A Charmed Story - Part Four:
Marriage with Obstacles
Chapter 11

Paige, Tom and Julian had shimmered straight to the very core of the temple, next to what looked like an altar, only that it had some skulls on it, looking fiercely at them. Paige startled, and Tom became pale, but the woman had her grisp tightly pressing his arm, so he couldn't step back. Julian was completely unseen.
"Well, we're here now... what about those terrible alarms, that...?"
No alarms, but a pointed end of a spear touched Paige's neck: "Turn around..."
The girl did as she was told, forgetting about her new shape.
"Gabriel?" the voice asked. "We thought you were dead... And why the hell did the alarms sound?"
"What? I didn't hear th... Ouch!" She had just received a kick on her leg, coming from an invisible foot. The two demons were looking at her with his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I did... didn't hear you coming men... Yeah... I'm alive. Those bastards thought they had killed me... This little crap... He thought his childish ice could hurt me." She pushed Tom ahead, and the boy fell on the floor, after slipping a bit with the humid floor. "Sorry..." she murmured.
Tom had cast an angry glance at her, but then he looked at the demons, and turned pale. They were smirking, and pointed at his neck with their spears.
"A good prey, isn't it? I think he's helping the Charmed Ones..." one said.
The other kept looking at Paige: "Why the hell the alarm sounded?"
Paige was going crazy, what alarm? She hadn't heard any! It seems that only the Sorix could...
"Maybe because this... the prisoner, I mean, has tried to escape shimmering."
"Shimmering?" asked the second demon. "So, is he a demon on the good side?"
The first pressed his spear on the neck of the boy, making him tremble.
"Yeah, yeah..." Paige noticed his fear, so she grabbed his arm and made him stand up. "But everything at a time. Now we need... Chris and Piper, I guess... And that Zankou... have you seen him? He's been killing our people..." she said suddenly remembering what had happened when he had her chained in his lair. "He's a traitor, so if he's somewhere over here..."
The two demons looked at each other, startled.
Although Paige and Tom didn't know, they were alone now... Julian had left, in search for the alarms and a way to stop them. He had to bring the others as soon as possible.

°°°°°°°°°°

When Leo, Chris Steve and Bianca rematerialised, some energy balls were flying through the air next to them. "Shit!" Steve exclaimed. As fast as they could they were ducking behind some barrels and rocks.
"You've taken a nice moment to come back," Piper winked at Chris. She was hiding at the same place.
"Are you alright mom? And my...?" he pointed at her womb.
Piper nodded: "We're fine, thanks." Chris sighed relieved.
"Why didn't you leave this place?" Leo asked.
"Because that shield, or whatever kept Paige and Chris here, is still working... The only way out is shimmering," his wife explained.
"Great," Steve mumbled from the other side..
Chris looked at the demons. There were about a dozen of them, throwing one energy ball after another.
Then he looked at his father: "Should we end this?"
Leo frowned: "Chris, our powers are not made to kill demons that way. I don't..." Meanwhile, Piper was blowing up two of the demons.
Chris just looked at Leo wonderingly: "Dad!... We don't have the time..." Leo sighed. Then he nodded.
"Alright, up to three," Chris said, "one... two..."
"Keep down," Leo ordered to the others.
"THREE!" Chris yelled, and rose from their cover, same as Leo.
Both men began to throw out energy flashes in every direction. The whole cave was covered with light for about one minute.
Then, everything was dark again, dark and calm. No yelling, no noise of energy balls hitting the walls... nothing. Piper raised her head a little. There was no demon to see. Only some little piles of ashes let them imagine what the Elders had done.
"Good job, dad," Chris said with a smile.
Leo grinned: "But that will not grow into a habit, alright?" Chris nodded with a smile.
The others looked at the Elders a little shocked and a bit fearful. Also Bianca did. That was the first time they really saw what the two men were able to do.
Chris took his arm around her, and looked into her eyes: "Hey, what's wrong?"
"I... for a moment..." she whispered, "it was like...well, you scared me a little..."
Chris swallowed. He didn't mean to make her afraid of his powers: "Don't be scared, honey... Please... You know, I wouldn't hurt anyone... except demons who want to hurt my love..." Bianca nodded weakly. Then she smiled. She knew he would never hurt anyone with that huge power he had. She knew it, even if this had been so...
"Why does it seem to me that you and Chris would be able to destroy every evil in the world just with a wink?" Phoebe asked, while Steve was hugging Nicki lovely.
Leo sighed: "That's halfway right... But these powers are not for destroying, they are for protection."
Piper agreed: "And you did it very well this time..." She turned around: "But now we have to go out of here."
The others nodded.
Phoebe turned to Bianca: "Are you strong enough to shimmer us out, one by one? I mean... because of your pregnancy."
Bianca shrugged: "I'll try."
So they went a little closer to the invisible forcefield and the Phoenix started to shimmer them out, one after another.

°°°°°°°°°°

Belthazor had observed that scene too. Now he smiled. 'Impressing,' he thought. "Now I understand the Sorix... If you had a power greater than that..." he whispered.
He frowned, thinking about that. But then, he shook his head.
"No!" he said. 'He will not destroy you or your world,' he thought to himself, 'He had his chance... If he had wanted to, he would have done it!'
Then a short beep came from another computer. Someone wanted to visit the source, so he flamed back to his lair.
"Yeah," he murmured, when he arrived behind his demon-spy..
"We have registered an alarm from the temple, my lord," the demon said.
Belthazor nodded: "And the door, did the demons find it?"
The other demon shook his head.
Belthazor nodded again and moved his hand to show him that he should leave him alone again. There was a lot more to think about.

°°°°°°°°°°

"Zankou is here, yes..." one of the Sorix answered staring at her suspiciously. "But he said it had been the Charmed Ones and these damned kids that were killing our people."
"So I guess we can start asking this boy here..." the other demon added, grabbing Tom from the collar of his shirt.
Paige pushed him immediately and tightened her grisp on Tom's arm, causing the Sorix to look at her in surprise.
"He's lying, evidently," she said, furiously. "I saw him killing some of our brothers, actually... I escaped from the massacre, in his lair. Right after he got the older Chris. He betrayed you... us, I mean."
Tom cast a scolding look at Paige, since she had been about to give it all away. But whether the Sorix noticed or not, they'd never know...
Because at that time, Zankou showed himself up. "Gee... Good disguise, witch," he whispered, as he threw her against a wall, and made Tom fly towards him. "But you don't have any idea of who you are playing with, do you?" he smirked.
He had caught Tom, who was desperately struggling to let go off his grip, and the two remaining Sorix looked at him confused.
Tom didn't know what to do. But Paige stood up with some difficulty and recovered her own shape. Then she told him: "Come here, Tom!" They had to escape. Their plan had failed... Her sisters hadn't been able to arrive on time.
Suddenly, they heard a voice behind the Sorix. "Waiting for family, Paige?"

°°°°°°°°°°

Julian had run away as soon as he could, letting Paige and the boy alone. He had no other chance. He had to find the alarms and stop them. Demonic alarms... great. But he knew a lot about demons. So he knew where he should search for them. And he didn't like it... The cells of torture were really scaring and depressing. But that was the place.
Who'd dare to go to that place...? Who'd be able to enter? He knew that only shimmering was allowed. He didn't think about it. A few minutes later, he was in the small room from where all the powers that kept the temple's magic working were controlled.
Of course... demonic alarms were magic alarms. Nothing related to computers... But he, and only he, could destroy them. He knew that too. As well as he had known he'd be able to shimmer.
Damn it... It had been a while since he had got those powers, but he never wanted to use them. Why did Zankou have to say that? 'If they discover who you are... they'll kill you.' But they'd discover sooner or later. He had to risk it all. He had to do that...
So he had shimmered inside the room where the alarms were working, and he also turned them off. With a simple movement of his hand...
Julian smirked. No active powers... a witch with no active powers... Yes, that was what he was. What he had been, and what he'd be in the future. He swore that. If he had a future, anyway. But now, he had had to do that. To save the Halliwells. To save the future.
Now, all was settled. He only needed to warn the other sisters, and hope that they arrived on time.

°°°°°°°°°°

Once they were all outside Zankou's lair, they started to pace around, trying to find the hidden door. "There's not much time left..." murmured Phoebe.
Nicki had been looking at Steve, still shocked by the great power displayed minutes before by Leo and Chris. She had always admired Chris... Now, she also feared him, somehow. That prophecy, that power...
Steve swore in a loud voice: "I can't sense Tom yet! Where the hell are they?"
Piper and Leo looked at the boy, sympathetically. "Where Tom is, you can't sense or connect with no one. Julian told us. But he had to go..." Piper explained, giving out a sigh.
"Can't we orb there? Shimmer?" he went on asking.
"They said it was dangerous, there are alarms and..."
"No alarms at all," a smiley Julian was behind them. "Come on, I guess Paige and Tom are really looking forward to seeing you... You can just orb, shimmer, or whatever you like."
He winked at Phoebe, who jumped feeling relieved: "No bridges over the lava! Yes!"

°°°°°°°°°°

Victor went on reading a little bit. Another chapter... The fifth one he had read since they had been left alone. But Wyatt was asking for another one!
He had woken up just a few minutes after the others left, and started to ask for a tale.
Cole had looked at Victor and then he had smiled at Wyatt: "Hey, little warrior... Tell grandpa to read that book you like so much. He'd be dying to do that."
Victor raised an eyebrow, but Wyatt was already pulling the sleeve of his jacket, and showing him the book.
"Hamlet?" he had asked, surprised.
Cole grinned: "A clever child... He likes Shakespeare..."
"You must be kidding, man..." Victor half-smiled.
But Cole simply shrugged and lied on the sofa: "I've got a headache... I need a rest now."
"No..." Victor said laughing. But he stopped doing so when he realised that Cole was speaking seriously, and that Wyatt was still pulling from his clothes and pointing at the book.
With a prolonged sigh, he took the book and opened it. And he started laughing... Inside the leather covers of a Shakespearean book, someone had hidden the first part of Harry Potter.
Cole opened his eyes and smiled at him: "Well... the lady in charge of this library says these are stupid books which only tell nonsense and teach nothing... She was determined to destroy Harry Potter, so Wyatt and I had to figure out what to do about this tragedy... and fast!"
Victor laughed out loud: "You do really get on well."
"In adversity... You know," Cole closed his eyes slowly...
And now, he was even snoring.
Victor smiled. If he had ever hated him... He couldn't do that anymore. Not after that day. He was grateful, after all, that he had had that opportunity to meet him.
He sighed. He just wished he had the same opportunity with his grandson. Such a brave man... He looked at his watch. Time flies...
"But Harry knew he would succeed. He turned to Hermione and Ron and..." he went on reading.

°°°°°°°°°°

The demons turned around, there they stood. Phoebe, Piper, Leo, Chris, Bianca, Nicki and Steve. And in front of them Julian, who smiled.
The Sorix seemed to have turned into stone. When they saw Chris and Piper standing side by side they were so scared that they couldn't move.
Zankou smiled back at the coloured witch: "You can't destroy me Julian... you need me!"
Julian's eyes turned cold. Phoebe felt that he was desperate in a way, and sad, and also determined. It was a weird mixture of emotions.
"I can, and I will... even if there is no way back for me," Julian answered coldly.
Chris looked at him frowning. 'No way back? What is this about?' he thought.
Tom, who had shimmered next to Paige, tried to freeze Zankou's feet again. But again it had no effect. But then Piper let his left foot explode, making Zankou yelling furious in pain.
Then, Bianca went over to him. Chris wanted to stop her, but she was too fast. She used her Phoenix-powers, grasping him in his back to keep him from shimmering. "The spell!" she yelled.
Paige ran over to the others, who pulled out the papers with the spell again. Together they read.
"Many deaths you have gone through
you, the demon called Zankou.
Now we're sending you back together,
you will be dead, now and forever."
As soon as they finished, a bright light appeared in the middle of Zankou's body... and it went bigger and brighter. The witches had to shadow their eyes. The demon yelled in pain. The witches ducked. Then he exploded. The shock wave threw Bianca through the hall, same as the two Sorix.
Chris ran over to his love. She was lying on he ground unconscious. But she was alive, and Chris could see that Hope was healing her. So he raised his head and looked for Julian. There was something he wanted to ask, but the witch was gone.
Meanwhile the Sorix rose. The explosion had brought them back into reality. Now they were ready to fight.

°°°°°°°°°°

When Cole woke up, the only thing he heard was a soft giggling of Wyatt. Slowly he turned his head. Victor was sitting there, sleeping, the book in one arm and Wyatt in the other.
Cole grinned, and looked at the boy: "Seems your grandpa is tired too."
He rose and went over to them, taking up Wyatt and hugging him.
"Oh my little friend, I love you so much!" he whispered. Wyatt was giggling again. Then Cole sighed looking at the boy: "I hope my daughter will be as wonderful as you... and even the second one... But there is still time... still time..." He sighed again. He wished Phoebe was pregnant too, but... No... not now... "You know what?" he went on. "You will be a great big brother... you will save your older-younger brother... well... he said you will." Wyatt was giggling again. "And I'm sure you will help me to raise my daughters, right? Like a great older cousin!" Cole smiled.
"Daughters?" Victor asked with a sleepy voice and yawned.
Cole sighed: "Good morning, Victor."
"I thought... I mean, Chris told me that you had one daughter..." Victor went on unflinching.
Cole sat down in front of him. "O.k.," he sighed, "you must swear that you will not tell this to any of them."
Victor nodded.
"When adult Wyatt was here the second time - the good version I mean - I talked with him a little. And well, he behaved as a real big mouth... He told me that in his time... Well... the time we are actually on the way to... in this time, Phoebe and me will have a second daughter. A younger one..."
Victor nodded: "And in Chris's time that girl didn't exist."
"Exactly." Cole sighed again: "And I don't want them to know that... I don't want Phoebe to feel like under pressure, you know."
Victor smiled. That man was really... a good one. And surely the perfect man for his youngest daughter. He nodded.
"Well..." he started then again, "if this adventure is over and the kids are married... well... Do you like playing golf?"
"What?" Cole asked surprised. "Are you asking me to play golf with you?"
Victor nodded smiling: "Yeah... That's the right sport for an old man like me." He laughed. Cole wasn't sure how to react so he smiled a little, confused.
"I thought you and me could have a little fun together," Victor went on, "I mean... You... as my future son-in-law... and... as the only real human in this family except me..."
Cole shook his head. Then he imagined how they both would stand together close to hole Number 18... and having fun. That was weird, so he began to laugh too.
Cole had never imagined that he and Victor could become friends one day, but now it seemed they were on the right way...

°°°°°°°°°°

Belthazor turned around when Julian shimmered in. Raising an eyebrow he asked: "Didn't you say that you would never use your demonic powers?"
Julian smiled weakly: "Well... what can I say...?"
"So he is dead?" Belthazor asked, coming back to the point.
Julian nodded: "Yeah... now there are only two Sorix left, but they will manage that on their own."
The source was looking at the witch with sorrow. He wished he had been able to do more. "I'm sorry," he said.
"For what?" Julian asked. "It wasn't your fault that Zankou imprisoned me and used me as guinea pig for his crazy experiments... you were the one who saved me... at least I've gained some active powers." He smiled weakly. But it was a sad smile, a desperate one.
"But I sent you to kill him, the only one who could have been able to give you your old life back."
"But we saved the two Chrises," Julian remarked, "they are more important than I could ever be."
"Anyway, I'm sorry," Belthazor said again.
Julian knew that he really meant it. It was really crazy... Belthazor, the source of all evil with remains of a good soul, and a witch with unnatural demonic powers... They were really a crazy couple. That was what bound them together...
"Thanks," he said. And Belthazor nodded.

°°°°°°°°°°

"Hey! Do you think this is appropriate, you guys?"
Victor and Cole, surprised, turned to look at the voice behind them, out of the library.
There was Piper, her arms folded on her chest and an angry look in her eyes.
Cole and Victor looked at each other, then at Wyatt... And the child chuckled, unaware of what was going on... Then, the two men turned to look at Piper again, with a naughty but embarrassed smile on their faces.
The three were sitting on the floor, all the clothes creased, and dirty, and surrounded by old books and other objects, all building up a sort of magical castle.
Piper continued, feigning her anger, amused at the startled looks of the two men: "Did you forget the wedding? You should have been ready by now!"
"Are you all fine then? Is this all finished?" both asked at the same time.
Piper smiled, and sighed deeply, rolling her eyes, as if she was tired of giving explanations of that type: "Of course we are, and everything is alright! It's my son's wedding, for God's sake! I said we'd have it, and we will!"
The two men jumped from the floor, and took Wyatt in their arms, too happy to be described.
"Yes!" Cole said, triumphantly.
Victor went to hug his daughter. "Where are they, all the others?" he asked.
Piper pushed them gently out of the library: "In their homes, the kids... In the manor the rest, having a good shower and preparing everything for the celebration after the ceremony... Come on, you are the only ones left!"
Victor turned to her, confused: "But... how are we supposed to get out of here, without orbing?"
Piper didn't answer this time, but Cole said, smirking: "Through the door, as everyone with a bit of manners should do..."
Victor laughed softly, as Cole continued, speaking to Piper: "By the way, I think I need to check my e-mails first... if you don't mind. I'll be there right back."
Piper didn't have time to answer, when Cole was already rushing to the computer.
"Hey! You should wash your head, sweetie..." he said, turning back for a second, "you've got a little piece of demon on it!" And he winked before getting out of the room.

°°°°°°°°°°

It was a beautiful sunny day up on Earth, with no signs that any powerful being had ever threatened the balance of the world. People walked along the streets happily, and unaware of this big family that was now celebrating a wedding, but who had been convinced some hours before that they would have been celebrating a funeral instead; unaware of this family that was ready to give the lives of their members to save innocents...to save the world.
However, all the fears, all the pains, all the sadness, were now thrown into oblivion. It was a beautiful sunny day... and they were the happiest people in the world, especially the bride and groom.
Chris couldn't keep his eyes from Bianca, when Victor led her down the way between the seats of the guests. She was radiant in her long and white dress. She looked like an angel. Like the angel she was and the one she bore in her womb.
When they reached him, Bianca was also beaming at Chris, seeing how his green eyes were brighter than ever. He was like a new-born man... The day before, she had believed he would give up. But it seems there's always hope for everyone... Little Hope. She smiled at herself, looking at her own womb.
And there they were, at their spot! That beautiful garden surrounded by statues, all of them neatly clean. The green grass was well cut, and the flowers filled them with joy. That's the only thing they had asked for. They wanted to celebrate their wedding there, in their spot... where everything started, and with just a few guests: the family, of course, Darryl and his wife and son, Nicki, Steve and Tom with his parents. Victor and Piper were sitting in the front row, they were the witnesses to the marriage, and felt so happy to be the chosen ones!
But now, it was their moment... The moment they had all waited for so long, the moment those two youngsters so much deserved.
While the priest talked about the meaning of a marriage, about love and responsibility, the couple just smiled at each other lovingly, happily.
"Bianca Anderson. Have you written any vows?"
She nodded, smiling. Then she started: "Christopher Perry Halliwell... the day I saw you for the first time... That day in which everything in your life was dark, mine was about to be involved by light. By the light you were going to bring to me. The light that brights always in your eyes, and that makes me feel as if even the worst moments in our lives were good because you were there..." Chris listened to her, holding back his tears. "And now..." she smiled, her voice broken, "now that light is brighting stronger than ever. Because all the bad moments, all the pain, all the sorrow... is now in a far away past... You're a brave man who never gave up. I promise I'll be there always, with you, whatever happens... because now, my love, there's a whole future before us, filled with happiness, joy and above all... filled with Hope." Both of them smiled, their eyes glassy, as well as the other guests. "I love you Chris... In this life and in the other. Forever. Our fate is to be together, until death takes us apart."
They held their hands, trembling as silence arose.
Then, the priest, who was also moved by those words, even if he didn't get the whole sense of them, turned to Chris and said: "Christopher Halliwell... Do you have any vows to recite?"
Chris nodded and had to clear his voice just before starting to speak, without taking his eyes away from Bianca's: "Bianca Anderson... my love... the only person that would, and has proved, that would have followed me even to death if necessary. After hearing your words I have to say... You're wrong in one thing... I didn't have any light in my life when I met you. When I really met you, that light you had ever seen, was gone, with all my hope and happiness. But when I thought it was all done, when I thought I would die of sorrow, you came... And you were the one that brought that light back to my life." His voice was broken, his eyes, bright-green, welling up in tears. Bianca was trembling at all the emotions released in that very moment. "Bianca... I love you... I love you above all things... And I promise... that I'll always be there... and will never give up," he smiled. "I wouldn't be able to... Because you support me. Thank you... Thank you for loving me that way..."
Silence again... All the guests cried in silence, and joy.
Darryl took his wife's hand and pressed it lovingly: "I do also love you that much, honey..." Sheila smiled.
Cole took Phoebe's hands too. She turned to look at him, and saw his tears. 'He is so cute...' she thought, as she herself cried.
Paige's eyes were glassy, and she sobbed unable to stop. She was sitting by Leo, who smiled also moved, looking at his own love. Piper... who had just turned to cross her eyes with him and send him a kiss.
Wyatt giggled a little bit in Leo's arms too. He would remember that day in the future... somehow... At least that what Leo hoped.
Tom smiled when he saw how his father embraced his mother. They seemed to be so happy now... after all the things they had had to live through... And as for Steve and Nicki, they were living their own story. They smiled at each other happily, naughtingly, as their legs touched each other behind the seats that hid them.
There were three more people in the garden. They were dressed in white and smiled like angels. Or so the priest thought. They were three women, nothing else... But he felt as if some strange aura surrounded them. They were Penny, Patty and Prue. The family had summoned them before they had left the manor. And Prue, who had - as she had said - watched them from above all the time, swore countless times that she was really happy for Chris and Bianca and that she had nothing against her. And finally the ice between them had broken.
Only one person was missing. That witch, the messenger... Julian. He had been invited, but he wouldn't appear.
"Christopher Perry Halliwell...Will you love, comfort and honor Bianca Anderson, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"
Chris smiled with brilliant eyes: "Yes...I do." Bianca had already answered that question.
"Christopher and Bianca..., you have just stated your pledge of lifelong commitment to one another before God and in the presence of your families and loved ones. Those who God has joined together, let no on divorce. Now give the rings to one another."
Piper gave the little box with the ring to Chris. And he took Bianca's hand trembling, and put the ring on her finger, as he said: "With this ring I thee wed."
Victor did the same with Bianca, who smiled grateful to that sweet old man, and the process was repeated. As she put the ring on Chris's finger, she said: "With this ring I thee wed."
The priest smiled, before saying: "Now... Christopher...you may kiss the bride."
Bride and groom smiled at each other, they were beaming... Nobody was there but themselves, in their little world. They looked in each other's eyes, and kissed. Kissed one another lovingly, passionately.
Then, after a long kiss, Chris took Bianca in his arms, and the guests stood up, and clapped their hands. They were married... finally.

°°°°°°°°°°

"Thanks..." said Belthazor, smiling at Julian. The witch nodded. He had done another favour to that demon. He had put cameras in the garden, so that he was able to be present in the wedding. Belthazor had seen the whole ceremony via internet.
"I'm sorry you didn't stay in the wedding," said Belthazor, looking in Julian's eyes.
He shrugged. "That wasn't my place.
Some minutes before, Belthazor had received an e-mail.
"I wish you could come to the wedding. You saved it. You made Chris happy... and he won't ever know. But I just want to say thanks... And take care, man. Cole."
Now, the computer at the magic school was beeping in the darkness.
"I will, brother."


(Chapter 11 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)


Well... so much for Part 4. "A Charmed Story - Part Five" will start next friday - YES next firday! So stay tuned!