A/N: Hello to my fellow readers and writers! *Waves* I finally have chapter five up YAY! I know it's been a while since I've posted on this story. I've had major writer's block, but that's done, for now.
Chapter 4 thanks to: cassiecrimson, SyndiDowell, and piperspeanut. Thank you so much! *Hugs* I love my reviews!
Warning: No "adult" situations in this chapter.
And now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the 5th chapter!
I'll Trust my Heart to You
By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell
Chapter 5: Want and Need—Right and Wrong
"Where are they," Piper asked heatedly as they formed.
They were in a huge room. Columns were on different sides of them. It looked as if everything stretched on forever. There were Elders everywhere, but none seemed interested in who had appeared, as if they were invisible. Piper noticed a room in front of her and to either side of her.
"What are those," Coop asked.
"I don't know," Piper answered "Leo!" Still nothing.
Strangely, Paige almost felt drawn toward them, "Piper."
"What?"
"I don't know how to explain this, but wherever that leads," Paige said, pointing to her right, "it's calling me."
"Yeah, now that you mention it, the one on my left is giving me that feeling too," Coop said to his left and he got a better grip on Phoebe. She wasn't restless. She looked to be asleep, but for how long and why would she dream about him not loving her? It didn't make sense.
"I'll take that one," Piper said gesturing to the one in front of her.
"Okay, we'll meet back here as soon as we find something out," Piper said turning to them. They nodded and headed down their separate paths…
Coop (with Phoebe)
As he entered the passageway, Coop felt almost an eerie presence and held Phoebe closer to him. It felt as if he loosened his grip, even the tiniest bit, he would lose her forever.
The hall was dark. Not even the faintest bit of light was visible at the end. It felt as if he'd walked into a black hole without the pull of a vacuum.
Lit mirrors all around paved the walkway for them and as he looked in them, his heart beat a little faster.
He was seeing the charges love lives that he hadn't been able to save.
He saw a girl with her back turned. Upon turning 'round, he noticed she'd been his first charge. She'd been – oh – about 16. She had long blonde hair, gorgeous blue eyes and the perfect–
"Second perfect," he corrected himself quickly as Phoebe mumbled incoherently in his arms.
Anyway, she'd been a freshman in high school – if his memory served him correctly…it'd been some time ago – and looking as beautiful as she did, was of course the eye of many men. She only had eyes for one, however, he never – not once – took notice of her.
She, of course, thought something was wrong with her. She'd tried every little trick from changing her hair color, her clothes, make up – he could go into more extensive details, but with Phoebe in his arms he didn't have a reason to – but he never took anything.
Finally, he'd been sent to her. Just as a friend, nothing more, and nothing less. Over the next couple of months he convinced her not to make herself out to be more than she already was. She tried to grab his attention that way, but it hadn't worked.
It's not you, she'd told him as he left. It's me. I'll never be good enough for him, but thanks to you I feel better than I have in a while.
Coop wondered, vaguely, if she'd ever found someone. He'd never been assigned to her again, so maybe she had after all. The only reason he considered her a charge he didn't succeed at helping was because she hadn't gotten him to notice her. But now that he thought about it, he supposed, that maybe that didn't make him fail after all.
He'd been so lost in thought that Coop hadn't noticed Phoebe's body rising up out of his grasp. If he thought he had a strong grip, then the spirit of Hercules (A/N: Yeah, mythical reference) must've been lifting her. He clung to her as if his life depended on her, but he was just lifted further off the ground. His own body weight was too much. Coop's grasp slipped and he crashed to the ground.
He went to stand up, but figured he must've dislocated his shoulder hitting the ground because it hurt to move. Coop lifted his head to see Phoebe floating farther away. With his jaw clenched in pain, he stood. He had to go after her. He'd run all the way if he had to, but he'd be damned if he was going to let someone who could possibly hurt Phoebe take her.
With that thought, Coop started to run…
Paige
She'd just entered the corridor and already she felt like she shouldn't be there. It gave her an unnatural chill making her shiver slightly.
She felt as though someone was there with her, urging her forward. About a quarter of the way down, she saw a light. She ran to it only to feel her heart being squeezed.
It was a picture of her, wait, not just a picture, she realized, that is me.
It was very long ago. She was at the park with her adopted parents (of course, then she hadn't known). She must've been about six or seven. She was laughing on the swinging as her dad pushed her, seeing her mom a little ways away setting out food for lunch.
It used to be like that every weekend, until I turned eleven, she thought, wiping a tear off her cheek. I miss it.
Instantly, the image changed. She was out with her friends when she met the boy who she'd go on her first date with, Caelum (Cae for short). He had blonde hair and the bluest eyes she'd ever see. He was a gentleman too, well from what she'd been told.
He smiled at her then the image changed again.
She was looking at the worst day she'd ever experienced, for the third time in her life. Paige closed her eyes until the memory ended. When she opened them again, she saw the favor Leo did for her.
"Paige," a voice called.
"Mom," she ran down the corridor…
Piper
Piper knew there was a reason they were all in separate corridors. There had to be. If there wasn't, they could've been together.
The corridor gave her a creepy feeling. She knew she had to continue, for Phoebe's sake. In a way, it felt like she'd been there before. But she'd never seen anything like this.
Her boots hit the ground with a thud in every step. She wasn't afraid of what she would find more as she was afraid this was all some wild goose chase. They had no reason to be up here, not that they knew of. But if the Elders had sent the demon on Phoebe as Paige said, they'd find out why there.
She was afraid she'd never find her way out. The hallway was long and there wasn't a light to be seen.
"Piper," she heard someone yell.
She thought she was hearing things. That voice…it couldn't possibly be who she thought it was, "Piper," it called again, "just a little more." Piper looked right and saw a mirror. She walked over to it. Her heart could've stopped.
"Piper, you need to go to the end," Prue told her.
"P—Prue? But how? I thought y—you," she stuttered dropping to the ground.
"Piper, calm down."
"Calm down? Nothing about this is right…" Piper said as a few tears fell. She tried to touch her, but her hands hit glass, "Prue, please help me."
"No, Piper. You need to do this. Phoebe needs you, not me."
"I need you!"
"Piper, how long have I been gone now?"
"About 7 years. It's too long, Prue. I can't—"
"Piper, listen to yourself. You've survived without me. The only reason you're even saying that now is because you can actually see me. You're strong. And, as much as I hate to admit it, it's because of me and what happened."
"That and I was always kinda strong too, not physically, but still…"
"Are you kidding? If you can take on a dragon to save your son you are strong. You've survived everything, just like I did. You don't need me. You think you do because I was always there, but Piper, if need be, you were always able to stand on your own two feet."
"Okay, so have you seen everything—after you died, I mean?"
"Yes, I saw Wyatt and Chris. I saw Paige and Henry. I've even seen Phoebe trying her best to move forward, but Piper she can't, not without you. She needs your strength, your wisdom to help her…"
"Yeah, but it's not fair. I never even got to say goodbye to you. We both ended up crashing through the house and, miraculously, I survived."
"Then you had a breakdown because of me, but Paige, Phoebe, and Leo helped you through it. All you've ever needed was one person—one—to get you through the trials of your life. You've had, at least, two your entire life. They're your strength. You need to go after Phoebe…"
"But she's fine. Coop—"
"No, she's not. Piper you have to go," she urged.
"But you—"
"Don't worry about me anymore. I'll always be around," she said disappearing, "even if you can't see me."
"Yeah, I know," with that she ran toward the end…
Piper and Coop were the first to meet up, both having exited the corridors one after the other.
"Coop, where's Phoebe," Piper asked urgently.
"I—I don't know," he gasped trying to catch his breath. "I was caught by a glimpse in a mirror of the first young charge I had and—"
"Coop, not to be rude or anything, but I really don't care about the first charge you had right now. What happened to Phoebe? Where is she?"
"After the memory left, the next thing I knew, she was rising into the air. I tried to hold on, but I fell and, well, I think I dislocated my shoulder," he said holding his arm.
"We'd better hope Paige comes out of there soon, then," Piper said. Looking up, she saw Phoebe. She tried to grab her, but she was too high.
As if she could hear her, Phoebe dropped at an alarming speed.
"Phoebe," they yelled. Piper held her arms out, but Coop was faster, knocking her out of the way, catching Phoebe seconds before she would've collided with the cold ground, and dropping to his knees.
His intake of breath was sharp forgetting about his shoulder.
"Paige," Piper yelled. "Paige hurry!"
She Orbed in beside her, seemingly from a run.
"What is it?"
"His shoulder," Piper pointed out. Paige walked over.
"What happened," she asked healing it.
"I was trying to grab Phoebe. She rose into the ai—ow—air. I couldn't hold on."
"Sorry. Piper, take Phoebe," Paige said. Piper did as she asked.
"What? Why OUCH," he yelled as she popped his shoulder back into place and healed it.
"Sorry, does that feel better though," Paige asked.
"Yes, thank you, Paige," Coop said as lights suddenly appeared from nowhere. The council of Elders appeared before them with Leo in the back. Piper gave Phoebe back to Coop.
"What's going on? Tell me right now!"
"Piper, it's—"
"Leo, this is for us to discuss, not you," the Elder to his right said, "so kindly remove yourself for the time being."
"What? No! Leo, stay here…I can't—"
"May I," he asked, they nodded.
Leo stepped up beside Piper, "Piper, this doesn't involve me. It's between the three of you and all of them…"
"But—but you're my husband, so yes, it does involve you! I don't care what they say I—"
"Piper, despite what the three of you must undoubtedly think, you did nothing wrong."
"How can you say that," she yelled, pushing him backwards. "My sister was attacked by a demon sent by them and it's not a punishment? How is it a reward?"
"Look, just hear them out, please? There's a reason for it."
She rolled her eyes, "Yeah, there's always a logical reason for everything they do," Leo looked at her with a kind of remorse in his eyes. He hated that this happened, but in order for Phoebe to realize certain things about Coop there was no choice. "Alright, alright, I'll listen. Make sure the boys are okay."
"Good luck," he said kissing her and Orbing out.
"Are we doing this here," Paige asked.
"Yes," the head Elder told her, "it shouldn't take long."
"Are we allowed to ask questions," Coop asked, standing with Phoebe in his arms.
"After we explain—"
"Explain? Explain what? How you nearly killed my sister," Piper yelled.
Paige grabbed her from behind, "Piper, calm down. I don't like this anymore than you do, but if Leo says they had a good reason, they deserve their say, don't you think?"
"Yeah, I guess," she said relaxing in Paige's grasp.
"Why did you do this? Wasn't I sent to her for a reason," Coop asked.
"Patience, patience Coop. Yes you were sent to Phoebe Halliwell for a reason. She's had much tragedy in her life, the most being in her love life. The two of you are married, correct," the Elder asked turning to Piper and Paige who nodded. "She has many doubts, even about you, Coop."
"Yes, she's told me some of them. The most prominent dealing with Cole Turner and—the unfortunate miscarriage of their son," he answered. Her sisters looked at him in wonder. They knew she'd never told anyone outside the family about that. Coop simply nodded, repositioning Phoebe in his arms.
"The reason we have done this is to prove to Phoebe that she has a real chance at love, at happiness, and most importantly, living her dreams of the next generation."
"But why this," Piper asked. "Isn't there an easier way than knocking her unconscious and having her dreams shattered?"
"If her dreams and love for Coop are strong enough, she will never have to fear a broken heart ever again. Given her past relationships and how some mortal men ran after finding out she was a witch, we would think she would be happy with him and—"
"She is," Paige interrupted. "She's afraid you'll destroy that…"
"Yeah, like you nearly did to me," Piper said.
"And similar to what we did Piper, we're testing them, testing your sister to see if she can trust enough, love enough, if you will, to overcome anything."
"And, if she can't," Paige asked.
"Then she'll never realize how much her heart yearns for anything…"
The female Elder spoke up, "We've seen her visions and her doubts. We're trying to help her. We know your family means the world to both of you. Phoebe must realize that anything can be conquered if love is strong enough," she turned to Coop. "It's your job to help her realize that. We know you can."
"What about my charges? Am I supposed to ignore them and only focus on Phoebe," Coop asked.
"No, you can choose," the head Elder spoke again. "If you choose to continue, your ring will be as it always is, alerting you to others in need of help finding love. If you do not, the only person your ring will alert you to is the woman lying in your arms. It's been your life, Coop, and we don't expect it to be an easy decision."
"How long," he asked.
"Call for us with your ring when you've made a decision. Oh, by the way, that demon isn't really a demon per say," the female Elder spoke. "Think of him as one of our personal assistants."
"So, you mean, he'll never come after us," Paige asked.
"Well, never is a strong word, but if he does, just call for Leo."
"Wait, one of? You mean you have more? What if we accidentally vanquish one," Piper asked.
"This should be the only time any of you ever come in contact with one of ours, but if by chance you do by accident, we will know. It wouldn't be your doing…"
"In other words, they wouldn't be responsible. Meaning no consequences," Coop asked.
"Yes, if there are no more questions—"
"Wait, what were those corridors about," Piper asked.
"That is something you must figure out. The only thing we know is that they only appear when a person needs to figure out their lives."
"Will this happen again," Coop asked.
"Once should be enough."
"Are we allowed to leave," Piper asked.
"Yes, by all means, go," he turned to Coop. "We'll be waiting on your answer." Coop nodded watching them disappear.
"Leo," Piper called.
"Yes Piper? Did everything go alright," he asked hearing her worried tone.
"Yes, but just get me out of here."
"We need to wake Phoebe too," Coop added. She hadn't said a word in hours.
"Yes, and that," Piper added.
With that they all left and reformed in the attic of the manor.
"Okay Paige, what do I do," Coop asked.
"All you need to do is do what you have been and tell her you love her, of course."
"You're kidding, right," Piper asked. "There's no way it's that simple."
"Well, according to the Book of Shadows, it is that simple," Paige answered.
"Phoebe, please wake up. I'd never you," Coop told her, stroking her cheek. "It was all a bad dream. I love you. No one will ever take you away from me," he told her as her eyes opened slightly...
A/N: So what do you think? How will Phoebe react after seeing what she has? What will Coop (and her sisters) do to help her?
I've already started on the next chapter. Winks!
Next chapter: Chapter 6: Demonic Influence
Please R&R!