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I could use the LJ-Cut option, but see, that would make sense. So, deal or crucify me. Preferably to some good music. I also know that quite a few things [particularly phrasing] in this need to be fixed, however I'm trying to get the ideas out there, man. [that and once I stop to edit, I never, ever finish within a normal amount of time. Ever.]
Oh, and I am sad. I finally got my mother to agree to buy something from Toys R Us, only they didn't have it. So I wandered down the Barbie aisle again [no comment. my skanky barbies needed a new outfit, which TRU didn't have] to spy one of those newer Skippers. Which was $2.98. Nope. Nor did I walk away with a Midge [um, yes. I am older than 8, and yes, I still like Midge.] who was a few bucks more. No toys. No joy. Went to the store later and nearly got run over by 7 people. Then later while watching That 70's Episode one of the cats attacked me and ripped my thumb to shreds. It hurts. Yes, yes it does. Then Skanky called to tell me she's leaving the state and I'm guessing I'm supposed to sob and say "No! No! You can't leave!" but if she's got to go for awhile, then you do what you gotta do.
That said, I'm attempting to ditch my parents this weekend. Wish my aunt and uncle would hurry up and call baaaack. Onward!
-------
Piper looked around the store, surprised at how little it had changed despite the change in owners over the years. Crystals, books, and candles sat next to things Piper never had managed to identify. If they weren't in such a hurry to protect the innocent, she might actually be tempted to buy some things.
"So, you don't know anything?" Piper heard Phoebe ask.
"Nothing," Amanda, the store owner replied.
"Are you sure? I mean, this store's been here forever, and since so many witches are dying, I'd imagine you'd have to hear something," Paige said, jumping into the conversation.
Amanda shrugged. "So I might have heard something. Why do you care?"
"Because we're witches too," Phoebe explained.
Amanda snorted. "Really? So that's why you've been coming around so much? That's why I've never seen you before? Of course."
"Look, we're not saying we're the best witches in town, but we need your help. Something is out there killing anyone who even reminds it of a witch. And not in fun painless ways either. No, it's torturing them, making them beg for mercy. Some beg to die, did you know that?" Phoebe exploded, causing both her sisters to stare at her.
"Phoebe..."
"No, Piper, we don't have time for this. You were right earlier. People are dying, and we have to stop it. Now. And I think Amanda knows more than she's telling us."
Paige flashed Amanda an embarrassed smile. "You'll have to excuse my sisters, they're a little on edge today."
Amanda finally looked up from the books she was sorting. "Sisters? All three of you?"
"Uh, yes. Is that a problem?"
"No. Well, yes. Sort of." Amanda walked across the store to lock the door and put up the closed sign. "I'm going to guess that the reason you've all been so vague this afternoon is because you're the infamous Charmed Ones. The witches this demon is looking for, right?"
Piper's eyes narrowed as she took another look at the shop owner. "What makes you think that?"
"Simple. Three sister witches living in the area. Most of us know you're local from what others who've met you have said. I took a chance and guessed. If I'm wrong..." she began to turn the closed sign over.
"No! You're right," Phoebe said hastily.
"Phoebe!" Paige hissed.
"No, it's all right, Paige. I don't think Amanda will be sharing our secret. Why don't you want to talk to us?" Piper asked.
"Because right now half the Wiccan community wants to hunt you down and turn you over. It's not right, they know that, but they're scared."
"And the other half?"
"They're not sure what to do with you, yet."
"Well, that's comforting," Paige muttered.
"Could be worse," Amanda pointed out. "They could want you dead. A lot of people have lost friends, even family already. This thing wants you, only no one can find you. Which I imagine is normally a good thing. But now innocent people are dying because you've gone into seclusion."
"You make it sound like we killed them. Like it's our fault," Phoebe said.
Amanda made her way back to the back of the store. "That wasn't my intention. I understand you need your privacy in order to do what you do. Quite a few of us know that, actually. But that doesn't make it any easier to bury your sister."
Paige winced. "You lost your sister?"
"No, I was just making a point. Anyway, you want information. I don't have much. No one does. Even those that manage to escape are hunted and killed while a new survivor is chosen."
"Well, what can you tell us?" Piper asked.
"This isn't just a demon. Many of us have faced demons, or have at least witnessed an attack. We're not as powerful as you three are, but we have more than a few tricks up our sleeves."
"No one is doubting your Wiccan abilities," Phoebe assured her. "We just wanna know how to stop this thing."
"And to do that, we have to know exactly what we're up against," Paige added.
Amanda smiled. "Like I said before, this isn't just a demon. In fact, I'm wondering it it's even supposed to take human form. Which is what it does, by the way. That's the shape it takes before it kills. Others have suggested that he's fairly young, based on his reactions to his various powers and his kills."
"Young? Great, we're dealing with teenage demonic entity?" Piper couldn't help complaining.
"Seems like it." Amanda shrugged helplessly.
"Wait, if no one's really survived any of these attacks, how do you know all this?" Paige asked suspiciously.
"You ever scrye?"
"Yes, of course."
"With water or fire?"
Paige blinked. "No..."
"Sometimes you can get visions of events. Past, present, and sometimes future. Not entirely reliable, but after you're experienced enough, you can usually figure out what's really important," Amanda explained.
Paige thought about this for a minute. "Interesting. Very interesting."
"Anything else you want to know?"
"Yeah, do you know how to vanquish it?" Phoebe asked.
"If I did, I'd tell you. Sorry. But, I think you might know more about him than you think you do."
"Thanks for all your help," Piper said, sensing Amanda had told them all she could.
"Yeah, thank you," Paige echoed as they left the store.
"Anyone else getting more than a little fed up with getting nowhere with this demon?" Phoebe muttered when they were outside.
"It's not just you, Feebs. It's just hard to get any information on this guy. He keeps killing all his witnesses, and even when you saw him in action, you couldn't really tell us anything," Piper grumbled, starting the car.
"Not that it's your fault or anything," Paige assured Phoebe.
"I didn't even think that. I'm just frustrated. I wish-"
"Nuh uh!" Piper's right hand clamped down over Phoebe's mouth, silencing her. "No wishing. It's too dangerous, especially at a time like this. The last thing we need is another genie or something granting us wishes and killing us in the process."
"Mmmph!"
"You promise not to wish?" Piper asked and Phoebe nodded. "Driving here, can't see you."
"She nodded," Paige said, snickering.
"Good girl."
-------
Later that night, after Wyatt had gone to bed and her sisters had gone off on their respective dates [both promising to at least stop and check in on the club], Piper found herself outside in the backyard, staring up at the stars. She had Wyatt's baby monitor so she could keep an ear out for him, but he hadn't woken up yet.
A cool breeze ruffled her hair and made her wish she'd gone with the long sleeves that morning. "Leo," she sighed.
She knew why she couldn't see him, that it was too dangerous for them both. Demons who had been scared by the thought of attacking the Charmed Ones would risk life and limb to take out an Elder. Even lower level warlocks would chance it. If any of them succeeded, well, Piper didn't want to think about that.
On the other hand, she didn't want to move on. How do you give up on your soul mate when they're still with you? You don't, she decided. You live with the pain and you hope they come back. Because Leo could. Elders could retire, could pass along their powers without dying. "I just have to wait," she whispered, hoping that hearing it would make it somehow easier to live without him. It didn't, nothing would, but it didn't hurt either.
"I miss you. Wyatt misses you. I think we're driving Chris crazy," she said finally. Sometimes she talked to him as if he were still here. It wasn't like he couldn't hear her, after all. "Not that this is a bad thing. Maybe if he gets fed up enough, you'll come back. I know that's selfish, but I can't help it."
Suddenly Piper felt completely overwhelmed. "I don't think I can do this, Leo. I can't even figure out who's going around hunting witches. Normally we'd know by now. We might not have a plan, but at least we'd know what we're up against. Nothing's the same now. I-I," Piper's voice cracked as she began to cry. It wasn't the same just talking to someone she couldn't see or touch. Someone who couldn't, or wouldn't, talk back. And it was breaking her heart all over again.
So it didn't help when she felt someone's arms slip around her and pull her close. Her heart jumped with hope. "Leo?"
"Shhh, Piper. Leo sent me," Chris said.
Caught between wanting to cry and wanting to scream, Piper did the easiest thing she could think of. She cried. Loudly. "I just want to see him. I need to see him!"
"I know. I wish you could. So does he. He loves you, Piper, but if he were to come back, innocents everywhere would suffer. You know that."
"He's my husband," she said stubbornly, wishing that that fact could fix everything.
Chris didn't know what to say, so he just held her, hoping that she'd stop crying soon. He knew how upset both Piper and Leo were about this, but there really wasn't anything either of them could do about it. Piper wouldn't make Leo come back, and Leo couldn't very well just quit being an Elder. That would be insane.
Someone cleared their throat, ruining Chris's train of thought. "Am I interrupting something?"
Piper and Chris turned to see Paige standing in the door way, her arms crossed and an unreadable expression on her face.
Chris let Piper go so fast he was afraid she'd fall. "No! No. No, of course not," he said, then immediately wished he could kick himself. Yeah, she'll believe that.
"Uh ... huh," Paige muttered before realizing that Piper had been crying. "Piper! Are you okay?"
Piper hastily wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "Um, yeah. I'm fine. Just... I don't want to talk about it," she said. "I should go check on Wyatt." She walked past Paige and then disappeared into the house.
"Is she okay?" Paige asked worriedly. "Should I check on her?"
"She'll be fine. She just needed to ... vent, I guess. You know, Leo and this whole unknown demon mess. Leo sent me," Chris added.
"Sent you?"
"To help Piper. Earlier," he said, feeling like an idiot who couldn't even speak in one complete sentence.
"Oh. So, you think she just needs to be alone now?" Paige glanced over her shoulder, unsure if she really wanted to be alone with Chris.
"Yeah. Besides, she won't be alone. She has Wyatt. And if she wants to talk, she knows where to find us."
"Yeah, us," Paige repeated slowly.
"You're back early," Chris said, changing the subject. "Date didn't go well?"
Paige grimaced. "No comment."
"Come on, he couldn't have been that bad."
"Yeah, he could have been and was. Self centered jerk who spent the first half of the night talking all about himself and then when I thought he'd finally snapped out of it, asked me if Phoebe was dating anyone. Phoebe!" With that she sank down onto one of the chairs and looked up at the sky.
"That sucks."
"Yeah, well, it's just another in a long line of jerks lately. It happens." Paige cocked her head and looked up at him. "You going to stand there all night, or do you want to sit down?"
"I guess I could sit down. For a few minutes," he added.
Paige smirked. "It's not like I asked you to marry me. Hey, look! A shooting star! Make a wish." As soon as she said that, she immediately regretted it. Chris may have been from the future, but he'd been here long enough to have picked up some of the cheesier romance cliches, and she'd just fallen right into one. And she wasn't interested in him. Nope. Not even a little. Sure, he was cute in a very pretty sort of way but she was not interested.
But Chris didn't seem to notice. "I guess I missed it," he said.
"I guess so." She crossed her arms again and tried not to concentrate on how close he was or the stupid wish she'd accidentally made.
There would be no kissing or thinking about kissing of the new whitelighter. None. Ever. End of discussion.
Really.
-----
Oh, and I am sad. I finally got my mother to agree to buy something from Toys R Us, only they didn't have it. So I wandered down the Barbie aisle again [no comment. my skanky barbies needed a new outfit, which TRU didn't have] to spy one of those newer Skippers. Which was $2.98. Nope. Nor did I walk away with a Midge [um, yes. I am older than 8, and yes, I still like Midge.] who was a few bucks more. No toys. No joy. Went to the store later and nearly got run over by 7 people. Then later while watching That 70's Episode one of the cats attacked me and ripped my thumb to shreds. It hurts. Yes, yes it does. Then Skanky called to tell me she's leaving the state and I'm guessing I'm supposed to sob and say "No! No! You can't leave!" but if she's got to go for awhile, then you do what you gotta do.
That said, I'm attempting to ditch my parents this weekend. Wish my aunt and uncle would hurry up and call baaaack. Onward!
Piper looked around the store, surprised at how little it had changed despite the change in owners over the years. Crystals, books, and candles sat next to things Piper never had managed to identify. If they weren't in such a hurry to protect the innocent, she might actually be tempted to buy some things.
"So, you don't know anything?" Piper heard Phoebe ask.
"Nothing," Amanda, the store owner replied.
"Are you sure? I mean, this store's been here forever, and since so many witches are dying, I'd imagine you'd have to hear something," Paige said, jumping into the conversation.
Amanda shrugged. "So I might have heard something. Why do you care?"
"Because we're witches too," Phoebe explained.
Amanda snorted. "Really? So that's why you've been coming around so much? That's why I've never seen you before? Of course."
"Look, we're not saying we're the best witches in town, but we need your help. Something is out there killing anyone who even reminds it of a witch. And not in fun painless ways either. No, it's torturing them, making them beg for mercy. Some beg to die, did you know that?" Phoebe exploded, causing both her sisters to stare at her.
"Phoebe..."
"No, Piper, we don't have time for this. You were right earlier. People are dying, and we have to stop it. Now. And I think Amanda knows more than she's telling us."
Paige flashed Amanda an embarrassed smile. "You'll have to excuse my sisters, they're a little on edge today."
Amanda finally looked up from the books she was sorting. "Sisters? All three of you?"
"Uh, yes. Is that a problem?"
"No. Well, yes. Sort of." Amanda walked across the store to lock the door and put up the closed sign. "I'm going to guess that the reason you've all been so vague this afternoon is because you're the infamous Charmed Ones. The witches this demon is looking for, right?"
Piper's eyes narrowed as she took another look at the shop owner. "What makes you think that?"
"Simple. Three sister witches living in the area. Most of us know you're local from what others who've met you have said. I took a chance and guessed. If I'm wrong..." she began to turn the closed sign over.
"No! You're right," Phoebe said hastily.
"Phoebe!" Paige hissed.
"No, it's all right, Paige. I don't think Amanda will be sharing our secret. Why don't you want to talk to us?" Piper asked.
"Because right now half the Wiccan community wants to hunt you down and turn you over. It's not right, they know that, but they're scared."
"And the other half?"
"They're not sure what to do with you, yet."
"Well, that's comforting," Paige muttered.
"Could be worse," Amanda pointed out. "They could want you dead. A lot of people have lost friends, even family already. This thing wants you, only no one can find you. Which I imagine is normally a good thing. But now innocent people are dying because you've gone into seclusion."
"You make it sound like we killed them. Like it's our fault," Phoebe said.
Amanda made her way back to the back of the store. "That wasn't my intention. I understand you need your privacy in order to do what you do. Quite a few of us know that, actually. But that doesn't make it any easier to bury your sister."
Paige winced. "You lost your sister?"
"No, I was just making a point. Anyway, you want information. I don't have much. No one does. Even those that manage to escape are hunted and killed while a new survivor is chosen."
"Well, what can you tell us?" Piper asked.
"This isn't just a demon. Many of us have faced demons, or have at least witnessed an attack. We're not as powerful as you three are, but we have more than a few tricks up our sleeves."
"No one is doubting your Wiccan abilities," Phoebe assured her. "We just wanna know how to stop this thing."
"And to do that, we have to know exactly what we're up against," Paige added.
Amanda smiled. "Like I said before, this isn't just a demon. In fact, I'm wondering it it's even supposed to take human form. Which is what it does, by the way. That's the shape it takes before it kills. Others have suggested that he's fairly young, based on his reactions to his various powers and his kills."
"Young? Great, we're dealing with teenage demonic entity?" Piper couldn't help complaining.
"Seems like it." Amanda shrugged helplessly.
"Wait, if no one's really survived any of these attacks, how do you know all this?" Paige asked suspiciously.
"You ever scrye?"
"Yes, of course."
"With water or fire?"
Paige blinked. "No..."
"Sometimes you can get visions of events. Past, present, and sometimes future. Not entirely reliable, but after you're experienced enough, you can usually figure out what's really important," Amanda explained.
Paige thought about this for a minute. "Interesting. Very interesting."
"Anything else you want to know?"
"Yeah, do you know how to vanquish it?" Phoebe asked.
"If I did, I'd tell you. Sorry. But, I think you might know more about him than you think you do."
"Thanks for all your help," Piper said, sensing Amanda had told them all she could.
"Yeah, thank you," Paige echoed as they left the store.
"Anyone else getting more than a little fed up with getting nowhere with this demon?" Phoebe muttered when they were outside.
"It's not just you, Feebs. It's just hard to get any information on this guy. He keeps killing all his witnesses, and even when you saw him in action, you couldn't really tell us anything," Piper grumbled, starting the car.
"Not that it's your fault or anything," Paige assured Phoebe.
"I didn't even think that. I'm just frustrated. I wish-"
"Nuh uh!" Piper's right hand clamped down over Phoebe's mouth, silencing her. "No wishing. It's too dangerous, especially at a time like this. The last thing we need is another genie or something granting us wishes and killing us in the process."
"Mmmph!"
"You promise not to wish?" Piper asked and Phoebe nodded. "Driving here, can't see you."
"She nodded," Paige said, snickering.
"Good girl."
-------
Later that night, after Wyatt had gone to bed and her sisters had gone off on their respective dates [both promising to at least stop and check in on the club], Piper found herself outside in the backyard, staring up at the stars. She had Wyatt's baby monitor so she could keep an ear out for him, but he hadn't woken up yet.
A cool breeze ruffled her hair and made her wish she'd gone with the long sleeves that morning. "Leo," she sighed.
She knew why she couldn't see him, that it was too dangerous for them both. Demons who had been scared by the thought of attacking the Charmed Ones would risk life and limb to take out an Elder. Even lower level warlocks would chance it. If any of them succeeded, well, Piper didn't want to think about that.
On the other hand, she didn't want to move on. How do you give up on your soul mate when they're still with you? You don't, she decided. You live with the pain and you hope they come back. Because Leo could. Elders could retire, could pass along their powers without dying. "I just have to wait," she whispered, hoping that hearing it would make it somehow easier to live without him. It didn't, nothing would, but it didn't hurt either.
"I miss you. Wyatt misses you. I think we're driving Chris crazy," she said finally. Sometimes she talked to him as if he were still here. It wasn't like he couldn't hear her, after all. "Not that this is a bad thing. Maybe if he gets fed up enough, you'll come back. I know that's selfish, but I can't help it."
Suddenly Piper felt completely overwhelmed. "I don't think I can do this, Leo. I can't even figure out who's going around hunting witches. Normally we'd know by now. We might not have a plan, but at least we'd know what we're up against. Nothing's the same now. I-I," Piper's voice cracked as she began to cry. It wasn't the same just talking to someone she couldn't see or touch. Someone who couldn't, or wouldn't, talk back. And it was breaking her heart all over again.
So it didn't help when she felt someone's arms slip around her and pull her close. Her heart jumped with hope. "Leo?"
"Shhh, Piper. Leo sent me," Chris said.
Caught between wanting to cry and wanting to scream, Piper did the easiest thing she could think of. She cried. Loudly. "I just want to see him. I need to see him!"
"I know. I wish you could. So does he. He loves you, Piper, but if he were to come back, innocents everywhere would suffer. You know that."
"He's my husband," she said stubbornly, wishing that that fact could fix everything.
Chris didn't know what to say, so he just held her, hoping that she'd stop crying soon. He knew how upset both Piper and Leo were about this, but there really wasn't anything either of them could do about it. Piper wouldn't make Leo come back, and Leo couldn't very well just quit being an Elder. That would be insane.
Someone cleared their throat, ruining Chris's train of thought. "Am I interrupting something?"
Piper and Chris turned to see Paige standing in the door way, her arms crossed and an unreadable expression on her face.
Chris let Piper go so fast he was afraid she'd fall. "No! No. No, of course not," he said, then immediately wished he could kick himself. Yeah, she'll believe that.
"Uh ... huh," Paige muttered before realizing that Piper had been crying. "Piper! Are you okay?"
Piper hastily wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. "Um, yeah. I'm fine. Just... I don't want to talk about it," she said. "I should go check on Wyatt." She walked past Paige and then disappeared into the house.
"Is she okay?" Paige asked worriedly. "Should I check on her?"
"She'll be fine. She just needed to ... vent, I guess. You know, Leo and this whole unknown demon mess. Leo sent me," Chris added.
"Sent you?"
"To help Piper. Earlier," he said, feeling like an idiot who couldn't even speak in one complete sentence.
"Oh. So, you think she just needs to be alone now?" Paige glanced over her shoulder, unsure if she really wanted to be alone with Chris.
"Yeah. Besides, she won't be alone. She has Wyatt. And if she wants to talk, she knows where to find us."
"Yeah, us," Paige repeated slowly.
"You're back early," Chris said, changing the subject. "Date didn't go well?"
Paige grimaced. "No comment."
"Come on, he couldn't have been that bad."
"Yeah, he could have been and was. Self centered jerk who spent the first half of the night talking all about himself and then when I thought he'd finally snapped out of it, asked me if Phoebe was dating anyone. Phoebe!" With that she sank down onto one of the chairs and looked up at the sky.
"That sucks."
"Yeah, well, it's just another in a long line of jerks lately. It happens." Paige cocked her head and looked up at him. "You going to stand there all night, or do you want to sit down?"
"I guess I could sit down. For a few minutes," he added.
Paige smirked. "It's not like I asked you to marry me. Hey, look! A shooting star! Make a wish." As soon as she said that, she immediately regretted it. Chris may have been from the future, but he'd been here long enough to have picked up some of the cheesier romance cliches, and she'd just fallen right into one. And she wasn't interested in him. Nope. Not even a little. Sure, he was cute in a very pretty sort of way but she was not interested.
But Chris didn't seem to notice. "I guess I missed it," he said.
"I guess so." She crossed her arms again and tried not to concentrate on how close he was or the stupid wish she'd accidentally made.
There would be no kissing or thinking about kissing of the new whitelighter. None. Ever. End of discussion.
Really.
