Heaven's Mistaken Gift

by: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

Co-written by: That70sShoLova

Chapter 10: Making an Impression—Fooling a Houseful

Phoebe walked up the steps, Cole in tow. She didn't know whether to knock or not. She didn't live here anymore...yet her family lived here. She looked at Cole and he saw the dilemma in her eyes. He raised his hand and knocked for her.

"I got it!" Piper shouted and she bounded down the steps and opened the door. She stared at Phoebe, shock crossing her features. It took only a second for her to grip her younger sister like her life depended on it. "Grams! Prue! Phoebe's here!"

Phoebe started to cry. "I-I missed you so much!"

Penny walked into the hallway. "What is going on?"

"Phoebe's back!" Piper's muffled reply came.

Prue smiled widely and pushed Piper out of the way to hug Phoebe.

Penny raised an eyebrow at the three, until catching the eye of Cole. "And who are you?"

Phoebe pulled away and looked at Cole. "This is Cole...He's been helping me..."

"Cole, huh?" she asked suspiciously. "He the one that knocked you up?"

"Grams!"

Penny rolled her eyes and waved a hand in dismissal. "Come in, wont you?"

Cole stepped through the landing after Phoebe, closing the door behind him. "Thank you."

Penny pasted a smile on her overly-worried features as they all walked into the living room. "It's the least I can do for you helping my irresponsible granddaughter."

"Grams!" Prue chastised. "At least she's trying!"

Penny again, rolled her eyes. She sat on the couch and stared at the unbeknownst couple. "What are you doing here, Phoebe?"

"I missed you. Is that so bad?" She demanded.

"Yes. I told you, Phoebe, the only way you were coming back was if you got an abortion."

Cole looked as the two fought. "Mrs. Halliwell, I don't think it's fair to ask Phoebe to harm her own baby. She may be young, but a baby shouldn't be killed because of that."

"Who allowed you to have a say in this?" She asked rudely.

Piper nodded. "Yeah, Grams. You were young when you were pregnant with Mom and you didn't abort her."

"That's different! I knew what I was getting in to!" her voice died down. "It doesn't matter anymore."

Prue sized Cole up. "Who exactly are you?"

"A friend of Phoebe's."

Phoebe interrupted before a fight could ensue. "I missed you and Cole – being a good friend – offered to bring me here."

"What about Jared?" Piper asked.

Phoebe looked away. "H-he's been working."

"Where?" Prue asked. "Where could that idiot ever manage to hold down a job?"

Phoebe looked at her hands, not sure of what to say. The truth was that no, he didn't work and that Cole and his mother had provided most of the nicer things in the house. And, because of that, she was pretty sure she wouldn't have to worry about money. Especially with each passing day bringing the two of them closer than the one before it.

But with Jared how was she supposed to make an excuse? He'd beaten her, kicked little Melinda. And Cole, he'd saved them and that in itself might be a good enough answer.

She took a breath, catching Cole's eye, who nodded and wrapped an arm around her. "He-he's working at…"

"Oh, will you just spit it out?" Prue said. "My God, it's easier getting answers out of the cat."

Cole looked at Phoebe, who was obviously crashing and burning under the heavy weight of her sister's stare.

"The furniture store my mother owns." Cole supplied. "We're open all hours and he will do anything in order to help little Melinda Kali. He works overtime and I keep Phoebe company during the day."

He was starting to hate the Kali part. He would have to talk to Phoebe about that.

Prue glared. "And where do you work?"

He slapped his hands on his knees, and looked away. "I don't work. I'm going to college, actually."

"What are you majoring in?" Penny interrogated.

"Law."

"And—" Prue started.

"Will you guys stop?" Piper snapped. "Give him a break!"

Cole smiled appreciatively and Piper nodded.

Suddenly, Cole saw something. A shadow, the shadow he used many times to give news to the Source. The shadow, nothing causing it at all, fell on the wall.

Cole gasped and Phoebe turned quickly at what he was looking at.

Too quickly. "Oh God!"

"Phoebe?" The four all said simultaneously.

She clutched her stomach, the pain from the previous night coming back full force. "Ow!" Tears sprung to her eyes.

Piper shot up out of her seat and keeled beside Phoebe. "Sweetie? What's wrong? Is it the baby?"

"A-ah . . . y-yes!" she lied.

Piper pushed the sweatshirt out of the way.

"No!"

A big bruise stood proud and ugly on her stomach. The edges yellowed, and the inside was a mutated sight of blue and purple.

"Phoebe! What happened?"

"She fell." Cole supplied sadly. "Jared was taking her out to buy new clothes and she tripped while getting out of the car."

"Oh, Phoebe!" Piper cried. "You poor thing!"

"She fell, you say?" Penny asked.

"That's what Phoebe said. I wasn't there." Cole looked at Phoebe and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "She went to the doctor and she is fine. The baby is fine."

Prue raised her eyebrow, walking closer to examine her baby sister's bruise. "A 'fall' caused that? I don't think so."

"Why do you say that, Prue?" Piper asked.

"Just look at the angle. She would've had to—had to be lying on her back and—Phoebe, please tell me he didn't kick you while you were asleep!" Prue begged.

Phoebe stood up, walking to the middle of the room. "Well, you see, the thing is..."

"He would never do that!" Cole shouted. "He loves her," he lied convincingly. "You want the truth?"

Prue glared. "Yes."

"Phoebe is too shy to admit it, but she was almost mugged. She wanted fresh air, Jared and I weren't around, and she walked outside. She ended up in the wrong place in the wrong time and a man mugged her."

Phoebe started to cry, really selling it. "I...I just didn't want you to get mad, okay? I wanted to be strong enough to protect myself, but I'm not!"

"Oh Phoebe!" Piper wept. "I'm so sorry!"

She nodded, wiping a tear. "I-It's okay. Cole...and Jared have been helping me."

"That's good." Prue said. "At least it wasn't...worse..."

Phoebe shuddered. "Y-Yeah...I don't want to talk about it anymore. I just missed you guys and wanted to see you. Is that too much to ask?"

Penny shook her head. "I guess not. I'll go make some tea."

Cole glanced back at the wall, looking for the Shadow, only to find it gone.

Jared shimmered in the Source's cave and his Shadow walked toward him, landing in the natural spot. He listened quietly as the Shadow explained what had happened. Nothing interesting.

The Source sat on his throne, staring at Zepar's human form. Zepar, having the power of shape shifting, helped. He was not half human like Cole, which made him less vulnerable than Balthazar. The Source's hood was down, his face undamaged as the Charmed One's wouldn't ruin it for many years.

"Zepar," he acknowledged in a hiss. "What do you have for me?"

He motioned for his Shadow to explain and it did, quickly, in the Source's mind.

"I see you have not progressed much. I shall have to have Balthazar bring the witch down here. We will give her an elixir that will keep the witch's spawn evil."

"What do you mean, My Liege?"

"The potion she will have to drink, will make her turn evil, and keep the child evil and not affected by the witch's good ancestry."

"Balthazar has fallen for the witch. He will not bring her willingly."

"Then knock her out," he growled. "Do want be needed. And do it quickly."

Zepar shimmered into the Halliwell Manor kitchen and saw a tea cup sitting on the counter.

"Is my tea almost ready, Grams?" Phoebe groaned.

"Yes." Penny replied.

Zepar walked up to the stove and checked the tea, it was only enough for a cup. He pulled out the vial of black liquid and put it into the tea pot, stirring gently.

He heard the footsteps of Penny Halliwell and shimmered away.

Penny waited for the steam to come out of the kettle, signifying that it was done. She put a oven pit on the bottom to collect any stray liquid falling and to keep her hand from burning. She poured the tainted tea into the cup and brought it to Phoebe.

"Tea's ready." She announced.

Phoebe took it from her hands gratefully. "Thanks, Grams." she took a sip and smiled. "It's really good."

Author's note: So what do you think? How will the elixer affect Phoebe? How will it affect little Melinda? Will her powers start to manifest? And what will Cole have to say about all of this? Will he agree in turning Melinda evil for the good of the plan? Spill the beans? Or will her not notice until its too late? ~ I'd like to hear your comments on this!

Reviews are much appreciated. Please?

Review thanks to: That70sshowlova, SyndiDowell, HalliwellMB, & LolyChristine!

Thanks to my co-writer: That70sShowLova!

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell & That70sShowLova