What Makes Us Good Anyway?
Cole and Phoebe had been observing him in a curious manner throughout breakfast. He had the uneasy feeling that they knew something, something unpleasant. Could it be, he asked himself?
He knew that the deep experience they had just been through had changed them in more ways than one. What did they know?
He waited until the others had left the dining room and looked at them askance.
They still waited a bit then Phoebe finally spoke:
-Cole told me there is something you want to tell Prue?
There is something in her tone of voice that tells Paul she already knows what it is. And he becomes very anxious, even though exteriorly he still seems his calm self.
Paul:
-For whatever reason you're asking me this, I must request that you do not interfere.
Phoebe:
-I wouldn't dream of it, but I still have a few reservations of my own.
Paul:
-Maybe you should just come out and say what you have on your mind.
Cole:
-Let's not half talk here, so there it is: you know that our little experience has given us a different insight on a lot of things. And although some of it becomes fuzzier every moment that passes, there is one thing that was revealed to us that is difficult to forget or to understand.
Paul:
-And what do you intend to do with that information, he asks now certain that they know what he is hiding.
Phoebe:
-Nothing really, as long as we are sure that your intentions are definitely on the side of good.
Paul:
-If you really know what I am, then you also know where I stand.
Cole:
-Well that is the part that is not so clear you see. I'm definitely the wrong person to judge, I'll admit that. But still, what we know now is rather unsettling.
Paul:
-All you need to know is that yes I am working for the side of good and will continue doing it as I have for millennia now. My kind has been on the quest for forgiveness throughout the ages and none of us want it to change, as you well know considering what almost happened to Joel and my reaction to it.
Phoebe:
-I guess that's the best we can hope for. Will you tell her?
Paul:
-Maybe… But the real question that I have is, will you?
Cole:
-Not unless you do something that would make us change our mind.
But I still think she deserves to know.
Prue returns to the dining room at this moment, and she just heard the last part:
-What does who deserve to know?
Paul looks at them uncertain of their intentions still, but they save him with another little revelation of their own.
Phoebe:
-Well actually it's all of you. She says with a smile.
Prue:
-What is it?
Phoebe:
-Well guess what, I got me a new power although it's probably just temporary so I wasn't sure if I should tell you.
Paul sighs inwardly, relived.
Prue:
-Ok now. Tell us.
Phoebe looks at Cole for some support then she just says:
-Ok don't take this the wrong way, because I know it's a good power…
Prue:
-Phoebe she says warningly.
Phoebe:
-Right! Well I might as well show you.
Then she concentrates an instant and materializes a glass of milk on the table.
Prue reacts to this:
-What! That's a warlock power.
Paul intervenes in their behalf:
-Actually no. Like most powers it's what you make of it that makes it good or evil.
Prue is not too sure she wants to accept that explanation but she still continues:
-And why are you saying it's temporary she asks Phoebe next?
Phoebe:
-Well I don't think it's really mine she says looking down.
Prue:
-Oh! Well I guess if you do not abuse it…
Phoebe:
-I promise, she says in a little baby voice that just half reassures her sister.
Cole smiles at the thought of their little morning abuse and Phoebe guesses what is on his mind. Before he could say anything she discreetly elbows him on the side, which makes him stop.
After they left the room, Prue sits in front of Paul with a questioning stare directed at him.
Paul:
-What?
Prue:
-I'm not sure… I had the feeling that Phoebe was not the only one who had something to tell me.
Paul is still unsure of what he should do and just answers by a question:
-What makes you think that?
Prue:
-Just… Something tells me you have a secret that you're struggling with.
Paul can't exactly deny:
-Maybe, but if you don't mind, I'm not ready to talk about it yet.
Prue:
-That's alright I guess. I just hope it's not coming between us.
Paul:
-I hope so too.
Prue becomes pensive but doesn't insist at least for now.
The old countries abound with ghosts stories of all kinds particularly about old houses and castles. Most have been exaggerated and used to scared children and adults alike through the years. That day, a real estate agent was visiting one of those castles; an American who had no fears of ghosts whatsoever. His only interest in the place was the immense profit he was about to make. He had decided to invest his latest gains into a tourist venture. The castle seemed to be the perfect place to lodge them and even give them a little thrill here and there. He entered the castle without any worries of what lied inside, only concerned with the estimate of the cost to restore the building. Looking around, he became optimistic, the place appeared to be in a much better shape than he had feared. He was on his way to survey the upstairs apartments when he heard a strange noise coming from the hall he had just been into.
Turning around he couldn't see anything. He laughed at himself "Come on John, you're not going to start believing your own press now are you?"
Then he started again to go up. The noise came back louder now.
Like someone walking on a wooden floor and causing the boards to creak.
Again he stopped, berating himself "John, it's just those old walls you know that."
Again he started up, but this time the noise appeared to be right behind him and now he started shaking.
-Who is it? He said not daring to look.
The moment he finished that sentence, he felt himself pushed down the stairs. He fell hard and lost consciousness. But in the instant before that happened, he thought he saw something that made his blood cold. Then nothing…
Paul has just received a phone call on his cell and to Prue he looks somewhat annoyed:
Paul:
-Hem…
He pauses:
-Right.
Another longer pause:
-I suppose.
Then:
-Ok tell him I'll go there myself and talk to him.
Thank you.
When he cuts the connection Prue questions:
-What was that about if I may ask?
Paul turns to her and finally smiles:
-Of course you can. But it's not as bad as it sounded.
Prue:
-So?
Paul:
-Well I thought I had finally sold one of my properties in Scotland but it seems that the sale has hit a snag.
Prue:
-How so?
Paul:
-Well my buyer was involved in an unfortunate accident while visiting the place and now he wants out of the deal.
Prue:
-I see. And what kind of property is that?
Paul casually says:
-Oh a castle that has been in my family for centuries.
Prue's eyes lit up at the mention of the word:
-A castle!
Paul gives her an amused smile:
-Am I to guess that you would like to see it?
Prue:
-Oh can I?
She answers enthusiastically.
Piper is entering the foyer and asks:
-What can you?
Prue turns excitedly to her sister:
-Paul has a castle in Scotland…
Piper is impressed:
-Wow a castle. You really are full of surprises.
Paul is still smiling but says:
-Well it's not like you haven't been in one and recently at that.
Prue:
-But it was so short and we were all worried about Phoebe at the time. Now that would be different, like a real vacation.
Piper ads dreamily:
-Oh yes how romantic!
Leo just arrived and now he's the one asking:
-What is so romantic?
Piper:
-Paul has an actual castle in Scotland!
Leo:
-You don't say, he answers with an indulgent smile.
Phoebe who has heard her sister's exclamation comes running and declares in her baby voice:
-Who has a castle? I didn't even get to see Camelot myself.
Of course all this commotion attracted Cole too in there and now the men were looking at each other amused at the girls reaction.
Phoebe:
-Can we go too?
Paul had not been sure that he should even have Prue there for it was more business than anything but their excitement told him that they might be really disappointed if he didn't.
-Alright. I'll ask the people who are preparing it for me to ad a few rooms to the list.
The girls:
-Yippie!
Prue:
-When do we go?
Paul:
-2 days from now, the place should be ready by then.
Phoebe:
-Good, then we'll have time to shop for the right clothes.
Prue:
-Phoebe!
Phoebe:
-What? It's not the same weather there…
Prue:
-Excuses excuses.
Her sister makes her a face but they go on talking excitedly about their planned trip.
The people assigned to the cleaning of the castle had been working readily but with some fear in their minds. The stories about old castles were hairy to say the least and last week's event had given them lots to think about. One of them in particular had reported hearing weird sounds, almost a laughing. But until now they had not seen anything. The night before Paul and the others were to arrive, a man found himself alone in one of the upstairs bedrooms and suddenly felt like a cold touch on his arm. Turning around he could see nothing there and continued his work apprehensively. Suddenly he felt himself being picked up off the ground and panic built rapidly in him. As he was hurled through the window he heard the crazy laughter, than nothing else.
When they arrived at the Castle that afternoon, someone was waiting anxiously for Paul:
-Sir he said the castle is ready for you, but something happened last night.
Paul:
-Again?
The man:
-Sadly one of my men plunged through one of the second floor windows and died from his injuries at the hospital this morning he said very seriously.
Prue:
-What do you mean by plunged?
The man turning to her reluctantly:
-We don't really know Miss. There really is no explanation. He had no reasons to do that. He left a wife and 2 young children. This is very sad.
Prue, Piper and Phoebe are very upset and it overshadows their joy at visiting the castle for the first time. After the man departs, they finally enter the place.
Paul is also very troubled by this event even more so when he thinks about the talk he had with his former buyer:
Earlier at the hospital:
"Paul:
-So you had a little accident and that makes you return on your promise?
The real estate agent, his head banded and a cast on his right arm:
-If it had been just that, I wouldn't. But something was in that castle something I cannot explain and do not care to see again.
-What are you talking about?
John:
-Before I lost consciousness, I felt someone pushing me down those stairs and when I looked up, there was someone there but not really there.
Paul:
-Explain yourself. What exactly did you see?
John:
-That was really quick but I saw what looked like a woman but like no woman of the normal kind. She had a red tail and some kinds of small wings like a devil.
Paul:
-Ok really, you say you saw that after you fell?
John:
-Yeah
Paul:
-Well I'm quiet sure that it was only an illusion maybe caused by the fall. After all, we all know that there is no such thing as a she-devil now don't we?
John:
-Ok suit yourself, don't believe me. Nobody else did. But I'm not buying this castle of yours.
Paul:
-I won't say I'm not disappointed but if you really won't, then I'll release you of the contract.
John:
-That easy hey?
Paul:
-I didn't say I wouldn't keep the retainer though…
John:
-Fair enough.
Paul:
-Well then too bad we couldn't do business and I wish you a prompt recovery."
Paul had hurried out of there. He really had to work on himself so that the real estate agent couldn't read how angry he was. And now a second one…
Inside the men started admiring the architecture while the girls wanted to see all at once. Paul offered the tour even though he was dying to get a moment alone.
Prue:
-Oh it's so wonderful and big. Well maybe not as big as King Arthur's castle she laughs, but still.
Phoebe:
-Don't turn the knife in the wound. You know I didn't get to see it.
Prue:
-Yeah but I didn't get the power boost you got. You know you never really explained that aside from your little parlor trick the other day.
Piper:
-Yes Phoebe we're dying to know more…
Phoebe:
-Sorry, I can't even explain it very clearly. It was all more like instinct than anything else and it's going away very fast. Too bad though, it was some feeling while it lasted.
Prue:
-But still there must be something you remember?
Phoebe can't help but look in Paul's direction but she turns back quickly to her sisters.
Phoebe:
-No really, but I still like what I have left she says materializing a deli right then and there.
Prue:
-Didn't we say that you should show some restraint with this?
Phoebe:
-I'm eating for two, it was an emergency.
Prue sighs heavily but doesn't protest more while Phoebe is biting in her sandwich hungrily.
Then she says:
-You know it wouldn't be so bad if you shared a bit.
Phoebe laughs and asks for the order.
Later and after their little snacks the girl rejoined Leo and Cole downstairs.
Cole:
-So how do you like it so far, he asks Phoebe as she's coming to him.
Phoebe:
-I sure could get use to that.
She smiles teasingly.
Prue:
-One could get lost in here.
Piper:
-On the other hand we could not complain to be always too cramped like at the manor. For one I could get used to a little more privacy.
Leo:
-Still it would be so cold. Cramped is a problem but too big is also.
Paul:
-Well now I'll show you to your respective rooms, I still have a few things to attend to before dinner.
Prue:
-Sounds like a plan.
After he escorted them up, Paul goes to the room where last night's "accident" took place.
Inside he seems to look around aimlessly then he just calls:
-Lilith, he calls in a low voice. But when he gets no reaction he calls louder:
-Lilith, show yourself, I know you're here.
Behind him the ghostly form of a woman appears and in his mind he hears her:
"Hello Los, good to see you again."
Paul turns around to face her:
-I don't think you will find that I am pleased to see you though.
Lilith:
"Come on we're such old friends."
Paul:
-And as such I really thought I could trust you. Really, a thousand years of wandering and the punishment almost ending, yet you go and do this.
Lilith:
"Do what?"
Paul gets upset:
-You know what. You killed a man and almost a second one.
Lilith:
"No I didn't."
Paul:
-Lilith there is no point in denying it, nobody else was here.
She seems to squirm then replies:
"Ok I admit the man from the other day was my fault. But, she continues quickly, I made sure he would be helped, it was an accident."
Paul:
-How can you think I will believe that?
Lilith:
"I swear, I was bored and that man came, I wanted to see him closer but somehow we collided… Then seeing he still doesn't believe her, I swear!"
Paul:
-And the other one went through the window by accident I suppose? You wanted to show him the view?
Lilith:
"You have to believe me, I had nothing to do with this"
Paul smiles incredulously:
-Come on Lilith, you got a bad impulse, you liked it and did it again didn't you?
Lilith looks offended:
"No. I even made sure the signs were clear so that they would find the first one rapidly."
Paul:
-Belated remorse.
Lilith:
"How can you think I would do that? I know that my punishment is almost over and I learned my lesson."
Paul:
-From where I stand it doesn't look like it.
Prue calling to him interrupts them. He immediately comes out of the room surprising Lilith:
Paul:
-Prue did you need something?
Prue:
-You mean beside you? She says with a sly smile.
Paul tries to answer in kind but he is very nervous.
Prue:
-Were you talking to someone?
Paul:
-No why he answers a bit too fast.
Prue tries to get a look inside but he moves toward her.
She looks at him suspiciously than continues:
-It's just I thought I heard you talking in here. You didn't sound happy.
Paul:
-You know what they say, in these old castles ghosts abound he tries to joke.
Prue sees he won't be forthcoming and decides she'll come on her own later rather than questioning him uselessly. She's come to learn that when he didn't want to say something, there was no point in forcing it. She had made many futile attempts before.
Meanwhile Lilith was continuing the conversation:
"Hey what's the big deal, humans can't see me if I don't want them to."
Paul was answering in the same manner now:
"But witches can."
Lilith:
"You're in collusion with a witch now? That's rich. Does she know much about you?"
Paul:
"That's really none of your business and by the way she's not the only witch in here, there are two more and a whitelighter that will see you as well so stay out of their way. Then he ads:
"And keep your paws off of them."
Lilith's mocking voice echoes in his head as he is leading Prue away:
"Oh oh! Los has got it bad"
Paul:
"Shut up"
Prue:
-Paul?
Paul:
-What? He answers somewhat harshly.
Prue frowns:
-You looked distracted she ads hesitantly.
Paul finds his smile again:
-Sorry, I was just thinking of those accidents. How unfortunate they were.
Prue:
-True enough. That's not a very good way to start a vacation. Still gives me the chill just thinking about it.
Paul takes her in his arms:
-Don't worry, everything is going to be fine from now on.
Prue leans against him but still thinks:
"It would be better if I knew what was really wrong with you?"
But she doesn't ask.
Later that night they were sitting with their tea and trying to scare each other with ghosts stories but without great success:
Phoebe:
-Knowing everything about ghosts really takes the fun out of it. Anybody has something really scary other than that?
Cole:
-I'm sure I could find some but I don't think you would like it very much.
Piper:
-Anyway, I think that for the first night here it's more than late enough for me.
Phoebe:
-Come on sis, it's still early.
Piper:
-I'm not used to travel the normal way anymore although she says to Paul, that was nice of you. Felt like a real vacation.
Paul smiles warmly:
-I just thought it would be great to forget about your stuff for a few days. But I must admit I'm a bit tired too.
But feel free to stay up and look around if you want he says to Phoebe.
Phoebe:
-Oh, maybe it is time to rest. Now that you mention it.
But once in the bedroom she doesn't look anywhere near sleepy.
Cole:
-Does travelling always excite you like this?
Phoebe comes closer and just whispers:
-You just took the word right out of my mouth and she proceeds to demonstrate with a kiss what she had in mind.
Outside the walls of the castle two dark figures materialize:
-You couldn't resist could you? You could have alerted them and the plan would be shot to hell. The best chance we will have in a long time.
Says the first one with an angry voice.
The other:
-They're here aren't they and they do not suspect so get off my back. Says the other.
-Yeah well, the Halliwells are almost in our grasp so no more mistake. We are so close I can taste it. Now they are far away from their protected house. They do not even have the book with them.
It is a very fortunate thing that those idiots made their travel plans so easy to find.
The other:
-Yeah you would believe they do not fear a thing. We'll show them, but
what about the men in there?
The first one:
-Since when do you worry about humans?
Concentrate on the witches and it will work.
While still talking one of them becomes invisible.
The sound of his voice resounds:
-Let's do this. The other disappears too.
Inside Paul and Prue's bedroom, Prue has just about the same idea as Phoebe about how to end the evening but Paul seems distracted.
Prue:
-Hey I'm giving you all my best signals and you're ignoring me. What's up with that?
Paul:
-I'm sorry Prue, just a bit distracted.
Prue:
-Yes and that has been like that all evening. Would it have to do with that room?
Paul feigns ignorance:
-What room? Although he knows perfectly what she means.
Prue sighs:
-Come on, I know there is something on your mind.
Paul:
-Can this wait? I really don't feel like talking then he takes her in his arms:
-And, hem, I thought you had something else in mind.
Prue giggles now:
-You know that you are a devil you.
Paul pulls her to him and if she had seen his expression then she might have started to worry…
They had waited patiently, hiding in a concealed corridor.
Through a peep hole probably built in a long time ago by a former owner of the place they could observe the couple in bed.
The first one:
-Humans are just as wicked as we are. I can just imagine the kind that would do this.
The second one:
-Silence Cezarus, you don't want to alert them now. He whispers.
Cezarus:
-From the look of things, they are spent for the night. I doubt a train could wake em up.
The other one known by the name of Livius:
-Then let's do it.
They become invisible again and push a secret door that opens in the bedroom. Suddenly, Phoebe jerks in the bed and tries to repulse and invisible attacker who seems to have her by the neck. Meanwhile an invisible hand carrying a heavy lamp to the other side of the bed almost managed to strike Cole but somehow he had felt a presence and put his arm in front of him just in time. He grunted in pain at the hit but reacted quickly and hit something before even realizing he could not see his attacker. The invisible one flew back and a loud thump was heard when he hit the ground. Cole then turned to Phoebe who was still struggling against her own attacker and he jumped toward what he figured was an invisible demon or something. Unfortunately the other one had realized the danger and let go of Phoebe already which caused Cole to fall hard after hitting air. He still got up and tried to see the attackers but to no avail. Phoebe was just trying to catch her breath and looked around herself uncomprehending.
-Cole what was that she asks in a raspy voice.
Cole still looking around warily:
-Are you ok?
Phoebe:
-I think. Did he go away?
Cole:
-I'm not sure but there were more than one. He goes toward her slowly keeping his eyes mobile. But of the attackers he could find no trace.
Cole:
-Come on, we should warn the others he says picking up a bathrobe and handing one to her.
When they were outside the room she asked:
-Do you know what they were?
Cole:
-No idea, they might as well have been ghosts.
But there's one thing sure here. That was no accident…
They went to get the others and all of them find themselves back in the study but no longer in good spirit.
Piper:
-For the love of Pete, can't they give us one little moment of peace?
Phoebe are you sure you're ok?
Phoebe leaning on Cole:
-I think so. Her voice is still a bit raspy and Piper grimaces.
Prue gives a worried look to Phoebe but she is also thinking hard about the new problem:
-We have to find them.
Cole:
-Good bloody luck, they are invisible and somehow they just went out of this room either by blinking or they had another way out. I have no idea where they went.
Paul is oddly quiet now lost in his own thoughts. He is convinced that Lilith had something to do with this but can't understand the theory of two attackers. Then again he thinks she may just have been very fast?
Paul:
-Will you excuse me for a moment?
They look at him in surprise but he is out of the room before they had time to protest.
He quickly goes to the room he was in this afternoon and doesn't lose time before rudely calling Lilith:
-Come here now!
Lilith appears before him this time:
"What is it? I thought you didn't want me around?"
Paul:
-I thought I also said to keep your paws off of them, he says in a steady but menacing voice.
Lilith:
"And I have she says irritated herself now"
Paul:
-You idiot, you almost killed the messenger.
Lilith seems to jump at this.
"What are you talking about?"
Paul continues ignoring her protest:
-While you were attacking her did you happen to notice who she was with? Didn't you sense something?
Lilith:
"I didn't attack anyone. I stayed away as you asked she says angry now"
Then she asks again:
"Where is the messenger? Is it for real?"
Paul is about to ask her how she could have made herself invisible to them when Prue interrupts him:
-Who is she?
In front of her she can see the ghostly image of a woman but she has grotesque small red wings on her back and apparently a tail.
Paul turns to her in surprise:
-Prue!
Prue repeats louder:
-Who is she?
Paul seems speechless. He looks at her with such guilt that Prue feels her heart break inside at what this might imply:
-Talk now.
Lilith decides to address her question since he won't:
-My name is Lilith, and I suggest you calm down. I didn't do anything.
That shakes Paul out of his shock:
-Keep quiet! You've done enough already.
Prue refused to be ignored:
-Paul, please explain yourself now.
Paul turns to her reluctantly:
-I think she's the one who attacked Phoebe and Cole.
Prue:
-Cole said there were two attackers…
She said it in such a way that he knew she was wondering about him too.
Alerted by the loud voices, the others had come upstairs and were just now entering the room with similar reactions to Prue's.
Cole:
-Who the hell is that?
Lilith ghostly eyes rolled with irritation.
-Come on Los you want me to be the bad guy so tell them again how I separated myself in two and attacked them.
Prue:
-Who is Los?
Paul now just looks at Lilith wondering if he hasn't been mistaken:
-Do you really mean that you didn't do that?
Lilith:
-I told you already, I would never do that. You just weren't listening.
Paul:
-But if not you, then who?
Cole:
-May I suggest anyhow that ghosts don't make noise when they hit the ground.
Paul answers distractedly:
-Lilith is not your ordinary ghost, he says but now he has calmed down considerably.
He continues:
-I think I still believe she didn't do it.
Prue:
-You see, that doesn't help much. We still don't know who she really is and now we just know that two more are trying to kill us. Maybe we could resolve the first problem…
Paul:
-Since the danger seems to have passed for now, why don't we go back downstairs and I'll explain it to you?
Prue doesn't answer but after a moment just staring at him she turns around leading the others back to the study once more.
The group sits warily, their attention on the ghostly form who has followed them.
Paul stays standing and finally faces them. He seems really pained and Prue dreads now what he has to say.
She wants to know but at the same time she is convinced now that whatever it is has to do with the secret he didn't want to reveal before.
Paul:
-I would have preferred it didn't come to this, but I guess staying with you that long it was inevitable.
As you have all guessed, Lilith and me are acquainted. Actually one could say we have known each other forever and that would not be a cliché. Prue before I tell you the truth about me I want you to know that I always meant well and never intends to do anything to hurt any of you. On the contrary, I made it my mission in life to protect you and any innocent. It's actually more than a mission, it's many lifetime that I spent making amend for my terrible mistakes of the past.
Prue is feeling her chest tightening now.
Paul:
-Lilith was a wizard just like me, and has deviated, to use the euphemism, from the mission. Her punishment was to be left hanging between world for a thousand years. Neither hell nor heaven would ever accept us.
Leo is now more puzzled than enlightened:
-Why couldn't they?
Paul smiles warily:
-Even whitelighters do not know this and none of you should ever repeat what I will say next. But your Elders do know. They just choose to keep this to themselves.
They acquiesce and he continues even though he sees the astonished expression on Lilith's face:
-Our history goes way further than yours. I have memories of the dawn of your time. Before the angels turned against God and were thrown out of the heavens.
He pauses for a moment then he starts again:
-As you know these angels were thrown off for having rebelled out of jealousy and envy of the human race. They too wanted the right to choose and the freedom to enjoy the pleasures of life. But once they were banished, it rapidly transformed into hatred for everything that wasn't them. Still, they went into the world and took advantage of all that was offered with no regard for any other. They mated with human women and brought magic to the human world.
Piper and Prue react to this but he stops them:
-Please let me finish.
They grudgingly keep quiet.
-As I was saying magic spread to some humans and they themselves now could make the choice to use it as they saw fit. Some became demons; some stayed simply humans but very bad and more even, turned what had been given by evil to good. But the fallen ones once they had had their fill of the pleasures that they had craved now found themselves with only one way to go. The doors of heaven were forever closed to them as decreed by God, and they simply returned to the depth of hell where they closed on themselves, some feeding on their hatred and some suffering from terrible regrets.
Again he hesitates looking at Prue with almost pleading eyes.
-My name is Los, at least my soul's name is. I was among the last group. A very few ones who only dreamed of earning forgiveness. But for us, that would be a long and arduous path. One that we still walk today.
All except Cole and Phoebe who already knew were just looking at him with round eyes and couldn't find anything to say.
Prue suddenly stood up and ran out of the room. Paul was tempted to go after her but he then realized he could not really make it any better. Now it was up to her to decide what she would do. He hoped that she would remember the good things he had done as opposed to just what he was.
Piper finally finds her voice prompted by her sister's reaction no doubts:
-You are evil? She asks still incredulous.
Paul:
-No! I put this behind me a long time ago. But my soul still remembers the time when I was.
Leo:
-Are you a demon?
Lilith intervenes here:
-Since you started it, I might as well make sure they understand.
No we are not demons we gave birth to them. We are the origin.
And forever will regret our part in it. For my part almost a thousand years ago, I lost faith and returned to my old ways. But after having left the realm of evil and fought them for millennia, they were not about to accept me again. And of course the alternative was also just as impossible to reach, as Los told you. So we have devised a punishment for ourselves and I had to accept it, after a fashion.
A heavy silence falls on the room now and probably would have prolonged if it hadn't been for the crashing noise coming from upstairs.
Just then, they remembered that something else was actually threatening them. Piper disappeared in a flash, while the others ran up. First one there, she found her sister fighting an apparently invisible foe.
In doubts she simply froze the room before the others came in. Prue disentangled herself from the grasp of her opponent and came toward Piper.
Prue:
-What are they?
Piper:
-Don't ask me but at least they froze. That tells me that they are either demons or warlocks. Or at least, I think so. When the others arrived they searched in vain with their eyes for the attackers.
Piper:
-I can't see them but I'm sure they are frozen somewhere in here.
Cole moves slowly toward the spot Prue indicated that she left her attacker and he can feel him there but still can't see him.
Phoebe:
-How are we supposed to know how to vanquish them if we can't see them?
Lilith:
-Maybe, I can show you. She approaches them and swirling around them allowing their silhouette to be visible as well as their facial features.
Piper:
-Ok now that is neat. But we don't have the book. Anybody knows who they are at least?
Phoebe:
-I can't tell you who they are but for the matter of the book I think I can manage that. She concentrates hard and after a few seconds the BoS materializes in her hands.
Prue:
-That's a start. Now anybody got an idea.
Cole:
-They are not easy to identify but they might be a couple of demons I heard of working together. If it's them, their names are Livius and Cezarus. I didn't know about the invisibility power though. Maybe they learned it just for this occasion.
Prue:
-Let's look them up. Prue goes to Phoebe and flips the pages of the book until she found the entry for the demons.
Prue:
-Well what do you know, here's our vanquish.
The girls huddle and start reciting the chant:
"Stand forth the Wicked Pair
Evil dweller by two They Share
The Will of Three thee will Suffer
To the Four Winds, You will Scatter"
The result was swift and satisfying, as the two of them for all they could see started to be pulled apart in all directions until they exploded in a bright flash of light.
The moment it is over, Lilith disappears as well, obviously feeling that her presence is definitely not wanted.
For the purpose of the vanquishing they had momentarily put the recent events aside but when Paul tried to come near Prue she simply went around him and left the room without ever having looked at him.
Piper left right after as well as Leo and now Phoebe came to him. She didn't really know what to say but she took his hand and just pressed his trying to comfort him. Then her and Cole left as well and Paul found himself alone and right then he thought that it might be all he would ever know. Solitude. Before knowing her he had never wondered about the value of companionship.
Relationships were just a passing event to him. Now he knew that if she didn't forgive him, he would regret her forever.
The rest of them had gone back to sleep even if they were still very shaken by Paul's revelations. He himself had spent most of the night sitting by himself in the study, reflecting on his future without her.
The thought was an unpleasant one.
In the morning, he received the visit of Lilith:
"I will go now, but there is a question you didn't answer."
Paul knew what she meant:
-The messenger?
Lilith:
-Is it for real? She says aloud.
Paul:
-I think so.
Lilith just before disappearing:
-Then there is hope for us.
Paul sighs. That should have been enough. They had been waiting for this so long. But now even the possibility of forgiveness had a bittersweet taste to it.
Then she surprised him.
Prue:
-Paul?
He couldn't look at her:
-Yes?
Prue:
-I don't know what will happen but I think I can judge for myself on the goodness of your heart. No matter what you are.
Paul finally looked up with some hope in his heart now.
Prue:
-If you're patient, I think I can learn to live with this.
Paul:
-I have waited forever for you. I won't give up now.
Then she just smiles and takes his hand in hers.
Prue:
-Now let's start those vacations…