Everything

by Lynx Larabellows

It had been a mistake, a simple, stupid mistake that could have been entirely avoided had he not given in and lost control of himself... turns out it was the best thing that could have happened to him. Compliant with Finding Yourself. Changed Future.

8. The Park

¸.·´¯·»Chapter Seven«·´¯·.¸
¸.·´¯·»¸.·´¯·»The Park«·´¯·.¸«·´¯·.¸

Christopher Halliwell had always enjoyed coming to the park.

It was one of his favorite places in the city, and if he could not be found at home or at work, this was where his entire family knew to find him. He had not been able to come here for weeks, unfortunately, though he had found time this previous week under the pretense of doing homework, which he was also accomplishing as he enjoyed his day. He loved the soft breeze that drifted from the bay, the plants and trees that grew in the miniature gardens. It was a lovely day outside, with the sun hanging high in the clear blue sky above him as he walked through the grassy fields.

There were not very many people out today unfortunately. He had been hoping for a slightly larger crowd, though he supposed this would have to do. He had already taken several photographs this week, today especially despite the very few people. He had managed to ask an older couple, who had been taking a leisurely stroll through the gardens hand in hand, if he could take their picture, and they had agreed with kind smiles. He got several images of them, enraptured by the way they looked at each other with utter adoration.

It reminded him of his own parents.

Other photographs were of the landscape, or the birds or the beautiful water fountains. Not every image he took would be for his assignment, though at least he was enjoying himself. He needed a bit of relaxation after the last few weeks. Business at the club he and his brother owned together had been picking up this past year due to the renovations and the changes they had made once their mother had finally decided it was time to pursue her own restaurant as she had always dreamed and had signed it over to them, and the stress was slowly getting to him.

Booking local bands as well as a few of the more popular and well known singers had become a struggle recently, and inventory was always so hard to keep track of, though he was pleased with how he was handling running his own business. And their patrons really did seem to enjoy the changes they had made to the club, so he figured they must have been doing something right. Though still, working as hard as he has been while simultaneously attending his classes at the university, left him very little time to do what he enjoyed doing.

Eventually he found himself sitting upon one of the benches, simply watching as people played with their canine companions, or jogged by on the cement paths, snapping off one or two pictures every once in a while. He did prefer to ask permission first, though sometimes when he did he ended up with images of ridiculous poses with crossed eyes and tongues lolling out to give a glimpse of the person's tonsils. He thought his pictures were better when people had no idea they were being photographed, when they were acting natural and caught unawares, even if that did make him seem like a bit of a creep.

It was within one of these unaware shots that he first managed to see them.

Chris had been focusing on a mother and child near the park entrance where there were a few swings and slides, and they had walked through the large open gates arm in arm, laughing and smiling as they entered the park just behind the woman. They were in the shot as he looked at the display screen of his camera, and he smiled as he heard their laughter reach him from his bench.

Sea green eyes were drawn to the two women, one with dark red hair and the other with an almost platinum blond color. He could see easily that they were gorgeous, the wide smiles stretching across their faces only adding to their beauty. He swallowed slightly as he observed them, feeling guilty for watching them like this, and his eyes strayed to the blond.

Standing slowly, he zoomed in on their faces, capturing a wonderful shot as the two women gazed at each other with obvious mirth, their smiles infectious as he refocused and snapped another. He watched the blond woman carefully as she gazed around the park, a long, graceful finger aiming discretely at the men surrounding them. She was… unlike any other woman he had seen today and he was having difficulty figuring out if that was a good thing or not.

Long, thick eyelashes caked with mascara outlined her gray eyes, the dark makeup only adding to a smoky shadow effect on her eyelids. Her skin was bronzed and glowing in a way that proved it was not a natural gift of the sun. Her hair was blond, though a bit too blond to have been the real color, and she was so thin that he felt that she may have blown away if there had been a stronger breeze today.

And yet… her emotions were so genuine.

Chris felt himself being drawn to her if only for how content she was to be with her… sister, if what he felt emanating from both of them was correct. For all he knew they could have just been friends who felt about each other the same way he and his brother did. Companionship, love, loyalty and protectiveness, so many emotions all wrapped up in a nice little blond package. He was certain they were related anyway, considering how alike they looked. The other woman, the one with the dark red hair, felt the same though it was still the blond that caught his eye.

Perhaps Wyatt was right and he needed to find someone, if only so that he did not feel so alone anymore. He was surrounded by love of all kinds every day, and he felt as if he was the only one without a special someone. His powers allowed him to actually feel the deep connection his parents shared as if it were his own emotions, he had been the first to feel the developing attraction between his closest cousin and a good friend of his, he could even feel the stirrings of a crush his little sister had for a boy in one of her classes.

Not to say that this would be the woman he would develop his own feelings for. He did find her attractive, despite the layers of cosmetics that would have normally turned him away, because beneath that he could feel what a genuinely compassionate woman she truly was. But his conversation earlier in the week with his brother still stood—if he was to ever get involved with someone, he would eventually end up lying to them periodically throughout the relationship to keep the family secret.

It did not escape him that he was not the only one the woman managed to ensnare with her beauty, and he watched as a man approached her. He felt an odd pang of disappointment as he watched her smile coyly at the man, twisting her hair around a finger, while her redheaded companion merely looked on with a raised eyebrow at the display, seemingly used to this kind of behavior from her sister.

Deciding it was best to move on, he scanned the park for someone else to immortalize with a photograph. He was able to keep himself occupied as he moved around, and he hoped that his teacher would at least appreciate the effort he was putting forth for this class, if not for the material itself. He could understand if she gave him a poor grade had he not at least tried to capture someone other than just his cousins and his sister, though these shots would be proof that he had actually gone out to pursue different subjects.

Nearly thirty minutes passed by, and overhead clouds had begun to roll in. Light peeked through the heavens making wonderful effects as shadow and light warred upon the ground. Chris was preparing to pack up his equipment and head home so he would be on time to aid their mother with preparing for a welcoming feast they would be having tomorrow afternoon for a cousin of his who had been away on a trip for the last few weeks, only he paused as his eyes caught a flash of gold reflecting in the sunlight.

It was the blond woman from earlier, and she was spinning in place with her arms outstretched as she lifted her face to the sun while the rest of her was hidden by the shadows of the clouds. It was childish and obviously fun…it was… a breathtaking sight. He found that he could not resist taking at least a few more shots, especially when this woman was being so unguarded. It was as if she was dancing some sacred dance that he was intruding upon.

The young man nearly dropped the device when he realized that he could see a pair of gray eyes staring at him through the lens, and he froze as he realized he had been caught. He groaned inwardly and hurried to place the camera back in the carrying case, hiding a wince when he noticed her determined approach out of the corner of his eye. She came to a stop directly in front of him, one hand resting on her hip as she stared at him coolly.

"Are you some kind of pervert?"

Chris balked at the brusque question, feeling his jaw drop slightly as he tried to form a coherent response. He was sure he looked petrified to her. He had been asked similar questions all week long, when people had noticed him taking pictures of random strangers, though never had it been asked quite so bluntly. It took him off guard, and ran a hand over his head and tugged the strap of his camera bag a little higher nervously.

"N-no," he stammered, cursing himself. "I… I wanted you. No!" His face was horrified as he heard the words escape his mouth, cringing with embarrassment as he hastened to explain. "That came out wrong! Your picture, I wanted your picture," He closed his eyes in a grimace, lowering his head and wishing he could freeze time so he could run away and have his brother take his place to smooth this over. He peeked up at her sheepishly, biting his lip at the way her eyebrows had attempted to reach her hairline through his fumbled speech. "Sorry. I can delete them,"

"… Let me see."

Hands shaking slightly at the even demand, Chris retrieved his camera from the safety of its bag, her narrowed eyes making him sure that the moment he handed it to her it would end up smashed upon the cement in a righteous fit of anger. He watched her face as she scrolled through each photograph he had taken, her heavily darkened eyes inscrutable and not revealing her reaction, and he was too nervous to even try to read her emotions on the matter, keeping his abilities tightly reigned in.

A few minutes later the young woman had gone through every single picture he had taken that day, looping around until she had reached the one of her spinning in the sun. She looked up at him through her thick lashes, silently passing the camera back to him without any damage, and he quietly put it away as he awaited her judgment.

"My name is Cadence,"

"… Christopher," he said, only to clear his throat with a nervous twitch. He hated it when people used his full name. Only his brother and his mother used it, and even then it was only when they were cross with him or annoyed over something. "Chris."

Nodding to herself, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Well, Christopher," she began, her tone still unrevealing of anything. "It is not very polite to take pictures of someone without their permission." She stared at him steadily while his palms began to sweat. He shifted his weight uneasily under her steady gaze, slowly feeling the tenseness begin to ebb away when a small smile settled on her painted lips. "… although those were very good."

Releasing a nervous laugh, he smiled meekly. "So… not going to report me as a pervert?"

Cadence smiled back, her eyes shining with amusement. "Not today, but only because you caught my good side," she said seriously, turning her face slightly in a teasing gesture as if to show him which side was her good side. "… Are you a professional photographer?"

"I wish," he told her. "Just a student,"

"Never would have guessed," Cadence replied, and he felt himself flush slightly under the compliment. "My sister took a photography class a while back," She leaned in closer, as if sharing a secret with him. "They were terrible. Hideous even, and she is an art major! Yours are considerably better."

Chris smiled. "You are probably just exaggerating."

"Maybe just a little," she winked, giving him a considering look. "Are you doing anything tonight?"

For a moment, Chris thought he may have heard wrong. He stared at her uncomprehendingly as his throat bobbed with a nervous swallow. He had to have just misunderstood her, because there was no way that she was asking him for the reason he thought she was. She probably just wanted a copy of the pictures for herself. Sometimes people did after he showed images to them.

"Why," he asked before he could stop himself, and her eyebrows pinched together as if she could not believe that he even had to ask that question. But he did, he really did. Beautiful girls like this were not attracted to him, they were attracted to his brother, and would never just ask him out so randomly.

Cadence allowed her eyes to sweep over his body in a very telling way, beginning from his scruffy sneakers and his dark jeans to the plain tee shirt and the appreciative gleam was like a blow to the stomach when she finally reached his face. He could not resist lowering his defensive slightly—just to make sure he was reading the situation correctly. He closed his eyes briefly as curiosity, amusement, and lust washed over him.

Chris had no idea why she was so curious with him, though he could understand the amusement. She found his nervousness endearing and a bit humorous, though not in a way that he felt he should be wary of. She would not make fun of him for it or use it against him. She was just genuinely amused. And the lust… he released a deep breath at the feel of her attraction. She really did have a genuine interest in him and it left him rather cowed.

"I…" He choked on his own saliva. "I… was planning on… spending the evening with… my brother!" He cursed himself a moment later for being such a coward, making up an excuse just to avoid going on an actual date. And with such a lame excuse! Who would rather spend an evening with their brother rather than this gorgeous young woman in front of him, and really, he did have a valid excuse. He would be helping his mother tonight, to prepare for a welcoming home party which would take place tomorrow after they picked his cousin up from the airport.

It was done now, however. He could not take it back even if he tried.

A slow, predatory smile stretched across her face, and she suddenly took a step closer, so close that he could smell the scent of her subtle perfume, unconsciously inhaling deeper at the pleasant fragrance as she ran a finger down the center of his chest. His heart was racing as he felt her press against him, and he was sure she could feel the rapid tempo. He swallowed the thick lump in his throat, feeling a shudder surge through his body as she gripped the back of his neck with her other hand to pull him down to her level.

"Then it is settled." she told him as he squirmed beneath her touch. "It's a date."

Chris blinked in shock. "What?"

"Tonight…" she continued. "We will meet at the on the boardwalk, where they just built that knew pier."

"… What?"

Cadence grinned at him. "You bring your brother, and I will bring my sister." And then she stood on the tips of her toes and pressed her glossy lips against his cheek, as if he had not been in enough turmoil with her pressed against the length of his body. "See you at seven," she whispered seductively, his eyes fluttering closed against his will as her lips grazed the shell of his ear. And suddenly she was gone, walking away from him with an extra swing to her hips that caused several eyes to follow the motion as her white dress swayed.

Chris stared after her in bewilderment, a hand rising to press against his forehead as he greedily filled his lungs. He watched as she walked back to her sister, giggling as she hooked their arms together and began walking away. By the way they glanced over their shoulders at him as they exited the park, it did not take much to guess what they were discussing. He walked away in a slight daze, waiting until he reached a secluded area vacant of people and he transported himself home in a flurry of lights.

With a careless shrug he divested himself of his camera bag and threw himself into a chair before he collapsed, once again going through the conversation in his mind. He had a date… had he even agreed to go? He was a bit lost on what had just happened. It had been less of a request and more of a statement that they would meet, and he had no idea what to make of it.

He had half a mind to call this girl up and tell her that he would not be able to make their so called date… only… he had no idea what her number was or her surname should he even attempt to search for her in a directory. She may not even be listed in the phone books. Who knew how many women with the first name of Cadence even lived in the bay area, if that was even her real name. Chris shook his head. Who would have known that such a petite blond could ever be so… aggressive. He flushed when he realized he had kind of liked it.

"Chris?"

It was his brother that drew him back into reality. He cleared his throat. "Yes?"

Wyatt gave him a cautious look. "Are you alright?"

"I have no idea…"

In hindsight, he should have chosen to respond differently because immediately the older man was crouching in front of him, face full of concern as he scanned his brother for any sign of injuries. "Were you attacked," he demanded, only to curse when he only got a noncommittal sound in return. He attempted to lift the baggy shirt up for a further inspection, though the Chris managed to squirm out of his hold, used to the overprotective nature.

"… I have no idea what happened." Chris gently pushed his older brother away with a helpless look. "Not a really an attack… or at least, not that kind of attack…"

Wyatt frowned in warning. "Christopher,"

"I was taking her picture," he explained in puzzlement, while his brother listened patiently so he would know exactly who to summon and destroy if they had done anything to his little brother. "She saw me, and before I could get away she was standing right in front of me and calling me a pervert."

Wyatt could only stare at him, his lips twitching with the need to smile as he began to understand just what had happened. So that's how it is… His brother had not been assaulted or hunted down by any sort of malevolent creature of the night. He had been accosted by a woman. He sat back on his heels, keeping his silence as he let the younger man continue on with his tale.

"She demanded to see them," Chris said. "So I handed over my camera… and then… she asked me out… or told me we were going out… and then she kissed me. Only on the cheek, though, and she walked away. "

Clearing his throat, a wide smile on his face, Wyatt slapped the younger man on the shoulder lightly. "Nice to see you are finally taking my advice and focusing on a nice girl of your own…" He chuckled at the pitiful confusion etched on his brother's face. "So when is the big day?"

"… Tonight, the pier at seven…" Chris released a haggard breath. "And that is all you have to say?"

"Have fun?" he offered.

Chris glared at him. He sudden paled as he recalled one last piece of information. He stood slowly, swallowing the lump in his throat as he pushed past Wyatt just to postpone telling him that he would be going on this date too. Wyatt was going to be so incredibly pissed. Chris was inwardly cursing himself for using the man as an excuse, especially since this was the result. His brother had just gotten out of a long term relationship that had not part parted amicably and not to mention the fact that he was secretly—and Chris used that term loosely because it was just so obvious—pining for someone else.

This was a recipe for a disaster…

Chris cringed with anticipated embarrassment as he brother appeared behind him as he entered the kitchen, saying that he had an announcement to make and they would never guess what it was. "Wyatt, keep your voice down," their mother told him sternly, though she gave them both an affectionate smile as she washed vegetables for the dinner she was cooking tonight. "Now what is it you wanted me to guess?"

"Yes, oh tall, dark and moody," Melinda added from her stool at the counter, idly flipping through a magazine. "We are all on the edge of our seats…"

"Smart ass," he snorted, smiling pleasantly at his mother when she gave him a look. "Chris has a date."

Piper paused in her task, turning to scrutinize her youngest son. "How well do you know her?" she asked, setting the vegetables out on a chopping board and selecting a knife. He shrugged in response and she narrowed her eyes at him for it. "What if she is a demon," she said reasonably, shaking the knife at him.

Chris eyes the sharp object and took a subtle step back. His mother with a pointy object was a dangerous combination, though really, she was always dangerous with the way she could demolish the house with the slightest outburst of anger. He glared at his brother for bringing this to her attention, and the older man had the audacity to send him a positively gleeful grin at him in success.

"Who is a demon?" asked another woman, and Paige suddenly entered the kitchen through the conservatory door, a small wrapped box and a bag of groceries in her hand, which she immediately pawned off to an unsuspecting Wyatt when he turned to greet her. "Put those away for me, would you?" She turned without waiting for a response, only to stare at her sister with wary eyes. "Piper," she drawled. "Are you trying to kill my neurotic nephew?"

Lowering the knife, the older woman frowned at her. "No, I am not going to impale my son if that's what you're thinking, missy," she sighed, turning to the clean vegetables and beginning her assault. "Did he tell you that he has a date? Because I had to find out from Wyatt just now, and I had no idea he even liked anyone…"

Chris opened his mouth to protest, because he did not like anyone and therefore had not been keeping it from her, though he was interrupted when Paige looked over at him with a grin. "Who is she?" she interrogated. "What is her name? What does she look like?"

There was something to be said about the way all four of them zeroed eagerly on to the poor young man with eyes akin to a shark who smelled blood. Chris was thinking something along the lines of they needed their own lives! He was still trying to get over the shock that he would be going on a date that he still had no idea if he agreed to or not because he had been so discombobulated at the time. He should not have to go into details about it.

"Whoa," Phoebe interrupted as she entered the room next, her eyes widening as she gave them all a brief glance before finally settling on her nephew. It made no difference that he was attempting to hide his emotions from her, she had been an empath for much longer than he had and she could easily slip passed his defenses to sense the embarrassment he was feeling. "Someone is very anxious," she said in amusement.

Poor little Christopher looked mortified. "I'll just wait in my room," he said, disappearing out the door and up the stairs before anyone could stop him. He may as well go take a shower, because there was no way he would be staying here tonight if they were just going to interrogate him.

Sharing a look amongst his aunts, Wyatt laughed at the retreat.

Piper was not amused, however, and set her knife down on the cutting board forcefully, throwing her hands up in exasperation while she gave them each a dark look. "Am I the only one who is taking this seriously?" she demanded of her children and her sisters. Judging by their sheepish expressions, she figured that she was, in fact, the only one who wanted to know if this girl was a threat.

Instead of commenting, she simply shook her head and emptied some of the chopped vegetables into a skillet already on the stove to let them simmer for a bit before she would add them to her soup. She continued cooking while listening to the menial chatter around her, and after nearly ten minutes of listening to her younger sister gush about how she could not wait for her family to return, she was pulling a pan of freshly baked cookies out of the oven.

"Mmm," Wyatt grinned, licking his lips as the aroma reached him. He peered over her shoulder down to the pan and inhaled deeply. "Lemon cookies?" He drew his face into a puppyish pout, silently begging for one before dinner, though he could not quite pull it off as his brother could, and his mother narrowed her eyes at him.

"Don't even think about it, mister," she said firmly, nodding in satisfaction as he pulled away and sat down to sulk beside his sister. The moment she had her back turned, the sound of wind chimes filled the room, alerting her to the fact that her son had just deliberately disobeyed her. Turning around and placing her hands on her hips menacingly, Piper scowled at him. "Wyatt Matthew Halliwell!"

Wyatt stared at her with wide, innocent eyes, showing her his empty hands. "What?"

Piper frowned deeply at him, assessing his honesty, and suddenly whipped around to find her youngest sister attempting to look blameless even with the crumbs gathering at the corner of her mouth, and the way her jaw was working to devour the cookie before she could be caught. Needless to say, she was caught red handed.

"Sowwy, Pippar," she said around her food.

"Ew," said Phoebe, scrunching up her nose in distaste at her sister. "That is disgusting, Paige." She waited a beat before asking, "So Chris has a date?" She released a squeal as she received a nod in answer. "Oh, thank God! You know it is one thing to know that your nephew is sexually repressed, but it is another thing entirely to feel his sexual frustration. Finally," she said with relief. Piper and Paige were aghast by her casual comment, Melinda shuddered at the thought, and Wyatt merely grinned.

"Subject change," the oldest sister pleaded, not wanting to discuss her son's frustration or the fact that his aunt was apparently being affected by it. That was a taboo subject. It was bad enough for her to know that her sons were adults and of age to do whatever they pleased, she did not want to know any details. "Are you excited?" she asked the shorthaired woman.

Phoebe had a face splintering smile as she nodded. "My little girl and my hubby are coming back, of course I am excited!" she replied enthusiastically. "I mean, I know that she was only gone for two weeks but that was two weeks too long. And even though she has been with her daddy this whole time," She shrugged helplessly. "I just can't wait until they are both in my arms…"

"What time does their flight get in?" Paige asked her curiously.

Phoebe sighed sadly. "Not until noon,"

Ten minutes later had Piper storing a bowl of marinating meat for skewers tomorrow in the refrigerator, grumbling because her little helper had fled the scene. The rest of the chopped vegetables were placed in tupperware and the sauces she made had been cooled and had joined the rest of the food in preparation for the barbeque tomorrow afternoon. She washed her hands when she was finished, drying them off with a hand towel as she gazed toward the ceiling as if she could see the floor above.

"Chris!" she shouted up to him.

It took a few moments before there was any sign that he had even heard her, and soon he stumbled down the stairs, his short cropped hair damp as he finished buttoning his clean and pressed shirt.

Piper observed the change in his wardrobe with critical eyes, taking in the clean slacks and the faint scent of cologne. He always dressed presentably, though he tended to go with functionality and comfort rather than dressy. "What is with the outfit?"

The young man had the grace to look somewhat self-conscious with her intent scrutiny, smoothing out nonexistent wrinkles in his shirt as he mumbled out an inaudible reply. He scuffed his bare feet on the floor, his hand running over his head in a nervous habit as he looked longing at the stairs, as if he was just waiting for the moment when he could retreat.

Paige gave her youngest nephew a sly grin. "Got a hot date tonight?"

If his cheeks had not been rose before her question, they certainly were now. She knew very well that he did, in fact, have a date, and she snickered with glee as he scowled at her for daring to tease him.

"The date is tonight?" asked Piper, looking aghast.

Chris sighed as he crossed his arms over his chest defensively. "It's not that big of a deal," he tried to tell them, though even as he spoke he knew it was hopeless. His track record with women as well as his stance of dating was sure to have them believing that he would end up to be a miserable old man who would be alone for the rest of his life… or rather, he knew that was what his sister maintained.

"Sorry kiddo," Paige grinned at him. "But it kind of is."

"Fine," he sighed again, shaking his head. "If you will excuse me, I have to finish getting ready," He gave his bare feet a pointed glance, turning on his heel in a purposeful march out of the kitchen. He came to a sudden stop as he caught sight of his brother, who seemed to take far too much amusement from this situation. Damn. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, reluctantly turning to face the older man. "… Wyatt?"

"Yes, Christopher," he drawled suspiciously at the nervous tone.

Chris licked his lips, searching for a way to word this properly. "This girl…"

"Your date?" he supplied, raising an eyebrow at his brother.

With an anxious chuckle, Chris nodded and shifted from foot to foot. "You know how she… kind of cornered me earlier, right?" The older man narrowed his eyes even more, whilst the rest of the family watched on in interest as the display, eagerly listening to the conversation. "She surprised me, and I… I kind of panicked earlier. Because she surprised me…" He winced, realizing that he was repeating his words, and if his brother hadn't realized that something odd was up before, he certainly did now.

"The point," Wyatt bit out with some apprehension. "Get to the point, Christopher,"

"… I told her I was spending the evening with my brother," Chris admitted fretfully, watching the growing comprehension beginning to blossom on his brother's face before. "And then she said that it was a date, and that we were going to meet at the pier… and that she would bring her sister and I would bring you," He stared over at his brother with his pathetic puppy eyes staring dolefully at the other man as he awaited his judgment.

"… You idiot," Wyatt said as his head dropped onto the countertop with a loud thud, turning his head to scowl at his aunts and his sister as they tried, quite unsuccessfully he would add, to stifle their laughter at his predicament. This date was turning out to be less amusing than he had first thought. He slowly lifted his head, catching sight of the way his mother's lips pursed with worry.

"Wyatt, please…" Christopher pleaded with him. "She was kind of… scary,"

Melinda snickered. "Scary?"

"Intimidating," he corrected, cheeks stained scarlet.

Never before had he been so hard pressed to control himself not to burst out laughing, and it took all of Wyatt's considerable self-control to keep his face carefully blank as he considered the situation. His brother was strong, and resilient, and he had faced horrors that no child should ever have to face since the moment he entered this world and took his first breath. They had both stood against dark forces intent of seeing the enslavement or extinction of the human race, faced vile creature attempting to destroy them and their family countless times.

Wyatt never thought he would see the day where his brother would afraid of anything, especially not a young woman who had bullied him into taking her out on a date. He knew that his brother was not truly scared of this girl, perhaps a bit intimidated and unsure how to react to her forcefulness, though not afraid of her. And he needed someone to stand beside him, to help him keep his head so that he didn't accidently make a fool out of himself.

"… Is her sister pretty?" he finally asked, resignation written all over his face.

"Please, I promise I will make you breakfast for a month—wait," Chris blinked in astonishment, cutting himself off as the words registered. He balked at the other man, who was casually reclining in his seat, his eyebrows aloft as he allowed Chris to process his words. "Does that mean…?" He could only stare as he received a silent nod. "You'll do it? You'll come with me, just like that?"

"Oh, I fully intend for you to keep that promise," Wyatt said with a reluctant smirk. "The prospect of homemade waffles and eggs every morning for an entire month sounds like a rather good trade for one evening spent keeping you from scaring this girl away with your nervous ramblings," He chuckled at the profoundly astounded look on his brother's face. If anything, he would at least have fun humiliating his little brother with relentless teasing. "And you didn't answer my question. Is she pretty?"

Chris nodded absently, still a bit dazed that his brother had agreed even with everything that he has been going through lately. "Yeah, she was very pretty. She was a bit further away, but she had dark red hair and pale skin, and she looked a lot like Cadence, her sister, who is… very, very pretty,"

Everyone watched with concern as Wyatt seemed to choke on air, coughing several times as he heard the brief description. No, he thought with a mental shake of his head. Hopeful thinking, it can't possibly be her… could it? It had to be a coincidence, just an odd twist of fate that his little brother had a date with a woman named Cadence who had a sister with pale skin and red hair. Just a fluke that reminded him of his bothersome obsession with the poor girl he had nearly jumped in a crowded restaurant, because he could recall that she too had a sister who shared the same name as his brother's date.

"I took a picture of her too, actually," Chris was still saying, and before he could say another word he watched as his camera bag suddenly materialized in front of the older man with a sudden burst of blue and white lights so abrupt they appeared to burst apart, the soft jiggling still lingering in the air as he eagerly searched the bag for the device. "Careful," Chris warned as he watched his brother practically manhandle his very expensive camera equipment as he scrolled through all of the photographs with a very peculiar determination.

Wyatt felt his breath catch in his throat once more as he finally settled on the images his brother had taken, dismissing the ones of the blond woman immediately though staring with awe at the woman beside her. It was no coincidence, not just a simple twist of fate after all. Wyatt stood abruptly, looking down at himself with a frown as he realized just how unkempt he looked at the moment.

It had been a long week, what with him hunting down every one of his relatives to apologize to them for his deplorable behavior, and having to work both the shifts he was covering at the restaurant and his own hours at the club every evening. He had been too exhausted today once he finished his shifts, coming home to crash on the couch for a few hours still dressed in his uniform. He had not had time to shower for at least two days, and his hair was a mess from his impromptu nap earlier that day.

With a noise of dismay, he himself suddenly broke apart into millions of little orbs as he retreated downstairs to his bedroom to make himself more presentable. It was only five at the moment, which meant he had plenty of time to get ready, though he would not be taking any chances. He had been trying to come up with an excuse to speak with her again for the past week though he always found an excuse not to, and now one had fallen directly into his lap.

He couldn't have been more pleased with this outcome.

Chris lunged for the forgotten camera as it was left behind by his brother as he orbed away, his fingers barely grasping hold of it before it had a chance to meet the unforgiving linoleum tiles of the kitchen. He released an angry breath at the fact that his brother had treated his property with such disregard, hastening to tuck it away back within the soft walls of the case.

"What was that all about?" Melinda asked in bewilderment.

Phoebe squinted a bit. "I have no idea," she said. "But he was very happy about something."

"He was happy that he is being coerced into a double date?" Piper questioned dubiously.

Chris could only shrug, a bit confused by what was going on himself. "Beats me,"

Phoebe suddenly rounded on him, her face wide with a smile. "Enough about Wyatt," she said pleasantly, giving his cheek a small pinch. "I have some advice for you," She looked him over carefully, shaking her head. "You look very handsome, certainly, though like you are going to church, sweetie." He looked down at his apparel with a winch, realizing just how right she was. "You mentioned the pier?"

"Yeah,"

"Hmm," she mused thoughtfully, pausing for just a moment before she snapped her fingers as if she had just solved a difficult puzzle. "Loose the slacks, sweetie, they are much too formal for the occasion. If she wanted fancy, she would have chosen to meet elsewhere. Go for that nice pair of dark jeans you have, not the light blue ones with the paint stains. Keep the shirt, it looks very nice on you and the green brings out your eyes wonderfully, though…" She sighed regrettably, gesturing to his waistline where his shirt had been carefully tucked away. "Try to be more casual. Don't tuck in it…"

Chris nodded seriously because he was getting free advice from a woman who had once been San Francisco's most successful advice columnist before she had ended up taking over as the chief editor of that particular newspaper. He would be crazy not to do as she said, so he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek in gratitude and rushed upstairs so he could change his pants and put on some shoes.

Piper watched her son disappear with a sigh. "You two staying for dinner," she asked her sisters hopefully, figuring that they could stay up late and watch some sappy movies as they waited for her sons return later. After a length of time, Piper asked the question that had been burning in the back of her mind throughout the entire conversation, unable to resist any longer. "Are we sure this Cadence girl and her sister aren't demons? He admitted she scared him,"

"Piper." Phoebe said warningly.

"… Maybe we should check the Book of Shadows,"

Paige sighed in exasperation. "Piper."

"I mean, she could be a succubus," the older woman said worriedly. "You know how dangerous those things are."

The other two shared a look, expelling a breath as they shouted, "Piper!"

"What? It could happen!"

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Connor Rowan had been beside himself with worry since the moment he had arrived at the family estate. His mother had gently informed him that his twin had taken their younger sister out for the day, and then she had proceeded to scold him with all the viciousness of a mother lion when he demanded to know where they had gone, leaving him sufficiently browbeaten by her adamancy that Brígh needed to get out of the house and walk around for a while, if only to get her mind off of things.

If there was one thing to be said about Amelia Rowan, she was a very formidable woman and she could outsmart any politician into committing career suicide by causing them to reveal every dark deed they have ever committed if she had the inclination. It was probably one of the reasons their father was still so in love with her even after all of this time, because he had someone to argue endlessly with that could actually have him in a proverbial noose by the end of the squabble.

There was nothing Connor could do to convince her that they needed to keep Brígh safe within the walls of the house, where they could protect her should someone wish her harm. Once Amelia had her mind made up, her resolve was unshakable by anything short of death. Therefore Connor sulked as she had elegantly walked away with all the grace and poise of a noble queen, standing in the entryway of the house with his shoulders slumped.

The man vowed to strangle his twin when they returned, sure that this was somehow her doing.

Brígh would never leave him to worry after like this if Cadence had not been involved. The girls were lucky that it was him who had discovered their absence and not their father, because he had made it absolutely clear that Brígh would be under house arrest until the culprit who attacked her in her own apartment was behind bars and far away from her. A fact she had been none too pleased with for sure, though nonetheless acquiescent to the demand... or so they had thought.

Connor stalked out the front door with an angry jilt to his stride the moment he caught sight of the ridiculously expensive, cheery red convertible his sister had purchased begin to pull into the courtyard. The car went in a full circle through the roundabout created by the large fountains, and for a brief moment he feared that she may have saw his approach and meant to drive away once more. But no, the car stalled as she killed the engine, the door opening with a careless swing as she stepped out in her high heels.

"Connor, darling," she greeted with a pucker of her glossy lips, blowing an air kiss at him. "What are you doing here on this fine day?"

Cadence seemed to be far too pleased with herself for his liking, and he spared her a sharp glare that was completely ineffective on her after twenty four years of putting up with his overprotective tendencies, and he strode over to the passenger side of the car, offering his hand to his youngest sister.

It was all he could do to stamp down the instinctual urge to search her over for any damage. He felt as if he had loaned his twin his favorite toy and feared to find it in pieces when she returned it, though he would never say that out loud lest he want to cause Brígh to become angry with him for the comparison. He felt himself calm, all of the scenarios that he had been imagining for the past three hours fading from his mind as she embraced him.

"Quit being so overprotective," she whispered to him, no bite to her words, just as kind smile on her face. "We went to a coffee shop, and then walked among the boutiques for a while before we decided to have lunch in the park. Nothing bad happened, and we came back in one piece…" He was unconvinced, though he released her with a reluctant sigh. "You will never guess what Cadence did earlier though,"

Connor gave his twin a wary look. "Something I won't like," he assumed.

Cadence placed a hand over her heart, giving him a wide eyed look. "How ever did you guess!" she gasped, the correct amount of cluelessness in her voice though her eyes gave her away, the smugness oozing from the tilt of her lips causing him to stiffen slightly. "Oh, relax, Conn," She rolled her eyes. "I have a date tonight."

"… Is that supposed to be a surprise?" he asked unhappily. He knew very well that his sister went through men the same way she went through shoes, which she happened to change quite frequently in fact. He had long ago resigned himself to the fact that Cadence was rather promiscuous and there could be nothing done to change her ways. In fact he had tried several times to set her up with one of his friends, a plan which had backfired spectacularly when she moved on after a week of being romanced, leaving him with very angry friends to deal with.

"Oh, you wound me with your words," Cadence simpered, staring up at him with mock sorrow as she entered the house. "Though the part you won't like is that I am not the only one going," She suddenly took Brígh's hand and began heading for the staircase. "Come on, pumpkin, we need to start getting ready for tonight," She let out a soft yelp as her arm jerked uncomfortably when her sister became an abrupt dead weight behind her.

"Excuse me?"

Cadence grinned slyly. "Oh, did I forget to mention," Her tone implied that she had intentionally forgotten. "We are going on a double date with Christopher and his brother," She watched in satisfaction as both of her siblings stared at her in disbelief. "… Oops," she snickered carelessly. "And we only have two hours to get ready, so we better go,"

"Absolutely not," Connor said loudly, taking ahold of Brígh's other hand. "She is not going anywhere."

"Brígh doesn't want to stay here forever, Conn,"

"I'm not about to let her go out with some muscle head ape because you want a jump his brother," Connor snapped back. "She needs to be kept safe, at least until they find that bastard."

"Kept safe?" Cadence repeated. "Kept prisoner, you mean,"

"Enough," Brígh cried, yanking her arms away from both of them. Watching them fight like this was more upsetting than the supposed traumatic event had been. She shook her head, feeling annoyed and frustrated as they glared at each other. "Connor, I appreciate that you want to keep me safe," she told him calmly, and he shot his twin a rather superior look, thinking that she was taking his side. "But I am a grown woman, and I can make my own decisions. And you," she narrowed her eyes at her sister's rather pleased expression, which deflated swiftly as she was addressed. "Have no right to make promises for me, Cadence. You should have asked me before you agreed to go out with this guy,"

Cadence sighed, nodding her head. "Does that mean you're not coming?" It was less of a question and more of a statement because she doubted Brígh would ever agree to it. That was why she had not told her about it until they got home. Perhaps she should have held out longer.

"I never said that," Brígh said quietly, much to the other woman's surprise. "You already made the arrangements, and it's too late to change plans now. But this won't be happening again. Try to include me less from now on, okay?" She nodded in satisfaction when she heard a solemn promise, turning to give her brother an apologetic smile. "You trust me, don't you Connor?"

"Of course," he said softly.

"Can you trust me to take care of myself?"

Connor huffed a bit, because it was not only his job to take care of her but it was his right. Still he nodded his head with obvious reluctance. "Just don't expect me to keep Da from finding out what you two are up to tonight," he warned them. Cadence released a squeal, suddenly dragging them both in her arms. She pushed her twin away a moment later, retaking Brígh's hand before she bounded for the stairs with a blinding smile on her face.

"This is going to be so much fun!" she said as she herded the younger girl into her massive closet, which in reality could have posed as another bedroom if not for the shelves stacked to the ceilings full of shoes and folded clothes, or thousands of outfits hanging from the supports. She clapped her hands together as she looked around the very organized closet searchingly. Her foot tapped upon the floor as she stood thoughtfully, her eyes lighting up as she spotted what she wanted. "I have the perfect outfits for us,"

"And who said you would get to dress me?" Brígh asked wryly.

"I did," Cadence said dismissively, grinning as she heard the exasperated sigh in return. "Unlike you, I have style, and a better wardrobe. And you don't even know where we're going, so there is no way you could possibly choose the correct outfit for the type of establishment."

"Cadence…"

"Oh come on," she sniffed. "It's not like I'm going to put you something distasteful,"

"Your opinion of what's distasteful and mine differ slightly,"

Cadence extracted a short dress that was hanging, holding it up without a word. It was only inevitability that the young woman got her way. Brígh may have been the one to inherit their mother's kind and generous nature, but Cadence had been the one to receive her negotiating skills. The blond was not above bringing up embarrassing events or even mentioning the shirt she had found among Brígh's possession as long as she got what she wanted.

Amelia saw her daughters off when they had climbed down the stairs. She gently grazed their cheeks as she handed them each a shawl to wear over their bare shoulders. "Connor told me what you are doing tonight," she said softly, a small smile playing on her lips as she gave them an inconspicuous wink. Her voice was airy and loving as she saw them to the door.

"Did he now?" Cadence rolled her eyes.

Brígh sighed. "Da is not going to be happy,"

"Do not worry about your father, dear ones… I will handle him," Amelia promised. "Have fun, my angels,"

Brígh should have known that their mother would be on her sister's side.

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¸.·´¯·»Chapter«·´¯·.¸

Some of you may recognize a bit of the dialog from the original version. I admit that it was not quite as bad as I made it out to be, though I did make several changes to it, which I am pleased with. Enjoy!

Lynx