Disclaimer : My name’s not Aaron Spelling, so I don’t own them. But I really, really, really like to write about them.

Anguish
by Freaky Fan

Part 1

“I say go with the green.”
“What?” Prue furrowed her brow. “For the whole thing?”
“Yeah.” Phoebe nodded dramatically. “For the WHOLE thing.”
“That’s crazy.” Prue put a squirming Tricia down so she could get at the items before them without her daughter grabbing anything. “We can’t make the whole thing green.”
“Why not?”
“Because it needs another color. Like red.”
“Red is so overdone.”
“And green’s not?”
“Not as much as red.”
“Is too.”
“Is not.”

“Enough!” Piper looked back and forth between the two of them. “Why don’t we use both as a compromise?”
Prue shrugged. “Sounds good to me.”
“But they’re Christmas trees.” Phoebe pouted. “Trees are green.”
“Not anymore!” Piper grabbed the bottles of red and green sugar and doused the cookies on the sheet with both. “There. Next up, snowmen.”

“Yea!” Phoebe clapped her hands. “Break out the raisins.”
Prue frowned again. “Raisins?”
“Yeah, for his eyes, nose and mouth.”
“You mean chocolate chips.”
“No.” Phoebe shook her head. “I mean raisins.”
“Chocolate chips.”
“Raisins.”
“Chocolate chips!”
“Raisins!”

“You two are cruising for a timeout!” Piper didn’t even look at them as she pulled the cookies out of the oven.

Rion shook her head. She could handle the 24/7 Christmas music and trimming the tree and helping Leo hang the outside lights, but this? Who knew baking could be so stressful? She saw Tricia running after Kit out of the corner of her eye and knew it was the perfect excuse to escape the drama of cookie decorating. She slipped away quietly, waiting until she had made it into the dining room to say her niece’s name.

“Little P?” She saw Kit sitting under the table, but no baby so she headed into the living room. “Where did you….” She cut herself off, a smile spreading across her face when she saw what her niece was doing. She knelt down beside the tiny figure.
“Mepagh?” Tricia pointed.
“Yeah.” Rion nodded. “It’s pretty, isn’t it?”
“Bhulagh.”

Tricia put her hand on her aunt’s leg and cocked her head as she looked up, the changing color of the lights playing across the smoothness of her skin. She had been fascinated with the Christmas tree ever since they put it up. She would toddle into the living room and stare at it for long stretches of time. And Rion loved to watch her. There was just something about the twinkle in a child’s eye at Christmas.

Rion’s ears perked up as a familiar tune floated into the room from the radio in the kitchen. “Oh, this is a classic.”

Rockin’ around the Christmas tree,
At the Christmas party hop

She sang along, getting a gummy grin from Tricia.

Mistletoe hung where you can see,
Every couple tries to stop.

She grabbed Tricia’s hands and started dancing the best she could in her squatted position.

Rockin’ around the Christmas tree,
Let the Christmas spirit ring

Tricia started pumping her legs, bopping along to the music as she yelled out her own version.

Later we’ll have some pumpkin pie,
And we’ll do some caroling.

Rion laughed as she scooped her niece up and started dancing around the room, snatching a Santa hat off of a teddy bear on the stand and putting it on Tricia’s head as they both continued to sing.

You will get a sentimental feeling’
When you hear,
Voices singing’ let’s be jolly,
Deck the halls with bawls of holly

Tricia took the hat off her head and put it over her eyes for a moment before peeking over it at her aunt. Rion jumped, making her mouth into an O as she did her best to looked surprised. Tricia laughing so hard tears sprang to her eyes.

Rockin’ around the Christmas tree,
Have a happy holiday,
Everyone dancing’ merrily,
In the new old fashioned way.

“Rion?”

Prue’s voice broke through the song, forcing Rion to stop in her tracks.

“Shh.” She put her finger to her lips. “Maybe if we’re quiet she won’t know we’re in here.”
“Hiding in the living room isn’t going to get you out of helping. So bring my daughter back in here and get your butt busy.”

Rion sighed. “So much for that idea. Come on, Little P. Let’s go play Betty Crocker.”

Tricia chuckled and went back to playing peek-a-boo as they walked back toward the kitchen.

*************

He watched. Getting close was going to be a challenge. One most would have backed away from. After all, not many had gone up against the Charmed Ones and lived to tell the tale. But he was willing to risk it. Especially if it meant his freedom.

He left the same way he had come, in the blink of an eye. Soon he would make his move. Soon he would accomplish what no other had ever done. But first there were preparations to be made.

“I spy with my little eye something beginning with…. L.”
“L?”
Phoebe rolled her eyes. “Did I stutter?”
“No.” Rion sighed. “L, huh?”
“Yep.”
“Do we really have to play this game?”
“It was your idea.”
“Oh yeah. Thanks for reminding me.” Rion narrowed her eyes as she started looking around the room.

Phoebe watched her. This was just what she needed. A day of having Rion all to herself.

“Uh. Uh. Uh….”

She smiled as she switched her attention to Tricia, who was jabbering happily to herself as she toddled around the living room, one of her many toys clutched in her hands. At one time the prospect of having to share Rion with anyone would have upset her seeing as how their alone time was so limited. But now she didn’t mind. She couldn’t think of two people she would rather spend the day with.

“Mugelbagh.” Tricia pointed at an ornament on the tree as she made a beeline for it. “Mugelbagh!”
“Oh now you don’t.” Rion slid off the couch and put herself between her niece and her goal. “I‘m not sure what a mugelwhatsit is, but you can’t have it. Hey….” She grinned as she looked up at Phoebe. “Little P starts with….”
“Nope.” Phoebe cut her off. “Nice try though.”
“Darn!” Rion looked at Tricia, who had taken up residence in her lap. “All right kid. Help me out here. We’re looking for something starting with L. What do you think?”

Phoebe went back to her thoughts as Rion started looking around again. She still wasn’t sure how she had managed it. Prue was slammed with assignments for the magazine and Piper had to practically rebuild the club everyday, they were so busy at night, yet she had somehow talked them into convincing Rion to stay home for the day. Cole working meant she had a lot of free time on her hands. At first her intention had been to make Rion help her finish her Christmas shopping, but one look at how relaxed her sister was in her sleep pants and t-shirt and another thought came to mind. A day spent at the Manor, just being together. So here they were, still in their pajamas and matching Snoopy slippers playing eye spy while they babysat Tricia.

“The lamp?”
“No.”
“How about the love seat?”
“Wrong answer.”
“Light bulb?”
“No, but that’s a good idea for next time.”
“Lounge pants?”
“Nope.”
“Luggage?”
“There’s no luggage in this room.”
“I know.” Rion growled. “But there’s some in the closet over there. You could have developed x-ray vision without telling me.”
Phoebe scoffed. “Like THAT would happen.”
“True.”

“Rion?”
They both jumped when they heard the voice.

“No way.” Rion pointed at Darryl as he walked into the living room. “Be gone! You’re not supposed to be here today.”
Darryl smiled as he looked at the two of them. “What? Like I’ve never seen you two in your PJs before?”
“Not in the middle of the day, you haven’t.” Rion stood, handing Tricia to Phoebe on her way past the couch. “We’re in full vegetative mode here, buddy. That means no interruptions whatsoever. So go.” She turned him around and swatted him on the butt. “Get.”
“But….”
Rion gave him a look as he turned back around. “No buts.”
“BUT,” Darryl gave her a cheesy grin as he put his arms around her. “I was really hoping I could talk you into having lunch with me today.”
“I….”
He put his finger over her mouth. “Hear me out here. I’m supposed to meet Janice about a case.” He kept his finger in place as she started to say something else. “And you two didn’t exactly hit it off the last time you met. So I thought, why not invite you to join us. Give the two of you a chance to get to know each other better.”
“Thanks, but no thanks.” Rion pulled away from him. “I already have plans.”
Darryl sighed. “Rion, you’re not even giving her a chance. You would like her if you got to know here.”
“Yeah.” Rion’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “I’m sure I would. Now, if you’ll excuse me. You’re interrupting my time with my sister and niece.”

“You should go.”

Phoebe could hardly believe it as the words left her mouth. Wasn’t she the same girl who had just been going on and on about how great it was to finally have Rion somewhat to herself? A voice in the back of her mind quickly spoke up to tell her she was doing the right thing. Darryl and Rion had been going through a rough patch lately. Giving up a little sister time was a sacrifice she was more than willing to make if it meant them making it as a couple.

Rion shot her a look. “What?”
“I think it‘s a good idea.” Phoebe stood, Tricia clinging to her hip. “Cole and I had dinner with Janice last week. And Darryl’s right. She’s a really nice person once you get to know her.”
Rion looked back and forth between her sister and her boyfriend. “Well obviously nothing I say is going to make a difference here, so I’ll do it. I’ll go to lunch just to prove to the two of you that nothing is going to make me like that woman. But I warn you….” She pointed at Darryl. “It better be someplace nice because I’m ordering the most expensive thing I can find on the menu.” She started out of the room, shooting an, “Even if I don’t like it!” over her shoulder as she went.

Darryl sighed. “I have a feeling I’m in for a long afternoon.”
“Yep.” Phoebe grinned. “But don’t worry. She’ll come around as far as Janice is concerned.”
“Do you really think so?”
Phoebe flinched as the sound of her sister slamming her bedroom door filled the house. “Ask me again later.”

************

The only sound that could be heard was the ticking of the grandfather clock and the frequent turning of pages as she tore through the book resting in her lap. It was the newest in a series of thrillers she and Rion had been reading. It was also one of her Christmas presents from her big sister. One that she had helped herself to not long after Rion and Darryl left.

“Waaaa!”

Phoebe jumped as Tricia’s scream came over the baby monitor. She threw down the book, making a mental note to put it back in its box under the tree after she took care of her niece.

“It’s all right, sweetie.” She spoke as she reached the top of the stairs. “Aunt Phoebe is right….”

Her voice died in her throat as she found herself sailing through the air. She hit the wall across from Prue’s door hard and slid to the floor. She sensed rather than saw the foot headed for her side and grabbed it, knocking her attacker off balance enough to regain her footing. She risked a look at her wailing niece, relieved to see that there wasn’t anyone else in the room with her.

“I don’t know who you are but you picked the wrong house to break into!”

She went into full combat mode, using all of the punches and kicks and combinations Cole had taught her. But she only managed to land a couple of blows before her attacker launched an onslaught of its own. It moved so fast that she couldn’t even make out whether it was a human or a demon, let alone a man or a woman. She did her best to defend herself as the momentum of the fight carried them further and further away from Prue’s room. She saw what she thought was an opening in the things movements and tried to kick it, only to have her legs swept out from under her.

It wasn’t until she felt herself falling that she realized just how close they were to the stairs.

*************

He watched as she tumbled down the stairs, coming to rest in a motionless heap on the landing below. He turned back toward the bedroom, not waiting to see if she would get up again.
She hated going someplace with a perfectly good plan in mind and having it blown to hell when something else came up. Like today. What should have been a simple smash and grab job was turning into a long, drawn out affair. Of course it wouldn’t have been if she had taken care of him from the get go. But there was something about watching him look down at the squirming child with an expression of utter disgust on his face that made her wait. Then the witch had to show up. She would have liked nothing better than to take care of them both, but she was under strict orders not to engage her enemy. A lopsided grin spread across her face. That didn’t mean she couldn’t toy with a colleague. She stepped away from the wall, grabbing his outstretched hand just before he touched the child.

“What the….” He pulled his hand away and glared at her. “What are you doing here?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer. “HE sent you, didn’t he? I don’t need a babysitter!”
“He didn‘t have to send me.” She looked down at the screaming child. “I know where the party is.”
He shoved her away from the crib. “She’s mine!”
“I don’t think so.”

The fireball left her hand almost before it was fully formed. He screamed as it slammed into his chest and continued to scream as the flames it generated consumed him. She closed her eyes, relishing in the chorus of noise as his anguished cries joined those of the frightened child. The music of the damned. It was enough to give her goosebumps.

She moved toward the crib as he di