Demon Seed

[noazmale]

CHARMED
"Demon Seed"
by J. B. Tilton
email: [e-mail]
Rating: K+ (for mild language)

Disclaimer: “Charmed” and all related characters and events are the property of the WB television network, except for those characters specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement of copyright is intended.

* * *

(Authors note: This story takes place between season 5 episodes “Sympathy For The Demon” and “A Witch In TIme”.)

* * *

When Phoebe has frightening premonitions about Pipers’ baby, the Charmed Ones set out on a perilous adventure that could decide the fate of Piper’s unborn child.

* * *

ONE

Phoebe hurried out of the newspaper office. She had finally caught up on her “Dear Phoebe” letters and was looking forward to a relaxing evening at home. Their recent encounter with the once-vanquished fear demon had been pushed out of her mind, along with the nagging wonder if any other vanquished foes might return.

She stepped out into the afternoon air and took a breath. She was more relaxed than she had been for a long time. She was determined that nothing was going to spoil this wonderful afternoon.

“Excuse me,” said a very pregnant woman.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” said Phoebe, moving so the woman could get inside the building.

Phoebe looked at the woman. In a way, she reminded Phoebe of Prue. She appeared to be about thirty years old. Her hair was styled in the same fashion Prue had kept hers. And the eyes reminded Phoebe very much of Prues’ eyes.

The woman was wearing a very unusual necklace. It was an ankh, the Egyptian cross symbol for life. Inside the oval top of the cross was what appeared to be some type of bird. The gold of the necklace glistened in the afternoon son.

“That’s a pretty necklace,” commented Phoebe.

“Thank you,” said the woman. “My husband got it for me when he was in Egypt a few years ago. Say, aren’t you Phoebe Halliwell? You write the ‘Dear Phoebe” column for the paper.”

“Yes, I am,” said Phoebe. “It’s sweet of you to recognize me.”

“I just love your column,” said the woman. “It’s really the only reason I take the paper.”

“Why, thank you,” said Phoebe.

“Your advice is so down to earth,” said the woman. “I can’t tell you how many times it’s helped me.”

“It’s nice to know I can help some people,” said Phoebe. “You look like you’re about ready to deliver.”

“Due date is in two weeks,” said the woman. “I’m having a girl.”

“My sister is pregnant, too,” said Phoebe. “She’s also having a girl. She just entered her second trimester.”

“How wonderful for you,” said the woman. “You must tell all your readers. I’m sure they’d just love to hear all about it.”

“I might just do that,” said Phoebe.

“Well,” said the woman, “I need to renew my subscription. I guess I should be getting inside.”

“Take care of yourself,” said Phoebe. “And that baby.”

“I will,” said the woman.

“Perfect ending to a perfect day,” thought Phoebe as she continued on down the street.

The woman watched Phoebe move down the street, and then turned and walked into the newspaper building.

* * *

“Leo, it’s beautiful,” said Piper as Phoebe walked into the manor.

“What is?” asked Phoebe, dropping her briefcase onto the sofa.

“This,” said Piper.

She held up a necklace with a small charm on it. A charm that looked like the triquetra; the symbol of the Charmed Ones.

“It’s for the baby,” said Paige.

“One of the White Lighters was a lapidary when he was alive,” explained Leo. “He made it for the baby since she’s such a special child.”

“How sweet,” said Phoebe. “And it is beautiful. He does good work. Is it enchanted or anything?”

“No,” said Leo, “it’s just a regular necklace.”

“I’m going to put it on her as soon as she’s born,” said Piper.

“Congratulations, sweetie,” said Phoebe, kissing Piper on the cheek.

The premonition took Phoebe completely by surprise. She watched as a newborn baby was wrapped in a blanket. Then, a nurse placed a necklace around the baby’s neck. The same necklace Piper now held.

“Phoebe, what is it?” asked Leo, noticing her reaction. “Did you just have a premonition?”

“Oh my God,” said Phoebe, smiling. “I think I just saw my niece being born.”

She told them all about the premonition.

“Aren’t you supposed to have premonitions about innocents in trouble?” questioned Paige.

“Not always,” said Leo. “Sometimes they’re just to prepare you girls for something. This must be one of those.”

“She was beautiful, Piper,” said Phoebe. “And she was perfect. You’re going to be so proud of her.”

“I already am,” said Piper. “Well, I suppose I should start dinner. At least we can all sit down together for a change.”

“I’ll set the table,” said Paige, following Piper into the kitchen.

“Phoebe,” said Leo, “are you sure that’s all you saw?”

“Yes, why?” asked Phoebe.

“Paige is right,” said Leo. “Your premonitions are usually about some kind of danger.”

“Not this time, brother-in-law,” said Phoebe. “All I saw was the baby being wrapped in a blanket. Then a nurse put the necklace around her neck. No demons or warlocks or anything else.”

“I guess I’m just being overprotective,” said Leo.

“I’d be surprised if you weren’t,” said Phoebe. “Don’t worry about it. It was just a premonition to show us that everything is going to be fine.”

“I guess you’re right,” said Leo, smiling. “Shall we go help them get dinner ready?”

[noazmale]

TWO

Phoebe’s second vision of her niece came in the form of a dream that night. She was awakened from a dead sleep by the vision. And it was much more disturbing than the first vision.

She saw her niece playing in a park. The young girl appeared to be about six or seven years old. Phoebe knew it was Piper’s daughter. The little girl still wore the necklace Leo had just given to Piper.

There was another little girl with her niece. The two were playing together. Suddenly, Pipers’ daughter seemed to become angry. In a fit of rage, she hurled a fireball at her playmate, incinerating the girl.

Phoebe was very disturbed by the vision. Throwing fire was an upper level demon power. And the brutality of the little girls’ murder was not in keeping with the Leos’ pacifistic nature. A nature he insisted his daughter would inherit.

Phoebe knew it was a premonition and not just a dream. There were subtle differences between the two that she had long ago learned to distinguish between. And this had definitely been a premonition.

Phoebe was at a loss what to do. She couldn’t tell Piper about the premonition. And telling Leo was as bad as telling Piper. She knew he’d insist on telling her about it. She had enough on her mind right now to worry about what her daughter might do. She considered telling Paige, but her younger sister would probably insist on telling the other two as well.

Maybe she could talk grams? Grams would know what to do. And she would be willing to keep it a secret until they figured out what to do about it. But Phoebe dismissed that idea, too. If the others found out she had summoned grams, she wouldn’t be able to explain it away. They just didn’t summons grams without a very good cause.

Under any other circumstances, Leo would check with the Elders. They often knew things about her visions no one else knew. But since she couldn’t’ tell Leo, he couldn’t check with them. If she knew how to contact the Elders, she could ask them herself.

Maybe she could contact them indirectly. Leo wasn’t the only White Lighter. Any White Lighter would be able to check with them. She only had to find one who could make an appearance at the manor without arousing suspicion. And she knew just the White Lighter to call.

* * *

“I can’t tell Leo or Piper,” said Phoebe. “But I need someone to check with the Elders for me. See if there’s something I’m missing.”

“I see your dilemma,” said Michael.

Michael was a rare form of White Lighter. He was a warrior White Lighter. He wasn’t a true White Lighter in the strictest sense. His mother had been a White Lighter, similar to Paige. But his father had been a demon.

Phoebe and her sisters had met Michael just after they had defeated the Source. Before the Source had possessed Cole. Michael had helped them defeat some upper level demons that had tried to kill the Charmed Ones to choose a new Source.

“You do need to check with the Elders,” said Michael. “And I agree about not telling Leo or Piper just yet. No sense upsetting them if this is all just a misunderstanding.”

“That’s why I summoned you,” said Phoebe. “If you show up at the manor, you can just say you stopped by for a visit. They shouldn’t get suspicious at that.”

“You did the right thing by calling me,” said Michael. “Everyone is convinced this child is going to be a powerful force for good. But from what I’ve heard, she’s going to be more powerful than anyone who’s ever lived. And power can be very seductive.”

“Don’t I know it,” said Phoebe, remembering how she had been seduced into becoming the queen of the underworld.

“Chances are,” said Michael, “Pipers’ daughter will be good. I mean, the daughter of a good witch and a White Lighter. How could she be anything else? But she’ll also have free will. Which means she’ll be free to choose evil if she wants to. And the power she’ll have will make it that much harder to resist.

”While I’d like to believe she’ll be good, if there’s any chance she might be evil, we need to know about it. She could do a lot of damage especially if it comes as a surprise. We’ll need to be prepared for her.”

“What if she is to become evil?” asked Phoebe. “I know the Elders can see the future, just like I can. What if they see her as a force for evil? What will they do then?”

“That decision will be up to the Elders,” said Michael. “I really can’t say what they might do. Pipers’ daughter is going to be very powerful, whether she’s good or evil. Not even the Elders may be able to see if she’s going to be good or evil. The future is always in motion. Things can change from one moment to the next.”

“I know,” said Phoebe. “It’s just that Piper has waited so long for this baby. I can’t believe it would grow up to be evil.”

“Hold on,” said Michael, “we’re getting ahead of ourselves. There may be another explanation for the premonition. Let me check with the Elders before we go off half cocked.”

“Okay,” said Phoebe. “Thanks, Michael.”

Michael orbed out of Phoebes’ room, leaving her to think about their conversation. There had to be a logical explanation for her premonition other than Pipers’ baby would become evil. There just had to be.

[noazmale]

THREE

The next morning Paige commented that Phoebe seemed moody. She didn’t seem at all like the upbeat Phoebe she had been yesterday. Phoebe would only say she hadn’t slept well the night before. Clearly, Paige wasn’t convinced, but she let the matter drop.

Phoebe hadn’t slept at all after Michael had left. The premonition was very disturbing. Not only because it had been a child murdering another child, but also because it had been Pipers’ daughter.

“Mind if I invite myself to breakfast?” asked Michael, sticking his head into the kitchen. “If I remember correctly, Piper is a passable cook.”

“Michael, come in,” said Leo.

“Passable?” asked Piper, feigning anger. “Think you could do better?”

“No, not me,” said Michael, laughing. “I have to use a fireball just to boil water.”

“Come on in and sit down,” said Piper, smiling. “What brings you by here?”

“I hope it’s not another of your convoluted plans to save us,” said Paige. “I’m not sure I’m up to another syphon demon.”

“Purely social,” said Michael. “Things have been rather quiet the past few weeks. I was talking with the Elders this morning and mentioned I’d like to take a few days off.” He looked at Phoebe. “They said since they didn’t foresee anything serious in the future, they didn’t see why not. So, I decided to visit my favorite student and his favorite charges. If you don’t mind.”

“No, not at all,” said Piper. “It’s nice to have a visitor who isn’t trying to kill us or steal our powers.”

“Congratulations on the baby,” said Michael. “Everyone’s expecting she’ll do great things.”

“I’ll just be happy if she’s reasonably normal,” said Piper.

Phoebe relaxed. Without actually saying anything, Michael had been able to let her know what the Elders had said. “Didn’t foresee anything serious.” Her premonition had been wrong. Or at least there was some explanation for it. He’d tell her the specifics as soon as he had the chance.

Breakfast was light and happy especially for Phoebe. She was more like her bubbly self of the previous night. When they finished, Piper started clearing the dishes off the table.

“Michael,” said Piper, “if you’d like to wait in the living room, Leo and I have some dishes to do.”

“Honey, we have company,” said Leo.

“Oh, don’t mind me, Leo,” said Michael, smiling. “I’d hate to be the cause of keeping you from your responsibilities.”

“Thanks a lot,” said Leo.

“Phoebe or Paige can keep Michael entertained for a few minutes, honey,” said Piper.

“I’ll do it,” volunteered Phoebe. “Michael can catch me up on what he’s been up to lately.”

“I have something I need to do anyway,” said Paige.

“Great,” said Piper, handing a drying towel to Leo. “We’ll be in as soon as the dishes are done.”

“So, everything is okay?” Phoebe asked Michael when they were alone in the living room.

“Everything is fine,” said Michael. “None of the Elders saw the same vision you did.”

“How do you explain that?” asked Phoebe.

“I’d like to know what vision they have to explain,” said Paige from the doorway to the living room.

“Paige,” said Phoebe, surprised to see her there. “It’s, uh, nothing really. Just something Michael and I were discussing, that’s all.”

“You’re a bad liar, Phoebe,” said Paige. “This morning, you’re all sullen and brooding. Then, Michael shows up out of the blue. And after he mentions the Elders not foreseeing anything serious – one of your powers – you are suddenly back to your bubbly self.

“And now the two of you are in here talking about the Elders explaining visions. People don’t just change like that for no reason, sister dear. I was a social worker for many years. It was my job to notice changes like that.”

“You’d better tell her,” said Michael.

“Okay,” said Phoebe, “but you have to promise not to say anything to Piper or Leo.”

“Okay, I promise,” said Paige.

After checking to make sure Leo and Piper couldn’t overhear them, Phoebe told Paige everything. She told her about the vision of Pipers’ daughter murdering another little girl.

“As I told Phoebe,” said Michael, “none of them were able to see the same premonition. What you saw was one possible action by Pipers’ daughter. Children pretty much act on impulse. If they want something, they take it. If someone makes them angry, they smack them. They have to be taught the right way to respond.

“What you saw was probably her daughters’ version of a smack. But with her powers, it was probably an instinctive reaction. It wasn’t malicious or evil. She was just defending herself.”

“But she used a fireball,” said Phoebe. “That’s an upper lever demon power.”

“I can use fireballs, too,” said Michael, “but I’m not evil. There’s now way of knowing what powers she’ll have. As the daughter of a witch and a White Lighter, it kind of bends the rules.”

“I’m the daughter of a witch and a White Lighter,” said Paige, “and I don’t use fire.”

“Each case is unique,” said Michael. “And apparently Pipers’ daughter is learning to use her powers earlier than you did. Who knows what you’ll be capable of in the future? “But there’s nothing to be concerned with. Your vision was probably just a warning to know what to be aware of. So that you can teach her not to do it.”

“Maybe you’re right,” said Phoebe.

“Trust me,” said Michael. “If there was a problem with Pipers’ baby, the Elders would know about it.”

Phoebe felt a lot better. She knew Michael would never allow harm to come to Pipers’ baby. And if even the Elders had no knowledge of any danger, Michael must be right. She knew that she wasn’t meant to change all of her premonitions. Some were meant simply as a warning. Michael must be right. This was one such premonition.

[noazmale]

FOUR

Phoebe was in high spirits the rest of the day. Her work was finally caught up and her foreboding had been relieved by Michaels’ reassurances. He told her if she needed him to just call. He’d be available if she needed to talk.

She decided not to tell Leo and Piper about here premonition. Seeing how she had reacted to it, she knew they would both freak if she told them. And Leo seemed to overreact at the least little thing where his unborn daughter was concerned. In some ways, he was more nervous about the baby than Piper was.

Michael stayed long enough to make his “social visit” seem genuine. Then he said something about visiting some other friends. He orbed out, promising to return soon for another visit.

The girls and Leo enjoyed a rare, demonic-free Saturday. None of Leo’s other charges called for him nor did the Elders. For once it seemed they might actually be able to simply enjoy themselves.

To celebrate, Piper decided to go all out and prepare an elaborate feast. She was used to cooking for dozens of people. Since she had opened P3 and all but given up being a chef, she rarely had the chance to prepare such meals. It reminded her just how much she loved being a chef.

Leo spent the afternoon doing some minor repairs around the manor. Things he had been promising to do but had been unable to because of all the recent demonic activity. He lost himself in his work; thankful it was just mundane work.

Paige spent the day studying the Craft. She had quit her job to devote herself full time to it. Now she had the opportunity to practice uninterrupted.

Phoebe had planned to organize and catalogue the pictures stored in the attic. There were several boxes of them, most of which had belonged to grams. Phoebe had promised herself for years to put them into tome kind of order.

Instead, she watched in horror as another premonition played out in her mind. When it finished, she nearly collapsed from the strain. Her “improved” visions were taking some time to get used to.

“Michael,” she nearly screamed out in panic.

Then she realized the others might hear her. She forced herself to calm down, and then called for Michael again. He orbed into the attic next to her.

“Are you okay?” he asked. “You sounded nearly hysterical.”

“I had another premonition,” said Phoebe. “This one was worse than the last. Pipers’ daughter was grown. And she was destroying someone who had displeased her. It was a demon, Michael. A demon calling her mistress?”

“Calling who mistress?” asked Piper from the attic doorway.

Leo and Paige stood behind Piper, looks of concern on their faces.

“I sensed you in trouble,” said Leo. “We thought you might be in danger.”

“Michael,” said Piper, “what are you doing here?”

Michael looked at Piper, and then at Phoebe.

“Phoebe called me,” he said. “I’ve been helping her with something.”

“Helping her?” questioned Piper. “Phoebe, why would you ask for Michael’s help when Leo is right here? And who has demons calling here mistress?”

“You need to tell them,” said Michael to Phoebe. “Something is going on here and we may need their help.”

“Let’s go downstairs,” said Phoebe. “This is going to take some time.”

* * *

“You’ve been having premonitions about my baby and you didn’t tell me?” demanded Piper, nearly furious. “Phoebe, how could you keep something like this from Leo and me? You know what this baby means to us.”

“And you know I would never do anything to put either you or the baby in danger,” said Phoebe. “I didn’t want to worry you. That’s why I called Michael.”

“She was worried for you,” said Michael. “Don’t blame her for that. At least she called me about it.”

“We appreciate the help,” said Leo. “I guess we can understand Phoebes’ position. It couldn’t have been easy for her.”

“I suppose,” said Piper, her anger abating some. “But, Phoebe, if you have any more visions about my baby, you tell me about them right away. No matter how upsetting they might be, do you understand me?”

“I promise,” said Phoebe. “I really didn’t mean to upset you. I was trying to protect you.”

“I know, sweetie,” said Piper. “Michael, what about this latest premonition? What do you think it means?”

“I don’t know,” said Michael. “The Elders haven’t foreseen anything like Phoebes’ visions. Something isn’t right and we need to find out what. I’m going to see the Elders again. I’m going to see if I can find out what’s going on.”

“I’m going with you,” said Leo. “This shouldn’t take long. If anything happens, call us. We’ll orb back down immediately.”

Leo and Michael orbed out of the manor. Piper pulled the necklace for her daughter out of her pocket.

“This is sure causing a lot of trouble,” she said. “I wish Leo had never gotten it.”

“It’s not the necklace,” said Paige. “Remember, it’s not even enchanted.”

“I know,” said Piper. “But I have to blame someone or something.”

“Maybe I’ve misinterpreted the premonition,” said Phoebe. “It wouldn’t be the first time I made a mistake about a premonition.”

“I hope so,” said Piper. “I don’t think I’d care to be the mother of the next Source.”

“I know that feeling,” said Phoebe.

“Well,” said Paige, “as the only one who’s never been pregnant, thank God, let me just say that maybe you’re both overreacting. There may be a simple explanation for all this. Let’s just wait until Leo and Michael get back before we go jumping to conclusions.”

“Ever notice how little sister sometimes reminds you of Prue?” Piper asked Phoebe.

“You’ve mentioned that before,” said Phoebe. “I guess it’s in the Halliwell genes.”

The three sisters just laughed to relieve the tension. A great deal was riding on what Leo and Michael found out. And they were all concerned with just what that might be.

[noazmale]

FIVE

Leo and Michael were gone longer than Piper thought they would be. Her apprehension about Phoebes’ premonition was growing by the minute. When they did return, they weren’t alone. Another man orbed in with them.

“Kiethran Tannish,” said Piper the moment she recognized the man. “I didn’t know druids could go to the White Lighter realm.”

“They can’t,” said Leo. “We went and got him. He’s here to help.”

“Hi, Piper,” said Kiethran, “hello Paige. And hello Phoebe. I understand you’ve been having some vision problems.”

“Something like that,” said Phoebe. “It’s good to see you again.”

“The Elders aren’t sure what’s going on,” said Michael. “None of them can duplicate Phoebes’ premonitions. To say they’re concerned is an understatement.”

“So where does that leave us?” asked Piper.

“With me,” said Kiethran. “Leo and Michael have filled me in on what’s been happening. They asked if I’d try to help and I, of course, said yes.”

“Help how?” asked Paige.

“My telepathic ability might be useful here,” said Kiethran. “The Elders want me to use it to tap into Phoebes’ mind when she has another premonition. It might give a more objective view of the vision. I might be able to discover something that Phoebe has overlooked.”

“Can you do that?” asked Phoebe. “Look in on one of my premonitions?”

“To be honest,” said Kiethran, “I don’t know. I’ve never done anything like this before. My telepathic ability lets me pick up on other peoples’ surface thoughts. Since the premonition should be foremost in your mind, I should be able to.”

“They can be confusing sometimes,” warned Phoebe.

“No more so than mine, I’m sure,” said Kiethran. “It’s the reason the Elders chose me. Since I have a form of precognition, I’m used to them. They won’t take me by surprise like they might someone else.”

“The Elders think I’m going to have more premonitions?” asked Phoebe.

“They think it’s possible,” said Michael. “You’ve been having them for a reason. Why no one else can see what you’re seeing is a mystery even to them. They figure this is the best way to find out.”

“So, what do I have to do?” asked Phoebe.

“Just relax,” said Kiethran. “I’ll stay with you until you have another premonition. Then, I’ll see if I can tap into it.”

They spent the rest of the day talking and getting to know each other better. They reminisced about the Pentacle Demon that had nearly destroyed the girls. It was only through the intervention of Kiethran they had been able to defeat it. Although immune to witches’ powers, the Pentacle Demon proved to be very vulnerable to Kiethrans’ druid powers.

Kiethran also told them about what it was like to be a druid. Druids’ didn’t use spells or potions as witches did. But most druids had a number of powers at their disposal for fighting evil.

“You mean the druid who told you about your heritage actually shot you to death?” asked Piper in dismay.

“Three times, right in the chest,” said Kiethran, smiling. “It was the only way for me to realize my full potential as a druid. In order for a druids’ powers to fully manifest themselves, the druid has to die a violent death and be reborn, so to speak. Of course, I would have preferred if he had told me beforehand what he was going to do.”

“Gee,” said Phoebe, “all I had to do was read a spell out of the Book of Shadows. And I didn’t know at the time that . . .”

Suddenly, Phoebe stiffened. Kiethran didn’t hesitate. He had remained within arms’ reach of Phoebe all day. He simply reached out and grabbed her hand, and then closed his eyes. When the premonition passed, he sat back in the sofa.

“Whoa,” he said. “Those are more intense than mine.”

“Did you see it?” asked Phoebe.

“I think so,” said Kiethran. “A woman, maybe thirty years old. She was in some kind of cavern, surrounding by all sorts of demons. She had her hand on a black book and was being infused with some kind of power.”

“The Grimoire,” whispered Piper.

“The woman was wearing the necklace you told me about,” said Kiethran. “The one with the triquetra on it.”

“It sounds like you’re describing the ascension ceremony for a new Source,” said Michael.

“No,” screamed Piper. “I don’t believe it. My daughter could never be the Source. She could never be evil.”

“Calm down, Piper,” said Paige. “There could be some other explanation for this premonition. Don’t get excited until we’ve had a chance to sort this out.”

“Leo, Michael,” said Kiethran, “let’s give the girls a few minutes to calm themselves. Let’s see if we can figure out the meaning of this.”

The three men went into the kitchen, leaving the girls alone in the living room.

“We have a serious problem,” said Kiethran. “Michael, that looked exactly like the ascension ceremony you described to me. And I’m pretty sure Phoebe recognized it, too. She’s actually been to one, remember?”

“That is a problem,” said Michael. “If Piper’s daughter is going to become the Source, she could become unstoppable. What I don’t understand is why none of the Elders can see the premonitions.”

“Maybe they’re just delusions,” offered Leo.

“No, they’re not,” said Kiethran. “They’re too distinct, too detailed. I think I know why the Elders can’t see them. The level of evil I sensed from that woman is beyond almost anything I’ve ever felt. I think the evil is so strong that it’s preventing your Elders from getting any true visions of the future where your daughter is concerned.”

“An evil greater than the Source?” asked Leo.

“I never encountered the Source,” said Kiethran, “so it would be hard for me to measure the two against each other. But I can tell you this. There are evils in the world greater than this Source. And this evil rivaled even those evils.”

“How is that possible?” asked Leo. “Her mother is a witch and her father is a White Lighter. How could she be such a great evil with a heritage like that?”

“I think there’s only one explanation,” said Kiethran. “I think what we’re dealing with here is a sycophant.”

“You can’t be serious,” exclaimed Michael.

“A what?” asked Leo. “What’s a Displacer?”

“I wish I was joking, Michael,” said Kiethran. “Leo, we’ll explain up there. We have to get to the Elders immediately. There’s no time to loose.”

“I’ll tell Piper and the others we’re going,” said Leo. “You guys are scaring me, you know that.”

“Good,” said Kiethran. “You should be scared. You have no idea what we may be dealing with.”

“Is it that bad?” asked Leo.

”Leo,” said Michael, “if Kiethran is right, then we could all be in more danger than we’ve ever been in.”

“More danger than the Source using the Hollow?” asked Leo. “I’d think that would be just about the most dangerous thing we could face.”

“Leo, you don’t understand,” said Kiethran. “If this is what we think it is then the Source using the Hollow would be nothing compared to it.”

Leo looked at Kiethran and Michael and saw how deadly serious they were. He had never seen Michael so serious before. Or so frightened. Michael had the powers of a White Lighter and an upper level demon. There were few things that scared him.

Leo told Piper and her sisters they were going to see the Elders and that they would return as soon as they could. Then, he, Michael, and Kiethran orbed out of the manor.

[noazmale]

SIX

Leo, Kiethran, and Michael were gone much longer than they had been the last time. Piper couldn't help but think this was a bad sign. If the news had been good, they would have returned sooner. When they did return, Leo and Michael seemed to be having an argument.

"I don't give a damn." Leo was saying angrily as they orbed in, "this isn't going to happen. They may be the Elders, but they don't have the right to . . ."

"Leo, you know there's no choice," said Michael. "I don't agree with them either, but they've made their decision. You have to go along with it. You don't have a choice."

"The hell I do," shouted Leo. "I won't allow it."

"What's going on?" asked Piper.

She had never seen Leo so angry. Not even when she had RSVP'd them for his Guadalcanal reunion without asking him first. Leo got angry, like anyone else. But this level of anger was very unusual for him.

"We have some answers," said Kiethran. "Needless to say, Leo is not very happy with what we have to tell you. Sit down and we'll try to explain."

Leo was seething. Whatever the Elders had decided, it had made him livid. Piper wondered what was so bad that would make Leo this angry.

"Phoebe," began Kiethran, "from your premonition, I believe I know what we're dealing with. And the Elders agree."

"What is it?" asked Phoebe.

"It's called a sycophant," said Michael. "It's a primitive form of demon. Unlike other demons, they only one ability. The ability to appropriate a human body."

"You mean like possession?" asked Paige.

"More than a possession," said Kiethran. "In a possession, the human inside the body is repressed. That's why a possessed body can be exorcised. The repressed human personality can fight back, eventually forcing the possessing demon out."

"A sycophant is different," continued Michael. "When a sycophant inhabits a human body, the human personality is forced completely out of the body. In effect, it dies. The sycophant then lives in the body as long as the body is alive."

"Have you ever wondered where psychopaths come from?" asked Kiethran. "Or serial killers? They're actually these sycophants. That's why they can commit such horrible crimes without compassion. There is no compassion in a sycophant."

"Not much is known about them," said Michael. "We do know they can only inhabit a human body. Usually some time between the time of conception and the age of accountability; the age when a child understands the concepts of right and wrong. Once they inhabit the body, the original personality dies."

"Wait a minute," said Piper. "Are you telling me my unborn baby is one of these sycophant?"

"We don't know," said Kiethran. "It's impossible to tell if a person has been inhabited until the symptoms appear. Then, it's too late to do anything about it."

"What symptoms?" asked Phoebe.

"Lack of emotions," said Michael, "unusual cruelty to animals and other people, an almost erotic pleasure from inflicting pain and suffering, those kinds of things. All the things you hear about when you hear about serial killers and psychopaths."

"So, we just vanquish this sucker," said Paige. "Problem solved."

"You can't," said Michael. "Once it takes over a body, that becomes its body. The only thing you can do is destroy the body. Then it moves on to find another vulnerable body to inhabit."

"Piper," said Kiethran, "the sycophant has no powers of its' own. But it does have access to any powers its' host body has. According to Phoebes' premonitions, you baby is going to be inhabited by a sycophant. And it will have access to all the baby's' powers."

"If Phoebes' last premonition is true," said Michael, "she'll grow up to become the Source. When that happens, she'll have access to the Hollow. It will only be a matter of time before she decides to take that power as well. If she releases the Hollow, no power will be able to stop her. She'll be invincible."

"No," said Piper, tears streaming down her face, "this can't be happening. I'm a good witch and Leo is a White Lighter. How could this sycophant inhabit her?"

"Because she's still human," said Kiethran. "In spirit form, the sycophant can't hurt anyone. But it's also not affected by magic. No spell can prevent it from inhabiting a human body."

"Up until now," said Michael, "they haven't been much of a magical threat since most humans don't have any powers. But Piper, in the body of your daughter, it could be a greater threat than the Source ever was. Especially if it gets to the Hollow."

"No," said Piper, still crying, "this is a joke, right? It's not funny. You have a sick sense of humor. You're telling me my daughter is going to become the greatest evil in history and there's nothing I can do about it?"

"Actually," said Michael, looking at Kiethran, "there is one thing we can do about it. The Elders have discussed it and they decided it is the only way to protect everyone."

"What?" asked Piper hopefully. "Anything. I'll do anything to protect my baby. Just tell me what I have to do."

"They aren't thinking of protecting the baby," said Leo in outrage. They're talking about protecting everyone else."

"No," gasped Piper, suddenly realizing what Michael was talking about.
"Piper," said Michael reluctantly, "the Council feels there is only one way to protect humanity and everyone else. They've decided that, in order to prevent the sycophant from gaining access to your unborn child's powers, your pregnancy is to be terminated immediately."

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige stared at Michael in absolute disbelief.

[noazmale]

SEVEN

“You’re kidding, right?” shrieked Paige. “No wonder Leo was so pissed. They’ve decided? Just what the hell makes them think they have the right to make that kind of decision?”

“They’re the Elders,” said Michael.

“I don’t give a damn who they are,” Paige spat out. “They have no say in what Piper does with her own body. Or with her baby. They sit up there out of danger while we risk our lives down here every day. And this is how they repay us? By murdering an innocent child?”

“If the sycophant inhabits the baby,” said Michael, “it won’t make any difference. The baby will be dead anyway.”

“If,” repeated Phoebe, “if it inhabits the baby. There has to be another way to prevent this premonition from coming true. By God, we’re going to find it.”

“Piper,” said Kiethran, “druids hold life, especially human life, sacred above everything. I argued against this decision. I was politely told this was not a matter for the druids and that my opinion was not warranted. But I swear to you. Every bit of druid magic I have is at your disposal. If there’s a way to prevent this, we’ll find it.”

“Thank you, Kiethran,” said Piper quietly. “I appreciate that.”

“Just for the record,” said Michael, “I don’t agree with the decision, either. Neither did a number of the Elders. It was a very close vote.”

“I don’t care about any vote,” Leo lashed out. “They aren’t going to murder my daughter.”

“How are you going to stop them, Leo?” demanded Michael. “I can’t oppose them even with all the powers I have. How do you hope to stand against the entire Council?”

“I’ll find a way,” said Leo.

“They’ll strip you, you know?” asked Michael. “They’ll take away all your powers and leave you a mortal.”

“I don’t care,” said Leo. “I’d gladly give up my powers for my daughter.”

“I truly wish there was something I could do,” said Michael. “But when they decide to do it, no one will be able to stop them, you know that.”

“I’ll find a way,” repeated Leo.

“Well,” said Kiethran, “I’m not under the Elders’ authority. There’s nothing they can do to me. So Leo won’t be alone against them.”

“I thought you said they were going to do it immediately?” Phoebe asked Michael.

“They mean the immediate future,” said Michael. “They’ll give her some time to come to terms with it first. They feel it’s the least they can do considering everything the three of you have done over the years.”

“The least they could do is leave us alone and mind their own damn business,” said Paige.

“I’m going upstairs for a while,” said Piper. “I think I’d just like to be alone for a while if no one minds.”

“Piper, I,” began Leo.

“No, Leo,” said Phoebe, stopping him, “let her go. Believe me, I know how she feels. I’m probably the only one who could know, considering none of you have ever been pregnant.”

They all watched silently as Piper walked out of the living room and disappeared up the stairs.

“Well, I won’t even pretend to know how she’s feeling,” said Kiethran. “I do know what it’s like loose those closest to you. But I don’t think it can compare to loosing an unborn child.”

“No, it can’t,” said Phoebe. “I’ve lost both. It doesn’t even begin to compare. But this is different, isn’t it? She’s not loosing the baby. It’s being taken from her without even consulting her about it.”

“It’s not that simple,” said Michael.

“Sure it is,” said Paige. “They have the choice to interfere or not to interfere. They chose to interfere.”

“Paige, I’m not the enemy here,” said Michael.

“I guess we don’t blame you, Michael,” said Paige dejectedly. “It’s just not fair, that’s all. Piper has given up so much all ready for the Elders. It’s not fair to ask her to give this up.”

“I agree,” said Michael. “But there’s nothing I can do about it. I wish to God there were. I’d do whatever I could if I could change things.”

“We believe you, Michael,” said Phoebe. “But the Elders won’t find Piper easy to get to. They’ll have to go through a White Lighter, two witches, and a druid first.”

“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” said Michael. “That could cause almost as much trouble as the Sycophant does. I sincerely hope it doesn’t come to that.”

No one knew what else to say. There didn’t seem to be anything left to say. Or anything they could do to change things.

[noazmale]

EIGHT

Piper sat in the nursery quietly crying. She held the necklace Leo had gotten for their daughter in her hand. There was so much to think over and so little time.

As the oldest, it often fell to her to think objectively when everyone else was loosing their heads. Since Prues’ death, she had more or less become the guiding force of the Halliwell sisters. Now, she couldn’t help but think of the alternatives for the situation.

The others had left her alone for over two hours. She appreciated their care and concern for her. She knew Phoebe understood what she was going through. The others could only guess at it. But they had all lost someone close. They could at least empathize with her.

“Am I intruding?” asked Kiethran, sticking his head inside the door.

“No, not really,” said Piper dejectedly. “I’ve just been thinking. Come on in.”

“You know, Piper,” said Kiethran, taking a seat next to her, “there are places the Elders can’t get to you. Places controlled by druids. Any druid would do what they could to help you. So you won’t be forced to go through with this.”

“And what about my baby?” asked Piper. “Would she be safe from this sycophant in those places?”

“I won’t lie to you, Piper,” said Kiethran. “I honestly don’t know. It might get to your baby no matter where you are. No one knows enough about them in their spirit form to answer that.”

“So she could still be in danger?” asked Piper.

“It’s very possible,” said Kiethran. “It’s also possible that it’s already too late. It could already have happened. In that case, this would be nothing more than another vanquishing.”

“And if it hasn’t already happened?” asked Piper. “Then what? They’re asking me to kill my baby based on one of Phoebe’s premonitions. What if she’s wrong?”

“Have her premonitions ever been wrong before?” asked Kiethran.

“No,” responded Piper sullenly. “We’ve misinterpreted them but they’ve never been wrong.”

“Piper, I’m on your side,” said Kiethran. “Whatever you do, it should be your decision, not the decision of the Elders. As I see it, the only chance you have is to go where they can’t get to you.”

“Then what?” asked Piper. “Maybe give birth to the next Source? Or worse? I could be forced to vanquish my own daughter. I’m not sure I would be able to do that.”

“I understand,” said Kiethran. “It can’t be an easy decision. But if you stay here, it won’t be your decision. Michael is right. When the Elders decide to do this, there won’t be anything anyone can do to stop them. At least in a druid controlled area you’ll have the right to make the decision for yourself.”

“I know,” said Piper, fiddling with the necklace. “I just don’t know what to do. Before it was simple. Vanquish the demons and protect the innocent. Now, I don’t know which my baby is.”

“That’s a pretty necklace,” said Kiethran. “It’s very similar to the one your daughter was wearing in Phoebes’ premonition.”

“It’s the same one,” sighed Piper. “One of the White Lighters made it for the baby.”

“May I?” asked Kiethran, reaching for the necklace.

Piper handed it to him. He looked it over very carefully.

“You’re sure this is the same necklace?” asked Kiethran.

“Yes,” said Piper. “As far as I know, it’s the only one like it. At least that’s the impression I got from Leo.”

“Come on,” said Kiethran, suddenly standing up.

Confused, Piper followed Kiethran downstairs. She had no idea what he was up to. He went into the kitchen where everyone else sat talking.

“Leo,” said Kiethran, holding up the necklace, “is there any other necklaces like this one?”

“”No,” said Leo. “The White Lighter who made it said it was a special gift for the baby. He told me it was a one-of-a-kind.”

“And Piper tells me they sometimes misinterpret Phoebes’ premonitions,” said Kiethran.

“Once in a while,” said Phoebe. “They aren’t always clear. Why do you ask, Kiethran?”

“Michael,” said Kiethran, “you’ve got to get to the Elders. You got to get them to hold off on terminating the pregnancy.”

“You heard what they said,” said Michael. “They’d like nothing better. But they need a reason. As it stands now they don’t have one.”

“Yes they do,” said Kiethran, holding up the necklace again.

“Okay,” said Paige, “would someone like to explain what’s going on? That’s the same necklace Phoebe and you say you saw in Phoebes’ premonition. That’s how you knew the woman was Pipers’ daughter.”

“No, it’s not,” said Kiethran. “This necklace is made of silver. The woman in Phoebes’ premonition was wearing one made of gold. Which means it couldn’t be the same necklace and the woman in the premonition couldn’t be Pipers’ daughter.”

“Oh my God,” said Phoebe, “he’s right. The necklace was made of yellow gold. I never realized it before. Kiethran is right. It can’t be the same necklace.”

“That’s pretty weak,” said Michael.

“Michael,” said Kiethran, “the Elders can see the future, too. They know that premonitions aren’t like delusions or hallucinations. They predict things exactly as they are going to be. Weak or not, this proves that the woman in Phoebes’ premonition is not Pipers’ daughter.”

“I’ll go right away,” said Michael. “At the very least they’ll have to postpone their decision until we can sort this out.”

Michael orbed out of the manor.

[noazmale]

NINE

Michael was gone for more than an hour, much longer than Piper thought he should have been gone. This time she wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. She could think of arguments both ways.

While he was gone, the others discussed the turn of events. Why would someone evil be using the symbol of the Charmed Ones? Could the necklace be some form of trophy? Had she defeated them and wore the necklace as a sign of her success? That seemed unlikely. Especially since it apparently wasn’t even the same necklace.

They got no answers to their questions. All they got were more questions. Nothing seemed to make any sense. Their only hope was that Michael would return with some good news. And maybe a few answers.

Michael finally orbed back into the manor. They couldn’t tell from the look on his face if he had good news or not. He sat down at the table.

“Well,” he said, “it was quite a visit. I told the Elders of the difference in the necklaces. The point was raised that this seemed like a very minor point.”

“How could they think that?” demanded Leo. “Kiethran said the details of a premonition are very important.”

“Which was also brought up,” said Michael. “Some of the Elders said it wasn’t enough to forego their decision.”

“No,” whimpered Piper.

“Piper,” said Michael, “don’t become discouraged. In any discussion among the Elders, some always play Devils’ Advocate, so to speak. Even if they don’t agree with that position, they bring up opposing points of view. To make sure they look at all sides of an issue.”

“Michael,” said Kiethran, “I think you’d better cut to the chase.”

“I’m sorry,” said Michael. “In the end they all agreed. Their decision to terminate Pipers’ pregnancy has been at least postponed. For the moment, they aren’t going to do anything about it.”

“Thank God,” said Paige. “It’s none of their business anyway.”

“They all agree,” continued Michael, “that no matter how minor, anything that seems out of place warrants investigation. They’re going to give us time to check into it.”

“How do we do that?” asked Phoebe.

“There has to be a reason you’re getting these premonitions and the Elders aren’t,” said Kiethran. “If we can find out why you’re having them, it might help us figure out who’s doing it.”

“What about the sycophant?” Piper asked. “Do we have to worry about her being inhabited by it?”

“I don’t think so,” said Michael. “Since the necklace is different, I don’t think the woman is your daughter. So I don’t think your daughter is in any danger of being taken over by a sycophant.”

“But we have to prove it,” said Kiethran. “The Elders are going to want to know for sure that there’s no danger of that happening.”

“So,” said Leo, “where do we start?”

“Phoebe,” said Kiethran, “how many premonitions have you had about Pipers’ baby?”

“Four,” said Phoebe. “It all started when I got home from work and found out that Leo had gotten the necklace for the baby.”

“That’s the one where you saw the necklace being put on the baby?” asked Kiethran.

“Yes,” said Phoebe.

“What about the next one?” asked Kiethran.

“Well,” said Phoebe, “I was asleep. My premonition was in the form of a dream. I saw a little girl wearing the necklace incinerate another little girl with a fireball.”

“That’s when she called me,” said Michael. “I’m afraid I didn’t take her premonition as seriously as I should have.”

“What about the third one?” asked Kiethran.

“I was in the attic sorting pictures,” said Phoebe. “I saw the woman wearing the necklace vanquish a demon with a fireball. And the demon was calling her mistress.”

“And the fourth one was the one I saw with my telepathic link?” asked Kiethran.

“Yes,” said Phoebe, “when we were sitting in the living room.”

“Okay,” said Kiethran, “but there’s something I don’t understand. Phoebe, you once told me that your premonitions come when you touch something.”

“Yes,” said Phoebe. “I’ve had one or two without touching something, but that was because of a powerful psychic impression left behind. But usually I have to touch something to have a premonition.”

“So, what were you touching when you had your second premonition?” asked Kiethran. “You said you were asleep in bed.”

“You’re right,” said Phoebe. “I was so upset about the premonition itself it never occurred to me that I wasn’t touching anything I hadn’t touched a hundred times before.”

“And the fourth premonition,” said Piper. “You were just sitting on the sofa next to Kiethran. You weren’t touching anything then, either.”

“So why is Phoebe having premonitions without touching anything?” asked Kiethran.

“Phoebes’ power has increased lately,” said Leo. “Maybe that’s part of her improved premonitions.”

“I don’t think so,” said Kiethran. “That’s not how her premonitions work. She may get improved premonitions, but the basic workings for them shouldn’t change. No, I think something else is going on here. Maybe they aren’t premonitions at all.”

“What do you mean?” asked Michael. “If they aren’t premonitions, what are they?”

“Implanted visions,” suggested Kiethran. “What if someone is planting false visions in her mind masquerading them as premonitions?”

“Why would someone do that?” asked Paige. “What would be the purpose for doing something like that?”

“To get the Elders to do exactly what they almost did,” said Michael. “To get them to terminate Pipers’ pregnancy and destroy the baby’s power. All while they think they’re protecting humanity.”

“So whoever it is gets the Elders to do their work for them,” said Leo. “They put an end to the Halliwell line without ever making a single attack.”

“I think this is something more than that,” said Kiethran. “I think this is aimed directly at Piper through Phoebe.”

“Okay, so now we know why,” said Leo. “It explains how Phoebe can have premonitions not even the Elders have. They aren’t really premonitions, so no one else would have them. Now the question is, who’s doing it?”

“It has to be someone or something capable of implanting visions from a distance,” said Michael. “Someone or something that knows Phoebe has premonitions but not necessarily how they work.”

“That narrows the list down a bit,” said Leo. “There aren’t that many demons who can do that. And even fewer humans who can.”

“This may take a while to figure out,” said Michael. “We have to narrow down not only the type of creature it is but also the specific creature. It may be difficult to figure out just which specific creature it is.”

“I’m willing to bet whoever it is isn’t human,” said Kiethran. “Most humans aren’t capable of implanting such specific and detailed memories in another person. It has to be something with an unusually strong telepathic ability.”

“You’re talking about a demon,” said Phoebe.

“Probably,” said Kiethran. “But there are a number of demons with an ability like this. We need a way to narrow it down as far as possible.”

“We can use the Book of Shadows,” said Piper. “That should have all the information we need.”

“That will help,” said Kiethran, “but what we need is something that can give us specific information on specific creatures. To find out just who or what would do something like this.”

“So what we need,” said Phoebe, “is an expert in demons.”

“Exactly,” said Kiethran. “And I’m not sure any of us qualifies in that respect. Even Michael and I don’t know everything about demons.”

“I know someone who may be able to help us,” said Phoebe hesitantly. “Someone who is an expert in all types of demons.”

[noazmale]

TEN

“Phoebe, you don’t have to do this,” said Piper. “We’ll find another way to get the information we need.”

“No,” said Phoebe. “This is the best way. You heard Michael. The Elders’ decision has only been postponed. The longer it takes to prove my premonitions are false, the more likely they are to go ahead with their decision. Don’t worry about me, honey. I’ll be okay.”

“She’s a strong woman,” said Kiethran to Paige as they watched Piper and Phoebe talk in the other room. “This has to be incredibly difficult for her.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” said Paige. “She’s done her best to move on with her life. Now, she has to ask the one person for help that she doesn’t even want to talk to.”

“Well, we’ll make it as quick as we can,” said Michael. “At least we can try to minimize her anguish.”

Leo had orbed out ten minutes before. Locating the one person who could help shouldn’t be much of a problem. And they were all sure that he would agree to help them. Or rather, to help Phoebe. Phoebe was preparing herself for Leo’s return.

When Leo did orb back in, he wasn’t alone. Phoebe steeled herself for the meeting. Cole Turner stood next to Leo. He looked around at the people gathered in the living room.

“Michael, Kiethran,” said Cole in surprise. “Leo didn’t mention you were here.”

“We thought you might not come if you know,” said Phoebe.

“Hello, Phoebe,” said Cole. “Leo said you wanted to see me. He said you needed my help.”

“Actually,” said Phoebe, “Piper needs your help. Someone’s trying to destroy her baby. We need your help to find out who.”

“I’ll do anything I can,” said Cole.

“I want it understood, though,” said Phoebe, “this won’t change anything. The only reason I’m asking for your help is to keep the Elders from terminating Pipers’ pregnancy. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be asking.”

“I understand,” said Cole. “But it’s one more step that I can use to prove to you I’m not evil. What do you need?”

“Someone is giving Phoebe false premonitions,” said Michael. ”They’re practically as real as the genuine ones. We need to know what demons are capable of doing that.”

“There are a number of demons who can do that,” said Cole.

“These are almost indistinguishable from the real thing,” said Kiethran. “I saw one of her false premonitions. Even I thought it was a real one.”

“I don’t know any demon who can duplicate one that closely,” said Cole. “Almost all of them make some tiny error. Something that might be overlooked if you aren’t paying attention, but a mistake all the same.”

“They did,” said Piper, holding up the necklace. “In Phoebes’ premonition this was made of gold. But as you can see, the real one is made of silver.”

”That’s a place to start,” said Cole. “It might help if I knew what the premonitions were. It might give me an idea who’s doing it if I knew exactly what they were sending you.”

Phoebe told Cole about all of her visions. Cole sat patiently as she described each one in as much detail as she could. When she finished, Cole’s brow furrowed.

“Did you actually see the birth in the first vision?” asked Cole.

“No, not really,” said Phoebe. “The baby had already been born. I just saw the necklace being put on her after the birth.”

“I see,” said Cole. “I think I know what’s going on. That necklace is the key to your visions, Phoebe.”

“We know that, damn it,” said Paige. “Why do you think we sent for you?”

“No, you don’t understand,” said Cole. “The girl and the woman are only secondary in the visions. Phoebe’s not having visions about them. She’s having visions about the necklace.”

“He might be right,” said Michael. “We’ve been so centered on the person we’ve neglected other explanations for the visions.”

“But why the necklace?” asked Leo. “What’s so important about it?”

“Someone knows Phoebe has premonitions,” said Cole. “It’s common knowledge in the underworld. I think someone’s trying to distract you. Give you false visions so you won’t see what’s really going on.

“I’m guessing, mind you, but I think that necklace in your visions is enchanted somehow. Whoever is giving you the false visions is only able to alter part of what the necklace really looks like in the visions. That’s why it’s gold instead of silver.”

“So all we have to do,” said Piper, “if figure out what necklace it really is.”

“Exactly,” said Cole. “My guess is that your first and third premonitions were genuine premonitions. But the second and fourth ones were false visions sent to you by whoever is sending them. To strengthen the illusion that they were about the baby.”

“The photographs,” said Phoebe. “I was touching some photographs when I had the third vision. If that was a real one, maybe the photographs will tell us about the necklace.”

She went to the attic to get the photos she had been looking through when the third premonition had hit her.

“Thanks,” said Piper. “You’ve helped a lot.”

“Like I said,” said Cole, “I’ll do whatever I can.”

When Phoebe returned from the attic, she had a stack of photographs with her. She spread them out on the coffee table and everyone began to look through them to see if they could discover what had prompted her premonition.

[noazmale]

ELEVEN

The photographs were all of people and places apparently around San Francisco. And most were relatively old; thirty or forty years old.

”Grams was always taking pictures,” said Piper. “She said each moment only came once and she wanted to capture those moments for her descendents. To show them what life was like years ago.”

“None of these seem to have anything to do with demonic influence,” said Paige. “There’s nothing unusual about them.”

“Make sure you check the backgrounds, too,” suggested Cole. “What we’re looking for is in one of these pictures but it may not necessarily be the subject of the picture.”

Everyone started looking the photos over again, this time scrutinizing each one very closely. Again, no one found anything unusual in the photos. Suddenly, Piper held up a single photograph.

“There’s a woman in the background of this one wearing some kind of necklace,” said Piper. “But I can’t quite make it out. It’s too small.”

She went over to one of the plant stand tables and removed a magnifying glass from the drawer. Then she returned to the photograph and examined it more closely.

“No, it’s too blurry,” she said. “I can’t make out any details.”

“Let me,” said Cole, reaching for the glass and the photograph.

He examined the photo as carefully as Piper did. Then he sat them both down on the table. He leaned back in the sofa, a contemplative look on his face.

“Were you able to make out the necklace?” asked Leo.

“No,” said Cole. “Piper is right. There’s not enough detail.”

“Maybe one of us can make it out,” suggested Michael.

“There’s no need,” said Cole. “I know who’s doing this. It’s the woman in the background of the photograph. I recognize her.”

“You do?” questioned Piper. “From a photo that old? Is she even still alive? She looks to be about twenty-five or so. And that photo has to be about forty years old.”

“Oh, she’s still alive, trust me,” said Cole.

“Who is she?” asked Leo.

“More like what,” responded Cole. “When I knew her, she was going by the name Jasmine Baker. It’s anyone’s guess what name she’s using now. Or what she looks like. I can guarantee you she probably looks nothing like she does in that photograph.”

“What do you mean ‘what’ she is?” asked Michael. “You mean she’s not human?”

“You know her, Michael,” said Cole. “Or at least of her. Kiethran might even know about her. As I said, when I knew her, she went by the name Jasmine Baker. But that’s only one of the hundreds of names that she’s had. And I mean literally hundreds of names.”

“She changes her name a lot?” asked Paige.

“She has to,” said Cole. “When her old persona dies, she has to have a new name for her new one.”

“What do you mean when her old persona dies?” asked Phoebe.

“It’s believed that her original name was Ahken Tan,” said Cole.

“Now there’s a name I haven’t heard in a long while,” said Michael.

“Ahken Tan?” questioned Paige. “It sounds sort of Egyptian.”

“It is,” said Kiethran. “Or it was about thirty-five hundred years ago. I’ve read about Ahken Tan in the druid histories. But I was under the impression she wasn’t around any longer.”

“She angered the old Source,” said Cole. “Since then, she’s kept a low profile. The Source had the habit of vanquishing those who displeased him.”

“So who or what is she?” asked Paige. “Some kind of demon?”

“In a sense,” said Michael. “Actually, she’s half demon. Her mother was a cerebral demon.”

“A what?” asked Phoebe.

“A cerebral demon,” said Cole. “They have the ability to invade a person’s mind. Make them see very realistic hallucinations. So realistic, in fact, that the person is convinced they are real.”

“Which explains how she was able to implant the visions in my head,” said Phoebe.

“Exactly,” said Cole. “She inherited the power from her mother. That’s what angered the Source. She tried to use it to take over the underworld a few decades ago. She’s always wanted to rule the underworld, but the Source was always too strong for her.”

“You know,” said Michael, “if these visions are being implanted by Ahken Tan, Piper and her baby probably aren’t in any danger.”

“I don’t think they ever were,” said Cole. “I don’t think this was ever about Piper or her baby.”

“Then why the false premonitions?” asked Phoebe. “Why make me think that Pipers’ baby was going to be evil?”

“Because it’s about you,” said Cole. “Or rather your precognitive ability. I think the visions were designed to keep you distracted. So you wouldn’t find out what’s happening. Or what’s about to happen?”

“What do you mean ‘what’s about to happen’?” asked Phoebe.

:”Ahken Tan didn’t inherit her mothers’ immortality,” said Cole. “She ages like any human. But she’s discovered a way around that. A way to make herself immortal. Immune to the effects of time.”

“How?” asked Paige.

“She transfers here soul into the body of a newborn baby,” said Michael. “She uses her power to force the baby’s soul out of the body and takes the body for herself.”

“And not just any baby either,” said Kiethran. “She uses her own baby. When it comes time to transfer her soul, she gets herself pregnant. At the moment of delivery, she moves her soul into the baby’s body.”

“You mean she murders her own child just so she can go on living?” asked Piper in horror.

“That’s exactly what she does,” said Cole. “And she’s done it for thirty-five hundred years.”

[noazmale]

TWELVE

Piper sat on the sofa still unable to comprehend what Cole, Michael, and Kiethran had told them. A woman who got pregnant for the sole purpose of extending her own life. With absolutely no thought for the life she brought into the world. Michael had orbed to the Elders to tell them what they had found out. He was confidant they would reconsider their decision once they heard the facts.

“It’s so unbelievable,” said Phoebe. “How could a mother do that to her own child?”

“She doesn’t see it that way,” said Cole. “To her the child is just a means to an end. A vessel for her own use. She was always angry about not inheriting her mothers’ immortality. So she used the ancient magic of her people to create that immortality.”

“How did she do that?” asked Paige.

“Her necklace,” said Cole. “She used incantations that were old even in ancient Egypt. She enchanted the necklace to allow her to transmigrate her soul from her body to another body.

“But there’s a restriction on the magic. It has to be performed every thirty years or it becomes useless to the wielder. So every thirty years she gets pregnant and takes over her daughter’s body at the time of birth.”

“And she’s been doing this for thirty-five hundred years?” asked Piper.

“Roughly,” said Cole. “No one knows her exact age. I doubt if even she remembers.”

“So, why send me the visions now?” asked Phoebe.

“”It’s probably getting close to the time for her to transmigrate again,” said Kiethran. “Knowing about you and your ability, she probably was afraid you’d have a premonition about it. So she sent you the visions to confuse and deceive you so you wouldn’t see what was really happening.”

“But as I said,” said Cole, “the magic of the necklace is so powerful, she couldn’t disguise it completely. So it remained gold in your vision instead of being silver as it really is.”

“Cole,” said Kiethran, “if Phoebe is getting these visions now, I’m willing to bet the transmigration is imminent.”

“Probably,” said Cole. “And it could be even worse. Without leadership, the underworld could remain in chaos for decades. Long enough for her to grow up and become the next Source. If that happens, she won’t need her necklace any more. The power of the Source will make her immortal.”

“So,” said Paige, “all we have to do is track down one half demon and vanquish her to put an end to all this.”

“We have to do it before she gives birth,” said Kiethran. “According to the druid histories, she’s already got someone who will watch over her until she’s old enough to be on her own. If we don’t get to her before she gives birth, she might disappear.”

“So, what exactly what does this necklace look like?” asked Piper. ”It might help us to track her down if we knew what it looked like.”

Cole got a tablet and a pencil. He spent several minutes drawing the necklace. Kiethran checked the drawing to make sure it was accurate according to what the druids’ knew about it. When they finished, they showed the drawing to the others. It was an ankh, the Egyptian cross symbol for life. Inside the oval top of the cross was what appeared to be some type of bird.

“Oh my God,” said Phoebe, looking at the drawing. “I’ve seen that before. A woman I ran into at work was wearing it.”

“You’ve actually seen her?” asked Leo.

“Yes,” said Phoebe. “And she’s due to deliver any day. She said her husband got her the necklace when he was in Egypt.”

“Then she’s close by,” said Cole. “She won’t travel anywhere and risk complications to her pregnancy this close to her due date.”

“So all we have to do is find her,” said Piper. “Just how are we going to do that?”

Just then Michael orbed back into the manor.

“Good news,” he announced. “The Council has reversed their decision. Once I told them what we had learned, they unanimously agreed that Pipers’ baby was not a threat.”

“Oh, goodie for them,” said Paige sarcastically.

“We have some news of our own,” said Kiethran. “Ahken Tan is in San Francisco. Phoebe saw her the other day. And she’s due to deliver at any time.”

“That’s great,” said Michael. “With her due date so close she won’t be going very far.”

“That’s what we figure,” said Cole. “The only problem now is locating her before she gives birth.”

“And that may be harder to do than we imagine,” said Kiethran. “We could have a few days or as little as only a few minutes. We should be able to locate her, but I’m not sure if we’ll find her in time.”

“We’d better find her in time,” said Cole. “If she delivers and disappear, the next time we hear about her, she may be the Source. And we might not be able to stop her then.”

[noazmale]

THIRTEEN

“Are you sure about this?” asked Phoebe.

“Trust me,” said Michael. “This is going to work. I’m positive of it.”

Phoebe stood at one end of the attic, a dart in one hand. Tacked to the opposite wall was the map of San Francisco the girls used for scrying. Everyone stood around wondering if Michael’s idea was going to work.

“Listen,” said Michael, “all you have to do is imagine the necklace in your mind. Recite the spell and let the magic do the rest.”

Phoebe looked over at Piper and Paige.

“What have we got to loose?” asked Piper.

“It’s worth a try,” said Paige.

Phoebe closed her eyes. She tried to recall the necklace she had seen on the woman in front of the newspaper building. When she was sure she had the image firmly in her mind, she recited the spell Michael had her write.

Everyone watched as the dart in Phoebes’ hand suddenly rose on its’ own. It sailed through the air and stuck point first into the map. Everyone moved in to see where the dart had stuck.

“I’ll be,” said Cole. “It actually worked.”

“Did you really expect it to work?” Kiethran whispered to Michael.

“I had no idea,” Michael whispered back, “but I figured it couldn’t hurt.”

“That’s on the outskirts of town,” said Leo, looking at the location indicated by the dart. “If she is there, I’m willing to bet she won’t be alone.”

“Probably not,” said Michael. “We should all go. We’ll have greater safety in numbers. Besides, we can use the additional power.”

“I’m going, too,” said Cole.

“Turner, I don’t think,” started Michael.

“Listen,” said Cole, “I used to rule the underworld. If Ahken Tan does have demonic protection, it might give us an edge over them.”

“He has a point,” said Kiethran. “Just his presence could help to avert a fight.”

“Okay,” said Michael, “but you listen to me, Turner. Step out of line even once before we get to Ahken Tan, and you’ll be the first one vanquished.”

“Don’t worry about me,” said Cole. “I’m going along to help stop her. If she does become the Source, she’ll want to get rid of me first off. This isn’t completely altruistic on my part.”

“I have a question,” said Paige. “What are we going to do when we get there? I mean assuming we get past any demonic protection and all? Do we have some kind of game plan?”

“That’s a good question,” said Phoebe. “What are we going to do once we get there?”

“She’s a demon,” said Cole. “You just vanquish her.”

“We can’t do that,” said Piper. “We can’t just vanquish her without killing the baby. Not until after she gives birth. She might not care about her unborn child but it’s an innocent. We have to do whatever we can to protect the baby.”

“Once the baby is born,” said Michael, “it will be too late. The transmigration will already have taken place.”

“So we have to protect the baby and prevent the transmigration,” said Leo. “How do we do that?”

“We take the necklace,” suggested Paige. “Cole said that’s how she switches souls with the baby. If we take the necklace away from her, she shouldn’t be able to use it to switch bodies.”

“She’s right,” said Michael. “I can orb behind her and get the necklace from her.”

“We may need you to distract any protection she might have,” said Kiethran. “At the very least we’ll need your power to help protect everyone else.”

“I can get it,” said Paige. “I don’t even need to get close to her. I can just orb it off her.”

“That’ll work,” said Phoebe. “Once Paige gets the necklace, she can orb out until after the baby is born.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” said Piper.

“It just might work,” said Michael. “Kiethran, besides me, you have the best chance of any of us to protect Paige once she has the necklace. You’ll need to stay between her and anyone trying to get to her.”

“Human shield, huh?” asked Kiethran. “Well, it’s not the first time I’ve done that.”

“Cole and I will engage any protection she might have,” said Michael. “Piper, you and Phoebe try to distract Ahken Tan. Make her think you’re trying to get to her. That should keep her attention off Paige long enough for Paige to orb the necklace off of her.”

“Gotcha,” said Phoebe.

“What about me?” asked Leo.

“You stay close to Piper,” said Michael. “You can orb her out if she gets into trouble. Ahken Tans’ baby isn’t the only unborn innocent that will be there.”

“Well, I guess we all know what to do,” said Kiethran.

“So it would seem,” said Michael. “One last thing. I want everyone to be prepared for it. Especially you, Piper. If for some reason we can’t pull this off, and the baby is born while Ahken Tan still has the necklace, I intend to vanquish the child.”

“Michael, you can’t do that,” protested Piper.

“Piper, he’s right,” said Kiethran. “If the child is born while she still has the necklace, it won’t be an innocent anymore. It will be Ahken Tan. He won’t be killing a child. He’ll be vanquishing a demon.”

‘It doesn’t seem right somehow,” said Phoebe. “It’s only a baby, after all.”

“No, it won’t be,” said Michael. “The baby will have died at birth. Murdered by her own mother. I can’t pass up the opportunity to vanquish Ahken Tan if it presents itself. I just wanted you to be prepared for it if it should come to that.”

“I can understand it,” said Paige. “I still remember when Phoebe and I switched bodies. I can see what Michael is saying.”

“I suppose I can, too,” said Piper. “Thanks for letting me know, Michael. Even if I’m not totally convinced.”

“I know,” said Michael. “But that’s the way it has to be.”

Together, the seven orbed out of the manor to confront the thirty-five-hundred-year old demon. As they did, Piper tried desperately to think of something that might change Michaels’ mind.

[noazmale]

FOURTEEN

Ahken Tan was in a house on the very edge of town. It was large, similar to the Halliwell manor. It was in a semi-secluded location where the demon could deliver her child and transmigrate undisturbed.

“If this birth is so important,” said Piper, “why doesn’t she have her baby in a hospital? If something goes wrong, she could be in trouble way out here.”

“She can’t risk it,” said Michael. “Aside from its magical properties, the necklace is still a very valuable piece of jewelry. There’s too much risk it might disappear at a hospital. But she won’t be alone. She’ll have a demonic midwife to help her. And probably at least a couple of guards as well. Besides those two.”

On the front porch of the house stood two men. From all outward appearances, they looked human. But their looks were deceiving. Everyone knew they were demons set to stop any intruders.

“I know one of them,” said Cole. “His name is Baltak. He’s a mid-level demon who serves whichever demon happens to be on top. I don’t know the other one.”

“How do we get past them?” asked Paige. “If we fight them, it might alert Ahken Tan we’re here. She might take off and we’ll have missed our chance to stop her.”

“They won’t attack right away,” said Cole. “They won’t want the police getting involved and possibly discovering what’s going on. I’m pretty sure I can get us past them without a fight. Just walk up to the house like you belong there. I’ll take care of the rest.”

It was apparent no one fully trusted Cole. But no one else had a better idea. They couldn’t just orb into the house without knowing where Ahken Tan was. This seemed to be their best option. The six people left their hiding place and walked straight for the front door. The demons on the porch moved into a defensive posture in front of the door.

“The Charmed Ones,” hissed the one named Baltak, “and White Lighters. You have no business here. Leave while you are still able to.”

“Oh, but we’d like to pay our respects to the expectant mother,” said Kiethran.

“I don’t know you,” said Baltak. “You’re no White Lighter.”

“Druids don’t make good White Lighters,” said Kiethran. “They spend too much time vanquishing demons like you.”

“I’ll give you one last chance to leave while you are still alive,” said Baltak.

Suddenly, Cole shimmered in in front of the two demons.

“We’re going in,” he said to Baltak. “I suggest you not try to stop us.”

“Belthazor,” gasped Baltak.

“The Source?” questioned the second demon nervously. “That’s not possible. He was vanquished by the Charmed Ones.”

‘I’m better now,” said Cole. “You’d better think about this very carefully, Baltak. The one you’re serving probably isn’t in much of a position to help you right now.”

“She’s promised us great power when she ascends to the throne of the Source,” said Baltak. “I’ll be even higher up than you were.”

“And what makes you think she’s going to live long enough to make the ascension?” asked Cole, his eyes flashing. “I’ve been to the Wasteland and returned. Do you really want to take me on?”

Baltak looked at Cole, and then at the second demon. Without another word he simply shimmered away. Cole looked over at the second demon, which also shimmered out.

“Basically they’re nothing but bullies,” said Cole to the others. “Stand up to them and they back down real quick.”

“Having once been the Source isn’t a bad trump card, either,” said Michael.

Michael opened the front door and peered inside. There didn’t seem to be anyone else there. But it was a big house. Ahken Tan could be just about anywhere.

“She’s probably upstairs,” said Michael, “in one of the bedrooms. Everyone keep your eyes and ears open. I’m sure there are more guards around.”

The seven moved quietly into the house. The layout was very simple, similar to their home. It had probably been built about the same time as the manor. Perhaps even by the same contractor who had built the manor. Suddenly they heard a woman cry out in pain somewhere on the second floor

“I could be wrong,” said Piper, “but that sounded like a woman in labor to me.”

“We’d better hurry,” said Michael. “There’s not a minute to loose.”

“Too bad you won’t live long enough to get there,” said a voice from the top of the stairs.

They all looked up to see a very large demon standing at the top of the stairs. Even in it’s human form, they could all tell it was a demon. Suddenly, four more demons in human form shimmered in around the group. They were surrounded and trapped.

[noazmale]

FIFTEEN

“Delshun,” said Cole.

“Hello, Belthazor,” said Delshun. “Returned from the Wasteland I see. Now, I wonder why Cattarrin would let you return? He’s never done that before.”

“He didn’t have a say in the matter,” said Cole. “You’d be wise to let us pass, Delshun. She’s not going to take another innocent life.”

“I can’t do that,” said Delshun. “When she ascends to the throne, she’s promised that I shall be her consort. I will be second in the entire underworld only to the Source herself. Plus we have added bonuses. The Charmed Ones and Michael, Malevants’ brother. With them out of the way, there will be no one who can oppose us. This will be a great day for the underworld.”

“Now, this is getting annoying,” said Kiethran. “Why does everyone keep overlooking me?”

“Demons can be kind of stupid sometimes,” said Michael. “They often don’t recognize a threat when they see one.”

“Why should I be concerned with you, human?” asked Delshun. “You’re less of a threat than a White Lighter.”

“I suppose you’re right,” said Kiethran. “That is, if I was human.”

Suddenly, Kiethran cast a fireball at the nearest demon, vanquishing it where it stood.

“Druid,” hissed Delshun.

But he had no time to revel in his realization. Cole attacked Delshun a moment after Kiethran had vanquished the demon. Piper turned on the demon nearest her and raised her hands. The demon exploded from Pipers’ power and dissolved into a thousand dissipating shards.

Another of the demons cast a fireball directly at Paige. She instinctively orbed out and the fireball passed through her, exploding on the wall behind her. Then she orbed back in, unharmed.

Michael engaged the fourth demon and the two exchanged attacks. Neither had a clear advantage over the other. Suddenly, two more demons shimmered in.

Phoebe caught the shimmer of one demon out of the corner of her eye. She swung around, kicking the demon hard. It went flying across the room before it had a chance to attack.

The second demon that had just shimmered in cast a fireball at Piper. Leo was about to grab her and orb her out when Kiethran stepped between Piper and the fireball. He raised his hand and the fireball suddenly swerved off, exploding on a nearby wall.

“I just love my deflection ability,” said Kiethran, winking at Piper.

He engaged the demon, keeping it from any further attacks on Piper. Cole was still fighting Delshun. The two appeared almost evenly matched. But Delshun was showing signs of successful attacks against him. Cole appeared to be uninjured.

The demon fighting Michael suddenly feigned to it’s left, and then reversed direction. As it did, it cast a fireball at Michael. The White Lighter saw the attack, and immediately started to orb. The fireball struck at almost the same instant Michael orbed out. It was impossible to tell if he had escaped or been incinerated by the attack.

Kiethran dropped to one knee as the demon attacking him cast a fireball. The weapon passed over Kiethrans’ head, barely missing the druid. Kiethran returned his own attack, casting a fireball directly at the demon.

Phoebe had been able to keep the demon she was fighting off balance. With no active, offensive power, she had to rely on her martial arts skills. But those had proven effective enough to keep the demon from being able to go on the offensive.

The demon that had apparently destroyed Michael turned toward Phoebe and prepared to cast a fireball at her. Piper saw the demon and moved to get a better aim at it, preparing to explode it as she had the first one.

Before Piper could raise her hands, a massive fireball engulfed the demon, vanquishing it. The attack was so sudden everyone in the room turned to see who had cast it. None of those capable of casting fire was in a position to cast it from that location. The sight they saw caused everyone to hesitate a moment.

Standing in the doorway to the entryway was a demon. The demon stood seven feet tall and its’ skin was a dark green - nearly black - with bright yellow markings. The markings were vaguely reminiscent of those that Belthazor had once sported. The demons’ eyes glowed bright red like two piercing spotlights in the dark. Everyone except Kiethran recognized the demon.

“Malevant,” gasped Delshun. “Your brother, Michael, is vanquished, my liege. Tallick vanquished him.”

Without saying a word, Malevant cast another fireball that incinerated Delshun. The other demons backed away in fear. All were well aware of Malevants violent temper.

“Traitors,” hissed Malevant. “You desert me for the bastardized child who seeks to dominate all true demons. You are all fools. Do any of you honestly believe that you are a match for my brother? He is at most stunned. You are all as stupid as you are pathetic. I should vanquish every last one of your for betraying me for that interloper upstairs.”

Malevant turned to the Charmed Ones, Leo, Kiethran, and Cole.

“Humans,” he spat out, “you know I have no love for your kind. Under other circumstances, I would simply destroy you all. Even this half-breed who once was called the Source. But at least he was a true demon.

“The abomination which even now seeks the throne of the underworld does not even have a demonic form. She would corrupt the natural order. I don’t care what her lineage, she is not true demon. And I will not allow a human to rule over demons.”

“Then let us finish what we came her for,” said Piper. “If not for us, you’d still have Beelzbor and those other demons contesting you. As I see it, you owe us for vanquishing them for you.”

“I am indebted to no human,” said Malevant, “regardless of what you may have done. But I shall let you finish your task. Perhaps the abomination will be successful in destroying one or two of you as well. Then I will have even fewer enemies to concern myself with.”

Malevant turned to the remaining demons.

“Come,” he commanded.

Malevant shimmered out and the demons shimmered with him.

“I don’t understand,” said Cole. “Why didn’t Malevant try to destroy us?”

“Who cares,” said Paige. “We still have a task to finish. We’d better get upstairs before it’s too late to stop Ahken Tan.”

The six people moved up the stairs ready to engage the half demon that was even now giving birth.

[noazmale]

SIXTEEN

Finding the room Ahken Tan was in wasn’t difficult. She was in the throes of childbirth and her cries of pain were easy to follow. As the six entered the room, four demons in human form turned to engage them. Ahken Tan lay on a bed, a demonic midwife assisting in the delivery. Ahken Tan looked over at the intruders and smiled.

“You’re too late,” she gasped between contractions. “It is almost time. My servants will delay you long enough for the child to be born. Then there will be nothing you can do.”

“Paige,” said Piper, “quickly, get the necklace.”

Paige held out her hand.

“Necklace,” she said.

The necklace around Ahken Tans’ neck orbed into Paige’s’ hand. Paige smiled and held it up for everyone to see.

“Fools,” said Ahken Tan, “do you think I need to have physical possession of the necklace to use its’ power? Its’ power is available to me just as the power of your accursed Book of Shadows is to you. Nothing can prevent the transmigration.”

Everyone looked around. They couldn’t take the time to fight the demons that were even now protecting Ahken Tan. And they couldn’t get to her. The demons stood between her and them, ready to use all their power to protect their mistress. In a few seconds, the child would be born and Ahken Tan would transmigrate her soul.

“Once the child is born,” said Cole, “the midwife will shimmer away with the child. We have to stop her before she does that.”

“Piper,” said Paige turning to her sister. She tossed the necklace into the air. “Batter up.”

Piper raised her hands and the necklace exploded. Little more than dust, it settled to the floor.

“No,” screamed Ahken Tan. “What have you done? You’ve ruined everything. I’ll destroy you all.”

However, she was in no condition to carry through with her threat. Even now, the baby was being born. The demons protecting her looked at her and then at each other.

“Fellas,” said Cole to the demons, his eyes flashing again, “whatever she promised you, she won’t be able to keep that promise. You might want to look for employment somewhere else.”

The demons realized that Ahken Tans’ power was now gone. They all shimmered out, not willing to risk vanquishment for a half demon that could not deliver on her promises.

Everyone watched as the child was born. Even with a demon for a midwife, the experience was beautiful. New life coming into the world. Piper and Leo especially found it fascinating, considering they would be going through it themselves in only a few short months. Once the child was born, the midwife wrapped her in a blanket, then stood up and faced the intruders.

“It is human,” said the midwife. “It has no place in the underworld.”

“I’ll take her,” said Kiethran, stepping up and taking the child from the demon. “I have the perfect home for her.”

Ahken Tan was still alive and so was the baby. Without her necklaces’ magic, she couldn’t transmigrate her soul into the baby’s’ body. The chain of transmigrations now broken, she would never again be able to kill another innocent newborn for her own evil ends.

“We have no quarrel,” the midwife said to Cole. “My task here is ended.”

“Go,” said Cole.

The midwife shimmered and was gone. Everyone turned toward Ahken Tan who was rising from the bed.

“You fools,” said Ahken Tan. “Do you think this ends it? Do you think I can’t get other magics to aid me? I am Ahken Tan, and I have lived longer than any of you can imagine. This is not ended. You will pay for your interference.”

“I don’t think so,” said Cole.

He cast a fireball and incinerated the half demon.

“Cole,” screamed Phoebe.

“What?” asked Cole. “She was a demon. She should have been vanquished.”

“She was also the child’s mother,” said Piper. “And she was half human. She wasn’t a threat to us. There was no reason to vanquish her.”

“She was a demon,” said Cole. “Isn’t that reason enough?”

“You’re a demon, too,” said Kiethran, handing the baby to Leo. He stepped up in front of Cole. “Maybe you should be vanquished, too.”

“I thought I was doing the right thing,” protested Cole. “You heard her threats. She would have made good on those threats.”

“And we would have dealt with that when and if it happened,” said Phoebe.

“But,” Cole began to protest again.

Then, with a look of disgust on his face, Cole suddenly shimmered out.

“I’m sorry, honey,” said Paige, putting her hand on Phoebe’s shoulder. “I know how much you’d like to believe that he’s good. I guess that’s just wishful thinking.”

“I knew he wasn’t when we got here,” said Phoebe. “Good doesn’t command or control demons. The way the demons listened to him shows he’s still evil. I guess he always will be.”

“I guess we should be going,” said Kiethran, taking the baby back from Leo. “The cost for this was too high. I understand Michael did a lot of good as a White Lighter. It’s not going to be easy to replace him, I’m sure.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t count Michael out just yet,” said Piper. “He has a habit of surprising you when you least expect it.”

Unsure exactly what Piper meant, Kiethran used his teleportation power to return to the manor. Leo orbed the others back to the manor.

[noazmale]

SEVENTEEN

“I didn’t expect you so soon,” said Michael when the others returned. “I thought for sure you’d have at least one more fight on your hands.”

“The remaining demons didn’t seem to have the heart for it,” said Piper. “Especially after we destroyed Ahken Tans’ necklace and prevented the transmigration.”

“Good,” said Michael. “I was wondering what had happened. I couldn’t return right away. Malevant had to be properly angry with his subordinates for turning on him. I assume this is the child.”

“We understand,” said Paige. “Besides, there wasn’t much to it really.”

“Yes, it’s Ahken Tans’ child,” said Kiethran. “Excuse me. Don’t misunderstand this question. By why aren’t you dead?”

“I orbed a second before that fireball hit,” said Michael. “I had to time it just right to make it look like I’d been killed. But in all honestly, that one fireball wasn’t enough to kill me. Although it could have done some damage.”

“What do you mean you couldn’t return right away?” asked Phoebe. “And what has that to do with Malevant being angry?”

“That’s a good question,” said Kiethran. “I’d like to know the answer to that one myself.”

“Phoebe,” said Piper, “you know good and well that Michael and Malevant are the same. It’s his most closely guarded secret.”

“You and Malevant are the same?” asked Kiethran. “Just how does that work?”

“He is?” asked a shocked Phoebe. “I had no idea.”

“Sure you did,” said Leo. “After you defeated the Source, he helped protect you against some upper level demons that were trying to kill you. You were there when he change from Malevant to Michael so I could heal him.”

“Oh, yeah,” said Michael, a bit embarrassed. “Actually, Phoebe didn’t know.”

“What?” asked Paige. “Okay, now I’m confused.”

“Well,” said Michael, “after you defeated the Source, the Seer came to me. As Malevant, of course. She told me that Turner was going to replace the Source and had gained all of his powers.

“Well, it wouldn’t do to have the Source know my secret. I’m powerful, but not even I can stand against the power of the Source. I wouldn’t have lasted ten minutes in the underworld. So I had to do something about it.

“I know a witch who has a rather unique power. He can literally remove memories from a person. I just had him remove the memory of Michael and Malevant being the same person from Turner’s mind. While he was still fighting against the Sources’ takeover of him.”

“What about me?” asked Phoebe.

“When you joined Turner,” said Michael, “it was too risky to let you keep those memories. Basically you’re a good person, Phoebe. I didn’t know if you’d deliberately reveal my secret or not. Anyway, I couldn’t risk that you might accidentally reveal it. So I had the same witch remove the memory from you as well. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. But it was necessary if I was to remain such a valuable source of information to the Elders.”

“So you’ve been messing with my mind?” asked Phoebe.

“Not exactly,” said Michael. “It’s a very selective removal of specific memories. Only the ones where you knew my secret. I’ll have my friend stop by for a visit. He can put the memories back, if you’d like.”

“Yeah, I think I’d like that,” said Phoebe.

“So you’re a White Lighter and an upper level demon?” questioned Kiethran. “Okay, that’s a new one on me.”

“I’ll explain it all later,” said Michael, smiling. “I have to stop helping you girls. Every time I do, someone learns my secret.”

“Only the good guys,” said Piper. “And I’m pretty sure you can trust all of us to keep it.”

“I have no doubt,” said Michael. “Now, what about the child? Any ideas what we are going to do with her?”

“I know a couple she’d be perfect for,” said Kiethran. “They can’t have children of their own and they’d be more than willing to take her in.”

“She’s the daughter of a half demon,” said Leo. “It’s possible she might have powers. Will they be prepared for that?”

“Absolutely,” said Kiethran. “They’re both druids. If she does develop any powers, they’ll be able to teach her how to use them for good.”

“What about Turner?” asked Michael. “I noticed he didn’t return with you.”

“He vanquished Ahken Tan,” said Piper. “He didn’t seem happy that we didn’t agree with his decision.”

“Well,” said Michael, “he is half demon. I guess there are just some things that will never change. I’m sorry, Phoebe.”

“Don’t be,” sighed Phoebe. “I accepted long ago that he would never changed. This just proves it.”

“Michael,” said Paige, “who is this Cattarrin that Delshun mentioned? Cole and Delshun both seemed to know who he was.”

“All demons know him,” said Michael. “He’s the ruler of the Wasteland. The beast that lives there absorbs the magic left behind by vanquished demons. It then transfers this power to Cattarrin, who in turn transfers them to someone else. New demons or warlocks or such. The magic doesn’t just evaporate once a demon is vanquished. It has to go somewhere.”

“Great,” said Phoebe. “I’ve seen that beast. It’s pretty nasty. Just one more thing for us to worry about.”

“Not too much,” said Michael. “Cattarrin rarely leaves the Wasteland. He’s too busy allocating powers and such. I wouldn’t worry too much about him.”

“Michael,” said Piper, “would you really have vanquished the baby? If we hadn’t been able to get the necklace from Ahken Tan?”

“Absolutely,” said Michael. “Piper, I know this may be difficult for you to understand, but that baby wouldn’t have been an innocent. It would have been Ahken Tan. Even in the baby’s body she would have been completely aware of what was going on. It would have taken her some time to get control of the body, so it would have seemed in all respects to be nothing more than a human baby. But nothing could have been further from the truth.”

“I understand what Michael is saying,” said Kiethran. “As humans we have this prejudice that what is beautiful must be good. And that evil must always be ugly. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case. Looks have nothing to do with good and evil as a rule.”

“I guess so,” said Piper. “It’s just hard to believe that a newborn baby can be evil.”

“Many demons were newborns at one time,” said Michael. “Especially demons like Turner. Demons who are also half human. But evil is an inherent part of their being. It’s what they are. Turner proved that when he vanquished Ahken Tan.”

“I hear what you’re saying,” said Piper. “I guess I still have some things to learn.”

“Don’t we all,” said Michael. “Well, I’d better get going. The danger is passed and I’ve been thinking maybe I will really take a few days off.”

“Stop by again some time,” said Phoebe. “Maybe next time we can just sit and talk instead of running around the countryside looking for demons.”

“That would be nice,” said Michael. “Kiethran, I’ll be sure and stop by Los Angeles soon. It’s been a long time since I’ve talked with a druid. I’d like to see what’s been going on in your particular war on evil lately.”

“Make sure you do,” said Kiethran. “I’m still curious how a White Lighter can also have demonic powers. That must be quite a story.”

“It is,” said Michael. “Leo, take care of this little lady. She’s carrying the future for us all.”

“I will, Michael,” said Leo. “I’ll see you at the next meeting.”

“Count on it,” said Michael. “Well, Phoebe, Paige, it was good to see you in action again. Good to see you can still handle yourself under stress.”

“Well we get every opportunity to practice,” said Paige. “I wouldn’t mind a break now and then.”

“Everyone take care of yourself,” said Michael. “I’ll stop by again when I get the chance.”

Michael orbed out of the manor.

“I should be going, too,” said Kiethran. “Shallon is going to be concerned for me. I’m afraid I wasn’t able to give her much reason for my departure. She always worries when I’m gone too long. Especially when demonic activity is involved.”

“So, you think the two of you will ever get married?” asked Phoebe. “From what you’ve told us about her, she must be quite a woman.”

“She is,” said Kiethran. “But I don’t think marriage is in the cards for us. We’re very good friends and she is my assistant. Even if she is over three-hundred-thirty years old.”

“You did say druids live longer than most people,” said Piper.

“That they do,” said Kiethran. “Well, I’ll try to get back myself soon. Maybe we could have a quiet evening instead of a death defying battle.”

“We’ll do our best,” said Leo.

Kiethran teleported out of the manor. Teleportation was similar to orbing but was actually faster. Kiethran would be back at his home at nearly the same instant he had left the Halliwell manor. Paige and Phoebe went into the kitchen to get something to eat, leaving Piper and Leo alone in the living room.

[noazmale]

EIGHTEEN

“Leo,” said Piper, “I want to talk to the Elders. At least one of them. We have a few things we need to get straight.”

“Piper,” said Leo, “I’m not sure we can do that. You don’t just go up to the Elders and order them to talk with you.”

“I don’t care,” said Piper. “There are some ground rules they have to know about. And I’m not about to let them get away with what they almost did again.”

Just then, a man orbed into the living room. He was wearing the white robes of an Elder.

“We figured you might want to chat,” said the Elder. “Leo, it’s okay. We’ve been expecting this for a while.”

“Okay,” said Piper, “you listen to me. My baby is my concern. Mine and Leo’s. You have no right to interfere with it. I don’t care if you do think it might grow up to be the next Source, whether I carry to term or not is not up to you. You got that?”

“Perfectly,” said the Elder. “In fact, we’ve been talking about that very topic. We now realize that we may have gone a bit overboard in this matter. Everyone was so concerned with the baby being evil, we forgot the cardinal rule for humans.”

“What’s that?” asked Paige.

“Free will,” said Leo. “No matter what happens, humans have free will. Not even the Elders have the authority to take that away.”

“Leo is quite right,” said the Elder. “By forcing you to terminate your pregnancy, we would have been taking away your free will. We are deeply sorry for that. You have my word that it shall never happen again.”

“Okay,” said Piper, some of her anger abating. “Just make sure you remember it.”

“Oh, we will,” said the Elder. “Although I doubt such a situation will ever arise again. From all we can tell, you child is going to be very good. There’s no cause for concern on that part.”

“There better not be,” said Piper. “I’ve already lost my mother, my grandmother, and my older sister. I’m not about to loose this baby.”

“We understand,” said the Elder. “And rest assured you will never need to worry about us interfering in this matter again.”

“See that it doesn’t,” said Piper. “Well, I’m glad we got that settled.”

“My pleasure,” said the Elder. “You’ve done a great deal for us over the years. It was wrong of us to try to force you into a situation like that. I hope you will accept our sincerest apologizes for it.”

“I guess so,” said Piper. “As long as it doesn’t happen again.”

“It won’t,” said the Elder. “Well, Leo, there’s a special meeting tomorrow morning. Kiethrans’ appearance in the White Lighter realm has shown us that there isn’t enough communication between the Elder Council and the Druid Council. We’re thinking about setting up a permanent liaison with them. Since you have so much contact with a druid, your input would be greatly appreciated.”

“I’ll be glad to do what I can,” said Leo. “Only with my current responsibilities, I want to say that I don’t think I’d be a good choice for this liaison.”

“You are not being considered for that,” said the Elder. “Your duties as the White Lighter for the Charmed Ones takes precedent over all of your other duties. They are the most important charges for you. We would just like any ideas you might have for setting up the liaison.”

“Okay,” said Leo. “I’ll be there.”

“Good,” said the Elder. “I must be getting back. Ahken Tan may be gone but there are other matters that the Council has to contend with. As humans say, the paperwork never ends.”

The Elder orbed out of the living room leaving Piper and Leo alone.

“Do they really do paperwork up there?” asked Piper.

“It’s a figure of speech,” said Leo. “But there are a lot of details you never know about. I much prefer to be in the field, so to speak.”

“Let’s get into the kitchen,” said Piper. “I’m suddenly having a craving for some of that leftover lasagna and I don’t want Phoebe and Paige to eat it all.”

With their arms around each other, they walked into the kitchen.

The End