A/N: Hey guys! I'm back! Trying not to do a huge gap like last time.. Still sorry about that! So, I'm kind of surprised I didn't get more of a reaction from the last chapter.. I had a few bombshells in there. Finally.

Guest: Perhaps! Or maybe not... – Evil grin. –

CharmedOpal: Thanks! Oh, you'll find out soon enough... :)

Anyway, this is another information-overload chapter! I finally reveal some interesting things... Dun Dun Dun! Haha. Anyway, hope you guys ENJOY, above all else! But also, please review! It's encouraging, and also nice to know people are reading and enjoying!

...

"We have to go back! We can't just leave her there!"

"I know, Melinda," Corrine said, her voice firm but calm. She chewed on her lip in frustration.

When the cousins had arrived back in the attic, Karen had demanded to know what had happened, panicked when she didn't see Rebecca with them. Corrine, defeated, had filled the Whitelighter in on everything that had happened. She had immediately taken Lauren up to Elder Land, with a promise to find out more from the Elders.

Since her departure, Melinda had done nothing but demand they go back for Rebecca.

"You certainly are singing a different tune now than you were before," Katelyn remarked, crossing her arms and giving Melinda a narrow-eyed glare.

Melinda frowned. "I was under a spell before, okay?"

"I asked you if you were still under the malice spell," Corrine reminded her. "Okay, and you said you weren't."

Melinda rolled her eyes. "Well... If I were still under the spell, I would say that, wouldn't I? But... Okay... Guys.."

At her serious tone of voice, Corrine and Katelyn both turned to face their cousin, silent.

"This is gonna sound so weird..." Melinda began, licking her lips. "But... that demon? Well.. the second I laid eyes on him... I don't know, it's like something in me snapped. I think... When you guys did the counter spell, it didn't remove the malice spell. But when I saw him..." She glanced away from her cousins, pausing to compose herself. Finally, she looked back at them, fear in her eyes. "I think that demon is the one who put the malice spell on me."

Corrine processed this. It made sense, honestly. If Melinda had snapped out of it once in the demon's presence...

"I think you're right," Corrine agreed. "He clearly knows us... He clearly knew our mothers. He's been watching all of us for a long time, and he knew which buttons to press."

Melinda nodded, feeling guilty. Because the thing with a malice spell? Those feeling had to have come from somewhere. They were deep-seeded within her sub-conscious, but they were there. The demon couldn't have amplified malice out of thin air.

When this was all said and done, and when Rebecca was home safe – Because, Melinda thought, she would get home to them, safe and sound – she owed Rebecca a huge apology.

Katelyn opened her mouth to speak, shutting it when orbs filled the room, and Karen appeared.

"Well.. I've got good news," she replied, somber. "But, I've also got bad news..."

...

When Rebecca finally awoke, she was trapped in a slightly larger, rectangular cage. She was lying on the cage's ground, curled into the fetal position. At first, she couldn't open her eyes, so she simply listened to what was going on around her.

"My Lord.. With all do respect.. I don't see why we couldn't have just killed them when we had the chance... Doesn't letting them go risk them regaining their powers and, well, vanquishing us?"

Rebecca's heart fluttered – her cousins had gotten away! They were safe and alive.

"Perhaps," the demon replied. His voice was ice cold and cruel. "But by the time they manage that, we'll have turned this one. They'll never have the chance to challenge us."

"And... what if we can't turn her? Sir.. Sir... AHHHHHHH!"

Someone chuckled. Rebecca shuddered, realizing the lesser demon had been vanquished for speaking such blasphemy.

But... Then their words hit her – really, truly hit her. They were talking about her, about turning her to... Well, she didn't know what. But she knew it was bad, and she had to get out of there – somehow – before it was too late. Or her cousins would be walking into a trap.

"Dear, sweet Rebecca," the demon cooed, his voice just inches from her ear. "I know you are awake, little witch. No sense pretending any longer."

Reluctantly, Rebecca let her eyes flutter open. She stared at the demon, inches from the cage, before jumping up and back, hitting the bars hard. This one, thank goodness, was not electrified.

"So sorry for that nasty business earlier," the demon said, waving it off. "I had to get all four of you here; however, I had no intention of harming you."

Rebecca scrunched her nose. "So... Kidnapping, electrifying, and power stealing are your way of not harming me? Wow... I'd hate to see you when you're serious."

The demon grinned, chuckling. "You truly are feisty. Just like your mother."

"Leave her out of this!" Rebecca snarled.

"Oh, I wish I could," he said with a sigh. "She was... not my favorite target, not by a long-shot. I was truly playing with fire with that one. But it was necessary, and it had the desired results, so who am I to complain?"

He walked a few feet away, to a table filled with what looked like some pretty dark potions ingredients. It was certainly nothing Rebecca or her cousins would ever use. He began mixing them into a rusty-looking cauldron, measuring by hand and guess work rather than with measuring cups.

"As I'm sure you've figured out," he called over his shoulder, never missing a beat, "I've been planning this for a very long time. And it's taken some minor adjustments along the way. But, overall, I'd say this has been a success."

"Why?" Rebecca demanded, gripping the bars so tightly, her knuckles were white. "Why have you done all this? Why did you kill Prue? Why did you send all those demons after us? And was it you? Were you impersonating the Angel of Destiny?"

He chuckled, stirring the cauldron a few times, before tapping his spoon on the side and turning back to face her. His eyes were so dark brown, they were almost black – black and ice cold.

"So many questions," he said softly, taking slow, easy steps toward the cage, until he was right on top of her. He reached in, and she jumped back. He laughed softly.

"I knew, before anyone – before even the Source – that there was another Halliwell Witch out there somewhere. I knew the prophecy that created the Charmed Ones would never tolerate a fourth witch, and so I planned, schemed, and prepared. I watched the Charmed Ones. I dug through human files and records. I tracked down the fourth witch, and watched her every move. I memorized the Charmed Ones' daily routine."

He paused dramatically, watching Rebecca squirm with the idea that he had truly planned this all from the beginning – before anyone else had ever known about Paige's existence.

"And then I began introducing myself to Paige," he informed her, maintaining eye contact with her, grinning. "A random encounter at the store, then at that silly night club Piper owned... I watched her, invisibly, while she worked, then asked leading questions when I did see her, getting a feel for her and her emotions."

"You played her," Rebecca snarled, bitter and angry. She was shaking, and she couldn't figure out why. Yet, the more he spoke, the more she feared the worst.

He smirked. "Demon, remember?" He paused, reveling in her anger and pain. "I waited until she was comfortable. I wined and dined her. I got into her head, and made her believe she loved me... And then?"

No, Rebecca thought silently, begging the Gods that he wasn't about to make her worst fears come to life... Please, no.

"And then," he said again, watching her, pinning her with his cold, depthless eyes. "I gained her trust, confidence, and love. And that, my dear girl, is where you come in."

Rebecca paled.

"I don't believe I've formally introduced myself," the demon remarked casually. "My name is Carsaeus. However, to Paige, I was Carter. And to you?" His grin, if possible, became more sinister. "To you, I am Daddy."