Disclaimer: See chapter 1 for disclaimer

A/N: I am so sorry this took so long, its just I'm approaching my exams and so there will be bigger gaps between the chapters right now, because I am having to finish coursework and do a lot of revising. But I will try to finish the story so then I can just post the chapters every week (wishful thinking lol!)

Chapter 10 – Anticipating the returns

Melinda felt the tugging that the strong wind seemed to cause, and she found it odd, the wind continued to swirl round her, she called out for help but no one came not even Salden. Please let me go home she wished as she watched the underworld slowly disappear behind the mist of the thick wind.

******

Leo could feel Pipers pain as he sat in the most boring meeting he had every attended in his whole life (and that was a pretty long time). It wasn't anything new feeling what his charges felt, he knew Piper was in pain over the loss of Melinda, and he only hoped they could find away to get her back. Then it was gone the feeling of pain, then it came back again. It then occurred to Leo that the girls hadn't called him once in the last day and a half, and that before he could feel nothing. Now he could feel something, no it's gone again. What the hell is going on? Did someone try to block me from sensing the girls it would make a lot of sense. Oh no what if there in trouble and I didn't hear them!

******

Piper's eyes stayed fixated on the spot where the wind continued to swirl, her eyes beginning to hurt from not blinking. She was afraid that if she blinked she might miss Melinda. As the wind began to slow Piper held her breath, as she watched anxiously. Paige watched in anticipation as rocked nervously on the spot, tugging at her hair in the process as a sign of nervousness. Cole squeezed Phoebe's hand for reassurance, as he noticed her tense slightly, Phoebe didn't say anything but squeezed his hand back as if to say 'thanks'. The only sound that could be heard was the swirling of the wind and the slow ticking of the clock, as Piper crossed her fingers, the wind began to slow down.

******

Salden was approaching Melinda's cell when he saw the swirling wind, he ran towards it, but just as he reached it, it disappeared. "Noooooo" he screamed in horror the source would surely kill him now, he had lost the girl and the witch, and god knows where the witch was? Salden cursed under his breath and turned to go back to the source, knowing it wasn't worth lying to him, he would just read his mind and then condemn him to a life of torture for lying. As Salden paced back through the shadows of the underworld, he felt the soft breeze of a shimmer to his right, before he could turn to see who it was a voice came from the shadows. "The witch is dead."

*******

Piper watched in amazement along with Paige, Phoebe and Cole as out of the strange swirling wind in the middle of their living room appeared Melinda. Piper's eyes filled with tears of joy at seeing her daughter again. Melinda turned her head to see her family, tears in their eyes.

"Mommy." She called as she ran straight into Piper's open arms.

"Oh your okay…I missed you so much Melinda."

"I missed you too mom." She replied, as she clung to Piper and kissed her face.

Melinda stepped out of her moms embrace and turned to see the rest of the family. "Auntie Phoebe you're here?" Melinda said with a smile.

"Yeah." Said Phoebe as she looked at her niece. She didn't seem to be hurt which Phoebe silently thanked the powers that be for. She could never of forgiven herself if they had hurt Melinda.

*******

"Who's there?" he said as he turned to face the way he thought the voice was coming from. A familiar figure stepped from the shadow "Lucas." Salden said as he looked at him. "We haven't seen you since we followed the witch after she escaped."

"She didn't escape, I captured her."

"Then why the hell didn't you bring her back here…for the source?"

"Don't you mean to save your own ass?"

"How did you kill her she is very powerful, a charmed one and all." Said Salden changing the subject.

"She…well she actually killed herself but she didn't know that would kill her."

"Where did you take her?"

"I took her to the joining."

Salden nodded his head; the joining was were all the different worlds could be seen through different portals. "Why take her there?"

"Well she was annoying me."

"You mean she hurt you?" Salden said with a snicker.

Lucas snorted and said "Please a witch has never hurt me before, and never will hurt me."

"Your lucky the witch is dead otherwise the source would surely kill you for letting her go." Salden said as he walked away.

Lucas jogged to catch up with him as he rounded the corner. "Speaking of which, how come you're still alive?"

"Because I was the only who wasn't stupid enough to run from the source after not being able to catch her."

"Anything to save yourself." Lucas snorted as he continued to the source's chamber.

"Where are you going?" asked Salden.

"To report to the source." Lucas replied coldly.

"Of all the luck in the world I happen to be going that way too." Salden said with a cruel smile.

******

Melinda was reading a book with Piper that night, glad to be home again, but still bursting to tell her mom about the things that she had learnt about magic, thinking that she would be proud of her. Melinda decided she would wait until the morning when she could tell both her mom and dad, since her dad was on white lighter duty, which was not unusual!

******

Paige was reading the prophecy again trying to figure out what the weapon was but it was taking so long. She had gone over all the possibilities and to tell the truth, they didn't really have a starting point. This magical weapon could be anything and although they had at least 12 years to work it out if Melinda was the prophecy bearer it still didn't seem like enough time. She sighed as she stared at the picture of the baby in the corner. Baby? Phoebe and Cole are having a baby their baby could be the prophecy child what if they got it wrong? What if the source got it wrong? Well they would be find out soon there was no doubt he would be back to get Melinda, if he truly believed her to be the child of the prophecy.

******

Leo had tried to get away most of the night but the elders were pressing on with the boring meeting, and with no calls from the family or any other charges he was unable to leave. Although he could of faked that he was being called he knew the elders would know by the time he got down there, and summon him right back up again in no time. Leo had no idea what they were talking about now, he kept thinking about his poor daughter trapped in the underworld and how he was doing nothing to help Piper and the rest of the family save her and Phoebe.

******

Cole sat with Phoebe on the couch after an exhausting hour and a half of playing with Melinda, after her return she had insisted that she play with everyone. She had spent her time with Cole and Phoebe playing hide and seek, catch in the garden and finally tag, much to Pipers annoyance as she hated Melinda to get grass stains all over her clothes, it just meant more washing for her. But since Melinda had just returned and Piper had baked a special cake for her and Phoebe she let her off.

"Tired" Cole said with a sigh as he lazily caressed Phoebe's hair, his other hand protectively on her belly.

"Absolutely exhausted." She stated with a yawn.

"Remind me to never do that again." He said with a laugh.

"Sure." She said as she smiled and laid her head on his chest. "Just remember your going to have to play all those games with our child."

"Great things to look forward to." He said with a smile, as they both closed their eyes and later drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

******

Lucas hadn't even had time to mention the fact that he had killed the witch; the source was already ragging and ranting about how they had both escaped. But Lucas kept his mouth shut not wanting to annoy the source further and risk his life; he figured he would wait for the right time to tell him. After hearing of his return the source wanted to talk to both him and Salden about something important yet he had yet to reach the important thing. Lucas contained his sigh of annoyance to save himself.

"It is suspected the witch is dead." Said Salden with a small smile that curled the edges of his lips interrupting the source.

"The witch isn't dead you fool! she is alive, and I want her dead along with the rest of the charmed ones so they can no longer interfere with my plans. I have to many years of their medalling its about time we got rid of them for once and all! And Belthazor if he should cross your path…either of your paths." The source said as he corrected himself. "Bring him to me, and I will do the honour of killing him myself, such a disgrace to the underworld. But the one thing I really want more than anything is the child, I want her back."

Both Salden and Lucas turned to leave neither wanting to out stay their welcome. "WAIT" the sources loud voice boomed after them. "There is one more thing, which ever one brings me the girl first lives, the other dies no exceptions its about time you two followed the rules and stopped being power hungry, when I die one of you will surely take my place, but it can only be the best one."

"What if one of us brought the girl, and the other the heads of the three charmed ones?" Asked Lucas.

"Well then…"

"You just said the girl was more important why should the heads of the charmed ones be anymore important or equally important now?" asked Salden, knowing full well the Lucas had already killed one of the charmed ones and this would put him in the lead.

"If you can bring me the heads of the charmed ones, I believe that, that would be equally important." He said giving a look Salden a look, noticing that he was just about to speak again quickly cut in "I have wanted the Charmed Ones for many more years and there will be no questioning about it, they are just as important. You may leave." He said waving a hand to signal them on their way.

******

"LEO" Piper screamed the next morning "Leo where the hell are you?" She cursed under her breath, as Leo still didn't come after the third call. As she turned her back she heard the familiar sound of the chimes that signalled Leo's arrival. She turned round to face him again, preparing to shout at him for his disappearance, but when she saw him she flung herself on him sobbing. "Leo I missed you so much, how come you never came when we called with Phoebe?"

"Phoebe?" Leo asked puzzled "Is she okay did something happen? You never called? I would have heard you."

"What do you mean we never called…we called so many times Paige had to heal her best she could, can you heal the rest of her?"

"Daddy." Leo turned at the sweet sound of his daughter's voice.

"Melinda." He said as he scooped her up in his arms and kissed her on the head, as he said to Piper "Seems you did alright with out me."

"Yes…but how come you didn't hear us?"

"I don't know."

"Go heal Phoebe now, she's needs to have extra strength for the baby and all."

"Phoebe's pregnant."

"Yes."

"Really, that's great." He said as he carried Melinda into the lounge Piper close behind, glad to have the whole of her family back.

"What's pregnant mean?" asked Melinda from her daddy's arms.

"It means auntie Phoebe is going to have a baby." Said Piper with a smile.

"A baby." Said Melinda as she clapped her hands with excitement "Like my dolls but real."

"Yes." Said Piper as she smiled at Leo.

"Where's your baby Auntie Phoebe?" Melinda said as she scrambled out of her daddy's arms and ran towards her as she came down the stairs.

"Its in here" she said placing a hand on her belly.

"How did it get in there?" Melinda said.

"Uh…ask your mom and dad about that one sweetie."

"Mom, Dad." She shouted, "How did the baby get in auntie Phoebe's belly?"

Piper smiled awkwardly and replied "Will tell you when you're a bit older sweetie."