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: Another update! Whoa! It seems my muse has gone into overdrive at the moment and not just with ideas for this fic. Too bad she won't help me do my college work, grr. Thanks for all the encouragement I've gotten so far...
Disclaimer: Everything Charmed -equals - Not Mine sighs
Chapter 13: We Aren't Family…
Four familiar silhouettes are left behind as the bright light disappears completely absorbed into the deep, dark cavern. Prue emerges first out of the shadow surrounded by the angelic light. Oh that makes me want to laugh. She is followed by Phoebe, Piper and Leo, who are all close behind. My sisters well, not anymore. My cheeks curl up at the corners in joy at the thought; this is how it is supposed to be. Seeing them properly for the first time since they abandoned me, well, it makes the white hot fire burn deep inside me; the rage seeps out and burns my skin with hot sweat.
"Paige?" Prue speaks tentatively into the silence.
Achlysa steps forward behind me, one click of her fingers and she cradles a ball of purple flame in her hand. I feel the heat of it on my own back and swing round to tell her to wait a minute; I want to enjoy this sweet, sickly sisterly scene.
"Ach…" By the time I've turned around she is still, frozen to the spot just like a statue. My eyes flit between her and my sisters as I try desperately to mask my panic.
"Thanks Piper" Prue says over her shoulder, relief in her voice. What the hell is going on? And am I allowed to curse with hell now that I'm a member, okay panic rambling. Paige, it's really not the time for that…
"What's going on?" I ask surprised at my own voice as it crosses my lips, it's deep and guttural like a growl, well, a new voice for a new me. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Piper is, her eyebrows rise so far upwards that they touch her hairline. She swaps a concerned look with Prue whilst Phoebe seems to gape fearfully around.With violet and red spattered walls and the sandy floor allmasked indarkness I don't blame the current goldfish look she's sporting.
Somehow it all feels so, so good. Ooh… bad ass Paige. And I like it.
"Paige, you're okay" Piper gushes, her whole expression relaxes. I feel a flush of repulsion when I think she's going to throw herself at me, thank god she restrains herself. "You look different…" Oh, Piper our own little Sherlock Halliwell.
"Rescue now, questions later, Paige" Prue interrupts whilst tugging roughly on my arm. No niceties even cross her shiny glossed lips. What did I expect it's Prue? "Come on, we're getting out of here"
I stand fast rooted to the spot as my sister glares at me, "Why isn't anyone answering Paige's question! What's going on? What are you doing here? How…how the hell did you get here?"
Phoebe's dark eyes close fast, wincing as I raise my voice to my oldest sister. Oh, please. Don't pretend you would obey this kind of fascism, well at least the old Phoebe wouldn't have.
"I told you, questions later, grab a hold of Leo and he can orb us all out of here, quickly." Prue demands, she's starting to seethe with annoyance and I'm more than happy to let her. She ushers Phoebe and Piper to flank each side of the handy-man whose presence is still a mystery, maybe him and Piper got there thing on…or eww, maybe that's not a good thought…
"C'mon Paigey" Piper shoves a hand out towards me.
"Paige" Prue steps forward using her similar height to face me down, her blue eyes are cool, seriousness is on their surface. I close my eyes and orb into a mist of black and purple reappearing behind her and my sisters, materializing just in time to see them all swing around.
"Thanks, sis, but I got the orbing part covered…" I say slowly as each of them gape in turn, "You see there's something you don't understand, this is my magic, you remember that little thing that I told you about" My voice stays level, with a casual tone that kinda even scares me a little. At least each of them has the decency to let a flash of guilt strike across their face.
"We're sorry Paige" Phoebe says quietly.
"Ha" I can't help the splutter that escapes loudly from my throat. "It's too late for that, after what you all did…you left me all alone in the hospital, your baby sister, alone! You accused me of things I could never do, making up things about Mom, suicide, cutting, when it was a demon after me a demon! I know I wasn't the easiest person to live with, I might have been bad but all I needed was my sisters, why couldn't you see that" It's all emotionless now, everything I feel is pure hate and the freedom that it brings, love was such a fickle stupid emotion with complicated, strangling ties, this is all less complex. The Demon-lady was right. I am free.
"You abandoned me…when I needed you most…"
It feels like there should be some evil laughter right about now. I'm not so lame or so clichéd. I'm satisfied that my sisters look rightly horrified: Phoebe looks ghostly white, tears snake down Piper's cheeks and Prue's calm demeanour seems for once completely rattled, her arms fly up and cross protectively across her chest and she shivers quietly. I feel nothing but the fire within me, the fire that reaches right up to my eyes.
"Paige, please…" Prue's eyes look straight into mine, but they can't get to me anymore. "Paige" she says in defeat and for the first time in a long time I think I see emotion cross her face, it flickers like usual but this time lingers tearing a path across her perfect features…but I'm completely shut off now, all ties severed now…
"Paigey, baby" Piper pleads reaching out to touch me, when I flinch a loud sob emits from her throat.
---
We're all stood numbly, I know what I should do…with all the anger coursing through my veins and bubbling in my stomach I know what I want to do, but I'm holding back…
"Prue?" Leo's voice cuts through the air that is fogged with tension. My attention is drawn to what he is looking wide-eyed at across the dark cavern. Achlysa is moving again, she tosses her long dark hair over her shoulder and releases the fiery ball of flame from between her hands. It heads straight for Phoebe and Piper who dive out of the way, their bodies smacking simultaneously onto the ground. Leo orbs out and is upon them instantly feint white glow emanated form his palms. Whoa that's…magic, a realisation finally hits me, some steam roller of a truth, that I don't have time to process. Achlysa flies through the air hitting and sliding down the marbled walls, ouch, been there done that, and I know it hurts.
The demon queen shimmers in beside me with reinforcements, she places a hand on my shoulder, but it's harsh and cold. More demons shimmer in around her, so many that I even lose sight of my sisters.
"Kill them" Her voice booms with authority, leaving ringing in my ears.
Chaos starts all around me, still demons that are frozen like ice, demons flying through the air, new piles of ash appearing on the floor every second, crunching, groaning, hissing, screeching. Crap. I have to leap over balls of flame, dive out of the way of other demons, yet I'm surfing on a wave, venting my fury, getting…revenge, I spot my sisters in the corner where many demons appear to be meeting a sticky end.
No. It can't be happening, they're grouping together around Leo, clinging hands, I know what they're gonna do…I can't let it happen.
"No!" I cry.My anger is stronger than ever.
Great. It must have attracted some attention from the others as several scorching balls of flame fly past my shoulder singeing my earlobe…my stomach swells in excitement. It flies towards them in a split second cutting the blue orbs in half. Most of the orbs disappear out of sight, but as the contact is severed, Prue rolls out of the other cloud of blue, landing heavily face down on the ground. The fire inside me is quelled instantly leaving something disgusting and disturbing, washing around inside me. My chest heaves and I think I'm going to be sick, like I'm gonna throw my heart up right out of my mouth.
"P-girl" What? where did that come from? I glance around insanely looking for the voice that makes my heart leap, only to be broken to find that it is all in my head, "P-girl, this is not you" Confusion is causing pain to lance my temples, but it's awakening my heart again…
"Come my children, we have lost some of our own here and they died in honour." ThePeroxide Queen, announces regally, "We shall retreat, and re-group, we need a new place lest the Charmed Ones come back for us all, so we can be ready for it, with one of our very own…" She casts a glance over me and I feel it blaze into my back and it stings the back of my shoulders and neck. The Charmed Ones...Oh God! The revelation causes a buzz of voices among the demons...
"Come, child"
"Yea, C'mon Firecracker" A slightly bruised Achlysa, says as she limps towards the Demon Queen. I stand frozen on the spot as if enchanted by my own sister's magic. Everything has drained away to emptiness.
"No" It takes all my strength to utter the single phrase, and the last of it to repeat it, "No"
"Leave her, we have no time. They might be back, for that one" She gestures at Prue's form lying still on the ground.
"But…" Achlysa protests tamely.
"No. We were wrong to think that a stupid witch could join us. That was you." She shoots a look at Achlysa who looks physically struck by her glare, "But as my most faithful subject you will be given one more chance to redeem yourself" She says eyeing me menacingly before they all shimmer out in an instant leaving a vacant darkness behind.
I stare across the cavern to where my oldest sister lies.
My footsteps echo throughout the cave, off of all of the walls, although they're not loud enough to blot out my thoughts.
What have I done?
What have I done?
What have I done?
What has she done? Keep reading to find out soon...and please review!
