** Change of Heart **, chapter 8: Reality Twists
by Lilian
lilian413@yahoo.com
AN: Told you I was evil. I think I may have the Joss Wheddon syndrome... 'make your characters as unhappy as you can, for as long as you can'.
Signed the petition?. (http://www.petitiononline.com/SAVECOLE/petition.html) Just copy & paste people...
Sent your emails? (charmed@talk.thewb.com)
Sent snail mail? (go to www.thecharmedones.com or www.mcmahoniacs.com for more information on how can we save Cole from destruction)--- it's in our hands people, in *our* hands, to save what we care for. Make a stand!. Get your opinion out there!.
SHOW THEM WE CARE!.
The deadline is February the 8... we have little time, and must do so many things. Put in your two cents, and help us save Julian!.
*****************************
In the last chapter of 'Change of Heart';
*****************************
And she knew she would never find forgiveness, because she would kill her first innocent today. Her own daughter would christen her as Phax.
There would be no need for a sacrifice. Because what she was about to do now, qualified as the greatest sacrifice of all.
She held her breath, and bit her lip, tasting her blood...
And she fired the fireball.
*********************************
"I'm telling you Piper, I'm going down".
The discussion had been going on for about thirty minutes now, after Penny Halliwell had orbed away, and left them confused and wondering. It was half past midnight, and the argument did not seem the least bit finished.
"And I'm telling you, you're *not*".
The eldest Halliwell had promptly attached herself to Cole's arm, and refused to let go. Hence, Cole could not shimmer anywhere, knowing he would drag her along with him.
And since he most certainly could not push her away, he was stranded in the attic.
"You can't hold me here forever. The second you---".
His words were cut short, as a strange feeling settled on him.
Something was coming.
Fast.
"Paige, Leo, duck!".
Out of reflex, they all did, while Cole protected Piper with his body.
And just in time, as all of a sudden, a fireball appeared from nowhere, right smack in the middle of the attic, and flew past them and onto some old painting leaning against a wall.
Paige's screech and instinctive orbing were forgotten, as fire began spreading through the curtains, threatening the manor's integrity.
"Oh no you don't".
Piper rolled out of Cole's arms, and took out the fire extinguisher that lay behind the door. She had bought one for each room of the house, after the first two incendiary attempts that had almost burnt the house down.
Especially when those said pyromaniac attempts where pretty much *her* fault, practicing with her new power.
"Piper, you know better than that!. There could be a demon in here!".
Leo's scolding was very well founded. After all, fireballs don't just pop in unnoticed by themselves, now do they?. A hundred percent of the time, they herald the coming of a new demon, trying to destroy the Charmed Ones to win the Source's favor.
"There's none".
Okay, so ninety-nine percent of the times.
Cole had expanded his demonic senses the second he had felt the fireball coming. And even if he *had* felt something behind it (sadnesstearspainanguish), the feeling seemed to have passed, and only the scorched remains of some old portraits attested to anything unusual happening.
The attic was silent once again, as the woosh-woosh of the fire extinguisher muffled the sounds of the night, coming from the whole Cole had blown on the wall earlier.
"What the hell was that?".
Paige reappeared in the center of the attic, right by the Book of Shadows. Her face was somewhat shocked, still having time adjusting to having her atoms separating and reassembling somewhere else.
But her statement vocalized everyone's feelings.
"My thoughts exactly".
Leo rose from the floor, dusting himself off. He checked on his wife, who still battled the last of the flames. She seemed all right--- but he knew better. Only eyes like his, trained to read her, could notice the shaking of her arms, and the distress in her chocolate eyes.
"It shimmered in here".
Paige walked over to the Book of Shadows, which once again, seemed to have survived unscathed an attempt at destruction. She flicked through it, ready to find whatever demon could teleport fireballs into people's houses.
She waited for Cole's description, knowing that if anyone knew about a demon, it would be him.
But Cole remained silent, his brows furrowed, his eyes scanning the room. They darted back and forth, as if unsure of what he was picking up.
"So?".
Her tone invited him to continue.
"Something's off".
That's when Piper put the fire extinguisher back in its place, and put an arm around Leo, leaning onto him for support. And she asked, her voice shaky and angry.
"You mean, besides the burnt paintings, and the hole in the wall?".
Cole glared at her, and she quieted down. Leo caressed her hair, smoothing down some bumps and tangles. He liked her with long hair...
A gurgle echoed in the room, surprising them all.
"Hey, don't look at me. Piper's the one who had tacos for dinner".
Paige was silenced fairly quickly, as the sound repeated itself.
Cole's finger flew to his lips, in the universal gesture for silence.
The coo was coming from the old Halliwell crib. An old cot, which had held several generations of Warren's and Halliwell's, becoming their first bed, and for some unlucky babies, their last.
It had been up in the attic for decades--- Phoebe being the last of its occupants.
But it seemed it had just won itself a new one.
Paige scoffed loudly, and walked up to the crib. A blanket covered it, probably left there to keep the dust from settling in.
"Why are you guys so nervous about?. It's just a pigeon that got trapped in the---".
As she spoke, her slender fingers grabbed the edge of the blanket, and promptly lifted it up. She had expected a flurry of wings battling, and feathers flying... but a sight so unexpected greeted her wide eyes, that she was left speechless.
"Paige, what is it?".
Cole moved quickly to her side, sure that no demon was in the vicinity. It was probably a dead animal that had scared her badly, and made her freeze in mid motion. He picked the blanket from her stiff fingers, and prepared to fling it aside, when he took a look at what lay inside.
And he froze in his spot too.
"Guys, you're freaking me out".
Paige turned her shaky eyes to Piper, and pointed to the crib, silently.
"It's a--- there's a--- we have---".
Piper snorted, muttering incoherent things under her breath, and made her way up to the crib.
"Paige, what have I told you abou---".
She quieted in mid sentence. And her eyes opened so wide, Cole absently wondered if it didn't hurt. Leo had moved with her, and was just as speechless as everyone else.
Because in the crib, looking up at them with the deepest, widest blue eyes any of them had ever seen, lay a baby.
A small baby girl, with no clothing whatsoever, that giggled loudly at their shocked faces.
It took only took Piper a second to snap out of the baby-trance, and for her maternal instincts to kick in.
There was a baby in the house.
A magical baby, most certainly, that had popped in unnoticed. A real, living, breathing baby.
When Paige had brought the robo-baby into the house, Piper had rebelled against the thought. A dummy. It was a dummy. And she had treated it as such.
But this--- this was a real newborn.
And her eyes softened, and her hands cradled her, holding her up.
The small girl did not seem to mind being picked up by strangers. She just cooed again, and her small, little fingers, grabbed hold of Piper's long bangs, and promptly began sucking on them.
"Piper, maybe we shouldn't--".
Leo tried to warn her against picking up magical babies. But this one--- this one seemed different. Familiar, almost. And most certainly, it did not seem evil. His whitelighter senses were quiet, and even welcoming towards the small body in Piper's arms.
"Leo, look at her. How can something so beautiful be evil?".
Paige's finger probed the little girl's arm, as if to make sure she was really there.
"Paige, stop that!".
The small girl just turned her eyes towards Paige, and looked at her questioningly. 'Yes?', they seemed to say, 'can I help you with anything?'.
"Hey, just making sure we're not hallucinating!".
Piper rocked the girl back and forth, singing some old lullaby she had learned from her mother. Amazingly, the baby seemed to recognize it, and clapped her hands together, gurgling all along.
"Isn't she precious?".
Even Paige could not help but be enthralled by the child. There was just something about her, that spoke of calm and serenity, and beauty and grace. So, she nodded, along with Leo, completely in love with her.
It was then that Piper noticed Cole had not spoken.
She turned to look at him, and frowned.
Cole remained some steps away from them, as if afraid to approach them. His eyes were fixed on the small girl, his pupils dilated in--- fear?. Amazement?, she could not say.
"Cole, are you all right?".
Ever since Piper had picked the girl up from the crib, and presented it to the world, Cole had felt something. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on.
It was as if somehow, he was supposed to know who this baby was, was supposed to know what her name was, who her mother was, where was she coming from--- but what struck him the most, was how much she reminded him of Phoebe.
They had the same energy signature--- he couldn't quite put it into words, but she just *felt* like Phoebe.
And when the small girl turned her eyes towards him, he gasped at the sheer knowledge that lay behind those blue orbs. Because a demon knew an old soul when he saw one, and this little girl held such power inside her tiny body, that he took a step backwards.
The girl didn't like it. Her precious eyebrows frowned, and her small chubby arms stretched out, calling for Cole.
"Awww, isn't that sweet?. She wants you to hold her".
Piper had seen how Cole's face changed from one feeling to the next. And she also saw the fear when she spoke. Saw that he was afraid of her, afraid that he might hurt such a lovely creature, with his blunt hands and strong body.
But she had spent a lot of time with him, lately. And she had seen how the demon turned into a tender man, who needed as much love as he gave--- that's why she approached him, and offered the girl to him.
"No, Piper--- I don't--- I can't---".
It would've been hilarious to see the mighty Belthazor reduced to a stammering young man, but it was the common reaction men have when confronted with the miracle of life.
Respect. And little tinge of fear.
Piper sshhed him with one raised eyebrow. She moved by his side, and taught him how to hold her. And he was a quick learner.
The little baby giggled when she rested her cheek against his, the stub of beard scratching her soft skin. And they locked eyes, blue against blue, and Cole felt his heart melting, and his soul soaring in something akin to happiness.
Seemingly satisfied with what she had seen, the baby girl burrowed comfortably in Cole's arms, and promptly fell asleep.
It was a strange picture. Cole was a tall man by human standards... his frame of 6'2'' towered above the girls, and even Leo. And now, with such a small bundle in his arms---
One thought made their way into Paige's, Piper's and Leo's minds.
Picture Perfect.
"She fell asleep".
Paige's voice diminished to a whisper, as Piper glared daggers at her. Geez, one little slip and Mother Hen Piper was on her.
"What do you think her name is?".
They all looked at her, bundled in Cole's arms. And noticed the tall man had tears in his eyes, and would not look away from the beautiful face that rested against his chest.
They could all feel she was magical. It came off her like waves, the power running through her veins.
And they could all feel she wasn't evil. The Power of Good was strong in her--- stronger than they had seen in a long time.
"Prue".
Cole's voice came in such a whisper, at first they thought they had imagined it. But once they looked at them, so comfortable they seemed together, and once they looked at *her* the name felt right.
At the sound of his voice, the baby stirred a bit, as if acknowledging her own name.
Piper's eyes were filled with tears, as the memory of her older sister shone through. And little Prue did resemble the older Prue--- the fall of her eyebrows was the same. And their eyes held the same fiery strength that spoke of a stubborn will and an agile mind.
Prue it was, then.
And that was how the latest addition to the Halliwell family came into the manor, even if they never knew the truth of her origins. And they did not need to--- because it was from then on, that things spiraled downhill.
*********************************
She had huddled in a corner of the dark chamber, away from the few flickering candles, as much into the dark as she could get.
Because she could not show her face to the world.
Not after what she had done.
Not ever.
She rocked back and forth, silently, her eyes closed, and her lips tight, trying to become invisible, forgotten---
It was useless.
The numbness was slowly spreading through her, consuming her from the inside.
A gaping hole lay where her heart had once been, and the last traces of humanity had been ripped off her psyche and scattered by the wind.
She wasn't sure she remembered who she was anymore.
All she knew, was pain.
All she remembered, was the face of her beloved daughter, so pure, so innocent, so young---
{Prue is an anagram for Pure, did you know that?}
And it only made matters worse, because once again, she had deprived the world of a Pure being. She had been the responsible for the death of Prue... for both of them.
She could feel him coming, could feel as the room temperature dropped a couple degrees, and how the shadows seemed to grow, to cover him from the light.
And she couldn't care less.
Maybe, if she angered him enough, he would kill her. And all of this would be over with. She would be punished for eternity, she knew that, and accepted it. But she just wanted to get away--- she was willing to endure entire lifetimes of torture, just to experience the few seconds of obliviousness death would grant her.
"What did you do?".
His voice echoed in the empty chamber, but she did not rise. As a matter of fact, the only reaction he got from her, was a quiet gasp that barely left her lips.
"I killed her".
The Source felt his anger gathering, turning into wrath, as he realized the little Witch was much more clever than he had given her credit for. He had seriously expected her to keep her daughter, to keep the baby with her long enough for him to turn her...
"How dare you defy my commands!".
She shrugged her shoulders, and remained silent.
"Look at me, Witch".
She did not move a muscle. In fact, she burrowed even deeper within herself, if that was possible.
The Source stretched out his mind tendrils, and forced her to move. He moved her closer to him, floating her across the room. And still, her eyes looked away, into the dark walls of the chamber.
"I will not repeat myself, Witch".
Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned to look at him. But really, she never did. Her eyes were gazing upon his robed form, and yet, seemed to be lost within themselves.
And he read her mind, as countless times before.
And saw the birth of her daughter, watched as she cried and screamed, trying to keep quiet for her daughter's sake. Watched as she almost bled herself to death, and smiled when his power began healing her wounds.
If he hadn't bonded with her, she would be dead now. And he would have lost two great warriors.
He frowned when he saw her putting the baby down. And his eyes widened, as he watched her throw the fireball.
Great. Just great. *He* had given her the means to accomplish that. *He* had taught her how to summon fireballs--- he lashed out at her, and threw her against the farthest wall.
She slid down it silently, not one cry of pain leaving her parched lips.
But wait--- his old eyes had seen something the Witch had missed. Repeating the scene, he looked carefully. And saw, amazed, as the baby shimmered away, taking the fireball with her.
The stupid Witch had been so caught up in her own pain, she had never realized there were no scorch marks on the floor, and no shock wave indicating the disappearance of the flame.
He marveled at the coincidence.
She was oblivious to this. She really believed her daughter was dead. She truly thought she had killed her.
Humans!.
Then, things weren't completely lost. Maybe, they had even taken a turn for the better... with the firm belief that her daughter was gone, the witch had lost her last attachment to the mortal world. She really had no reason whatsoever to try and remain good...
The Source smiled to himself. He could always send some demon or other to kidnap the little brat. He knew where she was. Could feel the trace of her shimmer, right back into the manor.
And now, the witch had no qualms left.
And he could even turn the events to his own advantage.
"It hurts, doesn't it?".
She barely nodded, lying limp on the floor, her energy sapped.
"Good. Concentrate on the pain. Let it consume you, fill you--- pain is your ally".
His words sounded empty to her ears. It all seemed empty now... nothing made sense.
The world wasn't supposed to work this way. It was supposed to be fun, and entertaining, and sure, with a little sadness here and there... but not this devouring, growing, consuming chain of events, one worse than the previous, all focused on *her*!.
She shook her head, shock settling into her mind, and making it difficult to think. Hell, she was having a hard time trying to *breathe*, it hurt so bad!.
{it's not real, it's not real, it's just a dream, just a nightmare...}
"It's real, witch. And it's their fault".
That made it through. It cut through the curtains clouding her thoughts, and the shadows dancing in her soul. She raised her eyes at him, at what had become the embodiment of everything she had suffered, and at the same time, in a twisted, bizarre way, a savior. A savior to her soul, which wandered through the world, aimless, hopeless--- lost.
"They put you through this. They sent you here. They didn't rescue you".
She nodded slowly, knowing he spoke the truth. And it made sense, to her destroyed, messed-up mind, it was all making perfect sense.
"He got you pregnant. She took him away from you. If they had not forgotten about you, your daughter would be alive".
The mentioning of little Prue got a startled gasp from her lips. The wound was still fresh, and he did not mind probing around it.
"Your daughter could have been saved. She could have lived a happy life, if only they had come for you".
Prue--- her Prue, alive. Alive, and with her. Happy. She shook her head, trying to free it from the tendrils of stupor, of dizziness...
He was right. He was absolutely right.
It was their fault. Again, it was all their fault.
And something inside her chest awoke, something she had thought had died along with her daughter.
Feelings.
Hate.
Pure, dark, polluting hatred.
It grew, where her heart once used to be, occupying the empty space, changing her.
"Remember who your enemies are, witch".
She rose, slowly, still weak from giving birth. And yet, so very, very strong. So powerful, so angered---
And she opened her eyes, and in the flickering candlelights, they shone black.
Pitch black, like bottomless pits, sucking the light from the air around them.
"My name, is Phax".
And the Source smiled again, as he won complete control over her. The last traces of Phoebe Halliwell disappeared, lost with the death of her first and only daughter. And from the ashes emerged Phax, the assassin the Source wanted her to be.
The assassin *she* wanted to be.
Because she would get her revenge. Once she was strong enough, and powerful enough, she would get her revenge. She would kill them all, slowly, enjoying every minute of it--- a broken bone, for every breath her little Prue would never take. A slashed wrist, for every birthday she would never have.
And a bleeding wound, for every tear she had shed--- for them.
You see, when Phax had had her premonition, right after Prue had been born, there was one thing she overlooked. She was so sure Prue would be turned, so convinced she would become a monster, she never really took a good look at the face of the woman in her premonition. She had just assumed it had been Prue, in her teenage years.
Because if she had, maybe the chain of events she had unleashed could've been prevented. Because the woman in her premonition, had been no other than herself.
**************************
Tbc...
AN2: I knew this was fast, and maybe a little rushed--- but I needed to tell you people something. And since I don't want to leave my fans wanting, I decided to post this.
So, I just wanted to say, KEEP BELIEVING!.
We still have three weeks before the deadline--- America was discovered in a day, and the lightbulb was invented in a heartbeat. We can make this work!.
Do not give up before you try... if you do, then you've been defeated already.
We are the fans of the show, we HAVE to get the word out there!. The petition was been signed by almost two thousand people now, and millions of emails have been sent. We can DO this!.
Just keep bombarding them with letters and mails and signatures--- we WILL win this!.
Julian WILL stay!
by Lilian
lilian413@yahoo.com
AN: Told you I was evil. I think I may have the Joss Wheddon syndrome... 'make your characters as unhappy as you can, for as long as you can'.
Signed the petition?. (http://www.petitiononline.com/SAVECOLE/petition.html) Just copy & paste people...
Sent your emails? (charmed@talk.thewb.com)
Sent snail mail? (go to www.thecharmedones.com or www.mcmahoniacs.com for more information on how can we save Cole from destruction)--- it's in our hands people, in *our* hands, to save what we care for. Make a stand!. Get your opinion out there!.
SHOW THEM WE CARE!.
The deadline is February the 8... we have little time, and must do so many things. Put in your two cents, and help us save Julian!.
*****************************
In the last chapter of 'Change of Heart';
*****************************
And she knew she would never find forgiveness, because she would kill her first innocent today. Her own daughter would christen her as Phax.
There would be no need for a sacrifice. Because what she was about to do now, qualified as the greatest sacrifice of all.
She held her breath, and bit her lip, tasting her blood...
And she fired the fireball.
*********************************
"I'm telling you Piper, I'm going down".
The discussion had been going on for about thirty minutes now, after Penny Halliwell had orbed away, and left them confused and wondering. It was half past midnight, and the argument did not seem the least bit finished.
"And I'm telling you, you're *not*".
The eldest Halliwell had promptly attached herself to Cole's arm, and refused to let go. Hence, Cole could not shimmer anywhere, knowing he would drag her along with him.
And since he most certainly could not push her away, he was stranded in the attic.
"You can't hold me here forever. The second you---".
His words were cut short, as a strange feeling settled on him.
Something was coming.
Fast.
"Paige, Leo, duck!".
Out of reflex, they all did, while Cole protected Piper with his body.
And just in time, as all of a sudden, a fireball appeared from nowhere, right smack in the middle of the attic, and flew past them and onto some old painting leaning against a wall.
Paige's screech and instinctive orbing were forgotten, as fire began spreading through the curtains, threatening the manor's integrity.
"Oh no you don't".
Piper rolled out of Cole's arms, and took out the fire extinguisher that lay behind the door. She had bought one for each room of the house, after the first two incendiary attempts that had almost burnt the house down.
Especially when those said pyromaniac attempts where pretty much *her* fault, practicing with her new power.
"Piper, you know better than that!. There could be a demon in here!".
Leo's scolding was very well founded. After all, fireballs don't just pop in unnoticed by themselves, now do they?. A hundred percent of the time, they herald the coming of a new demon, trying to destroy the Charmed Ones to win the Source's favor.
"There's none".
Okay, so ninety-nine percent of the times.
Cole had expanded his demonic senses the second he had felt the fireball coming. And even if he *had* felt something behind it (sadnesstearspainanguish), the feeling seemed to have passed, and only the scorched remains of some old portraits attested to anything unusual happening.
The attic was silent once again, as the woosh-woosh of the fire extinguisher muffled the sounds of the night, coming from the whole Cole had blown on the wall earlier.
"What the hell was that?".
Paige reappeared in the center of the attic, right by the Book of Shadows. Her face was somewhat shocked, still having time adjusting to having her atoms separating and reassembling somewhere else.
But her statement vocalized everyone's feelings.
"My thoughts exactly".
Leo rose from the floor, dusting himself off. He checked on his wife, who still battled the last of the flames. She seemed all right--- but he knew better. Only eyes like his, trained to read her, could notice the shaking of her arms, and the distress in her chocolate eyes.
"It shimmered in here".
Paige walked over to the Book of Shadows, which once again, seemed to have survived unscathed an attempt at destruction. She flicked through it, ready to find whatever demon could teleport fireballs into people's houses.
She waited for Cole's description, knowing that if anyone knew about a demon, it would be him.
But Cole remained silent, his brows furrowed, his eyes scanning the room. They darted back and forth, as if unsure of what he was picking up.
"So?".
Her tone invited him to continue.
"Something's off".
That's when Piper put the fire extinguisher back in its place, and put an arm around Leo, leaning onto him for support. And she asked, her voice shaky and angry.
"You mean, besides the burnt paintings, and the hole in the wall?".
Cole glared at her, and she quieted down. Leo caressed her hair, smoothing down some bumps and tangles. He liked her with long hair...
A gurgle echoed in the room, surprising them all.
"Hey, don't look at me. Piper's the one who had tacos for dinner".
Paige was silenced fairly quickly, as the sound repeated itself.
Cole's finger flew to his lips, in the universal gesture for silence.
The coo was coming from the old Halliwell crib. An old cot, which had held several generations of Warren's and Halliwell's, becoming their first bed, and for some unlucky babies, their last.
It had been up in the attic for decades--- Phoebe being the last of its occupants.
But it seemed it had just won itself a new one.
Paige scoffed loudly, and walked up to the crib. A blanket covered it, probably left there to keep the dust from settling in.
"Why are you guys so nervous about?. It's just a pigeon that got trapped in the---".
As she spoke, her slender fingers grabbed the edge of the blanket, and promptly lifted it up. She had expected a flurry of wings battling, and feathers flying... but a sight so unexpected greeted her wide eyes, that she was left speechless.
"Paige, what is it?".
Cole moved quickly to her side, sure that no demon was in the vicinity. It was probably a dead animal that had scared her badly, and made her freeze in mid motion. He picked the blanket from her stiff fingers, and prepared to fling it aside, when he took a look at what lay inside.
And he froze in his spot too.
"Guys, you're freaking me out".
Paige turned her shaky eyes to Piper, and pointed to the crib, silently.
"It's a--- there's a--- we have---".
Piper snorted, muttering incoherent things under her breath, and made her way up to the crib.
"Paige, what have I told you abou---".
She quieted in mid sentence. And her eyes opened so wide, Cole absently wondered if it didn't hurt. Leo had moved with her, and was just as speechless as everyone else.
Because in the crib, looking up at them with the deepest, widest blue eyes any of them had ever seen, lay a baby.
A small baby girl, with no clothing whatsoever, that giggled loudly at their shocked faces.
It took only took Piper a second to snap out of the baby-trance, and for her maternal instincts to kick in.
There was a baby in the house.
A magical baby, most certainly, that had popped in unnoticed. A real, living, breathing baby.
When Paige had brought the robo-baby into the house, Piper had rebelled against the thought. A dummy. It was a dummy. And she had treated it as such.
But this--- this was a real newborn.
And her eyes softened, and her hands cradled her, holding her up.
The small girl did not seem to mind being picked up by strangers. She just cooed again, and her small, little fingers, grabbed hold of Piper's long bangs, and promptly began sucking on them.
"Piper, maybe we shouldn't--".
Leo tried to warn her against picking up magical babies. But this one--- this one seemed different. Familiar, almost. And most certainly, it did not seem evil. His whitelighter senses were quiet, and even welcoming towards the small body in Piper's arms.
"Leo, look at her. How can something so beautiful be evil?".
Paige's finger probed the little girl's arm, as if to make sure she was really there.
"Paige, stop that!".
The small girl just turned her eyes towards Paige, and looked at her questioningly. 'Yes?', they seemed to say, 'can I help you with anything?'.
"Hey, just making sure we're not hallucinating!".
Piper rocked the girl back and forth, singing some old lullaby she had learned from her mother. Amazingly, the baby seemed to recognize it, and clapped her hands together, gurgling all along.
"Isn't she precious?".
Even Paige could not help but be enthralled by the child. There was just something about her, that spoke of calm and serenity, and beauty and grace. So, she nodded, along with Leo, completely in love with her.
It was then that Piper noticed Cole had not spoken.
She turned to look at him, and frowned.
Cole remained some steps away from them, as if afraid to approach them. His eyes were fixed on the small girl, his pupils dilated in--- fear?. Amazement?, she could not say.
"Cole, are you all right?".
Ever since Piper had picked the girl up from the crib, and presented it to the world, Cole had felt something. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on.
It was as if somehow, he was supposed to know who this baby was, was supposed to know what her name was, who her mother was, where was she coming from--- but what struck him the most, was how much she reminded him of Phoebe.
They had the same energy signature--- he couldn't quite put it into words, but she just *felt* like Phoebe.
And when the small girl turned her eyes towards him, he gasped at the sheer knowledge that lay behind those blue orbs. Because a demon knew an old soul when he saw one, and this little girl held such power inside her tiny body, that he took a step backwards.
The girl didn't like it. Her precious eyebrows frowned, and her small chubby arms stretched out, calling for Cole.
"Awww, isn't that sweet?. She wants you to hold her".
Piper had seen how Cole's face changed from one feeling to the next. And she also saw the fear when she spoke. Saw that he was afraid of her, afraid that he might hurt such a lovely creature, with his blunt hands and strong body.
But she had spent a lot of time with him, lately. And she had seen how the demon turned into a tender man, who needed as much love as he gave--- that's why she approached him, and offered the girl to him.
"No, Piper--- I don't--- I can't---".
It would've been hilarious to see the mighty Belthazor reduced to a stammering young man, but it was the common reaction men have when confronted with the miracle of life.
Respect. And little tinge of fear.
Piper sshhed him with one raised eyebrow. She moved by his side, and taught him how to hold her. And he was a quick learner.
The little baby giggled when she rested her cheek against his, the stub of beard scratching her soft skin. And they locked eyes, blue against blue, and Cole felt his heart melting, and his soul soaring in something akin to happiness.
Seemingly satisfied with what she had seen, the baby girl burrowed comfortably in Cole's arms, and promptly fell asleep.
It was a strange picture. Cole was a tall man by human standards... his frame of 6'2'' towered above the girls, and even Leo. And now, with such a small bundle in his arms---
One thought made their way into Paige's, Piper's and Leo's minds.
Picture Perfect.
"She fell asleep".
Paige's voice diminished to a whisper, as Piper glared daggers at her. Geez, one little slip and Mother Hen Piper was on her.
"What do you think her name is?".
They all looked at her, bundled in Cole's arms. And noticed the tall man had tears in his eyes, and would not look away from the beautiful face that rested against his chest.
They could all feel she was magical. It came off her like waves, the power running through her veins.
And they could all feel she wasn't evil. The Power of Good was strong in her--- stronger than they had seen in a long time.
"Prue".
Cole's voice came in such a whisper, at first they thought they had imagined it. But once they looked at them, so comfortable they seemed together, and once they looked at *her* the name felt right.
At the sound of his voice, the baby stirred a bit, as if acknowledging her own name.
Piper's eyes were filled with tears, as the memory of her older sister shone through. And little Prue did resemble the older Prue--- the fall of her eyebrows was the same. And their eyes held the same fiery strength that spoke of a stubborn will and an agile mind.
Prue it was, then.
And that was how the latest addition to the Halliwell family came into the manor, even if they never knew the truth of her origins. And they did not need to--- because it was from then on, that things spiraled downhill.
*********************************
She had huddled in a corner of the dark chamber, away from the few flickering candles, as much into the dark as she could get.
Because she could not show her face to the world.
Not after what she had done.
Not ever.
She rocked back and forth, silently, her eyes closed, and her lips tight, trying to become invisible, forgotten---
It was useless.
The numbness was slowly spreading through her, consuming her from the inside.
A gaping hole lay where her heart had once been, and the last traces of humanity had been ripped off her psyche and scattered by the wind.
She wasn't sure she remembered who she was anymore.
All she knew, was pain.
All she remembered, was the face of her beloved daughter, so pure, so innocent, so young---
{Prue is an anagram for Pure, did you know that?}
And it only made matters worse, because once again, she had deprived the world of a Pure being. She had been the responsible for the death of Prue... for both of them.
She could feel him coming, could feel as the room temperature dropped a couple degrees, and how the shadows seemed to grow, to cover him from the light.
And she couldn't care less.
Maybe, if she angered him enough, he would kill her. And all of this would be over with. She would be punished for eternity, she knew that, and accepted it. But she just wanted to get away--- she was willing to endure entire lifetimes of torture, just to experience the few seconds of obliviousness death would grant her.
"What did you do?".
His voice echoed in the empty chamber, but she did not rise. As a matter of fact, the only reaction he got from her, was a quiet gasp that barely left her lips.
"I killed her".
The Source felt his anger gathering, turning into wrath, as he realized the little Witch was much more clever than he had given her credit for. He had seriously expected her to keep her daughter, to keep the baby with her long enough for him to turn her...
"How dare you defy my commands!".
She shrugged her shoulders, and remained silent.
"Look at me, Witch".
She did not move a muscle. In fact, she burrowed even deeper within herself, if that was possible.
The Source stretched out his mind tendrils, and forced her to move. He moved her closer to him, floating her across the room. And still, her eyes looked away, into the dark walls of the chamber.
"I will not repeat myself, Witch".
Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned to look at him. But really, she never did. Her eyes were gazing upon his robed form, and yet, seemed to be lost within themselves.
And he read her mind, as countless times before.
And saw the birth of her daughter, watched as she cried and screamed, trying to keep quiet for her daughter's sake. Watched as she almost bled herself to death, and smiled when his power began healing her wounds.
If he hadn't bonded with her, she would be dead now. And he would have lost two great warriors.
He frowned when he saw her putting the baby down. And his eyes widened, as he watched her throw the fireball.
Great. Just great. *He* had given her the means to accomplish that. *He* had taught her how to summon fireballs--- he lashed out at her, and threw her against the farthest wall.
She slid down it silently, not one cry of pain leaving her parched lips.
But wait--- his old eyes had seen something the Witch had missed. Repeating the scene, he looked carefully. And saw, amazed, as the baby shimmered away, taking the fireball with her.
The stupid Witch had been so caught up in her own pain, she had never realized there were no scorch marks on the floor, and no shock wave indicating the disappearance of the flame.
He marveled at the coincidence.
She was oblivious to this. She really believed her daughter was dead. She truly thought she had killed her.
Humans!.
Then, things weren't completely lost. Maybe, they had even taken a turn for the better... with the firm belief that her daughter was gone, the witch had lost her last attachment to the mortal world. She really had no reason whatsoever to try and remain good...
The Source smiled to himself. He could always send some demon or other to kidnap the little brat. He knew where she was. Could feel the trace of her shimmer, right back into the manor.
And now, the witch had no qualms left.
And he could even turn the events to his own advantage.
"It hurts, doesn't it?".
She barely nodded, lying limp on the floor, her energy sapped.
"Good. Concentrate on the pain. Let it consume you, fill you--- pain is your ally".
His words sounded empty to her ears. It all seemed empty now... nothing made sense.
The world wasn't supposed to work this way. It was supposed to be fun, and entertaining, and sure, with a little sadness here and there... but not this devouring, growing, consuming chain of events, one worse than the previous, all focused on *her*!.
She shook her head, shock settling into her mind, and making it difficult to think. Hell, she was having a hard time trying to *breathe*, it hurt so bad!.
{it's not real, it's not real, it's just a dream, just a nightmare...}
"It's real, witch. And it's their fault".
That made it through. It cut through the curtains clouding her thoughts, and the shadows dancing in her soul. She raised her eyes at him, at what had become the embodiment of everything she had suffered, and at the same time, in a twisted, bizarre way, a savior. A savior to her soul, which wandered through the world, aimless, hopeless--- lost.
"They put you through this. They sent you here. They didn't rescue you".
She nodded slowly, knowing he spoke the truth. And it made sense, to her destroyed, messed-up mind, it was all making perfect sense.
"He got you pregnant. She took him away from you. If they had not forgotten about you, your daughter would be alive".
The mentioning of little Prue got a startled gasp from her lips. The wound was still fresh, and he did not mind probing around it.
"Your daughter could have been saved. She could have lived a happy life, if only they had come for you".
Prue--- her Prue, alive. Alive, and with her. Happy. She shook her head, trying to free it from the tendrils of stupor, of dizziness...
He was right. He was absolutely right.
It was their fault. Again, it was all their fault.
And something inside her chest awoke, something she had thought had died along with her daughter.
Feelings.
Hate.
Pure, dark, polluting hatred.
It grew, where her heart once used to be, occupying the empty space, changing her.
"Remember who your enemies are, witch".
She rose, slowly, still weak from giving birth. And yet, so very, very strong. So powerful, so angered---
And she opened her eyes, and in the flickering candlelights, they shone black.
Pitch black, like bottomless pits, sucking the light from the air around them.
"My name, is Phax".
And the Source smiled again, as he won complete control over her. The last traces of Phoebe Halliwell disappeared, lost with the death of her first and only daughter. And from the ashes emerged Phax, the assassin the Source wanted her to be.
The assassin *she* wanted to be.
Because she would get her revenge. Once she was strong enough, and powerful enough, she would get her revenge. She would kill them all, slowly, enjoying every minute of it--- a broken bone, for every breath her little Prue would never take. A slashed wrist, for every birthday she would never have.
And a bleeding wound, for every tear she had shed--- for them.
You see, when Phax had had her premonition, right after Prue had been born, there was one thing she overlooked. She was so sure Prue would be turned, so convinced she would become a monster, she never really took a good look at the face of the woman in her premonition. She had just assumed it had been Prue, in her teenage years.
Because if she had, maybe the chain of events she had unleashed could've been prevented. Because the woman in her premonition, had been no other than herself.
**************************
Tbc...
AN2: I knew this was fast, and maybe a little rushed--- but I needed to tell you people something. And since I don't want to leave my fans wanting, I decided to post this.
So, I just wanted to say, KEEP BELIEVING!.
We still have three weeks before the deadline--- America was discovered in a day, and the lightbulb was invented in a heartbeat. We can make this work!.
Do not give up before you try... if you do, then you've been defeated already.
We are the fans of the show, we HAVE to get the word out there!. The petition was been signed by almost two thousand people now, and millions of emails have been sent. We can DO this!.
Just keep bombarding them with letters and mails and signatures--- we WILL win this!.
Julian WILL stay!
