I know, it's short, I suck. But it's been really busy with getting ready for Christmas and whatnot....next week I will give personalized review replies, I promise. In the meantime, thank you thank you thank you for all the lovely reviews, esp. Ethereal girl, LadyLily06, Ginaaa, Snoupy1972, lizardmomma & Liv Marie. I hope you like this week's edition!

Hostage

(Piper raises her hands as if to blow Elizabeth up, but is beaten by Phoebe, who instinctively holds out her hands; a jet of fire shoots from them. Elizabeth blocks it easily with an energy ball of her own. Realizing what just happened Phoebe stares at her hands in shock. Elizabeth smiles pleasantly)

Elizabeth: Well well well. Pyrokinesis. That's a surprise. (she speaks to the boy in her arms) I guess unleashing your powers accidentally brought out one of your mother's latent abilities as well.

Phoebe: Paige!

Paige: Crystals!

(as a crystal cage appears around Elizabeth and Warren, Paige and Piper gently lower their children to the ground, get up and get on either side of Phoebe. Elizabeth laughs)

Elizabeth: Crystals. How quaint. (she takes Warren's hand) Warren, get rid of these nasty crystals for your Grandmama. (the crystals turn to dust. Elizabeth smiles smugly at the adults) Good thing he isn't completely changed yet after all. Don't try anything else, by the way. Unless you want to loose your children.

Piper: (it seems likely that she'll turn into a fury again) What did you do to them?

Elizabeth: I thought it was obvious by now. I poisoned them. Slipped the potion into those cookies. (nods at the cookies on the table) after you summoned me and then sent me away. Now, I'm willing to give you the recipe for the antidote; I'll even provide you with one of the ingredients. In exchange, all I want is to leave with my grandson, without a fight.

(Phoebe and Cole speak at the same time)

Phoebe: As if.

Cole: Never.

Elizabeth: (shifts Warren in her arms, sighs impatiently) You're not grasping the gravity of this situation. The poison reverses the morality of the victim. (to Piper and Leo) Your youngest son's future self died to save his older brother from turning evil, didn't he?

Leo: (eyes flashing) Don't you dare talk about him!

Elizabeth: (ignores him) The point is, if you don't let me and my grandson go, the future will be seven times worse than the one your son died to protect. (sighs w/ regret) Unfortunately none of the children gave the baby a cookie. Then it would've been eight.

(Paige lunges forward. Phoebe holds her back)

Phoebe: We're the power of three. We can fix it without your help.

Elizabeth: (haughty) I doubt that. You see, this particular poison is rare, very ancient, and quite…complex. You won't find it or the antidote in your Book of Shadows. (she holds out her hand; a piece of parchment shimmers into it.) This is the only copy in existence.

Paige: Parchment!

(the paper dissolves into blue orbs, then reforms in Elizabeth's hand. She smiles.)

Elizabeth: That won't work. It's rather like a genie's bottle; no one else can access the spell save for the person in possession of the paper. And this paper is enchanted to stay with the spell caster until he or she willingly relinquishes control. Now, do you want it or not?

Piper: We're not making a deal with you—

(she's interrupted by a choking sound from Leo. In his arms Chris stiffens, and is enveloped in blue orbs that quickly change to a purple color before fading. The same thing happens to Wyatt, Sammie, and Livvie; Grace and Melinda just glow a similar color.)

Elizabeth: (smirks) Oh look, the potion's working. (waves the parchment) Does this mean you're not going to need the antidote?

Henry: No!

(The adults look at one another. Paige and Piper step forward)

Paige: Give us the antidote.

Cole: What?

Phoebe: Paige what are you doing?

Paige: Phoebe, this isn't just about Warren. All or our children are at stake, including your daughter.

Phoebe: And you think they'll be better off if we let her get away? This is a trap, to distract us and keep us from saving any of them!

Paige: Well, we can't do anything locked in this standoff, so we might as well take whatever advantage we can get.

Piper: We're going to figure this out, Phoebe.

(Phoebe starts to say something, stops when she sees Melinda unconscious in Coop's arms. She looks helplessly over at Warren, reaches out and grips Piper's hand. Piper nods at Paige, who steps forward)

Paige: Fine.

Cole: No. (he lunges forward. Piper freezes him; Cole doesn't completely freeze, but goes into super slow motion.)

Piper: Whoa! Why isn't he completely—

Prue: (tight voice) I'll explain later. Just hurry before he breaks the hold.

Paige: (to Elizabeth) Give us the antidote.

Elizabeth: (holds out the hand with the parchment) Take it.

Paige: Parchment. (the paper orbs from Elizabeth's hand to her own. Prue takes it from her and scans it.)

Prue: It's legit.

Elizabeth: (smug) Best of luck to all of you.

Phoebe: You're going to pay for this, bitch.

(Elizabeth just smiles and shimmers out)

Happy Holidays :)