"God, where is she?" Piper said through her teeth, pacing back and forth in front of the front window in the attic. Ever since Phoebe had called Piper home and shown her what she'd found in the book of shadows, she'd been moving around nonstop. She couldn't handle the idea that Paige was out there somewhere on her own and they had no way of protecting her.
"Don't worry she'll be here," Phoebe said from her perch on the window seat. She had the book open on her lap in front of her, ready to show Paige what she found, and her hands were clutched together on top of the pages. Despite her calming words, it was as if her whole body was coiled with tension. "Ooh! Headlights!" Piper exclaimed as two beams of whit light flashed across the room. She rushed back to the window and saw a limousine pulling to a stop in front of the Manor. The moment Piper saw Paige step out of the limo in one piece; she felt a rush of relief that had the force of a tidal wave. "She's here," she announced.
Phoebe placed the book down next to her and pushed herself up from her seat. "Hello?" Paige's voice carried up the stairs. "Where are you guys?"
"Were in the attic!" Piper called out. Paige clomped up the two flights of stairs and entered the room in her floor-length gown, her eyes wide with worry. "What's the matter?" she asked. "Is everyone okay?" Phoebe, obviously unable to contain herself, grabbed Paige up in a bear hug. Paige shot Piper a questioning look over Phoebe's shoulder. "Okay. What was that about?" Paige asked when Phoebe finally pulled away.
I'm just glad to see that you're okay?" Phoebe said with a relieved smile, crossing her arms over her waist. "You're glad that I'm okay?" Paige asked, her brow furrowing as she dropped her shawl and tiny purse on the little couch in the center of the room. "I thought there was an emergency at home"
"There is…umm sort of," Piper said, biting her lip. A shadow flitted across Paige's face as she looked from one sister to the other. "I just left the single most amazing date of my life to run back here. Somebody better start talking… now" Piper laced her fingers together and walked up to Paige, clicking her teeth together as she tried to decide exactly how to say what she had to say. It was a delicate situation, and one she'd hoped she'd never have to get into-again. Paige just stood there, hand on hip, clearly growing more and more impatient for an explanation.
"Maybe you should sit down," Piper suggested. Paige let out a groan and rolled her eyes before flopping down on the couch next to her things. "Okay. Out with it," she said. "Phoebe was doing some more research on the Aplacum and she found something… it's not good," Piper said, glancing at Phoebe. Paige tucked her chin, looking up at Piper expectantly. "Which was…?" Piper lowered herself onto the edge of her favorite chair, feeling suddenly tired. Looking at Paige all dressed up, all flushed, all romance-movie worthy, made telling her this news much more difficult. The girl had just found the man of her dreams. Piper couldn't believe that she and Phoebe were going to have to tear that away.
"Uh… Phoebe? Maybe you should be the one to explain," Piper suggested. After all, Phoebe had some experience with the subject. She'd been through this once herself. "Well, the Aplacum is actually the archenemy of a demon called Vandalus," Phoebe explained, crossing to the window to pick up the book of shadows. "And Vandalus is seriously nasty. He's close to being the ultimate evil of the underworld-capable of mass destruction." Phoebe paused to let this little fact sink in to Paige's mind, but Paige obviously didn't yet get the weight of the situation. "Ok, and…? Come on damn it spit it out!" she shouted getting very impatient.
"And he was banished to earth in human form over a thousand years ago because he was too powerful to destroy," Piper put in. "The problem is there's no drawing in the book of shadows of what Vandalus looks like in human form," Phoebe said, pausing to take a deep breath and glancing at Piper for moral support. She handed the book to Paige, who lowered it into her lap. "But the description… he sounds a lot like Jonathan."
There were a few moments of perfect utter silence, broken only by the sound of the three sisters' breathing. "I can't believe this," Paige said under her breath. "I know, honey, it's hard to take in," Phoebe said. She crouched in front of the couch, reached out, and rubbed Paige's arm comfortingly. "But it's going to be okay. We're here for you. I'm sure we can figure out a way to vanquish him."
Paige's mouth dropped open in disbelief. "Vanquish him? Are you seriously telling me you want to vanquish my boyfriend?" Piper's heart dropped like a meteor, and Phoebe looked at her shocked. "Paige, you can't go out with him anymore," Piper said. "He could be seriously dangerous, it's insane!"
"Yeah right," Paige said with a scoff, sitting up straight. "'The human description of this Vandalus guy sounds a lot like Jonathan,' " she repeated sarcastically, picking up the book roughly. "What does it say? Tall, dark and handsome? How many people fit that description?" Phoebe pulled the book away from Paige and stood. "'As a human, Vandalus is of tall stature, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes. The color is almost unnatural,'" Phoebe read, pacing the room. " You see that could be anyone!" Paige protested.
"But that's not even the most incriminating part," Phoebe said. "It says in here that Vandalus would hypnotize children and train them to become part of his army." Piper looked at Paige, waiting for her to see the connection, but her sister just shook her head and scoffed. "So?"
"So?" Piper repeated, throwing one hand out. "So Jonathan works with children, making them trust him, making them love him, making them rely on him. He's putting together his army you get it now?"
"Okay, you guys have obviously been playing in the funky side of the magic cabinet," Paige said. "I find a guy who has devoted his life to charity work and you tell me he's raising an army of kids to fulfill his evil plans."
"Yuh-huh!" Piper and Phoebe said in unison. "Paige, it all makes sense," Piper said, starting to feel desperate. "Think about it. Remember when we were picking up the bodies the kids beat? Well one of them looked identical to Aplacum. And then Jonathan came right when we were cleaning them up and when he saw the Aplacum he grinned." Paige blinked and, for a moment, Piper thought she had her on the logic front, but her sister's silence didn't last long. "Well, then why did Cole say the demons were only going after the kids? And plus Phoebe had a vision of them fighting the kids and the Charmed ones don't normally get visions sending them off to stop demon-on-demon killings, do they?" Paige shot back, crossing her arms over her chest and shooting them a triumphant look.
"Uh, no," Phoebe said, her brow creasing as she hugged the book of shadows against her chest. "Okay, I've had just about enough of this," Paige said, slapping her hands onto the couch cushions at her sides and pushing herself up. "I mean, I can take the little slights from you guys here and there, but this is getting outta hand."
"What do you mean little slights?" Piper demanded. "I mean, you guys obviously don't want me to be happy!" Paige announced incredulously. She than turned around and stormed out of the attic. A little while later Piper and Phoebe could hear Paige say, "Purse!" and in an instant the tiny purse on the couch began to disappear. Phoebe ran down the stairs and saw the purse that disappeared, reappear in Paige's hand. Piper followed behind Phoebe moments later, and Paige turned around quickly and said, "I don't know why you guys are so jealous."
"Jealous?" Piper spat back. This was too much. How could Paige really think they had any motive other then protecting her? "That's right, you guys are jealous because I found a nice, successful human guy to be with," Paige replied looking at Piper. Piper was stunned. How could Paige say something like that to her? She wouldn't give up Leo for all the human guys in the world. How could she insult her like that?
"I don't know what to say to you except we're telling you the truth," Phoebe said shakily. She was clearly thrown down by Paige's accusations as Piper was. "We're your sisters, we care about you, and we're telling you the truth."
"Whatever," Paige said, shaking her head. "I'm outta here." She then orbed out of the manor.
Want to know how the kids are doing? Send me a couple reviews and I'll send the next chapter…
