A/N. Thanks for the reviews.
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Chapter 19As soon as Piper stepped through the front doors of the Manor behind Phoebe and Paige, she knew something wasn't right. It was quiet. Too quiet. Usually Leo would have greeted them immediately, and Prue would have babbled happily at the sight of her mother. And if Ryan were home, he too would be on Paige in an instant. Now, however, no one came.
That was when she heard it. The faint and distant wailing of a baby.
"Prue!" Piper screamed, running flat out towards the stairs. Phoebe and Paige followed a split second later.
Piper reached her daughter's nursery and threw open the door open violently. The sight inside made her heart stop and her stomach heave. Leo and Ryan were sprawled out on the floor, Ryan with blood pouring from his head, while Leo appeared simply unconscious. But that wasn't the worst of it. A tall man with a mop of shocking red hair was hunched over Prue's crib. The Blessed One's force field was up, and the demon was pummelling it with fireballs. The shield flickered, and Piper could tell it was weakening from the attack.
Paige gave a small whimper at the sight of her husband, but was restrained from running to him by Phoebe. This demon was obviously dangerous, and may need the full Power Of Three to defeat it.
"Hey," Phoebe called, hoping to draw the demon's attention from her niece.
It worked. The demon stopped the assault and whipped around, his piercing blue eyes full of fury.
"No!" Piper heard Paige gasp form behind her. But Piper couldn't speak. She couldn't move. She couldn't breath. Couldn't believe the demon in front of her was back.
"Surprised to see me?" Eef asked with a sarcastic grin.
"But… but we vanquished you!" Phoebe spluttered.
Eef gave a soft chuckle, clearly enjoying the shock he was causing the witches. "Did you really think you're puny attempts to vanquish me would work?" Eef conjured a fireball and launched it at Phoebe.
The crackling orange sphere hit the startled witch and the force of the impact sent her body flying towards a wall. Plaster and wood cracked and bones broke as Phoebe crashed through the wall.
"No!" Paige screamed, running for her older sister.
This spurred Piper into action and she sent her explosive power to Eef with all her might. His body exploded into a million black particles. The particles buzzed and swam around in the air before pulling back together. Whole once more, Eef sent red electricity at Paige.
"Paige," Piper yelled watching in horror as the bolt neared her pregnant sister.
Paige whipped her head around and a look of terror passed across her face. She raised her arms to protect herself, and ice shot from her palm, encasing the electricity and making it drop to the floor. "Electricity," Paige commanded, sweeping the iced bolt back to Eef, and causing him to explode. But no for long. He reformed and flamed out.
Piper dashed to Leo's side, knowing he was the only chance of saving her sister and brother – in –law. "Leo. Come on Leo."
Leo's eyes popped open and he sat up sharply. "Prue..?"
"She's fine," Piper replied, casting her eyes to the still screaming baby. "Heal them."
Leo sprung to his feet and ran to Phoebe, she being the most injured.
Paige left Phoebe and went to Ryan, cupping his blooded head in her lap. She smoothed down his mattered hair, tears dripping from her face. If he died now, he would never know their baby, never even know she was pregnant. She let out a sob, her heart breaking for the love of her life. Her cries ceased in wonder when a golden glow spread across Ryan's wound and his eyes fluttered open. Her baby's powers had combined with hers and saved Ryan.
"Paige," Ryan croaked.
"Ssh, I'm here baby," Paige soothed, planting a kiss on his forehead.
"How did you heal me?"
"Rest now, I'll tell you later," Paige said, climbing to her feet and scooping up her niece. She began to sing a lullaby, calming the little girl.
Leo's feet crunched over the wall that had once stood up – right as he scrambled to Phoebe. He dropped to his knees, the shards and splinters of wood scraping his flesh.
"What's wrong?" Piper demanded, his heart pounding with fear when the healing took longer than usual. Piper felt her self begin to hyperventilate, this was exactly how Prudence had died, being blown through a wall.
"She nearly died," Leo answered, his face screwed up in concentration. Light seeped from his hands and flooded over Phoebe. The middle sister gave a sharp gasp, but before she could sit up, Piper was pouncing on her.
"For a moment there I thought I lost you," she sobbed.
"For a moment there you did," Phoebe replied grimly.
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"Ryan?" Paige called, descending the stairs into the basement.
For the past hour, Piper, Paige and Leo had been discussing Eef's return. So far they had came up with two explanations; Eef was never really vanquished, or that he had found a loophole out of the demonic wasteland. Either way, he needed to be stopped.
Piper had been completely hysterical and was claiming she would never take her eyes off Prue. So far she had practised what she preached, and had had Leo orb Prue's crib up to the attic where she had searched the Book Of Shadows. This had been a complete waste of time as no new information had appeared.
Ryan and Phoebe had both decided to miss the gathering, being the ones who Eef had hurt the most. Both had gone straight to their beds. But now Paige needed to talk to Ryan.
"Hmm?" Ryan pushed the bedcovers off and swung his legs around so he was sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I've got something to tell you." Paige walked over to their bed, picking at her cuticles. How would he react? She sat down next to her husband.
"What is it? Is it something to do with how you healed me?" Ryan twisted himself around so he was sitting cross-legged, facing Paige. The witch-lighter did the same. The newly weds were now sitting with their knees touching.
Paige nodded and sucked in a deep breath of air, hoping but not succeeding to calm the flutter of nerves in stomach. "I'm pregnant." There, she's said it.
For a moment there was silence, and all Paige could hear was the pounding of blood in her eyes. 'Oh no, he doesn't want it!' she thought, reading the silence as bad.
"I'm gonna be daddy!" Ryan yelled, throwing his arms around Paige's neck and almost suffocating her. "That's the best news ever!"
"You're really happy?"
"Yes! Ryan released Paige and held her gently at arm length, his eyes shining. "I love you so much." He bent his head to Paige's flat stomach. "Love you little baby."
Paige laughed. "We love you too."
Ryan leaned in and kissed Paige even more passionately than on their wedding day, as if it was their first kiss.