Thanks, once again, to my reviewers: IDontBreakHeartsJustBones, 1treehillcharmed, Love Angel 1705, Jedi Alanna, and my new reviewer Charmedgirl-AlyssaPhoebe.
Charmedgirl: lol, glad you like my style. I hope you continue to enjoy the story. But in answer to your questions, some of the revelations were planned from the beginning and some unfolded while I wrote. There's another bigger one coming but we'll have to see about the rest, okay?
Jedi Alanna: As for the rest, Piper may have a different perspective on the whole situation. Granted, she'll still have issues about the lying but we'll see.
Chapter 21: History Revisited
Underworld
In the depths of the Underworld, Lana crept through the winding pathway leading to Gideon's hidden lair. She was intent on seeking him out regarding the next stages of their plan. In truth, she had been growing rather impatient. They had made a decision to shift their focus from the Charmed Ones over to the existing members of the Twice Blessed Generation. However, that had been days ago.
Why hadn't she heard anything back from him?
After reaching the cavern, voices could be heard echoing in the distance. They were coming from inside. Abruptly, she stopped in her tracks, placed her back against wall, attempting to remain hidden from sight. Then, in a slow and cautious manner, she peaked around corner trying to locate the source. There, inside Gideon's sanctuary, stood Gideon and the other Triad members engaged in some sort of discussion.
What are they doing here, she seethed.
It had been Gideon who stressed the importance of moving forward without alerting the others to their previous failure. Closing her eyes, she leaned against the rock and used her power to block her presence being sensed by the collective. She had actually been getting pretty good at it. Listening intently, she could make out every word passing through their lips.
"This is the next best course of action to be taken," Gideon could be heard explaining to the others. "We gather the existing members of the next generation and lure them back in!" he explained.
"With the box?" the THIRD Triad asked. "But how are we supposed to tap into the power? We're can't even predict what the box will do when it's opened," he argued.
"What I don't understand is how you let them escape in the first place," the SECOND Triad accused. "None of this would be necessary had you done the job right!" he spat.
Gideon turned on the second member. "The job was done right but we needed to keep the location detectable to lure the last sister in. We had all of them except her. It's Lana," he threw out. "She's the problem," he reasoned to the others. "She's become a liability."
Lana tensed, her eyes bulging, and her fists tightening at her sides. The accusation against her made her blood boil. It took every ounce of strength she had not to barge into their exclusive session in order to knock Gideon's lying ass flat on his face. How dare he? Deep down she always sensed he would turn on her and now he was making a case to have her annihilated from the collective.
"What do you mean?" the FIRST Triad asked.
"Her use has run out," Gideon proposed. "She's no longer useful in our quest to conquer the Ultimate Power or their progeny," he explained further. "They used some type of magic to replicate her image and free the witches. By now, they most likely know that she's not Christy and never was. Which means she can't be used to get to Billie anymore," he finished.
"What about the status on the Nauscas?" interjected the THIRD Triad. "Has he had any luck in retrieving the child?"
Gideon sneered. "The Nauscas is nothing but a dead end. Quite literally, in fact," he elaborated. "I sent two of them out but the second one failed to report back to me. Most likely, he's been taken out. He was only hired to track the little girl so we could re-strip her powers again for Lana. What good would that be to us now?"
"Then they must know about us!" argued the THIRD Triad member. "If the Charmed Ones got a hold of them, there's no way they didn't talk!" he looked to the FIRST and SECOND members as he spoke.
Gideon turned and began pacing, his back to the others.
"I took care of the first one myself," interjected Gideon. "He became a liability and was dealt with accordingly," he stressed. "But forget the child for now. We'll get her back when the time is right. It's quite reasonable to suspect that the Charmed Ones already figured out her identity. Especially after reuniting with their dead sister. They probably have her back as we speak," he surmised.
"So, what's the idiotic plan, now?" the SECOND Triad snidely replied. "To sit back and let some mystical box do all the work for us, if and when the Charmed Ones decide to venture back into the Underworld?" he mocked.
"No!" cried Gideon impatiently. "By getting ahold of their next generation first we lure the Charmed Ones back to rescue them. The box will be used to trap the essences of the Twice Blessed Generation and we will take the Ultimate Power for ourselves!" he expressed with confidence.
"And how do you plan on getting to them, Gideon?" the FIRST Triad asked of him. "That's an impossible feat. Which is why we agreed to take out the Charmed Ones first so we could acquire their new power while it's weak. Then, we'd defeat the next generation when they're left alone and vulnerable."
Gideon smirked. "I'm working on that as we speak," he answered.
"And how is that? Please do tell," the THIRD Triad spat back in disgust.
Then, moments later, a flash of black orbs materialized in front of the Triad as a darklighter appeared before them, Billie held tightly in his grasp. She squirmed. In a rough matter, he released his hold on her by throwing the young witch to the ground.
"Ouch!" Billie exclaimed, sliding against the hard rocky foundation and skinning her hands in the process. "Watch it." Then, looking up into the face of a man she had never seen before, she shuddered. However, when tilting her head sideways, she was able to make out three familiar faces she had come into contact with earlier in the year: The Triad. "Great," she mumbled, lifting herself up and brushing the dirt from her clothes.
The darklighter bowed before the Triad Order. "Pardon me, my lords," he greeted. Then he turned to address Gideon as Billie looked between them. "I take it this is the one you wanted," the darklighter asked of him.
Lana overheard the scuffle taking place inside the cavern. After hearing the voice of the other young woman, she immediately recognized that it belonged to Billie.
X
Piper rolled over in bed.
She was feeling anxious about the days to come and as hard as she tried, couldn't make herself fall asleep. Getting her mind to relax felt near impossible. All the obstacles they were facing kept replaying in her head over and over. Phoebe's reminders about Prue also kept troubling her. There was still a lot of ground to cover with her before she would be ready to help them take on the Triad. And now, the baby news. Granted, Piper was pregnant too and knew caution was necessary for her as well but how was Prue going to handle quick and intense training? She wanted to be supportive but recognized she had some extra years of experience on her side that her sister didn't have.
There was no more time to waste.
Prue was vulnerable. No doubt, her sister wouldn't want to hear that, but it was the truth. Piper preferred not to underestimate her sister's ability to jump back in or to take charge as a Charmed One again, but there was definitely cause to be concerned. Sadly, five years which should have been spent with the four of them together, developing and strengthening this Ultimate Power, had gone to waste. All because of one Elder in particular who they had never seen coming.
Phoebe had also told Piper about Billie's decision to stay at her dorm full-time. Apparently, Billie felt she needed the space. Whatever that meant. Prue hadn't opened up to share anything about it and she hadn't gotten the opportunity to check in with Billie herself yet, so Piper was left to speculate. She could only assume things were a little strained after the big reveal.
Lifting her head, Piper adjusted the pillow with her hands, hoping to somehow make herself more comfortable. Finally, giving up, she threw the covers off and got herself out of bed. "Screw it," she muttered.
Opening the door, she exited the bedroom. It had only been a few hours ago that she'd settled the boys down for bed while waiting for Leo to return home. However, they hadn't heard anything since Coop went to retrieve him. As she made her way down the hall, she saw light shining from underneath her sister's bedroom door. Stopping, she began to knock softly.
"Prue?"
There was no answer.
"Prue, are you awake? It's Piper," she tried again.
Still no answer.
"Can we talk ... " she began, turning the knob, but when the door opened, she was greeted by the sight of an empty room. "Oh," she started to question, looking around, wondering where her sister could be. Not even Molly was asleep in the bed.
"Hey," a voice sounded from behind her, causing her to jump and turn around.
"Leo!" she exclaimed, taking in her husband's presence. "Where did you come from, I didn't even hear you," she lowered her voice.
Leo smiled. "Sorry," he apologized, realizing he had startled her. "I just got back. From the Magic School," he elaborated. "There were some things I wanted to clear up with Dimitri first before I came home. How's Prue?" he asked, showing concern. "Dimitri told me what happened."
"Alive, thank god," Piper sighed, stepping around Leo and leaning her body weight against the wall. "But we're nowhere out of the woods," she stressed. "We still don't have any clue why there was a reaction in the first place."
Leo crossed his arms. "Yeah, that definitely shouldn't have happened," he acknowledged. "The poison from a darklighter's arrow is specifically tainted to take out its whitelighter counterpart."
"Right, which we already know," nodded Piper. "But that's why we came up with the idea that maybe the poison is now somehow tainted against witches too."
"No, not very likely," Leo refuted, shaking his head confidently. "The chemicals inside the poison are released into the whitelighter's blood. It attacks the bloodstream," he finished explaining for his wife.
Piper absorbed the information he shared with her, but it did very little to ease her worries. "Great. So, we're left back at square one," she sighed. "With nothing," her eyes rolled.
"Well, unless there's something we just don't know yet," Leo suggested, after thinking about it some more. "But seeing as how the Elders aren't on our list of most favorite people at the moment, it's not like I can go off orbing for the answers from them," he explained. "Especially, not now," he concluded firmly, thinking back to his meeting with the Afterlife Council. If anything, Leo fully recognized that his actions probably just brought on a war with them.
Piper sensed the change in her husband's demeanor. "Why?" she asked. "What were you off doing earlier?" she probed further. "And where's Coop? He was supposed to find you," she informed him. "Phoebe was worried about him."
"Well, he found me," Leo admitted. "He left ahead of me after we got back to the school. We, uh, made an appearance before the Afterlife Council," he began explaining to her. "They're going to make a decision about Andy."
Piper's mood lifted. "Well, that sounds like some good news for a change," she replied. "Did it sound like they'd go for it?" she asked. However, she immediately picked up that her husband seemed to be holding something back. "Leo, it is good news, right?" she sought clarification. "I mean, anything that doesn't involve the Elders, at this point, has to be a step in the right direction."
Leo fidgeted. His body language appeared unsure at best. "Uh, maybe," he began hesitantly. "Maybe not. They want to convene and hold a tribunal. To decide whether or not there should be an indictment against some of the Elders," he clarified for her. "Then they'll probably make their decision about Andy."
"Oh," Piper stammered, picking up where her husband was going with it. "So, when you say Elders, you mean like ... " she started, while Leo completed his wife's thought.
"The higher-ranking members from the Elder Council, yes," he affirmed. "Members like Emeritus and others heading our Council," he finished solemnly.
Piper took in a deep breath and let it back out. Then, she shifted her gaze away from her husband. "So. Where does this leave us?" she questioned, although the answer almost appeared quite obvious. "Although, allow me to point out that this couldn't have come at a worse time with the Triad coming after us again," she pointed out.
"I know," Leo admitted. "I'm sorry about that. But we're lucky to be getting the hearing at all," he pointed out in return. "In fact, if it hadn't been for Coop and his quick thinking, we may not have. At least this way, Andy has a shot."
Piper shook her head. "Yeah," she relented. "Well, who are they?" she inquired. "This Afterlife Council?"
"Basically, they maintain order and oversee soul placement within the immortal or mortal realm," explained Leo. "And that includes keeping watch over us Elders and our affairs."
"Well, they've sure done a crap job taking care of that over the last five years or so, haven't they?" Piper huffed with her typical sarcastic wit. She couldn't help it. In light of everything that had come to pass, it seemed almost surreal that the Elders were actually held accountable to anyone for their actions. At least this was the first time she ever heard of that being true.
Leo flashed her another smile. He reached out for her and pulled her into an embrace. "Don't worry," he tried offering reassurance. "We'll get through this together."
Piper accepted the hug. "Well, we better!" she smiled and then pulled back. "I haven't spent all this time and energy for nothing just so I could miss the opportunity to kick your butt at Scrabble in fifty years, mister," she joked. "And like I said, I'll be winning," she reminded him.
"Oh right!" Leo laughed. "Have you figured out yet whether Zankou is spelled with Z or X?" he teased, earning a playful swat from his wife in response.
"Nah, this time I'm thinking about going with E for Evil Elder!" she shot back, all in good fun.
Their smiles slowly faded and serious expressions returned.
Leo sighed. "You coming to bed?" he inquired.
"Give me a minute, okay?" Piper answered him. "There's something I need to do first."
"Okay," Leo replied, bending down and kissing her cheek. After rubbing her arm in a comforting gesture, he then turned around and headed in the direction of their bedroom.
She watched until his form retreated around the corner,
There's only one other place she can be, Piper thought.
The attic.
X
At the sound of the door clicking shut, Phoebe bolted up from the couch. She had been on the border of deep sleep, but now found herself surrounded by darkness; it had to be well past midnight. Quickly reaching over for the small lamp, she switched it on, flinching. Her eyes needed a moment to adjust to the light.
"Coop?" she called; the sound of her voice muffled.
"Yeah, it's me," he whispered.
"Where have you been, it's late."
Slowly, Coop made his way over to sit down beside her. "Sorry, didn't mean to wake you," he told her. "I probably should have just teleported. Your sister's good, I hope?" he watched her fiddling with her engagement ring.
"Prue?" Phoebe questioned, still feeling somewhat disconnected from the conversation. Her mind was still trying to catch up with being awake. "Yeah, she's fine," she confirmed, nodding her head. "Did you and Leo just get back now?"
Shifting his gaze away from her, Coop looked down. "Um, a little while ago," he answered. "We, uh, met with the Afterlife Council. They're going to hold a hearing about what the Elders did. And to decide what to do about your sister's husband," he finished explaining.
"Oh, well, good!" Phoebe exclaimed. "It's about time somebody did something," she argued. While yawning, she stretched her arms over her head. "Andy shouldn't have to pay for what they did."
Coop just nodded.
Phoebe, now feeling more alert, turned to observe her future husband only to catch a far off look in his eyes. He remained silent, staring at the wall ahead of him. "Hey," she called to him, reaching out and gently placing a hand against his cheek. "Is something else the matter?" she questioned, trying to grab his attention.
Coop quickly turned to look back at her. "No, I'm fine," he asserted, trying desperately to reassure her. "Why?"
"Well, you kind of look like you went somewhere else," Phoebe pointed out. "Like something else is on your mind," she clarified. "Whatever it is, you know you can tell me, right."
Coop laughed, covering up for the moment. "Phoebe, I love you, thanks for caring, but there's nothing wrong," he denied. "I'm just tired; appearing before the Council took a lot out of me," he concluded, while closing his eyes and using his fingers to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Anyway," he sighed, "we can talk more in the morning," came his suggestion. He then got up to make a hasty departure for the bedroom.
Phoebe stood up with him, intent on following him to the bedroom but that was until he interrupted her.
Coop stopped and turned around. "Uh, would you mind if I got some sleep by myself tonight?" he interjected. "I can take the couch; you can have the bed."
Phoebe threw him a glare, completely thrown off by the request. "Why?" she made a face.
"I just really need some rest. That might be hard to get if we're sharing the same bed," he tried to cover up. "If you catch my meaning," he winked at her.
"Okay, fine, but you can use the other side of the bed. I promise not to disturb your precious sleep," she threw out, feeling some slight irritation. He was hiding something, she could feel it, and he wasn't being honest about it. She moved to walk around him to head for the bedroom.
Coop shook his head. "Phoebe," he pled, grabbing for her arm and stopping her.
She looked at him, clearly not happy. "Yeah, what?"
"Please don't turn this into something it's not," he begged her.
"How about being honest with me this time," she folded her arms, waiting. "Tell me what's really bothering you."
"Phoebe," Coop shut his eyes, "I'm exhausted. I need some time to think about how Leo and I are going to handle the Council."
"And that's all?" she pushed.
"I did say we could talk more later," Coop reminded her.
He bent down to kiss her, but she turned her face away from him.
"Right, okay," he nodded.
"Coop," she protested. "You do get that I can literally feel it when you're lying to me. I can sense when things are off." Her empathetic pull towards people made it virtually impossible for them to get away with being dishonest and this was definitely no exception. That could be the downside about her gift of empathy. It could affect her relationships and not always in a good way. Sometimes she'd pick up on things she'd rather not know. At the very least, not having the gift would be a burden lifted and could help prevent arguments like this.
"Phoebe," Cooped protested back.
"Fine. Goodnight!" she countered sternly. "Take the bedroom so you can get your sleep."
"Phoebe, c'mon," Coop argued.
Phoebe threw herself back onto the couch, turning her back so it was deliberately facing him. "Didn't you say you needed sleep? I know I can sure use mine."
Coop sighed, rolling his eyes. "Fine, goodnight," he turned away from her.
"Yup."
Coop reluctantly made his way for the bedroom. He turned back around once just as Phoebe flicked off the light, darkness once again enveloping the living room. After entering the room, he closed the door and reached into his back pocket. He pulled out a folded piece of newspaper. As he slowly unfolded it, the headline came into full view. Coop stared at the content and read it.
The Los Angeles Times (May 20, 1986)
Woman's Mutilated Body Found Discarded on Railroad Tracks: Missing Baby Presumed Dead.
X
Lana continued to listen in on the events unfolding.
Somehow, Gideon had gotten to Billie but managed to keep her out of the loop. Her apparent exclusion from the Triad's plans was beginning to draw on her insecurities. These hidden insecurities were buried feelings that she had worked hard to suppress and keep buried deep inside of her over the years.
"Well, well," Gideon mocked, taking in the sight of Billie. "I must say that it's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"The pleasure is most certainly not mine," she faced off with the demon before her.
"Apparently, not," Gideon laughed. "Although, I must admit," he sneered, "I thought you'd prove to be much more of a challenge in getting ahold of."
"Go to hell!" Billie declared in complete defiance.
"We already are!" the THIRD Triad member spat back at her, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "And you'll be staying here with us."
She looked between the Triad members and back at the darklighter. Then, ignoring them, she looked straight into the eyes of the man before her. "Who are you?" she asserted boldly. "And what do you want from me?"
"Nothing I want, my dear, but more about what you'll do for me," Gideon answered cryptically, turning his attention back to the darklighter. "Well done," he smirked, congratulating him on successfully completing his task. "One down. Three more to go," he sneered, making reference to the others. At this point, they were the only other existing members of the Twice Blessed Generation.
Three more to go. Billie was immediately piecing it together. They were going after the kids, not the sisters. As the eldest in place to lead the next generation, she couldn't let that happen. "You're going to leave them alone,'' she threatened, stepping forward, a touch of protectiveness mixed in.
"And what are you going to do about it," the THIRD Triad member demanded, almost amused by her impertinence.
The darklighter pulled an arrow out from the sling behind his back. Stepping up behind her, he grabbed her, and placed the tip of the arrow just underneath her chin. "Going somewhere," he threatened.
When she moved, Billie felt the sharp point only a prick away from piercing her skin. "Go ahead."
Gideon watched on. "Ah, yes," he mocked her again. "See, you may want to reconsider that bold assessment there and your next moves very carefully. Considering your mother's own near-death experience with our pointy friend there," he cracked, referring to the arrow. "I have a pretty good feeling there won't be a PG-rated ending this time."
Billie didn't falter. "Well, she's not my mother," she seethed, a defiant stare in place, "so that's not much of burn."
"But I assure you, the poison will," Gideon sneered. "Believe me, it's just a fraction of what you'll feel before it finally kills you."
Billie only glared, flinching at the weapon mere inches from her throat. Could it actually really kill her?
He stepped closer. "Oh, my dear," Gideon shook his head, coming to a stop. "Those mommy issues won't be serving you down here. And sorry," he paused for a brief moment, "but I don't think Auntie Paige or Uncle Leo will be orbing into the rescue either."
"And why would they do that when they can just find a way to vanquish your sorry ass straight back into oblivion where it belongs," Billie challenged.
The darklighter used his free hand to pull her hair back. "Shut up, witch!" he scowled.
"Ow," Billie let loose, feeling her hair and head tugged back.
Lana could see the man holding Billie from behind. So, Gideon recruited a darklighter in place of her, she thought very bitterly. It was times like these where she could clearly feel the sting of rejection or crave the need for acceptance until her inner darkness did battle to beat it out of her. However, at the same time, she witnessed the other Triad members who were quickly growing bored and impatient with the scene playing out before them. One spoke out.
"Enough of this nonsense!" the SECOND Triad bellowed. "She's not worth the trouble she's putting out. Get rid of her now and be done with this!" he demanded.
Gideon put his hand up to signal them. "Wait!" he announced. "Not yet. We need her to lure the Charmed Ones here. Then we unleash the Box on her and the others."
"Gideon," the FIRST Triad addressed him. "Use the box and be done with her. We can still bring the others here with or without her around. Eventually they'll come to learn that she's missing. Which in turn, will lead them straight to us."
"I don't doubt it," Billie spoke out next. "Just like I don't doubt it'll lead to your end."
It was strange for her to feel anything for any prolonged periods of time, but Lana actually felt a tugging sense of admiration aimed at the other young woman preparing to meet her own end. Billie stood her ground, even in the face of uncertainty, not willing to back down. Well, that, and part of Lana received some satisfaction that somebody was attempting to put Gideon in his place. During the entire time Lana had spent with her earlier in the year, part of her training had involved viewing Billie as nothing more than ammunition. Ammunition that was to be used in bringing down the Charmed Ones. The sole purpose of her role had been to take the place of her mortal sister and to break Billie down systematically until she was their weapon for the taking. However, during this time, there were also these small inconsequential moments when her role collided with those buried feelings of humanity, making her feel conflicted. True enough, Billie wasn't her actual sister, and the Jenkins hadn't been her real parents, but some inner part of her sought it out, embraced the idea, and willed for it to be something she could have in her life. Worst of all, the Triad had sensed it too.
Dumain had taught her from a very young age the importance of suppressing her human side. It was a lesson he had indoctrinated to the best of his ability. As a result, Lana had worked extra hard to construct an emotional wall, one she made sure Dumain could never get past because she knew her survival in the Underworld depended on it. Human emotions are a weakness, he had admonished. Never let them ensnare you. However, that admonishment hadn't necessarily prevented human emotion from rising up to the surface every now and then.
Like now.
Silently, Gideon turned around and walked in the direction of the hidden box and stones. "Actually, I have a much better idea," he waved his hand, the hole in the ground unsealing itself and revealing both items. Bending down, he picked them up. "Since we don't want to take any unnecessary risks opening the box more than once," he walked towards Billie and the darklighter, "I'll use the stones to keep her immobilized." He placed the stones in a circle in front of Billie. "It should work for the time being. This way, it'll buy us the time we need until we can gather the others with her," he concluded.
Billie grew nervous. "Wait, you're not going to kill me? Gideon," she said his name out loud after hearing it used by one of the other Triad members. Was he the same Gideon she heard about from the sisters? The same one who used to be an Elder and claimed to be a protector of the greater good. The same Elder responsible for all the troubles associated with her newfound family. She had heard the story in bits and pieces. He appeared to fit the description. How the hell does one even go from being an Elder to being part of the Triad, she speculated, especially when he's supposed to be dead.
"No, this is much worse," Gideon waved the darklighter over.
The darklighter began pushing her towards the circle. Billie did her best to resist, dragging her feet, and using her eyes to search for any possible avenue of escape. Finally, the seriousness of the situation was beginning to settle in. She needed to find a way out of there. "No!" she hollered.
The darklighter pulled the arrow back and used his hand to shove her inside the circle.
"Don't!" Billie felt herself falling to the ground. Immediately, she began to feel a strange sensation coursing throughout her body. The energy continued to grow in intensity until it created a numbing effect. Soon, she realized she was beginning to lose all feeling within her whole body. Rolling onto her back, Billie struggled to move but couldn't. "What is this?" she panicked.
"Your new home," one of the Triad members mocked her. She couldn't see which one.
Releasing an insidious laugh, the darklighter shot her an evil grin. "I'll be sure to give JD your best," he taunted her one final time, hovering from above. Then he vanished from sight after backing away from her.
As the darklighter approached the exit, Lana swiftly swayed behind the rock to shield herself from his view. However, in the process, her arm slammed against the loose gravel on the rock wall, sending scattered pieces flying to the ground.
Instantly, the darklighter was alerted and stopped. A questioning glare graced his features, and he arched his suspicious brow. Slowly, he resumed his steps in the direction of the exit. "Who's there?" He remained on guard for any impending signs of a possible intruder.
Quickly, Lana shimmered out as the darklighter made his way around the corner. He took a moment to inspect the surroundings and upon finding no one there, he orbed out from the Underworld. Then, Lana allowed herself to reappear. She took the opportunity to take one last look at Billie lying paralyzed on the ground. Gideon was using the Vicarian Stones to keep her imprisoned. Contemplating her next move, she decided to leave but would be back.
Billie lay flat on her back, unable to move. Her eyes moved back and forth, contemplating a way out of this whole mess. Damn, she cursed herself. She had been thrown right into a trap. Now what was she supposed to do? Sighing wearily, all hope began to dim.
Let's face it, Billie, you're totally screwed this time.
That was her final thought.
X
Slowly, Piper made her way to the attic door.
Inside the attic, Prue sat curled up on the couch with a blanket draped over her. Molly was with her, stretched out over her mother, her head resting in Prue's lap. With the arm of the couch was supporting the Book of Shadows, she slowly flipped through the content, page by page, absorbing each piece of information. After hearing the creaking floorboards, she shifted her gaze.
"Hey," Piper greeted, taking quiet steps in her sister's direction.
"Hey," Prue sighed in return.
Piper stopped. With arms folded and eyes shifting, she took notice that Prue wasn't alone. Molly was fast asleep on the couch with her. "Couldn't sleep?" she asked, lowering her voice.
"Uh, no," she answered.
"Yeah, me neither," Piper nodded, looking around the attic, not quite sure how to break the ice. "So. A little late-night reading?"
Prue closed the Book. "Just reminding myself of everything I have to look forward to in the coming days."
"And months," Piper added on. "Years," she stressed, shrugging at her.
Prue smirked. "Hoorah," she rested her head against the palm of hand, using the couch for support. Her dark hair was thrown back into a messy ponytail.
"Well, a little demon study is probably a good thing," Piper admitted. "Those pesky demons do have a way with really bad timing. Usually, the worse for us, the better for them. Must be the whole evil thing."
Slowly, Prue gently lifted Molly over to the other side to make room for her sister to sit down.
"Oh, no," Piper tried to protest. "Don't wake her."
"No, it's fine," Prue insisted, positioning her daughter at the far end of the couch. Using the blanket she had, she draped it over her.
Piper went to sit down. "Restless sleep still kicking you." she inquired. "How much is it letting you remember?"
Prue considered what to say. "Enough. But ... " she trailed off.
"Not enough," Piper finished for her.
Prue shook her head. "Sometimes it feels like I'm taking these glimpses into someone else's life. Like an observer," she shared. "Other times I can actually feel it, like it's happening all over again."
Piper stayed quiet, carefully listening.
"All of this," Prue looked around before her attention landed on her daughter. "I didn't even have a clue. It could have cost me her forever," she reflected sadly, staring at the peaceful sleeping form of Molly.
Piper looked away. "It didn't though."
"Yes, but it could have," Prue stressed, feeling her frustration grow. "And I was powerless to do anything to stop it."
Piper didn't say anything.
Prue looked over, trying to get a read on her. "What?" she pressed.
"Nothing!" Piper refuted almost immediately, refusing to look her sister in the eyes.
Regardless, Prue had a pretty good idea where Piper's thoughts were running. "My fault, though, right?" she shook her head. "For agreeing to the deal, agreeing to leave and forgetting everything about this life. Forgetting you. For giving up my powers in the first place," she sighed into her hands.
"Prue," Piper attempted to argue, "I didn't say that."
"You may not have said it, but you were thinking it," Prue accused. "I know you were."
Piper shut her eyes. "Okay, fine, maybe," her voice rose a notch, "but that doesn't even matter," she settled on. "Prue, look, we can't change the past. All we can do is try and salvage what we do have right now. Pick up where we left off, I guess," she contemplated it. The truth was, Piper hadn't come up here to argue, in fact, she was attempting the complete opposite. To try and extend an olive branch.
"Yeah, I guess," Prue decided to go along with it but still felt a bit defeated.
"Molly is fine," Piper pushed to assure her. "She's safe."
"For now," Prue muttered.
"Yes, for now, but she's also a witch," Piper reminded her. "She'll grow into her powers just like we did and learn how to protect herself."
"Sometimes it's hard to believe she's here with me," Prue reflected on the missing year. "She was gone for so long. Each day just rolled into the next; everyone else's life moved on. I didn't want to give up hope but some of those days felt impossible to get through."
"Well, it's natural to feel that way, especially when it's your own child," Piper could relate in a different way. "I know when Leo and I thought we were going to lose Wyatt to evil, it felt surreal for us too. I mean, one minute we're looking at this sweet innocent little boy and the next thing we know his future self poses a threat to everything we've worked so hard to protect."
Prue listened. This was obviously a sensitive subject for her, so she treaded lightly. "Wyatt," she muttered. "He's going to be okay now though, right?" she asked, displaying sisterly concern.
"Well, yeah, now," Piper sighed, "but only because a lot has been sacrificed to make it happen," she stressed, thinking of the sacrifice her son, future Chris, made with his life. "I mean, constant battles against the Underworld, clashes we had with the greater good, visitations from the future. The list goes on, even some loss of life," she listed off to her sister. "It hasn't been easy this way either." Piper took a moment to consider the possibility on whether or not the future version of Chris had known the truth about Prue and their new power in his future.
Prue reflected. "Sorry," she offered.
"I guess what I'm saying is that there just aren't any guarantees," Piper finished. "We take the risks, hope for the best, and then accept some of the inevitable consequences. It's just the way it is. Escaping this life has been virtually impossible."
"And then there's me," Prue stated with a touch of remorse. "I escaped it but left you and Phoebe behind."
"Yeah, but did you," Piper countered, this time turning to look her sister straight in the eyes. "You're back so I would hardly call that escaping it. More like, a reprieve," she argued.
Prue didn't say anything. In truth, it did appear that way. Destiny had pulled her back into her Charmed life and into the lives of her sisters, including another sister she had known nothing about. "So, that part about me being a coward then," she challenged, thinking back to their first meeting and confrontation in five years, after being rescued from the Underworld. "Did you mean that?"
"Prue," Piper pled, not wanting to delve into everything she had said in anger.
"You can say it," Prue pushed. "I think it's fairly obvious by this point why you've been so angry with me. I was the oldest and should've stuck it out with you guys, but I left."
"Prue, screw being the oldest and this whole Charmed thing," Piper vented, "you left us believing you had been killed! We thought you were dead. It was never just about the Power of Three or the demons, do you get that?" she questioned her sister. "Do you have any idea how painful it was for me, for Phoebe? We didn't just lose the Power of Three that day, we lost a sister."
Prue swallowed. "I know," the guilt was beginning to consume her.
"No, Prue, I don't think you do," Piper countered. "You didn't have to live with the decision you made because you had your entire life erased, your memories of us were gone. Phoebe and I had to live through the loss, through the pain. We couldn't just forget."
Molly began to stir and both sisters realized they had gotten carried away in the moment.
"You're right, I'm sorry," Prue finally apologized, keeping her voice low. "I wouldn't know what that felt like."
Piper shut her eyes. Her aim at coming up here had been to try and extend a small peace offering so that they could at least begin working together as the Ultimate Power to defeat the Triad. Then, she figured she and Prue could hash out whatever else they needed to once the immediate threat from their future was removed. However, Prue had pushed this issue so here they were. She took a second to calm herself. Initially, she had been very angry but now she just felt hurt. Yes, the truth was it bothered her very much that the sister she had depended on her entire life just up and walked out of their lives. There was also some lingering resentment because they had been left to fend for themselves while Prue was free and clear from worrying about demons on a daily basis. However, it would appear their life had still caught up to her when the Underworld had been able to find and take Molly.
"If you're still mad at me, I get it," Prue accepted.
"No, I think I'm at the point where I'm more hurt and confused than anything," Piper admitted. "Phoebe, Paige, and I ... we were able to pick up the slack with all the demon stuff, but I don't understand how you could have just left without telling us. We all grew up together knowing what it felt like to be without Mom. And to have dad walk out on us. We were together even when we lost Grams. So how could you let us live with that pain?"
Prue thought hard on what to say. How was she supposed to answer those questions? Everything Piper said made perfect sense and if the situation had been reversed, Prue couldn't claim she wouldn't feel the same way. In fact, she was pretty sure she would.
"You, Phoebe, and I were supposed to be a team, but you didn't even trust us to handle the truth. Or to help you with it," Piper continued.
"Piper, it had nothing to do with not trusting you," refuted Prue. She sought to be as truthful as she could based on what she remembered feeling at the time. So how does one explain that the mind and heart don't always see reason when it comes to protecting someone you love, she wondered. When desperation is a factor, logic is irrelevant.
"Then tell me," Piper countered. "I really would like to know."
"Piper," Prue began, "I'm not going to justify hurting you, but let me ask you something," she proceeded with caution, turning to look back at her sister. Given the unfortunate set of circumstances that involved her newly discovered nephew, she hoped maybe she could get her sister to reach at least a small place of understanding. "When Wyatt was in trouble, did you think everything through, or did you act on what your heart told you to do? And I mean, regardless of any other possible consequences. If you could have done something to fix it right away and save him, without jumping through all the hoops you had to, would you have taken the opportunity?"
Piper wanted to argue with how Prue had answered her questions but found that she had trouble doing it. The truth was she would have gone through any means necessary to save her son. She could even relate the situation to Leo. Last year she had been so desperate to save her husband's life that no avenue was off limits to her. At certain points, her determination had led them to butt heads with the Angels of Death and Destiny, the Elders, and even the Avatars. So, did that make her as selfish as Prue?
Prue jumped back in. "Because that's what I did," she explained. "And right or wrong, I was desperate enough to do it if it meant keeping you and Phoebe alive. And I didn't think it was fair for anyone else to die either," she thought of Paige.
"I won't lie," Piper admitted. "I would do whatever it took to keep my children safe. And the same thing goes for Leo or for one of you guys," she added, referring to her sisters. "But Prue," she sighed, attempting to argue again. "I would have kept you involved with the decision. You would have known what was going on," she stressed. "I wouldn't have kept you completely in the dark knowing full well how it would affect your life."
"Okay, but what if you didn't have the chance to tell me? Or Phoebe?" Prue argued back. "What if you had to make a decision in the moment and then just hope that everything worked out for the best?"
Piper knew what Prue was trying to argue because she had witnessed the previous arrangement between Prue and the Elders play out in front of her. Gideon had put Prue on the spot and forced her into making an impossible decision. A decision made without her sisters' knowledge or input regarding the situation. Of course, no doubt, Gideon had carefully executed this plan to further his own agenda and he had used skillful manipulation, convenient timing, and isolation to accomplish it. While playing on her vulnerabilities, he had managed to back Prue into a corner and her freedom had been bought at an expensive price. She could either choose a new life or risk the lives of her sisters. A part of the decision had come from a selfless place and Piper was willing to acknowledge it. Because Prue had willingly vacated her place within the Power of Three, Paige had been allowed to keep her life and was given the opportunity to know her sisters. At the time, Prue had no emotional ties to Paige. Therefore, when it came to the young woman in question, there had been nothing to stop Prue from telling Gideon where he could stick it. Sadly, the end result could have been no Paige and Piper had a hard time wrapping her mind around that reality too. In retrospect, there appeared to be no real right answer to the dilemma Prue had found herself in.
"Prue, listen, I really didn't come up here to fight," Piper relented. "I'm not even trying to make you feel bad, but the truth is what it is. There weren't any real winners in this situation, and I think that's something we can both agree on. I say we leave it there for now. Temporary truce," she called.
Prue understood her sister's unspoken motivation. "Agreed," she gave a tentative smile. "Temporary truce." A far cry from a full reconciliation. However, a step in a better direction.
"Good," Piper settled, her tone turning playful. "Now, what were you checking out before I came in here?" she grabbed for the Book of Shadows and opened to the page Prue had bookmarked. Piper's eyes scanned the page, and she took notice of the demonic drawing that featured his traditional red and black coloring. Balthazor. "Oh," she muttered.
Prue cast her eyes back to the page. Gently, she ran her fingers over the drawing. "Cole," she muttered under her breath.
Piper heard it. "You remember?" she questioned Prue.
"I think so," Prue answered. "Phoebe loved him," she was remembering. "But he was sent by the Triad to destroy us, and he almost did. Phoebe wanted to save him ... " she continued on as the missing pieces kept fitting into place.
"Yeah, well, in the end their love wasn't enough to save him," Piper finished the sad tale for her sister. She closed the Book of Shadows. "You and Paige must share the same sixth sense or something," she reflected, "because she didn't trust him either. She was right."
"Hey, I gave him a chance in the end!" Prue quickly objected.
"Oh, believe me," Piper stressed. "Be glad you weren't here for the end. It almost destroyed us." Then she sighed. "It had to be one of the worst times I felt like one of the biggest failures. I didn't see through Cole and just couldn't keep Phoebe safe. After losing you, losing Phoebe too would have been unbearable. Cole tried, he really did, but we just didn't know."
"Know what?" Prue pressed on.
"That when Cole vanquished the Source, he would become it," Piper explained. "After they married, Phoebe followed him into the Underworld so she could be by his side. We thought the Power of Three was finished for good, along with us. Paige, uh, she didn't want to give up on her though," she reflected sadly. "She's really come through for us; we're lucky to have her. Phoebe came back to us at the end. Thank god."
"So. Cole didn't make it, then, huh?" confirmed Prue.
Piper thought about how she should best answer that question. "Uh, well, not in the way Phoebe would have liked," she settled on. "When it came to moving on from him, it was difficult for her, but she's happy now and deserves it. That's all that matters. She met Coop and they'll be getting married soon."
"Sorry," Prue mumbled. "Poor Phoebes," she reflected sadly, regretting that she hadn't been there during some of the more difficult times.
"Don't bother beating yourself up about it, Prue," Piper offered reassurance. She looked down and fiddled with her fingers. "The truth is," she continued, "it wouldn't have made much difference whether you had been here or not. Some of the circumstances we encountered were just unavoidable, you couldn't have stopped them anymore than we could have. Be thankful you were spared the pain of having to endure it with us."
"Maybe," mumbled Prue, sounding unconvinced. A part of her still felt the guilt, like it had been her duty to be there.
"Besides," Piper added, trying to sound a bit more upbeat. "You'd be really proud of her now. Phoebe has really grown up since our days together. I mean, she's been holding a successful job and she's serious about being a witch. And as much as I hated it at first," she stressed, "she has her apartment now and is really holding her own."
Prue remained silent. So, life had gone on without her and she was starting to feel the sting of what it had cost her. Where there once existed a bond so strong, that bond had been severed by a five-year gap. Not only were her memories returning, but there was also an awareness settling in that her sisters were, in a sense, like strangers to her. Their lives had moved on as well, they had grown, changed, and matured into new people. It was going to take some time to adjust to this new life, to feel comfortable and familiar with everyone again. And in Paige's case, she was starting from scratch. Not to mention, there was Billie. A daughter she held no memories of ever having. In all honesty, she felt completely lost on how to even start over.
"So," Prue changed the subject. "What exactly is the story with Paige? Mom must have had her shortly before she died but I'm having a hard time remembering any of the details." She looked to her sister to help fill in the missing blanks.
"Well," Piper sighed. "Do you remember Sam, mom's whitelighter?" she asked. Prue's contemplative expression told Piper she was searching for the memory. "Anyway, even if you don't," she jumped back in, "we all met him once down by the lake where mom died. You, me, and Phoebe. He helped us vanquish the water demon that killed her. He's Paige's father," she revealed.
"Oh!" Prue replied, a bit surprised. "So, they gave her away?" she questioned.
"Yeah, because they had to hide her and keep her a secret," explained Piper. "It was a forbidden union until the Elders finally made the exception between me and Leo. But after you, they allowed her to reconstitute the Power of Three."
Suddenly, they were interrupted, and their attention was snagged by the sound of another pair of approaching footsteps. As they turned to look, they caught sight of another sister walking in to join them.
A third sister full of energy. Another sister who couldn't sleep.
Paige.
X
It was late.
Sam stood near the dock alone, pacing back and forth, waiting for the appearance of the one woman he would always come for no matter how late she called. Patty had summoned him to meet her here. Although, of all places, he didn't quite grasp why it had to be at the lake. However, given the nature of the discussion he had with his daughter earlier, he was pretty sure he knew what this meeting was going to be about.
Prue.
As he faced the water, under the dark night sky with the many stars on the horizon, he felt the familiar breeze and the tingling sensation that signaled her presence. When he turned, Sam came face to face with the sight of Patty materializing. "Patty," he addressed her.
Patty Halliwell smiled in return. "Sam. It's good to see you again," she nodded, stepping forward.
Sam opened his arms, and they shared a gentle embrace filled with a lot of pent-up emotion.
"I know," Sam answered back, closing his eyes and swaying with her before pulling back, "but I really wish you hadn't spent all that time trying to avoid me. Especially since I now know what it's all been about, he added.
Patty met his eyes, a touch of regret filling hers. "I'm sorry," she offered. "It really wasn't fair to keep you in the dark, but I panicked and went along with what the Elders wanted. I was scared. For Prue and Paige. Not to mention, what could have happened to either Piper or Phoebe."
Sam understood. "Patty, it's okay, I really wasn't looking for an apology. I went through it with you, remember? I've known all along exactly what the Elders have been capable of. Besides, I'm just as guilty as you are when it comes down to it. We both agreed to keep Prue a secret," he acknowledged.
Silence passed between them with only the sound of crickets in the distance.
Finally, Sam took it upon himself to speak again. "But I got to tell ya'," he admitted. "Paige practically came out and asked me for the truth about it and I felt pretty crappy keeping it from her."
"I know," Patty sighed. "I had a talk with Paige earlier. I already told her the truth," she volunteered.
"But?" Sam pressed, picking up there was more.
"It's not enough," Patty admitted. "We need to tell Prue and the girls the truth and it's not fair to put it on Paige. It has to come from us, Sam," she finished.
Taking a deep breath, Sam looked to the ground. "I agree," his eyes met back with Patty's. "No more lies. It's not fair to anyone, we probably should have come clean a while ago. Maybe some of this mess could have been avoided," the regret in his voice easy to detect.
Reaching forward for the second time, they slipped back into each other's arms.
X
"Okay, I heard my name!" Paige burst out in jovial spirits, taking long deliberate strides until she was standing face to face with her sisters.
"Hey, you," Piper turned, smiling. "It's late, what are you still doing here?"
"Eh, Henry needed to work late, so I took a little detour to Magic School," Paige explained, taking a seat on the floor, a hot cup of steaming coffee in hand. "Thought getting a head start on what we'll be going up against moving into the future would be a good idea," she paused. "It wasn't."
"What," Piper laughed, feeling amused. "Why?"
"The list of evil out there with no known vanquishes or potions, freak-yyy," Paige exaggerated. "Let's just hope this Ultimate Power thing lives up to its name and is all it's cracked up to be."
"Paige, c'mon," Piper chastised playfully. "You don't need to go looking for the demon trouble; It's already going to come looking for us."
"Yeah, yeah, sue me," Paige sighed, making a face. "I was bored."
"Bored," Piper repeated. "Get un-bored. Try some sleep," she cracked.
"My mind is too wired for sleep."
"Paige, then maybe the caffeine wasn't the good idea," Piper poked fun at her sister's hyper state, although her bubbly personality was like a breath of fresh air compared to the somber mood she had been experiencing before. "Go home! You've been here all day. I'm sure Henry wants to see his wife."
"I told Henry I would just spend the night here in Billie's room."
Prue tensed up at the mention of Billie.
"Besides," Paige's eyes narrowed, "looks like I wasn't the only one who couldn't get to sleep," she glanced between Prue and Piper. "What were we talking about?" she took a sip of her coffee, waiting for her sisters to fill her in.
"Well, we," Piper stressed, "decided tomorrow is another day and that getting to bed is next on our agenda. You might want to put that cup down, and take a few pointers," she teased in her usually sarcastic way.
"Okay, smarty pants," Paige cracked, "well, I, Paige Matthews, had a super awesome idea. Came to me earlier by the way," she nodded.
"Oh yeah, what's that?" Piper challenged.
"Well, it involves the both of you," Paige looked between Prue and Piper. "Shopping," she sang, clapping her hands together. "I thought the four of us could hit the stores, do a little shopping, have lunch, you know, get some bonding time in. Prue's going to need some things and both of you have the babies coming so you can never start too early ..."
"Wait a minute," Piper cut in, laughing, and holding up her hand. She knew exactly what direction the shop talk was heading in.
Paige playfully pouted at the interruption.
"Well, as the sister of experience, I feel it's my duty to step in and warn Prue not to do it," Piper shook her head, laughing again. "Do not let them lead you down into the Maternity Ward Abyss," she cracked, making reference to the horrible wardrobe she had been forced to endure while pregnant with Wyatt. "Trust me."
Prue smiled, feeling a bit amused by the whole encounter.
"Hey, I positively resent that!" Paige shot back. "Don't listen to her, Prue, Phoebe and I have baby style. We'll know just what to pick for ya," she winked.
"Yeah, Prue, listen to her!" Piper mocked. "If you want to walk around looking like a branded pink elephant for the next nine months," she cracked. "I'll pass."
"Aw, but you looked cute," Paige retorted, pouting her lips.
"Cute?" Piper mimicked. "Who wants to look cute when they're bloated out to here," she gestured with her arms out in front of her belly, "and can barely walk without their feet swelling out to there. You just wait."
"Amen," Prue smirked. Being the only other sister to have experienced the whole upside and downside of pregnancy, she could absolutely relate to that.
"Trust me, comfortable is the only way to go," Piper concluded.
"Wimps!" Paige protested in good stride. "Where's your sense of adventure?"
"My sense of adventure is getting an hour to myself each day," Piper nodded at Paige. "The boys keep me on my toes."
Prue finally jumped in to give her input. While she appreciated the sentiments, the last thing she wanted was to become a charity case for her sisters. "Listen, I appreciate the offer and everything but forget it," she refused. "You don't need to feel bad or obligated to help me out. I plan on getting a job and taking care of everything myself, so don't worry. We'll be fine," she insisted, glancing over at her daughter.
Piper and Paige turned to look at Prue.
"Well, Prue, you still need something for now," Piper pointed out. "So does Molly. It's just until you get yourself on your feet. I get you still like to do everything on your own but there's no need to make a bigger deal out of it then it is."
"Yeah, besides, we don't mind at all," Paige shrugged. "And don't waste your time being stubborn about it, because we're just going to do it anyway," she sang, giving a determined nod.
"Prue, stubborn?" Piper laughed, her eyes widening.
Paige smiled.
Prue grinned, shaking her head in protest. "Okay, stop, I'm not that bad," she rebutted against her sister's insinuation. She looked between her two sisters, who appeared to want to laugh at her expense. "I'm not!"
"Ok, fine, she's not really that bad," Piper relented, turning to Paige, but barely able to keep a straight face.
Prue gave a stern look.
"Yeah, sorry, Prue, can't do it," Piper cracked. "If you were any more stubborn, they'd have to hire a mule to kick you in the a ..."
Before Piper could finish, Prue reached out to swat her. "You're mean."
"Sometimes, yeah," Piper nodded, agreeing. "But, whatever, you know you still love me," she sent a big grin their oldest sister's way.
Paige laughed. It felt nice to be sharing such a lighthearted moment. "Hey, we can still do the whole lunch thing, though, right?" she hoped they could still agree to get together outside all of the demon drama. "I mean, it would be kind of nice. The four of us."
Piper shrugged. "Don't see why not," she agreed. "I can always ask dad to keep an eye on the kids."
They both looked to Prue. "Sure, I can use a break away from other things," she shrugged. Molly began to stir again, and she bent down to kiss her.
Paige was satisfied. All they needed to do was get Phoebe on board next.
To Be Continued: Okay, I decided to end this chapter on a lighter note instead of the usual cliffhanger. This story is mostly drama based but it's good to stick the light moments in there once and awhile which I will continue to try and do. Also, I'm going to try and stick with posting one new chapter a week until I finish because of my hectic schedule. It's just a lot of work brainstorming, writing, organizing, and editing before posting the final product. I'd rather have it written right as opposed to just throwing something out there every few days. So, I appreciate all of you sticking by the story and thanks for your patience. Stay tuned.