Chapter Nineteen: Hopeless
It had been an hour filled with silence. While Phoebe hopelessly scryed for any sign of either Paris or Cole, Piper had been flicking desperately through the Book of Shadows. They were quickly losing all hope, and both Piper and Phoebe didn't know what to do anymore.
Neither of them wanted to lose two of their sisters. They didn't want to lose Paige or Paris. They both felt guilty.
Phoebe felt guilty because she had been the one to get angry and not believe Paris when she told her Cole had become the Source. And Piper felt guilty because she knew she hadn't been the nicest sister to Paris. Obviously, she had just wanted to prepare her for the worst, but Piper thought bitterly, even that didn't do anything.
Because Paris was dead. They didn't even know where her body was. They were screwed.
"Guys… you need to decide what to do," Leo tried. He was being wary.
"What we need to do is keep looking," Phoebe snapped.
"For what?" Leo asked.
"A way to get them both back alive and vanquish Cole at the same time," Phoebe replied impatiently.
"Well, we can't get them back without vanquishing Cole and we can't vanquish Cole without getting them back for the Power of Four!" Piper said angrily.
"Do you want my advice?" Grams asked.
"I don't know, Grams," Piper sighed. "But I'm sure you're going to give it to us anyway," Grams rolled her eyes.
"Without both Paris and Paige, the two of you are mostly powerless," Grams started.
"Thanks for reminding us of the hopelessness of the situation, Grams," Phoebe sighed as she continued to scry.
"But you're forgetting that Cole gave you a choice. With Paige, you'll be able to reconstitute the Power of Three, like you did before you met Paris," Grams finished. Piper slammed the Book shut.
"What, are you saying there's another Paris out there that we've never met? Maybe one raised by Barbas?" Piper snapped.
"No. I'm saying that by taking Cole up on his offer, and getting Paige back, you can become the Power of Three again," Grams replied calmly.
"We can't do that. We can't lose Paris," Phoebe insisted.
"We already have…" Piper whispered despondently.
"No matter what the two of you choose, Paris is gone," Leo started to explain. "All you have to decide is whether or not you want Paige alive,"
"Leo, if it was that simple, we would have chosen already," Piper sighed.
"We have…" Phoebe started, glancing at her watch. "23 hours left to think of a way to outsmart Cole or find Paris' body and a way to heal both of them," she said glumly.
