Review Replies:

charmedhunter: Thank you! Yeah, you will find out why she hates Leo so much in the next chapter. Thanks for the Review!

CharmingKelsey16: I'm glad! Yeah, I thought that'd make it easier. I didn't really wanna get into who they were and have all that confusing stuff. Plus, like you said, it makes the family stuff better. And more interesting. I will. Thanks for the Review!

lissysue85: Thank you! Yeah, I think he is too. Don't worry, you'll find out very very soon! I promise! I'm glad you're intrigued, it means I'm doing something right. Thanks for the Review!

drmcatcher: Yeah, I wanted them to be pretty similar. I like to think he's a lot like Piper. No problem, thanks for the suggestion! Thanks for pointing that out. I hate when I miss little things like that. Yeah it was for Melinda and Chris, and no they didn't save any for themselves. Thanks for the Review!

Melinda Wyatt Charmed: Haha! Yeah, I can't deny that I enjoy leaving ya hanging like that. But don't worry, I plan on telling you everything you're waiting for. Lol, yeah I wanted her to give a little hint, but not the whole thing. You will find out, I promise! You won't be waiting too much longer for that answer. Thanks for the Review!

CrazySmallLady: Thank you! I'm glad you like it. I will. Thanks for the Review!

x-x-Dreamer'93-x-x: Don't worry, you'll find out very soon, I promise! Thanks, I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the Review!

PiperPaigeP3: Thanks, I will. Thanks for the Review!

A/N: OK guys, here's the next chapter. Sorry, I didn't get it up till now, but I had a friend over so I didn't have time to write. Hope you enjoy!

Powers and Demons

Mel woke up the next morning in the spare bedroom. She looked around and saw Chris on the other side of the bed. She vaguely remembered him convincing her that they should take the sleeping potion Paige had made for them. She had agreed since it was the only way to keep their nightmares away. Mel and Chris had both been having nightmares for years, of the worst memories of their lives. Probably the reason neither of them slept that much anymore. It hadn't taken much to convince her to take the sleeping potion, it was the only thing that kept the dreams away, let them sleep, and they didn't have to worry about the other getting in their head.

Mel slowly rubbed her head, and made her way to the bathroom to get ready. When she got back Chris had woke up and gotten ready too. She sat on the bed to pull on her shoes, and he sat down by her.

"Feel any better?"

"Well, the potion's still wearing off, but a little."

"Why didn't you tell me Mel?" he asked bluntly. She sighed.

"Because I was scared," she answered honestly.

"Of what?"

"Losing you," Mel told him quietly, getting up to leave.

"Wait," Chris said, going over and grabbing her arm to stop her. "You're not gonna lose me," he assured her.

"You don't know that," she said, looking him in the eyes. Chris could see her pain.

"Hey, listen to me," he said firmly, grabbing her shoulders. "You won't lose me."

They stared at each other in silence for a few minutes before Mel finally nodded slowly. Chris pulled her into a hug. When they released each other, both of their masks were back on.

"So, what demon are we going after next?" Mel asked breezily. Chris smiled, she was back.

*****

"A nightmare?"

"Yes, Leo, a nightmare. What's so difficult to understand about that?"

"Nothing Piper. I just don't know why you're making such a big deal about it. People have nightmares all the time," Leo said, trying to avoid an argument, but not seeing why Piper was getting so worked up.

"The big deal is that she was terrified! It was something that really happened, and Wyatt had something to do with it," Piper told him, raising her voice a little. Leo saw the worry in her eyes, and sighed.

"Piper...I don't know what to do here. Tell me what to do," he said gently. Piper looked at him and exhaled.

"I don't know, Leo. I don't know what to do," she confided, moving closer and allowing him to wrap his arms around her.

"It's okay, we'll figure it out," he whispered.

"OK people. Wait till after the baby's born," Paige quipped as she and Phoebe entered the kitchen.

"Ha ha, very funny Paige," Piper laughed, pulling away from Leo.

"OK, I'm gonna go let Gideon and them know you'll be here for a couple more days," Leo coughed, orbing out.

"What's he so weird about?" Phoebe asked Piper.

"What's who so weird about what?" Mel asked as she orbed into the kitchen.

"Nothing," Piper remarked lightly. "Want a muffin?" she asked, pointing to the muffins she'd just pulled out of the oven.

"Thanks," Mel replied cheerfully, taking a bite out of a muffin. The sisters noticed her change in mood.

"Well, you're in a much better mood," Phoebe observed.

"Yeah. Oh thanks for the sleeping potion Paige," Mel added to Paige, who smiled.

"See, I told you it was a good idea," Paige said pointedly to Piper, who rolled her eyes.

"So, were you looking for something or did you just come down for the food and company?" Piper asked Mel.

"Actually, I was looking for some Mandrake Root, you're out upstairs," she replied evenly.

"Oh," Piper said, a little downcast.

"Wait, you're demon hunting already?" Paige asked incredulously.

"Yeah, we're trying to come up with a better lead on who turns Wyatt," Mel told her in a very business-like tone.

"Well, here ya go," Piper said, handing her the Mandrake Root.

"Thanks," she replied, turning to leave.

"Seem like anybody to you?" Paige asked her sisters under her breath. All of them nodded, thinking about the emotional masks Chris and Mel seemed to wear.

"Oh, by the way," Mel started, poking her head around the door. "These masks...have kept us alive," she finished, turning to leave again, leaving the sisters in shock.

*****

"OK, I got it," Mel told her brother, who was standing over the Book of Shadows.

"Great. I think I got a spell, but you might want to read over it, just to check," he said, handing her the notepad and taking the Mandrake Root from her.

"Looks good. So when do y-" She was cut off by the sisters entering the attic looking perplexed.

"OK, how did you know what we were thinking about?" Phoebe asked, confused.

'Let me guess, you said something about what they were thinking about, and now they think you're a telepath?' Chris guessed.

'Pretty much.'

"Gets kinda annoying, huh?" Chris asked the sisters wittily. Mel shot him a glare, and he grinned innocently.

"OK, how did you do it? Are you -"

"I'm not a telepath," Mel interrupted.

"So...how?" Paige asked, curious.

"I'm an empath."

"Really?" the sisters all asked. Chris and Mel smiled at each other.

'See, we're not the only ones who do it.'

"Yeah, really. Its more advanced than yours though, Phoebe."

"How so?" Phoebe asked, intrigued.

"Well, since powers come from emotions, I can tap into people's powers. I guess you could say I borrow them," Mel explained.

"Really?" Paige asked skeptically.

"Yeah, she's pretty good at it too," Chris told them.

"How good?" Phoebe asked with interest.

"Really good, but you have to remember, I've been doing it since I was seven," Mel informed them. "Besides, unless I've used the power before, it's kinda hard to control."

"Wow," Paige muttered.

"You guys are gonna be a handful aren't you?" Piper asked, half-joking, half-serious. Chris and Mel shared an apprehensive look.

"Yes," they replied in unison.

*****

"OK, so Piper's taking a nap, and Paige is at her temp job. What do you want me to do?" Phoebe asked as she reentered the attic.

"Well, right now we're just sort of prioritizing the list of demons. You know, seeing which one to go after first," Mel told her.

"Yeah, OK. So do you ne-Demons!" Phoebe stopped mid-sentence when three demons shimmered in.

Phoebe kicked the one who came up behind her, after ducking a fireball, and threw the vanquishing potion Mel had mixed up earlier. Chris tk'd one demon over to the wall. The demon attacking Mel had an athame. As it approached, Mel tapped into his powers, shimmering behind him and summoning(A/N: Whatever it's called that Bianca did with the athame in Chris-Crossed when they were in the manor kitchen during the future scene) the athame before stabbing him with it. Chris had managed to throw the vanquishing potion on the last demon, while Phoebe was stunned by Mel.

"Everybody okay?" Piper asked, rushing into the attic.

"Yeah, we're fine," Chris answered after looking to make sure Phoebe and Mel were alright.

"Did you get a good look?" Piper asked, walking over to where they were standing.

"Yeah, I'll check the Book," Mel said, going over to the Book.

"How did you do that?" Phoebe asked Mel.

"Do what?"

"Shimmer." Mel looked over at her aunt, who saw a flicker of cold in the girl's eyes.

"I told you, I can tap into people's powers. Demons are no exception."

"Yeah, which comes in pretty handy," Chris added.

Piper was watching Mel and Chris, realizing the same thing Phoebe had. They were both so used to killing demons, they could probably do it in their sleep. The two sisters continued watching as the pair decided the demons that had come was just random attack, and that they weren't working for anybody.

*****

"Are you sure it was random?" Leo asked later on that day.

"Yeah, maybe they'll be back," Paige added.

"We're sure," Chris and Mel told them for the fifth time. They were starting to get annoyed.

"Your nightmare, that Wyatt let become reality...demons did something to you, didn't they?" Phoebe asked Mel abruptly, causing everyone to look at her.

"Why do you say that?" Mel asked, trying to keep her voice level, but it still came out a little shaky. Chris could tell she was scared they'd find out what happened.

"The look I saw in your eyes," Phoebe answered simply. "So am I right?" Mel nodded begrudgingly.

"What happened?" Leo asked softly.

"None of your damn business," Mel replied bitterly.

'Mel...'

'No, he doesn't have a right to know!'

The sisters looked at her, stunned. Leo looked hurt. They could all see the matching somber look on both Chris and Mel's face.

"Sweetie..." Piper started, walking over to Mel. "We just wanna help."

Mel looked into her mother's eyes and saw it was the truth. She looked to Chris.

'I can't Chris...'

'I know, but I don't think they're going to back off.'

The two siblings continued to stare at each other, with Leo and the sisters looking on. After a few minutes, Chris gave Mel a reassuring nod, and she went over and started writing something down.

"OK, this spell will take us to the day it happened, the first time. Now it won't show you the event itself, but you'll get the picture," Mel informed the group.

Mel looked to her brother one last time and sighed.

'It'll be okay Mel,' Chris assured her.

She gave him a small smile and read the spell. Everyone in the room was then sucked into her memory.

A/N: OK, I know I left you hanging there at the end. Don't worry, the next chapter will pick up right where this one leaves off. I should have it up by tomorrow night! Reviews are appreciated!