Thanx to Barb6, Mysterious Midnight and chyp for reviewing!
The next two chapters aren't all that long but i promise they get longer (coz I've already written some of them!) and they steer away from the events of Charmed Again (coz obviously Paige isn't there). But Paige will come back in the story in the end, when the events in Centennial Charmed occur.
Hope u like and review!
I forgot this in the first chapter: Disclaimer: As I'm sure u all know I don't own Charmed but i though I'd better put it in anyway!
Chapter One
"Printing!" called out Paige breezily from her desk in South Bay Social Services.
Paige stood up and made her way through the desks towards the printer. As she passed an office as voice called out to her.
"Paige, you find that study yet?"
"Yeah, Mr Cowan, It's in the printer." replied Paige, pulling it out and handing it to him.
"Thanks." Mr Cowan walked back to his office, reading the printout as Paige stopped to chat to one of her co-workers.
Across the room, another of Paige's co-workers flicked through the morning paper, ignoring the obituary for a Prue Halliwell, informing people of the time and whereabouts of her funeral.
In the manor, Phoebe threaded her way through the other mourners towards her dad. Victor was staring vacantly at the floor in a corner away from the crowd.
"Can I get you anything?" Phoebe asked him.
Victor smiled sadly and shook his head, "No thanks sweetie." he declined.
Phoebe nodded slightly and turned to a nearby table, rearranging the plants distractedly.
She looked up as the sound of footsteps approached them.
"Look who's back." Leo said a slight smile on his face.
"Cole!" exclaimed Phoebe rushing over to hug him, "I was afraid you weren't going to make it to the funeral." she told him relieved.
"Well," began Cole, "I…I can't make it…or, shouldn't anyway, The Source has got every demonic bounty hunter out there looking for me.
"Yeah. So what else is new?" snapped Phoebe, suddenly feeling a brief burst of anger overwhelm her grief.
"This is different." Cole told her gently, "Saving you makes it different, makes me a traitor. He not going to stop until he finds me and I don't want that happening at Prue's funeral."
"So, we'll protect you." replied Phoebe determinedly.
Cole paused, "You can't protect me." he said quietly but firmly.
"Why not? We're still witches, aren't we?" retorted Phoebe.
Cole gave Phoebe a sympathetic look, "Yeah, but you're not the Charmed Ones anymore."
Phoebe felt her eyes drawn to the partially repaired wall where Prue had died. It was still unpainted and Phoebe felt her grief rising up again.
"He's right, Phoebe." Leo drew Phoebe's attention away from the wall. "Without the power of three…" Leo trailed off
"I don't understand. Isn't it harder to track a demon in a cemetery, Cole?" Phoebe exclaimed tearfully, "You have to go. I need you there." she pleaded.
Cole's eyes met Phoebe's. He nodded.
Piper sat in front of her mirror, lost in thought, slowly brushing her hair.
Outside, in the hallway, Leo paused before easing the door open. "Piper?" he called softly.
Piper gave no sign that she had heard him. She continued brushing her hair, staring unseeingly though her tear-filled eyes into the mirror.
Leo entered the room, "Honey we have to go." he told her gently.
Piper shook her head, "I don't want to go." she whispered brokenly.
Leo knelt down beside her, "Why not?" he asked.
Piper laid the brush down on the table and turned to face Leo. "Because if I go, that'll mean that Prue's really not coming back, and I don't think I can handle that." she sobbed.
"We can handle it together." Leo assured her.
Piper shook her head again, "She's been there my whole life. I've always had a big sister. And I don't know how to live without one." Piper sniffed and tried to blink back her tears.
"Piper…" began Leo, reaching out to touch her shoulder.
Piper pulled away from him, "Why didn't you save her?" she demanded.
"I tried." Leo said softly.
"But you didn't." accused Piper, "Why didn't they let you save her, too?"
"The Elders? They couldn't. They don't have that kind of power." Leo told her.
"Then what the hell good are they?" exploded Piper. She stood up abruptly and made her way to the door.
Leo got back to his feet and followed her, "It's okay to be angry…"
"I'm not angry. I am pissed off!" interrupted Piper, "Don't you understand? You healed the wrong sister! You saved me because I'm your damn wife, and you should've saved her because she was the best! Because she…you should…" Piper dissolved into tears again and collapsed into Leo's arms. "Why do they put us through so much for it to end this way?" she sobbed.
"May I be seen?" a sultry voice asked through the darkness.
"Have you found Belthazor?" demanded the Source.
"No. Something else…"
The Source turned to stare at the empty space the voice was coming from. He waved a clawed hand, scarred and mutilated.
"…Something more important perhaps." The Oracle materialised, her hand caressing a smoke-filled crystal ball.
"Nothing is more important." stated the Source harshly.
"Not even The Charmed Ones?" questioned the Oracle.
"The Charmed Ones are dead." the Source replied a cruel smile spreading across his face under the shadow of his hood.
"Not all of them." contradicted the Oracle.
"One gone ends the threat. Of course, if you had foreseen that a white-lighter was going to help Belthazor save his witch, they'd all be gone. Be grateful I don't turn you into a snake." spat the Source.
"Yes, but then how would you see into the future without me?" replied the Oracle smoothly.
"Without the Charmed Ones to worry about anymore, I may not need to." snarled the Source.
"Mmm. Well, in that case, you'd better keep me around a little while longer." said the Oracle mysteriously, running a finger over her crystal ball. The smoke in it seemed to thicken as the Source turned his gaze towards it.
"What do you see?" the Source demanded.
"I see…" whispered the Oracle, "I see…another"