Rebuilding What Was Lost

October 11, 2003

Disclaimer: The Charmed Characters are the property of Aaron Spelling and Constance Burge. I just borrow them for your enjoyment and my writing addiction.

This is the sequel to What Have I Done. I would suggest reading that first if you want any idea of what is going on here.

Enjoy

The dark cloud moved across the moon like a timed out dance. Everything choreographed without the music. Covering enough to only shed a faint shadow on the earth below.

Though further below the earth's surface it was even darker still. Though it was a darkness that one grew used to over the years.

---- ----

He moved through the passages with ease, but he wasn't comfortable there. He knew he didn't belong there but he had no choice. He had given himself for his heart. He had refused so many missions he had lost count. He refused to kill for them, for her. He entered his own chamber seeing the demon inside.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I bring a message."

"Well you can tell my mother to rot. I may be here but I will not help her kill any more witches."

He rolled back his shoulder knowing this confrontation would ensue, but he was prepared. "It is a demon she needs you to kill. One that she has on good authority is after the Charmed Ones."

He moved faster then the other thought possible for one that had been with humans so long. "What the hell are you talking about?"

He tried to grasp for any bit of air. He had to pass on the message even if it cost him his life.

"What demon is after them?"

He gulped down what he knew would be his last breath, but this message was important to someone. And he knew that it was not on the side he usually fought for. "Her. It is her."

He held his gaze as his own anger boiled inside him. "Her? My mother?"

"No. The youngest. She still holds the darkness inside her. She will kill her sisters and everything will be lost. The Source will win."

--- ----

The snap of the whip screamed in her mind, followed by the thud of the wood striking the ribs. The slow trickle of the warm blood sliding down the skin almost tickled had it not been for the pain throughout the body. Trying everything to block out the pain to hold the mind on everything that was dear to her. The love of her sisters. It was that that kept her going all this time.

She felt the strike to her ribs again and again as she tried to push out the pain until it got to much and she screamed for it to stop.

Prue was the first one to Phoebes room, as the cry echoed off the walls of the old Victorian they had shared since they were babies. She quickly went to her sister as she sat up right, the perspiration almost running off her body as she rocked back and forth pushing the world around her away

"Phoebe, ok I got you." Prue said as she reached out for her sister

"NO, GET AWAY!" Phoebe swung out in her own defence as she tried to get away from Prue.

Piper ran in not that long after Prue had, just in time to see Phoebe take a swing at Prue and Phoebe almost leap off the bed and scurry to a safe corner.

"Prue back up slowly."

"Piper look at her. I'm not leaving her right now. Not like this."

"Prue you're just scaring her more. Just back away."

"No."

"Prue trust me, I've seen her like this. When she first came back. When she wouldn't even go to you. If you scare her or corner her she is going to get worse. And short of using your powers she will kick your ass." Piper placed her hand on Prue shoulder and guided her back away from Phoebe. "We have to let her come to us." Piper spoke softly so as not to startle Phoebe, though never taken her eyes off of her.

She watched them as the light from the hallway cast a silhouette around them. She was scared, all she saw was them. They were coming to hurt her again. She saw a way out but now it was blocked. But she didn't care, she had to try. She couldn't stay there, she had to save her sisters.

She heard the whispered voiced, she knew they were planning against her again. Come to torture her for what they perceived as a threat. She had to get out to get back home. Home to her sisters. Were they ok? Did the Source keep his end of the bargain?

The shadows moved around her, along the wall. She waited till she saw them looking away. Only then could she succeed. It came the second she was ready as she leaped up and ran across the room. Her cries of fear and anger ringing out as she launched at them. Hitting them both as she took off down the passageway to freedom.

Piper stood with her arm around Prue's waist as they watched their baby sister. She had been through so much since they had saved her from the Source.

"It seems worse this time."

"Piper I can't."

"Prue you have to. She'll come around and calm down. Wait and see. I was in here every night when she got back. Any sudden movement seemed to set her off."

"Piper she is our sister. I can't stand her and watch her as she goes through this alone."

Piper closed her eyes. Prue hadn't seen her when she came back. Phoebe had pushed her way and Prue let her. How could she make Prue understand that Phoebe didn't want her? That at those moments, when it was the worst, she hated Prue for making that choice. She knew she couldn't. She just had to be there for them both when the time came. They had made a small reconciliation a few weeks ago but Piper knew the road before them was going to be a long one.

Piper was drawn from her thoughts at the blood scream that came right at them. Neither sister even had a chance to move as the shadow of their sister came flying out of the room knocking them across the hall, as she herself took off down the hall towards the stairs.

"What the hell!" Prue pulled herself away from the wall as she then pushed herself up. Reaching down to help up Piper as she stood uneasily. "You ok?"

"Yeah. Ouch." Piper ran her hand over the back of her head. "That is gonna hurt tomorrow."

"Ok let's just go get her." Prue grabbed Pipers hand and started after Phoebe. Though she was scared as they got half way down the stairs and heard the front door banging against the hinge in the wind.

Prue stopped at the bottom of the steps, "PHOEBE!" The rain poured down on her soaking her almost the minute Piper and her had left the safety of the shelter from the Manor.

Piper held Prues grip in her hand that was soaked from the rain, along with the rest of her. This was the extreme, she had never seen her sister in before. She was scared and worried all at once. But she didn't know what to do. It was a city of millions of people, not to mention demons everywhere. "PHOEBE!" she cried out, hoping for her voice to reach her sister. But she knew it was in vain

Both sisters knew Phoebe had run outside and they both knew that once she was out there they wouldn't have a clue where to even start looking for her.