Drake

Drake perches himself on the kitchen counter between the borderline antique breadbasket and the stove, where Piper is finishing breakfast. She occasionally passes him a piece of fruit from her hard work. She fusses over him looking too thin. Drake relegates the fussing to "mom logic" at its finest. Leo greets Drake before retreating into his newspaper at the kitchen table. He pretends not to notice the show Chris is putting on. Drake arrived only minutes before, only to be assaulted by the younger Halliwell brother's relentless assault.

In the two weeks since Tristan and Drake have broken up, he has been living out of the hotel while he is looking for a place to live. Tristan paid the room up for a couple of weeks, but time is hanging precariously over Drake's head. He would rather not spend more money living in the hotel room, but the housing market in San Francisco is ridiculous.

Drake's father offered Drake to stay with him, or to temporarily pay for a place. Drake declined. The last thing he needs, Drake feels, is to impede Greg and Marie's geriatric romance or be indebted to his father.

The thoughts sound cold to him, but funny nonetheless. What does not feel funny is his breakup with Tristan. He feels he should be in mourning and completely devastated, but he is not. He cannot help it. It hurts, yes, but he believes their relationship stopped being anything other than a transaction long ago.

Chris' proposed idea reinforces how much his life would change. Chris champions the idea of Drake moving in with him and Wyatt. The two have an extra room available in their apartment with Drake's name on it. The smart idea would be to take him up on the immediately. The unfortunate part Chris is missing is Wyatt.

The idea of being in such close quarters with Wyatt is equally as terrifying as it is pleasant.

"Give me one good reason this is a bad idea." Chris whines.

Melinda enters the room with a flourish of her normally long, brown hair. "One good reason for what?" she asks as ties her hair in a smaller ponytail. The change is no doubt a consequence of being singed by the dragon demon. She plucks a piece of bacon from Leo's plate. Leo whines at her, but she kisses his cheek to pacify him. "What's going on now?"

"Chris thinks it's a good idea for Drake to move in with him and Wyatt." Piper says without looking up from the stove. "I happen to think it's a wonderful idea!"

"Wait....so, Wyatt and Drake would be sharing the same space? Cohabitating?" Melinda asks with a smirk.

"Drake is sitting right here!" Drake says. "And I would be living with Wyatt AND Chris. Emphasis on and. Doesn't matter because I have declined. It's trouble waiting to happen."

"Oh, come on! Name a good reason this is a bad idea." Piper demands.

Leo sighs into the paper as he warns Piper to stay out of it.

"I think we can all guess why he's so hesitant." Melinda says.

"It has nothing to do with—that." Drake lies. "It's not completely about Wyatt. I—"

A cascade of blue orbs interrupts him as Wyatt appears in front of them. He looks around the kitchen before his eyes land on Drake. "Did you call me?"

"No." I say. "I literally only said your name."

"It sounded like you screamed my name." Wyatt says.

Melinda snickers at the comment. Piper shoots her a death glares, causing her to stuff a piece of bacon in her mouth without her smirk disappearing. Wyatt's face turns beet red when he realizes the connotation behind his words. Drake is not too far behind him with a scarlet face.

Wyatt clears his throat. "So, you didn't need anything? I'm running late."

"While you're here," Piper interjects, "What do you think of Drake moving in with you and Chris? Wouldn't that be an amazing idea?"

Wyatt grins. "No."

Drake tilts his head to get a good look at him before burying his embarrassment. "Thank you! See!"

"I think it's the perfect idea!" Wyatt says. "We have an extra room and you would have as much privacy as you would want because neither one of us is really there. It would be great to live with you two again. My brother and my...best friend."

The idea sounds more plausible coming from Wyatt. Drake is aware he is trying to make it sound wholesome and it works. The inclusion of Wyatt makes everything sound better. It would eliminate most of the issues in Drake's life at the moment, if not creating a minor issue. What Wyatt says is true, it would be like old times.

Well, the times before Drake lost his virginity to Wyatt. He decides not to dig too deep into it or he'll talk himself out of it.

"Aren't you the optimist these days?" Chris asks.

"I am! I am brimming with optimism. It's just wrapped in a bit of neuroticism as well." Drake says as he hops off the counter. "I had almost forgotten what it was like to go against the Halliwell wave."

"Oh, come on! It'll be great." Wyatt says.

"Genetics rule this family with an iron fist."

"Listen Drake," Melinda says as she pats him on the shoulder. "You are clearly afraid of your emotions."

"I am not afraid of anything, Mel."

"If you're not afraid, then you have absolutely no reason to not move in with them." She says as she orbs out of the room.

"You know you want to." Wyatt smiles as he orbs out.

Leo beams at me before looking at Chris. "Can I get a lift?" he asks.

Piper leaves the stove and pecks Leo on the cheek before he disappears in a swath of orbs. Chris, Piper and Drake stare at each other until Drake rolls his eyes. Piper goes back to the stove to clean up, leaving Chris to bombard Drake again.

"Listen, I know you're dodging this because of Wyatt. But he made you a promise, right?" Chris asks.

"What kind of promise?" Piper asks.

Drake is about to answer her when a demon appears behind Chris. The demon appears as a small Asian woman with glowing blue cat-like eyes. Two energy whips materialize in her hands as she brandishes them towards Chris. Chris is hit with one whip, flying across the table. Drake pulls Piper down as the other whip scorches the counter behind them. The woman bounces off the table between them, wrapping her legs around Drake's neck, and flipping him to the floor.

Drake's body rolls underneath the table, beside Chris. The demon wraps the whip around Piper's arm as Piper attempts to blow her up. The whip burns into her skin like hot steel. Drake looks at Chris before reaching out and grabbing his arm.

His powers, as he has come to realize, work better with touch. He can replicate any witch's ability for a short amount of time.

A wave of his hand takes the demon off her feet. She slams against the stove, crying out in pain as she lands on one of the burners. Piper moves away from the demon to Chris and Drake. Chris stirs as the demons stands, shimmering away.

Drake checks on Chris." Are you okay?" He asks.

"Thanks to you." Chris groans. "Do me a favor. Can you think of Wyatt's name? Like whisper it in your mind."

"What? Why?" Drake asks.

"Humor me." Chris says.

Drake huffs at him as he closes his eyes, whispering Wyatt's name in his mind. He ensures he uses a hushed tone, even in his mind. A second passes before Wyatt arrives in orbs again. He is wearing a pair of blue scrubs. "What happened here? And why are you shouting?" He asks.

"I didn't. I didn't even say your name out loud."

"Stop screwing around." Wyatt says. "I was about to do something extremely important."

Drake frowns at Chris. "Wyatt, heal Piper and Chris so I can punch him. We'll broach this topic later. Maybe never."

Wyatt moves quickly to his mother and brother. Drake is curious and thinks Wyatt's name in his head. Wyatt's eye dart at him. A look of surprise is evident on his face before he turns his attention back to healing Chris. He is as disturbed as Drake is.

"So, you are clearly not jerking me around." Wyatt says.

"Wyatt!" Piper says. "He's not lying. He thought your name in his head."

"Quietly. Very quietly." Drake adds. "But there's a demon afoot that is very much more important."

"She's a kitsune." Chris says. "I recognize her from the book. But I am also late for a photoshoot."

Chris, in the time Drake was gone, had taken after his late aunt Prudence. Aside from not looking like you would expect a Prudence to look like, the stories of Prue Halliwell proceed her. She was a modern woman who did not take crap form anyone. She was fierce and fiercely loyal, much like Chris.

Chris' interest in photography is said to be inherited from her. His fascination with photography started when the boys were younger. He found Prue's old photography equipment in the attic and took to it quickly. His ambitions have evolved since then.

"It's okay, I'll research her. I have the time." Drake offers.

"What about work?" Wyatt asks.

"I'll just say I'm working from home. Like everyone else."

"Great. If you need me, just think, I guess." Wyatt says as he orbs out.

"I will stay with him. Melinda has the restaurant covered for now." Piper says. "Go!"

Chris nods at them before orbing away. Drake is left with Piper, who grins at him. Piper and Drake immediately head to the attic. Nostalgia hits Drake hard as we pass through the rooms of the Manor. Some of Drake's fondest memories were had in the Manor. They arrive at the crowded attic and Drake mentions the attic could use some 'spring cleaning' soon.

Piper and Drake catch up on each other's lives for the next hour. Drake admits it feels nice to be back in the Manor with Piper. Piper confesses she finds it interesting that Drake was able to make up with his father and brother, judging by the state of their relationship when last she knew about them. Drake explains that a lot of water had to be put under the bridge to allow them to fix their destroyed relationships. Piper is not surprised that Caleb and Gregory were still on rocky footing. They, as Piper recalls, had always had an adversarial relationship at best. Drake mentions Caleb holds a grudge for their mother's death.

Drake recalls Caleb's relationship with their mother. Being her first-born, Caleb had an unearthly attachment to her. He was never wrong in her eyes. It often put the parent-child dynamic into question when Gregory tried his hand at discipline.

The two are works-in-progress for Drake. His mother would want their family to pull together, stronger than ever. Being back in San Francisco reminds him of the things she wished for most, regarding their family. Getting the Richardson men in the same room has never been an issue. The issue is keeping calmer heads when an argument inevitably starts. Piper relays her ideas of how Drake can help broker the peace but he is lost looking out of the window into his old home.

Piper stops flipping through the book. "Hey, where'd you go?" She asks.

"Huh? Sorry. It's a lot of memories all at once, you know. I thought I was well-prepared. Researching the book, fighting demons..."

"Remembering the things you've lost?" Piper asks. "It's okay to be sad or confused. This is all a lot sometimes."

"You're trying to do your Halliwell mind trick on me, after all these years, Piper?"

"It clearly still works." She says. "What's on your mind?"

"When I look out the window, I see all the demons of the messed-up kid I thought I left behind."

"You're not that kid anymore." Piper says. "And that kid wasn't so messed up."

"Really? Cause I caused a lot of damage to a lot of people. It's genetic."

"Is that why you're fighting so hard not to let ANYONE in?"

"Smooth, Piper."

"No, it makes sense. I'm just trying to decide whether you're a martyr or an imbecile." She says. "You know, it took Leo and I years to finally get it right. We were bound by him being my whitelighter, so he couldn't leave. Not really. I don't want that for you and Wyatt."

"After all the dark crap you saw from my family, you still want me to be with Wyatt?" Drake asks.

"After all I know about you, yes, I still want you to be part of my family." Piper says. "Our family is an incredible source of good magic, but that doesn't mean we haven't had our share of darkness in the Halliwell family tree. I have told you about Phoebe and Paige's past lives, right? They literally tried to kill us in present time."

"Well, that makes me feel all rosy and good inside."

"I just mean,' Piper laughs, "You're not the only one with dark magic in your family. I've seen your heart. I've also seen how you look at Wyatt and how he adores you. The fact that the slightest thought of his names sounds like a scream to him is proof you to share a strong bond."

"He's such a good person. Nearly perfect. I'm so far from that. I'm a—I don't know if there's a word."

"Wow, you are a lot less confident than you used to be. The Drake I knew as determined and saw things I bit clearer. You seem kind of...self-deprecating."

"That's not true! I'm trying to be responsible with Wyatt's heart."

Piper laughs as she heads over to the book. "I think you should just face the hard truth, kiddo. You and my son are soul mates."

Wyatt enters Drake's mind. He pictures moments he spent in the past with Wyatt, the good and the bad. All the memories make him happy. Wyatt, once again, appears in a flurry of orbs beside him. Piper looks between them before looking down at the book. Wyatt wears the biggest, dumbest grin on his face. Drake returns the grin.

It is clear, by Piper's words, no one is fooled by them.

"Hey." Wyatt says.

"Hi."

"Hey, hi, hello!" Piper calls. "You, we're good. How was your thing."

"Great, really great. How are we with research?" Wyatt asks.

"Chris is on the money. It's a Kitsune, like he said. Lower level, from the looks of it. She's got great combat skills, but any one of us could theoretically vanquish her if we can actually lay a finger on her. Since we have a powerhouse standing right next to us, I volunteer."

"Don't get too cocky. Her hand-to-hand is lethal. Literally." Piper says. "We should probably make a potion, just in case."

"Fine but how are we supposed to find said Kistune? And why would she even attack us?" Wyatt asks. "Kitsunes aren't really demons. They're normally being of good or neutral magic."

"They can be turned to darkness." Piper says. "This one obviously has an axe to grind. With me, specifically."

"True. She went after Piper right away." Drake pauses as he thinks about it. "Kind of weird. Shouldn't she have gone after Chris? Or even me? Why would it attack Piper?"

"Something isn't right. Why would a demon be after mom after all this time?" Wyatt inquiries. "Perhaps she's not working alone, or she's an assassin."

"I think you find that comforting when you shouldn't."

A cold win rushes across the back of Drake's neck. Drake and Wyatt turn to see the Kitusne standing behind them. Piper raises her hands to blow the Kitusne to pieces but she disappears and appears beside them, to the right. She uses her whip to pull Piper to the floor.

A quick gesture creates another energy whip in her free hand the slices through the air. It catches the side of Wyatt's face and chest. Drake ducks an attack as the Kitsune appears beside him. He rolls out of the way, missing her foot. She walks forward, and he spins to the side, sweeping her feet from under her.

Drake jumps to avoid an attack. She spins around, nearly catching Drake with a strong roundhouse. She throws a punch, but Drake grabs her arms and whips her to the floor. Piper and Wyatt stand, their hands at the ready.

Drake pushes away from the Kitsune and the Halliwels make gestures at her. She explodes to pieces as Piper calls Wyatt's name. A large, smoldering gash runs across Wyatt's chest as he drops to the floor. Drake runs to him, inspecting his face and chest.

At the touch of his skin, a blue light emits from Drake's fingertips. A tingling feeling dances across his finger as light heals his wounds. The light dissipates as Piper clears her throat behind them.

Wyatt opens his eyes, blinking. "Thank you."

Drake exhales. "Wouldn't be a vanquish if one of us doesn't nearly die, right?"

"Amateurs." Piper chortles as she leaves the attic.

Wyatt smiles at Drake, searching his face. "What is it?" Drake asks.

"Nothing." Wyatt coughs. "It's just—I'm waiting."

"On?"

"You to acknowledge what you just did." Wyatt says. "If you can heal us, it's another good reason for you to move in."

Drake chuckles as he pulls Wyatt to his feet. "I do need a place to live. Will Jon be okay with me staying?"

"You—"

"It's fine. Just don't leave dirty laundry on the floor. You've aged out of that, right?"

"Only in my room. You won't be in there much...will you?"

"Fair point."

"Cool."

"Yeah."

"We should—we should go, right?"

"Right."

Drake nods to Wyatt and awkwardly marches to the door as Wyatt orbs out of the attic at the same time. He has never healed a person a day in his life. It is not in his ability list, to his knowledge. Wyatt is subtly referring to the catalyst of why I can replicate his power so accurately. The ability to heal is usually manifested when you need to heal someone close to you.

Someone you love.