Prue and Piper looked at Leo and could see the determination in his eyes.
"It was three days ago." Prue started to tell Leo about the demon that they had vanquished.
Three Days Earlier:
Piper sat in the solarium and flipped another page of the magazine she was reading. She looked up briefly when she heard Prue walking down the stairs and through the doors into the bright room.
"Hey."
"Hey yourself. Whatcha reading?" Prue sat on the sette beside her sister and peered over her shoudler.
"Just some old magazine. Though some of the pictures in here could use some work." Piper hid the smile on her face, as the picture she was currently looking at was taken by Prue.
"Yeah. Well maybe you should go down to the office and set that photgrapher straight." Prue snickered knowing damn well her sister was looking at one of her own pictures.
"Dont have to." she looked at Prue with a evil grin. "I live with her."
Prue looked at PIper before reaching out with her had and smacking her sisters arm "You are incorrigable you know that?"
"I do but that's why you love me." Piper laughed as she set the magazine down. "So you and Phoebe coming down to the club tonight?"
Prue didn't say to much as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She knew what Piper was doing but she didn't know if she was ready yet.
"Prue you can't stay mad at her forever." Piper started
"Arent you?" Prue glared at her younger sister accusingly.
"I don't know. I know she kept a huge secret from us but she did love him."
"It's the fact that she kept it from us Piper that I don't like." she got off the sette and started for the window, looking out towards the backyard. She saw Phoebe sitting on the lounge chair her legs spread over, it hanging off either side as she leaned over a book for school. "I know how she felt about Cole. I felt it." her mind went back to a few weeks before when she had received the powers of an empath. She had felt such love from both Cole and Phoebe it reminded her of how she felt about Andy.
Piper looked up at Prue, "Just think about it. Besides what if a demon attacks and you two are in the middle of a arguement. Be a good distraction to get to us."
Prue knew Piper was right, in both cases. They worked best in fighting demons as a team. If they were distracted with other stuff, someone could get hurt. "I'll see. Right now though I think she is lost in some pyscho-bablle book."
Piper got up and looked at Phoebe who now had her head resting on one hand that was propped up by her elbow, as she still leaned over her books. "Not really."
Prue looked at Piper slightly confused, "Did I miss something. She is out there studying."
"Nope. She is out there sleeping." Piper smiled as she turned towards the kitchen to find something to leave her sisters for dinner before she left for a date with Leo and they all met at the club later that night. At least she hoped they all would.
Prue looked at Piper as she left the room and then back to Phoebe. She stood there a few more minutes watching her sister. And as Piper said she was sleeping, "Even she can't stay still that long and not be sleeping." Prue said quietly to herslf as she followed after Piper and went towards the basement door. "I'll be in the darkroom if you need anything."
Later that night Piper walked down the stairs and turned towards the kitchen when she spotted Phoebe sitting at the dining room table looking over more books, "Hey Phoebs."
Phoebe didn't even look up from her reading, "Hey Piper, hot date with Leo hey."
Piper smiled as she went by her sister and sat down on the other side, "Yes. You still studying I see."
"Well with all the demon fighting lately I'll take any down time I can."
"I see. So that mean you aren't coming by the club tonight?"
Phoebe then lifted her head to look at Piper.
"Look Phoebe I won't lie to you. I wasn't happy at ALL that you lied to us but I think I understand why you did it. And as long as you say he is out of your life and ours then ok. But...?"
"I know. If he comes around again you'll vanquish him like I should have. Look Piper I just don't know if Prue is ready for a sister night either. She's pretty mad still."
Piper took Phoebes hand in hers, "She's just upset that you thought you couldn't tell us. And to her, that hurts more then anything. Look just think about it. I'll see you later." she placed a kiss on the top of her sisters head before starting to towards the kitchen and ultimately, the basement to find Prue.
"Prue."
"It's ok come on down." Prue placed the last of her pictures on the line to dry as Piper walked in the room. "Wow look at you."
Piper stepped from the last step and did a small twirl in front of her sister. "You like."
"Not for me to say but I think Leo will love it." Putting away her supplies, "So where you two off to anyway?"
"Not sure Leo is being pretty quiet about it all."
"Well as long as you have fun that's the main thing." she looked at Piper, "So we still on for P3?"
"We'll that's where we'll be. There is some pasta on the stove you just need to warm up the sauce in the fridge."
"We'll be fine Mum." Prue laughed at her younger sister, "Now go and have a great time with your man."
"Ok." she started up the stairs, "Prue."
"I'll talk to her. Now git." Prue pushed her sisters up the stairs and smiled as Piper gave her back a quick smile back before running up the last few steps
"Thanx." Piper smiled as she made her way up the stairs, hoping to get her family back to some sort of normalacy.
Piper once again made her way through the house and gave Phoebe one last kiss, "See you later sweetie."
"Have fun Piper."
Phoebe made her way into the kitchen for a drink and to see what Piper had left them for dinner. Opening the fridge she pulled out the pasta sauce along with a bottle of water. Setting them both on the counter she then closed the fridge door.
"Hello witch." he grabbed her around the neck before she could say anything, and tossing her across the room hitting the door to the basement. "PRUE!"
"Oh what? You need you big sister to come save you?" he started towards her for another strike
She stood up slowly aginast the door and started around the counter keeping the island in the kitchen between them
Prue, having just put her chemicals away heard the crash against the door before the yell from her sisters. She didnt even think as she ran up the stairs two at a time throwing the door open and coming nearly face to face with the demon in the kitchen. reacting on adrenaline and intincts she focused her powers on the demon and throw him across the room slamming him into the kitchen cabinet sending it into a million little piece.
He stood up and glared at Prue and then to Phoebe, "Don't think this is over witches." he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Prue looked at the spot he had been in and then at her sisters, "You ok?"
"Oh yeah. you know start some dinner, get thrown by a demon. all in a days work right." Phoebe held her hands behind her on the counter, holding herself up. Her back was killing here where she hit the door.
Prue knew what her sister was doing, she was trying to hide away the obvious. "Come on let go look in the book see what we can find." She started for the door when she noticed Phoebe wasn't following her, "Phoebs?"
Prue knew what her sister was doing; she was trying to hide away the obvious. "Come on let go look in the book see what we can find." She started for the door when she noticed Phoebe wasn't following her, "Phoebs?"
Phoebe held Prue's gaze a moment longer before slowly towards her "I'll check the book I got a pretty good look at him. Maybe you should call Piper." she turned to look at Prue.
"Yeah maybe a good idea. Ok you go look in the book I'll herr. Grab the heating pad off the chair, I think its still there from when Piper needed it last week."
Prue walked into the attic a little while later carrying a tray with two plates on it, "Thought you might be hungry too."
Phoebe looked up at Prue, "Yeah thanx. Look likes this guy is a lower level demon. easy vanquish."
"Don't let Leo hear you say that. You know how he gets when we say easy."
Phoebe gave Prue a smile know what her siter was doing. trying to lighten the mode if only a little.
"Yeah well, a potion from Piper and this guy should be toast."
"Whose toast?" Piper asked as he walked in teh attic.
"Where's Leo." Prue asked noticing the missing Whitelighter
"He dropped me off then and took off. The Elders where calling him about something." she walked in the attic and looked at the page Phoebe had opened, "That our guy?"
"Yup. Just waiting for the culinary expert to whip up a potion." Phoebe smiled at Piper knowing that her middle sister was the expert at potions.
"Ok so what a standard power of three kinda thing you want?"
"Yeah lower level.You make, we throw, poof.." Phoebe closed the book and got off the couch slowly. "Demon go bye-bye."
A few hours alter Piper poured the potion into three small bottles. "Ok here we go. Now we just need this guy to come back."
"Oh he'll be back I think Prue pissed him off." Phoebe smiled over at her big sister.
"Yeah well, at least now if he does we have a little extra something for him." Prue agreed as she held up the bottle in her hand. But it was that same bottle that quickly went crashing aginst the wall and something struck her hand.
"I dont think you'll be needing that witch." Before Prue or any of her sisters could react Prue felt the cold hand around her thoat and the flying feeling she got whenever a demon threw her towards a solid object.
"Prue!" Piper went to freeze the demon but felt the slam of something hitting her across the face sending her spinning to the ground.
Phoebe reacted fast, seeing what was happening around her she quickly spun on her heal and slammed her foot in to his chest, though only causeing hin to stagger back slightgly. She spun around again, but this time he was ready and grabbed her foot pushing her to the ground below him.
"And I heard you three vanquished Belthazor. Not much of a match for me now are you?" he looked from Piper to Prue, who was now just pushing herself to her feet.
"Vanquish this." Phoebe said a she thrust the potion in her hand into his chest.
His cries could be heard to both heaven and hell, as the power of three magic, screamed through to his insides.
Each sister knew what was about to happen and took cover the best they could. Prue ducked behind some boxes as Piper quickly dove behind the couch, Only Phoebe was in the open as she moved her arms above her head shielding herslf the only way she could as the demon blew up in the attic.
There was an eerie silence before Prue pushed the boxes off her, "Everyone ok?" she asked casting a look around the attic.
"Oh yeah. He's lucky he's vanquished or I'd have to kick his ass." Phoebe pushed herself from the floor as Piper stood up from behind the couch.
"Phoebe what..." Piper looked at her sister who was practically dripping with demon goo.
"Demon. It's everywhere and this is my new shirt. My favorite new shirt I might add."
Prue and Piper shared a look and tried not to laugh as Phoebe stood there dripping. "Ok sweeite let's get you cleaned up and in the bath hey." Piper suggested
"Just go get my robe. I don't want to get this crap all over the Manor." She pulled her shirt off where she stood as Piper ran down stairs to get her sisters robe.
Back to the present day:
Prue looked at Leo as she took everything in, "Phoebe tossed her clothes in the wash, then a bath. That's it."
Piper could see Leo thinking more and could almost read the look on his face, "Leo. What is it?"
He looked between each sister, "If this demon is who I think it is. He wasn't a lower level demon. He's made his way through the underworld or at least his kind have. Once they kill a witch they themselves are killed as well. in fact that is usually how they kill the witches they fight. and you two are lucky."
"Leo?" Prue looked at her future brother in law.
"When witches fight these demons they are killed by the demon." he looked at thier face, "Its confusing but to put it plainly. The demon is basically a walking poison. When he blew up in the attic Phoebe was right under him. All that goo on her was a poison. It seeped through her clothes and is now starting to get in her blood."
"Poison?" Prue asked not wanting to believe Phoebe was infected so easily.
"Yes." he looked at each sister.
Prue looked at him and saw it in his eyes, "And?"
"And." He looked at each sister before taking in a breath. "There isn't a known cure."