Part Fifteen
"Paige, where's the vanquishing spell?" Piper asked as she rearranged the vials of potions for the third time. The waiting was getting to her and a good part of her was tempted to go back to the kitchen and cook something.
Paige covered the mouthpiece of the cordless phone and handed her sister a piece of paper.
Piper took it and apologized to her youngest sister with a sheepish smile. "Didn't realize you were on the phone."
Paige acknowledged her sister with a smile of her own but spoke into the phone. "Don't worry, Richard, I understand."
"You sure you don't want me to come," he asked in a guilty tone.
"You've already said you can't help with Dark Starlings," she assured him, "and I know how you feel about being around all this magic. Whatever happens, I'll call you."
"Everything will be fine," he told her. "You're the Charmed Ones and you'll come through this."
"I hope so," she whispered in response when he disconnected the call.
Piper glanced at her youngest sister, "You okay?"
Paige shrugged. "The Book said there was no vanquish so none of these potions may work. Why should we think the spell will?"
"We have to have faith that they will," Piper said even as she tried to convince herself. "Besides, how many times have we learned that we can pull off the impossible?"
"I guess you're right," Paige nodded slowly. "We've never let anything keep us down for long."
"That's right," Piper smiled. "You sure you wouldn't want Richard to come over? He might be able to help."
Paige shook her head and smiled, "Ironic isn't it, I'm involved with this fabulous guy who happens to be a witch and he's scared of magic."
When Wyatt's cries came through the monitor, Piper smiled sympathetically and patted Paige's arm. "Be right back."
"Y'know," Paige awkwardly suggested, "maybe you should ask Leo to take him, just in case."
Piper simply nodded and left the attic just as Chris orbed into the room.
"Where's she going?" he asked. "You shouldn't separate. It can't be long now."
"She's checking on Wyatt," Paige replied. "What've you found out?"
He shrugged, "About what?"
"About who might've sent that Dark Starling, for one," she questioned in frustration. "And why it chose Phoebe? And how it knew where to find her? Wouldn't I have made an easier target?"
"You were all probably being watched. And you're living with another witch," he told her, "so that doesn't qualify you as being easier."
"Still," she insisted, "based on what it said in the Book, even if Dark Starlings absorb their victims' powers, they don't work for themselves. They're hired to turn witches for other demons so as much as I hate to say this, Cole was probably right. Someone sent the Dark Starling to attack and we've got to find out who before it happens again."
"Nothing's going to happen until the Dark Starling's been successful in turning Phoebe," Chris disagreed. Paige didn't seem convinced and he added, "Think about it, why would the demon attack before Phoebe's been turned? It won't risk something going wrong. Believe me, time is on its side, not ours."
"That makes me feel so much better," she sarcastically muttered. "Maybe you're right," she considered, "maybe it doesn't matter right now who sent the Dark Starling because we're gonna find out eventually. Maybe the more important question is why Phoebe."
"Why Phoebe what?" he warily wondered.
"Why she was the one attacked," she answered distractedly. "If the demon learned we were all living apart, it could've attacked any one of us."
"She was alone in another country," he suggested. "Piper's got Wyatt and his defenses are already too well-known in the Underworld and, as I said before, you're living with another witch."
Paige dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand, "It would only take a few seconds for Phoebe to call for her Whitelighter." She began to pace and thought aloud, "The goal is to break the Power of Three and the Dark Starlings turn their victims into mindless slaves of evil. Turn one of the Charmed Ones to evil and the Power of Three is broken. Each of us's been evil before but Phoebe most of all, or is it worst of all? Maybe she was chosen because, out of the three of us, she's got the greatest propensity for evil." She gasped as realization set in and she spun to face Chris, "You don't think the transformation will happen faster because she'll let it, do you?"
"You tell me," he replied. "Isn't Phoebe's greatest fear turning evil? I think she'll do anything to stop it."
"But how many times can she beat the odds?" Paige worried.
"Look," Chris commented with concern, "you've gotta stay focused now. Quit worrying about all the whys."
"Easy for you to say," she snapped, "it's not your sister in the Underworld, surrounded by demons, working with the very demon who nearly destroyed her."
"If anyone can help Phoebe," he calmly replied, "it's Cole. From everything I ever heard or read about him, the man would do anything for her, no matter what she does or says."
"That's what I'm afraid of," she murmured as she hugged herself and shivered. "What if she finally forgives him?"
"What if she does? What's wrong if they forgive each other?" he countered. "Maybe then you can all move on."
She walked to the window and stared out at the dark street. "I hate waiting for evil to happen," she whispered.
"Chris," Piper called out when she entered the attic, "you're back. What'd you find out?"
"Not you too," he muttered to himself.
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"There's just one thing I want to know. Why?" Cole pointedly asked while he continued to pace with Phoebe.
She sighed and asked in a hoarse voice, "Why what?"
He glanced at the Dracken who were barking quietly to each other and, while keeping his eyes on them, questioned, "Why'd you cut your hair?" He suddenly realized she was no longer by his side and he turned to find her bent over and holding the wall for support. He quickly rushed back to her, "What is it? What's wrong?" To his surprise, she pushed him back with her free hand and he was further shocked to see that she wasn't in pain but laughing. "What the hell is so funny?" he snapped. "Do you have any idea what went through my mind just now?" She nodded but still couldn't speak and he grew more annoyed, "Dammit, Phoebe..."
She finally got her severe case of the giggles under enough control to at least tell him, "After everything I've just told you about the past ten months, after telling you about all the pain and anger, after telling you all about falling in love with Jason, after all that, the one thing you want to know is why I cut my hair?" She burst into another fit of giggles.
Cole realized the Dracken were suddenly silent and he caught them staring back at him. He ran his hand through his hair and tried not to feel any more embarrassed than he already did. But, before he could do anything else, Phoebe had wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tight. Unsure of what would be appropriate, he slowly put his arms around her quivering body while she continued to giggle. With a sigh of his own, he complained, "Eternity will never be long enough for me to figure you out."
She pulled back her head and glanced up at him and failed at her attempt not to giggle through her apology. "It's not that you said anything so wrong," she explained, "but that it was so completely unexpected." She stepped away and put a hand to her chest to catch her breath. Then she ran a hand along the back of her head and shrugged. "I was starting a new phase of my life. I guess it was symbolic for a start fresh." She smiled, "Piper loved it but Paige was iffy about it for a couple of weeks." She became a little lightheaded and swayed. "I knew you hated it," she teased in an shaky voice.
He immediately supported her and helped her sit. "Lean back against the wall," he advised.
"Why aren't they barking?" she nervously wondered when she caught the silent guards watching them.
"We're probably more interesting than their conversation," he commented when he sat next to her and leaned back too.
Tressla suddenly moaned. She stirred and rubbed the side of her belly but didn't waken.
"Is she all right?" Phoebe wondered. "Shouldn't she be awake by now?"
He shook his head, "This close to term, she won't do much more than feed and sleep. I'm surprised we actually caught her wide awake and moving about."
After glancing again at their guards, she asked, "You're not really gonna let the Dracken have her, are you?"
"Of course I am," he replied. "They would never have accepted the job for just one dead demon and a deal's a deal."
"Doesn't seem right," she murmured while she watched Tressla's cloak move ever so slightly due to the movements of the unborn children. "She's pregnant and didn't you just finish telling me how rare it is for Berrindlers to conceive?"
"Because they can't interbreed and because Berrindler duplicates are always sterile," he confirmed. "Conception can only occur between two original demons. And for two original demons to find one another…"
Phoebe nodded, "She said she carried the first six of the next generation."
He glanced at her in concern. "So? She's still a demon who would've had you for breakfast."
She glared at him, "She's acting completely naturally for a mother protecting her children."
"She's a demon," he insisted, "and so are the six spawn within her."
She shook her head, "If she doesn't survive, if her babies don't survive, her breed might die out."
Now he was even more worried. "What's wrong with you?"
She pushed away from him in anger, "Me? What's wrong with you? She was your lover and now you're just gonna feed her to the Dracken?"
"Better her than you!" he snapped. "She meant nothing to me then, she means nothing to me now," he stated.
"How comforting," she muttered and folded her arms across her chest.
"Are you jealous?" he pressed. "Is that what this's about?" She didn't answer and he continued, "All Tressla and I had was lust. We'd meet, satisfy our needs, and leave without a second thought as to when we might meet again. There was nothing remotely romantic behind any of it."
"I don't care. You can't let her die," Phoebe quietly said in a determined tone. "I won't allow it."
"The Dracken prefer live prey and I won't go back on my word," he promised while he tried to control his own growing anger. "Now tell me why you're suddenly so concerned about demons. You were awed by the Dracken too."
"I don't know," she whispered in a sudden panic. "It just doesn't feel right…I don't feel right…Cole?"
With a shaking hand, Cole pushed away her torn collar and sucked in his breath when he saw the star had changed again. He pulled her close when she began trembling and assured her, "It'll be okay. The leader will be back soon with the Dark Starling and we'll take it back to the attic and destroy it. I won't let anything happen to you."
"It's completely purple now," she croaked.
"It was the earlier stress," he rationalized, "so it's good this past hour's been quieter or it could be worse." He then gently pressed her head to his chest, "Close your eyes. I'll let you know when they're back."
"Thought you didn't want me falling asleep," she argued as she propped herself up. "You don't have to say anything," she reminded him. "I can feel it. You're scared of what'll happen if I do fall asleep and what'll happen if I don't."
"I don't want to lose you," he quietly said. 'Any sooner than I have to,' he added in his thoughts.
'You already have,' she thought to herself. But, instead of answering, she settled back down against him and allowed him to feel comforted by her closeness. "Do you think it chose me because of my own evil nature?" she whispered fearfully.
He shook his head, "Dark Starlings don't choose their victims at random. They're hired by others so, if you were targeted, it's because some other demon wanted you targeted."
"Great," she muttered, "it could be anyone. Who doesn't wanna get the Charmed Ones?"
"How good is this new Whitelighter of yours?" he questioned. "Did he have any leads as to which demon might be behind the attack? How'd he find out about it?"
She shrugged awkwardly, "He didn't really have a chance to warn us because I'd already been attacked and I spent much of my time alone. Maybe he talked to Piper or Paige."
"When we get back, I'm gonna have a talk with him," Cole said. He caught her nervous glance and explained, "You admitted he's been working on his own agenda from the moment he came into your lives."
"But I also told you he's doing everything to protect Wyatt," she insisted. "He always comes through for us in the end."
"Are you implying something?" he snapped.
"Actually, no," she calmly replied, "I'm not." She smiled sadly, "Guess we still have a long way to go."
"Forgiveness and trust can't happen in a few hours," he quietly realized.
"But it's a start," she suggested hopefully.
He nodded, "A good start." When she rested against him, he put an arm back around her and continued in a quiet tone, "I'm still talking to him when we get back. I don't like the fact that someone hired a Dark Starling."
"I'm not so crazy 'bout it either," she griped. "But it doesn't really matter who sent it because if we can't kill the Dark Starling, it'll be the end of me and the Charmed Ones."
"It looks like we're about to get that chance," he commented when their guards began to howl. He helped Phoebe up, kept his arm around her shoulders, and waited.
After several minutes, the Dracken leader appeared followed by six Dracken and a Dark Starling frozen within an orange glowing field of energy.
Phoebe gasped and unconsciously pressed herself into Cole's side.
The leader approached them and snarled. It nodded towards the frozen demon.
"Thank you." Cole morphed into Belthazor, walked over to Tressla, and untied the rope from her hands. Just then, Tressla stirred and, before she was completely awake, he hauled her to her feet.
"Belthazor," she murmured while she rubbed her belly, "what's going on?"
He silently strode back to Phoebe's side. He indicated to Tressla and told the leader, "She is yours now."
When the Dracken all began to howl, Tressla suddenly became alert and aware of her dangerous surroundings. "Belthazor, you don't mean to leave me here, do you?"
He ignored her and told Phoebe, "The field will disappear the minute we reach the attic. Be ready to grab a potion." She nodded and he grabbed hold of the Dark Starling while she wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Belthazor, take me with you!" Tressla demanded and took a step towards him. But the Dracken moved in closer and she pleaded, "I'm carrying the first six of the next generation."
"Goodbye, Tressla," he quietly growled before he shimmered out of the cavern with Phoebe and the Dark Starling.
And, as she was shimmered away, Phoebe heard Tressla's agonizing screams and she knew, assuming she made it through this attack, that it would be a long time before she would ever forget those horrible sounds.
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