Clay wanted to stay where he was forever. He had Phoebe in his arms and to him everything was right. Except his own past that would come back to haunt him. A past he had tried to shake himself of ever sincxe he left San Francisco two years ago, yet here he was now facing more evil then he ever thought possible.
He could feel someone staring at him as he cast his eyes down to be brought inside the deep chocolate brown ones that were looking back at him.
"What are you thinking about Clay?" she felt safe in his arms, but she knew with Clay there was always some sort of string attached to him.
"Just you, and how happy I am to be here with you right now." He leaned down to kiss her but she pulled away. "What?"
"Look." Her eyes no longer met his but past him towards the field before them.
"Who?"
"I don't know and I don't want to find out, it's to public here." She got up to her feet, though never taking her eyes off the two men coming towards them.
"Phoebe?"
"Clay no, just come on." She started away from them with Clay's hand in hers but she felt him fighting her. "Clay I know that look in their eyes. Come on, we have to get back toe h Manor."
He wanted to fight but he listened to her words. She knew this type evil and what to do better then he dod, but he also saw who was behind the men. 'So you sent your lap dog to spy on me.' His thoughts of anger were washed with relief. Knowing that he would help them if he had to.
Phoebe looked back and saw them approaching fast. She looked up and saw where they had parked Pipers Jeep and she knew they wouldn't make it thier in time, so she did the only other choice she had; Turn and fight.
"Phoebe what...?" Clay was more confused when Phoebe turned around and held her ground glaring at the men.
"We aren't going to make it Clay. So we do the next best thing, and call for Leo." She tucked and rolled as an energy ball sailed past her and Clay, leaving them separated. "LEO!"
It was times like this she thanked Cole, for the time he had spent with her training her in her martial arts. If it hadn't been for that added training she would have been killed a long time ago.
--- ----
He stopped as the fight broke out. Maybe he wouldn't have to interfere after all. He watched as she got in a good roundhouse kick, sending one of the demons sailing backwards. 'She's good." He thought to himself. "But are you good enough witch?" he said to no one
--- ----
Phoebe kicked again, at the same time just missing being hit by another energy ball. She cast a quick glance towards Clay and saw he was making out ok, but then something happened that none of the expected, as she watched a third party entering the fight.
Phoebe saw it coming but Clay saw it first.
"PHOEBE!" he sailed through the air to reach her in time, knocking them both to the ground. Jumping back up again to see where the shot had come from.
Phoebe spun and kicked again, but to her surprise the two demons retreated. Heading back towards the woods, before shimmering out of existence. "LEO! Get down here!" her voice filled with panic, wanting nothing more then to just get home and fast.
--- ---- --- ----
Prue was pacing frantically ever since Leo had left. With each pass of the grandfather clock she looked up to see how long he had been gone.
Piper watched as her sister paced her again, "Prue please sit. You are making me nervous."
"He's been gone to long." Prue shot back turning to go back the other way.
"Well may be he needed to…" Piper stopped her sentence. She didn't want to even say what her mind was thinking.
"Heal them? Is that what you were going to say Piper. She is fine. I would know if something was wrong." Prue turned on her heal and almost walked into the bathe or white and blue lights.
Prue quickly reached out and pulled Phoebe close to her not wanting to let go, "Thank God you are ok."
Phoebe wrapped her arms around Prue glad to have that comfort. "I'm ok Prue." She turned and looked as Clay sat down on the chair. "Though I can't say the same for Clay." She pulled away from Prue and went to kneel beside him as Leo held his hands over the wound.
Leo stood up and out of Phoebes way who wrapped her arms around Clay, happy he was ok. "Don't ever scare me like that again." She pulled back and hit him in the chest.
Clay held his arms up in defence and almost laughed at her as she let her worry out. "I promise, I won't." his eyes drifted past her and settled on the one person he wanted to hit himself. He knew it was suicide but he didn't care. "You son of a bitch." He got up from his chair and landed a right hook across Bane's jaw, snapping his head to one side and sending him to the ground
Everyone scrambled as Leo reached out and pulled at Clay as did Phoebe. As Prue went to Bane, who was quickly back up on his feet, but Prue held her ground, standing between her boyfriend and Phoebes.
"You set us up." Clay fought through Leo trying to get to Bane.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Bane held in his temper but could feel it rising to the surface.
"Your lap dog Larry tried to turn us into fried food with an energy ball! He would have got to Phoebe had I not knocked her out of the way first."
Prue turned her attention to Bane. "YOU had someone try and kill Phoebe?" the sound in her voice was enough to make everyone take a slight step back. Everyone that is except Piper and Phoebe.
"No it wasn't like that. He was just supposed to watch Clay, he wasn't.. Wait a minute. He threw an energy ball at you? But that would make him..." Bane was confused.
"A Demon." Clay shot back not letting down.
Bane stood where he was. He was to stunned. He had known Larry forever. How was this possible? "I've known him since we were kids." His voice got quiet as he almost fell into the chair behind him
"Can we go back to this Larry guy trying to kill my sister?" Prue looked at Bane and then over at Phoebe and Clay.
"I told him to watch Clay, that was it. He wasn't suppose to do anything." Bane looked up at Clay and Phoebe, "I'm sorry."
Phoebe glared at him, she wanted to deck him herself. He had some goon following them. What gave him the right?
Piper stepped between the two parties. She could see something in both of her sisters' eyes. One of pain and betrayal, and the other of pain and vengeance. "Ok, someone needs to explain what is really going on here. Because I have a feeling there is more to this then Bane's childhood friend trying to kill Clay and Phoebe."
Bane and Clay locked eyes with each other, neither one wanting to say anything.
"You two know each other how?" Prue asked the question everyone had concluded too.
"We served some time together last year." Clay said as he stepped back and sat in the chair he had been in before.
"You what?" Phoebe turned on him almost as fast as he had turned on Bane.
"I did something stupid Phoebe, and spent six months in jail. I was rooming here with Bane."
"Ok so why the big secret? Why not tell us?" Piper looked at each man. Wanting answers for her sisters more then anything.
Bane stood back up and paced, "We both figured out we had something in common. A past with this family. And in doing so we realized we had a past with demons."
"So what? You teamed up and came here?" Phoebe was shocked at Bane's words, but held her glare to Clay. "Why?"
"Because we knew you were in danger." Clay looked at her. "Bane told me what happened to him with Litvack. And we knew that someone would come for us. I've being hiding and running ever since I got out, but I knew in the end I had to come here. They knew about you Phoebe and I couldn't risk you being hurt. I had to make sure you were ok"
"And that is why I came as well Prue. To make sure you were ok, but now we have to leave. He is on to us."
Prue looked at Bane, "He? Who he?"
Bane looked over at Clay. Again neither one wanting to say what they knew.
"A Demon that wants the secret of the underworld kept just that; a secret." Bane started.
"Ok, but who?" Piper asked getting impatient with both men.
Silence blanketed them all as Clay was the first to even move. He reached down and took Phoebes hands in his. "Belthazor." His words hung like thick smoke as Phoebe tried to take in a breath of air.
--- ---- --- ----
"You retreated?" his metallic voice sending fear through all that stood around him. "I wanted them dead! Was that so difficult? A mortal and a defenceless witch." His raged consumed him, as the two before him felt their flesh start to burn slowly, as their cries of pain echoed to remind all that served him the message of the cost of betrayal.
"I want him dead, and other mortals that you see fit. Just kill him."
"I will not fail you."
"No you won't, but you can not return to serve them as you had. You have been exposed."
"Just give me one chance to kill him."
He looked up intrigued. Why was killing the witch so important to him. Killing any of the Charmed Ones was an order brought down by the Source himself. He thought a moment. Killing a Charmed One was not part of the plan, but. He was certain that the Source would not mind. "She is yours. Just make sure he dies. Our duty is to protect our existence. We can not have mortals running around up there with knowledge of us."
"And the other?" he knew that his days were numbered as well.
"Kill him as well. And yes, if his witch gets in the way. Kill her as well."
The laughter of all that were there was rough with triumph. Killing the Charmed Ones was something they all wanted. To many of their comrades had been lost in battles in San Francisco, but now it would all end, and two of them would die.
