To Be Charmed
Chapter Fourteen
Charmed and Enchanted
Disclaimer: Don't own any characters except unrecognizable ones.
AN: I'm still getting comments asking if Paige is Charmed, and the answer is no. Paige is not Charmed, but she is a Warren witch AND first Whiteligher-witch, so she is very powerful in her own right. As for Christy being evil, she is 11, what do you think? Onward to the chapter!
"Talking." Thoughts. Premonitions "Christy using telepathy to hear and send thoughts."
Salem, Massachusetts 1692
Melinda Warren paced in her small prison cell. She had just banished her ex-lover warlock; he would spend eternity in the pewter heart locket she wore. She played with the chain, anxious. Her death was nearing. She needed to talk to Prudence, her daughter. They had talked so little in the past few days. She had managed to discuss the Charmed Ones with Prudence. The three good witches who had gone back in time to save her mother and her. Melinda thought about the three women before getting sucked into a premonition!
A large house. Inside, three women stood side by side, grasping each other's hands and chanting. Another house. Different trio of women, doing the same as the previous three.
Melinda was pulled out the premonition. She had just seen the Charmed Ones! Or had she? There were two sets, which trio were the real Charmed Ones? She pondered this. In the premonition, each woman demonstrated a power. Melinda recognized her own powers, held by the first three women. The other women possessed similar powers. Perhaps her line was destined for two sets of powerful witches? The Charmed Ones and the Enchanted Ones.
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
New Castle, Delaware Colony 1719
Prudence Warren Wentworth struggled with the heavy tome in her arms. She managed to place it gently on the worn wooden table in the center of the small home. The book was only half an inch thick, but was bound in heavy leather.
"And it'll be yours one day," Prudence whispered to her severely swollen stomach, "Cassandra."
She knew she was carrying a girl. All the signs led to it. Sighing in content, Prudence opened the Book of Shadows to the next bare page. Her fingers had barely touched the page before a premonition came at full speed!
Two sets of three witches joining two others. A ninth teleporting in a swirl of blue and white orbs.
Prudence blinked multiple times after the premonition's end. The nine women must have been her descendants! Three must have been the Charmed Ones her mother told her about as a child. Acting quickly, Prudence searched for a quill and pot of ink. With the items in hand, she quickly penned down her vision.
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
Boston, Massachusetts 1733
Cassandra Warren quickly covered her opened mouth with her hand. The premonition came fast and unexpectedly.
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
San Francisco, California 1995
After Christy's proclamation, Phoebe grabbed the closest person, Grams. She gasped as a premonition overtook her mind.
Generation after generation of women reading from the Book of Shadows. Flashes of worn pages.
Phoebe came back from the premonition hard. Penny held her up.
"Phoebe! Are you okay? What did you see?"
Everyone looked at the nineteen year old expectedly.
"I-I saw the Book of Shadows," Phoebe replied.
"We'll worry about that later! Right now, we need the vanquishing potion and spell," Penny said calmly.
Prue nodded. "The spell's in the Book, I'll get it!"
"Paige, think you can orb the potion down here?" Penny inquired.
"I can try," Paige said.
As she held out her hand, her oldest sister bowed her head and activated her astral projection power.
"Potion!" The vial appeared in a swirling mass of orbs. Penny took the vial as Astral Prue came down the stairs.
"Got the spell!"
On the last syllable, Xeris appeared! The demon glared at the cluster of witches, unaware of Astral Prue behind him. Regina held Roxana tightly against her chest as Ruth, Rosie, and Rachel concealed Ryleigh and Rhiannon with their bodies. Paige pulled Christy and Billie back as Penny moved forward. The witch flung out an arm and sent Xeris on his back, giving Astral Prue the chance to hand off the Post-It note with the spell written on it.
With Astral Prue back in Prue's body, Phoebe and Piper joined their older sister. Penny tossed the potion vial at the demon, momentarily paralyzing him. Piper and Phoebe wrapped their arms around Prue's and prepared to cite the spell.
"With the Power of Three, we will destroy this enemy!"
Xeris was engulfed in flames as the spell was cast. Not bothering to scream, he accepted his fate.
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
Underworld Cavern
From the safety of his throne, the Source plotted. He had not foreseen the demise of Xeris, nor had he foreseen the other witches. Perhaps, to gain the upper hand and keep the Triad complacent, the witch should be captured. With a wave of his clawed hand, the evil ruler summoned five of his best henchmen.
"My Lord?"
"Bring this witch to me."
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
Halliwell Manor
Not even two minutes had passed after Xeris' vanquish then five demons shimmered in. They acted quickly, throwing energy balls and fire blasts. Piper tried freezing them, but they adjusted. Prue, Penny, and Billie sent the weapons back with their powers, but they were resistant. Ruth somehow held Ryleigh, Rhiannon, and Roxana in her arms. When she turned invisible, they did as well. Rachel froze the fire blasts with cryokinesis as Regina worked with Rosie to set the assailants on fire. Once on fire, Piper blasted them. Phoebe and Paige stood in front of Christy.
"What do we do?" Christy asked.
"Um, I don't know. Paige, think you can orb the energy balls and keep me and Christy safe?"
"Huh? No, I can't. How am I supposed to do that? Why don't you levitate Christy?"
"I don't know how," Phoebe admitted, "Christy, can you read any of them?"
"No! It's like they're immune or blocking me!"
"It's okay...Paige, energy ball!"
Paige had just enough time to orb the weapon back to the demon. With three demons left, Prue, Piper, and Billie gathered by Phoebe, Paige, and Christy. Ruth was still invisible with Ryleigh, Rhiannon, and Roxana.
"I'm going to orb us out, Ruth too," Paige whispered.
"What if you can't? You've never tried taking more than one passenger," Piper pointed out. Paige rolled her eyes. At that moment, one of the demons shimmered in behind and grabbed Christy.
"No!" a disembodied Ruth shrieked. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe felt weights being put into their arms. Ryleigh, Rhiannon, and Roxana became visible. The still invisible Ruth went to attack the demon who had a hold on her great granddaughter.
The unthinkable happened. The demon shimmered out with Christy. While under Rosie and Regina's attacks, the second demon shot an energy ball blindly. It hit Ruth. On impact, Ruth slammed backwards and landed on the floor, blood seeping out from the back of her head. The two demons immediately fled the scene, leaving Penny, Rosie, Rachel, Regina, Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and Billie to wonder what the hell just happened.
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
Underworld Cavern
The three demons shimmered in, Christy in their clutches. The telepath began to struggle.
"Let me go! You have no idea who you're dealing with! I am-!"
"A common witch. The Triad knows the Ultimate Power is the Hollow, not a pair of witches!"
The demons bowed as their leader came forward.
"Lock her up. I'm sure she has already contacted the Triad. We shall be ready."
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
Halliwell Manor
"We have to do something! They took Christy!" Billie shouted.
The group had moved into the conservatory. Ruth's body had not been moved.
"And killed Grandma," Regina added.
"Can't we just call the police?" Paige questioned.
"And tell them what? We're witches and demons killed Ruth and kidnapped Christy?" Prue shook her head.
"We'll handle this, girls, go upstairs," Penny ordered.
"Take the babies, too," Rachel said softly.
Reluctantly, Prue led her sisters, Billie, Ryleigh, Rhiannon, and Roxana to her room.
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
With the young ones out of earshot, Penny crossed her arms and thought about what needed to be done. Police. Funeral. Book of Shadows. She had dealt with this before. Well, not the kidnapping, but her daughter was killed by a water demon. Police ruled it a drowning.
"Penny? Are you listening?"
The woman blinked and looked to the group.
"What? Oh, yes, I'm listening."
Upstairs, the girls kept eyes on an unconscious Prue. She astralled into the living room to eavesdrop. Billie distanced herself a bit. If I can contact Christy, then I can find out where she is and go rescue her! "Christy? Can you hear me? Where are you?"
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
Underworld Cavern
The air was humid and it smelled like decay. Christy hugged herself tighter. They had locked her in a cage, a cage that negates any power, even non active ones. How was she to get out?
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
Halliwell Manor
Astral Prue disappeared in a red flash, just as Penny, Rosie, Rachel, and Regina made their way to the stairs.
"Well?" Phoebe prompted.
"They're coming up here. I didn't hear much," Prue admitted.
There was no time for a reply as someone knocked on the door.
"It's time for us to go," Rosie announced mournfully.
"To find Christy?" Billie walked forward, ready for a rescue mission.
"Yes and no," Rachel replied, "Rosie and I will go find her. You're going home with Regina."
Billie's face fell.
"But I need to go! Christy's my sister!"
"Billie, you're nine years old, hardy old enough to fight," Rachel reasoned.
The child didn't respond. She ran as fast as she could out of the room. Sighing, Rosie, Rachel, and Regina followed.
The following days were bleak. Ruth's funeral was the next Saturday. James, Ruth's husband and Rosie's father, was in a state of shock. Of course, he knew his now deceased wife was a witch, but he didn't expect her to be bested by a demon. Still, he seemed happy to finally be able to settle some debts by selling her car, among other things. Rosie, Rachel, and Regina got to rummage through Ruth's belongings, as well. Ruth's Book of Shadows, however, went to Rosie.
"Great Grandmother Phoebe started this?" Regina asked.
The three were huddled together on Rosie's living room couch.
"Yes. She started copying basic spells, rituals, and potions from the original. Eventually, she had to get a bigger book," Rosie explained. "It' till not as coveted as the original, but it does not allow non-family members to touch it."
"We all have our own Book of Shadows," Regina started, "should we add to this one?"
Rosie nodded. "Every Book of Shadows is different."
The following hours saw the three compare various spells and potions until their eyes weakened.
"Well, that's enough for today, I think. Penny is waiting for me to pick up Billie," Rachel stated.
"How long is she staying?" Rosie inquired.
"I've been granted temporary custody until further notice, but I think it'll turn into full custody. Billie needs someone to talk to. Someone who understands how it feels to not know if a sister is alive or not."
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
After Billie's departure from Halliwell Manor, things went back to almost normal. Prue and Piper had their own rooms again and Penny didn't have to worry as much.
Months passed. Billie and Christy were forgotten as the Halliwell sisters went about their lives. However, big news came in Septiwell sisters went
It was the last Sunday of September. The day started out extremely normal, until Christy materialized in the attic. The girl coughed as the smoke dissipated and brushed the hair away from her face. Penny was updating the Book of Shadows, an unnecessary chore, as the Book updated itself.
"Oh, goodness! Christy? How did you...?"
"I...they let me go." Christy hugged herself.
"They who, dear?" Penny closed the Book and led the girl to Aunt Pearl's couch.
"I don't know. There were two demons that were always there. A third one, he came every now and then. He wore a hood, I never saw his face. He told the two demons to let me go. He said something about a triad," Christy confessed.
"The Triad?" Penny questioned.
"I think so. Who are they?"
"Extremely powerful demons. Do you remember what the demon said?"
"No, I...he spoke too soft. I only heard 'the triad'."
Penny bit her lip. If the Triad knew about Prue, Piper, and Phoebe...Now wasn't the time to worry, though. She had to get Christy back to her family.
"Come on downstairs with me. Your sister moved in with Rachel, your mother's sister. Everything will be okay."
Downstairs, Phoebe and Paige were painting each other's nails.
"Girls, I'm going for a quick trip to take Christy to Rachel's."
The two looked up with widened eyes.
"How? You found her?"
"No. She was let go. No idea why, but I'll handle that later."
"We could..." Phoebe began.
"No. This is too big a job for you. I'll be back. Be good and listen to your sisters."
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
It was nearing midnight and Penny was still out. Prue paced back and forth, to the front door and dining room. Only a few lights were on and candles lit. The weather had gone from nice and sunny to dark and stormy.
"Prue? Could you stop pacing? You're going to wear a hole in the floor," Piper joked from the stairs.
"You're not worried? How are you not worried? You worry over everything," Prue countered.
"Oh, I'm worried, believe me, but I'm trying to keep it inside."
"Good for you," Prue murmured. She turned on her foot towards the door. Once she passed the bathroom door, a loud boom resonated throughout the house! The lights flickered and then died.
"What was that?" Piper shrieked.
"The storm must have caused it," Prue reasoned.
"You think the whole neighborhood is out or just us?"
"Now who's worried?"
"Prue! Now's now the time. Go with me to the basement?"
"For what?"
"To check the circuit box."
Prue took a hard breath. "Okay."
As Prue and Piper went to the basement, Phoebe and Paige were thumbing through the Book of Shadows. Assorted candles were lit and strewn throughout the attic, surrounding the sisters.
"There has got to be a spell to stop this storm," Phoebe mumbled.
"Or turn the power back on," Paige added.
Phoebe stopped at a page. She ran her pointed finger down the aged parchment.
"Mom's handwriting," she whispered.
"Really?" Paige bent her neck to stare at the page. "How do you know?"
"Prue and Piper told me. I have a photo album and Mom wrote in it."
Phoebe and Paige continued to stare, entranced. There was no picture, only a small paragraph. The title read 'The Demon of Fear'.
"Only appears every 13 years," Paige read.
"And had to kill thirteen unmarried witches before midnight," Phoebe informed.
"Look at those dates! His next appearance is 1998, three years from now!" Paige said.
"We'll be ready if he comes after us," Phoebe said confidently.
"If who comes after us?"
Startled, Phoebe jumped and Paige orbed out and in.
"Prue! Do not do that ever again!" Phoebe scolded.
"Yeah! Almost gave me a heart attack!" Paige shrilled.
"Sorry!" Prue apologized as she walked up to her baby sisters.
"Where's Piper?" Phoebe questioned.
"Lighting more candles and freaking out, " Prue answered.
"Did you check the circuit box?"
"Yeah, we'll have to call an electrician."
"Are you serious?"
"Unfortunately."
The three sisters were quiet for a moment. Paige glanced down the at Book, forcing herself not to dog ear the page her mother had written on. She had no memory of her, unlike Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. Phoebe had little memory of their mother, but she also grew up being told stories by Grams, Prue, and Piper. Paige wondered about not being adopted; if she wasn't given up, what Patty would have named her. A "P" name, obviously. Would she still be Paige? She couldn't fathom any other name.
"Prue! Phoebe! Paige! Where are you?" Piper's frantic call echoed in the large home.
"Up in the attic!" Prue hollered.
Within seconds, Piper appeared.
"I think someone's trying to get in the house!"
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
The drive back to the Manor was slow and exhausting. Not even halfway, Penny had to stop to fill up her car. At least a family was reunited. Billie was so estatic to have her big sister back. But Christy...Something was up with Christy. Penny was very cautious around Christy. A young witch, kidnapped and raised by demons? It left a bad taste in her mouth. The woman shook her head. 'It's best to let Rachel handle that.' she thought. Now at the familiar red Victorian, Penny turned off her car and headed to the double doors.
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
"What do you mean someone's trying to get in the house?" Prue questioned, slightly outraged. 'Great! The power's out, Grams isn't home...' "Maybe it's Grams."
"But Grams has a key to get in," Piper replied.
"She probably lost it," Paige suggested.
The crack of lightning and roar of thunder resonated throughout the attic.
"Well, we're never gonna find out standing here," Phoebe said, grabbing Paige's hand and leading the way downstairs.
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
Penny was befuddled. Her house key had somehow escaped the key ring and was lost. Not only that, a storm had broken out, making the already dark night sky more sinister. Though a strong witch, Penny failed in using her power to unlock and open the door. The wind was too strong.
"What in the world?" she muttered to herself. The wind had picked up, tossing the witch's hair about. "I'll just have to knock it down," she mumbled, "Or use a spell." Preparing herself, Penny looked around for any mortals. When none were found, she swung two fingers at the door. The wooden door was flung off its hinges, flying backwards. Penny's eyes widened as the door spiraled toward Phoebe and Paige!
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
"Prue, do something!" Piper screamed, coming down the stairs. Prue, following Piper, flung her arm out, sending the door to the wall, away from her baby sisters.
"Geez, Piper, you couldn't freeze that?" Phoebe groused.
"No, I'm sorry," Piper said softly.
"Lay off, Phoebe," Prue scolded.
"Girls," Grams cried, "Oh, I'm so sorry! I couldn't get the door to unlock. I lost my house key..."
The elderly woman gathered her granddaughters in a tight hug.
"We can get another one," Prue said.
Penny nodded before releasing her grandchildren.
"What happened to the lights?"
~TBC Chapter Fourteen~
After Ms. Halliwell left, Christy stayed on the sofa, unsure of what to do. Billie was asleep and Rachel didn't want to wake her. Her ordeal replayed in her head. She really did escape! Granted, she had some help. 'Have to be careful' she thought. Reminiscing over, Christy huffed and went to find her designated room for the night. She woke up a few hours later screaming.