Charmed: The New Power Of Three
By Julien Gregg

Copyright 2006 Julien Gregg
All rights reserved.
No part of this story may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author. This story is almost all fiction. Almost all of the characters depicted in this story exist exclusively in the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to an actual person, living or dead, is, sometimes purely coincidental. This story is based on the television show, Charmed, and although the family name and a similar book of shadows appear in this story, there are no characters from the show in the story. They may be named, but they will never be portrayed.

Charmed is owned by Spelling Entertainment and Warner Brother's Television. Certain spell text is borrowed from the television show. However, since no money is being made by this tale, I don't feel horrible about borrowing anything.

Chapter Seven:
The Unbreakable Curse

The sun was shining brightly through the kitchen windows as Damon walked in to get his morning cup of coffee. Dean was sitting at the breakfast bar, reading the newspaper and sipping his own cup of java. Damon wondered how Dean was dealing with the idea that David was his future husband. Xander hadn't said it in so many words, but what he had let slip only led to one conclusion.

"Morning," said Dean. "How did you sleep?"

"I've slept better," admitted Damon. "I keep wondering about Sebastian."

"We agreed that we were going to stay out of that," Dean argued.

"I know," sighed Damon as he added sugar to his coffee. "It just feels wrong. I mean, we know he's going to die. Not doing anything to stop it just seems wrong."

"But if we were meant to stop his death, Sebastian wouldn't be Xander's white lighter in the future," replied Dean. "I know it feels wrong to do nothing, but how much of our future do we want to put in jeopardy?"

"I know what you're saying, Dean," said Damon as he sat down beside his cousin. "I really do. All I'm saying is that it seems wrong."

"Well I know something that might take your mind off of this," said Dean. "I was talking to David last night about that building on the other side of town, the one that the lawyers told us that we own. David says it used to be a bakery. We talked about what to do with the building, and I want to turn it into a coffee house."

"That sounds like a great idea," replied Damon. "I used to hang out in the coffee shop of the ski lodge all of the time. I loved the smell of the place. Their coffee wasn't great, but the smell was awesome."

"I would really like it if you and Drake are both in on this with me," said Dean. "We all three own the building, so it would make sense that we would all have a hand in the business we open there."

"I'm all for it," replied Damon. "I just don't know the first thing about running a business."

"Well, David can help us with that," said Dean. "He's good with numbers. He said he could take care of the books and that sort of thing. That would just leave hiring employees and ordering supplies."

"Don't forget construction," said Damon. "When can we go and have a look at the building?"

"As soon as David and Dax get back," replied Dean. "Drake should be awake by then."

"Where did they go?" Damon asked.

"Dax knows where to find really good forged identification papers," replied Dean. He put up his hand when Damon started to say something. "I know its not legal, but there's no other way for them to have identities. David hasn't aged in the last twenty years, and he was declared dead. What they're trying to do is make it so that his papers say that he's his own son. Dax is just having papers created to make him a legal resident."

"Wow," said Damon. "I had no idea we knew how to do those things."

"We don't," reminded Dean. "Dax does. Its actually a good idea, though. They have to have identification, Damon."

"Oh, I agree," Damon said quickly. "I'm just glad that it isn't me, you or Drake that needs this."

"Morning, guys," said Drake as he came into the kitchen. "Where is everyone?"

"Dax and David went to get identification," said Damon, smiling at Dean.

"Coffee?" Dean offered.

"Sure," said Drake, scrubbing at his eyes with his balled fists. "Identification, huh?"

"Yeah, they need to be able to prove that they're someone," said Damon.

"Makes sense," yawned Drake. "Dax was never actually a citizen, and David has been missing for twenty years."

"He was declared dead twenty years ago," informed Damon.

"Heavy," said Drake, stifling another yawn.

"Up late?" Dean asked, handing a cup of coffee to his youngest cousin.

"I was talking to Dax," replied Drake, accepting the cup and nodding his thanks to Dean. "He was telling me something about getting paperwork today. He said he knew just where to go."

"Yeah, David talked to him about it before they left," said Dean.

"I almost asked about Xander and Mom," said Drake. "I almost forgot that they're gone."

"House seems kind of empty now, huh?" Dean asked, smiling.

He had gotten used to the idea of having a son. It had actually hurt to say goodbye to Xander. Of course he knew that it wasn't a real goodbye. Xander wasn't even born yet, but it felt like he was losing him when he'd sent him back to the future. It also made him wonder just how the young man would even be born to begin with.

"I know a way to make it fill up a little more," said Drake, smiling at his cousin.

"I was just thinking about that, actually," said Dean. "I'm actually going to start looking in to viable ways to have a child without a woman."

"That wasn't what I was talking about," said Drake, smirking at him. "You heard what Xander said about David."

"He didn't exactly say anything about David," reminded Dean. "He stopped before he told us anything."

"I know what he was going to say," said Drake. "You and David are his parents, Dean. That's what he was going to tell you."

"How do you know that?" Dean asked with a smirk. "Did you have a premonition?"

"I don't need a premonition to tell me what that boy was going to say," replied Drake. "Think about it, Dean."

"Think about what?" David asked as he and Dax came into the kitchen with large white envelopes in their hands.

"Noting," replied Dean. "Did you guys get what you needed?"

"Everything from birth certificates to driver's licenses and passports," replied Dax as he sat down at the table. "I'm now known as Daxton Halliwell."

"And I'm David Manning Jr," added David. "My first born son."

"And I thought knowing about Xander was a strange idea," laughed Dean.

"Xander," said David, smiling at Dean.

He was about to say more when he realized exactly what it was he about to say. The smile slipped as he remembered Sebastian's warning to keep the truth of the future hidden. Xander's future depended on it, he'd said. He supposed that it really wasn't a good idea that he say anything about what Sebastian had revealed to him. It wasn't as if he was romantically interested in Dean. Dean couldn't be interested in him, either. After all, Dean was twenty years younger than David.

"Excuse me," he said before walking out of the kitchen.

Dean watched him go as the smile slipped off his own face. The moment had been almost comfortable for him. He had actually looked at David as the man that he was instead of the man who had held him as a baby. He'd looked at him as the attractive, sexy man that he was for just a moment.

"Uh-huh," smirked Drake as he, too left the room.

"What was that?" Damon asked as he looked back and forth between Dax and Dean.

"Our little cousin is trying to play match maker," said Dean. "He wants me and David together."

"Well, Xander did say . . ."

"Oh, not you, too," Dean sighed. "Look, David isn't interested in me at all. Every time he looks at me he sees the baby he held in his arms."

"That was twenty years ago," reminded Damon, smirking at him.

"Twenty years to me, but it was weeks ago to him," said Dean.

"You two are funny," laughed Dax as he got up and left the kitchen as well.

Before either of them could comment on Dax's last words, the telephone rang. Damon answered it and was caught up in a conversation with his father. He hadn't forgiven him as of yet, but he'd been calling almost every day since he'd returned to Alaska. Damon was trying to understand that he'd only lied to protect him. It wasn't easy.

He really missed his father, though. Until Damon had moved to Storyville they'd been close. He'd grown up with only a father, and that had made the two of them close. It hurt to be angry with him. Damon wanted to forgive him, but it seemed that every time he tired his father would bring up something about magic and try to talk him out of staying in Storyville. Then he'd be mad at him all over again.

This time, however, Adam's approach had been completely different. Instead of trying to talk Damon into moving back to Alaska, Adam had said that he was thinking of moving to Storyville himself. Damon really didn't think that was such a good idea, but he didn't exactly know how to tell his father that.

After that conversation, Damon was a little distracted. He didn't even want to go and look at the building with Dean. Drake had been very excited about the coffee shop idea when Dean had told him, but with thinking about having to ward off long arguments with his father, Damon had lost all interest.

Three days after the phone call, Dean and David went to take a look at the building. Dean had cleared out his personal savings just the day before to buy a car. The black Dodge Stealth was just the type of car that Dean liked. He'd driven around all day long the day he'd bought it. David had rode shotgun half of that time. He was more than a little leery of Dean's fast driving the morning they went to look at the building, but he directed Dean until they pulled up right in front of it.

It was a dark brick building that sat between two others that looked almost exactly the same. Its long rectangular shape was broken up by two large bay windows. A painted sign hung in one window. It read: Halliwell Diner. Dean was happy to see that the concrete patio in front of the building was unbroken and well kept. He hoped the inside of the building looked as good.

"Looks good," said David, smiling. "Shouldn't be too hard to convert the place into a coffee house."

"You remember the diner?" Dean asked, turning to face him.

"Oh yeah," replied David. "I was working here as a cook when I first met your father."

"You'll have to tell me about my dad some time," said Dean as David led him into the building, unlocking the double doors with the key that had been provided by the lawyers along with the deed to the building.

"I'll do that," he said as they stepped inside the spacious dark room.

There were no tables or chairs. All of that had been removed. What remained was a long counter with stools that were in bad need of replacements. Dean checked the kitchen and found that all of the appliances had been removed along with the tables. He thought that tearing out the wall between the kitchen and the rest of the diner wouldn't be hard.

"Seeing it as you want it to be when its converted?" David asked, watching as Dean looked around the kitchen.

He was starting to see Dean in a different light. Perhaps it was just because he knew that they were going to be married in the future, but he saw him as a man now instead of the baby he'd held in his arms two days before the curse had been cast on him, locking him in a book for twenty years. He noticed his strong jaw line and full lips and, for the first time, wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

Dean had an incredible body. He wasn't overly muscular. His muscles were well toned and defined. David supposed it was from the dancing he'd done in Florida. The baby that he remembered was now a full grown, sexy young man. David found himself getting excited as he thought of what it would be like to wrap his arms around Dean's muscular frame and hold him. He flushed when Dean turned to look at him and averted his eyes.

"I think we need a construction crew," Dean said, missing David's lust filled look. "I want to get started on this as quickly as possible."

"Your cousins are interested in a coffee house, too?" David asked, trying hard to keep his voice even.

"Drake is," replied Dean. "Damon told me to do whatever I wanted with the building. He wasn't really interested in it at all."

"Damon seems withdrawn," commented David, thinking about how Damon had been virtually silent since they'd sent Xander back to his time.

"He's thinking about his dad," replied Dean. "He told me this morning that his father called him last night. He wants to sell his house and move here to Storyville."

"And Damon doesn't want that to happen?"

"No, he doesn't," replied Dean as they left the building and got back into Dean's newly purchased car. "He's angry with is father for lying to him all his life. I can't say that I blame him."

"Adam lied to him to try to keep him safe, Dean," argued David. "He didn't mean him harm."

"But what if a demon had come for him before he knew the truth? My cousin could be dead right now, because his father made him live a lie."

"The trouble with marrying mortals is that they often reject the magical world," said David. "Your mother did much the same with you, right?"

"She tried, but I remembered a little," he said. "I remembered talking to my father's spirit when I was little, and there were other things."

"Do you hate your mother for trying to lie to you about who you really are?" David asked.

"My mother is dead, David," said Dean. "I can't hate someone who is dead."

* * *

The air smelled of burnt flesh inside the darkened cave maze that was the underworld. In the center of a large cave stood six demons. Each of them bore a mark on their left hand. Branded into their skin was the shape of an inverted ankh with a lightning bolt running through it. These demons were what was left of a band known as "The Kin". They were the most powerful upper level demons in the underworld. Only one force stood above them in power.

Thought to have been vanquished at lest four human generations ago, Raken currently claimed the title of "King" among demons. His visit to the cave signified that a very important human had been marked for extermination. The self proclaimed King rarely consorted with any faction of demons. His only interest in them was using them to carry out one of his many master plans.

"Hear me, and take heed of my words," said the six foot cole black demon. "I have marked a human, and by the time the sun sets five days from now he is to be erased from existence. This human can not be allowed to fulfill his destiny. Failure to carry out my orders means death."

A low grumble began amongst the six member of The Kin. The fact that Raken had called only them to a meeting meant that he wanted the most powerful amongst the ranks of demonic factions to kill this human. Erased is the way he'd put it. Only one thing could erase a human and end his destiny. The Unbreakable Curse was rarely used anymore, for it was completely and utterly permanent. One inflicted, the curse could not be lifted or broken by any force on Earth.

"Fale," said Raken, pointing at a dark haired demon who looked, for the most part, entirely human. "You are to be my ultimate assassin. Fail me, and death would be a much better fate than what will become of you."

* * *

Construction began on the building the very next morning. Dean and Drake were there bright and early to meet with the construction crew to discuss plans for what they wanted done. It turned out that what they wanted was fairly easy to do. The owner of the construction company assured them that the work would be done in a matter of weeks. The coffee shop was about to become a reality.

It also didn't take them long to learn that Sebastian was one of the construction workers. They watched him that first day without even speaking to him. Drake wanted to warn him, but Dean didn't think it would do any good. For one thing, how were they supposed to tell him that he was going to be cursed by a demon in the coming days? He wouldn't have believed them if they had. He'd have written them off as crazed lunatics.

"You need to describe that demon to me," said Dean later that afternoon when they were back at home. He was looking in the Book of Shadows to try and find anything that could help them. A description of the demon was a start.

"Ok," Drake said slowly, thinking about every detail he could remember from his premonition. "He looked almost completely human. His eyes were all black, though, no whites at all. There were small horns jutting from his temples, but they weren't completely noticeable. His features were rugged; dark un kept hair, pale skin and ragged clothes. He looked like a homeless person actually."

Dean looked through the book until he came upon a demon that was close to what Drake had described. He quickly read the information that had been written about the demon and was shocked to see that it was signed by his father. The last inscription read that no potions would work, and the power of three was needed to vanquish him.

"Is this your demon?" Dean asked, directing Drake's attention to the page he was looking at.

"That's him," replied Drake. Then he read the entry out loud. "'Fale: an upper level demon assassin known to be a member of the powerful demonic faction known as 'The Kin'. No known weaknesses. No spells will work to vanquish Fale. The power of three spell is the only thing powerful enough.'"

"We're going to need Damon for this one," said Dean.

"Wait, isn't that your father's signature?" Drake asked, pointing at the name signed at the bottom of the page. Jase Halliwell.

"That's him all right," said Dean, smiling. "Its nice to know that my father fought demons. I mean, I remember his death. I know Ash killed him, but to read his writing in the book makes it all even more real for me."

"I know what you mean," agreed Drake. "I've been reading my mother's book, and I really like knowing that she really was good."

"She proved that when we summoned her," assured Dean, patting Drake's shoulder.

"Enough of this," said Drake, shaking his head slightly. "Where's Damon?"

"Off with Jason," replied Dean. "We'll nab him when he gets back, though. I don't want Fale catching us separated. From my dad's warning it sounds like he's a bitch."

"I think I have a spell that will work to lift the curse, too," said Drake. He went on when Dean looked at him hard. "I know its supposedly unbreakable, but we're charmed. If we use the power of three, we should be able to break the curse."

"It might work," agreed Dean. "But we're talking about stopping an event that is destined to happen. I mean Sebastian is supposed to die and become a white lighter remember?"

"Yeah I know," replied Drake. "But you need to read about the unbreakable curse. It doesn't just kill. It erases the cursed from existence. Dean, it will make it like he was never born. It kills destiny."

"Kills destiny?" Dean gasped, turning pages in the book to locate the curse. When he found it, he read the inscription out loud. "'The Unbreakable Curse is named so, because it is impossible to lift or break the curse once it has been used. This very powerful bit of dark magic is feared by both good and evil witches alike. The curse erases the cursed from existence, changing the world. The world is changed because the cursed subject has been removed from existence. Any action taken by the cursed subject will be undone . . .'"

"See what I mean?" Drake asked when Dean's voice trailed off. His cousin's fear strained face looked back at him. "We have to do something. He can't be a white lighter if he never existed."

"We need Damon," mumbled Dean. He stepped away from the book and tilted his head back. "Jason!"

Seconds later Jason orbed in with Damon. They both looked startled, and Damon looked around the attic as if searching for the reason they were summoned. When he didn't see anything out of the ordinary he looked at his cousins. The question was all over his face as he looked back and forth between them.

"We have to kill this demon," said Drake. "He can't be allowed to curse Sebastian, and we need the power of three to vanquish the demon."

"Vanquish who?" asked Jason.

"Sebastian?" queried Damon at the same time.

Dean did his best to explain what was going on. He told them about Drake's premonition, which Damon was already aware of. When he told them that the demon would use the Unbreakable Curse, Jason looked horrified. In seconds they were all talking at once. Each one was arguing about one part of the plan or another. A brilliant shower of bright white light in the center of the attic stopped them all and made them silent.

The light was so magnificent that it almost hurt to look at it. It was as if stars had fallen in the attic of the manor. As they watched the light grew brighter still. A shadow appeared in the center of the light, and what looked like orbs of glittering white lightning surrounded the figure. When the lights died, Aaron was standing in the center of the attic, looking right at Drake.

"Oh my God!" cried Drake, running to Aaron. He threw himself into the arms of his lost lover and sobbed on his shoulder. "You're alive. I tried everything I could think of to undo what my brother did to you, but they said that I couldn't use magic to cheat destiny and take back death. I tried . . ."

"Calm down, Drake," Aaron soothed, holding him tight. "My death wasn't the end for me. I'm here now. We have something very important to do."

"You're not a white lighter," said Jason, looking at Aaron suspiciously. "No white lighter orbs like that."

"No, Jason, I'm not a white lighter," Aaron said, smiling.

"How do you know my name?" Jason asked, stepping back as step and almost running into Gregory as he orbed into the attic right behind him.

"I've come to help you all prevent a terrible event," said Aaron. "We don't have much time. The demon, Fale, is already in Sebastian's apartment." He held out his hand to Damon and Drake. "Come. We have to get there and stop him before he uses the curse."

As soon as Damon and Dean touched Aaron's hand, the brilliant white orbs surrounded all three of the cousins along with Aaron. They were gone when the light left, leaving Jason and Gregory to stare at the space where they'd been. The white lighters looked at each other before they both orbed.

* * *

"With all of the power of the underworld, I curse thee undone, unraveled and unknown," said the dark haired demon who had both of his hands pressed firmly onto Sebastian's chest. He'd knocked him out and placed him on the floor inside a huge black pentagram.

"Quick," said Drake, unfolding the piece of paper in his hand. The cousins stood together as they read the spell.

"Words spun in malice unsettle life's balance. Undo this evil and set him free. Lift the curse, so mote it be," they read together, but Fale began to laugh as he formed an energy ball in his hand.

"You're too late, guardian," he hissed at Aaron. "The curse is in place. As we speak he's being undone. Nothing can save him now."

"You're a fool, Fale," said Aaron. "You have no idea what you've done."

As he said those words, the building rocked as if an earthquake had begun. The sunlight that had been shining through the windows winked out, and the room was pitched into a gloomy darkness. The energy ball in Fale's hand gave off an eerie glow, but the most radiant source of light in the room was Aaron. A silvery glow had surrounded him, and he knelt beside Sebastian. He placed his hands on Sebastian's chest and white light surrounded his body.

Fale threw the energy ball at Aaron, but before it hit him Aaron raised his left hand and the energy ball disappeared. The white light that surrounded Sebastian grew brighter when Aaron put his hand back on his chest. The sky outside seemed to be blinking as if the sun was rising and setting every other second.

"Quickly now," called Aaron. "Finish the demon before its too late."

Dean, Damon and Drake stood side by side, clasping hands as they each began to say the names of the entire line of Halliwell witches. Half way through the spell, Fale threw an energy ball at them, but Dean deflected it with telekinesis. Damon lifted both hands and froze the demon in place.

"The power of three will set us free! The power of three will set us free! The power of three will set us free!" they chanted together, and Fale burst into white flames.

He twisted and clawed at his hair as the white fire burned through him. There was an explosion that rocked the cousins off their feet. They saw immediately that the demon was gone. A blackened spot on the floor remained where he had stood. They'd vanquished Fale, but he'd already used to curse on Sebastian.

"I can not give him life again," said Aaron as he stood up and turned to face the cousins. "The curse is lifted, but death is unbreakable."

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