The Book of Shadows flipped open to a blank page beneath Prue's fingers. She looked down, her brow furrowed, and growled. A blank page did'nt help. She rifled through the pages, turning them back until she found a spell that the sisters had used previously to call up the spirits of their past. Again, just as Phoebe and Piper walked into the attic, the book turned itself to the blank page. This time, however, there was a title. "Communicating with the Dead (non-relatives)."

Prue looked upward and sighed. "I get the point, Grams." She groaned, then looked down at the page. She felt her sisters come to stand on either side of her, and said, "I think we're supposed to make up one of our own."

"Well, if that's just not the end all be all of uselessness." Phoebe rolled her eyes as she thumbed through a couple of pages. "I think we should take this book back. It's defective. Do we still have the receipt?"

"I think Melinda threw it away after she got it," Piper said to her with a smirk. "We're stuck with it."

"And I guess we're supposed to write our little spell in here when we're done, huh?"

"That's usually how it goes. Remember, I'm rejectin' your deflection? I think that's still in there somewhere."

Phoebe growled low in her throat. "Don't remind me. I still can't believe how bad that turned out."

"Hey! It worked. Even if you walked around talking in country-toned rhyme for a couple of weeks after."

"That was so annoying!"

As Phoebe and Piper went back and forth, Prue had already begun scribbling on a small notepad beside the Book of Shadows. She wrote and scratched out a number of lines before finally finding something that felt right. She looked up and said, "Okay, trip down memory lane... later. I've got the spell."

"Go, Super Witch." Phoebe grinned. Prue gave her a somewhat withering glance and she shrugged. "Just trying to lighten the mood."

Prue sighed and began to gather candles and crystals. As she laid them out in order, Piper followed her with a gas lighter, sparking the wicks of each candle. With everything lit, the three took seats around the glowing circle of white light. They concentrated, and as they settled into a serene state, all three could feel the power starting to rise from them and gather around the circle, waiting to be directed.

Prue took in a deep breath and turned her eyes down to her spell. She knew she had to hurry if she wanted to get it done before Leo showed back up with a very unclear message from the Elders that just told them that there was something wrong. Yet, staring down at the words, she almost thought that she wouldn't be able to say them. As many times as she'd wished that she could have one more time to talk to Andy, she didn't know if she would be able to look at his eyes, see him standing in front of her, nearly transparent, and untouchable.

"Prue..." She looked to Piper. "If you want this done before Leo comes..."

"I know. I know." She took in a deep breath and slowly started the spell.

"A message to pass through death and time

A warning from across the thin white line

A message sought so it we may heed

Bring forth our guardian for us to see."

Air began to swirl through the attic, thick with power. As the wind picked up, the trio moved back from the circle, watching as the candle flames flickered, the crystals started to glow. Their hair whipped into their faces and they could feel the formation of something solid, yet still somewhat unsure. They could sense a presence in the room and it was familiar to them all.

"A message sought so it we may heed

Bring forth our guardian for us to see!"

At Prue's prompting, Phoebe and Piper began to chant the last two lines until their voices were harmonized and just barely audible over the howling winds. A surge of power went through the room and they were shoved backwards. The trio fell into a heap, but quickly regained their footing and stood firm, clasping each other's hands. Something was trying to stop the spell from working, trying to interfere.

Still holding tightly to her sisters' hands, Prue stepped forward. The words that came from her mouth were not her own, and were not in her voice. The replies shooting back at her fell out of the air, eminating from the swirling cloud that tried to form.

"Even in this, we have rules. You can not interfere."

"And neither can you, Witch!"

"I have done nothing. Stand down!"

"What can a long dead witch do to hurt me?" There was the sound of laughter, amusement at a game thought to be won.

"Don't count your chickens, honey." Prue's hands released from her sisters and her arms shot forward. A spark jumped from her fingertips, and as it connected with the swirl, a howl echoed that, from the inside, shook the foundations of the manor, though was invisible to the outside world. Prue stood up straight as the wind began to die down and the formation started again. She put her hands to her hair, then ran them lightly down the front of her shirt. "Messy business, girl. Continue." Though still holding consciousness, Prue slumped and her sisters rushed forward. They helped her stand slowly and she shook her head. "What was that?"

"That, Prue, was the Source. Bothersome, don't ya think?"

The Halliwell Witches turned slowly to the voice. They blinked, almost in synchronicity, then shook their heads. Piper took a step forward, then quickly took a step back. She blinked again, then looked at Phoebe. The youngest Charmed One merely shrugged and shook her head, staring at the man before them.

Former Detective Andy Trudeau stood before them, adjusting the brown tie that hung around his neck. The right corner of his mouth was turned up in a smirk as he pulled the knot tight, then rolled his eyes as he stuck his index finger in between tie and shirt and pulled. "I never did like these things. You know, that grandmother of yours is one pushy broad."

"I heard that," a voice said, floating through the room.

Andy merely rolled his eyes. "My gig, remember?" He shook his head and sighed. "I'd almost forgotten how she could get. I think she forgot that I grew up." He looked out from the circle to the staring sisters and twisted his face in a mix of frustration and confusion. "I have never known any of you to be that quiet, especially you, Phoebe."

"Hey!" Phoebe stood up straight. "I am not a loud mouth."

"Didn't say you were. Just that you liked to talk." He smirked, then turned his head. "Piper. How's married life treating you. Now that you finally made it."

"It's... fine..." She hesitated, still somewhat in shock. She had talked to dead people before, one of which included her own mother, but she had believed all along when the others had shown up. Until she actually felt the presence forming, she had still been convinced that Prue had been conjuring ideas and dreams in her sorrow.

"Good. Ya know, it's just too bad Leo wasn't around when I died, huh? But then, I wouldn't be here now so maybe it's good that he didn't." He shrugged, then finally turned to look at Prue. She was still staring at him with wide eyes. She had stood up straight, pulling apart from her sisters and taken a step forward, but only the one. "Hello, Prue."

She blinked. "Andy." She didn't know what to say. All of the things she wanted to tell him or ask him were jumbled in her head, spinning around faster than the fragments of his form had earlier. When she finally spoke again, she said the first thing to fall out of her mouth. "You're whole."

"Well, I miss you, too," he said with a chuckle.

"No. I mean, I miss you, but..." She walked forward again and instinctively reached out. Her fingers touched the barrier made by the crystals and candles and a slight spark zapped her fingertips. She pulled her hand back. "You're whole. I mean... the others were transparent."

"Oh, that." He shrugged. "I have no idea. I just came up this way." He looked down around him, then back up and said, "If you'd move a crystal or two, maybe a candle, I could get out."

Phoebe was the first to move and quickly made a small opening, clutching the crystals in her hands. She stepped back, then the three watched as Andy made his way out of the circle, tugging at his tie again. "A little less formal next time, huh, Prue? Then I won't have the tie."

"I always liked the tie," she said softly, stepping towards him.

"You would."

Prue reached out to touch him, but for as solid as he looked, her hand still fell through. His body rippled as her hand and wrist passed through him, then straightened back out. Andy reached out towards her and his hand passed through her arm. Prue shivered and let out a large sigh, her body trembling with the exhalation.

Piper cleared her throat, and both the witch and the ghost turned towards her. "I hate to break up this happy reunion, but... You said that was the Source?"

"Yup."

"The Source of what?"

"All evil... what else?"

"Oh, right." She rolled her eyes. "The Source of all evil. What else could it possibly be."

"Sarcasm always was your strong suit."

"Uh huh. Why is the Source trying to stop you from coming to see us?"

"Because if I tell you what you need to know, then he doesn't get to come out and play."

"Again with the condescending tone. It's very unbecoming, Andy."

"Excuse me," Phoebe interjected, stepping forward. "I have always loved the witty banter. Missed it, too. Darryl just isn't up to it the way you were. And he's just great, though we're slowly driving him insane, by the way. But what's this about Cole being Balthazar? I'd hate to think that my boyfriend is a demon sent to murder us. 'Cause that would just completely suck."

"Get used to it, Phoebs," Andy told her with a shrug. "It's the truth."

"Yeah, but there's a catch, right? I mean, he's had more than one chance to get rid of us and he hasn't done it, yet. So, there's a catch, right?"

"He's half-human."

"And again, the catch would be?"

"I'm getting to that. Damn, but you're impatient."

"I'm the baby of the family. It comes with the territory."

"Uh huh." He shook his head and tugged on the tie again. Andy's head turned to Prue, who still stood staring at him. "So quiet. You called me, now you have nothing to say?"

"I tried to save you. I told you to stay away."

"And did you really think I'd be able to do that?"

"I thought you'd listen for once."

"You know me better than that, Prue."

"Yeah... I guess, I do."

They stood silently, again, staring at one another. Prue started to reach out again, but restrained herself, forcing her arm at her side. Phoebe and Piper looked between the two, waiting for something to be said, then finally looked at each other. They mentally played rock/paper/scissors, and somehow, Piper knew she had won. With a sigh, she stepped forward, putting herself between Andy and Prue. Her shoulder touched him and she trembled slightly at the warmth that passed through her, then stepped to the side.

"Okay, so you two obviously have a lot to talk about. Great. Wonderful. But there are things we need to know. First... how long are you here?"

Andy blinked, something Piper wasn't altogether sure that the dead needed to do, then looked at Piper. "Because of the way the spell was worded, I'm here until you don't need me anymore."

"And that means?"

"I'm here until the end. Prue said guardian, which means I'm not allowed to leave until my task is done. If she'd have said messanger, then I'd be out of here once I said my piece."

"So, we've basically got you for a while."

"Pretty much."

"Okay, so that means you and Prue can talk later. Right now, it's time to get down to business. What's this thing about death and destruction?"

"And..." Phoebe tilted her head in encouragement as Piper whipped her neck to look at her.

Piper sighed. "And, what's with this whole Cole as Balthazar thing. Happy?" Phoebe nodded and Piper rolled her eyes. "Good. Now, come on, Andy. Get to explaining. You were never one to beat around the bush so don't start now."

Finally coming out of her semi-trance, Prue shook herself, then nodded. "Piper's right. We have things to do, business to discuss, and I get the feeling that if we don't at least get started, Grams is gonna start screaming in my head. So, we talk later and for now... Andy, tell us just what's going on, because as much as we all miss you, I don't think any of us are ready to die."