A/N: Hey guys! Sorry again for the delay. The last few chapters have been really difficult to write – writer's block – and I've been so sick, you can't imagine. It's been crazy.

Anouki90: Thank you! Lol. Yeah, I love drawing/writing parallels between the girls and their mothers, and the demons attacking them vs. the ones who attacked their mothers. It's fun :)

RandyOrtonxWifexx: That would be too easy, wouldn't it? ;)

lizardmomma: Nope, not at all!

CharmedOpal: Yup! Haha

Semper Fi Witchlighter: Yes, you did see what I did there! :) Haha. Again with the parallels, like Anouki90 mentioned. Yes, that, among other things! Muahaha.

Ariya Elizabeth Cullen Black: Thanks! Glad you're enjoying!

So apologies, but this chapter is a little shorter than normal. I didn't want to add filler to create length, since I feel like my last few chapters were not my finest to begin with. So I figured you guys would prefer a quality chapter over length. Hopefully I'm right?

I'm trying to avoid plot lines that are way too obvious or way too cliché, also, so it's slowing me down a bit. But I'm going to try to get some decent writing done the next few days so I can get ahead of my posting schedule, and you guys don't have to wait as long!

So, read, review, and enjoy! And again, apologies for the delays and being all sick and blah!

...

Rebecca couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Is that the best you've got?" she asked, yawning dramatically. "Cause, you know, threatening to kill my cousins? First of all, we hear that line all the time. And second of all, it's not gonna win you brownie points with me, just FYI."

Carsaeus chuckled. "You truly are amusing, darling girl." He sauntered closer to her cage. "No, no. I'm not threatening to kill them, Rebecca. I'm merely warning you what will happen if you do not embrace your demonic nature."

Rebecca made a face. "Death threat... Warning of what's to come... Same difference. What's your point?"

"My point," he said softly, a hint of danger in his tone. "Is that until you embrace your demonic nature, the three sides of your magical heritage will continue to fight each other. Your powers will never be in harmony, and you will never be able to reconcile the Power of Four. Without the Power of Four, and with the Charmed Ones still dead, your cousins will be weakened and, eventually, killed by demons. Would you like that to happen?"

Rebecca narrowed her eyes. "And why would you care if the Power of Four reconciled? Wouldn't it be easier for you if we didn't? Wouldn't that be preferred? You are, after all, a demon."

He nodded. "Yes, that's true. But embracing your demonic nature also benefits me." He smirked. "Not in ways that you should concern yourself with, of course."

"Right," Rebecca agreed sarcastically. "Of course not. Because making a deal with a demon is totally fine, and there won't be any hidden agendas or unforeseen consequences down the road."

Carsaeus beamed. "You are a clever one."

She crossed her arms and huffed in annoyance at his condescending tone; he spoke to her like he would a five-year-old. And demon or not, he was still her father and she was still a teenage girl, and being spoken down to pissed her off.

"You know, most girls who grow up without their fathers get along fine," she finally said. "Most girls pretend their father is dead, or imagine him as some bad guy or criminal not worth their time. But I got lucky with you, didn't I? With you, I don't have to pretend. You really are just a demon." She paused, considering "And an asshat."

Carsaeus scowled at this. "Didn't your mother ever teach you to respect your elders?"

"Yes, but you're not an Elder," Rebecca shot back, shaking her head. "Demon, remember?"

He snarled at her. "You will embrace your demonic nature. Or you – and your cousins – will die. Your choice, little witch."

With that, he struck his hand out, as it to hit her – though she was still tucked behind the bars of her cage. But the force that hit her felt worse than a physical slap to the cheek. It sent her flying backwards into the bars of the cage, which – this time – sent a shock wave through her body. She cried out in pain, gasping for breath, before everything went black.

...

"Okay, so we have all the potions we need," Katelyn said, looking around at the twenty or so bottles that sat before them on the small circular table in the attic.

"And we have some spells as back-up, just in case," Melinda added, clenching them in her hand, which was shaking slightly.

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Corrine asked, after a moment of hesitation.

Melinda and Katelyn stared at her as if she had lost her mind.

"Are you under the malice spell now?" Melinda asked cautiously, looking genuinely concerned.

Corrine shook her head. "I'm sorry, that didn't come out right. I'm just wondering... Well, every demon we've fought recently... It's ended badly. We've been tricked and kidnapped and had spells put on us and... Well, each demon we defeat leads to another demon that's stronger and harder to defeat. I want Rebecca back as much as you two do, but what if this is what's meant to be?"

"You can't mean that," Katelyn snapped. "Rebecca is our cousin; she is family, Corrine. You can't believe that she's meant to die."

"Prue was," Corrine said softly, looking down at the floor. She picked at her shirt, blinking back tears. She ached to see her mother right now, to ask her for advice and guidance.

Melinda and Katelyn gave each other guilty looks.

"Cor, I'm sorry," Katelyn said uncomfortably. "I'm sorry for the way that sounded. I didn't mean... I'm sorry."

Corrine shrugged, but refused to look at Katelyn.

"We all have lost," Melinda reminded them. "And we're all still hurting from those losses. But we have to stay focused. You're right, Corrine, it could be a trap. And it could be dangerous. But if we do nothing... Can you live with that?"

Corrine finally looked up at her cousins. She shook her head. "No... I can't."

"Look, Aunt Prue... We miss her, too. And I know how much it hurt to lose her, Cor." Katelyn paused, biting her lip and trying to pick her words carefully. "But her death brought us Aunt Paige and Rebecca. And without Rebecca, we wouldn't be where we are now."

"Without our mothers and powerless?" Corrine questioned, though she spoke with little conviction, all her fight gone.

"Look at what we've been through," Melinda argued, before Katelyn could speak again. "We've been through tough times, but we've also become closer. Stronger. And maybe this was all meant to be, and maybe it wasn't. But so far, we've beaten each challenge to the ground. We've come out of each fight, stronger and for the better. And this time will be no different."

Corrine, though reluctant, nodded.

"Okay, are we ready?" Melinda asked, glancing at Katelyn, who nodded, and then Corrine, who hesitated before nodding.

From somewhere behind them, someone said, "Not so fast, girls."