Title: Fly To The Moon
By: Bridget McKennitt
Character: Phoebe Halliwell
Rating: G
Word Count: 2394
Summary: Phoebe is tired of the pain and suffering that her sisters have unknowingly caused her. She's ready to cast a spell and fly away. Is there anything left for her on Earth? Like love?
Contains: No warnings in as far I know that can't be extrapolated from the header itself.
Disclaimer: Charmed is owned by other companies. They are used here without permission, and for entertainment purposes only. No challenge or infringement upon the copyright is intended, nor should any be inferred.
It all started when the Angel of Destiny announced Piper's pregnancy.
A miracle child that came as a surprise. Well, surprise. Phoebe lost her own
child while Piper got one of her own, how unfair was that? And to make matters
worse, it was not even her own baby. It was the Source's. A triple blow to an
already frail body.
Phoebe pulled her jacket tighter around her small frame. She thought,
hoped, she could get over the fact by now. Weeks had passed but the pain was
still there. It was still raw beneath the surface. But her pain was her pain
and she would not dare burden her sisters about it, especially since Piper and
Paige were thrilled about Piper's baby, in a way they never were for Phoebe's
child. It hurt knowing how much her sisters care so little about her well-being.
"Shouldn't we check on Phoebe?" She heard Paige whisper.
"No, she needs to work this out on her own. She'll be fine, I'm sure."
Piper whispered back. And that was it. The two pretended that Phoebe was not
even in pain, that she was not even suffering. A bright greeting and smile was
all she got. And sometimes not even that as everyone in the manor coddled Piper
and her fat tummy.
Phoebe shivered and walked into the kitchen, hoping some hot tea would
soothe her nerves. She took a sip of chamomile tea and sighed. Perhaps a vacation
would be nice. Somewhere pleasant and would make her forget the pain. Somewhere
far away from San Francisco and the memories.
Sounds of giggling made Phoebe look up to see Paige walking in. "Hey,
Pheebs! Isn't it a beautiful Saturday? I was thinking of taking Piper shopping
for some baby supplies. Wanna come?"
She shook her head. "I--I have other plans." Phoebe did not think she
was strong enough to surround herself with such items and not break down and
cry.
"Suit yourself." Paige paused. "Phoebe? Take care of yourself, okay?
You're too thin."
"I promise to eat. Now go on. Piper's waiting and we can't keep her
waiting." She watched as Paige left her with a bright smile, as if she did what
was expected of her and now could relax. That was Phoebe's breaking point.
Couldn't her sisters see that she was in agony! Phoebe dropped her cup, not
caring as it shattered into a thousand pieces on the floor. She had to leave.
***
Phoebe made her way towards the attic. There, on its stand, was the
Book of Shadows. This large tome had been in her family for generations, all
the way back to the first witch of her line, Melinda Warren. Over the years, it
had become like family to her. Its pages were familiar and in a way, it was her
security blanket.
She opened the book and began flipping the pages randomly. Phoebe had
no clue what she was looking for but she knew the book had what she needed.
How did she know? Intuition, an ability that her power of premonitions gave her.
Phoebe cleared her throat and looked upwards. "I need a little assist
here, Grams." Her long dead grandmother heard her plea and caused the pages
to move. The book settled and Phoebe took a glance at the page it stopped on.
"Fly To The Moon?" she spoke aloud. It made no sense. She read a little
further and realized what her Grams was trying to tell her. "The Moon reflects
the light of the Sun, allowing a safe dome to be erected for magical beings.
Witches of long ago would travel to this magical place in times of reflection
and serenity, or needing a bit of love and light back into their lives. To
travel to the Moon, light a silver candle, cast the spell, and the smoke from
the flame will lift your spirit upward."
The thought of leaving came to her once more. The spell was her ticket
and she would be a fool not to take it. Phoebe searched the chest for a silver
candle and matches. Then she grabbed the book and placed it on the table. She
was ready. Phoebe lit the candle and spoke the words. "A candle's trail, breath
shall it take. Spirit leaves body in its wake. Fly up high through the night.
To the Moon, love and light."
All of a sudden, she felt lightheaded and dizzy. "Oh!" Phoebe's head
slid into her arms on the table and her spirit lifted out of her body. Up, up,
and through the roof. She was lost to the world below.
***
Paige and Piper returned home at around nine o'clock at night with their
arms full of bags. "Phoebe, we're home!" Paige called out. Piper went to the
couch to drop her bags. "Phoebe?" Paige tilted her head in curiosity and she
walked towards Piper. "Hmm, Phoebe's not answering."
"Well, maybe she just went out or something," Piper said as she shrugged
her shoulders. "She's a big girl now and we shouldn't baby her."
"No, Piper. I really do think there's something wrong with Phoebe. I don't
think we can ignore it anymore. She's been depressed and heartbroken and we're
not sisters if we don't do anything."
Piper gave Paige a 'you-don't-know-anything-but-I'll-just-humor-you'
look. "Listen, I know Phoebe. She'll get over whatever is bothering her. Trust me."
"And I'm saying it's something more. If you don't want to trust me and
my instincts, then I'll just check on Phoebe myself." Paige raised her chin and
stormed upstairs. She may have been an only child a year ago, but she knew
depression when she saw it. She worked in social services after all.
"Phoebe?" She checked in Phoebe's room but the room was empty. "So where
could she be?" The attic, of course. Paige climbed up the rest of the stairs and
opened the door to the attic. She was right, there was Phoebe resting her head
on the table, dead to the world.
"Phoebe, wake up." Paige walked over and shook her sister. But Phoebe
did not wake up. "Phoebe?" Paige shakily felt for a pulse and felt none. Her
sister was literally dead to the world. "No, no! Piper!" She stumbled and fell,
gasping as the realization that her sister was gone.
"What?" Piper entered the room. "What's so important?"
"Phoebe! Phoebe's dead!" Tears filled Paige's eyes, threatening to fall.
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. I knew she wasn't feel so good today and I just left
her. I left her! What if it's my fault she's dead?!?"
"Calm down, Paige!" Piper placed her fingers on Phoebe's neck and felt
no pulse. "Our sister just cannot be dead. No, I won't accept that." She glanced
around and saw the Book of Shadows open. "There! She was casting a spell."
"But Piper, why would she cast a spell that would kill her?"
Piper read the entry. "She's not dead, but her spirit's gone. It flew
away to the Moon. And look, there's a reversal spell to bring her back."
Paige took a glance. "Only Phoebe can say it. What can we do?"
"I--I don't know." Piper fought the urge to panic. She was the oldest
now and she was responsible for her sisters. "I don't think there's anything we
can do."
Paige got an idea. "It's a long shot, Piper, but I think I know one
person who can do something."
Piper's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No, not him. This does
not concern Cole."
"Yes, it does. Phoebe is his wife and if he can bring the reversal
spell to her--"
"I thought you hated Cole!" Piper broke in.
"We both hate him, Piper. But I love Phoebe more than I hate Cole. We
have to call him."
Piper sighed and gave in. "Okay, repeat this spell after me. Magic
forces black and white, reaching out through space and light, be he far or be
he near, bring us the being Cole here."
"Magic forces black and white, reaching out through space and light,
be he far or be he near, bring us the being Cole here."
The sisters held their hair down as the winds pick up in the attic and
swirled around, dying away to reveal Cole. "Okay, we don't like you and you
don't like us, but this is for Phoebe," Piper spat out. She still remembered that
he tried to kill them.
Cole chuckled cruelly. "Well, well, nice to see you, too, Piper. I see
motherhood hasn't mellowed you out. Remember, you can't freeze your children."
Piper was about to respond back when Paige stopped her. "Cole, Phoebe's
dead. At least she is until her spirit returns to her body. She cast a spell
that took her spirit to the Moon and we need you to give her the reversal
spell to bring her back."
"I'll do it, but only because of Phoebe. Give me the spell." Paige
quickly wrote the spell down on a piece of paper and handed it to Cole.
"Bring her back safely."
"Don't I always?" Cole mockingly bowed and disappeared in a flash of
a shimmer.
"Do you think he'll bring Phoebe back?" Piper asked.
"Of course he will. He loves her," Paige replied. They turned to watch
Phoebe, waiting for her to take in a breath of air.
***
Cole followed his connection to Phoebe and found himself on the Moon,
with darkness surrounding him. The Earth was heavy in the sky and he stopped
for a moment to stare at it. A thought occurred to him. "How am I able to
breathe?"
"The Moon is a place of magic. There's a dome safely around us that
allows us to breathe." Cole turned around and saw Phoebe. He blinked again.
It was a different Phoebe. Her hair was let down in waves and she wore a white
shift that flowed around her legs. She was barefoot and, as he looked into her
eyes, there was a softness that had not been there in a long, long time. She
was at peace.
"Phoebe, come home." She was so beautiful, it made Cole's heart skip
a beat. He wanted to rush and hug her, kiss her, do everything with her, but
he held himself back. This was not the time.
"No," she said softly. "I belong here. There is no sorrow or pain.
I'm finally free."
"Phoebe, you don't belong here. The Moon is cold and barren. There
is no life here."
She chuckled softly, as if Cole was a young child who did not understand.
"The Earth is also cold and barren, Cole. More so because people down there can
hurt you. And life isn't life unless there's something worth living for."
"There is lots for you to live for. Your sisters love you, though they
are dense at times. You have a duty you love to do, ridding the world of evil
so the children of the next generation are safe. And," Cole reached forward
and caressed Phoebe on her cheek. "I love you. You made my life worth living.
You made me live! Aren't I enough for you to live?"
Phoebe began to tremble and Cole enveloped her in an embrace. "Phoebe,
come home to me. I want to soothe away your pain and kiss away your sorrows.
Don't let our love die, brittle and broken. Because I know if you stay, I will
die."
She broke down and cried, sobbing onto Cole's shirt. "I don't want
you to die! I'm so sorry, but my sisters--"
"Shh, I know. You don't have to explain anything to me. I know." Cole
lifted her chin and kissed her gently on the lips. "Let's go home."
"But--but, I don't have the spell to take me back."
"I do." Cole reached into his pocket and handed it to her. "Say the
words, and I'm yours." In more ways than one.
Phoebe hiccuped and recited the spell. "Take me back, down to Earth.
Back to the body of my birth. Heart beat, and breath taken. I leave the Moon,
forsaken." She dropped the paper as she felt the pull of the spell working.
"Cole?"
"I'll see you when you awake." Phoebe vanished from Cole's sight as
her spirit traveled down to her body.
***
Phoebe drew in a gasp of air as her eyes snapped open. Her heart was
beating double time and Phoebe almost knocked her chair over if it wasn't for
Paige. "Breathe, Phoebe, breathe!"
"I--I'm alright. Where's Cole?" She glanced around.
"Right here." Cole stepped out of the shadows and braced himself as
Phoebe tackled him for a hug. "Whoa! I love you, too, Phoebe."
"I love you, Cole." She kissed his lips and smiled. No matter how
cold she felt inside or how much her sisters hurt her, Cole could warm her
up. He made life worth living. Phoebe glanced back at her sisters. "Hi, Paige.
Piper."
Paige pulled Piper with her. "We'll be leaving. We can talk later."
"No, wait. We can talk now." She glanced at Cole for reassurance. He
nodded. "There's something I have to tell you."
Paige stilled. "You don't have to tell us anything, Phoebe."
She smiled. "Yes, I do. The past couple of weeks have been crazy. So
many things had happened to me and--and it hurts. It still hurts. I wanted to
tell you but every single thing you and Piper did seemed to hurt me more."
"The baby?"
"Yes, the baby. I lost my baby and you two didn't care. When Piper
got pregnant, it was a joy to behold and I--I, I couldn't believe how little
you cared. I couldn't turn to the people I loved and I just wanted my pain
and sorrow to go away."
Paige rushed forward to hug Phoebe. "I'm so sorry for being callous
about your feelings! I should have known but I thought you were happy Piper
was pregnant."
"I am. But it's kind of hard to be happy when I'm always reminded that
I lost a part of me." Piper joined her sisters in a group hug as they cried.
They knew now, and they would help Phoebe. Cole would help Phoebe. There
was love for her in San Francisco, and Phoebe felt incredibly fortunate to have
such wonderful people in her life.
If you'd liked to leave more than kudos on this work, you can reply either in the comment box below (email field is not required, but you can leave one if you'd like a reply) or on this journal entry (Read Reviews).
All feedback is appreciated.
