Part One: Discovery

Chapter One

“My plans are set, my dear daughter. Soon, the world shall tremble and fear the Azura once more.”

A young woman twisted in her bed as she heard the sinister words in her mind, and dreamed of demonic yellow eyes staring at her. Her eyes moved wildly behind her eyelids while her body twisted and turned in her bed. “No.... No!”

“Alex!”

The young woman shot forward, panting for breath. She looked to her side and saw her friend, Ginger, a young woman like herself, but a few years older and with dark red hair and soft blue -grey eyes. “Are you okay?” Ginger asked, concerned. Alex, or rather, Alexandria, had been having nightmares for the last week or so. She could not help but worry for the young woman, her friend was very quiet and shy, and never let her or any of the others know if something was wrong.

Alex nodded her head and said, “Yeah, it was just a nightmare.” Before looking over to the small clock on the nightstand, and was shocked to see that it was six in the morning. “Why did you wake me up so early?”

Ginger smiled, “Did you forget already?” she teased lightly. “It's our last day as students!”

A smile broke out on the previously confused woman's face. “Finally!” She thought as she peeled back the sweat drenched sheet and got out of the bed she had slept in for most of her life. She looked up at Ginger, now that she was standing one could see that Ginger easily towered over her, despite Alex being 5'9.

“Let me get ready, I'll be out in a bit.” She told her tall friend. Ginger nodded and left the dorm room she shared with her and their two other friends, the raven haired, brown eyed twins Era and Rae.

Alex grabbed the outfit she had set out on her nightstand last night, before going into the bathroom to take a quick shower to wake up.

Alex exited the dorm room, dressed and ready for the day, and found her three friends talking together in the hallway. Era, the hyperactive and social one of the group, was talking to Ginger, who was quiet yet extremely loyal girl.

Rae, the girl who combined the best aspects of the three women, looked up from her book and smiled at Alex. Yet something was different about the dynamics of the group. Lately it seemed as if the three were withdrawing from Alex, which frightened her. Only these three, along with the Elders, Headmaster, and some of the teachers, knew about her true heritage. Only around these three, did Alex feel normal, like she was accepted and had a place in the world.

If they left her, if they started to treat her like most of the teachers did...

“Hey, sleepy head!” Rae said, suddenly waving a hand in front of the brunette. “You home in there?”

Alex snapped back to the real world and nodded her head as the four of them headed down the hall to the headmaster's office. As a rule, when a student left Magic school for the last time, they had to go to the headmaster one last time, and confirm where they were going, and what they planned to do with their magical talents.

“Umm... Alex?” Era asked, looking over at you with a slightly amused, confused, look on her face. “Forget something... like your bag for example?”

Alex cursed mentally as she realized she had forgotten her purse/bag back in their room. “I'll be right back!” she half yelled as she sped down the marble hallway. Rae, Era, and Ginger laughed as they continued walking down the halls.

As Alex turned the last corner, running as fast as she could, she lost her balance and began to fall down. She closed her eyes as she started to fall and inevitably crash into the hard floor below her, when she felt someone catch her around the waist and jerk her to a sudden stop.

Opening her eyes in shock, she looked up and saw a young man, perhaps a few years older than her, with short dirty blond and dark eyes looking down at her, a slight smile on his face. He looked extremely important, and Alex knew she should know who he was, but for some reason could not.

“Sorry...” Alex said in a quiet voice, standing up and taking a step back. “I was in a hurry.”

He nodded his head in understanding. “You're alright then?” He asked, sounding concerned.

"How many people are really concerned anymore?" She wondered to herself, and felt touched that she had met someone who really did seem to be concerned. “Yes,” she said with a slight nod of her head, “thanks to you.”

“Alex?” A man's voice asked in a flat voice that somehow sounded like a question. Alex and the young man looked behind her to see a teacher with black hair and deep brown eyes, dressed in the usual black robe, walking towards them. “Why aren't you at the headmaster’s office with the others?”

“Oh! Hello Mr. Valentine.” Alex said with a quick nod. “I was on my way but I kind of almost slipped and fell. He saved me though.” She said, giving a quick indication to the person who was now beside her.

Mr. Valentine gave a quick nod. “Very well. But you really should hurry, or your friends might leave you behind.”

Nodding, Alex turned to the man beside her. “Thanks again.” She said before running off again.

Mr. Valentine looked over to the young man. “By the way, shouldn't you be in your father’s office, Mr. Halliwell?”

He nodded his head. “See you around, Mr. Valentine.” He said before heading towards the Headmasters office. Mr. Valentine shook her head, dismayed. Everyone had tried to prevent the two from ever meeting, knowing the results could be disastrous. Yet, on the day she would leave Magic school, and hopefully her two sided destiny behind, Alex just had to bump into the Once and Future king. “Hopefully, things will turn out right. Hopefully the seal won't break.” He thought, but knew that it was a snowballs chance in hell.

He had to tell Headmaster. The Elders plan, their plan, had to drastically change, and swiftly.

Alex sat outside of the Headmasters office, waiting for him and Mr. Valentine to get out of the little impromptu meeting they were having. Why did Mr. Valentine have to have a meeting right now? He had been heading away from here when he bumped into her and the unknown man who had saved her from her fall, had he not?

She sighed and rested her head against the wall. How many times had she sat out here, not wanting to explain the reason why she and her friends felt it would be best to test their latest potion on one of the unsuspecting teachers? Or why they had not gone to any of their classes all day, and were found deep within the bowels of the school? Now, in a strange twist of irony, she wanted nothing more to go in and explain her actions. Oh how cruel fate was!

After what seemed an eternity, Mr. Valentine appeared and looked over at his bored, now ex-student. “Good luck.” he said, in an unusual somber and cryptic voice, before walking away briskly. Confused, she stood up and watched him leave.

Good Luck? Why did he said it as if she really needed it, like something dire was about to happen? Shaking her head, she walked into the headmaster’s office, nervousness settling back in.

The Ex-Elder gave a smile as she entered. Despite her nervousness, Alex could not help but smile back. Headmaster Leo had been in charge of Magic school since before she had come here, over ten years ago. No matter what, he had always been welcoming, and much loved, amongst the students.

“Hello headmaster.” Alex said with a nod, sitting down in one of the chairs across the desk from him. “Sorry I'm late.”

His smile did not waver as he nodded. “Your friends have already told me everything I needed to know, so this shouldn't take too long. But,” He said, the smile growing just a bit, “Since you are the last, they have decided that you have to be the one to meet the Whitelighter who will be watching over you four.”

Alex suppressed a groan and the urge to roll her eyes. Since the four of them were leaving magic school, and only had the basics down, they would need a Whitelighter in case they got in over their heads while fighting a demon. There was no doubt they would get in fights with strong demons, since it seemed that every time one of them left the school, a demon appeared out of nowhere and tried to kill them. Alex finally nodded, accepting her duty. It was not really that big of a deal, she just did not want to do this since she was extremely shy around new people, and did not exactly know how to act around strangers.

Headmaster Leo gave a sympathetic smile, knowing how much being around strangers bothered the young woman. He handed her a small folded note and said, “Come to this address at noon, I'll introduce you to your Whitelighter.”

Alex ran down the streets of San Francesco, wishing that her friends had woken her sooner. Now, thanks to them, she would probably be late for the meeting, even though the address was only a short bus ride away.

She was slightly shocked when she found out that the address lead her to a club called P3. She knew this place, or at least, she had heard of it. Who in the magical world did not know of it and its legacy? The Charmed ones owned this club!

Slightly nervous, she walked down to the door and tried the door, and was surprised to find it unlocked. “Of course it's going to be unlocked! How else could I get inside?” she mentally scolded herself as she opened the door and stepped inside.

It was almost too dark to see once inside, causing her to fall down the stairs that lead down to the main area. She screamed loudly as she fell down the stairs, her eyes closed tightly as she anticipated the impending crash against the wall on the next landing. However, the crash never occurred since someone had appeared behind her and was able to catch her arms.

She gave a sharp cry as she came to a sudden halt by someone jerking her arms. She opened her eyes and saw that she was only about a foot from crashing feet first into the poster-covered wall that would have probably broken her foot. She looked up and saw the same man who had saved her from falling to the floor yesterday looking down at her, seeming relieved he caught her. Silently she managed to get her feet underneath her and he let go of her arms as she managed to stand up. Alex turned around and gave him an embarrassed smile. “Thank you, again.”

“No problem.” He said with a smile. “I take it your Alexandria?” He asked.

Alex nodded her head. “I prefer being called Alex, if that's alright.” She said in her usual quiet voice. He gave a nod as he walked down to the step she was on before he offered her a hand and said in a slightly teasing voice. “Need some help?”

Alex blushed, but grabbed his hand. “Sure, why not?” She teased back; slightly shocked as she did so. Was she actually... slightly... flirting with him? She was Alex! She never flirted with anyone! She was too nervous or shy too!

However, this guy, he seemed... nice. Not nice as in attitude, well, he was, but this was... deeper. Like he was good, a hundred percent good, not a drop of evil or taint in him. She felt like no matter what, she could trust this guy. “Is this what a Whitelighter is like? Pure good? But then, why doesn't Headmaster Leo feel like this?” Then again, Leo wasn’t really a Whitelighter anymore. Still, there was something difference about the way he felt…

As the two turned to go down the rest of the stairs, they saw Leo standing at the foot of the stairs with a slight smile on his face. “Ah, Wyatt, Alex.” He greeted, “I see you already met each other.”

Wyatt... That was so **** familiar…“Wyatt... Wyatt...” she thought over and over in her mind, desperate to recall something. Suddenly it came rushing back to her. “Wyatt! Wielder of Excalibur, the strongest person in the magical realm! The future KING! Duh!” She screamed at herself inside her mind, wanting to hit herself on the forehead. How could she forget him?!

She looked up at him, about to say something, but saw something that was familiar to her. Wariness. He knew she finally discovered who he was, and knew what that meant. It meant that she would back off, thinking that this would change everything. And how could it not, he was the future king! He was the strongest force of magic on the planet! However, she paused and thought for a second. He was different, and she had very little doubt that people treated him as such. She too, was different. And even without knowing it, people treated her different. Sure, it was in a much different way, they hated her, and they loved him, but they would still distance themselves from him as they done her.

And he expected that, accepted it even, but she could tell that he didn't like it, it was evident in the slight hurt in his eyes. And for some reason, she couldn't bear the thought of hurting him. Especially since she knew that this kind of hurt never really healed. Besides, he had been nothing but kind to her. Maybe she could return the favor.

Alex gave him a smile, and gave his hand a soft squeeze. “It's nice to finally know your name.” She said, her voice still barely a whisper. “Thank you for saving me, twice, Wyatt.”

Instantly, the wariness and hurt disappeared as he gave her a smile that made her own smile grow and she thought to herself, and tried to convey her message to him. “That's right, I won't distance myself from you. I won't treat you any differently than any other guy. You won't have to distance yourself from me. I'll be here for you, just like you'll be there for me and my friends.”