Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
Magic Hour
[Scene: Hairdressing salon. Piper is sitting in a chair. She looks over and sees other women reading bridal magazines. She rolls her eyes. She picks up a bridal magazine off of a table and looks at it. She puts it back face down on the table. She stands up and heads for the door. She changes her mind, picks up the bridal magazine and walks outside. She walks into an elevator and two women follow. They happily show each other their engagement rings and Piper pulls a face.]
[Cut to outside the manor. Piper pulls up in her car. She gets out and a just married couple drive past in a convertible. She slams her car door shut.]
[Cut to inside the manor. Phoebe is standing next to the table making 3D glasses. Prue is watching.]
Prue: She's gonna choose you.
Phoebe: Is not.
Prue: You get to hang out with her a lot more.
Phoebe: You've known her longer. I mean, there was that whole bonding time before I was even born.
Prue: Okay, she was one and I was three. (Phoebe puts on the 3D glasses.) What did we bond over? Diapers and drooling? What are those?
Phoebe: They're glasses, so we can watch the eclipse.
Prue: They're very cool.
Phoebe: I made you a pair too.
Prue: Yay, thank you.
(Piper walks in.)
Phoebe: Oh, good, you're home.
Prue: Hey, so, um, we were sorta hoping that you could settle something for us.
Piper: Sure, anything to get my mind off weddings. (Prue and Phoebe look at each other.) What?
Prue: Nothing.
Piper: No, come on. What?
Prue: Okay, uh, well, we were kind of wondering who you were going to have as your maid of honor.
Piper: Oh, well, let me think about it. I'm not allowed to invite anybody or have a cake or a band or flowers, so what makes you think that I'll be able to have a maid of honor?
Phoebe: It's not that bad.
(They walk into the living room and sit down on the couch.)
Piper: It's not like I'm some girly-girl who wants like a fairytale wedding, but I just thought there would be some things that would be givens.
Phoebe: Like fighting with the caterer and agonizing over who makes the final cut on the guest list?
Piper: Even those. I just, just wanna be able to celebrate a little.
Prue: Alright, maybe you're not getting your dream wedding, but you are getting your dream guy.
(Piper sighs. Leo orbs in.)
Phoebe: Leo!
Leo: Shh!
Phoebe: (whispering) Leo.
Leo: I hate to be the bearer of bad news.
Piper: Can you possibly be the bearer of a big hug?
Leo: Not after what I just found out. (He sits on the coffee table in front of Piper.) They want an answer, Piper, about us. Either there isn't any us or you guys get a new lighter. We have till tomorrow night to decide.
Piper: Tomorrow night? That's insane.
Leo: Look, there is door number three. We can try and pull this off tomorrow night; if we do, it's binding. They can't even break that apart.
Piper: Yeah, but if they find out they can break us apart into a thousand little pieces.
Phoebe: Excuse me?
Piper: I believe the term he used was "unspeakable wrath, the likes of which you can't even imagine."
Leo: Look, I'm not gonna lie to you, we would be taking a huge risk and until they get an answer, they are going to be listening very closely, so any talk of 'it', any use of the 'W' word….
Prue: I hate to be the detail police, but how are we gonna hide it from them when we're on their supernatural radar? They're always gonna be tuning in. Phoebe, did you find anything in the Book of Shadows about how to hide this?
Phoebe: No, nothing. I'm sorry. I'm still stuck on the unspeakable wrath part. I mean, is that just the bride and groom or does it also include bridesmaids?
Prue: Phoebe….
Phoebe: What? I mean, there must be some real reason that this merging is so forbidden. They are hardcore against it.
Prue: Yeah, well, rules are meant to be broken.
Phoebe: Bodies weren't.
Piper: And neither were hearts. Leo, are you sure that there's a way we can do this without getting caught?
Leo: If there is, we'll find it. Just be extra careful. Speak in code, and especially avoid using words like, you know.
Piper: Hmm.
Leo: Dum, dum, da-dum.
Piper: Mmm hmm. Alright, you should go. (They stand up and stand close to each other.) The less time you spend here is probably better. (They move in to kiss but stop.) And we probably shouldn't do that either.
Leo: Soon.
Piper: Yeah.
(Leo orbs out. Prue gets up and hugs Piper.)
Prue: Why are they so hell-bent on seeing each one of us so very very alone? (Kit growls from outside.) Kit?
[Cut to the porch. An owl is there and Kit has her claw up ready to attack it. Phoebe opens the door.]
Piper: Kit, leave that alone!
Phoebe: Bad kitty!
(The owl suddenly turns into a naked man.)
Phoebe: Good kitty.
Opening Credits
[Scene: Manor. Living room. Everyone is there including the guy (Chris). He has wrapped a towel around his waist.]
Chris: Aren't you afraid of me?
Prue: No. Are you planning on sprouting horns, growing fangs, and eating us?
Chris: If you work for him, I'll do worse than that.
Prue: Which him are you referring to?
Piper: Okay, hi, not that I don't enjoy the verbal ping pong here, but we do have that other thing we need to figure out kind of quickly, so let's cut to the chase. Are we helping or fighting?
Chris: What you saw happen to me didn't scare you?
Phoebe: If I had a dollar for every time an owl turned into a hot guy on our porch, I'd be rrr- (Piper covers Phoebe's mouth.)
Piper: We've seen worse.
Prue: If you're not here to kill us, apparently we're supposed to help you.
Chris: The only help you can give me is to allow me to leave.
(A wolf lurks outside.)
Prue: I think it's pretty obvious, don't you, that we're, uh, pretty familiar with the world of magic. We're sort of on the same team here.
Chris: The last thing that I need in my life right now is more magic.
Prue: I don't think you understand.
Chris: No, you're right, I don't understand, because I stopped understanding when he cursed me and took my life away from me. The only thing I do understand is loss. And the only thing I want is revenge.
Phoebe: Who did this to you? Was it a magician, a sorcerer?
Chris: He was my boss.
Prue: Just give us some time. I'm sure we can figure out-
Chris: I've lost enough time already when your cat dragged me here. Look, I only have twelve hours and at sunrise tomorrow I am airborne again. I won't, no, I can't last another day repeating the same cycle. Tonight, this thing ends. His life, and I hope the curse that goes along with it.
Prue: Just give us thirty seconds. Please?
Chris: It starts now.
Piper: Okay, uh, there are some of my boyfriend's clothes over there. Why don't you dress, while we huddle.
(He walks over to the pile of clothes.)
Phoebe: Well, he definitely has that whole tortured innocent thing going on.
Piper: Yeah, but we're kind of busy and he doesn't seem to want our help.
Prue: Been there, saved that. It wouldn't be the first time. Alright, you get ready, just in case he decides to bolt. Alright, here's what we're gonna…. (The guy has snuck out.)
Piper: Oh, well, he's gone. That's too bad.
Phoebe: Uh, Piper, we can't just ignore this. He was brought to us for a reason.
Piper: Yes, but we have to find a way to hide the www... rutabaga before they catch on.
Prue: The rutabaga?
Piper: It's a code word, for the thing we're not supposed to talk about. (Hums the wedding song.)
Prue: Oh, the rutabaga.
Piper: Yes, so let's do the divide and conquer thing, okay? (Kit is playing with the owl feather.) Great.
Phoebe: I'll look in the Book of Shadows and try to scry with this owl feather. (She picks up the feather.) You guys see what you can come up with for Piper's rutabaga.
(Piper walks in the foyer.)
Prue: Phoebe, Piper needs your help just as much as the innocent does, maybe more.
Phoebe: I'm fully aware that we're supposed to protect the innocent. These are the rules that we live by now. I'm just not so sure that we should be helping Piper break them.
[Scene: Bookstore. Piper and Prue are standing in line holding some books.]
Prue: I don't get it. If our ancient compilation of spells, witchcraft, and rituals can't help us, what makes you think that Martha Stewart can? (Cole walks up to them.) Hi!
Cole: Prue... and….
Prue: Uh….
Piper: Piper.
Prue: Piper.
Cole: Right.
Prue: Assistant District Attorney, we have to stop meeting like this.
Cole: You better be careful or a guy might think he's being followed.
(Prue laughs.)
Piper: You better be careful or a girl might think her sister's getting a really cheesy pick up line.
Prue: Um, so what brings you all the way across town?
Cole: I needed some source material on a forensic psychology case.
Prue: Well, I can see you're making a lot of progress.
(He looks at his empty hands.)
Cole: Yeah. (They laugh. Piper's not impressed. A bookstore employee hands him some books.)
Bookstore Employee: Here's the info on forensic psychology you requested.
Cole: Thanks.
Prue: Oh, embarrassed, party of one.
(They walk up to the counter and put their books down. Cole sees Piper's book "How To Keep Your Marriage".)
Cole: So who's the lucky guy or. more importantly, who's the lucky sister?
(The bookstore employee puts the books in two bags.)
Piper: Me... me, me. Mimi, our cousin. (Cole wiggles his fingers and Piper's books swap over with his.) Our cousin Mimi.
Prue: Good old cousin Mimi.
Piper: Love her.
Cole: Well, I should probably get going. I've sort of got plans to accidentally bump into another eyewitness over at the Gas 'N Sip's.
(Prue laughs.)
Prue: Cute.
Cole: I got cuter.
Piper: Okay. Time to go.
(Piper grabs the bag with Cole's books in it and Phoebe follows. Cole pulls out Piper's books and looks at the covers. They are called "How To Keep Your Marriage" and "The Secret Of Eloping".)
[Scene: The boss's office. He and his assistant walk into a room.]
Assistant: I made another killing today. When you told the traders to buy fifty-four and a quarter, they were a little sketchy. Thirty minutes later, everybody's rich, and they're worshipping you like a god.
Boss: Magic does take a bit of the risk out of playing the market. Unfortunately, not all of my risks have paid out like they're supposed to.
Assistant: You've heard it too?
Boss: That screech. It reeks of despair. He's near, circling. He longs for her like I do.
Assistant: Give it time.
Boss: I sought the magic so I wouldn't have to. It's been two months. The curse should've broken them by now! All this means nothing if I can't have what I want. And I want her. Dismissed.
(The assistant disappears in a puff of smoke. Chris appears behind the boss and holds a knife up against his chest.)
Chris: I am going to cut out your heart like you cut out mine.
Boss: Christopher, I'm impressed. In our time apart, you've gone and discovered courage.
Chris: Would you like to borrow some?
Boss: No, thanks, I'm trying to cut down. I have to say I'm a bit surprised to see you've managed to come so close. Note to self, chat with security.
Chris: A bird's eye view gives a man a different perspective, different strategies.
Boss: Uh, yes, the curse. So tell me, does absence make the heart grow fonder? (Chris jabs the knife in his chest.) Aaahhh! Do you really think that killing me will ease your pain? All that will do is ensure that the curse lasts forever.
(Boss flicks his hand and an assistant appears holding a crossbow.)
Assistant: You rang?
Boss: What's it gonna be, Chris? You've got the wrong plan. The only way your curse ends is if she gives herself to me but, ah, is he telling the truth? I'll let you in on a little secret, I never bluff, and he rarely misses. (The man shoots the crossbow at a signal from the boss and Chris jumps out of the way. He runs away.) Find him and kill him, and if you haven't by sunrise, kill every owl you see!
[Scene: Manor. Attic. Phoebe's looking through the Book of Shadows. Piper and Prue walk in.]
Phoebe: Hey, I hope you guys had better luck than I did.
(Piper walks over to the BOS and starts flipping the pages.)
Piper: Not really. I ended up with the wrong books and, uh, well, Prue almost got lucky right there in the store.
Prue: Ha ha. So you didn't find anything?
Phoebe: Yeah, it's just the pieces don't really seem to fit, you know, I mean, I-I can understand cursing someone to be an animal, but why for only half of the day?
Prue: And we don't know where he went, right?
Phoebe: No, I tried scrying with the owl feather, but it must not work while he's human.
Piper: I found something.
Prue: On the curse?
Piper: Um, no, about the, um, rutabaga. It's a ritual that's like a rutabaga, but it's called a, um…. (She writes down "Handfasting" on a small blackboard.)
Phoebe: Oh, yeah, handfa….
Prue/Piper: Shh shh shh.
Piper: The reason we write the bad words is so that we don't say the bad words. Wait a minute, I thought you said you looked in the Book and couldn't find anything to help me.
Phoebe: Uh, yeah, well, it said that we needed a high priestess, and since we don't have one of those, I just sort of figured why even mention it. Besides, I couldn't find anything in there about how to hide it from them, and since that's really the most important part so that we don't have to feel the, um…. (She writes "UNSPEAKABLE WRATH!" on the blackboard and shows it to them.)
Piper: I think you can say those words.
Phoebe: Uh, I was hoping writing them down would help us remember them. Um, I'm just worried that if you go through with it, it's going to be too dangerous, and that maybe, um, and this is really hard for me to say, but maybe you're being a little selfish.
Piper: Selfish?
Phoebe: Yeah, because what if your rutabaga keeps us from doing our job, keeps us from saving innocent people? What happens then?
Piper: Uh, yeah, but what about me? I mean, maybe you're right, maybe I'm being selfish, but... what's wrong with that? I mean, when do we get to do something for ourselves? Haven't you ever wondered that, or wanted that?
Phoebe: Yeah, absolutely, but not at the expense of hurting other people or each other.
Piper: Is that what you're afraid of? Getting hurt?
Phoebe: No, Piper, I'm afraid that you're not afraid of getting hurt.
Piper: I've been through more pain in the past two years than you can imagine and this is the only way to stop that. Now, I'd like to do the right thing, but I also want to be with him.
(Piper closes the Book of Shadows and the owl feather falls onto the floor. Phoebe picks it up and has a premonition of Chris being attacked by a wolf.)
Prue: What is it? What did you see?
Phoebe: Our innocent, and I think that he was being attacked by a coyote or a wolf.
[Scene: Forest. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe are there looking for Chris.]
Phoebe: Alright, wait a minute, I think that this looks like the place... sorta.
Piper: That's funny, because I remember it looking like the right place sorta three hours ago.
Phoebe: Okay, look, if you wanted a supernatural LoJack, you came to the wrong witch. Oh, wait, look, that is where Christopher was standing in my premonition.
(A wolf is lurking in the bushes.)
Piper: Shh, shh, what was that?
(They see Chris.)
Prue: There he is.
Phoebe: Hey!
(The wolf runs out and barks at the girls.)
Chris: No!
(The wolf runs over to Chris.)
Phoebe: Okay, Piper, you have to freeze him.
Prue: Wait.
Chris: (to the wolf) We don't have much time, my love. Someone's coming.
Prue: He's not attacking.
(They run into an old house and face each other. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe watch from outside. As the sun rises, the wolf turns into a naked woman and Chris turns into an owl.)
Commercial Break
[Scene: Continued from before. The woman (Brooke), now dressed, runs out of the house. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe follow.]
Prue: Wait! Christopher wanted us to talk to you!
Phoebe: He did?
Prue: I'm vamping. It's the only way to get her to stop. Look, we met him last night, right before he went after the sorcerer. We tried to stop him, but without your help, he'll do it again and we both know what will happen if he does.
Brooke: He'll die. How do I know that you're not working for him?
Prue: You don't. But you guys can't do it alone, so you're just gonna have to trust us.
Brooke: Trust is earned.
Phoebe: Okay, I hate to break up the whole getting to know you portion of the program, but what did Christopher mean when he said someone was coming?
Brooke: If Christopher went after him, then he must've sent someone after us.
Piper: Why?
Brooke: Because he fell in love with me. This, this curse is my punishment for not returning that love.
Piper: So woman by day and wolf by night?
(The owl flies past them.)
Brooke: He's warning me. We have to go.
Piper: Huh? Oh, alright.
(They start running. The boss's assistant appears with a crossbow and shoots arrows at them.)
Assistant: Where is he?!
Prue: That's the least of your problems.
(Prue uses her power and he goes flying. He runs away.)
Phoebe: Have we earned your trust yet? Come on.
[Scene: Manor. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Brooke walk inside.]
Piper: I swear to god I've seen this in a movie somewhere.
Prue: Uh, Phoebs?
Phoebe: Upstairs, Book of Shadows, curse search, way ahead of ya.
Prue: (to Brooke) Uh, okay, you and I are gonna go to the kitchen.
Brooke: I'm fine, really. Let me help.
Prue: Look, you are tired and hungry. Please, just let me help.
(They walk in the kitchen.)
Phoebe: (to Piper) Wanna take a wiccan time out and do the crossword puzzle? (Piper gives her a look.) Piper, uh, about what I said before, I didn't mean….
Piper: Yes, you did. You never say anything you don't mean.
Phoebe: You keep saying that it isn't like what you'd imagined, and I do understand your side of it. I mean, I have never seen anyone look at you the way that Leo does, and that is beautiful, and you deserve that, but I still…. I, um, I can't say that it's right. And I wish that I were wrong, and it's important that you know that.
Piper: The problem is you're not. There's truth to it, to what you said. I can't deny that. So unless both you and Prue approve it, I won't go through with it.
(Piper walks in the kitchen and Phoebe goes upstairs.)
[Cut to the kitchen. Brooke is reading a note left on the fridge.]
Brooke: We used to leave each other notes. When this, when this first happened. I'd find them at sunrise and I'd know, I'd remember all the reasons why I loved him. And then….
Prue: The letters stopped.
Brooke: There's a limit, you know, to how much any person can take. (She looks out the window.) You keep wondering…. (The owl lands on the back of a chair outside.) You keep asking yourself…
Piper: … shouldn't love conquer all?
Prue: You know this isn't fair. I mean, it's hard enough to find somebody that you can spend the rest of your life with, but when you constantly have magic meddling? I am so sick of it. I mean, I've been through it, you're going through it, and now Brooke? What love can't conquer we will.
Piper: For everybody but ourselves.
Prue: Honey, the day's not over yet.
Piper: We're gonna need your help if you want this to end happily ever after. I know I could use a happy ending.
[Scene: Boss's office. The boss and his assistant are there. The assistant is holding a blood-soaked bag.]
Boss: You come bearing gifts.
Assistant: I come bearing victory.
Boss: That's an awfully small bag for such an awfully large prey. If you'd killed the right bird, we'd be looking at a dead human bleeding on my floor right now. You're foolish. Or deceitful. Either way, you failed.
Assistant: He had help!
Boss: From whom? A pigeon, perhaps? Maybe a... penguin... to the rescue?
Assistant: Witches! And now they're with her.
Boss: Their choice in company is not relevant. The fact that he still lives is. I wanted blood on my hands. I don't have his, so I guess I'll have to take yours. (The assistant is engulfed in flames and turns into a pile of ash on the floor. The boss talks into the speaker phone.) Clean up, aisle two. (Another assistant appears.) Congratulations. You've just been promoted.
[Scene: Manor. In the backyard. Prue, Piper, and Brooke are there. Brooke walks over to the owl.]
Brooke: I took a job. It was an established firm with a reputation for promoting from within. (She picks up the owl.) My boss was this odd man. I'd worked for nightmares before, but nothing like this. He made moves, I made things clear, he made me this.
Piper: To keep you away from Christopher?
Brooke: He said if he couldn't have me, no one would. Until there was a night within a day, or until I give in. I never thought…. Magic was for kids' parties, it wasn't real. I didn't know.
Piper: We're still kind of getting used to it ourselves.
Brooke: But this, this is my fault.
Prue: No, you said yes to a job, not to a man.
Brooke: But Christopher is being punished because of me. I did this to him.
Prue: That's not what he said. He doesn't blame you for anything and he said…
Piper: … how strong you are.
Brooke: He said that?
(Piper nods.)
Prue: He said that it's your strength that he first fell in love with. And he just needs to know that you're not gonna give that up.
[Cut to the attic. Phoebe is looking through the Book of Shadows.]
Phoebe: Anything, anything. I curse you, you curse me, let's get together, and do a little cursing. (The pages start flipping by themselves.) Whoa! (The pages stop on the "Handfasting" spell.) Okay, alright, you know, I specifically asked for a-
Grams' Voice: You asked for an answer. There it is.
Phoebe: I know that voice.
(Grams' spirit appears.)
Grams: Well, I should hope so. Yours came through loud and clear, so, here I am.
Phoebe: Grams. (She walks over to her.) Oh, I would hug you but….
Grams: I know. It's just good to be here.
Phoebe: Yeah, and not that I'm not thrilled by that fact, but I'm a little fuzzy on the why.
Grams: You need guidance, some advice on a certain sister situation. Am I getting warm?
Phoebe: Red hot. But, wait a minute, if you know, that means that they know, and if they know then we are f-
Grams: Fine. Anyway, I'm beyond them now. Secret's safe with me. But what about you, Phoebe? Do you want to tell me about that nagging concern you have in your gut?
Phoebe: That's not fair. You have afterlife advantage.
Grams: I also know you, Phoebe. Talk to me.
Phoebe: Okay. (She sits down on a chair.) Uh. I wanna be able to support Piper in this. I want to look at her, and I wanna say 'Go for it', but, what if her and Leo get rutabaga-ed, and they find out, and then something horrible happens to them? I mean, look at what happened to mom and her... special friend. And I hate to go skipping down selfish road, but what if by association….?
Grams: …. You and Prue get hurt.
Phoebe: Yeah. I wanna be supportive to her, Grams, I really do, but everything in my heart is telling me that it's wrong.
Grams: All valid points, but logic and reason go out the window when love gets involved.
Phoebe: Yes, I know that, but-
Grams: The Charmed Ones are destined for greatness. But that fact doesn't keep a girl warm on a cold winter's night.
Phoebe: So add a blanket! Grams, I can't believe you're saying this.
Grams: I'm saying what I know. I remember the loneliness all too well.
Phoebe: You were married four times.
Grams: Well, that's because I never found true love, but maybe Piper has, and when the time comes for them to make it official, they'll feel it. They'll know.
Prue: (from downstairs) Phoebe?!
Phoebe: Coming! (Grams disappears.) Thank you.
[Cut to downstairs. The assistant is chasing them around the house with a crossbow. Piper gets stuck against the wall with two arrows stuck on her sleeves. Phoebe walks downstairs and he shoots an arrow near her. Phoebe gasps. Prue uses her power and he crashes into a cupboard.]
Piper: Phoebs, a little help here, please. (Prue and Phoebe pull out the arrows.) Okay, he could've killed me.
Phoebe: Us.
Prue: The question is, why didn't he?
Assistant: Because I don't want you. I want the bird. Where is he hiding?!
(Brooke runs into the room and the assistant points the crossbow at her. The owl flies in front of her as he shoots, hitting the owl.)
Brooke: No!
(Prue uses her power and an arrow flies into the assistant. He disappears in a puff of smoke. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe run over to Brooke. Brooke is crying. She picks up the owl.)
Commercial Break
[Scene: Manor. Living room. Everyone's there sitting on the couch. Brooke is holding the owl.]
Prue: He'll be alright.
Brooke: I know that's that's the right thing for you to say, but you don't know that. Now all I can do is watch him die.
Prue: No, we can do a lot more than that.
Piper: You know I can't, not now, not while they're watching.
Prue: Piper, this has absolutely nothing to do with us and everything to do with an innocent.
Piper: (Piper closes her eyes and Leo orbs in.) Leo, we, uh-
Leo: I know. They told me about the bad guys. The vanquishing talk caught their ears, not the other thing.
Prue: Leo's a healer.
(Leo walks over to Brooke and the owl.)
Leo: I can't heal animals.
Phoebe: Well, we can't take him to the vet.
Piper: He's not exactly an animal.
(Leo tries to heal the owl.)
Prue: He is until sunset.
Phoebe: So you're saying we have to wait?
Leo: I'm sorry.
(The doorbell rings. Prue answers it.)
Cole: 1329 Prescott Street. (He holds out the bag of books. Prue looks confused.) On the receipt. In the bag. (He looks for it.) It was there. That sounded much better in my head.
(Prue laughs.)
Prue: They gave you our books and you thought you'd drop them by.
Cole: That wasn't so hard when you said it. I actually need the ones I bought, so if you don't mind I….
Prue: Of course you do, okay. (Prue goes to get the books. Cole starts to follow but she stops him.) Oh, actually, uh, you know, my sister sort of got into it today, so the place is a disaster, it's like a bomb went off. So if you don't mind just waiting here, that would be great. (She closes the door, gets the books, and opens the door back up.) Hi! (She hands them to him.) So, you going back to the office?
Cole: Justice must be served, right?
Prue: Tell me about it.
(Leo walks into the foyer.)
Leo: Prue, everything okay? I was starting to get... worried. Hey.
Prue: Um, Cole, Leo. Leo, Cole.
Leo: Nice to meet you.
(They shake hands and some of Leo's Whitelighter dust rubs off onto Cole's hand.)
Cole: Pleasure.
Leo: Sorry to, uh-
Cole: No, no, I was just leaving. I really need to go take care of some business. (Leo and Prue go back inside. Cole walks down the stairs. He puts his suitcase down and gets a handkerchief out of his jacket pocket. He wipes his hand.) Whitelighters always were messy. (to his shadow) Report this! (His shadow floats down the stairs and goes down a drain.)
[Cut back to the living room.]
Piper: Did you ever think, did you ever consider that maybe it wasn't meant to be? (Prue and Leo walk in.) Things happen for a reason, right? Maybe it's not worth the risk to be together.
Brooke: If you don't take the risk for love, then what do you take it for?
(Prue clears her throat. Leo walks outside.)
Piper: Leo, wait.
(She goes after him.)
[Cut to outside. Leo is walking down the stairs. Piper follows.]
Piper: Leo, wait, you can't do that. You cannot come into the end of a conversation and assume that you know everything.
Leo: Alright, let's pretend that I don't know anything. Then explain it to me.
Piper: I wasn't questioning you, I was questioning our decision.
Leo: Then ask me your questions.
Piper: Don't you think I would like to?
Leo: Honestly, I don't know what you're thinking.
Piper: Well, what I'm thinking is maybe Phoebe is right. Maybe we're being selfish. Our decision affects other people, other people that I happen to love.
Leo: I love them too, Piper.
Piper: I know. I know that. Look, you are the last person I wanna be fighting with right now.
Leo: Then let's stop.
Piper: Leo, if we get... if you and... Okay, let me try that again. Brooke and Christopher love each other very much, but in the end that didn't matter.
Leo: We haven't reached the end yet. Have a little faith. Don't you think this scares me too? Don't you think that I have my doubts?
Piper: Do you?
Leo: Of course I do. What I'm trying to say is I know what Christopher must feel. You know, always worried about the timing, about how he has to live his life, knowing what his true feelings are, but unable to share those with the one person that he has them for.
Piper: She knows, but it doesn't fix everything.
Phoebe: (off camera) You've gotta give it a chance. (Phoebe is standing on the lawn holding a small blackboard.) Logic and reason go out the window when love gets involved. (She holds up the blackboard and "You have my blessing" is written on it.)
Piper: Wait a minute. I thought you said that-
Phoebe: Yeah, well, I got a long distance call with some really good advice.
Piper: But we still haven't figured out how to pull it off.
Phoebe: When the time's right, you'll know.
[Cut back to the living room. Brooke is there still holding the owl.]
Brooke: I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I can't let you die. Please forgive me, please forgive me.
(She puts him on the couch.)
[Cut back outside. Phoebe is looking up at the sky.]
Piper: That's quite a turnaround for you, sis. Who's your new confidante?
Phoebe: Huh?
Leo: I think she means your advice giver.
Phoebe: Uh, it was just... oh my God.
(She blocks her face with the blackboard.)
Piper: Nice try, Phoebs, but the distraction technique stopped working in third grade.
Phoebe: No, it's not a technique. It's an eclipse. Look at it. (They do so.) No, wait, don't look at it. Trust me. I totally forgot that the eclipse was to... day. A night within a day.
Piper: I'm sorry, please repeat.
Phoebe: The curse, the eclipse. Until a night within a day. Isn't that what Brooke said? That's what's gonna break the curse. (She runs inside.) Prue, it's happening.
[Cut to the living room. The owl s has turned back into Chris. Everyone walks in.]
Prue: Leo, it just happened. Please help him.
Phoebe: This proves the theory. It's the eclipse.
(Chris tries to sit up.)
Leo: Whoa, whoa, you're not going anywhere.
Chris: Brooke.
Prue: Just rest, okay, we'll tell her.
Chris: You can't, she's gone.
Phoebe: What do you mean she's gone? She was in the kitchen when I left.
Prue: She's gone to him, hasn't she? (Chris nods.) Alright, we'll handle it while Leo works on you.
(Leo walks over to Chris. He pulls out the arrow and heals him.)
Chris: Thank you.
Piper: I don't understand. Why would Brooke go to him?
Chris: She didn't trust that you would be able to save me, but she knows that she can.
Phoebe: How?
Chris: The curse. If at anytime she agrees to be with him, seals the pledge with a kiss…
Piper: … she'll be forever bound.
Phoebe: But the eclipse changes that.
Prue: Yeah, but she doesn't know that.
[Scene: Boss's office. The boss and three men are there.]
Boss: If he's off the radar, then he's more than failed, which leaves a space open for one of you to fill, and you do that by killing the owl!
(Brooke walks in.)
Brooke: I was hoping you would take me instead.
Commercial Break
[Scene: Continued from before. Brooke and the boss are now facing each other.]
Brooke: Aren't you going to kiss me?
Boss: Brooke, I may be cheap, but I'm not easy. No, wait, yes I am. You're only doing this to save him, aren't you? That's okay, it's quite obvious. You know what? I don't care. You'll grow to love me.
Brooke: I have your assurance that Chris will not be harmed again?
Boss: You have my love. Isn't that enough?
[Cut to outside. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Chris walk in the building. Piper freezes everyone. They start walking up the corridor.]
Phoebe: T minus and counting.
Piper: Then we get to break into Attica.
Phoebe: Well, we do have other choices. We can climb the roof, or see if there's a convenient and unguarded side entrance. Or we could use the Wonder Twin powers.
(Piper stops.)
Piper: Ugh. I don't feel so….
Prue: What is it?
Piper: I don't know, I don't have a good feeling about this. Wait a minute, I take that back. I do have a good feeling about it, about... something. I feel all... warm and... fuzzy.
Prue: Is it your stomach?
Piper: No, it's... here. (She pats her chest.)
Phoebe: When the time is right, you'll know. Oh my god, the time is right.
Prue: The time for what?
Phoebe: The, uh, the wed... the rutabaga. It's gotta be the eclipse. If we can't look up, that must mean that they can't look down.
(Prue gets all excited.)
Prue: Oh! Oh! Oh! Ooh, this is it, this is it. Okay, all we have to do is get home and…
Phoebe: … and do the ritual, and let Leo know, and call the florist and we gotta get d-d- (Piper stops her.) What's, what?
Piper: We've gotta get to Brooke.
Phoebe: Right. We've gotta get to Brooke and then we gotta get home.
Piper: No. We only have time for one. So we either save Brooke-
Chris: Piper, go home. Of all people, I understand this, alright, and so would Brooke. I can handle this on my own.
Piper: No. Alright, we'll go in the front.
[Cut back to the boss's office. He and Brooke are leaning in ready to kiss. The door flies open.]
Boss: Oh, look, it's the girl scouts. Set your thin mints down on the table and leave before you get yourselves hurt.
Prue: Let her go.
Boss: I have no fear of witches.
Prue: Maybe not, but how do you feel about true love?
(Brooke sees Chris and they smile.)
Boss: That's not possible. (Chris and Brooke walk over to each other.) If I can't have her, no one will!
(A crossbow appears in the boss's hand.)
Piper: Whoa. (She freezes them.)
Phoebe: Anyone got a vanquish in their pocket?
Prue: Oh, let's not get rid of him just yet. I want him to watch this for a little bit. (She uses her power and the crossbow flies out of his hand.) Okay, go ahead.
(Piper unfreezes them and Chris and Brooke kiss. The boss starts to burn and disappears. Chris and Brooke hug.)
Brooke: I don't know what to say.
Chris: How can we thank you?
Prue: You already have.
Phoebe: Oh, Piper, I think I have a solution to the whole maid of honor thing.
Prue: Oh, me too.
Piper: What about our distinct lack of a high priestess?
Phoebe: Would you please just let me worry about that?
[Scene: Manor. Living room. Grams and Leo are standing there. Leo is dressed in a suit.]
Grams: Girls, your high priestess is waiting. Unfortunately, the eclipse is not. Now let's move it. (She uses her power and wedding music plays in the CD player.) That would be your cue, maids of honor.
(Prue and Phoebe, who are all dressed up, walk down the stairs. They stand at the bottom of the stairs. Piper walks down wearing a light blue dress and holding a bouquet. Leo smiles. She stops at the bottom of the stairs.)
Prue: You look beautiful. I know it's not exactly how you wanted it.
Piper: But it's exactly what I wanted. (She looks over at Leo and they smile. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe walk into the living room. Piper stands in front of Leo. They smile again. All of a sudden, Leo starts jerking. He yells, is surrounded by light, and is forcibly orbed out.) Grams, how can this happen? What did we do? (She starts to panic.)
Grams: Listen to me, darling, it's going to be okay. We will fix this.
(Piper starts crying.)
Piper: We-we have to. (Prue and Phoebe hold her arms.) This-this is all my fault. (She kneels on the floor and so do Prue and Phoebe.) He doesn't deserve to be…. I don't…. I don't think that I can do this.
(She cries harder and Prue and Phoebe comfort her.)
[Scene: A dark place. Three hooded men are standing in a circle with Cole in the middle.]
Hooded Man #1: You do good work.
Hooded Man #2: To get close to the Halliwell's with no suspicion... splendid.
Hooded Man #3: And we were pleased that you informed us of the witch's nuptials.
Cole: The pleasure was mine.
Hooded Man #2: And the pleasure was theirs when the information was shared.
Hooded Man #1: You got useful knowledge of the Charmed Ones, now you must gain their trust. Others have failed.
Cole: Others weren't me.
Hooded Man #3: So, what is next?
Cole: The wedding was child's play, a perk if you will. I'm focusing my attentions on... Prue. She's my way in. You sent me to find out how to destroy them. I'd say we're well on our way.