Chapter 14

Phoebe's worst fear

"Brad what happened?" Piper asks as she walked over to him. She could tell he was very frightened and confused.

"I was at the park and a kid started making fun of me, I don't know what happened after that but a lot of trees were on fire and the kid was gone," he replied still shaking.

Piper put her hands over her mouth as she knew what might have occurred," Where is your mom and dad?" she asks as she could not understand why he was at the park alone this late.

"Home, I sometimes go to the park to think, I know I'm not supposed to leave the house without telling them, but I have done it before and usually no one's there this late," he replied and started crying." I killed him didn't I, I'm evil," he said between gasp of air.

"No Brad you could have just scared him away," Paige said as she put Henry Junior in the playpen, but she was a little afraid that Brad might be turning and she made sure to put herself between him and the baby.

"We need to get your parents sweetie, it's going to be okay," Piper said and she picked up the cell phone to call Phoebe. Leo was out with the kids getting ice cream and she was happy that Wyatt did not see this. He and Brad were best friends and the thought that Brad could be turning evil would be devastating for him. It only took a few minutes for Phoebe and Cole to show up as he shimmered in immediately. At first they were angry that Brad left the house without telling them, but when they saw the condition he was in that anger turned to fear.

"Honey what happened?" Phoebe said as she tried to hug him but he was still hot and she could feel her skin burn a little.

"I killed someone, mom I am so sorry," he whimpered as his body was now shaking even harder. Both Cole and Phoebe just stood there silent trying to understand what their son said as it was mostly incoherent because of his crying. The word kill was not hard to understand and she put her hand to her chest as Piper helped her sit down to keep her from falling over. Cole began to pace while running his hand through his short dark hair.

"Brad I need you to calm down buddy, are you sure?" Cole asks as he put his hands on his son's shoulders while kneeling down. Cole could handle the heat coming off his son's body but it still stung a little.

"I don't know dad I don't know, but everything was on fire and he was gone," he replied as tears rolled down his face but would evaporate quickly.

"This is not happening oh god please this is not happening," Phoebe said as she rocked back and forth.

"Paige go get her some water and some for Brad, I need to get the book," Piper said while leaving and Paige picked up her son before heading to the kitchen. No one really noticed as they were too focused on Brad at the time.

"Cole what do we do?" Phoebe asks as she looked at him.

"I don't know but we need to cloak him so the trainers don't find him," Cole replied.

"Trainers what do you mean trainers?" Phoebe asks.

Cole did not reply and gave her a look that only she can understand that as was once queen of the underworld. "Oh god," she said knowing exactly what he meant. The trainers were demons that would come and get any magical being that did evil and train them to be demons. Piper came down with the book and opened it was shaking hands as she knew the time was limited.

"Ok maybe there is a spell that will tell us if the boy is dead or not," Piper said as she turned the pages quickly while Phoebe wrote down a spell to cloak her son.

Paige came back in carrying two water bottles and handed one to Phoebe and Brad. His body temperature was back to normal but he could not stop shaking.

"Brad it will ok," Paige said and hugged him.

"I found something," Piper said as she found a Paige that would show events that happened a few moments ago. "Casting Instructions 'To see someone's past," Piper said and gave the book to Phoebe." I think this is something you need to do as it requires the third eye, like premonition."

Phoebe took the book and looked at the instructions. "Brad come here honey," she said and he came over to her. She looked deeply into his eyes and began to concentrate. She then went into something similar like premonition but it felt different as the images flooded her mind. She could see Brad use his powers and the park began to catch fire around him. The boy that was standing a few feet away to off running as Brad used his hands but missed the boy. Phoebe came out of the premonition and felt a huge relief being lifted off her back as she realized her son did not kill the child.

"Oh thank god," she said and hugged him tight.

"What happened?" Piper asks.

"The boy ran off before Brad could do anything," Phoebe replied and Cole ran over and hugged his boy while showering him with kisses," Thank you," he whispered while looking up.

Piper let out a deep breath as all of them felt relief but there was still the issue of exposure. "Paige could you go and put out the fire before anyone notices?" she asks and Paige did not hesitate as she handed the baby to Piper and orbed away.

"Brad I need you to drink this," Phoebe said as she pulled out a potion bottle.

"What is it?" Brad asks as he too felt relief that he did not kill someone.

"It will bind your powers for now ok," Phoebe replied and after what happened her son took the bottle willingly and drinks it down. "Can you shimmer?"

"Nope," Brad replied and smiled.

"Good because you're grounded Mr." Phoebe said and Brad's face fell.

"Why?"

"Because you're not allowed to shimmer without telling us, you should have never been at that park alone," she replied and Brad looked at his father who just raised his eyebrows.

"You heard your mother," he said as Paige orbed back in.

"It's all taken care of, I heard sirens in the distance so I got there just in time," Paige said and Phoebe hugged her.

"Thanks," Phoebe said as Cole went into the kitchen to calm himself down. Piper decided to approach him about what happened a while back ago.

"Cole are we ok?" Piper asks.

"I know I threatened you but that was mostly my demon half and I am sorry. I understand why you did what you did and you made it up tonight by finding that spell for us, so we are good," he said as Leo came in with the kids who were clearly on a sugar rush.

"Calm down guys it's getting late," Leo said and looked frazzled.

"Did they wear you out?" Piper asks as she hugged him.

"You bet," he replied and then saw Cole standing there. He immediately went into his defensive posturing and stood in front of Piper.

"Leo its ok everything is okay," she said and moved him out of the way so she could hug Cole.

"What did I miss?" Leo asks and even Cole could not keep in a small laugh as he hugged Piper back.

"We'll fill you in, right now I need to give Melinda a bath and put the kids to sleep," she replied and left the room.

After everyone calmed down and the crisis seemed to be over for the moment the adults sat in the living room while the kids settled down for the night.

"Paige have you talked to Henry?" Phoebe asks.

"Yeah we are having lunch tomorrow and I found a place that is better than my last apartment and cheaper," she replied.

"Thank God, not that I don't love having you here but I really want my couch back," Piper chimed in.

"So do you think you can make that binding potion for me?" Cole asks Phoebe.

"Actually I think we should hold off on that, once we find a relic we need somebody who can take the heat to put it on him," Paige said.

"Have you tried the orb twist thing?" Piper asks.

"Yes and it's a lot more complicated than I thought, it will really take a human hand to do this or a half demon one," Paige replied.

"Oh good another night without my husband in my bed," Phoebe said.

"Well you always have the monastery," Piper said.

"I heard about Melinda cooking her doll, maybe she will work at one when she gets older," Paige said and smiled at Piper who wrinkled her face at the thought.

The night would end and everyone would head off to sleep. Piper crawled into her bed exhausted after throwing up a few times before doing so. Leo was talking to Wyatt in his room about what happened to Brad and that his powers were bound for right now. Melinda came out of her room and climbed into Piper's bed as she was slowly drifting asleep but could feel movement on the mattress. She opened her eyes to see her daughter with her head on her belly and was giggling.

"Hi honey what are you laughing at?" Piper asks as she played with her daughter's long dark hair.

"The babies," she replied and Piper gave a small smile but it didn't answer the question.

"What honey?"

"They're talking," she replied.

"What you mean talking?" Piper asks as her curiosity was on high.

"It's mostly baby talk but they sound funny," Melinda replied and now Piper was a little worried that her daughter could be telepathic.

"Honey can you hear people's thoughts?" Piper asks.

"No why?" Melinda asks as she looked up at her mother.

"Then how can you hear the babies?"

"I don't know I just can," Melinda replied and she went back to listening. Piper continued to stroke her daughter's hair but now felt relief that she could not hear thoughts, but was curious on why she could hear the babies. Maybe they will have to connection that she has with her sisters and that made her smile wide. Leo came in and Piper decided to wait to tell him after she left. Neither one of them could understand how or why but decided to check into it later as Melinda is becoming more of a mystery.

Three months has passed, three long anxious months and now it was time for the test results. Piper was not worried as Trinity said she was there in the future but it was always in the back of her mind. She sat in the doctor's office with Leo at her side as they waited for the doctor to come in. Her sisters wanted to be there but she told them not to worry and that everything should be fine. Leo squeezed her hand as she used her fingernails to tap on the table showing her nervousness and inpatients as her doctor sat down.

"So everything's good?" Piper asks and he looked up at her. It was not the expression she expected, but instead it was one of the uncomfortableness and sympathetic. She felt Leo squeeze her hand a little tighter as he too could see it.

"I'm sorry Piper but the test came back positive," he replied and Piper just stared at him like he was an alien or something, not real or a bad dream.

"What?" Leo asks as his breathing began to quicken.

"We need to start you on the medication as soon as possible; also we need to discuss your pregnancy. Carrying these babies to full term could put your life in serious risk," the doctor said as he needed her to understand the seriousness of her condition.

"What are you saying?" Leo asks as Piper could not find her voice yet.

"I'm saying that in order for your wife to survive as long as possible she will need to terminate the pregnancy. It will weaken her immune system and considering her past with giving birth I'm concerned that it would just be too dangerous," he replied and now Leo was silent.

"There is no way I am terminating my pregnancy, so you better find a way to keep me from getting sick do you understand!" Piper yelled as she pointed at him with a shaking hand as she stood up almost knocking the chair over in the process. The doctor was not upset with her reaction he completely understood why she was so upset, but he was only thinking of her life and the fact she had three other children and a husband.

"Piper there are a lot of people that depend on you and love you very much, you need to think about them and how their lives would be without you. I know this is an impossible choice and I cannot make you do anything you don't want to do, nor do I want too. But I'm only thinking of your health," he said and Leo still hand Piper's hand in his. He felt like he just got ran over by a train and for good measure was thrown into a fire. For three months they believed that she was not infected and they were not prepared for this at all.

"I will give you some time alone to talk, we also have a counselor on hand and I would suggest that you use them," her doctor said and left the room as Piper sat back down in a daze.

"Piper," Leo whispered as he looked at her.

"Oh god no please god," Piper said as she put her free hand on her belly and began to rock back and forth while tears rolled freely from both of them.

To be continued…