Angelically Charmed: Green is the Color of Gideon

Garden of Melinda Warren

Bane stood in awe as he appeared in the garden that had become known as Melinda Warren's vision of Utopia. Birds and Butterfly's were everywhere along with a soothing sense of peace. He'd never felt so much at ease in his entire life.

"I think we're truly in heaven, Buddy" Slowly he let Declan slide from his arms as Prue came into sight. Dressed in Angelic white, she was nothing short of an angel in waiting.

"Lord have Mercy," he muttered under his breath watching as she captured the attention of every living creature in the garden. Never in his life had ever pictured her as such a pillar of goodness.

Slowly he backed up until he felt the back of his knee connect with something. It was a swing. Easing himself into the seat, Bane was surprised when Amanda started to speak to him reproachfully.

"You can't sit there," she said as the fairy, Thistle, landed on her shoulder.

Leaning forward, Bane rested his forearms to his thigh, "why not?"

"Cause, that's my Mommy and Daddy's swing. Thistle and the other fairies made it for them when my Daddy died so that Mommy could meet him in heaven"

"Is that a fact?" Bane could only grin a boyhood smile, "Well do think that the fairies could make one for me too?"

Amanda looked at Thistle for a moment noting that the little fairy was had begun to flutter her wings intensely. "Thistle says, no because your heart has never known true love"

"Well can you ask your fairy friend if she thinks I'll ever find it?"

Amanda again looked at Thistle. "Only if you stay away from my Mommy"

From the opposite end of the garden, Andy stood holding Austin in his arms. "Hey Aus" he said stroking her fine brown hair, "you want to do your old man a favor and get a read on this Bane guy for me?"

The littlest, Trudeau-Halliwell witchlette turned her head, focusing her power of auric sight upon Bane. Instantly a bright purple and white hue formed around the new white lighter, bringing a frown to Andy's face.

"Of Course, should have known that a whitelighter couldn't be anything but good"

"You know Andy, green really isn't your color and using Austin's powers like that…shame on you"

"Patty," The sound of his Mother in-law's voice made a bright red flush sprout all over Andy's cheeks, "I guess you caught me in the act"

Reaching for Austin, Patty could only continue to smile, "You know you remind me a lot of Victor right now. He was always insanely jealous of Sam even before he had a reason to be"

"Sam was after his family" Andy grumbled indignantly as he watched Prue wander over towards the swing…their swing.

"Sam's destiny was to sire Paige. But believe me, when I say this. Prue's only destiny is to be with you. Otherwise, I could have never brought the two of you back together"

Patty's words didn't anything to soothe the feeling of rage that was growing in his soul; Barbus had made certain of that. Out of the blue, Andy leaned in and kissed Austin on the cheek, "I need to go check on Piper and Leo. Tell Prue I'll meet her back at home"

Barbus, smiled sadistically as Andy entered the manor unaware of the demon's presence.

"Prue shouldn' t be alone with Bane. You can't trust him. He's a criminal" Barbus followed the tracer about the house as he gathered a list of supplies that Leo had requested for Piper. "He wants your family so that he can hurt them. . .He wants Prue all to himself…"

Ancient Venice

"Phoebe," Cole whispered as the woman removed the remains of her veil To all who didn't know better, he standing before Phoebe Halliwell in the flesh.

This is not who you are Colesenova, your destiny is carry on the on the dreams that you and your beloved witch shared not the fantasy life of the world's greatest lover"

"This is not Phoebe" Drake reasoned squinting one eye before he began to tug at the ropes that were holding him tightly to the quartering machine. From the cornor of his eye, Drake managed to spot an ominous figure dressed in a black: Death.

"You can only see me because your name is coming up on my list" Death gazed at the glow coming from his palm and then faded from sight allowing his destine sevant to perform her work.

"A child awaits for you back in your own time; a child whom will no doubt bring your life great joy;" The woman said.

"We don't have a child," Cole returned slowly, "Phoebe and I were never allowed too". The Elders and mandatory witch laws wouldn't let them.

The woman smiled sympathetic, "Perhaps not in your lifetime together on earth. The afterlife is sometimes a mixture of strange blessings"

"You-you came from the afterlife?"

"No, I am merely past link to the love you lost; the love you shall be reunited with providing you fulfill your own destiny. Your destiny as Belthazor guardian of loves eternal child."

Cole looked down at his attire and over his shoulder at Drake, "Belthazor". Slowly his appearance began to change back into that of a drunken and unshaved Cole Turner.

"Remember, your destiny is to care for the child" As Casanova faded the woman did too.

"No, Phoebe, don't go I can't-" Cole began looking back at Drake. Picking up the athame, Cole slashed the magic proof bonds, causing Drake to topple to the hard stone floor.

Raise a child without her? Sure you can" Drake first pushed himself up onto his forearms and then his knees until he was standing upright, "Sounds like the only way to get Phoebe back is to follow destiny"

Cole nodded and together her and Drake shimmered back to the manor.

From across the courtyard, Death stood with the servant maiden.

"I take it I have fulfilled your bidding?" The servant maiden once again replaced her veil causing her face to change back to its normal features of blue eyes and blonde hair.

"You have" Death answered, "and as I favor to you, I shall turn my head at the upcoming Salem witch trials, sparing the life of you and your sisters"

"And they say you are only of a neutral cold heart" The maiden smiled plucking two gold pieces from Death's' fingertips before scampering back amongst a crowd of people participating in a street market.

Avatar Realm

The Elder, Gideon, walked into the grand hall of the avatars with the coat tails of his long green velvet cloak flowing behind him. Purposefully, he made his way toward Natalie and slipped his hands around her plump waist, "Your plan to destroy the Charmed Ones is working beautifully. Kaun bought the line about the Avatar processing Piper hook, line and sinker"

"As was yours, turning an ex-con into a whiteligher, who would have ever thought we'd see the day" Natalie lifted her chin as Gideon trailed heated kisses up her neck, "Now all we need to do is dispose of Prue, and our take over will be complete"

"Easier, said than done, my love" Gideon straightened, shoving his hands into his pockets, "Prue Halliwell is practically an immortal being, the strongest of all the Wiccan world"

Nevertheless, she is vulnerable to human emotion just the same" Natalie walked over to large black box and pushed open the lid to reveal a single black sliver tipped arrow; the relic arrow from Mandela to be exact "Without her sisters and her beloved family she is nothing"

"You really plan on having her ex-lover vanquish the Mortal Tracer with that?"

Natalie smiled wickedly as she removed the arrow from it's case and pressed a finger to it's shiny tip, "No, I rather see Prue do it" With Barbus and Bane both involved in the mix it would be easy to convince Prue that her husband had turned to the dark side. Andy's jealously over Bane's presence would eventually escalate to mammoth proportions leaving Prue no choice.

Gideon again placed his hands on her resting his chin on her shoulder, "Prue Halliwell vanquish her own husband? The day that happens is the day I become a God"

Natalie turned her head; allowing the Elder to capture her mouth, "Then get ready darling, because you and I are just beginning, " she whispered pulling Gideon to the floor.

Prue stood at the book with her hands on either side of the podium, hoping to get an inkling of inspiration as to what had gone wrong with the Elders, but came up with nothing.

Kaun's attack had seemed so rash. Normally the Elder's were the type to think things through before attacking. Something or someone must had made them think they needed to strike immediately, but who?

"You know, I never pictured you as the marrying type"

Distracted, Prue turned from the book to see Bane standing behind her, his hands shoved in his pockets. A slow easy "Oh Yeah?" grin splayed across her face letting him know he had her attention.

"I mean what happened to Hell Fire?" Bane cocked his head as she started to speak.

"Sh---She--I--I—I" Frustration set into Prue's eyes as she tried to speak with little success. "I can't do this right now, is what she had wanted to say" Angry tears filled her eyes causing her dip her head from Bane's sight. The last thing she wanted to do was to let anyone see her cry over the fact that Prue Halliwell had been reduced to a mute.

"It's okay," Bane whispered touching her cheek "I don't mean to push. I know you've got a lot on your plate right now" She needed to help her sisters he reasoned resolving to give her the space she needed, "C'mon, Prue if it's one thing that we've always had, it's that we trust other right?

Lifting her eyes, Prue grinned and nodded as she pushed a strand of her hair behind her ears.

"That's what I wanted to see" Bane kissed her cheek. Slowly he started to step away but it was too late, Andy's orbs were already filling the room putting both he and Prue in a compromising position.

From the look on Andy's face Prue could sense that all hell was about to break loose. Inaudible words started to flow from her lips as her head started to shake, but it was too late…

Automatically, a fire-glazed heat-sensing probe fired from Andy's left hand, striking Bane in the back, disintegrating the whitelighter instantly. Bane was nothing but a pile of white dust.

Underworld

"Le-Leo….wh-what's taking so long" Piper shivered under the burlap blanket that Andy had retrieved on his way to the Underworld, along with a host of mortal style medical supplies.

"Whitelighter magic isn't strong enough to heal you. It only saved you from being killed" Adverting his eyes from Piper's face Leo winced at the sound of her hiss as he tried to strip an piece of charred clothing from her tender skin. "Sorry, I know this hurts" he apologized

Piper's teeth began to chatter as she spoke, "Why wo-would the Elder's retaliate against me like that? What the hell happened to innocent until proven guilty?"

"They believe that you processed by an Avatar" Gideon appeared before the couple, kneeling at Piper's side.

"Leo who is this?" she asked cautiously giving him the eye.

"Gideon, he was my mentor during my probationary period as a whitelighter. Don't worry you can trust him"

"He's an Elder, why does he look like an elder?"

"Because I am" Gideon, answered profoundly, "but not to worry, unlike Kaun I'm not out to blow you up. I'm here to help you" Gideon graciously looked to Leo before laying hands of healing upon Piper. "May I?"

"Of Course" Leo nodded sliding back as if he would consent for the master healer to go work.

Gideon smiled warmly as a bright glow began to shoot from his hands bathing Piper in its warmth. "You see, my Dear Piper, when an Elder strikes someone which such magnitude as Kaun struck you; they are not meant to be healed"

"Then how come you can heal me?" Piper retorted bluntly feeling her body begin to restore itself back it's natural state of health.

"In my hands, I hold a divine power to heal which goes beyond the limits of whitelighter magic similar to that of your Angelic Child, Melinda" The healing power of an Avatar, not that Piper nor Leo suspected that Gideon was anything less than Angelic himself.

Sitting up, Piper pulled the blanket up close to her chest as not to expose her bare skin, "So if you're an Elder why are you helping us?" Her eyes followed Gideon as he rose to his feet.

"Because your family is in grave danger, a danger such as you have never faced before if you don't act quickly it will destroy you and the destiny of your angelic children"

"Oh is that all?" Piper snorted with sarcasm dripping from her lips, "Well why didn't you say so before your poster boy Elder Tried To Blow Me To Hell?"

"Beware of the Avatars" Gideon responded with his most charming grin before disappearing in a swarm of heavenly orbs.