Chapter 24: Valhalley of the Dolls - Pt 1
Piper and Buffy walked into the attic carrying laundry baskets.
"Hey. Do you have any laundry?" Piper asked Chris as Buffy moved to her curtained portion of the attic and gathered some of her clothes.
"Uh ..." Chris said, he appeared to be a bit distracted, "no. No. I'm good. Thanks. I'm going to get your sisters and Dawn, though. We have another demon to vanquish."
Buffy and Piper smiled as they spoke in unison, "Okey-dokey." They turned and left the attic.
Later in the main hall Paige and Chris orbed in with several dogs. Paige had been doing temp jobs of late to bring in extra income, her current temp job was as a dog walker.
"All right," Phoebe said as she and Dawn came from the kitchen. "Can we get this started? Because I have to go –" she saw the dogs "— where did they come from?"
Paige sighed, "He wouldn't let me take them back first."
"Let me guess," Dawn said, "your latest temp job is a dog walker."
"Yeah," Paige said. "The temp agency messed up."
"Ok. Do you guys mind?" Chris said. "We have to summon the Trok Demon while he's still on our plane. Piper! Buffy!"
"Oh, Chris, lighten up. Sending us after all these demons is getting to be a real drag." Phoebe said.
"You're working us like dogs," Dawn agreed.
"I don't see Piper or Buffy complaining," Chris said.
"No. Because Mom and Piper don't complain about anything anymore," Phoebe said. "Ever since Leo left to become an Elder, all they do is walk around the house all ... chipper."
"So?" Chris asked.
"So. It's unusual. What's worse, it's not Piper or Mom." Paige said.
Buffy and Piper at that moment came down the stairs carrying Wyatt and Elizabeth. Piper was currently holding Wyatt in one arm while she had the phone in the other. "I'd love to have a play date. Maybe we can call Jenny, and she can bring baby Josie, and then I'll bring the juice and maybe bake some muffins, and - aw!" She and Buffy spotted the dogs.
"How cute," Buffy and Piper said.
"Ok?" Piper said as she returned her attention to the phone.
"They're getting worse." Dawn said.
Paige nodded, "Definitely."
"Do you have a spell?" Phoebe asked.
"Right out of the book. After you summon him, make sure Piper or Buffy freeze him. Otherwise, you'll never get the spell off." Chris said.
"Here. Take these guys down to the basement," Paige said as she handed the dog leashes to Chris. "They'll be fine there."
"Wait." Chris said as he looked at the leashes. "Me?"
"Yeah, you. Go!" Paige said as the dogs started leading Chris towards the kitchen.
Piper finished up her phone conversation and she and Buffy walked back into the room to join the others.
"All rightee. Are we ready?" Buffy said.
Paige shook her head, "All rightee."
Piper noticed that Phoebe had changed her hairstyle. "Phoebe, have I told you how much I love your new do? It's fabulous!" She gave Phoebe's hair a big, ole' petting.
"'Very' chipper. Ok. Let's do this." Phoebe said as she led Piper and Buffy into position and handed the spell to Dawn and Paige. "One of you take this."
Piper and Buffy looked at Paige and Dawn and smiled chipper-ishly.
Phoebe closed her eyes to summon the Trok Demon. "Ommmm."
It didn't take long before the two-headed Trok Demon materialized in their sitting room.
"Mom, Piper, freeze him!" Phoebe shouted.
Piper motioned with her hands and a burst of fire whizzed by the Trok Demon burning off one of its two heads.
"Aah!" The Trok Demon's remaining head looks at the stump where his other head used to be.
Piper put her hands up to cover her mouth as she and Buffy began to giggle. "Ohh! Ha ha ha!"
"What did you do that for?" Phoebe asked her sister.
Piper giggled. "I don't know. I didn't mean to."
The remaining Trok Demon head growled sending a powerful wave of sound at the sisters, Dawn and Buffy. It hit them, sending them back up against the wall where they fell to the floor.
Dawn opened the slip of paper with the spell on it and started to read. "From other worlds far and near, Let's get him the Trok out of here."
The demon cried out in pain as a wall of flame engulfed him and the ground trembled as the Demon exploded.
Buffy and Piper stared at the vanquished demon, their eyes alight with mirth and excitement.
"Everybody ok?" Phoebe asked.
Piper nodded, "Yeah. That was awesome."
"Totally awesome," Buffy echoed.
Dawn and Phoebe rolled their eyes.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Paige walked into the living room holding on to her wounded shoulder as Chris followed her into the room.
"What kind of Whitelighter can't heal?" Paige asked.
"For the record, you can't heal either." Chris said.
"I'm half Whitelighter," Paige said. "How come you didn't tell us about this before we hired you?"
"Because you didn't hire me. I was assigned by the Elders." Chris said.
Paige shook her head as Phoebe walked into the room. "Dad!"
Sam orbed in and looked around as he smiled at Paige, "You called?"
"Could you heal my shoulder, Dad?" Paige asked.
Sam frowned and looked at Chris, "You can't?"
"Any other little surprises you'd like to share with us?" Dawn asked.
"No," Chris said. "Look, I haven't been a Whitelighter very long, ok, and healing - it's big, and it takes a while to learn how to do."
Sam shook his head, "What good are you as their Whitelighter if you can't heal them when they need you. It's a good thing I'm Patty's Whitelighter and Paige's father or I wouldn't have come when Paige called." He moved over to his daughter and sat down next to her holding out his hands to heal her.
Dawn sat down on the other side of Paige on the couch opposite Sam as Phoebe and Chris sat in a chair. "Great. Student-lighter. Good thing your Buffy's Whitelighter, Sam."
"Ok. You could have told us about this, like, I don't know, maybe a month ago." Paige said.
Sam nodded, "I have to agree with Paige. This is something they should have known from the moment you were assigned."
"Well, I know one thing for sure. We're going to stop all this demon fighting for a while." Phoebe said.
"Wait. Why?" Chris said, alarmed.
"Can somebody please fold the towels in the dryer when it's done?" Buffy called out.
"That's why." Dawn said.
Piper and Buffy walked out into the hallway, a baby bag was slung over Buffy's shoulder and she and Piper were carrying Wyatt and Elizabeth in their arms. . They were heading for the front door.
"I put a casserole in the oven. You can check it in about an hour or so. Mom and I will be at the club if you need us. Have fun." Piper said as she and Buffy turned and left.
Sam looked to Paige, "What is wrong with your mother?"
Paige shrugged, "We don't know. She and Piper have just been getting increasingly chipper."
"Oh, my god. They are so sad." Phoebe said.
"Sad?" Dawn asked. "Where are you getting 'sad' from?"
"How about this? Three more demons, then we can talk about taking a little break." Chris said.
"What? Do you have a quota or something?" Paige asked.
Sam frowned, "You actively have them going after demons?"
"Look. I've already told you this before." Chris said looking at the sisters. "I know from future knowledge that a demon is going to come after Elizabeth and Wyatt. These are all just preemptive strikes."
"Ok. Look, Chris. We like you a lot, but we've been doing this a lot longer than you have. Trust me. You have to pace yourself, and you got to let us have a life." Phoebe glances down at her wristwatch and realizes what time it is. "Ooh. Speaking of which, I have to go get ready for my lunch date." She stood up and headed toward the stairs.
"Oh. I didn't know your boss was back in town." Paige said.
Phoebe turned around and leaned against the doorframe. "No. It's not with Jason. It's with Chad, the D.J., who I'm not really interested in."
"Two demons. How about that? Two." Chris said.
Sam shook his head, "No, Chris, not until we figure out what's wrong with Piper and Patty."
"And, more importantly, Piper's powers." Phoebe said.
"Piper's powers?" Sam asked looking at Phoebe who nodded. "Chris, no more demons till we figure out what's wrong with Piper's powers. As it is right now you don't have a power of three."
"I swear, I think Leo did something to both Piper and Buffy before he left." Dawn said. "After all Buffy's powers have been off as well. You guys must not have seen it. But for a second I noticed that Buffy had astral projected."
"Left what do you mean?" Sam asked. He looked at Chris, "You didn't tell them?"
"Tell us what?" Phoebe asked.
Chris sighed, "I didn't want to tell you this because I didn't want to worry you three, but ... Leo's missing."
"What?" Phoebe asked surprised.
"Missing? How long?" Paige said obviously shocked.
"About a month around the time you all last saw him after the battle with the Titans," Sam said. "Chris here was the last to see him as he gave Chris his assignment as the Charmed Ones Whitelighter to him personally. The Elders think he's been kidnapped."
"By whom?" Dawn asked.
At Dawn's P3 a portion of the center stage had been converted into a large play area for a lot of little children.
"Excuse me." Piper said as she led Buffy, Sheila and Darryl down the stairs into the play area.
"You two are amazing, Piper, Buffy." Sheila said.
"Sorry?" Buffy asked.
"I mean, seriously. I don't know how you both do it. I mean, I could barely take care of myself when Tim was a baby, let alone run a daycare." Sheila said.
"Well, you know, nobody was using the club during the day anyway, and I was running out of room at home with all of Elizabeth and Wyatt's play dates." Piper said.
"Well, I think it's great, really, I mean, especially with everything you all are going through." Sheila said.
Darryl stopped walking and Sheila glanced warily at him. Buffy and Piper saw the exchange and smiled, puzzled.
"What?" Piper and Buffy asked.
"Sheila's just been a little concerned about you two lately, you know, with Leo and all. Especially you, Piper." Darryl said.
"I can't even imagine how hard it must be for you, Piper. Do you ever even talk to him?" Sheila said.
Buffy shook her head, "No. It's probably against the rules."
"But, you know, no use crying over spilt milk, and besides, you know, I just got to push ahead for Wyatt." Piper said. "Right, Mom?"
"Right, sweetie." Buffy said smiling.
There was an uncomfortable silence between them that Piper and Buffy seemed oblivious to as Piper picked up the tray of treats. "Well, better get these treats to the little ones. Um, is Tim staying late?" Piper said.
Darryl nodded. "Yeah."
"Uh, yeah. Yeah." Sheila said.
Piper and Buffy smiled as they spoke together. "Super." They took the tray of treats and head for the play area.
Darryl looked over at his wife. "I got to get back to the station," he said as he and Shiela headed for the door.
"That's right," Piper said to Elizabeth and Wyatt as Paige, Dawn and Phoebe walk down the stairs, passing Darryl and Sheila.
"Hi, guys." Paige said.
"Hey." Sheila said.
Darryl nodded. "Hi."
"Whoa." Phoebe said sensing something was wrong. " What's the matter?"
"Uh ... sorry?" Sheila said, startled.
"Something's bothering you. I can tell." Phoebe said.
Darryl and Sheila remained silent as Paige and Dawn turn to look at Phoebe. "Phoebe." Dawn warned.
"What? Oh. Sorry." Phoebe said.
"So, you know, Buffy and Piper's doing fine, huh?" Darryl said.
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, but you don't think they are."
Darryl and Sheila remained silent as Paige and Dawn again turn to Phoebe.
"Don't mind her. She's just being a little annoying. Um, would you excuse us for a second?" Paige said.
Sheila nodded. "Yeah. Sure."
"We'll see you later." Phoebe said.
"Bye." Darryl said.
Dawn waved. "Bye."
Darryl and Sheila walked out the door as Dawn, Paige and Phoebe move aside.
"What is going on with you?" Paige asked.
Phoebe shrugged, she had no idea. "I don't know. It's weird. Lately, I've just been feeling a lot of weird vibes. I don't know what it is."
"'Vibes'. " Dawn said as Phoebe nodded.
"Hmm. Check it out. I can really, really only deal with one whacked-out sister at a time." Paige said.
"Ditto." Dawn said.
Phoebe chuckled. "Got it."
They turned and headed for Piper and Buffy in the play area.
"Piper?" Paige said.
"Buffy?" Dawn said.
"Mom, Piper, you two got a minute?" Phoebe asked.
"Uh, can it wait?" Piper asked.
"Yeah can it wait?" Buffy asked.
Dawn shook her head. "No. Actually, it can't. It's about Leo."
"Oh. Did he call?" Piper asked.
"Not exactly." Paige replied.
"There's no easy way to break this to the both of you, especially you, Piper, so I'm just going to come out and say it. Leo's missing. We just found out that the Elders haven't heard from him since he left us to join them." Phoebe said.
There was no reaction from either Piper or Buffy as they said together. "Wow."
"So did he happen to say anything to you, Piper, the last time you saw him that could potentially help?" Dawn asked.
Piper shook her head. "No. All I remember him saying is that he was leaving to become an Elder, and I wished him good luck."
"That's it? That was your big good-bye?" Phoebe asked.
Piper nodded. "Yeah. As far as I can remember, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. He'll turn up sooner or later." She smiled "Excuse us." She and Buffy turned and headed back to Elizabeth, Wyatt and the play area.
"So much for that shocking either of them back into reality, huh?" Paige said.
"Unfortunately, I think only Leo can do that." Dawn said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Back at the Manor Chris stood near a window looking outside as both Dawn and Paige scry for Leo. Out in front of the pair are several maps including one of the solar system. They steadily moved their crystals from one map to the other to the other. It was at that moment that Phoebe came down the stairs and joined Dawn and Paige at the dining room table. She looked at the maps. "Where exactly are you two trying to find Leo ... Jupiter?"
"Well, when an Elder gets kidnapped, they're probably not just going to take him to china town, right? I think everything is game, even the cosmos." Paige said.
"Still. I don't see how the crystal's going to find him, especially not without something of his to focus it better." Phoebe said.
Dawn grabbed a shirt held between her and Paige and showed it to Phoebe. "Got one of his plaid shirts."
"I was thinking something a little more special than that." Phoebe said.
"Leo loved those shirts. His entire closet's full of them." Paige said.
Phoebe stopped suddenly and turned to see Chris standing quietly at the far end of the room looking out the window. "What's your problem?" she asked.
Chris turned around to face Phoebe. "Huh?"
"You're nervous. I can feel it." Phoebe said.
"Ooh. Watch your vibes." Dawn said.
"I just think you guys should be focusing on helping Buffy and Piper, not Leo." Chris said.
"Ha! I was right." Phoebe said.
"Hey. Finding Leo could help us with Piper and Mom." Paige retorted.
"Well, then you better find another way because you are not going to find him." Chris said as everyone stared at him. He stepped toward them as he looked at Paige and Dawn. "I mean, you two haven't found him yet, have you? I'm telling you, you just got to leave it up to the Elders, all right, just let it go."
"Let it go? He's Elizabeth and Wyatt's father." Dawn said.
Phoebe nodded. "And Mine and Paige's brother-in-law."
"And Aunt Dawn's nephew-in-law." Paige said.
"Ex-brother-in-law. Ex-nephew-in-law. Look. I'm just trying to get you three to focus on Piper and Buffy here. That's all. Because with their powers messed up, especially Piper's, you guys are all at risk." Chris said.
"He's right." Dawn said.
Phoebe nodded. "I know, but if Leo did do something to block Piper, and I'm assuming Mom's, pain, how do we unblock it without him?"
"Magical laxative." Paige said.
"Ok, eww." Dawn said.
"But think about it. If we can write a spell to help them remember their pain, I don't know, it could even help us find Leo." Paige said.
Phoebe walked over toward the phone and picked it up as she dialed.
"Who are you calling, spells "r" us?" Paige asked.
"No. I'm calling the Bayview Cafe. I'm going to cancel my lunch date with Chad, which I'm already late for." Phoebe said.
"Bayview Café."
"Hi. Can I speak to Chad Carson, please? I was supposed to meet him for –" Phoebe said as Sam orbed in.
"Yes, he couldn't make it."
"What?" Phoebe asked.
"What's going on?" Sam asked.
"He called and he ..."
"Phoebe is calling to cancel her dinner date and we think that Leo did something to Piper and Buffy to forget their pain. Paige suggested we might write a spell to make them remember that pain." Dawn said. "And Paige and I have been scrying for Leo with no luck."
"He canceled?" Phoebe asked.
"Yes."
"Wait. Are you sure? Because he didn't even call—" Phoebe said.
"That's good." Sam said. "Hopefully the spell will counteract whatever is blocking their powers and keeping them all…" He looked to Paige. "What did you call it?"
"Chipper." Paige said.
"He told us to let you know that he's very sorry."
"Chipper." Sam said.
Indignant, Phoebe hung up the phone. "Ha!" She turned around. "He stood me up."
"Wait. Weren't you just calling to cancel on him?" Chris said.
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, but I called to speak to him. That's canceling. He called the restaurant knowing I wasn't there yet. That's standing up."
Paige nodded at Chris. "Mmm."
"Oh." Chris said.
"This doesn't make any sense. I don't understand. He liked me. He really liked me. I felt it." Phoebe said.
"Well, um, excuse me, but it didn't even seem like your heart was in it anyway." Dawn remarked.
Phoebe turned around, put the phone back on its cradle and grabbed her bag.
"Where are you going? We have a spell to write." Paige said.
"And I have a DJ to grill." Phoebe heads out the door.
Later in the attic an enthusiastic Oscar the dog was humping Paige's leg as Paige was on the phone talking to the temp agency. "Sir, what does it matter when I bring the dogs home? Their owners aren't there, that's why I got the job in the first place." Paige said as she looked at Dawn who was trying to pull Oscar from her leg. "Aunt Dawn, can't you get him off my leg?" She noticed that the other dogs were tearing up the attic. They had already ruffled up Buffy's bed. She sighed as she turned her attention back to the phone. "Look, you know, when I came to the agency, I really went with the idea that I would be helping, you know, people, not animals. And what I really mean to say is that it's, sir, it is time for me to strike out on my own. Yeah, I'll have the dogs back in an hour." She ended the call as Dawn finally pulled Oscar away.
"Sorry," Dawn said.
Paige smiled at her aunt. "It's not your fault, Aunt Dawn."
"Piper and Buffy are home!" came Chris's voice from downstairs.
"Coming!" Paige and Dawn called back as they hurried out of the attic.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Downstairs Chris walked through the front door carrying a baby bassinet with a baby inside as Paige and Dawn came down the stairs.
"Hey, who's that?" Paige asked.
"Good question." Dawn said.
Chris sighed, "Ask them." He walked into the conservatory.
Paige and Dawn turned and looked at Piper and Buffy as they carried car seats with babies in them.
"Hi, how's it going?" Piper asked as she and Buffy walked past the Paige and Dawn as they followed Chris.
"How's it going? Uh, what are you two doing?" Paige said. "Whose babies are these?"
"Well, their mommies couldn't pick them up in time so we offered to bring them home for a while." Buffy said.
Dawn sighed, "Oh, you did? Um, what about, you know, Leo?"
"I don't know, what about him?" Piper said as she and Buffy put the car-seats down next to Wyatt and Elizabeth's playpen. "Look, Wyatt, Elizabeth, look who's here. Another friend for you two to play with."
Chris moved to stand next to Paige and Dawn as they watched Piper. "Is that the memory spell?" Chris asked as he motioned to the piece of paper in Paige's hand.
"Yeah." Paige said.
"Cast it." Chris said.
Paige looked at Dawn who nodded. "Powers and emotions tide, a witch's heart is where it hides, help them through their agony, bless them with their memories," they chanted.
Piper and Buffy stood up and looked around as if confused about where they were.
"Piper? Buffy? Are you both okay?" Dawn asked.
Buffy and Piper turned around to look at Dawn, Paige and Chris. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" Buffy and Piper said simultaneously.
Paige laughed. "Very funny."
Dawn shook her head, "I don't think their kidding."
Piper turned around to look down at Wyatt and Elizabeth. "Aww, cute," she said as she whipped around and looked at Paige. "Yours?"
"No their yours." Paige replied.
"Mine?" Piper scoffed. "What do you mean? Wait, who am I? What am I doing here?"
Dawn walked over to Buffy as she remembered the last time she and Buffy had lost their memories. "Patty?"
"Yes?" Buffy said. "And you are?"
"What's the last thing you remember?" Dawn asked.
Buffy stopped and thought about it and then her eyes went wide. "This is the body I was reincarnated into isn't it?"
"Yes," Dawn said. "I take it from your perspective this is just after the talk with Elders and the Angel of Destiny?"
Buffy nodded.
Dawn sighed and looked at Chris and Paige. "We erased their memories. Paige, do you remember the story we told of how Patty's memories were unlocked as well as our powers?"
"Yes," Paige said. "You are saying that's what happened. We erased their memories. But how, unless it interacted badly with Leo's magic."
"You want to fill me in?" Buffy said.
"Patty," Dawn said. "I am your sister in this lifetime. The woman next to you is your daughter, Piper, all grown up. She too has lost her memories. And the woman standing beside me is your daughter with Sam, Paige."
A fly flew in front of Piper, who waved her hand to swoosh it away and wound up blowing up the hanging plant to the right of her. The one action startled Buffy, Dawn, Paige and Chris as Wyatt and Elizabeth began to cry.
"What happened?" Piper asked shocked. "How did that happen?"
"It's going to be okay," Dawn said.
"Just don't point at anything, okay? Just keep your hands down. Like this, okay?" Chris suggested as he grabbed Piper's hands and pulled them down straight against her body.
"Can somebody please tell me what's going on." Piper asked.
"Amnesia," Dawn said. "For now why don't you have a seat." She led Piper over to the sofa where Piper sat down. She walked back into the conservatory as Paige gave Wyatt and Elizabeth their pacifiers.
"Who's babies?" Buffy asked.
"Piper's," Paige said.
"Ooh I bet mom hated that Piper had a boy," Buffy said as she shook her head. She looked at Dawn, Paige and Chris. "Now how do we reverse the magic that stole mine and Piper's memories?"
"That's the thing," Dawn said. "We're thinking the spell that stole yours and her memories may have interacted with Leo's magic."
"Leo as in Prue, Piper and Phoebe's Whitelighter?" Buffy asked as Dawn nodded. "Then we need to get Leo here to reverse his magic."
"The problem is we don't know where he is." Dawn said.
Paige smiled, "I think I know how to find Leo."
It was at that moment that the front door opened as Phoebe returned home. She noticed Piper sitting in the sitting room and rushed over to her big sister.
"Ooh, Piper!" Phoebe said as Piper stood up. "You're never going to believe this. I think I have a new power. It would certainly explain a lot of my weird behavior lately like why I wanted to date Chad, why my advice has been so amazingly accurate. I know, this is huge, right? Huge. So what's my new power you ask? Well, I'll tell you. Um, do you remember that empath we helped a couple of years ago? That guy that could feel what other people were feeling?"
"Phoebe?" Buffy asked as she looked at Dawn who nodded. She walked into the sitting room. "Phoebe Johanna Halliwell, leave your sister alone. Go talk to my sister and Paige. They will fill you in."
"What?" Phoebe said as she looked at Buffy and she could tell there was something off about her mom. "Mom?"
"Yes," Buffy said.
Then Phoebe's eyes went wide and she walked into the conservatory and looked at Paige and Dawn. "What happened?"
"We erased Buffy and Piper's memories," Dawn said with a sigh. "Piper remembers nothing. Buffy only remembers her life as Patty."
"Like what happened with the spell Willow cast," Phoebe said with a sigh. "How though?"
"We think our spell may have had a bad interaction with the one Leo cast," Paige explained. "But I think I have a way of scrying for Leo now." She motioned toward Wyatt and Elizabeth.
"Of course," Dawn said. "He loves them both more than anything."
"Okay," Phoebe said. "Let's go get him."
"You can't let them off the hook," Chris said as Paige picked up Wyatt and went over to the scrying table and began scrying for Leo.
It wasn't long before the scrying crystal pointed to a spot in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
"I think we just found Leo," Paige said as she stood and returned Wyatt to the playpen. "Let's go."
"Go? Go where? It's pointing to the middle of the Indian Ocean." Chris said.
"There must be something there, I trust Wyatt." Paige said.
Chris sighed, "No, this is crazy."
"Chris, she's feeling really strongly about this," Phoebe said as Dawn, Paige and Chris looked at her. "I have a new power. I'll explain on the way."
"Be back as soon as we can." Dawn said.
"Oh, hey, can you take the dogs back for me? The addresses are in the book." Paige said as Dawn and Phoebe took her hands and they orbed out.
Somewhere in the Indian Ocean Paige orbed in with Dawn and Phoebe.
"It is so beautiful here," Paige said as she looked around. "It's like paradise, but why isn't it on the map?"
"They obviously don't want anyone to know it exists," Phoebe said as they made their way down the dirt path. "It's like the island has some sort of magical camouflage or something."
"That's a lot of magic," Dawn said.
"Over there!" came a voice from further down the path.
Paige, Dawn and Phoebe jumped off the path to hide in the bushes. No sooner had they hidden themselves when three men rushed by their hiding spot. When the men were gone they came out of hiding.
"That was close. I hope they're not looking for us," Paige said as she looked around.
Phoebe rushed forward, grabbed Paige and pushed her to the ground. She rolled them over till she's on top of Paige. She pushed her elbow into Paige's throat.
"Are you out of your mind?" Paige asked as she pushed Phoebe's arm off of her.
Dawn pulled Phoebe off Paige and then proceeded to help Paige to her feet as Paige coughed. "What was that about?"
"I'm so sorry," Phoebe said. "I must have tapped into what they were feeling."
"Ok. Well, let them kill me, not you. Let's go look for Leo," Paige said as she, Dawn and Phoebe returned to their search for Leo.
They found a cave and decided to check it out. Inside they found a cage in the center of the room.
Phoebe walked around the room as if she was trying to use her new power to find Leo.
"Anything?" Paige asked.
Just then Leo came from around a corner. He noticed them and run to the front of the cage directly opposite them. "Dawn, Phoebe, Paige."
"Leo! Oh, my god," Phoebe said excitedly that they had found him.
"I can't believe it," Paige said.
"I can't tell you how good it is to see you guys," Leo said. He then noticed that Phoebe had gotten a haircut since the last time he had seen them. "Hey, you cut your hair."
"Yeah. Yeah, you like it?" Phoebe asked.
"Later," Dawn said. "Leo, what are you doing in here?"
"Somebody put me here, that's what. Watch out!" Leo said as two women walked into the cave. Dawn, Phoebe and Paige turned to face them as the women waved their hands and sent the three of them flying away from the cage.
It was three to two. Dawn noticed a pair of swords in Leo's cage and motioned toward them he nodded as the women walked towards her, Paige and Phoebe. Leo picked up the swords and as soon as the women were in position he tossed them. Both swords buried themselves into the women's backs and the women drop to the ground dead.
"You're supposed to be a pacifist," Dawn said. "I just was going to have you toss them to me, Phoebe or Paige. Not take them out yourself."
"I've changed," Leo said. "You need to get out of here before the other Valkyries find you. If you orbed in here, they've already been alerted, believe me."
"Valkyries?" Phoebe said. "Who are they, and what do they want with you?"
"You can't orb out from here. It's protected," Leo said.
"Hurry, in the cave!" came a voice from outside.
"You need to get out of here now. Go! Run!" Leo said.
"We'll be back," Dawn said as she, Phoebe and Paige ran out of the cave. She and Phoebe grabbed Paige's hands and they immediately orbed out.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Later back at the Manor Phoebe paced around the dining room table as Buffy looked through the Book of Shadows.
"You three could have been killed, you know that?" Chris said. "Huh? What were you three thinking?"
"We were thinking of finding Leo, which we actually did, if that matters to you," Paige answered.
"What was up with that skirt he was wearing?" Phoebe asked.
"At least the skirt wasn't plaid," Dawn said as she laughed at her own joke.
"I don't believe this. It's like none of you are taking this very seriously," Chris said as Oscar the dog barked. He looked toward Oscar. "Hey. Do you mind?"
"Well, I can't help it if he doesn't like you," Paige said. "Hey, you were supposed to take him back home, anyway."
"Paige," Buffy said as she looked at her daughter. She smiled at the thought that despite her and Sam giving Paige up that Paige had found her way home. "We tried. The owner's for that particular dog weren't home."
Paige sighed as she looked toward Oscar. "Oscar, lay down," she said as Oscar whimpered and went and laid down on the carpet.
"Ohh. Look, Paige. I think he likes you," Phoebe said.
Paige rolled her eyes. "Yeah, great. Don't tell me you can read his feelings now, too."
"That the new power?" Buffy asked as Phoebe nodded. "Sounds like you are an empath now."
Dawn sighed as Buffy looked at her. "Buffy was infected by a demon in high school. For awhile she acquired telepathy. She couldn't shut it off. It was driving her crazy. Thankfully Giles found an antidote."
"I mean no offense, mom," Phoebe said. "But while its nice you didn't lose all your memories and can still help us. I wish you still had the rest."
"I know, Phoebe," Buffy said. "I hate not remembering how I came back into your life and everything that happened after that. I hate not remembering my baby sister or my parents."
"By the way where's Piper?" Phoebe asked.
"We put her in her room," Buffy said. "Your Whitelighter thought that being in there would jog her memory. I told him it was futile, but still worth a try." She looked down at the Book and smiled. "Ah here we are. I knew there was a page on the Valkyries in the book. They are a powerful race of demi-goddesses who scout the battlegrounds for dying warriors ..."
"... then take their souls to Valhalla, where they prepare them for the final world battle," Phoebe said as she read the page over Buffy's shoulder.
"Valkyries, huh?" Paige said.
"Does that mean they're good?" Phoebe asked.
"In the grand scheme of things, yes," Buffy said. She looked down at the Book and her eyes went wide at what she read. She looked up at Dawn. "You said your sister was the Slayer?"
"Yes," Dawn replied, "Why?"
"According to this before the Valkyrie's are Sineya's daughters," Buffy said. "They can trace their lineage back to her."
"Sineya was made a god to battle the Titans," Dawn said.
"According to this her daughter was born during that time," Buffy said.
"So does that mean mom is a demi-goddess?" Paige wondered.
"I don't think so," Dawn said. "After all at some point our family would have left the Valkyrie's island. Then over the centuries our blood would have been diluted."
"This is interesting," Phoebe said. "But I have to question how did the Valkyrie's get Leo? He's not a dying warrior. He's an Elder."
"He is technically dead," Buffy said. "With the exception of Paige all Whitelighters are made Whitelighters as a reward when they die for the life they lived."
"Kind of like you and being a Slayer," Dawn said as Buffy nodded.
"Look," Chris said. "Why don't you guys concentrate on helping Piper, and I'm going to go fill in the Elders and see what they want to do."
"That isn't doable. The longer Piper doesn't have her memories," Buffy said, "the worse the odds get about a power of three demon attacking and killing my girls. They need to get Leo back now so he can reverse his spell."
"It's too dangerous," Chris objected.
"Mom's right," Phoebe said. "He is likely the only way we get mom and Piper their memories back."
Chris sighed. "You can't orb into Valhalla undetected. The only way to get there safely is with a Valkyrie's pendant," he said as Buffy eyed him warily. "But that still won't get you close enough to Leo. He's too well-guarded now."
"How do you know all this?" Buffy asked.
"I've crossed paths with Valkyries before ... in the future," Chris explained. "Anyway, I can get you the pendants, but the only way to get close to Leo is by proving to the Valkyries you're one of them."
"How are we supposed to do that?" Phoebe asked.
"Easy," Chris answered. "Just arrive with a warrior's soul."
"Oh! Easy," Paige said. "Where are we supposed to find a warrior's soul?"
Chris shrugged. "Beats me," he said as he orbed out.
"I don't trust him," Buffy said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Somewhere in San Francisco Darryl Morrie walked out of a building into an alley with a man who was in cuffs.
"You ain't got nothing on me," the man said.
"Ah, shut up," Darryl said as he walked the man over to his car and put the man in the back. He noticed Dawn, Phoebe and Paige orb in down the alley. "Wait here."
"Yeah, like I'm going anywhere?" the man said as Darryl slammed the car door shut and head toward the girls. "Are you out of your mind? What are you doing here?"
"Darryl, we need your help," Phoebe said.
"Does this have anything to do with you asking Sheila to watch Wyatt and Elizabeth?" Darryl asked. "She just called."
"Yes," Dawn said. "Sadly we don't have a lot of time. It's about Leo."
"You found him? " Darryl asked.
"Actually, yeah, we did," Paige said.
"And we need your help to save him," Phoebe added.
"Sure. You know that. Just ask. Anything," Darryl said.
"Great! We just need to borrow your soul for a couple of hours," Phoebe said.
"Yeah. We'll give it right back," Dawn said.
"It's perfectly safe, really," Phoebe explained. "Your body will just slip into a coma, and as long as we get your soul back in time ..."
"... which we will ..." Paige added.
"... you'll be fine," Phoebe finished. "Just a little headache, that's all. What do you say?"
Darryl stared at the girls as he processed what they had said. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"Please, Darryl," Phoebe pleaded. "It's the only way we can save Leo."
"No. I-I ain't doing it," Darryl objected. "Absolutely not. Listen. I love Leo like a brother, ..." He turned and headed back toward his car. "... but, you know, there is a limit ..." Dawn threw a vial at him that hit him square in the back. "... to what you can ask a man to do, ..." His body crumpled to the ground as his spirit continued to walk toward the car. "... and this is definitely over the limit."
"Uh, Darryl?" Paige said as
Darryl turned and looked back at the girls. "What?" he asked as Paige pointed at his body lying on the ground. He sighed. "Oh. That's just great."
Phoebe uncapped a container and Darryl's spirit immediately became gaseous and flew into the container. She put the cap on tight. "I hope this works," she said.
"So do I," Dawn said. "I feel bad though about Darryl."
Back at the Manor in Piper's bedroom Buffy was wearing a pendant that Chris had procured. She watched as Chris put the other pendant on Piper who instantly transformed into a Valkyrie. It was at the moment that Dawn, Paige and Phoebe orbed into the room.
"Ok. We got the—" Phoebe said as they saw Piper and Buffy standing there in all their Valkyrie glory. Oh, my god. What did you do to them?"
"With these pendants we are Valkyries," Buffy said as she motioned toward the pendants. "I can pretend to be one, but Piper we had to convince her she was actually a Valkyrie."
"It wasn't that hard, really, considering the fact that her mind is basically a blank," Chris added.
"But why?" Paige wondered.
"Well I have an automatic in," Buffy said. "Given what the Book said anyways. But incase my in don't work to release Leo. Then you may need the Power of Three, and this is the only way we are going to Piper into Valhalla in her current state."
"Buffy and Piper are going to kill Chris over this. I would say both of you but Buffy can't kill herself. Anyways they both hate the costumes," Dawn said, "just as much as Phoebe, Paige and I do."
"Yeah? Well, in that case, you're gonna kill me, too," Chris said as he opened his hand to reveal three more pendants.
A few moments later a vortex opened by the pendants appeared in Valhalla, out walked Buffy, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Paige. They made their way to the cave and walked into it.
"Can I help you?" Freyja asked.
"We've brought you a warrior," Phoebe said as Kara stood up.
"Warrior?" Freyja asked.
"Is there a problem?" Phoebe wondered.
Freyja stood and took a step toward the girls. "How come I don't recognize any of you?"
Buffy smiled as she held out the vial that contained Darryl's spirit. "Perhaps you'll recognize this," she said. She unstopped the vial and Darryl mists out of the vial and his spirit stood in front of them a second later. He looked around, confused by where he was. "A warrior's spirit, worthy of Valhalla."
Freyja looked at Darryl, pleased. "Well done," she said as she looked at Kara who took Darryl and threw him into the cage.
Kara tossed a sword and shield in behind Darryl as she closed the gate to the cage. They watched as Darryl scrambled to his feet. He picked up the sword and shield as the girls and the Valkyrie's sat down.
Darryl looked at the girls, Phoebe and Paige lift their hands in a double-thumbs up sign. "You're doing great, honey," Phoebe said encouragingly.
Darryl turned around and saw Leo step out from the back of the cage. As Leo got closer, Darryl took a couple of steps back toward the edge of the bars. "What the ..." Darryl said.
Leo looked at Darryl and then at the girls, then back at Darryl.
"Ok. I know how we're gonna save Leo, but how are we gonna save Morris?" Dawn asked.
"Wait for the most opportune moment," Buffy said.
"What are you two talking about?" Piper asked as she looked at Buffy and Dawn.
"Nothing," Dawn answered.
Suspicious, Piper eyed Buffy and Dawn. Inside the cage, Leo and Darryl circled one another.
"What are you waiting for?" Freyja asked, impatient with the delay. "Attack!"
Leo glanced at the girls giving Darryl an opening to charge him. Darryl used the shield to swipe at Leo, sending Leo backward and knocking off his helmet.
"Leo?" Piper said as she looked at her husband.
Buffy looked at Piper and her eyes went wide. Leo's spell was breaking, she could feel it as her memories of Buffy's life came flooding back.
"Ohh. What are we gonna do?" Paige asked.
Phoebe grimaced at the force of Piper's pain. "It's Piper. Her pain is back."
"My memories are coming back also," Buffy whispered. "And I realize now why the spell was cast on both of us."
"Buffy," Dawn whispered.
"I love you, I'll always love you," Buffy answered as Dawn smiled. "Now we have to do something to get out of here."
"Uh ... kill him!" Paige said as Darryl looked at her shocked at what he heard.
Leo took the opportunity that Darryl's distraction offered. He jumped and kicked Darryl square in the chest sending them both to the ground. He scrambled on top of Darryl and the two wrestled. He leaned down and whispered in Darryl's ear. "Take the fall."
"What fall?" Darryl asked
Leo head butted Darryl as he whispered. "Stay down," he said as he stood up. He raised his arms in victory.
Mist rolled her eyes at the unimpressive fight, she looked at Freyja who was processing what she had just seen. Kara looked suspiciously from the cage to Freyja.
Piper leaned forward between Dawn and Buffy. "What is he doing here? What are we doing here?"
"Piper, shh!" Dawn whispered.
"Do something," Phoebe whispered.
Paige stood and looked at Freyja. "We just wanted to apologize for sending you such a weak warrior," she said hesitantly. "We can get rid of him for you."
"Get rid of him?" Freyja asked.
"Yeah. You know, like ... send his spirit on to, uh ... the hereafter ... or something," Paige answered.
"Very well," Freyja said as she stood and walked out of the cave followed by the other Valkyries.
Piper stood and walked over to Leo. "You left me, didn't you?" she asked.
"Potion, potion," Phoebe said as Paige took out a vial and threw it at the cage door. The potion broke the seal around the cage and the door opened. "We got to get out of here."
They rushed out of the cave and into the clearing.
"I'll open the portal," Paige said as Phoebe groaned and doubled over in pain from what she was feeling from Piper. "Phoebe ..."
Phoebe turned around and looks at Piper. "It's Piper. Her heart is breaking."
Leo took a step towards Piper. "Piper."
"Don't. Stay away from me," Piper said.
"I promise I will explain everything when we get home, but right now, we need to go," Leo said.
"Home?" Piper said angrily. "We don't have a home. You left us!"
"Leo, talk to her!" Phoebe said through gritted teeth as Leo glanced at her.
"I didn't have a choice," Leo explained. "I became an Elder. It's not something that I wanted. It's something that just happened."
"Yeah. See, I know all of this. Why didn't I remember it?" Piper asked.
"Why didn't we remember it, Piper," Buffy said. "I too didn't remember it."
"Because ... I used my powers so you both wouldn't have to," Leo answered. "But your anger, Piper, almost destroyed a city, and then the pain the two of you shared almost destroyed the both of you. I wanted to help you both so you both wouldn't have to deal with it all at once."
"So you took mine and mom's feelings away?" Piper asked.
"No. Never!" Leo answered. "I was gonna reverse the spell slowly so you both could feel a little more every day, but then ... somebody did this to me. Somebody put me here so I couldn't." Piper looked down and shook her head, unable to hear what he was saying. "I'm sorry."
"Look," Darryl said. "I don't want to rush you two, but we have to go."
"I have to second that," Dawn agreed.
Piper shook her head as Leo turned and headed back toward Darryl. As he passed Phoebe, she straightened as she let Piper's emotions control what she was about to do. "You bastard," Phoebe said. "How dare you do this to me? To our children?"
"Phoebe?" Paige and Dawn said.
Phoebe took a step toward Leo. "We had a life together, a family, and you destroyed it. You destroyed me! You left me alone to raise our son by myself. How could you do this? How could you do this! How could you!" She swung and hit Leo in the face. "You bastard! You son of a bitch, you hurt me." She raised her hand to hit Leo and then suddenly stopped. She looked back at Piper. "I don't feel Piper anymore."
It was at that moment they heard the warriors shouting as they approached.
"We have to go," Paige said as she grabbed her pendant and opened the vortex.
"Come on, Piper, we got to go," Phoebe said as Paige, Dawn, Buffy, Leo and Darryl took a step toward the vortex.
"Go? Go where?" Piper asked.
"Home. Hurry," Phoebe said.
"Go!" Buffy said as she looked at Piper. She understood why Leo had taken away her feelings. And why she had gone with Piper. "I'll stay with Piper make sure she is safe. You find a way to bring us home. And tell Sam, I love him."
At the far end of the path, the Warriors turn the corner and head toward them.
Phoebe glanced at Piper and Buffy then gathered the others toward the vortex.
"Mom's right we got to go." Phoebe said as they all jump into the vortex just as the Warriors reach the clearing. The vortex was still open when the Warriors jump in and follow them through before it finally closed leaving Piper and Buffy in the clearing with the approaching Valkyries.