Charming the Halliwells 71
Charming the Halliwells
Chapter 71: Fallen Fathers
All rights to the Halliwells and Charmed go to The Wb and Aaron Spelling.
This is a spin-off of his creation, of which we're all thankful for. Please
Do not plagiarize or anything. LOVE YA
Fire ball, energy balls, and various potions and magical powers flew through the air, some hitting and some missing. There were bodies all over the field, from both sides. The Halliwells were holding their own, no one had been lost yet...Chris was leading them valiantly. There had been many injuries on top of the deaths. Chris ducked under an energy blast and rolled across, sending another witch flying into a tree! Piper was blasting back a banshee while Paige was orbing in and out, deflecting energy balls at other demons. Phoebe was taking a few demons on in hand-to-hand combat! The Charmed children stuck together tightly in their group, defending each other. Melinda punched a furie in the face, causing her to stagger back, to which she orbed behind her and threw her hand up, orbing the furie a few yards away and into the air! Caleb stood on a rock above the fight, his hands out in front of him. He led a group of collective harpies against a few warlocks! He looked down, taking his eyes off the harpies for a few seconds to watch his father shimmering around, stabbing demons with a serrated dagger. He smirked to himself and neglected to see the harpy sneak up behind him, with her claws long and shove them through his back! Down on the battle field, leprechauns pooled their luck and channeled it to the good guys. Peter found himself moving through the field, eliminating the collective one by one. He saw Leo fighting a warlock and disappeared, shimmering in behind Leo and out again, appearing behind the demon! He threw the dagger and the warlock exploded. They exchanged thankful smiles until Peter's eyes widen and he shoves Leo out of the way and a bright beam shot through his chest, creating a hole. He looked down at the hole and then at Leo, who rose to his feet and caught Peter before he hit the ground. The Sisters saw this and immediately ran to him. Chris levitated in a burst of orbs and then pushed his hands forward, causing a group of Elders to fly through the air and land a few feet away and that's when he looked up to the hill and saw Caleb laying face down! He disappeared in orbs and materialized by Caleb's eviscerated body. He looked into the air, calling for Wyatt.
-
Wyatt was weakened to the point that not even being healed made him stronger. He had overexerted himself projecting a shield to defend us against the onslaught of fire balls coming our way. After the shield and Wyatt dropped to the ground, one of the demons sent me flying into the jagged wall of the Underworld! I reached down to feel my side and realized I was bleeding out and it wasn't healing. The demon clenched his fist, bringing it up in the air! I floated off the ground, sagging on one side. I dropped to the ground face first, landing near Wyatt, to which my hand draped over his chest. Wyatt moaned a little and shifted. He was standing in front of Prue Halliwell, the older one. They were in the Manor, by the book. She was flipping through it and looked up suddenly, as if he wasn't supposed to be there.
"Wyatt...what are you doing here?" Prue asked.
"Aunt Prue?" Wyatt asked, "Where am I?"
"How did you get here?" Prue asked, looking around, "You're not supposed to be here."
"Am I dead?" he panicked.
"I don't know." Prue said, thinking it over, "No. You can't be. What's the last thing you remember?"
"Drake and I were in the Underworld and...Drake!" Wyatt said, turning to the door. He walked to the door and tried exit it, but he was thrown back.
"You weren't at the battle?" Prue asked.
"The battle? It's happening now?" Wyatt asked, "Whatever this is, I've got to wake up."
"Maybe it's a spell." Prue said, again searching the book.
"You're not watching the fight?" Wyatt asked, "Don't you...watch?"
"Yes, but...You've got to protect the baby." Prue frowned.
"Well...duh." Wyatt said, "What do you know?"
"Wyatt. This family is in danger." Prue said.
"We're already fighting it." Wyatt said, concerned.
"This isn't...the Collective isn't the threat." Prue said, "With them finally reveal, the elders and people higher up than them can deal with them. That was the plan, to flush them out. This battle was over when it began."
"Then..."
"The Source, Wyatt." Prue explained, "Sweetie, this is all a distraction. Something worse is coming. Good magic is in danger and being the strongest magical family, you guys are the number one targets."
"He'll go after the weakest." Wyatt mused, "Drake."
"No. He's not the weakest." Prue frowned, looking away from him, "He knows you."
"Me? Or the Charmed Ones?" Wyatt asked.
"Both." Prue said, "You have to get back to them. If he loses the baby, he will never recover."
"Is he going to die? During birth?" Wyatt asked.
Prue looked at him, concerned, "I don't know." She frowned. She walked over and hugged him, "Be safe, kiddo. Please, save them."
In a totally different headspace...
I looked around at the misty whiteness. It was like a dream. There was nothing around, nothing but a swing. It felt like Death. I placed my hand to my stomach but I didn't feel anything. My first thought was the baby, then Wyatt, then everyone else. I looked out onto the nothingness, pained, yet relieved. It was over. All the fighting and the struggling was over.
"It's not over." Peter said, standing just before the swing, "Not for you."
I turned to him quickly, "I don't think I understand." I said, scratching my head.
"I have so much I want to say to you, so much that I should have said when...but we don't have much time." Peter said, fighting something back.
"You'll have time." I said, "And you're going to meet your grandchild and we're gonna..."
Peter took my hand and sat beside me on the swing, "I feel bad." He said.
"Why?" I asked, "And where are we?"
"We've always had a stronger connection, stronger than your brothers..." Peter said, clasping his hand over his mouth.
"Brothers?" I asked, "Okay, If you don't stop with the cryptic I'm going to...to..." I looked at him oddly before my eyes bulged, "No!" I whispered.
"It's okay." He said, patting me on the back, "Look, I haven't been the same without your mother; I've been weak. Now I get to see her again."
"How?" I asked.
"The Collective. A witch." Peter said, "I've always loved you and your brothers. I always will."
"You keep saying brothers...What are you..."
"We had another son before we had Caleb and yourself. We had to give him away." Peter said.
"Why?" I asked.
"The prophecy." Peter said, "Beware the death of the fallen one, it will bring rise to the three that will overshadow the world, rain chaos down upon the likes of good and evil. The purest of the family will fall, the youngest will be the most powerful and he shall be destroyed by power."
I swallowed.
"He's the catalyst." Peter said, "As long as he doesn't know about all of this, you're safe."
"What's...how do you expect me not to look for him?!" I asked, "He's my blood!"
"You can't..." Peter said, hugging me, "Protect Caleb."
"I'm not going to let this go." I frowned, "I can't..."
"I wouldn't expect you to." Peter said, "It's time."
-
A week later...
I stood by the book, dressed in all black. I was looking for something that would help me find this witch. As I flipped through the book, I was filled with dread and anger. In less than a few days, I'd lost my father and grandmother, both by magic. Strike that, by the users of magic. It was time that I started using magic to do what the demons do. This `witch' had taken the only blood parental unit I had away. It was annoying and heartbreaking. At first, I was depressed, but it wasn't as crippling as it was before.
"Honey?" Wyatt asked, standing at the door of the attic.
I didn't look up, I continued to turn the pages of the book, searching.
"We're going to be late for the funeral." Wyatt said, walking over, "What are you doing?"
I frowned, "I just buried my grandmother and now I'm burying my dad, give me a little space!" I said angrily.
Wyatt looked at me sympathetically.
"Don't look at me like that! I don't want you to feel bad for me." I frowned.
"I think maybe we should get away, just you and me." Wyatt said, causing an angrier look, "Or, we could get all the family and try the wedding thing again. What do you think? We could even get married in Fiji or Hawaii or something."
"Wyatt the last thing I want to do is go to the beach or get married." I frowned, "No offense."
"You're kidding. No offense?" Wyatt smiled, "Oh come on, You, me, sand and fun."
I looked at him and walked over to him, kissing him on the cheek, "No." I said, walking out of the door.
-
The funeral was going well. Business associates, family, family friends. Most of them were unknown to me or people I'd met when I was very young. Tristan was the first person I recognized. And after hugging and making with the small talk, it seemed like we were back in the old days. He told me how sorry he was for my loss and figured he was hogging me from everyone else. He was, I guess, but it was nice to talk to him. We had once been really good friends. Best friends. Wyatt and Chris had been lots of help, as were their family. Caleb seemed at a loss for words and hadn't said much the whole day. He had brought his new girlfriend. She wasn't new, but she was new to me. Her name was Josephina Reden. She was a nice enough girl, very free-spirited. A perfect match for Caleb. When he saw that I was alone and the person he was talking to left him, he walked over and hugged me.
"How are you doing?" Caleb asked, "I mean, are you okay and the baby?"
"I'm dealing." I smiled weakly, "The place is beautiful. You did a good job decorating."
"Josie did a lot of it." Caleb said, looking around, "And the sisters."
"Sorry I didn't do more." I said.
"You were out of it." Caleb said, "Nobody expected you to..."
I shook my head.
"So...I'm taking over dad's business. He left it to both of us, but I'm going to manage it." Caleb said, "All the training and now, I guess, it's time."
I smiled, "Can't think of a better person to take over dad's business." I said.
"Good thing, too. I need a job." Caleb said, "A better one."
"Why?" I asked.
"Josie and I are getting married." Caleb said.
I chuckled and smiled, "That's great! I mean, dad said you had something to tell us, but..."
"She's also four months pregnant." Caleb said.
I looked at him and happily smiled, "We're both about to be parents?" I smiled.
"Yeah." He beamed.
"Does she know?" I asked, "About us? About what we are?"
"She knows." He said.
When I looked around, everyone was leaving. They had all said their last goodbyes and it was Caleb, me, the sisters, Leo, Warren, Melinda, Wyatt, and Chris. I walked over to the casket and looked over. My dad was pale and lifeless. To me, it didn't look like sleep, not when I knew it was permanent. I reached out to touch him, hoping that somehow my baby could send power through me to my lifeless father, that somehow I could restart him. And when it didn't, I looked at him angrily and turned to see everyone watching me. In between us, demons shimmered in, causing me to take a step backwards into the coffin, which slid off its place and fell to the floor! A fight took place, but I didn't notice it. Dad had roughly fallen and was now lying in front of me. I kneeled to the floor, trying to lift him back into the overturned coffin. I then stopped and tried to lift the coffin back into place. I stopped again, collapsing to the ground in a burst of sobs. Before I could see clearly through my eyes, I heard grunting as Leo, Chris, and Warren lifted the coffin. Wyatt and Caleb lifted Dad back in the coffin. I stood up, my hand placed across my stomach. My eyes centered on the man at the doorway. He looked so familiar. Leo looked at him in disgust. Chris breathed heavy and closed his eyes. The man looked terrified and ran out of the room. Three vases shattered and the whole front row of seats flew into the back row as I screamed for this all to stop.
-
As we sat around the attic, I wondered where all of this was going. The big picture. I sat on the couch beside Phoebe, who had her arms around me. Piper and Leo stood in front of some boxes. Chris and Wyatt stood at the stand by the book, searching for the demons while Warren stood at the window, looking down. Paige was sitting at the potions table. Caleb had just come in from checking on Josie, who had been packing away the food.
"He's an innocent, but I don't think the demons were after him." Chris said, frustrated, "This really isn't making sense."
"Well, maybe these are two totally different things." Paige shrugged, "You said all you saw is him getting hit by a giant energy ball..."
"Yeah, but most demons have fire balls." Phoebe said.
"Maybe he wasn't getting killed by a demon." Leo interjected, causing everyone to look at him.
"Why would you say that, honey?" Piper asked.
"Because if he's the innocent, then we might be protecting him from more than just demons." Leo said.
We all looked at him.
"He was one of the witches on the Collective's side." Leo said, "Moreover, he was the witch that killed Peter."
At his comment, Caleb and I looked at him quickly. Caleb was confused, but I was angry.
"How do we defend him if we don't know what he's up against?" Paige asked.
"We don't." I said quickly.
"What?" Piper asked.
"He just killed my father." I frowned.
"But the Elders want us to protect him for some reason." Wyatt said.
"What if it had been Leo?" Caleb interjected, "It almost was Leo."
"Drake, Caleb..." Piper started.
"If this was Leo, everyone in this family would be after this guy!" Caleb said angrily, "I'm sorry, but this guy can't get away with this!"
"We can't punish people. We're only here to protect them." Phoebe said, "It's not fair, I know."
I chuckled in annoyance, "This again." I frowned.
"You may not like this, kiddo, but that's the way it is." Piper said.
"I promise, we'll do something, but we're not going to murder him." Wyatt said, "Trust me."
"I don't." I frowned.
"Hey, look," Piper said, grabbing an old teddy bear, "It's wuvey!"
"Isn't that the teddy bear that tuned Wyatt Evil?" I asked.
"Well, yeah, but..." Piper started.
I raised my hands, blowing the teddy bear up in her hands.
"Drake!" Piper said outraged.
Wyatt came from behind the book stand, "Why did you do that?!" He said, angrily grabbing the teddy bear.
"Because it's ugly!" I frowned.
"Listen, I don't know why you're being such a dick. Maybe it's because you're pregnant...maybe it's because your dad just died...maybe you're just an asshole." Wyatt said spitefully. My mouth, along with everyone else's dropped, "But you're really starting to piss everyone off! We're all too nice to say it, but you're being a jerk to everyone. I understand that hormones are racing through you, but do you have to be such a bitch to everyone? Must you make everyone's life a living Hell?!"
I put a finger up, warning him. The words escaped me.
"I didn't mean all the time, just lately." Wyatt said apologetically.
I smiled, half embarrassed and half pissed, then turned, walking to the door. Wyatt walked behind me but I turned, "Don't." I said, walking out. Caleb said nothing, he just left.
"Dude, you just went agro." Chris said, amazed, "I didn't think you had it in you."
"Yeah, but I'll be paying for that for years to come." Wyatt frowned.
"I can't believe he blew up the teddy bear." Piper said astonished by the whole scene.
Wyatt looked over to his hand and the busted teddy bear, "Wuvey." He said sadly.
"I don't think this is over." Phoebe said, "Both Caleb and Drake were super pissed."
"We need to find the innocent before they do." Leo said.
"What makes you think they'd go for him?" Paige asked.
"Think if it was me." Leo said.
"Plus, he needs something to fight." Warren said, "But if he fights, not only could this witch hurt him and the baby, but whatever's after him is a threat."
"This is gonna require flowers." Wyatt said, folding his arms.
"No, bro, that's gonna require a huge diamond." Chris said, patting Wyatt on the shoulder.
"You must stop them."
The family turned to see an Elder.
"We're trying." Piper said, "We could use some help...and incentive. Why should we protect this murderer?"
"Because Drake will never forgive himself, especially if he hurts this innocent." The Elder said.
"What's so special about him?" Leo asked.
-
"He's not right." Caleb said.
Caleb and I had gone back to his penthouse. It was a very nice penthouse dad had bought for him when he decided to take over for dad. Josie retired to the master bedroom, which was one of three, and Caleb sat on the couch.
"Oh, he's right!" I said, "I've been an ass, but don't I have a right to be? I just lost my dad and grandmother and found out I am pregnant and not only that, but I could lose me and the baby!"
"You're not going anywhere. You and the baby'll be alright." Caleb said supportively.
"Did I say anything when he wanted to switch jobs yet again? Or when...he...well, he's done stuff, too!" I frowned, "I didn't even question him about what he did when I was gone for eight years."
"What are we going to do about this guy?" Caleb asked, "He killed dad."
"Well, my first instinct is to stab him incessantly." I said.
"Weird, me too."
"But I'd settle for taking him out." I said, "Magically."
"How are we going to find him? And what about the wiccan reed?" Caleb asked.
A vase on his table shattered.
"Don't ever ask that question again." I frowned.
Caleb looked at me oddly, "You can't control that, can you?" he asked.
I shook my head.
"We should be closer." Caleb said, "I should know these things. We're all we've got."
"Not necessarily." I said, "Dad told me something...I couldn't find a nice time to tell you..."
"What is it?" Caleb asked.
"We have a brother." I said.
Caleb laughed.
"I'm serious."
"Of course we do." Caleb chuckled, "I mean, I'd be insulted if we didn't have a lost family member out there."
I chortled, "I guess you're right."
"Any idea who it is?" Caleb asked.
"Nope...all this is crazy making, it really..." I stopped, "I just had an idea."
"What?" Caleb asked.
"Got any candles? I know how to find him and what to do to him." I smirked, "Vengeance, thy name is Summers."
-
Brian, a guy just older than Caleb, put his coffee on the table and walked to the door. Brian was a light-skinned young man with a shaved haircut. His goatee was perfectly groomed, as well as the rest of his body and his apartment. He was in excellent shape, muscular and tall, about Wyatt's height. He was well dressed and had a very good job at Peter Summers' firm. He was torn inside because of his actions. When the Collective came to him, he thought he was doing good. When he was on the battlefield, he hadn't meant to kill anyone, just hurt them. His doorbell rang and he walked over slowly, opening the door. No one was on the other side, so he shut the door and wondered what happened. He walked to the kitchen and in the corner of his eye, he saw someone sitting on the couch. He paused and looked to the couch to see Peter, the man from the field, sitting on his couch.
"How'd you...I mean, you're dead." Brian stammered.
"Am I?" Peter asked, "Oh yeah, you'd know, kid. You killed me...right?"
Brian stared at him angrily.
"You murdered me." Peter said, "You're nothing but a filthy murderer."
"I didn't...they came to me, said that great evil was rising! I was just protecting my family." He said apologetically.
"And in doing so, you killed. You murdered. More than just me." Peter said, "More than just..."
"I hear those people screaming at night! I want it all to end, I want this to be over!" Brian shrieked.
"It will be." I said, causing him to turn. I raised my hand to blow him up.
"No!" Wyatt's voice boomed through the apartment as he, Chris, Warren and the Sisters orbed in between us.
"Get out of here." I said angrily.
"There's something you need to know." Paige said quickly, "He's not just the guy who killed your father."
Brian's eyes grew wide with realization, "Oh God, I'm so sorry!" he said, breaking into a sob.
"Drake, he's your brother." Wyatt said carefully standing in front of me.
I was speechless. My whole body shivered and my hands fell to my side.
"Holy crap!" Caleb said, "He...is our brother...who killed our father?"
I grabbed my stomach, doubling over in pain. I felt the urge to throw up, "I've got to get out of here." I said, pushing past them.
"I'm so sorry...I didn't know, not until after." Brian's voice said as I got to the door.
I paused for a split second, but continued out the door.
-
I sat at the edge of my bed, my hand pressed against my stomach. I searched the room, trying to find an explanation or something that made sense about all of this. I was about to kill my brother, who killed our father. He didn't know, but it didn't make it hurt any less. My stomach ached. My whole body ached. My soul ached. There was so much hurt in my heart and so much pain...I slipped my coat and shoes off and lay back on the bed. Before I could really process anything else, the tears began to roll and they wouldn't stop. I felt him, Wyatt, inside of the room. I couldn't move, I was frozen and my body couldn't move. I felt his hands slide in-between my arms and around my waist. I was shocked when my vision was obstructed by Chris, who lay down in front of me. I looked around slowly and saw the Halliwells and Caleb. The loneliness I felt melted away, again, but the tears didn't end. They couldn't.