Chapter 7 - In Control
"Do you know what powers she'll have?" Carkan asked.
"A force-field is pretty likely." Zander replied. "Probably some Charmed powers, too. And mine... Throw a fireball at her."
"And have her send it back on me?!" Carkan protested.
"She'll probably just send up a force-field -"
"I'm not willing to take that chance." Carkan replied.
"Fine." Zander formed his own energy ball, sent it at Gracie then shimmered away. It wasn't like he expected - she didn't send a force-field out. Instead, her eyes glowed green and the energy ball turned into ashes which dropped to the floor.
Piper and Leo had orbed in just in time to see it, and Piper gasped. Zander spun round, and his eyes registered shock when he saw her.
"What are you doing here?" He snapped.
"Picking my daughter up." Piper said sweetly.
"Tough. She's mine now."
"No, she isn't. She never was, she never will be."
"I gave her her powers back. You - you kept her powerless, mortal." He sneered. "You don't deserve her."
"I don't deserve her?" Piper repeated. "As far as you're concerned, she's just power, nothing more."
"Piper, Piper, Piper. What do you hope to achieve? You were always too weak to fight me. You can't stop me. Leave, and I may not kill you."
"Like I believe that." Piper scoffed.
"Really." He smirked. "I'd much rather she did that..."
"Gracie?" Piper raised her eyebrow.
"If she kills, she'll be evil." Leo muttered.
"Exactly." Zander nodded. "So, shut up and leave."
"No. This time, I will fight you." Piper replied.
"Without powers?"
"Who says I don't have any?"
"You were always too scared to have them." Zander mocked.
"Really?" She raised her hands, flicked them at him - and smiled as the blast she cause caused him to stumble. She couldn't kill him, not with her powers, but she could hurt him, she could hurt him as much as he'd hurt her...
"You... But..."
"I guess you didn't know me that well after all." Piper smiled. She felt stronger, and she wasn't scared of him. Not anymore. She blasted him again, and this time he fell backwards. "I'm in control now, Alex."
He sent a fireball her way, but before it reached her, it turned into ashes. Piper glanced at Gracie, who was smiling and waving her arms.
"No matter how many powers you give her, she still knows who her mother is." Piper said. She blasted him again, and again, and again, unable to stop, releasing all her emotions on to him.
The other demon moved towards Gracie - she blasted him too. He shimmered out, scared, leaving Zander alone.
"Get Gracie." Piper hissed, as Zander tried to pick himself up. "Take her home. I'll stay here." She blasted him yet again.
"No way. I'll get her, and get the both of you away."
"But he'll come after us, before we're ready." Piper protested.
"I don't care." Leo hissed back, and for the first time since Gracie had been taken, she remembered the words he'd spoken on that cliff. I think I love you...
"OK, get her." She murmured, and he orbed quickly to the table. Piper blasted him again, desperate not to let him see Leo orb next to Gracie. He didn't, and when Leo orbed next to her a second later, she aimed one last blast at him before Leo grabbed her round the waist and orbed them out.
----
"You got her!" Paige cried as they appeared. Leo handed the baby to Piper, who held her close and nodded.
"He'll be here, soon. Nearly done?"
"A few minutes. It needs to set." Phoebe's said.
"Which one?"
"The vanquishing one." Paige answered. "The unbinding is all..." she dropped the last ingredient in, and a cloud of smoke billowed up. "... done..."
"Good, come on." As Prue and Paige ladled it into cups, Piper hugged Gracie tightly.
"It's OK, we're OK." She murmured. "He unbound her powers." She added to her sisters. "She dissolved his fireballs."
"Really?" Phoebe grinned. "Wow..."
----
"Carkan!" Zander yelled. "Get back here! I need you to help me!" When nothing happened, he launched a fire ball at the wall angrily, then shimmered out.
He appeared in the attic in the manor, looking around himself furiously. He'd had her. And he wouldn't let that witch get away with it.
They were ready for him. The potion was done, and Piper held the bottle clasped in her hand. Their powers were unbound, Leo had orbed Gracie somewhere safe. They were ready.
"Took your time." Piper remarked cooly. Zander stared at her, shocked by how confident she sounded. He hadn't known her like this... She was weaker than this...
"Any last words?" Prue asked him.
"Last..." He murmured. He realised what would happen the second before she raised her hand. He started to shimmer away, but it was too late. The potion was flying towards him, and it shattered at his feet. The liquid spread over his feet, and an unbearable heat spread up his legs, higher.
He didn't scream, although he wanted to. He himself had vanquished demons, but he never could have imagined the pain. The burning, the knowledge than you were dying. He fixed Piper with his stare, possessing too much pride to show her how much she was hurting him. And yet by the satisfied smile on her face, he knew she must know.
Piper watched the flames jumped higher, and then, an almighty explosion... He was gone. It was over.
"You did it." Prue whispered.