Chapter 49: The Honeymoon's Over
September 10, 1998 – Thursday
Halliwell Manor
Prue sat on the floor of the attic looking through the Book of Shadows. The door behind her suddenly slammed open as Phoebe walked into the attic. Without thinking she sent her sister flying back landing on the old bed, which tumbled over.
"Oh god," Prue cried, as she walked over to Phoebe and helped her sister to stand up. "I didn't realize you were home. Are you okay?"
"Yeah," Phoebe answered. "Feeling a little jumpy are we?" she asked.
"Well, yeah. Especially now that we know the evil triad is behind all those attacks," Prue said.
"Um, yeah. We don't need a recap, but what I do need...is some heat. Is it freezing in here?" Phoebe said, rubbing her arms. "Did you forget to pay the gas bill?" she asked.
"I thought that you were supposed to pay the gas bill," Prue said.
"No, Prue. I was going to take care of the club and you were going to take care of the house," Phoebe countered.
"Right. I'll call the gas company first thing. I will be glad when Piper gets back," Prue said.
"What if she doesn't?" Phoebe asked as Prue picked up the Book of Shadows. "I mean, what if when she and Leo orbed out, it was for good?"
"Phoebe, that is a little ridiculous," Prue countered as they headed down the stairs.
"Then why hasn't she contacted us?" Phoebe questioned stopping next to Buffy's bedroom door. "I mean, she has to know that we're worried about her. She also has to know that she's left us one sister short in the Power of Three."
"Guys," Buffy said as exited her room. "It's two in the morning."
"So, while she is up there romping around the clouds with Leo, we've got our wiccan butts flapping around in the wind here. I mean, we have been lucky that other than the zombies, that we haven't been attacked since…" Phoebe said with a glance at Buffy.
Buffy sighed. "Since I killed Angel and ran away from home?" she questioned. "You can say it, Phoebe."
"No," Prue countered. "It has absolutely nothing to do with luck. The triad is up to something. We just don't know what it is yet." She then turned toward her cousin. "We still need to talk about what went on that night and why you ran."
Buffy sighed. That was a conversation she didn't want to have. "And we will. Just give me some time, okay."
"That's exactly my point," Phoebe informed her sister, bringing them back to the topic of Piper. "Piper knows this. So where the hell is she?"
"Well, that's why I've been studying the book," Prue answered.
"Prue, studying the book is not going to do it," Buffy said. "We're screwed without Piper and you know that. Why aren't you worried? You were worried where I was."
Prue sighed. "I am worried. Alright? I am scared that you're right, that we're never going to see her again, and not because she doesn't want to come back, but because they won't let her," she said as they heard the phone ring. "Because she broke one too many rules."
"Who's calling us at two in the morning?" Phoebe questioned with a frown.
"Probably Darryl." Prue answered as she, Phoebe and Buffy headed down the stairs. She handed the Book of Shadows to Buffy as she went over to the phone that rested on the table next to the stairs and answered it. "Halliwell Residence, Prue speaking."
"We really need to get a phone that can be put on speaker for stuff," Buffy grumbled.
"Did you get the fax I sent?" Darryl asked from the other end of the line.
"Yeah. I was just about to check it," Prue answered as they went into the conservatory. "Hold on."
"What's going on?" Phoebe questioned.
"Darryl's tracking a murder suspect who he thinks is in league with a demon," Prue answered.
"Based on what?" Buffy wondered.
"Based on the fact that the killer carves a demonic symbol into its victim's forehead," Prue said and she gave Phoebe a piece of paper with a photograph of a victim. "An inverted triangle. That and the fact that he magically seems to be invading arrest."
Buffy sat the Book down and began looking through it.
"Looks like a rune to me." Phoebe informed her sister.
"Yeah. I saw it in there somewhere," Prue said before returning her attention to the phone. "Darryl, is he still at the pier street rave?"
"Yeah," Darryl answered. "But I think he's on the move. I don't think he spotted me yet. He's heading out the back."
Buffy turned a page and saw the symbol in the picture. "Prue," she said directing her eldest cousin's attention to the book.
"They're Guardians," Prue said.
"An opening by which demons known as the guardians steal an innocent soul," Buffy read.
Prue looked at Buffy in shock. "Stay away from him, Darryl."
"And let him kill somebody else?" Darryl questioned. "I don't think so."
"No. Listen to me," Prue countered. "These guardians protect they're mortal killers in exchange for their victim's souls. You cannot stop him."
"Listen Prue. I can take care of myself. I gotta call you back. I'm not sure where this guy is." Darryl informed her before ending the call.
"Darryl?" Prue said. "Darryl?" She frowned when she heard the dial tone. She hung up the phone and walked in the kitchen with Phoebe and Buffy following. "Alright. Buffy, are you up for a little flame?"
"Just call me your flame express," Buffy said. "Where to?"
"What do we do once we get there?" Phoebe wondered.
"How about save Darryl's life?" Prue says.
"No," Phoebe countered. "I mean about the guardian. We don't even know how to vanquish it."
Prue glanced at Buffy. "Well, the book says you kill it just like you would a vampire, with a stake."
"Oh," Phoebe said as she followed Prue gaze. "Okay. Piper, where are you?"
"I can go up there and check on her if you guys want," Buffy offered.
"Maybe later," Prue said. "Right now…" She took Buffy's hand as she grabbed Phoebe's as well. They then disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames.
The Bronze
Prue, Buffy, and Phoebe walked through the crowd toward the back door and outside. They immediately saw a woman lying dead on the ground and Emilio, Darryl's bad guy, trying to kill Darryl.
"Darryl," Phoebe said before looking at her sister. "Prue!" Prue waved her hand and set Emilio flying on top of a dumpster. They ran to check Darryl just as the guardian rose out of Emilio. "He's alive," she informed the other two Halliwells when she found a pulse.
Buffy whipped out a stake. "Uh, I think I've found the guardian," she informed her cousins as they stood up.
"Okay. Get rid of it," Phoebe ordered.
Buffy tossed her stake with the unerring precision of a Slayer. It sailed through the Guardian's heart doing nothing.
"Wait," Phoebe said shock that the stake had done nothing. She looked at her sister. "Didn't the book say they were just like vampires?"
"I might have misread that part," Prue admitted.
"I'm sorry?" Buffy scoffed as she pulled out another stake just as the guardian picked up the knife." Okay. Let's try the rune." She tossed the stake and it went flying into the rune on the guardian's forehead. This time it succeeded as he was electrocuted before finally being vanquished.
"Okay, if Piper ever comes back, I am going to kill her," Phoebe grumbled.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Phoebe, Buffy and Prue stood with Darryl as he was being checked over by the paramedic. "Poor girl." Phoebe said as she watched as the woman Emilio and the Guardian killed was being placed in a body bag.
"Do you feel dizzy at all? Nauseous?" the paramedic asked Darryl.
"No," Darryl answered.
"Trouble focusing?" the paramedic continued. "Headache?"
"I'm telling you I'm fine," Darryl snapped. "Only thing wounded is my pride."
"Is he fine?" Prue asked with a touch of concern.
The paramedic looked at the Halliwells and nodded. "Yeah. Thanks to you guys."
"What do you mean thanks to us?" Buffy questioned, did the paramedic suspect that she had actually healed Darryl.
"Well, you fought off the attacker didn't you?" the paramedic questioned as Emilio was walked psat them toward the waiting police car, staring at the three Halliwells with an evil grin on his face. "Isn't that what happened?"
"Uh, yeah," Prue interjected. "You know, it wasn't really that big of a deal."
"Well, you saved his life," the paramedic informed them. "I think that's a pretty big deal." He turned back toward Darryl. "You're a lucky man, Inspector. Take care."
"Thanks," Darryl said as the paramedic grabbed his bag and walked toward his ambulance.
"Okay, can we go now?" Phoebe pleaded.
"No," Darryl countered with a shake of his head. "You have to give witness statements."
"Uh, Darryl…" Prue started.
"Prue," Darryl interjected before Prue could remind him they were witches. "You three are witnesses to a crime. In this case the only witnesses."
"No, Darryl, we can't be witnesses," Buffy stated as she remembered when Kendra had died. She and Prue had to give witness statements for that. "We used our powers to stop the killer, what are we supposed to say?"
"And he saw us use them too." Prue added motioning toward Emilio.
"Nobody's gonna believe anything that sleaze ball has to say," Darryl informed them. "All you have to do is get your story straight."
Phoebe sighed. "You mean get our lies straight."
"Phoebe," Darryl said turning toward the current middle Halliwell. "Listen to me, without your testimony, Emilio walks."
Buffy looked over at Emilio, who was still grinning at them. "What is he smiling at anyway? It's not like he has his guardian demon to protect him anymore."
Phoebe shrugged. "Yeah, and unfortunately you are our only guardian angel currently." Buffy groaned. "I know, sweetie. But we could use some cosmic help right now. What are we supposed to do? We've never been in this situation before."
"You better decide fast," Darryl informed them as the assistant district attorney approached them. "Here comes the ADA."
"Ladies. My name is Cole Turner and I'm the Assistant District Attorney assigned to this case," Cole informed them. "I was wondering if any of you saw what happened here."
Phoebe raised her hand. "I did!" she said as Buffy rolled her eyes.
San Francisco District Court
Prue, Buffy and Phoebe sat on one the benches just behind Cole. "I think we're in good shape except for the, what'd you call the murder weapon?" he questioned. "A—Athamee?"
"Athame," Phoebe confirmed. "It's a ceremonial knife used by…" She noticed that Buffy and Prue were giving her odd looks. "Um, lots of different crazy people."
"And are you sure you didn't see who took it?" Cole questioned.
Buffy shook her head. "No, we were there to checking on Darryl and..."
"Probably just some lunatic from the rave," Prue added. "Will it hurt the case?"
"The P.D. will try to focus on it but this is just an arraignment, unless there's something I don't know about, we should have more than enough for the judge to hold him over for trial," Cole informed them as the judge entered the room. "Don't worry, I'm good at what I do."
"All rise," the bailiff called out as Prue, Buffy and Phoebe got to teir feet. "Court is now in session. The Honorable Judge William Hamilton now presiding. Please be seated."
"I'm nervous." Phoebe said as she and the other Halliwells sat back down.
"Oh, you know," Prue said. "Witches and trials. It's that whole Salem thing."
"No. I mean about lying," Phoebe admitted. "It just doesn't feel right."
"Pheebs," Buffy interjected. "If anyone should be worried it would be me. The whole almost being arrested for murder thing, could blow my credibility."
Prue sighed. "Would it feel more right to just let him go?"
"Case number B684400," the bailiff said. "The state of California versus Emilio Smith. One count of murder in the first degree, one count attempted murder."
"Assistant District Attorney Cole Turner for the state," Cole said.
"Public Defender Alan Sloan for the defense," the public defender added.
Judge Hamilton nodded as he looked toward the public defender. "How does the defendant plead?" he asked.
"Not guilty, your Honor," Alan answered.
"So noted," Hamilton said as he turned and looked at Cole. "Mr. Turner, I have read your brief, do you have anything to add?"
"No, your Honor," Cole answered. "The state stands by the arrest report and the eye witness testimonies."
"Mr. Sloan?" Hamilton said glancing back toward the public defender.
Alan smirked. "Well, uh, it seems to me, your honor, you can't very well hold for a murder trial without a murder weapon."
"The State has already stipulated that the alleged murder weapon is still outstanding," Cole admitted, then he waved at Prue, Buffy and Phoebe. "We have three eyewitnesses who—"
"Saw what, exactly?" Alan questioned. "My client bent over the Inspector? That's how they justify the attack? How do they know he didn't just happen to cross the scene, and was trying to revive the inspector."
"Oh, please!" Phoebe scoffed.
"Order!" Hamilton ordered as he banged his gavel.
Cole looked pointedly at Phoebe, who mouthed, 'Sorry'.
"And why, if they were able to so easily able to subdue him, don't they know exactly what happened to the alleged weapon?" Alan continued. "I mean, what? Did it just poof! magically disappear?"
"Objection!" Cole cried.
Phoebe's eyes went wide as she looked at Buffy and Prue. "Oh God, he knows."
"How could he Pheebs," Buffy countered with a shake of her head.
"Your honor," Cole continued. "The witnesses aren't on trial here."
"Why?" Alan continued. "Isn't perjury illegal?"
"Objection, your honor!" Cole repeated.
"Mr. Turner, unless you have something else or can produce the alleged murder weapon, I'm inclined to agree with Mr. Sloan," Hamilton informed the assistant district attorney.
"You're what?" Cole asked in surprise.
"Do you or don't you have any additional evidence?" Hamilton continued ignoring Cole's outburst.
"You mean aside the fact that he's the prime suspect in three other murders but no less then five people saw him leave the rave just before the attacks and that everything other than the missing murder weapon makes this in any other courtroom a slam dunk?" Cole asked with a roll of his eyes.
"The charges are dropped, the defendant is released." Hamilton ordered as he banged his gavel.
"I don't believe this," Cole groaned.
"Clerk, next case," the bailiff informed the clerk.
Buffy, Prue and Phoebe watched as Emilio and Alan stood up and walked past them.
"Yeah, you keep smiling, punk." Cole said Emilio walked out of the courtroom with a grin on his face. He grabbed his jacket and then looked toward his witnesses and Darryl. "I'm not giving up until I see you fry."
"Come on, Turner," Darryl interjected. "This isn't gonna solve anything."
"I'm so sorry," Phoebe apologized. "I wish that there was more that we could do."
"If there's something you're not telling me, anything," Cole said as he looked at the Halliwels. "If you're afraid of him we can protect you. I can refile."
"Um, we have to go," Prue informed him as she, Buffy and Phoebe stood up. "Sorry," she called over her shoulder as they left the courtroom.
September 11, 1998 – Friday
Halliwell Manor
Prue and Buffy sat on the couch in the living room going through the Book of Shadows. Phoebe paced back and forth in front of them. "We shouldn't have lied," Phoebe said.
"Phoebe," Buffy and Prue warned.
"We shouldn't have," Phoebe continued. "We should've told the truth. We should've done whatever we had to do to keep the punk from walking."
"Like what?" Buffy interjected. "Say what really happened to that knife? Tell the court that we're witches or that I'm that Slayer?"
"Why not?" Phoebe questioned. "Isn't it more important to keep a killer off the streets then to protect our secret?"
"Buffy is right, Phoebe," Prue said agreeing with Buffy. "The judge would've thought we were nuts and you know it."
"Not if you proved it to them and showed them our powers," Phoebe countered.
"No, that wouldn't have put Emilio away, that would've put us away, and then we would never have the chance of catching him again," Buffy informed her youngest cousin.
"And would that be before or after he kills somebody else?" Phoebe questioned. "I'm sorry, you know I'm just really frustrated about all of this. What about the PD? I mean, if Emilio really did tell that PD about us, then why didn't he spill the magic beans?"
"Same reason as us, credibility," Prue reminded her sister. "What I'm curious about is, is he mortal or is he demon?"
"All I know is Cole is an angel," Phoebe said dreamily. "He was awesome in that court room yesterday."
Buffy smiled. "See something you like, Pheebs?"
Phoebe shrugged. "Maybe, or maybe it's just nice to run into someone that's not a college boy," she informed them. "More years, less hormones."
"Yeah, not a bad butt either," Prue agreed as Piper and Leo arrived amidst blue and white orbing lights.
"Dad!" Buffy said excitedly as Leo raised his hand to silence her.
"We've been through this, Leo," Piper said angrily. "I don't care if they are. It's not right and it's not fair."
"I know that, but it's their rules," Leo reminded her.
"Screw their rules," Piper scoffed. "They're wrong."
"Piper…" Prue started.
Piper raised her hand to silence Prue. "Just a second," she informed hre sister. "Leo, you better do something about this because this is not acceptable."
"Piper, come on," Leo pleaded.
"Oh," Piper groaned as she flicked her wrist freezing Leo. "I'm gonna go to the club. Do not tell him." She turned and headed out the door.
"Hi, welcome home!" Prue called after Piper.
Buffy looked from her frozen father at her cousins. "Okay, what was that all about?" she asked.
"I didn't even get to bitch at her," Phoebe interjected.
"Yeah, neither did I," Prue agreed just as Leo unfroze.
"We have to talk about it," he said.
"Dad, she left," Buffy said.
"Yeah, so now I get to bitch at you," Phoebe informed him. "Listen, the next time you take my sister someplace, please, call and let us know that you got their safely, okay. I don't care if it's up there—"
"Dad, let's catch up while we check with the Elders on guardians," Buffy informed her father. "They are demons. And hurry up and we'll catch up when you get back."
Leo looked at his daughter and then he disappeared in blue and white orbing lights.
"Excuse me," Phoebe groaned. "But I have issues."
"Yes, I know you and Prue both do," Buffy informed her cousins. "But dad looked pretty beaten up already."
"Yeah, you're right, which is why I'm now gonna go kick Piper's assm" Phoebe said as she grabbed the car keys on her way toward the front door.
"Oh, oh!" Prue cried as she telekinetically closed the front door.
"Okay, we have had this conversation," Phoebe groaned. "You are not allowed to use your active power on me until I have an active power to use on you, remember?"
"I know, and I'm sorry, alright," Prue apologized. "But if anybody's gonna talk to Piper it should be me, okay…"
"Actually," Buffy said as she smirked at them. "It should be me," she informed them as she disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames.
Prue and Phoebe looked at each other and then nodded in agreement.
P4
Buffy appeared a swirl of fiery flames to find Piper standing behind the bar. "Piper?"
Piper stood looking at a notebook that was laid on the bar in front of her. "This is really weird. My supplies are, like, gone," she said. "There's no booze, there's no mineral water and we're even out of pretzels. Plus the books are all messed up. How did this happen in one lousy day?"
"One day?" Buffy queried. "You're kidding, right? Piper, you have been gone for four months. You were actually gone longer than I was."
"What are you talking about?" Piper asked in confusion.
"Here," Buffy said as she picked up the newspaper off of the bench and laid it in front of Piper. "Check the date."
Piper looked down at the newspaper and frowned. "September? It's September? You said it moved differently up there, but that differently?"
"Yeah, well, it doesn't keep your head from being bitten off down here," Buffy informed her.
"Are you talking about demons?" Piper queried.
Buffy shook her head. "Oh, no, something so much worse than demons. Sisters. Prue and Phoebe to be exact. They thought that you had abandoned them."
"That's ridiculous," Piper countered. "I would never abandon them or you. If I had known I was gone this long I would've called or orbed or somehow let you know I was okay. Of course you could have come up…"
"I couldn't," Buffy said. "I had problems of my own. But dad could have let Prue and Phoebe know."
Piper sighed. "Leo was battling demons of his own," she informed her cousin. "Wait a minute, what's today? There's a band. The-the-the Barenaked Ladies are playing here tomorrow. Didn't anybody bother to call them?"
"I don't really think that Phoebe knew." Buffy said as Piper picked up the phone. She took it out of Piper's hand and put it back on its cradle. "Hey, you know what? Piper, can we just talk about what happened up there first?"
"Sure, uh, unfortunately the longer I'm back, the fuzzier it all seems to get," Piper informed her. "I think they do that on purpose, they're very big on mystery."
"I know they are, remember," Buffy said. "It's why before our trip I wasn't allowed to tell you guys about up there. So what do you remember?"
Piper shrugged. "Just feelings mostly. Good ones," she answered. "Peaceful and whole and then it all went to crap when they said Leo and I had to stop seeing each other or else."
"I think I know where this is going," Buffy groaned.
"Yeah," Piper said knowing that Buffy did know exactly what would happen. "If he and I don't stop seeing each other, they said they would reassign him and we'd never see each other again."
"And neither would I," Buffy groaned.
"Just because it didn't work out with mom and her Whitelighter," Piper continued. "I don't understand why you and I are being punished."
"We'll figure it out, my sister," Buffy informed her. "Come here." She pulled Piper into her arms. "Dad will never let you or me go, not without a fight. You know that."
Piper sighed. "But what if he doesn't have a choice?" she asked.
"We will figure something out," Buffy said.
"By the way what did you mean I was gone a little longer than you were?" Piper wondered as she looked at Buffy with confusion.
Buffy sighed as she sat on a stool and rested her head in her hands. "Shortly after you left," she started a little reluctantly. "We found out that Ms. Calendar had found the curse to restore Angel's soul. Thing is he somehow got ahold of this demon called Acathla. There was this thing if he pulled the sword out of Acathla that the demon would wake and would swallow the world whole." She paused looking at her cousin and sighed again. "Willow and Phoebe were going to try and restore Angel's soul. Problem was it didn't work the first time. Angel sent some of his goons to kidnap Giles to help him release Acathla. I found out and went after Angel."
"Meanwhile Willow, Prue, and Phoebe tried to curse Angel again. This time it worked but not before Angel had woken Acathla," Buffy continued, it felt good to finally tell someone. "The only way to put Acathla back to sleep was to kill Angel. When the curse hit Angel I could see it was him again. He didn't remember anything at all about what happened the last few months. But it was too late the portal was opening, and the only way to close it was to kill Angel. I told him I loved him, we kissed. I told him to close his eyes and then I killed him."
Piper walked around the bar and upto her cousin. She pulled Buffy off the stool and into her arms. It was then that she noticed over Buffy's shoulder that Prue was coming down the stairs.
"It's the first time since becoming a witch I wanted to quit," Buffy informed her. "I ran away from home, Piper. I quit for four months. But even then I couldn't get away from it."
Piper sighed as she tightened the embrace. "I'm so sorry, Buffy," she apologized.
Prue looked at Piper as to ask, 'what did she say?' Piper shook her head indicating she would tell her later.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"I have got to get a cellphone," Phoebe said as she came running down the stairs. "I had a premonition of Emilio carving that rune into Cole's forehead."
"Did you see where it happens?" Prue questioned.
"No," Phoebe said sadly. Just some parking lot somewhere."
"Who's Cole?" Piper questioned. "Wh-what did you do to your hair?"
"Assistant District Attorney that Phoebe has the hots for," Buffy informed her.
Piper smiled. "Wow, Pheebs."
"Now is not the time," Prue countered. "Are you sure, Phoebe?"
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, positive," she said. "Although, now that I think about it, it does seem weird because we vanquished the guardian."
"Yeah, well, maybe he got another one," Buffy suggested.
Piper opened her mouth only to be cut off by Phoebe. "What's a guardian you ask?" Phoebe asked looking at Piper. "Well, if you'd been around at all then you'd probably know, huh?"
Prue rolled her eyes. "Alright, Buffy will fill you in and Leo's checking on them so you should get together with him and find out everything."
"And no orbing," Phoebe added as she and Prue left the club.
Buffy sighed. "Told you they had issues."
Piper nodded. "But truth be told so do you," she reminded her cousin.
Halliwell Manor
Buffy and Piper walked down the hallway of the second floor, they heard Leo talking to himself in the bathroom. After glancing at each other they moved next to the door and listened.
"I look at you and I think how lucky I am. I mean, I can't stop looking at you. You're my dream come true. You're my raison d'être." Leo said. "Every time I see you, I love you even more. You're so beautiful. You're so special. I can't imagine my life without you." Piper opened the door and walked in leaving Buffy standing in the doorway. "Piper! Buffy!"
"Dad, who are you talking to?" Buffy questioned.
"Me?" Leo said sheepishly. "Uh, nobody, just myself, you know."
"Yourself?" Piper scoffed. "You were telling yourself how much you love you?"
"No, of course not," Leo countered. "Uh, I mean, it's, it's not like that at all. Um, let's go downstairs and I'll explain."
"Actually, no, we don't have time," Piper countered. "Uh, did you find out anything about the guardians?"
"Uh, no, I forgot." Leo said sheepishly.
"You forgot?" Buffy asked shocked. "Should I…" she started.
"Leo, what's the matter?" Piper cut in. "Why are you acting so weird?"
"Can we go downstairs please?" Leo pleaded.
Piper shook her head. "No," she objected. "Why?"
Leo glanced at his daughter for a moment and then back at Piper. "Okay, fine, um, here's good," he admitted reluctantly. "Um, I've been thinking a lot actually about our situation."
"Dad, get to the chase," Buffy instructed him.
"Um, I think I've come up with a solution, a way for you and me to be together no matter what they say, Piper," Leo said as he got down on one knee. Piper and Buffy glanced at each other in surprise. He took Piper's hand in his own. "Will you marry me?"
Piper pulled her hand friend and rushed out of the bathroom past Buffy and down the stairs. "I take it that is the only solution," Buffy said. "I also assume that if you and Piper can't…"
"I couldn't come around even for you," Leo answered as he and Buffy followed Piper down the stairs. "You could still come up there of course. But I don't know if …" He sighed as they came up behind Piper. "Piper."
"This is so not happening," Piper said in disbelief.
"Listen to me, Piper," Leo informed her. "I told you, I thought this whole thing through."
Piper sighed. "Is that why you asked me to marry you in a bathroom?"
Leo sighed. "I tried to get you to come downstairs."
"Well, I'm downstairs now and I still don't believe you're serious," Piper insisted.
"I am serious, Piper, dead serious," Leo informed his girlfriend.
"Right," Piper scoffed. "Dead is exactly what we're gonna be if they ever find out." She walked into the living room as Leo and Buffy followed.
"Piper, would you…" Leo started, "…would you stop running away from me for just one minute and let me explain." Piper slowly turned to face him. "If we got married…" she sighed, "…look, will you just hear me out please? If we got married, it would be a holy union, something I don't even think my bosses could break apart."
"Dad, I think I speak for Piper and myself when I say we don't understand," Buffy informed him.
"It's really hard to explain," Leo admitted. "I don't really understand how it all works myself, but I know that there are different levels up there, a hierarchy. What I'm trying to say is that I think a holy union goes above their heads. It'd be like running an end run to my bosses bosses."
"An end run?" Piper questioned.
"Yeah," Leo continued. "The only catch is that we would have to get married in secret because I think they only way they could hurt us if they found out before, so we just have to keep it quiet."
"You want to elope?" Buffy questioned in surprise.
"Exactly, Buffy," Leo said nodding toward his daughter.
"So that they don't find out." Piper said in realization.
"Exactly," Leo echoed. He was sure Piper didn't like the idea though. "You hate the idea," he wondered.
Piper sighed. "Well, it's not exactly Cinderella, is it?" she admitted. "Leo, look, how do we know they don't know already? How do we know they're not listening right now?"
"They're not," Buffy said.
"They don't do that," Leo added.
"So then why does it have to be a secret?" Piper questioned.
"Because if they ever did find out…" Leo informed her.
"Leo, this isn't supposed to be this way," Piper countered. "Marriage shouldn't be a solution to a problem or a band aid, it's supposed to be about love and about two people who love each other so much they want to spend the rest of their lives together."
"That's what I want," Leo insisted.
"But that's not where this is coming from," Piper countered with a sigh. "It's a fix-it, I guess, but it's not about us or love or whether or not we're even ready to be married."
"I came up with this whole idea because we love each other," Leo said trying to explain his thinking. "It's all about our love. You know, we're meant to be together, Piper, you know that. You went to the future and you saw that we were married in it. That means that somehow they didn't stop us, somehow we found a way to be together and I think this is the way."
"A future you two were divorced in," Buffy reminded Leo. "A future where you never revealed you were my father."
"I don't know. Leo, I love you and I know I never wanna be without you, but…this just doesn't feel right," Piper admitted as Prue and Phoebe walked through the front door. "I mean, getting married in secret…It doesn't feel like a holy union to me. I'm sorry."
"Buffy, Piper, Leo?" Prue called as they walked into the living room. "Oh, hey, Leo, good. Uh, did you find out anything about the guardian?"
"Not yet," Leo admitted.
"Not yet? What do you mean not yet?" Phoebe question in surprised as Piper left the room. "Piper."
"I'll go see what I can find out," Leo said as he disappeared in blue and white orbing lights.
"I'll take care of Piper," Buffy informed them as she followed Piper out of the room.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Buffy entered Piper's bedroom to find Piper lying on her bed. "Hey," she asked as she sat on the bed. "Do you want to be alone?"
Piper turned and looks at Buffy. She saw Prue and Phoebe standing in the doorway. "No. But it looks like I'm gonna be." She looked at Prue and Phoebe. "Leo asked me to marry him."
"That's great!" Prue said excitedly as Buffy glared at her. "What?"
"I can't do it," Piper informed her sister.
"Oh, what do you mean you can't do it, Piper?" Phoebe questioned as confused as her eldest sister. "You love him."
"Of course I do, with all my heart but why's it got to be so complicated?" Piper admitted as she leaned into Buffy. "Why can't I just be a normal person in love with a normal guy?"
"Problem Piper is facing is dad thinks that getting married is the only way around them," Buffy informed Prue and Phoebe.
"But he's not even sure it's gonna work," Piper added sadly.
"Yeah, but it might work," Phoebe countered. "Piper, you and Leo are destined to be together. You guys have the kind of love that girls dream about. I know I dream about it, how about you?"
Buffy shook her head. "Not lately."
"All the time," Prue admitted.
"And it understand the risks but if you don't go for it, isn't it an even bigger risk?" Phoebe concluded just as Leo orbed in.
"That was fast." Prue said in surprise.
"A little too fast," Phoebe agreed.
"Sorry, but they were very interested when I told them about the guardians," Leo informed them. "Apparently guardians help mortal criminals spread evil."
"Yeah, we already know that," Prue interjected. "Skip ahead."
"Well, they think that you've stumbled across some evil conspiracy in that court room," Leo explained. "One where an upper level demon somehow assigns guardians to the criminals who are set free."
"That makes sense," Buffy admitted. "It explains why Emilio has two."
"Yeah, the question is, who's the demon?" Prue wondered.
"Didn't you say the public defender seems suspicious?" Piper asked looking at the three of them
"Yeah," Prue agreed, "but he's not exactly in his best position to be setting criminals free."
"Yeah, but Free Willy is," Phoebe added as Prue and Buffy nodded.
"Who?" Piper questioned confused on the name.
Buffy smiled at Piper. "The judge," she explained. "That would explain why he's got the highest release rate of anyone on the bench."
"Still, you can't very well go vanquishing the judge without knowing for sure he's demonic," Leo reminded them.
"Well, we better come up with a plan because Emilio gets arraigned in night court in, oh, an hour," Phoebe interjected.
Prue smiled. "I've got an idea."
San Francisco District Court
"Can't we just come up with a spell or something?" Piper questioned as she, Buffy, Phoebe, Prue and Leo headed down the corridor toward the court room.
Prue shook her head. "No, a spell could backfire on us."
"So could this," Buffy countered.
"No," Prue stated. "The worst that could happen is that it just doesn't work, but we have to flush the demon out somehow."
Phoebe nodded as she looked toward Piper. "And since you can selectively freeze things, why not just the innocents?"
"Oh, maybe because I've never done it before," Piper reminded them.
Phoebe smiled. "Yeah, well, I've never levitated before."
"You never what?" Buffy and Piper questioned confused.
"Look," Prue interjected. "Piper, just focus all of your energy on freezing the innocents, okay?"
Piper sighed. "Okay," she agreed before looking back at Phoebe. "So why did you do that to your hair?"
"Because I wanted to change my luck," Phoebe informed her sister.
"Oh," Piper said as Buffy rolled her eyes. They followed Prue and Phoebe into the court room.
"How many times is the prosecution gonna keep harassing my client, you honor?" said the defense attorney. "I mean, as far as I'm concerned, this has turned into nothing but a witch hunt."
"If I may please court, have a minute to confer with the witnesses?" Cole questioned as Buffy, Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo sat down next to Darryl.
"It's late, Mr. Turner," the judge reminded him. "Either you have a case or you don't."
"Very well," Cole reluctantly agreed. "Uh, why would the defendant attack me if he was innocent of the prior charges?"
"There's no proof he's the one responsible for the attack," the defense attorney countered.
"Now, Piper," Prue instructed, her voice not much more than a whisper.
"Then what was he doing in the police parking lot?" Cole continued. "And why did myself and two eye witnesses..."
"You mean, the same two of the three eye witnesses that were here before?" the defense attorney scoffed.
"Piper…" Phoebe pleaded.
"Don't worry about the pressure your under just concentrate," Buffy whispered.
"And what were they doing there?" the defense attorney continued as Piper tried to freeze the room but nothing happened. "I mean, how is it that they just magically be at every crime scene?"
Prue was about to say something when Buffy places her hand on her arm and shook her head. "You can do it, my sister." Buffy soothed as she took Piper's hand in her own. She closed her eyes and began augmenting Piper's powers.
"Objection, your hon—" Cole started just as Piper flicked her free hand freezing him, Leo and Darryl.
"It worked." Phoebe said excitedly.
"Overruled." Judge informed the frozen Cole.
"It's the judge," Prue informed them.
"You honor," the defense attorney said. "I move for this case to be dismissed."
Buffy frowned. "And the public defender," she said as they look around and saw that Emilio and the bailiffs also hadn't froze.
"It's everybody," Piper informed them.
"Oh!" Prue cried in surprise.
The judge smirked as he looked toward the Halliwells. "Kill them," he ordered.
"What do we do?" Phoebe questioned.
Buffy looked at Leo, Cole and Darryl before looking at Prue, Piper and Phoebe. "We run," she informed them. They got up and ran into the neighboring attorney's conference room. She locked the door behind them.
"Okay, does anybody have any brilliant ideas?" Phoebe questioned.
"Ah, can't you just freeze them?" Prue asked looking at her middle sister.
Piper shook her head. "No, once they're immune to it they stay that way," she informed them. "That's why it's called immunity."
"The question is how many are guardians and how many are actually demons," Buffy interjected. "I could flame in there and start throwing fireballs. But the ones with guardians are humans. And we don't kill humans."
Phoebe sighed. "Great," she groaned as they heard someone on the other side of the door trying to get in. "Okay, this was all your idea, you know," she reminded her eldest sister.
"Okay, well, so sue me," Prue said sheepishly. "So, any mass vanquishing spells?"
"You're the one that's been studying the books," Phoebe reminded her.
"Why are you picking on me?" Prue asked irritatedly.
Phoebe sighed. "Because I'm scared and we're outnumbered."
"Okay, but we can't stay in this room for the rest of our lives," Buffy reminded her as they heard the sound of a fireball hitting the door.
"Oh!" Prue said as they heard someone pounding on the door again. "Alright, the best defence is a good offence. Are you ready?"
"No," Prue countered.
"Yeah," Prue said as she smiled. "You're ready."
"No," Piper said adamanetly. "No."
"On three. One, two," Prue counted as she looked at Phoebe who had ahold of her hand. "Don't hold my hand." She glanced at Buffy and nodded as a fireball formed in Buffy's hand. "One, two, three." She flicked her wrist and the door flew open knocking everyone behind it out of the way.
The defense attorney pointed a gun at Prue, who sent him telekinetically flying backwards. A bailiff suddenly grabbed her from behind her while Phoebe kicked at the other bailiff.
Emilio went straight for Piper holding a knife and she continually tried to freeze him. She saw a baton lying nearby and grabbed it, using it to block his attacks. She struck him with the baton and knocked him out cold.
Prue broke away from the bailiff and kicked him in the stomach just as the judge threw a fireball at her. Buffy threw her fireball and the moment the two fireballs connected they exploded shaking the room.
Prue sent her bailiff flying a flick of her wrist. He fell to the ground and into unconsciousness. Buffy spun in a roundhouse and kicked the defense attorney knocking him to the ground and into unconsciousness as well. Phoebe's bailiff was the final one left standing and she kicked him in the stomach knocking her to the ground and out cold.
"Okay, nicely done." Prue said as they turned to face the judge.
"You too," Phoebe complimented her sister.
"Come on, judgie," Buffy said as a fireball formed in her hand.
"Wait a minute, if they're demons where are they're powers?" Piper wondered as she glanced at the defense attorney, bailiffs and Emilio. .
"Come to me," the judge instructed as guardians rose out of everyone they had just been fighting and followed him into his chambers.
"Guardians," Buffy groaned. "They're not demons, they're just protected by them. Come on," she ordered as she led Prue, Piper and Phoebe after the judge. As they entered they found the judge was on fire before being vanquished.
"Okay, how did that happen?" Piper questioned. .
Prue shrugged. "Good question, but we're not alone."
"We better get back before Cole unfreezes," Phoebe reminded as they hurried back into the court room.
"How are we gonna explain all this to him?" Buffy wondered as she looked at Cole.
"Uhh…" Phoebe said as she thought for a moment. She then spotted the baton Piper had dropped. She picked it up and moved behind Cole. "I am so sorry," she apologized before hitting him over the head knocking ihm to the floor. Piper flicked her wrist unfreezing everyone. "Oh, Cole, Cole," she said as he sat up. "Are you okay?"
"Uh, yeah, I think so." Cole said as he rubbed his head. "What happened?"
Phoebe smiled. "Aren't you getting tired of asking me that?" she asked as he stared at her. "Um, well, Emilio went nuts and he tried to escape and then all the court room people tried to help him..."
"Yeah, thank God for Darryl," Prue said looking at Darryl pointedly.
Piper smiled. "Yep, saved the day," she agreed.
"What?" Cole questioned with a look of confusion.
"Something good happened," Phoebe informed him. "Can't you just accept that?"
"It's not in my nature," Cole admitted.
Halliwell Manor
"And she told him she loved him," Piper said relaying what Buffy had told her about the day Buffy had killed Angel. "Then she kissed him, told him to close his eyes and then she killed him."
Prue sighed as she looked at Phoebe. "So the curse you and Willow cast worked after all just a little too late. No wonder she ran. Mind you it doesn't excuse what happened."
"But it is understandable," Phoebe admitted. "Both of you at one time thought of quitting. It just happened to be her turn. Unlike the previous times with us. She didn't have anyone to talk to."
Piper nodded. She felt that going with Leo up there and hurt Buffy in a way since she was the one Buffy talk to the most. "I've been thinking," she said looking at her sisters. "With your guys permission I want to give Buffy 100 percent control of the club when she turns 21. I think she deserves it and more."
"Is this because of what she told you about the future the genie sent her to?" Prue wondered.
"Partly," Piper admitted. "But also in partly because of Angel. And partly because she has literally died three times. Out of all of us she is the one who has sacrificed the most. I think she deserves something normal."
Prue glanced at Phoebe who nodded. She looked back at Piper and nodded as well. "In the end it's really up to you. Phoebe and I are more silent partners. But I think your right she deserves something normal."
"I'm with Prue on this," Phoebe agreed.
Piper smiled. "Okay."
September 12, 1998 – Saturday
P4
The Barenaked Ladies were on stage while Piper was at the bar serving drinks.
"You've been gone for two days and you get the Barenaked Ladies?" Phoebe asked as she, Prue and Buffy walked up to the bar. "How?"
"Oh, actually, I just made a couple of phone calls." Piper informed them.
"And I can't even get Barry Manilow on the phone," Phoebe sighed. "I'm sorry I screwed up your club."
Piper smiled, they had decided to wait till tonight to tell Buffy about the change. "Oh, Phoebe, don't. I owe you guys an apology and thanks for covering my butt."
"Ah, not a problem," Phoebe said. "I didn't even really notice that you were gone actually."
Prue shook her head. "Liar."
"Yeah, I've been doing a lot of that lately," Phoebe admitted as she looked at the three of them. "Unfortunately, especially to Cole. But hopefully I won't have to lie to him anymore."
"Yeah, well, something tells me he's not going anywhere anytime soon," Buffy informed her youngest cousin.
Phoebe smiled. "No complaints here."
"Uh, one over here," Piper countered. "Hottie that he is, he is an Assistant D.A., which makes him somewhat a threat to us," she reminded them.
"Yeah, but at least he's one of the good guys," Phoebe reminded her sister. Then she looked at Piper pointedly. "I think it's time, Piper, don't you."
Piper nodded as she came out from behind the bar. "Buffy, if you would come with me," she informed her cousin. Buffy looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Please." Buffy sighed and nodded. She led Buffy up on the stage just as the Barenaked Ladies were finishing a song. "Take five," she informed the group.
Piper turned toward the microphone and smiled at the patrons. "Evening everyone," she greeted everyone. "I'm sure a lot of you have noticed that the sign has been covered up. Well it's time for a little unveiling." She looked at Buffy. "If you please."
"Piper?" Buffy said with a raised eyebrow. "What are you doing?" Piper smiled at her and the motioned toward the sheet covering the sign at the back of the stage. She sighed as she walked over to it and pulled the sheet of the sign which now read:
PAYSON'S.
Piper smiled at the look on Buffy's face. "In honor of my cousin who has sacrificed so much for her family. I am renaming the club in her honor." She turned and walked over to Buffy. "There is one other thing, Buffy. I've talked to Prue and Phoebe and they agree. As of this moment you are a full partner, no more silent partner. And when you turn twenty-one you will become the sole owner of your club."
"My club?" Buffy said in confusion. "But this …" she started
Piper smiled as she held a finger up to Buffy's lips to silence the person who was both her cousin and her sister. "No buts, Buffy. You've earned this. You deserve something in your life that is normal. Besides who knows by the time you turn twenty-one, I may have enough money to open my own restaurant. As you know that's what I really wanted to do."
"I know," Buffy said. She looked at the sign for a long moment and then smiled as she turned back to Piper. "Thank you, Piper." Her smile went wider when she saw Leo coming down the stairs from the entrance of the club. "Hey, dad is here. So what are you going to tell him?"
"I think I will tell him, yes," Piper answered.
"If your going to marry my dad, then you know that you will technically become my step-mom," Buffy teased.
Piper smiled at Buffy. "You will always be…my sister…that will never change."
"Regardless of how you see me," Buffy told her. "You have my permission. My dad is a great catch."
"Thanks, Buffy," Piper said as she hugged the young woman. She then turned and walked over to Leo. "Hi."
"Hi," he said returning her greeting. He then let out a sigh. "Piper, maybe it was a mistake..."
"Wait, Leo, me first," Piper cut in. "I've been thinking a lot about our situation and you asking me and I didn't want to just dismiss it without thinking it through. Um, last night in the court room, I was actually scared. For a minute there I thought I wasn't gonna make it, that was it, and that's when I realized that I don't want to die without ever having being married to you. The answer is yes, Leo, I would love to marry you. And just so you know I asked for Buffy's permission."
"And?" Leo said glancing toward his daughter.
"She teased me, saying I would be her step-mom if I married you," Piper chuckled. "That may be true from a legal standpoint, but I still see her as my sister, that won't change. So if you still want to…"
Leo smiled. "I do," he said as he pulled Piper in for a long passionate kiss.
Across the club Buffy smiled at the pair, she couldn't be happier for the both of them.