CHAPTER ONE
Present Day
- October 17th 2022 -
Samira exited the ornate shop and headed back out into the grimy and dark alleyway. Why was it that some of the best shops were always in the most unsavory of locations? Looking out both ends of the alley she ventured down, eyes alert for any signs of attack from a mugger or worse a demon. Normally she was a lot more relaxed about impending potential attacks but in her small black bag was Chris' birthday present. Whilst neither her family or the Halliwell's were what you would call wealthy, they never went without anything. As such buying each other presents was always a hard task, as they never really wanted for anything, so they usually bought each other gag gifts. But the Halliwell's were like a second family to Samira. In fact at times they were more family than her actual one as she didn't have to hide herself away. And Chris, he was the most important person in her life.
She got along with Chris the most and they were almost inseparable. He understood her in a way few other could. He was her best friend and this year she didn't want to get him a gag gift but something special instead. What though, had been plaguing her for the last couple of weeks.
The sounds of footsteps broke her reprieve and she gazed up to notice two men in front of her and one behind her, both wearing long trench coats and both wielding crossbows. Darklighters.
"Witch." The darkest haired one grunted.
"Yes witch, not whitelighter. So why don't you darklighters scurry back to whichever hole you came from." Samira sneered back at him. She was not in the mood for this, and this would make her late for Chris' birthday party.
He grinned back at her, sending a shiver down her back. "We're not after whitelighters today."
Huh. That was new, and disturbing that the Darklighters seemed to be expanding their repertoire. She would need to inform Chris and Wyatt, as well as the sisters. But not today. She didn't want demons to interrupt, they did that enough as it were.
Samira didn't bother dodging as the Darklighters aimed for her, attempting to shoot to wound her in the legs and arms, seen as their poison wouldn't affect her. She simply twisted her hand slightly and her magic flared to life. The wind forming a barrier around her shielding her instantly. One of the arrows rebounded off her shield shooting directly back into the Darklighter behind her, disintegrating him immediately. She swiped her hand in front of her, releasing a gust of wind slamming the remaining two demons against the wall. She readied herself to attack them again when they peered up at each other before orbing out in a sea of black lights.
Bending down she grabbed one of the stray arrows and placed into her bag. They could track them down and vanquish them later. Deciding to leave quickly before any reinforcements could arrive, Samira jogged out of the alley and back towards the Halliwell manor.
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...
Coop watched as nephew blew out the candles on his cake, not once taking his eyes of Samira standing in front of him in the process. He sighed when he felt his wife wrap her hands around his waist.
"The more I think about it, the more I'm suspecting that we'll have to give them a push."
"Is it really that bad?" Phoebe asked.
Coop gave his wife a look of disbelief. "Phoebe, everyone in this room except for them knows that they have feelings for each other. They just don't realize how deep. It's there buried under layers of friendship and memories. But it's there. A love that rivals even ours, or Leo and Piper's. As a Cupid, I just can't understand how they are so oblivious. When they're in the same room its like no one else matters."
"Well I remember the Chris that came from the future. True he had a very different upbringing from this Chris, but they both share a very similar core. Kind hearted, stubborn, determined and not one who likes to dwell on his feelings. Is it really so surprising?"
"Not so much as surprising as frustrating. I wasn't joking when I said their love rivaled Piper and Leo's. I know their young, but they've been feeling this for years. I've seen loves like this die because they waited too long and death swept it away. I don't want that to happen to them."
"Well then maybe they do need just a little push." Phoebe grinned at her husband.
"Yeah but the question is who to push. Samira or Chris?" Coop asked, already knowing Phoebe was formulating some sort of plan in her mind. Even though she wasn't a cupid, her empathic skills rivaled that of a cupid, and he found her spirit and ability to believe and follow in love adorable and inspiring. He just hoped she could pass some of that onto her nephew.
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...
Samira helped Piper carry the last of dirty dishes over to the sink.
"You didn't have to help you know sweetie, not that I don't mind the company." Piper said over her shoulder as she battled trying fit the leftover food into the overstocked fridge.
"I don't mind."
Piper chuckled at her response.
Samira nearly jumped as she felt a pair on hands wrap around her waist, but relaxed instinctively as she recognized it was Chris. Forgetting that just moments before she was helping Piper, she turned around to face her best friend grinning.
"Happy Birthday!"
"Thanks Mira."
"Don't let it get to your head though. I'm still older, wiser and smarter than you."
Chris snorted at that. "Your older than me by a week." Then giving her a mischievous smile he added, "but smarter, wiser?" he questioned.
Narrowing her eyes at playfully, she pulled his birthday present out of her bag waving it in front of him. "Well then I guess you don't want this."
He edged closer to her, and Samira stepped back enjoying their usual banter until her back hit the island counter. Locked in the space, she closed her eyes momentarily savoring his presence overwhelming her. Samira could feel goosebumps rising on her skin as he bent down to speak to her, which confused her. This was Chris, her best friend, nothing to be nervous about.
"I'll always want a gift from an intelligent and beautiful witch."
A blush begun to rise on her cheeks, along with a rush of exhilaration coursing through her body, but Samira pushed it aside rolling her eyes instead.
"Flatterer." She mumbled as she passed him the present.
Chris opened the present freezing as he saw the contents of the small box. Inside was a small black leather band, fitted with beads. It was the same one that he remembered seeing in that dodgy store he, Wyatt and Samira had gone in last week looking for an ingredient for a vanquishing potion. It wasn't that she seemed to notice his brief interest in an object, she always had the keenest observation skills, it was the intricate details that were now on the beads. Details that weren't there before.
"I hope you don't mind. I carved some symbols into it myself. There's a triquetra, a Celtic knot shield for protection and your initials on the white beads. And then I did the symbol for earth, air, water and fire, as well as everyone's initials. I know how important family is for you guys. I've always admired that. And now no matter where you are, you'll always have a piece of them with you, or well something to remind you of them anyway. And I left the black ones alone. You can carve whatever you want in there, though carving accurately on such a small scale is difficult on your hands. Do you like it?"
Chris swallowed nervously before answering. "Where's yours? Mum and Dad are here, Wy and Mel, my Aunts and Uncles, Cousins and Grandparents but your not there. Why?"
Samira looked genuinely puzzled my that question. "Because it's your family…and I'm not." She replied back not really knowing what he was asking.
The two had become so engrossed in their conversation, that they had forgotten about Piper in the kitchen watching, albeit worried that after all these years Samira didn't feel that they weren't family. Whilst Coop and Phoebe were hovering by the door, newly joined by Paige as if awaiting eagerly for something to happen.
That seemed to snap Chris out his reprieve. "Don't think for a minute that you're not family. You're my best friend. You're just as important to me as my family."
She smiled up at him before enveloping him in a hug. "And you're everything to me."
It was only then that she noticed the gathering crowd seemingly watching them, making the blush reappear. It appeared innocent enough, but Phoebe's infectious, almost childlike grin, made her nervous.
"Chris…why are your Aunt's looking at us weirdly?"
Chris whirled around at that focusing his attention to his Aunt's and mother who were indeed watching, a blush of his own surfacing.
"Aunt Phoebe, Uncle Coop, Aunt Paige…do you need something?" He asked.
"Oh, please don't mind us." Phoebe chattered away. "Don't let us interrupt. Continue on."
"Continue on with what?" He asked equally puzzled now with Samira.
He swore that the edges of their grins twitched at that question, as if he had done something or asked something wrong.
"Well that's my queue to leave. I better head on home, before mum sends out a search party for me. You know how she is about 'late' nights out. I hope you had a great birthday Chris."
Samira wrapped her arms around Chris for one final hug, before she thanked Piper and headed back over to her house across the road. Chris watched as she left the kitchen. He could never understand why her mum was so strict on being home by certain hours, like she was afraid of her daughter out after sunset, but he respected it. Though it didn't mean they didn't bend the rules every so often, like orbing her over for late night movies and demon hunts. He turned back around to his family only to notice a mixture of raised eyebrows and disappointed expressions.
"What?" He asked again. "What is with you guys all of a sudden?"
"They're lost cause, Uncle Coop, Aunt Phoebe." Wyatt interjected as he stepped into the room.
"Whose a lost cause? I swear your all speaking in riddles tonight."
Wyatt just grinned at him, like he knew something that he didn't, which bothered him immensely. He and Wyatt had a health sibling rivalry when they weren't busy protecting each other's back.
"Nothing little brother. It'll make sense one day." Wyatt replied, causing Chris to glare at his even more cryptic answer. "She left her phone in the lounge again."
Taking the option to escape the weirdness of the situation, he grabbed the phone and headed out after Samira.
"Thanks Wy."
He opened the front door looking to see Samira's familiar body heading towards the door of her house at 1328 Prescott Street but he didn't. The pavement to the front door was empty. His eyes tracked movement to the right of his vision on the road. His eyes grew wide, as he spotted a large group of demons picking up a limp Samira in their arms.
"MIRA!" He shouted, as he orbed over to her, but instinctively he knew he would be too late. And he was, only empty space surrounded him. The demons gone, and his best friend along with them.
Author's Note:
For those of you who might think, why are you writing Chris' gift as a necklace? That's a bit girly. Its one of those male black leather band necklaces. I can't remember if Chris ever wore it in any episodes during the show, but I know there are definitely images online of Chris Halliwell wearing this particular type of necklace. I decided that for this fanfiction, that Chris would get it as a present from Samira with a little twist to it.
The ages of all the Piper's, Phoebe's and Paige's children (as other main children characters) as per this chapter in the story are as followed:
Wyatt – 19, Chris – 18 and Mel – 15
Samira – 18
PJ – 15, Parker – 13 and Paloma – 11
Tamora – 15, Kat – 15 and Henry – 14
Dana – 15
Alexander – 16
Addy – 14
I hope you are all enjoying the characters and story so far.
