Summary:
Paige finds out a horrible secret from her adoptive family's past. She decides to find out more about the incident, maybe the truth. In the process she puts the Charmed Ones against their greatest foe, but this one is mortal. Meanwhile Phoebe and Cole are possessed by spirits who want revenge on their killer.


Note: This story is derived from an episode of Smallville and the spoilers from A Paige from the Past. It may have a bit of a Nancy Drew feel to it also. I hope you enjoy it.




Chapter 1

He just sat there, feeling as though the ground slipped away and he was falling into a never-ending pit. Why now? Why this way? Were his past sins punishable by this? Yes he was of old age, but.... Then, in the back of his mind he heard the pitiful screams of his first victim, Fiona Matthews.

Then he felt the ground totally fall, as he fell with it. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. That had to be enough. He couldn't be sent to the depths of hell. He was sorry for what he had done, the pain he had caused. But no. He had to go. Go and be eaten away by the putrid environment of hell. He let out a last mournful cry and fell to the ground.

A nurse stationed not to far away heard the scream and ran to the room. She too let out a yelp. Paige, who was at the nursing home talking to an old woman, ran to the room.
"What's wrong?"
Paige walked closer to the nurse.
"He's, he's...."
She inched past the bed, to the window seat and finished the nurse's sentence.
"Dead."
The nurse turned her back to the corpse and to Paige.
"Sweetie, go call the hospital."
Paige nodded and walked out of the room.

Her walk seemed somewhat disturbed. She had witnessed many deaths before, but not those of "grandpa material". Only the deaths of ugly, putrid monsters of hell.

She picked up the receiver and dialed the hospital next door. A young woman answered the phone.
"Good afternoon. You have reached South Bay hospital. How may I help you?"
"Um...this is a visitor from the nursing home next door. Uh...one of the residents just um...died."
"Oh dear. Well I'll have a paramedic there right away."
Paige looked up from the phone and stared blankly at the wall. Why did she have to see him? Why couldn't she have just left? Then the woman snapped her out of it.
"Hello, miss. Hello?"
"Oh yeah. Um...thanks, bye."
She hung up the phone and walked back to the room.
"I called the hospital. They'll be here any second."
"Oh, thank you dear."
"I uh...have to go now, bye."
Paige ran from the room and grabbed he purse and coat. She raced out of the nursing, not wanting to look back. She didn't even say bye to her "assignment". All she cared about was forgetting that old man, but she couldn't. There was something about him. Something that called Paige's attention. Good or evil she had to find out what it was.

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"So...what will you be looking for?"
Cole put his hands in his pockets, out of excitement. Phoebe had answered his proposal with a yes. He was getting what he wanted. A wife, someone to love him back, but most of all a normal life.
"Um...I don't know. You should pick it out!"
Phoebe started laughing. Here she was with the man she loved, wait the one she was going to marry, and she was laughing.
"What if you don't like what I pick?"
"I will, believe me."
"Humph. Well then I'll pick the most beautiful ring, for the most beautiful woman."
Phoebe rolled her eyes.
"I think we're past flattery Cole. I already said yes."
Cole laughed, but it was empty. He had actually meant it. That's when he remembered that Phoebe always thought of things that way. It was sort of annoying when he was trying to talk to her about love and marriage. It had been so much easier in the beginning. Like in the cemetery when Phoebe found out who he really was. That day had been the hardest ever, but he still cherished every second of that day, even when Phoebe called him a bastard.
"Cole? Cole?"
"Huh...oh sorry. Were you saying something?"
"No. I just get worried when my fiancé starts starring into space for no apparent reason."
"Oh well sorry. Can we just get the rings?"
"Okay if you want."
Something bothered Phoebe. Why was Cole acting like this? It was probably pre-wedding jitters, so she dismissed it.
"Here."
She pointed to a door.
"If you want."
Cole took her arm and walked her into the jewelry store.

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He looked around. So this is hell huh. Not very "scary".
He had expected hell to be more...gruesome and well dark. Like in the stories and books. He thought to himself again. If I'm dead, then I must be able to fly. I have to.
He jumped up and down like an idiot. Then the Source walked in.
"Well, well, well. Hell has been invaded by jumping idiots?"
"Who are you?"
"Why do you need to know? I know who you are. Isn't that enough? Oh yes. It's Michael King I presume."
"How do you know my name?"
The Source laughed.
"No need to panic old man. You're fine. You also know why you're here, in hell."
"Yes."
"It's not your fault. It was the jurors. They are the ones who put you in prison."
Michael thought for a second. He' s right.
"You're right! It is their fault!"
"You can get revenge you know."
Michael's eyes lit up.
"How? I'm old and weak."
"I can change that. For a favor in return."
"Anything."
"I happen to know a descendent of the juror who made the deciding vote on your sentence, the one who made you guilty. I need this person dead."
"I have to kill."
"Yes you have to kill!"
"But that's why..."
"SILENCE! Let me finish! Killing the decedents of the jurors one by one will give you revenge. Isn't that what you want?"
"Yes."
"Then you will do it! You may kill the others, but make sure you get to the one I want. I will make you young, back to the age you were when you killed Fiona Matthews."
Michael thought again. Revenge, that's all I want. I'll have my revenge.
"And the name of this person?"
"Paige Matthews, or as she may call herself, Paige Halliwell."
"Fine. She will die."

The Source lifted his hands and called upon the spirits of the past. He called out for Michael's past. Once he had it in his grasp he planted it inside of Michael. In the process two restless spirits unknowingly slipped past the Source and into the world above them.

Tbc... Hope you liked Chapter 1.


~Kitty.