SEVEN
"I don't understand," said Phoebe as they shimmered into the manor. "Why did she just suddenly change like that?"
"Centuries of conditioning are hard to overcome," said Peter. "In my demon form, she reverted to that conditioning. Female demons really don't hold a place of significance in the underworld. With a few exceptions."
"Phoebe?" questioned Piper, coming down the stairs. "Leo, Paige, Phoebe's home."
Leo and Paige came out of the kitchen. They both looked delighted to see Phoebe. All three hugged her close as if they hadn't seen her in a very long time.
"Hi Peter," said Piper. "I didn't expect to see you here again."
"Hi Piper, Paige," said Peter. "Hello Leo."
"Where have you been?" Piper demanded of Phoebe. "When you didn't come home, we got concerned."
"And then I couldn't sense you," said Leo. "We got worried."
"I took a little trip," said Phoebe.
"A trip?" questioned Paige.
"Yeah," said Phoebe. "I met the mother-in-law from hell. Literally."
* * *
"I guess we're lucky Peter was there," said Piper. "We had no idea where you were at."
"How did you know she was there?" asked Leo.
"Like I told my grandmother," said Peter, "you don't just capture a Charmed One and take her to the underworld without it getting around. Actually, one of the more powerful demons told me she was there. I don't know why he told me but I'm glad he did."
"A demon told you?" questioned Paige.
"Yes," said Peter. "I'm not sure if you know about him. He spends most of his time in the underworld. His name is Malevant."
Everyone looked at each other at the mention of Malevants' name.
"You know him?" asked Peter.
"Yeah, sort of," said Piper. "We've, uh, met before."
"I thought you weren't welcome in the underworld?" Paige asked Peter.
"When your father becomes the Source of all Evil," said Peter, "you'd be surprised how many upper level demons suddenly become your best friend."
"I can imagine," said Phoebe. "But Cole isn't the Source anymore."
"And there's no single ruler anymore, either," said Peter. "Some of the demonic leaders seem to overlook the fact that I'm mostly human. Others would just as soon see me dead.
"Malevant is one of the former. Although considering his reputation, I don't really know why. All I know is that he accepts me. And most of the others won't mess with me for fear of angering him."
"Malevant has his own reasons for everything he does," said Leo. "Who knows why he's taken a liking to you."
"So, do we have to worry about grandma coming after Phoebe again?" asked Piper.
"I don't think so," said Peter. "As I explained to Phoebe, she's a female. They pretty much just do as they're told by males. Besides, I'll spend some time with her. Maybe that will help take the edge off of loosing my father."
"I hope so," said Phoebe. "I might not be so lucky next time."
"I need to get going," said Peter. "Cherise is waiting for me."
"Cherise?" questioned Piper. "A girlfriend?"
"Fiancé, actually," said Peter, smiling. "I'll make sure you all get an invitation to the wedding."
"What happened to not getting involved?" asked Paige.
"I decided I didn't have to be my father," said Peter. "I'll be there for my children. To explain to them and help them if they should be different."
"Good for you," said Phoebe. "You're going to make a great father."
"I hope so," said Peter. "At least I know what not to do."
He hugged the sisters and shook hands with Leo, and then shimmered out of the manor.
"I don't understand," said Phoebe as they shimmered into the manor. "Why did she just suddenly change like that?"
"Centuries of conditioning are hard to overcome," said Peter. "In my demon form, she reverted to that conditioning. Female demons really don't hold a place of significance in the underworld. With a few exceptions."
"Phoebe?" questioned Piper, coming down the stairs. "Leo, Paige, Phoebe's home."
Leo and Paige came out of the kitchen. They both looked delighted to see Phoebe. All three hugged her close as if they hadn't seen her in a very long time.
"Hi Peter," said Piper. "I didn't expect to see you here again."
"Hi Piper, Paige," said Peter. "Hello Leo."
"Where have you been?" Piper demanded of Phoebe. "When you didn't come home, we got concerned."
"And then I couldn't sense you," said Leo. "We got worried."
"I took a little trip," said Phoebe.
"A trip?" questioned Paige.
"Yeah," said Phoebe. "I met the mother-in-law from hell. Literally."
* * *
"I guess we're lucky Peter was there," said Piper. "We had no idea where you were at."
"How did you know she was there?" asked Leo.
"Like I told my grandmother," said Peter, "you don't just capture a Charmed One and take her to the underworld without it getting around. Actually, one of the more powerful demons told me she was there. I don't know why he told me but I'm glad he did."
"A demon told you?" questioned Paige.
"Yes," said Peter. "I'm not sure if you know about him. He spends most of his time in the underworld. His name is Malevant."
Everyone looked at each other at the mention of Malevants' name.
"You know him?" asked Peter.
"Yeah, sort of," said Piper. "We've, uh, met before."
"I thought you weren't welcome in the underworld?" Paige asked Peter.
"When your father becomes the Source of all Evil," said Peter, "you'd be surprised how many upper level demons suddenly become your best friend."
"I can imagine," said Phoebe. "But Cole isn't the Source anymore."
"And there's no single ruler anymore, either," said Peter. "Some of the demonic leaders seem to overlook the fact that I'm mostly human. Others would just as soon see me dead.
"Malevant is one of the former. Although considering his reputation, I don't really know why. All I know is that he accepts me. And most of the others won't mess with me for fear of angering him."
"Malevant has his own reasons for everything he does," said Leo. "Who knows why he's taken a liking to you."
"So, do we have to worry about grandma coming after Phoebe again?" asked Piper.
"I don't think so," said Peter. "As I explained to Phoebe, she's a female. They pretty much just do as they're told by males. Besides, I'll spend some time with her. Maybe that will help take the edge off of loosing my father."
"I hope so," said Phoebe. "I might not be so lucky next time."
"I need to get going," said Peter. "Cherise is waiting for me."
"Cherise?" questioned Piper. "A girlfriend?"
"Fiancé, actually," said Peter, smiling. "I'll make sure you all get an invitation to the wedding."
"What happened to not getting involved?" asked Paige.
"I decided I didn't have to be my father," said Peter. "I'll be there for my children. To explain to them and help them if they should be different."
"Good for you," said Phoebe. "You're going to make a great father."
"I hope so," said Peter. "At least I know what not to do."
He hugged the sisters and shook hands with Leo, and then shimmered out of the manor.