Twice Cursed
Just a Little Bit Better
At three in the morning, Piper, Leo and Paige came home, laughing and in high spirits, though they were all more than a bit tired.
"Oh, Lord, I haven't been out so late at a club or a party since—" Paige thought back. "Since I first became a Charmed One."
Piper laughed and threw herself on the couch. "Now that is something we've got to fix. I mean, I'm the club owner, remember?" Nevertheless, she sobered up a bit. "Still, we have to be wary. We can't let ourselves get slack just because there haven't been any major demon attacks for the past two weeks."
The three sat down and chatted, as they calmed themselves down. After fifteen minutes, they were all ready to turn themselves in. It was at that moment that Piper, ever the perfect housekeeper, noticed the stray, blackened tissue on the floor.
She picked it up. The black marks looked like mascara streaks…with a sense of foreboding, she looked at Paige. "This isn't yours, isn't it," she asked flatly.
Paige shook her head. "Phoebe again? Do you want me to check up on her?"
Piper sighed. "No, its fine, you can go to sleep. I'll take care of this myself." She looked at Leo. "Same goes for you too."
Paige was about to argue when she saw the look on Piper's face. There was something that her oldest sister had to sort out, she knew. So, with an affirming glance to her brother-in-law, the two orbed to their respective rooms at the same time.
Piper herself slowly went up the stairs, her head down low. How could she have enjoyed herself tonight while Phoebe was so obviously in pain? And to think—she didn't even call her up and ask her to come!
She reached Phoebe's door and silently pushed it open. The light was still on as she had obviously cried herself to sleep, the makeup now dried on her face. Still—Piper stepped a bit closer, looking at her younger sister's expression. Her features were softened, a good deal of the ever-present tension that she had carried around lately faded away. She seemed—almost at peace. Somehow, Piper seeing her sister like this helped her alleviate some of her own guilt, and caused her to have some real hope for Phoebe as well. Something definitely changed, Piper thought. Whatever it was, it was definitely for the better. Piper smiled tenderly at her sister's sleeping form, and headed to her own bedroom, turning off the light and closing the door behind her.
As Piper snuggled into bed with her husband, something in the attic stirred. The movement was so slight it could have been mistaken for a breeze from the window, except that the window was closed.
A tiny beam of light started to form somewhere in the space of the attic, and soon it had expanded to fill the entire space. The light flashed blindingly white for a split second, then vanquished completely.
Standing in the middle of the attic was a man in disheveled rags, his blue eyes dull from excessive pain. He turned his head slightly to his side, as if trying to figure out where he was. As a look of recognition passed over his face, his wobbly knees gave way, and he collapsed, unconscious, onto the floor.
A/N: I know that was short, but as compensation…an update of Love's Intervention is up, posted the same time as this one! Please be kind and review both. Thanks and enjoy all!