Hi guys! Long time no see! Yeah, I'm really sorry about that actually...silly me thought that being in college and in unrestricted complete possession of a computerof my very own would mean more time for writing...I was wrong, that's for sure.

Some quick shoutouts:

ElenaMarshall: Okay, please don't kill me...I've been honestly busy...but thank you for the compliment and the review, I had been hoping to hear from you. Take care:-)

laura: yeah, everyone (save Piper) and esp. Phoebe are kind of pushy. They'll get better, I promise:-)

Anyways, I have to run and do more homework, but I wanted to throw one rebellious chapter in before I chug through chapters 6-11 of Dancing Skeletons: Life and Death in West Africa. Which, actually, is a very interesting book. I highly recommend it.

Hope you enjoy:-)

The Ring

(the Manor staircase. Phoebe walks down, holding Warren)

Phoebe: Are you sure you're all right, sweetie?

Warren: I'm fine. I dids just what Daddy tolds me to do if "Them" came, and if I do what Daddy tells me to do I'm always okay because my Daddy knows how to keep me safe. (a little reproachfully) But you don't like my Daddy and don't believes what he says.

Phoebe: Philip, of course I like your Daddy—

Warren: (frowns) No you don't. I can tell even withouts using my powers. Why did you say you do like him when you really don't? 'Cause that's lying, and lying is very bad, and I get in big trouble if I lie and—

Phoebe: What is this, the Spanish Inquisition? (they're downstairs; she carries Warren into the living room and sits him on the couch next to her) Philip, you were right. I wasn't telling the whole truth. I'm sorry.

Warren: (after a moment) Well, I accepts your 'pology, cause Daddy said that that's the right thing to do unless that person's trying to vanquish you, and my powers tells me you don't wants to vanquish me.

Phoebe: (shocked) Me, vanquish you? Never! (she takes his hand in hers) Philip, I did like your daddy once. I lov...liked him very much. He was extremely special to me.

(in the entryway to the living room Coop stops, listens)

Phoebe: (continues) And there will always be a place for him in my heart.

Warren: Then why don't you like him now?

Phoebe: Because things happened, and it broke all the trust your Daddy and I had together.

Warren: What kind of things?

Phoebe: Just...things, baby. You're too little to know about them right now.

(a stormy look fills Warren's face, and he crosses his arms angrily)

Warren: Nobody tells me anything. People always say "things" happened but they never tell me what the "things" is because they say I'm too little.

Phoebe: Philip—

Warren: (mini-meltdown) "Them" are the only ones who want to tell me anything. Tonight, "Them" said that if I drank the potion I'd know the truth about my Mommy, and that's all I really want to know, I'd never ask any questions ever again if I could just know what happened to my Mommy and why she can'ts be a family with me and Daddy, so I really wanted to drink the potion so I could knows but I'm a good boy and Daddy told me never ever ever to take anything from "Them" because "Them" are dangerous and don't want me to be safe and I don't believe him but I still follow rules and, and, and—

(he covers his face with his hands in frustration. Phoebe scoops him into her arms)

Phoebe: Shh...shh. I'm so sorry, honey. I know it's hard. (she lifts his chin) My Grams used not to tell me about things when I was little like you.

Warren: (sniffs) She did?

Phoebe: She did. And it made me so mad, sometimes I just wanted to scream. Like this! (with exaggerated facial expressions and hand gestures she pantomimes screaming and carrying on. It's quite comical, and Warren giggles despite himself) There's a laugh. (she squeezes him one last time) Now, why don't you just go downstairs and watch a movie with the other kids, and laugh a lot more? It will make you feel better about everything, I promise.

Warren: (cheering up) Okay. (pauses, serious) I'm sorry I gots mad at you, Phoebe. (shy) I'm glad you're my pretend mommy. I love you. (without waiting for a response he runs from the living room, past Coop) Hi Mr. Coop! Bye Mr. Coop!

(Phoebe gets up off of the couch and walks to her husband)

Phoebe: How much of that did you hear?

Coop: Most of it, I think.

Phoebe: Something isn't right, Coop. I can't read him. I can't read him or Cole. I skim the surface and bam! it's like a brick wall or something. I've not felt so cut off from anyone since big Chris was here.

Coop: I know what you mean. It's like I can get basic feelings and vibes, like how that little boy really does adore you, but other than that, nothing.

Phoebe: He's hiding something, something big. He wouldn't go to so much trouble to block me out if he wasn't.

Coop: Maybe he just didn't want you to find him—

Phoebe: Coop, he was my husband. I know him. The connection we had, I should be able to feel him if he's alive. (Coop looks hurt for a split second, Phoebe doesn't notice) Where are Piper and Paige?

Coop: Upstairs in the attic with Henry, Leo and Cole.

Phoebe: They trust him. I don't know why...(she shuts her eyes, concentrates, then opens them) Damn it! Now I'm having trouble sensing them. (to Coop) Let me borrow your ring.

Coop: My ring?

Phoebe: Yes. I'm going to use it to find Philip's mother.

Coop: Okay, sweetheart, why?

Phoebe: He goes on the defensive whenever she's mentioned. She's the key to this. And that little boy...that little boy wants his mother. I'm going to find her for him. (she holds out her hand) Please. I actually have a good feeling about this. And having a feeling about anything right now...

Coop: (hesitates, then pulls off his ring and hands it to her) Is a good thing. Just be careful, okay?

Phoebe: (slips on the ring) I will. If anyone asks, Elise called, the servers at the paper crashed and she lost the column. I went in to write a new one.

Coop: You got it.

(Phoebe steps back and closes her eyes)

Phoebe: Philip's mother.

(she hearts out. Coop stands, lost in thought.)

Sorry it's so short! Please R&R!