Third Time Charmed

Charmed Again (Part 14)

When Prue said she wanted to do some reading, she neglected to mention she was referring to the Book of Shadows. She had realized something earlier that day, after seeing Paige with that dark aura, which made her consider an avenue she hadn't explored.

So, once Piper and Leo left for P3, she went up to the attic and the book. Combining the spell to summon the dead with the one to summon Belthazor and another of her own creation that wouldn't work as it once had due to the location and circumstances, she pieced together a new spell, one that she hoped would give her the answers she was looking for.

When she finished, she checked over the wording and then set up the candles they recently used for summoning Grams, which would provide an anchor point. When everything was ready, she read aloud, "Magic forces black and white, bring to me the guiding light, angel of the Great Divide, I summon thee before my time."

With a wisp of white light, a man dressed in black-on-black appeared inside the circle of candles, facing in the other direction. He turned quickly, making his medium-length light brown hair fly about his face. His expression of alarm then relaxed into one of exasperation. "Of course... Miss Halliwell," said the Angel of Death, dripping with disdain.

"Hello again," said Prue.

"I wondered when I would be hearing from you," said Death in his English accent. "Actually, I was expecting you to have called for me before now. I had no intention of answering, of course, but it seems your spell work has improved. Not the same sweet little poem you used when we last spoke, I take it?"

"No, something new, but you can drop the attitude. I won't keep you long, I know you have places to be," Prue told Death.

"Oh? Learned your lesson, have you? I thought you might have summoned me in some vain attempt to bring your dearly departed sister back," he retorted.

"No," Prue answered coolly. "I know that's not within your power. If it was Phoebe's time, it was her time."

Death smirked. "Do you really think I'm going to fall for that?" he said. "Don't insult my intelligence. Just ask what you want of me, and perhaps I'll deign to answer."

"Fine," said Prue. "Was it Phoebe's time, or wasn't it?"

The angel paced within the circle for a few moments, considering whether to speak with the witch. There was nothing to prevent him from speaking openly with her, but he wasn't sure it was...advisable. "As it happens," he started, deciding that the witch might be able to provide some answers for him, "I had hoped we might have this little chat eventually."

Prue remained silent, her heart beating faster in her chest.

"You see, while it was your sister's time, there were some...irregularities surrounding her passing."

"Irregularities?" Prue probed, certain now that she was on to something.

"Yes," Death drawled. "You and your sisters... Your names were all on my list at some point that day, some of you more than others. But when time was rewound, naturally, things changed, and while you were all in danger once again, only one of your names moved to the very top of my list."

"It wasn't Phoebe's name, was it?" Prue asked.

After a dramatic pause, Death answered with a categorical, "No."

"It was my name," Prue answered knowingly. "I was supposed to die, not Phoebe."

"Indeed. It's why you've felt my pull, why I imagine you still feel it to some degree. You see, I had known for some time that your time was coming. As a courtesy to you, and to save myself some aggravation, I made myself known to you in advance. I let you get used to the idea of me, to learn to accept me, so that when your time came...."