A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with more torture... I mean.. with another chapter.. – Sweet smile. –
CharmedOpal: -Hit with granny bag- Owww! Hey, hey! If you hit me too much, I won't be able to write more chapters! So.. keep that in mind! Ha!
RandyOrtonxWifexx: You'll find out shortly!
lizardmomma: Dun dun dun! – Evil grin. –
Ariya Elizabeth Cullen Black: Yes, Cole was very easily overpowered. Hmmmm. – Evil grin. –
sassytxnmama: You'll find out soon! Yeah, a lot of people hate Cole. And maybe with good reason...?
Semper Fi Witchlighter: Your reviews always amuse me greatly! I'm glad you're enjoying so much! You were right about Belthazor! Thanks for the catch! I was definitely spelling it how I pronounced it.
Daicy: You're so sweet, thanks! I can't help but apologize. I know as a reader, I hate waiting forever for updates. I feel bad! But I'll try to refrain. I'm really happy you're enjoying the fanfic so much! Yes, most Next Generation stories can be a bit much, and all the same. I wanted to do something different, and I'm glad you approve! I'm glad you like the characters, and the similarities between each girl and her respective Charmed mother. You'll find out who is in the cell with Becca soon! The Book of Shadows thing was a combination of it sensing danger and it sensing Katelyn's demonic side, which has been coming more to the surface lately. Haha, very good point! Phoebe never really cooked much, did she? Anyway, glad you're enjoying! I hope you continue t enjoy!
Okay, guys. Here ya go! Read, review, and – above all else – Enjoy!
...
Rebecca stood, frozen, near the invisible entrance to the small room. She was pretty sure her eyes were playing tricks on her. And yet she couldn't deny what was right in front of her.
"Rebecca," he said softly, gently. The look on his face said he couldn't believe it either.
Rebecca refused to drop her guard, though. Because as much as she wanted to believe what was right in front of her, she had a terrible feeling; something wasn't right.
"Andy," she finally said, tentatively.
Andy smiled, nodding.
"How do you know me?" she questioned suspiciously. She knew whom he was from the pictures scattered around the Manor. Corrine refused to speak his name; he had basically abandoned her after Prue's funeral. But, if this really was him, he had a good excuse for not being around.
"I know we've never officially met," Andy said with a nod. "We kind of met... At Prue's..." He paused, looking away from her, choking on the words.
"Right," Rebecca replied slowly. "I remember. I've seen your picture in the Manor. All over the Manor. That's how I know you. But I'm asking you again... How do you know me?"
Andy sighed, running a hand over his face. "Right. I know. I can't really explain it.. But, I've been here the whole time." He paused, anger overshadowing every other emotion that was, a moment before, flashing in his eyes. "I was leaving the cemetery... After... And, someone approached me. It was a man. Or, I thought it was..."
"Carsaeus," Rebecca said softly, frowning.
Andy nodded. "He tricked me. Got me here. He's been holding me prisoner ever since."
Rebecca frowned. "I'm sorry. Corrine just thought... We thought... Well, that you had just left. Moved on. That with Prue gone..."
"How could Corrine think I'd leave her?" Andy demanded. "Especially after..." He couldn't bring himself to say Prue's name, or to speak about her death.
"Because," Rebecca said sadly, "Everyone else abandoned us."
Andy's eyes widened. "What? But... Piper? Phoebe? Leo? Or... Paige? That's her name, right? Your mom."
Rebecca felt warm tears fill her eyes and she shook her head.
Andy hung his head, leaning into the wall and punching it hard. He kept his back to Rebecca for a long time before finally looking at her again. "I'm so, so sorry."
Rebecca frowned. "How do you know about me, but not about that?"
"That... Demon..." Andy shook his head. "I only know what he wants me to know. Once in awhile, he lets me out so his friends can do target practice. And in between, he tells me things. Only some things, never everything. And never the whole story. He mentioned a fourth sister and fourth cousin... Someone said your name... I didn't hear it all, but I head enough."
Rebecca frowned, staring silently at him, assessing him and his story.
"Look, we gotta get out of here," Andy said firmly. "I can't die here. I can't die without seeing Corrine again. I need to explain... To tell her..." He choked up, shaking his head and staring at Rebecca imploringly.
Finally, Rebecca nodded. "We'll get out of here. I promise."
...
"Gone?" Corrine demanded angrily. "How can she be gone? What happened, Cole?"
Cole shrugged, staring blankly ahead. "I... I don't know." He swallowed hard. "I should have saved her... I should have..."
"Snap out of it!" Melinda said, slapping him across the face.
Cole flinched, shaking his head. He glared at Melinda.
Melinda shrugged. "It's what you do when people go into shock," she said simply, smiling sweetly at him.
"Okay, enough," Corrine snapped. "We don't have time for this." She cradled the Book in her arms, righting the podium and settling it back down in its rightful spot. She began flipping through pages, frantic to find something – anything – that would help.
"You won't find anything in there," Cole snapped, finally out of his daze. He had a hard look on his face, one that commanded both Corrine and Melinda's attention. "Those were Carsaeus' men."
"How many of them were there?" Melinda asked curiously.
"Three," Cole replied grimly.
Melinda frowned. "How did three low-level demons overpower the mighty Belthazor?"
Cole glared at her. "Two of them double-teamed me while one grabbed Katelyn. Believe me, I didn't go down without a fight."
"Why should we believe you?" Corrine asked, crossing her arms. "How do we know this isn't you double-teaming us?"
Cole chuckled, dusting himself off. He stared Corrine right in the eyes, teeth gritted. "I hate Carsaeus. I despise him. I loathe him. Do you really think I'd let his lackeys get their grubby paws on my daughter?"
"I don't know," Melinda replied lightly. "Maybe this is part of some plan you have. Divide and conquer, maybe?"
"Or maybe," Corrine chimed in, "This has been your plan all along."
Cole looked from one cousin to the other, shaking his head. "We can't get Katelyn back if we don't trust each other. It won't work if you're constantly looking over your shoulder at me."
"Maybe we should have been looking over our shoulders from the very beginning," Corrine pointed out, staring him down.
Cole sneered at them. "Fine. If you didn't want my help, you could have just said so." He glared at them once more before shimmering out.
The moment he was gone, Corrine deflated with a pained sigh.
"Great," Melinda groaned. "Now how are we going to get Rebecca and Katelyn back? Carsaeus is always one step ahead of us. He's stronger than us and the one demon who could have helped us is gone now."
Corrine frowned in thought, shaking her head. "I don't know..." She licked her lips. "Okay, look. I know Cole was our best shot. But... We're Halliwell Witches. We're direct descendants of the Charmed Ones. We're just as powerful as Carsaeus, maybe more so."
Melinda frowned at her cousin, doubt in her eyes.
"We are," Corrine said firmly. "Alright, we've got a tough battle ahead of us. But we can do this. We're going to bring them home."
"How?" Melinda cried. "We're not the Power of Four anymore. Carsaeus stripped those powers from us. And now he has both our half-demon cousins. Rebecca has already attacked us once. How do we know he won't brainwash both of them?"
"Because," Corrine said firmly, "Katelyn is strong. She's been fighting her demonic side for way longer than we even realized. I have confidence in her. And as long as she can keep it together, I think she can bring Rebecca back to our side."
Melinda frowned doubtfully. "It's a good plan in theory. We could surprise attack him if we had Katelyn and Rebecca back on our side. But... how will we know? We could be walking into the lion's den on this one."
Corrine frowned, lost in thought for a moment. When she finally focused on Melinda again, she looked determined. "We just have to have faith. And a whole hell of a lot of potions."
