Q/A: BeneathYouICrunch - I checked Piper's Molecular Combustion power doesn't come till season 3 and we're still in season 2.
Chapter 34: Ms. Hellfire
Prue's on the phone while Buffy and Phoebe's sitting at the table eating their breakfast.
"All right, I can meet with the Curson Foundation at noon but then we'll have to move my 1:00 lunch regarding the Lowe estate. That will affect my 2:30 slide presentation and my 4:30 meeting with the new printers. Have you confirmed Mrs. Swanson yet?" Prue says.
"The last Tae Bo class is at seven." Buffy says.
"Okay. I can meet the printers at their office, walk to the Royal Hotel afterwards for my 5:30 with Mrs. Swanson." Prue says before looking to Buffy and Phoebe. "I just have enough time to make it to kick boxing class." She speaks into the phone. "Her plane doesn't arrive until six?"
Prue's cell phone rings.
Buffy sighs, "So much for Tae Bo. Oh, that's your phone, I will get it for you."
Prue smiles, "Thanks, it's probably Jack."
"You don't have time for Jack, literally," Phoebe says.
Buffy answer's Prue's cell, "Prue Halliwell's phone." She looks to Prue. "It's Mr. Caldwell's office."
Prue frowns, "It's the new VP. Monique, why is Mr. Caldwell calling me at home? What emergency staff meeting? When this morning?"
"9:30. Be there or be fired," Buffy says.
"I'm on my way," Prue says.
"Bye." Buffy says as she and Prue hang up. "I am very tired and now I need a nap."
Prue sighs, "Yeah, well, I need another me. I don't even have time to have fun anymore."
Piper enters carrying a bag.
"Oh, look who it is," Prue says.
Piper smiles, "Morning."
"Hi. Do you recognise that person?" Phoebe asks.
Prue nods, "Yeah, she looks vaguely familiar. Kind of like a sister or a cousin we used to have. What was her name? Pi... P..."
"Peeper?" Buffy asks.
Phoebe shakes her head, "Pi... Pippy?"
"Pipper?" Prue says.
Phoebe smiles, "Whatever happened to her?"
"I don't know. She fell in lust with the next-door neighbour, started spending all her time there." Prue says.
Piper smiles, "That's because she could, for the first time in months, her life was nice and calm and normal. I don't even care that it's Friday..."
"Shh! Don't even say it." Phoebe says.
Piper smiles, "The 13th. See, I said it, and nothing happened."
Suddenly someone starts shooting through the windows of the house. They scream and run past the dining room, into the living room. Prue, Buffy and Phoebe dive behind the couch and Piper stays on the other side of the room.
"I told you not to say it!" Phoebe says.
Piper frowns, "Oh, so this is my fault?"
"Run!" Prue and Buffy says.
"No!" Piper says.
Phoebe shakes her head, "Get your butt over here right..."
Piper runs past the table and freezes the bullets and glass that's coming towards her. She hides behind the couch. The person stops shooting and they peek over the top of the couch and the person starts shooting again. They duck behind the couch.
"Oh, like I need this today." Prue says.
The person stops shooting again.
"Since when do demons use bullets?" Buffy asks.
Piper shakes her head, "Maybe it's not a demon."
"Who else would want to kill us?" Prue asks.
Phoebe sighs, "Well, you know, you were a little sharp to the mailman yesterday, we all know how testy they can be."
They hear the door knob on the front door rattling.
"Freeze." Piper says.
"Kick." Phoebe and Buffy says.
"Send flying." Prue says.
"Okay." Phoebe says.
They wait for the door to open but then a woman comes out of the dining room. She shoots, Prue uses her power, the bullets stop in front of them and then flies back to the woman and kills her. Buffy, Prue, Piper and Phoebe run over to her. The woman is bleeding.
"Oh, my God, she's not a demon." Prue says.
Phoebe grabs the woman's purse and dumps it on the table while Buffy goes to call Darryl.
Prue, Piper and Phoebe look at all the things that were in the woman's purse.
"Multiple aliases." Phoebe says.
"Foreign currency." Piper says. "And throwing stars?"
Prue winds up the lipstick and a blade pops up. "Not exactly Avon calling."
Buffy comes back into the dining room, "Darryl is on his way."
Piper finds a key to an apartment. "Sutro Heights Apartments. That's kinda scary. She didn't live too far from here."
Buffy shakes her head, "What's even scarier is that we've never been attacked by a mortal before."
Prue nods, "Yeah, I've never killed a mortal before either."
"Prue, you had no choice." Phoebe says.
Prue shakes her head, "Still doesn't make it any easier."
Piper sighs, "Does it make it easier if the mortal was a hit woman?"
Piper's looking at the woman's planner.
"A list of names. So?" Buffy says.
Piper nods, "Yeah, look closer. We're on it. Or at least one of us is. "P. Halliwell" and other than an "M. Steadwell" we're the only other name not crossed off."
Prue frowns, "A hit woman. Someone obviously hired her." Prue flips through the planner. "Someone who knew we have powers. I mean, look."
"Prue: Telekinesis, Piper: Power to freeze, Payson: Fireball and Flame Teleporting, Phoebe: Negligible." Piper says.
Phoebe frowns, "What? Negligible?"
"Someone has a lot of information. I've only been flaming for a few weeks." Buffy says.
Piper nods, "Well, that explains why she drove us to the front door and surprised us from behind."
"So, why would a demon hire a mortal to kill us. It doesn't make any sense." Prue says.
"I just wish we knew about that part of the equation before we called..." Piper says.
Darryl knocks on the door and walks in.
"Darryl, hi, thanks for coming." Prue says.
"To tell you the truth, I'm not sure if I actually want to be here. Depends on whether or not you actually tell me the truth this time." Darryl says.
"Someone tried to kill us." Buffy says.
Darryl frowns, "Did you see who it was?"
Prue nods, "She's in there."
"She?" Darryl walks over to the hitwoman.
Piper nods, "We were just sorta standing here talking when suddenly she started shooting up the place."
"A hit woman, we think." Phoebe says.
Prue nods, "Who obviously wanted us dead, we were on her list."
"And that's why you're standing here alive and she's in here riddled with bullets." Darryl says.
Buffy shakes her head, "Darryl, it was self defence. You can check her gun if you don't believe us. The only fingerprints you're gonna find on it are hers."
"Begs the same question. How come she's got the bullets in her body if you didn't fire the gun?" Darryl asks.
Phoebe sighs, "Do you really wanna know, Darryl?"
"Tell me." Darryl says.
Prue, Piper, Buffy and Phoebe look at each other for a moment before they all nod. "We're witches. We... We have powers." Buffy says.
Piper nods, "And we think that there's a... how do I put this? A demon behind this."
"The only way for us to find out who it is, is if you can keep all of this quiet for as long as possible." Prue says.
Darryl frowns, "Let me see the book."
Piper hands him the planner.
Phoebe nods, "There are eight names that are crossed out. Besides us there is only one name that's not crossed out."
"'Plastique, 10 a.m.' Plastic explosives. For all we know she's probably got some place already rigged to blow." Darryl says.
Prue nods, "Maybe it's some place M. Steadwell is supposed to be at, at ten."
Phoebe looks at Piper's watch. " Okay, it's after nine already."
Darryl nods, "I'll check DMV, see if I can get an address."
"I'm gonna go with you." Phoebe says.
Piper nods, "Prue, Buffy and I can go to her apartment and see if we can find anything there."
"After we make a quick pit stop at Bucklands." Prue says.
"Are you kidding?" Piper asks.
"I can't lose my job." Prue says.
"What do we do with the..." Buffy says.
Darryl nods, "I can call in a favour and put the body on ice but it's not gonna buy you much time. One day, max."
At Bucklands there's a staff meeting in progress.
"As the new regional V.P. of Bucklands auction houses, I'll be implementing a new course of action for the new millennium." Caldwell says as Prue sneaks in and sits down beside Jack. "The problem is I don't know any of you well enough to know who's worth keeping and who's not."
Jack whispers to Prue, "You're late, partner."
"We are not partners," Prue whispers back.
"Do you wanna bet?" Jack whispers.
"You. Dark hair. Yeah, the one who tried to sneak in late. What's your name?" Caldwell asks.
"My name? Uh, Prue, Prue-Prue Halliwell." Prue says.
Caldwell nods, "Yeah, right, okay, you'll be partnered with Sheridan there. Every employee in this room and their partner, has until tomorrow night to scour through the obits. Do whatever you have to do to raise $100,000 of auction material." Prue raises her hand. "Yes."
"By tomorrow?" Prue asks.
"If you want to keep your job. Welcome to the new Bucklands." Caldwell says before he leaves.
"Whoa. I guess we better clear the decks, huh? You know, Prue, we might even have to work over dinner." Jack says.
Buffy and Piper's standing outside impatiently.
"Dinner, no." Prue says.
Jack shakes his head, "Come on, we're in this together aren't we?"
Prue nods, "Yeah, but..."
Suddenly Prue astral projects outside where Buffy and Piper's standing.
"Prue?" Piper and Buffy says shocked.
The Prue inside the office is just sitting still with her eyes closed.
"Prue?" Jack says as Prue astral projects back into her body. "Prue, have you even heard a word I've said?"
Prue shakes her head, "No, I'm feeling a little... weird. I'll be, uh... ooh." She gets up and walks over to Piper and Buffy.
"What the hell just happened?" Piper asks.
"I don't know. I think it was some sort of astral projection." Prue says.
"How did you do it?" Buffy asks.
Prue: shakes her head, "I don't know. I just felt this desperate need for there to be two of me and all of a sudden there was."
Piper nods, "Do you think this is part of your powers growing?"
Prue sighs, "Maybe. I mean, if I can move things with my mind, why not my body."
"Well, let's just get out of here before it happens again." Buffy says.
Some time later at the hit woman's apartment. Prue, Buffy and Piper exit the elevator.
"Look at this place. Lalique fixtures, silk-woven rugs, I could get used to living here in a hurry." Prue says.
"Yeah, you just have to know who to kill," Buffy says sarcastically.
"I'm gonna check the kitchen." Prue says.
"Alright, I got the bedroom." Prue says.
"I guess I have out here." Buffy says. She looks around the living room it is filled with roses but not much else. She finds the mail next to a couch, "current resident" is written on it.
Buffy heads towards the bedroom as Piper joins her.
"She must not have lived here long, all the mail is marked resident." Buffy says.
"Were you twirling?" Piper asks.
Prue shakes her head, "No. But opportunity knocked, and I did answer. Check out this wardrobe."
"Um, Prue, honey, focus." Piper says.
"I can't. It's not just the clothes. Wigs, make-up kits, prosthetic enhancements." Prue says.
"I wonder if anybody knew what she really looked like?" Piper asks.
"I doubt it." Prue says.
Buffy nods, "If it weren't for the roses, we wouldn't even know what to call her.
"What roses?" Prue asks.
"They're in the living room addressed to Ms. Hellfire." Buffy says.
"Really?" Prue asks.
Buffy nods, "Mmm hmm." She leads Prue into the living room and shows her the roses.
Prue reads the card on the roses. "Until we meet at last. Bane."
Three guys enter the apartment holding guns.
"Don't move. Don't even flinch, or you're both dead. That's it, now slowly turn around. Watch their hands, one of them can kill you with them in a second. Which one of you is Ms. Hellfire." DJ says.
Buffy looks to Prue, "She is. I'm Protégé."
"Protégé, hunh?" DJ says.
"You Bane?" Prue asks.
"I'm his right-hand man, DJ. Bane is very unhappy with you. He'd like to see you now." DJ says.
Piper freezes them. "Okay, sorry to disappoint you, boys. Let's go, get outta here, come on."
"Um, you know, thank's in part to Buffy, they think I'm Hellfire." Prue says.
"So?" Piper asks.
Buffy smiles, "So maybe Prue should go with them. I mean, maybe the best way to find out who hired her is to pretend to be her."
Piper shakes her head, "Okay, that's very funny, let's go."
"Piper, I'm serious. I mean, you said yourself, nobody knows what she looks like, certainly not this Bane guy." Buffy says.
Piper sighs, "Buffy, Prue, somebody might know what she looks like."
"Yeah, but I can protect myself. I mean, I have something that they don't have. Something that guns can't even compete with." Prue says.
"Today may not be the best day to boast about your powers." Piper says.
"It's in part why I didn't give my real name, Piper. If they believe I'm Ms. Hellfire's Protégé I can go where Prue goes and Flame her out."
Prue nods, "Plus if this hit woman was hired by a demon, then it's only a matter of time before he finds out that P. Halliwell is still alive and send someone else. So we have to do something. I mean, if you've got any better ideas then I'm certainly game."
"I know, and unfortunately, I don't." Piper says.
"Okay, so unfreeze them." Buffy says.
Piper frowns, "Is it just me or are you two a little too eager to play this role?"
Buffy simply smiles.
"It's not a bad role to play." Prue says.
Piper nods, "True. If you wanna get yourselves..."
"We'll be fine." Buffy says.
Piper goes in the other room and unfreezes them.
"Are you gonna make this easy or not?" DJ asks.
"Put that thing away before you hurt yourself. And Protégé is coming also, she goes where I go." Prue says.
"I have no problem with that." DJ says.
Buffy, Prue and the guys leave.
Later at Bane's place. It looks like a bar. Bane and a nervous guy is there.
"I swear to God, Bane. I tried to get the money for you but... I messed up, I messed up. I was scared, I didn't know how you were gonna react." The nervous guy says.
"You lied to me." Bane says.
"I didn't know, I didn't know." Nervous guy replies.
Bane nods, "You made a mistake, and you're sorry for it, right?" He sees Prue and Buffy walk in.
"Right. Yeah." Nervous guy says.
"Well, lesson learned, all right? Just never lie to me again. Understood?" Bane says.
The nervous guy smiles, "Thank you." He walks away.
Bane walks up to Prue and Buffy. His eyes are on Prue, "Wow, you are more beautiful than I imagined."
"So we finally meet." Prue says.
Bane nods, "Did you like the roses? And who do we have here?"
"I would have preferred orchids." Prue says. She points to Buffy, "This is my protégé, you can call her Protégé. She goes where I go."
Band nods, "Beautiful and honest. Let's take a walk." He looks to DJ. "You know what to bring." Buffy, Prue and Bane walk up the stairs. "What do I call you?"
"What you always call me." Prue says.
"Ms. Hellfire seems so cold in person. Unless your emails to me has been a tease." Bane says.
Prue smiles, "I think you know me better than that."
They sit down.
"Do I? You didn't confirm the Halliwell's this morning." Bane asks.
"We didn't have a clean shot." Buffy says.
Bane frowns, "That's disappointing. What about the last one on the list?"
Prue nods, "Steadwell? It was a blast."
Bane smiles, "I Like your style. Always have. The problem is you still got the Halliwell's but you've only got until midnight to take them out."
DJ opens a bottle of champagne.
"Um, don't worry about the Halliwells, we know their every move." Prue says.
Bane nods, "I'm getting a lot of pressure, you know."
"From who?" Buffy asks.
Bane looks to Prue, "You know who."
Prue nods, "Of course. I just haven't passed that information yet to Protégé."
DJ pours champagne in three glasses. Prue's phone rings. "Aren't you gonna answer that?"
Prue looks to Buffy, "Yeah." She answers it. "Hello?"
"Hey, what happened to you this morning, you completely disappeared." Jack says.
"I'm with a client." Prue says.
"Well, they'd better be a rich client. Time is money." Jack says.
"Champagne?" Bane says handing Prue a glass, then he looks to Buffy.
"Champagne, at this hour? Where are you?" Jack says.
Buffy holds up her hand, "No thank you. Alcohol and me are non-mixy things. One drink and I'm out like a light."
Bane nods, "Understood. What would you like?"
"A coke?" Buffy asks.
Bane smiles and looks to DJ, "Get her a coke."
"Me?" Prue says.
"To us." Bane says as he and Prue clink their glasses.
"Hey, Prue, you know me, I'm all for having a good time but we're under serious pressure here." Jack says.
"Yeah, I know..." Prue says as she astral projects to her office.
"Are you there?" Jack asks.
"Oh, God." Prue says.
"Is she alright?" Bane asks and Buffy nods.
"Prue?" Jack says.
Prue astral projects back in her body.
"Are you all right? What happened?" Bane asks.
"Prue, what the hell's going on?" Jack asks.
"I'll call you back." Prue says and then hangs up. "Sorry."
"Maybe you better hold off on this one. At least until the job is completed." Bane says.
"Guess we better be going." Prue says.
Bane shakes his head, "You're not going anywhere. Not without my driving ya."
Buffy and Prue starts walking down the stairs.
"Tell him, I'm on it." Bane says.
"Hey, man, why me? I don't even know the guy." DJ says.
"You will. Just go to my office, he'll show. Okay." Bane says.
Back at the hit woman's apartment. Prue, Buffy and Bane walk out of the elevator. All the roses are gone and now its fill with orchids.
"Well, thanks for the..." Prue says as she sees orchids all around the room, "…ride."
Bane smiles, "You say you preferred orchids."
Buffy nods, "She does."
"I'm impressed." Prue says.
"I'm glad. Now close your eyes. Both of you. Trust me." Buffy and Prue closes them. He gets two jewellery cases out of his pockets. "Go ahead, open them." They does so. "And open these when I leave, okay? Now remember, four Halliwells by midnight. On second thought, make it by ten. It gives me more time to take care of it myself, in case you fail." He kisses Prue then leaves.
They opens up the cases and an expensive diamond necklace are in them.
"Wow." Buffy says. "Why did he give me one though?"
"Maybe because your my protégé and he likes you?" Prue asks.
Later back at the Manor in the kitchen a car door slams from outside. Phoebe looks out the window. "Oh my God. Prue's home... I think."
"That's Prue, all right. And there's Buffy. What's she carrying though?"
They walk out of the kitchen. Prue and Buffy comes in the front door.
"Wow." Phoebe says.
"Gee, Prue, it looks like being a hired killer agrees with you." Piper says.
"I don't want to risk anyone seeing me out of uniform. It's also why…" Prue says motioning towards Buffy who holds up an outfit and coat. "Better get changed."
Buffy nods and heads upstairs.
"We've been worried sick about you two." Piper says.
"I'm sorry, we just didn't want to jeopardise our covers." Prue says.
"Nice cover." Phoebe says.
Piper nods, "And nice Porsche. A gift from Bane?"
"No, Bane prefers... never mind. Look, we need to get back before they get suspicious. Tell me what you know." Prue says.
"We know M. Steadwell is safe." Phoebe says.
Piper nods, "Can't say the same for the kitchen."
"And idea why she was on the list?" Buffy asks coming back down the stairs.
"Woah, Buffy." Phoebe says when she gets a look at her cousin. "Anyways could be because she's a witch. I mean, not a magical witch but a witch practitioner nonetheless."
"A hyperactive witch practitioner." Piper says.
Prue nods, "I wonder if all the names were witches? How many were on the list?"
"Ten. Except 'P. Halliwell' was only down once, so if you count us individually, thirteen." Piper says.
Buffy nods, "Thirteen dead witches by midnight on Friday the thirteenth. Ring any bells?"
"Barbas." Piper says.
Prue nods, "Gotta be."
"It can't be. I mean, we eighty-sixed him already." Phoebe says.
Buffy nods, "He must have found some kind of loop hole."
Prue nods, "We gotta get back to Bane, try and flush Barbas out."
"Buffy, Prue, you both can't go back there." Piper says.
Prue sighs, "Piper, it's almost eight. We have got to get to Barbas fast otherwise Bane's gonna want to see four bodies, our bodies."
"Have fun." Phoebe says."
"Phoebe, we're working." Buffy says.
"More like you're working it." Phoebe says. "Come on, Prue, Buffy. I've taken a walk on the dark side. I know all the signs."
"Okay, so it's a little different." Prue says.
Phoebe nods, "And dangerous."
"We can handle it," Buffy says. "I can flame us out. May not get back to the Manor in one shot but…"
"Buffy, Prue… Barbas can paralyse you and use your greatest fear against you. You don't want to face that alone." Piper says.
Prue nods, "How? I've already conquered my fear of drowning. What else can he do?" Prue asks.
"He really can't use my greatest fear against me anymore. I'm not afraid of losing any of you anymore." Buffy says.
"Maybe tap into some other fear. You can't defeat him alone, Prue, Buffy." Phoebe says.
"We know that. But for now we'll be okay. Buffy or I will call you guys and check in in an hour." Prue says as they turn and leave.
At Bane's place Buffy and Prue walks in matching wearing leather pants, small leather tops and long fur coats.
Bane sees them. He walks up to them. "You two look like you're ready to celebrate. Are the Halliwells dead?"
Buffy and Prue takes off their coats.
"The night's young. We have a little bit of business to discuss." Buffy says.
"What, all work and no play?" Bane asks.
"Oh we'll play. Right after we get our money." Prue says.
Bane nods, "Oh, you'll get paid when they're dead."
"You know, the boss has a nasty habit of disappearing in the middle of night. We'd hate for our money to disappear with him. Can we trust you? And Barbas?" Prue says.
Bane shakes his head, "I'm disappointed either of you doubt either one of us."
"We wanna talk to him." Buffy says.
Bane nods, "Well, like you said, the night is young." Prue and Bane walk over to the crowded dance floor. Buffy hangs back at the edge watching as Bane and Prue start dancing really close together and they smile at each other. Prue and Bane start kissing. DJ walks up to them and taps Bane on the shoulder. Prue and Bane stop kissing. "DJ, what's your problem?"
"I need to talk to you." DJ says.
Bane frowns, "Better be life and death. Excuse me." He kisses the top of Prue's hand and walks over to the bar.
Prue walks over to Buffy.
"Any ideas on what he wants?" Buffy asks motioning towards DJ.
Prue shakes her head, "Not offhand. But whatever it was he seemed it was important enough. Can you hear them?"
Buffy nods, "Barely the music is almost loud enough to drown them out even with Slayer hearing."
"Make it fast." Bane says.
"I just came from the morgue." DJ says.
"He's been to the morgue." Buffy says.
"Looking for a date?" Bane asks.
"No, checking on yours. She's a fraud." DJ says.
"He knows the real Ms. Hellfire is in the morgue."
"What are you talking about?" Bane asks.
"Bane doesn't quite buy it yet." Buffy says.
"Marcy Steadwell isn't in the morgue, and I think the real Ms Hellfire is."
Bane looks over at Prue and Buffy. "I don't believe it."
"Bane doesn't believe it." Buffy says.
DJ nods, "Barbas believes it."
"Dang, Barbas believes it. We may have been compromised." Buffy says.
"Be ready to Flame. Even if you have to leave without me." Prue says.
Later at Ms. Hellfire's Apartment. Buffy, Prue and Bane exit the elevator.
"You know, it's not midnight yet, we still have time. Lots of time." Prue says.
Bane nods, "Do you both think you could fool me? Get away with it? You killed the woman I loved."
"What are you talking about?" Buffy asks.
*Flashback*
"Buffy, whatever happens. Even if they suspect me. You must not let them suspect you. Tell them you were deceived by me. That I don't know, make something up."Prue says at Bane's place.
*End Flashback*
"You two killed Hellfire," Bane says.
"I am Hellfire," Prue says.
"What are you talking about? She is Ms. Hellfire." Buffy says.
"Liars!" Bane says as he pushes them. Barbas appears.
"Buffy, flame!" Prue says.
Barbas smiles, "So very nice to see you again, Miss Halliwell and Miss Halliwell." He passes his hand in front of Prue and Buffy's face.
"Halliwell? From the list?" Bane says.
Barbas smiles, "Well, well, well. Can't say that I'm surprised. You greatest fear is that someone will kill your sisters." He looks to Buffy, "And your cousins."
"No." Prue and Buffy say.
Barbas smiles, "Oh, yes. The demons are after them. Even as we speak. They have assumed your sisters' and cousins' identities in order to kill them. But you must kill the impostors first, by midnight."
"Kill the impostors." Prue and Buffy says.
"Yes." Barbas says.
Bane smiles, "Then I get to deal with them."
An hour later Piper and Phoebe walk in.
"Are you sure that was the Porsche parked out front?" Phoebe says.
Piper nods, "Positive. Prue and Buffy are here somewhere."
Phoebe nods, "Let's just hope they're alone." Buffy and Prue walks in to the room. "Prue. Buffy."
"We've been so worried." Piper says.
Prue uses her power and Piper falls to the ground.
Phoebe frowns, "Prue?"
Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it at Phoebe. Phoebe dives to the ground narrowly missing it.
Phoebe crawls over to Piper, "You alright?"
Piper shakes her head, "No, I'm not. Are you?" Phoebe shakes her head they stand up and walk quickly outside in the hallway. "What is going on?"
"I think you need to freeze them fast." Phoebe says.
Piper frowns, "Good witches don't freeze remember."
They don't look so good right now." Phoebe says.
Buffy and Prue walks in the hallway.
"I won't let you kill my sisters." Prue says.
"I won't let you kill my cousins." Buffy says.
There's a plate on a stand in the hallway. Prue uses her power and lamp flies towards Phoebe and Piper. They duck and it smashes against the wall.
Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it and Piper and Phoebe dodge out of the way.
"The've flipped out." Piper says.
Phoebe nods, "The patio. Fast. Come on." They run onto the patio and hide behind a lattice. "Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no." She's about to sneeze.
"Don't, don't, don't, don't." Piper says.
Phoebe sneezes. Buffy and Prue sees them.
"They don't know we're their sisters." Phoebe says.
"Cousins, in the case of Buffy." Piper says.
"Do you really want to nitpick right now?" Phoebe asks.
Piper shakes her head, "Okay, we gotta make Prue choose. We've gotta try and convince astral Prue. Make her wanna be in two places at once. And I don't know maybe have her astral project into Buffy and force her to see the truth? You ready?"
"Yeah." Phoebe says.
"Go, go." Piper says.
They run in two different directions. Buffy and Prue stands there. They don't know which way to go.
"Hi!" Phoebe says.
"Come on, Prue. Come get me." Piper says.
"Uh, no, it's me you want. Over here." Phoebe says.
"No, Prudence. Come on, me." Piper says.
"No, me." Phoebe says.
"It's a trick." Buffy says.
Prue astral projects.
"Phoebe. Phoebe, we need to hurry before she becomes one again. Phoebe." Piper says.
Buffy looks to Phoebe and powers up a fireball. She throws it as Phoebe runs past her and up the stairs. The fireball grazes Phoebe's shoulder.
"Prue, Barbas has brainwashed you and Buffy." Phoebe says.
"You're going to hurt my sisters." Prue says.
Buffy starts towards the stairs.
"Prue, we're your sisters. Listen to me. You gave me the chicken pox." Piper says.
Phoebe nods, "Remember, I taught you how to French kiss."
Buffy starts up the stairs.
Piper looks at Buffy, "We have to hurry." She looks to Prue. "You broke your ankle when you were seven. Come on, Prue. We went to Duran Duran together. You stretched out my leg warmers."
"And then you gave them to me." Phoebe says.
"How do you know all this?" Prue says.
"Because we're your sisters, Prue." Phoebe says.
"Sisters." Prue hugs Phoebe and astral projects back in her body.
"Prue, are you with us?" Phoebe asks.
Prue nods, "I want Barbas."
"Uh Prue we have another problem first. Buffy's still brainwashed." Piper says.
Prue frowns as she astral projects back in front of Phoebe and Piper. "Buffy, stop."
"Prue they are going to kill Piper and Phoebe." Buffy says.
"Buffy think for a second." Prue says. "Tell her something like you did me."
Piper nods, "Buffy when the Order of Taraka were after you, you ran because you were scared of dying. Oh and you were so adorable in your Dorothy Hamill phase."
"Buffy after we came back from 1975 you got a letter from your mom. She said she wanted to name you Payson not Buffy. But your dad wouldn't let her." Piper says.
Prue nods, "Buffy, what did Melinda see?"
"That you, Piper, Phoebe, and I would have many more generations of her beautiful daughters and that I would be the longest living Slayer." Buffy said.
Prue smiles, "Buffy that vision is about to end if you don't think for a second. Your about to end that vision here and now."
Buffy looks past Prue to Phoebe and Piper. "Piper? Phoebe?"
They nod and smile. "Yes, Buffy."
Prue astral projects back into her body.
Buffy walks over and hugs Phoebe and Piper, "I'm sorry." Prue runs up the stairs and hugs Buffy from behind.
Piper smiles, "It's alright Buffy. So now all we have to do is lay low until midnight and then he'll disappear and go back to wherever the hell it is he came from."
Buffy shakes her head, "No, he's back early. He knows what rules apply or don't. I…" she looks to Prue, "…we don't wanna take any chances. Let's go show him what his greatest fear is."
In Bane's apartment the clock reads 11:57.
"If they're not back in one minute, then I'm gonna spend my last two minutes killing you." Barbas says.
Bane frowns, "Hey, I didn't come to you. You came to me, remember?"
Barbas nods, "That's right. If you hadn't been blinded by your passion, then I would be minutes away from freedom right now." Buffy and Prue walks in. "Are they dead?"
Prue smiles, "They're right where they belong."
Phoebe and Piper walk in.
"Kill them." Barbas says.
Bane gets out his gun and Piper freezes them.
"Ooh, I'm beginning to see your attraction to the dark side." Phoebe says.
Buffy rolls her eyes.
"It wasn't just his dark side I was attracted to," Prue says. "Do you think you can just unfreeze him?"
"I don't know, I've never tried." Piper says.
Buffy takes the gun out of Bane's hand. Piper unfreezes Bane.
"Looking for this?" Buffy says.
Bane frowns, "What's going on?"
Prue smiles, "Witchcraft at its best."
Prue uses her power and Bane flies across the room.
Barbas unfreezes. The clock chimes. "No! No! Nooo!" He spins in a circle and is engulfed in flames. He is vanquished.
Buffy smiles, "I never get tired of kicking his butt."
Buffy and Prue walks over to Bane. "Just a little something to think about in jail," Prue says.
Bane shakes his head, "It won't be the only thing I think about, I promise."
"Is that a threat?" Buffy asks.
Bane shakes his head, "No. It's a compliment on you both."
"You do know I'm underage," Buffy says.
The next day at the Manor Phoebe and Piper are cleaning the windows.
"Dan did a really good job with these windows. He is obviously very good with his hands." Phoebe says.
"Hey, hands off those hands," Piper says.
Phoebe smiles, "So, did you decide whether or not you're gonna move in with him?"
"I have to admit it's very tempting," Piper says.
Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, you gotta do what you gotta do. And you deserve to be happy. And don't worry about us, we'll be fine. Especially if I get your room."
"Yes, you could have my room. That is if I was moving out." Piper says.
"Oh, you're not gonna move out?" Phoebe says. "Oh, that is so good because you need to be with your family just a little while longer."
Buffy comes in to the living room, "I couldn't agree more."
"I adore Dan but it's just way too soon for me to move in with him. There's just a few things I need to figure out first. Are you happy now, Phoebe?" Piper says.
Phoebe smiles, "I'm delirious. Thank you."
Piper looks to Buffy, "How you feeling?"
"There is no amount of I'm sorry I can say to make up for trying to kill you. But otherwise I'm okay." Buffy says.
Prue comes in. She's talking on the phone. "Well, just tell Marcy that she can sell the ring and use the money to rebuild the bookstore. Tell her it's a thank you for protecting us. No Darryl, the ring is not hot. I'll talk to you later." She hangs up.
"So, what else did Hellfire and Protégé get from Bane?" Piper asks.
Prue sighs, "Diamond necklaces, bracelets, a Hockney, a Salvador Dali."
"You can't really keep all that stuff, can you?" Piper asks.
Prue shakes her head, "No." Piper shakes her head. "No. It wouldn't really be right but maybe I can figure out a way to use it for some good and save my job. And if not, I can always astral project and job-hunt twice as fast."
Buffy nods, "And I think I have the perfect charity for it to go to."
"Sure, just rub it in. I would love to be in two places at once." Phoebe says.
Prue nods, "As long as one of those places is fun, I'll be happy. I think I may have learned a few things from Ms. Hellfire." The doorbell rings. "You know, change my routine, shake things up a little bit." Phoebe and Piper laugh. Prue goes and answers the door. "Jack."
Jack shakes his head, "You know, Prue, it is bad enough that you don't answer your phone, come into the office or otherwise appear to be doing your job but now you're gonna take me down with you. What have you got to say for yourself?"
"$275,000." Prue smiles as Buffy walks up next to her.
"Excuse me?" Jack says.
"It's the market value of the anonymous estate donation Buffy and I were out acquiring." Prue says.
Buffy nods, "They had one request that all proceeds go to Stop the Violence Foundation."
Prue looks at Buffy and smiles, "Not bad for a day's worth of work, now, is it?"
Jack shakes his head, "No, it certainly isn't. And you know, I never doubted you for a moment, partner."
Prue shakes her head, "Liar. Let's go celebrate, partner."
"Okay." Jack says.
"Come on Buffy, my treat." Prue says.
Jack looks at Buffy and nods, "Sure why not. You helped Prue and I keep our jobs." He, Prue and Buffy walk outside.