Date: Thu, 7 May 2009 22:24:07 +0000
From: David Guzman <qt2004_423@hotmail.com>
Subject: New Covenant Twelve: Means to an End

Disclaimer: "The Covenant" names, titles, characters and all other
registered trademarks are the property of Sony Pictures Inc. (Screen Gems)
and Lakeshore Entertainment. I solemnly swear that there is no monetary
gain on my part by writing this FICTIONAL alternate universe to "The
Covenant" (c) 2006. All "Charmed" names, titles characters and all other
registered trademarks are the property of Spelling Entertainment, and
Constance M. Burge. All original characters are my sole property, and
released to public archiving by Nifty Archives. All songs belong to their
respective artist and recording corporation.

The following contains sexual and romantic relations between two or more
men. If this subject makes you uncomfortable please do not read on. If you
are under the age of 18 (21 in some states) and therefore it is illegal to
view this material please do not read on.

If none of the above apply to you, well then ENJOY.

Conversations enclosed in " " are spoken aloud
Conversations enclosed in < > are only between Dave and Caleb
Conversations enclosed in :  : are telepathic.
_____________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 12: Means to an End

*Prudence*

The powers of an oracle are a mysterious thing. They're not ruled by the
same statues that rule witches and white-lighters and so on, no the rules
are very different, much more lax, easier to bend and morph, hell it's
almost as if they don't exist.

I could gaze into any future, any of the thousand glowing strands that
emanate from a single living thing, inconsequential decisions, things we
take for granted carry such weight. The color of the shirt you choose to
wear could affect the people you meet, could make you miss the opportunity
of meeting your true love. The way you walk, the streets you take, all can
take you closer or farther from danger, but you don't see that and I on the
other hand, do.

I gazed into the crystal checking on my sisters, the sisters who refused to
accept me back, who shun me and avoid me, who decide to give me nothing but
crumbs of their attention. After everything I gave for them, after
everything I did. How do they repay me? by ignoring me, by shutting me out
and choosing that stupid little bitch Paige.

I gazed into the crystal to settle my thoughts, to calm my nerves. I
followed the familiar strands, Piper's taupe, Phoebe's teal, Paige's
crimson, Wyatt's indigo, Chris' hunter-green, David's sky-blue. I gazed
into their futures, saw small decisions and big ones affect their lives,
and a part of me knew why they had chosen what they had. I knew my
bitterness would pass, I knew I would come to accept their choice and we
would establish some sort of peace, but right now I still needed time.

I saw it then, David orbed away from the group. His strand twisted and
turned, this way and that then re-mapped itself, and then all the strands
followed suit, Wyatt, Chris, and the newer ones, the ones whose names I did
not know, they all twisted and held on to David's...I had never seen
anything like it, his choice had affected them all, he had guided their
strands away from utter disaster, had they all driven home together the car
would've blown up...I stared in awe, David could change destiny en-masse.

The strands all fused into one point, they all gathered in a single
place. I couldn't tear my gaze away. Then I saw a dark strand close in on
them, and again the strands twisted in on themselves, they coiled and
recoiled, forming new patterns, creating a tapestry that fell apart before
it could be completed, it was as if the strands were tangled, but destiny
could not become tangled, it was impossible...how could that be?

I knew at once what I had to do, I had to warn the Charmed Ones, not my
sisters, the new generation, their time had come. It was time for them to
come to the fore of the fight. I searched out their strands, Matt's molten
gold, Lana's white, Cassie's mocha. They were together, somewhere in San
Francisco, I lighted myself to them.

*Matt*

"I don't know Lana, I just don't. You're the one with the premonitions,
can't you try and see? I mean all I have is a God-damned feeling, but Patty
and Penny are always saying how important it is to follow our
instincts...they're in trouble, I don't know what type of trouble, I just
know they're in it!!!!!!!!!"  my voice had come out sharper than I'd meant
it, Lana's deep blue eyes cut into me, she had a gaze that could stop the
world from spinning.

"Listen here you little piece of shit. I am not going to be bossed around
by you or anyone else. I know that they're in trouble, I can sense it too,
but if you ever try that little diva shit with me again, I'll make fucking
sure you wake up feeling like a seven year old girl for the rest of your
forsaken life.  Now, we're going to go to the house at Laura's Lane, and
we're going to try and find out what is going on. Cassie, could you please
alert the Halliwells, have Leo or Paige orb you over, Matt and I are going
to...what is it called again?"

"Distortion. Seriously, we're supposed to bond, to know each other on a
higher level, to think on the same wave-length. The Triquetra means unity,
if we don't start making nice soon, we could lose our Charmed status, and
our Charmed powers!!" Cassie's voice was filled with a desperation that
shook me. I knew how she felt, but still we had never met each other until
recently. Piper, Phoebe and Paige, and Prue were sisters, we were cousins,
once removed and had never even been awc8are of each other. Sure Paige had
come in late to the game, but she was still their sister, their connection
was deep, ours was barely forming.

"C'mon Lana...wait shouldn't we call what's-his-face before we go? I mean
if they're hurt..."

"Cassie, you go to the Halliwells-"

"There isn't time. They're being attacked even as we speak, Lana, Matt,
Cassie. I'm Prue. You have to come with me, the strands of destiny are
tangled, but I know that something dark was approaching Laura's Lane, it's
why I came to find you, and for God's sake, don't any of you have a phone?"

Prue stalked over to us, her movements languid, and fluid, almost like she
wasn't sure if the ground was there, she grabbed onto Cassie's arm, I felt
Cassie grab onto me, and I shot my hand to Lana's arm, when I opened my
eyes, the sight before me was horrifying.

We were about 20 feet from Laura's Lane, and the kinetic force of the
explosion would've knocked us on our asses had it not been for Cassie
throwing up her shield. My hands reacted on instinct and I froze the
flames. The entire house surrounded by fire, tiny explosions kept going off
here and there.

I ran forward first, our white-lighter's name came into my head and I
wanted to yell it out loud, but the shock kept my jaw closed. I ran into
the first guy just off the steps, he was just laying there, a pool of blood
flowing from his head, I leaned down and the metallic scent of the blood
brought me out of my stupor.

"ANDREW!!! LEO!!! PAIGE!!! ANYONE, ANY WHITE-LIGHTER THAT CAN HEAR ME,
PLEASE HURRY, THERE ARE HURT PEOPLE HERE!!!" I was crying freely then, from
frustration, panic, rage, you name it, I felt it.

Orbs lit up the street, then everything froze, Piper was here.

"OH MY GOD!!!" her voice was filed with horror and pain, it sent shivers up
my spine Paige, Phoebe, Coop, Henry and Leo were there too, all were
crying, none were moving.

"Stop gawking and do something, their strands weren't severed, I can't do
anything, but you guys can...HURRY UP for Christ's sake" Prue's voice was
filled with pain and frustration, something kept her farther out than the
rest of us, she flicked her hand and a crystal pyramid materialized in
it. Her eyes glowed a bright yellow, then she started to speak again "The
strands are still tangled, but none of them are severed, at least none that
I can make out right now. Leo, Paige start healing them as quick as you
can, go for Wyatt, Chris and Dave first, they know how to heal so they
should be able to help...Matt call your white-lighter again, Phoebe there's
a strand close by and its dark, it's the only one not twisted, I think they
did this, take Piper and find them."

Everyone began to move, I looked up and summoned all the strength I could,
this guy was deaf or he did not care, didn't matter, I just needed him
here. "ANDREW!!! GET YOUR BUTT HERE!!! HELP, ANY AND ALL WHITE-LIGHTERS,
HELP!!!"

A swirl of orbs appeared behind Prue, and before the person was even
materialized they were running...running straight at me. I back flipped and
readied my stance...were white-lighters attacking us? Or was I being
paranoid?

"REID!!! Jesus, I turn away for one second and they get themselves blown
up...hello Matthew." Her voice was weird, like bells, not pretty bells, but
those mind-numbing bells that toll when you least expect them, the ones
that seem outta place. I was also struck by her beauty, it was a dark and
enticing thing, all curves and danger, no softness, no light touches of
whimsy. How could this being be a white-lighter?

I moved off, a forced smile on my lips. I began to search for anyone,
clearly more than just the brothers had been here. I found Wyatt by one of
the side windows, he was covered in blood, I yelled for Andrew again, and
again there was nothing. Paige heard me and rushed over, a stream of orbs
appeared and Kyle materialized.

I had gotten to know Kyle while staying at Halliwell Manor, he had been
Paige's boyfriend and was killed by the Avatars. Because he had died for
good the Elders had made him a white-lighter, and through destiny's loop
he'd become Billie's white-lighter when Paige had renounced her
charges. Ironically, he had also become Henry's white-lighter once Henry
had been granted powers, so he really had to stay close.

Billie had been killed by one of the ex-Avatars over three years go, but I
always heard Phoebe talking about how weird life with Billie had been,
something about Billie turning on them or something, I never quite got
it. Kyle was however, a very good person, and I liked him. I could freely
say I liked Kyle a lot, maybe more than I should, and perhaps more than he
would ever be able to like me.

I ran to Kyle's side, he saw me and smiled, a tight worried smile, but
shining nonetheless.

"There has to be more of them inside, we have to hurry, my freeze can wear
off at minute, I don't know about Piper's, but mine is holding the flames."

I rushed towards the steps, on the third I distorted into the house, on the
atrium floor, by the wall-bench was a brunette, his right leg was clearly
broken and he had a cut on his forehead. I yelled for Kyle and he was there
in the blink of an eye. I kept moving and found David, his back bent over
the corner of the wall, blood coming from his ears and nose. I distorted
outside and saw Leo heading towards the house

"LEO!!! I FOUND DAVE!!!" he orbed to my side, I grabbed hold of his hand
and distorted us back inside.

"Oh My God...baby." Leo bent over, his face twisted in pain, and tears
freely running from his eyes, I moved away, there had to be more.

I found Chris on the steps, his right arm was bent in a weird angle and his
ankle had a burn mark on it, his face was scorched.

"GOD-DAMN IT ANDREW GET YOUR BUTT DOWN HERE!!!" Orbs filled the atrium and
Paige's kids were all there, though only Diana and Don could heal, Darryl
began to move along the house, his power with controlling air could help,
he sat as close to the fire as he dared and began rocking.

I moved off and called Diana over. Her face was taught, as soon as she saw
Chris her eyes were wells, filled to bursting.

"Chris, No, No, NO! Damn you." She laid her hands over him and they began
to glow, I grabbed Don's attention, he followed me as I walked through the
house.

"Hey, Matt. Do you think this was an everyday thing, or was this a covert
attack?" His voice was undisturbed, always was. Don seemed to have gotten
the Lion's share of white-lighter tranquility. Nothing ever seemed to
rattle him.

"I don't think so...I mean that it was normal...Wyatt, Chris and David
don't seem like the type of people who would leave something unattended or
be...there's someone over here...or be irresponsible, this most likely was
done to them."

Don leaned over the guy and began to heal him. My eyes roamed him, he was a
beautiful specimen of the male form, the dark hair, tanned skin, the curve
of his lips, and the body under the clothes looked phenomenal, even
unconscious this guy emanated pure lust through his every pore. But even
all those things weren't strong in me, it was as if this guy said "I have
someone" even as he lay there. A flicker of movement caught my eye, as I
turned I could see my spell dissipating, the flames were starting that
slowed-down movement so common to the end of my molecular stasis power. I
raised my hands, but before I could even think about it I felt the magic
pull itself into place again.

"He's fine, but for some reason he's not waking up. Let's take him outside"
Don's voice snapped me out of my little world. I touched him and the guy,
then distorted us out to the lawn.

I looked around and saw that David, Chris and Wyatt were all healed but
still knocked out, all were laying on the ground, next to them was the
blonde guy, and the brunette guy, and the one we'd just brought. Something
pulled at me. I turned to the house and distorted my self inside. As I was
walking my phone rang.

"Matt Canan" "GET OUT OF THERE!!!" came Lana's shrill voice "There's still
someone here, I can feel it."  "Matt, there's something in there all right,
Phoebe just followed it into the basement, get out, it's an ex-Avatar for
Christ's sake, you're not ready" "We're the Charmed Ones Lana, there's
someone in need of help, do you expect me to turn my back on them just
because my life may be in danger? Ask Piper if they ever did that."

I cut the call and began walking towards the kitchen, the fire had started
in there, who'd been in there when it happened? I tried moving the door,
but the fire, even in stasis, was too hot. I turned back, ready to admit
defeat and saw something on the landing of the steps, I ran towards it,
jumping over the fallen debris.

"KYLE!!!" I began to distort some of the banister off the body, the legs
were crushed, a cut on his torso was bleeding profusely, his face had a
bruise along the jaw-line, and his hair was matted with blood. "KYLE
HURRY!!!"

Orbs swarmed around me, then I was outside, I heard a boom and knew that
Kyle had just saved my life...but was Phoebe ok?

I looked up and saw Leo and Paige bent over Phoebe who was holding her
shoulder and bleeding from her left thigh. I ran over while Kyle healed the
guy. I waved my hands and Phoebe froze, it was the tattoo that had tipped
me off, Phoebe's tattoo was on her right shoulder not her left.

"this isn't Phoebe...Prue, can you help us?" Piper's voice was a ghost of
itself.

"I can try..."

Prue turned her face to her crystal pyramid, her eyes began to glow again,
and this time she began to move her hand atop the zenith, almost as if she
were plucking threads.

"She's alive, inside the house...I can't say more...literally. It's a geas
spell."

Piper rose, Paige followed suit, Lana and Cassie caught my eyes and we
walked towards the sisters. The Charmed Ones were moving into action, and
this time all of us would be together.

"You guys stay here, guard that thing...we're going after Phoebe."

"Piper, no offense but don't you think its better if we all go, Leo's an
elder, I'm sure he can handle this guy, plus Wyatt, Chris and David should
wake up soon, Kyle's here, Diana, Don and Darryl are here, Henry's here,
Coop's here. Seriously, if there's anything else down there...we should be
together."

"Hon, they're right. I'll keep watch over it, if it froze and hasn't even
started to move yet, it must be something we can handle, you guys need to
get Phoebe out...hurry"

Piper nodded once, then we all held hands and Paige orbed us to the
basement. It was filled with smoke, thick, curling, suffocating smoke. I
blinked to moisturize my eyes, I heard coughing, then Paige yelling
"outside" and suddenly the room was clear.

"You gotta teach me that, it's a hell of a trick."

"Comes with lotsa practice and lotsa pain, believe me hon, it ain't no
parlor trick"

We stood there looking in all directions, wanting to catch a glimpse of
Phoebe. I saw a shadow in the corner and moved to it, away from the others.
"Silly little witch!" the voice was filled with malice and hatred, before I
knew what was happening, I felt the cold steel of the blade slice into my
stomach and slide out, tearing at my insides as it did so. The pain was
insufferable, I looked into the glowering red eyes of...Prue?

*Cassie*

I felt it. The shadow hung heavy in the magic that shrouded it. I noticed
Matt move away and followed him with my gaze. I stepped towards Piper and
pointed, then Matt was bending over, blood squirted from his stomach. He
fell to his knees, then distorted next to Paige.

I heard the heels clack against the cement floor, heard the swish of the
cloth as it flowed, then I heard the giggle; the dark, evil, mocking giggle
of someone who has their plans come to fruition, someone who has plotted
and planned and finally gotten their way.

"How dumb can you really be?"

"Who are you?!" Piper's voice was a challenge, Lana and I flanked her, my
powers tingled under my skin. I was the youngest, my power was telekinesis,
but that was my charmed power, I had powers of my own. I was a firestarter,
I had a shield,S and I could vanish. I could be there one second and be
gone the next. I could also duplicate myself.

"*GASP* you don't know who I am? Wow, Piper. Tsk, tsk, tsk. How could you
forget? I thought I had made quite the impression at your wedding. Phoebe
recognized me on the spot, and you can't even guess?"

Piper's face morphed into a mask of recognition and puzzlement. "You're
Prue's id...but, how? Oracles can't astral...so you're a sentient being all
your own...but how? How did you split?"

"Well it was easy really. See I never really faded away, no actually I grew
stronger. Technically speaking I AM Prue. I cannot be harmed without harm
coming to her, I am what the Elders failed to see, the side of Prue that
resented magic, that feared and hated it. They gave her new life, and I got
new life, the spell they cast to change her into an oracle tore us apart,
after all I ADORE being a witch, where Prue is weak, I am strong, where she
is afraid I am Fearless, and vice versa."

The words were swimming in my mind, but something wasn't right "You never
actually said anything, you just repeated...not just re-arranged things we
already knew...you, you don't actually know how it happened do you?"

Piper's face was still as a statue. She looked at the Prue in front of us,
then before anyone could even think to speak, she blew her up. I was
fixated on the pieces flying this way and that. Piper had played her card,
she'd called the Id's bluff...hopefully it was a bluff.

"Leo, is Prue ok?" she spoke to the ceiling, oversized wind chimes
resounded then, calm and puzzled. "Good, keep an eye on her will you,
jingle if anything's wrong."

The Id began to reassemble itself, the pieces coming together slowly, it
was like watching a liquid puzzle being put together. I looked at Piper and
she nodded. I focused my energy on a single convergence point, I let the
fire build up, hotter and hotter inside of me, I could feel the energy
roiling inside of me, could almost hear its single thought...burn.
 I loosened my hold on it, letting it consume me, feeling with its senses
instead of mine, letting its desires guide and soothe me.

The Id was almost fully re-made. I launched the fire at it, hurled every
last bit of flame I had mustered right into its core, willing it to roast,
to evaporate, to disappear. I felt the fire dwindle and pulled back my
power. I stared in disbelief as the Id simply kept on putting itself back
together, then the fire rebounded at us, twice as hot and three times as
strong. My shield flickered into position, the fire broke against it,
encircling us.

Piper stared ahead, eyes unblinking, mouth set. She was in a whole `nother
world. Gone were the softness and calm that were such a trademark for
Piper, in their stead was a hardness and a resolve that seemed out of place
in her features.

"Paige, how's Matt doing?"

"I'm all better" Matt's voice was filled with what was on Piper's face. He
strode over to us, Lana's face instantly filled with a light that had not
been there before. She cared for him...that was a start.

"Good, you and Paige, join your magic and call for Phoebe. Paige back it up
with the `Blood to Blood Spell,' it's time to end this, once and for
all. Cassie, Lana, you're with me, when that thing finishes forming, we
launch a full blown attack at it, give it as much as you can without
hurting yourselves. Lana, your powers are a bit more volatile than either
Cassie's or my self's so you try and concentrate, if you feel it slipping
from you: STOP, and I mean it. Here it comes, get ready."

*Lana*

I saw it out of the corner of my eye, the Id was fully formed. I felt my
mind sharpen.  I was the youngest of the new Charmed Generation, I had
premonitions, but my wiccan power was atomic-kinesis. I could manipulate
the atomic energy in the air, and in living beings to achieve a kind of
attack, if left unchecked, I could level half of a city in what would be
seen as the aftermath of an atomic bomb. I could produce a shield with this
same energy, however it did nothing for magical attacks, only physical. And
according to the Halliwells, I had a very slight touch of telepathy. I
unleashed my atomic gift, and began to aim it at the Id.

Piper began barraging it with her molecular combustions, Cassie let fire
burn, and Matt was there, freezing its attacks half way through, keeping
from getting away. Paige was using her orb-balls, a little invention of her
own that carried a pretty heavy kick, much like Phoebe's electro cerebral
pulses. I stared at the Id, making myself burn hot, making sure to control
enough of it that it wouldn't harm the others.

Piper kept looking up, getting some type of confirmation from Leo that Prue
was fine.  Her smile suddenly widened, and a silent tear rolled down her
cheek, her barrage increased in velocity, Paige began to form three and
four of her orb-balls on one of her hands, I let my own power flow more
freely, Matt had a wicked grin on his face, he froze the body, but not the
head. For the first time since we had started I felt like we were getting
somewhere, the Id was screaming itself into extinction.

There a loud bang and the Id was gone. Wee looked around, ready for an
ambush, ready for some kind of retaliation, after all we knew it hadn't
been vanquished. It had run away, and tried to make us think we had gotten
rid of it, but everyone had that same look in their eyes. The look said "we
know you're out there, you haven't fooled us. Piper was broadcasting her
thoughts so loudly that I picked them up without any problems.

:If you ever come close to ANYONE in my family again, I'll make you regret
the day you decided to breathe. I assure you...whatever your name is, that
I will find you, and kill you. It's a promise, and one that I will not
break. Stay Away.:

Her anger dripped in the air, but it was a comforting, soothing presence,
compared to my own rage, mingled with the fear that my powers wouldn't stay
under control. I knew what could happen, had even gotten a couple of
premonitions about it, although I didn't know if they were a warning or
actual premonitions.

"No point in waiting here, Leo found Phoebe, she's not far from
here. Paige, you take Matt, Cassie and Don. Me, Lana and the rest will try
to put this whole thing back together."  Piper walked over to me and held
my hand, Paige waved her hands at us, and we were up-top with the others

"Leo, what exactly is that thing?" Piper said while jutting her chin at the
semi-conscious "Phoebe-being" on the floor.

"Far as I can tell, it's an ex-Avatar, it exhausted its sources when it
took on Phoebe. I haven't been able to figure out if it set the house on
fire too. Phoebe did a job on it though, its brain is almost fried, doubt
it'll need much of it though, the elders are taking it to a vault, they
want to neutralize it."

I looked around, nothing but Halliwells. At times like this, I felt
awkward. I began to move towards the guys. David and Wyatt were stirring,
but none of the others seemed much changed. As I got nearer, I picked up on
human thought, it was calm and quiet. I concentrated and heard it all to
clearly

:I am Tyler, we're ok. The blast had magic in it, just say a...spell? David
are you sure this is right?...all right!!! all right!!!...to vanish
paralysis, and we'll all wake up.:

I looked at David and Wyatt, what fight they had begun was decreasing. If
the mind was right then maybe it was worth a try.

"Piper, Leo. There's a telepath here and he says the blast carried more
than just fire, that it was laced with a paralysis spell, he also says
there's a counter...he didn't say where though."

Piper looked at Leo, then she was orbs. I hoped wherever she had gone,
she'd be back soon, if being surrounded by the Halliwells was unnerving,
being with Leo was even worse. I ambled over to Coop and Henry, I felt more
comfortable around them than I did around Leo, they weren't Halliwells, and
they weren't Elders, they were just a cupid and a male witch.

"Any clue as to who did this?" I asked more at the air than at any specific
person, idle chatter was not my best quality, but hell if I was just gonna
stand here and eat away at myself from nerves.

"I've been thinking...maybe an ex-Avatar did this...I mean, yea the Id
might have a grudge, but it seems stupid to just go after the boys, and if
I know one thing about Prue is that she's not stupid, so why would her Id
be?" Coop's face was contorted, in a way I had never seen it, he seemed far
gone.

"I'm sure Phoebe's fine...otherwise Piper or Paige would've felt it right?"
I looked into his light brown eyes, and fixed what I hoped was a comforting
smile onto my face

"I hope so. I can sense her, but I don't know where she is, and that just
reeks."

A flurry of orbs appeared by the bodies then, Paige and Cassie materialized
from it, and the as the space to their right distorted, Matt and Phoebe
appeared as well. I heard Prue heave a sigh of relief then, and knew that
even though they weren't together anymore, they were still very much
sisters.

Leo rushed over to Phoebe's side and began healing her. Prue, Piper and
Paige all stood close-by, their faces completely emotionless, their eyes
tortured.

Piper had something in her hands which she handed to Cassie. Cassie and
Matt broke from the group and walked over to me, the determination on their
faces made something inside me tighten. Matt grabbed me by the elbow as
Cassie took my hand, then we were inside the ruined attic of the Manor.

"What happened? Why's everything such a mess?"

"We're not in San Francisco, this is the attic at Laura's Lane. The guys
have a copy of the Book here, so we've gotta find the book, then we've
gotta get back and say the power of three spell that will break any
magically induced paralysis, then we gotta re-build this house. Ready?"

I nodded once, Matt simply brushed his hair back from his face. Cassie
opened the Book to a marked page. We gathered a little closer to look at
the spell.

"Powers close and Powers far Hear out rhyme in this night Limbs have frozen
in this war Return the feeling right Us witches end this plight."

"OK, now...how do we find the Book?"

"Well, can't you just call for it Matt? Isn't that how you trigger your
power?"

"I could Lana, but remember we're talking about something that's already
here...if I say `Book of Shadows' the one you're holding would come to
me...unless the Halliwells gave it a specific name?"

I looked around, there might be some clue as to what the Halliwells might
have chosen to name the new Book...then it hit me.

"Matt" my voice came out a little louder than I'd meant it and Matt and
Cassie had startled "call for a copy...or a twin Book...maybe that'll
help...you think?"

Matt looked at me, and slowly a sly grin spread across his face "That is so
creepy...I was just thinking that."

Cassie gave a little smile, and I knew then that we were starting to
understand each other better. Maybe, with time, we would have a close-knit
group.

"Twin Book!!" a bunch of debris in a corner distorted, then the air above
Matt's hand un-distorted and a copy of the Book dropped into his hands.
"We bad...we real bad" Matt's laughter rang so pure that I couldn't resist
laughing, it wasn't right, not at the moment, but still it was necessary.

"Guys, c'mon we still gots a house to re-build...how are we to do that by
the way?" Cassie's voice shook me out of my little laugh-trance.

I looked at Matt, he shrugged his shoulders and looked back at Cassie. I
closed my eyes, and tried to extend my telepathy as far as I could, Matt
and Cassie each took one of my arms, I could feel the pulse of their power
surging onto my skin, suddenly it wasn't so weak, and I felt myself soaring
all over the ruined house, pinpricks of differently shaded lights let me
know who was whom, and which person was where. The world was so much better
this way, all lights and senses.

"Don't let it pull you Lana, concentrate."

"Case, are you seeing this though? It's gorgeous...I...I'm astounded
really" Matt's voice was filled with wonder, it reverberated through me I
both a physical and mental wave.

"Matt, we have to keep her anchored, there's been a lot of telepaths who've
seen this, and have never come back" Cassie's tone was fluid and
matter-of-fact, but I could see past it, I could see her real thoughts :I
don't wanna lose Lana, or Matt.:

:You won't lose me. I swear.:

I focused on Piper's taupe-colored light and launched myself at it, slowing
down as I got closer. I noticed that although taupe was the main color, it
wasn't the only one. There were traces of crimson and teal throughout, with
pinpoints of royal purple. I turned my gaze on myself and saw that my white
was mixing with Matt's molten gold and Cassie's mocha, but it wasn't like
Piper`s, I could still make out each of the colors individually. I would
change that.

I `knocked' on Piper's consciousness, announcing myself.

:Lana? Is that...Matt? Cassie?:

:All of us. We need to know how to re-build the...never mind.:

I launched myself in the other direction, hurling myself at our collective
consciousness.

:Say it with me guys.:

"We witches three, by power blessed Send out our cry in this spell Mind,
body and soul as one are we all."

I felt the spell tug at us, felt the rush of magic bump against my skin,
grinding my mental self. My breath escaped my body and the darkness
encroached. I was slipping so quickly it was making me dizzy.

"MATT!!! SOMETHING'S GOT HER"

"SOMETHING IS KILLING HER!!! GET LEO...ANDREWWWWWWWW"

I heard the familiar jingle of orbs...

*Cassie*

Andrew shot forward, his chest bared, I could see Matt's attempts at
averting his eyes. I kept looking at Lana. How could she have been so dumb?
Casting a spell while she was still in her mind-form was utterly dangerous.

I couldn't believe Andrew was here, he was never there when we needed him,
I couldn't stop looking at Lana, I knew deep down inside that if anything
happened the Elders could fix it. I simply didn't want it to get to that
point.

"Andrew where the hell have you been!!! We have been calling for you for
over an hour, aren't you supposed to be our white-lighter? I can't believe
you took so long!!!"

Matt was shaking with anger, his blue eyes burning with a fire I'd never
seen in them before, his body tense, his mouth set in a frown. "Matt we are
not going to get anywhere like this, you need to calm down. Take Lana to
Pipe rand have Leo heal her, I'll deal with Andrew."

Matt touched Lana's elbow and distorted out. I turned my gaze on Andrew, he
didn't even seem phased by what Matt had just told him, it infuriated me to
no end. How could he, a white-lighter, hold Lana's life with such little
regard? She was a Charmed one for God's sake!! How could the Elders not
notice his lack of caring for his charges?

"THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!! Don't you know how important this
is? Do you think this is just a game? You're supposed to be... I don't know
there for us, or something. I'm so reporting this shit to the Elders!!!"

I picked up both books and threw one more glare at Andrew before walking
out. I was fuming as I got down the stairs. I made my way past the debris
and outside where everybody else was. David, Wyatt, and Chris had all woken
up, and so had the other guys. Phoebe, Piper, and Paige were all gathered
around them. Leo and the rest of the guys simply stood on the sidelines. I
looked for Matt and Lana and made my way over to them.

"Lana are you okay? You gave me a fright, the hell did you think you were
doing casting that spell? Do you know what you could've done? I'm just glad
your ok though ."

I hugged Lana, feeling for the first time a true connection. Matt was
smiling, and I couldn't help but feel a tug at my heart for these two
people, maybe there is already more to it than just being cousins maybe we
were bonding now. It was a strange feeling but a welcome one nonetheless.

*David*

I couldn't believe what had happened, I knew there had to be something
more. What really worried me was that whoever was had gotten away with it,
it pissed me the fuck off. It made me feel really weird that I would not
even be safe in my own home, I knew we had to make a plan but right now all
I could think of was Caleb and how much I wanted to be with him, to kiss
him.

It felt so weird to me to know that I could touch him, kiss him, have him,
and no one would care. I had a chance at happiness and I would not let it
slip away from me Caleb was the one, I knew it deep down inside, and I
wouldn't let anyone take it away from me.

I looked for Chris and Wyatt, they were with the aunts. I wondered if Chris
would ever find somebody, I knew he deserved it but I wasn't sure if he
would ever get it or if even knew what he wanted for that fact.

It was then that I realized that destiny uses us like puppets, we're no
more than actors in destiny's little play. We're simply passerby,
witnesses, and sometimes protagonists. As much as we like to believe we're
always in control, we have to realize that sometimes we're nothing more
than means to an end. We are destiny's way of entertainment, we are
subjects to it's every whim and we're scared of that, terrified that our
only choice is one that has already been made for us. I could not help but
wonder if everything that had happened since I had entered Alaxio was
nothing more than a plot twist in someone's weird tale, I shook the thought
out of my head and walked over to Caleb.

"What do you say we blow this popsicle stand and get some sleep, I really
cannot take anything else right now" Caleb wrapped his arm around my waist
and pulled me in closely his lips brushing against my earlobe "I have a few
ideas of what we might do" his tongue darted out quickly against my skin
sending shivers running over me, my body involuntarily quivered "I know I
need some time alone with you...you know to ummm... catch up or something,
yes that's right catch up."

"Well apart from the whole we need to rebuild the house and everything I
would love to go with you, but I have a house to help rebuild and you know
how that goes" I bit into his neck, grinding my teeth just a bit against
the skin "I would want to keep you...all tied up or anything like that" I
massaged his penis through his jeans, I could feel how hard he was and it
only made me hornier, I wanted to fuck him so bad, but I knew I had to stay
here and help my mom and aunts it was my duty as part of the family then
you won't be simple to just walk away there was always something that
needed to be done, that needed to be said, it was always like this in the
Halliwell family, all problems have to be solved by everyone it was almost
like we were a clan.

As I stood there flirting with Caleb I noticed that the house was beginning
to come back up I simply grabbed his hand and orbed us away, I knew the
manor would be empty, and there was nothing I needed more than some time
alone with Caleb.

________________________________________________________________________

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Well here is the new chapter to the story, I hope y'all like it.

I know it took a while for it to come out but I needed some incentive to
continue on with this, and I got it. Thanks so much to everyone who
e-mailed me, y'all don't know how happy that made me.

Guys you have to remember that as an author on Nifty we don't get any
recompense except those little e-mails that mean so much to us.

Again I am eternally thankful to those of you who e-mailed, especially to
those of you that were kind enough to give me plot lines, and point out
holes in the ongoing plot. I do apologize profusely for that, I hope to fix
it soon.

As always your comments and feedback are welcome to:

Davidknosall225@aol.com
QT2004_423@Hotmail.com
New_covenant@live.com

Think you guys so much for the ongoing support. : )