The Neighbors

"Everything is so fucked," Wyatt ranted as he paced the length of his office not paying Robert any heed as the young man sat crossed legged on Wyatt's desk. Normally Wyatt would have been complaining about his friend sitting on the furniture but not right now. Right now he was too concerned with the fact High Level demons he had in his payroll had suddenly begun to disappear. What's worse was nobody but him, Robert, and two of his seers remembered him employing them due to changes in the time stream.

"Relax Wyatt before you stroke out. It can't be that bad. How many demons are we talking here; five, six? You vanquish that many of your own demons a week so what's the deal?" Robert asked. "Not like they are meddling with too much. How much damage could those two really get into?'

Wyatt turned to glare coldly at his friend. "Robbie, they've vanquished thirty high level demons in two days alone, not five or six. They are going to have me low on demons soon if I don't do something."

Robert's eyes grew wide and he lost his balance before tumbling backwards off the desk in shock. Wyatt was about to check and make sure Robert hadn't hurt himself to badly when the man peered over the edge of the desk. He was obviously in shock.

"Thirty? As in less than thirty-one but more than twenty-nine thirty?" Robert asked and Wyatt rolled his eyes.

"Is there any other kind?" Wyatt asked with a slight smirk on his face. Only Robert would ask something as brain-dead as that.

"Well, I wanted to make sure I wasn't hearing things," Robert said before standing. Wyatt noticed a gash on Robert's shoulder. Without a second thought Wyatt held his hand out and went to heal Robert. His friend flinched away as if expecting a blow. This stung, slightly. He healed Robbie who thanked him though he sounded confused.

"What?" Wyatt asked as Robbie gave him a look.

"When you ordered Ebony to kill your Cousin, Persephone, what were you words – exactly," Robbie asked looking at Wyatt. Wyatt frowned not knowing what his friend was talking about. He'd never order Persephone dead – none of his family. Well… except his father but he'd always been an ass.

"I'd never order Persephone killed. She's family," he stated and Robbie nodded before looking away with a puzzled look on his face. "What?"

"You did have her killed Wyatt," Robbie stated while looking at Wyatt. "Your words were 'Persephone is nothing but a fortune teller with basic premonitions… what do I need with her living when I have demons for that sort of thing. Kill her.'"

Wyatt's eyes shot up. "No I didn't… I'd remem…" Wyatt stopped realizing what Robbie was saying. Chris had changed something with Laveda's help. "He changed something."

"And now you have a conscience when it comes to family," Robbie said and Wyatt raised his brows in wonderment. He was obviously not the only one having attitude changes. He shook his head knowing he had to do something.

--

Mr. and Mrs. Clay as well as all of the Clay children were downstairs. Chris went up to the attic only to find Laveda hiding out. She was curled up on Aunt Pearl's couch with the book on her lap.

"Hey," Chris called and she looked up flinching. "What are you doing up here?" She gave him a look and he heard her project the word hiding into his mind with her telepathy. He smirked at her while shaking his head. "You can't hide in the attic forever. Besides, your mother sent me to collect you. All six of your siblings are downstairs along with both of your parents. I think, if they tried, they could drag you downstairs or more likely they'll come upstairs."

She scrunched her nose and he couldn't help but smile, remembering she use to always do that when her family did something that irritated her. Once the war began, killing most of her family, that little habit slipped away. Laveda had always been too distracted trying to keep them alive only to have them die one by one.

"Chris," Mrs. Clay yelled and both twenty-one year olds cringed at her tone.

"We best get downstairs, you're moms about to explode," Chris told her and she nodded understandingly. They both stood and she moved down to the mirror. She bit her lips.

"How do I look, should I change?" she asked and he went to answer but she continued on. "Maybe I should put on something a little less tomboy, maybe something in red. Everyone's told me I looked good in red. What do you think? Oh, do you know if that Red tank Paige owns is clean and do you think she'd let me borrow it?"

He sighed before grabbing her shoulders tightly causing her to freeze up. "Vida, you look fine, just the way you are. Besides, they're your family. They'll love you no matter what you wear," he stated.

"Not yet they aren't," she stated and Chris nodded, understanding that. He'd tried to convince himself of that very thing when he first came back, trying to distinguish between the family he knew and the people of this time. It never worked out that way.

"Okay," he said before wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Then he gently led her to the second floor. From there he released his grip on her but still, he led her to the first floor. He felt her remaining close to him, drawing strength from their nearness.

As they reached the small landing her family all sat there. He felt her tense up and he sent calming emotions to her through the neglected empathic connection they had formed over the years, praying she was still open to receiving him. She must have been because she relaxed almost immediately.

--

Laveda looked at her family. Her eyes looked at every last family member. A crowd of bright blue eyes looked at her and Chris; the only family member's eyes who stood out were her mother's dark blue, nearly black, eyes.

Kacey Clay stood towards the back while holding little Wyatt in her arms. Her top was dark blue and it cut a little lower than Laveda approved of considering she was only seventeen. Her dark red hair was pulled back into a messy bun out of her face. On her lower half she wore a pair of blue jeans and pristine tennis shoes.

In front, holding Ebony, was the next oldest, fourteen year old Sadira Clay. Sadira was Arabic in origin and it meant star. Like all of the sisters her name fit her well in personality and in magic. She was bright and vivacious. She was optimistic and bubbly. Her hair was cut short and it was bright blonde, blonder than anyone else in the family because she bleached the red high lights out of it. Her top was a bright yellow tee-shirt with glitter writing all over it and she was wearing blue jeans that she'd written in glitter on. Pretty little sandals adorned her feet.

Talbot Clay was the third oldest. She was sitting off away from the others. She held a pen in her hand with a notebook in her lap. She seemed oblivious to anyone else around her. Talbot was an English name which meant Dream Weaver. Matching her she was always free, carefree, as well as forgetful. All of her powers were passive rather than offensive. In looks eleven year old Talbot had her strawberry blonde hair highlighted with bright blue and hot pink streaks Laveda knew had to be driving the parents mad. Her top was loose but very feminine and she was wearing a long peasant skirt and ballet flats.

Next to their mother stood the fourth child, ten-year-old Ran. Ran came from the Japanese and it meant Water Lilly. Bright red hair framed her rounder baby face that was obviously cute. She was wearing a tee-shirt and a pair of blue jean shorts. Also, a pair of flip-flops were on her feet. It amazed Laveda that this was the same girl who eventually became head cheerleader, track star, the best swimmer in the school, most popular girl in school, Prom Queen as well as class president.

Aba Clay, the fifth child, stood on the other side of their mother with their dad on the other side of her. She was only seven years old. Aba meant Born on Thursday and it was African in Origin. She was the only sibling who desired normalcy. In many ways she was a lot like Piper, striving to be normal, except Aba had gone as far as to suppress her magic, denying it. She was the only sister not to attend Magic School. Her bright red hair sat in a pony tail behind her head. She was wearing a dark green tank top and a pair of dark brown shorts.

Then, the last sibling was being held by Sadira on the floor. Ebony was only six years old. Ebony meant Dark Strength and it was American in origin. It fit her to a T. She was a darker person. Not in physical looks, in personality and clothing she was completely corrupt. Even now she wore a dark gray tank and dark blue jeans. Ebony's hair was cut short barely reaching her chin and was strawberry blonde with slight curls showing up. She was a very cute kid.

Her mother's eyes were damp with tears. Her name was Gina Clay, originally Gina Anderson. Gina was a witch and was the youngest of seven kids though only three of her sisters were left – most dying when her mom was a kid or even younger. She worked as a lawyer for her job though she spent most of her free time in the garden. Right now she was wearing a dark blue button up top and a pair of black pants as well as a pair of black boots.

Next to Aba was Flash Clay, their dad. He was a powerful psychic but had no witch ancestors. He couldn't cast spells, couldn't make potions, couldn't summon things. He was just a psychic who could read auras, was psychometric, was empathic, and he had clairvoyance. He was wearing an ugly orange Hawaiian shirt like he always wore and a pair of Khaki shorts. His blonde hair was messy on top of her. Unlike their mom he didn't have a conventional job. He worked as a freelance photographer but was mostly a stay at home dad.

"Hi," Laveda said cautiously and her mom stepped forward. She stayed still as her mother approached. Every instinct told her to run but she stayed put. A sense of calm kept washing over her and she held back a smirk knowing it was Chris. Only he could cause her emotions to change like this through the empathic connection the two empaths had built over the years.

"So, we named you Laveda?" her dad asked and she nodded. "I was hoping it was something a little more butch…"

"Nope, sorry, I'm little miss Innocent One," Laveda quipped and she heard a snort. She turned to glare at Chris who was trying to hide a smirk. "Chris, don't make me hurt you. It would be so sad after all the years of being friends if I accidently, permanently, rearranged your face."

"Right, in your dreams," he laughed and she glared before turning back to her family. She noticed Talbot was no longer looking at her paper but was now looking up at her. She chose to ignore her sister.

"So, you're our sister?" Sadira said standing, forcing Ebony off her lap.

"Yeah, Sadira, I am," Laveda stated and Sadira's eyes opened wide only for her to get that smirk. It's that smirk that said, 'she got me' or 'should have known'.

"So, you know which sister is which even before you're born… what do we become?" Ran asked. "Do I become a professional athlete? Do I meet my Mister Right? Am I married yet and if so do I have any children?"

Laveda smirked while trying to swallow down the guilt she felt, "Future Consequences. Guess you'll just have to wait and see my dear sister."

"Whatever," Talbot muttered before turning back to her paper.

"You suck," Ran stated and Laveda smirked. Her sister was already on her way to becoming a teenage handful and was only ten. After what felt like forever her family left and she was emotionally exhausted. Laveda glanced around at the Halliwell family then at Chris.

'Take me to P3, Please. I need out of here for a bit,' Laveda thought telepathically to him and he shook his head but still grabbed her arm. Then he orbed them away. She eventually felt herself reform and he held her steady.

Once she didn't feel like her stomach was going to come up she cracked her eyes open, wondering why her surroundings were so windy. She discovered he'd orbed them to the bridge.

No words passed between them as he released her from his grip then sat down with his back to the cold metal of the bridge. She moved and sat at his side.

"What is it about this bridge that makes us all feel so comfortable?" she asked and he turned to look at her. "You, Paige, Leo, me, your mom when you brought her, Even Wyatt use to feel comfortable up here when we were younger."

"It's isolating, beautiful, perfect for thinking," he stated and she nodded while scooting closer to him without even realizing it. A cool burst of air blew past them and she shivered. In response he wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

"Yeah," she whispered. She was comfortable, so comfortable she slowly drifted off to sleep.

--

Chris held her close for a while when he noticed her breathing leveled off and she relaxed. He glanced down and noticed she'd fallen asleep. A smile twitched at the corner of his lips and he saw a piece of hair had fallen down her face.

Instinctively he reached down and brushed it away, his fingertips grazing her face. A moment after doing that he froze, a single thought floated through his mind that was so random he couldn't believe he thought it.

'I'm in love with her.'

He pulled his hand away rigidly, terrified by the thought. His mind rebelled against him pointing out every reason why he couldn't love her. She was his best friend. She'd always been there when everything hit the fan. She knew just how messed up, emotionally, he really was. He'd grown up right next door to her. He'd been engaged to Bianca who died less than a year ago – less than four months ago to be precise.

What, was he a cad – falling in love so soon after the death of the woman he'd been in love with.

"No," she muttered as she moved in his arms, fear in her voice. "Vera, don't die." Instantly he tightened his grip on her and pulled her close. She settled down and his heart began to beat sporadically within his chest at her reaction to him.

"God, Vida, what are you doing to me?" he asked, confused by her emotions which were seeping into his own through the link he hadn't blocked yet. He moved and picked her up in his arms. Then he orbed to her to the spare bedroom of the manor. There he placed her gently on the mattress and covered her up.

--

Paige was walking by the door when she witnessed Chris orb in. Her eyes spotted the blonde in his arms as he laid her down on the bed. From there he covered her ever so gently with the blankets.

Then he leaned over and she watched his lips brush against her forehead. It was sweet and tender, not a friendly action but more of a romantic one. Her eyes grew wide and she stepped out of sight as he straightened up. The sound of orbs echoed through the room and she peeked in to see Chris was gone.

"Well, that was interesting," Paige muttered before walking away.

--

She cracked her eyes to hear Paige mutter 'well, that was interesting.' Something felt wrong, tears glistened in her eyes that she couldn't explain. After a moment she brushed them away then stood up.

Her feet instinctively took her to the one place she knew she'd be alone – the basement. Once there she quickly cast a little charm. The spell blocked people from sensing her location, blocked noise from escaping the room and kept her powers from breaching the room meaning she could let go of her telepathy and empathy and not have to worry about hearing anyone who wasn't in there.

Then she went to one of the boxes and pulled out Phoebe's punching bag. From there she hung the bag from the ceiling. Moments later she began playing random music from cd's she'd found in the basement.

--

Chris was about to lay down when she disappeared from his radar. He sat up panicking for a moment so he orbed to the basement of the manor. Fuel's Won't Back Down began blaring through the speakers of a nearby stereo. He knew she must have enchanted the room so no one upstairs woke up.

"I'm fine Chris," she said while punching the bag viciously. "You can go home and rest."

"Why are you down here instead of sleeping like when I left you?" he asked and she shrugged before kicking the bag so hard it fell from the ceiling. She squealed and stepped backwards only to fall.

There was a loud thud as her head hit the cement. Then there was a groan and he ran over to her side.

"Vida, Vida, are you okay?" he asked and she mumbled something that sounded like a yeah. "Damn it Laveda, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" After a breath he pulled her up slowly while she shook her head, trying to collect her thoughts.

He held her up and she sat at his side. Then he moved her in front of him and gently began to rub her neck which hurt from the fall. He could feel it as if it was his own pain. The moment his hands touched her neck he felt her tension release.

"How the hell do you do that?" she asked with a sigh.

"Do what?" he asked as he kept massaging her neck for her.

"Know just what to do to ease anyone's pain without having the power to heal?" she asked and he smirked.

"Not anyone's, few people," he stated though he was thinking 'only the people I love.' She tensed beneath his hands and then turned to face him. He paled. Had she just heard him?