A/N: Hello all.

Thanks for tuning in. Here's the next chap, hope you all like.


11. Past Shadows

Shadows wrapped the room in darkness. The only light coming in was from the full moon glowing outside the bedroom window, causing an array of oddly fascinating shadows.

Prue sat on her bed, watching them with vivid interest. It occurred to her just how comfortable she had become in the darkness. It was as if she blended with the murky shade, fitting in perfectly.

The silence also became increasingly appealing. Particularly now when the entire house was in the depths of stillness. It was this time when her mind can run rife with her plans. She never shared her thoughts with anyone. They were hers alone.

If people were to know, she would have been dead along time ago.

Prue was in fact alone.

This thought propelled the eldest Halliwell out of bed and towards the door. Moving swiftly but silently, Prue faded into the darkened hallway with ease. Her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, while she glided down the stairs.

She found herself compelled to enter the basement. No longer did she find comfort in the cluttered attic.

Prue stopped on the bottom step and sat down contently, placing her elbows on her knees. She gazed at the spot on the cold, hard flooring where the nexus resided.

"You're a shadow, right?" she questioned, as if it was a person. "Me too."

----------

Prue emerged from the basement and quietly closed the door behind her.

"What are you doing up? Prue." Cole asked, standing in the entrance way of the kitchen, subconsciously blocking Prue's exit.

"I could ask you the same." she retorted, not backing down as her back straightened and she glared at him.

"I came for a glass of water." the demon answered. "You?"

"Do I need permission to move in my home?" Prue snapped back.

"No but I question as to why you'd be up at three in the morning?"

The ravened haired Halliwell stepped closer to Cole, crossing her arms tightly around herself. "Let's just say Cole, after my experience I find it hard to sleep."

Her words caused him to glance away for a moment, a pang of guilt taking a hold of him. "I know it must…" he began to try and offer comforting words but Prue didn't let him have a chance.

"No Cole, you don't. See I was born an enemy to them. You on the other hand betrayed them. Two separate situations with different repercussions. So no, you haven't got a clue."

Cole gazed at her intensely, processing her words. "But treachery is far worse." he argued in a placid tone.

"Treachery can be forgiven." Prue replied, walking back into the shadows and heading to her room.

---------

Piper had managed to keep herself busy for the majority of the morning, trying to work out her feelings towards Leo's revelation last night.

How could Prue's destiny be passed on so easily? It was, as she had come to suspect, a major flaw in the grand design. Prue had dedicated herself to the power of three and now she had been replaced. It was as if Prue's hard work and persistence was worthless.

The original middle child tried to figure how to approach the subject with her eldest sister and she also wanted to get Prue to open up about her time…away.

Sighing heavily in a restless manner, Piper dropped the dishcloth and tried to find something else productive to do.

Walking past the living room, she spotted Cole reading through what Piper could only determine as court papers.

Piper cleared her throat and moved into the room, catching the half demons attention. He looked at her curiously, but with a small smile.

"Hey Cole."

"Piper, how can I help?" he asked nicely. Had it been Prue or Paige, Cole may have been inclined to question their motives.

"Why'd you ask that?"

He laughed shortly in response. "I'm not generally approached for a conversation and you have a similar look on your face Phoebe gets when she's worried."

"Oh," Piper smiled, before taking a seat next to Cole.

"So, how can I help?" he repeated.

"Well, I…uh, was wondering if you could answer something for me?"

Cole could practically see Piper's nerves jumping as she anticipated his answer. It was rather odd being approached by a Halliwell sister, Phoebe had been the one to fully trust him. "Sure."

Piper fell silent, while nodding, keeping her eyes firmly one her hands, which twitched ever so slightly. Finally she heaved a sigh and looked up at the demon. "What would have happened to Prue when she was with the Source?"

Cole fell quiet and cleared his throat nervously, not meeting Piper's expectant gaze. After the deafening silence became too much, he decided to question the Charmed Ones motives.

"Piper, why do you need to know this?" he spoke quietly, finally meeting her eyes with a sympathetic look.

"Cole, she's my sister, who was deserted in hell to endure God knows what, while we sat up here in our merry little world. I would like to have some sort of understanding as to what she may have gone through." Piper returned sharply.

"Have you spoke to Prue?"

"If I had, would I then come to you?" the Charmed One retorted, raising her eyebrow at the demon. "Look, Cole, I need to know."

"If it's to put your mind at rest, then I would reconsider." he spoke honestly.

Piper scoffed at his insinuation. "Put my mind at rest? Are you kidding me? My mind is far from rested and you shedding some light on what Prue may have gone through is going to do little to calm it, I can insure you. I've seen one scar already and I'm pretty much certain it's not the only one."

"Scar?" Cole questioned.

"Yes, Cole, a scar. You know the thing you tend to get when you've been badly injured or in Prue's case, tortured. I mean that is more than likely, right?"

The demon looked away and run a hand over his face, allowing her words to process through his mind, while his run in with Prue in the early morning hours came hurtling back.

Sighing heavily, he turned to Piper, as she anticipated his answer.

"Yes." he stated simply, watching as the air deflated in the witch, although she nodded slightly in understanding.

"How bad?" Piper questioned in a small voice.

"It would depend." Cole replied, trying to keep the truth from Halliwell sister.

"How bad?" she reiterated forcefully.

"With a Charmed One…"

"It could only be bad." Piper finished his sentence, knowing by his few words what he meant.

They both fell silent, contemplating the conclusion. Each member of the family had sugar-coated Prue's return until now. Either too concerned with their own guilt or generally ignoring the possibilities of Prue's experience.

"Will the Source attack to get her back?" Piper asked, her voice showing a resolve of determination.

"It's more than likely. It would probably be best if we were prepared and perhaps keep Prue in close. If she's left alone for too long they could take her." Cole answered.

Piper laughed softly. "Prue is going to hate this."

"What's Prue going to hate?" Phoebe questioned, breezing in to the room and kissing Cole before perching on the side of the sofa next to him.

"Research on those two demons, you know the one that was using Prue as discus." Piper jumped in before Cole could, who sent her a questioning look but did not delve any further. He would find Piper's reasons out later.

"Yeah, I can kinda see that." Phoebe agreed, before trying to Piper again. "Does that mean were all in research mood?"

"Yep." Piper answered, moving out of the room.

----------

Paige stood in her bedroom, in front of a blank canvas with a paintbrush in hand. She had been that way for almost ten minutes and yet inspiration had refused to take control.

Painting helped her relax and find herself and yet she could barely move the paintbrush to place a stroke on the white surface, which stared back at her hauntingly.

"What frightens you the most? The fact that one mark can ruin a master piece or you'll reveal too much of yourself?"

Paige turned to her open door to find Prue staring inexpressively back at her. Under the scrutiny, Paige found it hard to voice any sort of response. She didn't even fully understand what Prue had said.

"Sorry?" Paige meekly responded, the feeling of stupidity eating her from the insides.

"Think about it." Prue cryptically replied, before moving down the hall, not waiting for the youngest Charmed One to figure it out.

Paige turned back to the white paper and gave up a moment later, collapsing on to her bed with the clean paintbrush still in hand.


A/N: Thanks to all who are reading, let me know what your thinking.

And ALL those DIAMONDS out there for reviewing. (Big, big grin!!!!)

Thanks again and catch you all later!