Angelically Charmed: Betrayal At Its Best
Orbs deposited Piper and Leo into the attic, just as panic was about to spring a new. Piper looked at Leo curious, sensing a thick wall of tension in the room. "Is it just me or does Prue looked like she's about ready to unleash the wrath of her powers upon Andy?"
Prue flicked her gaze to Piper for a moment and swallowed hard unable to summon even the smallest form of sound. Had her husband really just destroyed Bane? Her first thought was that a demonic spirit had consumed Andy? Maybe Mandela had come back and taken over his body again. Nothing but silence stood between them until Prue spotted a burning ember left over from the probe. Shifting her eyes, she telekinetically threw it in Andy's direction intent on sending her beloved an intense warning.
"He sat on my swing!" Andy laminated jerking his cheek out of the path of the burning ember. The ember hit the wall behind him, leaving a scorch mark near the stain glass window.
"Who sat on your swing?" Piper queried unable to make sense of the hostility that was surrounding her sister and brother in-law.
Andy pointed directing her attention to the ashes near the book.
"Is that Bane?" Piper's mouth formed a perfect "O". "So you blew him up?" She watched coolly as her sister ran a hand through her long raven hair, seething in silence. "Oh Leo this is bad…very bad" something had gotten into her brother in-law this she was sure.
Prue looked like she was literally going to explode with silent anger
Like Piper, Leo stood dumbfounded shoving his hands into his pockets, and forming an aloof grin upon his face. "Well Bane did sleep with Prue" he muttered sheepishly earning a jab to the ribs from Piper's elbow.
"Cut the crap, we need to fix this" Piper's eyes followed Prue as the oldest Charmed dipped her head, summoning her astral form.
"Prue? Prue what are you going to do?"
Piper and Leo watched helpless as an animalistic astral Prue went charging straight for her husband
Andy's eyes widened, as Prue lunged phasing her astral self straight into his chest. Though Astral Phasing wasn't her strongest power, she had on occasion used it when her emotions were especially ripe, the first time being with the empathic demon, Vince, and then later when Death had tried to take Austin.
Bright red flashes zig-zagged in and out of Andy's body causing it to shake violently. The intensity of Prue's anger was too much. Her anger over losing Bane was much stronger than he anticipated. His heart was felt as if it were literally going to explode He needed to escape. But how?
"She's gonna kill em" Piper breathed flexing her fingers in Halliwell style, ready to blow her sister straight from Andy's chest if necessary.
"No she won't, she can't. Prue doesn't have that kind of power, to vanquish him she'd need something from Andy's demonic counterpart" Leo gently placed his hand on Piper's lowering her wrists. "The only thing that can make them mortal again is if something breaks their eternal bond of love"
"Well, pardon me for questioning your wisdom, but I think that plie of ash over there just did"
The charmed couple continued to watch until orbs filled Andy's body, consuming both he and Prue.
"Where'd they'd go?" Piper blinked several times as her sister and Andy disappeared. "Where did they go?" Prue's physical body remained near the podium slumped and lifeless.
"I don't know" Leo replied uneasy as he and Piper made their way to Bane's pile of ash.
Golden Gate Park
Orbs fell from the heavens causing Prue's astral form to be expelled from Andy's body as they hit the hard grass cover ground, tumbling over one another. Andy landed on his back with Prue laying on his chest. Though they were no longer one, the enraged witch continued her fight.
Straddling Andy's torso, Prue ripped a closed fisted blow after blow to his cheek with hands phasing right through his skin striking the Tracer right to the bone.
"Ugh! Prue!" Blinded by her forcefulness, Andy's hands shot up, latching onto her wrists. He then spat dangerously in her direction as blood trickled from his lip.
Still being the physically stronger one, Andy managed to wrestle Prue off of him, pinning her to the ground.
A growl escaped from Prue's lips as Andy held her to the ground for several minutes all she could do was struggle beneath the weight of his body.
"Is this the way to you like to have it when you're with Bane?" Unaware of Barbus' control Andy willfully struck her back, slapping the right side of her cheek.
What just happened? Had Andy just hit her? Stunned, Prue stopped struggling for moment and just looked at Andy hurt before a squint from her left eye sent him sailing into the large oak that he held their swing causing it to break free from it's hinges. . Pulling herself to her feet Prue pulled several leaves from her hair, and discarded them to the ground before astral projecting away, leaving Andy to sulk in the rubble of what once had been their sacred spot.
Nearby, Barbus stood chuckling loudly, "Now your greatest fear is that you will never get her back!"
Melinda Warren's Garden
Ironically at the same time the swing had fallen at Golden Gate Park, the swing in the afterlife disappeared. Dark clouds appeared blocking the sun that shone its way into the garden, accompanied by a fierce wind and rain. A loud crack of thunder roared through the sky frightening the fairies and the butterflies away.
Patty looked about with an expression of dread on her face as she and Penny began to gather the little ones, in hopes of heading for shelter." Mother, what's going on?"
"I'm not certain, but I think someone or something has just destroyed Prue and Andy's afterlife together" Penny swallowed keeping Ally and Melinda close to her as they made their way for shelter.
Bundling Austin and Glenda within the warmth of her angelic cloak, Patty kept them shielded from the rain until they had reached the safety of Prue's private chamber. There she opened her cloak and her two granddaughters slide to the floor safe and dry while Penny conjured warming towels for Ally, Melinda, Amanda and Declan.
Reaching for a towel, Patty began to squeeze the excess water from Amanda's long brown hair. "Mother how is it possible that something could destroy a destine afterlife? I mean it's not as if evil can just seep it's way in here and take over"
"No but a lack or trust or some sort of betrayal on Prue and Andy's part would" Penny answered as a house elf brought her a dry set of clothing for the older children
"Oh Mother don't be ridiculous-" Patty began before remember her earlier conversation with Andy in the garden over Bane. "I mean Prue and Andy are both angelic spirits"
"Angelic spirits who have chosen to live their afterlife as mortals beings with supernatural immortality" Penny corrected as she stood and turned toward a large glass window to watch the storm as it continued to ransack the parts of the garden that had been build by the fairies to honor Prue's love for Andy.
Attic
Piper had just finished reconstructing Bane's molecules from the ash when she heard a gasp come from Prue's body. Raising her head from Bane's prone body, Piper motioned for Leo to place his healing hands upon the new whitelighter.
"Prue? Are you okay?"
The oldest charmed one, swiped at her eyes wiping unshed tears away and shook her head before making her way to the book. There she picked up the pack of sticky notes that Paige often used to color code the Book of Shadows and a pen.
"Is Bane all right?"
Piper looked at the note curious before crumbling it in her hands. "Yes, we think that Leo will be able to heal the rest of his body from here. The middle sister remained silent for a moment watching Prue rake a hand through her hair.
"Prue what happened with Andy?"
A bit flustered, Prue again reached for the sticky pad and sloppy wrote. "I don't want to talk about it"
"You don't want to talk about it?" Piper repeated, "Well sweetie I kind of think you have too. Prue's emotions were reeling, Piper thought as she glanced around the attic noting that every tangible item in sight had begun to shake.
"We need to find Paige" Prue scribbled back this time thrusting the note directly into Piper's face.
"Don't take that silent tone of denial with me, Missy! This is serious". The whole attic looked like it was literally going to implode in the wake of Prue's raw emotion.
So-so- is- fi-fi-finding Pai-Paige" Prue managed to choke out with a great deal of effort"
"I know we need to find Paige" Piper returned looking her sister directly in the eye, "but if you and Andy don't settle this thing with Bane, then it's not going to happen. I need you emotionally well Prue otherwise; we're all going to get screwed.
Prue closed her eyes letting a deep seeded sigh escape from her nose. Gently she touched the back of her hand to her sore cheek "I- I-ca-" Frustration started to set in and once again Prue started to write, this time with Piper looking over her shoulder.
"Andy is never coming back" the middle Charmed One read aloud before starting to sputter, "Wh-what do you mean Andy is never coming back? Prue what did you do?"
"Maybe she finally realized she belongs with me" Bane groaned letting Leo help him to a seat position while Piper stood glaring.
"One more comment like that, and I'll turn you back into dust"
Avatar Realm
Gideon stood with his hands wrapped around Natalie's waist as they watched the conversation between Piper and Prue unfold. "So do you still think that is it is still necessary for Prue to have to vanquish her husband?" Gideon asked trailing a host of soft kisses down Natalie's neck.
"Absolutely" Natalie closed her eyes, letting the feel of his touch overtake her for a moment, "Once the deed is done, we'll reveal Barbus and Prue will be so racked with guilt that her own emotions will consume her to total destruction, thus destroying what remains of the All Powerful Charmed Ones".
"Piper will not be able to fight the weight of the world by herself therefore springing a need for us and a neutral way for life" Gideon added, "The entire world, including mortal, enchanted and demonic shall be at our mercy!"
The two continued to kiss until satisfaction had been met, "Now if you'll excuse me, my lovely avatar my cue to enter the manor is coming up"
"You're sure you can convince Piper to come over to our side?"
"Absolutely" Gideon grinned before exploding into set of blue and white orbs. Moments later he resettled in the Halliwell attic meeting Prue's Who the hell are you gaze.
"It's okay, he's Leo's Mentor. He's on our side" Piper quickly explained prompting Prue to set down her defenses.
"Piper's right he's here to help" Leo rose to his feet looking at the master Elder quizzically.
"I've come with news" Gideon clasp his hands together, "It's about your sister, Paige. I know where you can find her but you must act quickly"
Prue and Piper again exchanged glances, "He's the only lead we've got" Piper held out her hand, motioning for Prue to take it.
Slowly Prue extended her hand, lacing her fingers with Pipers signaling her trust with her sister's decision to trust this new stranger.
"Tell us what we need to do"
Reaching into his pocket, Gideon pulled out an exotic looking vile and handed it to Piper. "You must enter the realm of the avatars. There you will find Paige's soul, locked in a lantern slated for the dimension of the lost. Once you retrieve it use the contents inside the vial to destroy the Avatars"
"How do we get there?"
"I'll orb you. I've had a faulty alliance with them for years, that's how I know about Paige" Gideon offered extended his hand to Prue. For several seconds Prue looked at his long fingers uneasily something about this didn't feel right she reasoned before latching onto his hand and accepting his offer to orb.
Once in the realm the sisters continued to hold hands while Gideon lead them to the entrance of the main hall. "So where do we find Paige?" As Piper entered the room, she felt Prue hand slip from hers. Side by side the sisters walked into the massive room. A black and white checkered floor lit up the room, along with a massive rectangular table made of brass and gold with twelve accompanying matching chairs
"The lantern is locked in a box at the center of the head table." Gideon instructed hanging back so that any roaming avatars would not sense his presence. Spotting the box, Piper went to it, and carefully opened the lid, expelling a bright purple light.
"Grab the lantern" Prue shouted inwardly as a feeling of dread swept over her. They were about to be attacked, she could feel it in her bones.
"Got it!" Piper carefully lifted the lantern from the box and turned towards Prue who staring down twelve angry looking faces; avatars faces.
"Oh Crap"
From his position in the hallway, Gideon watched with a clenched fist as the two sisters engaged the twelve avatars into a magical battle of powers. "the vial Piper, use the vial" A smile of relief swept across his face when he saw Piper pull the vial from inside the pocket of her brown leather jacket and toss it directly into the middle of the floor. His eyes closed as he listened to the agonizing screams of the dying avatars.
"They're gone," he thought blessedly opening his eyes only to find that he was now face to face with Natalie.
"What in the hell are you doing?"
"Something I should have done a long time ago" Reaching into his cloak, Gideon pulled out a second vial and plunged it directly at Natalie's feet. Her screams of destruction were like music to his ears he thought watching her burn.
Stepping over Natalie's remains, Gideon crossed into an adjoining hall, where he found the case that contained Mandela's relic arrow. Slipping it into his coat, he turned back, meeting Piper and Prue in the main hall. The sisters were smashed together in a hug, with Paige safely snuggled in between them
Nothing but brown burning cloaks remained of the twelve avatars. With both the avatars and the majority of Elder's gone he was in complete control.
"Our work here is done," he said cunningly earning looks from both Prue and Piper.