Chapter 2

"Master, there has been a problem. I have lost the girl you asked for."

"How dare you let her get away? I thought you could deal with this Tramok. It's a shame that I will have to kill you now," the Master said. The Master raised his arms generating a full charged fireball and aimed it toward Tramok. "Is there anything you would like to tell me before you die?"

"Yes, Master, there is," Tramok whispered as he fell to his knees.

" Get on with it," the Master screamed at Tramok. "And get off your knees. So you really think I will have pity on you for that?"

"No, Master," Tramok said, jumping up as quickly as possible. He didn't want to anger his Master anymore so he would get to tell his story about the girl.

"Go on," the Master proclaimed, "before I lose my patience."

"Well the girl, she was just as you said she would be. She was scared, curious, and worried. So much that she never noticed I was following her. I watched her all day, like you told me, making accidents occur to make her feel blameworthy. When she left the orphanage, I followed. She ran into an ally and I attacker her. I had her on the ground, ready to kill her when a White Lighter came out form behind a dumpster and orbed the girl away."

"Tramok, how dare you. You got a White Lighter involved, now the charmed ones will know about the girl. If they find out about the girl being a witch, I will surely be vanquished," the Master looked at Tramok lovingly. "Thank you Tramok for your lovely story and wonderful help, but I find that I am no longer in need of your services. Good bye," with that, the Master let go of the energy ball he had been forming and watched Tramok singe. "Now, to get my hands on the girl."

"Wyatt, hold still so Mommy can get your face washed," Piper whined as she fought to clean Wyatt's face. Piper had just finished feeding Wyatt and was trying patiently to get the mess of food off his face. Every time she was close enough to wipe it off, Wyatt would orb to a different area of the dining room, leaving Piper to chase him. "Come on Wyatt. I know you want to play but it's time for your nap," Piper wheezed.

Finally she decided to give up and chase Wyatt around trying to make him tired so she could put him down for his nap. Wyatt ran and laughed. Piper caught up behind him after he orbed. He didn't see her so she grabbed him quickly and wiped the mess off his face before he orbed to the stairs. She started to walk to the stairs to try and catch Wyatt once more.

I really wish Leo were around to help me with the boys, Piper thought. He is really missing a lot of their growing up.

Just as Piper was about to about she was about to catch Wyatt, she heard a crash. Something was up. Piper could feel it in the air. She was used to the demonic attacks and even without her sisters; she was prepared to put up a fight. But, first she had to find the demon, which shouldn't be hard because the sisters Book of Shadows was in the attic and that is what almost every demon was after.

"Wyatt, danger," as soon as she said this, Wyatt was inundated by blue lights and disappeared. Piper knew exactly where he was going, to Chris to shield him.

Wyatt being half witch and half White Lighter had many powers that a child the age of four didn't normally have. One of those powers being the ability to sense danger and cast an impenetrable force field.

Once Piper knew that her children were safe, she ran quickly to the attacker. She crept up the stairs quietly. Then slowly, with one hand ready to blow up anything in sight, she threw open the door. The door hit the wall with a loud thump. Piper looked in the direction of the book for anything demonic, but to her dismay, the book was untouched and no demons were in sight. Piper then looked around the room and in the middle of the room was a big clump of blankets on the floor.

That's unusual. I don't remember putting these here.

Piper looked closer and saw that the pile was slowly rising and falling as if breathing.

Don't tell me some demon thought I'd fall for that trick.

Piper posed her hands, ready to blow the pile up, when Leo suddenly ran into the room.

"Piper, no," Leo screamed as he ran to the pile. He slowly moved the blankets to reveal a girl. In his hands he held a pillow and a washcloth. He lifted the girl's head and put the pillow under it, then he handed Piper the washcloth.

"Leo, don't scare me like that. I thought another demon was here to destroy the book. I was about to blow her up."

"I know, and you shouldn't go around blowing everything up."

"Well, when lives are at stake, instincts kick in. What was I supposed to do, stand back and let my family get killed?"

"Well, no… Piper this isn't the time. I need to healthier. I hope it works too. She got hit pretty badly. She'll be out for hours," Leo explained to Piper then added, "Piper, put that washcloth on her forehead."

Piper did as Leo said and watched as he healed the girl. She wondered what the girl had done that some demon or mugger would try to kill her.

The girl's wounds closed and her bruises disappeared as Leo held his arms over her body, a sure sign that she was being healed. She looked healthier as the wounds disappeared, but her eyes remained shut and her body remained still.

"She'll have to stay here till she wakes," Leo said while he adjusted the pillows.

"Wont her parents worry?"

"No. She doesn't have parents. She belongs to the local orphanage."

"Well, what in the world is she doing here?"

Leo stood up, put his arm around Piper, and gestured toward the door. Piper knew what that meant. Trouble. Not just mugger trouble, demonic trouble. The kind that involved the Charmed Ones, and she knew just where to find them.

"Enough about me," Raphael exclaimed, "I want to know everything about you!"

"Ah, there isn't much to say about myself. Really," Paige mumbled. Besides being a witch who fights demonic uprisings daily, she quickly spat out in her head.

" I think I can nave a few. Charming, beautiful, sassy, funny…"

"Oh, stop that," Paige cut in, "you are making me blush."

In fact that was all Raphael had been making Paige do the whole night. Page's date had been going better than she thought it would.

First Raphael took her out for lunch at a fancy French restaurant, then he took her ice-skating in the park, and now they were riding in a horse drawn carriage through the city. Talk about romantic, this Raphael was, with a capital "R."

"Well," Paige started, trying to get back to Raphael's question. "I have two older sisters, Piper and Phoebe. I have two of the cutest nephews whom I love more than the world. I like lollipops and an occasional butt kicking."

"Butt kicking?"

"I mean in the athletic sense, like at bowling." Paige spat out. What am I talking about, I have never even touched a bowling bowl in my life.

"Well, maybe I'll see this butt kicking sometime."

"Maybe you will."

Paige was quite sure of this; even though she was looking foreword to a very humiliating game of bowling, Raphael was a keeper. She couldn't wait till the next date. She was so happy that she hadn't even had any emergencies to explain to him either.

Right as that thought came to her mind, Paige felt her phone vibrate. She spoke to soon.

"Is it alright if I take this call," Paige asked Raphael.

"As long as it isn't your other boyfriend."

"No, I don't have another boyfriend. It's my sister," Paige sighed.

"Ok, no problem."

Paige flipped the lid to her phone, hoping that this was just Piper checking up to see if she was still alive, but it wasn't. She could tell something was up, besides, Piper known she was on a date.

"Hello," Paige said into the phone.

"Hey, Paige. I don't have long to talk but we have some trouble at the manor and you need to come home ASAP." Piper blurted.

"Ah…I am on my date. Don't you remember?"

"Yeah, but this is an emergency."

" Everything is an emergency!"

"What's wrong," Raphael butted in

Paige quickly thought up an excuse and turned to Raphael to explain the phone call.
" I'm sorry Raphael, I have to go. My nephew locked himself inside my bedroom and I have the only key to open the door," Paige lied then remembered Piper was still on the phone. " Hold on Piper, I will be there. See if you can calm Wyatt down till I get home. Tell him Auntie Paige is on her way."

"But we're in the middle of a ride," informed Raphael.

"Just drop me off here."

"How are you getting home without a car?"

Well I'll orb home, Paige thought. She had to think of something quick so he would let her go. She looked around at her setting. Finally she saw her way out.

"Look, on the corner is the Bay Mirror. That's where you can drop me off. Phoebe works there. She'll give me her keys and I'll drive home," Paige lied again.

As soon as Paige got out of the carriage outside of the Bay Mirror, she remembered she had Piper on hold and put the phone to her ear.

" Hey, I'm outside of the Bay Mirror. I'll get Phoebe, bye."

Paige didn't even wait for the answer. She was mad that her date was ruined and wanted to make sure Piper knew.

Dear Phoebe,

I've recently started to be come attracted to my co-worker who is actually also my boss. W hats more funny, he's even told me that he is attracted to me. We've been seeing each other for quite a while now but must keep our relationship a secret to everyone, even our own families. This is due to the employee relationship code that our work enforces. I really want to take our relationship to the next level. I need your help. What should I do?

Sincerely,

Secret Lover

San Francisco, Ca

Phoebe studied the letter and then looked at her computer screen for a few minutes, unsure of what to write. Suddenly the door flew open and Elise popped her head into Phoebe's office.

"Phoebe, the photographer just called to let me know that your new publicity photographs are going to be taken on Saturday at two," Elise informed. "I'll see you have half the pile done. Good job. I'm sure you will get more mail tomorrow."

Once Elise finished talking, she slammed the door shut. Phoebe didn't even get to reply. Something she had to deal with everyday and hated.

This was the way the place was run. Elise would come in everyday, compliment Phoebe, than assure her more work would come the next day.

Phoebe sat at her desk with her fingers on the keyboard. She was still unable to think of an answer. Come on. I am the hottest and the best advice columnist in all of San Francisco. There has to be something I can write, Phoebe thought. She had obviously hit an advice writer's block and was unsure of how to get rid of it.

Phoebe was getting a little agitated so she laid her head on her keyboard to get some inspiration, but they only inspiration she got were key shaped pain marks on her head and the unending lines of the letter "G" on her computer screen.

She stayed in that position for a while, perhaps a little to long because she dozed off. She realized she had fallen asleep after she heard her office door fly open.

Phoebe sat up as quick as she possibly could and acted like she was cleaning her keyboard. She was ready to get yelled at by Elise for sleeping on the job, but was instead greeted by Paige.

"What are you doing here," Phoebe asked.

"Ugh…Piper called me. We have a little problem at home."

"Please tell me it's a domestic dispute, I really don't have the time to deal with another monster rally."

" Come on Phoebe. We have to go now. It's an emergency."

"No, I have to finish this article before I can leave. You know the rules," Phoebe chastised Paige, even though she truly did want to leave. Phoebe needed to get out. Her stomach was growling for her to leave too. " Where is my muse and my inspiration when I need them," Phoebe complained as she smacked her head with a notebook.

She wished she could lay on the ground and crawl into the fetal position to try and get inspiration, but chose to just lay her head in her hands instead.
"Inspiration, inspiration, inspiration," Phoebe chanted.

"What are you doing?"

"Praying for inspiration. What do you think," Phoebe tried to explain, she had forgot Paige was still in the room.

"You know what, Phoebe? Screw the rules," Paige practically screamed. Phoebe was beginning to get on Paige's nerves and she could tell. " Piper is waiting for us to get home and I had to leave my date early for this!"

"That great. You've inspired me," Phoebe realized. Paige was giving her just what she needed, an answer for her column.

"What part of the triad inspired you," Paige asked, hoping that Phoebe was being sarcastic.

"Everything," Phoebe said while she started typing. "This is great Paige. I should have you in the office to help me more often."

" I wasn't trying to help, " Paige whined. She picked up the letter Phoebe had been looking at and read it. " What exactly did you say to Secret Lover from my tirade that is supposed to help them?"

" Dear Secret Lover,

Screw the rules. Love can't wait. You're dating your boss; make him change the rules. If that doesn't work then get a new job. Who needs rules when love is on the line?

Sincerely,

Ask Phoebe"

"Well, if that doesn't help them, then it will make them see a shrink," Paige said as she closed all of the blinds and grabbed Phoebe's had in preparation to orb home.

"Wait a minute," Phoebe said. Phoebe didn't want to blow her cover so she locked her office door, turned off her computer and turned off all of her lights. " Oh, and lets please leave like regular people. You know… in a car."

Phoebe, you and I both know that we were never normal, aren't normal at the moment and will not be normal in the future," Paige said as she grabbed Phoebe's hand and orbed them to the car before Phoebe could delay her day anymore than it was.