Disclaimer: OK, I'm over here, wondering what the point of this is but I figure...hey, its a traditions so here goes: I don't own Charmed. *Waits for the applause* Alright, so that wasn't real flashy and I didn't use big words, but the least you could do is pretend to be happy....
AN: Hey, people! Thanks for reading!
Starring Piper: hey twin! Here's another chapter! Hope you enjoy it...
Wotcha: FOUR?? The big 4 everyone!! *celebrates* Well, I update between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Depending on the day, and how hard the chapter is to write!
Charmed Fanatic: yep yep. Piper was pregnant in a previous story, but she had a miscarriage...:( It was in Unlikely Love. Check it out if you wanna see what happened in more detail.
Trunks Ichijouji: Why thank you! Coming from you...well that means a lot. Appreciate your lovely comments...:)
Daisy: well, I guess in a way it was a happy chapter, I mean, she didn't die...that's always a plus. lol. Thanks for reviewing!
SnOwBuNnY: HI!!!!!! Thanks for the review!!
HalliwellGirls: it was GOOD! (your story) Ah, yes, it is a very good thing that you weren't asked to choose. She'd be a dead duck!
wAnNaBpIpEr: I've never seen the matrix, so I wouldn't know about red or blue pills...:S Thanks for taking the time to review every chapter, it means a lot.
Kristen's Paige: Here is your honorary spot. I know you are out of town. But you get an AN anyway!!
AN: Starring Piper and I have begun a Charmed parody! If you like humor, please give it a try...flaming is not only accepted, it is embraced. We need to know if this project is worth continuing...It's called Killing Memory's Thief. Thanks! Our joint penname is Starring Charmed. Please check it out!
AN: You guys I have to apologize, but this will be my last chapter for a while. I am SO sorry, I was trying really hard to finish the story up before I had to leave, but plans got changed and I now am leaving tomorrow...er later today as it is 6 in the morning. I really really really am sooooo sorry. I'll write lotz and lotz while I'm gone and as soon as I'm back I'll post more. Please forgive me. I didn't realize I'd be forced to leave dayz earlier than expected... :( :( :(
"Not so fast girls," Naruk called to them. Paige and Prue were about to orb home for some much needed rest. Naruk beckoned them closer and they complied, though not happily. "I have another test for you. I sincerely hope you do not mind, as you did so well on this first one." Paige glared at him, still exhausted from the excruciating pain she had only jsut experienced.
"Actually, Naruk," Prue argued, spitting his name out as if it were poison, "Paige needs to go home. She has been through a lot, as I am sure you know. If you don't mind, we're jsut going to leave." Naruk smiled, but there was nothing pleasant or happy about his smile. Prue immediately knew that they weren't going anywhere.
"I do not think you quite understand the rules here. You are required to go through these tests in order to get your sisters back. Now, why don't you go into the room you were in before while Paige and I have a little chat," he suggested. His tone implied that there was no choice. Reluctantly, Prue did as he wished, glancing back at Paige once more before she disappeared.
"Paige, dear, you look a bit pale," he commented. Paige glared at him, the anger tingeing her cheeks a light red. He nodded. "A little better, though you may think about visiting the sun more often," he told her, making her all the more angry.
"I really do not see how helpful little hints about my complexion is a test," she hissed, indicating he should jsut get on with it.
"Temper, temper. Now, there is no reason to be upset. I jsut want to have a little chat. Then you are free to go," he said, assuming his kind and polite facade. She knew better, his smile did not reach his eyes. They were cold and dark, windows into his true character.
"Fine, chat away. Do you mind if I sleep through this?," she asked dryly, in no mood for his games.
"Yes, I do, as a matter of fact. In a few moments you will not feel like sleeping," he hinted, dropping the hospitable act. Paige was relieved. It was much easier to be sarcastic and rude to someone when they weren't using sugary sweet tones. Much easier, and a hell of a lot more enjoyable.
"I doubt anything you have to say will be that interesting," she said, raising her eyebrows. Naruk stilled, his eyes trained on her face. So he had buttons she could push. How perfectly delightful.
"I suggest you speak only asked to, witch," he snarled in a low, threatening voice. Paige gave a short, skeptical laugh.
"I lost all of my manners by the time I hit middle school. Trust me, you can't scare me into using them again. My parents tried that," she informed him. Naruk smiled, slipping back into his former infuriating calm.
"Speaking of your parents," he began, using her words as the perfect opportunity, "Tell me. How did they die again?"
"In a car crash," Paige said, keeping any emotion from showing in her face. Naruk gave a quick nod. No, an attack from that point would do little more than amuse her. Next subject.
"How about Phoebe?," he asked, watching her closely for some reaction. He saw a flicker in her eyes. Guilt? Anger? The emotion was brief and gone too soon for him to identify it.
"Brain disease. The doctors couldn't identify it or do more than make her relatively comfortable," she answered in monotone. This was worth going into, but for now, he would leave it at that.
"Relax, Paige," he soothed, "Jsut think of this as an evil therapy session. The objective being to drive you insane. At least, that's my goal." Paige wanted to hit him, but refrained. So he wanted to make her a little crazy, big deal. She wasn't going to let him.
"Why don't you tell me why Piper killed herself?," he urged, leaning in closer as if he were honestly interested. Paige looked away for an instant, collecting her thoughts. She didn't want to talk about her.
"If I knew why she did it, I would have been able to stop her," she replied. Naruk caught the bitterness in her words before she could smooth her tone. Paige willed herself not to let him know that she knew she had made a mistake.
"Yes, and why couldn't you stop her?," he pushed. This was the key. Her dead older sister, committing suicide. Perfect for him, Hell for her. He loved every minute of it.
"I tried to stop her," she told him angrily, "I chased after her but I wasn't fast enough." He had hit a nerve. He had thought for sure it would take longer than this. Paige was struggling to stay calm, to make this as difficult as possible for him. She was losing this battle too fast. She was tired, it was making her less able to hold on to her emotions.
"You could have run faster, if you had tried harder," he pointed out, absorbing her immediate response to that with satisfaction. She shook her head rapidly. The nagging voice had subsided and now here he was, claiming the same thing. Did that make it true?
"No, I tried as hard as I could to reach her, but she was too fast. It all happened to fast," she insisted. She would not cry. She would not cry. She would NOT cry.
"I don't think that's true," he argued, "I think you didn't want to save her. Tell me, were you mad at your dear older sister?" Paige looked at him, startled. Was she mad at Piper?
"No, of course not," she answered hurriedly. Didn't make for a very convincing case.
"Don't lie. I see no reason not to tell me the truth. It isn't like Piper can hear you anymore," he said harshly. Paige recoiled, hurt by the spoken truth.
"I was not mad at her," she repeated angrily. Suddenly, she wished she were anywhere but in this small room. It was hot, she was sweating.
"Very well," he conceded. Anger was a good defense mechanism. He would come back, use this point to really break her. Right now, he needed something to push her a little over the edge.
"Do your sisters love you, Paige?," he asked. Paige nearly sighed in relief as he changed the subject to a safer topic.
"Of course," she responded with confidence. Damn. He wouldn't be able to get her there.
"What about you? Do you love them?," he continued. Paige hesitated for a moment. He noticed, and made a mental note.
"Yes, very much. Why else would I be going through this to get them back?," she countered. She was defensive. That usually meant the person was trying to hide something.
"To prove a point?," he suggested. Paige looked at him, he noticed a brief moment of doubt, then a firm resolve.
"I love my sisters, Naruk. You can't get me here," she said slowly. Anger returned to her voice adding a sting to her words. He couldn't risk her getting too angry, it would ruin everything. For now.
"Let's talk about Prue for a minute. Do you have a good, tight relationship?," he wondered. Paige was rapidly getting sick of this 20 questions game.
"We fight on occasion, but yes, we have a good relationship," she replied, her eyes turning icy. Prue wasn't a weak spot. Or was she?
"What do you fight about usually?," Naruk asked. Paige imagined him in a suit with a notepad and pen. He would be a very effective psychiatrist. Well, if you overlooked the evil factor...
"Look, I don't have to outline my entire history with my sisters. Why don't you jsut get to the point of the little conversation we have going here," she snapped. Her patience had been used up.
"Paige, it is pointless for you to waste energy on anger. This isn't something you will get out of." Paige crossed her arms, focusing her eyes on his face.
"Get on with it," she ordered. Naruk nodded.
"Let's go back to Piper," he said, falling back on the one weak point he had noticed, "I am still not sure why you didn't simply take the knife out of her hands."
"I told you, I wasn't fast enough," she growled.
"I don't buy that excuse. Know what I think? I think you wanted her to die. I think, deep down inside, you saw her as a threat. Someone keeping you from what you wanted. This will go much faster if you tell me what that is."
"That is ridiculous," Paige argued, incredulous, "I loved her. LOVED her. You do not wish death upon the people you love. But I guess you really wouldn't understand that. You are a demon, after all."
"It will be good for you to remember that," he snapped.
"Or what? Are you going to kill me? Somehow, I don't think Prue would be happy about that," she returned evenly.
"That's right, rely on your sister for protection," he sneered, "What happens when she isn't there to save you from the big, bad demons? Huh? What happens when you are all alone. What will poor, lonesome, pathetic Paige do then? Who will you cry to when all of them are gone?" Paige narrowed her eyes, fighting the urge to scream.
"I don't have to worry about that. I'm not alone," she replied. Naruk heard the catch in her voice. Another nerve.
"Not now. You will be eventually. It is inevitable. Can you handle being alone, Paige?," he asked, staring intently, waiting for a sign that he had her.
"No," Paige screamed, throwing herself at him. Naruk grabbed her arms, forced her to stop struggling.
"I don't think I believe you. Why don't we see if you can handle it. There are only three people left in your life who care about you. Leo is too busy with his own grief to worry too much about you. Glenn can be taken care of easily. And Prue...yes, Prue will soon have a reason to leave you all alone," he whispered. Paige began shaking violently. Not this. Her biggest fear. She couldn't go back to being alone.
"Nothing you do will make her go away," she told him in a strained voice.
"I think you are wrong. I will prove it to you," he told her, pushing her to the floor and walking towards the door Prue had gone through earlier.
AN: Hey, people! Thanks for reading!
Starring Piper: hey twin! Here's another chapter! Hope you enjoy it...
Wotcha: FOUR?? The big 4 everyone!! *celebrates* Well, I update between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Depending on the day, and how hard the chapter is to write!
Charmed Fanatic: yep yep. Piper was pregnant in a previous story, but she had a miscarriage...:( It was in Unlikely Love. Check it out if you wanna see what happened in more detail.
Trunks Ichijouji: Why thank you! Coming from you...well that means a lot. Appreciate your lovely comments...:)
Daisy: well, I guess in a way it was a happy chapter, I mean, she didn't die...that's always a plus. lol. Thanks for reviewing!
SnOwBuNnY: HI!!!!!! Thanks for the review!!
HalliwellGirls: it was GOOD! (your story) Ah, yes, it is a very good thing that you weren't asked to choose. She'd be a dead duck!
wAnNaBpIpEr: I've never seen the matrix, so I wouldn't know about red or blue pills...:S Thanks for taking the time to review every chapter, it means a lot.
Kristen's Paige: Here is your honorary spot. I know you are out of town. But you get an AN anyway!!
AN: Starring Piper and I have begun a Charmed parody! If you like humor, please give it a try...flaming is not only accepted, it is embraced. We need to know if this project is worth continuing...It's called Killing Memory's Thief. Thanks! Our joint penname is Starring Charmed. Please check it out!
AN: You guys I have to apologize, but this will be my last chapter for a while. I am SO sorry, I was trying really hard to finish the story up before I had to leave, but plans got changed and I now am leaving tomorrow...er later today as it is 6 in the morning. I really really really am sooooo sorry. I'll write lotz and lotz while I'm gone and as soon as I'm back I'll post more. Please forgive me. I didn't realize I'd be forced to leave dayz earlier than expected... :( :( :(
"Not so fast girls," Naruk called to them. Paige and Prue were about to orb home for some much needed rest. Naruk beckoned them closer and they complied, though not happily. "I have another test for you. I sincerely hope you do not mind, as you did so well on this first one." Paige glared at him, still exhausted from the excruciating pain she had only jsut experienced.
"Actually, Naruk," Prue argued, spitting his name out as if it were poison, "Paige needs to go home. She has been through a lot, as I am sure you know. If you don't mind, we're jsut going to leave." Naruk smiled, but there was nothing pleasant or happy about his smile. Prue immediately knew that they weren't going anywhere.
"I do not think you quite understand the rules here. You are required to go through these tests in order to get your sisters back. Now, why don't you go into the room you were in before while Paige and I have a little chat," he suggested. His tone implied that there was no choice. Reluctantly, Prue did as he wished, glancing back at Paige once more before she disappeared.
"Paige, dear, you look a bit pale," he commented. Paige glared at him, the anger tingeing her cheeks a light red. He nodded. "A little better, though you may think about visiting the sun more often," he told her, making her all the more angry.
"I really do not see how helpful little hints about my complexion is a test," she hissed, indicating he should jsut get on with it.
"Temper, temper. Now, there is no reason to be upset. I jsut want to have a little chat. Then you are free to go," he said, assuming his kind and polite facade. She knew better, his smile did not reach his eyes. They were cold and dark, windows into his true character.
"Fine, chat away. Do you mind if I sleep through this?," she asked dryly, in no mood for his games.
"Yes, I do, as a matter of fact. In a few moments you will not feel like sleeping," he hinted, dropping the hospitable act. Paige was relieved. It was much easier to be sarcastic and rude to someone when they weren't using sugary sweet tones. Much easier, and a hell of a lot more enjoyable.
"I doubt anything you have to say will be that interesting," she said, raising her eyebrows. Naruk stilled, his eyes trained on her face. So he had buttons she could push. How perfectly delightful.
"I suggest you speak only asked to, witch," he snarled in a low, threatening voice. Paige gave a short, skeptical laugh.
"I lost all of my manners by the time I hit middle school. Trust me, you can't scare me into using them again. My parents tried that," she informed him. Naruk smiled, slipping back into his former infuriating calm.
"Speaking of your parents," he began, using her words as the perfect opportunity, "Tell me. How did they die again?"
"In a car crash," Paige said, keeping any emotion from showing in her face. Naruk gave a quick nod. No, an attack from that point would do little more than amuse her. Next subject.
"How about Phoebe?," he asked, watching her closely for some reaction. He saw a flicker in her eyes. Guilt? Anger? The emotion was brief and gone too soon for him to identify it.
"Brain disease. The doctors couldn't identify it or do more than make her relatively comfortable," she answered in monotone. This was worth going into, but for now, he would leave it at that.
"Relax, Paige," he soothed, "Jsut think of this as an evil therapy session. The objective being to drive you insane. At least, that's my goal." Paige wanted to hit him, but refrained. So he wanted to make her a little crazy, big deal. She wasn't going to let him.
"Why don't you tell me why Piper killed herself?," he urged, leaning in closer as if he were honestly interested. Paige looked away for an instant, collecting her thoughts. She didn't want to talk about her.
"If I knew why she did it, I would have been able to stop her," she replied. Naruk caught the bitterness in her words before she could smooth her tone. Paige willed herself not to let him know that she knew she had made a mistake.
"Yes, and why couldn't you stop her?," he pushed. This was the key. Her dead older sister, committing suicide. Perfect for him, Hell for her. He loved every minute of it.
"I tried to stop her," she told him angrily, "I chased after her but I wasn't fast enough." He had hit a nerve. He had thought for sure it would take longer than this. Paige was struggling to stay calm, to make this as difficult as possible for him. She was losing this battle too fast. She was tired, it was making her less able to hold on to her emotions.
"You could have run faster, if you had tried harder," he pointed out, absorbing her immediate response to that with satisfaction. She shook her head rapidly. The nagging voice had subsided and now here he was, claiming the same thing. Did that make it true?
"No, I tried as hard as I could to reach her, but she was too fast. It all happened to fast," she insisted. She would not cry. She would not cry. She would NOT cry.
"I don't think that's true," he argued, "I think you didn't want to save her. Tell me, were you mad at your dear older sister?" Paige looked at him, startled. Was she mad at Piper?
"No, of course not," she answered hurriedly. Didn't make for a very convincing case.
"Don't lie. I see no reason not to tell me the truth. It isn't like Piper can hear you anymore," he said harshly. Paige recoiled, hurt by the spoken truth.
"I was not mad at her," she repeated angrily. Suddenly, she wished she were anywhere but in this small room. It was hot, she was sweating.
"Very well," he conceded. Anger was a good defense mechanism. He would come back, use this point to really break her. Right now, he needed something to push her a little over the edge.
"Do your sisters love you, Paige?," he asked. Paige nearly sighed in relief as he changed the subject to a safer topic.
"Of course," she responded with confidence. Damn. He wouldn't be able to get her there.
"What about you? Do you love them?," he continued. Paige hesitated for a moment. He noticed, and made a mental note.
"Yes, very much. Why else would I be going through this to get them back?," she countered. She was defensive. That usually meant the person was trying to hide something.
"To prove a point?," he suggested. Paige looked at him, he noticed a brief moment of doubt, then a firm resolve.
"I love my sisters, Naruk. You can't get me here," she said slowly. Anger returned to her voice adding a sting to her words. He couldn't risk her getting too angry, it would ruin everything. For now.
"Let's talk about Prue for a minute. Do you have a good, tight relationship?," he wondered. Paige was rapidly getting sick of this 20 questions game.
"We fight on occasion, but yes, we have a good relationship," she replied, her eyes turning icy. Prue wasn't a weak spot. Or was she?
"What do you fight about usually?," Naruk asked. Paige imagined him in a suit with a notepad and pen. He would be a very effective psychiatrist. Well, if you overlooked the evil factor...
"Look, I don't have to outline my entire history with my sisters. Why don't you jsut get to the point of the little conversation we have going here," she snapped. Her patience had been used up.
"Paige, it is pointless for you to waste energy on anger. This isn't something you will get out of." Paige crossed her arms, focusing her eyes on his face.
"Get on with it," she ordered. Naruk nodded.
"Let's go back to Piper," he said, falling back on the one weak point he had noticed, "I am still not sure why you didn't simply take the knife out of her hands."
"I told you, I wasn't fast enough," she growled.
"I don't buy that excuse. Know what I think? I think you wanted her to die. I think, deep down inside, you saw her as a threat. Someone keeping you from what you wanted. This will go much faster if you tell me what that is."
"That is ridiculous," Paige argued, incredulous, "I loved her. LOVED her. You do not wish death upon the people you love. But I guess you really wouldn't understand that. You are a demon, after all."
"It will be good for you to remember that," he snapped.
"Or what? Are you going to kill me? Somehow, I don't think Prue would be happy about that," she returned evenly.
"That's right, rely on your sister for protection," he sneered, "What happens when she isn't there to save you from the big, bad demons? Huh? What happens when you are all alone. What will poor, lonesome, pathetic Paige do then? Who will you cry to when all of them are gone?" Paige narrowed her eyes, fighting the urge to scream.
"I don't have to worry about that. I'm not alone," she replied. Naruk heard the catch in her voice. Another nerve.
"Not now. You will be eventually. It is inevitable. Can you handle being alone, Paige?," he asked, staring intently, waiting for a sign that he had her.
"No," Paige screamed, throwing herself at him. Naruk grabbed her arms, forced her to stop struggling.
"I don't think I believe you. Why don't we see if you can handle it. There are only three people left in your life who care about you. Leo is too busy with his own grief to worry too much about you. Glenn can be taken care of easily. And Prue...yes, Prue will soon have a reason to leave you all alone," he whispered. Paige began shaking violently. Not this. Her biggest fear. She couldn't go back to being alone.
"Nothing you do will make her go away," she told him in a strained voice.
"I think you are wrong. I will prove it to you," he told her, pushing her to the floor and walking towards the door Prue had gone through earlier.