FIVE

"Well, there doesn't seem to be any permanent affects from the gas," said Ana. "Piper and the baby are fine. Once she gets some rest she'll be as good as new."

"Thanks Ana," said Leo. "I appreciate all the help. We must be coming pests by now."

"Not at all," said Ana. "That's what I'm here for."

"Leo," said Phoebe, "are you sure this wasn't an accident?"

"Positive," said Leo. "I cleaned and checked the furnace just last week. The only way the pilot could have gone out accidentally, was if a strong gust of wind blew it out. There's no wind in the cellar.

"Also, Piper sleeps with the bedroom window open. She says it helps with the nausea from the morning sickness. When I found her unconscious, the window was closed and locked."

"Leo's right," said Piper. "The fresh air from the open window makes me less nauseous in the morning. Before I laid down for my nap, I made sure the window was open."

"It appears," said Ana, "that someone is out to get your baby."

"Maybe they're after Piper," said Paige. "To break up the Power Of Three."

"I'm not so sure," said Ana.

"What do you mean?" asked Leo.

"The metiamphidioxin Piper's prescription was switched with," said Ana. "Piper wouldn't have been in much danger from it. The only danger was to the baby. And asphyxiation from gas is really not that common. It does happen, but usually someone discovers it in time and the victim is revived. But it could have been a much different story for the baby if Paige hadn't come home when she did."

"Everything seems to point to someone after the baby," said Leo.

"If this wasn't an accident," said Ana, "then the medication getting switched probably wasn't either. I still can't believe Carl Thompson had anything to do with it. Not consciously, anyway. There must be a demon or warlock behind it as you said. Someone who caused him to switch the medicines without realizing it."

"Then we'd better find out who it is and put a stop to them right away," said Phoebe. "If they try enough times, eventually they'll succeed."

"From now on," said Leo, "someone has to be with Piper all the time. She can't be left alone for a minute."

"I'll check around," said Ana. "Maybe I can find someone who's capable of doing this."

"Thanks," said Leo. "It's getting late. I'd better get them home."

Leo orbed the sisters into the kitchen of the Manor. Piper picked up the teakettle to make more tea.

"Well, all we have to do is go through a few hundred demons and warlocks to find out who's doing this," said Paige. "That's sounds like a lot of fun."

"I wonder," said Phoebe.

"What is it honey?" asked Piper.

"Does it really sound like a demon or warlock?" asked Phoebe. "There haven't been any magical attacks. Anyone could have switched the medicines and turned on the gas. It doesn't sound like something a demon or warlock would do."

"They might if they wanted it to look like an accident," said Leo.

"Maybe," said Phoebe. "But if they could get it into the bedroom to close the window while Piper was asleep there, why not use the magic to cause a miscarriage? Or arrange an accident? Like breaking her neck and putting her at the bottom of the stairs to make it look like she fell down the stairs? Why turn on the gas when it's possible that someone might come home and save Piper?"

"You think this might be an innocent?" Paige asked.

Before she could answer, a figure stepped into the doorway from the living room. Stanley Thompson looked at the four, holding a pistol in his shaking hand.

"No one move," he said. "I don't want to hurt anyone I don't have to."