Here we go. The last chapter of Jerome's Return. Sorry it took so long, but this was actually a fairly difficult chapter to write. Just for the record, the first set of italics in this chapter is a flashback, and the second set is written text being read.
Chapter 37: Epilogue
Three days had passed since the Destroyer's death. Jerome had spent that time helping the other Defender try to restore the balance that was ruined by the Destroyer and the Adgressors. It was difficult. The Council was gone; only one member remained, and he couldn't start the Ascension to restore the Grand Design. Not alone. As a result, the Defenders all had to do everything they could to restore the balance without Ascended power.
It was impossible. The world was so out of balance that there was no possible way for a bunch of Defenders to fix it. The best they could do was get it close and hope that the Grand Design could fix itself. "Daniel, we can't do it," Jerome said.
"We cannot quit now! The Grand Design is still horribly off balance!" Daniel replied.
"We've done everything we can, but between the Destroyer, the Adgressors, and everything in Claustrum the Grand Design was damaged irreparably," Jerome said. "Maybe an Ancient could fix it, but we certainly can't."
Daniel sighed. "Speaking of Ancients, what happened between you and the Destroyer?" he asked. Jerome hadn't said a word of what had transpired other than the fact that the Destroyer was no longer a problem.
It was Jerome's turn to sigh. He wasn't really sure what to make of it. Electus was waiting for Jerome in Excisio's realm. He and Medeis looked at him, both sad and happy. Jerome looked back. He had returned to get answers. "What happened to me?" Jerome asked.
"You killed the Destroyer," Electus said. "Excisio is dead."
"I know that!" Jerome snapped. "Why? Where did that power come from?"
"I've already explained it," Electus said. "You became the Avatar of Might. The Grand Architect needed one final defense mechanism in case any of us Ancients got too powerful, like Excisio did. The Avatar of Might was that mechanism."
"Fighting off the Destroyer was easy, but He released a monster from Claustrum that I couldn't defeat," Jerome said.
Electus shrugged. "If that thing is what I'm thinking, it was created to resilient to all magic. I'm guessing the Destroyer destroyed it?"
Jerome nodded. "Yes, he destroyed the thing."
"I thought so," Electus said. "Excisio's power was to be able to destroy almost anything. That monster was no exception."
"Why me?" Jerome asked.
Despite the change in topic, Electus knew what he meant. "You are the first Defender to have true free will since your father. That's why, when you Ascended, you remained in control of yourself. And after Excisio destroyed your powers, he killed Paige. The grief and sadness you felt gave you power, and the freedom to choose your own way gave you control. All that power and control called the Avatar of Might to you."
"You mean that Paige had to die for me to beat the Destroyer?" Jerome asked.
Electus nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. Her death is what gave you the strength."
Jerome didn't answer Daniel. He didn't want to, and Daniel knew what silence meant. "Very well," Daniel said. "If there really is nothing more you can do, then you are free to go and do whatever you need to do."
Jerome went to Electus and Medeis. "Electus," he said.
"Jerome," Electus said. "I think I know what you're here to ask, and the answer is no. I cannot."
"The Charmed Ones cannot be brought back?" Jerome asked. "You don't have the power to bring someone back from the dead?"
Electus shook his head. "It's not that simple. They weren't simply killed. The Destroyer killed them; their souls are completely destroyed. For all intents and purposes, there are no Charmed Ones anymore."
"We're sorry," Medeis said. "But even we can't reverse total destruction."
Jerome knew that neither Melinda nor Chris had any idea what had happened. Jerome didn't want to face them, but they deserved to know that the Charmed Ones were dead. And there was Wyatt. Jerome would have to tell Leo, too.
Jerome Flickered to the manor. He didn't know for sure that Chris and Melinda were even in the manor, but neither of them had any kind of job or anything. Well, Chris had a habit of disappearing for extended periods of time, but Melinda never went anywhere. Come to think of it, it was kind of annoying.
Jerome walked into the manor. Almost immediately Melinda rushed him. Jerome found himself on the ground with an eighteen year old girl sitting on him. "Where's Piper?" she asked.
Chris came down the stairs and saw Melinda pinning Jerome to the ground. "Melinda, let him up," he said.
Melinda got off of Jerome and asked again "Where's Piper?"
Jerome froze. He knew he would have to tell them eventually, but he started hoping he could put it off. "Well?" Chris asked. "She, Phoebe, and Paige left with Cole to go fight Paul. Did they win?"
"Uh," Jerome said. "They beat Paul, but Cole was vanquished."
Chris shrugged. "Then where are they?"
"After killing Paul they and I met in the Destroyer's realm. He and I fought, but in the process the sisters were all killed, one by one," Jerome said.
Chris and Melinda froze. "They were killed?" Chris asked, disbelief in his voice.
Jerome nodded. "Each one of them, one at a time," he replied.
Jerome could tell that they didn't believe him. It was evident in their eyes. "No, they can't be dead!" Melinda shouted.
"The Charmed Ones don't die," Chris said. Then he amended his statement. "Well, they don't stay dead."
Jerome shook his head. "Prue stayed dead," he said.
"Well, can't they be brought back?" Chris asked. "You're a Defender, for crying out loud!"
Jerome shook his head. "Not even Electus can bring them back. They're more than just dead, they're completely and utterly gone. There's nothing left of them to bring back."
Chris didn't have any response to that. "They're really and completely dead?" Melinda asked, eyes wide.
Jerome nodded. Tears sprang to Melinda's eyes and she started sobbing. Chris held Melinda and tried to calm her down. "Someone should tell Leo," Jerome said. "He needs to know. And someone will need to take care of Wyatt."
Chris nodded. "I'll do it," he said. Jerome nodded and left. He wouldn't have been able to handle staying there.
Jerome wandered aimlessly. He had nothing left. No plans, no plots, no motives, nothing. All he could do was wander around aimlessly. By sheer chance, he came across the picture his father had of his mother. He looked at it and put it in his pocket. He continued his wandering. Pointless wandering.
Jerome found himself back in the Destroyer's realm. He walked, eventually stumbling on the Tablet. He knew that before it had his name on it, but when Jerome picked it up, his name wasn't on it. It seemed to be a letter instead. You have done well. You fixed a fundamental flaw in the Grand Design that has persisted since shortly after the creation of the world. The world had need of a creator, and in order to keep the balance there must have been a destroyer. However, after your people were created, the world had no need for there to be a creator. And without the need of a creator, there was no reason to have a destroyer. It was necessary that Excisio should find this tablet, and expedient that he should kill Aedifex. This world creates and destroys on its own, in a cycle of rebirth.
Do not worry yourself over the imbalance of the Grand Design. The balance has been damaged to an incredible extent, but with no one threatening it, it will repair itself in time. That is the beauty of the Grand Design. In it, all things can be repaired in time.
Your efforts have cost you much. I know this better than anyone, better even than you. And I know of your suffering, your pain. I am sorry you have to suffer, but the Grand Design must come first, as you and your people know all too well. However, for your valiant efforts in protecting the Grand Design, you deserve a reward. Go to the Prison, search it. Inside you will find your reward.
Jerome was fairly certain that the Prison mentioned was Claustrum. Jerome wasn't too interested in any reward, but he had no idea who had left the message on the Tablet. It was pretty clear that Jerome was the intended recipient, despite having no name on it. Perhaps Electus had left it for him. At that point, Jerome didn't care who left the Tablet. He didn't really care about anything.
Jerome Flickered to Claustrum anyway. The place was huge, and he had no idea what or where his reward was supposed to be. Jerome started looking. There was nothing left inside, so at least figuring out what Jerome's reward was should be easy enough. It'd be the only thing in that prison. Jerome crawled through the Prison until he finally reached the bottom. Once there, he couldn't believe his eyes.
Somehow, the Charmed Ones had returned. They were alive. "Jerome!" Paige called as soon as she saw him. She ran up and hugged him. "You're okay!" she said.
Phoebe and Piper soon joined her. "How?" Jerome asked. "How are you here? Electus said you were gone for good."
"We really don't know," Piper admitted. "We all remember getting hit by the Destroyer's attack, and then we remember waking up here. Everything in between is completely blank."
"But who cares?" Phoebe said. "We're alive now."
Jerome nodded. Then he remembered Chris and Melinda. "I've got to get you back to the manor!"
"What for?" Piper asked. "There's nothing in here."
"Chris and Melinda think you're gone, too!" Jerome said. "Melinda was heartbroken." Jerome didn't give the sisters a chance to answer. He grabbed them all and Flickered to the manor. Melinda was lying on the couch. Her eyes were red and swollen, and she looked completely dejected. Chris was nowhere to be seen.
Jerome motioned for the sisters to stay put, and to stay quiet. He walked up to Melinda and asked "How are you coping?"
Upon hearing Jerome's voice she jumped. She looked at him and whispered "Horribly."
"I get that they were your friends, but you need to get over your sadness. They would hate to see you like this," Jerome said, trying for comfort. He wanted to tell her to get over it and move on, but he doubted that would be very soothing. In her current state, Jerome was worried that she would have some kind of heart attack, or break down even further if she saw the sisters.
"You don't understand," Melinda mumbled. "They were more than friends, they were-" she was cut off as a sob escaped her lips. Tears streamed down her face.
"Here, sit up," Jerome said. He got Melinda to sit up, but she lacked her usual energy. "Where's Chris?" Jerome asked.
"He went Up There to tell Leo," she mumbled. Jerome looked over at the sisters. Phoebe looked like she felt as bad as Melinda. Of course, that was probably due to her empathy power.
"Have you eaten anything since I left?" Jerome asked.
Melinda shook her head. "Melinda, that was two days ago!" Jerome said.
"I can't eat anything," Melinda said. "Food reminds me too much of Piper."
Jerome signaled to Piper, who quietly went to the kitchen to make Melinda some food. Melinda was oblivious to what was going on. Jerome talked to her, trying to cheer her up. She was so sad and miserable that Jerome was pretty sure that seeing the Charmed Ones alive would send her into shock. He wanted to avoid that if he could help it.
Piper came back with a sandwich. She set the sandwich down on a nearby table, and Jerome decided that it was as good a time as any to tell Melinda that the sisters were alive. Jerome helped Melinda stand up, and turned her around. She saw the Charmed Ones and, after a bit of hesitation, ran straight towards them. She tackled Piper in a massive bear hug and said "Mom!"
"Mom?" the sisters all shouted at the same time. Jerome didn't say anything. It made sense, in hind sight. The girl was the splitting image of Piper, and a lot like her, too. Actually, Jerome should have seen that coming all along. A half Whitelighter girl who came from the future and just happens to look almost exactly like Piper. Yeah, Jerome really should have seen that coming.
The sisters had no idea what to do. "I'm your mother?" Piper asked Melinda.
Jerome heard a sharp intake of breath from Melinda. She wasn't supposed to have given that away. She released Piper and stepped back. She was blushing and looked really nervous. "You might as well be honest," Jerome said. "Phoebe will be able to tell if you're lying."
"I-" Melinda started. She took a deep breath and said "Yeah, I'm your daughter. From the future."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Piper asked, hugging her daughter tightly. Melinda's face turned purple, but Jerome didn't think that was out of embarrassment.
"Piper, I don't think your daughter can breath," Jerome said.
Piper immediately let go of Melinda and held her at arms length. Melinda gasped for breath and said "Geez, Mom! Are you trying to kill me?"
Melinda's stomach growled loudly. Piper grabbed the sandwich and thrust it into Melinda's hands. "Here, eat this, oh you poor thing! You must be starving." Melinda accepted the sandwich and began devouring it.
"What? How is this possible?" Electus asked from behind everyone. Everyone jumped, since no one knew Electus was there, or when he showed up. Medeis was at his side.
"When did you get here?" Piper asked.
"How are you three still alive? I saw you die!" Electus asked, blatantly ignoring Piper. He didn't seem upset, just shocked.
Paige shrugged. "We don't know. We remember being attacked, then waking up in Claustrum."
"Did Excisio just teleport them?" Electus asked Medeis.
Medeis shook her head. "No, they died. I sensed their souls being destroyed."
"Then how are they here?" Electus asked. "No one has the power to restore that which was destroyed."
"Well, there is one who does," Medeis said.
"Do you really think He would step in now?" Electus said.
"When have we ever been able to guess His will?" Medeis asked. "But that seems like the most logical explanation, doesn't it?"
Electus sighed. "It is the only feasible explanation that I can think of, but it's more likely that there's some other explanation that I haven't thought of."
"Why is it so difficult for you to admit that He might have had a hand in this? Or anything, for that matter?" Medeis asked.
"Who are you talking about?" Jerome asked.
The Ancients ignored him. "Because He has never intervened before," Electus said.
Medeis sighed. "Fine, have it your way. But, since they are alive, I think we owe them a little thank you, don't you?" she asked.
Electus nodded. "I agree with you there. Perhaps this will do." Electus snapped his fingers and, in a flash of light, Cole appeared in front of the sisters.
The Charmed Ones hugged Cole. Jerome turned to Electus and asked "How?"
"Raising the dead is easy. Cole was vanquished by Paul, not destroyed by Excisio. He was just banished to the Wasteland. All I did was bring him back," Electus said. He and Medeis disappeared, leaving the group behind.
Jerome turned back around. Phoebe was fussing over Cole, Piper had gone back to Melinda, and Paige was standing off to the side, looking somewhat uncomfortable. Jerome gestured for her to follow him. She did, and he led her into the kitchen.
Jerome knew what he wanted to say, but he had no idea how to say it. He figured he'd try, though. "Remember when we were trying to find out how my father had beaten the Destroyer, and all we found was a picture of my mother?" he asked.
Paige nodded. "Yeah, and we all thought your dad had just cracked and lost it. By the way, what happened to the Destroyer?" she asked.
"I killed him," Jerome said. "Now-"
"Wait," Paige interrupted. "You killed the Destroyer? How?"
Jerome shrugged. "I'm not even entirely sure how. I know that after you died I was filled with enough grief and rage to draw some force known as the Avatar of Might, and that that force gave me enough power to beat and kill the Destroyer," he replied. "Now, as I was saying, I finally figured out what that picture meant. My father hadn't cracked; he knew perfectly well what he was doing."
"What did the picture mean?" Paige asked.
"My father loved my mother more than anything, even more than the Grand Design itself. That love gave him free will, true free will, and incredible power. When he was fighting off Excisio, he thought of her. He thought of how horrible it would be for her if he didn't beat the Destroyer, and that gave him strength. Strength enough to lock away the Destroyer," Jerome said. "The picture was there to show us where his strength came from. It came from her." Jerome swallowed nervously. "Just like my strength came from you."
Paige looked up at Jerome. "What are you saying?" she asked.
"I-I'm saying that I love you, Paige," Jerome said. "When I saw you die, that's when I finally realized it. I don't know when I fell for you, but I did." Jerome began to say something else, but he was cut off by Paige's lips pressing against his. They kissed for what seemed like hours, though in all reality it was only as long as Paige could hold her breath. And she could only hold her breath for like a minute. Definitely not several hours. When they broke apart, Jerome was stunned. He was completely speechless.
Paige smiled at him and asked "So, do you want to go out with me? Our last date was really awkward, I think we can do better this time."
Jerome readily agreed. And, Jerome noticed, for the first time in his entire life, he felt true happiness.
The End
Author's Note:
Wow, that last part was sappy. I can't believe I actually wrote that. Sorry for that, but it had to be done. I would like to thank everyone who has read this story and its predecessor. Special thanks goes to lizardmomma, who reviewed nearly every chapter of both stories, and, despite the fact that she only read the first chapter of this story, Yello13, who wrote some awesome scenes for The Greatest Power. This story is done, and I hope I met all of your expectations. If not, let me know and if I missed something huge or did something really bad I will go back, change it, and repost this epilogue. Goodbye, and thanks for reading!
MasterMind16X