Chapter 5 - A Clue Along The Way

That didn't last long. When I woke up that morning, I was full of doubts.

Paige was the only one in the kitchen when I went down, and she narrowed her eyes at me. The notebook was still on the table, but it took me a minute to realise what she was thinking about.

"I mean it." I said breezily. "I want you to call him, and you know you want to."

She sighed. "This isn't the time."

"Exactly." I said softly. "Please, Paige, do this for me. And for her."

I wasn't really sure if there was any logic behind that, but eventually, she nodded.

"I'll text him." She said eventually. "But I'm not meeting up until she's back, until she's home."

"OK, agreed. Now, this spell of yours. It sounds pretty good." I said, indicating the notebook.

"I thought so too." She said nervously. "I was thinking we could try it later ...?" I nodded.

"As soon as Phoebe and Prue get up." I said, hardly daring to hope it would work ... "They're still home, right?"

"I think so, I haven't heard anyone leave." She replied, as Prue walked into the kitchen.

"Hi, Paige has a spell." I said quickly. Well, no point waiting around, is there?

"Um ... OK ... I think I heard Phoebe getting up ..." Prue said slowly, taking time to process the information this early on a morning, and before her coffee.

"Good." I said, turning and walking out.

I changed quickly, then shook Leo awake, and explained.

"You think it'll work?" He asked hopefully.

"I hope so." I said softly. "I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't."

He hugged me briefly, kissed my forehead.

"I hope so too." He whispered. I nodded.

"Keep the boys up here, where it's safe. We'll shout you if anything happens."

"OK. Good luck, and ... Be careful, OK?"

"I always am." I said with a forced smile.

"Hi, hey, Phoebe!" I called, seeing her and Cole walking past. "Paige has a spell that might work. You ready?"

"Ah - um - sure." She gave Cole a quick kiss. "Go wait with Leo." She told him. Reluctantly he did so, as Prue came out of her bedroom. I hadn't even seen her go back up.

"When did you -"

She smiled at me, and as she faded away, I realised - she'd astro-ed. I rolled my eyes as Andy walked out. He gave me a small smile.

"You wanna wait with Leo and Cole?" I asked, sure that Prue would have told him to stay up here.

"Uh - sure." He touched my arm and walked past.

Back in hallway, my sisters were ready, the dining table turned up for protection.

"You think it'll summon a demon?" I questioned.

"We don't know what it's going to do." Phoebe replied. "We just want to be safe." I nodded and ducked behind it.

"OK ..." Paige picked up Hugsy and placed him next to a fat white candle on the floor, which she then lit.

"You watch that, it's a fire-hazard." I told her. She rolled her eyes and reached for a waiting atheme. She gripped it in her palm, then dripped the blood onto the flame. Phoebe did the same, cringing a little, then passed it to Prue, who stabbed her index finger, her face set. As the crimson liquid hit the flame, she passed me the atheme. I dragged it across my palm, just under the spot where I had done four nights ago. I held my hand over the candle, willing it to work.

"Hear the words of the witches, the secrets hid in the night, draw strength from the power of four, strength from out entire line, bring back Patty. Bring her back, to us."

The flame on the candle flashed red and ...

And nothing.

Nothing happened.

"I'm sorry." Paige whispered. I shook my head.

"It's not your fault." I replied, looking at the candle. "Why - why did it -"

"I don't know." Paige shrugged.

"Something must have happened!" Prue cried. "The candle flashed - magic happened!"

The phrase that springs to mind?

Clutching at straws.

Sympathetically, Phoebe rubbed my arm - then jumped.

"See! It did do something." Prue said, but we ignored her, looking at Phoebe.

"Well?" I asked when she opened her eyes. She looked confused.

"I ... don't understand." She confessed.

"What did you see?" I asked again.

"You .. and Leo ... outside the school ... you banging on the door, and Mrs. Wilson answering."

"What? You saw ... you saw us finding out she was gone? What use is that?" I sighed. "Leo! You can come down. It's safe."

The lot of them orbed down - too lazy to take the stairs, obviously.

"What happened?" Leo asked.

"Nothing." I replied.

"No, Phoebe had a premonition." Prue argued. I rolled my eyes.

"Not a useful one!" I snapped. "No offence Pheebs." I added guiltily.

"None taken. I don't see what it means either ... but ..."

"She saw you and Piper outside the school. When you ... When you found out she was gone." Paige explained.

"It must mean something." Phoebe said. "They don't just happen for nothing. Piper, Leo, think back. Try to remember - there must be something."

Shooting her a look, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, ready to remember the moments I had been trying to forget ...

"Hello?" I knocked on the door. "Hello?"

BANG BANG BANG.

"Piper, stop it!" Leo hissed. I put my fist down. Finally, it clicked open.

"Piper, what's wrong?" Ms. Wilson asked.

"Where's Patty?" I asked, craning my neck to see past her.

"Piper, Patty was picked up a few minutes ago." She said in concern.

"Wh-what? By who?"

"Her uncle."

"What?" I looked at Leo. "Did you ask Cole or Andy -?"

He shook his head. I turned back to Ms. Wilson.

"Which one? Did he say?"

"No ... He just asked for her and said he was her uncle, that it was OK by you. I wasn't going to let him, but Patty seemed to know him ..."

I opened my eyes as realisation hit.

"She knows him." I said quietly. "She knows the guy that took her ..."