Heaven Can't Wait
Chapter 4
Even from outside the door, Piper and Leo heard the scream and entered the house without waiting. Prue and Paul were already on their way toward the stairs. They ran up after getting no answers to their calls and found Cole prostrated, staring at a message that had been engraved in the wall.
"If you want them to live, come to me at once…"
The letters were still simmering, as if written with burning blood…
Prue gasped, as understanding dawned on her. The sensation of foreboding must have been a warning, but she had ignored it and now guilt was eating at her. Paul went straight to Cole and put his hand firmly on his shoulder:
"Cole, remember what I told you…"
Cole could barely hear him, the fear and rage building inside him. He could almost feel the demon wanting to come out, and the temptation was great to let it. As he was now, he had no idea how else he would save them. However, he forced himself to think of what Phoebe would have wanted, then he took a few deep breaths, and finally turned his tormented look toward the wizard:
"What am I supposed to do?"
Prue answered for him as she put her remorse aside to get into action:
"What are we supposed to do, you mean. We are all going to help, they are also our sister and nephew…"
Cole looked her way as if he thought that she was deluded:
"What can you do that I cannot?"
Prue replied with irritation:
"As it is now, you cannot do much anyway…"
Paul:
"Ok, you two, we all have to calm down, there is no point in fighting, it's only going to make things worse…"
Piper and Leo entered the room at this point, and gasped at the same time, seeing the message that was almost impossible to miss…
Paul took the situation in hand, knowing full well that all of them were too shocked to think clearly:
"Everyone needs to calm down… First thing first, no matter what the message says, the Source will wait before doing anything…"
Cole interrupted angrily:
"How the hell can you be so sure about that?"
Paul kept his cool but looked severely in his direction, staring him for a few seconds before answering:
"Because, he didn't do this for nothing… You must know that he wants you back in exchange, and he knows that his best chance to do that is to bargain their lives for your return…"
Prue:
"You really think that he would miss his best chance to get rid of a charmed one in the process?"
Paul:
"That is immaterial to the present situation… He won't do a thing as long as he thinks that he can get Cole back. "
Piper:
"We have to do something…"
Paul:
"And we will… I may have an idea."
In the underworld, the Source received his new prisoners with delight.
"Well, I'll be! At last, I have a charmed one at my mercy, and her baby no less."
Phoebe was standing in front of him with Lucifer still holding her. She was trembling in fear not so much for her as for her child, who was now crying loudly.
Still, she chose defiance, as there was little else that she could do about the situation.
"You got me… Now what?" She spat.
She kept her chin up, and her eyes steady.
The Source looked her up with a renewed interest, now coming closer.
"I suppose that might explain his interest in you, although you must be a handful…"
Phoebe felt dirty and insulted; she felt as if he had soiled her with his eyes… He then turned back, gesturing to Lucifer, who pushed her toward a cell a little off to the right of the throne, and then closed the heavy iron door behind her. She found herself in total darkness, but even then she resisted giving in to the terror that she felt mounting in her, if only for her baby' sake…
At the manor, Cole was restless and cast many angry looks toward the others, who were now discussing the matter in the living room to his great displeasure…
Prue:
"I really think that I should go too. You are going to need all the help that you can get, but I don't think that Piper should…"
Piper:
"And why not? She's my sister too…"
Prue:
"It is not necessary to put all of us in danger, and you also have your own baby to worry about. What's more, now that Leo…"
She didn't finish the sentence, seeing the regrets in Leo's eyes.
Paul:
"I really think that I could do it on my own…"
Cole, unable to contain himself anymore:
"You won't leave me behind, I have to go too…"
Paul:
"I do not think that it is a very good idea, you said yourself that you don't have any control over your powers at the moment. And besides, it is very much possible that the Source could provoke you into returning to your demon state…"
"That won't happened," Cole replied quickly.
Paul came closer, wanting only him to hear:
"I didn't tell anything to them," he said in a low voice, " but I saw your expression earlier, and I know that you came this close already…"
Cole answered in the same tone of voice, albeit more tense:
"I controlled it, I will again…"
Paul:
"We cannot take that risk."
Cole came closer to him, threatening but also somewhat begging:
"If it was Prue down there, could you stay behind?"
Paul looked at him in the eye, and for a long moment the two men stared at each other. Then Paul just nodded and turned back to the others.
"Cole will come along but that's it…"
Prue:
"No way, you have another thing coming if you think that you will leave me behind!"
Paul sighed heavily but finally agreed.
"I'll need for you two to stay out of sight. Hopefully, I won't need your help…"
Prue and Cole accepted this reluctantly, and Paul motioned them to come nearer.
Then, under Piper and Leo's worried stare, they disappeared in a blue mist.
Now in the caves, the three of them were looking around anxiously, worried that their arrival might have been detected, but no one came, and they could move on to the next part of the plan.
Paul silently signaled to them to follow him and they walked cautiously.
Cole realized that Paul seemed to know his way as well as he, himself did in there, which was something he hadn't thought that he would… Another surprising fact about him…
When they came close to the Sources' hall, Paul signaled them to stay out of sight, then he resolutely came in front of the guard as if he belonged there. Cole and Prue stared in disbelief at his action. Yet the guard didn't make any move against him, and without a word, entered the hall, seemingly to announce the wizard's arrival.
The guard soon returned and signaled to him that he was allowed entry. Paul went into the chamber with his head up, with all the appearance of an equal. He faced the Source and looked at him straight in the eye, waiting silently.
The Source:
"Well wizard, what or should I say who do we owe the dubious pleasure of your visit?"
Paul lifted a corner of his mouth into a half smile and after a few seconds:
"You seem to have…Something that doesn't belong here…"
The Source seemingly playing the game:
"And what might that be?"
Paul was surprised at his lack of worry. Although, he couldn't kill him, Paul knew that he could hurt him and possibly do a lot of damage in the underworld, yet the Source seemed oddly unconcerned and that gave Paul pause, as he continued nevertheless:
"You kidnapped someone that I consider a friend… I would greatly appreciate if she and her infant were returned at once."
The Source:
"Just like that?" He asked with a point of sarcasm that again puzzled the Wizard. He had expected resistance, even possibly a fight but not this lack of concern. Then, the demon put his cards on the table, suddenly bending toward Paul with an intense expression.
"First, I have learned a few things since the last time you were here, your tricks won't work on me. What's more, I have also learned a few things about you…"
Paul stared back confidently, but inwardly, he started worrying.
The Source continued:
"You have grown weak yourself, falling for yet another one of those charmed ones." The last part was said with utter contempt.
"Yes," he added when he saw that Paul reacted to this, " I see that we understand each other. You didn't really think that you had come all the way to this chamber without me knowing about it, now did you?"
A chill went down Paul's back but he still kept a steady voice:
"I was kind of hoping for this yes…But no matter, we can still deal…"
The Source started laughing derisively:
"Maybe you should think twice about the terms," he said, then he looked back to the Hall's entrance where a commotion was heard.
A guard positively flew through the entrance, and Paul had no doubt that Prue was responsible for that. However, their resistance lasted only a moment, as two more guards entered dragging her, as she was barely conscious. Obviously they had had the upper hand. Cole was dragged in as well by two more guards and, for the moment at least, he offered little resistance, apparently knowing that it was pointless.
The Source, with a satisfied smile, turned back to the wizard and mockingly uttered:
"I really should thank you for the gift. You brought me back my demon and another bargaining chip…"
Prue interrupted him, astral projecting, and hoping that she could cause enough confusion to allow them escape. She reappeared behind the Source and kicked him hard. However, the Source hardly moved, and instead, turned toward her true self, still in the trance for the projection. He then lifted his hand so quickly that the men had no time to react and threw a fireball in her direction, which hit her fully. Cole and Paul tried to run to her, horrified at what just happened. Paul howled in pain and seeing that he could do nothing to save her, he turned to the Source with rage. Before he could do anything however, the Source anticipating his reaction, had used his other hand to send an electric lasso around his neck. Paul never even had time to protect himself. In a few seconds, he was falling on his knees, as much from the physical pain than from the grief.
The Source gloated:
"I told you that I had learned things, LOS. You should have stayed away."
Paul fell to the ground, unconscious…
Prue wondered for a long moment what was happening to her. She almost felt like she was still in her astral state, but it was different somehow. She could see her own body being disintegrated, totally incredulous. How could this be, she asked herself. I'm here…
But then, she saw a bright light coming toward her, and she could hear the call. The voice was familiar, and she turned toward it, curious.
Her mother was there, as she had seen her many times before, glowing of a bright light. However, what really startled her was to see who accompanied her. Andy was standing by her mother, smiling softly and holding his hand to her, inviting her. Patti called to her again:
"Prue, it's your time. You must come with us."
Prue looked at both of them in turn, still unable to accept that it was all over. She then looked back toward the chamber to see Paul getting hurt by the Source and she gasped, trying to go to him. However, he seemed so far away by then that she couldn't reach him.
Patti came closer and took her hand in hers.
Prue tried to protest:
"I can't leave them, they need me…"
Patti:
"You did all you could, now it's up to them; your time has come, you must follow me…"
Prue looked back one last time, then she turned to the light and, guided by her mother and Andy, she entered it…
Paige was just coming out from work, and as she was walking away from the building, she suddenly felt as if someone had punched her hard in the chest. It was so real that she almost doubled over. Totally confused, she looked around searching for her attacker, but no one was there…
Then, when she looked ahead again, she screamed of fright. In front of her stood the ethereal form of a woman. She glowed of a bright light and smiled at her sadly. Paige started to slowly walk backward toward the entrance of the building, but the apparition talked and it stopped her cold:
"Paige?"
Paige opened wide eyes but didn't answer. The voice was soft and soothing. And then she understood why she looked so familiar. She clutched the locket on her neck. The woman was the one from the picture.
The women talked again:
"Paige, your sisters need you."
Paige could barely believe that she was there let alone understand what she was talking about. She babbled:
"My…My sisters?"
The ghost approached and Paige took another step back.
She was terrified at this point, but she had to know:
"Are you…" She hesitated some more, "are you my mother?"
The apparition smiled wider:
"Yes I am, my name is Patti, I can't stay long but I wanted to tell you about your sisters."
Paige:
"I do not have any sisters."
Then, she couldn't stand it anymore:
"Leave me alone, I do not want to see you, you're only in my imagination…"
Patti:
"No, it's really me."
Paige:
"No! That's not possible." She babbled, still backing away from Patti. "Leave me alone, it's just my desire to see you that does this."
Patti:
"Please, it's almost time for me to go, you must listen…"
But Paige turned her back on her decisively at that point, and pushed the door of the building.
Patti, sensing that she was being recalled:
"They are in San Francisco, they will need you, please."
Then she vanished in a bright show of orbs, unsure if her lost daughter had heard what she had said…
Piper and Leo were worried sick. It had been over an hour and by all account, they had expected to see them back much sooner according to Paul's plan.
Piper:
"Do you think that something went wrong?"
Leo:
"I'm sure that Paul will succeed," he said, even though he was just as anxious as she was. He then took her in his arms and hugged her tight.
"It will be ok, I'm sure that everything will be fine."
Piper took a deep breath, and huddled closer to him, trying to take strength from him. They held each other, waiting…
The Source turned his attention to his former demon, which was struggling with the guards now, appalled at Prue's all too sudden death. Terror gripped his insides at the thought of what the Source might have done to Phoebe and his child.
The Source got up and slowly advanced on Cole, stopping only a few feet away.
"Now, Belthazor… It's between you and me…" He said gesturing to the still unconscious Wizard.
Cole:
"Where are they," he asked angrily.
The Source:
"Who, they?"
Cole tried to move toward him, enraged.
The Source:
"You know how to set yourself free, just do it…"
Cole:
"I won't do anything for you! At least not until I'm sure that my wife and son are safe," he added, somewhat defeated.
The Source grimaced, disgusted:
"Love, pfff. You have to get rid of this, Belthazor. That doesn't suit you."
Cole:
"You have me now, release them." He almost screamed, ignoring his sarcasm.
The Source:
"As you just said, I have you… So why should I let them go?"
Cole's temper flared:
"You don't need her, you already broke the power of three," he spat angrily. "Besides, you won't get anything from me until I am sure that they are safe…"
The Source:
"We will see."
The Source turned back, and walked slowly toward his throne. Then, he signaled to the demon Lucifer. The demon moved to the cell, and opened the heavy door, then entered it. He came back holding Phoebe firmly. She herself had the child, now silent, in her arms and squinted even at the semi-darkness of the chamber. It took her a moment before she could recognize all present, but when she finally could, a scream left her lips:
"Cole!"
He fought against his captors again, trying to get to her but they held on.
Lucifer brought his charges to the source and stood fast by his side, still holding on to Phoebe.
The Source:
"Now, as you can see they are alive…For now…"
Cole:
"Let them go!"
The Source:
Cole had to fight as much his own instincts as he fought to get free. He could feel the urge to let the demon out, but resisted.
The Source saw his struggle:
"Free yourself, you will feel so much better."
Cole took a deep breath:
"No!"
The Source pulled out a sword and put it at Phoebe's throat.
"If you want to save her, you will need your powers Belthazor…"
He pushed the blade just so, but a drop of blood came out, and Phoebe gasped, but stood fast.
"Brave little girl," the Source said with a cynical smile.
"But that won't save her… Let it out Belthazor, you can see now that there isn't any other option."
Cole looked at Phoebe, and her eyes were begging him not to give in. Cole was now breathing hard, the anger almost blinding him. He turned away from Phoebe and she called to him:
"Cole, no!"
He closed his eyes, and for a long moment, everyone else just watched as he obviously was struggling with the decision. Then he suddenly smiled, incongruously. Phoebe:
"No, you can't"
But then, he opened his eyes and looked directly at her, and she saw…
The Source was puzzled by his reaction:
"Are you back?" He asked him.
Cole turned to him, still smiling:
"I should thank you," he said calmly.
The Source thought that he had succeeded at this point.
Then Cole continued, confidently:
"I should thank you for showing me the way… I was so afraid of myself, that I didn't understand."
The Source:
"What are you saying Belthazor?"
Cole:
"There is no more Belthazor…"
The Source:
"Don't delude yourself, you will always be him. You're a demon, accept that."
Cole smiled anew:
"No, I understand now, I was afraid that my anger would release him, but he is dead…" He added almost matter of fact like.
"I thought that anger could make me evil again, but that never was about anger, now was it? It was about power and dominance. Well those things, I do not want anymore."
The Source:
"If you won't return to me, then your witch and the child will die…"
Cole turned to look at Phoebe as he continued for the Source:
"No they won't."
A swirl of light started from the ground, circling around him. The guards, startled, almost let go of him right then. The light enveloped him for a short instant, and then the change took place. When he came to view again, he had grown at least a foot taller; his arms, now bare, were twice as muscular as before, as was his chest now covered with a silver armor, which had replaced his clothing. Moreover, although there was still a resemblance to Cole, even his face had changed. His entire body glowed of a white light that clashed with the dark surroundings. Phoebe couldn't help a scream of surprise, but the point of the sword entered a few millimeters deeper in her skin, which stopped her cold.
Cole started in a deep voice, echoing in the chamber:
"Now you will let her go…"
The Source continued to threaten Phoebe, even as he looked at Cole angrily.
"You cannot hurt me," he said with conviction.
Cole didn't answer. Instead, feeling a surge of power mounting in him, he sensed more than he knew what he had to do. First, he threw off the guards like they were nothing. Then, once free of them, he positively flew to the Source' side, pushing the sword away, and sending an energy ball in the direction of Lucifer, who let go of his charges to protect himself. Cole then ceased his wife and son and vanished along with them in a flash of blinding light. All of this had happened so fast that none of the guards or the Source himself could react fast enough. Then, he growled in frustration…
Piper and Leo saw the flash of light and then Phoebe and the baby, but that was all, as the light dissipated. Phoebe looked around herself, puzzled.
She called anxiously:
"Cole?"
However, Cole was already gone.
Piper ran to her sister, wrapping her arm around her shoulder, with tears in her eyes.
"Oh my god, Phoebe, we thought…"
Phoebe couldn't answer just yet. She was too worried…
In the Underworld, the Source continued growling, but now he was turning to Paul, with a definite ill intention.
"This time," he said, " you won't survive this." A surge of electric power formed in his extended hand. He was about to strike when the swirl of light enveloped Paul and took him away as it had been for Phoebe. The electric bolt went straight through the last remnant of the light, hitting the floor of the cave, where it made a deafening noise, sparks flying everywhere.
Paige was standing in the hall of her office building, trembling and utterly confused.
What was the matter with her, she asked herself? Then she wondered if all those years of frustration, searching for her true parents had not gotten to her somehow… She liked to think of herself as a reasonable person, at least most of time. At 23, she was a free spirit, but she never had seriously envisioned that supernatural things might actually exist. After a while, she decided that she must simply have been tired and hallucinated, no matter how out of character it was for her. But then, she had to admit that the punch she had received from an invisible assailant was something that she couldn't easily explain away. Still, she would have managed to convince herself that it also was her imagination, hadn't it been for the next unbelievable event. At this point, she wanted only to be home and get some rest. The thought had barely taken form in her mind that she felt as if she was lifted off the ground and flew right out of the building, without ever opening the door. Almost instantaneously, she found herself standing in the middle of her modest apartment, gasping for breath. That is when she started to think that she had gone raving mad…
(I'm adding this for all of you, who feel that Prue's death may be too much. Let me point out that unlike the show, I do not have to pay royalties to Shannen Doherty to use her character, and as many suggested, in the charmed universe, there are ghosts and even people temporarily returning from the dead. For the matter of actually killing her, it simply was a mean to explore the new character of Paige, as we all will have to get used to her in the future. So I'm giving you my version of her