Charming the Halliwells

Chapter 53: Touch the fire

 

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

 

 

 

"You sure that's the guy?" A man said. The man was around thirty eight, with a scar on his left cheek and another one above his eye.

"Yeah, that's him." Another guy said. This guy wore a hood and had long fingernails.

Both guys walked over to the blonde sitting at the bar. The man took another sip of his drink and looked at the guys sideways.

"Something I can do for you?" he asked.

"There's a bounty." The first man said.

"More of you guys?" The blonde asked.

"You can come quietly." The robed man said.

The robed man burst into flames and the other man pulled out a crossbow, but the blonde grabbed it, elbowing the demon in the face! The demon fell to the floor and the blonde calmly walked out of the bar.

-           

"I just think I should bind his powers, just for a little while." I said, walking into the kitchen.

"Bind his powers? But, but, but he'll be vulnerable!" Piper said.

"Yeah, but the demons won't be after him!" I said.

Piper sighed in frustration, "Sweetie, I understand your scared for your baby, but this isn't..."

"Didn't you bind a pyro's powers?" I asked.

"Tyler? Yes, but that was different." Piper said.

"How?" I asked.

"He didn't have parents to help him or a family." Piper said, "And you're Charmed! No matter what you do, your kid's always going to be in danger."

"Oh, I'm not Charmed anymore." I said, taking a sip of coffee.

"What?" Piper asked, "Of course you are!"

"Nope, I'm just a normal guy with a normal job who..."

"Has a normal baby? You're not, get over it." Piper said.

I said nothing, just took another sip of my coffee.

"Yeah, well, keep talking and I'll have all those teeth in my hand!" Chris shouted as he came in the backdoor.

"Chris, what's going on?" Piper asked.

"Our new Star neighbors! It isn't enough that they're always partying, but they could at least pick-up their freakin trash!" Chris fumed.

"Coffee?" I asked.

Chris looked at me angrily, "You can't tell me they aren't getting on your nerves!" he said.

"Hey, my baby's sleeping a little more regularly, so I'm doing a whole lot better." I smiled.

"Smug." Piper said, "He's trying to bind Matthew's powers."

"What? That would make him vulnerable to whatever the hell attacks next!" Chris said, walking over to me, "I know this life is crazy sometimes, but making your baby vulnerable isn't the way."

"It was just a thought." I said quickly, "I have no idea what to do."

"Maybe you should go back to work." Piper said, "I could watch the baby."

"I have extended leave." I said, "I so earned that leave."

"Phoebe said that they offered you an article in 415 and Vanity Fair." Piper said, "You should do those."

"Can't. Since Wyatt's gone, I don't feel like such a good advice giver. I can't get past my own issues." I said.

Piper wanted to say something, anything that made him feel better, but she couldn't and the look Chris was giving her was a strong reinforcement to not do it. Instead, she sighed and looked down with her hand on her hip and the other hand on the counter. Outside, a loud rustling noise sounded. Chris, Piper, and I walked outside to see our new neighbors with a leaf blower. I could see Chris's anger about to boil over.

"Oy, ain't you that advice columnist?" The lead singer asked.

"Umm, yeah, how about you put down the leaf blower." I said.

He shut off the leaf blower and extended his hand, "Braken." He said.

"Drake." I said, shaking his hand, "My son, newborn, is actually sleeping on a schedule, naps and everything, so could you please not do that right now?"


"Blimey, so you're not some giant `mo?" he asked. His friends chuckled.

"Yeah, I am homo..." I said.

"Uh huh." He said, sliding his goggles back on.

I could see why Chris wanted to pummel him, "So, can you knock it off?"

"Maybe after I'm done. I promise, after I'm finished I won't do it anymore." He smirked, cranking the machine up again.

I raised my hands to blow him up, but Piper caught them and guided me back into the house.

"You see what I mean?" Chris asked.

"Yeah, I swear I was only going to freeze him and disembowel him, Piper." I said.


"Yes, well murder will get you a whole bunch of years." Piper said.

"What are we going to do?" Chris asked.


"I'm going back up to my baby." I said walking away.

"How long do we have to pretend?" Piper asked.

"It's eating me up, but Wyatt must have a really good reason for doing what he did." Chris said, "I hope."

"Well, I'm going to find out what's going on." Piper said, leaving.

Chris was about to orb away when there was a knock at the door. Chris walked to the door and opened it to see a blonde man standing on his front porch.


"Hello, is Piper Halliwell here?" he asked.


"She doesn't live here anymore, but she's my mom." Chris said, "Who are you?"

"My name is Tyler, your mom helped me when I was a kid, I need her help again." Tyler said, looking around.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked, looking around too.

"They're after me." Tyler said quickly.

§   

"Wyatt!" Piper said, standing on top of the Golden Gate Bridge, "Wyatt you get down here now!"

There was a quick jingle and Wyatt's voice said, "How'd you get up here?"

Piper turned to see her clean-cut son and ran over, hugging him, "Oh my God, I didn't...I..."

"I miss you so much." Wyatt smiled warmly.

Piper hit him on the shoulder, "How could you let us think...that?!" she asked.

"What it have been better if I had told you that I made a deal to save my family if became an Elder." Wyatt said.

 

Piper looked at him sideways, "Wait, this is all their doing? Bring them down here." She said.

 

"Mom, I..."


"NOW!" Piper said, "If they think they can blackmail us, they have another thing coming."

 

"Mom, everyone's moved on. It's better this way." Wyatt said sadly, turning away from her.

 

"Wyatt, you've been watching, right? Then you'll know that nothing is right without you!" Piper said.

 

"Don't you think I want to be with my family and...I made a deal." Wyatt said.

 

"How can they do this?" Piper asked, "How can you do this?"


"Because I love my family." Wyatt said, turning to him, "I don't know what this all means, but I'll do whatever it takes to keep you and the rest of my family safe!"

 

Piper just stared, tears in her eyes.

 

"He can't know." Wyatt said, "He won't be able to let it go."

 

"So, we're all supposed to lie to him?" Piper asked.

 

Wyatt nodded.

 

"Wyatt..."

 

"Goodbye, mother." Wyatt said, orbing away.

 

Piper sniffled as her cell phone rang, she flipped it opened and said, "Hello." And then, "I'll be there in a minute."

 

§   

"So, Piper helped you?" I asked, feeding the baby the bottle.

"Cool kid, where's his mother?" Tyler asked.

"His father is dead." I said.

"Oh, hey, I'm sorry..."

"No, it's okay." I said.

"Well, I see the demon you're talking about, but he's upper level, we'll need the power of three." Chris said.

I looked away from both of them.


"I'll call Warren and Henry." Chris said.

"Wait, couldn't we just bypass all this with one of those power-stripping potions?" Tyler asked, standing.

"You want me to strip you of your power? You just got your powers back, do you really..." Chris started.

"I do. My life totally changed when I got my powers." Tyler said, "Everybody's after the pyro."

"But..."

"Chris." I warned, "We'll help you however we can."

"I just don't see why you have to give up your powers." Chris said, "They were given to you for a reason."

"Spoken like a true whitelighter. Paige taught you well." I said.

"Do I need to step out of the room so you two can fight?" Tyler asked.

"No." Chris said, "We'll help."


With their
discussion going on, they didn't hear Piper until she was in the hall. She walked in, wiping away something from her face when she saw Tyler. For a minute, she looked to be searching her memories, then she hugged him.


"Tyler!" Piper said.

"You remembered!" Tyler smiled.

"Of course I remembered, how are you?" Piper asked.

"The binding came off my powers, bounty hunters are on my ass." Tyler said, "I just need you to bind them again, this time for good."

"You want to re-bind your powers?" Piper asked.

"I can't take all the bounty hunters. I want a normal life." Tyler said, "I never asked for any of this."

"Mom, please tell him that binding his powers is a bad idea." Chris sighed, "He was given his powers for a reason."

"Whatever the reason, I don't care." Tyler sneered, "These powers aren't what I want."

"Fine." Chris said, "But you'll be a walking target."

"They won't be after me anymore." Tyler said.

"They know you're a firestarter, they won't leave you alone now." Piper said, "But if it's what you want..."

"It is." Tyler said, "Can I smoke?"


"Not in the manor." Piper said.

"I'll be outside." Tyler said.

We watched as he walked away.

"You know, I know since Wyatt left you've been having a life crisis..."

"Chris, Wyatt didn't leave! He died." I said, "And yeah, I've been in crisis mode, that doesn't make this wrong!"

"I have to agree with Chris." Piper said.


"Piper..."

"He's got this power for a reason." Piper said, "But, Chris, it's his life."


"And our potions." Chris said.

I sighed and walked out of the room, baby in hand.

"Mom..."


"I know, Chris, but we can't. He wouldn't understand." Piper said.

"He...He doesn't understand?! I don't understand!" Chris said, "This is just like him, his selfishness knows no limit."

"Chris..." Piper said.

"I've got a potion to make." Chris said, leaving.


Downstairs, I put Matthew in his bed and covered him in a blue blanket with a triquetra on it. As I touched the blanket, I wondered what I would do about Matthew and his powers.

"He's got to come into his powers." Wyatt's voice said airily.

 

"Wyatt?" I asked.

"They are part of him." Wyatt's voice said.

 

I tucked Matthew in with the blanket and walked to the doorway, looking back one last time.

§   

Tyler sat outside, smoking a cigarette, thinking about what the Halliwells just said. There was truth to what they said, but this wasn't the life for him, running and avoiding demons for the rest of his life wasn't on the agenda. He wanted to get married and have kids, to settle down and just be a normal person. He could never do that with Bounty hunters on his ass. He was smoking when I stepped outside.

Tyler looked back at me, "Where's the kid?" he asked.

"Sleeping." I said.

Tyler offered his cigarette, "Wanna smoke?" he asked.

"No. I don't smoke." I said.

"Right, suburbia." Tyler said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"You just got the queerest little life here...no pun intended." Tyler said.

"I think you meant to pun. And life here is just as hard as any other place." I said.

"Oh yeah?" Tyler asked.

"So, this is really what you want? To run away?" I asked.


"What? Whose side are you on?" Tyler asked, "I thought you were with me on this."

I sighed, "I was. Tyler, your life is never going to be normal." I said, "Nobody's is."

"But..."

"...And your powers are a part of you. I'd hate to think where I'd be without mine." I said.


"Safe?" Tyler asked.

"Lost. Not sure where I fit, at least with my powers, I know what to do and how I can do it. Demons are going to come, after me and my baby and my family, but they're not going to win. Magic is the only thing in my life that's been constant. When I had nobody, I had magic." I explained, "You have to keep your powers. I know a spell that can shield you from the demons, it's in the book, but I'm begging you...don't give up your powers."

Before I could get an answer, I heard a crash from inside. Tyler quickly put out his cigarette and followed me inside to see Chris being tossed across the room! There were at least six bounty hunters standing around. Tyler raised his hand and sprayed fire all over the attic! I used my freezing powers to freeze the demons as Tyler maneuvered the fire onto the demons, who cried out in pain before exploding! I tried to blow up one of the demons, but he deflected it, causing me to fly back and smash into the wall! Chris stood and ran to the demon that had deflected both his and my attack and punched him to the ground. Piper tossed a potion over the table and the demon combusted as Tyler caused two other demons to combust! I looked around the room, looking for any other demons when I felt a sharp pain in my back. I looked down to see a small, yet sharp piece of metal sticking through my stomach. I tried to form words but I couldn't. I started to fall and fell face first. All I could think about was Matthew...I won't leave him. Chris watched as the demon slid the knife into me and there was a very audible gasp from Piper, who immediately threw up her hands to blow him up! Chris raced to me, rolling me over.

"Hey! Wake up, you don't get to die yet." Chris said, looking to the ceiling, "Kyle!"

Kyle appeared with a pained expression on his face, "What happened?" he asked.

"Just heal him." Chris said.

Kyle put his hand over my stomach and everyone watched as he healed me.

I opened my eyes, "Matthew." Was all that escaped my lips.

"He's alright." Piper said, "Are you?"


"I'll be fine." I said quickly.

-           

As I sat on the porch of the Manor, I looked out onto the street, noticed the noises I had been missing. I looked over to watch people stumble from my neighbor's house. I chuckled to myself and stared back at the street. I felt Wyatt. He was watching. He had been here. He still loved me.

"Hey." Piper said, sitting beside me, "Having a bad day?"

"I almost died." I said, "Just wondering what would happen to Matthew."

"I don't think you'll have to worry, you're not going anywhere." Piper said.


"Halliwells don't live forever." I said.

"Nobody does." Piper said, "I remember that I was terrified that I would die before Wyatt was grown up."

"How'd you get over it?" I asked.

"I actually didn't." Piper said, "But whatever's meant to be will be and I'd do anything to get back to my kids."

"So, Tyler..." I said.

"Is keeping his powers. We're just shielding him." Piper said, "I suppose he has you to thank for that."

"And, I don't think I'm binding Matthew's powers." I said, "He was given them for a reason and they're a part of him."

"I'm glad you're finally seeing it my way." Piper smirked.

"You are just loving this." I smiled, "Thank you, even if it did take a while to sink in."

"No problem." Piper said, "Anything else?"

I nodded, "Being a single parent feels so hard." I said.

"I remember." Piper said, "But, you never know, things might get less complicated one day."


"I don't plan on dating any time soon." I said quickly, "It's way too soon."


Piper smiled and hugged me, "I know." She smiled.