Chapter 56: Love is a Demon

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

"Oh, hey." Chris said, walking into the attic to find his cousin, Patty, "I didn't know you were in here."

"Yeah, I had to schedule myself in." Patty smiled, "Penny, Phoebe, Prudence and Henry were up here. Warren left when we got here."

Chris looked at his watch, "It's seven...in the morning." He said.

"Yeah, but we just wanted to look at the book. I mean, none of us gets to live here..." Patty said.

"How's Pandora?" Chris asked, trying to change the subject.

Patty sat the book on the stand, "She's grounded...possibly forever. Or until she graduates." She smirked, "She's boyfriendless, failing a few classes, and totally in trouble."

"So, she's okay?" Chris asked.

Patty nodded, "Yeah. Dad is currently trying to find Dan." She said.

"Oh." Chris said.

Before they could utter another word, I power walked into the room and made a beeline toward the book, "Patty, go to school." I said with authority.

Patty looked to Chris, then orbed away.

"What's going on?" Chris asked.

"Wyatt." I said, "Kyle, get your whitelighter ass here, now!"

"Wait, what about Wyatt?" Chris asked.

Warren shimmered in, "What's so important?" he asked.

"He called Kyle." Chris said, confused.

"Cell phone." Warren said.

"Kyle get your ass here now!" I shouted.

"What's going on?" Warren asked.

Kyle orbed in.

"What is it?" Kyle asked.

I walked over and punched him. Chris and Warren scrambled to hold me back, then Warren helped Kyle up.

"What are you doing?" Warren asked.

"Wyatt's alive!" I said loudly, "And he knew!"

Kyle wiped his mouth, "They all knew." He said.

"What?" I asked.

"I didn't know." Warren said.

I looked to Chris, who looked down, "I can't believe this. The whole family knew, didn't they?" I asked.

"I was going to tell you..."

"When, Chris? My husband is alive and I've been struggling and...I thought I wasn't alone in this." I frowned.

"Drake..." Chris said.

I put up my hand up and walked out of the attic.

"So, Wyatt's really alive? I thought that was a cracked-out dream." Warren asked.

-           

"Oh crap." Piper said as she, the sisters, Leo, Chris, Warren, and Kyle stood in the living room. They had called a family meeting in light of what had just happened. Drake and Matthew had gone out for a walk and hadn't come back. There was a very distinct feel in the air, sort of like...fear?

"Yeah, he's not happy." Chris said.

"Of course not, he just found out that his husband isn't dead." Paige said, "He's got to be pissed!"

"And Drake pissed is really not a good thing." Warren said, "Trust me, I know."

"What if he moves? What if he just leaves with Matthew? What if..." Piper said.

"Piper, calm down, I'm sure he wouldn't just leave." Leo said.

They all looked at him.

"That's all in the past." Leo said.

"The hardest part isn't even here." Phoebe said.

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked.

"How are we going to tell him that we know?" Phoebe asked.

"Crap." Piper said quickly, "I hadn't even thought about it."

"We have to tell him." Leo said.

"Leo, I don't think we should." Piper said.

"Piper..."

"Not until he and Wyatt have worked through their problems." Piper said.

"Mom, he left his family to join the Elders. Not in the good husband handbook." Chris said. Everybody looked at Leo, "Oh, sorry pop, I didn't mean..."

"It's alright, Chris." Leo said.

"I'm getting jingled." Kyle said.

"Go ahead, we'll do damage control." Paige said.

"You sure?" Kyle asked.

"Yeah." Phoebe said.

Kyle orbed away.

"Maybe we should move back in here." Piper said.

"What?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, I mean, in the future we still lived here anyways! Things around here are going to Hell." Piper said.

"Mom..." Chris said, "That would actually be a good idea."

"Really?" Piper and Leo said together.

"Yeah, we could always use you guys around here, especially now." Chris said.

"We have to be here when he gets back." Phoebe said.

"Intervention style?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, we have to face him." Phoebe nodded.

"Fine, when's he coming back?" Paige asked.

"Who knows." Chris said.

-           

I was walking down the street, pushing Matthew's stroller, just thinking about the last few weeks. I thought my husband was dead, but instead he's been living in the Heavens! It pissed me off! I mean, I've been struggling to survive without him and I didn't have to! He could have been there, he missed so much. I wondered had the family known about this? How could they have kept this from me?! Wyatt. He must have sworn them. They should have told me!

"Hey." A voice said, shaking me out of my thoughts.

I looked up to see Paige's friend's son, Seann, I think his name was.

"Seann Belland," Seann smiled, holding his coffee, "We know through your Aunt Paige."

"I remember." I said, "Sorry, I was all the way in my mind."

"No problem." Seann said, bending down to Matthew, "He's adorable...guys do say adorable, right?"

I chuckled, "Only the manliest." I smiled.

Seann smiled up at me, "Matthew, right?" he asked.

"Yeah." I said.

"I didn't get to talk to you the other day." He said, "I meant to offer my condolences."

"Thank you." I said, "But my husband's not dead."

"What? I thought..."

"Yeah, me too." I said, "He faked it."

"Oh, well, I'm still sorry." Seann said.

"And I'm pretty sure the family knew." I frowned.

Seann nodded, "Wow...well, it couldn't have been easy for them either." He said.

"Huh?" I asked.

"Well, they had to keep a secret from you, which must have torn Paige up because she had only the greatest things to say about you." Seann said, "And what about when they found out?"

I nodded, "Maybe you're right." I said.

"Doesn't excuse it though." Seann said, "I spent my days going thrill-seeking with my parents. You're very lucky to have a family like you have."

"I think you're right." I said, "I think I need to be getting home."

-           

I walked into the house, trying to figure out why all the cars were in the drive and no one was in the house. Over the last few days, Halliwells have been coming and going, so it was no problem, so I figured they were upstairs. I picked Matthew up out of his stroller and cradled him while pulling his diaper bag up around my shoulder. I was about to walk upstairs when the doorbell rang, so I walked over and opened the door to see Daryl Jr.

"Hey." Daryl said.

"Daryl, what's up?" I asked.

"Can I come in?" Daryl asked.

I waved him into the living room, "What's going on?" I asked.

"I need you guys' help." Daryl said, "I have a string of murders, they sound paranormal."

"How?" Chris asked.

I looked over my shoulder to see Warren and Chris.

"Hey." Chris said.

I ignored him, "Paranormal?" I asked.

"Incineration." Daryl said, flopping pictures on the desk, "Not a burn mark on him."

"Just one?" Warren asked.

"No." Daryl said, "I said a string."

"Oh, yeah." Warren said.

"Did it seem random?" Chris asked, folding his arms.

"No, people around this girl..." Daryl put the a picture of a girl down on the table, she was pretty and very blonde, "...Henry's picking her up. People around her seem to be dying."

"Must be scary for her." I said, readjusting the baby.

Just then Henry orbed in with a girl by the arm.

"What in the Hell!" she shouted, "Where am I? What are you?!"

"I'm here to help." Henry said.

"We all are." I said, standing with the baby.

"Did you guys just see that!" she said quickly.

"Calm down, we..." Chris started towards her.

"Stay back! All of you!" she said.

"What's her name?" I whispered to Daryl.

"Karen." Daryl whispered.

"Karen, I know this all seems...unbelievable but we really are just trying to help you." I said.

"First my boyfriend turns out to be a real psycho and now...Now..." Karen trailed.

"You're safe." I said.

"Doubly." Henry said walking over to me, "She's my first charge."

"What?" I asked.

"Yeah, and I blocked him from sensing her, but we have to do something." Henry said urgently, "He's not just another demon."

"Who is he?" I asked.

"I'm hoping the book will have the answers." Henry said, "You going to be alright down here?"

Karen moved to the center of the room.

"What's going on down here?" Piper asked, the sisters and Leo following her.

"Innocent." Chris said.

Piper looked directly at me, "Drake, how..." she started.

"So, we need to get to the book." I said, "I need to get the baby a bottle." I said, pushing past them.

Chris looked to Piper and followed me. As I shut the door to the refrigerator, I jumped when I saw Chris, Piper, and Leo standing at the counter.

"Can you give a guy a little warning?" I asked.

"I was going to tell you." Chris said carefully.

"When? After Matthew graduated?" I asked.

"I wanted Wyatt to tell you." Chris said.

I cringed, "Don't even say his name!" I frowned, "And you two should know better."

"Awww come on! Your husband is alive!" Piper said.

"He never died, he just left us." I said, "How long have you known?"

"About a month." Chris said.

My shock must have registered on my face, "I cannot believe you!" I shouted.

"He begged us." Chris said, "And I told him..."

"You should have told me." I frowned, "What about me?"

"I'm sorry." Chris said, "You know I love you, I would never hurt you. How was I supposed to tell you that he was alive? I'm still pissed! I thought I lost my big brother, only to find out...to find out that he just left!"

"Chris..."

"NO! It's not right, I don't understand how he could do this to you! To us!" Chris said on the verge of tears, "I don't understand him."

I walked over and hugged Chris with the baby, "I don't either." I said softly.

"We all need to talk." Leo said, "I think we should summon Wyatt."

"I'm not ready to see him." I frowned, "Not yet."

"Well, there's something else we have to tell you." Piper smiled.

"Piper..." Leo warned.

"We're moving back in." Piper smiled.

I smiled, "It is your house, bout time." I said.

"So, Wyatt..." Piper said.

"Too soon, Piper." I said.

Back in the living room...

Warren, Daryl, Henry, and Karen tried to pretend they couldn't hear anything, which was better because the yelling had stopped.

"Do they always yell?" Karen asked.

"It's genetic." Daryl smiled, "My dad used to tell me stories about this family..."

"The book has him listed, lower-level." Henry said, holding the book, "He's come farther since then."

"Lower-Level?" Karen asked.

"Not a big threat." Warren nodded.

"So, what are you?" Karen asked.

"Upper-Level! Omega all the way..." Warren said and they looked at him, "Okay, no more blatant X-Men references."

"There's a potion." Henry said, "Easy potion."

-           

Piper and Leo took the baby out so we could focus on getting this demon. Karen seemed to be enamored with the house. She constantly stared at it, said it reminded her of a real family house. She told me she didn't really have a dad growing up, basically just her mom and her. Daryl and Henry had left her in our care since they had actual jobs to go to. Chris and I were on the verge of having no jobs at all and Warren was still searching for his niche' in the world. I told her a little about my past and she recognized me, which was surprising. She said she'd been following my column and that I had actually answered her when she was younger. We found her boyfriend in the book and apparently he was big shit. Really big shit. Upper level, death touch and telekinesis. Been around since around was where you could be. Not centuries, but enough decades to be on the brink.

"How'd you meet this jackass anyways?" I asked.

"I was just minding my own business and one day...we met and it was like magic." Karen said, "I guess it was actually magic."

"Well, I don't know, when I was a demon..." Warren interjected.

"But you were half human." I said, "He's not."

"You're half demon?" Karen asked.

"We bound that part of him." I said quickly, "He's like a fluffy kitty now."

"Thanks." Warren said, rolling his eyes.

"I just mean he's a witch now." I said, "A good witch."

"You're all witches?" Karen asked.

"Yeah." I said, "Well, Henry and Chris there are part angel and Daryl is full mortal, but you get the jest."

"So, what do I do when he comes?" Karen asked.

"I'll take the shield off and you'll be known for only a few seconds, giving him time to find you." Henry said.

"Then we're going to blow his ass all the way back to Hell!" Chris smiled, shutting the book. He walked to the window and looked out, "Shit."

"What?" I asked, joining him at the window.

"Those damn jackasses are blowing their cut grass onto our lawn." Chris said.

I looked at him.

"Look, you don't care but I do." Chris said.

"You care about the lawn...that much?" I asked, "What are you really mad about?"

"Besides them being total pricks, they wouldn't play at P3." Chris frowned, "Can you believe that!"

"We're ready." Henry said.

"K." I said, walking over.

Henry closed his eyes, looking like she was in deep concentration and suddenly, there was a gust of air and a demon faded into our midst. I could see why she fell for him. He was like Orlando Bloom! Seriously, a dead ringer for him!

"Karen?" he said.

"Nope." I smirked.

The demon threw his hands up and telekinetically pushed me against the wall, causing me to fall to the floor. Chris did the same to him, but he faded out before he hit the wall and suddenly, Warren flew into Chris and they both fell to the floor! The demon threw Henry into an old Armoire, breaking it into pieces! He then moved to Daryl. Daryl turned bright red and began to choke!

"Hey!" I shouted.

"Where's Karen?" The demon asked, throwing Daryl to the ground. He raised his hands as he walked over to me and I began to choke. I tried to pull up my hands, but couldn't. I looked around and noticed that everyone was out of commission, "Tell me where she is, now!"

"Let him go!" A dark voice shouted, causing the demon to drop me. Wyatt raised his hands, causing the demon to explode!

I was shocked to see him. I couldn't move, even when I knew the other guys were moving around me.

"You okay?" Wyatt asked, extending his hand.

Chris grabbed my arm and pulled me up, "He's fine." He said defensively.

"Drake..." Wyatt said.

"I can't..." I said slowly, walking past him.

The rest of the room just stared at him in awe and surprise.

"What're you doing here?" Chris asked angrily.

"I made an agreement to save my family. I'm saving you." Wyatt said.

"Maybe we don't need to be saved by you." Chris said, blowing past him.

"Whoa." Warren said, gaining an angry stare from Wyatt.

-           

The next day pretty much consisted of the Sisters, Leo, Henry Sr., Coop, Chris, the remaining Charmed children, and I moving Piper and Leo back into the Manor. It wasn't hard, they left a lot here, but I had the baby strapped to my chest as I moved the little things. Lazy? Yeah, I know, but I have a kid that I can't just leave lying around. Everyone was just trying to get it done as quickly as possible. We were all shocked when the boxes all started orbing at once. We all rushed in to see Wyatt standing in the Foyer. My heart started beating really hard in my chest, I felt like I couldn't breathe...

"I thought I'd help." Wyatt said.