Piper sat beside the crib watching her little girl sleep. Melinda was almost six months old, but Piper still couldn't believe she was really here. Piper tucked the blanket in
around the sleeping baby and walked over to her bed to take a nap herself. Sometimes Piper felt like Melinda was just a wonderful dream, one that would be gone as
soon as the slumber ended. Piper drifted off to sleep thinking if this happiness was all a dream, she never wanted to wake up.
*****
Phoebe sat at the kitchen table typing an upcoming column on her lap-top. Her boss had agreed to let her work mainly from home these days. She had also promised to
only schedule appearances on radio and television shows on a monthly bases. She wasn't happy about Phoebe's new schedule, but when Phoebe explained it was this or
nothing she reluctantly agreed. Phoebe put down her glasses and walked over to the fridge to get another cup of tea. She noticed Melinda's bottle sitting on the counter.
Had the little one really been in their lives for six months already? Phoebe smiled as she picked up the baby bottle.
Phoebe was immediately thrown into a premonition. Phoebe saw some stranger holding a baby, holding Melinda. Leo was there and so was Piper. Leo seemed to be
pleading with Piper and the stranger. She saw Piper explode the stranger. She heard Melinda cry as the stranger dropped her right before he went up in smoke. Piper
blinked over to catch the falling baby, turned to face Leo, and then just blinked away.
*****
Piper suddenly woke up from her sleep. She turned to face the baby's little room. As she did, she saw someone orbing away. She walked over to the crib thinking Leo
had just been checking on their little girl, but when she got there the crib was empty. A small ting of panic swept through Piper as she called out for her husband.
Piper: Leo!
*****
Phoebe heard Piper calling for Leo as her premonition ended. She ran up the stairs fearful of what she had just seen.
Phoebe: Piper! What's wrong?
Piper was awash with panic on the inside, but was trying to keep calm. "I'm not sure," she said. "Maybe nothing."
Piper screamed out Leo's name again as Phoebe went to Melinda's crib. She saw the empty crib and knew bad things had begun.
Phoebe turned around to face Piper. "What did you see?" she asked.
Piper collapsed on the bed. "White lights," she almost whispered. "Why won't he answer me?"
Phoebe hugged her sister tight. "I'm sure he will. I'm calling Paige."
Phoebe was about to go to call her sister home, but Paige must have sensed something was wrong because she orbed in before Phoebe let go of Piper.
Paige: What happened?
Piper looked up at her little sister with tears in her eyes. "You didn't take Melinda anywhere, did you?"
Paige knelt down before Piper at the edge of the bed. "Of course not honey. What's going on?" she asked turning toward Phoebe.
Phoebe: The baby's gone. Piper saw white lights, then Melinda was gone.
Paige said Leo's name in a questioning tone. Phoebe shrugged. "I don't know, but I don't think so," Phoebe said. Paige called out Leo's name louder trying to summon
him home.
Piper's voice was filled with pain and rage. She jumped to her feet and tilted her head to the ceiling. "Leo!" she screamed, "Get down here right now!"
*****
Leo orbed in to three very distraught sisters. He saw Paige sitting on the bed holding Piper, and Phoebe was over by the baby's crib. "What was all the screaming
about?" he asked.
Piper looked up at her husband and could not control her fear or anger. "You took her! Why? Where?" she yelled as she stood up. "Did you take her to them?" she said
as she pointed at the ceiling.
Leo ran over to the crib where Phoebe was trying to get a premonition. He looked at Phoebe who was teary eyed herself begging her not to confirm what Piper was
saying. "She's gone," Phoebe whispered.
Leo turned around to face his wife. "I did not take her."
Piper looked at him trying to decide if she believed him or not. "I saw white lights."
Leo said firmly, "I did not take her."
*****
Phoebe stood in front of the crib clutching Melinda's blanket. Her premonition came slowly and was hard to see at first. The place she was seeing was white and flooded
with light. She saw a woman handing something to a man in a white robe and hood. Then she heard the baby cry. The man flung back his hood to reveal the stranger she
saw in her earlier vision. The woman that handed Melinda to the stranger orbed away.
*****
Piper was staring coldly into her husband's eyes. She believed him, but she needed someone to blame.
Phoebe put the blanket down, and walked out to where the others were standing. "He didn't take Melinda, but she is with the Elders. At least, I think that's where she is."
Leo turned to face Phoebe, "What do you mean she is with the Elders?"
Piper faced her as well, "What do you mean think?"
Phoebe took a deep breathe. "I saw a woman hand Melinda to a man in a white robe and hood. They were in a place that was surrounded by light. It seemed a lot like
when we were up there a couple of years ago," she said as she pointed to the ceiling.
Paige: But why would they take Piper and Leo's baby?
Phoebe: I think I know that too.
Everyone looked at her waiting for an explanation. Phoebe took another deep breathe and proceeded to tell them about her earlier premonition. When she was finished
everyone was silent. Finally Piper broke the silence. "I'm going to turn evil? Me?"
Phoebe: Of course not!
Leo: But you said she was using a blinking power.
Paige: So?
Leo: It's a warlock power. They must have taken the baby to protect her.
Piper: Protect the baby from me? I'm her mother!
Phoebe: What if taking the baby is what pushed Piper over the line to begin with?
Leo: They had to have a reason.
Piper: You're defending them! They kidnaped our child, and you're defending them!?!
Leo: They.....they wouldn't cause us needless pain.
Piper: Cause they've never done that before?
Leo: That was a test....maybe this is too....I don't know.
Piper glared at Leo. "If this is a test Leo. It's one I am going to fail."
Paige: But that must be why Phoebe had her premonition, to warn you of your failure so you can change what happens.
Piper: I don't care about their tests anymore. I just want my little girl back. She's all that matters now.
Paige: All that matters? Piper, maybe that is the test.
Piper: What are you talking about?
Paige: That other thing we do that matters? You know, saving innocents?
Leo: Paige is right. The test before was to see if we could do our jobs and be together. Maybe this is a test to see if we can raise our daughter and still save innocents.
Piper: Our daughter is an innocent.
Leo reaches to put his arm around Piper, "Honey...."
Piper tosses his arm aside. "Don't honey me. They have no right to test me on this. What mother would put fighting demons above her child?"
Phoebe whispered: Ours.
Piper turned toward Phoebe: What?
Phoebe said louder this time: Ours. Our mother did.
Piper looked at Phoebe and then at Paige. "And how did that work out for all of us?" Then she turned back to her husband. "They crossed a line this time. They went too
far," she said as she left the room.
*****
Kayle turned from the crystal ball that showed the nightmare in the Halliwell house unfold. She turned to her associate with a sad look in her eyes. "It's begun."
Vincent looked up from the ball. "What are they thinking? The Elders are handing the Charmed Ones to us. What could they possibly want?"
Kayle: What they always want: complete, unconditional devotion. They will never learn a mother can't give that.
Vincent: And you? What do you want from this?
Kayle: What Piper will soon want: revenge.
