The Honeymoon's Over

Leo felt it first. Like a warmth evaporating from his insides. Shortly after, on the other side of the world, Melinda and Chris felt it. They didn't say anything. Chris swept an athamae through the heart of an oncoming demon. Melinda threw a potion over another but they both knew; Wyatt was dead.

Piper felt it too. She wasn't expected to but she did. And as she did, every demon within a two mile radius exploded. And, when there were no demons, Piper turned on the glass. Thousands of window panes, glass bottles and vases shattered one after the other, sending a high-pitched crack echoing round the heavens; a mother's grief.

It was not long after the war was won that the battles ended. Demons, realising their vulnerability shimmered out. Eight figures remained amongst the ruins, some bleeding, some barely breathing, others looking around, devastated. Moments after the last demon left, white lighters began to arrive. Not only those who had charges there but dozens of them from across the world. Some bent over the wounded to heal them, others whispered words of comfort. Some meditated, trying to soothe their champions. Some came just to see. Never had there been such a sight. Never had such a battle been fought, been won, been lost.

Chris was the only one to receive no healing that day - him and the three missing. He orbed away as the first lights emerged. He orbed into the jungle, flitting from place to place looking for the lost, looking for the warmth that has disappeared from his heart.

Phoebe sat in the attic with Milton. He flipped sceptically through the book. It was not just demons and spells. It was warlocks and mermaids, leprechauns and ogres. Phoebe remembered the first time she'd seen the book. She'd stayed up all night reading it but Phoebe always was a believer. Milton's face looked more like Prue's had done; disbelieving, afraid. Then Phoebe caught a glimpse of something else in his face, something equally familiar.

'You miss your home.'

'What?' Milton looked up alarmed.

'Don't you? You want to go back. To New Jersey, to your….' She hesitated and then it hit her in a flash, 'to your wife. Oh my God, they gave you a wife.'

'Who did?'

'The demons, the underworld.' Milton stared at Phoebe angrily, wishing he was allowed to defend Jennifer.

'You still love her.'

'No,' Milton's voice was confident. 'Not love. Not like you people feel it. But she knows me. I know her. She's who I am.'

Hers was the first face Milton saw. He woke up and there she was, leaning over him. Her blonde hair brushed against his cheeks, her green eyes comforted him.

'Milton, are you okay? Thank god.'

Milton tried to cover his body with his hands. She put a crisp white sheet over him and lifted some water to his mouth.

'It's okay. I'm here now,' she whispered, 'and I'm going to take you home.'

Milton's memories flashed into Phoebe's mind. She saw Jennifer finding him in the jungle. She felt his relief, his gratefulness. Phoebe gasped.

'What?'

'Oh my god.' Phoebe looked at him uneasily.

'What is it?'

'That woman, who found you, she's… Here,' Phoebe stood up and opened the book to a particular page, 'Guinevere. She's a particularly powerful seductress demon. She appears to everyone as the person they most desire.'

Milton looked at the book and smiled, 'Jenny doesn't look like that.'

'No,' Phoebe sighed, 'she looks like this.' Phoebe held up a photograph. It was Wyatt hugging a woman who, if he didn't know better, he would have said was his wife.

'That's Sophie,' Phoebe explained, 'she was your fiancé before...before you disappeared.'