Chapter 23 - Secrets and Sisters
(Phoebe's POV by motormouth2005 / jess)
I watched Piper walk down the stairs and ignored the doorbell, knowing she'd get it. Instead I walked back into Paige's room. She didn't lift her head when I walked in but I knew she'd raised her eyes to look at me.
"Are you OK?" I asked her. It had suddenly hit me a few moments ago how young she was, and how much she had to deal with here. It wasn't fair ...
"No." She said tearfully.
"Paige." I sighed, sitting on the bed next to her. "She didn't mean to hurt you ..."
"She knew, all along she knew who my dad was." She gave a bitter laugh. "She held me while I spoke about him, about my dad, and she didn't say anything."
I didn't know what to say - I felt just as betrayed. Lately it was like Prue and Piper had grouped together, like they knew best and Paige and I were treated like little kids. It wasn't fair.
"Where's he?" Paige asked suddenly, and I knew by the venom in her voice she was talking about Sevron.
"I ... still downstairs, I guess, frozen -" I muttered. I don't like going near him, I don't like what I feel. The evil -
BANG
The door flew open with such a force that it left a dent in the wall. The two of screamed as Sevron stepped into the room. His face was twisted in rage, his eyes were narrowed, blazing slits of hate ... and they were red.
Red. Red eyes. Sevron has red eyes. The information sped around my brain like mad as I tried to make sense of it. And then pictures joined the words, pictures of demons, demons with red eyes...
"Sevron is a demon." I whispered. How could we have been so stupid? How could I have been so stupid? Me, who had sat up for nights on end looking at the Book, studying the pictures of demons.
"You're a demon!" I said, louder, angrier. His face twisted into a smirk, and he gave a ting nod.
"Well done, Bee." My blood ran cold at the sound of the old nickname, the nickname mum used to use for me ... His voice was dripping with evil, how dare he, how dare he call me that, how dare he use that word -
"How dare you!" I screamed. I thought I was angry, but my voice sounded tearful. He threw something at me, something that sent my flying into the wall. I stayed on my feet, just, clinging to that wall for support. On the bed, Paige looked frozen in terror.
Sevron laughed, threw his head back and laughed.
"You - you don't deserve - how can you -" I spluttered, raw emotion burning.
"What's wrong, Bee?" He scoffed, and I felt bile rise up my throat. Bee ... no one had called me Bee since she died, I wouldn't let them ... I had almost forgotten it, almost forgotten he special name for me ... and now he was saying it, he was tarnishing it ...
"It's OK, Bee." He said spitefully. He knew.
"Stop it!" I screamed. I wanted to hurt him, but I knew I was powerless. What could I do, premonition him to death? "Stop it." I whispered. My head was bleeding and pounding, I couldn't think straight. The feeling of evil was washing over me, and the pain of death... he knew how to get to me, to us. He knew how to break us.
I sank down to the floor, I couldn't do it, I couldn't pretend anymore. It hurt, so much that she was gone, that she'd left us. Not just mum - I was almost used to that now, even though some nights, I just wanted her to hold me, like she did when I was little ...
But it wasn't just her, it was Grams too. She'd always been there, this ... this being of strength. She protected us, and now she was gone ... we were alone, we had to face this alone. Everyone, everyone was leaving us, mum, dad, grams ...
My face was streaming with tears, and I let my eyes close, let myself slump further towards the floor.
"Phoebe!" I heard Paige scream, but I couldn't open my eyes, I didn't have the strength.
"Phoebe, this is your baby sister." Mum said softly. "This is Paige." I looked at the small pink bundle and wondered what she wanted me to do with it. It was like one of my dolls, only her eyes were open and looking at me.
"Paige." I repeated.
"And I know you won't ever let anything happen to her." Mum added. "You'll always protect her ..."
Nodding furiously, I beamed at her. "Promise."
I dragged my head up, I had to help Paige, somehow I had to. I promised.
He had her pinned against the wall, his hands at her throat, her hands clutching his wrists. It took me too long to stand up, the dizziness was overwhelming. But I couldn't just let him kill her.
I picked up Paige's bedside lamp, surprised by it's heaviness. With all the strength I had, I swung it at him, his him on the head.
It worked, he stiffened then fell. Paige was gasping for air, massaging her neck.
"Are you - you OK?" I gasped. She nodded, stepped over his body towards me. I hugged her, relived that we had made it - for now.
"Prue - Piper -" I muttered, taking Paige's hand and pulling us out of the room. I knew, I just knew that this was the kind of thing the Book Of Shadows had mentioned, that we had to fight Sevron ...
So now you know. I doubt it's a big surprise, but now the secrets out.
