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I.
Paige was getting ready for her date with Kyle, and Phoebe had been insisting that she needed to change her outfit—in her opinion, it would make both of them more comfortable. The last thing she wanted was her sister to be overdressed on a casual, house date. They both exited the bathroom, and that was when she first saw her. Wearing only a black bra and a black skirt. As gorgeous as she looked, Phoebe immediately felt she was a demon and soon enough, she’d warned Paige who had the mirror thrown at her in an attempt to defend herself and her sister. She’d run away calling for Leo and, once they’d themselves run down the stairs after her, saw her hide behind the Whitelighter when Piper had tried to get an explanation out of him. Unfortunately, that was when Kyle rang their doorbell and, without much more information, Phoebe had to take the woman back upstairs. To give Paige the opportunity to spend time alone with her date, Leo and Piper had followed the two of them to the attic.
As soon as they were alone—and somewhere Kyle couldn’t hear—Phoebe and Piper interrogated Leo as to why a demon was standing half-naked in their house, and why she and him seemed to know each other. He invited them to take a seat and the sisters nervously obliged while the other woman looked around the room, taking in the objects and decorations these humans had.
“So what you’re saying is the Elders want us to protect a demon because she might have information we need?” Phoebe asked, incredulous.
She wasn’t one to be scared of demons, she’d had to fight their most of her adult life and had gotten used to it. But lately, being stripped of her powers, she’d felt more fearful. Not necessarily for herself, but mostly that something might happen to her family and she wouldn’t be able to help. That, and something about that woman was making her uncomfortable, in a different way than most demons did. She was too confident, too arrogant, too. She’d talked to Paige in such a way, as if she knew something they didn’t. Several things they didn’t. She wasn’t even sure what kind of demon she was, what her powers were. Whatever it was, though, she did not want her in her house—something about that woman sent a chill down her spine. She wondered for an instant if they could actually protect her, let alone trust her not to hurt them while they did so, when Piper interrupted her train of thought.
“Mm-hm, I don’t think so, Leo.”
Piper’s voice was calmer than it had been earlier, but her tone was firm.
“Not ‘might’—she definitely does,” Leo clarified.
“How can we know that for sure? Who’s to say what she’s claiming is actually true and it’s not a trick to try to get away with God knows what.”
“She’s the Seer, Phoebe. She knows about the Avatars. About the future. Our future.”
Thankfully she was still sitting, she thought, because she was convinced she’d have collapsed upon hearing those words. The Seer.
II.
Maybe that was the most surprising thing of all, more surprising even than her family having to protect a demon. Phoebe and The Seer shared a power. While comparing herself to a demon wasn’t the nicest thought she’d had that day, she had to admit that knowing someone else was burdened with the power of premonitions made her heart feel a little lighter, and a wave of relief came over her. Somehow, despite their working for opposite forces, the knowledge of this simple fact had made Phoebe feel closer to her.
Piper and Leo had headed to Wyatt’s room to put him to bed and look over him, leaving Phoebe and The Seer alone in the attic—the former pacing around the room while the latter, having given her list of demands in exchange for her help, hadn’t moved from the couch. No, she’d just stayed laying there, watching Phoebe try to make sense of what was happening, and why the Elders would ever put her and her sisters in this position—especially with two young children at home.
Eventually, Phoebe stopped and turned to the Seer who gave her a smug smile.
“Yes, I have visions too,” she said, taking Phoebe aback for an instant.
“You knew I was going to ask, huh?”
The Seer nodded with a soft giggle, too proud of herself to contain it.
“How long have you had them?” Phoebe continued.
“Ever since I was a child,” the Seer said after a pause. “I grew up with them. Learned to control them, or at least have them without having to touch people.”
“Do you think I could get to that point? When I get my powers back, that is.”
The Seer sat up slightly, her eyes never leaving Phoebe’s as she did so. She held out a hand for Phoebe to grab and when she did, invited her to come sit next to her. Phoebe held on to her hand in hopes to have a premonition, but nothing happened. When a sad smile appeared on her face, the Seer finally answered her question.
“I know you will.”
“Premonition?”
“Common sense, sugar,” the Seer replied with a smirk. She paused for a few moments, before adding, “But yes, I saw it too.”
They sat there without a word for what felt like an eternity, looking at each other every now and then, but immediately looking away when caught staring. Eventually, though, Phoebe broke the silence.
“Thank you.”
“For enjoying the view?”
Phoebe blushed a little, but soon regained control of herself.
“For making me feel less alone. And for giving me hope.”
The Seer was, for the first time in her life, at loss for words. Never had someone been this genuine, this vulnerable with her—and surely it would have warmed her heart, could she feel anything. She tried to come up with a snarky comment, an unpleasant remark she could give Phoebe, but nothing came to mind.
“You’re not too bad,” she finally said. “For a witch, that is.”
“You’re not too bad either,” Phoebe replied with a smile. “For a demon.”
III.
Phoebe was the one who had to stay with the Seer that night, to make sure no other demon would attack her. After Piper and Leo had to exterminate the first ones that had appeared in their attic, they’d decided someone was to stay with her at all times. Paige had deserted the house, and Piper had to go to the magic school with Leo, and so, Phoebe was the one on Seer watch. To be fair, she didn’t mind the Seer’s company. She actually quite enjoyed it, and even more so as she got to know the demon better. Sure, she was a sassy, evil lady with no feelings, but she was fun to be around. And Phoebe genuinely believed her when she said she wanted to be human, and have a “normal” life—as normal of a life as a former demon could have.
The Seer had gone on about how close and happy they looked in their family photos. Something she’d been lacking her whole life. She’d explained to Phoebe that the good stuff had gotten to her—while she was proud of what she was, she couldn’t help but be tired of the neverending feeding of the emptiness that consumed her. Which would’ve been sad, if she could feel something. But demons had no feelings, and that was part of the reason why she wanted to become human. So other demons wouldn’t chase after her anymore, and so she could, at long last, have a taste of what it feels to…well, to feel something. Anything.
Later on, when Phoebe had convinced her to help her name the remaining demons in the Book of Shadows, the Seer had confessed most of them hated her. All the ones she’d shown her did, at least. The people who were supposed to be her family, to be there for her—they all despised her. And while she couldn’t feel sadness, or anger, or any sort of emotion towards it all, or them, Phoebe did. Phoebe felt absolutely heartbroken for her. Slowly, she’d grown attached to the woman. She understood her. She felt for her.
Premonitions were as much a blessing as they were a curse, they’d agreed on that. Knowing the future, having seen her own death…it was all more than the Seer could handle. Than she wanted to handle. And Phoebe understood that. Zankou would’ve said the Seer had grown soft, she would’ve argued she’d grown tired. Tired of the job, of the clear pain she was inflicting onto others. She couldn’t relate, of course, let alone feel bad for what she was putting them through, but a part of her longed for something better. Something good in this sea of evil. She’d even helped her find Sheridan to prove her honesty, to prove they could trust her. And after one fruitful visit to that mental institution, Phoebe realized she could. And so she made it her mission to help her. Protect her, make her human. Whatever it took, she would do it. She’d even added a line in the spell she planned on doing, to help her find a real family, so she wouldn’t have to be alone again. Because, if she was being honest with herself, Phoebe cared about the Seer and what happened to her next.
IV.
Piper and the Seer—who they’d come to know as Kyra now—were talking about the last remaining logistics of Kyra’s new life when Phoebe headed upstairs to the attic. She’d given them the information they so desperately needed, and all that was left now was for the Halliwell’s to fulfill their part of the contract—make the demon human, and relieve her of her evil responsibilities. And so, Phoebe had written a spell, she’d put her entire being into making it perfect, writing and rewriting it, asking Piper if this or that word would have the better impact or jeopardize her safety—irritating her sister at that. But it needed to be perfect, she owed her that much. They all did.
When Phoebe walked in on Kyra looking at herself in the mirror, her heart skipped a beat. She’d always loved the pink dress she’d given her—it was simple yet gorgeous, and it was even more so on Kyra.
She smiled to herself as she took her in, the lace on her chest, the silk complimenting her body… It looked like that dress had been made specifically for her. And while she was slightly saddened to give it away, she couldn’t imagine anyone it would fit better. Didn’t want to, either. She and Kyra had grown attached to each other, to the point they’d become friends even, but something felt different to Phoebe. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her eyes couldn’t look away from her. Seeing Kyra in that dress, her dress, was all the confirmation she needed that she was, indeed, attracted to the woman. She would’ve given her another dozen of her sexiest dresses if that made her happy, and if she got to see and appreciate her beauty in them.
She approached her slowly, without a sound, and it wasn’t until Kyra saw her reflection behind her in the mirror, startling her, that she finally spoke.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Sneaking up behind me when there’s demons after me will tend to have that effect on me, sugar,” Kyra replied.
It wasn’t a reproach, far from it, but rather an observation, an acknowledgement of the situation she found herself into—but that didn’t stop Phoebe from feeling guilty for inflicting that onto her.
“You don’t need to apologize,” she continued, and for a moment Phoebe wished she too could have premonitions without having to touch the person in front of her. “I’m okay. More than okay, I’m great. Ready to be human. To feel things.”
Those last sentences resonated in Phoebe’s mind, and she could not help but wish that Kyra would feel something for her when she would be able to. She knew the woman cared about her, but she hoped with everything in her being that her feelings would be reciprocated, though it would probably be confusing for her at first, with discovering all emotions all at once. But who better to help her navigate the intricacy of being a human being than the queen of all things overwhelming and complex feelings herself.
V.
Phoebe and Leo teleported in the attic as Zankou attacked Kyra. The ray of power would have hit her if Phoebe hadn’t run to her and pushed her out of the way. Soon after, alerted by the fighting coming from upstairs, Piper had rushed to them and attacked him back before it was too late. The demon had them teleported away, leaving the house a mess—thought wasn’t that how it always was—and a distressed Phoebe crying over Kyra’s body. She turned to Leo, imploring him to do something, but Whitelighters couldn’t heal demons no matter how hard they tried, and Kyra hadn’t been turned human just yet.
She couldn’t believe she hadn’t told her how she felt. The woman who’d stolen her heart could very well be dying any instant, and she would never get to hear how she made her feel.
They carried her to the couch, Phoebe never leaving her side, and after waiting for what seemed like an eternity, Kyra finally opened her eyes. She was weak, of course, but she was back. Phoebe, kneeling in front of her, cupped her cheek and placed a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like a train ran me over,” Kyra said with a faint smile.
Phoebe nodded, she definitely understood—spending most of her adult life fighting demons had gotten her in that position more than once, the main difference being Leo could actually help heal her and take the pain away. But with that option not working on a demon, all she could do was bring her pills, and soup, and keep her company while her heart broke at the thought that there was nothing else she could do. But she wasn’t giving up. Not on Kyra, not on the idea of turning her human. It would take the time it would take, and Phoebe might die trying to protect her from Zankou and his minions’ attacks on her, but the Seer deserved more. She deserved a life for herself, not one of serving other demons and being threatened and scared constantly. She deserved a happy life. And she was determined to give it to her, one way or another. Whatever it took.
I.
Kyra had been human for a month now. The sisters had helped her find a house to rent a couple blocks down from theirs, and while it was temporary, she was more than grateful for everything they’d done for her. Phoebe visited her at least twice a week, teaching her how to cook, how to use a shower—all these little things that she needed to figure out now that she was a human person and no longer a demon without needs or feelings.
It was all still very new to Kyra, but if anything, she knew she could count on Phoebe to help. The woman had put her life on hold to help her understand hers. She’d come with her to walk barefoot in the grass—that lifelong dream of hers—and had made her discover the joys of shopping, and having a drink after a long day, and the feeling that comes with the sun warming your skin on a hot summer day.
There was one thing, though, that Kyra had never known. Love. Sure, she knew of it as a concept, as something that people said they felt, but never had she experienced it herself. So when Phoebe let herself inside her house that evening, looking straight out of a movie—another thing she’d discovered recently, and man was it fun—she wasn’t quite sure what was happening in her mind and heart. All she knew was she felt warm inside, and she would’ve traded everything she’d created for herself if it meant spending more time with her.
Lost in thought, she didn’t notice Phoebe putting a tupperware down on the table.
“I brought you food,” the witch said, and if her voice hadn’t been that soft, it might have startled Kyra. “In case you didn’t feel like making some today.”
Kyra smiled at the thoughtfulness, her eyes never leaving Phoebe. Wearing a black silky top and a pair of jeans, she looked comfortable but chic. And in that moment more than ever, Kyra found herself unable to understand what she was feeling.
Phoebe knew her, though. She’d been helping her process and put names on what she’d been feeling for a month now. So it was no surprise that, when Kyra frowned, her eyes staring at an undetermined spot on the wall, Phoebe immediately understood she was dealing with something that was still unknown to her.
“What’s wrong?” She asked softly, her hand reaching for Kyra’s.
“Nothing is wrong per se,” Kyra replied after a beat. “It just occurred to me I’ve never kissed someone now that I’m human.”
Phoebe offered to take her to her bar that night to meet a man she would feel comfortable doing so with, but Kyra interrupted her.
“I like women, I think.”
“Gay bar it is, then!” Phoebe smiled.
The witch started listing places they could hit up in the city, but Kyra stopped her once again.
“Actually,” she said tentatively, biting her lip. “I think, maybe…I would like to kiss you.”
Phoebe, somewhat taken aback by the confession, was unsure what to answer, and Kyra almost immediately apologized for even suggesting that the two of them could ever be something.
“No—no,” she interrupted with a smile. “I very much want to kiss you, too.”
A faint smile appeared on Kyra’s face, and Phoebe pulled her closer. Her hand cupped her cheek, and Kyra blushed as she felt her knees get weak. Damn those human bodies and their ability to physically show what was going on inside.
Kyra’s mind was still wandering when Phoebe closed the distance between them.
“Ready?” She whispered against her lips, and nodding was the only thing Kyra was able to do, the rest of her body frozen in anticipation.
And when Phoebe finally pressed her lips against hers, Kyra felt something she’d never felt before. Her knees were still weak, yes, but her ears were buzzing, and it felt like the room around them was spinning, and somehow she felt this warmth growing from her insides and invading her every limb. Phoebe tried to pull away, but Kyra pulled her back in and kissed her again, until both of them were out of breath.
“Was it everything you hoped for?” Phoebe smiled when they pulled away.
“It was. It was wonderful,” Kyra giggled. “Wanna do it again?”
“Please,” the witch whispered, and for some reason, she knew she wouldn’t be getting that much sleep that night. She and Kyra had too many feelings to explore still.