A/N: Hey guys! Another night with two chapters posted. Shocked? Haha. So, this chapter had a vanquishing spell... I used to be great at the rhyming but I'm a little out of practice so forgive me for the crappy spell!
We're nearing the end of this fic, too. I'm so thrilled that I got over my writer's block, and have finally been able to work on completing this story. It's been eight years in the making, and I feel really satisfied with the direction it has gone in. And I mean the whole trilogy, to be honest. When I first started Breaking Point, I never could have imagined the direction it would go, and where it would end up.
So I hope you enjoy this chapter. You're all gonna kill me when you read the end... Especially since this is the last chapter for tonight (considering I've been writing for about 2 hours!).
...
When Piper, Phoebe, and Paige appeared in the Los Angeles Psychiatric Institution – or, the alternate reality version of it, it was dark and deserted.
Melinda was nowhere in sight, but the wall to their left was dripping blood, a dark puddle on the floor.
Piper swayed, gasping for breath. Shock hit her hard, weighing her down. Phoebe and Paige helped her stay on her feet.
"Piper, you have to stay strong. We'll get her back safely," Phoebe insisted, though she wasn't too sure of it herself.
"Hello, witches."
At once, they all looked up and down the hall. The demon was leaning casually against the wall, playing with a bloody athame.
"You bastard," Piper snarled, throwing her hands up to blow him up. He blinked out, and back, closer to them this time.
"Now, now. Kill me, and you'll never find your precious daughter before it's too late," he simpered, smirking at the helpless look on Piper's face.
"If you hurt her..." Piper snarled.
The demon chuckled, admiring the blood on the athame. He winked at them, then threw it. Phoebe ducked and Paige stepped aside, while Piper froze it and grabbed it out of the air.
The demon scowled, angered. "Stupid witches." He formed a fireball in his hand, then another in the other hand. He threw one at Piper and one at Paige. Piper dropped the athame to freeze the fireball while Paige orbed out and back.
While they were distracted, the demon blinked in, grabbed the athame and Phoebe, and blinked farther away from them.
"Phoebe!" Paige cried. "Athame!" She called, hand out expectantly – but nothing happened.
"Paige," the demon called seductively, enticingly. "You were fun to play with," he said with a cruel smirk, referring to Paige's time in the institution.
She gulped, stepping back.
"Don't let him get in your head," Piper snapped, trying again to freeze him. But it didn't work.
"You're powers won't work. This is my reality, witches. What I say goes and I've decided your powers give you an unfair advantage," the demon informed them. He held the athame to Phoebe's throat. "This is one battle you won't win. I'm going to finish what I started," he snarled, eyeing the two witches who had bested him, who had gotten away.
"That's what you think," Phoebe snapped, yanking him forward and throwing her elbow backward into his gut at the same time. A second late, she stomped down on his foot with her spiked heel. He yelped and released her. She grabbed his arm and tugged with all her might, flinging him up and over, slamming him down onto his back and yanking the athame free while he was winded.
"This is for my sisters." She stabbed him in the gut, digging the knife deep. He howled in rage. "And this is for my niece," she continued, motioning for Paige to throw the potion and she leaped out of its way.
The potion bottle shattered at the demon's side, and flames erupted, causing him to shriek in horror and pain.
"Spell!" Piper demanded, as Phoebe ran back to her sister's.
"Out of this world and out of reality
Through time and space, let this spell erase.
Consume this demon in flames of fatality
Never again to torment we sisters three
As we wish, so mote it be!"
The demon screamed, writhing in agony. He let out one last anguished cry before exploding, demon goo splattering all over the place.
"He's gone." Paige sounded stunned. After all these years – all the pain, all the memories – the demon was gone. Vanquished. They were silent for a minute. It was over.
"Melinda," Phoebe finally said, bringing them out of their trance. "We have to find her..." She trailed off, eyeing the pool of blood with concern.
...
It took what felt like forever to find Melinda. She was curled up on the floor, down one of the narrow hallways. Her hair covered her face, and her arms were surrounded by a pool of blood.
She wasn't moving.
"Melinda!" Piper yelled, running and dropping to her daughter's side.
"We have to get her to Leo, he can heal her," Paige said, grabbing her sister's hands. "Piper, hold Melinda's hand. We have to move, fast."
Piper was shocked, dazed, but she heard Paige and grabbed hold of Melinda and her sisters. Paige recited the spell, and the hospital dissolved. They were back at the Manor.
"Leo!" All three of them screamed.
When Leo saw Melinda, he looked like he was going to be sick. He set right to work healing Melinda.
Melinda weakly opened her eyes. "Mom?"
Piper, who hadn't moved from her side, ran her fingers through Melinda's hair. "I'm here, sweetie, I'm here."
Melinda licked her lips, the blue and white lights from Leo healing her so bright, almost blinding. "I l-love you," she croaked, saying her good-byes.
"No!" Piper cried. "You're going to be okay, Melly. You'll be fine – You have to be fine! Don't say goodbye – Don't you dare!"
Phoebe and Paige held each other, standing slightly back. They exchanged nervous looks. Both had tears in their eyes. Their expressions said it all – maybe they had been too late.
Melinda tried to open her eyes, but she felt so tired. Cold, too.
"I'm s-sorry for everything I p-p-put you and dad through," she managed, shivering. "And Aunt P-Phoebe and P-Paige, too."
"It's okay, Melinda," Piper replied, tears streaming down her face. "You're okay. You'll be fine."
Melinda shook her head, ever so slightly. "I l-love..."
And then she gasped, let it out, and became still.
...
"Melinda."
Silence.
"Melinda"
Silence
"Melinda, open your eyes."
Finally, Melinda came to. She stood, feeling better than she had in months. She felt healthy, well rested. Her body felt strong, not weak from blood loss. Her arms didn't ache or twinge, as they usually did from the cutting.
Then she noticed her surroundings and frowned. Light. Bright light, everywhere she looked.
A figure emerged from the light, shrouded by shadows. It wasn't until the figure stepped close enough that Melinda realized it was Prue.
"Aunt Prue? What happened? Where are we? What are you doing here?" Melinda asked, dread filling her. "Where's my mom? Aunt Phoebe? Aunt Paige?" Panic started settling in. "Dad? Dad was just here... Where did everyone go?"
"I'm so sorry, Mels." Prue spoke softly, taking Melinda's hands in her own. "There's no easy way to say this. No way to say it gently, or to prepare you."
Melina felt drained all of a sudden. "Prepare me for what?"
Prue stroked her hair. "I'm sorry, but you're dead."