SIX

"Stanley," said Phoebe, "What's going on?"

"I didn't want it to be like this," said Stanley. "Those pills should have caused a miscarriage. When they didn't I figured the gas would. Now I don't have any choice.

"Piper, I'm sorry, I didn't want you to get hurt. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. This should have been so easy. But now I have to do it the hard way."

"Stanley," said Leo, taking a step toward him," why don't you put the gun down? We can talk about this."

"Don't," said Stanley, pointing the gun at Leo. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to."

"Stanley," said Piper, "tell us what this is about. Maybe we can help."

"You can't," said Stanley. "No one can but me. I don't want to do this but I don't have a choice."

"Stanley listen," began Phoebe.

Suddenly she stiffened and closed her eyes. She watched as a premonition showed Darryl breaking through the front door. Stanley turned and Darryl, seeing the gun, shot Stanley three time in the chest.

"Darryl's outside the front door," said Phoebe.

Stanley involuntarily turned and looked at the front door.

"Gun," said Paige holding up her hand.

The gun orbed out of Stanley's hand and appeared in Paige's hand. She turned and stuck the pistol in a drawer behind her.

"What the?" stammered Stanley, "How... how did you do that?"

Suddenly the front door burst open and Darryl stepped inside. He pointed his pistol at Stanley.

"San Francisco Police Department," announced Darryl. "Don't move."

Stanley turned toward Darryl.

"No," screamed Phoebe, holding up her hands. "Its okay. He's a friend."

Darryl looked at Stanley, then at Phoebe. After a minute, he put his pistol away."

:"But I thought," began Darryl, confused. "I just stopped in to see how Piper was doing. I saw him through the front room window. I could have sworn he was holding a gun on you."

"Gun?" asked Phoebe innocently, "I don't see a gun. Anyone see a gun?"

'Oh, uh, it was probably this," said Piper, holding up the teakettle in her hand. "Stanley, uh, got it out of the living room for me. Must have been a trick of the light."

"A trick of the light?" questioned Darryl.

"Yeah sure," said Leo. "A strange reflection or something."

"Okay," said Darryl, "I guess that's possible. Sorry about the front door."

"Not a problem," said Piper, 'Leo can fix that easily."

"Oh yeah," said Leo, "Piece of cake."

"Just a trick of the light?" questioned Darryl.

"What else?" asked Paige, "Do you see a gun?"

"No," said Darryl.

"Well there you go," said Paige

"Well, it seems you're okay," said Darryl.

"We're fine," said Piper. "We were just about to sit down to dinner. Want to join us?"

"Can't", said Darryl. "I'm still on duty. I was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by for a minute."

"Rain check, then," said Phoebe.

"Yeah okay," said Darryl confused.

"I don't understand," said Stanley after Darryl had left. "Why didn't you turn me in?"

"Tell you what," said Phoebe, taking Stanley's arm, "let's go into the living room and you can tell us what's going on. And why you're trying to hurt Piper's baby."