AN: This is a warning that this chapter is significantly darker than most of the other chapters. It contains a scene of sexual violence. You have been warned. Other than that I hope you enjoy (it doesn't seem liek the right word) the latest installment of A Charmed Generation.

MY TRUE COLORS

Rebecca sat on Zach's bed, shaking. Still in her ripped shirt and mini skirt, which had numerous burn holes. Zach was still upstairs talking to his dad and uncle. He had told her he would only be a few minutes. She could not be alone much longer. She could still feel those talons scraping her skin and smell the demon's putrid breath tinged with a metallic aftertaste. The worst part of the night she had not told anyone about. The Vrykolakas invaded her mind. It showed her horrors she had never dreamed of before. The utter darkness of that demon was beyond anything she thought could exist.

Scream—beg for your life. Beg for his life. Beg or watch me strip him limb from limb. Scream for me, beautiful.

The words echoed in her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to focus on anything else. The demon's voice seeped into every memory, every thought. Sickly sweet and dripping with promised kindness, the voice scared her more than any of the physical abuse. Despite her best intentions and all the evil the demon put on display, she felt a desire grow within herself to please the demon. Only the concern in Zach's eyes kept her from giving in and following the demon's instructions.

She grabbed the nearest pillow and warped her arms around it, hugging it against her chest. A deep breath through her nose allowed the comforting smell of Zach to permeate her being. Images of a stream pushed the demon's voice aside. Zach's laughter drowned out her taunting. The warm spice of his cologne overwhelmed the memory of rotting flesh. Shivering, she lay down, holding the pillow tightly. Tears poured down her cheeks. The door opened and she sniffed, trying to stem the tears.

"Oh, sorry, I was look—are you ok?" asked Matt, dressed in pajama shorts and a white wife beater.

She nodded and rubbed her puffy eyes. "I'm fine. I think Zach's upstairs still."

Matt bit his lip and nodded. "Are you sure? I—I can stay and chat if you want."

"You're looking for Zach, though."

Matt shrugged and stepped further into the room. "It's no big deal. I just wanted to know if he had seen my phone. It can wait."

Rebecca sat back up, still clutching the pillow. "How—how do you deal with some—something like to—to—tonight?"

Matt scratched the back of his neck. The bottom of his top slid slightly over the top of his shorts revealing a toned stomach. Rebecca quickly looked away. Matt gathered his thoughts as he sat down at Zach's desk.

"It's, all this, is still new to me. I never knew about the realities of magic. Sure, grandma Piper has told me stories. She's even told me some of the less child-friendly ones, but they were just stories. My first real encounter with magic and demons was Homecoming," said Matt, deliberately choosing each word carefully.

Rebecca watched Zach's young cousin and best friend. The boy was only a few months younger than her, but he seemed so much older. In the slightly dim light of the bedroom, he reminded her strongly of his father. The idea comforted her for some reason and saddened her. Here was a kid being forced to grow up too fast due to forces beyond anyone's control.

Matt shifted in the seat. "This was—I don't know. I guess—I'm still processing everything that happened. Sophia wasn't too badly hurt. Everyone is alive. The demon didn't get what she came for. I'd say that was a win. I know that…"

Rebecca shook her head. "It's ok. I think so too, but it was so close. If your grandmother hadn't come in when she did—I don't know what would have happened. I could see the desperation in Zach's eyes. He was about to attack."

Matt leaned back. "He wouldn't have let anything happen to you."

"Would it really have been his choice?"

Matt shrugged again. "I suppose no, but you saw what happened to that other demon that hurt you. My cousin is scary when you're being threatened. I think that Vrykolakas knew if she really tried to kill you there'd be no stopping him."

Rebecca nodded and took another whiff off the pillow. "Where's Sophie?"

"Her dad came and picked her and Andrew up a few minutes ago. Beth and Amber are busy getting their memories altered by my dad before being driven home. Kenny's spending the night in my room. Danny, I believe, already left, and the twins are helping with the clean up." Matt ticked off each person on his fingers as he listed them.

"Does Mr. Halliwell know I'm still here?" asked Rebecca softly.

Matt cocked an eyebrow. "I don't know. I didn't see Wyatt. Don't worry about it. He's cool."

"He's cool with having his son's girlfriend spend the night in the same room?"

"Er—if you put it that way it does sound far-fetched. No, what I mean is he'll understand the extenuating circumstances." Matt fidgeted with his fingers. "He knows you and Zach need to talk. Where do your parents think you're staying?"

Rebecca pulled the pillow tighter. The thought of not sleeping next to Zach tonight was unbearable. "At Sophie's or maybe it's Beth's…I can't remember what I told them. It doesn't matter. They're not expecting me back home until dinner tomorrow."

Matt nodded along. "Good, well, I'll see you at breakfast." He stood up.

Rebecca's heart sped up for a moment. "Right, night, Matt."

Matt offered her a reassuring smile. "Night, Rebecca. I'm sure Zach'll be down shortly."

Zach stepped into the room as Matt finished the sentence. "Here I am."

Matt patted him on the back. "Seen my phone?"

"On the dining room table."

Matt grinned and dashed back upstairs.

Zach was also in his ruined battle outfit. He sidled over to his closet and opened it wide. He pulled a plain white t-shirt off one pile and a pair of boxer shorts off another. After a moment's pause, he selected another t-shirt, this one with a Jurassic Park logo on it and another set of boxers and shut the closet.

"Do you want to shower first?" he asked.

Rebecca steadied her trembling voice. "No, you can."

Zach frowned with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Does you dad know?" asked Rebecca unable to voice her real concern.

"He does. I told him we're going to watch a movie, and then I'll relocate to the couch upstairs," explained Zach, sitting down beside her.

Rebecca laid her head on his shoulder. "That was too close."

Zach put an arm around his girlfriend's slender frame. "It was."

"I—I don—don't—I don't want to be alone," sniffed Rebecca.

"Ok—ok...ok." Zach squeezed her tightly. "You don't have to ever be alone. The shower—er—the bathroom is separated. There's a door between the sink and the shower. We can—um—well, yeah…we can just close the door part way. That way we don't—er—see anything, but we can still be near each other. How does that sound, babe?"

Rebecca sniffed again. "You were planning something tonight."

Zach had quickly gotten rid of the rose petals when he had first brought Rebecca down to his room. The candles were still set up throughout the room. "It doesn't matter."

"It looked like it was going to be very romantic." Rebecca kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Zach felt his cheeks heat up. "Er—um—you're welcome."

Rebecca half giggled. "How can you still be this shy? Do you have any idea—any clue how…never mind. I love that about you, your ridiculous modesty. I love you."

"I love you, too," said Zach automatically; he cleared his throat. "I mean it. I love you, too."

Rebecca removed her head from his shoulder. "Shower?"

"Shower. Only if you want to…we can just watch the movie like this," said Zach still self-conscious about the whole idea.

Rebecca let go of the pillow and straightened her legs. "Let's go. Is that what I'm going to wear?"

Zach held up the Jurassic Park t-shirt. "It the longest t-shirt I've got. I could orb something from your place if you want, but I wasn't sure. Or did you leave some clothes at Sophie's?"

Rebecca grabbed the shirt and held it against her chest; it fell to her mid-thigh. "Nope, this works. Besides, I always find it sexy to wear my boyfriend's clothes. This'll be the first time I wear his underwear though."

Zach turned beet red, and Rebecca laughed.

"Are you going to shower first?" asked Zach to avoid his embarrassment.

Rebecca took pity on him. "Yeah, sure, if that's what you want." She waggled her eyebrows.

Zach gulped. "That'll be—er—best." His throat felt very dry.

They heard someone open the door between the basement and the kitchen and rushed into the bathroom. Rebecca covered her mouth to muffle her laughter as Zach locked the bathroom door. Someone knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" asked Zach glaring at Rebecca.

Richard said, "It's me, you going to shower?"

Zach nodded his head even though his cousin could not see him. "Yeah, dude. I'm going to be awhile. Do you need something?"

Someone said something that neither Zach nor Rebecca could make out.

"No, it's ok. I'll see if the bathroom upstairs is free. Night, dude," said Richard.

Zach let out a sigh. "That…hell."

Rebecca giggled and pulled him into a kiss. "Don't worry so much. It was just Richard."

Zach nodded with his eyes closed. "The shower's through there. The hot water is a bit finicky. You have to just turn it on and then adjust the temperature with the cold water."

Rebecca smiled. "Thanks."

She stepped into the adjoining room and closed the door partway. It hid the shower almost completely from view. She stripped off her mini skirt and underwear and kicked them into the far corner. She did not want them anywhere near her. The smell of the demon nearly suffocated her as she pulled off her top. It took all her determination to not freak out. She threw the top onto the pile as fast as she could. Finally, she peeled off her bra and added it to the collection.

The shower was tiled and surrounded by glass on two sides. She opened the door and stepped into the shower. Two brass handles hung on the one tiled wall beneath a massive showerhead. Remembering Zach's advice, she turned on the knob marked with an 'H' and adjusted the temperature with the other. Once the water was comfortable she fully stepped underneath the spray and let it wash down over her body. The sobs returned, but she forced herself to keep quiet. They stalled after a few moments.

"Which is your shampoo?" she asked.

Zach's voice drifted in through the crack in the door, calming and soothing. "It's the set at on the top shelf, babe."

Rebecca blinked away the water and spotted the set of shelves built into the far side of the rectangular shower. She pulled the shampoo bottle off the top shelf and smiled. The shampoo's scent was called summer spring. She squeezed a good amount into her hand and started lathering it through her thick hair. The smell was Zach.

"You might like Matt's shampoo better. It's got vitamin E and stuff in it."

Rebecca took a deep breath. "No, I'm good, thanks."

After a few more minutes of shampooing and conditioning her hair, she quickly washed her body with Zach's body gel and her hands. There was no facecloth in sight. She rinsed off every smidgen of soap and felt slightly less attached to the events of the night. The water had removed the worst.

"Towel?"

"Behind the door, mine is the purple one," said Zach.

Rebecca got out of the shower and collected the towel. She dried herself off the best she could in the short amount of time and wrapped the towel around herself. Satisfied everything was covered well enough she opened the door and found Zach sitting on the floor facing away from the shower.

"Hey?"

Zach glanced up at her, and his jaw went slack.

Rebecca sidestepped him. "This isn't the first time you've seen me coming out the shower."

Zach worked his jaw and blinked. "I—I remember. All—um—good?"

Rebecca nodded and looked at herself in the mirror. "All good. You going to shower?"

Zach nodded slowly still staring at her. "Um, yeah."

Rebecca smirked as he closed the door behind himself. She never saw herself as particularly beautiful or appealing. She knew she was not ugly, but there were plenty of girls at school and around the neighborhood she would consider significantly more attractive than herself. The first time she saw Angela and heard she was Zach's ex-girlfriend she had gone home and cried. She never imagined Zach looking at her twice if he compared her to Angela.

She had a crush on Zach since the second day of school. He had gotten up in front of their health class and performed a short skit to promote the comedy sports team. The way his blue eyes lit up when he smiled and made the class laugh left her breathless. Only a week later they were assigned to work in a team. The more she got to know him, the more she fell in love with the idea of going out with him. The day he asked her out was one of the happiest of her life.

"What movie do you want to watch?" asked Zach over the water flowing.

Rebecca started brushing her hair with the brush lying on the counter. "Um, don't know. Do you have any in mind?"

Water splashed on the tiled floor.

"My dad found a bunch of Doctor Who discs when they were conjuring all these rooms. Maybe we can watch one of them?"

Rebecca pulled on the longer and tighter of the two pairs of boxers. "You don't like it though."

The shower turned off. Rebecca quickly slipped on the Jurassic Park t-shirt. Zach appeared with only a blue towel around his waist. Rebecca bit her lower lip to keep herself from moaning. He might not be as toned as the little bit she saw of Matt's stomach, but Zach had nothing to be ashamed of when it came to the muscles department.

"It's not that I dislike the show I just find other shows more enjoyable. Maybe watching it with a true fan might change my mind." Zach ran his fingers through his hair.

Rebecca tore her eyes away from the heavenly sight. "If Matt can't convince you of the brilliance that is the Doctor, I have little chance."

Zach chuckled and pulled on the remaining pair of boxers without missing a beat. He wrapped his arms around her waist, rested his chin on her shoulder, and looked her in the eyes via the mirror. "Don't sell yourself short, Ms. Starling, you have unique opportunities he did not."

Rebecca sucked in her lower lip, and her eyes fluttered close. The feeling of his warm breath on her skin sent goosebumps up and down her body. "I say we watch Jurassic Park in honor of this wonderful t-shirt."

Zach kissed the crook of her neck and stepped away to collect his t-shirt. "If that's what you want."

Rebecca nodded and turned around to watch him put on the slightly too small shirt. "It doesn't matter to me. Just…" she trailed off.

Zach slipped in close. "What is it?"

Rebecca sighed. "I—the idea of—I almost died tonight."

Zach pulled her into a hug. She rested against his muscular chest as the wave of fear and anguish washed over her. Not wanting the feelings to overwhelm her again, she lifted her head enough to kiss him. At first he did not return the kiss, but she kissed him more urgently. He followed her lead. She pulled them out of the bathroom and into his room. The door closed and locked of its own accord.

"Are you sure?" he asked as she removed his shirt.

Rebecca kissed him again. "I've never been more sure of anything."

School started up again at the beginning of February. The very first announcement made by Ruth Ianos on that bitterly cold Monday morning was the plans to have an informal Valentine's Day dance the following Friday. All classes would be canceled that day, and the PTA would decorate the gymnasium. The idea was the dance would serve as an opportunity for the student body to deal with everything that had occurred over the last semester.

The dance quickly became the obsession of most of the girls and some guys. Everywhere Zach turned as he made his way through the hallways he overheard snippets of conversations about the dance. A few girls even approached him and hinted at their desire of being asked to the dance by him. After the fourth girl approached him, he made his situation very clear to everyone nearby. He and Rebecca were going to the dance together. A sour-faced Angela stalked off with her usual entourage.

No one else saw the situation for the nuisance it was but him. Matt and Andrew laughed and mocked him for being a chick magnet. Sophia informed him that he was only getting a small taste of what it was like to be a girl in this misogynistic world they lived in. Beth, Kenny, and Amber were no help either. Daniel had been avoiding their group and sat with Peter and his friends during lunch. When Zach asked Andrew about Daniel's absence, his friend gave him a myriad of excuses.

Classes quickly returned to their same routine by the beginning of the second week. Their history teacher even went so far as to give them a pop exam that Tuesday. Drama class turned into a somber study hall most days since the new auditorium would only re-open in a few months. Ms. Quinn still told stories and tried to keep their minds off the fact that ten of their classmates were no longer with them.

The lack of an actual agenda in the class gave Zach and Rebecca plenty of time to talk and on occasion sneak away for something more. The change in their relationship earned the silent ire of Sophia who found it annoying to keep covering for them. She had taken to sitting with Amber most days or dragging the poor freshman over to their table for company.

Life at the Manor had taken a turn for the paranoid since the attack on New Year's Eve. Every nook and cranny were occupied with a crystal of some sort. Some simply sent off an alarm, while others electrocuted or shot out fire. The first time Kenny came around after the crystals were in place he had been surrounded by a wall of fire, and only his quick reflexes and command over the elements saved him from being incinerated. The mistake was corrected, but the elemental was still wary when he entered the mansion.

The crystals were only the tip of the iceberg when it came to the new security protocols thought up by Wyatt, Chris, and Piper. Each of the kids was now forced to wear a charmed amulet whenever they left the house. The amulet allowed the adults to easily track them via scrying along with producing a modest shield should they be attacked by demons. Zach did not find the addition of the amulet too troublesome; he had his dad add the charm to the cross on his silver necklace. The cross had a garnet stone in the center, which once had been part of a Pax's bracelet. Matt, on the other hand, hated the idea of wearing a necklace. The twins disliked the idea of being constantly tracked.

The major change, though, was the constant demon hunts the adults went on. Piper, in particular, was on a rampage. Huge charts covered one of the walls in her bedroom showing the various connections of the different fractions in the Underworld. Giant red crosses marked off almost half of the fractions indicating she had vanquished the entire membership. A few times she let one or two demons escape to spread the word. Grandma Halliwell was not happy with the threat on her family.

The increase in demon vanquishes had the desired effect. Demonic activity throughout the city was on a downward slope. The news reported that attacks at least in their part of the world were down by as much as fifty percent. This trend, however, garnered the attention of witch hunters and their advocates in government. They traded one threat for another.

On Wednesday, Zach convinced his dad to let him and Rebecca go to the mall to buy him an Oxford top to match the dress she was planning to wear to the dance on Friday. Sophia, despite her attitude in drama class, chose to join them. Beth and Amber joined them in the food court. The rest of the boys in their circle of friends had wisely avoided the trip to the mall, despite their girlfriends' insistence.

"You are so lucky with him," commented Beth to Rebecca as they searched one section of the store for the perfect shirt.

Rebecca smiled. "I know."

Beth picked up a red shirt and held it out. "What do you think?"

Rebecca shook her head. "No, it's too dark. My dress is more, I don't know, it's less intense than that."

"Less intense, got it. So, how is it going with you two?"

Rebecca purposely bent down to get a closer look at a shirt. Coincidently it also hid her face from Beth's view, and she was blushing furiously. Every time she thought about that night her eyes would light up and her cheek became red beacons. "It's going great. He's amazing and so thoughtful. Every morning he sends me a picture and a good morning text."

Beth waggled her eyebrows. "Oooh, are these pictures ones you can show your mom and dad?"

Rebecca laughed. "I—oh god. I need to change the passcode on my phone."

Beth giggled. "So they're not parentally approved. I give them my full blessing!"

Rebecca shook her head and replaced another shirt on the rack. "How're things with Mike?"

Beth sighed. "Ok, I guess. When we're doing what we're doing it's fantastic. He's, well, let's say he knows how to please a woman. Just there are these moments when we're talking about stuff that I feel like he's hiding something from me. And if I press him on it, he gets really defensive. I think I love him, but I just don't know."

Rebecca smiled sympathetically. "You've just got to stick with it. He's worth it; I'm sure. And besides, he's a teenaged boy what's the biggest secret he could have?"

Beth shrugged. "I guess."

Rebecca let out an exasperated breath. "This shop is a no go. Let's go find the rest of them and try the next one."

Despite the fact that they were ostensibly shopping for a shirt for him, Zach had been relegated to being the pack mule for the group of girls. All of them had left him with their purses and couple of bags of already bought items when they had entered the store. He found a chair near the changing rooms and sat down, figuring they would be able to find him when they were ready for him. Sophia was the first to return.

"You seriously just going to sit here and let Rebecca do all the work?" She asked taking a seat next to him.

Zach shrugged. "It's not like I'm going to get a say in the process anyway. She has a very specific idea in mind. I think she wants to make sure Angela understands whose boyfriend I am on Friday."

Sophia pulled out her phone and checked it. "My dad spoke to me yesterday."

"That's nice," said Zach distracted.

Sophia rolled her eyes. "Hey! Zach! This wasn't a how's your day been sort of talks. He brought me into his office and handed me a very thick file covering my family's history."

Zach slightly turned his head toward her. "Ah huh."

Sophia growled. "Dude! What is with you!"

Zach blinked and faced him completely. "Sorry, sorry. It was—I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. Dad had me practicing until like three."

Sophia pursed her lips. "Sounds like how my nights are going to be from now on."

"Wait, what?"

"My dad dropped this wonderful bombshell on me last night. It seems his family comes from a long line of witch hunters dating back to the Middle Ages. I'm not talking about witch hunters like these specially trained army units. I'm talking about legitimate witch hunters, as in mortals capable of sensing magic and charged with destroying it completely. Brilliant, isn't it?"

Zach's jaw dropped. "You're fucking kidding."

Sophia shook her head. "Nope. It seems like your family and mine are destined to be enemies. My family is one of the more progressive ones and only starts training their members to kill witches when they turn eighteen rather than eight. My dad has decided to break with tradition and start my training early because of all this crazy shit in the news recently."

Zach laid his face in his hands. "This is ridiculous."

"I know. I mean it's not like I'm suddenly going to start hating you guys or anything. Maybe it can be a good thing. I'll at least be able to defend myself in the next attack," said Sophia softly.

Zach rubbed his face and looked back up at her. "And if he finds out about us? It was one thing when he was just this ex-CIA agent. Now, you're saying he can sense magic, and he's been trained to kill magical beings. He must be damn good at it. I don't think I've seen a single scar on him. That takes major skill going up against demons and witches."

Sophia patted his knee. "Things will all work out."

"Maybe. How's the whole thing with Andrew working out? My dad won't say anything to me about it, and Andrew's been funny all week." Zach asked, hoping by changing the subject the feeling of upheaving his lunch would diminish.

Sophia stood up. "Hey, Becks! What's up, Beth? Have you seen Amber?"

Beth pointed over to the make-up counter. "Amber's buying some new blush."

Zach stood up and kissed Rebecca on he cheek. "Anything?"

Rebecca shook her head. "Nope, maybe in the next store."

"Right, ok. I just have to be home in time for dinner. My mom's joining us," explained Zach.

Amber joined them carrying another bag. "Where to next?"

Beth checked her watch. "Damn! I promised my mom I'd be back in time to take Kenny to his—thing. Do you have a lift back to your place or do I need to take you?"

"Can you take me back?" asked Amber.

"Of course. Let's go. We'll see you later."

"Bye!"

The three remaining teens watched the two girls collect their stuff from the pile by the chair and head out the mall. Zach picked up the remaining bags and followed Rebecca and Sophia out the store and into another one exactly like it. He held in his sigh and fell in step behind the two girls as they searched the store from floor to ceiling for the shirt. His mind mulled over the news that Adelrich was a born witch hunter.

His knowledge on the whole witch hunter subject was vague at best. He knew there was an entry on them in the Book of Shadows, but he had never read it. One of the many stories Piper told him about her time as a Charmed One included a witch hunter. Somehow the witch hunter had tricked his grandmother and grandaunts into helping him capture a witch. They had thwarted his attempt to kill the witch, and he had somehow shot himself. That witch hunter had a pendant that negated magical powers. He wondered if Sophia's family had similar objects in their possession.

"PERFECT!" yelled Rebecca shocking him out of his contemplation.

Sophia joined him. "He's going to look stunning in it."

Rebecca held up a red shirt with black rims on the cuff and collar. Beyond the black rim, Zach could not tell the difference between this shirt and the dozens of others they had looked at.

"Great," he said with a grin. "Shall I try it on?"

Rebecca nodded vigorously. "And come out here to show us!"

He handed the bags over to Rebecca and went in search of the changing rooms.

Sophia waited until Zach was out of sight. "Mind if I pop into the shop next door? I need new nail polish, and I think I saw a color I like in their window display."

Rebecca nodded. "Of course, no rush."

"Send me a pic of him if I'm not back," said Sophia already hurrying off.

No sooner had Sophia left, than Angela appeared from behind a collection of dresses.

"Still playing the innocent new girl?" asked Angela, arms crossed.

Rebecca narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"

Angela shuffled closer. "Not so sweet when he's not around are you, my pretty? I know you're just putting on this façade to get him into bed, but you're going to lose him. He's just with you out of pity, and when he tires of you, he'll come crawling back to me."

Rebecca stood her ground. "Angela, just leave us alone. He broke up with you long before I was in the picture. Clearly there was something, about you, he did not like."

Angela sneered. "Poor pathetic little freshman thinks she's got the lay of the land, but don't fool yourself, precious. You're cute enough, but why'd he ever stay with some wannabe when he can have the real deal. I can show him show him pleasures he hasn't even dreamed of. What can you do? What do you have in your bag of tricks? Some mundane roll in the hay? Do you really think that'll keep him coming back? Men need adventure, sweetie."

Rebecca felt her cheeks start to heat up, and her grip tightened on the bag handles. "Zach's looking for more than just a roll in the hay."

"Oh, my poor sweet innocent fool, boys aren't looking for anything else, and once they get it—it's got to be amazing to keep them coming back. Or else they'll just move onto to someone better." Angela licked her lips slowly. "Maybe, one day, I'll show you exactly what I mean."

The tall girl turned around quickly in her high heels and sauntered off. Rebecca breathed heavily, feeling tears sting the corners of her eyes. Angela hit the nail on the head with surprising accuracy. Now, that they had done it what was keeping Zach from moving on to someone better. She certainly was not beautiful or sexy enough to keep his attention from wandering, especially if someone like Angela was offering something more exciting.

"What do you think?" asked Zach.

She jumped and turned around, forcing a huge smile on her face. "You look amazing, babe."

Zach grinned and kissed her. "Not as much as you do, babe."

Daniel walked into the gymnasium behind Peter and Angela. The two were up to something, but he was too tired to figure out what. He spotted Andrew sitting at one of the numerous little round tables scattered around the edge of the room. The blond teen looked absolutely stunning in an emerald green shirt with a purple bow tie and slick black pants. He was talking to Kenny who was wearing a simple black suit with a plain white top. He considered joining them, but then Peter grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him toward the corner composed of the jocks from the swimming and basketball team. He forced a smile and started a conversation with one of the boys from the JV basketball team.

These were his friends. Most of them had been his friends since elementary school. They had stuck by him when he came out to the school in eighth grade. Peter, in particular, made sure no one ever made fun of him for being gay. It was because of this group of guys high school had been some of the best years of his life so far. He should feel happy and accepted, but his heart was aching. Surrounded by the best friends in the world, he felt incredibly lonely.

Andrew and he had gotten into a huge fight the night before. After months of court decisions and delays and more decisions, the state of California had finally granted temporary custody of Andrew to the Halliwells yesterday. Andrew had been ecstatic and any of the awkwardness between them since New Years vanished as his boyfriend shared the news with him. Only, he had not been as thrilled with the news. He understood the Halliwells were family to Andrew, but he could not see past the incredible danger they put Andrew in being witches.

The attack on New Year's Eve had opened his eyes to the nature of the world the Halliwells lived in day in and out. For them, the world was not too dangerous; they had powers of their own to defend against demons and warlocks. Andrew, though, was defenseless. He was defenseless. During the attack, he had been surrounded by cloaked beings and knocked unconscious by this pale man who towered over him. There was no way he could place himself in a situation like that again, and he explained it all to Andrew.

After the attack, he stopped going over to the Manor. When he hung out with Andrew it was always at Sophia's house or at the mall. When school started up, he stopped sitting with the Halliwells. It was not that he disliked any of them; they were good people. He just could not be associated with them; not if he wanted to remain off the radar of the Underworld. Andrew hated the new arrangement but put up with it, splitting time between Zach and him. Then the decision came down.

Daniel tried to persuade Andrew to stay with Sophia's family. He was happy there. Sophia was one of his best friends. He and Sophia's father appeared to get on very well together. There was no reason for Andrew to move out.

Andrew blew up when he said that. He said that he had no idea what he was asking him to do. How could he know? He had grown up in a perfect home with perfect friends. He had never once felt the horror of being hated or despised. When he had come out, he had an entire group of friends to stand up beside him. That was not the world Andrew lived in. The only people in the world to accept Andrew for who he was flaws and all were the Halliwells.

After a good hour of shouting back and forth, Andrew had asked him to leave. He had to pack and then go to dinner to thank the Watson's for everything they had done for him. Daniel and his fathers were also invited to the dinner; Andrew made it clear he did not want to see Daniel there.

He had tried texting Andrew throughout the night and the following morning. He never got a response. When he arrived at school, he sought out Andrew, but an awkward Matt has kindly told him to leave Andrew alone. So, instead of celebrating Valentine's Day with his boyfriend, he was talking to some freshman he vaguely recognized.

Across the dancing area, stood Zach and Rebecca. The two made an eye-catching couple. They were busy filling plates with the various snacks provided by the PTA for the event. Daniel assumed the two were gathering snacks for the group and not just themselves as Zach was precariously balancing three plates.

"No Andrew today?" asked Josh Cumberland. He was a brown-haired, tanned senior member of the swim team. He swam butterfly, and his shoulders proved he was very good.

Daniel shrugged. "He's hanging out with the Halliwells at the moment."

Josh arched one eyebrow. "Really? If I had you as a date, I wouldn't leave your side for a moment."

Daniel chuckled. "We tried it once, dude, it didn't work, remember?"

Josh grinned revealing perfect white teeth. "Hey, anything to cheer up a teammate. What's up between you two? Last year you were all hot and heavy, and now I barely see the little dude around."

Daniel heaved a sigh. "Just going through a rough patch I hope."

"Sucks it's during Valentine's. Well, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on or a warm body to play with you know where I'm at," said Josh walking away.

"Thanks," muttered Daniel settling back into his melancholy.

The little JV basketball player reappeared. "I didn't know Josh was gay."

"He's not. He just likes to pretend he is," said Daniel monotonously. "He's actually dating some co-ed from the university."

"Right. Want anything to drink? I'm going to grab some punch for myself."

Daniel shook his head. "No, I'm good."

"Alright," murmured the kid sounding slightly disappointed. He left.

Peter slipped into the next opposite him. "Dude, you've got to cheer up. You're killing the vibe."

Daniel half rolled his eyes. "Whatever, dude."

Angela slipped underneath Peter's arm, sipping on some drink with an umbrella in it. "Virgin Mai Tai," she said at Peter's quizzical look. "Or at least it was."

The music turned up and couples and groups of friends slowly made their way onto the dance floor. Angela gave Peter a look.

"I'll join you in a moment," said Peter.

Angela frowned. "Hurry up."

Daniel followed Angela's progress onto the dance floor. "You can go. I'm fine."

Peter cleared his throat. "You're really not, and I—help—I—er…"

Daniel frowned not sure what he heard over the music. "You alright?"

Peter shuddered. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine. You sure you're ok?"

Frowning deeply, Daniel studied his friend. "Yeah, I'll—I might go try and talk to Andrew." He could have sworn Peter's eyes turned black for a moment, but at the same time the lights started flashing.

"Don't let Andrew spoil your night. If he doesn't want you, there are plenty other opportunities," said Peter as he stood up. "Let me know if I need to beat anyone up for you."

Daniel shook his head, laughing for Peter's sake. He waited until Peter vanished into the throng of people on the dance floor before standing up. The basketball kid turned up just as he was leaving.

"Going somewhere?"

Daniel nodded. "Bathroom. I'll be right back."

Daniel quickly made a beeline for the table he had seen Andrew and Kenny sitting at. Only they were no longer there; instead a group of freshman girls were chatting around the table.

"Do you know where Andrew went?"

One of the girls batted her eyelashes laden with mascara at him. "Who?"

Daniel swallowed a growl of frustration. "Andrew Christensen, about this tall. Blond hair. Hazel eyes. He was wearing a purple bowtie."

Another girl with bushy blonde hair spoke up. "He went off with that skinny kid who never talks to anyone. I think they're looking for some…" she mimed taking a shot.

Daniel blew out a deep breath. "Shit."

He turned around and surveyed the dance floor. He could not explain to himself what had set him on edge. There was something going on. Peter and Angela hardly ever talked to each other and now they were going to a dance together. The glint in Peter's eyes was not normal, or it could have been nothing. He had to talk to someone who knew about this stuff. He could not be friends with a—what? A demon? Was that really what he was thinking? He spotted a flash of red on the dance floor. Rebecca's dress stood out in the crowd.

He shoved his way toward the spot he had seen the flash. Couples grumbled, but no one stopped him. He reached the spot and saw Zach and Rebecca a few feet off in the distance. He sidestepped another couple and tapped Zach on the shoulder. Zach stopped dancing and looked up at him.

"What's up? I thought you weren't talking to us anymore."

Daniel cringed at the tone. "Sorry, but—can we go talk?"

Zach glanced at Rebecca. "Kinda busy here. Maybe later."

Rebecca must have noticed something in his face because she shook her head. "It's ok, Zach. I'm thirsty. I'll go get us some punch and meet you back at the table."

Zach narrowed his eyes. "Becks…"

"Really, Zach, he looks like he really needs to talk. I'll be at the table when you're done." She kissed him on the check and gracefully made her exit off the dance floor.

Zach rounded on Daniel. "Right, let's find somewhere to talk."

Daniel being taller and more imposing physically easily scouted a route off out of the crowd and out of the gymnasium into the quiet hallway.

"What is it?" asked Zach clearly not happy.

Daniel held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Zach, I'm sorry about everything, ok? I just—the attack made things clearer for me. Your world isn't made for someone like me."

Zach crossed his arms over his chest. "Whatever, dude, I couldn't care less about any of that shit. But what you're doing to Andrew, that's fucked up."

Daniel took a deep breath. "I know. I'm sorry. I've been trying to tell him that, but—never mind. This isn't about Andrew and me."

"That's all I care about when it comes to you," said Zach coldly.

Daniel ignored Zach. "Can—can someone be a demon and look just like us. Act just like us?"

Zach recoiled. "What?"

Daniel slowed his spinning mind. "Just—I was talking to Peter just now, and…"

Zach laughed hollowly. "Your friend may be a complete dick, but he isn't a demon—unfortunately."

"Look, I know you and he don't see eye to eye on a lot of stuff. But you—how can you tell if someone is a demon?" asked Daniel.

Zach balled up his hands and relaxed the again. "It depends on the demon. Most upper-level demons can look mostly human. If they're demons who used to be human then they'll look completely human. Then there are demons who have a human disguise. All demons bleed a different color. Only demons who are half-human bleed red, though. That's the simplest way."

Daniel frowned; Peter bled red. "That's the only way?"

"Well, there are spells that force demons to reveal their true nature, and you can always try a vanquishing potion. Most of them don't work on humans. Where's all this coming from?"

Daniel hesitated. "I think Peter's eyes turned black. That's a sign of being a demon, right?"

Zach nodded. "Yeah. Are you sure, though? I wasn't kidding when I said Peter's not a demon."

Daniel bit his lower lip in thought. "The lights did start flashing. I don't know, but he's here with Angela. I don't I've ever seen the two of them talk."

"That's hardly a reason to call someone a demon," said Zach.

"And then—I don't know—when…I think he asked for my help. Then next moment he was fine as if it never happened."

Zach checked over his shoulder. It sounded like a door had opened down the corridor. "Are you sure he asked for help?"

Daniel shrugged. "No—not really. The music had just started, and I wasn't really paying attention."

"If he did—he could be possessed. It wouldn't be the first time," said Zach more to himself than anyone else.

"Possessed?"

Zach nodded still thinking. "He was the one the wraith used at Homecoming to attack me. Not every person can be possessed. It takes a certain personality and—I don't remember it all, but he's proven that he can be possessed. If he is I'd like to know what the hell the demon is planning. Let's go find him."

Down the corridor, Peter dragged and kicking Rebecca into an empty classroom. He closed the door and locked it. A wave of his hand made the room soundproof. He removed his hand from over Rebecca's mouth. She screamed and kicked and clawed. He chuckled and threw her to the floor.

"I like when they have some fight in them," he said in a deeper voice than normal.

Rebecca looked up at him and glared. "Let me the fuck out of here, you bastard."

She tried to get back to her feet, but an invisible force kept her on her knees. Peter stalked around the room with a grin on his face.

"I've wanted you since the moment I saw you walking down that corridor on the first day of school. The way your skirt swayed with your hips was enthralling, and then let's not forget how your tits bounced as your walked."

Rebecca suppressed a shudder. "If this is your way of making a girl swoon, you really suck at it."

Peter licked his lips and stepped closer. He bent down and gripped her face in his hand forcing her to look at him. "Oh, believe me, sweetie, no one has walked away dissatisfied with my performance. So tell me what exactly do you see in that whelp, Halliwell?"

Rebecca grimaced at the pressure his fingers exerted on her jaw, holding her firmly in place. "Zach is a thousand times the man you could ever be."

Peter smirked. "You haven't even tasted what I'm offering. You might be surprised."

"Piss off, scumbag. LET ME GO!"

Peter released her face and smacked her with the back of his hand. "I thought we were just starting to get along. Let's keep our tones civil. It's not like anyone is going to hear you scream, anyway."

Rebecca touched her burning cheek and tasted blood in her mouth.

Peter stood up again, pulled over a chair, and sat down. "Now, this can go one of two ways, sweetie. Either you play along and enjoy the ride or you don't and I have to hurt you. I know which way I'd prefer."

Rebecca spat out a glob of blood, missing Peter. "Screw you!"

Peter sighed and tutted. "Such a pity, really. You really do have a pretty face. Made after I break your nose you'll reconsider."

He stood up and struck her before she could even blink. The blow snapped her head back and bone shattered on impact. Blood flowed freely down her face, making it difficult to breath. Still pinned to the floor by her knees, she could do nothing to retaliate. He snapped his finger and the blood vanished. The pain from the broken bone still resonated throughout her being.

"How about now?" he asked nonchalantly.

She glared at him. "Fuck off."

Peter pushed the chair to one side and drew out a knife from on of his suit's pockets. She gulped and pulled away as he approached her. He gestured with his finger and paralyzed her. He drew the blade up and down her cheek and then further down her neck. She started to cry silently.

"This could have been so much less painful, sweetheart," whispered Peter.

He sliced the strap of her dress with the knife. He repeated the action with the strap on the other shoulder. The dress pooled around her knees. She shook with sobs and real fear. He dragged the tip of the shiny blade along her bare skin. He followed the natural contours of her bra-covered breasts until he reached her breastbone. With some additional pressure, he pressed the blade in deep enough to draw blood. Carefully he carved his initials into her skin. Once he was finished he dropped the blade and redrew the initials with his bare finger. It felt like her skin was boiling underneath his touch.

"There," he said with a smile, "now even those God damn whitelighters won't be able to remove my little gift to you." He licked the lingering blood off his finger.

The paralysis spell broke and she collapsed to the floor. Shivering, she tried to curl into a ball, but her knees were still rooted to the ground. Pain from the broken nose made her dizzy and queasy. She dry heaved.

"Oh no. There'll be none of that, darling. I'm not done with you yet." Peter pulled her back up by her hair. "Shall we see what you're hiding underneath those tantalizing undergarments?"

Rebecca sobbed. "Please—God—please, no."

Peter laughed with great mirth. "Haven't you learned by now? There is no God."

Rebecca covered her chest with arms and hugged herself. "Stop, please, Peter. You're—this isn't you. You're better than this."

Peter paused and cocked his head to one side. "Am I? Hmmm—never thought about that. I'm better than this. I like the sound of that. I'm better than this. It's a pity it's not true, but thank you for the vote of confidence."

He reached forward and she threw herself backward as far as possible. He caught her wrist and dragged her back upright. Holding on to her tightly with one hand, he reached behind her to unclasp the bra. She hit him in the face and clawed at his eyes, but it did little to slow his progress. With nimble fingers, he released the clasp and her bra fell off; the straps were cut with those of the dress. She tried to cover herself up, but he backhanded her again and painfully pulled her arms down to her side.

Peter whistled. "Zach was a lucky man."

"Peter—Peter, please—Come on, please. Stop this. You can still walk away from this. You don't have to do anything. I won't—won't tell anyone."

Peter looked her dead in the eyes. "Sweetie, I want you to tell everyone. I want perfect Halliwell to know what I did. I want him to know you're damaged goods, and that it was all his fault. He's supposed to save the world, but he can't even protect his own girlfriend. Lie down."

Rebecca shook her head. "N—n—No."

He formed a fist and punched her face. She fell flat on the floor; her knees suddenly freed from the spell. He towered over her and waved his hand. Her dress was pulled off her legs and thrown into a corner by an invisible hand. He snapped his hand and chains of rusty metal sprung out of the ground and wrapped around her wrists. The chains tightened and pulled her arms outward, putting a dangerous amount of strain on her shoulders. Any amount of struggling would end in dislocating her shoulders.

She looked down her nearly completely naked at Peter who stood leering down at her from her feet. "P—P—Peter…"

Peter gestured and her dress raced out of the corner and wrapped itself around the lower part of her face effectively stifling her cries of mercy.

"I gave you the option of enjoying this, but you chose the hard way—the painful way."

Peter removed his jacket and shirt. He unbuckled his belt. Rebecca started to cry in earnest. She could hardly believe that it was happening to her. She shut her eyes and heard Peter's pants fall to the floor. She felt his body heat as he knelt down beside him. She shuddered as his fingers drew patterns on her stomach slowly progressing down to her underwear. She kicked and jerked. Pain shot down her one side; her right shoulder was dislocated. She screamed into her dress, pleading for help. His fingers reached the lining of her lace panties, and her eyes shot open.

He looked down into her pleading eyes. "We could have been amazing."

The rest of the assault was a blur. He was on top of her and then inside her. She tried to buck him off her, but he was too strong. He finished with a grunt and withdrew. He got dress all the while eyeing her broken, defeated and naked body. Only when he slipped on his jacket did he release her from the chains. She curled up and cried.

"I'd get dressed quickly. By now I'm sure your friends are looking for you. Thanks for the memories, sweetheart." Peter strolled out the door.

She lay on the ground. The guilt welled up inside of her as the physical pains vanished. Slowly she got to her feet and stumbled to a desk. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the computer monitor. Her broken nose was no longer broken. She felt her shoulder pop back into place. Something had healed her physical injuries. Unable to stand the idea of being discovered naked, she pulled on her underwear and dress, surprised to find it repaired.

She pressed her ear to the door and did not hear anyone in the corridor. Quickly she slipped out of the classroom and rushed into the nearest girl's bathroom. There she washed off the blood from her face and fixed her hair the best she could. Standing in front of the mirror, she started to cry again. The tears messed up the remains of her mascara.

"Becks? Are you in here?" asked Sophia.

Rebecca gasped and straightened up. "Yeah," she whispered.

Sophia stepped into the bathroom and covered his mouth. "What happened?"

Rebecca shook her head. "I want to go."

"Of course, Zach and everyone are looking for you. We can fetch them and then go. What happened?"

Rebecca shook her head more forcibly. "No. No, Zach. No, anyone. Just go. We need to go. GO NOW!"

Sophia's eyes widened. "Ok, ok. Let's go. I've—we can go right away. I'll text my dad to pick us up. Are you sure you don't…"

"NO! NO! NO! JUST GO," screamed Rebecca, shaking from head to foot. "HOME. SHOWER. BED. NOW!"

Sophia agreed silently and led the way out of the bathroom. She quickly texted her dad.

Rebecca, sobbing again, held onto Sophia tightly. "Don't—don't tell Z—Zach anything."

Sophia nodded her agreement. "I'll just say we went home, alright. I've got to tell Matt something."

Rebecca stopped in her tracks. "Home, yes—just home. Nothing else."

Completely bewildered, Sophia helped her best friend down the corridor and out of the school into the cool winter sunlit. They waited on the steps of the school for her dad in silence. When he arrived Rebecca crawled into the backseat and wept. Sophia convinced her dad to just go home and figure everything out from there. As they drove off, Sophia texted Zach, but true to her word she did not tell him anything more than they had left. Honestly, she could not have told him anything more; she had no idea what was going on either.

AN: Alright so that just happened. That was one of the hardest scenes I've ever written and that includes the one where I killed Pax at age 3/4/5 somewhere around there. What do you think will be the fallout of this whole affair? Was it Peter acting on his own or is he once again possessed? How about Daniel and Andrew? Let me know what you think. Yes, I will certainly accept multiple hate comments for doing what I did to Rebecca. I'm not too happy with myself at the moment either.

I'll leave you with on last thought. Sexual assault and rape are not a laughing matters or ones to take lightly. I do not take them lightly in the slightest and apologize profusely if I have offended anyone. It was not my intent. I'll happily have an open discussion to whoever via PM if they wish to express their opinions in a more private setting.

HP21