Part Twenty-Three

Forty-Five Minutes Later…

May 9, 2004

Hunched over, Phoebe stared at the glass table as she gripped its edge and snapped at her sister's reflection, "I'm fine, Piper!"

"How can you say that?" Piper questioned in frustration and tried not to cringe when Phoebe shifted in order not to feel Piper's hand on her shoulder. "This's the second contraction you've had since we've been waiting here."

"Fifteen minutes apart," Paige commented in concern as she joined her sisters. "You're in labor, Phoebe. We've gotta get you to the hospital."

"Leo can stop it," Phoebe calmly stated as she finally stood up straight. "Just as soon as this's over."

Paige nervously watched her sister, "We barely got through this two weeks ago, Pheebs. I don't think this's a good idea."

Her knees still trembling from the contraction, Phoebe sat down behind the table and shook her head. "This's the only way to prove Cole's innocence."

"But, sweetie," Piper implored as she sat next to her sister, "the Tribunal? Isn't there some other way? You just had your powers taken. What if they rule against you? Are you prepared for that?"

"That won't happen," Phoebe stated before she looked up at both her sisters. "Are you that sure Cole's guilty? Don't you have even the slightest doubt about Gideon?"

"I don't want it to be true," Piper honestly admitted. "You have to believe that, in spite of the chaos he sometimes brings, I really accepted Cole into our lives this time. But I'm having a hard time believing that Gideon would have betrayed us."

"Cole's been part of this family for four years," Phoebe retorted, "and we've known Gideon for what, a few months? And you can't believe that Cole would sacrifice himself for your son?"

"But Gideon --"

"Damn Gideon!" Phoebe shouted and slapped her hands against the table and stood.

Paige twisted her hands together and confessed, "I had my doubts about Gideon and --"

"I know all about that," Phoebe angrily interrupted. "Chris told me which's why I'm even more upset with you. First you keep this secret from me and Piper and then you let Cole pull some stunt like this and then you don't even have the decency to believe in him when he's killed for it!"

"Cole conveniently sent me and Chris out of the way while Piper was keeping you company so he could confront Gideon alone. I know you want to trust him but isn't it possible Cole could've been fooling us all along?" she suggested, unconvincingly to even her own ears. "I'm sorry, Phoebe, I guess maybe I haven't gotten past Cole's demon half. I thought I had, I swear. I thought we'd established some sort of mutually respective relationship."

"I thought you did too," Phoebe murmured with disappointment.

"The Charmed Ones," a disembodied voice called out.

Piper glanced up and saw the four floating heads of the Tribunal's representatives. "Do you have any idea how long we've been waiting?" Paige placed a warning hand on Piper's arm but Piper shrugged it off, "No, listen, Phoebe's in labor and we don't have time to wait for them to show up whenever they feel like it."

All four heads turned to focus on Phoebe. Crill, one of the demons, demanded, "Why has your former Whitelighter gathered us?"

"Particularly in your condition," the Elder, Adair, added.

Phoebe took a deep breath and replied, "Because I asked him to."

"You?" the second demon, Thrask, echoed. "Were you not satisfied with the ruling? Perhaps you wish us to alter the judgment."

Phoebe ignored the threat and shook her head, "This is about an injustice that must be corrected. Lives are at stake."

"Whose?" Adair questioned.

"My nephew, Wyatt," she answered. "And possibly our own."

"Proceed," four voices simultaneously proclaimed.

"As you know," she began as she held onto the edge of the table for support, "we have always been targets for evil."

"For good reason," the Crill noted.

Paige quickly placed a restraining hand on Piper and sat next to her. "Don't let him get to you," Paige warned in a whisper. "He'd like nothing more than to find a reason to take our powers too."

The baby kicked and Phoebe forced herself to concentrate on her task by pacing in front of the table. "When Wyatt was born, we learned of his prophecy. Unfortunately, he then became a target in his own right too."

"Get to the point," Crill impatiently demanded.

"So? Where is the injustice you spoke of?" Thrask angrily inquired. "There are consequences for wasting our time."

"I believe someone's been deliberately interfering in our lives, sending demons to distract us, while attempting to steal Wyatt's powers and kill him," she breathlessly explained. "I have proof and I want you to punish this person."

"Who is this person you accuse?" Adair questioned. "He will be allowed to speak before us."

"Leo," Phoebe called out, "bring him in."

Leo entered side-by-side with Gideon and they approached the table for the defense.

"The Elder, Gideon?" Adair asked, unable to mask the surprise in his tone. "Was he not part of the defensive team for your trial?"

Phoebe could barely acknowledge Gideon's presence. "That was before I knew him to be the traitor he is."

With the slightest hint of admiration, Crill snorted, "What have you to say for yourself, Elder?"

Gideon walked to the center of the Circle of Truth and stared directly at Phoebe while he spoke, "I have never plotted to kill nor harm Wyatt Halliwell nor the Charmed Ones." As he had expected, a white light seemed to shine up from his feet and he waited for permission to step away.

"You speak the truth," Crill declared. "Why are you wasting our time, Witch?"

Phoebe hid her disappointment and, instead, observed, "Truth comes in many forms and in many shades of gray. Perhaps…perhaps Gideon speaks the truth…as he sees it. I promise, however, that his is not the absolute truth."

"Intriguing," Adair remarked. "Continue."

Phoebe held out the crystal and dangled it for the Tribunal members. "This crystal has recorded the attempt on Wyatt's life and the…the…"

"Phoebe…" Piper uttered in concern when Phoebe stopped speaking.

Paige was already out of her seat and standing at Phoebe's side when Phoebe shook her head and tried to step away. "You don't have to do this," she told her older sister.

"I do," Phoebe whispered in return. Once Paige took her seat again, Phoebe looked up and apologized, "What you'll see is the…the…murder of my husband. He discovered Gideon attacking Wyatt and, after saving Wyatt, was……murdered by Gideon."

"Your husband…the demon previously known as Belthazor," Crill clarified.

Thrask quickly added, "Are you saying the demon who briefly ruled as Source is now dead?"

"Cole Turner, my husband," Phoebe corrected, "is…is…dead." She had barely been able to get out any of the words regarding Cole's fate and it took every ounce of strength within her not to collapse right where she stood. The baby kicked again and she gratefully caressed her belly. "I want Gideon to pay for what he's done."

"Show us the record," Adair instructed.

Phoebe exhaled in relief and, rubbing the small of her back, slowly walked to the Circle of Truth. Fighting the impulse to wring his neck, she silently glared at Gideon until he stepped away and returned to his table.

Paige saw her sister about to kneel in order to place the crystal on the floor so she hurried to Phoebe's side and took the crystal instead.

Phoebe couldn't help but lean against her sister for support and in a tired and nervous voice, ordered the crystal, "Show me Cole's fate."

The crystal almost immediately grew fuzzy and Paige placed it in the center of the Circle. With an arm around Phoebe's waist, she slowly led her sister back to their table.

But as the white light of the crystal grew and filled with dark shadows, Piper was disheartened to note that Phoebe refused to sit. "Please," she whispered to her sister, "you know what you're about to see. Please sit."

"I'm fine, Piper," Phoebe argued, almost a little too loudly. She glanced up to see the four heads staring at her. "Just watch," she told them. She couldn't help but gasp when she saw Cole interrupt Gideon. Instead of a small image a mere few inches tall, this viewing was magnified a few feet. He still appeared a bit grainy but he was still big enough for her to recognize the color of his eyes. As the scene played, she nearly bit her lip through several times in order to stop herself from crying out for Cole. As if her calling to him would magically change what happened. But, the instant she saw Gideon aim the wand at Cole, she sucked in her breath. Unable to look away, she watched, once again, as Cole disappeared in a flash of light and his clothing fell empty to the ground. Her exhale came out more like a choked sob and she whispered his name in vain.

No one spoke and, while the four heads exchanged glances, Paige retrieved the crystal and returned it to her sister by placing it around Phoebe's neck. She rubbed Phoebe's back and was relieved when Phoebe didn't push her away.

"How do you explain this?" Adair somberly asked Gideon.

"As much as it grieves me to repeat," Gideon stated, "that is not what happened. In fact, it is almost the direct opposite. I had grown suspicious that the child had been taken from the school unexpectedly and had finally tracked Cole to the Underworld. It was there I found him using the wand on Wyatt. If I had not found them when I did, Wyatt would now be dead and Cole would have his powers."

"How is it the crystal does not show this?" Crill inquired. "Unless," he focused on Phoebe, "you have created this for our benefit. Are you aware of the penalties for deceiving this court?"

Gideon quickly raised his hand and interrupted, "If you please. I believe, as I told the sisters, that the crystal is genuine, created by Cole Turner himself."

"Indeed," Thrask commented, "and why would he do such a thing if he had not anticipated failure?"

"For proof," Gideon nodded, "that he could show mourning parents. They would wonder what had happened to their son and Cole would show the crystal to them and they would have their traitor. Win or lose, Cole planned on shifting all suspicion and blame away from himself and onto me."

"Belthazor was indeed very clever," Crill agreed. "I would not put this past him."

Thrask nodded, "As Source, he was most imaginative and innovative. A true loss to the Underworld each time he was defeated."

Phoebe saw her edge slipping away. In a few moments, Gideon would con the Tribunal the same way he had done it to her family. But, before she could even try countering his remarks, she was overwhelmed by one of the strongest contractions she'd had that day. She nearly doubled over and barely noticed that each of her sisters had rushed to each of her sides.

Leo began to move but was warned by Adair, "She knew her condition before she called for us. Wait for it to pass."

"But I can heal her," Leo requested as he watched Phoebe grab her sisters' arms, squeeze their hands, and breathe through the contraction.

"Personal gain," Adair insisted. "Leave her."

"This is stress-related," Leo suggested, "demon-related, and it might pose a danger to both Ph--"

"It's okay, Leo," Phoebe weakly called out as the pain of the contraction eased. "I'm going to finish this."

Paige stole a glance at her watch and nearly panicked, "Eight minutes, Phoebe! We have to get you to the hospital."

"No!" she shouted with a burst of adrenalin. She looked up to the four floating heads. "He's giving you Cole so that he'll be free to try again with Wyatt. He might not even care who else gets hurt because he'll know he can succeed when everyone believes he's incapable of committing such a crime. First Wyatt, then us. Is it so hard to believe Gideon is lying to save himself?"

"An Elder?" Adair scoffed. "You are in shock and I find myself willing to make an allowance given your delicate condition." He turned to the others, "Agreed?"

The other three slowly nodded but before Adair could declare anything, Phoebe announced, "There's a witness." Everyone stared at her and she took a deep breath. "There's a witness. Put him in the Circle of Truth and you'll see, once and for all, that Cole is innocent and that Gideon is a lying traitor."

Paige gripped Phoebe's arm tighter, "What witness? There wasn't anyone there."

Piper felt the blood drain from her face. "She's right," she said in a hoarse voice, "there's one person who was there and knows what really happened." She turned to her younger sister and didn't wipe the tears from her cheeks when she shook her head, "Phoebe, please, don't do this."

But Phoebe had her own tears streaming down her face and reluctantly apologized, "I'm sorry, Piper, but I don't have a choice." She called out, "Chris, you can bring Wyatt in now."

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