Chapter Nineteen

As he was forbidden from going to the basement to partake in the battle, Chong had busied himself in the kitchen instead. He'd saved the burning muffins and put a new dish in already and was now flipping pancakes. He was just tossing another when the entire floor shook from a loud thudding below. It threw his aim off, and the pancake stuck to the ceiling instead of coming back down. He frowned up at it.

Sean looked from Chong to the ceiling and back down. "What di ye call that?" he asked.

"Breakfast," a voice answered from below, and both men turned to find a Himalayan cat looking up at the pancake.

Sean looked at the Himalayan cat. "Reckon ye might call it that if it fell back down. What did ye put on that thing, Chong, tae make it stick so good?"

Chong was still peering up at the pancake. He shrugged. "Whatever butter they used that was left."

Meesy, too, was still eyeing the pancake. "What goes up," he announced, just as the sticky goo began to release, "must come down." As the pancake fell, he took a flying leap, caught it perfectly in his mouth, and dropped back down beside Kit. "Your breakfast, milady, is served."

"Thank you, kind sir," Kit told him with a purr. "You can share it with me."

Sean grinned at the two cats who were now eating the pancake as though there was nothing going on downstairs. He turned back to watch the door, hoping that no more dinosaurs would come up. He wished that he could be in the battle but knew full well that he'd better not stick his face down there or Kitty'd eat him for breakfast.

Chong shook his head and attempted to return his mind to the cooking. He had barely started another pancake when a new group came bustling in. He looked at them and then stared harder at the strange array of creatures that were accompanied by a tall, pale woman who wore nothing but a coat.

The Fieries bounded directly up to the man who stood in front of the door. "Hey, man!" the first called to him. "You gonna move?"

"Nae, I'm nae giing tae move!" Sean glared angrily at the ugly orange thing. "Unless they call fer help, ain't naebody giin' down in there."

The Goblins ooed and scurried away into various hiding places in the kitchen. They did not want to see what would happen to the man if he didn't let their Queen down there!

"All right, man," a second Fiery said, shaking his head sadly, "but it's your funeral."

"Don't worry," a third piped up. "We'll be sure to party hardy extra for ya."

"Is that all ye things study -- partyin'?"

"One," the woman spoke in a cold but calm voice, "they are not things. They are Fieries. Two . . . " She turned her hand so that her fingers arched toward the ceiling, and fire flickered from her fingertips. "I believe the Captains could use a little light."

"But we din't have any way tae send light down there," Sean told her, "an' I can nae let ye down there. I have me orders."

Was the man daft? Could he not see what she had to contribute to the battle? The fire shot higher from her fingertips, forming a fireball. "So you would prefer them to meet their deaths in the dark," she asked, "rather than survive in the light?"

Sean stepped aside. "Go right ahead, madam." He bowed to her. He didn't know who she was, but apparently she knew who she was and that was what was important. He had seen enough to know that if he didn't let her down, that fireball was going to firebomb him!

Delvira's black lips turned up into a slight smile. "Wise decision," she acknowledged to the man.

"Me name's Sean, by the way, an' I'd appreciate it if ye did nae burn the house down. There's nae tellin' how many o' those little beasties are roamin' around outside, wantin' tae get in."

"That is not my intention, Sean, but I do not have time to stand here discussing the merits of self-control." She slipped down the staircase but called back to him over her shoulder, "But do not let my subjects down here! If they bother you, just take off the orange ones' heads and throw them!"

"Huh? Won't that kill 'em?" he asked as he stepped back in front of the door just in time to break a group of the orange creatures off.

"Not at all," her words drifted up to him.


Jack looked up as the light came in. He didn't know where it was coming from, but at the top of the stairs he saw Delvira. "WELCOME, DEAR LADY!" he called. "THAT'S JUST WHAT WE NEEDED!" He began to fight with renewed vigor now that they could actually see what they were fighting.

Jack was not the only one glad to see the light. Kitty, too, was thankful as it gave her a chance to steal a glance around the basement. There were new fighters, she noted, and the big one had been taken back down. Hopefully, this time it would stay down, but she had another mission. She knew Wolverine was concerned over the lady called 'Ro and realized that she might well be on her death bed if not already dead. She had never had a chance to tell Peter good-bye, but she would do all she could to make sure he had the chance to say farewell to his beloved if they were not already too late. "WOLVERINE?" she called, slicing through another raptor.

"YES, SHADOWCAT?" Wolverine called back to her.

"GET READY! I'M TAKING YOU TO YOUR WOMAN!" She cut deftly through the air again, taking out three of the raptors before turning to him.

"THANK YA KINDLY!" he told her even as he took out another raptor, ripping its guts out with his claws.

"KURT, WATCH 'HEED FOR ME!" Those were the last words she called before pouncing toward Wolverine. Her hands grabbed his shoulders, and she phased him. "Now," she told him, no longer yelling as she was right on top of him, "this is gonna sound crazy, but you're gonna have to trust me. Walk up."

"Walk up?" he asked. "Where? The stairs?"

"Nope," she answered. "The air." She moved so that she could take his hand instead, her hand never leaving his body should he be allowed a chance to unphase and have to rejoin the battle, and she stepped up onto the empty air.

He felt sorry for the girl! The dinosaurs had driven her out of her mind! He held on to her, however, so that she would not go running forward into one and try to kill it. He was afraid she'd get hurt as she was not in her right mind.

Kitty growled underneath her breath, and her brown eyes cut up at him. "Look," she growled, "I'm trying to do you a favor. Just step on the air. What's the worst that can happen? Are you scared of falling on your butt?"

"Nope. Never have been scared o' nothing 'cept losin' 'Ro," he told Kitty. He lifted his foot and was surprised to find that he was supported. "Kind o' like stairs," he commented and continued to step one foot in front of the other.

"'Xactly," Kitty told him. "Now your woman needs you so let's move!"

They raced up together, holding hands, and Logan's surprise grew when he passed unharmed straight through the basement's ceiling and the living room's floor. Wolverine could see where 'Ro lay. He made his way over to her as quickly as he could. He knelt down beside her but did not touch her as he could see the Lewis sisters working on her. Instead, he bowed his head and, for once in his life, actually said a prayer. Oh blessed Goddess, please spare my 'Ro! It was all he could think. An' please spare Piper!

Piper was still suspended in the air, being twisted every which a way. Wolverine knew that they were trying to heal her and wondered how long it would take for either of the ladies to recover or if they even would. He continued to pray for his beloved and her goddaughter.

Kitty watched the man with sad eyes before shaking herself. She didn't have time to feel sorry for anybody; she had to get back downstairs and fulfill her duty. Turning, she dove back through the floor and reentered the basement just in time to cut through a new set of on-rushing raptors. "Don't these damn things ever end!"


Clark, Lex, Xena, and Gabrielle had been fighting the entire time they'd been down there. They had finally succeeded in killing the big dinosaur and had moved on to the smaller ones. The smaller raptors were growing fewer in number, but they were also growing more vicious as each one of their member was destroyed.

Lex hoped it would not be long before they were finished killing them. He did not like the idea of being trapped in the basement and would be glad to see the light of day as soon as possible.

It was then that Delvira officially joined the fray. Her fingers thumped bits of fire at the free raptors, but where those smaller bits hit, they became engulfed with actual fireballs that disintegrated with its target.


Piper did not know what was happening. One moment, she had been trying to scream and had no sound coming out while being in pain more awful than anything she could ever imagine. The dinosaurs had literally been eating her when her vision had blanked, and the next thing she had seen was a strange whiteness all around her. She had already found herself floating up through the white mist, but what surprised her far more was when she heard a voice calling her name.

"Piper? Piper?" Tears sprung to Piper's eyes. Were her ears playing a cruel trick on her, or was that truly her mother calling her? It was then that the whiteness began to clear, and she saw not only her mother but her grandmother, as well, waiting for her. They smiled to her and reached out for her with waiting arms.

How could this be? Piper frantically wondered. They were dead! For her to see and hear them now . . . She must be dead!


Like the others around her, Crystal had been watching the crystal working on Piper with fear clutching her heart and tears in her eyes. She held her breath as the crystal slowly lowered Piper back to the floor. She waited, watching intently and expecting Piper to awaken, as the crystal's glow flickered a few times . . . and then stopped completely.

Prue brought her fist to her mouth to keep from screaming. Piper wasn't moving! The crystal had failed! Her sister was dead! She crawled back to her and pulled Piper into her arms, her tears falling down her face and landing on Piper's. Prue could not believe Piper was gone, leaving her alone with the two younger girls. Why couldn't it have been her? Piper deserved to live! She loved her terribly and would have traded her life for Piper's if she'd been asked, but she had been helpless and now it was over! She felt Phoebe and Paige slipping their arms around her and Piper. They huddled together in a weeping, wailing mass.

Cole could scarcely breathe. He had had faith in the crystal, but it had failed! He blamed himself for not being able to get there sooner. He did not want the others to see him cry, but he couldn't leave Piper. He closed his eyes and wished the misery to end but knew it never would for with Piper gone, Cole felt his heart was gone. He ached to go to her, but her sisters, ever a force to rip them apart, prevented him from being able to do so. He put his face to his knees and wept.

Brendan was at a loss. He, too, grieved for Piper, but still he was far more concerned over Prue. She had indeed lost her sister on top of her mother and grandmother, and he could only imagine the vast pain she must be in. He wished for a way to comfort her but knew that there was nothing he could do. A howl rose in his throat, but he fought it down.

Joxer crawled over and encircled Phoebe's waist. His head lay against her back. She could feel his tears wetting her shirt. He felt helpless, but he wanted her to know he was there.

As Joxer went to his woman so did Carl. He knew he could not do anything to truly comfort Paige, but he wanted her to know that he was there for her when she was ready. He hugged her back from behind, his small arms going as far around her as they could reach.

Brendan shook his head as he watched the other men. They were not afraid to let their women know that they were there for them when they most needed them. Prue was not his lady, regardless of how much they both wished she could be, but he still wanted to be there for her. He moved silently forward and tried to lay a hand on her back. He could not reach there, however, but managed to squeeze his hand past her sisters and onto her left shoulder.

Prue felt Brendan's hand and was glad that he had stayed with her. She had had one nightmare too many, and she didn't think she was going to make it through this one. Yet she had to be strong for the others. She began to sing words she'd once heard her mother sing at a friend's funeral and was joined by Brendan's quiet but stubbornly strong voice.

Crystal watched the scene before her, feeling as helpless as a newborn kitten. Her crystal had never failed before, but it had this time. She knelt quietly beside the group, tears filling her eyes. Piper was gone. She'd barely known the woman yet still she grieved for her. Any death always hurt Crys, but this one got to her even more for she had failed her even though Piper had managed to live through Frostbite.

Lorne stood beside Crys and then knelt down beside her, his arms slipping around her waist. He knew she was blaming herself, but she wasn't to blame for it. He'd talk to her about it later. Right now, the only thing he felt he could do was to join Prue in the death song. He'd miss Piper, her cooking, and her patience with teaching him how to cook.

He felt Cindy move into her mistress' side and Elvira press her body reassuringly against his. Blue perched on Lorne's back and did his best to hug both his head and Crystal's with his little wings. Hearing Lorne, Crys began to sing softly, doing her best to keep her voice from wavering as she joined the others in the ancient song. Elvira lifted her head in a howl.

Autolycus was standing at the back of the group with Elizabeth. He had never been a strong fighter and had therefore not joined the group downstairs. He had not known the woman well but knew he'd miss her cooking and her bright spirit. His own spirit fell even more as he realized that, with Piper gone, he'd be back to having to cook and listen to the others gripe about his disability. He could feel tears forming at the mere thought and realized that everybody else would think he was crying because the woman was gone.

Angel watched in silence. It had been many years since he had cried, and he would not do it now. He would miss the woman. If he had only been a few minutes sooner, he would now be in the basement fighting with the others. He was glad that he had not gone down there, because Cordelia would have followed him or pitched a fit. He knew she was that determined and was still surprised that she was standing beside him despite all the noises in the living room as her hangover was killing her.

James stood with Samuel at the edge of the group. He had not had a chance to meet the woman, but any one as beautiful and young as she deserved to live. He felt sadness. He turned to look at his two boys and was extremely thankful that they were alive and had not been killed by the dinosaurs. Frederic had yet to meet them, and James knew he'd probably go to pieces when he did. Connor had been brave, however, and had actually helped to save people. He smiled at Connor. Poor deluded Frederic! He'd have to lock him up again for his own protection!

The sadness filled his heart, and he wanted to leave the room. There was nothing he could do below. After all, he wasn't a young man any more, and his heart would not have held up to fighting the dinosaurs. He thought it really strange that at last he had managed to leave Neverland only to die on this accursed island, killed by the damned dinosaurs! He heard a sniffle and looked down to see Samuel crying. He put his arms around Samuel and, while holding him, ended up crying himself. Tears dripped all the way down his mustache.

The pain and sadness was too much for Connor. He had to get away! He couldn't just stand there and cry like his parents! He walked quietly to the front door, opened it, and stepped outside to get a breath of fresh air just in time to see a cheetah carrying two dead raptors in her mouth. He was not sure but hoped that it was Zora.

The ground trembled, and he saw a variety of dinosaurs fleeing. Meat and plant eaters ran alike, neither bothering to take any notice of the others around them as they raced, it seemed, for their very lives! Connor knew in an instant that a T. Rex was on the rampage. The ground shook again. He opened the door and backed in. "Hurry up and get in here!" he told the cheetah only to have the raptors spit at him. He grabbed one of the raptors. "T. Rex is coming!"

"I know," she growled in response, her tail cutting through the air, "and he's headed straight this way! I've got to lead him off!"

"Zora, it's too dangerous! He won't attack anything unless he sees it moving! Stay inside!"

"He might not attack, but he could squash the house itself!"

"Be careful," he told her. He wouldn't try to stop her, because the girl did have a point.

"Be careful with what?" an orange catman asked as he stepped up to the two. He'd wanted to stay with Katrina but sensed danger.

"A T. Rex is headed our way. Zora wants to lead him away," Connor told the catman.

"Zora?" Tom asked. He looked down at the cheetah. "You, I take it?" He shook his head. "You're not going anywhere."

Zora was too shocked at the sight of the man to speak a word. Could this finally be a clue as to at least part of what was wrong with her?

Tom turned his attention past her and was just in time to see the Tyrannosaurus Rex emerge from the forest. "A little mental purrsuasion should do the trick." I hope. Tom closed his eyes and concentrated.

The T. Rex had not really paid any notice to the strange building that lay in its path as it had been chasing after its prey. Now, however, Tom replaced the house in its mind with a mountain. His green eyes opened slightly, watching the dinosaur's movements through cracked eyes, and he breathed again as he saw the mighty beast change its course to avoid the house.


Katrina and Celina were just finishing healing 'Ro. They turned as one and saw the Halliwells' group. Oh no! Katrina thought. Crys wasn't able to help! We can't do anything else to help! I will miss the girl!

Celina always blocked out everything around her when she performed a healing, but now she was hit full-force with the grief and sadness that covered the room. Her knees buckled, but Morph was there to catch her. He scooped her up.

Logan moved forward and took 'Ro's hand in his. "Little darlin', wake up. We got more than our fair share o' pain an' heartache, an' the girls need ya. I need ya. I love ya."

Ororo had began to return to consciousness just in time to catch Logan's last words. Her eyes fluttered open to gaze up at him. She spoke slowly, and her voice came out as a weak whisper due to the exhaustion in her body. "Still?"

"I don't wanna tell ya this, 'Ro, but Piper's gone."

Ororo's heart felt dead in her chest even as she jumped up. "What! No!" Her wild eyes sought out Piper and fell upon the grieving group surrounding her goddaughter. "No!"

Wolverine helped 'Ro over to Piper's group. He eased her down so that she could be close to Piper. He almost got knocked down by Prue who suddenly released Piper to her other two sisters as an idea hit her. She looked at Paige and Phoebe. "The Book!" She didn't know if it could help or not, but it had been closely guarded by her mother and grandmother. Maybe there was something in the Book to save Piper! She refused to believe that Piper was gone and nothing could be done to bring her back! She headed for her room where she had hidden the Book.

Brendan knew that there was nothing that could resurrect the naturally dead without transforming them into Zombies, so he did not know what help Prue hoped the Book could offer. Still, he ran after her, knowing that she did not need to be alone at the time.

Ororo wanted to tell Prue that the Book could not resurrect the dead, but her confusion was too great as she stared at Piper, who appeared unhurt yet was dead. It took her a moment to recognize the crystal around Piper's neck for being what it was, and then the truth hit her. The crystal had done all it could, but it was still too late! It had healed her body, but not even it could return the dead. Tears began running freely down 'Ro's cheeks then as she touched Piper with gentle hands. Goddess, she prayed silently, this can not be! To lose Piper on top of Patty and Penelope would surely kill the girls!

Prue reached the stairs and was about to run up them when there was a shift in the air currents of the room. She figured that her Aunt 'Ro was doing something and turned to look back at the group only to find Brendan standing directly beside her.

Brendan looked at Prue with sad eyes. "Prue . . . Why are you going for the Book?"

"There's got to be something in there about bringing the dead back! It's a magic book! It's been in my family for generations! It has to have the answer!"

"Prue . . . " He reached out to gently touch her cheek, tears sparkling in his brown eyes. "I don't want to be the one who has to tell you this, but the only way to bring back the dead is . . . as Zombies . . . "

"I can't let her go, Brendan, without doing something to save her! What's a Zombie?"

"They're foul creatures," he told her, "with no minds of their own. They do the bidding of their master before turning back to dust when they are no longer needed." Helvira had once threatened to turn him into one.

"That can't be the only way! I have to at least look, Brendan! I can't just let her go!"

He did not know what to say. He knew the Book would be fruitless, but he also knew that Prue was too determined to let what she believed to be a chance slip by her, especially when her sister's life lay on the line.


Piper had nearly reached her mother. Her fingers were inches away from touching hers when she felt herself begin to be pulled downwards. She looked around frantically but could see nothing yet the force persisted. "Mother!" she cried out. "What's -- What's happening?"

Patty's fingers managed to brush Piper's, but she did not take her hand. Instead, she smiled sadly at her daughter. "Be happy," she told her, tears shining in her eyes despite the smile on her face.

"Remind your sisters," Penelope added, "that we love them."

"Mother, I don't want to go!" Yet, a part of Piper wondered simultaneously, if being dead meant that she could no longer be with her sisters and Cole, did she really want to stay? She had no time to ponder the question as she was sucked back down so swiftly that the world around her was but a blur.

When her world again settled, Piper found herself submitted into complete darkness. Where was she! Was she in Hell! If she was dead, she had just been in Heaven, and that left no other place! It was then that she heard the crying and wailing that circled her. She could hear quiet voices chanting, but her fear would not allow her the chance to even recognize the familiarity of the voices. She had been taken away from Cole and her sisters to be given back to her mother and grandmother, and now she was in Hell! "No!" she cried out in a choked whisper. "No, I can't be!"

To Be Continued . . .