A?N: Hello all. I'm back!!!!!!
Hope you are all good and had a great Christmas and Happy New Year.
Sorry for not updating as I said I would. (I actually had plans to have this finished by Christmas. I thinks it's safe to say that has gone out the window, lol.) I won't give you loads of excuses, but I have a New Years Resolution and that's to have this finished by the time Santa visits again:o)
Seriously, apologies to those who are still reading and thank you for all your patience. I'll update more...unless you've all lost interest!
Anyway...chapter 15.
15. Recklessly Wanting
It seemed as though Prue's feet had been moving with little thought or carefulness. They purely moved one after the other in a spontaneous attempt to distance herself from the crashing wreck she was vastly becoming.
She knew what she had to do. That had been presented to her thousands of times but she needed to find her bearings.
The clicking of her shoes on marble flooring brought Prue out of the chaotic and numb exertion she had been unaware of.
In an effort to answer the buzzing questions as to where she had ended up, Prue spun, glazing at her surroundings. The darkness did little to help but realisation did dawn on her.
The wooden plagues on the wall. The polished surfaces. The chill that ran down her spine.
She was in the one place she refused to acknowledge. Her 'grave.'
Her name stood out from the rest, as if burning heavily into her chest. It's mere existence left minuscule doubt of her impact in the world.
It was plain. If not for her own name, it would have blended with the rest.
"I didn't even get 'She worked hard.'" Prue commented aloud, knowing she was no longer alone.
"I think 'Kills her own' suites better."
Prue turned round from facing her marking and smiled sarcastically at Jaden. "Do you have any justification for that remark? Especially as I am neither Demon nor Warlock."
"Who said I was referring to the complication you have caused us?" Jaden returned, stepping away from the wall he had been leaning against.
"Well your remark was in the past tense, meaning it has happened and as I am yet to kill my sisters…"
"The Charmed Ones." the warlock corrected.
"…Fine, The Charmed Ones, it is obvious as to what you are referring to." Prue finished, exaggerating the roll of her piercing eyes.
Jaden stepped even closer to Prue, so he towered over her small frame. "Okay," he replied darkly, keeping his voice to minimum. "…Would you explain to me why you felt the need to kill the Source's best?"
"Now, now, Jaden." Prue smiled, placing a hand on his cheek and taping it gently, in a patronising manner. "You know you will always be his favourite." she giggled at the frustrated expression, which forced through his calm exterior.
"Why?" He reiterated more forcefully.
"It felt like a good idea at the time." she shrugs in response.
"Well it wasn't!" Jaden yelled suddenly, expecting Prue to at least step away but she barely blinked in response.
The eldest Halliwell stood composed for a moment, remaining calm and collected, despite the inner battle she seemed to have been going through. "Strange, particularly how I was the only one there with first hand experience to judge the outcome."
"You can not pick and chose who decides to die at any time!" Jaden yelled once again.
This time, Prue did step away slightly but not out of intimidation. She extended her hand and pointed to the plaque that adorned her name. "Well someone certainly can!" she shouted back with pent up anger echoing of the cold walls. "..And what the hell is this whole fight between good and evil if you are not choosing who to kill."
"You can not kill your own to safe the ones you plan to kill." Jaden explained, stepping closer to remove the gap between them. "Unless of course that is your general plan."
"What are you getting at Jaden?" Prue indignantly responded, folding her arms in front of herself, refusing to break eye contact.
The warlock leaned in closer, drawing out each word to insure Prue listened carefully. "I think you already know."
"Well I wouldn't ask if I did, so enlighten me O'great one."
"You seem to be losing sight of your assignment. If things do not change, the Source will dispose of you."
Prue scoffed in response and turned to move away.
"These people as good as killed you themselves." Jaden added, causing the eldest Halliwell to stop. "They left you alone and even buried you….and yet you insist on protecting them. Imagine what they will do when they find out who you work for. Surely they won't blink at the idea of destroying you then."
"Shut up!" Prue yelled out, spinning to face Jaden.
"Why? It's the truth. Either way your dead to them, otherwise that thing would not be up there." he responded, indicating the marking again. "You are not the older sister anymore."
"Shut up!" she cried once more, sending Jaden hurtling for the marble wall behind him with a mere flick of her hand.
He stood to his feet gingerly, before smiling smugly towards Prue. "What's the matter Prue, real world too much for you?"
"Real world? This is no real world. If we were in the real world you would not exist, I would not theatrically be dead and my sisters would not be against me in this battle of control, which we don't even reap the benefits from. We wouldn't continually fight for something that can never be won!"
"And what is to be won?" Jaden enquired.
"Ultimate power. That's what you guys want and that's what the Elder's want, right?" Prue responded.
"Ultimate power would be cool. But what is it that you want then, Prue?"
She stood silent, contemplating the question. However nothing came to her.
"I'll tell you what you want…" Jaden suddenly continued. "..You want to be the older sister again, the protector; the one they run to when things get tough…."
"No, I don't! You don't know what I want." Prue argued.
"….Instead of in that." Jaden shot a low voltage fireball towards Prue's name, doing little damage. "Isn't it funny the people you want to protect are the people that put you there." he laughed sarcastically.
"This is the real world Prue." he continued stepping closer towards her, slowly. "Your not Charmed anymore."
Prue swung her fist out, which collided with his stomach. "I know that arsehole." she added, while bringing her knee up hard into his chin. "..and I will deal with them when I am good and ready."
Regrouping, Jaden starred at her, eyes blazing. "I don't think you can. Your too weak."
Prue swung her arm, sending Jaden into a table of flowers. The sound of the wood cracking under his weight, vibrated of the walls. Prue strode purposefully towards his sprawled out body.
"I am not weak."
Jaden gazed at her, letting out a laugh, before shimmering out and reappearing behind Prue, with his arm tight around her neck. "Getting slow, Prue."
She sent her head back with force, which smashed into his nose, instantly realising her from his grip. Prue spun round, readying to punch Jaden in face but the warlock had ducked, barely missing Prue's fist.
He grabbed her roughly and threw her towards the wall. However Jaden never anticipated Prue shimmering out in the last moment.
"Getting slow, Jay." she whispered in his ear, while holding his neck firmly by her arm, having appeared behind him.
Jaden kicked Prue's legs out from underneath her, causing her to lose all balance and she plunged to the floor, while dragging Jaden with her. Pinned to the floor, Prue glazed at Jaden, trying to level her breathing.
Silence finally enveloped the room, as neither made a move to reposition themselves.
"What is it you want then, Jaden?" Prue returned the question.
No words were spoken, as Jaden pressed his lips firmly on Prue's, who's breathing barely had time to level as the intensity rose.
----------
"Piper! I worked out why your power's didn't work on the big ugly guy!" Phoebe yelled as she tried to steadily come down the stairs, although almost falling more than once. She gripped the Book of Shadows to her chest, as she hit the last step.
"Really?" Paige asked as she stood from her position on the couch.
"Yeah, I have. Where's Piper?"
"Kitchen. I thinks she's trying to calm her nerves…you know, the Piper way." Paige replied, with a sympathetic shrug of her shoulders.
Phoebe grimaced slightly at the implications. "Potion or food?"
"Well, you have the book, Pheebs."
Phoebe briefly glanced at her chest then back to her baby sister. "Right. Anyway I have the answers and we have lots to discuss as well."
With her final words, Phoebe headed for the kitchen with Paige close behind.
"Piper, put down the spatula and turn off the oven." Paige instructed as both the youngest Halliwell's stepped into their older sister's domain. "Phoebe has found the solution to your power problem."
"Well how about the Prue problem or the Leo problem? You know that both have seemed to disappeared of the face of this earth." Piper quipped frustrated and becoming increasingly moody.
"Piper, breath." Phoebe replied, while setting the book down on the table. "Firstly, I can't fix all your problems in a blink of an eye. Secondly, Prue needs some air and I think that is understandable in the circumstances…"
"Thirdly," Paige cut in. "Whatever you are cooking smells really nice."
"Paige." Phoebe chastised.
"What? I'm just saying. I mean, I'm sure both Prue and Leo will want some food when they get back."
Piper sighed heavily and moved over to the table next to her sisters. "What did you find, Pheebs?"
"Well, you know how your powers just kind of…" Phoebe began trying to find the right words.
"Did nothing, flat-lined on me…" Piper supplied unimpressed by her recent show of power.
"Yeah," Phoebe continued. "..it turns out that demon, Anchovex, has a type of armour the Source presented to him, for his service. It doesn't actually say what he did to deserve it…but he got it none the less."
Paige cleared her throat. "Back on track, Pheebs."
"Right, well, it absorbs any type of destructive power and strengthens his abilities. So, anything like your power or fireballs; electrokinesis; to name a few, would only help him rather than hinder."
"So, Prue's worked because it's not destructive, which means I could have frozen him." Piper responded.
"Yes and no," Phoebe smiled softly. "He would have been immune to all of your powers if you used the explosive power first, which you did. It granted him immunity, like those demons in the court with Free Willy, remember?"
"How could I forget?" Piper deadpanned.
"Who's Free Willy?" Paige asked.
"A judge gone bad. It was around the time our little Phoebe met Cole."
Paige scrunched her face at the topic. "Must have been a rough day."
"Hey, let's get back to the topic." Phoebe cut in before they ripped Cole to shreds.
"Fine." Piper replied, before looking to Phoebe, raising an eyebrow. "If I only strengthened him, how did Prue manage to over power him?"
"That I don't know…but she was right when she said the Source would kill him for failing. It was part of the deal with the cool present he was given. If an assignment arose he could not complete, he would be destroyed." Phoebe explained. "No, questions asked."
"Wonder what the return policy would be like." the youngest Halliwell mused.
Suddenly, Cole shimmered in beside them, scaring all but Phoebe.
"Hi honey." she beamed.
"We have a problem." Cole states to all in the room, briefly giving Phoebe a peck on the cheek in response to her greeting.
"What about?" Piper questioned, preying both Prue and Leo would finally make an appearance.
The ex-demon cleared his throat. "Um, do you guys remember the guy Prue danced with at P3 the other night?"
"The hottie that she blew off?" Paige asked, raising an eyebrow at the weird turn of conversation. "Sure." she stated, glancing at Piper and Phoebe to see that they remembered him too.
"What was his name again?" Phoebe questioned her sisters.
"It began with J, didn't it?." Piper answered, only really remembering snip-bits of the dark, good-looking man. She had been busy with Leo in her office.
"Jason?" the youngest supplied.
Cole let out an infuriated groan. "It was Jaden."
"That's it!" Phoebe beamed. "Poor guy." she muttered.
"He's a warlock!" Cole finally explained, becoming blunt due to the increasing banter.
"What?" Piper snapped, which dulled the other Halliwell's exclamations. "How did you find that out? Has something happened to Prue?"
"Nothings happened to Prue, I mean she's been her all day."
"Actually Cole, Prue left about an hour or so ago…after a demon attacked." Phoebe explained.
Cole's face was one of confusion. "What? She just walked out."
"Well, she more ran." Paige replied.
"She said she knew the demon who attacked and once he was vanquished, she left." Piper replied, while Phoebe had grown quiet and pensive as the information flowed around her.
"Who was it?" Cole returned.
"A demon named Anchovex." Paige answered, flipping the book to the page detailing the demon, who was now little more than a smudge mark left on the carpet.
Concern etched on his face while he processed the new information. Piper watched in concern, wishing she could work out what Cole was thinking. If it had been Leo….she would be diving head first into a plan by now.
"What is it Cole?" she finally asked, before glancing at Phoebe, noting her younger sister looked lost in a world of her own.
"The demon, is a favourite of the Source."
"Well, was." Paige corrected, having a sense of foreboding with each little detail.
"..the warlock, Jaden.." Cole continued, barely registering Paige's comment. "..is considered the Source's lap dog as such. Very powerful and feared in the Underworld."
Piper listened intently and soon caught up to speed with Cole's concern. "…and both have been sent, since Prue's return."
"Yeah, meaning.." Cole sighed, "..Prue is not back for good yet."
"Guys, there's something I need to tell you." Phoebe announced as she broke her long silence.
A/N: Well, whatcha think?
Thank you for all the lovely reviews and for anyone that has read this.
Crystal; Thank you for the review and I'm really glad you like it so far. Prue, as you may have noticed, is a little messed up at the moment, lol. It shall work out, promise ya.
Prujo; Thanks for the compliment, although the updating kinda stopped, lol. Anyway, hopefully I'm back on track and more updates to come. Thanks again for your reviews!
Thanks to all tose who reviewed and hope you all liked the update. I'll be sure to review all those that I have missed lately. Sorry to those who I have.
Anyway, Happy New Year and I hope you all have a good one!