A Warning: This Chapter Mentions Domestic Abuse
'It'll be midnight soon.' Phoebe yawned. She was exhausted from the long and boring trip. Luckily her ticket was cheap, even though she hated the bus, she needed to save her cash. Did she have enough cash? Phoebe counted what she had. Hmm. She had enough to buy some food and a change of clothes if she shopped at Target or Walmart. But, she needed to stretch her cash. Maybe she should go to a thrift store instead and get a haircut.
"We have fifteen minutes, this will be the final stop before Los Angeles." The bus driver announced.
'Finally.' Phoebe felt like she slept for weeks. She needed to call Elise, hopefully she was awake.
RING RING
"C'mon Elise." She hoped Elise didn't mind a late night phone call.
"Hello?" A tired voice asked.
"Elise? I'm sorry for calling so late." Phoebe had her fingers crossed, she was on her way to Elise's apartment.
"Your column isn't due till Friday. As usual, you always are ahead." She said in a sleepy tone.
"I don't work for the newspaper anymore. Remember the takeover?" The Bay Mirror was forced to lay off most of the staff when the new owners took over. "I'm sorry to wake you, but I have a tiny emergency." She heard Elise shuffling out of bed.
"Is everything alright?" Elise sounded awake now.
"No. Not really." Phoebe didn't remember much, but she was still in danger. She told Elise she was in trouble and was forced to leave the city. "You know I wouldn't run unless I didn't have a choice."
"Of course." Elise cared about Phoebe like a sister. "I'll meet you at the bus station, don't leave the terminal when you get here."
"Thanks. I owe you one." Phoebe was relieved. She hurries back to the bus before the doors close.
Phoebe slowly trudges off the bus, she felt even more tired than before. She had no suitcases, she was forced to run with nothing but a quick change of clothes.
Before her escape from the Manor, she changed into the first outfit she could find, a baggy hoodie and a pair of sweat pants. Once she put on her runners, she took whatever money she could find from her sister's rooms and climbed out of her window onto a nearby tree. Phoebe wasn't worried about falling, she used to climb on this tree as a little girl, and again when she snuck out as a teen. She then cut across neighbour's yards, being careful not to be seen. Once she was far away from her neighbourhood, she took the city bus to the bus station.
San Francisco was huge, but LA was massive. Here no one gave her a second look, people from all over came here to achieve their dreams, whoever looked at Phoebe would think she was another tourist.
Elise was one of the few true friends Phoebe had. They met when Phoebe was substituting for another advice columnist. The regular columnist wasn't available, and Phoebe was forced to step in so the person wouldn't lose her job. When she submitted the assignment using the columnist's pen name, Elise looked it over and called it witty. After the regular columnist quit, she recommended Phoebe to take over the job, with Elise agreeing to give her a trail run.
The first few months was rough on Phoebe, Elise was a stern boss who demanded perfection and hard work from all her employees, especially Phoebe who she thought was too young to work such a demanding job; even though she hired Phoebe herself. But after awhile started softening to Phoebe and ended up being best friends with her, even going as far as calling her the daughter she never had. Especially after Phoebe saved her life.
A Handful of Years Ago
Elise was sipping her overpriced coffee, she hated the stale crap they had, but because of budget cuts she was forced to cut back on unnecessary things. She tried not to think about the other cuts, rumours were flying the new owners were cancelling the paper due to rising costs.
An hour later was typing her resume, she wanted to leave anyways, she felt like she was ready to move on.
"Knock knock. Hi, may I come in?" A young woman was standing on the other side.
"Mika! Of course." She waves her in. Usually Elise demanded everyone make a appointment with her, but since she was planning on quitting anyways, she didn't care who came to see her. Just as long as they waited after she finished her first cup of coffee. She saw her bruises, but pretended not to notice. "How can I help you."
"It's about that event in the park, I don't think I can make it." To generate publicity for the paper, The Bay Mirror was sponsoring a wedding event. Any couple that were engaged were getting a free marriage ceremony, ordained by Phoebe Halliwell, just as long as they agreed to be featured in a Valentine's Day special newsletter.
"Oh? Why not?" Elise had a feeling why, but she didn't say anything out loud.
"I have some work that I am behind on, and I really need to finish it." Mika didn't want to say the real reason she couldn't make it, her boyfriend Cal was playing a game that afternoon and wanted Mika to support him.
"Okay." She saw Mika's relieved face. "I can get another assistant for Phoebe." Elise met baseball player Cal Greene a few times, he was interviewed several times in their sports column.
"Thanks Elise. Mind if I take the afternoon off?"
"If it's a emergency, take the whole day, Phoebe already finished her column."
"Thanks Elise. Tell Phoebe I'm sorry I couldn't make it." She was happy to leave, she felt her phone buzzing.
Once she left, Elise returned to typing her resume. She was just polishing up her cover letter when Phoebe walked in.
"Morning Elise!" Phoebe hated her costume, she was dressed like she walked out of a Victorian Novel. "Can I be a brunette for once?" Every wig she used, she was always a blonde. Her Victorian headdress wig was a strawberry shade of blonde. She sighed and adjusted her wig. "Where's Mika? She was supposed to meet me in my office."
"She had a emergency."
"Cal again?" Phoebe and Elsie shared a dislike for that guy. He was rumoured to be a woman beater, although his publicist strongly denied it, every former girlfriend he had claimed he was a sweetheart who just happened to have enemies who started bad rumours about him.
"Yeah. Poor girl." Elise knew a abusive relationship when she saw one, she herself was in one in college. "Anyways, will you ready for this afternoon?" Hopefully this event was a hit, Elise didn't want to the one responsible for laying off her employees.
"I guess." As the only 'celebrity' in the paper, Phoebe was the one who was chosen to officiate the wedding ceremonies. She was ordained last week after filling in a online application. "Will Mika be okay?" She knew automatically Mika was in trouble, she didn't need to be a psychic to know how dangerous her relationship was.
"I hope so. I do leave numbers behind, just in case Mika needs them." Elise wasn't going to the event, she had a interview this afternoon, apparently someone had dirt on Cal Greene. "Have fun!"
"Yeah. Yeah." Phoebe was single at the moment, her latest relationship ended a few weeks ago and she was still heartbroken. But she was a professional and was determined to do her job. "I'll see you later!"
Later that afternoon Elise was in her office when her assistant called.
"Ms Rothman, your two o'clock is here."
"Send her in." Elise was typing on her computer when her assistant came in looking worried.
"Um, Elise?" Roberta usually called Elise 'Ms Rothman,' but when she saw who walked in, she came in first to warn Elise. When Elsie looked up, she was shocked to see a beaten woman with a broken arm in a sling. "She asked that we keep this quiet for now." Poor Roberta looked so uncomfortable.
"Thank you Roberta." She smiled warmly at the woman. "Beth Andrews? Welcome to The Bay Mirror." What happened to this girl?
Elise patiently waited till Beth sat down across from her.
"If this is a bad time, I can reschedule." Poor woman. Up close she looked even worse.
Beth started crying. Concerned, Elise stood up and sat down next to her.
"Miss Andrews? If you don't want to talk, I understand." Beth was her interview. She said she had hard proof about Cal Greene, that he was a abuser.
Beth violently shakes her head.
"No. Everyone needs to know." She sniffled. "Cal, he did this to me." She proceeded to tell a stunned Elise her story. "I was in my apartment, getting ready to start my day when Cal came over. He said he was returning my purse." Last time she saw Cal was six months ago, she ran away from his place after he beaten her. "He must have found out what I was planning to do." The Giants, San Francisco's professional baseball team was in the running for the World's Series, with Cal Greene as the star pitcher.
"I can call 911." She wasn't surprised when Beth shook her head.
"He'll just deny it. I changed my mind, I have somewhere to be." Beth painfully stood up with Elise's help. "Sorry to waste your time."
"No worries." Elise been in her shoes, she knew first hand how hard it was to talk. "If you need a ear, I'll listen. I promise this won't be in the paper." She grabbed a pamphlet from her desk. "There's numbers you can call."
"Thank you." She shuffles out.
After she left, Elise sat down on her desk. First thing she did was call her sports editor and demand he pull the article about Cal Greene.
"Pull the article?" He sounded incredulous. "We'll have a blank space!" A big no no in the newspaper.
"I don't care. Substitute that article with the Mexican Wrestlers instead." It was a fluff piece about the rising popularity about Lucha Libre, but The World Series was a major news story, especially when a hometown team was featured.
"Okaayy." Palmer didn't sound convinced. "Want me to add their pictures as well?"
"Yeah." Elise didn't care. She was too busy thinking about Beth.
She was still working when Phoebe walked in a few hours later.
"Working late?" Phoebe was still wearing her costume, she just came back from the park. "What's wrong?" Elise looked so lost.
"Shut the door." Elise needed an ear. Phoebe had a knack for solving problems.
"Elise, what's wrong?" Her expression. "Is it about the layoffs?" Phoebe had a premonition that she got fired. She knew it was personal gain, but she needed to know if the rumours were true. She was already in talks with a up and coming podcaster, she wanted Phoebe to be on her online radio show.
"No, it's something else." She proceeded to tell Phoebe about her meeting with Beth Andrews.
"Cal Greene?" Instantly Phoebe's mind was back to the past, or the alternative future.
An older Phoebe was waiting by the stairwell in the physical therapy clinic. She was waiting, not for a therapist, but for a murderer, baseball star Cal Greene.
After all this time, all her preparation, she was finally going to get justice.
Cal Greene walks out of the clinic, unknowingly walking into a trap.
Nathaniel Pratt was texting his wife when he heard a grunt. At first he didn't think much of it, there was a physio clinic right downstairs. When he heard another grunt he looked up from his phone. What he saw changed modern history.
Phoebe sat stone faced ahead. She was on trail, for the murder of Cal Greene.
"This woman, she is nothing but a cold blooded killer!" District Attorney Nathaniel Pratt shouted. He points at her. "She killed an innocent man, not with a gun, or a weapon, but with her mind! She's a witch!"
Phoebe was stone faced, but inside she was shaking. Not for herself, but for her sisters, and her niece. Thankfully Piper and Leo insisted Melinda be at the nanny's.
"Burn the witch!"
"Burn her!"
Phoebe walked slowly and clumsy, thanks to her heavy chains. She saw the signs, the hate. She got her revenge, but the cost was huge.
"Any last words?" Nathaniel sneered. Thanks to her, his career was going to skyrocket.
"At least I'm paying for my crimes."
She denied wanting to be freed, both Prue and Piper wanted Pratt burned instead, saying he will never stop hunting innocents. Phoebe shook her head, saying two wrongs would never make a right; but with her death, things can get back to normal.
Before she let out her final screams, the last thing she saw was Prue and Piper sobbing in each other's arms.
"Phoebe? What's wrong?" Elise was looking at Phoebe with concern.
"Nothing. I'm going to return this costume, have a good night.'' Phoebe was gone before Elise could react.
Elise was talking to her lawyers a few weeks later.
"Look. I never wrote or published anything about Cal Greene. No, I won't say anything! The Bay Mirror is a reputable newspaper. I have no idea." Cal Greene's lawyers were threatening Elise with a lawsuit. "I will not!" Her lawyers wanted Beth's name. "I'll sign a paper, but I won't tell you more than that." She slams the phone down.
Once her day ended, Elise went to the garage to go home. What she saw made her blood freeze.
A baseball was stuck halfway in her car rooftop.
"I'm too old for this." She gets in her car and drove away.
"Phoebe please." Elise begged. "He's a dangerous man." She had no idea why Phoebe wanted to go out for dinner with him.
"Look, he's been harassing you. He thinks you know something." Phoebe found out Elise was getting stalked by Cal. The letters, the creepy phone calls, even a black car following her everywhere she went. "Besides I won't be alone, Leo will be with me." Piper and Cole couldn't make it, Piper had to work overtime, and Cole was busy with his new client. Thankfully Leo was available. "I'll just turn on my womanly charms, I'll get Cal to confess, and Mika would be safe." Her intern Mika was so quiet these days, her once bubbly personality was gone; no doubt to Cal's demanding personality.
"Just be careful Phoebe. Beth, she taught she was safe too." Poor woman was forced to move back to New Orleans a few weeks after talking to Elise.
"I will. Besides, Leo, he's has a guaranteed mode of transportation." A perk of having her sister dating a whitelighter. "Something goes wrong, I know self defence."
"Okay. But call 911 if anything goes wrong." She hugs Phoebe. "Don't try playing the hero."
"I won't. I promise."
When she saw Phoebe the next day, she asked how her "interrogation" went.
Phoebe sat down hard in frustration.
"He was funny and charming." Phoebe tried using her empath powers on him, even tried tuning into his emotions to blurt up the truth. She even flirted with him making Leo promise not to tell Cole. Cal was a lot stronger than she thought. "Bastard knows how to hide." She sighed in frustration. "What do we do now?"
"I wish I knew." She takes Phoebe's hand. "Promise me you won't put yourself in danger again. Phoebe?" When Phoebe gasped.
Phoebe was trying to hold back her sobs as she walked up to the podium. Straightening out her black dress, she adjusts the mic.
"Afternoon everyone. We gather here to...Fuck it." She didn't care what the audience thought. "Excuse me." She cleared her thought. "Elise, most people know her as a tough woman. When she was Editor in Chief at the newspaper, she demanded perfection. Always check your sources, make sure there isn't a single mistake in your article, I don't care if an earthquake flattens the building, make sure the news gets out on time." She wipes her tears. "She was a perfectionist, but had a soft side to her that she rarely shows in public." Elise looked so peaceful, the coroner did a good job on her makeup. "She always was willing to help others, unfortunately she lost her life trying to do the right thing. Selfless as always."
"Is everything okay?" Phoebe was shaking. "Phoebe?" When Phoebe hugged her.
"Get cameras. Lots of them. I gotta go." She rushed out.
Elise was mystified about what just happened, but wouldn't be the first time Phoebe gasped.
When she sat back down, she thought about what Phoebe said. Cameras? She picked up her phone.
"Hi, I like to make a rush order, preferably today. I can pay triple. Before five. Thanks."
"Are you sure Phoebe?" Piper and Prue were driving to the Bay Mirror.
"How do you know it happens today?" Phoebe told both about her visions. Prue was naturally skeptical, but she trusted her sister's judgment.
"I just have this feeling." She didn't know why. Elise's murder could have happened anytime. "My future is coming true." Phoebe was terrified. But also angry. "Cal will pay for this."
"Not at the expense of your life." Piper never would forget the smell of Phoebe's burning flesh.
"I promise." She didn't want her future niece growing up in fear. She looked so much like her mom. "But if anything happens, take Leo and run."
She jumps out of Piper's SUV as soon as the car stops.
"Phoebe wait!" Piper was trying to get out of her seatbelt.
"We better hurry." Prue didn't want to lose Phoebe either.
They jump on the elevator as soon as it opened, they hoped everything was okay.
Phoebe was crying over Elise's body when they run in.
"I already called 911." Phoebe sobbed. "Elise." Not only was she beaten, she was shot as well.
"May I?" Prue wasn't a whitelighter, but she knew first aid. She checks her pulse. "She's still alive, but barely."
"I'm calling Leo. Leo!"
"What is it? Oh my god." Seeing Elise. "What happened?"
"Cal Greene. Heal now." Piper ordered. "Well?" When Leo hesitated.
"I can't." He looked remorseful.
"Why?" Piper threw her hands on her hips. "Leo..."
"I hear the ambulance." Prue says out loud.
"This wasn't a demon attack." Leo said regretfully. He flinched at Piper's glare.
"See! This is why I hate the Elders! Move your ass and heal her!" Before she could say anything more, the paramedics came running in.
Phoebe left with Elise, while Piper, Prue and Leo stayed to answer questions from the police.
Phoebe ripped her Styrofoam cup over and over again, pretending it was Cal Greene's head.
'Calm down. Phoebe, calm down.' Her rage killed Cal Greene. She had to think about the Greater Good. She prayed instead. Justice will be served, but in the right way. She forced herself to think about Elise. She'll need all the help she can get.
Her sisters sat with her after their interview with the police. Piper said she gave Phoebe a ride to her work so Phoebe can work last minute deadlines, and Prue and Leo came along on their way to P3 to help Piper with inventory.
"They want to talk to you." Prue hired a lawyer, just in case, they still remembered Phoebe's execution in that dark future.
"Fine.'' Cal Greene, she couldn't wait to see him in handcuffs.
When the doctor came, Phoebe pretended to be her niece.
"Aunt Elise. How is she?"
"She is incredibly lucky. A few minutes more and she would have died." She was still in emergency surgery.
"When can I see her?" Phoebe was still shaken. She was glad her sisters were with her, their presence calmed her.
"Soon. But only for a few minutes."
"Thanks." He'll pay.
She and her sisters told the police how Elise was getting stalked, and how afraid she always was. The DA, Nathaniel Pratt was sympathic, way different from the future as the hard ass attorney who hunted witches. But he warned it was impossible to convict Cal without evidence.
"You interviewed her yourself!" They managed to convince Beth to testify, they said that Cal was a monster that needed to be stopped. She called the District Attorney long distance and gave her statement, that she told Elise how Cal beat her the night before.
"The hospital took pictures! Elise was shot! How much evidence do you need!" Phoebe demanded. Unfortunately Elise was still in a medical induced coma.
"Look. I understand. But this is a high profile case. Cal Greene is a celebrity. His lawyers and his girlfriend have solid alibis that Cal was at practice. His lawyers are threatening to sue for defamation. I need hard evidence."
"I'll get you the evidence." She didn't know how. But she had to try.
A nervous Phoebe was waiting by the stairwell. She did some stalking herself, she knew Cal's routine well. He was here to get some physio for his sprained wrist, courtesy of Phoebe who paid a low level witch for a mild karma spell. She wasn't alone, she brought her sisters with her.
"Are you in position?" All three were using walkie-talkies to communicate. Leo warned all three that they would be punished severely for using their powers for personal gain.
"I'm watching Greene." Prue was pretending to be a cleaning lady, no one gave her a second look.
"And I'm watching Pratt. Phoebe. Don't try anything." Piper warned. She was going to freeze the stairwell. She just hoped Leo didn't find out.
"He's moving. Piper, get in position." Prue ordered.
"Gotcha." Piper needed Pratt out of the way. She managed to get Daryl to get Beth to give her statement to Pratt. Wasn't easy, woman was terrified. But after what she found out about Elise, she flew in from New Orleans with her sister. "Hurry. Daryl could only distract him for so long."
"Here he comes." Phoebe never been so afraid. But she swore to do things right. Once she heard the door opening upstairs, she looked up to see Piper giving her a thumbs up. She hid behind the door when she saw Cal walking towards her. Once he walked out, she saw him freeze in place.
"Okay. Do your thing. But don't kill him." None had no idea how Phoebe did it, her powers were harmless. Killing a human, even a warlock wouldn't use their powers.
Phoebe forced herself to stay calm. She walked to Cal and immediately knew how he died.
"So much hate. The anger he carries inside. It's overwhelming." When her future self killed him, she reflected his anger back to Cal, killing him. "How could a man carry so much rage." She forced herself to stand back.
"I see Pratt. Phoebe, get out of there!" Piper saw him walking towards the stairwell.
Both hurry out just as time unfreezes with Pratt using his cell. Cal walking away none the wiser.
It was months before justice was served. All three, including Elise were watching the verdict being read. When the jury called "Guilty," Phoebe and Elise held each other.
"Good thing I had cameras." Cost Elise most of her budget at the paper, but she didn't care what the owners thought. They made a fortune from the newspaper sales. It was the story of the year.
The cameras show Elise working alone in her office when her door opened. They showed Cal shouting, with a calm Elise saying she did nothing wrong.
It was horrifying seeing the beating. The sounds of bones breaking, flesh getting hit with his fists and feet, the whole room was crying. Especially Phoebe. Thankfully Leo allowed her powers to be temporarily bounded, otherwise the emotions from everyone would have overwhelmed her. Cal's fate was sealed when he took out that gun. First degree attempted murder with aggravated assault, plus stalking, he was never getting out of prison.
His now ex girlfriend tearfully thanked both, she was scared for her life, Cal always threatened to kill her and everyone she loved if she ever tried leaving him.
Elise and Phoebe became life long best friends after that. Elise was grateful she saved her life, with Phoebe insisting that she that Elise saved hers.
Once they got their pink slips, Elise threw a farewell party.
"Thank you. Everyone at The Bay Mirror, we all did well. Whatever you all decide what to do next, remember you all are the heart of the paper. Cheers." Elise held up her champagne glass with her one good hand, her arm was still in a cast.
"Even with the sales, we still lost our jobs. But that's okay." The sports writer wasn't sad about getting fired, he got hired almost immediately at The Sports Channel as head writer. It wasn't Cal Greene's story that got him hired, it was his fluff piece about the Mexican Wrestlers. His story got picked up when the Lucha Libre Wrestlers got signed at CPW as their breakout stars. His first story was him and his television crew heading to Mexico for their championship match. He smiled at Elise. "To our favourite Editor in Chief."
"I didn't want to cover your story, but you are the boss." Elise promised to keep Beth's identity a secret, and allowed the crime section to publish her role in the trail, but only if it wasn't biased. Xavier was going to New York to work at a news magazine.
"You are tough, but fair." The fashion writer hated Elise at first, she demanded perfection. But her strict rules made him a better writer, he was sad about losing his job, but was looking forward to heading back to college. He wanted to write in science journals for a living. "Thank you."
Elise blushed at all the praises. She hated to leave, this was her family. When Phoebe started talking, Elise forced herself to keep herself composed.
"To a great boss and friend." Phoebe was going to miss Elise the most. "She hired me, without seeing my work. But because of her, she changed many lives for the better. None of us would be where we are today without her." She smiled sadly at Elise who was trying not to cry. "Good luck in LA. May she publish my books someday." Phoebe joked. She was now unemployed, but only temporarily. She got hired as a occasional guest host on a podcast show. "She is more than our boss, she is our mom as well." Elise couldn't hold it, she started crying. "To Elise!"
"To Elise!" Everyone echoed.
"Let's party!" Elise was throwing the party at P3, Piper and Leo agreed to give a discount. Drinks weren't free though, except for Phoebe and Elise.
Once Dishwalla started playing, everyone started dancing.
Phoebe shook out of her daydreaming when someone shoved her. God, it was so long ago. Or so it seemed. Everyone changed. Prue was no longer engaged, Paige was in their lives, Piper and Leo weren't together anymore. They changed the past, both Elise and Phoebe were alive. But it cost one.
Hopefully they meet their niece someday, Phoebe never met her, but according to Piper was very sweet and beautiful. When she looked up, she saw Elise waving. Phoebe walks quickly up to her and hugs her.
"God. I'm glad you're okay." Elise couldn't help but worry about Phoebe. Her voice on the phone sounded terrified.
"My god Elise, you look fantastic." Phoebe meant it. Even before the layoffs, Elise looked so tired. She refused to think about Cal Greene, guy was sitting in maximum security.
"Thanks dear. Wow. Just look at you. My goodness you are thin as a rail. When was the last time you ate?"
"Not since two stops ago."
"Now, let's get you home, I made some dinner a few hours ago, all you need is to reheat it."
Two hours later, Phoebe was on the couch watching TV. Elise's apartment was nice and spacious, a tad smaller than her old place back in San Francisco, but Elise says she picked this place as it was close by her work. Phoebe was wearing a spare nightgown, her friend stated it belonged to a niece that stayed for a weekend before she went off to college.
"For a limited time offer get-." Click. "How could you? He was my father!" Click. "YEAHHH!" Click.
Phoebe yawned from boredom. As she is was flipping through channels trying to find something to watch, she needed to keep her mind busy. Plus to make herself sleep.
"God is watching! Behave or face His Terrible Wrath."
"He doesn't give a shit." Click.
She wasn't tired, she napped on the bus. She kept waking herself up from time to time just in case she was being followed. She doubted it, no one knew who she was. Everyone on the bus ignored her. She was sure she was safe, she didn't have her powers anymore. She knew it, although she didn't know why.
'At least I can have a normal life for awhile.' Phoebe thought. She was ready to call it a night till a news story caught her eye.
"Police are baffled at the series of murders that have been going on in the last few weeks. Victims across the country have been found with their hearts missing. There is no suspects, but police are investigating the possibly of a serial killer. Any info on any suspects are to call this number."
'Weird.' She didn't think much of it, but after finding nothing to watch, she turned on Elise's laptop. What was this?
"This isn't a serial killer." No way it was an ordinary human, even the black market would insist on a surgical room.
At first she thought it was a werewolf, but according to the news websites, it was surgical in nature. Witch? Could be. Certain alchemists and witch-doctors use human body parts for spells and experiments. A human heart was valuable. According to the reports, there was less than a dozen men that were found with their hearts missing.
"Whoever this was is one sick puppy." A demon that is targeting human organs instead of undoing love? Maybe. Or it could be a psychopath. She clicked off the TV and went to sleep.
She fell asleep and dreamed. She was then visited by one of her friends. The archangel Gabriel.
"How's it going Pheebs. Got any visions lately?"
"Hi Gabe, how's things."
"My nephew Jack is missing."
"Oh no. Is he alright?"
"I was hoping you'll tell me."
"I was out of commission for months now. There is no way I know about the world's events." She didn't remember anything. Even her subconsciousness was blank.
"Right. You were sick. Your powers were bounded by my brother. I'll tell him to restore your magic."
"Can you not. I like being mortal. No responsibilities, not being a role model, just a ordinary girl."
"I'm afraid that impossible. Being a Charmed one is your destiny. Besides, your sisters and friends are in great danger. Two of your sisters are being held hostage, and one of them is travelling with her man. Without you they will fail."
Phoebe woke up in a hurry. What was that about. Then she remembered what Tessa said. Her sisters were kidnapped. Damn. She prayed to the Heavens to get her powers back. She waited for a few minutes.
Nothing.
Oh well. She might as well sleep. Hopefully she'll get her premonitions back in the morning.
The smell of eggs and coffee woke her up. Mmm. Even though she ate last night, she felt like she never ate all week. She got up and stretched. She looked at the clock. 6am? Damn. Its been months before she woke up this early.
"Morning, sleepy head. I made you eggs. I hope you like your eggs over easy. There is also coffee and toast. Sorry I have no sausage or bacon. I didn't have time to go grocery shopping this week." Elise was sitting on a stool drinking a cup of coffee and reading a paper.
"That's okay. Smells great. Yum. Are you staying for breakfast?" Phoebe asked. Her stomach growling, she gets up to eat.
"Can't I have to be in the office soon." She looks up at the clock. "Shit! I'm late. Phoebe honey, I hate to ask, but can you pick up some groceries for me?"
"Sure. What did you want me to get?"
"I left you a list on the fridge. Feel free to pick up something for yourself. There is towels in the closet if you want a shower, and I left you a change of clothes. You are free to wash your clothes from last night if you prefer your own. See you." Elise turns around to leave, then she blurts out. "Oh, my car is downstairs in the garage. It's a red Miata. I left the keys in the stand by the door. Bye!"
"See you!" Phoebe waves goodbye. She hungrily scarfs down her breakfast and once she washed her dishes, she went to take a long hot shower.
"Uptown girl, you are my world!" Phoebe sang. God she never realized how she took everything for granted, she swore to become a better person.
After her shower Phoebe got dressed, she borrowed some of who she assumed was Elise's niece's clothing.
'Not bad.' Kinda big, but beggars can't be choosers.
Once she blew and styled her hair and makeup, she stared distastefully at the mirror.
"I really need a haircut." Her hair was long, it reminded her of that time she was in that prison in the future. She called a hair salon for a appointment.
Before Phoebe left, she grabbed the car keys as well as the grocery list and the money Elise left her. Phoebe been to Los Angeles several times, but she wasn't familiar with her neighbourhood. Luckily Elise left her directions. Once she found out where a local supermarket was nearby, Phoebe drove there to purchase some food for Elise.
She got out of her car to grab a grocery cart, luckily for her a cute guy just put one back in a corral. Once Phoebe touched it, she gasped. She had a vision.
She saw a man, he had a bunch of young children with him. He was talking to them about something, when the children screamed.
A long blade was sticking out of his belly.
The children started crying.
But that wasn't the worst part, it was the children getting taken away. But not by force, they all vanished with the flap of wings.
She woke up from her vision.
"Oh god." Guess Heaven needed her after all.
She looked frantically for that guy. That shopper, he was the one who was killed.
She looked frantically around, he couldn't have gone far. Then to her dismay, she saw him driving away.
"Hey! Wait!" She ran after the car, hoping he could see her before he left the parking lot. "Dammit." She had to save him. She ran to Elise's car and followed him. Unfortunately, the LA traffic was horrible.
"C'mon." San Francisco was bad, but LA was much worse. Cars were back to back, traffic was heavily congested. Good news is, her innocent was in her sight. Bad news is, she couldn't get out of her car, cars were inches away from her on all sides. She had to make sure he was never out of her sight.
When the cars started moving, she stayed close by him so not to lose him. Whenever he turned, Phoebe made sure to follow. She even memorized his license plate, just in case.
It was a tense ride. She didn't want to spook him, she didn't want him to see her. Then to her surprise the man drove up to a school. Was he a teacher? Would make sense. In her vision that man had a lot of kids with him. When he parked, Phoebe made sure to park as well, hopefully Elise didn't get towed, this was a private parking lot.
Knowing she had to keep him in her sight at all times, she knew she wouldn't be allowed in the school without a good reason. So she needed to be creative. She fixed up her hair, touched up her lipstick thanks to Elise who left a tube in her car, and went inside.
"Can I help you?" The woman she had to assume was the secretary asked. Phoebe didn't know where to go, so she went to the office.
"That man. Who is he?" She gave her his description.
"Mr. Webster? He is in class at the moment. Is there a reason why you need to see him?"
Phoebe thought about her answer. Damn it. She wished she had her sisters powers. She could have froze time and ran after him. She decided to make up a bullshit answer.
"He ran into my car and I need to exchange insurance info with him."
"Take a seat. I'll leave him a message."
Phoebe sat down on the hard plastic chair and waited for this 'Mr. Webster' to make a appearance. She hoped it wasn't too late. She waited for over an hour, she forgot how long school periods were.
Bored, she listened to the conversations around her.
"Franklin Academy, please hold."
"Miss Richards, I feel sick."
"My students need to study more, none seem to pay attention."
RING!
"Finally." It was after she hears the school bell when he appeared. Whoa. He was even cuter up close. Dark hair, handsome face, especially his eyes. Best part was, he wasn't wearing a ring. Judging by his face, he looked to be Phoebe's age. Her tongue was somewhat tied. He looked impatiently at her.
"Yes? Can you make it a hurry? I need to have a cup of coffee before I go back to class."
"Mr. Webster. Can we talk? Alone?" When she saw the secretary and a few students looking at them curiously. They were outside the hallway a minute later when she tried to telling him what she saw in her vision without scaring him.
"This sounds crazy. But I think you are in danger." She proceeded to tell him a censored version on what she saw. She was careful not to say too much, she didn't want to scare him. When he laughed, she tried not to show her frustration.
"Great gag. Did my brother put you up to this?" He looks at his watch, "I got to go, I have a class to teach, and I need to grab a cup of coffee."
"Mr. Webster! Wait!" Phoebe cries. She tried following him, but he walked away from her as fast as he could.
'Dammit.' Phoebe thought. Doesn't he know that his life is in danger? She thought about where her vision took place. The vision only showed him getting killed and the children being taken. Other than a plain wall, nothing stood out.
Phoebe thought about what to do, then she had a idea. Seeing the students playing outside, she decided she could sneak in with the students when the bell rang. A few minutes later when the recess bell went off, Phoebe followed the students.
She ducked down when she walked by the admission office plus security and snuck down the hallways looking for Mr. Webster. The school wasn't big, but she couldn't find him. She stood in the middle of the hallway wondering what to do next when she saw him. She immediately ducked behind a small alcove beside her and waited for him to go in his classroom, hoping he didn't see her.
She heard him laughing at another teacher words, then a minute later, he went inside his classroom.
"Yeah me too. Gotta go, I'll see you later!" Mr Webster goes inside and shuts the door.
Phoebe took a quick look in his classroom when he went inside and found no one but him and the students. For that Phoebe was grateful. His murder hopefully doesn't happen here with a class full of kids.
She was just standing there waiting when she heard him telling his students to get ready for a field trip.
'Oh shit.' She needed to hide. She quickly ducked inside the girl's washroom nearby and after she went inside, peeked out. She saw him and his class of students which were the same children she saw in her vision and had a idea. Spying a fire alarm, she made a desperate decision. She walked out of the washroom and pulled it, causing the alarm to go off. Soon all the classrooms opened. In the chaos she saw him staring right at her. Oops.
A few minutes later she was outside with the rest of the school. The fire trucks pulled up and she seen firefighters go inside as well as an ambulance. She wasn't sure how much time she had before he was attacked but Phoebe hoped she changed the course of events.
She knew she had to disappear for the time being. If the authorities found out she pulled the alarm on purpose, she was in deep trouble. When the firefighters gave the all clear, Phoebe quickly walked away. She returned to her car since going back in the school was way too risky. Thank goodness Elise's car wasn't towed, Phoebe didn't have any money to get it out of compound. She hoped the teacher stayed in his classroom since police and firefighters were still in the school. She figured he'll be safe for the time being.
Unfortunately she saw a school bus pulling up and it hindered her vision. She couldn't get out of the car there was still police present. The only thing she could see was kids piling on the bus, so she prayed those kids she seen in her vision were not on that bus. As she was watching she saw and who she assumed was another teacher climb on. Fuck. She had no choice but to follow them.
She followed the bus at a safe distance keeping it in her sight. Maybe fate says the rules cannot be changed. But why couldn't she? She changed the rules a few times. Countless lives were saved because of her gift. This man, a teacher no less, didn't deserve to die. Especially in front of his students. Speaking of, why would anyone kidnap so many kids? She followed the bus all the way to their destination.
WELCOME TO THE CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER
Sitting in her car, she was debating on what to do. Should she stop him from going inside, but then again he could call security with Phoebe possibly getting arrested and without her around he will die. And those kids would be taken away. She could flatten the school's bus tires just in case the kidnapper took those kids away, but then again he could take them away in a van. But it would still cause one man's death.
She was thinking hard when and the second male teacher walked out of the bus with their students following them. She had no choice but to follow everyone inside. After paying her admission, she followed them at a distance. Pretending to be interested in the guide's explanation of the exhibit that was currently on display, she kept a close eye on him.
A while later they were in the Space section. Mr. Webster was leading his students to a room where there was displays of various telescopes when she noticed a man with a long case watching them. Phoebe thought he was an employee of the Center, until she noticed he was staring at the kids with a hungry expression. Oh god. Was he a pedophile? She looked around for security until she saw him take out a long silver blade. He was heading towards the teacher with the blade.
Phoebe didn't hesitate. She ran forward screaming.
"Mister! Watch out!" Phoebe screamed. As he turned around, Phoebe went running towards him and threw out of the way. The guy with the blade looked startled, then quickly walked away, by hiding his sword in his trench coat.
After double checking that he was alright, Phoebe ran out after the would be killer. Unfortunately he was long gone by the time Phoebe ran out after him. Phoebe stomped her foot in frustration. But at least he left his case behind. She went back inside and heard a commotion.
The cute teacher was being helped up by his fellow teacher. Security was surrounding the area, they overheard the screams of Phoebe and the kids.
"Oh my god. Coop, are you alright?" His friend asked.
"Yeah. Thanks Reilly." He was shaken. That guy tried to stab him. But why? He saw who saved him, it was that weirdo woman that pulled that alarm at that school, why she did that he had no idea. He didn't say anything to the authorities, he figured she had a good reason. But her actions saved his life, as well as his kids. He wanted to thank her. "Um. That girl, did you see where she went?" He looked around and saw her. "Wow." She was beautiful.
"Coop, I called 911. The cops plus security would want to talk to you both."
"Sure. Reilly, take the kids to the cafeteria. I don't want to traumatize them anymore then I already did." Most of the students were crying. When he looked up, she was gone. "Huh? Where did she go?" He needed to thank her.
Phoebe was outside, she needed to get away from getting seen. Who the hell was that guy with the case? Why would he want to kill a grade school teacher? There was something about that guy that unsettled her. Was he the one that took those men's hearts?
She decided to leave. With police on their way, she couldn't afford to be interviewed. Just in case those people who kidnapped her sisters and her friends were watching and waiting for her to show her face. She got inside Elise's car and drove away.
The woman with the dark hair was in the science center in the Ecosystem area. She was following her target, the witch with the psychic visions. She already eliminated some hunters and some witches, and thanks to her watching the Halliwell manor she saw her take off on a bus to Los Angeles. She took the same bus, and thanks to the facial mask her bosses supplied her with, the witch didn't recognize her. She was careful not to go near her, knowing she can see right through to her soul. She knew where she was heading next. Elise Rothwell's apartment.