It was slow that day, very slow. Carter was nearly falling asleep from boredom. He saw Elizabeth pass.
"Dr. Corday, do you need any help with anything?" Carter asked, eagerly.
"No, thank you Dr. Carter, I think I have everything under control," Elizabeth smiled as she walked away.
"Hey Malicci! Having any trouble?" Carter half pleaded as Dave walked by.
"Nope! Everything's peachy keen!" Dave said, happily. Carter sighed and spotted Kerry.
"Dr. Weaver!" He stood up and walked over to her, "Anything you need help with?"
"No, Carter, in fact, I was just about to head home for the day. Thanks for asking, though," even Kerry was in a good mood.
"Why is everyone so damn happy today?" Carter muttered, stamping his foot. The phone rang and Carter dove at it so fast he nearly knocked the whole thing off the desk. He also made a few nurses stare.
"County General," he said into the receiver, happy for something to do. He looked the board up and down but the few patients that there were were all taken.
"Carter, is that you?" Abby asked. She looked across the room at Lucy.
"Yeah, Abby. Is something wrong?"
"Piper's gone," Abby said.
"What? Why? When?" Carter demanded.
"Look, Lu- I mean, I want you down here. You can help us find her," Abby was about to say that Lucy wanted him down there but prevented herself from making that slip.
"How can I help? I barely know the girl!" Carter didn't understand. Abby looked at Lucy.
"Tell him," Lucy said.
"Carter, whoever took Piper is after you, too," Abby said, "I need to keep an eye on you."
"Why you?" asked Carter.
"No more questions, please, Carter, just come down here!" Abby said, "NOW!"
"But-"
"You are coming down here, or I am going up there and *dragging* you down here myself! You understand?"
"I guess..."
"Good!" Abby said, triumphantly, and hung up, "He's coming soon."
"Good," Lucy smiled and pulled something out from behind her back, "In the mean time, it's time for the Book of Shadows."
"Who's..."
"It's Piper's book. It used to belong to the Charmed Ones, the three most powerful good witches there were. But her sisters are dead now, and Piper is the only Charmed One left. Yet the creature still wants every single one eradicated."
"Why does he want Carter?" Abby blurted out. She didn't mean to ask.
"Carter is the father of-" Lucy jumped as the phone rang. They both looked at it as it continued to ring.
"Hi, you've reached Piper's place. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you!" then, the beep.
"Pipe, where are you? Prue's been worried sick! Don't ask me, I know you're probably just out having a good time, but wouldn't you rather I called then-"
"Phoebe?" Lucy asked, grabbing the phone.
"Lucy?" Phoebe said, shocked, "What are you doing there?"
"What are you doing alive?" Lucy was shocked, and she shook her head, "No, you aren't Phoebe."
"What? What the Hell are you talking about?" Phoebe inquired. Lucy looked up at Abby.
"It's Piper's younger sister," she stumbled over her words.
"Give me that!" Abby demanded, grabbing the phone, "Phoebe Halliwell?"
"Yeah?"
"You were bitten by a demon called Galdon. The poison in his teeth is stronger than a scorpion's..." Abby was flipping through the Book of Shadows and found the demon in question.
"Whoa, who is this?" Phoebe asked. Abby wasn't listening. She read through the Book of Shadows. Lucy took the phone.
"Phoebe? Get over here NOW!" and with that, she hung up, "What is it, Abby?" she asked.
"Galdon's bite is very powerful, enough to kill a witch. But the only thing that can make the venom powerful enough to do the job is the blood of the father of a Whitelighter's child..." Abby stared at Lucy. Lucy nodded, "We thought, as did Galdon, that Leo would be their easiest target. He and Piper had a child, a little girl. He drank Leo's blood and bit Prue and Phoebe. But... if the father is mortal, then he would be a much easier target... Which is why the demon's after Carter," Abby stared. Lucy giggled.
"You..." Abby asked. Lucy shook her head.
"Christine," she answered.
"Who's Christine?" Abby said confused.
"Do I *have* to go into it? High school, he never told anyone, it was right before she died in a car accident and became a Whitelighter. Carter always thought the baby died with her, but it didn't."
"Wow..." Abby shook her head, then, she thought of something, "Wait! What am I gonna tell him when he gets here?"
"Huh?" Lucy asked.
"He'll see you!"
"I know, which is why I won't be here!" Lucy smiled.
"What?!" Abby was shocked, "No! I can't help Piper without you!"
"Yes, you can!" Lucy promised, "Because you are Abby Lockhart and the man that is on his way over is John Carter and you two can work miracles together."
"Yes, but how can we work miracles without him having a clue of what we are doing?"
"Now that is your problem!" Lucy shrugged, "Now in the meantime, I have to go watch Piper's daughter," Lucy lifted up the Book of Shadows and mumbled an incantation.
"What does that do?" Abby knew she shouldn't ask. She knew from the minute she was informed of it that she should never go too deep into the waters of the supernatural. But now, she was in over her head. Lucy grinned as her appearance changed and her hair turned from gold to brown, her eyes from blue to green.
"Oh I see! Supernatural hair dye and contact lenses!" Abby nodded. Lucy frowned.
"It's so no one at the hospital recognizes me! You expect me to walk in there looking normal?"
"I don't think that's possible."
"Abby!" Lucy cried, but had to laugh, "Now, Galdon will usually come after Carter, so I suggest that..." but Abby was already shaking her head.
"No, no and double no! I am NOT going to do that!"
"You may have to," Lucy told her, "Unless you have a better idea."
"I thought you were here to protect Carter, not use him as bait!"
"He's not going to be bait! It's a perfect idea! You two are sitting in a café out in the open, chatting about where Piper could be and-"
"Wait," Abby said, "Already found a problem."
"What?" Lucy sighed, exasperated. Was that all Abby did? Search for problems?
"Well, number one, why would we be sitting in a café talking about it?"
"You're hungry!"
"OK, and secondly, what about Phoebe?" but Lucy's green eyes narrowed, angrily.
"I will take care of her," Abby didn't like the sound of that.
"Lucy..."
"OK, I have to go. You don't like my plan? Make up your own!" and with that, she orbed out to the hospital.