Hey guys i'm back again! This is the new chapter!

Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed as much as i'd like to own Leo...But thats a different story. I do however own the plot and the characters you don't reconise!

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Topkitten: Thanks for the review! You can be picky if you want it helps me to know that there are mistakes in my work son;t worry about it i will try and be more careful hope you enjoy the next chapter!

Shadow Land

Chapter three: Charmed Conference

"CHIRS!"

Penny saw the lasers coming towards her and she closed her eyes. Chris couldn't get here in time he was just too far away. She was going to die.

Then she felt arms wrap around her and she was moving. She opened her eyes and they were back at the main camp. She nearly fainted with relief. A rate show of emotion from the emotionless Penny Halliwell.

She wrapped her arms around him and sagged. Chris was just pleased he had got to her in time. It had been close and he had thought he had nearly lost his cousin. How did she manage to get into these situations? It was beyond him. Sometimes he could swear she had a death wish.

He would have to talk to dad about assigning her somewhere else if it got worse he just hoped to god that it wouldn't come to that. She would hate him but he'd do it if it meant she was safe.

So help him, he would do it.

She'd hate him but he'd do it. He'd do it so he knew she was safe. Damn her how the hell did she get herself into these situations?

"Is she ok?" Penny turned at the voice "I'm fine Clay." She let go of Chris and walked away and had she just been clinging to him Chris would have never known she was feeling insecure.

"Just another notch in my belt." She shrugged. At that moment Drake shimmered in and in and turned to talk to Clay but an anthame hit him in the shoulder and he turned hissing in pain.

"Now, I'd love to know what I did to deserve that Fire." He said conversationally to Penny.

Chris wasn't surprised. No one had seen the anthame move but if Drake said it was Penny then it had been because she was lethal when she was unstable at times such as now.

Sure enough Penny didn't even bother to deny it.

"That was for leaving me wide open to the witch hunters. You were meant to be covering me!" She screamed. She pushed Drake and screamed and screamed about teamwork and him being there for her.

"I know you hate me Drake, but damn, I needed your help back there. I nearly died."

Penny couldn't believe she was losing control in front of her team but she had nearly died and it could have been avoided. Damn it! This time it hadn't been her fault and she was not going to take the blame for something that defiantly been her fault.

Drake said nothing.

He did nothing.

His eyes didn't even darken.

He was perfectly calm and he simply let Penny shout and scream at him. She screamed until she couldn't physically scream anymore and then when she fell silent he lifted an eyebrow.

"Are you finished?" He said perfectly calm.

Penny simply stared at him. He usually shouted back and at the very least and at the very worst they came to blows.

The last time that happened Penny had broke her collarbone. Her own stupidity if she was truthful with herself but Drake had definitely started that round.

Thinking of nothing else to say Penny nodded slowly. "Right. So can I tell you what actually happened?" Drake said with a hiss as he pulled the anthemae from his shoulder and Chris walked over and looked at it.

Drake didn't look at Penny. Instead he looked at the blood, his blood, which was covering the knife.

"You're always the same Penny. You might be powerful but you always blast everything and ask questions later. Instinctive and impulsive."

Penny opened her mouth to argue but his next words shocked her into silence. "Usually the Halliwell way works. But this time you were wrong Penny."

Penny was still shocked from the fact he had paid her a complement to take in his next words but when she did she opened her mouth again. "You can argue with me all you like when I'm finished." Drake said still examining the knife.

"God knows I enjoy the arguments every now again. But Hell I don't deserve it this time. I was actually behind you. I stepped right into the laser to stop it getting to you. I'm immortal you're not. I was shooting behind you to stop them getting at your back."

Penny went to argue but Clay stepped in this time. "Penny." She spun on him. "You believe this?" She demanded. "There was no way he was behind me the hunters got in behind me!"

"They bloody well did not!" Chris said, "That's how I got to you. You know I usually side with you but this time you're wrong Penny, you're wrong."

Penny looked at Chris. Her eyes betrayed her hurt that her cousin didn't believe her. But then she thought about it and she realised that Chris was right. He had grabbed her from behind.

She knew that she was wrong.

She knew it thinking about it. But it didn't mean she had to like it and it also didn't mean she still felt something wrong with the explanation she had been given.

Penny Halliwell was not someone to be crossed and she did not trust easily. She looked at Drake and narrowed her eyes.

Drake did nothing he simply shrugged and looked her, his mouth forming the words "bring it on!"

She went for him but Chris picked her up round her waist and threw her behind him. "DAMN IT! PENNY NO!" He yelled

Penny flinched. She hated it when Chris yelled at her. He rarely did but when he did, like now it wasn't something she liked to experience.

She turned to him and tried to argue but the look in his face told her that she shouldn't even try and if anything that made her more annoyed.

But she didn't dare try and do anything else so she shot a death glare at Drake and stormed off.

Chris shook his head. Why couldn't she keep out of trouble for one minute? He'd had enough with her "go in all guns blazing" tactics. It was time she thought about her life and if he had to force her to do just that well so be it.

He turned in the direction of the Command Tower; he was going to talk to Leo.

As it happened he almost walked past Leo because he was in the medical tent. Chris only realised this when he heard his dad's voice. "So I'm glad your feeling better."

Chris turned and pushed open the door. "Yes thank-you." An unfamiliar male voice answered. Chris realised that it must be the guy they had brought in. Chris smiled. It was always good when they pulled through.

He hadn't been sure the guy would.

"Thank-you. Melinda tells me you did the initial fancy work thanks." That was the guy's voice again and Chris was pleased that someone realised just how much legwork Leo did.

The Knights really would be lost without him.

"It's nothing." Leo said and from the way he said it Chris could tell he was smiling. Now seemed like a good time to announce himself.

He pulled back the curtain and Leo and the guy turned and looked at him, Leo's face told him everything he needed know. They would be formal in front of this guy Leo didn't trust him enough yet to be anything but.

"Leo, I'm sorry to interrupt but could I have a word." Leo nodded and smiled down at the guy. "I shall come and check on you later Zack." Zack nodded and said, "Thanks again Leo." Leo waved and then walked out the tent with Chris.

They walked a good way across the compound to the deserted hanger and then Leo said, "Okay Chris talk to me."

"It's Penny Dad I'm worried about her. I think she needs to be taken off field duty for a while."

Leo didn't seem at all surprised by this statement and Chris mentally kicked himself for thinking that he would be. Leo, despite hopping round the globe to the many cells of his operations always knew what was going on when and where inside each cell.

"Really?" He asked "Can you back up your claims?" Chris knew Leo was only being proper. He knew Leo agreed with him but as Leader of The Black Knights he needed evidence not just the love of his niece to take her off field duty.

"Today she was ambushed no one's fault but blamed Drake when it was Drake who saved her life."

Chris said, "Dad I love her and I usually back her up but she's being unreasonable and she's wrong. She has no concept of her own life and while that can be a good thing, it gives her an edge none of us have, it's getting to the point where it's dangerous."

Leo nodded and said, "I'll see to it. Now see Bear and he will debrief you." Chris nodded and walked away feeling confident he had done everything he could for the time.

He suspected that once Penny realised what he had done she wouldn't speak to him but if it meant that she was safe and she learned to fight safely while still getting results then it would be worthwhile.

He would not back down this time. He nearly lost her this time and he knew that Aunt Phoebe if she was here would have agreed with him.

The Charmed Ones were always successful but not at the expense of their own lives, not if it could be helped at all.

Leo had known this would come; he had been briefed about what things could happen in the future. He knew that this must happen yet he had done everything he could possibly manage to stop it coming about yet it had creped up on him anyway.

He shook his head. He was just sorry at the pain and the trails the Knights would have to endure before any chance of prevailing would come about.

Phoebe had told him of this one her last day on earth. She had called him to her, not to help her escape to give a prediction a prediction that involved her daughter and the Black Knights.

She had foresaw the making of the Black Knights with Leo at their head through she never told him why they were in existence. That became apparent all too soon.

She foresaw the victory of the Black Knights sometime in the future though she never told him when, though she did say the enemies children would enter where their parents dare not.

Leo shook his head.

Damn Phoebe for being right!

But that meant of course that before they had any chance of prevailing, they would loose a battle and his niece would suffer heartache.

He did not want it but he had tried to prevent it and nothing had happened other than it had come at a time when he thought it impossible.

He should know better than to mess with fate and destiny they seemed to have it in with all those destined to be Charmed and everyone that was ever attached to them.

There was a time Leo would have been pleased to just be a White Lighter, but now those days were gone and he had to be more.

He had to be more without Piper by his side. Piper, he thought about her all the time.

Every minute of every day. He wished she could be with him but it wasn't safe for her and Paige to come back to earth.

He wasn't sure it would ever be and so they had to be "up there" separated from all they had known and all that they had loved. One day, Leo swore as he walked back through the compound. One day he would bring them back again.

He had not seen Piper for over a year and his heart regularly bled when the pain of separation became too much. But Piper and Paige were doing their own little bit up there where it was safe.

Now it was time to see his wife and sister-in-law.

He orbed up to the secure wing of Haven and his handprint was checked along with his magical signature. The door opened and he walked through.

A woman in a white cloak came flying out of nowhere and hit Leo in the chest. Leo staggered but threw his arms around the figure. "Hi Piper." His voice clogged with emotion. Piper drew back and looked at her husband.

"Still as cute as ever." Leo smiled. Piper herself hadn't aged since the day she had been brought here. She was older than her Demon fighting days but she had three children to show for it. She was still as beautiful as she had been, she had been forty two when Leo had Orbed her from earth. Now she was forty-two for eternality. Time did not pass once you had been in Haven an extended period of time.

One thing that had changed though was that Piper now had long white streaks through her long dark hair. Another side effect of being in Haven to long. Leo bent his head and kissed his wife. She kissed him back and hugged him to her.

"I've missed you." She whispered. "I've missed you too." Leo said holding her tight. They stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity just holding each other.

But then they drew apart and Piper looked at her husband and said; "Now as much as I would like to believe you came to see me alone I know that's not the case. There's something wrong what is it?"

"Our niece what else?" Leo asked tiredly. Leo ran a hand through his hair and shook his head and then said, "I need to speak to you and Paige." Piper frowned but nodded and took his hand leading him through corridors only she could see.

She got to a door and whispered an incantation and it swung open. She flashed a smile at Leo and then led him inside.

"Leo!" Called a figure from the other side of the room. Paige ran into view her almost black hair, like her sisters, streaked with white.

"Hi Paige." Leo said smiling. It really was good to see them both again. "What brings you to the world of exile." Leo frowned. "Better exiled than dead." Paige looked like she was going to argue but Piper shot her down with a glare.

"It's about time you realised that our part of in the Black Knights is here." Paige sighed. "I know. I just hate being away from the twins." "You think I like being away from Wyatt, Chris and Melinda? I don't like being away from any of them my nieces included. But that's the way it is."

Paige looked down at the floor and then back again and said, "I know and I'm sorry. It's just hard being away from what I know. I didn't ever imagine it would be this way. "

She looked at Piper and Piper stared her out before saying, " I know exactly how you feel. I'm in the same position remember?"

Paige nodded and then hugged her sister briefly and then broke apart and Piper looked at Leo and said, "So going back to Paige's original question why are you here?"

Leo sighed and shook his head. "Penny." Piper immediately became concerned and said, "She's ok isn't she?" "Yeah." Leo sighed. "She's fine. Just got a damn death wish." "She still hasn't learned the difference between walking the line and crossing it?" Paige said frowning.

"No." Leo said. "Chris came to see me today and said that it's getting dangerous. Plus Phoebe's prediction is starting to become reality as she said it would."

Piper and Paige looked haunted at the mention of the death of their sister but they also knew that life had to go on. The Charmed Ones would never be Charmed again but now it was their children's turn.

Piper came out of her memory first at the mention of Phoebe's prediction there was only the three of them that were aware of it and they had begun to think for the first time ever Phoebe had been wrong.

But looking at Leo now Piper realised that Leo had been waiting for this and it was what he had been dreading.

"What are you going to do?" Paige asked. "Ban her from field operations for a month. I'm going to retrain her and she will also learn what it is to be a witch again she is so full of hatred. She is close to making the mistake her mother did."

Piper flinched. It still hurt that after everything they had been through Phoebe would still break the most basic rule in Wiccan Law. Never cause intentional harm to a mortal.

Paige looked scared this was not good. They had known from the moment that Phoebe was going to be committed to the flames that Penny would be full of hatred for the people they had once swore to protect.

She said, "Then she must be taken off field duty. Phoebe learned her lesson too late I will not let her daughter make the same mistake."

Piper nodded. "I agree. Phoebe would not want Penny to make the same mistake. As witches we protect the innocent not punish the guilty."

Leo nodded looking proud, even after everything the sisters had been though they still were the good witches they always had been. "This is something I try and make the Knights remember but the lines between Black and White fade to grey in times like this."

Piper shot a look at her husband. "Do you want us to join the Council today?" Leo smiled. Sometimes he wondered if Piper could read his mind. And he said so. "Sometimes I wish I could just to make sure your safe." Piper said with feeling.

She was more than aware just how much danger Leo was in as head of the Black Knights he was the most wanted man in the world but she couldn't be more proud of him.

"We'll come." The sisters answered after Leo asked them just for good measure.

They gathered round Leo and he orbed out and for the first time since the war the sisters were aware they were going to see their children.

They orbed out in a burst of white light.