A/N: Hope this is making sense, I think I'm rushing a little, eager for reviews and all, but I reckon it has a decent plot. My opinion anyway.

'You have to be kidding me!' Phoebe burst out breaking the silence that descended on the group since Paige's little announcement.

'Hang on,' Piper moved over the book flipping the pages. 'It doesn't say anything here.'

Chris moved next to her and turned the page. 'Here. Inner soul of the Mackenbear demon.'

All eyes turned to Piper. 'Oops.'

'What does it say?' Paige asked anxiously.

'The soul can survive separately to the demon itself, even moving out of the body, passing through walls or barriers that may entrap the demon. It has the ability to possess it's victim to the point of destruction.'

'That means Marie's dream could still happen,' Paige realised.

'Yep,' Chris confirmed quietly.

Piper slapped his arm. 'You knew about this?!'

'Future consequences, you know?'

'You'll be lucky to have a future if you don't start telling us things like that.'

'Guys, guys!' Phoebe interrupted the growing argument. 'Inner soul thingy.'

'Okay, okay,' Piper glanced down at the book. 'Apparently it prefers possession of smaller beings such as children.'

Children?! 'You don't think..?'

'Marie,' Piper finished and dashed out of the room, Paige hot on her heels. It seemed to take Chris and Phoebe a minute to catch on but then Paige heard their feet pounding behind her.

Down the attic steps, down the landing steps, down the basement steps.

'Marie!' Paige skidded to a halt as she reached the door, half afraid to go in.

It was Chris who made the move in, swinging open the door to let them see in. Marie was drawing on her bed, at first it seemed she hadn't heard the commotion, the hand was still moving across the page, back and forth, as if in some kind of trance.

Paige made to move forward but Chris held her back, stepping forward himself. Still Marie didn't move.

He managed to get all the way up to her without her hearing him, gingerly he peeked over her shoulder, drawing back quickly.

'Chris, are you sure?'

'Why do you always question me?'

'I don't!' Leo defended.

'Yeah, you do!'

'Hey!' Piper shouted. 'We do actually have a problem here.'

'Alright,' Leo conceded. 'Where's Andy?'

'He isn't answering my call,' Paige shrugged. 'But we've got better things to think about.'

'So the drawing was definitely of the demon?'

'How many more times?!'

'Chris, pipe down.'

'Sorry, mom.'

'Guys! Marie!' Paige burst out angrily.

They all looked suitably abashed, Piper especially. 'Honey, I don't know what to do.'

'I never thought I'd hear you say that.'

'Wait, you sound like you're giving up,' Leo said.

'No way!'

'Right, good. Now orb over to Richard's, find out everything he knows. He's obviously got more on this thing than we have.'

'What about me?' Chris asked.

'Find Andy, we'll need him.'

'This should do it,' Richard passed her an orange potion. 'I started work as soon as you left.'

'God, thank you,' Paige smiled in relief. 'What does it do?'

'Banish the spirit... if it's there.'

'What do you mean, 'if it's there'?'

'That's the problem, Paige,' he explained hesitantly. 'You have to be sure of the possession before you throw it, otherwise it'll kill them.'

'Which evil rat thought of that rule?'

'They're not exactly known for their sense of fairness.'

'I can't vanquish my daughter!'

'Hey,' Richard pulled her into a tight embrace. 'That isn't gonna happen. It's a demonic possession.'

'But what if it isn't? This is what Marie saw, me throwing a potion at her and then it went black! She died.'

'Wait, that could mean anything.'

'Oh, like what?!'

'It's possible the prophet influenced the dream, they have the power to do that.'

'I can't even hold her,' Paige pulled herself shakily away. 'She's in this trance, and I'm the one that did all this to her.'

'She's lucky to have you.'

Paige suppressed a snort. 'You know, I thought I couldn't do any worse than the first time around, leaving her and all, but I think I really outdid myself with this. I mean, what am I really giving her?'

'Love,' he reasoned. 'Her heritage.'

'You had a heritage, look where it got you.'

'Paige, stop looking at all the negatives. You've given Marie a home, a family, there are just some things that are worth it.'

'Like vanquishing your daughter for the greater good?'

'No,' he shook his head. 'That's not one of them.'