"You're wrong," said Piper deliberately. "There has to be something you can do about it."
"I'm afraid I've done all I can," said Dr. Memphis.
"I understand," said Leo.
"You understand?" asked Paige. "What's there to understand? Your healing power is supposed to be able to cure people. Isn't that why you have it? To heal people?"
"Yes, it is," said Leo. "But I can't change a persons' DNA. That's why I can't make you taller or change the color of your hair or eyes or anything like that. I can only cure injury or illness that isn't part of a persons' DNA code.
"If what the doctor is saying is true, my healing power won't affect it. It's as if this is how her DNA is supposed to be. The best I can do is get rid of anything that this modified DNA doesn't recognize as part of its structure."
"What about you?" Piper insisted of Dr. Memphis. "What kind of silver bullet can you give her that will fix this?"
"I've already told you," said Memphis, "I've done all I can. I know how hard this is to hear, but the best I can do is delay the process."
"I don't accept that," said Piper. "There has to be something we can do to help her. I'm not leaving this room until we find it."
"Piper," began Leo.
"No," said Piper. "I'm not loosing another sister. We're going to stay here and find a cure no matter how long it takes."
"Piper," said Paige, taking her sister by the shoulders, "you know we can't do that. There's nothing you or I can do to help Phoebe. Dr. Memphis and his staff are her best hope. But you and I can do something about that thing downstairs. If we don't stop it, Phoebe is going to have a whole lot of company. Our primary responsibility as Charmed Ones is to stop that demon."
"But," said Piper.
"You've told me that Prue always said the Charmed Ones come first," said Paige. "And since you've come into my life you've taught me the same thing. The Charmed Ones are more important than any person. You know I'm right."
Piper looked at her little sister and wondered how she had grown up so much since they had first met. Usually it was Piper telling the others that the Charmed Ones were more important than any one person. Now, Paige was using her own words against her.
"You know," she said finally, "it's not easy having your own words thrown back in your face." She looked at Dr. Memphis and Marcus. "You'd better find a cure for Phoebe."
"We'll do everything we can," promised Marcus. "You have my word on it."