"Damn it!" Phoebe sighed in exasperation. "Damn damn damn damn DAMN!" Paige started to run up the stairs to the attic, when through the open door she saw Leo orb in.

"Phoebe? What's wrong?" he asked gently.

She jumped. "Leo!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. But I could sense your frustration." He paused. "And even Wyatt could hear you swearing."

"Oh!" Phoebe clapped a hand over her mouth. "I didn't think -- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to corrupt his cute little ears." Furtively, she wiped her hand across her eyes, but Leo caught the gesture.

"Were you crying?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"No, I just -- never mind," she cut herself off.

"Phoebe, I'm your Whitelighter. You can tell me, whatever it is."

She drew a deep breath. "You've got enough on your mind, you don't need my petty complaints."

"Since when do you self-censor your petty complaints?" Leo asked.

"Since they became embarrassing because of what a failure I am," she admitted sheepishly.

Leo looked at her quizically. "What are you talking about?"

Phoebe stared miserably at the floor. "Paige has been at this for two years, and she's figured out how to build up her powers and stretch them as far as she possibly can. And I heard Andy telling Wyatt what a good boy he was for putting his shield up in response to a telepathic danger warning. Even the baby is learning to strengthen his powers." Her voice, already trembling, grew more ragged as the tears spilled out. "I've been a witch for five years and I still can't even get a premonition on demand! I've been through like twenty drafts of this vanquishing spell and I can't get one that's powerful enough, and I can't get a vision of what might happen to the Elders, and I'm just -- I'm just a failure, Leo, and I'm letting you guys all down."

"Oh, Phoebe." Leo gave his sister-in-law a hug. "You're not a failure. And you'll only let us down if you stop trying. Your powers will progress at your own rate, not at Paige's, not at Wyatt's. You can't expect your power to grow on its own -- you have to work on it, the same way you worked on all those martial arts moves. You can't take your abilities for granted -- your powers or your spells. But you can do this. I know you can. You need to stay calm and focus your emotions and your energy. Now take a deep breath, good, and let it out. Again, deep breath, and let it out. Okay. You can do this. You need to believe that, you need to know it completely, alright?"

Phoebe nodded slowly. "But what if --"

"No. No what-ifs. Now get to work, you've got a vanquish to write." He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Come on. I have faith in you." Leo guided Phoebe to the chair. "We can work on your premonitions another time, I promise. But right now, it's your ability to write spells that we need the most. And there's no way I can help you with that -- you have all the power you need, in your head and in your heart. Just trust that, trust yourself, and the words will come, and the power will be there."

She nodded. "Okay." She looked up at him, and gave him a shy smile as she brushed away a few lingering tears. "I don't say this...um, ever, but -- thank you, Leo."

He smiled back at her. "You're welcome. Are you gonna be okay here?"

She closed her eyes briefly, then looked at him again. "Yes."

"Good. I've got to check on your sisters. But call if you need me, okay? You're not alone, you know that."

"I know. Thanks."

He orbed out, leaving her with thoughts swirling through her mind. Gripping her pen, she started to write.