The Second First Born

N.B.I hope you're in it for the long haul! Please R&R! Also, disclaimer. I don't own Charmed, the show or any of the original characters.

The long green stem of the rose twisted as it fell through the air, as if in slow motion. Head bowed, Laura watched its progress before it came to land on the granite coloured coffin. She turned her head away, as if she could hardly bear to watch anymore. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up.

Chris smiled down at her reassuringly, and she embraced him; burying her face on his shoulder and trying to block out what she was feeling…

Phoebe picked up the torch. There were no flames, but it still glowed a little. She held it up, and looked around. She saw Paige and started towards her. Almost automatically, she put two fingers on her neck. There was a pulse, and Phoebe sighed with relief.

Phoebe straightened up, and turned around. There was another figure, but the in the poor light she couldn't tell who. She blew on the torch, and the embers of the fire glowed brighter. She made out long brown hair, which was spilled over the stone floor. Piper?

She walked over, and kneeled beside her. Holding the torch close, she could see that it wasn't Piper, but a young girl. Phoebe looked at her and frowned slightly. There was something familiar about her…

Leo put a stopper in the potion bottle and handed it to Chris. 'Here,' he said, 'This one is designed to freeze…'Chris held it up the bottle of emerald green liquid up to the light, 'Don't we have Piper for that?'

Leo nodded, 'Yeah…it's just better to be safe than sorry.' Chris pointed to another vial that stood on the kitchen counter, 'What's that one for?'
Leo picked it up, 'The vanquishing potion.' Chris took it from him and placed it in his other hand, 'Where's mom?'

Leo said, 'She's getting the crystals for the cage.' He looked doubtful for a moment, 'Are you sure that this is going to work?'
Chris said, 'I don't see why not. It's pretty straightforward; we summon, we torture, we get back my powers.'

Leo said, 'Well, okay. Just make sure you know what you're doing…'

Phoebe put a hand on her temple and rubbed it, trying to ease the pains that kept shooting through her skull. She suddenly felt angry as she looked around at the two slumped figures. This wasn't just any kind of anger. This was hatred; pure, unbridled fury that made her feel as though she were about to explode.

She turned and yelled, 'So this is my rescue team? I see that Piper deemed it above her to even think about me…but she's too wrapped up in her own pathetic and useless life to even think about me!'

She looked at Paige in disgust, 'And she calls herself a super witch! Poor little Paige, abandoned at birth…unwanted by everyone. She'll never be Prue…she'll never be my real sister! She'll…never…!' In her rising temper she hurled the torch across the cavern. It hit the craggy stonewall, scattering ashes and glowing embers over the cold floor. She heard a 'clunk' and the timber hit the ground, and there was silence.

The abrupt darkness snapped her back to her senses. In the stillness, she could hear her blood pounding in her ears, and she felt her cheeks flushing. As though in shock, she stepped backwards. The aching muscles in her legs gave way, and she collapsed. Involuntary sobs escaped from her mouth, and she could feel tears pouring down her face. She told herself to open her eyes...but they were already open. The cloying darkness made her feel claustrophobic, and she struggled for breath.

It had felt like she had no control over herself. That wasn't her who shouted, screamed those things…that's not what she felt. She had just been a passenger inside her own mind, as something took over.

Conflicting emotions fought inside Phoebe's mind; echoing like voices. Sorrow overtook her, and huddled in the endless dark, she cried herself into unconsciousness.

Piper replaced the cap on the pen, and put the pad to one side as she poured over the book. Leo was about to walk into the attic, but he stopped at the doorway. The light from the lamps made it appear darker outside the stained glass in the windows. In the growing dusk, the light gave Piper an almost angelic glow. Piper could feel someone looking at her and she turned around. Leo smiled at her, but she didn't return it. She was biting her lip anxiously and frowning.

Leo walked over to her, 'What's is it…what's happened?' he asked. He sat in the chair opposite her. Piper pushed the book forwards, so it lay in front of him. She jabbed her finger at a page, the paper crackling under her finger.
'Did you know this?' she demanded. Leo looked at the book. She was pointing at the Undying entry; the last paragraph:

The Undying infect their chosen victims with a power that comes from their eyes. Once infected, their chosen prey have limited time before they become a shell of their former selves. It is entirely dependant on the strength of character.

Piper asked again, 'Did you?'
Leo nodded, 'Yeah, but I thought you did too!' Piper sat silently for a second, her head bowed. Leo continued, 'Piper…?'
Piper looked up at him, her eyes filling up with tears, 'I should have read it all…I'm sitting here…' she broke off, and put her head in her hands. Leo leapt up from his seat and knelt beside her.

'Hey,' he said, 'Everything's going to be okay…'
Piper looked up, tearstains streaking her face, 'How? How is it going to be okay?'
She stood up and started pacing 'Do you realise that I last time I saw Phoebe was more than twenty-four hours ago. By now she could be…'

Leo walked over to her. She stopped and he bent down to look in her eyes. He lifted up a hand and wiped away a tearstain with his thumb; his hand on her cheek.
She turned her head into his palm, and put her hand on his. He smiled at her, gently. 'Everything is going to be fine…I won't let anything happen,' he said.
She moved into his arms and placed her head on his shoulder. Leo's heart pounded as he stroked her hair, lovingly.

'I promise…' he whispered