Here's chapter 4. Hope everyone is enjoying so far. Sorry about the bit by bit.
They shimmered into the manor to see Chris and Spike arguing and Alyssa pacing thru ought the living room. "Spike, listen okay? For once in your life listen to me." "Fuck that! Last time I listened to you a potion exploded, time before that, my jacket caught fire, and before that I almost got staked. Fair to say, no more listening for me." "Look, we can't just barge in some random place hoping we'll get lucky. That's what those of us in the sane world call suicide." Cole and Celice stood in disbelief at how little had been done to try and find her. Granted they were only gone about and hour but who knows how long they had been arguing. Finally Alyssa had had enough. "Boys, if you can stop your bitching for at least five minutes I have a plan." They turned to face her annoyed she'd interrupted their argument. They always got in at least ten minutes of bickering before deciding what to do about the problem at hand. That was their vent time. "Now that I have your attention…" she looked up and saw Celice and Cole standing in the foyer watching the three working on their plan. "Celice is back. And she's with the demon that took her" she stated rather surprised that she'd just noticed. Alyssa formed and energy ball and aimed it at Cole. Spike and Chris turned to see. Spike followed Alyssa's lead while Chris looked rather relieved. Cole stepped back a little. Although and energy ball wouldn't kill him they still hurt like hell. "Hey, someone point that one in another direction." He pointed at Alyssa and looked to Chris. Alyssa held her stance. "I thought she was a witch. No one said anything about her being a demon." Chris looked to Alyssa. Then it registered. Energy balls were a demonic power. Levitation was a witch power but energy balls were defiantly demonic. "We haven't exactly figured that one out yet. They haven't really been very open about who they are." Cole looked at Chris quizzically. "Only the son of a charmed one would offer to help someone they knew nothing about." Spike and Alyssa were still focused fully on Cole wondering why no one was making any kind of move to do something about it. Celice stared at Spike in his battle mode. He was kinda sexy that way. "Alyssa, Cole here is okay. He helped me out. He told the demons I was you because he knew that would throw them off for a little while." "Um, Celice? That's Balthazar. You know the really evil demon that took out the triad and all. Not exactly in the running for new best friend"
"I know it's Balthazar, but he really is here to help." Cole looked to Chris for some kind of support. Spike was looking more confused by the minute. "It's alright. I know him. He's okay." "Someone wanna explain here because I'm really lost." They all looked at Spike. That was one way to lighten the mood because they all had to chuckle a little at his ability to admit he was lost and confused without sounding remotely guilty. Cole explained his trying to help and his former encounter with the sisters. He'd never actually met Chris but Chris saw him in the book of shadows and Phoebe told him the story.
Later that night they all sat around the sun room trying to figure out what to do about Celice and Alyssa. Celice and Spike were going back and forth in the kitchen trying to make something for dinner. Spike was desperately trying to promote take out while Celice refused anything that wasn't made for real. Chris chose to stay out when he could because it reminded him of his aunt phoebe and his mother. They always had a similar argument when something big was going on. Phoebe wanted to just order in and be done with it but Piper would never let her son's settle for anything but her own cooking. "Spike we're not ordering tacos. Not gonna happen!" "But that's what I want. It's easier on all of us if dinner comes in its own box already made." "What do you think would be better? Tacos from some greasy roach infested fast food joint or something made right here in front of you?" "They aren't all roach infested Celice. Some are very classy." "Sorry but a number two combo doesn't count as classy in my book." "Demons! They always have to have the best of everything. That's what makes you so annoying." "You're a demon too Spike." "And according to everyone in this house I'm annoying. You are no exception." Celice rolled her eyes. "Spike, why don't you just go ask everyone what they want and stop bugging me? Things will go a lot faster if you'll leave me alone. You don't even eat and you're picking a fight over dinner." Spike turned on his heel and headed toward the sunroom. At the door he stopped and watched Celice for a brief moment then went on to ask what they all wanted for dinner.
In the sunroom, Chris, Cole, and Alyssa were seated randomly, thinking to themselves. Spike had to gawk at Alyssa because when she was thinking she looked like some Buddha follower meditating. She was sitting Indian style with her eyes closed and floating about four feet off of the floor. Chris was having trouble focusing because she looked somewhat angelic like that. She seemed at peace for the first time since he'd met her. How could every demon in existence want her dead? "Celice said I have to ask what you all want for dinner. I still don't see why we can't just get tacos." "That's because you're the only one that likes them and you don't even eat them." Spike shot Chris a glare. Alyssa just rolled her eyes. No way was spike gonna convince Celice to order take-out. A- they didn't really have money to cover it (except Chris since he got everything after his family died), B- she refused to eat out in general. Ever since they had met she couldn't brave fast food. Her own freakish paranoia. Alyssa couldn't really say anything though because ever since all of the demon troubles started she'd been afraid of food cooked by strangers. "Spike, I'm trying to focus here do you mind? Besides, I just want rice and gravy." Spike looked at her, his eyes almost crossing. "No meat, no veggies, nothing? That's not a real meal. And she complained I wanted tacos." "Celice puts meat in the gravy and always makes a veggie. You don't have to say you want one cuz you know she'll make one anyway. Her mom's fault." "Sounds good." Chris and Cole replied in unison. Spike looked defeated. He turned and went back to the kitchen.
"Why does he always want tacos?" Cole and Alyssa looked at Chris questioningly. Chris only shrugged. Chris picked up the book of shadows and began flipping once again. Cole excused himself and went to keep peace between Celice and Spike. Chris looked up to watch Alyssa and her meditating. This time she noticed him staring. "What's so interesting?" Chris coughed a little. "Nothing, I'm just thinking. I gaze off into nothing when I'm thinking." Alyssa thought it was cute how he came up with that excuse. It's the one everyone uses when they get caught staring. She lowered herself back onto the floor and walked over to Chris. "can I see that," she asked pointing at the book, "maybe you're missing something." Chris slid over on the wicker couch and let her sit next to him. She took the book and began flipping through the pages. 'At least I know she's not evil' he thought. She was fascinated by all of the entries in the book. When she came across Celice she stopped. Chris had forgotten that Celice was even in there. No one had ever mentioned that she was evil. Even the book only said that she was powerful. Nothing about her ever attacking, vanquishing potions, or even summoning spells. He glanced over the page and saw siren. "Remind me never to walk near the bathroom if she's singing in the shower." Alyssa smiled and looked up at Chris. Sometimes she forgot that she was in ways still human herself. Chris leaned in a little closer to her as if he had no control over his next move.
They heard a loud 'thunk' come from the kitchen followed by Celice saying 'sorry' about five times. "If she knocked Spike out we'll be thankful now but he'll bitch later." They walked into the kitchen and found Cole on the floor, Spike laughing and Celice kneeling down trying to bring him to. Alyssa and Chris joined Spike in laughing. "what," ha ha ha "happened?" "I asked Celice what her favorite song was and since I didn't recognize it she sang a couple bars. Apparently she forgot that she was a siren. Cole passed out." He laughed harder while Celice glared at him. "I didn't know he was in here. Vampires are immune to it so I didn't see the harm." Chris furrowed his brows a bit. "But you just singing a song won't do anything. You have to be using you siren power to control a man. Besides, they don't pass out they just blow up from the inside." Spike almost fell off his stool. Alyssa had calmed down a bit and started helping Celice try and wake up Cole. "That's what it does to witches, humans and whitelighters. I don't exactly choose when the siren part works. If a demon hears me just singing along to the radio for more than eight measures or so he blacks out." Cole opened his eyes groggily and looked at the two girls kneeling over him. "What happened?" "Celice knocked you out mate. Did a good job too." "I didn't mean to Spike. If I'd known he was standing there we wouldn't have this problem." She walked over and playfully punched his shoulder. Cole looked around at everyone laughing and laughed himself. Alyssa lightly hit his chest. "You can scare the piss out of some of the most powerful demons in the underworld but can't handle Celice singing a few bars from 'Control'. I think you took the song too literally." They both laughed. Chris looked around the stove at the two pots and one pan simmering. "So, Celice, dinner ready?" She lifted the lid of the rice pot and shook her head yes. They all sat around the TV. and chatted over dinner. Chris didn't say too much. He missed stuff like this. Sitting around and laughing. The good times when Leo treated him equal to Wyatt, and they were all happy. It felt like he had a family again. He didn't want to replace the ones he'd lost but a new family wouldn't be so bad. What's the worst that can happen?
Ooh eerie. Lol. Jus' kiddin'. Well, to chapter five, AWAY!!