Piperfairy – Ugh… I know, the links are messed up, I'll try and fix the problem as soon as I have my own computer back (this is my sister's) and you're right! It'll be far from over once Phoebe is back to normal!

Anianka – Oh yes, a lot of agro in this chapter, but maybe a little bit of love too. Thank you! I sorta have a working title, the sequel might be called "Their Cross To Bear" but I haven't decided yet. Lol, what a lovely daydream! Thank you! Arc is in the next chapter!

Ravenix – She didn't use astral simulations because they aren't real and Phoebe would have caught them out immediately, astral projection was a lot safer to do.

Phiona – She's afraid that he'll try and take them away from her, and about the eyes thing, let's just call it a little screw up ;)

Phoebe turner – He doesn't know, but the twins will make sure that he doesn't stay in the dark for long!

Princess Pinky – Lol, I always try to add a little comedy, and I think Skye is a lot like Pam. And yes, he's back! But for how long! There'll be a lot of Grant in the future as I plan on going forwards about a year after a while, although I don't know if I will.

Kendallpaigecharity – Was this quick enough? I'm glad you liked it! And you'll have to read and find out!

Prince Halliwell – Lol, is this a quick enough update? I'm glad you liked all of it! And yes, Aidan's even more powerful than when he left at the finale of the last story! That's not the reason for Paige's decision. And don't worry! Phoebe will be back to normal at the end of this chapter but this subplot won't be over until the next one!

Andy20 – Thanks! Lol, you didn't? You'll see the plan in this chapter!

Rolling Out The Red Carpet

Phoebe wiped the blood from her lip, "It's not polite to hit a lady," She scoffed as she stood up.

"Chivalry's dead," Aidan replied, stealing a glance at his knocked out ex, before turning back to his opponent, raising the trident and preparing to fight. The witch let out a laugh,

"You could've fooled me," Phoebe smirked, "Who fights with a pitchfork in this day and age?"

"Me and this pitchfork are gonna kick your ass,"

She laughed, "Alright then, if that's the way you want to play it…" She swirled her hands around, tapping into Brennan's powers and throwing a tesla coil out towards Aidan, who managed to instantly dissolve into water and dodge the blast. Unbeknownst to Phoebe, he reformed right next to her and blasted a blue light from his palm; she took it in the side and was thrown into the kitchen. The elemental followed her in, spinning the Trident of Poseidon over his head over bringing it down on the floor. But the prongs clanged off the floor and a haze of pink orbs was left behind

"Damn…" He cursed as he turned around to see Phoebe standing there. She seemed to be tired and out of energy as she was breathing heavily and swaying on the spot. Aidan brought his weapon to his shoulder and threw it like a javelin. The trident flew towards Phoebe at an amazing speed and grazed her arm before impaling the wall. The witch but a hand over her bloodied side and the lights flickered as she disappeared.

Aidan left the weapon embedded in the wall and jogged back into the foyer. He scrambled along the ground and released a blue glow from his hands over Paige…

Brennan sat in a large comfy chair of the nursery while he bounced Connor up and down on his lap; he smiled when his son began to laugh. How could he have been so stupid? Now, because of him, Connor may grow up without his mother. He couldn't let that happen.

"I can't anyone would ever call us bad parents," Piper said to Leo as they watched Wyatt and Chris play with one another on the floor.

"Honey, we're not bad parents," He assured her.

"Oh yeah? Then why has someone called Social Services on us? I'm scared Leo, with all the things that go on in our lives, one slip up could cost us our children!" Leo was about respond, when a shriek from Emma interrupted them,

"Pam! What were you thinking?" Her voice came from the corridor as she stormed into the nursery holding a piece of paper.

"Shut up! The twins are asleep!" Piper hissed, "Did you send Shalimar back,"

Emma roiled her eyes and replied through gritted teeth, "Yes, can I bitch now?"

"Do it quietly," The eldest Charmed One warned.

"I said I was sorry," Pamela said as she came in, "It didn't even work anyway!"

"Someone get me up to speed," Piper protested.

Emma shot a look at her student, "You niece tried to summon Aidan!"

"What?"

"Look at this!" The psionic threw the piece of paper in Piper's direction, she scanned it over quickly, her eyes widening with every line she read.

"I don't see what the big deal is. It didn't even work anyway!" She looked quite disappointed at that fact.

Piper groaned and held the paper up, "Yeah, you want to know why it didn't work? Look at this "In our hour of greatest need" if you put that in a spell, he'll only come in the hour of our greatest need, that's why it says "In our hour of greatest need"! What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking of saving everyone!" She cried with a slight tone, "We've all had our powers taken away, what's the harm of calling for someone who has enough power to take Phoebe down?"

"Oh God… Paige…" Emma just realized, "Our hour of greatest need will be when Paige is about to get her powers taken away. She's our last line of defense,"

"Which means…?" Pamela shrugged.

"Aidan is probably here!"

Paige began to back away slowly, raising a shaky arm and waving her finger warningly, "You… you stay away from me," She continued to back away as her voice cracked up.

"Paige…" Aidan didn't really know what say. What could you say to the love of your life that you left seven months ago?

"Just… don't!" She yelled, "Go to Hell!"

"Paige, just listen to me!" He made the mistake of moving closer. She raised her clenched fist and brought it across his cheek, punching him.

"Bastard…" She snarled, before leaving a swirl of bright lights. Aidan winced as he moved his jaw, still reeling from Paige's assault. As he massaged his cheek, a larger cloud of orbs began to appear taking on the form of Emma, Brennan, Leo, Piper and Pamela.

"Oh my God…" Emma breathed.

Pamela frowned and walked up to the elemental, she smacked him on the arm, "It's about time! I summoned you an hour ago!" She scolded him, as if he had never left at all.

"Sorry," He winced again at the pain in his jaw. Pamela smirked.

"Did she hit you? Again?" She said, referring to Paige slapping Aidan in the tunnels of Atlantis,"

He narrowed his eyes, "I'm standing here holding my jaw, what do you think?"

"It's what he deserves," Piper scoffed, "Just leaving Paige preg-," She was cut off by Emma hitting her back lightly, "Never mind,"

"Where's Paige?" Emma asked with a stern expression on her face.

"She orbed out after socking me one,"

Pamela raised her eyebrows, "Wow, if I had been her, I'd have brought my knee up in between your legs. You got off lucky in my book,"

"I'll be sure to warn your future boyfriends," He replied, taking his hand away from his face and holding it to the side. The Trident of Poseidon flew out of the wall and returned to its master's hand.

"Are you sticking around? We could use your help," Leo said. Aidan registered the first non offensive comment since him coming here.

"Well, you guys seem to need me. Pamela wouldn't have summoned me if you didn't," He smirked at Pamela, who was getting looks off Piper and Emma.

"Yeah, you're right," Piper and Emma gaped, "What? It's true; Paige is the only one with powers left! Besides Uncle Leo of course,"

Aidan suddenly remembered, "Hey man," He said to his old friend, "I wounded Phoebe with the trident," He tapped the spike on the bottom off the floor, "So she'll probably be after your self healing ability."

"How badly did you wound her?" Brennan said with a raised voice. Who was guy to come in after seven months and stab his wife with a pitchfork?

"I grazed her left side. I don't think it's serious but it'll hurt like hell," Aidan replied, suddenly realizing he didn't know who this person was.

"Oh, sorry. Aidan, Brennan, Brennan Aidan," Piper quickly introduced them. The two men just mumbled their answers. They all shared an awkward silence until Emma decided to speak,

"We should probably go and regroup at Magic School. Phoebe won't be able to get in; we'll be safe there until we can think of something. Are you going to join us?" She questioned the Water Elemental, everyone turned to him, waiting for an answer.

"Sure, I haven't been there for ages,"

"Uncle Aidan!" Chris cried as he jumped up from the floor and hugged Aidan's leg as he came into the nursery. The three year old was very fond of the elemental and had been upset when he left, but not as upset as his Aunt Paige.

"Hey, big guy!" He grinned and lifted Chris up, "Wow! Look at how much you've grown!"

"Your haiw's all long!" The little boy pointed out that Aidan's hair almost went down past his eyes.

"Yeah, yours too,"

"Where's Paige?" Piper asked Mrs. Winterbourne, who was setting Connor down for a nap in one of the cribs.

"Oh, she took the twins out into the courtyard,"

"Twins?" Aidan frowned, completely oblivious.

Seeing that Chris was about to say something, Pamela grabbed him from the elemental and quickly thought of something, "Yeah, these twins. Someone just abandoned them in the nursery and Paige is sorta helping out, it's the social worker in her,"

"Okay, I think I'll go talk to her," He ruffled Chris's hair before walking out of the room, leaving Piper and Pamela to exchange worried looks…

Emma snapped off another piece of chocolate and handed to Paige, who was stroking the side of Melinda's face while tickling baby Emma. The psionic smiled at her godchildren then began to talk, "They look so cute all wrapped up for the cold," She grinned at the babies wearing little hats and thick jackets.

"Yeah, I it all in a store window for sale and I couldn't resist," She took another piece of chocolate, "Thanks," She bit into it and turned to Emma, "Are you to convince me of something?"

Emma put her hands up, "Hey, I am here on a strictly friend basis, I'm not trying to persuade you of anything. But…"

"Here we go…"

"Don't you think he has a right to know? I mean, they are his kids too after all,"

"He lost that right when he abandoned us," Paige said, even though she was smiling at her children.

"Us?" Emma smirked.

"Yeah, me and the girls," She caught her friend smiling, "What is it?"

"Just you, all three of you. You're like a little family unit; can you believe that you're the same girl who wanted a termination all those months ago?"

Paige sighed, "I don't even want to think of those days. I just can't imagine killing my children; I think I was just reeling from…"

"Marine Boy?" Emma grinned.

Paige laughed and nodded, "Exactly,"

The empath smiled, but her grin faded when she saw Aidan standing behind them at the door, "Um… I'm going to go check with everyone, you know, see if they've came up a plan?"

"Okay," Paige nodded and went to her girls as Emma walked away.

"Good luck…" The psionic whispered to the elemental before going back inside. Aidan seemed to hesitate before walking along the flower lined gravel path towards Paige. She heard the crunch of the ground as he walked and turned around, immediately sighing and closing her eyes when she saw him.

"Hey…"

"Aidan, just… please, leave me alone," She lifted Emma out of the stroller as she began to stir, along with Melinda. Paige thought that it was just from the cold, but it was really because it was the first time they had sensed their father's presence. The witchlighter groaned when she realized she couldn't comfort both her children at the same time.

"Here, I'll get her," Aidan offered, reaching into the stroller and picking up Melinda, who calmed down immediately once he held her close to keep her from the cold. The little baby started to giggle as Aidan rocked her slightly.

"You're a little cutey, aren't you?" He smiled as he stroked her cheek, "Who would ever abandon you?"

"What?" Paige's face paled, did he know?

"Pamela told me that someone abandoned them in the nursery, you helping them out, aren't you?"

She couldn't help smiling at her niece's quick thinking as she held Emma close, "Yeah, 'abandon'… interesting choice of words for you, don't you think?"

He rolled his eyes, "Paige, I really don't think this is the time,"

She put Emma back into the stroller and stood up, "And when is the time? When you leave as soon as my sister is back to normal? Admit it; I'll never see you again after this!"

"Do you really think I left by choice? Paige, people were dying, the city was in ruins! You yourself said that I couldn't but you in front of all those people!" He put Melinda back into the stroller to face her properly.

"I loved you! I was a complete wreck when you left, you didn't even give me any choice in the matter! If you think that pulling me onto a neutral plane and saying 'gotta go' was closure for me, then you are more stupid than I thought!"

"I never wanted to leave you! Do you really think I wanted to be sitting in some castle when I could've been with you?"

"You know, I'm not even sure how long we would have lasted. Another one of your dirty little secrets just seemed to seep out every now and again,"

The two of them looked at each other through gritted teeth, little did Paige know that her cover was about to be blown. The twins, upset with their parents squabbling, decided to take matters into their own hands. Melinda disappeared in orbs and reappeared in Paige's arms while Emma burst into a puddle of water and came back in Aidan's arms. The Elemental's face went pale when he saw his daughter splash into his arms. Paige was convinced that he was going to drop her.

Aidan looked up with wide eyes, "Are they…?"

Paige rolled her eyes, "Took you long enough…"

"Oh my God…" Pamela had watched the scene unfold from the window and couldn't believe that it had been the children to blow Paige's cover of helping abandoned children. It had been such a good lie too. "I think I'm going to go see Zach," She told her family members, who were sitting at the library tables with their noses in books.

When she looked into the crowded dorms, she noticed her boyfriend standing in the doorway talking to another guy. Pamela smirked as he noticed her and walked towards her,

"Hey…" He whispered to her, planting a kiss on her lips.

"Hi," She replied quietly, taking his hand and returning the kiss with a little more passion.

"So I heard from Jenna," He said.

"Really? How is she?" Pamela asked, knowing that her best friend's grandmother had just died last week.

"She's coping. Apparently she can't come back until next week so that gives us a little time to decide what to tell her,"

"Hmmm… you're right," Pamela knew that Jenna might not be too keen on her and Zach being together, as the three of them were so close and it might ruin their friendship, "Maybe we should keep it a secret until she has someone of her own," She suggested, "Although we shouldn't force anything on her when she comes back, we'll give her time to mourn for her grandmother,"

Zach nodded in agreement, "So what do we do in the mean time?"

She smirked at him, "Enjoy the time we have!"

Paige came skidding into the Great Hall where she saw Leo talking Emma, both were donned in their black robes as it was almost morning and classes would start soon. Both teachers gave the witchlighter a shocked expression when they saw she was out of breath, "Leo, get the twins out of here and make sure Aidan doesn't see them!" She cried.

"What?"

"Just do it!" Leo knew better than to mess with her when she was in this state and grabbed the handle of the pushchair, orbing out instantly.

Aidan stormed into the room and glared at Paige, "What the hell are you doing? You can't stop me from seeing my own children!"

Emma leaned towards her friend, "I take it he knows?" The witchlighter nodded vigorously, "Okay, I'll leave you two to it," The empathy wisely left, her black cloak flowing behind her as she walked.

Aidan took a deep breath and put his hands on his hips, "How could you not tell me?"

She sighed and shrugged, "What would it have changed? You had already made your mind up and I wasn't going to drop a bombshell like that unless we were, I don't know, conscious?"

"You knew before I left?" His face grew pale again.

"Yes," He groaned in annoyance at her answer, "But I didn't even know if they were yours, so there was no point in worrying you about nothing!"

"You didn't know? How could you not know?"

"Because of Hades, remember him? The darklighter you vanquished before you left me abruptly?"

"Oh God… you thought you were carrying demon spawn?"

Paige cringed, "Don't say it like that. It sounds disgusting,"

He shook his head, "So, what? You only just realized they were mine when they did that little magic act outside? Why didn't you tell me?"

She rolled her eyes, "I won't even bother…"

"Tell me!"

"You want to know why?"

"Yes!"

"No you don't! You say that, but-,"

"Paige! Tell me!"

"YOU BROKE MY HEART!" She screamed, "There, I said it, are you happy now, Aidan? You broke my heart! You shattered me! I was broken!"

Both of them stood looking at their feet. Aidan just couldn't respond to her outburst. He knew it all had been true, but the truth was, she wasn't the only one hurting. He could have just splashed back to Atlantis when Pamela summoned him, but he had decided not to, he wanted to see her, but he had no idea about what she was hiding from him. Paige took a deep breath and walked over to the sofa, flopping down and putting her hand to her forehead, "What are we going to do?"

Aidan's mouth open and closed a few times, "I don't know…" He replied eventually, falling back into a chair.

"Hey guys! We just thought of a way to…" Pamela trailed off when she realized the tension in room.

"Go on, Pam…" Paige said weakly, standing to face her niece.

"I'm not really sure if you guys will go for it, as it involves you working together,"

"What's the plan?" Aidan urged, wanting Pam to move on from the awkwardness.

"Follow me…"

Aidan sat on the sofa the Manor living room. He leaned and let out a long sigh. It was not only the waiting that was killing him, it who he was waiting with. Paige had her hands in her back pockets as she paced back and forth in front of him; she too just wanted Phoebe to attack. The elemental couldn't believe it. He was a father! He had held his daughter, she was beautiful. Both of them were.

"Do you remember the time…?" He began, "You were meditating on the coffee table, I was playing with Chris, and he called me 'Uncle Aidan'?"

She rolled her eyes, "Yes…" Paige could tell where this was going.

"Do think that I would have ever become an uncle for real if I had stayed with you?"

"Well, I had your children and you weren't here, so yes, you probably would have," Paige responded coldly before going back to pacing.

"I want to the right thing… for the twins. What are their names?"

She couldn't help but smile a little. He was trying, "The orber is Melinda, the splasher is Emma," He grinned in response.

"Beautiful names for beautiful girls…" He said.

"Aww… isn't this touching?" Paige spun around to see Phoebe standing behind them; her side was still bleeding from three gashes that the Trident of Poseidon had given her. Aidan raised his hand and blue light began to glow from it warningly, the trident appeared in his other hand in a torrent of water.

"Leave. Now." He threatened, making the light in his hand grow bigger and stronger.

She scoffed, "You slash a girl and you look that you're almighty? Heh… Aidan, you really need to be taken down a peg or two,"

Paige decided to step in, "Did all that power go to your head? I think its time you end this now,"

Phoebe pouted, "But I'm having so much fun!" Electricity began to spark in her hands, but it was different than before, the voltage hummed around her entire body and stray bolts kept firing off and destroying things.

"Something's wrong. The power's starting to overload her body, it can't handle it," Paige backed away; Aidan put his arm in front.

"It's okay, I'll protect you," He blasted the light from his palm, but the voltage in the air destroyed it before the attack could get anywhere near Phoebe, "Okay, get out, get upstairs," He tried to push her away, but Paige refused to leave.

"No, I'm staying right here,"

"Do you want our children to become orphans? Get out of here!"

Phoebe raised both her arms and blasted what seemed like a storm from her fingertips. Paige cringed as she realized that the blast would kill both her and Aidan. But before the immense power could hit them, Aidan raised the trident in front of them and spun it around at an unimaginable speed. The lightning ricocheted off the weapon and blasted parts of the wall and ceiling into oblivion, "Okay, let's go!" He grabbed Paige's arm and they began to run towards the stairs.

"You can't run from me!" Phoebe screamed, a large amount of purple psychic energy flew from her fore head and just missed the duo. It blasted the wall at the stairs and made the entire stairwell crumble with loud cracks as wood flew everywhere. Aidan grabbed Paige by the shoulders and stopped her taking another step up as the stairs crumbled.

"What are we gonna do?" Paige yelled as she saw Phoebe's hands fill with electricity.

"I have an idea…" He looked at the trident, then at the gap in the stairs. The witchlighter's eyes widened as she caught on.

"No way! We are not vaulting over the hole!"

"It's our only chance! Paige, you have to trust me!" He looked up and saw Phoebe raised her arms, preparing to strike.

It was in that moment that Paige looked into his eyes with an intense stare, "Okay…" She whispered just loud enough for him to them.

Aidan nodded and grabbed her waist as he took a few steps back to the middle landing. He held the trident as if he just going to throw it. He tightened his grip on Paige's waist and ran up the small part of stairs, shoving the three prongs of the weapon into the stairs and jumping across the gap, wavering at the edge. They had just made it.

Aidan turned back to see his trident get fried by the extreme voltage of Phoebe attack, he sighed and shook his head before urging Paige to run up the rest of the stairs…

The two of them ran into the attic where everyone else was waiting. Paige skidded into the room after Aidan and slammed the door shut, "Okay, we've given you all the time we can get, if you're not ready, then we're screwed!" She yelled to her sister. Piper, Pamela, Emma and Brennan stood at the Book of Shadows, which was still only a book of blank pages.

"Yeah, we're ready! Okay Aidan, Leo, get into position!" The eldest Charmed One ordered. Her husband and the elemental did as they were told and walked to either side of room, facing other when they were in position.

"Have you got the jar?" Emma asked Brennan with a hint of urgency in her voice.

"Got it!" He said triumphantly, raising the glass jar he had used to take Phoebe's powers and opening it.

The entire room began to shake and the door rattled on its hinges, "Here comes Phoebe!" Paige yelled, taking hands with Brennan and Piper as all five witches linked hands. There was a short crackle of electricity and the door was blasted into a million pieces, not to mention the objects surrounding that area were thrown all over the place. Phoebe walked in with a scowl on her face; with her forehead glowing she raised her arms, ready to strike from both powers,

"Aidan, Leo! NOW!" Piper bellowed.

Both of the men raised their arms and blasted lightning and water from their hands, blasting Phoebe with both and causing the voltage from Leo's attack to increase thanks to Aidan, "Raise her!" Piper shouted another order. Both of them did as they were told and raised their arms, bringing Phoebe into the air as she screamed in pain, "Okay, everybody!"

"This witch's power cannot fight,

The lure of evil's magic might,

Before misuse lands her in Hell,

Remove the powers of Phoebe Halliwell!"

All those that had lost their powers chanted the spell. Millions of small lights burst from Phoebe's chest and dispersed into the air, some of the lights would go to each person who had had their abilities taken and some of them went out the window, presumably to Shalimar. The rest flew into the glass jar that sat on the alter, they flowed in and the lid snapped shut when they were all in.

Leo and Aidan quickly stopped their attacks when they realized that Phoebe was powerless. She dropped to the floor in a smoldering heap and looked on the verge of death, "Leo, heal her," Piper said calmly as Brennan rushed to his wife's side.

"Okay…" The elder said, jogging over to his sister in law and bending down heel her.

Aidan walked towards Paige and realized she had a gash on her head. He raised his hand to heal it, but she shoved his arm away.

"Don't touch me. If you do, then I'll just get even more confused," She was well aware of the how she felt when he heal her. Hell, it was how their relationship had started in the first place! He complied reluctantly.

Leo's golden glow disappeared and Phoebe came to, she blinked a few times and her eyes were completely clear. She squinted at her husband and suddenly realized she was the lying on the floor, "Brennan?"

"Yeah… it's me," He smiled and stroked her hair back, but she flinched at his touch.

"You… you…. Stripped me of my powers!" She exclaimed, "This is all your fault!" She had sat up and smacked him on the chest.

Paige and Piper smiled at one another, "She's back,"

"But not for long,"

Everyone turned their heads to see two men in white suits standing at the window; one was completely bald while the other had short brown hair. To Emma, Pamela and Brennan, these people were complete strangers, but Aidan knew who they were with his knowledge of magic, and the sisters and Leo knew from experience. They were the Cleaners.

"Who the hell are you?" Pamela clenched her fists.

"We'll explain later." Piper growled, stepping in front of her niece protectively.

"What do you stiffs want this time?" Paige rolled her eyes and folded her arms; Aidan laid a hand on her shoulder,

"Easy…" He whispered.

"We are here for your sister," The bald one replied. The other clicked his fingers and Phoebe disappeared in a sparkle of golden lights. Brennan immediately stood up and electricity began to crackle in his hands from the anger he felt,

"Who the hell do you think you are?" He growled menacingly.

"When magic is exposed, we clean it up, when there is a risk of exposure, we remove it."

"Entirely," The brown haired Cleaner added, clicking his fingers and making the jar of Phoebe's powers appear in his hands in a shower of lights.

"What exposure?" Piper challenged, stepping forward, along with Emma and Paige.

"You seem to be unaware of the damage your sister has wrought," The bald one replied, clicking his fingers and creating a hologram. People in hospital beds could be seen, all of them were on life support, "These are all witches that your sister took powers from, she has hospitalized every one of them. Not to mention the countless demons she has vanquished, she has almost destroyed magic completely. She cannot be allowed to remain," He waved a hand and all the hologram changed back to smiling people and smirking demons, "We have restored everything as it was before Mrs. Mulwray disrupted the balance,"

"Bring her back, NOW!" Brennan shouted, flinging his hands up and sending tesla coils at both of the beings. The bald one raised his hand and caught the blast; he seemed more bored than annoyed. Everyone else began to move to attack, but the brown haired being flicked his wrist and everyone flew back onto the floor. Piper and Brennan managed to get up just in time to see the Cleaners leave in a burst of light.

"PHOEBE!"

NEXT TIME: Paige, Piper and Brennan deliberately expose magic to get the Cleaners attention. For the second time in their years as witches, Phoebe's fate is decided by The Tribunal, but with the ever psychotically intelligent Gabriel Ashlocke as their opposing council, can a lawyer from Phoebe's past help the Charmed Ones win the case?

Chapter 21 "Coling For Help" should be up soon!