Slimy Rebirth

Disclaimer: Same as before…

AN: This takes place just before and during Fourth Season episode Brain Drain.

The first thing he saw and felt was slime and a membrane-like film above him, below him, all aroundhim. Clawing frantically his fingernails tore the membrane away and he let out a scream, one choked by slime. His vision was blurry all he saw were shapes. As his vision cleared he saw a tall woman in black with horns upon her head, carrying a staff.

He groaned exhausted from the effort, lying nude and shivering on the cold stone floor. "Where?" he asked.

"You live again, Andy." The woman said.

"What? Who are you? How do you know my name?" Andy asked.

"Let's just say I am versed in the ways and disciplines of magic," the horned woman replied, "Something that you, my friend, seem to have more than a passing familiarity with."

"Where am I?" Andy asked.

"You are in a place called Traverse Town." The woman replied.

"What?" Andy asked.

"Many more worlds exist as well as your own. You are on another of those worlds." Maleficent replied.

"Who are you?" Andy asked.

"I am Maleficent. I have seen that you and Prue were meant to be together."

"The last thing I remember was Rodriguez; he threw me against the clock." Andy replied. He had some vague recollections of that swing, that place he would always go to meet Prue, except it was in some kind of weird plane of existence, like a halfway house between life and the Great Beyond, "And there was this place, just like that swing we used to go to…"

"You're confused Andy," Maleficent said, "I have never attempted the spell of rebirth, but I know its effects are dizziness, confusion, and weakness. In due time, I will explain everything. But for now, there are some clothes for you to wear and a bed for you to sleep in. Rest, Andy, the answers are coming."

"Prue, where is she?" Andy asked.

"You will find her." Maleficent said, "But I may ask favors from you from time to time. When you meet your beloved, kindly do not tell her of me, or my role in your return."

"Why?" Andy asked, as he put his trousers on.

"Your lover, while strong and well versed in the art of magic is still a relative infant compared to me." Maleficent said, "She isn't quite ready to know of my existence."

"But if she asks…" Andy asked.

"You knew nothing of how." Maleficent said, "I realize it must hurt to deceive Prue, but for now she is not ready for the truth, to accept a true power in the force of magic. You will know when she is ready."

Andy opened his mouth to say something else, anything, but all he could feel was an incredibly desire to go to sleep. While he felt uneasy about deceiving Prue, he figured that he could resolve this in the morning. He padded over to the bed in the next room, burrowed under the covers, and fell asleep.

She remembers caressing the side of his face. She remembers feeling that he was dead and being unable to do anything about it. She had saved her sisters and herself from potentially being killed by Rodriguez, but at what cost? Andy's body lies cold and her tears flow. Perhaps, naively, part of her wishes that Andy will sit up and wipe them away. A rational side of her knows that this isn't the case. He isn't breathing; there is no pulse, no rise and fall of his chest to indicate breath…

The other mourners, chaplain, and the police escort and burial detail had since driven away but four still remained. To one mourner, it seemed like that one mourner felt she was alone as she lay two roses upon the lid of the wooden coffin, one white to mean friendship and one red to mean love…

Prue sat up suddenly in bed, glancing at the clock. Four-thirty? No way she was going back to sleep. She found her slippers and walked downstairs into a guest commons area of the hotel in the 2nd District of Traverse Town, the place that Kolopak had told them to wait in, while he conferred with Merlin on his own.

She was surprised to see Godfrey sitting at one of the chairs, by the fire. He was dressed rather casually himself, a bathrobe with a heraldic shield of some kind on one side and a pair of gray pajamas, with a cup of tea within an arm's length and a book in his hands.

"You're up early." Prue remarked.

"I could say the same of you." Godfrey replied. Since that prophesy Merlin had given him the day before, he wasn't sleeping very well. His policeman's instincts were working overtime. Lists of suspects, or likely ones were constantly being run through his head. As he put his book down and looked at Prue, he started to do some mental checks. Up early, with no apparent motive? Suspicious? Don't be ridiculous, this is Prue you're talking about. But then, didn't Merlin say something about the most obvious solution…

"What are you doing up so late, or early?" Prue asked.

What the hell do you say to that? You can't simply tell her! If you do, and she's the viper, she'll know you're on to her. If you don't, and she isn't the traitor, the real viper could strike and harm her. And God knows you don't want any harm coming to her…or anyone else on this crew. Godfrey thought.

Is he hiding something? I know his cop radar's going off about something, and it's been happening since Merlin talked to us yesterday. Whatever it is, it's almost turning him paranoid. It's like he's checking out everyone's stories, like we're suspects in some case he's working. Wait, this is Godfrey you're talking about here, and usually he's a pretty forthcoming guy. Ask him. Prue thought.

"I've just had a bit of thinking that's been buggering me all night. I couldn't get to sleep." Godfrey replied.

"Would this have anything to do with what Merlin told you?" Prue asked.

"Prue, I can't tell you what he told me." Godfrey replied, "But I can tell you to be careful. Not all is what it seems."

"You think that someone's going to betray us?" Prue asked.

"I'm not ruling out that possibility. If it makes you feel any better I'm going through my list of contacts in this town." Godfrey replied, "It's about half a dozen people that I knew either at university or when I was in India."

"I can help." Prue replied, "Unless I'm still a suspect."

"That remains to be seen." Godfrey replied, "I'm simply wondering what you're doing up at this hour?"

Prue looked at him, saying, "Personal reasons, I really don't want to talk about it."

Godfrey recognized the look of genuine pain in her eyes and really felt like a fool. After years of questioning suspects, he knew truth when he heard it. "You don't have to. And no, you're not a suspect." Godfrey replied, and added, "And I'm sorry that I pried into your personal affairs."

"I understand." Prue replied, "You had to rule me out."

"Alright, we can't let the others get wind that we're investigating them." Godfrey replied, "However we should find times to compare notes about these things."

"And try not to be complete pricks while doing so." Prue added.

"I'll be sure to take that under advisement." Godfrey replied, noting Prue's subtle jab at his earlier prying. Wanker. He thought.

It was then that Kolopak walked in, "Prue, Godfrey, it's a good thing you two are already awake. Wake the others up and tell them to meet down here. I've some important news."

The two headed upstairs, Prue heading to wake Mole and Audrey while Godfrey woke Doc and Bertha. Vinny and Cookie had rotated back to the ship to keep an eye on Milo, Kida, and the baby.

"Who's waking up Bertha?" Prue asked.

"Ladies first." Godfrey replied.

"Nice try." Prue countered, taking a nickel from her pocket, "Heads or tails."

"Heads." Godfrey replied.

The coin landed on heads. "Bollocks." Godfrey groaned as he steeled himself for some unpleasant duty.

"Wimp." Prue remarked.

"What!" Godfrey replied, "Doc told me that four member of an expedition they were on came down with hysterical blindness when they saw her sleepwalking. And I rather like the use of my eyes, thank you very much."

"Hysterical blindness usually is temporary." Prue countered.

"Usually? Bollocks." Godfrey replied.

"I'm glad I'm not waking her up then." Prue quipped.

"Bollocks to you." Godfrey replied.

"Bertha, Kolopak's got some important news." Godfrey said as he knocked on Bertha's door. And for God's sake put some clothes on before you step outside.

Bertha came to the door, her face covered with green mud, with rollers, and a ratty old bathrobe and slippers. Thank God. Godfrey thought.

"What's the news?" Bertha said.

"Just head downstairs." Godfrey replied.

Bertha padded downstairs as Godfrey knocked on Doc's door and woke him. Behind them, a sleepy eyed Audrey, and a grumbling Mole in pajamas with little French flags all over them headed downstairs.

"What's the news, Kolopak?" Godfrey began as the group assembled downstairs.

"There is a weapon that we must find to defeat the Heartless." Kolopak replied, "It is known as the Keyblade, and we must find and help its wielder."

"And who would that be?" Prue asked.

"He is a young boy, whose world was destroyed. His name is Sora." Kolopak replied.

"What's a Keyblade?" Doc asked.

"Funny you should ask." Kolopak replied, "As worlds have hearts, they also have doors that lead to these hearts. The Keyblade is what will lock those doors."

"Ok, now where are we supposed to find this Niño?" Audrey asked.

"According to Merlin, right here in Traverse Town." Kolopak replied.

"Alright, that narrows it down to about three districts. Two of them dangerous." Audrey replied.

"I'm aware of that." Kolopak replied, "But that's all the more reason we need to find him, swiftly. Godfrey, you take Doc and Mole and search the Second District. Prue, you go with Audrey and Bertha into the Third District. I have a lead or two to pursue in the First District."

"Two teams of three each?" Godfrey asked, "A bit too vulnerable, isn't it? And we've got no way to stay in contact."

"We can cover more ground that way, Godfrey." Prue suggested, "But he's right, how are we going to stay in contact?"

Kolopak broken open a padded wooden case underneath the futon he had been sitting on. He passed two radio handsets, one for each team. "I have a receiver set of my own. These aren't very powerful, but they should be enough to cover all of Traverse Town. Bertha designed them."

"I still think one group could defend itself better…" Godfrey began.

"But won't be able to cover as much ground." Kolopak countered, "If you run into trouble, radio for help. We will come for you."

"When do we begin?" Godfrey asked, still not convinced.

"Right away." Kolopak began.

"Do you think Prue got the letter?" Phoebe asked.

"I'm sure she did." Piper replied, taking cookies from the oven, "Damn it! These ones are burnt too. I'm losing my touch."

"Oh, no, it's okay, sweetie, they're just a little crisp." Phoebe replied as Piper put the tray on the table. Taking a cookie, Phoebe continued, "You know, personally I am glad that you're not a chef anymore. I'd probably be 300 pounds."

"Maybe I should make another batch." Piper replied.

"Um Piper, remember when you told me to tell you when you're obsessing?" Phoebe noted.

"I'm not obsessing." Piper insisted, "I just want everything to be perfect, that's all."

"Piper." Phoebe said, "Listen, you aren't Prue and you don't have to be…"

"This has nothing to do with Prue." Piper replied sharply, and then realizing that she had been hurtful she added, "I'm sorry Phoebe, it's just a lot to take in. I mean, Prue being killed, finding out we have a new half-sister, helping said half sister adjust to her powers and reforming the power of three…"

"Got milk?" Paige asked as she walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge and found that the milk carton was empty.

"Argh." Piper groaned.

"Sorry." Phoebe said, "Where were we?"

"Let's see." Piper replied, "Reforming the power of three, finding out our sister's alive again on some other plane of existence…"

Just then Cole shimmered into the room and said, with a bewildered expression, "Am I interrupting something?"

Piper added another item to the list, "…Demons shimmering in uninvited…"

"That hasn't bothered you before." Cole added.

Piper whirled on him, "Cole!"

"Piper!" Phoebe replied, "Be nice."

"That's because we usually were able to vanquish them in short order." Piper replied, completely ignoring Phoebe.

"Piper, can you at least be civil." Phoebe snapped.

Cole turned towards Paige and said in a low whisper, "Is it that time of the month…?"

"As far as I can tell, no it isn't." Paige replied, before walking back upstairs.

As the sisters argued back and forth Cole whistled loudly and silence filled the room, "Piper! Freeze the room fast and then only unfreeze me."

Piper replied, "What? Why?"

"Just do what I say and I'll explain after." Cole replied. Piper complied and Cole stood frozen where he stood, as did everything else in the room.

"Please don't blow him up." Phoebe begged.

"I'll try." Piper replied, and unfroze Cole. Phoebe visibly exhaled with relief.

"The rest of the room still frozen?" Cole asked.

"Cole, we're the only ones in the room." A slightly annoyed Piper replied.

"You're not, actually." Cole replied, "There's a chameleon in the room."

"A lizard?" Phoebe replied, quizzically looking at Cole as though her lover had just lost his mind and shimmered into the room wearing nothing save for strategically placed ostrich feathers, "You're worried about a lizard?"

"This chameleon is a demon, the kind that can transform into any object just to spy on you." Cole replied, bemused at Phoebe's line of questioning regarding the lizard.

Cole grabbed a chair and Piper said, "Trying to tell me the manor is supernaturally bugged?"

"Uh-huh." Cole replied, "Has been for some time, apparently. It explains why the Source hasn't attacked you in a while. He's had his chameleons watching your every move, gathering inside information. Look around. What's not supposed to be here?"

The girls glanced around before Piper spotted a rather ugly looking cane-chair with gaudy red cushions, one that Paige had brought in.

"Hmm." Piper thought and then blew it up using her powers. Phoebe smiled as the grandfather clock chimed.

"Uh, the room just unfroze." Cole interjected.

Phoebe spotted a rather unusual lamp in the living room just then, "Where did that lamp come from?"

The lamp transformed into a demon and both Piper and Phoebe screamed and the demon used its powers to send both of them flying over the couch. Cole launched an energy ball into the creature, blowing off one of its arms and it uttered a reptilian shriek of agony. The severed arm grew back almost as soon as the original struck the floor.

"Cole get back!" Piper shouted and then tried to blow the demon, but he ducked and she blew the clock up instead, "Damn it, we just got that thing fixed."

"Is it me or does furniture have a short life expectancy in this house?" Cole quipped.

"Quiet you!" Piper snapped.

Paige walked back down the stairs wearing headphones and carrying a laundry basket in her arms. The demon ran in front of her and Cole launched another energy ball at it. The demon ducked and Paige orbed away before the energy sphere struck home. The demon shimmered out of the room and Paige stood their in shock.

"What the hell just happened?" Paige snapped.

"The freakin' furniture just attacked." Piper replied back, "Leo!"

The Whitelighter orbed into the room and noting a cut on Phoebe's forehead, he began to heal it. "What happened?"

"A chameleon." Cole replied.

"Do you know how long it was in the house?" Leo asked.

"I don't know, about three days." Phoebe replied.

"What do you think it wants?" Piper asked.

"I already told you. Information." Cole replied.

"But for what? For why?" Piper asked.

"For the Source's next attack." Cole replied.

"So do you think that he knows…" Paige began.

"It's a good bet that he does." Leo replied.

"About what?" Cole asked.

"Prue." Phoebe replied, "She's alive, and on a different plane of existence."

"She's what?" Cole replied, his eyes popping open.

"Alive." Phoebe replied, and handed Cole the letter Prue had written almost a week ago.

Cole perused it and said, "Wait a second. Heartless? I think I've heard of something similar to this before, but they're just a myth."

"Hello." Piper added, "People believe demons and witches are just myths. Who says that demons that devour hearts or worlds even having hearts aren't a myth either?"

"OK, they know about Prue now. So she's probably going to have the Source on her back, which means the Elders are going to really be on our backs right now…" Phoebe began.

Just then Nigel orbed into the room and Paige quipped, "Not to be rude, but who are you?"

"I believe Prue mentioned me in her letter." Nigel began.

"You must be Nigel." Phoebe replied, "How's Prue?"

"For the moment, she's alright." Nigel replied.

"What do you mean for the moment?" Piper said, dangerously.

"Right now, things are in a worse state than the Source finding out that Prue is still alive." Nigel said, "I've already planned for something of that nature to happen, I just didn't expect it so soon."

"And just what are you so worried about?" Piper asked.

"A soul was stolen from Heaven." Nigel said, "A soul that could very well damage Prue in the worse possible way."

"Andy?" Phoebe asked.

"Wait," Cole began, "Who is Andy?"

"Prue's high school sweetheart." Piper began, "When we moved back to the Manor and she called off her engagement with Roger for trying to sleep with Phoebe, they started dating again. However, that was around when we first received our powers and the obvious emergencies kept getting in the way of their relationship. When they finally were on the verge of working things out, Andy was killed trying to save us from Rodriguez, a demon working for Tempus."

"I'm wondering how is this going to hurt Prue?" Paige asked.

"What better way to defeat a witch than through her heart." Cole replied, "As Belthazor I used that tactic more than a few times."

"We've gotta warn Prue…" Piper began.

"Actually, that's the bad news." Nigel replied, "The Elders ordered me not to interfere."

"WHAT?" Piper, Phoebe, and Paige all shouted simultaneously.

"You did not just say what I thought you just said." Piper replied.

"I'm afraid so." Nigel replied, "If we intervene, Prue's trust in us will fall apart entirely. She has to see this for what it is, on her own. Even advising her is too close for comfort."

"I don't get this!" Piper snapped angrily, "The Elders bring Prue back to life for some secret mission, and then when she's really in for it, they leave her in the lurch."

"Look, unless you want me to go about vanquishing the bloody Elders there's nothing I can do." Nigel replied.

"I hope for all our sakes Prue figures this out." Paige began.

"Did you hear that?" Audrey asked.

"Audrey, a metal garbage can clinking against the ground isn't exactly subtle." Prue replied.

The clatter was followed by a thud and a muffled cry. The three women ran to the source of the noise and saw a man, or rather his feet, for the rest of him was hidden behind a fallen trashcan. Three Shadow Heartless were standing atop the man, beating him. Bertha pulled an old .32 semi-automatic from the waistband of her skirt.

"You'll hit the innocent!" Prue warned.

"I would not." Bertha replied, "I'm more than a fair shot…"

"Bertha!" Prue shouted. The old lady raised the pistol and with practiced ease, squeezed off a shot, drilling one of the Heartless through the forehead, right between the eyes.

One of the other Heartless leapt towards the three women and Prue used her powers to lift a loose brick from the walkway and sent it flying into the creature's skull, shattering it. The third Heartless stood to its full height only to have Bertha drill it right through the head with a single round.

Within seconds Prue was at the innocent's side and when she pulled the dead Heartless off of the half conscious man she got the shock of her second life. "Oh my God! Andy!"

"Prue?" Andy groaned.

"Are you alright?" Prue asked, "How bad are you hurt?"

"Not badly, they just roughed me up a little." Andy replied, wincing as he tried to stand. Prue helped him up and leaned Andy against her side. As she did so, she noticed Andy's right arm hung loosely to one side.

"What happened? How did you get here?" Prue asked.

Andy hesitated for a second, God he hated lying to Prue, but Maleficent wanted this to be kept a secret. Wait a second, you have no idea who this Maleficent is. For all you know she could be evil…But if she were evil, why would she bring you back to life? Andy thought.

"I don't know how I got here." Andy replied. Yeah right. You know how you got here, but you won't tell Prue.

Another voice inside Andy's head interjected. If you tell Prue, Maleficent could turn you into a corpse again and that will really break Prue's heart. But it will break her heart if you don't tell her the truth.

"But as to the dark alley, I can explain that." Andy replied, "I woke up in a warehouse somewhere, and then these strange little demons started chasing me."

"They're called Heartless." Prue replied. Bertha and Audrey had just run to her side.

"They certainly are persistent little bastards." Andy replied.

"We'll get you back to the hotel." Prue replied, "Audrey can you see if you can't get in touch with the other team?"

"This is Team One to Team Two, what's you're status. Over." Audrey replied.

"We've not found the bloke yet." Godfrey's voice echoed over the radio, "But we've found ourselves more than our fair share of Heartless."

Over the static and Godfrey's voice, Audrey could hear gunfire and an explosion. Fearing the worse, she expected that Godfrey, Doc, and Mole were injured, or God forbid, dead.

"Mole! Do you have to take after Vinny? That bloody grenade's likely woken every blasted Heartless in the area." Godfrey shouted, because his hand still pressed the talk button, Audrey heard every word.

"Can you guys get to the hotel?" Audrey asked.

"We're not far from the gate. Why?" Godfrey asked.

"We need Doc, and fast. Prue found a wounded innocent." Audrey began.

"We'll be there presently." Godfrey replied.

Andy lay on his back, on the bed in Prue's room while Bertha was trying to call up Kolopak and Audrey was standing guard. The door opened and a bruised and singed Godfrey, Doc, and Mole came into the room.

"Next time, you ladies are going into the Third District." Godfrey began, "It's a bloody war zone in there."

"Who are these guys?" Andy asked.

"We could say the same of you." Godfrey countered, heatedly.

"Andy Trudeau."

"Alan Godfrey." As Godfrey spoke, Doc went over to Andy's bedside with his trusty medical bag at his side.

"You a cop?" Andy asked, something about Godfrey's demeanor gave him away as a policeman, despite the British army uniform he wore.

"Yes. I was formerly an officer with the Indian Constabulary Service, based out of Mayapore." Godfrey replied.

"I'm from the San Francisco precinct my – OW!" Andy groaned, "Aren't you supposed to be a doctor?"

"I am." Doc replied, "Joshua Strongbear Sweet."

"Well, your touch with my ankle isn't all that sweet." Andy replied.

"Don't be a wanker." Godfrey cautioned.

Doc bandaged a couple more cuts and then said, "This might hurt a little…"

He popped Andy's elbow back into place, and Andy let out a shout that sounded like he'd been gored by a rabid buffalo. "Now keep that arm immobilized…" Doc began, as he wrapped the arm and put it in a sling.

"No problem." Andy winced,"It sure feels like you've paralyzed it."

"Alright," Godfrey began, "From what Prue's told me over the past couple of weeks, it seems like you're more than the long-lost beau that just happened to turn up…"

Andy knew, from being on both sides, that he was being questioned. He could see Godfrey wasn't buying the explanation he'd given Prue and the others.

"Godfrey!" Prue snapped, angrily.

"One doesn't just return from the dead…" Godfrey began.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Prue asked, pulling him aside, out of the room. As soon as they were outside she began, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I could ask the same of you." Godfrey replied, "Your ex-flame, whom you once mentioned was deceased, returns from the grave? That in and of itself is highly unusual to say the least. However, the fact that he doesn't remember anything about how he got here seems somewhat fishy. And I have a hunch…"

"Aren't you being just a little over-paranoid?" Prue asked.

"Merlin warned me that our viper would strike from close in." Godfrey began, "I do hope that your beau isn't who we were warned of. All I can say is keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

"Andy isn't my enemy, Godfrey." Prue replied.

"I hope so." Godfrey said, as he walked into the next room, "For all our sakes, I hope so."

TBC