Charmed: The Faith Chronicles

by Brenna's Urbangirl Projects

Faith Lehane was born in Boston to a drunken mother and absentee father, or so she had believed for 17 years. Then she was called as the Slayer and things took a turn for the worse when she accidentally killed the Deputy Mayor. The Watcher's Council learns of the death and tries to return her to England. She manages to escape and in so doing finds out that she had been adopted

13. Chapter 12: All Hell Breaks Loose

Chapter 12: All Hell Breaks Loose

June 4, 2001 – Monday

Halliwell Manor

Prue, Piper, Faith and Phoebe rushed through the door of the manor right after they ushered Dr. Griffiths through the door.

"Okay." Piper nodded as she tried to sound convinced. "I think we made it."

"Right, yeah," Faith agreed. "I'm sure we made it."

Piper turned to Prue. "Do you think we made it?"

Prue frowned slightly. "I don't know."

Phoebe shut the door behind her before rushing over to the four of them. "I think he would've attacked by now if we hadn't."

"Who? Who would've attacked?" Dr. Griffiths huffed.

"Unfortunately," Faith grimaced a little. "We're not quite sure, but we are going to find out!"

Piper eyed her youngest sister. "We don't know who because Phoebe did not give us time to figure it out."

"Well, I didn't have a lot of time," Phoebe defended. "I mean, I can't control how far in the future my premonitions take place. I saw the attack, we kicked butt, what more do you want?"

"I would like to know more about who we are up against," Piper stated.

Faith nodded, "Ditto."

"Okay, Phoebe..." Prue quickly started delegating to end the bickering and get back to business. "Maybe you should check the Book of Shadows to see if you can find anything else on this demonic hit man, okay?"

The doctor balked at that. "Excuse me, demonic?"

"And how to vanquish him," Piper added. "That would be a good thing to know."

"Oh, and Aunt Phoebe?" Faith caught her attention as Phoebe started up the stairs. "Try not to get side tracked with the whole Cole potion." She sighed at the glare her youngest aunt was giving her at the mention of Cole, "Right now the only ones we are concerned about saving are ourselves."

"Ah, okay..." Prue watched Phoebe head up the stairs before turning to Faith. "What Cole potion?"

Faith rolled her eyes. "Cole told her that he only killed because some demon cast a spell on him."

Piper shook her head. "How naive is that?"

"I thought she was over him?" Prue asked.

"Apparently not," Piper countered.

"Aunt Phoebe is in love with him and we need to support her so she doesn't run off by herself and do something stupid," Faith said.

"What the hell are you three talking about?" the doctor loudly interjected as he turned his glare to Faith. "First you tell me my life's in danger Then you abduct me from my work, and now you're talking about demons and witches. Who the hell are you people?"

"Look, I know that this all sounds incredible, but it doesn't make it any less true." Prue kept her voice calm as she tried to reign him in. "Alright, you're a healer, you do good. Now either you have saved too many lives or you're about to save a life that they don't want you to save."

"They?"

"Yeah, demons. Uh, more specifically, Shax. He was the Source's assassin."

"Hold it, I get it." The girls all frowned as a smile spread across his face. "This is a practical joke, right? Do you have a hidden camera here? My second wife put you up to this?" He chuckled. "Ah, it's just like her."

"Okay, um, Dr. Griffiths, you gotta listen to us. This is anything but-" Faith stopped and looked at Prue worriedly when she grabbed her arm. "What?"

"I don't know, I just felt a chill." Prue's eyes snapped to the stairs. "Phoebe?!"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!"

Just then a tornado of wind twisted through the front door alerting the three remaining Halliwells as they called out for Phoebe. The tornado flew through the foyer and knocked the three women to the floor. A loud booming clap of thunder ripped through the air before the tornado subsided. Standing in its place was the tall, gray demon Shax. Gray long hair fell down his back and his unbuttoned shirt revealed his sickly pale-gray skin.

Dr. Griffiths was planted in his spot as fear overtook him. "Dear god."

"No!" Prue hurried up off the floor and pushed the Doctor out of the way.

Shax threw an aerokinetic blast at Prue. From the power and force of it she literally crashed straight through a wall and fell unconscious. Shocked, Piper and Faith helped each other up off the floor next only to be hit by another one of his aerokinetic blasts. The force of which sent them both crashing through a wall as well. The doctor went pale as Shax turned to him with a grim smile.

"What are you?"

"The end."

Before he could attack Phoebe rushed down the stairs with a piece of paper in her hands, "'Evil wind that blows, that which forms below-'" Cracks of thunder rocked through the house. "'No longer may you dwell-'" Shax groaned in pain as she continued. "'Death takes you with this spell.'"

Shax turned back into the wind before disappearing outside as he wailed in pain. Phoebe's face fell even more once she saw her sisters and her niece.

"Oh, no." When she rushed over to them and saw they were all unconscious and bleeding beside one another, panic filled her. "Oh, god. Leo! Leo!" Leo orbed in. "Hurry, it's bad."

Leo knelt down beside them and placed his left hand above Piper and his right hand above Faith to heal them. After a moment the blood disappeared and they were both completely healed. He then moved on to Prue who was a few feet away and the same happened to her. As they all woke up, they were all equally groaning in pain.

"Ugh..." Piper groaned. "What happened?"

"You guys almost died." Leo looked between them all with serious worry in his eyes. "That's what happened."

"Oh," Faith groaned as she got up. "I don't want to give Buffy a run for her money on the death department."

"Yeah," Piper agreed with her niece.

"Oh..." Prue's eyes swept through the room. "Where's Shax?"

"Well, I tried to use the vanquishing spell on him but I think it just wounded him. He turned into the wind," Phoebe informed them.

"Maybe the spell needs more than one witch to have its full impact. Okay, come on." Prue shuffled Piper forward. "We need to find him so we can finish him off while he's still hurt." She turned to Phoebe and Faith. "You two stay here with Griffiths. If Shax comes back, say the spell to fend him off, okay?"

Faith sighed as she, her aunt and Leo watched Prue and Piper hurry outside. She snuck a look to the doctor who was still standing stiffly in place with shock plain as day on his face.

Streets of San Francisco

"Maybe Phoebe hurt him worse than we thought."

"No, he's got to be around here somewhere," Prue countered as they ran down the street. "He wouldn't leave without getting what he came for."

"Do you really think he'd attack us in broad daylight? Evil is usually more insidious than that."

Prue shushed her as they came to a stop to listen for any sign of Shax. Abruptly the powerful tornado demon came up behind them. They gasped in surprise and turned around as Shax appeared. He threw an aerokinetic blast at them, but Prue deflected it back with her telekinetic power. It hit him but didn't harm him.

"Blow this!" Piper held out her hands and blew up Shax, making him disappear. "Okay, is he dead?"

"Well..." Uneasiness filled Prue's face. "We didn't really say the spell."

"Maybe we don't have to. We don't always," Piper huffed as she looked around for anyone on the street. "We're lucky nobody saw us."

"Alright, let's just get back to Phoebe and Faith." She motioned as she turned back toward the manor. "Come on."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Down the street, unbeknownst to Prue and Piper, a female reporter and a camera man had watched the whole ordeal go down. The woman immediately turned back to the camera.

"Back to me, back to me, back to me." The camera man hurriedly obeyed. "Okay, um, I'm not exactly sure what just happened, but whatever it was, you saw it here... live."

Halliwell Manor
Prue, Phoebe, Faith and the Doctor were all sitting on the cane chairs quietly. Piper walked in holding a glass of water, and handed it to the Doctor.

He hurriedly took a sip, "Thank you."

"Look, Dr. Griffiths, I know this is all really hard to take in. Believe me, I know, but..." Faith met his still shocked and wide eyes, "You do understand why you have to keep this a secret? Why you can't tell anyone about us, or about what you saw today?"

"If others knew, we wouldn't be able to do what we do anymore," Prue added. "We wouldn't be able to help future innocents like we helped you."

"No, no, I understand." He nodded stiffly before clearing his dry throat. "I mean, I don't understand everything." He shook his head. "Demons, witches, the Source. So much for being an atheist." He took a steadying breath and another drink of water before nodding again. "Your secret is safe with me."

Faith nodded in return. "Thank you."

"No, thank you. You saved my life. The least I can do is protect yours."

"Okay." Faith said as as she got up, "I'll walk you to the door, Doc."

As they left the room, Leo walked in, "How'd it go?"

Piper sighed, "We dodged another bullet."

"Yeah, with him maybe," Prue said.

Leo frowned at Prue, "What do you mean?"

"I don't know..." Prue frowned. "I mean, something still bothers me about the way that we vanquished Shax. Like, I'm not so sure we really did."

"What do you mean? He screamed, he went poof, just like they all do," Piper dismissed happily. "Third demon in a row, by the way, that I vanquished with my new power, but who's counting?"

"Right, but if that's all that we needed, then why was there a vanquishing spell in the book?" Prue countered as Faith came back into the room. "I mean, hasn't that always meant that our individual powers weren't enough?"

"Except the book was written by witches with less powers than you guys have," Leo explained. "They needed the spells."

"Not to mention, if he was still alive, he probably would've attacked us again by now," Faith agreed. "I get the sense he's not the type to leave behind any loose ends."

"Leo..." Prue still didn't look convinced as she turned to their Whitelighter. "Can you just check to make sure, please?" She motioned to the ceiling. "With the Elders?"

He nodded at her with a smile before orbing out. "No problem."

"If you ask me, I think you're being paranoid. We kicked Shax's ass." Piper smirked. "We bad!"

"Yeah..." Prue chuckled a little. "You're probably right."

"Then, um, I'm hoping you won't need me around here for a while," Phoebe said carefully as she looked at her sisters and niece. "I want to try a new potion on Cole. One that'll reverse the spell that turned him bad in the first place."

"Phoebe-" Piper started.

"I'm not looking for your approval, Piper, just your support." Phoebe interjected.

"Well, Phoebe..." Prue cocked an eyebrow. "It's sort of hard to give you support when you're just setting yourself up to get hurt again."

"Cole is good inside, I know it," Phoebe countered. "And if dark magic did this to him, then how come white magic can't save him? I can't just turn my back; I have to try."

"And we'll have your back, 100%, because that's what family is for." Faith said as she gave Piper and Prue a warning eye. "At least that's what you guys taught me since I came home." She turned to Phoebe. "What do you want us to do, Aunt Phoebe?"

"I want you to use the magic to magic spell to send me down there." Faith's brows lifted as Phoebe referred to the underworld and handed her a piece of paper. "I reworded it to make it work."

"Aunt Phoebe, that's—that's really dangerous." Faith shook her head. "What if something goes wrong? We won't have any way of contacting each other for help."

"I'll be safe, I'll be with Cole." Her answer had Faith regretting the fact that she agreed to help. "And he'll bring me back, so don't worry about that."

Prue once again gave her sister an unsure eyebrow raise. "You're banking a lot on that little potion of yours, you know."

"No, I'm not," Phoebe countered. "I'm banking on Cole."

Underworld

Cole was sleeping on some straw that was placed over a big boulder in a long black robe when Phoebe appeared beside him. She crouched down beside him and stroked his hair carefully.

"Cole, wake up."

"Phoebe..." At the sound of her voice and the feel of her touch he opened his eyes and quickly stood. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to bring you back."

In the beat of a second his hand was around her neck, "You just made a huge mistake."

Streets of San Francisco

Prue, Piper and Faith stood on the sidewalk. Prue was currently crouched down studying the ground.

"So?" Faith cocked an eyebrow. "Find anything, mom?"

Piper frowned. "What is there to find?"

"I don't know, sweetie..." Prue stood up with a frown of her own. "Something though."

"Well, demons don't usually leave footprints, remember?" Piper interjected.

"No, but sometimes they leave a residue when they've been vanquished," Prue said.

"Mom's right there," Faith agreed. "Vamps actually leave dust behind when they dust."

"Something otherwise innocuous," Prue continued as she put her hands on her hips. "Look, I just don't understand how we could vanquish such a powerful demon without a spell."

"Like Leo said, the book was made by witches that didn't have our power." Piper motioned, "There's a chance that we just didn't need one this time. And frankly I'm more worried about Phoebe than Shax. We shouldn't have let her go."

"Phoebe can take care of herself, Dr. Griffiths can't." Prue dismissed as they started walking up the street. "Look, I've had a bad feeling about this. I've had one all day. If there's one thing I've learned since becoming a witch, it's to trust those feelings."

As they walked past a little girl standing in front of her house Faith smiled and waved hi. The little girl's mother quickly hurried over to her daughter and quickly pulled her inside.

"Come on, sweetie." The mother tried to whisper but her voice carried to the three of them. "Stay away from them."

Prue glared, "Hey..."

"Uh..." Faith lifted her confused look from the mother and daughter to her mother and aunt. "That's new. What the hell?"

Summers Home

Buffy was trying weigh the options of which college she would attend. U.C. Sunnydale or Berkeley. She had gotten into both. On the one hand she would be close to the Hellmouth on a regular basis. On the other Faith wouldn't have to choose between her and Prue, Piper and Phoebe.

"Buffy," Joyce called from the kitchen. "Rupert is on the phone."

Buffy hurried into the kitchen and took the phone form her mother. "Thanks, mom," she said before turning her attention to the phone. "Giles?"

"Have you been watching the news, Buffy?" Giles informed the Slayer.

"No, why?" Buffy said as she looked at her mother.

"You better turn it on," Giles said. "Something has happened in San Francisco."

"Mom," Buffy said motioning toward the TV setting on the kitchen counter. "Turn on the news, please."

"Okay, sweetie," Joyce said as she hurriedly turned on the TV and flipped to a channel that showed the latest news. On the TV they saw footage of Prue and Piper vanquishing Shax.

Buffy went pale. "Oh, no." She handed her mother the phone and then disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames.

Halliwell Manor

Piper and Prue were in the kitchen with the TV on when Faith walked in. She looked at her mother. "Alright, well, at least Griffiths is in surgery, for now. No way Shax will attack him in there."

"Okay, but what do we do then?" Piper asked. "We can't protect him indefinitely."

"Well, if I'm right we won't have to," Prue answered as she crossed her arms. "I mean, Shax will attack sooner rather than later. We should go."

"No, we should wait for Leo," Piper stopped her. "To see what he found out, especially with Phoebe gone. I mean, what if we need the Power of Three?"

The phone rang distracting them all. "That's probably Griffiths." Faith hurriedly answered the phone but was met with panicked voice of Darryl instead of Griffiths. "No, Uncle Darryl, just wait, slow down, okay. What?"

"Have you seen the TV yet today? It's all over it!"

"What's all over it, Uncle Darryl?"

"Just turn on the TV, okay? I told the captain I would handle it."

Faith grabbed the remote and turned the channel to the news. What the three of them saw had them all going stiff with shock and fear. It seemed like every news station was playing footage of Prue and Piper vanquishing Shax.

"Oh good, you guys have seen it." They turned at the sound of the voice and found Buffy standing in the kitchen doorway. "Giles called me at home. Told me to turn on the news. Apparently, you guys have been exposed."

Piper squeaked. "Oh my god!"

"Faith?" Darryl called out when he was met with silence and gasping. "Faith, are you there?"

Buffy walked over to the TV and quickly turned the volume up as the newswoman, Elana, was shown walking down the street. "Here we are approaching the home of where they allegedly live."

Fire blazed in Prue's eyes. "Oh!"

Faith dropped the phone and covered her mouth in shock as the woman walked up to stand in front of the manor.

"Prue, Piper and Phoebe Halliwell. And Prue's daughter, Patricia Halliwell. And you're going to meet them live right here on KCSF."

"Holy crap," Faith balked. "Holy freakin' crap."

Piper's face mirrored her niece's. "What are we going to do?"

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

It didn't take long for dozens of cameramen, reporters and the general population to crowd outside around the manor and on the sidewalk. When Darryl pulled up in his squad car and got out reporters raced over to him.

"Have you come to arrest them?" The first reporter asked before shoving a recorder in his face. "Do you consider them dangerous?"

"No comment." He pushed past them as he headed for the stairs but they all followed. "I said no comment."

Darryl walked up the porch stairs where the news reporter Elana was waiting beside a young blonde named Alice.

"Hey, hey, I can help. I know who they are, I know what they are." Alice beamed, "They're witches just like me. Just like I am."

"Yeah." Darryl brushed her off as approached the door and pulled out his cell to dial the manor phone. "Faith, I'm at the door, open it up."

Elana smiled at him. "Would you like to make a statement?"

He brushed her off next as Faith opened the door. "I said no comment."

Elana shuffled closer to the door. "Miss Halliwell-"

"No comment," Faith snapped. "And get off our property before we have the Inspector arrest you for trespassing." She slammed the door in Elana's face as soon as Darryl was inside.

"Isn't Faith right. Isn't that illegal?" Piper asked Darryl as she, Prue and Buffy walked into the foyer. "Can't you do something about that?"

"Hey, killing somebody on live TV is pretty illegal too, you know," Darryl replied.

"We didn't kill somebody, Darryl." Piper rolled her eyes, "It was a demon."

"And we're pretty sure we didn't kill him anyway," Prue added.

"Do you want to try telling them that?" At four women glared at him and he took a breath, "Look, I've called for backup, but that's not going to help for long. This thing's going to get ugly fast."

Faith grumbled. "Like that isn't already happening. If this doesn't blow over soon, Buffy and I won't be able to plan our wedding, because there won't be one."

"Wedding?" Darryl said looking at Faith with a raised eyebrow. She lifted her hand to show him her engagement ring. He smiled at Buffy and Faith. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Buffy said.

Piper sighed. "We shouldn't have followed Shax into the street," she said bringing the topic back to their current dilemma.

"There was no other choice, Aunt Piper," Faith countered.

"Oh, wasn't there?"

"Yeah, we could have let him kill our innocent," Faith huffed as she put her hands on her hips.

"Alright, you know what?" Prue waved her hands between her sister and her daughter. "Let's not let this thing get between us, okay? We have enough problems as it is, please."

"More than you know," Darryl grumbled next. "The captain wants me to bring you in for questioning." He looked at Buffy. "Including you."

"Right, Darryl, and what do we tell him? The truth?" Prue questioned.

"Why me?" Buffy asked.

"You could be considered a material witness, Buffy," Darryl answered. "After all you've been seen with Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Faith enough over the last three months that…Anyways what are you going to tell them?" He motioned to the people outside before answering his shrill ringing phone and walking into another room. "Captain?"

"You know..." Prue turned to her sisters, her daughter and future daughter-in-law, her patience wearing thin. "Maybe when Phoebe's done saving Cole, she can come back and save us?"

Leo orbed in just then but his grim face didn't offer any relief.

"Hello, Leo." Piper offered him a strained smile, "Nice of you to orb in. Where have you been?"

"Trying to figure out how to get you out of this mess," Leo answered. "It's pretty big news up there."

"Well, in case you hadn't noticed..." Prue angrily motioned outside. "It's pretty big news down here too. Any suggestions?"

"No..." He let out a tense breath. "We're still working on it."

"Oh, well, by all means..." Faith scoffed. "Tell them to take their time. No pressure or anything."

"I probably ought to call mom and Giles," Buffy said as she pulled out her cell phone. "Let them know what's going on." She turned and walked out of the room.

"Well... they're not the ones that screwed up," Leo told his niece.

"Excuse me? Screwed up?" That statement had Piper whirling around on her husband. "Prue, Phoebe and I have been busting our wiccan butts for three years without getting caught."

"I've been doing it for a year," Faith added. "And Buffy has been doing it for three years also."

"Don't we get credit for that?" Piper finished.

"You all have been exposed." Leo grimly shook his head. "And by association so has Buffy and Faith and by association with them so has everyone in Sunnydale associated with them. If we can't fix this it could undermine all the good that you all have done and all the good that you all are still destined to do."

"Well, maybe this is our destiny," Piper countered. "Maybe it's just not meant to be."

Leo frowned. "You don't believe that."

"Don't I?"

"I don't." Prue interjected.

"I can see where Aunt Piper is coming from," Faith admitted. "Just look at my life. Yes, its turning around now, but there has been plenty of tragedy also."

"Look, this whole year has just been a series of tests, right?" Prue continued looking at her sister and daughter. "Including what you and Buffy have both been through, Faith. To see what we're made of. Well, maybe this is one more test. Which means we can't give up, alright?" She met the eyes of Piper and Faith.

Faith nodded. "I agree with you, mom. I'm just stating that I can see where Aunt Piper is coming from. I'm with you, mom. I agree we need to fix this, I for one don't want to the wonderful gifts I've been given, just because we were exposed."

Prue smiled at Faith and then she turned and looked at Piper and she could see her sister didn't look too sure. "So, while the Elders are figuring out what we're supposed to do, we still have work to do, okay?"

"Agreed," Buffy said as she walked back into the room. "Which means we need to catch your innocent before the demon can."

Prue turned to Leo expectantly. "Unless you know something we don't?"

"No, you're right, your powers aren't enough to vanquish him. You'll need you, Piper and Phoebe to say the spell," Leo answered.

"Yeah, well, we only have two of us." Prue rolled her eyes at his questioning look. "Don't ask. Orb us to the hospital."

"I can't," Leo countered. "The Elders won't let me. They don't want to risk exposing Whitelighters too." He turned and looked at Buffy. "That extends to you as well, Buffy. While your power is different than mine. Their afraid…"

"Even though my power is more of demonic variety of teleportation. That if I flame somewhere. That it could be linked to you," Buffy said. "I kind of figured once I got here that I was grounded for now. But I would rather be grounded with Faith than separated unable to help in Sunnydale."

As Darryl walked back in Piper nearly growled at the ceiling, "Cowards!"

"Fine." Prue glared just as irritated. "We'll just save him without your guys' help. Let's go."

"Whoa, Prue, Prue." Darryl stopped the eldest Halliwell. "Even if you can save your innocent, that still doesn't save yourselves."

"Yeah, I know that, Darryl, but first things first, alright? Try and buy us as much time as possible with your captain as you can." Prue turned to Leo, "And you, why don't you get back up there and White light a fire underneath your bosses butts."

Faith, Prue, Piper and Buffy all exited through the back door. As they came down the driveway they were spotted by Alice. "Hey!" She yelled out as she tried to run over, "I need to talk to you!"

The four women hurriedly ran to Prue's car and quickly got in just as Elana spotted them and raced over. "Miss. Halliwell—"

"Don't leave. Don't leave!" Alice jumped up and down as she waved her arms in an attempt to get their attention, "Please take me!" She groaned as they drove off without her. "Come on..."

Underworld

Phoebe kicked Cole off of her and he fell into a pile of straw.

A chuckle left him as he met her eyes. "You're not an easy girl to dump."

"Yeah, well, I didn't risk everything to come down here and not get what I came for."

"Well, you can't have me." Cole sat up. "Not anymore."

"I can if I reverse the spell that took you away from me."

"We've already had this conversation, Phoebe. Even if you could reverse it, it doesn't change the fact that I—"

"That you killed a witch." Disdain laced her voice and face, "Yeah, I know, Cole, but you didn't do it willingly and that's the difference. Besides if Faith can come back from killing someone, so can you." She stood her ground as he stood up. "Which means you can have a second chance just like she did. It means we can have a second chance."

"I already had a second chance and I blew it." He once again grabbed her painfully around the neck, "Now, this is your last chance, understand? No more games. Go home. You can't save me."

Phoebe reached in her bag, pulled out a potion and smashed it on his back, "You wanna bet?" Cole staggered back as he groaned, "Pretty cool potion, huh?" After a look of confusion filled his face, he reached out towards her as if to grab her, but then pulled her in and kissed her passionately, "Let's get out of here."

Cole frowned, "Where?"

"What do you mean where? Home. Back to my place."

"You really think they're just going to let me go? That they're not going to come looking for me again?"

"We'll fight 'em off."

"For how long? Indefinitely?" Cole shook his head sadly, "Phoebe, we tried it up there... It doesn't work for us."

Heartbreak filled the youngest Halliwell's face, "So where does that leave us?"

"Right where we are."

San Francisco Memorial Hospital

As Dr. Griffiths came out of a surgical room, he threw his surgeon cap in a hamper and walked over to the reception desk. The receptionist promptly handed him the phone. Before he could answer it; Faith, Buffy, Prue and Piper raced up to him.

"Hi!" Faith took the phone and sat it down. "He's still after you so we got to motor, Doc."

Prue pulled him away from the desk, "Let's go."

As the girls rushed him outside and toward Prue's car he looked at the girls in confusion. "I thought you said you got rid of this thing."

"Yeah, well..." Prue grumbled. "We don't think that anymore, okay?"

"Where are we going?"

"Just somewhere safe."

"Look, I'm not cut out—"

Buffy and Faith hopped into the backseat and Prue nearly pushed him next to them before he could even finish his sentence. "Get in the car."

As they got in the car, Elana and her cameraman pulled up nearby. A strong wind pushed Dr. Griffiths out of the car and onto the grass. A woman screamed in the background when that wind turned into Shax. The news crew readied their equipment as the girls rushed out of the car.

The Prue and Piper gathered together to read the spell as Buffy and Faith moved to flank Dr. Griffiths. "'Evil wind that blows, that which forms below, no longer may you swell, death takes you with this spell,'" the Halliwell sisters chanted.

With a loud groan of pain Shax blew up and disappeared. All of the people watching gasped and let out a scream.

Piper nodded in triumph. "Now that was a vanquish."

"We've been exposed even more," Buffy said as the crowd gathered around them, clapping and cheering. She along with Faith, Prue and Piper looked around and noticed Elana and her cameraman filming them. They both had big grins on their faces.

"Oh crap," Faith groaned. "Guess we're going to be on freakin' News at Eleven."

Prue groaned as well. "Oh, that's bad."

Halliwell Manor

There were now hundreds of people standing outside. Some were even holding cardboard signs. There were dozens of cameramen and news reporters hoping to get a shot of the girls. A helicopter flew above them filming the chaos of the street. Police were busy all around as they tried to get the crowd under control.

"Prue, Piper, Patricia, I'm one of you!" Alice yelled from the top of a van. "I'm the only one who understands! I can help. Hey! Prue! Piper! Patricia!"

Buffy, Prue, Piper and Faith were gathered in the kitchen where Piper was looking through sheets of paper.

"Get those idiots off the driveway," Darryl commanded on his radio as he walked inside. "Get them back behind the tape."

"Alright, what I can't figure out is how they knew that we were at the hospital." Prue shook her head in confusion. "I—I mean, they didn't follow us."

"Reporter probably low jacked your car..." Darryl answered. "And then followed you."

"Wow. You know, I would say we shouldn't be surprised but there's not exactly a rule book for being exposed!" Faith waved her hands erratically in the air. "I really hope Aunt Phoebe's doing better down there than we are up here!"

"Look at all these interview requests we're getting," Piper scoffed as she sifted through the papers from the fax machine. "Ted Coppell, Time Magazine, Jerry Springer..." Her brows furrowed, "Sports Illustrated?"

"Yeah..." Darryl chuckled. "They probably want you for the swimsuit edition." The four of them gave him such a dirty look it had him clearing his throat. "Just kidding."

"You know what? This is a nightmare. Where is Leo?" Prue's attention was taken when she saw Dr. Griffiths on the TV. "Uh, guys?" They all turned to the TV as she pointed. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Your innocent," Buffy replied as she grabbed the remote and turned up the volume in hopes that he wasn't making things worse.

"And then one of them said they needed a vanquishing spell."

Faith scoffed. "Unbelievable!"

"She ran upstairs to get some book." Piper gasped in offense. "I don't know, some witch-type book, I guess. Something that told them how to kill that demon."

"Oh, so much for keeping our secret." Piper waved at the TV. "Turn him off."

Buffy changed the channel and a woman showed up on the screen.

"The sisters were always a little strange if you ask me. I know for a fact that Prue once cast a spell to make my boyfriend break up with me. Evil."

Faith studied the woman in confusion. "Who the hell is that?"

"Susie Johnson from tenth grade!" Prue squeaked. "They're interviewing her?!"

"Huh..." Piper mused. "I always wondered why they broke up."

Prue lightly hit Piper in the arm. "Not funny, not funny. Ooh! Leo!" The girls followed her into the conservatory as she continued yelling, "Leo! Leo! Leo!" When he finally orbed in, she took a breath and stopped. "Alright, this thing has to end now, okay? The media is turning it into a freakin' circus."

"Now you know why the Elders have always been highly concerned about exposure."

"Okey-dokey, now we know," Piper dismissed. "Do they have any solutions or not?"

"One, but it's a long shot." He paused as he looked at all four of them. "You have to try and contact Tempus."

"Who is Tempus?" Buffy questioned.

"Uh, Tempus?" Prue went pale as her throat dried up, "T- Tempus, the demon?"

The Piper and Prue exchanged shocked looks at his nod.

"You want us to summon a demon?" Faith asked looking at her uncle like he'd lost his mind.

"He's the only one on the other side who has the power to manipulate time," Leo answered. "To reset everything before this all started."

"Okay, you're, you're definitely right..." Prue scoffed. "That—that qualifies as a long shot. A long shot that we don't have. We vanquished him."

"No, you defeated him. You didn't vanquish him. But that's not the real problem. The real trick is trying to contact him. He's an upper level demon who's well insulated."

"And why would he want to help us?" Piper crossed her arms, "I mean, we can't make a move without the whole world tuning in to watch. We're basically powerless. Why would he want to change that?"

Suddenly, Alice burst through the conservatory door making them all jump in surprise. "Cool!" She grinned, "I made it!"

Piper's eyes went wide with incredulous anger. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Alice, Alice Hicks." She beamed at them, "I've been trying to contact you. I want to join your coven."

Faith glared. "Are you insane lady?"

"This is our home!" Prue angrily stepped forward and used her power to fling Alice back outside, "Get out of here!"

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

After collecting herself Alice stood up and hurried down the driveway. Elana hurried over to her once she noticed the upset woman. "What happened? What did they do to you?"

An elderly man spoke up behind them, "Did they think you were a demon?"

"Did they think you were a joke?"

Alice wiped the tears from her face as she hurried away, "They're mean witches!"

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"All units stay back! All units stay back!" Darryl ran in wielding his gun but stopped in confusion as Prue stared irritably at him, "You guys okay?"

"Yeah, we got it, Darryl." Huffing Prue turned back to Leo, "Alright, this has to end now or our lives are over!"

"Well, I guess we got to work with the long shot plan." her lips as she looked to Leo, "How do I contact Tempus?"

Prue, Buffy and Piper looked at Faith with raised eyebrows.

"Because of what the bitch did to me, I'm the Source's heir, remember?" Faith reminded them.

"You can't," Leo said. "You would need someone in the Underworld. Someone connected."

"Like Cole," Buffy interjected.

Prue looked at Buffy and nodded as she returned her attention to Leo. "He's an upper level demon, isn't he?"

"Yeah, but..." Leo started. "Why would he help us?"

"Because helping us helps Phoebe," Prue stated. "Are you allowed to orb down there?"

"Yes, but I won't be able to find her until I'm down there," Leo said. "I can't track her from up here."

"Alright, well, then you'd better hurry." Prue motioned at him when he didn't budge, "Okay, what's the matter?"

"Well... Once I'm down there you won't be able to contact me if you get in any kind of trouble."

"Honey..." Piper sighed as she patted his hand, "What more trouble could we possibly get into?"

"Not to mention, once time resets itself then everything should be fine." Buff nodded, "It'll all be back to normal."

"So, go." Piper smiled reassuringly, "And be careful."

Leo smiled before kissing Piper. "You too."

"Okay..." Piper waved the papers in her hands after Leo orbed out, "So what do you say? Oprah or Barbara?" Prue and Buffy just smiled as Faith chuckled. "Barbara makes you cry. We'll go with Oprah."

Underworld

"Phoebe..." Cole held her close. "I have to get you out of here."

"You mean get us out of here."

"Listen to me. This is serious." His grim eyes searched hers. "Something's happening, something big. I—it's too dangerous for you here."

"Why?" Phoebe frowned as worry filled her. "What's happening?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it's important enough for the Source to have come."

"What?" She stiffened in fear as her eyes swept their surroundings. "He's here, now?"

"Which is why you have to go."

Confusion filled her when she saw her brother-in-law orb in behind Cole, "Leo?"

"Are you out of your mind?" Cole swung around on him incredulously. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to save my family." His glare moved from Cole and softened when his gaze met Phoebe's worried eyes, "Prue and Piper have been exposed, Phoebe. The whole world knows you three and Faith are witches. And because of…"

"Buffy and Faith's engagement, they know that Buffy is a witch as well," Phoebe finished for him. "How? How did this happen?"

"It doesn't matter how. What matters is getting them out of it..." Leo turned to Cole. "Which requires your help."

"Come again?"

"You have to get Tempus. You have to get him to reverse time."

"Ah..." Cole chuckled, "You've got to be kidding."

Phoebe frowned, "There's no way."

"It's the only way there is, Phoebe, but we have to move fast," Leo explained.

"I couldn't summon Tempus even if I wanted to," Cole dismissed. "I don't have that kind of power."

Phoebe met his eyes. "But you know somebody who does."

"Wait..." Cole chuckled again when the weight of her words sunk in. "You want me to ask The Source to help witches?"

"It doesn't just help witches." Leo countered, "The demonic world has been exposed too, Cole. Which also means his chosen heir has been exposed. Why do you think he's here? Resetting time solves everybody's problem. Make it your idea. Pitch it like you're doing it to save him and Faith, not them. Whether that's why you're doing it or not."

Silence stretched for a long minute before Cole could speak, "This is suicide."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Cole walked into another cave where a large demon guard stepped in front of him. They stared at each other for a moment before the guard stepped aside. Cole pulled the hood from his robe over his head and continued walking. He stopped when he reached a dark place with a reddish glow.

The Source was standing nearby wearing a red robe with a red hood covering his head. His face was completely covered by the hood. Large feathery wings were attached to his back, and he was wielding a sword. Flames shot up in front of him as Cole entered.

"I've heard the rumors." Cole knelt down and removed his hood, "I beg you, are they true? Have we been exposed?"

The Source's booming voice filled the cave, "And what business is it of yours?"

"I may have a solution." Cole's voice was careful, guarded, "Tempus's power."

"He's still weakened from when he last turned back time. Doing so again will destroy him."

"What other choice is there?" When silence stretched between them Cole sensed he had pushed too far, "Forgive me."

"For your betrayal? Never." He rested the tip of his sword on Cole's shoulder, "I know of your struggles, Belthazor, of your witch. I know that's why you've come to me. I know everything about you." He paused just long enough for his words to sink in for Cole, "Tempus will do as you suggest... if your witch crosses over. If your witch joins us."

Cole's eyebrows furrowed, "She'd never do that."

"Not even to save her niece's life?"

Cole's eyes widened in interest. "Has your heir been killed?"

The Source let out a long deep chuckle, "Wait."

Halliwell Manor

Everyone was still outside, yelling and holding up cardboard signs. The girls were in the conservatory placing a table against the door.

Piper shook her head. "I don't know why we're bothering to do this."

Prue put a chair up against the door. "In case time doesn't reset itself."

"Yeah, hello..." Faith said as she and Buffy pushed two end tables against the next door. "Did you miss the crazy chick that motored through here?"

"Okay, well, if time doesn't reset itself, this table against that door is not going to help much," Piper countered.

"Then we better start thinking about what would, okay?" Prue led them into the living room. "Because if Leo doesn't succeed, we're going to have to figure out what we're going to do."

"Thought we already decided that." Piper smirked as Prue picked up the Book of Shadows. "We're going to do Oprah, then more talk shows followed by book signings and movie deals."

Buffy scoffed. "Is that before or after we're taken by the CIA and dissected?"

"How can you two be joking about this?" Prue questioned.

Buffy raised a brow. "Sorry, who's joking?"

"Well, I'm not. I'm scared. And you three should be too. Our lives, everything that we've all worked for could be completely destroyed with—with one stupid mistake. Our entire future, our entire destinies, could be wiped out just like that." The minute Prue snapped her fingers a gunshot went off, Faith gasped loudly, and Buffy was sprayed with a warm liquid, "What was that?"

"Uh, what the—" Buffy's attention was immediately on her fiancée who now had blood covering her shirt as her hands shook. "Faith? Oh, God—Prue! Piper!"

Piper rushed over and helped Buffy grab Faith before she hit the floor. Prue instantly dropped the Book of Shadows as she moved to help Piper and Buffy. With a look of shock, Buffy looked at her own hands to notice they were covered with Faith's blood. The sight had her reeling.

Buffy's lip began to tremble. "No, no, no," she began to sob. "Faith!" she cried as she and Piper gently lowered Faith to the floor. Using her Slayer strength, she applied pressure to Faith's wound before turning to Prue. "Prue, Faith…Faith's been…Faith's been shot!"

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Outside, Alice was standing on top of a van as she lowered a rifle.

"I killed a wicked witch!" She grinned and jumped up and down. "The wicked witch is dead! I killed the wicked witch!"

A policeman grabbed her and pulled her off the van before pushing her to the ground and handcuffing her. Darryl quickly took her away to a squad car.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Faith was still lying on the floor as she trembled. Her body was pale and she was covered in blood. Buffy was trying to keep calm as she applied pressure to the gunshot wound but the panic was welling up inside her.

Piper hurried over with a clean towel and helped press it up against her niece's wound making Faith grimace. "I know it hurts, sweetie," she soothed as tears slipped down her cheeks. "But—but you're going to be okay."

"Leo! Leo!" Prue yelled as she cried before looking at Buffy and Piper. "Buffy—what—"

"We need to get her to a hospital," Buffy told her fiancée's mother." She turned to Piper. ""Help me get her up." She looked back at Faith. "Come on, baby. It's—it's not that far, okay?"

Piper carefully helped Buffy lift Faith up and two of them hurriedly followed Prue outside to the car.

"Leo!" Prue continued yelling even as Elana hurried over to them, "Leo!"

"Miss. Halliwell, please, what is going on?" Prue opened the door to her car as Buffy and Piper got Faith into the back seat. Buffy got in next to Faith and gently moved Faith's head into her lap. "Miss Halliwell, please."

"Leo!" Prue called as she and Piper hurried into the front seats. She started the engine but only got to the end of the driveway before everyone blocked her way out, not even moving when she honked the horn. "Move!"

Elana hurriedly knocked on the window. "Miss Halliwell, what is going on?"

Buffy looked around at the erratic yelling crowd from the backseat worriedly. "Prue—"

"Move!" Prue honked the horn once more before getting out of the car. "Move out of my way! I need to get my daughter to the hospital, move! Move out of my way!" Frustration and agitation were both building up in her fast and she was about to blow. "Leo!"

Looking around at the crowd she became even more furious before erupting. With one swipe of her arm she used her power on Elana and her cameraman. Everyone around the car started running as she used her power on anyone in her way. They were landing on cars and hard on the ground. When the way was cleared, Prue got back in her car. "Not a word," she told Piper.

"I wasn't going to say a thing," Piper insisted as Prue drove down the driveway and tore off down the street.

San Francisco Memorial Hospital

Faith was on a stretcher with Prue, Piper and Buffy running beside her as four doctors raced her to a room.

Prue and Buffy gripped Faith's hands firmly, "Hang in there, Faith," Prue instructed her daughter. She looked up at the medical personnel. "Where's Dr. Griffiths? He should have been here by now!"

The man in question raced up to them and immediately started running with the stretcher, "How'd this happen?"

Buffy answered as they raced her into a room. "Some idiot in front of our house."

Prue and Piper glanced at Buffy at the mention or our house. Then they nodded. Buffy was technically a Halliwell since she was engaged to Faith. That meant as far as they were concerned their house was hers as well.

"What do we know?" he asked.

"Pulse seventy, weak."

"I need some numbers, people," Dr. Griffiths ordered.

Prue, Piper and Buffy stepped back briefly as Faith was lifted onto a bed but were back by her side in the next second.

"Smaller entry wound, upper right back."

"Larger exit wound, abdomen."

"Lungs failing," Dr. Griffiths said hurriedly after listening to Faith's chest with a stethoscope, "Start an I.V.- two units of O, stat."

A nurse jumped right into action, "Right away."

"Get 40 cc's of adrenaline."

"Yes, sir."

Buffy and Prue cried from beside an equally distraught Piper. Buffy and Prue gripped Faith's hands as they called out, "Leo!"

"He can't hear us," Piper realized as she looked from Prue and Buffy to Faith and back again. "Something must have gone wrong."

Faith struggled to gasp for air as her body shook even more. Buffy and Prue's entire world was about to crash around them. Hysterical tears flooded down their cheeks.

"Faith." Prue and Buffy sobbed out,

"You can't die on us," Prue ordered. "Don't you dare."

"I- I'm cold." Faith's voice was far from a whisper and her words elicited even more sobs from her mother and fiancée as well as Piper. "I can't feel my legs." She struggled even more as her eyes grew distant. "I love you."

The line on the heart monitor flattened out just before Faith went into full arrest.

Prue sobbed, "Oh god."

"No," Buffy cried out. "Please, god no. Not when…"

"Full arrest. Paddles!" Dr. Griffiths yelled before two doctors brought over the defibrillator, "Gel." The nurse squirted some gel on a paddle and he rubbed the two together as Prue and Piper held Buffy and backed up, "Clear!" He used the paddles on Faith but it didn't work. "Recharge."

"Recharging."

"Clear!"

He used them again but it still didn't work. With a defeated look that Buffy found all too familiar he stood back from Faith. Prue, Buffy and Piper held each other tighter as they cried and waited for the words that were about to tear them apart.

"I'm sorry."

"No, no, no," Buffy cried uncontrollably as she rushed back over to her fiancée and put her head down on Faith's chest. "Faith, please, come back to me. Please."

Prue and Piper were sobbing as well as they stared at Buffy with Faith. Their hearts aching not only for the loss of Faith but also for what Buffy was going through so soon after Buffy had proposed to Faith.

Reaching over Prue closed her daughter's eyes before turning her dangerous glare to the medical staff still in the room. "Get out of here. Go!"

As the medical personnel scurried out of the room, a SWAT member stood outside and looked in.

Underworld

Phoebe and Leo were still in the cave discussing something very quietly when Cole walked back in.

"Cole, where have you been? We've been worried." Phoebe asked as she rushed over to him, but frowned when she saw his grim look, "What's the matter?"

"He knows. About you, about us."

Phoebe's heart dropped, "So, what does that mean?"

"He's offering a deal. He'll get Tempus to reset time if you stay..." Cole cleared his throat as he motioned to the cave with his head, "Here."

"What, down here?" Leo scoffed as a scowl immediately formed on his face, "He's crazy."

"Hardly."

"Yeah, well, we're desperate but not that desperate.

Phoebe shook her head as her expression mirrored Leos, "Why would he think that I would accept an offer like that?"

Cole hesitated for a moment before his worried eyes met hers again, "Because it's the only way to bring Faith back to life."

Phoebe staggered back into Leo, "What?"

"It's a trick," Leo immediately shook his head as anger and worry bubbled inside him, "He's lying. He wouldn't kill his heir."

"No, it's not."

San Francisco Memorial Hospital

As the SWAT team walked through the corridor of the hospital, Prue, Piper and Buffy were none the wiser in Faith's room. All three of them were sitting at Faith's side sobbing. Prue gripped Faith's left hand and Piper. On the other side of the bed Buffy gripped Faith's right hand.

A SWAT member quietly walked in the room, "All three of you just keep your hands where I can see them and nobody gets hurt." Prue and Piper stood from their seats to face him but Prue shuffled Piper behind her protectively as her eyes pierced the man's. "Easy."

Prue used her power and he went flying out of the room. Another two SWAT members ran in, but Prue kicked one to disarm him before using her power to fling him out of the room. As the next man was about to shoot Prue, Piper flicked her wrist freezing him then Prue sent him flying out of the room next. The two sisters shared a mournful quiet look before Prue sat back down beside Faith. Piper shoved a metal rod into the door so no one could get in before turning off the lights. As she turned to walk back over to Faith, Leo orbed in.

Buffy was still breathing deeply and angrily as she spoke, "They killed her, Leo." As soon as he saw Faith lying still and bloody on the bed he started to cry,

"They think we're the demons now," Piper added.

"Oh, God." Leo stumbled over to Faith as the grief hit him like a freight truck. "How can this be happening? I don't understand." Shaking, he leaned over and kissed Faith's forehead. He looked up at Buffy. "I'm so sorry."

"Leo, can you make this right?" Buffy asked as she stood up and tried to stop crying. "Can you fix this?"

"Leo." When he couldn't snap out of it, Piper pulled him up from Faith, "Go!" When he orbed out Piper came back over to sit beside Prue as Buffy sat back down. "He's going to fix it." She stroked Faith's arm with one hand as she held Prue with the other, "I promise, you're going to be fine, Faith."

Underworld

Leo orbed in, still sobbing, and telling Phoebe everything she needed to know. Faith was gone. Tears sprung to her eyes as she hugged Leo tightly. He struggled to collect himself, "You don't have to do this."

"Yes, I do." Phoebe squeezed his hands before turning back to Cole. "Will resetting time affect us down here?"

"No."

"Good. I only have one condition." Her eyes met Cole's with conviction. "You have to warn Prue, Piper and Faith before the demonic hitman attacks. Otherwise they're dead anyway."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Agreed." Upon hearing his answer, Cole stood up, bowed and walked away as a guard walked in and kneeled in front of The Source. "Once I have reset time, detain him. And then kill his witch. That way I won't have to worry about Belthazor or the Charmed Ones anymore. And have Shax target not only the innocent but the eldest Halliwell. Once she is out of my heir's life. Faith's journey toward good will end." As the guard walked away a crack of thunder rocked through the cave, "It shall be done."

San Francisco Memorial Hospital

Prue, Piper and Buffy were still beside Faith, who was now covered with a blanket. In the hallway three SWAT members fired their guns simultaneously. The bullets went straight through the wall, headed straight for Buffy, Piper and Prue. They stopped mid-air before reversing quickly. The whole day immediately reset itself to right before Shax attacked.

June 4, 2001 – Monday

Halliwell Manor

Prue, Piper and Faith were all gathered around Dr. Griffiths.

"Look, I know that this all sounds incredible, but it doesn't make it any less true." Prue kept her voice calm as she tried to reign him in. "Alright, you're a healer, you do good. Now either you have saved too many lives or you're about to save a life that they don't want you to save."

"They?"

"Yeah, demons. Uh, more specifically, Shax. He was the Source's assassin."

"Hold it, I get it." The girls all frowned as a smile spread across his face. "This is a practical joke, right? Do you have a hidden camera here? My second wife put you up to this?" He chuckled. "Ah, it's just like her."

"Okay, um, Dr. Griffiths, you gotta listen to us. This is anything but-" Faith stopped and looked at Prue worriedly when she grabbed her arm. "What?"

"I don't know, I just felt a chill." Prue's eyes snapped to the stairs. "Phoebe?!" She was met with silence which had her warning bells ringing. "Phoebe, are you there?" Just then a tornado of wind twisted through the front door, "Phoebe, where are you?!"

The tornado flew through the foyer and knocked the three women to the floor. A loud booming clap of thunder ripped through the air before the tornado subsided. Standing in its place was the tall, gray demon Shax.

Dr. Griffiths was planted in his spot as fear overtook him, "Dear god."

"No!"

Prue hurried up off the floor and pushed the Doctor out of the way. Shax threw an aerokinetic blast at Prue. From the power and force of it she literally crashed straight through a wall and fell unconscious. Shocked, Piper and Faith helped each other up off the floor next only to be hit by another one of his aerokinetic blasts. The force of which sent them both crashing through a wall as well. The doctor went pale as Shax turned to him with a grim smile.

"What are you?"

"The end."

He threw an aerokinetic blast at Dr. Griffiths and sent him crashing through a window. Shax looked around at Prue lying unconscious on the floor and smiled. Pleased with what he's done, Shax turned back into the wind and flew out the front door. The glass on the door smashed to pieces as it slammed shut.

Underworld

Phoebe felt a sharp pain in her chest. "Leo, Leo!" she called, reaching out and grabbing him for stability, her legs almost crumbling beneath her in shock.

"What...what is it Phoebe?" he whispered, placing his chin on her head, cradling her in his arms.

"I don't know," her breathing heavy, "I need to get out of here, something is wrong, I don't know what but we need to get home!"

"Phoebe you can't you made a deal, a deal with the devil." He paused. "I'll go, check things out and then I'll get your sisters, Faith and Buffy down here to get you home otherwise if I orb you out then we'll have a host of bounty hunters after you."

"No, no I need to go with you!" she protested, moving her head to face his.

"He's right," Cole said seriously, stepping out of the shadows, "you can't leave."

"Cole, I am a Charmed One I can look after myself," she said turning to face him. He advanced towards her, placing his hands on her shoulders and looking her directly in the eyes.

"No, you stay here, do as Leo said. He'll bring your sisters, Faith and Buffy and we can get you out of this deal together."

"I'll be a moment, just a moment," Leo said softly with a warm smile slightly crinkling his face before orbing out in a ray of bright blue and white lights, eliminating the entire cavern which they had inhabited.

Halliwell Manor

"Aggh!" Leo screamed as he orbed into the foyer of the manor, instantly feeling the pain of his dying charges, his family - his wife. "Piper! Piper!" he called as he rushed over to his unconscious wife.

"Faith…Prue. Oh no. What happened?" Instinctively he placed both of his hands over the closest of his charges, Faith on the left, Piper on the right and began the healing process, his hands glowing with golden rays. A few painful seconds passed, which felt like hours, long, painful hours. Piper and Faith's wounds healed, the blood faded and the rips in their clothing disappeared.

"Ouch," Piper groaned, feeling her aching joints hurt as she and Faith sat up. "Leo?"

"Shh," Leo replied as he moved to Prue and began the process of healing her.

"What's taking so long?" Faith asked. There was no reply from her uncle, who was deep in concentration, although part of him already knew it was too late. "Uncle Leo?" Faith's long dark hair still stuck to her face, draped over her eyes, and her arms and legs ached more than anything she had ever felt before, but all she could think about was hoping her mother would pull though.

"Piper, Faith," Leo whispered, closing his hands and ending the healing attempt. "It's too late. I'm sorry."

"No! No! Leo, no try again! Leo!" Piper said as tears poured down hers and Faith's faces as they gazed at Prue's lifeless body. Faith stoked Prue's face, and collapsed onto her chest. Not wanting to let her mother go.

"I'm sorry," Leo said, in an almost apologetic tone, as if he had failed them. His eyes were now streaming with tears too. Phoebe suddenly popped into his mind, she should know, she should be here, but she was trapped, locked away in darkness and now with the Charmed Ones defeated how was she to make her escape? "Piper…Faith, it's Phoebe."

Faith didn't move as Piper slowly stroked her niece's hair.

Leo thinking of the gentlest way he could break it to them that they had lost another member of their family to the Source. "Phoebe's in trouble." Piper and Faith slowly faced him.

"Trouble? What do you mean?" Piper asked, her voice croaking as she tried to talk through her tears. "Where is she? What's going on?"

"It's a long, long story, but I don't have time to explain."

"Make time," Faith said sharply.

"One second," Leo said. "There is one member of this family that needs to be here." He orbed out and within a small moment he returned with Buffy. He let out a small sigh as he began. "You all were exposed. You were exposed as witches and Phoebe and Cole made a deal with The Source who agreed to get Tempus to turn back time if she stayed down in underworld. He was supposed to warn you all of Shax's attack, but it looks like we were tricked and it was his plan all along to destroy The Power of Three," he explained.

Piper and Faith stood up as Buffy moved between them to steady them. They tried to grasp the loss of both Prue and Phoebe as well as trying to get their heads around the whole situation.

"We need to get down there, we need her here…" Piper instructed her husband.

"Look, we can't take on the Source and his bounty hunters alone, not without," he paused and glanced at Prue's lifeless body. "Not without The Power of Three." Faith and Piper ran upstairs without saying anything, to which Leo and Buffy immediately followed.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

The attic felt cold, empty like it too could feel the loss. "Piper…Faith, slow down," Leo called after them as they ran toward the Book of Shadows and Piper began flipping though the pages.

"We need to find something, anything that can help," Piper said frantically, her eyes red from crying. "There has to be something!"

"Piper…Faith, there isn't anything, nothing that can fix what has happened to Prue." He placed his hands around Piper's waist as Buffy did the same with Faith. They tried to pull their respective loved ones away from the book.

"Fine, we'll get Phoebe and then try and fix this," Faith said storming over to the table which was placed in the center of the room. She grabbed a handful of potion bottles before handing some to Buffy and Piper. Then Piper and Faith took Leo's hands as Buffy took Faith's free one.

"Take us to her," Piper instructed her husband.

Underworld

The underworld was hot, too hot, but Phoebe's face was ice cold. Not knowing what had happened, not knowing that her older sister…her niece's mother…had died and not knowing if she would ever escape the clutches of the Source had taken its toll. When Leo's orbs became visible, she straightened up waiting for him to appear, Cole joined her at her side and took her hand.

"Phoebe!" Piper called out as she, Leo, Faith and Buffy appeared in the dark, dank cavern. She was the first to embrace Phoebe followed by Faith and Buffy.

"What is it?" Cole asked.

"It's Prue," Leo said, his eyes looking down to the floor, not wanting to look Phoebe in the eyes.

Piper, Buffy and Faith moved back to stand next to Leo. Piper and Faith tried not saying anything as they tried to hold back the tears which was enough of an explanation in itself for Phoebe.

"No, no." Phoebe thrust her head into Cole's warm arms, he began to rock her backwards and forwards in an attempt to comfort her.

"I was too late, she was attacked by Shax, we were double crossed," Leo explained.

"What?" Cole's face grew red with anger. "Come on, we have to get you out of here, Phoebe, before he kills you too."

"But how, without being chased down by more of The Source's assassins and bounty hunters?" Leo asked. "He could be watching us right now, and he probably is there's no way we can make it to the manor before he's on to us!"

"We still have some power between us, four witches…two of whom are part Slayer, a Whitelighter and a demon doesn't exactly make up the power of three but we can't just sit here and wait to be picked off one by one," Cole argued.

Suddenly, four large bounty hunters shimmered in as if the Source had been listening to them and was reacting to their fears. Faith quickly fired an energy ball to her left, taking out the hunter before he could make his move. In turn Piper threw one of the potions she had brought as back up at the hunter standing to the right of Phoebe, hoping for the best. Cole summoned an energy ball and threw it towards one who stood behind Piper and Leo advancing slowly. The final bounty hunter backed off slightly, Buffy quickly threw a potion at him before he could escape or attack. With all four vanquished, the four stood staring at one another – they had to get out of here and the fight wasn't over yet – Prue's killer was still out there.

June 8, 2001 – Friday

Four days later, and Phoebe was safely back at the manor. Safe by Halliwell standards anyway. Bounty hunters had continued to attack both her and Cole, but Buffy and Cole were doing a good job at protecting them both. Faith, Piper and Phoebe weren't exactly in the fighting mood right now, in fact they couldn't even concentrate on laying Prue to rest because of the police investigation into hers and the Doctor's deaths. But none of them, especially Piper and Faith were giving up on trying to save Prue.

There was a knock on the front door, which had been temporarily replaced by wood panels in place of the destroyed glass.

"Darryl," Leo greeted as he opened the door to the family friend.

"Hey, Leo, can I come in?" Leo opened the door fully, allowing Darryl to pass. He walked straight into the living room, where Phoebe and Cole were cuddled up on one couch under a blanket. Buffy and Faith were cuddle up on another couch under another blanket. Piper sat on a chair by the window, motionless as she starred outside.

"Hi," Darryl said softly. "I have news, it's about Prue's case," he added, trying to be as gentle as possible. "The police have ruled her death as murder, they are still looking for who is responsible. Obviously, they won't get far but they are releasing the body," he finished.

"Thanks Darryl," Leo said, patting him on the back and shooting a warm, thank you smile at him.

"Yeah, thanks," Phoebe smiled. "At least we can say goodbye now."

Faith and Piper said nothing. Neither of them was ready to say goodbye to Prue just yet, not without trying every possible option at their disposal.