'What?' Phoebe exclaimed in horror. 'That can't be right, I mean there hasn't been time.'

Piper shrugged 'Well I guess our boy Taric decided to speed things up a little, which means we need to get a game plan people and fast.'

'See' Cole said smugly, looking at Paige. 'I told you I had nothing to do with this. I was right here the whole time.'

'Just because you weren't there doesn't mean you're not involved' Paige snapped in frustration. She scowled. She knew he was playing them, but she couldn't seem to do anything about it. He was beating her at every turn and enjoying it too. She'd love to wipe that self-satisfied smirk off his face she just hadn't figured out a way of doing yet, but she would, and when she did her sisters would finally have to admit that she was right.

'You could easily have arranged for someone else to do the dirty work' she said, glaring at him. 'Being here is the perfect alibi.'

'Gee Paige are you always this paranoid?' Cole asked sweetly. 'You know maybe you should see a therapist, help you deal with your issues.'

Paige opened her mouth to respond, but before she could Piper interrupted her 'We don't have time for this Paige' she said firmly. 'We need to make sure the last coven is safe.'

Sitting back down on the couch, Piper picked up the map that had been left on the coffee table 'Now Darryl said that the latest murders took place here at Alcatraz.'

'Air' Paige said softly, looking at where Piper had neatly plotted the pentagram. She screwed up her face in confusion 'What has Alcatraz got to do with air?'

'Maybe because it's built up high on a rock' Phoebe suggested reasonably.

'Or it could be because of the bird man of Alcatraz' Leo offered.

When the others looked at him incredulously, he looked a little sheepish 'Well he was the most famous inmate.'

'Huh the bird man - air - that's kinda corny don'tcha think?' Paige complained. 'Surely the coven could think of something better than that?'

'So' Piper continued as though the others hadn't spoken 'that leaves us with water, which means the last coven is most likely at the Golden Gate Strait, that's gotta be the most significant body of water, and it's in the right location.' She tapped the map with her finger, indicating the location for water that she had circled earlier.

Phoebe jumped up, clapping her hands together 'Okay then lets get on it.' She looked at Paige anxiously 'Do you feel up to orbing us there?'

Paige grinned, enjoying the feeling of being needed 'Sure, I'm as good as new thanks to Leo. Let's get going.' She took hold of Phoebe's hand before Phoebe could change her mind and ask Cole to provide the magical transportation. She held out her other hand to Piper who hadn't moved 'Step this way Piper, your carriage awaits.'

'Piper isn't going, she's staying right here' Phoebe said immediately.

'You've gotta be kidding me' Paige protested. 'Piper's our best chance of saving the coven; she's got the most firepower, and she's indestructible. You wouldn't let her come with us to the park and look what happened. We can't afford to make that mistake again.'

'It's different now Paige' Phoebe argued. 'We don't need to take Piper we have Cole. He's just as indestructible, and he's got plenty of firepower.'

'I couldn't have put it better myself' Cole said. He stood up, ready for action 'So if you ladies are ready, I really think we should get going, we don't have a lot of time.'

'I don't trust Cole' Paige said pointedly to Phoebe.

'Yeah well you've made that pretty obvious' Cole muttered darkly. 'Come on Phoebe' he implored. 'I want to help. You said it yourself, why put Piper in danger when I'm here?'

'He's right Paige' Phoebe explained. 'We'd be crazy to risk Piper when we don't have to.'

'Phoebe' Paige said urgently. 'Just think about this for one second' she begged. 'Piper is the only one of us who is a match for him, and he knows that. It'll be a lot easier for him to take out the coven if Piper's not there.'

'For the last time, I don't want to take out the coven' Cole snapped. He scowled in frustration. 'You just don't give up do you?'

'Not when it comes to saving lives, no' Paige responded tartly. 'Phoebe c'mon, you said it yourself you don't know if you can trust him' Paige argued.

'Phoebe, I'm here, I'm available and I want to help' Cole said firmly. He bent down so that his face was close to her's. 'Please Phoebe let me do this. Let me help you.'

Phoebe, her gaze rapidly switching from Paige to Cole and back to Paige again, hesitated. She just didn't know what to do, which way to turn, and she was running out of time.

Leo who had been watching all this intently, broke the silence that had developed 'Piper, you've been pretty quiet so far, what do you think?' he asked.

Piper cleared her throat awkwardly. She would dearly love to go kick some demon ass right now, and she wasn't completely convinced that Cole was on their side, but she still felt horribly awkward around Paige, and a little time out from her sister might help her get her head together. She hesitated. Common sense told her that she should go support her sisters, make sure that the coven was safe, but she was too scared. She was scared of the bitterness and resentment she felt in her heart towards Paige. It would be so easy to just stand back and let something happen. In the heat of battle no one would notice, there would be no blame, no questions it would be so easy.

The idea of standing by and willing letting Paige get hurt was just too horrible to even contemplate. She didn't even want to imagine that she might be capable of doing it, but the truth was right now Piper wasn't sure enough of herself. Grams' news had shocked her to the very core, and she hadn't regained control. She wouldn't do it, not willingly, but all it might take would be one moment of hesitation, one slight delay in responding. She couldn't risk it she wouldn't risk it.

'Actually I think Cole's right' she said stiffly. 'You guys should go with Cole and save the coven, and I'll stay here and start work on a vanquishing potion.'

Cole looked at her curiously, intrigued by this turn of events. This was the second time tonight that she'd sided with him against Paige. He'd always prided himself on his observational skills. Being able to read your opponent gave you a vital edge when it came to combat. Over the years Cole had honed his ability, and he always tried to tune in to the dynamics and under currents in any situation. He'd noticed that Piper had been acting a little off ever since he'd gotten there. He'd caught her slight reluctance to help Paige earlier, and her awkwardness around Paige was clear. He knew that Piper had taken a long time to warm up to Paige, and even now she wasn't quite so loving towards her youngest sister as Phoebe was, but he hadn't seen her this cold towards Paige in a long time. Interesting, Cole thought, very interesting. He filed away the information in the back of his mind for future use.

'I don't believe this! You're really not coming with us.' Paige exclaimed in dismay. 'I don't get it. Before you were desperate to fight demons and now suddenly you don't want to go. What's going on?'

'I'm just a little tired right now' Piper explained hastily. Even to her own ears her words didn't sound particularly convincing.

Paige eyed her suspiciously taken aback by the complete turnaround in Piper's attitude 'Who are you and what have you done with my sister?' she asked, only half joking. In this family you never knew. It was quite possible that Piper had been possessed or was slowly turning in to a banshee or a wendigo or some other magical creature.

Piper allowed herself a brief smile at that. 'I just need a little break that's all.'

'Okay' Paige said doubtfully. 'But I'd feel a whole lot better if you were with us.'

Piper knew she was gonna have to give her something more. She hadn't wanted to do this, but she didn't have any choice, she was gonna have to play the pregnancy card. She took a deep breath and hoped fervently that she wouldn't be struck down by some higher power for lying to her sisters.

'I know and I'm sorry Paige, but I don't feel so good right now, my stomach's kinda bothering me tonight.'

Instantly concerned, Phoebe let go of Paige's hand, and knelt down next to Piper. 'Oh sweetie you should have told us you weren't feeling well' she said sympathetically, gently rubbing Piper's stomach as she spoke. 'You know maybe you should go to the hospital, just to be safe.'

'I'm fine' Piper assured her quickly, feeling horribly guilty at the concern she saw in Phoebe's eyes. She pulled a face. 'It's just my heartburn back again.' She sighed heavily, 'you should be used to it by now, it's kinda becoming a regular theme.'

'Yeah, a little too regular' Phoebe said worriedly. This had happened way too often recently, and Phoebe couldn't help feeling that she was to blame. She was supposed to be helping Piper to have a stress free existence for the last few weeks of her pregnancy obviously she wasn't succeeding.

'I really think we should get you to a doctor, just to be sure' she said firmly. 'I don't think it should be happening this often, it just doesn't feel right.'

Piper shook her head and gave Phoebe a smile of one who knew better, 'Phoebe, heartburn is a perfectly normal part of pregnancy. Along with nausea, backache, constant need to…'

'It's because you're getting all stressed out about the covens and the shield isn't it' Phoebe interrupted morosely. 'I knew you should have gone up to the Elders, it's not safe for you down here.' She frowned. 'In fact I think that Leo should orb you up there right now.'

'If I was up there with the Elders I'd be twice as stressed out worrying about what was going on down here without me' Piper protested. 'I'll be much happier here where I know what's going on.'

'Maybe' Phoebe conceded, 'but I still think Leo should take you to the hospital.'

Piper shook her head 'Phoebe I told you I don't need to go to the hospital, it's just a little indigestion' she said grumpily. 'This is nothing new. I've had it plenty of times before. I don't see why you're getting so bent out of shape about it now.'

'Because you're so close to your due date, and because of all the extra stress we're under right now' Phoebe defended herself. She felt a little ridiculous making such a fuss, but she couldn't help it. Expecting a magical baby meant that Piper hadn't had all the scans and blood work that a pregnant woman in her eighth-month should have had, and Phoebe had long harboured a secret fear that something would go wrong.

If she thought about it rationally, she knew that Piper's stomach had bothered her throughout her pregnancy, firstly with the dreadful morning sickness that had seemed to last forever, and more recently she'd been plagued by recurrent heartburn. Phoebe knew that she was overreacting, but she couldn't help it, where Piper and the baby were concerned it didn't take much to freak her out these days. 'If you're sure that's all it is' she said doubtfully.

Piper nodded relieved that Phoebe was finally going to let it go. 'I'm sure.' She rolled her eyes. 'Trust me by now I'm pretty familiar with what indigestion feels like.'

'Do you want some warm milk? Phoebe asked. 'Or maybe some camomile tea, that usually settles your stomach. I'll go fix you some right now.' She got up from the floor meaning to head towards the kitchen.

Piper sighed. She felt guilty getting Phoebe all wound up like this, but there hadn't been another way. 'Phoebe please stop worrying' she begged. 'My stomach will be just fine. You know how it works, I just need to sit down quietly for a little while and I'll be fine.'

Phoebe looked as though she were about to protest so Piper continued firmly 'look we've got a coven to save remember, we can't go getting distracted, we need to be concentrating on that.'

'Don't worry about the coven Piper, we can handle it' Paige said quickly hoping to make amends. She felt like such an idiot.Piper was heavily pregnant and she needed her rest just like any other expectant mother and here she was demanding that her sister go out chasing after demons. It was no wonder Piper didn't take her seriously. Why had she made such a stupid fuss? She didn't know what was the matter with her lately, she couldn't seem to get even the simplest thing right. Paige bit her lip. Prue would never have asked Piper to put herself or the baby at risk like that. She would have had the confidence to deal with Cole herself. She wouldn't have whined and complained like a baby.

'I'm not sure I like the idea of you staying here alone' Phoebe said worriedly, 'I mean that could be exactly what Taric wants right?' She looked at Cole, but he merely shrugged and began pacing impatiently.

'Maybe I should stay with Piper just to be safe' she suggested.

'It's okay Phoebe. I'll stay here' Leo assured her, speaking for the first time. 'It makes more sense for me to stay. I can listen out for your call in case you run in to trouble. And' he added 'if you need back up I can always orb Piper over there.'

He looked at Piper for confirmation, and she nodded her agreement.

'Good now that we've finally got the domestic arrangements sorted out do you think we could get down to business?' Cole asked impatiently. 'There's a coven out there that needs saving and we don't have a lot of time.'

'You're very jittery' Paige remarked. 'What's the matter Cole wanna make sure you're there to oversee your little operation?'

Disgruntled, Cole ignored Paige and instead turned to Phoebe 'We're running out of time.'

'Go, he's right, we don't have much time' Piper insisted.

'But..' Phoebe began.

'Phoebe' Piper said, her tone indicating that she wasn't in the mood for an argument. 'I told you I'll be fine, now go.'

Finally Phoebe relented. 'Okay, okay we're going.' She stepped away from Piper, and reached out her hand to Paige. 'Paige, are you ready?'

Paige nodded. She took hold of Phoebe's hand and they orbed out with Cole following soon after.

'So' Leo said to Piper the moment the others disappeared. 'Now that we're finally alone were you planning on telling me what's going on?'

To be continued …