A Charmed Story - Part Eleven:
Enemy In My Mind
Chapter 10

After they were left alone, Leo turned to Angela and Michael with a sigh. "I think I should take you home..."
The other Elders nodded peremptorily, but Angela looked at Michael, who stepped forward: "No, Leo. I don't wanna go home now and just wait... Besides, there's still the problem with the FBI."
"Yeah, if we go home, they might interrogate us. And we know too much," the woman added.
Leo sighed again, but Jeremiah took the word this time: "No, Leo is right. At least you should go back to the magic school and the students too."
After those words, the kids and teenagers started to protest energetically, but the Elders finally managed to convince them all that it was the best. There was nothing for them to do in this place. If they went back, probably they would be more useful. Finally, Michael consented and explained the students how they could work from there. If they had to expose magic to save Chris, they'd do it, and the best headquarter was the magic school. So Leo took them there quickly, to be back when the Cleaners would return.

& & & & &

Piper separated from the map and shook her head tiredly: "His plan?? Whose plan, Veenosh?? And which is his plan?? This is so frustrating!" Paige sighed and looked at Kyle, who shrugged, a little bit confused.
"Couldn't it just be a coincidence?? I mean... It's easy to draw a V on a map, joining spots... Maybe I was too fast coming here with this. I've been studying it for so long, that I think I am seeing ghosts now." Darryl dried his sweat from his forehead.
But Kyle interrupted him: "It's not a coincidence. I think it's all a plan. That time when I was working with those guys from the x-file-cases made me understand all these patterns they use, and..." he paused, blushing a little bit, "well, yeah... I was very curious at that time, my job was boring, so sometimes I... I secretly read through some of their reports, but..."
Cole nodded, walking around them, and interrupting him when he saw how much he had blushed. "Yeah, this is a clear pattern. A 'V' of Veenosh plus an arrow. He's saying he's..." and he pointed at the map, "right here."
Piper couldn't believe all that stuff. She was really tired, and pessimistic, that was the big problem with her: "You mean that all those robberies were planned to attract my son to his lair?? For what??"
Darryl and Kyle shrugged, but Cole spoke again: "Not necessarily him... But the source, remember? I think they planned to expose magic, to get to the source."
Darryl frowned: "But that's stupid... I mean, not your point, Cole, but... Veenosh's plan. Why should he want normal people to think that the source of all evil is the responsible for this? Especially when no one knows him or can do anything against him... And even if it's so, why is this affecting Chris?"
Cole took a deep breath, feeling himself observed by the others. "No, no, no... That was not the plan," he began, ignoring the why-Chris-question. "The plan implied exposing magic, because doing so, the Cleaners would come."
Silence wrapped them up for a moment, until Paige broke it, opening her eyes widely: "Oh, God, I see it now! He doesn't have the power to kill the source, or maybe he doesn't want to risk it... So the Cleaners are a great option, but they won't do anything as long as Belthazor stays in the Underworld, and therefore... They exposed magic outside, causing him to sooner or later come out!!"
Cole nodded, and Darryl and Kyle listened and thought about it carefully, but Piper finally exploded.
"Well, can anyone explain to me what the hell all this has to do with MY SON?"
Silence emerged again.
Cole stared at Piper, and said after a while: "I guess that was collateral damage, Piper. He was caught in the middle of the fire."
Paige nodded, as she caressed Kyle's hand, nervously: "I am afraid he's right. For this time, Chris was not the aim."
"Or he was... maybe that demon wants both of them," Kyle suggested.
Piper sat down frustrated and rubbed her eyes, trying to assimilate everything.
Then, Darryl intervened: "But if that was the plan, and that so-called Veenosh wanted the Cleaners to end with the source... Why do you think this V is actually pointing at him? I guess he wouldn't like to be implied."
But at those words, Cole and Kyle exchanged looks and smirked. "Personal signature," both of them said at the same time. And Cole added: "He wanted witches and demons to know that HE did it. Because if he wants to be the new source, he needs the respect of the other demons, or he won't have that crown for long..."
"Or he has people who did those robberies for him, and he wants somebody - like Chris - to find them there... like a bait..." Darryl added.
Paige swallowed and looked at Piper, whose sight was lost in the nothingness.
"Ok..." The youngest of the sisters clapped her hands once, showing herself ready for the fight: "Then we need to hurry. Who's coming with me, to get that demon?"

& & & & &

Silas sat on the stairs, his head in his hands, thinking about everything. Julian, Yuri and Odin stood next to him. He sighed raising his head: "This is not good..."
"What do you mean?" Odin asked.
"All this... this plan," Silas said underlining his words with a gesture of his hands. "If it's true that Chris is that vulnerable without that magical protection, it's a huge risk to let him go out! Not only for the people around him, but also for himself."
The female Elder nodded: "He's right Odin. The power an Elder can radiate is much bigger than what Chris had already shown. And see what this already cursed. If he would lose his control, he..."
"He won't," Julian and Odin said at the same time.
The latter looked at the witch and frowned. How could he be so sure when he didn't know what they were talking about? But maybe Julian DID know? He shook his head.
But Julian didn't notice. Instead he said to the other two: "I believed in him with that prophecy-thing and I do it now, too. Chris can handle this."
Everyone was surprised by the certainty in Julian's voice. But he hadn't finished his speech yet. "He saved my ass a couple of times, and I know he knows the risks... that's why I'm going with him, when the time comes... To help him, if he needs someone."
"Thanks," Silas said, "I'm sure he'll appreciate that."
At this moment Leo stepped to the little group - he had just orbed back - and asked: "Anything new?" They all shook their heads.
So he nodded and sat down next to Silas, sighing deeply. This was all so frustrating. His mind travelled back to the time when Chris arrived in the past. How he hated him at first and how shocked he was when he found out that this annoying freak was his son, how much he loved him from that very moment... He couldn't believe that this mess was now happening. Chris had gone through so much and now, when he finally was happy, got everything he deserved... now such a little stupid demon came and was about to destroy everything. He wouldn't let that happen. "I won't let that happen," he muttered.
"What?" Yuri asked.
Leo stood up and started to pace around. "This!" he said now loudly, to answer the question. Then he went on with a notable darker voice: "If the Cleaners want to have him, then they shall try! But I will not let them get him... never!"
"Leo," Odin said calmly. "Don't go there... Nothing will happen to Chris, WE can't let that happen. But don't let emotions take over your mind, we need to keep cool, think clearly..." Leo sighed again and nodded.
A few minutes later, the Cleaners reappeared. Their faces were calm, without any emotion, as the little group - led by Leo - approached them.
"And?" Odin asked, before his friend could say something stupid. "Did you come to a decision?"
The first Cleaner, who's nose was slightly swollen, nodded.
Julian rolled his eyes as Yuri sighed and asked: "And what is your decision?"
The second Cleaner smirked: "We agree about the fact that this problem is bigger than we thought."
"And we agree that the subject Chris Halliwell could have done nothing to escape that mind-controlling..." the first one said.
"...which we agree, that had happened," added the second one.
Julian couldn't believe that those guys needed so long for a simple yes-or-no-answer. 'Cleaners...' he thought grumbling.
After a moment of silence, the first Cleaner went on: "We agree that this demon needs to be destroyed and therefore we agree to your plan!"
"YES!" Julian exclaimed, but then looked down to his feet, when he noticed the confused look on the Cleaners faces.
"What about Chris? Will you help to cover this mess?" Leo asked.
Now it was the second Cleaner again, who answered: "That depends on how the things will go on from now." With this words they disappeared.

& & & & &

Belthazor was pacing through his room. He felt weird... so weird... he cursed the day he wanted to reunite with Cole. He cursed the day the boy saved his ass... Since that time his life was nothing else but weird. He was getting emotional... he was getting weak.
Actually that was the most reason for him to not want the kids in his space. He was afraid of them, or better afraid of the feelings they woke in him. 'Wyatt is really adorable,' he thought suddenly, and then cursed himself for that. He needed to calm down, relax, be angry like he should be. 'Hope is so cute,' he thought then, and again swore in the most horrible way. No... the kids couldn't affect him like that. He wouldn't let that happen.
He would prove it to himself. He was the source of all evil. No kid in this world could wake weak emotions in him. They should be lucky that he didn't kill them right in the spot.
He smirked and went over to Julian's room. Now he would show them who he really was. Without a knock he stormed through the door, an evil grin on his face.
Bianca looked up surprised. She was sitting on the bed with Wyatt leaning on her site. She had one of Julian's books on her lap and Wyatt was looking interested at one of the pictures.
Chris on the other hand was walking through the room, with his daughter in his arms, her head lying on his shoulder, waiting for her to burp, but Hope was only giggling tiredly.
Chris looked at the source, noticing how his evil grin changed into a wide smile as the huge demon slowly approached him.
'Oh hell... she's so cute,' Belthazor couldn't help thinking. The girl was now looking at him with wide opened eyes. Not afraid but interested.
Slowly he came closer until he was next to them. Chris didn't back away, even if that thought crossed his mind for a moment. But he just couldn't.
While Bianca observed him warily Belthazor rose his hand and caressed the kid's cheek with his forefinger. Hope giggled even more and Chris could have sworn that the demon's eyes sparkled a little.
"She's cute," Belthazor said.
Chris smiled warmly and nodded agreeing. But then Hope did burp but threw up a little more than just air, spitting the contend of her stomach on the Elder-witch's shoulder. "Oh no!" Chris exclaimed. Then he turned to the demon wrinkling his nose: "Yeah... really cute." And Bianca and Belthazor started to laugh.

& & & & &

"Wait!" Cole had stood up when Paige was about to get things going. "We can't just orb there... we still don't know this for sure... it could also be a trap." Darryl nodded in agreement.
"Maybe... But we can't waste time... if Chris..." Kyle remarked.
But Piper interrupted him: "No. I guess Cole is right. We need to be sure. And we need to be sure that we don't do more harm than good."
Right at the moment orbing lights filled the room and Leo returned together with Silas, Yuri and Julian.
"Who is she?" was Piper's first reaction. She still had her problems with the Elders, especially female ones.
"That's Yuri," Silas explained, "she's the mentally strongest Elder, she will help us to track down Veenosh."
Paige frowned: "So shall that mean..."
"Yes," Leo interrupted her, "the Cleaners agreed to Julian's plan."
The demonic witch nodded: "In a few minutes Chris will orb back to somewhere in San Francisco. The Elder will sense for him, and when Veenosh attacks, which - as I believe - could take a little moment, she will tell you where he is. Then you'll go and vanquish him."
"I go and get Phoebe," Paige said and orbed away.
"What about the rest?" Cole asked and Piper looked at her husband questioning, too.
Leo sighed: "They didn't say. Well, they said it depends on how things will go on..." Piper swallowed and Cole nodded.
Then Kyle cleared his throat, before he asked: "What about us?"
Piper send him a warm smile: "This is our job, not yours."
"I know, but I want to help!"
Cole shrugged: "Why don't you take Leo and go to that old factory?"
All eyes turned to him. "What factory?" Leo asked.
But Cole just went on. "I mean," he tried to explain, "maybe you find something there which helps to prove that Chris has nothing to do with the robberies. You can enter, as soon as we know that he's not there... and I really believe, he isn't. And if it's a trap Leo can orb you out..."
Kyle looked at Darryl, who nodded: "Sounds like a plan."
Cole then turned to Julian and gestured for him to follow him to the hallway. He needed to tell him what they had found out before he shimmered back down again.

& & & & &

After the students, Angela and Michael had returned to the school, the woman led the students to one of the great halls, they could do nothing more, than wait and plan what to do in the worst case, of course...
Michael meanwhile went to check the library. When he entered he saw most of the kids just sitting around, waiting for something. They couldn't do anything else at the moment.
He cleared his throat and as the kids looked up he said: "The others are at that huge hall next to the stairs... They are planing what to do if all plans fail... so if you want to join them?"
They all jumped up immediately. At least this way they had something to do.
Drew turned to Veronica: "If you need our help again, we're there!"
"Thanks," she replied and he left with a weak smile.
As soon as they were gone, Michael informed the others about that what had happened up there. Actually they were all surprised to hear that they HAD BEEN up there...

& & & & &

"Time to go."
Julian's voice interrupted the temporal joy in his own bedroom. When saying this, he noticed what had happened that was making all the people in the room have so much fun. He smiled very slightly, but said nothing about it, while Bianca had tried to clean Chris' shirt a little.
"The Cleaners...?" Chris started turning to him, and Julian nodded.
"They said you can help." He didn't mention the second part of the deal, but Belthazor was looking at him wonderingly, and Bianca turned to him completely, suspicious. "What about... You know. Will they let him... US, alone?"
Julian sighed, lowering his eyes, and moved his feet playfully. "They will consider the situation when it's done. It all depends on how the things develop. But," he added immediately, seeing how Chris, Bianca, and even the reddish Belthazor went paler, "all the Halliwells and your friends, and the Elders, and even the students are working on it." He smiled at Chris reassuringly: "You don't need to worry. They will find a solution." Belthazor sighed and also smiled weakly.
Chris, on the other side, nodded, seriously as he caressed little Hope's back, but Bianca patted his shoulder warmly: "They're all with you, honey. They love you."
Chris looked at her, and then at the other two, and smiled, but his worried expression was still there: "Ok... So let's do it."
Bianca took his hand: "First we should go home and leave the children there."
"Wait!" Before Chris could answer, it had been Belthazor that had stepped forward and stopped them: "Chris cannot go home. If Veenosh attacks then..."
Chris agreed immediately. "That's what I was gonna say. You can go, I promise I will wait," he told Bianca, who took little Hope in her arms, and held Wyatt's hand. Then she kissed Chris on his lips, as he embraces her, too.
"Then, wait here; I'll just be right back. Promise," Bianca said and left with the kids.
Once she was gone, Chris turned to Julian and Belthazor, nervously playing with his hands. "Well... And now??" he asked looking at them, even though he knew well what had to happen next.
"You said it on your own... we'll wait..."
Chris sighed and started to pace around, feeling suddenly like there was something wrong in their plan. Then it hit him: "What if it doesn't work?"
"What do you mean?" Julian asked frowning.
"I mean, what if Veenosh doesn't want me? We still can't say for sure who he's after. And when..."
"...I stay protected he'll maybe not attack us..." Belthazor ended his sentence nodding.
"We told the Cleaners that he's after you, Chris... after you and your family..." Julian said, "actually because we believed that... But..."
"But what?" the other two said in union.
"Well... the sisters think that maybe Veenosh wanted to use the Cleaners to erase you," he explained, looking at the source.
Belthazor was silent for a moment, then he said: "So I have to leave this place, too..."
"No!" Julian exclaimed as Chris looked from one to the other. "The Cleaners must believe that he's after Chris otherwise..."
"So I go," Chris said determined, "and you stay down here with Julian... you just have to break the protection spell."
"He can't stay."
"I can't stay."
Both said this at the same time.
"What?"
Julian sighed: "I promised to protect you, Chris."
"It's too risky down here anyway, with me possibly freaking out," Belthazor added seriously.
"But you could hurt yourself," Chris replied and was at the same time surprised that he cared about that.
Belthazor smirked having an idea...

& & & & &

Darryl and Kyle were just gone when Leo turned to his wife again. "Be careful," he said and kissed her forehead.
"You either," she said and smiled.
Then he orbed out to meet the two policemen a few streets away, because they were sure that some of the guys from the FBI were still watching them, that they would even follow them. And since Leo wasn't officially home he couldn't leave with them.
As soon as he was gone, Phoebe returned from the kitchen, with four vials of potion.
"Four?" Paige asked surprised.
The empath nodded and gave one to her, one to Piper and finally one to Cole: "Four witches, four potions," she said.
Her husband smiled thankful that she invited him in that kind of way. But Piper frowned: "I'm not sure if that it's a good idea." Paige nodded.
Phoebe rolled her eyes as Cole looked at his feet: "He's a witch too... he can help. What's the use of his powers, when you don't let him help?"
The other two sisters looked at each other and then nodded. "Ok," Piper sighed.
Cole smiled: "Thanks..." He couldn't have been able to stand it, to be left behind again. Especially not in this situation.
At that moment Bianca shimmered in, with the kids on her side.
"Wyatt!" Piper exclaimed and hugged her little boy. "I was so worried about you, are you fine?"
The boy nodded: "It was fun... The demon likes me..."
Piper rose her eyebrows and opened her eyes widely. She wanted to say something. She opened her mouth... but then closed it again. She was speechless.
"I guess, I better take the kids to the school to the others..." Silas said. And when everyone agreed he picked the kids up and orbed with them away.
Bianca was about to leave, too, when Julian shimmered in. "What's wrong?" she asked immediately.
"Nothing," Julian said. "Everything is ready, I just wanted to ask Cole if he could come down with us... we could need him."
"What? Why?" the man asked.
"Actually it was Chris's idea, if that helps... and I really can't say more..." Julian said cryptically.
Cole sighed and placed the potion back on the table: "I guess I won't need that today..."
Phoebe sighed too and then hugged him: "Next time, honey... I promise."
He nodded. Then he went over to Julian and took his hand. "Wait one minute before you follow us," Julian said to Bianca, then he shimmered away.
"What's that about?" Yuri asked.
Bianca shrugged: "I really have no idea."

& & & & &

After a while of sitting around in the library in silence, since no one knew what else to do, Silas orbed in with Wyatt and Hope. The little boy jumped over to Nicki who held Christopher in his arms. Wyatt observed the sleeping boy and then caressed careful his cheek.
"So they agreed?" Michael asked.
The Elder nodded: "Yeah, the show is about to begin."
"Is there anything we can do?" Steve, who sat next to Nicki, asked.
"You already helped enough... the sisters will deal with that, don't worry... everything will be fine."
"So we can only wait again?" Tom asked looking at Veronica, who sighed disappointed.
"I'm afraid so," Silas answered and sat down next to Nicki and Steve, still holding Hope in his arms. Then he turned to Elenia and then to the woman next to him: "I've talked to the others up there about the attack... They believe that demon was after Steve... actually... we think it was the same kind of demon like..."
"I know..." Elenia said suddenly tensed.
"What demon? What do you know?" Steve asked confused and worried as Nicki looked from on to the other.
Elenia sighed: "It was a demon from the clan, your father was from."
If Steve hadn't already sat, he had fallen to the ground. Nicki's eyes grew wide as she grasped his hand. Both were too shocked to say anything.
It was Tom who asked the question, the couple wasn't able to voice: "What does that mean... Do they want to take him back or something?"
Elenia and Silas looked at each other in silent conversation. Then the latter said: "This could turn into a huge problem..."

& & & & &

When Cole and Julian entered Belthazor's bedroom in, the witch was simply shocked. What he saw was against everything he thought was real. He arrived just in time to see Chris close another chain around one of Belthazor's wrists, chaining him to the wall.
"What the hell are you doing?" Cole exclaimed angry.
"Hey calm down ok?" Julian said as Chris looked up to meet his eyes.
The Elder-witch shrugged: "Believe me Uncle Cole... that wasn't my idea..."
"But... I don't..." Cole was wild gesturing with his hands, even if he wasn't sure what he wanted to say.
Belthazor smirked amused to see his 'brother' being so worried. Then he said: "It was my idea, Cole... And it was Chris's to take you down here to give me some company..."
Cole just frowned confused, looking from Belthazor to Chris in search for an explanation.
But it was Julian who spoke: "We don't know if it's Chris or Belthazor, that demon is after. So actually we need you to cast the reverse spell to unprotect the liar."
"You want to put him in danger?... While he's chained??" Cole asked not believing his ears.
"I'm in more danger when I'm free..." the source explained. "Those chains prevent me from using my powers, but Veenosh will be able to sense me..."
"We don't want him to be alone down here," Chris said, "he needs someone to keep him sane, like I will have Bianca... that's why I thought about you."
Cole shook his head: "Alright... but I still don't get why you're both affected anyway... actually no one really understands... Leo said someth..."
Belthazor sighed. Chris looked at him and then answered calmly: "Because there is a kind of connection between us. I don't know more about this, either. I just know that it is like that."
Cole's head turned around looking at his nephew shocked. But before he could answer something, Julian spoke again: "We need to go, Chris... Bianca will be back soon."
He nodded, then looked at Cole and gave him a sheet of paper: "Take care of you... Cast the spell in three minutes from now..." Then he left with Julian. When the door closed behind them Cole was still shocked. He slowly turned to Belthazor: "Jesus, I guess you have a lot to explain!"

& & & & &

Kyle looked out of the window, worried, while Darryl drove the car down the street. When they had left the manor they had of course recognised that black car which was following them now.
"By the way," Darryl then started to talk, "I got a phone call from the lab, the fingerprints you found at that girl's house fit to those from other burglaries in that area... So this case seems to be magic free." Kyle just nodded absentminded.
So the detective glanced over at his young friend, guessing his thoughts, and smiled understanding, before he turned his attention back to the traffic. "Don't worry... I'm sure this will turn out good..."
Kyle sighed and turned to him: "What makes you so sure?"
Darryl shrugged: "I don't know. Maybe because it always does..."
The young man let out some air: "And what if not? I know it's weird, but I'm afraid about what will happen to the family if we can't solve this..."
"The family?... Or are you talking more about Paige?"
Kyle glanced at him annoyed, but Darryl had hit the spot. When Kyle turned back to look out the window, he asked: "Is it that obvious?"
Darryl nodded. And after a short moment of silence he said: "Look, I don't want to be interfering and... I guess you know how much the sisters mean to me... But are you sure that it's a good idea to have such a close relationship to one of them? With all the demons and all?? I mean..." He sighed: "Well... I guess I'm not sure what I mean, but..."
Kyle smiled: "I do know what you want to say... I asked myself the same thing."
"Really?"
"Yeah..."
"And?" Darryl asked when Kyle kept silent.
"I love her," Kyle said with a sigh. Then he pointed at the front. "There is Leo!"

& & & & &

As soon as Bianca materialised outside the cave, Chris hugged her tightly. He just needed to feel her close for a moment.
"Hey sweetie," Bianca said knowing exactly what's going on inside her husband, "just a few more minutes and everything will be fine..."
"I love you," was Chris only response.
She smiled at him. Then, looking around, she noticed someone's missing: "Where is Cole?"
"He's fine, I'll explain that to you later..." She nodded. They hadn't the time for long explanations and... she knew she could trust him.
Julian sighed: "I don't want to interrupt you, but we need to go."
Chris nodded and all three shimmered out.

(Chapter 10 written by Belén and Chrissy.W.x)