Heaven's Mistaken Gift
by: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell
Co-written by: That70sShoLova
Chapter 27: Keeping Up Appearances
"You guys too?" Phoebe asked.
They nodded as they entered her room.
After closing the door, Phoebe walked over and sat on her bed, her sister's following. "Did you two dream of Prue too?"
Paige bit her lip. "Well, I didn't see her. I heard her. I think…I mean, until she showed up, I' never heard her voice."
"She told you she was trapped?" Piper asked.
"Yeah, bu—"
"In the Underworld, by a little blonde girl?"
Paige gaped. "How did you—"
Phoebe stood. "Stop! Will you guys just stop? We have no proof it was really Prue! None!"
"I-I saw her body and heard her voice," Piper said. "She sounded desperate."
"I heard her. She told me I needed to find her and save her." Paige saw Phoebe turn away from her. "Phoebe?"
"You have no evidence! No proof! Just stupid, idiotic dreams!" she yelled.
Piper stood up. "Alright, think you're so smart, what did you see? What did she tell you?"
Phoebe turned around. "This isn't a time to be—"
Piper grabbed her shoulders. "Phoebe, you opened the door just as we were going to knock. I know you saw something, now what was it?"
"It-it was a dream. It was all a dream. It had to be, right?"
"Phoebe, what's got you so worked up? A minute ago you were determined to prove us wrong," Paige added. "We're not upset. And we're not going to say what happened to you was false—"
Piper walked her back over and they sat down again. "But if we know what you saw, then maybe this will make more sense. This involves all of us not just you because you're her mother."
"What are you talking about? Th—the girl who did this sh-she wasn't Mel!"
Paige sighed. "It had to Kali."
"Why Paige? Why does it have to be her?"
"Well, who else do we know who's blonde and young? Phoebe, we know this is hard for you to accept—"
Phoebe stood abruptly and backed away. "No Paige, no! This isn't hard, it's fucking impossible! My daughter, no matter how evil, would not—I repeat—would not hurt a member of her family!"
"Oh, so that Athame she plunged into you was for fun and games?"
Phoebe, with tears on the brink, tore open her bedroom door and stormed out.
Paige looked at Piper, expecting to be reprimanded, but was only met with solemn eyes. "Was I too hard on her?"
Piper shook her head. "No Paige, but nobody wants to hear that about their kids."
"Should we go after her?"
"Not tonight. Its too late. Besides, I just heard the front door slam. We'll know where to find her in the morning."
Paige nodded and they went back to bed.
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Melinda asked nervously in the mirror.
Kali nodded. "Yes. Why?"
"I think they're starting to wonder."
"Don't worry." Kali soothed as much as she could. She had never been good with children. "Those witches are too oblivious to notice anything but themselves."
She frowned and Kali could see the hurt in her eyes. "I'm a witch."
"Not you, of course, Melinda." Kali hurried to say. "Just...them."
"You don't like being a witch, do you?" She questioned.
Kali glared at her. "I am not a witch! Witches are weak and incompetent. Especially the Charmed Ones. All they care about is themselves. Do you know how many demons kill witches every single day? They only attack the ones that attack them. Don't believe a word they say, Melinda. They aren't good! They're selfish."
"And demons aren't?"
"We're loyal." Kali said. "Witches are hard to work with and hard to pretend to be."
"I could be the witch then. Let me take control of the body. I'm smart enough, I'm old enough."
Kali rolled her eyes. "You're pathetic. You're a ten-year-old who acts like you're five."
Melinda started to tear up. "O-Oh."
"No, Melinda, I'm sorry." She said reluctantly, but tried to sound sincere. "I didn't mean that. I'm not mad at you. I could never be. I'm mad at them."
"Are they the bad guys?" The younger asked sadly.
Kali nodded. "They're the bad guys."
Phoebe suddenly found herself at Cole's door with barely any recollection of how she got there. The last thing she remembered was arguing with her sisters and then she ended up here. She had to have run there, but her breath wasn't heavy. Did she run? It was raining and she wasn't wet. She raised her hand to knock, but the door opened before she could.
"Phoebe?" Cole asked in surprise. "Why are you here?"
"I uh…I was just taking a walk and—"
Then he noticed her shaken appearance. Her hair was a mess, sopping wet and in tangles. Her makeup was smeared. Her clothes dripping on the carpet outside his door. "Phoebe." He pulled her into his arms and brought her inside, closing the door.
"Here sit," he said leading her to the black leather couch. He draped a quilt over her shoulders. "I'll be right back."
She snuggled into the quilt and turned on the lamp beside her, shivering. It didn't feel that cold. I'm shivering, but I don't feel drenched.
He returned a few minutes later with a hot cup of tea. He sat beside her, handing it to her. "Here, this should warm you up."
She took it cautiously. "Okay."
He wrapped an arm around her. "Relax Phoebe, I think you'll remember it."
"Remember it?" she asked. "It smells…familiar." She said while taking a sip. She smiled. "Mom."
He smiled back at her. "I thought you'd remember it."
She set the half-full cup on the end table beside her and rested on his chest. "I feel better now. Thank you."
"Anytime. Now perhaps you would like to explain what you're doing here at this inconvenient hour?"
"I-I'm sorry. I'll just—" she went to stand up, but her wrapped an arm around her.
"No Phoebe, it's okay. Really. I was up anyway." He assured.
"I had a fight with Piper and Paige. We all had dreams about Prue being trapped in the Underworld. She's alive again, so she's—"
"What?" he asked confused. "Prue's been gone for a year."
"Yes, but she's our new Whitelighter now. And, even though its suspicious, I'm really glad to have her back."
"Your Whitelighter?" he questioned. "I thought that was Leo's job."
She nodded. "It is, but she said it's some special assignment."
"And you don't find it strange at all?"
Phoebe bit her lip. Yes, she did find it strange. "Yes, but when we were kids, Prue and I were never that close. Not like Piper and I were -and still are- but then after we became witches, it was like all the animosity faded and we got closer. She felt more like my sister instead of my mom, you know?"
He nodded. "I understand. Have you talked to Leo about this Prue thing?"
"No, but I assume Piper will soon enough. She has deeper suspicions than me."
He snorted. "She was always suspicious."
"But she has a reason to be Cole. Since Prue's been gone, she really stepped up, which was nice for me, I guess."
He coughed uncomfortably. "Have you talked to Prue about this?"
"Prue?"
He nodded. "Yeah, Prue."
"What good would that do?"
"Well, I obviously can't prove these suspicions, but she can. Ask her."
She narrowed her eyes. "And if it's not her you expect her to tell the truth?" she asked, becoming somewhat restless Cole noticed.
"You're a very good judge of character, Phoebe." He said, soothingly. "If she's lying, you'll tell. You may not have been close to her growing up, but you did get close to her for three years. Once you talk to her, you'll know if it's her or not."
"Demons have a tendency to be good liars though."
He rolled his eyes. "If it's not her, then that demon would be a shape-shifter. Shape-shifters are underworld scum, Pheebs. They can't lie."
"Everyone can lie. Not everyone does, but... What do you mean? Is it in their DNA or something?"
He smiled. "And like I said, you know your sister. Look her in the eyes and you'll know."
"They don't interact with anybody, they don't have practice lying."
"But its Prue, Cole. And not everyone knows her so..."
He frowned, but then smiled. "I believe in you. You're a Charmed One an the Charmed Ones can do anything."
She shook her head, "I know, but that's not what I'm—" he cupped her chin and brought her lips to his, "—getting at," she finished in a sigh.
"Trust me."
"But..." she sighed."I'm trying to give you my thoughts, but you just keep waving me off." She looked into his eyes. "Do you want me to leave?"
He sighed. "No, of course not. What are you trying to say then?"
She took a breath. "In every dream, we know Prue talked of a little blonde girl, so how much of a chance is it that Prue is a shape-shifter and Kali has the real Prue locked in the Underworld? I know, I know… I sound crazy, but I just want your opinion, good or bad, please?"
He bit his lip and sighed wearily. "The chances are high. Kali...will do anything to get her way. I don't know why she would want Prue though. Perhaps to distract you from her big plan."
"But we know it though. Take control of the Underworld and kill me and my sisters! What else could she need to distract us from?"
"I didn't want it to be that. I raised the girl from birth and I hate to see her act like this. But...she's a demon. And, unfortunately, she holds a grudge against you."
"But it wasn't my fault! If anyone can make her see that it's you! Can't you do something?"
He sighed again, running a hand over his face. "Demons are stubborn, especially ones with Warren blood in their veins. I can't convince her of anything. If anyone could, it would be you."
"But she hates me!"
"She does—" he paused. "Yeah she hates you."
She scoffed. "Thanks for the confidence."
He grabbed her hand. "But maybe it would be some type of closure thing. Come on, Phoebe. Think about it. All you want to do is talk to Melinda. What about Kali? Maybe she feels neglected."
"They're the same person. How can she feel neglected? And anyway, I'm kin of afraid to talk to her alone seeing as she has a high probability of killing me."
"I could be there with you." He offered.
"Yes, but what would you do? She'd never be honest with you in the room."
"I could hide."
Phoebe thought a second. "Hmmm."
"But what are you going to do about Prue?"
"I don't know...yet. I-I just—I can't go back tonight. I'll never be able to handle it."
"Where are you staying?" He hurried to say something before her. "I'm kidding. You can stay here."
She smiled. "I suppose you'll have me stay in a guest room?" She asked with a playful smirk.
"Of course." He confirmed. "Too high of a risk of being seduced. I can't take my chances."
She pouted. "You don't trust me?"
"You're evil." He said lowly.
"Oh really? You're calling me evil?" she asked. "Or do you just not want me in your bed? I promise I'll be good. Please? I'll freeze!" she pleaded. "I promise not to make any moves. I just—" she shivered, "n-need heat."
"You're going to be the death of me." He picked her up in one swoop of his arms.
"And that's a bad thing?"
He smiled. "I guess not. But then who will keep you warm?"
She grinned. "True. So can you help me with the Underworld thing later?" she asked as he carried her to his master bedroom.
"Anything for you."
"You have a shirt and sweats I can wear right?" she asked as he turned, closed the door, then walked a few more steps and sat her on his bed.
"Yeah." He walked over to a pile of discarded clothes and tossed them on the bed.
"Where are you going?" she asked as he had his hand on the knob again.
"To get changed." He answered simply.
"Uh, mind checking on her while you're up? I don't know how kindly she'd be to me." She asked, motherly instincts easily kicking in.
"Sure." He said as he opened the door. "Just crack the door so I know you're changed. And there are towels on the rack if you'd like a hot shower to take the chill away."
"Okay, hey Cole?" she asked walking up behind him.
"Yeah?" He asked turning to her.
She threw her arms around him. "Thank you, for everything tonight. I just didn't know where else to turn."
He smiled, hugging her tight. "I'll always be here for you."
She let go of him and walked into the bathroom as she heard the door close. Slowly, she took off her jacket and hung it over the now-empty towel rack as with the rest of her wet clothes. But, she decided, drying her hair would be a faster route to getting warm than taking a shower. (She was a little scared she might actually fall asleep and the door would still be closed, Cole wouldn't know until something bad happened. It'd just be an ugly case to open.)
She took her time drying her hair as she stood by the heater. This whole night had been crazy, but hopefully now, with Cole's help, they might get some viable answers. The fight was what really brought her down though. She and her sisters didn't fight too much. But, then again, it wasn't a small, petty fight either. They all knew Prue wasn't Prue and that Kali was up to something. They just didn't know what.
She only hoped they'd figure it out before it was too late.
Cole walked out of the main bathroom and down to Melinda's room. He saw the door was cracked slightly, so he opened it. "Melinda?" he asked.
She turned around. "Hello Belthazar," Kali drawled. "Nice night, isn't it?"
Cole stepped into the room. "Yes it is. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."
She scoffed. "I'm fine."
He turned to walk out. "Did Mother ask you to check on me? She really needs to learn to keep out of my way."
Cole turned back around. "Yes," he hissed, "she did. She's concerned about you."
"Well, she shouldn't be. I can take care of myself."
He shook his head. "Yes, you can, but Melinda is only ten—"
"—with the mind of a five-year-old. But that's not your fault, is it? No, not yours or Mother's."
He sighed. "No, it's yours, Kali. She wasn't able to have a normal childhood because of the killer instinct in her veins, because of you."
Her eyes sparkled. "And who, per say's, fault is it that she had no childhood, hmm? Certainly not mine." She walked over and sat on her bed.
"There are so many things you do not understand about yourself yet, Kali. Things that both you and Melinda have to learn together."
"So teach us. I know you can. You are my servant after all."
"I am not your servant! You may possess the Source's powers, but you do not control me! What you two must learn your mother and aunts must teach you as well."
She crossed her arms in defiance. "Not happening. Not in a million years!"
"Whether you like it or not, you are a witch by blood. Nothing can change that. And I will always look out for you."
"Ugh! Don't go mushy on me! Its pathetic!"
"Alright. But when you're ready to talk to her Kali, talk to us, we'll be here." He walked away.
"Your parents annoy me." Kali seethed when Melinda sat in front of her mirror.
Melinda frowned. "They're your parents, too."
"No!" She snapped. "They're not."
"But we're the same pers–"
"Don't finish that sentence!" Kali interrupted, a low, dangerous growl in her voice. "We may occupy the same body, but we are NOT the same person."
Melinda whimpered. "I-I'm sorry."
"Balthazar and the witch are getting suspicious. I heard them talking about Miranda."
"Miranda?" Melinda asked tentatively. "Who's that?"
"The shape-shifter pretending to be your aunt."
"Kali? I don't think we should do this anymore...I think Mommy will be mad."
"Mommy?" Kali asked, rage obvious in her voice. "Mommy? Since when has she ever been a mother figure, Melinda? Tell me! Just because she suddenly pops back into our life and expects everything to be honky-dory does not mean she's our mother. She's not. Nor will she ever be. She was gone for ten fucking years, Melinda! Ten! And she just waltz back in and we'll just fall into her arms like nothing happened. In her dreams."
"Please don't swear." Melinda requested nervously.
Kali's shoulders slouched. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Just sometimes, Mommy," she snorted, "makes me mad. That doesn't mean I'm mad at you, I'm mad at her, sweetie."
"Okay." Melinda said. "I forgive you."
"Mommy is the bad guy, Melinda." Kali explained tightly. "She's evil."
"Evil?"
Kali nodded. "We have to get rid of her, and her little helpers." She grinned. "The Charmed Ones are going to die. I promise."
"Do they have to die?" Melinda asked.
Kali frowned. She had forgotten how close Melinda was to her family. Gag me, she thought. "I guess not, sweetie." Lie. "But, we do have to get them out of the way, remember, they're evil."
"I don't care what you think. Mommy is trying to be here for me-for us-how is she evil? It wasn't her fault she wasn't in our lives. I heard you guys talking a while back."
Kali snorted. "She's ten years too late."
"Maybe for you!"
"Since when was she there for you, Melinda?" Kali demanded.
"She wasn't, but it wasn't because she didn't want to be. She didn't tell me, but I know. Did you see how happy she was when we were playing Princesses and I called her Mama? She wants to understand you too."
"No one wants to understand a demon, Melinda. I'm evil, but have you ever thought, from our perspective, they're the ones who are evil? They kill my kind for no reason. She doesn't love me, and she never will. I'm just Devil spawn."
She put her hand to the glass. "They only kill those who come after them. Can't you give her a chance? She's not so bad. If she says she hates you, then you can go about killing her. You'll have to knock me out though. I know I said before that I was with you, but I can't be, not anymore. I like them. I'm sorry. I just always wanted my Mommy back and now she is..."
"Well, you have her." Kali congratulated bitterly. "I have nothing. My Father is dead."
"But Cole..."
"He's not our Father, Melinda." Kali said. "Our Father died."
"The Source? Yeah, you killed him for power."
Kali bit her lip. "He's not our Father either, technically."
"Then who is?" she asked curiously. Cole had always been there for her, but Melinda knew she didn't look like him. He didn't have blonde hair or blue eyes. "Do you know?"
"Of course I know." Kali sniffed. "Demons gossip like old women."
"Then tell me!" she pleaded. "Or do you want to ask her what really happened?"
"His name was Zepar. Human name Jared." Kali said. "He was a dumbass. He thought if he could get a Charmed One pregnant he would be the new Source, he didn't count on the Source killing him and to have the baby for his own."
"Can I ask her about him?"
Kali shrugged. "Go ahead, but I doubt she remembers." She smiled. "If my sources are right, he beat her. It wouldn't be surprising if she blocked that period out."
"Don't you want to know?"
She rolled her eyes and begrudgingly said, "Which I suppose could be why she doesn't remember us." She looked at Melinda through the glass. "To be honest? No. I have the perfect image of Zepar in my head, I don't want it to be tempered with by hearing what Phoebe," she snorted at the name, "Has to say."
"I wanna know. You can block it out, okay? I don't care."
Kali smiled. "It's about damn time you grew some backbone."
"So you're okay with me not going with the plan?"
"She'll die some day. Whether it be by me," she grinned, "Or 'natural causes'."
"Okay. Hey Kali?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for letting me out of the plan...kinda. So will you at least listen to her sometime? That's all I ask."
"You're pretty determined for a ten year old." Kali grumbled. "If it shuts you up, fine."
Melinda smiled. "Yay!" She ran out to find Cole.
Cole walked back to outside his bedroom, seeing the door was still closed. He wondered, briefly, if something happened to her. He knocked on the door. "Phoebe." He heard footsteps coming toward the door and it opened to a crack. Smiling, he opened the door and walked in, seeing her sitting on the bed.
After closing the door, he walked over to her. "Feeling better?" he asked sitting beside her.
She yawned. "Yes, but now I'm just tired."
He smiled and then went over and turned the bedding down. When he looked back, Phoebe was fast asleep on top of the covers, so he walked back over, picked her up and laid her in the vacant spot before he turned off the main light and walked around to his side. Gently, so he wouldn't wake her, he slid under the covers. Before he covered them though, Phoebe turned toward him and snuggled into his side. Sighing, he kissed the top of her head.
Maybe one day she'd become his. One day . . .
. . .
. . .
Author's note: So what do you think? What will happen now? I know this chapter is looooooooooooong, but there's a reason for it. Hopefully, I'll clear up some things in the next chapter!
Reviews are much appreciated. Please?
Review thanks to: LeftWriter224, That70sshowlova, BikerChick101, HalliwellMB
Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell & That70sShowLova