A/N- Another Chapter for you all! I don't own Supernatural or Charmed.
Chapter Nine
Leo orbed into the house, calling for Piper. She came running, having just said goodbye to John Winchester. She gasped when she saw him holding an unconscious woman in his arms.
"The Elders sent me to her," Leo explained. "A shifter was beating her to death. I think my orb may have scared it off. She has some serious injuries, some of which I can heal, some I think we'll have to let heal on their own."
"We can put her in the guest room," Piper said, nodding. Leo orbed upstairs and was laying her down in the bed when Piper got there.
"She has several broken bones," Leo said. "Punctured lungs, and kidneys, and she has a head wound that I'm going to have to heal." He set to work, healing all of her major injuries. The only thing he couldn't do was bring her out of the coma she was in. Phoebe came in, carrying Wyatt, who was fussing and she thought he might be hungry. She paused when she saw the unconscious girl on the bed.
"Who's this?" She asked.
"I don't know," Leo said. "The Elders sent me to her. She was beat up pretty badly by a shapeshifter." Phoebe nodded. None of them noticed Wyatt had stopped fussing and was looking at the girl in the bed. Suddenly he orbed out of Phoebe's arms to the bed next to her. Using the shirt the girl was wearing to pull himself into a sitting position, he touched her arm. A blue healing light filled her body and her eyes flew open as she gasped for air. She looked around, confused for a moment.
"Who are you?" She asked, fear evident in her voice.
"I'm Piper, this is my sister, Phoebe and my husband, Leo." Piper said softly. "What's your name." The girl looked at her with a blank look in her blue eyes.
"I-I-I don't know," she said softly. "I don't know anything about who I am." Piper looked at looked her with concern in her brown eyes.
"It's okay," she said. "We'll help you." The girl looked at her with confusion.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because, you need help," Phoebe said. "And it's what we do."
"And because, Leo was asked to by his bosses." Piper motioned to the man standing next to her. The girl looked at Leo with bewilderment.
"You look really tired," Phoebe said. "You should get some sleep." The girl nodded and as they turned to leave, with Piper picking up Wyatt, she said something.
"Addie," she said. Phoebe looked with confusion. "I think my name is Addie." Phoebe smiled at her.
"Welcome to our family, Addie." She said, as the girl closed her eyes to sleep.
Dean pulled the Impala in front of the Collins house in Blackwater Ridge, Colorado. He sighed deeply, resting his head on the steering wheel. He was not looking forward to this conversation, but he knew it would be worse when he had to tell his dad that he'd lost Adora. He felt his breath hitch in his throat. His beautiful, vivacious little sister was still missing after a week. It was only with reluctance that he and Sam had come to the conclusion that she wasn't in St. Louis anymore. They didn't know where she went to, but somewhere deep down he dreaded the worst.
Sam was staring out the window, not really taking in the scenery. In the past week since Adora had disappeared, he had completely shut down. He didn't take any interest in food or sleep, or talking about anything. He knew she was alive, but he didn't know where she was, or if she was there on her own accord. His worst thought was that she had been kidnapped by a demon for some reason. He couldn't think about anything but finding her, and he knew he needed to snap out of it. It wouldn't do her any good for him to not take care of himself, but he couldn't find the motivation to do anything. The door to the car shut, rousing him slightly. He watched with disinterested eyes as Dean walked to the front door of the house where Adora's best friend was currently living.
Dean knocked on the door, dreading what was to come. Tommy answered the door.
"Dean." He said in surprise, "what are you doing here?"
"Is Zoe here?" He asked, not in the mood for small talk.
"Uh, yeah. Come on in." Tommy let the oldest Winchester in before going to get his cousin. A few minutes later, Zoe came into the room, stopping mid-bounce when she saw the look on Dean's face.
"What happened?" She asked, knowing something was wrong.
"It's Addie," Dean said, his voice cracking with emotion. "She's disappeared."
"What do you mean 'she's disappeared'?" Zoe asked, her voice getting higher with each word. "You were supposed to be having her back. You know she takes too many risks."
"I know, Zoe." Dean said. "We were hunting a shapeshifter. It said it had beat her almost to death, but we couldn't find her. We have hunters across the country looking for her, but I don't know where she is, or if she's still alive or anything." Zoe looked at Dean, her heart breaking for him, she knew Dean loved Adora more than anyone, including Sam. This had to be killing him, and she couldn't imagine how Sam was taking it. She nodded making a decision.
"Wait here," She said, walking out of the room. Dean looked after her confused, but didn't move. In five minutes, she was back with a duffel bag full of clothes and other supplies.
"What do you think you're doing?" Dean asked, truly bewildered.
"I'm going to help you find her." Zoe said, "You lost her, I know you will find her, but I will be coming with you. After we find her, you can leave me wherever, but I am coming with you."
"Zoe, I don't know if I can protect you," Dean's voice was full of self-doubt. "I couldn't even protect Addie, and she was a full-fledged hunter." He started crying, and Zoe dropped her sack and hugged him.
"Dean, you know you can't stop me," she said to him while still holding him. "If you try to leave me behind, I will follow you." She was determined. "You need me, Dean." He looked at her his green-eyed gaze meeting hers.
"I know I won't be able to talk you into not coming," he said, resigned. "We aren't going to hunt for a while, but you can come." She smiled at him slightly, picking up her bag and following him out to the Impala.
"I have to tell Tommy," she said. He nodded and she handed him her bag and went to explain to her cousins what she was doing. Dean got in the front seat to see Sam staring at him.
"What are you doing, Dean?" Sam said, speaking his first full sentence in two days.
"She's coming with us," Dean answered. Sam stared at him, aghast.
"Why?" He asked.
"She wants to help look for Addie," Dean said. "She won't stay here, Sammy. If we try to leave her behind, she'll try to follow us and then she will get hurt."
"What if something happens to her, too?" Sam asked, "are we supposed to babysit her while we search for Dora?" Dean looked at his brother.
"While we're at Bobby's I'll teach her." Dean said. Sam sighed and nodded. Zoe came back and got into the backseat of the car. Sam looked at her.
"Are you sure about this?" He asked her. She nodded, looking slightly pale.
"She's my best friend, Sammy." Zoe said softly. "I would do anything for her." He nodded, swallowing the lump that was in his throat.
Piper was worried about Addie. She had spent the last week either staring out the window or holding Wyatt. She rarely spoke to anyone, but Piper knew she was processing what was going on with her. Phoebe and her had developed a good relationship, but it revolved around the two of them sitting in her room not talking. She heard the sound of an orb behind her and turned to see Paige, landing from vanquishing another minor demon.
"How did it go?" Piper asked her.
"Went up in a burst of flames with a toss of a potion." Paige answered. "Is Addie talking yet?" Piper shook her head and Paige made a sad noise.
"I wonder if she'll ever get her memory back." She said, musingly. "It must be frustrating to not know who you are." Piper nodded.
"I'm going to make dinner before I head to the club," Piper said. "Phoebe won't be here, will you make sure she eats something?" Paige nodded and Piper went to the kitchen while Paige went to shower off the residue of demon fighting.
An hour or so later, Paige had a tray of food for Addie. She was sitting in a chair, reading a book. Paige smiled at the slight improvement.
"What are you reading?" She asked, startling the girl, who actually appeared not too much younger than her. Addie smiled slightly.
"Heidi, I don't know why, but I like it." She said, "I have a feeling I've read it before."
"Well, that's good." Paige said, "I wish there was a way for us to help you get your memory back."
"I don't think anything will help." Addie said, "Leo says it will probably come back with time, but I don't want to spend all my time sitting around like an invalid. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"You can help me with the dishes." Paige said. Addie beamed at her.
"I'd love to!" She said. Paige smiled, glad that Addie seemed to be getting better. Addie ate her dinner and walked down the stairs with Paige, who watched her carefully to make sure she didn't fall. A quick glance at the downstairs windows had Addie frowning slightly.
"What's wrong?" Paige asked.
"I need some salt," Addie answered. Paige looked at her strangely.
"I'll get you some after we finish the dishes," She said. Addie nodded and followed Paige into the kitchen. The next hour or so, Addie and Paige washed the dishes, chatting companionably about nothing over serious. There was an interesting moment when Addie, who was standing at the sink, wanted a pan that was on the stove. With a thought for it, the pan flew to her.
"Holy Shit!" Addie exclaimed causing Paige to jump.
"What?" Paige asked.
"This pan came to me by itself," Addie said, looking confused.
"Really?" Paige asked, Addie nodded. "Show me." Addie put the pan back on the stove and walked across the room. Telling the pan to come to her, both she and Paige were surprised when it flew straight to her. "Whoa." Was all Paige could say.
"You're telling me," Addie said, shaking her head in amazement.
"Is it okay if we tell my sisters?" Paige asked, "maybe we can help with this, at least." Addie nodded.
"We need salt though, and it looks like a lot of it," Addie said. Paige nodded and got her a large container of it. Addie walked through the house placing a line of salt at each window.
"Why are you doing that?" Paige asked.
"Salt repels evil," Addie explained.
"How do you know?" Paige asked.
"I don't know," Addie said. "I just know." Paige nodded her acceptance of Addie's statement and walked with her, becoming more convinced that Addie was a witch. It would explain why she was fighting a Shape Shifter when Leo found her. Paige spent the rest of the evening with Addie in her room, just hanging out. She learned that Addie was really smart, and that she had a quirky sense of humor. She also discovered that she really liked Addie, that it was hard not to, the girl was so charismatic and amazing.
When Piper and Phoebe got home, the first thing they noticed was the salt in the windows. Piper was confused by it, but let it go as Phoebe went to check on Addie.
"Somebody ward the house against evil?" She asked nonchalantly. Addie nodded.
"I don't know why, but when I saw that the house was open to an evil attack, I just had to do it." She said, "I don't even know where the idea came from." Phoebe nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed, near Paige. Paige looked at her sister with seriousness.
"Actually Addie and I discovered something about her today that we want to show you guys," Paige said. Phoebe nodded, calling Piper.
"What's up?" She asked, coming in the room.
"I have something to show you," Addie said, mentally pushing the door closed. Phoebe and Piper both jumped.
"Paige?" Piper asked, Paige shook her head and the oldest Halliwell looked at Addie. "Did you do that?" Addie nodded.
"Do you think she's one of us?" Phoebe asked, looking at Paige who nodded. Phoebe then turned her attention back to Addie. "Can you do anything besides move things with your mind?"
"I don't know, I kind of discovered that by itself." Addie said. Piper looked at her curiously.
"Do you think you have magical powers?" She asked.
"I don't know," Addie repeated, getting kind of frustrated.
"We can test it to see," Phoebe said.
"How?" Addie asked.
"We give you an incantation," Phoebe explained.
"You read it with intent to cast," Piper continued.
"And if it works, we'll know you're a witch." Paige finished. Addie nodded slowly.
"Okay then," She said. "Give me the incantation."
"Hang on, let me write one." Phoebe said with a smile, jotting something down. She handed it to Addie. "It's a basic glamour spell, it won't hurt anyone." Addie nodded and read the spell to herself before saying it.
"Even though I don't want to be mean, turn Paige's hair green," she read out loud, then looked up. The sight of Paige with forest green hair made her laugh.
"I guess that answers that," Piper said, smiling.
"Haha, change it back." Paige said.
"Okay let's see..." Addie said thinking a moment before she said, "green has had it's turn, change Paige back to auburn." Paige's hair turned back to the shade of red it was before Addie's test.
"I know why Leo was sent to rescue you now," Piper said. Addie looked at her, confused. "You're like us, a witch."
Dean pulled into Bobby's junk yard near Sioux Falls, South Dakota and turned the engine to the Impala off. Bobby came out of his house, just as they were climbing out of the car.
"Hey Dean, Sam," Bobby said.
"Hey Bobby," both brothers said in unison. The older hunter looked over the three of them and then his eyes settled on Zoe.
"Who's this?" He asked Dean.
"Zoe," Dean grunted, not really wanting to talk.
"Adora's friend?" He asked, ignoring how Sam winced at her full name. Zoe shot a quick glance at Sam before answering.
"Yeah, I am." Was her snappy response, "is there a problem with that?" Bobby looked at her for a moment before answering.
"Not really, Dean here says he's gonna teach you how to be a hunter." Bobby said looking at her, "you don't really look like you can pull it off to me." Zoe literally growled at him.
"My best friend is out there, I don't know what state she's in, but she's probably alone. If I have to kill every fucking demon we come across to save her, I will and nobody will stop me." She snarled at him. Sam looked at her, a little surprised at the ferocity, but feeling the same way. Bobby put both his hands up in a gesture of surrender before turning to Dean.
"Feisty, isn't she?" He asked. Sam snorted and Zoe shot Bobby a glare before rolling her eyes and shutting the door to the Impala.
"And right here in front of you," she snapped, storming past Bobby into the house, slamming the door behind her. Sam and Dean exchanged a glance before following her into Bobby's house. Bobby followed the boys into the house to find Zoe slamming pots and pans around, trying to fix something to eat. She finally settled for making soup and sandwiches for everyone and sat down in a huff. Sam stared at his food, trying to work up an appetite, but failing. Bobby and Dean ate quickly and left the room looking at Sam with concern. Zoe watched him for a moment, until she couldn't take it much more.
"Sammy," she said, getting his attention. "You need to eat." He shrugged and she sighed, going over to his chair and sitting next to him. He looked at her with such a sad look that she felt her heart start to crumble a little more. Finally she pulled his soup in front of her. She took his spoon and filled it with some soup and she held it in front of his face, trying to make him eat. He just looked at her. "If you don't eat it like this, I will sit in your lap and force you to eat it." His hazel eyes now held a bit of a challenge with the sorrow, like he was daring her to try. "Fine then." She moved his chair out and straddled his lap, startling him. She then picked up the bowl of soup and held it at his mouth. "Drink," she ordered. When he still refused, she plugged his nose until he opened his mouth to breathe. When he did, she poured the soup into his mouth, forcing him to swallow. When it was gone, he glared at her.
"Happy now?" He asked, sarcasm tingeing his voice. She grinned at him.
"Yes," she answered. "You have to eat to keep your strength up, Sammy. How do you thing Addie will feel if you're sick because you won't eat?" Sam looked at her with guilt-ridden puppy dog eyes and Zoe groaned. "I see why Addie always called those the puppy dog eyes of doom." She said, "but you need to finish your lunch, will you eat your sandwich, or do I have to force you to eat that too?"
"I'll eat it," he said, glad that Zoe was there to help him through this. "Thank you," he finished before she got off his lap. She kissed him on the forehead and then smacked him on the back of the head.
"Don't thank me," she said. "Just eat your lunch, dammit." Sam smiled slightly and took a bite of his sandwich. It tasted like cardboard to him, but with Zoe watching, he forced himself to eat the whole thing. When he was done, she smiled at him like a kid on Christmas morning. "We need groceries, will you see if Dean will loan us the Impala for the afternoon?" Sam was slightly taken aback.
"You want to spend the afternoon with me?" He asked. She nodded and he smiled, a real one this time before walking out of the room. She sighed in relief. If they stayed around the junk yard for too much longer, it was going to be obvious that she was shadowing Sam. She'd already lost one brother to sadness, she wasn't about to lose another.