Chapter 5: Love is Everything
It had been a month since Jack and Emma had met Paige, a month since their mother's death and since their father had turned evil. However some good things had happened in that time; Emma and Jack had moved to San Francisco to be closer to Paige and they had all moved in to an apartment together and Jack and Emma had enrolled at the local high school. Piper was adjusting to not having Paige around while Phoebe was enjoying the quietness of not having her sister nearly blowing up the house every five minutes with a new potion she had been creating. While Billie had decided to go visit her parents back east for a while.
Paige, Jack and Emma were currently walking down a busy street. Paige was wearing black three quarter length trousers with a beige camisole on and black flat soled shoes her hair was up in a pony tail while Emma was wearing a cream ankle length skirt with a black blouse and flip flops adorning her feet and her hair hung loosely down her back in loose curls and Jack was wearing dark blue jeans and a black shirt that had sliver stripes down it while he was wearing some stylish black shoes his hair was styled in his usual way which was a neat but messy look.
" So why do we have to meet this guy again?" said Jack dodging a man who was too busy listening to his mp3 player to pay attention to where he was walking.
" You have to meet this guy because I've been dating him for just under two months and he wants to meet my brother and sister." Said Paige looking at Jack irritated.
" Fine but why at a French café, I hate French food." Said Jack looking disgusted. Stumbling slightly as a man bumped in to him " Your welcome!" shouted Jack at the man's retreating back before seething silently to himself.
" Just order a coffee or something then." Said Paige staring at her younger brother heatedly.
"Fine and also why couldn't we just orb to this place." Said Jack looking bored.
" We couldn't orb because Henry doesn't know I'm a witch yet." Said Paige pointedly to Jack.
" Can you two pack in arguing." Said Emma " We're late enough as it is without you two bickering like two older washer women." She said looking at the road before crossing.
" We weren't arguing." They both said simultaneously.
" That's him." Said Paige pointing at Henry who was sat at a table twiddling his thumbs. "He's hot.," said Emma looking intently at Henry.
" That guy, he looks like a tramp." Exclaimed Jack.
" That guy," said Paige looking at Jack her eyes narrowed " could be your brother in law one day so be nice." Said Paige before she walked off. Emma grinned at Jack before walking after Paige; Jack let out a sigh and walked after his sister's.
Henry leapt out of his seat as Paige approached flowed closely by a teenage girl who he guessed was Emma. " Hey." Said Paige embracing Henry.
" Hey yourself what took you so long?" he asked reciprocating the hug.
"It was really busy so it took us longer than I thought it would." Said Paige.
"Well it wouldn't of taken this long if we had orbed." Muttered Jack as he caught up with Paige and Emma but he was silenced as he caught the menacing stare Paige was giving him.
" Henry I'd like you to meet by brother Jack and my sister Emma." Said Paige moving aside so Henry could see them better. " Hi." He said giving Emma a quick peck on the cheek before giving Jack a handshake. They all sat down at the table sitting in silence. However the silence was broken as a waitress came over to take their order. " Can I take your order?" she asked them.
" Yeah I'll have a latte and some biscotti." said Paige looking down at the menu.
" I'll have the same." Said Emma handing the waitress the menu back and giving her a smile.
" and I'll have the sandwich of the day and a regular coffee please." Said Henry placing the menu back on the silver holder that was in the centre of the table.
" What about you?" she asked turning to Jack.
" Do you have any specials today." He said smiling sweetly while staring straight at Paige.
" Jack how are you meant to afford that?" asked Paige her teeth gritted as a sign o frustration.
" Oh don't worry." Said Henry " I'm paying." As he reached in to his pocket and pulled his wallet out.
" See Henry's paying." Said Jack smiling even more sweetly at Paige. " I'll have the pasta and…"
" He'll have a coffee and a pain au chocolat." Said Paige cutting Jack off and waving the waitress of.
" A word sister." Said Jack dragging Paige up of her seat not even getting a chance you tell Henry she would be right back.
" What the hell was all that about?" hissed Jack staring at Paige venomously.
" That was you been a spoilt brat and trying to get everything you can out of Henry." Spat back Paige.
" What's that meant to mean?" said Jack looking mockingly offended.
" Oh don't play the innocent game with me Mr, I know what your game is." Said Paige jabbing a finger at Jack's chest.
Meanwhile back outside the café Emma and Henry were sat politely chatting when they heard raised voices causing people that were seated around them to look up. Emma groaned and slid further down in to her seat. " They do that a lot?" asked Henry looking at Emma who just smiled weakly and quickly stood up and said, " Excuse me." Before she walked away leaving Henry sat looking bewildered by himself.
" What the hell are you two doing?" hissed Emma as she rounded the corner.
" We're having a friendly discussion." Said Paige " Where's Henry?" she asked her.
" He's sat at the table." She replied before Paige snapped at her " It was rhetorical." Her eyes boring in to Emma.
" You know you two are really going have to sort this whole arguing thing out it's bad enough at home but in public." She said sighing her eyes raised sky ward.
" For the last time we're not arguing." They shouted at Emma once again simultaneously.
Before Emma could reply, loud screams and shrieks of terror began to emanate from the café courtyard. They all looked at each other before they ran out of the alley they had been stood in arguing. They arrived on the scene to see two large bulky demons ripping trough the courtyard smashing tables against walls and crushing chairs with their bare hands. Paige screamed as she saw a chair fly straight at Henry, Henry looked up and saw Paige and let out a relieved smile however the chair hit him full on causing him to fall to the floor and slide along the concrete slabs that adorned the floor of the café courtyard. "Jack distract them, use your secret touch." Said Paige flexing her hand to Jack as a secret meaning for him to use his power of dormiokenesis. Jack snarled at the demons and ripped his glove of his hand and ran full pelt at the demon.
The demon closet to Jack saw him advancing and readied a swirling ball of green energy in his hand. Jack smirked and jumped up on to one of the few tables that hadn't been destroyed and jumped at the demon but little did the demon know that Jack used his power to hover and slowly hovered over the demons head. The demon felt pressure gather on his shoulders and saw Jack sitting on them like he was going for a shoulder carry " Hi my names Jack and I'll be your knock out today." He said smiling falsely before he laid his palm on the demon's baldhead and a blue glow encompassed Jack's hand before it slowly subsided in to the demon that had begun to sway on the spot. The demon in question suddenly began to belly flop to the floor Jack quickly jumped off and landed on the floor effortlessly. He stood up and dusted him self off and said " Well that was easy." But he quickly had to duck luckily dodging an oncoming fireball. He swivelled around and snarled at the demon but it quickly turned to a look of fear because the demon that had thrown the fireball had Henry draped across his shoulders. Paige let out a roar like scream and ran straight at the demon but the demon merely swiped his arm out hitting Paige and sending her flying and causing her to hit a stone wall. The demon shimmered out leaving Paige unconscious and Emma and Jack to wonder what they wanted with Henry. Emma held up Paige as she hobbled over to Jack "We need to get out of here." She said panting at the extra strength she needed to hold Paige's limp body up.
Jack nodded and helped Emma carry Paige to the alley were they had been arguing before orbing them all out luckily avoiding the police cars that come screeching round the corner.
Phoebe was sat in the foyer of the manor grasping the phone with one hand while trying to paint her toenails " Yeah so how are your mum and dad taking the fact that you're a witch?" said Phoebe to Billie who had just rung. Phoebe hummed before she screeched and fell of the sofa that she was sat on due to the fact that Jack Emma and Paige had just orbed in right in front of her. " Billie I'll call you back later." Said Phoebe talking fastly in to the phone before she slammed the receiver down. Before staring down at the patch of strawberry coloured nail varnish that was slowly expanding out " Piper's going to kill me." Phoebe groaned.
" Kill you for what?" said Piper walking down the stairs, Phoebe looked startled before jumping in front of the liquid. " Nothing was just talking to myself." Piper looked suspicious but she quickly turned her attention to Paige who was groaning and clutching her head " That was quick lunch date." Said Piper stroking Paige's hair away from her face. " Did you two use your powers on him?" Piper asked Jack and Emma knowing that they hadn't really wanted to meet Henry.
" No actually it was cut short my demons attacking." Sneered Emma looking at Piper as tough she wasn't worth the energy.
" Don't take that tone with me young lady." Said Piper snapping at Emma her hazel coloured eyes narrowing in distaste.
" Oh what are you going to do? Send me to my room, you're not my mother." Said Emma getting up close to Piper's face. While Jack and Phoebe wisely stayed out the way cause it was common knowledge that Piper and Emma didn't normally see eye to eye.
" Yeah well it's a good job I'm not your mother." Said Piper instantly realising what she had said as she caught the look of hurt on Emma's face. Jack looked down sadly while Phoebe dragged Piper away from Emma and in to the solarium. " What the hell was all that about?" screeched Phoebe.
" Well she gets on my nerves." Said Piper turning away from Phoebe and plopping down in an available seat.
"That was no reason for you to say that to her now I want you too apologize to her. Paige has got enough going on her life she doesn't need her two sister's arguing." Said Phoebe turning on her heels before storming out of the solarium to see if Paige was okay leaving Piper to silently seethe by herself.
Paige was currently lying on the sofa coming in and out of consciousness. " What happened?" said Phoebe looking down at Paige caringly.
" We were at the café and I went to see if Paige and Jack would stop arguing and then these two demons attacked and they kidnapped Henry." Said Emma slowly stroking Paige's hair, but Emma fell backwards as Paige sat bolt right up at the mention of Henry's name. " Henry!" Paige screeched " Please tell me it was a dream?" she said looking sorrowful.
"I'm afraid not." Said Jack looking down at the ground. Paige moaned and fell back on to the couch salty tears streaming down her face.
" What I want to know is why Henry?" asked Piper walking through in to the living room followed by a grumpy looking Emma.
" Maybe he's a demon." Said Jack looking away from Paige who when she heard Jack say this gave him a seething angry look and turned away to face Piper and Phoebe.
" Or maybe it's Darien and Sam." Said Phoebe sitting down in the chair.
" Okay but why would they want Henry I mean come on he's a mortal." Said Piper looking confused.
"A mortal who is connected to Paige." Said Phoebe looking at everyone as tough they hadn't quite woken up yet.
" I guess that make's sense." Said Jack looking away sheepishly.
"You think." Said Paige rolling her eyes at him before continuing to look at her sisters.
"Okay so what are we going to do then?" asked Emma brushing a stray piece of hair away from her face.
" What do you mean what are we going to do we're going to find Henry and kick the demon's arse that took him." Said Paige standing up and stormed off in the direction of the stairs.
"Okay then." Said Piper looking at everyone with a slightly amused look on her face before going after Paige, Phoebe sighed then motioned for Jack and Emma to follow her.
Meanwhile down in the underworld Henry was just waking up. "Paige?" murmured Henry trying to raise his head to look around.
"I'm sorry Paige isn't here can I take a message?" said someone who was hidden in the shadows.
"Where am I?" said Henry a scared look on his face.
"Why you're in the underworld my friend and you're just in time to see the festivities." Said Darien as he stepped out of the blackness of the shadows revealing himself to Henry.
"The underworld," said Henry looking skeptical "you're a nut job." Said Henry managing to prop himself up on his elbow as he dragged himself to a sitting up position.
" Now now Henry there's no need to be rude." Said Darien shaking his finger at Henry and speaking in a mocking tone. " You would be dead if it hadn't been for me." He said kneeling down to Henry's eye level.
" Bite me jackass." Said Henry as he spat a glob of saliva at Darien. Darien looked almost shocked at Henry's bravery before anger replaced his expression; he wiped the saliva from his face and flicked it on to the dusty cave floor. Darien gave Henry a nasty snarling smile before he threw out his hand and back slapped Henry across the face causing a crack to echo around the cave as Henry's jaw broke and also causing him to fly through the air and land six feet away from where he originally was.
Darien stalked over to where Henry was and roughly grabbed his jaw causing Henry to let out a yelp of pain. Darien snarled at Henry and whispered in his ear "Let's see what that girlfriend of yours really get's up to." Darien grinned wickedly and waved his hand over part of the cave causing a shimmer to appear revealing the Halliwell Attic.
The holographic image showed Paige stood by the book of shadows rapidly flicking through the ancient tome. " Now let's hear what she's saying." Said Darien grinning wickedly as he snapped his fingers causing Paige's voice to be heard.
" Demon demon where's this demon." She said as her fingers barely brushed the pages of the book.
"Paige calm down." Said Piper as she walked in to the attic closely followed by Phoebe Emma and Jack.
"Yeah sweetie panicking is not going to help." Said Phoebe trying to soothe Paige's nerves.
" Panicking who said I was panicking I am not panicking." Said Paige her voice shrill and her eye's wide.
"Ok Paige I'll look through the book how about you just sit down and relax." Said Emma putting her arms around Paige and steering her away from the book. She sat Paige down on the antique sofa that was in the attic and gave Phoebe a look as if too say "issues."
"Ok while Emma looks in the book I'll scry." Said Piper " and Phoebe and Jack can whip up an all purpose vanquishing potion to send these suckers to the wasteland." Said Piper letting out a peel of laughter at the thought of that.
" Well isn't that an interesting twist." Said Darien looking delighted at the pained look on Henry's face. "Oh I'm sorry didn't you know Paige was a witch." Said Darien raising a hand to his mouth in mock horror "Well didn't I just open my mouth and say the wrong thing."
"It doesn't matter." Rasped out Henry raising his head defiantly to look at Darien.
" What did you just say?" snarled Darien lifting Henry clean of his feet and raising him in to the air.
" It doesn't matter.," said Henry his face going red as Darien cut of his air supply but he managed to rasp out five more words " because I'll always love her." Darien let out a fierce roar at this and threw Henry clean across the cave causing him to hit the rocky wall with such a speed that the remaining air he had left in him came out in a large exhale. Henry fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Darien smiled as if he knew something that no one else knew " Ah we're about to have company Henry." He said smiling wickedly as he conjured a bright swirling ball of fire in his palm. He launched it at Henry just as three sets of orbs began to swirl in to being. Darien let out a bark of laughter as he saw the fireball collide with Henry causing him to turn in to a pile of fine grey ash.
Paige orbed in just in time to see Henry been killed, she fell to the floor grief weighing on her mind her mind kept repeating what she had just seen. Tears began to flow down her face as she realised what she had just seen was real and not some sick illusion.
Paige wrenched her self to her feet and let out an almost feral like roar and lunged at Darien knocking him to the floor. "You bastard!" she screamed at him before unleashing a fury of fists to his face. Darien sat there taking it all before letting out a lilting musical laugh, " Now you know what it's like to be hurt just like you did to me." Paige stooped as he said this and sat there confused Darien realizing he had diverted her attention squinted his eyes at her causing Paige to be telekinetically flung back towards Piper, Phoebe, Emma and Jack. Paige lay sprawled in shock and confusion on the floor before Emma tugged her to her feet. " I'll be seeing you ladies and gentleman." Said Darien as he gave a little bow before wisely flaming out.
Paige walked over to where Henry's ashes were laying tears streaming down her face causing her normally pale skin to have red patches appear and her mocha coloured eyes darker and soulful. She dropped to her knees as grief over whelmed her. " Paige sweetie are you okay?" said Piper treading lightly next to Paige.
" What do you think Piper," snapped Paige her eyes narrowing to slits " I've just lost the man I loved."
" Paige I didn't mean to make you feel guilty." Said Piper squatting down next to Paige.
" I know Piper it's just if Henry hadn't of met me then he'd still be alive today." Said Paige bending her head as more sobs wracked her body.
Piper turned to Emma, Phoebe and Jack and urged them over. Piper stood up and met them half way " We'll gather up his ashes and then we'll orb Paige home." Said Piper looking at each of them individually.
" What about the police?" said Emma looking at Piper pointedly.
" What about them?" asked Piper looking angry at Emma for causing them to be in the underworld longer.
" Well Henry was a parole officer there gonna notice he's missing eventually what are we going to do when they come knocking on our door asking to speak to Paige." Said Emma her voice rising in anger as she gave Piper a seething look.
" She has a point Piper." Said Phoebe looking at Piper in an " I think we need to do something" way.
" We'll work out a cover story at some point but that's for another days problem right now we have to worry about Paige." Said Piper walking away from the small group.
Phoebe turned to Emma and said to her " Emma can you orb back to the manor and get a vase any vase at all?" Emma gave Phoebe a quick nod before her body was morphed into the swirling vortex of blue and white orbs. Phoebe turned back to look at Paige tears in her eyes " Do you think she'll be okay?" asked Jack a evident strain on his voice looking at his sister so devastated.
" I'm sure she will be after we've got Henry's ashes can you orb me and Piper back to the manor I think it might be better if Emma orbs Paige back to your apartment she'll need some time by herself." Said Phoebe rubbing Jack's arm in sympathy. Jack nodded mutely; orbs began to dwindle down forming in to Emma holding a white vase that had a floral motif around it " Will this do?" she said holding up the vase.
Phoebe nodded as she grabbed the vase and walked over to where Henry's ashes were she quietly walked past Piper who was cradling Paige. Phoebe began to scoop up Henry's ashes up and placed them in the vase. Before she'd finished scooping the rest of the ashes up she saw a sparkling ball of white light underneath them all. " Paige I think you should see this." Said Phoebe
" What?" said Paige looking up streaks of black eye make up smeared down her face.
" Just come over here." Paige crawled over to where Phoebe was kneeling and looked down at the ball of white light. Emma and Jack walked over to where Phoebe and Paige where kneeling followed closely by Piper. "What is that?" asked Jack looking down at the ball.
" Henry's soul." Said Paige in a barely audible whisper.
"I think he'd want to you to release him Paige." Said Phoebe moving away from where Henry's soul was. Paige smiled and picked the spherical ball up and stood up still staring and smiling fondly at the ball in her hand.
Paige walked over to the middle of the cave and whispered in to it causing the ball to be lit up an angelic white as it began to hover and float upwards. "I love you." She said staring at Henry's soul as it hovered for a minute, the ball glowed a molten coloured white almost as if it responded which it could have done for all Paige knew. Everyone walked over to Paige who had broken down in to heart wrenching sobs. Phoebe nodded at Jack as he walked over to Emma he moved her over a bit and spoke in to her ear, Emma nodded in response and walked over to Paige " Hey Paige how about I get you home." Paige nodded glumly Emma gave everyone a warm smile before she orbed herself and Paige out. Jack walked over to Piper and Phoebe placed a hand on their shoulders and orbed them out of the cave leaving it to seem more mournful than it usually did.