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.

Thousands of tiny white lights flitted into the darkness, a soft glow surrounding them and lighting up the gloom. They swirled as if they were sand in a desert storm, a tiny whirlpool of sparkles dancing teasingly upon the clear diamond figure of a woman that had formed. The figure moved, taking a step back as if to pull away from the light, and the glow faded.

Paige shook herself, trying to make out where she was. A shaft of moonlight shone into the darkened room in which she stood, through a small rectangular window, with frosted glass. The window was set high up on the wall, and the patterns on the glass cast a twisted shadow upon the tiled floor. She looked beside her and saw a toilet bowl.

'A bathroom…?' she wondered aloud, before someone came bursting though the door at the other end of the room, slamming and locking it behind them. The woman ran to the toilet and lifted the lid, before vomiting into it.
Paige screwed up her face slightly, 'Are you okay?' she asked, trying to touch her shoulder, but her hand fell uselessly through it.

The woman stood up and walked to the sink, turned on the tap and she splashed her face. She lifted up her head and looked at her reflection.
Paige gasped in realisation, 'Phoebe?'
Phoebe didn't move, she just stared forwards, her lips trembling and her eyes filled with anguish and confusion. The drops of water that she splashed mingled with tears on her face. Paige took a deep breath; it hurt so much to have to stand here and not be able to hug her sister, comfort her.

She heard a muffled explosion and shouts coming from beyond the room. Phoebe jumped as she heard and placed a quivering hand over her mouth as if to suppress any sound that might come from her mouth. She heard another thud and Paige then heard a familiar male voice say, 'Don't make me kill you…'

Recognition suddenly hit Paige like a ton of bricks, and she realised exactly where she was. 'This is Cole's apartment…which means that…'she started.
'Phoebe, you heard what he said, he's gonna kill us help us!' Piper's voice trailed through the walls, and Phoebe responded to them, in a sad regretful motion.

She leaned heavily against the door and tried to breathe through the dry sobs that shook her body. Almost forcing her head up she looked over to the mirror, in front of which Paige stood. Phoebe stared straight through her, looking at her reflection; looking into her own familiar brown eyes, asking herself for advice.

In one decided movement, Phoebe turned towards the door and held the handle. 'Forgive me…' she whispered, before pulling back the bolt and turning the handle.
Paige followed suit, not sure what any of this meant…why she had been brought here.
She emerged in the open plan living room, swathed in shadow, where she stopped as she regarded the scene before her.

She saw herself being knocked to the ground by Cole, standing imposingly before Piper and Leo with a fireball spinning in his open palm. Phoebe bent down and picked up a stray crystal that had fallen from Paige's outstretched hand and walked slowly towards Cole.
Cole looked at Phoebe, and with a faux remorseful sneer said, 'I'm sorry... it's…it's for the best.'

Phoebe stood still for a moment, working up to what she knew she had to do, 'I know it is…' she said.
She moved into the crystal circle and the fireball disappeared from Cole's hand as she kissed him. Piper's eyes opened wider as she looked on, 'Phoebe…?'

Phoebe moved back and said, 'I'm sorry too…'
She bent down and placed the crystal on the ground, and great bolts of electricity surrounded Cole like a cage.
Cole stood rigid, 'Phoebe…no. No!'
Phoebe looked at him helplessly, 'I'm sorry baby…I'm so sorry.'

Piper tossed her hair away from her face and began, 'Prudence, Penelope, Patricia, Melinda…'
Phoebe lifted her head and choking over tears, stammered, 'Astrid, Helena, Laura and Grace…
Cole caught Phoebe's eye and said, 'I will always love you…'
Phoebe screwed up her face as if in agony, and Paige resisted the urge to move from where she was standing by the doorframe, over to her, knowing that she couldn't do anything.

Paige instead watched her past self say, 'Halliwell witches stand strong beside us…'
Phoebe reached behind her and grasped Piper and Paige's hands, before whispering, 'Vanquish this evil…'
The sisters, encouraged by the flames that were licking at Cole's body and the wind that had picked up, finished, 'From time and space!'

The flames consumed Cole, and the energy burst outwards, pushing through the walls, and smashing the glass in the windows. The noise was deafening, but Paige could do nothing but watch Phoebe, her head buried into Piper's shoulder, not able to view what was happening. The last panes of glass shattered and fell to the ground in shards, and the embers of the fire were almost burnt out before Phoebe raised her head.

Her hair covered her faced, and tear-filled eyes searched the spot where Cole last stood…now merely just a scorch mark. She walked towards it, and collapsed, sobbing as though her heart had broken. Paige felt a tear run down her face, and she made no effort to wipe it away.

'Sad, isn't it?'

Paige whipped around and sucked in a breath when she saw who it was…
'Phoebe?' Paige said, staring at her before turning back to the other Phoebe who was kneeling, surrendered on the ground.
'How can you…why…?' Paige uttered, confused.
The Phoebe stood behind her walked next to her, 'Before this, I thought losing Prue was the most painful thing to happen to me…' she ran her fingers through her tousled, short brown hair.

Paige, not knowing what to say, stood silently, still transfixed by the memory.
Phoebe continued, 'That's awful of me to admit…but it's true. I didn't kill Prue…but I killed Cole – I see that now.' She paused and Paige heard her sniff, 'All he ever did was love me…'

Paige turned to Phoebe, 'He hid things from you. He was the Source of all evil for god's sake…plus he tried to kill you on numerous occasions!'
Phoebe said, 'I know…says a lot for me, doesn't it?'
Paige looked over at Phoebe, 'Look, sweetie. I've come to help you – okay?'
Phoebe gave a small laugh, 'Help me? I'm beyond help Paige…what use am I to anyone?'

Paige reached for Phoebe's hand, and was amazed to find that she could touch her, 'Phoebe, I need you. You're my sister, I love you very much – so does Piper and we need you back.'
Phoebe out her head in her hands and said, 'I don't know how to fight it anymore…I'm sick to death of having to struggle to love…to fit in.'
Paige hugged her, 'I'm here to help you do that.'

Phoebe looked at Paige, 'You don't understand…it's too late. I'm cursed to live with my memories, and to feed of other people's pain. This, 'she gestured to he scene in front of them, 'I have plenty more memories just as bad as this…and I'm doomed to repeat them for the rest of eternity.'

Paige shook her head, 'Phoebe just stop with the melancholy crap, okay? I need to back home…you have to fight this…'
Phoebe squinted and looked at her feet, as if struggling with a thought inside her head. 'Please…' Paige said quietly. 'Don't let it end like this…'