The Neighbors
Early the next morning he was awaken by someone throwing him across the room into a wall. It really hurt but he wasn't surprised by her reaction. What did surprise him was the fact he'd fallen asleep. Normally he had problems sleeping but not that night.
He didn't have time to dwell as he watched her sprint for the bedroom door. She flung it open.
"Wait," he yelled, trying to stop her. She crossed the threshold of the door and screamed as she flew across the room. She slammed into the wall behind him and fell forward, landing on top of him. He grunted as she landed across his chest and stomach. "Note to self, decrease power of containment spell," he muttered to himself before he shook himself from underneath her body.
"What the fuck was that?" she yelled, her face angry yet alive. Then she glared at him. "Containment spell, what the hell Wyatt?"
"I can't have you running around getting into trouble now can I?" he asked and she glared at him angrily. If anyone else dared to give him that look he'd kill them on the spot. However, that look was kind of cute on her. "Trust me; you'll thank me for this in the long run." He said the words and prayed to anyone who would listen that they were true.
He watched the fight in her face disappear and her emotions seemed to slip away. He swore internally. This woman was so frustrating.
"I'm a prisoner, why am I in this suit instead of one of your cells?" she asked though there wasn't any feeling in it. She seemed to be playing a part.
"You are my guest, not my prisoner. What kind of host would I be if I put all of my guests in a prison cell," he asked and he noticed her arch a brow at that comment. She examined his face for a moment or two before she looked down. He did the same and noticed she was still on top of him. She rolled over and was instantly on her feet.
"Let me out," she stated bluntly. He rolled his eyes at her before he stood up. He toward over her but she didn't even flinch beneath his gaze. Most showed fear in his presence but not her. She was too strong willed.
He just sighed. This was going to be difficult.
"Dinner will be served at six every night, lunch at noon exactly, if your awake before that they'll serve you breakfast. Maids will stop by to clean up your room so don't worry about it. If you need anything just open the door and one of the guards outside will get it for you. The balcony is safe for you to go on but don't try jumping off or leaving from it – there is a force field placed around it that will hurt you. There is a library for you through there since I remember you use to be a little book worm, a small living room is in there and clothing in your size in the dresser and closet that I hope you'll like."
"Whatever," she states and he sighs. Then he exits, having meetings to attend.
--
Back in 2004 – Right before Prince Charmed
--
Chris stood there in the living room, his eyes looking out at the new neighbors moving across the street. Phoebe was with Jason where ever they were this week and Paige was at Richards leaving Piper and Wyatt the only other ones in the house.
Wyatt was napping and Piper was – who knew where. He didn't really keep very close track of her.
His attention was on the large yellow moving van that was unloading furniture to the house right across the street. Standing out front was a woman he recognized from his childhood. She seemed younger, a lot less world weary.
Her bright red hair shone in the bright sunlight, her husband's blonde hair was standing next to her closely. They were a lot closer than he remembered ever seeing them growing up. Their six children ran from the house to the van and back again excitedly.
In the front was the current youngest, a six-year-old who looked so happy that he could barely see the woman he remembered in the future. In this time her hair was extremely blonde and short.
She looked so innocent but he remembered her growing up. Growing up she'd been worse to Laveda than Wyatt had ever been to him. She'd been extremely jealous of the strength Laveda had.
However, out of her sisters, Laveda had even less of her parent's attention than he'd ever had to deal with. True, Leo had treated him like a non-person but he'd still had his mom. She'd treated him fine. Laveda hadn't had that. Her parents were dealing with the rest of her siblings so much they often forgot about her. It only got worse when her sister – Talbot, decided to get pregnant in high school.
True, Vera was a sweet girl and had been like a cross between a daughter and a sister to him but still. The two of them had taken care of her since the day she was born – her mom too flighty to do it herself most days.
A person from that family came into sight that caused him to do a double take. Standing on the front stoop of that house was Kacey Clay – the eldest of the Clay children. She was seventeen in this time line and by the time he was old enough to remember people she'd transferred to College. He rarely saw her growing up. Truth was he didn't know the inside of the neighbor house very well. They'd spent all of their time in the Halliwell Manor.
Laveda had always been considered family even when she didn't think she was. She was his best friend, his first crush, his heart, his conscious and the only thing that kept him from giving in and transferring over to his brother's side. She was always there for him.
Seeing her family moving across the street for the first time is a little bizarre.
"Hey, what are you looking at?" Piper asked, walking into the room with Wyatt on her hip.
"The infamous Clay family," he stated. "You're getting new, witch, neighbors… I knew the history books stated they moved across the street from the Halliwell manor about now but its bizarre to see such a major historical, magical, moment play out in front of you." With that he closed the curtain and turned to look at her. "Did you need something?"
"No and what do you mean they are witches?" Piper asked.
"Mr. Clay is a psychic from a long line… Mrs. Clay comes from a line of witches with a prophesy similar to the charmed ones yet not," he states before he can stop himself. Sentimentality is getting to him, something he normally isn't. At that moment he misses Vida more than any other time since coming back to the past.
Well, maybe besides the time Bianca came back to the past. He'd wanted his friend to tell him everything would be okay.
He wondered what Laveda was doing at that moment? Was she having another argument with Vera about her wanting to be a teen? Was she teaching the kids how to defend themselves? Could she be stuck working on paperwork in the office right then? How about fighting out in the battle field, saving lives and stopping evil from ruling completely?
He didn't notice anything till Piper stepped forward and waved a hand in front of his face.
"What are you thinking about, Future Boy?" she questioned and he smirked.
"Laveda Clay… the youngest Clay child. She hasn't been born yet. I don't think she's even been conceived yet," he stated.
"You just revealed future information I hope you know," she states and he nods.
"I'm in a generous slash sentimental mood right now, so sue me," he states before looking at the window again. "Laveda Clay, the prophesized seventh daughter of a seventh daughter born of the Easty line… Marian Easty, before she was hung for witch craft in the witch trials, prophesized that a seventh daughter would bear a seventh daughter. This child would be the strongest witch ever born in the line. She would be the strongest witch the world had ever seen. She was born during the charmed heyday, meant to take their place once they retired as the most powerful witches out there. Your son won't count since he is twice blessed, not just witch but whitelighter too."
"How did you know each other? She your ex-girlfriend?" Piper asks and he chuckles.
"That's what most people always assumed but no… we were just friends. She was my best friend. We use to hang out here, with Wyatt, all the time. He and I both had crushes on her for a while but we both got over them. He liked her because she was strong and independent. Plus, she could go toe-to-toe with our witty remarks," he said laughing as the memories filled his mind. The three of them had been friends. They'd gotten side tracked when Wyatt began dating Ebony.
"Anything I should know about the family?" she asked and he pinched his lips not sure what to tell her.
"Keep Ebony away from Wyatt. If things stay the same she'll be a bitch towards Laveda and will be a bad influence on him, trying to convince him to hate both of us younger ones," he states.
Piper didn't speak and he sighed. "God, there are times when I miss Vida," he whispered, not caring if she heard him. "She always knew exactly the right thing to say. She was my confidant. She always knew how to read me in ways no one else could. What's bad is she and I use to sit around watching old black and white movies and musicals because she liked them. She hated horror movies but she'd watch them with me because she knew they were my favorites. Laveda use to say that our lives were already filled with real monsters, killers, and nightmares. We didn't need to see fictional ones as well."
"You really miss her don't you?" Piper asks and he nods. "What do you think she's doing right now?"
"Probably fighting in the war," he states and Piper raises an eyebrow at him. "I told you, after what happens to Wyatt the world goes to hell in a hand basket. Magic is out in the open, there is a new source of all evil ruling the world. Witch hunters, evil witches, rampant demons killing out in the open, betrayal, death, the destruction of the elders means no more new Whitelighters meaning everyone is dying without healing, A complete and total loss of innocent, even for children. My cousin, my only living relative, is in the past being protected by her right now. I miss them both every moment of every day."
"Your parents are dead?" she asked and he flinched, realizing what he'd just spilt. He had to quickly cover his mistake, fast.
"Yeah, my mom and dad died during the war. Dad, the whitelighter, was murdered, like most of the Whitelighters and all of the elders which had been trapped in the heavens, unable to escape the slaughter. Mom was killed during what would be known as the first wave which occurred during the Master's rise into power," he stated.
"Sorry," she says and he shrugs.
"I'm not the only one who's lost. Families are destroyed in my time; they are either dead or fighting for enemy sides which are the Master and the Resistance. I was on the council of the resistance against the master which is why I came back," he states with a shrug.
Her eyes grew wide. "How powerful are you, really?" she asked.
"Not really, I just have a good fighting sense. Laveda was the people person, I was the military part," he stated till he realized what he'd spilt. He knew he had to stop talking. "I'm shutting up now. I've probably messed with the future enough for one lifetime… sorry."
Then he orbed to the bridge. He sensed her frustration through his Empathy. It was a lot stronger than Phoebe's and he could turn it on and off at will, normally. Then again, it had developed when he was ten – meaning he'd had nearly eleven years to train with it and enhance it.
He sat on the edge with his feet hanging over the ledge. He then pulled out a picture of him, Vera, and Vida standing at the park looking happy. It had been taken shortly before Vera's mother – Talbot Clay – died in the first wave. That was the same time Laveda lost her father and her eldest sister Kacey died. Her grandmother, hearing that two of her granddaughters and only son had died killed over of a heart attack.
A month later the second wave occurred. His aunt Paige and Pandora's twin sister – Persephone – were killed on his side and on Laveda's end she lost another sister, Aba. After that death became regular.
If it wasn't for Vera, Pandora, and Laveda he'd probably given up years ago. He and Laveda raised Vera, giving the child the stability of mother and father by using themselves as surrogates for her to cling onto when things got rough. They always had, even before the war.
Talbot had always been flighty, airheaded. She forgot things quickly and was always distracted. They'd raised her daughter – taken responsibility for the child. He still felt parental towards her, even though she was all grown up. He couldn't help but wonder who she'd have grown up to become if she'd been given the chance.
He sighed as he put the picture away. Today was not going as planned.
