Our Screwed-Up Destiny

[Primrose_Empath]

Author's Notes: Once upon a time, I was part of a Role-Playing Game called "Our Screwed-Up Destiny" where my fellow RP’ers and I explored what could've happened if it hadn't been Prue who stood between the innocent and Shax before Shax threw her through the wall the hardest, so she was the one who died. I let my friend, Es, read the RPG. Although she thought that the girl playing Paige and I (who took Prue’s part) did a magnificent job (thank you sweetie!), neither of us was overjoyed with the job the other players did with their characters, especially Phoebe. So we came up with the idea of rewriting it as a fic--but a fic done our way. And I'd like to share it with you fine folks. Remember, this is a totally alternate universe, so anything can happen--and does!

---

OUR SCREWED-UP DESTINY

written by Primrose Empath and Esmeralda

DISCLAIMER

I don’t own anything Charmed. However, if I had, the episode "Charmed Again" might have been something closer to this! All of these characters belong to Spelling Productions and The WB, now the CW. This fic was not written for sale, but strictly for the enjoyment of other fans.

I'd like to credit Silverstar03 for telling her fic, "Guardian from Above" from a number of points of view, which is what gave me the idea to do mine this way. I'll use a different font color for each character and give their name before each change of viewpoint.

PART ONE

—PRUE—

"Prue! Prue! I laid down on my bed and got a premonition! Cole was lying on it and I couldn't wake him up! Prue, I can't lose him! Not after just losing..."

"Sorry, Phoebe, there's nothing we can do about it. If you can't wake him up, you can't wake him up."

"But...but, Prue, I got that premonition for a reason."

"Yes, I know you did. But you have to ignore it. Don't you understand? Thanks to you, we're not The Charmed Ones anymore. We can't vanquish demons; we can't save innocents, and we most certainly can't save Cole, no matter how badly you want to or how hard we try!"

"Thanks to me?"

"Yes! Thanks to you! If you hadn't gone after Cole, Leo wouldn't have gone after you and if Leo hadn't gone after you, he would've been able to heal Piper after we were attacked! Don't you understand? Piper's death is your fault!"

"My fault?! But, Prue! Cole!"

"Yes. Cole. Your lover. Your half-demon lover who you put above your sisters, above innocents, above everything. Now thanks to you, our sister is dead, my best friend is dead and so is the Power of Three. Since you fell in love with that half-demon, you've lied to me to the point where I can't even bring myself to trust you anymore. If you love him so much more than you love me or the innocents we could've saved, just go! Go! Find your half-demon lover! Concentrate on him and forget all about me! Because I want to forget all about you! I'll never be able to look at you again without thinking of how you're the one responsible for Piper's death!"

"No! No! That's not true! That's not true! It's not my fault! It can't be my fault!"

[Start Flashback (Episode 3.22 All Hell Breaks Loose)]
Phoebe: Then I'm hoping you won't need me around here for a while. I wanna try a new potion on Cole. One that'll reverse the spell that turned him bad in the first place.
Piper: Phoebe...
Phoebe: I'm not looking for your approval, Piper, just your support.
Prue: Well, Phoebe, it's sort of hard to give you support when you're just setting yourself up to get hurt again.
Phoebe: Cole is good inside, I know it. And if dark magic did this to him, then how come white magic can't save him? I can't just turn my back, I have to try.
Piper: What do you want us to do?
Phoebe: I want you to use the magic to magic spell to send me down there. I reworded it to make it work.
(Phoebe hands Piper a piece of paper.)
Piper: Uh, Phoebe, that's awfully dangerous. If something goes wrong we won't be able to contact each other.
Phoebe: I'll be safe, I'll be with Cole. And he'll bring me back, so don't worry about that.
Prue: You're banking a lot on that little potion of yours, you know.
Phoebe: No, I'm not. I'm banking on Cole.
[End Flashback]

"No!" cried Phoebe, a look of panic on her face. "It can't be my fault; it can't!" and spinning on her heels, my baby sister turned and ran. Just like she always did.

---

To Be Continued If There's Any Interest...

[*Sammi!*]

sounds good!

[Primrose_Empath]

Aww, thanks for the review Sammi! I appreciate it. *hug* And here's a shiny new piece of the story for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

---

--PRUE (continued)--

So typical. In the wake of her hasty exit from the Manor, she left the front door wide open, allowing a brisk afternoon breeze to blow through the front rooms. “Typical Phoebe,” I muttered as I stalked over to close it. “Always taking the easy way out and leaving whenever she can’t hack something."

[Start Flashback (Episode 3.07 Power Outage)]
Phoebe: Whatever, I'm leaving.
Piper: Oh, sure, you're such an immature brat, you leave every time you can't hack something.
Phoebe: Well, there's nothing keeping me here, now is there?
Prue: Oh, well, I see that you've inherited Dad's talent of bailing.
Phoebe: That's because the two of us couldn't deal with living with the two of you!
[End Flashback]

I shut the front door a bit harder than normal with a ‘thud’ that echoed throughout the house. "Well, good riddance to her.” Feeling my anger rise by the millisecond, I stormed out of the foyer and up the stairs towards my room to grab my camera and the film from the last week’s photo shoot, all the while ranting aloud to no one in particular. After all, who is here to hear me? The dust bunnies?

“Ugh!” I screamed while throwing my hands in the air. “I can’t believe her! Talk about freaking nerve--she had the gall to stand there and flat-out lie to my face, telling me that she’s not in some way responsible for Piper’s death – my best friend’s death. If she hadn’t gone and gotten involved with that half-demon, then we wouldn’t even be in this mess to begin with.”

Without even realizing it, I found myself outside Phoebe’s room, which was across the hall and down two doors from mine. Even though I didn’t want to, curiosity got the better of me, and I stopped to take a peek inside.

[Start Flashback (Episode 1.07 The Fourth Sister)] Phoebe: Okay. Look Prue, I think we need to put some major closure on this or we’re gonna be in rocking chairs slurping oatmeal out of rubber spoons and I’m still gonna hear about Roger. Piper, am I a boyfriend thief?
Piper: Totally.
Phoebe: Besides Roger, whom again Prue, I never touched.
Piper: My boyfriend. Billy Wilson.
Phoebe: Billy Will...Eighth grade Billy Wilson?
Piper: You kissed him at homecoming.
Phoebe: No I did not kiss him at homecoming. I was helping him find a contact lens.
[End Flashback]

“'It’s not my fault, it’s not my fault, it’s not my fault'. Of course it’s never your fault, Phoebe. You wouldn’t know what responsibility was if it walked up and bit you. You’ve never taken responsibility for your actions before, so why on Earth would I believe that you’d start doing it now?”

[Start Flashback (Episode 1.02 I’ve Got You Under My Skin)]
Prue: What, did you go to the track, play the market, what?
Phoebe: The lottery.
Piper: Phoebe!
Phoebe: What did you want me to do? Ignore the premonition? Not help a needy family. That's what we're supposed to do, right?
[End Flashback]

Wanting to see no more reminders of my irresponsible baby sister, I slammed the door shut and the pictures hanging in the hallway rattled. A frustrated growl escaped my throat as I marched down the hall in search of my camera and the film that contained my assignment for the next month’s issue of 415.

Upon entering my room, I spotted the camera in question lying on the dresser and quickly walked over to retrieve it. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and am momentarily taken aback at the sight. I knew that the face reflected in that mirror was mine, and yet it seemed as if I was looking at a complete stranger. My cheeks were tear-streaked, the whites of my eyes were bloodshot, and some oh-so fashionable dark circles were starting to form around them due to lack of sleep.

Geez. I’m a freaking mess.

At that moment though, my rather haggard and somewhat frightening appearance was the least of my concerns. I tucked my hair back behind my ears and took one last glance in the mirror before heading out into the hall and down the stairs. May as well keep myself busy and get these pictures developed for the magazine. At least that’ll provide a small distraction.

Passing through the dining room, I caught a glimpse of the repaired, but still unpainted wall that Piper and I had gone flying through not even a week before. An almost nauseating sinking feeling hit me in the stomach and I quickly shifted my gaze elsewhere and continued into the kitchen, pausing to grab a bottle of water out of the fridge on my way to the basement stairs. The basement door opened with an ear-piercing ‘squeak’ that I never really paid attention to before, but it seemed so much louder in the complete and total silence that now bathed the house. It’s just so quiet around here…almost eerie. I keep half-expecting to see Piper come walking through the front door or see her in the kitchen cooking something or another. Strange, the things that you miss. With a sigh, I flipped the switch for the basement lights and climbed down the stairs to my sanctuary—the darkroom in the far corner of the basement.

********

--PHOEBE—
I pedaled my bike just as fast as I could, still trying to get away from the memory of the hatred in my big sister's eyes and those horrible words. Prue's words kept hammering against my brain, and I kept shaking my head, tears rolling down my cheeks. "No! No! It can't be true! It can't! It can't be my fault! The Source's! Yes! That's whose fault it is. If he hadn't captured Cole and tried to turn him back to evil, I never would've gone after him! Yes! Yes! It has to be his fault!"

---

Want more? You know the drill!

[*Sammi!*]

come on come on come on!!

- I dont like that Piper died though

[pipercharmedphreak]

Oh! I am VERY interested. I agree with Sammi though, I am not a big fan of Piper dying. But I do love the tense interaction between Phoebe and Prue!

[Primrose_Empath]

Thanks you two! You don't know how much that means to me! *hug*

Even though you guys aren't nuts on the whole idea of Piper dying, I 'm glad that you're continuing to give this fic a shot.

Pipercharmedphreak, if you're liking the tenseness between the two remaining sisters, then I guess I must be doing something right.

---

--PHOEBE (continued)--

But no matter how hard I tried to tune it out, the voice of reason continued to resound in my head, sounding just like my big sister: "And if you hadn't fallen in love with Cole, you wouldn't have gone after him when The Source took him. You would've had no reason to go to the Underworld and Leo wouldn't have gone after you, where he couldn't heal you or your sisters! It's all your fault!" and these words came back to haunt me: "You love him more than you love your sisters or the innocents we could've saved."

"No! No! That can't be true! It can't!"

But suddenly another voice went through my head, my lost sister's:

[Start Flashback (Episode 2.17 How To Make A Quilt Out Of Americans)]
Piper: All right, I'm only doing this for you guys and if I get killed, I'm gonna haunt the both of you forever.
[End Flashback]

"NO!" I scream, even louder than before. "NO!"

Suddenly I realized where I was--P3. Piper's club. Without even thinking about it, my subconscious brought me to the place that meant my lost sister more than any other.

I slammed on the brakes and jumped off my bike, letting it fall as I ran to the door, unlocked it and ran down the stairs. I looked around, at the bar, at the tables, at the stage. Everywhere I looked, I could see my sister, I could see her doing all the things she always did there, the things that she would never do there again.

"NO!" I screamed as I dropped to the floor and began to sob. "I'm so sorry, Piper! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to put Cole before you, before Prue, or before the innocents! I didn't! I didn't! Really I didn't!" Tears of despair streamed down my cheeks and splashed onto the floor. "It's not my fault because I didn't mean to! I really didn't mean to. What will I do without you? What will Prue and I do without you? Without you, how can we possibly survive? You were the only one who could keep us from killing each other. Who will stop us now?"

Suddenly there was the strong sound of wind and a tornado-like thing crashed through the door, startling the daylights out of me.

"No!" I screamed as I sprang up and rapidly backed my way toward one of the exits.

"NO!" I screamed even louder as the tornado turned into Kernus, the demon who killed my sister, who killed The Power of Three. With an evil smirk, he waved his hand and I felt myself flying, just like Piper must've when she crashed through the wall; just like Prue must've when I almost lost her.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! LEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOO! COOOOOOOOOLE! PRUUUUUUUUUUUUE!"

No sooner did these last few syllables leave my mouth than my world faded to black.

---

Still interested? Remember, there's more where this came from...

[pipercharmedphreak]

AHH!! What happened!?!! I need to know!! ;D

[Primrose_Empath]

So you want to know what happened, hmm?

Well, here's another piece for your reading pleasure sweetie.

---

—LEO--

I sat in my favorite thinking-spot high atop the Golden Gate Bridge, in deep despair. As I stared blankly out across the water, all I could think of was Piper and the fact that I would never get a chance to hold my soul mate again until she decided to be reincarnated and live another life. But I'd have to wait until she grew up, like I did this time. I'd hate to have to wait that long again.

As I looked down at the San Francisco Bay, I was reminded that there was another way. It was extremely tempting to just let go, to drop into the cold waters of the Bay and not even try to come back up. Ending my existence forever seemed easier than trying to live forever without Piper.

I sighed resignedly, because I knew full well that I couldn't do that. Trying to kill myself won't end my existence, as much as I wish it would--it would only turn me into a darklighter, and that would make a mockery out of everything Piper died for. I can't do that to her memory. I won't do that to her memory.

Another possibility entered my mind instead. Without even thinking about it, my memory drifted back in time, to the day when Piper first found out my secret.

[Start Flashback (Episode 1.21 Love Hurts)]
Piper: So if Daisy's a whitelighter-to-be, doesn't that mean you used to be...
Leo: Human? Yes, it does. I was actually born right here in San Francisco. I had lived here all the way up till I went off to the war.
Piper: You mean, like Vietnam?
Leo: No. World War II. I left med school and enlisted as a medic. I wanted to help save people, not shoot them. The last thing I remember, I was bandaging a soldier's head wound and I felt a sharp pain and the next thing I know I was floating surrounded by whitelighters. They offered me immortality and the chance to help special people like you. I never once ever doubted that I didn't make the right choice. Til I met you. Ever since all I can think is how I'd give it up and have a mortal life again to have a family, grow old...with you.
Piper: Is that possible?
Leo: Yeah, I can become human again, Piper, if you want me to.
Piper: Are you kidding? I want that more than anything. I don't want to lose you again.
Leo: But...
Piper: But then you wouldn't be able to help other witches or other future whitelighters, would you? You couldn't help save the next Daisy.
[End flashback]

Oh, how I wish Piper had taken me up on my offer; how I wish that she had decided to give up her powers as a witch, too, so we could've had that chance to grow old together and have kids together without the fear of evil going after them, since we both would've never subjected our children to that. Due to her selflessness, that will never be.

Without wanting to, I remembered the scene I watched from Up There, the scene I wasn't supposed to watch, but one I had to watch:

[Start Flashback (Episode 2.12 Awakened)]
Prue: When we did the spell, we must have awakened everything in the room including the disease.
Phoebe: So, do you think there’s anything different about our blood because we’re witches?
Prue: I don’t know but our first priority is to figure out how to help save these people.
Phoebe: Yeah, but even if we can find a spell to save them, how do we prevent it from spreading to other people.
Piper: You have to reverse the spell.
Phoebe: No, Piper, we can’t reverse the spell because…
Prue: You could go back into a coma, you could die.
Piper: I’m not gonna die. Just reverse the spell and call Leo so he can heal me.
Phoebe: Leo? I thought you didn’t want us to call Leo.
Piper: Well, yeah, that’s when I thought I was sick, not dying.
Prue: Piper, um, we already talked to Leo. He’s not allowed to help.
Phoebe: They won’t let him.
Piper: Oh. Great. Well thanks for doing something I specifically asked you not to do.
Phoebe: Piper, you just said…
Prue: Phoebe, give it a rest. Um, look, Piper, we don’t know the reversal spell anyway.
Phoebe: Yeah, and they won’t let us outta here to get it.
Piper: Prue can get it.
Prue: No, I can’t. Okay, I cannot just astral project on command. I can’t control it like that.
Piper: You can learn to control it just like you learned to control your other power. Just concentrate.
Prue: Piper, I can’t and I won’t.
Piper: Prue, you have to try. We can’t let anybody else die.
(Prue shuts her eyes and tries to astral project. She appears in the attic. A nurse looks in the room and sees Prue standing still with her eyes closed.)
Nurse: (through the intercom) What’s wrong with her?
Phoebe: Nothing. She’s fine.
[Cut to the attic. Prue finds the spell and tries to remember it. She astral projects back into her body.]
Prue: Whoa.
Piper: Did you see it?
Prue: Yeah, Piper, I don’t…
Piper: Prue, we’ve already discussed this. For some reason there’s no magical out for me but there is for the others. Please.
[End Flashback]

I saved her that time. Why couldn’t I save her this time?

And yet, that's another possibility. I could tell the Elders that I no longer want to be a whitelighter but want to clip my wings and be mortal again. Then when I die, I'd get a chance to be with Piper again, get a chance to be reincarnated again, this time with her, like we were the last time, and maybe get the chance to have that normal life we didn't get to have this time. Certainly she has earned that chance. Certainly I have.

---

To be continued...

[woogyinthehouse]

this is a great fic... i cant wait to find out more..

Only not that keen on Piper dying but apart from that its great...its always good to stretch my imagination having Piper not around and you have..

I like the flashbacks... very nice!!

[*Sammi!*]

Yeah! The flash backs are very precise! Keep doing more Primrose!

[pipercharmedphreak]

Yay! I was wondering what happened to Leo! Glad to see him show up!

[Primrose_Empath]

Thank you guys! You've all earned a spot on "ye olde list".

Woogyinthehouse (love the username, btw!)--That's the true fun of AU fics...stretching the imagination and the "what if factor". Glad you've liked what you've read so far and welcome to the boards!

Sammi--Don't worry. There's plenty, plenty more where this came from!

Pipercharmedphreak--Yup, Leo has now made an appearance (didn't think I was going to leave him out, did ya? ) And as you can tell, he's pretty shaken up by the whole ordeal.

I'm estatic that all of you are loving the flashbacks so much. Finding those was an absolute blast, and they really do add quite a bit to the story.

I now bring you today's installment. Happy Reading!

---

--LEO (continued)--

Even as I consider it, I know I couldn't do that. Again, it would make a mockery of everything Piper died for. I'll just have to continue guiding her sisters, missing her constantly, but not be able to do anything about it. I know the sisters are no longer The Charmed Ones, no longer able to harness the Power of Three which made them the most powerful witches ever, but they will still need me to guide them, even if they don't always listen to me.

I know I’ll simply have to wait until Piper decides to reincarnate again and then wait for her to grow up again and hope that she will decide to be a witch again and the Elders will once more allow me to be her whitelighter. It was such a long wait last time; I’m not sure if I can do that again, or if the Elders will even allow me.

But would They? Look how long it took me to convince Them to let me be the Charmed Ones' whitelighter. They didn't think I should since They remembered the connection Piper and I had had during our previous life, when I was her lover before she met her husband. I was able to convince Them that it was that connection that would help me be able to guide The Charmed Ones to use their powers properly, the way they were meant to be used, would I be able to convince them again? Even if I promised to truly keep my identity a secret from them, like I did this time, unlike most witches who know who their whitelighter is. Yeah, I should've stayed gone as soon as they found out my secret. But I didn't; I couldn't. And the Elders kept letting me. I never understood why. I still don't. Would They let me next time? I’m just glad They let me this time. Knowing Piper, loving Piper; missing Piper is still better than never having known her at all. Only when Piper and I tried to secretly wed did They take me away again. Thank God They let me come back once she proved herself to them.

But then again, maybe it would've been better if she hadn't. If only she wasn't so selfless, maybe she wouldn't have sacrificed herself for the innocent by putting herself between him and Kernus after her explosion and freezing powers and Prue's TK failed to affect Kernus. But that selflessness was one of the things I love most about her; her willingness to put innocents in front of her own desires, despite her huge desire to have a normal life. That's why she was already gone by the time I reached them; at least I was able to save Prue. But I couldn't save Piper and I couldn't save their innocent. It's something I'll have to live with, but the same time, something I know I'll never forgive myself for.

I let out another deep sigh, wiped my eyes, and continued to sink deeper and deeper into my despair. In the back of my mind, I could vaguely hear one of my charges calling, but I couldn't even bring myself to listen or respond and made the decision to stay right where I was.

********

--COLE--

Sitting at my desk in the D.A.’s office, I put the final touches on some rather lengthy deposition documents for one of my upcoming court cases. It had been an exhausting day, and I was ready to get outta there. Just one last task and I can call it quits for the day. With a ‘click’ and a ‘whir’, my printer in the corner sprang to life, producing the final needed page. Finally. It’s time to blow this pop stand. I carefully placed the document in a folder, set it in my briefcase, snapped the lock shut, and grabbed my car keys off the desk. Gotta keep up appearances after all.

No sooner was I halfway across the office when a strange sensation hit me, sending a chill down my spine…the sensation of something not being quite right. “Phoebe,” I whispered as I dropped the briefcase and car keys on a nearby table. A quick glance out into the hallway confirmed that there was nobody in the immediate vicinity, so I hit the lights and shimmered out.

Seconds later I reappeared in P3 and my jaw dropped at the sight--it looked like a tornado ripped right through the club. Damage like that could only mean one thing. “Kernus,” I muttered in disgust while taking in the overturned tables and chairs. Immediately my eyes zeroed in on Phoebe’s still form lying in a crumpled heap against the far wall and I sprinted over to her side, carefully picking my way around the debris.

Damn you, Kernus! ran through my head as I carefully cradled my love in my arms, and quickly checked for a pulse. Oh, thank Lucifer, there is one--a weak one, but a pulse nonetheless. Kernus has really done a number on her, and she won’t last much longer if I don’t get some help…and soon. I can't lose her; I can't. I'd be lost without her. I’ve got to find Leo, he’s my best bet. Oh, I wish I wasn't half-demon, so he could hear my call. The Manor. Certainly he should be at the Manor, and if he's not, Prue will and carefully hugging my unconscious love to myself, I shimmered us both to Manor, praying that the whitelighter and his healing touch would be there.

********

--PRUE--

Not having Phoebe around really has its benefits. Since she wasn’t there barging in and distracting me, I was getting into a pretty good rhythm while developing my pictures; before I knew it, the whole roll was almost done. As I waited for the second to last batch to dry and the last ones to set, my mind started to wander.

[Start Flashback (Episode 1.13 From Fear To Eternity)]
Piper: I'm just glad you're all right.
Prue: I love you.
Piper: What did you just say?
Prue: I love you.
Piper: I think that's the first time you've said that to me.
Prue: Yeah, I know, I wish I would’ve said it a long time ago. Ever since Mom died I've been afraid to say it. I didn't want to lose anybody else.
Piper: Well, we're not going anywhere.
[End Flashback]

If only that were true. I’m so sorry, Piper…I let you down. A solitary tear rolled down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away. Taking a sip out of my water bottle, I tried instead to focus on happier times.

[Start Flashback (Episode 2.10 Heartbreak City)]
Piper: Although I have to admit some of the things Dan said were kind of true. I do think about Leo sometimes.
Prue: Jack wasn’t wrong when he said I was on the rebound.
Piper: Still it’s all so weird. One minute the four of us are laughing and having a great time…
Prue: And the next we’re acting like we hate each other. Uhh…
Piper: What?
Prue: I was just thinking about Drazi.
Piper: No way. He couldn’t have had anything to do with this. We vanquished him.
Prue: Jack’s scum.
Piper: So is Dan.
Prue: Are you scum?
Piper: No, I’m not scum.
Prue: I knew you weren’t.
[End Flashback]

That’s better.

END of PART ONE

---

Want Part Two? Please review!

[*Sammi!*]

oooooooooo Cole!! ;D

[pipercharmedphreak]

YES! I want more!!! I love those flashbacks! I don't have much time right now but I will review more later!

[Primrose_Empath]

Thank you again guys!

Sammi -- Looks like your favorite half-demon has now arrived! ;D

Pipercharmedphreak -- I love the flashbacks too. They were a blast to find and add so much to the story.

And to start off your week, I bring you the beginning of Part Two...

---

PART TWO

--COLE--

Within a matter of seconds of leaving the club, I reappeared in the foyer of the Manor, my unconscious love carefully resting in my arms. I rapidly flicked my gaze around the room--it appeared as if there was nobody even home. Where the hell is everybody? "Leo?! Prue?! Somebody?!!! Get here quick!" I called out at the top of my lungs, a note of panic in my voice.

No! Why isn't anyone appearing? This is not good. Not at all. Where is everyone? My love is getting colder! No! She won't last much longer! And I can't last without her! Even louder now, even more desperately, I scream, "HELP! SOMEONE! HELP! NOW!" Oh, Lucifer, please! Someone's GOT to be around!

********

--PRUE--

There. That's the last one. Smiling to myself, I hung up the last of the pictures to dry and then set about getting my equipment and supplies cleaned up and put away. I was blissfully lost in my own little world until the sound of yelling broke me out of my daydream. What the hell is going on? I thought I was alone!

With an exasperated sigh, I set the last bottle of chemicals on the shelf, shut off the lights, and headed up the stairs to investigate. About halfway up, I clearly heard Leo's name and then mine being called...by Cole? Wonderful. Just abso-freakin-loutely wonderful. Next to Phoebe, that half-demon is totally the last person I wanted to see at that moment, and I momentarily contemplated turning back around and pretending like I didn't hear a thing. As good an idea as that sounded, I decided against it. "Better go see what he wants." I muttered while trudging up the stairs to the kitchen. "The sooner I find out, the sooner he can get the hell outta here before I send his sorry a$$ flying into a wall."

Still fuming over the fact that I was disturbed--and by Cole, no less, I speed-walked my way through the kitchen and towards the foyer. He better have a d@mn good reason for being here.

Rounding the corner from the dining room and entering the foyer, I came face to face with one of the two people I really would've rather not seen at that moment and wasted no time in finding out some answers. "Why are you here, and what the hell do you—”

It was then that I noticed what he held in his arms. And what I saw rapidly shocked me back into reality. Oh my God. Phoebe! The color drained from my face and all my anger was instantly shoved aside as I wasted no time in sprinting over to my baby sister's battered and bloody body. "Phoebe!" I screamed as I grabbed her from him and fell to my knees, cradling her on my lap. OH, NO. Not Again. Especially not today, of all days! "Cole, what happened to her?! Did you have something to do with this? Because if you did, I swear..." But before he could open his mouth, I cut him off. "Never mind. There'll be plenty of time for answers later. Right now I've gotta get Leo here 'cause I'll be damned if I'm losing another sister." Yeah, her free-spiritedness and utter lack of responsibility annoy the freaking daylights out of me at times, but I can't fathom losing her too. That would just be too much. After all, I also promised to protect her.

Taking my eyes off of her for just a second, I looked up to the ceiling. "LEO!" I called out loudly, a note of panic in my voice. Precious seconds passed and he didn't appear, so I called out again, even louder and more panicked this time. "LEO!!" Where is that guy?! Tears started to fill my eyes as I tenderly stroked the top of her head and held her close. "Don't leave me baby girl. Please don't leave me." I pled as the tears rolled down my face in rivers. "Come on, Phoebs, stay with me here. You're strong, baby girl. You can fight it." God, NO. This cannot be happening!! This is not happening!! It's like a never-ending nightmare. One that I just can't seem to wake up from. "LEO!!! You get your whitelighter a$$ down here NOW!! We need you!!" Please, God, don't let the last words I ever speak to her be words that were said in hurt and anger.

---

And of course, you know what to do if you want more....

[pipercharmedphreak]

oo! Very good to see that reaction coming from Prue. Even though we all know how pissed off Prue can get at Phoebe.. well if she lost Piper and Phoebe I know that wouold devastate her!! keep writing!

[woogyinthehouse]

Nice update!!! I absolutely loved it"!!! But please Leo get your a$$ down there and save Phoebe!!!!

ps Glad you like my user name lol

[Primrose_Empath]

Yay! I'm glad you guys are enjoying this story so much. *happy dance*

So does Leo come out of his depression enough to reply to that voice in his head? Or will Prue and Cole have to endure another loss? And how would they survive that? How would Leo??

Well, let's find out, shall we?

---

--LEO--

Although I kept trying, I couldn't ignore the panicked and persistent calling in my head any longer, and orbed into the Manor. Not immediately seeing anyone, I looked down to the floor, where I saw a distraught Cole and Prue kneeling down next to a clearly unconscious Phoebe, her body battered and bloodied, looking very much like Prue and Piper did when I found them after Kernus' attack. Oh, no! Not again! Please tell me that this isn't happening! "No. No! I can't lose another one. I can't!"

Even as I spoke, I covered the distance between myself and the others in two strides, and put my hands over Phoebe, but to my dismay, nothing happened.

"Why is nothing happening?" Cole asked, panic in his voice. Prue was in such shock she couldn't even speak.

"I can't reach the injury. Bring her into the living room and lay her on the couch."

Cole nodded and lifted up his love and hurried into the living room, with me only a step behind the half-demon and his precious cargo. As he laid the youngest Charmed One on the couch, I took a calming breath to steel my nerves, praying that the Elders would allow my magic to work, that it wasn't Phoebe's time, the way it had been Piper's.

--COLE--

I began pacing nervous circles on the floor next to the couch. There was nothing else I could do right now except for wait and hope. I got there as quickly as I could. Lucifer, I hope I wasn't too late.

--PRUE--

Meanwhile back in the foyer, everything that had just happened had left me in total shock to the point where I couldn't even move. I was still on my knees, literally rooted in place; the fear causing me to tremble uncontrollably. All I could do was pray, Please, God, please, God, please, God. Don't let her die because I ignored Cole's yell! Please! I took a shaky breath and buried my head in my hands in order to avoid seeing the scene unfolding in the next room. This is not happening, this is not happening, this is not happening.

Suddenly the unmistakable sound of orbing filled my ears and I felt comforting arms enfolding me from behind, lifting me to my feet. Even though I hadn't felt those particular arms in two years, I recognized them in a heartbeat. That can't be who I think it is, is it? No. It can't be -- my mind is playing tricks on me. I quickly turned around and met a familiar set of friendly blue eyes. Though momentarily stunned, I immediately realized that this was indeed no joke. "Andy. Oh, God! Andy!" I cried as I returned his embrace with one of my own. A calming feeling swept over me and for the first time since Piper and I first tried to vanquish Kernus and couldn't and were caught on camera and this nightmare began, everything finally seemed all right again.

--ANDY--

I held Prue closer as she melted into my embrace. As I rubbed slow circles on her back with my hand, I whispered in a gentle and calming voice. "I'm not supposed to be here. But I could feel your pain, feel your fear and I couldn't not come. I'll stay as long as I can."

--PRUE--

Laying my head on Andy's strong shoulder, I finally let out all the fear and pain that I'd been holding inside for the past couple of days. Sobs shook my body, and the tears ran in torrents down my face, almost as if a dam had just burst. Seconds that felt like hours crept by until I finally finished and looked up from Andy's now-soaked shoulder with red-rimmed eyes. "I can't lose them both. I can't."

---

To Be Continued....

[woogyinthehouse]

First of all fantastic update, now... DO IT AGAIN, PLEASE SAVE PHOEBE...

*Rachel is all anxious*

[pipercharmedphreak]

Oh my god!! Andy!! hip hip hooray!