Phoebe watched, seething with anger, as Jason threw open the front door of their apartment. "Yeah that's right, run away to work. Just abandon your fiancé and baby!" she yelled after him.
Jason turned around the face his emotional girlfriend. He opened his mouth to retaliate, but thought better of it and snapped it closed. The mortal gave a sigh, which translated the Phoebe as 'I can't be bothered.' Without another word Jason turned again and fled the apartment, slamming the front door behind him.
The crash rattled through the apartment and immediately the wailing of a baby filled the air. Phoebe pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly before racing for her daughter. By the time she reached Phoenix, the little witch was already sound asleep, making soft snoring noises as her chest rose and fell.
The middle Charmed One flopped onto her bed, replaying the argument in her mind. The row had left her emotionally drained and Jason furious. She was surprised Phoenix hadn't woken earlier, what with all the shouting that had been going on. 'Then again,' Phoebe thought. 'She's probably used to it.'
The five months since Phoenix's birth had been riddled with feuds between the new parents. Apparently, neither one had realised just how demanding a young baby could be, resulting in heated discussions. The most recent argument had been about work, however, and not whose turn it was to change the baby. It was six o'clock in the evening and Jason had claimed he had a meeting at the newspaper. Because Phoebe was on maternity leave, she had no idea whether this was true or not. In the end, Jason had been so furious Phoebe hadn't believed him he had stormed out.
Phoebe pulled herself up and peered down at her snoozing beautiful baby. Phoenix had fluffy black hair and dazzling blue eyes that had obviously been inherited from Jason.
A funnel of sand sprouted up from the floor, growing taller and taller until it reached the ceiling, causing Phoebe to instinctively jerk back. The sand began to spin wildly, looking very much like a mini tornado. Grains of sand bit and stung Phoebe's skin, but before she could dive towards Phoenix to shield her, a woman stepped from the sand and it disappeared into the ground.
Phoebe stared up at the woman, mesmerised. She was beautiful, with olive skin that looked young and fresh. Her almond shaped eyes were dark brown and rimmed with thick black make-up, her cheekbones were razor sharp and shimmering, her lips full and painted blood red. Her jet-black hair fell to her jaw line in tiny braids with brightly coloured beads woven through it. She a long, tan coloured dress that reminded Phoebe of the papyrus paper they used in ancient times. The woman's feet were bare, which struck Phoebe as strange. But the thing that really captured Phoebe's attention was the necklace that hung from her slender neck. It was made of pure gleaming gold, the thick chain supporting a heavy looking scarab beetle pendent. The beetle was encrusted with two precious stones that shone a rich emerald green. The whole effect made the woman look as if she'd just emerged from ancient Egypt.
The female intruder conjured a swirling ball of golden sand and launched it at Phoebe, who was now standing. The middle Charmed One braced herself for contact, but the sand ball exploded at her feet. Sand rose around Phoebe, obscuring her view and choking her. The grit soon settled, and when Phoebe could see again, the woman was gone. Phoebe coughed out the last bit of sand and suck onto her pillow, suddenly feeling light headed and woozy. What the hell had that wanna be Cleopatra done to her?
"Leo!" Phoebe called, trying not to panic. The sand ball hadn't done any obvious or serious damage, like an energy ball, but that didn't mean it wasn't just as dangerous.
The blonde whitelighter appeared in a swathe of orbs. "What is it?"
"Can you orb us to the Manor?" Phoebe scooped Phoenix up and held onto Leo. "I'll explain when I get there."
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Leo, Phoebe and Phoenix materialised in the living room of Halliwell Manor in a glimmer of light.
Paige and Ryan, who were sat on the sofa with Kara, looked up, their faces beaming. Kara looked immensely proud of her self, and Phoebe soon found out why.
"Kara got a new power!" Paige exclaimed excitedly. "Orbing!"
"Isn't she a genius?" Ryan asked proudly.
Both parents seemed thrilled their daughter had gained a third power and Phoebe couldn't help but smile, despite the demon problem. "Well done sweetie," Phoebe praised, leaning down to her niece's level while still clutching Phoenix. As she bent low, the middle sister's head spun and she wobbled slightly.
Leo sprang forward to steady his sister-in-law and Ryan took Phoenix, encase Phoebe fell down.
"Are you okay?" Paige asked.
"Yeah," Phoebe replied a little shakily as she sat down. "Just a little dizzy spell. Probably from when I bent over too quickly." It didn't occur to the Charmed One that it had anything to do with the strange creature who had attacked.
"Auntie Fee!" Prue cried, charging into the room.
"Hey honey," Phoebe greeted weakly.
Piper waddled in after her daughter, her five-month bulge leading the way. Shortly after the birth of Phoenix, Piper had announced she was expecting her second baby. The baby had shown signs of telekinetic orbing and orbing womb powers, much like her older cousins and sister.
"Hi Phoebes. What are you doing here?" Piper wondered.
"I was attacked by a demon." Phoebe already sounded stronger and had a little colour back in her cheeks. "At least I think she was a demon."
"Are you all right?" Piper demanded.
"I'm fine."
"D'you think the demon caused your dizzy spell?" Ryan questioned.
"Well, she did hit me with some weird kind of sand ball, and I felt a little dizzy then."
"Why didn't you tell me!" Leo cried, placing his hands over Phoebe's head. When no healing glow came, he dropped them.
"Because I suspected that might happen," Phoebe answered.
"Okay, let's check the book. Leo you check with the Elders and please take the girls with you," Piper ordered. "If we're going to have to fight a demon I don't want them here."
"Come on sweetie, let's go visit Uncle Elders," Leo said to his daughter. He held onto her hand and picked up Kara and Phoenix, somehow managing to hold them all.
Prue pulled an un-impressed face. "No! Uncle Elders stinky!"
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The Egyptian demoness' bare feet slapped the cold stone floor as she stalked the length of her bedchambers. The walls of the room were as bare as her feet, windowless and made of rough stone the colour of curdled milk. A basic bed lay in the middle of the room. Made of dark wood, with a think mattress and a curved wooden headrest, it looked uncomfortable. Exactly like the beds used in ancient Egypt.
"What's taking so long?" she hissed. "It should've worked by now."
A young man whose bleached blonde hair was spiked like a hedgehog stepped forward. Unlike the demoness, this Warlock was definitely of the twenty-first century. Ripped, dirty white jeans and a crumpled green T-shirt hung from his almost skeletal frame. "Patience, my lady. These are not just any witches. They are the Charmed Ones." His skinny face broke into a grin, revealing a set of rotting brown teeth. "Soon she will fall."
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An hour later, Paige had finally found the demoness who had attacked Phoebe.
"Her name's Shuckna," Paige informed them. "She comes from ancient Egypt, like you thought." Paige's triumphant smile quickly faded when she saw the sight of Phoebe. The middle sister was deathly pale, her eyes sunken and shallow. Phoebe's lips had a blue tint and were cracked and dry. It was like looking at death.
"Phoebe…" Paige took a step towards her sister.
Phoebe gave a small moan of pain and crumpled to the floor.
"No!" Paige cried, sprinting forward and landing on her knees beside her fallen sister.
"Oh God," Piper murmured. She jumped up from her seat on the old love seat and moved as fast as she could to her younger sisters. She bent down beside them and took Phoebe's hand in hers. It was cold and clammy. Not a good sign. "Leo!"
Her husband orbed in, ready to share his information. But then he saw his oldest sister-in-law and all thoughts of that left his mind. He darted for the sisters and put his healing hands over Phoebe's heart.
"Phoebe," Paige whispered, pleading for her sister to wake up. "Heal her dammit!" she screeched at Leo.
Piper watched in horror as Leo removed his hands and his eyes filled with sympathy and sadness. "I'm so, so sorry. I can't."
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Shuckna waved a hand over the stone basin and the image of the Charmed Ones faded and flickered out. She lifted the bowl, careful not to spill any of the precious water that allowed her to view images of her targets. The clear water rippled precariously, but none fell from the sides. The Egyptian demoness placed it in a small cupboard, made from the same wood as her bed, smiling as she did so.
All of the deaths she caused gave Shuckna great joy, but this was by far the best. With the death of Phoebe Halliwell, she had succeeded in breaking the Charmed circle, and this time, there was no long lost sister to reconstitute it.