A Kind of Magic
part 11
"What's happening, Mommy?"
"Come here, Alex."
The little girl eagerly ran toward her mother, a worried expression plaguing her face. "What's wrong?"
"We have to go get your Daddy-"
"He'll be out in a minute," Paige said quickly. "He's getting dressed."
"Umm..." Phoebe began, raising a curious eyebrow in her sister's direction.
"Oh please, Phoebe, he had a towel on," she scoffed, frowning, as she placed her hands on her hips. "And that's besides the point. We should be thinking about making a daring escape here."
"Just as soon as Cole-"
"Makes his grand entrance?" another voice echoed. "It looks like your hero is a bit too late." The young woman threw her dark hair over one shoulder, her long nails catching the glint from the sun. "Allow me to introduce myself. Most know me as-"
"The Dark," Cole finished, emerging from the hallway. "Well, it's about time you showed up."
"You still have your wit, Belthazor," she retorted, offering a laugh.
"Yeah, well, unfortunately I could never say the same for you. Too bad The Source never vanquished you when he had the chance," he growled.
"Oh, but you never could."
"You never surfaced," he threw back.
"Yes, and what exactly did a Source living beyond the Underworld get in return? His wife was his undoing. And yet you still love....still care for her...if not more than you did before."
"And you're still a bitch," he returned.
"I only want your daughter," she said quietly. "Give her to me now, and walk away. I won't harm you, or the infamous Charmed Ones."
"Are you kidding me? We both know you don't stop until everything in your path is dead. Quit bluffing." He crossed his arms in front of him. "I know you too well."
"You silly man," she accused. "Do you really think I'm just going to leave when I've gotten this far? My, my, Mr. Turner. I thought you had more common sense than that."
"She's just a little girl," he stated, his voice just above a whisper.
"A little girl with great power. Power that I need. Power that I want. I don't suppose I can get you to understand. I mean, you have, afterall, taken to the side of good. For good," she then added. "Unless of course, you'd like to be spared. But I'm in great doubt that that's on your agenda these days."
"You're not going to touch her," Phoebe spoke up, her eyes clouded with a relentless hatred. Handing Alex to Paige, she moved into place beside her husband, her arms crossing her chest.
"The little wife is quite fiesty," The Dark noted, a smile gracing her lips.
"Try me," Phoebe threatened.
"Oh...yep," Cole reasoned. "I guess I forgot to mention that you really don't want to mess with her."
"And why is that?"
He smiled, raising his eyebrows. "Because she's one hell of a fighter."
She shrugged. "Let's cut right to the chase then. I want the girl...you want to kill me. Do you honestly believe you'll have the upper hand?"
"Oh, I think so," Phoebe responded simply, moving forward, as she expertly slammed her fist into the woman's jaw. The Dark fell back, caught offguard, as a perfectly manicured hand raised itself to shield it. "Paige, go. Run."
"No way. I think I'm long overdue for an ass kicking myself. I'm staying."
"Go," Cole urged. "Get her out of here, and orb her to Piper. Now!"
"Halt," The Dark commanded, with a quick flick of her wrist. Paige froze in place, her grip loosening on Alex's hand.
The girl was free once again, as she fearfully glanced at her aunt with tears in her eyes. Her hands went to her mouth, as she shook her head in disbelief. "Aunt Paige?"
"Ally, leave," her father instructed.
"But I'm not supposed to, Daddy," she whispered nervously. "Remember? You told me I can't go without you or Mommy."
"Forget what I told you. This is different."
"Alexandra," The Dark mouthed, her smile unyielding.
"Run!" Phoebe shouted, as she went in for a roundhouse kick, her anger coming full force.
The Dark easily caught her leg in one quick maneuver, grasping it tightly, as Phoebe struggled to keep her balance. Alex was out of sight in an instant, the back door slamming shut behind her. The raven-haired villain glared at her prey, her eyes shining a bright red. "Payback time, witch." Twisting her leg, a loud snap echoed through the air, as Phoebe let out a scream of pain. Using the last bit of strength she had in her, she pushed her remaining foot forward, knocking The Dark to the ground.
"Dammit," she hissed.
"Phoebe!" Cole was at her side immediately, glancing at her with complete sadness in his eyes. "Can you move it?"
"Just...take care of her. I'll be alright. Really. Go."
"Phoebe, you're hurting. We have to-"
"You need to find Alex. Forget about me."
"But I don't know if Leo can heal-"
"They're probably out of range," she whispered. "I don't think they'd be expecting contact so soon."
"Alright. I'll come back for you. Stay here."
She almost wanted to laugh, in spite of the pain. "Do I have a choice?"
The Dark picked herself up, her face a mass of pure rage. She brushed off her long dress, throwing off the matching cloak slung around her shoulders. Then, she threw her head back and laughed, her hands clasping themselves neatly together. "You are going to have to do so much better than that."
Cole tossed a bolt of lightning her way, watching it simply bounce off her slender frame, evaporating into pieces of dust. The woman threw a cruel smile in his direction. "And you're so cute when you're angry, Mr. Turner. Well, bravo. The crown clearly goes to you....for proving just how completely worthless you've really become. An amatuer, if I don't say so myself."
"Cole, shimmer. Go find Alex," Phoebe urged.
"Yes, go, Cole. But you won't get far," The Dark mimicked.
Cole was gone in a flash, offering one last look at his injured wife. Phoebe winced, as she tried to get into an upright position, her feet still failing her. The Dark grinned, clearly enjoying her struggle. She uttered a low growl, disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Phoebe lay her head back down upon the floor, defeated, as a single tear found its way down her cheek. "Paige?" she called out, helplessly. "Paige?" But her sister never returned it. Tilting her head back, Phoebe glanced at her, still frozen. "Leo?" she tried. "Dammit, Leo, get your butt down here."
She thought to herself, struggling to think of a possible spell. But her mind was drawing a blank amongst the confusion. She gently fingered her injury, fear surrounding her expression. That's when it hit her full force. Nobody had been there in the premonition's end. Yet her vision hadn't showed her the events leading up to that point. It's because I'd already been hurt, and Cole had gone after Alex on his own, she realized. After I told him to. Oh no. It had all come way too soon. Which must mean that this woman's power was a little too strong in shielding her presence. Just like The Source, she concluded.
Cole darted through the woods, nearly losing his balance with a tree limb that collided with his path. She had to be close by. But he didn't dare say anything, as he was sure she would hear him. Then there'd be no hope for any of them in getting out of this alive. I should still be able to sense her, he reminded himself. If he was able to sense Phoebe's location when the witch hunter was after her.....he should be able to sense Alex too. It has to work, he told himself. Determined, he disappeared again.
Alex made her way through the bushes and branches, her tiny feet nervously covering the new territory. A tear ran down her cheek as she quickly brushed it away with a petite hand, her eyes searching for temporary shelter. Her hair flew about wildly in front of her face, clouding her vision. Alex suddenly slumped forward then, as a loose lace on her sneaker caught the weight of her other shoe. She tumbled to the ground, clutching her ankle.
"Alexandra," a soothing voice beckoned. "Alexandra, you can't hide from me forever."
A large hand quickly snatched the girl from behind, bringing her close. She opened her mouth to let out a scream, but another hand quickly covered it, subsiding her muffled cries for help. She struggled against her attacker, attempting to break free of the unrelenting grasp.
"Ally, it's me," Cole whispered, removing his hands from the tight hold. "It's Daddy."
"Daddy?" she whispered back. Relieved, she turned around, and threw her arms around him. "I'm afraid. I wanna go home."
"Just be as still as you can," he advised. "I'm going to get you out of here."
"The mean lady will still find us," she insisted. "She said so. I can hear her."
"Ally, listen to me. Whatever happens after this, I want you to know that I love you. Alright? Don't ever forget that."
"Are you going away again, Daddy?" she asked, worriedly.
"I want you to know that evil cannot come in unless you let it. Remember what we talked about earlier? Back at the house?"
She nodded. "I don't use my powers for evil."
"Good. And trust me, this is exactly what they want. And because you're already on our side...."
"And so few ever join that worthless cause," a woman sneered. "At least, not after they've felt my wrath."
"And the jokes just keep on coming," Cole quipped, his eyes following the sound of her voice.
She appeared in plain sight, settling in directly in front of them. "Mmm....I'm getting tired of these games, Cole. Why don't you just give her to me."
"You really do have a one track mind."
"I took great pleasure in watching your pathetic little wife suffer back there. I'll have no trouble witnessing the same with you. Poor little ex-demon, madly in love."
"You'll never know the half of it."
"Are you sure you can't take me up on my offer?" She moved closer to him then, her eyes almost softening as she gazed upon his features. Cole simply stood there, holding his ground, as her hand raised itself in a fairly slow gesture. It rested calmly upon his handsome face, as she traced the line of his jaw. "We could do wonderful things, you know."
"I think I was already talked into something a little like that," he reasoned, raising an eyebrow. "And guess what? I don't make the same mistake twice."
Alex had meanwhile drifted to a nearby tree, cautiously peering around its frame. The Dark lent her a quick look, then turned back to Cole. "You could forget you ever had a life separate from your evil ways. No pain, no guilt, utter bliss."
"No love," he agreed softly.
"You're getting it," she added, seemingly impressed.
"Um, not quite. See, you're honestly joking, because you always hated sharing the throne. As one of The Source's best, you got pride from kills you made all on your own. You never liked the competition."
"Competition?" she laughed. "Why, I've never heard of such a silly endeavor."
He brought his face nearer to hers, until the two of them were nearly inches apart. "If you want to turn me dark, you're going to have to do so much better than that," he mimicked.
She uttered a low growl, pulling away. Her eyes once again lit up with an intense hatred, as she flung out her slender wrist, sending Cole sprawling to the hard ground beneath him. "And you have such motivation," she declared, shaking her head in pure bewilderment.
"Motivation to vanquish the hell out of you," he threatened, trying to regain his footing.
"But hell is such a peaceful place. You should try it there again sometime. Maybe it would knock some sense back into you."
"Oh, I think I really prefer the wastland instead," he deadpanned. "Less mess, no regrets, you know?"
"The Source always did warn you about running your mouth," she snapped.
"Yeah. What can I say? Arguing back and forth happens to be one of my strong, but admirable traits."
"The girl," she demanded again.
He lifted himself to his feet, catching Alex in his arms, as she quickly ran to him. He hugged her tight, securing his grasp. "You're not ever going to get her," he challenged. He closed his eyes. "Phoebe, say the spell, dammit."
"I don't think she can hear you," The Dark mocked. "Your daughter is a very valuable commodity, Cole. I don't think it comes as any surprise that she has the power to bring about complete chaos. Does it?"
"When this is over? You're going to wish you'd left well enough alone."
"Oh, and you sound so sincere."
"Ally, I want you to-"
"Alexandra, come to me," she instructed, ignoring him. "I won't hurt you."
"You're evil!" the little girl screamed, her face coated with anger. "And you're not going to hurt my Daddy!" Nonchalantly throwing out a hand, a wave of fire shot from it, just missing The Dark, as she jumped out of the way just in the nick of time. The flames landed on the ground, immediately fading to a dim glow.
"What the hell is going on?!" she shouted angrily. "Your abilities aren't-"
"Have just been unbound," a familiar voice sounded to her right. "Sorry to disappoint you."
Piper and Leo stood off to the side, blue sparks still vanishing from their orb. Cole looked at them, relieved, as he gently placed a finger upon the deep cut on his forehead. "Phoebe's hurt," he told them. "She's back at the cottage. And Paige is frozen."
Piper took her husband's hand, giving it a small squeeze. "Go. I'll take care of this."
"Piper-"
"Go," she urged, raising her voice. "Phoebe needs you."
Leo quickly orbed out once again, and Piper moved front and center to stand with Cole.
The Dark gave her a sly smile. "I'm afraid this only makes my plan a lot easier to execute. A Charmed One and an ex-demon, all in one shot. How very lucky." The skin began to peel from her hands, revealing a wrinkled shade of dark yellow. As her face began to take on the same shade, her hair fell limp to the ground below. She creeped toward them, adjusting her stance. Alex screamed, as Cole readjusted his hold, his face a mask of confusion.
Piper made a face, taking a single step back. "Ewww..." she whispered. "Guess the disguise was entirely necessary. Yuck." Putting her hands up, she attempted to blow her up. The demon broke into a million pieces, as they coincided through the air. "Damn. That's not going to take."
"Oh, no kidding," Cole brought forth. "I don't think she's ever shown herself before. Not even to The Source."
"So how do we-"
"I don't know!" he shouted back. "But I think-"
"You're going to lose," The Dark snarled, as she tossed each hand up in an opposite direction. Cole and Piper were flung off to her left, landing side by side. With a single blink of her eye, a red circle formed around them, creating an immense barrier. Piper ran into it, struggling to leap over, as the heat touched upon her face. But it created a bright spark of light, as she was thrown back into it, defeated.
Alex simply stood there for a momment, her legs shaking, as she finally began to walk backwards. "Daddy, Aunt Piper?" she whispered weakly.
Cole had clearly been knocked unconscious, as Piper moved closer to him. "Get up," she hissed. "Cole, wake up!"
The Dark focused her vision upon the little girl, holding out a hand. "Come."
"Alex, no!" Piper shouted, her protest muffled
As if caught in a deep trance, she slowly obeyed, even though everything in her face was telling her otherwise. Alex's hand clasped the outstretched gesture, as The Dark snapped her fingers, watching as they evaporated into a thin film of bright light.
Piper brushed a tear from her face, as the force field was suddenly broken, leaving a thick cloud of smoke in its place. Cole still lay on the ground, his eyes closed.
Leo and Phoebe arrived, surveying the damage, as they rushed to the two fallen. "Where's Alex?" Phoebe screamed. "Where is my baby?"
"She has her," Piper uttered, as another tear slid down her cheek.
"No," Phoebe whispered. "No, no, no...."
"We were trapped," she explained. "I tried to- she's too strong."
Phoebe sunk to the ground, her hands covering her face. "No." Her sobs were uncontrollable now, as she felt a pair of strong hands enclose themselves around her small frame, kneeling beside her. "Ssshhh..."
"Oh my God, Cole. She's got our little girl. She...has Alex."
He winced at his injuries, rocking her back and forth. "We'll get her back," he whispered, the tears flowing freely. "I swear we'll get her back."
Leo crossed his arms over his chest, painfully taking in their grief. He frowned. "According to the window, we still have forty-eight hours from when she used her powers," he told them. "There's still time."