Chapter 11: Wrestling with Demons Part 2

"You don't scare me," Tom said as he looked at Buffy and Prue. "I've been trained to deal with witches."

It had been decided that at least for now Tom shouldn't know that Buffy was a Slayer not a witch. They could use that information to their advantage if they needed it later.

"I'd forgotten how proud you were when we knew each other," said Prue.

"I've forgotten you completely," said Tom.

"You don't want to tell us what happened because you don't want to admit how badly you screwed up," said Prue.

"I didn't," Tom said.

"Obviously," said Buffy.

"While you were still human, you were stupid enough to enter into some demonic contract," said Prue.

"I was never human," admitted Tom.

"You had to have been," explained Prue. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have made it into the academy. Yes, we know about the academy. We know about the chevrons. We also know that you haven't killed your innocent, yet."

"I will. "

"You'll have to get past us first," said Buffy.

"Kellman will kill us both if I don't," warned Tom.

"Kellman. Tom, I know who you are, the person that you were, alright, and I know that somewhere in there it still exists," said Prue as she picked him up a yearbook and turned it to the page with his picture. "Look, Tom." She showed him the yearbook. "This is who you are, alright? This is who your mother is waiting for."

'Who your daughter is waiting for,' Prue thought to herself.

"Vanquish me, or I will kill you both, witches," said Tom.

"Not happening," said Buffy.

"We are going to save you from yourself whether you like it or not," said Prue as she telekinetically loosened Tom's ropes. Then she followed by Buffy walked out of the attic. "Buffy, I loosened his ropes, follow him."

"Alright," said Buffy as she picked up her car keys. "Faith!"

Faith came running into the foyer and she and Buffy left to wait for Tom to escape the Manor.

Prue turned and walked into the kitchen finding the room was full of stuff. "Okay, so I think I have an idea of how to... whoa."

"My lost and found spell's a little too enthusiastic," admitted Phoebe.

Piper nodded in agreement. "We're finding stuff all over the house. It's endless."

"I don't mean to sound paranoid, but after all these years I think I've earned that right," said Darryl. "How do you know your spell is not going to find demons that you're already vanquished?"

"Oh, you mean like Belthazor," said Piper.

"Okay, one demon at a time," said Prue as she looked at the police inspector. "Did you get anything on Tom?"

"Just a missing persons file," he said as he handed Prue the file.

"Alright, anything on a man named Kellman?" asked Prue as they heard the front door close.

"What was that?" Piper asked.

"That would be Tom escaping," said Prue.

"What?" asked Phoebe.

"Yeah, I loosened his ropes," said Prue. "Buffy and Faith are trailing him to the demon that turned him. Then we'll break him, break his hold on Tom. Anything that you can get me on Kellman I'd appreciate, okay?"

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy and Faith sat outside an office building as they watched Tom go inside. Buffy dialed her cell phone. "Mom, he just entered a building. I assume Kellman is based out of there." She gave Prue the address before ending the call.

Within a half an hour Prue, Piper and Phoebe had arrived and made their way inside.

"Alright, you ready?" Prue asked as they stood in front of the Kellman's exact office.

"Ready for what?" Phoebe asked.

"To save him," said Prue as she, her sisters, Buffy and Faith enter the office to find empty.

"Where is he?" Phoebe asked.

"He never came back out," said Buffy. "Which means he should be here."

"I got a bad feeling about this," said Piper.

In the Academy; Tom stepped off an elevator and walked over to Kellman. "I have good news, Mr. Kellman," he said.

"You killed the innocent," asked Kellman.

"Better. I can deliver you three witches," answered Tom.

Kellman frowned. "Witches?" he said. "I don't care about witches. I care about deadlines. Yours and mine. You know, if I weren't running out of time, I'd have you drum..." He leaned over and began to sniff Tom. "Is that humanity I'm sensing from you? Huh? Now how did that come back? That was supposed to be drummed out of you by now. You need a refresher course."

Lights comes on around a wrestling ring as two demons take Tom away.

Up in the office Piper picked up a soccer ball. "This is weird," she said. "So Kellman poses as a human and then what? Gives athletes a way out of their problems?"

"Yeah, a demonic way out," said Phoebe.

"Alright, what about your lost and found spell?" asked Prue. "Do you think you could rewrite it to find Tom?"

Phoebe shrugged. "Maybe. Uh, how about, 'Show me the past that I cannot find, to save Tom and restore Prue's peace of mind,'" she said as the elevator appeared.

"Oh, whoa," said Buffy, who had been standing right next to the elevator. "I really need witchy powers."

The five of them stepped into the elevator. The doors closed and they began to descend.

"Remind me again why we are doing this," said Piper.

"Because your sisters have a thing for saving bad boys," admitted Phoebe.

"We're doing this for Dawn too," said Buffy.

Piper sighed. "If I die before I get married, I'm going to be really mad at the four of you," she said just as the doors opened. "Okay, I'd still like to point out that I have a really bad feeling about this." They walk out of the elevator and saw a guy being thrown around by a wrestler in the ring. "What the...?"

"Oh, no," said Phoebe.

"I'm the man!" the wrestler said as he pinned the guy on the mat and a hole opened up beneath him. The guy fell into the flames.

"Next!" said Kellman as Tom headed for the ring.

"Tom," said Prue as she started to walk toward Tom as Buffy and Faith grabbed her and pulled her back.

"Mom!" said Buffy. "We need a plan first."

"Buffy," said Prue. "Tom is seconds away from annihilation."

"I know," said Buffy. "But think you can't just go in there without a plan. What would I tell Dawn if you got yourself killed?"

"She's right you," agreed Piper.

"Okay, freeze the demons," said Prue. "Then we'll see if we can't do something about Kellman."

The five of them walk out of the elevator and towards Kellman, Tom, the wrestler and the other demons.

"Tom!" Prue called out as Piper froze the demons, with the exception of Kellman, Tom and the wrestler.

Kellman made a ball with three sharp blades sticking out of it hover near Tom. "Your little parlor tricks may work on some of the newer boys but the rest of us will be a little tougher." He pulled up his sleeve to reveal eight chevrons on his arm. "You girls are way out of your league down here. You have no idea."

"Well, we know that you have a deadline, Mr. Kellman," said Prue. "Time to deliver your recruits?"

"And you think you can stop me, hmm?" asked Kellman. "Think you can save him? I kind of admire that level of arrogance."

Prue smiled. "Thanks. We kind of like to think of it as confidence."

"Well, get over it. He's lost," he told her.

"I made a deal. I stand by it," Tom said as the ball disappeared. He got out of the ring and walked over to Kellman.

"Now, you see that?" said Kellman. "Now, that's what I call a quick recovery, huh? Knocked the humanity right out of him and we got a perfect kill for him too."

"Uh, not if we put him on ice," said Piper as she froze Tom. "Kind of hard to make him kill an innocent now, huh?"

"Unfreeze him," Kellman ordered.

"Nope," said Piper.

Kellman walked toward Piper as Buffy and Faith moved to block his way.

"If anything happens to me, he's gonna stay that way," said Piper.

"Is that true?" Phoebe whispered.

"Yes," Piper whispered.

"You're bluffing," Kellman said.

"Are we?" Buffy asked.

"I'm listening," Kellman said.

"Alright, how about three witches and two Slayers in exchange for Tom's soul?" asked Buffy.

"Buffy!" said Phoebe.

"If we win, we get Tom back," added Prue. "If we lose, you get Tom and the five of us. Risk one to gain six.

"You really think you can win in the ring?" asked Kellman.

"Well, you know, we don't really have much of a choice," said Prue. "But if we do win, we don't go into the training program. We go free."

"Did your homework," said Kellman. "Okay, you got a deal. You win, you go free. But if you lose, you die. I can't control what happens in the ring, only the source can."

"Understood," agreed Prue as she, her sisters, Buffy and Faith move off to the side.

"Hey, that bad feeling I was talking about?" said Piper. "It's getting stronger."

"Alright, you need to stay here and keep Tom frozen, okay?" said Prue. "Buffy, Faith, you two need to guard Piper. If anything happens, our bluff could be called."

"Okay," said Buffy and Faith.

Prue looked toward Phoebe. "Okay, our powers seem to have a limited effect on these guys," she said. "So, we're going to have to outmaneuver them."

"And outsmart them and keep our shoulders off the mat. Piece of cake," said Phoebe.

"So, I guess we're as ready as we're ever going to be."

"Uh, Prue, there's one more thing," said Phoebe deciding now that they might be facing their death was the perfect time to reveal to Prue, one of the last people, not to know that Cole was alive.

"Now?" said Piper. "Now is your perfect moment?"

Phoebe sighed. "Piper, we might die in there."

"That doesn't mean you should tell her now," Piper told her baby sister.

"Okay, tell me what?" Prue asked.

"Cole is still alive. I never really vanquished him," said Phoebe. "Buffy and Dawn can confirm it, they were there."

"What?" said Prue shocked at the reveal of Cole being alive.

"By the way, since three of you are witches and the other two are Slayers, I think it's only fair that I even the playing field," said Kellman not knowing exactly who was going into the ring.

Two very large wrestlers move up beside Kellman.

"You look at this face!" one of the wrestlers yelled. "This is the face of pain and I'm the bringer of pain! And I'm gonna destroy you! You can cry for mercy but I don't know the meaning of the word!"

"Alright, and people think this is entertainment," Prue said shaking her head.

"Prue..." Phoebe said as she touched Prue's arm, pulling her elder sister back. "Are we okay?"

"Not by a long shot," said Prue. "Look, Phoebe, it you waited till now to tell me about Cole in hopes that we would die and you wouldn't have to deal with me, you have another thing coming." She turned and headed for the ring.

Phoebe sighed as she looked at Buffy, Faith and Piper. "I think that went well."

"She has a lot on her mind," said Buffy as Phoebe followed Prue into the ring.

"Alright, I am going to win this fight and save your ass," Prue told her baby sister. "That way I can kick it myself later."

Prue jumped up and kicked both of the wrestlers in the head.

"Wow," Phoebe said as they began the wrestling match.

"Okay, oh god, oh god, come on, do something!" said Piper. "Get angry! Focus! Get motivated! Prue, listen to me. She lied to you big time. Big time lied to you. Come on, get angry! Come on, or else we're in big deep. Phoebe, she thinks you're a weakling, like, big time sucker for love. Oh god!"

Buffy noticed Kellman moving beside her and she turned to face him. "Back off."

Unbeknownst to Buffy a ball appeared behind her back and he made it shoot straight into Buffy, who fell to the floor.

"Buffy!" Faith yelled as she attacked Kellman.

Kellman knocked Faith back as he moved toward Piper. He made another ball appear behind Piper that speared Piper in the back as Piper fell to the floor. It was at that moment that Tom and the demons unfroze. He looked at Tom as Faith was getting to her feet. "Let's go see how mom's doing, shall we? Slammer. Yeah, baby."

Kellman knocked Faith down as he and Tom headed for the elevator.

One of the wrestlers held Phoebe down on the mat as the hole started to open.

Faith debated with herself on what to do, go after Kellman or help Prue and Phoebe. Finally, she ran toward the ring and jumped in. She kicked the wrestler pinning Phoebe off her.

"Thank you," said Phoebe as Faith helped her up.

"Go," said Faith. "Check on Buffy and Piper."

Phoebe nodded as she hopped out of the ring and ran toward her sister and niece.

In tandem Faith and Prue kicked the wrestlers in the head, knocking them to the mat. They jumped on them pinning them there as the hole started to open.

"Alright, 1, 2, 3," said Prue as she and Faith rolled out of the way and the wrestlers fell into the hole. She and Faith ran over to Phoebe, Piper and Buffy.

"Anyone else want a piece of this?" asked Faith as the demons ran away.

"Prue, Faith, it looks really bad," said Phoebe. "I don't know if we're gonna make it to Leo."

"Yeah, we will, come on," said Prue as she and Phoebe picked up Piper.

Faith picked up Buffy and they hurried straight into the elevator.

In Kellman's office; Leo was looking through Kellman's things just as the elevator doors opened. Prue and Phoebe carry Piper out of the elevator followed by Faith carrying Buffy.

"Leo!" said excitedly to see he was there already.

"What happened?" Leo asked as Prue and Phoebe set Piper on the ground while Faith laid Buffy next to Piper.

"Hurry!" said Faith. "I think Buffy's stopped breathing."

Leo pulled out the balls and held one hand over Piper and the other over Buffy and began to heal them. "It's working," he said.

"Okay, not that I'm not thrilled to see you, but what are you doing here, Leo?" asked Faith.

"I was looking for you," answered Leo. "I thought I'd start with Kellman."

"He's the recruiter," said Phoebe.

"I figured," said Leo. "The Elders think the key to destroying him is to turn one of his recruits against him."

"So first we have to figure out a way to save Tom," said Phoebe.

"Alright, so I'll call Morris, get him to bring Tom's mom to the manor," said Prue. "Then we just have to figure out a way to get Tom there."

"Wait, you want them in the same house?" Phoebe asked.

Prue nodded. "Yeah, she's got to be the key to saving him, otherwise why would Kellman want Tom to kill her?"

"Okay, well, maybe I could figure out a way to tweak the lost and found spell again, lure him to the house and after all, Tom's a lost soul, right?" suggested Phoebe.

"They going to be okay?" asked Faith.

"Yeah, go. I'll take care of Piper and Buffy," said Leo.

Prue, Faith and Phoebe turned and headed out of the office.

"Prue, maybe we should talk about this first," said Phoebe.

"Yeah, we'll have to figure how to take out Kellman on the way," agreed Prue.

"That's not what she meant, Prue," said Faith. "And Phoebe, now is not really the time. Do it after we slay Kellman."

Phoebe sighed. "What if we don't have any time? Look, we may not be able to defeat Kellman. We could lose."

"We won't lose," said Prue.

"How do you know that, Prue?" asked Phoebe. "All you want to do is save Tom, which is all I wanted to do for Cole."

"Okay, Phoebe, don't try and turn this around on me, alright?" said Prue as they got into Prue's car. "I'm not the one who kept secrets from you."

"I didn't tell you because I knew you wouldn't understand. You hated Cole," admitted Phoebe.

Faith who had gotten behind the wheel held out her hand and Prue dropped the keys in them. She started the car and they drove off.

"No, I didn't trust him, and I was right," Prue admitted.

Phoebe sighed. "You never gave him a chance."

"He didn't deserve a chance."

"Oh, and what makes Tom deserve a chance?" asked Phoebe.

"First, because he started out good. He didn't start out trying to kill us. Second, because he is Dawn's father, her biological father. Do you want to explain to her that we vanquished her father?"

"No," admitted Phoebe.

"Can we talk about this later?" suggested Prue.

Back at Kellman's office Buffy and Piper suddenly gasp as Leo finished healing them.

"Hey, guess what? I found mom's ring," said Piper as she and Buffy sat up. "Ooh."

Buffy sighed. "How many times do I have to die?"

"You didn't die," said Leo. "If you had I wouldn't have been able to heal you."

At the manor eerie noises could be heard as Darryl and Mrs. Peters walk through the front door.

"What was that? What are those noises?" she asked.

Darryl shrugged. "I'm not quite sure," he said as Prue, Phoebe and Faith walked in behind him.

"Thanks for coming, Mrs. Peters," said Prue.

"But I don't understand," the older woman said.

Prue smiled. "You will soon," she said before looking at Darryl. "Any sign of Kellman?"

Darryl shook his head. "No, but there are plenty of other signs."

Phoebe sighed. "Uh-oh, seems like some lost souls were found."

"Yeah, we need to reverse this spell quick," Prue said.

"Where's Tom?" Mrs. Peters asked as Kellman and Tom walk in through the front door. "Tom!"

"No!" Darryl said as he stopped Mrs. Peters from going over to Tom.

"How did you..." Kellman said shocked to see Prue and Phoebe there.

"Tag team," said Faith. "Tagged Phoebe out and then I helped Prue."

"And we're not done with you yet," added Prue.

"I told you it was too late to save Tom," said Kellman. "But thank you for leading us to the victim. Kill her, Tom."

Tom threw a fireball at his mother as Darryl pushed her out of the way.

"Listen to me. Look at your mother," said Prue. "Remember what it felt like to be human. Remember what it feels like to be loved."

Kellman made a sharp ball appear near Mrs. Peters' neck as the lost souls fly around the room.

"Prue, we're about to have other problems from other worlds," said Phoebe.

"Mom! I'm home," called Dawn.

"Dawn! Get down!" Prue told her daughter as Dawn opened a portal and stepped through it and into a bedroom upstairs.

"Tom?" said Mrs. Peters. "Help me!"

"Kill her, damn it," said Kellman.

Tom went over and grabbed the ball. He hesitated for but a moment and then threw the ball at Kellman.

"What the hell is happening?" Faith wondered as the lost souls flew around Kellman.

"I think there are some lost souls welcoming a new friend," said Prue. She looked at her sister. "Get rid of them."

"I return what I didn't want to find, let it be out of sight, out of mind," said Phoebe as Kellman was vanquished and the souls disappeared. At the same moment Tom's chevrons disappear as well.

"Mom," said Tom as he hugged his mother. "Mom, I'm so sorry."

"Dawn, can you come back," Prue called out.

"Oh!" said Mrs. Peters happy to finally her son back. "Oh, Tommy! It's alright. Everything's alright."

"I guess some guys are worth saving after all," Phoebe said as they heard footsteps on the stairs. She noticed Dawn coming down them.

"Tom, Mrs. Peters," said Prue as she and Dawn stepped up next to them. "I would like you to meet someone." She turned and smiled at her daughter. "This is Dawn Prudence Halliwell." She looked back at Tom. "She's your daughter, Tom."

Tom and Mrs. Peters looked shocked at the revelation. "You're sure?" asked Tom.

"One hundred percent," admitted Prue.

Mrs. Peters smiled as she pulled her granddaughter into an embrace. When she stepped back Tom embraced Dawn as well.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

That evening Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo were looking at the ring on Piper's finger.

"Isn't that beautiful?" asked Piper.

Prue nodded. "Yes, and it's right where it belongs. So is Tom, by the way, at home with his mom."

"How is Dawn taking finally knowing her birth father?" asked Piper. "And vice versa."

"They are both happy," said Prue.

"So maybe the spell wasn't such a bad thing after all," Phoebe suggested.

"Are you kidding?" asked Piper. "We're gonna have to hold a huge garage sale every Saturday for like the next three months to get rid of all the stuff that came back here."

"Yeah. Who knows what trouble may be caused if those lost souls had stayed around?" said Leo.

"Okay, okay, I will fix it," said Phoebe.

"Leo," said Prue. "Is there a way to give Buffy powers. Maybe our own?"

"You want to make Buffy, Charmed?" asked Piper.

"Not so much make her Charmed," said Prue. "But give her a way to defend herself against the demons we face. Till today she's been lucky. If not for you, Leo, she could have died again."

Leo nodded. "There is a spell that will imbue an amulet with your powers. That said it has to be done with a consensus."

Prue looked at her sisters. "I think it's a good idea."

"So, do I," agreed Piper and Phoebe.

"I will get the spell," said Leo.