Author's Note: Hey everyone! I've got another chapter done!
Also, I'd like to personally thank: SyndiDowell, lizardmomma, That70sshowlova, and especially FaithInHim4ever for their kind, helpful and encouraging reviews for the last chapter! Please keep it up!
Also thanks to Lauren for helping me out! Majorly!
To Recap:
Piper glanced up to see Patty standing in the doorway.
"Mom? What are you doing back? We saw what we had to see, but there's no way we can change it."
"That's where you're wrong." Patty contradicted her now eldest. "Where there's a will, there's a way. And nobody is more willing than the three of you. Now, why don't you scry for Temcara and her brother and I'll look after the boys and Paytin while Leo goes to check in with the Elders."
"What about…" Piper asked, indicating Phoebe, who hadn't stopped crying and Paige, who was still hiccupping in her arms.
"It looks like Coop has everything under control with Phoebe. And as for Paige, I'll take care of her." Patty assured her. "Go. You don't have much time."
Piper nodded. Kissing Paige on the cheek and patting Phoebe's back, Piper left to do what her mother had asked.
Getting to the second floor, Piper detoured for just a minute and entered her sons' room.
Kissing Wyatt first, she smoothed a few strands of hair out of his face before moving onto Chris.
"Mommy loves you both so much." She whispered. "Never forget that."
Forcing herself to leave their sides, she made her way up to the attic.
As she opened the door, something told Piper it was going to take more than a simple spell to fix the damage that had been done. She only hoped they didn't run out of time.
Keeping Her Close
By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell
Chapter Ten: Phoebe's Worst Nightmare
With Phoebe
The thunder boomed outside, rattling the windows as well as waking the witch from her no-so-peaceful slumber. Her eyes opened as she sat up out of Coop's embrace, but he didn't stir. Her eyes widened upon hearing piercing wails from her baby girl. She pushed the covers back and donned a robe and tied it as she made her way across to where the noise was issuing.
She saw lightning flashing, seemingly right outside the window, which caused the child the squirm and cry louder.
She walked over, looking into the crib. "Awww, what's the matter?" she asked. "Did the mean ol' storm scare you?" she cooed, taking her into her arms and sitting in the rocking chair beside the wall. She placed her on her shoulder, rubbing her back gently as the thunder boomed again, causing the girl to cry louder. "Hey, hey, ssshh, it's okay, little girl. It can't hurt you," she said, laying her in her arms. "Mommy won't let it. I promise." But even as she said that, Phoebe knew something was wrong with the night.
Phoebe's head turned at the sound of a noise in the doorway. She relaxed when she saw it was just Paige. She had a whimpering Henry in her arms. "You too, huh?" The youngest Charmed One asked her older sister, glancing at Paytin.
Phoebe nodded. "Shh, it's all right, buddy," Paige soothed. "You're safe with Mommy." That seemed to quiet Henry for the moment.
"I wonder how long it'll be before one of the boys wakes Piper," Phoebe mused as she sat down in the rocking chair furthest away from the window. Paige shrugged as she adjusted Henry in her arms. Lightning flashed, illuminating Paige's red face. "Paige," she said, laying a calmed down Paytin back in her crib, "you don't look like you've slept at all."
Paige nodded, sitting Henry down with his cousin. "Try and sleep, okay buddy?" he nodded, laying down beside her. Phoebe leaned into the doorframe. "You're right. I haven't slept at all. No matter how much Mom tried to tell me it wasn't my fault, no matter how tight Henry held me and told me he loved me," tears cascaded down her cheeks. "I can't help feeling horrible. I just can't!" she cried, dropping to her knees.
Phoebe walked over, dropping beside Paige. Paige wrapped her arms tightly around her as Phoebe did the same. "It wasn't your fault, Paige. None of it. I would never blame you for anything that happens now."
"Bu—but y—you nearly d-d-died because I wa—wasn't there!" she wailed.
"But you were coming back. I know. I heard you," her sister said, petting her hair. "I just couldn't move or speak."
Paige nodded.
"Still, I should have just changed Henry here. He has some clothes I left here for when he has sleepovers with the boys. If I had done that, then maybe you wouldn't have…"
"No more blaming yourself, missy." Phoebe instructed kindly. "Piper's told you, Mom's told you, Henry's told you and I've told you. It wasn't your fault. Now it's time for you to believe it. Don't believe it because we told you. Believe it because it's true."
Paige nodded as she sniffed back more tears.
"I'll try." She said as she started to calm down.
"Good." Phoebe replied. She smiled at Paige. 'Because if you don't, Temcara and her brother's asses won't be the only ones I kick tonight."
This got Paige laughing a little, which made Phoebe's heart soar.
Paige looked at her, puzzled. "How do you know it's gonna happen tonight?"
"Well, it's been a week."
"Okay, but then why are you still able to touch her? Doesn't she sock you?"
"A bit, but whatever this mark is, its kinda like it neutralizes it."
"Why in the world would a demon give that to you?" Paige asked.
"Maybe it wasn't a demon."
With Wyatt
He rolled over, trying to block his brother out. Nope, didn't work. Tried pulling his blankets over his head, but that didn't work either. He was surprised his mommy wasn't here yet. She never slept through their crying.
Clutching Wuvy to him, Wyatt orbed out.
Piper rolled over, wondering if she'd even slept when she saw blue and white orbs form into her eldest son. She yawned. "What is it, Wyatt?" she asked as he climbed up on the bed and into her lap. he wrapped his arms around her neck and they disappeared.
She heard crying as they formed in the hallway. "Oh, Chris is keeping you up?" she asked.
He nodded. "Too loud."
She nodded opening the door and walking over to Chris, picking him up. "Aww, Chris! It's okay! Mommy's here." She said as she walked over to Wyatt's bed. "I wonder how your Auntie Paige is doing. She had a rough day."
"Auntie Paige." Chris said and suddenly he was gone.
Piper was about to panic when she realized where her youngest had gone. Shaking her head, she kissed Wyatt's cheek, tucked him back in and went downstairs to see what her sister's were up to.
She found Chris in Paige's arms, content as ever. "He's fine." Paige assured her. "I got him."
Piper smiled. "I can see that. I figured that's where he had gone."
Just then, another thunder clap sounded. Chris whimpered, burying his face in Paige's shoulder. "Shh, shh, it's okay, buddy. Auntie Paige is here..." She started to sing softly, hoping it would work. "Come stop you're cryin' it'll be all right. Come take my hand, hold it tight. I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry. For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you, keep you..." By the time she was done, Chris was on his way to dreamland once again.
"Auntie Paige to the rescue." Piper quipped with a small smile. "What can I say?" Paige smirked. "When you got it, you've got it."
"It's good to see your spirits back up." Piper observed.
"Yeah, well, Phoebe talked some sense into me." Paige told her.
Piper smirked. "She threatened to kick your butt if you didn't stop blaming yourself?"
Paige nodded. "Pretty much. Here you go m'lady." With that, she handed Chris back to Piper and went over to scry for Temcara and her brother. Piper sat down on the couch with Chris in her arms.
It was then that she noticed Phoebe holding Paytin. "How long has she been asleep?"
Phoebe shrugged. "An hour or so. I'm trying not to move a lot. Whenever I do she wakes up."
Piper nodded. "Well, I'm gonna get this little guy to bed. I'll be back down to help you in a minute."
"Okay." Paige replied. "We've got everything under control right now. Take your time with the boys."
"Thanks." Her sister replied.
"Damn it!" Paige swore as she balanced the crystal over the map.
"Paige!" Phoebe scolded. "You're gonna wake up…" Her voice trailed off as Paytin woke up and started to wail.
"I'm sorry, Pheebs. Here, I'll sing her back to sleep for you as soon as this crystal starts cooperating with me."
"What is it doing?" Phoebe asked as she balanced Paytin on her hip.
"It keeps landing on the house." Paige explained.
Phoebe frowned. "But Temcara's not here." She said just as a figure shimmered in.
"Think again, witch. I'll take her now!" With that, Temcara appeared right in front of Phoebe, attempting to take Paytin from her, but Phoebe rose to the ceiling out of her reach.
"Coop, get Henry out of here!" Paige ordered.
"Already done. " Coop said. "I'll be back." He told Phoebe. He Hearted out with the small boy in his arms.
Dropping him off at home with his Daddy, Coop went back to Piper's in order to help with protect his daughter and the love of his life.
"I won't be fooled that easily, witch." Temcara said. "I have my ways of getting what I want. You didn't think I came unprepared, now did you?"
Paige smirked. "No, but neither did we." She informed the demon. Holding out her arms, she called, "Paytin!"
Paige was about to sigh with relief, but stopped when she realized Paytin wasn't with her for long. She wrapped her arms around her niece, only to have Paytin appear in Temcara's arms a moment later. "What the—" Paige started to say, but was cut off by Temcara smirking at them.
"See, that's the thing about evil. It knows how to resist pesky good witches like you. Now that I've gotten what I came for, I'll be going now."
"Fat chance." Paige said. "Crystals! Circle!" Satisfied when a crystal cage appeared around Temcara, Paige gave herself an imaginary pat on the back.
Just then, Piper rejoined them. She did a double take when she saw Temcara in the cage.
She was about to blow her up when Paige stopped her. "Piper, don't!"
"Why not?" Piper asked. It was then that she noticed Paytin in the demon's arms.
She nodded before joining her sisters for a magical mini conference. "What are we gonna do with her now that we have her?" She asked.
"Well, we could always play Billy's game." Paige said thoughtfully. "Torture her until she tells us what we want to know."
"That would be a great idea, sweetie," Phoebe agreed, "but she's holding my daughter."
Paige nodded. "That doesn't mean we can't still torture her a little bit. We'll just use other methods."
When Phoebe looked doubtful, Paige just grinned. "Trust me."
They turned around, Phoebe staying where she was as Paige and Piper walked to the far edge on either side of her.
Paige nodded. Phoebe's hands emitted a golden glow that formed a rope. Slowly, Paige picked up a crystal. "Now!" she shouted as Phoebe threw the lightning lasso around Temcara, having it tighten around her leg. Paige then replaced the crystal.
"What's this?" Temcara asked. "Some magic trick?" She sighed, holding the child in one arm and trying to grab the rope, but finding it impossible to feel the line.
Phoebe let up gently, hoping she took the bait.
"Ow!" she exclaimed as the lasso expanded to encase her wrist as well. She found the more she struggled, the more it hurt.
"I demand you let me out of here!" Temcara shouted.
"I'm afraid you're not in any position to make demands." Paige pointed out.
"Well, since I have your niece in my possession, I think you're mistaken." Temcara retorted. "Now for the last time, get me out of this thing!"
"Not a chance." Piper said, clasping hands with Paige. She held her other hand out to Phoebe, but her sister didn't take it at first.
She raised her hand to just below Temcara's waist and flicked her hands.
To Piper's satisfaction, Temcara's left leg was blown up which made her howl in pain.
"Way to go, sis!" Paige exclaimed.
"Oh, I'm not done yet." Piper told her. "Phoebe," she urged. "Drop the line. I've got her." She extended her hand to her.
Phoebe shook her head.
"Phoebe, for everything that's good, break the damn line!" Paige said.
Phoebe still didn't move. Ever since Temcara had taken Paytin she'd slept unusually sound and that really bothered her. Loud noises usually woke her up. She tightened the line, causing the demon to drop to her knees. "What have you done to my daughter?"
Temcara just smirked. "A lot more than you'll ever manage, you sorry scrawny witch!"
Before anyone could begin to understand what she meant, a demon dropped in front of them, throwing a barrage of energy balls. Phoebe, shocked, let up on the line as the three sisters hit the ground. They chanced a look up, seeing the demon knock a crystal out of the way and freeing her.
Before they shimmered out, Temcara lifted Phoebe from the ground by her shirt. "You'd do well to memorize our faces. This is the last you'll see of us in a number of years." She then threw her to the floor with a sickening crack.
Paige stood, noticing they weren't even trying to fight back. "Paytin!" she called, but the orbs were too late and only surrounded air.
"A—Are we clear?" Piper asked as she stood, knowing her sister could sense demons more easily.
Paige nodded with a heartbreaking look in her brown eyes. From the corner of the room Phoebe cried, though whether it was from the physical pain of the crack they'd heard neither knew as they rushed to her aid.
Piper turned her over onto her back. "Can you move?"
Phoebe looked up, not verbally responding but saying, 'does it really matter?' with her eyes.
Paige noticed Phoebe's left arm was bent at a painful angle. She sighed as she placed her hands over her and the golden glow appeared. If only I could heal her heart, but it doesn't work that way. She thought as Phoebe leaned into Piper. After making sure Phoebe had no more injuries, the youngest sister walked away.
In a way, she knew it wasn't her fault. But how could it not be, she thought, I could've stood up faster, charged at him and taken him to the ground. I could've done something, anything differently! "DAMMIT!" she cursed, as she pounded her head into the wall. When she pulled back, she saw blood. She looked into the mirror, seeing a large bloody gash above her eye.
She turned around, thinking someone had called her name, but no one was looking her way. She turned back to the gash, thinking it someway atoned for what she was certain she'd just let happen.
Moments later, she felt a hand on her shoulder. "I'll get the First-Aid kit," she said going into the kitchen. She retuned minutes later. "Face me."
"No. I deserve this."
Piper set the kit on the table, hugging her from behind. "What do you mean?"
"I wasn't fast enough, Piper. If I would've gotten to my feet sooner," she turned seeing Phoebe unconscious on the couch, "poor Phoebe wouldn't be practically comatose on the couch."
"It wasn't your fault, Paige," Piper said. "We didn't know what would happen exactly. Hell, all I assumed was that I'd be a pile of ash if I even tried to get up." She saw Paige's legs turn to Jell-O and caught her. "Sweetie, it's never going to be your fault," she said in trying to calm her down. "And I'm sure that's what Phoebe will tell you when she wakes up too."
"And what if she wakes up and blames me for everything and disowns me?"
Piper smirked. "Well, then she'll have to disown the both if us. Now sit so I can take care of that."
She raised an eyebrow as she took a seat. "What do you me—OUCH! That stings!—what do you mean?"
"Well," Piper began as she cleaned the wound and applied antibiotic to it, "I laid on the floor. I didn't even attempt to get up until after everything was done."
"Yeah, but you used common sense. I was reck—OW!—reckless and look where it got us?"
"Hey, you tried to do the right thing. I applaud you for it," she said placing a Band-Aid over the wound and closing the kit.
"Yeah, but in this case close doesn't cut it, so what are we gonna do?"
"Fight like hell and never give in, like always."
"I just hope Phoebe doesn't completely withdraw, though I wouldn't blame her if she did."
"She won't Paige. We won't let her."
Though Piper wasn't sure if she could even keep that promise…
Author's Note: So, what do you think will happen next? What will they do to try to get her back? Will they even be able to find her? Will Paige ever stop beating herself up compleyely?
Next chapter: Chapter Eleven: Go Ahead and Take My Life, I Have Nothing Left
Please read and review!
Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell