Eternal Flame
part 12
"I want to go home," Melinda complained. "Aunt Phoebe, I want to go back."
"Sweetie, we can't do that. We've come way too far to turn back now."
"So get Tempus to reverse time," she mumbled.
"How do you know about-"
"Mom told me. She always tells me stories of what she's done as a witch."
"Look, if it's any consolation, I'm sorry you had to find out the way you did, sweetie. But it doesn't mean it's final."
"Miss Franklin told me I could learn to accept the change in time," she offered thoughtfully. "But I didn't even know they were mad at each other."
"Well, hopefully that little sister of yours will see to it that it doesn't stay that way."
"Elizabeth can't do anything," she insisted, shrugging. "She's just a baby."
"I think we should have brought Miss Franklin," Catrina spoke up. "Or at least told Mr. T where we were going."
"Oh, believe me, we made the right choice," Phoebe told her, as she gave a brief sigh.
"Has your husband ever cheated on you?"
"Excuse me?"
"You do know Miss Franklin has the hots for him, don't you?"
"Catrina, I'm afraid it's much more complicated than that."
"Oh my God, they're having an affair already?" the little girl mouthed, as she raised her eyebrows.
"Killing someone's family isn't exactly the biggest turn on," Paige carefully remarked.
"What did Uncle Cole do to them?" Melinda inquired, as she nervously cradled her tiny arms around her slender frame.
"Paige, I swear, if you say another word, I'm going to-"
"What? Verbally abuse me to death? Please. They're going to know soon, anyway," she claimed, rolling her eyes. "What difference does it make?"
"That's not the point."
"Then what is the point? Telling them when everyone is close to dying?"
Phoebe sighed again, placing a hand tiredly to her forehead. "You don't know him like I do. Even now, you're still putting restrictions on what he's capable of."
"Mr. T has a lot to answer for, doesn't he?" Catrina slowly asked. "I mean, he must have done a lot of damage when he hurt those people."
"So why is it always about Cole? Did it ever occur to you that every predictament we've gotten ourselves into, has way too much to do with that damn past of his?"
"You're out of line," her sister hissed, as her pretty face took on a rather deep frown.
"Oh really? Well, something tells me that isn't even going to be an issue later on."
"Paige-"
"Phoebe, Cole is still that good man, I'll give you that. But a few days from now, you aren't exactly going to be saying the same thing."
"And maybe it's about time we went our separate ways, don't you think? Nick said something about Chloe helping us defeat this evil. If that's true, then no- I don't believe Cole should be telling her anything, if only because it would corrupt the way she sees all of us. But if it isn't, then we certainly don't need each other anymore, do we?"
"Are you serious? Listen to yourself! You're not making any sense at all."
"Aunt Phoebe, if mom were here, she'd bring us all together again, wouldn't she?"
"Lindy, that's just it. She's not. As far as we know, we're on our own. Grams sure as hell didn't offer any support beyond telling us there was trouble....and right now I still have no idea how to find that bitch."
"Grams?" Paige questioned oddly.
"The Egyptian woman," Phoebe responded, rolling her eyes. "Think, Paige."
"You know what my parents always do when they're upset?" Catrina cut in.
"Talk themselves to death?" Paige quipped.
"They play the game 'I spy'," she offered excitedly.
"I spy?"
"Now you have to say it."
"Say...what?" the Charmed One returned, confused.
"What you see, silly."
"Oh, well, in that case...I spy a big old demon with blue lips headed this way, and he doesn't exactly look too friendly," she mused carefully. "Nor of the time period, for that matter."
"You think it's one of Nick's friends?" Phoebe asked quietly.
"Well, that depends. Does Nick have friends who look like that?"
"Think we should ask this guy?"
"Probably not a good idea."
"I don't think the blue man is here to help us," Melinda recited slowly.
"In fact, I spy a snife," Catrina noted, as the being's slender fingers easily clasped the object within his grasp, his gaze locked in a fury of deep menace, as his feet pounded across the dirt below.
"Do our powers even work on this plane?"
"Cole's did," Phoebe told her sister, as she prepared her stance, her feet moving apart, her hands having graced the space in front of her with tight fists. "But I kind of like doing it the old fashioned way."
"Yeah, but what if he gets you first?" Paige added.
"So you just want to orb all of us to safety, is that it?"
"Right now, I'm thinking that's a very good plan," she told her, unrelenting in her decision.
"You know, that's always been your problem. You accept it, but you-"
"And we have been over this half a dozen times, okay? I don't want the big sister lecture anymore, Phoebe. I can handle myself."
"Then handle yourself in this fight," Phoebe challenged her, her eyes narrowing into a brief dare.
"When will you start treating me like a Charmed One?"
"When haven't I been treating you like a Charmed One? You've always been one of us, Paige. You're not any different."
"Then why do I always feel like it?"
"Witches," Xavier prompted.
"Okay, that would be our cue to start-" Phoebe began.
"Not so fast," he interrupted, holding up a hand. "I mean you no harm."
"Oh, and how many demons have said that before?" Paige retorted angrily.
"I have come to collect the other woman."
"We're sorry, but our other sister isn't here at the moment. Can we please take a message?" Phoebe offered sarcastically, as she wasted no time in kicking the knife from its firm hold, knocking it a safe distance away from the assailant, as she prepared her hand to collide with his flesh. Xavier quickly waved his hand around the populated town with a relaxed air, as all of the villagers suddenly disappeared, leaving a large mass of deep nothingness, clothed in a few helpless weeds, the mindless chatter immediastely subsiding far into the depths of the strong wind that blew about him at random intervals.
"Look. Maybe you didn't hear me. I'm supposed to bring her back. And if I fail, it's my head she'll take."
"And if we fail? My husband dies," Phoebe told him, entirely serious. "Think you can live with that?
"I've lived with many things. One of which I have a mind to see your husband dead for. But...she doesn't intend to kill him. In fact, he'll simply be trapped. Though, it's a funny preposition, really. Considering I know something you don't."
"You think I came here to play games?" Phoebe snapped. "Where is she?"
"I'm afraid I can't disclose that, sweetheart."
"Nick works for you, doesn't he?" Paige spoke up. "You hired him to draw us out here."
"If I'm not mistaken, you came of your own free will. Cole Turner did not."
"So who are you?" Phoebe continued.
"My name is Xavier."
"And what's Chloe capable of, that your boss isn't?"
"Nothing. We only hope to gain another ally to our cause. Though, I can't expect you to sympathesize, as you have no idea how hard it is for me."
"Hard? Yeah. Hard is what happens when you may have to let someone go that you've loved for years, and stood by his side to see the good person he's become. That's what's hard, Mr. Xavier. You can't hope to know the half of it."
"And you can't fight his battles for him anymore, no matter what you might think."
"Can't I?"
"You say you're helping, but you can't interfere with what's to be. Even I can't. It's out of your-"
"And if one more person says that, I think I'm going to scream."
"So be it. The bottom line, Miss Halliwell, is that The Charmed Ones are miles away from justice. It would take a miracle for any of you to gain the upper hand here."
"So she's afraid of fighting on her own turf, is that it?"
He chuckled slightly. "I guess you could say that. It...takes away her original source of power. Then again, I don't really pride her on being that much of an intellectual myself, if you know what I mean."
"So what was the knife for, if you didn't want to kill us?" a small voice cut in.
"And who's this?" he asked, his voice suddenly softening, as he finally noticed the short figure below, one foot set out in front of the other, her tiny body shaking with a sense of nervousness.
"She's...actually what you would call one of those intellectuals," Phoebe brought forth, smiling. "Only...in a much smaller body, you know?"
"You didn't answer my question," Catrina pressed.
"And who says I have to?" Xavier retorted, plainly. "You're just a kid."
"I beg your pardon," she proclaimed, defiantely placing her arms across her chest.
"As kids, we've done a lot to save the world, including your kind," Melinda pointed out.
"Is that what your mother told you?" he quipped.
"No, it's the truth."
"Look, I'd love to stay and chit chat with you folks, but unfortunately I have to bring the boss back a nice little present. She's already got one, and the other makes the trade complete."
"Trade?" Phoebe asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Well, damn, no one told you? They gave you one more to fight on your side, and we get the potential good girl in return."
"No, wait, see we never discussed that. And for your information-"
"Belthazor now has more to contend with than me now. In fact, I'd say his past is about to backfire altogether on him. Almost like you're all...caught back in time, isn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Celia has brought back-"
"Celia? That's her name?"
"Yeah. I know. So, anyway..."
"Who cares about her name? She wants to bring back the ancient rulership. Doesn't anybody else find that just a tad bit catastrophic?" Paige chimed in.
"And everytime someone does, or tries to, we've found a way to stop them," Phoebe pointed out.
"The woman," Xavier added impatiently. "Where's the woman?"
"Maybe you didn't hear me correctly the first time. She's not here," Phoebe told him simply, as she watched her fist finally connect with the bones in his face, as he uttered a low growl in response, immediately shoving her to the side with little to no effort at all. He proceeded to come at her full force, his teeth bared in a fit full of rage.
**********
"Daddy, I don't see them."
"And I know I heard voices," Cole Turner muttered, as he knelt down among the tall weeds, his hands resting lazily upon the fabric of his jeans. "And Chloe would have to go missing on us at a time like this, wouldn't she?"
"Don't know where she could be."
"Well, she couldn't have gotten far."
"Aren't there illusions in Egypt?" Alex asked hopefully, nodding.
"Illusions, sweetie?"
"You know, like a mirage? We learned about that at school. And I saw it in a cartoon once."
"Well, over here, I think it's more than likely it's the work of dark magicks," he added, sighing. "Something trying to throw us off track."
"Do you think Mommy's okay?"
"Your mother's tough when she has to be," he confirmed, throwing her a small smile. "She could tell you a lot of stories about the time before you were born."
"Oh, you mean like Aunt Piper tells Melinda?"
"Melinda?"
"Yeah, she says she always gets to hear about all of their stories as The Charmed Ones. But Mommy never wants to tell me them."
"Well, I suppose we can make an improvement on that for future bedtime stories now, can't we?"
"Really?"
"Yep. I'll make a note of it, I promise." Laughing softly, he drew a small invisible "X" across his heart, as he threw her a tiny wink.
"So has she ever fought anything this bad?"
"Oh, you'd be surprised at all your mom and I have done to save the world over the years."
"It was worse than the ship man and the bad dark lady?"
He titled his head to one side. "Mmm...give or take."
"What's that mean?"
"It depends on the way you look at it, doesn't it? You really did have to be there."
"Oh."
"All I know is, I'm going to have a lot to sort out. And it's not all going to be sunshine and roses."
"Well, then I'll help you," she sided.
"Ally, we talked about this earlier."
"Daddy, I don't want anything to happen to you. You've only been my dad for six years," she protested. "And that's way too soon to quit."
He chuckled. "Honey, you've only been here six years."
"I know. But I love you too much for you to go away again."
"Again?" he whispered.
"Remember the first time you went away? Mommy said she didn't want you to bring magic in my life."
"Ally, that was awhile ago-"
"But she still talks about it with you, doesn't she?"
He looked at her, his heart nearly breaking. "You think she would send me away again?"
The little girl shrugged. "Well, I don't know. I was scared to think about it."
"Well, either way, I'm not going anywhere. Your dad's still a fighter, and I'm not about to give into the evil forces again."
"You've been so good," she added, nodding.
"And you're a large part of that. I have you to thank for so much, Ally. And that's as close to any kind of truth that I've ever been faced with. I've never done anything but love your mom, and if I know her, she'll always sense the good in me too."
"You actually have some good in you now? Hmm...I guess times really have changed since I've been dead, haven't they?" came the sarcastic response.
"I'm sorry?" he countered, as he quickly picked up on the strangely familiar tone, turning himself around to face its owner completely. His blue eyes consumed a profound sense of shock, as he wasted no time in pulling Alex to him, gathering her up into his arms, as he rapidly brought himself to his feet. The woman simply stood there, without moving a single muscle, her long brown hair hanging loosely below her shoulders. Her sneakers shifted briefly upon the ground, as she straightened out her wrinkled jeans with little to no effort at all. She slowly brought her arms protectively to her chest, as she felt the warmth of her bulky sweater, her lips offering him a sarcastic grin.
"You still look the same," she observed. "But then again, a few hundred years wouldn't have made any impact on your appearance, would they?"
"Is this a joke?"
"If it were, do you think you'd be the first person I'd try to fool?"
"Who is that, Daddy?"
"Daddy? What, you're kidding me, right? I guess they really weren't telling me lies up there."
"Am I in hell?" he asked her slowly. "I mean, because if I am....I'd very much like to go back. Now."
"No, actually where I was before was pure hell. But they let me go. I...I mean if I can prove myself to them."
"Who?"
"The Elders. Oh, don't tell me you've-"
"The Elders are still as useless to us, as they were from day one."
"Really? Because you were evil at day one."
"Prue, I'm going to pass out in a second, and I'll need you to catch my daughter before I fall, alright?"
"Dammit, Cole, I'm not here to mess with your mind-"
"No, you only did that every chance you got when you were still alive, didn't you?"
"I'm here to help Phoebe and Piper....to save them."
"Oh really?"
"Look...and you, okay? They gave me a second chance."
"Probably because they couldn't handle you up there."
"How did I know you'd say that?"
"You're one of Nick's little mind games, aren't you?"
"Nick? Who's Nick?"
"Oh, don't play dumb, Prue."
"I don't know any Nick," she insisted.
"And I'm just supposed to buy that?"
"Touch me."
"Excuse me?"
"I said, touch me. Then you'll see that I'm just as real as you are."
"You're not going to...fling me to the other side of this desert, if I do?"
She smiled. "Promise."
"Daddy, who is that lady?" Alex pressed. "Why is she here?"
"Oh, and this is Alexandra," he offered. "My oldest daughter. Sweetie, this is your...or what looks to be...your deceased Aunt Prue."
"She came back to life?" Alex questioned, clearly puzzled.
"Hi," Prue offered, as she put up a hand in response.
"You're the one with telekinesis!" she then gushed excitedly. "Daddy told me all about you."
"Did he?" she asked, obviously surprised.
"Things are different now," he whispered. "You couldn't even begin to understand-"
"I know. They...told me. I know I've missed out on a lot. I get that."
He hesitantly let his fingers run themselves over her hand, as he connected with solid flesh, calmly letting out a deep breath. "Do you even know what we're up against? Your skills could be a little rusty."
"I've been brushing up on them," she noted. "I mean...since I've been here and all."
"And then what? After you help us, you go right back to where you were before?"
"It's complicated."
"You're telling me."
"I don't expect you to buy all of this right away. It's going to take time. Just as my reaction to actually seeing you here wth your own family...with a little girl...is going to take time."
"Oh, well, if it's any consolation, Phoebe's killed me once already. Vanquished...to be more precise."
"Really."
"The Source took me over. I was all evil, the Seer wanted me to have little Satan with her, and she set me on fire."
"Oh."
"Yeah. But that's all in the past."
"Cole-"
"Look, I don't want any apologies," he said softly. "I still considered myself a monster back then. I had no one to blame but myself."
"And you still love to make with that whole self pity thing, don't you?"
"Yeah, I'd say it's the same old you."
"So where's this demon we have to vanquish? Now that I'm back, I'm all up for doing some damage while I'm her- speaking of...where is here, anyway?"
"Ancient Egypt. We were sucked through a time portal."
"Oh."
"Yeah, and here we are again. Together in the same one. Heh. What are the odds?"