Disclaimer: I do not own any of the rights to these characters. All factions and representations of "Charmed" belong to the WB and its writers and producers. I do not make profit from these stories.
This story is fiction and does not mean to imply anything about any Celebrity mentioned and their sexual orientation or personal life.
This story will contain intimate relationships and sex between two males. If this offends you, or you are not allowed to read this story due to age restrictions, please leave.
"Charmed: New Beginning" "Episode Ten: A Day in the Life"
Saturday; 10:00 A.M.
"Are you sure you'll be okay without me?" Jonathon asked, holding Tanner's hand.
"We've managed before. Remember, you weren't always a part of the Charmed coven." Tanner said, smiling. "Just say hi to your aunt Chloe for me."
"I will." Jonathon said, leaning in to kiss Tanner. He smiled before turning and walking through the airport gate.
It had been a month since Jonathon had moved in. A month since Aric had been captured. And a month since Tanner had quit his job.
The results of these things: One, Jonathon was going to spend a week back at home in Cancun to make sure everything was alright with his family. That meant a week separated from his boyfriend. Great.
Two, Aric and Tristan couldn't keep their love to themselves and felt the need to be extra-loud during what Tanner was sure was the probably the hottest sex ever. How did he know this? He had walked in on them in the middle of the act. At home. In his bed. Needless to say, he would never use those sheets again.
Third, he decided on turning a new leaf. Charles had really inspired him with the whole "Halliwell family" speech. He wanted to discover his potential as a full-time witch. And besides, there was plenty of income coming into the Halliwell home. Tristan was a uber-sucessful photographer at Alyss' company, Twila was still teaching martial arts, and even Jonathon had gotten a job, doing landscaping around San Francisco. And he looked so hot when he was all sweaty from working and not wearing a shirt.
So, with all this being evaluated, Tanner was by himself for the day. His siblings were all involved with their shenanigans, even though when Jonathon and Tanner had left, Tristan and Aric were involved in a completely different kind of shenanigans.
Even though he wanted to be a full-time witch, he had decided to check out some of the occult shops for work. That way, he could even work in witchcraft and still be discovering himself. Pretty smart, if he said so himself.
Getting into the car, Tanner started the engine and headed for downtown.
Saturday; 10:00 A.M.
The bell on the door of the small diner rang as Twila came through the threshold. She looked around the small restaurant before seeing Alyss, waving to her from the back of the room. Twila walked back to the booth, smiling.
"Good morning," Twila said, shedding her coat and sitting in the booth.
"Good morning. How're you?" Alyss asked, gazing at the menu. Twila shrugged.
"I've honestly been better. Tanner and Jonathon have been running rampant around the house trying to get a flight for Jonathon and making sure he's all packed up. Aric and Tristan have been screwing all over the place. It's like they no longer have any inhibitions.And then I've had a lot of students this week. And, even though it's been nice, I'm ready to move on. I'm a doctor for heaven's sake. You think I could find a decent job in this city. I had to take the bus here, since one of our lovely demon attacks last week put my car out of commission. And add demon fighting on top of that. Hell of a week..."
Alyss blinked at Twila while sipping coffee from her mug. Twila sighed.
"Sorry. I guess I just had to unload there for a second."
"It's fine," Alyss said, smiling. "You really need someone to vent to anyway. You've got two gay couples in the house, and then there's you. And your whitelighter is a part of one of them. You're lucky you have a best friend." Twila laughed.
"You're right. Thanks. So, despite being absolutely sick of magic this week, I'm really excited about today."
"Me too! I'm so happy you decided to let me show you around. Although, really, it's about time." Alyss said, smirking over her mug again. Twila rolled her eyes.
"Whatever."
Twila had decided it was time to meet with these people at The Nexus. And, since Alyss was one of the highest ranking officers, she thought `Why not?' So, she and Alyss had planned to meet for breakfast before they visited the mysterious magical facility.
A waitress took their order and left them to chat more.
"So...I really didn't want to bring this up, but I feel like it's important." Alyss said finally. Twila gazed at her in suspicion.
"What is it?" Twila asked, then in all seriousness burst out, "Oh my God, Alyss! Are you pregnant!?"
Alyss closed her eyes and exhaled a large breath before speaking again.
"No, idiot, I'm not pregnant. God. What is wrong with you?" Twila just laughed in response, letting Alyss continue. "No, I wanted to talk to you about the night Ross was vanquished."
That shut Twila up. In a snap she was back to seriousness.
"What about it? Have you found something?"
"Well, I had some of my people check a few things out. Apparently, a few miles outside of San Francisco, a coven of vampires was attacked. There weren't many survivors, but we had one to extract information from. He said that earlier that night, a stranger came into their cave and was ordering them around. They were ordered to attack the manor, hence our lovely night-time visitors. But, when the stranger discovered they had failed, he went berserk. He somehow was able to paralyze them all in a second and then he killed them one by one, finishing with the queen."
"That's crazy! So you think this is the guy that was pulling Ross' strings?" Twila asked, looking around to see if anyone was paying attention to them.
"Well, no. The vampire said that this guy wasn't a witch. He said that the stranger was something evil. So, looks like we have a high profile demon on our hands. Which also means, that someone else was using Ross." Alyss said conclusively. Twila looked at her in confusion.
"But you said a high profile demon. They could've done that, right?" Alyss shook her head.
"The kind of magic that was Ross had been infused with took some serious mojo. Combine that and chains you said were holding Aric, we're looking at something else. See, most demons can't use really powerful magic, they just rely on their powers. Not to mention, our people found that some of the spells you described were really old. So, we're looking at something old and dangerous."
"And that also makes two very powerful things after us." Twila said, rubbing her temples.
The waitress came with their orders and left the check on the table.
"Have a good day," She said, walking back to the counter.
Saturday; 10:00 A.M.
Aric awoke to the smell of bacon rising from the kitchen. He sat up in Tristan's bed, stretching his arms and pausing to pop his neck. He looked at the mirror on the dresser directly across from the bed and laughed. His hair was sticking in every direction, a result from the steamy session with his lover in the early morning.
He rose from the bed and went to one of Tristan's drawers to find gym shorts to wear. He didn't even bother with a shirt. He knew no one besides Tristan would be there that day. Which meant that his shorts would probably not be staying on for long...
Aric descended the stairs of the Halliwell Manor, smiling at the warm sunshine peeking in. The weather outside was just starting to change as winter became spring. Aric walked through the kitchen door to see Tristan, standing in front of the stove in a snug pair of jeans and black tank-top. Aric saw the muscles of his back rise and fall as he breathed. His dark brown hair was moist from the shower he had just taken, falling just above his ears.
Aric walked up behind Tristan, snaking his arms around Tristan's waist. He felt Tristan lean back into him.
"Good morning, beautiful," Aric said into Tristan's ear.
"Morning, baby." Tristan said, smiling. He turned to look at Aric, his eyes glancing into Aric's shimmering green eyes.
"What are you making?"
"Breakfast." Tristan quipped, smiling. Aric rolled his eyes. "Just some bacon and eggs. I'm no Tanner though, so it probably won't be as good." Aric smiled.
"That's good, because as much as I like Tanner's ass, you're much more desirable." Tristan hit him on the shoulder before Aric pulled him in for a kiss. They lingered for a moment before parting, both of them smiling.
Tristan turned and flipped the bacon and mentally retrieved some plates from the cabinet. They sat down to eat, contemplating what to do for the rest of their day.
Saturday; 11:00 A.M.
The bell on the door rang as Tanner walked into "Danielle's Shoppe for Occult." He paused a moment to look around. It was a small store, set up with several tables with crystal balls. There were wind chimes hanging all over the store, with strange patterns painted on the walls in bright purples and deep reds. A strange combination, sure. But, as Tanner knew, some witches were just weird.
There were a few bookshelves off to his left, so he decided he would investigate a few of their covers. One read "Love: The Arte of Brewing and Casting Love." Tanner snorted, which earned him a few fleeting glances from other customers in the store. He replaced the book on the shelf and walked to the main counter.
A pudgy fifty-something woman with curly red hair tied into a bun sat behind the counter, reading a book with an ancient cover from behind her glasses.
"Hi, would you be Danielle?" Tanner asked politely. The bespectacled woman looked up, squinting her eyes as though to make him more clear.
"I'm Deborah. There isn't a Danielle who works here, hon." She said, looking down to her book again.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I just assumed that you would be Danielle from the sign. Is there a manager here?"
"Look, hon, if you're looking for an exchange on the slughorn candles, we've stopped taking them back. There's a reason they were on ninety-five percent clearance." She said, looking up from her book again, her voice betraying annoyance. Tanner blinked at the woman.
"Actually, I was interested in seeking employment here. Is there any way I could apply? I've brought some transcripts with me, and I think you'll find my magical experience quite adept." He hoped it didn't sound too rehearsed. He held his breath as he waited for the response. Deborah had taken a large swig from her mug while Tanner was talking, though when Tanner addressed his magical experience, the drink spewed from her mouth, covering Tanner. He closed his eyes as he tried not to think about the liquid, listening to her laugh. She leaned forward.
"Magical experience? Honey, I don't really think you understand what we do here. Either that, or you understand it better than anyone else here. Our job is to bullshit people into buying stuff. Make them believe what they want to be done with it. As long as you get a sale." She finished, sitting back in her chair and went back to her book.
"Oh, alright. Well, thank you."
With that, Tanner walked out the door, having second thoughts about the day.
Saturday; 11:00 A.M.
Twila and Alyss left the diner to find a car waiting for them outside. Without hesitation, Alyss got in once the door was opened. Twila, though hesitant at first, slid behind her.
"Everything alright?" Alyss asked, retrieving her iPhone from her purse. Twila nodded and smiled.
"Just not used to this glamour and everything, I guess."
"Oh, this isn't glamour. This is just being courteous to a prospective Consult."
They rode in silence for a few moments while Alyss tinkered on her phone, before they pulled up to a large hotel. The marquee said "The Marble Suites Hotel." Immediately, Twila smiled.
"They use the hotel as a cover." Twila stated out loud. Alyss walked beside her, entering the automatic doors.
"It was pretty clever. Anytime anyone comes in, they just say that all the rooms are full. However, none of what The Nexus does actually takes place in any part of the hotel. It's all underground."
They walked through the marble lobby to the reception desk, where a brunette secretary dressed in red was typing at her computer.
"Welcome back, Ms. Alyss. And it's a pleasure to have you here, Ms. Halliwell." The secretary addressed the pair. Twila smiled and nodded, unsure of what exactly to do. The secretary handed her a badge to clip on her shirt. "That's your security badge. That's a one day pass as a visitor." The secretary explained before her phone started ringing. She wheeled to the phone and answered, "Thank you for calling The Marble Suites Hotel, this is Cindy speaking, how may I help you?"
Alyss led Twila away, in the direction of the elevators. Where the buttons should have been, there was a slot. Alyss held her key card to indicate its use and slid it in. A green light shone above, clearing access to the elevator. Twila smirked as they filed in. Before the doors closed, Twila heard the secretary, saying, "No, ma'am, the use of pyrokinesis is not permitted in the building."
Once the doors closed, the elevator plunged downwards, and after a mere two seconds, the doors opened again.
"It's a magical corporation, what do you expect?" Alyss asked, walking from the elevator into a massive room. There was a gigantic holographic globe rotating in the middle of the room, with a screen as big as the enormous wall right behind it, with ten different scenarios on it.
"This is The Nexus. White Magic Incorporated." Alyss introduced the room, a proud glint in her eyes. There were people walking every direction with papers flitting and phones ringing. Twila had a hard time taking it all in.
Alyss led her from the elevator and up a ramp that bridged between the six elevators and the main console. They stopped on the middle of the bridge, the holographic globe hovering within reach.
"This level is called The Floor. It is where most of the intel is gathered." Alyss said, pointing out all the desks and people under the bridge on the second level below them. "We track movement and keep tabs on people. Pretty much, sixty-five percent of what we do goes on in this room."
They walked off the bridge to the main computer console. Twila looked at the several keyboards and buttons below the gargantuan screen. There were several English keyboards, some in dialects she didn't even know. Buttons that were flashing green and blue and red. She was becoming overwhelmed very quickly.
"I'd like you to meet Commander Tal. He is the Coordinator and Supervisor of The Floor. Commander, this is Twila Halliwell." Twila indicated a tall, bald man in a navy suit. He smiled and shook her hand vigorously.
"Pleasure, madame. Now, if you ladies will excuse me, there's a problem with one of the nymph sections." He said, abruptly pacing away. Alyss sighed, looking after him. She then took Twila by the arm and walked toward a new set of elevators.
"These are inter-building elevators. They take you anywhere in the building, except for the entrance. The Entrance Elevators are what we used to get to The Floor." Twila breathed in deeply looking around.
"It's just so much to take in. It's so busy here and it's like everyone is on a mission." Twila said, reaching the elevators.
"Twila, they are. Every job here is involved in the well-being of good magic. They know the importance of their work and they're serious about getting it done. I know it's a lot to take in all at once. Just take a deep breath, okay? Besides, this is the busiest level anyway, from here on down it's not half as busy."
They entered the elevator, its bell ringing after another two seconds.
Saturday; 11:00 A.M.
After breakfast, Tristan and Aric sat on the couch to watch a movie. They lay next to each other, Tristan's arm around Aric's waist. Tristan had to admit that this was probably a record time for them not doing something intimate. They had been watching the movie for about forty-five minutes when Aric felt Tristan stir behind him. Tristan got up from the couch and went into the kitchen suddenly. Aric watched him go in confusion, then walked to the kitchen himself.
Aric found Tristan at the medicine cabinet, emptying pills into his hand from the Excedrin bottle. Aric looked to him in confusion.
"Everything okay?" He asked, walking to Tristan. Tristan grimaced a little and nodded.
"I keep getting these freaking migraines." Tristan said, downing the pills.
"Well, you know, sex releases endorphins, which are natural pain-killers." Aric said, kissing his neck from behind. Tristan laughed.
"Yeah, I knew that. It's just, every time after we're done, I get these weird thoughts in my head. Some of them don't even feel like me..." Tristan explained, pulling away and getting a water bottle from the refrigerator. Aric looked at him with knowing eyes.
"So, what you're saying is when you're the most relaxed, you start having weird thoughts and you've been getting migraines?" Aric asked, leaning back onto the counter. Tristan nodded, confused.
"Yes. But I'm not going to see a doctor if that's what you're going to say." Aric rolled his eyes. Tristan was always stubborn.
"No, that's not what I'm saying." He said taking Tristan's hands into his own. "I'm not really sure how to say this..."
"What?" Tristan asked warily.
"I think you might be developing your telepathy."
A moment of silence passed.
"Telepathy?" Tristan asked, surprised. Aric smiled and nodded, before he and Tristan were disappearing in a cloud of orbs.
They landed in the attic. Tristan looked at Aric confused. Aric smiled again and retrieved the book from its stand.
"Let me show you about telepathy..."
Saturday; 12:00
Tanner sighed, walked back outside from "Minnie's Wiccan Wonders." That made two fakes. In all of downtown San Francisco, there were only three occult shops. Two of them were duds. He just didn't understand how some people worked. They were making a living off of selling a part of his life to people who thought it could do them some good.
It made him mad.
He pulled from his wallet the three business cards of the occult shops. The first, red with purple writing, showed "Danielle's Shoppe for Occult." He threw this one into a nearby garbage can. The next was blue with gold writing, reading, "Minnie's Wiccan Wonders." He threw this one also, with a huff.
The next, was a plain white card with standard black writing. It read, "Gloria's." That was it. There was the name of the shop, the address, and the phone number. Tanner gazed at it with a strange stare. For some reason, this one seemed different.
He placed the card back in his pocket and started for the next shop. When he looked up, he was surprised to see a figure in front of him. He smiled, recognizing Charles.
"Charles! What are you doing here?" Tanner asked running to hug his whitelighter friend. Charles tensed at first, before Tanner felt him relax and hug him back.
"Hell, Tanner. I was in the neighborhood, figured I'd drop by. I understand you're looking for a job." He declared, his deep voice washing over Tanner. He nodded.
"Yeah. You know, since that night with Ross and stuff, I've been thinking about some stuff. I figured that what you said was right, I have Halliwell blood in me. I'm a witch. So, I'm being witchy." He said with a small smile. Charles chuckled.
"You are wise beyond your years, Tanner. I'm proud of you for making an effort to get in touch with your magical side. Your great-aunt Paige did the same thing."
"Really?" Tanner asked, shocked.
Charles nodded as they walked, settling on a bench on the sidewalk.
"She quit her job and turned full-time witch as well. Although, she was also a whitelighter, so really, she had more duties than you do." Tanner nodded.
"So do you know what Alyss and Twila are doing today? I just know they were going out together."
"Alyss is showing Twila The Nexus Headquarters." He stated, looking at some clouds in the sky.
"Oh..." Tanner said. Charles caught the disappointed tone in his voice.
"What's the matter?"
"Well, it's just that, I don't know. Tristan has Aric. I have Jonathon. I feel like I barely see her enough as it is. But now, she's gonna get involved with The Nexus and I'm never gonna see her." He pouted.
"This is an important time for Twila. It's an important time for all of you. You're growing as witches, and as people. Tristan is the oldest, but he's still only twenty-five. You have lives to live, important decisions to make. What you're doing now will mold you. You and Tristan both may have boyfriends, but remember, it's the Charmed line that matters. In the end, all you have is each other. You have a connection, you are all extensions of each other. Just remember that." Charles finished, putting a hand on Tanner's knee. Tanner smiled.
"Thanks, Chuck." Tanner muttered. He looked at his watch and rose from the bench. "Well, I had better be going. I have one more shop to visit before heading home."
"Which one?" Charles asked, rising as well.
"Gloria's. You wouldn't even know it was a magic shop unless you looked in the yellow pages." He said, rolling his eyes. Charles smiled.
"I know Gloria. She's a good woman. I think you two will get along just fine." Tanner looked confused.
"You know her?"
Charles just nodded, then disappeared into the sky in flurry of blue and white.
Tanner sighed and began the seven block walk to the last shop.
Saturday; 12:00 P.M.
Twila and Alyss strode through the doors of the elevator, stepping into the hallway.
"This floor is the Psychic Department. This is where most of our Seers, Diviners, Psychometers, Telepaths, and Telekinetics are stationed or assigned." She said, walking down the hallway. Each door had a different sign, saying, Telepathy Division, or Clairvoyance Division. They stopped at a black door with a red strip across the top and down the sides. Alyss turned to Twila.
"What do you feel, right now?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. Twila hesitated.
"Umm...excited? I'm not really sure I understand." Twila said, confused.
"Everything accomplished with magic sends a pulse. Something only witches or warlocks can feel. In theory, though, you should be the most sensitive to these pulses, since your powers deal with magic directly. Do you understand?" Twila nodded.
"So, use your mind to feel. What do you feel when you look at me?" She asked. Twila gazed at her for a moment, before a feeling came flowing through her.
"I feel power. And confidence." Alyss nodded.
"Good. Now, what do you feel here?" She asked, indicating the door. Twila cocked her head.
"A lot of power. A ton of it." Alyss nodded and pressed the panel next to the door. It slid open to reveal a dark room. They walked into it, and Twila gasped as she looked around.
It was like looking through a telescope into space. There were billions of stars, scattered through the air. Some were bright, some were dimmer. There were reds and blues. They were everywhere, encircling the pair.
"The Nexus is able to amplify the nexus from beneath your house to our headquarters. This is where our Psychics go to get a power boost. A seer's range would be amplified, although, it would depend on the power of the seer as to how much. A telepath's range could increase tenfold. I guarantee if you brought Tristan here, we might struggle to find a limit to his power." Alyss finished, flitting her hand through a few of the stars. Twila just stared in wonder.
"It's so beautiful." She said, gazing. They stood a moment, before Alyss moved.
"Shall we continue?"
They walked down the hallway again and into the elevator. Another level down, they walked into a similar hallway, though this hallway only held on door at the end of the corridor.
"This is our Nature Department. This is where most Nymphs, Faeries, Trolls, Leprechauns, Naiads, and other woodland creatures are stationed. Although, it's a little different from other departments." She said, walking through the only door in the hallway.
It opened and sunlight hit Twila. She blinked, dazed and confused as to why there was sunlight several stories underground. Once her eyes adjusted, she looked around.
For as far as her eye could see, there was nature. True nature. Trees and streams and flowers and birds. It was as though they had stepped into another realm.
"Because it is their natural environment, The Nexus was able to create a place for them to live, like their homes. It really is something to marvel at." Alyss said, looking around. Twila, again, could only gaze.
She saw some wood nymphs running from a satyr, melt into a tree as it tried to kiss one of them. She saw a water naiad throwing seashells at a nearby nymph.
"It just seems impossible."' Twila said in disbelief. Alyss smiled.
"Let's have some lunch before we continue with the tour, shall we?"
Saturday; 12:00 P.M.
"So, no one in the Halliwell line has ever had telepathy?" Tristan asked, looking at a family tree. Aric winced, thinking of an answer.
"Your uncle Wyatt did, have a type of telepathy, but it wasn't as powerful as yours . And, your great-aunt Prue might have developed it, had she lived longer."
"So, this might sound like a stupid question, but, how does it work?" Tristan asked sheepishly.
"Well, see, the average human used only twenty-five percent of their brain. Psychics use around eighty. Because they use more of their brains, they are more perceptive to extra-sensory signals, and able to reach further into their own minds and into the minds of others." Aric explained, flipping through the Book.
"How much brain capacity do witches use?"
"About thirty-five percent."
"So, I mean, reading minds is great, but how can I use it?" Tristan asked.
"Well, first let me explain something. Telepathy isn't just the ability to read someone's mind. It can be used as an offensive power too. It can also be used to camouflage, or communicate. It's really several powers in one." Aric explained. Tristan just nodded in understanding. Aric smiled and sat down to sit in front of Aric, facing him on the couch.
"Alright, let's just try this. I've only dealt with telepathy with a witch who was already trained in how to use it, so we're just taking it a step at a time." He explained, taking Tristan's hands in his own. "Look into my eyes. At first, it might take eye contact to make a connection with someone's mind. It just gives you an extra opening. Look into my eyes and try to think about what's behind them, what I'm thinking right now."
Silence lapsed between the couple. Green emeralds met pools of brown as they gazed. Aric counted, counting a full three minutes that they had locked eyes. Tristan concentrated, trying to focus on what Aric had said. Unbeknownst to both men, every single object in the room was levitating, even the couch they sat on.
More silence passed, before it was broken by a car horn from outside. The effect was instantaneous, everything dropped violently, the couch jarring them back into reality.
Glass broke, books fell from bookshelves. Tristan sighed in frustration. Aric lifted his hand to Tristan's face, comforting him.
"It's okay. It was just the first time. We weren't sure what would really happen anyway. Your subconscious must have reacted and triggered your telekinesis." Aric said, smiling.
"Yeah, I guess." Tristan said, grimacing.
"We're in uncharted territory, Tristan. We'll just play it by ear. Here, let's clean up, then give it another try. Okay?" Aric said, standing and walking to a fallen bookshelf. Tristan complied and began lifting things to their proper place in the attic.
Saturday; 1:00 P.M.
Tanner strode across the crosswalk, finishing the last black before the shop. He was a little nervous now, though he couldn't explain why. He stopped for a moment before entering the small store.
Like the last two stores, the bell rang as the door opened. On the inside, this store was a little bigger than the last two. There were bookshelves everywhere, bottles on shelves, and other strange assortments of objects. The store had two levels, separated by a spiral staircase. It was lit very brightly by a skylight, highlighting the middle of the store where a circular counter topped with several baskets stood. Though there were several people in the store, no one was behind the counter.
As he walked down the three stairs onto the main floor, he walked to a shelf with partitions in it. He recognized several of the potion ingredients that his own family used.
"Ya lookin' for somethin' particular?" He heard a gruff voice behind him ask. He turned, surprised at what he saw. Behind him, stood an old woman, about seventy or seventy-five stood with a cane. Standing at about five feet, she was dressed in a green dress with a white shawl draped around it. Tanner stared at her for a moment. "Somethin' wrong with your eyes? We got somethin' for that..." She said, walking towards the counter. Tanner followed her, perplexed.
"I'm sorry, I'm looking for Gloria? Assuming that one works here..." He muttered, standing at the counter where she sat. She snorted.
"I'm Gloria. What can I help ya with?" She asked, straightening some breadsticks wrapped in brown paper, which Tanner thought to be severely misplaced in a magic store.
"Right. I'm sorry. Well, I was wondering if you were hiring, or if I could put in an application. I've brought some resumes and transcripts with me, and I'm fairly experienced with magic." He said, pulling a folder from the messenger bag that hung at his side. He placed the folder on the counter in front of her, though she seemed distracted.
"Well, sonny, I've managed to work this store all by myself for the past thirty years. Only ever needed help once. I suppose I'll look over yer' folder, but sorry to tell ya to not be `specting a call." She said, now fiddling with another basket that held red mushrooms.
"Oh, well, thanks." Tanner said as he tried not to show his disappointment. He was almost to the door when he heard Gloria speak.
"Halliwell?" She asked in a confused tone. Tanner turned, looking at her with a nervous look. She looked up to him with tears in her eyes. "Melinda's boy?"
Saturday; 1:00 P. M.
Twila lifted the cup to her lips as she took her last swig of the water. She rose with Alyss from the enormous food court to continue with her tour.
They walked back to the elevator section and began to descend again. Another two seconds found them on a new floor.
"This is the Magic Core Division. This is pretty much everyone else. Whitelighters, witches, witch doctors. If I haven't named it yet, they're probably here." Alyss said, walking to the Directory Map so Twila could investigate. A second passed before Twila smiled.
"What about Santa Clause?" She asked. Alyss shook her head.
"No, he was fired last year." She said walking away. Because Twila couldn't see her face, she honestly didn't know whether or not she was joking. Surely...
Alyss walked to another door, which opened to show a large ovular shaped room. It had several stories and Twila could see people, up and down.
"This is also the level with our training equipment. A full track and swimming pool lie on the top level, standard gym equipment on the next, psychic training equipment, such as crystal balls, tarot cards, larger weights. The next level is one of the things I pride in with The Nexus. It's our holographic training courses. The user can insert any scenario, or can randomly select one, and it is magically conjured for them to train with. I've actually had several specific requests to have you and your siblings come in and be tested so they could see how they stack up to fighting you." Alyss said, watching a man walk towards them.
He was dressed in gym shorts and wife beater, his well-defined body glistening with beads of sweat, an obvious result of his workout. He walked towards the pair smiling, a set of white teeth shining. He was about five-foot-ten, with dirty blond hair.
"Hey, Alyss. Who's this?" He asked, a smooth tenor voice washing over her. Alyss rolled her eyes.
"This is Absalom, my brother." Twila stared, looking between Alyss and her...brother?
"You never told me you had a brother!" Twila said, slapping Alyss on the arm. Absalom grinned.
"That would make sense. Not many people know anyway. I'm Absalom, but most people just call me `Abs.'" He said, leaning forward to shake her hand.
`I can see why..." Twila thought, glimpsing his defined chest through his shirt.
"I'm Twila." She said, smiling. Alyss stood between them, her arms folded, tapping her foot.
"Well, I hate to break this introduction up, but Twila has yet to finish her tour. See you later, dork." Alyss said, pulling Twila to the elevators with one hand and reaching up to hit her brother on the side of the head with the other. He rolled his eyes as he waved to Twila.
"What was that about?" Twila asked, grimacing. Alyss rolled her eyes.
"My brother took off after our parents died. I was eighteen and he was fifteen. I tried looking for him, but I couldn't find him anywhere. He recently just showed up here in San Francisco. He's a witch too. But, I don't know, it's just weird. He's twenty-two now. I haven't seen him for seven years, and he just shows up. We used to be so close. It's just kind of hard to make that bond again." Alyss said, looking to Twila for support.
"I'm sorry, Alyss. That does make sense. So, what, you don't like him flirting with me?" She asked, smiling.
"I just don't want you to get hurt. He's totally a player. He'll flirt with about seven other girls today. It's not like you haven't been through hell and back with your relationships already." Alyss said, rolling her eyes.
"True." Twila admitted with a smile. "So he's a witch? What power does he have?"
"He doesn't. He's a witch, but he doesn't have any active powers. He is one hell of a spell writer though..." Alyss said, pressing the button for the elevator again.
"Okay, Alyss, I don't mean to sound rude, but, that was your brother! You never even told me you had one! And now you're treating it like it's nothing?" Twila asked, incredulous.
"I'm just...dealing with it on my own. I'm not that much of an expressive person, you know that. We're just kind of...taking our time. I'm thrilled to have him back. I just don't want you to go jumping all over him and sexing him up with your eyes like that..." She said, smirking. Twila gasped.
"I was not!" She exclaimed, turning red.
"Sure...slut."
Saturday; 1:00 P.M.
The attic once again was spotless, the result of Tristan and Aric working for twenty minutes to clean up Tristan's telekinetic mishap. Aric, finally sweeping the last of shattered glass into a dust pan, turned to Tristan, smiling.
"Ready to try again?" He asked. Tristan frowned a little.
"I'm not really sure I want to if this is going to be the result."
"Tristan, new powers take a while to develop. You still don't have the full understanding of your telekinesis, and it's been about six months. You're not going to get control in just a day."
"Okay, fine." Tristan said, sighing.
They once again sat on the couch, facing each other and hands intertwined. They locked eyes again, Tristan desperately trying to see past his boyfriend's eyes.
They stayed like this for minutes, again. Aric, counting, totaled six minutes, but Tristan seemed oblivious. However, this time, his telekinesis hadn't kicked in.
After another four minutes, Aric stirred, breaking the concentration.
"Maybe we should try another tactic?" Aric asked. Tristan nodded. Aric began to speak, but for some reason Tristan didn't hear him. Aric was speaking, but Tristan only heard whispers.
Then, as though a flood, Tristan felt Aric's presence within his own mind, and it was filled with only one thing.
Love.
Love for Tristan.
Tristan gasped, overwhelmed.
All he could feel was his love. There were some other thoughts there, but they weren't important.
By this time Aric had stopped talking, curious as to what Tristan felt.
"Are you ok-" Aric began to ask, before he was cut off by a deep kiss from Tristan.
Tristan took the initiative, pulling Aric on top of him, so Aric was straddling his waist. They kissed, their tongues swiping over each other's. Aric's hands gripped Tristan's hair, disappearing in the black.
Aric moaned as Tristan ground into him, his hands going to squeeze Aric's round cheeks.
Tristan's lips moved from Aric's, to his neck, licking and kissing, causing Aric to moan more.
"Oh God, Tristan...mmm... I love you..." Aric moaned, grinding back into him. He heard Tristan chuckle before kissed again.
"I know. I love you too." Tristan said, pushing Aric off him onto his back. He glanced at Aric's shorts before they were telekinetically ripped off, a tearing sound being made as they went. Tristan smiled at his naked boyfriend. "That's better."
Tristan reached down to pull off his tank top as Aric's hands immediately went to unbutton his jeans. Tristan stepped off the couch to slide his jeans and boxers off, and then lowered himself to Aric again.
Their lips crashed together, ferociously, yet tenderly at the same time. They yearned for each other, but at the same time, they loved each other. They were making love.
Aric's hand ran from Tristan's hair, sliding down across his nipples, down his chest and stopped at Tristan's abdomen. Tristan moaned, enjoying the touch, and longing for where his hand would go next. Aric's hand slid down, running over his cock, which was leaking pre-cum. Aric pumped it a few times, causing Tristan to moan again.
"Please, Tristan, I need you now." Aric whispered in between their kisses. Tristan broke from Aric for a second, leaning back to stroke himself a few times. He reached down to Aric's hole and ran a finger over it quickly, causing Aric to quiver. He leaned down, blowing on Aric's wet hole, enjoying teasing him. Aric whimpered as Tristan licked his entrance.
Aric's sounds were driving him crazy. Within the next second, Tristan was leaning over him again, kissing him while lining his member up with Tristan's hole. Aric, deciding to tease Tristan, caught his lower lip between his teeth, sucking on it while Tristan moaned.
Tristan pushed in as Aric groaned out loud. Tristan broke the kiss for a second, only to have Aric's hands pull the Tristan's mouth back onto his. Tristan waited a second before moving again, letting Aric get used to having his large pole there.
After another few seconds, Tristan began to move, pushing further and further into Aric. Their moans and groans matched as they kissed.
Tristan loved the feeling of warmth and tightness of Aric's hole as pulled out, almost all the way, then drove back into him.
Aric's hands roamed all over Tristan as he pushed back into him. He matched Tristan's rhythm, longing to get closer to him.
One of Tristan's hands moved to find Aric's hard cock, as he pumped it to match his own movements. Aric moaned, whimpering to Tristan as he pleasured him.
"I...I'm not gonna last much longer..." Aric said pulling Tristan to him. Tristan nodded, lost in ecstasy.
Aric pulled Tristan into another kiss before, a loud moan left his lips, lost in Tristan's. Aric's muscular body tensed up as ropes of white Tristan's hand.
Tristan's hand slowed, his body following. He and Aric kissed again, before Aric whispered into Tristan's mouth.
"I need you to finish." Aric said, sliding himself further onto Tristan's cock. Tristan moaned as he pushed back, picking up his pace once again.
Tristan drove himself deeper and deeper, his cock disappearing into Aric's hole. Soon, Aric heard Tristan's breath start to increase, as his body reacted.
With one final thrust, Tristan moaned, emptying himself into Aric. Aric pulled Tristan down for a deep kiss as he felt Tristan filling him up, his cock pumping at least ten times.
Once Tristan stopped, they stayed like that for a few minutes, still kissing.
"God, I love you." Tristan said.
"I love you too."
Tristan looked down, seeing Aric's covered body. He slid out of him, drawing a sigh from Aric.
"I think we need a shower..." Tristan said, chuckling.
"I agree." Aric said. He stood along with Tristan, letting himself be lifted into the arms of his lover as they disappeared in a cloud of blue to the bathroom.
Saturday; 2:00 P.M.
"Melinda's boy?"
Tanner's eyes grew wide as he stared at this woman of mystery.
"You knew my mother?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper. She laughed.
"Knew her? I taught her everything she knew. She was the only person I've ever hired to help me in my store." She said, motioning to a stool beside her. Tanner eagerly took the seat.
"But, how?"
"I knew Piper. We made friends when she was still in her forties. I hired Melinda and looked over the boys. When your mother died, I helped with the arrangements. I had to move away for a few years after that. I just recently came back. I'm very sorry about your grandmother. She was a good woman." She said grimly. Tanner's head was whirring.
"You...knew her."Tanner reiterated, trying to make himself believe. "We've always been told she died in a car accident. But that's not true is it?" Gloria shook her head.
"No, it's not. But, I'm sorry, I shouldn't tell you. Not yet anyway." Tanner looked at her confused. "You never knew your mother. She died when you were young. I can't just unload everything on you at once." She said, a sad smile on her face.
"She was a witch, right? What powers did she have?" Gloria sighed.
"She and her brothers were a continuation of the Charmed Line. Wyatt got about every power in the book, but the powers still took to the three of them, more or less. Wyatt held molecular control, Chris held telekinesis. Your mother was one of the world's most powerful seers. She had such a potent clairvoyant power, she could see minutes ahead. She could pick up the most vivid things in a vision. She knew things that no one else did. She was one of my best students. She was incredible."
"You taught her?"
"Oh yes, I was quite the Seer in my time. But, I gave up my powers for a greater cause about twenty years ago." She said, tear gleaming in her eye. She wiped it away, sighing again. "A story for another time though, surely." She turned to look at Tanner and smiled.
"So, you're looking for a job? I can probably do something about that."
As she took the folder into her hand, Tanner heard an all too familiar sound as he saw three men appear in flames in the corner of the store.
`Crap...' He thought.
Saturday; 2:00 P.M.
The elevator rang one last time as Twila and Alyss walked onto the last floor. The last hallway led to a single door. Twila was almost afraid of what was on the other side. Alyss held her hand to the side of the door, which took her hand print, before she slid her keycard into another slot. The door slid open, leaving Twila completely confused.
On the other side was a sole reception desk with a secretary behind it. There were giant tall windows behind the desk, revealing an appealing view of San Francisco. Twila blinked, confounded.
"Magic, Twila. You've got to get with the program..." Alyss said, explaining the view of the city forty stories underground. She led Twila to the desk, smiling at the receptionist.
"Hello, Ms. Brooks, Ms. Halliwell." The receptionist said, a bit too chipper.
"This floor holds the offices of the three executive officials of The Nexus." Alyss said, pointing out the three hallways that branched from the main room. "The three of us decide what's the best direction for The Nexus, through very involved decisions and meetings. And we're holding one today. About you." She said, walking to the hallway directly behind the desk.
"Just out of curiosity, what is the receptionist for?" Twila asked.
"Well, she's an awesome secretary. But she's also for security. Even though we can all take care of ourselves." Twila's head tilted in confusion. Alyss scoffed. "Here, almost nothing is as it seems. She is our most powerful telekinetic. The things she can do are...well, let's just say we're in good hands." Alyss explained, pressing the panel beside the door to open it.
"Twila, I'd like you to meet the other two officials of The Nexus, Mr. Wingate and Mr. Dexter. Gentlemen, this is Twila Halliwell."
The two men shook her hand before the four of them sat down at a table in the middle of the office.
They were both dressed in suits. Mr. Wingate was an older man, with dark gray hair and a large mustache. Mr. Dexter was a large, bald man.
"Ms. Halliwell," Mr. Dexter began," We are pleased to have you here. We hope you'll listen to our offers with open ears." He said, smiling. Twila smiled back.
"That's what I'm here for." She said. Mr. Wingate was the next to talk.
"We'll just get to the point. Obviously, you are a Charmed One. The Nexus would benefit greatly having someone of your stature and talent in power. We would love to have you come and work with us."
"What exactly would that entail?" Alyss was the next to speak up.
"At first, you would only be on record as a consult. You would have limited clearance and authority. Basically, you would just be getting the feeling of The Nexus. Once you felt you were ready, you would come work beside us, making decisions for The Nexus, taking leadership positions. As a Charmed One, you have an impact on the magical community. But in this position, you would truly make a difference with your powers."
"We would love to have you." Mr. Wingate added. Twila just chuckled.
"Well, I can't necessarily say no. I would love to come and see what I would be able to do. I'm very excited to see what we can do together." All three officials smiled.
"Very good. We will discuss salary and benefits when or if you decide to join us." Mr. Dexter said, smiling.
"Well, to wrap this short meeting up, gentlemen, we will see you Monday. And if you need anything, you know how to get in touch with me." Alyss said, rising from the table. They walked toward the door before Mr. Dexter spoke up.
"Alyss?" He asked as she turned. "Spend some time with that brother of yours tomorrow, will you? He's becoming quite restless."
Alyss rolled her eyes and led Twila out of the room.
Saturday; 2:00 P.M.
Aric left Tristan getting dressed to go to the kitchen to find something to eat. He laughed when Tristan told him to actually put on clothes this time, since his siblings would probably be back soon. Aric searched through the refrigerator and the pantry to no avail. The Halliwell family was out of stock. Although, Aric actually had to think of the last time they had gone to the grocery store. They were all so busy, they usually just ate out, and none of them had the time to go to the grocery store. He walked to the phone and dialed Tanner's number. It rang a few times before he answered. He sounded flustered.
"Hello?" Tanner shouted into the phone. Aric heard something break in the background.
"Umm...Tanner...Everything okay?" He asked, worried. He heard what sounded like a flamethrower, before Tanner shouted.
"Good shot, Gloria! Huh? Oh, sorry Aric, yeah we're all good. Is there something you needed?"
"Well, I was going to go to the grocery store. I was just wondering if you wanted to cook dinner tonight."
"Uh, sure. Damn, that hurt! Uh, look Aric, just get some hamburger, cheese, tomatoes, and potato chips. Gotta go!"
Then the line clicked.
Aric looked at the phone in confusion. He heard Tristan behind him, asking who that was.
"I called Tanner to see if he wanted to cook dinner if I got some stuff for him. It sounded like he was in the middle of a demon attack. He did sound fine though." Aric explained when Tristan looked alarmed.
"Well, what did he say?" Tristan asked. Aric held up the list of things Tanner requested and grabbed Tristan's keys.
"Do you want to come with me?" He asked, walking towards the door. Tristan shook his head.
"No, if it's alright, I'll stay here. Alyss emailed me the other day with some pictures, asking my opinion and I still haven't done anything with them." He said, walking towards the kitchen door. Aric nodded.
"Alright, I'll be back."
Saturday; 3:00 P.M.
"Damn it. One of these days I'm going to send the Underworld a copy of their running tab at my store. Every time a demon attacks, something else gets broken..." Gloria said, sweeping some broken glass.
"I have to say, I'm impressed. I never would have thought you could've held your own like that." Tanner said, putting bottles back into baskets. Gloria laughed.
"I fought with your grandmother when her sisters were killed. I know a thing or two. Age is never a hindrance. Even if you don't have active powers." She said, smiling.
"Well, I just never thought you could handle three demons by yourself."
"I can't. I haven't had a demon attack in about three weeks. Most of the time, it's usually just one or two, and I manage to get rid of them. But, as much as I hate to admit it, I was lucky you were here." Tanner smiled, causing Gloria to narrow her eyes once again. "You froze those demons. Your grandmother had that power. I take it the Charmed Line has continued again." She said, resting on a stool. Tanner nodded.
"Not quite like the last two generations, but yeah, it has. Tristan got telekinesis. I got freezing. Twila is the one that got something different. She has dialect magic."
"Really? Now that's interesting. Haven't seen that since 1965."
Tanner looked at his watch, and jumped.
"Look, I'm supposed to make dinner tonight. Would you like to come?" He said rushing to his messenger bag. Gloria started laughing and shaking her head.
"You remind me more and more of your mother every minute I'm with you. I can't, I've got to close up. I'll expect you here on Monday at seven-thirty. Don't be late." She said, her hand resting on her cane. Tanner smiled and nodded.
"See ya."
Saturday; 3:00 P.M.
The Nexus' car drove to the Halliwell Manor, stopping in front of the walkway. Twila turned to Alyss before getting out.
"Thanks again for everything. Today was great. And I'm actually excited about Monday." Alyss smiled.
"No problem. It was fun."
Twila began to get out, before her phone vibrated with a text message. She reached in her pocket and read the message from Tanner.
`Dinner at 430. Invite whoever." Twila smiled and turned to Alyss again.
"Hey, we're having dinner in about an hour and a half. Why don't you go get your brother and you guys have dinner with us. We could play board games afterwards." Twila said with a cheesy smile. Alyss rolled her eyes. "Come on! It'll be fun for the whole family!" Alyss sighed.
"Alright, we'll see you later then."
Twila squealed and hugged Alyss.
"See ya!"
Saturday; 3:00
Tristan sat on the couch with his laptop looking over some of the edits Alyss had sent him. How she managed to oversee the most successful photography agency in the west and have time to be and executive officer of The Nexus he would never know.
He looked to the front door as he heard it open, seeing Twila step across the threshold.
"Hey." He said, smiling.
"Hi. How was your day?" She asked, walking to the sitting room. She sat on the couch, leaning into its comfort.
"Pretty good. Aric's gone to get some ingredients for dinner. Tanner should be home pretty soon. What about you?"
"It was really good. I got a whole tour of The Nexus. It's incredible. And I start as a consult on Monday."
"Wow, that was quick." He said, looking up from his laptop, Twila shrugged. "Well, I got a new power."
"What!? I'm gone for a few hours and come back to this!" She exclaimed in surprise.
"Aric said my telepathy is starting to kick in. But, I can't really tap into it yet. It's gonna take a lot of practice." He said, closing his laptop.
"Maybe we could get someone at The Nexus to help. They have a whole department for psychics."
Tristan was about to reply when he heard the door open again, this time revealing Tanner and Aric.
"Hey guys!" Tanner said running to the couch and jumping to lay in Twila's lap. She groaned in surprise.
"Get everything?" Tristan asked. Aric nodded. Tanner promptly got up and walked toward the kitchen.
"Will it just be the four of us tonight?" He asked in all seriousness. Tristan rolled his eyes at his dramatic brother.
"No," Twila spoke up, "Alyss and her, get ready for this, brother will be joining us this evening." She said smiling.
"She has a brother?" Tristan asked.
"Yeah, who knew? Anyway, you guys will get to meet him tonight. But hands off, I already called dibs." She said crossing her arms. This time, Tanner rolled his eyes, before disappearing into the kitchen.
They all parted ways in the house to finish some last-minute tasks before their guests arrived.
About an hour later, the doorbell rang. Twila heard rushing footsteps, Tanner running to the door. She rolled her eyes and went to the stairs.
"Hey Alyss! And...you." Tanner said, drawing Alyss in for a hug.
"Hey guys." Twila greeted from the bottom of the stairs. Alyss and Absalom smiled as they walked into the house. Absalom walked ahead of Alyss, pulling flowers from behind his back.
"We brought flowers for the lady of the house." He said, smiling, half-bowed. Tristan snorted.
"Which one?" He asked, nodding to Tanner who was complimenting Alyss on her out fit. Twila rolled her eyes and thanked him for the flowers.
"Everyone, this is my brother, Absalom." Alyss said, looping her arm through his.
"Abs for short." He said with a charming smile. Alyss rolled her eyes as greetings came from those who had yet to meet him.
"So what's for dinner, Tanner?" Alyss asked, walking to the table.
"Hamburger Goulash. It's a family recipe." He said, placing a dish on the table.
"Looks good." Aric admitted, sitting down.
"Thank you!"
They all sat down and passed plates so Tanner could serve dinner. Some silence passed while everyone ate.
"So what did everyone do today?" Tristan asked, looking around.
"I got a job." Tanner said, smiling. "It's an occult shop downtown. Her name is Gloria." He said. He immediately looked down so they wouldn't suspect he was hiding something from his eyes. He was a terrible liar. He just didn't want his brother and sister to know all about her yet.
"Congratulations." Tristan said. "What about you Twila?"
"I got a headache. I went to The Nexus and got the grand tour. It was incredible. And overwhelming. But I'm excited to start as a consult on Monday." They nodded and Tristan could've sworn he saw "Abs" wink at Twila.
"Well, I got a new power." He said brightly. Twila rolled her eyes, but Tanner choked on his food. By the time he settled, everyone's attention was on him.
"You what!? That's so unfair." He said, crossing his arms. They laughed as Tristan began to explain more about it. Alyss excused herself from the room when her cell phone rang.
"Hello? Yes. I'm sorry what? Hang on just one moment please." She said, rising and walking to the foyer.
Aric watched her as she went, following her with his eyes. Then, he saw her face fall and look back towards the small group. That could only mean one thing.
She finished her call and walked back to the group, a grim expression on her face.
"Guys, sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there's an emergency. The Covenant has the other chief officers of The Nexus. They've been kidnapped."
There we have it! Another chapter. I'm sorry, this chapter was painfully hard to write, though I'm not quite sure why. But I liked writing it a little differently. So, some of your questions about their parents have been answered, but a whole lot more have been sprung I'm sure. And what about that Absalom? Let me tell, that one even surprised me! Anyway, I hope this chapter has satisfied!
Also, the graphics that I came up with that has who I picture playing my characters are still available. I can only send one of the two right now though, but in a couple of chapters, I'll be able to send both.
All comments and suggestions are welcome, as always!
Nick
notoriousnick90@yahoo.com