Chapter 13: Charmed and Dangerous Part 2
February 8, 2002 – Friday
Halliwell Manor
Paige walked into the sunroom to find Phoebe standing waiting, arms crossed and shaking her head.
"It'll never work," Phoebe informed her certainly.
Paige closed her eyes briefly. "Will anything?"
Phoebe looked down sadly. "I don't know," she admitted quietly as Buffy slipped into the room and sat in a chair. She was the one that noticed that her mother had a sad expression on her face. "You okay?"
"No," Buffy answered. "He's going to die because of me. Because he had to heal me. Because I wouldn't listen."
"We're all going to die?" Paige corrected her mother.
"You can't think like that," Cole said gently stopping behind Phoebe and placing one hand on her back.
"Why not?" Paige shrugged. "Isn't that what we're all thinking anyway? Isn't that why mom texted Aunt Dawn to go to Victor's?" She looked at her mother. "Speaking about, I think I speak for everyone because they don't want to hurt your feelings. But you should have gone with Aunt Dawn."
"I can't, Paige," Buffy sighed. "It's not who I am. Despite time and time again I wish I could have been a normal girl. I can't be a normal girl, I can't sit out this or any other fight. I've seen too much. Especially now after what just happened in there."
Phoebe turned her sister and mother. "We'll figure out a way out of this," she assured them both. She pulled Buffy to her feet and then wrapped an arm around her shoulders and the other arm around Paige's. "I promise."
Paige sighed. "How? The Source knew we'd be prepared that's why he came after our powers. The Source knew we had an in-house healer, that's why he came after Leo," she sighed in frustration. "He knows what we're going to do before we even do."
"Well, it's not over yet." Phoebe insisted, rubbing her arms comfortingly along both Buffy and Paige's backs. "I still have my power and mom still has hers so...we're not completely defenseless."
"Great." Paige quipped, "Two down..."
Buffy sighed. "I'm going to go call Victor and let Dawn know exactly what's up," she said as she pulled out her cell phone. She dialed as she walked out of the room.
"Victor Bennett."
"Victor it's Buffy," Buffy said.
"Hello, Patty. I was just about to call you. Dawn just arrived saying she had received a text message to come here. What's up?"
"Did I ever mention the Source to you?" Buffy asked.
"You may have. Why?"
"He's after the girls." Buffy said. "He has released the Hollow. It steals powers, and already has Piper and Paige's powers. I have to help them. I'm not going to leave my girls to fight him alone. If I don't…"
"Patty…" Victor said knowing full well where this was going.
"Victor, please. I have given Dawn instructions should we not make it. If I don't come to pick her up in the next couple days. You are to bring her here, pick up the Book of Shadows and then drive her to Sunnydale. She knows the address. I have it set in my Will that my friend Willow will get guardianship first since she's a witch. And if she should… Then it falls to you. I think you would have made a great father if my mother hadn't interfered. That and the fact you know about demons and the supernatural is why I want you to take care of Dawn should something happen to Willow."
"Thank you Patty. That means so much to me. I hope to see you tonight. I know you wouldn't want to leave your sister like you left the girls."
"Your right, I don't." Buffy said. "Can I talk to Dawn, please?" She heard some shuffling before Dawn's voice came over the phone.
"Buffy?"
"Remember I love you and I will always love you." Buffy said.
"Buffy, I uhm. Were you shot with an arrow?"
"Why do you ask?" Buffy wondered.
"I don't know," Dawn answered. "For a split second it was like I was looking over your shoulder as you got hit."
"Yes, I was hit, but I'm fine, Leo healed me," Buffy said.
"I'm coming home."
"No," Buffy objected immediately. "The Source is after the girls. If they die… You are the last line of defense, Dawn, since you have a Warren power. You need to be protected so should they fail you can take the fight to the Source and avenge us."
Dawn sighed. "Alright. I love you," she said and Buffy could tell her sister's voice had taken on a sad tone. "You make sure that you, Piper, Phoebe and Paige come back though. Though truth be told I wish you were here with me. I don't know if I could go through losing you again."
"I know, Dawn," Buffy said. "And I don't want to do that to you again. Once was bad enough. Regardless remember what we discussed though, okay."
"Okay. If I haven't seen you or heard from you in two days I am to get the Book and head to Sunnydale."
"When you get there, tell Faith I said hello and that she has my blessing," Buffy said. "Bye, Dawnie."
"Bye Buffy," Dawn replied as she hung up.
"You should go, Mom," Paige said as Buffy saw her standing in the foyer. "They don't say it, well not to me anyways. But I don't think either Piper or Phoebe could go through having you in their lives again and then having to watch you die again."
"I know," Buffy said. "Believe me, I know. But I can't do it, Paige. What I said to you a little bit ago, is true. I have seen too much as the Slayer, too sit this out. Besides this is now for me an act of revenge. If not for me, Leo would not be lying on that couch possibly dying."
"You do know that Aunt Dawn is just like you, right?" Paige asked.
"How much of the conversation did you listen to?" Buffy asked.
"Enough," Paige admitted. "So I know that's why you want her protected. She won't let our deaths go unavenged."
"No, she won't," Buffy said as she walked into the living room. "Leo, can Dawn get premonitions?"
"No," Leo answered. "Why?"
"I just called her. She said she had seen me get shot by the Darklighter and that she had been watching just over my shoulder."
"It's possible that she is astral projecting," Leo shrugged as he coughed. "After all she already had Prue's telekinesis. It would make sense that she might get both of Prue's powers."
Underworld
"Three to go. The last sister, the Slayer and Prue Halliwell's current incarnation, Dawn Summers," the Source smirked proudly. He turned to the Seer whose eyes were pure white. "What is it?" he demanded walked to her side. "What do you see?"
The Seer remained silent, still stuck in her vision.
"What do you see?" he leaned into her. "Tell me," he urged touching her face lightly.
"I see...nothing," the Seer finally replied as her eyes returned to normal.
The Source stared at her in disbelief. "What do you mean? Do I or do I not have the power to defeat the witches?" he demanded sternly, moving to stand in front of her and straightening up so he was towering over her.
The Seer looked up at him, unaffected. "You misunderstand," she said calmly. "I see nothing. No magic...no life...no world! The Hollow will consume everything, just as I warned."
The Source's mutilated features hardened at her words. "Then if there's no future, I have no further need for you, do I, Seer?" he questioned threateningly.
The Seer's body tightened in fear momentarily but she quickly composed herself. "Please, I beg you, find another way. Put the Hollow back where it belongs."
"Not until I've finished," The Source refused. "Not until I've killed them all."
"But that's madness," the Seer stated bluntly. "The Hollow won't let you stop there."
"THEN SO BE IT!" the Source yelled in anger, his hatred towards the Halliwell family taking over, clouding his judgement.
The Seer looked to the ground. "Forgive me," she asked. "I serve you as always." Then looked back up at him. "Even until the end."
The Source's lips twitched upwards before his features hardened once more. "Guard the Hollow," he ordered her and the Seer bowed her head slightly as the Source walked passed her saying. "I have one more demon to recruit and three more powers to obtain," he finished just as he flamed out of his lair.
The Seer, knowing he could not see her, walked towards the Hollow and lifted the box, her eyes misting over once more as she pulled a vision towards her.
Halliwell Manor
Piper walked back into the living room, glass of water in hand only to stop dead at the sight of her husband lying prone on the couch, blanket over him and eyes closed. Her heart pounded in her ears as her mind instantly assumed the worst possible explanation for his stillness.
"Leo?" she called his name, waiting for any form of reply which she received seconds later.
"Hey," he said softly and she sighed in relief.
"Hey," she replied, collecting herself before walking towards him and bending down. "Drink this," she ordered placing the glass to his lips and tilting it. When he was done, she placed it on the coffee table and turned back to her husband, resting her hand on his chest.
Leo breathed deeply. "Guess you picked the wrong person as beneficiary after Buffy and Dawn after all."
Piper closed her eyes. "Don't talk like that." She shook her head.
"Piper..." he rasped, voice tired and quiet, "...you need to get out of here...before he comes back."
Piper shook her head, her lip quivering. "I'm not leaving you," she told him adamantly. She looked at him and understood why Buffy wasn't leaving. She could no more leave Leo than Buffy could leave her, Phoebe, Paige or even Dawn.
"The Source..."
"Is not going to scare me away," Piper insisted fighting her tears, "And neither are you. After all I apparently take after mom. So just forget about it," she concluded, her voice breaking.
Leo gave her a pained smile and looked at her with loving, regretful eyes.
Piper's heart deflated. "You're not going to die," she told him firmly and he squeezed his eyes shut, a lone tear escaping down his cheek which made Piper lose her own. "Because I'm not going to let you," she added determinedly, ignoring the wet tears leaving trails down her cheeks.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Phoebe burst into her bedroom, walking swiftly to her dresser, pulling open the draws and searching inside frantically. She turned her head, feeling eyes on her, only to find her fiancé standing in front of their closet.
Phoebe forced a smile. "I'm just, looking for my potion book," she clarified. "Have you seen it anywhere?" she asked hopeful and Cole shook his head.
"I didn't think you could save Leo with a potion."
"Well, it's not just to save Leo," Phoebe replied glancing at him briefly. "It's to save us all. Hey?" she turned to him again, pausing in her search. "Thought I asked you to get Andy up to speed." She frowned at him and he smiled.
"I did. Then you're sister came in and they started arguing," he chuckled moving closer to her. "Promise me, we won't argue like that once we're married."
Phoebe sighed sadly. "If we're married."
"When," Cole insisted and Phoebe looked at him with fearful eyes. "When Phoebe. This is not the end and you better start believing that soon or it will be."
Phoebe closed her eyes and dropped her head. "Yeah," she whispered although Cole could tell she was struggling to believe.
"How do you plan on saving us with a potion?" he asked, gracing her with a change of subject which, in actual fact, only made it worse.
Phoebe slammed a drawer closed and glared at him. "I don't know!" she cried helplessly. "But I, I have to do something! I can't just sit around and—" the rest of her sentence died in her throat as she caught sight of the object in Cole's hands. "What's that?" she demanded and only sadness could be heard.
"This?" Cole asked, waving the small blue velvet box around.
"Yeah," Phoebe replied with a nod, the sadness slowly turning to anger.
Cole walked towards her. "It's just a little something, I've been waiting for the right moment to give you," he explained, playing with the box clasped tightly in his hands. He looked at her and opened the box to reveal a gorgeous and quite large diamond ring.
Phoebe stared at it silently then looked up at him and smiled, somewhat awkwardly.
"It's not your Grams', but hopefully it's not cursed," he chuckled, only half-joking as he really hoped it wasn't.
Phoebe sighed quietly. "I...I don't think, now's the time," she told him gently.
"Actually, I think now is the perfect time," Cole countered shooting her a pointed look as he removed the ring from its box and slid it onto her finger.
Phoebe looked down at it and felt herself smile.
"This way, no matter what happens, you'll always know that I love you."
Phoebe looked up at his words and smiled little wider. "It's beautiful," she praised and he smiled a proud smile. "Now you have to go," she told him firmly.
Cole shook his head. "No, I'm staying here with you."
Phoebe glared up him, one hand on her hip. "Do you want me to watch you die too?"
"If that's what it takes to save you, yeah," Cole replied and Phoebe felt her anger grow.
"No, but I'm supposed to save you," she insisted. "That's why I got that premonition."
"Not necessarily," Cole argued. "You know as well as I do you're not meant to stop every premonition," he reminded her but Phoebe shook her head. "Some are just meant to prepare you for what's to come."
Phoebe opened her mouth to reply when the doorbell cut her off, both heads turned towards their door.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Were you even going to tell me?"
Buffy spun at the sound of Dawn's voice and found her sister standing behind her. "What are you doing here?" she asked suddenly afraid for her sister's safety.
"I don't think I'm actually here," Dawn shrugged. "One moment I was sitting watching TV with Victor and the next I had this desire to see you and then before I knew it, I was here."
Buffy sighed. "Leo seems to think that you might have gotten another of Prue's powers. She had the power of astral projection. That's your astral form, not your real body."
"Cool," Dawn said as she smiled at her sister. "But are you going to answer my question? I saw Leo lying on the couch. So I know its worse than what you told me."
"I was hoping I wouldn't have to," Buffy admitted as she and Dawn sat on the couch in the conservatory. "It's bad, Dawn. The kind of bad where I am not sure Piper, Phoebe or Paige are going to walk away from it. There is a real chance they could die. They've tried to get me to with you to Victors multiple times. But you know me."
Dawn sighed as she wrapped an arm around her sister. "Yeah," she said. "You couldn't sit out the fight not when your daughters lives are on the line."
Buffy nodded. "The Source, is after them, just like I said," she explained. "But Piper and Paige's powers have been stolen by a thing called the Hollow. That's pretty much what it does. It's sole purpose is to destroy magic, all magic. Good and Evil. When you called earlier, and said you saw me shot. It was by a Darklighter, who was possessed by the Hollow."
"Why would a Darklighter shoot you?" Dawn asked confused.
"According to Leo, all Slayers are future Whitelighters. If not for Willow, I would have likely been made a Whitelighter when I died last summer," Buffy explained. "Because I'm a future Whitelighter…"
"…you can be killed by the same poison that…" Dawn continued in understanding
"…is now coursing through Leo's veins," Buffy concluded. "Yeah and if not for Leo I would have died. He healed me. What is happening to him now, is my fault, Dawn. He had just finished healing me when the Darklighter came back for him. None of us saw the Darklighter till it was too late."
Dawn pulled Buffy into her arms and moved Buffy's head to her shoulder. "It's okay. I will tell you what. Since my body isn't actually here. I will, until I learn how to go back to my body, help out. That way I can try and help ensure that none of our family die."
Buffy nodded. "Only till you astral back," she said accepting Dawn's offer. "Only till then. I don't want you to astral back and then getting Victor to drive you here. Not till the two days elapse or I call giving you the all clear whichever is first. Is that understood?"
"It is," Dawn said. "By the way, you do know I am too much like you, right?"
"I know," Buffy said and she smiled as the doorbell rang. "I wouldn't expect anything different from you."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"I'LL BE RIGHT THERE!" Paige yelled to the door as she walked as quickly as possible to answer it.
"Paige," Piper cut in front of her sister. "This is no time for guests."
"It's not social," Paige assured her. "I called Darryl."
"Darryl? You're supposed to be helping Phoebe," Piper insisted, shaking her head in disbelief.
"She doesn't need any help," Paige countered. "But there is somebody who does. Excuse me," she said pushing past Piper and opening the door.
"Oh Carolyn," Paige gasped at the sight of the woman she had promised would get her son back.
"I'm so sorry Paige," Carolyn cried. "After everything you've done to help me..."
"It's not over," Paige told her firmly. "Not yet."
"Paige," Piper called sternly and Darryl frowned at the look on her face.
"Darryl, take Carolyn into the sunroom," Paige instructed.
Darryl hesitated as he led Carolyn through the door. "Is everything okay?"
"No!" Piper replied, eyes wide and shaking her head.
"Yes," Paige argued, sending her older sister a pointed glare as she closed the door behind her guests.
"Are you out of your mind?" Piper exclaimed, gripping her sisters forearms. "We don't have time for other people's problems right now!"
"Piper," Buffy said as she and Dawn came from the conservatory passing Carolyn and Darryl. "Carolyn is Paige's innocent. If tonight we die…"
"Which I hope you all don't," Dawn added as Piper looked at her obviously surprised to see her there. "Astral projection apparently," she explained. "Haven't figured how to astral back yet."
"Anyways," Buffy continued. "This could be the last thing Paige could potentially do to leave her mark on the world. Would you deny her that?"
Piper sighed and shook her head. "No," she said as Paige walked into the sun room. "Mom, please reconsider and go stay with Dad and Aunt Dawn."
"Piper," Dawn said. "Buffy won't do it. You want to know why. Think back to the speech Buffy gave me and you will know why she can't. As much as I would rather she came stay with me. It's within Buffy to do that. Not when the lives of those she loves are on the line."
"Dawn's right," Buffy agreed. "It's part of the reason for the Will's, both yours and mine, remember?"
Piper sighed, "I know. But we lost you when you went to the lake to battle that demon. I don't think I could forgive myself without saying something to try and change your mind. I don't want to put Aunt Dawn through again what she went through last summer."
"I know sweetie." Buffy said. "And If I had been in your place I would probably have tried to talk me out of helping you girls also. Dawn has even tried twice now. She knows me better than you guys and even she still tried."
"I think that's why I astral projected out of my body," Dawn admitted. "Why I have yet to go back. The desire to see Buffy, to help you guys is more powerful than the desire to be with Victor right now. Which someone should call him and let him know what's going on so he doesn't freak too much when he can't wake me."
"Your right," Buffy said as she pulled out her cell.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Yeah, what's going on?" Darryl asked knowingly but Paige shook her head.
"I don't have time to explain," Paige dismissed. She turned to Carolyn, determination shinning in her eyes. "I think I can still help you get your son back."
Carolyn shook her head dejectedly. "But how? The judge will take one look at me and—"
"No," Paige interrupted her. "I think I can help. I just need you, to turn away from me."
Carolyn looked at her uncertainly and Paige smiled encouragingly.
"Please, just trust me," Paige asked and Carolyn slowly turned her face away from her. She closed her eyes briefly, praying that it would work then stomped over to the book, flipping through the pages as quickly as possible.
Darryl's eyes widened as he realized exactly how she was planning to help. "Hey. Whoa, whoa, whoa." He walked toward Paige. "Hey wait. You're going to use magic?" he asked voice hushed so Carolyn wouldn't hear.
Paige looked him in the eye. "Yes, I am." Then went back to searching the book, stopping only when she found what she was looking for: The Vanishing Spell. "Let the object of objection become but a dream, as I cause this scene to be unseen," she chanted clearly then looked up, meeting Darryl's eyes briefly. "Okay, Carolyn, you can turn around now," she instructed the woman who turned back to her slowly.
"Whoa," Darryl commented while Paige merely smiled: Carolyn's face was completely healed.
"What?" Carolyn questioned as she brought a curious hand up to touch her face. "What happened?"
Darryl held up one hand. "Just a second Carolyn." He turned back to Paige, his face the picture of concern. "Look, I've known you guys long enough to know that you don't do something like this unless something is seriously wrong," he stated confidently and Paige's stoic expression faltered. "What's going on?"
Paige hardened her eyes and set her jaw. "Just get downtown and make the judge see the real Carolyn," she told him sternly. "And make sure that slimeball ex of hers gets put away. Please? Just go."
Darryl looked at her carefully, one last time before he reluctantly moved towards Carolyn and led her back towards the front door.
Paige watched them go, fighting tears as she couldn't help but think that that was the last good thing she would ever do, the last person she would ever help in this world.
"Hey, Paige," Dawn said as Paige turned to look at her, her eyes going wide. "I know. Piper had the same expression. Astral projection. Seems I got another of Prue's powers. I wish I could say everything is going to be alright. But I can't. I've seen that same expression you were just wearing before. It was on Buffy's face the day she…"
"Jumped," Paige finished for her aunt. She sighed. "I feel it, in here," she tapped her chest indicating her heart, "that we're going to die. And that you will be the very last of the Warren line because you're at Victor's."
"I'm not sure I would live long anyways," Dawn sighed. "I'm sure the Source has to know since I have Warren powers, he likely would target me now instead of waiting till I'm strong enough to take him on. I'm pretty sure he's targeting not just the Charmed Ones, but the entire family. While Buffy and I are not as strong magically as the Charmed Ones, we are strong enough to pose a threat."
"You are probably right," Paige agreed reluctantly.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Piper?" Phoebe called loudly as she entered the sunroom, expecting to find her oldest sister and her husband but instead found Paige. "Hey," she smiled gently.
Paige looked up, wiping at her cheeks and smiled back. "Hey. Uh...Piper's in the—"
"I'm here," Piper answered instead. "Aunt Dawn's with Leo. What's going on?"
"Aunt Dawn?" Phoebe said confused.
"She's astral projecting," Buffy said as she came up beside Piper. "The desire to be here with us is more powerful than the desire to be in her own body at the moment. I called your father and let him know so he didn't worry too much when she didn't wake right away."
"We may have a plan to get your powers back, Piper, Paige," Cole informed Buffy, Piper and Paige.
"Then maybe Paige could help heal Leo," Phoebe added.
"A spell?" Piper asked, attempting to remain neutral on the subject but that niggling feeling of hope had already formed in her heart.
"Remember that spell to call for a witch's powers?" Phoebe asked, glancing between Piper and Buffy. "Maybe it might be strong enough to call the powers from the Hollow."
"Could that work?" Paige asked, tilting her head to the side as she walked towards them.
"Not sure," Buffy said. "It was never meant for such."
"It has too," Piper told her mother she then turned to Cole. "Go, wait in there," she ordered and he sighed, but obeyed walking to join Dawn and Leo but before he could quite reach them he was engulfed in a shimmer like fashion disappearing to the only place a forced shimmer can take you: The Underworld.
Underworld
Cole gasped loudly as his body came to a stop and his eyes darting frantically around the lair he now found himself in.
"Don't be afraid," the smooth voice of the Seer told him gently, her body out of sight.
Cole turned to the voice sharply, watching as she entered the lair from an entrance across the way, "Who are you? Where am I?" he demanded keeping his eyes on the new threat to his now fragile life.
"Back in your once and future life..." the Seer answered evasively. "..Belthazor."
"Belthazor?" Cole repeated, his brow creased in confusion, watching as the faceless woman stepped into the light. "Seer," he concluded, instantly recognizing her face.
"Even now I can see the void where your demon half used to exist," the Seer mused staring at him intently, seeing into his soul. "It craves to be complete again."
"How did you know I was still alive?" Cole questioned as she continued to circle him.
"I had a vision," the Seer answered simply. "One where you and I do great things together."
"I don't work with evil anymore," Cole seethed.
The Seer halted. "You might reconsider, if you hope to save your precious with. Only you and I can help her defeat the Source," she informed him certainly.
Cole regarded her carefully fighting to resist but his love and need to protect Phoebe won out. "I'm listening."
The Seer smiled minutely. "If you take in the Hollow, you can absorb the Source's power when he attacks," she explained, taking her time as she began circling him once again lifting up the box of the Hollow as she passed.
Cole watched unblinkingly as she approached him.
"Once powerless, the Halliwells can vanquish him," the Seer continued.
Cole's eyes narrowed. "And what happens to me after?"
"The witches and I will banish the Hollow back to its crypt," she answered, not missing a beat. "You will return to normal."
"How do I know this isn't just one of the Source's tricks?" he hesitated. "Or yours for that matter?"
The Seer looked at him with wide and panicked eyes. "The Source has been corrupted by the Hollow and he's going to destroy us all," she informed him with a knowing air of finality. "He cannot be allowed to continue with this path of madness!"
Cole looked at her, hearing the honesty in her voice and the real fear in her eyes. "And if I do this...what do you see then?"
"A future...for both sides."
Cole turned away from her, fighting with himself, an internal struggle as he debated what to do. "Is this the great thing you saw us doing together?" he asked curiously.
"Perhaps. However, you won't ever know unless the Source is stopped first."
Cole squeezed his eyes closed, feeling himself relent and turned back to face her.
"It's the only chance to save your love," the Seer baited, holding out the box that little bit further.
Cole tensed his jaw and curled his hands into fists as he walked towards her purposefully and the Seer, he noticed, couldn't completely mask her relief at his decision. She undid the clasp and opened the box. The Hollow flew out, entering Cole through his mouth, nose and eyes, just like the others before him...and they were all dead.
Halliwell Manor
Buffy sat on her bed as she watched her daughters stand around the book: Piper in the middle, Phoebe on the right, Paige on the left. The book was open at the desired spell and they were just about ready to begin when Buffy stopped them.
"There is something I want to say," Buffy told her daughters as she smiled at them. "I love each of you. I'll always love each of you. And while I will still stand at your side I know this is the work you three have to do. I understand that now. Regardless of how this ends. I want to you all to remember one thing. That each of you are strong women. And I am not talking about magically strong, because of being Charmed Ones. I mean each of you have what your aunt has, what I have. A strength of character. So I want each of you to be brave, to live!"
Piper, Phoebe and Paige looked at each other recognized that Buffy had reworded the speech that she had given Dawn nearly a year ago. They walked over to their mother and pulled Buffy into their arms for a group hug.
"I think I speak for Phoebe and Paige," Piper admitted. "We want you to promise to do the same. Regardless of the outcome today."
"I promise," Buffy smiled.
"Let's do this," Phoebe stated as she and her sisters moved back in front of the stand again.
"For our mother and our aunt," Piper said quietly as she smiled at Buffy and the sisters began chanting as quickly as possible. "Powers of the witches rise, Course unseen across the skies. Come to us who call you near, Come to us and settle here."
As soon as they had finished chanting the whole room began to shake and everything in it.
The sisters and Buffy kept their eyes alert, expecting the Hollow to appear but instead they got the Source himself flaming in behind the sisters. The sisters whirled round and they and Buffy gasped at the sight.
"Oh my god!" Paige exclaimed as Buffy moved beside her, the shock and fear in her voice making the Source sneer.
"Not quite," he corrected her looking from sister to sister.
"RUN!" Buffy yelled pulling on Paige's hand while Piper grasped Phoebe's and they fled.
"What's going on?" Dawn asked as she met them at the base of the stairs.
"Tried summoning their powers and we got the Source," Buffy explained to her sister.
"How do we call for our powers?" Paige questioned panicked as they ran over the couch, tipping it forwards as they went.
The Source outstretched his hand, using Piper's power on the coffee table. The force of the blast sent the girls tumbling to the ground hard. "I have your powers now," he Source snickered following calmly after them.
Phoebe jumped up and pulled Paige towards the stairs while Piper hauled Buffy and Dawn to their feet.
The Source smirked. "And a few of my own too," He added forming a large fireball in his hand. He threw it towards Buffy, Dawn and Piper.
"NO!" Buffy barked pushing Dawn and Piper into Paige and Phoebe's arms and taking the whole attack herself.
The fire ball threw her backwards into the wall, smashing it up before she fell to the ground.
"BUFFY!" Dawn screamed running towards her fallen sister.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The Charmed Ones and Dawn burst through the attic door, Phoebe and Paige carrying Buffy in their arms, Dawn and Piper right behind them, their arms out in front of them under Buffy as if waiting for them to drop her.
"Hurry he's coming!" Paige cried glancing fleetingly behind them. She and Phoebe walked as quickly as possible to the back of the attic near the podium that held the Book of Shadows and carefully placed an unconscious Buffy on the ground: her face, neck, chest and arms covered in small but deep cuts.
"I got her, I got her, I got her," Dawn assured them as she fell to her knees behind Buffy and pulled her older sister against her supporting her dead weight completely, one hand delicately cupping her cheek. "Come on, Buffy, wake up. You don't want to do this to me again," she ordered sternly, her tone urgent. She squeezed her eyes shut as she rested her head atop of Buffy's, her breathing heavy with fear.
"What are we going to do? Piper and I have no powers," Paige reminded her family, the panic and fear clear as day in her voice.
Piper shook her head. "It doesn't matter, we can still make the plan work," she told her youngest sister firmly. "Go get the crystals," she ordered.
Dawn turned Buffy's head towards her a little more. "Come on, Buffy," she pleaded.
Paige looked over at the crystals ahead of her and jumped to her feet running towards them just as the Source flamed into the attic right in front of her. She froze in fear, gazing at the Source.
Dawn pulled Buffy closer, her head falling against her younger sister's chest. "Buffy," she whispered.
"Seems almost anticlimactic after all this time," the Source mused. "Doesn't it?" he asked his face directly in front of Paige. He smirked widely as he lifted one hand and backhanded her face sending her flying across the room.
"PAIGE!" Phoebe screamed jumping up and running to Paige.
The Source let her pass, none too concerned about her power, but craving Dawn's. "Hello, Dawn," he leered as he formed another fireball.
Dawn glared at him. "Two things. One you can't take my power without the Hollow," she told him smugly. "And secondly, I'm not actually here. You can't kill me here, because this is just my astral form."
The Source chuckled chillingly. "I may not be able to take your power or kill you here," he sneered as he looked down at Buffy, who Dawn pulled closer still, desperate to protect her. "But I can kill your sister." He looked toward Piper, Phoebe and Paige. "And of course your nieces, and you can do nothing but watch." He turned his attention back to Dawn. "As I am sure you've already learned. When in your astral form you do not have access to your powers. Then when they are dead I will turn my focus on you the last remaining threat from the Warren line."
He released the fireball which Dawn quickly deflected with her powers. "Just so you know I can use telekinesis in astral form. I was practicing downstairs when you caused the house to shake just in case." She threw out her hand and sent him soaring backwards. "Get the crystals!"
Piper, Phoebe and Paige seized the opportunity as Buffy finally regained consciousness. Together Piper, Phoebe and Paige surrounded the Source with the enchanted crystals.
After the Source had regained his footing he leered down at Phoebe. "Your power was always the weakest," he insulted and Phoebe flinched slightly. He looked at Buffy. "And of course I already have yours, thanks to your daughter, Patty, or do you prefer Buffy?"
Buffy shrugged. "Either is fine. I answer to both. Paige now!" she ordered and her daughter slammed down the last crystal triggering the cage.
"Got him!" Paige cried as she ran back to Phoebe and Piper, who were flanking Buffy and Dawn.
The Source held out his hand and called, "Crystal," and the nearest one orbed from its place in the circle to his hand, effectively breaking the chain. Piper, Phoebe and Paige knelt down next to Buffy and Dawn. Piper took Buffy and Phoebe's hands in her own. Phoebe took Dawn's in her free one. Dawn took Paige's in her free one. And Paige took Buffy's in her free one completing the circle.
"Now the moment we've all been waiting for." He threw a fireball at Phoebe, but it never reached her. Out of nowhere Cole appeared diving in front of Phoebe and taking the hit for her. "Belthazor!"
The Source tilted his head, triumph evident in her unsettling smile. "Now, the moment we've all been waiting for," he announced, forming the largest fireball yet. He aimed it at Phoebe the moment Cole shimmered into the attic and ran towards her, just like her premonition. But instead of killing him, Cole merely absorbed the fireball with a grimace.
"Belthazor!" the Source seethed furious.
"No," Phoebe disagreed. "The Hollow," she corrected glancing quickly at her sisters.
Cole quickly formed a fireball and struck the Source with it. "Hurry, the spell!"
Phoebe pulled the spell from her back pocket and passed it to Buffy who held it front of all five of them.
"Penelope, Prudence, Melinda," Buffy and Dawn chanted together as Cole hit the Source with fireball after fireball.
"Astrid, Helena, Laura and Grace," Piper, Phoebe and Paige chanted together.
Then Buffy, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Paige came together as five, uniting the entire family magic. "Halliwell witches stand strong beside us. Vanquish this evil from time and space."
They concluded and the Source burst into flame screaming loudly as a powerful wind picked up in the room.
"NOOOOO!" the Source screamed as he exploded sending a large ripple throughout the room, knocking the sisters' on their backs.
The Seer appeared as the sister pulled themselves and Buffy and Dawn upright.
Buffy noticed her first. "Who are you?"
The Seer turned to face her, "Someone who just helped save your lives, Patty," she answered and they frowned.
The Seer turned to Cole and ripped open the box. The Hollow tore out of Cole the same way it had entered him and returned to the box as Cole fell to his knees.
"Quickly, take my hand!" the Seer commanded holding it out to Phoebe who hesitated.
"Trust her," Cole rasped before she could turn to her mother, aunt and sisters. "If you want your powers back."
"He's right, Phoebe," Buffy agreed.
Phoebe bit her lip but jumped to her feet and took the Seer's hand, who yanked her closer.
"Say the inscription with me," the Seer ordered and Phoebe obeyed. "Abolio exume ga ume to eternius."
The box rose up into the air and glowed a bright white, flashing several times before returning to its tomb, where it would hopefully stay.
"I think I finally know how to return," Dawn said looking at her sister. "The desire to stay is gone. After all our family is safe."
Buffy nodded as Dawn suddenly faded from view as Dawn projected herself back into her body. "I'm kind of envious," she admitted as her daughters pulled her to her feet. "She already has two powers, to my one."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Phoebe and Paige raced down the stairs, ahead of the others and into the living where Leo remained unconscious on the couch and Andy resided, currently pacing up and down.
Paige pulled down the cover and placed her hand over his wound. "I can't do it, nothing's happening."
"Hold his hand," Phoebe guided her. "Let his power to heal, flow through you."
Paige closed her eyes in concentration and the wound began to heal until it was completely gone and Leo opened his eyes.
"Paige. Phoebe." He looked down at his stomach and sighed in relief.
Paige smiled widely. "I did it. It worked."
"Leo!" Piper cried happily as she and Buffy entered the room.
Leo smiled at his wife, but it faltered in concern as he took in Buffy's appearance. He waved Buffy over and began to heal her, regardless of the effects on himself.
"Two times in one day," Buffy whispered. "I need to get needing that."
"It's alright," he whispered back .
"All is as it should be again," the Seer observed stopping next to Cole. "Time to return to my side." She looked pointedly at Buffy and the sisters then turned to Cole. "Too bad Belthazor's gone, he would have made a great new Source."
Cole shrugged and looked down at her, their gaze almost friendly. "Too bad."
"I don't know who you are," Phoebe spoke up, tearing the Seer's attention from Cole to her. "But whoever you are, we thank you."
"Oh, I didn't do this for your future," the Seer assured her with raised eyebrows. "I did it for mine."
"I don't understand," Paige cut in. "If we got our powers back, where did the Source's go?" she asked looking at the Seer for her answer.
The Seer smiled. "Into the void," she replied. And then she disappeared.
Piper frowned. "Okay, who was that?" she demanded.
"A very evil person," Cole answered her with a small smile.
"Yeah...one that saved our lives and helped us kill he Source," Buffy elaborated with a creased brow. She started for the door.
"Where are you going, mom?" Piper called after Buffy.
"To Victor's," Buffy answered. "To get Dawn. I think I owe her a small treat. After all yesterday was her birthday."
Victor's Apartment
Buffy stood outside Victor's apartment as she knocked on the door waiting for her ex-husband to answer it.
"Patty. I take it everything went well?" Victor said as he smiled at the blonde Slayer when he opened the door.
"Yeah," Buffy said. "Thanks to my baby sister helping out, history didn't repeat itself tonight."
"I'm glad," Victor said. "I was not looking forward to the long drive with Dawn. Apparently the astral projection thing wore her out. She's in bed in the guest room, asleep. You want to leave her here for the night and come back for her in the morning so you don't have to wake her?"
"Would you mind another guest for the night?" Buffy asked. "I would like the first thing Dawn sees when she wakes is me."
"Sure," Victor said as he smiled at her.
"You know her eighteenth birthday was yesterday," Buffy said as she stepped into his living room and he closed the door behind her.
"I didn't know that," Victor admitted. "How about when wakes, the two of us take her someplace nice. My treat, for her birthday."
"I think she would like that," Buffy said as she smiled at Victor.
February 9, 2002 – Saturday
Dawn's P3
"Alright, here you go," the bartender handed Leo a platter of cheese, grapes and crackers. "Enjoy."
Leo smiled at him as he returned to the laughing group that consisted of Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy, Dawn and now himself.
Piper's birthday gift to Dawn had been permits that allowed anyone over the age of sixteen but under the age of twenty-one into the club and still be able to serve alcohol. Victor's birthday gift had been a day out with himself and Buffy. He had taken the Summers sisters to the golf club for lunch and then to a movie of Dawn's choice with anything Dawn wanted from the snack bar.
Leo smiled as Buffy and Dawn sat together in the middle of the group. He and Piper were on one side and Paige and Phoebe were on the other. "Here you go, guys." He placed it down in the middle of the table in their booth, "On the house."
"Oh, easy for you to say," Piper quipped sending him a mock glare as he fell onto the couch beside her.
"Yeah, well, we deserve to celebrate," Leo pointed out. "I still can't believe it," he stated shaking his head and they all looked at him. "You guys actually vanquished the Source." He smiled at them proudly. "And not only that, but you did it not with the Power of Three. But the entire magic of the family."
"So...what does that mean?" Buffy asked looking around the booth. "Is Piper, Phoebe and Paige's destiny fulfilled?"
"Don't you mean ours, mom?" Phoebe asked looking at her mother and aunt. "After all you and Aunt Dawn helped."
"No I mean yours," Buffy said. "When the Angel of Destiny told me and Faith about Dawn's destiny, he said Dawn didn't share yours, just as I don't. Sure Dawn and I helped, but we don't share your destiny. So the question remains."
"I don't know," Piper answered honestly. "But at least that part of the nightmare is over," she said quietly.
"I propose a toast!" Phoebe exclaimed and they all raised their glasses of whatever they were drinking. "To Prue!" she said and they clinked glasses.
"To Prue!" they all cheered in unison.
"And..." Phoebe drawled raising hers again looking pointedly at Dawn. "To Aunt Dawn! Happy Birthday!" And glasses were clinked again.
"To Aunt Dawn," Piper and Paige cheered as Buffy cheered, "To Dawn." And all three of them cheered, "Happy Birthday."
Dawn smiled. "Thanks guys," she said. "I have to admit that while it's been a rough couple days. I'm glad my birthday can be celebrated with all of you, my family; my nieces, my sister and my nephew-in-law. The most important people in my life. It would only be more complete if my girlfriend was here to celebrate with us. "
"Give me a second," Leo offered. He got up and walked into the back and orbed out. A few moments later her returned with Faith. They all scooted around so Faith could sit next to Dawn.
"Now everything is complete," Dawn said as she smiled. "I have everyone I love right here, with me."
Faith smiled as she leaned over and kissed Dawn on the cheek.
Leo smiled at his wife. "What do you say we go home and get started on giving your mother something she would love to spoil?" he asked suggestively.
Piper glanced at Buffy and nodded. She truly wanted to give her mother a grandchild. Not only that she wanted to be a mother. She glanced back at her husband and pursed her lips in thought. "As much as I want to give mom a grandchild. I say what do you say we go home and sleep and we work on that tomorrow night," she suggested instead, smiling sweetly at him as she pushed him towards the end of the booth.
Buffy, Dawn, Faith, Phoebe and Paige looked at one another and laughed.
"Oooh sleep!" Dawn sighed dreamily as she looked at her lover. "That sounds so good, can we go do that too?" she asked sweetly dropping her head onto Faith's shoulder.
"Are you sure that's all you want to do?" Faith asked suggestively.
"When you say it like that," Dawn said as she giggled.
Buffy smiled at her sister and let Dawn and Faith out of the booth, she handed Dawn the keys to her car as her sister and Faith left. Dawn steered Faith after Piper and Leo, sending Buffy, Phoebe and Paige into fits of laughter.
"Hi, honey," Phoebe greeted her fiancé through her laughter. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Cole nodded. "Yeah, why?"
"Well, it just took you a while to get back," Phoebe pointed out and Cole frowned.
"It did?" he asked and she nodded.
"You know, facing death has kind of made me want to face life," Paige informed them from Phoebe's side. "And I'll tell you what, there's a piece of life over there that I, think I'm going to go talk to." She grinned then slid out of the booth.
"Oh, you go get 'em girl!" Phoebe encouraged with a bark.
"You know," Buffy said. "I think Paige has the right idea. So I think I will go find me a piece of life."
Phoebe smiled as she hugged her mother and watched as Buffy scooted out of the booth before following Paige over to the bar.
"You sure you're okay?" Phoebe asked her boyfriend again, concerned.
"Yeah, yeah," Cole assured her. "I'm just a little uh...tired."
"Too tired to celebrate?" Phoebe wondered, gazing up at him with lust filled eyes. "You are my soon-to-be husband," she giggled then turned more serious. "And you're also my hero."
"Oh, I'm nobody's hero," Cole dismissed as she pulled him into a hug. He closed his eyes and when he opened them again they turned as black as coal, just like the Source.