CHARMED
"Wrapped in Love"
by shel
© january 2003
| disclaimer: | the charmed ones, cole, and leo, and the rest of the cast of characters we've come to know and love, belong to spelling television, inc. and possible other copyright holders. i intended no true infringement on their copyrights; i only wanted to borrow these marvelous characters for a short time in my own scenarios and hopefully return them no worse for wear; the only things i've gained from this story are the satisfaction and pleasure of having written it and in knowing that others may have enjoyed it too |
| rating: | pg-13 |
| summary: | phoebe calls upon a special person to help cole |
| timeline: | two days after the events of season 5's the mummy's tomb' |
| archive: | please don't without expressed permission |
| notes: | written before 'the importance of being phoebe' and doesn't take that ep into account...please let me know if you enjoyed my tale and why and, if not, why notand, please, don't bother wasting your time or mine by sending any flames |
Phoebe
Phoebe surveyed the circle of candles in the center of the attic. Satisfied they were properly aglow, she knelt at the nearby table and set down the lighter. Earlier she had measured a number of dry spices into a dish that was centered on the table. From a nearby plastic bag, she withdrew one long, thin, striped feather and used it to lightly stir the spices. When she was done, she placed the feather atop the pile of spices. She lit the one candle that remained on the table and poured some of the melting wax into the dish and sealed the feather to the spices. After a moment, she returned the candle upright to its holder and picked up the athame that lay to her right. She held it over the dish and stared at it a moment. It felt heavy in her hand but she resigned herself to the task before her. She took a deep breath and swiftly cut her left wrist.
Phoebe dropped the athame on the table but gritted her teeth against the pain as she allowed her blood to pool atop the wax, feather, and spices. When the amount satisfied her, she took the bandages she had earlier prepared and tightly wrapped her wound. She gave a fleeting thought to the fact that she probably needed stitches and, instead, picked up a small piece of parchment and chanted from it:
"Spirits and guardians who watch from above,
I beg for your help and your powers.
To mend one man's heart and save his soul,
Please send his father to me for 24 hours."
The candle before her flickered and blew out. Encouraged, she closed her eyes and recited the words from memory. She felt the gentle breeze swirling around her and, without looking, she repeated the spell one more time.
"Good evening," the male voice greeted.
Phoebe opened her eyes and smiled at the transparent figure that had appeared within the circle. "Hello," she replied as she stood. She suddenly felt self-conscious and tugged on the bottom of her blouse and straightened her long skirt. She took a step forward and faced her visitor. She sighed in relief, "I'm so glad you're here, Mr. Turner."
"Benjamin, please," the tall gentleman smiled. "I told you that when I met you."
Phoebe's smile faltered and she commented in a low tone as she looked down, "That was over a year agoA lifetime ago." She brought her gaze back to meet his and added, "So much has happenedNot all of it good. ColeYou see Cole wasHe was --"
"I know," Benjamin gently interrupted. "I've been watching."
"Then you see how lost he's become," Phoebe told him. "He's been acting in ways he's never acted before. Oh, Benjamin, he's completely different from the man I knewfrom the man I fell in love with."
"He's been through a lot," Benjamin commented with a nod of his head, "and has carried more than his share of burdens. But why call me? Surely you can see him through this dark time."
Phoebe shook her head and turned away. She stared at her wrist and noticed the blood had already started seeping through the bandage. She tried to ignore its throbbing and, instead, concentrate solely on her visitor.
"Phoebe?" he questioned.
"I can't help him," she repeated in a quiet voice. "I'm tootoo angry." She turned around and faced her ex-father-in-law. "I know that sounds incredibly selfish and cold-hearted considering that he's supposed to be the love of my life but, right now, I look at him and only feel pain."
"You were hurt by his actions," he thoughtfully considered.
"You don't understand," she insisted to the spirit. "I only remember the pain. I've blocked out every good and loving thing about him, about us, from my mind. I can't think about any of it. It's too painful to remember the good because then I realize how it all went wrong and how bad it's been so I don't try to remember. And I get angry if anyone reminds me. I just want to forget," she sadly concluded.
"It wasn't all his fault," he commented in return. "I heardI understand how the Source took control. But last year, when you both freed me from my imprisonment, I saw the love you shared. It was right there in his eyes, in his every movement. I can't believe that his love for you wasn't strong enough to overcome the Source's powers."
Phoebe shook her head. "All I remember now is how he manipulated us. I remember how he turned our wedding into a thing of evil. I remember how he deliberately helped turn our child to evil. I remember how he forced me to choose between him and my sisters even after I had chosen to remain with him as Queen. And I remember how he left me alone to deal with the Seer."
"I'm sorry," Benjamin quietly responded.
"I needed time but he pushed so hard," she continued, lost in her thoughts, "and he kept pushing. From the moment he got himself out of the Wasteland, he didn't let up. Every time I turned around, he was there. And now he's got all these powers."
"What about these powers?" he questioned in concern. "Surely he can control them."
"That's not the issue," she sighed. "Hegathered all these powers before he left the Wasteland. Incredible powers and they've made himinvincible. He can't be killed and we"
"You tried," he nodded in disappointment. "It's made some very nervous," he informed her.
"It gets worse. The other day, my sisters told methey told me." Phoebe choked up and couldn't continue.
"Take your time," he encouraged.
She took several deep breaths to calm herself. "They found Coletrying to kill himself."
"What?" Benjamin gasped. "I wasn't aware. Surely your sisters were mistaken."
"They know what a guillotine is," she snapped. Immediately, she regretted her outburst and continued in a softer tone, "He's beenhe's been keeping aa list of the ways he's tried. Of what he could try next. They didn't think he was faking."
"But your sisters stopped him," he commented in a hopeful tone.
"Not intentionally," Phoebe shook her head. "They needed his help to save me from Jeric." She noticed his look of confusion and explained, "Originally from ancient Egypt, he was trying to save Isis, the woman he loved, by finding her witches to possess. Once they found a witch powerful enough, she was going to say a spell and eject the witch's own spirit forever."
"Long way to go to protect one's love," he considered. "My son helped your sisters, of course."
"Not exactly," she corrected. "I was growing weaker with Isis inside me so Cole set it up that Paige would become the next host and I'd stay mummified until my sisters would no longer be around to deal with. But Paige wasn't strong enough either and he forced Piper to make a choice between us. Between her own sisters," she emphasized. "Piper, who had already lost a sister. He knew how devastated she'd be. And they really got into it. They tore up the attic attacking each other." She saw his look of shock and quickly added, "They didn't hurt each other. They couldn't. Their powers protected them. Piper's pregnant and the baby's power of healing has beenIt doesn't matter, the point is they let loose on each other. And later, he claimed he knew all along that she'd figure out a way to save us both but" Her voice trailed off and it was a moment before she added, "He's lost it and I don't think it's an act. Oh, Benjamin, you've got to help him before it's too late. I can't do it. I can't talk to himat this point, I'd only hurt him worse than he's already been hurt"
"It seems to me, then," he considered as he stood at the circle's edge, "that he couldn't feel any worse. Isn't it worth the try?"
She shook her head. "I'm not willing to risk finding out. It's bad enough between us. But, youHe needs youyour guidance. Please," she begged as she stepped closer, "talk to him. He'll open to you. Maybe you can convince him not to throw away his life. Maybe you can convince him that he can find a way to do good in spite of his powers, in spite of our separation."
"So you do believe he's good inside?" Benjamin asked hopefully.
She stepped back again and carefully replied, "I believe he's been tested since he came back and things didn't go as he'd hopedand now, now, he's trying his best to convince everybody that he is evil."
"I asked about you," he pointedly clarified.
"In spite of everything, he has saved innocents, and," Phoebe admitted, "he's saved me and my sisters a number of times." Benjamin was about to comment but she quickly continued, "But he's not thinking clearly anymore. I don't know, maybe it's his powers, maybe they're too much for himmaybe it was the Wastelandor maybe it's just because of mebut he's doing everything he can to prove I was wrong about him. And my sisters don't need to be convinced. After what we went through the other day, they're all too happy to oblige him his death wish."
"And you?" he questioned. "Do you wish him dead?"
Phoebe turned away from him before she answered. "I thought so. I thought he deserved it. I told you we already tried and I was the one who initiated the vanquishingI was so angry with him that I wasn't seeing straight. But, in the end, I couldn'tI actually told him it had to be on our terms, not hisCan you believe that?"
"You wanted an excuse not to go through with it," he theorized. "Because you love him," he concluded.
Phoebe faced him with tears in her eyes. She quietly told him, "I'm not at a point where I even want a relationship with him. We've been through too much and need time apartI just didn't think he'd reach a point where he'd want to end his life"
"I'm not sure I'll be able to convince him of anything," Benjamin considered. "He was three when Idied. I'm a stranger to him. He would have no reason to listen to me."
Phoebe shook her head and insisted, "You're his father and he loves you. He spent his entire adult life working to set your soul free. He nearly betrayed me and my sisters to save you. He will listen to you."
"Maybe if we both went --" he began.
"No," she interrupted as she shook her head, "I won't give him false hope where I'm concerned. I don't know that I'll ever want a life with him again. And I'm not sure he'll wait long enough for me to work through my issues to find out. You didn't see himsee the pain he was in. He called himself mad and I don't believe he meant anger alonePlease, he needs youYou've, you've got to help himYou're his last chance" Phoebe finally broke down and sank to the floor sobbing.
Benjamin stepped out of the circle and knelt next to her. He pulled her into an embrace and gently rubbed her back. "Hush, Phoebe," he comforted, "of course I'll help himafter I help you."
"No," she gasped as she pulled back with a jerk. "You don't have time. The spell," she sniffled in explanation. "It will only last for twenty-four hours and I won't let you waste your precious time on me."
"I don't consider it a waste," he countered.
"Please," she shook her head, "the spell required quite a bit ofplease, I'm tired. My sisters are out for the evening and I just want to take advantage of the quiet. Please, Benjamin, just go to him. I just need some rest and I'll be fine."
"You need me," he stated as he caressed her cheek. "Let me ease your burden. I imagine you've been rather alone for quite some time. You can't turn to your sisters and you've told me that your father, as loving as he might be, has never been comfortable with your status as a witch or with your choice of husband. Talk to me, Phoebe. I'm here. Let me take away some of your pain."
"Please, let me just take you to him," Phoebe weakly pleaded. "He's been without you for over one hundred years and he needs you more than ever. Please"
"Very well," Benjamin agreed as he kissed her on the top of her head, "but I want you to know that I am here for you too. Any time you need me to be."
"Don't," she requested as she completely pulled away from him, "don't be nice to me. Not after what I've done to your son."
"You love him," he confirmed. "You saved him."
Phoebe shook her head and scrambled to her feet. "I've destroyed him."
"You don't mean that," he told her as he stood and faced her.
"You haven't seen him yet," she sadly declared. "Haven't seen what he's become. If not for me," she continued in a shaky voice, "he'd be whole. He'd have a sense of purpose. He'd know exactly how he fit into the world."
He suddenly hugged her in a tight embrace. "You've shown him love. You restored him his humanity. You freed him from a life in hell."
"You're wrong," she whispered. "I sent him there."
"You're wrong," he insisted, "and one day, when you no longer are in such pain, you'll see for yourself. Now, I don't wish to cause you any more pain, so, will you take me to my son?"
Phoebe nodded and pulled away. She stared at him a moment before she impulsively hugged him again. "Thank you for answering my call," she whispered.
Benjamin smiled as he returned her embrace. "Thank you for calling," he answered simply.
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