And So It All Begins..
Title: And So It All Begins...
Fandom: Charmed/Good Omens/A Knight's Tale
Characters: Phoebe/Paige/Crowley
Prompt: 052 - Bending the Rules
Word Count: 1,763
Rating: PG for mild language
Summary: Phoebe and Paige have had enough of the Elders and losing everything. When they threaten to walk away and leave them to protect themselves, the Elders are forced to make a very hard bargain with the sisters.
Author's Notes: What one sister will risk for her sister's happiness...
"You cannot be serious! This is an outrage!"
"We're completely serious," one of the women standing in front of them shot back angrily. "We quit! We're done. Find someone else to fight your damn battles for you."
"You cannot do this!"
"The hell we can't," the other woman snapped. "We can. We have. We will. Looks like we did."
"Phoebe... Paige... be reasonable."
"We're being very reasonable. For the last fifteen to eighteen years we have fought every battle that has come our way. We have watched people we love die and been powerless to save them -- all because we're trying to save your ass." Phoebe shook her head. "We're done. Paige and I are tired of being your puppets."
"But you're the Charmed Ones..."
"No, we're not," Paige said angrily. "Not anymore. That all ended when you let our sister die ... Again."
"There was nothing we could do."
"Bullshit!" Phoebe snarled at the Elders. "You could have saved her and you refused, just like always. I've lost Prue and Piper. I am not losing Paige, too."
"Phoebe - "
"No. We're tired of your lies and your excuses," Paige said as she stepped closer to Phoebe's side to offer support. "I am no more willing to risk Phoebe anymore than she is willing to risk me. We have been through too much and we're not going to do it any longer."
"We gave you your powers - "
"The hell you did!" Phoebe clenched her fists at her side as she took a step forward. "Melinda Warren gave this family our powers. They come from her blood and have travelled down our family line." She glared at them. "We know our history and we know that somewhere along the line you did your best to convince one of our ancestors that our family needed you. In reality, it was you people that needed us. Oh sure, you've augmented our powers when it has suited you and even blocked them from time to time to be asses. But you sure as hell did not give us our powers."
"You have a duty and a responsibility."
"Why? Because you say we do?"
"Your ancestors would be disappointed in you for turning your backs on your responsibilities to protect the innocent."
"I somehow doubt our ancestors would be upset with us for having gotten tired of watching everyone we love die."
Paige placed her hand on Phoebe's shoulder, trying to calm her down. "You have taken too much from us and we're not willing to give you anything more."
"The world needs you."
"The world can go to hell and the lot of you can go with it," Phoebe said bitterly.
"Phoebe," a different elder said placatingly. "There has to be a way we can work this out. You like helping people. You like protecting them."
"I don't like my family dying."
"I know. But you are needed, whether you like it or not and I know it's been hard on you."
Paige looked at Phoebe and then eyed the other Elder with deep suspicion shining in her eyes.
"Tell us what you want, and we'll give it to you."
Paige saw the gleam that came into her sister's eyes at that and she shook her head. Uh oh. The Elders were about to get a big surprise.
"How bad do you want us?"
"Excuse me?"
"How bad do you want us to keep protecting you and keeping balance between good and evil in the world?"
"Phoebe, the importance of your calling is something that cannot be measured."
Phoebe looked at Paige and her gaze softened in thought, and then she looked back at the Elders. There was a smirk on her face and a hardness in her eyes. "We'll be your champions... on three conditions."
"Three?"
"Phoebe?" Paige wasn't sure she liked this. Something was about to happen and she didn't know if it was good or bad.
"Three."
"Name your price."
The triumph that shown in Phoebe Halliwell's eyes should have been a serious warning to the Elders. Unfortunately for them, it wasn't.
"Condition One : You augment Paige's Healing and Orbing Powers, making them stronger-- permanently. You give me back that nifty fire-throwing power I had back in the twenties. I need some sort of aggressive and active power to protect us when I cannot fight."
"We can do that."
"Condition Two : You revert us in age back to our early twenties, with memories and powers completely in tact. In doing this, you do not erase all of the work we have done, nor do you change what the Book of Shadows reads as now."
There were grumblings among the Elders Council, and they conferred among them. Finally the woman Phoebe had been addressing nodded. "It is done." She looked at the sisters. "And the third condition?"
The smile that crossed Phoebe's face was an exact duplicate of Penny Halliwell's. She was about to show them how much of her grandmother's girl she really was.
"Condition Three : You give us the power to move through time so we can find and return with Geoffrey Chaucer."
"WHAT?!" The council erupted in argument and protestations at the woman who had dared to be so contrary.
Phoebe gave her sister a long look and then she turned back to the Elders, calm and unshaken by their display.
"You have taken everything from me... and from her. You took Mom and Grams and Andy and Prue. We watched you take Lindsay from Piper. Then you took Cole from me."
"Belthazor was a demon."
"Cole was my husband and he had loved me since high school." Her eyes hardened. "You took our child. You gave Piper another glimpse of happiness before you took Leo from her. You took Kyle from Paige. You let Darryl be killed. Then... you took Piper." Phoebe shook her head as she put an arm around Paige's shoulders. "Paige never stopped loving Geoff. You owe her."
"It's impossible. It cannot be done. The first two things we can do for you, but not this one. It's too much."
Phoebe shrugged. "Then you're all alone in your battle against evil, aren't you?"
"You can be replaced!" That was a roar from the first Elder.
Phoebe cocked her head. "Can we? By who? No really, by who?" She bared her teeth in a feral manner. "It seems to me you guys screwed yourselves on that one. After Paige and I, there are no other Halliwells. You took care of that when you let Wyatt and Chris be killed." Phoebe shrugged and then turned to walk away.
"Wait!" There might have been desperation in his tone.
Phoebe turned her head. "Yes?"
"The other side will never allow it and even if they do, the two of you will be hunted... no matter what time period you're in."
"Dealing with the other side on this is your problem." Phoebe smirked. "Hunted no matter where we go... you mean like now?"
"We may be forced to allow them to do the same thing... or send someone through the times with you."
"Demonic bounty hunters?"
"It's a risk."
"I'll take it."
The Elders conferred again for a long moment and then looked at Phoebe. "You realize the risks and that you may not be able to call on a Whitelighter for aid."
"I'll have Paige."
"Paige, what say you about your sister's demands?"
"I'm with Phoebe on this. We've been in danger since we got our powers. This isn't any different."
The head Elder nodded. "Return home and you'll have your demands within the hour."
Phoebe met his eyes. "Your word on the honour of your soul and your duty to good," she demanded.
"You don't trust us?"
"Let me think - No."
"We swear on our souls and our duty to good that your demands will be met." He looked at her seriously. "You're still the Charmed Ones, dedicated to doing good and protecting innocents?"
"Until such time as you try to betray us... again."
He nodded and the two sisters left the meeting room in the clouds.
Paige pulled Phoebe aside once they left the Elders and were once more in the gardens of Halliwell manor.. "Pheebs... are you sure about this?"
Phoebe nodded. "Paige, you love him, you never stopped loving him. I couldn't stop them from taking Cole, but the least I can do is help you find your happiness again."
"This is dangerous."
"So is what they have turned our lives into."
Paige couldn't argue with that. "What about your happiness?"
"I lost that when I lost Cole and Piper. Cole was my heart and my soul. Nothing can ever replace that."
"Nothing, Poppet?"
Phoebe and Paige stiffened in shock, and then turned around. It was Paige who found the words first.
"Crowley?"
Phoebe didn't even try to speak and of its own accord, her hand flew out and a stream of fire slammed into the demon's chest.
"Wow, looks like you got your new power, Pheebs."
"Bloody hell, Poppet. Is that anyway to greet your emissary from the other side? Setting him on fire?"
"Our what... who?" Phoebe shook her head. "Oh no. No... no... NO!"
"Looks like the Elders got a nice bit of revenge thrown in at you," Paige said softly.
"I can handle it," Phoebe said, but her voice didn't sound as sure as it had been.
"It's good to see you, Poppet. I was afraid that your feelings for me might have change, what."
Paige's heart broke at the pain she saw filling her sister's eyes and she wanted to get ahold of one of the Elders and kick his ass. They knew! They knew all about the history between Phoebe and Crowley. How could they do this to her?!
She looked from Phoebe to Crowley and she could see there were feelings there, still.
When Phoebe walked away to regain her composure, she looked at Crowley. "Give her time. Cole's death is still an ache with her. He was her life."
"She's aged well," Crowley said, not looking at Paige.
"If the Elders keep the rest of their bargain, we'll be younger again in a few hours."
"That will be interesting."
No, what was going to be interesting was this whole crazy quest, Paige thought. He looked after her sister and then looked back at Crowley. There was something in his eyes that she wasn't sure she liked and she wondered if finding Geoff was worth what all of this could do to her sister.
Fandom: Charmed/Good Omens/A Knight's Tale
Characters: Phoebe/Paige/Crowley
Prompt: 052 - Bending the Rules
Word Count: 1,763
Rating: PG for mild language
Summary: Phoebe and Paige have had enough of the Elders and losing everything. When they threaten to walk away and leave them to protect themselves, the Elders are forced to make a very hard bargain with the sisters.
Author's Notes: What one sister will risk for her sister's happiness...
"You cannot be serious! This is an outrage!"
"We're completely serious," one of the women standing in front of them shot back angrily. "We quit! We're done. Find someone else to fight your damn battles for you."
"You cannot do this!"
"The hell we can't," the other woman snapped. "We can. We have. We will. Looks like we did."
"Phoebe... Paige... be reasonable."
"We're being very reasonable. For the last fifteen to eighteen years we have fought every battle that has come our way. We have watched people we love die and been powerless to save them -- all because we're trying to save your ass." Phoebe shook her head. "We're done. Paige and I are tired of being your puppets."
"But you're the Charmed Ones..."
"No, we're not," Paige said angrily. "Not anymore. That all ended when you let our sister die ... Again."
"There was nothing we could do."
"Bullshit!" Phoebe snarled at the Elders. "You could have saved her and you refused, just like always. I've lost Prue and Piper. I am not losing Paige, too."
"Phoebe - "
"No. We're tired of your lies and your excuses," Paige said as she stepped closer to Phoebe's side to offer support. "I am no more willing to risk Phoebe anymore than she is willing to risk me. We have been through too much and we're not going to do it any longer."
"We gave you your powers - "
"The hell you did!" Phoebe clenched her fists at her side as she took a step forward. "Melinda Warren gave this family our powers. They come from her blood and have travelled down our family line." She glared at them. "We know our history and we know that somewhere along the line you did your best to convince one of our ancestors that our family needed you. In reality, it was you people that needed us. Oh sure, you've augmented our powers when it has suited you and even blocked them from time to time to be asses. But you sure as hell did not give us our powers."
"You have a duty and a responsibility."
"Why? Because you say we do?"
"Your ancestors would be disappointed in you for turning your backs on your responsibilities to protect the innocent."
"I somehow doubt our ancestors would be upset with us for having gotten tired of watching everyone we love die."
Paige placed her hand on Phoebe's shoulder, trying to calm her down. "You have taken too much from us and we're not willing to give you anything more."
"The world needs you."
"The world can go to hell and the lot of you can go with it," Phoebe said bitterly.
"Phoebe," a different elder said placatingly. "There has to be a way we can work this out. You like helping people. You like protecting them."
"I don't like my family dying."
"I know. But you are needed, whether you like it or not and I know it's been hard on you."
Paige looked at Phoebe and then eyed the other Elder with deep suspicion shining in her eyes.
"Tell us what you want, and we'll give it to you."
Paige saw the gleam that came into her sister's eyes at that and she shook her head. Uh oh. The Elders were about to get a big surprise.
"How bad do you want us?"
"Excuse me?"
"How bad do you want us to keep protecting you and keeping balance between good and evil in the world?"
"Phoebe, the importance of your calling is something that cannot be measured."
Phoebe looked at Paige and her gaze softened in thought, and then she looked back at the Elders. There was a smirk on her face and a hardness in her eyes. "We'll be your champions... on three conditions."
"Three?"
"Phoebe?" Paige wasn't sure she liked this. Something was about to happen and she didn't know if it was good or bad.
"Three."
"Name your price."
The triumph that shown in Phoebe Halliwell's eyes should have been a serious warning to the Elders. Unfortunately for them, it wasn't.
"Condition One : You augment Paige's Healing and Orbing Powers, making them stronger-- permanently. You give me back that nifty fire-throwing power I had back in the twenties. I need some sort of aggressive and active power to protect us when I cannot fight."
"We can do that."
"Condition Two : You revert us in age back to our early twenties, with memories and powers completely in tact. In doing this, you do not erase all of the work we have done, nor do you change what the Book of Shadows reads as now."
There were grumblings among the Elders Council, and they conferred among them. Finally the woman Phoebe had been addressing nodded. "It is done." She looked at the sisters. "And the third condition?"
The smile that crossed Phoebe's face was an exact duplicate of Penny Halliwell's. She was about to show them how much of her grandmother's girl she really was.
"Condition Three : You give us the power to move through time so we can find and return with Geoffrey Chaucer."
"WHAT?!" The council erupted in argument and protestations at the woman who had dared to be so contrary.
Phoebe gave her sister a long look and then she turned back to the Elders, calm and unshaken by their display.
"You have taken everything from me... and from her. You took Mom and Grams and Andy and Prue. We watched you take Lindsay from Piper. Then you took Cole from me."
"Belthazor was a demon."
"Cole was my husband and he had loved me since high school." Her eyes hardened. "You took our child. You gave Piper another glimpse of happiness before you took Leo from her. You took Kyle from Paige. You let Darryl be killed. Then... you took Piper." Phoebe shook her head as she put an arm around Paige's shoulders. "Paige never stopped loving Geoff. You owe her."
"It's impossible. It cannot be done. The first two things we can do for you, but not this one. It's too much."
Phoebe shrugged. "Then you're all alone in your battle against evil, aren't you?"
"You can be replaced!" That was a roar from the first Elder.
Phoebe cocked her head. "Can we? By who? No really, by who?" She bared her teeth in a feral manner. "It seems to me you guys screwed yourselves on that one. After Paige and I, there are no other Halliwells. You took care of that when you let Wyatt and Chris be killed." Phoebe shrugged and then turned to walk away.
"Wait!" There might have been desperation in his tone.
Phoebe turned her head. "Yes?"
"The other side will never allow it and even if they do, the two of you will be hunted... no matter what time period you're in."
"Dealing with the other side on this is your problem." Phoebe smirked. "Hunted no matter where we go... you mean like now?"
"We may be forced to allow them to do the same thing... or send someone through the times with you."
"Demonic bounty hunters?"
"It's a risk."
"I'll take it."
The Elders conferred again for a long moment and then looked at Phoebe. "You realize the risks and that you may not be able to call on a Whitelighter for aid."
"I'll have Paige."
"Paige, what say you about your sister's demands?"
"I'm with Phoebe on this. We've been in danger since we got our powers. This isn't any different."
The head Elder nodded. "Return home and you'll have your demands within the hour."
Phoebe met his eyes. "Your word on the honour of your soul and your duty to good," she demanded.
"You don't trust us?"
"Let me think - No."
"We swear on our souls and our duty to good that your demands will be met." He looked at her seriously. "You're still the Charmed Ones, dedicated to doing good and protecting innocents?"
"Until such time as you try to betray us... again."
He nodded and the two sisters left the meeting room in the clouds.
Paige pulled Phoebe aside once they left the Elders and were once more in the gardens of Halliwell manor.. "Pheebs... are you sure about this?"
Phoebe nodded. "Paige, you love him, you never stopped loving him. I couldn't stop them from taking Cole, but the least I can do is help you find your happiness again."
"This is dangerous."
"So is what they have turned our lives into."
Paige couldn't argue with that. "What about your happiness?"
"I lost that when I lost Cole and Piper. Cole was my heart and my soul. Nothing can ever replace that."
"Nothing, Poppet?"
Phoebe and Paige stiffened in shock, and then turned around. It was Paige who found the words first.
"Crowley?"
Phoebe didn't even try to speak and of its own accord, her hand flew out and a stream of fire slammed into the demon's chest.
"Wow, looks like you got your new power, Pheebs."
"Bloody hell, Poppet. Is that anyway to greet your emissary from the other side? Setting him on fire?"
"Our what... who?" Phoebe shook her head. "Oh no. No... no... NO!"
"Looks like the Elders got a nice bit of revenge thrown in at you," Paige said softly.
"I can handle it," Phoebe said, but her voice didn't sound as sure as it had been.
"It's good to see you, Poppet. I was afraid that your feelings for me might have change, what."
Paige's heart broke at the pain she saw filling her sister's eyes and she wanted to get ahold of one of the Elders and kick his ass. They knew! They knew all about the history between Phoebe and Crowley. How could they do this to her?!
She looked from Phoebe to Crowley and she could see there were feelings there, still.
When Phoebe walked away to regain her composure, she looked at Crowley. "Give her time. Cole's death is still an ache with her. He was her life."
"She's aged well," Crowley said, not looking at Paige.
"If the Elders keep the rest of their bargain, we'll be younger again in a few hours."
"That will be interesting."
No, what was going to be interesting was this whole crazy quest, Paige thought. He looked after her sister and then looked back at Crowley. There was something in his eyes that she wasn't sure she liked and she wondered if finding Geoff was worth what all of this could do to her sister.