when the past comes back to love you chapter 2, a charmed fanfic

Chapter Two

Two hours later, in Alicia's bedroom, Phoebe stood back from Alicia and waited, her fingers drawing imaginary circles along her belly in the hopes of keeping the kicking down to a minimum. Alicia was still drawing the chalk circle on the carpeting at the foot of the bed so she asked, "Think I should start lighting the candles?" At Alicia's nod, Phoebe stepped around the circle and closed the window's heavy drapes. She then took a lighter and began with the candles lining the dresser and end tables before moving to the tea lights on the edges of the tall bookcase's shelves. It took her a few minutes to complete the task and she almost felt claustrophobic feeling so big in such a small room surrounded by so many flames. "Sure hope you disconnected your smoke detector or we're gonna be surrounded by firefighters real soon."

Too nervous to smile, Alicia simply asked, "You're really up for this?"

Phoebe nodded and handed Alicia the golden dagger, "Let's do it."

Alicia led Phoebe into the center of the circle and helped the Charmed One kneel before a small golden bowl. She took a deep breath and swiftly slashed her left wrist, allowing the blood to drip in the bowl. She then did the same to Phoebe and watched as Phoebe's blood mixed with hers in the bowl.

Phoebe swayed slightly and brought her right hand to her forehead. "I'm okay," she replied to Alicia's concern, "just need a second."

"C'mere, sit," Alicia offered as she carefully helped Phoebe to the bed. Then she quickly wrapped both their wrists in the prepared bandages and pulled from her skirt pocket a folded piece of paper. Phoebe began to rise but Alicia stopped her, "You sit, I probably shouldn't've even let you do this."

Phoebe looked up and smiled at her friend, "I'm fine, don't worry." But she still felt slightly dizzy and admitted, "Maybe I should say the spell sitting down."

"What if..."

Phoebe reached for Alicia's hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze, "You won't know unless you try."

Her hand still in Phoebe's, Alicia angled the paper for Phoebe to see before they both recited,

"Spirits rise, spirits soar,

Lovers die but reunite once more."

A gust of wind blew out half the candles and Phoebe pushed herself up to stand next to Alicia. "Let's say it again."

The witches repeated the spell and were forced to avert their eyes when another gust of wind blew out the remaining candles. They waved the smoke away before noticing that the air above the golden bowl was distorted. Their eyes widened in surprise as the distortion elongated and grew larger.

"A portal," Alicia gasped with excitement. "Oh, Phoebe, it's a portal! Frank!"

But Phoebe was overtaken by severe cramping and doubled over in pain.

"Phoebe!" Concerned, Alicia quickly bent over Phoebe and helped her lay on the bed.

"Can't lose this baby," Phoebe pleaded as she cradled her belly. The pain no longer seemed as sharp but she was still scared and gasping for breath.

"It'll be okay," Alicia promised, "I'll get you to the doctor. God, I've been so selfish, I'm so sorry, Ph--"

"Licia?"

Alicia spun at the familiar voice. She covered her mouth with her hand and stared at the figure now standing in the center of the circle. "Frank?" she whispered.

"It's me, baby," the tall blond man replied as he looked down appreciatively at his solid form. "And I don't know what the hell's going on," he stretched out his arms to her, "but, if you hadn't called me when you did, I'd be fried fodder for Zarlak right now."

Phoebe slowly leaned up on her elbow and wistfully watched the lovers' reunion. Too engrossed in each other, neither noticed as she slipped out of the room and apartment.

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Alicia rolled onto her side and spooned herself into Frank's embrace. She brought the covers up to her chin and wished she could tell him about the past year's loneliness and pain but nothing came out except a choked sob.

Frank felt her begin to tremble and brushed away some of her hair before kissing her temple. "It's okay, baby, I'm here. You brought me back and I'm not going anywhere."

"I was so lost without you," she whispered as she tugged his arm tighter around her waist. "I was so afraid I'd become that little wallflower I was before I met you."

"Nah," he promised, "you're my tiger lily. Fierce and strong. Nothing can stand in your way."

Alicia shrugged, "Only when you're with me."

"Then we'll have to make sure I'm always with you," he murmured while nibbling her earlobe. "Now, witch, I will have my way with you again and then we'll go out on the town. Zarlak's vanquished but I'm alive and I want to feel the city under my feet."

She turned over to face him and smiled as her fears melted away, "Your wish is my command."

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"God, Phoebe," Piper gasped as she helped her sister through the front door, "you look terrible. I knew you shouldn't've helped Alicia." She glanced up at the ceiling and shouted, "Leo!"

"I'm fine," Phoebe said but even she didn't really believe it. She was still so shaken by that painful attack and, with her sister's help, she made it to the sofa before collapsing on it. She shook her head, "I don't know what happened, one minute I was fine and the next..."

Piper knelt next to Phoebe and placed her hand on Phoebe's belly, "You've felt the baby move since then, right?"

"Kicked up a storm the whole ride home," Phoebe nodded with some relief. "I thought the pizza would help but..."

"I can't believe you stopped off for pizza!" Piper chastised.

Phoebe shrugged, "I thought it might calm us both and the shop was on the way and..."

Piper quickly pulled Phoebe into her arms and stroked Phoebe's back while her sister cried. "Shhhh, it's all right now. The pain's gone and you're all right." She then pulled back slightly and brushed away her sister's tears, "Sit here while I call the doctor." Phoebe nodded silently and Piper kissed her on the forehead, "I'll be right back."

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In Alicia's dark, empty bedroom, the air above the knocked over golden bowl began to distort.

After a moment, another figure stepped through the portal.

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"What's wrong?" Piper panicked as she ran into the living room and found her sisters on the floor in front of the sofa.

"I don't know," Paige responded while she held onto Phoebe. Her older sister was doubled over in her arms and now silently screaming in pain.

"Where the hell is Leo?!" Piper joined her sisters and couldn't help but check the floor and Phoebe's lower body for signs of blood. Before she could breathe a sigh of relief, Phoebe had grabbed her hand and squeezed it and Piper had to block out her own pain while she tried to comfort her sister.

Shortly, Phoebe began taking deep breaths as the pain began to ease. "What's happening to me?" she tearfully questioned them.

Piper glanced at Paige but began to stroke Phoebe's belly, "I don't know, sweetie, but the doctor wanted to see you if it happened again so don't worry, we'll find out exactly what's going on."

"I can't lose this baby," Phoebe whispered.

"You won't," Paige declared, knowing full well she had no business making such a promise.

"Maybe it's just a case of gas," Piper suggested while continuing to caress her sister. "Sometimes it can feel like a really bad contraction. Believe me, I know."

Paige smiled and helped Phoebe to a seated position, "Sure, it's probably something innocent like that. Nothing to worry about."

"But what if it's not?" Phoebe fearfully wondered with a sniffle. "What if it's something demonic?"

Paige didn't even want to think about that and offered instead, "What if it was just a bad reaction to being so close to the portal? Think about it, Phoebe, we've practically been living magic-free for the past six months and you just practiced some heavy-duty witchcraft."

Piper nodded, "Minor spells and potions here and there are one thing. But maybe this was just too much for you right now. The doctor did say this morning to ease up on the stress load."

"Maybe," Phoebe weakly agreed just as orb lights appeared.

"Sorry," Leo apologized, "but there's concern about a time portal."

"Not now," Piper insisted, "check Phoebe. Make sure the baby's okay."

Leo immediately held his hands over Phoebe's belly and, after a moment, informed the sisters with a shrug, "Everything seems fine. What's going on?"

"Mommmm!"

Piper glanced up at the ceiling and sighed, "I'd better see what that pair's up to now. Paige, how about a shortcut?"

Paige kissed Phoebe on the forehead and joined Piper. "Stay with Leo. We'll be right back."

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Leo had just brought a glass of water to Phoebe when they heard Piper's yell. Suddenly, Wyatt and Chris orbed next to him and he worried, "What's wrong?"

"We didn't do it," Wyatt insisted. "He just appeared, honest."

Chris nodded in agreement, "Flipping through the Book, no spells, and there he was."

"Who was?" Phoebe gently questioned as she opened her arms to her nephews. With one boy in each arm, she encouraged, "No one's mad at you, we just want to know what happened."

"A backfire, I think," Paige announced when she orbed back into the room.

Upset, Chris approached her, "It wasn't us, Aunt Paige."

"I know, sweetie," she assured him before nervously looking to her sister, "because I think it was you."

"Me?"

To Leo, Paige asked, "What'd you mean before about a time portal?"

Unsure why she was asking, he still answered, "Two of the Elders sensed the opening of a time portal in the area. We know it's been used by a demon but don't know which one."

"That doesn't make sense," Phoebe commented, recalling the portal she helped open in Alicia's bedroom.

At the same time, Wyatt uttered, "He's a demon? Cool!"

"Not cool, Wyatt," Leo quickly told him.

Simultaneously, Paige said, "Guess that answers that, then..."

"Paige, what're you talking about?" Phoebe uttered while holding the edge of the sofa in an effort to fight a wave of dizziness.

"Phoebe helped Alicia with a spell to bring back Frank," Paige told Leo. "and it worked so well that a portal opened and brought back someone else too, someone of the demon kind."

"No it didn't!" Phoebe snapped in a tired voice while grabbing a pillow, holding it tightly in front of her. "I was there and the only one who came through the portal was Frank, y'know, human Frank, alive and well.."

"I don't like this," Leo murmured. "I'd better go back."

"But we know who it was," Wyatt piped up just as his father orbed out. "He was in the Book, I think."

Phoebe turned her attention to the boys, "Who?"

"Me."

Phoebe's head jerked back and she saw him standing at the foot of the stairs with an angry Piper close behind. She stood on shaky legs, pillow still clutched in front of her, and took a step towards him. She felt the blood drain from her face but managed to whisper his name, "Cole..."

As confused as he was by his sudden appearance six years in the future, nothing prepared Cole for the shock of seeing Phoebe after the pillow fell from her hands, "You're pregnant!"

"Surprise," she weakly uttered before everything went black and she crumpled to the floor.

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"Stand back!" Piper ordered Cole when he hovered too close to the sofa. If not for her fear for Phoebe, she'd've already sent Cole back to hell.

"What's wrong with her?" Cole asked for the fifth time while allowing himself to be pushed back.

Pressing the damp cloth to Phoebe's forehead, Paige continued to ignore him and glanced at Piper, "Think he did this?"

Piper turned to Cole but, instead, told her sons, "Go to your room." The boys protested and she wasn't as patient as she should have been when she harshly repeated her order.

Wyatt glared defiantly at her but did grab his brother's hand and silently orbed out.

Phoebe began to stir and slowly opened her eyes to see her two sisters peering back at her. "I thought I saw -- What's going on?"

"We'll talk about it later," Paige told her as she helped Phoebe sit up, "right now, we're taking you to the doctor."

Phoebe spotted Cole and gasped, "You are here..."

"Evidently," he sullenly replied. "Unless I'm still passed out drunk and dreaming this nightmare."

Phoebe shook her head, "It's real."

Paying close attention to Phoebe's pale features, Piper decided, "Yeah, well, I'm gonna end this nightmare, once and for all."

But Phoebe grabbed Piper's arms to stop her older sister from blowing up Cole. She slowly stood even though she had to quickly lean against Paige for support. "You can't," she told Piper.

"Why the hell not?" Piper exclaimed. "He's probably the reason you've been in pain." Phoebe shook her head but Piper continued, "Now isn't the time for you to be reliving any of the hell he put you through. Let me take care of him while Paige takes you to the doctor."

"Go to the doctor, Phoebe," Cole quietly insisted. "I don't know what's going on but I don't want you or your baby to be in any added danger because of me."

Nervously watching her fingers stroke her belly, Phoebe argued, "I'm not going without you."

Paige suddenly realized what her sister wasn't saying and she shook her head, practically pleading, "Phoebe, no, tell me it's not true."

Piper caught on to Paige's train of thought and blew up a pillow in frustration, "Dammit, Phoebe...This is a nightmare."

"It's a miracle," Phoebe disagreed in a whisper when she felt the baby kick.

"Would someone tell me just what the hell is going on?" Cole practically shouted.

Phoebe still couldn't look at him and told her sisters, "If this's serious, you know the father has a right to be there."

Cole threw his hands up in frustration, "And what's that got to do with me?"

"You're the father," Paige growled at him, wishing this was nothing but a nightmare.

"And you're crazy," he retorted.

"No, she isn't," Phoebe softly said as she took a tentative step towards him. She reached for his hand and placed his suddenly trembling digits on the spot the baby kept kicking. Gazing into his eyes, full of amazement, she requested, "Say hello to your daughter, Cole."

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