Chapter 9

This was unreal.

In all their years of traveling to the underworld they had never seen anything quite like this before. Instead of a dark, dirt filled cave surrounded by demonic body guards that they were used to seeing the spell to lead them to their sister had brought them to a gorgeous mansion decorated better than anything they had ever seen in a book or on TV. It was truly amazing with its marbled floors, high ceilings and expensive works of art displayed against off white walls, this place was definitely a sight to behold. They continued to look on in wonder and astonishment as the group made their way through the long hall, passing exquisitely decorated bedroom suites with each step. None of them had been able to utter one word of sound since their arrival in the underworld, all too shocked to speak. They were in too stunned to voice any opinions and concerns as the group looked around them in awe of the place where they youngest sister now lived.

"Ok this is just…" Piper trailed off unsure of how to complete her own sentence.

"Fabulous is one way of putting it. I wonder if she'll let us live here with her?"

"PHOEBE!" shouted Prue while glaring at her younger sibling.

"What? Oh please Prue, don't act like you weren't thinking the same thing"

"Ok guys now is really not the time. We need to find Paige and get the heck out of here" Leo spoke hoping to force the women's attention back to the task at hand.

"If we make it out of here. You know there is still a chance that she may let him kill us"

"You've always been the optimist Piper"

"Hey I'm just being realistic so don't snap at me"

"I am not snapping at you I'm just making a point"

"Damn it Piper, Prue we need to concentrate on Paige now, not fighting with each other" warned Phoebe as they came to a stop in front of a large dark oak wood door.

"She's in here" said Leo while pointing to the door in front of them before turning back to the girls. "Are you guys ready?"

"As we'll ever be"

"And don't forget we're only going to get one shot at this" the middle witch said looking between her sisters hoping that the plan of the older sibling works.

"On three" said Prue in a whisper. "One, Two…"

"THREE!" a voice other then Prue's shouted as they were magically pulled from one side of the door to the other only to find themselves standing before three demons.

On the other side of the room stood their sister and her new "friend" wearing a not so friendly smirk on her face as she leaned into her lovers embrace.

"How lovely of you to join us my dear sisters" the youngest spoke now slowly making her way over to them.

"Paige please, this isn't you and you know it. He's making you do this. He has you under some kind of spell" began Piper who was now looking at her sister with pleading eyes.

"Really" the woman replied in mocked shock as she looked back and forth between her sisters and Zander. "Well I guess I should vanquish him so I can go back to being everyone's favorite whipping girl"

"We only watched after you the way we did because we wanted to protect you, not hurt you or force you to hate us Paige. We love you" said Phoebe with tears in her eyes now fully aware that this plan could go either way.

"Love? Ha you don't love me, you see me as some poor, pathetic witch who isn't as powerful as the rest of you, who's unable to take care of herself and who would die if it weren't for your superiority! You laugh behind my back even, mocking me and calling me a half breed who should never existed!"

"WHAT? That is not true Paige. Where the hell are you getting this from…" Prue voice grew soft as she turned her face to look into the eyes of the demon responsible for her sister's ranting. "You son of a bitch! What lies have you told her?" the woman screamed at the demon. When he only laughed what little patience she had disappeared. "Answer me you fucking bastard! Tell me what you showed her. What lies and deceit you made up to manipulate my sister"

"That's always been your problem Prue. Blaming others for the pain that you've brought upon yourself, in fact I think that's the only thing you do well. Is play the victim"

"Paige listen, you know your sister's well enough to understand how much they love you and that they did what they felt was right to protect you. How could you throw that all away for a demon who took away your free will and turned you against the very people that would die for you without a second thought. Your own sister's who are risking their very lives just by coming here" spoke Leo hoping to get through to the woman.

"Aw that was a beautiful speech Leo. How long did it take for you to memories the words I'm sure Piper wrote? After all, you're not the brightest of the bunch now are you angel boy?"

"ENOUGH!" the keeper of dreams finally spoke, now growing tired of the squabbling taking place between the members of the Halliwell family. "We have important business to take care of…"

"You mean I have business to take care of" Paige said in a warning tone.

"Of course you do" the man smirked while trying to save face.

"And last time I checked it was I who gave the orders around here, not you" she continued with a stern glance that dared the man to speak again. When the demon remained silent the woman redirected her focus back to her sisters and brother in law. "So what ever shall I do with you four?"

"You can let us go and kill that ass hole for screwing up our lives" Prue said through clenched teeth.

"Now, now big sis. Be nice. I don't want you to say something that you might regret" she continued now standing toe to toe with the elder witch.

"I'm not afraid of you and I'm sure as hell not afraid of him"

"Well then you leave me no choice but to teach you four a lesson in respect" the woman replied with a smirk as she once again took her place by her boyfriend's side.

"Paige, what the hell is going on? What are you doing?"

"Oh I think you know exactly what I'm doing Phoebe. Ok boy's" she spoke now talking to the demons standing around her family. "They're all yours"

Within seconds an all out war had ensured between the charmed ones and the evil that surrounded them. With bodies flying everywhere as loud piercing screams filled the air.

Prue had now found herself backed into a corner after vanquishing two demon forcing three more to reappear before her. Piper had just blown up three demons only to get surprised from behind and thrown several feet in the air only to hit the earth once again with a sickening thud as Leo lay off to the side with a darklighters arrow stuck in his side. Phoebe wasn't doing any better growing more and more tired fighting off demon after demon barely able to vanquish any with any weapon they had dropped after being stuck down by her.

"Ok I think they've learned all they need to" Paige spoke. But just as she was about to give the order to stop thee attacks her voice suddenly disappeared. She grew panicky and anxious as she singled to her "friend" trying desperately to let him no to call off the attacks but when he moved behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear "Sorry but this has to happen, they have to die to secure our future" it became all to clear what was happening.

"But don't worry my dear, we'll live a full happy life well after they're gone and with me leading the forces in the underworld, and with you by my side no one will ever challenge me again and the whole world will be ours for the taking. I'm just sorry I had to lie to you about the things your sisters said or rather didn't say"

She now felt sick as the weight of the situation and her mistake came barreling down on her forcing her senses to return with the heaviest load of guilt she had ever encountered in her life.

What had she done?

Why didn't she see this coming?

He was a demon, she should have expected this from him and now because of her own stupidity her sisters were going to die.

Think Paige, her own voice screamed out in her head as she thought of ways to put an end to the battle before her. Her thoughts were momentarily put on hold as she saw the demons closing in on her older sister. Her eyes held the look of fear and great pain as the woman's eyes now gazed deeply into her. Her lips then curled into a slight smile as tears streamed down her face and she mouthed the words "I love you" to her younger sibling.

This was too much for Paige to handle as tears now formed within her own eyes knowing that she was to blame for her sister's current predicament. That's when she saw it.

An athame laying just a few feet away from her. It was right there for the taking and she couldn't call out for it. But maybe if she could concentrate had enough she could will it to her.

Focus, she told herself as she closed her eyes and imaged the sharpened blade appearing in her hands. She knew if she wanted it hard enough she could have it. She would have all she needed to save herself and her sisters.

Focus Paige. Focus.

She had to block it all out.

Her sister's cries for help, her brother in law yelling out to his wife, the venoms words from the man standing behind her. She had to do this in order to save them all.

You can do it she thought to herself as she held a loose fist, leaving enough room for the object to form and when she felt the cold medal in her hands she didn't hesitate the slightest bit as she plunged it into the body that was standing in back of her momentarily gaining the attention of his demonic henchmen.

"Die you evil bastard!" she shouted as her voice retuned to her giving her sisters the chance they need to kill the demons that surrounded them. Pure with a spell and Phoebe with potion that she had pulled out of her pocket while her attackers where momentarily distracted.

The two then ran to their unconscious sister's side as they watched the man responsible go up in flames as their sister stood there, in a semi state of shock.

"Paige?" called out a cautious Prue. When the girl turned around to reveal reddened eyes the eldest charmed one immediately ran to her side.

"I'm so sorry Prue. This is all my fault. I…" the younger witch sobbed as the arms of her elder sister surrounded her.

"It's ok baby this isn't entirely your fault. If we hadn't treated you the way we did, you wouldn't have fallen for Zander's tricks. You would have been prepared"

"Pure's right Paige" a shaken but now alert Piper spoke as the two women now joined her. "We can talk about this later but right now we need to get Leo to magic school so Gideon can heal him"

"You're right. MAGIC SCHOOL" Paige said sending Piper, Leo and Phoebe away in a cluster of white lights.

"Paige, why are we still here?" asked Prue in a voice of concern.

"I'm not evil any more Pure so just chill out" the woman replied in her usual manor before continuing. "Well he" she said pointing to the pile of ashes "Had a son who's in the room down the hall"

"So?"

"So? Prue we cannot leave a small child to find for himself in the underworld"

"Paige we are not bringing a demonic child to the manor"

"He is not demonic. Ok, maybe he does have demonic powers, but he was raised by his mother who didn't even practice magic so he doesn't know how to use them. So I figured we can bind his powers and find him a good home"

"Well where's his mother?"

"She's dead" came the woman's short reply. She really didn't want to revel any more information and giving the fact that this too was her fault she rather just not speak of it at all.

"Ok, but the second we get back to the manor we bind that kids power. I've have enough demonic activity for one day to last a life time" said Prue giving her sister a knowing glance.

"It's good to have you back Paige"

"Trust me Pure it's good to be back. Oh and if I ever start talking about wanting to be more involved in magic and demon hunting. Just promise that you'll lock me away in my room"

"Promise now let's go get the kid before Zander's little followers realize that he's gone"

"Right, let's get going"

Epilogue

"Hey"

"Hey Piper" Prue spoke back as she entered the kitchen where two of her sister sat at the table with coffee mugs in their hands.

"How did it go down at social services?" asked Phoebe as she took another sip from her cup.

"It went as well as could be expected. They placed Brandon with a really great couple in Dallas TX"

"That's great. I just hope that our little memory spell works and he doesn't remember about his little trip to the underworld"

"No, I doubt it. It was a pretty good spell and that combined with Leo's magic dust, I think he'll be able to live a nice, happy normal life, without reliving any of those horrible memories"

"That's good"

"How is she?"

"Missy Paige has yet to join us this morning. I guess she just needs some time to deal with everything that's gone on" replied Piper.

"I'm sure she does but she shouldn't have to go through it alone. I mean it was our fault that things got to that point. I mean if we had taken the time to teach Paige about what it is we do, then she wouldn't have felt left out or inadequate"

"Yeah Phoebe but we weren't doing it to hurt her. We wanted to keep her safe and we will continue to do so whether she likes it or not. Even if I have to bind her powers myself" the middle witch continued earning her a "you'll never change" look from her sisters.

"Anyway I'm going to check up on her and then force her to eat something. Who's with me" Piper spoke heading out of the kitchen with her two sisters following close behind.

"Paige!" the woman called out a second later as they reached the top landing of the stairs.

"I'm in the bathroom. Give me a minute and I'll meet you guys downstairs"

"Ok, but don't take too long. Piper's making pancakes" shouted Prue as the women started to head back to the kitchen.

"Ok" the younger woman answered back as she heard the three women's feet peddling down the stairs. Once she was certain that they were out of ear shot the woman sank down the bathroom floor and let the tears fall freely.

She couldn't believe this. After all she had been through she was now being forced to deal with what fate had seen fit to deal upon her.

How was she going to get through this and better yet how was she going to tell her sister?

These were just a few of the thoughts that made their way to the forefronts of the woman's mind as her hand lay pressed against her stomach feeling the new life growing inside and fearing for the future for she, her child and the rest of the Halliwell family.

The End

Thanks so much for all of your wonderful reviews and I hope you all enjoyed the end of the story. I'm sorry it took forever to update. Hey what can I say life got in the way. But it is finished now and once again I'm happy you all took time to read and reivew my story and please let me know what you thought about the ending.