Chapter 104: Long Live the Queen
In the attic Piper is making potions while Buffy and Paige looks through the Book of Shadows.
"Damn it, I have read through this fifteen times, there is nothing even remotely helpful about how to save Phoebe." Paige says.
"Ditto." Buffy says closing her own Book.
"I told you, she made a choice. There's no magical cure for that." Piper says.
"Yeah, well, she's pregnant, Piper, so she's being influenced by the baby inside." Paige says.
"And we could've helped her overcome that but she chose Cole." Piper says.
Buffy sighs, "As much as I hate to say it, Piper has a point."
Paige nods, "Will you just stop with the potions already? You've already over run the kitchen, I'd say we have enough."
"This one duplicates my freezing power plus it scalds the flesh, so we should only use it in a dire emergency." Piper says.
"No! I will not scald Phoebe's flesh, she's still our sister." Buffy says.
Leo orbs in. "Buffy. Paige." They walk over to him. "How is she?"
"She's like Piper light. All the personality without any of those messy emotions." Paige says.
"Rumor on the demonic grape vine is the new queen is killing upper level demons. Word is she killed two just last night." Leo says.
"What does that mean?" Buffy asks.
"It means it looks like Phoebe's working from the inside for the good guys." Leo says.
"That's great." Paige says.
Buffy shakes her head, "I think there is more to this than we know."
"Since when do you guys believe rumors that are spread by demons?" Piper asks.
Later in the dining room Piper is showing them the potions. "These are meant to slow an attacker down but not do real serious harm, it's kind of like magical mace."
"Sounds reasonable I guess." Paige says.
"These are a little more lethal - explosives, paralytics, your garden variety of poisons." Piper says.
"So you're gonna poison Phoebe?" Buffy asks.
"Buffy, she's carrying the spawn of the Source, she's throwing fire from her hands. If she shows up here, we'll do what we have to do to protect ourselves." Piper says.
"You're not even giving her a chance." Paige says.
"Paige, we gave her every chance in the world to come back to us and she threw it in our faces. She chose the Source of all evil over her own family." Piper says.
Phoebe flames in. "Surprise!" Piper quickly grabs a potion and throws it towards Phoebe. Phoebe throws fire at the potion, disintegrating it. "Nice to see you too, Piper."
"What do you want?" Buffy asks.
"Oh, and here I thought you'd be happy to see me." Phoebe says.
Buffy sighs, "I am happy to see you. But since you haven't answered our calls or helped us when we defeated Adam. And since you chose Cole over us. It still begs the question of what do you want."
Piper nods, "Unless you're here to tell us you filed for a divorce, we don't really have much to talk about."
"Oh that's not true. For instance we could talk about how rigid you are. It's really not a very attractive quality." Phoebe says.
Piper picks up another potion.
"Wait. Phoebe, what are you doing here?" Leo says.
"I had a premonition. We have an innocent to save and not a lot of time." Phoebe says.
"That is so great. Look, I told you." Paige says.
"Don't get excited, it's not what you think. I haven't changed my mind, I'm not leaving Cole and I'm not renouncing my crown. It's just I've never ignored a premonition in my life and I'm not about to start now." Phoebe says.
"Uh, Phoebe, you're evil. You're like the queen of all evil, literally." Piper says.
"That's beside the point." Phoebe says.
Buffy shakes her head, "No Pheebs, that is the point. You really can't have it both ways."
"I say we do it." Paige says.
"What?" Buffy and Piper asks.
"Excuse us." Paige says as she pulls Piper and Leo aside. Buffy moves over to them. "Look, this is what we've been hoping for. A sign that there's still good in her. Why else would she care about saving the innocent?"
"As much as I hate to say it, because it's a trap." Buffy says.
"Buffy, Piper, this could be our only chance." Paige says.
"I think Paige is right. By helping her do good, it might sway her back to our side." Leo says.
Piper sighs, "Fine."
Buffy nods, "Okay."
"Okay, you're on, we'll follow you." Paige says.
Piper grabs some potions.
"What's that for?" Phoebe asks.
"Insurance." Piper says.
Piper, Paige and Leo orb in to an alley as Buffy and Phoebe flames in.
"Argh, why do I always have to land in the mud?" Paige says.
"Come on, over here." Phoebe says as they stand behind some wooden crates.
"How do you know when he's gonna get attacked?" Leo asks.
"I know." Phoebe says as Gregory walks around the corner. "There he is."
Malick shimmers in behind him. Piper freezes Gregory. Malick looks around.
"Hey." Piper says as she goes to blow him up and Phoebe knocks into her. She blows up a bike nearby.
"No, Piper." Phoebe says as Buffy powers up a fireball. She grabs Buffy's wrist causing Buffy to throw the fireball wide. "No, Buffy."
"What are you doing?" Piper asks.
An energy ball appears in Malick's hand.
"Stop." Phoebe says as she walks towards Malick.
Malick kneels down. "My queen."
"Leave that innocent alone. Go." Phoebe says as Malick shimmers out. Piper, Buffy, Paige and Leo stare at her. "What? One of my subjects."
"How-how-how could you do that? How could you just let him go?" Piper asks.
"I don't know why you're so upset, we saved the innocent didn't we?" Phoebe says.
Piper shakes her head, "I can't talk to her, you talk to her."
"Phoebe..." Leo says.
"Things are not as black and white as they used to be. Okay, I can't just go around killing demons anymore." Phoebe says.
"Why not? We heard you just killed two last night." Paige says.
Phoebe nods, "Yeah, well, that was different, he was getting on my nerves. I promised Cole I wouldn't kill anymore. And killing Malick would've been a huge betrayal."
"Malick? You're on a first name basis with the demons?" Buffy asks.
"If you were just gonna order him to stop you could've done that on your own. Why did you even come to us?" Leo says.
"Because I missed you guys! Okay, is that so wrong? I missed you." Phoebe says.
Leo shakes his head, "Phoebe, you can't be the queen of the underworld and a Charmed One. You can't have it both ways."
"That's exactly what I said back at the Manor." Buffy says.
"Why not? Just because it's different doesn't mean that it can't work. And you all miss me too even though I'm sure Piper probably doesn't want to admit it to herself." Phoebe says.
"Of course we miss you, honey." Paige says.
"Well, you can have me back. You can have the power of three back. You just have to be willing to meet me half way." Phoebe says.
"Phoebe, you can't protect the innocent and save demons, it just doesn't work that way." Piper says.
"Apparently it does. He's alive isn't he?" Phoebe says.
Buffy shakes her head, "Yeah, but your friend Malick is gonna come back."
"You don't know that." Phoebe says.
"That's what they do, Phoebe, they come back. They snarl and come back." Piper says.
Paige nods, "Yeah, and now we have to worry about protecting him instead of trying to save you."
"You think I need saving?" Phoebe says.
"Are you kidding me? That baby inside you has corrupted you more than you think." Buffy says.
"Buffy." Phoebe says.
Buffy shakes her head, "Don't Buffy me. This is insane, what you are saying is insane. You cannot come back, you cannot work with us as long as you are married to the Source."
"So what do you want me to do? Do you want me to leave my husband?" Phoebe asks.
Piper nods, "Yes."
"That is not fair!" Phoebe says.
"It's not fair, Phoebe, but you have to pick a side, good or evil. That's how it works. Even though it means giving up someone you love, you have to choose." Leo says.
"I'm really sorry you feel that way." Phoebe says and she flames out.
"I can't do this." Piper says and she starts to walk away.
"What about Greg?" Paige asks.
Piper unfreezes him.
Greg goes over to where his bike was chained. "Oh, no, not again." He sees Buffy, Paige and Leo. "Did you guys see anyone take off on a chromium orange bicycle?"
Buffy shakes her head, "No, sorry."
"Why did I bother locking it?" Greg says and he walks away.
"Uh, what should we do?" Paige asks.
"We'll follow him." Buffy says.
Later at a AA meeting. Buffy, Paige and Leo are standing at the back of the room.
"The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for membership, we are self-supporting for our own contribution. We do not wish to engage in any controversy..."
"So do you really think Piper's okay?" Leo asks.
Paige shakes her head, "I don't know but I think it's good that she's feeling something again."
Buffy sighs, "No Leo I don't. Out of the three of us, she's known Phoebe the longest since childhood. For Phoebe to do what she's done. To Piper it's like Prue dying all over again. We've lost another sister, Leo."
Leo nods, "Your right Buffy."
Paige nods, "Go talk to her, okay, remind her that we have a demon to fight. Maybe that'll do her some good and take her mind off Phoebe."
"Right, right. What about you two?" Leo asks.
"We're, I'm fine. Listen, I don't think Malick's gonna attack in front of all these people, so just go get Piper and bring her back before the meeting's over, okay?" Buffy says.
Leo nods, "Okay, yeah." He turns and leaves.
30 minutes later everyone is leaving.
"Tray, congratulations on your thirty days." Greg says as he heads for the door.
"Leo." Paige and Buffy whispers as they follow him outside.
Greg stops when he sees Paige and Buffy following him. "You two again. Are you two following me?"
"Yes, strangely we are and we would love to explain it to you but it would be so much better if we could go talk inside by the crowd." Paige says.
A demon appears in the alley and throws and electric bolt towards Greg. Paige knocks Greg out of the way.
"What the hell?" Greg asks.
"Leo!" Paige says the demon throws another electric bolt and this time hits Greg on the shoulder. He pulls out an athame. "Athame!" The athame orbs out of the demon's hand and into Paige's. Buffy powers up a fireball and throws it vanquishing the demon. She and Buffy races over to Greg, who is bleeding. "Damn it, where are our sisters!"
At Payson's P4 Leo is still frozen and Piper is unconscious on the floor. Paige orbs in with Buffy and Greg.
"Oh my god, Piper." Buffy says as she races over to Piper and sees the empty glass beside her.
Paige touches Leo and he unfreezes.
"And a good sister..." Leo says as he looks around. "Buffy… Paige, wh-?"
"You were frozen, Leo, and I'm guessing demons didn't get her." Paige says.
Leo shakes his head, "No, more like inner-demons. I can't believe she froze me. Are you two okay?"
"Barely. It was a different demon this time; they really want that guy dead. You're gonna have to heal him and orb him somewhere safe." Buffy says.
"Then what?" Leo asks.
"Then we're gonna put this family back together. Can you heal Piper?" Paige says.
"No, I can't heal self-inflicted wounds." Leo says.
"Great, now we're down two sisters." Buffy says.
Paige slaps Piper gently and she wakes up.
"Aaahh." Piper says.
Later back at the Manor in the kitchen, Buffy and Piper are sitting at the table. Piper has her head down, while Paige mixes together some ingredients in a blender.
"How many hangover cures do you have?" Piper asks.
"A lot. There was a time in my life when I needed these often." Paige says.
Piper looks up. "Ugh."
Buffy shakes her head, "After trying to drown my worries in beer, Piper. I would have thought you wouldn't drink so heavily."
The blender makes an awful racket and Piper groans.
"I'm sorry, Paige… Buffy, I don't know what got into me. I mean, it's one thing when your sister has a husband that you can't stand, it's another when he is the Source of all evil." Piper says.
Paige pours the stuff from the blender into a cup and takes it over to Piper. "Drink up, we've got some work to do."
"We can't lose her. I can't lose another sister, I don't think I'll survive it." Piper says.
Buffy lays a comforting hand on Piper, "I know how you feel. After Prue I don't know how I would be able to handle it either."
"How are you doing it Buffy?" Piper asks.
Buffy smiles, "I have you and Paige."
Piper nods in understanding. When Prue died all three of them were grieving. They barely pulled through it because they didn't have anyone to lean on. This time was different as they had each other to lean on.
"I've been thinking about it. Phoebe was different today." Paige says.
"Yeah, she was nuts." Piper says.
"Yeah, but she cared, about us, about Greg. Something has changed and I think now is our chance to get her back." Paige says.
"How?" Buffy asks.
"Well, I think we storm the penthouse, bring the crystals, we still know the spell, we vanquish the Source the same way we did the last time." Paige says.
Piper sighs, "Yeah, but now this time the Source is Cole. Do you really think she's gonna say a little spell with us to vanquish him?"
"If she doesn't we die." Paige says.
"Is that supposed to be comforting?" Buffy asks.
"Actually, yeah. The good in Phoebe is fighting to the surface, we saw that today. I don't think she's just gonna stand by and watch Cole kill us." Paige says.
"Are you willing to bet your life on that?" Piper asks.
"Aren't you? What about you Buffy?" Paige asks.
"You know, you're pretty amazing, Paige. I mean, a year ago you were an only child." Piper says.
Paige nods, "And I don't want to be again. Let's go." Piper grabs her drink and she and Buffy stands up. "There we go. I'll get the crystals." They walk to the bottom of the stairs and see Phoebe walking through the foyer. "Phoebe."
"Cole is gonna kill Greg Conroy, and I can't let that happen." Phoebe says.
"So what do you wanna do?" Piper asks.
"I think that we have to vanquish Cole." Phoebe says.
Paige smiles, "I knew it, I knew she was ready."
"We have to use Greg as bait." Phoebe says.
"Bait? But he's an innocent." Buffy says.
"I know, but Cole's looking for him, he'll find him wherever he is so he's safest here." Phoebe says.
"So we have Leo bring Greg here but then when Cole arrives Leo's gotta orb Greg outta here." Paige says.
"And then we vanquish Cole." Phoebe says.
"I'll get the crystals." Paige says as she goes upstairs.
"Phoebe, um, we know how much you love Cole, I'm really..." Buffy says.
"I can't get emotional about this now, Buffy, if I do I won't be able to go through with it." Phoebe says.
Paige comes back down with the crystals. "Ready."
"Leo, bring Greg." Piper says.
Leo orbs in with Greg.
"So how long do you think till Cole gets here?" Paige asks.
Suddenly, Phoebe changes into Cole.
"Sooner than you think." Cole says and he throws a fireball at Greg and Greg is incinerated. He flames out.
Moments later Buffy flames in as Piper, Paige and Leo orb in to Phoebe and Cole's apartment. Cole walks into the living room.
"You evil son of a bitch." Paige says.
Piper blows up Cole and he disintegrates into fragments which fly around in a circle. Paige places the crystals on the floor around him.
"Phoebe, get out here and help us damn it." Piper says as the fragments of Cole is pulled back together. "Paige."
Cole hits Paige and is knocked across the room. One of the crystals she was holding bounces along the floor. "Don't make me kill you."
Piper blows up Cole again and Leo heals Paige.
"Phoebe, you heard what he said, he's gonna kill us, help us!" Buffy says.
Phoebe comes out of the bathroom as the fragments of Cole are pulled back together and a fireball appears in his hand. Phoebe picks up the crystal that bounced across the floor.
"I'm sorry, it's, it's for the best." Cole says.
Phoebe nods, "I know it is." She walks over to Cole and the fireball disappears as she kisses him.
"Phoebe?" Piper asks.
Phoebe moves away from Cole. "I'm sorry too." She places the crystal in its place and the trap is activated.
"Phoebe, no. No!" Cole says.
Phoebe shakes her head, "I'm sorry, baby, I'm so sorry."
"Prudence, Penelope, Patricia…" Piper says.
"Payson, Melinda..." Buffy says.
Fire appears near Cole's feet.
"Ashford, Helen, Laura and Grace..." Phoebe says.
"I will always love you." Cole says.
"Halliwell witches stand strong beside us." Paige says.
"Vanquish this evil..." Phoebe says.
"From time and space." Phoebe, Piper, Buffy and Paige says.
They vanquish Cole in a huge explosion, making the windows shatter. Phoebe walks to the middle of the room and cries.
Later back at the Manor Piper is leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs.
Leo walks in. "Hey."
"Hey." Piper says.
Leo sighs, "Why don't you go up and see her."
"I don't know what to say. I can't imagine... I mean, if it had been you..." Piper says.
Leo hugs her. Buffy and Paige walks in through the front door.
"Hey." Paige says.
"Hey." Piper says.
"Hey." Buffy says.
"Hey." Piper says.
"How's she doing?" Paige asks.
Piper shakes her head, "I don't know, she hasn't come down yet."
"How long have you been standing there?" Buffy asks.
"A while." Piper says.
"Maybe we should go see her." Paige says.
Piper nods, "Okay." They start to go upstairs and Piper stops. "What if she wants to be alone?"
"She's gonna be alone a lot. Maybe right now she needs us." Buffy says.
Piper nods, "Right."
They go upstairs and walk into Phoebe's bedroom. Phoebe is lying on her bed crying. Piper goes over and lies beside her. Paige then goes and lies in front of her. Buffy then goes and lies behind Piper and they comfort Phoebe.