A Mother Reincarnated

by Brenna's Urbangirl Projects

Patty Halliwell died and when she was to go on to the afterlife, she was approached by an Angel of Destiny and the Elders to either continue on to the afterlife, or to be reborn and continue the fight against evil. She chose to be reborn and was reborn as Buffy Summers, the Slayer.

3. Chapter 2: Charmed Part 2

Chapter 2: Charmed Part 2

October 5, 2001 – Friday

St. Patrick's Cathedral

It had taken a few hours for Buffy to remember the exact church that Patty and Sam had left their unnamed child at.

Buffy led Dawn and Willow into the church, passing a gargoyle statue on the way, before making their way toward a nun.

"Excuse me." Buffy smiled when the woman turned around. "Are you Sister Agnes?"

"Yes. And who might you be?"

"I'm Buffy. Buffy Summers. And this is my sister Dawn and our friend Willow," Buffy said. "You might not remember, I hope you do. We're looking for a girl that was left with you by a couple who appeared in bright white lights." The woman looked at her with dawning realization. "She was left on August 2, 1977. I was hoping you could tell me what family she was adopted into."

"That would be me," Paige said as she walked up behind Buffy, Dawn and Willow. "Why are you looking for me?"

Buffy turned and smiled at Paige. She had found her baby girl. "It's a long complicated story. Maybe we should all go someplace private."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Buffy, Dawn, Willow Paige and Sister Agnes all sat cramped in the nun's little office. Paige had explained on the way to the office why she had come. That she was looking for information on her birth parents.

"I was just about your age, when they came," Sister Agnes said as she retrieved a box from a trunk.

Buffy nodded as she pictured what happened in her mind. She could see it clearly as if it had just been yesterday.

"They?" Paige asked hopefully as the nun put the box on the table, "My mother and my father?"

Sister Agnes nodded. "They came in a swirl of bright white lights just like, angels."

Dawn looked to Buffy as if to ask is that right? Buffy simply nodded.

"White lights. What do you mean?" Paige asked.

"Well, that's how they appeared, with you in their arms!" Sister Agnes chuckled as she recounted the memory, "I was stunned. I—I didn't know what to think. They said that you were in great danger. That they had no other choice but to give you up, to protect you."

"Danger? What kind of danger?" Dawn asked looking at Buffy.

"They never said." Buffy answered her sister.

Sister Agnes looked at Buffy quizzically, "She's right, they didn't say."

Buffy leaned over and whispered in Dawn's ear. "It was because of what I told you and Willow yesterday about mine and Sam's relationship being forbidden and the prophecy."

"But I could tell from their pain that it must be very real," Sister Agnes continued as she returned her gaze to Paige. "They asked me to find you a good home, a safe home, and to keep their secret…until you came looking."

"But how could they know?" Paige asked.

"Because you come from them, my dear. As wonderful and precious as your adoptive parents were to you, you still come from angels." Sister Agnes reached into the chest and pulled out a blanket with a P on it.

Buffy smiled at the familiar blanket. Patty had given one to each of her daughters.

"They asked me to save this for you, for this day. It's what they bundled you up in. Your mother had only one request: that your name began with a P." Sister Agnes said as someone knocked on the office door just before Piper and Phoebe entered. "Yes, may I help—"

"Hi," Piper said as she flicked her wrist and froze Sister Agnes and Willow before turning to a wide eyed and very shocked Paige, "Hello. We need to get you out of here."

Paige gaped from Piper, to the nun, to Willow and finally to Buffy and Dawn. "What did you do to them?" she asked thinking that Buffy and Dawn had been frozen as well.

"Oh, she just froze Sister Agnes and Willow." Buffy said as Dawn waved showing that she too wasn't frozen. "They'll be fine."

Piper and Phoebe looked at each other wondering why Buffy and Dawn hadn't froze. Everyone except Paige and themselves should have been frozen. Were they too late. Had the Source sent more assassins. Or where they good witches? Either was a possibility. Either way they had to get Paige out of there.

"Yeah," Piper said. "Lucky I didn't blow her up. My powers have been a little off lately."

Upon catching sight of the blanket, Phoebe's eyes went wide. "Piper."

Piper's look mirrored Phoebe's as she tried to touch the blanket. "Is that our blanket?"

"No!" Paige immediately pulled the away from them, "That's mine! Leave me alone!"

"Alright!" Piper said clearly taken aback, "Jeeze!"

Paige turned to leave as Piper and Phoebe hurried to follow.

"Can you do anything about Willow?" Dawn asked looking at hers and Buffy's frozen friend.

"No," Buffy said. "Since Piper is the one that froze her. Either it will have to wear off or Piper will have to unfreeze her. Come on." She led Dawn after Piper, Phoebe and Paige.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Paige. Paige. Paige," Phoebe called after Paige as Buffy and Dawn came out of the office. .

"Stop or I'll freeze!" At Piper's threat, Paige immediately stopped and turned to them.

Phoebe, Buffy and Dawn stopped to look at Piper as well.

"She's a good witch," Dawn said, remembering what Buffy had told her. "You can't freeze her."

Piper and Phoebe looked back at Dawn and Buffy. They wondered again if they were good witches or the Source's assassins in disguise. As they thought about it they realized that Buffy and Dawn had to be good witches, because if the Source had sent them, why would they wait this long to kill Paige?

Paige shook her head as she continued to walk towards the main exit. "Will you please just leave me alone?"

"Look, we know what you're going through," Phoebe said. "We went through the same thing when we first found out we were witches, too."

"So did I," Dawn whispered to Buffy as she remembered how she had found out. It was during Willow's spell and she still didn't even know what her power was.

"You just got to trust us," Piper said. "Somebody very, very bad is after you."

"Trust you?" Paige stopped and turned around. "You just froze a nun." She motioned toward Buffy and Dawn. "And their friend. Right now I would trust them more than I would you two."

"You have a magical power, you know." Phoebe said. "At least, if you're really our sister and a Charmed One, you do. And the sooner you learn it, the sooner you'll be able to protect yourself."

"I have a power?" Paige asked.

"According to the prophecy, the third sister has the power to move things with her mind," Buffy explained.

Piper and Phoebe looked at Buffy and Dawn again. They were almost positive the duo were good witches. But it seemed they knew an awful lot about them which was enough to make them suspicious.

"Like Prue did," Phoebe said as she and Piper turned back to Paige.

"How does it work?" Paige asked.

"You concentrate on an object... like that candle right there." Phoebe pointed at the candle a few feet away. "And then you just wave your arm at it." She waved her arm in demonstration.

Paige tried it, but nothing happened. She looked at Piper and Phoebe sadly.

Behind them Dawn had turned her attention to another candle. She thought maybe if Buffy had one of their powers why wouldn't she too? She waved her hand at the candle and nothing happened.

"Good thinking," Buffy whispered seeing what Dawn was doing. "It would make sense if I have Piper's power. And you were made from me using my blood that you might have one of their powers too."

"Or, uh, you could squint your eyes," Piper offered. "She used to squint her eyes."

Dawn squinted at her candle and suddenly it went flying off its pedestal. "Buffy," she whispered. "Did you see that?"

Buffy looked at where Dawn was and smiled. "I see," she whispered back. "Now we know what yours is."

Paige waved her hand at her candle and squinted but nothing happened to the candle. "Well..." She turned back to Piper and Phoebe. "Maybe I'm not one of you after all, if I can't even make that candle..." She raised out her hand in the candle's direction. The candle was momentarily surrounded by blue and white bright lights before it disappeared and reappeared in Paige's outstretched hand. With wide eyes, she handed the candle slowly to Phoebe. "Oh."

"So..." Phoebe said as blew out the candle and set it aside. "Perhaps the Whitelighter in her makes it work differently?"

Piper rolled her eyes, but smiled despite herself. "Half-breed."

Buffy bit her lip to stop herself from scolding Piper.

Outside the Source appeared in a ball of fire and walked towards the church, "She better be here, Oracle. I'm running out of time."

"She is." The Oracle's voice sounded only to him. "Don't worry."

"What about Patty and Prue Halliwell?"

"They are rather allusive to see. Their future is in a constant state of flux. One moment it solidifies with the rest of their family in San Francisco. The next it solidifies in Sunnydale on the Hellmouth."

The Source stopped walking once he spotted a Gargoyle outside the church. It came alive when it spotted him and screeched horribly causing him to drop to the ground. He covered his ears and screamed in pain. "No!"

The terrible screech could be heard from the inside of the church. All of the girls looked at each other in shock as Paige backed up.

"What is that?" Dawn wondered

Phoebe shook her head. "I don't know." She and Piper looked at Buffy and Dawn as the moved to flank them. They hoped with whatever that was outside that they had allies.

Outside, the Source placed his hand up to the door. It glowed red before the door blasted open. He stepped inside before falling to the ground in pain. "Paige."

"Shane?" She rushed to help The Source/Shane worriedly. "What's the matter? My god, what happened?

"I don't know," he said. "Someone's after me."

"Come on," Paige said as she quickly helped him up and led him out. "Let's get out of here."

"Paige!" Phoebe called after her baby sister. She, Dawn, Buffy and Piper all ran to chase after Paige. "Paige! Come back!"

The Source/Shane turned and fired a red bolt at the four of them without Paige seeing. They screamed as they went flying backwards, sliding their way back to the inside of the church.

Piper glared as they got up. "What the hell was that?"

"Piper Penelope Halliwell!" Buffy said. "Language."

Piper looked to Phoebe and then to Buffy and Dawn. "Okay, this is just one too many things. First you two don't freeze. Then you know about the prophecy. And now you know my full name. My question is who are you?"

Buffy sighed as she looked at Dawn who nodded encouragingly. "This is not how I intended to reveal things. If I even revealed this to you. But here we are. I'm your mother."

Piper and Phoebe laughed as they thought Buffy had to be delusional.

"Yeah right lady," Piper scoffed as Sister Agnes and Willow stepped out of her office.

Buffy turned as she flicked her wrist freezing Sister Agnes and Willow. Then with another wave of her hand she unfroze only Willow's head.

Willow frowned as she realized what Buffy had done. "Really, Buffy?"

"Sorry, Will, I have to make a point," Buffy said as she turned back to Phoebe and Piper and tried to explain, "Patricia Halliwell had the power to freeze just like you, Piper," she said. Piper and Phoebe's eyes widen as they look at the frozen Sister Agnes and half-frozen Willow. "Penelope Halliwell, your Grams, had the power of telekinesis just like Prue. And, Phoebe, you have the power of premonition. When I was pregnant with you, Phoebe, I had a premonition of the two of you and Prue. I had thought you were warlocks instead of witches. You had come back in time to stop the pact I had made with Nicholas. Shall I go on?"

"If you're really our mother," Piper said though she wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to her question. "How come when we talked to Grams earlier you came also as a spirit?"

"Astral projection." Buffy answered. "I astral projected out of my body because of your spell. I don't know if there is a spell on me or if your summoning spell forced my astral form to appear as the person you know. Before you ask. I told you about Paige. How Sam and I gave her up. Because we feared you would be denied your powers."

Phoebe looked to Piper. "She could be telling the truth, Piper. How else could she know what mom said in the attic when we summoned her and Grams. Or what happened when we went back in time to stop the pact?"

Piper smiled and then hugged Buffy. "Hi, mom."

Dawn coughed. "Buffy?"

"Who is she?" Piper asked, quizzically as she looked at Dawn.

Buffy smiled. "This is my sister, Dawn. I guess in a way she could be considered your aunt."

"Is that why she didn't freeze?" Phoebe asked. "She's a witch like us?"

"Yes, Dawn's a witch. We just found out her power actually," Buffy said as Piper and Phoebe looked at her as if asking her to explain. "Our powers were only recently unbound. My power manifested about a week ago. Dawn's just now manifested. She has the power of telekinesis." She then waved her hand toward Willow. "Our friend is a witch too. The reason she is frozen is because she is a progenitor, the beginnings of a new magical line. Much like Charlotte Warren was. Progenitors are mortals who can do magic but do not have powers like we do. Their children are the ones that develop powers. I think we should finish this discussion at the Manor. Don't you?"

Piper and Phoebe nodded in agreement as Buffy unfroze Willow and then the five of them left the church.

Halliwell Manor

The girls sat on the couch in the conservatory as they relayed the events to Cole and Leo. The boys were both pacing in front of them with their arms folded.

"So the Source was there, at the church?" Leo asked.

"Well..." Buffy said as she watched him. "The gargoyles weren't exactly whistling Dixie."

Leo looked at Willow, Buffy and Dawn, "Who are they?" he asked for the umpteenth time. So far Piper and Phoebe had been tight lipped about the three women. He wondered if they were innocents, other witches or what.

"Ask us later," Phoebe said dismissively.

"Anyway, something pretty powerful knocked us on our asses." Piper said.

"But if he was there..." Cole sat down as he thought. "Why didn't he try to kill Paige?"

"Maybe he didn't want to go up against the Charmed Ones," Piper suggested.

"No..." Buffy shook her head. "That doesn't make sense. He knows that Paige is new to her powers. If ever there was a time to attack..."

"She's right," Cole agreed.

"Wait a minute." Leo stopped his pacing. "What if he's not trying to kill her anymore? What if he's trying to lure her to his side?"

"Huh?" Willow said.

"Translation please?" Phoebe added.

Cole snapped his fingers. "The mythological window."

Dawn looked between them, confused. "Yeah that explains nothing."

"There's a window of opportunity, an opening," Leo said.

"48 hours." Cole said.

"Right, 48 hours where a nascent witch who hasn't chosen to use her powers for good or evil yet can be swayed either way." Leo said as he sat down on the arm of the sofa next to Piper.

"Wait..." Phoebe scoffed. "So all he has to do is cast a spell on her?"

"No, he can't." Cole explained further. "It has to be her choice, but he can tempt her, entice her. If he gets her to use her powers for evil..."

"She becomes evil forever." Leo said.

Buffy and Phoebe sighed heavily. Dawn and Willow rolled their eyes in exasperated disbelief and Piper scoffed.

"Who makes up these cockamamie rules?" Piper asked Cole looked down and Leo looked up. She waved them both off in irritation. "Oh, never mind…"

"Okay, so we have less than 24 hours to get to Paige and no idea how to find her." Phoebe said.

Piper raised a brow. "I bet the Source does," she said as she stood up.

"Before we go upstairs," Leo said as he motioned at Buffy, Dawn and Willow. "Who are they?"

Piper sighed and motioned toward Buffy. "Leo, meet your mother-in-law."

Leo looked at Buffy confused. "What? She looks nothing like Patty."

Buffy sighed. "That's because I was reincarnated," she explained.

"But we've seen her spirit," Leo said trying to rationalize what Buffy said away. .

"Astral projection," Buffy explained for the third time that day. "I astral projected out of my body. I am not sure if there is a spell on me or if the summoning spell forces my astral form to appear as I did back before I died as Patty." She turned and looked at the half-demon. "Cole you said when Piper summoned Grams and me that apples don't fall far from the tree when you found out that Sam and I had been in a relationship. Then Piper told you to be quiet and then asked me to continue."

Cole nodded. "That is what happened."

"Why wasn't I told? Why were we led to believe you were up there?" Leo asked.

Buffy shrugged. "You would have to ask the Elders about that. I only have a theory on that, that dates back to when I died. You see I was given the opportunity to either go to my final rest or to continue on," she said. "I chose to continue to fight for the greater good. So I was reincarnated as Buffy Summers, a Potential."

Leo's eyes went wide. Every Whitelighter knew about the Slayer, some even actually knew the name of the current two, he was one of the few Whitelighters that knew their names. "You were called as the Slayer five almost six years ago," he said as Buffy nodded.

"What's a Slayer?" Phoebe asked.

"Always a young woman," Leo said. "Typically their over the age of when they start… well you know."

Piper and Phoebe glanced at Buffy, Dawn and Willow for confirmation of what Leo was getting at.

"Yeah Slayers can be called as early as when they start their first period," Buffy said in confirmation. "Or so I've been told anyways. I was fifteen when I was called, well after when I started getting my period."

Leo and Cole both looked embarrassed at the talk of a woman's monthly cycle. "Anyways," Leo said continuing on. "They don't typically have magical powers. They have other gifts to help them out. Strength, enhanced healing, enhanced reflexes, enhanced agility and so on. They can even get premonitions or so I've been told." He turned and looked at Buffy. "That doesn't explain how you remember your past life."

Willow hesitantly raised her hand as if it was a dirty little secret. "That was my fault," she admitted. "I cast a spell to help…" She looked at Buffy wondering if Buffy knew what her sister had gone through when she had been dead. "…Buffy forget something that was troubling her. The spell didn't work like it was supposed to and unlocked not only Patty's memories but her powers as well."

"What?" Leo said shocked. "Powers?"

"I have my powers, Leo." Buffy said. "I don't know if the Elders did that so when I was summoned by the girls I would have access to them or what." She flicked her wrist and froze Cole, then unfroze only his head.

"Why can't I move?" Cole asked as he looked down at his frozen body.

Leo looked to Piper who shook her head indicating she hadn't froze Cole. He then looked at Buffy and sighed. With all the evidence he had to conclude that Buffy had at one time been Patricia Halliwell.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Later in the attic Cole and Willow looked through the attic window at Cortez, who had not only been saved from Timbuktu but had launched an investigation into the Halliwells and was now leaning against his car watching the Manor.

"I never thought I would ever see this book again." Buffy said as she, Dawn, Piper, Phoebe and Leo looked at the Book.

Cole threw a look over his shoulder at the girls and Leo who were all standing around the Book of Shadows. "Are you sure you don't want me to turn Belthazor loose on Cortez? Just for a minute or two?"

Buffy shook her head as she looked at Phoebe, "I can't believe your dating a demon."

"No." Leo dismissed with a glance at Cole. "He doesn't have anything on the girls yet. Besides, now is no time to be blurring the lines between good and evil."

"Like your one to talk, Buffy," Dawn said. "Remember Angel?"

"He's right," Willow agreed as she glanced at Cole.

"Yes, I remember Angel," Buffy sighed.

Phoebe slammed the book closed, "This is useless." She cleared her throat and winked at Piper weirdly before looking up at the ceiling. She was about to say something when she heard the sound of flipping pages. She looked down and saw the person flipping pages was Buffy.

Buffy smiled as she stopped on a page titled: Enchantment Spell. "How about an enchantment spell," she suggested.

"Wait," Phoebe said as she looked at Buffy in confusion. "How is this going to help find her?" Phoebe asked.

Piper looked at the page Buffy had flipped to and then at Buffy and smiled. "Well, maybe it's not to find Paige. Maybe it's so we can ID the Source. See the last line? It's, 'So she can reveal the evil within.'"

"Exactly Piper," Buffy said.

Phoebe shook her head still unsure exactly how it would help find Paige. "But that'll only help if we can find him?"

"Maybe we can, or at least," Leo said as he looked at Cole, "maybe you can."

"What does he mean?" Willow wondered.

Cole and Willow toward the girls and Leo. "Demons can sense the Source's aura," Cole explained to not only the redheaded witch but everyone in the room. "It's how he reminds us of his power, his reach. Maybe if I focus on it…"

"Then he'll know you're doing it. And he'll find you." Phoebe said worried for her boyfriend.

"Not if I was careful," Cole argued as he turned and headed back to the window. "It's your only chance at saving your sister."

"Buffy," Dawn said. "Don't you need something to enchant for this spell?"

"We do," Buffy said as she smiled at her sister.

Everyone shuffled around as they looked for an object to enchant. Phoebe stopped and grinned when she found something. "Oh!" She happily bounded over to a shelf and picked up a pair of pink floral kiddy sunglasses. "How about these?"

"Oh, Phoebe." Piper grimaced. "Really?"

"What?" Phoebe grinned. "They're perfect."

"Didn't I get those for you, Piper?" Buffy asked.

Piper shook her head. "They were Prue's," she said. She still wasn't sure if she believed that Buffy was her mother reincarnated. But there was only one way to truly know for sure, and that would wait till later. Right now though she knew from Leo that Buffy was a magical being known as the Slayer and that meant she was an ally, one they might need if they should go up against the Source.

Piper and Phoebe each held a part of the sunglasses as they chanted, "'Magic forces far and wide, Enchant these so those can't hide, Allow this witch to use therein, So she can reveal the evil within.'"

The glasses glowed before Phoebe handed them over to Buffy. "Would be fitting," she said. "You knew about the spell before I even had a chance to ask for magic assist from Grams. See if it worked."

Buffy put the glasses on as Dawn smiled. She frowned as she looked at her sister.

"What is it?" Dawn asked suddenly worried.

Buffy took the glasses off and handed them to Phoebe. "What do you see when you look at Dawn?"

Phoebe put the glasses on and looked at Dawn. "A green glow."

"What does that mean?" Leo said.

Buffy, Dawn and Willow looked at each other and sighed. They turned and looked at Piper, Phoebe and Leo. "We'll tell you all later," Buffy said. "Look at Cole, Phoebe. That would be the real test."

Phoebe turned to look at Cole and let out a scream as she jumped in surprise. "What?" he asked. Through the glasses, she saw Cole as Belthazor. "What do I look like?"

"She saw you in your demonic form," Buffy said.

Phoebe took off the glasses. "Enchanting." Cole smirked at her as she looked at Buffy. "Thanks for the assist." She had been about to say mom when she changed her mind. But like Piper she wasn't sure if she believed Buffy was really her mother reincarnated. But she wasn't going to worry about that now, not when Paige was needing to be saved.

South Bay Social Services

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Jake and Carol stormed out of an office as Mr. Cowan stormed off in a different direction. Paige got up and followed Jake and Carol as The Source/Shane looked on from afar. Jake and Carol stormed outside to go towards their car.

Paige stopped just outside the building before holding out her hand. "Heart."

Jake stumbled to a stop as he clutched his heart in pain.

"Jake? What is it?" Carol rushed to his side as he fell to the ground, doubled over in pain, "No!"

On the other side of the parking lot Piper pulled her jeep with Buffy, Dawn, Phoebe, Cole, and Leo. They all hurriedly got out and looked around for Paige.

"Alright. Fan out," Buffy instructed as she looked around, "She's got to be here somewhere."

Phoebe shook her head. "I don't see her anywhere."

"Are you sure this is the right place, Cole?" Dawn asked.

"The Source is here." Cole's eyes fanned out carefully. "I can sense him."

"Where are you baby girl?" Buffy said.

Leo shook his head and looked at Buffy. He still couldn't believe he hadn't been informed of Patty's reincarnation. He turned his attention back to finding Paige. "Wait." He pointed to where Paige was standing with her hand outstretched. "There she is."

Phoebe put on the sunglasses and saw a black aura around Paige.

"What is she doing?" Piper asked.

"I don't know, but she's got a black aura around her," Phoebe said.

"The Source?" Leo asked.

Buffy shook her head. "No. Phoebe would see his demonic form just as she saw Cole's."

"The Enchantment spell obviously sees more than just the inner demon obviously," Dawn said. "Remember when Phoebe and Buffy looked at me they saw a green aura. Yet I'm a good witch."

"Yeah. Well, whatever it is, it's not good. Come on," Phoebe said as they rushed toward Paige.

"Jake!" Carol cried out. "Jake! No."

"Paige?" Phoebe stopped next to her and took off the glasses. "Paige? It's me, Phoebe. And Piper. And…" She looked at Buffy and Dawn for a long moment. "And Buffy and Dawn."

"He's evil." Paige's voice had taken on a monotone quality to it as her eyes never left Jake, "He's hurting his child."

"Oh, God!" Carol screamed out again, "Honey!"

"Oh God! Honey." Carol said.

"No." Buffy gently placed her hand onto Paige. "You're being seduced into doing this." She pushed Paige's hand down. "Leo."

Leo nodded in understanding. As soon as he orbed out with Paige and Buffy in tow, Jake's pain immediately lessened.

Cole turned to lead them back to the car. "Let's get out of here." When they made it to Piper's jeep he stopped. "You three go ahead. I'm going to stay behind. Make sure the Source doesn't follow you." He and Phoebe kissed before the girls got into the jeep and drove off.

"Is your lives always like this?" Dawn asked on the ride back to the Manor.

"Sometimes," Piper said.

Phoebe glanced over her shoulder at Dawn. "What is that green aura?" she asked.

"The Key," Dawn answered. She didn't expand anymore leaving Piper and Phoebe just as confused as Phoebe and Leo had been in the attic earlier.

Halliwell Manor

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Leo and Buffy were both dodging Paige's attacks when Dawn, Piper and Phoebe walked in.

Piper looked at Buffy as she ran over. "Where's—"

As they entered a hall, a knife was thrown as Buffy flicked her wrist freezing it in midair. She plucked it out of the air and set it down on a the table next to them.

"We've been pretty busy while you've been gone," Buffy said.

Leo turned to Paige who was standing there staring blankly. "We're having a hard time convincing her that she is not evil!"

Piper nodded slowly. "I see that."

"I hope Willow isn't here," Dawn said.

"She's not," Buffy said. "When we got back I sent her to see some of the sights."

"Why?" Piper wondered. "She's a witch, right?"

"She's right now kind of taking a break from magic," Buffy explained. "The spell that woke my memories and powers was personal gain. And that wasn't the first personal gain spell she's done."

"Oh," Piper said.

"Lamp." Paige commanded and it disappeared in white orbs before reappearing. She telekinetically threw it toward the girls.

Buffy flicked her wrist freezing the lamp before plucking it out of the air and setting it down. "That's my crystal, Paige!"

"Bright side?" Phoebe offered. "At least she's getting the hang of her new power."

Buffy quickly tackled Paige to the ground before Phoebe joined her in holding her down.

"Okay. Relax. Relax." Leo took Phoebe's place in holding Paige down as she stood up. "Alright. Now what?"

"We just better hope there's some Wiccan exorcism in the Book of Shadows cause... yeah," Piper said as she and Dawn began walking up the stairs.

They stopped when the lights of the manor all began to flicker off and on. The Source/Shane then appeared by the corner of the stairs.

Dawn and Piper studied him in confusion. "Who are you?" Piper asked.

The Source/Shane looked at Dawn. "Hello, Prue," he whispered low enough that only Dawn heard.

"Hunh?" Dawn said confused as his eyes turned black and he telekinetically threw her and Piper through the stair's banister.

Phoebe levitated off the ground to narrowly avoid getting hit by the next energy ball he threw at her. She tried to kick him but he disappeared causing her to crash into the manor's grandfather clock. He then appeared by the couch and Piper used her power to blow him up. It didn't kill him but it caused him to explode into millions of tiny black bugs that began buzzing around on another erratically. Paige stood as Buffy and Leo helped Dawn and Piper up.

Phoebe grabbed the glasses and hurriedly put them on. When she saw the Source she immediately started to freak out. "Oh, Piper! That's the... that's the..." She took off the glasses and shoved them at Piper, "Loo...loo... loo... look!

Piper pushed her hand away, "We know who that is."

The Source/Shane turned to a very frightened Paige. "Your powers are strong, but will they be enough without the Power of Three?"

"Shane..." Paige gaped, "What's going on?"

"It's okay." The Source/Shane said as he switched back to Shane's voice. "It's okay. I'm here now."

Paige backed away from him. "Stay away from me."

"She still has free will." Buffy glared. "You can't force her to choose."

"Oh..." The Source smiled, "But she's already chosen, Slayer." He looked at Paige. "Haven't you? Come with me. You'll be safe forever. I promise."

"Don't listen to him," Piper interrupted. "He's lying."

"They only want you for your power. You don't have to share it. It's yours." He turned into Mr. Cowan, "You've already seen what you can do with it. You do what nobody else can do." He turned into Carol, "You nearly saved my son from his father. From all the pain and suffering he's put him through." He turned into the little boy, "Please help me. Don't let him hurt me anymore. You're my only hope."

After a moment, Paige took the little boy's hand and started to walk away with him.

Buffy bounded toward the boy, who raised his hand lifting and suspending her in the air. He then shocked her with electricity. She screamed in pain and looked to Paige. "Help me!" Her mind instantly raced back to Glory's tower and being electrocuted by the portal. "Please, Paige," she sobbed.

Paige hurriedly pushed the boy down, releasing Phoebe to fall to the floor as well. Piper, Phoebe, Dawn, Leo, and Paige all rush to her side to help her up. Just as the clock chimed in the background.

Relief filled Dawn when she saw her sister was okay, "Oh, Buffy..."

The boy disappeared as the Source reformed as Shane, who stood up.

Piper glared hatefully at him. "I guess blood's a little thicker than evil." She wasn't sure if she was ready to call Buffy mom. But she had to agree that Buffy and Dawn did indeed share Warren blood at the very least.

The Source looked at the clock before stepping out of Shane to reveal his true self as Shane fell to the floor unconscious. "I've broken the Charmed circle before. I'll do it again. Besides, it wasn't a complete loss." Satisfaction filled his voice, "Thanks to Belthazor."

Phoebe bristled with worry, "What did you do to him?"

"Oh my God." At the sound of Cortez's voice, they all turned to see him standing near the front door with a video camera. His eyes were wide with amazement at what he had just seen.

Piper scoffed angrily, "Would you get out of here?!"

When Cortez reached for his gun, the Source fired an energy ball at him and knocked him into the coat rack. He screamed in pain when he fell onto a hangar that pierced his back and fell down, leaving the hangar soaked in blood. The Source then disappeared in a blast of fire. The others all raced to Cortez.

Leo knelt down beside Cortez as he brought his gaze up. "Looks like evil wins again, huh?"

Leo quickly healed him, much to Cortez's own shock. "Not if I can help it."

Paige gasped. "How'd you do that?"

"That's what Whitelighters do." Leo helped a shocked Cortez stand up, "We heal good people."

Worry filled Phoebe instantly, "We have to go find Cole."

Everyone except Cortez left. He checked his would be wound, still in shock, before checking his video camera next.

South Bay Social Services

Cole was lying on the ground, nearly dead as the girls and Leo all bolted over to him. "Cole!" Phoebe knelt down beside him as her eyes filled with tears, "Oh no. No, no, no." She cried as she put his head in her lap.

Buffy froze him as Piper turned to Leo. "Heal him."

Leo eyed them. "You know that it's against the rules."

"Leo, screw the rules!" Phoebe said. "The Elders owe us!"

"Even if I could, I could only heal his human half and that..." Leo shook his head as he knelt down beside Cole, "Wouldn't be enough power to save him."

"Aren't I half Whitelighter?" Paige offered. "I mean, couldn't I use my half to offset his half?"

"It's worth a try, Leo," Buffy said.

Leo looked at Buffy and nodded. "Take my hand." Paige knelt down and took the hand he offered to her. "Hold your other hand over his wound."

Paige and Leo then healed Cole together. He unfroze and gasped for air. Phoebe immediately hugged him in relief, happy he survived.

"That was good, right?" Paige asked.

"Definitely." Dawn grinned as she and Buffy helped Paige up. "That was more than good."

Piper nodded. "Let's just hope it wasn't all for nothing."

October 6, 2001 – Saturday

P3

Piper, Phoebe, Leo, and Cole were all sitting in the owner's VIP area as a waitress brought Cole and Leo their drinks.

"Oh, good." Cole nodded, "Thank you."

"Thanks, too." Leo added before she left. "Feels good to be here again."

Cole chuckled. "Feels good to be anywhere again."

"I will drink to that." Phoebe agreed before they clinked their drinks. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Promise," Cole said.

Phoebe smiled before taking a sip of her drink and then pecking Cole on the lips.

Leo turned to Piper, studying her. "You okay?"

"I'm not sure," Piper answered.

Leo nodded in understanding. "Prue?"

"Yeah." Piper took a deep breath. "We barely got through the funeral and then everything started to go crazy and we haven't had a chance to mourn yet. And that's just not right."

Phoebe took a sigh herself. "I think we'll have the rest of our lives for that."

"I'm still not sure about continuing on with this destiny thing." Piper shook her head. "I need some time to think about it." She looked at Phoebe. "I hope you are okay with that."

"Absolutely," Phoebe said.

Piper turned to Leo. "And I hope you're okay with it too."

"They may not be, but I am." Leo said as he took Piper's hand in his own. "Or your mother."

Piper and Phoebe still held reservations about Buffy. And while they still did not call her mom, they had found out that Buffy was indeed their mother reincarnated. Not only had they tried summoning Patty's spirit, but Leo had gone and spoken to the Elders who confirmed Buffy was indeed their mother reincarnated.

Piper looked at Phoebe for a long moment. She knew it would take time for her and her sister to find a spot for Buffy and by extension Dawn, since she was Buffy's sister, in their hearts. But at least they would have a chance to get to know her. "Yeah she may not be. Still it's nice to have her back." Piper said. "And it's nice you will have a chance to get to know her."

Phoebe nodded. "Yeah I know. In a way I'm glad I took that note out of the Book that I left for her when we went back in time to when she and Nicholas made that pact. Cause now I get to spend as much time as I can with her. You know it's kind of weird that our mom is now younger than we are you know."

Piper nodded, "I know. Did she get the spell setup?"

"She said it's all ready for when we tell Paige," Phoebe said.

Paige carefully walked up to them, "So does this mean I get free drinks now?" she asked as Phoebe chuckled a little as Piper eyed her warily. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that. It's not that I really drink or... Okay." She took a breath before turning to leave. "I'm just going to go."

"No, Paige." Leo stood up and stopped her. "You belong here, remember?"

"You sure?" Paige asked. "I don't want to intrude."

"Mmm. Come on." Cole motioned. "Come sit right here." He stood to walk over and stand next to Leo as Paige sat down next to Phoebe. "Okay, so, uh, maybe Leo and I should go uh... pretend like we got something better to do."

Piper smiled. "Good idea."

Cole nodded with a smile before he and Leo left.

"I won't stay long." Paige cleared her throat, "I just wanted to, uh, come by and thank you."

Phoebe looked her over, "For what?"

"For what? You mean, besides saving my life?" She chuckled, "I feel like I should bake you a cake or something."

Piper leaned in excitedly, "Do you cook?"

"No..." Paige frowned, "No, not really."

As disappointment briefly crossed Piper's face, Phoebe looked her over, "So how's Shane?"

"He's okay, I guess. Except I'm not too sure he wants to see me anymore."

"He's okay, I guess, except I'm not too sure he wants to see me anymore." Paige said.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Piper said.

"No. Can't say I blame him," Paige said. "You know? He doesn't know exactly what happened to him, but he knows it's something bad and he knows it's somehow connected to me."

Piper nodded. "Yeah, well, you're not truly one of us until you've dated a demon, so, welcome to the club."

"Can I ask you a question?" Phoebe asked as Paige nodded. "Why did you come to Prue's funeral? I mean, you never even met her, right?"

"No. I never did," Paige said. "I don't want this to be taken the wrong way, but … I just feel like a part of me lost her too and I just … I felt drawn to her, to all you guys. I guess it was just a part of me trying to find out who I was."

Piper and Phoebe looked at each other. Buffy had said something very similar. They wondered if one of Piper's spell trying to summon Prue had instead summoned Buffy and Paige to them instead.

"It's time, don't you think, Piper?" Phoebe suggested. It was time to introduce their baby sister to the last remaining member of their family.

"You're right," Piper agreed as she looked at Paige. "Come on. There's something we need to show you."

"Show me what?" Paige wondered.

"What good magic can do." Phoebe said as Piper and Paige got up and headed for the door. She hung back as she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number for the Manor. She waited only a few seconds before she heard Buffy's voice on the other end. "Hey, Buffy, we're going to do it as soon as we get home. We're leaving P3 now."

Halliwell Manor

In the attic, Phoebe lit the last two candles in a circle and then joined Piper by the Book of Shadows as Paige watched on. "'Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide.'"

The spell was the same they used when they had summoned Grams and Patty the day before. This time though there was a small difference. Buffy had created a spell that would instead of forcing her to astral project would force her instead to teleport into the circle with a temporary glamour in place. The glamour would dispel as she stepped out of the circle of candles.

"There's someone here we thought you should meet," Piper told Paige as soon as Buffy had teleported into the circle.

"Paige," Buffy said with teary-eyed smile.

"Mom?" Paige asked.

Buffy stepped outside the circle as the glamour was dispelled and her true appearance as Buffy Summers was revealed. "Hello, my darling."

Paige backed up a step in confusion. She looked toward her sister as if to ask what was going on.

Piper smiled. "Mom was reincarnated, Leo confirmed that with the Elders, into the woman you see standing before you. Buffy, here has all of mom's memories and powers from her previous life as Patty Halliwell."

Paige looked at Buffy who nodded. "It's true Paige," Buffy said. "In my previous life, I gave birth to you. I have all my memories from that life as well as this one. As well as my powers from that life." She stepped forward and pulled Paige into her arms.

Paige felt a little awkward to be hugged by a woman who claimed to be her mother reincarnated and was younger than she was. Still she managed a smile at the love she felt coming from the woman, regardless if she felt the same.

"Welcome home." Buffy said as she hugged Paige again.

In the door of the attic, Dawn smiled as she watched her sister hugging Paige.

Piper coughed and motioned towards the door.

Buffy followed Piper's gaze and smiled. She waved Dawn over. "I would like you to meet my sister. I guess in a way that would make her your aunt."

Paige looked at Dawn. "Hi," she said.

"Hi." Dawn returned.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Over the course of the next few days. Buffy took Willow under her wing. She taught Willow about personal gain and when and when not to use magic. She hoped that when Willow returned to Sunnydale that Tara would see a change in her friend. Then Buffy moved with Dawn into the Manor. While she knew that Piper and Phoebe still were unsure about how they stood with her. They did agree on one thing. If it were found out that Buffy was their mother reincarnated, that Buffy might be targeted to get at them. And so they had invited the Summers sisters at least for the time being to stay.

Then against Dawn's wishes Buffy had called Giles.

"Hello, Giles," Buffy said as Dawn glared at her. She understood the look given what Giles had done.

"Why are you calling?" Giles wondered. "Given what Dawn told me to do. I would have thought she would be adamant about you not calling me."

"Oh, she's not happy about it," Buffy answered. "But she knows the best way to get Faith out of jail is with the Watcher's Council's help."

"Why would they do that?"

"Because for the time being I'm in San Francisco and Dawn and I are not leaving. Someone needs to watch the Hellmouth. So I want the Watcher's Council to release her and then you and they are to stay out of her life. Let her do her job. She's been in prison two years, she is determined to be rehabilitated and I am afraid if the Watcher's Council get's involved with her life it's just going to push her back. So…"

"I will see what I can do. So why are you in San Francisco?"

"Dawn and I are staying with family," Buffy answered as she hung up the phone. She looked at her sister and smiled. As they looked around the Manor they both had a feeling of being home.