The stranger stared at Sam's father Samuel and his girlfriend as they walked out holding hands all the way to the center of the yard, close to where Wyatt and Sam were sitting.

"Friends, family" Samuel called out. "Thank you so much for joining us today and making this particular birthday the best yet" people applauded. "As you know, Alika and I had been dating for a while now"

"The poor fool" someone shouted to hilarious uproar.

"Guilty as charged" said Alika kissing Samuel.

"I haven't felt like this about anybody in my life, so… a few days ago, I gathered the courage and asked her if she wanted to make a more permanent arrangement" people clapped again and cheered for the happy couple.

"And I said yes" shouted Alika excitedly. Wyatt and Sam walked over to them after a moment. People seemed to agree they had to be the first to congratulate the happy couple and remained in their seats.

"I guess congratulations are in order" said Sam holding out her hand for Alika to hold, but she threw her arms around her once again. Sam awkwardly patted her back a couple times before she started pushing her away gently. "Dad" she turned to him, Wyatt came between her and the doctor to avoid another unwanted hug, disguising it as a friendly handshake. "I'm glad you found happiness. You deserve it" he hugged his daughter tight.

"Thank you, sweetheart. It's been hard adapting to your world and finding somebody who is willing to do it too it's…"

"I know, dad. And we appreciate all you guys have done for us"

"Everybody in this party has been in contact with the magical world one way or another and each and every one has sworn and maintained the upmost secrecy"

"Wait a minute. You mean these people know about us?" Sam went back to feeling threatened.

"How much do they know?" asked Wyatt eyeing everyone around, who were still waiting their turn to congratulate the happy couple.

"It's OK. We haven't told anything to anyone. Each has their own story to tell, but haven't cause we've told them of the light warriors" explained Alika.

"Light warriors?"

"We needed to describe you guys some way" Samuel laughed nervously. "Some of them have been in contact with people like yourself" he pointed at Wyatt.

"Are you sure they don't know who we are?" Sam asked on full defense mode.

"No" said Alika. "They think you're just like us who have been in contact with the light warriors"

"That'll get old fast" said Sam annoyed. People started walking closer now, having waited enough in their eyes to properly congratulate them. Wyatt and Sam walked away from them, back to their table where the kids played with a bunch of colored plastic balls.

They already respect you, maybe you should show them who you really are…

"It would be very different if they knew who we were" said Wyatt.

Imagine how much more useful they'll be, if they knew who they'd need to answer to…

"They would truly respect us if they saw what we could do" added Sam.

What is all that respect good for if they've seen nothing yet…

"When the time comes, they'll run scared"

"They always do"

They'll try to dominate you, just like any other mortal…

"They will try to control us"

"If we don't show them that's not an option"

And if they can't, they'll try to destroy you…

"If they make the wrong choice coming for any of us"

"They won't get a second chance"

Mortals or not they could be dangerous, you've seen it happen…

"We won't let them do what they did in the future" Wyatt's mind on the future war they saw in his own self's memories.

"We won't allow that to happen. We'll end it before it begins" her mind on her youngest child, dead in her arms.

Kids were still munching on apple slices, but Kai who was much too young. He didn't appreciate being left out, so he burst to tears as loud as his tiny lungs would allow it. One of the female doctors nearby, still waiting to congratulate the bride and groom to be, heard the screams and walked to them.

"Oh, sweepy. You're not getting enough attention?" she bent to pick him up.

"Please, he doesn't like strangers" Sam warned her, jumping to her feet.

"Oh, I'm great with kids" she insisted grabbing Kai anyway. The baby squirmed in her arms, resenting the stranger holding him, just as his mother had said. After a moment, the lady's smile faded and she went pale. "I don't feel so hot" she handed Kai to a woman next to her instead of his mother. Kai was beyond pissed she had to deal with yet another set of strange arms and this time he didn't drain the energy out of the person, but flat out set her hair on fire. Sam quickly took her son from her, as the woman started jumping around screaming. People saw what happened and poured their drinks on her head to put her out, soaking her back to safety, while the first lady fell to the floor, having been weakened by the baby.

"Poor thing must be terrified" said yet another woman nearby trying to get her hands on Kai who was still screaming bloody murder. Sam had had enough and she blew her away, strong enough to make her fall on her back against some more onlookers. Stares were starting to head their way now. Wyatt held Sam and Kai close, standing in front of the play pen where the other kids watched the whole thing.

Samuel made his way to the front of the crowd and reached them.

"Is he alright?" he asked concerned.

"Yes" said Sam coldly.

"I think it's time for us to leave" Samuel looked around as people started to mumble different versions of what had just happened.

"Maybe you're right" he kissed Kai's head. Dr. Lockhart kept her distance. She couldn't help feeling frightened. Her and Samuel knew it had been no accident, at least no normal accident, so explaining it would be too much for the guests. "I'll talk to you later" Sam nodded still pocker faced.

"If you're trying to make sense of what happened today, then you're not nearly ready enough to understand the world beyond the one you know" Wyatt said menacingly, as all eyes remained on them. "And believe me, it would eat you up like nothing if you're not" they orbed away in front of everybody. There were gasps and mouths fell open all around as they left. All except, Samuel, his fiancé and a singled-out doctor still near the back door who savored that power display a lot more than he savored his drink.

NEXT DAY….

"Morning" Wyatt yawned, leaning to the other side of the bed to kiss Sam's cheek. "You feel a little warm"

"I'm hot. Do I have a temperature?" she turned around to face him, her voice slightly hoarse.

"I believe you do" he touched her forehead and below her chin. "I'll get you an Advil. Meanwhile, you're staying in bed today" he jumped out of bed in a hurry.

"My head kinda hurts too" she said holding her forehead in a frown.

"Tylenol then" he added rushing to the bathroom and filling a glass of water before going back to her side. "Here" she straightened up and took the pill. "Why don't you try to go back to sleep? I'll make you some soup and start on the kids' breakfast"

"Don't forget Kai has a diaper rash. The ointment is still in the diaper bag if you need it and…" she coughed. "Angie's got that tooth coming so she needs her teething toy… it's in the fridge… I'll take it out so it won't be too…" Wyatt pushed her back onto the bed.

"You won't do such thing. I mean it. Stay in bed" he kissed her forehead which was still pretty warm. "First, I think we need to get you changed, cause you sweat through your clothes." He instructed as he felt the moist fabric. He gave her a fresh pair of pajamas and helped her get dressed. "Sit here for a moment. I'll change the sheets" he sat Sam on an armchair by the bed and swiftly remade the bed. "All set, in you go"

"Sure you don't need any help?" Sam asked as Wyatt tucked her back in.

"I'll manage"

"I don't think we should call anyone at the moment. They've been…" she coughed again. "hard to deal with lately"

"Don't worry about a thing. I got this" he kissed her forehead again. "I'll get you some lemon tea to help with that throat"

"Thank you, honey" he bent to kiss her lips now. "No, sweetie. I don't wanna get you sick" she caressed his face feeling how her arm had become as heavy as a sack of potatoes.

"That's for me to worry" he kissed her anyway before leaving the room.

Wyatt went down to the kitchen and got started on everybody's needs. He waved his hands around, orbing ingredients around to get things done a lot faster. He diced some chicken while the pot floated to the sink to be filled. He opened the tab, continued dicing, closed the tap and went back to dicing while he orbed the pot to the stove. He washed his hands, turned on the stove and orbed the chicken into the pot while he washed the chopping board getting it ready for the fruit which he had already orbed out of the fridge and was waiting for him on the counter. He clicked the coffee maker to life without adding the coffee, but orbed a few lemon wedges into the pot as the boiling water started to drip.

He was making fruit stars for the kids, just like Sam did every morning, when an unusual party orbed in. He stared for a moment, rolling his eyes as he kept working on breakfast.

"It's kind of a bad time for us…" he kept making stars and tossing them in a bowl. "Can you do your intervention some other time?" he went to rinse his hands.

Standing not far from the kitchen counter where he kept to his business, paying minimum attention to them, were Chris, Piper and his aunts. He sighed as he waited for an answer which he was already annoyed by.

"Apparently, this can't wait" said Piper. "Samuel called us. He sounded kinda freaked out"

"Is that so?" he couldn't help but to smile to himself.

"Why is that funny?" asked Phoebe.

"Not funny. Predictable" explained Wyatt still amused. "We knew they would freak the moment it got too real"

"Why did it need to get more real though?" asked Paige. "Why would you orb in front of all those people?"

"We could understand it, if it had been an emergency but…"

"But what? Otherwise, you don't approve?" there was that smile in the corner of his mouth yet again.

They exchanged worried glances for a moment as Wyatt was still standing his ground with no intentions of feeling ashamed for any of his actions.

"As a rule, we keep our powers to ourselves to avoid exposure" explained Piper even though she knew her son knew this perfectly well already.

"Trust us. We've seen it gone horribly wrong" added Phoebe.

"None of us would be safe if they found out about us" Paige went further. Wyatt chuckled to himself, orbing the egg carton out, starting to mix some of them in a bowl.

"We've dealt with the personal gain and exposure issues all of our lives, Wyatt. Now, you don't seem to care about any of it" Chris spoke this time. "We use our powers to do good, not…"

"I am taking care of my family, Chris. To me, that is the greater good" he whipped the eggs now, orbing the shells to the trash and the carton back in the fridge. He heard stirring from upstairs. The kids were very likely waking up as they spoke. "Listen, it really isn't a good time for us. Is there any way you can pick a fight and call it a day?"

"We're not here to fight, honey, but this is getting out of hand and…" Piper stopped as she saw Sam coming down the stairs, wiping her nose.

"Hey, you should in bed" Wyatt went to check on her temperature. Her fever was higher if anything.

"I heard voices" she cleared her throat. "What's going on?" she asked groggily.

"Never mind them. Come on. Let's get you back to bed"

"This can't wait, Wyatt!" Paige raised her voice at him. "Samuel isn't sure everyone will keep the secret for us after the stunt you guys pulled at the party yesterday"

"What do you suggest we do? Run and hide? Erase their memories?"

"Not exactly" said Phoebe outraged, forgetting for a moment Paige could probably do some of that herself.

"Then what?" said Wyatt angry now.

"We need to contain whatever…" started Paige.

"Then contain it!" he shouted as Sam put her head against his chest heavily. "I doubt you'll want us involved anyway, since you're so sure we're somehow doing evil. You've been on it for weeks now!" he went on just as heatedly.

"The point is it shouldn't have happened in the first place" explained Piper trying to sound soothing.

"The point is they wanted to see, so they saw" said Wyatt holding on to his wife, who was shivering.

"That's just not how we do things" said Phoebe.

"We'll have to agree to disagree then… what is it?" he asked Sam as she whispered something in his ear. "Chris, are you carrying a potion?" he stared at his brother, a sarcastic laugh escaping him.

"You what?" asked Piper. "What for exactly?"

"It was just a precaution, Piper" explained Paige. "Something to stun them a little in case…"

"And we are the ones with a problem here? Still claim you mean us no harm?" said Wyatt defiantly.

"How did she even know…?" started Chris.

"It's liquid. I can guarantee you though, you wouldn't even get the chance to spill it anywhere near us" he stared at them all now, annoyed and disappointed. "It's time for you to leave. I have to take care of my family"

"We are your family"

"Not today, you're not" he raised his voice at his mother. "We're done"

"No!" yelled Piper as Chris threw the vial at them. Wyatt waved his hand dismissively catching the vial midair while Sam held the liquid in place in one effortless single movement.

"Get out of here" Wyatt told them and waved purposefully now, orbing them back into the manor as Sam dropped. Her fever had finally gotten too high. He orbed upstairs and got her into the tub.