Piper stood in the kitchen of the Halliwell manor and leant down to pull three trays of warm cookies out of the oven before using her foot to close it and turning around to place them on the bench to cool. Phoebe was in the kitchen with her sipping a cup of coffee and chatting about Coop and the kids but when Wyatt, Chris and Paige orbed collectively into the kitchen both Piper and Phoebe looked up in concern, instantly knowing something was wrong.
"What's wrong?" Was Piper's instinct to ask, her hands on her hips and all her attention focused on her two sons and her sister.
"The Elders felt a very big power spike a couple of hours ago and they located it to the Underworld." Paige explained, arms crossed over her chest and clearly worried but trying not to show it.
"One guess as to who that would be." Phoebe piped in and they all agreed.
"Barbas must have done some kind of spell to free himself. Should we be worried?" Piper asked and Wyatt nodded.
"The Elders think this could be the crucial event they saw coming though they can't be sure what it is." Wyatt explained, his words and expression serious for once which only made Piper more on edge.
"All we know is it's bad. Very bad." Chris piped up, sitting down at the kitchen bench and sighing dramatically. Clearly they were all very tired from a very long meeting with The Elders and it showed.
"We have to tell Reese." Phoebe said, looking up from her coffee cup to look at each of the members of her family in worry.
"Tell me what?" They all turned as Reese entered the kitchen, her hair freshly washed and pulled up into a bun and wearing casual brown linen pants and a white spaghetti singlet. Chris scooted back his stool and stood up, standing in front of her and taking her hand before studying the ring on her finger momentarily before saying, "Barbas has escaped the Underworld." Reese's face went deathly pale and she swallowed hard as a lump began to form in her throat. She clenched her jaw tightly, trying desperately to mask her emotions before asking, "How?" Her tone was low and dangerous and she stared at the worried faces around her before Paige finally spoke.
"Some kind of spell or chant. The Elders felt a large surge of power a couple of hours ago so we assume it has to be Barbas." She explained and Reese nodded simply and stared down at her feet, avoiding Chris' concerned gaze.
"Sweety, it's gonna be okay, we're gonna find him." Phoebe said, having stood up from her position to stand beside Reese and squeeze her hand comfortingly. As their flesh came into contact she let out a startled gasp, her face frozen for several moments before she sucked in a series of deep, petrified gulps of air and looked up into Reese's eyes and they were filled with tears.
"Pheebs, what did you see?" Piper enquired, moving closer toward her and Reese, concern filling her voice.
"Barbas." Phoebe said simply, turning to look at Piper as she did before turning back to Reese and saying, "Killing Reese."
"What!?" Was all Chris could think to say, seeing his girlfriend's face growing paler by the second.
"Well then we should find him and vanquish him before he does." Reese stated resolutely, her eyes dark with anger and determination but Phoebe only shook her head.
"No, you can't. You were in the Underworld when he killed you. We can't risk you being there with us. You have to stay here." Phoebe demanded but her eyes were soft and filled with concern for Reese.
"For all we know he twisted your premonition because that's what he wants us to think!" Reese argued, her voice heated but quivering with emotion.
"No, Reese. I felt your pain. This was very real." Phoebe tried to explain but Reese wouldn't hear any of it.
"You can't force me to stay here. I can't let you fight my battles for me. I won't!" Reese said in a loud voice, her heart filling with rage and guilt. How could she stay here and not fight a battle that was her fault to begin with? Clearly Barbas had a grudge to settle against her and she couldn't have the Charmed ones risking their lives for her.
"Reese-" Chris began softly but Reese swung around and pointed her finger at him and said, "No!" in a stern voice.
"I can't lose you." She said, her voice still filled with anger but her eyes were filled with tears.
"Well, I won't lose you. If Phoebe's premonition is right then sending you down to the Underworld is suicide!" Chris tried to explain as Reese's shoulders slumped forward and she stared down at the ground.
"And what if you're wrong? What is something happens to you?" Reese asked, tears spilling from her eyes as her lip quivered.
"It won't. Not if we all go." Phoebe said in a determined nod and they all agreed.
"But-" Reese tried to protest but Piper wouldn't hear anything of it.
"No, Reese. You're family and we fight to keep our loved ones safe. No matter what." She explained then wrapped Reese in a tight hug, kissing her cheek and stroking her hair comfortingly.
"Then we better get ready. We've got a battle to fight."
"Got the spell?" Paige asked, squeezing potion into empty vials as she looked over her shoulder at Phoebe who was poised over The Book of Shadows with pen and paper.
"Almost done." She said with a sigh and Paige nodded and continued filling bottles, some with potions to stung, some to kill and one extremely potent potion to vanquish Barbas with, along with the spell that Phoebe was preparing.
"Okay, we've got crystals, potions and more potions. How's the spell coming along?" Piper said all at once, coming into the attic in jeans and a long coat with a shoulder bag slung over her shoulders and bottles of potion in her hands.
"Just about finished." Phoebe chimed in, not looking up from the book.
"I've narrowed down Barbas' position in the Underworld. It should at least give us a fair idea of where to find him." Chris said leaning his palm against the table top as he let the crystal swing across the map of San Francisco, hoping at least to get a lead of his location in the general vicinity, though they could never be sure how far down he was.
"Good. Where's Wyatt?" Piper asked just as her eldest son entered the attic, his arms piled with swords, a couple of athamae's in sheathes and an axe.
"An axe? What do we need an axe for?" Chris asked, his eyebrow raised at his brother's arms piled with weaponry.
"To chop off your head!" Wyatt said, swing the axe in an ark and attempting his best evil voice.
"Okay, you two. Enough! I think we're ready." Piper told her sons and they nodded grimly, instantly stopping their joking around and focusing on the battle at hand.
"Spell's done. I'm ready when you are." Phoebe explained, folding the spell in half and sliding it into her pocket securely. Reese peeked her head into the attic then, a folded piece of paper in her hands and she bit her lip timidly and looked up at the Halliwell's then let her eyes rest on Chris.
"We'll meet you downstairs." Piper said to Chris as she passed him, squeezing Reese's hand reassuringly before heading downstairs with the remainder of the family in toe.
"Here." Reese said simply, pushing the piece of paper into Chris' hand as tears welled up in her eyes.
"It's to summon a witch. If you're in trouble, just say it and I'll be there, okay?" Reese explained in a low voice, staring into his hand solemnly.
"Baby, look at me." Chris said softly but Reese couldn't bring herself to look into his misty green eyes. He lifted her chin with his fingers and stared at her as tears spilt onto her cheeks even as more welled up in her eyes.
"Just come back safe." Reese demanded, her voice quivering with emotion and her lip trembled.
"Of course I'll be back. I still have to marry you, don't I?" Chris said, his mouth turning into a grin and Reese couldn't help but let a soft smile cross her lips for a moment.
"Then hurry back so we can." She whispered then felt his lips crash passionately against hers, all the pain and love they were feeling pouring out into that one kiss.
"I love you." Reese said through her tears, continuing to kiss him.
"I love you too. I'll be back before you know it." He said before leaving her alone in the attic to watch her love disappear from sight.