Disclaimer: If I owned Charmed, well, I wouldn't be writing this, would I?

Ch. 5:

"I'm not the only one who lost a daughter, am I?" Meredith said softly.

Chris got up and walked away.

"We never even talked about it." She said softly. "Frankly, I'm surprised you trust me at all. That you're willing to be in the same room as me. I took your daughter and ran to your evil brother to convince him it was his. You should hate me and you would be right to."

"You did what you thought was right." He said, his back to her.

"I did what I thought would keep me alive and didn't consider what you thought about it." She replied.

She sighed and got up, taking her top shirt off, leaving only her tank top.

"It's really hot in this place in the day time." She complained.

Chris chuckled and turned back to her. When he saw her shoulder, the chuckle died.

"When did that happen?" he asked, motioning to a spidery scar on her shoulder.

"Oh." She said, glancing at it. "One of the resistance attacks on Wyatt in the early days. I was caught in the cross fire."

"I gave strict orders that you and Jenny weren't to be hurt." He said angrily. "Who did that?"

"It's not important." Meredith said, turning away and putting her top shirt back on. "I don't even remember."

"Mer." Chris said gently, turning her back to face him.

"Chris, you don't want me to answer that." She told him, looking down. "You really don't."

Chris stared at her for a moment before his face went hard.

"Bianca." He ground out.

He turned and walked to the table, grasping it hard.

"Chris, she's not the only one who blames me for what happened." Meredith said. "A lot of people do. They look at the way I treated you two and they blame me for driving you and your brother apart. And they didn't even know about Jenny. I lived it, and I blame me."

"It wasn't your fault." Chris told her.

"You're telling me that my not being able to choose between you and Wyatt didn't make things worse?" she demanded. "That the fact that both of you wanted me to choose you didn't make the divide worse? I knew all along that I should leave, get away from both of you, but I couldn't stand the thought of not being near you. So I stayed and I made things worse. Bianca loved you and she saw what I was doing to you. Of course she hated me. I hate me."

"I asked her to marry me." He said softly.

"I know." Meredith replied. "For a world that was being destroyed, the grapevine was amazingly intact."

Chris laughed weakly.

"I was happy for you." She said softly. "All I ever wanted for both of you was for you to be happy. I had hurt you so much. If Bianca helped heal it at all, I would have performed the service myself."

"Did you love me?" he asked, not turning around. "At all?"

Meredith sighed.

"I was going to choose you." She said, sitting down on the bed. "I thought that if we were going to die, you were the one I wanted to be with. That night, the night Jenny was conceived, that's what I was coming to tell you. But then we were attacked, and the attacks didn't stop, and the next thing I knew, I was pregnant. I was so scared. It was one thing to die when it was just you and me, but I couldn't let my baby die. I had to save her and Wyatt was decimating us, even if we didn't know it was him yet. When I went to him, I fully believed I was going to tell him I was pregnant and that it was yours. I was going to ask him to help us. To finally get off his ass and fight. But I got there and I saw how untouched the manor was. He had never been attacked, not once. That was the moment I knew. I was going to turn and run, but some of his demons found me and brought me to him. I couldn't think of a way out so I did what I had to, to survive."

She got up and went over to him.

"I wanted to get a message to you." She told him. "I wanted to tell you that the moment I could, I would get Jenny out. Get her to you, even if I couldn't come. But the days turned into weeks, into months. Before I knew it, they were years, and I hadn't even told you Jenny was yours."

"I knew." He said, sighing. "I don't know how, but I knew she was mine."

Chris finally turned and looked at her.

"When you left, I thought it meant you didn't think I could protect you and the baby." He told her. "Everyone said that you were a traitor or a spy, but I didn't believe that. I wouldn't. But then no word came. When he took power and Jenny was born and he declared you queen and her his heir, I didn't know what to do. And Bianca was there."

"She picked up the pieces I left." Meredith said, nodding.

"Even then, I couldn't bring myself to hate you." He continued. "Even as we were planning ways to get married, I wondered about you. If you were alright, if Jenny was alright. When I told Bianca I was coming here, she was so mad. She said I was running away from my second choice."

"That's not you." Meredith told him. "I've never seen you make a decision that you didn't stick to. She was just mad."

Chris sighed.

"Where does this leave us?" he asked.

"I don't know." Meredith replied.

"Everything's so messed up." Chris sighed.

"Tell me about it." Meredith agreed.

She turned back around, sighing.

"You know what I miss?" she asked, sitting back down.

He turned and leaned on the table, looking at her.

"What?" he asked.

"The days when we were kids and we never went anywhere without each other." Meredith said, smiling. "Do you remember when we were like 8 and 9, and Piper decided to send us to normal schools? All we had ever known was Magic School, and we were all together, but then, suddenly we had to be in separate classes?"

"I thought mom was going to kill you after the tantrum you threw." Chris said, chuckling.

"Hey, they had just told me I couldn't stay with my best friend." Meredith defended herself. "Excuse me if I was a little pissed."

"A little?" Chris shot back. "You almost burn down the house!"

Meredith laughed.

"Okay, so it was a slight overreaction." She conceded.

The two friend's smiles became sad.

"I miss the days when you were my best friend in the whole world." Meredith said softly. "What happened to us? Where did everything go wrong? How did I wind up on the opposite side from you?"

"I don't know." Chris replied. "And I don't know where we go from here, but maybe that's where it's starts."

"What do you mean?" Meredith asked.

"Friends." He said, sitting next to her. "We start from there, and this time we don't let things come between us."

Meredith smiled.

"I'd like that." She replied, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Good." He replied.

Phoebe ushered the dwarf to the front door.

"Okay, let's go." She said. "Nothing to see here anymore, no more show. Adios. Scram."

"Your Majesty, seriously, anything at all-" the dwarf called. "Castles built, suits of armor-you name it, I got connections."

He sped out of the front door, stopping to smell a flower, before speeding off again and Phoebe shut the door. She sighed and made her way back into the living room. Piper was standing there, admiring Excalibur, with Leo behind her.

"Is it just me, or does it still smell like ogre in here?" Phoebe asked as she sat down.

"I'm telling you guys, this is all a big mistake." Piper said, setting the sword down as she sat on the couch.

The sword glowed and slide across the table towards her and she held her hand.

"Stop that." She ordered.

"It's drawn to you, just like you're drawn to it." The man in grey told her.

"Do I look like I'm drawn to it, pal?" Piper demanded.

"You will be in time." He replied.

"No." Piper told him. "I don't have time to play Queen Arthur."

Paige walked in, carrying Wyatt in her arms. She handed him to his father, who took him and sat on the piano bench, before sitting next to Phoebe.

"Oh, come on, Piper, have a little fun." She told her sister. "Don't you realize what this means?"

"One more thing on my to do list?" Piper replied.

"No!" Paige said. "It means you, my dear, are The Chosen One, the first in centuries to have power over the sword. Tell her all about it, Merlin."

"Oh, actually, the name's Mordaunt." The man in grey said, turning to Paige. "Merlin was just a fairy tale."

"Ha!" Piper said.

"But Camelot was not." Mordaunt continued.

"A-ha!" Paige shot back.

"And, thanks to you, it can rise again." Mordaunt told Piper.

"So what are you?" Paige asked him. "A wizard, a sorcerer?"

"Oh, actually, I'm neither." He told her, chuckling. "I'm just a humble teacher in service of the sword, and we must begin instruction immediately, before you enemy attacks."

"The Dark Knight." Paige said.

"You know him?" Mordaunt asked, surprised.

"Yeah." Phoebe replied. "We've already kicked his ass."

"And if he shows up again, we have a vanquishing potion ready and waiting." Piper added.

"What's in it?" Mordaunt asked.

"It's a mandrake variation with a little bit of griffin's blood." Piper replied.

"Good…" he said, "if you're going up against a pusteous knave, which you're not. If you want to fight the Dark Knight with magic, this is what you need…"

He held out his hand and a paper appeared out of thin air.

"I thought you said you weren't a sorcerer." Leo said.

"I picked up a few things along the way." Mordaunt said, handing the paper to Phoebe. "The Dark Knight is no trifle. You'll have to hit him with everything you have."

"I've never even heard of half of these ingredients." Phoebe said, looking the recipe over.

"It looks like you picked up quite a bit." Leo said cautiously, looking at Phoebe. "What do you think?"

Phoebe was quiet for a moment while she tried to get a feeling off him.

"Can't get a read on him." She said, giving up.

"Distrust is expected, but don't let it blind you." Mordaunt told them. "If I haven't taught Piper how to master the sword before the Dark Knight returns, your survival depends on that potion."

Piper picked up the sword to look at it while Phoebe looked down at the list.

"Okay, so where are we supposed to get the ingredients?" Phoebe asked.

"I think I know a place." Paige said. "Leave it to me, your trusty assistant."

She reached over and orbed them both out.

"All right," Leo said, "I guess I will go check with the other Elders and see what they know. You want me to take Wyatt?"

Piper didn't respond.

"Piper?" he asked again.

"Hmm?" she replied, her eyes fixed on the sword.

"Do you want me to take Wyatt with me?" Leo asked again.

"Yeah, yeah." Piper replied. "Or you could take him to Meredith, if you want."

"I don't trust her." Leo told Piper.

"Yeah, but she's great with Wyatt." Piper said. "Whatever, you wanna take him, be my guest."

Leo orbed out without waiting.

"I'll be fine." She finished.

She stood up with the sword in hand while Mordaunt studied her. He held out his hand and a large sword appeared in it, which he promptly began swinging.

"En garde!" he yelled.

"Aha!" Piper gasped as she blocked his attack.

In fact, every blow Mordaunt gave, she countered perfectly. Finally, Mordaunt lowered his sword, smiling.

"Not bad." He told her. "Better than Arthur's first time."

"Really?" Piper asked as he stepped back, swinging his sword again.

"Now, I'm gonna come in low." He told her. "Believe in Excalibur. Just let it flow through you."

"No, no, wait!" Piper called as he came at her.

The training continued.

Chris was sitting at the table reading, while Meredith slept on the bed behind him. He heard a noise and turned to see her tossing in the bed.

"No." he heard her whisper. "Please. Please. Don't."

The tossing got more violent and he got up from his seat. Before he could reach her, she shot straight up and a bolt of electricity hit the wall behind Chris as he ducked.

She sat in the bed, breathing heavily as Chris got to his feet.

"Mer." He said gently.

She twisted violently to stare at him.

"Mer, it's me." He said in the same tone. "It's Chris."

"Chris." She whispered.

She stared at him for a moment longer before bursting into sobs. Chris quickly made his way to her and pulled her into his arms.

"Shh." He said, trying to comfort her. "It's alright, you're safe. I've got you."

"She's gone, Chris." Meredith sobbed. "I let him kill our little girl. She's really gone."

"I know." He told her, holding her tightly. "But it wasn't your fault. You did the best you could. It isn't your fault."

Chris continued to hold her as she cried for herself and for her daughter.

Richard led Phoebe and Paige right to a pantry and turned on the light inside.

"I think we've got everything you need." He told them. "Plant roots, fungi, herbs, creature parts, insects-"

"Creature parts?" Phoebe interrupted as she looked around the room.

"Uh, fairy wings." Richard told her.

"Wait." Phoebe said warily, turning to face him. "Fairy wings?"

"Well, I didn't kill them, if that's what you're wondering." Richard told her.

"Then how'd you get 'em?" she asked.

"Uh, Phoebe." Paige warned.

"Actually, I'm not sure." Richard told her. "My family's been stockpiling this stuff for years because of the feud."

"Yeah, but the feud's over, right?" Phoebe asked.

"Hey, you know, I think we're gonna need a mortar and pestle for the potion." Paige interrupted. "Do you have one?"

"Yeah." Richard said, sighing.

He left and Paige glared at Phoebe.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"What?" Phoebe asked.

"You don't have to treat him like he's evil." Paige told her.

"Paige, I'm just reacting to what I see." Phoebe defended herself. "I mean, how many guys do you know that stockpile gremlin ears?"

"Okay, first your not-so-subtle column and now this." Paige said. "Why don't you just come out and admit it? You hate him."

"Paige, I don't hate him." Phoebe told her. "I'm just worried."

"Well, don't worry 'cause I know what I'm doing." Paige shot back.

"Okay, so are you telling me that it doesn't bother you at all that he's using magic again, or that he had this-this room hidden?" Phoebe demanded.

"What part of 'This is not your business' are you not getting?" Paige asked.

"Oh, Paige, I'm worried about you, okay?" Phoebe said. "Just like you were worried about me when I was dating a demon."

"Richard is not a demon." Paige hissed.

"No." Phoebe agreed. "I know he's not a demon, Paige, but he has a dark side and power magic, and that's a very dangerous combination. I'm worried about you, okay? I'm sorry."

Richard chose this moment to reappear with the mortar and pestle.

"Here." he said, handing it to Paige.

"Thanks." She replied, setting it down on the table.

"Everything all right?" Richard asked, looking between the two sisters.

Phoebe sighed.

"Let's just get this over with." Paige said.

The training between Piper and Mordaunt continued through the house and up into the attic. The swords clanged as Piper blocked Mordaunt's swing and jumped up onto a box to counterattack. He blocked it and swung low. Piper jumped over the sword and landed on the floor. She struck at Mordaunt and he blocked, she swung again, and he barely moved out of striking distance. She thrust and he blocked. She advanced, he backed away. The swords clanged one last time before Piper disarmed him and pinned him against the wall at sword point.

"You're a quick study." Mordaunt told her.

"You're a good teacher." Piper replied.

"So, you feel the sword's power?" he asked her.

"Yes." She replied.

"How's it feel?" he asked.

"Not bad." Piper replied with a smirk.

"You and Excalibur are becoming one." Mordaunt told her. "Soon nothing will matter, nothing except the desire to rule."

Piper waited a second longer before removing the sword from Mordaunt's neck.

Suddenly, the Dark Knight appeared with three Executioner Demons.

"You." The Dark Knight said, recognizing Mordaunt.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Mordaunt replied, turning back to Piper. "Take him."

The Dark Knight attacked and Piper turned and blocked the blow. Seeing his chance, Mordaunt rolled across the floor and grabbed his fallen sword, blocking the blows of the Executioner Demons as he brought it to bare.

Paige crushed leaves in the mortar while reading the ingredients to Phoebe, who stood over the pot.

"Wearboar tusk, one pinch." Paige read.

"Okay." Phoebe said, adding it.

Outside, Richard paced as they worked on the potion.

"Nymph hair, one lock." Paige read.

"Oh, I hope this isn't from someone we know." Phoebe muttered.

Paige cast her an irritated look as Phoebe cast it into the pot.

"Wraith essence, three drops." Paige continued reading.

"One, two, three." Phoebe counted as she dropped it into the pot.

"And, uh, 'black poppy, one level teaspoon'." Paige continued.

Phoebe raised the scoop over the pot.

"I've never even heard of black-" she began.

"No!" Richard yelled.

He waved his hand and Phoebe flew away from the table and slide to a stop at his feet. Paige rushed to help her up.

"Phoebe, you okay?" she asked.

As she helped her sister up, Richard moved into the room and took a tiny pinch of the black poppy between his fingers before moving back towards the girls.

"Richard?" Paige questioned.

"Wait." He told her. "Watch."

He leaned forward and tossed the pinch into the mixture. A second later, the pot exploded.

"Ooh!" Phoebe said, jumping.

"Don't ever mix Wraith Essence and Black Poppy." Richard told them. "Ever."

"Why would Mordaunt do this?" Paige asked.

They all turned to look at the destroyed cauldron.

"Because he wants you dead." Richard replied.

A/N: So what do you guys think? Let me know.

Abbey