Chapter 22: Oh My Goddess Pt. 1
Buffy and Piper are sitting in chairs in the conservatory fanning themselves with sheets of paper as Phoebe opens the doors to the backyard.
"With the love that is everything good and pure, why have we never bothered to get air conditioning?" Phoebe said.
Buffy rolled her eyes, "Because we live in San Francisco where the temperature rarely goes above 75 degrees."
"Okay, well, it's at 90 now, can we get one today, please?" Phoebe said.
"Yeah, we could if it was not for this little expenditure here." Piper hands Phoebe the phone bill.
Phoebe looked at the phone bill. "Yeah that's a lot of phone calls to Hong Kong," she said. "But you did notice I'm not the only one racking up charges."
Buffy sighed. "Yeah we noticed. Dawn has been calling Faith every time she can. Even though she could just call for her and Faith could orb here. That said, Piper and I get it. Yes it's a big phone bill. But it's an easy choice when it comes to love or air conditioning. We're always going to consider love."
"Who are you two and what have you done to my sister and my mother?" Phoebe asked.
"What? We can't be in a good mood?" Buffy asked.
Phoebe shook her head, "No. Mary Poppins wouldn't be in a good mood in this kind of heat."
"Well, Wyatt and Elizabeth are finally sleeping through the night and my hormones are back in whack and, you know, Leo and I are finally..." Piper said stopping just at the right moment so as not to embarrass her mother.
Phoebe had no such ideas as she finished for Piper, "Back in the saddle."
Piper sighed, "So to speak."
"Yay you. God I miss sex." Phoebe said.
Buffy shook her head, "You can leave the sex talk for when I'm not here. I really don't want to hear about my daughters doing it. As I am sure you really don't want to hear about me doing it either."
Piper nodded, "Yeah I have to agree there. Kind of not a mental picture I want to have. I know you and Dad had to have sex because well we wouldn't be here. But it's still not something I want to think about ever. Anyways life is feeling pretty damn good at the moment."
"So where is your lucky husband, Aunt Dawn, and my perfect niece and nephew?" Phoebe asked.
"Aunt Dawn, Leo, Elizabeth and Wyatt are shopping for a present for Darryl's son." Piper said.
Phoebe smiled at Piper, "Look at you. You're like soccer mom. Dare I say it, your life is almost normal."
Paige walked in just at that moment, "There is nothing normal about this heat."
"Good morning, sunshine." Phoebe said.
"Oh, save the quips and pass the caffeine. I have work to do." Paige said as Phoebe handed her a glass of iced tea.
"What are you going to do? Scry for mother nature and have a wiccan word with her?" Piper asked.
Paige shook her head, "Okay, you're way too perky, alright, and you're frightening me. I'm just saying."
"It's not just her." Phoebe said indicating Buffy. "Anyways you think this weather is demonic?"
Paige shrugged, "I don't know, there's just something weird. I keep waking up all week long with these fiery dreams. What am I supposed to think?"
"Uh-oh, you're not getting like a god complex or something, are you? 'Cause, you know, they've got medication for that." Piper said.
"I didn't say my dreams caused it, I'm just... I don't know what I'm saying." Paige said.
"You've been having dreams?" Buffy asked as Paige nodded. "Remind me to call Giles and have him bring the spells needed to determine if you're a potential. I get prophetic dreams. It's part of the slayer package."
Phoebe looked to Buffy and then to Paige, "Honey, maybe you need to get out of the house a little more."
Paige shook her head, "Well, this isn't just me being obsessive... okay, maybe a little bit. But it's not just psychological or emotional, I really, really think there's something..."
"Magical." Piper said.
"Yeah, for lack of a better term. Listen, I don't wanna be a downer but I'm gonna go hit the books so I can go figure out what the hell is going on." Paige turned and headed upstairs.
"Should we be worried?" Phoebe asked.
"I don't think so. But I just wish she'd stop looking for trouble, 'cause with our luck, she's gonna find it." Piper said.
"About the trouble I don't know. But I will give Giles a call later and see if he can do the Potential detection spell and see if Paige is one. If she is it would explain her dreams. Though now that I think about it she is a little too old to be a newly called Slayer so it could be something else." Buffy said.
"A little too old?" Phoebe asked.
"Slayers are called sometime during puberty but before their eighteenth birthday. At least that is what Giles told me." Buffy said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Later at the park the birthday party for Darryl's son was in full swing. Buffy, Piper and Leo sat on chairs with Elizabeth and Wyatt beside them in their stroller.
Buffy looked around and saw Dawn while being older than the kids was playing with them anyways. She noticed Darryl was cooking some sausages on the barbeque.
Darryl's wife, Sheila, walked over to the trio. "Okay, who wants hot dogs?" she asked as Leo put his arm around Piper and they cuddle happily.
"Let me guess. First time the babies slept all night, huh?" Darryl said.
Buffy nodded, "Yep."
"How'd you know?" Piper asked.
Darryl smiled and looked at Buffy. "You know the answer to that as well I."
Buffy laughed and nodded, "First few months after Prue was born was rough."
Darryl nodded, "It was the same for our boy. No sleep, no time for each other."
"Sounds familiar." Leo said.
"Yeah, but right about three, four months, things started to level off. Really good again." Sheila said.
Buffy nodded, "Sounds about right."
"Until they hit two," Darryl said.
"Oh, don't scare them." Sheila said.
"Don't worry Sheila." Buffy said. "I've already filled them in on the next four years of Wyatt and Elizabeth's life. They already know what's coming."
"Uh, Piper, I have to go." Leo said having heard a call from the Elders.
Piper sighed, "But we just got here."
Leo nodded, "I know, baby, but it's the Elders."
"Don't worry, she knows." Darryl said as he noticed Piper look at him.
"Ah, secret's safe with me. Argue away." Sheila said.
"You didn't?" Buffy asked.
"Honey, I'm sorry, but it sounds urgent." Leo said.
Darryl looked to Buffy and shook his head, "Yours is one secret I haven't told Sheila. I told her you would when you're ready."
"Okay, well, then I need to express to you that this is going to make me feel a little abandoned." Piper said.
Buffy nodded, "Since you know all about the m word. I guess I can tell you about my secret also. She looked around and saw they were relatively alone. She stood and pulled Sheila aside. "I'm Piper's mother reincarnated. That's the short of it. The long part of that story would take too long and we're too close to anyone who might overhear a longer conversation."
Sheila nodded in understanding. If her husband hadn't explained about magic and Piper and her sisters being witches she might have dismissed what Buffy said. "I look forward to hearing it."
"Alright, well, I understand, I acknowledge your feelings and I want to let you know that I love you, even though I have to go." Leo said as Buffy and Sheila rejoined them.
"I understand." Sheila said as Darryl laughed "Darryl, stop."
"What's so funny?" Piper asked.
"Nothing, um, just marriage counseling, huh?" Darryl said.
"Honey, we did it too. We recognize the tools." Sheila said.
"I think I hate the tools. I'd rather just snipe later than be honest and open about my feelings now." Piper said.
Darryl nodded, "Yeah, we felt the same way."
"But you know what? Turns out the tools really helped." Sheila said.
"Piper, I have to go." Leo said.
"Fine, go. I mean, thank you for considering my feelings and I love you and I will see you later at home." Piper said.
"Okay." Leo said as he kissed Piper. He then looked at Buffy. "Buffy."
"See you at home." Buffy said as Leo left.
"Very good." Sheila said as Dawn walked up to them.
"Where's Leo going?" Dawn wondered.
"Elders," Buffy said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Later back at the Manor Phoebe had a blanket from Buffy's bed wrapped around her and she was shivering despite how warm it actually was.
"Okay," Piper said as she, Buffy and Dawn entered the attic. "I know it's cooled off a little bit since this morning but what are you doing?"
"Defrosting," Phoebe said.
"Is this them?" Paige asked.
Phoebe looked at the page that Paige indicated in the Book of Shadows. "No."
"Who's them?" Buffy asked.
Phoebe shrugged, "We're not sure yet. How was the party?"
"Oh, just super fun. Leo got called away and I got to use my tools." Piper said.
"What?" Phoebe asked.
"Is that them?" Paige said showing Phoebe another page.
Phoebe shook her head, "No, they looked a little bit more... ancient."
"Will someone please tell us what's going on?" Dawn said just as Leo and Sam orbed in.
"Ah, a Whitelighter's disappeared," Leo said.
"A Whitelighter? Like from a Darklighter?" Dawn asked.
Sam shook his head, "No, a Darklighter's poison is slow and painful, this was more instantaneous."
"Also the Elders have no idea what it could have been," Leo added.
"It's all connected." Paige said.
"What's connected?" Piper asked.
"Whatever it is that escaped from the ice cave." Paige said.
"You were in an ice cave?" Leo asked.
Paige nodded, "Heat wave, earthquake, my dreams, this is way bigger than any one Whitelighter."
"I'd better drop out of that charity benefit." Phoebe said.
"Yeah, maybe we should cancel counseling, honey." Leo said.
"Hold it, wait a minute, no. This is exactly what we're supposed to be learning in therapy. When to put our lives on hold and when not to." Piper said.
"But Piper, a Whitelighter was killed." Paige said.
Piper shook her head, "We don't know that. He could've just clipped his wings and he's in hiding."
"Is that possible?" Buffy asked as she looked toward her boyfriend. "Like you did?"
"It's possible," Sam said.
"Look, people, we just need to manage our lives our little bit better. Dr. Berenson says that needless worry and panic serve absolute no purpose except to prevent the possibility of happiness." Piper said.
"I am all for the possibility of happiness." Buffy said.
Piper nodded, "Good, so we need to address the immediate the problem at hand and circle the wagons only when we have to."
"Okay, Dad, Leo, maybe one of you should get the Elders to put a ban on Whitelighters orbing until we figure out exactly what's going on." Paige suggested.
"Go on ahead," Sam said as he looked at Leo. "I'll stay here just in case they need you for anything."
Leo nodded, "Okay," he said as he looked at his wife. "I'll meet you in therapy. Dawn, you should let Faith know not to orb for now."
"Okay," Dawn said as she left the attic.
"Don't be late. Is it safe for you to orb up there right now?" Piper said.
"Yeah, no worrying remember?" Leo kissed Piper and orbed out.
Up there, Elders wearing gold robes walk around talking in their clickety-clack language. Leo orbed in and looked around, he spotted Roland and Cecil and walked over to him. "What's going on? What's with all the activity? I just left here." He wondered.
"It's not your concern." Roland said.
"Roland, please. Actually, we're not sure, Leo, Sam. But we do know something is not quite right." Cecil said.
"Why? Has another Whitelighter..." Leo said.
Cecil shook his head, "No. It's something else."
"Something we're not at liberty to discuss outside the council of Elders." Roland said.
"Anything to do with heat waves? Earthquakes?" Leo asked.
"What do you know?" Cecil asked.
"Not much. Just that Paige has been having these strange dreams lately. Dreams that seem pretty prophetic. Buffy believes Paige maybe having Slayer dreams."
"You think she foresaw these earthquakes?" Cecil asked.
Leo nodded, "Yes."
"That's not her power." Roland said. "And unless I am mistaken Paige is not a Potential." He looked to Cecil who shook his head confirming what Roland had said.
Leo nodded, "If it's not a slayer dream or a power, then it's probably more of an instinct."
"An instinct? That's what you're basing this on?" Roland said.
"Well, it hasn't let her down so far, has it? Look, excuse me, but I've just learned to rely on her instincts. All of their instincts." Leo said.
"As I have come to rely on Dawn and Patty's," Sam said.
Cecil nodded, "As well you should have, Leo. Now, Leo what did you come up here to tell us?"
"Just that the girls think, we all think, maybe we should ground all Whitelighters until we know for sure that it's safe." Leo said as the Elders looked at each other.
Cecil nodded, "We agree. We'll initiate the orders as soon as you have returned to them. Make sure you let Faith know as well."
"I told Dawn to call Faith and let her know before I came up here," Leo said.
"Good," Cecil said. "Now keep them working on this, it's important."
"You're worried, aren't you?" Leo asked.
"You know me better than that. At the end of the day, even we can't change what's meant to be. Just remember, no matter what happens, you must always follow your instincts too." Cecil said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
At the Manor Paige was looking at the Titans page in the Book of Shadows. "Mom! Phoebe! Hey, Mom! Hey, Phoebe!" she called as Buffy, Sam and Phoebe came running into the attic.
"Did you find something?" Phoebe asked.
"Do Titans ring a bell?" Paige asked.
"Titans like from Ancient Greece? You have got to be kidding me." Phoebe said.
"No, ancient gods who were entombed because it was the only way to stop them," Paige said as her father moved beside her to look at the page in the Book.
"Okay, well, even if it is them, how'd they get out? And why go after the Whitelighters?" Buffy said.
Paige shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe one of them was hurt maybe they needed healing powers?"
Sam frowned, "Except the Elders' instituted a no orbing edict," Sam said as they looked at him. "Leo is with Piper. I heard the call from the Elders after he orbed back down here. Anyways the only way they're going to get another Whitelighter…"
"Is if one orbed…" Paige finished for her father.
Phoebe frowned as she looked between Sam and Paige, "Oh, no way, Paige, forget about it."
"I have to agree with Phoebe, Paige." Sam said.
"Why not? If I'm right, they will come right to us." Paige said.
"And you're saying this like it's a good thing?" Buffy said.
Paige nodded, "It is. This is why I haven't been sleeping. This is what I've been preparing for all year. I have got potions here that are stronger than the ones that we used on the Source."
"Okay, devil's advocate, until we figure out how powerful they are, we shouldn't use you as bait." Phoebe said.
Sam nodded, "That is the best way, Paige. I'm not going to watch you use yourself as bait."
Paige sighed, "Witch's advocate, there are evil gods running around on the loose that we should eliminate before Wyatt and Elizabeth get home."
"Mm, that's dirty. Why do I feel like you're making me choose between my sister and my niece and nephew?" Phoebe said.
Paige smiled, "Because you're slightly overdramatic?"
"Paige I won't let you," Sam said. "Don't ask me to watch you possibly sacrifice yourself. I did that with your mother and we all know what happened then."
Paige sighed, "Dad, please. I can do this, okay. Maybe you should go tell them what we're planning so you don't have to watch. If we need you Mom can call for you."
Sam sighed, "Before I do I just to make it known I am completely against using my daughter as bait." He then orbed out.
Paige then orbed out and back in. It was only a matter of moments before they heard a rumble and Meta appeared. Paige and Buffy threw potions at her as Meta's eyes glow. Phoebe threw another potion at Meta but nothing happened as Dawn rushed in. Meta uses her power and sent Phoebe flying across the room as a 20-year-old guy orbed in. "Don't look into her eyes!" he said as he threw three potions at Meta causing her to flee. Dawn looked at her niece. "Are you alright?"
"I am," Phoebe said. "Paige, Mom?" She and Dawn looked towards where Buffy and Paige had stood and notice that they had turned to stone.
"Oh my god. Buffy! Paige!" Dawn said. "Sam!"
"Don't worry, they're alright." The guy said as Dawn and Phoebe looked at him as if to say you got to be kidding. "Well, I mean, they're not completely alright, obviously, but they're not dead."
"Are you sure they're not?" Phoebe asked.
The guy nodded, "Frankly, you see this a lot. Museums, universities, town centers... Most of those statues, not really statues. They're people like your mother and sister here who have been, uh, turned into stone."
"Sam!" Dawn called out again.
"Who are you?" Phoebe asked.
"Chris. Chris Perry. I'm from the future." The guy said.
Piper walked through the door of the attic right at that particular moment. "Oh! My god, tell me that's just a really good likeness of Mom and Paige."
"Oh, it's Buffy and Paige." Dawn said.
Chris nodded, "Titan turned them to stone."
"Who-who are you?" Piper asked.
"That's Chris. He's from the future." Phoebe said.
"Yeah, but just like twenty years or so." Chris said.
"Uh-huh. Friend or foe?" Piper said.
"Not so sure yet." Dawn said. "And if I could get an answer from Sam we might be able to find out."
"What do you mean? I saved Paige and Buffy, didn't I?" Chris said.
Phoebe shook her head, "Oh, you call that saving, do you?"
"Hey, I'm the one that put my life on the line here. I didn't have to drop everything I was doing just to orb in and save them..." Chris said.
"You-you orb? You're a Whitelighter?" Piper asked.
"Look, where I come from, history shows Paige and Buffy didn't get turned into stone on this day... they died. And with them died the power of three died too, allowing Titans to rule and create a world you don't want to see, trust me. I'm here to alter history. To help you save the future." Chris said.
"Who sent you?" Dawn asked.
Chris shook his head, "I can't answer that."
"Why not?" Phoebe asked.
"Because anything I tell you could risk changing the future in ways we don't want." Chris said.
"Who's we?" Piper asked.
"All I can say is, is that if I hadn't got here when I did, Paige would have been the third Whitelighter victim." Chris said.
"Wait, third? I thought only one was missing?" Dawn asked just as Sam orbed in.
Chris shook his head, "Not anymore."
"Leo!" Piper called out as Leo walked into the attic moments later.
"Wyatt and Elizabeth are …" Leo said as he noticed Chris. "Wait, who are you?"
"Forget that, we've got bigger problems," Piper said.
"What happened?" Leo asked.
"I think I can answer that," Sam said. Leo turned and looked toward him and saw that Sam was looking straight at Buffy and Paige.
"Forget that too. Sam, how many Whitelighters are missing?" Dawn said.
"What?" Sam asked.
"Aunt Dawn said how many?" Piper asked.
"Two." Sam said. "That's why I didn't readily come back when you called for me, Dawn. The Elders got the news just as I was about to orb back down here."
"Believe me now?" Chris asked.
"Who's he?" Leo asked.
Sam returned his attention to Buffy and Paige and shook his head, "My baby girl. This is why I didn't want you doing this."
Dawn sighed as she moved over next to Sam and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Sam, we'll figure out how to fix it and get both Buffy and Paige back."
It was then that they hear something crash to the floor downstairs.
"What was that?" Phoebe asked as she, Piper, Dawn, Leo and Sam turned and walked downstairs leaving Chris alone in the attic.
They made their way into the foyer as a fairy flew past. They look into the parlor where there are dwarves, leprechauns, wood nymphs, elf nanny and other creatures.
"Sorry, we'll pay for that," a dwarf said as he pointed to the broken vase on the floor. "So long as you can keep the world from ending."
Piper and Leo herded all the magical creatures into the conservatory. "Come on, come on, prance this way. Here we go. Here we go. Move it, move it, move it. Today." Piper said.
The dwarf frowned, "Hey, quit manhandling us. We're not your pets."
"No, you're just a pain. Now, go on. And don't let the neighbors see you." Piper said as a muscly man wearing no shirt, holding a crystal ball walked into the conservatory.
"Whoa, check out the size of that Oracle's... ball." Phoebe said.
"Phoebe, focus." Dawn said as Piper closed the conservatory doors.
Piper gasped as she noticed she had a fairy stuck in the door. "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." She opened the door and the fairy flew away. "Stay away from those windows." She closed the door again. "What the hell is going on around here?"
The elf nanny walked toward them from the kitchen, holding onto a drumstick. "If you haven't noticed, the world's a mess out there. Something terrible is going on. Everyone senses it."
"The Titans?" Dawn asked.
Sam nodded, "Must be."
"So you guys just all came here figuring that we would stop them?" Piper said.
"Well, you are the Charmed Ones, aren't you?" The elf nanny said as the twins cries could be heard coming from upstairs. "Do you always leave the little ones unattended?"
"No!" Piper, Dawn and Phoebe said.
"Well, it just sounds like they need to be changed. I'll take care of it," the elf nanny said as she headed for the stairs.
"Hold it! You are not the nanny. We rejected you." Piper said.
"No, I rejected you. But I suppose I can fill in, just for a bit." The elf nanny said as she disappeared.
"Did she just hire herself?" Phoebe asked.
"You need to go watch her." Piper said to Leo.
Sam saw that Leo was hesitating. "I'll let the Elders know about the Titans, Leo. You go check on your children."
"Are you sure you can do that?" Dawn asked. "With what …" She motioned toward the ceiling to indicate Buffy and Paige.
"I won't stay up there long," Sam said as he orbed out.
"Wait a minute. Where is Chris?" Phoebe said.
"Upstairs with Paige and Mom." Piper said.
"And the book." Leo said.
"Alright, you, to the Elf." Piper said as Leo headed upstairs. She looked to Phoebe. "You keep an eye on our magical house guests. Herd them into the basement or something. Aunt Dawn and I are going to go see what future boy is up to."
Up in the attic Chris was flipping through the Book of Shadows as Dawn and Piper entered the attic.
"What are you doing?" Piper asked.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to find a way to free stone-cold Buffy and Paige over here." Chris said.
"A little more compassion," Dawn said. "Buffy is my sister, Paige is my niece."
"And their my mother and sister," Piper added. "Now, step away."
"Please, like I haven't looked in this before. By the way, you should update your goblins entry. It'll come in handy someday." Chris said.
"Goblins?" Dawn asked.
Chris nodded, "Yeah, trust me. It's going to get ugly. Look, obviously you don't trust me, but I touched the book, right? And the book thinks I'm good. Shouldn't you?"
"Well, maybe you found a way around that." Piper said.
"Piper, come on. I'm just trying to help." Chris said.
"Well, then if that's true, why don't you tell us how to vanquish the Titans?" Dawn said.
Chris sighed, "Except you can't vanquish them."
"You mean, not without the power of three." Piper said.
Chris shook his head, "Maybe not even with that. The only way the Elders could stop them three thousand years ago was by infusing some mortals with a hell of a lot of power. Way more than you guys have."
"So they can do that again." Piper said.
"Not after what happened last time," Chris said. "When the mortals trapped the Titans, the power went to their heads. They declared themselves gods and forced the world to worship them. The Elders swore they would never allow that to happen again."
Dawn looked to Chris, "Hang on a second. I seem to remember this from my history class. You're talking about the Greek gods, Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite? They were mortals?"
Chris nodded, "Mythology left that part out. Not the only inaccuracy by the way."
Phoebe entered the attic with the dwarf and a leprechaun.
"Phoebe, what are you doing? You're supposed to be..." Piper said.
"I know, I know. But I thought they could help us free Mom and Paige. After all, a leprechaun's luck has helped us before." Phoebe said as she patted the dwarf on the shoulder.
"He's the leprechaun, I'm one of the seven dwarves. Try to keep it straight, will you?" the dwarf said.
"Sorry." Phoebe said apologetically.
The leprechaun walked over to Buffy and Paige. "It's going to take a lot more than just me luck to free these two. We're going to need some pixie dust too."
"I'll get a fairy. Left my axe downstairs anyway," the dwarf said as he headed back downstairs.
"Okay, so where are we?" Dawn asked.
"Screwed. Possibly. One thing I'm still not clear about. If the Titans are roaming around, why are they killing Whitelighters?" Piper said.
"Because they need their orbing power," Chris said.
"Their orbing power? What on earth would they want to do with... oh my god. Leo!" Piper said. She rushed out of the attic.
"Wh-What'd I miss? What did she just figure out?" Phoebe asked.
"Nothing good." Chris said.
Dawn looked at Chris her mind working a mile a minute. "They need Whitelighter orbing power because they intend to kill the Elders. Sam!"
Up There Leo orbed in and saw the Elders lying dead on the floor. He saw black scorch marks everywhere. "Sam?" he called out.
"Over here," Sam called out. Leo followed Sam's voice and saw Sam kneeling next to Cecil. "I came up here to tell them the Titans were back and I found them like …"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the attic the fairy threw pixie dust on Paige as the leprechaun held out a gold nugget. He hit Paige with good luck. He then looked toward the dwarf. "Now, laddie!"
The dwarf hit Paige with his axe but nothing happened. "Don't know what else to try."
The leprechaun sighed. "Running out of gold too, I'm afraid."
"Okay, well, there's got to be something we can do. Just keep trying." Dawn said.
Phoebe walked over to Chris who was looking at some things on a shelf. "What are you doing over here?"
"Nothing. You guys keep this stuff forever, you know that?" Chris said.
"You knew the Titans were after the Elders, didn't you? Why didn't you tell us?" Dawn asked as she joined Phoebe and Chris.
Chris sighed, "I told you, there's some things I can't tell you. Some things you need to figure out on your own."
"Even at the risk of making things worse?" Phoebe asked as Piper joined them.
"Alright, what's going on? Leo is not responding to any of my calls and it's been over five hours."
Dawn hadn't noticed how long it had been since Leo left, having been so intent on freeing Buffy and Paige, "Sam! Sam, I know you can hear me."
"I really don't know." Chris said.
"Well, I really think you do." Piper said.
Chris shook his head, "Look, you were the ones who wanted them to go up there in the first place, not me. Alright, fine, maybe I do know. And if I'm right, Leo and Sam are going to need some serious alone time."
"You know what? Cut it out with the cryptic crap. You need to go up there and bring them back now. No more games." Dawn said.
"Okay, fine, I'll go. But if I were you, I'd focus on freeing Buffy and Paige because you're going to need Paige. Soon." Chris orbed out.
"I swear to god, if he does not come back with Leo and Sam, I'm going to blow his ass back to the future, orbs and all." Piper said.
"You know what? Piper why don't you go be with Wyatt and Elizabeth, Aunt Dawn why don't you go rest on the couch and I'll take care of Mom and Paige." Phoebe said. "Piper, I will call you if anything happens, I promise. You're not breathing."
"Nope." Piper said.
"Breathe." Phoebe said as Piper left the attic and Dawn instead of going to the couch went to Buffy's bed instead. "Okay, on to my next sister and mother."
Up There Sam and Leo were sitting beside Cecil's body as Chris orbed in.
"Leo. Sam." Chris said.
Sam and Leo got up and walked towards Chris.
"Why didn't you tell us? Why did you let this happen!" Leo pushed Chris against a wall.
"Easy, easy!" Chris said.
"Why!" Sam said.
"Because this had to happen. It had to happen so Leo could do what has to be done." Chris said.
"What are you talking about? They're all dead. Gone." Leo said.
Chris shook his head, "No. Not all of them. Some of the Elders escaped back to earth but it won't be long before the Titans hunt them down too. But you Leo can still stop them. You can still defeat the Titans."
"How?" Sam asked.
"I think Leo knows how." Chris said.
"It's too dangerous. The Elders forbid it." Leo said.
Chris nodded, "True. But then again, the Elders aren't around to stop you now, are they? That's right, Leo. This is what it's all about. This is why they had to die so you could do something they'd never do. To save a future for your family, for your son."
"This is crazy." Sam said.
"Maybe, but it's our only chance. Like it or not, Leo has been put in this situation for a reason. We all have." Chris said.
Leo frowned, "Says you. How do we know you're not trying to manipulate the situation for your own future? Just the way you've manipulated everything else."
Chris shook his head, "You don't. But what choice do you really have? There's certainly no future unless you do something."
"I don't know. Even if I were to believe you, even if I were willing, I couldn't. I'm no Elder." Leo said. "Neither is Sam."
"Well, you better start acting like one." Chris said. "And Sam needs to worry about his charge."
"Patty." Sam said as Chris nodded.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
In the attic the fairy sprinkled magic dust on Paige.
"Now." Phoebe said as Finnegan held out his gold nugget, hitting Paige with good luck. Phoebe threw a potion at the statue. "Hit it!" The dwarf hit Paige with his axe. The stone crumbled and freed Paige.
"What happened? Where's the Titan? What the hell are these guys doing here?" Paige said.
"Long story, we'll tell you in a moment as soon as we free Mom." Phoebe said.
"Now." Dawn said as Finnegan held out another gold nugget, hitting Buffy with good luck. She threw a potion Buffy. "Hit it!" The dwarf hit Buffy with his axe. The stone crumbled and freed Buffy.
Dawn smiled as she hugged her sister. "Buffy, hi!" she said. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you. Are you okay?"
Buffy nodded. "Yeah I am. What happened?"
"We'll fill you in on the way downstairs." Dawn said as she, Phoebe, Buffy and Paige left the attic.
"You're welcome!" Dwarf called after them.
Down in the living room Piper was sitting on the couch as Buffy, Phoebe, Dawn and Paige walk down the stairs.
"There you are." Phoebe said as they walk into the living room.
"Okay, I get the whole epic Titan thing, but what I'm not getting is the Chris thing." Paige said.
"Yeah, we're still trying to figure that part out. Look who's not stoned." Dawn said.
Piper smiled, "Welcome back. You two have missed a lot."
Paige nodded, "Yeah. I can't help but think it's kind of all my fault though. I'm the one who lured the Titans here. Insert I told you so."
"Done." Dawn said. "From me and Sam."
"I just kind of was obsessed with the whole weird dreams thing and... but I am so sorry for any distress I might have caused the both of you; Piper, Aunt Dawn." Paige said.
"Don't worry about it. I should've listened to you in the first place. Just trying not to worry or to panic. I've just got this terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach." Piper said.
"It's okay, Paige." Dawn said to Paige. "You and Buffy are okay that's all that matters."
"What kind of feeling?" Phoebe asked Piper.
Piper sighed, "That Leo's not coming back."
"Oh, sweetie." Buffy said as she sat next to Piper. "Of course he's coming back. How could he not?"
"I don't know, it's just something that Chris said about Leo having to go through this alone. I don't know. What the hell is he doing up there?"
"Sorry to interrupt but we're all leaving now," the dwarf said from the doorway.
"Wait, why?" Phoebe asked.
"Didn't you hear the distress call? The surviving Elders have all been flushed out and they need protection." Dwarf said.
"Surviving?" Paige asked.
The dwarf nodded, "The Elf will stay behind to take care of the kids while you battle the Titans. Ciao," he turned and followed the rest of the magical creatures out of the Mnaor.
"Wait, who said anything about us battling the Titans?" Phoebe asked.
"Leo." Piper said.
Up there Leo walked out of a set of doors holding an urn.
"Leo!"
"Sam!"
"Piper. She needs me," Leo said.
"Patty," Sam said.
"Not as much as the rest of us do, Leo," Chris said. "You need to stay here, even afterwards, to coordinate."
"Alright. Then you and Sam should go otherwise the girls won't understand." Leo said.
Chris nodded, "Good luck." He looked to Sam as they orbed out
Leo took the lid off the urn. "Ekre oh-gee, akman minento," he said as a bright light rose out of the urn.
"Leo! Leo!"
"Sam! Sam!"
In the living room of the Manor… Buffy and Piper continued to call for Leo and Sam.
"Leo, for god's sakes, if you can hear me." Piper said as Sam and Chris orbed in. "Sam, where's Leo?"
"He's safe. For now. Paige, Buffy, hi." Chris said.
"Hi." Paige and Buffy said.
Sam went and pulled Paige into an embrace, "Never ever do that again you hear me."
"Yeah Dad," Paige said. "I believe you owe me an 'I told you so'."
"Forget that. What do you mean for now?" Piper said.
"Consider it done, Paige." Sam said.
"What is this about us supposedly battling the Titans?" Phoebe asked.
Chris smiled, "You're about to find out."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Buffy asked.
A tornado of light swirled around the sisters. When the tornado disappeared they saw that Piper, Phoebe and Paige all wore ancient Greek outfits, that Phoebe's hair now extended all the way down her black and was now blond and that Paige held a trident.
Chris smiled. "That's what that means."
"What happened to them?" Buffy asked looking at her daughters.
"Their gods, Patty." Sam said.