Part 7: Retrieval
~~
The girls, and Chris, were all down in the conservatory with Phoebe just staring out the windows lost in her thoughts. Paige is attempting to scry for the Book of Shadows, and Piper is watching both of them. Chris is leaning against the wall closest to his mother and Phoebe, looking as if he doesn't really want to be there.
Paige: I'm getting nothing here.
Piper: (teasing) Maybe you should try a different piece of wood from the attic.
Paige: Oh, would you.. It was the only thing I could think of that would have a strong connection to the Book other than our blood.
Piper: Now you want to use our blood? (pales)
Paige: It's kind of my last resort, but this (motioning to the scrying crystal in her hand) isn't doing anything right now.
Chris: You could use a summoning spell.
Paige: We could, if we knew one. (glancing at Phoebe) Or if someone would snap out of it and offer some help.
Phoebe: (blinking, looks over at Paige) Sorry. I guess I'll get on spell duty then....
Chris: (just as Phoebe is starting to get up) No, there's no need.
Piper: Huh?
Chris: I know just the spell to get the Book back.
Piper: And you waited this long to tell us?
Paige: Yeah, really.
Chris: Sorry, I should've mentioned it sooner but it didn't occur to me right away.
Phoebe: Let's get the Book back then.
Paige: Care to share the spell?
Chris: We'll need to be in the attic for this.
~~
A few minutes later the sisters and Chris enter the attic.
Chris: This spell should work. It's what I used to get the Book from Wyatt when I needed the time spell.
Piper: That's good, I guess...
Paige: Hey, as long as it works I'm good.
Phoebe: Yeah...
Piper: Phoebe, are you going to be alright?
Phoebe: (looking at Piper, eyes slightly blank) I think I just need some time.
Piper: Aw, sweetie...
Phoebe: It's okay Piper. I just can't believe I, well the other me, would kill Cole in front of our children.
Paige: It's my fault.
Phoebe: No, Paige, it's not. You didn't know, but the version of me there did.
Paige: I still pushed for 'you' to vanquish him.
Chris: Um, sorry to break this up but I'm ready to do the spell now.
The sisters fall silent and move around the perch of the Book of Shadows.
Piper: Anyone want to bet this won't be as easy as my son makes it out to be?
Phoebe: Oh... Of course, why would it be easy? The demons who stole our Book will probably be pretty pissed when we take it back.
Paige: Strings attached - great.
Chris: (clearing his throat) What was once here, Now return to your resting place, Book of the Halliwells, Return to us.
There's a swirl of blue and white energy as the Book of Shadows forms back on its perch. There's also a swirl of blue orbs that announces the arrival of Leo at the same time.
Paige: Hey, it actually worked!
Chris: You doubted me?
Paige: Of course not.
Piper: Leo, did you find out what we needed?
Leo: (nods) The other Elders and I think it would be best to close the door to this alternate reality. There's no known spell to close it off, but we've looked in to it and you as the Charmed Ones should be able to come up with something.
Phoebe: So it's up to us.
Piper: Always. (she begins flipping through the Book) There might be something useful in here. (looking visibly shaken) Or not.
Paige: What the?!
Chris: The Book... It's empty?
Phoebe: How?
Leo: What? (moving forward)
Piper: All the spells, information on demons, everything it's all GONE. The pages are blank.
Paige: That explains why no demons appeared to attack us after we took the Book back...
Phoebe: So... no help from the Book.
Paige: Don't give up so fast Pheebs. I say we summon the demons who stole the Book and force them to repair the damage they've done. (pause) Unless Chris' spell did this?
Chris: What? No, it didn't. I've used it to summon the Book before just fine.
Paige: Alright, alright. So who else is up for some demon summoning?
Piper: If you can create the spell, then we'd best do this quick.
Phoebe: I'll get the crystals.
~~
Once again Pyrena and Nethaniel are at the abandoned warehouse. Cole still hadn't returned yet.
Nethaniel: I wonder if they liked our little surprise. (smirking)
Pyrena: Who wouldn't like to discover their most trusted artifact is now useless?
Nethaniel: I wish I could see their reaction when they open it. There's nothing left in there but blank sheets of paper.
Cole: (appearing in the room) You might get your chance.
Nethaniel: What?
Pyrena: Are you sayin-
Cole: Once they see all their spells gone there will be nothing stopping them from summoning you.
Pyrena: In that case, more fun for us.
Cole: Pyrena, this isn't a game. I brought you here to live and so far you've given the Charmed Ones reason enough to kill you.
Pyrena: So Paige isn't dead? (disappointed)
Cole: No.
Nethaniel: (looking at his sister) Looks like we will be getting that second chance to make things right.
Pyrena: That's unfortunate. (smirking) Yet it tickles me to know I'll get to cut our Aunt's flesh again. Maybe this time I'll stab her in the stomach or heart, go for a more fatal blow.
Cole: (annoyed) When they summon you, you won't be able to attack them.
Pyrena: Is that so?
As Cole goes to reply both Pyrena and Nethaniel vanish in a display of black and red light. Adamant appears in the room.
Adamant: This just keeps getting more entertaining. I can't wait to see how you'll save your offspring from death.
Cole: There won't be the need for it.
Adamant: I wouldn't be so sure of that. The Charmed Ones don't know who Pyrena and Nethaniel are; they won't hesitate to vanquish them.
Cole: As old as you are Adamant, you still have much to learn.
~~
-To be continued...
~~
The girls, and Chris, were all down in the conservatory with Phoebe just staring out the windows lost in her thoughts. Paige is attempting to scry for the Book of Shadows, and Piper is watching both of them. Chris is leaning against the wall closest to his mother and Phoebe, looking as if he doesn't really want to be there.
Paige: I'm getting nothing here.
Piper: (teasing) Maybe you should try a different piece of wood from the attic.
Paige: Oh, would you.. It was the only thing I could think of that would have a strong connection to the Book other than our blood.
Piper: Now you want to use our blood? (pales)
Paige: It's kind of my last resort, but this (motioning to the scrying crystal in her hand) isn't doing anything right now.
Chris: You could use a summoning spell.
Paige: We could, if we knew one. (glancing at Phoebe) Or if someone would snap out of it and offer some help.
Phoebe: (blinking, looks over at Paige) Sorry. I guess I'll get on spell duty then....
Chris: (just as Phoebe is starting to get up) No, there's no need.
Piper: Huh?
Chris: I know just the spell to get the Book back.
Piper: And you waited this long to tell us?
Paige: Yeah, really.
Chris: Sorry, I should've mentioned it sooner but it didn't occur to me right away.
Phoebe: Let's get the Book back then.
Paige: Care to share the spell?
Chris: We'll need to be in the attic for this.
~~
A few minutes later the sisters and Chris enter the attic.
Chris: This spell should work. It's what I used to get the Book from Wyatt when I needed the time spell.
Piper: That's good, I guess...
Paige: Hey, as long as it works I'm good.
Phoebe: Yeah...
Piper: Phoebe, are you going to be alright?
Phoebe: (looking at Piper, eyes slightly blank) I think I just need some time.
Piper: Aw, sweetie...
Phoebe: It's okay Piper. I just can't believe I, well the other me, would kill Cole in front of our children.
Paige: It's my fault.
Phoebe: No, Paige, it's not. You didn't know, but the version of me there did.
Paige: I still pushed for 'you' to vanquish him.
Chris: Um, sorry to break this up but I'm ready to do the spell now.
The sisters fall silent and move around the perch of the Book of Shadows.
Piper: Anyone want to bet this won't be as easy as my son makes it out to be?
Phoebe: Oh... Of course, why would it be easy? The demons who stole our Book will probably be pretty pissed when we take it back.
Paige: Strings attached - great.
Chris: (clearing his throat) What was once here, Now return to your resting place, Book of the Halliwells, Return to us.
There's a swirl of blue and white energy as the Book of Shadows forms back on its perch. There's also a swirl of blue orbs that announces the arrival of Leo at the same time.
Paige: Hey, it actually worked!
Chris: You doubted me?
Paige: Of course not.
Piper: Leo, did you find out what we needed?
Leo: (nods) The other Elders and I think it would be best to close the door to this alternate reality. There's no known spell to close it off, but we've looked in to it and you as the Charmed Ones should be able to come up with something.
Phoebe: So it's up to us.
Piper: Always. (she begins flipping through the Book) There might be something useful in here. (looking visibly shaken) Or not.
Paige: What the?!
Chris: The Book... It's empty?
Phoebe: How?
Leo: What? (moving forward)
Piper: All the spells, information on demons, everything it's all GONE. The pages are blank.
Paige: That explains why no demons appeared to attack us after we took the Book back...
Phoebe: So... no help from the Book.
Paige: Don't give up so fast Pheebs. I say we summon the demons who stole the Book and force them to repair the damage they've done. (pause) Unless Chris' spell did this?
Chris: What? No, it didn't. I've used it to summon the Book before just fine.
Paige: Alright, alright. So who else is up for some demon summoning?
Piper: If you can create the spell, then we'd best do this quick.
Phoebe: I'll get the crystals.
~~
Once again Pyrena and Nethaniel are at the abandoned warehouse. Cole still hadn't returned yet.
Nethaniel: I wonder if they liked our little surprise. (smirking)
Pyrena: Who wouldn't like to discover their most trusted artifact is now useless?
Nethaniel: I wish I could see their reaction when they open it. There's nothing left in there but blank sheets of paper.
Cole: (appearing in the room) You might get your chance.
Nethaniel: What?
Pyrena: Are you sayin-
Cole: Once they see all their spells gone there will be nothing stopping them from summoning you.
Pyrena: In that case, more fun for us.
Cole: Pyrena, this isn't a game. I brought you here to live and so far you've given the Charmed Ones reason enough to kill you.
Pyrena: So Paige isn't dead? (disappointed)
Cole: No.
Nethaniel: (looking at his sister) Looks like we will be getting that second chance to make things right.
Pyrena: That's unfortunate. (smirking) Yet it tickles me to know I'll get to cut our Aunt's flesh again. Maybe this time I'll stab her in the stomach or heart, go for a more fatal blow.
Cole: (annoyed) When they summon you, you won't be able to attack them.
Pyrena: Is that so?
As Cole goes to reply both Pyrena and Nethaniel vanish in a display of black and red light. Adamant appears in the room.
Adamant: This just keeps getting more entertaining. I can't wait to see how you'll save your offspring from death.
Cole: There won't be the need for it.
Adamant: I wouldn't be so sure of that. The Charmed Ones don't know who Pyrena and Nethaniel are; they won't hesitate to vanquish them.
Cole: As old as you are Adamant, you still have much to learn.
~~
-To be continued...
