A/N I know the chapter title is naff but I really couldn't think of a better title for this one. We've got another 'The Rising reference to contend with and a quick apology for posting the wrong thing earlier.

Chapter 3

Spellbound

The San Francisco Tantrix clan shimmered into Haliwell Manor, appearing at the foot of the stairs, all with their hands aflame for the fight, but they found downstairs empty.

The Queen turned on her new second-in-command "You said they were here!"

"They are here My Lady!" the hapless demon stammered.

"Where?" her leader demanded sarcastically, casting about with her arms flung wide, a fireball still lit in her left palm.

"In the attic, My Lady?" her lieutenant suggested tentatively, stepping back to avoid a fireball as it swept past her face on her leaders palm.

"Why would they be in the attic?"

"Well, I assume they would be looking for..."

"For what?"

"The rest of us, My Lady, so they can make sure they've wiped us all out." said another demon, one of those who had spoken of plots in the cave, smoothly cutting off the others garbled, and dangerous, explanation.

Their leader let out a snort of exasperation and shimmered up to the attic. She appeared near the back wall, and without giving a great deal of thought to her aim, whipped off the fireball which seemed to her, to have sat, unused, on her left palm for far too long.

Paige jumped up from her place at the table, where she had been sat scrying with a map of the world, having long since given up on the one of San Francisco. Chris was blown back from his place at the Book Of Shadows.

"Kara!"

The Queen looked at him "That sir, is the name of my treacherous sister!" She threw another fireball.

Chris dived, and did what she had done to him. "No, you're not! We vanquished her three years ago!" He threw a memory at her.

She felt his presence at her side. She leant to him and pulled him to her, locking her green eyes to his own. Not a trace of the Thrall. Without dropping her gaze she spoke quickly.

"I don't think I can die without having done this." She leaned forward and kissed him quickly and urgently. As she pulled away he grabbed her and kissed her softly.

"Me neither."

The expression on the Queen's face changed. She was Kara again. "Chris summon Eve, she can stop this. It's a spell." With that Kara's consciousness vanished again, but not so deep this time, as the replacement mind could not summon up a new fireball.

In a rage and believing herself to be her demonic sister once more Kara called out a retreat to her clan and shimmered out just as they did.

The two demons who had contrived the plot to steal Kara from the Charmed Ones, spoke in low tones, in a cavern, away from their, now, unknowing victim.

"The spirit of the witch is strong and the loyalty to her sister that still remains in Eve's spirit prevents the plan from working properly. If Eve can be summoned by the Charmed One's the spell will fail."

"Then we must contrive a way to keep the Charmed Ones from rescuing her even if they can break the spell, at least until we can be certain we were correct."

Paige dragged herself off the floor and declared with false brightness "Found her...now what do we do?"

Piper looked at the floor and Chris could almost read his mothers thoughts "No Mom! We DO NOT vanquish her! We do what she said... while she was herself, we find a way to summon Eve from the Wasteland."

At the same time as the Haliwell's were having this conversation, the body that held the spirits of both sisters became more and more confused as its mind seemed to flit between the consciousnesses of the two.

Kara's was lost and terrified, while Eve's was torn. She could remember now, as the effects of the spell weakened, the fierce joy of being freed from the Wasteland, but, she grieved for her sisters' pain, for whatever had happened to them, however time, circumstances and magic had separated them they had always shared a loyalty too each other. Right now they also shared anger, at the demon tribe that surrounded them. Eve, at being bought back in this manner and for being left to rot in the Wasteland for so long, Kara because the spell she had tried to hurt those she loved and considered her family.

Either way a great many Tantrix demons died at the hands of their conflicted leader that day, as Eve/ Kara lashed out at those they blamed for their pain.

The Charmed One's chanted:

Sister spirits, bound in blood,

One is evil, one is good,

Evil spirit hear our call,

Save your sister, ease the pain of us all,

From your people, from your Clan,

From this evil, nefarious plan.

There came a flash of fire and a loud scream and within the circle of candles a transparent, demonic, spirit floated

The Tantrix demons sprang into action as a loud scream echoed from the chamber of the cavern they had blocked with protective crystals.

"It has begun. The spirit of the witch as regained full control of the body."

"She has no active power, Elaina."

"Since when has anyone beloved of the Charmed One's needed an active power? Do not question me, just be ready."

The demonic spirit hovered and stared at Chris after hearing his plan "You do love her then. To give this plan house room you must."

"I do... You agree to the terms set out here?"

"My agreement binds the workings of the spell?"

"Yes"

"Then I do. I died once to save her, it seems only fair I am recalled to life to save her too!"

"Chris!" Piper called from behind him "This might not be the best idea, after all even demons we're related to have been known to lie on occasion."

But it was too late. The demon Eve stepped from the circle of candles and the spell passed over her like a wave of heat shimmering over desert and she became flesh. Flesh with full control of her spirit and her demonic powers.

Below all active defence left her sister, as Kara became fully herself again, but Eve did not keep to the terms, did not give Kara back to Chris. She left her in the cavern, in the Underworld, surrounded by demons.

"You lied!" Chris raged as Piper clutched his arm to prevent him throwing the vanquishing potion at their only hope of ever getting his fiancée back.

"No, I didn't, you mis-phrased, you promised me life if I returned Kara, to her family. You aren't officially family until you marry her. The Clan and I are her family." she smirked "Your mother was right, never trust a demon."

With this statement hanging in the air, Eve shimmered out, to tend to her witch sister, trapped with the Tantrix demon clan. Defenceless, in the Underworld.