A/N: Thanks for the reviews again! I appreciate your thoughts SO much!

Nevair- Don't worry. Bianca will NOT be in this story. She might be mentioned just for her previous history, but she will not be making an appearance. As far the dragon… I guess you'll have to read to find out! LOL

embry- Thanks a lot! Glad you liked it!

Altaira- Oh my God! Warn me before you say something like that next time. I had just taken a drink, and snorted soda up my nose! You are hilarious!

Okay, general consensus on the reviews is that the Elders are a bunch of morons. That is so true!

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"Phoenix witches, phoenix witches… I don't see it here in the book, you guys!" Patience cried out impatiently.

"They're with the entry about Ms. Hellfire. We put all the assassins together." Phoebe called from across the room. She and Paisley were working on a summoning spell for the Phoenix.

"Got it! Phoenix Witches are an evil team of assassins who look and act like humans. They would fit into any crowd, with their only distinguishing mark being a small red bird on their wrists. They work indiscriminately, for good or evil depending on which has a higher payout for a particular job."

"Aunt Phoebe, what are we going to pay them with?" Peyton asked nervously. It was fairly common knowledge that, while the Halliwells were far from poor, they didn't have tons of spare cash lying around.

"Your Aunt Piper is taking care of it, Pey. She's gone to take a small loan out. She should be back any minute." Phoebe answered carefully. In truth, Piper had gone to the bank to put a second mortgage on P3. The sister's all knew the Phoenix witches didn't work cheaply, however, it was worth it to get Wyatt and Chris back safely.

Piper and Leo orbed into the attic. "Well?" Phoebe asked.

"I got it." Piper answered quickly. "Do you have the summoning spell done for them yet?"

"Yeah, it's all set, Aunt Piper." Paisley answered.

"Does Phy have a potion ready just in case the witch decides to turn on us?"

"Right here!" Phyra held up a skinny bottle filled with yellow liquid.

"Okay, then. Let's do this. I want my boys back. I'm going to hug them, then I'm going to kiss them, then I'm going to wring their necks for putting me through this!" Nobody said anything at the proclamation. The likelihood of Piper actually even trying to harm her kids was as ridiculous as the Elders orbing down from 'Up There' en masse in purple tutus to dance Swan Lake.

"Well, here goes then." Paisley took a deep breath, and started to speak.

Witches now, witches then,

Bring a Phoenix from her den.

We need your help, a job for you

Save my cousins from being dragon chew.

"Dragon chew! I asked for a serious spell you guys! How dare y…" Piper's furious rant broke off as a Phoenix suddenly appeared in the center of the circle of candles.

"Did I hear someone offer a job?"

"We need you to go and retrieve two witches for us. They are being held in magical cages that only a messenger of pure evil can breach. We are prepared to pay you to go and get them for us." Piper's voice was flat as she addressed the brown haired assassin.

The Phoenix looked around the attic alertly. "The only two witches missing from your coven are the two most powerful. The Twice and Thrice Blessed. Are they the ones that you want retrieved?"

Leo nodded, "they are".

"My fee is $1,000,000.00. Half up front. Half when I bring them back." The Phoenix's voice was cold and unemotional.

"A million dollars? Are you crazy?" Piper burst out.

"It takes an extremely powerful evil magic to capture to witches as strong as they. It stands to reason that there will be tricks to keep them inside the cages. Besides, isn't it humans that say that you can't put a price on life?"

"That's true, but we don't have a million dollars. Please, can't you just help us anyway? I have $250,000.00 today. I will pay you the rest, I swear." Piper was aware she was begging, but time was running out.

"No. I told you my fee. If you can't pay, that's not my problem." The Phoenix spoke coldly as she shimmered out.

Piper fell to her knees, tears running down her cheeks.

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Do you have the Phoenix yet? Chris asked impatiently from his cage.

Leo's voice answered him silently. The Phoenix will not be helping us, Chris. We have to think of something else.

WHAT? Why? You offered her the normal fee, right? Chris' voice was incredulous as it ripped through his families' minds.

Chris, she didn't ask her normal fee. She wanted four times that, and… Leo couldn't finish the thought.

And we don't have a million dollars. Its okay, Dad. We understand. Wyatt finished Leo's thought. We'll just have to come up with something else.

Yeah…and fast. We don't have much time left. Chris' somber thought sobered everyone quickly.

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"Wait a second! Uncle Leo…ask Chris and Wyatt if the cages they're in are made by demonic magic or dragon magic." Paisley suddenly spoke into the silence.

Demonic, I think. Why? What difference does that make? Chris' voice answered after Leo had asked him.

"Well, I was just thinking. When Belthazor was around before, and my mom was engaged to him, she bound his demon half to make him human, right?"

"Yeah, but that's not going to work on a dragon, remember we can't hurt him." Phoebe answered her daughter sadly.

"But that's just it. We're not going to touch the dragon."

"So where are you going with this then, baby?" Ryan asked confused.

"Uncle Leo, you said that Nogard is part witch, part demon and part dragon, right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"And Belthazor was part demon and part human, right?"

"Yeah." Phoebe's answer was slower this time.

"So if you can bind one demon's powers- especially one as powerful as Belthazor, then you can bind another set of demon powers."

"Yeah, but Paisley, that doesn't change the fact that we can't hurt a dragon."

"WE AREN'T TOUCHING THE DRAGON!" she screamed. She took a few breaths and started again. "The dragon will be fine. All we would be doing is taking some of the other powers that make him so strong away. Basically, we're going to do the same thing to him that the Elders did to you, mom. When you went to the Tribunal and they took away your active powers, you were still a witch. When you took Belthazor's powers away, he was fine. The only part of him that you took away was the demon in him."

"So, what you're saying, just so we all understand, is that you want to bind the demon part of the dragon's powers, but still leave the dragon itself unharmed?" Leo clarified.

"Yeah! Exactly."

"But what good is that going to do, even if we can figure out a way to do it without getting fried by his fire?" Patrick asked.

"Because if the cages are demonic, and we take away his demonic powers, then the cages disappear. Chris and Wyatt would be free!" Paisley crowed happily.

"You know… that sounds like it might work!" Phyra nodded excitedly.

What will work? Damn it, can someone up there keep us informed here? Chris' annoyance shone through with each word.

Leo quickly outlined Paisley's plan to Wyatt and Chris. No! Absolutely not. You guys will never get close enough to throw the potion without getting fried! His fire will kill you before you even get to throw the potion.

"Not necessarily, Chris. I have the power to control fire. If someone orbs down there with me, they can throw the potion while I deflect his fire. Once the potion works, the cages will disappear and we can all orb out before he has a chance to stop us!"

And what happens if when you vanquish the demon that will be enough to make the cages implode? Wyatt's calm question stopped Paisley and Phyra in their tracks.

"I could probably orb the explosions away from them." Paige offered, biting her lip nervously. "Maybe, anyway."

"I can't risk my kids' lives on a maybe, Paige!" Piper yelled.

Mom, if you have a better idea, we'll listen. But for now, this is all we've got. And we have to try something. Leo had been broadcasting the conversation to Wyatt & Chris.

"If we can't come up with something else, then we'll have to just give him what he wants. We'll give him the Power of Three." Piper's voice was bleak, but determined.

OVER MY DEAD, ROTTING BODY! Wyatt and Chris yelled in unison to their family.

Hell, no, Mom. No you are not sacrificing yourself for us. We got ourselves into this by being stupid. You are not going to give evil that much of an edge. Chris paused for a second. I lived without you in my life before, remember? You sacrificed yourself then for me. It's not going to happen in this life too. Not for me.

Wyatt broke into his brother's speech. Not for me either, Mom. Just like you've been saying ever since Chris got engaged, we're all grown up now. We can make the tough decisions for ourselves. The world needs the Power of Three. Hell, our family needs the Power of Three, or at least the women that make the Power of Three.

We'll try Paisley and Phy's plan. Bring Aunt Paige and Patrick with you, Phy. Aunt Paige can try to orb the explosions away if there are any, and Pat can super speed to us, to try to help propel us out of the way, while Phy holds off Nogard's fire. Wyatt nodded at Chris' acceptance of the plan.

Wyatt tried to inject a little humor. Besides, Mom. All we have to do is not die. If we're broke up a little, Dad can heal that! No biggie.

"No biggie." Piper muttered. "You two had better not die. If you do, I swear on every Wiccan power I have, I will bring you back, and you'll wish you'd never ever even tried such a stupid stunt."

"Listen, I hate to be the one to put a damper on this party, but the Belthazor potion required a piece of his flesh. We don't have a piece of Nogard's flesh, so how do we make the potion?" Patience asked.

"I guess I could use my super speed to get a piece of flesh, but wouldn't he go directly to Chris & Wyatt and kill them?" Patrick asked.

"Yeah, he would. He's too smart for that. We need to have something with his DNA in it that he doesn't know we have. How are we going to do that?" Leo rubbed his head in frustration.

"We could orb to his cave and see if there are any scales or something lying around that he's shed." Peyton offered.

No! He flickers in quickly. If any of you are here when he comes back without the potion, then you'll just be captured with us. Chris answered quickly, not even wanting to think about that possibility.

"Then how are we going to get anything?" Phyra cried out.

Piper looked up slowly from her spot on the floor. In her hands, she held Chris' bloody shirt like a lifeline. "Would a claw nail work?" she asked softly, picking a hard nail from the neckline of Chris' shirt.