johnny Knoxville or Matthew McConaughey."

"Weirdo," Chris told her as he gave her a very strange look.

"I know," she replied simply.

After dinner, the four made their way down to P3-2's alcoves. Once their drinks had been ordered, Kali stood and grabbed Wyatt's hand, pulling him towards the dance floor. Chris was about to ask Rain if she wanted to dance, but his pager went off before he could even speak.

"I'm sorry, I just got a 911 page from my assistant manager. I'll be back as soon as I can."

"No problem," Rain replied easily, absentmindedly running her hand through her hair as she leaned back on the couch.

In a quick moment of what was either courage or craziness (Chris made a mental note to argue with himself about it later) he bent down and kissed Rain on the corner of her mouth before quickly turning and making his way up the back stairs.

45 minutes Chris returned to the alcove to find Kali and Rain laughing hysterically at Wyatt, who had tripped and knocked over all of their drinks.

"Dammit Wyatt, could you be any clumsier?" Chris growled angrily at his older brother as he pulled the down the towel still on his shoulder from his escapades in the kitchen. He began to pick up the broken glass with the towel.

"Relax little bro. Take a breath." Wyatt took the towel from Chris and directed him towards the couch.

Chris sighed deeply and apologized to his brother. "I'm sorry, Wy. I just finished dealing with a complete asshole and some major staff issues. Sorry it took so long." He directed the last part at Rain. Chris sat back on the couch looking defeated as he ran his hands over his face and through his hair.

"It's no big deal," Rain said as she leaned back into Chris, resting her elbow on his shoulder while playing with his hair. She shifted her elbow back slightly and rested her head on his shoulder. She reached over with her distant hand and grabbed Chris's with it. "Let's just sit here and enjoy the music for awhile."

Chris's face broke into a huge grin as he adjusted himself on the couch to make it slightly more comfortable.

Wyatt looked over at Kali and saw that she was trying just as hard as he was to stave off all sarcastic comments.

"Let's go dance so more," she suggested, pulling him to his feet once again. She quietly added, "Before one of us says something to ruin the moment."

Wyatt threw the glass he had gathered in the trash can that one of the maintenance men, Jimmy, had rolled up and smiled as the older man pulled the towel from his hand.

"Thanks Jimmy. Let me know if I can do anything to make it up to ya."

"It's my job," Jimmy replied laughingly.

"But it was my mess."

"I don't know what your mother did to you two growing up, but she needs to do it to the rest of the world's children as well."

Wyatt smiled to the older man before turning to his younger brother. He just couldn't resist. "Remember little bro: Wrap it before you tap it."

"Not even you could ruin this for me, Wy." Chris said as he felt Rain holding back her laughter. Chris rested his head on top of Rain's and closed his eyes. For the first time since he had received the curse as a child he felt completely at peace: he felt completely normal.

Chris and Rain sat together on the couch for a couple of songs, mumbling quietly to each other and just generally enjoying each other's company. Rain quickly broke their comfortable position when 'Black Balloon' came on by the Goo Goo Dolls.

"Dance with me," she demanded, grabbing his hand and pulling him up. Chris allowed himself to be drug to the dance floor and smiled again when Rain turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her head on his shoulder. He couldn't remember the last time he had genuinely, not sarcastically, smiled so much.

They swayed together with the music; both so busy feeling each other that the rest of the club could have ceased to exist as far as they cared. They reluctantly broke apart from each other when the song ended and headed back to the alcoves.

Rain stayed with Chris until the club and above restaurant closed. Kali and Wyatt had ditched them earlier in the night. Rain sat and talked with Chris in the alcoves, occasionally leading him to the dance floor. When he went to go make his rounds in the restaurant and in the club, Rain was left alone with her thoughts.

Earlier that evening, when she had walked into the room in the middle of Wyatt's vanquish, she had decided to tell Chris the truth that very night. Her desire to tell Chris had only intensified when he had kissed her, even if it wasn't a real kiss.

Her resolve had shattered though when she had overheard the two brothers talking earlier at the bar on her and Kali's way back from the dance floor. She had overheard Chris telling Wyatt how much he was enjoying himself, and how nice it was to actually be with someone without magick. She couldn't ruin that for him. Not yet.

After the last of the patrons had left, and the staff was starting to clean, Chris left his assistant manager with the responsibility of locking up the bottom two floors.

As they were leaving they ran into Piper, who had just finished locking up the third floor.

"Are you two leaving for the night?"

"Yeah, Mom. Andy's making sure everything is taken care of. Do you want us to walk you to your car?"

"No. You father's coming to pick me up."

"Do you want us to wait with you?" Rain offered.

"No, you go ahead. I'll be fine. Leo will be here any moment."

"Don't worry about Mom. She's tough."

Chris walked Rain to her door and was about to move in for a kiss goodnight when he heard strange noises coming from inside her room.

"I don't think you want to go in there."

"I think you're right. Those two will be at it for hours, too."

Chris chuckled as he looked down at the floor. He took a deep breath and looked back at Rain. "Do you…uh…maybe..wanna…" Chris was cut off as Rain grabbed his neck and pulled his lips down to meet hers.

"I would love to," she agreed when they finally broke apart.