A/N You really need to read my other story Mixing Times to understand the first few chapters of this…
Melinda Jenna Halliwell sat on the couch of the front room of the Halliwell Manor. She flicked through the Book of Shadows and frowned. She was forgetting something extremely important. She was living in the year 2004 under the alias of Melinda Jenna Perry. It wasn't working for her very well. She shook her head frowning. Why wasn't this easy?
"Ha." Chris laughed as he came from around the corner. "You've been a Halliwell for fifteen years and you haven't figured out it wasn't easy."
"Stop reading minds." Mel frowned. "And anyway I've only been around fourteen years and eleven months. Technically in this time…I haven't been around."
Chris chuckled sitting on the couch next to his little sister. "Well let's hope you'll have a birthday."
Mel looked at Chris seriously. "We are going to be conceived."
"I wonder what's changed in the future." Chris pondered.
"Wyatt uses doors." Mel snorted.
"Hope I live to see that."
"Stop thinking you're going to die." Mel smacked him on the arm.
"Ouch!" Chris yelped in pain. "That hurt."
"No it didn't you baby." Mel said shaking her head.
"Egg I think is the right word." Phoebe came into the room placing a tray of tea and biscuits down. "We need to talk."
Chris crossed his arms. "What about?"
"About the conception of my nephew." Paige also headed into the room. "You know if you guys keep talking so loudly everyone will just join the conversation by coming around the corner."
Mel chuckled but received three threatening stares from her Aunts and Chris. "We need to tell your parents who you are." Phoebe said. "At least that way they can start trying to make you."
"Like Leo would want me as a son." Chris muttered. Phoebe frowned at him. "What? The man has thrown me into a wall, tried to kill me in a battle cage, attempted to get my wings clip, threatened to have me recycled…"
"Okay we get it." Paige cut in. "But weirder things have happened then sudden change of tune."
"Yeah Chris." Mel nudged her brother. "Things like Aunt Gi actually getting married."
"Hey!" Paige said. "No fair."
Phoebe rolled her eyes. "You two need to tell Piper who you are."
Chris shook his head. "We can't."
"He's sworn to secrecy. I'm sworn to siblinghood." Mel nodded her head.
"Who swore you to secrecy?" Paige asked.
Chris scratched the back of his neck. "Can't tell you."
"Oh come on Chris." Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Why can't you tell us?"
"Because I don't want you guys to kill me." Chris confessed.
Mel nodded again. "I'm going to kill him for swearing with this person."
"It can't be that bad." Paige said.
"Just tell us." Phoebe added.
Chris grimaced. "I swore to my ex-uncle."
It took a few moments for Phoebe and Paige to comprehend what was said. When they finally understood their jaws dropped. "Cole?" they said together.
"Well he helped me get to the past. I unlike Mel didn't have the luxury of a ring."
Phoebe crossed her arms. "You officially are not my favourite nephew."
"Aunt Pheebs." Chris complained. "I did it for the right reasons."
"Speaking to my ex-husband can never have right reasons." Phoebe refused to look at him.
"Phoebe."
"No Chris."
"Get over it."
"No."
"Aunt Pheebs?" Chris put on a wounded puppy voice and Phoebe took a glance.
"Did he help you?" Phoebe asked.
"Yes."
"Was he good?"
"Yes."
"Then…as long as he doesn't bother me I'm fine." she puffed.
"That's all I can ask." Chris looked at Paige. "So how do we get my Mom and Dad to hook up?"
"Please don't make me vomit." Mel said.
"You came into the world the same way." Phoebe added smiling at Mel's shocked expression.
"Yuk!" Mel said. "That is like so disgusting." she then frowned.
"Is it just me or has your personality been changing over the past few days?" Paige said.
"PMS?" Mel suggested.
"I think Paige is right." Chris said. "You aren't usually so…girly."
Mel thought back over the past few days. She had been wearing a lot of baby pink, gotten upset over her lips cracking, worn nothing but mini skirts, ditched her cargo pants and been washing her face daily with cleanser instead of her usual hand wash routine. "God I have been going girly." Mel said. "Think that could be apart of changes?"
Phoebe frowned. "Could be but how come it's effecting you now?"
Mel, Chris and Paige looked up to the sky hearing a jingle. Phoebe followed their gazes. "Guys? Want to fill me in here?"
"That's odd. I've never gotten a jingle." Paige said.
"I've never gotten one from the Elders in this time." Mel stated.
Chris crossed his arms and shrugged. "I always get them. Just put them on mute after a while."
Leo orbed into the room. "You guys get the jingle?"
The three witchlighters nodded. "What was that about?" Paige asked.
"We need you three. Now." he replied.
Chris looked protectively at Mel. "Why do you need my sister?"
"I don't even know. The point is we need you." Leo said frustrated.
Piper walked into the room and tilted her head to the side. "Leo what are you doing here?"
Leo looked at Piper. "Um…" he said. "Taking your sister, whitelighter and roommate away for a while." he said confusing Piper. "We have to go now." Leo demanded.
Chris nodded holding onto Melinda's hand. "We'll be right back." Chris said to Phoebe and Piper. "See, I've made a promise to my charges." Chris said to Leo before orbing out with his sister at hand.
Paige followed suit and Leo orbed after nodding to Piper and Phoebe. "What is going on?" Piper asked.
"God only knows Piper. God only knows." Phoebe looked to the ceiling.
…………………
"So we to good for Elderland?" Chris asked as soon as she saw the Golden Gate Bridge.
Fredrick shook his head. "No my dear, you are not dead enough for Elderland."
"Why can't half-dead count?" Paige quipped.
"Because half-dead isn't dead now is it?" Gideon replied.
"You still aren't off my suspicions list." Mel frowned at the Elder.
"And you are not off mine." Gideon frowned slightly. "Tell me, why is it we let so many witches and whitelighters breed in the future?"
Mel grinned. "Well I guess you guys get a little slack with work."
Sandra the only female elder in sight tilted her head slightly. "We need to co-operate."
"I agree." Leo insisted.
"Why did you jingle us?" Paige asked. "Cause I really don't like the jingling."
Fredrick smirked slightly. "Well Miss Matthews you three have to come with us."
"Why?" the three witchlighters said together.
"He was getting to that." Sandra said. "You three shall be joining the whitelighter council tonight. We need protection but only whitelighters are allowed in."
Paige and Mel both cross their arms and took the same stance of stubbornness. For a moment the only thing that made them look different was their different coloured hair and eyes. "Why would we go with you?" Paige asked.
Mel raised an eyebrow. "It's not like you guys haven't betrayed us before."
"Us?" Gideon asked. "We hardly have anything to do with what happens in the future Melinda."
"Oh but you have an awful lot to do with it." Paige replied. "You manipulate it to your advantage do you not?"
"Why can't you ask plain witches?" Chris asked. "What's so exclusive about this little club of yours?"
Fredrick rolled his eyes. "It's not about our little club. It's about the whitelighter legacy. When Leprechauns have meetings they do not invite the Centaurs. When Giants meet the Gods do not interfere. Once Fairies have shut the door to their realm for some privacy you shall not find a Pixie among them. Every magical group have a right to some secrecy."
"What makes this meeting different?" Everyone turned to the owner of the voice. Surprisingly it was Leo.
"Because Leo," Gideon explained. "Of what we are speaking about on the night."
Fredrick gazed warily at Gideon. "And because some things we cannot change." He highlighted the word cannot and look pointedly at Mel and Chris.
He knows something Mel thought sending a message to Chris.
Chris concentrated on his emotions and sent an annoyed feeling back. He then quirked his head at Paige who frowned. What are you two saying? Chris chuckled earning a glare from Paige.
"What's the con?" Mel asked.
Sandra looked confused. "There are no cons."
"I mean the condition? You know? We get free passes but we are put on mute? We get earplugs? What is it? I know you aren't going to let three witches hear what you're saying even if we are hybrids." Mel stated.
Leo answered. "I'm just guessing here but we'll be talking in whitelighter clicks so you guys won't understand."
Chris nodded and Mel stayed silent. "So I finally get initiated but I don't get in on the Goss." Paige said. "That's just great."
"Well do you agree to do it?" Sandra asked.
"Always were impatient weren't you?" she looked at her brother and Aunt. "We'll do it."
Paige looked shockingly at Mel. "Um does this count for all three of us?"
Mel and Chris both nodded. Paige groaned and threw up her hands. "Looks like you got witch security guards."
…………………
Piper and Phoebe sat in the kitchen waiting of the return their three witchlighter relatives. Once the orbs came in it was Piper who spoke first. "What'd they want?"
Paige sank into one of the barstools and looked at Piper. "Security. Although I don't know why we agreed."
Chris looked up to the ceiling and placed a finger over his lip. Mel pulled out a little potion bag from her back pocket and The Charmed Ones looked on curiously. Mel placed the bag on the ground and stepped back.
"Signum off ianua quod moenia quietis domus audire haud magis." Chris said and watched as a green shield formed around them.
"It blocks out the Elders. They won't be able to hear us." Mel explained. "They interfere quiet a lot in the future."
Piper quirked up an eyebrow. "What's new?"
Phoebe looked between Chris, Paige and Mel. "So what security job did you agree to?"
"To watch over a whitelighter meeting. Apparently something they are discussing is important and they want us to make sure nothing bad happens." Paige said. "However I think these two know something we don't."
Mel glanced at Chris. "Well I think it has something to do with the future changing and we want to go in and have a listen."
"They are speaking in whitelighter clicks." Paige said. "How will you understand?"
Chris smiled. "I didn't bother going but Mel did whitelighter training for a year. She understands what they are saying."
"Oh, so that's why she can heal but you can't." Piper said. "Why are you are whitelighter again?"
"Very funny." Chris rolled his eyes. "I'm dying from laughter. Hahaha. Now back to the point." he looked very serious and Mel smirked. "We get in, we protect, we get information they would never give us otherwise. Get it?"
Phoebe and Piper nodded. Paige looked grumpy. "I still don't see why I have to go."
"Don't worry Paige." Mel said placing a hand on her back. "You'll accept being a whitelighter one day."
Chris hit Mel on the back of her head and picked up the bag instantly getting rid of the green shield. "Don't you guys have somewhere to be?"
"Oh, I thought you were sending us on another demon hunt." Piper smiled faking sweet.
Mel smiled. "Sorry Piper but demon researching is on our to-do-list. I hate being his little sister."
"You love it." Chris said taking Mel's hand before orbing off.
"Oh hold on one second Mr. I'm not through with you yet." Phoebe called out.
Paige placed a hand on Phoebe's shoulder. "Sorry Sis but they're gone and by the way you owe me fifty dollars."
Piper laughed and went upstairs to check on her son. "Why do I owe you fifty dollars?" Phoebe asked.
"I forgot to remind you three nights ago that it was twenty-four hours and Piper hasn't figured out who they are." Paige smiled sticking her hand out waiting for the money.
"Oh…yeah." Phoebe snapped her fingers. "Don't have any money on me."
"Don't worry Pheebs." Paige grinned. "We'll meet up for lunch tomorrow, it's on you."
"Okay I like that plan a lot." Phoebe wrapped an arm over Paige's shoulder.
…………………
Chris held onto Melinda's hand as she snuck through the halls of Magic School. "I just don't trust him Chris." she explained to her brother in whispered tones.
"Neither do I." Chris whispered right back. "But we can't go stalking an Elder. I'm already in trouble as it is." Chris frowned but continued to follow his sister.
Mel laughed. "Yeah well I'm sorry I can't bail you out this time but old Elder Giddy ain't so nice. There is something insanely wrong about him."
Chris chuckled trying to hide his expression. "What?" Mel asked.
"For a second I thought you were going to say insanely attractive." Chris joked. Mel's expression dropped as she smacked her brother across the head.
"That'll teach you."
They reached the Elders office without being seen and Mel carefully picked the lock on the door. "Why am I not surprised you can do that?" Chris asked.
"I can also make smoke bombs and know the perfect way to sneak out of the third bedroom window. Aunt Phoebe taught me." Mel looked at her brother and smiled as she opened the door with ease.
Chris followed her inside and slid the door shut. "What confuses me is why we couldn't just orb in."
"Orb outside the front door then try to orb inside here." Mel smiled.
Chris did as she said then ended up opening the front door to get in. "How many times have you done this?"
"Too many to count bro. We are looking for something incriminating." Mel started opening and closing draws searching for something to pin the Elder.
"What do you think he's doing in here?" Chris asked sincerely.
"Who knows?" Mel frowned. "Can you hear an echo?"
Chris looked away slightly as if trying to listen. "Melinda." he said. He heard two people saying it. "This room is way too small to have an echo."
"Agreed." Mel muttered. She looked around. "Could be a black hole in here? Never ending."
"No then it wouldn't echo. No walls to bounce off."
Mel and Chris continued to search the little office for the echo. As Mel edged around the desk she tripped over on a small stack of books which were piled up next to the desk leg. She placed her hand on the curtained wall to stop her fall and smiled at Chris worried face.
"I'm fine." As she took her hand of the curtain she frowned. There was a certain smooth coolness behind the curtain that could only come from a mirror. "Who hides a mirror behind a curtain?"
Chris looked over to Mel. "A man who doesn't want to see his face."
Mel ripped open the curtain and was staring into her own green eyes. "Well what do we have here?" Mel asked tilting her head. Her mirror image did the same.
Chris joined Melinda at the mirror. The reflections in the mirror may have been themselves but they were different. They were evil.
"Alternate Universe." The Chris' said together.
"But why would he have the mirror?" Mel frowned.
"Don't know." Mel said.
Chris looked at his counterparts hair. "You should grow your hair out.
"You should get your hair cut." Chris replied.
"Knew you were going to say that."
"We are one in the same." Mel looked at her counterpart. "So what do you guys think is going on?"
"I think Gideon's turned good." Mel voiced.
"Evil is good over here." Chris said. "We have no idea what's going on to either side."
"Still don't get why he wants this mirror." Mel spoke out.
"He has no friends and knows the only person that'll listen to him is himself." Chris smirked.
"Or maybe the safest place for such a mirror is in the office of an Elder." Two echoed voices said from the doorway of the room.
Chris and Mel on the good side of the mirror looked to the door and Chris and Mel did the same. "Gideon…what a surprise." the Mel's said.
"Well it is my office." Two of Gideon's voices could be heard. Evil Gideon appeared in the mirror behind Evil Mel and Chris frowning. "Why are you here?"
"Well I came…" The Chris' looked at each other for they were speaking together. "We came…I guess…to talk to you about the meeting tonight."
"Yeah!" Both Mel's said. "We…I…we wanted to know what it was about." The Mel's shot each other a confused stare then looked back at Gideon.
"I cannot tell you." Gideon answered. "Now…" he closed the curtain removing the image of the other versions of themselves and reached deep into his robe pocket. "I'd like you two…" he poured some powder into his hand and Chris and Mel looked worried slowly backing up. "To leave." he through some memory dust onto them and waved his hand to orb them away.
Gideon opened his mirror back up. "We need to get rid of her." he said to his evil counterpart. "Chris hasn't figured out I am the one after Wyatt yet but Mel is close."
Gideon stared back. "I have an idea but you shall have to do something slightly evil…"
"Doesn't that mean you have to do something good?" Gideon quirked.
"It's all for the greater…" the said together.
"Good."
"Evil."
…………………
Hehehe…My first chapter got you hooked? I hope so…PLEASE REVIEW!!!!
Bibz