Charmed Again

Milton sat in his room, rifling through a pile of his old things. He pulled out a baby book and opened it. A photo caught his eye, a mother and daughter shot, the writing beneath read, 'mommy and grandma.'

'You knew who your family were before you were even born.' Melinda stood in the doorway. 'I heard about Barbas.'

Milton looked down, self-consciously. He felt anxious, like he'd just taken part in some initiation without realising it.

'I didn't mean to kill him.' He said.

'Well, it's a good thing you did. We could have all been in big trouble otherwise.'

'What was I like? As a brother?' Milton shocked himself with the question. Such thoughts had plagued his mind since he first met the tramps but he hadn't dared ask them. Melinda smiled regretfully.

'Y'know mum used to tell these stories about when she was pregnant with you. She was afraid that demon fighting would put you in danger but in the end, you turned her into super witch. She got hurt and you would heal her. She was in danger and your powers would shield her. And you never stopped. When we were kids, just babies, Chris and I would be sent to your bedroom to keep us safe. I mean, you'd saved our lives more times by the time you were ten than I ever have. You were the ultimate big brother and then... one day, you were just gone.'

Milton frowned, 'why?'

'I don't know.' Melinda looked into the distance, 'you know, mum named both you and Chris after Dad and his family. I sometimes think it was her way of trying to protect you from the Charmed legacy. Being a witch, it can be great but it can also be such a huge burden. And, yes, you were the best brother that I could have ever asked for but all the stuff you had to go through, ever since you were born. I sometimes wish you could have let us down, you could have, just once or twice, done the wrong thing. When that day came and you weren't there... When you just fell off the radar... I wasn't really... I couldn't be suprised.'

Milton looked at his sister, 'well, I'm back now.' She looked back at him; his words were the sort of lie Wyatt would tell. She pulled at a loose string on his shirt, 'I guess you are.'

Wyatt Halliwell stood amongst the darkness of the trees. He had orbed into the middle of the jungle, far away, where no-one would look for him. He picked up a stone and started to draw the triquetra onto the ground. The sky cackled and lightning flashed through the clouds but no rain fell. Wyatt stood up, 'CORBEN!' He yelled to the heavens. 'Corben, I am waiting for you!'

A dark figure appeared behind him. 'Corben!'

'I am right behind you,' the figure breathed. Wyatt turned around alarmed.

'Are you ready?' Wyatt asked.

'Are you?' The figure smiled. He pulled out a sword that flashed like the lightning. A second sword appeared in Wyatt's hands.

'Excalibur.' The man eyed Wyatt's weapon jealously. He plunged his sword towards Wyatt. The metals met in an almighty crash. 'You may have the stronger sword,' Corben said, 'but I have the stronger shield. I have the world's evil. What do you have?' The rain began to fall.

'Piper, Phoebe, Paige,' Wyatt began to chant as he swung his sword towards the dark attacker. 'Prudence, Patricia, Penelope, Melinda, Astrid, Helena, Laura and Grace,' He gasped under the weight of the other man's blows.

His opponent smirked, 'how sweet. Calling on mommy for help.'

'Halliwell witches stand strong beside me, vanquish this evil from time and space.' Wyatt cried out, gashing the man's chest. The chest fizzed and knitted itself back together again.

'It'll take a little more than that.' The man laughed.

Wyatt leapt backwards out of the way of a deadly blow. He looked at the ground, where he had drawn the symbol. It was starting to glow - courage, he thought to himself, courage.

'I call upon the ancient power,' Wyatt belowed out into the night. 'Come help me in this evil hour!' The ground exploded into flames where he had drawn his symbol. The attacker's face dropped for the first time. He glanced around confused. Then dashed towards Wyatt, forcing him against a tree.

'Where are they?' He asked. Wyatt smiled knowingly.

'Nevermind,' Corben continued. 'It makes no difference to me whether your family dies fighting my army or here, along with you.' Rage rushed up from Wyatt's stomach and he struggled free. He drove Excalibur into Corben's chest. Corben choked for a moment and pulled the sword out from him.

In the moment's confusion, Wyatt spoke the words that had been hovering over the entire fight,

'Whilst angels serve and demons fight,

humans chose between wrong and right

Take my choice, my gift of life,

Vanquish evil with my sacrifice.'

Corben, recovering from the blow, looked towards the good defender, 'I really didn't think you'd do it.' He said. Wyatt looked into evil's eyes as he felt the blood in his veins run cold. A similar expression crossed Corben's face, 'it looks like you have killed us both.' He paused, 'are they here, your family?'

Wyatt fell to his knees. 'They didn't have to be. The power of three will set me free.' He gasped and fell. As he did, a swarm of black shadow flew out from Corben's mouth and swarmed around the dark son. Within a couple of seconds, he had been devoured.

Milton walked downstairs nervously. Wanting to be part of the family was no harder than wanting to be away from them. He entered the dining room. Leo was sat, anxiously. A place for Piper was laid next to him. At the end of the table, Chris sat scowling.

'Hi,' Milton hovered in the doorway. 'Does it matter where I sit.'

'Here,' Leo gestured, 'I think Piper would like you to sit opposite her.'

Milton went and perched awkwardly on the edge of a seat.

'So it looks like Chris's training paid off.' Leo smiled. Milton nodded obligingly.

'It had nothing to do with my training.' Chris said. 'He couldn't even summon up enough strength for a shield the other day.' It sounded like an attack.

Leo looked at his younger son, embarrassed for them all, 'Chris.' Chris rolled his eyeballs and stalked off to the kitchen. Moments later he was shooed back in by his mother, 'where's Melinda?' She asked.

'Magic school.' Chris mumbled.

'What's she doing there?' Leo asked, bemused.

Milton knew - instantly he knew. He looked at Chris, wondering what he would say.

'Looking for Tyler,' Chris snarled.

'Oh.' The dissappointment sounded in Leo's voice.

Chris looked at Milton, challengingly, 'I presume it was you that was at magic school.'

Milton looked down at the table, 'yes, TJ thought-'

'Wiping students' memories. Cloaking rooms as if you were demons. Doesn't sound like good magic to me,' Chris sniped.

Milton was horrified, he didn't know what to say. Piper looked at Chris sternly.

'You know what, forget it.' Chris got up to leave the table and then looked back towards Milton, 'I just want to know one thing. When Barbas attacked you, which family were you so worried about? Who did you summon all that magic for? Was it us? Or was it Guinevere?'

'Chris, that's enough.' Leo said.

'What? Don't you want to know?' Chris asked his dad, bitterly. Leo dropped his eyes and glanced towards Milton.

Feeling the pressure, Milton looked towards Chris, 'whatever I saw makes very little difference, seeing as Guinevere assumes the forms of those you love.'

'That's not an answer.' Chris spat.

'It's enough of one for me.' Piper looked at her son and he was quiet.