Disclaimer: No, I don't own Charmed. Hey, it disappoints me as much as it does you. lol. Seriously though, I would have done some things a lot differently if I'd owned the show...anyways. That's my disclaimer and I'm stickin' to it! (In case you were wondering, no I don't do drugs, yes I really am THAT weird!!!:P)
AN: You guys are great! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. This chapter, if you ask me, isn't too great. I'll let you decide for yourselves, though. Review, let me know if you hate it/love it....whatever! :)
What Prue saw when she got to her sister's side confirmed everything she'd been afraid of. Piper was turning blue and gasping wildly, trying to breathe. Prue began to cry. "Come on, honey," Paige was saying, but Prue didn't register the words. She heard the frantic sounds and even those were soon drowned out by her reckless sobbing. Piper could see her older sister through a hazy film over her eyes. The hysterical weeping was so unlike Prue, it shocked Piper enough to help her breathe. Prue couldn't make herself calm down, it was all too much. Piper began breathing in low, shaky breaths. Soon, though, Paige enveloped her in a tight hug and she found it a little hard to take in air. "Paige," she said, barely whispering, "Can you...ease up a little?" Paige immediately backed off, her eyes wide and apologetic. Piper would have laughed, if she'd had enough oxygen. Finally her ragged breathing became long, normal breaths. Prue was still a helpless mess, tears streaming down her face as she rocked back and forth. Piper took in the sight, and let compassion take over, as it always did. She reached out, gently wiping the tears from her sister's face before she forced Prue's chin up. "I'm fine, Prue. Everything's OK," she told her firmly. Prue shook her head, denying her words. "Prue, look at me. I'm OK. I'm sitting here talking to you aren't I?," Piper asked logically. She sat silently as her sister let her words sink in. Gradually, the tears dried up and her eyes went from despair to quiet embarrassment. "Don't you ever do that to me again, do you hear me?," Prue demanded. Piper smiled. "You got it, sis," she answered, relieved to see her sister getting back to normal. The happiness faded quickly, however, the moment she looked past her older sister. She tried to walk to her, but was so weak she could only crawl.
"Oh baby, what have they done to you?," she whispered when she finally made it to Phoebe. Her vision blurred as she looked into the expressionless face of her baby sister. She felt nausea sweep through her. Prue watched her visibly pale, and panic rose like bile in her throat. Paige took over the situation confidently. "Piper, sweetie, you're going to have to take it easy," she said gently, helping her sister lay down. "Phoebe will be fine, but we need to get you better too," Paige soothed, signaling for Prue's help. Prue hurried over, but quickly found out that Paige had everything under control. Paige caught the look of amazement on Prue's face, and smiled. "You've been teaching me some things...I get this from you," she said knowingly. Prue shook her head. "No, honey, I think I could learn some things from YOU," she returned. Paige looked down shyly, unused to the compliments from her older sister. Prue began to speak in soft whispering tones to Phoebe. Paige grinned as she watched Prue's confidence and hope return. Piper had given them all the will and encouragement to keep fighting for Phoebe, and for themselves. She turned to look at Piper, who was resting, eyes closed. "You're still a little pale, Piper, you doing OK?," Paige asked timidly. When Piper didn't answer, a chill ran down her spine. "Piper?," she asked again. Prue stopped talking to Phoebe to listen for Piper's response. "Piper!," Paige screamed, praying for an answer. It was all Piper could do to force her eyes open. Paige nearly collapsed in relief. "My God, I thought you were gone again," Paige told her breathlessly. Piper faintly shook her head. "No," she mouthed and closed her eyes. Prue resumed her whispering shakily, fighting the feeling of loss. She wasn't gone yet, no use mourning her now.
An hour later, Piper was awake, struggling to overcome the weakness she was feeling from being sick for so long. "It's going to take more than a day for your body to heal from this," Paige told her, concerned about how much her older sister was already trying to take on. "I know, Paige, but I'm not feeble. I have to do something. I've wasted so much time that we could have used in better ways, so we have a lot of catching up to do," Piper explained. Paige looked at Piper, refusing to get irritated. After a moment, she forced down her frustration. "You can't be worrying about that right now. We need to be concentrating on getting you well, The rest will come a little later," Paige said quietly. Piper didn't like the helplessness she felt, and she was dead set that no one would treat her like she was. "I'll let you know if I'm doing too much. Just don't act like I'm going to break," Piper snapped. "Piper, I..." Paige started, but was interrupted as a shadow fell across them. She raised her head hesitantly to see who the shadow belonged to. "Oh, hey Marie," she said softly. Her face relaxed into a relieved smile. "Hello witches," Marie greeted them bitterly. Prue looked up, startled at their old friend's tone. Shit. No matter the disguise it came in, Prue recognized the look of evil and Marie wore it now. "I don't know why you keep talking to that useless heap of flesh. Just leave her to die," Marie said wickedly. Paige looked around quickly, checking for a nearby demon. There were none. "What's happened to you?," Paige asked, half hoping it was all a cruel joke. "I realized how sorry it truly was to be good," Marie answered, "With a little help. Didn't I Chalec?" Chalec shimmered in behind her. "That's right baby," he growled, and bent to kiss her neck. "You betrayed us all for a blood-sucking demon?," Prue demanded haughtily. "Absolutely," Marie said dryly, unamused. The staring match going on between the oldest Halliwell and the traitorous witch was enough to make Paige flinch. Marie finally looked away, and her eyes rested on Phoebe. "Baby," she whined to Chalec, "I'm sick of looking at that pathetic excuse for a "good witch"! She's taking up space that another little goody-two-shoes could fill up." Chalec kissed the top of her head. "You want me to get rid of her?," he asked. Marie nodded up at him. "Very well," he grumbled. Prue lunged at him with every ounce of energy she had and they both fell to the ground. Marie ripped her off of him just as Prue brought her fist down on Chalec's nose. "Bitch!," she shrieked, and bent down to check on him. Paige jumped up to stand with Prue, ready for some kind of retaliation. "You will regret that, Prue," Marie promised. "Not as much as you think," Prue returned bitterly. "Come on, baby," Marie said, and led him away. Chalec held his nose with one hand, and looked back at them with brooding eyes. "Coward," Paige spat, relaxing from her fighting stance. Prue stayed silent, brooding over Marie's betrayal. Without inside help, what would become of them? She wasn't sure, but she certainly didn't like the expected outcome. "Just one more thing to chalk up to what's not going right," Prue thought to herself.
Chris sat, grief stricken. He had barely moved since his baby slipped through his fingers and embraced the talons of death. She had been fevered and miserable up until her last hour. She'd opened her beautiful eyes and gazed at him trustingly. "Hi Daddy," were the last words her innocent mouth uttered. Chris felt the sobs rise in him. He had broken his promise. He hadn't saved her and all she had done was count on him. Kaelin, his whole world, had died thinking her daddy would rescue her from all the pain. "What have I done?," he said between gasps. There was nothing left for him, and yet he continued to live. Nicole would still be waiting for him, and that's what made him breathe in and out. He had to tell her about Kaelin, so she wouldn't spend her whole life wondering if she could have done something to prevent what had happened. Wondering if her baby was still alive somewhere searching for her mother. He looked over at his daughter, stiff and cold. They hadn't even had the decency to put her somewhere. He was tortured night and day with the motionless body of his only child. "Daddy's sorry, baby," he whispered to her, half expecting her face to become animated and full of life. When she didn't, his shoulders slumped in defeat and he wept. "My angel," he whispered, "My beautiful angel." The sadness seemed so much, he thought his heart would break. It didn't. It continued to pump blood every agonizing rhythmic beat. All he wanted to do was bring back Kaelin, but he was reminded every time he looked at her picture-perfect face that she was gone. Forever. forever...
AN: You guys are great! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. This chapter, if you ask me, isn't too great. I'll let you decide for yourselves, though. Review, let me know if you hate it/love it....whatever! :)
What Prue saw when she got to her sister's side confirmed everything she'd been afraid of. Piper was turning blue and gasping wildly, trying to breathe. Prue began to cry. "Come on, honey," Paige was saying, but Prue didn't register the words. She heard the frantic sounds and even those were soon drowned out by her reckless sobbing. Piper could see her older sister through a hazy film over her eyes. The hysterical weeping was so unlike Prue, it shocked Piper enough to help her breathe. Prue couldn't make herself calm down, it was all too much. Piper began breathing in low, shaky breaths. Soon, though, Paige enveloped her in a tight hug and she found it a little hard to take in air. "Paige," she said, barely whispering, "Can you...ease up a little?" Paige immediately backed off, her eyes wide and apologetic. Piper would have laughed, if she'd had enough oxygen. Finally her ragged breathing became long, normal breaths. Prue was still a helpless mess, tears streaming down her face as she rocked back and forth. Piper took in the sight, and let compassion take over, as it always did. She reached out, gently wiping the tears from her sister's face before she forced Prue's chin up. "I'm fine, Prue. Everything's OK," she told her firmly. Prue shook her head, denying her words. "Prue, look at me. I'm OK. I'm sitting here talking to you aren't I?," Piper asked logically. She sat silently as her sister let her words sink in. Gradually, the tears dried up and her eyes went from despair to quiet embarrassment. "Don't you ever do that to me again, do you hear me?," Prue demanded. Piper smiled. "You got it, sis," she answered, relieved to see her sister getting back to normal. The happiness faded quickly, however, the moment she looked past her older sister. She tried to walk to her, but was so weak she could only crawl.
"Oh baby, what have they done to you?," she whispered when she finally made it to Phoebe. Her vision blurred as she looked into the expressionless face of her baby sister. She felt nausea sweep through her. Prue watched her visibly pale, and panic rose like bile in her throat. Paige took over the situation confidently. "Piper, sweetie, you're going to have to take it easy," she said gently, helping her sister lay down. "Phoebe will be fine, but we need to get you better too," Paige soothed, signaling for Prue's help. Prue hurried over, but quickly found out that Paige had everything under control. Paige caught the look of amazement on Prue's face, and smiled. "You've been teaching me some things...I get this from you," she said knowingly. Prue shook her head. "No, honey, I think I could learn some things from YOU," she returned. Paige looked down shyly, unused to the compliments from her older sister. Prue began to speak in soft whispering tones to Phoebe. Paige grinned as she watched Prue's confidence and hope return. Piper had given them all the will and encouragement to keep fighting for Phoebe, and for themselves. She turned to look at Piper, who was resting, eyes closed. "You're still a little pale, Piper, you doing OK?," Paige asked timidly. When Piper didn't answer, a chill ran down her spine. "Piper?," she asked again. Prue stopped talking to Phoebe to listen for Piper's response. "Piper!," Paige screamed, praying for an answer. It was all Piper could do to force her eyes open. Paige nearly collapsed in relief. "My God, I thought you were gone again," Paige told her breathlessly. Piper faintly shook her head. "No," she mouthed and closed her eyes. Prue resumed her whispering shakily, fighting the feeling of loss. She wasn't gone yet, no use mourning her now.
An hour later, Piper was awake, struggling to overcome the weakness she was feeling from being sick for so long. "It's going to take more than a day for your body to heal from this," Paige told her, concerned about how much her older sister was already trying to take on. "I know, Paige, but I'm not feeble. I have to do something. I've wasted so much time that we could have used in better ways, so we have a lot of catching up to do," Piper explained. Paige looked at Piper, refusing to get irritated. After a moment, she forced down her frustration. "You can't be worrying about that right now. We need to be concentrating on getting you well, The rest will come a little later," Paige said quietly. Piper didn't like the helplessness she felt, and she was dead set that no one would treat her like she was. "I'll let you know if I'm doing too much. Just don't act like I'm going to break," Piper snapped. "Piper, I..." Paige started, but was interrupted as a shadow fell across them. She raised her head hesitantly to see who the shadow belonged to. "Oh, hey Marie," she said softly. Her face relaxed into a relieved smile. "Hello witches," Marie greeted them bitterly. Prue looked up, startled at their old friend's tone. Shit. No matter the disguise it came in, Prue recognized the look of evil and Marie wore it now. "I don't know why you keep talking to that useless heap of flesh. Just leave her to die," Marie said wickedly. Paige looked around quickly, checking for a nearby demon. There were none. "What's happened to you?," Paige asked, half hoping it was all a cruel joke. "I realized how sorry it truly was to be good," Marie answered, "With a little help. Didn't I Chalec?" Chalec shimmered in behind her. "That's right baby," he growled, and bent to kiss her neck. "You betrayed us all for a blood-sucking demon?," Prue demanded haughtily. "Absolutely," Marie said dryly, unamused. The staring match going on between the oldest Halliwell and the traitorous witch was enough to make Paige flinch. Marie finally looked away, and her eyes rested on Phoebe. "Baby," she whined to Chalec, "I'm sick of looking at that pathetic excuse for a "good witch"! She's taking up space that another little goody-two-shoes could fill up." Chalec kissed the top of her head. "You want me to get rid of her?," he asked. Marie nodded up at him. "Very well," he grumbled. Prue lunged at him with every ounce of energy she had and they both fell to the ground. Marie ripped her off of him just as Prue brought her fist down on Chalec's nose. "Bitch!," she shrieked, and bent down to check on him. Paige jumped up to stand with Prue, ready for some kind of retaliation. "You will regret that, Prue," Marie promised. "Not as much as you think," Prue returned bitterly. "Come on, baby," Marie said, and led him away. Chalec held his nose with one hand, and looked back at them with brooding eyes. "Coward," Paige spat, relaxing from her fighting stance. Prue stayed silent, brooding over Marie's betrayal. Without inside help, what would become of them? She wasn't sure, but she certainly didn't like the expected outcome. "Just one more thing to chalk up to what's not going right," Prue thought to herself.
Chris sat, grief stricken. He had barely moved since his baby slipped through his fingers and embraced the talons of death. She had been fevered and miserable up until her last hour. She'd opened her beautiful eyes and gazed at him trustingly. "Hi Daddy," were the last words her innocent mouth uttered. Chris felt the sobs rise in him. He had broken his promise. He hadn't saved her and all she had done was count on him. Kaelin, his whole world, had died thinking her daddy would rescue her from all the pain. "What have I done?," he said between gasps. There was nothing left for him, and yet he continued to live. Nicole would still be waiting for him, and that's what made him breathe in and out. He had to tell her about Kaelin, so she wouldn't spend her whole life wondering if she could have done something to prevent what had happened. Wondering if her baby was still alive somewhere searching for her mother. He looked over at his daughter, stiff and cold. They hadn't even had the decency to put her somewhere. He was tortured night and day with the motionless body of his only child. "Daddy's sorry, baby," he whispered to her, half expecting her face to become animated and full of life. When she didn't, his shoulders slumped in defeat and he wept. "My angel," he whispered, "My beautiful angel." The sadness seemed so much, he thought his heart would break. It didn't. It continued to pump blood every agonizing rhythmic beat. All he wanted to do was bring back Kaelin, but he was reminded every time he looked at her picture-perfect face that she was gone. Forever. forever...