Chapter Two: Too Close For Comfort

"I called Phoebe earlier this morning to ask for her help on this new case I'm working on. She agreed to meet me at the old, abandoned orphanage near Chinatown."

Piper looked at Darryl and asked him, "What sort of case?"

Darryl glanced at Piper and then turned to Phoebe, finally returning to Piper and said in a calm, yet stern voice, "Over the past week we've been getting an unusual amount of reports of missing children."

Leo piped in by saying, "Yea, I've heard this. It's all over the news and it's making a stir up there because most of them are future Whitelighters."

Darryl continued by saying, "Yes, but what the press doesn't know yet is that we found them, only not all of them."

"How many are missing," asked Piper.

"Well, none."

Leo scratched his head, "I'm confused. You just said that some were missing."

"Sorry, I wasn't clear. I meant that we didn't find all of the pieces." As Darryl finished Piper put her hands over her mouth in shock. Just having Daryl describe the scene made Piper's stomach churn.

"So, that's why you called Phoebe. Because you thought that no human could murder 15 children and then chop them up." Piper glanced over at Phoebe to see if she had changed: She hadn't.

Darryl's gaze followed Piper's but he continued with his report. "According to Phoebe, just before she collapsed she tapped into one of the strong vibes that was left by one of the children. This thing didn't chop them up after killing them. No. It ate them while they were still alive."

Piper had really lost it. She got up from the table and walked into the other room. Leo sat there staring at the table wondering what could do that to innocent little children. When Piper returned she thanked Daryl bringing them up to date and that if Phoebe's condition changed that he would be notified immediately. Leo walked Daryl to the door and said goodbye to him as he headed out.

Paige was sitting beside Phoebe with the Book of Shadows seated in her lap. Piper and Leo joined Paige in the family room. Paige stood up in glee.

"Ah ha!"

"What did you find," inquired Piper.

"I have found the spell that is going to save our sister." Paige handed the book to Piper for her to see.

"To banish a trapped soul? How is that going to save Phoebe?" Piper asked with a stern look.

Paige took the book back and simply said, "Phoebe wasn't picking up vibes in that room. She was picking up the souls and the dark energy left behind by the attacker and the children. While she was looking seeing the past she temporarily let her guard down and one of the souls found its way into Phoebe."

"Okay, but then why the shrieking and screaming?"

"Because that was the last thing the spirit experienced. It was experiencing its death and how it was murdered." Paige walked over to Phoebe and chanted,

"Two warring souls now burn inside

Where only one can reside.

I call upon the Power of Three

To save her body and set Phoebe free."

As Paige finished the chant a white orb rose out of Phoebe's body and soon vanished. Phoebe awoke with a sudden gasp of air. Paige bent over and grabbed her sister in a great hug. Piper followed Paige's lead and hugged Phoebe like she had been gone for ages.

"Don't ever scare us like that again!" cried Piper.

"Ughh… I feel awful." Phoebe let go of her sisters and rubbed her abdomen.

"Well you have been in a lot of pain," Paige pointed out.

"No, that's not it. Ah, I haven't eaten all day, I'm starved." Phoebe got up and headed to the kitchen.

"Oh yea that's Phoebe." Piper followed her famished sister into the kitchen and cooked dinner for all of them. Paige got on the phone and called Daryl and told him that Phoebe was awake.

"That's good," Darryl's voice sounded very concerned and also very disgusted.

"Daryl? You okay?" Paige pulled the phone closer as Darryl told her that there had been another killing and that it was a little girl who had been found at the local elementary school: She was found ripped limb from limb.

Paige's look turned from concern to horror as Darryl told her that he needed to speak to Phoebe right away. He told her that he would be right over.

Paige entered the kitchen to find Piper cooking her famous fajitas and Phoebe bouncing Wyatt on her knee. Paige sat down at the corner of the table nearest to the side door. Phoebe looked her up and down and used her empathy power to establish that her sister had something major on her mind.

"Alright sister, spill the beans." Phoebe put Wyatt in his high chair and turned to her sister.

"You want beans you've got 'em!" As Piper poured some baked beans into her frying pan.

"Not you… oh never mind. Paige what seems to be troubling you?" Phoebe had her full attention devoted to what Paige wanted to say.

"I just got off the phone with Darryl."

"And?" Phoebe raised an eyebrow.

"There's been another murder." Paige said with a stern look upon her face.

Piper was the one to speak next, "Where?"

Paige turned to look at Piper, "Johnson Elementary."

"Oh my God, that's down the road from here. Leo! Leo!" Piper was in her panic mode.

In a stream of orbs and bright lights Leo appeared in front of his wife and greeted her with a smile and a small kiss. He looked around and asked,

"What?"

"Leo, dear, I want you to take Wyatt "up there"." Piper said with a broad grin on her face.

"Why?"

"There was another attack. And these attacks are getting a little too close to home. So, until we know what we're up against take Wyatt away from here, please."

"Okay, sure, come on big guy you like it up there in the clouds don't ya? Yea." Leo picked up Wyatt and in another flash they were gone.

Piper looked at Phoebe and asked her, "What are we up against?"

Before Phoebe could answer, the doorbell rang.