"So, that is Bianca, right?" Phoebe started, looking at her sisters and brother-in-law after the kitchen door closed behind them. "I mean the Bianca, we're all sure about that?"
Piper sat heavily down at the breakfast table, staring off into space, her hand over her chest. She looked wistfully up, speaking as if the very words were painful. "We knew there was a chance of this… Oh god, Leo! What, what if…"
Leo quickly moved to embrace his wife and she crumpled in his arms. "I can't lose him again, I can't, I can't do it," she cried. The sudden appearance of Bianca, a woman they had met twenty-three years ago when she was sent back in time by a future evil Wyatt, shook Piper to her very core. Piper was terrified that Bianca appearing in their lives could signal an unchangeable destiny for Chris, a destiny she and Leo had been working to change from the moment his future self died in his father's arms while his present self was taking his first breaths cradled in his mother's.
"Oh, honey, we know," Phoebe sympathized. "We know, we know. None of us want that, we aren't going to let it happen Piper."
"And besides," Paige broke in. "We've got oodles of antidote to Gideon's poison mixed up, and two very powerful healers in the other room. We've talked through this so many times, Piper. If something happens we can fix it, we can stop it. We aren't going to let Chris die again."
Piper looked up at her sisters, the panic starting to subside. "Phoebe," she swallowed hard, "did you get a read on her at all?"
"Oooh, not really, let me poke out there and see," she replied, bouncing to the kitchen door and quietly popping her head through the cracked door. She made a little squeal of surprise, then turned around, raising her eyebrows and walking back to the breakfast table.
"Well?" Piper questioned.
Phoebe looked a little uncomfortable, eyebrows still raised in surprise. "Well…" she laughed nervously.
"Oh, c'mon woman," Paige crossed her arms impatiently, "just spit it out already. Is this Bianca evil?"
"What? Oh, no, no," Phoebe said distractedly. "Not evil, well, I mean her intent is good at least. She does sincerely want to help…"
"So then what is it Phoebe?" Leo asked, also getting impatient.
Phoebe grinned. "Well, it's a bit weird telling you this, he is your son and she… well…" She laughed nervously again.
"C'mon, Phoebe," Piper interrupted. "Obviously we know that, they were engaged in the original future."
"Oh, nope, that's not it," Phoebe said excitedly, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. "Its not Chris. Not Chris... she's decidedly attracted to Wyatt."
)0( )0( )0(
Bianca watched nervously as the Charmed Ones and Leo disappeared into the kitchen. She had too much riding on this, on their decision. Eventually she'd be able to cover her tracks on her own and stay off of Nomed's radar, but right now, everything was too fresh and she had no resources, no friends, no support network, nothing.
The three siblings watched Bianca warily. Wyatt, taking in her anxious demeanor, thought she was quite beautiful, though she couldn't possibly have literally grown up in the Underworld. He knew Melinda was carefully assessing Bianca's clothing, his sister was probably even mentally adding up how much each item cost. Imagining how uneasy Bianca must be and ever the amiable host, Wyatt cast around for something to ease the group into a casual conversation.
"So, you're a Phoenix, huh?" Wyatt started. Bianca just looked sharply at him. "Where are you from?"
"Here, I grew up here," Bianca replied, shortly.
Wyatt looked to Chris and Melinda, neither of which seemed inclined to help out the conversation. Irritated, he tried again. "San Fran, huh? I didn't think you had grown up in the Underworld," he smirked.
Bianca laughed, "No, no I didn't. Is it that obvious?"
"Well, yeah," Wyatt continued, eager to keep talking. "I mean I'm sure you've noticed demons' nearly overwhelming lack of hygiene and rather stilted fashion sense. Seriously, most of them dress like they're starring in some S&M flick." Chris snorted and rolled his eyes causing Wyatt to blush as he realized bondage references probably weren't the most appropriate method of putting a beautiful new acquaintance at ease.
Bianca erupted in a hearty laugh though as she noticed the slight blush that spread across Wyatt's cheeks. Powerful or not, this man was adorable she thought. Wyatt was able to draw her out of her anxiety and get her laughing. It didn't take long for Melinda to join in the conversation as well as the siblings listened to Bianca talk about her life growing up as a Phoenix. It somehow felt so natural and before she realized it she was confessing her deepest misgivings regarding her actions as a hired assassin, her regret over the lives she'd taken. She looked up sharply as Chris snorted in disbelief at her last remark.
"Seriously?" Chris questioned. "You guys cannot seriously be buying this?" He asked Wyatt and Melinda. "Whoever heard of a Phoenix going good?"
"And whoever heard of a Halliwell with manners," she snapped back. "But your brother here seems to have proven that wrong." Wyatt smirked at Bianca's deft handling of his brother. He was going to have to be careful around this vivacious young witch he was realizing. She was charming, funny and her easy vulnerability with him gave him a sense of connectedness that he hadn't felt with a woman in years. Yes, he definitely needed to be on his guard.
Just then, the sisters and Leo came marching out of the kitchen and Bianca visibly tensed again.
"Well?" Brody stepped forward, looking at the sisters.
Piper took a deep breath, speaking on everyone's behalf, "Yes, Kyle. We'll give her the protection she needs in exchange for her information… but first we're all going to eat."
)0( )0( )0(
Chris wanted to continue voicing his concerns during dinner, but he knew when to keep his mouth shut. He didn't know what game his mom and aunts were playing at, how could they so easily trust this woman? He sure as hell wasn't going to trust her, at least not very easily. Chris had always held himself and everyone around him to a high standard. He took his responsibility as a Halliwell very seriously and was incredibly aware of how important it was for him, and his family, to make the right choice over and over and over again. Living over a Nexus could have that affect on you; power could so easily be swayed for good or for evil and it could be the smallest of seemingly innocent choices that could lead a magical being to evil.
As dinner conversation began to wind down and plans for the following day were made, Bianca suddenly tensed again.
"Oh god, I… I…" she started, looking at Wyatt and Chris. "I lost track of time, your friend, Jude, Nomed will be going after him, he's got this athame…"
Chris shot up, orbing out immediately with Wyatt close behind, leaving Bianca apologizing to their family.
He didn't even bother sensing for anyone in Jude's apartment, so when he and his brother solidified in the middle of Jude's living room, Chris sheepishly realized they'd interrupted a date.
Jude jumped up off the couch, "What the hell man?"
His girlfriend, Carrie, turned bright red as she straightened out her clothing and sat up.
"Oi, sorry dude," Chris grimaced while Wyatt rolled his eyes. For someone as OCD as Chris could be it was astounding how reckless he was when his emotional triggers were set off.
"Yeah, sorry," Wyatt started. "We just got tipped off…"
Wyatt didn't finish his sentence; he was cut short, ducking an energy ball as five demons shimmered into the apartment. He and Chris instinctively sprang into action, putting themselves between Jude and Carrie. They would only have the upper hand for a few moments while the surprised demons restrategized their attack. Wyatt attacked first, and within seconds the small apartment was a blur of energy balls, orb lights and sizzling jolts of electricity. Carrie ran for cover as Jude apportated the sought-after athame, throwing it with deadly accuracy at the demon closest to him, then joined Wyatt who was battling two demons both physically and magically. Chris had TKd one of the demons, throwing him against wall and immobilizing him for a few precious seconds. Turning, one of the remaining demons started to shoot an energy ball at him, but Chris was able to focus his own power and TK the lethal ball back on to its creator, erupting in an explosion of flames and pain. He glanced over just in time to see Wyatt, who was pinned beneath his attacker, orb Jude's athame into his hands and stab the demon in the heart, causing him to scream in agony and disappear. The demon Chris had previously knocked out came to and the brothers moved to capture the two remaining demons, but not quickly enough. The demons realized they were on the losing side and both quickly shimmered away without a trace.
"Ok, never mind," Jude breathed out. "Good timing. Thanks."
Carrie peered around the bedroom door frame before emerging to the living room. "That wasn't a random demon attack, was it?"
"No," Chris started. "We really were tipped off, evidently the new leader of the Underworld is after Jude, but, uh… well I didn't stay around long enough to actually find out why exactly."
"Yeah, you two should come back to the Manor with us, at least until we get some more answers," Wyatt said as he and Chris moved to orb back to their family home with Jude and Carrie in-tow.
The brothers were met with an anxious look from their mother as they materialized in the family living room. Piper barely restrained herself when she saw the blood, torn, singed clothing and angry red burns on her sons. "Kyle! Healing, we need some healing over here!" She shouted trying to siphon off her anxiety. Brody sprinted across the room to heal the brothers and Jude before Piper could explode anything.