17-year old Paige is absorbed in life, love, attitude and rebellion, but when normal teenage turmoil is turned upside down by something she can't explain, has she pushed her family too far? All 4 sisters. Paige-centric with Glen/Kyle

A/N: Whoa. Sorry about the long wait, but there's some consolation asthis chapter turned out to be extra long! Hope you enjoy, please tell me if you're still with this :) it encourages me to write faster if I know you're still reading.

Disclaimer: Everything to do with Charmed Not mine!

Chapter 12: Bonds and Betrayals.

Everything around me is fuzzy, and my stomach is churning. I know I'm in trouble.

I'm not sure where I am but it's bathed in twilight, dimly lit, with torches of purple flame on the wall. I guess there's not much electricity in these parts, it's way old fashioned…finally my feet come into contact with solid ground and the vice grip on my hand is released. We've landed in kind of hollow, just tall enough for me to stand up in, Achlysa dashes forward, every step echoing deeply through the cave-like surroundings.

"Achlysa?" I shout and begin walk blindly into the dim light. Achlysa turns quickly and kicks a blood red crystal towards me; it falls into line across my path along with three more that I didn't even notice before.

"I wouldn't try orbing outta there firecracker…" She says warningly.

What? I close my eyes, waiting for the blue lights to take over and move my body.I can feelprickles on the back of my neck,I've got to get out of here.

Holy crap! A painful jolt shoots through my fingers all the way to my toes, and, as I crash back onto the hard ground another ache shoots through my entire body. I try to run out of this small cavern the regular way. Not so clever Paige, it's just as painful as the orbing way and I'm soon back in a heap on the floor.

"Told ya so." Achlysa's voice rings out before she disappears,shimmering away.

Demon. She's a demon. Why didn't I realise…why? It's even worse thatI thought she was my friend and I trusted her, stupid, stupid, silly Paige. Tears prickle at the edges of my eyes, but I'm not gonna cry. Firstly my sisters then Achlysa, okay, new note for the future: Paige trusts no-one. I wish Glen was here, he was the only person I could trust and it makes the hole that he left much, much bigger…

I have a feint hope that my sisters might find me. It's probably just a delusion though, they hate me and magic…I thought I saw Prue open the door with some kind of power? Nah, they wouldn't believe in magic if it bit them on the ass, if they didn't believe their baby sister before, they're not likely to believe anyone or anything else. I'm so screwed.

I've just got to face facts, there's no escaping this.

---

I've been sat here for ages. I'm not sure if the chill I've got is because I'm cold or not…

At least I've had a chance to check out where I am. God, it's like nothing I have ever seen. The walls are hard, cold, and shiny, they're kind of like marble: A purple swirling pattern with specks of crimson red, like blood. It's horrible, ominous shadows in the half-light cast scary shapes on the wall. My calmness is starting to wane and fear is beginning to eat at me from the inside. It's been uncomfortably quiet, since Achlysa disappeared ages ago, muffled voices float through towards me I strain to listen…

"Achlysa, darling, it's nice to have you back…" A feminine voice speaks but it's gravely, deep and disturbing, and echoes off of the smooth walls.

"Well, my task is complete, I bought the one you wanted, but you gotta be warned…she ain't what she seems." Achlysa says casually.

"What! She has no power?" I can almost hear hackles rising as the voice spits in anger.

"No, no, no, chill it will ya! She has power, great power even, its not just witch power."

"Explain, insolent demon!" Whoa, it's scary to see that even demons can have 'Prue complex' going on.

"She's a telekinetic…"

"Good, good"

"…with Whitelighter powers…" There's that Whitelighter business again, it would so help to know what one actually was…

"That's impossible, silly demon child, you know it's forbidden, up there and down here…"

"You can see for yourself" Oh, oh I guess they're going to want to see me now.

Achlysa enters from the corner and standing directly in front of me, her skin is glowing and her eyes are flickering, bright with flame. Now, I can see purple markings that weren't there before, thread like veins into a pattern around her right eye. She no longer wears the white hospital overall, but a leather halter top huggingher curves, along with leather pants, with the seams laced up down each leg. All traces of the girl I met are gone and she's no longer a friend but an intimidating enemy. How could I have been so naïve? I hate to say that I'm scared. Another figure emerges from behind her. A woman of Amazonian proportions, her head brushes the ceiling of the room, her blond hair is as long as Achlysa's is pulled of her face into a harsh pony-tail. Her eyes glow of the same purple flame, and she also wears a violet outfit, that hugs broad shoulders and aflat stomach. She is adorned with ornate silver jewellery, its pretty showy, maybe she's a queen or something…well, she's definitely wielding the power here.

All the bravery that I ever had dissolves as she walks towards me. I shrink back into the hollow of the dark cavern I'm stuck in.

"Hmm, such a pretty thing…she looks too frail to be powerful" She growls doubtfully.

"I tell you she's strong, the first time I saw her, I knew she was a right firecracker" Achlysa replies.

Queen Demon looks over me slowly and then meets my eye, "So, witch, or whatever you may be show me your power" I don't wanna obey this hell-bitch and I'm not going to until I spot the shiny athame hung round her neck amongst the rest of her silver jewellery. I shut my eyes and comply, feeling the lights take over me. Ouch, I get shocked again; I fall to the ground, cursing wildly, the demon queen could have knocked off the lightening shield stuff.

"Yes, I can feel the potential…excellent, Achlysa, you have done well" She turns her eye on me. "Now…witch, we offer you the chance to join us, take the path of greatness, unlimited power, where there's no responsibility, just freedom. You can be powerful witch if you just say yes." Well that all sounds like a good manifesto and all, but I think she forgot to add something to her list, I get a suddenly feel bold.

"You forgot to add evil to that list…" I say out loud, Achlysa eyes widen in shock and she looks worriedly at me. "Excuse me, Ms Queen Demon Lady, I want to go home and be with my sisters."

Her face turns as purple as her eyes, but her attention is back on me when she hears "Sisters?" She looks towards Achlysa, "Demon child, did you know that she had sisters?" Oops I'm thinking I shouldn't have mentioned that…crap.

Achlysa flounders under the glare of her superior, "Erm.." She stutters.

"Don't you know of the ancient prophecies about sister witches, the Charmed Ones"

"Yes ma'am, but her sisters, they're not magical, besides aren't there three Charmed ones…This Firecracker has three sisters that makes four of them" This seems to calm her down a bit. I'm glad, mostly 'cause I don't have a clue what this charmed business is all about.

"Achlysa, indeed you seem to have found us quite a firecracker. Perhaps you can teach her not to be so disrespectful to me in the future. Get her to join our fold and if she refuses…kill her…and the sisters too, just in case."

She tosses her blond tresses over her shoulder and stalks away from us before disappearing into her own shimmers.

This is not good.

---

Achlysa is pacing outside the hollow, her boots scuffing the sandy floor. Despite my fear, it's getting on my nerves as my frustration escapes out loud from my lips.

"Achlysa, that was a top class betrayal by the way." I spit spitefully, and regret immediately when I receive a dark look in reply. Oh Paige, when will you learn, don't anger the demon girl. When will I learn to bite my tongue, hmm, never, I hope. "It was so nicely done…" Damn anger, why can't it keep quiet.

"Oh Firecracker, don't speak so soon…I thought you had potential, but you're just a good little witch, that does what her silly sisters tell her. You will join us; I'll make you see…"

"Yea, right I'm just gonna turn evil, like that." I click my fingers, but Achlysa smiles at me as if I'm a small child.

"There's no evil, Firecracker." She says it like a song relishing every word "Only power. You have the power, you just have to choose to use it. You deserve this power, after what you've been through…you could get…" She pauses before saying slowly, "…revenge."

I try to push it away, but she has sparked something buried deep inside me that agrees with her. She's not gonna get me this way, It's not gonna happen, I'm not going to give her the satisfaction.

"…I can help you bring Glen back" She whispers softly.

I shut my eyes; I'm not going to let the spark grow any stronger. Stay strong Paige. I repeat Mom's words in my head.

Suddenly like a cat, Achlysa lunges forward; she kicks the crystals out of the way and takes my hands in hers. Her violet eyes burn into mine, I need to orb out while I can, but I can't. Her eyes flicker hypnotically and I have to look at them.

"Remember Firecracker"

She still holds my gaze in hers but the violet flickers fade away and now I can see something else…

---

Little Prue, Piper and Phoebe are playing a game of jump rope in the yard of the Manor.

"Me play?" I ask.

"No Paigey, you're too little" My heart falls to my toes as I have to watch my three older sisters enjoy their game.

---

"Leave it Prue, there's no use talking to her until she's calmed down" Piper says as I listen through the door.

---

Phoebe turns her back to flounce out of my room and I finally tear the headphones from my ears hearing the last of her rant "…I'll go eat with my proper sisters"

---

…each vision flashes before my eyes in an instant and it's not just seeing. Every feeling that accompanies each vision charges through my soul surging through me ten times as strong. Soon the spark has turned to a flicker of fire inside me, but still, she holds on forcing more memories to surge up from their depths…

---

"God Paige can you not see outside of your own little world" Prue says quietly but not quiet enough to disguise the venom in her words, "You need to be in school, so you can go to college, get a job and a life! Piper, Phoebe and I are here to help you get all that…but this; drinking, smoking…and god knows what else, can you not see where you'll end up!"

I look across and see my sisters; Piper is suddenly finding the floor really interesting and Phoebe is biting her lip with a deer-in-the-headlights expression. They both refuse to look at me. "Do you guys think that too?" I ask quietly Silence confirms their answer.

---

Glen can't be gone, it can't be true. I'm laid flat out on the bed drowning in my own tears; I can't control the sobs that won't seem to stop. My pillow is soaked, with patches of grey where the streaks of mascara have rubbed from my face to the fabric. A tell-tale shaft of light cuts through the dark, it's one of my sister's come to peek at me. I want to scream out 'Go away' but my body, aching with sobs is craving a kiss, a hug, or a warm embrace that I can lose my problems in.

Please be my sister, please come in, please hug me, my heart screams inside.

Instead the shaft of light disappears and I'm alone in the dark once again.

---

…It hurts, each memory sears painfully through me, tearing like a destructive tornado. The flicker of fire now feels like a burning heat, all the anger, pain and hurt are fuel to the flame, as flammable as gasoline. My focus on Mom's words is fading by the second as Achlysa clings on and more images flash through my mind.

---

Prue is the last one to exit the hospital ward. As she shuts the door behind her, I can see there is guilt lingering in her blue eyes, but it's obviously weak enough to easily ignore.

Then they're gone.

And I'm still here.

I've always been the odd sister out, the black sheep, but I've never been alone.

They did it. They left me, I didn't think they would, I didn't think they could. Boy was I wrong. I may as well not be their baby sister, they hate me, they hate me…

and I hate them.

---

"Remember Firecracker, I can be your family." Her voice soothes as the visions fade, but the feelings linger behind. "I was with you when you needed me. In the hospital we went through things together…I'll never accuse you Paige, never leave you, you'll never be alone again. I promise."

I don't want her too leave me I've had too much of that already, Mom, Dad, Grams, Glen and my sisters…

…the fire is rising, right up into my throat. Now, pure heat is coursing through my veins and I'm embracing it. I catch sight of myself in a puddle of water. My own wavy dark hair now extends to waist length; my hospital overalls are purple and cling tightly to my skin. Finally, as the heat flushes my face, my irises change colour, and gradually, dark violet colour seeps into the whites of my eyes, until all that is visible is purple flame flickering in my face. I feel vengeful, powerful, rebellious and free in a new family, a family that wants me.

Achlysa finally frees me from her grasp, "It is done" her own eyes are sparkling too, "C'mon firecracker…we're your family now." She shimmers away, deep into the bowels of this underground cavern, I follow orbing out in a field of black and purple lights.

I feel her smile on my back as I arrive after her. "Welcome home" Achlysa drawls gleefully.

Suddenly, a flash of blue orbs fills the dark cavern with a painfully bright light; as it fades away a chorus of voices emerge.

"Paige?"


Next...We'll be seeing more ofPrue, Piper and Phoebein the next chapter...promise...please review