Chapter 13: Witch Way Now
Paige stood looking out the front windows at city workers who were working on the street right outside the Manor. "Did they say how much longer this was going to go on for?" she asked.
"Three weeks, which means three months." Piper said as she watched Leo who held a portrait of him, herself, Paige, Piper, Dawn and Buffy. They were trying to make sure it was in a good spot. "A little higher."
"We'd better hope no demons attack," Paige said, "that'd be a bust, especially if one of us goes flying out the window."
"I wouldn't worry about that too much," Leo said, "there's so much chaos in the underworld they're too busy fighting each other."
At that moment Buffy and Dawn came down the stairs passing Leo. "Well, I hope it lasts," Dawn said. "I almost forgot what it's like to lead a normal life."
"It's got to go a little higher." Piper said to Leo when Buffy and Dawn were out of the way.
"I need a ladder," Leo said.
"Leo, just hover," Paige said as she moved away from the window to watch Leo trying to hang the portrait.
"No, no, no, I don't want to jinx anything," Piper objected, "I'd rather we not use magic unless we absolutely have to, thank you very much."
"Come on, Piper, relax a little. Use it or lose it, lady," Paige said as Dawn headed into the kitchen.
They watched as Leo floated upward and the portrait slowly inched its way up as well. "Fine," Piper said as Leo marked the wall with a pencil and floated back to the ground.
"Ah, see, no major disaster struck," Paige said as Phoebe walked through the front door.
"We have a huge problem," Phoebe said.
"You were saying?" Piper asked.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" Buffy asked, concerned.
"Cole try to contact you again?" Dawn asked as Phoebe nodded. Since the first time she and Phoebe had heard him they had managed to hear him a few more times. They had even let Piper, Paige and Buffy know that he was trying to contact Phoebe somehow despite being vanquished.
"What, more whisperings like what you and Dawn heard?" Leo asked
"No, this time he was channeling through a TV psychic while I was at work," Phoebe said. "He sounded so desperate."
"Did anybody else notice?" Buffy asked.
"My highly suspicious assistant," Phoebe said. "How am I supposed to move on with my life when I keep being haunted by his afterlife?"
"Leo, what do you think?" Piper asked.
"I think you need to do something fast," Leo said.
"No, I mean, how is he holding on?" Piper said.
Leo shrugged he didn't have any clue how Cole could be calling Phoebe from beyond the grave. "I don't know," he said, "I guess because he's half demon, it must be some kind of astral plane."
"Well, whatever, we can't risk him contacting me again. I have to figure out a way to get to him and find out what he wants." Phoebe said.
"Honey, what he wants is you. I mean, why else would he be hanging on?" Paige said.
Suddenly, everything froze including Leo.
"Piper, why is Leo frozen?" Phoebe asked.
Piper walked over to Leo and waved in front of his face. "Well, this is very strange."
"Hey how come I can't close the fridge?" Dawn called out from the kitchen.
Paige looked out the window and all saw that all the city's workers were frozen too. "Uh, guys, it's apparently not just the fridge in the kitchen. I think you ought to take a look at this." Buffy, Piper and Phoebe joined Paige at the window. "So much for not performing any magic, huh Piper, Mom."
"We didn't do this," Buffy said. "Neither of us have that much power."
"I can."
"Buffy," Dawn said as she came out of the kitchen. As Piper, Paige, Buffy and Phoebe turned. They saw what Dawn was looking at, an elderly man in white robes.
"Who are you?" Paige asked.
"I'm the Angel of Destiny, and I've come to change yours," the angel said. "Well the Charmed Ones. The Slayer and her sister still have destinies that lie ahead."
"You are not the same one that came when we found out that Dawn was to be Faith's reward," Buffy said.
"There are many destinies," the angel said, "as you well know, Patty. That said I am here because of a demon. Which in and of itself is very rare. We Angels of Destiny normally don't intervene except in extraordinary situations. Mozart at age seven, Michelangelo, Albert Einstein, Britney Spears …"
"Huh?" Paige said.
"Patricia Halliwell, when she died," the Angel finished.
"Mom?" Paige said.
"We gave her the option of going to her final rest or being reincarnated. You know the one she chose. Piper, Phoebe and Paige you three have accomplished something that few others ever dream of," the angel explained. "By vanquishing the Source of all Evil, you have fulfilled your shared destiny, much earlier than anticipated." He looked toward the sisters and smiled at them. "Truth be told, some of us did think you'd never achieve it at all, but that's really beside the point. What's important is you have and because of that we're offering you a reward, a chance to chart a new destiny, one of your own design."
"A reward?" Paige asked.
"Yes a reward," the Angel said, "much like the one, Patty received when she died and the one we have given to Faith. You three can continue to remain as you are, Charmed, vested with all your witchy powers, and of course demonic burdens. Or..." the angel said.
"Or?" Piper asked
The angel smiled as he looked at the eldest sister. "You can choose to relinquish your magic and lead normal lives again, unaccounted, free, we'd wipe the entire slate clean, nobody would come after you again. Well they might still come after Patty and Dawn."
"Which means we could still be targeted," Phoebe said, "as long as mom and Aunt Dawn lived with us." Her sisters looked toward her as if to say explain. "Just like Aunt Dawn was targeted to get at mom back in Sunnydale. We would be targeted once it was learned we are mom's daughters."
"That is true," the Angel said, "but I do believe that Patty and Dawn could protect you, especially since they both have now come into their Charmed powers, the Power of Two. Also they have added assistance."
"Giles, Xander, Willow, Tara, Faith, Xander and even Anya," Buffy said as the angel nodded. She looked at her daughters. "You wouldn't be unprotected."
"Anyways, what do you say?" the angel asked.
"What do we say?" Piper said shocked the Angel would even drop that bombshell and want a quick answer. "Are you kidding? You can't just freeze the whole world and come in here and drop a bombshell like that and expect a quick decision. I don't care who you are."
"I don't think you quite grasp the uniqueness of this opportunity," the Angel said.
"No they get it," Buffy said. "It was different with me. I was already dead so it didn't matter if I had to make the decision now or later. For them this is a huge decision, you could at least give them the time to think about it. Just like you gave to Faith."
"Faith's decisions Is based on free will," the angel reminded Buffy. "And in her instance it has to be mutual between her and Dawn."
"You know, as long as he's offering, maybe we should talk about this," Phoebe said. "Just talk about it. Over there. Right, right over there please, now, excuse us." She pulled her sisters, Buffy and Dawn across the room away from the angel.
"You can't be serious, Phoebe, you of all people, you love being a witch," Paige said.
Phoebe nodded, "I know I do, but I..."
"But what? What has changed?" Paige asked.
Dawn sighed as she looked at her youngest niece. "That's easy if you think about it, Paige. She married the Source, had her baby stolen from right out of her womb. If that wasn't bad enough. If the Seer hadn't stolen her baby she was going to die in childbirth."
"Aunt Dawn is right," Phoebe said.
"Paige, it's just that we've been doing this a lot longer than you have. Mom has even been doing it longer than us, and even she wanted to quit when faced with the choice of losing Aunt Dawn or the world going to hell," Piper said. "Now I'm not trying to discount all the good that we've done or that we could do. But at the same time I'm not going to minimize the costs. Paige, I can't get pregnant because of what we do."
"Think of this," Buffy suggested. "Phoebe was correct on one thing. Even though you would have me, Dawn and our friends from Sunnydale protecting you. Demons will still target you as long as I am in your lives. And we can't guarantee anything."
"You are kind of startling the fence, Buffy," Dawn said.
"I know," Buffy said. "Regardless whichever decision you all make we will stand behind. I am just pointing out some facts to consider."
"We know, mom," Phoebe said. "But, punching out demons just isn't as much fun as it used to be. Plus, and I hate that I am saying this, but if we take the deal it might not be a bad idea if you and Aunt Dawn move back to Sunnydale. We can always come to visit."
"How about this you all need some time," the angel said agreeing with Buffy's initial argument that they needed time to decide, "which I'll grant, but not too much time. After all, other people's destinies are tied to yours, including Patty and Dawn's. And since it's your charmed destiny that's at stake here, majority will rule. Two sisters will decide the fate of all three. So consider your choice wisely. Perhaps what happens next will help you to decide."
As the Angel vanished in a bright light everything unfroze and Piper's cell phone rang.
"Hey, did you just freeze me?" Leo asked as he walked to Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Dawn and Buffy.
"Piper didn't do it, Leo," Buffy said. "We had a visit from an Angel of Destiny."
"The one that talked to you and Faith?" Leo asked.
"No," Buffy answered. "there is more than one angel, just like there is more than one destiny. You might want to fill in the Elders to let them know that he visited."
Leo nodded in agreement as he orbed out.
"Hello?" Piper said as she answered her ringing cell phone. "Darryl? What's wrong?" She motioned for Phoebe, Paige, Buffy and Dawn over as she switched the cellphone to speakerphone and held it so everyone could here.
"Apparently you guys are about to be put under surveillance. An FBI agent named Jackman called me into his office today. He did a search on unsolved cases. Apparently your names came up on way too many witness lists. As has Buffy and even Dawn's in Sunnydale."
"What do you mean? What does he know?" Buffy asked.
"I don't know, but I'm going to try and find out. In the meantime just lay low and whatever you do don't use any magic."
"So are we screwed?" Paige asked as Piper ended the call.
"Maybe, but that would take destiny out of our hands and I don't think that's what the angel meant," Piper said.
"No talking about you know what, we don't know if this guys is listening now," Buffy said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Outside A telephone company van pulled up across the street from the Manor. A man got out and got into the back of the van. He smiled as he turned on his surveillance equipment and pointed the antenna on top of the van toward the Manor. He also made sure that the camera hidden in the lettering on the side of the van was pointed towards the Manor as well. As he put on his headphones he could here Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Buffy and Dawn's voices.
"I still don't understand how coming up here is going to help."
"Actually it's pretty simple."
It was then earsplitting music came from the headphones, causing him to yank them from his head. He quickly turned down the volume before putting them back on. But he could only hear the music coming from the house.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the attic Phoebe sat a CD player next to the attic window facing the street. "So you guys have been home all day, right?"
"Yeah, so?" Buffy asked.
"So there's no way he would've had time to bug the inside of the house," Phoebe explained as she walked over to the Book of Shadows, "he's going to be listening from the outside."
"Is it ironic that here we are presented with the opportunity to give up our powers and now we suddenly can't even use them," Piper said.
"Except not using our powers doesn't necessarily mean that we won't be exposed. We still have Cole to worry about," Phoebe said.
"Phoebe, you can't make contact with a dead demon husband," Paige said.
"Yeah, but if I don't he will, and then what?" Phoebe asked. "The FBI is outside and if they find out about us it's going to be the same thing as last year and we don't want that now do we?" She looked through the book till she found the page marked, To Find a Lost Love. "So I'm going to cast the To Find a Lost Love spell. I mean, if Cole's soul is on some astral plane, it should astral me there, right?"
"Are you sure he even has a soul?" Buffy asked.
"Well, what else would be calling out to me?" Phoebe asked. "Cole needs closure and so do I."
"We will create a distraction outside in case your spell inside creates any fireworks," Buffy said. "Dawn why don't you stay up here with Phoebe in case she needs any help."
"Okay, Buffy." Dawn said.
"Be careful." Paige said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Moments later in the living room Piper was looking out the window.
Paige walked in carrying a tray of lemonade. "Unless we spike the lemonade, I doubt they'll..."
"Shh! That phone company van looks suspicious." Piper said.
"Why?" Paige asked as Buffy joined Piper by the window.
"Well, because it wasn't there earlier, and besides he didn't put out any cones." Piper said.
"Not much to go on but your right," Buffy said.
"That's what you're basing it on?" Paige asked.
"Well, it's the best that I got, okay, now are you ready?" Piper asked.
"Why don't you or Mom just" Paige wiggled her fingers "to the street?"
"Because what if somebody drives around the corner?" Buffy said.
"Now you just need to use some of your god given magic." Piper said as she undid the top button on Paige's dress. "Okay? Go."
Paige walked outside and down the steps carrying the tray of lemonade. The city workers turned and stared at her, one of them even whistling. "Anyone feel like a little cool down?" she asked as they all rushed over. "Easy, boys, there's enough for everyone."
Buffy came down the driveway as she looked at Paige and the city workers. So far the plan was going alright as the city workers were all distracted, She walked over the van and opened the rear doors. With a quick motion of her hands she froze the guy inside and closed the door. She signaled Dawn who was looking out the attic window.
In the attic Dawn looked over at Phoebe who was lighting the last of a circle of candles that she had placed on the floor. "Buffy gave me the thumbs up," she said.
"Turn off the music," Phoebe said as Dawn turned off the stereo. She stepped into the circle and sat down. "Now if something goes wrong immediately cast the reversal spell and bring me out."
"I know my part, Phoebe," Dawn said. "Have you forgotten I don't like being treated like a kid."
"Sorry, Aunt Dawn," Phoebe said. She looked at the paper she had written the spell on. "Wither my love, wherever you be, through time and space, take my heart near to thee." She collapsed and her head fell backwards onto a pillow.
Moments later Phoebe suddenly screams. "Buffy! Piper! Paige!" Dawn called out as she moved to the Book. She saw Buffy, Piper and Paige come rushing through the door. "Return thy love, wherever she be, through time and space, bring her back to me."
Phoebe sat up with a jolt and gasped.
"Okay, you're okay." Buffy said.
"Oh my god, what was I thinking?" Phoebe asked as they heard a knock on the front door.
Buffy went to the window and looked down at the front door. She frowned when she saw the man standing there. "My freeze wore off."
They rushed downstairs and opened the front door.
"Agent Jackman, FBI." Jackman said and held up his badge. "We should talk."
They walked into the dining room and sat down at the table. Jackman who moved to the head of the table put two thick folders down. He slid one to Piper, Phoebe and Paige. Tthe other he slid to Buffy and Dawn. "In case you're wondering, those are just copies."
They look in them and saw detailed notes on them and pictures with them in them. "Pursued to agenda trust, Agent Jackman." Phoebe said.
Jackman nodded, "If I wanted to expose you, I could've done that six months ago when those files first crossed my desk."
"Expose us as what?" Buffy asked.
Jackman smiled, "Witches. It's the only logical explanation for all the unsolved cases, the missing persons, the mysterious deaths."
"Prove it," Dawn said.
Jackman got out a tape recorder and pressed play.
"Buffy! Piper! Paige!" Sound of footsteps can be heard coming up the stairs. "Return thy love, wherever she be, through time and space, bring her back to me."
"Okay, you're okay."
"Oh my god, what was I thinking?"
Jackman stopped the tape.
"That doesn't prove anything." Buffy said.
Jackman smiled, "No, but it implies everything, especially when coupled with that file." He looked to Phoebe. "You think your newspaper wouldn't run that story?"
"What do you want?" Phoebe asked.
"Believe it or not, your help. See, I specialize in occult style slayings, that's why I was watching you in hopes of catching a serial killer. A witch hunter," Jackman said.
"Alright, I've heard enough of this nonsense." Piper said as she tried to freeze Jackman, but failed.
"Uh, wait a second, he froze before." Paige said.
Jackman pulled out an amulet out of his shirt. "He came prepared," Buffy said having recognized the amulet from the Magic Box. She remembered it was part of a set. She would have to talk to Anya about the risk of selling magical items to anyone who wants them.
"Like I said, I specialize in this stuff," Jackman said. "There's supposed to only be a few of these amulets left in the world. Got this one out of a little occult shop in Sunnydale." He looked at Buffy and Dawn. "You two know the one, I believe, as it's owned by a friend of yours." He tucked the amulet back under his shirt. He reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a photo of the witch hunter and slid it across the table. "Her name is Selena. I traced her genealogy all the way back to the witch trials. I think killing you people is in her blood, it's what she lives for. I mean, why else would she have burned her last three victims at the stake."
"Why are you telling us this?" Piper asked.
"Well, because I thought you were going to be her next victims, but now that I know who you really are and what you can do, I need you to help me find her before she kills again." Jackman said.
"Do you have any idea where she is?" Phoebe asked.
Jackman shook his head, "I did for a while, I had her in custody once but she got away." He put a plastic bag of stuff on the table. "These are some of Selena's personal belongings and from what I know, if you use your powers on them you might be able to find her. Now you do that, I'll make sure those files disappear forever. You don't," he pulled out his card and slid it across the table, "well, you figure it out Call me." He turned and left.
"I don't trust him." Paige said.
"Gee, you think?" Buffy said, sarcastically.
"Maybe we should take the Angel of Destiny up on his offer." Phoebe said.
"Great, so we'd be free and so would Selena, who for all we know could be a warlock." Paige said.
"No, warlocks don't burn witches at the stake, they just steal their powers." Phoebe said.
Paige nodded, "Exactly. Powers, Phoebe, the very things we were given to do good with, remember?
"Huh, yeah, Paige, I remember." Phoebe said.
"Girls." Buffy said.
"Do you really or has all that dark magic just kind of gotten into your brain." Paige said.
"Girls." Buffy said.
"I can't believe you're so willing to just throw away our powers." Paige said.
"Paige, you don't know the hell that I've been through. You didn't live it." Phoebe said.
Paige shook her head, "Oh, really? Mom and I were just turned into vampires and then I was shrunk and then we switched bodies and..."
"Okay, imagine going through that for years. All I'm asking is for my life back." Phoebe said.
"Okay, guys, enough, we need to focus." Piper said.
"What about you, Piper? Or you Mom? What do you two think?" Paige asked.
"I think we need to see this through like the angel suggested." Piper said.
"I'm in agreement with Piper." Buffy said.
"So am I." Dawn said. "Besides how do we know that he will stop if you guys no longer have powers. He could continue to come after me and Buffy. That means we need to see this through. And try to get him off our backs."
"So Paige, you are going to go up to the attic and get started on this stuff." Buffy said as she handed Paige Selena's stuff.
"We will meet you there. Scoot." Piper said as Paige headed upstairs. "Leo! You can orb it's alright."
"What about the FBI agent?" Leo asked after he had orbed in.
"Uh, he already busted us. But supposedly all he wants is our help." Piper said.
"Okay, can you do us a favor and go get Darryl and make sure that Agent Jackman is legit. And meanwhile, we have a witch hunter to find. Don't ask, just go." Piper said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Later Dawn and Buffy walked into the attic. They could see that Piper was reading from the Book of Shadows as Paige made a potion. "Before the flame subsides, let the wax from the candle drip onto the crystal. Once consecrated scry with the crystal for the one who is sought." Piper said.
Paige dripped a candle into the pot and the potion exploded. "Isn't magic grand," she said as Phoebe walked into the attic.
Phoebe held the cordless phone to her ear. "Okay, bye," she said as she ended the call. "That was Darryl. He confirmed that there is a serial killer on the loose doing exactly what Jackman said."
"We're all over it." Paige said as she started scrying.
"He also said that Jackman has more information on us than he shared, including our genealogy. Dating all the way back to Melinda Warren." Phoebe said.
"What about mine and Dawn's?" Buffy asked.
"Seems he has yours as well, Mom. Including some incident when you and Faith were the prime suspects in the death of a Deputy Mayor of Sunnydale."
"It's a long story," Buffy said as she saw her daughters look at her confused.
"Faith accidentally stabbed him with a stake thinking he was a vampire," Dawn said as Buffy looked at her. "Faith told me."
"Anyways Darryl said there is no indication in your genealogy that you're a witch. I would guess he assumes you and Aunt Dawn are because you live with us." Phoebe said.
"Or because of the number of unsolved cases in Sunnydale," Dawn said. "The Deputy Mayor's death isn't the only unsolved case in Sunnydale. A lot of the Nosferatu's victims are unsolved as well, unofficially anyways. Officially those people die from barbecue fork accidents."
"He's going through an awful lot of trouble to get as much information on us as possible," Piper said. "I got a bad feeling he's not going to let us off the hook so easily after this is all over." Piper said.
"What, he's just going to keep using me and Buffy afterwards?" Dawn asked as they all looked at her. "Assuming you guys take the angel's deal. I assume the deal would erase you guys from Jackman's attention."
Just then Paige's crystal dropped. "Got Selena. Do we still go after her?" she asked.
"Well, we don't have a choice. We can't let her run around burning people at the stake." Piper said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
At Selena's house Paige orbed into a room with Dawn, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe. Piper opened a door slightly and peeked through it. She saw Selena and some men in the next room. "She has body guards. Lots of body guards." Piper whispered.
"I wonder why Jackman didn't tell us about them," Phoebe asked.
"Probably figured we wouldn't help if we knew." Paige said.
A bodyguard walked in through a different door and fired his gun at Paige. Buffy froze the bodyguard and the bullet in mid-air. "Paige." She knocked the bullet out of the air.
"Did you not have the sense to sense if anybody else was in the room before you orbed us in here?" Piper asked.
Another bodyguard came in through the other door and fired his gun frightening Paige who orbed out. Dawn telekinetically pushed bodyguard against a cabinet hard knocking him out.
In the other room Selena was heading for the door as Paige orbed in front of her. "Going somewhere?" Paige said as Selena took a swing at her and missed. She hit Selena and knocked her unconscious as Dawn, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe raced in. "We're going to need some serious memory dust after all this is over."
"Yeah, well, we've got to get out of here." Buffy said.
"Phoebe," Dawn said as she saw Cole in the corner of a room. Phoebe turned to follow her gaze.
"Cole." Phoebe said as he disappeared. Piper and Buffy turned to look where Phoebe and Dawn were.
"He was there, Buffy," Dawn said just as a bodyguard raced in. He fired his gun as she froze him and the bullet. "Time to go. Orb! Orb! Orb!"
They all linked together with Selena and Paige orbs them out.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Later back at the Manor the called Jackman who had just arrived to pick Selena up.
"Where is she?" Jackman asked.
"In there." Buffy said as Jackman pulled out his gun. "Whoa! Whoa! You don't need that, she's unconscious."
Jackman put his gun back into its holster as they walked into the living room. "Did she put up much of a fight?"
"No, but her bodyguards did." Phoebe said.
"Bodyguards? She had bodyguards?" Jackman asked.
Piper nodded, "Yeah, lots of them with lots of guns and they weren't shy about using them either."
"Oh, must have known we were closing in on her." Jackman said.
"Still, don't you think it's odd that a serial killer has hired guns protecting her?" Paige asked.
Jackman shrugged, "Well, maybe she's not working alone."
"Or maybe you're just not telling us everything." Dawn said.
"Maybe I'm not. What are you going to do about it?" Jackman said.
"Well, for one thing, we're not going to let you take her without a warrant." Piper said.
"You know, you're all the same. You think that just because you have gifts, powers, that you're above it all, you're special. Well I'm no different." Jackman said.
"Oh really?" Phoebe said.
Jackman nodded, "Yeah. Your arrogance is your Achilles heel, that's why witch hunters and demons are always after you and they always will be. I wouldn't trade places with you for the world. Oh, ah," he pulled out some paper "here's your warrant."
"So when do we get our files?" Buffy asked.
"When she's in jail and I feel I'm safe." Jackman said.
"Safe from what?" Phoebe asked.
"Safe from you." Jackman picked up Selena and slung her over his should fireman style. "I don't want to be another one of those people who mysteriously disappear around here or in Sunnydale." He turned and left with Selena.
"I knew he'd never give up those files. In case anybody is wondering we are officially screwed." Piper said.
"Not necessarily." Phoebe said.
"No, we are not giving up our powers." Paige said as she stormed over to the couch and sat down.
"Paige, I don't want to give up our powers either." Phoebe said. "But I don't want to give up our lives even more. He's just going to keep using us."
"He will keep using me and Buffy," Dawn said. She turned and left the room.
"Maybe we can persuade the angel to include you and Aunt Dawn, mom at least as far as Agent Jackman is concerned," Piper said. She then looked at Paige. "Look, Paige, we said we would wait to decide until this thing played out and it has. And frankly if the angel hadn't made this offer I'd probably think differently and I'd think let's just keep fighting. But I'm tired of fighting and Jackman's right, it is never ending."
Buffy sighed and nodded. "Not till all of you are dead. Believe me I have learned that lesson the hard way. I hope you girls don't have to learn it the way I did."
Phoebe nodded, "Unless we end it ourselves. So do we need to talk to Leo about this first?"
"No, it doesn't have anything to do with Leo; it's just us. Leo will understand." Piper said.
"You guys are only seeing the bad. What about all the wonder of being witches, the stuff you introduced me to in the first place? You're going to let all that go?" Paige said. "If it hadn't been for magic we wouldn't have our mother back."
"As much as I love having mom back, Paige, it doesn't balance out anymore. And after everything that we've lost, it doesn't seem worth it." Phoebe said.
"What about all the good we've done. Doesn't that count for anything?" Paige said.
Buffy nodded, "Of course it does, sweetie, but that's exactly why you have this choice to make. He said you fulfilled your destiny, you've done it. This is supposed to be your reward for that. Just as my reward was the choice to either go to heaven or continue fighting, and Faith's reward is being in love with Dawn."
Paige sighed, "Yeah, well, pardon me if it didn't seem like much of a reward, because without being witches I wouldn't have sisters, an aunt, or my birth mother."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Later in the attic Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Paige and the angel were there. They had called the angel to inform them on their decision. "Are you sure about this?" he asked.
Phoebe nodded, "Yeah. As sure as we're ever going to be."
"You understand this decision is final. There'll be no changing your minds," the angel told them.
Piper nodded, "We understand."
Buffy nodded, "Dawn and I understand. We will be after this the only one with powers in the house. And that while demons won't come after them that while we are still in their lives they will come after us."
The angel nodded and closed his eyes. "Very well."
"Hold it. Just so we're clear this wipes the entire slate clean. No read the fine print technicalities, no more demons, no more vengeful warlocks. Other than the ones who come after Aunt Dawn and Mom," Piper said.
Phoebe nodded, "And we, have a small condition that Mom and Aunt Dawn won't have to worry about Agent Jackman anymore."
The Angel closed his eyes again and then nodded. "Very well. Once this is done, they will not have to worry about Angel Jackman anymore."
"So we would be free to lead normal lives with no demonic aftertaste." Piper said.
"With the exception of demons Buffy and Dawn face, absolutely," the angel said.
"Will we remember? Being witches that is." Paige said.
The angel smiled. "Oh, you'll remember everything. It doesn't change your history, only your future."
"And what about the book?" Buffy asked.
"Being the only Halliwell witches left," the angel said, "it would become yours and Dawn's. It would pass down to yours and her future descendants."
"What about Cole?" Phoebe asked. "Will he keep trying to make contact with me?"
"I don't know, I have no control over that," the angel said. "He exists beyond time and space, outside destiny's reach."
"What is it?" Piper asked as she looked at her middle sister.
"It's just that he's still holding on, that's why he appeared to me and Aunt Dawn." Phoebe said. "So maybe if I can tell him that I don't have the power to save him, then he'll be able to move on for good."
"I don't think that's such a good idea considering what happened last time." Paige said.
"I can't leave it like this," Phoebe said. "I owe him more than that."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Sometime later Phoebe woke from her spell. She had gone to see Cole again. "Are you okay?" Dawn asked. After sulking in her room for awhile she had finally returned to find out that she and Buffy would be okay, as far as Agent Jackman was concerned, if her nieces took the angel's offer.
"Yeah, let's do this." Phoebe said.
"Uh, well, we've been thinking a little bit." Piper said.
"Are you having second thoughts?" Phoebe asked.
Paige shook her head, "Not about the decision unfortunately."
"About Jackman and Selena," Piper said.
"Yeah, a lot of things don't add up. His extensive knowledge of witches, how he knew exactly what that amulet did," Buffy said. "Most people that walked into the Magic Box would have had little idea that it did that."
"The fact that he came in alone to pick up Selena," Paige said.
"The bodyguards," Dawn said.
"We just want to make sure we've done the right thing before it's too late to do anything about it." Piper said.
Phoebe nodded, "Okay." She looked to the angel. "Is that okay?"
"Hm? Oh, sure, absolutely. Frankly, I thought you were being a bit premature anyway," the angel said as he disappeared.
"So now what?" Paige asked.
"Leo!" Piper called out as Leo orbed in with Darryl.
"We were just coming to get you," Leo said.
"Why? What did you find?" Buffy asked.
"Another genealogy Jackman has besides the Warren and Summers lines." Leo said.
"Oh, yeah, we know Selena's a descendent of witch hunters." Paige said.
"No, Jackman is. Selena is a daughter of a witch." Darryl said.
"What?" Piper and Buffy said.
Darryl nodded, "She's not a suspect, she's a victim. They have her in a safe house because somebody's trying to kill her."
"Please tell me we didn't just help a witch hunter get a witch." Dawn said.
"Oh my god." Piper, Buffy and Phoebe said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Later in a park somewhere Jackman had Selena tied to a stake. "Somebody please help me!" Selena said as he lit the wood beneath her.
"No one can hear you, not where we are." Jackman said.
"Please don't. No." Selena cried.
Jackman smiled, "Oh, but I must. You see it is my duty, what I was born to do. It is what I'll continue to do until every last one of you is dead."
"Help!" Selena called out.
"You're not going to get away from me this time, witch." Jackman said.
"Help!" Selena called out again. "You're making a mistake, I swear I'm not a witch."
"Of course you are, Selena, it's in your blood. Your mother was, that makes you one too." Jackman said.
"I'm begging you." Selena said.
"You know why they burned witches at the stake four hundred years ago? So they would burn forever in eternal fire. They used green wood too made it last longer, prolong the agony." Jackman said.
"Help!" Selena called out one last time just as Paige orbed in with Dawn, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe.
"Come to save your sister witch have you?" Jackman asked.
"Actually, yeah." Buffy said as she tries to freeze the fire but nothing happened.
Jackman smiled, "You see, I buried the rest of the amulets around here in anticipation of your arrival. Your powers are useless here. However..." He pulled out a gun and grabbed Phoebe. "Mine aren't. Move and she dies."
"It was his plan all along. He's going to kill us anyway," Phoebe said.
"Hey, how's it feel to be powerless, huh? Mortal. You're a disgrace to mankind, a blasphemy. Burning will be your justice too." Jackman said.
Phoebe hit Jackman and knocked him to the ground. "Get Selena."
"Go," Buffy said. "I'll help Phoebe."
Dawn, Piper and Paige raced over to Selena and try to put the fire out while Buffy and Phoebe fought with Jackman.
"Aunt Dawn, Piper, her leg." Paige said as she noticed that Selena's pants had caught on fire.
Dawn tried to put out the fire on Selena's leg, and then she noticed that Piper had moved a few steps away. "What are you doing?" she asked as Piper jumped onto the wood and knocked over the post Selena was tied to. "Piper!"
Jackman points his gun at Phoebe and Buffy. "Saving her life just cost you yours."
Cole appeared behind Phoebe and Buffy as Jackman fired his gun not once but twice and bullets headed for Phoebe and Buffy.
Cole waved his hand and Buffy and Phoebe swapped places with Jackman as the bullets hit Jackman.
"Cole." Phoebe and Buffy said as they spot him.
"I couldn't very well let you die now could I?" Cole said as he looked at Phoebe. "Nor could I let Buffy die. I knew her death would hurt you and I don't want to see you hurt."
"I don't understand. How are you...?" Phoebe said.
"Here? Let's just say I picked up a few powers lately, quite a few actually." Cole said. "I'm not giving up on us, Phoebe. Ever." He then shimmered out.
"Paige, Aunt Dawn you two have got to go get the ambulance." Piper said as Dawn and Paige raced off.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The next day at the Manor Leo was pacing as Dawn, Buffy, Piper and Phoebe walked through the front door.
"Where's Paige?" Leo asked.
"Oh, she had to park down the street because the driveway was blocked." Buffy said.
"Well, that's ridiculous, I'll go talk to them and tell them to move." Leo said.
Phoebe shook her head, "Oh, no, it's not a big deal."
Piper nodded, "And to think twenty-four hours ago that was our biggest problem."
"How'd it go?" Leo asked.
"Uh, well, it looked like we got away with everything so far." Dawn said.
"Thanks to Selena testifying for us." Phoebe said.
"What about how Agent Jackman died?" Leo asked.
"They're stumped. They can't figure out how he shot himself from twenty feet away." Piper said.
"What are they going to do, subpoena Cole?" Phoebe asked.
"You guys stopped one of their own from killing again, I think they'd be grateful." Leo said.
Buffy nodded, "Yeah, one would hope. At least until they find those files on me and Dawn or the girls."
Leo smiled, "They won't. I sort of orbed them into a volcano."
"You what?" Phoebe asked, shocked.
"Uh, excuse me, are you allowed to do that?" Piper asked.
Leo smiled, "Well, my job is to protect my charges and that's all I did."
Piper kisses Leo. "Thanks. Maybe sometime soon you won't have to protect your charges. Are you okay with that?"
"Whatever you guys decide I'll support. I mean that." Leo said.
Just then Paige walked through the front door as everything froze once again. "The doors stuck," she said as the angel appeared. "Oh, you." She walked over to her sisters, mother and aunt.
"Well, still ready to retire?" the angel asked.
"Actually, I don't think so anymore. We saved someone and it felt good, it felt right. Besides, I got a little taste of what life would be like without my powers and I didn't like it at all." Phoebe said.
"What about you?" the angel asked Piper.
"Majority rules, right? Might as well make it unanimous. What can I say, we're masochists." Piper said.
"We are?" Paige said.
Piper nodded, "Yeah, sometimes. But Phoebe's right, this isn't a choice we have to make, it's who we are."
"You realize you won't get this opportunity again," the angel said as Piper and Paige nodded.
Phoebe smiled, "We understand."
"Very well," the angel said as he started to leave. He then looked at Piper. "By the way, thought you'd like to know, neither decision would've affected yours and Leo's personal destiny."
"What?" Piper asked.
The angel smiled at Piper. "You'll find out soon," he said as he glanced down at Piper's stomach.
"Oh my god," Buffy said in realization at what the angel was hinting at.
"What?" Piper asked.
"Don't you get it?" Buffy asked looking at Paige, Phoebe and Dawn who had realization dawning on their faces as well. She looked at Piper and smiled. "You're pregnant!"
"I'm pregnant?" Piper asked shocked.
Dawn, Buffy, Phoebe and Paige scream in excitement and hug Piper.
"Hi my little grandbaby," Buffy said to Piper's stomach. As they giggle in excitement they don't notice the angel disappearing or the front door closing.
Author's Note: I want to hear from you all. Should Piper's baby be a boy as was the case in canon or should it be a girl as seen in the episode Morality Bites (the episode where Prue, Phoebe and Piper traveled to the future and saw her daughter.