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: Okay, maybe I lied...it got too long sothere is another chapter after this but I've posted them both at the same time :) Please tell me what you think…

Disclaimer: Everything to do with Charmed Not mine!

Chapter 16: Nothing Else Matters

I know that voice, my heart swells in my chest. Do I dare open my eyes?

I decide to take the risk "Glen?"

"Hi baby," He grins, the smile settling between his dimpled cheeks. God, I've so missed it. Before I have a chance to look at him he scoops me up, trapping me in his arms and squeezing me tightly, in the hug I've waited forever for.

"Hey you" I sigh happily, "but, how, why?" He's actually here and he's real, he's not a ghost but a properly human Glen.

"To take you home" He says. That's the last place I want to go, right now, even with him. "C'mon you can show me your power" he purrs raising his eyebrows in perfect arches. "Orb me up Paigey…"

"Okay already, if only to stop you abusing movie quotes…geek" He laughs, even though he's only been here five minutes I've managed to forget about everything with my sisters. He always could make it all go away. I feel kinda normal again except for that I'm floating several miles above cloud nine. "C'mere" I whisper grasping for his hand, surprised to find it icy cold. However all I can concentrate on as the blue lights absorb us is the wave of happiness washing through me.

The attic? I didn't expect to orb here, I was aiming for my erm…bedroom. Oh well, we landed safely it's probably because I'm so, so happy that my powers are off, hmm…

"Wow" Glen murmurs interrupt my confusion, "Awesome P-girl…" He trails off looking intensely around the room. He twists his fingers out of mine and I sigh in disappointment and am annoyed when he doesn't notice.

"Glen? Glen?" I say trying to get his attention, he's transfixed and I'm confused.

"The famous Halliwell Manor, home of the Charmed Ones and…" He says dramatically before gazing at the bookstand "The Book of Shadows"

By the time I realise it's too late. It's even more terrifying as his shaggy brown mop grows into dark waves, his cheeks and dimples get squashes into each other like clay before growing tighter over new cheekbones. My Glen shrinks away to a tiny stature his blue eyes finally growing darker before they glow a familiar violet colour. A dull ache had quashed the happiness that had been inside me, and it's quickly been replaced by dread. Oh God. I should have seen this coming, he's my deepest desires and his death is one of my biggest hurts and suddenly furious that she managed to exploit it.

And I let her.

"Nice pad, Firecracker" She drawls, striding around the attic. "Too bad you're not gonna be long for the place…" She takes a step back becoming surrounded by shimmers that seem to spit out their demons. "It worked, too bad that she couldn't join us and all that but it turns out our little Firecracker, wasn't so useless after all… now we can destroy her and her Charmed sisters. With their powers we shall be powerful enough to rule the underworld."

"It'll be a de-man free underworld" A peroxide blonde demon quips, causing cackling laughter to fill my ears which ceases as soon as another set of shimmers appears. I soon learn why, as the imposing demon queen emerges.

"Kill the half breed" She orders coldly, "Then we can destroy the Charmed Ones, oh my children, the bounty shall be great…and your rewards even greater. Achlysa…" she mutters expectantly.

I don't even have time to process the information, before Achlysa swoops towards me, I see nothing of the girl I befriended in those eyes, they're no longer hypnotizing, just filled with darkness they're pitiless and even inhuman. I look directly into their emptiness before I feel intense heat purple flame fills all my vision and they disappear.

As the flame gets hotter and nearer, fear freezes me to the spot. Or so I think until I fly across the room. What, Ouch, Oh fuck, all goes thorough my head adding a throbbing to my pains.

My Sisters. Please God let it be them.

"Sorry Paigey I had to, you okay" Prue yells from the doorway.

"Yeah" I groan, feeling blood trickle from my head, I'm really grateful that I landed ass first though, but I was so close to becoming toast that I'm really grateful, "Thanks" I gasp but seeing them all in the doorway my anger is diluted to worry and I can't help but think that we're all in trouble now.

---

Chaos.

There's only so far that Prue and Piper's freeze and slam tactic can go. Phoebe's been using her ass-kicking skills too, but she's tired, a large bruise sitting across her left eye and she is limping on her right leg. Piper sports a bloody nose and a nasty burn where the spaghetti strap of her top used to be. Prue has nasty burns too, and a gash from a misfired athame across her back. I'm orbing all over the place every two seconds to dodge yet another flame attack and to help them get away. I know I'm not so magically experienced but I've never seen so many demons. I meet my oldest sister's gaze across the room and swallow hard at her stricken expression.

A loud crash shakes me up. Phoebe is cornered a taller leather-clad demon looming over her. I orb towards her, grab her hand we orb to safety, for now. When we land she can hardly stay on her feet and so I slide her to the floor with me. Prue and Piper rush over to where we're crouched.

"Oh Phoebe…heal her Paige" Piper gasps breathlessly.

"What do you think I'm doing…"I throw them a look, frustration and fear exploding from my mouth.

"It's okay Paige" Prue lies. She sure is believable. Not. I can see the panic shining clearlyin her eyes.

"Aah, I'm so glad you all came" Her sinister voice floats in the air "It saves us from having to look for you after we get rid of the youngest one" The demon queen stands towering over us. I'm trying to heal my sister who is slumped against my chest with Prue and Piper whispering nonsense in her ears trying desperately to keep her awake. Piper is fighting back tears and Phoebe feels like a dead weight in my arms. I feel relief as the white light begins to glow underneath my fingers.

"Ouch. Shit" My sisters look up in panic as I cry out.

My healing power is shut off painfully as an electrical shock jolts through me from my toes to my head. The Demon Queens features are strained with glee, we haven't noticed the demonic crystals that now surround us.

"Damn, a crystal cage!" I mutter. How can I be trapped in one of these again?

"Oh we've used those" Prue says randomly.

"What?"

"Erm…guys, I think the what-sama-crystal-thing is the least of our worries…" Piper waves.

She's right. When I turn around I realise that we are the centre of a circle of less than friendly demons. And they're all baying for the blood of the Charmed Ones and their little sister.

"Come on" Prue springs into action waving her hand, receiving an electric shock in return. "Piper?"

"Ouch" She is thrown back too.

"It won't work we're all powerless now…"

Prue stands fearlessly in the crystal cage pulling Piper and Phoebe with her, they share a meaningful look and chant in unison.

The Power of Three will set us free

The Power of Three will set us free,

The Power of Three will set us free,

The Power of Three will set us free…The Power of Three…"

Nothing. What's going on? My sisters lapse into silence.

"Prue it's not working!" Piper wails uncharacteristically. She slumps to the floor at Phoebe's side. Although my big sister panics, she's too stubborn to ever admit defeat. Courage seems to have been sapped out of them and when tears begin to pour down Phoebe's face and Prue sits down to join them, start to feel there fear too. The Demons surround us now, so close that they're almost touching. Oh god.

This is my fault.

I shouldn't have been so stupid.

I should have realised it wasn't Glen.

I shouldn't have brought him home.

"You shouldn't have come" I mutter quietly, "You shouldn't have come…"

"Aah how willingly to you approach your defeat, the great Charmed Ones destroyed by their own foolishness, all for a weak little hybrid…" The Demon Queen taunts. I draw in a sharp breath, trying to stave of the guilt and the wetness in my eyes.

"You shouldn't have come…" I repeat and it's all I can think of.

"NO!" Prue refuses bluntly, I look up at her in surprise, as do Piper and Phoebe. Her face, although smudged with dirt, bruises with her raven hair framing it with tangles, determination and fury blazes from her blue eyes with an intensity that I've never seen before. "You are the foolish one, she is our sister and we love her"

"You're not gonna buy that are you Firecracker?" Achlysa asks from her place in the circle.

"We're not going to make the same mistakes again Paige, we're family Paige and this time we're all in this together"

I look from one pair of penetrating eyes to the other, Prue's so clear, blue and imposing and Achysa's violet, once mysterious and captivating, now their emptiness is obvious to me. How did I ever consider her as an alternative to my family. I look back to Prue, Phoebe and Piper have joined hands, Prue offers her other hand out to me as I take it, her words wash through me again, flowing thorough my veins washing away all the fear and the hate. It feels free and it feels powerful. Am I as powerful as my sisters? They're my family, I'm their sister. This realisation surges through me with even greater power. Oh crap, it's so intense I feel dizzy, I'm their sister…surely I'm Charmed too…screw the prophecies, when are we ever gonna listen to what fate says, this destiny crap is all in our own hands now desperate times call for desperate measures…

I grasp Prue's hands tightly, smiling up at my sister, who smiles back…okay time for a new spell, all it takes is rhyming, or so I've heard…

The power of four is stronger than three,

Our bond as sisters will set us free.

The power of four is stronger than three,

Our bond as sisters will set us free…

The demons look stunned as I begin chanting, as they start to cry with pain, which gets louder and louder as each of my sisters catch on and join in. The cries echo of the walls were surrounded with flaming violet vanquishes, we have to close our eyes because of the heat. All the time clinging to each others hands…the demon queen goes last with a haunting screech and a sour suffocating smell that forces coughs from all of our throats.

Mounds of ash settle peacefully on the wooden floor of the attic. Every little movement sends a flurry of dust up into my nose. So we sit still in each others arms, listening to each other breathing, feeling each other shaking, soaking in blood, sweat and tears.

They came back; they risked everything…for me. Why?

Now I understand what Leo said to me before, and the reason why, after everything, were all still sat here right now.

It was love.

It was family.

It was sisters.

What has happened has passed, hurt is soothed by love, and beginning to forgive can heal.

And nothing else matters.


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