Chris orbed into the attic and found Paige stringing beads onto a talisman.
"Paige, what are you doing? It's not an art project."
She glared at him. "I realize that. Leo's already wearing his. Unfortunately, Phoebe won't wear hers until it's pretty and pink with flowers on it."
"You're kidding me, right?"
"No. I had to go to the store and get pink beads and flower charms. There. Done."
Chris sighed and followed her down to the bedroom. Leo and Phoebe sat on the floor with a handful of children's books between them.
"Where'd those come from?"
"Attic. Good thing Grams saved everything."
"And that you're just as much of a packrat and didn't toss 'em," Paige added.
Piper smiled. "You got Phoebe's?"
"Yep. Hey, Phoebe, look what I got for you," Paige said, kneeling down.
Phoebe turned, giggling and clapping her hands together. Paige held out the necklace for her examination. Phoebe reached an awkward hand out to touch the beads lightly.
"Pwitty."
"You like it."
She nodded, clapping her hands together again.
"Can I put it on for you?"
Phoebe nodded and let Paige slip the necklace on. She flung her arms around Paige, nearly knocking her over.
"T'ank you, Paige!"
Paige smiled. "Whoa, okay, you're welcome."
"Leo, wook! My neck'ace is more pwitty den yours."
Leo rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the books.
"Okay, guys, grownups are gonna go talk in the hallway, all right?"
They nodded.
Chris led the way to the hallway. "We, um, we have a problem."
"This is just occurring to you? My husband is sucking his thumb and my sister is carrying a blanket."
"No, I mean, I talked to the Elders. Figured since the Book of Shadows had nothing, maybe they'd know."
"Yeah, and?"
"And…you want the good news or the bad news?"
Piper raised an eyebrow. "Spill it."
"Okay, the Innocence Demon can be vanquished, but you have to summon him and use a Power of Three spell."
"A Power of Three spell? Have you looked at Phoebe? She's losing regular speech abilities."
"Which is why we have to hurry."
Piper shook her head. "You guys saw the tantrums they threw just hearing a demon. Now we're supposed to make them face one?"
"Maybe Chris and Leo could stay down here," Paige said.
"He won't let Piper go fight a demon while someone else stays with him. Besides, if one of you gets hurt, you need me or Leo to be there."
"Fine, so how do we make sure they don't freak out completely?"
"I'll talk to them," Paige said.
She strode back into the bedroom.
"Done talkin'?" Leo asked.
"Yeah, now I have to talk to you guys though."
The two looked at each other, then sat up and turned to face Paige.
"We, um, we have to ask you guys a favor, okay? There's a bad guy we have to stop and so we're going to call him here and then—"
"No!" Phoebe shouted. "No, no, no! Don' call the bad guy! Don' call him!"
Leo threw his hands over his ears. "No! No! I not hear you! La! La! La!"
Piper touched Paige's shoulder. "Let me."
"Go ahead," she said with a sigh.
When Phoebe and Leo saw Piper sit in front of them, both calmed down, crawling towards her. Phoebe began touching her hair, playing with it. Leo laid down, his head in her lap.
"Okay, guys, do you trust me?"
"Wha's twus' me?"
"You guys know I'd never do anything to hurt you, right?"
They both nodded.
"And I would never let anything bad happen to you."
More nodding.
"Okay, so I need you guys to be big kids and help me?"
Leo sat up. "Wit duh bad guy?"
"Yes, but I promise if you guys do exactly what I tell you then you'll be fine and nothing will happen."
"We beat duh bad guy?" Phoebe asked.
Piper nodded. "Yes. We will beat the bad guy. You guys just have to listen very carefully, okay?"
"Okay," Leo said.
"O'tay."
"First, Leo, you are going to stay with Chris and be his helper, okay? Chris will protect you and he won't let anything happen."
"Wha' are me an' Cwis gon' do?"
"You're going to watch and you're going to help if anybody falls down."
"But you said nobody wi' get hurt."
Piper tried to think quickly. "I mean in case someone falls down."
Leo nodded. "If you fa' down, I get you a Ban'-Aid."
"And you'll stay with Chris and do exactly what he tells you?"
Leo nodded and stood up.
"You gonna be my special helper?" Chris asked.
Leo smiled. "Uh-huh!"
"Wha' am I gon' do?" Phoebe asked.
"You're going to stand with me and Paige and hold our hands and we're going to say a little poem together."
"Wha' poem?"
"Here, you and me practice, okay?"
Phoebe nodded.
"You say what I say. The Power of Three."
"The Pow-uh of Twee."
"Will set."
"Wi' se'."
"Us free."
"Us fwee."
"Okay, now altogether. The Power of Three will set us free."
"The Pow-uh of Twee wi' se' us fwee."
"Good! Very good, honey. Now, everyone upstairs. Paige, you'll summon?"
"On it."
Paige orbed up to begin the summoning with Chris's improvised spell.
She finished it just as Piper and Chris led Leo and Phoebe in.
Chris held Leo's hand and walked with him over to the side of the room.
"Okay, now we're going to wait here and be really quiet. Got it?"
"Why?" Leo whispered.
"Why what?"
"Why quiet?"
"Because I said so," Chris said with a smirk.
"Oh. O'tay."
Phoebe clutched Piper's hand as they made their way towards Paige. A swirl of smoke announced the demon's entrance. Phoebe screamed.
"It's okay, Phoebe. Just remember what I told you, okay?" Piper said.
Phoebe nodded, holding tightly to Piper. Piper shifted and moved Phoebe between her and Paige. The sisters held hands.
"Okay, Phoebe. Now we're gonna say the poem, okay?"
Phoebe nodded.
The three began to chant. "The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three will set us free. The Power of Three—"
They stopped when the demon imploded in a glittery swirl of sand and dust.
"We beat duh bad guy?" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah, yeah we did…Chris? Why is she still not…Phoebe?"
Chris had already let go of Leo and moved to the pile of dust. He plucked up a tarnished silver necklace. A strange looking glass vial was held in place with a metallic web. Chris slammed it on the ground, shattering the glass. Light and orbs illuminated the attic before spiraling towards Leo and Phoebe, knocking each one to the ground.
Piper stared down at her sister. "Phoebe? You okay?"
Phoebe groaned and sat up. "What the hell…what happened?"
Leo sighed and struggled to his feet, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I don't know. Anyone else?"
Piper laughed and crossed the room to him, slipping her arms around his torso. "It's alright now."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning you both just had a little growing up to do," Chris said.
"What?"
"You and Phoebe," Paige said. "But you did so you're fine now."
Paige and Chris headed downstairs.
"What happened?" Phoebe asked, following them. "Seriously, you guys. How'd I end up in the attic? And where in the world did this talisman come from?"
Piper laughed as Phoebe's questioning voice faded down the stairs. Leo chuckled, stroking her hair lovingly.
"What did happen?"
She giggled.
"Oh, come on, Piper."
"Come on. Let's see what the others are doing."
"Piper!"
She pulled away and headed downstairs.
"Piper, I'm serious! It's not funny."
When she didn't answer, Leo followed her down the staircase. He wondered if he'd ever know what happened. And wondering why he had the strange urge to suck his thumb.