"Paige Matthews. Uh, uh. Yep. How do you spell that? Okay. Insurance?"
Phoebe smiles at her sister. Paige, so serious about her job. She opened the gossip column of the rich and famous on her smartphone.
'Billionaire John Norman, of Norman Financials Weds.'
"Huh." Phoebe couldn't believe it.
"Shh!" Paige was writing on her notepad. "Okay, what time?"
So that's what happened to Anael, or "Sister Jo." She looked stunning. Phoebe didn't know her, but heard stories from Castiel and Hannah. She was expelled from Heaven and her wings clipped after she was sentenced for her role in Michael's and Lucifer's murders. But that wasn't the only thing, Heaven took away all of her money and property on Earth as punishment. No one knew where she went after that, she just up and vanished. Looking at the pictures, she seemed to be doing fine. That dress, Phoebe knew it cost as much as a year's mortgage on the Manor.
"I could ice skate on that rock." That rock was huge.
"Psst!" Paige put a finger on her mouth.
'Sorry!' Phoebe mouthed. "John Norman," or as they know as the angel Zachariah, was smiling huge. He and his new bride were cutting a seven foot tall wedding cake. According to the society page, their wedding took place in Metropolitan Museum of Art in downtown Manhattan. As far as Phoebe knew, they didn't allow weddings. Zachariah must have used his angelic mojo to pursue the organizers. Wonder how many angels attended. She didn't see Michael, but saw Naomi wearing a Dior gown.
"Ah! Sorry about that. New client. What made you gasp?" When Phoebe showed her the phone, Paige raised an eyebrow. "Zachariah and Anael? Good for them." She scrolled down the article. She whistled. "Good thing Zach has deep pockets." While she was dating her ex Charles, she attended his cousin's wedding. It was at least six figures for it. Looking at the pictures, it was double that. "Guess Hannah could rest easy." She hands the phone back to her sister. "Thanks for coming. I won't keep you long, I know you are studying for your midterm." Phoebe was only on her second year, but worked tirelessly to keep up her grades high.
"No problem. It's hard to keep up with the paperwork. Plus I need the money. My condo fees went up."
"Well, until I find Castiel's replacement, I'm working my butt off." She had temps to do her job, but she was very selective in the screening selection. This was a private clinic for a reason. "I won't keep you long, I'm actually almost done." She had a new client, a witch named Margaret Callaway. Paige almost never did home visits, but her new client was wheelchair bond and preferred to stay at her family estate.
"You sure, you been busy these last few weeks." Ever since Piper and Prue left, Paige was throwing herself in her work.
"Someone has to do it." Paige usually didn't like working this hard, but she needed to keep herself busy. "Besides, our future niece or nephew may be coming along in a few months." Both sisters were thrilled. "Who you think will pop first?" Both Piper and Jenna were trying.
"Till we hear that phone call, no one is knocked up." Phoebe was trying not to feel jealous. But she couldn't have a baby anyways at the moment, med school was keeping her busy. "When one of them does, we're throwing them a baby shower." She couldn't wait. Boy, girl? Twins? Whatever happens, Phoebe will spoil that kid(s) rotten.
"Five o'clock. Phoebe you are dismissed. See you on Monday." Her appointment wasn't till tomorrow, and Paige wanted to take a walk downtown.
"Can't. Remember?"
"Oh right! Your midterm. You are studying." Phoebe's exam was next Friday. "I'll get Billie to help, her midterms are finished. She talked about buying new boots."
"Well, when I'm done, I'll help you with the hiring progress. But for now, I have to get ready. I have a date."
"I thought you had to study."
"I been studying all week. One night off, my brain needs a break." Work/life balance was important for the sisters. "Don't wait up."
"Have fun!"
Phoebe was at home picking out her wardrobe for her date tonight. Greg was a firefighter she met while grocery shopping. Ever the gentleman, he offered back that apple Phoebe was about to grab. Phoebe was so grateful she had her empath powers, she could feel his sexual attraction to her. She dismissed the Personal Gain rule, and offered him a coffee at the attached coffee shop. Now she was going out after a year dry spell.
'I Dream of Jeannie' was playing on the television. It was the pilot episode. Phoebe wasn't paying any attention to it, but when she picked up her phone, she got a vision.
A young woman was cowering, a demon was throwing fireballs at her. He was laughing at her screams.
"Somebody help me!"
Phoebe gasped when she woke up. An innocent? But how? She was just watching television. She called Paige, but there was no answer. She was about to call Piper, but she knew she wanted to be left alone. She knew the woman needed help, but how? There was no identifying marks or anything that could place her. She had a exam, but she also had her Charmed duties. Her date wasn't till seven, she had a few hours to check where that vision came from.
She was in the Observatory using the crystal to find that innocent.
"C'mon, where are you?" Phoebe groaned in frustration. This was impossible. She had her power to find an innocent in the city. Maybe in the country. But worldwide? She needed help.
Paige was drinking an espresso on her way to work, when her phone rang.
"Paige Matthews. Hey, hadn't heard from you for awhile. How's things?"
"Meaning am I knocked up yet?" Piper teased. "Yeah, you and Phoebe are not fooling me with the baby registries you keep sending me and Jen."
"Well, you can't be caught off guard. We just want you to be happy."
"Riiggghhttt. Anyways, what's going on over there?"
"You know same old, same old."
"And the Academy?" Once Billie filled Paige about that hunt she did with another hunter, she immediately called Piper after filling Phoebe in.
"Believe me, we been keeping an eye on things. We called Bobby, he promised to call if he found out anything."
"Good." Piper went silent for a few seconds. "Paige?"
"Yes?"
"Is it alright if I come visit?"
"Sam and Dean left town didn't they?" She heard from Piper that the Winchesters were getting bored.
"There is a weird case in Pennsylvania, they went to check it out."
"And they were able to take time off?" Both had full time jobs.
"Sam has no classes this week, and Dean asked for a favor." Dean's boss was good friends with John and Mary a long time ago. He knew about Mary's family. "Jenna went to see her brother, she got worried about him."
"Well family is important. Come anytime, but I'll be busy all day. New clients. Why don't you see Billie for awhile, she needs help with her magic."
"Why not? What about Phoebe?"
"She has a major exam coming up. Plus she met a cute guy." Paige met him, he was cute.
"Really? Good for her." Her sisters were getting worried. Phoebe was turning into a workaholic. So was Paige, but she balanced her work/life.
"So when are you coming?" She jumped when she heard a voice.
"Turn around." Piper smiled at Paige. "I missed you so much!" She and Paige enveloped in a hug. "Your hair!" Paige's hair was getting longer.
"Well, I'm not growing it too long, just till it's the right length. I thought you were working at the restaurant?" Piper was now assistant manager at that restaurant she was working back in Lawrence.
"Sam and Dean aren't the only ones with friends. Anyways, I know you're busy, I'm gonna go back to the Manor."
"No clients this week, other than Billie, your old bedroom is still available." Once Piper left, Paige goes to her office.
"Morning Kevin." Hannah was on vacation with her family. Her and Castiel were in Honolulu with Jack and Claire. When the Winchesters recommended that their friend was looking for a job, Paige immediately hired him. "Any messages?" Kevin was a prophet, but since things were getting crazy, the world didn't have a use for Prophets anymore.
"Just one, Billie said she won't be able to work this week."
"Exam week. That's okay." Billie was only here as a casual. She worked as a freelancer also, she tutored college students as well. Kevin agreed to do more work, especially when Paige promised him a bonus on his next payday.
"Your client, her son is here to sign the papers." When Paige looked up, she saw James Callaway waiting in the waiting room.
"Thanks." She finished her drink and tossed into the garbage. She smiled at James. "Mr Callaway. Welcome to Sacred Meadows." She holds out her hand.
Once Paige and James finish with the paperwork, she made arrangements to see his mother at the Callaway Estate.
"Okay. Is eleven am okay?" Paige had more interviews today, plus had to train Kevin on the duties around here.
"Eleven is fine." His mum, she didn't do much these days.
Once he left, Paige called Kevin to let him know to send in the first interview for the day.
"This place. It looks...So different." Piper couldn't believe it. She knew Paige and Phoebe got new furniture, but this was a bachelor pad. Not only was the big TV there, but there was also videogame consoles, a karaoke machine, even a Foosball table.
"Yeah, we get a lot of hunters. They need to unwind. Don't worry, they know this is a no smoking room, they know they'll have a drinking limit before they check in." Billie liked her job, even with some unsavory clients, most were okay. She wished Devon stayed, they had a great week together. Unfortunately the road called to him, but he and Billie agreed to email on a daily basis.
"Wow. You guys sure figured things out." Piper missed her sisters, but she had a new life now. Especially since her and Sam were actively trying to get pregnant. She was not letting Jenna get pregnant first. "I'll be in my room." Piper knew she didn't have to, she was one of the owners, but she paid Billie anyways.
"I don't have a class at the moment, but I'll be at the university library. See you later!" She promised her former roommate to help her study.
Piper never realized how much she missed this place. She was about to lie down, but remembering the living room, she stripped her bed. Never knows who's been sleeping here.
Phoebe couldn't get the image of that girl out of her head. She was getting chased with fireballs. She silently shook her head. She had a huge test to study for. She opens her psychology book. Since there was nothing else to do, she reads her book.
Two hours later, Phoebe heard her stomach growling. She tried to ignore it, but when her hunger got the best of her, she reluctantly gets up to get something to eat.
A young woman sits down and opens her book. Her thesis was due in a few days, it counted for half her grade. She didn't mind though, she was looking forward to getting her A and publishing her paper. She smiled at her fellow classmate, looking at her books, she knew she was studying hard for her exams.
What she discovered all those years ago. It was impossible. But what Charlene found out, it would change the world forever.
A Few Years Ago
"Bullshit!" Charlene jumped when her dad swore at the television. CNN was on and they were live as an angel was proving its existence. "No way! Angels are a myth!'' Professor Hughes was a atheist as well as a skeptic. But what the trending worldwide was the angels proving the supernatural existed.
Charlene was fascinated on what was going on. An angel was possessing a human. At first no one believed what was going on, that could have been a trick after all. The person who agreed to be a volunteer said yes. Then after the angel went inside, she immediately stood up from her wheelchair. Her scars on her face immediately healed. But that wasn't what scared everybody, it was what she said.
"My Father He has a message. Welcome to The End."
Charlene laid low after that. Things went crazy for awhile. The angels took over, they made it clear they were in charge, killing anyone that didn't comply with them. The world wasn't ready and lashed out. Over time though, society started forgetting about the angels, most called it a elaborate hoax. Her father laughed and said his theory was right, that it was the government was doing a human experiment. How gullible humans were. He concluded those "angels" were working at Hollywood.
Charlene never bothered arguing with her father. He never listened to anything she said anyways. But she wondered about the world. If angels existed, what about demons? She decided to see if they were real.
Five years later was studying at Stanford. She wanted to be a neurologist, but wanted to be a writer as well. She had a major paper due this Friday, she was close to finishing what she started. Once she was done, she was submitting this to a all the major publications. That her research was right.
Phoebe sits down after getting her snack. She could only afford a bag of chips, her bills were due at the end of the month. She was tempted to quit for the night, but she knew she had to study. Her grades weren't as good as she liked, she and Paige had to balance their Charmed duties as well as their personal lives. Taking out her yellow highlighter, she started highlighting the passages she needed to study for.
Charlene tried not to grimace at the noise next to her, but when she started eating, Charlene looked up.
"Sorry!" Phoebe apologized. Her mouth full from the chips in her mouth.
''I won't tell if you won't." Charlene shows off her own bag. She smiles at Phoebe.
"I'm Phoebe."
"Charlene. I know who you are. We sat together in Metaphysics last semester." It was one of the hardest courses for sophomores at Stanford. "Plus you were on TV."
"That was years ago. It wasn't my choice." Phoebe and her sisters were forced to go into hiding. Their 'cousins' the Bennetts lived in the Manor, they said the Halliwell women left town. Phoebe didn't like thinking about that time.
"I kinda figured. You seemed too mellow to chase after fame."
"Yea...Kinda." Phoebe remembered her and Paige's adventure in that universe. She became famous for a short time, and NOT for the right reasons. She shuddered at the memories. "Anyways, what are you studying?" She was determined to change the subject.
"Right now I'm supposed to study for my chem exam. But I have this thesis that I have to finish. It's about demons."
"Demons?" Phoebe's blood went cold. "You sure?"
"Mmm hmm. Remember the angels? How they proved they existed?"
"Not really." That was unpleasant memory. The angels are not what she expected. Who was now in charge, he killed her friend in cold blood.
"Anyways. If the angels exist. What about demons? I mean, there is good in the world, but what about evil? Humans, they can choose to be evil. But how did it start? Lucifer was a angel."
"I don't really believe in religion." The knowledge she had, Phoebe was afraid.
"Anyways, the demons. I been researching for over five years. I am this close to proving it." She was oblivious to Phoebe's discomfort.
"Yea." Phoebe felt that ball of dread. She did know people that know about the supernatural. Daryl was accidentally sucked into it, Andy died and came back from the dead, and her sister ran a rehab place. But as the world knows, magic, good and evil was supposed to be a secret.
"You seem to believe in them. You participated a lot in that class."
"It's getting late. I have to go." It was only eight, the library closed at ten, but she needed to get out of there. "Have a good night!" Phoebe rushed out. She had leave before Charlene started asking more questions.
Charlene waved as Phoebe walked out. She was almost done, she just had to do her final few pages. Walking over to the section where the book she was looking for was, she looks through the books.
'Ah hah!' Encyclopedia of Demons. She jumped at the face behind the book.
"Ah! You scared me!" A man was peeking at the other side. The last thing she saw was his black eyes as she was pulled behind the shelf.
Piper woke up from her nap. She felt so stupid for bringing this along, but she had to be sure. She strained her ears for any noises, even though she knew no one was home. Picking up her toiletries she goes to the bathroom.
"Damn." She got her period before she can open her package. No baby yet. "At least I can save my money." She grumbled. Three pregnancy tests, no plus sign. Hearing the door slam, she puts her stuff away.
Phoebe hoped no one was here, she needed a place to study. Her new neighbours were throwing a party.
"Hello? Billie?" She was surprised to see Piper. "Piper? Is something wrong?"
"Nice to see you too." She smiles at Phoebe.
"No. I mean." She dropped her books as she hugs her sister. "Where's Sam?"
"On a job." She looks around. "This place..." Piper and Prue would have never changed it.
"It was Paige's idea. She claimed that hunters and guests need to unwind." Phoebe herself came here to relax and unwind herself with the guests that came to stay. "So, are you here to tell me something?" She asked with a grin.
"Sorry. On vacation." She saw Phoebe's shoulders sag. "It's too early anyways." Piper's neighbor was pregnant, and Piper volunteered to host the shower. She needed friends that had normal lives. "Didn't Paige tell you I was coming?"
"Sorry. I been busy studying. Speaking of, I love to visit, but I need to study. If I don't get an A, I won't pass my course."
"Okay." Piper was disappointed that her sisters weren't available. She tried calling Paige, but she got nothing but voicemail. It was late anyways. "Do you what something to eat?" She called out.
"Sure! I'm starving! Order from that new restaurant, Billie swears the food is out of this world!"
Paige was nervous as she pulled up close to the Callaway Estate. She felt silly as she pulled up to the neighbourhood gate.
"Name?" The guard asks.
"Paige Matthews, Callaway Estate." She waited till he looked over his list.
''Come right on in." He buzzes the gate. Paige could have warped here, but she needed to prove she was here as a professional.
"Wow." She dated Charles, plus many rich guys in college, but never got used to the mansions just sitting around like regular homes. She looked at the numbers till she found the Callaway Estate. She pulls up to a intercom speaker.
"May I help you?"
"Hi, I'm Paige Matthews, I have a appointment with Mrs Callaway." She saw the gate opening and pulled in. She saw a cute guy standing across the street watching the manor but didn't think much of him.
After confirming with James Callaway, she goes and sits in the sun room.
"So your mom, what exactly is the reason why you checked her in as a out patient?" Paige asked politely. Since this was a out call, Paige had to charge extra.
"My mom, she is getting up in age. She doesn't like to leave the estate, she is afraid of the outside world."
"I see." She wondered why James called her. Only certain circles knew about Paige's job. "May I ask who referred you?"
"A Rufus Turner." Once he said his name, Paige nodded. What James said next, Paige was mollified.
"We couldn't find anyone that we can trust with our secrets. You see, we are." James lit up fire in his bare hands. "Our family comes from a long line of witches."
"Alright. I will spend some time with Grandma and have our resident doctor come in for a assessment in the next few days." Paige was no medical professional, but her facility was the only one that specializes for certain patients. Can't chance a older witch unintentionally exposing magic.
A few hours later Paige was disgusted cleaning and changing a bed pan.
"This isn't exactly on my pay scale." She was Head Director and was cleaning bedpans. "I need to hire heath care aides." Her work was never done.
"Did you say something Dear?" Mrs Callaway called from the other room.
"Nothing!" Paige finishes up the bedpan and walks back to playing cards. "Did I just catch you cheating?" She teased. Mrs Callaway was peeking at Paige's cards.
"They were about to fall off the table." She said in a guilty voice.
"Okay." Paige picks up her cards. "Now, where were we?" They were playing pinochle.
"I can't believe a young woman actually enjoys playing pinochle." Her sons called it a old person game.
"I used to play with my grandma all the time when I was younger." Grandma Matthews passed away last year, Paige flew to Oregon to say goodbye. She could have warped there, but had non magical relatives on the plane with her. Paige missed her everyday.
"Lucky me." Grandma Callaway enjoyed the company, her sons were always busy and never had time to spend with her.
"No, lucky me." Paige liked her, reminded her of her grandparents.
Mrs Callaway stared at Paige in disbelief.
"A young woman babysitting a sick old lady considers herself lucky? You need to get out more."
Paige was trying to be nice, but her words came out wrong.
"I think it's time for your medicine." Paige said uncomfortably. She gets up. Unfortunately she didn't see that energy ball flying through the window. "Argh!"
Mrs Callaway stares at Paige and the broken glass. Not again. She heard her son running down the stairs.
"Mom?! Are you okay?" He checks on his mom who was unharmed.
"Fine dear. Son of bitches missed me." She stared hatefully out the window where their rivals lived. She looked at Paige who was slowly getting up.
"No wonder you called us." A magical attack. Good thing the doctor was at her place of work. No way she can explain her injuries to a regular medical professional. Just her luck no whitelighters were around.
Phoebe couldn't drive her car, gas went up again. She didn't want to use her savings, she had her regular expenses she still had to take care of. She just finished locking her bike up when she saw a bunch of police officers hanging around. Curious, she went to check.
The Chief of Police was looking over the crime scene. Usually he would ask his detectives to take care of things, but the brutality of the slaying, it was similar to the the unsolved murder of James Alwood. He was beheaded as well. But he didn't think it was the same killer. James' death was believed to be quick, but the latest victim had clear signs of extreme torture before she was killed. He waved at Phoebe when she walked up.
"My god." She saw a body being taken away. "Ian? What happened here?" Stanford was considered safe.
Ian pulls her away from the crowds. He saw his two detectives pulling up. He nods to Mitchell and Ballard.
"Is this a demon attack? Or warlock?" He stayed away from magical matters, but things were getting more strange around here. People were disappearing without a trace, people were attacking others for no reason, a weird case that was taken over by the CIA, now a murder.
Phoebe watched as the coroner takes the body away.
"Not all crimes are magical in nature." Sure she saw her fair share of crimes, but this was San Francisco. Run of the mill crimes happened to ordinary citizens. "What happened?"
Ian sighed.
"A young woman was found dead. Her head was decapitated."
"Oh my god. Who?"
"A Charlene Hughes." He saw Phoebe's face. "You know her?"
"I talked to her last night." Poor girl. "Why do you think it was magical?" She said quietly.
"We have evidence she was tortured. Her head was found twenty feet away. We believe it was thrown." The blood trails, no way was she carried.
"I'll keep an eye out." Charlene was studying demonology. Phoebe wondered if it was a coincidence. "I gotta go." She had an exam this afternoon, plus her major exam this Friday. She had to study for both.
Phoebe ate a quick breakfast on her way here. Piper offered to cook, but Phoebe had no time to eat. She did take the lunch Piper prepared for her. She concluded Piper was bored at home. She was just taking out her books when she heard a familiar voice.
"Phoebe? Do you have a aspirin? I have a splitting headache.'' The ghost of Charlene was rubbing her neck.
"Uh. Shouldn't you be.." Charlene should be moving on? Where was her reaper?
"Shouldn't I what?'' She didn't notice the person walking through her.
This was going to be a long day. Plus her exam this afternoon. Good thing Phoebe had some aspirin.
Since her sisters were busy, Piper was looking through her email. Prue wrote back, she said she was in Egypt looking at the ancient pyramids. She wrote that she laughed at Andy who was spit on by a camel. She sent Piper a picture, she was taking a selfie by the pyramids. Piper wrote back and said to have fun.
She sighed as she shut down the computer. What was she supposed to do today? Both Phoebe and Paige were busy, Sam was out of town on a case, and she came here to unwind. She was hoping to spend time with Phoebe, she wanted to get juicy details about that guy she was seeing. She already checked out the new toys that were in here, it was a nice distraction from her boredom, but after a few hours was sick of them. What can she do for the day. Hmm. A hunt? Why not? She looked at anything unusual.
A dairy farm with dead cows? Maybe signs of demons. Hmm. What's this? She clicked on the news story.
"A young woman was found dead this morning at Stanford University. Right now officials from both the university and the police department haven't released any statements today. We will update as soon as possible."
''Phoebe." She called her cell. No answer. "Dammit!" She knew that wasn't her sister, but she had to make sure.
Phoebe was writing her psychology exam when she realized the room went deathly quiet. Normally that wouldn't bother Phoebe, but there was no sounds of scratching or shuffling of papers. When she looked up, everybody was frozen solid. Huh?
"Phoebe?!" Piper hoped she was here. When she saw a moving head, she quickly runs down to where Phoebe was sitting. "Oh thank god!" She was glad her sister was safe.
"Piper?" She realized the room was frozen. "Uh, I have a time limit, same with everyone here." She was only on the second page.
"You didn't answer your cell. I got worried."
"Sorry! It totally slipped my mind." Between Charlene and her exam, she forgot to tell her sisters. "Look, it's a long story, but I'll fill you in afterwards." She had to get back to work. The clock was ticking.
"Promise?"
''Promise. Now get out of here before the room unfreezes." She quickly jumps back in her seat.
Piper just made it out the door before the room unfroze. She was glad Phoebe was okay. As for Paige, Piper knew she was fine.
"Ow!" She grimaced as the doctor cleaned her.
"Sorry." She apologized. "You are lucky that was just a scrape."
"If you call an energy ball a scrape." She tried not to flinch.
''I seen worse. If you were standing a few inches to the right, you would have been shot directly in the heart." She finished bandaging Paige up. "Take it easy. There's no whitelighters that can heal you like they used to." Dr. Nicolae finishes her dressing. "Here you go."
"Thanks Ava." Their gypsy friend was back from Australia, ever since Tyler moved out, she got lonely and moved back to San Francisco. She was one of the few doctors that knew about the supernatural. She worked here part time as well as Dr Roberts. "Any news about Tyler?" He was her foster kid, but since Ava couldn't have any children, she fostered young gypsies and witches.
"Unfortunately not." Paige felt guilty they hadn't had time to search for him, especially since they found out witches were disappearing left and right, but they were so busy with their personal lives. They took some much needed time off. They were slowly getting back in, especially since more people were disappearing. The hunters that came to stay at the Manor were taking their cases. "But if we hear anything, we'll let you know." She grimaces in pain after she gets off the table. This was her family's clinic, but she used her insurance to pay for her treatment. "Thanks for the bandage."
"Take it easy Paige. Things are starting to get really bad around here." Her gypsy clan, they saw bad times were coming.
Once she called Sacred Meadows and they confirmed Paige was there, she decided to walk home. It was cold, but at least there wasn't snow. She and Sam spent a long time shoveling the driveway the other day back home. She was just enjoying the cold air when she noticed a sad looking man staring ahead. Usually she'll walk ahead, but she was bored stiff. That man's expression. Something about his face. Piper decided to sit down and make small talk.
"Beautiful day isn't it?" The man next to her said nothing. "It may be cold in the city, but try Kansas. We had twelve centimeters of snow a few days ago. My husband and I spent most of our weekend shoveling. Good thing we stocked up."
The man stared ahead. Piper noticed he was carrying a stack of papers.
"Piper Halliwell-Winchester."
"Cleavant Wilson." He shakes Piper's hand.
"It's chilly out here, hopefully the bus comes soon." Piper wasn't planning to take a bus, compared to Lawrence, this was tropical weather.
"My daughter. She was planning on moving east. Now that's never gonna happen." He hands her a flyer.
"Tyra Wilson?" A young African American woman was smiling in a picture.
"My daughter, she was murdered six months ago waiting for the bus." He stared ahead to a pawn shop. A sleazy looking man was outside smoking a cigarette was looking straight at him. "I am here looking for a witness." Once the bus pulled up he started handing out flyers. "My daughter. She was murdered right at this very spot six months ago. If you know anything, don't be afraid to come forward. Please. Don't let another father suffer."
Piper could only watch. Losing a child. She wouldn't wish that on anyone. She looked at the flyer. Twenty five grand for the case to be solved. That must have been his life's savings. Once the bus pulled away, he sat back down.
"That man over there." Piper sees that man staring at them. Once his cigarette was out, he stomped on the butt and went inside. "Jason Gibbs, he killed my daughter." He paused for a minute. "She may have witnessed something she wasn't supposed to see." Gibbs was a very prominent businessman, rumours were he had ties to various crime organizations. "Everybody is afraid to talk."
Piper was a hunter, but she hunted supernatural evil. Not humans.
"I have friends that can help." She was tempted to use magic, but personal gain. She already was planning on buying a plane ticket back to make up for her vacation here. If she was fighting evil, that was a different story.
"The cops gave up on her already. I won't stop till justice is served." He gets up to hand out more flyers.
Paige went back to the Manor instead of her apartment. She needed to talk to her sisters. Hearing noises in the kitchen, she follows the noise.
"Phoebe! I thought you had an exam!" Phoebe was mixing things in a bowl. "The observatory has everything you need, plus rare ingredients." The sisters kept their wiccan ingredients here for any guests that practiced magic.
"I finished an half hour ago." She left her bike at school, this was a Charmed case. "Let's see, one part Mandrake Root, toadflax. Do we have cinnamon? There was none in the cupboards."
"Billie must have used it up." Billie, their tenant lived here full time, she was their landlord for their guests. "What's going on?" She wanted to tell her about the Callaways, but the potion Phoebe was making was for vanquishing demons. Once Phoebe filled her in, Paige agrees to help her, the Callaways forgotten.
"Phoebe? Paige?" Piper calls out from the entrance.
"In here!" They call out.
"What the..Mandrake root, cockle shell? What demon are we vanquishing?" Finally! A case that she can do.
"I don't know yet. But we need to prepare."
"Phoebe thinks a student was targeted by a demon." Both of them tell Piper about the case.
"Did you check the library for any clues?" Piper asked.
"I already did. The police took her books away." They were in evidence lockup. Phoebe was hoping for a premonition.
"I can go." Piper volunteered. She used fake alias from time to time.
"Ian can give them to you, but Sheridan is there. Even if he's the boss, he doesn't want to be involved with magical cases." Piper was well known to Sheridan, she was suspicious of them as it was. Paige was very careful not to draw any attention to herself, unlike Magic School, Sacred Meadows wasn't invisible. She couldn't risk her clients exposure.
"Fine, I'll find another way." Piper hated to use magic, she was a witch, but she can't rely on it all the time.
"FBI, Agent Nicks." She showed off her fake badge. Piper wasn't glamored, but she was wearing a disguise. That movie premiere in Hollywood she attended with Jenna, Sam and Dean, she learned about theatre makeup and costumes.
"Here you go. Shame about that young woman. She had her life ahead of her." The male cop says handing her a box with Charlene's things.
"Thank you." She needed to grab Charlene's notes. But not before freezing the station. After grabbing the notebook, she unfroze everyone after she rummaged through the box. She left after getting what she needed.
Phoebe was at the library looking for clues when she was confronted by Charlene's ghost.
"Œuhhhhghh!" She almost had a heart attack when Charlene appeared. "You scared me!"
"SHHHHH!" The librarian scolded. Exam week, every year the students lost their minds.
"Sorry!" She whispered back. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be moving on?" Even friendly ghosts can turn dark side if they stay behind.
"Moving on? I can't! I have my thesis to finish!" Poor girl had no idea she was dead.
"Ahem, lets go this way." The librarian probably thought she was insane. She saw Charlene staring at the desk.
"Where's my books? I need those."
"Charlene! Please."
"Fine." She follows Phoebe.
"Charlene. Um. This is hard for me to say." She remembered that story Sam told her about that ghost hitchhiker, how she haunted a highway. She was dead for a few years and had no idea. Thankfully she was at rest after they vanquished that ghost who tried to imprison her. "What do you remember."
"I was writing my paper, then I went to get a book. Then I...I..." Charlene put her ghostly hand over her head. "I don't remember. My thesis. I worked hard on it. I need to get my books back." She turned around to leave.
"Charlene, your dead." Phoebe blurted out. Might as well say it.
"Dead tired? I guess. But I'm almost done." She still had no clue.
"Charlene. Try picking up a book." Charlene just stared at her with disbelief.
"You're crazy! I'm gonna find my books, I'm not going to let anyone steal my work!" She storms off in a ghostly flash.
"Dammit."
Piper was looking at Charlene's notes.
"Wow." Her notes were incrementally detailed. Everything about demons were here. The signs, the possessions, the doorways to Hell. Charlene was on the brink of a wondrous discovery. No wonder she attended Stanford. This was incredible. "This is going to the Observatory." The Men of Letters had their books, but the Warren Women had the Book of Shadows. Poor girl was murdered for these notes.
"Piper! Paige!"
"In here!" Paige was at work, she was looking in the Book for any clues about the demon's identity. She agreed to help Phoebe, but after this was finished, she was going to solve that case about Tyra.
"Piper, Charlene came to see me."
"And, she moved on right?" She was reading the part about Demon Deals.
"No. She didn't believe me. That book." Once Piper handed it to her, she got a premonition.
Phoebe was sitting on the floor, but not before a huge sickle was coming towards her head. Phoebe screams as it went towards her neck.
"Pheebs?"
"I saw how Charlene died."
They spent the next hour reading Charlene's notes when Paige orbed in.
"You got your whitelighters powers back!" Piper watches as Paige's white orbs surround her.
"Not really. This was just a light show." She was still figuring out her witchy side, she threw herself into work because of it. But her whitelighter side would bring her straight to Michael. She didn't mind it, but she missed the soothing feeling every time she orbed.
"What did you find out?"
"Here." She handed him her notes she copied from the Book.
"A Libris Demon?" Phoebe read out loud.
"Leo told us about them remember?" Libris demons were a class of demons that were charge of keeping evil's deeds hidden from the world. They assassinated those that threatened Hell and the Underworld's duties. Strangely enough, didn't go out of the way to kill hunters or witches. Leo said they were a specialized class. They can't just kill just anyone. They will draw too much attention to themselves. They didn't just hunt humans, they'll kill demons that threaten exposure if they are sloppy in their duties.
"How do we kill them?" After Phoebe listened to Piper's story.
"With this potion. Plus the Power of Three." Paige hands her the potion.
"Let's go to the library. I need to study after this." Phoebe's huge exam was on Friday.
Once they got there, they were greeted by Charlene's ghost.
"Phoebe! I went to see my parents. They were crying. I never seen my dad cry before. Especially over me." Her dad crying over her death broke Charlene's heart. "So it is true?" She sagged when Phoebe nodded. "Dammit. Now what?"
"Charlene. Trace your steps. Show me the last thing you did."
Charlene closed her eyes. Those memories were hard to remember, maybe because something horrifying happened. But she needed to concentrate.
"Okay. It was after you left. I looked I over my notes and got up to get a book." Charlene strained to remember. Wait. "It was a blue book." She concentrated on her memories. "Encyclopedia of Demons. That was the last book I needed to finish my paper." Charlene strained to remember more, but everything after that was blank. "All I remember is seeing you the next day with a headache."
None of them bothered to tell Charlene the details about her death.
"Okay. Point me to the right direction." Phoebe saw her death, hopefully they can vanquish the demon before it comes to that.
"Phoebe." Paige had this dreadful feeling.
"Don't lose sight of her." Piper will be damned if she lost her sister. Not again.
Phoebe follows Charlene to the shelves.
"Here. This is where I lost my memory."
Phoebe reluctantly goes to the shelves where Charlene said she lost her memories. A blue book. A book about demons. There it was. Phoebe swallowed her fear. This was so stupid. She fought and faced evil on a daily basis and came back, usually unscathed. She saw her sisters close by, but that didn't soothe her. Seeing Charlene's nod, she slowly reaches for the book.
"Ahh!" She was holding the book in her hand. Phew. Seeing her sisters faces, she decided to go back to the table where her books were. But before she could move, she disappeared behind the shelf.
"Phoebe!" Charlene dives in after her.
"Paige."
"Got it."
Phoebe winced in pain as she was thrown against some crates. When she saw her visions coming to life, she screamed.
The demon lifts up his sickle. He usually tortured his victims before killing them, but he sensed some witches nearby.
"Hey!" Charlene calls.
The demon turns around hearing the voice. That gave Phoebe enough time to run. Luckily she still had her empath powers.
'Basement. Hurry'
"Let's go." Piper and Paige run towards the stairs.
Libris had to find that witch. But not before eliminating the ghost.
Phoebe prayed her sisters came soon. Charlene could only distract him for so long.
Piper blew open the door, she had to save her sister.
"Throw the potion." She ordered her sister.
"Hey!" She shouted at Libris. "Phoebe!"
Phoebe joins her sisters for their chant.
"Demon Hide Your Evil Face
Libris Die and Leave No Trace."
Libris lets out a silent scream as he dies. His empty body and weapon hitting the floor.
"Lets get outta here." No way were they explaining another dead body.
"Thank you." Charlene was grateful. "Guess I could move on." She sees her notebook. "What are you gonna do with that?" She may be dead, but she hated having her hard work getting wasted.
"Don't worry. This will be great for the students at Magic School and Knox." Paige knew Kyra would love to have this in the curriculum. As for Magic School, she'll talk to the angel in charge.
"Looks like you are being published after all." Phoebe says with a smile.
"Thank you." The world wasn't ready, but magical students will benefit with these notes. "Goodbye." Charlene saw a woman gesturing at her. She disappeared in a beautiful light.
"Now what?" Piper wanted to ask Charlene for a favor, but Charlene was already at peace.
"I have to study."
"Yeah, and I have a client that isn't answering my calls."
Hmm. Piper had a idea.
Gibbs yawns as he opens the shop for the day. When he looked up, he saw the picture of Tyra Wilson hanging from the ceiling. He crumbles the paper. Bitch is dead, that guy needs to get over it. When he saw a guitar falling with a loud twang, he looked up.
"Cheap piece of shit." His guitar stand was from a cheap discount store. He picks up the guitar, but not before a accordion falls on top of him. "What the...Ah!" A paper airplane hits him on the neck. "Who's there!" He demanded. When he heard the typewriter going off, he looked at it with wide eyes.
TYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRATYRA
If that didn't scare him, what he heard did.
"Why? Why? Why did you do it?"
Gibbs pulls out his gun.
"Murderer." Gibbs shoots at the voice.
"Leave me alone!" When he saw the ghost of Tyra Wilson walking towards him, he screams and throws himself out the door window. "I DID IT! OKAY! I KILLED TYRA WILSON! I KILLED HER! I ADMIT IT!"
Tyra's father walks towards him.
"I been waiting a long time Gibbs."
Detective Mitchell and Ballard walk up to Gibbs, with the Chief of Police leading two officers.
"You heard that?" Piper smirked at Gibbs.
"Every word." Ian waited for this.
"Jason Gibbs, you have the right to remain silent." Cleavant watches as the two detectives lead him away in a squad car.
He looks at Piper.
"Funny, I thought that will make me happy. But I feel nothing."
"You could move on with your life."
"I just wish I can see her again. Tell her I loved her. That I was always proud of her."
"Someday."
"Yea. Thank you." He shakes Piper's hand. Once he walked away, her two sisters walk up to her.
"How did you do that?" Phoebe never saw anything like it.
"I thought you didn't use magic for personal gain."
"Illusions can work just as well." Hollywood showed her a few tricks. Although she did glamour herself as Tyra for a few seconds. "Come on, we need to stop the hacking I did." That trick with the projector, it was too easy. Good thing Sam showed her how to hack a computer remotely. The typewriter was no issue, all she did was put up a remote underneath that pulled down the buttons. A few speakers with a mic. As for the paper airplane, she simply tied it to the ceiling and let go after a minute with some string.
The Valkyrie known as Freyja was leading Charlene to Valhalla.
"Is this Heaven?"
"No. But you have been chosen. Your intelligence, we can use someone like you. Welcome."
Inspector Sheridan was rummaging through the evidence box of Charlene Hughes, she took over the assignment from Detectives Mitchell and Bellard. Both were on scene looking for evidence for the murder of Tyra Wilson. That wasn't the only case, there was John Doe at the university library basement. Coroner says he died from a stroke, but why was the door blown to smithereens?
"Sweeny? Where's the notebook?" This was tagged and cataloged.
"An FBI agent came by, a Agent named Nicks. She said she was looking for evidence. Why?"
"No reason. Thanks Sweeny." Sheridan looked at the evidence ledger. A backpack, a open bag of chips, a notebook. Why would an FBI agent look for a notebook? Why not take the whole box? She called the FBI office in Los Angeles.
"Special Agent Sanchez."
"This is Lieutenant Sheridan of the San Francisco Police Department, I have a question about one of your agents."
"Okay. How can I be of service?"
"I had a Agent Nicks come by, claiming to be taking over a case. The murder of Charlene Hughes."
"Let me check." Sheridan heard typing. "Hmm. There's no case of a Charlene Hughes in our investigation. What did you say was the name of the Agent?"
"Give me a second." Sheridan flips through the names of every officer that came through the evidence room. "A Stephanie Nicks."
"Let me see. Hmm. Odd."
"What is it?"
"It's nothing. Thanks for calling." Click.
Sheridan just stares at her phone. What was going on?
Los Angeles, California
After hanging up, he called a number.
"Yes. The Halliwell Woman made her move. Yes. Mmm hmm. Yes sir. I'll be in touch." He hangs up his phone. Sheridan was doing her job, but there was things she didn't need to know. He was glad for this new opportunity, this new job with a higher pay and more job opportunities, it was a job coveted by most people. He opened up his folder that he always kept hidden.
Prue Halliwell
Piper Halliwell-Winchester
Phoebe Halliwell
Paige Matthews
Sam Halliwell-Winchester
Dean Winchester
He looked at their files, how Mary Winchester died in a mysterious fire, how Patricia Halliwell drowned at a kids summer camp, the Matthews dying in a car crash. But those were just scratching the surface. He wasn't interested in them, the person only known as "Messenger" simply said to keep an eye on them.
He closed the folder and got up to have a cup of coffee. It looked like it was going to be another late night.