Disclaimer:

All characters from BtVS, Angel, and Charmed are the property of Joss Whedon and Aaron Spelling, respectively.

Summary:

AU Crossover between the Charmed and Buffy-verses. Phoebe decides to help Cole with his case.

Author's Note:

Please read and review.

Chapter 25 – Visions Aren't Enough For A Search Warrant

Part One

Phoebe was walking down Market Street towards the building in her vision. She glanced at her reflection in a window as she passed by. Not her usual attire, but she was aiming for the average look. She'd dressed in jeans and an oversized sweatshirt, completing the look with a knit cap on her head. She'd even decided to forgo her makeup. No one would even spare her a second glance. She smiled in satisfaction. This should work. Now all I have to do is sneak into the building.

Phoebe had believed Cole when he'd said he was going to do something. However, she knew the wheels of the law turned exceedingly slow. So she'd decided to help. All she had to was witness something that Cole and the FBI could act on. She'd fought all kinds of evil before, these were just mortals. And it wasn't like she was going to fight them herself. No, just spy on them. She nodded to herself as she continued down Market Street.

She looked across the street as she came into view of the San Francisco Shopping Centre. It was so clear. She could see all the people being thrown as the street exploded into chaos. There would be so many dead. Then she heard the cracks of the gunfire as the stragglers were picked off. She shuddered violently. It was actually worse than demons. You could understand what a demon did. They were evil. They were created by evil. But these people... Ugh! What was their reason? Why did they do it? How could a human being be filled with that much hate?

Phoebe just didn't understand that at all. Sure, she could understand dislike and wanting to hit someone. That was easy. She could understand disliking an individual. But hating an entire group of people because of what they were or represented? That was... well, evil! It was worse than the evil of the Underworld. This evil was created in the name of good by souled beings. She shuddered again as she approached the intersection. She turned and looked at the building. She looked up at the twelfth floor. She was here. She took a deep breath and entered the open doors.

Part Two

Piper hung up the phone in confusion. She looked to Paige. "Paige? Do you know where Phoebe is?"

Paige had a blank look. Huh? "What? Where she usually is at this time. At work. Where do you think she is?"

Piper sighed. Sometimes Paige could be a pain. "She's not at work. If she was at work I wouldn't be asking you, now would I? I just called the newspaper and they said she took a personal day."

Now Paige really was confused. "But... But, Piper, I saw her this morning leaving for work. She was complaining about Elise as usual. She had her laptop case and everything. She even mentioned going to work."

"Huh." Piper was really confused. Maybe even a little worried.

"Vision, you think?" Paige asked hopefully. "I mean, maybe she had a vision and... Oh! That doesn't sound good."

"No, it doesn't. What do you feel? Do you know if she's near?" Piper was starting to get a little worried. Phoebe could take care of herself, but she was also quite good at landing in trouble.

Paige could've hit herself. Now why didn't I think of that? Of course, that's what I should be doing. She centered herself and tried to sense her sister. She found her pretty easily. She really wasn't that far away. Hmmm... Her frown wrinkled as she tried to focus in on Phoebe. She was alive. She was just...

Now, Piper was really concerned. Paige had the strangest look... "What! What is it!"

"I'm not sure Piper. I can feel her. She's near and alive. It's just I can't focus right in on her. It's like, well, when you look through frosted glass. Or, maybe when you look through cracked glass and the image is split. I'd never be able to orb to her. I'm just confused. Usually, it's either yes or no when I sense for someone. This is a more vague feeling." She looked hopefully at Piper. She'd been doing this longer. Maybe Leo'd had this problem at least once. "Has this ever happened to Leo?"

Piper wiped her face with her hands in exasperation. Leo? No, she didn't remember anything like this ever happening before. But she should ask. She opened her mouth to scream Leo's name... DING-DONG! "Hell! This is not the time for the Avon Lady."

Piper went to the door, Paige at her heels. Opening the door, she was surprised to find herself looking at a smiling Willow Turner. She was carrying a basket that Piper recognized as the one she had brought over earlier in the week. "Oh, Willow, you didn't need to bring that back right away."

"Oh, yes, I did. And I filled it back up with goodies for you." Willow smiled, handing it towards Piper. "May I come in?"

Piper started, realizing that she had been blocking the doorway. She took the basket; it was heavier than when she had brought it over. "Come in, come in. We were just going to call Leo. We're having a little family thing."

Willow nodded and followed them in to the living room. She frowned at Piper. She was obviously worried about something. "It's not the children I hope?"

"No! No! They're fine. Xander took them out somewhere. He's very good with children."

Willow laughed at that. That was certainly true. "Oh, it's not because he had any children of his own. It's more because he never grew up. He could always get to their level. What is the problem, though? I'd really like to help."

Willow reached across to grasp Piper's hand. She hadn't know Piper that long, but she really did feel a connection with her. Plus, Cole respected her and that carried a lot of weight with her. She smiled again warmly. "Unless, of course, it's something you don't want a demon's wife to know."

Piper chuckled. "No, Willow. We're just worried about Phoebe. We thought she was at work. But I called. She called in. Took a personal day. And, now, Paige can't zero in on her."

Willow turned to Paige. "Zero in? Do you mean a spell?"

Paige shook her head. She felt much more calm with Willow here. It was good to have another point of view. "No. I'm part white lighter, I can use my powers to sense family members and my charges. But, I couldn't. Well, not completely. She's definitely in town and alive. But, I can't really zero in on her. It's like I'm looking through a fogged or cracked window."

"Hmm. Like a refracted image?" Willow asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah." Paige nodded. Did Willow know what was going on? She looked like she had an idea.

"Would Phoebe go off on her own? I mean, is she likely to take her own initiative and go after something on her own?"

Piper and Paige exchanged a look. Uh-oh. Phoebe is so likely to do that. "Damn!" Piper exclaimed. "What the hell has she gotten into now?" The two sisters looked expectantly at Willow. She obviously knew something.

"Okay. I don't know what she's up to. But, I do know how she's camouflaging herself." Willow took a deep breath. "Some crystals, when enchanted with a certain spell, can refract magic probes. Like scrying and locator spells. My guess is that Paige's sensing ability falls in the same category. She must not want you just popping in."

"Could you find her?" Piper asked hopefully. Her magic was dark, after all. Her heart fell when she saw Willow shaking her head.

"No, not with magic. I could check her credit cards for activity or something. Check the internet to see if anything springs. Did she take her car?"

"Huh?" Paige asked in confusion. "Credit card purchases aren't just in public domain, you know."

Willow chuckled at her naivete. "Paige, Paige, Paige. My magical abilities are squat compared to what I can get with a computer. But, Piper, I think the first thing we need to think about is what she would be doing? Is there anything you can think of? At all?"

Hmmm... "Well, if she had a vision, she might go after whatever she saw. And we wouldn't know what she saw."

"No, that's not it. If it was just a demon or warlock or the big bad of the week, she'd have come to you first. There's no sense in attacking something when your sister is the one that actually blows them up. No, it'd have to be something that she felt she had to do herself. Something she was concerned about. And something she knew about when she called in for a personal day."

"Dang! She's right, Piper. But what could that be? She hasn't had a vision since that whole parade thing. And she told Cole all about that."

Willow turned her head sharply at this. "Oh, Goddess! She wouldn't be that stupid would she?"

Piper and Paige looked at her. "Um, what? I got the impression she trusted Cole to take care of this. They may have their problems, but I really don't think she thought even he'd help those weirdos blow up the parade."

Willow bristled at the implication, and started to open her mouth. Just then, Piper's husband, Leo, orbed in. She smiled at him. "Hello, Mr. Wyatt. Cole told me you sensed ahead before orbing. You should've been more careful. I could've been anyone."

He chuckled and smiled sheepishly. "Hello, Mrs. Turner. I did, I didn't sense any mortals. You're a witch, so I thought it was safe."

"Leo, am I glad you're here." Piper jumped up and grabbed her husband. "Phoebe's gone off and is probably doing something stupid. Can you sense her?"

Leo raised his eyebrow. Again? Phoebe always seemed to be rushing towards danger. He closed his eyes. Hmmm... how odd. She was near, but he couldn't seem to... "Well, she's safe. I just can't seem to..."

"Zero in?" Paige completed. "Drat! I was hoping it would work better for you."

Willow coughed. "I think we've established that magic won't find her. We need to figure this out logically. Now Phoebe has had visions about the parade. She's told Cole. Now, for some reason, this has not been enough. From what Cole told me, Phoebe takes these visions very personally. He says that she has been known to argue with you girls on what to do about them and has risked her life on several occasions. Is this right?"

Piper nodded sadly. "Yeah, there were times when we didn't agree and she... she..."

"Acted alone?" Willow asked pointedly. Piper nodded sullenly. "Okay, then. Let's say whatever Cole said about what he was going to do about her vision upset her. Or, maybe, discouraged her. Maybe she'd take things into her own hands?"

"Oh, God." Leo sighed. That was EXACTLY what Phoebe would do.

"Right. We need to know what she saw in her vision, exactly. The vision will tell us where she's gone. Also, I don't think she'd just leave and not leave a message. It's obvious she doesn't want you to barge in. However, I do think she'd leave one of those 'in case I'm not back by' messages."

"So, what can we do? Where would she leave it?"

Willow nodded thinking to herself. Where would she leave it? Cole! "First things first, I think we need Cole. Number one, Phoebe told Cole the details of her vision. He'd probably know where she's headed. Number two, it seems to me that, other than you three, he knows her the best. Okay?"

"Yes. That's the best thing to do." Leo agreed. "Phoebe is a witch. Not a cop. She's not prepared to deal with this form of evil."

Piper and Paige nodded in agreement. Willow sighed. This could only get worse before it got better. She opened her mouth to call her husband.

Part Three

Phoebe had thought it safer to try the stairs than the elevator. She had thought about using the fire escape. But she'd thought better of it. What if I'm reported to the police as a prowler or something? No, it would look less suspicious if she was inside the building. Judging by the building directory, all the businesses were public. That meant there was every reason for her to be inside. This way, I can wander around and still be able to come up with a reasonable excuse. Unfortunately, the building was quite run down. It was probably picked because few people gave it a second glance. Being in the building at all might be a problem. She took a deep breath and continued up the stairs to the twelfth floor.

It took her very little time to climb to the twelfth floor. Luckily, all that demon fighting was an excellent aerobic activity and kept her very fit. But, she was still a little out of breath. She stopped for a few minutes at the door. She needed to be very careful from now on. Unlike Paige, she couldn't just orb out. She felt under the sweatshirt for the crystal she had brought. She didn't want her sisters just orbing in and ruining everything. That could be very dangerous. She just needed to sneak in and sneak out. Phoebe cracked the door and listened. Good. No one coming. She opened the door and sneaked into the hallway.

She looked around carefully as she stepped into the hallway. She listened intently for signs of life. Hearing some voices, she turned to the right and carefully took a small device out of her pocket. It was a small tape player that she used at work to take notes. She came to a doorway where all the voices were coming from. Peaking around the doorjamb, she saw that there was about twelve to fifteen men and women in the room. They were all working on tables with equipment scattered about. It was definitely the same room as in her vision. Except for one thing. They weren't working on guns today. No, Phoebe was sure that would be on Saturday. Today they were working on something else. The tables were full of devices, they seemed to be at least partly electronic. The explosives, maybe? She really wasn't sure. She was hardly an expert. Now if they'd been making potions, that's more my thing.

A picture! That's what I need! I'm sure if I could show the picture to one of Cole's FBI buddies that they'd know right away. Hell! I didn't bring a ... She froze as she heard someone begin to speak. She inched backwards into the wall, pointing the tape recorder towards the doorway. Please, please say something incriminating, she pleaded silently.

"Brother Joseph, is everything on schedule?" She hear one voice speak out. She didn't turn to look but the owner sounded like an older man, maybe in his forties. He sounded hard, maybe a military man?

"Yes, sir. We should be done preparing the devices this afternoon. They will be ready to be placed this evening. We've hit no snags, sir. God is paving our way." She shuddered at what this meant. This voice belonged to a younger man. She'd have been surprised if he was even old enough to drink. That's horrible, she thought, how can someone so young want to hurt so many?

"Excellent, Brother, excellent! This is wonderful. In less than twenty-four hours, we will be able to make our first strike against the enemy. In God's name. Hallelujah!"

"HALLELUJAH!" Phoebe heard several other voices echo the first. Oh. My. God. They have to be stopped. They think they're doing God's work. It's too bad I can't the Elders come down and give them their marching orders. They're fools. Fools of hate. She shook her head in disbelief. Some of them believe they're risking... giving... their lives to God. How very stupid. What will they think when they do die and end up taking the down elevator? That'll be a rude awakening. She snorted.

"What was that?" The hard voice demanded.

Oh, no! They heard me. Phoebe stepped quietly and quickly down the hall and around the corner. I have to be able to get out of here. I have to tell Cole. Luckily, although she had forgot a camera, she did remember a little magical protection. Putting the tape recorder away, she pulled a small potion bottle out. She listened. There were footsteps coming closer. Not much time, she thought.

Taking the stopper out of the bottle, she started to whisper a spell. Out of darkness, out of light, keep me from mortal sight. She took a quick slug of the potion and waited. She froze as she heard voices getting closer to her location. There they were! They had turned the corner and were looking right at her. Or rather through her. Phoebe made a silent prayer of thanks. The potion worked! They can't see me, but I still have to get out of here.

"Damn!" The hard voice came out of an equally hard voice. He was a large man with cold, cold eyes. Phoebe shivered. It seemed as if the temperature dropped in his presence. It seemed that he looked more threatening and unfeeling than any demon she'd ever met. Maybe that's because demons are very feeling creatures, not good feelings, but they are feeling. He was just ice.

She watched as he and his companions looked around her vicinity. They were all carrying guns. They looked like the guns that Darryl used in his job. She just had to wait. They'd probably hear her move, or, at the very least, feel the shift in the air. Eventually, they'll move on and I can leave. She prayed they'd hurry. She didn't have much time. The potion was temporary and she sure as hell didn't want to be caught up here. And not by them. Besides, it wasn't just her life at stake. There was Saturday.

Part Four

"SHE DID WHAT!" Cole demanded. Cole was incensed. That damn, damn girl. What the hell was she thinking? He snorted in disgust. "Damnation! Does that girl never grow up?"

Piper flinched at his anger. She really couldn't disagree. Phoebe would always be Phoebe. It was really one of Prue's biggest complaint. Phoebe never really thought that far ahead. "Cole, I know, I know. I was just thinking what Prue would be saying right now."

Cole chuckled. Yeah, she was certainly right there. He turned at hearing his wife cough to get their attention. Damn, why is she here? I could kill the girls. They can put themselves in danger all they want, but I'll kill them if they get Willow hurt. "Honey, why are you here?"

"Honey, I was just here to thank Piper for the treats she brought over the other night. They just asked my advice in locating Phoebe. Apparently, she was hiding her location."

That was interesting, Cole thought. "Hiding?"

"Apparently, Willow thinks she used some kind of crystal charm to disperse or refract a magical probe. I can't even sense her. Well, not specifically. I know she's in San Francisco and I know she's alive. Other than that, I can't focus in on her." Leo replied evenly. He didn't want to antagonize Cole. He'd recognized the look in his eye. He'd seen it often enough when Cole became protective. He was more worried about Willow becoming endangered than anything else. And Leo knew what Cole was capable of when he was pressed too far.

"Cole," Piper began. "We don't know all the details of this vision. We think she's gone to get more evidence or something. Do you know more details? Do you know where she would've gone? Was she worried about this vision enough to act on her own? I mean, you know Phoebe. She hadn't told us anything. But, if she felt she needed to do something, well..."

Everyone jumped at the sound of the phone. They looked between themselves. Phoebe? Piper grabbed the phone and immediately began speaking. "Phoebe?"

"Oh! Erica! Hi, what's... what did you say? She did? Listen.. I'm going to send Leo right down... he's in the neighborhood..." Piper motioned to Leo with one hand nervously and he orbed off. "Will you.. Thanks, Erica. Oh! I won't be in tonight... can you? Thanks again. Bye!"

Cole raised an eyebrow. Piper nodded. "Willow, you were right."

Willow looked up in interest, stepping closer. She chuckled under her breath as one of Cole's arms snaked around her waist in a proprietary gesture. "What was I right about?"

"That was one of my bartenders. Phoebe left a note at the club. Remember what you said? You said she'd have a left a 'just in case' note. I probably wouldn't have left for the club for another three or four hours. It was just dumb luck Erica went in early." Willow and Paige moved forward as Piper broke down in tears. "What are we going to do?"

Cole moved forward as well. "It's going to be okay, Piper. Phoebe, although impulsive, is not stupid. Well, not completely. She probably has a plan. If there's one thing Prue taught you girls, it's the importance of a plan."

"Cole's right, Piper." Willow started as she stepped back so Paige could walk her sister to the couch. "Phoebe's actions so far prove she had a plan. She called ahead to work. She left a note. She ensured that she wouldn't have any unwanted orbing. She's obviously been doing some thinking. Maybe not as much as we would've liked. But she must have a plan." Willow gasped as a thought came to her. Could she have been more prepared?

Piper reacted to Willow's gasp. "What! Willow, you thought of something!"

"Yeah, I did. What if she brought something with her? Is there any evidence she prepared a potion or that she was researching a spell? That's what I would do. I'd want to have something tucked away – in case of an emergency."

Paige jumped up to her feet. "Of course! You're right! I'll go check the Book. That's what I would've done." Paige orbed out of the room, just as Leo orbed back from the Club.

He was holding a folded piece of paper and had a grim expression on his face. He handed it over to Piper. "Sometimes, I really can't believe that girl. I'm really surprised she hasn't gotten herself killed by now."

Piper was reading the letter frantically. "If I'm not back by this afternoon, then please call the FBI. I went to the building from my vision – on Market & Fourth. I'm sorry, Piper, I just had to get a reason for the FBI to raid this place. Visions aren't enough for a search warrant. Give my love to Leo, Paige, and the boys. Phoebe."

"AAAARGH!" Piper screamed.

Paige chose that moment to orb into the room, carrying an open Book of Shadows. She walked past Cole to place it on the table. Cole stepped back quickly. Willow laughed. "Honey, it won't bite."

Everyone but Willow burst into laughter at this. Cole looked at his wife and smiled. "I wouldn't say that. I'm still not touching it. Last time I did I was thrown across the attic."

Willow looked curiously and dubiously at the book. It was obviously old. She looked at the page it was open to. Hmmm... That does have possibilities. "Paige, how sure are you she was on this page?"

Paige looked up from the letter that Piper had given her. Piper and Leo were now concentrating on the book. "Oh! Very sure. I asked the Book, and it turned to that page."

"That's interesting. It's an invisibility potion but it would only be temporary."

Cole looked grim at this. "How long?"

"Mmmm... depending on the quality of the ingredients, thirty minutes to a couple of hours." Willow peered closer at the potion. What's this?

Piper was watching Willow closely. She had come to realize that Willow was very, very smart. She seemed to know a lot more about witchcraft than they did. Right now, she was peering at the spell very intently. Piper re-read it. What does she see that I don't? "Willow, what do you see?"

"Well, I'm not sure, but I think the spell would only make her invisible to mortals." Willow replied slowly, looking directly into Piper's eyes.

"Great!" Paige burst out in exasperation. "So, if one of these bad guys is a warlock or a demon, we're screwed!"

Cole chuckled. Paige was always great at the obvious. "Paige, I don't think that the Underworld is involved with this. Not even obliquely. Demons tend to veer away from the religious types."

"Even if they're evil?" She asked skeptically.

"Yes." Leo put in. "Demons don't trust the religious types. I think they find them distasteful, even if they're evil. I heard that some demons even went looking for bin Laden."

The women looked at Leo and then Cole in surprise. "This is like that whole Halloween thing, isn't it?" Willow spoke up.

Paige had to speak up. "Do I want to know?"

Willow chuckled. It had always amused her. "Well, vampires won't hunt on Halloween. Something about the crassness of the holiday."

They all chuckled. Got to love those demons! Always full of surprises. "Well," Cole interrupted. "If it's like that, Leo or I could check this out. We could go and see if we can find her. Of course, this would be easier if she ditched the crystal. Still, I think Leo and I should check out the building and get her out of there."

Leo nodded in agreement.

"Wait a minute!" Piper exclaimed.

Willow reached out and grabbed her. "Cole's right, Piper. Right now, the less people the better. Plus, they're the most non-mortal people here. Just in case the spell would hide her from witches too. If it gets intense, they can always send for us..." She smiled at the glare she had received from her husband. "Well, maybe you. If I show up, Cole just might torch the whole place."

"Well, go then!" She screamed at the two men.

Cole looked at Leo and shrugged his shoulders in defeat. He'd forgotten just how pushy Halliwell women were. Of course, he thought, my wife isn't much better. He reached for her and kissed her. "Promise me, you'll stay put. I can't have you in danger."

She laughed. His body stirred at the music of her laughter. "Cole, sweetie, if you'll recall, I can handle things just fine. After all, I was fighting demons when I met you."

"I don't have to like it."

"DAMN IT! JUST GO!" Piper screamed. The men beat a hasty retreat. Piper collapsed into tears. Oh, God! I can't lose her. I just can't. Willow and Paige sat next to her in silence.

Part Five

Thank God, Phoebe thought to herself. They're going back. This potion can't last much longer. She waited a few minutes and then moved back into the hallway. Nearing the office that the men had come from, she looked towards them. Oh. No. They're packing up! How long? She thought desperately. I've got to get Cole here. She struggled not to run. She needed to get out first.

As she approached the stairwell, a man came towards the door. He was armed and he was watching the hallway intently. Oh, hell! I can't get down the stairs with him watching. The fire escape! Phoebe turned on her heel and headed towards the back of the building. If I can get down the fire escape, that's what I need to do.

Phoebe carefully headed towards the window. It was closed and she really wasn't sure if she could open it silently. I really don't have much of a choice, do I? She grabbed at the bottom of the window and firmly pulled upwards. It was giving! Oh, thank God! I'm going to make it. She had pulled it up its full-length when a bird flew in the window. She nearly shrieked in fear. What the hell? Oh, no! They'll wonder how the bird got in. They'll come in! I have to hurry!

She began to back through the window as quietly and quickly as she could manage. Every thing seemed so much louder to her. She'd really never been this frightened before. Demons. That's nothing. Scary, religious nut jobs with guns? That's terrifying. I swear if I get out of this, I'll always listen to Piper again. Oh, why was I always mean to Prue? She was right! I am an idiot! Do you hear that, Prue? I am, I am, I am.

She'd backed completely out on the fire escape when she heard someone approaching. She had to close the window. She'd reached for the window when she was grabbed from behind, one hand clasped on her mouth. Oh, no! They've... Wait a minute! I'd recognize that cologne anywhere – Cole! She stopped struggling and let him pull her backwards from the window. She heard him whisper in her ear. "Not. A. Word."

He let her go. She turned and was relieved to see both Cole and Leo. I don't think I've ever been this glad to see my ex-husband in my life. Leo reached for her, she grabbed his hand like a lifeline, turning to look at Cole. He motioned at Leo to get her out of there. No! No! I have to tell him! She reached out for Cole, struggling in her White Lighter's arms. Cole grabbed her chin and leaned in, mouthing one word. GO. He turned back to the window. She frantically shoved the tape recorder into his free hand as she collapsed in surrender as Leo orbed her away. She just had to hope she was in time.