Attention people who expect funnies! This is a mainly serious little drabble. I mean, a couple of jokes snuck in, but I wanted to write something with feels in it...soo...

Thanks to everyone who faved/followed, reviewed, and read! Love you!

Charmed season - a little after eight

Character(s) - Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Leo

Supernatural season - Fifth, episode "Swan Song" AUish

Character(s) - Dean

Warning!: Serious stuff follows.

Disclaimer - ... *Bawls tears at what I will never own*

CHMxSPN Apocalypse style

Piper wasn't sure what exactly she'd expected when she answered the phone at 3:38 in the morning, but it wasn't Dean's gruff, stoic voice saying,
"It's me. We need you."

If she had been a lesser woman she might've dropped the phone or hung up immediately – but she was Piper Halliwell. She didn't run away from a fight. She didn't run, period. Even though the world was spinning and tossing in response to his sharp, piercing, apocalyptic words.

What she did do was sag against the kitchen counter and blow out a huge sigh, blinking quickly to stop her eyes from watering. Finally, when she was certain she could speak without her voice breaking, she replied,

"Okay. Alright, fine. Where?"

"Stull Cemetery. Just outside of Lawrence." His tone was so cold, so emotionless that it sounded unreal. Unfeeling. It sounded like Dean had finally broken.

Piper had to take another breath and quite a few more blinks. There was no way she would let the hunter hear her pain, though.

"...We can be there in an hour." She said after awhile. They didn't need an hour, Dean surely knew, since they had orbing and that could take you anywhere in seconds, but if she was going to do this...she had to say goodbye.

If he knew or cared, the hunter didn't say a thing. Not like he ever did, though.

"Fine."

Just as the woman made to hang up the phone and go upstairs to tell her husband (Oh, how was she going to tell Leo?! And her kids?), Dean's rough throat clear caught her attention.

"Um, Piper...t-thank you."

She smiled, even though her heart was breaking at his request. In that moment he seemed so like a lost little boy that, were he present, the witch was certain she would've hugged him – just as tight as she hugged her own boys. Maybe he would've even let her.

"You're...family, Dean. And you know what Halliwells do for family."

A watery, sad little laugh came from the other line.

"Yeah...I do."

The noise as he hung up wasn't abrupt or rude – actually, Piper found it even a little soothing. The calming, consistent beep that would never end until she set the phone down. She breathed in very deep. She could do this. She had to do this.

No one, not even her, knew where she found the courage to pick the phone back up and dial both her sister's numbers, one after the other. Neither call ended in tears; Halliwell women were surprisingly steely. But when she traversed the stairs and snuck carefully into her children's rooms, she found water flowing from her cheeks.

I should wake them. She thought, almost-numb. They deserved a goodbye, right? ...and yet, she found she wasn't able to.

Gently, carefully, like a silent ghost in the night, Piper pressed loving kisses on each of their foreheads, and turned and walked away. Oh, she loved them so much. It just wasn't fair.

It felt like slivers of ice piercing her chest in every step, making it impossible to breath and futile not to cry.

What if she hadn't picked up the phone...what if she hadn't agreed...

No. She snapped at herself, stumbling back to her room. No, Dean needs us. Sam needs us. If it were Phoebe or Paige you wouldn't have those thoughts – not even for a second! And they are just as much a part of our family, so damn it, we're gonna save them both!

Suddenly she looked up to find someone already waiting in her room; a dressed-for-battle Phoebe and Paige. In any other situation she would've laughed at seeing those girls in chain-mail armor and gauntlets and bulletproof vests (each had a little of both), but this time she knew how little they would help, and felt nothing bubbling up in her throat but helplessness. Oh. Her gaze shifted to the bed and found that Leo was awake too, waiting, looking up at her with grim yet determined green eyes.

Oh, Piper had always adored his eyes. Loved them. Loved them. So beautiful. Chris was going to have the same color some day, too. Would she ever see them now...

"I'm sorry." She whispered to him. He wasn't going to come, wasn't going to fight because he was a pacifist, a father...he was too good to die. She suddenly couldn't move. It was some powerful force was stopping her from moving from her spot at the doorway, as though she knew her squeezed heart would burst if she took another step.

But they were her family; they already knew that, and all at once they ran to her and wrapped their arms around her. Paige, Phoebe, Leo...she clutched them so tight it probably hurt. No one pulled away.

Finally, the hug dispersed and everyone had on their battle-faces again. Piper and Leo shared one last – all too brief – beautiful, warm, passionate kiss, and if she'd had a genie with her she would've wished that this moment would never end. It did, of course. Just as their lives as witches/semi-normal people were about to end.

Suddenly Piper nodded at Paige, saying, in the same gruff, stoic, broken tone as Dean,

"Let's do this."

" – Yes, there will be pie, Dean. Have I ever let you down before? No, wait, don't answer that."

A pause.

"What, Bobby? The drunk? ...Yeah, he can come too. Just...make sure he doesn't drink in front of Wyatt, okay?"

There was a loud laugh on the other end, which sent Piper into a dangerous scowl.

"Well, you'd be surprised at how much attention that baby pays." She snapped back.

From her seat next to Piper on the kitchen counter, Paige snagged another hot cookie off of the plate. Her sister didn't notice – yes! Victory!

"Is Sam comin', too?" The witch-lighter asked through the cookie, which was hotter than expected.

The older woman turned the phone away from her mouth, and, spotting the chocolate on Paige's face, she practically growled.

"Stop eating the cookies, Paige!" She hissed. "They are not! For! You!" The Charmed One punctuated each word with a slap at her sister's eager hands.

Clutching her stinging hand and mourning the loss of a fourth dessert, Paige was forced to resort to the most basic of sibling tactics; she stuck her tongue out at her big sister.

Of course, this was ignored.

"What?" Piper asked, turning the phone back to her mouth, but not before shooting Paige one last threatening look. Suddenly the cook stiffened and pressed the device closer to her ear. Something was wrong, Paige realized.

"...I'm sorry, Dean. I didn't know."

"What is it?" Paige demanded, leaping off the counter. "What's wrong?"

"...Yes, of course. Of course we'll help, and of course you can still come. In fact... now you have to come. If you don't get in that old car of yours and drive your butt down here I will curse you, you hear?"

Getting frustrated, Paige began to tug on Piper's arm. She truly felt like a little sister.

Again, Piper ignored her and stepped a few feet away.

"Yeah. Ummhmm. What? Sam is going crazy...? Well, of course, Dean! He's your brother! Did you think he was going to just let you die for him?!"

A pause. Now the littlest Halliwell sister was turning red, unable to fully contain her curiosity and her worry. She began to poke the bear. In retrospect, not her smartest idea.

Yet it turned out alright – the woman shhed her and glared and gestured pointedly towards the (once forbidden) plate of cookies, and the offer was clear: take the things and shut up. That didn't deter Paige from her pestering, although she did grab another.

But the phone call appeared to be finishing.

"Shut up, Dean. You're family now, remember? ...Yeah. Um-hm. ...Happy Thanksgiving."

The instant the phone was set back in the charger, Piper found herself bombarded with cookie-crumbs and questions, wishing, not for the first time, that she could freeze her sister.

"What did he say? What's going on? What was that about Dean dying? And Sam going crazy? What 'of course' are we going to do? Are we going to help? And are they –"

"Paige! No more sugar!" Piper scowled, yanking the half cookie in Paige's hands away from her. Several contemplations later, it ended up in her mouth.

"Now, shh!"

The woman complied, crossing her arms and hopping back onto the counter.

"Something did happen, Paige." Piper's voice softened. "B-but it's okay. Cause we're gonna fix it. We're gonna fix it..."

It took a second to realize what felt wrong about the orb; it was instantaneous. She didn't want that. Piper wanted a nice, long car ride where she could muse upon her and her sisters likely demise, have a little angst, stare out the window, and just generally appreciate life once last time. She wanted to have a small, quiet calm before the storm. Even though it would've been solemn, though her sisters pathetic attempts at conversation would've only ended in snapping and tearful 'I love you's, Piper ached for a tiny second of peace.

But they orbed, and before Piper could even blink they were there. Stull Cemetery, Lawerence, Kansas. It wasn't too bad, as cemeteries went. Nice open field, pretty scenery in the crumbling tombstones, few trees...but it was still a cemetery. A place of death.

It seemed fitting enough for what was about to take place.

Now, as the three women took out their weapons, scanned the empty field, and began rolling out their shoulders for the fight, Piper only had time for one breath. One deep, beautiful, silent, peaceful breath. Though they knew not the circumstances how it had happened, they knew the outcome; they knew exactly what they were there to do.

"Whatever happens...I love you." Piper whispered, unable to make eye contact with them. If she did she was certain she would cry. "And...I'm glad...be to a witch. Even if it all led here."

With equal, unshed tears shinning in their eyes, Paige squeezed her arm and Phoebe placed a hand on her back.

"We know, sweetie."

Piper breathed out. It was okay. It was all going to be okay. Really. Because if she had her sisters by her side, there was nothing they couldn't do.

"Okay..." She muttered, mainly to herself. "Time to save our family..."

"Sam."

"Mmm.." He replied, not listening. They were in their usual trashy motel, Dean pacing the room while his brother was curled up on the bed with his laptop.

"That was Piper that just called."

"Mmm..." He agreed.

"She wants us to come over. For, like, Christmas dinner."

"..mmm.."

"Sam! Piper Halliwell called! And she invited us over like we're friends, or something."

Finally, some of the words managed to break through to the exhausted brain of Sam Winchester. He half-heartedly lifted an eyelid.

"What? Piper? The good witch?"

"Yeah." His brother scoffed. "The frigging Charmed One."

For a moment Sam just propped his head up from the bed on his hands, musing, considering. Then he smiled.

"Why not?"

Dean practically exploded.

"Why not?! Sammy, she's a witch! A good witch, maybe, but still! We should not be eating Christmas dinner with a supernatural being!"

"Dean, the Charmed Ones are famous in the magical community for being the paragon of all good. They kill just as many demons as we do. So... your point is invalid." The man smirked, a little too proud about the fact that, even after no sleep for two days and an epic chase and fight, 'invalid' was still in his vocabulary. He wasn't even sure that it was in Dean's normally.

"Shut up." He snapped back. After a moment, he added in a mutter, "'Sides, she lives in San Fransisco. And doesn't even like hunters or anything."

Sam let out a 'pssh' and collapsed on the bed again.

"Somtimes I don't even like hunters." Was his muffed response.

"Shut up, sleeping beauty."

"Kay..." And soon a soft snore emerged from the younger brother, who had indeed fallen asleep on his stomach, with his hands wrapped protectively around his laptop. It was pretty cute.

The older brother kicked at an imaginary pebble.

"Well...it's not like we have other plans..." He mumbled. "...and she is supposed to be a good cook."

The man plopped down on the other bed, staring unseeingly at the dirty ceiling. He didn't bother with his shoes or his clothes; he was weary, and the bed was...er, pretty comfortable.

Suddenly he grinned, a rather beautiful thought occurring to him.

"She'll probably have pie." He smiled, that pretty much settled. And if that wasn't good enough, Dean wasn't sure what was.

It wasn't a huge surprise went two male figures appeared from nowhere, one right after the other, both facing each other with a mix of sadness and determination.

Before the tall one opened his mouth and confirmed it, Piper knew that they were brothers. It was in the way they looked at one another; the familiarity...the hatred. Somehow, despite knowing who now inhabited Sam's body, the Charmed One couldn't help but pity how the sibling's relationship had turned out. She couldn't help herself. She'd seen firsthand as Phoebe and Prue's blood bond crumbled under silly, inconsequential things. Reasons never really mattered – they were always silly. Always, because they were family. And family didn't give up on the other, not ever.

Yet just like Prue and Phoebe, the two in front of her were prepared for a huge fight. They didn't even notice the three most powerful witches in the world standing by and watching. Well, maybe they did. Perhaps they just didn't care.

Piper glanced sidelong at both her sisters, judging their reaction to seeing their once-friend this way. They had all known about this beforehand. That didn't mean it wouldn't hurt.

Phoebe was putting on her gameface, so hard and cold it didn't look like Phoebe at all; Paige was turning paler than ever, but the set line of her mouth promised that she would see this through. No matter the cost.

No matter the cost. Piper repeated hollowly. That sounded like it wasn't worth it, and it was. ...Right?

"Sam, you grow any taller and we're gonna have to turn you into a leprechaun just so I can hug you properly."

All those years ago...

"Hey! We need you and Dean to get over here! There's a certain nephew from the future you gotta meet!"

When they met...

"Come on, Sam, we'll save him. We always do. You guys are our family now, remember?"

They'd needed a family.

"You know you can always stay here, right? There's no need for those dingey motels!"

And...

"Don't worry, we trust you! You're not gonna drop Wyatt."

She hadn't thought twice.

Suddenly a thousand different scenarios began to play in her head, scene after scene of a life without the Winchesters. Piper saw herself living the Halliwell-normal life, battling demons and meeting some pretty close calls, but there were more scenes, more images of her growing old with her beloved Leo, of her sisters having children of their own. She watched as they carried on, happily, unknowingly, never burdened by the need to care for such broken, beaten boys.

Horror, thick and untempered and tasting like bile in her throat, rose to clog her windpipe. How could she? How could she ever think like that, even for just a second?

In all of her life, Piper Halliwell had never hated herself as much as she did in that moment. But with a single breath and a look to each of her sisters, she let the hatred go, knowing that there were bigger problems at hand. There was a whole world that was so beautiful and alive and much more important that her single second of doubt. It happened. As a mother and a wife she was entitled to a 'what if' daydream, so long as she went ahead as planned anyway.

Abruptly she felt a warm hand press upon hers, and then another on her other side, and when they all joined hands there was a rush of power that flowed between them.

They'd always been stronger together. Now they would put that to the test.

Would they be strong enough?

"Hello, brother." Sam was saying. Except it wasn't Sam; it was the devil. The other one, shorter, younger, with delicate features hardened into something dangerous, looked sad as he shook his head.

"It's good to see you, Michael."

"You, too. It's been...too long."

"Can you believe it's finally here?" There was no remorse in his voice; only disbelief and excitement.

"No." The pain was clear on his face, but his sigh was resigned. Determined. The angel stepped towards his brother, and though he was frowning, there was something in his eyes, something...thrilled. It was sickening. "Are you ready?"

As though they were going somewhere terrible, battling some unknown force side by side, as though they were preparing to protect one another from death.

The devil said, "As I'll ever be." and Sam's puppy dog eyes went falsely wide and unhappy, like the fallen angel knew he ought to look sad, but had forgotten how to feel it. Piper saw nothing but Lucifer remembering an emotion he once felt. An attachment he'd once had with his brother.

Still, it seemed, putting up an act – if not for them or Michael, for himself, surely – Lucifer tilted Sam's head to the side and murmured softly, "You know...part of me wishes we didn't have to do this?"

Part of me? Piper echoed. If that were her out there fighting Prue, or Phoebe, or Paige, every fiber of her entire being wouldn't want to do it. She would be crying and screaming and fighting the fight every step of the way. Because that was who she was. Apparently, that was not how the devil was. She wasn't even sure that he knew anything anymore except fighting and winning. Victory. Triumph.

How empty would winning a war be if you had no one to be with after?

Michael, torn yet certain, spoke up in a wavering tone.

"Yeah...me...me too." He said, voice gruff. For the first time Piper recognized the vessel as someone related to Dean – though he had told her beforehand, she hadn't seen it until now.

But of course Lucy sensed the hesitation and pounced like a cat on a mouse, stepping forwards and putting on those pitiful brown eyes again. It helped that it was Sam's honest, conflicted orbs.

"Then why are we?" He demanded.

Michael all but rolled his eyes, annoyance flowing from him in waves.

"Oh, you know why!" The hatred was so clear in his tone that it proved to Piper, once and for all, that what ever was left of their family bond was more of a formality than any real affection. They weren't really two brothers tragically coming to fight one another – they were two generals of opposing sides, trying their hardest to break the other's spirits. Maybe they once loved each other, Piper mused. It was obvious they hadn't in a long time.

"I have no choice after what you did."

"What I did?" His tone was deadly, even offended. It would've been funny if it weren't the devil. "What if it's not my fault?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Michael's question echoed Piper's thoughts. Was Lucifer trying to place the blame on someone else? Really?

Still he carried on,

"Dad made...everything...which means, he made me who I am! God wanted the devil." And you had absolutely no choice in the matter. Piper thought, rolling her eyes. This...No, she knew what this was like. It was like a little kid throwing a tantrum. As though a child, who'd done something wrong, was blaming it on the dog.

The other angel, Michael, who appeared a little more conflicted than the Halliwell by the fact that his Father may have created the devil, shook it off and answered, "So what."

"So why?" He pleaded. "And why make us fight? I just can't figure out the point."

The older brother's eyes narrowed, glancing at him in suspicion. Hey, if anyone deserved it, it was the devil.

"What's your point?"

The sad eyes took on a look of misery, and Piper realized it was just that – a look. An act.

"We're going to kill each other...and for what? One of Dad's tests? And we...don't even know the answer."

It looked like something was getting through to Michael.

"We're brothers." The devil whispered. "Let's just walk off the chessboard."

The other angel seemed to consider his words. He blinked back tears – as though angels cried – and had trouble breathing for a moment.

Finally, he replied, "I-I'm sorry...I can't do that.

"I'm a good son and I have my orders." The accusation behind it was pointed, and yet Lucifer barely blinked.

"You don't have to follow them!" He hissed.

"What, you think I'm going to rebel? Now?"

Lucifer seemed to realize he'd used the wrong tactic. Too little, too late, Piper thought.

"I'm not like you."

"Please, Michael..." The devil begged.

"No, you know, you haven't changed a bit, little brother..." Ironic that he'd gotten the younger host.

"Always blaming everybody but yourself," He continued. "We were together. We were happy. But you betrayed me – all of us – and you made our Father leave."

There was real fire behind Lucifer's furious, dead, cold eyes. Not even the gentle hazel of Sam's could soften that.

"No one makes Dad do anything! He is doing this...to us!"

"You're a monster, Lucifer." The little big brother almost seemed...sad. Not quite, but he was so close, so upset. It was real; unlike the last few times he'd tried the look.

"And I..have to kill you."

"If that's the way it's gotta be..." Then again, he didn't appear too upset about it all. "Then I'd like to see you try."

There was something terrifying lying in the depths of his host's eyes, something evil and unspeakable and impossible to name, and it made Piper shiver. Never in the many years that she'd known Sam had she ever thought to fear him (except that one time with the gun), never had he seemed more than anything but a big teddy bear and a broken boy. Now all she wanted to do was run as fast as she could away from him. He was going to eat her alive, watch her burn, and laugh as he broke every one of her bones. That was the look in his eyes.

The grip she had on her sister's hands tightened to the point of pain. No one even thought about letting go.

Halliwells never let go.

The friendship between the Halliwell sisters and the Winchester brothers was one of the oddest friendships that had ever existed. Angels hadn't anticipated it; demons fled in terror from it; and the rest of the magical community either didn't care or had no idea what to do with it. It had come out of nowhere. Both sets of siblings had prophesies about them, but no one had anticipated that they would mix. Surely an angel of destiny was up on a cloud somewhere laughing at all of them.

It didn't seem like it would work, either. Piper and Dean – separately – had enough stubbornness to drive inanimate objects to suicide, and when put in the same room together would turn a thousand years old before admitting that the other was right. Not to mention Dean's womanizing ways – none of the women ever tried dating him because of that, that or they had other men, or because of his hunter status – and that it usually annoyed him to find hot, strong women who just wanted to be friends with him. No benefits.

Sam, former demon-blood junkie, looked like he was the last person the Halliwell's would befriend, too. Also, wannabe lawyer, people they hadn't had good luck with in the past, and a personality that one simply wouldn't expect to blend so well with the other manor's occupants.

Phoebe could be a lovesick moron sometimes – Piper's words – and Paige could be grumpy, and Piper was not the most patient, tolerable of persons; and all in all it seemed like someone dumping baking soda and vinegar in a pot together to see what would happen. Boom, right?

Wrong. Somehow, defying laws of all sorts, prophesies around the world, soothsayers and fortune-tellers and everyone who ever thought they knew some piece of the future, the five had become friends.

Maybe it was Piper doting like the worriable mother she was on Dean and Sam, a pair who'd barely known their mother. Perhaps it was the way Phoebe flirted with them in a playful, mostly friendly way, showing them that love didn't have to come in the form of a romance or a parent or a parent-figure - it could come from a friend, too.

Or maybe it was how Paige, after explaining orbing to them, always came when they called, therefore proving that they were never completely alone.

Or it could've been how the boys let the whole witch thing slide, going against everything they'd ever been taught because these people were so different, and Sam trusting them with his problems, and Dean asking them for help to break his deal.

Okay, so no one really knew when or how or why they became friends. That didn't really matter anymore. They shared a bond. As an old drunk once said, family doesn't end with blood. Theirs certainly surpassed it.

And that was something the devil didn't understand, Piper thought wearily. It was weird to find even more pity welling up for this despicable, genocidal monster, but despite her complaints the witch knew she had something wonderful that not many did nowadays; a real family. And Lucifer had lost his.

The first vanquishing spell/potion combination did nothing more than gain his attention. This was not a good thing, as his attention had gone a bit murderous.

"Halliwell," He said slowly, turning Sam's eyes upon her. "Did you just try to vanquish my brother?"

Despite her very bones being made of determination, Piper gulped in fear. They knew that you couldn't vanquish an Angel. Certainly not Micheal the freakin archangel. Although it would take care of him for a minute or two.

"No one. Messes with Michael. But me."

All this little show would do was buy them time until Dean got here with the calvary, which was just any insane person willing to be on Team Free Will. Leo's wife reckoned that made three or four people, not counting Halliwells.

Beside her, Phoebe stiffed as though sensing her sister's thoughts. Perhaps she did.

The empath wasn't stupid; she knew this wasn't their fight. This wasn't even a fight they could win. But then again, that sounded like their kind of fight.

Phoebe threw herself into action with a side-kick sped with levitation, clutching at one of many amulets of protection around her neck. BAM! Her foot made contact and it felt like it'd just hit a concrete wall, making her crash to the ground in a heap. The necklace in her hand was now smoking and charred, and when she glanced up, dazed, from the ground, her eyes met a cool green-brown, cold and angry. And it was like looking Death in the face – only the Angel of Death was actually pretty cute and sorta nice, and was really just doing his job, whereas the man in front of her...he killed for the pleasure of it.

"Hey, Sam." She said weakly. Something small flashed in the devil's eyes and she almost missed it. But she couldn't miss the emotion as it shot through her.

Not even when he rolled his eyes, waved a hand, and send her flying into a nearby gravestone at a hundred miles an hour could she forget the feeling. And the best part? It wasn't Lucifer's; it was Sam's.

So this isn't quite a suicide mission. She thought, heart soaring. Okay, so she probably had a concussion – despite the many, many charms and spells of protection she had going for her right now – and Dean wasn't here yet which was really bad, and it looked like the devil had just orbed Paige into a grave, and Piper was bleeding on the ground, and yet there was hope. The odds of survival had gone from one-in-a-million (do you know how unlikely that really is? Do you?) to more like...one in a thousand. Not promising, but it was something. It was a chance.

Man, um...was the world supposed to go all bendy when you stood up? 'Cause Phoebe didn't think a random earthquake was happening.

"Oohh...kay..." She moaned, closing her eyes to avoid vertigo as she levitated off the ground. Just in time, too – when she re-opened her eyes, it was to see a completely demolished head stone below.

"Can you Charmed Ones be anything but an annoyance?" He hissed at her.

The empath flashed him a sarcastic smile that would made Paige proud.

"We try." And she attempted another kick, this time faking him out to throw a few punches right before her leg hit. Now she was glad she'd taken that slime-tasting regeneration potion prior to coming here. If this martial artist had ever punched something as bone-breaking as the-devil-wearing-Sam's-face, she had no memory of it.

When flesh met flesh, the flicker of emotion, before too weak to tell which one but strong enough to vibrate under Phoebe's skin, exploded in her chest. Fear. Pain. Anxiety. Regret. Guilt. A sadness so deep it was as though the devil was already to the pulling out her heart and crumbling it to dust in front of her eyes stage. The woman gasped and forced herself to fly away; staying close-ish but distant enough to live. The punch hadn't hurt him, she was smart enough to know. Even the ring meant to burn whoever she fought with hadn't scratched the angel. If she was lucky, perhaps Sam's face would have a mark for a few days.

The only real damage had been done to her and most of it was emotional. The younger Winchester boy was alive and fighting, a prisoner in his own skin.

Oh God, the helplessness. Tears pricked the back of her eyes. The only thing she might compare it to was being buried alive – but ten times worse.

At this, her eyes widened. Ducking was a reflex, and his lazy attack missed by miles, but her eyes were searching the lot frantically. Paige. She'd forgotten about Paige. Where was Paige? Why wasn't her sister back yet, fighting?

Looking very fierce with blood trickling down her head was Piper, standing some feet behind the devil and creatively switching from blowing up the ground around him, exploding trees, and trying it on him a few times in the furtive hope that it would be more than a tickle.

But where was Paige? The middle Halliwell sister sucked in a breath and forced herself to calm down even as she swerved a second time. Or was it a third?

"Paige.." She murmured, hand over heart. Soon enough, concentrating on her sister focused her empathic powers and there was a sort of distant tugging on her chest. This was an upgrade to her powers that she still loved. It only worked with people she cared about, but still, empathic locating? How awesome was that?!

There. Under Edward Gutierrez, a loving father and husband. A morbid smile rose to the love fanatic's lips. She dropped to hover an inch above the dirt, always wary of the enemy at her back, and shouted to the girl six feet under.

"PAIGE! PAIGE! COME ON, PAIGE! WE NEED YOU!"

Blue orbs scared her as they formed next to the head stone, revealing a girl with mussed hair and sprinkled with dust, a furious expression on her face and someone's bony arm in her hands. Ew. Poor Edward.

"You try orbing sideways under six feet of dirt." Her little sister snapped. But there was little time for a comeback or a hug, and Phoebe barely but seconds to tackle her away from another invisible slice. Courtesy of Yours Truly, The Devil.

"Where the hell is Dean?" Paige demanded, both sisters tugging themselves to their feet.

"Late." Was what Phoebe replied. Then she soared off to rejoin her older sister in combat, leaving Paige to scowl at a crumbled headstone.

Suddenly the three sisters felt their blood boiling in their veins. Phoebe crumpled from the sky and impacted hard with a tree. Piper tipped over unto a headstone, but ever stubborn, refused to sink past her hands and knees. Paige's head connected painfully with a large piece of stone as she fell. All three were screaming in pain as their spells began to fail, and the angel gained control of every single one of their hearts.

Their distraction was over.

"NOO!"
"PLEASE"
"AHHH!""

Each one thought they were going to die, and almost wanted to so that the pain would end, and yet, the were still alive. Somewhat.

Through a dark tunnel, the eldest Halliwell was aware of a shadow above her. It took every ounce of strength she had left to crain her head up, up, up...and see Sam. No, not Sam. She remembered. Lucifer.

"Piper." He said her name in that arrogant, taunting way of his. And she had felt sorry for this...this demon? No. She dug her nails into the dirt, arms shaking as they barely held her weight. This was Hell, but it wasn't finished.

"M-m-mo...ns-ste-r-r..." She grit out. There was the bitter, coppery taste of blood in her mouth, and a trickle was also obstructing the view from her left eye.

I should probably get that looked at. She thought in a detached manner. In reality, she was way more focused on the opponent before her.

And then he did something unspeakable, something worse than his hurting her or watching her scream in agony, or stealing her friends' body; he ignored her.

"Piper, Piper, Piper. I thought the famous Charmed Ones were better than this." He poked her in the head and sent her toppling to the grass. It was embarrassing – yet all her energy had gone into that one word.

"But again, I suppose you really are nothing more than an annoyance. You're like a bug that just...won't...die." With each word he punctuated his point with a hard kick into her stomach, turning her world into a universe of red. Why couldn't he simply kill her? Was that too much to ask for? How could everything hurt so badly?

And then from a great distance, she heard the sound of a savior riding in on his trusty steed; Dean Winchester finally arriving in his 1967 Chevy Impala, blasting some stupid music or whatever.

She slumped to the side and let her eyes drift closed. She didn't hear Dean's speech, she didn't see Michael's return, or Bobby and Castiel exploding, or one brother beating the crap out of the other. She most certainly didn't see the look in Sammy's eyes as he regained control. No one but Dean watched as his brother was finally reached, and slowly, struggled to pull out the five connecting rings. No one got to see any of that.

And then the oldest Winchester was left alone, in a field of dead bodies, dead friends, as Sam jumped into the pit. He'd had to wait – he'd had to bring his car. Chuck had said...the prophet had promised that it was vital in reaching Sammy...but now Dean wondered if it had even been worth it at all. His world had ended anyway when Sammy died. Nothing seemed to matter anymore, and time began to slow down. Or speed up – he couldn't tell the difference.

Castiel came back. Said God revived him and the Winchester was too hollow to argue. Soon the angel revived Bobby and Piper and Phoebe and Paige.

And when the sisters wrapped their arms around him and all four sank to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, Dean thought that maybe, just maybe...

Someday...

Years from now...

With their help...

He would be okay. But not today.

A/N: See? Not completely hopeless. Aw, now I really wish that the Winchester boys really did have a family like that – you know, one that wasn't completely dysfunctional or supernatural or deceased. Oh, well.

Don't ask me where I got the idea to be serious. No clue.

Well, hope you liked it! I had fun writing it, even though I did rush the ending a bit (but who was I to change an awesome finale? You know, too much. lol) and it probably needs a serious spell-check. That's for mornings, right? I promise I'll edit it tomorrow, how about that? :D

Thanks for reading! Please fave/follow, review, and please please keep on a' reading! Love you guys!

P.S. Totally working on the next Living Charmed chapter! Promise, promise! Maybe it'll be out in...two weeks? Ish?