Chapter Twenty- Six
Team Work
The Hidden Page
"Prue Halliwell are you crying?" Piper asked her sister.
They were still in Phoebe's mind. Piper had her arms wrapped around her oldest sister's shoulders while they watched their younger sister and her beau sharing such a loving embrace.
"Absolutely not, you know I don't give into tears" Prue insisted even though Piper could hear her delicate sniffle. "I must be allergic to something in Phoebe's mind. Does she still listen to Celine Dion?"
"Yes, so I guess that must be it," Piper agreed not willing to challenge Prue on her little white lie. It was just too good to have her back. As much as she wanted to savor this brief reprieve, Piper knew they couldn't. Even as they spoke they could hear Anton issuing vicious threats.
"I think he's sensing that Phoebe's not going to surrender to him," she said.
"He's sure as hell not going to take that lying down either," Prue added. "He's likely to decide the whole thing is not worth it and just kill her. He's probably thinking he could still salvage a win that way."
"Yes, I can just hear Anton telling his little wicked buddies how he was successful at killing the "Charmed" ones something the present Source hasn't been able to accomplish. It might just be enough to make them side with him in a mutiny attempt, or at the very least win him the Source's confidence so Anton can get close enough to assassinate him," Piper volunteered.
"Hey, you've gotten damn good at this whole thing," Prue said proudly. "I've had no choice but to learn quickly," Piper commented. "I only wish I could have caught on to that spiteful, brat Paige's treachery a lot sooner. I should have trusted my instincts in the first place and maybe we wouldn't have gotten stuck in this whole mess to begin with. I mean I was never able to really warm up to her like a sister should."
"Piper don't blame yourself, you had know real way of knowing that Paige was going to turn into such a rotten apple especially since the whole universe seemed to be conspiring against our discovering that not so little fact," Prue said with more than a hint of anger in her tone.
"Prue what are you talking about?" Piper asked. "I'll fill you in later I promise but right now we've got more pressing problems. Namely how are we going to finish off Anton and Sam and then free our external bodies out of that stupid ice block thingy."
They jumped when a deep male voice said right beside them: "I haven't figured out how we can handle Sam yet, but I've got an idea about how to get rid of Anton."
Piper slapped him on the arm and said, "Cole don't sneak up on us like that we thought you were still over there in the shadows playing kissy face with Phoebe."
"This day may have started out like hell, pardon my pun, but it's looking better and better by the second," he informed them. "I guess I really haven't lost as much of my touch as I initially thought," he added confidently.
"It's good to see some things never change," Prue said shaking her head. "
Hey when I thought that I was dying downstairs, I could have sworn I heard you saying something to the effect that you were wrong about me," Cole goaded her.
"About you being a heartless, sadistic demon, who was completely wrong for my sister, yes! About you being an arrogant braggart never!" she shot back.
"Braggart's claims are usually empty," Phoebe spoke up as she stepped farther back into the light. Her mental being was definitely looking stronger, healthier, and much more at peace. "Believe me Cole's aren't. It's undeniable that he's got the goods to deliver on all fronts," she said proudly.
"Thank you sweetheart," he said giving her a tender kiss on the forehead.
Phoebe reached up and caressed his face in return and started to stand up on tiptoe seeking Cole's lips.
"All right already, I'm more happy than you know that everything is back to being copasetic between the two of you but can we get back to your plan Cole before that demon fillets, bastes and roasts us," Piper interrupted reluctantly.
"Okay here it comes Chef Tel," Cole laughed.
Piper slapped him on the other arm this time.
"We still have Belthazor's knife in the drawer don't we Phoebe?" he said ignoring the hit. Phoebe nodded.
Prue you no doubt still have the ability to move things with your mind don't you? Do you think can get that gift to function from in here? Can you get it out of the drawer, and hit that fat assed Warlock with it?" Cole asked.
"Hey, you are not the only one whose got talent to spare," Prue said as she pointed at his chest.
Then Cole turned toward Phoebe. "Okay my darling do you think you're up to your incredible sweet rhyming ways?"
"Sure what did you have in mind?"
"How about a power of three vanquishing spell?"
"My favorite kind," Phoebe said with a smile.
"What do I do?" Piper asked.
"Stand here and look beautiful that's what I intend on doing," Cole remarked.
He really was feeling good, Piper thought.
"You're turning into a real comedian you know that Cole," she commented out loud. "Just don't get any ideas about doing stand up in my club."
"I wouldn't dream of it," he assured her. "I've already come too close to dying for my tastes," he smirked. "So anyway I figure the combination should be enough to rid of us of Anton forever," he said.
"Works for me," Phoebe said. "Me two," Piper added.
"Me three," Prue chimed in. "Hallelujah the Halliwells are back and they are madder and badder than ever."
"Okay that does it," Piper said. "When we get out of here, I'm hiding all his copies of Lethal Weapon."
"Just make sure that we can find them. I've missed Gibson's butt." Prue whispered.
"Okay ladies if you are through discussing Mad Mel's derriere are you ready to get some work done?" Cole asked.
"I've got the spell," Phoebe assured him.
"And "I'll get the knife," Prue added confidently. She narrowed her eyes and concentrated. Through Phoebe's eyes they could see it begin to travel across the room headed directly towards Anton. Luckily he was too busy agonizing over his rapidly failing plan to notice it and Sam was to busy ranting and walking in circles. He was obviously on the verge of loosing control in more ways than one.
Phoebe quickly instructed her sisters on the words of her spell and then as one they began to chant it.
"Evil Warlock from the past, this stand will be your last, your terror has gone on for far too long, so with this spell we send you back to where you belong." '
As the last word left the three white witches mouths the knife also hit its mark. Anton screamed in agony as the red-hot flames consumed him.
"That had to hurt," Piper remarked.
"I certainly hope so," Phoebe said shuddering. Do you think we vanquished him for good?" she asked Prue.
"Oh yeah," Prue said on a nod.
"And I think another Halliwell witch is about to get in on the act," Piper said excitedly when she glanced through Phoebe's eyes again.
"Mom is here and it looks like she is about to explode Sam's hide for him. Yep there he blows. And there is a shorter blonde man and an exotic looking woman who I don't recognize out there too. They are making short work of the ice blocks."
Prue looked out too. "Oh that's Iolaus and Nebula. You are going to love them. We're free," she said and then high-fived Piper.
"Okay don't take this the wrong way and think that I'm not grateful for the assist and everything, but can you get out of my head now?" Phoebe asked backing up her words with gentle but firm pushes to her sister's backs. "It's getting a little crowded in here.
"Hmpff.." Piper said, "how do you like that? We are being thrown out on our keisters after all we've done for her but we can take a hint."
She, Prue, and Cole all turned to astral project their way out of Phoebe's mind. Phoebe obviously had other ideas. She grabbed her fiancée and pulled him back.
"Not you big boy! I know we've only really been apart a couple of hours but to me it feels like it's been years, and I want to make up for as much lost time as I can."
Cole winked at her and said, "this could be interesting, not to mention kinky!" "Any complaints?" Phoebe asked.
"Hell no, kinky is my middle name, and for the record I may not be a demon anymore, but that doesn't mean I'm not still a bad boy in many ways, if you know what I mean little darling?"
"Oh I think I know what you mean and I wouldn't have you any other way," Phoebe replied, as she dragged his lips down to hers.
"OOO," this is so sappier than a Celine Dion song, Prue remarked. "I think I'm going to be ill."
Piper just laughed and said, "let's go." Their astral selves had just made it back into their own bodies when Prue's friend Hercules appeared and yelled,
"We need to get everyone who hasn't received their immortality back yet, out now. Apparently Sam's former human side had a very human back up plan. This place is set to blow any minute."
There was a flurry of activity and then there were flashes of light and noises brighter than lightening and louder than thunder. The Halliwell manor was no more.
Team Work
The Hidden Page
"Prue Halliwell are you crying?" Piper asked her sister.
They were still in Phoebe's mind. Piper had her arms wrapped around her oldest sister's shoulders while they watched their younger sister and her beau sharing such a loving embrace.
"Absolutely not, you know I don't give into tears" Prue insisted even though Piper could hear her delicate sniffle. "I must be allergic to something in Phoebe's mind. Does she still listen to Celine Dion?"
"Yes, so I guess that must be it," Piper agreed not willing to challenge Prue on her little white lie. It was just too good to have her back. As much as she wanted to savor this brief reprieve, Piper knew they couldn't. Even as they spoke they could hear Anton issuing vicious threats.
"I think he's sensing that Phoebe's not going to surrender to him," she said.
"He's sure as hell not going to take that lying down either," Prue added. "He's likely to decide the whole thing is not worth it and just kill her. He's probably thinking he could still salvage a win that way."
"Yes, I can just hear Anton telling his little wicked buddies how he was successful at killing the "Charmed" ones something the present Source hasn't been able to accomplish. It might just be enough to make them side with him in a mutiny attempt, or at the very least win him the Source's confidence so Anton can get close enough to assassinate him," Piper volunteered.
"Hey, you've gotten damn good at this whole thing," Prue said proudly. "I've had no choice but to learn quickly," Piper commented. "I only wish I could have caught on to that spiteful, brat Paige's treachery a lot sooner. I should have trusted my instincts in the first place and maybe we wouldn't have gotten stuck in this whole mess to begin with. I mean I was never able to really warm up to her like a sister should."
"Piper don't blame yourself, you had know real way of knowing that Paige was going to turn into such a rotten apple especially since the whole universe seemed to be conspiring against our discovering that not so little fact," Prue said with more than a hint of anger in her tone.
"Prue what are you talking about?" Piper asked. "I'll fill you in later I promise but right now we've got more pressing problems. Namely how are we going to finish off Anton and Sam and then free our external bodies out of that stupid ice block thingy."
They jumped when a deep male voice said right beside them: "I haven't figured out how we can handle Sam yet, but I've got an idea about how to get rid of Anton."
Piper slapped him on the arm and said, "Cole don't sneak up on us like that we thought you were still over there in the shadows playing kissy face with Phoebe."
"This day may have started out like hell, pardon my pun, but it's looking better and better by the second," he informed them. "I guess I really haven't lost as much of my touch as I initially thought," he added confidently.
"It's good to see some things never change," Prue said shaking her head. "
Hey when I thought that I was dying downstairs, I could have sworn I heard you saying something to the effect that you were wrong about me," Cole goaded her.
"About you being a heartless, sadistic demon, who was completely wrong for my sister, yes! About you being an arrogant braggart never!" she shot back.
"Braggart's claims are usually empty," Phoebe spoke up as she stepped farther back into the light. Her mental being was definitely looking stronger, healthier, and much more at peace. "Believe me Cole's aren't. It's undeniable that he's got the goods to deliver on all fronts," she said proudly.
"Thank you sweetheart," he said giving her a tender kiss on the forehead.
Phoebe reached up and caressed his face in return and started to stand up on tiptoe seeking Cole's lips.
"All right already, I'm more happy than you know that everything is back to being copasetic between the two of you but can we get back to your plan Cole before that demon fillets, bastes and roasts us," Piper interrupted reluctantly.
"Okay here it comes Chef Tel," Cole laughed.
Piper slapped him on the other arm this time.
"We still have Belthazor's knife in the drawer don't we Phoebe?" he said ignoring the hit. Phoebe nodded.
Prue you no doubt still have the ability to move things with your mind don't you? Do you think can get that gift to function from in here? Can you get it out of the drawer, and hit that fat assed Warlock with it?" Cole asked.
"Hey, you are not the only one whose got talent to spare," Prue said as she pointed at his chest.
Then Cole turned toward Phoebe. "Okay my darling do you think you're up to your incredible sweet rhyming ways?"
"Sure what did you have in mind?"
"How about a power of three vanquishing spell?"
"My favorite kind," Phoebe said with a smile.
"What do I do?" Piper asked.
"Stand here and look beautiful that's what I intend on doing," Cole remarked.
He really was feeling good, Piper thought.
"You're turning into a real comedian you know that Cole," she commented out loud. "Just don't get any ideas about doing stand up in my club."
"I wouldn't dream of it," he assured her. "I've already come too close to dying for my tastes," he smirked. "So anyway I figure the combination should be enough to rid of us of Anton forever," he said.
"Works for me," Phoebe said. "Me two," Piper added.
"Me three," Prue chimed in. "Hallelujah the Halliwells are back and they are madder and badder than ever."
"Okay that does it," Piper said. "When we get out of here, I'm hiding all his copies of Lethal Weapon."
"Just make sure that we can find them. I've missed Gibson's butt." Prue whispered.
"Okay ladies if you are through discussing Mad Mel's derriere are you ready to get some work done?" Cole asked.
"I've got the spell," Phoebe assured him.
"And "I'll get the knife," Prue added confidently. She narrowed her eyes and concentrated. Through Phoebe's eyes they could see it begin to travel across the room headed directly towards Anton. Luckily he was too busy agonizing over his rapidly failing plan to notice it and Sam was to busy ranting and walking in circles. He was obviously on the verge of loosing control in more ways than one.
Phoebe quickly instructed her sisters on the words of her spell and then as one they began to chant it.
"Evil Warlock from the past, this stand will be your last, your terror has gone on for far too long, so with this spell we send you back to where you belong." '
As the last word left the three white witches mouths the knife also hit its mark. Anton screamed in agony as the red-hot flames consumed him.
"That had to hurt," Piper remarked.
"I certainly hope so," Phoebe said shuddering. Do you think we vanquished him for good?" she asked Prue.
"Oh yeah," Prue said on a nod.
"And I think another Halliwell witch is about to get in on the act," Piper said excitedly when she glanced through Phoebe's eyes again.
"Mom is here and it looks like she is about to explode Sam's hide for him. Yep there he blows. And there is a shorter blonde man and an exotic looking woman who I don't recognize out there too. They are making short work of the ice blocks."
Prue looked out too. "Oh that's Iolaus and Nebula. You are going to love them. We're free," she said and then high-fived Piper.
"Okay don't take this the wrong way and think that I'm not grateful for the assist and everything, but can you get out of my head now?" Phoebe asked backing up her words with gentle but firm pushes to her sister's backs. "It's getting a little crowded in here.
"Hmpff.." Piper said, "how do you like that? We are being thrown out on our keisters after all we've done for her but we can take a hint."
She, Prue, and Cole all turned to astral project their way out of Phoebe's mind. Phoebe obviously had other ideas. She grabbed her fiancée and pulled him back.
"Not you big boy! I know we've only really been apart a couple of hours but to me it feels like it's been years, and I want to make up for as much lost time as I can."
Cole winked at her and said, "this could be interesting, not to mention kinky!" "Any complaints?" Phoebe asked.
"Hell no, kinky is my middle name, and for the record I may not be a demon anymore, but that doesn't mean I'm not still a bad boy in many ways, if you know what I mean little darling?"
"Oh I think I know what you mean and I wouldn't have you any other way," Phoebe replied, as she dragged his lips down to hers.
"OOO," this is so sappier than a Celine Dion song, Prue remarked. "I think I'm going to be ill."
Piper just laughed and said, "let's go." Their astral selves had just made it back into their own bodies when Prue's friend Hercules appeared and yelled,
"We need to get everyone who hasn't received their immortality back yet, out now. Apparently Sam's former human side had a very human back up plan. This place is set to blow any minute."
There was a flurry of activity and then there were flashes of light and noises brighter than lightening and louder than thunder. The Halliwell manor was no more.