Disclaimer: Quotes are taken and borrowed from the sixth season episode, It's A Bad Bad Bad Bad World Pt. 2. My own dialogue/scenes will be added on following the scene. It is strictly being used for entertainment purposes. There is no infringement intended.

Author's Note: Through a series of flashbacks, this chapter is going to explore Gideon, how he survived, and the events leading up to his current situation. I felt that it was important to get this back story out there before any further involvement with Lana and the Triad is explored in the present time. The following chapter will resume with the sisters and any other reunions that are still in store for them.

IDontBreakBonesJustHearts: Piper did have quite the tart tongue last chapter, didn't she, lol But in her defense, remember, she's quite emotional right now. She just found out about Prue and Billie within a day's time and didn't have enough time to process it all before confronting Prue. Basically, she's feeling betrayed by the people who mean the most to her, which is her family. Poor Paige got caught in the crossfire but it's Prue she's really upset with. But no worries. Piper will calm down and begin to work through her issues with all her sisters.

LoveAngel 1705: Hey! I'm glad you agree and found the sisters reunion to be realistic. That's what I was going for and you're definitely right about the personality attributes when it comes to the sisters, lol.

On with the story

Chapter 14: A Right Day's Journey Into Wrong

Present (November 2006)

Gideon stood alone in the privacy of his own darkened chamber.

His plans had been progressing in an unexpected way but he reasoned that at least they were progressing. He had managed to get a hold of Prue, bringing her back to the Underworld, while still keeping the other sisters completely in the dark. However, he also kept in mind that they were about to discover the truth very soon if they hadn't already.

After the successful abduction of her young daughter over a year ago, Gideon had kept tabs on Prue's whereabouts. When she had recently moved to a new location, fate would have it that a former mortal ally of the Charmed Ones was residing in the same place. Gideon knew he had needed to act quickly when he first sent Dannon to take care of the situation. The plan to kill Prue, and to prevent her from ever reuniting with the other sisters, had been unsuccessful; however, he was pleased that Captain Morris had been unable to interfere. Gideon had used dark magic to block any communication attempts with the other sisters. It had bought him some time and in the end they had been able to use Darryl's presence in Prue's life to their advantage when altering the plan had become necessary. The shape shifter had taken the cop friend's physical form.

Gideon's concentration shifted.

Within his hands, he held on tightly to Pandora's Box while contemplating his current state of affairs. It was rather ironic for at one time he served the greater good and the need to protect it against an unstoppable power. Now he stood in direct opposition, trying to seize that power for the other side. His mind drifted to other thoughts, thoughts about that one moment in time, a moment that changed everything for him and brought him to where he was now.

(Flashback)

Underworld (2004)

Gideon flinched in pain as the knife plunged into his flesh. There, before him, he watched as the form of Barbas shifted back into Leo. A man, who's face featured an angry menacing glare.

"Why?" pleaded Gideon.

"Because," Leo seethed through his own gritted teeth. "You murdered my son!" And with one powerful swipe of his hand he sent Gideon flying through the air and onto the dirt ground. He landed flat on his stomach.

Leo turned around to address his son, Wyatt. The little boy was trapped inside of an electrical force field as he witnessed the entire altercation taking place.

"I'll be back," his father reassured him as he headed in Gideon's direction.

Gideon pulled the knife out of himself and rolled onto his back. He began pleading with Leo to see reason. "Leo, please? You have to understand. I am only doing this for the greater good," he defended. "I swear ..." but he was cut off as Leo swiped the knife from his hand.

Leo pulled Gideon up from off of the ground roughly and held onto him tightly. "How is killing a child ever for the greater good?" he demanded to know. "And who the hell are you to decide that?" he exclaimed as he threw the Elder through the air for the second time. This time the stone wall broke his fall.

At the very same moment, Barbas flamed in behind a cavern rock.

Gideon was held in place against the wall by Leo. "I'm an Elder, so are you, it's what we do!" he argued.

But Leo lifted him up against the wall anyway. "I'm not one of you anymore!" he declared.

Gideon wasn't deterred. "Leo, listen to me! You know what happens, you know what Chris came here to stop!"

And with those words spoken, Leo threw him through the air for the final time. Barbas, witnessing the entire confrontation, flamed back out.

"Let me finish what I started," Gideon ranted. "Let me save the future. It's the only way it can be saved!" he cried out desperately, while crawling on his hands and knees to reach his destination; Wyatt. However, Leo blocked his path.

"You're the reason the future's threatened Gideon," replied Leo. "Not Wyatt. But because of what you do to him. I'm about to make sure that neither one of you get the chance again!" Then, Leo called for the mirror that housed his parallel counterpart. "Mirror!"

"Are you ready?" asked evil Leo from the reflection in the mirror.

"Yeah, now remember. You can't do anything. I have to do this alone!" came Leo's response.

"I know," acknowledged his evil counterpart.

Gideon looked back and forth between Leo and his evil counterpart. "Do what?" he pleaded.

"A great evil!" he answered him.

And with that said, strong spurts of energy sprung forth from Leo's hands aimed at the former Elder, as it impacted him. His wails of pain could be heard throughout the Underworld Cavern. Gideon fell to the ground, his searing flesh burning. He addressed Leo one final time.

"You have no idea what you've done," was his parting remark. Then he turned into a pile of dark ash.

(Flashback # 2)

Underworld (2004)

Barbas had waited for the Elder and his son to depart from the Underworld before making his presence known.

After retrieving the items he needed, he had flamed back into the cavern. In his hands, he carried a set of stones. They were very powerful stones for they contained enough dark magic to make the resurrection possible. But the stones could not be used by any demon. Not all demons possessed the same amount of power required to activate them. Especially, lower level demons. Therefore, their purpose and use had limitations. However, the particular task at hand would not be a problem for Barbas.

This idiot Elder is lucky that I anticipated his demise, he thought. But now he'll be forever indebted to me.

He smirked.

After Barbas approached the pile of ash, he knelt down before it and scanned the remains. He then proceeded to position the stones in the circular formation required for the ritual he was about to perform. When the stones were positioned around Gideon's ashes, Barbas pulled out a dark vial. It was a vial that contained a sample of demonic blood. He opened it, poured the contents over the ashes, and began to chant in traditional and ceremonial form. The chant was in an ancient Latin dialect. As the words were spoken, Gideon's ashes slowly reformed back into their former natural state. While the chant continued, a malevolent force reached out and pulled his life force back to his body and prevented him from reaching the depths of the afterlife.

Suddenly, Gideon bolted up gasping for air.

What the hell had just happened? One minute he felt like he was floating away and the next thing he realized, his former state of consciousness had returned to him. As he looked around, he realized that he had become the centerpiece inside of a circular pattern made by stones. He reached up to grab for his face, but there were no burn marks present and the searing pain was gone.

"What happened?" Gideon exclaimed in shock. He looked to his side and noticed that Barbas, the demon of fear, was standing by his side. An evil grin plastered on his face.

"What happened?" Barbas repeated. "What happened is me!" he announced while dramatically waving his hands around him. "And now, you're mine!"

Gideon shot the demon a glare.

(Flashback # 3)

Underworld Chamber (2005)

Gideon sat inside the darkened chamber alone and confined to the wall.

He had been here a long time now but he wasn't sure how much longer that was likely to last. Barbas grew weary and impatient. At the time, the demon of fear had figured he could hold Gideon for as long as he needed and bargain away his Elder powers when the time was right. But one major miscalculation put a wrench in that plan: Gideon's powers had never resurfaced.

Barbas grew tired of waiting. He was a demon who bargained for his survival within the demonic Underworld. He would barter with any demonic being if it meant getting what he wanted. This was how he had successfully escaped the confines of the Wasteland, something that Gideon was more than well aware of when he and the Charmed Ones had made an appearance before the Tribunal.

Gideon had been left alone for sometime after Barbas had been banished to the Wasteland for a second time after another encounter with the Charmed Ones and the Avatars. As it turned out, the Avatars had been shielding their identities for a period of time in their attempts to mold the world into their own image.

Dark magic barely kept him alive.

However, upon the return of Barbas, the demon of fear had served as a fountain of valuable information. Information that proved to be quite useful. Gideon still wasn't sure how he had secured his release this time around; however, through him, he had come to learn that parts of the Underworld were getting close to actively acquiring an ultimate power. He wondered if it was THE Power?

During his time as an Elder, Gideon had become aware that the Underworld had gained knowledge regarding the Ultimate Power yet often tried to uncover how they had found out. It had been a closely guarded secret. Assuming that the demons could figure out at some point that it was in fact the Charmed Ones themselves, Gideon had taken drastic measures. He prevented all four sisters from reuniting together.

Rumor spread that a young girl had been kidnapped around many years ago. They were planning on luring the kidnapped girl's sister to them in order to get to the power. They believed it could be used to effectively eliminate the Charmed Ones. Apparently, the sister was the Ultimate Power. However, this revelation was a source of confusion for Gideon as he already knew what the Ultimate Power was and who it really belonged to. After all, he had been the responsible party in preventing it from coming to pass. Barbas claimed another demon let it slip to other parts of the Underworld. This mysterious demon was known as Dumain.

Gideon stored everything about this in his memory and also contemplated the information very carefully. He was now curious to learn more about this other girl and drew the conclusion that knowing the real truth about the Ultimate Power, and the Charmed Ones, could prove to be an effective bargaining chip later on down the road. That was if he ever got out of here alive.

Gideon's focus had later shifted to the stones that Barbas held in his possession: The Vicarian Stones. They were the same stones that granted his life back to him. They were also another ancient artifact, very much like the Hollow or Pandora's Box. All of these objects wielded too much power; therefore, it was dangerous for either side, good or evil, to have them in their possession. There was one difference here though. The stones offered a safeguard that the Hollow or Pandora's Box did not. Since the stones operated according to the level of magic a demon or magical being possessed, the use of their power wouldn't become dangerous unless an extremely high level being was using them for their own personal bidding. The Hollow or Pandora's Box, on the other hand, did not work like that. While it might take a high level of magic to summon these objects from their place, and in spite of their appointed Guardians, any demon or magical being in possession of the boxes could gain access to the power held within or risk letting out what was dangerous. For this reason, both boxes had been safe guarded, locked away with Guardians appointed to watch over them.

If there was just some way he could get his hands on those stones? They would make another excellent bargaining tool against other demons in the absence of his own powers. He often wondered how Barbas had obtained them in the first place. Suddenly, Gideon was torn away from all his reflective thoughts when the chamber door could be heard opening. It opened to reveal Barbas.

"Ah, Barbas," he exclaimed. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to make it today?"

"Well, well," mocked Barbas. "I see you've managed to keep your sense of humor during our time spent together. Too bad the same thing won't be said for your life," he sneered.

Gideon contemplated the implication of his words. Well, it was now or never, he thought. He might as well give it a shot. After all, if it didn't work, he supposed seeking revenge against Leo, his family, and the other Elders in the next life was always a possibility. The truth was he harbored deep resentment and blamed all of them for his current predicament.

"Now, Barbas," Gideon mocked back. "What fun would that be when I could have the answer to your problem right in the palm of my hand," he baited the demon.

"Yeah? And what might that be?" the demon sneered back.

Gideon grinned back in the direction of Barbas and went for it.

(Flashback # 4)

Underworld (2005)

Gideon was ecstatic. He had actually accomplished his feat: defeating Barbas and freeing himself in the process.

The Vicarian Stones were now in his possession while the former resident demon had found a permanent home amongst the Wasteland again. Successfully, he had managed to convince Barbas to try and use the stones for power restoration. The suggestion had worked. He no longer carried Elder-like powers but they were powers nonetheless. At least now he wouldn't be as vulnerable roaming the Underworld like he would have been without any powers at all. While Gideon had held one stone in hand during the power transfer, he had been able to revert the energy and aimed it back in the direction of Barbas. The energy had vanquished the demon on the spot.

As Gideon searched the Underworld, he was determined to come into contact with the same demons who were trying to draw out the Ultimate Power. He figured they had to be higher level demons. Using the stones as an intimidation tactic, he gathered any existing information that he could from other demons. However, they all claimed to know nothing about this mysterious power or who was behind coveting it. Some of the retrieved information was pulled from a number of seers who predicted a young woman would soon be searching for her lost sister within the depths of the Underworld. The name of the girl was Billie Jenkins.

So the plan to lure the girl might work after all, he thought.

Gideon decided the best place to start would be with Dumain. However, as hard as he searched, or interrogated, he could find no trace of him. The stones had finally assisted in isolating a very hidden location. After tracking him down, and as expected, Dumain had been hesitant to reveal anything at first. In fact, he wanted to know how Gideon found him when his location was supposed to be magically protected from any outsiders. It wasn't until Gideon made it known that he possessed the Vicarian Stones that Dumain changed his own tune.

Present with Dumain was a young girl. He had briefly wondered if she could be the abducted sister the other girl would be seeking to find. The speculation was quickly put to rest as Dumain introduced her.

"This is Lana. She's the daughter of a former Triad member. One who is now exiled. Her mortal mother was killed after her birth and she never knew her father. I, on the other hand, have had the dubious honor of raising her," Dumain detailed to Gideon. "Soon she will take her rightful place amongst the Triad after completing her task."

Gideon stared hard at the young woman before him. She had a cold and unfeeling presence about her. Mortal mother or not, this girl did not seem to exhibit any humanistic qualities whatsoever. But, then again, what should one expect to see after years of being raised by a demon, Gideon reasoned.

"The Triad?" Gideon reiterated. "Is that who you are working for?"

So the mystery demons were finally revealed. They were still alive and probably the ones seeking the Power.

Dumain hesitated before answering. "Well, sort of," he finally answered. "But why don't you tell me how you got your hands on those stones," he changed the subject. "Or better yet, how do you even know about the Ultimate Power? Or the kidnapped girl? It's been a closely guarded secret for some time now."

"Hmm," Gideon hummed while he began pacing. "I have my sources. But I'm not here to discuss that," he rebuked quickly. "I want to know why is it you believe the kidnapped girl's sister to be that power?" he interrogated.

"Who? Billie?" Dumain questioned, beginning to pace as well.

Lana remained silent as she observed both men.

"Well, for starters, she's a witch," Dumain revealed. "And I had my ways for uncovering Billie's magical origins. With a little help of course," he added after a brief pause.

"Which would be?" Gideon pushed for the information.

Dumain narrowed his eyes. "That's not important. What is important is we believe we can use her power."

"Really?" Gideon mocked.

"Evil dreaded the prediction of the coming Charmed Ones for generations. Melinda Warren's prophecy was well known to both sides, before they were ever born. Of course, for our side, this created the big question on how they could be destroyed."

"And you believe you've found that way?" Gideon pushed.

"Yes." Dumain glared.

A new idea was quickly forming in the back of Gideon's mind. It could possibly be a way for him to obtain his revenge after all. As an added bonus, perhaps he could still keep the advantage of not having to tell Dumain the truth about the real Ultimate Power. He continued to piece the plan together in his mind and decided he needed to do a little more digging of his own first.

Dumain stared trying to size up the mysterious newcomer.

"Rumors spread awhile ago of an Ultimate Power that would prove to be unstoppable. I sought to seek that power out some time ago," Dumain shared. "I decided that if I ever got my hands on it, then maybe, just maybe, evil would actually stand a chance against the Charmed Ones. Every other demon before me who has gone up against them has failed. The Source included. But I've bided my time patiently."

"Clearly," Gideon sneered.

"You know, it turns out, that during all my searching, I uncovered an ancient scroll from an apothecary," Dumain shifted subject matter.

Gideon narrowed his eyes. It was obvious he was trying to steer away from any talk regarding the Ultimate Power but he let it pass. "You mean you stole an ancient scroll from an apothecary of good magic."

Gideon pretty much guessed which scroll he was referring to. It had gone missing from the magical community some time ago. Elders held a vague amount of knowledge surrounding the information held within it, but nobody was ever certain where it had actually originated from. Unlike the Charmed prophecy whom the magical community knew passed down from Melinda Warren herself, its origins were shrouded in mystery. The prophecy was later linked to the birth of Piper's son Wyatt.

"Well, yes, of course," Dumain smirked. "But who cares about the technicalities. What matters is what it revealed. The scroll unveiled the prophecy about a Twice-Blessed Child. A very powerful child. I thought maybe we could use this power too."

Gideon's thoughts briefly turned to Wyatt.

Wyatt? Some witch named Billie? This Lana person, or rather, demon? So Dumain was a collector of magical kids, powerful magical kids. How original. "And you just came across all this information about these powers on your own?" he was full of skepticism.

Dumain hesitated. "Well, lets just say, the time leaper's abilities proved well worth my time," he admitted.

A time leaper?

Gideon's mind began to wander on who that 'somebody' might be and became suspicious. Was it possible it was someone he knew and dealt with during his time as an Elder? How else could Dumain have been lead to the information? Was this how those rumors about a coming Ultimate Power had spread throughout the Underworld? He had been trying to serve the greater good. The time leaper sounded very much like the avatar he had a temporary arrangement with so that the greater good could rid itself of the Ultimate Power threat. This had all transpired so long ago and way before he took those extra added measures with the sisters. Measures that had included faking Prue Halliwell's death.

"How?" Gideon interrogated gently, as to not alert Dumain to the fact that he might already know more than he was letting on. "How would this time leaper be privy to such knowledge?"

"Because," Dumain stressed. "He was in possession of the Ultimate Power Prophecy. He showed me who the Ultimate Power would be. I got to see it all through time travel. He gave that scroll to me later on but I ..." he fumbled, choosing his next words carefully, "misplaced it."

Gideon felt himself on the verge of seething. "You misplaced it?" he repeated.

It could be anywhere right now and anybody could get their hands on it? He felt all his plans to prevent the Power's release flush right down the toilet. He never should have trusted the time leaper but the avatar had been their best option at the time. He quickly remembered to keep his anger in check.

"Unfortunately," Dumain began with ease.

Gideon was contemplating how to begin fixing that mistake.

"When we time traveled, using the Ultimate power scroll," Dumain changed that particular subject quickly, "he led us to a home occupied by two little girls. But the time leaper said he only traced the magic to the youngest child, not the older one. He picked up her coming power to be of ultimate proportions."

"And?" Gideon pushed.

"And," Dumain stressed. "I needed a way to get close enough to it. I posed as an imaginary friend," he shrugged.

"So this Billie is the Ultimate Power, then." Gideon stared; however, all the while knowing better. "So?"

It was obvious to Gideon that the time leaper had intentionally mislead Dumain about the Ultimate Power. The only question was why?

Who was this Billie?

Dumain glared at him. "So?" he repeated. "So I waited centuries for her birth. With the Ultimate Power scroll in my possession, I stayed close by. Grabbing her sooner didn't quite work out as expected," he left it cryptically. "Then we had her abduction arranged."

"I thought her sister was taken?"

"Minor oversight," Dumain laughed. "The demon we hired screwed up but it didn't matter."

"It didn't matter?" Gideon parroted, seeking clarification for that.

"We improvised," Dumain clarified.

The scroll itself actually contained something very pivotal to the final constitution of the Ultimate Power, something Gideon hadn't seen in a very long time. This was how he knew that the scroll the time leaper once possessed wouldn't have lead Dumain to Billie, if anything, it should have led him straight to the Charmed Ones. If Dumain's time leaper was in fact who Gideon already believed him to be, he had known the truth on the real Ultimate Power. The time leaper had to have manipulated which place in 'time' he allowed Dumain to see. For Gideon, this seemed like the most probable explanation. Now, he was just left feeling confused on what role Billie played in this and what power she did or didn't have.

"So let me guess," surmised Gideon. "Billie's power is the one to finally defeat the Charmed Ones?" Gideon resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the demon. They were all 'the one." Evil's motives really weren't that complicated but how many times had they tried but failed

The Charmed Ones powers hadn't been restored to them until right after Penny had passed away. They had lost access and memory to them at such a young age; however, he also acknowledged that it hadn't necessarily stopped demons, like Dumain, from finding out who the children would become one day. After all, their powers hadn't been completely stripped away.

"Well, yes," Dumain acknowledged like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "With a little help from Lana, of course." He turned to look in her direction. "Lana will be taking the place of Christy. We've already transplanted her memories inside of Lana before she died and now all we have to do is wait for Billie to come looking."

So the real sister was already dead, Gideon thought. Not surprising. Gideon had a plan formulating. The Underworld believed Prue to be dead. He knew he was the only one here who knew any different. There was the child. The child that nobody knew about except for he and a handful of Elders. The time leaper appeared to be out of the picture and wouldn't pose a problem.

"You can't be certain this Billie will be enough," Gideon poked holes in his plan. "Charmed Power is the strongest of good magic."

Dumain reacted. "Billie's Ultimate Power will make do," he defended. "It's the best weapon yet! We had hoped to obtain Wyatt's power too. To match up with Billie's. Unfortunately, that didn't work out as planned seeing as how the demons I hired to steal him at birth failed me miserably," he vented.

This was Gideon's opening so he took it. "Well," he began. "What if I told you that I knew where to find another child with power just as strong as Wyatt's?" he finally offered up. "Then you wouldn't need Wyatt's?"

"And how would that even be possible?" Dumain interrogated Gideon. "What other power could possibly measure up against Charmed power? The Ultimate Power is the best bet we've got." He paused. "Who are you anyway?" he finally demanded to know.

"Ah, that I won't tell," Gideon replied secretively. "But I can assure you that this power definitely measures up. However, here's the catch. If I can produce the child and her powers, you take me to the Triad," he bargained.

Dumain thought long and hard before replying. "The Triad would need to be summoned," he answered sternly. "And they do not like to be disturbed."

However Dumain thought about it some more. It would be better for Lana to enter the mortal world under the guise of a witch, with witch powers, since Christy hadn't been one herself. If such a child existed, they could take the powers for Lana? After all, how would Billie know the difference? Certainly she would be under the assumption her sister was just like her, they were sisters after all. But for that idea to work, they would need witch-like powers to show for. The demonic ones could be passed off but they could possibly draw suspicion. It could be worth a shot.

"Well?" Gideon pushed for an answer.

"Okay, we try it. But here's the deal from our end. If you try but fail, we get the Vicarian Stones," he bartered as he looked Gideon hard in the face.

"Deal," Gideon readily agreed. "But I won't fail, so what will you be getting out of this?"

Dumain turned around with his back facing the former Elder. "Exactly what I've sought from the beginning of all this," he announced. "To become a Triad member. They're the most powerful evil to exist." And little did Dumain realize, that's exactly what Gideon planned on seeking out too. Before he handed over the child or her powers.

(Flashback # 5)

Underworld (2005) - A week prior to Halloween

Gideon roamed the Underworld in search of a Dogon.

Dumain had provided him with the idea after revealing to him how they managed to accomplish Christy's abduction all those years back. This particular demon was the best for the job. He would enter quickly, take the child, and leave without being seen nor heard.

Unfortunately, he needed to get to one fast because rumor was quickly spreading from Seers, ones who were working for Dumain and the Triad, who foresaw Billie being close in her search with finding the demon responsible for kidnapping her sister. Luckily, he had located one just in time. It wasn't the same one involved in Christy's abduction; however, he would do nevertheless. The Dogon was resistant at first and it took some persuading on Gideon's part but he finally got him to agree.

"Why should I?" sneered the Dogon, behind his half-masked face. His long pointed fingernails waved in front of him. "What's in it for me?"

Gideon thought about the proposition. He pulled out the stones, rolling them around in his hands. The Dogon took notice immediately.

"The Vicarian Stones!" he declared. "How do you have them?"

"That's not important," supplied Gideon. "What is important; however, is what I will offer you through the stones."

"Go on!" the demon urged, feeling intrigued.

"You bring me back the child," he started "And I'll use these stones to increase your power threefold. Your new power will allow you to seek out other demons of your choosing and be able to steal their power in order to make it your own," he proposed.

The Dogon thought long and hard about the proposal.

"Agreed! But my condition is that you give me the power now! Not after, otherwise I walk!" he decreed.

Gideon didn't like the condition but relented because he was desperate. However, the last thing he needed was for the demon to draw attention to himself by killing off other demons in order to acquire their powers. What if he got caught and vanquished before completing his mission to take the child? Unfortunately, he would have to risk it.

"Fine," Gideon had relented. "But remember the mission needs to be completed on All Hallows Eve. Not before and not after. Are we understood?" he demanded.

"Perfectly!" the Dogon sneered.

Gideon wasn't entirely sure the little girl would possess powers but it was more likely than not. After all, they had only partially bound her mother's powers, not stripped her of them completely. So, naturally, it was just a question of when the little girl would develop them. The Elders decided that if and when it became an issue, they would just deal with it then. And the power generated from All Hallows Eve would allow them access in finding the powers even if they hadn't surfaced in the child yet.

"Oh, and one more thing," added Gideon as an afterthought. "There's a young witch seeking out a Dogon. She just doesn't know it yet but when she does, don't leave a trail leading straight to you. Be extremely careful and don't draw attention to yourself," he strongly advised.

"Yeah, I got it," the demon mocked. "Now. My power please!"

(Flashback # 6)

The Holloway Residence: October 31, 2005 All Hallows Eve

It was around six in the evening when the Dogon made his presence unknown at the residence. There were still random trick-or-treaters roaming the streets; however, this was a good thing. The costumes helped the Dogon to blend in with his surroundings when he made himself visible to the outside world.

He had waited impatiently for the mother and child to return back home. The Dogon had witnessed the father return home some time ago after he pulled his car up into the garage and made his way inside. But then he left again. Finally, the mother and child could be seen making their way down the sidewalk. She was carrying the little girl in her arms, who appeared to be wearing a "Tinker Bell" costume with a small wand in her hands. The mother was laughing as the little girl waved the wand around in the air, pretending to weave her magic. If only they knew, the demon sneered to himself. The child didn't appear to be much older than three.

This shouldn't be that difficult, he surmised.

It was at dusk and around seven in the evening when the Dogon saw the mother putting the little girl to bed. The lights went out in the small bedroom and the Dogon waited. He waited until the child fell into a deep comfortable sleep before he made his way in through the window, both unseen and unheard. As he approached the bed, the small child was snuggled up in her blankets with a brown colored teddy bear clutched against her small chest. She was lying on her side. When he got closer, he could practically hear the child's small intakes of breath as her chest heaved up and down.

Slowly, he reached out his hand and waved it over the child's face. A light powdery dust was left in its wake as it descended over the child's face. This was to make sure the child did not awaken from her slumber. Gently, he pulled back the covers and proceeded to lift the little girl from the bed. At the same time, the small teddy bear that was clutched so tightly in her hand, fell to the floor and landed on the rug.

With the small child in his arms, he lifted himself off the floor and flew through the opened window to bring the little girl back to the Underworld. The draft that followed caused the window to close shut.

(Flashback # 7)

The Underworld Cavern: All Hallows Eve (2005)

Gideon anxiously awaited the arrival of the Dogon. He was getting worried because All Hallows Eve would end and he needed to tap into the magic before the night was over. They only had until just before midnight.

In the meantime, Gideon had gotten the opportunity to look over the scroll containing the prophecy of the Twice Blessed Child and deciphered its message. All of those years running the magic school hadn't been wasted on nothing. He quickly discovered that Dumain had mistranslated portions of the prophecy leading to a misinterpretation. For starters, Dumain had mistranslated "Twice Blessed" and misrepresented it in the singular form. The proper translation was plural and was referring to a Twice Blessed Generation. This revealed that more than one child would come into existence. The prophecy appeared to be an extension to the existing Charmed Prophecy. These children would be born from the Charmed Ones and they had to be stopped. Wyatt. Chris. Prue's daughter. Who knew how many more of them there would be.

Gideon's mind then ventured to a place he didn't expect it to go. Billie. He contemplated her power and the confidence Dumain and the Triad seemed to have in it. Could she possibly be linked to this Twice Blessed Generation power too? It could explain why she had power and her sister didn't. Once again, Gideon found himself wondering why the time leaper had gone to the trouble of misleading Dumain in the first place? Why lead him to this Billie person? Why even give Dumain the Ultimate Power prophecy, only for Dumain to lose it?

Gideon's sinister daydreams of enacting his revenge were short lived when the Dogon entered the cavern, the form of a sleeping child in his arms. "Haha," he rejoiced as he stood up from his seated position. "You were successful. Bring the child over here," he instructed. "I need to summon the others!"

The Dogon followed his instructions carefully. He walked over and placed the child inside one of the circles that was created for an impending ritual. To the little girl's left, a second circle had been prepared. A third circle, that looked different from the other two, was positioned farther away in the distance. Then, just as the little girl had begun to stir, in walked Dumain followed closely by Lana. The Dogon exited. His task was complete and he was free to go. He had his own revenge to enact, revenge against the witch who had just recently made a move against him.

"Momma!" the little girl had begun to cry out as she opened her eyes and took in her strange surroundings for the first time. It was dark and scary.

Dumain and Lana stopped in front of the squirming child, who was attempting to sit up but could not move. The power generated from the circle was holding her down so that she couldn't leave it.

"Take your place inside the other circle, Lana," instructed Gideon. She glared at the man before slowly making her way into the center and lying down. Then he turned to Dumain. "Did you bring it?" he asked the other demon.

Dumain produced the book and handed it over to Gideon. Gideon's hand graced the front of the cover before he opened it. The Grimore. Then, he opened it to the two spells he was seeking. An Awakening Spell to call the child's powers forth and a Transference Spell that would successfully strip the powers from the child and transfer them to Lana. Successfully, he had located both spells.

"Good!" Gideon announced. "I've found what I need." Then without warning, he stopped and closed the book. "Now, summon the Triad!" he demanded, turning to look back at Dumain.

"Excuse me?" the other demon declared in shock. "That wasn't a part of the deal. We get the powers first, then we speak to the Triad!"

Gideon smirked. "I don't think so," he laughed. "Do you honestly expect me to trust that you'd keep your end of the bargain after you get what you need? No! We're doing this my way. Summon the Triad now! Or Lana and the child will remain as they are. Indefinitely!"

"Let me out of here now!" Lana screeched. She, like the child, began squirming but found that she could not move from her position. It was actually the first time Gideon had ever heard her speak.

"Oh, so sorry my dear but that's dependent upon your guardian's knack for cooperation. After all, I hold the Stones and their power and only I can use them to un-restrain you," mocked Gideon. "My guess is he'll be begging for your release soon seeing as his plan is not operational without you."

"You'll never get away with this!" Dumain fumed. "I'll make sure the Triad knows of what you have done and destroys you for it!"

"Well, give it your best shot," Gideon pronounced calmly. "But make your decision quickly. Because All Hallows Eve will be ending soon and I won't be able to guarantee the powers after tonight."

Dumain huffed in disgust as he decided to give in. He walked in the direction of the third circle that Gideon had pointed out for him. Gideon had been completely prepared for the ritual and all Dumain had to do was call them forth. As he did, a cluster of smoke divided itself into three streams, taking on the form of three men in black robes. The men stared in Dumain's direction before addressing him.

"What is the meaning of summoning us here like this?" the FIRST Triad demanded to know.

"We were not supposed to have any further contact until the mission was completed, Dumain!" the SECOND Triad member added.

Dumain got down on bended knee before the Triad. With his head bowed before them, he declared, "Forgive me, my Lords, but something else has come up," he pleaded.

Then the Triad noticed the strange man in the cave dwelling accompanied by what appeared to be preparation for some ritual.

"What is going on here, Dumain?" the FIRST Triad demanded to know.

"Yes, and who is he?" stressed the THIRD Triad member.

In the center of the circle, the little girl continued to wail. She was scared and she didn't understand why her mommy wasn't coming for her when she was calling for her help. Where was she? So instead, she tried calling out for her father. It was loud enough to grab everyone's attention in the cave.

"Would someone please put an end to that child's incessant whimpering!" the SECOND Triad member demanded impatiently.

Suddenly, Gideon stepped forward to intervene. "Actually, that child, is the answer you've been looking for," he announced proudly. "Her powers are just as great as the power you seek from another," he proclaimed.

"Dumain, what is this man speaking about?" the FIRST Triad demanded. "Explain now!"

Dumain hesitated, rolling his eyes, as he responded. "He knows about Billie and the Ultimate Power, my Lords. But I swear I didn't tell him!" he defended.

"What?" the THIRD Triad exploded.

"How could you be so careless?" the SECOND Triad demanded.

Gideon stood back, amused by the entire exchange playing out before him.

"It wasn't me, my Lords," argued Dumain. He stuttered, trying to find the right thing to say in order to take the attention off of him. "He ... he ... possesses The Vicarian Stones. Somehow he found out another way!"

This revelation caught the immediate attention of the Triad as they turned to address Gideon. And it took the heat off of himself, Dumain noted with relief.

"The Vicarian Stones?" the FIRST Triad member declared. "Is this true?"

Gideon sighed and stepped forward. "Yes, it is true," he admitted, as he brought the stones into full view.

All of the Triad gasped and looked to the other before the FIRST Triad continued on.

"What is it that you want?" he addressed Gideon.

"Well, I humbly seek your permission, to become formally initiated into your clan, and with ..." he started before he was interrupted by Dumain.

"What? This is outrageous, my Lords!" Dumain exclaimed, turning away from Gideon and looking to the Triad.

"Quiet!" hollered the SECOND Triad member, as Dumain shook his head in disbelief. "Continue On!" He instructed Gideon before they had been interrupted by Dumain.

"And with it," Gideon repeated again. "I will provide you with the power that Lana will need to unite with Billie and destroy the Charmed Ones," he offered.

The Triad appeared to be seriously considering it. Although, he acknowledged the reason his chances looked good was because he was in possession of the stones. He would be a link in the collective that could provide the Triad with access to them. He had known from the beginning they would make an excellent bargaining tool.

"Very well!" the FIRST Triad announced. "Your initiation has been approved. Step forward!"

"Are you kidding?" Dumain exclaimed in disbelief. "We don't even know if he's telling the truth. Maybe the child has no powers to offer at all?" he argued.

"Dumain!" warned the FIRST Triad member. "So help you if you interrupt us again!"

Dumain backed off and displayed his annoyance in silence. As Gideon approached the circle and stepped inside, a laying of the hands was performed by all Triad members. In addition to this display, the Triad chanted until Gideon's induction ceremony had completed. When the ritual was completed, he was provided with his own robe announcing to everyone who he had become.

"Now, Gideon, is your name?" the FIRST Triad started. "As a newly inducted member, you shall remain behind in the shadows and keep a watch over the mission. Report to us if anything is amiss!"

Dumain huffed with his arms crossed in a defensive posture. He could not believe that Gideon had just accomplished in minutes what he had sought in centuries. The Triad turned to address him.

"Now, Dumain, our offer still stands," the FIRST Triad reinforced to him.

"As soon as the mission is successfully completed, you may become one of us," the THIRD Triad reaffirmed.

"But now we must go!" the FIRST Triad continued. "I trust the three of you will be able to work together to accomplish our goal."

And with that said, the three members quickly vanished into the cluster of smoke from whence they came. Gideon slowly glided back to his former position and took the Grim'ore in hand. A gloating expression was plastered on his face and thrown in Dumain's direction just for the satisfaction of seeing him squirm.

"Now, where were we?" Gideon announced. "Oh, yes. The transfer ritual."

Gideon performed the ritual just before All Hallow's Eve ended. He had successfully awakened and transferred the powers from the child to Lana. Phase One was completed. Now they just needed to plant Lana as the bait so they could draw Billie to her.

(Flashback # 8)

Underworld (Spring 2006)

Several months had passed while Gideon, Dumain, and Lana waited for all of their plans to unfold.

They decided to keep the little girl alive since they didn't want to risk the possibility of losing access to her powers if something were to happen to her. They locked her inside of a chamber very similar to the one the real Christy used to be kept in. She would remain there until her use had run out.

Gideon also made it his business to clean up loose ends. Billie had already taken care of one of them. Shortly after the Dogon had completed his task to kidnap the little girl and deliver her to them, Billie had managed to vanquish him. However, there was still the other Dogon responsible for taking Christy to contend with and the demon in charge of freezing him. He was known as The Collector. The whole Underworld was aware by now that the Charmed Ones had faked their own deaths in the wake of Zankou's temporary reign and that Billie was now working beside them. Various parts of the Underworld viewed Billie as a threat that needed to be eliminated because of her quest leading to their deaths.

Lana had replaced Christy in her former place of imprisonment and then waited. She waited for the moment when Billie would attempt a rescue. The "N" clan, a clan made up of scatter demons, had been appointed by the Triad to watch over Christy during her entire time spent in the Underworld. That was until her death but the "N" clan was none the wiser. They were unaware the switch had taken place. They had been contracted for hire on a need to know basis. They were simply told to keep watch over an important witch for the Triad.

Since Dumain was in charge of the details, the rest of the slumbering Triad were put into a panic when the "N" clan had summoned them to report they had lost the witch. The Triad's fears were quickly put to rest after Gideon and Dumain informed the other members of the truth which was their plan had already been put into motion. Billie was close. Christy was dead and Lana had already taken her place.

Billie had come and she had brought Lana back with her to the mortal world and to the Halliwell Manor. The games were about to begin.

(Flashback # 9)

Underworld (2006)

It was all a disaster.

A complete and utter failure. How could they have come so close only to fail? Dumain had been vanquished along with Lana and the rest of the Triad.

Gideon knew that it wouldn't be permanent for any of the Triad members but he would have to wait for their resurrection to complete and begin working on another plan of action. He would not be denied his revenge. Not when he had come this far and sacrificed so much in the process.

He would see to the downfall of The Charmed Ones and The Twice Blessed Generation if it was the last thing he ever did in his new demonic life.

Present (November 2006)

Gideon was pulled out of his trance when screams of torture could be heard traveling into the cavern. Quickly, he placed Pandora's Box back into its secret location, a location in which the Vicarian Stones were also kept hidden. Then he exited the chamber in a hurry only to find Lana attempting a traditional demonic interrogation.

"I said, tell me who took the witches?" she demanded of the demonic guard, who was hung up in the air before her. Other demons surrounding him where there to assist her with physical intimidation.

"We didn't know," the demon pleaded. "Please! We thought it was you!" he wailed. "I ran as soon as they took out the other guards!"

"Coward!" she sneered loudly, taking her fist and piercing it through the demon, ending the interrogation session for good. His wails were followed by his body flaming up and turning to dust.

"What is going on?" demanded Gideon as he approached the scene of the former interrogation. All of the demons turned to face him.

"What's going on?" Lana responded in defiance. "What's going on is that somebody has impersonated me and freed the witches! All of them!"

"What?" Gideon demanded. He was now fuming.

"That's right! You heard me!" she confirmed. "Now what are we supposed to tell the others?"

"We don't!" he decreed as he turned back around walking with a sense of purpose. "We find another way to get them back otherwise we alter the stages of our plan."

Lana followed behind Gideon as both of them entered the cavern containing the hidden box and stones.

To Be Continued: Okay, ladies and gents. If any of you were confused about Gideon's role or the sequence of events that involved him, I hope this chapter cleared that up for you. I tried to give the best synopsis I could that combined areas of season 8 with my own interwoven plots involving Gideon and the others behind the scenes, plus how Gideon was working from behind the scenes all along. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review.

Next chapter: All the sisters come face to face again. Prue learns the truth (not with her memory yet), Prue/Andy/Molly reunite, and the sisters start to deal with the revelation that they are the Ultimate Power.