Charmed Kitsune
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NarutoxPruexPiperxPhoebex?
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Story Start
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So far for the Halliwell sisters, it seemed like it would be a normal day. The youngest Phoebe entered the Quake to see her sister. She gazed around the restaurant trying to spot her sisters when two guys walked up to her.
''Are your parents' terrorists? 'Cos baby, you're the bomb.'' The first guy said, laying on her a cheesy pickup line. His eyes looked the attractive Witch up and down, but his focus seemed to be on her bosom.
''Jim, Jim, ask her if it hurt when she fell.'' The second one urged him on with a grin.
''Ah, excuse me?'' she responded adjusting the folder that was on her left arm. Naruto had dropped off the folder the other day. A lot of the notes and tips that the blond left was quite interesting. Out of the three sisters, Phoebe seemed to be the most eager to embrace their heritage.
''When you fell from Heaven did it hurt? 'Cos I know an angel when I see one.'' the first guy continued with his cheesy pickup lines.
''Hmm. I'm no angel. I'm a witch. But don't tell my sisters I told you.'' She walks over to Prue and Piper, who are sitting at a table. '' Oh, I'm so glad you guys are still here,'' she exclaimed then noticed her sisters' gazes were focused on something else. ''What are you staring at?''
''They have been going at it for almost an hour,'' Prue said, pointing out a woman and guy making out. There was a sense of longing in Prue's voice.
''Oh, I can't even look,'' Phoebe remarked with a sigh, the site being a reminder of her recent not so successful love life.
''I know. I hate being single.'' Piper bristled, taking a sip of her drink.
"Hey, Skye." Piper greeted sounding a little dejected followed quickly by Phoebe.
"Hey, Skye." She echoed a little more cheerfully than Piper.
''Hi.'' She places a glass of wine in front of Prue.
"Uh… I think there's been some kind of mistake. I didn't order this." Prue spoke up, looking at Skye while pointing at the wine glass. Skye smiled and gave a slight nod.
"I know. You have a secret admirer. He ordered it for you." Skye explained pointing around them to a young handsome man sitting in a wheelchair. All three pairs of eyes glanced around for a better view of the man Skye pointed out. He noticed the attention and held up his drink in greeting.
"Who's that?" Piper asked, her eyes narrowed. He seemed kind of shady. Prue bit her lip slightly at the attention while Phoebe cast her a teasing glance.
"I have no idea. I'm just following the bartender's orders, and apparently, he's had his eyes on Prue all night." Skye explained with a shrug of her shoulders. Prue sent a playful glare toward her youngest sister and looked toward Skye.
"Skye, can you do me a favor? Um, tell him to thank you and I'm very flattered, but I'm sorta seeing someone else." Prue pleaded hopefully, handing the drink up to the waitress. Skye nodded in understanding.
"Sure." She agreed with taking the drink back up.
"Thanks." Prue appreciated as Skye turned to take the drink back to him. Piper smiled and tilted her head in a scrutinizing manner.
"This is a nice change of attitude," Piper observed teasingly.
''You still haven't forgiven Andy huh?'' Phoebe asked, noticing how Prue seemed to have noticed the slight change in her sisters' demeanor ever since she found out about Susan.
''He should have told me,'' she responded with a heat glaze. ''He had plenty of time during these past few weeks? Did he think I wouldn't understand? It's the fact that he didn't like it was something to hide is what makes me doubt he isn't hiding something else.''
''Well to be fair you're hiding something of your own.'' Piper pointed out then shirks back slightly as Prue sent a glare her way that spoke 'traitor.'
''That's different,'' the oldest started to explain, ''...revealing our secret has dangerous consequences and makes us targets and it puts people around us in danger. Mentioning, 'oh hey, by the way, I was married,' when someone asked how have you been all these years is completely different.''
''Well maybe he was waiting for the right time. To be fair you guys did sort of jumped right back into things.''
''You're right, maybe it was too soon. There is so much to think about. But enough about my love life Piper what about yours? You seem content with just work and going home?''
''Well there is this guy,'' Piper began shyly. ''I mean he probably doesn't even really notice me.'' Only because he could be... " She shook away the thoughts. ''But knowing my luck he might end up being a demon or something.''
''Well at the very least you're going to have the hold down the fort for the weekend kay sis,'' Phoebe said wrapping an arm around Piper's neck.
''Hold down the fort?'' Piper responded in confusion.
''Well yeah, I mean if Naruto is free this weekend I can give him that tour I promise.'' the youngest responded pulling out her cell phone.
''Hold on what's this? Since when were you interested in Naruto?'' Despite the fact on how helpful their fellow magic user was, Prue still had her suspicions that he was another potential Jeremy waiting to happen.
''Oh come on now Prue I know you're angry with Andy now but you'll probably forgive him. Henceforth I get the cute blond. You can't have both of them you know.''
''For the last time! There is nothing going on between me and Naruto!'' Prue responded with a huff.
''Then why are you blushing?''
At that same time, Skye was speaking with the man in the wheelchair who had ordered the drink for Prue.
''She didn't want the drink?'' the wheel-chaired bound man asked. He was maybe in his thirties, wearing a bland grey shirt and black pants. He had a small jaw, large ears, and brown hair.
''I'm sorry, no. She's flattered and all but she's not interested.''
''Sure she is. How about you? Maybe you'd like to have a drink with me?'' The man asked, being rather aggressive as he reached out to caress Skye who pulled back.
''Oh, um, that's really sweet of you but I'm not allowed to date the customers.'' She said, gently refusing his advancements.
Later that night Piper found herself in the dream-scape once more. She was sitting back to back with her dream lover in a field of sorts. ''I'm sorry to hear that...'' he said as he reached back and grabbed her hand, their fingers intertwining. ''A ghost huh? Did I date a ghost once? We had a lot of emotional chemistry. The Physical aspect? Non-existent. Didn't help that she liked to tease me appearing naked half the time.''
''Oh, that's terrible,'' despite the words a smile formed on Piper's face. It was out of subdued laughter and she really did feel bad for the poor guy but she could understand how he felt in a way. ''So you haven't told me what you've been up to?''
''I found this woman who I've been searching for.''
''Oh...I see.''
''Not in that way,'' he quickly reassured her noticing how her response sounded deflated. ''I mean that I know this other person who I'm friends with and I think this other woman is this second woman's younger sister who was given up at adoption. So I'm trying to reunite them.''
''Wow, that's really noble of you.''
''What can I say? I like to help people. My life's calling is helping those who are in need even if it's just with a hammer and a smile. The hammer is a metaphor of sorts usually though I do tend to use from one from time. It's just the type a guy I am. One who walks amongst the wind and glide through life through the gentle breeze.''
Piper rested her head against the man's shoulder. ''How are we supposed to know when we meet each other if we can't even seem to communicate to each other who we are?''
''Maybe, maybe we use different forms of magic,'' he suggested with a shrug.
''Different forms of Magic?'' Piper voiced in confusion. There were different forms of magic now. She let out an oomph as she phased through her dream companion.
''Yeah, from what I understand there are different communities of magic and we all seemed to be blanketed from each other. It's the damnest thing." Elsewhere at that same time of night the waitress Skye was having a peaceful sleep.
''Hello, Skye.'' A husky voice greeted her.
Despite it's dark and whispery nature the voice managed to arouse the serving girl from her sleep. There in her room was the stranger from Quake, but he was not wheelchair bound.
''What the...'' She asked groggily before a hand wearing a black glove was placed over her mouth. She jumped and tried to push the hand away from her and get away from the man she recognized from Quake. The same man that had sent Prue a drink.
''Shh... '' He covers her mouth. ''You're in my world now, Skye.'' Her room turns into her dream. It's all red and there are clouds in the sky. Her soft carpet was replaced with hard concrete. Skye looked around and it seemed as if she was on top of a building except everything was tinged with red. She's now wearing a yellow evening dress. ''You look beautiful in that dress. I knew you would.''
''I don't understand.'' she was confused, disorientated from what was going on not to mention frightened. One moment she was in her room and the next she was on top of a roof. The sky was painted in a dull red and everything around seemed so dead.
''It's your dream, but it's my fantasy.'' He attempted to explain through a seductive whisper in her ear.
"Where am I?" She breathed. He laughed at the question and moved slowly to her other side though never taking his hands off of her.
"You're dreaming. I'm visiting." He clarified.
"You're in my dream?" Skye asked in confusion, turning to look over her shoulder at him.
"Yes, but I can make it mine." He replied, moving around in front of her and taking her hands in his.
''You can walk.'' She finally noticed. Despite seeing his able-bodied form before arriving at the roof it didn't finally click to now.
''In dreams, I can do anything. I can dance in your dreams, I can alter your dreams,'' They start dancing.''... and I can kill you in your dreams.''
''No, please.'' She whimpered, unable to break away.
''Did you know that if you die in your dreams, you die in real life.'' He takes her to the edge of the roof. He makes her look down and you can see that it's a long way down to the bottom.
''Please don't hurt me!'' She cried out in fear. This was no dream but a nightmare. Even the air itself was thick, like a foggy mist.
''Hehehe. Now, Skye, you rejected me and now you gotta pay.''
''Please, don't do anything!'' She screamed again the same time he did as she struggled to break free of his grasp. He teasingly pushed her closer to the edge.
He laughs at her cries. '' Sweet dreams.'' He whispered and kissed her cheek before pushing her off the edge. The last thing to escape her mouth before her life was claimed were her screams.
That morning the body of Skye was found twisted in her bed. The police were there, investigating the unusual death. Among the cops were detective Morris and Andy.
''What do we got here? Her name is Skye Russell, early twenty's, a waitress at Quake.'' Morris noted as all the clues of the woman's identity were jotted down in the path.
''Every bone in her body's been crushed,'' Andy noted from what they saw from the medical examiner's report.
''The coroner said it's as if she's fallen off a twenty story building.''
''But we're in a closed apartment, on the ground floor and the body hasn't been moved.''
At the manor the Halliwell sisters were going about their day, unaware of the danger one of them was in. Piper is watching an exercise video and trying to copy what they're doing. Hoping to tone her body to add to her overall appeal to attract a new love interest and hopefully maybe a new relationship, or maybe have a bit of fun...mostly the romance though. Her dream lover did mention that while most guys were enamored by breasts, but he was an ass man himself. Despite how shameless he acted sometimes at least he was honest and was more playful and flirty then just being an outright sleaze.
Prue though was curled up in one of the Manor's many chairs.
''Uh, I give up. Two weeks and nothing strengthened but my temper.'' Piper cried out in frustration as she stopped mimicking the movements in the videos. She huffed out, panting slightly as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her white crop top was soaked in sweat and like her black sweats was starting to stick.
''Piper, here's the problem. You didn't read the fine print. See. It says right here. Nineteen-ninety-five for the video and twenty grand for the plastic surgeon.'' Prue replied, with that humor of hers which usual was a mixture of being dry, sarcastic, or something along those lines.
''Yeah. Well, it's worked. She's the most desirable female in America. What every man wants.'' The middle sister stated begrudgingly. Some people seemed to have all the luck. She was a good person, wasn't she? So would her being able to shed a few pounds be all that bad.
''That woman? Of course, men want her. Men are not different from women. We all want what we can't have. Which is why we need to stop thinking about what men want and start thinking about what we want in a man.'' Prue stated as Phoebe walked in eating a bowl of Fruit Loops.
''Tons of fun, lots of heats, and no strings attached. That's what I want.'' The youngest listed off with a grin on her face.
''I know this may not sound very P.C., but I want romance. Long, slow kisses, late-night talks, candle lights. I love love. I'd take what Prue has in a flat second.''
''Hmm, but then you'd have to deal with the family secret, which isn't exactly normal now, is it?''
''Not to change the subject or anything, but has anyone seen my black lace bra?'' Phoebe asked as she continued eating her cereal. ''For the life of me, I can't find it.''
It was then a look of confusion crossed Piper's face. ''Really? I had this lingerie I bought a year ago and it's gone missing too.''
Speaking of the mysterious Naruto was at the Police Station investigating the death of Skye Russel. The blond made sure to pay extra attention to the death of anyone who met or knew the sisters.
'Skye Russell died of massive internal hemorrhaging. Her body literally imploded upon itself.'
But how was she murdered? The front door was locked and bolted; each window had bars on it, none of which had been tampered with in any way. Nobody but she was in that apartment last night. Magic was the obvious answer but the Waitress wasn't magical. That was the first thing he checked in, the second being any possible objects removed or magical signatures.
Either this person was really powerful or good at covering their tracks. Regardless that put the Cleaners off the list of a subject. They wouldn't be so obvious in covering up their movements, but they could be lazy at times. Setting up situations to resolve magic instead of actively erasing the traces. Naruto decided it was time to go somewhere else
A little later that day inside the Halliwell mansion kitchen Phoebe and Piper were discussing something.
''So, what's up?'' Piper finally asked, when Phoebe didn't immediately explain her presence.
''I, uh, I found this spell. "How To Attract A Lover,'' Phoebe said, as she looked around to make sure no one was in earshot.
''No Phoebe forget it. We're not casting any spells.'' Piper was quite clear in this manner. Out of the three, she was the one most resistant to being magical. Normal. That was the word for Piper. She liked things simple, structured, and orderly. And magic was far too chaotic and unpredictable for her taste.
''Come on. There must be more to our powers than warlock wasting. I'm ready to have some fun with our magic.'' The more opened Phoebe couldn't contain her grin as the prospect of having magical fun was too much of a temptation to ignore.
''No. No personal gain, remember?'' she wasn't as willing as testing the Powers That Be. There was no telling what could happen as a result.
''How is it personal gain, if we're using our powers to bring happiness to another person. And in my case lots and lots of happiness.'' the smile on her face wasn't even needed to give away what kind of happiness she was gunning for.
''Could you pass me that colander, please?'' one of the cooks asked as Piper handed it to him. Once he left Piper continued conversing with Phoebe.
''Look, I'm not talking about marriage here. We have our thirties to freak out about that. This...this spell is about having a good time.''
''I admit it's tempting. The dating scene can be a little frustrating. But bringing men into our life through a spell...correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a little bit desperate?''
''No. How is asking for what you want being desperate? I say it's not. I say it's empowering. Besides, the Book of Shadows says we could reverse this spell at any time.''
Later that day, once more Piper found herself in a kitchen, cooking, but at the Manor instead of the restaurant.
Piper is cutting up some vegetables. Prue walks in, calling for her sisters.
''Piper? Phoebe?''
''You're at home. I thought you were going to meet Andy and patched things up?''
''Uh, no, he had to cancel,'' Prue responded, looking weirdly enough relieved. Then again ever since the last magical incident, she had been steadily growing uncomfortable around Andy because she had to continue hiding her secret. There was no telling when or how things were going to turn out soon. Naruto had already mentioned demons had been monitoring them for quite some time and if she continued to see Andy without letting him know the potential danger he could end up being killed.
''What are you doing?'' she had taken notice that Piper was making something. It was a little too late for lunch, but far too early for dinner as well.
''Uum...'' Piper hesitated under her older sister's gaze. She really hated when Prue gave her that look. Piper had a hard time keeping secrets from Prue. Maybe it was their closeness or maybe it was the fact that Piper was a really honest person and Prue could see right through a person at times.
From the other room, Phoebe called out to Piper as she headed to the kitchen. ''Piper, I was wrong. The spell calls for cayenne pepper, not black pepper.'' She walks into the kitchen and sees Prue. ''Ooh. Did I say spell? I...I meant recipe. ''But it was far too late. Noticing her sister's glare she sheepishly responded. '' We are so busted, aren't we?''
''I would say yes. What spell are you casting?''
''I realized today that Phoebe may have stumbled onto something. Something that actually makes sense.''
''Now I'm worried,'' Prue responded to Piper's statement with an inward groan. Phoebe was hard enough to handle as it was from what she remembered all those years ago. Though, she thanked whoever above many times in the past few days that her younger sister did not have access to magic back then.
''All the spells are in this book for a reason, right? And I think that this spell could be a harmless opportunity for us to test our powers. You know, really get a handle on them. I mean, why else would it say we can reverse it at any time? All I want is someone special in my life and this spell provides that exactly.''
''I can translate.'' After explaining the idea behind the spell Prue only had one thing to say.
''You have got to be kidding,'' she responded in dismay.
Phoebe and Piper stand in front of her. Phoebe was carrying the Book of Shadows while Piper's arms are filled with the various herbs and spice containers.
''We were hoping you would join us.''
Prue wanted to say, ''No. I have got enough complications in my life. You two are on your own.'' and to walk out of the kitchen leaving her sisters to her own devices and the inevitable potential disaster that would follow, but she couldn't deny she found the spell interesting. What was it that Gramms used to always say? 'Magic can guide you to something wonderful if you let it, trust it with the entirety of your heart but not without cautious wit.' And from what the incantation read if she worded what she wanted accordingly it might give her a glimpse of what she had been seeking for quite some time.
''Fine,'' she relented with a sigh as her two sisters happily dragged her upstairs. The table was set up and they were ready.
''Okay. who goes first?'' Prue asked as Piper and Phoebe glanced to each other. Each of them had written down what they wanted in a man.
''You want to go first?''
''No. You go first.'' Piper insisted with a little nervousness in her voice.
"Okay." Phoebe agreed, but instead of doing a reading of her qualities she shot toward Piper and snatched Piper's 'perfect man qualities' from her hand.
"Hey! That's not fair!" Piper snapped, trying vainly to snatch it back while her little sister just giggled and began to read it aloud.
''You want a man who is single, smart, and endowed?'' Phoebe read the last part with quite a teasing smile.
''Employed.'' Piper hastily corrected as her tone was coated with annoyance at Phoebe's antics.
''Oh, sorry, employed. A man who loves sleeping in on Sunday, sunset bike rides,'' she laughs, ''...cuddling by a roaring fire,''' she laughs once more. ''...and late-night talks. A man who loves love as much as you do. Wow. You're a romantic.''
''Yep. Your turn. You want the sexy, silent type that finds you driving through town on the back of a Harley at three 'o' clock in the morning. A man who appreciates scented candles, body oils, and Italian sheets.'' Piper herself lets loose a laugh.
''He's about hunger and lust and danger and even knows you know all this, even know you know he'll never meet your friends or share a holiday meal with your family, you still can't stay away. And he recycles.''
''He recycles?'' Piper asked, thinking it a funny quality to add amongst all the others Phoebe wanted.
''Yeah. And I think it goes without saying we all want a man who is well...employed.'' Phoebe said, announcing the last word with a smirk once more.
''You're seriously twisted. Alright, Prue, it's your turn.''
Taking a deep breath she cautiously read her list. ''I want a man who is not only strong and intelligent but very kind-hearted and loving. He values family, and can be honest to me about himself and isn't afraid to accept my good and my bad points. That he is responsible can be mature, and respectful of my family. Also, it wouldn't hurt that he's attractive and packing down there.'' Just because one was looking for companionship and love didn't mean having a sexy or well-equipped partner would hurt.
''How...that's quite the list.'' Phoebe admonished. She then glanced back into the book. '' Hey we're lucky. If we were men looking for women the spell requires putting a piece of honey cake in a sweaty armpit for a day.''
''Eww. Maybe we can say this.'' Piper commented, leaning over the book. Phoebe grinned and nodded in excitement.
''Okay.''
The three sisters began to chant the spell. "I conjure thee, I conjure thee, I am the queen, you're the bee, as I desire so shall it be. ''
As they recite the spell, the wind begins to blow in the attic and a light white mist blows around them. Kit meows.
As they continue to recite, the wind picks up.
'I conjure thee, I conjure thee, I'm the queen, you're the bee, as I desire, so shall it be.'
Everything stops and becomes still.
''Well ok we cast the spell. I'm going to go get something to drink.'' Prue told them as she went downstairs.
''You think it worked?'' Phoebe whispered eagerly though afraid of breaking the silence.
''I don't know. Since the big spells usually require all three of us so I don't see why not.'' Piper pointed out, just as quietly. Below, the sound of the phone ringing echoed through the quiet house. Phoebe and Piper grinned, taking off down the stairs hoping it was for one of them. When they arrived at the bottom of the stairs Prue was on the phone with Paige listening beside her.
''Is it for me? Is it for me?'' Phoebe and Piper asked at the same time, halting beside their sister.
"This is Prue. Who is this? Um, I'm sorry, do I know you?" Prue asked into the phone while silence fell over the other three sisters who crowded around Prue to hear the conversation.
"Yeah. We met at Quake. Well, we didn't actually meet. I sent you a glass of Chardonnay and you sent it back. Still, I was wondering, maybe you'd like to go out sometime." The husky voice of the drink-sender and murderer of Skye Russell stated through the phone. Prue bit her lip slightly at the invitation. Prue's uncertainty kept the other three sisters from offering a teasing remark about her being asked out and instead they all narrowed their eyes at the phone in suspicion.
"Um, look, as I told the waitress, I'm just not available. How'd you get my number, my name?" Prue wondered into the phone. On the other end, he hung up at the rejection. "Hello?" Prue called but realized he'd hung up on her so she put the phone back on the receiver.
"Who was it?" Paige asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"The guy from Quake who sent her a drink" Piper answered before Prue could say anything. Prue was a little distracted by his apparent persistence bordering on stalking.
Phoebe walks over to the door and puts on her coat.
''Um, hello. Missy May where are you going?''
''I'm going to Quake see if my spell worked. Want to join me?'' Phoebe offered, slipping into her jacket but waiting for a response from her sisters.
"Pass." Piper called with a wave of her hand.'' I'm going to go fix myself a snack before I try off the spell.''
''No. Thanks,'' Prue answered. '' I'm gonna take a bath,'' she added as she disappeared out of the kitchen and made her way to the upstairs bathroom.
Phoebe rolled her eyes, wondering why her sisters even bothered with the spell and decided to head down to Quake.
In the bathroom, Prue was laying in the bathtub, bubbles up to her neck resting peacefully.
She closes her eyes and falls asleep.
The scene light changes and the bathroom is cast in a reddish hue. Whitaker Berman secures his black leather gloves on. He reaches out to touch Prue.
''Hello Prue.'' a voice greeted her softly causing her to jump awake in surprise accidentally sending a splash of water over the lip of the tub.
Prue wakes up. ''Unh. Who the hell...'' Prue began demanding an explanation, trying her best to hide her fear, but the murderer caught her off guard by finishing her thought.
Whitaker leans over the side of the tub towards Prue.'' Who am I and how did I get in? Hmm?''
''I don't care just get...'' before she could finish her venomous replied he once more finished her sentence.
''Out of the bathroom?'' She screamed at the same time he said it as well. He laughed taking hold of the towel that she was desperately trying to get. Prue's eyes flashed and she jerked the towel out of his hand pulling it to her.
''Piper, help me!'' She screamed at the same time he said it as well. He laughed taking hold of the towel that she was desperately trying to get. Prue's eyes flashed and she jerked the towel out of his hand pulling it to her.
"Scream all you want. No one can help you." He warned, leaning toward her.
"How did you know…?" Prue began to ask hesitantly when once again he finished her thought for her.
"What you are thinking? What you're going to say?" He offered. Prue let out a shaky breath.
"Yes…" She breathed. The murderer closed his eyes as if thinking of how to phrase the answer.
"I'm in your unconscious. I know your every thought and desire." He answered.
"Who are you?" Prue demanded, wrapping the towel she had acquired around herself while he was distracted by her questions. His hand reached out to stroke her hair and she flinched away from his touch.
"I'm the man of your dreams." He replied cryptically. Around them, her bathroom disappeared to be replaced with the roof of a building scenery as seen previously with Skye Russell. The only difference was the bathtub, Prue, and everything was tinged with blue instead of red. Prue narrowed her eyes at the change and decided this just couldn't be real. At least she hoped it wasn't.
"You're not real. You don't exist." She told him, focusing all her energy on trying to make him disappear like she used to be able to do when she had nightmares. He just laughed softly at her.
''That's what your mother used to say, isn't it? Every night before you went to sleep?'' He asked rhetorically. Prue let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate more.
''You're not real. You don't exist,'' she repeated the mantra under her breath.
''As she tucked you in? She'd say if you saw any monsters to tell yourself they weren't real,'' he asked rhetorically.
''You're not real. You don't exist,'' she repeated once more, willing it to work.
He leans in close and kisses her back as he washes her.
''They didn't exist?'' Prue whispered fearfully as he caressed her shoulders with the sponge.
''I can't move. Why can't I move?'' Prue whispered fearfully as he caressed her shoulders with the sponge.
''Ha ha ha. Because I'm going to love you to death.'' The dream sorcerer gets a sponge and rubs it on her back so hard it makes her bleed. He pushes her head under the water.
Piper knocks on the door and Prue wakes up. ''Prue, are you okay?'' She asked uncertainly.
"Uh, yeah." Prue managed to say, rubbing soap and water away from her eyes to hide her panic.
"You were yelling," Piper stated sounding unconvinced with her oldest sister's answer.
"Yeah, I had a… a really bad thing." Prue offered cryptically. She didn't know how to explain what had happened, especially not just now with her thoughts in as much disarray as they were.
"A thing?" Piper quoted, raising her eyebrows.
"Yeah, uh, I'm okay now. I promise, just go back to bed." Prue insisted. Piper gave a slight nod and turned to leave before catching herself and turning back.
''Ow.'' She looks at her back and sees scratch marks from the sponge. ''Oh, my God.''
After Prue insisted that she was okay Piper went back into the kitchen. She took the phone off the hook and glanced at the paper in her other hand. She was trying to decide whether or not to call him. The man she was wondering about who to call was there Handyman Leo Wyatt. Prue had hired him a few days ago wondering if she should call him or not as she had reason to believe he might have been her dream lover. She remembered hesitantly, asking him if he wanted to go out sometime. The only way she could be sure was to spend some time around him. So far the only similarities were hair color and that his job insisted on helping people. She knew the latter was a major stretch, but things weren't going to move forward if she didn't do anything.
So she called only to get the answering machine. ''Hello this is Leo Wyatt! I can't come to the phone right now but leave your name, number, and a brief message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.''
''Uum hey it's me,'' she started with a nervous chuckle. ''Well not me but Piper. Well Piper as in Piper Halliwell, but you probably know that. So I called,'' she had to resist the urge to face-palm as well. ''...and that's pretty obvious to considering I'm leaving a message. Anyway, I was thinking we could get together tomorrow for lunch. If you're not busy, so call me back okay. Bye.'' Hanging up she couldn't help but in fact, do that facepalm.
It was the next morning and Prue began telling Piper about last night's events.
Later on in the Manor Kitchen Prue and Piper began to have a discussion.
''Do you remember what mom used to say about nightmares?'' Prue asked, hoping to get some reassurance from her sister.
''She said if we saw any monsters to tell them to go away that they didn't exist. Always worked, too.''
''Yeah, well, not this time. He knew about mom. He knew what she told us and how did he know that? And what about the marks on my back. Piper, they were there and now they've disappeared. I don't know how and I don't know why but they were definitely there.''
''How many hours did you work this week? Sixty, seventy? And now what are doing today, on a Saturday, no less?'' Piper asked, hinting at that Prue was over-working herself.
''Yeah, well, the auctions start on Monday and the shipment arrives three days late. And you're changing the subject. You don't believe me.'' she stoically stated.
''No. I believe you think you saw marks on your back. But I'm watching you down your third cup of coffee and we're talking about a nightmare you had while you asleep in the tub. So isn't it possible that exhaustion made you see those marks and not some dream guy?''
''No. He was in my dream and it was real.'' Prue insisted.
''So why didn't you use your powers to help you out? You know, move him away.''
''I don't know,'' Prue responded with a shrug.
As they were talking a rather fit and shirt-less Leo entered the kitchen, his face enshrouded by his hand as a low groaned echoed from his lips.
''Uh, excuse me but who are you?'' Prue demanded a bit put out that a strange male seemed to have made his way inside the house.
"Who cares," Piper replied, her eyes trailing his physique. For a moment she could focus on something else. Something then dawned on her. 'I've seen that body before.'
"Uh... so sorry, Ms. Halliwell." The man's face became visible when he removed his hand, using it to cover the nakedness of his torso in front of Prue.
"Leo?" the two sisters cried out.
"I'm so sorry, Leo! There should be an ice pack in the fr..." Phoebe paused momentarily upon seeing her sisters. "...eezer."
Leo quickly found the ice pack and placed it on his hand. "I have to run so I'll give you a call," he said scurried back over to Phoebe. His hand taking his shirt from hers. "Maybe Lunch if I'm not too hopped up on painkillers," He finished, making Phoebe blush.
With a last sheepish look back at the other two Halliwell sisters, his eyes indecisive on which to rest upon. "Once again...I'm so sorry."
His eyes returning to Phoebe, he leaned down to her. "Well, see you later," He said as they kissed briefly. With that, he exited the room and left out the front door.
Phoebe then took notice of her sister's look of disbelief. Well, Prue was more disbelief while Piper's seemed more shock than anything. "Don't worry. We had safe sex. A lot of safe sex. A lot of crazy imaginative mind-blowing sex."
"Phoebe!" Prue grabs Phoebe's wrist and pulls away from Phoebe, who was still staring at the door with a blank look on her face. "I think that Piper liked Leo."
"What's not to like? He's a great guy."
Prue grabs the coffee carafe. "No, I mean... really liked him," she articulates as she pours herself a cup of coffee.
"Your point being?" Prue's hint went over her head.
Prue shakes her head. "Never mind. Classic Phoebe."
"Wait. Define that." Phoebe demanded, immediately becoming defensive about the remark because she was sure Prue was referring to the Roger incident again.
"I think you know," Prue states as she hands the cup of coffee to Phoebe.
"Okay, look, Prue, I think we need to put some major closure on this, or we're gonna be in rocking chairs, slurping oatmeal out of rubber spoons, and I'm still gonna hear about Roger."
Piper still in a bit of daze walked out of the kitchen. ''Piper wait...'' Phoebe called after her as she followed her into the living room. "Piper did you... like Leo?"
"I did, but now, not so much," she admitted with a hurt sigh.
Piper didn't need to finish that sentence; Phoebe could see it all from the downcast, forlorn look which Piper held. "Am I really a boyfriend thief?"
"Totally." The middle sister responded, without a thought.
"Besides Roger, whom-again, Prue-I never touched..." though before Phoebe could finish Prue instantly listed, "Piper's eight grade boyfriend... Billy Wilson."
Phoebe chuckles. "Billy ... Wil - eighth-grade Billy Wilson?" she asked, trying to recall just when she supposedly stole him.
"You kissed him at homecoming," Piper stated with complete clarity.
"No, I did not kiss him at homecoming. I was helping him find a contact lens." she lamely suggested.
"Oh, please. You were all over him, with your breasts all... whatever." Piper lamented about in annoyance. While she had a pretty nice chest overall she was still a bit self-conscious as she was smaller in comparison to her two sisters.
"I didn't even have breasts back then," Phoebe argued defensively.
"Phoebe, you've always had breasts." Prue insisted.
Deciding to ignore the remark Phoebe was hoping she could mend things with Piper. ''I'm sorry Piper I was just going with what I thought the spell meant for me to do. I mean we both met on the other side of town, chatted, went out to dinner and things went on from there. I mean we can undo the spell and...well he might like you.''
''Phoebe, you threw his clothes all over the house. That's not a spell working, that's hormones. Besides, he probably likes you more now regardless so undoing the spell is a moot point.''
Phoebe seemed a bit hurt at this statement. ''You volunteered to do the spell with me remember. And it's not like I knew you two had a thing? You didn't think I set out to intentionally hurt you did you?''
Piper sighed, ''I'm sorry Pheebs I didn't mean anything by that. You're right, you didn't know and it was not like Leo and I were together anyway.''
''You really liked him huh?''
''No...I mean, I hardly know the guy. I mean okay so he's cute, and he's handy around the house but...I guess you can say I was trying to get my mind off my sudden stroke of dating misadventures. Anyway, I'm going to go get ready for work.''
The sisters had parted ways as they prepared to go about their day. The case of the mysterious murders of the young women was still going on. Andy tosses the file folders on Darryl's desk. ''It's all here in their FBI files.'' He takes a sip of his coffee as Darryl reaches for the file folders.
''Why do you do this to me?'' Morris asked rhetorically, pulling them closer so he could look at them for his partner.
''Three young women, completely unrelated, except for the fact that they all died the exact same way as the waitress,'' he noted, drawing attention to how suspicious it was.
''Medical Examiner lists them all as jumpers. Case closed.''
Andy fills his cup with more coffee.'' Look at the crime photos. All the vics were found locked in their rooms. We got the M.O. of a serial killer here, Morris.'' He takes a sip of his mug.
Meanwhile at Quake Piper was busy at work. She takes a plate of food over to a man sitting at a table.
''Mr. Manford, here you go. Chicken, rice, and veggies. Just the way you like it.'' Piper told him and then turned to leave. She halted when Mr. Manford actually spoke back to her.
''Thank you. And please call me Jack. Has anybody ever told you how truly beautiful you are?''
Piper laughs. ''Have you been drinking?''
In response, Jack laughed and shook his head. '' A sense of humor. I love that.'' She turns to leave. ''Wait, Piper, don't go. I don't know why but I've got to get to know you. Have dinner with me.''
''Can you hang on a second?'' She told him as her, phone went off.
''Yeah.'' Jack whispers as Piper whispers back 'Okay!'
Piper walks over to the phone near the bar. A guy stands behind her.
'Prue Halliwell, please. It's her sister, Piper.'' She said into the phone.
''You know, you shouldn't have dinner with that guy.'' The stranger behind her said.
Piper turned to regard him with polite curiosity though in truth she wanted to punch him in the face.
"Why not?" She asked instead of her initial reaction.
"Because you should fly to Paris with me." He explained and then went silent waiting on her answer. Piper turned back away and clenched the phone in her hand.
"Tell her it's an emergency." She hissed into the phone.
Meanwhile, at the Auction house Rex enters Prue's office carrying a box.
''Have you finished the, uh, Cromwell miniatures yet?'' Rex questioned as he set a large box down in the floor for Prue to eventually look over.
"Rex… uh, hang on a second, Piper." Prue whispered into the phone and then looked back up at Rex. "No, I'm still cataloguing the Rembrandt Sketches." She answered hastily.
"Oh, well, uh, set them aside. The, uh, letters of Ernest Hemingway are now first on the block." Rex ordered, motioning for some delivery guys to bring the big boxes they were moving into Prue's room. Her eyes widened at all the boxes. She sighed and brought back the phone.
"I don't believe it; I'm going to be here all night. Piper, let me call you back." She whispered into the phone before hanging up and making her way to the newly arrived artifacts.
In another part of town, Darryl Morris and Andy arrived at a scientific facility that was conducting experiments on dreams and their effect on people and the real world. It was part of a study to induce controlled lucid dreams and to study the mind while the body was in a state of sleep.
The Lab Technician shows Darryl and Andy into the lab.
''So this is a dream lab? They actually pay people to sleep?'' Detective Morris asked the lab technician.
''If you wait here, I'll tell Mr. Berman that you would like to speak with him.'' He walks away.
''Thank you,'' Andy replied politely, watching the attendant leave before taking a few moments to survey his surroundings with interest. After the attendant left Darryl turned to his partner with a quick word of caution.
"Look, just because Berman dated the first victim…" He began, but Andy cut him off.
"Julie Derickson."
"… Doesn't make him a killer." Darryl finished his warning, satisfied when Andy gave him a slight nod.
"Yeah, but it's a great place to start. It's our only place to start…" Andy muttered, tapping Darryl on the shoulder and pointing to the room with the chair. He led the way into the adjoining room.
"What do you know about this place anyways?" Darryl asked as he followed his partner.
''It's a privately funded research facility and Julie Garikson worked here too. She and Berman teamed together on some kind of experimental project.'' Andy answered and then fell silent as Berman entered the room in his wheelchair.
''Hello, Inspectors,'' Andy and Darryl turn around and see Whitaker Berman in the observation room area. ''...how may I help you?'' Darryl began the informal interrogation while Andy hung back a few steps.
"Yes, what's this about?" Berman asked, feigning ignorance of this investigation.
"We're conducting an investigation. We'd like to ask you a few questions." Darryl replied, giving a slight nod to Andy to show him the pictures.
"Regarding?" Berman wondered.
''Do you know this woman?'' Andy hands him a photograph from one of the files.
'That's Julie Derikson. She was my girlfriend. I was heartbroken when she... Forgive me, it's just very hard. I still miss her.'' He said, pausing and feigning emotion.
''Another woman died just like her the other night. A waitress. Crushed to death in her sleep.''
''Oh, you're kidding?'' Berman stated slowly.
"No." Darryl responded shortly while Berman turned to look at him.
"That… That's awful." Berman commented, glancing back at Andy as he took a step forward.
"Mr. Berman, could you tell us your whereabouts the night before last?" Andy demanded, not satisfied with the experimenter's reaction to their news. He was too calm and too cold.
"I was here in the lab asleep. I left in the morning." Berman answered promptly.
"Any witnesses who can confirm that?" Darryl asked.
''A nights worth of day, two scientists and a lab technician. Shall I have them paged?'' Berman suggested almost daring the two cops to say yes. Andy's eyes narrowed, but he looked away, unable to prove his suspicions at the present time.
''No, that's okay Mr. Berman. Sorry we disturbed you. Thank you for your time.'' Darryl replied, pulling lightly on Andy's arm for them to leave. Andy led the way out, leaving Whitaker Berman alone in the room.
At the Quake Piper found herself having dinner with Jack.
''What else can I tell you? Um, when I get stressed, I get hives... in very strange places. Which is nothing compared to what happens when I panic, believe me.'' She thought up, hoping to dissuade the man's interest in her.
''Your honesty is so refreshing.'' He complimented causing Piper to sigh, but she recovered quickly.
''Ah, well, it helps keep my ulcer under control.'' Another stomaching wrenching detail that people would often kept hidden. Piper tapped her foot impatient and kept glancing at the cloak.
''It's the nineties. I mean, is there anyone who doesn't have one?''
''Would you like to see my tattoo?'' Feigning a fake smile, hoping to find that one turn-off to drive the man away.
''Would you like to see mine?'' Jack replied, a teasing smile on his face.
''Uh, is there nothing I can say to turn you off?''Piper wondered, with a slight shake of her head.
''There really isn't,'' Jack answered immediately. He pulled away for a brief moment as if he just realized that his answer was weird. ''Which is kind of strange, actually.''
''Not really. Jack, you're under a...'' Jack kisses Piper. '' Spell.'' Piper sees a guy sitting behind Jack smiling and giving her the eye, then she sees another guy standing nearby holding a glass of wine and winking at her. She laughs nervously. She looks behind her and another guy is sitting at a table holding a white rose.
"Hey there." He said and she turned uncertainly around to find a man offering her a white rose. Piper ignored him and looked back at Jack before admitting a freaked-out laugh. She glanced around at all the guys and fell silent trying desperately to think of some way out of this predicament.
At the dream lab the technicians were helping Berman into a chair.'' Give me thirty cc's of androveen.''
''Thirty cc's? That's twice the amount...'''He began to argue against the wisdom of that order, but he was cut off harshly by Mr. Berman.
'I'll be in R.E.M. sleep quicker and longer. Set the dream inducement system, the level twelve.''Mr. Berman continued, ignoring the advice of the other technicians.
"Give me thirty cc's of Vandereen." Mr. Berman ordered once he was settled as comfortably as possible in the chair. The lab technician that was putting the shot together looked over at him uncertainly.
"Thirty cc's? That's twice…" He began to argue against the wisdom of that order, but he was cut off harshly by Mr. Berman.
"I'll be in REM sleep quicker and longer. Set the dream inducement to level 12." Mr. Berman continued, ignoring the advice of the other technicians.
"We haven't got the results back from level eight." The technician warned. Mr. Berman, annoyed with the technician, grabbed roughly onto his arm and pulled him down.
"This is my dream. My experiment. Set the machine and give me the shot." Mr. Berman snapped, causing the technician to nod nervously and follow his orders.
Prue, exhausted from all the work that had been thrust onto her shoulders laid her head down on her desk. She hadn't expected to fall asleep, but the silence of the empty building and with only a little lamp as a light source, she did. Mr. Berman, once again, took control of her dream.
"Hello, Prue. We meet again." He greeted, sitting in the chair behind her desk while Prue slowly opened her eyes and glanced up at him in confusion. "All that work, all those hours. You fell asleep at your desk." Berman explained, relaxing back into his chair. The women's' initial reaction to him was always the best part. Prue's eyes flashed with understanding and her hand shot out to grab a letter opener that was on her desk, so as not to be totally defenseless like last time.
"What do you hide from at work? Is it the pain of your past or the uncertainty of your future?" He asked, getting up out of his chair and slowly approaching a struggling Prue.
"I don't hide from anything." Prue hissed, trying to get out of the chair, but just like last time she found she couldn't move.
"Can't move out of the chair, can you?" Berman observed with satisfaction. He grabbed hold of the back of the chair and spun it around dangerously fast until Prue faced him. "Don't you wonder why?" There was manic gleam in his eyes as he began to roll the chair toward the edge of the building with Prue still struggling to get free. "Because I don't want you to. You're powerless, Prue." Berman answered his own question for Prue's benefit.
"Go to Hell." Prue snapped, finally settling back into the chair. There had to be another way to get free, struggling obviously wasn't doing anything. Mr. Berman ignored her outburst and continued as if he had been uninterrupted.
"I, on the other hand, am the all-powerful. If you don't want to talk to me, that's fine. There's always Piper, Phoebe, Paige, or any number of young single women out there. It's an endless pool for the dream sorcerer." He warned with a grin that sent chills down Prue's spine. Fear flashed through her blue eyes, but it wasn't the fact that the chair was moving closer to the edge of the building. It was for her sisters. He knew about them. He could hurt them.
"No, wait, I'll stay." She pleaded with anything to keep her sisters safe.
"It's too late. You're falling asleep." Berman laughed and Prue shook her head defiantly.
"No, I'm fine. I'm awake." She countered, her desperation beginning to switch into hysteria.
"Shall I sing you a lullaby?" Berman suggested, halting the chair just on the edge of the building.
"I don't think so." Prue hissed and slammed her foot up, kicking him, and stabbing his hand with the letter opener that she had gotten from her desk. He screamed in pain and anger. Before Prue could do anything, he had roughly shoved her back into the chair and spun it to face the edge.
"Good night, Prue," Berman yelled over her scream. He pushed the chair to the edge when a phone ringing woke Prue up with a jolt.
Retaliating in fright she spins back around and nearly stabs Naruto with the letter opener.
''Geeze...remind me never to sneak up on you when you have a real weapon.''
''Naruto...what are you doing here?'' she asked, as she tried to catch her breath.
''I was worried.'' he began to explain. ''A lot of women within your age range have been dying mysteriously and there is no trace of magic involved so I thought it might have been something else so I was worried so I thought I stopped by. That, and for some reason, I had a hankering for a doughnut. Why do you suppose they have jelly-filled donuts, but not honey filled or peanut-butter filled donuts? ''
Before the Prue could answer her phone went off. ''Hold that thought,'' she told him as she entered. '' Hello? Yeah, um, can I call you back? Yeah, okay thanks.'' she said hanging it up.
"Hey, so what was I saying?''
''Hey, what do you know about dreams?''
Naruto cocked his head to the side. ''Depends on what you mean?'' he asked before his head righted back up.
''Look I've been having these weird dreams and...'' Prue began to explain about the last two incidents involving the mysterious dream hunter.
At the Police station, detective Morris had doubts about their one suspect being the killer.
''The man is in a wheelchair. He's got no motive and he's got an alibi. So tell me again why you think Berman is our suspect.''
"Dream leaping." He answered simply.
"Dream leaping?" Darryl repeated in confusion and disbelief. He fell silent waiting for an elaboration on Andy's part.
''That's what Berman's researching at the lab. Dream leaping. The ability to project himself into someone else's dreams.''
''Into women's dreams and killing them? Now, who's dreaming.''
''Not just any women. Women who reject him. Just like Julie Derikson did. She broke up with him when they were driving somewhere. He got into an accident. That's why he's paralyzed. It's on there in the police report.'' Andy stands up and gets his coat. ''The day after he went back to work at the lab, Julie Derikson died suspiciously. Six months later, two more women died in their sleep. Crushed to death. Coincidence? You tell me.''
''Love to. Can't. Let's go.''
After finally getting away from Jack and her other dozen admirers a tired Piper had arrived home to the mansion. She decided to go take a shower and head straight to bed. After today she was far too tired, too drained to deal with anything else.
She was completely unaware of the intruder that entered her room.
Whitaker Berman secured his black leather gloves on. He reaches out to touch Piper.
''Hello Piper.''
''W-Who are you? And how did you get in here?''
''I didn't appreciate you ruining my fun with Prue. So now you have to pay.''
It only took a moment for it to click and for to realize just who this was.
Piper made a dash for the door.
''Prue! Phoebe! Anyone! Help!'' she cried out desperately, hoping someone was home or that someone would hear her cries for help.
Whitaker stops Piper from grabbing the door. '' Scream all you want. No one can help you.'' he taunted her with a seductive purred.
''How did you know...'' Piper began asking with a faint whisper.
''What are you thinking and know what you're going to say?'' he asked as furthered toyed with Piper.
''Yes,'' Piper answered with a whisper.
''I'm in your conscious. I know your every thought and desire.'' He menacingly whispered as he stalked towards her.
''Who are you?'' she whimpered as he reached out and strokes Piper's cheeks. She pulls away from him. ''The Dream Sorcerer, better known as the man of your dreams.''
Piper glares at Whitaker. ''You're not him. You're not even close.''
Whittaker pushed Piper unto her bed.
''Go away you don't exist! You don't exist! Go away you don't exist!'' Piper chanted the mantra her mother told her as a little girl to get rid of nightmares.
He leans in close and kisses her cheek.
''I can't move. Why can't I move?''
''Ha ha ha. Because I'm going to love you to death.'' The dream sorcerer said as he removed the first button from her shirt. ''Nice and Slow or are you the kind of girl that likes it rough.''
''Go away you don't exist! You don't exist! Go away you don't exist!''
''If mommy's little prayer didn't save Prue what makes you think it's going to help you? I'm inside your head. I know everything you know. And there is no one who can save you.''
''Prue! Phoebe! Someone! Please help me!'' Piper mentally cried out desperately. She couldn't help but let out a scream as something his fingernail began slicing her neck causing her to bleed.
''You really are beautiful. So beautiful for someone so quiet. Normally I end this, but I think this one time I'll savor my prize.'' he said as he ripped over her blouse.
''GET AWAY FROM HER!"' The voice shouted as Whittaker was grabbed by the shirt and tossed through a window. The destroyed window let out a crack as the cold night air filled the room. ''You okay?'' the dream walker asked as he used his jacket to covered Piper's exposed chest.
''Yeah, I am now,'' she said burying her face into his shoulder. ''If you hadn't shown up.''
''Don't worry. With me here he won't touch you,'' he told her as he got up from the bed.
''So the Dream man has shown up. I was wondering when you would.'' Whittaker mocked as he materialized in the room. ''I suppose I get the added benefit of eliminating some of the competition.'' Whittaker then throws up his hand and nothing happened. ''What? What's going on? '''
''A pitiful man like you holds no power here. A monster like you who preys on women have no place among the living.'' The dream walker said raising his hand and clutching it. Whittaker started grabbing at his throat as the other dream walker began strangling him. Though before the dream walker could finish off Whittaker he disappeared. ''Damn...just needed a few more seconds.'' the dream walker went over and joined Piper on the bed. ''Just who in the hell was that?''
''Some creep that has it in for my sister.''
''Well at least he won't be coming after you anymore, '' he told her as he went over to the bed and wrapped a comforting arm around her.
The next day had come around and no Warlock attacks had occurred. The sisters were thankful that they didn't have to worry about being killed for their powers, at least on a daily basis.
''I'm home!"' Phoebe called out as she walked through the front door.
She walks down the foyer and notices a vase of flowers everywhere.
She sees an open box of chocolates and takes one. She walks into the kitchen. More flowers are in here too. Piper's sitting at the table drinking coffee.
''You're home early.''
''Yeah. So are you. What's with all the flowers. You and Jack fighting already?''
''I wish. The flowers were all waiting on the doorstep when I returned. They're from men I barely know and men I've never met. All the flowers in here are for you.''
Phoebe sits down. ''My date was perfect. Everything was perfect. Even my faults were perfect.''
''And this is a bad thing?''
''Yeah, because it's not real. It's fake! Were basically enslaving these men to their hormones and what if these men are involved with someone? What if they happened to be married? We could be ruining relationships and not even realizing.'' As Piper laid out her thoughts Phoebe thought about how she unintentionally hurt Piper.
''You're right. So let's reverse the spell. ''Though before they could get to reversing it the phone began to ring. Piper gets up and answers it.
''Hello? Prue, where are you? You weren't here when I woke up in the morning.''
''I'm doing some research into this dream guy that's been trying to kill me. He attacked me in the office again last night, but Naruto woke me up before anything happened. He's actually been helping me.''
'''Hey Prue listen that guy you told me about. He tried to kill me too!''
''WHAT!'' Piper winched slightly at the volume. ''He tried to kill you? Did he hurt you any? What happened?''
''I'm fine, he seemed to disappear before anything could really happen. I think he must have woken up. Do you know when you'll be back?''
''I'm not quite sure, sometime tonight. Do you know why he attacked you?''
''Because I stopped him from harming you the other night. I think he thinks if he gets rid of me there won't be anyone stopping him from getting to you.''
''Well he can only attack us in our dreams so we have to stay awake, but if we fall asleep were as good as dead. I'll call you if I find anything.''
After saying bye Prue arrived at the restaurant. She was wearing a black dress, not something one would wear for research but Naruto said before they would go out to try and find out just who this guy was and find a way to destroy his means of attacking the sisters.
''While hello there miss Halliwell,'' Naruto greeted as she finally arrived at the table where he was waiting. ''My you pull off the Tall, Dark, and Bishojo looks quite well.''
''Thanks, you're not looking bad yourself,'' she said taking notice of 2 button cotton shirt. It was a black version of the Jack Victor style. Not to mention sticking out of the side was his shoes. Dark Oak Claverton-Anitque shoes. The whole ensemble cost more than a thousand dollars easily.
Naruto gets up and pulls out Prue's chair for her. ''My lady?''
''A gentleman I see,'' she remarked with a grin.
''Hey I'm more than just a pretty face you know,'' he answered with a grin of his own.
Prue nodded in acknowledgment, ''...so you said there was something else you wanted to discuss.''
"Can I get you anything to drink beautiful?'' the waiter asked, completely focused on Prue. He was a twenty-something, scruffy looking college drop out with unkempt brown hair and droopy eyes.
''Oh no!' Prue inwardly groaned, 'I forgot about the spell. Why did I let my sisters convinced me to cast it?'
Naruto snapped his fingers, ''Some Chardonnay if you please,'' he said to the waiter whose eyes seemed to glaze over.
''Of course sir! Right away sir!'' he said in an emotionless monotone as he walked away.
''What did you do?'' Prue asked with a worried glance.
''An illusion, it should wear off when we leave. And don't worry about any other guys I placed another illusion shortly after so people wouldn't be able to listen in on our conversation.''
''Another power? How many do you have?'' she skeptically remarked.
"To be fair I've trained for years to earn these abilities. I'm not the best with illusions and they're something I've only been really working on recently. Though, when I do have a need for them, they're really helpful."
When the waiter came back they both ordered the Spaghetti carbonara.''Anyway back to what I wanted to talk to you about. Well, I wanted to talk with all three of you, but this little situation is getting in the way of this. If you three are going to embrace your family heritage some changes have to be changed.''
''Changes? What kind of changes?'' Prue pressed on for more information.
''Like your dating situation. I'm not trying to tell you who to date, it's your life and you can do what you wish but I do say as long as you're dating a mortal and he is unaware of magic t puts both of you in danger.''
''I...I don't know. This hasn't proven true so far? I mean how many demons or warlocks are out there?''
''The magical populous roughly makes up thirty-five percent of the population. Only about twenty-two percent is humanoid or can take a humanoid appearance. San Francisco, in particular, is one of the hotspots and at any given time two to five percent is usually concentrated here with the vast majority of them being in the evil alignment then good as they try to garner resources and such. You know how people are always saying big businesses or lawyers are pure evil?'' Naruto waited for a response but it looked like Prue was contemplating his words.
''I...I don't know. I mean it's complicated.''
''Well I hope it works out. I hate to see you hurt,'' he said sincerely causing Prue to look up at him in surprise. ''It's just, not a lot of people take the news of people like us being different too well. Trust me,'' he said as his expression momentarily went serious. ''And I'll be here when you need me. ''
There was something confident, assuring in his eyes. Those soft eyes that really looked at her, no into her eyes. She couldn't help but looked away under his gaze.
''You've been silent,'' he spoke up. They had left the restaurant a little while ago and things have been silent. ''I'm sorry, I put my nose into your business and...''
Prue shook her head, ''Forget about it. I mean you're right it is my business but what you say does have merit. I mean we have a history together and...''
''There are feelings that are still there?'' he asked as Prue responded with a nod and a 'yeah.' Neither of them took really seemed to mind that their distance from each other narrowed as they continued down the street. ''I chose this place because it's near a library that I well sort of own.''
''Wait? You bought a library?'' The question came out a bit more skeptical then she meant for it to sound.
''Yeah I made use of my gifts to get ahead in life. I make use of my unique gifts and with some smart investments I made quite a bit of money,'' he gestured leading her into the library and one of the quiet rooms in the back.
''Just what is going on Uzumaki? And what is with all this secrecy? Are you going to tell me what all this is about or what? If you've forgotten some psycho called the dream sorcerer is trying to kill me.''
''I haven't forgotten Prue. I think I have an idea on who or what's trying to kill you." He said as he showed her the image of a humanoid creature among clouds. "I believe he's a dream-walker or someone who's performing dreamwalker type abilities.''
''A dream-walker?''
''A being with the ability to go into dreams and slightly alter reality. It's like being a traveler but only able to travel in your own dimension and only through people's dreams. It doesn't really require magic; anybody can potentially do it under the right circumstances. I believe the guy might be a scientist of some sort so he might be using a machine of some sort.''
''So that's how this guy has been attacking me and Piper?''
''Yeah we destroy the machine he loses his ability, but that's only a temporary situation.'' He offered.
''Will worry about that when it comes to it, but that bastard is going to regret he tried to hurt her.''
After doing a bit of research on anyone doing some dream research in San Francisco area they came across a name, Whittaker Bateman. ''Yeah here we go. Here is the name of the lab. Here is the name of the lab. There are several names here but since...''
''That's the guy!'' Prue exclaimed.
''You sure?''
''Yeah, the man who sent me a drink at the restaurant was in a wheelchair. That and the bad hair.''
''Yeah...really bad hair. You ready to go? Oh wait how will we going to get there?'' she asked him.
''I left my car parked back at the curve near the restaurant. It's only a few minutes away from here.'' Leaving the library the two of them got into the car. The drive took off all but twenty minutes when they arrived back at the mansion. Prue promptly called her sisters and informed them what was going on and asked them to meet her back at the mansion.
"Are you insane!" Phoebe rattled upon the blond as he explained his plan. "We are not using Prue as bait."
"Look," he gently began as he attempted to appease the youngest Halliwell. "I don't want to go through with this plan either, but it's the only we can catch this guy. We have no tangible proof and destroying his machine won't do anything if he has the means to rebuild it."
"Piper tell them," Phoebe demanded as she turned to her other sister for support. "Tell them they're insane."
"Believe me, Phoebe, I don't like the plan either but what choice do we have?" Piper asked as her shoulders sagged. "He's not going to stop. He's already killed Phoebe and he needs to be stopped."
"Look Prue won't be going in alone. I know a technique that'll let me enter her mind. The moment Whittaker attacks I'll be there. I promise I won't let anything happen to her."
Despite the reluctance shared they knew there was nothing else they could do short of killing the man in cold-blooded murder. There was no evidence, no DNA or even a motive they could hold up in court. The only way was to attack him on his playing field and making sure he would stop attacking women by any means necessary.
So they prepared the living room giving room for Prue to be induced into a sleep and for Naruto to use the mindwalker technique. As expected Whitaker took the bait and as before Prue's powers proved to be of no effect.
''As I've told you everything here is under my command.'' He picks up a glass of wine. ''A little wine with your death?''
At that same time Detectives, Andy and Morris arrived at the lab. '' Mr. Berman insists that he's not to be disturbed during his experiments.'' the technician said but the police were having none of that.
"I don't care. We want to talk to him. Just wake him up." Andy snapped, pacing back and forth outside the room Mr. Berman was asleep in. The technician looked over at the sleeping form of his boss.
"It's not going to be easy. He's heavily sedated." He warned the two cops nervously. Andy's eyes narrowed in impatience. Berman could be attacking his next chosen victim this very second and this guy was offering excuses.
"Just get to work." Andy vented his worry onto the technician. The technician moved away to wake up Berman while Andy stared through the glass walls with impatience.
The technician walks into the room.'' I hope you're right about this.'' Morris responded reluctantly, thanking Andy was just grasping at draws.
''I know I am. The question now is if Berman is gonna kill again. But who?''
Back in the dream, Prue found herself wearing a really nice black evening dress. "Do you like the dress?" Berman asked, his eyes flickering over her body.
"I've worn better," Prue replied harshly and defiantly to this guy that was practically holding her prisoner. The Dream Sorcerer raised his eyebrows at her continuing defiance, appearing impressed.
"Hmm… yeah." He acknowledged before leaning forward and picking her up off the bed despite her weak struggling against him. The Dream Sorcerer picks up Prue off the bed.
At the dream Lab detective, Andy was knocking on the glass.
'' Mr. Berman! Mr. Berman, wake up! I don't care what it takes, just wake him up.'' Andy continues to bang on the glass. ''Mr. Berman, wake up!''
And at the same time with the other unconscious dreamer.
''We're here, Prue, right beside you,'' Piper said soothingly, rubbing the face of her sister.
''Can you hear us?''
The sister's voice penetrated the dream.
''Piper?...Phoebe?'' Prue whispered out. What was taking Naruto so long?
''They can't help you. You're mine, now.'' He menacingly whispered.
Holding her hands, Whitaker picks Prue up and slowly swings her around in a circle.
While outside in the conscious world. "What's taking them so long?" Phoebe wondered she began to tremble. '' I'm scared.'' Phoebe admitted as she began trembling.
''I know. Me too.'' She said as she shot a glance at Naruto's body. Silently pleading that this plan would work and they don't lose their sister.
The words of her sisters echoed throughout the dream.
''Use your power, Prue.''
''Come back to us.''
'' Use your power.'
'You can do it, Prue.'
The Dream Sorcerer prepared to toss Prue over the edge.''Once I'm done with you I'll finish off your sisters as well.'' He taunted with glee.
''Get your hands off her!" A voiced shouted startling them both. Both were suddenly yanked backward. Prue fell to the ground with a thud as she looked up. It was Naruto with an arm around the Sorcerer's throat, restraining him in place as the latter tried to break free.
''Naruto...'' Prue whispered.
''Listen to me. Use your power and knock us both over. Its okay Prue." In another person's dimension, he didn't have any power like he would a mindscape.
''Are you insane! You'll kill us both!'' Whitaker cried out as he tried to break free.
''Do it Prue! While you got the chance.''
'What about you?" Wouldn't flinging him over the edge kill him as well? ''I...I can't...'' she said as she tried to fight back the tears. She couldn't do what she was asking. Even if it was to save herself she couldn't kill an innocent, especially one that she was falling for. And despite the brave front, she was putting on for her sisters the whole being a witch thing terrified her. One day she was just another career orientated everyday woman then out of the blue she found out that she and her sisters were witches, magical beings and things like demons existed and we're going to come after them. She didn't have much of a choice as she tried to imagine what could possibly happen to either of her sisters. When their mother passed away and their father walked out on them the only person they could turn to was their grandmother and even she wasn't around as half as much as Prue liked, and now she finally understood why. And she couldn't just bring herself to basically kill him. Yes, he was goofy, annoyed her sometimes, and had quite a lot of baggage; then there were his positives, his sweetness, his need to help people, and his willingness to be honest with her. In just a few weeks he had arrived into her life and wormed his way into a part of her heart.''
''Don't listen to him. I'll be fine...''
''I...I can't even use my powers if I wanted too.'' She admitted, doubt still plaguing her heart.
''Then use your bond with your sisters. You can do it, Prue. Hurry, before he gets free.''
''Prue...Phoebe...can you hear me?''
Out in the world of consciousness. ''Damnit! I just feel so helpless!'' Piper snapped as she and Phoebe could do nothing but sit there as some madmen could be potentially doing god knows what to their sister.
''Piper...Phoebe...can you hear me?'' Phoebe froze. ''D-Did you hear that?'' the youngest asked as Piper turned to her.
''Hear what?''
''I need your help! Can you hear me?''
''It's Prue! I think I can hear her. She needs our help.''
''Well what can we do?''
''The Power of Three! We at least have to try,'' she said as the two of them went over to Prue. ''Prue, sweetie, can you hear us? Were with you.'' Their hands linked up. ''The Power of Three will set us free.''
''The Power of Three will set us free.''
''The Power of Three will set us Free.''
Back within the dream world.
At that moment Whitaker had managed to shake Naruto loose. He conjured a knife and was about to stab the blond when ''The Power of Three will set us Free! The Power of Three will set us free!'' Images of Piper and Phoebe appeared next to Piper. ''The Power of Three Will set us Free.'' With the power of her sisters channeling through her, Prue used her about to knock the knife out of Whitaker's hand.
''Why won't you die!'' the man cried out enraged as he charged her. Though before he could reach her Naruto recovered and tackled him over the edge.
''NOOO!'' Prue cried out as she went to the edge. Naruto and Whitaker disappeared from the site.
At the Dream Lab, the Dream Sorcerer screams in his sleep. His heart stops beating and every bone in his body snapped as blood dripped from his mouth. With his heart beat flat lining, he was pronounced dead.
At the mansion, the Dream Sorcerer died Prue woke up.
''Prue! You're okay!'' Phoebe cheered as she pulled her sister into a tight hug.
'' Are you okay?'' Piper worriedly asked.
''Yeah, I'm okay,'' she said as her ears started to tear up.
''Sweetie what's wrong.''
''He's gone.'' She said as she glanced at Naruto's body. "Naruto, he sacrificed himself to save me, '' she said as the tears continued to fall. Her sisters then sat on the couch and pulled her into a comforting hug as they let Prue let out all her tears.
"Now I remember why I never use that technique." He said as he sat up. He was surprised when he was suddenly enveloped in a series of hugs. ''Well were glad you're okay and thank you.''To Naruto's surprise, Piper went kissed his cheek.
"Thank you…" the way she said those two words was all she needed to say.
"I should have never doubted you," Phoebe said grabbing his face and kissing both his cheeks. She was about to plant one of his lips before Piper grabbed her arm and dragged her away.
"Right so we should go and check to make sure that our problem was taking care of."
'Oh come on!' the youngest protested in dismay of her fun being ruined.
Naruto turned to Prue, waiting for her response.
''You idiot,'' she said with a choked sob. ''You had me worried. I thought I killed you.''
'' I know and I'm sorry,'' he said placing a hand on her back in a semi-hug. ''I'm an idiot. I can't believe I made you cry.''
''I imagine that's a habit of yours,'' she said turning her head and using her sleeve to brush her cheek, trying to force the tears away. Prue Halliwell would not cry or at least not when people were around. She had to remain strong.
''You're going to give yourself a headache trying to be strong. It's okay to be weak around those that you consider your loved ones. I try to be as strong as I can for those I consider precious, but its been show to me several times I can't do everything on my own. Though I know there will be a time you and your sisters will be kicking ass and won't need my help. Until then I'm happy to help you."
''What if...I want you around?'' she asked, struggling to get the words out. ''What if, what if I become one of your precious people? Then you're bound by your word that you won't ever leave right?'' she asked as she started to lean over to Naruto.
''In a sense. I mean I'll always be there, but not you know here, here physically. You get what I'm saying right?'' he said as he started to lean it over to Prue.
''You swear it?''
''That I swear it is a promise of a lifetime,'' he said in response to their question. Just right before their lips could connect Phoebe walked in causing them to jump apart.
''Oops! I didn't disturb anything then I?'' she asked with a mischievous smirk.
"No, I was just leaving. I'll see you ladies tomorrow. Prue."
Prue couldn't help but look down at her hands and groan. Now she was even more confused than ever concerning her feelings. Glancing at Naruto's retreating figure Prue one last final thought. 'Well, he has a sweet ass at least.''