A/N: Zythe and Pinky, I'm glad you both liked Paige's stealing of the breath! Pinky: Yes, Paige has turned into a powerful witch, more powerful than I expected. I think that I rather enjoy showing her as the "little inexperienced sister" from Piper and Phoebe's perspective. And of course, like lots of people I would like to see her bond with Prue. Wyatt333: I'm not sure that the Alternative Universe will last the entire story or not. I do have a couple other things planned so we'll just have to wait and see. Pyrena: Thanks for letting me know about your name change. The essence in the lantern belongs to Andy. CCMcKenna: I always check for yours and Pinky's updates like a mad woman too (hint, hint).
Whoo Hoo! Did everyone see the Prue and Andy Flashback they showed from Dejavu on Sunday night? I so wasn't expecting that! And finally Flashbacks from All Hell Breaks Loose! They were awesome even though they still managed to dance around showing Shannen's face.
Eternally Charmed: Thou Shall Not Deny Thy Children
"Open the lantern, Paige" Dantalian pushed the lantern in her hand towards Paige. Although, Dantalian had been the one to magically put the essence into the lantern, she needed Paige to get it back out. Only the guardian to the Dimension of Lost Souls had the power to release lost or in this case stolen essence.
Dully, Paige took the lantern from Dantalian's hand and opened the little door, watching. Dantalian watched eagerly as the essence hovered remaining inside the lantern as if it were afraid to come out.
Then magically, the essence seemed to almost orb itself from it's glowing cage. Blue and white swirls ascended towards the ceiling, hitting the roof and started to zing all around the cavern as if it were looking for a way to escape.
"It's looking for it's true soul mate" Paige told Dantalian in a flat voice.
"Then that is what I shall give it" Dantalian dipped her head and shape shifted herself into an exact image of Prue. "Come to me" she commanded, holding out both hands. Still hovering in the corner, where it had been trapped the essence hesitated for a moment more, making itself invisible for just an instant before returning and slowly creeping towards it's perceived mate.
"That's it" Dantalian laughed softly as the essence began to dance about her, engulfing her in it's wake before finally deciding to settle itself within her womb.
Not realizing what happened, Paige stared dismally watching the scene but seeing nothing. Still influenced by evil she didn't realize that she had just given Andy's essence to Dantalian. An essence which could potentially create another angelic child, only this time it would be in the face of evil.
Dantalian shape shifted back into her normal form. "Now destroy the lanterns!"
"Yes, my Queen" Paige plucked a torch from the wall and moved robotically towards the rows of awaiting lanterns, and slowly began to smash them one by one vanquishing the souls of the children who had yet to find their destiny.
"That's it, That's it" Dantalain sneered rubbing her newly impregnated belly. "Smash all of the ones that are entitled to the greater good" The one's who couldn't be smashed would be made to turn evil, so that dark side could continue to further throw off the balance and tip the scales of the universe into it's favor.
Alternative Universe
Andy stood in the doorway of Prue's hospital room: two orderlies were trying to hold her down while a nurse tried to administer a sedative.
"No I don't want to go to sleep!" Prue grumbled fighting them every step of the way. "There's nothing wrong with me!" Still believing Andy was her best ally, Prue called out to him, pleading. "Andy, please don't let them do this to me!"
"Prue" Andy whispered knowing something was wrong. He was about to step inside when Roger stepped in front of him and closed the door blocking his view.
"I'm so sorry that you have to see this inspector" he apologized, "My wife, she isn't well. Dr. Taylor said that she is suffering from sort of post partum traumatic stress.
"It's okay" Andy returned bothered by the whole scene, unconsciously his neck stretched so that he could look over his Roger's head to see what was happening to Prue through the tiny window in the door. "I just want to see Prue get well"
Roger smiled holding out his hand, in a manly gesture "I really can't thank you and Inspector Sheridan enough for finding Prudence so quickly"
"I was just doing my job" Andy smiled tightly shaking the weasel of a man's hand. It wasn't until Lauren came up behind him that his demeanor changed.
Casually Lauren's hand slid to his waist "Are you ready to head back to the station?"
"Yeah" Andy smiled winking at her before offering Roger a nod. "Please tell Prue I hope she feels better and let us know if there's anything further we can do to assist you"
"Well, I can't think of anything at the moment, but um if either of happen to know of a good babysitter, or a diaper changing service we could sure use one about now." Roger's voice trailed in a joking manner, making Lauren smile in rather miffed way.
"We don't plan on having any children…ever"
Roger scratched the side of his head, a bit embarrassed, "That's funny, Prue always told me you were the fatherly type, a real mister Mom"
Andy held his tight smile, wrapping his arm around Lauren's shoulder "I guess she was wrong". Together they walked down the corridor, arm and arm until Andy heard something that made him stop and pull away. It was a child's voice.
"Daddy, play orb and go seek with us!" Three little girls, stood pressed against the wall watching hospital personnel go by. They all appeared to be sisters with the oldest being about six and the middle child three. The oldest was holding a newborn, in her arms.
"C'mon Daddy!"
Andy blinked in disbelief. The oldest one looked exactly like him with the middle one strongly resembling Prue.
"Andy?" Lauren touched his shoulder and the children faded away. "Are you all right? You kind of spaced out for a moment."
"Yeah" Andy replied slowly furrowing his brow. "Did you see those kids?"
"Kids?" Lauren looked around him to where the children had been standing and then behind them. "What kids?"
"Three little…" Andy started to point, but then thought better of it and just shook his head. "Never mind"
Manor
Phoebe was in the kitchen whipping up another batch of the anti-possession potion for she and Piper when she heard a child's scream and dropped everything bolting for the stairs.
"Argh!"
"Amanda?"
"Aunt Phoebe! Aunt Phoebe!"
"Amanda honey what's wrong?" Phoebe burst through the door to the nursery where Amanda still with Ally and fell to her knees.
Huge streams of tears were falling from Amanda's eyes as she held out her little hands. They were transparent. "I'm turning into a ghost!"
Phoebe's coffee colored eyes became the size of saucers, "what did you do? Did you cast a spell?"
"N-no" Amanda furiously shook her head. "Me and Ally and Mindy was playing orb -n- go seek and—and-"
"She trieded, to orb us to Daddy" Ally filled in "so Melinda couldn't find us"
"D'at cheating" Melinda added in her two year old voice. "No orbing in the house, till I can do it too!"
"Ma-make it go away" Amanda sobbed looking down at her transparent hands, which were still in resting in Phoebe's palms.
"Oh…Oh…" Phoebe panted for moment trying not to panic, "It's okay, it's okay, Aunt Piper and I will find a way to fix it"
"You need to call Uncle Wee-O" Ally told her aunt knowingly. "He's makes us bedder"
"Right, right" Phoebe nodded raising her chin heavenward. "UNCLE WEE-O! WE NEED YOU!"
Piper entered the room with her jaw hanging, "Oh my GOD!" Prue's daughter is turning transparent! "How—How…." Her voice stuttered with a combination of exasperated peeps.
"I don't know" Phoebe answered frantic, "I'm waiting for Leo. LEO!"
Orbs filled the room and Leo appeared, already looking worried. "What happened?" Kneeling next to Phoebe, Leo took Amanda's hands.
"I don't know" Phoebe whispered, "the girls were all playing and Amanda just started turning transparent" Again she asked Amanda about the possible use of a spell. "Are you sure you or Ally didn't do anything to cause this"
"No, no…no spells without mommy's or uses permission" Amanda sniffled watching her Uncle Leo pull to his feet.
"I'd better go check with the Elders and see what they know. It could be linked to Prue and Andy's disappearance somehow, in the mean time; I want you and Piper to continue to making that potion. We can't afford for the two of you go over to the dark side right now." After they had turned Paige evil, Phoebe had invested in potion to protect she and Piper and the book from turning as well.
"It's almost finished" Piper told him before watching her husband disappear into an array of orbs.
"Hurry, Leo. Hurry!"
