A/N: Hi everybody.
Let me just offer a quick thanks to those of you who did review for the last chapter. I really appreciated the feedback, it's been awhile. You all know who you are and I hope you and others will continue to read and review.
So, without further delay, the next chapter:
Chapter 38: Time In A Box
Time warp?
Maybe time travel?
Gideon's immediate assumptions mirrored those possible scenarios. He had taken a chance. He quickly moved backwards to conceal himself within the shadows, just as the confused faces of all the newcomers met each other head on.
The ritual, which had combined the use of powerful dark magic with almost all the Vicarian Stones mere seconds ago, had somehow turned Pandora's Box into an artificial time machine. Seven pairs of eyes all registered shock. The scattered group cautiously picked themselves up from the ground where they had been deposited with such force.
On one side of the cavern, three young adults who ranged across the age spectrum of their twenties, huddled together preparing to go on the defensive if necessary. Future Chris, Future Melinda and Future Molly all scanned the current layout of the Underworld very carefully.
"Why this job doesn't offer it's own health benefits package is just beyond me," Future Molly couldn't help but pass the crack while rubbing her sore bottom. "Ouch."
"Suck it up, buttercup," Future Chris remarked and nodded across the way from them. "Because luck's definitely not on our side today. We're not alone."
Future Molly and Future Melinda both looked over to see what had caught the attention of Future Chris.
"Darklighters!" Future Chris announced. "What the hell are they doing here?"
"What are they doing here?" Future Molly parroted him. "What the hell are we doing here is the better question, don't you think?"
"Uh, hello? The shield, you two. Right now. Please?" Future Melinda reacted almost instantly. "Let's save all the hows and the whys for later?"
An entire line of crossbows were pointing directly at them as a stream of arrows got released in their direction. Future Chris, Future Melinda, and Future Molly joined hands, creating a horizontal line, a linear chain, as a glowing blue bubble sprung outward to surround and cover their small group. A throng of darklighters had descended upon them almost instantly and Gideon took full advantage of the distraction. He stepped forward to reclaim Pandora's Box and the Vicarian Stones.
"I got it!" Future Melinda suddenly called out. "Duck!" she shouted out the warning.
Future Melinda broke out of the chain. The bubble-shield faded away just as both Future Chris and Future Molly ducked to avoid any contact with the deadly poisoned arrows still flying directly towards them. Kneeling down against the ground, they both held out their hands as they called out, sending arrows flying back at their nemesis. Meanwhile, as Future Melinda aimed her hands at the gigantic crowd of darklighters hovering before them, she sent powerful electric bolts shooting out from her hands, electrocuting random darklighters who were located at various angles.
Suddenly, a huge blue mist with a very dark purple tint shot over the entire crowd of darklighters from the opposite side of the cavern, covering them all, which caused orbing explosions. One by one, each darklighter lit up in a light blue hue and immediately imploded. Future Melinda was the first to turn around and look, followed by Future Chris and Future Molly. The young woman who had been responsible for the sudden power blast, eliminating the darklighter threat, could be seen lowering her arms back at her sides. However, it was the person to her immediate left who put them back on guard. One threat was now being replaced by another.
"You!" Future Chris accused with a hardened glare.
Gideon was initially convinced that the death glare, shooting from the angry face of Future Chris, was intended for him. That was until he noticed the presence of his real intended target. It was an evil version of Future Wyatt.
"Well, well, little brother," the mocking tone of Future Wyatt traveled to everybody who was present. "We meet again and so soon."
The evil sneer was set firmly in place across the face of the blond haired man who was clad in black leather jeans and a matching black-colored shirt. The clicking sound coming from his boots, kicking up dirt particles dusting the shiny exterior, could be heard as he made slow confident steps across the hardened ground in the direction of the three perplexed faces. His hair fell in tight curls to a length that rested comfortably against the tops of his shoulders. Abruptly, he ceased all movement. He made it a point to look around at their surroundings with his hands positioned directly behind his back.
"By the way, Bianca sends her best," he baited his younger brother only inches away from him. "From the grave!"
"You son of a b ..." Future Chris attempted to charge at his older brother.
"No, Chris, don't!" the hand of Future Melinda Halliwell, their baby sister, immediately found its way to her brother's arm, pulling at him and attempting to hold him back to prevent a deadly confrontation. "You'll only be giving him what he wants!"
Future Wyatt laughed insidiously at the out of control and rash reaction he had managed to maneuver out of his baby brother.
"He's not worth it, Chris," Future Molly backed up Future Melinda's warning, sending Future Wyatt a stone cold glare of her own. "You know he's lost."
The laughing suddenly ceased and a dark menacing glare replaced the condescending smile that had once shone with such ferocity on the face of an evil version of Future Wyatt. It was a version of him the Charmed Ones believed had been put to rest forever. Evil Wyatt's focus shifted to Future Molly.
"Actually, Molly, I think I may consider you the biggest disappointment of them all," he threw at the petite blond. "Chris, well," he glared at his brother, "his inferiority complex no doubt feeds his need to play superhero and save the day. Makes him pathetic in an almost admirable way," he spat. "And Melinda?" He smirked in her direction. "Well, I think she was just always too much like Mom for her own good."
Future Melinda just rolled her eyes.
"But you," he accused Molly pointedly. "I think you of all people should have known better. I expected a little more loyalty from you. To understand the consequences hidden behind a so-called greater good, to know the necessity behind what it is I've done? The deception of a greater good that doesn't do its job in protecting what it claims to be good? It's all just a stupid game and apparently what you have lost is all meaningless."
"You only succeeded in deceiving yourself, Wyatt, nobody else," Future Molly voiced with sadness, to a family member she truly believed to be lost forever. "You've completely turned your back on your heritage - on us."
"You turned your back on ME!" Evil Wyatt countered heatedly. "I gave you the chance, all of you the chance, to stand at my side," his eyes scanned Future Chris, Future Melinda, and Future Molly. "And we would have been unstoppable!"
The intensity of the stare coming from her big bright blue eyes didn't waver, but behind her intense look of anger, a wave of pity and pain did flash through Future Molly. It was true, she had lost much, but so had the others.
"No, Wyatt," Future Chris countered back defiantly. "We would have killed who we are. We would have been karmically screwed for all of eternity. Just like you."
"Those of us standing here who are actually screwed or not, is still to be determined, baby brother," Future Wyatt countered back, sneering at Future Chris and the others. "And right about now, I'd say the odds are definitely not in your favor."
Future Molly's sad eyes shifted to the young woman who stood beside Future Wyatt.
"Sarah?" she pleaded.
The young woman, Sarah, refused to meet Future Molly's pleading stare. Her brown wavy hair fell past her shoulders, shining with the very life her eyes should have held but no longer did. Instead, the dead gaze she now carried appeared almost robotic, all her movements stiffly executed without much show of any human emotion. Those eyes housing such a blank stare remained focused on the ground, refusing to acknowledge the future version of Molly Halliwell.
"Sarah, please? Think about what you're doing?" she tried again.
Future Wyatt narrowed his eyes. "Sarah knows exactly what she's doing," he retorted strongly. "As do the others. Which is helping to make things the way that they should be, the way things should have been from the very beginning."
"And what way would that be?" Future Chris challenged just as heatedly. "Betraying everything that our family ever stood for? Becoming the one thing that our destiny was designed to stop? You know, Wyatt, the worst part of all this is that you can't even see any of this for what it really is. At least all of those demons who do your bidding don't hide behind anything other than what they really are. But you? There's only one thing more dangerous than the true nature of evil trying to hide behind the greater good," he shook his head, "and that's when evil truly believes it is the greater good."
Future Wyatt began clapping, mockingly. "Very nice speech, little brother. Truly inspiring. But I'm beyond the petty nature of good and evil."
"I'm so glad you think so," Future Melinda took the opportunity to retort. "Because once this is all over, there's nowhere for you to go!"
"Touching," Future Wyatt remarked snidely. "But save those heart felt lectures of yours about the afterlife for someone who actually cares," he spat at his sister.
"Make no mistake, Wyatt," Future Chris interjected in a firm but solemn manner. "Someone will eventually take you down."
"Ah, subtle threats. You want me little brother, here I am?" Future Wyatt threw his arms out, trying to instigate a confrontation, as he stood with that familiar taunting smile. "Just you and me." He turned and signaled for Sarah to back away and she did as he asked. When he saw no immediate response coming from Future Chris, he gestured with his hand to signal him to make a move for it. "Well? What are you waiting for?" he mocked.
"I don't want to fight you."
"Oh, but please, don't chicken out now," Future Wyatt returned.
"I don't want to fight you unless I have to," Future Chris amended. "But I refuse to fight you just to prove that I can."
Future Wyatt snorted still intent on mocking him. "And that's why you'll never win, baby brother," he sneered. "And it's why the love of your life now lays six feet under."
Finally giving into the incessant taunting, Future Chris made a sudden move with his arms as Future Wyatt prepared himself for their battle.
"STOP!" a loud cry halted the impending fight about to break out among the two brothers. "Enough," the female voice ordered.
The command left no room for any argument. An older woman was seen kneeling on the ground in a corner found inside the cavern; she was cradling a frightened young girl who was closely at her side. The teenager appeared to be covering her ears and crying with soft whimpers, trying to pull herself away from the older woman. She was clearly confused by all the chaos that had erupted around them and both the older woman and this young teenager had gone undetected by the others until now.
Shock registered on the other faces.
"Mom?" Future Melinda called out as her eyes misted over.
Without responding, the older woman glanced over all of her children, directly meeting with the eyes of her two sons.
X
It had been one of the fastest thinking get-aways Paige had ever maneuvered during her entire time as a Charmed One.
After a quick escape from the manor in order to allude the clutches of the Triad, Paige had orbed a badly injured Phoebe, along with herself, to the secluded area of a church basement. Churches, by nature, were supposed to be sanctified, which usually meant that evil could not enter unless otherwise invited through some other way. Fearing that the Triad might try and track them down at one of the other residences, Paige remained clear of those places and settled here. It was the same church that her parents had brought her to so very long ago. The place where she had been brought to Sister Agnus, when she was merely a newborn to begin her new life as Paige Matthews, instead of Paige Halliwell. Of course, she realized some time ago that it was extremely silly to fret about a last name because, in the end, she would always be a Halliwell; however, something about not sharing the name in common with her other sisters created a small amount of emotional distance.
"Phoebe, can you hear me?" Paige pleaded with her unconscious sister.
There was no response.
Paige bent down to listen. She was extremely overjoyed to note that she could make out faint intakes and releases of air. "Hold on."
Placing her hands over the various gash wounds and bruises, Paige allowed the familiar healing energy to flow through her hands. Anxiously, she watched as every mark faded until there was nothing left, not even blood stains.
"Okay, Pheebs, please wake up!"
When Phoebe started to wake back up, Paige sighed in evident relief. "Thank god."
"Where are we?" Phoebe muttered as Paige helped her back on her feet.
"Somewhere safe. For now," Paige informed her.
After noticing the streams of long tables accompanied by folding chairs scattered across the expanse of hard flooring, tables and chairs that were used for those late night ladies bingo meetings during the week, Phoebe's eyes finally met with the crucifix that was nailed onto a wall in a far back corner. There were also a number of statues erected in honor of various religious figures; however, the Virgin mother and the baby Jesus being the most distinguishable. It was no longer a mystery to Phoebe as to where it was they were.
"Are we in a church?" she asked Paige for confirmation.
"Yeah. After the attack, I didn't think it was such a great idea to go to either of our places," Paige explained. "Who knows if they would have tried to follow us there. I mean, at the very least, I figure this gives us a little time."
Phoebe sighed. "To what? Prolong our deaths?" she cracked. "Okay, um - " she brought her hands up to the sides of her head to think. "We need to get to Prue and Piper. I just hope the Triad hasn't gotten to them first."
"Well, not to make things sound anymore problematic than they already are, but how to you suggest we do that exactly?" Paige shrugged her shoulders in the air. "I mean, short of a miracle, we risk me orbing us right into the jail and exposing magic. I don't really see how we can."
"How about orbing them out?" Phoebe suggested. "Like you did with Piper the last time?"
"Uh, not happening without the spell."
"Well, think," Phoebe pushed. "You have to remember something from it. We'll improvise if we have to."
"Uh, well, sorry but I don't remember it. It's not like I use it everyday."
"Then we have to chance going back to the manor," Phoebe concluded. "We need to get to the Book of Shadows - there's no other way."
"Maybe we can try the spell to call for a lost witch?"
Phoebe thought about the suggestion. "They're not really lost. We know where they are but, hey, I say try anything at this point."
"I still think Richardson has something to do with all this," Paige voiced her opinion on the matter again, while pacing and trying to gather her rambling thoughts in order. "There's no way it's a coincidence that he just happened to show up and arrest them right before the Triad attacks. What if they were trying to separate us on purpose?"
"Maybe," Phoebe offered. "I suppose anything's possible but we're not going to know anything for sure until we get back. We'll fix it."
"Oh, I almost forgot. We left the guys behind," Paige remembered regrettably. "I hope they're okay."
Phoebe sighed. "Me too but on the plus side it didn't look like the Triad was too concerned about them," Phoebe reasoned. "They definitely showed up for us."
"Okie dokie, then," Paige sighed.
"Come on though, let's get out of here before somebody finds us trespassing and we have more problems than just our demon variety kind to deal with."
Paige's face lit up. "Hey, that's it!" she announced.
"What's it?"
"Our way in." Paige plastered on a proud grin.
Phoebe threw her a blank stare. "Okay, Paige, you've lost me."
"Our way in with Prue and Piper. Duh," Paige teased. "It's a mortal way in," she stressed for her sister. "We're trespassing. We'll let them find us, refuse to leave, and then they'll have us arrested. They'll lock us up with them and when no one's looking, I'll orb us all out of there. Wha-la! No exposure of magic."
"Forget it. I do not want an arrest record, Paige."
Paige snorted. "Hey, it's not like Prue and Piper don't already have one," she joked.
"We'd still risk exposing magic getting out!"
"Better out than in!" Paige challenged. "The idea is to get out not caught on the way in. We can worry about fixing it later. Besides it won't even matter if the Triad gets their way."
"Yeah, well, be that as it may, let's go." Phoebe began walking towards her sister. "I still say the Book of Shadows is our best bet."
"Fine," Paige begrudgingly relented. "It was just an idea because I think we're kind of screwed every way we look at it."
Phoebe and Paige were just about to make their move to leave when they were suddenly interrupted by a door opening.
"Go! Get us out of here!" Phoebe pushed for her sister to orb them out.
However, it was too late. Paige hesitated the minute she saw the other woman. A nun, clothed in traditional black and white attire, walked inside just a split second before the two sisters attempted to orb out of sight. With a questioning look gracing her features, she quickly scanned the layout of the basement until her eyes landed directly on the two strangers a few feet away from her. She thought she had heard voices in here and had been right.
"Excuse me?" the nun addressed them in a stern tone of voice. "But what are you doing down here?" the sternness was accompanied by confusion.
Phoebe and Paige just shared a look before turning back to confront the nun.
X
"Mom?" Future Chris mumbled, his own response mirroring his sister's from seconds ago. Disbelief saturated his tone.
Future Melinda stepped beside her brother. Her eyes continued to water over at the sight of the woman in their presence. It just couldn't be, could it?
"Oh my god," Future Melinda breathed. "Mom."
Future Piper continued to stare back at her grown children. A sadness in her eyes mirrored what Future Chris, Future Melinda, and Future Molly were all feeling. Slowly, she released her hold on the younger girl who was with her and stood up.
Future Melinda rushed forward, immediately embracing her mother, a mother she once believed to be lost to her forever.
"Mel," older Piper muttered, closing her eyes at the feel of her daughter again. She still carried along with her that sweet flowery scent of her favorite perfume that Piper would never forget in a million years.
"Mom," Melinda closed her own eyes. Heavy emotion filled her. "You're here. How? We thought you were dead."
They both held on to each other for a few more seconds and then reluctantly let go of each other, drawing apart.
"What's wrong with you?" Future Piper's anger was directed at both her sons; however, her angry gaze fell on her eldest. "After I left, is this how our family legacy has been honored? After everything your father and I worked so hard to pass onto you, to teach you, worked to change and what your aunts and I struggled to overcome? THIS is what we have to show for?" Her face contorted with pain.
Future Chris, Future Melinda, and Future Molly all felt shame in what their life had to show for. Even if the circumstances they now found themselves in was not directly their own fault, the circumstances still caused a woman they all loved a lot of pain. A brief moment of weakness appeared to flash through Wyatt as he too glanced away, refusing to meet his mother's intense gaze, refusing to endure the painful look of a woman he forced himself to forget so very long ago. He swallowed, shrugging off the words that had triggered an emotional response. His hard glare met Future Piper's with determination.
"You do understand, Mom," Future Wyatt almost spat the word out like fire, "that just because I refuse to kill you, does not mean you aren't already dead to me!"
Gideon had enough of this little reunion. Thrusting out his hands, a powerful gust of wind shot through the air, lifting everyone else off of their feet, flinging them into the air and back onto the ground again. Future Wyatt and Sarah flung in one direction while Future Piper and the others went the opposite way. While everyone tried to recover from the unexpected attack, Gideon stepped forward to reveal himself.
"Sorry to interrupt this very touching reunion but I do need to be going now," he mocked. "I'm tempted to stay and finish you off myself but I have a feeling you'll do a much better job of that yourselves," his sneer widened, glancing between Evil Future Wyatt and the others. "But I'll be back," he nodded in Future Wyatt's direction.
Gideon's eyes locked with Evil Wyatt. The truth was that he felt anything but confident. Pandora's Box had created a situation he hadn't been expecting nor planning for. His best chance was to retreat and meet back up with the rest of the Triad. Hopefully, things had gone better on their end. Everyone watched as Gideon shimmered and vanished beneath the surface.
"Yes, we'll actually be leaving now too!" Future Wyatt declared. Everybody watched as he and Sarah recovered from the attack first, lifting themselves back up. "But no worries," Evil Wyatt smirked. "We'll be seeing each other real soon!" he threatened. " All of us." His stare landed on Future Piper and the young girl she went to attend to.
The others watched as Evil Wyatt and Sarah disappeared amidst their black and purple-tinted orbs.
"Gideon?" Future Molly questioned, while getting back up from the ground. "Isn't he supposed to be dead?" She swiped her hands together, relinquishing all the dirt from them.
"Great!" Future Chris shook his head, snickering at the inevitability of their magical existence. "This was supposed to be my one day off. Go figure." He turned to address Future Molly. "And it looks like somebody obviously wasn't patrolling and doing their job like they were supposed to otherwise we would have been onto this?"
Future Chris had apparently drawn the conclusion that Evil Wyatt was somehow responsible for the mess they found themselves in.
"Excuse me?" Future Molly countered. "But poofing into oblivion in the middle of patrolling the Underground doesn't exactly count as not doing my job! Besides, where were you? You were supposed to be taking a lunch break not a day off!"
"Hey, if you had a day like I was having?" he cracked.
"Chris, we all were having the day you were having, okay?" Future Molly narrowed her eyes at him, rolling them.
"Please, no arguing," Future Melinda stepped in between them. The bantering was harmless, and predictable, but they still had a lot to figure out. "This isn't the time nor place and, besides, I think this goes way beyond something Wyatt had up his sleeve. He looked just as shocked as we were to be stuck here."
Their discussion was short-lived when their attention was drawn to protests.
"Get Away!"
The young girl in the corner was attempting to maneuver around Future Piper who was desperately trying to calm the panic-stricken teenager. Future Molly squinted her eyes a little because the raven-haired girl actually looked familiar.
Everyone else stared down the scene.
X
A strange feeling came rushing over the three men who were left standing in the living room of the Halliwell Manor, as they turned to look at each other. The clock chimed eight times indicating to everyone in the room exactly what time it was. Andy, Leo, and Coop broke their stares as reality began to settle back in for them; however, Coop was the first one to break the silence and ask the inevitable question on everyone's mind.
"Hey, where did Phoebe go? I was just in the middle of talking to her."
Coop began turning his head around in every direction trying to locate his missing fiance. Andy and Leo repeated the same action as Coop shared another confused look with the two men.
Andy furrowed his brows. "And wasn't Paige just here a second ago too?"
Leo was the first to reach the worst conclusion. "Uh-oh."
His arms were folded across his chest; however, Leo dropped them at this sides as soon as he left the living room in immediate search of the two sisters. Andy and Coop both moved to follow in his footsteps as the feeling of dread picked back up inside of them too. When there was no sign of the two sisters anywhere inside the kitchen or dining room, all three men made it into the conservatory, one following closely behind the other. Each set of eyes took in the destruction spewed everywhere before them. Shards of glass had scattered everywhere, resulting from the broken windows in front of them. Coop squatted down amidst the rubble, picking up and examining the charred remains of pottery life, once thriving from the sunlight but now extinct, along with some melted toys that used to occupy the space in the room. Coop looked up to meet the expectant looks from the other two.
"Just like I thought," Leo sighed in response. He ran his hand over scorch marks, while surveying the torn and damaged wall. "The Triad was here."
"The Triad?" Coop questioned. "How could we not have known?"
"My best guess would be that they know how to suspend time in some way," Leo supplied what he could for them. "I almost remember having the same feeling after coming out from one of Piper's time freezes."
"I think he's right," Andy agreed. "I don't know if you guys caught it but the clock read the same exact time it was when the girls were still standing with us," he informed them. "Just before it chimed," he added. "It's almost like time just stopped all together."
"I don't think any other demon caused this much destruction on their own. Look at all this show of power?" Leo nodded around at all the extensive damage. "It had to be the Triad."
Coop stood back up and Andy walked around Coop to examine what his keen detective eye had caught from the background. He stopped by the broken window. Bending down, he ran his finger through the small pool of thick dark liquid.
"Andy, what is it?" Leo asked with concern.
Andy lifted his finger to demonstrate. "Blood."
"Oh, well, great. Where are they?" Coop voiced. All concern for Phoebe's safety took precedent over everything as the worry was now swarming throughout every ounce of his being. No longer did he care about the argument he and Phoebe were having just moments before she vanished.
"One of them might just be injured?" Leo tried to offer some reassurance. "They're not lying here hurt or unconscious, so that's a good sign. And Paige can heal."
"Yeah, but not herself," Coop added solemnly. "And if she's badly hurt that means she's in no condition to heal Phoebe either."
Standing back up, Andy took strides back to rejoin the others. "If they're not here, where did they go?" he inquired.
"Maybe they went back to one of their places."
"Or they've been taken?" Coop countered.
"We don't know anything for sure yet," Leo supplied back. "But we should split up to make sure. Andy, you're still going to go to the police station so you can find out about Prue and Piper, right?" he addressed the Inspector.
"Yeah, on my way right now," he answered.
"Good. And Coop, maybe you can check Paige's apartment and Phoebe's place to see if you can find them and make sure they're okay. Me, I'll stay here and wait. Just in case they show back up," Leo finished.
"Yeah, sure," Coop agreed, preparing to teleport himself out.
"We can all meet back here and figure out what to do next," Leo added.
Coop nodded his head and then faded away, his power of teleportation taking him to Phoebe's place first. His next stop would be Paige's apartment if he couldn't find them there. Leo and Andy shared one last forlorn look around the room before they too departed from it.
Hoping for the best but preparing for the worst, Andy headed for the door. "I'll call as soon as I get there," he informed Leo, who stood a few feet in back of him.
Andy opened the front door and was preparing to leave when he was greeted by the sight of someone who was ready to knock on the door. In his haste, he almost crashed into her. Internally, Andy cursed the timing and the entire situation. These visits were becoming a bit too frequent for his liking and he reluctantly realized that he had helped to encourage them without meaning to. Andy accepted that he'd have to handle it later because Paige had probably been right that day in the station which meant Prue was too. Susan was most likely reading more into their reunion than he was. He really didn't want to be rude but he just didn't have the time to deal with it.
"Susan?" he sighed. "Sorry but right now is just not a good time." He brushed right past her, leaving her alone to stare at his retreating form.
X
Billie felt herself waking back into consciousness as the blurry outline of hard rock came into focus above her. However, what she hadn't been expecting to feel was the other warm body pressed up on the side next to her. A few muffled groaning sounds escaped her throat while one hand came to rest against her forehead.
"Help!" The low and scratchy sound barely made it's way out. "Any ... " her voice broke. "Anybody there?"
Turning onto her side, the sight that greeted her caused her to momentarily consider the possibility that she could be hallucinating. The male form she was looking at lay completely sprawled out next to her, breathing but still unconscious.
"JD?" her voice called out.
Billie began pushing against him, hoping to break him out from his deep slumber. How had they gotten here? Slowly, the memory of being abducted from inside of the campus library returned and the panic arose full force.
"JD, come on, I need you to wake up!"
She pushed harder. However, as hard as she tried, her efforts were for nothing. JD remained unconscious, without any sign or response signaling that he would be waking up soon. Glancing around quickly, Billie slowly brought herself to stand while observing the strange surroundings. It was definitely some place she had never seen before. Unlike the dark gloomy atmosphere that most of the Underworld was notorious for, this area had a little more color to it. Billie thought it odd; the small cavern looked like it had been transformed into a small room. The living quarters almost appeared to resemble a library from the Magic School, the ground beneath them covered with red carpeting while a large black shelf shot up into the air with books lining every single row. A funky-looking chandelier, made from a multitude of different crystals, created it's own intimidating atmosphere, the threatening aura casting it's glow from above as it hung from the ceiling of the cavern looming over everyone or anything that walked beneath it. Couches used for sitting were positioned against the cavern walls, the only evidence remaining that they were still inside the Underworld being the charcoal walls that still lined the entire perimeter. A huge long rectangular table sat in the middle of the room holding an array of contents that were foreign to Billie.
"Weird," she mumbled. "There's got to be a way out of here."
Billie made a rash decision to investigate further; however, upon taking a few steps and attempting to walk out of her space, she quite literally received the shock of her life. The area surrounding her was sealed off by some invisible force-field so Billie was instantly flung backwards after making contact with it. Quickly, she drew the conclusion that they were being held prisoner within it.
"Of course. Why would it be that easy?" She crawled back over to JD and tried to shake him awake once again. "JD, wake up! Listen to me. I need you to wake up so you can tell me how you got here. Who brought you here?"
"He got here the same way you did!" a new voice interrupted. "Me."
Billie jumped and spun around, immediately placing herself on guard. Lifting herself to her feet a second time, she prepared for the confrontation.
"You look surprised?" the voice of the stranger queried. "Hmm. Not exactly who you were expecting I presume?"
"And who exactly would you be?" Billie interrogated.
The man standing before her wore black attire, a common color scheme for any average demon; however, there was something about the presence of this stranger screaming to Billie that he was more than just your average demon. It was in the manner in which he carried himself and in the way he spoke with her: confident, calm, cool, and collected.
"Well," a smirk coming from the stranger appeared. "You can just call me Richard. And I'll call you Billie. Besides, Richard is easier for you to remember and it is the pseudonym I've taken on for myself in the mortal world."
"Richard?"
"Yes, Richard. And I'll do us both the favor of just getting straight down to the point," he continued. "We have a little business to attend to, you and I. So I'll make this explanation simple. You're really of no concern to me. Neither are the Charmed Ones nor any of their issues with the Triad. You help me get what I need and you and your friend there are free to go," he nodded in JD's direction.
"You're joking, right?" Billie snorted. "I'm supposed to take the word of a demon?"
The smirk coming from Richard widened. "Well, let me put it to you this way. What other choice do you really have?"
Billie glanced at JD's still unconscious form laying so close to her. "If he's not a part of your business, then what is he doing here?" she asked him.
"Oh, well, he's my insurance, of course. A little incentive for you, just to make sure you don't have any second thoughts and you stick to doing what you agree to. In other words, so you don't do anything stupid," he smiled. "See, after you agree to my little arrangement, I'll be letting you go to complete the task. But he'll be staying behind."
"No way! Forget it!" Billie protested.
"Oh, but you haven't even heard my proposition yet?" he pretended to sound offended. "You know," Richard nodded towards the unconscious whitelighter, "he was really rather easy to deceive. All I had to do was set him up with one of his charges and the rest was a piece of cake. He orbs in thinking one of his charges is in trouble, only to find out it's really you."
"What do you mean?" Billie cringed.
"What I mean is that he traded his life for his charge's so that he could get to you," Richard informed her. "I kidnapped one of his charges and brought her back to some abandoned factories in your world. She did my bidding of course, " he paused for a quick laugh. "Mortals. They're so easy to manipulate, all that pent up fear." He sighed. "In exchange for her life, she called out for him and after he orbed to the scene, I gave him an ultimatum. Either he came with me or it would be you who suffered the consequences. By paying with your life."
Billie huffed. "You're a bastard."
Richard sneered. "Yes, I know. I'm a demon, remember?" he mocked.
"What do you want?"
"For a demon, you know that's a loaded question," he took his time in getting to the point, enjoying the prospect of toying with her some more. "I want many things. For instance, I'd like more power. Power is always a good thing, I would like to see other demons throughout the Underworld cowering before me. I'd want vengeance," he continued to list off. "To be avenged against those who wrongfully banished me into a solitary existence. But for now, I'd settle for you bringing me Lana."
Billie felt the shock waves pass through her system. "Lana?"
"Yes, Lana," he confirmed.
"Sorry, but I don't know who that is," Billie lied.
His impatience growing, Richard let it show for the first time. "Don't play games with me, witch," he reprimanded. "You know exactly who I am talking about."
"I swear I don't know her!" Billie protested some more, calling his bluff.
"Okay," he relented to her stubborn-ness; however, not giving in.
He walked over to the huge table with various items spread across it. After shuffling through the big mess, he retrieved what he had been in search of. Throwing it pass the invisible shield, Billie bent down to pick it up.
"Perhaps those will refresh your memory a little bit better," he reminded her.
Billie's round eyes responded as they widened in clear surprise. In her hands, were the same photographs that Inspector Richardson had used during his interrogation with her at the station not that very long ago. How did this demon have them too?
"Does the San Francisco Bay Hotel ring any bells?" Richard mocked. "How about the demonic killing of both your parents, a killing accredited to my fellow brethren," he sneered. "That girl in the picture with you is the same one you went searching for over a year ago, the same one you also believed to be your dead sister. Christy was it?" he played dumb.
Billie's silence filled the air around them.
"The pictures are my own handy work," he volunteered. "I've been seeking Lana out for a long time now ever since Dumain double crossed me. He hid her from me. I only succeeded in finding her again after she re-entered the mortal world as Christy. Rumors began flying around at the time about the Triad's plan to lure the Ultimate Power so they could destroy the Charmed Ones. A power they had believed to be you. I've just been waiting around for the right time to make my move."
"What could you possibly want with her?" she inquired. "And Dumain? I don't understand." Billie was struggling to make the connection.
"Dumain and I had plans to overthrow the Triad," he shared with her. "A long time ago. He was the one who brought Lana to me with the idea. After he had her mother killed," he added solemnly. "The plan was for us to become the Triad ourselves, to take over completely," he elaborated. "He said he knew who the Ultimate Power would be one day. He remained with Lana in the mortal world and hid until we could figure out a way to covet that power for ourselves and then use it to destroy the Triad. But," he sighed, "Dumain ended up delivering Lana to the Triad instead and must have come up with the alternate plan to take your sister to help them get it."
Slowly, Billie began putting some of the pieces of the conversation together and in doing so, began to draw some pretty shocking conclusions. "Wait, back up, before you said fellow brethren," she pointed out to him. "You said that your fellow brethren were the ones responsible for the death of my parents. It was the Triad, they were behind it. Are you another Triad?"
"I was a Triad," he confirmed for her at last. "Before I was banished from the collective by the rest of them, along with Zar. My real name is Marco."
A heavy sigh escaped from Billie, her chest heaving due to the truth coming from these revelations.
"Oh my god," she muttered. "So that must mean, if you used to be a Triad and you obviously know so much about Lana, then you must be ... "
Her thought was cut off by Richard who provided the final piece to the puzzle.
"Yes, Billie. I am Lana's father."
X
Andy pushed open the door leading into the precinct with such force that it practically swung back into place with a loud bang. He had gotten to the office some time ago only to find Richardson not there. After a little investigating of his own, he had gone on a quick break to grab coffee. He really wanted to get downstairs to the holding cells but didn't want to draw any unwanted suspicion to himself. While heading back in the direction of his office, the same office he shared with Inspector Richardson, he barreled through the throngs of people scattered around him, careful not to spill the coffee everywhere. However, as he came closer to his office, he could make out the presence of the other Inspector, a man he loathed. He soon realized that Richardson had not been alone because before he stepped inside he allowed two officers to exit the room. One of the officers, convinced he had just experienced a blackout while on duty at the holding cells, shook his head on his way out the door. The other one appeared dazed and confused.
After their departure, Andy entered, slamming the office door shut behind him and immediately turning to chew out his partner. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he demanded to know.
"My job, Inspector," Richardson informed Andy in a calm and collected manner. "Something you might want to consider doing."
"Save the act," Andy ordered. "We both know exactly what I'm talking about here, you arrested my wife and her sister without any cause. Stop playing games, I want to know what the hell your real problem is and I want to know right now."
Andy got a violent reaction.
"You want to know what my problem is?" Richardson shot up from his chair, banging his hand onto his desk. "I don't like you and I don't like them!" he added.
Andy smirked. "Believe me when I say the feeling is mutual."
Richardson shrugged.
"But still no justification on why you're holding them without due process," Andy continued. "It's a civil right's violation. You know that."
"No violation, they're being legally detained under suspicion of negligent homicide," Richardson asserted. "They will be questioned."
"Detained? They're not even booked," Andy fired back. "I checked."
"We are going to book them," Richardson countered. "The system was down," he smirked, supplying a flimsy excuse. "We read them their Miranda rights and they didn't ask for a lawyer. Not even a phone call. Everything was done by the book, Inspector. So, now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do here."
"There isn't any negligent homicide case from that club fire," Andy laughed. "What's your game here, Inspector?"
"I think you need to back off, Inspector," Richardson spat, not backing down. "Stay out of this."
"Is that a threat?" Andy challenged, crossing his arms.
"Not at all," Richardson smiled. "I think you're a little too close to this. Conflict of interest, if you know what I mean," he winked.
Andy narrowed his eyes. "I'll get to the bottom of what's really going on here, Richardson, you can count on that," he threatened.
Inspector Richardson sat back down at his desk, doing his best to ignore Andy's presence. Fully realizing that he wasn't going to get anywhere else with the man, Andy turned to leave. After waiting a few minutes, Richardson looked up and then reached over for the phone on his desk. When it became apparent that no one was going to pick up from the other end, he left a voice mail for the recipient.
"Hey! Where the hell have you been, Richard? We've got problems. I divided them up and held onto two of them to keep the sisters out of the way just like you wanted but they're missing now. I need to know if you had anything to do with it because I don't know how much longer I can keep this farce going. Do you know how I sounded trying to explain their disappearance? Listen, I better hear back from you by tomorrow."
After he was finished, Richardson slammed the phone back onto the receiver.
X
The front doors to the precinct swung open once again, this time with two officers hauling in the forms of Phoebe Halliwell and Paige Matthews.
Andy was just coming out of his office as he made out the two women, hands cuffed, both protesting and arguing with the arresting officers. They were drawing alot of attention but the first feeling to wash over him was relief. Both women looked to be completely fine which was some good news for a change.
"I'm telling you this is all just a big misunderstanding," Phoebe tried pleading with one of the officers. "We weren't trespassing - we just got lost."
A flirty laugh left Paige. "And, hey, do you think you could just maybe loosen these things up just a teenie bit?" she asked the other officer, nodding back at the cuffs. "They're just a little too tight for my circulation's liking."
Andy walked over; he did his best to hide the grin.
"Hey, don't we get a phone call?!" Phoebe could be heard again. "I know I'm supposed to get a phone call."
The first officer smirked. "You'll get your phone call, lady, I promise, as soon as we're done booking you."
"Great, thanks," Phoebe made a face.
"What do we got here?" Andy's voice broke into the conversation.
"Oh, Andy, thank god!" Phoebe announced.
Paige shot her a glare, deliberately bumping against her.
"What?" Phoebe protested.
"What my sister means is - oh, Inspector Andy, thank god. You're here to book us now so we can get that phone call," Paige improvised a little too flamboyantly, drawing out the sentence. She shot her eyes back at Phoebe to get the message across.
The officer sent her a strange look. "Sure," he responded. He turned his attention back to Inspector Trudeau. "Felony Trespassing, Inspector. They were found on church grounds but they were inside of the building. Best we can figure, they used one of the broken windows found in the basement to get inside."
"A church?" Andy shared a quick glance with the two sisters.
"Yes, sir," the officer in the middle of finger printing Phoebe responded. "Nun asked them to leave and they refused."
Paige was next to be finger printed while Phoebe moved in front of the camera to have her mug shot taken. Andy remained close, he watched, slightly amused, as Paige moved to be photographed next. However, when the two officers moved to have the sisters taken downstairs to the holding cells, Andy quickly intervened.
"Uh, I can take it from here," he informed the officers.
Puzzled expressions crossed over the faces of the two men. This was a little irregular since it was a part of their job description and out of a higher ranking Inspector's league. Andy, on the other-hand, saw it as the perfect opportunity to get down to Prue and Piper.
"Are you sure, sir?"
"Yeah, it's no problem," Andy tried to reassure them. "I was just on my way down there anyway."
"Sure you won't need any help escorting them down?"
"No, it's fine," Andy stressed one last time. "I can handle it."
The other officers departed, leaving Andy with both Phoebe and Paige. He guided them both in the direction of the doors, leading them towards the elevators.
"Well, I'm glad to see that you two are okay," he threw at them, holding the elevator doors open so they could get on first.
"Define okay," Phoebe supplied quite sarcastically as she stepped in, following behind Paige.
Andy smirked while stepping on, he pushed a button and the door shut. Feeling a little more relaxed with the privacy the elevator offered, Andy expounded on his comment some more. "We were worried. One minute you guys were right there with us and then the next minute you were gone. Coop went looking for the two of you at the apartments and Leo is waiting back at the manor."
"Paige orbed us out just in the nick of time," Phoebe informed him. "She didn't want the Triad to track us so she went to the Church instead. And then you know the rest," she rolled her eyes.
"I can't believe my idea actually worked," Paige enthused.
"I can't believe a little old sweet nun like that actually had us arrested," Phoebe remarked with disbelief. "It's not even like we stole anything."
"Trespassing is still trespassing," Andy smirked. "But I'm glad you managed to avoid adding larceny to the rap sheet," he cracked.
"Oh, no, she tried to accuse us of stealing too," Paige enlightened him.
With his arms folded, he turned with an incredulous look on his face. Paige responded with another dramatic nod of her head to confirm it.
"Oh please, like her precious mother and child statue all the way in the back was going to fit inside my pocket," Phoebe cracked. "Remind me to pass up on any charity donation there if I ever happen to win the lottery."
The numbers lit up on the panel and finally reached the basement floor level. The door opened up to reveal a long stretch of hallway with a sealed door at the very end. The guard posted on duty kept a close watch and used a key to unlock it as Andy approached with them. After greeting the officer on duty, Andy entered with the guard, Phoebe, and Paige while they all carefully scanned the empty holding cells. The guard then unlocked one of the cell doors and ushered the two sisters inside. After securing their imprisonment, the guard waited for Andy to leave with him.
"Go on ahead without me," Andy nodded at him. "I have a few more questions I'd like to ask first," he lied to him. "Take a break?" he suggested. The guard nodded his acceptance and then exited.
"Okay, big problem!" Phoebe finally let loose to the others as soon as the guard was no longer in earshot. "I don't see them."
With his hands at his sides, Andy circled around, surveying everything carefully. It was impossible, unless they had somehow found a way to escape.
"Uh, maybe they got out on their own?" he finally voiced the possibility.
"How?" Paige shook her head. "They couldn't have used magic from inside here. They didn't have any."
"Leo?" Andy proposed, not knowing what else to suggest. He walked back over to them. "He's waiting back at the manor. We should probably get back there. He said to meet him there with any news. Can Paige get all of us out of here and back to the manor?"
"Yup, sure can," Paige answered. Sliding her arm through the bars, Paige reached out for Andy and held onto him. At the same time, she grabbed a hold of Phoebe and the three of them disappeared among the blue and white flurry of orbs.
X
Future Piper held up her hands.
"Prue?" the soothing voice tried to coax her older sister from the past. "Listen to me. I know that all of this must be very confusing, even scary, but I really need for you to trust me," she attempted to reach for her hand.
The action caused Past Prue to back away even further. "Don't touch me!" she immediately pulled away. "I said to stay away from me!"
"Prue?" Future Chris's eyes widened, digesting this newest revelation. "You're kidding, right?"
He immediately looked over to the future version of his mother. Future Piper sent her son a stern look of warning. He wasn't helping the current situation.
"Right, sorry." He rolled his eyes. "Uh, listen, Prue?" he settled on. Future Chris took a few steps forward, joining his mother. "We're really going to need to get out of here and I mean like soon. So if you won't trust her," he nodded at his mother, "then at least trust me when I say that if any of us left standing here really wanted to hurt you, we would have already done it by now. I promise that we'll try and explain things later."
Past Prue folded her arms and shook her head quite vehemently.
"Prue? I promise nobody here is going to try and hurt you, alright? But we're going to need for you to come with us," Future Piper pleaded once more. "We can't leave you here by yourself, do you understand? It's too dangerous."
"I vote we knock her out with some magic," Future Melinda voiced.
Future Melinda's suggestion earned her a light shoulder shove from Future Molly. "Not funny. Not to mention, so not an option."
Future Melinda protested. "Then you try to reason with her."
When Future Chris made a move to advance towards her, Past Prue reacted and successfully ran around him and Future Piper, darting across the cavern as fast as her legs could carry her. "Just leave me alone!" she gritted through her teeth, heading for the exit, with panic completely overtaking her.
Future Chris immediately orbed so he could stop her, orbing himself back in to block her path and her escape. Future Molly and Future Melinda followed suit, providing Chris with the back up he would need. At the sight of blue and white orbs appearing before her, Past Prue's feet skidded along the ground.
Future Chris glanced over his shoulder while addressing her. "Believe me when I say you don't want to go out there!" he put his hands up. "We're only trying to ..." his voice suddenly tapered off as his eyes scanned the expansive size of her mid-section below. "Hold on here and back up a minute." He shook his head, not believing it. "Are you pregnant?" The question was first directed at Past Prue but then he quickly turned to address both his sister and his cousin. "She looks pregnant to me. Very pregnant."
Suddenly very self-conscious, teenaged Prue hugged her mid-section.
Future Melinda's eyes widened, a dramatic nod of her head following. "Um, yeah, I'd definitely say she looks pregnant."
"Billie," Future Molly muttered, staring at Past Prue's waist. "Mom had Billie when she was young and then gave her up for adoption."
"She's pregnant." Future Piper's tone made it final, confirming it. She too walked over to rejoin the others. She positioned herself behind Prue, blocking the path backwards, so that Past Prue was now wedged in between her and the other three.
Future Chris flung his arms up into the air. "Awesome," he cracked. "Great news. This situation just keeps getting better and better." He shook his head, scuffing his feet against the ground and kicking up some dirt with his shoes in the process.
Startled and feeling very trapped, Past Prue ran out from in between them, doing her best to retreat back in the direction she had originally come from.
"Mom, wait!" Future Molly had called out, reacting without thinking, as her emotions got the better of her. It was a much younger version of her mother but still a version of her mother nevertheless.
Future Chris snorted. "Yeah, that's right, Molly," he mocked, shaking his head. "I'm sure that'll help a whole lot. Lets freak her out some more. If we're lucky, maybe we'll all get out of here sometime after the Underworld freezes over."
Thinking quickly, Future Piper took a deep breath. "Prue, listen, I know your favorite color is turquoise," she shouted out, starting to list off a bunch of information that only she and Past Prue would know about. "You hate red meat. Madonna is your favorite female pop artist of the 80s and I borrowed and lost the cassette tape you got for Christmas."
Past Prue stood in place; however, she didn't turn back around to face the others. She listened as Future Piper continued to share certain events from her young life that nobody else except herself, or her family, could possibly know about.
"Grams caught us joy riding in her car on one New Year's Eve. We were grounded for almost a month afterwards, do you remember that?" Future Piper took some small tentative steps, a warm smile spreading across her face. Then she couldn't help but laugh a little bit with the thought pertaining to the next memory. "And Phoebe stole your diary when you were still in the tenth grade; she made photocopies at the library the next day and then passed them around the neighborhood. You were so angry with her; you made her do all your chores for two months in exchange for not telling Grams."
Past Prue's eyes grew bigger.
Future Piper's tone changed, it carried a sad edge to it. "And every year on Mom's birthday, you, Phoebe, and I would ride our bikes down to the Bay. Do you remember our messages in a bottle?" she paused. "We would each pick a flower from the flower bed Grams had in the back yard and we placed them inside our bottles. Then after we reached the dock, we'd sit there for hours until each of us thought about the most important thing that happened to us during the year, the most important thing we wanted Mom to know about. We would write down privately and stuff it in our bottles, throwing them into the water."
Slowly, Past Prue turned back around to face the others. Future Piper's approach continued at a slow pace.
"You dated Andy for most of high school and then broke up with him on the last day of your junior year, in the gymnasium. Because after Grams found out you were pregnant, she sent you to stay with the Jenkins so that they could adopt the baby you're carrying right now," she indicated with a slight nod of her head. "It was a difficult time for you. And you and I, we had been writing letters back and forth while you were away," she finished.
Prue looked down, protectively shielding her stomach. "So then the baby is okay?" she sounded sad. "With them?" she was referring to the Jenkins.
Piper nodded with a sad smile. "Fine," she reassured her.
"How - how," Past Prue choked out, her voice breaking. "How do you know all that?" she stammered, blinking back tears.
"Because," Future Piper smiled, stopping just in front of her. "I'm your sister. How else would I know all that?" She was now at her sister's side.
"My sister?" Past Prue questioned, not sure how to take the admission.
"Yes, it's me. Piper."
"Then how come you're so old?" came Past Prue's inquiry. She scanned over the others. "Who are they?"
Future Piper chuckled a little. "One explanation at a time," she gently brought her hands to the tops of her sister's shoulders, while moving to stand behind her and facing the others. "All of it will just give you a headache."
"Hey," Future Chris interjected, addressing his mother. "I'm glad you're finding this so amusing right about now but refresh my memory here? Before Aunt Paige, I thought you said you and your sisters didn't get your powers back until after your Grams died. Which also happened to be when you were older, at least older than that," he indicated the current age version of Past Prue. "So, unless I'm missing something here, that makes her pregnant and powerless."
"Which means we're going to need to keep her safe," Future Melinda concluded.
"Uh, no, which means we've been elected for babysitting duty," Future Chris gave his own interpretation. He stood with his arms folded across his chest. "Something I'm really not up for so I say," he paused briefly. "Mom?" he looked pointedly at his mother. "Since she's actually a version of your sister, you should get the honor."
"Oh, Chris!" Future Piper scolded her son gently. "I think it's fair to say that we're all in this together until we can figure out what happened. Wouldn't you? So we're stuck looking out for each other." It was more of a directive rather than a suggestion.
"Fine. Whatever," he relented.
Past Prue narrowed her eyes at Future Chris. After absorbing his words, she didn't like the insult nor the insinuation she was somehow a burden on these complete strangers. "Hey, look, I don't need a babysitter!" she spat. "I just need to get back home."
"No, what you need is a personal body guard at all times otherwise Billie is screwed," he retorted, doing his best to match the stubborn glare coming from the past version of his aunt. "Not to mention Christy and Penny."
"Um, yeah, try and ease up on the future information there, Chris," Future Melinda warned her brother.
"Wait!" Past Prue interjected, after catching the slip. "Are you people saying you're from the future?" She pointed at the group, finally landing on Future Piper still standing with her. "All of you?"
"If we did, would it make you shut-up and finally listen?" Future Chris cracked.
"No!" Past Prue defiantly fired back. "It makes me wonder what the hell I must have smoked for my mind to have conjured up such a condescending jerk like you!"
"Wow!" Future Chris laughed, partly amused, partly annoyed. "Was she allowed to get away with being this mouthy around your Grams?" he smirked at his mother. He put up his hands in resignation before his mother could admonish him. "Hey, just say'in, cause I've met your Grams."
"Chris!" Future Molly smacked his arm.
"What?" Future Chris threw his hands up in protest. "Look, I'm kidding. But what I'm not kidding about is needing to get out of here. Do we even know what time period we're in right now?" He addressed his mother again. "Speaking of which, how is Gideon even alive? I thought you and your sisters vanquished him and the rest of the Triad years ago. Just before ..."
Future Chris was suddenly cut off from verbally completing his thought when a loud cough came from Future Molly's throat. He watched as the eyes of the others darted conspicuously in the direction of Past Prue and quickly realized the error he was about to make. Thinking as quick as he could to cover up his blunder, he finished the sentence by changing what he originally intended to blurt out.
"Just before - those other demons you had to vanquish."
Future Piper's gaze averted away from her sister. Closing her eyes briefly, a weary sigh escaped from between her lips. "We did vanquish them, Chris," she confirmed for her son. "Gideon included."
"Do you think it's safe to go back to the Manor?" Future Molly's eyes brightened at the idea. "As a type of meeting point for the five of us, just until we can figure out and sort this whole mess?"
"Well, that depends," Future Melinda conceded. "Are we still in our time? Or are we stuck somewhere in the past? Who will we run into there if we go?"
"I don't know," Future Chris shook his head. "Wyatt and his demon goons sure aren't any picnic to deal with but, somehow, trying to explain ourselves to some past version of Grams, or even to our own parents, doesn't strike me as being all that safe."
Future Chris cringed at the idea of a confrontation leading to a multitude of questions. Questions that would most likely come after a couple power blasts, some scratches or bruises, and an interrogation session. Not before.
"Mom, how are you even still alive?" Future Melinda's attention turned back to her mother standing close to her. "I mean ... "
"Lets hold off on all the explanations for later," Future Piper pushed the question off, holding up her hand to stop any further interrogation. "For now, Chris is right. We need to get out of the Underworld, it's not safe to hang around down here. We can try the Manor. It's the best we have to go with for now. Everyone just be on immediate guard after we get there. We could have some serious explaining to do."
"Yeah, exactly what I'm afraid of," Future Chris rolled his eyes.
Alot of uncertainty filled the small group who was left behind as they gathered together. Future Piper immediately reached out to take a hold of her son and daughter but Past Prue was the most reluctant and hesitant to leave and go anywhere with them. Future Molly smiled and reached out for her younger mother's hand, beseeching her to take it. Finally, she gave in and grabbed on as the group of five left behind the confines of the Underworld by orbing away.
X
Billie allowed the full force of the revelation to settle over her.
"Her father?" she repeated to herself almost not believing it. "You've been alive this whole time?" she re-addressed Richard.
"Yes, and I like I said, I expect you to bring her back to me. As soon as possible and without letting anyone else know what it is that you are doing," Richard added on. "Those are my conditions for this little arrangement. If you follow these simple rules and succeed, the whitelighter will be free to go. If you don't, well, I'll leave his fate in the hands of some others who know better how to handle him. I think that a darklighter or two may have crossed my path during my time in exile."
"And what if she refuses to?" Billie tried to reason, not wanting this task. "I can't make her."
It went completely against everything she and JD had been trying to do, which was to reconnect Lana with her mortal roots and help to suppress the demon within. Common sense dictated that reintroducing her demonic father into her life now would only stunt that progress. But Richard's sneer only grew wider. He began pacing the small length of the perimeter, just outside the shield, with his hands folded behind his back.
"Come now, Billie," he mocked. "I'm sure a smart girl like you can figure something out. You and the whitelighter had no problems searching out her mortal background, correct? So convince her, tell her whatever you have to, to make her think it's in her best interest. All you need to be concerned with is getting her here. The rest is all up to me."
Billie felt trapped. How could she get around agreeing to something she didn't want to do, especially when JD's life was dependent upon it? The stranger had obviously done his homework and had done it well. Had they been careless? Richard, or Marco as he really would be called, was aware of their involvement and the moves they made with Lana. Billie quickly tried to recall in her memory if there was ever any time when they felt like they were being watched or followed while with her.
She couldn't.
"Do we have a deal?" he pushed for her answer.
However, Billie was momentarily saved from making the pact as her focus shot to JD, who began stirring on the ground next to her. With all of her attention shooting to him, she knelt down beside him on the ground. Gently, she bent over to assist him.
"JD? Are you okay? It's me, Billie."
"Billie?" JD squinted his eyes as he tried to bring the figure above him into focus.
"Yeah, it's me." While JD struggled with lifting himself up, Billie dove in with a hug. "Thank god you're alright." Then she smacked him against the shoulder. "But what were you thinking? You shouldn't have come here after me. Didn't you learn anything after the last time?" she pointed out, referring to the time Gideon had her and he had been tricked into helping Lana in exchange for Billie's location inside the Underworld.
"Hey, you didn't actually think I was going to leave you down here?" he offered his trade-mark grin, instantly regretting it. He brought his hand to the back of his head as a sharp pain jolted through the back of his head, causing his face to scrunch up and contort.
"I'm afraid I'm going to need an answer?" Richard cut into the small moment shared between the two.
Billie and JD stood back onto their feet, Billie helping JD.
"You?" JD shot at the stranger he now recognized. "What do you want with us? Let us go," he demanded.
"I'll do it!" Billie lied. She would figure a way out of it later.
"You'll do what?" JD demanded to know, staring at her. His hardened look immediately shot back at Richard. "Billie's not doing anything for you. Whatever it is, I'll do it!"
"Sorry," Richard mocked him. "But this is strictly witch business," he cracked. "Whitelighters are a no go."
"Well then you can go to hell! Billie will be helping you or doing anything else you ask over my dead body!"
"That can be arranged," Richard sneered.
JD made a threatening move and Billie tried to stop him.
"JD, no! Wait!"
Her warning came too late and JD was shocked by the electrical force-field that he didn't realize was blocking them, the same one Billie had encountered earlier. The force was enough to jolt him, sending him flying backwards until he hit the ground. Richard held out his hand and then waves of electrical current suddenly caused him to writhe on his back. Billie immediately ran to his aid, protesting.
"Stop it! I said I would do it!"
After a few more minutes of allowing Billie and JD to feel the terror he had brought to life, he slowly brought his hand back down and the convulsions stopped. However, JD was once again thrown back into unconsciousness. Billie tried to suppress the sobs she felt getting stuck inside her throat.
"Good," Richard finally remarked. "I'm glad we finally understand each other."
X
Leo anxiously paced the attic floor, arms crossed, with his hand underneath his chin while he engaged in some deep thought. He hadn't heard back from neither Coop nor Andy and there still hadn't been any sign of the girls. He hated to admit it, but things weren't looking good. Perhaps the Triad had taken Phoebe and Paige after all.
Suddenly, Coop teleported back into the attic.
"Coop, thank god," Leo announced, walking over to him. "Any sign of them?"
"No," Coop shook his head solemnly in response. "I checked both places and they weren't at either one. I also ran into Henry at Paige's apartment and ended up giving him the run around," he reported. "Lying to him didn't make me feel any better."
"I know but it's probably better to keep him out of it for now. Especially since we're not sure about anything," Leo offered. "It'll just give him something to worry about."
"Right." Coop sighed. "What about Andy?"
"I haven't heard back from him yet. Which concerns me," Leo admitted. "Whatever mess Prue and Piper are in, it may not be as easy to get them out of as we had hoped."
Coop released a low whistle.
Suddenly, a loud noise alerted both men to the sight of Billie being spit out from the air and hitting against the table, causing items to fall and crash everywhere. She had been deposited from a swirling mass of dark energy whirling in mid-air.
"Ouch!" Billie groaned.
"Billie? What happened?" Leo walked over, concern written all over his face.
"Oh, you mean the big black swirling hole of nothing?" she retorted mockingly in response to the unexpected source of transportation. She got up from the floor to straighten herself out. Leo reached his hand out to assist her. "That would be our new best friend. Demon friend that is."
"What do you mean?" Coop inquired, his eyebrows arched high.
"Short version. He wants Lana. And he has JD. But he only agreed to let him go if I bring her to him. Oh, that, and I wasn't supposed to let anyone know so I'm already down one," she rolled her eyes for dramatic effect.
"But you're okay?" Leo asked, concerned about her welfare first.
"Who me? Fine," Billie brushed off with a wave of her hand. "But JD is a whole other story. We need to get him out of there."
"How do you know all that?" Coop asked.
"I ran into some trouble at the library. He grabbed me and brought me to the Underworld," she informed them. "But I haven't even gotten to the worst part yet."
"Which is?" Leo pushed for the information.
"He claims to be Lana's father."
"What?" Coop asked, completely shocked.
"Yeah, I know, that was my reaction too," Billie cracked. "He claims he used to be a Triad member and that he was exiled by them or something like that. He even knew all about Dumain, the demon who raised Lana."
"Okay, that's definitely not good news," Leo sighed.
"By the way, where are the others?" Billie looked around. "I was supposed to meet back up with them here before I ran into trouble."
Leo and Coop shared a look.
"The sisters are in some big trouble of their own," Leo shared. "Prue and Piper were both arrested. The Triad also attacked here at the manor so we don't know where Phoebe and Paige are."
"And Lana's dead," Coop volunteered. "Phoebe vanquished her."
"W-h-a-t?" Billie drew out slowly. It was her turn to be shocked by the turn of events that had transpired while she had been gone.
However, a split second later, Leo, Coop, and Billie were interrupted and greeted by two sets of orbs flashing into the attic at the same exact time. Moving their heads from one end of the attic to the other, the two men were at least relieved with one reappearance. The other side; however, shocked them. On the left side of the attic, Andy had returned with both Phoebe and Paige in tow. Paige had orbed them back. But then, on the right side, five pairs of eyes met with the shocked eyes of everyone else standing there.
The past, present, and future had just collided with each other.
To Be Continued: Okay, I'm going to end it there.
Prue and Piper's whereabouts (along with the little ones) will be revealed next chapter. I was actually going to squeeze it in this one but I wanted to do the parts more justice and it just seemed crammed so I moved it.
Hope you enjoyed the update and don't forget to push that button and review. It's always good for a writer to get the feedback.