Piper stood in shock. It had really worked. Her big sister was there, standing before her. She took a hesitant step forward before running full force and embracing her tight, never wanting to let her go.
Phoebe stood in just as much shock as she looked at Prue and then as Piper ran to her and embraced her. But she could also see the confusion in her sisters' eyes. It was as if she knew she was not supposed to be there.
Prue looked through the cloud and smoke and saw the look in Pipers eyes. She could see joy and sorrow all in one. But as Piper ran to her she caught the look in Phoebes eyes. Hers was more sorrow then the joy. But she also saw pain.
As she pulled back a bit from Piper she kept one arm wrapped around her waist. She looked over at Phoebe and held out her free arm.
At first Phoebe didn't know what to do. She knew at any moment that she would lose both her sisters. But then she also wanted that one last hug. That was the one thing she had missed when she found out her sister had died. She never got that one last hug from her.
Phoebe, though hesitant, walked up to her big sister and embraced the love she received as they all just cried. But Phoebe remembered how Prue had been returned to them. Through Black Magic.
"Prue you can't stay. You have to go back, now."
"Phoebe no. She's here now, she is staying."
"Piper you know she can't stay. You used dark magic to bring her back. You will both spend an eternity in hell if she doesn't go back now."
"Ok wait a minute both of you." Prue said looking confused at both her sisters. One wanted her to go back to where she had come from and the other. Had she heard right? Piper used dark magic to bring her back. "What is going on?"
Piper looked into Prues ice blue eyes. She saw the love there that she had always missed ever since she was taken from them.
"I tried everything to bring you back but nothing was working. Then I found a way and Phoebe has it in her head that its using black magic and that you and I are going to be spending eternity in hell with the Source."
"You are, Cole told me. Witches that turn their backs on their magic and use black magic to bring a loved one back from the grave will be the Sources slave and torture toy. And the two of you would be a prize catch. I don't want to lose you again Prue but I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing that you were down there forever for him to torment and torture. I know what it's like. And I.." Phoebe broke down as she recalled her own time in the underworld and what they had done to her.
Prue pulled Phoebe close to her as her baby sister broke down before her. She had died before she knew what happened to Phoebe. The last thing she remember was that Phoebe had gone to the attic to get a spell.
"Phoebe what happened? What do you mean you know what it's like?" Prue inquired
Phoebe couldn't say anything as her memories came flooding back to her. The beating, the torture. She crumbled in Prues arms. But she also felt herself weaken as the poison worked its way through her system.
"She went down to save Cole." Piper started the story seeing that Phoebe was in no condition to.
"So let me understand this. You sacrificed yourself so that the Source would reset time and Piper would live?" Prue asked, "you sacrificed yourself for us?"
All Phoebe could do was nod in agreement.
"And when time was reset the Source double crossed you and delayed Cole getting back to us in the end killing me."
"I'm sorry. I just..."
"Phoebe it's not your fault. You did a very brave and wonderful thing. The Source is the one that double crossed you."
"But if I hadn't gone down to try to save Cole."
"Then you would have been miserable the rest of your life. I don't blame you Phoebe. But what you both need to understand is that what happened, happened for a reason."
"How could they break up the power of three Prue? After everything we did for them how could they do this to us?" Piper asked hurt that the elders had betrayed them.
"I don't know, but there must be a reason." Prue said taking Pipers hand in hers, "Come on lets go home and see where we go from here."
Prue started to lead her sisters to the main door when she spotted Leo and Cole. Giving a weak smile, she was glad to see her brother-in-law and their former enemy. But then she saw past them and the demon smile on his face did not bring her much pleasure.
"Well, well. What have we here? A little Charmed reunion. Isn't this sweet."
Prues first reaction was one she learned long ago. Long before they had become the Charmed ones. She stepped between the demon and her sisters, protecting them as always. But to her surprise Piper stepped around her and walked towards him.
"It's ok Prue. He's with me." She stated as she took her place beside him.
Prue looked on in shock as her little sister sided with a demon. Had everything Phoebe said been true? "Piper what have you done?" Prue asked with some hesitation.
"I brought you back. I reunited the Charmed Ones." Piper replied with no remorse in her voice. "I reunited us."
"Piper."
"Piper she is right. You must tell her." Drofnas told her with a glint of victory in his eyes.
Piper looked at him confused. "Tell her what?"
"That you two belong to me now and ultimately the Source. You brought her back with dark magic Piper. As a good witch, and a Charmed One no less, you could never use dark magic without consequences. The consequence now is that your souls and lives belong to the underworld now."
Piper looked at him in disbelief. He had lied to her. He lied to get them both. He knew she would do anything to get Prue back and that was what she had done. She had used dark magic to bring back her sister. Phoebe was right all along. She suddenly remembered something he had said earlier. The souls of two and the death of the other. The other. Phoebe. What had he done to Phoebe? "You. You used me."
"What can I say I'm demon."
"What did you do to Phoebe?"
"Nothing. I didn't touch her."
"Yes you did. You said the death of the other. Tell me now before I blow you up." Her anger flared as she stepped closer to him.
He could see the anger in her eyes. It was something else he could draw on. "I poisoned her. The more active she is the faster it works. But there is no cure. Even your whitelighter can not save her now. Soon the world will be rid of the Charmed Ones and I will have high status with the Source."
Piper stepped back in shame and shock. She had been so focused on bringing Prue back she hadn't even thought of the consequences for Phoebe. Even with a new active power she still had not been able to defend herself.
"It is thanks to you that I was able to get her so easily Piper. You two fought the other night. She fell unconscious and as you returned back to the plaque where Prue lay. You were more concerned for Prue then you were Phoebe. It was easy for me to stab her." He said as he suddenly snapped his fingers.
They found themselves surrounded by demons. And a firewall flared up placing a wall between them and Leo and Cole.
"Take them." he ordered.
Prue instantly reached forward to use her power but nothing happened.
"You gave them to us remember?" Phoebe said as she flung back two of the demons.
Piper stood in shock at what he had just told her. She had practically killed her only living sister. But she, like her sisters, would not go down with out a fight as she reached forward and blew up the demon rushing towards Prue.
The fight continued as the demons kept coming from seemingly nowhere. But as Piper turned to blow up the next demon she stopped as she noticed Phoebe lose her balance and fall. "PHOEBE!" she cried out as she went to her sisters' side. Not that long ago she would have been the one glad her sister had fallen. But now she knew the truth and her guilt at what she had done nearly consumed her. Reaching her sisters side she helped her back up and she flung out her wrist blowing up the approaching demon.
"Now Piper you can't keep doing that. They are your family now."
"Go to hell." Piper shot back as she turned on him. But what she saw ran her blood cold.
Phoebe looked up as the sweat dripped from her face. She knew the poison was running through her but she would not give up on saving her sisters. If they sent Prue back now then maybe she could still save them. But Phoebe too saw what had stopped Piper from reacting. Drofnas had Prue by the throat and a blade at her wavering in front of her.
"Shall I take her as well. After all she's already dead. It doesn't matter if I kill her now. Her soul will still belong to the Source." He gloated watching in delight the pained expression on Piper and Phoebes faces.
"Let her go." Phoebe said with as much force as she could muster.
"Oh I don't think so Phoebe. You see your sisters are coming with me and you are going to die alone." He emphasized to her as he slowly shimmered out leaving Piper and Phoebe alone.
Or as alone as they thought. Piper suddenly felt her world go black as she felt the pain on the back of her head.
Phoebe watched helplessly as she herself fell to the floor with Piper. But with her weak strength she couldn't muster enough energy to throw the demon that approached them and picked up Piper with ease. As he smiled down at her evilly he took one last kick at the downed Charmed One before shimmering out leaving her alone.
Phoebe felt the warmth of the tears running down her face as both her sisters disappeared in the arms of the enemy. The wall of fire remained around her as she clutched her stomach in pain and gave into her tears. They were gone. Piper had actually brought Prue back but at not the cost she thought it would. They would now become evil or just lose their souls forever.