A/N: "Old flames die hard." Ain't that the truth. Hey, guys, all jokes aside, I've got to warn you about this chapter. It is significantly more graphic in a sexual sense than what I usually write! It's very mild, compared to some people, but it also isn't anything like the attempted rape I wrote during Persia's Prom, as Phoebe actually was raped in my story. So you've been warned. Just so you guys know, as of June 23, 2006, I've been trying to post this for FOUR days! FFN has been giving me either an error message or blank page when I've gone to upload.

Change Happens

Chapter 32: Old James Die Hard

James' eyes lifted to Piper, who he could already see beginning to twitch her fingers. With a mere twitch of his lips, flames leaped out of thin air and shot into her like a bowling ball making a strike. He watched with perverted pleasure as the second eldest Charmed One tore backwards through the air. Quickly, he returned his focus to Phoebe. "Long time no see, Pheebs."

"Get away from my sister," Prue growled venomously. Her hand flew out and she curved it through the air in the motion from right to left.

James curled his fist and held his arm in a slanted position, in front of his face. He seemed to jerk a little to the side, but otherwise was left unharmed. "You didn't think I'd forget about you three, did you?" He chuckled malevolently. "I came prepared, Charmed One!" He clasped his palms together and forced them outwards, sending a barrage of red-orange flames across the room.

"Pandora!" Prue shrieked. Her eyes narrowed as she dove at her daughter. The flames arched in mid air, curving quickly to form a right angle, and then barreled into the refrigerator, reducing it to a smoking blob of melted plastic and metal in no time flat.

Taking advantage of the moment, James lurched at his ex and grabbed her by the forearm, pulling her into a rough embrace. He dug his nails into her tender skin as he smashed her face into his chest. Quickly, he maneuvered his other arm around the back of her body and managed to grab her butt before they both disappeared in a blood red burst of light.

"Phoebe!" Cole lunged at the light, running through it just moments too late. His face burned red as he slammed his fist into the corner of the island. He didn't even look up as he shimmered out.

Pandora shivered against her mother's warm body. "Mommy," she choked, "he has bad ideaws for Aunt Phoebe." Her eyes traveled from her shaking mother to her whitelighter uncle, who was now across the room healing Piper's wounds. She clutched her mother's arm as tears brimmed in her eyes. "He wants ta make hew cwy…"

Tyler looked around the room, gathering that he'd missed something. His brows knitted. "Who was that?"

Persia's grip on her friend grew ever so tighter. Her entire body was shaking as she stared at the spot where her mother had vanished. She hadn't taken her eyes away from it since James had appeared. Even before he'd called out to Phoebe, she knew. He'd locked eyes with her first, and it was the first time in her life in which she'd seen someone else with golden flecked eyes. "I think," she said just above a whisper, "he's my father."

----

Phoebe felt her wrist twist, as James shoved her into the wall. Her head was spinning. How can he be back? We vanquished him! She shook away the thoughts, hopping to a fighting stance. She was a Charmed One, and she refused to let him take her. Not again. Her fists balled and she jerked into a fighting stance, ready to knock the evil witch to oblivion.

"Come now, Phoebe." James padded across the room, stopping casually at a mirror and adjusting the collar of his white dress shirt. "It's been far too long." He grinned as she moved towards him. He knew she planned to attack, but he also knew she'd fail. He was prepared for this time. He'd taken her once. She'd vanquished him once. He was now ready to break the tie.

James Kline watched from the corner of his eye. As he saw Phoebe's feet leave the ground, he swung around and grabbed her ankle, swinging her in a circle before shoving her through the air. He watched in sick delight as she landed roughly against the wall, again, and slid to the floor.

James folded his arms over his chest. He could feel a magical tug, but that was all. He knew Phoebe was trying to use her empathy on him. "You can't get a read, can you sweetheart?" He chuckled. "Like I told your sister, Prue was it? I came prepared, this time. I've protected myself from your powers."

"How?"

James snickered. "I think it's funny how in the movies the 'bad guy' always tells his secrets because he thinks he's in control, and then they come back to haunt him."

"So you know you're not in control?" Her voice was acidic.

"On the contrary. I'm smart. I know how not to have something backfire on me." He buttoned a cuff on his dress shirt, and then turned on his heel. He marched towards the psychic, who was still on the floor next to the wall. "Phoebe-"

"Get away from me!" Phoebe jolted upwards, and back handed James across the face.

"Agh!" A red handprint glowed on his face. He turned, his face contorting in vicious anger. He grabbed the clairvoyant and yanked her from the floor, hearing a small pop from the sheer force that he'd pulled at her arm. He dug his hands into her flesh and ignited a small fire from his palm, burning through Phoebe's skin. He smiled when she screeched in surprise and pain. He let go.

"I have plans for us, Phoebe Halliwell." He grabbed a clump of her curly brown hair and jerked her head back, pulling her face close to his own. He could feel her quickened breathing on his lips, and his eyes filled with excitement. "The only problem is, I want a family reunion first."

Phoebe's brown eyes flickered with bright alarm. "You stay away from my daughter!"

James leaned closer. His lips a mere centimeter from Phoebe's. "Our daughter."

Phoebe's face turned a dark red and her lips parted, emitting a hot globular of saliva from her mouth to James' eye.

"Agh!" James jerked back, releasing Phoebe's hair. He wiped his stinging eye with the back of his hand, wiping away the spit. He backhanded his ex, causing her to land on a king sized bed covered in black satin sheets.

The Charmed One scrambled towards the edge of the bed as soon as her body connected with the cushioned surface. To her surprise, a red field rose up around the perimeter of the bed and shocked her, sending her sprawling backwards into the center of the bed, landing in a spread eagle position.

James sniggered. "That's almost too perfect." He moved nearer to the bed, gazing down at the Charmed witch. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

----Flashback----

The crush of bone against plaster echoed through the small, one bedroom apartment. Phoebe Halliwell, barely eighteen years of age, slid to the floor in a heap. Her makeup was smeared and dark streaks of tears and mascara were cascading down her unusually pale cheeks. Her just above shoulder length, deep brown hair was scattered around her face and small pieces clung to the wet streaks on her cheeks.

The 18-year-old crossed her bare arms across her naked chest, in a vain attempt to cover up the prized body parts that her attacker was after. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Please!" She sobbed, hugging herself a little tighter. Her arms were covered with small nail marks and red welts, which would no doubt turn to bruises by the following morning.

James Kline hovered above his prey. His six pack, hairless chest glistened in a stray beam of moonlight coming from the only window in the apartment. "I've had enough of this crap, Phoebe! I've been nice, but you just keep refusing to give me what I need. Now you're forcing me to take it." He reached for the sparkling golden belt buckle on his pants, and removed it. Slowly, he removed his black jeans, allowing them to slide down his burly legs and ring his ankles.

He grabbed her by a clump of her dark brown hair, and yanked her quivering form up the wall, forcing her to look him in the eyes. He grinned with malice, and proceeded to throw her across the room. James watched in pleasure as she landed in a spread eagle in the center of her own, bare apartment. He moved quickly to her nude form, and shredded the last of his clothing before straddling her. "We're gonna have a good time tonight, Phoebe. I can feel it!"

Phoebe screamed as James pressed his hands to her arms, pinning her to the ground. Tears sprung from her raw eyes as she felt his weight on top of her, and then pain. Unbearable pain. She began to scream again as she felt him enter her body. She felt as though she was about to be torn in two. But her screams instantly halted when she felt his rough lips form a suction with her own.

----Flashback----

Soft chuckles brought her back to reality. Phoebe hadn't even realized that she was now in the fetal position, quivering at the edge of the bed; as far away from James as she could get.

"We're gonna have a good time tonight, Phoebe." The pyrokinetic flipped her a cocky grin. "I can feel it!" And with those words, he vanished in a burst of glowing red light.

----

"Here it is," Prue said. She slapped the page with James Kline's vanquishing spell. "But I want to know how this bastard got back!"

"Our main focus has to be finding Phoebe first," Piper whispered. She hovered over her baby sister's shoulder, hoping desperately that Paige might get lucky with scrying. In her heart, however, she knew differently. If he used something to block himself from our powers, he no doubt did something to hide Phoebe from us too.

Paige pushed at the crystal again, but it simply hung limp in her hand. She shifted her eyes to her brother-in-law. "Leo?"

Leo shook his head. "Paige, I'm sorry. I can't find her. And if you, with both sensing and scrying can't find her-"

"Damnit!" Piper threw up her arms in frustration. She marched over to the book. Her eyes gleamed with hatred as she stared at the hand drawn picture of James. "Stayrus," she hissed, referring to the name he used among demons. Although James was technically a witch, Piper assumed that he preferred a more menacing or mysterious name among other beings of evil. Her fist curled in rage. "A tracking spell. We should try a tracking spell." She pointed to Paige. "You work on that. I'm going to go downstairs and work on a potion."

"What kind of potion?"

"Any kind!" Piper shrieked She shoved past Leo, moving out of the attic in a blaze.

Prue placed her hand to her head. "I'm going to go check on Persia, and see how she's doing."

Paige nodded as Prue left. She glanced around the attic. "I need a notepad and pen."

"I'll go get it," Leo offered. His shoulders slumped. He felt helpless for not being able to help more than that.

----

"Persia?"

Persia pulled her knees to her chest. She'd been sitting atop the toilet seat in the bathroom for the last ten minutes. Her face was buried in her arms, as her head was throbbing. She heard the knock at the bathroom door again, accompanied by her aunt's voice.

"Honey, are you in there?"

Persia was about to lift her head to answer, when a glint caught her eye. She looked up, seeing a red light glisten in the outline of a man. She gasped a little when James appeared in front of the mirror. She knew the only reason she was alive, sitting on that toilet seat was because of the man who'd just appeared. That, and her mother had somehow found it in her heart to not punish her for what had happened to her.

"I knew I'd find you here." James took a cautious step towards Persia. "Do you know who I am?"

Persia slowly backed off the toilet seat, and moved backwards until she was pressing her back against the shower door. "Yes." Her voice was monotone.

"Who?"

The golden specks in Persia's eyes gleamed. "You're…" Her voice cracked, filling with emotion. "You're the one who raped my mother!"

James pursed his lips. His head craned to the side, and then his face softened. "Is that what she told you?" He studied his daughter, noting just how much she looked like Phoebe. But, he thought wryly, I can see that she's mine. I can see the gold in her eyes. The Golden Curse. "It's not true," he said suddenly. "I loved your mother. And for a time, she loved me too."

"Liar."

"What's your name?" James neared her again. This time he reached out to her, moving in to touch her arm. He missed as she flinched away. "I can't believe you're all grown up," he smiled.

Persia held out her hand. Confidence suddenly springing to life in her sparking eyes. "Liar!" Electricity flitted on her fingertips.

"Persia!"

"Aunt Prue! Help!" Persia flung out her hand.

"I didn't want to do this," James hissed, "but if I have to I will!" He jerked out his hand and allowed something to drop to the ground. Glass crunched as it hit the floor, filling the room with an orange smoke. He reached through, grabbing the outline of his daughter's wrist just as the bathroom door blew off its hinges. By the time the smoke cleared, he'd escaped with Persia.

"No!" The mirror shattered under the pressure of the telekinetic energy that pummeled the room via her rage. She stormed off down the hallway, leaving the small orange wisps of smoke from the bathroom to dissipate into the air.

----

"Leo!" Phoebe stared up at the ceiling. She'd been yelling almost since the moment James had left her. And although she knew it was fruitless, she'd continued to scream until her throat burned. She pulled her legs to her chest and began to rock back and forth in the center of the bed.

Phoebe's mind wandered. Why haven't my sisters come yet? Oh god, I hope he hasn't taken Persia! Tears bloomed in her brown eyes. I can't loose her again. She unconsciously placed a hand to her stomach.

----Flashback----

Phoebe stared at her frail body in a floor length mirror. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail and she nothing but a pale blue hospital gown. She touched her arm and could see the faint outline of a brown bruise, that had been fading for about a month. Tiny, fading pink scars lined her arms as well.

The 18-year-old bit her lip. Her usually sparkling eyes were dull, and outlined in red with heavy black circles from lack of sleep. Her cheeks were flushed with sickness, and her lips were parched and cracked. She heard the creek of the door behind her, but she didn't turn around.

"Miss Halliwell?"

Phoebe's head dropped to her chest as she turned around, silently willing the doctor to continue.

"I have your results." The woman frowned thoughtfully. Her white lab coat swished around her feet as she shut the door. She unclipped a white sheet of paper from her clipboard, and handed it to Phoebe. "I'm sorry, Miss Halliwell. But our blood work indicates pregnancy."

Phoebe's hand trembled as she took the white sheet with her results. "I-is there any chance it could be wrong?"

The doctor bit her lower lip. "It's ninety-nine point nine percent accurate, Miss Halliwell. You are welcome to get a second opinion, however."

Phoebe shook her head. Her hand tightened around the paper.

"You do have options." The doctor turned to the sink, and grabbed the handle of a drawer and pulled it open. It was filled with several different colored papers. She picked up two pamphlets; one yellow and one mint green. "You can schedule an abortion," she spoke as she handed the yellow form to her patient. "And of course there's Planned Parenthood." She slid the green form over the yellow.

"Thank you."

"I have a few more patients I have to get to, but if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call me." The doctor pulled a card from her beast pocket and handed it to the teen. She paused a moment, and when Phoebe said nothing, she left wordlessly.

Phoebe watched the door shut and after a beat, she looked down at her forms. They shook as her hands shook. Turning back to the mirror, she took another glance at her flat stomach. She made a fluid motion to the trash can, balled up the green pamphlet, and tossed it inside. She set the yellow on the hospital bed and began to put on her clothing.

----Flashback----

As Phoebe reminisced, she couldn't remember how she'd ever thought of abandoning her daughter. No, she thought, not abandoning. Taking her away all together. Her lips puckered as a vile taste loomed at the base of her throat. She felt like puking. If I'd gone through with it, she never would've shown up at the Manor that day. Her eyes glazed as she remembered the first time she'd saw her daughter in fourteen long years.

----Flashback----

Phoebe walked down the stairs. She could see her younger sister at the doorway. "Paige? Where are the heels I let you borrow last week?" Phoebe asked, as she ran a brush through her hair. She noticed a girl walking away from the Manor. "Who's that?" She asked, looking at Paige and Pandora.

"Some girl who was asking about you….But when I said that you were 'Phoebe Turner' now, she wanted to leave." Paige answered.

Phoebe rushed to the door. "Hey you! Wait a minute!" Phoebe called.

Persia turned around. "Yes?" She asked.

"I'm Phoebe. Who are you?" Phoebe asked.

Persia froze in her tracks. She shook her head. "Hi…Mrs. Turner." Persia said.

"Phoebe, please." Phoebe said. "And you are?" She asked.

Persia held out her hand. "Persia…." She answered.

This time Phoebe froze in her tracks. "P..Persia?...Oh God!" She gasped.

----Flashback----

"Phoebe?"

Phoebe's heart jumped as she was yanked back to reality. She looked up and gasped.

"Look who I brought to see you." James stepped aside, revealing their daughter behind him. He linked his arm around her shoulders and smiled proudly.

Persia's body was stiff. Her shoulders were broad and squared, and her arms stuck to her sides. But her eyes were the most frightening. They were glowing an electric yellow, similar to the way James' sometimes glowed red.

James touched his daughter's arm. "She's beautiful, isn't she Phoebe?" He looked his child up and down. "When I picked you to carry on my lineage, I never imagined I'd get so lucky."

----Flashback----

James stood before a smoking, silver pot. He peered across a tiled countertop, glancing black leather booklet. It was opened to about the middle of the book, and the title on the left top page read: 'Fertility Potion'.

James dragged his finger down the list of ingredients, which were written in blood red calligraphy. He stopped where it listed, 'paternal blood.' The male witch grabbed jeweled athame from the counter and held his hand above the smoking pot. He quickly jabbed the tip of the glinting blade into his index finger and watched as bubbles of deep red droplets, almost black, fell into the mixture. The pot hissed and gurgled, eliciting a stream of white steam from its center.

The witch placed his cut finger to his lips, and licked away the remaining blood droplets. He set the athame aside, and proceeded to grab a wooden spoon and stir the potion. Several minutes passed, and then he reached into his pocket, extracting a small color photo. It was of himself and an 18-year-old Phoebe Halliwell.

He grinned maliciously, before dropping the picture into the pot. He craned his neck as the picture dissolved instantly into the crimson liquid, and then he lifted the pot from the stove and poured it into a small glass. "Bottoms up," he chuckled, lifting the glass to his lips and taking a long swig. As the last drops vanished into his mouth, his entire body glowed a deep red.

James Kline slapped the glass onto the counter, shattering it instantly. As he turned, his kitchen phone began to ring. He grabbed it from its cradle and placed the receiver to his ear. "Hello, James speaking." The witch grinned cockily. "Why yes, Phoebe. I'm on my way right now. Sorry I'm late. I just got held up at a business meeting." He licked his lips. "I'll see you soon. Bye." He peered over his shoulder one last time, eyeing the page for his Fertility Potion. And then he gone.

----Flashback----

"I've got a job for you," James crooned. He moved to his dresser drawer, and extracted a small folded paper. He unraveled it, and handed it to his daughter. "These are a list of names I'd planned to take care of before your mother vanquished me." He slid it into his daughter's hand. "Do you think you can finish the job for me?"

Persia nodded robotically.

"That's a good girl." James slid his hand around the back of her head, pulling her close to his face. He kissed her forehead gently. "Be a good girl, okay?" He snickered. "And I almost forgot." He glanced at Phoebe. "Kids love the cars nowadays, don't they?" He dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a key attached to a button to activate and deactivate an alarm. The male witch dangled the keys in front of his daughter. "Why don't you take the Porche?"

Persia's head cocked, as she eyed her mother. Her eyes stilled glowed lifelessly. She took the keys wordlessly, and turned on her heel, tucking the paper into her pocket.

"It's in the garage. Down the stairs to your left," James instructed. He watched his biological daughter leave the room and called out, "Drive safely!" When the door shut behind her, he turned to Phoebe. His eyes glinted a fiery red, and he smiled from ear to ear. "So, we're finally alone." He moved nearer to the bed. "What d'ya say we strike up that old flame?"

TO BE CONTINUED….