A/N -
Weee. Chapter 5 it's a milestone. I had slight writer's block for a day or so but no worries. Thanks again for all the reviews. I hope you enjoy chapter 5 (:
WeirdLittleHalliwell: Thank you so much! P.S. I adore your pen name.
Dominus Trinus: Thanks again for the amazing reviews. The fight wasn't as brutal as what's to come. (;
"He said he was the cause of Paige's nightmares but he wasn't the one doing it. He probably hired someone to do it." Phoebe said, looking at her hands.
Leo shook his head and stood up. "We need to wake your sisters up. Maybe they found their revelations already."
Phoebe stood up and stopped him, "I woke up after I talked to Cole. That was my revelation to fight the demonic anger. They still need to find theirs or they would be awake."
Leo sighed, knowing she was right. "Well what are we supposed to do? You already fought your anger so you probably didn't have much."
"Leo.. I didn't have much because I let it all out on Paige. I shouldn't have but I did. Piper has so much built up because of Prue death's and Paige's arrival. You can't deny that. Paige has so much built up over her parent's death, finding a new family, and who knows what else. They both lost people close to them. It's going to take a while for them to sort this out." Phoebe said and looked at him.
"Phoebe you didn't mean to let your anger out on Paige, you were under demonic powers." Leo said, seeing the sadness and guilt in her eyes.
Phoebe shook her head. "I meant I took out my anger over Cole on Paige for weeks, even while he was alive."
Leo nodded and looked at her.
Upstairs, Piper and Paige still fought to find their revelation in their dreams.
"Piper, what are we going to do?" Paige fought back tears, scared the outcome of this dream would be as it usually was. She shook her head, forcing the thoughts out.
Piper saw the tears in her little sister's eyes and looked down. "I don't know." She sighed and shook her head, "It's your dream, what usually happens?"
Paige looked at her sister, "Um.. I-I.."
Piper looked at her curiously, "Spit it out!" She said while growing impatient.
Paige's expression hardened, "You and Phoebe end up just walking away from me! Like everyone else has! Why don't I open up to you? Because I know someday it will happen. I just figure if I'm not close to you guys, it won't hurt as bad." Paige sighed and wrapped her arms tightly around herself.
Piper was shocked at what Paige said. Did she really feel this way? Of course she did. Why couldn't she have seen it earlier? How reluctant she had been to even say she was having nightmares. How she tensed every time Piper hugged her. The few times Piper ever hugged her. How she never ever told her anything until way after the fact, like these nightmares. She was a horrible older sister to her.
"I'm sorry.. I don't know what to say to make this better. I know it's true, we haven't exactly been the best older sisters. I know you lost people in your past but Phoebe and I wouldn't do that to you. No matter what. We're sisters. Nothing can tear sisters apart. You need to believe that." Piper said before walking over to her little sister and wrapping her arms around her tightly. She knew she couldn't make this up to Paige in a short time, but she needed to take the first step. This was it.
Paige tensed at first but let Piper hug her. She wrapped her arms around Piper and sighed quietly. At least she was trying. It would take more than a hug to make this pain go away though.
Downstairs, Phoebe and Leo were still talking about Cole and the demon.
"Let's go check the Book of Shadows." Phoebe suggested, walking upstairs with Leo. She walked into the attic and opened the Book. "I just realized I have no idea what I'm looking for."
Leo smiled and shook his head, "Look for invisible demons or unleashing anger." He went over and stood behind her, reading over her shoulder.
"Okay Leo, I know you're trying to help but I can feel you breathing on my neck." Phoebe said, suppressing a laugh. Leo smiled and poked her before moving in front of her.
"Okay missy, happy now? Did you find anything?" Leo asked, looking at the Book.
"Yes I am, thanks for asking. I may have, apparently it's a clan of some sort. They are invisible only to their prey and they unleash anger in people, destroying them from the inside out. The anger eats away at their mind until they basically go crazy." Phoebe said, crossing her arms. "They sound like a pleasant bunch, don't they?"
Leo nodded, "I think I've heard of them. The Elders killed off a bunch awhile ago and haven't heard them since. They are pretty easy to vanquish if I do remember correctly."
Phoebe smiled, "Good, maybe that can reverse this on Paige and Piper."
"Let's get started then, is there a potion?' Leo asked, walking towards the attic door.
Phoebe nodded, "Yeah you don't even need the Power of Three. What weak demon took control of us so easily?" She asked, grabbing the Book and walking downstairs with Leo.
"They probably sensed all of your happiness and took it as a chance to take down the Charmed Ones. They feed off of happiness." Leo said, grabbing a pot.
Phoebe shook her head, "Great."
Meanwhile, Piper and Paige shifted uncomfortably in their sleep.
"Piper, where are we?" Paige said, looking around. They were in the Manor but it seemed different, very different.
Piper shrugged and took Paige's hand. "I don't know but I really don't feel good about this.."
Paige tensed when Piper took her hand but looked at her. "Yeah, neither do I."
Suddenly, an older looking Piper burst through the door. "For God's sake Paige! Can't you ever just do what I say?" Piper screamed.
An older looking Paige followed after the older Piper, "No I can't! I don't really like being bossed around by you all the time!" The older Paige screamed back at the older Piper, clenching her fists.
The younger Piper and Paige glanced at each other, watching the scene unfold in front of them. "I guess we still have some unresolved issues in the future.. I'm guessing that's where we are." Piper said, looking at the younger Paige.
Paige looked at her older self, "I guess so.." she mumbled. She sighed and watched as the older Piper and Paige fought relentlessly about so many different things she lost track. She looked at the younger Piper, shaking her head. "They're horrible to each other.." She said.
Piper nodded, "Yeah they are." Suddenly a loud crash came from the hallway. Paige and her ran in to see older Piper holding older Paige against the wall with her arm.
"How dare you! Why can't you just accept you're never going to be as good as Prue!" The older Piper shouted at older Paige.
The older Paige immediately burst into tears, pushing the older Piper off of her. "You have your wish! You lost me Piper!" The older Paige screamed at the older Piper, storming out the door.
The young Paige stared at the young Piper then at the older Piper. Hurt crossed her face, even though it hadn't been said directly to her, she knew it was what Piper was thinking. Paige wrenched her hand from Piper's, tears slowly spilling over. "How could you Piper! I know you didn't say it but clearly you think it because your older self does!"
Piper couldn't find the right words, she opened her mouth but Paige put her hand up. "Save it. If you don't like me, which I know you don't, you could've just said it. At least Phoebe tried to be nice to me! But no, you just always hated me!" The younger Paige screamed at the younger Piper before storming out herself.
The young Piper stood there shocked and hurt. She knew she deserved it but it hurt to hear Paige say that. She couldn't believe her older self would ever say that. She didn't feel that way, at least not now she didn't. In fact she never did, even after Mom told them about having a sister. Apparently her feelings changed in the future. She didn't want a future like this.
In the present, Phoebe and Leo were making a potion to vanquish the evil clan that was after them.
"Finished?" Leo asked, leaning over the Book.
Phoebe nodded, "Yup." The potion blew up and she dropped a few ice cubes in. She grabbed the bottle and quickly filled it up with the potion. "Did you locate the clan?" She asked Leo, clearing the smoke away.
"Yeah, I got them. You're sure the potion will take them out?" Leo asked, looking at Phoebe.
Phoebe nodded, "Yeah, you take out the leader and it takes out the entire clan."
Leo grabbed Phoebe's hand and they orbed into the Underworld. The cave they appeared in was small and cramped. There were little shelves filled with books, potions, and other varying things. Sharp rocks pointed out above their heads, threatening to fall at any moment. There was a small room off to their left, they suspected it was their lame version of a throne room. Leo and Phoebe inched closer to the small opening to the other room. Phoebe raised the potion in her hand as they rounded the corner into the room. A demon that looked almost human stared back at them. His eyes were black and hollow, a black cape wrapped around his shoulders.
"Who dares disturb me?" he bellowed, his voice deep and strong. Phoebe seized the moment and threw the potion, watching as the demon went up in flames. They awaited to hear the screams of the other clan members as they were also vanquished. There was only silence.
"Why isn't there more, I don't know.. screaming as demons are being vanquished?" Phoebe demanded, sighing at their failed attempt.
Leo shrugged, "Maybe the Book is lacking new information about these demons and they're stronger now."
Phoebe looked defeated, knowing Leo was probably right. "Well let's go and see what we can find out." Phoebe took his hand and they orbed back to the attic.
"I'll go check with the Elders, see what they know." Leo said, orbing out.
Phoebe walked over to the Book to recheck any information they may have missed the first time.
Upstairs, Piper and Paige were having some problems of their own.
The younger Piper sighed and ran after younger Paige. "Paige! Paige wait!" She called after her little sister. She searched the street for her, frantically worrying about her and messing up the future.
"You can't mess it up more than it is.." The older Piper said, stepping outside. The younger Piper whirled around and put a hand over her chest.
"Thanks for scaring me. If you don't mind, how did it get this messed up? I would never say that to Paige, I don't even think that. How do my views change so dramatically?" The younger Piper asked, sighing in defeat.
The older Piper shrugged and looked at her hands, "I guess it started after.. Wait, it'll change the course of history if I tell you." The older Piper said and shook her head.
The younger Piper ran her fingers through her hair. "Well how do I fix it? I need to find my little sister and get us out of this mess. I can't just let her roam around by herself! She's scared and I know she is because I saw it in her eyes when we first appeared here. I-I.. I just don't know what to do!" The younger Piper put her head in her hands, feeling guilty and defeated.
The older Piper walked over and lightly pushed the younger Piper's chin up. "I know you'll figure something out. I also know I shouldn't but you should really check the swings at the park, Paige loves those." The older Piper smiled and walked back inside the Manor.
"Alright.." The younger Piper mumbled, starting to walk towards the park. She was going to get them out of this mess.
Leo finally orbed back from the Elders.
"So?" Phoebe asked impatiently, still flipping through the Book.
"They said something about a new leader and that wasn't the real leader, just a decoy." Leo said, walking over to Phoebe.
Phoebe sighed and shook her head, "Alright, more potion making it is."
Leo and Phoebe walked downstairs and made the potion, along with a few others just in case. Leo took Phoebe's hand and they orbed off to the small, cramped cave again.
"You sure the real leader is here?" Phoebe asked, craning her neck to see into the small throne room.
Leo nodded and crept around the corner, looking into the throne room. A man sat on the throne this time, his eyes black and hollow like the other one. He had several burns on his face and wore torn up clothes. Leo looked at Phoebe and motioned for her to throw the potion. Phoebe slid into the doorway and threw the potion, the demon looking up and catching it in his hands.
"Look what we have here. A witch and her whitelighter I presume." He laughed and crushed the potion.
Phoebe looked a Leo and mouthed, 'Do something.'
Leo grabbed Phoebe and orbed back to the Manor.
"Leo why did you do that? What if he flees or something?" Phoebe demanded.
Leo looked at her, "We could've been killed Phoebe, he didn't even flinch at that potion."
Phoebe sighed, "You're right, I just want my sisters back. I don't think we can defeat this demon without them."
Leo put an arm around her comfortingly, "We'll figure something out Phoebe, trust me."
The older Paige walked over to the swings in the park. She always came here when she was upset, even when she was a kid. She figured she'd be safe from Piper finding her here, she didn't know little things like that about her. Plus, she found it comforting to watch the clouds over the Golden Gate Bridge. She sat down on one of the swings and sighed, putting her head in her hands. How had her relationship with Piper get so messed up?
The younger Paige walked to the swings from the other direction and sat down on one, not noticing the older version of herself sitting a few feet away. She swung back and forth lightly, kicking her feet in the mulch.
The older version of Paige looked up and smiled to herself, seeing the young her sitting a few feet away. "You like it here too?" She asked, looking at her.
The younger Paige looked up and sighed, seeing the older version of herself. "Oh it's just you. Yeah I do but you already know all about that. I figured both Piper's couldn't find us here."
The older Paige nodded knowingly, "Yeah, my exact thoughts."
The older and younger Paige smiled a little to themselves, finding it nice not to be completely alone. At least she had 'herself' to keep her company. Knowing she'd agree on the situation.
The younger Piper walked into the park, looking for the swings. She was nervous about facing Paige, she not only was having problems with getting Paige to open up to her but now this. She sighed and finally spotted the swings, seeing two similar people sitting on them. She smiled and watched them talking. She thought it was nice seeing them talk, even though it was probably about her. She mustered up the courage and walked over to them. "Um hey.. Before you push me away, can I at least try to explain?" Piper said, her voice cracking.
The younger and older Paige both looked up, their faces hardening. "I don't know.." the younger Paige said.
Piper sighed and looked at the both of them. "Look, my older self may of thought that, but I don't. I never thought that, even when Mom first told us about you. I don't want you to be Prue because you can never be," she saw Paige's face drop. "Let me finish, you can't because you aren't Prue. You're Paige and I love you just as much for it. All futures aren't permanent, we can fix this. Maybe in this future we have a horrible relationship, but in ours we don't have to. We just have to make some better decisions." Piper finished and looked down at her hands.
The younger and older Paige's faces softened and the younger Paige stood up and hugged her older sister. "Thank you."
A/N -
Ooh. A bit dramatic don't ya think? No I actually liked this chapter a lot. I hope you do too. As I said, it was a bit more difficult to write, I got stuck in the middle and just didn't think I could finish. But I made it through and wrote the last thousand words at 1 a.m. Yep, that's how much I deeply wanted to finish this chapter. I'm proud of it.
Thanks again and I hope you enjoyed chapter 5 (:
Hope you'll continue to read and find out what happens next.