Chapter 3 - No Help, Thanks

"Prue, keep talking honey." Piper said softly. The demon had left the four of them in the dark, in what they assumed was a part of the underworld. With their hands tied together behind their backs, they could hardly move.

"Pheebs, how much longer are you gonna take?" Prue asked, the pain in her voice evident.

"Prue, this demon tied the damn things magically. It's gunna take a while." Phoebe was frantically untiing the ropes that bound Paige's hands, in the hope that she would be able to heal Prue.

"Piper, just try to blow them up." Paige said.

"I can't move my hands properly. If I miss..."

"Then I go boom." Paige finished with a sigh. "That was one power that didn't actually need to get stronger."

"Yeah. And none of the kids even fall for the "tidy your room or I blow you up" thing anymore." Piper replied. "So it doesn't help much."

"If Coop could hear us, he could get us out of here." Phoebe sighed.

"If I can't orb, I'm guessing he can't do his little thing either." Paige replied. "You don't think the demon went back for the kids, do you?" She finally voiced the fear on all of their minds, and each sister felt the dread deepen.

"The kids can protect themselves pretty good." Piper said finally.

"Yeah. They're strong, and smart and I'm sure they'll be fine. One little demon..." Prue murmured.

"One little demon who got the four of us down here, plus injury." Phoebe murmured.

"Well, aren't you a little ray of sunshine." Prue replied.

----

"We have to at least try." Wyatt cried.

"I never said not to." Leo replied calmly. "I'm just pointing out that it's unlikely the elders are going to help you."

"Why wouldn't they?" Little Henry asked. "They might die. And aunt Prue got stabbed." Henry said, in the serious, calm way only small children can.

"Because you guys have powers for a reason. One day, you'll have to fight evil just like your mum and aunts do." Coop explained. "And you can't rely on the elders all the time then, can you?"

"But we're just kids now." Phoenix said. "The can't really expect us to go demon hunting."

"Just call them down." Melinda said. "We'll find out one way or the other, so lets make it sooner rather than later."

"Linnie's right." Chris nodded. "So how many of us will it take?"

"Aunt Paige does it on her own." Wyatt said.

"And she's a full whitelighter." Chris replied. "Me and you aren't."

"The two of you should be able to do it, though." Leo said. "Hold hands - just grow up and do it - and close your eyes, and just...want one of them to come down here."

A few seconds later, a cloud of white lights appeared, soon to clear away and reveal a miserable looking grey-haired man.

"What?" He sighed.

"We need your help -" Wyatt began, but the elder interrupted him instantly.

"We can't do that." The Elder replied. "We know what's happened, but this isn't our problem."

"Not your problem?" Paris cried. "How can it not be your problem?"

"Do you think everytime your mother had a something to do she called for us?" The elder asked.

"No, because they know that you guys will just screw it up." Linnie cried. "We don't need your help anyway, we're Halliwells and we're charmed we can do it ourselves, while you sit up there on your clouds, we'll be doing the real work."

"She's right. Just go." Lydia snapped.

"I'm sorry -"

"Yeah, you look it." Chris muttered.

"Just leave." Sydney said. Obediantly, the elder orbed out.

Grinning, Wyatt slung his arm over his little sister's shoulders. "Mum would have been proud of that little speech."

"Really proud." Leo agreed. "She couldn't have said it better herself."

"So, what's the plan?" Prudence asked. "Anyone...?"

-----

"Are you still bleeding?" Piper asked nervously.

"Yes." Prue replied tightly.

"Pheebs, any luck?" Piper asked again.

"It's kinda hard to untie someone with your own hands tied." Phoebe snapped. "I'm getting there."

"Get there faster." Prue said through gritted teeth. "Please..."