CHAPTER THREE

Later, we found out from Piper what happened when Chris went to fetch her, and believe me, she wasn't happy about it one single bit! When Piper tells you about her private time with her lover, you KNOW she's not happy—she never told us anything about what went on with her and Leo, but, OH, did she tell us about this! As she put it, she and Greg were making out, hot and heavy, on the couch, when there was the sound of orbing--which Piper promptly ignored--followed by frantic knocking and Chris yelling, "Piper! Piper!!"

Greg the fireman (who could have put out my fire whenever he wanted to--unfortunately, he never wanted to--he only wanted to put out Piper's!) reluctantly pulled out of the liplock, but Piper said she pulled him back and told him, "Ignore it!"

They kissed some more as the knocks become more persistent, with Chris calling out, "Piper! I know you're in there!"

Piper said she finally sighed impatiently, unable to concentrate with that distraction (also typical Piper!) She said she grinned apologetically at Greg, telling him, "Excuse me, just a sec," and she stomped to the door, straightening her clothes as she did, before yanking the door open, "Go away!" she demanded as she started to slam the door, but Chris stopped her.

"We've got an emergency!" he insisted.

Greg came up behind Piper, putting an arm around her. I can imagine what Chris' reaction must've been, seeing another man holding onto his mother like that. "Is there a problem?" Greg demanded, Piper saying his voice clearly insinuating that there better be for interrupting them like that.

Chris nodded. "Many problems, many levels. Piper has to come home."

"Excuse me?" Greg asked, holding Piper tighter, glaring at Chris. "Who are you again?"

He sighed impatiently. "A friend of her husband's."

Piper said she almost killed him for putting it that way. "EX-husband," she corrected, before adding. "And he's hardly a friend," and now, knowing who he was and who Piper was to him, hearing that made me wince for him. Then she turned to Greg. "It's okay, Greg. I got it."

Greg, glaring at the intruder, put in, "I'm here if you need me," and he laid a big one on Piper, I'm sure making Chris wince; I know I did when I heard about it. Then he turned and headed back into the apartment.

Piper, furious, spun on Chris. "What's the big emergency? Can't it wait, like, an hour? Or two?"

He shook his head, and I can imagine him shuddering at the thought she was putting in his head. "No. There's a genie running amok. A demon on the loose. It took me two wishes to get here."

Piper stared at him in surprise. "You can't make wishes with a genie," she insisted.

He smiled. "See? We need you. Let's orb," and he held out his hand.

Piper gave in, knowing she had to leave, but then she pushed his hand away. "No, I'm not going to leave Greg high and dry again without explaining. Your demon can wait five minutes." and she slammed the door.

Meanwhile, I was mixing a potion as Jinny stood nearby, flipping through the Book, pointing at the drawings of various demons. "He was my master once….Oh, and him, too….And her…"

I shook my head, fascinated despite myself. "Boy, you sure made the rounds. How'd all those demons get a hold of you, anyway?"

She shrugged. "Some bought, some stole. I changed hands so many times, I lost track."

I was starting to truly feel sorry for her. "Look, Jinny, I'm sorry I can't free you. Wishing is just too risky. I'm truly sorry."

Jinny looked away, hurt, as Chris and Piper orbed in.

"Okay, let's get this over with," demanded Piper. "Greg's not gonna wait on me forever."

Chris nodded. "Then you should dump him."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demanded.

Before he could answer, I jumped in. "He's just being…overprotective."

Piper shook both of us off, then turned to Jinny, "So I take it you're the genie?"

"Jinny," she corrected.

Piper rolled her eyes. "The genie…of course. Who's the demon?"

She flipped through the Book to the entry for Bosk. Chris stepped over and scanned the page, "Low-level, minimal powers. There's a vanquishing potion."

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm almost done with it."

Piper smiled in anticipation. "Good, that means you're almost done with me. What's your plan with this bad boy--summon him to us?"

I nodded. "That's what I was thinking."

"What's your rush?" Chris wanted to know.

She spun to glare at him. "Not like it's any of your business, but Greg's shift starts in a couple hours, then I won't see him for three days. I'm gonna go call him." She started to walk out, then turned back to look at me. "Oh, and I'd put the genie back in the bottle for safekeeping. No offense, Jinny, but we've been burned before."

She walked out, while Chris stared at her in frustration. Feeling truly awful, I turned to Jinny, indicating the bottle with my head "Do you mind?"

She nodded, "Yes, Master Phoebe," and against her will, Jinny smoked back into the bottle.

"I feel so bad." I told Chris.

"You should!" Chris demanded. "If we don't do something, I could end up half-fireman instead of half-whitelighter!"

I sighed impatiently at my impatient nephew. "That's not what I meant and that's not the way it works."

He rolled his eyes. "Please, not the-birds-and-bees speech again."

I stared at him in shock. "Wait! I gave…give…you that speech? Where was Leo?"

Chris jumped back, stung. "That's another issue. Look, I'm running out of time here. What do you say we use the genie to make Mom and Dad, you know, do the nasty?"

I stared at him, horrified, wondering what the heck his parents had done to him in the future that he would even think about describing them making love that way. "What!?! That is--VILE! And against the rules! And --and--and--would you really want to be conceived that way?"

He shrugged. "Beats not being conceived at all."

I glared, beginning to think that this kid was still a brat, even if he was my nephew! "I told you I would help you out here, Chris, but we're not giving Piper and Leo magical roofies. We're gonna do it my way, so back off!"

"What is your way?" he wanted to know.

"I'm still working on it." I admitted, as I poured the potion into a vial. "But I'm finished with the vanquishing potion. As soon as Piper gets back, we're good to go."

Suddenly, Bosk smashed through the window on his carpet, knocking down Chris. He hopped off the carpet as I hurled the vial of potion at him.

But an amulet he wore around his neck glowed, absorbing the magic. He smirked malevolently. "Not this time, witch!" He shot a light dart at me, forcing me to dive for cover as I yelled for Piper or Paige. Bosk, seeing the prize, turned to grab the bottle when I peeked my head out from hiding and did the only thing I could--"Jinny, I wish you free!"