Disclaimer: Don't own them. Hell, I'd be happy with owning the house! Or the book! Or…

A/N: Just to get the preliminaries out of the way: This story takes place after ‚The Legend of Sleepy Halliwell', but Phoebe didn't make the connection and no one knows who Chris really is. The sisters and their whitelighter are working together again, but things are still strained.

This story will be finished, but you can't expect regular updates from me. There might be two in one week or none in a month, but eventually, a new chapter will appear. I promise.

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"I should have been a pair of ragged claws / Scuttling across the floors of silent seas."

T.S. Eliot, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

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Strange Beginnings

They were in the attic when the portal opened. Piper could hear Phoebe scream something to her left but ignored her sister as she fell into the fight routine they all had developed over the years.

Whatever would be coming through that portal, she doubted that it was good. Bianca hadn't been good, anyway, and after the events of the past weeks, she wasn't so sure about Chris, either.

Something took shape in the glowing triqueta and she lifted her hands, ready to blow up any danger that might come to her family. Suddenly, blue orbs filled the space in front of her, quickly coalescing into the form of Chris. Blocking the path between her and the invader.

„Damn it!" Piper yelled. „Chris! Out of the way!"

Chris' head flew around to her, then back to the triqueta. His body tensed and Piper rushed forward to push him out of her firing line, but before she could even touch him, he reached into his sweater and suddenly held a long athame in his right hand.

„What the hell…" Piper could hear Paige whisper and wanted to agree fervently. What kind of person stored a knife like that in his sweater, for good's sake?

The question died on her lips when Chris drew back his arm and, with uncanny accuracy, threw the knife at their unknown attacker. It hit their stomach with a sickening, wet sound, and the dark shape doubled over, struggled for a moment, and fell.

The glow of the portal vanished, leaving the attic in absolute silence.

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A/N: This is just a teaser. Tell me if you want it continued or not!