Author’s note: Paris is ready to pop, un the next chapter she will have baby boy, but i'm not going to do a birth scene as i know some wanted that, bit at the end of the day its still my story and writing it on my way.
Sorry, but this had to be said.
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Paige and Ben were there. Piper and Phoebe walked in. Even Paris was there with Cole, he didn't leave her side, since she was ready pop anytime soon. Phoebe looked at her sisters. “All I’ve got to say is this better be good.” Then she noticed Ben. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”
“I’m sorry, Phoebe, it’s really important.” Paige told her.
“Desperate demons call for desperate measures." Piper added.
Ben looked at them. “I think that, uh, someone is trying to drive me crazy.”
Cole looked at his brother, took everything in what he just said. “I believe you.” Ben nodded to his twin.
“Well, that makes two of us.” Phoebe told to Ben.
Ben sighed. “No, you don’t understand, I don’t know what’s real anymore, what’s going on in my mind. I almost killed my secretary today, and then Leo…” Phoebe seemed to listen no more. Paris frowned, she thought she had seen something. “Are you listening to me?”
“Yeah.” Phoebe nodded. “But Ben, I’m not gonna allow you to drag me back into your world of evil.”
“I need to figure out what is going on before somebody gets hurt.” Ben told her.
Phoebe looked at him. This time Paris thought, she heard something. “How do I know this just isn’t another one of your tricks to get me back?”
“My tricks?” Ben blinked. “This is no trick. I am seriously afraid of what I might do and I’m begging you for your help.”
Phoebe sighed. “I’m sorry, Ben, I can’t. I have to draw the line sometime and I’m gonna draw it right now.” Ben disappeared.
Just then Paige spoke up. “Listen, far be it for me to take his side but what if he is actually telling the truth?”
Piper nodded. “I agree. If there’s a demon out there powerful enough to mess with Ben’s mind…”
“Then it’s his problem. It’s not ours and it’s not mine anymore. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go back outside and try to salvage what is left of my date.” Phoebe leaves the office.
-------------------
Across the room, Phoebe sat back down with Miles. Piper, Paris, Cole and Paige were sitting at the bar. Then Paige looked at them. “Now what? We can’t just sit around here doing nothing.”
Cole made a face. “I’m going to get a drink, have a fun talk.” He said to Paris.
"Yeah, sweetie.” Paris nodded as then Cole walked away.
Piper looked at them. “No, unfortunately, Ben is really powerful and if some demon is trying to manipulate him…”
Paris frowned as Paige spoke up. “Hello? You were saying?”
“On second thought, maybe we should just let it go.” Piper replied.
“What?!” Paris exclaimed.
Paige blinked. “Let it go?”
Piper nodded. “Yeah, it wouldn’t be the first time Ben’s been less than honest with us. Maybe Phoebe’s right, it’s not really our problem.”
“What the hell?!” Paris exclaimed.
“Yeah, it’s not our problem until he hurts us.” Paige comment in agreement.
Piper nodded. “True.” She paused. “But then again, why should we trust him? He’s brought us nothing but misery in the past.”
Paris frowned, she thought she heard something as then Paige blinked at their sister. “What is wrong with you? Is this Dr. Jekyl or Mr. Piper? Make up your mind, lady.”
“Look, all I know is the more I think about it, the more I agree with Phoebe.” Piper sighed. “We don’t need to go looking for trouble, trouble comes to find us anyway.”
Paige blinked. “But, wh...”
Piper sighed. “Paige, look, two against two, okay.” Then she walked away.
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Later in the Manor. Piper, Phoebe, Paris, Cole Paige and Ben were there. Ben was sitting on the chair, badly bruised. “Barbas? You couldn’t have brought back Andras or Shax or somebody we could actually vanquish?” Piper asked them all.
“Is that the guy I keep hearing, when he’s around.” Paris comment as the others looked at her.
“What?!” Paige exclaimed.
“Well, its true.” Paris replied. “But I didn’t know who he was.”
“Why didn’t you say?” Piper asked her.
“You wouldn’t belief me.” Paris replied, sighing.
Just then Paige spoke up. “Okay, heal now, yell later, Ben’s injured.”
Then Leo walked in. Phoebe looked at them. “Leo can’t heal Evil.”
“Relatable.” Paris muttered. Cole looked over at her, he sighed.
Paige looked at them. “He’s not evil anymore, the potion worked, I stripped him of his demonic powers.”
“And gave them to Barbas.” Piper added, bitterly.
Leo walked over to Ben and started healing him. Paige looked at Piper. “Listen, I really don’t need a lecture right now.”
“No, you really do because you have no idea what you’ve done and now we have a serious problem.” Piper comment.
“Guys.” Leo healed Ben fully.
Piper sighed. “Great, he’s not evil. But we still have a serious problem.”
“What happened?” Ben asked them.
Phoebe looked at him. “What happened is the worst demon we’ve ever faced tricked you and Paige into freeing him and now he has your powers.” She replied.
Paige sighed. “I’m really sorry.”
“I think we should give Paige a break, she was just acting on her instincts.” Leo told them.
Piper looked at Paige. “Paige, we know you’re really sorry and it’s not the fact that you screwed up that we’re upset about. It’s the fact that you didn’t listen to us.”
“We’ve just had a lot more experience than you do, we’ve been at this a lot longer.” Phoebe added.
“I’m sorry.” Paris exclaimed. “Just because she hasn’t more experience, doesn’t mean her instincts are wonky. She has good instincts.”
“Like you can talk.” Phoebe comment.
“I’m sorry?” Paris asked.
“You are the youngest than any of us.” Phoebe replied to her. “You should listen to us as well.”
“You are not my mother!” Paris exclaimed angry. “You are my sister and I can speak up my opinion. And btw listening goes both ways. Not one way when the oldest is always right and the youngest is not.” She hissed. “I’m about to be a mother, for gods sake!” Then Cole walked over to her, he put his arm around her. The other two were quiet, realising she was right.
Then Paige blinked at them. “What does this Barbas do? What’s his thing?” She asked them.
“He brings really bad things to life.” Piper replied after being quiet.
“Your worst fears to be exact.” Leo added.
Phoebe looked at them. “And who knows what we can expect now that he has Ben’s demonic energy.”
“I’ll do everything in my power to help you guys fight him.” Ben told them.
Cole nodded to his brother. “I belief you.”
Piper sighed. “Well, unfortunately, anything in your power right now isn’t a whole hell of a lot.”
“But I’m the only who knows how my powers work, how he might use them.” Ben countered.
“He’s right.” Paris comment.
“He’s got a point.” Leo added.
“What’s he gonna do next?” Paige asked them.
“Get even.” Phoebe replied. “What else?”
“Actually, I’m a little worried he didn’t try to do that already.” Ben replied.
Piper glared at him. “That’s funny, that didn’t occur to me as something to worry about.”
“Well, if I’m right, you’ve got bigger problems.” Ben told them. “If he gains control of my powers he might try to use them to reorganise the Underworld. Become the next Source. You have to get to him before he does or he’ll be impossible to stop.”
Piper blinked. “Uh.”
-------------------
Later they were looking through some books. Paige sighed. “There has to be a vanquish for him in here somewhere.”
“We’ve never been able to vanquish him, just neutralise him.” Phoebe added.
“Actually we didn’t, Prue did.” Piper told them.
Paige looked at them. “Well, maybe you can just do whatever Prue did to banish him last time.”
Phoebe sighed. “It won’t work.”
“Prue didn’t banish him with a spell, she banished him by conquering her fears.” Leo explained.
Ben sighed. “Conquering fears isn’t going to vanquish him anymore anyway, not with my powers inside him.”
“Okay, you know what? Time’s up. Let me look.” Phoebe sat in front of the Book of Shadows.
Paige sighed. “Oh, okay, apparently saying I’m sorry a hundred and twelve times didn’t work. Maybe a hundred and thirteen. I am sorry.”
“It’s okay, we are all human.” Paris told her. “Even though we are witches.”
Phoebe looked at Paige. “Paige, I’m not trying to make you feel bad, it’s just, you know, you pulled me away from my third date with Miles. A third date.”
“A hundred and fourteen. I’m sorry.” Paige told them.
Paris grabbed her hand “It’s okay.”
“Shouldn’t you guys give Paige a break?” Ben asked to others. “She had good intentions, that’s gotta count for something.”
Paige smiled at him. “Thank you… I think.”
“Where’d that come from?” Piper asked.
“The only place it could, his heart. Ben’s good now.” Leo replied.
Phoebe sighed. “Yeah, well, it doesn’t change anything.”
“Oh, bug up.” Paris comment, a bit angry.
Ben looked at Phoebe. “Doesn’t it? You’re the only one who’s seen that side of me, it’s the side you fell in love with.”
“Please don’t go there.” Phoebe pleaded.
“And more importantly, since you don’t have any powers, maybe Leo should take you someplace safe.” Piper added.
Ben disagreed. “No, you’ll need me to fight Barbas.”
“If Ben is good, doesn’t that make him an innocent and doesn’t that mean we need to protect him now?” Paige asked to them.
“She’s right, you should go. Please.” Phoebe told him. Then Leo orbed out with Ben. “Okay, well, there’s nothing in here. We’re gonna have to figure out a way to vanquish Barbas on our own.”
“Well, we could use the crystal cage liked we did with the Source, they’ve got the same powers.” Piper suggested.
“Sure.” Paris comment.
Then Cole looked at Paris. “I’m going to check on Ben.”
“Okay, sweetie.” Paris comment as then Cole shimmered out.
“Actually, that might work.” Phoebe told them. “We just have to find a way to get him here.”
“I can write a spell.” Paige suggested.
“Sure.” Paris comment.
“Well, that shouldn’t be too hard, all we have to do is remind him of how much he hates us and he should come running.” Piper told them.
Phoebe looked at them. “I could modify the astral projection spell, try to get him here.”
“I’ll orb him.” Paige suggested.
Piper shook with her head. “Uh, no, Phoebe should go.”
Paige looked disappointed. Phoebe looked at her. “Only because I’ve already overcome my deepest fear the last time Barbas attacked. He can’t hurt me.”
“What was your fear?” Paige asked her.
Phoebe looked at her. “Losing a sister.”
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They were moved in the Attic. Piper and Paige were standing around the crystal cage. Paris sat next to them on a chair. Phoebe was sitting across the room. Then she astral projected back in her body. “Incoming.” Then she got up and stood beside the crystal cage. Barbas appeared inside the circle.
“Paige.” Piper called.
Paige put down a crystal and the cage activated. “Got it.”
Phoebe began. “Prudence, Penelope, Patricia…”
“Melinda, Astrid, Helena…”Piper added.
“Laura and Grace.” Paige and Paris finished.
Then they all read up. “Halliwell witches stand strong beside us, vanquish this evil from time and space.”
Barbas exploded. When the smoke cleared they notice Barbas was still standing there. “I guess you wanted me, now you have me.” He waved his hands and the walls bricked up. Then he disappeared. “And now I’ve got you.”
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Paige was in the hallway. Phoebe, Paris and Piper walked in. Phoebe sighed. “Okay, the windows in our rooms are all bricked over too.”
“All the windows downstairs are the same.” Piper added.
“We’re trapped.” Paris comment, sighing.
“Like hell we are.” Paige tried to orb out but she bounced off the walls. She bounced into the nursery and orbed back in. “Okay, on second thought.”
“Leo!” Piper called.
Paige sighed. “My guess if I can’t get out, he is not getting in.”
“Well, I can get out.” Piper comment.
Phoebe waved it off. “Yeah-yeah-yeah.”
Piper tried to blow up the wall but can’t. “I can’t get out. We can’t get out!”
“Okay, let’s not panic, ‘cause that’s what Barbas wants us to do is panic, right?” Phoebe asked.
“Yeah.” Paris replied.
Paige frowned. “Why doesn’t he just kill us and get it over with, if that’s what he wants.”
“Because he wants us to suffer, that’s why.” Piper explained.
“A little mental torture.” Phoebe added.
Paige heard a noise coming from the nursery and she walked in. “Guys?”
“What is it?” Paris asked, frowning.
Phoebe looked over. “What’s the matter?”
“Don’t you see it?” Paige saw the walls moving inwards. “The walls are moving in on me.” She tried to leave the nursery but the door slammed shut. “Help, get me outta here!”
-----------------
Piper frowned. “Is she claustrophobic?”
Paris shrugged as Phoebe blinked. “I don’t know, is she?”
“Paige, it’s just a hallucination.” Piper called.
Phoebe nodded. “Yeah, it’s not real, honey, you’re okay.” Suddenly, Piper screamed. “What? What? What?”
Dozens of tarantulas appeared crawling towards Piper. “Tarantulas. Lots and lots of tarantulas.” Piper replied, loudly.
“I don’t see anything.” Paris replied, frowning.
Phoebe frowned. “No, there’s no tarantulas. This isn’t real, you’re hallucinating, remember?” Then she saw Miles.
“Phoebe, it isn’t real.” Paris comment.
Then Phoebe to it as then she punched it into the face and vanished. “Okay, people, time to get over your fears right now!”
“Easy for you to say, you’re not facing killer spiders.” Piper called.
“Neither are you.” Phoebe comment.
A spider crawled onto Piper’s shoulder. She flicked it onto the ground and squished another one with her foot. All the spiders vanished. “Yuck.”
Phoebe smiled. “Good girl.” Then she looked at looked at Paris. “Are you okay.”
“I’m okay.” Paris replied to her.
Then Piper focused on Paige. “Paige, it’s all-in your head.” The walls moved closer to Paige. The cot broke into pieces. “Don’t be afraid, you’re gonna be okay.”
“I’m not afraid. I’m not afraid. I’m okay, I’m not afraid.” The light blows and the room went dark. “I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid.” The walls stopped moving and the room returned to normal. Paige walked into the room. “I did it.”
Phoebe smiled. “Yeah.”
Piper sighed. “He’s not done, he can’t be. He’s just playing with us.”
“He is.” Paris comment.
“We need a plan.” Phoebe told them.
“Why don’t I just strip his powers like I stripped Ben’s?” Paige asked to them.
Piper looked at her. “I don’t think that’ll solve the problem. Those powers are gonna have to find a new demon home. Unless we give them back to Ben.”
“No, no, we cannot give them back to Ben.” Paige disagreed.
Phoebe looked at her. “Why not? They’re his.”
“No, he knows what it’s like to be good now.” Paige argued. “Giving them back to him would be completely unfair and probably a death sentence.”
Piper looked at her. “He’s the only one that knows how to control them. Anybody got any better ideas? Let’s go make the potion.” Then they walked into the hallway and Leo orbed in. “Leo, what happened?”
Paris frowned. “Huh.”
“Barbas, he attacked us.” Leo replied.
“What? Where?” Phoebe asked.
“Downstairs. I orbed in with Ben and the windows bricked over.” Leo replied to her.
Piper blinked. “You left him down there?”
“Weird.” Paris comment.
Leo nodded. “Yeah, I came up for help. Besides, Ben knows Barbas’s powers so he can get away from him.”
“Not for long.” Paige comment.
“We need him.” Phoebe added.
“I’ll go.” Piper tod them. “You guys make sure that potion’s done.”
“Do you think it’s a good idea to split up?” Paige asked. “What if that’s exactly what Barbas wants.”
Phoebe sighed. “Do we have a choice?”
“Okay, let’s get this over with.” Piper replied.
------------------------
Later Barbas was blown up. Piper stood at the doorway, but Barbas was pulled back together. “Playing on an expecting mother’s fears. That was a good one. But not that good.” She wenr to blow him up but he disappeared, then Paris walked in. A few bricks disappeared from the wall, letting some light in. Piper went over to Phoebe. “What happened?”
“I thought that she was him.” Phoebe replied.
“Oh, no.” Piper sighed. “The only way we can save her is if you overcome your fears. Tell me what you’re afraid of.”
Phoebe looked at her sisters. “I’m evil.”
Piper blinked as Paris walked over to them. “What? No, you’re not. This was an accident. I have known you your entire life, there is not a mean bone in your body. And you need to believe that right now.”
Phoebe sighed. “But…”
“No, not a chance in hell.” Piper exclaimed. The bricks vanished from the wall. “Leo.” Leo orbed in with Ben. Cole shimmered in. “Paige.”
-------‐-----------
At the Attic. Leo was healing Paige. Piper was making the potion. Then Paige woke up. “Paige, you’re okay, thank god.” Phoebe hugged Paige.
“What happened?” Paige asked to them.
“Good thing we were trying to orb in when the barricade came down.” Leo replied.
“Yeah.” Paris comment.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.” Phoebe exclaimed.
“You’re suffocating me.” Paige complained.
Phoebe looked sheepishly. “Oh, sorry.” Then they stood up.
Then Ben spoke up. “Um, well, I hate to break this up but Barbas will be back soon.”
“I’m ready.” Piper comment.
Then Leo looked at Ben. “Are you?”
Ben looked at Phoebe. “To take evil back? No. But I’m not doing it for me.”
Barbas appeared and created a blast which knocked everyone to the floor. Piper dropped the potion. Everyone got back up. “Miss me, my babies?” Piper tried to blow him up but he just shook it off. “Oh, I’m a very quick study.”
“What do we do?” Paige asked to them.
Barbas smirked. “Ah, still alive I see.”
“You leave her alone.” Phoebe snarled at him.
Barbas created a magical wall in front of Piper, Phoebe, Paris, Leo, Cole and Ben. “Naughty, naughty, naughty. Wait your turn.”
“Paige, orb the potion.” Phoebe told her.
Paige sighed. “It’s in a puddle.”
“You can do it. Prue did.” Piper encouraged her.
Barbas smirked. “Ay, there’s the rub. You’re no Prue are you?”
“Potion!” Paige called. The potion orbed onto Barbas and he fell to his knees. A black mist floats out of Barbas’s body and into Ben’s. Barbas got up and tried to throw an energy ball. An energy ball formed in Ben hand.
“Looking for this?” Ben throws an energy ball at Barbas and vanquishing him. Ben looked at Phoebe and disappeared.