A/N: Ahhh! I finally have a direction for this story to go in – Super Huge Grin. – And I'm so happy with it... I hope you guys are, too!
Semper Fi Witchlighter: I thought it had a nice ring to it! The Cousins will definitely start exhibiting more personality traits and mannerisms from their respective mothers. Glad you liked it!
RandyOrtonxWifexx: Yup! Demons! Blah! Lol.
lizardmomma: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!
Okay. So... like I said, I'm very happy with where this is finally going. So I truly hope you enjoy!
...
"But... we vanquished them all," Piper pointed out – after getting over the initial shock and horror of finally knowing, for sure, that Prue's death was supernatural, not natural. It felt like both a relief and nightmare come true, but at least they knew now, and could try to come to terms with it. Maybe it would even bring closure, eventually.
Corrine shook her head. "What if you didn't? What if he was just the messenger?"
Piper frowned. The demons they had fought had seemed weak, and mostly lower level.
"They took out mom," Corrine said, her throat closing a little. She refused to cry, though, in front of Piper. "And then that demon went after Paige, and then Rebecca... What if their goal was to take out mom and Paige so you couldn't reconstitute the Power of Three?"
"And then Rebecca never would have united with you girls..." Piper said, understanding sparkling in her eyes. "That means there would never be a Power of Four... No Future Generation. Not unless Phoebe and I had more kids, or until you girls had kids of your own..."
The pieces were slowly falling into place, like a puzzle.
"So if they come after anyone..." Piper began slowly. "They'll come after you girls."
Corrine frowned, but nodded. It was the most logical thing; With the Charmed Ones already reunited, going after them would be suicide. Going after the untrained Power of Four, however, would be easier.
"Well, we aren't going to let that happen," Piper said firmly. "I promise you, we won't let that happen."
Corrine nodded. But what she didn't say was, How can you be so sure? I've already died once...
...
An hour later, Melinda, Katelyn, and Rebecca had situated themselves around Corrine's room. It had taken some convincing to get Rebecca to leave her room, but when Katelyn insisted Corrine demanded she be present, she had sulkily agreed to come out of her room.
Corrine sat up in bed, with several pillows propped behind her back. Melinda sat on the other side of the queen-sized bed, with Katelyn and Rebecca sprawled at the end.
Corrine had just finished filling them in on everything; the conversation she had overhead, the way it had triggered her memory, and the conversation she had had with Piper.
"What can we do about it?" Melinda asked with a frown. "We aren't fully trained yet. Until we become the Power of Four, we're just four teenage witches."
"Wonder if Sabrina ever faced these kinds of issues," Katelyn questioned with a sigh, causing some nervous laughter.
"I don't know," Corrine responded, answering Melinda and ignoring Katelyn. "But we can't let Piper, Phoebe, and Paige handle this alone. The demons want us, but that won't stop them from taking out one or more Charmed One if the opportunity arises."
Melinda and Katelyn murmured their agreement. Rebecca, however, stayed silent. She still felt horrible guilt for getting Corrine killed.
"Rebecca?"
Rebecca jumped, looking from at each cousin in turn, finally settling on Corrine.
"You're a part of this, too," Corrine reminded her. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself and start helping us think." Rebecca winced, and Corrine only felt slightly guilty for being so harsh. Rebecca had to move on, or she would put them all in danger.
Rebecca shrugged. "I'm still new at this... I don't know!"
"Well," Katelyn said, "Think logically. What makes the most sense in this situation?"
Rebecca sighed, thinking. What did make the most sense?
"What if we..." Rebecca frowned in thought as an idea came to her. "What if we became the Power of Four... Now?"
Corrine, Melinda, and Katelyn stared at Rebecca as if she were crazy. Rebecca blushed and looked down at the comforter.
But as the idea sunk in, it made more and more sense.
"I think..." Corrine began, thinking it over once more. "I think it just might work."
Rebecca looked up quickly, frowning. "Seriously? You're not just... You're humoring me, aren't you?" she asked bitterly.
Corrine shook her head. "No, no. Not at all. Rebecca... It makes perfect sense. If we became the Power of Four, we'd be much stronger. We're still not fully trained, but we'd have the power to help the Charmed Ones take on the demons. We could defend ourselves."
"I mean... It does make sense," Melinda agreed. "We'd still be untrained, but mom and Phoebe could still train us. Maybe they'd even step it up if we had our full powers."
"And," Katelyn said excitedly, "Maybe Rebecca's powers would stabilize if we were united as the Power of Four."
The other girls murmured in agreement.
"So... Now we just have to convince them," Melinda said, making a face.
"We will," Corrine said, confident.
...
"No," Piper said firmly. "Absolutely not."
"What?" Corrine asked, dumbfounded. "But it's a great plan!"
"No, it isn't," Phoebe disagreed, shaking her head. "You girls are way too young and it's way too dangerous."
"But... Dad!" Melinda cried, appealing to Leo. "You're the Whitelighter... Tell them we can do it! It's the only plan that makes sense!"
Leo shook his head. "I'm not getting involved in this one."
"Coward!" Katelyn grumbled. She coughed around the word, trying to hide it, when Phoebe glared at her.
Paige watched the exchange silently. She thought it over in her head, and considered Piper and Phoebe's opinions before speaking.
"Actually, I think it's a good plan," Paige said.
Everyone in the room turned to her with wide eyes.
"What?" Piper asked, crossing her arms.
"Well... I know I'm new at this, but if becoming the Power of Four will allow the girls to defend themselves... I'm sorry, but, isn't that a good thing?"
"Coming into their full powers will also make them more of a magnet for demons," Phoebe informed her gravely. "Once their powers are truly awakened... There's no going back."
"But we'll be stronger," Corrine argued. "We can defend against those demons. And you guys can still train us!"
Piper and Phoebe exchanged looks.
"Okay, fine... We've heard your arguments," Piper finally said. "Let us think about it."
Corrine sighed, frustrated. "You say we aren't prepared... We aren't trained... We aren't ready. When will we be ready? When is the right time to learn? Demons will always come after us, regardless of us being the Power of Four. We are the daughters of the Charmed Ones, the future generation of Halliwell Witches. At least as the Power of Four, we have a fighting chance of not dying young."
Phoebe glanced at Piper. The unspoken message that passed between them caused tension and elicited some headshakes from Piper, before she sighed and shrugged.
"Okay, fine," Piper finally said, defeated. "It's the only plan we have, anyway."
Corrine, Melinda, Katelyn, and Rebecca exchanged victorious grins.
They were about to become the Power of Four.