ACT III

Phoebe and Paige stared in shock at Piper's gleeful face. Both were too stunned to say anything other than…

"Huh?" Phoebe wasn't sure she heard right. Did Piper just say she was getting married? No, I must have heard wrong. There's no way-

"He proposed to me after dinner!" Piper continued. "You know, of course it was shock, considering the fact that it was our first date…"

Piper's voice faded out of Phoebe's head. All Phoebe could think was that if Piper wasn't going crazy, Phoebe certainly was.

"… but I just looked into his eyes," Piper's voice came back, "and I knew that it was meant to be." She looked deeply into Robert's eyes. "I love you," she told him, tenderly.

"I love you, too," he replied. He leaned down to engage her in a kiss once again.

Phoebe had had enough. "Okay!" Phoebe said loudly. Piper and Robert continued to kiss, uninterrupted. "Yeah, Piper, that's enough." It's as if they had suddenly become deaf.

Paige walked over to them and dragged Piper out of their embrace.

"Hey!" Piper said, angrily. "What do you think you are doing?"

"Don't talk. Just follow." Paige turned to Robert. "Excuse us. We need some sister time." Without waiting for an answer, Phoebe and Paige dragged Piper into the kitchen.

Once they got there, Piper withdrew her arm from Paige's hold. "Okay," she started. "What the hell is going on with you two today?"

"Shush!" Phoebe hushed her. She turned to Paige. "Okay, now it's getting serious."

"I agree," Paige answered. "Not only has she forgotten Leo, but she's also gotten engaged to the first guy she met."

"Who's Le-?"

"Yeah, I know," Phoebe interrupted, just as if Piper hadn't even talked. "Even though he is cute."

"He's not that cute," Paige muttered.

"Hey!" Piper exclaimed, offended.

"Maybe we should try looking in the Book of Shadows again," Paige suggested.

"We already did!" Phoebe answered, frustrated. "There's nothing in there."

"Well, we need to try again. Either that, or call Chris and see if he knows anything."

"He'll probably send us off on some other demon again."

"Demon? What demon?" Piper asked, looking at the both of them.

"Yeah, we still need to find the demon or warlock who killed that witch," Paige said to Phoebe. "But I think this is more pressing at the moment. We need to help Piper. Especially before she goes telling Robert that we're witches."

"Oh, he already knows," Piper told her sisters.

That got their attention.

"What?" Phoebe rounded on Piper. "You told him?!"

"Well, yeah," Piper said, as if it was obvious.

Paige groaned. "Piper, how could you tell him?" Phoebe almost shouted.

"We are getting married, Phoebe. He would have found out sooner or later." Piper glanced at the look of anger on Phoebe's face to the look of worry on Paige's. "Don't worry. He took it extremely well. Better than most people, I suspect."

"That's not what we're worried about, Piper! We're worried that he's gonna go tell the whole world and everyone will know that we are witches. Remember what happened two years ago. Do you want that to happen again?"

"Robert won't tell anyone," Piper reassured them. "He is so trustworthy. That's one of the things I love about him."

Paige stared at Piper while Phoebe just shook her head and covered her eyes with her hands. She couldn't believe how naïve Piper was being.

"Well, if you guys are done here," Piper began, "I need to go talk to Robert."

Phoebe was too tired to even bother arguing. Plus, she knew she wouldn't get anywhere. Whatever was wrong with Piper wouldn't be fixed with a little talking to.

Once Piper had left, Paige turned back to Phoebe. "Book of Shadows?"

Phoebe sighed. "I guess we have to." And here we go again, Phoebe thought to herself, as she and Paige headed up the stairs again.

Piper was in the kitchen cooking breakfast. As Phoebe walked in, Piper called out, cheerfully, "Good morning!"

Phoebe muttered something indecipherable to a normal human being's ears as she yawned.

Piper looked at her worriedly. "You okay, honey? You look like you didn't get that much sleep."

Phoebe sat down wearily. "That's a bit of an understatement," She said, as she poured herself some coffee. She and Paige had spent the better part of night looking through the Book of Shadows. All she wanted to do now was go back to sleep, but, unfortunately, she had a mandatory meeting later that afternoon and Elise would have killed her if she missed it.

Piper came over to the table and laid Phoebe's breakfast on it. "Here you go. Eggs and bacon. Oh!" She went back over to the corner and brought back a plate of muffins. "And I know how much you love blueberry muffins so I made a whole batch." She laid them down on the table.

Phoebe glared at Piper. "Why are you so cheerful?"

Piper sat down next to her and smiled. "I don't know. I guess I'm just so happy." She held up her hand and looked at the engagement ring. Phoebe almost gagged.

Just then, Paige came into the kitchen. "I hope everyone had a wonderful sleep last night," she said, jovially.

Phoebe glared at her, also. What was up with everyone being so happy that morning?

"Let me get your breakfast, Paige." Piper went up to the stove and started bustling around there.

Paige leaned in close to Phoebe. "I think I've solved our problems."

Phoebe put down her coffee. "How?" she whispered.

"This-" Paige pulled out a small bottle full of a clear liquid. "This is going to solve everything."

"What is it?" Phoebe asked, looking at it curiously.

"It's a remembering potion," Paige answered.

"A remembering potion? I don't remember seeing that in the Book of Shadows."

"That's because it wasn't. I made it up myself after you had already gone to sleep."

Phoebe looked at her, skeptically. "Do you think it will work?"

"It has to. All I have to do is in pour it into her drink and presto!" Paige glanced around. Piper was still busy with getting the eggs. "Where's Piper's coffee?"

Phoebe pointed to the cup of coffee at the place where Piper was sitting. Paige glanced around at Piper one more time before opening the small, clear bottle and dropping three drops of the liquid into the cup.

"Now all she has to do is drink it," Paige said, gleefully. "And everything will be right with the world."

Piper came back and laid Paige's breakfast in front of her. "And here you go."

"Thanks, Piper. It looks delicious."

Piper sat down and took a drink of her coffee, while Paige and Phoebe looked on anxiously. Piper coughed and looked carefully at her coffee.

"What's wrong?" Paige asked, apprehensively.

"Nothing. My coffee just tastes a bit weird." Piper went to the sink and threw out the coffee. She then went to pour herself a glass of orange juice.

Paige looked disappointed. The potion didn't seem to be working at all.

Phoebe gave her an apologetic look. She was sorry that the potion hadn't worked. It had been over two weeks, and they still had no luck in finding a cure for Piper's total amnesia of Leo. And no thanks either Leo or Chris, Phoebe thought to herself. Sometimes, Phoebe wondered what good whitelighters were for.

Piper came back to the table with her glass of orange juice. "Hadn't you better start getting ready for your meeting, Phoebes?"

Phoebe checked her watch. Piper was right. "Yeah, I really need to. Do you mind loaning me ten bucks for gas?"

Piper shook her head, firmly. "No, Phoebe. I'm still waiting for you to pay me back for the last time I loaned you money."

Phoebe looked at her, confused. "When was that?"

"That time in the seventh grade when you spilled Coke all over your geography book, and you were afraid that Grams would get mad if she found out so I loaned you my fifty bucks."

Phoebe stared at her, mouth agape. "Piper, that was like a million years ago!"

Piper glanced at her, sarcastically. "I think you're exaggerating a bit, Pheebes."

"That was still a long time ago."

"Damn, Piper. You got some good memory," Paige commented.

Just then, Piper slapped Phoebe on the arm.

"Ouch!" Phoebe cried out. She rubbed her arm where Piper had slapped her. "What was that for?"

"That was for breaking Muffy's head!" Piper snapped.

"Uh, Muffy?" Paige asked, looking at Phoebe. Phoebe just shrugged; she had absolutely no idea what Piper was talking about.

"My Barbie!" Piper said, indignantly. "It was my present for my sixth birthday. The day after I got it, Phoebe decided to rip her head off and throw it in the toilet. You owe me for that, too."

"I was THREE, Piper!"

Suddenly, it dawned on Paige. She grinned excitedly and slapped Phoebe on the arm.

"Ow!" Phoebe groaned. "Will you people stop hitting me?"

"The potion worked!" Paige told her, excitedly. "Not exactly as it was supposed to, but it still worked!" Paige was happy that her potion wasn't a complete failure.

"Paige, what are you talking about?" Piper asked.

Paige was saved from answering when Robert walked in with three boxes of chocolates.

"Robert!" Piper exclaimed, happily. She walked over to hug him, but couldn't because of all he brought. She gazed at the chocolates. "All these of these can't be for me, can they?"

"Right you are. I love how smart you can be." Piper colored at his flattering remark. "One of these is for you."

Piper beamed. "I can't believe how sweet you are. Isn't he just so sweet?" she asked her sisters.

"He's even sweeter than the candy," Paige remarked sarcastically, although Piper didn't seem catch the sarcasm.

"And these are for you." He passed the other two boxes of chocolates to them. "There's a whole variety of different kinds of chocolates in there. I hope you like them."

"Uh, thanks, Robert," Paige said, taking her chocolates.

"Yeah, thanks," Phoebe said, taking hers. Immediately, she gasped as a vision came to her:

It was the alleyway behind P3. The corner of P3 shrouded some of the scene. A woman stood on the cold, cemented ground. She seemed to be crying. A fireball was hurled, seemingly out of nowhere, at the woman and she was instantly incinerated. After a moment, the corner of P3 no longer obstructed the view as it moved to the side. In the bright light of the sun stood Robert as he looked down at the ashes of the woman, with an expressionless face.

Phoebe snapped out of her premonition. She stood, breathless, as the others crowded around her with worried expressions on their face.

"Are you okay, Pheebes?" Piper asked.

Phoebe nodded, silently.

"What did you see?" Paige asked.

"I saw-" Suddenly, Phoebe remembered that Robert was still there. She looked into his concerned face, and wondered how a warlock could be such a great actor.

Piper noticed Phoebe looking at Robert. "Phoebe, it's okay. You can say it in front of Robert."

Robert nodded his head. "Yes, we're all going to be one happy family, after all."

Phoebe wasn't reassured at this remark, but she had to say something. "I saw a demon. He was, uh, killing this witch."

"Where?" Paige asked.

"In the alleyway behind P3."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Paige questioned. "Let's go."

"Robert, would you like to come with us?" Piper asked him.

Paige stared at Piper. "Are you kidding me?"

"Why not? He should see what we do on a regular basis so he gets used to it, right?"

"Right," Phoebe agreed.

"Phoebe!" Paige exclaimed, shocked.

"Piper's right. Robert should go with us and see what we do." It will also help to keep an eye on him, Phoebe added silently.

However, Robert shook his head. "I'm sorry, baby. I can't. I have to be at work in an hour." He grinned childishly. "Rain check?"

Piper stared at Robert when he said those words.

"What?" he asked.

Piper shook her head, trying to clear it. "Nothing. Just those words… Just déjà vu. Nothing to worry about." She kissed him. "Go to your job. It's okay."

Robert smiled. "You're a doll. I'll see you all later." He started to head out when he turned around and said, "Remember to eat those chocolates, everyone."

Phoebe and Paige didn't reply, but Piper smiled and responded with, "Okay."

When Phoebe was sure that Robert was gone, she turned to her sisters. "Okay, I need to tell you what I really saw in my vision."

"What?" Paige inquired.

"I think the demon that I saw kill that girl was, um," Phoebe swallowed hard, "Robert."

Piper's expression stiffened as she heard that. "You saw him kill that girl?"

"Well, no," Phoebe admitted. "I didn't actually see who threw the fireball. But he was the only other person there so…"

"How could you not see who threw the fireball?" Paige asked.

"I don't know. It was like I was… peeking around the corner of P3. I could only see so much."

"So," Piper started, slowly, "you think that Robert killed that woman yet you have no proof that he did."

"Piper, he was standing right there!"

"So? How do we know that he wasn't just like leaving P3 or something?"

"Piper," Paige said.

"What?!" Piper was getting angry now. "You are accusing my fiancée of killing somebody! You just expect me to take your word? Especially when you both have been acting pretty weird lately and not all that friendly to Robert."

"It's not like you've never dated a warlock before, Piper," Phoebe commented.

"So, now everytime I have a new boyfriend, you're going to assume he's a warlock?"

"Of course not, Piper. Why would I lie? Why would I want to hurt you?"

"You have before," was all that Piper would say.

Phoebe didn't reply to that. She was hurt that Piper would think that about her, but deep inside of her she knew a little part of that statement was true.

Paige looked back and forth between her sisters, unsure of what to say.

"Look," Piper began, "you had a premonition that we need to go stop now so I can prove you wrong. Okay?" Without waiting for an answer, Piper headed to the front door.

"Piper-" Phoebe began.

"Don't." Piper sighed. "Just don't." She headed towards the front door, Paige following her. After a moment, Phoebe followed, also.

Chris orbed into the alleyway behind P3. He checked his watch, impatiently. He seemed to be waiting for someone.

Just then, Robert shimmered in.

"About time," Chris snapped.

"Sorry," Robert apologized. "I was at the house a little longer than I intended."

"How's everything going so far?"

"Let's put it this way: Piper's already deciding where we're going for our honeymoon."

Chris looked satisfied. "Good. What about Phoebe and Paige?"

"I'm taking care of that," Robert replied.

"Well, report back to me at the same time tomorrow." Chris began to orb out, but Robert stopped him.

"Chris, if you don't mind me asking, what is all this going to do for you?"

He smiled. "I have my reasons for doing this. You'll find out soon enough."

Suddenly, a young woman rounded the corner of P3. She stopped abruptly as she saw Chris and Robert standing there.

"Oh, I'm sorry." She looked closer at Robert's face. "Hey, didn't I see you at that restaurant yesterday night? You were with Piper Halliwell."

Chris and Robert looked at each other for a moment. Suddenly, Chris formed a fireball and threw it at the woman. She immediately incinerated into dust.

Chris turned back to Robert. "Couldn't have yours and mine's little meeting getting back to Piper, could we? Who knows what trouble it could cause?"

"You read my mind," Robert responded.

END OF ACT III