Author's Note: Thanks to wiccancharmedjournals for adding this story to your list of followed stories, and thanks to goddragonking, ObsessedwReading, Beuty6, Snoupy1972, Reina Valeria Nox, HollyShannenForever, and lizardmomma for reviewing the previous chapter. I especially appreciated your message for me and my family, Snoupy1972. My mom is still fighting to recover.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well as the chapters upcoming. Prue and Andy seem to be the couple everyone is rooting for. I'm a Prue/Andy fan as well; the show never gave them time to develop as a couple. But I hope that you all will appreciate Bane as well as of this episode. I apologize for taking so long to post a new chapter. I have to borrow my roommate's laptop to post updates.

For the role of Dalthiel, I imagined Russell Crowe.

Continue to review and follow everyone!

Chapter 25: Episode 4x13

I Only Have Eyes for Prue, Part One

Halliwell Manor, three days later

Prue opened her eyes when the alarm beside her bed blared loudly that morning. With one lazy wink of her right eye, Prue sent the alarm flying across the bedroom. It smashed into the wall. Prue rested her head on her pillow and splayed her right hand on Bane's chiseled, hairless chest.

"What was that?" Bane mumbled. His eyes were still closed and his muscled right arm embraced Prue's naked body.

She snuggled closer to Bane. "That was an unwelcome wake-up call."

"Don't you have a photo shoot with the mayor today?"

"Yes, at eleven," Prue mumbled back.

"Shouldn't you get up and get ready?"

Prue groaned, "I don't want to. Not yet. I like it right here."

Bane opened the drawer on his side of their bed. "Well," he pulled out a dark blue velvet ring box from the drawer, "how about I give you a much better wake-up call?" Bane opened the box and turned to Prue. "Here."

Prue opened her eyes, turned over, and beamed. "It's Grams' engagement ring!" Prue took the ring from the box and examined it. The rays of sunlight from the window caught in the gemstones of the ring, dancing across Prue's face. "I'd recognize those stones anywhere. Grams said that each one represented one of her husbands. The diamond represented Allen, who was my stepfather; the moonstone for her husband Jacob; the pearl for Howard, her third husband; and the garnet for her fourth husband, Martin."

"Is there a story behind that?" Bane chuckled.

Prue removed the ring from its box. "Allen was the diamond because he was Grams' first love and my mother's father. She said Jacob had an unstable personality, so a stone named for the moon was perfect for him. I forgot the stories about Howard and Martin. How did you—how did you find this ring?"

"Not only did I find it. I had it resized. Go ahead; try it on. It'll fit perfectly."

Prue handed the ring back to Bane. "You do the honors." She grinned unceasingly as Bane took Prue's left hand in both of his and slipped the engagement ring onto her ring finger.

"Prue Halliwell, will you make me the happiest man alive, and marry me?"

Before Prue answered, there was a loud, quick rap at the bedroom door. "Prue? Bane? Are you guys naked in there?"

"Paige, if it's not demon or warlock-related, can it wait?" Prue pled.

The youngest Halliwell sister opened the bedroom door. "Goo, you guys aren't having sex."

Prue rolled her eyes. "What is it, Paige?"

"Piper is downstairs acting like the demon of surprise breakfasts. She coked a feast for all five of us, and expects you two to join us downstairs now." Paige shut the door and Orbed downstairs.

"That certainly ruined our moment," Prue groaned.

"Don't worry. We'll have many more years of moments to come." Prue leaned into Bane's kiss. Neither of them noticed the odd gleam that passed over the multifaceted surface of the diamond.

Thirty minutes later

At the sound of footsteps thundering on the stairs, Piper looked up. Her younger sister jumped the last two stairs and dashed toward the front door. "Hey Paige, what's got you in such a hurry?"

Paige sighed and brushed back her hair from her face. "We're having a delayed flu season at work, and half the office is out, including all of the part-time staff. So now I have five times as much work."

"Ugh. I'm sorry to hear that." Piper smiled sympathetically then gestured to the table. It was set with plates, knives, forks, spoons, and glasses for four people. The amount of frittatas, biscuits, freshly sliced mangos, peeled bananas, and orange juice could have fed ten more.

"Wow, sis, you really outdid yourself this time." Paige smiled tensely.

Piper offered Paige a bowl of strawberries. "Would you like some fruit for breakfast? It matches your outfit."

Paige studied her fuschia sweater, black leggings, strawberry boots, and dark gray scarf. Shrugging , she snagged a single strawberry and bit off it. "Sorry, Piper, but I don't have time for a big breakfast this morning." Paige Orbed out.

Piper folded her arms over her chest. 'Well what's the use of cooking a celebration breakfast when no one even has time for it? Wait, Prue and Bane haven't come downstairs yet.' "Prue! Bane!" Piper yelled.

Within minutes, two sets of reluctant footsteps proceeded down the stairs. Prue emerged in a form-fitting navy blue sweater, dark denim skirt, and black leather pumps. A small gold necklace offset her outfit. 'That's odd. Prue never wears that much makeup.' Bane was only a few steps behind her in a maroon turtleneck, black slacks, and brown designer loafers. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Bane protectively wrapped his arms around Prue. "What's going on?" Prue asked.

"Would you two like a healthy, wholesome, filling breakfast this morning?"

"I don't know." Prue turned to Bane with a broad smile on her face. "Bane, honey, do you want me to make breakfast for you?"

"Uh…"Piper gasped.

Bane smiled awkwardly. "Babe, I think Piper made breakfast for everyone." He pointed at the elegantly laid out table.

Prue giggled and patted Bane's broad chest. "Oh nonsense! I'd love to whip you up something right away. And it'll be better than anything Piper could manage."

"Uh, Prue, I highly doubt that," Piper snorted.

Prue turned on Piper. Even though her smile remained on her face, her expression was borderline murderous. "Piper, it's my job to make sure Bane stays well-fed. After all, I can't have my husband pass out at work from poor nutrition. What would people think?"

Piper narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to retort, but Bane stepped between the quarrelling sisters. "Babe, let's hold off breakfast. I have a really important meeting with architects for this subdivision, and my deadline is drawing close."

"All the more reason to cook: You need a great breakfast to start your day!"

"Yeah, and I already cooked one," Piper sniped. Prue leaned around Bane's body and narrowed her eyes at Piper. Piper returned the glare.

Then a demon Appeared in the living room. Dressed in a black leather trenchcoat, black jeans, and a black cotton tank top, his swarthy skin and hawklike features made him seem like a cloud of darkness that suddenly arrived at Halliwell Manor. His hands were folded in front of him, but there was no hesitation. As soon as the sisters spotted him, the demon unfolded his hands and flung out two golden daggers. Both sailed toward Prue.

Bane tackled Prue, and Piper Immobilized the daggers with a raise of her hands. The demon conjured two more daggers. "Bye bye now," Piper scowled. She thrust out her right hand and Combusted the demon.

He Reconstituted barely a second later. "Uh, Prue, a little help here?" Piper asked.

"Two witches? She said you'd be alone!" With that, the demon Disappeared in a puff of dark black smoke.

Bane stood up and struggled to help Prue to her feet. Prue examined her fiancé from head to toe with an expression of heart wrenching concern. "Bane, honey, are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Prue." Prue clung fatuously to him and nuzzled her head into Bane's shoulder. "Piper, how about you?"

"We just had another demonic attack on the Manor. It hasn't been an entire week since we Vanquished the Source of All Evil, and neither of my sisters were here to help me. How do you think I feel?"

"Do you want me to stay and help?"

Piper shook her head, still glaring at Prue, who hadn't released Bane yet. "No, the demon didn't destroy anything, thank God. You go. I'll call Paige. We don't need you caught in the crossfire, Bane." Piper narrowed her eyes at Prue. 'Something is wrong with my sister. I'm not sure if I even want to know what it is.'

Bay Area Social Services and Halliwell Manor

"Piper, I would love nothing more than to help you…" Paige glanced around the office to make sure no one was listening to her and lowered her voice to a whisper, "research the demon who attacked the Manor. But I really have to work today." Even as Paige defended herself, a red-haired intern carried in an armful of manila folders. Paige covered the mouthpiece of her phone. "What is this?"

"It's all the new cases Jefferson made me sort through, collate, and put in order by history of abuse. I quit." He walked off.

'Gee, thanks.' Paige resumed her phone call. "There is a lot of paperwork to do today."

"I don't think you grasp the bunyanesque proportion of what we're dealing with today, Paige." Piper gritted her teeth as she flipped irritably through the Book of Shadows. "Prue is downstairs fixing a five course meal for Bane's lunch, so I'm upstairs by myself researching a demon who Reconstitutes exactly like the Source."

"You're kidding."

"I wish I was. I blew him up and he came back for more."

Paige groaned. "Well, I hate to say it, Piper, but…" Paige's phone lit up with two flashing green lights from more incoming calls. She groaned audibly. "Piper, I have to go now. I have two more incoming calls."

At her office, Paige hung up the phone. 'I have to find a way to help my sisters. Didn't Piper say once that Prue used a spell to make three copies of herself? That would be great right now.' Paige opened her drawer, took out a pen and paper, and waved at her friend, Lila, who sat at a desk in front of Paige. "Hey, Lila, I have to take a break. Can you cover the phones for me for a sec?"

"Sure. No problem."

Paige crept surreptitiously to the breakroom, took out a Styrofoam cup from the cabinet over the white Krups coffeemaker, and took out the plastic Ziploc bag of coffee grinds in the refrigerator. She filled up the cup and carried it as discreetly as she could to the women's restroom. One of her coworkers exited the restroom and glanced at the cup suspiciously. Paige passed off an awkward smile and dashed into the nearest stall. She peeked under the stalls to guarantee she was alone in the restroom then set the cup on the commode and used the stall door to write a spell. After a few minutes, it was complete.

Pinching some of the grinds in her left hand, Paige set the spell on the commode beside the cup and read in a low whisper:

My day is long, my strength is low,

I need the energy to get up and go.

I am but one doing the work of more,

Give me I implore the strength of four.

Paige sprinkled the coffee grinds into the cup. All the coffee grinds vanished in a flash and a puff of purple smoke. Fanning the smoke away, Paige exited the stall. 'I guess the spell didn't work. I don't feel any differently.' She went to the sink to wash her hands and face, and noticed three other women leaving bathroom stalls at the same time. 'I hope they didn't hear me cast that spell.' Then Paige studied her makeup in the mirror and spotted the other women.

There were four copies of Paige in the long, single-pane bathroom mirror. "Hi," the three clones greeted her in unison.

Paige examined her clones. "It wasn't what I wanted, but I'll work with it." She clapped her hands together. "Ok, you," she pointed at the lone clone on her left, "have the task of looking through the files that annoying intern left on my desk. You," Paige pointed at the nearest clone on her right, "will cover the desk, take any calls and do any other paperwork that comes to me." She turned to the last clone. "And you will use another desk to set up at-home visits with all the active cases on my desk." 'That way, no one will see them in the same area and think they're in close proximity to each other.'

"What will you do?" the Paige clones asked in unison.

"I'm going to help Prue and Piper. Have fun." Paige Orbed from the bathroom.

The Underworld

In a cavern in the furthest recesses of the Underworld, a gathering of demonic leaders had begun. Grimlocks, Harpies, and even the much revered Screechers had come to the gathering. They all faced an outcrop of rock on which stood, dressed in the same all-black trenchcoat, the demon who had attacked the Halliwells. The gathered demons mumbled amongst themselves. When he chose to speak, despite his low, gravelly voice, the entire cavern fell silent.

"The time has finally come. Without the tyrannical influence of the last Source, all of demondom has been given its chance at a golden age. No more will the forces of good oppress us. No longer will we run from witches or Whitelighters. We will take even the Heavenly Realms from the Elders! Our time has come!"

Demons cheered in excitement, except for the lone Harpy in the crowd. "Exactly how do you plan to do this, Dalthiel? Especially when the Power of Three still exists?"

Dalthiel chuckled knowingly. "The Charmed Ones are merely a step in a plan. Once I have your loyalty, we can unite as one front against all the forces of good. And we will strike a mighty blow!"

"What makes you think you even deserve our loyalty? What defines you over any other leader of the Underworld? No one has ever defeated the Charmed Ones," the Harpy yelled back.

Dalthiel chuckled again. "I have a much more formidable ally." He stepped aside and gestured for his ally to come forth. Dressed in her simple red shroud with her dreadlocks crowning her head, the Seer stepped forward and smirked at the stunned faces of the convocation of demons. "The Seer has served well six thousand years of previous Sources. I feel it is fitting that she should serve me in the same capacity," Dalthiel smiled.

Halliwell Manor

Two showers of Orbs appeared in the attic, drawing Piper's attention. 'As long as it's not…' Paige appeared from the first, and Leo appeared from the second. 'Damn it.' Piper avoided Leo's gaze by returning hers to the pages of the Book of Shadows. "Paige, I'm so glad to see you here. How did you get away from work?"

"Hello to you too, Piper," Leo sighed.

Paige's eyes darted from Piper to Leo to Piper again. "Uh, should I not be here for this?"

"No, Paige, you're welcome here. This is your home." Piper summoned the courage to meet Leo's gaze. 'I will not cry in front of him.' Her gaze was hard. "Leo, what do you want?"

The blond Whitelighter sighed again. "I want to kiss you."

Piper clenched her jaw. "If you touch me, I will blow you up."

"I want you to talk to me like I'm your husband again."

"Leo, is there something related to your duties as a Whitelighter and our duties as the Charmed Ones that you wanted to discuss?" Piper demanded.

"I asked the Elders about the demon that you and Prue encountered this morning, and…"

"Wait, how did you know there was a demonic attack this morning?" Paige asked.

"I've been watching the house when I'm not busy with my other charges. I've been keeping an eye on Piper."

Paige raised her eyebrows in surprise. Piper lowered her gaze to the floor. 'I will not cry in front of him.' Still looking away from Leo, she asked him, "What do the Elders know about the demon?"

"Since you three Vanquished the Source of All Evil, hundreds of powerful demonic exiles have returned to the Underworld. All of them are demons that the Source banished from the Underworld because they were political rivals. And all of them are trying to create their own demonic factions from lesser demons to establish a better claim to the Source's throne."

"And the best way to get credibility is to kill the Charmed Ones?" Paige asked. Leo nodded grimly.

At that moment, there was a scream from the kitchen downstairs, followed by the sound of falling pots and pans. Piper grabbed Paige's left arm. "It's Prue! Paige, quick, Orb us downstairs!"