Chapter 6
Piper stalked up the steps of the attic and flung open the door. She then marched over to the Book of Shadows. She began flipping pages.
Phoebe stood in the doorway. She then walked in.
'What are you doing?' she asked.
Piper didn't even look up.
'What am I doing? What I am doing is looking for spell so I can summon Prue. That's what I'm doing!'
'Why?' Phoebe asked, peering at her.
Piper looked up.
'I want to see Prue. I want to see my big sister before me, and I want her to tell me that it is okay, for Paige and Andy to date! So, that's why I am doing it, Phoebe!'
Phoebe hurried over to the attic door and closed it. She then walked quickly over to the book and put her hand over Piper's.
'Stop this, Piper! We don't have time for it!'
'Stop what?'
'Stop taking your anger over Leo out on Paige and Andy! They don't deserve this!'
Piper's eyes widened!
'I am not taking anything out on them! But I do think that Paige, should get her big sister's 'permission', before she steals her boyfriend!'
Phoebe's mouth dropped open.
'Would you just listen to yourself for one minute? Do you know how absurd that sounds? I want you to stop obsessing over something, that's none of your business anyway!'
'Oh, so now Paige is not my business?'
Phoebe folded her arms and squinted at her.
'Piper, I don't think this is so much about what Prue might've thought, as much as it is about, how much it hurts to see that your little sister, is in love with her Whitelighter. And her Whitelighter is not an Elder, thus, he can be with her.'
Piper turned away and frowned.
Phoebe took a deep breath.
'Look, I'm sorry if the truth hurts...'
'It doesn't because it's not true.' Piper answered stiffly.
'Fine. But we need to vanquish Cole, before he can think of some other slimy way to get back at us, okay? So can you meet us downstairs in 5 minutes? You know, so we can go hunt down Cole!'
'Okay, okay! I'll be down in a minute!'
Phoebe pointed a finger at her.
'Piper, don't you cast that spell! We don't need the trouble right now!'
'I said I would be down in a minute, Phoebe! I just need some time to myself, okay?'
Phoebe stared at her hard, for a long moment. She then turned and walked over to the door. She opened it, gave Piper one last glance, before walking out of the room. She left the door open.
Piper waited until she heard Phoebe's footsteps disappear. She then walked over to the door and closed it again.
Piper then turned and walked over to the Book of Shadows. She turned a few pages quickly, until she came upon the summoning spell she needed. She began to chant aloud.
'Hear these words, hear my cry, spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the great divide.'
**** Meanwhile, Cole was speeding up his manipulation of the past. He was now standing with Prue in her dark room at the manor. He eyed some of the photographs.
'You really are very talented.' he said.
Prue glanced over at him.
'Thanks, though I don't know how 'talented', I really am.' she said, eyeing a photograph hanging on the clothes line.
Prue looked over from the photographs, to the A.D.A.. He was cute...damned cute. But, there was something about him that just reeked of 'smarmy'. Prue could've sworn she saw him checking out Phoebe, the other night in the alley.
'Look, Mr. Turner...'
Cole smiled. Prue wasn't falling for his charms. In the back of his mind, he knew that was because the two of them were never meant to be. Phoebe was his true love.
But for his purposes now, Cole tried to muster up attraction for the oldest Halliwell sister, in front of him. Not that Prue was in anyway unattractive. She just wasn't Phoebe.
'Call me Cole. And Ms. Halliwell...'
'Call me Prue.'
'Prue. I just got the impression that there was something you weren't telling me about the murder you saw the other night. I am here to protect you. So, if there's anything at all...'
The darkroom door flew open, and Phoebe entered. She was carrying a bunch of books. She grinned at Cole. He could not help but grin back. Prue noticed this. Since last night, this guy had been hitting on her like there was no tomorrow! But it was obvious, that this Cole guy liked Phoebe! His face had just lit up when she burst in here!
Prue eyed Phoebe.
'Phoebes, what have I told you about just bursting in here?'
'Oh come on, Prue! I saw the light was on. Hi!' she said, eyeing Cole as if he were candy.
Before Cole could answer, a sudden, loud burst of thunder could be heard. Phoebe's eyes widened.
'Good God! I just came from outside! There was not a cloud in the sky!'
Prue frowned and walked past Phoebe, and out of the darkroom. Cole followed her, sensing something was awry.
It was sunny outside...just not in the mansion! The whole house was now dark, overcast and bordered on slightly foggy!
Prue's mouth dropped open. Cole looked around suspiciously. Phoebe looked embarrassed. Something magical was happening here, and it would be really hard to explain it to the cutie pie here!
The thunder suddenly roared, then turned into an earthquake inside the manor! Phoebe screamed and held onto the stair bannister, as the house shook. A crack split the hallway floor, and Prue and Cole, fell through it!
'Prue!' Phoebe screamed.
****
Cole fell into the underworld, hard! He stood up and dusted himself off. He was still wearing his suit. He glared at the 'Ghost of the Past' Demon!
'What the hell just happened here?' Cole barked.
The demon cleared his throat.
'One of your witch's sisters, cast a spell, calling for her from beyond. The spell, combined with what we were doing, caused some kind of imbalance of time and space.'
Cole looked him up and down.
'Then fix it!' he snapped.
'I can't. But you can still get the witch you desire.' the demon reported.
Cole's eyes glittered.
'What do you mean?'
'I mean, that when you were thrown down here, the witch, fell into this time and reality, as well.'
Cole looked away from the demon. It had always been his plan to pull Prue into this reality. Unfortunately, this way, her sisters will have time to tell her of his true identity. And an extra witch, would make the Charmed Ones all that more powerful!
Cole looked at the demon, then threw a fireball at him! Cole ignored the demon's screams, as he contemplated his next move. He then straightened his tie. He would head over to the manor.
****
Andy helped Paige pack up the items they would need for vanquishing Cole, in the kitchen. Paige didn't look at him, a fact that was driving Andy crazy!
'Paige...'
'Andy, not now.'
'Paige, I told Piper that I loved you. And I meant it.'
Paige looked up from what she was doing, to stare at him.
'But, all you told her was that you had 'feelings' for me. Did I misinterpret something?'
Paige put down the crystals she had just packed away, and walked up to him.
'No. I love you too, Andy. You are the reason that I didn't find out Cole was really Damien, a long time ago.'
'I don't understand.'
Paige held his hands.
'I couldn't sleep with Damien, not for the longest while, because you were always there. Maybe if I had, we would've known Cole was back a long time ago.'
Andy pulled her into his arms.
'Don't say that! Don't ever think it! What that bastard has done is beyond reproach. But after tonight, we will never have to look at his face again.'
Paige nodded against his shoulder. She hoped he was right.
****
Piper stared at Prue, as she seemed to fall out of the sky! Prue picked herself up off of the attic floor, dusted off her pants, then looked at Piper. She eyed her.
'Piper? How did I get up here? And is that blouse new?'
Piper shook her head quickly, then looked down at her blouse.
'What?' was all she could think to say. She moved closer to the sister she had not set eyes on, in almost three years.
But Prue looked her up and down.
'Have you gained weight since this morning?'
Piper stopped dead in her tracks.
'I'll have you know, I had a baby, okay? That's why I seem a little big.'
Prue just stared at her.
'Okay, Piper. I don't know what's going on here, but I think it's part of what happened to me. First I'm in the darkroom with that cute A.D.A....'
'A.D.A.?' Piper asked suspiciously.
'Yeah! I told you about him last night, remember? Anyway, then Phoebe walked in, then there was like this earthquake and fog IN THE HOUSE, mind you, then I fall through a crack and here I am, back in my own attic! So, let's call Leo and see if we can get him to ask the Elders, what the hell is going on around here!'
Piper didn't even blink! She grabbed Prue's arm and pulled her out of the attic. Prue began to yipe!
'Ouch, ow, Piper! What the hell is wrong with you?!'
But Piper dragged her down the stairs. Phoebe, hearing the commotion, looked up the staircase. She then dropped one of the crystals! It smashed to the floor. She then glared at Piper!
'Piper!'
But it was Andy and Prue that were the most startled. Andy was the first to walk out of the kitchen and out into the hallway. His mouth dropped open when he saw Prue. Prue's eyes got huge when she saw Andy. Prue then looked at Piper and Phoebe accusingly.
'Did one of you cast a spell or something?'
Neither girl answered. Prue walked up to Andy, smiling gently at him. She then reached up to touch him on the cheek. She also did a brief doubletake at Phoebe.
'When did you dye your hair?'
Before Phoebe could even think of a reply, Paige came out of the kitchen, carrying a knife that she was going to use to slice off some of Cole's flesh. She stopped short when she saw Prue with her hands up near Andy's face. Was that...
But when Prue saw the strange girl standing there, carrying a knife, she waved her hand wildly, in an attempt to pull the knife from Paige's hand. It did not work.
Prue looked around the room.
'Who is she? And what happened to my powers?!' she cried out.
Piper stalked up the steps of the attic and flung open the door. She then marched over to the Book of Shadows. She began flipping pages.
Phoebe stood in the doorway. She then walked in.
'What are you doing?' she asked.
Piper didn't even look up.
'What am I doing? What I am doing is looking for spell so I can summon Prue. That's what I'm doing!'
'Why?' Phoebe asked, peering at her.
Piper looked up.
'I want to see Prue. I want to see my big sister before me, and I want her to tell me that it is okay, for Paige and Andy to date! So, that's why I am doing it, Phoebe!'
Phoebe hurried over to the attic door and closed it. She then walked quickly over to the book and put her hand over Piper's.
'Stop this, Piper! We don't have time for it!'
'Stop what?'
'Stop taking your anger over Leo out on Paige and Andy! They don't deserve this!'
Piper's eyes widened!
'I am not taking anything out on them! But I do think that Paige, should get her big sister's 'permission', before she steals her boyfriend!'
Phoebe's mouth dropped open.
'Would you just listen to yourself for one minute? Do you know how absurd that sounds? I want you to stop obsessing over something, that's none of your business anyway!'
'Oh, so now Paige is not my business?'
Phoebe folded her arms and squinted at her.
'Piper, I don't think this is so much about what Prue might've thought, as much as it is about, how much it hurts to see that your little sister, is in love with her Whitelighter. And her Whitelighter is not an Elder, thus, he can be with her.'
Piper turned away and frowned.
Phoebe took a deep breath.
'Look, I'm sorry if the truth hurts...'
'It doesn't because it's not true.' Piper answered stiffly.
'Fine. But we need to vanquish Cole, before he can think of some other slimy way to get back at us, okay? So can you meet us downstairs in 5 minutes? You know, so we can go hunt down Cole!'
'Okay, okay! I'll be down in a minute!'
Phoebe pointed a finger at her.
'Piper, don't you cast that spell! We don't need the trouble right now!'
'I said I would be down in a minute, Phoebe! I just need some time to myself, okay?'
Phoebe stared at her hard, for a long moment. She then turned and walked over to the door. She opened it, gave Piper one last glance, before walking out of the room. She left the door open.
Piper waited until she heard Phoebe's footsteps disappear. She then walked over to the door and closed it again.
Piper then turned and walked over to the Book of Shadows. She turned a few pages quickly, until she came upon the summoning spell she needed. She began to chant aloud.
'Hear these words, hear my cry, spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the great divide.'
**** Meanwhile, Cole was speeding up his manipulation of the past. He was now standing with Prue in her dark room at the manor. He eyed some of the photographs.
'You really are very talented.' he said.
Prue glanced over at him.
'Thanks, though I don't know how 'talented', I really am.' she said, eyeing a photograph hanging on the clothes line.
Prue looked over from the photographs, to the A.D.A.. He was cute...damned cute. But, there was something about him that just reeked of 'smarmy'. Prue could've sworn she saw him checking out Phoebe, the other night in the alley.
'Look, Mr. Turner...'
Cole smiled. Prue wasn't falling for his charms. In the back of his mind, he knew that was because the two of them were never meant to be. Phoebe was his true love.
But for his purposes now, Cole tried to muster up attraction for the oldest Halliwell sister, in front of him. Not that Prue was in anyway unattractive. She just wasn't Phoebe.
'Call me Cole. And Ms. Halliwell...'
'Call me Prue.'
'Prue. I just got the impression that there was something you weren't telling me about the murder you saw the other night. I am here to protect you. So, if there's anything at all...'
The darkroom door flew open, and Phoebe entered. She was carrying a bunch of books. She grinned at Cole. He could not help but grin back. Prue noticed this. Since last night, this guy had been hitting on her like there was no tomorrow! But it was obvious, that this Cole guy liked Phoebe! His face had just lit up when she burst in here!
Prue eyed Phoebe.
'Phoebes, what have I told you about just bursting in here?'
'Oh come on, Prue! I saw the light was on. Hi!' she said, eyeing Cole as if he were candy.
Before Cole could answer, a sudden, loud burst of thunder could be heard. Phoebe's eyes widened.
'Good God! I just came from outside! There was not a cloud in the sky!'
Prue frowned and walked past Phoebe, and out of the darkroom. Cole followed her, sensing something was awry.
It was sunny outside...just not in the mansion! The whole house was now dark, overcast and bordered on slightly foggy!
Prue's mouth dropped open. Cole looked around suspiciously. Phoebe looked embarrassed. Something magical was happening here, and it would be really hard to explain it to the cutie pie here!
The thunder suddenly roared, then turned into an earthquake inside the manor! Phoebe screamed and held onto the stair bannister, as the house shook. A crack split the hallway floor, and Prue and Cole, fell through it!
'Prue!' Phoebe screamed.
****
Cole fell into the underworld, hard! He stood up and dusted himself off. He was still wearing his suit. He glared at the 'Ghost of the Past' Demon!
'What the hell just happened here?' Cole barked.
The demon cleared his throat.
'One of your witch's sisters, cast a spell, calling for her from beyond. The spell, combined with what we were doing, caused some kind of imbalance of time and space.'
Cole looked him up and down.
'Then fix it!' he snapped.
'I can't. But you can still get the witch you desire.' the demon reported.
Cole's eyes glittered.
'What do you mean?'
'I mean, that when you were thrown down here, the witch, fell into this time and reality, as well.'
Cole looked away from the demon. It had always been his plan to pull Prue into this reality. Unfortunately, this way, her sisters will have time to tell her of his true identity. And an extra witch, would make the Charmed Ones all that more powerful!
Cole looked at the demon, then threw a fireball at him! Cole ignored the demon's screams, as he contemplated his next move. He then straightened his tie. He would head over to the manor.
****
Andy helped Paige pack up the items they would need for vanquishing Cole, in the kitchen. Paige didn't look at him, a fact that was driving Andy crazy!
'Paige...'
'Andy, not now.'
'Paige, I told Piper that I loved you. And I meant it.'
Paige looked up from what she was doing, to stare at him.
'But, all you told her was that you had 'feelings' for me. Did I misinterpret something?'
Paige put down the crystals she had just packed away, and walked up to him.
'No. I love you too, Andy. You are the reason that I didn't find out Cole was really Damien, a long time ago.'
'I don't understand.'
Paige held his hands.
'I couldn't sleep with Damien, not for the longest while, because you were always there. Maybe if I had, we would've known Cole was back a long time ago.'
Andy pulled her into his arms.
'Don't say that! Don't ever think it! What that bastard has done is beyond reproach. But after tonight, we will never have to look at his face again.'
Paige nodded against his shoulder. She hoped he was right.
****
Piper stared at Prue, as she seemed to fall out of the sky! Prue picked herself up off of the attic floor, dusted off her pants, then looked at Piper. She eyed her.
'Piper? How did I get up here? And is that blouse new?'
Piper shook her head quickly, then looked down at her blouse.
'What?' was all she could think to say. She moved closer to the sister she had not set eyes on, in almost three years.
But Prue looked her up and down.
'Have you gained weight since this morning?'
Piper stopped dead in her tracks.
'I'll have you know, I had a baby, okay? That's why I seem a little big.'
Prue just stared at her.
'Okay, Piper. I don't know what's going on here, but I think it's part of what happened to me. First I'm in the darkroom with that cute A.D.A....'
'A.D.A.?' Piper asked suspiciously.
'Yeah! I told you about him last night, remember? Anyway, then Phoebe walked in, then there was like this earthquake and fog IN THE HOUSE, mind you, then I fall through a crack and here I am, back in my own attic! So, let's call Leo and see if we can get him to ask the Elders, what the hell is going on around here!'
Piper didn't even blink! She grabbed Prue's arm and pulled her out of the attic. Prue began to yipe!
'Ouch, ow, Piper! What the hell is wrong with you?!'
But Piper dragged her down the stairs. Phoebe, hearing the commotion, looked up the staircase. She then dropped one of the crystals! It smashed to the floor. She then glared at Piper!
'Piper!'
But it was Andy and Prue that were the most startled. Andy was the first to walk out of the kitchen and out into the hallway. His mouth dropped open when he saw Prue. Prue's eyes got huge when she saw Andy. Prue then looked at Piper and Phoebe accusingly.
'Did one of you cast a spell or something?'
Neither girl answered. Prue walked up to Andy, smiling gently at him. She then reached up to touch him on the cheek. She also did a brief doubletake at Phoebe.
'When did you dye your hair?'
Before Phoebe could even think of a reply, Paige came out of the kitchen, carrying a knife that she was going to use to slice off some of Cole's flesh. She stopped short when she saw Prue with her hands up near Andy's face. Was that...
But when Prue saw the strange girl standing there, carrying a knife, she waved her hand wildly, in an attempt to pull the knife from Paige's hand. It did not work.
Prue looked around the room.
'Who is she? And what happened to my powers?!' she cried out.