A big thanks to my readers/reviewers:
PrUe AnD AnDy, and charmed1979. A super-duper big thanks for taking the time to review as always.
You're absolutely right. There is something very off about the Inspector. Just wait until one of the upcoming chapters when you found out just how off the man really is and what it will drive him to do?
PrUe AnD AnDy: they should kill that inspector, huh? Well, the decision should be made alot easier if he really is a demon, right? You'll just have to wait and see, hehe.
charmed1979: lol, I'm glad you think the chapters keep getting better and better. It means I'm doing my job as a writer. So thanks on that end. As for Phoebe/Coop, there will be some light at the end of the tunnel. It's just about the road in getting there.
As for the rest, hehe, let's wait and see.
Onto the next chapter we go:
Chapter 32: A Knock on Destiny's Door
Underworld
Gideon strolled through the underground lair at a quick pace and with an air of self-satisfaction. Only within a few feet behind him, the darklighter followed closely at his heels. Neither of them spoke a single word until they both had entered the hidden cavern found in the uncharted depths of the Underworld. It was a place that no demon dared to venture unless invited there or maintained an upper level status themselves.
"Will you be summoning the others now?" inquired the darklighter excitedly.
"No, not yet," Gideon informed him. "Retrieving the incantation was only the first step but now we need to learn how to read it. The language needs to be deciphered."
"And why is that?" the darklighter countered.
The door to the cavern sealed behind them and seconds passed before Gideon addressed the darklighter's inquiry. He watched as Gideon moved to a hidden location basking in shadows. He moved to follow and the location revealed a hidden set of stones. There was also a box but it was a box he had never seen before.
"Because," Gideon finally answered him. "It is written in an unknown dialect. Foreign to both the immortal and mortal realms and not easily translated. I gather that the initial purpose in doing so was to serve as a sort of safeguard. In case evil were ever to get its hands on it."
The darklighter became anxious. "Then how is that going to serve us? If the language can't be broken down, then it's of no use to us at all!"
"I didn't say that it couldn't be broken, darklighter," Gideon countered back, as if the darklighter were stupid and inferior to his superior intellect. "With the right amount of magic anything is possible."
"But ... " the darklighter attempted to protest but was cut off.
"Be silent!" Gideon demanded. The darklighter recoiled at the Triad member's tone. "I was merely implying that it might take some time, that's all. But we need to try and move quickly especially before word of Emeritus' death passes onto the Charmed Ones."
The darklighter narrowed his eyes at the Triad's mention of the former Elder. "Emeritus? So you know of who he is?" He was suspicious of Gideon and all his knowledge.
Gideon sneered. "Of who he was," he corrected.
"How? And why is that you seem to know so much about the Elders and their ways?" the darklighter wanted to know.
Gideon left the box inside the hole visible within the hollow ground, but picked up some of the stones. He rolled them around in his hands while staring past the darklighter. In a distracted manner and with a gleam to his eyes, he answered the darklighter's next questions.
"Through experience, my dear dark friend. Good old-fashioned experience."
"Good being the operative word," the darklighter pointed out, a sneer of his own set firmly in place. He had put the pieces together very quickly. The man standing with him use to be one of them. Someone who had served the greater good. "Why haven't you told the other members about who you really are?" he challenged.
"Because it's not who I am!" countered Gideon. "Not anymore. I now serve one purpose and one purpose only. And that's to bring down the Charmed Ones along with the next generation. But we may be running out of time. We can't be sure of what Emeritus did or didn't tell the others after he got away. He managed to escape us before dying."
"But if the Charmed Ones come here before we can figure out the incantation, then how will we stop them?" the darklighter inquired.
"With a distraction," he answered simply.
Gideon bent down and began lining the outer perimeters of the hole found in the ground with the Vicarian Stones. They created a circular pattern around the box found inside the ground and while he did this, the darklighter watched on intently. Was he, perhaps, preparing for some type of ritual involving the box? The darklighter wondered that before responding back.
"What kind of distraction?"
After finishing, Gideon stood back up and stared directly at the darklighter. "One that involves completing your task!"
The darklighter arched his brows, accepting what the Triad member implied. Then, a giant smirk broke out on his face as Gideon confirmed what he already knew.
"Yes. It's time to bring them here. All three of the young ones."
X
Billie paced inside the alleyway, awaiting JD's return with Lana.
Granted, being alone in an alleyway late at night wasn't the safest bet but then again she wasn't like any ordinary person. She was a witch with powers and even more than that, a witch born from a Charmed One. Not to mention that in addition to that little fact, she was already used to having to confront demons in dark alleyways all of the time. So what did she really have to fear coming from any mortal with sinister intentions?
Billie stopped pacing and took a deep breath. She could hear the many sirens and horns resonating from the traffic in the distance somewhere. Then she resumed her pacing all over again as her thoughts turned to other matters. In truth, she had fully expected Phoebe to be all over her and ringing her cell phone off the wall when she had failed to report back to the manor earlier. But to her pleasant surprise, that hadn't been the case. Not once had Phoebe, or any of the others for that matter, tried to call back after their brief conversation. But she knew that didn't get her off the hook that easily. There would still be alot of explaining to do after she got back and not just to Phoebe either.
Orbs suddenly materialized into the alleyway beside Billie and she caught sight of them just as they transformed into JD and Lana.
"Hey!" she greeted him.
"Hey yourself," JD smirked back at her. "I got her out but we're gonna' have to hurry and get her back soon before someone notices. I guess they have curfews and stuff."
"Right," Billie acknowledged with a nod of her head. "It's okay, I just had a few questions to ask anyway. Did you tell her?" she inquired of JD.
Lana looked between the two. "Tell me what?"
"Nah, I figured I'd wait until we got back to you first," JD answered, looking straight at Billie.
Lana huffed with impatience. "Are you two going to tell me what it is or are you just going to keep blabbering in code back and forth? And it better be something good too when it involves dragging me out here close to ten o'clock at night!" She brought her arms up around her, a clear sign that she was feeling cold, and she took in her surroundings with an expression reflecting distaste.
Billie shared a look with JD before answering. "We think we found out who your family is," she opened up and shared with her. "But the thing is, not all of it's good news."
Lana appeared surprised by the news. "Okay. Well let's go," she announced, taking steps.
"No, wait, it's not like that," Billie protested. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "You can't just go and show up on their doorstep." She reopened her eyes and watched as Lana stopped and retreated back until she was again standing right in front of them.
"Why not?" came the blunt inquiry.
"Because first off, it would just be rude," Billie challenged her. "Do you know what time it is?" Then her voice softened a bit. "But second of all and most importantly, it's because there's no doorstep to show up on."
Billie knew that wasn't completely true but she wasn't ready to dive into the whole your dead uncle is actually about to marry my Charmed aunt speech just yet. So, ha ha, guess what - it looks like through some sick twist of fate, you and I will actually be sharing a family in some freaky way after all? She needed to have the conversation about Lana with the others first.
Lana scrunched her brows in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I mean they're not alive anymore," Billie delivered the blow the only way she could, with the truth. "Your mother was killed shortly after you were born. Probably by Dumain since he's the one who ended up with you. That's my guess anyway. And then your mother had some brother named Richard but he was blamed for her death so unfortunately he's not around anymore either. At least not in the way you'd expect."
Lana's head had shot up at the mention of Richard.
Billie did note the sadness that had seemed to cross over the poor girl's face for a brief flashing moment. It was like her hopes had been completely dashed with the unfortunate news. However, she managed to recover from it just as quickly. Hopefully, as soon as they could inform her that Coop was in fact her dead 'Uncle Richard', maybe things would look better to her. Billie felt sort of guilty keeping it from her for the time being.
"Was there anybody else?" Lana inquired, void of emotion.
Billie observed her carefully before answering. "No. Sorry. Both your mother and uncle were orphans after your grandparents died," she settled on, deciding not to share the unsettling news that her grandfather had in fact killed her grandmother before killing himself. "And there weren't any other siblings. Both of them grew up in foster homes. And," she sighed, "no other children. Just you."
"Oh."
Lana averted her gaze towards the ground. She tried hard to hide the fact that her eyes were beginning to mist over and that she was actually feeling some assemblance of human emotion, not the good part of it, but still human feeling nonetheless. However, she was failing miserably at hiding it because her voice began to crack with that emotion.
"So then I guess that it's for me, huh? With no family waiting in the wings, it's just a matter of time before the rest of the Triad finds me and gets rid of me," she cracked. "Or maybe I should just let your magically sadistic family take a whack at it first and get it over with," she vented towards Billie, with a venomous glare.
This time Billie didn't react or become defensive. For the first time ever, she could tell that Lana was sincerely reacting with hurt human emotion, she was just lashing out, not giving into some evil nature that made up the other half of who she was. The look of pain wasn't concocted nor fabricated as some elaborate scheme to worm her way into Billie's life and use her. Not this time. Lana was feeling genuine disappointment that quickly turned into pain which then caused her to take it out on the closest people to her.
"Lana, that doesn't have to happen," JD suddenly interjected. "You can still choose to be good if you want to," he tried to encourage her. "It's not like you or your mortal family would have been out of harm's way, even if they were still around for you to go to. Billie's still going to talk to the sisters about finding some kind of potion that might be able to take your powers away for good. Then you can lead a normal life."
"Right," she mocked, feeling unconvinced.
Billie sighed wearily. She had wanted to also bring up the other subject to her. About what had happened today with Inspector Richardson and the picture? But after debating it back and forth, she finally decided that it was definitely not the best time to go there right now. Lana clearly needed a little space. She would have to bring it up later and find out more about it when Coop and Phoebe would be ready to tell Lana the truth.
"I would take JD's advice," Billie offered. "You never know what can happen? JD can take you back now but we'll definitely be in touch."
JD sent her a questioning look and Billie nodded her head. He knew that she had wanted more in coming here tonight but her nod signaled to him that they would leave it alone for tonight.
"Go!" Billie told JD.
JD nodded back and then latched onto Lana as the two faded away amidst his orbs. Billie was left standing alone in the alleyway once again, awaiting his solo return. After JD successfully dropped Lana back off inside the shelter, she lied down on her bed and turned her face into the pillow.
Her soft sobs could be heard across the darkened room.
X
Upstairs in the attic, the four sisters sat in a circular formation.
Phoebe finished lighting the first candle and then the lighter was passed on to Piper. Piper lit the candle sitting in front of her and when she was finished she passed the lighter on to Prue, who repeated the same action as the other two sisters before her. When the lighter finally reached Paige, she lit her candle; however, she noticed that her hand was involuntarily shaking just a little bit. She acknowledged that this would be the first time in over five years, her first time ever as a witch and a Charmed One, that she would be meeting their dead ancestor. The witch who was responsible for starting this magical line which led to this very moment in time.
"Okay, now comes the fun part," Phoebe cracked, holding up the knife for everyone to see.
"Eh. Do we have to?" Paige delivered back, making a face at her.
"Uh, yeah, unfortunately," Prue answered the question for her, nodding her head at her baby sister and smiling at the same time. "The way I remember it, the spell only works by blood calling for blood."
Phoebe smiled. "Yup, so pick a finger. Any finger," she joked, while taking the knife and using it to prick her finger at the same time. "Ow!" she jumped a little. "Alright, who's next?" came her high-pitch sound. "Here you go," she stated as she passed it over to Piper.
However, instead of reaching out to grab the knife, Piper used a hand to cover her face. She thrust her arm out at Phoebe. "You know the drill," she instructed.
All eyes turned to look at Piper, looks of surprise covering their faces.
"What? Are you serious?" Phoebe laughed. "After all this time?"
"Oh yes. Dead serious. Now prick and get it over with before I chicken out," Piper ordered.
"But, honey, all those times you tried to summon Prue," Phoebe pointed out, still slightly amused. "By yourself!" she stressed.
"Or when we scried for Billie," Paige added as a helpful reminder.
"I thought you got over it, you're still squeamish?" Phoebe couldn't help but laugh.
"Doesn't count!" Piper objected, shaking her head in protest. "Those were desperate times and my adrenaline was pumping so hard I don't think I would have felt a house dropping on me. Now, are you going to prick or am I going to have to make Prue do it?" she mused.
"Um, no!" Prue made a face but couldn't help the smile that broke out.
Everyone shared amused looks as Phoebe pricked and Piper jumped. The knife passed over to Prue who pricked her own finger and then she passed it on to Paige, who did the same thing. All four sisters squeezed drops of blood into the small pot before them. After finishing that step, the sisters stood up and formed a small circle around the pot, holding hands and leaving just enough room to summon Melinda Warren into the circle.
They each took deep breaths and closed their eyes. Phoebe started the chant.
"Melinda Warren, blood of our blood ..."
"Our great great great great great great grandmother," Piper, Prue, and Paige all picked up with Phoebe.
"We summon thee!" they completed in unison.
The four sisters opened their eyes and watched as sparkly orbs, mixed with white and gold, materialized before them and formed into their dead ancestor. The beautiful woman from the past, carried her bright smile back with her. A smile that was contagious and with her wisps of blond hair, hair that reached down to her shoulders and blew with the light breeze, she took deep breaths of air after materializing back into her former natural state from centuries ago.
"Ah," she sighed and relaxed herself. "It's so good to be back again," she announced with a happy disposition. "Blessed Be!"
The four sisters returned her heart-warming smile with smiles of their own. Melinda Warren looked from one sister to the next. Although it was clear to her that some time had clearly passed since her last visit here, she immediately recognized the first three faces her eyes passed over. However, when she landed on the last face, the young woman was clearly someone new to her.
"I don't believe we've met," she addressed Paige in a soft cheerful voice. "But you must be the fourth sister that the prophecy foretold of." She turned her head and nodded towards the others while she addressed them. "I remember Prue," she smiled and nodded at her. "Of course who is named for my own daughter Prudence."
Prue reached out to hug her. "It's good to see you again."
"And then there was Piper," Melinda Warren nodded in her direction next. Piper repeated Prue's action with another hug.
"And Phoebe," she smiled at the former youngest sister.
Phoebe smiled, stepped forward, and embraced the former witch who had been summoned back from the afterlife in flesh and blood. "We've missed you."
Melinda Warren then turned back to readdress Paige.
"And I would be Paige," she jumped in with the introduction. "The long lost sister."
"Of course, Paige," Melinda smiled and stepped forward to hug the youngest sister. "Welcome home."
"Thanks?" Paige accepted a bit sheepishly as she pulled back.
Melinda reached out for Paige's hands and held them in her own. "And I don't know if you realize but your chosen name seems to be a reflection of the prophecy itself. Symbolic in nature. You are the lost 'Paige,' the lost sister that was found and reunited with her sisters just as the lost 'page' from the Book was meant to be found and reunited with it. Back with the four of you where it rightfully belongs."
"See, but I think that's where the problem is," Piper spoke up. "The page from the Book wasn't really lost it was actually stolen. And now it's gone again and might be in the hands of evil. And to be quite honest, some of us are a little confused about what this whole new power means. I mean, why now?"
Melinda watched Piper and feelings of sympathy and understanding overtook her.
"Piper, I believe when you mean to say is that you are confused," she addressed the sister. "You want to know why you couldn't be spared the pain of experiencing the loss one sister in exchange for receiving another one in return?" she asserted. "Or why this new power wasn't allowed to come into being with all four of you from the very beginning?"
Piper averted her gaze towards to floor before looking back up.
"Not even I have all the answers, Piper. Nor with the gift of prophecy did I see or know everything," Melinda shared.
Piper shared a brief look with Prue before turning her attention back to Melinda Warren who continued to speak and looked from each sister as she spoke her next words.
"I do know the path in getting here has been very hard for you. All of you." Melinda took the time to meet the eyes of each sister, one by one. "And it has been difficult in different ways but it is important for each of you to understand that it was all necessary. Everything that happened was meant to be and without those experiences you wouldn't have grown or learned the lessons needed to move on so you could become stronger. All of that was needed to benefit your new bond as 'four.' It was also to become a destined path that ultimately intertwines with that of your next generation."
Prue thought about the words coming from her ancestor. If she put aside her feelings of guilt long enough, about faking her death and deceiving her sisters, buried all the anger directed towards Gideon, and forgot about the resentment she held for the Underworld at abducting her daughter, she could grasp at the deeper meaning. Because, in truth, had none of those events transpired, chances were that she never would have been reunited with Andy. There would be no Molly today and maybe, just maybe, she never would have even uncovered the truth about Billie either. Billie might not have even appeared in their lives. So in a weird and twisted way, it appeared as if some good things were destined to come out of the bad and its consequences after all. A quick glance at her sisters and it was easy to tell that they were reflecting on similar things that were relevant to their own lives.
"So with that now said," Melinda continued, "It is important for all of you to put aside all anger, all resentment and any other negative emotions that may hold you back. Coming together as the Ultimate Power truly does mean you will operate as one."
Phoebe had some of her own questions that she wanted answered.
"So what exactly did the prophecy say?" she inquired. "I mean, before the switch? Does the Ultimate Power replace the Power of Three or talk about who was really meant to be the Power of Three?" she reflected back on the past, thinking about the first three years with Prue before they reconstituted the power with Paige in her place.
Melinda looked between the sisters.
"The original prophecy spoke of the coming of powerful sisters. The Charmed Ones. But it opened up with the foretelling of two sisters who would be blessed with a double magical line. However, their very existence would cause much upheaval. It did not say how that would happen only that it would. The prophecy never directly spoke of which three sisters were to operate as the Power of Three, but it just made it clear that for a period of time it would only be three sisters and the Power of Three."
Phoebe laughed at the irony. "Want to take a guess that's where that whole forbidden whitelighter/witch rule came out of?" she turned to her sisters.
"The upheaval bit?" Piper clarified. "Yeah. So much for breaking the rules," she joked back, while rolling her eyes. "They must have misinterpreted it as something bad when all along it was foretelling of the upheaval they would cause," she made in reference to the Elders, "over trying to prevent it from happening in the first place."
Her other sisters shared a small laugh with her.
"So then the prophecy must have went on to tell of the fourth sister reuniting with the others to make the circle complete, right?" Prue directed her question back at Melinda.
"Yes," she confirmed. "Although the fourth sister does appear to have a dual meaning as well. For a long while, Paige was technically the fourth sister missing most of your lives, until she did reunite and reconstitute a Power of Three. So I don't believe the prophecy is only referencing her, Prue. It is talking about you too. You essentially resurrected, even though you never truly died, and then returned as the missing fourth sister link to Piper, Phoebe, and Paige. You were needed back to complete the Ultimate Power circle," she explained to all of them.
The discussion had turned highly philosophical in nature but at the same time it did help to bring a better understanding to all the sisters. Each of them had been plagued with thoughts that centered around where their place truly was, what was destined or meant to be, and why all the things had happened the way they had.
"So what does all this mean now?" Paige finally spoke up with a question of her own. "Phoebe asked about the Power of Three and it being replaced by this new power. Once we constitute it, will the Power of Three just disappear?"
"No. Essentially, the purpose of the Ultimate Power is because as good evolved and became stronger, so would evil. You would begin to encounter more and more evil that could withstand the Power of Three. Thus, making the evil virtually unstoppable. You've probably encountered some in your short time together but there will be more to come," she forewarned.
"Great!" Paige remarked, rolling her eyes. "Looking forward to that!"
"The Power of Three will always be there if you need to tap into it but as time moves on you will notice that you shall be using it less and less," Melinda clarified.
"And what about the next generation part, our kids?" Piper suddenly threw in. "I mean, this power hasn't even been constituted yet but we do happen to know for a fact that my niece was able to vanquish one of these unvanquishable demons last year," she pointed out to clear up some of the confusion. "So how is that possible?"
Melinda thought hard about the question presented to her.
"Well, the next generation born would already be predisposed to their power, your power. The only thing is that they will not be able to tap into the power-base the same way you four will be able to after you constitute it. They will need to wait until their sets are complete and when the generation is full to tap into the same levels."
"Sets?" Phoebe immediately queried, picking up on that piece of information. She already knew that she was destined to have at least one daughter. After all, she had seen her and watched herself talk to her in a future vision. But was Melinda Warren confirming more?
Melinda smiled. "I've probably already shared more then I should have. But in answer to your question, Phoebe, yes there will be more than one child."
Phoebe smiled back.
"Actually, at one time," Melinda opted to continue, "There was a whole separate prophecy that spoke of your next coming generation. It was a Twice-Blessed prophecy foretelling the coming of powerful witches descending from two magical lines, descendants straight from the Charmed line. Only now, where it is? Your guess is as good as mine. This particular prophecy did not come straight from me."
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige shared a knowing look.
"Uh, yeah, we know!" Paige sang.
"Evil got its hands on it sometime back" Phoebe continued, as Prue listened with Melinda. "We found out about the prophecy back when Piper had Wyatt only we were led to believe that it was talking about Wyatt only. Now we know the truth."
"And why those nasty warlocks were so desperate to get their hands on poor baby Wyatt," Paige interjected. "They were probably planning on handing him over to Dumain and the Triad the whole time," she concluded. "Gosh, I can't believe they were out to collect our kids? Our future kids?" she reflected with a shudder, even though none of hers technically existed yet.
"Well, speaking of evil collecting things," Piper stressed. "What do we do if evil does have the incantation? And how do we constitute the Ultimate Power without it?"
"Evil can only gain use to it by reading and understanding the contents held within. Which could prove to be difficult because the words came through my premonition in a buried language that is virtually unknown in both worlds. So that may or may not offer you some more time. But if you do find that evil figures out a way, they need the page. So find the incantation and destroy it. Destroy it and you destroy their access to your power."
"Destroy it?" Prue was uncertain. "But what about us?"
Melinda addressed Prue. "Once we constitute it, it's yours. You won't need it anymore. The page is not even the real power, you are."
Prue nodded. "Right. So the page is basically just a backdoor way for evil to tap into us?"
"Creepy," Paige's voice hitched and she shuddered.
The four sisters absorbed all the information carefully.
"Alright. So how do we do this?" Piper inquired, asking what was clearly on the minds of everyone else in the attic.
Melinda smiled. "Well, we can start by reforming a circle," she informed them. "Oh, but first we'll need to place the Book in the center of our circle."
Prue turned around to retrieve the Book of Shadows from the podium. She returned with it and placed it down inside the center of where their circle would soon be formed. Stepping back, she took Piper's hand to one side of her and Melinda Warren's on the other. Melinda and all four sisters were now forming a circle together, hands being held with the person to each side of them.
"Close your eyes and take deep breaths," Melinda instructed with a gentle voice. "Allow your minds to clear as you connect," she finished.
Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige all concentrated on the instructions given to them. Deep intakes of air were taken and then released in other breaths and as they opened up their minds, slowly reaching out and connecting to each other, something started to happen. The Triquetra symbol gracing the cover of the Book began to glow a bright sparkling blue. Then, next, energy spurted upwards and filtrated over the top of the circle.
As a type of telepathic connection was opened through the minds of the group, the important words that were needed to constitute the Ultimate Power began to flow freely into thought patterns and then out in their voices. They chanted in unison and with complete comprehension:
"Powers above and powers below; We now come together as four, To knock on destiny's door. We open this door and flow freely in. Give us the power, we do call forth the power in this night and hour. A power so great, all evil will cower. We shall be protected from near and afar; And a strength we will beseech from thee forever more. From the waters, the mountains, and from the moon and the sun; We unite ourselves together to fight for all good as one."
The chant was repeated four times in a row, one chant representative of each sister, and the blue energy flew down and encompassed each sister inside the circle. After the chant had finished, the energy converged and realigned itself with the symbol on the Book of Shadows cover. The sisters opened their eyes and watched as the Triquetra symbol on the Book slowly morphed into a newer symbol. The Triquetra, at one time representing three, shifted into a type of Quadtra, with an extra loop which now represented four.
The sisters each glanced at each other with surprised expressions and then Phoebe dove for the Book. She raced over to the small table and began to flip through it at a rapid pace. Her sisters followed from close behind. Melinda just watched from the background, slightly amused by this girlish display.
"Whoa, check this out!" Phoebe announced. "New spells and potion mixes."
The other sisters huddled in close together to see for themselves.
"This is way cool!" Phoebe announced excitedly.
"Hey. See any new spells in there to fix my hair?" Piper cracked.
"No, but I just saw something about turning colors," Paige squinted her eyes together, while trying to gather as much as she could as Phoebe flipped through. "Which is cool cause' I've actually been thinking about going back to the red without it happening from a potion gone wrong."
Prue smirked before responding. "Okay, guys, first let's concern ourselves with the Triad? Then we'll get back to hair-dyes and, ew, my split ends," she cracked as she took a hold of a piece of her hair.
Melinda continued to smile but interjected anyway. "Just remember. The personal gain rule does still apply. And with it, so do all the consequences," she warned.
All four sisters shot their heads up, making disgruntled expressions.
"Okay!" Phoebe announced, slamming the Book shut. "Wishful thinking time is way over!" she cracked.
"Yeah, we should have known there would still be a catch," Paige added her own two cents in. "But I guess this means we have to send you back now, huh?" She made a face.
"Yes, Paige. The task that I've been called forth to do is now done. My place is back in the afterlife with all the others who came before and after me."
Paige stepped forward to embrace her. "Aw. But I was just starting to get to know you," she pouted playfully, while hugging the woman responsible for the magical destiny she now had.
They pulled back from the hug.
"True," Melinda stated. "But a part of me will always be with you. With all of you," she turned to address all the sisters. "It's in what you do. And remember, I'm only a summoning spell away whenever you need me."
The other sisters stepped forward to hug Melinda and offer their good-byes before sending her back into the afterlife where she belonged. They huddled around her, forming a circle, and held hands for the third time this evening.
"Melinda Warren," Prue stated. "Blood of our blood, we release you."
She smiled back as the gold and white orbs rematerialized to carry her away. Before she vanished completely, her last words were carried with the wind, as the four sisters watched her depart.
"Blessed be, my daughters. Be safe as one."
X
The Inspector flung the door open that lead into his darkened apartment.
After flicking on the light switch, the one found on the wall next to the door, he threw his keys and briefcase down onto the lounge chair. Quickly, he took determined strides in the direction of the small cabinet found in his living room, the same cabinet that housed his liquor. Pulling a glass out, he filled it with blocks of ice and then poured into it the contents of his choosing.
He walked back over for his briefcase, drink in one hand. Grabbing for it, he took it and sat back down on the couch. Placing his drink down, he reached inside the briefcase for the secret file he sought. It was the same one he kept hidden and locked away inside his drawer at the precinct.
Opening the file, he began to scan the contents. There were pictures of the victim and any evidence obtained during the investigation. In truth, there hadn't been much to find. He had been the Inspector assigned to the Richard and Jenna Devlon case twenty years ago. They never found the victim's missing baby but he did manage to secure an arrest for the brother who met his demise in lock up.
He shoved the contents of the file across the coffee table and further away from him as he thought about the current arrangement he was now involved in. He was almost certain that the individual he was dealing with was somehow connected back to this case and it was because of the girl. This strange man had practically admitted it to him when he came to him with the plan all those months ago. The deal had been to track down the missing baby from one of his cases and to keep a watch on the mysterious Halliwells, all in exchange for his revenge. As coincidence may have had it, both of their situations were linked and connected back to the Halliwells. Therefore, at the time, he had been more than eager to accept the agreement without asking too many questions but exactly how the man knew where and how to find him was a whole other matter.
Was he a mad man? He couldn't help but laugh to himself as the thought crossed his mind. Sure he was, he decided on, but he was beyond caring at this point. Life had taken a lot of bad turns for him. However, once he had his revenge, everything would be right with the world. It's what kept him going.
He moved his hand to the back of his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He removed a picture. It was his daughter.
He reached for his gun and began twirling it in one hand.
"Soon. Your death will be avenged very soon," he voiced to himself. "Even if I have to do it myself."
X
Lana had drifted into a deep slumber sometime during the night in the hours after JD and Billie both departed.
However, that peaceful state she sought to immerse herself within was suddenly disturbed with the feel of a strange hand that covered her mouth, muffling any sound that attempted to come out. She had almost sensed it immediately and her eyes bolted open.
But it was already too late.
Before she could even react and use her powers, they both faded out of sight together.
To Be Continued: Hehe. Who has Lana now?
Alright, thanks for reading and please don't forget to review. I like to know what you're all thinking out there. Also, I am working on another story too titled A Witch Lost in Time. So I'm trying to split my time between the two and post a chapter for each one when I do post. With that said, hope you enjoyed.
Coming Up: The sisters learn to adjust to their new power base, Billie has a confrontation with the sisters about her involvement with Lana, and Gideon/the Triad further their plans along against the sisters/next generation with the help of the darklighter.
Stay Tuned