Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed or any of the characters. Any resemblance in the plot is purely coincidental.

Chapter Three

"Are you blaming this on me?" Piper screamed at her sister.

"What?" Phoebe asked incredulously.

"Do you think this is my fault?" Piper angrily rephrased her question.

"I was being sarcastic Piper. You're overreacting."

"Oh, I'm overreacting?" Piper took a step towards her sister.

Phoebe stood up to look her sister in the eye.

"Yes, I think you are."

Piper was angered by these words. She wanted to walk out of the attic but she found herself glued to the floor. She couldn't move but she was shaking. Her face was heating up – probably because of the rage she's feeling right now.

Phoebe had to take a few steps back for she found herself channeling her sister's fury. She didn't understand why her sister was being so sensitive. Her sarcasm never drove Piper up the wall before.

Paige was feeling uncomfortable. She noticed Piper trembling with anger. She was sure that if ever they weren't in a magic-free world, several things have already blown up.

"How could you be blaming me this on me?" Piper asked slowly.

"I'm not!" Phoebe defended herself. "I was simply voicing out a sarcastic comment!"

"I didn't sound so sarcastic to me."

Phoebe was getting frustrated. She wanted to shake Piper back to her senses but she was afraid to approach her in fear of her life. Piper could very well rip her head off if given the chance. That was of course, sarcastic but she didn't dare to say it out loud. Piper might take it the wrong way – which she surely will.

Admittedly, both 'sarcastic' remarks were half-meant. She just didn't anticipate Piper to get offended.

Paige took the opportunity to fix this heated misunderstanding.

"Everyone just calm down," Paige said in a bossy way. "We can use camaraderie in a time like this. We definitely do not need your petty arguments."

Neither Phoebe nor Piper was backing down.

"For us to get through this we have to work together. You know the Power of Three can overcome anything."

"I hate to break it to you Paige but this time, there is no Power of Three." Piper said coldly.

Paige's smile turned upside down at her sister's reply. She was trying to uphold a pleasant atmosphere but her sister's aren't helping her at all.

None of them can be grateful enough for the distraction that followed. Wyatt's cry echoed throughout the manor. Piper ran down the stairs straight into the nursery. She picked up her distraught son and tried to comfort him. Paige and Phoebe immediately followed and stopped just outside the room.

Piper was still shushing Wyatt when Paige asked softly, "Wyatt exists?"

"Yeah I guess," Phoebe answered. "But how can that happen if there is no Leo?"

Wyatt began to calm down in his mother's arms.

"Unless…"

The sisters heard the front doors open then close. They looked at each other before exiting the room and descending the stairs. What they saw answered the question that is in Piper's arms.

"Hey, what are you still doing up? It's two thirty in the morning."

Obviously, Leo existed.

The sisters found themselves seated around the dining table with mugs of hot chocolate in their hands. Again, they were engulfed in silence.

Leo had taken the surly Wyatt from Piper's arms and offered to put him to sleep. He had definitely noticed strangeness in the sisters' actions. He had shrugged it off and climbed the stairs. That was when Piper decided to make hot chocolate. They could use some sort of comfort right about now. Today just wasn't a good day.

Phoebe tore her eyes from the steaming mug of beverage. She looked up and saw Paige rubbing her temples. Her headache just wouldn't fade away. How could it when she's practically sleepless and was torn between her disagreeing sisters.

"Paige, honey, I'm sorry." Phoebe sighed.

Paige started. "For what?"

"For everything that's happened today."

"It wasn't your fault Phoebe." Paige comforted.

Piper decided to join the conversation. "No, it was ours."

"Yeah, we should've just settled things peacefully. Sorry Piper."

"Right back at you."

Any other day Phoebe would've demanded a more sincere apology but the fact that Piper has been on the edge lately, she knew it would be best to just take it. She took a sip of hot chocolate to prevent herself from voicing out another clever statement.

Paige stared at her sisters. Now they realize this? Where was this a few hours ago? Nonetheless, her sisters have finally patched things up. A good start. Then she heard footsteps coming down from the stairs. Just as she turned her head to see who was coming, Leo was already making himself comfortable beside her.

"So, what are you guys doing up?" Leo asked them.

The sisters looked at each other. Each one of them was willing the other to make up a reasonable excuse.

"Wyatt kept us up all night," Phoebe lied. "We haven't been able to sleep since."

"He kept all of you up?" Leo was skeptical.

"Yeah…he was screaming bloody murder."

"Why weren't you able to calm him down? What was keeping him up?" Leo helped himself to a cup of hot chocolate.

"He was looking for you," Piper answered. "I tried to put him back to sleep but he wouldn't. I guess he really misses you now that you have to work so late."

Leo stared at his swirling cup of hot chocolate looking guilty.

Piper decided to comfort him. "But I do understand the situation. I know you're doing this for us. Your profession is demanding and requires a great deal of dedication. I don't blame you for having additional responsibilities."

Leo smiled in gratitude. He was somehow reassured by Piper's words. He tried to fight the fatigue slowly taking over his body. He was failing miserably. Piper, of course, took notice.

"Why don't you rest you look tired."

"I guess I should. Come with me?"

"No, I'm fine. I don't think I'll be able to go back to sleep anyway."

Leo slowly made his way upstairs checking up on Wyatt before finally going to bed himself.

"How did you know what to say?" Paige asked incredulously.

"Huh? Oh I just analyzed the facts…" Piper answered nonchalantly.

"What facts?" Phoebe joined the interrogation.

"The facts that he just came home obviously from work and he was involved in medicine in his past life therefore he must be a doctor having a huge responsibility of saving people's lives. I just incorporated Wyatt missing him. It seemed fitting."

Paige and Phoebe could only stare at their sister's brilliance.

A few minutes of peaceful silence went by. The sisters were still internalizing the days' events. Still trying to make sense of the string of occurrences that took place the past few hours.

The sisters tried to take their minds off the current issue by doing other things to keep them busy. Piper decided to do what she does best – spend some time in the kitchen and whip up some new recipe. Phoebe continued her advice column. Apparently, her job is still as hectic as before, meaning she has the same deadlines to meet. Paige locked herself in the attic still obsessed with the problem the Charmed Ones are currently facing. She made up some rhymes to try and revive the Book of Shadows, formulated some potions that could possibly send them back to their own world. To her surprise – and luck – the potion ingredients still existed though she didn't know why. Probably for the same reason the Book of Shadows was still on its podium.

Piper had baked enough cookies to last Wyatt a few weeks; Phoebe had gone through a handful of letters, wrote her advice column and sent the final draft for printing; and Paige had given up on trying to solve their predicament before they all reconvened in the living room. The sun was up in the clear sky exhibiting such happiness any of the sister's would have envied.

"It isn't that bad, is it?" Piper asked her sisters.

"What isn't really that bad?" Paige questioned.

"The fact that we're stuck in a non-magical word having normal lives," she paused trying to sort her thoughts. "I mean, we've got all we ever wanted. A life without demons, a life solely for our careers and our family."

"This may be what you've always wanted but what about me?" Paige was obviously hurt by Piper's opinion. "You two have stable careers and Piper has a family to look after but I have none of that."

Piper and Phoebe sat silently not knowing how to respond. Phoebe tucked her knees to her chest. She didn't know what to think. Is magic that important to her? It was a part of her life – six years of her life in fact. But she always wanted a happy life – one without constant demon attacks and magical encounters. She always wanted a perfectly romantic life – one she thought she had with Jason. She settled on listening to Paige and Piper's conversation to clear her thoughts.

"Is this what you really want? You spent six years of your life protecting innocents through magic. Surely that meant something."

"Six years is enough. We've saved enough innocents to guarantee us a spot in heaven. Magic has taken so much from us."

"Magic has given so much to us as well. Magic gave you Leo and Wyatt, magic gave me you."

"But look around," Piper stood from her chair. "We still got those things."

Paige stood too. "So you're content with letting innocents die?"

"There aren't any demons to kill them!"

"But magic is a responsibility fate has given us. You can't just throw it away."

"Fate had always been unfair." Piper said bitterly.

Paige knew she wasn't about to win this one. Piper was the one who was fed up with magic the longest. She had come up with enough reasons. Paige sat back down. It was Phoebe's turn to speak. She had made up her mind.

"I think we should do something to fix this. I want my magic back."

Paige beamed at her older sister. Phoebe was taking her side. Piper, on the other hand, looked incredulous.

"What?"

"Magic played a big part of my life. Hell, magic is my life. I'm not willing to let it go. We've been through this before. We had an opportunity to give up our powers but we didn't."

"That was over a year ago, Phoebe. Things change."

"Not everything. I know how much exhilaration there is in vanquishing demons and saving people's lives. It's rewarding."

"You know how much pain there is in losing an innocent and the 'normal' part of our lives. It's tiring."

"Yes I know, but I also know the exhilaration is worth much more than the pain. In the end, the feeling of doing something good overcomes the pain it comes with. Without magic life is dull and boring. I live for the adventure and the excitement I know you do too."

Piper fell silent. A part of her knew Phoebe was right. She wanted the thrill she feels when dealing with demons. It's the force that motivates her to live. Right now, it's the force that motivates her to repair the situation.

"All right," Piper sighed. "Let's get our magic back."

Paige and Phoebe smiled at Piper's new found perspective. There's time to rejoice later but now, they have more serious things to deal with.

Piper dropped Wyatt off at Sheila's. The sisters decided to drive their way to P3. Albeit there wasn't much of a choice since orbing was not an option. They figured P3 would be a private place to talk and Piper had to catch up on her business.

The three sisters descended the stairs one after the other Piper leading, followed by Paige and trailed by Phoebe.

"It looks pretty much the same." Paige commented.

"Yeah, I guess business is still good." Piper agreed.

Paige and Phoebe walked toward the bar and sat on a couple of chairs. Piper made her way inside the bar standing opposite her sisters. She put her elbows on the table and looked around.

"Looks like everything's in order. So let's talk."

Just when they were about to venture into their "magical" conversation, someone entered though the back door. Piper whipped around to see who it was.

"Jerry," Piper exhaled a breath of relief. "What are you doing here?"

Jerry himself was surprised to see them. "I work here remember?"

"Yeah, but it's," Piper looked at her watch. "Eight-thirty in the morning."

"Well, I like things done early and ahead of schedule."

Piper had to smile at Jerry's diligence. "Did you just get in?"

"Nah, I've been here for about an hour."

Piper cocked an eyebrow. "Really? I'm impressed."

"Yeah well, it's always nice to impress the boss." Jerry grinned.

Paige and Phoebe snickered in the background.

Piper glared at her sisters then turned to face Jerry. "If you don't mind, could we have just a couple of minutes of privacy?"

"Uh, sure, I'd be in the back."

"Thanks."

"So much for P3 being a private place to talk." Paige said.

"I told you, I wanted to see how my business is doing."

"Well, we can't talk here now. What if Jerry walks in on us?"

"Didn't you hear him? He'd be in the back."

"I'm pretty sure it's safe to talk Paige." Phoebe comforted.

Just when Paige was about to be convinced, another person walked in from the back door. This one was struggling to carry three cases of beer. The fact that he couldn't see anything didn't help him much.

"Hey, Jerry, where did you want this?" a strangely familiar voice asked from behind the beer cases.

"Jerry's in the back. You should be too." Piper stated.

The man didn't reply. He was probably wondering who he as talking too.

"Here let me help you with that." Phoebe offered.

"Oh, no I got it thanks." But Phoebe already grabbed a case revealing the guy's face.

The sisters did not expect what they saw. Piper's hand flew to her mouth, Paige almost fell off her seat and Phoebe was so surprised she dropped the beer case to floor. The bottles exploded as they hit the floor allowing the bubbly beverage to spill.

They would have recognized those brown hair and green eyes anywhere.