A/N: Hello all. How have you been?
Sorry for not updating sooner, I have been manic lately.
So without delaying any further...
16. The Overbearing Possessions
The hard and cold surface was the first thing to greet Prue, which instantly stirred her. She couldn't comprehend why she was laid on such an uncomfortable floor, until she slowly opened her eyes and glanced to the side of her.
Prue clutched what clothing she had nearby, close to her freezing skin and recoiled from Jaden's sleeping form.
"Oh, this could not have happened." she muttered to herself, in utter disbelieve.
She rubbed her eyes fiercely, then gazed at the scene, which to her annoyance had not disappeared like she had hoped it to.
Sighing at her current situation, Prue quickly dressed, while trying not to wake the sleeping warlock. Last thing I need is a smug Jaden, she thought bitterly. ..or any type of Jaden full stop.
How had it happened? she silently asked, trying to workout when she had lost all sense and completely lost her mind.
She was in the process of doing up her boot, when she stopped and glared at Jaden, who was only half covered by the long black coat he had worn.
He did it! she realised. He kissed me. Sure I didn't stop but….urgh, that bastard!
Prue's next boot went on more forcefully, with the added need to stomp on Jaden's head using the very same boot.
He just had to go and ruin it, didn't he?
The eldest Halliwell searched for her jacket but could not find it amongst the mess she and Jaden had caused with their fighting and….other things. She found it difficult to voice or even put a name to what she had just done.
And in a mausoleum, of all places! How demeaning and cliché is that?
Prue stopped searching and instead stood above Jaden, with her hands on her hips, glaring down upon him. "What have I done?" she whispered.
Finally, needing to get out and having spied her jacket firmly under Jaden's head, Prue grabbed for the only other option she had presented. She took Jaden's jacket, quick to replace it with his shirt, and took off into the cold night.
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Phoebe stood in the kitchen, biting her lip as the three other people turned to face her.
"What is it?" Piper questioned worriedly.
"I, uh." the second youngest Halliwell began but found it near impossible to find the correct words.
"Pheebs, what's up?" Paige pressed.
"Before the demon attacked earlier, I..I was upstairs with Prue and we were arguing…" Phoebe watched as Piper's face fell slightly at what she had heard. She had seen the expression several times and she could only guess Piper had hoped things had changed.
To distract herself from Piper, Phoebe turned her attention to the floor, only briefly looking at Cole and Paige. "…and she…she went to hit me but I was pulled into a premonition…"
"Why would Prue try to hit you, Phoebe?" Piper asked suddenly. In all their years of fighting, Prue and Phoebe very rarely made physical contact. Piper believed for Prue to lash out, it would not have been a typical argument.
Cole seemed to have stiffened at the thought of someone hurting Phoebe. He glanced at the other two sisters and found Paige to be starring at the floor, which obviously meant she felt uncomfortable with the sudden topic. The demon then glanced to Piper, who starred at Phoebe with intent.
"We were arguing about what had happened…when she disappeared and I..I told her that even if she didn't save me that her guilt and pride would have eaten away at her and we still would have lost her." Phoebe answered in a small voice.
"And she was going to hurt you over that?" Cole questioned through gritted teeth.
"Hey," Piper yelled at him. "Prue would have been provoked."
"She was, Cole." Phoebe answered, standing next to him and placing her hand on his arm. "I was trying to get a reaction from her. I've done it before. Sometimes it's the only way I can get through to her."
"Still.." Cole tried to argue.
"You don't know her." Piper shot back before he started. "Prue wouldn't just hurt us. Phoebe knows which buttons to push."
"Pipe, there's something else." Phoebe cut in. "I had a premonition. That's why I don't have a red welt on the side of my face."
"What happened?" Paige asked quietly, having remained quiet through out the previous topic.
"Prue…being tortured. I..I don't wanna go into details, but…it was horrible."
Phoebe looked from Paige, who seemed speechless, before turning to Cole and Piper, who shared a brief glaze, which Phoebe caught.
"What?" she asked.
Piper swallowed a lump in her throat before answering. "Prue has scar that I have seen and I'm not sure how many others she may have. When I found out, I asked Cole how bad it would have been."
"Why didn't we know about this?" Phoebe asked, while indicating to herself and Paige.
"I..I didn't want to worry you until I had spoken to Prue. Until I had found out more."
Phoebe didn't have time to respond, as the familiar blue orbs appeared beside her elder sister.
"Where have you been?" Piper questioned her husband heatedly.
Feeling ambushed, Leo's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I was with the Elder's discussing Prue."
"Why?" Paige asked.
"They're almost ready to alter certain aspects of the past year or so. Also they believe the Source is preparing to come for Prue, which means we need to….."
"We already know." Piper cut him off.
At his puzzled look, Phoebe pointed to Cole. "My M.I.A boyfriend was in the Underworld, which by the way you never told me you was doing." she replied, directing the last part of the sentence to Cole.
"Sorry." he smiled innocently in response. "..but I did good, right?"
"Those Elder's need to become more efficient." Paige commented, just as they all heard the front door shut.
Piper only briefly glanced at the rest before hurrying towards the front door, where she caught a glimpse of Prue's body going up the stairs.
"Prue." she called, watching as her eldest sister hesitated before turning to face her.
"Yeah." the ravened haired Halliwell responded, noticing the remaining family members standing just beyond Piper. Oh perfect, she thought bitterly at their curious stares, this will surely top my night off.
"You okay? You left in a hurry earlier."
"I'm fine, Piper. I just needed to get out and go for a walk. Now, however, I need a shower." Prue responded as politely as she could, digging her hands deeper into the oversized coat she wore, trying to keep from screaming.
As she turned to continue her trek up the stairs, Phoebe spoke, curiosity lining her words.
"Who's coat are you wearing? Men's clothing has never really suited you Prue." the younger sister tried to joke but the room only filled with thick tension. This did not go unnoticed, although no comment was passed.
"I was cold and a guy in the park offered me his coat." Prue lied, trying to forget the actual reason she had suddenly acquired the new garment.
"It's a nice coat." Paige commented, smiling softly.
"It is." Prue responded.
"Does he want it back?" Piper asked, feeling as though Prue was hiding something from them. How about the scaring that is bound to be under that? she silently argued with herself.
She knew that when Prue had returned from the Underworld, she would have surely changed. However Piper was finding it increasingly difficult to find the old Prue when starring at the new one. Her eyes were stormy, as if unable to judge herself with how she would react.
The younger sister knew of Prue's uncertain and uncharacteristic reactions, and found lately cautiously approaching every word, even a simple greeting.
She placed a great part of this to her guilt, that ate at her every time she looked at her eldest sister. Guilt, which she still found difficult to quieten in her mind, particularly when faced with the darkened blue-green colour of Prue's eyes.
"He knows where I am, whether he arrives is a different matter." Prue spoke coldly. She wanted to shred herself of the coat, which hung round her like an overbearing storm cloud.
"He has our address?" Phoebe questioned, remembering a time when Prue would have yelled at her for being so trusting.
"He knows where I am." Prue reiterated, before turning back to the stairs, calling back down. "Now that twenty questions is over, I'll be in the shower."
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No amount of water or soap could remove the feeling Prue had. The event still clear in her mind and the disgust in her heart.
She could not get clean.
The eldest Halliwell had battled ever intention, which may have ever presented itself between she and Jaden…and yet tonight was proof that battling is pointless. It was not love, that she was sure. It could not have even been an attraction.
Jaden was dark and brooding but when she looked at him there was no flutter of butterflies or catching of breath. He had been her tormenter and she, his. They bonded over the need to keep the other in their place.
It was not love.
It was not an attraction.
No.
It was the need for someone who understood. Who knew, on some level, where the other was coming from.
How Jaden ended up being this person, Prue did not know.
With her skin raw from the cleansing as well as the boiling water that eased her warring mind, Prue emerged from the shower, wrapping a soft towel around her aching body.
While running a hand through her wet hair, she gazed in the mirror, instantly aware of the scar, he had so kindly given to her.
No it had not been love. Possession was a better word.
A/N: I'm not well liked now, am I?
Anyway thanks for all the reviews and glad you liked the last chapter, lol.
Jdjames; Thanks for your review. Life After Death will be continued just at the moment it's kinda gone on hiatus. It will be back. Promise!
Now, I shall dash and hide. Bye!