Chapter 3

Piper was gone and Paige and Phoebe had never felt more lost.

Piper was always the one who showed us what to do. Now I know what she must have felt like when we lost Prue. Becoming the oldest sister is so hard, Said Phoebe sounding quite desperate.

I know what you mean Phoebe, without Piper I feel so lost. With Piper I guess I just had this sense of security.

I know it looks bad Phoebe but you can't start acting as if he is gone forever. We will get her back, won't we Leo, said Paige as she looked to Leo questioningly as if she herself doubted the future of the Charmed Ones.

It will be fine; you have both lost sisters before and gotten them back. This time, it just means that you have to figure it out yourself. It's not like you haven't done it before. What about the time when Piper turned into a Valkyrie? You managed to save her on your own and that was when Paige had only just discovered her powers.

Leo looked at the girls and they seemed to feel more reassured.

Umm, excuse me but I would willingly help. After all, it is partly my fault that your sister was taken. I'm really sorry and if you want me to leave I will, Kiriana looked over at the sisters anxiously as she awaited their decision.

Sure you can help, we don't blame you for what happened, said Paige as if to make sure that the girl was not felling guilty.

Yeah, we get attacked all the time, changed into things too. Phoebe smiled and Kiriana sighed a sigh of relief.

"So what do you guy's usually do when this happens. What can I do to help", asked Kiriana as she stood up.

"Well normally we look in the Book of Shadows and check if there is any information on the demon in there" said Paige, as she too stood up.

"I usually go check with the elders", and with that Leo orbed out in a shimmering of blue translucent lights.

"Usually Piper would make some sort of potion and I would write a spell. This time it will have to work with the power of two and a half, no offence meant but we are usually most powerful when it is the three of us."

"None taken, I can make a potion, that is if you want me too. But how are you going to find her?"

"Well there are several ways. We could scry for Piper or the demon"

"Or call for a lost witch. I might need to write a new spell though I seem to have lost the spell. I think it was destroyed when we got the source."

Phoebe stood up and took Kiriana by the hand. "I think we should show you our book."

"It is protected so no evil can touch it." Said Paige as she started up the stairs towards the attic.

Paige don't you have to go to work? Phoebe looked at Paige and the look in her eyes seemed to be pleading Paige to stay.

Phoebe, my big sister is missing and we have an innocent to protect. For once I can actually tell Mr. Cowan the truth, or at least some of it this time about why I can't come into work today. Social Justice will just have to wait till we get Piper back and she's safe.

Okay, call your boss and we'll meet you upstairs said Phoebe as she and Kiriana ascended the stairs as Paige went back down the few steps she had climbed.

Paige headed for the phone and dialed the number for the social services office where she worked. Hello, this is Paige Halliwell Mathews, may I please speak to Mr. Cowan.

Oh, hi Paige, sure I'll just check, I think he's in a meeting. The woman on the other end of the line put down the phone and did something on her computer.

I'm sorry Paige, he's in a very important meeting right now and if I interrupt him it will probably cost me, and our jobs.

"Okay, thanks, can you let him know that I can't come into work today. My sister Piper is missing. But please, keep this quiet for my sake and my sisters." Paige hung up the phone and half sprinted upstairs as she heard Phoebe calling her.

"Paige, come on, we need you to help Kiriana scry."

I'm here already okay," said Paige as she walked into the attic. " What am I scrying for, I thought you said Kiriana would be able to do it."

Leo appeared out of the corner and explained to Paige, "The bond between you and Piper is so much stronger than that of Kiriana because you are her sister. You are more likely to find Piper and we need to find her as soon as possible. I can sense her, but she is weak, which means she is in the underworld or she is badly hurt. And unfortunately I find the second option more likely."

"But why would you think that. Usually you can't sense us in the Underworld." Phoebe looked over at Leo seeming surprised with this new information as well as quite concerned.

"Well since Piper is my wife and I have been a whitelighter for you girls for a long time, I can sense Piper more strongly than you and Paige, although if I concentrated hard enough and you were in the underworld unharmed, I may be able to sense you. It really is complicated."

"Okay, thanks Leo, I think I understand now" said Phoebe as she looked over to Kiriana and Paige to see if they understood as well.

"Umm, I don't mean to interupt and I am sure you know exactly what you are doing, but shouldn't someone be working on finding your sister." Kiriana looked over at the two remaining sisters sheepishly as she spoke.

"Right umm..." Phoebe looked around her and pleaded, muse, please don't fail me now."

Phoebe picked up a pen and paper and began to write.

Okay well I will get started on the scrying. Kiriana can you get that map over there. Paige pointed at a map in the corner and Kiriana went over and retrieved it. Paige got out a scrying crystal and began rotating it above the map that Kiriana had placed on the old antique table that had once belonged to Grams.

After a couple of seconds Paige looked up and said to Kiriana and Phoebe, "Hey, where did Leo go?"

"Oh umm, I think the elders wanted him, maybe they found something useful."

Speaking of information Kiriana, remember that book we talked about, the Book of Shadows, well why don't you look through it, there might be some stuff in there on how to vanquish Salin.

Hey, I think I got something going, listen to this, exclaimed Phoebe as she looked up from the piece of paper she had been writing the spell on.

Phoebe began reading the spell.

Goddess of sun,

Goddess of earth,

Protect us,

From the those

Who seeks to destroy us,

Protect us now,

Let no harm befall us.

It's not a spell to find a lost sister but it should protect us if we need it. I know I was meant to be working on a spell to help us find Piper but every time I think about it I realise that the only reason I would need this is because she isn't here with us, and I just can't handle becoming the eldest. I'm sorry Paige and Kiriana. If anything happens to her I will never forgive myself.

Phoebe put her head in her hands and looked as though she was about to burst into tears from frustration, but moments later, she looked up, calm and ready to resume the search for Piper.