Visions

Author's Disclaimer: The only thing I own are the ideas, characters, and concepts not cannon to the original Charmed series. Everything belongs to the producers, creators, and other persons entitled by law.

Author's Note: I began this story several years and I never saw it to fruition. I found myself recently attracted back to it with the 20th anniversary of Charmed just occurring. I hope you enjoy this story.

Summary: The children of The Charmed Ones face the trials and tribulations of adulthood, magic, and a new threat on the horizon.

Chapter 6: Despondence

Peyton Halliwell felt like a truck slammed into her. She groggily opened her eyes and it took a few moments for them to adjust to what lay before her. Her body ached and she reached up and touched her head as she drew her fingers down from her head she could see blood. She took a slight breath and turned to her right to see her cousin, Melinda, crumpled on the floor. Her eyes focused on the slight movements of her chest: she was still breathing. She struggled to get up and her muscles ached at the strain.

The attic was quiet. Smoke and dust permeated the stagnant air as they settled from the attack. She blinked as she took the room in focus. The demon, entrapped in the cage, stood there; a blank, vacant look on his face as he remained trapped behind the magic of the crystals. The other demon was gone—whoever he was.

It took longer than it should have for her to realize the last image she saw before succumbing to the darkness. "Oh my god," she said as she limped forward; rushing to the cousins that lay on the opposite side of the attic. As she limped on, she caught a brief glimpse of herself in a mirror. The gash on her forward was slowly fading as her power healed herself. She rushed forward and threw herself down on the ground next to Kat, who had a gaping chest wound of seared flesh and blood. Her pulse was weak as Peyton pressed her fingers to her wrist and allowed her power to fill the room like an invisible wind. She could sense Kat's fear and very life slipping away.

"Wyatt! Chris!" Peyton called to the ceiling hoping that one of her cousins would come that may know what to do.

Henry started to stir. He let out a feral moan as he pushed himself up off the ground. He had a head wound which was steadily releasing blood that poured down the side of his face. "Kat!" He screamed and crawled towards his sister and cousin.

"I called for help. Melinda's out cold but alive," Peyton said as she removed her long sleeve shirt and applied pressure to Kat's wound.

"What the hell happened?" She asked Henry, who had taken over holding the shirt in place. He was stronger and could apply more even pressure than she ever could.

"We were looking at the Book and then there was an explosion. I was knocked out right away and I didn't see what happened to Kat—at least not today; it was just like my premonition though," Henry spoke through gritted teeth. "Come on, Kat, stay with us."

Peyton started to feel overwhelmed by the emotions in the room. Suddenly, there was a loud explosion and the demon in the cage burst into flames and disappeared. "What the—," Peyton said staring where the demon once stood and her eyes found a weakened Melinda rising from her place on the floor with her hand outstretched.

"I don't have time for him right now," she muttered as she stood up and kicked her heels off her feet. "What's happened?" She was pissed and aching all over.

"Kat took an energy ball to the chest, we are trying to stop the bleeding but no one is answering!" Peyton said in a rush before looking up and calling for her family.

Melinda hobbled forward to the where the three witches sat. "We have to get her to the hospital," she observed.

"And explain this how?" Henry muttered as he applied pressure and checked her pulse.

"WYATT!" Melinda bellowed. Nothing.

"Do you think that demons got him and the others? Was this a coordinated attack?"

"Melinda, we have to save Kat now and ponder that what ifs later," Peyton said taking charge.

"Peyton, can you channel her powers and heal her?" Henry asked. His options limited.

"I don't know? I've never done this and up until today I didn't know I could." Peyton started to become more panicked. "I think we should take her to the hospital. I don't know what to do."

"Just concentrate and try, please, you have too. Melinda, call Alex. He needs to know," Henry directed; his heart breaking at the thought that he may have to tell his brother-in-law that his wife is dead. Melinda nodded and felt her pockets for her phone. "I'll be right back," and she made a dash towards the door.

Peyton took a deep breath and took Kat's hand in hers. She placed both of their hands above the wound. Peyton could feel the residual heat of the burning flesh and her stomach churned.

"Our powers grow and it is up to use to push them to develop. You can do this," Henry encouraged his youngest cousin.

As Peyton concentrated, Henry continued to call for his family. Nothing.

Melinda walked back in the attic and put her phone down and looked at Henry, "Alex is on his way. He's freaking out."

Henry nodded, "I can't get a hold of Chris, Tam or Wyatt. I know Tam and Chris can't heal but they would know what to do. I'm scared." Melinda looked at her cousin and for the first time since the ordeal began she remembered that this was his sister hanging in the balance. She reached forward and pulled him into a tight hug.

"She will be okay," Melinda whispered; her eyes glancing to Peyton, who was sitting in a meditative silence trying to save their cousin.

A series of screams and colorful language filled the apartment. PJ was laying on the couch in complete agony. Her face was flushed and bright red and sweat dampened her hair. "I swear to God, I would rather be dead," she bellowed as another contraction consumed her body.

Nate and Parker hovered around her. "We have to go to the hospital," Nate said as he tried his hardest to remain calm. "NOT WITHOUT GREG!" PJ yelled back for the fifteenth time. Nate backed off quickly.

"PJ, you're being ridiculous. Greg can meet us there," Parker rationalized calmly.

"He is in Japan for business. He won't be home until Sunday," she said as she took a calming breath allowing the contraction to pass.

"Oh yeah, let's wait until Sunday then," Parker remarked. "If you don't go, I will beam you there," she said deadpanned to her sister. PJ gave her the middle finger.

"Can we just drive?" Nate asked, his stomach still queasy from his first go at teleportation.

"I can beam back here, dumbass," PJ remarked.

"Not if I temporarily bind your powers, now shut up and let's go. I will call Maggie and her meet us at the childbirth center—she's an OB-GYN for crying out loud," Parker continued to be rational with her irrational sister.

"PJ, we have to go. I will stay with you," Nate said kindly to her. She glared at him.

Nate rolled his eyes, "I am calling Henry. Maybe he can talk sense into you." He dialed the phone and walked away from her as Parker sat on the couch continuing to appeal to her sister's sense.

"There's no answer," Nate remarked. Parker shot him a look of concern. "Try Peyton?" She requested and Nate did so as PJ let out a violent scream. PJ was breathing heavier.

"Nothing, no one is answering. I tried Chris as well," Nate said worriedly.

Parker was concerned. "Okay, we have to get PJ to the hospital. I will bring her there and I will need you stay with her so I can check back at the Manor, okay?" Nate nodded.

"Nate, I can understand that there is a lot happening right now but welcome to the family—this is what we do. I know you're fearing the worst and I can sense that but they could not be answering for a valid reason but our first priority is PJ and the baby," Parker said calmly trying to appease the nervous mortal.

"Now, grab my hand and don't let go," she demanded as she went over to panting sister and grabbed her hand. Nate did as he was told and the three were gone in a flash.

In the silver blur, Alex Haines appeared in the attic of the Manor. He was a tall, slender man with dark hair and light eyes. He ran over to Kat, who was incapacitated and Peyton was hovering over her body attempting to heal her. "What happened?" He asked angrily to Henry and Melinda.

"A demon attack, we didn't see it coming" Melinda answered unsure if Kat had revealed the truth of the premonition to her husband.

Alex leaned over and grabbed the hand that Peyton was holding. "She's still alive," Henry remarked calmly.

Alex looked at Henry, "What is she doing? Where's Wyatt?" Alex was a witch by birth but hardly by training. Alex had magic and was able to cast spells and used his power at times but by virtue of his upbringing he did not enjoin himself to a magical destiny. In fact, prior to this day, he had not used his power in months. He left the magic and demon fighting to his wife and her family.

"We don't know. We can't get a hold of the family," Henry said noting the terror that spread on Alex's face.

"We have to get her to a hospital because, clearly, whatever Peyton is trying to do is not working," Alex pointed out with frustration.

"Peyton is trying to channel her empathy through Kat to channel her power of healing," Melinda pointed out. "She was able to channel Henry's powers earlier today."

"Apparently, not well," Alex remarked angrily and immediately felt remorse for his words. Melinda narrowed her eyes at him and Henry continued to pace behind them as if he did not hear the comment.

Peyton took a deep breath and was focusing all her power through her body and into Kat's when suddenly their enjoined hands started to glow a warm golden hue. "I think it's working," she said quietly. She could feel the warm sensation of healing passing through Kat into her and back to Kat. The wound started to heal slightly before the power faded away. Peyton looked alarmed.

"What happened? Why did you stop?" Alex demanded to a confused Peyton.

"I don't know, it just stopped," she was visibly upset.

"It doesn't matter, it bought us more time," Henry said. "Now we get her to the hospital and go from there."

Peyton nodded and reached her hand out to Alex, "Let's go." He grabbed her hand and looked to Henry and Melinda. They nodded and Henry answered, "We are right behind you."

Peyton, Alex, and Kat were gone in a flash.

Chris Halliwell was pouring over a book in the library of Magic School when Tamora came barging in. Her face was contorted in pain and concern; her black robes billowing behind her as she clutched a spell book in on hand and her cell phone in the other. "I just got a text from Melinda—Kat's been hurt badly." She was near frantic.

"When? How?" Chris asked slamming the book down and reached for his own cell phone and seeing several missed calls and texts. "How did we not receive the messages?"

"I don't know. Cell service is remarkably good here. I don't know? We have to go!" Tamora demanded. Her greatest fear in her life is the loss of either sister or brother. She had been so close so many times before but this time felt different. She could feel it in her innermost being.

As a witch with a calling like theirs, it was not uncommon to face down the stare of death. Kat had been nearly killed a half dozen or so times with one really close call the year before. That year before was the first time Tamora came face to face with their own mortality. As a so-called super-witch, she often delved head first into magic and their demonic problems without regard for what could happen. The Halliwell-Mitchell clan was infamous for their close calls but there were no deaths on their record except for her maternal grandmother and aunt decades earlier. It was in seeing Kat slowly dying that Tamora felt an alienation from magic and their destiny but she often quelled that with her logical, no nonsense demeanor.

Chris nodded and grabbed her hand and the two were gone in an orb.

Henry sat in the waiting room of the ER as his sister was being treated by her colleagues. The moment had taken a seat; the day's events caught up with him and he was suddenly exhausted. Alex was pacing the hallway of the hospital. His anger and deep breathing drawing attention from those who scurried past him; and Peyton was starting into space. In the chaos of the morning hours, Henry didn't even think to look at his phone. He reached into his pockets and couldn't find the device. He remembered it was in his hoodie that lay abandoned in the attic.

"Peyton, do you have your phone?" Henry asked his cousin. "Peyton?" She stared at the wall ahead of her at a poster about the importance of immunizations. "Peyton!" She blinked quickly and turned to her cousin, "What?"

"Do you have your phone?"

"No, I think it dropped it when the explosion happened?" She said trying to remember the last time she had her phone.

"Where did Melinda run off to?" Henry asked looking up and down the hall to find his cousin but she was nowhere to be seen.

"She went to get coffee as it that will be a help to us," Alex said angrily as he continued his pacing. Henry rolled his eyes. He loved his brother-in-law but found his temper to be less than appealing at times—especially when magic was involved. "She probably just has to keep busy," he remarked. Alex snorted.

"Look, Alex, we are all nervous, okay?" Henry said as he leaned back and crossed his legs.

"She's my wife and she is dying. Don't you get that?"

Henry sat up-right, unfurling his legs, "Dude, she's my sister. It doesn't make my concern any less or greater than yours." He was starting to lose his patience.

"If she should just not get involved in magical affairs, this wouldn't have happened!" Alex said standing in place before Henry, his eyes darting around to make sure no one was listening.

Henry stood up and towered a solid five inches taller than Alex's five-foot-ten frame, "I am not having this conversation with you. She knows the risk as do you."

Alex glared at him and walked away down the hall away from his in-laws. Henry took a deep breath and tried to refocus.

"Henry!" a woman screamed down the hallway towards him and he turned to see his cousin, Parker, near sprinting towards him. "What the hell happened?"

Henry embraced Parker as they met and Peyton quickly joined them and gave a hug. Henry immediately told her all the details of what had transpired. She covered her mouth in horror at hearing about Kat.

"Have we gotten an update?"

"Nothing as of yet," Peyton said.

"I went to the Manor and saw the damage and didn't know what was going on," Parker explained. She was rattled.

"Have you talked to PJ at all? I can't find my phone and Nate is with her," Henry asked as his concern for Nate took center stage in his mind.

"Oh my god, you don't know? PJ is in labor upstairs right now. Nate is with her."

"She's in labor and you didn't lead with this?" Peyton said smacking her sister's arm.

"Sorry! I was more concerned that Kat is dying. PJ is fine upstairs. God knows how Nate is doing because PJ is a lunatic."

Henry was immediately distracted by the two people barreling their way towards them in the hallway. It was Chris and Tamora. Henry launched into what happened and Parker filled them in about PJ; and as their stories ended, Tamora fell into a weeping mess on one of the chairs. Henry knelt down next to his big sister and rubbed her back and she tried to control her breathing.

"Was she awake when you got here?" She murmured quietly.

"No, she never regained consciousness after the attack or even after Peyton tried to heal her," Henry answered despondently.

"Chris, Parker, Peyton, why don't you three go check on PJ. Don't tell PJ just yet what is going on, okay? Parker, can you tell Nate and have him come down when he can? Tam and I will stay here and wait with Alex, wherever he ran off too, okay?" Henry directed his family.

"Call us when you get an update," Parker stated and with her sister and Chris in tow they headed towards the maternity wing of the hospital.

As Henry sat alone in his thoughts, he could feel the guilt creeping in his psyche. He felt an immense level of blame for what is happening. Had only his vision been more precise than he could have prevented this from occurring? His sister was dying and he was responsible.

Henry sat in silence and could feel a slight chill creeping in from the air conditioning blowing on him. He was still clad only in a tank top and longed for the discarded hoodie that sat on the floor of the attic. While in his thoughts, his mind shifted to his parents. His mother and father needed to know what was going on but he couldn't bring himself to do it. They had joined his Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Coop on her book tour on the east coast; as well as Aunt Piper and Uncle Leo. They deserved to have some fun away from the city and magic for once. It pained him to ruin it for them.

As he, his siblings and cousins got older, his aunts and mom took a step back from magic and rarely engaged in their demonic exploits. It was a family decision about three years earlier—The Charmed Ones retired and blessed their progeny with the magic of the Power of Three. Though no one witch was stronger than the other, they each carried a small piece of the Charmed legacy in them through the blessing ritual their Aunt Phoebe concocted. Wyatt was the strongest witch in the family as the Twice-Blessed but he rarely invoked the prophecy and has never called on the power of Excalibur in their lifetime.

It was at that moment that Melinda returned to the waiting area of the emergency room. Her face was pale and emotionless. It did not take an empath to know she was exhausted; a feeling each Halliwell-Mitchell shared.

"PJ is in labor upstairs. Chris went up there," Henry said to his cousin. She looked surprised, "Oh no!"

"I think everything is going okay, we are just waiting to hear from the doctor about Kat," Tamora included.

"What do you want me to do?" Melinda asked unsure herself of what her role should be.

"You can go check on PJ. Have you been able to get a hold of Wyatt?"

Melinda looked at Henry, "No, I can't. I've tried calling both ways, texting, nothing. I am minutes away from summoning him with the "to call a lost witch" spell."

"He may be with the Elders or a charge. It is fine," Henry said and Tamora made a slight snort. He glared at her.

"Okay, I will go check on PJ and keep trying to get a hold of Wyatt," Melinda replied. She bent down and gave each of her cousins a slight hug and she was off.

"We need to call Mom and Dad, don't we?" Henry asked Tamora as Melinda walked away.

"Yeah, but let's wait until we have something to tell them. Mom will be near hysterical and Dad will be infuriated at the lack of information if we call premature," Tamora replied. She was rational and logical but deep down she yearned for her mother at that very moment.

"I am sure they will be here anyways in no time if PJ is labor. Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Coop wouldn't miss their first grandson for anything."

"You're right but let's hope they don't have to return for a birth and a funeral," Tamora said darkly.

The two sat in momentary silence before Tamora changed the subject, "Is the demon still caged at the house?"

"No, Melinda blew him up when she regained consciousness. She was annoyed, I think?"

"No doubt, would be nice if we had more information. She is so reckless."

"I don't think she is reckless. I think it was just the stress of what was happening," Henry offered as an excuse and Tamora was not buying it for a moment.

"Henry, that demon was the only source of information we had to get a better idea of what the hell is happening not to mention that he was involved in an attack that could very well kill our sister," Tamora chided him and Henry could see tears building in her eyes. In his twenty-eight years, he had never seen Tamora cry and in this one day he had seen her twice be resorted to tears.

He quietly reached for her perfectly manicured hand and held it in his. He rubbed his thumb over her warm, pale hand. "She will pull through," was all he could muster.

The two sat in relative quiet and barely noticed that Alex had returned and sat opposite them. They sat in their dysfunction for another hour or so until Dr. Walker appeared. He was wearing dark blue scrubs and his cap on his head was soaked in sweat. He nodded to the three witches and took a seat next to them.

"How is she?" Alex barked out before Grant had even taken a complete seat.

"She is stable for now. The penetrating chest wound will require surgery and we are preparing her now. She coded twice and we were able to revive her. May I asked what happened?" The doctor spoke with such compassion and Henry wondered if he spoke that way because he was a trained doctor or because he had to work on his friend and co-worker.

"Uhm, we are not sure? We found her like that," Tamora interjected taking the lead on the questioning. Alex glared at her. Alex hated lying and wished that they could be honest but alas magic was a secret that had to be protected at all costs.

"Well, we had to notify the San Francisco Police Department because it does present as a gunshot wound. You will be probably be asked some questions. Like I said, she is stable. The wound was very unique and it seemed to have clotted rather oddly; almost as if it completely healed in some areas," Grant continued and the three witches made eye contact with each other.

"When can we see her?" Alex asked the doctor impatiently.

"Like I said, we are in the process of preparing her for surgery. You will be able to see her in about fifteen minutes," Grant replied to his friend's husband.

"Thanks," Alex said curtly.

Henry was reaching peak annoyance with his brother-in-law. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes and tried to drown out the questions that Tamora was asking the doctor about the surgery. He focused his thoughts and breathing and called upon his power. He had to know how this will end. He felt his body tense up as a premonition was hurled his way. Minutes later, Henry started to blink as he readjusted to reality and the hospital waiting room.

He immediately noticed that Alex and the doctor were gone and Tamora was sitting next to him looking intently at him. "Alex went to see Kat. I waited for you to come back. What did you see?"

"We need to call Mom and Dad," Henry mustered as tears formed in his eyes, "Now."

End of Chapter 6

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