Disclaimer: I do not own "Charmed" or its characters or its demons, I make zero financial profit from this nor would I like to as it is merely for fun
Something Wicca This Way Comes
Part 3
"Has anything weird or unexplainable ever happened to you?" Pan finally brought up the courage to ask, barely able to tear his eyes away from the box of fortune cookies.
"Sure," Jerri said cheerfully, "its called luck or fate or some people call it miracles. Why? What happened?"
"Err… forget it. Even if I could tell you, you'd swear I was crazy," he answered nervously handing her a cookie to change the subject, "now open your fortune cookie."
"Okay," Jerri smiled seductively, breaking it open and reading the bit of paper, "soon you will be on top."
"It doesn't say that!"
"Yes it does!"
"Let me see that," Pan complained but with a smirk, snatching the bit of paper from his girlfriend and reading it.
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Of the world. Soon you will be on top of the world," Pan corrected her to which she laughed.
"I liked my one better," Jerri pointed out before turning to the cab driver, "can you make a left on 7th please."
"You got it," came the gruff voice from the front seat and Pan found himself scowling, that wasn't near her place or even his.
"Hey, I thought we were going to your place?" he wondered aloud.
"We are, but you reminded me of something. I want to show you the old Bowing building," Jerri told him with a quick peck on his lips, "the view of the Bay bridge is amazing."
[-]
Phoenix was humming to himself as they made their way into the pharmacy, cheerfully ringing the bell for assistance, still excited about being a witch with powers, real powers. He drummed on the counter for amusement while they waited until a cold death glare from Payt stopped him.
"I'll be right back with your prescription," the old pharmacist told him finally.
"Take your time," Phoenix waved him off seeing no rush.
"Excuse me," Payt interrupted before the man could get the medicine, "where do you keep the aspirin?"
"Aisle three."
"You know Chamomile tea works great for headaches?" Phoenix prompted while his brother nodded politely and they wandered up the aisle.
"Not for this one it won't," Payt commented bitterly, looking around for the aspirin.
"You know I'm not afraid of out powers," Phoenix told him truthfully, "I mean everyone inherits something from their family, right?"
"Yeah, they inherit money, antiques, a strong disposition. That's what normal people inherit."
"Who wants to be normal when we can be special?"
"I want to be normal! I want my life to be… you know… isn't this aisle three?"
"Well… we can't change what happened. We can't undo our destiny," Phoenix pointed out, not that his brother seemed to be listening.
"Do you see any aspirin?"
"I see chamomile tea."
"Look!" Payt yelled, "I have just found that I'm apparently a witch, that my brothers are witches and we have powers that will supposedly unleash all forms of evil. Evil that is apparently going to come looking for us. So excuse me, Phoenix, but I'm not exactly in a homeopathic mood right now!"
"Then move your headache out of your mind," Phoenix pointed out which earned him another glare from his brother while a bottle of aspirin jumped off the shelf which Payt hurriedly caught, it made him realize something, "you more things when you're upset."
"This is ridiculous! I thought you landed on your arm not your head," Payt snapped continuing to glare disbelievingly.
"You don't believe me," Phoenix repeated wondering why he was surprised.
"Of course I don't believe you!"
"Reb-ecc-a," Phoenix taunted and a few more bottles flew off the shelf, "now let's talk about Dad and see what happens."
"He's dead, Phoenix," Payt snarled, his eyes becoming orbs of ice, some things never changed.
"Nope. He's moved from New York but he's very much alive."
"He isn't to me! He died the day he left our mom."
"What are you talking about? He's always been a major button pusher for you. You're mad he's alive, you're mad I tried to find him and you're mad I came back. Dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad," Phoenix continued and a second later the entire contents of the row flung off the shelves and crashed onto the floor all around them, "feel better?"
"Lots," Payt admitted sounding slightly surprised as he glanced around at what his powers were capable of.
"The Book of Shadows said our powers would grow," Phoenix pointed out.
"Grow to what?" Payt questioned and Phoenix just shrugged as they laughed together for the first time in what felt like a lifetime.
[-]
"Well here we are," Jerri announced cheerfully as they climbed out of the cab.
Pan finished handing the driver the fare and turned around to find himself greeted with an eyesore, a dilapidated wreck that looked like it had been abandoned for decades. Eerily stand-alone, a mixture of shattered and boarded up windows, it looked like the setting for a horror movie. Pan hated horror movies.
"I don't care how amazing the view is, I'm not going in there."
"What are you afraid?" Jerri taunted taking his hands and looking at him with saucers for eyes, "I've been here lots of times alone, its perfectly safe."
"Hmmm."
"And if anything big, bad and scary comes I'll have you to protect me," she continued with a seductive smile and ran her fingers on his chest, he couldn't help but smile back, "come on. I have a surprise inside."
"Oh alright," Pan agreed kissing her gently before she pulled him inside and into a nearby elevator, pressing the button it impressively started to rise.
"You are going to love this," Jerri told him cheerfully, "I bet you tell Payt and Phoenix the moment you see them."
"I never mentioned Phoenix came home," Pan said slowly and worriedly.
"Oops," Jerri sighed pulling out a knife.
"What… What is that?"
"It's your surprise," Jerri told him flourishing the knife as she smiled a twisted smile, "surprise!"
"Jerri stop it, you're freaking me out," Pan said nervously but she continued waving the knife before his eyes, "damn it I'm serious!"
"So am I! You see I've waited six months for this. Six whole months," she informed him darkly, "ever since good old Grams went to the hospital. I've known for quite some time that the moment the old witch croaked, that all of your powers would be released, powers that would reveal themselves as soon as the three of you got together again. All that was needed was for Phoenix to return."
"You're not…"
"Human? No, quite the opposite. I'm a warlock."
"It was you wasn't it? You killed those women," Pan tried to say calmly, forcing himself not to panic as the reality of his situation dawned on him.
"Not women, witches!"
"Why?"
"It was the only way to get their powers of course," Jerri said cheerfully raising her hand while flames shot out of her fingertips, her face becoming distorted and twisted, "and now I want yours."
She lunged at him with the knife and he screamed in panic, putting up his hands and everything stopped. The elevator came to a shuddering halt and Jerri remained frozen in place, like Chef Moore from earlier.
"Okay," Pan muttered taking a deep breath, "think, stay calm. Gotta get outta here. Okay. Okay."
Noticing the elevator had left a gap when it stopped he started to climb onto the next floor, he had just considered that maybe he wouldn't die when Jerri must have unfrozen and grabbed his leg. To his horror she dragged him back with inhuman strength, panicking he clawed for anything and grabbed a wooden bar, swinging it backwards so it collided with her head.
Instantly he felt his leg free and scrambled to get onto the next floor, only turning back to glance at her once he was safely on the level. Despite himself he felt a slight surge of guilt for hitting a woman, even if it was an evil supernatural woman who wanted to kill him. He glanced back and saw she was unconscious rather than dead, he saw her eye twitch and bolted in panic.
[-]
They made it back to the manor and Phoenix found himself somewhat disappointed that Pan wasn't yet home, he had been hoping to ask his brother about his day and power. After seeing what Payt could do, he was curious to what stopping time was like. He glanced at the phone and saw there was one new message, excited it might be Pan he pressed the play button.
"Payt, it's Rebecca. I've decided to let you come back to work. Seriously, let's talk. Bye," the arrogant stuck up voice came across the line and Phoenix suppressed the urge to snort in disapproval as Payt came back in holding a cat.
"Pan's definitely not home. Unless he's turned into a cat anyway."
"How'd the cat get in?"
"I don't know," Payt shrugged not aiding his curiosity as he put the cat down, "someone must have left the window open. Did Pan leave a message?"
"She's probably out with Jerri," Phoenix pointed out and shifted awkwardly, "Rebecca called."
"Yeah. I heard," Payt said quietly and they were spared more awkwardness by the front door opening and Pan rushing in.
"Payt?" Pan called and they went over to greet him, Phoenix scowled seeing how shaken his brother was as he locked the door.
"Pan?"
"What is it? What's wrong?" Payt demanded as protectively as ever.
"Lock the doors, check the windows. We don't have a lot of time," Pan ranted before turning to him, "Phoenix in the Book of Shadows, did it say how to get rid of a…"
"Warlock?" Phoenix guessed and his brother's face said it all.
"Oh my God."
[-]
Jerri opened her eyes and clicked her neck, surveying the empty elevator. He was gone. Irritably she grabbed the knife and stood up, even more determined than ever to get the Charmed Ones powers, that freezing thing could come in useful. And she was going to enjoy killing him too for messing with her plans, she smiled and started to run.
"I'll get you, you son of a bitch."
Note: Thanks to BaDWolF89 (I'm glad it works out, I thought it would be odd too but still fun to write), TaylorpRatliff93 (I'm glad you're enjoying it! Although there's only part 4 to go) and CharmedManic (didn't realize I had done that, think they're enabled now) for reviewing