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

"So, Drake, you quit your job a while ago, after much controversy in one of your columns. Care to respond?" Corey Jeffrey from Corey Jeffrey Show asked.

I was on to do press circuit. With no discernable skills, I had opted to go for celebrity to get as much money I could before the baby was born. There was definitely a lot of risk with being in the public eye and being a Charmed One, but as of late, I wasn't a Charmed One anymore. Melinda had stepped into my place. That's when she wasn't out on dates with the mystery man. I had just done a photo shoot and I prayed that the film didn't catch my true state and if it did, I hoped it caught just looked like a gut and not what it really was.

"I was really not myself for the past couple of months. It's no excuse, but after losing my Dad and my grandmother, I was heavily out of my own body." I said, "It's still no excuse. I know that."

"You've been doing this job since you were a teenager, how does it feel to not do it?" Corey asked.

"Honestly, I'm still in shock." I said politely, "It was the right move."

"What have you been doing lately?"

"Well, I've been getting ready for my baby and enjoying being married." I said quickly.

"And singing at your brother-in-law's club. That's P3, where it was closed for a long time before making a gigantic comeback. I heard you were great."

"It was once. I'm not really a singer." I shrugged.

"So, you're going to have a baby? I seem to remember you had a baby..."

"My brother-in-law had a baby. This will be my first." I said, "We're all excited."

"How are you dealing with your father's death? After what happened to your mother." Corey asked.

"I...What?" I asked.

"I didn't mean to put you in a bad state of mind, I was just wondering how you're getting over what happened."

"My husband and his family as well as my brothers." I smiled.

"Brothers?"

"We have another brother that my dad and mom gave away for their own reasons." I said.

"There's so much more I want to ask you, to know about you, but we're out of time." Corey said, "Will please come back soon?"

"Sure." I smiled.

"And that's been our talk the talk segment with Drake Halliwell." Corey said.

"Dude, you were on Corey Jeffrey's show!" Chris said, "That's huge."

"So am I!" I frowned.

"You're not huge. You're pregnant...still weird to say." Chris smiled.

"And you're married." I chuckled, "And we're all semi-happy."

"Yeah, you really shouldn't have said that." Chris chuckled, "So, how's married life for you? I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."

"Great. Wyatt wants a dog." I said.

"And that's a problem?"

"A dog? I mean, with the baby, we're getting a dog?" I asked.

"The dog could protect the baby." Chris suggested, "A dog would be awesome for us but I don't know if I could keep it alive."

"If I had powers, I could protect us myself!" I shouted at the ceiling.

"I don't think that'll work." Chris frowned.

"I have no active power." I frowned, "I can astral project and I have premonitions."

"Those are awesome powers." Chris said, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"I liked it better when you were the one with premonitions." I smiled.

-           

As Wyatt walked in, an aroma hit his nose immediately. He was happy to be home, to be with his husband for a change. He'd been totally absorbed with his new practice and Drake had been very understanding. Bored, but understanding. Wyatt could see that Drake missed his job, but he did what he always did, threw himself into something new. No one thought all this media attention was a good thing, especially considering what they do, but it took Drake's mind off everything. That was more important to him, even though Agent Moreau was out to get them. There was nothing in the world he'd rather do than to stay with Drake all day, but lives depended on him. Their financial life sort of depended on him too.

"You're...trying to cook again." Wyatt smiled politely, "Great."

I chuckled, "Shut up and sit." I said tossing him a roll.

"Hey, this chicken looks cooked." Wyatt smiled, "Good job, honey."

I nodded, "I even made cornbread for Piper." I said quickly, "To try and make her forget about walking in on us while I was giving you a bl...thing."

"Yeah, about that thing...when can we do it again?" Wyatt smirked.

"Whenever you finish eating." I smiled.

"We can't..."

"Eat." I chuckled, sitting beside him at the table, "I mean, it's embarrassing enough for your mom to know we have sex, but for her to actually see it..."

"Imagine she used to bathe you." Wyatt squirmed, "Besides, my baby can cook and you keep this place spotless while still being on," he pulled out a magazine, "The cover of a magazine!"

"Hey! I don't look that fat!" I said pleasantly, "And I'm..."

"Gorgeous." Wyatt smiled, "And getting really good at cooking. Maybe you could work for mom's restaurant."

"Your mom may take pity on me, but that the last thing she'd do." I chuckled.

Wyatt continued eating.

"I definitely think we should talk about it." I said quickly.

Wyatt stopped eating and looked at Drake, "We're not talking about this. We're not even thinking about this." He said.

"Wyatt, there is a real strong possibility..."

"No!" Wyatt said, standing, "You don't get to leave."

"I saw it myself." I said looking away from him, "I saw myself die and I can't leave..."

"You're right, you can't leave." Wyatt said angrily, "I don't think you understand...The power of three will go on, evil will go on..."

I nodded.

"But my life...life, in general, won't go on." Wyatt frowned.

"Wyatt..."

"No. Just no!" Wyatt said, storming away.

I pushed everything off the table and leaned on the table, trying to catch any air around me. There was no air...

-           

Melinda's phone went off as she rolled over and snatched it off the modern glass end table. She looked at her phone and jumped out of the bed. She began shaking into her jeans.

"Wow...I do love that." Dean smiled from the bed.

Melinda looked over to the naked man and chuckled while sliding into the jeans. She then slid her shirt over her bra before realizing it was backwards.

"Now, you're just entertaining me." Dean laughed.

"Very funny." She said, slipping it on right.

"You know, I meant what I said." Dean said, "I love you."

Melinda froze and turned to him, "You don't...you can't..."

"Good thing I didn't ask you to say it back." Dean smirked.

"I...just...I...Why now?! I just...this can't get serious!" she stammered, "Because without knowing it, we're hurting someone."

"It felt good to me."

"I meant Drake! How is he going to react to this?" Melinda said, searching for her purse.

Dean stood, fully naked, "We're adults. I'm just as concerned about his career as you are, but what we're doing has nothing to do with him." He said.

Melinda snatched her purse from the living chair, "See, that shows how much you don't know my brother-in-law! He's going to...well, kill me." She said.

Dean walked over, still naked, and grabbed her by the shoulders, "It's too late. I love you." He smiled.

"Maybe it's gas. It'll pass!" Melinda said quickly.

"No, it won't Prudence Melinda Halliwell." Dean smiled, kissing her.

"Oh God...that is love." She said with confusion.

-           

"I know you can hear me. Please." I said, standing in the attic. I called the Elders, needing them for once. There was a lot that I had to know. A lot that I needed to know.

"Yes." Kyle said.

I turned to him, "Kyle, I called."

"We know." Kyle said patiently, "You called us."

"Us?" I asked.

"The Elders." Kyle said, "You called us and I came."

"I don't understand. How can you..."

"I've always been an Elder." Kyle said, "I had to pretend that I was your whitelighter to gain your trust."

"I think you just lost it." I said.

"I'm still the same Kyle."

"No, you're not. Do the sisters know?" I asked. I smiled, "Of course they do."

"Leo is rightfully your whitelighter, for he has guided your generation." Kyle said.

"Fine. That's cool as long as I get my answer." I frowned.

"What question do you want to know?"

"Why was I chosen?" I asked.

"Chosen?" Kyle asked.

"Don't play ring around-the-white-light with me! Why did I get called to be Charmed?" I asked.

"You didn't." Kyle said, "You were put with the Halliwells to be protected."

"Protected?" I asked.

"The Charmed children were fated you."

"I'm not meant to reconstitute the Charmed Ones..." I asked.

"Melinda is the true Charmed One, if you call them that. They are more powerful than the Charmed Ones." Kyle said.

"So, at best, I can create the Charmed Ones, not whatever those three are." I said with realization, "I'm of lesser power. Saw that coming. Why do I have Charmed powers?"

"The blood." Kyle said, "You manifest them as a last resort."

"Why didn't anyone say that?" I asked.

"Would you have surrendered?" Kyle asked.

"No, but I would have trusted you." I frowned, "It was my destiny to carry this child?"

"And the child before." Kyle frowned.

"The forsaken...me and my brothers..."

"No, not you. You. The other you." Kyle said, "He's fated."

"Stop saying that!" I shouted, "Stop saying fated!"

"Hey, who's up here..." Piper asked as she walked in with Leo.

"Kyle." Leo smiled politely.

"What's going on?" Piper asked.

"Kyle's telling me about how you've been lying and manipulating me all this time." I frowned.

"What?" Leo asked.

"What is it? I die and you just pluck Melinda right in and you have an even stronger power of three?" I asked.

Leo and Piper looked spooked.

"She wasn't ready." Piper said, "She was just our little girl."

"And I was? I was only a kid!" I said, tearing up, "You stuck me into danger because the real Charmed One wasn't ready."

"It's not how it sounds," Leo said, "We knew that you would be helping, we saw the future."

I shook my head, "Oh God...Those eight years I was gone...That's how you did everything without the power of three. You already had one."

"It's not...we love you!" Piper protested.

"You used me!" I frowned.

(No, we didn't)

"What? Don't lie to me!" I shouted.

(All this is not good for the baby)

"Screw the baby, what about her daddy!" I said angrily.

(Something's wrong.)

"Drake..." Piper began.

(He's reading our minds.)

"What?"

"I think he's hearing our thoughts." Leo said.

"What? Empaths can't..." Piper said.

"Not empathy." Kyle said, "Telepathy."

Suddenly, there were voices in my head. They all spoke at the same time. I pressed my hands to my head and sunk down to the floor.

"Drake!" Piper shouted.

"Get away!" I shouted, "It hurts."

-           

"How long has he been there?" Wyatt asked.

"An hour." Piper said, "Everytime we try and go in, he screams."

"He will come to his power in time." Kyle said.

"How much time?" Wyatt asked.

"He's reading hundreds of minds. He has to learn to control it." Kyle said.

"And how does he do that?" Chris asked.

"Lemme guess, who knows?" Bianca asked.

"In time. I have to go." Kyle said, orbing out.

"He's a lot of help. He comes in here, lays bombshells and then retreats where he knows Drake can't follow." Piper said irritably.

"I can't believe he just told him." Leo said, "But I understand. He has to be okay with Melinda replacing him."

"I just hope he doesn't blow...almost forgot that's not his power anymore." Melinda said.

"Speaking of his abilities, I should go in." Wyatt said.

"Are you sure?" Chris asked.

"Chris is right, maybe we should just leave him alone or bind his new power." Bianca suggested.

"Then he'd kill us." Wyatt said, "Explosive power or no."

"Wyatt should go." Leo said, "But protect your thoughts as much as you can."

Wyatt nodded and opened the door. He was immediately caught off guard by the fact Drake wasn't by the book. He was huddled by the sofa with his hand on his temples!

"Shut the door!" I shouted.

Wyatt did as he was told and walked over.

"He's acting strange...Can he read my thoughts?" I repeated.

"Okay, baby, you're scaring me." Wyatt frowned.

"The pictures...close the window." I said softly.

"Babe..."

"Close the window!" I shouted.

The windows slammed shut!

Wyatt looked from the window to me, "Did you do that?" he asked.

"Melinda thinks I might go insane." I said, "Chris and Bianca cried at their wedding. Piper and Leo feel horrible about what I found out and that they didn't tell me. I feel it. I hear it."

Wyatt kneeled down beside me, "Concentrate on me. This is us. Think about..."

"I can't find my own voice. There's so many! They're all saying different things!" I said with a strained voice.

"Concentrate on me. My voice. I need you to concentrate on me. Baby you can do this." Wyatt said gently.

I closed my eyes, wishing the voices out. They dissipated before finally calming. It felt like there was a stream of voices but they were in the back of my mind. A fire ball clipped Wyatt's shoulder, causing him to fall to slide across the floor in front of the book! I looked up to see a demon standing by the door. He stretched his hand out and threw a fire ball my way! I dodged it! I ran to the demon and swung into the air, missing him when he shimmered out. He appeared behind me and threw me to the ground! I rolled to avoid his foot and stood, missing a kick by inches. He reared back and swatted me away into an old armoire! Wyatt got to his feet and waved his hand, causing the demon to disperse in orbs! Wyatt ran over to me and pulled a piece of wood out of my back and began healing me.

My eyes opened quickly, "Hey, are you okay?" Wyatt asked.

"I'm fine, what about you?" I asked.

"Been better." Wyatt said.

-           

"He picked then to attack you because you're vulnerable." Leo explained

We were gathered around in the attic by the book.

"I'm not the real Charmed One anyways!" I said quickly, "Why does every demon..."

"What is it?" Wyatt asked.

"They need me out of the way." I said, "The Forsaken is three brothers. You and Mel and Chris have to stop them."

"You are a real Charmed One." Piper said, "This doesn't change anything."

"It changes everything." I frowned.

Piper looked away.

"We didn't use you." Leo said, "We care for you, like our own son."

"Then why couldn't you just tell me? I would have understood." I frowned.

"You would have looked at it differently." Phoebe said, "You had to think..."

"That I was the real Charmed One." I said softly.

"You are." Paige said.

"Melinda, Chris and Wyatt are stronger than I could ever be." I said quickly.

Wyatt walked over to me, "This doesn't have to change us. Any of us. You've helped so many people...don't throw it away because you didn't know the whole truth. We all love you." He smiled, "Nothing will ever change that."

Dark Drake flamed in, "That's the problem. Your love is toxic." He said.

"What..." I started.

"He's our downfall. Our love for him drives us to places we shouldn't go. We never recover." Dark Drake said.

"Leave, or..." Wyatt said angrily.

"Or what? You can't hurt me." Dark Drake said.

"Wanna bet." Piper said, blasting him back!

Suddenly, I was also thrown off my feet!

"Drake!" Wyatt said, running to me and running his hand over my body.

I sprang to life, as did my counterpart, "See. You hurt me and you hurt your precious." He smirked.

"That's not good." Paige frowned.

"Only death breaks this bond." Drake said.

I looked at him with fear before smiling, "Nobody's seen the trouble I've seen." I smiled.

"I have." He smirked, disappearing in flames.

"If we kill him, we kill you?" Phoebe asked.

"We won't have to wait long." I said.

Wyatt stared daggers into me.

"What does he mean?" Paige asked.

"Nothing." Wyatt frowned.

"Wyatt..." Piper said.

"I had a vision of me dying during childbirth." I said simply.

The sisters looked at me quickly. Leo opened his mouth to say something but didn't.

"When were you going to tell us?" Bianca asked.

"I...oddly enough, wasn't." I said.

"There's got to be something we can do." Paige said, "Some spell or..."

I shook my head, "Spells could cause a miscarriage or something, Ava said so." I frowned.

"There's got to be something we can do." Phoebe said, "Now that we know..."

"There's nothing." I said.

"He's given up." Wyatt said.

"Why wouldn't you tell us?" Leo asked.

"I asked him not to." I said, "And I haven't given up. I haven't. I've accepted it and I'm going to fight to stay healthy all I can but...this baby can undo all the evil that Dark me has done. It's good...pure good."

"Sweetie, we're not ready to lose you." Piper said putting her arm around my shoulder.

"Kind of poetic. It's what's going to stop me." I smiled, "That's a gift."

"Well, I'm going to return it." Wyatt said, orbing away.

"He's mad." I said.

"He's mad? Have ya met me?!" Piper said angrily.

Suddenly, a demon shimmered in and I pushed Piper to the side as a pink force field sprang up in front of me! The demon shimmered out and in front of me. I blocked a punch and kicked him in the knee. I then punched the demon, sending him to the ground! He stood up and sent two fire balls at me, I put my hand up and stopped them in mid-air. I swung my hand back at him, causing the fireballs to fly back and incinerate the demon!

"What was that?" Leo asked, helping Piper up.

"Most likely the baby." I said.

"But there were no orbs." Phoebe said.

"Maybe it's like Aunt Phoebe's empathy." Chris suggested.

"Let's thank God for that." Piper said.

"Or the Elders." I said.

-           

I stood in the doorway, waiting for Wyatt to come home. I had a big surprise for him. It was what he wanted, since he didn't exactly get what he wanted all the time. Wyatt orbed in behind me.

"No! You ruined the surprise!" I said.

"Surprise? Were you going to strip?" Wyatt asked.

"You want your huge husband to strip?" I asked.

"I want my gorgeous husband to strip." Wyatt smiled.

"Like I said, there's a surprise." I said quickly. I walked into the bedroom and brought a brand new puppy out with me, "His name is...well, I have no idea."

"I think he should be called Griff." Wyatt said, "Thank you."

"He's a lab." I smiled, "I want him to grow up with our baby."

Wyatt took his eyes of the puppy for a split second before putting his eyes back on the puppy, "He'll grow with all of us." He said.

"Wyatt..."

"It's either all of us or nothing." Wyatt said.

"I got him to protect you and the baby when I'm..."

"Stop!"

"When I'm gone." I said, tears running down my face. I began to sob, "Cause I won't be here."

Wyatt walked over and hugged me.

"Oh my God. Why do I have to go?" I squeaked out between sobs.

"I'm going to find a way to save you, I swear." Wyatt said, his tears falling as well, "I'll never stop fighting for you. Ever."

"I don't want to go."

§   

Hey guys, I just want to say thank you for even dropping by and reading this. If you really like this story, please write to me at Femtoka2@yahoo.com and tell me how much you liked it. It helps the creative process to know that more people are liking my story. A special shout out to Adrian Benavidez, he's given me a lot of really good input. Thanks again for reading.