Disclaimer: Don't own Charmed. My socks don't match today and I forgot what the heck an inverse was. Lol. I've been outta sorts all day, so if this chappie is a lil wierd...er, weird, excuse me...you'll know why...lol just kidding I did this chappie yesterday (thought I'd posted it but I was wrong!)

Chapter Four

Travis walked down the streets of San Francisco as casually as he could. Whenever he saw a cop or suspicious looking person, he'd pull out a cell phone and pretend to talk on it so they wouldn't bother him. He zipped up his raincoat, unzipped it; generally fiddled around like a normal person would. Not like there were explosives in his pocket. Much to his annoyance, he needed the weapons.

But the Alliance needed him more.

"Okay, Susie, I'll call you back," he muttered into the dead cell phone as a cop car passed by. As soon as they drove away, he said into it, "Of course I'd love to stick around and chat, but hell, it's a little difficult. I find you just a little boring. Hope you don't take offense, honey." Rolling his eyes, he hung up. There was only a block to go. Fortunately the Alliance headquarters were only about a mile away from his house.

He rounded the corner into an alley. "Peace," he said to the brick wall. It slid open and allowed him entrance, shutting tight behind him.

Inside was a bustling society that rather resembled an office building. Cubicles scattered the area while the Brains (as the people in training affectionately dubbed them) worked out battle plans and schemes. They weren't just brains, though; some of them had to be pretty good liars. A few of them were even ex-CIA agents. That was, of course, only because the CIA had pretty much gone caput after all the Witch Hunting started. No one could control the riots. Espionage in other countries became less of an issue.

Travis waved hello to a few of the people he knew, some of which he'd recruited himself. That was part of his job as a squadron leader. He recruited people for his squadron and trained them. They hadn't actually fought anyone yet, but Travis was sure that day would come eventually.

"Yo, Travis, my man!"

Travis looked back. His friend Jack, one of the Brains, motioned him over to a messy cubicle with a laptop. "Just thought I'd let you know…we sense a new power in the area."

"Sense? Says who?"

"Diana."

"Can I talk to her?"

"She's not here right now. Wanna read the report? I just printed it off," said Jack, picking up a paper from the tray.

Rumors of new power in the city of San Francisco. Out on a lead. Be back by midnight, assuming. –Diana

"Interesting," said Travis. "Did she mention anything specific? Good or bad? What kind of power was it?"

Jack shrugged. "Sorry, I heard as much as you did. Hopefully it's on our side, though."

"Yeah, hopefully. Well, I'm going down to the training unit. See you later tonight for the meeting, then?"

"Yeah, see you then," said Jack, taking the report back and sitting back on the swivel chair to type on his laptop. "I'm talking to a Witch Hunter," he revealed in a whisper. "They think I'm one of them. I think I'm getting some good information on what parts of the city they're hitting."

"That's great," Travis encouraged him. "Just be careful."

"Sure."

Travis hit the down arrow button on the elevator and waited. Once inside, he checked his watch. About three pm. Was it really going to take Diana until midnight? he thought to himself, frowning. He couldn't help but worry if it was going to take that long. This person must be pretty sneaky. Then again, nobody possessing any sort of magic was eager to be found these days.

He sighed to himself in the empty elevator. Something so grand and magnificent perceived as evil to the world—it was such a shame.

Suddenly the elevator spun. He grabbed the side wall and waited. He knew what was going to happen.

A boy moaned in the darkness. In the distance there were torches coming closer, angry voices gaining on him.

Travis strained to see more, but it was near impossible. Everything was completely black around them.

"Help…"

Travis snapped out of the vision just as quickly as he'd snapped into it.

"Coach?" asked one of the younger teens he was training. The elevator had reached his floor and the door was open on the training grounds. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Tony. Spaced out. Go find Zachary, will you? He'll be training you today, I have to train the older groups."

"Sure, Coach."

Travis knew that there were many open witches in the Alliance these days, and that it wasn't that big of a deal when someone possessed powers. Yet Travis still didn't feel comfortable with people knowing he was a witch. It wasn't safe, he decided. You could never be too sure.

He pushed the vision into the back of his mind. Usually he'd receive random visions that would have nothing to do with him, and this was probably one of them. It didn't look like his new squadron would be readily trained for awhile, so chances were that he wouldn't be going out to patrol for anytime soon.

The sliding doors opened into the training area. "Everyone here and accounted for?" Travis asked.

"Yeah," one of the older trainees, probably about five years older than Travis himself, responded. "Everyone's here."

"Then let's get started."

Chris shifted his fork on his plate, moving the gooey syrupy mess of pancake around absent-mindedly. Carefully he recounted the conversation he and Wyatt had. Well, it made sense. Somewhere deep inside Chris had known Wyatt never really hated him. In a way, Chris was sure that Piper—whether she was the Piper of this world or not—didn't hate him, either.

"Quit doing that," Piper scolded him.

Chris dropped the fork, but otherwise ignored her. "Hey, Paisley, you wanna go to the park?" he asked her.

"Sure!" The little girl hopped up from the chair, her strawberry blonde curls bouncing. "Let's go."

"I'm coming too," Wyatt said suddenly.

"Have fun." Piper pulled her chair away from the table, standing up without taking her plate away. "I'm going to a meeting, alright? Don't stay out too long."

She was talking to Wyatt, of course, but Chris didn't really care. Hope overwhelmed him now. He didn't mean to be hopeful because he knew there was a chance he could be wrong, but it seemed like there could finally be a light at the end of the tunnel. He couldn't have Abby back, but…

"Lemme get my coat," said Paisley, running into the hallway. "Mommy! Daddy! We're going to the park, okay?" she called.

"Chris, don't you wanna go to the park with me?"

"But it's cold outside. Besides, Mommy's not home yet. We shouldn't. Just stay put, okay?"

"Okay."

Chris flinched. "Wyatt, do you have a coat I can borrow?" he asked.

"No, loser," Wyatt sneered. "Why would I let you borrow one of my coats? You'd stink it up."

Chris caught a glance at Piper. She didn't react, but Chris thought he saw the hint of a smile. Could Wyatt be right? Were they seriously onto something now?

"Let's go," Paisley stressed impatiently from the doorway. "Hurry up."

"Sorry," Chris muttered, leaving the house.

"Here." Wyatt handed Chris a second sweater he'd smuggled under his coat. "Couldn't find anything else that I could hide easily."

Chris smiled. "Thanks."

Once they arrived at the park, Paisley set to the slides and Chris and Wyatt sat down in the sandbox. Chris smirked. People probably thought they were just your average little kids playing around.

"I've found a spell based on the research I've done," Wyatt informed him.

Chris cocked an eyebrow. "Then what do you need me for?"

"I can't do it alone, Chris. There needs to be somebody else."

"So I'm back-up."

"No, not back-up. A partner. I mean, like I said, you're the brains of the operation. I just read things—I can't come up with them on the fly," Wyatt explained. "Anyway, I was thinking…maybe tonight?"

"Tonight? To do what?"

"The spell."

"You never told me what the spell was for."

"To get to the other dimension. The parallel universe Mom is stuck in," Wyatt said, exasperated. "Aren't you following me?"

"Trying to. Slow down. Sometimes you have to think these things out, Wyatt. We can't just go barging into a parallel universe. How would we explain ourselves? 'Hi, I'm your nephew Chris, except I like fairies and nature and love. Could I borrow my mommy for a moment and duck into an unknown portal?'"

"We wouldn't be that stupid."

"Okay, then how do you propose we do it?"

Wyatt didn't say anything. He fiddled with his hands in the sand before finally admitting, "Fine. You're right. Then what do you propose we do?"

"Disguise ourselves, for one thing. The two of us being there is going to throw off balance in our realm as it is—let's not screw up theirs' as well." Chris frowned in thought. "We'll need plenty of potions and we'll have to keep our guard up. If the Piper we know now is twisted, chances are the rest of them will be too."

"Potions. Right. I'll get on that."

"It'll take at least a day, Wyatt."

"Not if we work together—the adults are out most of the day."

Chris was growing agitated. It was just like Wyatt to jump into things. Couldn't he ever just test the waters before he dove? Couldn't he think for just a moment?

"Yeah, but we're going to need more potions than one day can produce. Stronger potions. It might take a little while."

"We don't have that kind of time!" Wyatt pressed. "Mom and Abby are stuck!"

"Abby isn't—" Chris took a deep breath. "It's been a year and a half, Wyatt. We can wait a week longer."

"A week?" Wyatt nearly squealed, his face falling.

"You wanted my help," Chris pointed out. "You're getting it."

"A week," Wyatt grumbled. "Might as well just sit on our butts and let Piper screw us over. Huh? Is that what you want?"

"No! You know that's not what I want!"

"Then we'll do it tonight," Wyatt pressed, his eyes full of mischievous glint. "Tonight. Think of how happy Mom and Abby will be to see us after all this time."

Chris sighed. "There's no way I can talk you out of this, then?"

"Probably not." Wyatt grinned sheepishly.

Chris paused for a moment. "Alright," he gave in, offering his fist. "I'm in."

The two brothers pounded fists, marking the beginning of their new promise to each other.

Yet Chris couldn't shake the feeling of dread. He watched Paisley on the monkey bars, so carefree and happy, not even caring that half the world could see up her skirt—she was so joyful. So innocent.

What had happened to them?

Thanks for all the reviews, guys!