"Darryl, hi. Did you get the results on the girl?"
"Yes I did, that's what I called to talk to you about. It seems that she has been missing for quite some time."
"So she is human?"
"I can't rightly say that. She does have a record in our files, but that does not by far mean that she isn't some whacked out demon creature." Piper felt a great weight life off her shoulders, and yet they still seemed held down. "Anyway, it seems she had a long history and not a very pleasant one either. If you want I can run down to your house and deliver the file for you. It might be easier then me reciting it to you over AT&T."
"Sure, that would be great Daryl. Thank you so much." Piper put down the phone and looked over to the rest of the family, who were waiting apprehensively for the verdict. Piper gave it to them. "She is human, as far as we all know. She has a record and Daryl is coming right now to bring it over to us so we can look it over."
"Okay. That sounds good. I'm going to try to look for some more information on her. I'll be upstairs if anybody..." Before Phoebe could finish her thoughts her cell phone began to ring. She stopped, puzzled; who was calling her? She pulled her cell phone out of her back pocket, and looking at the name on the caller ID, her eyes lit up with surprise and sudden recognition. She looked back up her, her eyes widening impossibly.
"It's Elise! I had a function at the Great Hall downtown. I was supposed to give a speech", she glanced at her watch, "about an hour ago. I'm in so much trouble!"
Phoebe flipped the lid to her phone as her message began to play. "Hello? Hi Elise. Yes I know I missed the function. Well, now? I don't know I kind of have some thing going on around home. Family problems. Yes I was to keep my job. Well no, my house isn't far from The Family Park. You brought everybody there? Um... yeah I'll be there." Phoebe's face showed defeat, and she hung up the phone miserably. "Sorry, I have to go." Phoebe exited the kitchen and grabbed her coat at the front door. As she stepped out she heard Paige call.
"Wait! Don't forget the potion. Celebrian might be there. I mean, she is human, and even though she won't attack you in the open, she may be searching for information on us in order to get our powers, it wouldn't be the first time."
"She already has our powers", Phoebe contradicted, slipping the potion into her purse. "Thank's though. I'll see you later. Call me if anything comes up." Phoebe flew down the steps and into her mini. Thirty seconds later she was speeding down the road, and Paige watched her as she turned sharply at the first turn. Paige sighed and shook her head. She walked back into the kitchen, where she found Piper, once more on the computer.
"What are you hoping to find Piper? Darryl's coming over to bring you all the information. What are you looking for?" She walked over to the computer and leaned over Piper's shoulder. She had a page open to an article titled Alyssa Goodman. Underneath the name was a picture of a woman, perhaps in her fifties, who possessed the startling features of Celebrian.
"Oh my god. What does it say Piper?"
"Alyssa Goodman died on June 6, 1980 at six o'clock in the morning after giving birth to her daughter Rose. Rose was raised by her father Theodore until she was three years old, when he died of a heart attack due to excessive drinking. Rose was then raised by her Aunt Holly, until she was six, when she mysteriously disappeared. She has not been seen since, and any sighting of her should be reported immediately. She is thought to by most likely dead."
"Wait, 1980? That would make her twenty-four years old! The girl we saw was older than sixteen, I would bet my life on it."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Then she is a demon. There is no other explanation for her not aging for a while. So much for my theory! Oh well, I'll start over. First I have to figure out what exactly I know about her, why she's so afraid of me." She started typing away furiously once more, but before she could get far the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it." Piper stood up, still looking at the computer screen, and back out the door. She walked up to the front door and opened it to reveal a very serious Darryl.
"Hey Darryl, what's up? You have the files?" Piper stepped back to let Darryl in, and he walked into the living room and sat down.
"Why does it feel like I live here?"
"I don't know. If you would stop digging up supernatural cases then maybe that would solve our problem." Piper smiled.
"And let inspector Sheridan take over? No, I think I'll live here, thanks."
"It's settled. May I see the files?" Piper pointed at the large folder resting in Darryl's hand.
"Please." He handed the file to her, and as she began to flip through, she became more and more disbelieving and she feared once more for the life of her son.
Meanwhile Phoebe was busy at the function. She had not written her speech down, so she made it all up while she was on stage, and it had a positive effect on the audience. She was giving a speech on the protection in school in houses in order to better guard the younger generation. While Phoebe was talking she kept thinking about Wyatt, who was kidnapped and out there right now with someone, a powerful someone.
While phoebe was on stage she combed the audience situated on the cut green grass and the brass bold benches for the girl. She couldn't see Celebrian anywhere. After her speech was given she was applauded, and then food and drinks were provided for the listeners. (It was the only way that Elise could get people to come, it worked every year). After her speech had been delivered Elise came up to thank her for making it, and threatening her to not be late again, or else. Or else what? Phoebe decided she would rather not find out.
While Phoebe was drinking Hawaiian punch and lingering with the crowd, she was tapped forcefully on the shoulder. Thinking it was one of her adoring fans she eagerly turned around, a smile wide one her face. As she turned however, it faltered, and then fell altogether. It was Celebrian.
"Hello Phoebe. Nice speech. Why were you late, up all night thinking of me? How sweet."
"Yeah that's it, I dreamed of you."
"Really, all good I hope."
"No, sorry. I dreamed I strangled you to death, and then I stabbed you, shot you, and vanquished you, over and over."
"I'm flattered, that it took so many tries, when did it finally work? I'm sure it did, didn't it. I mean after seventeen tries you should have been able to vanquish me, or was I too powerful for you're week levitation, and puny karate? I bet that's it isn't it, you didn't make it here in time because you were admiring my skill and supremacy."
"I'm in no mood to soothe your Ego, Prue." Phoebe stopped startled. Why had she said Prue? She hadn't spoken her name since two years ago when she died.
"Prue? Who's that, your girlfriend?" The remark stung Phoebe hard, and she flinched, but after she got over the shock of saying her sisters' name, she reached for her purse to dive her hand in. What she discovered was even more shocking. It was gone.
"Looking for this?" Celebrian motioned into the air and it appeared on the table. Phoebe made a grab for it, but the girl moved it telekinetically across the table. This stricked Phoebe odd, for that had been Prue's power. That was twice that she had thought about Prue in two minutes.
"What do you want?" Phoebe was getting annoyed with this girl, who seemed to have no purpose other than cause misery in their family. She hadn't tried to steal their powers, because she already had them. She hadn't tried to get the book, and if she wasn't lying then she did touch it. She didn't want their cooperation in the over throw in the underworld. What did she want?
"I want to be free, and I think that Wyatt can do that for me." Phoebe was shocked, she hadn't expected the girl to come out in the open and tell her what she was trying to do.
"Free from what? A demon, a warlock?" Celebrian hung her head, and Phoebe found herself feeling sorry for the girl. Was she just trying to free herself from something that was keeping her from moving on? She didn't answer. For a while they stood immobile, Celebrian examining the grass, and Phoebe examining her. When she looked up and began to speak she was interrupted by Phoebe's cell phone ringing. '
"May I get that?" Phoebe thought it ironic. She was asking this fifteen year old girl, who had kidnapped her only nephew, if she could answer her phone. Celebrian nodded. Her purse flew back across the table with a flick of the girl's wrist. Phoebe grabbed her phone and thanked good when she saw that it was her sisters.
"Hello?"
"Hey Phoebe... we found out a lot about this girl, and we might know how to get Wyatt back. Darryl brought the files over, and she's really twenty-four, so she's probably a demon, and the potion isn't going to work on her."
"Okay... she's here with me now. We were just having a little chat." Phoebe glared at Celebrian, all pity vaporizing into nothing. She was twenty-four! Wow, looking good. "She has Prue's powers."
Piper faltered. On the other end Phoebe could hear her breathing hard. It was obvious in her reaction that she too had not thought about Prue in quite some time. It was painful, but unavoidable in the current situation, it may be a valuable clue.
"All of them", Piper finally asked.
"I don't know telekinesis. I'm not sure about... the other one."
"Listen; just be careful, because she could be very dangerous. See if you can get her to slip where she's keeping Wyatt. Her name is Rose" Piper hung up before further comment could be made of Prue. Phoebe could be sure that Piper was most likely holding back tears, still stationed at the phone.
Phoebe hung up the phone and looked at Rose. She tried to read her thoughts. Hadn't she performed the spell to read other people's minds? As hard as she tried she could get nothing, and it was the same with her empathy. Celebrian, no Rose, was completely untouchable. Phoebe couldn't help but wonder where she had got the name Celebrian. Rose was such a pretty name.
"Do you live with your parents?"
"They are dead. I know what you're trying to do, and It's not going to work. Wyatt is safe, don't worry about that, but he's not going to be returning to you any time soon. He knows my name now. He calls me R... Celebrian."
"Really? He doesn't call you Rose? Isn't that your real name?" Rose's eyes widened in surprise and then receded. "Piper is a very smart witch. She better watch her back." Rose's eyes flared up with unseen fire, and she disappeared, leaving Phoebe by herself. She looked around and muttered to herself,
"I've got to get home."