Authors note: Not much happens in this chapter but it hints of stuff that will happen in the next chapter.

Disclaimer: This plot belongs to Jane Espenson not me. I would pretend it's mine but if anyone read her story they'd probably know and then I'd feel stupid. None of these Charmed characters belong to me.

Distribution: Does anyone actually want to? If you do feel free just tell me.

Summary: What if you woke up and found out that the last two years of you life hadn't happened yet? Blame it on magic and try to fix it. But is the solution that simple?

Rating: PG?

Shippers: It follows the show.

Timeline: The normal time is just after season 5. The time they go to is sometime is season 3. I'm not sure when since I never so it but Leo and Piper are together (I haven't decided if it's before there marriage or after). Phoebe and Cole are together. She still thinks he's normal

Title: Back Again

Chapter One

Phoebe and Paige walked around the block while they talked.

"It's just so weird. And why'd we get our old bodies back, anyway? I mean what kind of time travel is this? It seems all non-standard if you ask me," said Phoebe. She felt better just having Paige to talk to. If we have to relive our lives making the same mistakes at least I don't have to feel so alone.

"Gimme a sec to look it up in my Big Book of Time Travel-oh, yeah, don't have one," said Paige.

"Right. Sorry, Paige. Hey, what about the Book of Shadows?" said Phoebe.

"I can't go to the manor. I shouldn't know you for another year or so," said Paige. "You could check though."

"It will be risky. Do you know where we are exactly? I mean I don't know what we are dealing with at the moment," said Phoebe.

"Almost two years ago. A couple of weeks before, you know, Shax," said Paige.

"Before Prue died," Phoebe whispered.

"I remember saying I would've liked to see Prue," said Paige.

"Then we went back into Piper's memories," remembered Phoebe.

"It's weird how weird you look," commented Paige.

"You wouldn't think two years would make such a difference. This body feels weird. If we end up fighting a demon I'm probably going to end up tripping over myself," said Phoebe.

"Watch this," said Paige. "Flower." Paige and put her arm out. Phoebe waited but nothing happened. "Phoebe I can't use my power, I mean not well. I don't even get how that happened! Isn't that creepy?"

"Oooh. Yeah. That's by far the creepiest part of unexplained non-standard time travel," said Phoebe sarcastically. She hadn't even thought to test her powers.

"Shut up. I think it's plenty creepy," said Paige. "Sorry. Little bit cranky."

"Maybe it's like jet lag. Loosing two years probably does that. Or maybe it's gaining two years, depends on how you look at it, I guess," said Phoebe.

"Have you tried Piper?" asked Paige.

"No. Not yet. I was barely awake when you called. I was still confused about Cole being sane and alive. I couldn't handle it if Piper is the proper Piper of this time," said Phoebe.

"Let's check," said Paige. "I want to get back to the future as soon as possible. Wyatt is alone there and Chris I don't exactly trust him. Who knows what he would do with us out of the way?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Piper was vaguely aware that she'd been sleeping through the ringing of the phone. Someone else will answer it. Piper yawned and rolled over. She did her morning ritual of patting the bed beside her to see if Leo had come back. She knew he wasn't coming back but every time she felt what it was like to loose hope. Each time she felt that sinking disappointment. So Piper was completely shocked when she felt a body beside her. She jolted instantly awake. Piper gaped in surprise at Leo.

A tree stood in front of the Manor. And stretching away from the foot of the tree was its dark shadow. Other things in the yard had shadows too but if you looked close, you might notice that the other shadows weren't quite as dark s the tree-shadow. The tree-shadow was very dark. When the wind moved the branches of the tree, the shadow moved too. At exactly the same time, until it didn't, until it twitched. Until shifted on it's own, until it turned its attention to the house. Until it thought, now. I will move now.

Piper happily cooked pancakes. She could be annoyed at Leo later now she was just happy that he was back. Piper paused for a moment and caught sight of the calendar. 2001? I would've sworn I changed that. That's strange. We wouldn't leave a calendar up for two years. Something isn't right. The kitchen it's different. Didn't we break that table and get a new one? I must be going crazy. Piper continued cooking uneasily trying to ignore the strange feeling she had.

"Good morning," said Leo and entered the kitchen.

"Good morning," replied Piper faintly. Well you aren't going to say anything? Nothing? Well if you're going to pretend so can I. Piper caught sight of herself in a pane of glass. She dropped the glass she was holding and automatically froze it. Her reflection was wrong it was too young.

"What's wrong?" asked Leo concerned.

I look younger. The calendar is in the year 2001. I think I've gone back in time. I should tell him but I don't want to go back to the future. I don't want to be alone and the oldest sister. I don't want to be strong. "Just a spider. I guess I'm jumpy," lied Piper.

The darkness at the corner of the manor lay flat against the ground. Sometimes it rippled at the edges, agitated by the closeness of its goal. They were in the house, on the other side of the door. It didn't know their names or that they were the Charmed ones but it sensed their power. All it knew was it had to do this. It had to clean it all up. Put things right. The knowledge of its closeness to its goal made it bold. It rippled itself forward, creating a shadow were none should be, on the un-shaded stoop-a deep stain of shade. It pushed forward reaching the door. It inched itself forward slowly. It was thinner than paper so it slipped easily under the door. It was inside the house.

Leo and Piper talked over breakfast. Neither of them noticed the strange shadow. Leo didn't notice anything wrong till Piper screamed. The slumped in her chair, silent now and started to slide to the ground. Leo looked around scared and confused. He knelt down beside her and started heal her.

It wasn't working.

Authors note: I know not a very good cliff-hanger but I had to leave it at something. I'll probably update tomorrow. I've already finished this story but I don't want to post it all at once. I should've all the chapter uploaded by next Sunday.