A Charmed Story - Part Five:
20 Weddings And A Funeral?
Chapter 11

Tom looked at the others and said: "Hey... I think I can try to get in."
Everyone shook his head. "There's no use."
"There is... You cannot get in because you are good and the evil magic stops you. The evil guys are stopped by the good magic. But I am a Mestizo, remember? Good and evil..."
Nicki rolled her eyes: "So, both magics will stop you..."
"Actually, I think both magics would try to let me in and stop me at the same time... This could block them and the effect would disappear."
Steve, Odin and Leo frowned, pensive: "It could work, but it might be dangerous for you..."
Tom shrugged: "When is it not dangerous?"
Paige smiled weakly, as well as Bianca: "You can try..." Tom nodded. Then he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
"Wait!" Paige said. The young man turned to her impatient. "Here," she said and pulled out one potion-bottle, "maybe you'll need this!"
"Search for something that gives power to that forcefield... it's too big just to be made of only magic..." Leo added.
Tom took the potion and nodded to the Elder: "I'll try to shut it down when I get in."
"Be careful," Odin said.
Tom nodded, closed his eyes and shimmered. It was weird... even if he had closed his eyes, he could see the forcefield, or were his senses betraying him? He wasn't sure. He just tried to get through it.
The others watched their friend, they observed him while he disappeared. They could only imagine where his body 'was' exactly.
Then they heard a cracking noise and a sibilance, and a sound like an electric flash. Then they heard Tom again. He was swearing and cursing. But they couldn't see him.
Paige looked at Steve. "Where is he?" she asked.
Steve closed his eyes, trying to contact his friend. But he wasn't able to. He looked at Paige again and shook his head.
Tom felt it when he hit the shield. It was like he had got an electronic shock. But he moved forward. He felt a huge pressure on his lungs, it took away his breath. But he moved forward, he had to. He just hoped that this would have a quick end... one way, or the other. Then he felt like falling.
Odin began to pace in front of the shield. "That takes too long," he muttered.
"One and a half minute," Nicki remarked, looking at her watch.
Paige looked at the two young witches who were standing close to each other, holding hands. "He'll be alright," she said. Even if she wasn't sure about it on her own.
Then they heard a noise... and then a yell of excitement.
"YEAH! I'M IN!"
They all approached the shield as close as possible. There, on the other side, they saw Tom waving his hand.
"Try to find a way to shut down that forcefield... hurry!" Bianca commanded.
Tom couldn't hear her very well... The shield was quietening the voices from outside. But he knew too well what she wanted him to do. So he nodded and went into the building.
Bianca followed him with her eyes. Then she turned to the others: "Paige, Nicki, Steve... You go and try to find the carrousel; I don't think he has it inside this building, so it must be somewhere else... And when you find it, destroy it!"
"I'll go with them," Odin said.
"No," Leo exclaimed looking at him. "You're the one with more experience with our powers, and now it's maybe the time to use them... So I'll go with the others... And you, protect Bianca, and my son!"
Odin was surprised, nearly shocked by so much trust from Leo's side. But he nodded.

°°°°°°°°°°

Chris looked at the clown. He didn't move, he just looked at him. He was shocked and also scared. Scared that his friends could be hurt badly by this attack... that they could be...
The clown moved slowly closer, he grinned widely.
Chris shook his head trying to clear his mind. He had to do something. Even if he wasn't sure if his friends were just unconscious or dead... they would be the latter anyway, if he didn't do something quickly.
But what should he do...? His feet and also his right hand were still chained.
Jake went closer and closer... it seemed to Chris that he felt safe, because otherwise he would hurry a little more. But he didn't hurry... He took a lot of time to approach him slowly grinning and laughing evilly.
"You will never get out of here, Christopher!" he said laughing, while Chris was trying to open with his left hand the chain on his right.
"What makes you so sure?" Chris asked, still trying.
"The forcefield around this building... No one will get in buddy, and you will never get out... Not alive, I mean." Again he laughed.
"I still don't understand why you want to kill me?" Chris asked trying to sound self-confident and calm, which he wasn't actually.
Jake laughed even more: "Because you betrayed us... you protect those who are not honouring our ancestors... And... the worst... you married an evil demonic girl..."
"There is much more good in her than in you, you fucking little bastard!" Chris yelled back furious. Nobody was allowed to call Bianca evil... at least not in that way.
The clown had reached the altar at his feet. "Now it's time to say goodbye," he said and prepared an energy ball with his right hand, glancing at the chained witch.
Chris just stared at the ball, breathing heavily. "You're not gonna kill me," he said with clenched teeth.
"Sure," Jake replied smiling.
Chris closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Then he opened his eyes again.
Jake moved the energy ball closer to him, he wanted to enjoy that moment to the fullest.
At the same time Chris raised his hand. "I said NO!" he said with a strong voice and threw out an energy flash.
He hit Jake on his chest making him fly backwards to the cages.
Chris sank back on the altar, breathing fast and heavily. 'A little too much,' he thought. He heard the clown swearing. Chris knew he would be back on his feet soon, he knew he had to go on fighting. But he couldn't, he was too exhausted. He was fighting the darkness which was taking over his mind... but he felt he couldn't stand it any longer. Than he lost his consciousness.

°°°°°°°°°°

Tom was walking down a dark hallway, when he heard a lot of frightened voices. Then he saw them, a horde of people was running over into his direction. They were screaming and crying.
Tom swallowed. How would he make them calm down, control them? "Hey!" he yelled, and tried to stop them. But they didn't... instead they were still running into his direction. They didn't even seem to notice him.
'Oh, my God,' Tom whispered. They would run him down. They would trample him down. In panic, he closed his eyes and raised his hands in defence. He knew they would hit him...
But nothing happened.
Tom opened his eyes again, seeing that they had already passed by him. Then, he realised what was going on. They were holograms, they just went through him.
He sighed relieved. Then he shook his head and followed them, calling them to stop...
He ran after them, through the ways of the mansion... Finally the holograms were stopped at one door by the forcefield. The first one ran into it, yelling in pain. Then the whole crowd stood there looking at each other confused.
Tom sighed: "Will you now listen to me?" The heads turned to him, fearful, some with panic.
The young witch sighed again: "Alright... We want to help you out of here, but we need to shut down this green thing, ok... So please, help me find the source of energy of that... And if you find it, destroy it... alright?"
For a moment nobody moved; then, they began to walk into different directions. Tom wasn't sure if they had really understood him, but he had no time to think about it.
He heard someone yelling... it was Chris.

°°°°°°°°°°

Now Bianca was the one who was pacing around. "I need to go in there," she muttered. "I have to save him."
Odin frowned. 'Could we combine our powers in some way... the good and the bad ones?' he thought. "Maybe we could get in together," he said to her.
Bianca stared at him confused: "But how are we supposed to do that?"
Odin shook his head sombre: "I just think there should be a way..."
Bianca sighed and closed her eyes, unable to think clearly. Suddenly she felt something weird. It didn't hurt, but she felt like dizzy.
"Are you ok?" asked a very concerned Odin, approaching her, and taking her by the arm.
She opened her eyes and nodded: "Yes, I think so... She wants you to give me your hand."
Odin stared at her surprised. "What?" Then he lowered his eyes towards her womb: "She?"
Bianca smiled, and nodded. Then she took his hand, and waited. A strange dark and light blue light wrapped them both. "Let's go in..." Bianca said.
Odin was too shocked to react. "What's happening?"
"She... Hope... She's just like Tom, remember? She's a Mestizo..."
Odin opened his eyes widely. Of course! How had they all forgotten about that? "But Tom was hurt, anyway..."
"I know... But she's using a special forefield... I think she knows what she's doing."
And she had never been so sure of anything before, so Odin just nodded and stepped forward, grasping Bianca's hand. "Let's go in, then..."

°°°°°°°°°°

"I said NO!" Tom had heard him yelling, but he didn't know where the voice had come from. Besides... what should he do? Should he go and find Chris, or should he help all those people?
"Hey you!" he cried to a young man who was looking for a space without forcefield near a window. He turned back, startled.
"Yes, you... Did you hear that?" The man nodded. "Do you know where he is, Chris?"
"Chris? That's the guy who's gonna be sacrificed..."
Tom shuddered. What if he was too late? He grasped his hand and made him come nearer: "Listen to me, I don't have time. Just tell me where he is, and take care that all these people stay here, waiting for us, ok?"
The man nodded again. "But I can lead you there, if you like..."
Tom stared at him pensive. Then he nodded energetically. "Ok, let's go... And you!" he cried to the others. "Just stay here and you'll be safe!" Then he told the man to lead their way, and he started to run after him.

°°°°°°°°°°

Nicki, Steve, Paige and Leo orbed directly to the place where they had been waiting with Bianca before. She had said the carrousel was over there, at least they heard the music in that place... But there was no music or anything at all.
"And how are we supposed to find it?" Steve asked.
Nicki shook her head... "No idea... Maybe we could try some spell?"
"A spell for what?" Paige asked.
Leo looked at them: "Maybe the carrousel is invisible, or it's in another plane... Try a spell to find something hidden from our sight..."
The three witches looked at each other. None of them thought they were good at spells, so...
"Don't look at me, I'm terrible at rhyming, Nicki, you know that..."
"Phoebe makes all the spells at home..." Paige complained.
"Ok... let's try..." Nicki was so impatient!
"White magic come to me,
what is hidden, let me see,
reveal to my eyes the thing we miss
in the unseen help me believe."
Suddenly, the shape of the carrousel started to appear in front of them, as well as the music.

°°°°°°°°°°

Tom followed the man through the corridors of the building. Then he saw a light behind a doorway. "There?" he asked the man. He nodded. "Ok," Tom said, "Go back to the others." The man nodded again and went back as fast as he could.
Tom turned to the doorway; carefully he approached it and looked inside the hall. Chris was lying on the altar, Cole and another man on the ground. All seemed to be unconscious. And there was someone else, the clown. He was in front of a cage, moaning in pain, as he tried to stand up.
Tom swallowed. He had to do something. So he ran over to Chris and tried to shake his body... which was a little difficult because he couldn't touch him. So he yelled at him, to make him wake up.
Meanwhile, the clown got slowly back to his feet, swearing. When he noticed their new guest he began to laugh evilly.
At that moment Chris opened slowly his eyes and rose a little.
"Hey," Tom said.
When Chris realised who was standing next to him he had only one thing in mind: "Tom... Cole and Michael... you have to get them out of here!"
"But how... they are holograms," Tom gave back, "I can't..."
"Don't believe your eyes and your mind... listen to your feelings, it will work," Chris whispered.
Tom smiled weakly, when he heard the voice of the clown: "So we have another guest here! And with this, another dead body in a few minutes."
Then Tom turned to Chris again: "Let's pray that you're right."
Chris let out some air and fell back to the altar. "Go," he said.
Tom knelt down, looked at the two bodies and closed his eyes. Then, he tried to catch them. And then he felt something... it wasn't like a real touch but, he could feel them. So he shimmered, just in the second the clown threw an energy ball over to him.

°°°°°°°°°°

"That was..." Odin couldn't find the right words when the strange kind of forcefield went down the same second they were safly inside.
But Bianca didn't care about his words. Uneasy she looked around. Then, they heard some voices and followed them.
Seconds later they reached the group of holograms who were completely freaked out. They were like ants.
Bianca looked at the Elder: "Take care of them, I'll find..."
She couldn't end the sentence because in that moment, Tom shimmered in, with Cole and another man.
"Michael!" one of the other holograms yelled, ran over and knelt down next to him.
"Odin, you have to help them!" Tom said.
"WHERE IS CHRIS!" Bianca cried out as loud as she could.
Tom rose and pointed at one long way. "At the end is a great hall, but you have to hurry, I think."
Before the young witch had ended his answer, Bianca was on her way.
Tom turned to Odin again, who was still standing there without moving. "What are you waiting for?" he asked.
Odin knelt down: "But how..."
"Just try it, it'll work!"

°°°°°°°°°°

Paige and Leo looked at the young witches shocked. As soon as the carrousel had appeared and they heard the sound of it, Nicki and Steve turned to be kind of paralysed. They didn't move or even wink...
"That's crazy," Paige said.
Leo nodded.
"Why does that not happen to us?" Paige asked him confused.
Leo shrugged: "I don't know. Maybe it only infects couples..."
"Well... whatever... we have to destroy that thing."
Leo nodded. Paige took out the remaining potions and threw one at the carrousel. Nothing happened.
Leo tried his energy flashes... nothing! "That's not good," he said.
Paige frowned: "It seems to me that carrousel is protected by a kind of forcefield, too."

°°°°°°°°°°

Chris heard the clown swearing furious, and he knew Tom and the others were gone. Tom had done it, He had saved them... at least for the moment.
Then, the voice of Jake turned calm again. "Well... who cares... I still have the one I wanted... the one who is going to give his live for all those witches in the world."
"You will not kill me," Chris replied, but his voice was weak. He knew he couldn't defeat him anymore. He was exhausted. And it seemed to him that as a hologram he needed more time to relax to gain back his powers as usual. But he didn't plan to give up... never!
"Yeah, traitor... Go on fighting, that makes it just funnier for me," the clown laughed preparing another energy ball. He knew Chris would not beat him, not this time.
Now Jake was standing again at Chris's feet. The Elder-witch watched him with a mixture of anger and fear. He prepared himself to be hit by the ball gleaming in the hand of the clown...
But instead... Jake suddenly yelled. Then he flopped over on Chris's feet, the energy ball fell down to the ground and went out to nothing.
When Chris looked up confused he saw the dark brown eyes of his wife.
"Are you ok, honey?" she asked.
"Fine, thanks," Chris answered frowning, still confused and shocked.
But it wasn't over yet. Jake rose again smiling evilly. Then he attacked Bianca. He tried to hit her, but she was too fast for him.
The Phoenix, meanwhile, tried to steal his powers, but it didn't work. She couldn't... He had a kind of protection she couldn't defeat.
Chris tried to free himself again, while he watched his wife fighting. Even if he already knew what she was able to do... he couldn't get used to it.
And Bianca knew that too. Suddenly she looked over to him, while keeping Jake away with one hand. "Sorry honey," she yelled. Then she put out her little dagger and... killed him.
Chris saw how the clown fell to the ground. Then - unusual for a witch - he ended up in flames.
Chris stared for a while at that place where now only a little bit of ash was left.
Bianca approached him slowly. "Are you alright?" she asked.
Chris nodded absently. Then he turned to her: "Why did that take so long?" He grinned.
Bianca smiled happy, to see him alright. "You know... I'm a little out of practice I think..." she said, while she opened the chains.
Chris got up as fast as he could. Then he saw that orange light surrounding his wife, and knew what it meant. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her thankful. "I love you," he said, "you both." Then he kissed her.
And when they finally separated, he was completely human and real again.

°°°°°°°°°°

Paige and Leo were still trying to destroy that carrousel, while Steve and Nicki were still paralized. But nothing seemed to work. Then, suddenly something changed. The colour seemed to have changed a bit.
"What was that?" Leo asked.
"I don't know, but try again," she said.
Leo used again the energy flashes and this time he blew one demonic figure up. "Wow", he muttered.
Paige now threw her last two potions, while Leo flashed the carrousel again... And finally the whole thing ended up in a large explosion, which threw them all to the ground.
Leo was the first who got back on his feet. While helping Paige to stand up, he asked: "Are you ok?"
She nodded, and then looked at the remaining burning pieces of the carrousel. Also the music was gone.
"What happened?" Steve asked trying to get back on his feet.
Paige sighed grinning at the two young witches who seemed to be back in reality: "Oh... nothing important."

°°°°°°°°°°

Odin didn't know how, but he managed to help those two holograms, while Tom tried to calm the others down.
Cole was already up on his feet again, when Michael opened his eyes.
"What happened?" he asked.
"You're safe for the moment, my friend," Cole said and helped him up.
As soon as he was standing on his feet again, Angela kissed and hugged him. Michael looked around: "Where is Chris?"
Cole smiled weakly: "I think he is in good hands... Well... I hope so."
"Cole, we have to go back and help him, we..."
"Hey, don't worry, guys," they suddenly heard a well known voice. Chris was walking down the hallway, supported by his wife. He looked tired but he was alright. And he wasn't a hologram anymore.
"You're looking great, buddy," Cole said.
Chris just grinned. "Are you ok?" He asked his two friends. Both nodded.
"So that's your wife?" Michael asked. Chris nodded and introduced her to him.
"You bear an amazing little daughter," Michael said to her.
Bianca smiled: "Thanks."
"And now, how do we get out of here, and - to speak for us holograms - get real again?" Cole asked. "'Cause there is something I really need to do... I really need to!"
Bianca, Tom and Odin just shrugged. But then they heard a noise, like an explosion. And seconds later, the green shield went down, and all the holograms turned to be real again.

°°°°°°°°°°

About half an hour later, Leo, Chris, Bianca, Cole and Michael orbed to the hallway of the manor. They had brought the other people to a safe place of the Elders, also Jessica and Jason. The Elders were planning to send them back to their families one by one, because when they all returned at the same time, the group would gain too much attention. And of course they were going to use the memory-dust on them. They all should forget what they had gone through, that was the best for everyone. Only Michael was allowed, and he even wanted to remember. And before Leo brought him to the others, he asked if he could meet Chris's amazing family.
As soon as they had materialised Piper and Phoebe ran over to them, followed by Paige, who had already informed them.
"Why are you so late?" Phoebe asked while hugging and kissing Cole.
"Well... " He gasped for air, "there was something we had to talk about." That was true. Cole had talked with Chris again about him being a witch now. And they had decided that he himself was the one to decide if and when he would tell the others... but that was definitely not now.
"Are you ok, son?" Piper asked hugging Chris.
He nodded. "Where's Wyatt?"
Piper looked at him frowning: "What do you think... at this time... in bed of course."
Chris grinned: "Sorry... lost my perception of time a little, I think..."
Then he turned to Michael and introduced him to the family. "It's an honour for me," he said while shaking Piper's hand.
"And that's my other aunt... Phoebe," Chris said pointing at her. She and Cole were still kissing. Michael grinned at them, same as Chris and Bianca.
"I love you," Phoebe muttered while kissing.
Then Cole freed himself from her, suddenly looking very serious. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," he said with sparkling eyes. Then he knelt down in front of her.
Phoebe was standing there speechless while Cole struggled to pull the little box out of his pocket. Slowly he opened it and showed the beautiful little ring to her. Then he said: "Phoebe Halliwell... I know this might not be the most romantic moment, but it's the perfect one... Will you marry me?"
All the others were grinning while they looked at a completely overwhelmed and excited Phoebe. For a moment she just stood there, with her hands covering her mouth, completely surprised. Then she knelt down too and hugged him: "Of course I will... I will... I will..." Then they kissed again.
"Alright," Leo said to Michael, "I think it's time for you to go to the others, too."
The man nodded, then turned to Chris: "I'll call you as soon as they let me go home!"
Chris nodded grinning: "Maybe I'll visit you before..." Then, Leo orbed with Michael away.

°°°°°°°°°°

It was in the middle of the night, when the phone rang. Slowly Victor got up and walked to the living room. "Yeah," he sleepy answered the phone.
"Hey dad, it's me, Phoebe!"
"Phoebe, honey, is everything alright? Did you solve your problems?"
"Yeah... yeah... Dad, I have to tell you something..."
Victor yawned: "I'm listening."
"Cole and me... we're going to marry!"
"Really?" Within a second he was completely awake.
"Yeah, Cole asked me just a few minutes ago..."
"Honey that's great," he replied, "and when?"
He heard a giggling on the other end of the line. Then his daughter answered: "Not that fast... first there are a few babies to be born, then we'll find a good day to marry..."
Victor smiled: "Alright... But now I need to go to bed... Have a good night..."
"Good night dad," she said.
"Good night daddy," this was Cole's voice from somewhere in the background.
Victor chuckled and then he hung up the phone. Still grinning he went back to bed and immediately fell asleep again.

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

And that's the end of part 5! We hope you've enjoyed it... Next part "A Charmed Story - Part Six" will start on October 6th... so stay tuned!