Summary: After doing the impossible, the sisters are granted the greatest gift they could have ever received; the return of their sister. However, when secrets and lies from their past mingle with an impending evil in their future, the charmed ones soon find that serenity never lasts long.

Prologue

New York, New York, September 23, 2028 7:52 p.m.

The plane had landed, but even now as my feet paced across the solid ground of the New York City terminal, my heart raced with terror. These innocent mortals had no idea what was going on around them. They didn't know who was following me. They didn't know what I was about to do.

"Melinda!" a voice called. I recognized it immediately.

"Heather," I said, racing over to her. "We have to hurry. We don't have much time."

"I know, I know," she whispered, reaching into her bag and searching before pulling out three little vials. "These should stun, not kill, but stun him long enough for you to find Peyton."

I nodded, although in all truth, I hadn't at all intended to find Peyton. If I could time everything just right, I'd be able to get back, to fix everything. Time. Nothing was more important right now. That's when time stopped.

The previously bustling mortals stopped dead in their tracks; Heather was unmoving. I was the only one free to move. Only him and me.

"Melinda," he said, his voice cold. He smiled at me. I hated it when he smiled at me. "How have you been?"

"Fine until you showed up," I retorted, preparing the stun potions. "Wyatt send you here to kill me?"

"Nah. Devyn did," he replied, a smile curving his lips.

"Well, then I feel bad for you. It's going to be hard to have to report to Devyn that you failed," I said, carefully biding my time.

"I won't fail."

I tossed one of the stun potions. He froze it. I knew he would. With a flick of his wrist, he reversed the loop of time the potion had been traveling in, sending it back towards my hand. I took the second I had to react. I threw the next stun potion, catching him in that briefest instant of rewind. i took his hand, channeled his powers through me, and before I knew it, I was falling into the past.

San Francisco, California, May 30th, 2006 4:28 p.m.

"Piper!" Phoebe called, walking through the doors of the Halliwell Manor.

Piper, as usual, stood in the kitchen, slaving away on dinner for her family. Phoebe smiled. It was nice to see her sister brewing something other than potions for once. "Hey, so, I need an answer."

"For what?" Piper asked, sprinkling an herb that Phoebe would never wish to recognize over her chicken.

"Can you cater at my wedding?" Phoebe asked.

"Of course, Phoebe. I'd love to," Piper replied. "Would you like to stay for dinner."

"I might as well since Coop is with another client," Phoebe mumbled. "Where's Leo?"

"He went to the park with the boys. He should be home soon," Piper said, carrying her creations out to the dining room.

Paige took that moment to orb in. "Hello, sisters of mine, I just came back from a rather interesting chat with the elders," she said, a grin on her face.

"It can't be that interesting," Piper replied. "What can a bunch of old guys with no lives tell you?"

Phoebe snickered as Paige stared at Piper. "Well, they've actually decided we deserve a reward for all the hard work and dedication we have put into demon fighting over the past years."

"And what can they possibly give us as a worthy exchange?" Piper asked.

Phoebe gasped and Piped turned to find Prue standing before her. "Prue..."

"Piper," Prue said, embracing her sister. "It's good to see you."

"I-I don't understand..."

"The gift from the elders," Paige put in.

"After everything they took from you, they figured the only thing that would make up for it is a sister," Prue replied.

To the four sisters the moment couldn't have been more perfect. Of course, that's when I dropped in. Literally dropped in. And that's when I passed out from the unnoticed wound in my side.