Hi everyone.
Thanks again for the awesome reviews. I continue to really appreciate them:
Love Angel 1705, AlyssaP3, du1387, PrUeAnDAnDy, charmedgirl-alyssaphoebe, CHARMEDxoxo, and PiperPaigeHalliwell:
Love Angel: Glad you liked the doll, lol.
AlyssaP3: hehe, saw the movie. Me liked it!
du1387 and PrUeAnDAnDy: Thanks again for the reviews.
charmedgirl-alyssaphoebe: Welcome back. Glad you're still following the story.
CHARMEDxoxo: Welcome and sorry about your eyes, lol. I know it's long but thanks for the compliment.
PiperPaigeHalliwell: Thank you. I'm flattered that you think this is the best story ever, lol.
The next title is inspired by a children's nursery rhyme, in case you hadn't already noticed, lol. Also, just to avoid confusion, the two separate events occurring in the first part of the next chapter below, are events that are actually occurring at the same time. That is why I put them together in the same section. I guess the best way to picture it in your mind would be to think of the scenes flashing back and forth like the same way they would on TV.
Hope that made sense, lol.
Chapter 36: Hickory Dickory Dock, Wyatt Went Through the Clock
(Gideon's Hidden Lair)
Her hands were sore.
They were cracked and bleeding but those signs weren't visible to the naked eye because all the marks covering her hands were hidden beneath all the dirty soot that came from the ground. She was too tired to continue any further.
"Dammit," Lana cursed, throwing herself back against the bars to take another break.
Her heavy labored breathing could be heard by someone close enough to listen and she used her forearm to wipe against the beads of sweat forming over and around her brow. All around the dark cavern, she was met only with dead silence. Closing her eyes, the exhaustion she felt passed through her like a tidal wave and she sought out the much needed rest that her body craved. She would try again later. After all, time was something she definitely had on her side.
At least for the moment.
"There's got to be another way out of here," she muttered, resting her head against the metal bars.
(Hidden Underworld Chamber)
The shadows, forming from the flaming torches on the walls, danced across the sides of the charcoal-colored structure. The flames were the only signs of light present anywhere inside the dark chamber as Gideon and his fellow Triad members stood together, forming a circle. With their eyes closed and hands raised up high, they were chanting in unison.
It was time.
Gideon had managed to successfully decipher the language. The remaining stones had guided him during his quest to magically filter it. Dark magic had its own resources found deep within the Underworld. Gideon had maneuvered himself to take full advantage of it. Which meant that the Triad now had the ability to stop the Ultimate Power, the Charmed Ones, by tapping into the power and taking it. Below them, placed inside the center of the circle, was the incantation. They began to recite backwards.
(Gideon's Hidden Lair)
Lana had been using her hands, for what seemed like an eternity, to try and reach freedom. The incessant digging was a constant reminder of what living as a mortal could be like. The feeling of actual physical pain, something she wasn't normally accustomed to due to her ability to suppress it over the years, surged through her. She flinched against it.
"Come on think" she instructed to herself just barely above a whisper.
With the use of her powers proving ineffective, there was no other hope of escape except to create the hope itself. Then there was Gideon, who was nowhere to be found. He had disappeared shortly after her arrival back into the Underworld and into his clutches. She quickly contemplated whether or not Billie or JD would even realize she had gone missing or that another switch had taken place. However, after thinking about it, she quickly acknowledged the grim possibility. Her attitude and actions weren't really that different from other demons. So she quickly conceded that her fate was sealed, she was doomed each and every way she looked at it.
Somebody please help me, the desperate plea flowed through her thoughts.
Then she did something she had never really done before. She cried. Her shoulders began shaking and she brought her knees up against her chest, hiding her face, as she allowed the emotions to pass through her in the form of streaming tears. Her mind was doing battle with itself and slowly, she felt the hopelessness taking over.
(Hidden Underworld Chamber)
The chant reverberated everywhere. All the members were immersed within a deep transient state.
A bright blue light shot upwards out of the small circle. This circle was formed by the Triad. The incantation was being encased by the remaining Vicarian Stones that surrounded the powerful inscription in every direction. The chant continued to flow and the light grew stronger.
(Gideon's Hidden Lair)
"I don't want to die again. Please," she pleaded and choked out in between sobs. "Please. Don't let me die."
Vulnerable moments such as these were few and far in between during her life spent in the Underworld but she didn't want to return to the Wasteland. True enough, the Triad part of herself would most likely secure her another resurrection if she died but the experience itself was still rather unpleasant.
Lana was suddenly alerted to a loud clicking noise that completely startled her. Immediately jerking her head up to locate the source of the disturbance, she was alarmed to discover that the locked door leading into the cage had somehow managed to unlock and swing itself open. Instantly, she rose to her feet and took the few steps to the door. Cautiously looking around, she called out.
"Hello?"
She received no answer back.
"Who's there?" she tried again. But still there was no response.
Lana took a few careful cautious steps forward and then finally exited the cage. One more final time, she glanced at her surroundings, completely baffled on how her release from imprisonment had just been secured. Then, taking quick strides, she went in search of the entrance that would take her out of this cave once and for all.
(Hidden Underworld Chamber)
The chant was repeated over and over again until finally the bright blue light divided into four directions, infusing each of the Triad members with the power necessary to tap into the Ultimate Power.
Gideon and the rest of the Triad were imbued with the light until the infusion process was completed and the glow dimmed then faded out all together. Each of the members took a moment to compose themselves, each looking to the other one, before anyone opted to speak out.
"Is it done?" the FIRST Triad broke the silence.
Gideon sneered. "Yes. It is done. All that remains now is that we prepare for our attack against the Charmed Ones."
"And if it doesn't work the first time?" the SECOND Triad inquired.
"Then we keep using the power for as long as it takes," Gideon glared at him.
"I don't understand," the THIRD Triad grumbled. "Why the need to keep repeating the process?"
"Because that's just the way it works," Gideon barely contained the urge to call the other member an idiot. "The Ultimate Power inherently belongs to the sisters," he continued. "We are tapping into it. Make sure this incantation remains safe guarded at all times. It's our only way in."
"Very well," the First Triad immediately cut in. "Let's move on to what needs to be done. Has the darklighter secured the capture of the next generation?"
"He's working on it as we speak," Gideon sneered.
X
The pattering sound of small feet sounded against the floor as little Wyatt ran around the corner in search of the doll. The curious toddler was still on the second floor but he quickly found himself at the top of the stairs looking down. The doll continued on its journey down to the first floor, as the soon-to-be four year old watched in awe and wonder.
"Aunt Phoebe?" his small voice traveled downstairs. "Help."
When the little boy received no answer, he slowly descended the stairs all on his own, taking unsure steps. However, when he reached the bottom steps, he missed sight of the small plastic arm that reached through one of the openings found on the banister. It then grabbed for Wyatt's leg, pulling and sending him toppling down the remaining flight of stairs.
"Ouch!" he cried out.
He looked up from the floor only to find a small plastic face contorted with an evil sneer. It proceeded to laugh and then it headed in the direction of the dining room, running underneath the table and out of a direct line of sight. Phoebe came out of the kitchen, overhearing the fall and her nephew's cry, catching him as he lifted himself from off the floor. She had been in the middle of helping Piper with some chores around the house, finishing a load of laundry.
"Wyatt, honey, what happened? Did you fall down?" she asked, immediately coming to her nephew's aide.
"Auntie Phoebe?" his anxious voice called out. "The bad dolly made Molly go away," he told her, as she suddenly appeared stunned by his admission. "She ran away with Molly inside. Look!" He extended his arm and pointed in the direction of the table, intent on making her believe him.
Phoebe turned to look; however, there was nothing to find. No doll was underneath the table. "Wyatt, honey, there's nothing there," she tried reassuring him, turning back to face him. "See?" she pointed.
He was persistent. "No!" He shook his head. "She ran away again!"
Phoebe sighed. She assumed that Wyatt was probably teasing Molly and trying to hide the doll again. In fact, she was anticipating Molly's arrival on the scene any minute now, looking to retrieve her doll. She decided she would finish throwing the last of the laundry into the washing machine before checking on things upstairs to avoid having to deal with another tantrum. Maybe they could finally get to the bottom of Wyatt acting out and the doll snatching incidents once and for all? Pulling him in close for a hug, she attempted to pacify him.
"Listen, buddy. Give me one minute and then you and I are going to find out what's going on together," she played along with him. "Okay?"
Wyatt nodded slowly and watched as his aunt retreated back into the kitchen. At a quick pace, she grabbed for the basket of clothes sitting on the table and then entered the small laundry room. However, while she was distracted with the task of filling up the washer machine, the door behind her suddenly slammed shut with a loud bang.
"Wyatt?" came Phoebe's automatic assumption. "Not funny, kiddo," she laughed, presuming the little guy was just being impatient and looking for some attention.
She walked over dismayed to find that the door was locked. Disgruntled, she began pulling on the door knob and banging against the glass window found on the door.
"Wyatt? Open the door right now please."
However, what she caught next totally took her by surprise. Her face contorted into disbelief, which immediately converted over into shock. She saw the small plastic figure dart across the kitchen counter. It hadn't been Wyatt who locked her inside. Her eyes widened as she watched it jump down and then continue across the floor, preparing to leave the kitchen.
"Are you kidding me ... Hey!" her voice hitched as she began frantically pulled at the door knob and banged on the door even louder.
The doll stopped. It turned around to sneer and smirk at her.
Instinctively, Phoebe jerked herself backwards. "Are you laughing at me?" she directed back at it. "It's laughing at me," she announced rather astounded.
Did a spell backfire?
Quickly, she thought back to Wyatt and his story. Oh no. "Molly," she whispered to herself, suddenly feeling guilty for not believing Wyatt.
The kids were in trouble. She needed to find a way out of there and fast. Phoebe immediately went into panic mode. Her first instinct was to focus her energy into trying to orb herself out. To her apparent dismay, she found she had trouble tapping into it. That avenue didn't work. Stepping away from the door, she then tried waving her hand to see if she could force it open. Nope. Telekinesis wouldn't work either.
"Damn it, what good is this stupid new power if we can't use it when we really need to!" She took a few deep breaths because she knew she was going into panic mode instead of focusing. "Alright, calm down," she closed her eyes. "Think. There's got to be another way to get out of here."
Suddenly, she grabbed for the empty laundry basket, smashing it against the window in the hopes of breaking through it. She yielded no success.
"Of course. Why would that work?" she mocked her failure, throwing the laundry basket onto the floor.
Her attention once again landed on the doll, who stood in the small entrance leading to the dining room. Apparently, it still stood there watching, amused by all her failed attempts to free herself from the laundry room. It lifted its hand to wave, one final mocking gesture before it turned to leave for good.
"Don't you look at me like that," Phoebe shot her finger up much in the same way she would if she were reprimanding a small child. "You're recyclable parts when I get out of here. Or a dog's chew toy when I get my hands on you, do you hear me, Chucky?" she resumed pulling against the door but to no avail. "And I can't believe that I'm standing here arguing with a freaking doll. Ugh!"
Giving up, she groaned in aggravation, using her hands to squeeze against her temples much in the way that one might do if they were experiencing the onset of an oncoming migraine. Then she threw her hands up in the air, signaling defeat. Her only hope now was that an empathic pull would be strong enough and that one of her sisters would show up fast.
"This is great. I've just been out-smarted by the demonic doll from hell!"
She sat on the floor burying her face in her knees.
X
Paige waltzed into the police precinct intent on getting Andy out during his lunch break.
After hounding him, she had already made Coop aware that today would be the big day. Earlier, she had left Prue off at her interview, promising to orb her out afterwards. All part of the master plan, she smiled to herself. However, what she didn't expect to find was another woman hovering over Andy, clearly trying to monopolize all his time.
"Great. That must be the other little woman."
Paige had heard about Susan's sudden reappearance into Andy's life from Piper. Not to mention, her unannounced visit to the manor last night. Which, unfortunately, led to another argument between Prue and Andy during breakfast this morning. While approaching slowly, she narrowed her eyes a little bit, taking the opportunity to size the other woman up. She walked up to his desk.
"Hope I'm not interrupting anything?" she asserted boldly. She plastered on a big smile and a cheery disposition.
Both Susan Trudeau and Andy shot their attention towards her.
"Paige. Hey?" Andy addressed her, questioning her unexpected visit to his office. He arched his brow in wonder. "Not that it's not good to see you here, but why are you?" He didn't want to come off as rude or dismissive.
"Well, it's lunch time. What better way then to get to know family better, right?" she shrugged, keeping her cheery disposition alive. "Just thought I would stop on by and see if I could get your help with a certain family emergency," she stressed at him, using the infamous excuse that they had become so accustomed to over the many years as witches. Then she turned to Susan, intent on brushing her off and hopefully getting rid of her in the process. "Sorry. Family members only. I'm sure you understand."
Susan glared at her, barely containing the need to bite her tongue. "Well, actually ..." she began but Andy cut in to address Paige first.
"Paige, I can't go anywhere right now. I'm on the clock and I'm swamped with work. And, besides, aren't you guys better equipped to handle those kind of emergencies," he emphasized, an edge of distaste showing up in his tone.
He made an immediate assumption as to what the supposed emergency was about which he was learning to associate with demonic crises and the use of their powers. Honestly, he didn't really like the idea of being involved and wanted to keep out of the magic world as much as possible.
"Hahaha," Paige laughed, passing it off as a joke. "But it's not that kind of an emergency," she stressed right back at him.
Susan just continued to glance back and forth between them, giving the two an odd look for expressing themselves so secretively at her expense. Then, remembering to slip back into her role, she plastered on another fake smile and offered her input.
"Andy, why don't you go on ahead," she urged him in a sugary voice. "I need to be going anyway and maybe we can just do that lunch another time. Besides, I know how busy it gets for you around here and my break is nearly over," she made it a point to glance down at her watch.
Andy had never actually agreed to do the lunch; however, Susan knew that the mere insinuation could likely get a rise out of the other woman named Paige. She had a good hunch she would definitely get a reaction out of what she would do next so she bent down and kissed Andy on the cheek causing Paige to roll her eyes in the process and suppress the sudden urge to gag.
"See you later," she winked at him.
"Wow. Look at you," Paige quickly cut in with a light laugh, before Susan had the chance to leave. She nodded her head and folded her arms. "Lets see. Lunch? Dinner? You sure do move fast," Paige passed the crack, her fake smile flashing back at Susan. "All we need now is for you to fit breakfast in there somewhere and you'll have all your come-ons covered. Too bad we don't have any more room for you at the dining room table, you know, since Andy's wife and kids will already be there. The manor gets kind of crowded like that."
Paige shrugged her shoulders on purpose, a sarcastic gesture.
"We're just friends!" Susan asserted with an intense glare. "And if you, or Prue, or anyone else for that matter can't deal with that ..." she paused and then smiled. "Well, then that's not my problem. "Bye now," she waved her off in a sarcastic manner, turning to the Inspector. Her voice softened. "Bye Andy."
Paige huffed to herself as the other woman walked off. She didn't like her at all. There was something off about her. Both she and Andy remained silent for a few more seconds until Susan was finally gone through the swinging door.
"Paige, that wasn't necessary."
"Oh, please," Paige bit out. "She was totally coming on to you and you know it."
Andy smirked. "Now you're sounding like Prue. That's just Susan being Susan," he tried explaining to her. "She always been a big flirt, even while we were married. It's completely harmless and she doesn't mean anything by it."
Paige threw some food for thought out there. "Right. So then why is that you aren't still married to her then?"
Andy was sorting through his files on his desk and trying to pay attention at the same time. He paused to think about her remark. "Look, can we just drop this?" he tried closing the topic.
"Sure. If you come with me," Paige turned his request into a bargaining tool. "Just for a little bit. I promise that you won't regret it," she tried to sugarcoat it in a sing-song voice.
Andy sighed. "Fine," he gave in. He stood up, reaching for the jacket he had resting over the back of his chair. "Where are we going and what's the emergency?"
Paige smiled and turned around.
With a small sigh of resignation, he moved to follow behind her. As soon as they were out of the office and out of sight, Paige orbed both of them from the police precinct and straight to her apartment. When the orbs reappeared, Andy found himself in the company of a third person. This other person flashed an awkward smile and just waved.
"Hey."
It was Henry.
X
Wyatt watched and took a few steps back as the doll darted past him and into the living room. He then took tentative steps in the same direction, watching as the doll climbed and found a way to maneuver itself back inside of the grandfather clock. The glass door was left open.
Wyatt stopped and waited a few seconds, anticipating the doll's sudden return. The clock chimed and briefly startled the little boy. He jumped. However, being the curious four year-old he was, he decided to move forward and take a peek when there appeared to be no further sign or movement coming from the doll. When he approached and looked inside, he found a lifeless doll at the bottom.
"Auntie Phoebe!" Wyatt immediately called for assistance, reaching for the doll that no longer seemed to be any threat. Maybe Molly just got stuck inside and would come back out when he picked it up, his young mind rationalized.
After Wyatt's hand made contact with the doll, the same blinding light burst forth, creating a funnel inside of the clock. The wind picked up and as he tried to pull away, he discovered he couldn't. The funnel inside of the clock created a force so strong it yanked the little boy off of the floor and pulled him through the portal.
"Help!" came the final plea, until that too vanished along with the child.
X
Lana rounded the corner, careful not to be caught by anyone that could be in league with Gideon or the rest of the Triad.
However, her luck was short-lived as her path was about to collide with that of her former captor. Walking at a quick pace, he had another darklighter with him. They appeared to be engaged in the middle of a heated discussion. She scurried into the small enclave found a couple feet away. She was so close in her escape but apparently the darklighter still had unlimited access to Gideon's lair, even in his absence.
"We already have one of them," she overheard one of the voices explain as they approached closer. "How much longer should it be until we have all three? And will you be going after the oldest one again?"
Billie.
Lana quickly reached the conclusion that was who he had to be referring to.
"No," the darklighter Jarad countered. "She's too advanced in her powers and we don't need to risk her or that whitelighter ruining our plans. We'll get to her after we get to the Charmed Ones," he informed the other darklighter named Crate.
"So then how much longer?" Crate pushed. "Shouldn't we wait to let Gideon and the other Triad members know after we have all of them?"
"The magic is working on the doll as we speak. It'll be done when it's done," he snapped back at him. "But I'll go and check up on the progress and move things along if need be. Gideon and the others will be here soon to report to. The cage is secure from your end?" Jarad sought confirmation, still taking a quick glance around for any signs of Gideon and the Triad's return.
"Safe and secure in our cavern," Crate assured him.
However, while listening, Lana became distracted and suddenly lost her footing. She slid, sending tons of loose pieces of gravel flying off the walls and into the small enclave housing her. Unfortunately, the noise also drew the attention of the two darklighters who were still in the lair with her.
"Who's there?" the darklighter demanded to know. He took quick steps in the direction that the sound had traveled from.
It was now or never.
Lana took a dive around the corner, running in the same direction that the two darklighters had entered in from. The darklighter, Jarad, immediately took notice of her escape and ran after her. Crate followed behind.
"Hey!" he yelled. "How did you get out?"
He orbed out, the other darklighter following his lead, but she kept running without looking back. A few more steps and she would reach her full freedom and regain access to her powers again. That way she could go and let Billie or the Charmed Ones know what was happening.
She saw the orbs appearing in front of her and she tripped, toppling to the ground. She thought fast and began to crawl on her hands and knees.
"Not so fast," the darklighter reached out to grab her foot.
She twisted herself around and aimed a hard kick in between his groin area just as the second darklighter orbed himself in beside his comrade. Jarad released her and let out a loud wail, grabbing onto himself in pain. Lana was on her feet in a flash, heading for the exit.
"Stop her!" Jarad pointed, still holding himself.
Crate headed for her but it was too late. Lana had leapt through the small entry point and reached safety, shimmering away as fast as her power could carry her.
X
Prue paced in front of the elevators. She was deep in thought and anxiously awaiting the arrival of one of them to reach the eighth floor so she could leave.
The interview had been another flop and she quickly contemplated the possibility of just finding a way to go into business herself. Where would she get the money to get herself off the ground? Starting her own business and opening up her own photography studio could be risky. Besides, even if she took that risk and tried applying for a bank loan, there was no guarantee she'd be approved. Her rambling thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the arrival of orbs instead of an elevator.
Prue jumped, bringing her hand to her chest. "Paige?"
"Yep," Paige nodded her head quite dramatically. "It's me," she announced. "Alive and in color," she made it a point to show off her new outfit. "And since your ride has officially arrived, what do you say we blow this place?"
Her perkiness was contagious and Paige had other plans, plans she knew her older sister wasn't aware of just yet. Next stop? Andy and her apartment.
Taking a quick inspection around them, Prue immediately reprimanded. "Somebody could have seen you do that. You were supposed to meet me outside, remember?"
At that precise moment, the elevator door opened in what Prue considered just the nick of time. Luckily, it was completely empty and she grabbed a hold of her sister's arm, ushering both of them inside as fast as she could manage.
"Whoa, pushy much?" Paige cracked, rolling her eyes at her sister's reaction.
Prue reached for a button found on the panel.
"Relax. I could sense you were alone."
Prue gave her a stern look and wordlessly pointed at a camera discreetly located in a corner of the ceiling just before the elevator doors closed. Luckily, it hadn't been facing their direction.
"Oh. Right," Paige nodded in acknowledgement.
"We already have Gideon and the Triad to deal with. We definitely don't need to add careless exposure to the list," Prue sighed.
Paige paused for a moment considering both the mood and her next choice of words. She had picked up on the somber mood almost before she had even orbed in. "I take it that interview didn't go as smoothly as you would have liked it to, huh?" she inquired, raising her eyebrows in her sister's direction.
Prue released a sigh of frustration. "Please. Don't even ask," she closed her eyes and sighed. "I know Phoebe and I use to joke about Piper entering a convent whenever her love life went on the fritz but one more job interview like this and I think I might consider entering one myself," she cracked. "It's not like my marriage is really anything to brag about at the moment."
"Well, that might not be a problem you have for very long," Paige bragged with a firm head-shake and a mischievous smile in place as she thought about her plan.
Prue threw her a questioning look. "What does that mean?"
"Oh, it's nothing, never-mind," Paige waved her hand, intending to dismiss it. She didn't want to blow the plan before she even had the chance to try and make it work. "I just meant that I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding a job soon," she covered up quickly. "I mean, you are Super-Witch after all, right?" she muttered, taking a jab with the label she had thrown at Prue years ago before knowing her.
Prue narrowed her eyes a bit playfully. She had overheard it. "Super-Witch? Okay, am I missing something here?"
"Nothing!" Paige refuted quickly, realizing her mistake after it was too late.
She didn't want to have to get into a lengthy discussion explaining that to Prue. It could prove to be a bit disastrous this early on. Beyond the demon fighting, their personal relationship was still in a vulnerable place. At least with Andy, she was only trying to help she reasoned. Still, she could tell Prue didn't quite buy her excuse and wasn't letting it go. True, Prue was still getting to know Paige, but Paige also knew her sister was getting comfortable with reading her own unique body language much in the same way she was already used to reading Piper or Phoebe's.
"Right," the oldest sister mocked in return. "Try again."
"Look, it's not that big a deal, okay?" Paige dove into defending herself. "It's just that when I first met Piper and Phoebe and was getting used to this whole witch destiny thing, I sort'a kind'a resented you for awhile and wanted to whip your butt at magic?" she scrunched up her face in response.
Prue just stared.
Paige sighed. "Hey, it's not like I feel that way now or anything."
"Of course not," Prue mocked in stride as she thought about Paige's admission. "You just sort'a kind'a let that slip because why exactly?" She narrowed her eyes again. "Did you figure now would be the best time to remind me of how inferior I feel for not having it all together?" she sighed.
"No, of course not, honey, don't be silly," Paige denied, feeling a little guilty that her slip of the tongue sparked this reaction.
"Ugh," Prue grumbled while throwing her face in her hands, feeling her frustration with the current state of her life. "What am I doing?"
"It's just that Piper and Phoebe were always putting you up on this pedestal like you were this paragon of magical perfection that I started to feel like I was the one who would never be good enough," Paige shared.
Prue sighed. "Well, clearly you can now see for yourself how untrue it is." She kept her gaze on the floor.
"Nah, I can clearly see that you're just being way too hard on yourself," Paige attempted to cheer her up. "I actually think you are like a Super-Witch in a lot of ways," she admitted, thinking of everything Prue actually sacrificed, endured, and then finally came back to. "Perfection doesn't have anything to do with it."
Prue listened and rested her head back against the elevator wall. "Yeah, a Super-witch who can't even make her own marriage work. Some Super-witch," she muttered.
There was a brief moment of silence and contemplation.
"No amount of magic has the answer to that one," Prue shook her head.
"I wouldn't necessarily say that," Paige blurted without meaning to. She immediately dropped her smile.
"Paige, what's going on?" Prue questioned turning to face her sister.
'Uh, nothing!" Paige denied. "Forget it."
"Paige?" Prue pushed.
"I said it was nothing. I don't know what I was trying to say, really," she insisted.
Prue didn't believe her. "Look, Paige, whatever you might be thinking?" she made it a point to laugh at first. The last word came out with an abrupt directness. "Don't!"
A few more seconds passed with Prue still staring at her sister.
"What?" Paige feigned in complete innocence, even though she knew she had been completely busted. "I didn't do anything. I swear," she lied.
Prue flashed her another smile. Giving in for the time being, Paige played along and simply smiled back. It was already too late to change what she had started out to do even if she wanted to.
"Right. Got it," the youngest Halliwell conceded. "Spoil sport," she stuck her tongue out playfully. Paige turned her face to the other side, out of Prue's view. She rolled her eyes and fidgeted. Guess she can just chew me out some more later, she thought.
X
At the Mitchell apartment, Andy and Henry sat together on the couch, engaged in watching the baseball game playing out on the TV screen before them. Each held a beer bottle in hand, sharing a bowl of popcorn. A simple lunch break had turned into taking the rest of the evening off.
"He's gonna' hit," Henry insisted with a determined streak, as the next man to bat approached the home-base. "Game's over."
"He's not gonna' hit," Andy refuted in favor of the opposite team he was cheering on. "He's their best pitcher. He never misses."
"No way, man," Henry shook his head against his brother-in-law's claim. "Watch and learn." He rolled up his sleeves. "This one's going out of the park. Twenty bucks says I'm right," he challenged.
"You're on," Andy grinned, accepting the bet.
The anticipation was felt in the air all around them as it built up in the room. Both men sat on the edge of their seats, watching the screen, waiting until the ball made contact with the bat.
"Go, go, go!" Henry chanted.
Andy chanted for a strike, each man praying for a different outcome. Both men yelped in heated anticipation, finally jumping up from the couch as the batter up sent the ball soaring over the mound and into the vast crowd.
At the same time, orbs appeared inside of the small living room.
"Paige, what are we doing here?" Prue interrogated. "You were supposed to take me back to the manor."
"He hits; it's a home run, baby," Henry threw up his arms up in victory, sending bits and pieces of popcorn flying everywhere. "Yes!" he rubbed it in some more, laughing and pummeling his fist in victory.
Andy just groaned, taking a handful of popcorn and throwing it at the TV screen in defeat.
Prue and Paige turned to look at each other, sharing a look, and then rolled their eyes in amusement towards the obvious display of machoism and sports. They took steps into the living room, preparing to make their presence known.
"Just chill," Paige whispered back to Prue. "You can remember to thank me later."
Prue was getting upset. 'I knew it," she mumbled, shaking her head.
"Sorry, Trudeau." Henry's voice carried over. Henry's victorious grin was wide and it was thrown in the other man's direction as he reached over to pat Andy on the back. "Maybe next time." His tone turned serious. "Now pay up."
Andy reached for his wallet.
"Actually, time to go!" Paige's voice cut in, catching both men off guard. "I believe we have somewhere else to be now," she sent her husband a warning look with her eyes, signaling for him not to mess this up. "Right, honey?" she emphasized on purpose.
They both turned to stare, Andy surprised to find Prue standing there and Henry covering up the awkward moment with a cough. He had been a reluctant participant in the plan to get Prue and Andy here together. In the end, he had decided to go along with it if only to spare himself the marital aggravation of Paige laying into him for refusing to help with what she considered a family crisis. His mission had been to keep Andy from leaving and so he found a way to keep the other man occupied inside of the apartment while Paige retrieved Prue. It would be up to Coop to take it from this point.
Prue and Andy stared across the way at each other. The vibes passing between them made them both feel uncomfortable. He sighed, breaking the eye contact, and turned for his jacket swung over the back of the couch.
"I should be going anyway," he announced.
"No, actually, you don't have to go anywhere. Allow me." Prue rolled her eyes as she prepared to leave.
Paige put her hand up to stop them both. "Nope, hold it, you're not going anywhere," she supplied rather forcefully. "Coop?" she shouted out into the air. "Get your butt down here. We need you pronto."
Andy released a look of distaste. "Coop?" he repeated, crossing his arms and then glancing over at his wife.
Paige turned her attention back to them. She placed both hands against her sides.
"Now, the two of you are just going to have to sit down and talk this whole thing out. Because this is getting ridiculous. How long have you two known each other again? Since your childhood? Stop letting magic or other distractions get in the way," she made it a point to look at Andy when she stressed the last part. It was a disguised reference to his ex-wife. "You both know you love each other. Think of everything you've had to go through to be together and to be where you are right now?"
Becoming rather irritated, Andy glanced one more time between his wife and Paige. "Uh Paige, no offense here, but this is really none of your business," he informed her.
"Wrong!" Paige's voice hitched. "It is my business. And Piper's and Phoebe's when the three of us have to deal with the emotional overload that hits us like a ton of bricks every time the two of you decide to go another round. It effects our powers, you know."
"Paige," Prue began to protest. "I told you not to," she re-issued the warning she gave her inside of the elevator. "I'm a big girl. Magic or no magic still means I can handle my own problems when and how I choose to."
Andy couldn't help but snort in response to Prue's defense. Prue threw him a hard glare as Paige attempted to diffuse the situation some more.
"Hey, it's just talking, okay?" she tried to pacify her older sister while crossing her fingers behind her back. She knew she wasn't being completely truthful. "No big deal."
Prue crossed her arms. "Really? Just talking? Why don't I believe you," she narrowed her eyes in at her sister as Paige broke the eye contact.
Suddenly, a slight pink glow transformed into Coop as he teleported into the Mitchell household. "I'm here," he announced, taking a quick look between Prue and Andy. Neither one appeared too thrilled at the prospect of being here with him.
"Oh good. You made it," Paige commented with a touch of sarcasm. "It's about time. Now maybe you can talk some sense into them," she sighed, walking away and going to stand beside Henry.
"Forget it!" Andy declared, fully prepared to leave for good. "If you want to do marriage counseling, we can do it the normal way," he directed at Prue.
"The normal way?" she immediately mocked the suggestion. "Because sitting down in front of some stranger, who knows nothing about magic, will make it all better? Although, on the bright side, I guess that would spare me having to listen to you blabbering on about how cruel you think the magical world is and how you can't handle the fact that the big bad demons are out to get us," she cracked. "Seriously, the idea is stupid. Are you deliberately trying to get us exposed or you just want us locked up somewhere?"
Paige, Henry, and Coop stood on the sidelines, listening and shooting their heads back and forth between the bickering couple.
"Wait a second here," Andy laughed, sarcasm rolling off in waves. "So sitting down and spilling a dozen or so of your secrets to a Cupid, isn't stupid? Which by the way, I don't think he'd even have enough time to sort through all of them during one session," he took the opportunity to throw the dig in, which only earned him another death glare before continuing on. "Why does everything need to include magic?"
"Oh, I don't know," Prue mocked sarcastically, flashing her hands up in the air. "Because the problems are magical?"
"Well, excuse me, but last time I checked myth and legends have Cupids notorious for making love connections, not fixing them," Andy sneered.
Paige rolled her eyes around, looking to Coop and Henry. "Oh brother!"
"Oh, that's right. I forgot," Prue shot right back, a smug smirk of satisfaction set in place. She wasn't going to let him win this argument. "Who needs a Cupid's help when there's always Susan waiting in the wings," she supplied. "A brilliant fix."
Coop gritted his teeth, observing the two in action.
Andy's glare only intensified in Prue's direction as he went right back on the defensive. "Prue, don't start that with me again," he warned.
"Uh, guys?" Paige waved her hands up in the air, trying to break up the argument before it went any further then it had already gotten. "Can we halt the love spat for just a minute and bring your attention right over this way?"
Prue ignored both Paige's attempt to diffuse the situation and Andy's warning as she continued to fuel the fire. "Start what?" she countered. "I just wanted to know if you thought she might have any useful tips to give me on that dinner date?" she retorted. "Maybe on how to deal with being married to you since, say, oh, she's been married and divorced from you already."
"Guys, this really isn't helping," Coop tried to intervene in another unsuccessful attempt.
"Fine. You want to start this, I'm going to finish it. How about this? There isn't going to be any dinner date with you because you're not coming."
Prue laughed. "Hold up. You're officially un-inviting me? Right and why is that? Because two's company and three's a crowd?"
Henry smirked, grabbing for the bowl of left-over popcorn. He popped some in his mouth, watching the ensuing argument continue to play itself out. He couldn't help it, but it was somewhat amusing to watch. A small laugh escaped and before he knew it, he caught both Paige and Coop giving him a hard stare.
"What?" he defended himself. "Hey, who needs the movies? We got free entertainment and popcorn right here," he cracked, lifting the bowl into the air and pointing in the squabbling couple's direction. But he was rewarded with a swat from Paige, who did not find the humor in this at all.
"Henry, this is serious. It's not funny." Paige shook her head back and forth.
"Yes it is," Henry countered with a laugh. His facial expression turned serious. "Paige, they're arguing over nothing. Tell me you don't see the humor in that."
Their attention was drawn back to the argument.
"There's nothing going on between me and Susan," Andy was heard countering Prue's accusation. "I don't know how else to get that through to you. So think whatever you want. I'm out of here."
He didn't make it in time to leave. A loud whistle suddenly echoed throughout the entire living room, breaking up the heated debate for good. Coop had heard enough. Both Prue and Andy were silenced, turning to discover that Coop had been the one to make the interference call.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen," he took a deep breath. "Now that we finally have your attention, I'm going to try and make a helpful suggestion here. Why don't the two of you take some very deep breaths, calm yourselves down, and then back away into your separate corners so we can try and find a more productive way for you guys to work this out."
Andy made a second attempt to head for the door so he could leave.
"And walking out doesn't count," Coop directed at him.
Andy stopped, staring hard at Prue, and then glanced around at the others standing close by in the room. They had all witnessed the explosive argument. Then opting to hear Coop out, he shook his head in defeat and walked back over, keeping a safe distance between himself and Prue. "Of course it doesn't," he grumbled.
"Good," Coop commented when he came back.
Coop was aware of the fragile state all the sisters were still in because of the new power-base they had acquired. He had run into it during his own confrontations with Phoebe and he was sure that if this continued long enough, Andy could quite possibly have found himself on the receiving end of something very similar.
"Why bother at all?" Prue mumbled, looking at nobody in particular. She stood with her arms crossed, pacing in the small area she kept herself in.
Coop overheard the remark. "Because I'm a Cupid and you're starting to make love look depressing to me," he cracked. "If that's even possible."
"Thank you," Paige sighed heavily, in complete agreement. "And that's our cue to leave." Paige was preparing to leave with Henry but before she could, he decided to take a few steps in Andy's direction to try and offer the other man what little support he could.
"Listen, man," he smirked. He was still slightly amused by the confrontation a few moments ago. He placed a supportive hand on top of Andy's shoulder. "Just try and look at this as some freaky rite of passage or something like that," he suggested, since he had a pretty good idea that magic would somehow play a part in this. After all, it had for him and Paige not too long ago. And for Piper and Leo. "It happens to the best of us."
Andy didn't respond. He just listened to the words without feeling reassured at all.
"And it wasn't my idea, man, I swear," Henry let it slip over to him through some clenched teeth and a lowered tone of voice.
But Paige had caught it anyway, pulling him backwards.
"Wasn't me," Henry mouthed silently one final time, shaking his head.
"Okay, we're definitely going now," Paige nodded her head and latched onto Henry as he stepped back from Andy. She made a face at her husband. "Good luck with everything," she threw back over at Coop. "And thanks. I owe you one."
"You sure do," he nodded and smirked in her direction.
Then Paige and Henry orbed away, leaving Prue and Andy all alone to direct both their frustration and glares at Coop. He slowly turned back around to face the married couple and all their problems. Looking between both of them, he cut right to the chase.
"So. Do you guys want my help or not?"
X
The drive back home from the doctor's office placed Piper inside one of those comfortable soothing states that brought her closer to the edge of sleep.
They had just left another doctor visit; however, this time they left with some good news. Everything with the baby was progressing at a normal rate. Her thoughts momentarily reflected on the upcoming birth of her daughter, while she was still conscious enough to hear the slight pounding sound of the tires hitting against the pavement as the car continued along on its journey. That suddenly changed as she entered a dream state. Her body welcomed the rest. Sleep completely overtook her as her head tilted sideways, her head using the inside of the car door as head-rest. The dream revealed a place she didn't think she'd see again.
(Dream Plane)
It was a place she remembered being during her time away. However, this time, instead of feeling like a participant and actually being there, she felt more like an observer on the sidelines.
It was the In-Between Realm.
A place where the soul of her daughter-to-be was residing until her birth and with her had been the little boy named Seth. Piper had drawn conclusions from the last time that Seth had to be Prue's son. She had forgotten all about this place after re-entering the mortal realm.
As she turned, she smiled, observing the children from a distance. They appeared to be laughing and having fun as they held hands and moved around in circles, very much in the way of the childhood game. But her curiosity got the better of her when her sight encountered a third face she had never seen here before. It was the presence of a second little girl.
She had a bright smile with lighter brown hair. It was a tad bit lighter in shade from Melinda's. Melinda's better matched the little boy's, a shade of darker brown.
Piper took forward steps in the dream. "Who are you?" she couldn't help but ask the other child present with the others.
The children ceased their game and turned to face her. The little girl didn't speak, instead, she just flashed a warm smile in the direction of Piper. Melinda, on the other-hand, broke free from the group and ran to her mother.
"Mommy!" she squealed, happy to see her.
They hugged and Piper held on tight to the image of what her little girl would one day become. When they broke apart, Piper looked to Melinda to answer what she was curious to know.
"Do you know her name?" she asked her daughter.
Melinda nodded her head to confirm it. "But I'm not supposed to tell you," she informed her mother.
"How come?" Piper asked, a look of widespread confusion covering her face.
The little girl turned to the other two children, a look of concern gracing her features. Piper caught it and immediately turned her daughter's face back to meet her own.
"Baby, what's the matter?" she pushed. "Don't look at them, look at me."
(Exit Dream Plane)
Leo sat at the wheel, driving at a steady pace. Glancing over in Piper's direction, he quickly noted that she looked extremely exhausted. More likely due to all the compiling stress the new year had brought about in addition to the pregnancy. She began to stir and appeared to be in the middle of a restless dream.
(Dream Plane)
Melinda swallowed nervously and looked her mother in the eyes.
"What is it, sweetie?" Piper pushed some more. "It's okay, you can tell me."
"I can't tell you, mommy, because Seth said not to."
Piper noted that Melinda appeared somewhat sad, her face downcast, when delivering that particular news. Piper didn't like the feeling she was getting in her gut. Even though she wasn't back in the realm in the same capacity as the last time, she could still feel something wrong gnawing at her. She turned to look at Seth, who only carried a very blank expression on his face.
Melinda began backing away. "We have to go, mommy."
Piper got up slowly but she kept her gaze on Seth. Suddenly, a flash hit Piper full force as an image of her son, Wyatt, blotted out Seth. It was an image of her son she hoped to never encounter again. A sneer was in place, his black attire stood out more than ever, and his curly hair reached down to this shoulders. Then, just as quickly, the image was gone and replaced with Seth who had been standing there all along.
"No!" Piper jumped back, feeling completely startled. Was it some type of warning?
Then she was virtually catapulted out of her dream state.
(End of Dream)
Piper jumped forward out of her sleep, literally startling Leo at the wheel.
"What's the matter, are you okay?" he asked, immediately concerned.
Before answering, Piper took in some deep breaths, desperately trying to sort out what it was she thought she had just seen. "I don't know," she answered skeptically. "I think it was just a dream. It felt real, though."
She didn't want to panic. It was a part of their lives they thought was over or so they thought. Why was she visiting an In-Between realm and dreaming about her evil son from a future they were certain they had fixed? Maybe there was just alot on her mind, she speculated.
Leo didn't look very convinced as she tried to make herself believe it. "Maybe it would help if you told what the dream was?" he pushed.
"Leo, forget it. It's nothing, really. It was just some weird dream," she settled on. There was no need to make him panic too when it was possibly just that.
A dream.
"You sure?" he pushed again, still concerned.
"I'm sure," she reassured him. "With all the things we encounter on a daily basis, you'd think nightmares would be a more common outlet for us," she tried to make light of it. "All that pretending mom told us to do as kids. To avoid them," she referred to the nightmares. "It was bound to catch up with us sometime."
Leo smirked in response. "She was just trying to protect you."
"What? You mean by keeping the truth from us?" Piper laughed. "Seriously. Think of all the times parents out there are telling their kids not to be afraid of monsters coming out of the closet because they don't really exist. Or telling them that they're not hiding under their beds. We're the ones making sure it doesn't happen."
"And you do it so well, honey," Leo passed the compliment along with another smirk.
"You better believe it, Mister," she teased him back. "Nine years of this? Unfortunately, the same thing can't be said for keeping those monsters away from our kids."
She sighed and thought back to the image of adult evil Wyatt. Then she turned to gaze out the car window while resting her head back against the seat.
X
Inside the Mitchell apartment, Prue and Andy were sitting down, both of them on completely opposite ends of the couch.
"Listen, the way this works it that you trust me," Coop tried to enlighten them. "Which means, you both need to start trusting each other."
"Really? And where do you suggest we begin?" Prue countered.
"How about with trusting him," Andy retorted, restating the point that Coop had just tried making a couple statements back. "Or weren't you listening?" There was definitely some hidden animosity spoken behind those words and Coop picked up on it.
Prue just responded with a quick roll of her eyes. Her head was leaning against her hand and her arm was being supported by the arm-rest to the couch. She was much too tired to argue again in any detail.
"Trust him and then trust you. Got it," she muttered. "Guess we'll be sitting here for days. Hope Paige and Henry don't mind overnight guests."
She sure is stubborn, thought Coop. This was going to be a tough one.
"Actually, it won't even take that long," Coop cut in quickly, to avoid a second confrontation between the two. "All I need is your permission. Both of you just need to touch the ring and then believe me. The rest will work itself out," he informed them.
A bit intrigued, Prue lifted her head, staring at the ring found on Coop's finger.
"How?"
"Do you trust me?" Coop pushed. He looked between the two once again.
Prue glanced over at Andy, looking for his approval, her face carrying the same bewildered expression that his seemed to be carrying as well. Without saying anything to the other, they each nodded their silent acceptance.
"Fine," Prue relented first. "How do we do this?"
He extended his hand. "Both of you need to touch the ring at the same time," he instructed. He watched as both of them tentatively did what he told them to.
After both sets of fingers made contact with the ring, they were greeted by a red glow bursting from the ring. Instinctively, both Prue and Andy pulled away as the red mist covered their hands. A bright spark flashed on the finger that housed their wedding bands, replacing them with a bulky ring, one resembling a giant-sized mood ring. Panic instantly seized both of them as they both glanced back and forth at the other's hand.
"Okay, what is that?" Prue bolted straight up from her seat on the couch. She flashed her hand in front of her, staring at what now stood in place of her wedding band. "I don't like it, get it off!" she demanded.
Andy had a similar reaction as he too stood up. "Yeah, hey, look this really isn't what I had in mind when Paige said talk," he added. "What did you do to us?" he also demanded to know. "I'm not going out into public with this thing on. It stands out, how would I even explain it?" He laughed, disbelief shining through.
"I want this thing gone," Prue nodded her head in agreement. "First off, it's just ugly and appalling to look at," her face gave off a look of distaste. "But like Andy said. How are we going to explain them if someone asks?"
Coop smiled, standing up to meet both of them face to face.
"Wow. The first thing you two agree on in twenty minutes," he commented. He paused briefly, figuring out the best way to explain. "They're just rings. I doubt anyone is going to think of them as anything more. The rings will come off on their own. But only after you two work to make them come off."
"Come again?" Andy threw back at him.
"Exactly what I said," Coop laughed lightly. "The rings are a magical representation on the state of your marriage. Let's just say that they're going to offer some real insight into what it means to walk a mile in each other's shoes," he borrowed an old familiar proverb.
A sudden realization hit Prue as to what it was Coop seemed to be implying. "Wait a minute," she fumed. "Have I been power-napped?" she accused him.
A look of confusion washed over Andy and he furrowed his brows. "What does she mean by that?" he asked.
Without answering, she turned in the direction of the small beer bottle found sitting on top of the small coffee table. Waving her hand, she attempted to use her powers to move it but yielded no result.
Andy thrust his hand out. "Wait, you mean ..." but he didn't finish the sentence as everyone in the room flinched and ducked as soon as the beer bottle flung itself from the table, crashing through the television screen. He stared down at his hand. "Oops. Did I just do that?" He looked down at his hand.
"I lost my powers?" Prue wanted confirmation. "How could you do this to me?" she accused, feeling rather astounded by the newest revelation. "Coop, you have to fix this!" she stressed to him rather urgently. "I can not walk around without my powers. This puts our lives in danger, all of ours. My sisters and I will be sitting ducks for the Triad."
"And, hey, I can't go to work like this," Andy jumped in at Coop. "I have a partner that watches my every move, stress that is piling up to here," he used his hand to help demonstrate. "Not to mention, a wife who just got us into this mess!" he accused in a higher-pitched tone.
Prue laughed. "Wait a minute! So this is my fault?" she shot at him. "I don't think so."
A bulb exploded unexpectedly and sparked from the inside of a lamp that was sitting on a small stand by the wall. Prue jumped and she glanced between her husband and the pieces of shattered bulb found scattered across the stand. Andy stood looking at his hands that he had just lifted in response to Prue.
"Okay, can I just make one very small suggestion?" Prue offered cautiously, pinching her fingers together. "For the time being, maybe you shouldn't make any sudden movements with your hands?" she flinched nervously.
Andy's shoulders sagged. "Great, I'm screwed."
Prue chose her next words very carefully. "Uh, yeah, listen. I know we were waiting until around the time that the baby was coming, but I would consider taking an earlier leave of absence starting like, now? Until we get this mess sorted out."
Coop stood with his hands at his sides.
"See? What if another incident like that occurs and I can't control it?" Andy argued, pointing over towards the damaged lamp.
"We can't risk that type of exposure," Prue backed her husband up. "You need to give me my powers back now, not later."
"Uh, sorry, that's not how it works this time," Coop explained to her. "Look, it's only a temporary switch," he clarified, trying to ease their fears. "The coloring inside of those rings lets you know how in balance you are. As soon as the colors in both match, it'll signal harmony. Only you determine how long they'll be there," he made reference to the rings again. "And the sooner you learn to work it out, the sooner they'll disappear."
"But ..." Prue began to protest; however, Coop immediately teleported himself out.
Andy cursed under his breath.
Prue immediately reached for her cell phone and began dialing. "You can be the one to let Paige and Henry know about their TV," she remarked, as they glanced back at the broken screen that was smoking.
X
Piper and Leo shared the rest of the car ride mostly in silence.
"I really need a vacation," she mumbled. The sound of her voice was slightly muffled but Leo could still make it out anyway. "We should just pack up the kids and orb straight to the Bahamas. Tonight."
Leo grinned. "Probably not a good idea, honey."
Piper caught the traces of amusement laced inside of his tone. "Not a good idea? Since when is a family vacation not a good idea to you?"
"What?" He feigned an innocent look.
"What's so funny about what I suggested?" she pushed for an answer.
He covered up the grin. "Nothing."
Piper waited but said nothing. Leo took a quick glance at her, immediately catching the stern look set in place.
"Honey, it's nothing," his grin broke back out. "It's just ... maybe we should stick to flying for awhile," he laughed nervously, turning a bit more serious on the subject. "I'd be a little worried about you trying to orb us anywhere until your powers are under control again."
"Ha! Well, consider yourself lucky," she teased in a scolding manner. "I may orb us to the wrong location but at least you'll be getting there in one piece," she started to laugh. "Can't say the same thing for poor Andy who may just find himself on the receiving end of a seriously amped up power blast soon. Especially since the not-so-elusive ex decided to stick her nose back into the picture." Piper rolled her eyes thinking about Susan Trudeau and her unexpected visit the other night.
Leo took on a contemplative expression while he listened. "Andy has an ex?" he inquired. "I didn't know."
"Yup. And believe me, she's a real piece of work," she informed him. "Seriously, though. Of all the powers for Prue to be tapping into the most. At least Phoebe goes into freezing mode when she's angry or dealing with Coop," she reflected, more laughter flowing through her words.
"The four of you will get it under control," Leo reassured her. "It just takes time."
"I don't know. Time isn't really a luxury we have. And this morning, she blew the damn microwave up when Andy came into the kitchen asking about his wallet," she emphasized. "And then if that wasn't bad enough, they argued for about twenty minutes on whether or not the wallet actually went missing."
Leo was confused. "Did it?"
"Go missing?" Piper reiterated with a smirk. "That depends."
"On what?"
"On whether you believe Andy or Susan. She showed up at the manor with the stupid thing and practically enjoyed rubbing it in Prue's face. Andy just claims he left in on the desk but couldn't find it. Which between you and me is probably exactly what happened."
"Right," Leo acknowledged with a nod of his head, understanding where everything was leading to with the other woman around. "Let me guess. Susan's not going to back off?" He contemplated it briefly. "I'm sure they'll work it out, Piper."
"Not if Paige beats them to it," she cracked. "You know how once she butts in with a hair brained scheme she just won't butt out."
Leo and Piper shared a smile and a knowing look. Then, almost as if on cue, Piper's cell phone began ringing. It was Prue's number.
Piper plastered on a huge grin. "Well, I guess we're about to find out, aren't we."
Leo laughed.
"Yup, hello?" she greeted. Then she listened to the frantic tone of her sister's voice.
Leo looked over.
"Wait, slow down," she instructed. There was a pause while she listened. "Paige what?" Another pause followed. "Coop did what?" came the sudden reaction.
Piper was completely distracted. The dream and any symbolic meaning behind it was nothing more than a distant memory.
X
The front door leading into the manor swung open.
An extremely agitated Prue was the first to enter followed by Andy, who trailed at a safe distance behind. Piper and Leo also followed behind them, but remained completely silent, expecting the reaction to come since they, themselves, had also been placed in a similar position more than once. Piper and Leo had swung by Paige's place to pick them up, since Prue's powers were out of commission for her and Andy didn't know how to use them on demand. The four of them just barely made it into the foyer.
Prue finally let loose.
"Paige?" Prue yelled out for the youngest Halliwell. "Ooh, you are so dead!" she chanted, pitching her purse onto the floor and bringing her hands up to rest against her hips. Then she began pacing back and forth.
Andy rolled his eyes at her.
"Paige?" Prue yelled again.
"Prue, take it easy. You're really not helping," Andy grumbled, feeling his own frustration for having agreed to the meeting in the first place. He shut his eyes and brought both hands up to the sides of his temples and began to rub. "Besides," he paused, gritting his teeth against the pain. "One major headache coming from you is just about all I can handle right now." He was feeling the empathic pull the power switch had caused.
Prue spun back around to confront him, her eyes narrowing. "Well that's just tough. Pop an aspirin like I have to," she mocked. "And did you just say to take it easy?" she seethed. "You're not serious. Look at us!" she complained, flashing her hand up in the air for everyone to see the big flashy ring.
Piper and Leo stood on the sidelines, trying very hard to hide their smiles and contain their amusement; however, failing miserably at it. Andy responded next by mocking her gesture and throwing up his own hand to display the matching ring.
"Oh do you mean this?" he flashed his own hand back at her. "I'm sorry, I guess I must have forgotten it was even there somewhere in between the time Coop zapped the damn thing on me or when you decided Cupid counseling was the reasonable answer to all our problems."
"Wait, you're back to blaming me for this?" Prue asked incredulously, throwing her hands out in the air. "It wasn't my idea and it's not Cupid counseling!"
"Oh no," Andy laughed, folding his arms defensively. "Then what would you call it?" His face turned serious again.
"We were just talking," she defended. "But ..." her explanation trailed off a bit. "With a Cupid and some magical assistance ... there." She realized how stupid it actually sounded when it left her mouth because she had just essentially repeated what he did, only in different words.
"Same thing," Andy's sardonic laugh followed.
Prue closed her eyes, shaking her head and giving in. "Alright! So it's Cupid counseling but it still wasn't my idea. Paige!" she hollered once again.
Orbs flashed before them and there stood Paige. A big smile was plastered on her face but as she looked between the two, it quickly fell. Her eyes darted between the two giant-sized rings found on the two hands now being thrust in front of her.
"Uh, hey, is that the Elders I hear calling me? Darn it, sorry, it seems that jingle is piercing my brain again. Really need to be going now ... bye!" She tried to orb off in a hurry but was stopped by Prue.
"Oh no you don't!" Prue scolded, reaching out to grab her before she had the chance to disappear within her orbs.
Paige glanced over at Piper, looking for some type of help or rescue but all she got in return was a big smirk and a look that read ... I told you so.
"Okay, okay," Paige lifted her arms up in defeat. "Don't have a cow, I was just trying to help you guys out. Your fighting has been driving us all crazy." She took a deep breath, offering a small smile. "And it can't really be that bad, can it?" she scrunched up her face, hoping for a reprieve.
"Not that bad?" Prue laughed. "Paige, I don't have my powers anymore."
Andy addressed Paige next. "Yeah, I have them."
Paige's eyes widened. "Oh." She gritted against her teeth. "Oops."
"What happened to just talking?" she interrogated her youngest sister.
Paige had guilt written all over her face. "Uh, yeah, that," she stammered. "I kind of lied but, trust me, I only did it because you never would have agreed to it if I told you everything. Coop just happens to have a unique way of getting couples to confront their issues."
"You don't say," Andy laughed incredulously.
"Well, it worked for me," Paige shrugged her shoulders.
"And it worked for us too," Leo stressed, jumping in to assist Paige. "Only Coop wasn't our mediator. And Paige meant well, she really did. You guys are just going to have to let this play itself out."
Piper smirked at the memory. "Yeah, just be thankful it was Coop and not the soothsayer; otherwise, the two of you might have been standing there right now arguing from each other's bodies instead of over which one of you has the powers."
"Let it play out?" Prue reiterated what Leo had suggested.
Leo sighed. "Unfortunately, that's the way it works, Prue. The sooner you and Andy confront and deal with whatever is causing the separation between the two of you, the faster the magical intervention wears off. It's really to teach you both something about the other, even if it does feel like a punishment while you're experiencing it."
"Believe us, if there was any other way around it, we would have found it a long time ago," Piper added with a laugh.
Prue made a face. "Piper, this isn't funny."
Piper swallowed and then cleared her throat. "Uh, well, Prue? Actually from where I'm standing, it is." She laughed some more.
"I was tricked. I never agreed to any magical intervention," Andy cut in.
Prue shot him a look of disbelief. "Right, Andy. That's why you reached out to touch the ring with me?" She turned away, shaking her head and crossing her arms as her attention fell back on Paige.
Andy rolled his eyes in response to Prue's dig at him.
"Let me put it to you this way," Prue addressed the youngest Halliwell. "If someone here doesn't find some kind of a spell in the Book of Shadows to get this thing off me, I can personally guarantee making frequent house calls to complain so often, that even your front door will get sick of seeing me. I don't care if you have to summon a buzz saw, we are finding a way to take these rings off our fingers. Got me?"
Paige didn't even have to consider it for very long. "Right, got you. I'm on my way upstairs right now. See?" She pointed in the direction of the staircase.
Prue nodded her head with a smile.
Paige began taking steps in the direction of the stairs but stopped when they were all alerted to the sound of loud pounding and Phoebe's voice calling out.
The sisters shared a look.
"That's Phoebe," Piper announced as they all took off for the kitchen.
As they entered the kitchen, they were alarmed to discover Phoebe stuck inside of the laundry room, banging on the door. Piper reached for the door, unlocking it.
"Well, it's about damn time," Phoebe announced.
"You locked yourself in?" Paige announced from behind, a bit baffled on how it had happened. "How?"
"Did you see it?" the frantic question left Phoebe's mouth almost immediately. Her eyes began darting around the room as she made a quick dash to exit the kitchen.
"See what?" Prue asked, following her sister's gaze. The three sisters and the two men retreated from the kitchen, following behind her.
"We need to check on the kids," Phoebe panicked. "It's the doll. It's alive."
"What?" Piper laughed incredulously.
Prue and Paige each looked to her like she had lost her mind, while Andy and Leo shared a look of their own.
"Molly's doll, Emma. It's possessed or something," Phoebe explained in a hurry. "It locked me inside the laundry room just after I talked to Wyatt. He was saying something about it taking Molly." She was the first to reach the stairs before the doll reappeared, about to go on the attack again.
"Molly?" Andy's tone was filled with dread. He followed behind Phoebe.
Panic now gripped Prue's heart at that particular announcement. However, before they all had the chance to make it to the stairs, Piper was suddenly charged from underneath her legs. She was about to strip head-first when Leo caught her fall.
"Whoa, what the hell was that?" she yelled.
Everyone turned to look.
Phoebe halted half-way up the stairs and turned to see the doll on the floor. It now held a knife in it's hand, a knife it somehow managed to obtain from the kitchen. Everyone's eyes fell on the doll and then witnessed the unbelievable sight of a plastic doll racing in and around the adults left on the first floor. Leo was the first to feel his leg get sliced as it darted under his legs next. He let out a painful wail as he reached down for the source of the pain. When he brought his hand back up, there was blood on it. He had been cut.
Prue's eyes widened as she witnessed the doll about to charge her next. Instinctively, she lifted her arm but quickly remembered it would do her little good. "Someone else please?" she pleaded.
Paige reacted instantly. "Doll!" she called and it disappeared into a flurry of orbs as Paige aimed it towards the wall. The doll impacted it and fell to the floor.
Piper prepared herself to handle the doll next. She lifted her hands preparing to blow it to smithereens as it got off the floor but it was quick. It got up and Piper blasted. She had missed, blowing up a small table-stand and flower pot that sat on top of it. She watched it head for the stairs and she directed her power once again at the doll. She blew a piece of the banister up instead, as both Andy and Phoebe ducked.
"Careful. We would like to keep our heads, thanks," Phoebe snidely remarked.
The doll had made it to the second floor. The adults scurried into action, all of them running up the stairs like their lives depended on it. They needed to get to the kids bedroom before it was too late.
X
Lana barely escaped the darklighter's grasp as she orbed into the manor, intent on warning the Halliwells about the plan to snatch the kids and about the darklighter who had been assuming her identity. She shimmered into what must have been the bedroom of one or more of the children.
Little Chris looked up and was startled to see the stranger standing in his room. He was already scared because of what he he had seen happen to Molly and his brother never came back to the room either. So he got up from the floor, intent on moving away from the newcomer. Witnessing the reaction, Lana put out her hands in attempt to calm him.
"No, it's okay. I'm not here to hurt you."
However, the darklighter had traced her shimmer and within the next few moments he had orbed within the room too. Summoning his crossbow, he was preparing to aim and fire it at Lana when they were greeted by company. Piper flung the door open, eyes immediately widening when she saw who was a few inches within Chris.
"Get away from my son!" she shouted in a demanding voice. Instantly, she brought her hands up preparing for the attack.
Lana's own eyes widened. "No, wait, it's not what you think," she pleaded but it went ignored.
Piper's power hit Lana full blast and she was catapulted backwards, the wall breaking her fall. She reached across her chest, feeling the searing pain from the burn inflicted there. Piper was preparing for the final blow when Lana suddenly got distracted by the sight of the doll making its way into the bedroom and for Piper's leg.
"The doll!" she pointed and shouted.
Piper looked down. With her power, she blasted the doll straight into the wall. It shattered the plastic into tons of pieces, pieces that scattered and fell to the floor.
The others ran in.
Phoebe's anger grabbed a hold of her when she caught sight of Lana leaning against the wall. While Piper was distracted with the doll, Phoebe lifted her hands about to deliver the fatal blow to Lana, whose eyes shone with terror in her final moments. She glanced between the darklighter one last time, who sneered, and the Charmed One about to inflict her demise. With an intent focus, Phoebe tapped into Piper's power.
"No!" Lana screeched but evaporated into flames and finally nothingness.
With all the confusion in the room, Prue was the first to catch sight of the darklighter standing off to the side with his crossbow in hand. She quickly noted that Molly was nowhere to be found in the room. Neither was Wyatt. She watched as he aimed it at her and Paige, who had followed Prue in from behind, which meant she couldn't react and Paige didn't have enough time to react.
"Get down!" Prue shouted, shoving her sister and flinging herself out of the way. Both of them fell to the floor. The arrow flew overhead, just missing Leo and Andy, who both ducked and were about to enter the room as well.
The darklighter immediately grabbed a hold of Chris.
"Let him go!" Piper demanded, staring him down. "He's got nothing to do with this, we're the ones you want," she bartered.
"Sorry. But I'm afraid he has everything to do with this," the darklighter laughed.
His gaze quickly averted to where the doll lay destroyed but quickly assessed that he didn't have time to retrieve the stone. Instead, he sneered one final time before offering his gratitude on Lana's vanquish.
"Thank you. We didn't need her anymore."
He laughed and Piper watched helplessly as he orbed from out of sight. At the same time, Prue and Paige looked up from the floor, each lifting themselves up.
"Chris!" Paige tried to call him to her but it was too late.
Phoebe walked over to where the doll had exploded. She caught sight of something on the floor. It was round and as she bent down to pick it up, she realized it was a stone of some type. Solemnly, she turned to the others with it.
"Look," she addressed them.
Everyone's eyes fell on the single stone. They knew their worst fears had come true. Gideon and the rest of the Triad had made a successful attempt to get their hands on the kids. They had been too late.
To Be Continued: The end.
LOL. Well, the end of the chapter not the story. Not quite yet anyway. But stay tuned for the next chapter and I hope you liked this one. Don't forget to review so that you can let me know what you thought.