DISCLAIMER: This story is based on the series, Charmed, which was created by Constance M. Burge. All Charmed characters are the property of Spelling Productions.
ELSEWHERE
The Infernal Council was having a meeting. "Summon him." Council Member One commanded. Soon a figure appeared before the Council. "Welcome back, Litvack." Council Member One said.
"Thank you, Master." Litvack replied: "I am glad you have decided to give me another chance to go after the Charmed Ones."
"We have." Council Member Two said: "But you will not be doing it alone."
"What do you mean?" Litvack asked.
"Every time we have sent one of you to attack the Charmed Ones, you have failed." Council Member Three said.
"So we decided to send a hit squad of our best demons." Council Member One said and snapped his fingers. Soon three other demons appeared. "Declare yourselves." Council Member One commanded.
"I am Tempus, Demon of Time." the first demon said.
"I am Cryto, Demon of Vanity." the second demon said.
"I am Barbas, Demon of Fear." the third demon said.
"Excellent." Council Member Two said: "All of you have a grudge against the accursed Charmed Ones! You are perfect to destroy them."
"If I may speak freely?" Cryto asked.
"Speak!" Council Member Three said.
"I was thinking that perhaps Belthazor could help us as well..." Cryto began and then trailed off as he saw the Council members shaking their heads. "What is wrong?" Cryto asked.
"Belthazor has betrayed us." Council Member One said bitterly: "He let the human in him take over. He will be hunted down and punished. But we need not concern ourselves with that." He looked at Litvack, Cryto, Barbas, and Tempus. "Are you four ready to carry out your mission?"
"THE SOURCE IS ONE! THE SOURCE IS ALL!" the four demons chanted together.
"Very good." Council Member One said: "Now go and destroy the Charmed Ones. Dismissed!"
Phoebe sat in the kitchen, sipping a cup of coffee, while going over her psychology notes. Piper was standing near the stove, a metal spatula in one hand and a coffee cup in the other, preparing omelettes. A few moments later, Prue walked in. She looked somewhat frantic as she looked around the kitchen. Phoebe looked up from her notes and Piper pulled her attention away from the omelettes. "Did you guys move my camera equipment?" Prue asked.
"No, because we know that if we touch your equipment you would have an aneurysm and beat us senseless with your tripod." Phoebe said sarcastically. Prue glared at her. "You know, Prue, if you would just find one place to keep--"
"Not now, Pheebs!" Prue interrupted. She flung open the basement door and headed downstairs.
"Is it just me, or has she been extremely irritable lately?" Phoebe asked in a hushed tone.
"Yeah, I know." Piper replied. "I hope I'm not like that when the time comes."
"What are you talking about? Do you know why she's like this?" Phoebe asked.
"You don't?" Piper asked and watched as Phoebe shook her head. "The big 3-0 is rearing it's ugly head. I think Prue's getting the typical signs of a person who's going to be 29 for the rest of her life." Piper concluded.
Phoebe snickered. "I can't believe she would really let that get to her. I can understand that maybe at 40 she'd be like this. I'm kind of scared now to find out what she'll be like at 40, if she's like this at 30."
"Well, hopefully she won't be single when she's 40, because I think that has something to do with it too." Piper replied.
Prue came back up from the basement with her camera bag on her shoulder. She poured herself some coffee in a travel mug and left the kitchen with an absent-minded goodbye. Piper didn't even get a chance to offer her an omelette.
"All I have to say is that any demons we come across are in for hell." Phoebe said.
"The Wrath of Prue." Piper added. Then she returned her attention to the omelettes.
Prue quickly ran outside, got in her car, and drove off. She was moving so fast that she didn't noticed the four demons hiding in the bushes nearby. "Excellent." Litvack said: "The oldest sister is making this easier, because they won't have the Power of Three."
"So what's our next move?" Barbas asked, eager to begin.
"Tempus and I will follow Prue Halliwell." Litvack said: "You and Cryto will stay here and monitor Phoebe and Piper. Do nothing else, not yet at least."
"Understood." Barbas said.
"Well I hope that Prue is in a better mood when she gets to work." Phoebe said as she headed out of the kitchen and into the solarium. Suddenly, she thought she saw two figures standing outside the window, she blinked and looked again, but the figures were gone. "Must have been studying too hard." Phoebe mumbled to herself.
"That was close." Cryto said: "She almost saw us. Litvack told us to stay out of sight."
"I've been thinking, perhaps we could help Litvack by taking out the two other sisters now." Barbas suggested: "They won't be expecting us."
"You're right." Cryto said with an evil smile. "Let's do it."
Piper had finished her breakfast and had gone upstairs to her room to get changed. Suddenly, she heard a noise behind her and turned to see Barbas standing there. Before Piper could do anything, the Fear Demon used his powers to paralyze her. "Now let's see your greatest fear!" the demon said mockingly as he advanced on Piper. Barbas smiled wickedly as he found Piper's fear. "Your greatest fear is that you will lose your lover forever." Barbas said. Piper tried to resist, tried to leave and not listen to him, but she couldn't stop it. "You fear he is in danger right now. A dark lighter is after him. The one being that can kill him is closing in. You can feel it. You have a special bond with your lover and you can feel his fear. But he can't get to you and you can't get to him. You can feel that the dark lighter has caught him. The dark lighter is draining your lover's life out of him. You can feel him weakening. But you can't help him. Your lover is gone."
"No!" Piper cried out. Barbas disappeared as Piper fell to her knees in tears. Moments later Phoebe rushed into the room, having heard Piper's cry. Phoebe knelt next to Piper. "Piper, honey, what's wrong? What happened?" Phoebe asked, deeply concerned.
"Leo, something's happened to Leo." Piper said through her tears.
"What? How do you know?" Phoebe asked, confused.
"I could feel it." Piper said. "A dark lighter. Leo's dead." Piper couldn't say anymore as she totally gave in to her sobbing. Phoebe held Piper, trying to comfort her, and wondering about this. She knew Piper and Leo had a special connection, but she didn't know it was so strong that one could feel when something bad was happening to the other.
"Piper, are you sure?" Phoebe asked. Piper couldn't answer; she just sobbed louder. Phoebe grasped Piper by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "Honey, what exactly happened?" Piper tried to calm her sobbing a bit. Phoebe brushed Piper's hair out of her face and then grabbed some Kleenex of the night stand. "Take your time."
Piper wiped her eyes with the Kleenex and blew her nose. "I-I was just going to change my clothes and I had this-this feeling of, um, of fear and-and then pain. I-I knew it had to be, it had to be..." She trailed off unable to say it.
"Try to call him." Phoebe said. But before Piper could, Barbas and Cryto appeared in the room. Barbas grabbed Piper from behind and held her arms to her sides, while Cryto did the same to Phoebe. The two of them struggled against their attackers, not having much leverage while kneeling on the floor. Phoebe threw her head back and head-butted Cryto. He released his grip on her and fell backwards onto the floor. Piper tried to get away from Barbas, but she couldn't break free. He threw her into the wall and she crumpled to the floor. Phoebe stood and kicked Cryto as he started to get up, causing him to fall out into the hallway. Then she turned and caught Barbas in the jaw with a roundhouse, sending him flying across the room. Piper was able to freeze Cryto and Barbas even though Cryto was out in the hall. Phoebe hurried over to Piper and helped her get up and sit on her bed.
"Barbas is back again." Piper said with a tone of annoyance even though her voice was still shaky from crying.
"Cryto too." Phoebe said and thought for a moment. "Okay, so how much do you want to bet that Leo's perfectly fine?" she asked Piper rhetorically.
"They were probably waiting for Prue to leave." Piper said. She closed her eyes and thought of Leo. Seconds later he orbed in. She stood carefully, her back still sore from slamming into the wall, and she wrapped her arms tightly around him. Leo looked to Phoebe, confused.
"What's wrong?" Leo asked. Piper just held onto him, trying to get her emotions under control.
"She thought you were dead." Phoebe offered. Piper finally pulled away from Leo and sniffed back her tears. Leo was even more confused. Then he saw Barbas lying on the floor frozen. Leo looked to the sisters for an explanation.
"I think Barbas tried to use my fear of losing you against me." Piper said, wiping at her eyes.
"And then he and Cryto tried to ambush us." Phoebe said, gesturing out to the hallway where Cryto was frozen.
"Where's Prue?" Leo asked.
"She's on her way to work." Phoebe replied.
"They were probably waiting for her to leave." Piper said.
Phoebe looked annoyed. "You know, why do demons always think we can't protect ourselves without Prue?"
"Phoebe this isn't the time!" Piper exclaimed. "We all do know that Prue is a tad bit stronger then the rest of us cause she is the eldest, she has had her powers longer then we have. Before Grams bound our powers and she has a lot of buried emotions to contribute to her powers. One day, we'll all be strong and equal." Piper concluded, still clinging onto Leo.
"Fine. Whatever. Let's just kick their snotty butts." Phoebe grumbled. Piper, you stay here, Leo - watch her. Make sure she keeps them frozen." Phoebe walked past Barbas and whispered in his ear: "This time, stay in hell. It must get tiring being kicked in the ass by the same witches over and over again." She then walked over to Cryto, made a face at him, and kept on walking and then came back running as an idea struck her. "Oh! Maybe we can kick Barbas' ass now! Piper, Leo's here, you can release your fear now!" Phoebe said excitedly.
Piper pondered over this for 2 seconds before unfreezing Barbas. As he returned to animated state, he glared at them. Piper defiantly let go of Leo and said "You can't do anything to me. Leo is mine and he'll never be taken away from me. Ever. I'm not scared anymore."
While Piper was making her speech, Phoebe started thinking. Oh no! Prue's not THAT strong without us. What if there are different demons after her? Phoebe decided to go with her gut. She jumped in the air and levitated. She motioned to Leo to push her. He did so and she went out the room and unfortunately her landing was off as she toppled over Cryto, returning him to animated state. He laughed evilly.
Prue stood got out of her car in the parking lot and looked around. She'd had that feeling before, someone was watching her. Someone nearby. "Excuse me..." a voice said from behind her. She spun around ready to use her power on the evil that was following her. "Ma'am... you left your lights on." The young man told her sheepishly.
"Oh...thank you." Prue responded and turned back to her car.
From a distance, Litvack and Tempus watched amused. "She's a bit jumpy." Tempus observed. He and Litvack had carefully followed Prue to her job site.
"This is going to be so much fun! The Source will be most pleased." Litvack said with a menacing grin.
Back at Halliwell Manor, Piper was puzzled: "What was that for?" she asked Phoebe, while freezing Barbas and Cryto again.
"I just had a really, really bad thought." Phoebe said getting up and standing over Cryto who was frozen in mid laugh. "If these two are back, what makes you think that there aren't more out there?"
"Prue!" Piper and Leo said in unison.
"I'll go check on her." Leo offered, orbing out.
"Book of Shadows?" Phoebe asked rhetorically.
"Go! I'll watch them." Piper said as she circled Barbas. "If you ever try that with me again, I'm going to personally make sure you roast!" Piper said to the frozen demon.
Meanwhile, Litvack and Tempus were getting ready to attack Prue, when Litvack suddenly seemed to tense up. "What is it?" Tempus asked.
"Those idiots! I told them not to attack!" Litvack snarled and turned to Tempus: "Wait here, I shall return momentarily." he shimmered out.
Piper was still watching Barbas and Cryto, when Litvack suddenly appeared. "What the..." Piper said, taken completely by surprise.
"Later for you, witch!" Litvack snarled and disappeared again, but taking Barbas and Cryto with him.
Soon after, the four demons were holding a conference in a wooded area. "I told you two to wait!" Litvack growled to Barbas and Cryto: "But you had to try and attack the witches yourselves! You idiots!"
"Now just a moment here!" Cryto shot back: "Who the hell put you in charge of this operation. We're all demons here, all of equal rank!"
"The Infernal Council AND the Source put me in charge!" Litvack yelled back: "Perhaps you should take the matter up with them, Cryto!"
"You know, Litvack, you are really starting to get on my nerves!" Cryto snarled.
"ENOUGH!" Tempus barked and the three demons turned to look at him: "How are we supposed to defeat the Charmed Ones if we bicker among ourselves? We have to put aside any difference we have with each other and work together! Once the witches have been destroyed, then we can work out who is better than who! Are we clear on this?" Tempus then waited to see just what affect his words had.
Meanwhile, back at the Manor, Piper entered the attic, where Phoebe stood looking through the Book of Shadows. "Well, I don't get it. It's not like Abraxas came back and took the Book again. It's here." Phoebe began. "But I don't understand how Cryto and Barbas came back."
"And Litvack." Piper added.
"Litvack too?" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah. He showed up and took Cryto and Barbas with him." Piper explained, a worried look crossing her face.
"Great! He's immune to our powers." Phoebe said in frustration. "Even if we do revanquish whatever other demons are out there, what are we going to do about Litvack?"
"I don't know." Piper said. "We really need to get Prue here so we can all put our heads together on this. I hope Leo can convince her to come home."
Meanwhile, Litvack paced in front of his colleagues. "We need a plan." he said, thinking deeply.
"Well, you seem to have put yourself in charge." Cryto said with contempt. "Why don't you come up with a plan?"
"I had come up with a plan, until you two got impatient and attacked the youngest Charmed Ones!" Litvack said to Cryto and Barbas.
"Some plan." Barbas said. "Stalk the witches. It was bound to be successful. I'm sorry we messed it up."
"Look." Tempus said, interrupting the bickering. "I can manipulate time. Barbas you can use fears. Litvack you're immune to their powers. But Cryto...I haven't quite figured out what you're supposed to contribute. The witches know who you are, so you can't use their vanity against them."
"But I can." Cryto said. "The eldest is concerned about turning 30 years old. If I can make her think that she's starting to look older than her years, she will be vulnerable."
"Perhaps we could go one further." Barbas continued. "Not to make her just think she's looking older, but actually make her look older."
"I can accelerate time in such a way as to make the eldest Halliwell age rapidly." Tempus said.
"Then she would not only be psychologically weakened but also physically." Litvack said. He looked at his colleagues, an evil grin gradually spreading across his face. "I think we have a plan."
Soon after, Cryto shimmered behind some bushes and waited until Prue was about to pass. He waved his hand and smiled to himself. "That will teach you, witch. Let's see how you really feel about getting older." Prue paused as she was walking. She suddenly had a strange feeling inside, followed by a reminder that her 30th birthday was not far off. Forget about it. she thought to herself. 30 is not old. I still look and feel like I did a couple of years ago. It doesn't matter. Suddenly Leo orbed in. "What's wrong?" Prue demanded. "Are Piper and Phoebe okay?"
"We had some trouble this morning. Everyone's okay, but we need you to come home." Leo replied: "Barbas, Cryto, and Litvack paid us a visit. They are gone now, but you know they'll be back. Has anything strange happened to you this morning? We were worried."
"No, not really." said Prue. "I've had a feeling of being watched a couple of times, but I haven't seen anyone. I'll come home right away. I'm feeling a bit tired anyway." Leo orbed out and Prue headed back to her truck. When she climbed in she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Was that a gray hair? It couldn't be. It wasn't there this morning.
A short while later, the sisters and Leo were having a conference in the dining room of Halliwell Manor: "Okay." Prue said: "We know that Barbas, Cryto, and Litvack are back. You think that there may be more out there."
"Well we're not sure, Prue." Piper replied: "But it is a possibility. Looks as if the Source has gone all out this time!"
"Great." Prue said: "So who can we expect next? Tuatha? Andros? Belthazor?" with that last name, Prue saw Phoebe wince. "Sorry, Pheebs." she quickly added.
"That's okay, Prue. I understand." Phoebe replied. Prue's comment could not help but make her think of Cole. It had been several weeks now since she helped him get away, and told everyone he was dead. Where was he now? Was he okay? Was he hurt again? Phoebe knew that she had reached the humanity within Cole, if only Prue and Piper could realize that. If only they could see the good in him. Suddenly, Phoebe realized that Piper had said something. "Sorry, Piper, my mind was wandering."
"All I said is that we should be ready for the next attack." Piper stated.
"Well one thing is certain." Leo said: "Until this threat is over, I am sticking to all of you like glue!"
Meanwhile, outside of Halliwell Manor, Tempus was beginning his part of the plan: "You feel you're getting old, Prue Halliwell? You haven't felt nothing yet." he snickered and waved his hands.
"OW!" Prue suddenly shouted and clutched her left hand.
"What's wrong, Prue?" a concerned Piper asked.
"I don't know." Prue said, wincing in pain: "My left hand just started hurting for no apparent reason."
"Let me see it." Leo said and took Prue's hand. After examining it for a moment, Leo said: "I wish I could do something to help you, Prue, but my powers can't be used against natural causes."
"Natural causes? What do you mean?" Prue asked.
"What I mean, Prue, is that you have advanced arthritis." Leo said slowly.
"Advanced arthritis! That's crazy, Leo. How on earth could I have advanced arthritis when I never had regular arthritis?"
"I can't explain it, but you do." stated Leo.
"Prue honey, you look a little different too." said Piper.
"Different how? What are you talking about?" asked Prue right before she let out another gasp. "Now my shoulder hurts too. What's happening to me?" Prue walked to the mirror over the mantle to gaze at her reflection. The face that greeted her was almost the same, but there were some subtle changes. Her eyes looked tired and there were definitely some gray hairs that had not been there this morning. Prue grimaced at her reflection. She did not like it one bit.
Outside Tempus and Cryto smiled with glee. "Take that, witch!" Cryto sneered: "She will be so concerned about her precious looks and body that she won't be thinking straight. Give it to her again."
"With pleasure." Tempus replied and raised his hands. As he was doing this, Litvack approached and asked: "How's it going?"
"The plan is working." Cryto replied: "Prue Halliwell is slowing aging, and feeling all the effects. Soon she will be too old and weak to defend herself."
"After which, the Power Of Three will be broken." Tempus added.
"Which will finally give us victory." Barbas said. All four demons began to laugh.
"OWWWWW!!" Prue said as she clutched her left knee. "It's getting worse!"
"Something tells me that this is not natural." Phoebe said, the concern for her big sister clearly showing in her voice.
"Right." Piper said: "Come on, Pheebs, give me a hand with Prue. Hopefully there is something in the Book of Shadows that can help her."
"Help her up the stairs, Leo." said Piper.
"Piper, I may be in pain but I'm not ready for a walker yet!" Prue snapped. "Let's get upstairs before this gets worse." Once in the attic Leo helped Prue get into a chair. Going up two flights of stairs was more difficult that she could have imagined. When we find out which demons are behind this, I am going to toss them around until they are screaming in pain before we vanquish them! Prue thought. Phoebe and Piper were looking through the Book Of Shadows trying to find a possible explanation for Prue's condition. "Let's see..." said Phoebe. "What about this: Tempus is the Demon of Time. He is able to accelerate or slow down time. It's possible he has sped up time for Prue. I'm afraid you're aging quickly, sweetie."
"That's just great! As if turning thirty wasn't enough." said Prue.
"Phoebe does it say anything else? How far can he go with this? Can he speed up time today and make her die tonight?" asked Leo. All eyes turned towards Prue who sat hunched over in the chair. Her dark hair was quickly turning gray and pain was etched in every line of her face.
"It's so cold in here." Prue said, as her teeth began to chatter.
"Don't worry, Prue." Phoebe said quickly: "I'll go get a blanket for you." Quickly Phoebe turned and ran out of the attic.
"What are we going to do, Leo?" Piper said with tears in her eyes. "Prue is getting worse and worse. If it is Tempus that is doing this, he's gonna pay!"
The four demons were still standing outside of Halliwell Manor, when Litvack sensed Phoebe was now alone. "Okay, Barbas, you're on." he said.
"Right." Barbas said and vanished.
Phoebe had gone into her bedroom to get a blanket for Prue. She was just taking one off the bed, when Barbas appeared behind her. "Your greatest fear is that Prue is going to die." the demon whispered in Phoebe's ear: "She is going to die, and there is nothing you can do to save her."
"No." Phoebe whimpered.
"She will die!" the demon taunted.
"NO!" Phoebe yelled as anger overcame her fear. Before Barbas had a chance to react, Phoebe whirled around, grabbed him, and flipped him to the floor. Barbas tried to get up, but Phoebe was faster and she kicked him in the head. The demon slumped down, unconscious. "Take that, you son of a bitch!" Phoebe yelled.
Outside the house, Litvack groaned: "Oh that fool! He screwed up again! That's it, he's out of this operation!"
Phoebe was still standing over the unconscious form of Barbas, when a portal suddenly opened up beneath the prone demon. As Phoebe looked on, Barbas was sucked down through the portal, which then quickly closed again. After a few seconds, Phoebe grabbed a blanket off her bed and headed back to the attic.
"What's happened?" Cryto asked.
"I sent a message to the Infernal Council." Litvack answered: "They have recalled Barbas. He is no longer part of this operation."
"So what do we do now?" Tempus asked.
"We push ahead, of course." Litvack replied.
Prue sat in the chair, wrapped in the blanket Phoebe had brought her. She had already aged about 30 years. Her hair was completely gray and her skin had become wrinkled. Her breathing was deep and slow. Piper and Phoebe looked at Prue with concern as she dozed in the chair.
"You know, I never thought Prue would look this bad at 60." Phoebe said quietly.
"I doubt she will." Leo said. "It's just that she has aged so rapidly that there's no time for her to adjust. It's not like 30 years of healthy eating and exercise and whatever. She had no time to prepare for this."
"And there's nothing you can do?" Piper asked one last time, hoping that maybe Leo had forgotten about some loophole in his powers.
"I wish I could." Leo said. "But even though this is supernaturally caused, aging is a natural process. I can't cure aging."
"If you could, there would be a lot of hot young witches out there with their supernatural plastic surgeons." Phoebe joked, managing to get a chuckle out of Leo and Piper. Phoebe and Piper returned to the Book of Shadows and looked at the page for Tempus. They didn't know for sure that he was back, but it was their best guess.
"There's nothing in the Book to stop this or reverse it?" Leo asked.
"It's the same stuff as before." Piper said. "'Remove him from the time that he is in.' We can't do the acceleration spell. It doesn't apply. And we'd probably kill Prue."
At the sound of her name Prue jerked awake. She looked around, disoriented. "Where am I?" Piper and Phoebe approached her and crouched down on either side of the chair, grasping Prue's aged and livers potted hands.
"Prue, honey, you're in the attic." Phoebe said.
"No, I should be at work." Prue said. She pushed off the blanket and slowly tried to stand. She grimaced at the pain of her arthritis.
"No, remember there's a demon after us, and you can't really go to work like this." Piper said.
"Like what?" Prue asked. Piper and Phoebe looked to Leo.
"Memory loss is a common problem with aging." said Leo. They turned back to Prue and saw the upset look on her face. She was staring down at her hands. "What happened to my hands?"
"We think that Tempus has come back and that he's making you age rapidly." Phoebe explained. Prue stared at Phoebe for a moment, seeming angry that Phoebe would suggest such a thing. Then she stood all the way up and pulled her hands away from her sisters. She slowly shuffled toward the full length mirror. Piper stood and tried to stop her. "Prue, you should really save your strength." Piper said, trying to coax Prue back to the chair. Prue just pulled her arm away again. She reached the mirror and looked at the reflection of her aged body. She was hunched over a little and she was trembling. Tears started to trickle down her aged face. Piper stood next to Prue and took her arm. "Prue, why don't you sit down, okay? Don't tire yourself."
"I was supposed to be thirty, not sixty!" Prue said with fear and sadness in her voice.
Phoebe came over and took Prue's other arm. "We know, sweetie. We'll take care of this and get you back to your real age. Now let's get you back to the chair so you don't get too tired." Prue nodded her head and they helped her back to her seat. Prue looked so defeated now, nothing like the determined, strong sister they knew. She was so small in that chair, wrapped in the blanket that seemed to consume her. Piper and Phoebe looked at each other and walked back to the Book of Shadows, determined to get their sister back the way she was. Leo pulled a chair over and sat beside Prue, trying to comfort her in any way he could. This was really starting to get to him more than Phoebe or Piper realized. It was making him think about how he would have to watch this happen to the sisters anyway, while he stayed young and healthy. His immortality had it's setbacks. He had gone through this with his family in the past, his mom, his dad, and his sister. He hadn't actually been there with them, but he had watched it as they grew old and died. This drew him back to that. It was almost more than he could take.
"What about you, Piper?" Phoebe asked.
"What about me?" Piper asked back, not sure what Phoebe was getting at.
"Your power deals with time manipulation." Phoebe said.
"Yeah, freezing time, not reversing it." Piper said.
"But maybe if you worked at it you could go one step further and make yourself able to reverse time." Phoebe suggested.
"You know better than any of us that you can't force a new power to come, Pheebs." Piper said.
"It wouldn't necessarily be a new power, just an extension of your current one." Phoebe argued. "And it's about damn time you had a growth spurt. Prue and I have two powers now. I mean that you've always been a late bloomer..." she trailed off.
"I don't know." Piper said, doubt in her voice. "I've always just figured that, you know, when I was ready for a growth spurt it would happen when it was meant to happen. It's like a watched pot--"
"It never boils." Phoebe said with disappointment. "Yeah, I get the idea. It was just a thought."
"Don't be disappointed. At least you're getting ideas, no matter how unlikely they may be." Piper said. "Keep thinking." The two sisters went back to the Book of Shadows, while Leo kept an eye on Prue. Finally, Phoebe stumbled upon something that she, in her frustration, had overlooked before. "Hey, look at this!" she called out.
"What is it, Pheebs?" Piper asked.
"It says here that if we vanquish Tempus within twenty-four hours of his casting his spell, the spell would be nullified. Prue would return to normal."
"Easier said that done, since we don't know where Tempus is. Plus he has three other demons backing him up."
"Two." Phoebe said.
"What do you mean?" asked Piper.
"I think we can scratch Barbas." Phoebe said and went on to explain what happened when Barbas attacked her while she was getting the blanket. "It looked as if the Source dragged him back to Hell."
"Great." Piper said: "One down, three to go."
Litvack paced back and forth. "Ok, Tempus, you'll be next to attack. Attack when they are off guard. They don't know about you yet...and make sure they are as far away from the Book as possible. Hopefully they won't remember the spell to get rid of you off the top of their heads." With that said, Tempus' haughty grin faltered.
"Don't worry." Cryto spoke up. "If I remember correctly, the only spell in that Book concerning Tempus is the one to accelerate time. That would kill Prue."
"Okay, we need a plan of action! First off, Piper you can mix up a potion to defeat Cryto. I stuck that page Aunt Gail tore out of the book back in it. Leo, could you please go to them and ask them if they would give us any information on Litvack and how to defeat him?" Leo nodded. "Thanks!" Phoebe yelled after his orbing light. She turned around to check on Prue when she came face to face with Tempus. "Who the hell are you?!" She yelled, having to never seeing Tempus before. Her only response was a vision of being thrown across the foyer hall, hitting the wall and breaking the glass on it. "Does that refresh your memory?" cackled Tempus.
"Tempus." Phoebe uttered, very scared.
"Correct!" Tempus declared as he faced Phoebe. "We never actually met during our first encounter. So now it's fitting that we meet, before I destroy you all!"
"Think again!" Piper yelled and waved her hands, but Tempus did not freeze. "It's not working." she said to Phoebe.
"Of course not!" Tempus smirked: "I am Tempus! I am the master of time, not it's slave!"
While all this was going on, Prue was still sitting in her chair, wrapped in her blanket. She was too old and weak at this point to help her sisters, but the name Tempus penetrated deep into her brain. Andy! Prue forced herself to think: This is the bastard that got Andy killed, and now he's back. I have to do something, for Andy, and my sisters! Slowly Prue rose from her chair and hobbled towards the Book of Shadows, a determined looked slowly beginning to form in her aged face.
"So which one of you will I destroy first?" Tempus asked as he looked from Piper to Phoebe, taking his time to choose his first victim.
"You seem awfully confident of yourself, Tempus." Phoebe said: "Don't count us out yet!"
"Oh, I'm so scared!" Tempus said mockingly: "Face it, witch. You've lost!"
"That's what you think." Prue's voice said. Everyone turned around and saw her standing at the Book of Shadows. Before anyone could stop her, Prue uttered the following spell:
Winds of time gather round,
give me wings to speed my way,
help me on my journey fourth,
let tomorrow be today!"NOOOOOOOOOO!!" Tempus shrieked as time sped up into the next day. The demon howled as a portal opened up beneath him and sucked him down. After the portal closed, Piper and Phoebe ran over to Prue, who had collapsed on the floor after reading the spell.
"Is she okay?" Phoebe asked.
"Relax, Pheebs, I'm fine." Prue said as she sat up. To the relief of her sisters, Prue had returned to her correct age. "I remembered what you said earlier." Prue said with a smile: "That if Tempus was defeated within twenty-four hours of casting his spell, that spell would be nullified. So I took the risk."
"Wow, Prue, that was quite a gamble." Piper said: "If we had been wrong..." she trailed off, not willing to complete the thought.
"Well you weren't." Prue said with resolve: "Besides, that bastard had it coming. Don't forget, he played a part in killing Andy."
"Okay, Prue. I see your point." Phoebe said: "Well that's two down, two to go. Now what?"
"Ooh! I gotta get back to the potion. That'll put Cryto back where he belongs." Piper said
"Where's Leo?" Prue inquired.
"With them." Phoebe said. "Getting info on how to defeat Litvack."
"Okay, let's help Piper finish that potion." Prue replied.
Back outside, Litvack was even more angry: "Damn! Tempus has failed and has been recalled." he turned to Cryto: "It's down to you and me."
"Well, great leader." Cryto said mockingly: "Looks as if things didn't go exactly as you planned."
"Shut up and let's go attack these witches! No more playing around!"
"Now you're talking!" Cryto said as the two demons headed for the Manor. Finally they would get their revenge on the Charmed Ones.
In the attic, Leo orbed back in: "I found a way to defeat Litvack. We have to...." he got no farther as a crashing noise was heard downstairs.
"Looks as if we are going to get our chance." Prue said, as she, Piper and Phoebe headed out of the attic.
"Where are you, witches!?" Litvack yelled as he and Cryto advanced into the hallway and stood at the foot of the stairs.
"Here we are. Come and get us!" Prue challenged as she and her sisters stood on the stairs, ready for action.
"My pleasure." Cryto said and started forwards. He got only a few steps, before Prue's powers threw him backwards, where he crashed into the great grandfather clock and fell to the floor, out cold.
"Great, we ought to send a bill to the Source for all the times his flunkies have wrecked that clock." Phoebe muttered.
"You won't take me out that easy." Litvack said and started forward: "Your powers have no effect on me."
"Quick, up to the attic!" Prue said.
Leo was still waiting in the attic, when the Halliwells came back in. "Okay, Leo, how do we beat Litvack?" Prue asked.
"You can use the Power of Three to beat him." Leo replied: "If you channel your powers through me. That will boost them. Hurry, I haven't got time to explain! You'll have to trust me on this. Take my hands."
"That's okay, Leo. We trust you." Piper and as she and he sisters took Leo's hands and joined hands themselves.
"Now I have you!" Litvack declared as he charged into the attic.
"No you don't." Prue said as they began the chant:
THE POWER OF THREE WILL SET US FREE!
THE POWER OF THREE WILL SET US FREE!
THE POWER OF THREE WILL SET US FREE!While this was happening, Leo began to glow and that glow flowed through the sisters. Soon it formed an energy beam, that shot out and transfixed Litvack. "AGGHHHHH!!" the demon screamed in pain.
Downstairs, Cryto had come to and heard Litvack's scream. He quickly came to a decision of his own: "Like they say, he who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day!" The demon rose to his feet and headed out the front door, not looking back once.
Back in the attic, Litvack gave one final scream and then exploded into flames. Suddenly, a portal opened up beneath him and Litvack was sucked through it. After the portal closed again, the Charmed Ones and Leo smiled. They were exhausted, but triumphant.
Later, the four of them were sitting at the dining room table. "Well, I guess that wraps this up." Prue said.
"Not quite." Phoebe replied: "Don't forget Cryto got away. I get the feeling we haven't seen the last of him." Upon coming downstairs, the group had realized that Cryto had slipped away, no doubt planning to fight another day.
"You may be right, Pheebs." Prue said: "But for now, I feel like celebrating."
"I got an idea." Piper said as she exchanged smiles with Leo: "I know this club, P3, that has a generous owner. How about drinks on the house!"
"You're on!" Prue said, and the Halliwells and Leo went off for a well deserved celebration.
