A/N. Thank you for the reviews.
Chapter 10"D'you think she'll be okay?"
"She'd better be, because if she's damaged my body, I'll kill her."
Phoebe didn't understand. Maybe it was the dull pounding between her eyes, or the blood rushing in her ears as she regained consciousness. Either way, she didn't understand what her older sister had said.
"I'm fine," Prue/Phoebe croaked, letting her eyes slide open.
"Phoebe!" Jake cried, relief evident on his handsome features. "Thank God you're okay!"
"Yeah," Prue/Phoebe agreed, pushing herself up on the limp hospital pillow. "But I'm a little confused. What happened?"
"We were hoping you could tell us."
Prue/Phoebe's eyes flicked from her boyfriend's face to where Prue's voice came from. But the face she saw wasn't Prue's; it was hers. She blinked hard, hoping desperately that she had bumped her head when she fainted. Unfortunately, her face was still gazing back at her. She lifted her shaking hands and saw to her dismay that they were too pale to be hers.
"What happened?"
"You and Prue switched bodies," Piper answered. "We don't know how or who did it."
"So what made me faint?"
"Probably the transition. Although I don't know why I didn't faint," Phoebe/Prue replied thoughtfully.
"We need to get out of here." Prue/Phoebe pushed the thin bed covers back and stood up. She wobbled slightly before sitting back down, heavily.
"You're not going anywhere."
A man Phoebe didn't recognise was standing in the doorway, looking happy to see Prue/Phoebe awake.
"How are you Prue?" Dylan asked, striding into the room.
"I'm great, thank you…"
"Dylan," Phoebe/Prue filled in.
Dylan turned around to look at Prue/Phoebe. "How do you know my name?"
"Err…Prue's told me about you," Phoebe/Prue lied.
The journalist seemed to accept this because he turned back to Prue/Phoebe.
"Listen Dylan," the bedridden witch began. "Would you mind giving us a moment? Thanks so much for sticking around."
"No problem. Just get better." Dylan gave a wave farewell and left the room.
"Sweet guy," Piper commented.
"Yeah," Phoebe/Prue agreed. "He's a great friend."
Prue/Phoebe once again climbed out of bed, this time managing to stay on her feet. "Let's get out of here."
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A few hours later, Prue/Phoebe had finally persuaded her doctor to let her out the hospital, and the family, with the exception of the children and Andy, were gathered in the attic. Leo had just orbed in with news.
"Do you want me to heal you?" Leo asked his sister – in – law.
"I'm fine. We just need answers."
"Right. Well, the Elders suspect the Source is behind this."
"Suspect?" Piper repeated.
"They know a demon did it, and the Source is the only one with enough power for the spell to work."
"So how do we reverse it?" Phoebe/Prue asked. "Because, no offence, I feel like I'm wearing a dress that's too tight."
"Likewise," Prue/Phoebe muttered.
"They don't know," Leo replied to Phoebe/Prue's question.
"What do you mean 'they don't know'?" Piper demanded.
"They've never encountered something like this before. It seems the Source wrote the spell especially."
"We're honoured," Piper said dryly.
"But why would the Source do this?" Jake asked to no one in particular.
"To weaken us," Phoebe/Prue replied simply. "In each others' bodies we have each others' powers, which we don't know how to use."
"So he's going to attack," Piper, who had been thinking along the same lines, concluded.
"Phoebe, have you done with that spell?" Jake asked.
"Yeah. I'll find it."
"What spell?" Leo wondered as he watched Prue/Phoebe rummage around in some drawers.
"For the past few months I've been working on a spell that could vanquish the Source." Phoebe straightened up, a slip of paper in her hand.
"And why didn't you tell us?" Piper asked, surprised that Phoebe would keep something like this from them.
"Because I didn't know if it would work, plus it wasn't finished. I only completed it two days ago."
"And we're going to use it?" Phoebe/Prue asked sceptically.
Prue/Phoebe shrugged apologetically. "It's the best we've got."
"You don't have much time," Leo told them.
"We don't need it. If we can get him into the crystals, he'd be defenceless," Piper pointed out.
"Great, but how do we get him in the crystals?" Prue/Phoebe wondered.
Four pairs of eyes turned to her face, and suddenly she realised. "No, I – I can't."
"Just get angry," Phoebe/Prue advised. "Think of all the pain he's caused. Think of Grams."
As her name was mentioned five drawers flew off their shelves, scattering paper and junk everywhere.
"Like that?"
"Perfect," Phoebe/Prue said, smirking. "Now we need to get you two out of here."
"What?" Jake cried.
"No!" Leo shouted at the same time.
"We're not leaving you," Jake added.
"Yes you are," Piper said firmly. "We'd only be distracted trying to protect you."
"But-"
"No buts," Piper interrupted. "Now go."
Before Leo orbed away, he met his wife's eyes. The look in them said 'I love you. If I don't make it, make sure Lexy remembers me.' Then he, along with Jake, was gone.
"Think we can do this?" Prue/Phoebe asked,
"We have to. For Lexy, Caitlyn and this little one," Piper replied, placing a hand on her still flat abdomen.
"Now we wait."
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Hours later, the sky outside the attic's stained glass windows was growing dark and silver specs were appearing over roofs. Phoebe hadn't yet mastered Prue's telekinesis.
A tall spiral of flame erupted from out of nowhere. The Charmed Ones jumped up as the Source seemed to step from the magical fire, unharmed, cloaked, and towering above them.
"We wondered when you'd turn up," Piper told him calmly.
"I see you caught on to my plan. Smart witches."
"Comes with the job," Phoebe/Prue returned.
"But how will you defeat me without control over your powers?" The demonic leader taunted, unnerved by how calm the witches were.
"We've got that covered," Prue/Phoebe assured him smugly.
Phoebe/Prue began to run at the Source and launched herself into the air. Before her feet could connect with the demon he had flamed across the room. Phoebe/Prue collided with the wall and tumbled to the ground. However, as she picked herself up she barely noticed the pain, she was so proud just to have levitated.
The Source conjured a fireball and bounced it casually in his open palm. "You cannot defeat me." He launched the ball straight at Prue/Phoebe.
The witch raised her arm wildly, frantically trying to deflect it. Unfortunately she was more scared than angry and the ball hit her stomach, knocking her backwards into some shelves that became unhinged and fell down.
"No!" Piper cried, flinging out her hand and freezing the shelves.
"Thanks." Prue/Phoebe stood up gingerly, her stomach burned but not bleeding.
"No problem." Piper flicked her wrists and let out her most powerful blast.
The Source raised one hand and the air around him rippled as he sent the force back.
The other Charmed Ones watched in horror as Piper spun through the air, crashing into a wall and falling to the ground with bone – shattering force.
"Piper!" Phoebe/Prue screamed, running for the middle sister.
Rage bubbled inside Prue/Phoebe. What if Piper or the baby were seriously hurt… or dead? He would have taken more lives.
"Bastard," Prue/Phoebe hissed, waving her arm in a grateful arc.
Four magically charged crystals zoomed towards the Source, landing in a square around him. As they did, the mixed up Prue and Phoebe both seemed to freeze for a split second. They each gasped out.
"I'm back!" Phoebe cried, joyfully glancing down at her own body.
"No!" The Source cried, outraged. He took a step forward but was thrown back by the magical invisible wall. "What is this?"
"Good magic," Phoebe quipped, before turning her back on him and racing towards her sisters. She let out a gasp of horror as she caught sight of Piper's face.
Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth and dribbled from her nose. A deep gash ran across her cheek and her forehead was covered in blood.
"Is she..?"
"No," Prue replied forcibly. "She's strong."
"Come on Piper, we need you. Wake up." Phoebe shook her old sister gently, not letting herself think about the damage the baby may have suffered.
Piper groaned softly, but didn't stir.
"We can't vanquish the Source without you. Wake up," Prue pleaded. "Maybe we can hold her hands and say the spell."
"No, it need all three of us to say it."
"Come on." Prue gave Piper a tug and Phoebe helped pull her to her feet.
Piper whimpered in pain, but managed to stand with support.
"Ready?" Prue asked.
"Ready," Phoebe echoed.
"Ready." Piper's voice was weak and barely audible, but determined.
"Seems almost anti climatic, doesn't it?" The Source taunted. "After all this time?"
"Right back at you," Piper, who looked ready to collapse, spat.
Joining hands and strengthening to Power of Three they began to chant.
Patricia, Penelope, Melinda,
Astrid, Laura, Helen and Grace,
Halliwell witched stand strong beside us,
Help vanquish this evil from time and space.
The Source yelled out as he began to burn, smouldering from his chest, smoke encircling him. With a massive, deafening bang the Source exploded in a fiery column that licked the ceiling. Shock waves tore apart furniture, toppled over desks and shattered windows, but still the Charmed Ones stood strong as the smoke receded, leaving a scorch mark where the Source had once stood.
"We did it," Piper murmured, before slipping to the floor.
"Leo!" Prue screamed, dropping to her knees. The Whitelighter orbed in immediately.
"Hurry!" Phoebe urged.
Leo placed his hands over Piper's chest, healing the more serious internal injuries. After a moment the damage to her face did not begin to heal.
"What's taking so long?" Prue demanded hysterically. She couldn't lose another family member to demons.
"She nearly died," Leo replied shortly.
The blood on Piper's face finally vanished and the gape sealed shut. The witch sat up with a sharp intake of breath.
"Leo, the baby..?" Piper asked immediately.
"Is absolutely fine."
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Prue, Piper, Leo, Andy and Jake were all crowded around a secluded table in Quake, sipping on various alcoholic drinks – except Piper, who had a sparkling water.
"To the Charmed Ones." Andy raised his glass.
Everyone echoed his words and clinked glasses before taking a sip.
"So, how exactly did you guys switch back?" Piper asked, setting her drink down.
"Good question," Phoebe said, looking directly at Leo.
"Well, from what you've told me it sounds like you had to use each other's powers before you could change back."
"D'you think the Source knew?" Prue wondered.
"Probably not. If he knew, he would've just switched your powers," Leo replied.
"That would have been nicer," Phoebe said.
"Definitely," Prue agreed.
"So everything turned out okay in the end," Jake concluded, slipping his arm around Phoebe's shoulders.
"It always does."
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A/N. Bad ending I know, but I wrote it in a rush. Please review.