FIVE
The drive back to Phoebe's apartment was a quiet one. Neither
of the sisters spoke. Prue, because of what Piper had said. And
Phoebe, because she had no idea how to comfort her sister.
Prue understood why Piper felt as she did. Prue still felt very
much the same way about their father. But that didn't make it hurt
any less.
She spent a restless night on the sofa bed. It was comfortable
enough. But her encounter with Piper had left her unsettled. The
next morning, Phoebe found some clothes that were a little big on
Prue, but at least she had some clean clothes to wear.
"You've become a good cook," said Prue as she and Phoebe ate
breakfast.
"Well, since I didn't have," began Phoebe, "I mean, after I got
married, I sort of had to learn."
"Whatever happened to Leo?" asked Prue. "When I first got here,
I called for him but he didn't answer."
"He was reassigned," said Phoebe. "After you disappeared, he
said he couldn't' stay. He was the White Lighter for the Charmed Ones
and since there weren't any Charmed Ones any more, he was given new
charges."
"I guess that make sense," said Prue. "And what about the Book
of Shadows? It wasn't at the manor. What's left of the manor,
anyway."
"I don't know," said Phoebe. "When Piper and I moved out of the
manor on our own, it just vanished. I guess it's being safeguarded
for someone else.
"After you disappeared, Piper spent every waking minute looking
for you. P3 eventually went belly up and, of course, I didn't have a
job so I couldn't help out with the expenses. It finally got to the
point where we just couldn't afford to keep the manor any longer.
That's when we moved out on our own. That's also about the time Leo
was reassigned."
"I guess it's been hard for you," said Prue.
"At least the demons stopped coming after us," said Phoebe.
"So, what do you plan to do now?"
"I don't know," said Prue. "I guess I should look for work. I
can't expect you to support me for the rest of my life."
"As I recall," said Phoebe, "you helped me out when I first came
back from New York. I guess now I get to repay you for that."
"I still need to get a job," said Prue. "Only, my resume is
twenty-eight years out of date."
"I'll help you any way I can," said Phoebe. "And I'm sure
Darryl will help, too. For now, why don't you watch some television?
Things have changed quite a bit in the last three decades. You need
to get caught up to speed on the changes."
"That's not a bad idea," said Prue. "I don't even know who the
President of the United States is."
"Allen Jennings," replied Phoebe. "I'm sure you'll learn about
him. He's in the news almost every day."
Prue sat watching television for several hours. A great deal
had changed in the past thirty years. More than she would have
believed. It would take her quite a while to become familiar with all
the changes.
Phoebe was getting ready for work when Prue suddenly called to
her. She walked into the living room to see Prue pointing at the
television. On the screen was a young man of perhaps thirty walking
out of a local police station, smiling from ear to ear.
"Richard James was released today," Phoebe heard a female
reporter off camera saying, "after another brutal murder occurred last
night. James was the prime suspect in the series of murders of local
prostitutes. He was being held for questioning. With the murder of a
third prostitute while James was in custody, the police were forced to
release him."
"Phoebe, that's him," said Prue excitedly.
"Who?" asked Phoebe.
"The warlock," said Prue. "The one I was fighting when I got
zapped to the future. That's him."
"Prue, that impossible," said Phoebe. "He's no older than you
are. If it was the same man, he would have been only a baby back
then."
"Phoebe, I'm telling you it's the same guy," said Prue. "Maybe
he got pulled to the future the same way I did, I don't know. But I
do know that's the same guy. And he's a warlock."
"If that's true," said Phoebe, "the police may have just
released a murderer. He could have blinked out of the jail, killed
the woman, and blinked back in all without them knowing anything about
it."
"And there's no telling ho many more he'll kill," said Prue.
"If he's killing innocents, he has a reason. He's killed at least
three already. There's no telling how many more he's going after
before he's finished. If he ever is finished."
"You're not thinking of going after him alone, are you?"
questioned Phoebe.
"He's got to be stopped," said Prue. "No one else knows who or
what he is. And I doubt they'd believe it if we told anyone. As far
as the police are concerned, he's just been cleared of any suspicion.
I'm the only one who can stop him."
"You said he almost beat you before," said Phoebe. "If he's
that powerful, you'll need the Power of Three to stop him. And Piper
won't even talk to you."
"Then I'll just have to get her to talk to me," said Prue. "Or
find some other way to defeat him. It can't be a coincidence that I
was brought to this time. When I'm the only one who knows what's
going on. I'm meant to stop him, I'm sure of it."
"You're going to need help," said Phoebe.
"No offense," said Prue, "but you're a little old to be fighting
demons and warlocks."
"Maybe," said Phoebe, "but I can do other things. Besides, you
need me for the Power of Three. I may be old, but I'm still a Charmed
One. I'll call in sick. I could use a couple of days off anyway.
Now, let's got get us a warlock."
To be continued . . .
Be sure not to miss Part 2: Reconciliation. Prue and Piper
enlist Darryl's help in tracking down the warlock. And discover
something far worse. Realizing they need the Power of Three, Prue
decides she must finally confront Piper and try to get things out into
the open.
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.
The drive back to Phoebe's apartment was a quiet one. Neither
of the sisters spoke. Prue, because of what Piper had said. And
Phoebe, because she had no idea how to comfort her sister.
Prue understood why Piper felt as she did. Prue still felt very
much the same way about their father. But that didn't make it hurt
any less.
She spent a restless night on the sofa bed. It was comfortable
enough. But her encounter with Piper had left her unsettled. The
next morning, Phoebe found some clothes that were a little big on
Prue, but at least she had some clean clothes to wear.
"You've become a good cook," said Prue as she and Phoebe ate
breakfast.
"Well, since I didn't have," began Phoebe, "I mean, after I got
married, I sort of had to learn."
"Whatever happened to Leo?" asked Prue. "When I first got here,
I called for him but he didn't answer."
"He was reassigned," said Phoebe. "After you disappeared, he
said he couldn't' stay. He was the White Lighter for the Charmed Ones
and since there weren't any Charmed Ones any more, he was given new
charges."
"I guess that make sense," said Prue. "And what about the Book
of Shadows? It wasn't at the manor. What's left of the manor,
anyway."
"I don't know," said Phoebe. "When Piper and I moved out of the
manor on our own, it just vanished. I guess it's being safeguarded
for someone else.
"After you disappeared, Piper spent every waking minute looking
for you. P3 eventually went belly up and, of course, I didn't have a
job so I couldn't help out with the expenses. It finally got to the
point where we just couldn't afford to keep the manor any longer.
That's when we moved out on our own. That's also about the time Leo
was reassigned."
"I guess it's been hard for you," said Prue.
"At least the demons stopped coming after us," said Phoebe.
"So, what do you plan to do now?"
"I don't know," said Prue. "I guess I should look for work. I
can't expect you to support me for the rest of my life."
"As I recall," said Phoebe, "you helped me out when I first came
back from New York. I guess now I get to repay you for that."
"I still need to get a job," said Prue. "Only, my resume is
twenty-eight years out of date."
"I'll help you any way I can," said Phoebe. "And I'm sure
Darryl will help, too. For now, why don't you watch some television?
Things have changed quite a bit in the last three decades. You need
to get caught up to speed on the changes."
"That's not a bad idea," said Prue. "I don't even know who the
President of the United States is."
"Allen Jennings," replied Phoebe. "I'm sure you'll learn about
him. He's in the news almost every day."
Prue sat watching television for several hours. A great deal
had changed in the past thirty years. More than she would have
believed. It would take her quite a while to become familiar with all
the changes.
Phoebe was getting ready for work when Prue suddenly called to
her. She walked into the living room to see Prue pointing at the
television. On the screen was a young man of perhaps thirty walking
out of a local police station, smiling from ear to ear.
"Richard James was released today," Phoebe heard a female
reporter off camera saying, "after another brutal murder occurred last
night. James was the prime suspect in the series of murders of local
prostitutes. He was being held for questioning. With the murder of a
third prostitute while James was in custody, the police were forced to
release him."
"Phoebe, that's him," said Prue excitedly.
"Who?" asked Phoebe.
"The warlock," said Prue. "The one I was fighting when I got
zapped to the future. That's him."
"Prue, that impossible," said Phoebe. "He's no older than you
are. If it was the same man, he would have been only a baby back
then."
"Phoebe, I'm telling you it's the same guy," said Prue. "Maybe
he got pulled to the future the same way I did, I don't know. But I
do know that's the same guy. And he's a warlock."
"If that's true," said Phoebe, "the police may have just
released a murderer. He could have blinked out of the jail, killed
the woman, and blinked back in all without them knowing anything about
it."
"And there's no telling ho many more he'll kill," said Prue.
"If he's killing innocents, he has a reason. He's killed at least
three already. There's no telling how many more he's going after
before he's finished. If he ever is finished."
"You're not thinking of going after him alone, are you?"
questioned Phoebe.
"He's got to be stopped," said Prue. "No one else knows who or
what he is. And I doubt they'd believe it if we told anyone. As far
as the police are concerned, he's just been cleared of any suspicion.
I'm the only one who can stop him."
"You said he almost beat you before," said Phoebe. "If he's
that powerful, you'll need the Power of Three to stop him. And Piper
won't even talk to you."
"Then I'll just have to get her to talk to me," said Prue. "Or
find some other way to defeat him. It can't be a coincidence that I
was brought to this time. When I'm the only one who knows what's
going on. I'm meant to stop him, I'm sure of it."
"You're going to need help," said Phoebe.
"No offense," said Prue, "but you're a little old to be fighting
demons and warlocks."
"Maybe," said Phoebe, "but I can do other things. Besides, you
need me for the Power of Three. I may be old, but I'm still a Charmed
One. I'll call in sick. I could use a couple of days off anyway.
Now, let's got get us a warlock."
To be continued . . .
Be sure not to miss Part 2: Reconciliation. Prue and Piper
enlist Darryl's help in tracking down the warlock. And discover
something far worse. Realizing they need the Power of Three, Prue
decides she must finally confront Piper and try to get things out into
the open.
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.