C5 Trouble

"Paige!" A worried Leo caught his shivering, ashen-faced sister- in- law in a hug.

"What happened?" He asked, pointing to the fire brigade. "Did anyone get hurt?"

Paige wept as she told him the story.

"Natalie's dead." She finished.

"I'm so sorry." Leo said concerned and led her to his car.

She was silent on the way home. How was it that she could deal with pain so easily as a witch, and so terribly as a human? Leo was surprised at her next words.

"If I had my powers, could I have saved her?"

"I don't know." said Leo but he was fidgeting like he did when he was lying.

Suddenly he felt a spasm of pain so horrible he had to quickly pull over.

"Leo, what's wrong?" Paige asked.

Leo brought his anxious blue eyes to hers. Paige was confused; it was a while since she had seen him so upset.

"It's Phoebe." He paused. "She's in trouble."

"It's too bad Michael had to go to soccer practice." Piper said to Wyatt as she entered to Halliwell Manor with Chris in her arms and Wyatt in tow. She lifted her boys in their playpen, wondering if there was room for another boy in there. Yeah, right. She smiled. This one's going to be a girl!

"Phoebe!" She called but got no answer.

She's probably out shopping and having fun. She reassured herself. It's not like she was really sick. Curious voices came from upstairs. Piper eagerly followed them up a portrait decorated staircase, all the way up to the attic. As she opened the dusty door, the place brought fresh memories to her surface. Suddenly she gasped as she saw potion ingredients scattered on the floor next to the open Book of Shadows. My god, what is Phoebe doing! She thought, turning off the radio. She quickly cleared out of the symbolic place, reassuring herself that without her powers, Phoebe couldn't find trouble.

Warm blood trickling down her face, Phoebe glared at the demon that kept her tied up in his underground lair.

"So you really are Shax?" She asked her enemy, already knowing the answer.

"Yes."

"How?"

"In exchange for ending the first Charmed trio, my shadow was bottled in a vase, destined to be opened five years after my death." he smiled.

"Why did you destroy the club?" Phoebe demanded.

"The same reason I killed your sister." Shax was amused at the pain clearly etched in Phoebe's face. "I was asked."

"By whom?" She was struggling to stay strong. "Forgive me but I haven't read The Magic Telegraph in over a year."

Shax laughed but didn't answer. He paced the lair as if waiting for someone.

"Let's just say life has been a lot easier for us without you and your sisters. So you won't be leaving here alive."

"And him," Phoebe pointed to the unconscious witch next to her. "What are you going to do to him?"

"Kill him of course. I've got what I need." The amulet shined bright around his long neck.

Phoebe struggled against her chains, but they were secured. Shax smiled.

"The Dark Lord will be most pleased in my accomplishments."

"Yes, I will." On cue, a deep voice was heard amongst the darkness.

As a gigantic cloaked figure that stunk of evil appeared in a cloud of black, Phoebe looked for something, anything. But there was nothing.

"What? How?" Confusion filled Paige.

Leo took a deep breath. This was not going to be easy.

"Last night, Phoebe and I, we um... got our powers back."

Paige felt like she had been hit. "You went behind our backs like that?"

It was turning to be one of the worst days of her life.

"Paige," Leo started but she slammed the door in her face and walked off the road.

The main road backed on to beautiful paddocks, filled with farm animals. Paige took a breath of fresh air but it didn't help to cure her desire to grab a knife and break Leo in a million orbs.

"Paige!" he orbed in front of her, slightly scaring her. "We didn't do this to hurt you. We did this because we thought it was right. Now Phoebe has gone after Shax without me and she's in danger. I sense a force of evil so strong, it's indescribable."

Paige ran on and they both dodged annoyed cattle. She ran until she was out of breath and then she stopped and faced him. It was a long time before she trusted herself to speak, until she was certain. It took a friend to die and a sister to be in danger for Paige to realize she wanted and needed her powers.

"Turn me back. I can't let Pheebs die."

"I'm sorry but I can't wait for you." Leo said gently. "It might be too late already. The potion's is in the attic cupboard, second drawer."

He placed the car keys in her palm. Then he disappeared and left Paige in the field, watching the cars rush by.

Thanks for the reviews people, keep it up, 2 chapters left

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