( A/N: Takes place during season 4... so some spoilers. Paige is in the story and it takes place at a point where Cole has no powers.)
Chapter 1
Imaginary Horrors
Phoebe tapped her fingers on the kitchen counter. With a sigh she looked at Piper and Leo who were laughing and feeding each other. Where was Cole? That's all Phoebe wanted to know. Where was he and why did he seem to be avoiding her? She could understand how awkward it was to become human all of a sudden but she still wanted her boyfriend back.
Paige tumbled into the kitchen nearly knocking Phoebe over as she put her shoes on. "Sorry babe," She said as Phoebe's gut was squished between Paige and the counter.
"No problem... I'll just watch where I stand." With a roll of her eyes Phoebe left the kitchen and headed for the door. "Piper! I'm taking your car!"
Grabbing Piper's keys she waited a moment for an answer but all she heard was Piper's giggles. She snatched up her beach bag that sat next to the door. Phoebe brushed her hair behind her ears and walked outside.
It was a blistering hot day. The air hit her like the oven heat when you were baking something and opened the oven letting the air hit your face. Not that Phoebe would know. Seldom did she cook. That, of course, was Piper's job because she enjoyed it. Her sister had once been a chef. Thinking of how panicked she was to get the job put a smile across Phoebe's lips.
She jumped into Piper's jeep and fired up the ignition with a quick snap of her wrist. She was off to the pool for the day.
*****
As she laid her beach towel out on the cement pool side Phoebe noted a group of guys eyeing her. With a giggle she removed her bell bottoms and black half shirt exposing her plain black, triangular shaped bikini. Phoebe laid down on top of the towel. Today was a day of total relaxation under the sun. No sisters, no witchcraft, no worries.
To the side of her a guy around his late twenties spread out his own towel.
"Mind if I sit here?" His voice was soft and low. When Phoebe looked at him the first thing she noticed were his emerald green eyes. As they bore into her own she felt a chill flow across her body.
"Uh... yeah sure. I mean no."
He raised a brow as Phoebe and gave her a warm smile.
"What I mean is sure you can sit here and no I don't mind." Phoebe felt herself blushing.
With that he took off his shirt and trunks exposing his well toned body. Even more muscular then Cole's not too muscular but perfect. Phoebe grinned in approval and he sat his burly body next to hers.
"I'm Tony." He told her with a smile as he ran a hand through his golden blonde hair.
There was something about him. Something different. That Phoebe knew but, what it was she couldn't tell.. For a moment she let herself melt into his gorgeous face and body forgetting about Cole.
"I'm Phoebe Halliwell." She extended a hand to Tony, which, he took and brought to his lips laying a soft kiss on it.
A ring escaped Phoebe's beach bag and she quickly grabbed for it. Peering inside she took out her cell phone.
"Hello?" Phoebe said almost impatiently. She was hoping for a relaxing day. "Please say this isn't any witch-" She stopped as Tony gave her a curious look. "Which way did he go dock?" Phoebe covered up the phone and looked at Tony. "That ice cream guy... Which way did he go? I could really go for some ice cream right now!"
"I'll go get some for you." Tony smirked as he got up and walked towards the ice-cream stand.
Phoebe smiled. He was utterly charming the way he talked and acted. Her smile quickly turned to a frown when she thought of Cole.
"Phoebe? Phoebe?!?" Piper's voice came angrily from her cell phone.
Pressing the phone to her ear Phoebe gave a little sigh. "Sorry... had to get rid of some company. Now before you say anything please think about it. If it doesn't involve the power of three then I have a sun tan to work on."
She heard her sister go silent. "We need you. A demon attacked Paige."
"Oh..." What else could she say? Her day was ruined. The power of three was needed again and her day was over. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy her power she just could have used the break. "I'll be there in a second."
As she closed her phone and turned to her bag a shadow loomed over her. She looked up to see Tony.
"I came to ask what kind of ice cream do you want?"
She looked into his green eyes and gave a little sorry smile. This was the most normal conversation she'd had all week. "I have to go. Family problems."
"ok," He sounded hurt for a minute but cheered up. "I'll see you soon."
There was something about the way he said it. He sounded so sure about it. Phoebe pulled on her pants and stuffed the shirt and blanket in the bag. Tomorrow was always another day to try relaxing.
"It was nice talking to you." Phoebe stood throwing the bag across her shoulder.
"While it lasted. Goodbye Phoebe."
Phoebe slid her shoes on and walked through the ladies room to the parking lot. She found Piper's keys in her pocket and unlocked the door.
Her phone rang again. She took it back out as she slid into the jeep. "Hello?"
"Without your power and spells, you're cast into the hells, I will see you soon, when the clock strikes noon." There was a click on the other end.
"Hello?" Phoebe asked. No answer. She had to get home.
****
Phoebe thrust the manor door open. "Piper? Paige?" She ran up the stairs and up another flight to the attic where Piper, Paige and Leo stood over the book.
"Where are they?" Piper was in the midst of a frenzy. She flipped fiercely through the book nearly tearing several pages. "What the hell happened to them?"
"Happened to what?" Phoebe asked as she edged towards her sisters and brother in law.
Paige's eyes shot up to her. "The spells are gone from the book and Piper is about to have a panic attack."
"Already there!" Piper yelled as she through her hands in the air. "It's like they just disappeared into thin air."
Leo shook his head and looked at Piper. "Something's not right... evil can't touch the book and they'd have to touch it to do something like this." He looked past Phoebe.
Phoebe spun around to see Cole. She gave him a small smile but remembered the phone call she had gotten. Placing her hands on the book to get everyone's attention she started. "I got a really weird phone call." Now that she thought about it she couldn't remember any details about it.
Piper looked up from the book and nodded impatiently. "Probably a prank right now we need to-"
A shrill cry came from the left of Phoebe. Paige was waving her hands frantically in the air, yelping and jumping back. "Get off of me! Get off!!" She was brushing ferociously at her arms and face. "Please get them off!"
Phoebe gave Paige a confused look. "Honey? Get what off you?"
"The bugs!" Paige's voice shook terribly with fear. The terror in her eyes alone gave Phoebe goose bumps but, she still saw nothing and, judging by Piper's reaction, she saw nothing also. Paige's voice cracked as she collapsed to the floor still rubbing at her arms and legs.
"Leo?" Piper gave her husband a pleading look.
"I'll ask the elders." He had the same quizzical look as Piper.
Cole walked over to Paige and held her hands over her head. Phoebe noticed blood dripping from her fingers then saw the cuts on the arm. Paige had scratched herself to get these "bugs" off. "She's going to hurt herself." Cole said as Leo orbed away.
"She's hysterical! Just what we need!" Piper's fists came slamming down on the book.
"Try to freeze the bugs." Cole suggested.
"There aren't any bugs to freeze, Cole!" Piper raised her voice. Raising her hands she froze the room. Her and her sisters were the only thing that remained unfrozen. Paige stopped screaming and looked up at her arms that were held together by Cole.
"Get them off..." Paige told Phoebe. "While they're frozen! GET THEM OFF!!"
Piper unfroze Cole and told him to let Paige go. When he did Phoebe wiped Paige's back and hair while Paige wiped off her arms and legs. She stood up with a look like she hadn't slept in weeks. Her hair was piled in knots on top of her hair from swatting at it and her armed hand several cuts in them.
"Are you ok?" Phoebe asked. She was concerned for Paige.
With a nod Paige backed away from where the "bugs" had been.
"I think your sister has cracked." Cole grinned slightly obviously trying to make humor out of something not even remotely funny.
Paige looked at the other three people in the room. "You didn't see them?"
"That's not important. What's important is that we figure out who that demon was that was here earlier and what is wrong with the book. Leo! We need you back fast!" With a roll of her eyes, Piper picked up the book and left the attic.
Phoebe put an arm around Paige and guided her to the steps. "We've got to bandage you up until Leo gets here!"
"Phoebe!" Piper cried from downstairs. Her voice trailed away into sobs. "NO! PHOEBE!! LEO!!!"
Turning to Cole Phoebe pointed to her younger sister. "Watch her." She fled down the stairs to the living room where Piper was holding Phoebe's old Betsy Wetsy doll. Her head was detached and laying near Piper's feet. Piper's legs were twisted under her and she was sobbing harder and harder. "LEO!!!"
"Piper?" Phoebe smiled a little. "It's only a doll. No need to call Leo." She stepped closer to her sister who remain unresponsive. "I never really liked it anyway."
Leo orbed in front of Phoebe nearly knocking her back into the coffee table. "What's going on?" He asked giving Piper a sideways glance.
"It's Phoebe! Heal her god damnit! I'm not losing another sister!" Piper clutched the doll tightly to her chest.
"Calm down Piper it's only a doll."
Cole and Paige walked from behind Phoebe. "Is Piper ok?" Paige asked. Her face was marked with fear for her sister.
Piper looked up all of a sudden then down at the doll. She threw it across the room and wiped her eyes dry. Turning around she met Phoebe eye to eye and threw both arms around her sister. "I thought you were..." She looked back to the doll, laughing hysterically. She was the only one who found humor in it. But the laughing hid her fear. Something was wrong.
Paige jumped forward knocking Phoebe and Piper apart. The TV was flickering on and off behind Cole. Slowly, he turned and pushed the off button but it continued. He tried again. The channels started flashing from one to one hundred. Leo pushed Cole aside and pulled the plug out but, not even that stopped the TV.
Bells started chiming all around the five. Piper and Paige held each other's hands. When the couches started moving they both huddled in the corner. Cole looked at Phoebe. One of the windows shattered sending glass straight at Cole. He threw his hands in front of his face and fell into the TV sending that crashing down on Leo.
Phoebe's knees gave away sending her toppling to the floor. The room started to spin around her sending cascades of bloody reds and blacks across the manor living room. She could hear the faint sound of a familiar laugh. And then she could hear the blood rushing in her ears and Piper and Paige's shouting.
She opened her mouth but, no sound came out, not even a squeak. The only thing she could manage before twirling into the black abyss of darkness was fainting from the thunderous noise flowing in her ears. No more could she here Piper or Paige.
Chapter 1
Imaginary Horrors
Phoebe tapped her fingers on the kitchen counter. With a sigh she looked at Piper and Leo who were laughing and feeding each other. Where was Cole? That's all Phoebe wanted to know. Where was he and why did he seem to be avoiding her? She could understand how awkward it was to become human all of a sudden but she still wanted her boyfriend back.
Paige tumbled into the kitchen nearly knocking Phoebe over as she put her shoes on. "Sorry babe," She said as Phoebe's gut was squished between Paige and the counter.
"No problem... I'll just watch where I stand." With a roll of her eyes Phoebe left the kitchen and headed for the door. "Piper! I'm taking your car!"
Grabbing Piper's keys she waited a moment for an answer but all she heard was Piper's giggles. She snatched up her beach bag that sat next to the door. Phoebe brushed her hair behind her ears and walked outside.
It was a blistering hot day. The air hit her like the oven heat when you were baking something and opened the oven letting the air hit your face. Not that Phoebe would know. Seldom did she cook. That, of course, was Piper's job because she enjoyed it. Her sister had once been a chef. Thinking of how panicked she was to get the job put a smile across Phoebe's lips.
She jumped into Piper's jeep and fired up the ignition with a quick snap of her wrist. She was off to the pool for the day.
*****
As she laid her beach towel out on the cement pool side Phoebe noted a group of guys eyeing her. With a giggle she removed her bell bottoms and black half shirt exposing her plain black, triangular shaped bikini. Phoebe laid down on top of the towel. Today was a day of total relaxation under the sun. No sisters, no witchcraft, no worries.
To the side of her a guy around his late twenties spread out his own towel.
"Mind if I sit here?" His voice was soft and low. When Phoebe looked at him the first thing she noticed were his emerald green eyes. As they bore into her own she felt a chill flow across her body.
"Uh... yeah sure. I mean no."
He raised a brow as Phoebe and gave her a warm smile.
"What I mean is sure you can sit here and no I don't mind." Phoebe felt herself blushing.
With that he took off his shirt and trunks exposing his well toned body. Even more muscular then Cole's not too muscular but perfect. Phoebe grinned in approval and he sat his burly body next to hers.
"I'm Tony." He told her with a smile as he ran a hand through his golden blonde hair.
There was something about him. Something different. That Phoebe knew but, what it was she couldn't tell.. For a moment she let herself melt into his gorgeous face and body forgetting about Cole.
"I'm Phoebe Halliwell." She extended a hand to Tony, which, he took and brought to his lips laying a soft kiss on it.
A ring escaped Phoebe's beach bag and she quickly grabbed for it. Peering inside she took out her cell phone.
"Hello?" Phoebe said almost impatiently. She was hoping for a relaxing day. "Please say this isn't any witch-" She stopped as Tony gave her a curious look. "Which way did he go dock?" Phoebe covered up the phone and looked at Tony. "That ice cream guy... Which way did he go? I could really go for some ice cream right now!"
"I'll go get some for you." Tony smirked as he got up and walked towards the ice-cream stand.
Phoebe smiled. He was utterly charming the way he talked and acted. Her smile quickly turned to a frown when she thought of Cole.
"Phoebe? Phoebe?!?" Piper's voice came angrily from her cell phone.
Pressing the phone to her ear Phoebe gave a little sigh. "Sorry... had to get rid of some company. Now before you say anything please think about it. If it doesn't involve the power of three then I have a sun tan to work on."
She heard her sister go silent. "We need you. A demon attacked Paige."
"Oh..." What else could she say? Her day was ruined. The power of three was needed again and her day was over. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy her power she just could have used the break. "I'll be there in a second."
As she closed her phone and turned to her bag a shadow loomed over her. She looked up to see Tony.
"I came to ask what kind of ice cream do you want?"
She looked into his green eyes and gave a little sorry smile. This was the most normal conversation she'd had all week. "I have to go. Family problems."
"ok," He sounded hurt for a minute but cheered up. "I'll see you soon."
There was something about the way he said it. He sounded so sure about it. Phoebe pulled on her pants and stuffed the shirt and blanket in the bag. Tomorrow was always another day to try relaxing.
"It was nice talking to you." Phoebe stood throwing the bag across her shoulder.
"While it lasted. Goodbye Phoebe."
Phoebe slid her shoes on and walked through the ladies room to the parking lot. She found Piper's keys in her pocket and unlocked the door.
Her phone rang again. She took it back out as she slid into the jeep. "Hello?"
"Without your power and spells, you're cast into the hells, I will see you soon, when the clock strikes noon." There was a click on the other end.
"Hello?" Phoebe asked. No answer. She had to get home.
****
Phoebe thrust the manor door open. "Piper? Paige?" She ran up the stairs and up another flight to the attic where Piper, Paige and Leo stood over the book.
"Where are they?" Piper was in the midst of a frenzy. She flipped fiercely through the book nearly tearing several pages. "What the hell happened to them?"
"Happened to what?" Phoebe asked as she edged towards her sisters and brother in law.
Paige's eyes shot up to her. "The spells are gone from the book and Piper is about to have a panic attack."
"Already there!" Piper yelled as she through her hands in the air. "It's like they just disappeared into thin air."
Leo shook his head and looked at Piper. "Something's not right... evil can't touch the book and they'd have to touch it to do something like this." He looked past Phoebe.
Phoebe spun around to see Cole. She gave him a small smile but remembered the phone call she had gotten. Placing her hands on the book to get everyone's attention she started. "I got a really weird phone call." Now that she thought about it she couldn't remember any details about it.
Piper looked up from the book and nodded impatiently. "Probably a prank right now we need to-"
A shrill cry came from the left of Phoebe. Paige was waving her hands frantically in the air, yelping and jumping back. "Get off of me! Get off!!" She was brushing ferociously at her arms and face. "Please get them off!"
Phoebe gave Paige a confused look. "Honey? Get what off you?"
"The bugs!" Paige's voice shook terribly with fear. The terror in her eyes alone gave Phoebe goose bumps but, she still saw nothing and, judging by Piper's reaction, she saw nothing also. Paige's voice cracked as she collapsed to the floor still rubbing at her arms and legs.
"Leo?" Piper gave her husband a pleading look.
"I'll ask the elders." He had the same quizzical look as Piper.
Cole walked over to Paige and held her hands over her head. Phoebe noticed blood dripping from her fingers then saw the cuts on the arm. Paige had scratched herself to get these "bugs" off. "She's going to hurt herself." Cole said as Leo orbed away.
"She's hysterical! Just what we need!" Piper's fists came slamming down on the book.
"Try to freeze the bugs." Cole suggested.
"There aren't any bugs to freeze, Cole!" Piper raised her voice. Raising her hands she froze the room. Her and her sisters were the only thing that remained unfrozen. Paige stopped screaming and looked up at her arms that were held together by Cole.
"Get them off..." Paige told Phoebe. "While they're frozen! GET THEM OFF!!"
Piper unfroze Cole and told him to let Paige go. When he did Phoebe wiped Paige's back and hair while Paige wiped off her arms and legs. She stood up with a look like she hadn't slept in weeks. Her hair was piled in knots on top of her hair from swatting at it and her armed hand several cuts in them.
"Are you ok?" Phoebe asked. She was concerned for Paige.
With a nod Paige backed away from where the "bugs" had been.
"I think your sister has cracked." Cole grinned slightly obviously trying to make humor out of something not even remotely funny.
Paige looked at the other three people in the room. "You didn't see them?"
"That's not important. What's important is that we figure out who that demon was that was here earlier and what is wrong with the book. Leo! We need you back fast!" With a roll of her eyes, Piper picked up the book and left the attic.
Phoebe put an arm around Paige and guided her to the steps. "We've got to bandage you up until Leo gets here!"
"Phoebe!" Piper cried from downstairs. Her voice trailed away into sobs. "NO! PHOEBE!! LEO!!!"
Turning to Cole Phoebe pointed to her younger sister. "Watch her." She fled down the stairs to the living room where Piper was holding Phoebe's old Betsy Wetsy doll. Her head was detached and laying near Piper's feet. Piper's legs were twisted under her and she was sobbing harder and harder. "LEO!!!"
"Piper?" Phoebe smiled a little. "It's only a doll. No need to call Leo." She stepped closer to her sister who remain unresponsive. "I never really liked it anyway."
Leo orbed in front of Phoebe nearly knocking her back into the coffee table. "What's going on?" He asked giving Piper a sideways glance.
"It's Phoebe! Heal her god damnit! I'm not losing another sister!" Piper clutched the doll tightly to her chest.
"Calm down Piper it's only a doll."
Cole and Paige walked from behind Phoebe. "Is Piper ok?" Paige asked. Her face was marked with fear for her sister.
Piper looked up all of a sudden then down at the doll. She threw it across the room and wiped her eyes dry. Turning around she met Phoebe eye to eye and threw both arms around her sister. "I thought you were..." She looked back to the doll, laughing hysterically. She was the only one who found humor in it. But the laughing hid her fear. Something was wrong.
Paige jumped forward knocking Phoebe and Piper apart. The TV was flickering on and off behind Cole. Slowly, he turned and pushed the off button but it continued. He tried again. The channels started flashing from one to one hundred. Leo pushed Cole aside and pulled the plug out but, not even that stopped the TV.
Bells started chiming all around the five. Piper and Paige held each other's hands. When the couches started moving they both huddled in the corner. Cole looked at Phoebe. One of the windows shattered sending glass straight at Cole. He threw his hands in front of his face and fell into the TV sending that crashing down on Leo.
Phoebe's knees gave away sending her toppling to the floor. The room started to spin around her sending cascades of bloody reds and blacks across the manor living room. She could hear the faint sound of a familiar laugh. And then she could hear the blood rushing in her ears and Piper and Paige's shouting.
She opened her mouth but, no sound came out, not even a squeak. The only thing she could manage before twirling into the black abyss of darkness was fainting from the thunderous noise flowing in her ears. No more could she here Piper or Paige.