A/N: Hey! Well okay, this chapter took me a tad bit longer than expected, but it's here! I'm starting school in about two weeks and I have a buttload of summer reading left to work on, so in the next two weeks there will probably be a maximum of 1 update. And once school starts, it's probably gonna take me 3-4 weeks to do each new chapter. Sorry that it'll be taking so long, but I figured I should tell yall what to expect. ANYWAY on to happier things... like this chapter, for instance!

The Enchanted Ones
Chapter Twelve

Once Paige and Leo had finished looking at the book, they returned to the kitchen, where Piper and Phoebe were waiting. As they explained about the Water Fowl Demons, Piper's expression darkened.

"So Pandora didn't actually vanquish him? He's still after her?" she asked flatly, though she already knew the answer. Paige and Leo nodded solemnly.

"What do we do?" asked Phoebe.

"Well, there's not much we can do," Leo replied. Especially since she doesn't know she's a witch. I'll... I guess all I can do is to keep a close eye on her. Make sure she's safe. And if the demon comes back...we'll take care of it..." he trailed off, not sure if he was making sense.

The girls nodded their agreement. After a few moments, Paige broke the silence. "Um, guys?" Her sisters looked up at her. "What about Paris? And Peyton? Would their powers be unbound now too?"

"I guess...Paris's...they were probably ubound when Prue died, same as Pand—" Phoebe started, but Piper broke in.

"No," she interrupted. "No...when Peyton and Paris were born, I bound both their powers. Prue only bound Pandora's. Only Pandora has her powers now."

Though she was still, of course, worried about her younger niece, Piper was relieved to realize that Prue's daughters wouldn't both have demons chasing them. They all were.

They sat silently for a bit longer, then Phoebe spoke. "Um...it's been a long day. Maybe we should get some rest?"

"Yeah," Piper murmured softly, as Paige nodded. The four rose from the table and looked at each other. "Goodnight girls," Leo said.

"Goodnight," they echoed him.

Phoebe and Paige turned and slowly headed towards the stairs. Still in the kitchen, Leo's arms circled Piper's waist and he pulled her close. She leaned in and embraced him. They held each other for a few minutes, then Piper pulled away.

"Leo...those little girls..." Her voice cracked.

"I know, I know," he whispered. Piper looked down, clearly still worried about the three children. Leo lifted his wife's chin and they silently looked at each other. Then, leaning down, Leo kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Leo," Piper said.

Leo cupped his wife's face in his hands, then gently kissed her. "I love you, too."

They lingered a few moments, until Piper broke the silence. "Goodnight," she said softly. Leo echoed her, and then she turned and followed after her sisters towards their bedrooms.

-x-

The next few days were mercifully normal. The Charmed Ones went about their regular routines while Leo kept watch over his charges. To the girls' relief, their lives-—and their niece's—-were free of demonic attacks.

The Halliwells had decided that rather than spend time and money getting a rental car, they would drive to Seattle. When February 25th arrived, they piled into Piper's jeep and drove off. After a long drive, they finally arrived in Seattle, grabbed a quick dinner and began driving to Paris's apartment building.

They pulled up in front of a large brick building. It had a porch and a small yard, and was surrounded by bushes and scattered trees. A gray stone walkway stretched from the street to the front door. Leo parked the car and they slowly got out. They reached the porch, which had two rusted metal chairs and a few children's toys strewn across it. Scanning the column of doorbells, they found the one marked "Hartley." Slowly, Piper extended her finger and rang the bell.

-x-

Inside the apartment, Paris sat on the living room couch playing video games with her older brother Steven. "So, you nervous, P.?" Steven asked.

"'Bout what?" Paris said.

Steven rolled his eyes. "Come on, Paris, you know. About meeting your family. Your real family."

"You guys are my real family. I've always been a Hartley."

"Okay. But are you nervous?"

Paris paused briefly, and in the silence, the doorbell rang.

"Yes."

-x-

Out on the porch, the Halliwells waited nervously. After a minute, the door swung open, revealing a smiling blonde woman holding a wriggling toddler. "You must be the Halliwells. I'm Sarah Hartley. Sorry to keep you waiting. Please, come in."

They stepped through the door into the small lobby of the apartment building, and followed the woman through another door into the apartment. They entered the apartment and gazed around the living room.

Even from the doorway, they could see that it was a large apartment. It had two stories, and the rooms were large. The living room had one wall with large windows overlooking the building's larger backyard, filled with more trees and pots of flowers.

The room itself, though large, was cozy. On the wall opposite the windows was a fireplace, and above it hung a large portrait of the Hartley family-—Mr. and Mrs. Hartley, two boys, the toddler, and a young girl, whom the Halliwells took to be Paris. The entire room was filled with pictures of the family—-school pictures, pictures of the kids with friends, and pictures that seemed to be from vacations.

The carpeted floor was littered with stuffed animals, baby toys, and a few books. The room had a large television sitting inside a cabinet, and in front of it was a large couch. On the couch sat Paris and Steven, who both looked up shyly at the crowd of people entering their apartment.

"Guys, put away the video games, then Steven go see if Joseph needs any help with his homework, okay?" Mrs. Hartley said.

The two children nodded, and put the video games into a drawer in the cabinet. When they were done, Steven whispered, "See ya later, P.," and left the room. Paris slowly turned around to face the collection of people still standing by the door.

Mrs. Hartley placed the toddler on the floor and raised her eyes at Paris. The girl took a few steps forward, extended her hand towards Piper, and said, "Hi...I'm Paris. ...You must be one of my aunts."

Surprised that Paris had figured at that she was her aunt, Piper slowly shook the girl's hand. Paris shook hands with the rest of the group, and then took a step back, smiling shyly.

"Please sit down," Mrs. Hartley said.

The Halliwells sat on one end of the couch, and Paris and Mrs. Hartley sat opposite them. "Paris," Mrs. Hartley said, motioning towards Piper. "This is your aunt..." she paused, waiting for Piper to supply the name.

"Piper," she said. "And this is my husband, Leo. Your uncle, I guess. Um...these are my sisters. Phoebe and Paige." She pointed them out.

"It's nice to meet you," Paris said. "Um..." she paused. "That's my sister Cindy." She pointed to the toddler, who was sitting on the floor, quietly playing with blocks. "And that was Steven who was just here, he's fifteen. My other brother Joseph is upstairs. He's a year younger than me."

When she finished talking, they sat in awkward silence for a minute. Finally, Piper spoke up. "Paris...I know we just met you. But there's something we need to tell you. About your parents...your biological parents."

Paris looked at Piper, confused.

Taking a deep breath, Piper said, "They're dead."

"Oh. But... I already knew that."