Thanks to all my reviewers. I'm glad you like it so far. So heres Ch. 3
Disclaimer- I don't own charmed or anything associated
Piper ran up the stairs as fast as she could with Phoebe not far behind her. Her many years of demon fighting taught her to expect the worse and even though things had been quiet lately that didn't change. When she finally reached Paige's room she instinctively tried running in but was knocked backwards by an invisible forcefield as was Phoebe a minute later when she tried to do the same. After several attempts to enter the room, The sisters stood back to analyze the scene in front of them. Paige stood unresponsive , as if Piper had froze her, in front of her bed with the most hideous demon the two had ever seen before her. As if he knew Piper and Phoebe had been there all along, he turned and gave them a wicked grin before raising his hand and shooting out a laser-like force directed at Paige's defenseless form.
"Paige" Phoebe whimpered soflty as she watched her sister slowly be lifted off of the ground and pinned against what Phoebe assumed was the wall since by now Paige had moved out of sight, with a bone shattering crash.
" No!" Piper cried out as she tried effortlessly to blow up the barrier which was keeping her from protecting her baby sister. She felt the bile rise in her throat while the demon continued to do whatever it was he was doing to Paige.
I can't lose another sister Piper thought determined I cant fail my family again. I have to get through to save Paige
Once again, Piper pushed herself up against the seemilngly clear doorway this time sucessfully managing to push through but only because, she soon realized, the demon had completed what he came to do and as she entered the room he shimmered out.
Piper didn't even care at this point about not being able to kill the demon. She just wanted to save Paige.
When she finally reached where she believed Paige to be she was met with a suprise. Instead of finding her 5'5 sister lying on the floor, in her place was the body of a small child.
" What the Hell?" She whispered as she witnessed Phoebe on the floor next to the girl checking for a pulse. " Pheebs, what are you doing?"
" What does it look like I'm doing Piper" Phoebe choked out distressed " Im checking for a pulse."
" But what about Paige?" Piper questioned, confused, her voice barely audible " Don't you care about Paige?"
" Don't you get it Piper?" Phoebe replied in a high pitched shriek due to panic " Take a good look at the person in front you. This is Paige"
Sure enough when Piper took a harder look at the girl it became obvious this was her little sister, now actually little. For one thing she was wearing what Paige had been before and when closely studied she shared in all of Paige's features just slightly premature of how they were at 22.
" Oh. OH." Piper gasped with understanding the fact of what the demon had done sinking in. "Well , come on then, does she have one?"
" A one what?" Phoebe questioned as she began frantically calling for Leo.
" Leo! Leo! LEO!"
" A pulse."
"Yeah but its faint, very faint. C'mon Leo get your ass down here!"
Instantaneously, Leo orbed in bringing temporary relief to Piper but not for long.
" Guys what is it?" He questioned annoyed " I was in a serious meeting you know."
" Well Leo, If you haven't noticed or sensed one of us is seriously injured , so go hurry up work your magic" Phoebe demanded waving her hand to indicate Paige's body slumped against the wall.
" Wait a second, are you trying to tell me that's Paige over there?"
" Well since Piper and I are in full health and I told you one of us is hurt, so yes dipshit thats Paige."
" Pheebs calm down" Piper warned
Phoebe sighed " Sorry Leo, I'm just scared. I don't know how and I don't know why- yet, but that is Paige ,so please heal her.
Leo didn't need to be told again. He loved Paige like a sister and wasn't going to let her die. Placing his hands over her limp form, he let life flow back into her body . Once he noticed her stirring again he got up.
" I really have to get back. Good Luck with this though" And then he orbed out.
Phoebe and Piper got down on their knees in front of Paige as her eyes shot open. " Piper? Phoebe?" She questioned
" Paige is that you?" was Phoebe's response
" Yeah. Duh. Of course."
" Oh good"
" Why? You guys what happened?"
" Well, Paige," Piper began attempting to break the news to her slowly
' Yes?"
" We have reason to believe , that a demon attacked you and possibly changed you a bit?"
" Excuse Me?" Paige cried agitated
" See for yourself. I don't even know what happened myself" Piper tried offering up a mirror she grabbed off of Paige's nightstand .
Paige took it hesitantly and gasped in shock as she saw her reflection.
" Oh Shit" she breathed as tears formed in her large brown eyes that were now positively adorable "How did this happen? Why am I a kid?"
" Oh Paige" Phoebe said the sight of Paige as a distraught little girl breaking her heart. " It'll be okay.Just wait. We'll reverse this don't worry. But first we have to ID the demon who did this to you."
" Okay" Paige replied tearfully wiping her eyes with a chubby hand.
" To the attic!" Piper said leading the way out of the room, Phoebe not far behind. Paige had to run to keep up.
" Hey wait up!" she called after them, quickly realizing just how much what happened was effecting her.
Once in the attic, Phoebe headed straight for the book and Piper sat down on one of the old sofas, exausted from worrying. Paige went to sit next to her but struggled to get up onto the couch. Piper found what was going on in general to be kind of amusing and thought it was positively endearing that Paige was struggling to do something a simple as sit down. Little Paige was quite cute in general actually, with a tiny, slightly baby chubby torso, wide thick lashed brown eyes, and pinkish cheeks. Piper was suddenly overcome with the urge to pick her baby sister up. So she did and placed her on her lap.
Paige, who was not accustomed to coddling and never liked being held even as a child struggled against Piper. She did not appreciate being taken advantage of in her current state. Despite looks she still felt like herself not like a baby and didnt want to give her sisters any reason to believe otherwise.
" Let go of me." She insisted trying to wriggle out of Pipers's grasp " I'm not a baby"
" Oh really" Piper countered with a smirk " Cuz it doesn't look that way to me"
" Looks can be decieving" Paige groaned not giving up
" Gee, sorry for thinking you're adorable. But you are. Isn't she adorable Phoebe?"
Phoebe briefly looked up from the book and made a face at Paige " Sooo adorable"
Paige getting more and more upset as time went on felt her lower lip stick out , something that often happened to her as a kid which was beyond her control.
" Aww look" Piper cooed " She's pouting . You're even cuter when you pout"
Paige was suddenly overcome with anger.
" STOP!" She screeched flailing "LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Piper watched as her little sister threw a full fledged tantrum. Here face turned beet red and she was screaming as loud as Piper assumed she possibly could.
" Calm down Paige." Piper reasoned putting Paige down on the floor " Honestly If you want me to believe you aren't actually a little kid throwing a temper tantrum isn't the best way to convince me."
Paige even more angry at what Piper had said walked to the other side of the room and turned her back to Piper. When she finally calmed down she realized how dumb she had been . Now Piper had another reason besides looks to treat her like a child.
" Hey Paige?" she heard Piper call
" Yeah?"
" I'm sorry Okay. I didn't mean to piss you off"
" Its okay Pipe"
Piper was happy she didn't have her sister mad at her anymore . I shouldn't have been so annoying She sighed.But shes just so cute. She thought smiling at her sister.
Phoebe who had been staring at the book the whole time, still had not found the demon. She was sure the bickering between her younger and older sister hadn't helped her search any but she wasn't willing to cause another argument by bringing that up.
" Can I get a little help down here?" She called looking up at the ceiling. After several minutes the pages of the book started to turn. "Thank you Grams!"
" Whats it say Pheebs?" Paige prodded wanting to know how long she would have to live this hell.
" You want me to read it aloud?"
" Please do" Piper clarified.
" Okay it says, Amadeus-"
" Wait like the song?" Paige questioned
" Whatever you want just let me talk OK?" Phoebe responded not understanding Paige's pop culture refrance.
" Fine" Paige sighed
" So Amadeus is a demon who remains dormant most of the time and rises from the underworld every once and a while to prey on the youngest of powerful covens. Not alot is known about him because he rarely shows his face but it is known he returns his victims to an age where they had a heightened fear of monsters and where their powers were dormant , usually around age 4. He does so, so that the witch is virtually defenseless and easier to kill. However , he doesn't kill the witch himself. He leaves her for other demons to prey on. Because the witches are usually killed fairly quickly, it is not known how long the effects of his attacks last, but it is assumed that the victim will remain in changed form until he is vanquished. Unfortunately, there is no known vanquish for him, and no known summoning spell.Based on observations of those effected by his attack, it is only a physical transformation that takes place, while the intellect and understanding of the victim remain the same. However, the victim may experience some of the behaviors held by children of that age such as , tantrums and crying jags. They may also lose literacy and reobtain some traits they held at the age. It is believed that the Power of 3 may be able to vanquish him.- Thats all it says"
" Well that explains your earlier behavior huh Paige?" Piper supplied
" I'm really not in a good mood Piper"
" Why? It says we can vanquish him with the PO3"
" But we don't have the power of 3. The book also says I'm powerless"
" Oh"
"Yeah"
" Okay" Phoebe interuppted" Im sure we'll figure something out. More importantly, There are going to be demons coming after you like nonstop. So we have to be prepared. I don't want another scare like we had today. On the plus side we do know some things about what happened to you which might help, but we have to really just try and live life as normally as possible until we figure something out. Right now my biggest concern is you Paige."
"Feeling insightful today aren't we?" Piper deadpanned
" You shush- So Paige you feeling okay?"
" Why wouldn't I be?"
" Just checking. "
" Im tired is all"
" You should be its past 3. I suggest we all get some rest. Its been a long night."
" I like that idea" Piper managed through a yawn
" Okay then. C'mon lets go downstairs." Phoebe decided as she headed towards the door.
" Umm Pheebs?" Piper giggled Pointing towards Paige who had passed out on the sofa she was sitting on.
" That was fast." Phoebe acknowledged shocked.
" Well I guess Im carrying her" Piper smirked" Although she wouldn't like it if she was awake"
"About that' Phoebe began as Piper lifted Paige into her arms and headed to the door" You do realize how hard this is going to be don't you?"
" Come again?'
' I guess you don't' Phoebe elaborated as the two made their way down the stairs" You know we are gonna have to protect her and shes kinda stubborn, which will be one thing, but also with the tantrums and 4 year old issues thrown in I think we have our hands full. Plus, Paige is not too happy about her current position so it's gonna be extra hard to get her to cooperate."
" We'll just have to deal with it Pheebs. It won't be easy but we'll get through it"
" Kay G'night Pipe"
" Night Pheebs"