Hi! Thanks to those who have reviewed, this is going to be the last Piper and Paige chapter for a while, but I will come back, as they seem to be popular!

Princess Pinky – thanks for your enthusiastic responses! And I will explain Emma and Shalimar a little later in the story (I've changed the history of Mutant X in more ways than one!)

PiPeRAnGeL39 – thanks for your encouragement! I'll keep writing!

CuteLittleBritt – thanks for the praise! Praise is what keeps this story going!

andy20 – my first reviewer, thanks for sticking with this story!

I'm so glad that people are enjoying my work! I'll keep going with this story; I'm even planning on a sequel lol!

Love At First Fire

Paige was working late again, ever since she became a social worker again; she wanted to prove to her boss, and to herself, that she was worthy for this job and maybe even a promotion. But thanks to her long work hours, she had fell asleep at her desk and was drooling slightly on the pile of paperwork that she was using as a pillow. She was sleeping peacefully; she didn't even stir, not even in the slightest, even when smoke started to seep through the bottom of the door………

Piper was sitting with Chris in her lap, watching the 11 o'clock news. She sighed, Paige had been out the door by 7am and was still not home, she would need to talk to her little sister about her work hours. Something caught her attention on the TV, it was the name of the building that Paige worked at, she turned it up

'Fire fighters are doing their best to fight off the blaze, put it seems to be spreading too fast, they're trying to subdue the flames long enough so that a rescue team can get in and retrieve the only person left in the building, according to the doorman, this person is the only person that hasn't exited the building yet,'

The reporter's voice rang out through the room. Piper froze in terror, realising that the only person left… was Paige!………

Paige was beginning to come around, she slowly opened her eyes It's hot was her immediate reaction, but as she opened her eyes, she realised that her office was on fire! She began looking around desperately, hoping to find the source of the flames, instead, she found someone.

'Hope you burn in Hell, witch!' the person shouted over the crackling blaze.

'You wish!' Paige began to orb out, but before the orbs could envelop her, the warlock (she guessed) gestured at the ceiling, and brought a piece of it down on Paige's head, knocking her out! The warlock blinked out and left Paige to be swallowed by the flames………

'Leo? What's taking so long? Why has she not orbed out? What if she needs our help? What if she's…'

Piper couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence as tears began welling up in her eyes, Leo and her had been standing at the edge of the police tape, looking for any sign of Paige.

'Honey calm down! I'll go in and find her!' Leo assured her, before he disappeared in a blinding flash of orbs………

Oh well, looks like this is it Paige thought, she couldn't feel her legs, she assumed that the flames had got to them first, she had regained consciousness a minute ago but she couldn't move, let alone orb, she had just resigned herself to the fact that this was the end

I guess I've had a pretty good life, and my sisters have made these last years so special…

Phoebe… I wish I could see her one last time; there are a lot of wishes… I wish I'd found 'the one'… I wish that a could call myself a mother… but I…guess… it's… time… to… go

Paige shed a tear and closed her eyes, the flames had moved past her waist, the next time she would open her eyes, she hoped she would see pearly white gates, but instead, she heard a voice.

She forced herself to open her eyes again, she saw a man, she couldn't make him out through her dying vision and the smoke, was she crazy? Or was he pushing back the flames with two pillars of water?

The man reached her, he then made gestures with his hands and the water formed a dome around her and himself. He bent down and checked her pulse, she heard him mutter 'Thank God,' Paige then felt a cooling sensation in her body. As a natural reflex, she checked to see what he was doing, and was surprised when she could! He had his hands across her stomach and there was a blue light radiating from his hands. Paige didn't know whether it was because they shared the power of healing, but she felt as if she had known this man her entire life, she trusted him, she may have even loved him! He then took her hands in his own and gently pulled her up, both were standing, hand in hand.

'Thank you, whoever you are,' she thanked him breathlessly

He smiled back at her 'You're welcome; just don't work too late again, okay? I think you'll be able to orb out now,'

'What about you?' Paige asked, her voice full of concern

'I got in here without harm, I think getting out will be just the same, now go, your brother-in-law and sister are outside and are really worried about you,'

'Okay, thank you,' she repeated before orbing out………

Piper was wailing in Leo's arms, he had returned, not being able to find Paige and not being able to sense her.

'I was supposed to protect her! She's my baby sister! I can't believe this happened again!' she wept as Leo tried to calm her down. There was a sudden increase in noise and a rush to the buildings entrance as Paige appeared. She had orbed to the entrance, hoping people would just think that she had climbed all the way down from the ninth floor.

Piper saw her and instantaneously vaulted over the yellow tape pushing many police officers and firemen out of the way, she reached Paige and immediately threw her arms around her sister.

'Piper, you're smooshing me!' Paige protested.

'I don't care! I'd rather have a smooshed sister than a dead sister,'………

Paige was in the kitchen, she had almost every magical tool in the house on the table, she was sitting spinning a crystal over a world map and a map of the solar system, Piper entered and immediately sighed.

'Still looking for your hero?' Piper mocked

Paige shot her a look 'Yes, could pass over that pot?'

Piper complied; she got a sniff of it and made a face 'What is this?'

'Tracking potion,' she answered simply 'If it works, then I should be able to sense the guy and orb to him,'

'I think we should focus on that demonic arsonist, you know, the one that killed you!?' Piper exclaimed.

'Actually, finding my guy helps us vanquish the warlock, I looked him up and his name is Gart, he is upper level, and has fire based powers,'

'So how does finding 'Mr Right' help us?'

'Whoever he was, his powers came from water, and the Book says that Gart can only be vanquished by an extreme source of opposite power, and what's the opposite of fire?' Paige asked

With a sigh, Piper answered her 'Water,'

Paige clicked her tongue and retorted 'Smart girl,'………

There was chaos in Gart's chambers in the underworld, the demonic leaders and came together for his announcement, it was then he blinked in.

'How dare you summon us!' roared one of the leaders, his voice booming from the back.

Gart just laughed, 'Gentlemen! I have called you all here for great news, I, have finally vanquished one of The Charmed Ones,'

'He's lying!' a voice echoed from the back, there where mumbles of agreement.

'I do not lie! I sensed her souls fire being snuffed from existence,' he looked distant 'It was an amazing feeling,'

'Then someone must have desnuffed it, because I have one of my men spying on the witches and both were alive!'

'What!? When was this?'

'This morning!'

Gart looked bewildered, and also embarrassed, he was the laughing stock of the underworld! He blinked out of his cavern, intent on revenge………

BANG!!!!!

The potion that Paige was working on erupted in a thunderous explosion, signing that it was ready. Piper came in and waved her arms about, trying clear out the smoke.

'Trying to die in another fire?' Piper asked jokingly

'Actually, this is one of the most powerful vanquishing potions I have ever made! It'll have to do since I can't find my rescuer,'

Yeah yeah, bottle that thing up, we need to be prepared,' Piper said completely ignoring Paige's comment.

The two walked in to the dining room, vials in hand, they were about to climb the stairs and get the crystal cage ready, but the warlock blinked in before they reached the first step.

'Time for you to really die this time, witch!' he roared.

Piper was aware of him before Paige, she jumped in front of her sister and massed out to protect Paige and herself. But the massing was useless; the flames that the warlock shot hit Piper as if she hadn't massed at all. She fell to the ground, clothes on fire and skin burned so badly that she was beyond recognition.

For Paige, it all happened in slow motion, the warlock was grinning at the burnt person on the ground, he laughed manically and said

'I love the smell of burnt witch in the morning,' he was about to blink when Paige threw the potion at him, it didn't kill him, but it forced him to retreat.

Paige knelt down beside her sister, beating out the burning items of clothing and began to heal her immediately; she was shaking with anger and fear. Despite her best efforts, the healing was only keeping Piper alive, and not healing her fatal burns, it was at this time Leo orbed in.

'Oh my god!' Leo cried, immediately his eyes began to well up.

'Leo, take over!' Paige screamed, her voice shaky as she looked at her dying sister 'I'm going to get help!'

Leo joined his wife on the floor and began trying to heal her, Paige orbed out to an unknown place………

Paige appeared on the top of the Golden Gate Bridge, she began screaming for her saviour, as he had healed her burns last night, she was hoping he could do the same for Piper before it was too late. She didn't care if people could hear or see her, if her big sister died, it would all be worthless.

'LISTEN!!! I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT MY SISTER NEEDS YOU AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO LET HER DIE!!!!'

Her outburst seemed to do the trick; she turned round and saw water forming on the ground. The water rose up and slowly took the form of a person, Paige immediately recognised him from last night.

'What can I do?' he said, full of urgency………

Leo was still keeping Piper alive, he was crying freely now, because he knew that he was close to running out of magical energy, and if that happened, Piper would die.

C'mon Paige! Where are you?

As if the heavens had answered his thoughts, Paige appeared in a flurry of orbs, and next to her, water rose up and revealed a person.

'Please! You have to save her!' Paige pleaded, but he was already on the floor, he pressed his hand on Piper's forehead, and the other one on her stomach, like he done with Paige. A blue lighted emitted from his palms and slowly, Piper's skin turned back to normal, and her clothes were back to being the fashion statements they usually were.

Piper didn't even have the time to stand up, as both Paige and Leo brought her into hugs. Paige eventually stood up, Leo stayed on the floor, kissing Piper all over her face.

'Thanks, again,' Paige said sheepishly

'I'm glad I was able to help,' he answered kindly.

They both stared at each other for a while, and then looked down at the ground with red faces, Leo broke the silence.

'Alright, who are you?'

'Easy Leo,' Piper calmed him, putting her hand gently on his chest.

'It's alright, my name is Aidan, and I'm the guardian of Water,'

'What?' Paige asked

'They watch over the world,' Leo said 'The four elements of nature have one, am I right?'

'Yes, although I'm quite new to the job,' Aidan answered, grinning and his face going red again.

'If you watch over the world, then shouldn't you be as old as time?' Piper asked

'It doesn't work that way,' Leo answered 'You see, the guardians are former witches, they don't sit on lofty perches peering down, they lead normal lives so that they blend in, so when one of them dies, another is chosen,'

Aidan nodded, this was the first time Paige had really had a good look at him, he was very handsome, he had blonde hair and striking green eyes, he was even dressed casually in a tight blue shirt and black trousers.

'Why couldn't Leo and I heal Piper?'

'I don't know, but we need to put a stop to the warlock if he has power that even elders and whitelighters can't heal a person from,'

'If you're going then I'm coming with you,' Piper said

'No,' Paige ordered 'You rest, Aidan and I will take care of the warlock,'

'Oh really!' Piper said with her eyebrows raised and a smirk on her lips 'If you guys want to be alone, that's fine with me,'

Aidan wore a confused look on his face while Paige shot a big sister a look that could kill.

'C'mon, lets go get that warlock!' she said enthusiastically, she orbed out and left Aidan behind, he followed her by 'splashing' out………

Gart was lying against the wall in his cavern, trying to tend to the wound that the potion had given him; he looked fearful as he saw orbs and water appear in front of him. Paige and Aidan materialised in front of him and advanced.

'You ready to die this time?' Paige said darkly

He sneered 'At least I can take pleasure in the fact that I killed your sister, I felt her soul die, so don't lie to me,'

It was Aidan's turn to speak 'You should get your spidey sense checked out, because her sister is alive and well,' he then shot out his hand, and water came rushing out, blasting Gart against a wall, and vanquishing him.

The two shared a smile, but their happiness was interrupted by the sound of clapping echoing behind them. Paige turned round, and was shocked to see herself and Piper!

'Very impressive,' Piper said dryly.

'Who the hell are you?' Paige demanded

'Someone who's… well, how should I put this… oh yeah! We're going to kill you!' her counterpart answered before a darklighter crossbow appeared in her hand. Piper raised her hands to attack, but Aidan, put up his hand, and a wall of water absorbed the arrow and explosion. He quickly wrapped his arms around Paige and splashed them out of the underworld………

They appeared on the Golden Gate Bridge, Paige was still in her saviour's grasp, he let her go and she walked away slightly and broke the silence.

'What were they?' Paige asked.

'I think they were you, well, the evil forms of you, I'm not sure,' he said

'Well, I'm glad I didn't go after the warlock alone, that's twice you've saved me,' Paige smiled.

Aidan smiled back, he was about to say something, but Paige unknowingly cut him off.

'I want to ask you something; why did you come to save me? I mean, you don't even know me,'

'I don't know, I was up here sorting out my thoughts, I do that a lot, and I heard your spirit call out to me, and I couldn't let you die now could I?'

They both laughed at this comment, Aidan then spoke again.

'Paige, I know this might seem I bit inappropriate, but… would you like to go out sometime?'

She was slightly taken aback by this surprise, but then she smiled 'I'd like that,' she answered, she was going to orb out but then stopped 'How will I find you?'

He smiled kindly at her 'Just holler,'

She smiled back and orbed out, leaving Aidan alone to sort out his thoughts…

Well? Was it good? You all though I'd forgotten about the counterparts, didn't you! I thought I'd give Paige a love interest, so there he is! Give me your opinions!

Chapter 9 'Curiosity Nearly Killed The Cat' is a Mutant X Chapter, but don't worry! I'll come back to Piper and Paige soon!