Backfire.

Jan 25/03

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

Pt 1

"Get off of me you slimy piece of..." Before she could finish her sentence she saw the demon explode into a million tiny pieces. Though some slim coated her as she lay on the ground.

"Phoebe. You ok?" Piper looked down at her sister lying in the garbage pile.

"Great. Can't you tell!" she brushed off Piper, as she pulled herself up from the ground, and tried to brush off the demon goo on her new jacket. "Great." She complained as she ran her hands down her jacket and swished off the goo from her hands.

Piper looked over her shoulder at Prue and could see the same confused look on the eldest Halliwells face. One that mirrored her own.

Prue watched as Phoebe made her way down the alley and saw the look at Pipers face. She just shrugged and took Pipers hand and followed their youngest sister.

The only thing heard in the jeep on the ride home, was the quiet breathing of each sister. Prue cast a glance once at Piper who just looked in the rearview mirror at Phoebe. Her sister was sitting with her head in her hand looking out the window just watching the scenery flash by them.

When they got to the Manor she was the first out of the jeep and up the stairs.

"Prue."

"I don't know Piper. But I'm sure he's Ok. He's a resourceful guy. I think it is one of the things she loves about him."

"Ok. But maybe we should start thinking of the what if?" Piper said quietly. Though hoping that her mind was not giving her the real answers.

Prue held her gaze to the Manor and the soft light from one room, "We can't Piper. We need to be here for her and believe with her, that he is ok. Maybe he's just running decoy till he can get out safely."

Piper followed Prues gaze, "And we also need to catch her when she falls." Watching as the light went out.

The darkness of the alley held on into the night. Long after the sisters had left. But the evil that was ever present was still there. The dark cloud slowly formed from the ground, building up till it grew in force and spun around violently, until it achieved what it wanted. As the demon stood there letting a low deep growl from the back of his throat as he stretch out his neck muscles. .

"I will kill you witches."

He tried to shake off the residual pain he had from the explosion he felt from the inside. He knew they had almost succeeded in vanquishing him. Only he knew the one thing they didn't. It would take all three of them to complete that task.

She stood silently watching the gentle motion of her breathing. Though even through the darkness, she could tell the motion was not gentle but ragged. Ragged with soft sobs. She wanted to reach down and comforter her anyway she could, but she didn't want to wake her. She knew she had not slept much in the last couple of days. Ever since he never came back for her graduation.

She knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. She knew Piper was right in that they would need to be there for their baby sister when she fell. What if Piper was right and he was dead? How would Phoebe handle that? She remembered how she handled Andy's death. And she knew she would have to be there for Phoebe. Not let her push her away as she had them.

Prue walked in the room and sat on the bed gentle so as not to wake her. She looked at her sister sleeping. Running her hand softly on her back to help calm her, she then bent over and placed a kiss on the top of her head, "It'll be ok baby. We have to believe that." She spoke quietly before getting up and leaving the room. Closing the door behind her.

Piper saw Prue coming from Phoebes room as she walked up the stairs, "She sleeping?"

Prue turned and met her middle sisters concerned face, "Yeah. But not very peacefully I'm afraid."

"We'll help her get through this Prue." Piper acknowledged as she took Prue's hand in hers.

"I know. I'm going to bed. Night sis." She leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Pipers cheek, "Love you."

"Love you too. Night." Piper watched, as Prue made her way into her own room and closed the door. Piper knew that Prue was feeling some old feeling of when she lost Andy.

She rolled over and looked at the time. 243AM. She just starred as the seconds flashed on and off, her mind not really focusing on anything. Rolling over to her back she starred up at the ceiling. Taking in a deep breath she pushed the covers off and got out of bed. Quietly getting dressed she then exited her bedroom. Looking at both doors, near hers, closed, she then made her way down stairs and quietly out the front door.

She leaned her weight on to the heavy door and descended down the stairs. Letting her eyes adjust to the torchlight room she scanned around for any sign of movement or life. Though the only thing she saw was the lone spider in the middle of its web waiting for its next victim. She stepped further inside, "Cole?"

Time went by slowly with each pace she took. Calling out for her boyfriend every now and then. She finally sat on the floor leaning against the tomb that belonged to his father. She sat thinking of all the times they had together. The time she lied to her sisters about vanquishing him. The time when he truly gave up everything to be good and be with her.

Her head rested on her knees, that were pulled up close to her chest. Feeling the tears well up in her eyes, she finally was consumed by the sleep she had been avoiding since he disappeared.

--- ----

Piper quietly eased out of bed so as not to disturb Leo. Making her way down the hall the paused a moment at Phoebes room. Easing the door open her big sister instincts kicked in with a need to check on her baby sister. She didn't even want to imagine what she was going through with Cole gone. Her love for Leo was so intense she didn't want to imagine life without him.

However she was surprised to find Phoebes bed empty. She looked down the hall to the bathroom and saw the light off and the door open. Knowing her sister could be in a few places inside the large Manor she started at the top and worked her way down.

By the time she reached the kitchen she was starting to get more then worried. And it was then, that she noticed the missing jacket from the hook. Knowing her sister was in a vulnerable state, she made her way upstairs and woke Leo. "Leo you have to try and sense her."

"Ok Piper. Let me wake up first." He could see the slight panic in Pipers face and focused on the youngest Halliwell.

He opened his eyes and looked up at her, "She's at the mausoleum." He told her. Seeing some relief in her face he watched as she left the room, knowing she was going to get Prue so they could both go and get Phoebe.

--- ----

"I still say we should have just stayed home and let her come home on her own Piper."

"Prue she has no active powers. Her demon boyfriend is missing, and she is hanging out at his mausoleum. I don't think leaving her is such a good idea."

"Piper. You've been lucky. You've never lost someone that you have loved like she does Cole. Like I did Andy. Some times you just need some time alone from everyone that cares for you." Prue let her words sink into Piper.

"True, and I hope I never do. But she needs us now Prue. What if some demon takes advantage of this? I just have a bad feeling that's all. Can I have that?"

Prue looked over at Piper as they pulled against the curb. "Yes you can. Come on. Let's go get her."

Prue pushed the door open as she led Piper down the slightly spiral staircase.

"Phoebs? You down her honey?" Prue stepped further inside, her senses on full alert for anything. She could feel Piper also tense up, as the reached the bottom step and each making their way slowly around the room.

"Phoebe?" Piper called out as she stepped around the large tomb in the middle. "Phoebe." She sighed, as she saw her baby sister leaning against the tomb in the back her head resting in her knees.

As she stepped forward Piper felt a breeze start that soon became a strong wind. Prue reached out for Piper, but she was to far away, as suddenly the wind swirled and became black as night before revealing to them the demon they had vanquished earlier that evening. Standing between Piper and Phoebe, with his back to Piper.

"Oh lookie I found. A witch." He quickly reached down and grabbed her by her jacket ,startling her awake as she locked eyes with the fierce demon that held her above the ground.

"PIPER!" Prue yelled out as she went to fling the demon as he grabbed Phoebe, but stopped in fear of hurting her sister in the process.

Piper didn't even hesitate as she thrust her hands out and froze him leaving Phoebe hanging two feet off the ground.

"A little help guys!" she said as she tried to squirm from his grasp.

They quickly made their way to her and managed to release her from his grasp.

"Didn't we vanquish that guy already?" Phoebe complained remembering the goo that she had gotten all over her.

"I guess he can't take a hint." Piper remarked as she flung out her hands exploding him again, only this time it didn't work at all.

"Ok, that can't be good." Phoebe went to kick him with a roundhouse only to have Prue hold her arm. "Prue?"

"Phoebe get out of here." Prue ordered, as she flung her hand up only to have him barely flinch at her power.

"No." She took her sisters hands in her, and began reciting the power of three spell. She could hear her sister's voices mixing in with her own, as she felt the power in her rising and flowing through them all.

He could feel the intensity of their power running along him and through him. His defense went up as he held his hands forward and started a spell of his own. The good and evil magic crashed in the middle of the room sending everyone flying.

Silence hung in the mausoleum as it had many times before. The quiet, for the resting dead. There was no dust, no movement. The only evidence of a battle between good and evil were the two blood marks on the floor, demon goo and the one unconscious body.