Author's Note: Instead of Detective Morris it should have read Inspector Morris.
"Is Paige still in the attic?" asked Piper as she cradled Chris in her arms in the living room. Phoebe sat down next Wyatt and started to play with him absently.
"Yeah, she is. I've never seen her act like this before.
"Well, you haven't known her for a long time." A familiar female voice said in Phoebe and Pipers' head. They both looked at each other and asked at the same time, "Did you just hear that?"
The both of them could feel a presence leaving their minds which prompted both of them to shout "Leo! Leo!"
"What's wrong?" he asked after he had orbed in.
"We just got a visit from Paige's friend, and she talked to us in our minds. Is there something you didn't tell us?" asked Piper as she looked at her husband.
"I've told you everything I was told. I……."
He was interrupted by Paige running into the room carrying the Book of Shadows and the athame. She sat down and placed the book and athame in her lap.
"This athame is part of a collection that was made for a Warlock named Itzal. It appears what Mercedes said is true."
"See, I told you so. All I'm asking is for you to trust me as a sister Witch, that's all," said a voice in Piper and Phoebe's head. Both them of them rolled their eyes at what Mercedes said.
Paige looked at Piper and Phoebe with concern and asked "Is everything okay?"
"Your friend keeps talking to us in our heads, and it's really starting to get annoying," replied Phoebe.
"I'm sorry about that but it's the only way I can talk with you without you seeing me," Mercedes replied.
Paige gave a tiny smile and turned back to the Book of Shadows.
"Okay, it says here the only way to defeat him is to drain him of all the powers he's acquired by stabbing him in the stomach with one of his athames. That doesn't sound so hard."
"You're going to need my help if you're going to go up against him. Itzal is well protected by other Warlocks and Demons in his employment," said Mercedes in Piper, Phoebe and Paige's heads.
"I don't think……….." Phoebe started to say.
"Many Witches have lost their lives by underestimating Itzal and I don't think you want to lose your lives by doing that? Who will raise Wyatt and Chris?" pointed out Mercedes.
"Okay, that's it. Mercedes, I want you to show yourself!" yelled Piper.
Itzal looked at three Witches standing before him and wondered what he was going to do with the bodies. He sensed that someone was in the room and carefully reached for his athames. He whispered a spell and blinked into the darkness leaving a replica of him standing in front of the Witches. He saw that it was Layla who had entered his chamber. He dispersed the replica and said "Layla, my dear, what brings you here? Is something the matter?"
Layla turned toward the voice and replied "I need a body, Itzal. And it appears you have some. So how about a trade?"
"What would I get for letting you have a body?" asked Itzal as he came from the shadows.
Layla paused to think before saying "You can have my daughter's powers."
Itzal looked interested and asked "What kind of powers does she have?"
"She is a telepath and an empath. Plus she has abilities of a Darklighter."
"That does seem interesting but I feel that I do not need those powers."
"You can kill a Witch's Whiteligher," pointed out Layla desperately.
"That is true but………"
"If you kill the Whitelighter then all their charges will become vulnerable," interrupted a desperate Layla.
"I see where you are going, Layla. You truly have a devious mind, my dear. I think we have a deal," replied Itzal with an evil smile.
Inspector Morris sighed as he read the note that was just handed to him.
"Will I ever get away from the designation of being in charge for the freaky cases?" he thought glumly. He looked up as he heard footsteps approaching his office. Standing in the doorway was Inspector Sheridan with her arms crossed.
"Is there something I can help you with?" asked Daryl impatiently.
She walked in and placed a folder on his desk. He looked at the folder and back at Inspector Sheridan.
"I think you should take a look at that file, Morris. It has some pretty interesting information about the witness to the suicide at the Bay Street Inn."
Daryl opened the file and looked at Sheridan.
"Well," he said.
Sheridan sighed and said "Mercedes Sullivan has been a witness at several of your unsolved cases. Just like the Halliwells."
Daryl looked at Sheridan skeptically.
"Here look at this," said Sheridan as she placed a piece of paper next to the one in the folder. Daryl noticed that Sheridan was right, but he didn't know what to do.
"Sullivan has got to have some sort of connection with the Halliwells."
Daryl raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"Look, they both appear as witnesses at so many of the freaky cases, Morris. They've got to have a connection that you've never explored," said a triumphant Sheridan.
"Your mother had better come back soon, Thaddus, or ………"
"Or you would do what to the person who has a new body for you?" asked a voice in the shadows.
"Well, Layla, I'm very surprised that you kept your end of the bargain," replied Har as she glided toward Layla. She stopped when a body appeared in front of Layla. She looked at and smiled at Layla.
"Now, this is good body, Layla," said Har as looked over the body carefully ", but what's the catch?"
"The only catch is you help whenever I need it. That's all Har."
Har looked at the body and then at Layla, and said "It's a deal, Layla. But remember you don't own my soul."
"I'll remember that Har," replied Layla with a false smile.
After Layla prepared the body for occupation, Har took possession of the body. She got up and looked at her hands and feet with a playful grin.
"Oh, I just love it. Thank you Layla and now I have show Devlin."
The naked woman disappeared in a blink of an eye.
"Well, Mother where's mine?" asked Thaddus.
"I haven't been able to find one for you, Sweetie. I promise I'll get you one soon. I just have to find the perfect one," she replied weakly.
Thaddus glared at his mother and said "I'm running out of patience Mother, and besides I can feel Death closing in on me. I know you don't want to lose your only son."
Layla narrowed her eyes at her son, but said sweetly "I'll do the best I can, oh apple of my eye."
After which she left to continue her search.