Heaven's Mistaken Gift
by: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell
Co-written by: That70sShoLova
Chapter 20: Another Chance
Phoebe sighed, walking downstairs. It'd been a week since she'd seen Melinda or seen or heard from Cole But with Cole owning his own firm, she expected him to be busy. Plus, the fact that since she'd had that rational talk with Melinda, her fears were somewhat eased when it came to her.
She just had to get her sisters to give her another chance. They'd given Cole a chance and he hadn't hurt them, though her gut wasn't completely sure of him. She never had been. He'd protected her for her daughter's sake and hers, she supposed. Things about that time were still a bit hazy to her, not that she didn't expect them to be.
"Cole!" she called, but he didn't come.
Her pocket vibrated from a text.
+In a meeting. Be done soon. What do u need?
+I want 2 talk with Mel about meeting my sisters again.
For five minutes, nothing came.
+I'll ask her & get back to u.
+No, I want to ask her. They're my sisters!
+Alright. U can ask her, but I'll come & get u. Don't go alone or have Paige or Leo take u. You'll never know what she'll do.
+What about u? She lives with u.
She sighed. Oh how much easier things would be without the magical aspect of things. Curiosity began to eat at her, so she walked upstairs and brought the Book of Shadows down to the couch to figure things out. Sure, being demon was all her daughter had ever known, but there had to be something useful in here to prove they weren't set on destroying her.
Paige walked in from the kitchen. "What are you looking for?" she asked, sitting beside her.
Phoebe sighed. "Something to convince my daughter that we aren't dead-set on killing her because she's evil."
"We aren't."
"Well, she doesn't seem to think so," Phoebe answered. "At least I know she doesn't hate me, even though she has every right to."
"What makes you say that?" Piper asked walking into the room.
"Hate is too strong a word here. Maybe resent is better. After all, I was absent for ten years."
"But that wasn't your fault. You said he told you he had no choice," Paige said.
"Oh, and all of a sudden, you believe what he says?" she asked.
As Paige remained silent, Piper picked up the conversation. "Why do you think she doesn't hate you?"
"She told me." She took a breath. "Evil Melinda told me. She said it was because the three of us were together. Because we're so powerful. That was what caused her demonic side to take over, not that she inherently hates us. She craves power."
"And you believe her because…you want to or you believe she's telling the truth?" Piper asked.
Phoebe bit her lip. "I-I don't know. I mean, I want to believe she's telling the truth, but deep down I never got that feeling from her. But if I'm always suspicious of her how will I ever coax the good out of her?"
"That's a good question." Paige sighed.
"You have to give her another chance, please? She's actually really sweet. She's just a kid."
Paige chucked. "Yeah, with a real killer instinct."
"What do you say, Piper? Give your niece another chance. For me, please?"
She sighed. "For you, I will. Only for you."
Paige raised her eyebrow. "Only for her? Nothing to do with the chance to be 'Auntie Piper'?"
She smiled. "Yeah, that too."
Cole shimmered in, holding his hands up in defense. "Don't kill me! Don't kill me! Don't kill me!" he said looking at Piper. "Phoebe asked me to come over."
Piper laughed. "Relax, as long as we're safe, you're safe."
Sighing in relief, he addressed Phoebe. "Ready to go?"
"Go? Go where?" Paige asked.
"To talk with her."
"Why?" Piper asked.
"Because you guys can't just show up. Not after last time."
"Who are you going to talk to?"
Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "Who do you think?" she walked over and they shimmered away.
"Melinda?" Phoebe called.
Melinda looked up, her curls bouncing, "Mommy!" She ran over to Phoebe and clung to her neck, smiling.
"Hi, Mel—inda." She grinned hesitantly, not sure if she was allowed to call her by Mel.
She smiled. "Mel's fine."
"Well, Mel," Phoebe grinned to herself at how close they were getting, "I was wondering if you wanted to meet my sisters again."
Melinda's eyes widened and she backed away slightly. "B-But what if they try to hurt me? They scared me last time! I thought it was just going to be you...bu-but it wasn't! A-And..." she started to cry, "I...I never really was a kid," she admitted. "The demon side of me prevented me from living normally. I only expected to meet you, Mommy. When I saw them, I panicked. Who were they? What did they want? And, in my weak state, my demonic side took control and she attacked you. I had no control. I didn't want to! I'm sorry!"
Phoebe held her tightly. "Oh sweetheart, it's okay! Don't worry. My sisters...they're the greatest, honestly. I'm sorry I scared you. I didn't mean to. I really wish that you could meet them, but if you aren't ready then that's okay. It's your choice, sweetie."
Melinda looked at her, her brown eyes big and expressive. She didn't want to disappoint her mother so she said. "Okay. I will. For you."
Cole spoke up. "Mel, you don't have to if you do–"
"I want to." Melinda said firmly.
Phoebe grinned and hugged Melinda, a happy bubble of laughter bursting from her lips. "Excellent!"
Melinda shimmered into the Manor a little bit after Cole and Phoebe. The panic rose in her and her chest tightened up. It was ridiculous, she thought, they're might aunts! I can't be afraid of them! But she was. Melinda wasn't used to introductions. Being the heir of the Source, she knew every demon. Or being the Source, she thought bitterly. Yes, she knew of her demonic side killing her biological father.
She looked at Piper and Paige Halliwell. She had studied them for three years now. It was good to know of the Charmed Ones, the demons had said. But she was afraid to see them, in person. They were legendary. She willingly crawled into the backseat, letting her demonic side take over as she crawled into a fetal position.
Kali looked around appraising. They were so strong, she could feel the power radiating off of them in waves. She wanted that power...and maybe she could have it. If she killed them, could she extract the power out of them? If she could, she would be unstoppable!
Kali pretended to be scared, making her brown eyes big and doe-like. She ducked her head and looked up through her eyelashes and she clung to Phoebe. She could conjure a dagger right there. Slit Phoebe's throat and then summon a Darklighter bow and arrow she stole from a Darklighter, attack Paige. She'd kill Piper with something non-magical. Fire perhaps? She complained about not having a magic free life, the least she could do is kill her without magic. What about good ol' fashion stabbing. Poison? Oh, the endless possibilities...
She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts and buried her head in Phoebe's stomach. They are so scary, she mocked her weaker half.
"M-Mommy," she shook, "will you hold my hand?"
Phoebe looked down at her and kissed her silky golden curls. "Of course."
Kali looked up hesitantly at her aunts. "Hi..." she said quietly before turning into Phoebe.
Piper smiled, she loved kids. Sure, she was a little suspicious of the child, at first. Looking at her now though, it just showed at a frightful, shy little girl. She walked up to Kali, or Melinda as she thought she was, and ducked down to her height. "Hi, I'm Piper."
Paige walked up also and knelt down next to her eldest sister. "Hey, sweetie."
Kali slowly opened up, telling little things about Melinda and how cruel and vindictive her demonic side was. She learned things about them too. Piper always complained about magic, but she really loved it. She just hated how it got in the way of her and Leo's relationship.
Paige was into potions, and a very good potion maker. She had an incident when she first started making potions, one that almost killed her.
And Phoebe...she would do anything to get Melinda to like her.
Kali was eager to learn more, and was excited when Piper started to talk about a touchy subject: Prue. But before Piper could really get into the story, Cole pulled Kali away.
"Kali," he scolded. "Why are you here? You should let Melinda be experiencing this."
She smiled sweetly. "But we are the same person, don't you realize that, Balthazar? We're like a person with a split personality. We're the same person. We just act a little different at times. We're one in the same, Melinda and I. I am just the side that you and your demons raised. Besides, the good side of me couldn't deal with the Charmed Ones. So she asked me."
She looked at him. "You aren't going to tell anyone, are you?"
"Kali," he said slowly. "Let Melinda take control. She needs to be the one to talk to the sisters. Not you."
She rolled her eyes and shoved him up against the wall, holding a dagger to his neck. "Don't tell me what to do, Balthazar! I may see you as a Father figure, but I am a demon. I can kill you with no remorse." She let him go and he stepped away.
"You're wrong, Kali. You can kill me, but you will have grief. You may be a demon, but you have a side of you that feels. You are half human, just like me. You feel." He straightened his shirt, "Now come on." He suddenly ducked as she threw a fireball at him. It left a scorch mark and he cursed, how was he going to cover that up?
"No, you are wrong. I have the Source's blood running through me," in more ways than one, "I don't have emotions," she said coldly. She put on a happy face and walked back into the living room with a bounce in her step.
As Kali looked at Piper, she noticed her suspicions, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. That is, until she found herself losing control of her body. She walked back into the kitchen.
She closed her eyes and found she and the ten-year-old in a dark abyss within her mind, a place she was rarely in. "What are you doing?" Kali asked.
"I want to see them too!" she argued.
Kali growled. "Melinda. Stop, right now!"
Melinda shook her head fiercely. "No! Why do you even wanna see them? You're evil. They're good. They don't even like you!"
"But they want to know you. And if they trust you, it makes my job easy."
"You're not going to kill them!" she yelled, fighting the grip of her powers. "I won't let you."
Kali tried to form a fire ball, but her concentration wasn't there and it extinguished. "You little brat!" she yelled, grabbing her within her mind and shoving her, causing a gash in her cheek from her claws.
Melinda started to cry. "Da—"
"Or no you don't!" Kali said, clamping a hand over her mouth. "We're not done!"
Melinda, grasping a power she didn't have, bit her hand. She formed an energy ball and threw it at her doppelganger.
Kali shook it off, smirking. "You gotta do better than that, Tinkerbell." Kali kicked Melinda in the stomach and threw a fireball at her.
Melinda teared up, "Ma-"
"Mama can't help you know, Princess."
Melinda tried to run away, but Kali caught her wrist. "Please let go! Please let me go to my Mommy!" she cried. "Mommy!"
Kali scoffed, throwing her to the ground. "Childish weakling!" She got down and sat on her stomach. "How can a Charmed One—a legendary witch—be your mother? Whelp!" she hit her directly in her face with a fireball.
"Mommy!" Melinda screamed, tearing mixing with blood and streaming down her face.
Kali touched Melinda's face gently. "So much potential in you. Such a waste. If you were raised right, you could be strong. Like me." She held her in place with her mind while getting up, "For Hell's sake, Melinda. You are ten yet you act like you're five. That is why you are weak. Your emotions get the best of you." She threw an energy ball. "Now man up and grow a pair!" She kicked her in the stomach, "fight me," she hissed.
"N-No! Why are you s-so m-mean?" she cried. "Wh-what did I do?" she cried, curling up into a ball.
Kali smiled. "You're weak, yet powerful. You take over the body, but this body is mine. You capture the hearts of everyone. And you disturb my plans."
"Okay," Melinda said quietly, wiping the blood off her face and onto the dark black floor of the abyss. "You can have it. Have the body. I don't ever want it again. Just leave me alone."
Kali pouted. "Awe, sweetie. That's no fun! You can't just hand it over to me. I want to fight you for it."
Melinda shook her head fiercely. "No. I refuse."
She knelt by her double's side. "Yes. You will fight me for it. Because, you know what? This body, will always be ours. But you need to learn how to share. It's my turn, sweetheart. And I'm going to teach you that. Now get up, and fight me!"
Melinda looked up at her and realized she was right. She may not have had a childhood, but she was ten, and she should start acting like it. She was a demon for crying out loud! The least she could do was summon a little bit of that courage and magic from her demonic side.
Kali smirked and attacked her will full-force. She tackled her to the ground and ran a finger blazing with fire down her cheek. Melinda screamed, not in pain, but in anger. She rolled them over and slapped her, kicked her, bit her. Whatever she could do that didn't involve magic she did. Kali chuckled and caught Melinda by the throat, successfully stopping her pitiful strikes. She conjured a dagger and smiled wickedly.
"Melinda? Are you okay?" Piper called out while walking into the kitchen. She gasped, seeing a curly mop of blond hair and a petite body passed out on the floor, "C-Cole! Phoebe! Paige! Somebody?"
Cole shimmered causing Piper to jump. He looked down at the little girl and shook his head, "Did I tell you that she has a condition which causes her to faint?"
Phoebe shook her head. "No. Why didn't you?"
Paige touched her arm. "Because he knew it would scare and upset you. It's obvious that she has dealt with this for years, you're just going to blow it out of proportion."
"Blo-" Phoebe started.
Paige threw her hands up. "See?"
Piper hoisted Melinda up with Cole's help. "Phoebe he's been around longer than you have, no offense. He knows her better than you, again, take no offense. If he says she'll be fine, she'll be fine."
Cole took her from Piper and shimmered into the living room.
Melinda screeched as Kali took the knife and slid it down her cheek like a hot knife through butter. Melinda pushed the girl off of her and conjured ice into her palm and a plasma ball in the other. She hurled them one after the other and expertly dodged Kali's attempts at getting her hits in.
Finally Kali stood up on shaky legs, she smiled appreciatively. "Very good, Melinda. I have grown a new found respect for you." she looked her dead in the eye, "But enough is enough. Stop."
Melinda looked at her dazed. "I'll stop."
She smiled. "Good. Now let me have control of the body. I'm not done with my research."
"Fine, you have control over the body. Finish your research," she mumbled while sitting down and temporarily giving the body over. "But you better be quick."
Kali smirked. "You're threatening me, little girl?" she scoffed. "I can hurt you."
"I know, but I want to spend time with them."
Kali blinked up at Cole and grinned viciously before smiling sweetly. "H-Hi, Daddy. Did I faint again?"
He sighed, slightly disappointed that Kali still had control, but nodded nonetheless. "Yeah."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, sweetie." Phoebe intervened. "It's not your fault."
Kali looked at them all, unsure, but they nodded encouragingly. "Okay. Thank you." She looked pointedly at her aunts, "I...I love you."
Piper and Paige smiled and chorused. "I love you too!"
Kali looked at Cole, winking. She then looked at Phoebe, holding her arms open. "I love you, mommy," she uttered softly. "Thank you for being there for me."
Cole scoffed. Something about the way Phoebe had her arms around her was…suspicious. Maybe he wasn't the only one who got chills when Melinda switched personalities.
Piper looked at him oddly. "What is it?"
He waved it off. "Nothing."
Phoebe pressed her closer, restraining her wrists. "The hell it is! She's been demonic the whole time!"
Kali tensed against her. Piper was about to step in, but Phoebe glared at her mouthing 'no'. She smirked. It was looking like her mother had more protective instincts than she thought.
"Why?" was all Phoebe asked still holding her wrists down.
"If you know, then why don't you kick me out? All the stories you've told me, all the little irks of your lives could be your greatest downfall. You'd be smart to shut up and never speak again in front of me witches."
Piper was the next to speak up. "You think you're so smart, don't you? Think you've got it all figured out? You think we don't know what you could do to us?"
"We do, but we're family no matter what and we thought Melinda would like some stories," Paige answered. "Unfortunately, that includes you too."
Phoebe let go of her and stood up. She noticed how confused she looked. "What? Going to kill me now?" she mocked. She looked to her sisters, who nodded, saying that they'd stay out of the way. She smirked. "C'mon, take your best shot. Just know that without me, I can't shield you from them."
The demoness's eyes narrowed. "I thought you said they weren't going to hurt me? You lied!" she yelled, throwing a fireball towards her, but Cole shimmered in front of her and deflected it. "Protecting the enemy? Noble."
"She wasn't lying. The only reason they would even try to go after you is if you hurt them," he raised an eyebrow at Piper, "right?"
Kali faced her.
Piper sighed, but nodded. "It's like Paige said, you're family no matter if you good or evil." Her eyes narrowed. "But if you hurt any one of us, rest assured, there will be dire consequences."
Paige smiled at Kali's uneven expression. "Relax kid, you're our niece so we won't kill you. I'm pretty sure Phoebe would step in before then."
Kali began laughing. "Empty threats will get you nowhere, pathetic Witchlighter! You act like I'm some scared child, but she's not me."
Cole pinned her to the floor. She laughed. "Getting testy are we?"
"Release control to Melinda now, Kali! I don't know what's going on with you exactly, but I'm sure as hell gonna find out."
She smiled. "There's more going on than you'll ever realize and you'll never find out what no matter who you ask."
Piper looked at her, amused. "Come on, Melinda."
She glared. "It's Kali. Kali is an evil name. Melinda is a witch name. I'm no witch."
"Okay, Kali," she stressed the name. "Demons are sell-outs. If you told a soul–"
Paige scoffed. "Demons don't have souls, Piper."
"Ahem." Piper coughed and Paige backed away slowly. "If you told a soul they'll rat you out for a price."
"Who said I told anybody?" Kali asked with a smug smile. "Besides sweetie, even if you learn my plan – which you don't have a chance in Hell of doing – it won't make a difference. If you kill me, you kill the goody little two-shoes that you call your niece. Think about it." She shimmered out from under Cole, not wanting to flame and give away her secret. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some plans to get to. I'll give back the girl control later," she winked, "maybe."
Once she shimmered away, Phoebe screamed in annoyance, "That...That...That bitch!"
Cole looked startled, shocked and stumbled slightly backwards, "Phoebe, come on, you don't mean that. She's your d–"
Phoebe gave him a look that made him shut up. "Don't even finish that! She is not my daughter! How could she be my daughter?"
"She may not be your daughter, Phoebe, but she is mine. It's my fault that girl has two personalities and I take full responsibility. I may not be biologically related, but I will do anything for that little girl. I'm the only person she has, and if you want to give up on her, even if she is evil, then so be it. But I won't."
"Cole—"
"You don't seem to understand, Phoebe. They are the same person. It's just when she gets afraid, she lets a side come out that I and the Source created. A demonic side." He shimmered away without another word.
"He's right. I shouldn't have taunted her," Phoebe said guiltily.
Paige walked up to her and hugged her side. "No need to be so nostalgic, Pheebs, it's in the past. Let it be."
Piper nodded. "I think the important thing is to figure out her plans. You know she's lying, if we figure them out, we'll be able to stop her and possibly save Melinda."
"Why does she even have plans?" Phoebe asked quietly.
"She is a demon, Phoebe," Paige pointed out. "It might help to answer the question if we knew her plans."
"Where should we look first?" Phoebe asked.
"Low-level demons," Piper said.
"Why?" Paige asked. "They won't know anything."
"They listen, anything to get them higher in the demonic food-chain," Piper said. "Let's go."
Author's note: So what do you think?
Wow, 19 chapters (20 now) so far and 67 (alomst 70) reviews! ~You guys rock! Big Hugs~ Keep it up!
Reviews are much appreciated. Please?
Review thanks to: That70sshowlova, HalliwellMB, BikerChick101
Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell & That70sShowLova