AN: Sorry for the late post! I really am, but do not fear I am not giving up on the story. I've got a lot more in store for our favorite charmed family. That being said I'll leave you to your reading, and if you like it leave a review. If you hate it, leave a review. If you glanced over the title and it turned you off, leave a review. Catch the hint? ;)
THESE NIGHTS NEVER SEEM TO GO TO PLAN
Chris entered a hospital room carrying three precariously balanced coffees. Even though he had spent most of the night in this room the sight still sent a horrible and painful tinge through his very core. On the hospital bed, connected to a half dozen machines and with multiple lines coming out of every limb lay his nephew Zach barely clinging onto life.
It had been a week since the attack at the dance. Thankfully almost everyone had made it out with nothing more than cuts and bruises. Not counting the ten dead witch hunters and Zach the worse injuries were a half dozen sprained ankles. Despite all their planning and foresight, they had arrived too late to save Zach from injury. The wraith that had attacked had possessed some poor kid and went on a killing spree before targeting Zach.
An investigation of the events had turned up that all the punch bowls had been laced with a combination of various spirits including wormwood, thanks to some quick thinking by a very drunk Matt. The whole fiasco had been chalked up to a group hallucination by the authorities. All of Matt and Zach's friends had received a dose of memory dust to help them accept that version of events. The bodies of the witch hunters were orbed away. The only problem was how to explain Zach's injuries.
The police and two investigators from some federal agency had been by to question the family. Matt, as the only eyewitness to the event, helped Chris sell the story that Zach had been stabbed by one of his classmates in an act of self-defense. The extent to which his son was able to sell the lie worried Chris a bit, but they had bigger issues to be getting on with.
Wyatt stirred in the seat he had been occupying for the majority of the week. "Coffee?"
Chris nodded, handing over a cup. The other occupant of the room, Sarah, was asleep, so Chris left the other cup on a table. He took a seat opposite his bleary-eyed brother. "Any news?"
"The doctors were in here a few minutes ago, but they didn't say much."
Chris sighed and sipped some of the hot liquid. "He's going to be ok, Wy. He's a fighter."
Wyatt hiccoughed and blinked rapidly. "I should have listened to you. We should've locked him in his room. He was already grounded; we had an excuse."
"They would've snuck out, and then where would we be? At least this way we were looking for trouble."
Wyatt glanced over at his very pale son. "How can we be so powerful and so helpless at the same time?"
Chris knew the question was rhetorical, but he could not keep quiet. Speaking about an intellectual topic was a welcomed distraction. "The athame must've been dipped in a potion or poison. When Serena gets here I'll go to Magic School and try and find something on potions that block whitelighter healing. There's got to be an antidote."
"Annie would know," muttered Wyatt dejectedly.
Chris placed the coffee cup against his lips but did not take a sip. Wyatt was right that Anakin would know exactly how to cure this if it was possible. Their youngest sibling had been obsessed in researching whitelighter abilities before all hell broke lose. Back when they thought that Jonathan had been the worst possible being the universe could throw at them. Now, they were parents and knew Jonathan was just the tip of a twisted and deadly iceberg.
"Are any of his friends coming to visit today?" asked Chris simply to keep some form of conversation going.
Wyatt shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know. I think they're all too scared to text us. Did Matt go to school today?"
Chris shook his head. "No, he said he needed more time. He spends his time curled up in his bed, crying. I wish I could help, but he just yells at me."
"He's scared. He's always thought of magic as this amazing gift. You know how much he's been looking forward to getting his powers unbound. Imagine thinking magic was all rainbows and butterflies and then have to watch it nearly kill your best friend."
Chris scoffed. "I don't have to imagine. It did kill my best friend."
"Yeah, but we knew what magic was. We had no delusions about its beneficence or even its fairness. You should be with him," said Wyatt.
"Ser's trying to convince him to come with her today."
Wyatt closed his eyes tiredly. "How's she coping?"
"Not good. She's barely holding it together," lied Chris.
The truth was Serena was beyond terrified. They had the worst fight in the history of their relationship the night before. Serena wanted them to pack up and move to England. The idea of running away appealed to Chris especially if it saved his family from heartache and pain, but he knew running was not an option. The demons were in England too, and over there they would be without a home base. There was a reason the Warren line had migrated to San Francisco. The nexus beneath the Manor proved a major power boost. Abandoning the Manor was suicide.
A stern looking woman in a white coat and a stethoscope hanging around her neck entered the room. She applied some antimicrobial sanitizer to her hands and clicked a few buttons to bring up Zach's medical chart on one of the computer screen.
"Mr. Halliwell?" she asked not looking over at them.
Wyatt stood up. "That's me."
She finally turned around and the look on her face told Chris it was not good news. He quickly stood up and caught Wyatt who also must have detected the sadness washing off the doctor.
"Sit down, Wy," said Chris softly.
The doctor further softened her look. "Mr. Halliwell, I am very sorry."
"No," hissed Wyatt. "No, no. You're going to fix him. You have to fix my boy." Tears started streaming down his face.
The doctor looked helpless. "I'm sorry, but I've reviewed your son's latest brain scans."
Sarah stirred. "What's going on? Wy?" She looked around quickly; she spotted the doctor. "Wyatt!"
Wyatt got up and knelt down beside his wife; his face told her all she needed to know.
"No!" She looked over at the doctor who shook her head. "NOOOOOO!"
Chris covered his mouth feeling the acids in his stomach sour. "Doctor, is there any activity?"
The doctor looked over at him. "Your Dr. Chris Halliwell?"
Chris nodded slightly annoyed. It was not the time for his celebrity to be a distraction. "The scans, doctor."
She pulled up a page showing a bunch of squiggly lines. Neurology was not Chris's specialty, but he knew enough that the lines were not normal. The doctor pointed to a few specific items and explained their meaning, but he did not hear a word of it. All he heard was a deafening buzzing and a soft echo of his nephew's name being called out by an apathetic voice.
"Get out," said Chris coldly.
The female neurologist stopped talking. "Excuse me?"
"OUT!" yelled Chris barely suppressing the desire to use telekinesis to speed the process along.
She looked affronted and licked her lips. "I'll give you all a moment."
Chris followed her to the door and slammed it shut behind her. He pulled down the small set of blinds to cover the window in the door. He waved his hand and the two unoccupied chairs flew toward him. He placed them in front of the door and locked it.
"Wyatt! WYATT!" yelled Chris striding over to his crying brother. "UP!"
Wyatt batted away his hands.
Chris bit his tongue and pulled Wyatt to his feet.
"Chris, what are you doing?" asked Sarah, choking back the sobs.
Chris summoned a dagger to him along with a small stone basin. "We are summoning the Angel of Death."
Wyatt sniffled. "You can't summon the Angel of Death."
Chris sneered. "The hell we can't. Mom summoned one of his strongest employees. You're ten times stronger than Mom."
"How's it going to help? Zach's not dead, yet."
Chris glanced over at his nephew. "No, and he's not going to die. We've lost too many to the Grand Design. We're not loosing him too. And if Death doesn't like it then we'll vanquish his sorry ass."
Wyatt chocked. "You can't…"
Chris growled. "We burn him just like Anakin burned Lucifer and Aeglaeca."
"How?"
Chris held up the athame and slid it across his palm easily opening it up. Blood pooled, and he let it dribbled into the stone basin before handing the blade to his brother. Wyatt copied him. Sarah stood up and joined them.
"Would shaman magic help?" she asked stoically.
Wyatt offered her the athame and she cut her palm, adding her blood to the basin. The contents in the basin began to sputter and release steam. Chris balled his hand into a fist to stem the flow of blood as he summoned a piece of paper and wrote out the spell. Sarah snapped her finger and lit the page of fire as Chris and Wyatt chanted, "Spirits of Air, Sand, and Sea; Converge to set the Angel free; On the Wind, I send this Rhyme; Bring Death before my time."
Their blood boiled and turned tarry black. The smoke from the paper and their blood converged and swirled violently around them, disturbing all the loose object in the room. A crack reverberated through the room and the window in the door splintered. The glass water jug on the bedside table shattered entirely. A human-shaped void of color formed in the corner of the room, and a sudden wind knocked all three witches to the ground.
Chris was the first to recover. He clawed his way back to his feet and gasped. Standing in the room looking thoroughly annoyed was Uriel in all his angelic glory. Black wings wrapped around his body and his eyes shone with a dark intensity. A fiery sword that seemed to suck all the color out of the room sat in his one visible hand.
"Who dares summon me?"
Chris had to clap his hands to his ears. Uriel's voice was louder than a clap of thunder and was heard by a deeper part of him than just his physical ears. Nevertheless Chris could not help but smile. They had done it. Although, they may regret their success.
Uriel spotted him and his eyes narrowed. "YOU! What were you thinking?"
Wyatt and Sarah joined him, and Chris felt a boost of courage. "We need your help."
Uriel's wings shifted, showing his agitation. "I have done more for your family than is allowed. Your brother enjoys a peaceful afterlife with family and friends rather than be tormented forever by holy fire. Speak!"
Wyatt bit his lip. "It's my son."
Uriel turned his head on one side. "A mortal wounded in battle. What of him?"
"He's going to die."
"As are many today," said Uriel clearly unsympathetic to their plight.
Sarah spoke in a small voice most unlike her own. "Please, he's so young."
Uriel's eyes fell on her. "A tragedy for those who know him, but my Thantos have taken the souls of far younger and purer. Death is a part of life; you all know this. It is not evil. It is not fair. It just is until the Creator sees fit to decide otherwise."
"It is not his time," said Sarah more boldly. "It can't be."
Uriel lowered his sword. "Who are you to judge when a person's time is?"
"Who are you?" asked Wyatt defiantly.
Uriel focused on Wyatt, and Wyatt clutched his chest. "Anger! I am the last of my brethren, some of whom died at your family's hand. I am the last of the great Powers. The only one still able to bring about the Creator's will, to keep the Grand Design on track."
"To hell with the Grand Design! This is my son!" said Wyatt ignoring the growing icy pain in his chest.
Uriel stepped forward. "All who fall to my care are someone's son or daughter. A nephew or niece. Brother, mother, father, sister. Eventually everyone dies. Some sooner, some later."
"You are not taking him."
Uriel chuckled. "And you are going to stop me? A man of little value or worth. Your brother was twice the man you ever will be and he stood no chance against me. You Halliwells have a very high opinion of yourself and your place in this world. Ordering beings far above your station around like lap dogs. Unfortunately I do not scare as easily as the Angel of Destiny, nor do I feel a sentimental attachment, as did my Thantos. You are all but flea in the Grand Scheme. A few pawns in a much larger game of chess."
Chris held up his hand. "Enough. If we're so insignificant why did Raphael, Michael, and Gabriel all see fit to die in order to protect us?"
Uriel frowned. "I have never been able to rectify their actions. Raphael certainly placed a great deal of hope in your family. A failure of spending to much time among humans."
"Take me instead then," pleaded Wyatt.
"The last Twice Blessed in place of his bastard son? A tempting offer, but you still have a destiny to fulfill. And as much as I detest those three sisters; they can make my job that much harder if I piss them off."
Uriel touched Zach's arm and he arched back, gasping.
"STOP!" yelled Sarah and Wyatt.
Uriel released the boy. "Perhaps, all is not as it seems. Essence of dittany is all you will need, but hurry. His name is next on the list." The colors of the world inversed for a moment and he was gone.
"Essence of dittany? Mom must have some," said Chris as he orbed out.
Alarms kept blaring and someone was pounding on the door. Wyatt waved his hand and the two chairs in front of the door tumbled across the room back into their rightful places. Two burly security guards tumbled into the room followed by a whole slew of medical staff. A nurse ushered a still slightly shell-shocked Wyatt and Sarah out of the room.
Serena and Matt stepped off the elevator to see a bunch of nurses and doctors rushing down the ICU passageway. Getting a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach, Matt pulled away from his mother and chased after them. He watched them all file into a room in the corridor that he knew Zach's room was on. He slowed, feeling his legs turning into jelly. He saw a nurse usher his aunt and uncle of the room and he wanted to call out, but nothing came out. His mom caught up with him.
"Wyatt? Sarah?"
A pale Wyatt faced them. "He—they—Chris."
Matt collapsed to the floor as the sob wrenched themselves out of his body. He could not lose his cousin, not his best friend. It had been bad enough when Pax had died, but he had been young. Death was still a foreign concept back then. Today, today he knew just how final death was even in his family.
"Sweetie, it's going to be ok. Ok?" asked his mother wrapping him into a tight hug.
"Where's Chris?" He heard his mother ask, but she received no answer.
Matt pulled his legs up to his chest and rocked back and forth while his mother tried to calm him. She kept telling him everything was going to be ok, but he had heard her the night before. He knew everything was not ok. Magic was tearing his family apart. He finally understood Zach's apprehension about being a witch. Right at that moment he hated magic too.
"Dittany," said Wyatt.
"What?" asked his mother.
"Chris went to get dittany," repeated Wyatt in a hollow voice.
Matt stopped rocking. Dittany was an herb, a magical herb. It was used in potions that amplified healing spells and slaves. When boiled down to its essence it acts as a powerful antidote to most poisons. His grandmother had once shown him and Zach how to brew a concoction of dittany and wormwood that acted as an insect repellent, but she said it could ward off minor evil beings.
"Grandma has some," said Matt weakly, his voice raw. All three grown up looked at him in surprise. "She showed Zach and me how to brew a potion once."
"Why does he think dittany will work?" asked Serena.
"We summoned Uriel. He told us."
Serena balked. "You summoned THE Angel of Death. Are you guys crazy? Chris told me about him. He's the one that took Annie."
Sarah clung onto Wyatt. Wyatt was slowly coming back to life and wrapped his arms around her. "It worked. Or might work. He said Zach's next, and when he touched him he started seizing."
A doctor stepped out of the room the same neurologist from earlier. She wiped away beads of sweat. "I don't know what to say. Your son is a hell of a fighter."
"What does that mean?" asked Wyatt.
"It means his brain waves are off the charts. We've been able to stabilize him somewhat. He's not out of the woods, but he is no longer…" she trailed off.
Matt took a deep breath; the crushing hand around his heart loosened its grip. Zach was still alive. They still had a chance to save him.
"Where is Dr. Halliwell?" asked the doctor.
"He had to take a call," said Serena quickly. "We're trying to get clearance to ship medical aid to Afghanistan."
The doctor nodded. "We've given Zach a heavy dose of an anti-seizure medication. He needs to stay monitored for half-an-hour or so to make sure he doesn't have a bad reaction, but you can go in a sit with him again."
As she spoke most of the medical team that had responded to the code slowly left the room. All of them looked a little worse for wear.
"It was the strangest thing. There was a moment I could have sworn those instruments were floating off the table," said one of the nurses as she walked past.
Matt picked himself off the ground and was the first one in the room. He barely acknowledged the sole remaining nurse as he took a spot near the head of Zach's bed. Zach was covered in a film of sweat and there was evidence of worse damage by some of the IV access ports. Whatever Death had done to his cousin, his body had reacted violently to it.
"Hey, Zach, it's me. You know, Matt? You're giving me a big scare, here, dude. You need to stop, ok? It's not funny anymore. Please, bro, please came back to us," he whispered. "Rebecca is flipping out. She's furious wit her parents because they won't let her come see you. I get a text from her like every ten minutes, wanting updates. And I won't even get started on Andrew. He's a right mess. Sophia's been by the house a few times, but we don't say much. None of them know what really happened. And I just don't have the energy to lie to them. So you need to wake up now and put us all out our misery."
His mother pulled him close to her as he began to weep again.
"He looks so weak, Mom."
Wyatt got Sarah situated in a chair before joining them around his son's bed. "He actually looks a little better. He's got some of his color back."
"Where is Chris?" asked his mom after a few moments. "How long does it take to find one ingredient?"
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," said Wyatt.
Matt saw his dad stride triumphantly into the room. He took in the addition of Matt and Serena along with the nurse.
"What 'd I miss?"
"Zach had a seizure and they had to give him something."
Chris nodded. "You can go. I'll watch for anaphylaxis."
The nurse cringed. "Sir—er—I…"
Chris pulled out his wallet and showed the nurse something inside. "I've still got privileges here, and I'm telling you I'll keep watch over this patient."
"Right, I'll just inform the floor nurse then."
Chris shrugged. "You do that."
The nurse left, and Chris telekinetically shut the door. He pulled out a small glass vial from his pocket. The liquid inside the vial was a very pale yellow and shimmered at the surface.
"This is potent stuff. Too much and it could be as dangerous as any poison it's used to cure. There's a reason no one uses essence anymore."
Wyatt motioned for him to stand next to him. "Just do it."
Chris handed the bottle to Wyatt and pulled the bed sheets down. He stopped when he revealed the oozing wound the athame left behind. The hospital had tried to put bandages over it, but something in the poison ate through the bandages.
"Right, the dittany has to enter the wound in order to be effective," said Chris reluctantly.
"Meaning?" asked Sarah, joining them.
"Meaning we have to resect the necrotized tissue."
Matt squeezed his mouth shut and swallowed the bile threatening to escape his stomach.
"You mean we have to cut into my son?"
Chris nodded. "Deep enough to expose the poison reservoir."
"That could be all the way into his lung!"
Chris summoned a surgical scalpel. "I don't think it's that deep, maybe near his rib. I need you to hold him steady."
Chris started to cut, and Zach reacted. He twisted away from the pain even while unconscious. Wyatt placed two strong hands on his son's shoulders and held him down. Zach thrashed against the restraints. A snap and a pop could clearly be heard. Wyatt shut his eyes muttering apologies. Chris reached bone and found a small blackened cyst.
"That's it. The dittany."
Sarah reached around Wyatt to where he had dropped the small vial and handed it to Chris. Chris gave her the scalpel in return.
"Be careful to no cut yourself. I don't know what this poison is. It could still be potent. Ten drops should do it."
Matt counted silently as his father slowly administered the viscous liquid. Every drop evokes a strange hissing sound and a billow of pure white vapors. After the tenth drop his dad quickly replaced the dropper in the vial and asked for gauze. Sarah found some in the cabinet by the door. Matt watched in horrid fascination as his dad methodically wiped away large chucks of purulent flesh and fluid. Satisfied the dittany had done its job Chris stepped away.
"Try and heal the wound, Wy."
Wyatt stepped over and held his hands over the wound. Everyone held his or her breath. Nothing happened. Wyatt shook his head and tried again. Monitors started to beep more rapidly indicating something had changed for the worse.
"Come on, Wy."
Wyatt murmured a pray and a brilliant warm golden glow issued from his hands. The wound slowly shrunk and new flesh and skin grew over it covering it up. The glow died away and left Zach with a fist size scar where a gapping wound had once been.
"It worked!"
Matt saw Zach still lying in the bed motionless. "What do you mean it worked? He's still unconscious!"
Chris pulled the sheets back up. "The poison is still stopping us from healing him completely, but we got rid of the source. Now, its up to Zach."
"What do I do with this?" asked Sarah holding the scalpel at arm's length.
Chris took it back and orbed it away. "I'll look at the poison later. It could help me come up with something less dangerous to cure it."
"He's not cured!" repeated Matt.
"Look," said Serena breathlessly.
They all looked at Zach. His head twitched, and he cringed. Slowly, excruciatingly slow, his eyes opened.
"ZACH!" yelled Matt.
Sarah and Serena burst into tears, and Wyatt smiled weepily.
Zach's eyes widened and he reached for the tube, but Chris stopped him gently.
"You're ok, Zach, but let's leave this alone. I'll go get the doctors, and they can come and remove it safely," said Chris is a soothing voice.
Zach spent another week in hospital before he finally convinced his parents to get him discharged. He spent another week forced to be lying down either in bed or on the couch in front of the TV at the Manor. Needless to say, he was almost happy after his dad announced his was well enough to return to school. It was the third week in October when he walked back into the hallways of Baker High School.
Everyone gave him a wide berth as he made his way to his locker with Matt right by his side. His cousin had become something of an extra appendage since his release from the hospital. While he appreciated the sentiment, he did wish Matt would give him a little space.
"I'm not going to keel over and die, you know," said Zach after the fifth time his elbow bumped into Matt.
"Are you sure you're up to this? I can totally talk you mom and dad into letting you spend a few more days at home."
Zach sighed and stood up, having placed everything he would need in his backpack. "I'm fine, Matt. One hundred and fifty percent fine."
"You can't be more than hundred percent of anything," commented Sophia.
Matt and she kissed.
"I'll take over from here, Matt."
Matt hesitated. "Ok—er—bye."
"See you at lunch," said Zach and waved his cousin off.
Sophia smiled. "Glad you're back. It's been tough being the only smart one at this school."
Andrew showed up for the end of Sophia's comment. "HEY! I try."
"So history?" asked Zach.
His two friends nodded and the three of them headed off to class. History slipped by without incident besides the teacher welcoming him back to class. She then went on to remind him of all the work he had to catch up. Zach groaned inwardly as he smiled. Andrew left them after class, and they made their way to Drama. On the way they bumped into Corey.
"Glad you're ok, man," said his team captain.
"Thanks."
"Only wish you had waited a little bit longer then I'd be Arthur," joked Corey.
Zach genuinely laughed. "You might still get your chance if the teacher keep piling on the homework."
Corey chuckled. "Between Sophia and myself, we'll have your homework done in a jiffy, but at the moment I've got to dash."
They entered the auditorium and a squeal rung out causing a few of their classmates to cover their ears.
"YOU'RE BACK!" exclaimed Rebecca running over and hugging him tightly.
Ms. Quinn walked in behind them. "Welcome back, Zachary. Please, find your seat."
"Thank you, Ms.—er—Jia."
Rebecca interlocked their arms and pulled him over to the table they shared with Sophia. Ms. Quinn started handing out the scene for the week while explaining the background to the play. When she reached their table she paused and squeezed Zach's shoulder.
"I'm truly happy to see you doing well, Zach."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Ms. Quinn moved on, and Zach picked up the script.
"It's a scene from Romeo and Juliet."
Sophia grabbed up her copy and grinned. "Perfect! You two can act all lovey-dovey and I can catch up on my beauty sleep."
Rebecca smiled. "I always liked Shakespeare."
"That's great."
Ms. Quinn called their attention to the front. "As many of you know, Ms. Ianos is joining us for the week to see exactly what a drama class entails. I do hope you all welcome her with open arms. Please, reach through the script and assign the parts between members of your groups. This week's assignment is non-verbal expressions, a fact most of you understand. Focus on the text and try and see how many different emotions you can evoke in your audience by changing the way you present yourselves in the scene."
The class broke out into its usual low rumble.
"Sorry I could visit this weekend," said Rebecca. "My mom and dad are being taskmasters."
Zach shrugged. "It's ok. You didn't miss much. Matt and Andrew had a video game marathon in my room, while I dozed."
"It will be nice to see my boyfriend again," commented Sophia mindlessly.
Rebecca snuggled up to Zach. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired and a little sore, but my uncle Chris said that's normal. It takes awhile for the body to heal itself."
"Do you have any idea who attacked you? Remember anything else?" asked Rebecca in a low voice. Ruth Ianos was passing by their table.
"She used to babysit me and Matt," commented Zach, hoping to change the topic.
"So you've said, but what about your attacker?"
Zach gritted his teeth; it felt wrong to lie to Rebecca. "No, I don't know, and it' doesn't matter. When is this school going to be dosed with absinthe again?"
He could see Rebecca wanted to know more, and she was slightly hurt by his answer. She was very perceptive and probably could tell he knew more than he was telling anyone. When she had visited him in the hospital he had almost broken down and told her the family secret. Seeing her that night in the path of an energy ball reminded him just how dangerous being close to a Halliwell was. He found it irresponsible to not tell her the truth, but his parents were adamantly against him sharing anything with any of his friends at least while the investigation at the school was on going. Instead he forced himself to stick with the story of mass hallucinations and stomach the unbelieving stares from those closest to him.
"Are we still on for the annual Halliwell Halloween party?" asked Sophia, breaking the growing awkward silence.
Zach shrugged. "Our parents aren't too keen on letting us out of their sight. Add alcohol into the mix and our prospects don't look promising."
"What's the annual Halliwell Halloween party?" questioned Rebecca, a coolness in her voice.
Sophia clapped her hands together and grinned. "It's only the best party of the year. Zach started the tradition back in seventh grade as a combo Halloween-birthday party. Everyone has to come dressed up in a costume, and Piper is usually about to get some sick DJ to play."
Rebecca cocked an eyebrow. "A Halloween and birthday party? When's your birthday?"
Zach gave Sophia a dirty look. "It was Saturday."
"Oh my God! Why didn't you tell me, you dummy!" Rebecca said before rounding on Sophia. "And you! What are best friends for if not to tell girlfriends when birthdays are!"
Sophia smiled sheepishly. "Sorry? We never celebrate Zach's birthday on his birthday. It's always been on Halloween."
Zach took hold of both Rebecca's hands in his. "It's no big deal. You were busy, and you didn't know. Even if you had known what would have been different? Your parents would still not have let you visit, and I'd have been on forced bed rest, hardly good company."
Rebecca pouted her lips. "Still it was your birthday. I could've gotten you something at least."
"We'll go shopping today," suggested Sophia.
"You're still in trouble, but thanks."
The rest of the class passed quickly, as did the rest of the school day. He was waiting outside the school with Matt. They had both received cryptic text messages from their respective mothers about a change in the pick-up plans.
"I wish they'd hurry up. This is like the one day this week I get home before its dark," complained Matt, checking his phone for the time.
Zach chuckled from where he was seated on the ground. He was exhausted, and the new scar on his chest was aching again. It tended to flare up whenever his mental defenses faltered. Despite wanting to return to a normal life and enjoying the time he spent with his friends, the day had worn him down. He thought longingly of the comfort of his bed and grimaced in memory of the pile of homework awaiting him.
"Did you talk to your dad anymore about the your party?" asked Matt, giving up on checking the time in a vain hope that it would speed things along.
Zach shook his head. "It took all my wiles to get him to let me return to school. I don't think Halloween is happening this year."
"But it's got to! Homecoming was a bust. Teenagers need a time to blow off steam."
"Maybe we don't throw a school-wide party. Just have a few friends over to the Manor. I might be able to swing that with the folks."
Matt crossed his arms over his chest. "They'll be watching us like hawks."
"Not if we get them drunk first."
Matt brightened up. "I like the way you think, but Grandma doesn't drink."
Zach shrugged. "Don't know what to tell you. It's the best I've got."
Matt looked Zach up and down. "Are you ok? You're looking kinda pale."
"I'm just tired," said Zach with eyes closed.
"Maybe a smaller intimate gathering of friends would be best," conceded Matt; voice laced with concern.
Matt spotted Wyatt's car pulling up to the front of the school. He tapped Zach on the shoulder and helped the older teen onto his feet. When Zach reached to pick up his backpack Matt swatted his hand away and shouldered both of their bags with ease. He could tell his cousin wanted to voice his protest, but Matt did not give him a chance. He gently guided Zach over to the car. Only when they stepped up to the car did they catch a glimpse of who was driving.
"UNCLE KYLE!"
Kyle Porter was a man whose life and career had aged him before his time, but age had been kind to him. His short hair once dark brown was peppered with grey, and his inviting green-grey eyes were hardened by experience. His angular face sported more than its fair share of scars; he had been near an exploding IED twice. The scars did nothing to hide how handsome he was. No one questioned how he had caught the eye of Prue.
"How is it going, Matt?" greeted Kyle.
Matt opened the passenger door and guided Zach to his seat. "I'm fine. What are you doing here?"
Kyle patted Zach on the knee. "Tired?"
Zach smiled. "Hi, Kyle. It's been a long day."
Kyle nodded in understanding. "Hop in Matt."
Matt jumped into the back seat and repeated his question. "What are you doing here?"
"Well, your Aunt Prue wanted to see family, and the boys had a few weeks off. So we decided why not spend them here with family."
Matt grinned from ear to ear. He always liked when his cousins visited. "So you're here for what? A week? A month?"
Kyle matched his nephew's smile. He truly hated that they lived so far away from Prue's and his families. "I'll be flying back and forth between here and New York. There's too much going on at work that I could take time off, but the boys certainly want to spend as much time here as possible. And I think Prue'll spend most of her time here as well."
Zach jerked and sat up. "Sorry, that's nice," he said as his head started to bob again.
"Did you guys have to run a marathon or something?" asked Kyle.
Matt shook his head. "No. He's still recovering from that attack a few weeks ago."
"Right, Wyatt was telling me about it. Is everyone at school still buying the cover story?"
Matt licked his lip. He knew Sophia was having a hard time swallowing the story, and he suspected a few of their other friends were also having second thoughts.
"Yes and no. Our friends obviously suspect something is up, but I don't think it's anything to worry about."
Kyle remained silent for a moment longer than usual before speaking. "You need to tell your dad or mom if anyone starts to think the attack was something more. It's not a good time for our family to be recognized as witches."
"You mean that President's order thingy?"
The Executive Order, and yes, I do. It's nothing to be worried about, but just keep a heads up."
Matt sat back. He had always thought of being a witch as an amazing and wonderful thing. Then this thing with Zach happened, and he saw for the first time just how much magic could cost them. The foreboding prediction by his uncle only furthered his concern. Maybe magic was not what he built it up to be. Maybe being a mortal was not a terrible future, but they had been attacked. Even with their powers bound they were being made targets, and they were helpless. All the self-defense training in the world would only delay the inevitable. If they did not get their powers back, they were sitting ducks.
"Have Michael and Richard been attacked?" asked Matt softly.
Kyle looked him in the rearview mirror. "Why do you ask?"
"It's just—I don't know. Zach's been attacked a few times now. I was there at the school. It just seems like things are heating up or something."
"Thankfully the boys haven't been targeted as far as we're aware. I don't know what we would've done if they were attacked. Until a few days ago they were travelling around India on a civil service project for their school." They pulled onto the driveway next to Manor. Kyle turned around in his seat. "Do you think you need your powers back?"
Matt frowned; none of the adults asked him questions like that. "I—I don't know. I used to, but now? What if they just make us bigger targets?"
Kyle bobbed his head. "Well, we'll see what happens, won't we? I wouldn't worry about it too much. You're parents know what they're doing."
"Don't you worry about what magic might cost Michael and Richard?"
"Of course, but I'm their dad. It's my job to worry about them. At the end of the day though, I've seen magic do some amazing things, and if they're destined to do half the amount of good your grandmother and her sisters did I don't want to be the one to stop them."
Zach let out a soft snore and rolled over.
Matt sighed. "What do Michael and Richard think?"
"Mike is all for having powers. He's ready to take on the world. Rick doesn't know. Some days he's ready to take on the responsibility, and others he feels like he has enough on his plate. I think it's time even with the way things are going in the government. We always said when you guys were teens we'd revisit the subject. Prue is the opposite. She wants to keep them as much in the dark as possible for as long as possible."
"At least they have a parent on each side. Both my mom and dad are against unbinding my powers," whined Matt.
"They'll do what they think is best."
Two identical boys banging on the car's windows interrupted further conversation. Zach sat bolt up right, confused. He saw his excited cousins and laughed despite the pain in his chest. It had been too long since he had spoken to either of the twins. Michael stood by his window, grinning like an idiot. Richard had already opened Matt's door and was pulling Matt out of the car. The twins both had similarly cut short brown hair, but Zach knew from pictures that Richard's had the faintest of waviness to it when he grew it out. Their eyes were a mixture of their mother's warm brown and Kyle's cooler green-blue. Zach would call them hazel if pushed for a firm color. Both had ridiculously straight and white teeth, but Michael had the tiniest of chips out of one of his front teeth from a climbing accident. Michael was more muscular, and Richard was every so slightly taller. You really had to know them though to pick up on any sort of difference.
Michael opened his door and peered into the car. "What you waiting for mate?"
Kyle turned off the car's engine. "Let's take the energy down a few notches, kiddo. Zach's tired."
Michael eyed his father. "Ok, dad."
Kyle climbed out the car. "I'll get your bags. Go hang out if you feel up to it, Zachy."
Zach cringed. No one called him that except his sister Prue when she was alive. Every once in awhile the adults would forget and do it, but he hated that name.
"Oh damn! Sorry, it slipped my mind." Kyle quickly apologized.
"It's ok, Kyle," said Zach wearily.
Michael did not give his dad time for further dialogue. He took hold of Zach's hand and pulled the half-reluctant teen out of the car and into the house. The older twin quickly and easily found the other teens in the conservatory. His twin and Matt were already in deep conversation over one topic or another. He could tell though that Zach was not up to joining in so he directed Zach back out the room and upstairs.
"Your bedroom still in the same place?" asked Michael.
Zach nodded. "We could've stayed with Matt and Rick."
Michael shrugged. "I spend enough time with my brother. This vacation is about visiting with you and Matt and the rest of the family."
Zach lay down on is bed and left room for Michael to sit as well. The teen sat down and looked at Zach with deep concern.
"How are you doing?"
Zach closed his eyes. "I'm alright and you?"
"I'm fine."
"How was your trip?"
Michael kicked off his shoes and scooted back so he was able to lean back against the wall. "It was good. Richard took tons of photos, and we got to meet a lot of different people. We almost stayed there for another month, but then Mom and Dad came up with this idea to visit you guys."
Zach shifted and grimaced as pain shot through his left side.
"Mate, are you sure you're ok? Do you want me to go get your mom or dad?"
"No, no. I'm fine. I'm just very tired. School wiped me out."
Michael frowned. "Ok, if you're sure?"
Zach nodded and forced himself to sit up. "What are your plans for the trip?"
"Visiting family," said Michael simply. "Dad's mom and grandmother will be out here next week sometime, so we'll go see them. Other than that we're going to hanging out here. Mom seemed adamant to talk to your dad and Uncle Chris about stuff. I'm guessing it's going to be a very long discussion that we're going to be excluded from."
"Hmm—we'll be able to do other stuff then. They won't want us in the house when they're doing that. Maybe you can meet some of my friends."
Michael's eyes sparkled. "Yeah, I really want to meet this Rebecca Starling who you'd risk life and limb for."
Zach smiled gently. "She's amazing. You'll like her."
The two cousins talked about friends and girls for a while before Zach slowly drifted off to sleep. Michael quietly left the bedroom and joined his brother and Matt in the living room. The two had set up the latest video game consul system and were in the midst of a very heated sniper battle. Parents drifted in and out of the house, and Piper brought in snack at some point. Around dinnertime Zach made a reappearance looking a lot better.
"Dinner," called Sarah from the kitchen.
Zach who was losing superbly against Matt took the opportunity to bow out gracefully and handed the remote to Michael. "I'm starved."
Matt killed Zach's character with a headshot and paused the game. "Even for tacos?"
Zach nodded and rubbed his stomach. "Even for tacos."
The whole family filed into the dinning room from various parts of the Manor. Prue who had not yet seen Zach called him over and hugged him tightly.
"How's my favorite nephew?"
Zach grinned and pecked his only aunt on the cheek. "I'm doing as well as can be expected, I guess."
His mother joined them. "Are you ok, sweetie?"
"Much better. Thanks, Mom."
"While you were sleeping you aunt and I discussed what to do for your birthday this year."
Zach caught Matt's eyes. "Oh?"
Sarah nodded. "Yes, we don't think having a big party is the best idea."
"But mo—," Zach trailed off.
"And with your cousins here we were thinking it'd be nice to just have a nice family dinner."
"Like tonight?" questioned Zach.
Prue patted him on the back consolingly. "Would that be the worst thing in the world?"
Zach pulled a face. "No, of course not. It's just my friends. They're looking forward to the Halloween party."
"Maybe we can have a few of them over as well," suggested Sarah.
Zach nodded. "Ok."
The rest of the week was uneventful. The Manor felt more cramped with another whole family living there, but no one dared complain in front of Piper. She was walking on cloud nine having all three of her kids and grandchildren in one city again. Kyle left for New York the night before Halloween. Since he could not be at Zach's birthday party he took the four boys out for a round of golf that afternoon. The other three boys were not excited about the adventure, but they provided excellent entertainment for the two more seasoned golfers.
Zach found as the week progressed his friends relented on the questions. They appeared to accept that he did not know anything more than what he had told them. When he brought the topic up with Matt at the golf course Matt agreed with him. He also decided that he hated Michael and Richard living across the globe from the rest of the family. The week had been the most amount of time the cousins had spent together consecutively even with Zach being shut in his room most evenings to catch up on his pile of homework.
"So this party tomorrow?" started Richard when they arrived back at the Manor.
Zach following his cousin into the house arched an eyebrow.
"Are you inviting any hot single girls?" finished Michael; bring up the rear of their party.
"Mom vetoed anyone but close friends. I had to beg to get Danny on the invite list."
Richard folded his arms. "Danny's the gay swimmer?"
Zach chuckled. "He is a swimmer, and he is gay. I don't think he'd like to be boiled down to being a gay swimmer though."
Richard shrugged. "Better than being the blond boy best friend."
Zach actually burst out laughing.
Michael elbowed his brother. "Come on, dude. They're his friends."
Zach straightened up and wiped away the tears of mirth. "No, don't worry. Andrew would get a kick out of it."
"Right, Andrew. He's dating Danny?"
"Yes. Then Kenny is Matt's new best friend, and of course Sophia is coming."
Michael waggled his eyebrows. "She's a looker."
Zach pretended to gag. "Not you too. One family member pawing my best friend at a time, please."
Richard shook his head. "Anyone for lemonade?" He left the room before either of the other two could answer, but he quickly returned. "Come here," he whispered.
Michael and Zach joined him. All three boys pressed their ears up to the closed kitchen door. Zach could barely discern his father speaking.
"No! We can't keep doing this. We tried reconstituting the Power of Three ourselves. It didn't work."
Prue spoke up next. "Maybe we need Mom to bless the dagger."
Someone slammed something against the counter. Chris said, "It's not going to work. We're not the next Charmed Ones. Wyatt, Annie, and I were, but we're done. It's their turn."
"I won't have it," yelled Prue. "They're just kids."
"Annie was much younger," argued Chris. "But I agree that we've not exhausted all our options yet. I'm not unbinding Matt's powers until it's the last option left."
"They're being targeted," said Wyatt in a painful whisper. "What don't you get about that? My son almost died! We can't keep sending them out into the world unprotected. They need their powers. I want Zach to have a normal life as much as anyone, but if another wraith gets to him…"
Sarah continued for her husband. "If it truly was a matter of keeping them out of this war there would be no argument. Magic attracts magic, but it's so much more than that. They could have been born mortals with not a drop of magical blood between the four of them, and they'd still be in danger. If the Underworld is being re-organized then whoever is the new Source will want to destroy this family. Our kids not having powers will not save them."
Prue said, "But we can stop this. We have to stop them—whoever they are."
"It's too late for that," said Wyatt wearily. "One wraith still lurking about I could believe, but that one at the school was skilled and powerful. To have cloaked itself from all of us scrying for it; that takes more magic than I've heard any demon possessing outside the Powers."
Chris agreed. "So then what? We give them their powers back. They're untrained children. We can't expect them to go up against the Source."
"No, but it'll give them a fighting chance to stay alive until you can get to them," said Kyle.
The twins frowned and looked at each other. "When'd he come in?"
Matt tapped Zach on the shoulder making the older teen jump and bump into the door. "Sorry."
The damage was done. Serena opened the kitchen door with hands on her hips. "What are you doing?"
Zach gulped. "Lemonade?"
Wyatt gestured for the boys to enter the kitchen. Zach looked around at all the adults. His mother had a bemused expression on her face, while he dad looked tired. Chris and Serena had identical looks of irritation mixed with guilt. Kyle hid his amusement by taking a long sip of coffee. Piper sat at the table separated from the rest of the adults. She caught Zach's eye, and he knew that she knew they had been listening. Prue was furious.
"What have I told you boys about eavesdropping?" she asked rounding on her sons.
Richard unconsciously stepped slightly in front of his brother. "Mom, we're sorry, but if this is about us we should be included."
Prue's eyes narrowed and she waggled her finger at her son. "You couldn't have known that unless you listened in."
Wyatt stepped forward and placed a restraining hand on his sister's shaking shoulder. "Perhaps it'd be best if they do hear everything."
Piper said, "It's certainly better than them running around with only half the story."
Prue crossed her arms and huffed. "Don't think I don't know you planned this, Mom."
Piper smiled sweetly. "Whatever you say, sweetie."
"Fine, but that's it. We're just talking. Nothing is going to happen today."
The four boys nodded and joined their grandmother at the table. The parents reoriented themselves. Kyle carefully wrapped his arms around his wife.
"So?" asked Matt impatiently.
Chris gave his son a hard look, and Matt shrunk into his seat.
"We'll start at the beginning, shall we?" Wyatt asked his silent siblings. "Ok, as you guys may or may not know a few weeks ago Grandma Patty came to talk to me about some of the changes they were feeling in the Great Beyond. They have access to a rather reliable source who intimated the upheavals in magic had something to do with another great evil rising up. A suggestion was made to get you all ready for what was to come."
Zach sat in silence as he replayed Grandma Patty's visit, and his father's reaction to it.
"Then we were attacked by a wraith, and Chris went in to research mode."
Chris stopped Wyatt. "Do they have to know…"
"Yes," said Piper with finality. "I know what it is like to be thrown into this world without a clue. They have a right to know."
Wyatt bowed his head and took a deep breath. "We found a possibility for who could be behind the latest rash of demonic activity."
Zach frowned. "How? Just because we were attacked by a wraith?"
Chris licked his lips. "What you have to understand, Zach, is wraiths for all intents and purposes should never have existed. They were brought into form by an evil Power That Be called Hellequin. When he was vanquished their existence should have slowly dribbled away. If any survived they should be nothing more than shadows and vapors. Only another Power could grant them life again."
"A Power?" asked Matt. "But I thought they were all dead."
"That is what we still believe, but there are legends of beings formed by Lucifer. I believe that should a couple of his first demons choose to unite they may have the power necessary to revive a wraith."
Zach shuddered at the idea. "Wait, you mean there are more demons out there like Lilith?"
Prue waved her hand and the copied page from the Book of Shadows orbed onto the table alongside another piece of paper with symbols and writings.
"This is a page we found in the Book of Shadows describing two demons of immense power. They were so powerful that not even the Source could bend their will to do his bidding. Roughly translated the Book said they were siblings, brother and sister, born out of the greatest evil and suffering imaginable. Rahab and Tiamat, the twins of chaos and destruction."
Michael picked up the piece of paper. "What does it mean?"
Wyatt sighed. "It means that we're in for a hell of a battle."
Richard frowned. "But you were talking about the Power of Three."
"Yes, the two like Lilith and Zankou are impervious to most magic. No vanquishing spell or potion will work on them. They are too well connected to the essence of magic. Lilith was vanquished by the most powerful elemental to ever exist, and Zankou—well, you know what happened to him. We thought that if we could reconstitute the Power of Three we might be powerful enough to vanquish at least one of them."
"But it didn't work," said Zach blandly. The reality of the situation slowly sinking in. "Because it's not your fight this time."
Wyatt shook his head sadly. "For whatever fucked up reason Destiny has determined our time has passed."
"So who are the next Charmed Ones?" piped up Richard. "Unless you're hiding something from us, Mom, we don't have a brother or sister. Matt's an only child, and Zach…"
"There may not be another set of Charmed Ones," explained Chris. "No first demon has been vanquished by directly using the Power of Three. This time it may require the Power of Four."
Everyone fell silent. Zach looked down at the copied page from the Book. Why did that snake symbol look so familiar?
AN: Ok, so, I won't beg for a review here, but I do want to thank you allfor stricking with me. As a reminder, if you need help picturing soem of my chracters you can check out my tumblr. This link is in my profile. I'm also going to make a wiki page for the whole series, so be on the look out. Until next time my lovelies!