Ash

Ash

Flora Winters

I do not own any of the characters from Smallville or Charmed.

Summary: After the Charmed Ones defeat the Source of all evil (again) they discover that they have a baby brother named Phoenix who is Paige’s twin. Looks like Mom and Grams have been keeping secrets (again). Phoenix is dating a reporter for the Daily Planet who is really the demon Phyre who has plans for the half witch/half whitelighter. Will Phoenix be able to choose between his family and a love that burns hotter and darker than the very flames of the Underworld? M/M, Language, OC, Crossover, Character Death

Chapter Four

Paige wiped fresh tears from her eyes as she walked out of her room in a black gown. She was pale and had dark circles under her eyes from the lack of sleep. Her makeup was flawless as always but no matter what she tried to do she could not make the dark circles go away.

She walked across the hall from her room to Piper’s and gently opened the door to see her sister sitting at her vanity brushing her dark hair as she gazed into the mirror. Piper paid no attention to her sister as she stepped into the room. She just kept on brushing her hair.

Paige walked over and put her hands on her shoulders and whispered softly, “Piper, sweetie, we have to get going.”

Piper kept brushing her hair and shook her head, “I can’t do this.”

Paige gently squeezed her shoulders from behind and Piper let out a sob and threw her brush down, “I can’t do this!”

She pulled out of Paige’s grasp and stood up throwing out her hands making the mirror explode. Piper just stood there looking at her shattered reflection and muttered under her breath, “Now I look how I really feel.”

Paige just stood there watching her sister grip the edges of her vanity until her knuckles turned white, “You still have me Piper.”

Tears fell from Piper’s eyes as she turned around and took her sister in her arms, “I know Paige, I know.”

Paige held her close as sobs racked Piper’s frame. She slowly pulled away, “I’m going to get makeup all over your pretty dress.”

Paige smiled sadly and took her sister by the hand, “Let’s go downstairs.”

Piper nodded her head and just then Leo orbed in, “Piper.”

She turned to Paige and told her that she would be down in a few minutes and watched as she left the room. She turned around to her husband who said, “I’m so sorry Piper.”

Fresh tears fell from her eyes as he took her in his arms, “I love you so much Piper,” He told her soothingly, “I tried to save her, she was just, gone.”

Piper cried out as he held her tighter to keep her from falling, “I’m so sorry.”

Piper lost it and started to punch him in the chest, “Why couldn’t you save her? Why couldn’t you,” She screamed, “What’s the point in having magic if you can’t use it when it’s needed the most?”

He let her rage, “You couldn’t even save Prue,” She screamed, “Those bastards!”

She cried out and spun around blasting a hole through the wall and then turned and blew the bed to pieces. They both just stood there as feathers fell all around them and Paige yelled from downstairs, “What’s going on?”

Piper felt her knees go out and she fell to the floor, “I’ve lot both of them, first Prue now Phoebe.”

Leo got down on his knees and pulled her to him, “I can’t do this anymore Leo, I can’t.”

Paige stood in the doorway, “Piper?”

“I can’t lose you to Paige,” She said in tears, “Why couldn’t it have been me?”

“Don’t say that Piper.” Leo said as Paige knelt down beside her sister.

“It should have been me,” She said, “Phoebe was so much stronger than me when Prue was killed.”

Paige wrapped her arms around her to, “Piper calm down, you’re going to make yourself sick.”

“Good,” She cried, “I deserve it for letting her die!”

“Piper,” Paige said softly, “If it’s your fault it’s mine to. I was there to, remember?”

Piper just closed her eyes and willed the tears away. She got her breathing under control after a few minutes and allowed Leo to pull her to her feet. Paige followed them to the door and turned back around to look at the destroyed room. She quietly fixed it with a quick little spell she learned a few months ago.

Phoenix opened the church door and made his way inside. It looked like the family was done here as he went to take his seat. Clark told him that he had not been feeling very well and decided to stay back at the hotel to get some rest. Phoenix had made sure that he was comfortable before he left. That would teach him to drink too much.

He looked up to see a beautiful red head walking towards him and she stopped to smile a little sadly at him, “It’s going to be a small gathering, so if you would like to take a seat closer to the front you are more than welcomed.”

Phoenix smiled softly and she asked, “Do I know you?”

“I don’t think so,” Phoenix said as he got up, “I think I’d remember meeting someone as beautiful as you, Miss Matthews.”

Paige smiled, “Same here, how do you know my name?”

He had not thought of that, “I saw the obituary in the paper and I loved Miss Halliwell’s work,” He told her, “I’m Phoenix Kent by the way.”

She smiled at him, “I’m Paige. I was Paige Matthews, but now I go by Paige Halliwell.”

Phoenix smiled and saw another woman come walking up to them and Paige turned around to see that it was Piper who asked, “Who is your friend?”

Paige smiled, “This is Phoenix Kent.”

A light went off in Piper’s head, “Thank you for coming Mr. Kent.”

Phoenix smiled, “Thank you for having me Mrs. Halliwell.”

Piper cocked her head to the side, “You’re famous in night clubs.”

Paige looked at her in shock, “Really?”

“When…Phoebe…she had to go to Metropolis in Kansas to do some work for the Daily Planet a little while back,” Piper said, “You remember, well anyway I saw Mr. Kent here singing at Club Mystika.” She told her as fresh tears began to fall from her eyes again at the memory of how Phoebe had gotten up on the table to dance like a crazy woman.

Phoenix smiled softly, “I am so sorry for your loss.”

Piper nodded her head, “Paige and I need to take our seats,” She told him, “I’ll see you at the club tomorrow morning.”

Paige touched her shoulder, “Isn’t that too soon Piper?”

She shook her head, “No, I need to keep myself busy or I might lose it again.”

Paige nodded her head and both looked at Phoenix who had taken his seat. He watched them both walk up to the front to sit in the first row.

Piper leaned over and whispered in Paige’s ear, “He looks a lot like you.”

Paige laughed softly, “You think so? He has no freckles.”

Piper laughed for the first time in a while, “Took the time to notice eh?”

Paige snorted, “I see you did to.”

Both took each other’s hands as the priest and Wicca Priestess performed the ceremony. Phoenix found himself in tears and was shocked when he heard himself say, “Blessed be.”

It was as if silver bells jingled softly in his ears and he looked around the church to see where it had come from. Paige and Piper did the same but took it as if it was something in the wind.

The ceremony had been beautiful and the two sisters invited him and everyone else to come by the manor. He accepted their invitation and was told to follow them so he did not get lost. Piper stopped when she noticed that both redheads had bugs. Paige’s was green and Phoenix’s was red. She looked back at the mausoleum one last time and followed Paige to her car. Both waited for Phoenix to pull around and then they were off to the manor.

Phyre was pacing in the suite’s living room, “I can’t believe I allowed him to come here.”

“Neither can I my lord,” Said a smooth feminine voice.

Phyre spun around to see a woman all dressed in red, “Well, if it isn’t the Seer.”

She made a small bow to him, “The essence of your father is now gone.”

Phyre nodded a little sadly as he remembered his father’s call the first time he was vanquished. He fought against the call and won and his father died, now the new Source was dead to. He sneered at her, “Good, now I’m free to do whatever the hell I want.”

The Seer nodded, “This is true, but I have had a vision.”

Phyre scoffed, “What do I care of your visions Seer?”

“In order for you to keep your Phoenix safe,” She said, “You must take your father’s place and rule the Underworld. If you do not, you’re precious Phoenix will die.”

Phyre’s eyes burned black, “Do you dare to threaten me you lowly insect?”

The Seer got to her knees, “Never my lord, but the Underworld will.”

“Not with the spell I put on him,” Phyre said, “It cloaks him from the Underworld and the others,” He said and then asked, “How the hell did you find me?”

The Seer sighed a little sadly, “With the death of your father, your ring is useless.”

Phyre looked at his ring to see that the last bit of fire inside the black stone wink out. It now sat dead on his finger, “How did I not notice this?”

The Seer smiled, “Your father cared for you and with his last bit of power he cloaked you for as long as he could,” She told him, “Even though you disobeyed him and did not go to his aide when he called you, and still he loved you enough to do that for you.”

Phyre hid the hurt and the confusion behind wrath and the room around them shook softly, “They will never find him.”

The Seer got to her feet and swayed a little with the shaking of the room, “They will my lord, unless you are in power Phoenix will die.”

Phyre walked right up to her and she took a deep breath, “Tell me Seer, how? How will they find him though my enchantments?”

The Seer’s eyes began to glow a bright white, “He will embrace his heritage and your spell will be broken. He will become a beacon on the demon radar that reads target.”

Phyre’s eyes widened, “How, when, where?”

The Seer shook her head, “I do not know my lord. I only know what I see,” She told him, “Remember my words lord.”

Phyre reached out to grab her but she vanished too quickly. He looked around the room and roared.

Phoenix parked behind Paige and got out to look around the beautiful neighborhood. He looked at their home and sighed at how lovely it was. Paige asked him, “First time in San Francisco?”

He walked over to them as they got out, “Yeah, I grew up in Smallville, and have lived in Metropolis ever since my dad passed away. So, I have never left Kansas.”

Piper thought for a minute, “Smallville, I remember the meteor shower. I was little then but Grams would talk about it constantly.”

Paige nodded her head, “I read about it in school after I was adopted. I collected articles of all the weird things that went on in that town.”

Phoenix could not help but see Chloe in her, “You were adopted?”

Paige nodded, “Yeah.”

Phoenix smiled, “Me to.”

“Really,” Piper asked.

“Yeah, on the day of the meteor shower,” He told them as they opened the door.

Both of them froze and Paige turned to look at him, “August 2, 1977.”

He nodded his head, “Yeah, why?”

Piper shook her head, “No reason,” as she motioned for him to come inside, “Please, make your self at home.”

He smiled and stepped into the beautiful house, “What is with the bells going off?”

“Bells,” Paige asked.

He nodded, “Yeah. I heard them at the funeral and now here.”

Both looked at each other and then back at him as he walked over to look at the chandelier. He looked up at it in awe, “Wow, this is beautiful.”

Piper smiled as she and Paige walked over to him, “It’s been in our family for years.”

He smiled at her as all three of them stood under it. All of a sudden the room went dark. Phoenix looked around a little freaked out as bright white beams of lights shone all around the three of them. As quickly as it came it was now gone.

Phoenix let out a breath he had not realized he had been holding as the guests started to make their way into the manor, “What the hell was that?”

Paige and Piper just looked at him in shock and then Piper narrowed her eyes dangerously, “Excuse me.”

Phoenix reached out and took her arm and a blue spark shot off between them. Both yelped and pulled away as if stung. Paige looked startled and Phoenix looked around like a deer caught in headlights, “I got to go.”

He took off running across the room past the people that were coming in as Paige yelled out, “Wait!”

She looked back at Piper who was still holding her arm in shock, “Piper?”

She shook her head, “Meet me upstairs in ten minutes. That old woman has some explaining to do,” Tears were streaming from her eyes, “I can’t deal with these people right now.”

Phoenix was sitting in his car in shock, “What the hell just happened in there?”

He watched as more people began to show up at the sister’s manor. He had come looking for answers to his dream and found nothing but questions. He really should be getting back to Clark. He might be worried about him.

Phoenix pulled out and headed back to the hotel. He turned on his CD player and began to sing to the music to calm his nerves.

Leo had no idea what the hell was going on as he and Paige watched Piper set candles all around the room. Paige told Leo what had happened and he was like, “That’s impossible.”

That had made Piper laugh manically. Now he was scared for her sanity as she lit the candles and went to stand in front of the book.

“Piper,” Leo asked.

“Hush you,” She snapped, “I’m working.

She opened the book to the right spell and chanted, “Hear these words, hear my cry, spirits from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the great divide.”

She slammed the book shut that rocked the podium it was resting on as swirling white lights filled the attic and Grams appeared, “Hello my darlings.”

Piper snorted, “Don’t you hello my darlings us old woman, tell us what the hell just happened down there.”

Grams looked at her with deep sorrow in her eyes, “I’m so sorry Piper.”

“That’s good to hear Grams,” She mocked, “That makes everything so much better.”

Grams put a hand on her hip, “Piper!”

Paige interrupted Piper when she saw that finger go in the air, “Does the name Phoenix Kent mean anything to you?”

“You look a little misty eyed there grams,” Piper said sarcastically as she asked, “Would you like a tissue?”

Leo didn’t know what the hell to do. He just stood there listening to Grams say, “Piper, I know you’re angry at losing Phoebe. Darling it is a tragedy, but she is adjusting very well to the transition.”

Piper laughed scornfully, “Angry,” She asked, “I’m not angry Grams, I’m pissed!”

She cried out and threw her hands making the shelf behind Grams explode into pieces, “PIPER,” All three of them shouted at once.

“Yeah, yeah,” She said, “Now that the hell is going on old woman?”

Grams narrowed her eyes, “Piper, am I going to have to spank you?”

Piper suddenly choked back a sob when the tears started to spill out again, “I’m sorry Grams.”

Tears fell from her eyes as she saw Phoebe lying there with a metal rod sticking through her chest. She watched how the blood was just pouring out of her mouth and nose. She had even been pregnant, and Piper lost her little nephew. Grams stepped out of the circle to become corporeal taking her granddaughter in her arms, “Oh my darling, everything is going to be fine. It will just take time my sweet.”

Piper completely broke down and just cried her eyes out on her grandmother. Grams just held her and let her cry. She remembered what happened when Prue died and did not want her to become a fury again. Both of them slowly sank to the floor as Piper completely exhausted herself. Grams looked up at the ceiling, “Patty.”

A soft swirl of glittering lights filtered down through the ceiling panels and there stood their mother. She looked to have been crying herself, “Hello sweethearts.”

Paige ran over and gave her a big hug as Leo went over to help Grams with Piper. Paige asked her mother softly, “Who is this Phoenix Kent?”

Grams looked up at Patty who seemed to take a deep breath and smiled sadly from one daughter to the other, “Your twin brother.”

Phoenix unlocked the door to his and Clark’s suite and walked inside. He closed the door behind him and put his keys on the counter. He was still pretty shaken at what happened at the sisters. He walked into the living room and heard the shower running from the bath, “Clark must be feeling better,” He thought to himself, “I’m so tired.”

He sat down on the couch and closed his eyes and thought about what had transpired earlier that day. He could still hear the soft jingle of bells and see those glowing beams of light flowing all around him.

Suddenly he heard something and opened his eyes to see a man all dressed in black standing across the room looking right at him. Phoenix slowly got to his feet, “Who the hell are you?”

The man did not answer but instead held out his palm as a ball of fire burned in it. Phoenix’s eyes grew wide and the man threw it at him and Phoenix fell to the floor yelling, “Clark!”

The ball of fire hit the couch making a huge black hole in it which then caught fire. Phoenix scrambled behind the couch on his hands and knees as Phyre ran out of the bathroom covered in soap snarling at the man in black. Phoenix peeked over the couch to see the man aim another fireball at Phyre and cried, “STOP!”

The man heard a very deep voice and little silver lights sparkled around his ears. He just stood there looking very confused as to why he could do nothing but obey that voice. Phyre cocked his head to the side, “What’s going on? Why isn’t he attacking?”

Phoenix shook his head, “I don’t know.”

Phyre walked up to the man who looked on in terror as Phyre’s eyes burned to black. Phoenix just looked at him from behind just now realizing that he was naked, “Clark?”

Phyre jumped and slipped in water that had dripped off his nude body and fell with a wet smack as the demon went down as well. The fireball flew up in the air and the demon cried out as it burned through his chest engulfing him in flames.

Clark laid there in shock at what just happened. Phoenix’s mouth was gaping like a fish out of water as he watched Phyre get to his feet, “Are you ok?”

Phoenix nodded, “Yeah Clark, are you?”

Phyre nodded, “Yes, but I don’t think our couch or floor it though.”

Phoenix looked to see the couch smoldering and the scorch mark left behind, “Wow, you left a nice imprint in the floor.”

Phyre smiled, “Thank you, now, tell me why that man stopped when you told him to.”

Phoenix realized that he was having a very hard time concentrating with a very naked Clark standing in front of him. Phyre just shook his head, “You’ve seen me before.”

“I know,” Phoenix said, “And I bet your seed is somewhere past Pluto by now.”

Phyre blushed deeply as he remembered that little memory. Phoenix had given him his first hand job and thank all the gods of the Underworld that he had not been inside Phoenix when he erupted. It had blown a hole right through the roof of the barn loft when it happened, “Are you ok Phe?”

Phoenix just stood as his eyes misted, “I thought, I thought,” He said as Phyre gently wrapped his arms around him. Phoenix held him tightly, “I thought he was going to kill you.”

Phyre squeezed him gently, “I’m fine, see.”

Phoenix nodded his head as he wiped the tears from his eyes, “Go wash the soap off of you and I will tell you how my day went.”

Phyre was going to argue but decided against it, “Ok.”

Phoenix smiled and went to the bedroom walking right through the bastards ashes to change out of his wet soggy clothes. Phyre went back into the bathroom to see the Seer standing in the corner. He reached out and carefully closed the door, “What the hell are you doing here?”

“It is as I told you my lord,” She told him, “He has come into his heritage.”

Phyre almost yelled, “What?”

“You must act quickly,” She said, “If you are to keep him at your side.”

He was really trying to keep his calm, “What are you talking about?”

The Seer took a deep breath, “Your spell is now broken. He has awakened his powers. All he has left to do is embrace his heritage.”

Phyre hissed as he approached her, “What heritage?”

The Seer closed her eyes to keep from throttling her lord and master. She opened her eyes and gazed at him and said as if it was something everyone knew, “Of being a charmed one of course.”

TBC…

It only gets better and better from here ya’ll…