Magical Demon

Chapter 23 - The Three Faces of Phoebe

Paris got a call that there was another demon and shimmered there to the attic as Piper, Paige and Leo walked in on Phoebe. Piper looked at her sister. “Phoebe? We have a...”

Phoebe put a burning paper in a bowl and it exploded. Phoebe gasped. Paige looked at her. “Phoebe?”

“What is going on?” Paris asked, looking at Phoebe, Paige had a fright from her. Paris laughed a little.

Just then, two tunnels of wind appeared in the attic. Phoebe blinked. “What?”

An elderly woman and a little girl appeared. “What's going on? How did I get here?” The Elderly Woman asked them.

“That's an excellent question.” Piper replied to her.

“That’s what I want to know.” Paris added.

Elderly Woman looked shocked. “Oh my god, what have you done?”

“Me? Wh... Who are you?” Phoebe asked.

Elderly Woman looked at her. “What's the matter? Don't you recognise me? I'm you. Phoebe.”

“Phoebe? That's my name too.” Little Phoebe added.

Phoebe sighed. “Oh, boy.”

Little Phoebe was getting frightened. “Who are you people? And how did I get up here?”

Phoebe looked at her. “You don't have to be scared of us, honey. Everything's gonna be okay.” Then, she looked at Piper. “Any ideas?"

“It's your spell, don't look at me.” Piper replied.

Little Phoebe rushed over to the window. Phoebe looked at Paige. “It was your idea.”

“Excuse me?” Paige asked her.

Old Phoebe glanced at little Phoebe. “You might wanna stop her before she climbs out the window.”

“Whoa!” Phoebe rushed over to Little Phoebe who's half way out the window. “Sweetie, hi, come here.” She pulled her back inside. “Hi, I can explain. You are dreaming.”

“Dreaming?” Piper asked.

“Huh.” Paris added.

“Yes, dreaming. And you're gonna wake up in your room and everything's gonna be fine.” Phoebe told them all.

Little Phoebe looked at her. “I'm ten, I'm not stupid. Grams!” She runs out of the attic. Ben walked in.

“Wow, I do not miss that.” Piper comment.

“What's going on?” Ben asked.

Old Phoebe looked at her. “Ben.”

“Who are you?” Ben asked her.

“Maybe this will refresh your memory.” Old Phoebe walked over and slapped him across the face. “You bastard.”

“Nice one.” Paris comment.

“Not now, Paris.” Piper scolded her.

"Whoops." Paris muttred.

Phoebe looked at her older self. “What was that all about?”

“Ask him.” Older Phoebe glanced at Ben.

Just then, Leo spoke up. “Uh, maybe we should go look for Little Phoebe before she escapes into 2002.”

“Yes, we will do that and you talk to your future self. And fix this, fast.” Piper told to Phoebe.

Ben frowned. “Future self?”

“Uh, what about the demon?” Leo asked them.

“Oh yeah, that’s why I came for.” Paris added.

Phoebe looked at them. “What demon?”

“Uh, we were attacked downstairs.” Piper replied, then looked at Paige. “Paige.”

“I'm there.” Paige comment as she went over to the book.

Ben looked at Phoebe. “You wanna tell me how she got here?”

Phoebe shrugged a little. “I cast a spell to hear my heart's desire and I guess my past self and my future self showed up to help me listen.”

“And what desire did you wanna hear?” Ben asked.

“Well, that's between me and... me. Come on.” Phoebe replied. Then, she headed for the door.

Old Phoebe looked at him. “Worried?” Phoebe and Old Phoebe leave. Paris went out as well.

--------------

Cole came over as well as there was a little chaos and Paris couldn’t handle at the moment. “Hey, babe.” Paris greeted him, they were outside.

“Hey. What is all the chaos about?” Cole asked her.

“There are three Phoebes, apparently she casted a spell that brought two here. An older version of her and a younger.” Paris replied. “I believe that Phoebe is in trouble from what she has to do. And there is also a demon.” 

“And that’s to much chaos for you?” Cole asked, raising an eyebrow.

“One Phoebe, I can handle, but three of them. Just nope!” Paris replied to him. “And a demon.” She sighed.

Cole walked towards her and grabbed her hands. “There isn’t as too much chaos, but I agree a little to three Phoebes. Imagination that.”

“Well, you can.” Paris pointed at the doors.

Cole laughed. “Heh.”

“Oh, you laugh.” Paris scolded him. “But this is trouble.”

“No, it isn’t. Even with our own kids, when we will have them.” Cole joked.

“About that.” Paris bit her lip.

Then, Cole had his eyes widen. “You are...” He trailed off.

“Yes, I wanted to tell, before they called me.” Paris nodded.

“So, that’s why you are cranky and the headaches.” Cole comment.

“Yes.” Paris nodded.

“Did we do something differently?” Cole wondered.

Paris smirked. “Only the good stuff.”

“Ha-ha.” Cole laughed.

“And no we didn’t do anything different.” Paris told him. “But are you happy about it?”

Cole smiled. “I am very happy about it.”

“Really?” Paris asked.

“Really.” Cole confirmed. “And that’s why you found it chaos.”

“Yes.” Paris nodded.

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Later they were in the Attic. Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Paris, Cole and Leo were there. Cole couldn't be turned away now that he knew Paris was pregnant, they all frowned at him, but continued on, they could always ask later about it. Paige showed them the Kurson page in the Book of Shadows. Piper pointed at the book. “That's him.”

Phoebe read out loud. “‘Kurzon is an enemy of the Source who was banished from the underworld for inciting a failed coup’. I don't understand, why didn't they just kill him?”

“It’s to easy for him.” Cole replied.

Leo glanced at Cole. “Probably because it's not that easy to do. You guys are gonna need the power of three.”

Paige frowned. “But if he's the enemy of the Source, doesn't that make him our ally?”

“Nope.” Cole replied.

“No, he's still evil, he's just a different kind of evil.” Piper added.

Just then, they hear little Phoebe scream downstairs. “Phoebe.” Phoebe called as then they rushed down the stairs. Kurzon disappeared. “Ben!” She rushed over to little Phoebe.

“She's alright, she just fainted.” Ben told them. Cole frowned at his twin.

Little Phoebe woke up. Phoebe looked at her. “Are you okay?”

Little Phoebe nodded. “Yeah. I think so.” She looked at Ben. “You saved me.”

-------------

Little Phoebe looked at them all. “It was so scary. He just came out of nowhere. And then everything went black.”

Paige handed her a glass of water. “Here you go, sweetheart.”

“Thanks.” Little Phoebe took a sip. “Who are you?”

“Me? I'm Paige, your...” Paige was interrupted.

“Cousin. She's our cousin from mum's side.” Phoebe interrupted her.

“But we think of her as a sister.” Piper added.

“We'll explain it to you when you're older.” Phoebe finished.

Little Phoebe looked around. “What about that scary man? Where'd he go?”

“You don't have to worry about him anymore, sweetie.” Phoebe replied to her. Paris sighed a little as Cole looked at her and she signing that nothing was wrong.

“Doesn't she?” Leo asked.

Piper looked at Leo. “Leo.”

“I'm sorry, but we can't risk her running into Kurzon again, she's Phoebe's past.” Leo told them.

“I agree to that.” Paris added.

“And Ben saving her means that he saved me too.” Phoebe realized.

“Oh, my god.” Paris muttered.

“Hello! He loves us, remember?” Little Phoebe exclaimed.

Leo looked at them. “I think I should take Little Phoebe someplace, someplace safe.”

“Do you really think Kurzon will come back?” Paige asked.

Ben nodded. “I do. I mean, why wouldn't he? He didn't fulfil his objectives.”

“He's right.” Phoebe comment, then she looked at little Phoebe. “Okay, you're gonna have to go with Leo for a little while, but don't worry he'll keep you safe.”

Little Phoebe looked at her. “I don't wanna leave.”

Phoebe nodded. “I know, but it's just for a little while, okay. It's for your own good. Come on.”

“Come on, take my hand.” Leo told her as little Phoebe walked over to him. “Now hold on tight.”

Little Phoebe looked at him. “Are we going on a plane?”

Leo shook with his head. “No, but you might see some clouds.” Then, he orbed out with little Phoebe.

Paige picked up the glass and headed for the kitchen. She saw a dagger on the floor and picked it up. “Where'd this come from?”

“That... that's Kurzon's, he tried to stab me with it but I got it away from him.” Ben replied.

Paige raised an eyebrow. “Really? You got it away from a demon? That's impressive.”

Piper looked at Ben. “Why didn't he use his powers on you?”

“Who knows?” Ben shrugged. “The point is I stabbed him which means we have enough of his blood to scry for him.”

The girls looked suspiciously at him. Even Cole did. Paige sighed. “Yeah, I'll go get a map and a crystal.” Then, she leaves the room.

Piper looked at the others. “Do you think Kurzon's targeting little Phoebe?”

“Why would he?” Phoebe asked back.

“Well, the same reason Leo said, because she's you. And if he kills her then there's no Charmed Ones.” Paris replied instead.

Phoebe frowned. “But how could he know I conjured her?”

“He's psychic?” Piper asked.

“Or maybe the Seer tipped him off.” Ben replied.

Phoebe looked at her husband to be. “The Seer? You think she's involved?"

“Wouldn't surprise me.” Ben replied. Cole eyed at him, he didn’t trust him and Ben knows it.

Phoebe sighed. “Well, that's just great. Okay, well, we're gonna need a vanquishing spell. Ben, go with Piper, help her, tell her everything you know about Kurzon.” She stood up.

“Where you going?” Piper asked her.

“Well, I'm gonna go try knock some sense into myself.” Phoebe replied.

----------

They were in the conservatory. Cole and Paris joined as well. Piper was writing a spell, Paige was scrying and Ben was pacing. “Are you done with that spell yet?”

“Almost. Could you please stop pacing, it's very distracting.” Piper replied.

“No.” Ben told her.

Just then, Phoebe walked in and sat beside Piper. “How'd it go?”

Phoebe sighed. “I still can't get through to her.”

“She didn't say anything about the future?” Ben asked her.

Phoebe shook with her head. “Nope. She's worried about the consequences of changing it.”

“But she is your future, you can't change that.” Paige told her.

“Yes we can.” Piper argued. “Our last trip to the future proved that. Phoebe's not burning at the stake anytime soon.”

“Well, maybe you'll let me cast Phoebe's spell and get myself my own sneak preview. Find out what happens if I take that promotion or not.” Paige countered.

Paris shook with her head. “I wouldn’t.”

Phoebe looked at Paige. “You got promoted?”

“Yeah, by the way of a spell and her friend Scott got stuck with the consequence.” Piper replied instead.

Phoebe looked at her. “Uh-oh, personal gain.”

“If you don't vanquish Kurzon soon he'll become the next Source, the all of a sudden personal gain won't be so important because you'll all be dead.” Ben comment.

The crystal pointed to a spot on the map. Paige smiled. “Got him. He's across town.”

“Okay, bring the crystal, we'll track him on the way.” Piper told her. They got up.

Phoebe looked at Ben. “I would stay out of my bedroom if I were you. Unless you wanna get slapped again.” She kissed him.

“Be careful.” Ben told her.

“Aren't you coming?” Paige asked.

“What can I do? I'm not a demon anymore.” Ben asked back.

Then, the girls and Cole leave.

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They were parked there, then they lay the map on the hood of the car. Paige started scrying. Piper sighed. “I can't believe we lost him!”

“Well, we did.” Paris comment.

Paige sighed. “Oh, god, just give me a second.”

“Alright, he might be still in the area.” Phoebe comment.

“He's at the house.” Paige announced.

Phoebe sighed. “We'll never make it back in time.”

Piper got an idea. Paige looked at her. “Don't look at me.”

“Why?” Piper asked. “You did it this morning.”

“Barely, I went downstairs, alone, not across town with two passengers.” Paige sighed.

“Oh, Cole and I will just shimmer back then.” Paris comment.

“No, Paige will take us all.” Piper told her. Paige looked at her.

Phoebe looked at Paige. “Okay, well, Paige, he'll kill Ben, we have to try.”

They joined hands and Paige orbed out with Phoebe. Piper called. “Hey!” She went too. So did Paris and Cole.

They orbed in. Paris went nauseous. “Oh.” She a hand to her moth. “I’m never orbing again.”

Cole looked concerned. “Are you okay?”

“No.” Paris replied. Cole grabbed her.

Just then, Piper called. “Spell, spell, spell, quick-quick-quick.” She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket.

Piper, Phoebe, Paige said the spell. “’Hell threw you from its inner core, but earth won't hold you anymore, since heaven cannot be your place, your flesh and blood we now erase!’” Kurzon catches on fire and was vanquished.

Phoebe went over to old Phoebe. “Oh, no. Leo! Just hold on. Hold on.”

“She saved me.” Ben told her.

Old Phoebe looked at Phoebe. “There's your answer.”

Leo orbed in with Little Phoebe. Phoebe looked at Leo. “Leo, please, please, please, please.”

Leo rushed over and tried to heal her. “She's gone.”

Old and Little Phoebe disappeared. Paige blinked. “What happened?”

“The spell played out. You heard what you needed to hear.” Piper replied.

Just then, Cole and Paris shimmered home.