Peanut2lb: Ok, thanks for your support, I'll go on with my plans. You still have a lot coming your way dude. Hang on. T.F.R.

Princess Pinky: Sorry, sorry, sorry,...I know you really liked Sophie, but I couldn't find a better way to get a perfect heart for Lexie. I'll think about that spirit visit, good idea dude. I'm afraid Zinnlar is going to be hanging around a little more, and about Leo...he'll get back, promise. That wedding is coming real soon missie, just stick around.

Orion H.: Thanks Orion, I'mglad you're still around despite the not liking Andy thing.

PrUe AnD AnDy: Thanx, I'll go on with my plans then. Yup, let's see if Sophie's heart gets some sense inside that reckless head of Lexie. T.F.R.

Faith Kingsley: You said it dude, now you'll have to stick aroundwith me until this story is finished. I hope I don't disappoint you. T.F.R.

JC: Awww, you're so sweet, thanks a lot. I'll keep writing then, but please feel free to let me know if it gets too boring.T.F.R.

Ruthy: Hi there, I tried to be quick, believe me, I really tried, but things always get in my way. Hope you like it. T.F.R.

Charmed4eva1990: Hey soccergurl! Thanx for your review. I'll stick with my original plan then. Stay cool.

JAMSSTANG: Of course not, I won't quit, see, I know most of us Charmed lovers share the same opinion. Prue was just the best. I'm not saying that Paige isn't, it's just that Prue's episodes were filled with more personal matters, love bonding, even sister fights, and these last seasons, everybody seem to be way too involved in their own issues and lives...aww well, Charmed is cool anyway, isn't it? T.F.R.


C.C. McKenna

Earthquake

Chapter Twelve

Piper slowly moved and stood in front of Prue, shielding her defenseless sister with her own body. Prue grabbed her bed-sheets and closed her hand in a tight fist, painfully burying her fingernails through her soft skin.

"C-careful Piper…" Prue whispered; her cheek resting heavily against the bed. She tried to lift her head, but a sudden piercing twinge ran through her back, keeping her just in place.

Piper nodded, rubbing her sister's back to diminish her pain. "I know" She glared at Zinnlar right into his evil, sparkly eyes and then turned to Prue. "You ok?…stay still, I'll fix this" She said, trying to convince herself as much as her sister.

"No, Piper, don't try anything, he'll…he'll kill us" Prue tried to keep her breathing under control..

"Listen to your sister." Zinnlar grinned, staring at Piper. "She seems to be the one with the brains in here; no offense, of course", He winked. "Unfortunately not too energetic right now, is she?" He added scornfully.

"What do you want?" Without a second thought, Phoebe hurried to place herself between him and her sisters. She knew that their powers were useless against him, but she just wasn't going to let it go without a fight. She was sick and tired of that particular demon, so she was prepared to give him a 'hell of a fight' this time.

"Don't you ever get tired of asking the same question over and over again?" Zinnlar reached out and surprisingly caressed Phoebe's cheek with filthy lust.

Phoebe immediately turned her head away; her sisters quickly spotting the rictus of disgust on her face.

"She asked you a simple freaking question, why don't you just answer it; damn it!" Piper spat, she was angry, obviously hating the way the demon dared to touch her younger sister. Prue slowly searched for Piper's hand and clasped it, trying to soothe her a little and at the same time trying to ease her own pain, which was growing stronger by the minute. She couldn't do more for her sisters, no matter how badly she wanted to help, she was useless, faced down, hating her impotence and her inability to move.

"Mmmhm… I completely forgot about how touchy we could get with these little things". Zinnlar cracked his fingers under the fuming glares of the sisters. "All right, all right, I'll be concise, I'll go straight to the point; I want your powers, and I want them now…as simple as that." He rubbed his hands together and slowly sat on the black sofa, facing the sisters. He looked at them briefly, one by one, taking great pleasure of their not so surprised faces, savoring the moment. "You have no choice witches, either you relinquish your powers or I'll start with plan B" He leaned back, smiling.

"Get him the hell out of here!" Prue uttered. "Now!"

"I believe you have no say in this" Zinnlar glared at Prue. "Haven't you noticed how irrelevant and unimportant your presence is?"

Piper supportively squeezed her sister's hand and gazed at Zinnlar. "Shut up; and get the hell out of here, you know you're never gonna have our powers" She said with a sigh, and a very obvious fed-up roll of eyes. "Why do you keep insisting? Why don't you just give it up? You know you can't kill us," Piper added.

"I know. But may I remind you that I can hurt you, and I mean really hurt you, especially that other sister of yours, the one that doesn't have any powers, what's her name? Oh yes, I believe it is Alexia, isn't it? You've always seemed to be quite protective about her." He scorned. "Maybe I could use that little sister of yours to persuade you, I don't know… what do you think?" He chuckled, surprisingly disappearing and shimmering by Prue's side, kissing the top of her head.

Piper raised her hands wanting to blow him away; but clenched her teeth with anger when she recalled that her powers were useless, that she couldn't hurt him; but Phoebe could; The youngest Halliwell hurled herself on the demon's back and pulled him away from her sisters' side. Zinnlar was disgracefully caught by surprise and fell heavily on the floor, Phoebe right on top of him.

"You stupid witch!" Zinnlar waved his hand and a low bolt of energy quickly surged from it, sending Phoebe violently against the wall. He made sure she got hurt; he didn't want her dead.

"Phoebe!" Piper shouted; and before she even got a chance to run to her sister's side, Zinnlar threateningly held up his hand, stopping Piper right on her tracks.

"Bastard!" Prue shouted, tightening the grip on Piper's wrist to keep her close and safe.

"See...I think you have this backwards", Zinnlar smirked. "I believe your little sister is the bastard one", He laughed sarcastically. "Is she not?"

What happened next sent a chill down the sisters' spines. Zinnlar disappeared and quickly reappeared on the other side of the room, and in just a matter of seconds, he held Phoebe in his arms. He sneered, looking at the sisters for a quick instant and triumphantly shimmered out.

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"Phoebe…. Phoebe!"

Phoebe's eyes quivered slowly, almost imperceptibly. Her eyelids were heavy, but she made a huge effort and blinked repeatedly to keep them open when she kept hearing her name echoing inside the deepest corner of her mind. She wiped her eyes with her trembling hands and slowly sat up; rubbing her temples with gentle circling motions, while her name still rang faintly inside her mind. She shook her head, trying to rid the pain, but it hurt her even more; She tightened her eyes as she tried to kneel and maybe even try to stand on her feet, but it didn't work either, she stumbled back onto the floor and her body started slightly shaking; she had no control whatsoever over herself. The place was cold, and gloomy, and the rugged walls and floors were made out of a strange mixture of burgundy and black damp clay.

"Phoebe…wake up… come on Phoebe"

"Mmhhm…w-wh…?" She hesitantly grabbed her head.

"PHOEBE!"

"C-cole?" Phoebe's eyes snapped open as she hastily bolted up.

"Over here" Cole said, banging the iron cell with the palm of his hands. "I'm over here Phoebe"

Phoebe put aside her throbbing head and walked towards the voice; mostly guided by her heart, than by her hearing. "Cole?" She rubbed her eyes to get a much clearer sight of the shadowy scene in front of her; the fog made it a little difficult for her to see where she was heading to, but she was finally able to focus her eyes on Cole's slender figure. The place somehow seemed a little too familiar, and even though she could hardly see in the gloom, she knew perfectly well where they were.

"Cole?" Phoebe's heart made a quick leap inside her chest. "What are you doing in there?" She mumbled as she ran to her boyfriend, carelessly pressing her body against the iron cell and hastily cupping her hands around his sweaty face. "Baby…are you ok?" She barely had a chance to whisper before Cole captured her luscious mouth with his.

Half frightened, half thrilled, Phoebe's body trembled against the strong arms that held her through the cold bars; her heart fluttering like a caged bird against his hectic chest while his hot breath utterly overwhelmed her.

"I see you've found the little surprise I had for you, witch" Zinnlar scorned, he'd been sitting in the dark, hidden behind the shadows, waiting patiently for Phoebe to come around from out of her nothingness.

Phoebe jumped back, startled, and shortly confused; but the memory of what had happened back at the hospital suddenly hit her. "Where the hell are you? Show yourself!" She took a defensive stance looking around.

"I'm literally here, my favorite hell" Zinnlar slowly emerged out of the darkness. "Missed me witch?"

Phoebe stood still for a moment, silent but alert. She met Zinnlar's eyes and bravely held his threatening gaze; she wasn't scared anymore, in fact, she wasn't even aware of her frantic breathing suddenly becoming a shallow whisper. Her mind went blank, allowing herself to register one thing, and one thing only; Zinnlar's death. She wanted to kill him so badly.

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tbc