Chapter 155: Legend of Sleepy Halliwell
Dawn smiled as she woke up in Buffy's arms. It had been a month and as they had agreed with Piper and Leo, they had setup a family meeting to take place after Buffy and Piper's appointment at the day care later that day. "Hey, beautiful," she said when she noticed Buffy looking at her.
"Hey," Buffy returned as she leaned in and kissed Dawn.
"Oh, I wish we could stay in bed all day," Dawn said when Buffy had broken the kiss.
"I know," Buffy agreed. "It is going to be hectic."
"How are we going to tell everyone?" Dawn wondered.
"I talked to Leo, asked him about where he got that empathy blocking potion," Buffy said. "He said he would get us one to unblock our minds from Phoebe's empathic abilities. He and Tara would also tell the others what they see with aura sight. The hardest I think will be Paige and Xander to persuade. Willow might be easy, being gay and all. But that also would make her the hardest."
Dawn nodded. "Well we won't know if we don't get out of bed."
An hour later Buffy and Dawn stood next to Piper at the day care watching Wyatt and Celia play with only each other. Next to them a young mother had been speaking about Wyatt and Celia. "All I'm saying is that you two are way behind with Celia and Wyatt. You both really should've applied before this."
"Yeah, well, you know, they're not even a year old yet," Piper agrued.
"So? I had my Jake signed up for Mommy and Me when I was still pregnant with him."
"Really?" Dawn asked. "You can do that?"
The young mother nodded. "Oh, absolutely," she said as she looked at Buffy and Piper. "In fact, I'm surprised that they let you two sign up this late. Because everybody wants to get in here because it gets you into Adlebery Preschool, which is a feeder for Hoskins Elementary, and Bentley Middle School." She laughed knowingly as if its importance were obvious.
Not having a clue, Piper, Dawn and Buffy all smiled as they turned and watched Celia and Wyatt playing together.
"They only have each other don't they," the yong mother asked.
"That's right," Buffy said. "How did you know?"
"You can tell they play along together great, but they don't get along well with the others. Oh, don't worry about it. It's a common problem among only children, who's sole contact is other children in the family. All the more reason to start developing their non-familial social skills early. First thing preschools look for, you know."
"Yeah. Well, that's why we're here," Piper said as Phoebe and Paige walked through the door.
"Excuse me," Buffy said as she nudge Piper and Dawn and motioned towards Phoebe and Paige.
"Hi. Thanks for coming," Piper said as they walked over to Phoebe and Paige.
"Oh, of course, you know, anything for our little niece and nephew," Phoebe said. "What exactly are we doing for our little niece and nephew?"
"Showing family support," Piper said. "They look for that. Especially when the father's not around a lot."
Paige nodded and quietly turned around to dial her cell phone.
"What are you talking about?" Phoebe asked. "Leo's around all the time."
Buffy nodded. "Of course he is, for Wyatt and for Celia. But he can't be for the school. Just as Angel can't be around for Celia."
"What're you doing?" Piper asked Paige having spotted her trying to make a call. "Put that thing down."
"I—I'm trying to get a hold of Richard," Paige said as she put her cell down. "I can't find him."
"Yeah, well, you've been trying to call Richard for the last couple of days. Maybe you should give it a rest," Piper said.
Paige sighed. "I know, but I'm just afraid he's off on some ... magical freak-out or something, you know? And I just want to be able to help him."
"Maybe he just needs a little time alone," Dawn suggested as Buffy nodded in agreement.
"It just makes me question whether or not I can even save an innocent, if I can't save my boyfriend," Paige said as she looked at Phoebe. "No offense."
"Oh, no. Don't worry about it. I'm over it," Phoebe said.
"Jason?" Dawn wondered.
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah. When you get to be my age, you can't spend the time crying over spilt milk."
"Your age?" Paige, Dawn and Buffy said simultaneously.
"Yeah. The whole biological clock thing," Phoebe said. "It's very real, and it's echoing. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick."
"Ok. Hey!" Piper said. "Neurotic people, can we get back to my neurosis right now, please?"
"Sure till we get home to deal with our neurosis," Dawn said jokingly. "Which one were we talking about?"
"The one where I'm a rotten mother who's raising an child, who is anti-social with anyone except Celia," Piper said.
"Oh, that is ridiculous!" Paige said. "And not true." She went back to her cell and turned her back on Piper and the others.
"Is it?" Buffy wondered. "Neither Wyatt nor Celia have many friends outside of the family. Most of their play dates are with each other. As far as outside the family contact is concerned they are alone."
"Hey! I was all alone," Paige said.
Piper nodded. "Yeah, but you didn't know you had powers. So it was safe for you to have friends. Your mother didn't have to worry about if you were going to orb or flame out during a play-date or something."
"Buffy, Piper, don't you two think you're over-reacting a little?"
Just then, Wyatt took Celia's hand and he orbed them out.
"No," Buffy and Piper said.
The five of them quickly exit the day care and then Paige orbed them to the Manor where they found Wyatt and Celia standing at the base of the stairs looking up at door that had not been there before.
"Sweeties," Piper said. "You two cannot keep doing this really."
Phoebe and Dawn moved and picked up Wyatt and Celia.
"Oh, guys ..." Paige said as she noticed the door.
Buffy, Dawn, Phoebe and Piper turned and looked up at the door.
"Oh, what the ..." Phoebe started.
"Oh. This is not good," Piper said.
From behind the door, they heard a horse neigh.
"Help!" someone yelled through the door.
"Get them out of here," Piper said as Phoebe handed Wyatt to Paige. "Go."
Dawn took Paige's hand as she orbed out with her, Celia and Wyatt.
Just then the door opened and a man dressed in black robes rushed out. He took one look at them and a look of relief flooded his face. "Oh. Thank god you're home," he said.
Behind him, they heard the sound of galloping hooves and they looked up to see a man on horse, or they assumed it was a man for he had no head. The horse reared up on its hind legs as the Horseman swung a sword chopping off the other man's head.
The man's head fell to the floor and partly down the stairs as the door slammed shut behind him.
"What the hell was that?!" Buffy wondered.
"That ..." said the man's head as they turned to look at it. "... was the headless horseman."
Speechless and gawking, Phoebe pointed at the head and began to babble. "Ah, da da da da."
"I'll call, Willow and Tara," Buffy said with a sigh. "Let them know the family meeting is postponed." She turned and walked into the dining room.
Piper nodded as she removed a vase of flowers from the hall table and Phoebe placed the head, who's name was Sigmund, on it.
"Ok," Phoebe said.
"You're very kind," Sigmund replied.
"Yeah. Can I just ask you one question?" Phoebe asked. "How are you still talking?"
"Yes, well, fair question. Uh, fortunately, the rest of me is still at magic school. Otherwise, I'd be—"
"I'm sorry," Piper interrupted. "Magic School?"
"Yes," Sigmund said. "That's right. Anyway, as I was saying, as long as my body remains on grounds, I can't, well, you know ... die. It's all part of the magic, thankfully."
"Like the doorway in the middle of my stairway," Piper replied.
"Sorry. I didn't know where else to put it. It's the only way in or out of the school. I had to reach you somehow," Sigmund said.
"Do you have a name?" Buffy wondered as she returned.
"Sigmund, but I'm afraid we don't have much time for pleasantries. I really need to get you back before he strikes again," Sigmund said.
"The Headless Horseman?" Piper asked.
"Right."
"Fabulous," Piper muttered.
Paige orbed back in with both Dawn and Leo.
"Where's Wyatt and Celia?" Piper asked.
Phoebe motioned wildly to the head on the table trying to draw Paige and Dawn's attention to Sigmund's talking head.
"They're upstairs in Wyatt's room. Dawn and I thought we should bring Le—" Paige said as she and Dawn finally noticed the head on the table. "—o. Oh, my god. Then, apparently, we were right." She, Dawn and Leo wealked in front of the table.
"Leo!" Sigmund said recognizing Leo. "Oh, so good to see you again."
"Sigmund, what happened?" Leo asked.
"Wait, you guys know each other?" Buffy asked surprised.
"Gideon sent me for your help," Sigmund said. "All your help."
"Gideon?" Paige asked. "Who is Gideon? And who are you?"
"All right. All you people with legs, follow me," Piper said as she took the vase of flowers into the next room.
"You wait here," Phoebe as she motioned to Sigmund. She, Dawn, Leo and Buffy all turned to follow Piper.
"Hurry," Sigmund called after them.
"Leo, just so you know, this is what's keeping your son and your niece from developing social skills with other children," Piper said.
"Other than themselves," Buffy added.
"And me from helping Richard," Paige added.
"And me from helping ... me," Phoebe said.
"And Dawn and I from having that family meeting," Buffy said.
"What?" Leo asked.
"They're talking about our lives," Dawn said.
"Dawn's right," Piper agreed. "We can't just drop what we're doing every time somebody's head comes rolling down the stairs."
"I don't believe you're saying this," Leo said. "You don't understand. This isn't supposed to happen. Magic school is supposed to be protected from evil. It's the only way Gideon can teach magic to the next generation – Wyatt and Celia's generation."
"Piper and I think Wyatt and Celia are more concerned with nursery school right now, than magic school," Buffy said.
"Are you both sure? Paige and Dawn said Wyatt orbied him and Celia orbed back in front of the door. They were drawn to it."
Piper and Buffy glared at Paige and Dawn.
"Sorry, baby," Dawn mouthed so that Phoebe and Paige would not hear.
"Ok. You know what? I think we should help the magic school," Phoebe said. "Because we can't just keep that head on our foyer table. You know? What is it? A centerpiece?"
"Ok, fine, but we can't take Wyatt or Celia," Piper said as she glanced at Buffy who nodded in agreement. "Sorry."
"All right," Leo said. "I'll get Chris to watch him."
"What?" Piper said. "After everything he's done? No. I don't think so."
Leo sighed. "He was just trying to protect Wyatt."
"Oh, please," Paige and Dawn said simultaneously.
"I think his intentions are good. He deserves another chance," Leo said.
Buffy let out a sigh. "He's right Piper. We at least can give him that much."
"Fine," Piper said.
Moments later Phoebe opened the door and looked inside before crossing the threshold. Piper is the next through door as she carried Sigmund's head in a bag.
"Oh, yuck," Dawn said as she followed Piper through. She had spotted Sigmund's head on the floor.
PIPER opened the mesh bag and looked down at Sigmund's head. "Um, are you sure you can breathe in there all right?"
"Yes, I—" Sigmund started as the door slammed shut behind them. "We must move quickly."
"All right," Piper said.
"Just step around it," Sigmund said. "Someone will be along for it shortly."
"Buffy," Piper said. "Maybe you shook take point."
Buffy nodded and stepped around the body and headed for the hallway as everyone else followed.
"Wow. Impressive," Paige said looking around.
"How long is this hallway?" Buffy asked for even with her Slayer enhanced vision, she could not see the end.
"No one really knows. It's endless," Sigmund said.
"Great," Piper said.
They slowly made their way down the endless hallway.
"So, how are we going to find this dude Gideon, anyway?" Dawn asked.
"He's not a dude," Leo said. "He's an Elder. My old mentor, actually."
"Really?" Piper said surprised at that bit of information. "You've never mentioned him before."
"We met a long time ago, when I first became a Whitelighter. He helped me out. Took me under his wing. He actually fought for us to get married. To break the rules."
"Really?" Piper said again, surprised that one of the Elder's fought for her and Leo.
Phoebe suddenly turned around and saw what looked like a wolf. "Ok, I don't want to freak anybody out, but there is a wolf following us," she said.
"What?" Paige asked as everyone turned around and saw nothing.
"There was a wolf following us, I swear," Phoebe argued.
"Not everyone sees the same things here, Phoebe," Sigmund said. "Only what they're meant to see."
"Who you got in there?" Phoebe asked Piper. "Confucius?"
Just then a side door opened and they turned to see a young woman reading a book, levitating from the left of the hallway over to the right of the hallway. The left door closed behind her as the right door opened to let her in and closed behind her.
"Ok. You all saw that, right?" Phoebe asked.
"Eleventh grade levitation. She's late," Sigmund said as he cleared his throat. "We should keep moving. The Great Hall is just ahead."
Buffy once again led the group down the hall until they reached a pair of tall wooden doors. As they approached the doors opened and they walked through them.
Leo looked around the room as they stopped in the center.
"Leo! Good. Thanks for coming. Although I do wish it was under better circumstances."
The looked around for the sound of the voice but were unable to find it.
"Gideon," Leo said trying to get Gideon's attention.
"And The Charmed Ones. Lovely to see you again, although you probably don't remember meeting me. You were just little girls."
Frustrated at not knowing what's going on, Phoebe stomped and clapped as Piper handed the bag with Sigmund's head to Leo.
"Leo," Piper said.
Leo stepped toward where he believed the sound of Gideson's voice was coming from. "Gideon, I believe your invisibility shield is still up."
Gideon removed the invisibility shield and he appeared in front of the girls. "I'm sorry. I'm just—a little distracted with everything that's been going on around here."
"Yes, we heard," Dawn said with a roll of the eyes.
Leo placed Sigmund's head on the table top.
"Sigmund, oh, I'm so sorry," Gideon said as he turned to face Sigmund.
"It's all right, sir," Sigmund said. "Didn't stop me from delivering the message now, did it?"
"Ok, would somebody please tell me what's going on here?" Phoebe asked.
"You always were the restless one," Gideon said. "Just like your Grams. Well, it all started innocently enough, actually. Pranks, really. Setting the rats loose from the Pied Piper. Turning the north dorm into a gingerbread house. Kids ..."
"And then ..."Leo prompted.
"And then someone cast a spell that brought forth the darkness," Gideon continued. "And days became nights, nights became terror. And the Headless Horseman has roamed the campus ever since, targeting teachers."
"Forgive me, sir," Sigmund said. "Perhaps you'd like to orb me over to the other heads?"
"Right," Gideon said as he stepped toward Sigmund. "Good thinking."
"Nice to meet you," Sigmund said to the girls.
"You, too, dude," Phoebe said.
Gideon waved his hand and Sigmund's head orbed out.
"So, what you're saying is somebody's trying to shut down the school by cutting off teachers' heads?" Dawn asked.
"What else could it be?" Gideon asked. "What better way for evil to gain an upper hand than to thwart the next generation?"
"Isn't it as simple as finding who conjured the Horseman, and reversing the magic?" Piper asked.
Gideon nodded. "Yes. Except that no student possesses that level of magic. At least, they're not supposed to. That's why I believe that a demon from the outside has somehow corrupted one of them into doing his bidding."
"So, you find the student, you find the evil, right?" Buffy said.
"True. Except that you'll find much more than that here, Buffy," Gideon said. "The answers that you each seek can be found within these grounds. You merely have to be open to them. Teaching will help you find the student in question, Paige, but it will also remind you of what you fear you have lost. "
Gideon then turned to Piper, Buffy and Dawn. "Investigating our nursery school will help you three with your worries over Wyatt and may even answer the question you and Buffy, have Dawn."
"You know," Dawn said as Gideon knows.
"Know what?" Paige asked.
"Later," Dawn said.
Gideon looked to Phoebe. "And if you follow The Wolf, she will lead you where you want to go. But be careful. The deeper you look, the more you will discover. And the better chance you will have of saving all this." He turned around and walked away, vanishing as he went.
Moments later Piper, Leo, Buffy and Dawn stare at a group of kids in the nursery school.
"I don't know what the hell Gideon was talking about, 'cause this is certainly not what Buffy and I are looking for," Piper said.
A group of little magical boys and girls comfortable in their own abilities play in the center of the room. Some float on air; others made their toys float.
"Still, Wyatt and Celia doesn't have to hide their powers," Leo said. "Plus, they're not gonna be all alone," Leo replied.
Piper sighed. "No, they'll be surrounded by all the other freaks."
"They're not freaks," Leo said as he looked over at a corner where Buffy and Dawn stood.
"What does this have to do with us," Buffy wondered. "If I had known this place existed. I would have enrolled Celia."
"I think the nursery itself has to do with Piper," Dawn said. "And the fact she wants both Wyatt and Celia in day care. I think what this has to do with us is now so much the nursery itself. But the fact being a gay couple, we can't have kids the normal way. We have to be inseminated. What if there are other ways, ways where we could bare a children created from the both of us."
"It's possible," Buffy said. "You are an example of that. But we know that we each have one half of my soul and the other half is formed by the Key in both of us. Magic can't create a soul."
"Who says?" Dawn asked.
"Well the monks couldn't do it," Buffy said. "Or you would have had your own soul."
"What if I did," Dawn said. "What if I do have my own soul. What if the portion we though was the Key, was actually my soul."
"But how," Buffy said.
"I don't know."
"Let's go find, Gideon," Buffy said and she and Dawn left the room as the pre-school teacher passed them on her way in.
They headed back to the Great Hall and found Gideon waiting for them.
"What can I do for you Buffy, Dawn?" he asked.
"Is there a way to …" Dawn started.
"Create a soul through magic," Gideon finished. "No. But that is not how a soul is formed is it? A soul is formed as we grow and as we learn. Our souls make us who we are."
"When Dawn was created, she was given a part of my soul and I was given a portion of the Key," Buffy said.
"Are you sure?" Gideon asked.
"That's what we've been told," Dawn said.
"Buffy as you know a soul can be reincarnated as your has," Gideon said.
"Are you saying when the monks …"
"This is not known to too many," Gideon said. "Dawn was created not only to house the key but to be loved by you and in love with you, Buffy. It is your reward for all you have sacrificed for the world as both a Slayer and Charmed One. You have had a much harder destiny that Prue, Piper, Phoebe or Paige. Because you and Dawn not only share theirs but you also have your own. As a result the Elders agreed to let the monks spell work. They sought a soul that would volunteer to be reborn. There are a number of souls in the afterlife that died way to early. Babies die in the womb all the time, teenagers commit suicide, adults die in car accidents. One of them volunteered to be reincarnated. And so Dawn was created."
"Car accident," Buffy said as she looked at Dawn her eyes widening. She looked back at Gideon "Paige had a sister didn't she?"
"I knew you would figure it out," Gideon said. "She did, an unborn one. That soul resides in Dawn."
"That answers if I have a soul," Dawn said. "Now I know. What about having each other's babies. I would love to bare Buffy's children."
"There is a spell," Gideon said. "It is extremely personal gain. And is only used as a reward. I believe in time the two of you will get that reward. The spell will create a child out of the two of you and place it inside one or the other of you."
"Thank you, Gideon," Buffy said. "We probably should go find Piper and the others."
Just then an alarm blared and teachers and students began to file in.
"They are coming," Gideon said a moment before Piper and Leo came in.
"Anybody hurt?" Leo asked.
Gideon shook his head. "Not yet."
"You guys ok?" Paige asked as she ran up to them.
"Paige, you're a teacher now," Gideon said. "You need to be careful."
Leo grabbed Paige's arm and pulled her into the endless hallway. "Come on, I'll take you back," he said.
"Wait! Don't leave –" Piper said as the headless horseman appeared behind her and Buffy.
"Piper! Buffy!" Dawn yelled as Leo and Paige turned to look back at Piper and Buffy.
Piper and Buffy turned around as the horseman's horse reared up and he swung his sword chopping off both Piper and Buffy's heads. As their heads hit the floor, the roll around a little before stopping as the horseman disappeared.
Gideon stared wide-eyes at Piper and Buffy's heads.
"Great. Ju-u-ust great," Piper said.
Moments later Paige and Dawn watched as Leo gently placed first Piper and then Buffy's heads on top of the cabinet in the conservatory of the manor.
"Ow," Piper said as Leo slowly turned her head to face outward. "Easy, easy. Ow. Easy. Watch the hair."
Leo took a step back as he looked at the two of them. "Sorry."
Paige reached up and checked both Piper and Buffy's heads. "Doing ok up there, sweeties?"
"Actually, I feel a little woozy," Buffy said.
"Maybe it's because we have you up too high. Are you both sure you don't want me to move you down lower?" Leo asked.
Buffy shook her head. "No. I don't want Celia to see me like this.
"I have to agree with Buffy, I don't want Wyatt to see me like this. He will freak out," Piper said.
"Well, you know, on the plus side, this is a great way for Wyatt and Celia to get out and socialize," Paige said.
"If I had legs, I would kick you," Piper said as Paige and Leo wisely remained silent.
"You know, maybe I should just go upstairs and check the book and see if there's a spell that can fix this," Dawn suggested.
"Or we can find the little child that conjured the horseman and vanquish it," Piper suggested.
"You think that would reverse the spell?" Buffy wondered.
"I'm hopin'," Piper said.
"I keep getting this weird feeling that it's one of the students in my class," Paige said.
"Why?" Leo asked.
"Because who better to turn than one of the most powerful kids there?" Paige said.
"What do you suggest?" Dawn wondered.
"I think we should bring them here," Paige said.
"What?" Piper asked shocked that Paige would even suggest.
"I see where Paige is going," Dawn said. "If we get them away from school, they can't conjure the horseman. That way, we keep him here long enough to figure out who it is."
"I say it's not a bad idea, since you Piper and Buffy proved you all are targets now, not just the teachers," Leo said.
"Uh-oh ... Phoebe ..." Buffy said as she realized Phoebe was still at magic shool.
"I'll go get her," Leo said.
"No. I do not want Wyatt to have two headless parents," Piper said.
"Or Celia to have a headless parent and a headless uncle," Buffy agreed.
"Send Chris," Piper said.
Upstairs Chris paced the floor of Wyatt's nursery as a demon held his hands over Wyatt. Beams of light shone down on Wyatt just as Leo opened the door and he, Paige and Dawn entered.
The demon looked up as he stopped what he was doing and shimmered out.
Leo headed for Wyatt's crib as Dawn headed for the spare crib that held Celia.
"What the hell is going on?!" Leo said angrily to Chris.
"Wait. I can explain," Chris said.
Leo and Dawn leaned into the cribs to check on Wyatt and Celia. Both were apparently were fine.
"What was he doing?" Paige asked urgently.
"Nothing," Chris said. "I mean, nothing bad. I swear."
"Nothing bad?" Dawn said as she spun angrily at Chris. "He's a demon."
"But he wasn't hurting Wyatt or Celia. I promise. Neither of their shields were even up."
"Buffy and I trusted you. We both vouched for you," Leo bit out angrily.
"Look, just let me explain," Chris said.
"Get out of here," Leo growled.
"Leo's right," Dawn spat. "Get out."
Chris turned to look at Paige. "Paige, please."
Leo took a threatening step toward Chris. "NOW!"
Chris looked at Leo as Dawn stepped beside her brother-in-law. Feeling their anger and knowing it won't do any good to explain further, he orbed out.
Paige looked at the cribs. "Are they okay?"
Leo and Dawn moved back to the cribs as they ran a comforting hand over Wyatt and Celia.
"Yeah, I think so," Leo said. "Listen, I'm gonna take them both up there, where it's safe. Do one of you mind –"
"I'll get Phoebe," Dawn said. "Paige, get your students. Were are going to solve this now."
Paige nodded in agreement.
Leo picked up Wyatt as Dawn picked up Celia and hand her to Leo. And Leo orbed out.
Dawn shimmered out and into the Great Hall of magic school. "Gideon? Where did you send Phoebe?"
Gideon sighed and gave Dawn directions as she shimmered out.
In a cave somewhere inside Magic School, Phoebe fell to the ground. "Ow. Oh," she said as she checked a cut on her should as she sat up. "You didn't tell me I could get hurt on this vision quest."
"You didn't ask," said a shaman that sat across from Phoebe. "The vision is of your future, Phoebe. It's no less real than anything else."
"And no less dangerous. Great," Phoebe said with a sigh. "More demons in my future. It's exactly what I wanted."
"But are there any more beyond the light? That's what you really want to see, isn't it?"
Just then Dawn shimmered into the cave behind the shaman. "Pheebs, there you are. Are you ok?" she asked as she noticed the cut. "What happened? The horseman?"
Phoebe shook her head. "No, uh ... my inner demons, apparently."
"Well, it's good to see at least you have your head, unlike Buffy and Piper," Dawn said.
"What?" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah," Dawn said. "The horseman got them, but you know, they're doing pretty good, considering the circumstances. Anyway, you really should get out of here before, you know, you get chopped. Especially since its attacking us, and only Paige was a teacher."
Phoebe thought about it for a moment and then shook her head. "I think I should stay here."
"Why?" Dawn wondered.
"Because Gideon put me on this path for a reason," Phoebe said. "And I believe that there are answers here. I'll be ok. And you know where to find me if you need me."
"Ok, but ... remember that she's a suspect, too," Dawn said as she nodded toward the shaman and then she shimmered out.
At the manor Buffy and Piper heard the door leading to magic school open and they strained their eyes to see who was coming.
"What's that? Who is that?" Piper asked.
Paige stood on the stairs in front of the open door as students file out. "Don't worry, it's just me, and some of the more unusual suspects."
"Wait, you think one of us is responsible?" Zachary, one of the students asked.
"You didn't know she thought that?" Slick, another student, mocked. "What kind of telepath are you, anyway?" He slapped Zachary on the back of the head.
"Stop picking on me!" Zachary said annoyed.
"Yeah? Or what?" Slick asked.
"All right, guys, knock it off," Paige said. "You're in my house."
Herman looked around at the room they were in. "The Halliwell Manor. I don't believe it. It's just like in the texts."
Buffy glanced out of the corner of her eye at Piper. "Our house is in their textbooks?"
Piper sighed. "Sounds like it."
"It looks like my grandma's house," Quentin said.
"All right, all right, move it along, people. Let's go. Other room," Paige said as she closed the door and led them into the conservatory. "All right, is everybody here?"
"Yes, ma'am," Herman said.
Quentin pretended to have a coughing fit as he said. "Kiss-ass.
"Hey!" Piper said. "Watch your mouth!"
"Whoa, it's Piper and Payson Halliwell," Herman said as he saw Piper and Buffy's heads.
"Yeah, but only part of them," Slick said. "And not the good part, either.
"Slick," Paige warned.
"Can it," Piper said firmly just as Dawn shimmered in.
"This them?" Dawn asked as Paige nodded.
"Ok. Here's the deal, people," Paige said. "We know that one of you is behind this. So nobody is gonna leave here until we figure out who it is."
The students let out a groan.
"So far, nobody has gotten killed," Dawn said.
"Not yet, anyway," Piper said.
Dawn looked toward Buffy. "And no one will …"
"And so far this has just been a really stupid prank," Paige added. "So please, let's not let it go any further than that."
"Is Gideon gonna shut down the school?" Zachary asked.
Paige shook her head. "Not unless he's forced to."
"Why don't you start with the conjurer?" Quentin asked.
"Me?" Herman said. "What about you, Quentin? You're the Sleepy Hollow buff."
Zachary nodded. "Yeah, but Slick's the shapeshifter."
"Hey!" Slick said. "Screw you, Zachary."
"You guys," Buffy said, "stop it. This gets us nowhere."
Paige turned around and saw Chris standing in the doorway to the kitchen. He motioned to her as she nudged Dawn and whispered in her ear. "Go see what he wants."
Dawn nodded as she turned and walked into the kitchen with Chris.
"Seriously, why don't you just admit that you did it?" Quentin asked.
"I would never do anything to harm A Charmed One," Herman said.
"You're passing the blame like it's going out of style," Quentin said.
"Who you talking about passing the blame?" Zachary asked.
"I'm not talking to you!" Quentin said.
"Hey!" Piper said as she whistled loudly enough to get their attention.
In the kitchen Dawn frowned as she looked at Chris. "What are you doing here, Chris?"
"I need either yours or Paige's help," Chris said.
"Our help?" Dawn said. "That's rich, with what you pulled. Listen, there are enough juvenile delinquents for Paige and I to take care of, thanks."
"Hey, please," Chris said. "Just hear me out. I'm running out of time."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Dawn asked.
"Exactly that," Chris said. "Don't you see? That's the only reason why I went to the demon. He can scan for evil, and maybe figure out who's gonna turn Wyatt, since we haven't been able to."
"So you risk hurting my nephew and mine and Buffy's daughter," Dawn said. "Seriously, you're not making any sense."
Chris sighed. "Dawn, listen to me. I need you to trust me. And I need you to get Piper and Leo to trust me, too," he said as he looked at Dawn earnestly. "Before it's too late."
The moment is interrupted by shrieks coming from the next room.
"The Horseman!"
"Paige! Behind you!" yelled Piper and Buffy.
Dawn ran out of the kitchen followed by Chris and into the conservatory. "What happened?" she asked. They are just in time to see the horseman swing at Paige.
Chris grabbed Paige and pulled her down under the sword, getting her safely away as the horseman missed.
With a mighty swirl of his sword, the horseman headed for the Conservatory doors. The outer doors magically opened and the horseman rode out into the back yard and the doors closed behind him.
"Everyone all right?" Paige asked as she and Chris stood up.
"Are you all right?" Dawn asked Paige who nodded.
"I think so," Herman said.
"Head count," Buffy ordered. "No jokes, just do it."
"What are you doing here?" Piper asked as she spotted Chris.
"Just trying to help," Chris said.
Paige counted the students and let out a sigh of relief. "They're all here."
Moments later Gideon walked through the door. "I heard the alarm," he said. "What's this doing open?"
"One of the students must have opened it without my seeing," Paige said.
"And the Horseman?"
"Gone ... out those doors," Chris said as he pointed at the convervatory doors.
Gideon took a deep breath. "You have to stop him."
"Ok, well, we have to figure out—" Paige started.
"Wait, Paige," Dawn said. "Why do we have to stop him. Won't he disappear?"
Gideon shook his head. "Inside the school yes as whoever conjured him would release the spell. Out here, the likelyhood is no. Out here he is no longer controlled. He is free to do whatever. And people on the outside aren't protected like we are at school. They'll die."
"Then we need Phoebe," Paige said.
"I'm on it," Dawn said as she shimmered out.
"But you can't wait for her," Gideon said. "You have to go after the horseman now."
Paige scoffed. "By myself? No. I can't vanquish him."
"You don't have to," Gideon said. "All you have to do is lead him back to the school so that at least nobody will be killed." Paige nodded. "Don't let your concerns about Richard make you question yourself. You can do this. I'll help you." He held out his hand as Paige took it. He looked at Chris. "Make sure none of them leave." And then he and Paige orbed out.
Slick took a step out of the Conservatory.
"Ah, ah, ah," Chris said. "Where are you going?"
Slick looked at Chris incredulously.
"Don't give him that look," Piper said. "He can kick your butt. Plus Buffy and I still got a mouth. We could turn you into a toad."
Slick contemplated both possibilities.
Sometime later Paige and Gideon returned. "I just don't understand why the horseman targeted him," she said. "I mean, and why did he pass up so many others along the way?"
"Granted, it could have been a lot worse, but it doesn't change my mind," Gideon said.
"The police said he was a killer, Gideon," Paige said.
"Doesn't make it right," Gideon replied.
Paige sighed. "No, it doesn't make it right, but you shouldn't shut down the school because of it. We have the horseman contained. Now we just need to find—"
"It's too late," Gideon interrupted. "The damage has already been done. When I started this school, I made a promise that the magic within would never harm a soul. Otherwise ..."
Suddenly a toad ribbits drawing Paige and Gideon's attention to the students staring at a toad on the ground.
"Piper, Buffy you both ok?" Paige asked.
"We're both hunky-dory," Piper said.
Paige looked at Gideon. "You. Come with me." She stopped and looked at Piper and Buffy. "Where's Chris?"
"Against Piper's objections," Buffy said. "He's upstairs looking for a spell that might find which of these students is the culprit."
"Why where is Dawn and Phoebe?" Paige asked.
"They haven't come home yet," Piper said as Paige pulled Gideon out of the room.
The toad ribbits one more time and then with a poof of white smoke it changes back into Slick.
Buffy cleared her throat. "Next time, Piper and I give you warts."
Slick glared at Piper and Buffy and then promptly froze.
"Hey?" Piper asked. "Who did that?" She and Buffy looked around at the kids, but everyone appeared frozen. Then they saw him. "Where did you come from?"
He reached up and grabbed Piper and Buffy by the hair and placed them both in a bag.
"Paige!" Buffy and Piper yelled.
Leo rushed into the room to find Buffy and Piper missing. Gideon ran into the sitting room to check on the doorway. Leo walked around the room checking each of the students.
"Piper? Buffy?" Paige said as she stared at the cabinet top. "Oh, my god. Piper? Buffy?"
"The door's still closed," Gideon said.
"Chris!" Paige said as Chris orbed in. "Get Dawn and Phoebe, now!"
Chris orbed out.
"The kids are frozen," Leo said.
"Piper must have done that," Gideon said.
Paige shook her head. "Without hands? I don't think so."
"Someone from the outside?" Leo asked.
Paige shook her head. "It's impossible. We got here too fast. It had to be one of them."
"The students?" Gideon said. "No. They don't possess that kind of power. Besides, they're frozen."
"Then one of them's faking it," Paige said.
In the cave in magic school Dawn watched Phoebe as Chris orbed in. "What's taking you so long?" he asked.
"Phoebe is adamant about finishing this," Dawn said. "I felt it better to stay here and wait. At least that way she would be protected by someone with an active power."
"Ah," Chris said as he and Dawn turned and looked at Phoebe who was in the middle of her vision quest. "We need to get her out of it though. Buffy and Piper's heads have been taken."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 - 0
Inside Phoebe's vision she walked into the Conservatory. She felt herself becoming real and gasped. She looked around and saw two small children, a boy and a girl sitting in the center of the room on blankets surrounded by toys.
The little boy and girl look up at an older boy and girl standing next them. Both of them playing a handheld video game.
Just at that moment Piper and Dawn walked into the room. "Wyatt, let your little brother play with the game, too, please."
"Celia, honey," Dawn said. "You let your little sister have a turn."
"Little brother? Little sister?" Phoebe wondered as Paige walked into the room wearing black robes.
"Hey, Piper or Dawn, can one of you take Phoebe to the doctor, instead? I have so many papers to grade. Thank you," Paige said as walked out.
"The doctor?" Phoebe asked.
Dawn smiled. "Yeah. We need to make sure our little niece is doing ok."
Phoebe looked down at her own belly and noticed that she was extremely pregnant. She pulled her blouse up and touched her belly.
"Mama Dawn," Celia said drawing Phoebe's attention to her.
"Mama Dawn?" Phoebe asked. "Why is Celia calling you mama Dawn?"
Dawn laughed. "Did you get a bump on your head, Pheebs? She's called me that since she was old enough to talk, after Buffy and I announced we were in love."
Phoebe's eyes went wide. "In love …?"
"Phoebe ..." Dawn and the little brother said at the same time as Phoebe looked at them. "... we need your help."
Phoebe stared at them as her eyes went wide in realization.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 - 0
"Phoebe, can you hear me?" Dawn asked. "We need your help."
Phoebe slowly looked at her sister and Chris.
"You ok?" Chris asked.
"Uh ... I don't know," Phoebe said as she looked at the shaman. "Am I ...?"
"You tell me," the shaman said. "What'd you see?"
"Uh ... I saw children ... and my child ... and a life without demons. Is that even possible?" Phoebe said.
The shaman smiled. "With your powers, you know by now what is truth and what is not. Embrace those powers again. Embrace your path, and it will lead you there."
"You don't know how much you've given me," Phoebe said.
"You should go," the shaman said. "So you can use your powers to help us save our school."
Phoebe turned around and looked at Chris and her sister. Chris took their hands and orbed out and into the manor.
"Dawn, Phoebe, I'm so glad to see you two. I was worried," Paige said.
"Still haven't found Piper or Buffy," Dawn asked as Paige and Leo looked at her. "Chris filled me in while we were waiting for Phoebe's vision quest to end."
"We figure their both here somewhere," Paige said.
"Well, if one of the students took her, I can't sense which one it is," Gideon said.
Phoebe stepped forward. "Maybe I can," she said as she looked to Gideon. "Thanks to your wolf." She walked towards the students. "I can sense ... pain ... and anger, a lot of anger. Wants revenge." She turned around to look at Paige, Dawn and Gideon. "Do any of them hate the high school?"
"Honey, they're teenagers," Dawn said. "They all hate the school."
"But he's a conjuror," Paige said as she pointed at Herman.
Phoebe turned around and focused on Herman. "No. It's not him." She looked at Zachary. "But who's this guy?"
"A telepath," Paige said.
Phoebe focused on Zachary. "Yeah. He's telepathing a whole lot of rage right now."
Suddenly Zachary moved. "Well, look who just solved the case."
Gideon frowned. "Zachary?"
"Surprise," Zachary said as he vanished.
"What happened? Where did he go?" Chris asked.
"That wasn't Zachary," Leo said. "That was an astral projection."
"He doesn't have that power," Gideon said.
"No. But a teacher here does. And Herman's a conjuror, and Piper can freeze," Paige said. "And if he tapped into Buffy, he could see what each of us was doing and know when best to attack." She looked at Gideon. "Buffy like Phoebe gets premonitions."
"He's using his telepathy to tap into other people's powers," Dawn said. "Just like Phoebe can channel other powers through her empathy."
"Where's the real Zachary?" Leo asked.
"He's at school. With Piper and Buffy," Paige said.
"But why? What does he want with them?" Chris asked.
Moments later Phoebe, Paige and Dawn entered the Great Hall. "You don't think he'll kill them, do you?" Paige asked.
Phoebe glanced toward Dawn wondering if Buffy and Dawn had already recognized their feelings for each other. She looked back at Paige. "You know what? I have no idea."
Behind them, the headless horseman materialized and galloped toward them.
"He's just a kid. I just hope he's not luring us here," Paige said.
The horse neighed and reared up as Paige slowly turned around to find the horse right in front of them. They duck as the horseman swung his sword. But they're too late and their heads fall away from the bodies and land on the floor. The horseman then vanished leaving the heads where they lay.
In front of them, Piper and Buffy stared down at them from their perch on the Hall table.
Zachary walked up to the table behind Piper and Buffy and looked at them accusingly. "You two made me do this, you know? I didn't have a choice." He turned and walked away.
Piper and Buffy turned their attention to their sisters' heads. "So ... now what are you guys gonna do?" Piper asked.
Moments later Zachery returned and placed Paige, Dawn and Phoebe's heads on the table next to Piper and Buffy before leaving again.
"So ... who's bright idea was this, anyway?" Piper wondered.
"We were trying to save the two of you," Dawn said.
"Yeah? Good job on that one," Piper said sarcastically.
"And who went and got her head stolen?" Phoebe asked.
"While you were off contemplating your navel, while you still had one—" Piper said.
"Guys, we are not getting anywhere arguing," Buffy said with a sigh.
"Actually, we're not getting anywhere because we don't have any bodies," Piper said.
"Ok, look, we said we were sorry," Dawn said.
"Can we try looking on the bright side?" Paige said. "I mean, you know, we're still alive."
"Only 'cause Zachary can't kill us in here," Piper said.
Paige shook her head. "I don't think he would if he could. I mean, he practically apologized to us."
"I think she's right, actually," Phoebe said. "I didn't sense any anger from him, just a lot of sorrow."
"So, what?" Piper asked. "He did this to us just to get us out of the way? To do what?"
"To get revenge on the school," Dawn said. "And Gideon."
They gave their situation some thought and they slowly came up with a plan.
"Do you think this spell's gonna work?" Paige asked.
"Well, now that we know who conjured the horseman, it should," Piper said.
"We won't know until we summon him, so let's just put our heads together and—" Phoebe paused as she muttered. "—you know what I mean, right?"
They each closed their eyes and then suddenly Buffy's eyes went wide. "Shut up!"
"Buffy," Dawn said as she opened her eyes.
"I can hear all your thoughts," Buffy said. "Again! And I remember what a downer it was when that demon infected me with it. Unable to shut it off."
"Wait," Piper said. "What if your power is expanding. It would make sense since Phoebe's premonition power expanded into empathy that yours might expand into telepathy. Which means eventually you will be able to control it."
"It makes sense," Phoebe said. "Concentrate, channel it."
Buffy closed her eyes and concentrated and the horseman appeared and started galloping toward them.
"Ok, now!" Phoebe said. "Now! Now!"
"Power of five, unite," they chanted. "To end this grisly fright. Reverse the roles, and make us whole."
The horseman glowed and exploded. When the smoke cleared they were once again whole.
"Unh. Thank god it worked," Paige said.
So happy to have her body back, Phoebe started patting her body checking to see that all of her is there. "Oh. Aw."
Paige and Dawn amused by what Phoebe was doing watched her for a second.
"You want us to get you a room?" Paige asked.
~Not now, Paige.~ came Buffy's thought. ~Hey I seem to already be getting the hang of this.~
"You wouldn't have been," Piper said as she and Buffy walked into the Great Hall, "given the power if you couldn't. I think that's the different between this one and the one you got when you were infected. That one wasn't natural. It was a demon's power. One you had no way of controlling. This one you can control. Now let's go."
Phoebe scrambled to her feet and helped Paige and Dawn up.
In the convervatory Gideon laid on his back on the floor, an athame held telekinetically at his throat. He glanced from the athame to Zachary. "Why take it out on others, Zachary?" he asked. "Why not just come after me?"
"'Cause I want you to suffer, Gideon," Zachary said. "Like you made me suffer ever since I got here. I want you to see your precious school destroyed, bit by bit."
"But that doesn't give you the right to kill an innocent," Gideon said.
"Are you scolding me now?" Zachary asked. "You gonna give me a demerit? That ... that wasn't supposed to happen. I just wanted the sisters out of the way. Horseman's only supposed to hurt evil."
"Evil? You think teachers are evil?" Gideon asked.
Zachary nodded. "They are when they keep me here against my wishes! And they take me away from my family, my home! Without even thinking about what I want!"
"Why didn't you come to me?" Gideon asked.
"I did! Damn it!" Zachary said. "Every time I snuck out. Every time I got in trouble. But you didn't care. You wouldn't listen."
~We're listening.~
Zachary whirled around looking for the source of the telepathic thought. He saw Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy and Dawn walk into the room. He put his other arm up to protect himself.
"It's ok," Paige said, quietly. "We're not gonna hurt you."
"We're here to help," Phoebe said.
"How'd you get out?" Zachary asked.
Piper smiled. "Magic. "
"See, sometimes it takes us away from our lives, as well," Paige said. "A lot more than we like it to."
"But it's who we are, whether we like it or not," Buffy said. "We can't change that, and neither can you."
"You have to accept it," Dawn said.
Paige stepped toward Zachary. "You have to realize this is not worth throwing your life away for." She took another step forward. "Just let it go." Zachary hesitated as he looked at Gideon. "That's it ... Easy ..."
Finally, Zachary lowered his arm, releasing the athame at Gideon's throat. The athame fell harmlessly to the floor.
"You ok?" Dawn asked as she and Buffy checked on Gideon.
Gideon nodded as he looked at Zachary. "Yes. I just guess I've been more ... invisible than I realized over the years."
That night Ziggy Marley was singing at on stage at Payson's P5. Paige and Phoebe joined Buffy, Dawn and Piper at the bar as the song ended.
"Hey, guys. Wasn't Ziggy Marley supposed to play here before?" Paige asked.
Buffy nodded. "Yeah. He had to reschedule."
"So, how's Zachary?" Dawn wondered.
"He's good," Paige said. "He's at home with his family now, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him back at magic school someday. I think he, um, I think he heard us. You know, about accepting himself."
"So, then, you're not gonna bind his powers?" Piper asked.
Paige shook her head. "No. He didn't want me to. But he gave me a good idea about maybe doing that for somebody else."
"Richard?" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah," Paige said. "You know, if he can't handle it, why should he have to? Maybe I can finally help him accept that."
"You're gonna make a really good teacher one day, Paige," Phoebe hinted.
Paige startled whirled and looked at Phoebe. "Teacher?" she asked.
Phoebe nodded. "Yes. In magic school. I saw it with my very own ... vision."
"Hmm. Well, I don't think she's gonna be teaching Wyatt any time soon," Piper said. "Suddenly, I'm more concerned about separating him from his family than raising him as an only child with only his cousin as a playmate."
"Actually he may not see much of Celia," Buffy said. "I'm going to enroll her. She's anything like me she is going to need all the help she can get in learning control of her powers. Speaking of which. I got this from Leo." She pulled out a potion. "It's a telepathy blocking potion."
"Are you sure," Piper asked.
Buffy nodded. "Some thoughts should just be private," she said. "It's like when we took the empathy blocking potion for Phoebe. I think for us, its what we need."
Piper nodded as she took a sip of the potion and then handed it to Paige who took a sip before handing it to Phoebe who also took a sip before handing it to Dawn.
Dawn smiled as she corked the vial and then told Buffy with her thoughts. She wanted her lover to be able to read her.
"Are you sure, Dawn?" Buffy asked.
Dawn nodded. "I'm sure."
At that moment Phoebe noticed Chris walk into the club and head quietly for the back room. She slipped off the stool and followed him.
"Where is she going?" Piper asked.
"Don't know," Buffy said as she smiled. "I can't read her mind."
Paige got up as Ziggy Marley began another song and she moved onto the dance floor.
"Piper," Dawn said, "I'd like to ask, can we have one more week? There is something I want to do with Buffy. Before you say anything, Piper. We're ready to tell them. That's not why I'm asking for the week. There is just one more thing I want to do first. Something I should have done before now."
Piper looked at Buffy and Dawn and nodded. "Sure. After everything the last couple weeks. I think we can get everyone together next week."
Dawn smiled as she and Buffy left. Outside and out of sight of everyone else Dawn took Buffy's hand and shimmered out and into their home across town.
Dawn moved over to her nightstand and picked up a book. She handed it to Buffy. "This is my diary, it was written during the time you were gone."
Buffy opened the pages and began to read them one by one. As she read each page she also heard Dawn's thoughts mentally reciting what was on each page.
"Dear Diary, I miss Buffy so much."
"Deary Diary, it's hard living day to day with Buffy gone."
"Deary Diary, if it wasn't for Celia, I would kill myself. I miss Buffy so much, all I want is to be with her."
Buffy stopped reading at that entry and looked toward her sister, her lover. "Kill yourself," she said with a shake of her head.
"I love you so much, when you were gone, it felt like a portion of me had died with you," Dawn explained. "It had been hard to live without you. The only thing that kept me going was Celia and my promise to live, for you. Read the next entry."
"Dear Diary, Buffy is home. Willow cast a personal gain spell. Of course I had to act like the personal gain spell was all wrong and everything. But I am happy, my soul once again feels complete. If I didn't know before, I know now. I'm in love with my sister, wholy and completely. I can't wait, Diary, till Buffy knows how I feel. I just hope she doesn't reject those feelings."
"As you know," Dawn said. "You didn't. Willow made me happy by bringing you back. You made me happy the day you said you loved me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, you are mine, Buffy. I couldn't ask for anyone better."
Buffy smiled as she looked at her sister and lover. She agreed she couldn't ask for anyone better either. "And we will spend the rest of our lives together, I promise, baby."
Dawn smiled as Buffy dropped her diary and she kissed her lover passionately.
At Payson's P5 in the back room Phoebe and Chris stood opposite each other.
"Hey," she said as Chris turned around to look at her.
"Hey," he said as he stared awkwardly at Phoebe. "So, did you come here to kick me out?"
Phoebe shook her head. "Uh, no, actually ... I came here to ask you a question."
"What?" Chris shrugged.
"I need you to be honest with me," Phoebe said. "No games. No running away. Just the truth."
Chris nodded slightly. "Ok."
"Are you Wyatt's little brother?" Phoebe asked after taking a deep breath.
Chris looked away from Phoebe for a moment contemplating his answer, then finally he gave in. "Only if I can get Piper and Leo back together in time."
Phoebe nodded. "And I have to ask you one more thing. Buffy and Dawn?"
Chris smiled. "It is their destiny. They know that the monks created Dawn to be loved by and in love with Buffy. They needed to form that connection, to ensure that Buffy would protect Dawn. But the Elders took it one step further. As you know Phoebe, Buffy is the one who sacrificed the most out of your sisters. She is the one who died to save the world, more than once. The Elders felt that Buffy should be rewarded for all of it. So they allowed the monks spell to work. So that Buffy would find love."
"With Dawn," Phoebe said and she smiled.
Author's Note: I can't believe it but I am several chapters ahead on this story, I haven't been ahead for sometime. The Buffy/Dawn pairing actually inspired me to see what changes just that alone might make to canon Buffy or Charmed. You will see in Normal Again the first change and then in Entropy and Seeing Red are more. Their not big changes but they are changes none the less. Right now I am sitting at three stories ahead and currently working on the fourth.