Love Triumphant
A Good Friend To Listen Chapter XXIV
John had indeed landed on his derriere right in the middle of his living room. He stood, rubbed it, and headed toward the bathroom. He turned on the shower, grabbed a couple towels out of a nearby dresser, and then began to undress.
The entire time he was thinking if he never saw Prue Halliwell again in his life it would be too soon. Who was she to judge him? By the looks and sounds of things it wasn't exactly like she had her life under any better control than his. An errant notion that he didn't blame this Andy person for running in a different direction started to form in John's head. He stopped it quickly and cursed himself for being unfair and cruel.
It wasn't as if Prue had said anything that John hadn't been thinking himself. He was a screwed up petrified mess without a clue how to put his life back in order again. All John knew was that he didn't want to think about it anymore at least for right now. He climbed in the shower and welcomed the bracing effects of the nearly freezing water. If this didn't clear his head of self -castigating thoughts and haunting fantasies of him cavorting with a naked brunette nothing would.
He stayed in the shower for as long as he could stand it. The sad thing was he only felt slightly less on edge. Perhaps a touch of normal activity might further aid in his efforts. John dressed quickly in a pair of raggedy denim shorts and a beat up old FBI sweatshirt with the arms cut off. In his kitchen he grabbed his keys off the counter and then went out into the garage. He gathered up his supplies. It was time to lavish some attention on his most prized possession, his black Mercedes convertible.
John backed the car out into his driveway and then immersed himself in his task. He vacuumed out the inside with a dust buster, washed the body and the windows, and was just starting to take out the polish, when he heard a women, yell, "Yo, Grant, are you deaf? I've been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes."
For a minute John was afraid that a certain witch had hunted him down, but then again he recognized the voice, and it wasn't Prue's. He turned to face the equally stubborn but beautiful red head behind him. It must be his destiny to be surrounded by these creatures, which so eluded his understanding.
"Hello Rachel! What are you doing here?" "You tell me? You are the one who put the 911 about Sam on my answering machine and then the later call canceling it, which your voice sounded a bit strange by the way. So I decided to come and see what was up. I would have been around sooner but I was out of the country on a case when you called."
Once her good name and reputation had been reclaimed, Rachel Burke had joined an elite international crime- fighting unit that was highly secretive. John didn't even know too much about it although they had remained close friends. All he knew was that it kept Rachel globetrotting a lot. "I take it Sam's okay or you wouldn't be here blithely taking care of your wheels here!" she said.
John nodded. "She's fine." "That is good to hear, so why aren't you fine?" Rachel
asked. "Who said I'm not?" "Me. I can hear it in the tone of your voice so don't bother denying it. We know each other too well John. I was there for you when Kate got shot, and you were there for me when Danny died, and then when I was falsely accused. So there is no point in playing games here. Tell me what is wrong."
"Rachel don't get me wrong I appreciate your coming here and I appreciate your concern but I really don't want to talk about what is bothering me." Rachel merely shrugged. John shook his head. The world really was turning strange. He couldn't believe Rachel seemed to be surrendering without an argument. She simply turned and walked back to her rental car. He saw her grab something out of it, and then she disappeared inside his condo.
A few moments later she came out dressed in her own pair of old shorts, topped with a well- worn T-Shirt. She picked up one of the extra rags and then started in on the other side of the car. They worked in companionable silence for about fifteen minutes before she asked, "So what is her name?"
"Prue Halliwell," John blurted out before he realized Rachel had tricked him. "What part of 'I don't want to talk about this' didn't you understand, Burke?" Rachel laughed. "Well Grant, you obviously do want to talk about it or you wouldn't have fallen into a trap as old as the hills so easily."
John picked up a cleaning sponge and threw it at his friend jokingly. She caught it easily. They walked over to two wooden chairs and sat down. John then told Rachel every bizarre thing that happened to him since Angel had first called him, yesterday.
At first she seemed a bit skeptical but as he went on, John could see that she was gradually beginning to accept his words as the truth.
Silence rained again for a few moments and then Rachel said, "you know I disagree with this Prue on one account. You are definitely not a coward. You are just a little out of your depth that is all. It is not like you have had great examples of truly committed loving relationships to follow. Anyone would be frightened and it sounds like Prue has issues of her own on this front. It doesn't mean, however, that a relationship can't succeed between the two of you-it just would need a lot of understanding and effort." As for you and Cole, you certainly have shown me that you have what it takes to be a brother.
"I don't know, Rachel!" "Yes you do. You have to go back and discover what ever it is that destiny has in store for you because one thing for sure you aren't going to find out behind the wheel of this thing, no matter how shiny or fast it is.
Rachel walked around the car and took the waxing cloth out of John's hands and looked him straight in the eye. "You know I'm right don't you, John?" He nodded. "Even though it kills me to admit it, yes you are," he said teasingly. The two old friends threw their arms around each other and hugged. John also planted a light kiss on Rachel's forehead.
Rachel and John both heard a furious sounding gasp. They whirled around just in time to see Prue materializing behind them. Humph, redhead! I see there is no reason whatsoever to be worried about you. You seem to have things well in hand," she said sarcastically. "Prue wai..." John started to say but never got the chance.
A mysterious figure in a black hooded robe suddenly appeared and grabbed Prue from behind. Prue struggled and Rachel and John tried to come to her aid but it was no use. "I'll be back for you later Belthzaor ! Once I've taken care of this witch for good," the strange being swore. Then it disappeared with Prue.
"What the hell was that?" Rachel asked. "I'm not sure, all I know is that I have to find a way to rescue Prue," John began to pace like a restless tiger. He pleaded to the skies up above for help. Patty and Victor appeared almost immediately.
John explained what had happened and grew even more agitated when he saw the look on Patty's face. "It had to have been the Source," she said anxiously. "What do we do?" Victor asked appearing equally as upset. "Call Phoebe and Piper?" "No not yet. We need to follow him very carefully and see what he has planned first. We can't risk all three girls getting caught in a trap."
"Sounds good to me," John concurred. "Let's go!" "John I don't think you should come with us. I mean you don't have your powers yet, and the Source is far too dangerous," Patty told him. "John's going and so am I," Rachel vowed. "And we are wasting time standing here arguing." "She's right Patty," Victor agreed. "We need to go rescue our daughter now."
"Alright everyone just be careful. You have no idea what we are up against," Patty told Rachel, John, and Victor. "Just who is this bad guy we are after anyway?" Rachel asked. "He's the Source of all Evil, and two of his main missions in life are to destroy my daughters, the Charmed ones, and John's brother Cole. So you see we are walking into a powder keg here, no one will blame you if you want to pull out," Patty informed them. "No, I don't care if I have to take on the actual devil himself, I'm not letting anyone hurt Prue," John vowed. "Then I'm in too my friend," Rachel agreed.
Patty nodded gratefully and then instructed them all to join hands. John watched as she closed her eyes and spoke a spell. He only hoped that they would not be too late to save Prue.
A Good Friend To Listen Chapter XXIV
John had indeed landed on his derriere right in the middle of his living room. He stood, rubbed it, and headed toward the bathroom. He turned on the shower, grabbed a couple towels out of a nearby dresser, and then began to undress.
The entire time he was thinking if he never saw Prue Halliwell again in his life it would be too soon. Who was she to judge him? By the looks and sounds of things it wasn't exactly like she had her life under any better control than his. An errant notion that he didn't blame this Andy person for running in a different direction started to form in John's head. He stopped it quickly and cursed himself for being unfair and cruel.
It wasn't as if Prue had said anything that John hadn't been thinking himself. He was a screwed up petrified mess without a clue how to put his life back in order again. All John knew was that he didn't want to think about it anymore at least for right now. He climbed in the shower and welcomed the bracing effects of the nearly freezing water. If this didn't clear his head of self -castigating thoughts and haunting fantasies of him cavorting with a naked brunette nothing would.
He stayed in the shower for as long as he could stand it. The sad thing was he only felt slightly less on edge. Perhaps a touch of normal activity might further aid in his efforts. John dressed quickly in a pair of raggedy denim shorts and a beat up old FBI sweatshirt with the arms cut off. In his kitchen he grabbed his keys off the counter and then went out into the garage. He gathered up his supplies. It was time to lavish some attention on his most prized possession, his black Mercedes convertible.
John backed the car out into his driveway and then immersed himself in his task. He vacuumed out the inside with a dust buster, washed the body and the windows, and was just starting to take out the polish, when he heard a women, yell, "Yo, Grant, are you deaf? I've been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes."
For a minute John was afraid that a certain witch had hunted him down, but then again he recognized the voice, and it wasn't Prue's. He turned to face the equally stubborn but beautiful red head behind him. It must be his destiny to be surrounded by these creatures, which so eluded his understanding.
"Hello Rachel! What are you doing here?" "You tell me? You are the one who put the 911 about Sam on my answering machine and then the later call canceling it, which your voice sounded a bit strange by the way. So I decided to come and see what was up. I would have been around sooner but I was out of the country on a case when you called."
Once her good name and reputation had been reclaimed, Rachel Burke had joined an elite international crime- fighting unit that was highly secretive. John didn't even know too much about it although they had remained close friends. All he knew was that it kept Rachel globetrotting a lot. "I take it Sam's okay or you wouldn't be here blithely taking care of your wheels here!" she said.
John nodded. "She's fine." "That is good to hear, so why aren't you fine?" Rachel
asked. "Who said I'm not?" "Me. I can hear it in the tone of your voice so don't bother denying it. We know each other too well John. I was there for you when Kate got shot, and you were there for me when Danny died, and then when I was falsely accused. So there is no point in playing games here. Tell me what is wrong."
"Rachel don't get me wrong I appreciate your coming here and I appreciate your concern but I really don't want to talk about what is bothering me." Rachel merely shrugged. John shook his head. The world really was turning strange. He couldn't believe Rachel seemed to be surrendering without an argument. She simply turned and walked back to her rental car. He saw her grab something out of it, and then she disappeared inside his condo.
A few moments later she came out dressed in her own pair of old shorts, topped with a well- worn T-Shirt. She picked up one of the extra rags and then started in on the other side of the car. They worked in companionable silence for about fifteen minutes before she asked, "So what is her name?"
"Prue Halliwell," John blurted out before he realized Rachel had tricked him. "What part of 'I don't want to talk about this' didn't you understand, Burke?" Rachel laughed. "Well Grant, you obviously do want to talk about it or you wouldn't have fallen into a trap as old as the hills so easily."
John picked up a cleaning sponge and threw it at his friend jokingly. She caught it easily. They walked over to two wooden chairs and sat down. John then told Rachel every bizarre thing that happened to him since Angel had first called him, yesterday.
At first she seemed a bit skeptical but as he went on, John could see that she was gradually beginning to accept his words as the truth.
Silence rained again for a few moments and then Rachel said, "you know I disagree with this Prue on one account. You are definitely not a coward. You are just a little out of your depth that is all. It is not like you have had great examples of truly committed loving relationships to follow. Anyone would be frightened and it sounds like Prue has issues of her own on this front. It doesn't mean, however, that a relationship can't succeed between the two of you-it just would need a lot of understanding and effort." As for you and Cole, you certainly have shown me that you have what it takes to be a brother.
"I don't know, Rachel!" "Yes you do. You have to go back and discover what ever it is that destiny has in store for you because one thing for sure you aren't going to find out behind the wheel of this thing, no matter how shiny or fast it is.
Rachel walked around the car and took the waxing cloth out of John's hands and looked him straight in the eye. "You know I'm right don't you, John?" He nodded. "Even though it kills me to admit it, yes you are," he said teasingly. The two old friends threw their arms around each other and hugged. John also planted a light kiss on Rachel's forehead.
Rachel and John both heard a furious sounding gasp. They whirled around just in time to see Prue materializing behind them. Humph, redhead! I see there is no reason whatsoever to be worried about you. You seem to have things well in hand," she said sarcastically. "Prue wai..." John started to say but never got the chance.
A mysterious figure in a black hooded robe suddenly appeared and grabbed Prue from behind. Prue struggled and Rachel and John tried to come to her aid but it was no use. "I'll be back for you later Belthzaor ! Once I've taken care of this witch for good," the strange being swore. Then it disappeared with Prue.
"What the hell was that?" Rachel asked. "I'm not sure, all I know is that I have to find a way to rescue Prue," John began to pace like a restless tiger. He pleaded to the skies up above for help. Patty and Victor appeared almost immediately.
John explained what had happened and grew even more agitated when he saw the look on Patty's face. "It had to have been the Source," she said anxiously. "What do we do?" Victor asked appearing equally as upset. "Call Phoebe and Piper?" "No not yet. We need to follow him very carefully and see what he has planned first. We can't risk all three girls getting caught in a trap."
"Sounds good to me," John concurred. "Let's go!" "John I don't think you should come with us. I mean you don't have your powers yet, and the Source is far too dangerous," Patty told him. "John's going and so am I," Rachel vowed. "And we are wasting time standing here arguing." "She's right Patty," Victor agreed. "We need to go rescue our daughter now."
"Alright everyone just be careful. You have no idea what we are up against," Patty told Rachel, John, and Victor. "Just who is this bad guy we are after anyway?" Rachel asked. "He's the Source of all Evil, and two of his main missions in life are to destroy my daughters, the Charmed ones, and John's brother Cole. So you see we are walking into a powder keg here, no one will blame you if you want to pull out," Patty informed them. "No, I don't care if I have to take on the actual devil himself, I'm not letting anyone hurt Prue," John vowed. "Then I'm in too my friend," Rachel agreed.
Patty nodded gratefully and then instructed them all to join hands. John watched as she closed her eyes and spoke a spell. He only hoped that they would not be too late to save Prue.