She's Cast a Spell on You

Malibu Beach: The Present

"I love you Chuck Bartkowski." Sarah Walker-Bartkowski said as she hugged and kissed the man sitting on the beach next to her; her memories so cruelly snatched away from her not so long ago now restored—seemingly by a kiss.

"I love you too, Sarah." Chuck responded, his eyes moistening with tears of joy. "I guess Morgan was right about that kiss."

Looking down at the happy scene on the beach, Chuck's best friend, Morgan Grimes, standing between a lovely blonde woman and an equally gorgeous raven-haired beauty smiled happily. "It worked." He exclaimed, his heart filled with joy.

"Of course it did." Serena, the dark-haired woman, replied with a warm grin.

"A last gift from my Mom." Tabitha Stephens said with a smile on her face as she wiped away the tears from her eyes.

"And your father." Serena said in a soft voice. "Darrin's love for Samantha helped to make all this possible. It was his love for her and her for him that powered Sammie's final spell." Daubing the tears from her eyes, she suggested. "Let's leave the lovebirds alone for a while. They've earned their privacy." Turning to Morgan, she smirked, "You…go get your girl. And Tabby…"

"Party time." The blonde chuckled.

"Party time." Serena giggled as both witches snapped their fingers and disappeared leaving a beaming Morgan alone after giving him kisses on the cheek and a final—for now at least— "Ta Ta!"

"Chuck…" Sarah inquired as the pair sat together on the beach quietly enjoying each other's company. "There's still a couple of gaps in my memory I was hoping you could fill for me."

"Sure, Honey. Anything." Chuck replied with a grin.

"Okay." Sarah inquired, "How did Morgan know that a kiss would restore my memories?"

"Well…" Chuck smiled, "For you to understand why, you're going to have to believe in magic. Can you do that for me?"

"I can do that." Sarah smiled back. "Soooo…"

"Okay." Chuck began his story, "It started years ago at a suburban home near New York City and on a doomed Trans-World Airlines flight from London to New York City just about to make its final approach. The man on that plane was on his way home from a business trip and his wife was getting ready to go pick him up at the airport with their two children. Sadly, his plane never arrived…"

The New York Suburbs: 1164 Morning Glory Circle 1972

"That's my little man." Samantha Stephens grinned as she adjusted her three-year old son's shirt. "You ready to go get your daddy?"

Her smile broadening as her little boy nodded his head enthusiastically, Samantha called out to her housekeeper and babysitter, "Esmerelda! Is Tabitha ready?"

"Ready, Momma!" Tabitha answered as she skipped into the room with Esmerelda following close behind."

Giving Tabitha a quick once-over, Samantha, her expression now one of maternal authority as she lowered her voice, reminded her witchly daughter, "Now Tabitha, what's our number one rule?"

"Mustn't twitch." The young eight-year old responded as her mother nodded her head in approval.

"Very good, sweetheart." Samantha said as she rose to her feet. Taking both their children's hands in hers, the lovely blonde witch addressed her housekeeper, "Thanks, Esmerelda. I don't think we're going to need you for the rest of the night."

"You're welcome." The nervous housekeeper/witch stammered as she faded away.

Smiling as Esmerelda made her departure, Samantha remarked to her children, "Come on…let's get daddy."

Trans-World Airlines Flight 83 from London to New York City: 1972

"Can I get you another drink, Sir?" The blonde stewardess asked as she picked up the empty glass sitting on the tray.

"No, thank you, Miss." Darrin Stephens replied with a smile as he looked up at the young woman. A puzzled expression on his face as he regarded the lovely blonde, he inquired, "Pardon me…and please…don't think I'm coming on to you…but…do I know you from somewhere?"

"No, Sir." The woman answered back, "I don't think so…although if you fly a lot, we might have been on the same flight…"

"Maybe that's it." The dark-haired man affirmed.

"Are you visiting the city, Mr…"

"Stephens." The man responded with a polite smile, "Darrin Stephens. No…I live in the suburbs. Have a wife and two children." He proudly declared, hoping to further reinforce to the young woman that he had no intentions towards her. "I can't wait to get back home to them."

"I'm sure they're looking forward to having you back home." The stewardess said as her grin now became more of a sad smile. "Well…I'll leave you to your work, Mr. Stephens. If you need anything…just holler."

"Thanks." Darrin smiled back, then, feeling for some strange reason that he could talk to this stranger, called out to her just as she was about to leave. "Ummm…Miss?" He stammered as he pulled out his billfold, "Would you like to see their pictures?"

"I'd love to Mr. Stephens." The blonde stewardess answered back with a note of wistfulness in her voice as she knelt down next to the man.

"That's Sam. Samantha." He said proudly, pointing to a lovely blonde woman.

"She's very beautiful." The stewardess said with a smile.

"That she is." Darrin smiled back. "The little boy is Adam. He's three. And the little girl is our daughter, Tabitha. She just turned eight. I had to miss her birthday because of this stupid business trip my boss sent me on, but I'm hoping to make it up to her this weekend. I got tickets to the circus…she just loves clowns."

"I'm sure she'll be pleased, Sir." The stewardess responded as she brushed back a tear.

"Are you all right, Miss?" Darrin, seeing the moistness on the young woman's face, asked in a concerned voice.

"I'm fine, Sir." The woman responded, "It's just…" She shook her head, "I'm sure you don't want to hear my story."

"Please…" Darrin replied, "Go ahead…I'd like to hear."

The blonde took a deep breath and exhaled, "I…uhhh…I lost my father when I was young. He was out of town and…was…" She brushed back her tears, "He never came home."

"I'm so sorry." Darrin commiserated as he offered the stewardess his handkerchief. "I don't know what to say."

"It's all right." The woman said as she dried her eyes. "I still have my memories of him." A sad smile then returned to her face, "He was a lot like you. He loved my Mom and me."

"Did you ever find out what happened to him?" Darrin asked, feeling, for some reason, a strong connection to this young woman.

"No." The woman shook her head, "I never did. I just know that I loved him and…I still miss him." After giving the ad man a kiss on the cheek, the stewardess stood back up. "I'm sorry, Mr. Stephens. I have to go now but thank you for the chat."

"Take care, Miss." Darrin responded in a soft voice, "And…I know it's not much…but…I'm sure that wherever he is, your father still loves you."

"Thank you, Mr. Stephens." The woman smiled back, "I know he does. Enjoy the rest of the flight."

After disappearing behind the curtain with her cart, the stewardess jerked her head up as she heard a familiar voice coming from behind her.

"What are you doing here, Tabitha. You know the rules. You're not supposed to be here. By the way…when are you from?"

"Twenty-first century." Tabitha Stephens responded with a sigh, "And I know what the goddamn rules are, Serena. You taught them to me. But I had to see him before…"

"Ssshhh!" The dark-haired witch cautioned, placing her finger on her niece's lips. "You know I'm from this time."

"Yeah…" Tabitha sighed as she twitched her nose along with her aunt, the pair disappearing from the kitchen and then reappearing instantaneously in the baggage compartment. Opening up a suitcase, she revealed its contents: a bomb with an old fashioned analog clock timer, its minute and hour hands both at twelve o'clock and the second hand slowly clicking up to the twelve spot. "I hated lying to him, but I couldn't tell him the truth."

"Honey…" Serena choked back a sob, "I wish I knew what to say."

"Not much you can say." The blonde witch responded with a shake of her head. Her lips curling up in a sneer, she spat out, "Endora and all the rest could have saved themselves a lot of trouble and my Dad a lot of pain had they known that a terrorist bomb would have done their work for them."

"Not all of us wanted to see your parents' marriage end, Tabitha." Serena pointed out in a forlorn voice.

"I know." Tabitha sobbed. "You, Uncle Arthur, and Aunt Clara were the only ones who supported their marriage when it counted and it means a lot to me that you three were ready to risk losing your powers and everything when you stood up for them. I've never forgotten that and I love all three of you for it. But…you and Uncle Arthur did do some mean things to him on occasion."

Tears came to Serena's eyes as she cast a quick incantation. "I can't stop the bomb from going off, but I can slow down time enough for us to talk, darling. And…give him a few more minutes." Sighing, she explained as the second hand stopped its progress. "I just cast a spell that will make him remember and live over all the good things that's happened to him since he met Sammie. I know it's not much, but it'll give him a little happiness before…what has to happen happens."

"Thank you, Serena." Tabitha smiled in gratitude at her cousin, "I wanted to do it but…"

"The rules. Because you're not part of this time, you can't perform any magic that might affect the timeline." Serena nodded her head. "If you ask me, that rule sucks rocks. But…" She reluctantly admitted, "I can see why they put it in." Taking a deep breath, the raven-haired beauty said apologetically, "You know…mostly, what me and Arthur do are harmless pranks, darling…" Seeing the cross look on her niece's face, Serena quickly amended, "Okay…you're right." She sighed, "On a couple of occasions, we…I…do sometimes go a little overboard and cross the line a bit. But…I don't hate Darrin. Honest! And neither does Arthur. We never have." She declared, deliberately calling her cousin's husband by his real name. "He's been…good…to Samantha." She admitted. "And I know he loves her very much…and you and Adam too, sweetie. He has to…to put up with everything we've done to him. If he didn't love you all…he'd have left long ago. And... I'm sorry if I went too far with some of the things I did to him."

"I know, and I still love you and Uncle Arthur. I'm probably not supposed to tell you this, but I don't give a shit about what the Witch's Council says. They can all go take a flying fu…"

Her cousin's words drowned out by engine noise, Serena barely repressed a mischievous grin as she remarked in a teasing voice. "Nice vocabulary. I'm glad to know you take a little after me."

"Yeah." Tabitha replied with a sad smile on her face. "You taught me a few things over the years—most of it stuff that would have totally freaked Mom and Dad out. Don't worry. The three of us…you…me…Uncle Arthur…we're still good. Aunt Clara…well…you know she's already well along in years."

Serena nodded her head in understanding. "Yeah…I know. No matter what Endora and some of the others say, we're not really immortal. We just live a very long time—maybe too long. We live so long that we forget what it means to feel. We become detached…removed. I guess that's one of the reasons I am the way I am. I don't ever want to feel that way. But…eventually…we die like everything else."

"Yeah." Tabitha affirmed in a soft, sad voice as she continued her narrative, "She went peacefully and with a smile on her face and with you, me, and Arthur at her side. Things between me and Adam are more than a little strained. But at least…" She sighed, "We're still talking to each other. That's something I guess." Her expression now took on a hard look as she concluded, "It's Endora, Maurice, and the others that I don't have anything to do with. They hated my dad and I despise them."

"They don't hate him, dearie." Serena responded as she hugged her cousin. Then, seeing the cynical look on her cousin's face, the dark-haired witch nodded her head in reluctant agreement. "Yeah…you're right. They hate him."

Tabitha grimaced, "I know they're not responsible for this. But…" She declared through gritted teeth. "They are responsible for everything that happens after." Then, as Serena's spell began to fade, the young blonde gave the raven-haired woman next to her a hug and kissed her on the cheeks, "I have to go now, Cuz and so do you…" Seeing the smirk on her cousin's face, Tabitha snorted, "I haven't called you aunt in a long time, Serena. My younger self is gonna need you soon."

"Is there anything else you need, Sweetie?" Serena asked as the second hand slowly began its motion.

"Yeah." Tabitha nodded her head, "One more thing: I don't blame you, Arthur, or Clara for what happens to Mom. You did everything you could. It's all on Endora and Maurice. Oh…" She added as a final afterthought, "Whatever you do…make sure I go with you when it's time. Don't let Endora take me away from you. Adam's a lost cause, I'm afraid." Seeing the look of confusion on her cousin's face, Tabitha's lips turned up in a sad smile, "You'll know what I'm talking about when the time comes. You can't beat Maurice—he's just too powerful and too well connected and, now that Adam's powers have emerged, he wants him." She then closed her eyes tight and opened them, "And as you know, what Maurice wants…Maurice gets. Endora will fight you over me, but in the end, you'll beat her. You're as stubborn and determined as I remember Mom being when you want to be."

"I will, Sweetie." Serena swore, "I promise."

"Thanks." Tabitha's lips turned up in a smile, "And do me another favor? When I get back to my time, take me out to the wildest joint you know and make sure we don't leave until I get drunk and laid."

Her laughter almost hysterical, Serena vowed, "Don't worry, Sweetie. I'll make sure we go to the swingingest joint I know and get plastered on the most expensive booze they've got, and then we're gonna find ourselves a pair of gorgeous stallions and ride 'em till they drop."

"I'm gonna hold you to that promise." Tabitha responded with an anxious laugh, "I'll see future you in a bit. Take care and remember…whatever you do…don't let Endora take me."

As Tabitha disappeared, Serena swore in a soft voice, "Don't worry, sweetie. I'm not about to let the wicked witch get her hands on you."

"Ladies and gentlemen. This is your pilot speaking. We will soon be on our final approach to La Guardia Airport. Please fasten your seatbelts, extinguish all smoking materials, and place your trays in the upright position. Have a pleasant stay in New York City and thank you once again for flying Trans World Airlines."

As soon as Serena popped out, the second hand on the ticking clock struck twelve and for a few moments, a flash appeared in the sky near New York City. But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone and so was Darrin Stephens…devoted husband and father.

Los Angeles: 21st Century

Popping back to her own time, Tabitha heard a familiar voice call out to her, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." The blonde responded with a sad smile as she regarded her cousin who was also her roommate, "Thanks, Serena. I did what I needed to do. I told you what I needed to tell you and got to see him one last time."

"I know it hurts, Tabby." Serena, still as youthful as she was back in the sixties, said consolingly. "Are you sure you're all right."

"I will be." The blonde witch sighed, "It was good to see him again." Her lips once again turning up in a sad grin, she remarked, "He really did love me, Mom, and Adam."

"He did." Serena replied in a soft voice as she nodded her head in affirmation. Then, she smirked as she snapped her fingers, her outfit instantly changing from a blouse and jeans to a slinky short red dress that showed plenty of leg and cleavage, "Okay, you made me promise to get you drunk and laid and you know I keep my promises. So…get changed into your party clothes 'cause I'm taking you to a little nightclub in Paris and we're gonna have some fun."

Twitching her nose, Tabitha switched from the 1960s TWA stewardess outfit she was wearing to a short black dress that showed off her lovely curves as well as tantalizing glimpses of flesh. "All right. I'm changed." The lovely blonde exclaimed, "Let's party!"

Paris

Reappearing in an alley near the Parisian nightclub, the two witches took out their compacts and quickly touched up their makeup. "Ready, Tabby?"

"Yeah." The blonde grinned as she heard the music coming from the club, "Time for fun."

Leaning up against the bar, Special Agent John Casey of the NSA smiled in satisfaction as he took a sip of the Johnny Walker Black scotch, served neat, from his glass as he drew the Montecristo Cuban cigar under his nose, savoring the aroma as he did so. He had taken out his mark—a notorious international arms dealer—quickly and quietly and had acquired the plans for the multi-targeting scope he was carrying and the plans were now safely on their way to General Beckmann. All in all, it had been a good week for the hardened killer and now it was time to relax—well…relax as much as possible while still being ready at a moment's notice to plant a bullet between some assassin's eyes. His ever-alert gaze turning to the door, Casey raised an eyebrow as he saw the two women, one a leggy blonde and the other a statuesque brunette, enter the club.

"Well…well…well." Tabitha exclaimed in a sultry voice as she spotted the man wearing a well-tailored Gucci suit leaning against the bar nursing a glass of scotch, "Look at what I just found."

"Mmmm…" Serena purred as her gaze drank in the athletic form of the man at the bar, "Now that's what I call prime beef cake."

"Just remember I saw him first. But…I don't mind sharing if you don't." Tabitha said with a smirk. "Looks like there's enough of him for both of us."

"Think he can handle the two of us, Tabby? I wouldn't want to give the guy a heart attack." Serena licked her lips in anticipation as she regarded the well-built man at the bar.

"Let's find out." Tabitha replied in a sultry voice as the two women sauntered across the dance floor to the bar, drawing plenty of eyetracks as the did so. Reaching their target for the evening, the two women took positions on either side of him. Feeling his momentary tension as she brushed up against him, the leggy blonde looked up at him and leered, "Buy a couple of girls a drink?"

"Yeah…could be your lucky night Big Guy." Serena growled in her sexiest voice.

Nodding his head slightly at the bartender, Casey, still on his guard, responded with a smile, "What are you two girls having?"

"Other than maybe you?" Tabitha smirked while Serena gave him a suggestive wink, "Canadian on the rocks and my cousin will take a martini—extra dry." Taking a sip of her drink, the blonde witch smiled as she brushed up against the muscular man standing next to her as Serena grabbed the spy's buttocks and squeezed, "Let's get this party started."

The next day, Casey, stirring from his slumber after one of the most memorable nights of his life, glanced to either side of him on the bed. Finding that he was now alone, the spy shrugged his shoulders as he got out of bed just as his phone chimed. "Damn. I didn't just dream that—did I?" Then, seeing a card leaning up against a vase containing one red and one white rose, his lips turned up in a grin. Opening the card, he read the short message.

Thanks for a swinging time, stud muffin. Let's do it again sometime.

Smooches,

Tabby and Serena

XXXXOOOO

Answering his phone, Casey's senses immediately came to full alert as he heard his superior's voice. "Agent Casey?"

"Yes, General."

"Get back to Washington ASAP. You have a new assignment. A CIA agent has gone rogue and I need you to deal with him."

"The target have a name?"

"Larkin." General Beckmann responded, "Bryce Larkin."

Budapest

Sarah Walker, maintaining a stoic expression on her face listened to the voice coming from the phone.

"Hey honey…I haven't heard from you for a while…I want you to know that if you ever need a place to come home to…"

"Who was that?" Sarah's handler, Kieran Ryker inquired through his phone.

"Nobody." Sarah responded flatly, "Are we a go?"

"Affirmative."

"Ryker I'm in."

"How many?"

"I count eleven."

"Take them out…all of them."

Her bloody work done, Sarah proceeded to the package. Then, her eyes falling on the tiny infant, her heart skipped a beat as Ryker ordered her to retrieve the baby for handover. Deciding that there was no way that she would hand that baby in her arms to either Ryker or Graham, Sarah decided on her course of action. There was only place where that infant could be safe and only one person who she could trust to take care of her. It was time for Sarah to come home.

Some time later, after successfully ensuring that the baby was safe in the arms of her mother where Graham and Ryker couldn't touch her and that her tracks were covered, Sarah reported to her superior.

Agent Walker…you have a new mission." Graham declared as he handed the mission brief to his best agent. "You're going to Burbank."

Los Angeles

"Happy birthday, Chuck!" Ellen Bartkowski said in a cheery voice to her younger brother.

"Thanks, Ellie." The lanky young man answered back as he slipped his pocket protector in his pocket and grabbed his car keys.

"Don't forget!" Ellie reminded as she gave her brother a peck on the cheek, "Your party's tonight."

"Ellie!" Charles whined, "No…I don't think I'm…"

"Chuck!" Ellie sighed in exasperation, "It's been five years since Stanford and Jill. Don't you think it's time for you to get on with your life."

Shaking his head, Chuck responded in a forlorn voice, "Ellie…I just don't think I'm ready."

"Chuck." Ellie grinned as she tried to will confidence into her younger brother, "You're never going to know if you don't try. Please?"

Sighing, the computer nerd conceded, "All right, Ellie." He grumbled as he exited the apartment, "I'll be here."

"Great!" Ellie smiled as she watched her brother walk off with Morgan Grimes, his best friend. Feeling her live-in boyfriend's arms wrapped around her waist, the dark-haired doctor leaned back into his embrace, "Hey, honey."

"Hey." Devon Woodcomb, also a doctor, answered back, giving his girlfriend a kiss on her neck. "I got some of the girls from my old fraternity's sister sorority to come to the party."

"That's great." Ellie grinned. Then her smile disappearing to be replaced by a worried expression, she remarked, "I want Chuck to have a good time. I'm worried about him, Devon. It's like he's just spinning his wheels. He needs something…someone…to push him out of his comfort zone."

"Don't worry about it, Ellie." Devon responded with a cheery voice. "He's going to meet someone and have an awesome time."

"I hope so." Ellie replied as she and her boyfriend left the apartment. "Come on, honey. We better get to work."

"Ready for another day at the office?" Morgan, wearing the green polo shirt marking him as a Buy More sales assistant, snorted as he and his friend exited the Buy More Nerd Herd company car that Chuck Bartkowski generally used to get around town in.

Exiting the car, Chuck idly fiddled with the tie loosely hanging around the collar of the white untucked shirt which, along with black slacks and shoes and pocket protector with pens marked him as the Buy More Nerd Herd supervisor. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, the lanky curly-haired young man answered back in a voice tone that was equal parts frustration and despondency, "Might as well…nothing better to do."

"Hey, cheer up, old friend!" Morgan exclaimed, slapping Chuck on the back as the pair entered the big box electronics and appliance store. "Your birthday party's tonight and Captain Awesome's inviting some of the girls he went to college with…it's gonna be fun."

"Oh…the party!" Chuck moaned, "Look, buddy…I need you to do a favor for me."

"What, pal?" Morgan replied.

"I need you to come by my room without Ellie noticing."

"Not a problem." Morgan shrugged his shoulders, "I'll just come in through the Morgan door."

"I also want you to bring a few things with you…" Charles then ticked off a list of items.

"Sure." Morgan again shrugged his shoulders, "But why?"

"Because we're sneaking out." Chuck replied, begging, "Look Morgan…I just don't feel like going to a party. Please! Promise me you'll help."

"Of course, I will." Morgan answered back as he placed a supportive hand on his friend's shoulder, "I'm Han to your Luke…Spock to your Kirk…"

"Q to my Bond." Chuck interrupted, "Thanks, Morgan. Operation Breakout will commence at 20:00 tonight."

"Huh?"

"Be at my room by eight o'clock tonight." Chuck explained as Big Mike's booming voice called out.

"Bartkowski! Get your ass to the Nerd Corral. You've got an off-site install!"

"I better get going, bud." Charles sighed, "See you later."

A luxurious apartment somewhere in Los Angeles

"Tabby!" Serena called out, "The phone's ringing! Can you get it? I'm taking my bubble bath."

"Sure thing, Serena!" Tabitha responded as she answered the phone, "Hey, Tabby here…what's up?"

"Tabitha…we need you and your roommate's help…we have a situation."

"One sec." The leggy blonde responded as she stuck her head into the bathroom, "Hey, Cuz…the office called…looks like we've got a job."

"Tell Fuzzy we'll be there when I finish my bath." Serena answered back.

"Hear that, Garson?" Tabitha said into the phone.

"I heard her." A grouchy voice responded through the phone. "Get here as quickly as you can. Tabitha…" The man's voice now took on a more conciliatory tone, "This is important. I'll give you the details when the two of you get here, but you'll be working with the CIA and the NSA on something that could be big—really big—and this could be a long-term assignment. We're going to need both of you and your special talents for this."

"I'll try to hurry Serena up, Garson." Tabitha replied, "We'll be in soon."

Washington DC

"General Beckmann…Mr. Graham…thank you for agreeing to this meeting." Richard Garson, the head of the Department of Extraordinary Operations greeted his CIA and NSA counterparts. "I've been apprised of Project Intersect." Smiling inwardly at the poker faces donned by his counterparts, the bureaucrat explained, "I was just briefed by the Secretary and will be briefing the agents I will be sending to coordinate with your people on the ground in Burbank." His lips then turned up in a plastic grin, "It just so happens they live in Los Angeles."

"So…" Graham inquired in a flat tone, "Who are these agents?"

Garson dropped down on his desk two pictures—one of an attractive blonde and the other an equally lovely brunette. Two of my best…albeit both highly erratic…operatives."

"Erratic?" General Beckmann raised an eyebrow. "Garson…we can't have any loose cannons on this."

"They're both professionals." Garson declared, "But they don't like being kept on a leash—so don't even try. Let them do their jobs and they won't let you down."

"We'll see." Beckmann replied and then prompted, "Let's get started. We've got a lot of work to do."