Chapter 1: The Frozen Hell
It was almost funny how everything fell apart as soon as Phoebe and Piper woke up that morning. Cole wasn't sure how he was supposed to tell them about Leo but he didn't have a chance to say much when Phoebe had a premonition about a girl that ended up with them talking to their grandma and mother.
Victor, Phoebe, and Piper's father were doing their best to get the guest out of there and no matter how much both witches called for Leo, they couldn't reach him, something that wasn't surprising to Cole but he kept his silence as they quickly turned to call their grandmother and mother, wondering where their white lighter and most importantly, Piper's husband was in a moment like this.
As soon as the white orbs appeared and Phoebe and Piper's grandmother appeared, Cole knew she was aware of where Leo was. She didn't look angry at him, mostly, she looked worried.
"Darlings, what can I do for you?" asked Penny.
"Grandma, I had a premonition of a girl that we are supposed to save but the demon after her is the same one that killed Prue." said Phoebe, trying to hide the pain behind her words. "We need to power of three to defeat him and we don't have it."
"Oh." said Penny.
Phoebe, Piper, and Cole looked at the ghost surprised not by her answer but because of her lack of reaction. She knew something they didn't know, that was clear but Cole wondered if it was the same he suspected. Penny turned to look at him, almost freezing him in place.
He understands now why Leo said that Piper's grandmother was scary and he held great respect for the woman.
"Did you tell them?" asked Penny.
"No, there has been too much activity for me to have time to sit down and talk." said Cole.
"Wait, tell us?" asked Phoebe, looking at her boyfriend. "What do you need to tell us?"
"The reason why I think your white lighter is out of his mind." said Penny.
Her words only help to confuse Phoebe further while Piper looks at her, now understanding that both her grandmother and Cole know something about Leo and they are being vague about it, which means is something serious.
"Leo? Do you know why we are calling him and he doesn't come?" asked Piper.
"Piper is not like he doesn't want to. He can't." said Penny.
"Why?" asked Piper.
She knows she has to blame him for not saving Prue and she had planned to apologize as soon as she could push down the constant pain in her heart but now she has the feeling he did something that was going to push her to the limit.
She just lost her sister. She can't lose her husband now.
"Piper." started Penny.
"Don't Piper me, tell me where is my husband!?" asked Piper.
"He is trying to bring Prue back."
The silence in the attic was suffocating but somehow Cole felt it as if he was back in his room in hell. He wasn't tense or worried neither was Penny, who limited herself to look at her granddaughter's reaction, waiting for Piper to explode or Phoebe to ask questions.
For a long moment, nothing happened.
"What did you say?"
Piper's question was asked with so much confusion it took a moment for Cole to recognize her voice but once he did, he looked at Penny for help. He knew what Leo was doing but the details were lost to him since demons didn't get attached enough to perform the Path.
"There is an old way for white lighters to bring back souls from the other side, it is called The Path Of The Thousand Cuts." explained Penny. "Leo must have seen this as the only way to bring Prue back to you when he saw the pain her death caused in you two, especially you, Piper."
"The Path Of The Thousand Cuts?" asked Phoebe, walking to Piper to hold her. "That sounds awful."
"It is." said Penny. "It was made for the souls that weren't meant to leave, their white lighters, being their protectors were the only ones with access to the Path, enduring challenge after challenge until they could bring back the soul. Prue's time wasn't right and Leo used that window to convince the Elders to allow him to go through the Path."
Phoebe looked at her sister, kissing her temple. Piper was shaking but she didn't make a sound, which wasn't good because Piper was expressive when she was angry and sad, for her not to be now, meant her worry was beyond anything she had experienced before and Phoebe herself was worried, losing Leo now will destroy the little sanity they have left.
"But why did he leave us without his guidance? Isn't that against the rules?" asked Phoebe.
"He left you a guide." said Penny, looking at Cole. "Somehow, he convinced the Elders, that Cole has enough good in him to keep you safe."
Even Cole was surprised by the statement. Phoebe could see on his face that he didn't expect Leo to have this all planned out to the point of asking the Elders to allow Cole to help them. It said a lot about Leo's trust in Cole's good side and his and Phoebe's love.
"Be flattered, demon." said Penny. "The Elders needed a lot of persuasion but Leo wasn't always the one to bend to the rules, that's one of the many reasons why he was your white lighter."
"Is." said Piper suddenly, angry and trying to hold back her tears. "Leo is our white lighter. He's coming back."
Penny and Patty exchanged a look and even Cole looked down, making both Phoebe and Piper feel as if there is more than they don't know and the panic started to take over them.
"What are you not telling me?" asked Piper, looking at her family and Cole.
"Piper, darling, is complicated." said Penny.
"I don't care. I need to know." said Piper. "Tell me what is going on."
Cole sighs, there is no way to say this nicely, especially when Piper is already out of control, even Phoebe, who was keeping a strong facade was struggling to contain her emotions, reminding Cole that Leo is more than a white lighter to them, he is Piper's husband and part of this family.
"The Path Of The Thousand Cuts is a soul for a soul type of thing." said Cole, carefully. "Leo went there to save Prue and given his stubbornness he may do it but the Heavens or the Underworld never heard a case of a white lighter coming back."
Phoebe held Piper closer as her sister sobbed and everything went silent for a moment. Patty and Penny shared a sad look while Cole looked away, feeling strangely sad about the whole situation.
"I can't do this." whispered Piper. "I can't lose Leo right after losing Prue. I need him here!"
"He's trying to bring Prue back and you have an innocent to save." said Patty.
"I don't care about the innocent! I want them back!" said Piper, hiding her face in Phoebe's chest. "I need them back!"
Phoebe could feel the tears rolling down her face too but she held her sister as strong as she could trying to be strong both of them even if in the back of her mind she was screaming for Leo to come back and be the one to hold his wife.
"Piper, your husband would like for you to go and save that innocent, Prue too." said Penny. "He's doing all he can to bring back Prue and the best way to honor them is to keep doing what you do."
"I can't." sobbed Piper.
"You can. You are not alone." said Phoebe, her voice breaking. "I'm here and Cole is here. We will be here for you and then Prue can be back and… and just because they never heard of a white lighter surviving that path doesn't mean he can't do it. He's Leo, remember? Our white lighter."
"If someone is going to survive it may be Leo." said Cole, making both sisters look at him. "Think about it, Piper. He was the first to make them approve of a relationship between a white lighter and a witch. He is the Charmed One's white lighter. He broke the rules many times before but he always prevailed, this is nothing but another challenge."
"Cole is right. Leo always came back to you." said Phoebe. "He will come back."
Piper calmed down enough to think about it. They are right if someone can do this that's Leo. He is stronger than most people believe. He's her husband and he has always said she was the one to bring him home every time. She must do that now. She has to show them and everyone else that her love was strong enough to bring him back as he already showed her that he loved her enough to die in exchange for her sister.
She won't fail him or disappoint Prue and the only way to do that is by helping that innocent.
"Alright." said Piper, wiping away her tears. "We will say that innocent."
The whole family smiled at her. Piper was always the heart of the family because of things like this, even in her broken heart, she was able to stand again and fight for the right reasons, like saving that young girl who now needed them more than ever.
"Let's do this." whispered Phoebe.
Piper nodded and quickly, they approached the book of shadows to find the girl while Patty and Penny shared a look. Their destiny was waiting for them and now more than ever they needed to stay together, all of them. That was their destiny.
And Leo's was to ensure that could happen, no matter what.
Leo was freezing. He looked around, shaking as the cold got into his soul, freezing his muscles as he forced his legs to move. He had to walk and find out where he was and how to reach Prue, unfortunately, doing that was going to be more complicated than he anticipated.
Leo took a step forward if he could find a house or something to create a fire, he could get warm and continue his journey but that didn't seem to be the route here so he continued forcing his body to move when suddenly, the cold air stopped so suddenly that Leo feels forward and hit the ground.
"Ouch." groaned Leo.
"What do you want, white lighter!?"
The voice was familiar but Leo couldn't point out who was it, not yet anyway. He could feel his body adjusting to the new temperature, slightly warmer than before and he guessed that being a white lighter had good things, since he could heal faster than other magical creatures.
"Who are you? asked Leo, getting up.
"I am the guardian of this path and you should not be here." said the voice.
"I need to be here! I'm looking for one of my charges." said Leo.
"Charges, you white lighters tend to risk too much for disposable creatures." said the voice. "Tell me who you are and who is your charge."
"I'm Leo Wyatt! My charge's name is Prue Halliwell, she died before her time and I'm here to retrieve her soul and send her back to her sisters!" said Leo.
For a moment, all that answered Leo was silence and he thought the voice just left when suddenly, a light forced Leo to cover his eyes as the cold disappeared and he felt warm all over his body. The location surrounding him transformed, going from snow and cold to something resembling a volcano.
"Leo Wyatt." said the voice. "I have been waiting for you."
Leo looked at the figure in front of him and he could not believe what he was seeing, this could not be real but at the same time, it was, he was looking at her, with her soft smile and her green eyes, so much like his own.
His hand was shaking when he raised it, still not believing what he was seeing. What was she doing here? Why? The woman smiled at him and took his hand.
"I get you have answers." said the woman.
"I do. How is this possible?" asked Leo.
The woman sighed and kissed Leo's hand before bringing him closer to hug him. Leo couldn't stop the tears from falling then as he hugged the woman closer, unable to let go. It had been so long since he saw her that this felt like a dream.
"I have much to tell you, about yourself and about what you are trying to do here." said the woman.
"You do because I don't understand this, mother." said Leo. "What are you doing here?"
The woman looked at him sadly.
"I'll explain to you in a moment."
And then the light covered them both.
-TPOTTC-
Paige Matthews was tired. She had been running for that thing following her all night long but it had been following her and her boyfriend around and now he had left her boyfriend unconscious and was walking towards her.
What was that thing anyway!?
"Stay away from me!"
The monster walked, or better said flew towards her and Paige closed her eyes when suddenly, she felt something passing her and hitting the monster right in the chest. She looked up, only to see the monster was now on the ground, looking past her.
She looked over her shoulder, only to find two women and a man. One of the women moved her hands, making the monster growl as something exploded and he looked at them for a moment before he disappeared, finally leaving her alone.
Paige sighed as the three people who saved her ran towards her and her boyfriend.
"Are you alright?" asked one of the women. "I'm sorry. My name is Phoebe, this is my sister Piper and this is my boyfriend Cole."
Paige looked at them as if they were crazy but as soon as she remembered her boyfriend was on the ground, she kneeled beside him, watching how he was unconscious. She sighed, worried, and then looked up at the sky.
"Leo!"
Piper, Phoebe, and Cole looked stunned at the innocent call for Leo one more time. They didn't know what to say but she knew Leo and she was looking at the sky which was an indication that she knew or had an idea of what he was.
"Do you know Leo?" asked Piper.
"Yes, he's an old friend." said Paige, looking up at the sky again. "Leo!"
"He's out of reach." said Phoebe, stopping her. "He sends us to help you."
"Can you heal him?" asked Paige.
"No." said Cole. "But I can make sure he's alive by taking him to the hospital. I think you three need to ask a few questions."
"What? No!" said Paige.
Cole forced himself not to roll his eyes and sighed. He remembered something Leo gave him a long time ago, breaking the rules, of course, he took it out of his pocket and showed it to Paige, if she was one of Leo's charges, she would recognize it.
"I'm not a threat and neither are they, see?" asked Cole, showing her the little ring.
"You have one?" asked Paige.
"What is that?" asked Phoebe.
"A ring that shows the charges that they are connected through the same white lighter." said Piper in a whisper. "Leo was only supposed to give that to his charges."
"Leo has broken all the rules in the book for you, Piper. To his eyes, breaking a few more for Phoebe wasn't a big deal." said Cole.
"I have one too." said Paige, showing the ring.
Cole chuckled, watching the sister's face. It seemed that Leo kept his work a normal secret, as a demon knew more about the white lighters they did and how dangerous their work could be if they didn't take the precautions they did then again, Leo was not a simple white lighter, he was the Halliwell's white lighter and that made him especial.
"Alright." said Piper, trying to get a hold of what was going on. "We need to know why that demon was attacking you and we need to get that guy to the hospital."
"You know him better than we do." said Phoebe, looking at Paige. "Cole could go with you, make sure he's fine, and then come back with us."
"Are you sure? You will be unprotected if he comes back."
"We will be fine and I need to ask a few questions." said Piper. "You three go, we can defend ourselves."
Cole sighs as Phoebe walks towards him and kisses him then, she takes a step back and he walks towards Phoebe and the young man, extending his hand so he can teleport them to the hospital as quickly as possible. Paige looked at him.
"What are you doing?" asked Paige. "Can you take us there? Where is your car?"
"I use a different transport. C'mon, the sooner we get there, the sooner he can get checked out." said Cole.
Paige takes a deep breath deciding he was right and takes Cole's hand as he touches the young man too and the three of them disappear while Piper and Phoebe look at each other.
"What do we do now?" asked Phoebe.
"We go back home and ask questions." said Piper, not looking happy. "I want to know why the demon that killed Prue is after one of Leo's charges now."
Phoebe doesn't have time to say anything as Piper turns around and leaves. Phoebe sighs, following her sister. She doesn't know why but she has the feeling that the answer to those questions will bring more problems than solutions.
And not for the first time, Phoebe wished that Leo was here with them, mostly to give Piper that sense of calm that Leo always carried with him but also to give all the answers to their questions and to thank him for helping Cole. She doesn't know how he did it but she has the feeling that maybe being their white lighter was not as easy as they thought.
Maybe being their guide was more a curse than a gift after all.
