A/N: I didn't get any reviews for the prologue! – Pouts. – But understandable, I guess, since there weren't any Charmed Characters in it. But, oh well. Btw, I replaced Chapters 10 and 11 of "To Save and Protect" Only two things are different: I changed the Faith lines from "Brother and sister" to "Cousin" Sorry about that! But, anyway, on with this fic and please R&R! I promise, it gets so much better once you get into it, especially the later chapters. Enjoy!
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"Can't we have just one night off?" Paige complained, plopping onto the couch in the living room. She rubbed her sore arms, wincing.
"No, Paige, because that would give us a chance to have normal lives and you know that will never happen," Piper replied bitterly, collapsing beside her, holding a tissue to a bleeding cut on her forehead.
"Remind me again," Phoebe began, limping to the comfy chair across from the couch and sitting, "why Leo can't come and heal us." She lifted her right leg and placed it on top of the coffee table, wincing as pain shot through her badly twisted ankle.
Piper pulled the tissue away from her cut, folded it, and put the clean part back on the cut. "Because he has some kind of really important Whitelighter meeting Up There and he said something about not being able to leave unless the charge calling for him was in immediate danger."
"Well, I'd say we're in danger," Paige grumbled. "Or we were. That demon nearly clobbered us!"
"I guess They figured we could handle it without Leo, seeing as we fight demons more powerful than the one tonight on a daily basis," Phoebe said with a shrug.
"Well I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to go take a nice, hot shower," Paige replied, standing. Still rubbing her arm, she left the room and made her way upstairs.
Piper stood. "I'm going to go clean this up," she said, indicating the cut on her forehead. "Want help getting upstairs?"
Phoebe smiled and shook her head. "No, I got it. Some walking will loosen my ankle up."
"All right. Well, 'night, Pheebs," Piper replied, leaving the room. She traipsed up the steps and to the second floor.
Phoebe waited ten minutes to make sure her sisters weren't coming back. Then, she stood and limped to the steps. It wasn't easy and it was very painful, but she managed to make her way up the steps silently. Cringing, she made her way down the hallway and up the steps to the attic. She locked the door behind her and hopped to the trunk where they kept their magic supplies. Kneeling, she pushed the lid up and pulled up six candles - three white and three black, - and the lighter.
She set the six candles on the floor in a pattern: black, white, black, white, etc. Once the circle was complete, she lit all the candles and backed off. She then chanted the spell she had custom made.
"Hear my words, hear my cry
Spirit from the other world side
Come to me, I summon thee
Cross now the dark divide."
Normally, once chanted, white and gold lights would form within the candles sacred circle. But Phoebe had changed the ritual and spell around. Now, black mist formed within the circle of candles. Phoebe watched impatiently as the black mist snaked around, forming the outline of a person. She bit her lip as the outline became filled in. Before she knew it, her ex-demon, ex-husband, Cole, appeared before her.
"Phoebe," Cole said with a smile. He stepped from the circle and became solid. He held his arms open wide and Phoebe flung herself into them, hugging him tightly.
This had become a nightly ritual. Hidden from her sisters, Phoebe had been summoning Cole from the Wasteland, a place where demons went when they were vanquished. She had always loved him, even after he had gone back to his evil ways and become the Source. She had even become his Queen for a short period of time. But then she had come to her senses and rejoined her sisters. It took many times, each one more heartbreaking then the next. But a year ago, they had finally managed to vanquish Cole – permanently. But, unknown to her sisters, Phoebe had still loved Cole and had mourned him more than she had let on.
So much, in fact, that she had altered the summoning spell so that, instead of calling one of her ancestors, it would call Cole to her. For nearly six months, after Piper and Paige had gone to bed, she had come to the attic, said the spell, and spent hours with Cole, talking and lip locking. She felt safe in his warm embrace and only pulled back to smile up at him and look into his eyes.
"Hey," she said breathlessly. Tonight was different from other nights. She had some great news for him!
"Hey, beautiful," Cole replied, smiling. He kissed her. "How are you?"
"Oh, well, I've been better," Phoebe admitted, laughing. "We had to vanquish a pretty tough demon and it kicked our asses but good. Paige got bruised all over, Piper has a cut on her forehead, and I twisted my ankle."
"Why hasn't Leo healed you?" Cole asked angrily.
"Some kind of Whitelighter Convention or something. Don't worry. I'll be fine." She smiled. "Besides, I have some great news!"
Cole smiled, his anger ebbing away. "Really? What news?"
Phoebe opened her mouth to tell him when Piper's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Phoebe? Are you in there? Why's the door locked?"
"Uh, uh, just a sec!" Phoebe called back. She motioned for Cole to stay quiet and limped to the door. She unlocked it and pocked her head out. "Hi Piper," she said, smiling.
"Uh, hi. What's going on? I heard voices," Piper replied, frowning.
Phoebe shook her head. "No, just me. I'm . . . just reading out loud. You know me. I do crazy things." She laughed nervously.
Piper quirked a brow and Phoebe noticed the band-aid over her cut.
"Right. Well, I'm going to go to bed, okay? Don't go to sleep too late. You should rest," Piper said in her very motherly tone. "I'm just going to go check on Wyatt."
Phoebe smiled again, nodding. "Okay. Kiss his cute little toes for me."
"Will do." With that, Piper walked down the hall and back to her room. She closed the door.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Phoebe closed and locked the door. When she turned, Cole was behind her.
"Oh! Cole, don't sneak up on me like that," she said, laughing.
He smiled and lifted her into his arms. He walked to the antique couch by the podium where the Book of Shadows sat. He placed her gently on the couch and sat beside her.
"You were about to tell me about your good news," Cole reminded her.
"Right! Well, I've been bringing you back each night so we can see each other. But I've come up with a better idea," Phoebe began.
Cole nodded. "What's the idea?"
Phoebe took a deep breath. "I'm going to bring you back . . . to stay."