A Charmed Life *PRIVATE*

[Willow Pillow]

Kate could pull but Robin's footing didn't budge. Robin just looked at the cop's direction. "No." She kept her footing and looked at Nathan. "Can I help you? Because if I didn't know any better, you're looking at us like we did something wrong."


She didn't know exactly what it was, but something was off. She didn't like the man's expression. She may have seen him before in passing during the dozens upon dozens of times but she never paid much attention. He just didn't look...right...to her.

 

[Penelope Burns]

Morgan noticed the man, a savior, come up to her and offer a distraction. The paralysis immediately faded away, she could escape. "I don't know, I think I'm crazy. Please get me away from here." She said to the man, hoping he would listen. The thing was so close, so very close to her.


"Nat, stop. Please." She begged, still hoping the man would pull her away. She had to get out as fast as possible. Maybe find Robin or Kate, someone who could help understand what was going on.

 

[Willow Pillow]

"I don't have the luxury of ever continuing," The wound seemed to only bleed out even more.


Crazy eyes. Maybe this was a bad idea. She was talking to something, but the look she gave made it seem like, atleast to her, something was really there.


"Well...I'm getting a cup of coffee, you think you'd like to join me?" Logan gave a trusting smile. "You know its funny to see a cop at a donut shop, that should help...you know...distract you with whatever you're dealing with."

 

[Krista]

Nathan laughed softly at both those women. Pushing off the wall he walked towards them slowly. "You may not have done something wrong but the woman next to you has. She's a regular around these parts." With those words he shifts his eyes to stare at Kate before going back to Robin. "I'm just an officer of the law doing my due diligence by making sure the trouble maker makes it out without any .... incident."


Standing in front of both of them now he states down at Robin before looking over at Kate. "Now you ladies have a good evening."


Kate nearly held her breath while he walked towards them. When he spoke she furrowed her brows, damned near digging her fingers in to Robins arm.


It was only when he walked did she start to relax a bit. Feeling stupid for being so scared of him and acting like a crazy person she shook her head. "Come on we need to make sure Mo's ok." She started to walk away wanting away from this hell hole.

 

[Penelope Burns]

"Yes. Yes please now." She said, trying her best to avoid looking at the thing that was once her roommate. Sweat was dripping as she watched the blood pour from the naked girl's wound, the creature walking closer and closer, its voice giving her goosebumps.


She urged the man away from the area, hoping the creature wouldn't follow again. Her sisters could find her later.

 

[Willow Pillow]

He was trying to intimidate her. Robin didn't like it. There was not a drop of fear in her eyes but a steely expression in those brown eyes.


"Unless you are going to press charges on her now, do not speak about my sister that way. her bail was paid and ad far as you should be concerned she's innocent. I will have a good day....with my family. I hope you learn how to do your job properly in the mean time."


It wasn't until Nathan walked by that Robin could feel her sisters nails. "Kate oww! Why are you....yes we should check on Morgan! That's more important."


She power walked with her sister.


--


"Alright then, hope I don't dissapoint." logan opened the door for the girl.


"Actually don't quote me on that. I know nothing about donuts. Highschool student? " he wasn't going to ask what was bothering her until she calmed down a little more.


And for the moment the corpse of Natalie was gone.


--


Robin almost screamed. "She's not in the car. Kate she's not in the car!"

 

[Krista]

Thankfully Robin got side tracked by Morgan. Kate didn't want to discuss why Nathan scared her. So she sighed to herself when Robin power walked out.


Walking up to the car she raised an eyebrow when Robin started shouting that Mo was gone. "She can't have gone far and we're in a police parking lot. Let's go back in and have them pull surveillance video and figure out where she went." Kate redirected her now frazzled sister towards the hell hole once more, wondering where her baby sis got off to.

 

[Penelope Burns]

Very rapidly the temperature increased noticeably, and the feeling of dread had dissipated. Morgan looked around and didn't see Nat's body anywhere. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was gone, at least for the moment.


After this, Morgan took a moment to regain her composure, with a few more deep breaths. Finally, she responded to the kind officer. "No. College student. How long have you been on the force?" She asked that not because she cared but because she really didn't want to talk about what was going on. She already seemed crazy, saying that her dead roommate was naked and following her around was not a smart idea.

 

[Willow Pillow]

"must have just started." He nodded to himself as they walked down the street. "About a year. Finished getting my master and went straight to the academy. Still waiting for my education to pay off."


As Logan opened the door he remembered on of the calls today. College student. Fear in the police station. The line at Starbucks wasn't that bad. "You know, I have this trick I know with my thumb and my palm. Chases my personal demons away. You just press it hard, little bit of pain brings you back to reality and what's real.....large coffee or hot chocolate? "


He wasn't sure what she was going through, but he did know after his father died he saw him everywhere...as if he was real and about to kill him. Death is hard to handle for anyone...if she was from that school.


Little did he know it was more serious than That.


--


Robin tried to breathe but she nodded. "She's an adult. She's probably fine but let's do your plan. Let's look at the security tapes and see where she went."


she didn't wait for her sister and just power walked back in. "Excuse me. Miss. I need your help in finding my sister."


The secretary was chewing gum and not paying attention.

 

[Krista]

Kate walked with Robin back to the station and stood there, arms crossed. When the lady wouldn't answer Kate walked over. "Jones, I need your cameras." When she didn't look up Kate snapped her fingers in front of the lady's face. "Focus." When she finally looked up Kate smiled a mischievous smile. "My baby sis went missing from the car I need you to look at the cameras and tell me where she went to." Reaching in to her pocket she grabbed a fifty she was saving for a rainy day and slid it over to her. "I need you to hurry."

 

[Penelope Burns]

"Hot cocoa, please." Morgan said, dwelling on his words. If it was just a hallucination, then why did it feel so real? She had never done drugs, nothing like that, so she had no frame of reference, but she'd never heard of someone seeing their friend hunt them down mere hours after death.


"My demon is... She's fresh. And every time I see her she screams that it's my fault, that I left her. I was at Wendy's, I was thinking about how simple school was so far. How was it my fault." Morgan felt her nails digging into her palms, but the pain was nothing compared to the fear. Was she losing her mind?

 

[Willow Pillow]

"KATE! You don't bribe the cops!" Robin ripped the fifty and shoved it back in pocket. "And you! YOu should know better! You represent the law. What this City stands by to protect itself. Do your job better!"


The secretary backed up in her seat as the crazy woman was screaming. She turned to Kate. "I now understand why you are the way you are..."


But the woman looked at her footage. "Officer Ward walked her out. He usually goes for coffee right about now."


"Two hot chocolates," He said to the cashier. Paying with cash, he listened to the girl talk. "When I was a teenager, my father died. Drunken mess. But the day he died I saw him everywhere. My fault he was dead, I was weak. He was like a boogy man that would pop out of places to punish me. Took quite a bit of time for me to get the past to go away."


He handed her her drink. "Point I guess I'm trying to make is, death's intimidating. If this was a friend you might feel, somewhere in there its your fault when there is no reason that it is. But those demons can't hurt you, they're not real."

 

[Penelope Burns]

Morgan listened to the man's story intently before realizing that she had no idea what his name was. If the situation weren't so serious, she would have laughed. "I know my demons aren't real, but she was so realistic. The air itself changed when she showed up and when she left. I'm probably just imagining things, but it felt so real." Part of her didn't believe herself, but the other part was convinced that the girl was there.


"And sir, you've bought me hot chocolate and helped me get over... That. At least temporarily. But I don't know your name. I'm Morgan Whitman." Morgan felt like it would be important to give her full name, he was a cop after all. Her limited experience with them led to her usually giving her full name in every situation (Robin never found out, of course.).

 

[Willow Pillow]

Whitman.


Logan gave an awkward smile, running his hand through his hair. The world was a funny weird place. Now that he looked at her, she did look like the girl he arrested. Just no pink hair and a little younger. Murphy's Law sure did like to be a funny guy, didn't it? He held out his hand. "Logan Ward. Officer Ward."


The temperature dropped another twenty degrees but Ward would not feel this. The brief moment of her sanity and safety would go away as the corpse of Natalie stood behind the cop, the skin looked more sunken as water dripped on the ground. "He will die too. Because of you."

 

[Penelope Burns]

Morgan noticed his change in expression immediately. Did he know Robin? Kate? It wasn't like it mattered that much, but it was kinda funny. What an odd world it was...


Morgan felt the drop immediately. She turned around, looking for it, trying to find it, only for her face to pale when she saw it. Natalie was right there, with even more blood than last time pouring out of her. Water too spilled onto the floor, but once again nobody saw it.


She immediately stabbed her palm as hard as she could, watching blood pour out. But she was still there. Still looking at her, still threatening death. Why wasn't she gone if she was just part of Morgan's imagination?


"I'm sorry, I have to go." Morgan said, walking outside as quickly as possible, her expression screaming that something was wrong.

 

[Willow Pillow]

There it was again. That fear. He'd seen that look before, from his mother. But this was worse.


The girl dug her hand in her palm and logan noticed the trickle of pain. "Morgan wait!"


She was able to make it outside the doors, where naked Natalie now stood in front of her. Smiling and looking like she was decomposing in front of her, before logan grabbed her arm.


With a hold he ran his hand down until it was at hers, pressing his thumb in her palm. "focus on me, ok? Whatever it is....it's not real."


Behind him again Natalie placed her hand on logans shoulder. The man didn't see anything but there was a twinge of recognition in his eyes as he felt the temperature drop. "He wanted you morgan....and I died for it. This pet will die too, because of you. Why did you let it happen?"


"Focus on me. Ok? This is real."


"You let this happen. Now they all will die."


"Whatever you're seeing, I won't let it hurt you."


"He will do worse to you."


"Your safe. Just focus on this, ok?"


Natalie was gone.

 

[Krista]

Kate rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. When Jones said she knew why she was the way she was now Kate just gave a shrug. She didn't really know what all Robin was capable of, this wasn't anywhere near her worse side. Kate's been on the side one too many times to know that this was nothing.


When she heard that Officer Ward, the same fucker who arrested her, took her sister to the coffee shop Kate nearly groaned. Why him? Thankfully it wasn't Nathan but still, why him? How many officers were there in this damned place and she had to choose the fucker who wrongfully arrested her? She hadn't been apart of that drug circle. Sure she knew who was involved, what they were making, who they were selling it to and who their boss was but she wasn't apart of it. People talked, especially when they were high and you lived right next door. If he would have asked she would have probably talked to him and told him a few things but he didn't, just shoved her against a wall, put handcuffs on him then booked her without saying so much as a word.


"Come on, I know where it is." She said almost resignedly. Every fiber in her being was telling her to run the other way. Do NOT go to the coffee shop and talk to the man who arrested you and put you in the place she didn't want to go. The place where Nathan could get to her. Out of everyone he was the one who frightened her the most.


Leading Robin outside she turned to the left and kept walking. It wasn't too far away. Turning another corner she crossed the street then stopped in front of the store front. She couldn't count how many times she had stopped her after leaving the station for something or another. Looking in to the window she saw the officer fuck-up and her sister. Seconds later her sister lost all color and came barreling outside.


Kate's first reaction was thatASSHOLE did something to her sister! Robin caught Morgan, was trying to figure out if she was ok and Kate barged inside. Letting her eyes adjust to the dim light she then stormed over to the fuck up. "I don't know what the hell you did to my sister but whatever it is you messed up. Touch or talk to my family again and I will personally see that your life is made miserable. I may be nothing but a criminal to you but I have criminal ties that will make you cringe." She threatened then turned and started to walk away. She said her peace now she needed to go and make sure that her sister was alright and get everyone the fuck away from the hell hole. Nothing good ever came from being anywhere near the police station and this was just proving her point more and more.

 

[Penelope Burns]

Everything happened so fast.


She ran, it was there, he moved in front of it, it touched him, it vanished. Her mind could barely comprehend what had just happened, what she just saw. He felt it. She barely noticed it, but in her peripheral vision she saw his expression change as it touched him.


With tears in her eyes, blood on both her palms, and a complete stranger grabbing her hand, the situation couldn't have looked more suspicious when her sisters arrived. Kate, who Morgan hadn't seen in what felt like years, was already screaming at him. Morgan knew not to get involved in arguments like that, so she waited for Kate to finish before saying anything.


"Kate, don't worry about me. Something... I don't know, there's something bad happening, both he and I felt it." Morgan said, not really worrying about the fact that they were in front of a Starbucks, with the employees probably shocked as hell. Her explanation was shitty, but at least it was something. "I think he just saved me. Mentally, at least, he's stopped it twice." Morgan didn't exactly care about the pronoun game, but she didn't know how else to describe 'dead roommate who I had a crush on'.

 

[Willow Pillow]

(Going to assume you said that outside to him)


The temperature dropped and he felt something touch his shoulder. But nothing was there and it was warm again.


But he knew what he felt. Whatever was going on...this was not the subconscious mind playing tricks....it was something else. He felt something.


Whatever it was, it was gone. Two women ran up to him. One he already met and the hatred was in her eyes. The other pulled the teenager in a tight hug.


"I thought something happened to you!" Robin grabbed her shoulders. "Don't do something stupid like that again. I need to knoe you are ok." She went back to squeezing her baby sister.


Logan just blinked at Whitman threats. "Everything you just said is highly illegal. I hope you have a better grasp of the law because threatening harm on someone is a crime. Just letting you know."


He wasn't intimidated by her threats, but the way she reacted seemed like an abused dog whose been kicked too many times And was just lashing out. "I saw your sister upset and wanted to help. I think it best i take the three of you home."


"Kate we just got you out of prison please don't antagonize the....what happened to your hands Morgan?!" Rob was immediately distracted as she saw the blood dripping from them. Her panic directed to something else.

 

[Krista]

Kate could care less that he told her she just threatened him and that could put get back in jail. So she gave a snort. He thought she was afraid of getting arrested. Not at all if it meant she was protecting her family.


"I didn't threaten you harm officer. You should check your hearing. Not once did anything about physical harm come out of my mouth."


Turning away from him again she was just walking over, about to roll get eyes at what was about to become a lecture that was ever present on Robins lips when get oldest sister got upset asking why the youngests hands were bleeding.


Running over she grabbed the wounded hands and turned then to get a better look. She was about to go off on the ass hole again when she realized they were self inflicted.


Looking at her baby sister, her eyes full of concern, and shook her head a little. "Mo, why did you do this? These are from your own nails."


When the cop opened his mouth she turned and glared at him. "I can take care of my family and get then home safely. We are no longer in need of your.... Services... thanks." Facing Robin, eyes guarded now, she kept a hold of Morgan's hands. "We should get her home now."

 

[Penelope Burns]

Robin's worry was actually refreshing, for once. But unfortunately she couldn't reassure Robin about her health, or do much of anything, because Kate was yelling at the man who rescued her. He didn't deserve that, not after what happened.


"Kate, he helped me. Something's going on, it's hard to explain, but I don't... I don't know." Morgan was at a loss for words. She couldn't explain what had happened, she would sound insane. And Kate already hated the man, it was entirely possible that she would jump to the conclusion that he had simply made up what he felt for... reasons.


She pulled her hands away from Kate and Robin both, keeping them closed so that the blood wouldn't be as visible. She didn't need to hear about that, not until there was a better moment to explain. "Let's just all walk back to the station, then head home. Alright?" She asked, hoping to create a compromise between Ward and Kate. Not to mention any extra time to discuss what happened with Ward was good.

 

[Willow Pillow]

(I love Kate and this is completely in her character but omg, cops in my town would have fined her over 1k and kept her locked up for 24 hours for this talk lmao)


Logan just looked at her unable to really...is this what Christopher Columbus felt like when he said the earth was round and people scoffed that it was straight and monsters at the end? Or that teacher who taught evolution and was dragged to court? Yeah...it must have been. She would have been arrested, fined and dragged back to the station with more than 5 laws broken if she spoke this way to any other cop.


Mostly five because you give a police officer reason to arrest you...it really isn't that hard to find one. You cross the speed limit by 1 and it costs more than a grand with 40 hours of classes to pay the fine if they want to make it difficult for you. He wasn't mad just....dumbfounded at her brass attitude and well...yeah.


But he looked at Morgan, saw the blood and remembered the cold chill. He didn't want to arrest the older Whitman and none of this would help the youngest one with whatever the hell was going on.


Robin did not look amused at Kate. "Katherine, stop it. You know better than to speak to people like that. I would feel better if the police officer took us home, if that's what is going to help Morgan feel safer."


Hesitant smile Ward cut in. "We can just go with the compromise Morgan asked. I don't want to get in between a family. Let's just go back to the police station."


Fighting in the middle of the street would solve all their problems.


 
(I need to get used to kittens because....kitten tantrums are legit the worst thing ever. ALLERGIES AND CLAWS)


At the end of the day, Logan did not end up going to the Whitman household. No, when he entered the police station Detective Nathan (Last name insert here) dropped atleast twenty five pounds of paper work into his hands infront of the girls. It seemed like some power play in Logan's eyes like the detective was marking his territory and pissing all over it like a dog in heat.


He did manage to give Morgan his cell phone number, despite a heated expression from the detective and 'i will kill you in your sleep' look from Kate Whitman letting the girl know if she was in any trouble she could call that number. He didn't say it out loud but the two of them were most likely thinking it. If she called 911 about a dead girl that wasn't really there she'd be considered insane.


But he felt something, he knew it...and it scared him just a little.


--


Robin didn't say much to Kate in the car ride. She was being unreasonable to a man that was just trying to help. Her temperment was going to get her killed one day. It got her in trouble on a regular basis, but it was definitely going to get her killed. The grocery store trip was short, but she made sure she got comfort food to help with whatever was going on, and restock her first aid kit to help Morgan.


As soon as they were in the car, Robin refused to continue driving until she disinfected her sister's palms and bandaged the wound. Safety came first. But her headache was only increasing as the minutes seemed like hours and the hour seemed like an entire day. As they drove by, every house and apartment complex on the street had SOLD on it except for Robin's. It was a sea of red signs and her little manor was the island of misfit toys left alone. She hadn't told either sister the harrassment she was getting to sell this place. Mainly because at the end of the day it was her problem and she'd have to be the one to solve it. Wanting to avoid it now, she didn't say anything as she grabbed the groceries. "I don't feel like cooking, does pizza sound ok with you two?"


--


"She's definitely a witch. She's seen the glamour."


"And you're sure this is the one with two other sisters."


"A paralegal and one...she could overdose and die in the streets and no one would ever know."


A toothy smile. "It is a very...ironic way...for a good witch to die. Is the cop a good witch as well?"


"No. Human. He has no bloodline either. But...he did seem to break the enchantment twice. So I'm-"


"We'll keep an eye on him as well. I'd like you to dispose of them, the minute they get their powers. We do not want these three to become strong. But we want the gift."


"Understood. I killed their white lighter earlier this morning. They will have no protection."

 

[Penelope Burns]

Morgan didn't say anything to her sisters during the entire car ride. Robin bandaged her hand and made a fuss as usual, but overall things were sullen. Kate was still furious about Logan, but Morgan couldn't understand why. He was just doing his job, and she was being suspicious. She didn't even explain her side, so Morgan had no reason to believe her over him.


She noticed the many SOLD signs on the houses, and confusion washed over her. How had all of that happened in only a month? These buyers, whoever they were, must have been offering far more than what the homes were worth, but why? The probably wanted to make a minimall or something else profitable. Whatever it was, Robin wasn't buying. Was her pride really- Stupid question, yes it was.


When they got in the house, Morgan headed to her room before being stopped by Robin's question. "Sure, if Dominos then beef, otherwise pepperoni." She called back before shutting her door.


Her room was largely unchanged after the month away. Her posters were still there, though the The Hobbit one had fallen down, the tack no longer in place. Her sheets were perfect, the pillows well arranged, and her Bulbasaur plushie was in the middle of the bed, right where she left it.


Morgan sat in her overpriced but extremely comfortable desk chair and turned on her computer, excited to finally have access to the machine. Her laptop was fine and all, but it wasn't years worth of work to buy the parts and build. After only a minute of startup the computer was on the home screen, ready to be used.


Morgan activated Chrome and immediately looked up the name of her neighborhood, to find that the selling of it had in fact made headlines:


Wolf and Stein Buys Housing Center


W&S Plans to Build Minimall by 2020


Longtime Resident Doesn't Budge to Offer


Morgan immediately clicked on the last one, knowing full well it was her sister being mentioned.


'Wolf and Stein, in their attempt to renovate a neighborhood to improve its value, are stopped in their tracks by a young resident. The woman has inherited this house from two generations, and despite the extremely high price tag, refuses to move. What will Wolf and Stein do to combat this setback?'


Morgan smiled at her sister's stupidity. You don't fight corporate giants, it gets you killed at best. Wolf and Stein had their hands in everything, including two of Morgan's academic scholarships. If Robin was fighting them, then it wasn't a fight she was going to win.

 

[Krista]

Kate didn't always know when to shut her mouth but she did now. So she kept her mouth shut, crossed her arms over her chest and walked with everyone but hung out at the back of the group. They wanted to trust this over achiever? Well good for them, she wouldn't though. She would keep her eyes on him though, won't let him try to pull anything anymore.


He didn't. They got where they were going, they said their goodbyes and left. Robin drove. Morgan sat up front and Kate chilled out in the back seat. Being street smart like she learned to be, she didn't miss a whole lot. As they drove through the neighbor hood she noticed all the sold signs. Furrowing her brows she wondered why everyone was selling off their homes? Must be a bit of money for everyone to leave. Some of these people she knew were lifers and yet they sold out?


Getting out she walked inside with them and looked around. Nothing's changed. Home sweet home. "Anything's fine with me." She offered as she wandered up the stairs. Going in to her room, she paused in the doorway. Again, nothing has changed. Walking in to her dark room, dark grey walls and black accents. Going to her old dresser she opened it, reached in and unhooked the secret conpartment and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Bingo. Opening her window she sat on the windowsill, leaned against the frame, pulled one leg up to her chest then lit the cancer stick. Life was a bitch sometimes.

 

[Willow Pillow]

Robin took two aspirin for the headache. Two more....


She really took six. But she watched both of her sisters go upstairs to their rooms. She had done this so much she never really needed to ask what to get, it was more of a curtousy. I'm most senses she was a mother who knee her kids instead of an older sister.


Hanging up the phone when she was done she poured herself a glass of barefoot white wine and listened to the answering machine.


"MS. Whitman. I am following up on our conversation from earlier. It really is in your best interest to-"


Delete.


"Hi robin, this is Jed. Fine work on putting together the defense cases this week. I need you in the office as early as possible. I'd like to discuss something with you in person. " Robin wrote the message down on her to do list.


"Ms. Whitman. I think it's important Morgan go down to the police station for a statement-"


Delete.


--


As morgan was doing research the attack door....which had been locked for years swung open the door almost flying off the hinges.