It was a biting cold Monday morning in San Francisco. The frigid temperatures of the previous night had not yet warmed in the weak, late winter daylight. Prue Halliwell, waking in her own bedroom, was immediately aware of three things: first, the sun was up, which meant the night had passed without incident; second, for the first time in months, she was not alone in her bed; and third, she desperately needed to pee.

Cautiously, Prue sat up, taking great care to displace Andy Trudeau's draping arm away from her torso. Although only just awakened, Prue couldn't help but smile. She had been so sure that when she told Andy the truth about herself - that she and her sisters were witches - the knowledge would end any hope she had of a lasting relationship with him. And while Andy had been distinctly nonplussed when he had learned the truth, he had gallantly and generously given them both the benefit of the doubt; and Prue's waking emotion, more than anything else, was one of heartfelt gratitude.

Not wanting to leave the warmth and comfort of the bed, but needing to, she slipped off the mattress as quietly as she could, grabbed her kimono - which doubled as her house dress - and hurried to the bathroom.

A few moments later, much relieved, she stepped back out into the hallway. The doors of all three bedrooms were slightly ajar, just as they had been the night before. Prue and Piper had both felt it best to sacrifice a little privacy, in order to be able to listen for Paige, should she cry out in the night. Prue tiptoed to Phoebe's bedroom, and pushed the door open just wide enough to peer inside.

The object of Prue's concern, flame-haired Paige Matthews, was fast asleep on the bed, wearing one of Phoebe's t-shirts as a nightdress. She was rolled onto her side facing the door, breathing deep and regular, her moon-shaped face in complete repose. Prue watched over her for a long moment. Yesterday, Paige had been covered in dirt and blood, screaming in terror; now she seemed utterly tranquil, and, thanks to Piper's boyfriend Leo Wyatt, any physical wounds left by her demonic attacker had completely vanished. Prue could only pray the emotional wounds would heal as easily.

Prue bit her lower lip, feeling a pang of sadness and guilt. She couldn't help feeling she was at least partially responsible for placing Paige in harm's way. After Phoebe left San Francisco, Prue and Piper had gone looking for their long-lost half-sister, based on information they'd received from Phoebe. Looking at Paige now, Prue couldn't help wondering, if they hadn't approached her, introduced themselves, maybe she would still be safe. Paige had never been the target of a demon attack before - not until her sisters had come looking for her. And yesterday, Paige had nearly died.

And there were so many things they truly didn't know about Paige - in fact, they had only briefly met twice. Was she, in fact, a witch, as Prue and Piper were? Did she have magical powers or spell casting abilities? Was she even related to the Halliwells? Prue had to admit, she didn't have a sure answer to any of those questions, except perhaps the last.

In order to locate Paige, Prue and Piper had cast the spell to call a lost witch. The spell was specifically woven to seek out not just any witch, but a relative of the Halliwell family. And the spell had worked. Paige was brought to them safely as a result. Which certainly implied she was related to Prue and her sisters. But related how? Sister? Cousin? Some other, perhaps more distant, relation?

Prue shook her head slightly. Too many questions, no answers. Perhaps after Paige was awake, she could find some.

She peeked back into her own bedroom. Andy was still dead to the world, snoring gently now that he had rolled onto his stomach after Prue had left his embrace. She regarded him wistfully. She wanted nothing more than to crawl back into the warm bed and into his arms and stay there as long as she could. But the reason that Andy was here - and Paige - and even Leo - was that the sisters were under threat from a demonic attack, one that could come at any time. There wasn't any time to waste.

She heard a soft, muted clunking from somewhere downstairs. Frowning, Prue padded to the stairwell, and after hesitating a moment, descended as quietly as she could. The intermittent noises were coming from the kitchen. The sounds were neither violent or even especially loud - but Prue could take nothing for granted. She stepped cautiously onto the landing, tiptoed to the entrance of the kitchen, and peeked around the doorframe.

She sighed in relief, seeing her younger sister Piper, casually dressed in sweats and slippers, setting out ingredients on the butcher block island to make a family-style breakfast. Piper looked up, and smiled wearily at her.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself. You're up early."

"Didn't sleep much." As Piper laid out more ingredients from the refrigerator, Prue noticed the distinctly dark circles under her sister's eyes.

Prue permitted herself a sly grin. "I hope that was because your boyfriend came back last night."

Piper set a mixing bowl on the counter, and gave her sister a withering glance. "I couldn't sleep. I couldn't get that picture out of my mind. Paige was gonna die, Prue. Those cuts she had - they weren't scratches. I swear some of them went clean to the bone -"

"You don't need to remind me," Prue cut her sister off, suppressing a shudder.

"Paige should have bled out in a matter of minutes. And Leo just - " Piper shook her head, still disbelieving. "The wounds didn't close, they just vanished. He saved her, Prue. She'd almost certainly be dead, if Leo hadn't been here."

"Then I guess it's a good thing he came back."

Without having to ask, Piper poured a cup of coffee for her sister and passed it over to her.

"Thanks," Prue said, taking the cup. "Should I ask, why is he back?"

"He says he's here to protect us."

"And that's all?" Prue raised an eyebrow.

Piper fidgeted for a moment. "He says he's in love with me."

A sly grin creeped across Prue's face. "Well, that part's not exactly news."

"He says he's here to stay this time."

"And is that a good thing?" Prue asked, utterly serious.

Piper didn't answer for a long time. She looked at her sister, her eyes wide and sober. "I don't think I could take anybody else leaving me," she said softly. "No matter what the reason." She deliberately changed the subject. "So, what kind of demon are we up against?"

"I have no idea," Prue admitted. "I'm hoping, when Paige wakes up, we can get some answers from her - at least, enough to go looking in the Book of Shadows for some help."

"I was half expecting some kind of attack last night."

"I was, too," Prue nodded grimly. "But the magical barrier I set up yesterday is still intact. It hasn't been breached. In fact, it looks like it hasn't even been touched."

"So, it kept the demon out?" Piper asked hopefully.

"I kind of doubt it," Prue shook her head. "A high ranking demon could still force his way in here pretty easily - if he had a mind to do so."

"So maybe it's not a very powerful demon."

"Or maybe just a very patient one." Prue regarded everything that Piper had set out - it seemed like half the pantry was now scattered across the kitchen island. "Planning to feed an army?"

"It's been a long time since we've had a full house," Piper pointed out, a little defensively. "Leo's here, Andy's here, and Paige - and Darryl's coming over this morning, too. I have a feeling the conversation today might get heavy. So before all that nastiness starts, we can at least have a good breakfast."

"You're a saint," Prue said admiringly.

"I'm a witch," Piper retorted, making a playful face at her sister. "How about you? Did you and Andy have a good night?"

"Well, it was after two when we went to bed." Prue grinned ruefully. "I'm pretty sure I fell asleep on him in the middle of sex."

"Prue!"

"Hey, I had a long day." She sipped her coffee. "I just hope Andy will forgive me."

"Prue - Andy's willing to forgive anything for you. Or hadn't you noticed?"

"Yeah," Prue smiled shyly. "I guess I am pretty lucky."

"We deserve the best," Piper declared emphatically. "With all the crap we have to put up with as witches, the least we should get in return are the best boyfriends."

Prue hoisted her coffee cup. "Here's to having the best boyfriends."

Piper toasted with her juice glass, and then set back to work on breakfast with single-minded determination.

"Do you want any help with that?" Prue asked.

"Nope. This is my therapy," Piper declared. "When things get weird, I cook."

"There are worse coping mechanisms," Prue agreed. "Well, I'm going to go grab a quick shower."

Piper gave her sister an exasperated look. "You're going to use all the hot water, aren't you?"

"Survival of the fittest, sis." Prue grinned.

"Okay. Just to warn you, when I'm done here, I'm gonna freeze the whole house for about ten minutes."

Prue frowned in puzzlement. "What for?"

"Prue. We have a house full of men," Piper sighed, clearly annoyed at having to explain the obvious. "And before it's time to serve breakfast, I want to clean myself up, and at least be wearing clothes."

Prue gave her sister a teasingly sly grin. "Leo might like it better if you were wearing less."

"Okay, that's it. Enough! Out! SHOO!" Piper playfully waved her wooden spoon at her sister, chasing her from the room; and giggling, Prue retreated the relative safety of the stairwell.

A few moments later, Prue trudged back upstairs, determined to grab a shower while there was still hot water in the house. Before staking her lavatorial claim, however, she peeked into Phoebe's bedroom once more. Paige hadn't moved, but she was now awake, staring off into space, seeing nothing.

Prue opened the door quietly and slipped inside.

"Hey," she whispered softly. "Good morning. How are you feeling?"

Paige didn't answer; she barely reacted to Prue's presence. Prue sat on the edge of the bed, regarding the young woman carefully. She didn't seem catatonic, but her eyes had no focus, simply lost in some middle distance. After debating a moment, Prue reached over and took Paige's hand in hers.

"You're in my house, in San Francisco," Prue spoke softly, trying to impart information while being as emotionally neutral as she could manage. There was no doubt that Paige was traumatized by being assaulted. Prue prayed fervently that the damage wasn't permanent. She squeezed Paige's hand gently. Paige closed her eyes, and as she did so, a fat tear rolled down one cheek. Prue felt a pang of sympathetic dismay. Impulsively, she leaned over and left a maternal kiss on Paige's forehead.

"Oh, Paige, it's going to be all right," Prue murmured, wishing she could promise safety, and knowing she couldn't. "You have a whole house full of people who are going to do whatever they can to protect you."

Paige opened her eyes again and looked directly at Prue.

"He knows where we are," she said.

Prue felt the hairs on the back of her neck rising up.

"Who knows, Paige?"

"The demon."

"The one who attacked you?"

"I can hear him, like I know what he's thinking," Paige said, her eyes filling with tears. "How is that possible? How do I even know he's a demon? What's happening to me?"

Prue drew in a sharp breath. Was it possible that Paige was precognitive - just like Phoebe?

"Paige. This is important. Do you see this demon right now? Do you hear him?"

Paige shook her head sadly.

Prue sighed with relief. "He must have left earth, then," she decided aloud.

"He's coming back," Paige declared, her voice shaking with fright.

"Yes, he is," Prue agreed grimly. "And when he does, we'll be ready for him."

A short time later, the Halliwell sisters and their guests were gathering around the big dining room table for breakfast. Andy's detective partner Darryl Morris arrived a few minutes before ten.

"Darryl! Hi, come on in," Prue welcomed him warmly at the front door. "Your timing's perfect. We were just about to sit down to breakfast."

"I'm here on police business, Prue."

"We know." Prue gave him her most disarming smile. "So is Andy. Paige is still in bed. Please, come sit with us. Have a cup of coffee, at least."

Darryl entered the foyer, and Prue closed the door behind him. "That girl should be in a hospital," Darryl pointed out, not unkindly, as he shrugged out of his overcoat. Prue shook her head.

"We can't risk it, Darryl. The bad guy who's after Paige isn't just any bad guy - he's a demon. He wouldn't think twice about murdering an entire floor of nurses, doctors and other patients, just to get at her. She's safer here - and so is everyone else." She could see that Darryl was about to argue the point. "Darryl, please, I know how weird this all sounds. And I know it's hard to believe. I'm asking you, please. Trust me. We're doing the right thing. One innocent person has died already. I don't want anyone else to die. Not one more person."

"I agree with you there," Darryl said somberly. Prue took his coat and hung it on one of the pegs beside the door.

Andy Trudeau joined them in the foyer. He was wearing his clothes from the night before, but without his tie or jacket.

"Hey, Morris. Good morning."

"All's been quiet?"

"So far."

Darryl allowed himself to be brought into the dining area, where Piper and Leo greeted him warmly and offered him a seat. Prue noted with a grin that Piper had dressed in a flattering semi-formal black cocktail dress; that was obviously for Leo's benefit. Prue herself had settled for a simple white blouse and jeans.

Darryl looked over the spread on the table in bemusement: scrambled eggs with cheese, grilled potatoes with peppers and sweet onion, ham slices, cut fresh fruit, apple muffins, glazed croissants, juice and coffee. He shook his head admiringly.

"You must have been up for hours making this," he marveled.

"Nahh. It only takes about five minutes," Piper grinned. "If you know how to slow down time."

"How is Miss Matthews? Have any of you talked to her this morning?" Darryl asked, as he took a seat.

"I did," Prue nodded. "Just to ask her how she was. I didn't ask her anything about what happened last night."

"How is she?"

"Groggy. Weak. And scared," Prue admitted. "But, she should be able to answer questions."

"After breakfast," Piper added sternly. "I'm going to take a tray up to her in a few minutes."

After Piper offered a quick prayer, everyone dug into the meal with gusto, Darryl included.

"Darryl, I was wondering if you and I could visit Paige's apartment later," Prue asked, once the meal was well underway. "I'd like to bring some of her clothes back here."

The detective could hardly hide his surprise. "You want to let her stay here, with you?"

"I think that would be a good idea, yes," Prue answered, casting a sidelong glance at Piper. After a moment's consideration, Piper nodded her agreement. "At least for now. She'll be safer from demons here than almost anywhere. And it's not like she can go home. Her apartment was almost completely destroyed."

"Was the damage really that bad?" Piper asked.

"It was like a bomb went off in there," Prue shuddered. "Also, Darryl, Andy, I would like to be in the room when you talk with Paige."

"That's probably not a good idea, Prue."

"Please, Darryl. First of all, Paige knows me - at least, more than she knows either of you. My being there might make her more comfortable. And if she's able to give us a description of the demon, I can start doing some research to help track him down."

"So you're convinced this is a demon we're dealing with," Andy sought to clarify. "A real demon."

"Straight out of Hell. Yes." Prue grinned ruefully at the two detectives. "Believe me, guys, I do know how ridiculous that sounds."

"Let's table our perp's demonic pedigree for now," Andy decided aloud. "What does he want with Paige?"

"I don't know," Prue admitted. "Usually, if a demon goes after a witch, it's because he's trying to steal the witch's powers."

"You think Paige is a witch?" Leo's question carried a subtext which Prue recognized instantly: was Paige a Charmed One?

"I'm sorry, Leo, I don't know that either," Prue admitted. "But it would make sense."

Darryl frowned. "How do you mean?"

"Piper and I had contacted Paige last week, because we think she might be a relative of the Halliwell family. If she is, then there's a chance, a good chance, that she's a witch too."

"But you've never met her, before last week."

Prue shook her head. "No. And before you ask, I've only met her twice. We haven't determined if she's a witch or a Halliwell at this point."

Darryl sipped his coffee thoughtfully. "I'm still stuck on trying to believe there are demons and witches," he admitted frankly.

"What you saw yesterday was just the tip of the iceberg, Darryl," Prue smiled grimly.

"This is nothing," Piper added. "We've seen stuff you wouldn't believe. I still have a hard time believing half the stuff I've seen."

She started to gather portions on a plate for Paige. "I'm going to go sit with our guest of honor for a few minutes," she announced. "I'll let you know when it's okay to come upstairs."

"I'll clean up the kitchen, if you like," Leo offered.

Piper rewarded him with a quick kiss. "You're an angel," she declared. She disappeared into the kitchen long enough to get a tray, then carried the plate of food, a glass of orange juice, a mug of water and a small cup of coffee up the stairwell.

"If you guys need me for anything, just holler," Leo got up also, taking his coffee mug with him and ambling into the kitchen.

"Thanks, Leo," Prue called after him.

Once they were alone, Prue turned to Andy and Darryl. "I think we're dealing with something far more serious here," she confided in a low voice. "This demon isn't just out to steal a witch's powers - assuming Paige has any. It's obvious his intent was to kill her."

"Then what's his motive?" Andy repeated his earlier question. "Why is he after Paige?"

Prue sighed. "That's just it. I wish I knew. All I have are suspicions. But it's like you said, Andy. Suspicions aren't proof."

"Well, share what you suspect," Andy suggested. "Morris and I are completely in the dark here."

Prue hesitated for a moment. "As I told you before, my sisters and I are witches," she began haltingly. "We're also a coven. As such, when we combine our magical powers, together, we're far stronger than any one of us individually. Piper, Phoebe and I were responsible for putting away a lot of demons over the last six months."

"But now Phoebe's gone," Andy said quietly.

Prue nodded sadly. "And when Phoebe left, our collective power of three went with her."

"So, where's Phoebe now?" Darryl asked.

Prue closed her eyes for just a moment. The answer to Darryl's question would not only take far too long to explain, but was also just too painful for Prue to deal with at the moment.

"Too far away to help us," Prue lamented. "But - if Paige is really a witch - and related to us - then there's a chance she could help us restore the coven," Prue mused, almost talking to herself. "Which would be bad news for demons. Piper and I, by ourselves, aren't really much of a threat to any high level demon. But a full coven of good witches, with all their powers, would definitely be a threat to any demons trying to operate in San Francisco."

"So he might be trying to kill Paige, to prevent a new coven from forming?" Andy suggested.

"It's possible. If Paige is a witch, she's unaware of her powers. Which means she would be unable to defend herself from any sort of magical or demonic attack. She would be just as vulnerable as any normal person. Certainly an easier target than either Piper or me."

"So, how do we find him?" Darryl asked. "And more importantly, how do we stop him?"

"That would be the million dollar question," Prue answered grimly.

Piper came up to Phoebe's bedroom door, knocked gently, and peeked inside. Paige lifted her head off her pillow, her face blanched with fear; but on seeing Piper, she relaxed and settled back down. Piper stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her.

"Hey, Paige," she greeted her in the quietest, most soothing voice she could manage. "I don't know if you remember me. I'm Piper - Prue's sister. We met last week." She set the tray down on an ottoman next to the bed. "Actually, we met again last night. But I'm guessing you don't remember much of that."

Paige didn't answer; she simply regarded Piper silently, her wide eyes wavering between suspicion and trust.

"I brought you some breakfast," Piper offered. "I thought you might be hungry."

"Thanks," Paige managed to answer, her voice a ragged whisper.

"Would you like to sit up?"

It was immediately obvious that Paige was still very weak, almost to the point of being incapacitated. Piper stepped over to the bedside. "Here, let me help you," she murmured.

Piper gently pulled Paige into a more or less upright position, and stuffed an extra pillow behind her back, so she could lean her full weight against the headboard.

"How's that?" Piper asked, anxiously noting Paige's too-pale complexion.

"Sorry," Paige mumbled. "Still woozy."

"I don't doubt that," Piper said sympathetically. "Would you like to try to eat something?"

"Yes, please."

Paige was so weak that she couldn't even feed herself, so Piper maternally spoon-fed the breakfast to her. Paige ate very slowly, but she seemed to have a good appetite, and managed to eat the better part of a scrambled egg and apple muffin, along with a small glass of juice and a mug of cold water. Piper sighed with relief, seeing some color starting to return to Paige's bloodless cheeks.

Paige closed her eyes and relaxed against the headboard.

"Thanks," she said gratefully.

Piper reached over and gently brushed a stray lock of Paige's bright red hair away from her pale face.

"It's probably gonna be a day or two before you can get out of bed," she said quietly. "But Prue and Leo and I will look after you, until you're back on your feet."

"Okay."

"And I'll see if I can find an extra pair of sweat pants for you. We have a whole house full of men today, so the last thing we need is for you to be running around here bare-assed."

Paige managed a weak grin. "Please tell Inspector Morris I can see him now."

Piper raised an eyebrow quizzically. "You know he's here?"

"Yeah. How do I know that? And I know that you and Prue are witches. I don't know how I know that, either."

Piper took the comment in stride. "Yeah, well, Prue and I are good witches. And we're going to look after you."

"I know. Thank you." Paige closed her eyes again. "Please hurry. I think I'm gonna fall asleep soon."

Piper quickly descended the stairs. Prue, Andy and Darryl looked up at her expectantly.

"Hey, guys. She's still really woozy, but Paige says she's ready to talk to you."

Everyone got up out of their seats immediately.

"Hey, Leo, we'll be upstairs," Prue called out towards the kitchen.

Leo came to the doorway, dish towel in hand. "Sure," he nodded. "Call me if you need anything."

Prue grinned at him. "We'll just yell 'Leo!' at the top of our lungs."

Leo returned the grin. "That'll be fine," he assured her.

A few moments later, Prue, Piper, Andy and Darryl had gathered around Paige's bed. She was laying down again, and while the color was definitely coming back into her cheeks, it was all she could do to keep her eyes open. Prue sat in the chair nearest the nightstand, and took one of Paige's hands in hers.

"Hey, sweetie," she murmured softly. "I won't ask you how you're feeling. I'm guessing the answer is lousy."

Paige managed a weak smile. "Hi, Prue. Piper made me breakfast. She's a really good cook."

Even at their highest, Paige's eyelids were barely rising above half-mast.

"Paige, this is my boyfriend, Andy Trudeau," Prue made quick introductions. "And this is Darryl Morris. They're inspectors with the police department. They'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Hey, guys," she croaked, surveying the anxious faces bending over her. "I'll try to tell you what I know before I pass out."

"Thanks. We'll try to keep this brief, Miss Matthews."

"You're looking for a demon. His name is Shax -"

"Shax?"

"Well, that's what he calls himself, anyway. He can appear and disappear at will. I don't know how he does it. He's big and blue and he glows in the dark. And yes, I know how stupid that sounds."

"Did he say anything to you?" Andy asked.

"He told me his name. I don't think he said anything else, though."

"And you've never seen this guy before yesterday?"

Paige managed the barest shake of her head. "No. I don't know why he's after me. But it has something to do with you two." She pointed at shaky finger at Prue and Piper. The sisters exchanged a worried glance.

"He won't attack you here," Paige continued, addressing herself to Prue, her voice starting to slur. "He doesn't want to risk a battle with the Charmed Ones in their own home. He thinks he can beat you, but he'd rather wait you out."

"Until we're away from home, and more vulnerable," Prue said grimly.

"Yeah," Paige nodded weakly. "But I think you can find him in the Book of Shadows. Maybe there's a spell, or something."

"You know about the Book of Shadows, Paige?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. It's weird. I don't know how I even know half this stuff. Oh. And don't try to use guns. That'll only piss him off." Her head began to loll to one side. "Sorry," she mumbled. "Gotta sleep now."

Within seconds, she was snoring gently.

Darryl shook his head in exasperation. "What the hell," he swore softly.

After it was obvious Paige was not going to wake, Prue brought Paige's hand to her lips, kissed it gently, and then stood up.

"Guys," Prue whispered, tilting her head towards the bedroom door. "Outside."

By common consent, they crept from the room, and Piper quietly closed the door behind them. Once they were back downstairs, Leo came in from the kitchen to join them in the living room.

"I'll go upstairs and sit with Paige, while you're talking," he offered.

Piper slipped her smaller hand inside his. "She's asleep, Leo."

Leo shook his head grimly. "None of you should be left alone right now," he said, addressing his remarks to Prue and Piper. "I'm serious. I think your lives are in real danger, and each of you should have someone with you at all times. Even inside the house."

"Do you know something about this guy, Leo?" Darryl asked hopefully.

"This demon, specifically?" Leo shook his head again. "I'm sorry, Inspector, no, I don't. But I know enough about demons in general to understand they are a real threat. Please, take whatever Piper and Prue tell you very, very seriously. No matter how weird it sounds."

"You really are a guardian angel, aren't you?" Piper said, looking up at him, truly believing it.

Leo managed a smile for Piper and squeezed her hand. "I'll be upstairs."

He gave her a quick kiss and then hurried up the stairs.

Darryl sank his head into his hands.

"Feel like turning in your badge, Morris?" Andy asked, not unsympathetically.

Darryl sat up again, and sighed heavily. "This is just too damn weird for me," he admitted.

"Believe me, Darryl, we really do know how you feel," Prue assured him. "When Piper and I first found out we were witches, we weren't exactly happy about it."

"We thought it was the worst thing ever," Piper added softly. "We thought we were cursed."

"It's taken us a long time to figure out - we've been blessed with a remarkable gift." Prue's expression grew thoughtful. "And we've been given a chance to walk in a wider world than most people ever get to see. Some of it is frightening, and dangerous. Like demons."

"And warlocks," Piper added.

"But some of it -" A smile slowly spread across Prue's face. "Some of it is just amazing. And it really is magic. That's the only word I have for it."

She clasped Andy's hand and smiled at him gratefully. "I'm so sorry you guys got caught up in this," she said. "But there's no one I trust more, to keep our secret."

"Honestly, Prue? We didn't understand half of what Paige said," Andy said ruefully.

"Charmed Ones? A Book of Shadows? It's gobbledygook," Darryl added.

"Oh, boy. Yeah. Explanations," Prue muttered with a moue of distaste. "Okay. So. The Book of Shadows is an ancient family grimoire - a textbook of magic that's been in the Halliwell family for generations. And Piper, Phoebe and I - we're a coven of witches that's known as the Charmed Ones."

"We didn't pick that name ourselves," Piper added, a little defensively.

"Still, no matter how Paige knew about the book, she's absolutely right, we need to consult it," Prue looked at her sister.

Piper nodded. "I'll bring it down here."

"Thanks."

As Piper got up, Prue said, "Piper, wait." She turned to Morris. "Darryl, go with her. Please."

Darryl got up reluctantly, but he managed a smile.

"I won't let her out of my sight."

Prue smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

As Piper and Darryl went upstairs, Prue leaned back on the couch, and discreetly wiped a tear away. She glanced at Andy.

"You've been awfully quiet."

Andy shrugged helplessly. "It's been one very strange weekend."

"Yeah. Boy, if that's not the understatement of the year," Prue agreed. "I'm so sorry, Andy."

"What for?"

"This is a lot to dump on you."

Andy gave Prue a bemused smile. "Honestly, Prue, as weird as everything has been, I'm just glad you're not hiding from me any more."

"That makes two of us. But now you can see what I was up against. I mean, every time something supernatural happened - what was I supposed to say? How could I have told you, so you wouldn't think I was completely insane?"

Andy shook his head. "Hell, Prue, I saw what you did yesterday with my own eyes, and I'm still wondering if I shouldn't have myself carted off to the loony bin."

"There's a lot of bad stuff going on out there, Andy. And by that, I mean, demon stuff. I really, really did not want to drag you into this. I didn't know what else to do. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

"I just wish I could have found some better way to tell you. This is definitely not what I had in mind."

They sat in uncomfortable silence for a few moments, and finally, Prue exhaled a ragged sigh. "When I first found out I was a witch, I was devastated," she confided. "All I wanted was to be rid of it. I just wanted to be normal."

Something suspiciously like a smirk crossed Andy's face.

"What?" Prue demanded.

"You've never been normal, Prue. You're anything but normal."

"Tread carefully, Mister Trudeau," Prue cautioned.

"Exceptional is the word I'd use." As Prue arched an eyebrow, Andy added, "Don't you see that? Why would I even be interested in you, if you were just like everyone else?"

Prue's mouth fell open in surprise. "You mean -"

"Even when we were dating before, I saw this most amazing woman," Andy grinned, remembering. "You were driven, you were purposeful, you knew exactly what you wanted out of life, and you knew how you were going to get there. You just had this - electricity - about you. You were going to be successful, no matter what you decided to do. And smart," Andy marveled. "After all this time, I've never met anyone half as smart as you are. Anywhere I've ever been with you, you've always been the smartest person in the room. I've always admired that about you. I still do."

Prue felt a distinct fluttering in her heart. "You - you never told me that," she said, her dusky voice quavering slightly.

Andy gave her a rueful smile. "Maybe that's something I kept secret, and shouldn't have. So maybe that makes us even?" he asked hopefully.

Prue stared at him for a long moment, and then suddenly pressed herself against him, kissing him passionately. Their kiss was long and lingering. When they finally released one another, Prue looked at him tearfully.

"Forgive me," she whispered.

"Always," Andy whispered back. "As long as you do the same for me."

Prue sealed the agreement with another passionate kiss, even more ardent than the first.

Piper and Darryl came back into the living room, the massive Book of Shadows in Piper's arms. They stared at lovers dumbfoundedly.

Piper cringed with embarrassment. "I can't believe I'm related to her, some days," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Trudeau?" Darryl called out, then shouted angrily, "HEY! TRUDEAU!"

Neither Prue nor Andy seemed to hear them or take any notice. Piper sighed.

"Come on, Darryl," she said. "Let's go sit in the atrium." She tugged at his hand gently. "Leave them be," she advised. "They're perfectly safe. They're surrounded by an impenetrable force field of lust. Not even a high level demon is breaking through that. It's probably stronger than the protection spell Prue put around the house."

With considerable ill grace, Darryl allowed himself to be led away. In the atrium, Piper placed the massive grimoire on the low table, and settled herself into one of the chairs.

"Come on, Darryl, have a seat," she cajoled him. "We'll be getting nothing useful out of those two for a while. So let's see if we can find out who our bad guy is."

Darryl seated himself glumly in the chair across from Piper.

Piper splayed her fingers, palms down, a few inches above the surface of the grimoire.

"Show me Shax," she intoned.

The book opened by itself, and beneath Piper's hands, the aged, yellowed pages began to turn themselves over. Darryl stared at the book with wide eyes.

"Does it always do that?" he asked, in a slightly strangled voice.

"Hell, this is nothing, Darryl. The really freaky part is when the book does this, and we didn't ask it to."

"How do you deal with it?" Darryl asked.

"Deal with what?"

"All - this."

"Witchcraft? Magic? Demons and sorcerers?"

"Yeah."

"Having a good sense of humor really helps," Piper nodded thoughtfully. Then she grinned. "And an occasional Valium."

The book finally stopped fluttering, and Piper looked down upon the settled page.

"The Source's Assassin," she read aloud. "Ugh. I'm not liking the sound of that at all. Who or what the hell is 'The Source'?"

"Seriously. This guy we're after is in a hundred year old magic book?"

"Hush, Darryl, let me read. Let's see: 'Corporealizes out of wind and air. Method of attack is a ferocious blast of wind that can be lethal to its victim.' Well, at least there's a spell here to vanquish him. Doesn't say if it has to be a power of three spell, though."

"Power of three spell?"

"That means a spell that has to be chanted by the entire coven, together." She looked up and gave him a reassuring smile. "Buck up, Darryl. We've got a way to put our bad guy behind bars, magically speaking."

Upstairs in Phoebe's bedroom, Paige began to toss and turn in her sleep, moaning softly. Leo frowned in concern and got up from his chair. "Paige?" he called out quietly, not sure if it was better to wake her.

The red-haired girl sat bolt upright in the bed, her eyes bulging with sheer terror.

"He's coming," she gasped.

Downstairs in the atrium, a wind sprang up out of nowhere. Darryl looked around in alarm. All around the perimeter of the house, bright sparks spewed outwards from the doorframes and windowsills - as if from short-circuiting wires.

"What the hell is that?" Darryl cried out.

Piper blanched. "Something's trying to breach the protection spell!"

Darryl and Piper both sprang to their feet, and just behind where Piper had been sitting, a whitish-blue glow filled the room, and then coalesced into a more or less human form. The demon Shax, now fully corporealized, regarded them both with malevolent contempt.

"That stupid book doesn't give you any really useful information about me," the demon huffed in mock indignation, as the light faded away. "For instance, it doesn't mention how much I love music. Hello, little witch," he sang tauntingly. "I see you."

With a feral snarl, he threw out his arm, and a bolt of energy flashed from his fingertips. With a shriek of fright, Piper threw herself at Darryl, knocking them both to the floor, just as a crackling energy bolt made a sizeable hole in the wall just above them, the edges of the impact site charred and smoking.

"You were supposed to be a patient demon!" Piper complained bitterly.

"I'm very patient," the demon retorted. "My master is NOT!"

Prue and Andy rushed into the room, and gaped in astonishment at the sight of the demon.

"Prue, get DOWN!" Piper screamed, and Prue and Andy both ducked just in time to avoid a second bolt, which sailed out of the room and impacted elsewhere in the house.

Prue grimaced in both fright and anger, focusing her power; and in the kitchen, the silverware that had been laid out to dry on a cotton towel rose up and sailed through the air like dozens of tiny, murderous missiles - the tines of the forks and blades of the knives imbedding themselves to the hilt in the demon's blue skin. He bellowed with rage and pain.

"AARRGGHH! I'll get you for that, witch!"

"Prue!" Piper cried in dismay. "That's Gram's best silver!"

Prue grimaced. "Sorry."

Piper scrambled to Prue's side on her hands and knees, dragging the Book of Shadows with her.

Andy and Darryl had recovered themselves enough to get their feet, weapons drawn.

"Andy, NO -" Prue started to yell, but the two inspectors emptied their clips at close range into the demon's torso. He roared aloud, and sent two more projectiles - one from each arm - towards the men. Both had the sense to simply flatten themselves to the ground, but neither was fast enough to avoid a glancing blow that sent both men sprawling. They lay still, not moving.

"ANDY!" Prue shrieked.

"Prue, the spell!" Piper yelled breathlessly.

The demon whirled, turning on the witches, foaming with rage, as blood poured freely from the dozens of wounds on his chest.

"I was sent for the half-breed," he roared. "But the two of you will serve my master's needs even more!"

Their voices pitched with fright, the sisters hastily chanted the incantation: "Evil wind that blows, that which forms below, no longer may you dwell, death takes you with this spell!"

As before, a fierce whirlwind sprung up within the enclosed space, encircling the demon, constraining him, and finally, forcibly binding him. He bellowed and roared, struggling furiously, but the wind became light, brighter and brighter, and like a soap bubble popping, disappeared in a noiseless flash.

The demon was gone.

"Andy? ANDY?!" Prue shrieked, scrambling frantically to reach her lover's side. Leo Wyatt burst into the room, a look of abject fright on his face. He saw Piper laying on the floor, and quickly knelt beside her.

"I'm okay," she managed to say, utterly breathless. "Darryl, Andy - "

Leo quickly stepped over to where Prue was sobbing next to Andy's prone form, his face covered in blood. He checked the vitals of both men and sighed with relief.

"It's okay, Prue," he assured her, kneeling beside Andy and laying his hands on the detective's head. "He's alive. He took a good knock to the head, but he's going to be fine."

A bright glow surrounded Andy's skull, and then faded; Andy blinked furiously as he came to consciousness. Prue burst into fresh tears with relief.

Leo then hurried over to Darryl Morris, and helped him to his feet.

"Are you all right, Inspector?" he asked, helping to brush the debris from the man's suit.

"What the hell just happened?" Darryl asked numbly.

"I think you just answered your own question."

Piper rushed into Leo's arms, shaking with fright.

"It's okay," Leo assured her. "It's over." He looked over at Prue, who was helping Andy to sit up. "Paige knew he was coming. She tried to warn me."

"Is she all right?"

"She's fine," Leo nodded, and Prue hugged Andy tightly.

"Don't you EVER do anything that stupid, ever again -" she started to say, but Andy interrupted her mid-sentence with a passionate kiss, and she willingly accepted his apology.

Four days later, Paige was finally feeling well enough to move about the house, although Leo had insisted she not attempt anything more strenuous than climbing the stairs until she had her full strength back. Leo himself had spent almost the entire time repairing the considerable damage that had occurred in the house, sadly marveling that it had only taken a few seconds to destroy something that had taken weeks or even months to build, and now took days to repair. Prue and Piper had quietly attended the funeral for Wang Yingjie, and expressed their heartfelt condolences to the family. As the sisters returned from the service that afternoon, they could hear weeping coming from the living room. Exchanging a troubled glance, Prue and Piper walked in to see Paige sitting on the couch, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Hey," Piper murmured in dismay, rushing to take a seat beside her. "What's the matter, sweetie?"

"Hey, you guys," Paige greeted them, trying to quiet her sobs. Prue settled in on the last seat on the couch, taking Paige's hand in hers. "How was the service?"

"Sad," Piper answered solemnly.

"I should have gone," Paige shook her head in self-disapproval.

"We expressed your sympathies," Prue assured her. "It's more important that you get well."

"So what's going on, Paige? Why are you crying?"

"It's just - I don't know what I'm going to do now," Paige admitted, tears still leaking from the corners of her eyes. "You guys have been so nice to me, but I can't stay here forever. But I lost the only home I had - I lost almost everything I own - I don't even know how I can afford to get into another place - "

Prue and Piper exchanged a knowing glance with each other.

"Ahh. Yeah. About that," Piper drawled. "Paige - we think we can help you with that little problem."

"We'd like you to stay here," Prue seconded. "With us."

Paige looked at one sister, then the other, incredulously. What she received in return was warm, welcoming smiles.

"You mean - you - you want me to live here?" she hiccuped, still choking back sobs. "Like, forever?"

"Well, maybe not forever," Piper teased her slightly. "But as long as you want or need to, yeah."

"But - you guys don't even know me. Not really. We just barely met."

Piper shook her head, smiling. "Doesn't matter," she assured her.

"But - but - what if we're not even related?" Paige quavered.

"Paige," Prue squeezed the girl's hand. "Whether or not we're family is something the three of us will decide. What Piper and I would like to know is, would you consider being part of our family?"

"Will you be part of our home, and our coven?"

Fresh tears spilled down Paige's cheeks. "I - I couldn't do that - could I?"

"Of course you can," Prue grinned.

"Just say yes," Piper added.

"Yes," Paige sobbed, but this time she was crying with relief and joy, and smiling brightly. "Yes! I want to stay with you."

"Well, then, that's settled," Prue announced primly, but then her face broke into a wide grin. "Welcome home, Paige."

Paige hugged Prue tightly. "Thank you," she wept. "Thank you so much."

"You don't need to thank us," Prue assured her, returning the hug. "You're one of us. You're a Halliwell now."

"Paige sandwich," Piper declared, settling herself against the red-haired girl's back and hugging her from behind. The sisters huddled together, sharing tears of joy.

"You guys have no idea how much this means to me," Paige murmured, still weeping. "I never thought I would ever have a family of my own."

"Oh, this is nothing," Prue laughed heartily. "Just wait until you meet the rest of the family!"