Heaven's Mistaken Gift

by: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

Co-written by: That70sShoLova

Chapter 22: Where They Should Really Be

He walked down the hallway to Melinda's room, finding her asleep on top of her covers. He smiled as he walked in. She was so angelic when she slept. If only she wasn't the Source of All Evil. How had he not seen it? Then again, nobody had said anything to him.

Her plan to kill them was . . . reasonable, despite the fact they were related. If he didn't still love Phoebe after all these years, he might jump right into it, but he couldn't.

Her mother was the brightest light in is darkened soul and, no matter how much his demonic side urged him to he would not harm her or her sisters. Though protecting them would be even more difficult now than before.

He sat on her bed, brushing her golden locks away from her face. Silently, he wished Phoebe were there with him to share such a peaceful moment, but she wasn't. She wasn't because he'd ran when she begged him to stay. She wasn't there because he himself was afraid of losing control of Balthazar around her sisters. Around Phoebe he seemed tamer.

He stood up and pulled the quilt that was at the foot of her bed over her. He kissed her cheek. "Goodnight, Mel."

Crystalline eye shot open and she grabbed his hand as she sat up. "Cole," Kali spoke.

He raised a brow. "Kali?"

She nodded. "Do you think Mother will ever stop being so defensive around me?"

He sighed. "No."

"Oh."

"Not as long as you're still bent on killing her and your aunts. Kali, I understandthey were the Source's greatest enemies, but that doesn't mean they have to be yours." He sat back on her bed.

"But his blood is in my veins, so don't I have to hate like him?"

He shook his head. "No, you and Melinda are your own person. You don't have to settle any scores. But I do understand that your powers can't help but overwhelm you when they're near. It's like that for me too."

"It is?" she asked in disbelief.

He nodded. "It always has been."

"Does it ever get easier?" she asked while fingering the fringe on her blanket.

"Sometimes it's easier, but it's going to be something you're always going to be in the middle of."

She nodded in understanding.

"Why are you asking all these questions?"

"There was something in her eyes right before I left. And I felt horrible because I knew I had caused it. I still do."

He rested his hand on her knee. "What do you think it was?"

She thought for a moment. "Her hope was gone. Shattered. She looked…betrayed. Are you sure she doesn't hate me?"

"Listen to me. If something happens and I'm no longer here, I want you to remember something: you'll always have a safe place in that house with your mother and your aunts. They love you no matter what happens." He sighed. "I also know you're right. She feels extremely betrayed. She never thought you would take a shot at her like that."

She nodded. "Yeah, but she was right there and asking for it, so…"

"Doesn't matter. She thought Melinda would be able to surpass you and stop you."

"Does this mean I have to apologize?"

"You don't have to do anything, but it would be in your best interest."

She nodded, slipping to the ground from under the quilt. "Okay."

"I didn't mean now."

"Why not? Sooner I apologize the sooner she quits feeling like a failure."

He raised an eyebrow. "You believe she wasn't? Interesting. What changed your mind?"

She smirked. "My human half." She shimmered away.

Kali landed in the living room where Piper and Paige sat on the couch. Paige looked up and nudged Piper. Piper turned towards her and noticed Cole standing behind the blonde girl.

"Melinda?" Piper asked.

Kali rolled her eyes. "You wish." Cole gave her a look. "I mean, hello."

"Kali." Paige stated with a little sigh.

"I just...uh...came to 'pologize," she said quietly, barely coherent.

Piper raised her eyebrows, amused. "The big bad Kali coming to apologize, eh?"

"I just..." she gave a resigned sigh, "Yeah. I feel little guilty." She suddenly glared. "And that doesn't mean anything. It's just the stupid human blood in my veins that's making me apologize." She rolled her weight on her right foot. "So...do you forgive me?"

"For what?" Paige asked with a wide smile and innocent eyes.

Kali glared fiercely.

"Yes. We forgive you," Piper interrupted.

"Where's Ph–Mom?" Kali shuddered at the term.

"She should be in her room," Piper answered.

"I know where that is," Cole piped in.

Paige grinned. "Bet you do."

"Shush," Piper berated but smiled nonetheless.

Phoebe walked into the Manor calling loudly that she was home. "Piper?" she called again when hearing no response. "...Paige? Anyone home?"

She walked into the kitchen to see a long thin red line. It was a curvy stream of crimson blood that made Phoebe recoil. "P-Piper?" she followed the trail to see a still pale body. "Piper..." she asked hesitantly to an empty room.

She knelt next to the still, lifeless body. The head lolled to the side. Glassy brown eyes looked at her. Phoebe shook and tears led hot sticky trails down her cheeks. "Oh God."

Kali silently walked into the kitchen, a sharp blade held to Paige's throat tightly. Paige didn't say anything, but let it show through her eyes, fear.

"Phoebe," Kali said emotionlessly.

Phoebe gasped and turned around. "K-Kali?" she looked towards her younger sister. "Let her go, please!"

Kali shook her head, an amused grin toying at the corners of her lips. "You would like that, wouldn't you?" She shifted her position of Paige's back, being so much shorter than her aunt that she had to jump on her back to be at the same height.

She dropped the athame and grasped Paige's head. She smiled at Phoebe, as if she hadn't seen her in years, like they were good friends, or perhaps a polite smile with the person who owns the eyes you met. She twisted Paige's head sharply, causing a sickening crack and fell to the ground with Paige.

Phoebe collapsed on the ground in shock. Too shocked to cry. "Why?" she finally asked.

"Because you did nothing! You come into my life and act like the perfect mother. Like you've been there for me for years, but that's a lie! A blatant lie! You can kid yourself, but that's not going to get past me." She walked up to her mother. "And now to get rid of you forever. What a pity, you had so much power." She conjured an athame and plunged it into her chest.

"NO!" Phoebe screamed as she heard a loud, sharp knock on her door. She unwrapped the sweaty sheets from her legs and stumbled to the door.

Kali stood there, looking up reluctantly at her mother. "Hi."

Phoebe smiled hesitantly. "Kali..."

She nodded in confirmation.

"I just...wanted to apologize. For doing the stuff that I did. I..." she stopped to scowl. "The only reason I'm doing this is because I'm still human...as much as I dislike it."

Phoebe stood there, stupefied. "Uh...I forgive you."

Kali smiled slightly. "I'm glad." She looked at Cole. "I'm leaving," she stated plainly and shimmered away leaving Cole with Phoebe.

Phoebe's eyes focused on the wall behind him. She wanted nothing more than to slam the door and go back to bed, but she couldn't. Kali had apologized and left so why was Cole still here? She sighed, leaning against the doorframe.

"Why are you still here?" she asked annoyed. She was still shaken from the day's events and very exhausted.

"I-I just wanted to make sure you were okay and—"

"Oh? So now you're concerned? Not when I asked you to stay with me?" she bit, backing into the room. "Why are you really here?"

He sighed, stepping into the room. "Phoebe, after everything, do you honestly believe I'm not concerned about you? I know you've regained all of your
memories by now."

She raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"

"By your eyes. You trust me and yet something's telling you shouldn't."

She smiled slightly. "So should I listen to my head and kick you out," she stood up and walked toward him, "or should I listen to my heart and listen to your
explanation?"

He smiled too, taking a few steps in her direction, half of his face illuminated by her bedside lamp. "You can do both, but I suggest you listen first."

She nodded and walked back over to sit on her bed, gesturing for him to join her. He hesitated, but soon joined her.

"I'm sorry," he began, hoping she believed him. "I just didn't think I would be able to keep control if I stayed. Melinda and I are the same in that way, actually." He chuckled. "I guess she really is my daughter after all."

She yawned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, that when we're both around just you, our demonic sides can be kept in check. Hers is harder though because she relies on it to function and I don't." She nodded, laying her head on his shoulder. "I didn't grow up like this. There was some deal between my mortal father and a demon. I think it was some sort of pact. When I was older, Balthazar became my shadow. It was hard to contain him at first, but as I said, I didn't grow up with him, so I can ward him off."

She looked at him. "Did you have control of him before you met me?"

Cole stayed quiet for a few moments in thought before speaking. "Mostly, the other things are what you made me."

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"Sometimes, I can't even keep him in check, but when I'm with you…it's like he knows he has to behave. Like you have control that I don't. You keep me human and him demon. We never mix too much."

She sighed, trying to keep sleep away a bit longer. "So whenever Jared . . . did that, was it you who was in control or did Balthazar overtake you because of your plan?"

"That was me. All me. And, for the life of me, I honestly don't know why I just sat there on the couch that night when I should've done so much more! I've hated myself for 10 years over that. Over not taking you two away when I had ample chances." His hands curled into fists in anger.

"But you had to. It was like you said. If you went against him and lost, who would've been there for her? I certainly wasn't. And before you go apologizing again, you need to know that you don't need to anymore. Though, I'm probably going to bring the fact up more than either of us likes." She bought his face to look at her. "It won't be your fault. Not anymore."

He sighed. "Just because you say that, it doesn't make it true, Phoebe."

She nodded. "I know, but someday you'll believe me."

Kali stood outside the door listening. Pathetic mother was trying to make amends to him when she should've been making them to her. And who was the Jared person? What did he do to her?

She didn't know why, but Kali was beginning to feel a warm glow in her chest. Something she'd never felt before. Happiness? That was crock! She was a demon! A murderer. And yet something told her she didn't always have to be.

Cole did swear to her that she was safe in this house no matter what. Now she just needed a reason to believe it herself. She sighed, pushing her hair behind her ear.

Cole stood up. "We have an eavesdropper. You know that, right?" he said walking to the door.

"I figured so. Go ahead and open it," she said as his hand rested on the knob.

He nodded, turning the knob and opening it. "Come in Kali."

She walked in with her head at a curious angle, almost like she was trying to get the answers from within her mother's mind. She walked over and sat on the bed.

"Hi." Phoebe said.

Kali sat looking down at her hands which rested in her lap. She couldn't answer. She felt almost ashamed for a reason she couldn't comprehend. "Hi," she said after five minutes.

"How—how are you?" Phoebe stumbled over her words after sensing fear from the girl. The demon didn't feel fear, but some part of Melinda was beginning to manifest itself in Kali, yet the Charmed One didn't know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Only time would tell . . .

Author's note: So what do you think? Is this a good thing that Kali is starting to feel remorse? Will there be a demonic uprising because of it?

Is it just me or is the format of the site when you post the story to the document manager totally screwy? I posted this normally, but it was all pushed to the left. I had to re-align it completely!

Reviews are much appreciated. Please?

Review thanks to: That70sshowlova, ButterflyEyes24, BikerChick101

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell & That70sShowLova