A/N: Please take a moment to review the story. I'd like some feedback, if only to know people are enjoying my work :). Let me know what you think so far. If you are returning to read the new chapters as they come, and whatever else you'd like to say. Reviews please and thank you.
Empaths
Chapter 3: "Do you want some Ice Tea? I want some Ice Tea. My throats really dry. Ice tea?"
Part 1: Duel on the Astral Plain
"Paige, Paige." Phoebe whispered knocking anxiously on the half Whitelighters bedroom door. "I know your in there Paige, I can explain."
Still no reply.
Quietly, "Paige we need to talk" Phoebe stated earnestly.
Paige opened the door a sliver.
"Paige great!" Phoebe cried ecstatically, blitzing the door as she did.
Paige effected to retreat toward her bed as not to be ran over by her manic sister who leaned back against the door once having stormed it. Paige was not trying to be cruel, anyone who could receive Phoebe with wanton cruelty, was the kind of person who could drown sack of kittens, or crush a flower jus cuz and most likely was a demon. At any rate her mortification was coupled by a sense of hurt and righteous indignation.
"Is that the reason the poor Empath has been locked away in the basement?" Paige hurled in her vexation.
"Yes, I mean no, I mean yes." Phoebe failed.
Paige placed a tried hand on her perfectly sculpted hip, cocked it like the weapon it was and appraised Phoebe with an expectant brow that mirrored her dwindling patience.
"Yea about that..." Phoebe started, then candidly went on to explain the entire ordeal.
"Essentially you mean to say Leo molested you?" Paige questioned from somewhere in the left field, sinking back on her bed where both individuals had seated, wearied from all the petty barbs collected.
"Excuse me?" Phoebe fired back.
"Psychically I mean. You did say you weren't okay with it after all, and he hardly needed to motivate you erotically. He could have chosen any emotion and it would have worked right?"
"Well, yea." Phoebe admitted, deciding immediately she wouldn't go into detail about her personal feelings concerning the matter. That was something she would hash out with Leo.
Phoebe turned her head slightly, "Your not angry with me any longer, but your still angry Paige. Why are you angry?" Phoebe read her sisters inner most feelings with no more effort than she would The San Francisco Chronicle. Then shooting to her feet, "That son of a bitch!" Phoebe blared, startling Paige. "How dare he take advantage of her in a vulnerable state. That piece of, oh I'm going to give him a piece of my mind, parading around like some holier than thou Elder. Who can I punch, give me something to punch!" Phoebe declared then realized she was no longer sitting on the bed.
"Did I just call Leo a son of a bitch?" Phoebe asked, though she hardly wanted to hear the answer. Paige nodded leerily, this whole empathetic turrets thing as worrisome as it was ultimately confusing. Phoebe quickly unraveled the fist boring a whole into her left palm with a nervous little smile.
"Couldn't have said it better myself." Paige added slowly.
"Oh honey that's how you feel." Phoebe sighed compassionately, rushing back to Paige, laying a hand on her shoulder and looking directly into her eyes. "I'm fine Paige, it'll be all right. I know your upset and unsure but I'm okay, okay? I'm sorry." Phoebe impressed contritely. Paige blinking slowly as she looked into those bright earnest dark brown eyes realized that Phoebe was dead serious. "Thanks?" Paige offered in return, watching Phoebe as she shut her eyes softly and bowed with this Namaste like air.
"Your going to be okay then?" Phoebe asked mindfully. Paige nodded once.
"Good-That cad, why I oughta"
"Phoebe snap out of it! Get a hold of yourself woman!" Paige implored giving Phoebes shoulders one good shake, but what she meant to say was get a hold of your self Paige it's your enmity for Leo that has sent your sister into the depths of a bipolar disorder. Paige was painfully aware that Phoebes new power in short was looking into a mirror.
"See this is my point! I can't control it!" Phoebe stated in exasperation.
"Which is why I've taken the liberty to devise training protocol that we can use around the house?"
"House Training?" Phoebe rephrased with a hint of apprehension, she'd had enough 'training' for one day.
"Oh don't worry Pheebs I won't be asking you to fondle me or anything."
"Paige that's gross."
"Sorry. Anyway, they're simple training exercises. When I couldn't find an answer to help you out in the Book Of Shadows aside from, binding your powers, erasing your emotions, casting a spell so you would only feel the lighter emotions" Here Phoebes eyes widened in something like horror as Paige continued, "or putting you in crystal cage every time we have company, to avoid law suits with humans and the downfall of The Charmed Ones with demons, I thought maybe I was going about this all wrong, and the answer wasn't a magical one. In conclusion I found a very practical way to help you out." Paige smiled.
"Thanks Paige." Phoebe added in the cautious manner one employs upon discovering they just escaped some sort of magical dire straights.
"Don't worry it'll be like learning to drive a car. Piece of cake, I promise. And after you talk to Piper we can get things started." Paige smiled hoping she ghosted over the Piper part sufficiently, or not.
"You told Piper Paige!"
"You're not channeling are you?" Paige flinched.
"Nope. This is all unadulterated me! What did you say Paige?"
"I may have said something to the effect that I couldn't help Piper in the kitchen because I was temporarily blind and that I was making my way upstairs to puke?"
"Paige!" Phoebe exclaimed.
"Sorry." Paige cringe-shrugged, peering at a disgruntled Phoebe through slits.
Phoebe was already making her leave when she replied. "I have to talk to her and if she blows me up, you can bet your ass I'm haunting you for the rest of your life!" Phoebe threatened from somewhere just outside Paiges room. Continuing her muffled rant, down the hall through the sheetrock, "And then when you die of guilt from having gotten me killed, we'll resume our duel on the Astral Plain." Phoebe concluded from the top of the stairs. Paige fell back on the cool coverlet with a smile.
Part 2: Mr. Daniel's
Piper had just put down Wyatt his afternoon nap with a small sense of victory, for getting that boy on a sleep schedule to prevent his crankier moods had been no small task. Now she was hunched over, wielding dust pan and broom, left to tidy the wreckage of the battle field doubling as a sitting room. Dabbing the perspiration from her brow and slaving away. Attempting to salvage at least some form of presentability.
As she very quietly navigated through the house, Pipers frustration was not unlike a GPS for Phoebe. She nearly expected to hear the very obnoxious posh voice of an automated British woman inform her: Turn right onto apprehension way, route to your untimely death complete, your destination is on your left. Cremation or, well, that's really the only option with Piper.
"Now before you lose your temper if you could just keep in mind that I'm an Empath now, which makes the yelling part redundant, and I realize that your frustrated but allow me to explain." Rambling her way into the room, Phoebe jumped in headlong.
Piper turned, she could read Phoebe like a book. This must have something to do with what Paige had said in passing. Granted Piper had not really been listening. In any case the woman appeared at her wits end.
"I'm just gonna come out with it, honesty's the best policy right. Phhhewww." Phoebe started, swallowing hard and placing her hands at her side.
"I kissed Leo but only because he had gotten all hot and bothered about you, and it was really nice actually but I may have gone so far as to mildly grope him, but he was attempting to help me master my power, but Paige saw it, and Paige freaked out, and I know it looked really bad, and if it's any consolation it was revolting because he's like a brother to me, but if you see a hickey on his neck, yes I put it there, but against my will..." In her award winning run on, Phoebes voice had reached a decided fevered pitch by this point. "...but really it was all about you and I know what your thinking but it was in no way incestuous and I know you might have the same idea as Paige, that Leo and I had something going on on the side, but if you had a lie detector here you would know that wasn't true, and I will not object if you think a truth serum is necessary, I just wanted to tell you all this up front because though I'm good at lying its really unnerving and I don't have anything to hide anyway." Phoebe concluded in a thin breathless shadow of her voice, nearly light headed, then gasped.
"Please don't kill me, I really am a help around the house, and you know what you shouldn't be cleaning that mess. I mean really Piper, I made it, take a load off. Relax. Do you want some ice tea? I want some Ice Tea. my throats really dry. Ice Tea?"
Piper could contain it no more, she threw her head back and begin to laugh an ache into her side. Phoebe chuckled nervously, "It's priceless right? You're not mad are you? Piper? Piper?" she said seekingly. She wasn't sensing any aggression but she didn't put it past Piper.
Piper had never heard something so hilarious in all her days and was laughing so hard it was soundless. After some little time she began to compose herself with a musical sigh, dabbing the tears from her eyes.
"Oh that's very amusing." She chuckled, making the mistake of looking at Phoebe. Pointing at her with an accusatory finger while she suffered yet another bought of hysterics.
Phoebe uttered a silent prayer of relief.
"Well, that settles it then, I'm going to get some ice tea. You know, clean out my palette and stuff." Phoebe informed her forefinger giving a lil swirl as she regarded her mouth.
"Wait right there missy." Piper stated in a thoroughly amused tone, deciding Phoebe and Leo should hang out more often if this was the reward. She sobered herself as Phoebe turned around trying to look a trifle less nervous then she felt, but her eyes shifted from left to right and she appeared a deer in headlights all the same.
"Why did you call for Leo?" Piper asked. The mirth ebbed from Pipers features when she saw her sisters expression alter.
"In short, I love my family." Phoebe replied. Prompted by Pipers brow that said she preferred the unabridged version, "What happened this morning, what might have happened this morning." Phoebe started. "I have a nephew to think about, his future, and his mommy. My sisters, this whole Charmed shtick. I called Leo to see if the Elders might have any morsel of information they'd like to share with me. You know, like, if I'm going to turn evil any time soon. And I know you asked that Leo stay away and I respect that, but I needed this." Phoebe confessed, wiping a tear from her cheek and striving to appear less affected.
The Cold War between Piper and Leo was one thing but the fact Phoebe had called for Leo did not anger Piper in the least bit. He'd been their Whitelighter and that was like one member of a church having an issue with a pastor, in which you wouldn't ask the pastor to cease tending to his flock when their in need. Nor would you ask the congregation to severe ties with their pastor. Leo's relationship with her sisters had always been a good thing. In a world where the majority of the human race thinks of Chris Angel when they hear the word magic, you need all the support you can get, and Leo had been and for the foreseeable future would continue to be just that.
"Phoebe I don't want you to ever feel like you're going behind my back if you need to speak with Leo. If he's helping you through this that's all I need to know. Just try to keep it PG okay?"
Phoebe nodded with a wistful laugh.
After talking with Piper for some little time it became evident that despite her unmoved if not nonchalant cadence her feelings where quite the reverse. She was more nervous than she appeared. She feared for Phoebes sanity, for Wyatt's safety, for either of the two being harmed, being exposed to evil, and worse still; turning evil. What if Phoebe did go rouge in the underworld and they failed to find her How much longer would Paige and Piper be able to get by juggling all their Wiccan duties so long as a disenfranchised Phoebe was acting as a magical benchwarmer? These where the most pressing, thus detectable issues Phoebe garnered, whilst flipping through Pipers emotions like an edition of US Weekly. All the while Piper played it masterfully. Her charade ostensibly unbothered, calm and collected. In truth Pipers knowledge that Phoebe was an Empath, hadn't altered Piper's proclivity for repressing her feelings, holding her tongue as necessary and was still so new that she was still conceiving how that applied to her daily relationship with Phoebe. In any case Pipers unchecked trepidation defiantly had exacerbated things. Phoebe could only yield to doubt. Why wasn't Piper speaking candidly, confiding in her as per usual? Owning up to her emotions? Phoebe did entertain the notion that Piper was in denial and could possibly remain unaware of how she truly felt until a fitful nights sleep enforced some introspection. Nevertheless, Phoebe made the decision not to call her out. Not because it was the considerate thing to do versus hacking into her sisters emotional database, but simply because she was too damned worn to do otherwise. Phoebe followed suit and played it cool, going through the motions that gave no indication she knew any more than what an intuitive individual might obtain face value.
There Piper and Phoebe where being totally dishonest with each other. Phoebe cleaned up the mess and straightened up the room just as she said she would and Piper rewarded her by bringing her a tall glass of the coveted ice tea. However, to keep up this rouse Phoebe returned to the kitchen and doctored hers, it was now more correctly the most heady blend of grassroots Long Island Ice Tea every fathomed. Pipers acclaimed Ice Tea barely detectable amidst the Skyy, Bombay and Los Arango. And how hypocritical it was since she'd just given some advice sanctimoniously advocating the contrary to a man who'd written in beneath the name: Jack Daniel's, Heartbroken in the Tenderloin. He'd went on to disclose that in order to cope with his emotional issues he prescribed himself enough Gentlemen Jack to pickle his liver in no time and alluded to the fact other substances where at hand. Rather than contemplating if this was a healthy way to deal Phoebe simply noted that Mr. Daniel's if anything was right. Alcohol had it's merits. Most prominently it did lessen life's nefarious blows. Things where becoming marginally more tolerable. Chemical reaction or otherwise it was a lie she was willing to buy. At the very least her sensory instruments reacted to it straight away and she was no longer acquiring any pronounced emotional readings. She stored away the knowledge that the seemingly invincible power of Empathy was indeed susceptible to the good stuff.
An addled Phoebe still seeking absolution had migrated with Piper and Wyatt to the sun room. Of course accompanied by her trusty tall glass and the (steadily disappearing) pitcher of ice tea, and commenced collecting all Wyatt's toy trucks and stuffed animals and returning them to their respective basket. The early afternoon sun drenched the suitably labeled room in gold bands that complimented Wyatt's flaxen hair, brightened his crystal blue eyes, warmed the complexion of his smooth little face and gave reason for Piper to pause and just appreciate how handsome her little angel was. She never had, and doubted she ever would be able to gaze at Wyatt without seeing his daddy Leo, and vice versa, and she nearly hated him for that. Nearly. For with one glance at Wyatt, a product of love, a spitting image of his father, and the greatest gift Piper could have ever received, it was no great wonder she could never bring herself to hate Leo for assisting in the creation of their Magnum Opus as a coupling. She hated what he'd done, and she hated that he was missing so much of his sons life. She abhorred the thought that Wyatt was going to be another statistic. The kid without the father figure. Wyatt deserved so much more. How the Elders could do this to this innocent little creature, not to mention the Twice Blessed Child she'd never know. She loathed all this with a maternal wrath but she couldn't hate Leo. She had vowed to be Wyatt's pillar of strength, to meet his every need and to never speak unkindly of Leo in his company no matter how much she resented the man. She'd come from a broken home and history was not going to repeat itself. Wyatt didn't ask to be born into this mess, and he certainly was not going to have to grow up choosing sides.
"I'm glad you like my ice tea, but slow down your going to make yourself sick." Piper laughed. Phoebe drained her third glass, and fought back the urge to blow out a fiery breath before she spoke. "What can I say? It's the best in the world." Phoebe stated, her voice a tad strained due to the burn in her chest.
"Ow!" Piper exclaimed, "Wyatt we don't pinch. No pinching." She reprimanded failing to maintain her dropped brow on count Piper had no hope to defend herself from Wyatt's giggle. She was rubbing her arm, the kid had damnably strong fingers she'd give him that. She noticed Phoebe didn't react. Phoebe lagging, noted that Piper had noted Phoebes unconventional imperviousness. In all truth she'd felt it, but currently Phoebe was absolutely loaded and such was the degree of sauciness that she may have required being pinched by a school of lobsters before she would have thought to care. Phoebe then simulated a sharp breath and gave her left bicep one good rub.
"I was trying not to give in but what can you do eh?" Phoebe sighed prevaricating her way through her delayed reaction.
"See your making progress." Piper commended softly then looking to Wyatt with feigned austerity "You can't pinch Mommy without pinching Aunt Phoebe." She informed, turning him around to face Phoebe, "What did she ever do to you Mr.? Huh, huh?" Piper stated her voice melting as it often did when she spoke to Wyatt.
Unexpectedly Phoebe channeled Wyatt's emotions and her features fell sadly. "Awww it's all right Wyatt. Cheer up kiddo. I promise it'll be okay. Aunt Phoebe loves you, yes she does." Phoebe stated, willing to do anything to make her lil nephew smile, and making silly faces did just that.
"Phoebe what are you channeling from him?" Piper ventured warily placing motherly concern over the hunch the answer would pain her.
"You can't blame yourself Piper. He's a tough lil guy, your a tough lil guy, right Wyatt?"
"Phoebe?" Piper followed incredulously.
Phoebe in no way enjoyed being the barer of bad news, more so when she knew it would be her relation of Wyatt's emotions that opened the barely scabbing wound in Pipers heart again. "Phoebe I'm serious." Piper prompted. "Okay, but it's nothing you don't already know." Phoebe explained considering Wyatt. "He's really sad, and he misses his Daddy and he doesn't understand. He thinks his Daddy is lost just like Scruffy." Phoebe informed, scruffy being the little plush puppy Wyatt had lost somewhere within the playground at Golden Gate Park last month.
"I'm sorry Wyatt." Piper whispered kissing him on the head and closing her eyes in failure. This is why I don't tell you these things, it's not your fault. Now stop blaming yourself woman! Phoebe would have liked to have said.
"You gonna be all right?"
"Yea like you said, he's tough. Anyway Mom's gonna leave you with aunty Paige because she's got go to the club and make money for the therapy you'll need for the rest of your life." Piper stated cynically in a sweet tone.
"Piper don't say that." Phoebe returned, sensing Pipers pain, which instantly made her think of Ice Tea. "Oh he doesn't know what where talking about." Piper dismissed. As the buzzed do, Phoebe starred blankly for a moment.
"Well I've got to get back to work." she rushed out, stepping forward then leaning down to kiss Wyatt.
Having picked up the strong scent of alcohol "Phew woman you'd think I spiked the ice tea." Piper quipped.
"It's a new mouthwash you know, the burn means its working and all, gotta stay on of top of dental hygiene, don't want a cavities." Phoebe rambled out as she departed with the pitcher in hand, escaping Pipers pain as fast as unsuspiciously possible.
To hell with it Phoebe thought, taking a swig from the rum bottle to help along her practical method of power binding before she absconded to the basement with her head comfortably swimming.
Part 3: How? Why? When?
Causing Phoebe to stumble backwards and sending a million thoughts threw her head was the Elder who appeared directly before her. In her opinion their presence was never a good sign. Alone, in a basement. He could reduce her to ash, sweep her away, and who would know the half of it? "Phoebe Haliiwell." The African possibly American gentleman of advanced age addressed judiciously, clad in the customary robe, ostensibly fashioned of the cheapest polyester. "If this has to do with Leo I don't know anything. And even if I did, I refuse to help the ones responsible for tearing apart my family." Phoebe stated in a businesslike manner, her shoulders naturally setting defensively.
"I'm not here for Leo, Phoebe. I'm here for you." The elder returned, his rich bass voice not dissimilar to James Earl Jones'. There wasn't a more inopportune moment for an Elder to drop by for an impromptu interview. Phoebe was decidedly laced and rather than oblige his cryptic statement, of which she knew would only continue, she chose to get straight to the point. "What do you want with me?" she retorted in the human equivalent of a dogs warning growl.
"This morning did you not nearly assist The Pressure Demon in killing your sisters?" he inquired rhetorically. "You know I had no control over what happened this morning." Phoebe returned, crossing her arms. "We've been lenient with you Phoebe but I've come to caution you. We will not remain so if you continue to allow your actions to be governed by personal gain."
Phoebes lips parted in offense. "Personal gain?" she echoed in disbelief.
"Yes. Instead of accepting your destiny as an Empath you have considered only yourself. Making decisions based upon how a circumstance will affect you."
Phoebe shook her head in shock, more so indignation.
"Have you not separated yourself from your sisters? Thus endangering the power of three? Most importantly, ignored your duties as a Charmed One? By refusing to accept your new power, you threaten to throw off the balance of the greater good. That, Phoebe Halliwell is the basis of my visit." He stated commandingly.
"That's not fair." She nearly slurred. "I'm handling this the best I can, and-" He held up a hand silencing Phoebes objection. "By getting inebriated? This is not a game Phoebe. Your focus should not be upon seeking out ways to stifle your power." He hissed judiciously.
Phoebe felt completely exposed and uncomfortably defenseless. This huge demigod towering over, and growling in her face. "Did you ever think it was a mistake on your part? That I might not be able to handle this power? It hasn't done one ounce of good since I received it, and you've come down here to berate me, when I've been trying my damnedest to figure this all out and not die or kill my sisters in the process." Phoebe stated heatedly, the tendons in her neck subcutaneously visible. "I don't need to remind you that Prue nearly died from Empathy." She added relenting a tick, sure any second now he'd smite her for questioning his authority.
She flinched as he waved his hand. "What did you just do?" She hastened to ask, suddenly entirely sober. "Personal gain Phoebe, it will not be tolerated. Do not try that again." He stated warningly. "Wait you can do that? I thought you guys had no control over self inflicted wounds." Phoebe ventured curiously, eliciting a subtle smile from the man. "I am an Elder, not a Whitelighter." he simply supplied. "What am I supposed to do? You do realize I'm going to keep making this mistake if I don't even know what qualifies as screwing up to guys." Phoebe reasoned with a measure of pleading.
"Phoebe you must embrace your destiny as an Empath." he offered cryptically, further exasperating Phoebe.
"Yea I got that part. How? Why? When? I'm assuming there's a deadline before you come down here to smite me?" she rushed out.
His brow knotted in confusion.
"I'm a human being." Phoebe stated desperately to his blank expression. "We tend to work better when motivated not threatened." Phoebe explained, as if conversing with an alien. The fact these guys where protecting humanity was a damned scary notion. "Great now your pissed, and don't even try to deny it." She stated throwing up a hand in frustration. He wasn't pissed but he would admit to an extent of vexation. He simply was not used to working with such finite minds.
"Phoebe there's a great evil coming and The Power of Three are the only ones who stand a chance to stop it. You need to be ready for it." He imparted ominously, sending a chill down Phoebes spine. "I suppose you can't give me the details?" Phoebe returned nervously.
"I have them not myself, we only know of it's future existence."
"Okay, well wave your hand again but this time give me control over my power." Phoebe stated faithfully. He chuckled. "I can't do that. Phoebe, you are the only one with that ability. We will be monitoring you and you do not want to cross paths with the next Elder." He stated heedfully.
"Great so next time your sending in the muscle. Wouldn't it be counterproductive to reduce me to a pile of ash right before the debut of this huge evil that only the Charmed Ones can vanquish?" She countered through a confident smile. She knew the Elders talked big, however, in reality their words whereas hollow as the clouds they hid behind or whatever they did when they where scared. And not without praying that the Charmed Ones would stop the next big threat come to devastate humanity. He nodded as if to say point taken. "Wait" Phoebe reproached causing him to orb back in, these guys literally had no propriety. "You just dropped a bomb on me, you can't leave." Phoebe conceded. "I need some guidance, can you at least grant me that?"
He gave no reply.
"Fine. Clearly your leaving me to my own devices. The ones you've come all the way down here to tell me you hate." Phoebe prompted, wondering if the stoic man with a hint intrigue laden deep in his eyes had any clue of reverse psychology. In defeat, The Charmed Ones gaze hit the cold slab of concrete they stood upon. She wasn't getting anywhere. "Well, maybe you'll have something to say when my sisters call because I've turned evil." Phoebe sighed, shaking her head with misgiving, before offering him a shrug that might have meant, well I guess you can go now. Perhaps you'll be of greater service elsewhere.
"That is why-"
"Yea you've said it three times now, I need to embrace my power, I get it. Unfortunately what I don't get is my power. How can I make that clearer to you?" Phoebe interrupted. "Hey, if we need Empathy to fight off this new evil, if you have the power, couldn't you grant us a temporary, or permanent power exchange? Give it to Paige, she loves all this magic stuff." Phoebe mused searchingly. If it were possible it was certainly an offer she'd jump at.
At length, "Nice, the silent treatment." the witch muttered under her breath. What did her want her say? To prove? What did he expect? What was he waiting for? He was just standing there, like a statue, all 6 ft. and an arguable 4 inches of him. It should have been awkward, but for the fact it was just odd.
"Look I've seen mistakes in the grand design before, perhaps this is one." Phoebe speculated wearily. The Elder had been observing her, he had a report to give after all. Phoebe Halliwell was not exactly the preconceived notion of the powerful witch he'd expected to find. He was a trifle irritated by her behavior, but he could not deny her moxie was an attractive human quality. She was vulnerable, slightly frayed at the edges, strong in ways he hadn't expected. More charming than he would have liked to admit, passionate, opinionated and uniquely sincere. And for several of those reasons, and a great more, he would try his hand at this motivational thing.
"Phoebe you were born with a penchant for evil that does not reside within your sisters. It is a vulnerability you will always struggle with, which is why Cole Turner was able to manipulate you. He would not have succeed had it been with one of your sisters. This is why you've received this new power Phoebe. So it does not happen again. So you may read another's intentions, guard yourself, and protect The Charmed Ones from the evil that is drawn to The Power Of Three. This power you've been bestowed is for you and you alone Phoebe Halliwell." alas he informed.
Phoebe was speechless, she could hardly conceive they or whomever had done something kind for her.
"If that is not incentive enough to master your power, the fact remains that until you master it you will be exceptionally vulnerable to evil Phoebe. If you do not take charge of it, as you saw this morning, someone else will." he stressed pointedly. "The future is not fixed Phoebe, at least not all of it and that threat that lay on the horizon is subject to alter. I trust you will make the right decisions Phoebe." He concluded, sinking back onto his heels whilst Ms. Halliwell raked her fingers through her pixie with a thoughtful sigh.
Reflecting, "Well, that was a hell of a lot to take in." she informed after a well exercised minute of silent rumination ebbed into the past.
"Thank you." Phoebe said softly, extending a hand with a smile. "By the way. I didn't get your name?"
What a queer question he thought.
"I am a harkening Elder by the name of Jacob." He informed shaking her hand.
"Thank you Jacob." She smiled, looking up into his greenish hazel almond shaped eyes.
"You're, most welcome." Jacob returned unsurely. Human pleasantries forced him to cast his mind back over a thousand years to when he himself was human.
He drew a pace back and just as he began to orb. "I'm human, I'm going to screw up again, it's what we do, I'm just warning you." Phoebe announced, causing him to quirk a slight smile as he ascended. And then he was gone.
It didn't take long for Phoebe to realize, that when Jacob was referencing this great evil he was inadvertently disclosing the fact that, not even the Elders knew which team she would be playing on when it debuted. Which meant it was of equal probability that she would master her powers or her powers were to be mastered by another. However, he had said the future was subject to change. What was she to take from that? Would she be there at all? Would the Power Of Three? Would Empathy? You could run circles for the rest of your life with such thoughts, all the while banging your head on the resolutely low ceiling of human comprehension. The crux of the matter remained, that singular notion that would always antagonize her. She could turn evil, and consequently do the biding of this great evil coming down the pike. Should that happen through the unsuspecting, uncontrollable, series of events like all things did, it sounded permanent this time, and that was unacceptable. In any event this day couldn't suck much worse.