"Forsaken"

Cast:

Holly Marie Combs as "Piper Halliwell"

Alyssa Millano as "Phoebe Halliwell"

Brain Krause as "Leo Wyatt"

Debbie Morgan as "The Seer"

and Ali Larter as "Sarah McConnell"

Chapter Eight: "The Days Ahead"

She walked through the halls of her home and saw the pictures which had hung there for years and years. Women from generations passed, each more powerful than the last. Her family, the legacy that she had inherited was that power...to be a force of nature within the world. As she reached the bottom of the staircase the men and women there bowed their heads. They did this not out of respect but in fear. She held the power to destroy them all on a whim, to make each of them suffer beyond belief.

"My Queen, we await your orders." A tall man in a black suit and red tie said as he hung his head before her gaze.

A small smile appeared on her stone like face. She then said, "Gather the faction leaders. We kill my sister tonight."

[Theme Song: "Dreams" by The Cranberries]

"Oh my life is changing everyday

Every possible way

Though my dreams, it's never quite as it seems

Never quite as it seems

I know I felt like this before

But now I'm feeling it even more..."

Phoebe awoke in a cold sweat. Her pulse was racing as she heard her own voice still echoing in her head. She was evil, she wanted to kill her sister and she didn't understand why. It had been months since she left her position and power as Cole's Queen. Though this was different, the demons feared her alone. She wasn't their leader's wife but rather she was their leader. The demons were at her command and she was deeply energized by their devotion.

She tossed and turned the rest of the night, never falling completely back to sleep. Her mind continued to drift on the thoughts and images which haunt her, that deep down she is still evil.

As the sunlight came through her window Phoebe woke up with a deep and heavy sigh. She pulled on a pair of black slacks, a white peasant top, and she pulled her dark brown hair into a ponytail. After getting dressed Phoebe headed downstairs where Piper (dressed in a a green V-neck top and jeans) was already drinking her coffee and finishing her breakfast.

"Morning Piper." Phoebe said as she grabbed a cup of coffee.

Piper smiled and said, "Morning sweetie. How are you?"

Phoebe sipped her coffee and gave a small smile. "I'm alright." She paused for a second and then said, "Have you heard from Sarah over the last few days?"

Piper put the paper down on the table and looked at her sister. "No I haven't. She seems to be avoiding us. Why do you ask?"

"Well some things have been on my mind lately." Phoebe said as she tried to avoid answering her sister's question.

Piper gave Phoebe that all too well known look and said, "Alright missy you tell me what's going on right now."

With a heavy sigh Phoebe said, "I just want to know more about her great grandmother...who I used to be."

"Pheebs, why would you want to know that? You aren't Pearl anymore, you know that right?" Piper gave her sister a sympathetic look.

"I know that Piper. It's just that I'm feeling...something and I need to talk to her. She might be the only one who has any answers for me." Phoebe took a sip of her coffee and said, "Grams never mentioned her mother that much growing up. And we know that I'm named after Gram's second cousin Phoebe, but she died shortly after Prue was born."

"Phoebe..." Piper said as she placed a caring hand on Phoebe's shoulder.

"I just need to know what happened to...Pearl and her daughter. How come we never knew that there were other Warren witches out there." She paused and said, "Other family out there."

She took a moment and then said, "You're right Phoebe. You do need to know more about her life..." Piper looked at her sister square in the eyes, "...so That you can move on with your own life."

Piper pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket and said, "This is Sarah's phone number. She gave it to us the last time she was here. Give her a call, see what you can find out." She nodded to her sister as she placed it on the counter.

"Thanks Piper." Phoebe said as she gave her sister a hug.

-- San Francisco Memorial Hospital --

Sarah walked towards one of the cafeteria tables with a tray of food. As she sat down she thought, "Thirty whole minutes to myself. No patients, no doctors, no demons, just me and my lunch." Sarah began to eat her chicken salad when her phone vibrated. She didn't recognize the number but she answered anyway, "Hello?"

"Hi Sarah, it's me Phoebe." She said from her own phone.

Sarah rolled her eyes and said, "Hey Phoebe. What can I do for you?"

Phoebe thought she heard a tone of annoyance in her voice but decided to ignore it. "I was wondering if you were free anytime today, to talk?"

There was a few seconds of silence and then Sarah spoke, "My shift ends at five today. I can meet you at my place around six if that's alright."

"Yeah that sounds just fine." Phoebe said feeling optimistic.

"Alright, the address is 651 Carlow Avenue, South Bay Call. I'll see you then." Sarah then closed her cell phone and went back to her lunch.

-- P3 --

Piper walked around the newly renovated club. She had spent all of last week fixing up her club and getting it ready for the grand-reopening tomorrow night. San Francisco, and the rest of the world has calmed down in the last four months since Cole had been finally vanquished, sending the demons back into the Underworld. There were still whispers about demons, and witches who could be anywhere and anyone. Though for the most part people went back to their normal lives, which meant that P3 needed a fresh start.

Dominic, her manager was behind the bar and he said, "Piper is there anything else we need to do in prep for tomorrow?"

"No Dominic, that's should be all. You can go home if you want, I'll lock up." Piper said as she checked one of the bar tables for dust.

He gave her a smile and said his goodbyes. When Piper heard the door shut she looked up to the ceiling and said, "Alright you can come down now."

Within seconds blue and white lights began to dance down from the ceiling, showing the arrival of her whitelighter and ex-husband Leo Wyatt.

"How did you know I was around?" Leo asked as his body became solid.

Piper chuckled and said, "Leo I know how you like to linger." She crossed her arms over her chest and said, "So what's up? Is there another long lost relative out there the Elders want us to i.d?"

Leo shook his head in amusement, "No Piper. I just wanted to come down and see how the club looked." His eyes took in the newer look of the club. The once faded blue walls now have new vibrancy (and paint job), the black walls were changed to a smokey grey, and the wooded baseboards were now stainless steel. Aside from that P3 looked the same...but Different.

"You kept the name?" Leo said as his eyes rested on the neon sign on the stage.

"Yeah I did, in memory of Prue. I want to remember those days..." She paused and tilted her head to the floor. "...they Were good days."

"Piper." Leo said in his soothing tone.

She shook her head and gained her composure again. Then she said, "So Leo, are you going to be coming down for the reopening tomorrow night? I could use a date."

Leo smiled broadly and said, "Yeah Piper that sounds like a good idea." He paused and then said, "Should I pick you up at the manor? You know a little cosmic taxi ride."

Piper laughed and looked at him with a sparkle in her eye, it was an old family joke. She missed his sense of humor. "That sounds good Leo. So tomorrow night, six o'clock at the manor."

"See you then Piper." Leo said as he orbed out, the biggest grin on his face.

-- Sarah's apartment --

There was a knock, and Sarah walked to her apartment's door. She looked through her peephole and saw Phoebe standing there, teetering on her feet. With a heavy sigh Sarah opened her door. She faked her best smile and said, "Hi Phoebe".

Phoebe stood there on Sarah's doorstep and and smiled back. After a few seconds of awkward tension Sarah said, "Please, come inside". Then she extended her arm to lead Phoebe in.

"Thanks. I'm glad you decided to meet with me." Phoebe said as she walked into Sarah's apartment. She looked around and noticed that the woman had style. Her living room walls were a seafoam green and her couch a brown leather that was echoed in the various tones of brown around within her accent pieces, including a beautiful glass topped mahogany coffee table.

Sarah slightly rolled her eyes and said, "Well you called and said we needed to talk. So I assume that it's important." She sat down on the couch and looked up to Phoebe, "Please sit down".

Phoebe could sense that Sarah was less than thrilled with her being there. It saddened her because Sarah was her family, extended or not.

"Well I wanted to talk to you about your great-grandmother, about Pearl". Phoebe said as she took a seat on the other side of the leather couch.

Sarah tensed up as she heard what Phoebe came to see her about. She assumed that Phoebe had questions about her side of the family, but didn't expect her to actually confront her with them.

She tossed her hair and said, "What do you want to know?"

"I wanted to know what happened to her, and her daughter. What do you know that Piper and I might not know?" Phoebe said as she crossed her legs.

"I know that she was killed...murdered By her cousins." Sarah said that almost coldly. Then she cleared her throat and said, "After that her eldest cousin Phoebe Baxter took her daughter, Patience and raised her as her own. After that my grandmother grew up close to her other family." She paused and said, "Your great-grandmother, and her daughter Penelope Johnson. From there the family history is a little fuzzy, but I do know that my grandmother was very angry as she got older. After learning what had happened to her mother. I can only assume that she left the family around the time that she became pregnant with my mother, Selena McConnell."

Phoebe listened intently. She wanted to know as much as she could about her past life, and the family that they never knew about. Once Sarah was finished she asked her, "Sarah, you said that Pearl's power...your power hasn't been seen for a few generations. What were your mother's and grandmother's powers?"

Sarah looked at her and gave a small smile. Then she said, "My grandmother had that power of levitation, and my mother had the power of astral projection."

Phoebe was slightly shocked by that news. She assumed that those powers were developed my Prue and herself for the first time in the Warren line. "I guess that since they are both extensions of the basic three Warren powers that any witch within the line could develop them." She mumbled to herself.

"Look Phoebe I know that you feel bad about not knowing about me, about my family. Don't alright, we were just fine. Good witches, all of us." Sarah got up from the couch and began walking to her kitchen and said, "Would you like something to drink?"

Phoebe smiled and said, "Yes, water please."

After a minute or two Sarah returned with two glasses of sparkling water.

"So is there anything else you want to know?" She asked taking a sip of water.

Phoebe looked at this girl, whom spoke about her family with such pride. She was a Warren, last name or no.

"No, not really." Phoebe sipped her water too and then said, "I just wanted the chance to get to know you, and now I have." She said with a gentle smile.

"Well, is it alright if I ask you a question or two?" Sarah asked her.

Phoebe was a little surprised by this but she nodded and said, "Sure, go ahead."

"Has Leo told you anything about my mysterious demon/darklighter hybrid?"

"So far as I know, no. Have you tried asking him?"

"No I haven't. I haven't seen him since I was last at your house."

"Well you should try talking to him, he's your whitelighter too now."

"He is?" She was slightly surprised by this news, but it did make sense. "Well, I guess I'll talk to him. Though it has been a while since I had a whitelighter." Her face was saddened as she remembered her dead boyfriend.

Phoebe shared a sympathetic look for her and said, "I'm sorry about what happened Sarah. We'll get him, I promise you that."

Sarah sighed and said, "Thank you Phoebe."

"Anytime..." She looked Sarah in the eyes and said, "...cousin."

They both shared a small smiled and then Phoebe said, "Well I better get going. It's getting late and that's when the bad guys like to come out and play."

Phoebe got up from the couch and walked to the door. As she reached for the doorknob, she turned to Sarah and said, "Sarah. Why don't you come to P3 tomorrow night? It's the grand reopening, we'd love to have you there."

Sarah gave Phoebe a genuine smile and said, "That would be great Phoebe."

"Ok, Piper and I will see you tomorrow night then." Phoebe turned and left Sarah's apartment, closing the door as she did.

Sarah looked up to the ceiling and said, "Hmm Jacob. Don't worry baby, they'll help...they're family."

-- Halliwell Manor --

Phoebe walked through the manor and into the kitchen, there she saw Piper in her bed clothes and eating a bowl of ice cream.

"Hey sis, how was your day?" Phoebe said in a rather chipper mood.

Phoebe looked at her questioningly and then said, "It was good. I even managed to russell up a date for the reopening o P3 tomorrow night."

"Oh? Who is it Dominic?"

"No Pheebs!" She paused and said, "Actually it's Leo."

As Piper got up and headed to the sink with her bowl Phoebe said, "Excuse me? You are Leo are dating now?"

Piper gave her 'the look' and said, "It's one date, just one. Besides Phoebe, Leo is a part of P3; always has been, always will be."

"Well I for one am very happy for you Piper." She grabbed some chips out a bag on the counter and said, "I invited Sarah to the reopening tomorrow night, I hope that's alright."

"Of course it is Phoebe, I assume that means you got all the answers you needed?"

"Yes I did as a matter of fact. Would you like to know what I found out?"

"As a matter of fact I would, but that will have to wait until tomorrow morning Pheebs I'm beat." Piper then started to head out of the kitchen.

"Ok missy, get some sleep. I love you." Phoebe said through crunches of the potato chips.

"Love you too." Piper called as she exited the room.

Piper headed upstairs and into the bathroom. There she closed and locked the door, and waited for two minutes anxiously. When she heard a small 'ding' sound she looked at the bathroom counter. There she saw the pregnancy test...positive.

"Oh crap." Piper said to herself.

[A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long. I've had a lot of personal things happen lately and I didn't want to just rush through this chapter. I hope that you all enjoyed this update. More will be up soon!

As always, please read and review :-) ]