Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or any of its characters. They all belong to Brad Kern and whoever. I do own Amarie, Melissa, Heather, and Grace. Please don't steal them.

A/N: If anyone is still reading this story, I am both impressed and eternally grateful. Lots of changes lately. I am going to finish the story, although it may be a while.

Chapter 5

"How should we get there?"

"Orbing? That would be a long car ride."

"Can I point out that we don't know where we're going? We can't orb." Wyatt's tone clearly said 'idiot'.

"Maybe we should take a plane?"

"Yeah, with what money?"

"We can ask Mom and Dad."

"Uh, they're not exactly made of money."

"What's the problem?" Cassandra's voice was politely curious.

"We have a…meeting in North Carolina that we need to go to. Problem is, it's a long drive from here to there."

"Especially in your car," Chris muttered.

"There is nothing wrong with my car!"

"Wyatt, I have to climb in the back seat window to get in the front passenger seat, and bang on the seat twice to get my seatbelt on!"

"I know of a way you can get there faster," Cassandra offered.

"How?"

"My friend owns a private jet. I can borrow it from him."

"Nice friend," Chris noted appreciatively.

"Definitely. Just pay for my meals and we'll call it even."

The boys glanced at each other. "Sure."

"When is the meeting?"

"Um, tomorrow?"

"Not a problem. Can you be ready in…an hour and a half?"

"Are you serious," Wyatt asked in disbelief.

"Not often, but this time, yes."

"Thanks!"

Cassandra and her pilot friend chattered casually to each other during the trip. Fortunately, they hadn't asked many questions about the trip. Once in North Carolina, they split up at a rental car place. "Meet you back here at six," Cassandra asked.

"No problem."

"Good. Call me if you get done earlier."

"We need more friends like her," Chris muttered as they walked away.

"Just as long as she doesn't turn out to be a demon."

"Yeah, that would be a problem."

"Of course, since she's not interested in you it's likely not to be a problem."

"Shut up." Chris quite possibly held the family record for dating evil creatures.

"It was a tragedy," one of the women they talked to answered firmly. "Good kids, all of them. I can't believe Marcy's dead."

"How did Todd and Rick die?"

"Todd fell through his bedroom window, three stories up. The fall killed him. Rick drove his car off a cliff. The police think he must have driven his car off a cliff. I feel so bad for their parents."

Wyatt noticed the differences in the deaths. Why had Marcy been stabbed? It made no sense.

"Did they ever find Erica's body," Chris asked quietly.

"No, never. I was on the search and rescue team-we combed the entire area but never found a thing. The police thought maybe she fell in the river and was pulled downstream; there are some pretty swift rapids."

"What about cliffs?"

"Some. Why all the questions?"

"My brother knew Marcy," Chris answered. "We're just…trying to make sense of it, I guess."

"I'm so sorry, dear," the woman answered.

"We'd better get going," Wyatt sighed. "Thanks for talking to us."

"What do you think," Chris asked as they left.

"Todd and Rick both died in similar ways, but Marcy was stabbed. Why?"

"Maybe something went wrong. I think Kacela must be Erica."

"Maybe. It still feels like we're missing something, though."

"Like what?"

"Maybe we should talk to Marcy's parents."

"Haven't they been through enough," Chris asked sharply.

"Chris…if Erica is alive and she's killing everyone who was on that trip, there's still one girl left. We have to save her."

"You're right. Let's go."

Marcy's father wasn't home, but her mother invited them into the house. She accepted their condolences with a shaky voice. "I just can't believe she's dead. I don't know why anyone would want to kill her."

"Could it have anything to do with the deaths of those boys, Todd and Rick?"

"Their deaths were accidental."

"Or assisted suicide," a female voice commented.

"Sharon!" Marcy's mother looked angrily at the teenage girl who entered the room. "It was an accident!"

"Marcy's definitely wasn't."

"Well, she didn't commit suicide! Your sister was murdered, Sharon! How can you say…" she broke off.

"We should go. We're sorry for interrupting," Chris interjected softly.

"I'll show you out," Sharon answered flatly. She led them to the door.

"Why do you think their deaths were suicides," Wyatt asked.

"Why do you care? You didn't know them."

"Five kids went on a trip. Four are dead. I don't want one more added."

Sharon studied them closely. "You got money? I could use a burger and a drink."

"Everyone thinks Todd and Rick were so great. They weren't," Sharon asserted as she drank her Coke. They sat outside on a bench in front of a burger joint.

"So, what were the not-so-perfect Todd and Rick like?"

"Typical jocks. Athletic, popular, went to all the parties, and thought they owned the world."

"And Marcy?"

"She was Rick's boyfriend. I told her she should dump him, but she liked hanging out with his friends." Sharon's face hardened. "She could be a jerk too, sometimes."

"What about Erica and Helen?"

"Helen was Marcy's friend. She was also friends with Erica, but Erica didn't like Marcy, Todd, or Rick. Todd and Rick talked Marcy into asking Erica and Helen to come with them on the trip."

Wyatt silently thanked the Elders that he was out of high school and all of its stupid games.

"But Erica never came back."

"No, she didn't."

"Did Marcy ever say anything about the trip," Chris asked gently. He had felt a flash of emotion from her when asked about Erica.

"She used to tell me everything. Who she liked, who she hated, what tests she cheated on; she even told me when she tried drugs with Rick."

"But she didn't talk about the trip."

"No. She cried herself sick every night for a month. Mom and Dad dragged her to a counselor, but it didn't do any good. They might have thought she felt better, but she didn't."

"What did you mean when you said 'assisted suicide'?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try us. You'd be surprised."

Sharon sighed and closed her eyes. A stick lying on the ground near her suddenly turned into a bird and flew away.

"You're a witch," Chris exclaimed softly.

"You know about witches?"

In answer, Chris moved a rock into Sharon's hand. She stared at it wide eyed, curling her fingers around it.

"We're witches, too," Chris answered her question. "Was Marcy?"

"Marcy was," she answered. "I don't think my parents were, but our aunt was. She taught Marcy and me."

"Were any of the others witches?"

"Erica was. Her and her twin sister, Kacela."