Disclaimer: I don't have time to write a disclaimer. I don't own Charmed.
A/n: This was written as and when inspiration hit. It was either this or the Olympics. Go Kelly Holmes!!!
Chapter 9
The end?
"Hear these words, hear my cry,
Spirit from the other side,
Come to me, I summon thee,
Cross now the great divide," chanted the three sisters. Nothing happened.
"Geez, you'd think Cole would jump at the chance to see you, Phoebe," said Piper, "But he just ain't coming."
"Maybe we should be more specific about who we want," suggested Paige.
"Good thinkin'," said Piper, "He probably doesn't know that we want him."
"Hear these words, hear my cry,
Spirit from the other side,
Come to us, we summon thee,
Cross now the great divide,
Beloved spirit Cole,
We seek your guidance,
We ask that you commune with us and move among us," they chanted.
"What do you want?" said a familiar voice.
"Never did I think I'd be glad to see you," said Piper to the spirit of Cole that had appeared in the circle of candles.
"I repeat. What do you want?" he said again.
"Does the name Phillipa Halliwell mean anything to you?"said Paige.
"Oh. You've spoken to her. Look, Phoebe, I'd have told you about Phoenix..." started Cole.
"I don't want to hear it Cole but Phoenix does. She's turning evil," said Phoebe, "She killed an innocent. It's Phillipa's idea that you explain to her why you were never in her life."
"She thinks if Phoenix releases her hatred for you, she'll be able to control her demonic side," said Piper, "The side she's been suppressing, the side that is now in control."
"Well, what do you want me to say?" said Cole.
"Just explain why you never saw her when she was growing up," said Phoebe.
"She won't believe me," said Cole, "She's too much like me." The Charmed Ones stared at him.
"What?" he said, "I've been talking to Phillipa. Look, she'll believe me if I have evidence. There's a picture on her bedside table right? All I need is that."
"Ok," said Paige, "Photo!" The photo of Phoenix and her mum was orbed to Paige's hand.
"Just leave it on the table and I'll sort it out. I owe you that," said Cole, "For all the stupid things I've done."
"Ok, now for Wyatt," said Piper. She left the room and went downstairs to get him. Cole looked confused.
"Wyatt is Piper's son. The twice-blessed child," explained Phoebe.
"I thought she was going to have a girl," said Cole.
"So did we but hey a boy is good," said Paige.
"Ok, here we go," said Piper, coming back in with Wyatt. Wyatt took one look at Cole and started crying.
"Hey, calm down, little guy," said Piper, "He can't hurt you. Nasty man is a ghost."
She placed Wyatt on the floor and left the room with her sisters. They closed the door but left a crack to see through.
Meanwhile....
In the Underworld, Phoenix was taking to her role as Source like a duck to water. She smiled evilly as she looked at all the demons at her disposal. Her eyes were no longer the dark brown but were red.
"Well, well," she said, "If I knew being evil was so good, I'd have killed an Innocent a long time ago. However, next on my list is Chad Michaels." She found a particularly tough-looking demon.
"You there," she said, "I want you to scare the Innocent Chad Michaels. Scare but not kill. Got it?"
"Yes, master," said the demon and he shimmered out.
"I'm not taking orders from a little girl," muttered a demon to his friend.
"Who said that?" barked Phoenix. The demon who had spoken was pushed forward.
"You?" she said
"No, master, I didn't say anything," lied the demon, "I swear."
"I don't like it when people swear, it's very rude," said Phoenix. She threw a ball of flames at the demon. He screamed before turning to dust.
"I love power," she said. Something twinged in the back of her brain. There was a child crying. 'Wyatt,' she thought, 'He's alone. This would be the perfect opportunity to get the twice-blessed child onto her side.'
"Ok, everyone just be yourselves," she said, "I'm going after Wyatt Halliwell." She shimmered out and into Halliwell Manor. Wyatt was sat in the attic, crying. He couldn't understand. Where were mommy and daddy? Why weren't they coming? He didn't like being on his own. Someone was coming. Mommy? Daddy? Phoenix shimmered into the attic, clad in a dark robe. Phoenix! He liked Phoenix. She'd take care of him. Phoenix smiled evilly as she walked up to him.
"Fi!" he said, in an attempt to say her name. She hadn't noticed Cole; she was too focused on Wyatt. She bent down to pick him up.
"Wyatt," whispered Paige and Wyatt was orbed to her arms. She quickly shut the door.
"Charmed Ones!" snarled Phoenix as Wyatt orbed away. She made for the door.
"Phoenix?" Phoenix whirled around.
"Leo?" she said, "Piper?"
"No," said the voice, "Cole. Cole Turner." Phoenix spotted the circle of candles with Cole stood in the middle of it.
"How? What?" said Phoenix.
"The sisters summoned me here. Phoenix I understand that you're angry," said Cole. Phoenix flung an energy ball at him. It passed straight through him and exploded on the wall.
"You can't hurt me. I'm already dead," he said.
"I don't want to hear a word you have to say," said Phoenix.
"Phoenix, you need to let go of your hatred for your demonic side," said Cole, "You are good Phoenix. It's that hatred that is making you evil. Believe me, being evil causes nothing but pain. I lost your mom and Phoebe because of it."
"You didn't lose anything," said Phoenix, "You didn't know or want me."
"I did know about you," said Cole.
"No! You're lying," shouted Phoenix, clutching the side of her head.
"Believe me, I knew about you!" shouted Cole, "I was there when you were born!"
"No, mum said..." started Phoenix
"Your mom and I thought it would be best if you didn't have a demonic influence in your life," said Cole, "I remember walking into that delivery room and the doctor just put you in my hands! You were so small!" Phoenix looked up at Cole, "I just knew you'd be happier if I wasn't in your life. Your mom said she'd bring you to the States when you were eighteen."
"I don't believe you," said Phoenix, "What proof do you have?" Cole laughed.
"Your mom was right," said Cole, "You won't take people's word for things."
"You've spoken to mum?" said Phoenix, "When?"
"A few days ago. She's here on the other side with me," said Cole, "You want proof? Open the back of that photo frame." Phoenix recognized the picture.
"Why?" she asked.
"Just do it," said Cole. Phoenix opened the back. There was a smaller picture behind the one that showed. It was a picture of Cole. In his arms was a small baby.
"Is that..."she started.
"That was taken the day you were born," said Cole, "See? I did know about you and I loved you. That's why I was never around." Phoenix fell to her knees and began to cry. Cole knew his task was done.
"Am I forgiven for missing out on all those years?" he said. Phoenix nodded. She clutched her head. The demonic side was falling back to the back of her mind. It was under control. Her eyes were going back to their normal colour. She had pushed aside the evil.
"Hey," said Cole, Phoenix looked up at them, "Anytime you need to talk to someone, I'll always have time for you. Just ask the girls how to contact me, ok?"
"Ok, Dad," said Phoenix, it felt great to finally be able to call someone that. Cole disappeared and the candles went out.
"Piper?" said Phoenix, "Phoebe? Paige? Leo?" The attic door opened.
"It's ok, sweetheart. We're here," said Phoebe. Phoenix turned to face them.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was an Innocent. I was tricked," said Phoenix.
"Its fine," said Phoebe, giving her a hug, "What's important is that you're good again and on our side."
"Yeah," said Phoenix, wiping away tears.
"Ready to come home?" asked Piper.
"Yes," said Phoenix, "But there is one thing I've got to do." She pulled the hood over her head and shimmered.
"Where'd she go?" said Paige.
Phoenix had shimmered to the Underworld, where all the demons were anticipating her return. She shimmered to where she had stood before.
"Look!" someone shouted, "She's back!" All the demons looked at her.
"Where is Jake?" she demanded. He pushed his way forward.
"What is it, master?" he said, bowing before her.
"I want you to do something for me," she said.
"What is it that you wish for me to do, master?" asked Jake. Phoenix pushed back her hood, revealing that she was no longer evil.
"Die you miserable bastard," she said and flung an energy ball at him. Jake shrieked and disappeared.
"Anyone else wants to try to turn me evil?" she asked. No one stepped forward.
"Well, sorry folks," she said, pulling off her robe (A/n: Don't panic! She had her normal clothes on underneath!), "You're gonna have to find yourselves a new Source." She shimmered back to the Manor.
"Where did you shimmer to?" asked Piper when Phoenix shimmered back to the attic.
"Just had to take care of some unfinished business," she said, "Oh, shit! I just remembered."
"What?" asked Piper.
"I told a demon to go scare Chad Michaels!" she said.
"Scare not kill?" said Paige, "I think someone likes Chad."
"No. I was planning on killing him myself," said Phoenix, "Wonder what the demon did?"
"Come on," said Piper, "It's eleven o'clock. Time for bed."
"Yeah, kicking demon ass is tiring work," said Phoenix. She noticed the picture of her and her dad. It still felt weird to call him that.
"Piper?" she said, picking up the photo.
"Yes?" said Piper.
"Got any frames the right size for this?" she asked, showing her the picture.
"C'mon kid, let's go have a look," said Piper putting her arm around Phoenix's shoulder.
Two weeks later, Phoenix awoke to find it snowing outside. She smiled and looked at her bedside table. Next to her book and clock was the photo of her and her mum. But in the front, centre stage was her picture of her dad. She looked at her other side. A yellow rose lay on the bed with a piece of old paper attached to it. Now where did that come from?
Ok, hands up. Who wants a sequel to explain the rose?
