Author's Note – When I started this fanfic my path was clear and I knew what kind of story I wanted to write. I still do. But the importance of getting feedback for my work startled me. So I salute you Succubus-69 and Gomay! Thank you so much for reading my story!
Being one of biggest lurkers I must admit I'm not very good at writing reviews myself. But I will do my best to be a better reviewer now that I know how important they can be :)
Chapter 4. – A Star Is Born
Benny's Report, Day 28
Benny was on his way back from his third meeting with his client Mr. Ledin. He was not in a very good mood. Mr.- Ledin had been very displeased with the lack of progress in finding the unknown but important object that was hidden somewhere in the sisters house. Benny had first believed it was the Book of Shadows, a fantastic compilation of magic information that Halliwell Women had kept for centuries, but his client had just scoffed at that idea.
"I said an IMPORTANT object, Benny! Not some dusty old book full off gossip and recipes. You have to look harder!"
Benny sighed inwardly at Mr. Ledin's stupidity – that book alone was more powerful than The Nexus under the Halliwell Mansion. If any demon could get the hands on that book and use it right, he would have the power to become the most powerful Source of all time.
Mr. Ledin had called Benny and his team a bunch of amateurs and informed Benny that he had enlisted some demonic help to speed things up a little. Benny was heartbroken by this news – demons always messed things up with their brutality and greed. It would make his work much harder. Impatience was foolish, especially now when things were so fragile in the Halliwell household.
Ever since that fateful morning when Leo had told them that Paige wasn't their true sister but a part of a sinister conspiracy to destroy Wyatt and Chris, the sisters had started to drift apart - each one of them trying to deal with the devastating information in their own way. Attacking demons would easily glue them back together and destroy all the work Mr. Ledin had done so far.
Piper had started to go on long walks in a nearby park with Wyatt and Chris since Leo had told her that Paige might not be her sister. After that day the house had felt contaminated. As if the conspiracy had infested the walls.
Piper had started to shut Paige out of her and the boy's life. It was tough but she needed to be hard as steel to protect her sons. When Chris (The Older Version) had died, Piper had been forced to concentrate on the things that were most important – her sons, to cope. It was almost like having tunnel vision. It had been the only way to survive and now she was forced to do that again.
In a way it was a blessing because she had gotten so much closer to Wyatt and Chris.
The hardest part was trying to exorcise Paige from the heart. Piper loved Paige and she knew that she would never be able to completely shut down her feelings for her little sister. But Piper felt that she had to protect herself. It had been so hard to accept Paige into her family in the first place – Piper had lost so many loved ones in her life and she didn't know if she could stand to lose another. So detaching herself from Paige was the only thing Piper could do to survive emotionally. She was all about survival mechanisms these days.
The walks were wonderful and calming. She started to say hello to the other parents who also visited the little playground in the corner of the park. It felt weirdly normal. After a while Piper got to know the other parents one by one and they all became her friends. Most of the moms and dads were all very impressed by the fact that she owned a club, which was extremely flattering. She couldn't help wondering what they would say if she told them that she was a witch that battled demons on a regular basis to save the world and protect innocent people.
Both Wyatt and Chris blossomed as they played with other kids and Piper was thankful to see them escape the tension in the house. She loved watching them from her bench in the park, playing and laughing like normal children.
Among the parents there was a woman, Esmeralda, which made Piper curious. She couldn't explain it but there was something about the young woman that felt so familiar. Esmeralda was a dark, beautiful woman with two small children, a boy and a girl, who used to come to the park every day around noon.
There was an aura of mystery around Esmeralda and the pain and sorrow Piper sometimes caught in the young woman's eyes reflected Piper's own. She felt compelled to help her new friend whatever what her problem was.
Phoebe was now officially one of San Francisco's hottest singles.
A very trendy and glossy magazine had an annual ranking of the city's hottest singles and Phoebe was on the cover as the number one hot single. It was the best advertising Phoebe and her column could have. Elise was extremely happy with her and Phoebe just loved the attention. Not to mention the gift packs she had been receiving after the flattering nomination.
Of course her sisters couldn't be happy for her. Piper had asked Phoebe to keep a low profile since she thought they were extra vulnerable for exposure when the news of the heavenly conspiracy unfolded. So Phoebe never told her about the radio show she would be hosting during spring or the fact that she was approached by a major cosmetic company to be their spokes woman.
Phoebe and Elise had during a lunch joked about Phoebe writing some kind of a book. To her surprise Elise had taken that idea seriously and that Monday morning she told Phoebe that she wanted Phoebe to take some time off to make the book happen. Elise had already gotten a ghostwriter to help her with the column.
"Elise I can't write a book!"
"Why not?"
"One; I'm a columnist not Ernest Hemingway. Two; I haven't got the slightest idea what to write in a book!"
"Well Phoebe, I had a meeting with John and Steve (Elise's creative team) about this and we… "
"Without me?"
"Listen to me! We came up with the idea that a 'Dr Phil-book' wouldn't be the best idea for you to do right now, especially since Jessica came out with her book."
Phoebe snorted, Jessica Folcker was her biggest rival in the advice columnist circuit and Jessica's advice was often the opposite of Phoebe's. Two weeks ago Jessica had called Phoebe a slut on a local radio station. Elise looked at Phoebe and as expected Phoebe's competitive side kicked in almost immediately at the mention of the other columnist.
"That bitch! Yeah, you're right Elise, lets write a book! What kind of book do you have in mind?"
"I was thinking it could be fiction. Channeling a young single and her hopes and dreams… add a contemporary feel and I think we will have a hit! It would have that kind of 'Sex In The City-vibe' you know. Have you read that book by Candace Bushnell? Very good book, bestseller… " Elise was starting to get warm in her clothes as she continued but Phoebe looked a little hesitant.
"Elise, I still don't understand what kind of book you want me to do." Phoebe had her doubts about the project and Piper's warnings about staying low until they had solved this new threat against Wyatt and Chris entered her mind. "Maybe right now isn't such a good idea… "
"What are you talking about? NOW is the time to do this book Phoebe! I have already hired someone to help you write it. Emilio, come in here please! Phoebe, I would like you to meet your new ghostwriter and collaborator – Emilio Ingrosso."
Phoebe looked up and couldn't help to gasp – the young man who entered the room was the sexiest man she had ever seen. He was Her Latino Dream!
"Nice to meet you Ms Halliwell." He smiled a perfect megawatt smile and Phoebe rushed to meet his outstretched hand while rambling on about how fun it would be to write a book with him.
Elise watched the two of them and she knew that she had Phoebe by hook, line and sinker. Phoebe was going to writing her a book that would sell a lot. It didn't really matter what sort of crap Phoebe and the male bimbo would write because it would sell anyway. Phoebe was very popular right now and Elise planned to make Phoebe a star! She had BIG plans for her columnist…
Since Piper no longer asked for her help, Paige started looking for temp jobs again. It hurt her to the bone that Piper had stopped letting her taking care of her nephews. Piper never told her directly that she was unwanted, but Paige knew.
The sisters hadn't really talked about the emotional aftermath of Leo's accusations, at least not with each other. Paige had tried to bring it up but none of her sisters were interested in talking about it with her. Paige desperately needed someone to talk to.
When Leo had told her that she might not be the real sister to Piper and Phoebe, her whole world had shattered. Everything she had believed about herself and everyone else around her in the last years turned out to be a cruel illusion. She felt out of place and unwanted.
Luckily the temp agency for had a job for her, a work that she for once actually was qualified for. An adoption agency needed an assistant and Paige's background, as social worker, was perfect for the job. Paige was a little nervous since she had been out of the work loop for some time and Jenny Davies; the woman she was supposed to assist, was exactly the kind of person Paige had strived to be when she was younger. Paige couldn't help admiring her new employer - Jenny was excellent at her work, extremely efficient and at the same time warm and empathic.
Thankfully she and Paige hit it off immediately. Over lunch they discovered that they both were adopted and had an intense discussion about the ramifications about being brought up in a foster family, sharing their experiences about the subject. Paige poured her heart out without mentioning the fact that she and her sisters were witches. It felt wonderful!
On the way back to the office Paige bumped into Richard. He looked as surprised as her. Beside him was a beautiful girl with bright red hair.
"Hey!" Paige smiled at him and couldn't help to feel a little heartbroken. Richard still looked incredibly cute.
"Hey Paige!" He looked happy to see her though the girl beside him didn't look happy at all.
"How are y…?" They asked the question simultaneously and started to laugh when they both interrupted each other. Paige felt warm in the presence of his smile and laughter - she had missed it.
"This is Lena Philipsson, my fiancée." The girl beside him outstretched her hand with a fake smile and blazing eyes. Lena knew competition when she saw it and she didn't like the situation at all.
"Nice to meet you! This is Jenny Davies, my new boss… " Paige turned towards her new boss who looked very amused.
"… And friend!" Jenny interrupted Paige and exchanged hellos with the couple. After the exchange there was a small uncomfortable silence until Jenny wisely started up a conversation with Lena about Lena's beautiful and expensive coat so that Paige and Richard could have a little moment to them selves.
"So Paige… how are things? I must say I like your new hair color – you look great as brunette."
"Thanks… " Paige didn't know what to say, she was a little overwhelmed at the whole meeting, bumping into him at the street.
"Still living the witchy life with your sisters?"
"Yeah…" Paige didn't want to go into details of how much her life had turned to shit the last month so she quickly changed the subject. "Sooo… engaged huh?"
"Yeah I know." Richard grinned at her. "Paige I want you to know that quitting magic was the best thing that ever happened to me. I want to thank you for being a part of… that whole process. Ever since that day my life had turned out so much better. "
That was unexpected. Paige had always had a guilty feeling toward Richard because how things ended. "Well, good that everything worked out for you Richard."
Jenny and Lena turned their attention towards them and Paige wanted to get away from this weird meeting as fast as she could.
"Well, congratulations to the both of you and good luck with the wedding." Paige gave Lena an honest smile to show the other girl that she really meant what she said.
"Goodbye Paige." Richard disappeared with Lena down the street, leaving Paige with a strange melancholic feeling in the pit of her stomach.
"That was uncomfortably awkward." Jenny said looking at her with a raised eye brow.
"Tell me about it." Paige couldn't help smile about the whole pathetic situation.
"Let me guess… His girlfriend's hair color is exactly your old hair color?"
"Ugh! Yeah… she even had the exact same hair cut."
"Now that's pathetic! You must spill all the juicy details to me some time."
Paige laughed. "Ok, if you by me lunch tomorrow I will tell you all about it." She wondered how she would spin that story without telling all the magic details.
"Deal! I love a good story and I'm betting yours will be good." Jenny smiled and they continued down the street.
Phoebe was contemplating her life on her way home. She felt like she was in the height of her career and it would be stupid to throw everything away because of paranoia. They had dealt with new conspiracies and demon attacks all the time. This new threat was no different from the last threat. It was important to have a life in between all those battles. As a matter of fact Phoebe felt it would be WRONG to not try to have a life and that was what she would be telling Piper when her big sister found out about the book deal, the radio show, the cosmetic deal and the talk show she would be developing.
All the thoughts of an enraged Piper made Phoebe nervous so she turned her thoughts on the dinner she just had with her new ghost writer, Emilio. He had turned out to be as attracted to her as she was to him. Their dinner had been nothing but foreplay.
Phoebe smiled at the memory. He had mentioned that he lived somewhere in the neighborhood she was driving through... Maybe she would phone him and say that she just came up with a new idea for the book. If she were lucky he would invite her to his place so that they could "talk" about it some more.
Phoebe picked up her mobile and dialed the number.
Piper's mind was on the mysterious Esmeralda and her two children when she arrived home after a long walk. She was caught off guard when the demon attacked her.
He crept up from behind when she was entering the living room and slugged her with his right hand that was four times as big as his left hand. It was as hard as a rock, Piper felt as if she had been beaten with a ton of bricks.
"Hand over those brats of yours or I will make you suffer a thousands deaths by my iron fist!"
Piper responded by exploding the ceiling over the demon. She had aimed at him but after the blow she saw everything in double. The rubble effectively buried him. It gave Piper the extra seconds she needed to set up the emergency protection force field around her sons with a couple of invisible crystals. It was a neat little trick Paige had come up with - not only were the stones invisible but the boys became invisible also.
"Nice trick, bitch! Where are they! Now you've made Sledgehammer mad!"
"Sledgehammer, what kind of a name is thaaaa… ?" That was the last thing Piper said before she was flown across the room. The moment she lost consciousness she thought she heard Paige's voice.
"Leo! Leo, you better come down here right now!" Paige stood in the living room entrance ready with a potion in her hand. She always carried one with her in her purse in case of situations like this. Paige had just arrived home from work when she saw the demon hit Piper so hard that she flew into the opposite wall.
"Whoever Leo is he won't be able to help you now." The demon grinned as he lunged at Paige.
Paige threw the potion as she orbed out of his way. She missed him by an inch and the potion made a mess on the floor. While she orbed to the other side of the room she tried to check that the boys and their protection force field were ok. She couldn't find them. As she looked for her nephews the demon managed to hit her over her back. She fell and felt all the air go out of her lungs. Paige rolled away from his second blow. His hand went through the wooden floor.
"Arrrgh, stay still witch, so that Sledgehammer can hammer you!" Sledgehammer looked furiously at her. "I just want the boys! My masters don't care if you live or die so just give the boys to me!"
"What do your masters want with Wyatt and Chris and why should I give them to you?"
"My masters want the boys for themselves, they would raise them as there own children. So it won't be so bad, you see. Not killing them… just giving them a nice, evil upbringing." Sledgehammer said this while he tried to assess how hurt Paige was. They were circling each other, both looking for an angle to attack.
"A nice and evil upbringing? You've got to be kidding me?" Paige would have laughed if her chest didn't hurt so much. She was rapidly losing strength and tried desperately not to show it.
Suddenly he threw the sofa at her and Paige barely escaped by orbing to the other side of the room. When she got there she slipped on the remains of her potion that were on the floor. Sledgehammer was over Paige in an instant. As he lifted his hand to give her the deathblow she orbed his hand into his head and the demon immediately imploded in a loud bang.
"Paige? Piper?" Leo arrived in a cloud of orbs just as Sledgehammer's last remains disappeared into the air. Paige pointed him in the direction of Piper. He found his wife in the corner of the room. She bled heavily from a gash in the forehead and was going into shock. Leo held his breath while he healed Piper; he hated to see her hurt and bleeding.
"Leo, the boys!" Piper opened her eyes and threw herself up on her feet.
"Piper, you are still a little weak so take it easy." Leo tried to calm her. He had just healed a severe bleeding in her brain. "You might still suffer from dizzy spells… "
"Don't tell me to take it easy when my sons are attacked! I need to get to my sons NOW!" Leo was taken aback by her fury.
"They are fine Piper." Paige had finally found the invisible protection force field and dismantled it. She was now comforting little Chris as best she could.
Piper rushed to their side and gave them a thorough look to see if they suffered any harm.
"They are ok." Paige slowly sank down on the floor while she struggled to breath.
"Leo, you better take care of Paige. I think the demon broke some of her ribs." Leo nodded and went over to his sister-in-law.
"What the hell has happened here?" Suddenly Phoebe appeared in the doorframe. "It looks like a tornado tried to redecorate the whole living room."
"No, but a Sledgehammer." Paige stood up with the help of Leo. "Thanks Leo. Seriously, Sledgehammer must be the worst demon name I have ever heard."
"Where the hell have you've been? We could have used your help, you know." Piper still hadn't calmed down after the attack.
"I just came in for Goodness sake. I was… working late. How could I have known that you were attacked? Loosen up, you're not thinking straight when you get mad." Phoebe couldn't help looking a little guilty from the lie she just had told. She and Emilio had been working very, very late indeed.
"The demon came for my sons and you want me to loosen up? Leo! Do you know anything about this? Do you know why he wants Wyatt and Chris?" Piper was on the warpath. She looked like the human equivalent of a fury.
"Yes I do. It's actually one of the reasons why I came. Three young Ripper Demons want to adopt Wyatt and Chris." Leo looked at them for a reaction.
"They want to adopt my sons?"
"Ripper Demons are high level demons who adopt young witches and other magical people from the good side, only to raise them as their own evil breed. They have been doing this for centuries." Paige had obviously done some homework. "Sledgehammer must have been working for them."
"How do you know that, did he tell you?" Piper asked almost mockingly. Sometimes when she was very mad she couldn't help sniping at everyone around her.
"As of matter of fact he did. Ripper Demons are in The Book of Shadows, I've read about them. Leo, do you know which family of Ripper Demons it is?" Paige said patiently.
"This is a new and unknown family of Ripper Demons from the East Coast. They seem very ambitious and we The Elders suspect that they plan to take over the Underworld. With Wyatt and Chris they would become invincible."
As Leo said this Piper closed her eyes. She couldn't believe the total crapness of everything. "First we learn that Heaven want to take the boys and now there's a threat from The Underworld. Will this never end?" Her voice broke at the end of the sentence. Leo couldn't help himself, he hugged his wife and she let him.
Phoebe and Paige looked at each other and started to leave the room to give the married couple a little privacy.
"Hey, where are you going? We must talk about what we should do, make up plans until the next time… " Piper called them back.
"Piper, maybe that can wait? I have a radio show tonight that I must do. It's on live in abou… "Oops! That sentence just came out without Phoebe thinking. She couldn't finish what she was about to say before Piper exploded.
"A radio show? Demonic baby snatchers almost kidnap my sons and you are going to do a radio show? What did I tell about too much exposure in the public eye at a time like this?" Piper was livid.
"A time like what, Piper? It's ALWAYS like this. We can't stop our lives completely because of some demons. It would be like letting them win." What the hell, Phoebe thought, we just have to have this discussion at some point so it may just as well be now. And she thought she had a pretty good point.
"They win if they get my sons. Don't you go and tell me about giving up life and career, Phoebe. If you had to give up just a tenth of everything I had forsaken for… " Piper couldn't believe the bullshit Phoebe was telling her.
"Wait a minute… Piper what are you talking about? You have forsaken? You have a husband and two kids for Chrissakes! You have nothing to complain about! All I want is to have a life and kids of my own and… " Phoebe surprised herself, she didn't knew she wanted children. But it was true.
"Having kids it's not an easy thing Phoebe. What I mean is… " Piper was as surprised as Phoebe.
"What do you mean by that? I can't have children because I'm too 'Phoebe'? Yeah right, you always peg me as the constant screw up! Wild Phoebe! Freebie! That's all I've ever heard my entire life! Everyone does mistakes even you Miss Perfect!" Phoebe spit out the last sentence.
"At least I didn't marry The Source and then leave The Power of Three to become the Queen of the Underworld!" That was a cheap shot but Piper didn't care anymore.
"Oh for the love of God! You are never going to let me live that one down are you? Your constant blame is slowly killing me!"
"What? I have never… ! Since when did this conversation turn into 'poor misunderstood Phoebe' from 'poor Piper'? I think I'm entitled a little bit of sympathy and support from my ever absent family!"
"C'mon Piper, your idiot, absent husband I can't help you with, but Paige has been here for you this whole summer." Leo looked hurt at Phoebe, who gave him an apologetic shrug.
"Yeah the one that turned out to NOT be family."
Just after that last comment by Piper, everyone realized that Paige was still in the room. She was holding Chris in her arms. She looked like as if someone had struck her.
"Paige I didn't mean… "
"Here." Paige gave the sleeping infant to Piper. "Don't wake him." With that she orbed away.
"Good one Piper."
"Oh just shut up!"
The slam from the door when Phoebe walked out woke up both Chris and Wyatt. Piper looked at Leo, who had been quiet during the whole screaming match, and said; "Can you take Wyatt while I try to calm Chris down?"
Leo looked sadly at her while the blue orbs started to form around him. "I'm sorry, I can't. The Elders are calling." Then he orbed away leaving her with their two crying sons. She was alone to take care of everything.
Piper broke down completely that night and cried herself to sleep. How could she protect Wyatt and Chris without the support of her family?
Late that night Benny sat together with Mr. Ledin and listened to Phoebe on the radio show.
"She is really funny that Phoebe! She would go far if I wasn't about to destroy her." Mr. Ledin was laughing at almost everything Phoebe said when she gave advice to different listeners. Benny decided that now was the time to talk freely to his client.
"Mr. Ledin I must admit I was upset and disappointed when you called in other demons to work on the Halliwell Sisters but after the fight I witnessed this afternoon I have changed my mind. The fight didn't make them closer but it made them fall apart even more." Benny wanted to give credit when credit was due.
"Thank you Benny. Manipulate human beings is my specialty. I have had a lot of time to perfection this talent of mine."
"I also wanted to apologize for the slow progress… "
"Don't worry Benny, I trust you to find the object eventually. I just get a little impatient from time to time. And please don't worry about the other demons – these ones are smart and they only want the boys, which I have no need for. They won't interfere in your work at all. Though they might be closer to the sisters than you think." Mr. Ledin gave Benny a wink and smiled. "It is time for them to learn that they can't trust each other and it is time to learn they can't trust no one else either."
To be continued in "Chapter 5. - A Stranger In The Mall"...