SOMETHING DEEP INSIDE
Author's Note: This was originally named Wily Piper Coyote but changed to Something Deep Inside. Previous Story: The Tale of the Soul Thief Next Story: Neophyte Witch
'C'mon, Paige,' Phoebe pleaded. 'Call for my laptop.'
'No. You have to deal with Jason sooner or later.'
'Later. Just call for it.'
Paige pursed up her lips and turned her head away from Phoebe.
'Fine, I'll get it myself. Useless sister.'
Phoebe slammed the front door shut.
'Hmm, what's up with her,' Piper said carrying a load of laundry.
'She's pissed because I won't help her avoid Jason.'
'Maybe she needs time alone.'
'Well, I'm busy,' Paige said.
'Miss Unemployed is busy?'
'For your information, I've been secretly working on the protection potion.'
'That's not so secret,' Piper said. 'You and Grams were discussing that over a year ago.'
'Yeah, but this time I think I've finally got it. Grams will be so happy.'
'Maybe,' Piper said. 'But just make sure there are no consequences. We can't afford any backfire at the moment. Ever since Leo left, and the elders numbers have dwindled, something has been.not right.'
'You feel it too?'
Piper nodded.
Poof!
A small explosion sounded from the attic.
'That's my potion,' Paige said. 'It's boiling over!'
Piper frowned.
Poof!
Poof.
'Very nice,' Chris said as Corin dipped a ladle into the cauldron and removed some of the green potion.
'Which one first?' she asked letting her rotten yellow teeth shine.
'Piper and Paige are alone,' Chris replied. 'We get the two of them in one whack!'
'We'll need to hire some tough, fearless demons to take on the Charmed Ones.'
'I've got all that sorted out,' Chris smiled.
'Tah-duh!' Paige said holding up a small vial.
'You're actually going to drink that stuff?' Piper questioned.
'Of course,' Paige replied unscrewing the lid.
'Okay,' Piper said in resignation.
Paige gulped it down.
Piper tilted her head and raised her eyebrows.
'Nothing yet,' Paige said. 'Piper, blow me up.'
'What! No!'
'Why not?'
'I don't know what effect my powers have on good witches. I could destroy you.'
'I'm counting on it. If they do, then this potion should protect me.' 'Paige, it is a first release. I'm hardly going to wager your life on that. There is no such thing as a first time perfect. That's why it's called research. Find some other way of testing it then make the necessary adjustments.'
'You're right.'
Suddenly, the manor door blew open and a heavy-set demon threw a purple, boomerang-shaped kinetic-blast at Piper's causing her to go flying into the staircase.
'Now's the perfect time,' Paige said.
The man entered and an athame appeared in his hand.
'Oh, Athame!' Paige shouted.
Faint blue lights encompassed the athame but soon fizzled out like a shorting circuit.
'Paige! Was that a binding potion?' Piper cried angrily holding her head.
'Um, freeze something,' Paige cried as he threw the athame towards her.
Piper threw up her hands and froze the athame.
'So, it's only my powers that are down.'
'Ah,' Piper moaned in pain as she clutched her head again and fell back against the staircase.
The demon threw a large ball of red energy at Piper.
Piper, still dazed from her fall, barely had time to lift her hands let alone use her powers.
The ball hit her and sent her 3-feet into the air.
'Piper!' Paige cried as her sister smashed through the railings, landed on a step, then toppled all the way down to the bottom.
The demon then under-armed a second ball of red towards Paige.
Paige screamed and tried to orb but the sparks fizzled out.
However, as the ball hit her, a blue glow encompassed her stomach and the ball disintegrated.
'What the.' the demon shouted. 'Why didn't you.?'
Paige regained her balance and stared the creature in the eyes.
Suddenly, he vanished.
Then reappeared next to Piper.
And vanished again WITH Piper.
'Aahhh!' Paige screamed.
'I asked for two witches,' Corin sneered. 'And you bring me one.'
'Forgive me, my lady. But a Charmed One is hard to get. Two is even greater a challenge.'
'You're just lucky there wasn't three or you wouldn't have the luxury of bringing me this one.'
'Why don't we just kill her?'
'Because, as a Charmed One, her magic protects her. Sure, we could kill her mortally, but then we'd never get our hands on the Halliwell magic.'
'Who cares? Just give me my bounty!'
She turned around and scowled at him before depositing a few gold coins into his hand.
'Now leave!'
He bowed and disappeared.
'And you, my pretty. Now it is time to see your past.'
She cradled the unconscious Piper up against the wall then waved her hand over Piper's face.
Corin could see a nightclub. She could see Piper dancing in a tarty red top.
'Let me guess? The alchemic possession?' Chris said from behind her.
The woman spun around. 'How did you know that?'
'I'm somewhat familiar with the Charmed Ones past. From where I came, I did extensive research on them. I know almost all there is. But my question to you: why not just create your own essence. Terra failed once. She will fail again.'
'My poor, child. You supplied me with the ingredients to produce a powerful resurrection potion so that we may unleash their greatest challenges back upon them and you now declare for me to just send another demon. No, Terra knows them. She may have been produced by a lower-level alchemist but she already knows of what must be done.'
'You're right. I just fear that, if she failed before, she'll fail again.'
'It was your idea.'
'I'm just.'
'Letting the human inside of you take over? That won't happen. You are stronger than he is. Push all the good that is inside of you out. In fact, when this is through, I can help you. Not permanently strip your good but to help suppress it. But for now, we have work to be done.'
The alchemist sprinkled some dust from her pouch over Piper and chanted.
She then turned towards her green, bubbling cauldron and waved her hand over it. It frothed and bubbled before a steamy vapour wafted from it. Suddenly, with a wave of her hand, the vapour disappeared into Piper's chest.
'Now awaken,' waving a hand over Piper's face.
Piper shot up awake with a start.
'I'm alive,' she said.
'What is your name?'
Piper rose.
'Answer me,' she demanded.
'Terra,' Piper said.
'And you were vanquished by the Charmed Ones?'
'How am I alive?'
'I brought you back from the dead, dear. For a second shot. Don't disappoint me. Now leave.'
The alchemist waved her hand and a sudden wind caused Piper to blow up into the air and vanish into nothingness.
'What do you mean they got Piper?' Phoebe demanded looking up from her typewriter.
'We were.caught by surprise.'
'Paige! Why didn't you use your powers?'
'Um, there's a problem with that. Which is the reason I drove over here.'
Phoebe quickly sprung up from her chair, ran to the door and closed it.
'I made this potion. And it worked. Worked a little too well.'
'The protection potion? Did it bind your powers?'
'No,' Paige said stretching the word. 'I think it may have blocked my powers.'
'How long does it last for? Please don't tell me indefinitely.'
'No. Fortunately not,' Paige said lowering her voice.
'We have to get back to the manor.'
Phoebe picked up the phone. 'Julie. Hi. I'm stepping out of the office. And tell that boss of ours.not Elise, Jason! Tell him that I expect my calls to be directed to me. I have a family emergency. And don't make me say the J-word again.'
Phoebe started flipping through the Book of Shadows. 'What did he look like?'
They spun around as they heard a clutter and a clumsy Piper drunkedly woddled in. She entered the room looking weary.
'Piper,' Paige cried. 'I'm so sorry.'
'Sorry? Oh, right. That's okay.'
'What happened?' Phoebe cried.
'The demon who kidnapped me shimmered me somewhere. But I managed to freeze him and get away.'
'Did you vanquish him?' Paige asked.
'No. I didn't exactly go in with a plan.'
'What? Is he immune to your powers?' Paige questioned.
'Um, no. I.froze him and got away. Remember?'
'But if you could freeze him,' Phoebe began. 'You should have.Paige? What's wrong.'
Paige burped.
'I think the potion just wore off. Eh, apple!'
An apple from the kitchen orbed into Paige's hand and she smiled.
Suddenly, Chris orbed in the room. He gave Piper a knowing look.
'Chris!' Paige said startled. 'What are you doing here?'
'There is.ah.an emergency. Remember.remember the woman whose soul was taken?'
'Carine? Yeah. Why?' Paige demanded.
'Her spirit is ready to return to her body and she needs protecting. There is a demon on the way.'
'What?' Phoebe cried.
'Wait. Why would she return to her body?' Paige said. 'She left it like a week ago.'
'Look, I don't make the rules. But you follow them. So Piper will stay here and finish the vanquishing potion. I will help her.'
'I will?' Piper said. 'Uh, I will.'
'Gee, Chris,' Paige said. 'You seem to know a lot about this demon.'
'Yeah, well the elders aren't exactly holding back any information.'
'That's doesn't sound like the elders,' Paige said with a hint of suspicion.
'Just go. Go go go!'
Paige nodded grabbing Phoebe and orbing.
'What was that all about?' Terra demanded as they left.
Chris's eyes flashed white. 'You need my help.'
'Help? I don't know who you're fooling mister but I've got other plans. Revenge.'
'You can get all the revenge you want. Just work with me. Not against.'
'Humph!'
'Now, now,' the evil Chris said holding Piper's chin. 'You will have your revenge. But you will do it in a way so as to gain favour with the new source.'
'New source?'
Chris nodded.
'What are we waiting for?' Paige cried sitting down on the end of Carine's bed.
'I don't know,' Phoebe replied.
'Something isn't right,' Paige said.
'You may be onto something,' Phoebe said as she joined Paige on the bed next to the commatised Carine.
Phoebe suddenly gasped.
'What?' Paige cried her face stricken with concern.
'Carine! She's the source.'
'What? That's impossible. She's an empty shell.'
'Not in my vision. Still, don't you think it's strange that Chris should send us here? He and Piper have been acting weird.'
'I agree,' Paige said. 'I think we're being set-up.'
'Do you think maybe that Piper and Chris were shapeshifters? Demons with the power to glamour?'
'I wouldn't put it past the demonic community. Let's get back to the manor.'
'Where's the potion?' Paige demanded.
'Uh.'
'We didn't need it,' Chris said.
'Well, what about the demon?'
'The elders were mistaken.'
'The elders are never mistaken. They're just stubborn.'
'Nobody is perfect, Paige. And now the numbers have dropped, they're powers are at an all time low. As it happens, Carine is in no trouble at the moment. And it doesn't make my job easy when you are always questioning and disbelieving me. So let's focus. Let's concentrate on find out what is happening to Carine.'
'I guess you're right,' Paige said with a hint of disgust in her voice. 'But I think we're the ones in trouble, not Carine.'.
'What do you mean?' Chris demanded.
'I had a vision. I don't know how; but Carine was the source.'
Chris's face exploded into a mask of horror, hatred and anger.
'What?'
'What?' Piper added. 'Was that part of the plan. Er, the demonic takeover plan or do you think it is another faction.'
'I'd say the underworld is double crossing itself,' Chris said as if speaking directly to Piper.
Terra entered the bathroom only to see Piper's reflection in the mirror. It was not a direct reflection but rather a reflection of Piper's soul.
She was wearing a white gown and there appeared to be a supernatural glow around her body. Then she spoke:
'Don't tell me you're who I think you are?'
'We meet again. It's a shame this time that you'll have to die. And I see you've broken up with Tom.'
'Keep out of my personal affairs.'
'How can I when I am you? By the way, why is my stomach flabby and stretchy. Wait! You had a baby.'
'You keep your hands off of him or else.'
'Or else what? You'll give me a bad reflection. Hahahahahha!!!'
Piper scowled but did not see that there was another reflection behind her own.
Chris quickly pulled away from the flowing stream as he saw Piper's reflection. He was terrified as it was to be stuck in this realm. The last thing he needed was for Piper to see him.
So, Piper was in trouble. For how else would he have seen a reflection of a reflection. The planes redefined the meaning of sanity and Chris was short of it. He'd never been force-projected this long from his body before.
He heard footsteps.
Chris started running through the beautiful forest. It was hard to describe but the sky was a purple colour. Almost crystal. The colours of the forest around him were bright like somebody had turned up the colour on an old television set.
Chris almost screamed when a funny looking creature croaked at him. Not as in a frog croak, but it sounded more like the hollow warning of a turkey. In fact, it was shaped like a turkey but it was made out of crystal.
Two red rubies complimented its face and doubled as eyes. Eyes that glowed red yet showed no signs of hostility. As he backed away from the critter, he hit another being. But the being felt comfortably warm. Just by the force of the push, he could tell that it was a two-legged creature.
Chris spun around.
The figure wore a long robe with a cape covering its face. Suddenly, it raised two fair coloured hands to its face and removed the hood.
'Leo,' Chris said startled.
'We meet again.'
'What.are you doing here?'
'I thought you might like to answer that for me. After all, you were the last person I was talking to before I found myself here.'
'Um, what happened?'
'When I orbed out to the heavens, my orb trail was forced into another dimension. This dimension. Is this how you got here?'
Chris stood silent.
'Is it?' Leo demanded with a low tone in his voice.
Chris's eyes welted with tears.
Leo put a fatherly hand on the young man's shoulder.
'I didn't mean to do it,' Chris said. 'I was so angry.'
'Didn't mean to do what?' Leo said keeping his voice firm.
'It was I who pushed you here.'
'And tell me you've returned to bring me back.'
'I can't. It wasn't me.'
'But you just said it was,' Leo said with the anger returning in his tone.
'It was something inside of me. Something I took in before coming here.'
'Here?'
'No. To the past. To your present. I made a deal with somebody. I thought I could save the future - my future.'
'Who did you make the deal with?'
'I can't remember,' Chris said.
Leo grabbed him by the collar angrily before shuddering and pulling back.
'Wait! You're just an essence. A projection. That must mean that your body is still out there. Out there with Piper and Wyatt.'
'My body was taken over by the shadow. A source of power given to me. That's all I remember.'
'This is who you are. The entity standing here is your purity Chris. Back home, your body is a shell feeding on your most bitter emotions. And the dark magic is taking over. You cannot allow your good to be pushed out. But you cannot deny your negative side. You've been split in two; you have to return.'
'I understand. But even when I am in control of the myself, I'm still being tempted. Only recently have I started coming here.'
Leo's eyes narrowed to slits.
'Because it has come to the stage where there is no room for good. A stage where this being is truly evil. But if it kills in your body.'
'I know. Speaking of bodies, Piper's must be on a rampage.'
'No. I used some magic. Though I hope my removal from the world didn't interfere.'
'I mean I can see her essence in the reflection of the waters.'
'What!!! That means Piper, like yourself, is possessed. If her possesser kills somebody, her body will become poison and she'll have no chance of returning.'
'The witches have a spell to reverse that.'
Leo grabbed Chris by the collar of his shirt. 'Only a power of three spell could achieve that, Chris, and we don't have the power of three anymore. If something happens to my wife or son; I will destroy you.'
'But.'
'You have to take full responsibility, Chris. You chose to work with evil. Even if it was for good. Doing the wrong thing for the right reason doesn't make it right.'
Leo ran over to the stream and peered into it. 'I see nothing.'
'It was there minutes ago.'
'The being that has possessed her must not be looking in the mirror. So it cannot reflect her soul into this plane. Chris, you have to warn them.'
'Why me?'
'Putting aside the fact you got them into this mess, you have a body on the outside. Everything I own - body and soul - is stranded here. You have to astral project back into your body. Then you have to tell them the truth. Trust them.'
'But I.'
'No buts. Do it. Now!'
Chris concentrated and breathed deeply.
'Picture yourself in a peaceful place. Um, actually picture this place but with your eyes closed. Feel only good. Now pull that from deep inside of you. Wait, push it deep inside of you. The good that you feel is here. Force it back.'
Suddenly, Chris vanished in an astral fade.
Chris started shaking violently.
Then his eyes sprung open.
'Chris?' Paige said. 'Are you okay?'
'I.I don't know,' Chris looked at both of his hands. 'Ah, I think something is wrong with Piper.'
'You're telling us,' Phoebe said. 'She's been acting weird.'
'You have to figure out what is wrong,' Chris said.
Chris closed his eyes again. Memories came flooding back. Memories that his body took in while he was in the magic plane.
'I'll go and bring Carine here,' he said clumsily hoping that it was a memory and not a hallucination.
He orbed off.
'Piper. Aren't you going to look in the book,' Paige said.
'Ah, the book. Yeah. The book. Right. I'll get onto it.'
'Well you'd better before Prue gets home.'
'Prue! I mean, we don't really need her. Do we?'
Phoebe looked to Paige and her eyes narrowed.
'Well, why don't you orb and get her for us. That's what whitelighters are for. Go.' She dismissively flicked her hand at Paige.
'Now you're sounding like our other whitelighter, Chris.'
'Remind me again why we have two whitelighters.'
'Who are you?' Phoebe shouted suddenly.
'Oh, what gave me away,' she said throwing a bolt at them.
Phoebe flipped her hip and the bolt sailed past harmlessly.
'An alchemist?' Phoebe said. 'Again.'
'The same one to be exact.'
'How is that possible?' Phoebe cried.
'I guess a lot of things just are. Like how long your sister's soul has survived. My is she ever the strong one.'
'Remove yourself from that body.without using a knife,' Phoebe cried.
'I can't.'
'Then we'll just use the separating two spirits spell,' Paige said. 'Piper wrote one in the book of shadows, so you'll have to excuse to while of save my sister witch.'
'I'm not going to ask,' Terra shouted flicking her hands angrily.
Suddenly, a vase exploded.
Terra looked down at her hands. 'Did I do that?'
'Don't think about it,' Phoebe cried.
'Why would I want to destroy you. I have the power of three on my side. I'm assuming that Prue is no longer with us. Well, can't say I'll miss her. She did kill me after all. But at least she'll have company when this is over.'
'Piper,' Phoebe said to herself.
Chris orbed into the underworld.
'Back so soon,' Corin sneered.
'You betrayed me. Wait, you are going to betray me! That Charmed Ones had a vision. You're going to reconstitute the source, aren't you?'
'It will serve us both. I honestly don't think you're source material. What are you? Nineteen?'
'No age that concerns you,' Chris cried. 'But I must admit, you look about 1000 years old, you hag.'
She laughed: 'Why thank-you. People usually says I look older. Even after they guess my age and take 1000 years off for good favour.'
'What are we going to do?' Phoebe cried.
'I have an idea. But it's a long shot.'
'Does it involve killing Piper?'
'No. It actually involved saving Piper's soul.'
'What about her body?'
'We'll get to that later.'
'Paige, we can't use that separating spirits spell. It's likely to reject Piper because she is the weaker of the two spirits. And once ejected, her spirit is gone.'
'That's why we prepare to catch Piper's soul.'
'With what?'
'The dragon blade.'
'Um, Paige. The Zen Master took that with him into his next life.'
'Artifacts don't get reborn. They just wind up elsewhere on this planet.'
'And how are we going to find it?'
'With art,' Paige said grabbing a sketching pencil from the drawer. 'And you're going to mix up a potion.'
'What for?'
'Another Zen moment.'
'The switching bodies potion?'
'Precisely.'
Phoebe sighed and went downstairs.
She saw Terra in the kitchen preparing a snack.
'I hope you don't mind,' Terra grinned.
'Ah, help yourself. Just don't put too much weight on Piper's thighs.'
'Why? She won't be needing them.'
'Oh, I think she will. If she wants to dance at P3,' Phoebe grinned tapping her on the shoulder.
Phoebe was thrust into a premonition:
She saw the door opening and Jason standing there. Suddenly, the person (who's body Phoebe appeared to be look from) raised her arms and thrust them at Jason. Jason screamed as a yellow glow encompassed his torso causing him to explode into sparks of white dust. She then saw a close-up of a pile of dust around Jason's clothes.
'Problem?' Terra scowled.
Phoebe ran off.
'Witches,' Terra sighed stuffing her mouth full of potato chips.
'What?' Paige cried.
'Terra is going for a bit of target practice. We have to do something.'
Suddenly, they heard the doorbell ringing.
'Oh no. No, no, no.'
'You should be down there guarding the door,' Paige snarled. ] 'I'll get it,' yelled Terra.
Paige grabbed Phoebe and orbed into the foyer.
But Terra had already opened the door.
'Piper. Is Phoebe home.'
Pssdt!
'Terra, no,' Phoebe said dashing at her.
Terra turned around and flicked her hands at Phoebe.
Pkkdt!
Phoebe was sent flying into the wall as Piper's exploding power hit her torso.
'Don't worry,' Terra said. 'I froze him first. I thought I'd leave the targeting a moving object for a later lesson.'
'You sick bitch!' Phoebe cried as she ran towards Terra.
Terra flicked her hands again.
Pkkkdt!
Phoebe screamed as the force of Piper's exploding power flung her back.
'You may be immune to your sisters powers, but not to mine.'
Terra fired a bolt of electricity at Phoebe.
It hit her and she went flying into the wall.
'That was my highest voltage.'
'I'm a powerful witch,' Phoebe moaned struggling to her feet. 'For the love of God, Paige, do something.'
'Do what?'
'Guess I don't have anything against you. After all, Prue and Piper are dead. That suits me fine!'
Terra tore outside, pushed the frozen Jason down the stairs, and ripped off down the driveway.
'Not again,' Jason cried as Phoebe dabbed his bleeding forehead with a washer. 'Why did Piper have to push me down the stairs?'
'Um, PMS,' Phoebe said.
'Are you sure you didn't tell her to do it if I showed up?'
'Trust me,' Paige said. 'We have better things to do with our time.'
'Now you rest here. We have stuff to do.'
'You're leaving?'
'Well,' Phoebe continued. 'We'd throw you out only you'd complain about our bad hospitality. At least we can say we let you get the rest you deserve.'
Phoebe entered the conservatory and Paige followed.
'Are we still going ahead with the plan?' Phoebe asked.
'Yeah, but do you think you can call a premonition on where she went?'
'I'll try. But I'll need something of hers. Meanwhile, you make that potion.'
'Okay, potion is just about ready.'
'Yeah, well premonition isn't. I've meditated on almost every utensil that Piper's ever used. And believe me, that equals every one in this kitchen.'
Paige poured the potion into a jar.
'Now we just need to get our Piper a new body.'
Suddenly, Phoebe shuddered.
'What happened?'
'I think I just had a premonition. I saw Terra at the hospital; destroying Carine.'
'Your power must be growing. Now it's being triggered by words. But why do you think she wants to hurt Carine,' Paige said as if expecting the word Carine to trigger another premonition. She sighed when it didn't.
'Think it has something to do with Carine becoming the source. She's going to stop her.'
'I think your premonition just led us to Piper's new body.'
Paige grabbed Phoebe and disappeared in a swirl of blue lights.
'You've got potion stains all over you.'
Paige looked down at her cooking apron. Indeed, it was stained with various potion colours. There was also some dried powder that had crept into the pouch on the front of her apron.
'I didn't exactly have time to clean up. We may already be too late.'
'She has to find out exactly where the hospital is. Then where Carine is. Paige, you're half whitelighter, try sensing her.'
'If I could do that, I would have sensed her before.'
'Yeah, but now we're closer.'
Paige concentrated and a chiming sound rang out.
'I know where she is. Level 2.'
Terra wandered the hall of the hospital. She was deep in thought looking left and right. She clenched her fist as she pushed the button on the elevator.
It opened.
And she got more than she bargained for. Phoebe and Paige were on the other side.
'Hey sis,' Paige said.
'I'm visiting,' Terra said lamely.
'More like murdering. By the way, this is the coronary ward. Only heart patients are here.'
Terra turned and ran.
Phoebe chased after her.
But Paige remained.
Paige found herself at the door of a young boy. He was cuddling a teddy bear with a ribbon strung around its neck.
'Hey,' Paige said feeling drawn to him.
'Hi.'
'What are you in here for?'
'I have a hole in my heart. And sometimes it gets up to 180 beats. So I have to stay.'
'I see. That's a beautiful bear.'
'My mother bought it for me. Why are you here?'
'I'm here to pickup my sister.'
The boy smiled and placed the teddy bear on the counter.
'Excuse me,' a nurse said. 'Are you a visitor?'
'No. I was leaving.'
As Paige reached the door she turned and whispered "Ribbon".
The red ribbon orbed into her hand.
'Stop you bitch,' Phoebe cried as she pushed Terra through a door.
'You can't come in here,' a doctor said as the other surgeons looked up from the operating table.
'I'm glad you're not Piper otherwise you'd be vomiting. But then Piper would choose somewhere a little more tasteful for a showdown.'
'Sorry for the disturbance,' Terra said throwing up her hands.
Pssdt!
The room froze save for Terra and Phoebe.
'You're trapped.'
'Don't make me blow everybody up.'
Paige orbed in. At least they're not on the clock,' Phoebe said pointing to the frozen surgeon holding the heart in his hands.
'Then maybe I should just unfreeze him,' Terra said pointing to the patient.
Phoebe whispered into Paige's ear.
'We can't do this. She keeps using her power.'
'And I've got an idea. Strip them.' 'Um, we can't. Piper's older than us. Too bad Prue's not alive.'
'I was thinking more of disempowering a witch. Please forgive me. Heart!'
The bloody heart orbed from the doctor's hand into Paige's disgusted grasp. She then tied the ribbon to the heart. She thrust her hand into the pocket of her apron and sprinkled some potion powder onto the heart.
Phoebe's eyes popped out in terror.
'I hope this potion mix will suffice. Here goes:
From the passing of this hour,
Take away her magic power.'
'What are you doing,' Terra cried.
Suddenly, the room unfroze and Paige was left holding a bloody heart.
The doctor looked down at his hand confused as Paige ran outside.
'Ew, ah, yea!' Paige flipped her open hand in the air and the heart flung out and into a waste paper bin.
'Paige!!!' Phoebe cried grabbing Terra by the arm.
'He wouldn't be having a transplant if it was any good.'
'Let go of me,' Terra cried as Phoebe flipped her over her shoulder.
Suddenly, the couch glowed bright with blue lights as the silhouette of a woman laying prone materialized onto it. When the lights dissipated, Carine was laying unconscious on the sofa with Paige standing above her.
'Hurry,' Phoebe said.
Paige ran into the kitchen clutching her bloody hands together.
'Your sister is dead.'
'Not if I can help it,' Paige's voice shouted as the sound of flowing water could be heard from the kitchen.
Paige rushed out and plucked a piece of paper from her pocket.
It was an artistic drawing of a blade.
Paige closed her eyes blocking out the screams of the restrained Terra.
'DRAGONBLADE!!!'
The blade orbed into her hand. 'I hope no one saw that.'
'Who cares!' Phoebe cried. 'Just do it.'
Paige turned the paper to the other side. Not taking her hand off the page, she walked up towards Terra and Phoebe and grabbed their arms. She then read the writing on the page:
'Two worn souls now burn inside where only one can reside, I call upon the Power of Three to save the body and set Piper free.'
Suddenly, a blast of white energy shot from Terra's chest. Paige held out the dragon blade and the energy was sucked into it.
Terra escaped Phoebe's grasp.
'Thanks for the eviction,' Terra laughed. 'Now give me back my powers.'
'Phoebe, I think it's nap time for Terra.'
'What --- oh! Paige, I can't control it.'
'Control what?' Terra said with a hint of panic in her voice.
Terra started to run in fear but Phoebe trailed behind her.
'DO IT!'
'This is gonna be a blast,' Phoebe said grabbing Terra's head between her hands.
Zzzzap!
A blue ball of energy formed in each of Phoebe's hands as though they were electrodes. Terra squealed and convulsed before hitting the ground.
'Now she won't be able to interfere with our plan,' Paige smiled.
'Paige, orb Piper's soul into Carine's body.'
'I can't. What would I say?' 'The same thing you said last time in limbo.' 'That's just it! My powers were stronger there. But now I have to call for it.'
'Your powers don't understand English,' Phoebe said. 'They simply respond to a verbal command. Say horse-shit for all it's worth.'
'Ah, Piper's soul!'
A blue light orbed out from the blade and danced in Paige's hand. Paige then threw it at the body.
Carine glowed before screaming and rising suddenly. She panted heavily.
'Is that really you, Piper?' 'Thanks for the lift,' she replied coyly.
'It's really you,' Paige smiled.
'I'm glad you remembered that line.'
'So am I. At least I know you are Piper. But do you want your body back?'
'Yes please. Um, why is it unconscious on the ground?'
'Phoebe zapped you.'
'What?'
'She had to. By the way, I also stripped your powers.'
'What?'
'I had to. Here, the potion. Just wish to be yourself. But let me warn you, you'll be un.'
Poof!
'.conscious,' Paige said in resignation.
Carine sprung up again. 'You bitches! What? How many bodies am I going to go through today.'
'This will be your last one,' Paige said. 'Maybe you'd like to meet our ancestors. They'll teach you how to live without a body. Phoebe.'
Phoebe grabbed Piper's hand.
'Prudence, Patricia, Penelope,
Melinda, Astrid, Helena, Laura and Grace.
Halliwell witches stand strong beside us. Vanquish this evil from time and space.'
Terra screamed as a dozen shards of light danced around her body probing at her. Terra's own spirit was exposed as the lights kept whacking into her like bumper cars. Suddenly, one light shot forth so hard that it disappeared into the body and ejected Terra's spirit. Her spirit tried to float away but it blew up.
Then all was quiet.
Phoebe smiled with a tear in one eye as the spirits disappeared.
And then Carine, for a third time, sprung up.
'Oh no,' Phoebe cried. 'It didn't work.'
Carine looked down shakily at her hands. 'I'm.not.Terra.'
'Oh no! We only had the power of two because Piper's powers have been stripped. That means you must be one of our ancestors,' Phoebe gasped.
'I'm.not.Terra. I'm Prue.'
With that, Carine collapsed.
'Oh, my head,' Piper said as Phoebe handed her a cup of tea.
'Now, are you going to tell us what is going on?' Paige demanded of Carine.
She said nothing.
'Who are you?' Piper demanded.
The woman breathed.
'It's me, Prue.'
'What?' Paige cried.
'Your spell did this to me.'
'But why?' Piper said.
'Maybe it's because Carine had a vacant body,' Paige said.
'Well, I'm not going to take your word for it,' Piper snapped. 'My sister is dead.'
'And it seems especially strange after my vision of your becoming the source. It's a trick. You're evil,' Phoebe cried.
'Oh no,' Paige cried. 'So this is our new source.'
'I'm not. You have to believe me. I'm telling the truth.'
'Truth eh,' Piper said. 'Paige. Truth spell. Phoebe, summon Grams and ask her if Prue went missing from their realm. I'll get Chris to confirm with the elders. I'm not taking any precautions today.'
'I wouldn't expect any less,' Carine said weakly.
'It really is you?' Piper said with tears swimming in her eyes.
'Every single test came up positive,' Paige confirmed.
'Oh, Prue. I don't know what to say,' Piper said.
'How about this: we're sorry,' Phoebe said. 'For not trusting it was you.'
'Don't be, Phoebe. You did what you had to. You saw a possible threat. And you sought conformation.'
'Something tells me the source isn't getting this body now.'
'Well, that's debatable. I have to return. Which means you have to find a way to eject my spirit back into the afterlife.'
'No. You just got here,' Piper said.
'But I belong elsewhere. And besides, this body is literally a pain.'
'That's the cost of mortality,' Phoebe said. 'Oh, this is too overwhelming.'
'I get to meet my big sister,' Paige squealed.
Prue smiled.
'I appreciate it guys. I really do. But I don't want to become attached. I have to go. And you have to find a way.'
'You want us to kill you?' Piper cried.
'No, it's just.'
'This body was empty before you entered it,' Paige said. 'Your spirit is firmly anchored down so a separation spell is out. And killing you would be downright evil.'
'Suicide is out of the question,' Prue said. 'Maybe if I'm lucky, a demon will kill me again.'
'Funny,' Piper said. 'But not that funny. I couldn't relive that. And you're too proud to let a demon kill you.'
'But I don't have any powers in this body.'
'I'm not so sure,' Paige said crossing her arms. 'The source would have needed a strong body. Plus, darklighters generally don't go after mortals unless there's something more.'
'Okay, let me try something.'
Piper threw up her hands.
'Prue? You didn't freeze.'
'I'm a ghost.'
'No you're not,' Phoebe argued. 'You're in a body. A vacant body that your soul has claimed.'
'Which means you are body-focused; not spirit-focused,' Paige said. 'In lamen's terms, your immunity comes from your body.'
'Damn,' Prue cussed. 'Trust me to get stuck in a body of a witch with no way out.'
'If it means that much, we'll find a way out,' Piper said sadly.
'Well, I've tested all possible powers I know,' Prue said. 'No telekinesis, no astral projection. No powers tied to bitter emotions.'
'Maybe you're a witch without powers,' Phoebe suggested.
'Or very dangerous powers,' Piper said. 'We don't know what energies this body could be packing.'
'Great! I'm sure glad Jason left,' Phoebe said. 'Because this is getting too much. We need to find out what's behind all of this.'
'First return my powers to me,' Piper snarled. 'Otherwise, we don't have the power of three.'
'I'm on it,' Paige said.
Chris orbed into the room.
'You missed a lot,' Piper said. 'But we'll fill you in later. There is a serious threat. We think there is a new source looking to resurface.'
'That makes sense,' Chris said sweating.
'Are you okay?' Phoebe said.
'Yeah, just battling.the flu.'
'I didn't think whitelighters got sick,' Piper said. 'Maybe you've been infected. We should check the book.'
'No,' Chris snapped. 'That won't be necessary.'
'Well, I'm going to work a little more on my protection potion,' Paige said. 'I need to get it perfect. Yeah yeah. And unbind Piper's powers.'
'A new potion? Just remember, there's almost always a trade off to a potion that potent,' Chris said.
'I'm still going to modify it. Best results; least consequence.'
'Your potion saved my life,' Piper said frankly. 'We would have both been kidnapped. And Phoebe wouldn't have stood a chance.'
'The power of one is no fun,' Phoebe smiled. 'Still we have a lot of things to sort out. I don't think there's going to be any resting on our laurels.'
'I have something to tell you,' Chris said. 'I have a confession.'
Piper looked at him with suspicion.
'I'm.I'm not who you think I am. I.'
Chris paused as four sets of eyes burnt into him like hawks.
'Um, what I meant to say is this: I changed the past so I would have you as my charges. I manipulated it, not only to save you, but for a little personal gain.'
'That's no secret,' Piper said narrowing her eyes to slits.
Chris laughed nervously.
'I need to get back to the hospital,' Prue said.
'What?' Piper screeched. 'No, you'll stay here.'
'To avoid suspicion if nothing else.'
'I'll orb you,' Paige said extended her hand.
'No. I mean, let Chris take me. You need to concentrate on the source.'
'Why?' Paige said. 'Prue stole his body. Where would he go?'
Corin smiled.
'Infant of Darkness, I promise your return will be swift and eventful.'
Corin stirred her cauldron.
Author's Note: This was originally named Wily Piper Coyote but changed to Something Deep Inside. Previous Story: The Tale of the Soul Thief Next Story: Neophyte Witch
'C'mon, Paige,' Phoebe pleaded. 'Call for my laptop.'
'No. You have to deal with Jason sooner or later.'
'Later. Just call for it.'
Paige pursed up her lips and turned her head away from Phoebe.
'Fine, I'll get it myself. Useless sister.'
Phoebe slammed the front door shut.
'Hmm, what's up with her,' Piper said carrying a load of laundry.
'She's pissed because I won't help her avoid Jason.'
'Maybe she needs time alone.'
'Well, I'm busy,' Paige said.
'Miss Unemployed is busy?'
'For your information, I've been secretly working on the protection potion.'
'That's not so secret,' Piper said. 'You and Grams were discussing that over a year ago.'
'Yeah, but this time I think I've finally got it. Grams will be so happy.'
'Maybe,' Piper said. 'But just make sure there are no consequences. We can't afford any backfire at the moment. Ever since Leo left, and the elders numbers have dwindled, something has been.not right.'
'You feel it too?'
Piper nodded.
Poof!
A small explosion sounded from the attic.
'That's my potion,' Paige said. 'It's boiling over!'
Piper frowned.
Poof!
Poof.
'Very nice,' Chris said as Corin dipped a ladle into the cauldron and removed some of the green potion.
'Which one first?' she asked letting her rotten yellow teeth shine.
'Piper and Paige are alone,' Chris replied. 'We get the two of them in one whack!'
'We'll need to hire some tough, fearless demons to take on the Charmed Ones.'
'I've got all that sorted out,' Chris smiled.
'Tah-duh!' Paige said holding up a small vial.
'You're actually going to drink that stuff?' Piper questioned.
'Of course,' Paige replied unscrewing the lid.
'Okay,' Piper said in resignation.
Paige gulped it down.
Piper tilted her head and raised her eyebrows.
'Nothing yet,' Paige said. 'Piper, blow me up.'
'What! No!'
'Why not?'
'I don't know what effect my powers have on good witches. I could destroy you.'
'I'm counting on it. If they do, then this potion should protect me.' 'Paige, it is a first release. I'm hardly going to wager your life on that. There is no such thing as a first time perfect. That's why it's called research. Find some other way of testing it then make the necessary adjustments.'
'You're right.'
Suddenly, the manor door blew open and a heavy-set demon threw a purple, boomerang-shaped kinetic-blast at Piper's causing her to go flying into the staircase.
'Now's the perfect time,' Paige said.
The man entered and an athame appeared in his hand.
'Oh, Athame!' Paige shouted.
Faint blue lights encompassed the athame but soon fizzled out like a shorting circuit.
'Paige! Was that a binding potion?' Piper cried angrily holding her head.
'Um, freeze something,' Paige cried as he threw the athame towards her.
Piper threw up her hands and froze the athame.
'So, it's only my powers that are down.'
'Ah,' Piper moaned in pain as she clutched her head again and fell back against the staircase.
The demon threw a large ball of red energy at Piper.
Piper, still dazed from her fall, barely had time to lift her hands let alone use her powers.
The ball hit her and sent her 3-feet into the air.
'Piper!' Paige cried as her sister smashed through the railings, landed on a step, then toppled all the way down to the bottom.
The demon then under-armed a second ball of red towards Paige.
Paige screamed and tried to orb but the sparks fizzled out.
However, as the ball hit her, a blue glow encompassed her stomach and the ball disintegrated.
'What the.' the demon shouted. 'Why didn't you.?'
Paige regained her balance and stared the creature in the eyes.
Suddenly, he vanished.
Then reappeared next to Piper.
And vanished again WITH Piper.
'Aahhh!' Paige screamed.
'I asked for two witches,' Corin sneered. 'And you bring me one.'
'Forgive me, my lady. But a Charmed One is hard to get. Two is even greater a challenge.'
'You're just lucky there wasn't three or you wouldn't have the luxury of bringing me this one.'
'Why don't we just kill her?'
'Because, as a Charmed One, her magic protects her. Sure, we could kill her mortally, but then we'd never get our hands on the Halliwell magic.'
'Who cares? Just give me my bounty!'
She turned around and scowled at him before depositing a few gold coins into his hand.
'Now leave!'
He bowed and disappeared.
'And you, my pretty. Now it is time to see your past.'
She cradled the unconscious Piper up against the wall then waved her hand over Piper's face.
Corin could see a nightclub. She could see Piper dancing in a tarty red top.
'Let me guess? The alchemic possession?' Chris said from behind her.
The woman spun around. 'How did you know that?'
'I'm somewhat familiar with the Charmed Ones past. From where I came, I did extensive research on them. I know almost all there is. But my question to you: why not just create your own essence. Terra failed once. She will fail again.'
'My poor, child. You supplied me with the ingredients to produce a powerful resurrection potion so that we may unleash their greatest challenges back upon them and you now declare for me to just send another demon. No, Terra knows them. She may have been produced by a lower-level alchemist but she already knows of what must be done.'
'You're right. I just fear that, if she failed before, she'll fail again.'
'It was your idea.'
'I'm just.'
'Letting the human inside of you take over? That won't happen. You are stronger than he is. Push all the good that is inside of you out. In fact, when this is through, I can help you. Not permanently strip your good but to help suppress it. But for now, we have work to be done.'
The alchemist sprinkled some dust from her pouch over Piper and chanted.
She then turned towards her green, bubbling cauldron and waved her hand over it. It frothed and bubbled before a steamy vapour wafted from it. Suddenly, with a wave of her hand, the vapour disappeared into Piper's chest.
'Now awaken,' waving a hand over Piper's face.
Piper shot up awake with a start.
'I'm alive,' she said.
'What is your name?'
Piper rose.
'Answer me,' she demanded.
'Terra,' Piper said.
'And you were vanquished by the Charmed Ones?'
'How am I alive?'
'I brought you back from the dead, dear. For a second shot. Don't disappoint me. Now leave.'
The alchemist waved her hand and a sudden wind caused Piper to blow up into the air and vanish into nothingness.
'What do you mean they got Piper?' Phoebe demanded looking up from her typewriter.
'We were.caught by surprise.'
'Paige! Why didn't you use your powers?'
'Um, there's a problem with that. Which is the reason I drove over here.'
Phoebe quickly sprung up from her chair, ran to the door and closed it.
'I made this potion. And it worked. Worked a little too well.'
'The protection potion? Did it bind your powers?'
'No,' Paige said stretching the word. 'I think it may have blocked my powers.'
'How long does it last for? Please don't tell me indefinitely.'
'No. Fortunately not,' Paige said lowering her voice.
'We have to get back to the manor.'
Phoebe picked up the phone. 'Julie. Hi. I'm stepping out of the office. And tell that boss of ours.not Elise, Jason! Tell him that I expect my calls to be directed to me. I have a family emergency. And don't make me say the J-word again.'
Phoebe started flipping through the Book of Shadows. 'What did he look like?'
They spun around as they heard a clutter and a clumsy Piper drunkedly woddled in. She entered the room looking weary.
'Piper,' Paige cried. 'I'm so sorry.'
'Sorry? Oh, right. That's okay.'
'What happened?' Phoebe cried.
'The demon who kidnapped me shimmered me somewhere. But I managed to freeze him and get away.'
'Did you vanquish him?' Paige asked.
'No. I didn't exactly go in with a plan.'
'What? Is he immune to your powers?' Paige questioned.
'Um, no. I.froze him and got away. Remember?'
'But if you could freeze him,' Phoebe began. 'You should have.Paige? What's wrong.'
Paige burped.
'I think the potion just wore off. Eh, apple!'
An apple from the kitchen orbed into Paige's hand and she smiled.
Suddenly, Chris orbed in the room. He gave Piper a knowing look.
'Chris!' Paige said startled. 'What are you doing here?'
'There is.ah.an emergency. Remember.remember the woman whose soul was taken?'
'Carine? Yeah. Why?' Paige demanded.
'Her spirit is ready to return to her body and she needs protecting. There is a demon on the way.'
'What?' Phoebe cried.
'Wait. Why would she return to her body?' Paige said. 'She left it like a week ago.'
'Look, I don't make the rules. But you follow them. So Piper will stay here and finish the vanquishing potion. I will help her.'
'I will?' Piper said. 'Uh, I will.'
'Gee, Chris,' Paige said. 'You seem to know a lot about this demon.'
'Yeah, well the elders aren't exactly holding back any information.'
'That's doesn't sound like the elders,' Paige said with a hint of suspicion.
'Just go. Go go go!'
Paige nodded grabbing Phoebe and orbing.
'What was that all about?' Terra demanded as they left.
Chris's eyes flashed white. 'You need my help.'
'Help? I don't know who you're fooling mister but I've got other plans. Revenge.'
'You can get all the revenge you want. Just work with me. Not against.'
'Humph!'
'Now, now,' the evil Chris said holding Piper's chin. 'You will have your revenge. But you will do it in a way so as to gain favour with the new source.'
'New source?'
Chris nodded.
'What are we waiting for?' Paige cried sitting down on the end of Carine's bed.
'I don't know,' Phoebe replied.
'Something isn't right,' Paige said.
'You may be onto something,' Phoebe said as she joined Paige on the bed next to the commatised Carine.
Phoebe suddenly gasped.
'What?' Paige cried her face stricken with concern.
'Carine! She's the source.'
'What? That's impossible. She's an empty shell.'
'Not in my vision. Still, don't you think it's strange that Chris should send us here? He and Piper have been acting weird.'
'I agree,' Paige said. 'I think we're being set-up.'
'Do you think maybe that Piper and Chris were shapeshifters? Demons with the power to glamour?'
'I wouldn't put it past the demonic community. Let's get back to the manor.'
'Where's the potion?' Paige demanded.
'Uh.'
'We didn't need it,' Chris said.
'Well, what about the demon?'
'The elders were mistaken.'
'The elders are never mistaken. They're just stubborn.'
'Nobody is perfect, Paige. And now the numbers have dropped, they're powers are at an all time low. As it happens, Carine is in no trouble at the moment. And it doesn't make my job easy when you are always questioning and disbelieving me. So let's focus. Let's concentrate on find out what is happening to Carine.'
'I guess you're right,' Paige said with a hint of disgust in her voice. 'But I think we're the ones in trouble, not Carine.'.
'What do you mean?' Chris demanded.
'I had a vision. I don't know how; but Carine was the source.'
Chris's face exploded into a mask of horror, hatred and anger.
'What?'
'What?' Piper added. 'Was that part of the plan. Er, the demonic takeover plan or do you think it is another faction.'
'I'd say the underworld is double crossing itself,' Chris said as if speaking directly to Piper.
Terra entered the bathroom only to see Piper's reflection in the mirror. It was not a direct reflection but rather a reflection of Piper's soul.
She was wearing a white gown and there appeared to be a supernatural glow around her body. Then she spoke:
'Don't tell me you're who I think you are?'
'We meet again. It's a shame this time that you'll have to die. And I see you've broken up with Tom.'
'Keep out of my personal affairs.'
'How can I when I am you? By the way, why is my stomach flabby and stretchy. Wait! You had a baby.'
'You keep your hands off of him or else.'
'Or else what? You'll give me a bad reflection. Hahahahahha!!!'
Piper scowled but did not see that there was another reflection behind her own.
Chris quickly pulled away from the flowing stream as he saw Piper's reflection. He was terrified as it was to be stuck in this realm. The last thing he needed was for Piper to see him.
So, Piper was in trouble. For how else would he have seen a reflection of a reflection. The planes redefined the meaning of sanity and Chris was short of it. He'd never been force-projected this long from his body before.
He heard footsteps.
Chris started running through the beautiful forest. It was hard to describe but the sky was a purple colour. Almost crystal. The colours of the forest around him were bright like somebody had turned up the colour on an old television set.
Chris almost screamed when a funny looking creature croaked at him. Not as in a frog croak, but it sounded more like the hollow warning of a turkey. In fact, it was shaped like a turkey but it was made out of crystal.
Two red rubies complimented its face and doubled as eyes. Eyes that glowed red yet showed no signs of hostility. As he backed away from the critter, he hit another being. But the being felt comfortably warm. Just by the force of the push, he could tell that it was a two-legged creature.
Chris spun around.
The figure wore a long robe with a cape covering its face. Suddenly, it raised two fair coloured hands to its face and removed the hood.
'Leo,' Chris said startled.
'We meet again.'
'What.are you doing here?'
'I thought you might like to answer that for me. After all, you were the last person I was talking to before I found myself here.'
'Um, what happened?'
'When I orbed out to the heavens, my orb trail was forced into another dimension. This dimension. Is this how you got here?'
Chris stood silent.
'Is it?' Leo demanded with a low tone in his voice.
Chris's eyes welted with tears.
Leo put a fatherly hand on the young man's shoulder.
'I didn't mean to do it,' Chris said. 'I was so angry.'
'Didn't mean to do what?' Leo said keeping his voice firm.
'It was I who pushed you here.'
'And tell me you've returned to bring me back.'
'I can't. It wasn't me.'
'But you just said it was,' Leo said with the anger returning in his tone.
'It was something inside of me. Something I took in before coming here.'
'Here?'
'No. To the past. To your present. I made a deal with somebody. I thought I could save the future - my future.'
'Who did you make the deal with?'
'I can't remember,' Chris said.
Leo grabbed him by the collar angrily before shuddering and pulling back.
'Wait! You're just an essence. A projection. That must mean that your body is still out there. Out there with Piper and Wyatt.'
'My body was taken over by the shadow. A source of power given to me. That's all I remember.'
'This is who you are. The entity standing here is your purity Chris. Back home, your body is a shell feeding on your most bitter emotions. And the dark magic is taking over. You cannot allow your good to be pushed out. But you cannot deny your negative side. You've been split in two; you have to return.'
'I understand. But even when I am in control of the myself, I'm still being tempted. Only recently have I started coming here.'
Leo's eyes narrowed to slits.
'Because it has come to the stage where there is no room for good. A stage where this being is truly evil. But if it kills in your body.'
'I know. Speaking of bodies, Piper's must be on a rampage.'
'No. I used some magic. Though I hope my removal from the world didn't interfere.'
'I mean I can see her essence in the reflection of the waters.'
'What!!! That means Piper, like yourself, is possessed. If her possesser kills somebody, her body will become poison and she'll have no chance of returning.'
'The witches have a spell to reverse that.'
Leo grabbed Chris by the collar of his shirt. 'Only a power of three spell could achieve that, Chris, and we don't have the power of three anymore. If something happens to my wife or son; I will destroy you.'
'But.'
'You have to take full responsibility, Chris. You chose to work with evil. Even if it was for good. Doing the wrong thing for the right reason doesn't make it right.'
Leo ran over to the stream and peered into it. 'I see nothing.'
'It was there minutes ago.'
'The being that has possessed her must not be looking in the mirror. So it cannot reflect her soul into this plane. Chris, you have to warn them.'
'Why me?'
'Putting aside the fact you got them into this mess, you have a body on the outside. Everything I own - body and soul - is stranded here. You have to astral project back into your body. Then you have to tell them the truth. Trust them.'
'But I.'
'No buts. Do it. Now!'
Chris concentrated and breathed deeply.
'Picture yourself in a peaceful place. Um, actually picture this place but with your eyes closed. Feel only good. Now pull that from deep inside of you. Wait, push it deep inside of you. The good that you feel is here. Force it back.'
Suddenly, Chris vanished in an astral fade.
Chris started shaking violently.
Then his eyes sprung open.
'Chris?' Paige said. 'Are you okay?'
'I.I don't know,' Chris looked at both of his hands. 'Ah, I think something is wrong with Piper.'
'You're telling us,' Phoebe said. 'She's been acting weird.'
'You have to figure out what is wrong,' Chris said.
Chris closed his eyes again. Memories came flooding back. Memories that his body took in while he was in the magic plane.
'I'll go and bring Carine here,' he said clumsily hoping that it was a memory and not a hallucination.
He orbed off.
'Piper. Aren't you going to look in the book,' Paige said.
'Ah, the book. Yeah. The book. Right. I'll get onto it.'
'Well you'd better before Prue gets home.'
'Prue! I mean, we don't really need her. Do we?'
Phoebe looked to Paige and her eyes narrowed.
'Well, why don't you orb and get her for us. That's what whitelighters are for. Go.' She dismissively flicked her hand at Paige.
'Now you're sounding like our other whitelighter, Chris.'
'Remind me again why we have two whitelighters.'
'Who are you?' Phoebe shouted suddenly.
'Oh, what gave me away,' she said throwing a bolt at them.
Phoebe flipped her hip and the bolt sailed past harmlessly.
'An alchemist?' Phoebe said. 'Again.'
'The same one to be exact.'
'How is that possible?' Phoebe cried.
'I guess a lot of things just are. Like how long your sister's soul has survived. My is she ever the strong one.'
'Remove yourself from that body.without using a knife,' Phoebe cried.
'I can't.'
'Then we'll just use the separating two spirits spell,' Paige said. 'Piper wrote one in the book of shadows, so you'll have to excuse to while of save my sister witch.'
'I'm not going to ask,' Terra shouted flicking her hands angrily.
Suddenly, a vase exploded.
Terra looked down at her hands. 'Did I do that?'
'Don't think about it,' Phoebe cried.
'Why would I want to destroy you. I have the power of three on my side. I'm assuming that Prue is no longer with us. Well, can't say I'll miss her. She did kill me after all. But at least she'll have company when this is over.'
'Piper,' Phoebe said to herself.
Chris orbed into the underworld.
'Back so soon,' Corin sneered.
'You betrayed me. Wait, you are going to betray me! That Charmed Ones had a vision. You're going to reconstitute the source, aren't you?'
'It will serve us both. I honestly don't think you're source material. What are you? Nineteen?'
'No age that concerns you,' Chris cried. 'But I must admit, you look about 1000 years old, you hag.'
She laughed: 'Why thank-you. People usually says I look older. Even after they guess my age and take 1000 years off for good favour.'
'What are we going to do?' Phoebe cried.
'I have an idea. But it's a long shot.'
'Does it involve killing Piper?'
'No. It actually involved saving Piper's soul.'
'What about her body?'
'We'll get to that later.'
'Paige, we can't use that separating spirits spell. It's likely to reject Piper because she is the weaker of the two spirits. And once ejected, her spirit is gone.'
'That's why we prepare to catch Piper's soul.'
'With what?'
'The dragon blade.'
'Um, Paige. The Zen Master took that with him into his next life.'
'Artifacts don't get reborn. They just wind up elsewhere on this planet.'
'And how are we going to find it?'
'With art,' Paige said grabbing a sketching pencil from the drawer. 'And you're going to mix up a potion.'
'What for?'
'Another Zen moment.'
'The switching bodies potion?'
'Precisely.'
Phoebe sighed and went downstairs.
She saw Terra in the kitchen preparing a snack.
'I hope you don't mind,' Terra grinned.
'Ah, help yourself. Just don't put too much weight on Piper's thighs.'
'Why? She won't be needing them.'
'Oh, I think she will. If she wants to dance at P3,' Phoebe grinned tapping her on the shoulder.
Phoebe was thrust into a premonition:
She saw the door opening and Jason standing there. Suddenly, the person (who's body Phoebe appeared to be look from) raised her arms and thrust them at Jason. Jason screamed as a yellow glow encompassed his torso causing him to explode into sparks of white dust. She then saw a close-up of a pile of dust around Jason's clothes.
'Problem?' Terra scowled.
Phoebe ran off.
'Witches,' Terra sighed stuffing her mouth full of potato chips.
'What?' Paige cried.
'Terra is going for a bit of target practice. We have to do something.'
Suddenly, they heard the doorbell ringing.
'Oh no. No, no, no.'
'You should be down there guarding the door,' Paige snarled. ] 'I'll get it,' yelled Terra.
Paige grabbed Phoebe and orbed into the foyer.
But Terra had already opened the door.
'Piper. Is Phoebe home.'
Pssdt!
'Terra, no,' Phoebe said dashing at her.
Terra turned around and flicked her hands at Phoebe.
Pkkdt!
Phoebe was sent flying into the wall as Piper's exploding power hit her torso.
'Don't worry,' Terra said. 'I froze him first. I thought I'd leave the targeting a moving object for a later lesson.'
'You sick bitch!' Phoebe cried as she ran towards Terra.
Terra flicked her hands again.
Pkkkdt!
Phoebe screamed as the force of Piper's exploding power flung her back.
'You may be immune to your sisters powers, but not to mine.'
Terra fired a bolt of electricity at Phoebe.
It hit her and she went flying into the wall.
'That was my highest voltage.'
'I'm a powerful witch,' Phoebe moaned struggling to her feet. 'For the love of God, Paige, do something.'
'Do what?'
'Guess I don't have anything against you. After all, Prue and Piper are dead. That suits me fine!'
Terra tore outside, pushed the frozen Jason down the stairs, and ripped off down the driveway.
'Not again,' Jason cried as Phoebe dabbed his bleeding forehead with a washer. 'Why did Piper have to push me down the stairs?'
'Um, PMS,' Phoebe said.
'Are you sure you didn't tell her to do it if I showed up?'
'Trust me,' Paige said. 'We have better things to do with our time.'
'Now you rest here. We have stuff to do.'
'You're leaving?'
'Well,' Phoebe continued. 'We'd throw you out only you'd complain about our bad hospitality. At least we can say we let you get the rest you deserve.'
Phoebe entered the conservatory and Paige followed.
'Are we still going ahead with the plan?' Phoebe asked.
'Yeah, but do you think you can call a premonition on where she went?'
'I'll try. But I'll need something of hers. Meanwhile, you make that potion.'
'Okay, potion is just about ready.'
'Yeah, well premonition isn't. I've meditated on almost every utensil that Piper's ever used. And believe me, that equals every one in this kitchen.'
Paige poured the potion into a jar.
'Now we just need to get our Piper a new body.'
Suddenly, Phoebe shuddered.
'What happened?'
'I think I just had a premonition. I saw Terra at the hospital; destroying Carine.'
'Your power must be growing. Now it's being triggered by words. But why do you think she wants to hurt Carine,' Paige said as if expecting the word Carine to trigger another premonition. She sighed when it didn't.
'Think it has something to do with Carine becoming the source. She's going to stop her.'
'I think your premonition just led us to Piper's new body.'
Paige grabbed Phoebe and disappeared in a swirl of blue lights.
'You've got potion stains all over you.'
Paige looked down at her cooking apron. Indeed, it was stained with various potion colours. There was also some dried powder that had crept into the pouch on the front of her apron.
'I didn't exactly have time to clean up. We may already be too late.'
'She has to find out exactly where the hospital is. Then where Carine is. Paige, you're half whitelighter, try sensing her.'
'If I could do that, I would have sensed her before.'
'Yeah, but now we're closer.'
Paige concentrated and a chiming sound rang out.
'I know where she is. Level 2.'
Terra wandered the hall of the hospital. She was deep in thought looking left and right. She clenched her fist as she pushed the button on the elevator.
It opened.
And she got more than she bargained for. Phoebe and Paige were on the other side.
'Hey sis,' Paige said.
'I'm visiting,' Terra said lamely.
'More like murdering. By the way, this is the coronary ward. Only heart patients are here.'
Terra turned and ran.
Phoebe chased after her.
But Paige remained.
Paige found herself at the door of a young boy. He was cuddling a teddy bear with a ribbon strung around its neck.
'Hey,' Paige said feeling drawn to him.
'Hi.'
'What are you in here for?'
'I have a hole in my heart. And sometimes it gets up to 180 beats. So I have to stay.'
'I see. That's a beautiful bear.'
'My mother bought it for me. Why are you here?'
'I'm here to pickup my sister.'
The boy smiled and placed the teddy bear on the counter.
'Excuse me,' a nurse said. 'Are you a visitor?'
'No. I was leaving.'
As Paige reached the door she turned and whispered "Ribbon".
The red ribbon orbed into her hand.
'Stop you bitch,' Phoebe cried as she pushed Terra through a door.
'You can't come in here,' a doctor said as the other surgeons looked up from the operating table.
'I'm glad you're not Piper otherwise you'd be vomiting. But then Piper would choose somewhere a little more tasteful for a showdown.'
'Sorry for the disturbance,' Terra said throwing up her hands.
Pssdt!
The room froze save for Terra and Phoebe.
'You're trapped.'
'Don't make me blow everybody up.'
Paige orbed in. At least they're not on the clock,' Phoebe said pointing to the frozen surgeon holding the heart in his hands.
'Then maybe I should just unfreeze him,' Terra said pointing to the patient.
Phoebe whispered into Paige's ear.
'We can't do this. She keeps using her power.'
'And I've got an idea. Strip them.' 'Um, we can't. Piper's older than us. Too bad Prue's not alive.'
'I was thinking more of disempowering a witch. Please forgive me. Heart!'
The bloody heart orbed from the doctor's hand into Paige's disgusted grasp. She then tied the ribbon to the heart. She thrust her hand into the pocket of her apron and sprinkled some potion powder onto the heart.
Phoebe's eyes popped out in terror.
'I hope this potion mix will suffice. Here goes:
From the passing of this hour,
Take away her magic power.'
'What are you doing,' Terra cried.
Suddenly, the room unfroze and Paige was left holding a bloody heart.
The doctor looked down at his hand confused as Paige ran outside.
'Ew, ah, yea!' Paige flipped her open hand in the air and the heart flung out and into a waste paper bin.
'Paige!!!' Phoebe cried grabbing Terra by the arm.
'He wouldn't be having a transplant if it was any good.'
'Let go of me,' Terra cried as Phoebe flipped her over her shoulder.
Suddenly, the couch glowed bright with blue lights as the silhouette of a woman laying prone materialized onto it. When the lights dissipated, Carine was laying unconscious on the sofa with Paige standing above her.
'Hurry,' Phoebe said.
Paige ran into the kitchen clutching her bloody hands together.
'Your sister is dead.'
'Not if I can help it,' Paige's voice shouted as the sound of flowing water could be heard from the kitchen.
Paige rushed out and plucked a piece of paper from her pocket.
It was an artistic drawing of a blade.
Paige closed her eyes blocking out the screams of the restrained Terra.
'DRAGONBLADE!!!'
The blade orbed into her hand. 'I hope no one saw that.'
'Who cares!' Phoebe cried. 'Just do it.'
Paige turned the paper to the other side. Not taking her hand off the page, she walked up towards Terra and Phoebe and grabbed their arms. She then read the writing on the page:
'Two worn souls now burn inside where only one can reside, I call upon the Power of Three to save the body and set Piper free.'
Suddenly, a blast of white energy shot from Terra's chest. Paige held out the dragon blade and the energy was sucked into it.
Terra escaped Phoebe's grasp.
'Thanks for the eviction,' Terra laughed. 'Now give me back my powers.'
'Phoebe, I think it's nap time for Terra.'
'What --- oh! Paige, I can't control it.'
'Control what?' Terra said with a hint of panic in her voice.
Terra started to run in fear but Phoebe trailed behind her.
'DO IT!'
'This is gonna be a blast,' Phoebe said grabbing Terra's head between her hands.
Zzzzap!
A blue ball of energy formed in each of Phoebe's hands as though they were electrodes. Terra squealed and convulsed before hitting the ground.
'Now she won't be able to interfere with our plan,' Paige smiled.
'Paige, orb Piper's soul into Carine's body.'
'I can't. What would I say?' 'The same thing you said last time in limbo.' 'That's just it! My powers were stronger there. But now I have to call for it.'
'Your powers don't understand English,' Phoebe said. 'They simply respond to a verbal command. Say horse-shit for all it's worth.'
'Ah, Piper's soul!'
A blue light orbed out from the blade and danced in Paige's hand. Paige then threw it at the body.
Carine glowed before screaming and rising suddenly. She panted heavily.
'Is that really you, Piper?' 'Thanks for the lift,' she replied coyly.
'It's really you,' Paige smiled.
'I'm glad you remembered that line.'
'So am I. At least I know you are Piper. But do you want your body back?'
'Yes please. Um, why is it unconscious on the ground?'
'Phoebe zapped you.'
'What?'
'She had to. By the way, I also stripped your powers.'
'What?'
'I had to. Here, the potion. Just wish to be yourself. But let me warn you, you'll be un.'
Poof!
'.conscious,' Paige said in resignation.
Carine sprung up again. 'You bitches! What? How many bodies am I going to go through today.'
'This will be your last one,' Paige said. 'Maybe you'd like to meet our ancestors. They'll teach you how to live without a body. Phoebe.'
Phoebe grabbed Piper's hand.
'Prudence, Patricia, Penelope,
Melinda, Astrid, Helena, Laura and Grace.
Halliwell witches stand strong beside us. Vanquish this evil from time and space.'
Terra screamed as a dozen shards of light danced around her body probing at her. Terra's own spirit was exposed as the lights kept whacking into her like bumper cars. Suddenly, one light shot forth so hard that it disappeared into the body and ejected Terra's spirit. Her spirit tried to float away but it blew up.
Then all was quiet.
Phoebe smiled with a tear in one eye as the spirits disappeared.
And then Carine, for a third time, sprung up.
'Oh no,' Phoebe cried. 'It didn't work.'
Carine looked down shakily at her hands. 'I'm.not.Terra.'
'Oh no! We only had the power of two because Piper's powers have been stripped. That means you must be one of our ancestors,' Phoebe gasped.
'I'm.not.Terra. I'm Prue.'
With that, Carine collapsed.
'Oh, my head,' Piper said as Phoebe handed her a cup of tea.
'Now, are you going to tell us what is going on?' Paige demanded of Carine.
She said nothing.
'Who are you?' Piper demanded.
The woman breathed.
'It's me, Prue.'
'What?' Paige cried.
'Your spell did this to me.'
'But why?' Piper said.
'Maybe it's because Carine had a vacant body,' Paige said.
'Well, I'm not going to take your word for it,' Piper snapped. 'My sister is dead.'
'And it seems especially strange after my vision of your becoming the source. It's a trick. You're evil,' Phoebe cried.
'Oh no,' Paige cried. 'So this is our new source.'
'I'm not. You have to believe me. I'm telling the truth.'
'Truth eh,' Piper said. 'Paige. Truth spell. Phoebe, summon Grams and ask her if Prue went missing from their realm. I'll get Chris to confirm with the elders. I'm not taking any precautions today.'
'I wouldn't expect any less,' Carine said weakly.
'It really is you?' Piper said with tears swimming in her eyes.
'Every single test came up positive,' Paige confirmed.
'Oh, Prue. I don't know what to say,' Piper said.
'How about this: we're sorry,' Phoebe said. 'For not trusting it was you.'
'Don't be, Phoebe. You did what you had to. You saw a possible threat. And you sought conformation.'
'Something tells me the source isn't getting this body now.'
'Well, that's debatable. I have to return. Which means you have to find a way to eject my spirit back into the afterlife.'
'No. You just got here,' Piper said.
'But I belong elsewhere. And besides, this body is literally a pain.'
'That's the cost of mortality,' Phoebe said. 'Oh, this is too overwhelming.'
'I get to meet my big sister,' Paige squealed.
Prue smiled.
'I appreciate it guys. I really do. But I don't want to become attached. I have to go. And you have to find a way.'
'You want us to kill you?' Piper cried.
'No, it's just.'
'This body was empty before you entered it,' Paige said. 'Your spirit is firmly anchored down so a separation spell is out. And killing you would be downright evil.'
'Suicide is out of the question,' Prue said. 'Maybe if I'm lucky, a demon will kill me again.'
'Funny,' Piper said. 'But not that funny. I couldn't relive that. And you're too proud to let a demon kill you.'
'But I don't have any powers in this body.'
'I'm not so sure,' Paige said crossing her arms. 'The source would have needed a strong body. Plus, darklighters generally don't go after mortals unless there's something more.'
'Okay, let me try something.'
Piper threw up her hands.
'Prue? You didn't freeze.'
'I'm a ghost.'
'No you're not,' Phoebe argued. 'You're in a body. A vacant body that your soul has claimed.'
'Which means you are body-focused; not spirit-focused,' Paige said. 'In lamen's terms, your immunity comes from your body.'
'Damn,' Prue cussed. 'Trust me to get stuck in a body of a witch with no way out.'
'If it means that much, we'll find a way out,' Piper said sadly.
'Well, I've tested all possible powers I know,' Prue said. 'No telekinesis, no astral projection. No powers tied to bitter emotions.'
'Maybe you're a witch without powers,' Phoebe suggested.
'Or very dangerous powers,' Piper said. 'We don't know what energies this body could be packing.'
'Great! I'm sure glad Jason left,' Phoebe said. 'Because this is getting too much. We need to find out what's behind all of this.'
'First return my powers to me,' Piper snarled. 'Otherwise, we don't have the power of three.'
'I'm on it,' Paige said.
Chris orbed into the room.
'You missed a lot,' Piper said. 'But we'll fill you in later. There is a serious threat. We think there is a new source looking to resurface.'
'That makes sense,' Chris said sweating.
'Are you okay?' Phoebe said.
'Yeah, just battling.the flu.'
'I didn't think whitelighters got sick,' Piper said. 'Maybe you've been infected. We should check the book.'
'No,' Chris snapped. 'That won't be necessary.'
'Well, I'm going to work a little more on my protection potion,' Paige said. 'I need to get it perfect. Yeah yeah. And unbind Piper's powers.'
'A new potion? Just remember, there's almost always a trade off to a potion that potent,' Chris said.
'I'm still going to modify it. Best results; least consequence.'
'Your potion saved my life,' Piper said frankly. 'We would have both been kidnapped. And Phoebe wouldn't have stood a chance.'
'The power of one is no fun,' Phoebe smiled. 'Still we have a lot of things to sort out. I don't think there's going to be any resting on our laurels.'
'I have something to tell you,' Chris said. 'I have a confession.'
Piper looked at him with suspicion.
'I'm.I'm not who you think I am. I.'
Chris paused as four sets of eyes burnt into him like hawks.
'Um, what I meant to say is this: I changed the past so I would have you as my charges. I manipulated it, not only to save you, but for a little personal gain.'
'That's no secret,' Piper said narrowing her eyes to slits.
Chris laughed nervously.
'I need to get back to the hospital,' Prue said.
'What?' Piper screeched. 'No, you'll stay here.'
'To avoid suspicion if nothing else.'
'I'll orb you,' Paige said extended her hand.
'No. I mean, let Chris take me. You need to concentrate on the source.'
'Why?' Paige said. 'Prue stole his body. Where would he go?'
Corin smiled.
'Infant of Darkness, I promise your return will be swift and eventful.'
Corin stirred her cauldron.