-creeps quietly back- Wow I haven't updated in...forever. Sorry! Really hope I still have some readers left -nervous laugh-
Chapter 9: Show time
"This…is so…not cool."
Paige was redirecting fireballs as if her life depended on it, which she realized hopelessly that it did. She was a witch on a mission it would seem and since she was the only Halliwell left standing, a lone witch on a mission. She could see Piper out of the corner of her eye lying beside the bookcase but she couldn't make it over to her eldest sister. She just had to pray that she was okay. She had lost sight of Phoebe some moments ago and that filled her with even more fear. No, I can't be afraid. Must…concentrate on- A fireball hit her in the arm and she yelled in pain, orbing out quickly afterwards to the other side of the attic by the door and behind the few remaining demons, one hand clasped over the bleeding wound on her arm.
"Hey demons!" she yelled and they turned around, fireballs at the ready.
"Forget it, witch," one snarled, "You're outnumbered and injured."
"Yeah well I still reckon I've got a chance," Paige shot back, "Fireballs!" She waved her hands at the demons, the fireballs they had been holding disappearing in orbs and flying towards her. Pushing her hand out, she redirected them back at their makers whom with growls shimmered out just before they hit. The whitelighter-witch cursed angrily. "I hate it when they get away," she grumbled, running a shaky hand back through her hair as she looked around the scorch-marked attic. "Piper." Paige ran to her eldest sister, falling onto her knees beside her and feeling frantically for a pulse. "Oh thank god." She sighed in relief, closing her eyes for a moment to quell the oncoming tears as she felt a weak thumping beneath her finger tips.
"Paige?"
The youngest Halliwell snapped her head around in the direction of the voice, seeing Cole walking into the attic with a somewhat calmer Chris in his arms. He seemed to be holding the baby awkwardly, then she remembered about his shoulder.
"Is she…"
"She's fine," said Paige, looking back at a still unconscious Piper, "But she needs healing. How's Leo?"
"He's in a bad shape," Cole admitted, "He won't let…Wyatt right?...he won't let him heal him." The dark haired man shook his head, shifting Chris a little in his arms. Paige closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath.
"Okay," she said, "I need you to bring him up here."
"Uh the kid screams when I put him down," said Cole, looking a little uneasily at the baby he was holding. Paige smiled a little, tilting her head to the side.
"You did just save his life," she said, quickly looking at Piper then getting up and going to Cole, "I think he likes you." Cole gave a sideways smile which Paige returned as she took Chris from him, cooing gently as she did so and bouncing him a little. "Go and get-"
"Where's Phoebe?" Cole's voice was suddenly panicked and he looked around the attic. "Paige, where is she?"
"Oh God." In her preoccupation with Piper, Paige had forgotten about her second sister and that thought alone almost overwhelmed her with guilt. "I lost sight…I was fighting the demons and…" Chris started to sniffle again in her arms and she continued to bounce him, shushing gently. Cole looked wide-eyed at Paige then wildly around the attic.
"Phoebe? Phoebe!"
Hearing the commotion, the Seer opened her eyes. It's show time. Groaning, she pushed herself up off of the floor, using the couch for support as she stood up and looked towards Cole and Paige. "What happened? Is everyone okay?"
"Oh Phoebe thank God," Paige breathed, biting her bottom lip, "I'm so…are you okay?" Cole breathed out a sigh of relief. Syam had to fight the urge to smirk; so, she had already fooled the youngest sister and the ex demon. Instead, she twisted Phoebe's features into ones of fear and concern as her eyes settled on the eldest witch.
"Piper…" she breathed, surprising even herself at how much worry she was able to fill that one word with.
"She's alive," said Paige quickly, "But she needs healing. So does Leo. Are you okay? Do you need-"
"I'm fine," the Seer said with a nod, her eyes traveling to Cole. Hm, the rumours really didn't do him justice. High forehead, sparkling eyes, a body that did not show his age one iota. Even if he was now human, he still retained that air of power that had made him such a fierce demon in his day. That, Syam could work with.
She was staring at him and that made Cole feel a little uneasy. No, not uneasy. Cold. Disconnected even. "Phoebe?" He said her name as if he wasn't sure it was her and that made the Seer's breath catch in her throat. No. No he can't know already! Putting her hand to her forehead, Syam pinched her eyes closed and stumbled a little, her other hand going to grasp the tipped over sofa for support. Dramatic but effective.
"Phoebe!" Paige passed Chris back to Cole and went towards her 'sister', placing a hand on her shoulder. "Maybe you should sit down sweetie. I think you hit your head." Syam nodded and did as she was told, as she assumed the real Phoebe would. Looking up into the young witch-lighter's eyes she forced a smile, the sisterly concern she saw in them almost making her gag. Paige smiled back at her then looked over at Cole. "Bring Leo up here," she said, "I'm going to get help."
"Help?" Syam barely got the word out when blue and white lights almost blinded her as Paige orbed out and she hissed as if in pain, covering her eyes. Luckily for her it seemed Cole had not witnessed this little aversion to the light and was too busy trying to calm a disgruntled Chris. Syam's eyes went to the little dark haired boy for a moment before she registered that Cole was now walking towards her and bending down in front of her, the same concern in his eyes.
"I'll be right back," he said softly, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek, "Are you sure you're okay?" The Seer turned her face towards the hand, savoring it for a moment. Although she was of course a demon, she enjoyed such shows of affection, though coming from the once mighty Belthazor and Source of all Evil, she had to quell that gagging feeling again. Belthazor would turn in his grave if he knew what you had become, Cole Turner, she thought to herself, though was careful not to show such thoughts on her face. Before she knew it, a small, dark haired child was placed in her arms and Cole stood back up. "I'll be right back," he said again before heading for the door and downstairs to the nursery.
As the child gurgled in her arms, Syam tentatively looked down at him. "Little Christopher Halliwell…" She let out a short chuckle and the boy's gurgles turned to sniffles. "Oh don't cry, I'm not going to hurt you. I would never hurt you" Unlike other demons who cast the second child of Piper Halliwell and Leo Wyatt aside as useless, powerless, not even worth the bother of trying to kidnap, Syam saw the son of a Charmed One and an Elder. She had seen the future of this little brown haired bundle, she knew what he was to become. Who he was to become. And when you added the blonde haired Twice Blessed to the mix…
It was at that moment that the Seer fully realized her situation. She was sitting in the Halliwell Manor, in their attic no less, disguised as Phoebe. The eldest witch, undoubtedly the most powerful of the three, was lying unconscious by her, she had one of the Halliwell boys in her arms and the famed Book of Shadows was sitting unguarded on it's alter. The damage she could cause…No. That's not why I'm here. That is not the plan. Not today's plan in any case. Chris had started to wail now; this Auntie Phoebe felt strange, she wasn't as warm and cuddly as usual. "Shh little one," Syam cooed, starting to rock him in her arms. Urgh, a baby crying. That was not a sound she missed in the Underworld. She had started to hush him again when she heard a groan, her head snapping up and eyes darting in the direction of the woman on the floor. "Damn."
Piper, hearing the wail of an obviously distressed child–her obviously distressed child-had started to regain consciousness. She groaned again and winced, her hand going to her head then the bloody wound on her chest. "Chris?" She'd know her baby's cry anywhere.
Syam scowled a little, though this just seemed to make the baby cry more and she forced her face into a soft smile at her 'sister'. "Its okay sis, I've got him. He's-" The bright lights of Paige's orbs interrupted her and again the Seer had to shield her eyes, the action seeming to make Chris cry louder. When she looked back, she saw that the dark haired witch was not alone. A man had orbed in with her, his glowing hand over her wounded arm as Paige looked fondly at him. A boyfriend? I would have known had she a boyfriend damn it, I know everything about th-
"Paige?" Piper voice was strained and Paige knelt down beside her sister.
"Shh it's okay," she said, her voice calmer than before she had orbed out, "He's going to heal you."
"Who…" Piper looked up and for the first time noticed Paige's companion. "Brody?" Syam's eyes widened slightly. Brody? Who in the name of the Source…
Kyle let out a soft chuckle and knelt down beside the injured witch. "It's Kyle actually," he said, "Hold still." With a smile he put his hands over Piper, the familiar warmth of healing spreading over her and she closed her eyes briefly until the warmth faded and she was healed. She then took Kyle's outstretched hand and stood up, brushing herself off.
"How...didn't you die?" she asked him. At both his and Paige's pained looks she quickly cleared her throat, looking around the room until her eyes settled on Chris. "Hey little guy," she cooed, going to him and taking him from the Seer's arms, bouncing him a little and nuzzling her nose to his, "I'm so glad you're okay." She looked up at the Seer and for a moment, Syam thought she saw the flicker of a frown cross the older witch's face. It was soon gone however. "Where are Leo and Wyatt?"
"Here." Cole was obviously struggling under the weight of Leo, the former whitelighter's arm slung around the ex demon's shoulder, his feet half dragging along the floor. Cole was also holding Wyatt's hand; it seemed both the Halliwell boys had taken a liking to the new guy. In contrast, Leo's hand was on his back at the bleeding wounds caused by the three fireballs, his eyes barely open.
"Oh god…" Piper was at her husband's side in a second, Paige taking baby Chris from her arms as she tried to help Cole support Leo's weight. "Leo…" She looked pleadingly over at Kyle who quickly nodded, going to the foursome.
"Leo? Leo, wake up," he said, going behind him and placing his hands on the man's back. It instantly lit up with the familiar golden glow of a whitelighter's healing ability and Leo's eyes slowly opened.
"Piper…" was the first word he spoke and realizing he could stand alone, threw his arms around his wife, who hugged him back just as tightly. He then looked around for his baby boys and, seeing they were fine, turned to look at his healer. "Kyle?" Light green eyes looked back at him and he nodded, running a hand back though his short, dark hair. "You're a whitelighter?"
"Seems like I did something good in my life after all," Kyle said by way of an explanation. Leo smiled, clapping him on the shoulder.
Throughout the exchange between Kyle and Leo, Cole had been watching the Seer watching everyone else. It was as if she were studying them, almost as if she was seeing them for the first time. He had noticed her eyes more than once flicker to the little blonde boy at his side and not in the way an Aunt's eyes should flicker to their nephew. Something was off; he just couldn't put his finger on it. "Phoebe?" he said softly, her eyes flickering back at him, those chocolate brown eyes he had fallen in love with all those years ago. She smiled at him, though it looked somewhat forced. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"If you need any healing…" Kyle shrugged a little at her before smiling at Paige, who grinned back in earnest.
"I'm fine," Syam replied. Keep your cool, woman, she told herself, though being the subject of Cole Turner's grey-green gaze was slightly unnerving. He doesn't know. Act like she would. He doesn't know. "Just tired. It's been…well it's been a long day."
"Amen to that," Piper agreed, nodding her at 'sister' before looking up at Leo, "Lets go put the kids to bed."
"Uh a few of the demons got away," Paige said quietly, biting her bottom lip, "They might be ba-"
"They won't be." Everyone's eyes were on the Seer and she cleared her throat, running a hand back through Phoebe's short, dark hair. Urgh, far too short for my liking. "I mean, they've attacked twice right? Three times is just suicide."
"Last time they almost kicked our asses though," said Paige, "I think we should at least look in the Book and see-" She stopped. "Phoebs?" The Seer had started to wobble slightly, her hand going to her forehead and her eyes blinking furiously. All an act of course. "Okay maybe you should go and lie down sweetie."
"Come on." Cole let go of Wyatt's hand (who started to sniffle before his daddy picked him up) and went to the Seer, his hand gently on the small of her back as he guided her out of the attic. The yell of, "Hey! No more making out!" from Paige made him glance back at her then down at the Seer, a small, embarrassed smile on his face though one she didn't return.
As they got to Phoebe's room Cole opened the door for her and let her walk in. "If you need me, shout," he said with a smile, "I'm gonna go and see if that whitelighter will heal my shoulder." Syam nodded, trying to stop her eyes from darting around the room. She was in a Charmed Ones bedroom, Phoebe Halliwell's most private sanctuary.
"Okay, I will," she said, smiling softly back at him before he closed the door. She waited until she heard his footsteps on the attic stairs before a smirk twisted her lips and she fazed out.
Hmmm, I'm really not sure about this chapter. Did it drag? Was the whole Phoebe/Seer thing clear or did it just totally confuse you? Please review and tell me what you thought!