Chapter 13: Charmed Again Part 1
June 13, 2001 – Wednesday
Halliwell Manor
After making a cup of Chamomile tea because she couldn't sleep, Buffy made her way back upstairs to hers and Faith's room. Since Prue's death she had moved into the Manor full time to be there for Faith. While Prue wasn't her mother, she still felt Prue's loss as much as Faith, Piper and Phoebe did. And as a result, she hadn't been able to catch more than two or three hours sleep at a time.
Passing by Piper's room she noticed Piper wasn't in bed or inside at her room all. The bed was completely untouched. She went to walk into hers and Faith's room and saw Faith had left sometime after she had gone downstairs. Frowning, she peaked into Phoebe's room and noted Phoebe was sadly flipping through old photo albums.
"Phoebe?"
Phoebe's eyes lifted as she closed the book quickly, "Yeah, Buffy?"
Buffy sighed as she put her cup of tea on Phoebe's dresser. "Piper is not in her room. And since I went downstairs. Faith has gotten up and isn't in ours."
The two of them shared a brief pointed look with one another before they made their way to the attic. Faith and Piper had been spending 90% of their time in the attic since Prue passed. They were trying anything and everything to bring Prue back, but nothing was working. No matter how many times any of them tried. Sure enough, when they opened the door Piper and Faith were sitting in front of a bowl with candles and herbs surrounding them.
Phoebe frowned, "Piper?"
"Faith?" Buffy added with a frown of her own.
Piper and Faith's heads lifted hopefully. "Prue?" Piper said while Faith said, "Mom?" They looked at the candle in disappointment when Phoebe and Buffy walked in instead.
Phoebe and Buffy sighed sadly. Both of their faces were tear stained like Piper and Faith's and their hearts broke even more at seeing Piper and Faith just as broken.
"Sweeties," Phoebe said, "It's 4 o'clock in the morning. What are you two doing?"
Neither Piper or Faith answered. They just blankly stared at the Book of Shadows.
"Faith..." Buffy sighed when she noticed her fiancée's hand bleeding from the spell and grabbed a cloth to wrap the wound, "You're bleeding."
"I don't understand why magic can't fix this." Faith wondered.
"And why can't we bring Prue back," Piper added. "It's not like we haven't cheated death before. I don't understand why this time isn't any different."
"Because..." Phoebe steeled herself as she started closing the bottles of ingredients around her. "Leo can't heal the dead. You both know that."
"There's other magic. Magic that we've used before." Piper flipped through the book as she fought back the tears, "Scrying, calling a lost witch, reversing time." Slamming the book shut she stood, "It's like the book just deserted us and deserted Prue, and I don't understand why."
"Neither do I," Faith agreed.
"We lost a member of our family," Buffy said as she wrapped an arm around Faith. "Piper, you and Phoebe lost a sister. Faith, you lost a mother."
"How can we ever understand that?" Phoebe sniffled, looking at Buffy, Piper and Faith in pain as well. "We've tried every magical way to bring her back... but we can't. She's gone. I just—" She leaned in and gave Piper and Faith both a big hug before separating. "I thank God that I didn't lose both of you too."
Faith took a breath and looked down. Growing up with Mrs. Lehane she had been taught that the only emotions she needed were anger and rage. It had been because of Prue and Buffy that had changed. But now Mrs. Lehane's lesson was coming back in full. Try as she might she couldn't feel anything else but anger and rage. Anger and rage at the demons and the Source for taking her mother away from her.
"Okay..." Buffy said as she pulled Faith to her feet. "Let's just try to get some type of rest. Prue will never forgive us if we look bad at her funeral."
Piper and Phoebe couldn't help but smile at that through the tears. Prue and Piper shuffled out of the attic with Faith and Buffy not far behind them. As the Slayers stepped through the attic door, Buffy glanced over her shoulder and with a wave of her hand she telekinetically shut the door behind them.
After a moment, a mysterious wind blew through the room. The symbol on the cover of the Book of Shadows, the triquetra, began to glow. The mysterious wind re-opened the book and magically turned the pages to the last spell that Piper and Faith tried to cast, 'To Call a Lost Witch...'
South Bay Social Services
A young brunette woman, Paige Matthews, was seated at her desk. She popped a CD into her computer before turning her attention to the screen. She briefly looked up from her screen to notify her co-workers, "Printing!"
A mysterious wind softly blew through the office just then and blew out the lit candle on her desk. Giving the candle a weird look, she stood up and started making her way over to the printer. Mysteriously the obituary page from a newspaper landed on the floor next to her and caught her attention. Curiously she looked around before picking it up. The first obit that caught her eye was for Prue Halliwell.
The obituary read:
PRUE HALLIWELL
Funeral Services will be held today at Memorial Cemetery
11:00AM.
"Paige, you find that study yet?" Paige's boss, Mr. Cowan, emerged from his office and saw her reading the article, "Paige, did you hear me?"
"Yeah." Paige continued to keep her eye on Prue's obituary as she grabbed her jacket, "It's in the printer." She quickly turned and headed for the door, "I'm sorry, I have to go."
"What do you mean go? Go where?" He scoffed when she didn't turn around or answer him, "Paige! Hey, Paige!"
Halliwell Manor
The parlor was nearly ready for the wake. Baskets of flowers lined the prepared tables. Phoebe, dressed for the funeral in her black floral dress, walked around watering and fidgeting with them.
Joyce sat next to Victor; Buffy had flamed her down for the funeral. She could see the father of three was staring vacantly at the floor. She could tell he bore the kind of grief only parent who lost a child would know.
From across the room, Buffy stood next to Faith, the blonde Slayer regarded everyone with sadness, including her fiancée whom she had an arm around. Faith tried not to think about Prue, tried not to think about the fact that she had lost her mother five months after finally meeting Prue. Taking a deep breath, she turned Buffy and was about to whisper when she found herself staring at the partially repaired, unpainted wall where her mother died. When Leo stepped out into view with another familiar face, Buffy raised a brow.
Cole nodded at the couple. "Hello, Faith…Buffy."
Buffy nodded politely but decided to refrain from the small talk. She quickly wiped her face before turning to flag down Phoebe. "Phoebe, you got a visitor."
Phoebe turned from the other room and her entire face lit up at seeing her love. "Cole!" She ran over and embraced him in a big hug before releasing him. "I was afraid you weren't going to make it to the funeral."
"Well, I—I can't make it..." He frowned down at Phoebe. "Or, shouldn't anyway. The Source has got every demonic bounty hunter out there looking for me."
"Yeah..." Disappointment filled Phoebe's eyes before she scowled. "So what else is new?"
"This is different. Saving you makes it different. It makes me a traitor, and he's not going to stop until he finds me and I don't want that happening at Prue's funeral."
"So, we'll protect you." Phoebe crossed her arms but motioned to Faith and Buffy who were eyeing them, "The four of us."
"You can't protect me."
"Why not?" Phoebe scoffed, "We're still witches, aren't we?"
"Yeah..." Cole looked at Phoebe pointedly, "But you're not the Charmed Ones anymore."
"He's right, Phoebe." Leo nodded, stepping in, "Without the Power of Three—"
"I don't understand." Phoebe glared at Cole after raising her hand to cut Leo off, "Isn't it harder to track a demon in a cemetery, Cole?"
A knock at the door interrupted their slight bickering. The two of them, however, stayed staring at one another. Buffy cleared her throat. "I'll get that." She walked toward the door and opened it. She was greeted with Darryl who gave her a small smile. "Hi, Darryl."
"Hey, Buffy." Once he came inside, he gave her a strong hug, "How are you?"
"Better than my fiancée and soon-to-be aunts," Buffy admitted. "That said though…"
"About as well as expected," Darryl finished for the blonde Slayer. "Even though you have yet to become an official member of the family. You have come in the time since you met Prue, Piper and Phoebe to see them as part of your extended family anyways."
"Yeah," Buffy replied. She then motioned with her head. "Come on. Everyone's inside."
Victor and Joyce got up from their seats and joined them as Buffy returned to her position next to Faith. Victor put a comforting arm around Faith while Joyce did the same with Buffy. Everyone nodded hello to Darryl.
"Hey, Phoebe…Faith." Darryl gave Phoebe and Faith a small smile. "How are you two holdin' up?"
"Okay," Faith gave him a sad hug before slowly stepping away.
"It's sweet of you to stop by," Phoebe added as she too hugged Darryl.
"Had to. Besides, I thought you should know..." He looked carefully between Phoebe and Faith. "They're assigning Prue's case to another inspector."
Leo eyed the inspector. "What case?"
"What case? Are you kidding?" Darryl looked at him pointedly. "Prue and a prominent doctor were killed here, Leo. Made a lot of press. People want answers. Important people."
"So, what's this guy going to find? That it was a demonic hitman?" Cole scoffed as he walked over to stand in front of Darryl. "Give me a break."
"He might. Look, you don't know him like I do. He'll keep looking until he finds something," Darryl's eyes met the girls. "Believe me."
Cole shrugged. "I'm not worried."
"Well, I am," Joyce and Leo interjected.
"I saw what happened when they were exposed as witches," Leo reminded the demon. "Time may have reversed itself, but it still cost Prue her life."
Unable to take any more of this current conversation, Faith took a steadying breath and turned to go to the kitchen. She just needed a break away from everyone and especially away from talking about the circumstances around her mother's death. At least not right now. Not now when they were minutes away from burying Prue. At this very moment she didn't care about being exposed or whatever inspector the cops sent over. Her mother was dead.
Buffy and Victor were immediately angered at the conversation at hand and how it affected Faith. "Would you people mind?" Victor's voice was raised as his glare deepened. "For God's sake, we're burying my daughter today. Can't this wait?"
Phoebe also eyed them like they should know better before going over to hug her father. He, like the rest of them, was struggling to keep it together. Victor hugged her tightly before continuing his glare at the men.
"If you guys will excuse me," Buffy said. "I'm going to go check on Faith." She hurried into the kitchen where she found Faith looking out the window at Prue's car. "Hey, baby." She wrapped her arms around Faith from behind. "Want to talk?"
"I just don't know, Buffy," Faith admitted. "I just found her and now I have to live without her. And I don't know if I can."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Piper was partially dressed as she sat in front of the mirror, lost in her thoughts, and absentmindedly brushed her hair.
Leo carefully eased open the door and entered. "Piper?" She didn't react, just kept brushing her hair even as Leo approached her. "Honey, we have to go."
She sniffled as tears ran down her face. "I don't want to go."
Leo knelt down beside her. "Why not?"
"Because if I go...that'll mean that Prue's really not coming back, and I don't think I can handle that."
Leo's face softened. "We can handle it together."
Piper shook her head at his words. "She's been there my whole life. I've always had a big sister. And…And I don't know how to live without one..."
"Piper…"
When he moved to touch her, she pulled away. "Why didn't you save her?"
"I tried."
"But you didn't. Why didn't they let you save her, too?"
"The Elders?" Leo shook his head sadly. "They couldn't. They don't have that kind of power."
Angrily she stood up and walked away from him to get a Kleenex. "Then what the hell good are they?"
Leo followed. "It's okay to be angry-"
"I'm not angry. I am pissed off! Don't you understand? You healed the wrong sister! You saved me because I'm your damn wife, and you should've saved her because she was the best! Not only that but because she is Faith's mother. Faith shouldn't have to be going through this not after finally being reunited with her. You should—" As she became overcome with more grief Leo moved to her and this time, she let him hold her. "Why do they put us through so much for it to end this way?"
Underworld
The Source, appeared in front of a shadowy figure known as the Oracle.
"May I be seen?"
The Source's voice boomed around them. "Have you found Belthazor?"
"No, something else..."
He considered that for a moment before turning and waving his clawed hand at The Oracle. A creepy but sexy young woman materialized from the depths, stroking her ever-present crystal ball.
"Something more important, perhaps."
"Nothing is more important."
"Not even The Charmed Ones?"
"The Charmed Ones are dead."
"Not all of them."
"One gone ends the threat. Of course, if you had foreseen that a Whitelighter was going to help Belthazor save his witch, they'd all be gone. Be grateful I don't turn you into a snake."
"Yes..." She gave him a nervous smile, "But then how would you see into the future without me?"
"Without the Charmed Ones to worry about anymore, I may not need to."
"Mmm, well, in that case..." A sly smile caught her lips, "You'd better keep me around a little while longer."
The Source turned back to the Oracle as she looked into her crystal ball. There were whips of smoke forming inside.
"What do you see?"
"I see... a witch's call on the spirit winds. I see... another. I see her influencing your heir taking her farther down the path of good irrevocably."
Memorial Cemetery
Prue laid in a beautiful ivory colored coffin that sat on a pedestal amongst many bushels of flowers. An ivory-dressed Wiccan Priestess stood before a blue silk covered altar table that was adorned with a ceremonial chalice. A tied, silver cord laid before the chalice with three lit candles surrounding it. They symbolized birth, death, and rebirth. To the unaware mourners, however, the service came across as part traditional, part New Age ceremony. The funeral program, which bore the symbol of the triquetra above the name, read:
PRUDENCE HALLIWELL
October 28, 1967 – June 4, 2001
Beloved Mother and Sister
Forever in our Hearts
Leo, Piper, Phoebe, Cole, Faith, Buffy and Victor were all seated closest to the priestess. Behind them sat Darryl, Joyce, Giles, Xander, Cordelia, Oz and Willow. The girls were dabbing at their eyes in grief as Cole kept his eyes peeled for any trouble.
"That which belongs to fellowship and love. That which belongs to the circle, remains with us. The wheel turns. As life is a day, so our sister has passed into night. Nothing is final, and we who remain behind know that one day, we will once again share the bread and wine with our sister. O' blessed spirit, we bid you farewell, for you await a new destiny."
The Priestess then untied the silver cord and gently laid it into the chalice. After she blew out the candles the mourners stood to shake hands and pay respects to the family. Darryl was the first to go down the line and hug them. The Joyce, Giles and the Scoobies stopped in front of Buffy and Faith to pay their respects next as Paige anxiously shifted over to Phoebe.
Paige's eyes softened. "I'm so sorry for your loss."
"Thank you," Phoebe nodded as she dabbed her eyes but called out to the woman curiously as she turned to leave. "How did you know Prue? Work?"
"Oh, no. Just..." Paige said. Then she decided to give a partial truth as she motioned toward Faith. "Mainly from Faith."
Phoebe glanced at her niece and then back Paige. "Your friends with Faith?" she asked.
"I am," Paige said.
Curiosity and familiarity kept picking at Phoebe the longer she stared at Paige. "Have you and I met before?"
"No," Paige answered. "Well, I don't think so." She cleared her throat. "Anyway, my condolences. And tell Faith I'm sorry."
Phoebe nodded. "Thank you." When she shook Paige's hand she was immediately got hit with a powerful premonition.
Paige was standing on a skyscraper rooftop helipad. She screamed in terror and squeezed her eyes shut from the fear of seeing the demon Shax. Within the next second he sent a concessive blast toward her to kill her.
After the premonition was over Phoebe suddenly stumbled to the floor from the power of it, gasping for air. Faith, who was standing beside her, immediately gasped in worry before kneeling down to help her. A supremely freaked out Paige turned and hurried out of the mausoleum.
"Aunt Phoebe," Faith said as she helped Phoebe to her feet. "Are you o-"
Phoebe grabbed onto Faith. "I saw him."
"Saw who?"
"The demon that killed Prue."
"What?" Faith's eyes widened. "You saw Shax?"
Leo's face filled with worry. "What was he doing?"
Phoebe pointed and looked around for Paige but currently they were the only ones left in the mausoleum. "He was killing that girl!"
Piper shook her head. "What girl?"
"The one I was just talking to." She looked at Faith. "She said you knew her." She hurried towards the door. "We've gotta go find her-"
Suddenly two bounty hunter demons materialized in front of them. The first started firing lightning bolts directly at Cole who was standing beside Phoebe. Phoebe immediately put her hands up and moved out of the way as Cole dived. He just barely avoided the bolts, which ended up blowing Prue's altar up instead. The second fired two bolts of lightning. One at Cole and another directly at Buffy, who was closest to Cole.
Faith threw a fireball at the first lightning bolt shattering it. However, she couldn't react fast enough for the second shot. That one hit Buffy in the chest and sent her flying into one of the Jesus statues, falling unconscious.
Faith gasped in grief and worry upon seeing her fiancée's blood spread around her. "Buffy!"
"No!" Victor's mind immediately went to the worst thing he could think of as he, Leo and Piper bolted over to Buffy hurriedly. While Buffy was not officially his granddaughter yet, and wouldn't be till after hers and Faith's wedding, he still didn't want to see her hurt either. Especially when it would hurt Faith who was already grief stricken because of Prue's death.
"Buffy?" Faith's voice hitched upon seeing her beloved's still body. "Buffy, oh God."
Without wasting another second, Leo hurriedly placed his hands over the bloody wound. Nearly immediately a golden light glowed over it and Buffy was healed. Buffy gasped awake just as Faith took her into a tight, relieved hug.
Cole then rolled into the view of the bounty hunters and fired now that there was a clean shot. He immediately vanquished the first two but a third popped up behind him.
Faith stood up and spun in anger as she glared at the demon. "You bastard!" she screamed as she sent a fireball at the demon. He blew up in a shower of fiery sparks.
"Stop it!" Piper yelled angrily, "Stop it! Stop it! damn it! This is Prue's funeral, for God's sake! Can't we at least bury her in peace?!" Turning, she stormed out in tears, "Is that too much to ask?!"
Halliwell Manor
After checking on Faith, Buffy stood watching the mourners walk around. She kept her face blank as she willed back the tears. A dull headache was starting to form at her temple from the events that surrounded her eventual wife and in-laws. 'Demons couldn't even let us mourn in peace after taking Prue,' she thought to herself.
"How are you feeling?"
Buffy spun around at the sound of the voice. "Don't you know its not a wife idea to sneak up behind a Slayer?"
"Sorry." Offering a worried smile, Leo put his hands up. "Just thought I'd check on you. I take it not too well?"
"Better than my fiancée," Buffy admitted. She then cleared her throat to change the subject. "Anyways, thanks for saving my ass back there."
"That's my job, Buffy," Leo told the blonde Slayer.
"That maybe your job, Leo, but that's not why you did it," Buffy interjected.
"No, it's not," Leo agreed. "I did it because I do care about you. And not just because your engaged to Faith. You are a good friend to me, to Piper, to Phoebe and to Faith."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The Trudeaus walked over to Faith and smiled sadly the last member of their family. "Faith," Mark said. "Sam, Melissa and I are sorry for your loss."
"Thanks," Faith said, unable to return their smiles.
"Can I ask why you have 2 names?" Melissa asked looking at her niece.
Faith sighed as she looked at her grandparents and her aunt from her father's side of the family. She had hoped to save them from this revelation. "When I was two-years-old. I was kidnapped. When I was born mom named me Patricia Andrea. After her mom and of course after…"
"Andy," Melissa finished for her niece. "It's a beautiful name."
"Anyways," Faith continued. "I was taken to Boston and given to a couple there. They named me Faith. I have grown accustomed to the name so it stuck. When I found mom and she made the legal challenges to show I was her daughter. We got my name changed back to Patricia Andrea and Faith became a nickname."
"If you don't mind my asking. What happened in Boston?" Mark said as he looked at his granddaughter in concern.
"When I was three, I accidentally let in a robber who killed the man that I believed to be my adopted father. After that the woman I believed to be my adopted mother beat me and utterly humiliated me," Faith finished.
"I don't want to push but would you like to tell me what was done to you," Melissa asked with concern.
Faith sighed. "I want to trust you but I just met you guys last week. And after what was done, trust is hard thing for me."
"I understand," Melissa said as she pulled Faith in her arms and hugged the younger woman.
"We fundraise for worthy causes," Samantha said.
"Sam is right," Mark added. "Like the Travers Foundation for Under-Privileged Girls."
"Travers?" Buffy said as she came up beside her fiancée. "Quentin Travers?"
"Yes," Mark answered. "Do you know him?"
Faith and Buffy looked at each other before looking back at the Trudeaus. "Yes, we know him very well. He's the bastard that had me kidnapped. It is because of him I was abused. So I'm giving you a choice of me or him. I don't want to alienate you, after all you are family. But I won't associate with anyone who does business with him."
Melissa looked at her parents. "We should…" she started.
"Your right, Lissa," Samantha said knowing what her daughter was suggesting. She looked at her husband. "We should pull funding immediately."
"Lissa, Sam, go give Victor, Piper and Phoebe our condolences. I will make the call," Mark stated as he walked toward the front door passing Quentin Travers. Samantha and Melissa walked away in search of Victor, Piper and Phoebe.
Quentin Travers approached the Slayers with a smile. "Miss Halliwell," he said. "I am sorry for your loss."
"Leave you aren't welcome here," Faith snapped at the man. "How dare you defile my home."
Travers smirked. "You and your beloved fiancée here are abominations because you somehow managed to get Watchers to care for you both."
"Your working with the Source, aren't you," Faith questioned.
"You think the former Mayor of Sunnydale and your adopted mother were the only ones who owed him?" Travers questioned with a smirk.
"You traded your soul to him," Buffy said in surprise.
"I did," Travers answered. "Along with most of the Inner Council. How do you think we have the power that we have? It is a necessary evil in our constant battle. Make a deal with one to eliminate hundreds of others. We don't go after his demons, but his rivals and of course vampires." He looked at the blonde Slayer. "You know Miss Summers, its an interesting turn of events. We did not expect that you would become a gifted witch." He turned back to Faith. "And you Miss Halliwell have given us exactly what we wanted…A new Slayer."
"What are you talking about?" Buffy wondered. "Faith has never died to call another."
"Ah but she has," Travers chuckled. "During a day that neither of you remember."
Faith's eyes widened in realization as she looked at Buffy. "I died, remember, when mom and Piper were exposed. I was shot." She looked back at Travers. "How though? Time was reset by the Source."
"The new Slayer was protected from the changes to the timelines," Travers answered. "When Tempus reset the day your successor was taken to the Underworld where she was protected from the reset." He grinned evilly at the Slayers. "I will leave you now to mourn your mother."
"You, bastard," Faith said. "Your end is coming you know that don't you."
Travers chuckled. "Perhaps but I must say without mommy to guide you how long do you think it will be before your life comes crashing down around you? How long before you give into your true nature the darkness within you." He smiled as he turned and left the Manor.
"Who was that?" Leo asked as he and Cole approached the Slayers.
"Travers," Faith spat.
"He's the man that runs the Watcher's Council," Buffy said. "And from what he revealed he could be a threat. He sold his soul to the Source."
"Your right," Leo agreed with a sigh.
Cole motioned with a worried frown, "Phoebe is running around cleaning."
"That's how Aunt Phoebe deals," Faith admitted following Cole's gaze. "She likes to fidget... and clean."
Phoebe walked over to them with a disappointed look after handing a woman a plate. "I don't see her anywhere."
"Who?" Buffy questioned.
"The girl from my premonition."
A passing mourner, overhearing that, looked at Phoebe with wide eyes. Leo quickly pulled Phoebe to the main stairs where they could talk freely. "Phoebe, you got to be more careful."
Phoebe let out a tight breath. "I'm sorry."
Cole met Phoebe's eyes. "You sure you don't recognize her from anywhere?"
"Well... She did look familiar, like I've seen her somewhere before." She looked at Faith. "And she did say you knew her…" Phoebe shook her head.
"Well that doesn't mean much," Faith said. "I've met a lot of people since I was kidnapped, Aunt Phoebe."
"I guess your right," Phoebe said as a worried look filled her face. "Somehow, we've got to find her before nightfall, or else..."
"Honey..." When Phoebe slid a flower vase over an inch, then back again, Cole gently took her arm with a concerned look. "What're you doing?"
"Uh, I'm cleaning."
"You don't clean." Cole raised a brow. "You hate cleaning."
"I know..." Phoebe let out a breath of suppressed emotion that had Buffy taking her hand and squeezing it. "But it's better than falling apart, isn't it?"
"Maybe you should just try and focus on the girl," Leo instructed. "You said she was attacked on a rooftop?"
"Yeah, one with a helipad, but it's a tall building..." Phoebe frowned. "Although, there were a lot of taller ones around it."
"Okay, so we just need to figure out which building it was before Shax does."
It was at that moment that Piper walked over and stood next to her husband. "We can't defeat Shax, not without the Power of Three," Piper reminded her sister.
"Not without mom," Faith added.
Phoebe looked between them but her eyes landed on Piper. "But you and Prue did defeat him."
"That's because Prue was the strongest," Piper answered. "Trying to do it without her would be suicide."
"Maybe so, but I got that premonition for a reason," Phoebe countered. "That girl is our innocent, so we have to try and save her."
"Says who?" Piper glared, "Why do we have to?"
Leo looked down at his wife sadly, "Piper..."
"What? Do you really expect us to keep doing this stuff after what happened? To keep risking our lives?" Piper's voice rose the angrier she became, "Do they?"
"Piper..." Leo looked around at the curious eyes looking over, "Keep your voice down."
"No, Leo, I won't. I don't want to do this anymore, okay? It—It's over! You can tell them that we buried their precious Charmed Ones when we buried our sister."
Piper and Faith spun around and stalked up the stairs. As Buffy and Leo went to follow. Phoebe took their arms and shook her head. "No, let them both go. They just need a little time on their own. Look, I don't know where we go from here, but I do know that I can't let that girl die…especially not by the same demon that killed Prue." She then looked at Buffy. "And I know you can't either, Buffy. I'm betting the Slayer within you is telling you that it wants you to avenge Prue's death for Faith."
Buffy sighed; she had felt the nagging feeling in the back of her mind telling her that exact thing. "Yes," she said reluctantly. "Which means as much as I want to remain at Faith's side. I also don't want her to lose an aunt on top of her mother. So, I'm going with you."
"The question remains..." Cole cocked his head. "How are you going to stop Shax without the Power of Three to say the vanquishing spell?"
"I'm hoping that a demon and two witches fighting together might be enough." Phoebe looked from Buffy to Cole, "Interested?"
Leo and Buffy looked at one another as Cole pursed his lips. "Why not?" Cole sighed as he leaned on the archway. "It's better sitting around waiting for the next bounty hunter to attack."
"Which means I better go tell Faith," Buffy said. "Which of you is going to tell Victor and Piper?"
Leo nodded. "I'll take care of Piper."
"That gives me dad." Phoebe nodded then motioned.
Buffy headed up the stairs and knocked lightly on her bedroom door. "Faith, baby?" she said as she slowly opened the door. She found Faith sitting on the couch beneath the window looking outside. "How are you?"
"Not well," Faith answered. "I understand why your going, Buffy. You don't want me to lose any more family." She turned and looked at her fiancée. She sighed. "Slayer hearing can be a bitch. I heard you tell Phoebe that your going so that I don't lose her. So, make sure she comes back, okay? And that you come back as well. I don't know if I could survive losing you as well."
"I promise, Faith," Buffy said as she crossed the room and kissed Faith on the cheek.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"I have to go. Will you be okay?"
"Go?" Worry spread through Victor. "Go where?"
"Trust me..." Cole regarded him. "You don't want to know."
"But..." Phoebe squeezed his arm reassuringly. "I'll be fine, so don't worry too much." She knew it was a lie. She also knew it was wrong to promise such things after everything they were currently dealing with, but Prue's death was hard enough. He didn't need to worry about the prospect of another daughter or his granddaughter's fiancée getting murdered.
Before Victor could react further, they all turned to see Darryl entering the house. He approached them with another man, another cop.
"Phoebe." Darryl nodded at Phoebe as Buffy joined them. "Victor. Buffy. Sorry about this, but Inspector Cortez insisted on meeting today."
Cortez nodded as he put his hands in his pockets. "I just wanted to extend my deepest sympathies."
Phoebe and Buffy looked at one another before Phoebe turned back to him. "Thank you."
Victor placed a hand on both Buffy and Phoebe as he glared at the cop. "Thanks."
Cole cleared his throat. "I'll get the car."
After he stepped out of the Manor, Darryl took a look around. "Where's Piper and Faith?"
Buffy and Phoebe answered consecutively. "Resting."
"They're not feeling well," Phoebe added.
"Understandable. I lost a sister. I know how hard it is. We're going to find the monster who did this. I promise you." Phoebe, Buffy and Darryl all exchanged a look, which Cortez noticed. "Something I said?"
"No, uh..." Phoebe shook her head. "It's just the word... Monster."
"Well, that's what he was. How else do you describe somebody so vicious?"
"We get it." Buffy nodded. "And we agree but, uh, this just isn't the place that we want to discuss that. We're mourning."
"I understand. Which is why I'm here. We have to stop him before he strikes again."
"We couldn't agree more." A determined look filled Phoebe's eye. "If you'll excuse us, Inspector..." She took Buffy's hand and tried walking her to the door but they were stopped by Cortez.
"I know what a difficult time this is for you, but we really need to talk."
Phoebe threw a look to her dad who stepped in. "But not now," Victor said.
"Of course..." Cortez eyed Victor before nodding, "Sorry." He held a look for an uncomfortable moment, but stepped aside to allow them to exit.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Faith watched as Piper angrily placed five lit candles in a loose circle on the floor in front of her and the Book of Shadows.
"Faith and I are witches, damn it. We've summoned people before and we're going to summon Prue now whether you like it or not! No more games, no more playing the good witch." Piper hurried over next to Faith, who had the Book already opened to a spell.
"We want to talk to mom," Faith said. "We need to talk to mom. At the very least, you owe us that."
Piper and Faith took a soul-cleansing breath before glaring at the Book. "'Here these words. Hear my cry, spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide,'" they chanted.
Inside the circle, white magical lights, ever-so-slowly began to appear. Faith and Piper looked up and nearly immediately their anger was replaced by hopeful wonder. They stepped closer, anticipating Prue's appearance, but was instead surprised to see the ghost of someone else.
"Grams?" they said in unison.
"Hello, my darlings." Grams smiled sadly. "How are you both?"
"How are we?" Piper asked. "Are you kidding?"
"Do you guys not get the news up there?" Faith added.
"I meant, how are you both holding up?" Grams replied.
"Not very well." Piper admitted. "Faith and I are a little lost."
"Grams," Faith interjected before Piper could say anymore. "Please bring mom back I need her."
Grams sighed as she looked at her great granddaughter. "Faith, honey, I'm sorry I can't bring her back. Even if I was allowed to, I can't because I don't have the power to do that."
Faith looked down at the floor. "The nightmares are back," she admitted to both her aunt and great grandmother. "Worse than before. Every time I go to sleep, I see myself sitting beside the Source on the throne of the underworld. I see Buffy there. I've turned her. She is not only my wife, but my general. She leads the armies of the Underworld. I also see a young woman, in her teens, I can only assume she's our daughter. She doesn't go by Prudence Joyce. She answers to Vixen. Every Hellmouth all over the world is open. World governments are in shambles and the Watchers Council is gone, having been burned to the ground. I am scared."
"Please Grams there has to be something you can do," Piper begged.
"There is nothing I can do," Grams replied sadly. "I'm not even allowed to tell you..." She frowned, "Just like you're not allowed to see her, at least not for a while anyway."
"But... Why?" Piper asked as she noticed that Faith began flipping through the book. She knew what her niece was looking for. A way to bring Prue back. But they had tried everything they could think of.
"Because seeing Prue right now, speaking to her, keeps her alive for you," Grams continued. "Which keeps you from being able to move on with your life, to continue with your destiny."
"What destiny?" Piper scoffed. "It's over. It's done. Prue is gone. And Faith and I..."
"I know, sweetie, I know... but if there's one thing you've learned over the last three years, it's that there's a reason for everything... Which means there's a reason for this, too. Your destiny still awaits. Blessed be."
Without any more of an explanation she disappeared in the same swirl of white lights that brought her to Piper and Faith.
Underworld
The Source materialized in a fiery display. "Anything?"
The Oracle, still coiled around her smoke-filled crystal ball, looked up from it. "Unfortunately, since the last attack, Belthazor has been very elusive-"
"Leave Belthazor to the bounty hunters. What about the other that will lead my heir further down the path of good?"
"Her future is becoming much clearer." The Oracle confidently waved her hand over the crystal ball, "And, it appears, short-lived..."
The crystal ball showed swirling smoke inside as it began to form into the image of a dancing woman, Paige.
Halliwell Manor
Faith sat at her computer in her room. She hadn't found anything in the Book of Shadows. But after looking on a few websites online she had found references to a resurrection spell. She followed the references back to the source. And now she was looking at spell along with the listed ingredients for it. She debated telling Piper but felt it better to not say anything till she had brought her mother back. The only problem was the Ghora egg, she didn't know where to find one. She hoped she could find it by scrying for it.
P3
Paige was dancing with her boyfriend, Shane, in the middle of the crowded club's dance floor. A hot band lit up the place and as the song ended, the crowd cheered. Paige and Shane drifted over to their table to sit.
Shane frowned as he caught sight of Paige's distracted and distant look. "You alright?"
"Me? Yeah, why?"
"Well, you seem... a little quieter than usual. That's all."
Paige smirked at him, "What makes you think I'm not like this all of the time?"
"Because he probably knows you about as well as I do by now, P," came a voice from behind Paige.
Paige turned around and saw Faith, she smiled at her friend. "Hey, Faith. How are you?"
"I miss her," Faith admitted.
"I know how that is," Paige admitted as Faith sat at the table. "Or did you forget I lost my parents?"
"I didn't forget," Faith admitted.
Shane nodded as he noticed a passing waitress, "Hey, can we get three long necks?"
"I can only get you two, the waitress answered. "Faith's eighteen. Your usual though, Faith?"
"Not tonight, Susan," Faith answered. "I'm just passing through on an errand."
Paige turned to the waitress. "Make mine a mineral water, please?"
"And Susan, it's on me," Faith told the waitress.
"Sure, Faith," Susan agreed as she walked away.
"So much for how well you know me cowboy," Paige told her boyfriend.
"Yeah, P doesn't drink," Faith added.
"I used to have kind of a problem with certain liquids..." Paige admitted. "A lot of problems, actually, but that's all behind me."
"Oh..." Shane frowned, "Do you want to go someplace else, or...?"
"No, no, no, I like it here." Paige chuckled, "Gosh, I should. I've been coming to P3 for the last year or so, on and off. This is where I met Faith in fact. You see her aunt owns the club."
"So," Shane said looking at Faith. "You must know Paige pretty well."
"Well I know some secrets sure," Faith admitted. "But I wouldn't say I know everything."
"Yeah like Faith doesn't know that I was adopted," Paige admitted.
Faith looked at Paige with a raised eyebrow. "Why didn't you tell me that, P?"
"Well after what you told me about your own adopted parents," Paige told her friend with a sigh. "I didn't think it was a good time to tell you that I was adopted." She sighed. "Alright, but if I tell you all about Paige and you use it against me, I will get out my voodoo doll and make you sorry." They all chuckled before she continued, "I loved my parents, God rest. After they died, I went searching for my birth mother hoping to get some answers." As she spoke, she began to absentmindedly doodle on a napkin, "I went to the police, found the church I got dumped at... and checked around. I figured she must've lived near here, you know? I even thought I might've been..." She looked at Faith and sighed. What she was about to say was part of the reason she hadn't told Faith she was adopted. She didn't want her friend to think she was a stalker or anything. "I thought I might be related to your mom and your aunts, Faith. But only for a minute, after all your grandmother died a long time ago, so I gave up on that."
"Since you never told that to your friend here, I assume you never told her mother or her aunts either," Shane said looking at his girlfriend.
"No," Paige answered.
The waitress brought Shane and Paige their drinks, allowing Paige to lean back and try to end this painful topic.
"So, is that why you're my friend, P?" Faith wondered. "Trying to get an in to my family?"
"Well in the beginning I did keep coming here because I felt connected to your family," Paige admitted. "But when I went to the funeral today, I went because of you. You're my friend I wanted to pay my respects."
Faith stared at Paige for a moment. She didn't remember seeing Paige at the funeral. She wondered briefly if Paige was the one in Phoebe's premonition. She dismissed it though. If Paige was here she was safe. Plus she didn't see Phoebe or Buffy which meant this wasn't where the attack happened. So likely Paige wasn't the one Phoebe had mentioned. "Well," she said. "I need to finish my errand. "I'll give you a call in a few days, P. We can get together."
"Sure, Faith," Paige said as she reached across and squeezed Faith's hand. She watched as the brunette Slayer stood and walked toward the rear entrance of the club.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Don't hurt me, okay? I can't handle anymore right now," Paige said.
Shane's answer was a deep, meaningful kiss. She accepted it and returned the passion with her own. They part for a second to stare into each other's eyes. Hers were ablaze.
"Come on." She motioned to him as she stood. "I have something to show you. Something that Faith herself actually showed me."
Shane hurriedly tossed a twenty on the table and they left. The cocktail napkin Paige was doodling on had a drawing of a rough version of the triquetra, the Power of Three. A drawing that if Faith had seen it would have raised eyebrows for the brunette Slayer and may have even kept her close to Paige.
Sewers below P3
Faith walked down the tunnel. The research she had found on the Ghora said it liked the sewers. Then when she had scryed for it, the crystal pointed to P3. She surmised that the Ghora had made its nest below her aunt's club. A few feet down from the sewer entrance she found the entrance to the Ghora's lair, a rough tunnel that led deeper under the sewers.
"It's here," Faith said excitedly. She just hoped the demon didn't require the Power of Three. She started down the tunnel that opened int a cavern with large depression in the middle where the Ghora nested.
She peered at the sleeping creature over a large boulder and spotted the eggs nestled safely behind it. "Dang," she muttered. "I'm going to have to wake it and get it to move. Which will make it harder."
Faith headed around the rock. "Hey! Ghora! Heads up!" she called out as the Ghora woke.
The Ghora lifted its three heads and slithered menacingly toward Faith.
Faith smirked as a fireball formed in her hand. "Just so you know. I am the Source's heir."
The Ghora stopped. It knew that if it attacked Faith it would incur the wrath of the Source. "What do you want," it hissed.
"One of your eggs," Faith admitted. "My mom just died. I need the egg for the spell to resurrect her."
"Take it, and let the Source know that I helped his chosen heir," the Ghora hissed.
Skyscraper
After getting three coffees Buffy made her way up to the observation tower where Phoebe and Cole were waiting. She walked inside just in time to see Cole with his arms around Phoebe from behind. "Any luck?" she asked.
Phoebe frowned after putting the binoculars away, "Not yet."
"Actually..." Cole pointed and handed Buffy the other pair. "Looks like your instincts were right."
Both women looked over with their binoculars to see Paige enter the rooftop across the way with Shane.
Phoebe hurriedly grabbed Coles arm, "We've got to shimmer over there!"
"And tell her what?" Cole shook his head, "That a demon is going to attack? I think we should stay right here."
"He's right." Buffy nodded watching as Paige, oblivious to the looming danger, led Shane to the center of the helipad. "Plus, a looming demon attack is kind of a ball buster if you're on a date. Believe me I know that from first hand experience."
Halliwell Manor
Faith was shaking with anticipation and fear as she sat on a folded white sheet on the floor of Prue's room. She began her preparations for the spell as she mixed the egg with the other required ingredients in the bowl. Then she removes a vial of blood from her coat and poured the blood on the sheet and spread it with her fingers, forming a triquetra with the bowl at the center with a picture of Prue.
Skyscraper
Paige let go of Shane's hand, spun around with her arms out wide, and looked up at the stars before taking her jacket off and moving in for a kiss.
Phoebe turned to a still watching Cole pointedly, "Any ideas?"
Cole smirked, "A couple."
"I have to agree there," Buffy chuckled. "But not the time."
Phoebe smacked Cole causing him to laugh. "I meant about what we do now. I mean, we can't just keep watching, it's not right."
"You're right." Cole took the binoculars from Phoebe and took another look, nodding all the while, "We shouldn't just keep watching."
Phoebe blocked his view with her hand before backing the two of them up, "Okay, very good."
Meanwhile, Buffy put her own binoculars back to her eyes just as a moving tornado materialized out of thin air and raced toward the unsuspecting lovers. Paige opened her eyes just in time to see it at the last second over Shane's shoulder. She screamed as the blast made Shane go flying backwards, knocking him unconscious. Another scream left her throat as Shax threw a concussive blast directly at her. The attack terrified her enough to orb out momentarily, missing the fatal blow, and then orb back in some way. Paige shook off her own confusion and immediately turned to run to the roof access tower. Shax, also surprised at her ability to orb, turned back into a tornado and followed.
"What in the heck," Buffy said in clear surprise. "She can orb?" She turned to Cole and Phoebe. "She's a Whitelighter?"
Phoebe and Cole ran back over to Buffy. "She what?" Phoebe asked the Slayer.
"She orbed!" Buffy answered hurriedly, "I mean, did you see her face after? She looked shocked."
Cole hurriedly grabbed both of them before shimmering out, "Come on!"
The Heavens
Prue Halliwell sat between Grams and Patty as the pair continued to try and console the eldest Halliwell sister. Then suddenly Prue began to flicker as they began to hear Faith's voice.
"Osiris, giver of darkness, taker of life," Faith chanted. "God of Gods - accept my
offering… Bone, flesh, breath - yours, eternally. Bone, flesh, breath…"
Grams and Patty looked at each other in realization at what Faith was doing.
Skyscraper
Paige was running for her life. She scampered down the stairs onto the catwalk but stopped when she heard the ominous sound of the tornado approaching. She slowly turned to see Shax standing there. Cole, Phoebe, and Buffy shimmering in behind Paige distracted him from throwing another concussive blast.
Paige turned just in time to see the tail end of the shimmer, and looked at them just as shocked, "What the hell?"
"Get outta here!" Phoebe demanded hurriedly, "Hurry! Go! Go!"
Cole started firing energy balls at Shax, but they barely fazed him. Paige, supremely freaked out by the events unfolding in front of her, tore off up the stairs.
Cole turned to Phoebe and Buffy. "Say the spell, damn it!"
Phoebe and Buffy locked hands and recited it together. "'Evil wind that blows, that which forms below. No longer may you dwell. Death takes you with this spell.'"
As they spoke, Shax managed to get off a concussive blast at Cole, which knocked him over the stairway rail. Then, groaning and grunting in agony, the grey demon turned into a ghostly wind and streaked away from the scene.
Panic-stricken Phoebe ran to the edge, "Cole!"
Cole plummeted five stories, but just before he pancaked, he recovered enough to shimmer out right next to Phoebe on his feet. She gasped in relief before throwing herself into him for an emotional hug.
"That was too close..."
"It's okay, I'm alright." Cole reassured, "It's your innocent I'm worried about."
"Yeah." Buffy scoffed, turning to them, "Why didn't anybody tell us she's a Whitelighter?"
Halliwell Manor
Phoebe, Buffy and Cole stepped through the front door to find Grams waiting for them. "Grams?" Phoebe said.
"You need to check on Faith," Grams told her granddaughter. "She's trying to resurrect Prue. I don't know how she found that spell, but she can't succeed. For if she does, what comes through that door…"
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Faith sat in the Prue's room in a small trance as she continued to chant, "…Bone, flesh, breath - yours, eternally. Bone, flesh, breath - I beg of you - return to me."
As the ingredients in the bowl ignite Phoebe burst into the room. Phoebe had instructed Cole and Buffy to find Piper and Leo that she would meet them in the kitchen in a few minutes. Buffy had of course objected, but Phoebe had promised she would take care of Faith.
"Faith," Phoebe said. She stopped, stunned to see Prue's photography in the middle of the triquetra. She picked up the photo clearly appalled. "What have you done?"
Faith stood up, too disoriented from the spell to answer.
"What have you done?!" Phoebe repeated.
Faith's eyes went wide with fear and excitement. "She's coming. She's coming home."
That hit Phoebe like a slap in the face as Faith pushed past her and ran for the stairs. She turned and chased her niece.
Dawn bolts down the stairs, heading for the door - but Buffy, who still holds Joyce's picture, is right on her heels. She grabs Dawn before she can reach the door and they move into the living room as they fight.
"You have no idea what you're messing with!" Phoebe told her niece. "Grams told me, Cole and Buffy that these spells go bad all the time. People come back wrong—You have to stop it, reverse it—"
"No!" Faith objected.
"Faith," Phoebe begged. "I want Prue back as much as you do. But you know this is wrong. You know you can't let this happen. Not to Prue."
"But I need her," Faith countered. "I don't care if she's…I need her, Aunt Phoebe. Or he wins."
"What do you mean he wins?" Phoebe asked looking at her niece.
"The Source," Faith answered. "I had a nightmare. He won. I sat on the throne at his side. I turned Buffy; she was my general. She led the demons of the Underworld. Everything was in shambles, all the Hellmouths were open. So, you see I have to have mom back or we lose."
"That was just a nightmare, Faith," Phoebe said. "That's not happening."
"How do you know?" Faith snapped. "You probably are evil and working for him. Shoot you haven't even cried! You've just been running around trying to save your innocent."
"Faith," Phoebe said tears began to flow down her cheeks. "I'm not strong, not like you. But if we all broke down, then we all would be…" She stopped as they heard a loud shuffling on the steps outside.
The sound of whoever was coming didn't sound quite right, like the person was limping or dragging something. Both Phoebe and Faith looked toward the door and saw a silhouette through the window beside the door that resembled Prue.
"Prue?" Phoebe whispered as they heard a knock came at the door. Her expression crumbled, she's a lost little girl. "Prue?"
As another knock came at the door Faith suddenly looked afraid and uncertain. Everything Phoebe had said was sinking in. "Aunt Phoebe?" Faith whispered as another knock came at the door.
Almost involuntarily, Phoebe started for the door. "Prue?" She lunged for the door just as Faith took Prue's photo and ripped it in half. She flung the door open to find nobody there.
Phoebe stood there letting that sink that her eldest sister was gone, really gone. She turned to face her niece and saw the scattered pieces of the photo on the floor. Somewhere beyond the pain she understood that it was the right thing to do. But in the moment, she's mostly still the child - in desperate need of solace. "Faith?"
Faith moved quickly to her aunt and pulled Phoebe into her arms and held Phoebe tightly. "It's okay…"
Phoebe's cries intensified, and although Faith meant to comfort her aunt, her tears came as well.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Faith and Phoebe had remained in the foyer for a half an hour collecting themselves before they went in search of Piper, Cole, Buffy and Leo. When they arrived in the kitchen, Phoebe, Buffy and Cole told Leo what had happened with Paige at the observation deck. Piper stood silent in the background as she did the dishes, while Faith sat on the counter trying to collect her thoughts about the attempted resurrection of her mother.
"Are you sure she orbed?" Leo gave Buffy a look of confusion. "Are you sure that it wasn't something else?"
"Leo, I know what I saw. Bright shiny lights came before she magically disappeared and reappeared. She orbed," Buffy told him. "I've seen you orb enough times to recognize it."
Leo shook his head. "It just doesn't make any sense."
Cole eyed the Whitelighter. "Why not?"
"Because why would Shax want to kill a Whitelighter?"
Cole's voice rose, "Maybe he doesn't know she's a Whitelighter."
"Right," Leo scoffed. "The Source sends out his personal assassin, but doesn't know who he's after?"
Piper, in the background, clattered the pots that she's washing. Noticeably, as a message to the Buffy, Phoebe, Cole and Leo. They chose to ignore her.
Phoebe turned back to Leo. "Is it possible that she didn't know that she's a Whitelighter?"
"No. Why?"
"Because she acted as if she didn't." Cole motioned. "She acted just as surprised as we were when she orbed out."
"Well, that doesn't make any sense either."
Buffy ran her hands through her hair in exhaustion, "We all get it doesn't make sense but she orbed in and out and acted like it was the first time she'd ever done it and Shax himself was trying to kill her. We're very limited on time to waste on the guessing game, Leo."
"Okay, okay..." Phoebe put her hands out trying to calm the situation before turning to Leo. "Why don't you go up and ask the Elders what does make sense so we don't go risking our lives again?"
Leo looked at Faith and Piper. "I'll be right back."
After orbing out Phoebe covered her eyes. Buffy took a deep breath and closed hers as she hung her head.
"Maybe I should, uh..." Cole turned to his girlfriend. "Go to the other side and see what I can find out."
Stress filled Phoebe's eyes. "No."
"I'll be careful. Nobody'll see me. Besides, it could be good for me to go back down, to confuse any bounty hunters that might be trying to track me. Don't worry." He leaned down and kissed Phoebe on the cheek before shimmering out. "I won't disappear."
Buffy started collecting the dishes on the island in the kitchen as Phoebe walked closer to Piper. "Hey, you okay?" Phoebe asked her sister.
"What about you, Faith?" Buffy added looking at her fiancée.
"Getting there," Faith whispered.
"Yeah, sure, why not? We could have another funeral tomorrow," Piper told her sister. "Hey, why not make it a double? I mean, all the dishes are out and we pretty much know who to invite."
"Piper—" Phoebe started.
"Just tell me one thing." Piper held a small white towel in her hands as she turned and faced her sister and eventual niece. "Are you two insane or are you just plain stupid? We bury Prue this morning and you guys go off tonight and nearly join her. What the hell is the matter with you?!"
"Piper," Buffy said. "I went with Phoebe because I knew neither you or Faith would be able to survive if something happened to her. Faith even knew that when I went to talk to her before we left."
"She's right, Aunt Piper," Faith said. "I did know. I told Buffy I wasn't about to stop her. That I just wanted to make sure she brought both herself and Aunt Phoebe back alive, that I didn't think I could survive losing someone else."
"I was trying to save an innocent," Phoebe told her sister in her own defense.
"No. You were trying to get yourself and Buffy killed, which is what this family does best is get killed." Piper threw the towel onto the counter in frustration and anger. "Isn't it obvious by now that our only destiny is to die? And you are making it way too easy for them. You are just walking right into it!"
Phoebe quickly embraced Piper into a hug. "I am so sorry."
Buffy pulled Faith off the counter and into her arms. "I am too, Faith."
"I cannot handle anything right now, and I certainly cannot handle losing another sister, Phoebe. Just as I am sure Faith can't handle losing you, Buffy!"
"I know she can't, Piper," Buffy admitted. "She told me. But what would you want me to do? Stay here or go with Phoebe and increase her chances of coming back alive for both yours and Faith's sake? I had to go; I had no other choice. And if I was confronted with that same choice again, I wouldn't change my decision. I would make it again, Piper. For you, for Phoebe and for Faith. I may not be related to you three and I may not be your in-law yet. But you all matter to me. And I am going to do everything in my power to make sure none of you lose anyone else."
Bay Area Hospital
Paige entered Shane's room as he sat up from his bed, "Paige." She smiled sheepishly as she came closer to him, "What happened?"
"Shane, I feel so bad..." She frowned in guilt, "I just got so scared and I ran."
Worry laced his own face, "Of course."
"Are you alright? What'd they say?"
"It's no big deal. Just a little concussion, but I'm gonna be fine. They wouldn't be releasing me if I wasn't, right?" He took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly, "I'm just glad you're okay, too."
"Yeah, well..." She let out a breath, "Physically anyway."
"Did you talk to the cops yet?"
"No..." She frowned, "Why?"
"Why? They want to find out who attacked us, that's why. I- I told them you saw him."
Her brows furrowed, "You did what?"
"Well, you did." It was Shane's turn to frown, "Didn't you?"
Cortez entered the room just then and inserted himself into their conversation, "Did you?" When Paige swung around to look at him with a scowl, he introduced himself, " Inspector Cortez, homicide. I'd like to ask you a couple of questions."
"Wait, homicide?" Shane shook his head, "No one was murdered."
"Based on the MO, if it's the same perpetrator I think it was, that just makes you lucky. He killed two people last week, violently..." His eyes met Paige's, "One of them a young woman who looked a little bit like you."
Paige's eyes widened, "Prue."
"Prue Halliwell." Cortez nodded, "Did you know her?"
"No." She immediately shook her head as she began to feel uncomfortable, "No, not really."
"Well..." Shane added, earning a look from his girlfriend, "In a way you did, right?"
"What way was that?" Cortez pushed, "Were you friends of hers or friends of her sisters or her daughter?"
"Her daughter," Paige answered.
"Then I am likely right in my assumption that you know something. I can see it in your eyes. Just like I know they know something, too. If you're trying to protect them in any way, I'll find out."
Paige's glare hardened on him, "Well, in that case, I have nothing to worry about." She leaned over to kiss Shane, "You rest up. I'll be back." As she turned to leave, she nodded to Cortez, "Excuse me."
June 14, 2001 – Thursday
Halliwell Manor
Phoebe sat next to the fireplace as she stared into the flames quietly. Piper came in from the kitchen and handed her a cup of tea.
"Here, this should help. It's chamomile." She tried for a smirk as she took a seat next to her on the floor, "I had three cups."
Phoebe smiled as she took a sip, "Thanks."
"Look at what I found." They both turned as Faith led Buffy down the stairs. Faith held a picture, "Aunt Piper…Aunt Phoebe, you two remember this?"
Taking a seat with them she handed the picture over. The picture was herself, Prue, Piper and Phoebe taken two days after finding out that Faith was Prue's daughter. It was the first of series of family photos with the four of them. Prue was smiling away, her eyes gleaming with happiness.
"Oh yeah." Piper chuckled. "Not long after you returned home."
Phoebe laughed as she handed it back to Faith, who handed the picture to Buffy. "Doesn't seem real, does it?
Buffy smiled at the picture softly. "No."
"What are we going to do with all of her stuff?" Piper took a big breath. "What are we going to do with her car?"
"I don't know." Phoebe shrugged, "Sell it, I guess."
Piper looked them over. "Unless either of you want it."
Faith and Phoebe shook their heads sadly. Phoebe scooted close to her niece and her sister grabbing their hands. She glanced over Faith's shoulder and noticed that Buffy had an arm around Faith. She smiled at the blonde Slayer who she already considered not only a part of their family, not only Faith's wife, but her niece.
"We're going to get through this, you know," Phoebe. "We just have to stick together. All of us, including you, Buffy." She looked at Piper. "I think you will agree, Piper, that as far as we're concerned that Buffy and Faith are already married. That she is already our niece."
Piper glanced at the blonde Slayer and nodded. "She's right, Buffy. You are already a part of our family. At this moment the wedding is just a formality. A formality I want to see happen, but still a formality."
Faith glanced at her aunts and smiled at them. "Talking about weddings. I hope you both will do me the honor of being not only my maid of honor but walking me down the aisle."
"I think we both would like that," Phoebe admitted as Piper nodded in agreement. The four of them turned to Leo when he orbed into the room, "Well?"
"Well, they don't know anything about her, so she's definitely not a Whitelighter."
"Look, I know what I saw. I saw the girl orb." Buffy stood up with the girls. "So, if she's not a Whitelighter then why can she do that?"
Leo shrugged, "They can't explain it."
Phoebe scoffed, "How is it possible that they don't kn-"
She was cut off by Cole shimmering into the room, "Whew." He chuckled, "Sorry I took so long. I had to dodge a couple of bounty hunters."
Leo sighed, "Did you find anything out?"
"You have no idea what I found out. Turns out the Source doesn't think she's a Whitelighter at all." He took a seat on the arm of the chair, "In fact, he thinks she might be another... Charmed One."
"What?" Faith said loudly as her eyes widened. "Um... sorry," She cleared her throat, "What?"
"That's why he put Shax on it. He thought he ended the Power of Four. Now he's worried that this girl may somehow reconstitute it."
"No, but that's not possible." Phoebe shook her head but turned to Leo, "Is that possible?"
Leo shrugged.
"It could be," Faith admitted as they all turned to look at her. "After all, because of Grams you all didn't remember me till she reversed her spell, remember? So, who's to say that Grandma Patty didn't have another daughter that she gave up and didn't tell anyone or even erased your memories of like Grams did?"
Piper immediately took off upstairs startling Phoebe, "Piper?" She, Faith and Buffy immediately followed her up to the attic. "Piper!" They watched her storm over to the book in confusion. "What's going on?"
"I'm going to ask Grams what's going on, actually."
"Grams?"
Faith nodded in understanding. "She said, your destiny still awaits."
"There's a reason for everything, she says," Piper added. "So, it's time to summon her transparent butt back here and find out exactly what that reason is." She started the spell, "'Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide!'" She let out a semi-satisfied sigh when Grams appeared in a bright light.
Grams, however, looked rather confused. "Piper? Why are you calling?" Her eyes fell on the other two, " P—Phoebe, Faith? Wha- what's going on?"
"Grams..." Piper raised a brow at her, "Why does the Source think that the Charmed Ones can be reconstituted?"
"I do-" Her voice went out so she cleared her throat, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You know what, Grams?" Phoebe, Buffy and Faith looked at each other in shocked confusion as Piper got visibly got more upset, "You were a lousy liar when you were alive, and now as a ghost, you're worse."
"If you know something, Grams, you have to tell us." Phoebe stepped closer, "We deserve to know."
"I can't." She quickly shook her head, "I'm sworn to secrecy."
"Screw the secrecy!" Faith scoffed, "If Aunt Piper and Aunt Phoebe have a secret sister who's being hunted down by the Source, she's a sitting duck! Grams." When she stayed silent Faith put her hands on her hips and glared, "Who swore you to secrecy?"
"I did." A voice sounded before their mother appeared right next to Grams in a swirl of bright light, "I did."
Piper, Phoebe and Faith were stunned, "Mom?" Piper and Phoebe said.
"Grandma Patty?" Faith added.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Downstairs, Cortez and Darryl entered the manor. Cortez was holding a flashlight as Darryl tried to stop him from entering further.
"You can't just walk in here like this."
Cortez stopped his advances momentarily to glare at Darryl, "Search warrant says I can."
"What the hell are you looking for?"
"Do you really expect me to believe you don't know, Inspector?" When Darryl didn't respond, Cortez continued his search, "Follow me and keep your voice down."
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Back in the attic, Patty was explaining the events of her past to her daughters and her niece as she paced around. "We didn't tell anybody because we were afraid that there would be reprisals. Afraid that... Piper…Phoebe, that you two and Prue would be denied your powers. Your birthright. It happened after your father and I were divorced. When Sam and I were together."
Buffy and Cole turned to Faith and Leo. "Sam?" they asked.
"Grandma Patty's Whitelighter," Faith answered.
"Hmm." Cole chuckled, "Apples don't fall far from the forbidden tree, I see."
"Shh!" Buffy demanded of the demon.
"Go on," Piper instructed her mother.
"You two were toddlers," Patty said as she looked at her daughters. "You just thought Mommy got a little fat." She smiled, "You never knew I was pregnant."
"Wow," Faith whispered. She thought back on what Grams had done, it wasn't much different in reality. "So, you take of Grams then."
"Not intentionally, Faith," Patty admitted knowing what Faith was referring to, the fact that Prue, Piper and Phoebe didn't know first about Paige and then later Faith, when Grams had erased their memories of Faith.
"I was the only one who knew," Grams said bringing them back to conversation at hand.
"And Sam, obviously."
"Right. Well, yes, of course."
"We wanted to keep the baby, of course. But mother-"
"Well, I- I knew it would be disastrous." Gram hurriedly interjected, "You know, before you and Leo, Piper, it wasn't just forbidden. It was unthinkable for witches to be with Whitelighters. I mean, let alone have children with them."
"So..." Patty nodded, "That's why we had to- why we decided... to give the baby up. Sam and I took her to a local church as soon as she was born. We asked the nun there to find a home for her, and she found one. A very, very good home."
Grams nodded again, "Yes."
Leo looked back to the sisters, Faith and Buffy. "Explains why the Elders didn't know about her."
"Alright, hold it. Wait just one minute." Phoebe quipped, "Are you telling me, that that girl, our innocent, is really...our sister."
Patty smiled, "Your baby sister."
Grams raised a brow as she corrected her own daughter, "Their baby half-sister."
"But by my half, which makes her a sister witch. Well, actually, not yet anyway. Not until all three of you are here together by the Book. Just like before."
"Charmed." Grams smiled, "Again."
Cole spoke to himself and Leo but earned equal glares from Faith and Piper, "And I thought my family was screwed up."
Just then Cortez barged into the attic, Darryl right behind him, and stopped to gawk at the two ghosts standing there. Everyone looked over at him mirroring their own shock.
"Well..." He scoffed, "I'll be damned."
"Great." Faith shook her head as she mumbled.
"Darryl." Piper yelled, "Do something!"
"He's a cop, Piper. And he's got a search warrant."
"And believe me..." Cortez motioned his head, "I've found what I've been searching for." Cole moved slightly towards Cortez causing the Inspector to take out his gun and aim it directly at him, "Ah, ah, ah. Don't move. I'll shoot."
Cole outstretched his hands, "Then so will I."
As Cortez's face became confused Leo admonished the half-demon, "Cole..."
"Okay Inspector, just put the gun down." Phoebe laughed tightly, "There is a very good explanation for all of this."
At her look Buffy nodded, pointing, "Right! And uh that would be..." Slight panic was starting to fill her as she grasped for an explanation, "Uh, we're doing a light show!"
"Yeah!" Phoebe looked at her oddly, "What?"
"Yes, yeah!" Buffy cleared her throat, "With, uh, special effects and things..." The room got quiet again so she looked around at everyone pointedly, "Feel free to chime in anytime, guys."
"My whole life..." Cortez moved the gun around, "I suspected evil magic was real. That there was something more. I've seen too many horrible things in the job to suspect otherwise, not the least of which are the two murders that happened here."
"Wait." Faith stopped, "Evil?"
Piper scoffed, "Are you accusing us?"
"I've just begun to accuse you, lady!"
"Alright, fine. You caught us." Grams looked at him, "Congratulations. So what are you gonna do about it? Shoot us?"
"Easy, Grams." Phoebe commented, "Not all of us are dead, remember?"
"Alright, look..." Leo stepped in, "You can't arrest us, especially not them." He pointed to the ghosts, "Nobody will ever believe you."
"Maybe not at first. I'm putting this whole place under constant surveillance. I'm taping your every move. Sooner or later, I'll catch you doing something uh, supernatural, and then-"
Darryl hit Cortez out with the butt of his gun causing him to fall to the floor in unconsciousness. He took a breath before looking to the sisters and Faith again, "I think you've been through enough today, huh?"
Piper nodded gratefully, "Thank you."
"Darryl, go, get out of here." Phoebe walked over to him, "We don't want you to take the fall for this."
He shook his head, "No, it's okay."
"She's right, Uncle Darryl." Faith added, "This is our mess. We don't need to drag you down with us. Go."
"If you need me, you know where to find me, huh?"
They nodded and watched him leave, Cole looked from the unconscious inspector back to the sisters, Buffy and Faith. "This doesn't solve your problem. He's gonna wake up eventually. You've just bought yourself some time."
Leo agreed, "What you're gonna need, especially if you wanna save your..."
Pain flashed across Phoebe's face, "Sister?"
Faith also shook her head, still not all the way able to wrap her mind around having another aunt.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Grams asked, "Just write a spell. Get rid of him."
"Uh, get rid of him?"
"Well, you know what I mean. Dump him somewhere. Anywhere." She motioned with a chuckle, "With all the witches in this room, we oughta be able to do something with him. I mean, just start rhyming. Uh, take him back, take him away. Remove him now. Don't let him stay."
She gestured to Phoebe quickly, "Oh. Uh. We call the spirits to help undo and send him off to... Timbuktu." She smiled triumphantly as Cortez vanished from the floor, "Whoa. It worked."
Buffy's eyes widened, "Phoebe!"
"Timbuktu?" Piper admonished angrily, "You sent him to Timbuktu?"
"Alright, well, it was the only thing I could think of that rhymed with undo!"
"Great." Buffy crossed her arms, "Now we've got a missing cop to deal with. Somewhere in Timbuktu."
"Don't worry." Cole waved them off, "Uh, I'll find him."
Once he shimmered out Piper shook her head, "This is way too much for me to handle. Way too much."
Patty looked at her daughter sadly, "Nobody can blame you for being angry, sweetie."
"Angry? Yeah, I'm angry. Um, I'm confused and you know what? This- this is just crazy. You cannot float in here after all these years and go, 'Oh gosh, I forgot, by the way, you've got a sister.'" She yelled, "Especially not today of all days!"
"Seriously, Grandma Patty." Faith agreed, "What, do you think this is like a replacement for losing mom? Like everything can just go back to how it was?"
"Goddess no, sweetie." She shook her head looking at all of them with sad eyes, "I know it's a lot, more than anybody should have to deal with, but you're going to have to deal with it the best way you know how. Losing Prue…Piper and Phoebe you two learning about another sister…Faith you learning about another aunt…this is your path. This is your destiny. Get angry at it, cry about it, but don't fight it. Or it'll consume you."
"Come on, Patty." Grams took her hand, "The rest is up to them."
After the two of them disappeared, the girls and Leo headed downstairs.
"Leo can't you just sense her?" Buffy asked, "Otherwise we've got nothing."
"I can't."
"Well why not?" Faith asked.
"I can't sense where she is because she's technically not a witch yet."
"Alright..." Phoebe took a breath, "So all we have to go on is that church that Mom mentioned and the nun."
"Okay, let's get one thing straight. I am only doing this to save her. I'm not remotely interested in reconstituting..." Pipers cut off to find Paige waiting for them by the open door, "The Charmed Ones."
"Hi, Faith…uh..." Paige motioned behind her, clearly looking uncomfortable, "The door was open." Silence stretched on causing her to back up. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here."
Faith hurriedly stepped toward her friend. "No, P. We were just coming to look for you."
"You were?"
"Yep," Faith said as she smiled warmly at her friend. "Let me introduce you to my aunts and fiancée." She led Paige over to Piper, Phoebe and Buffy. "This is my fiancée, Buffy Summers." She motioned to Buffy.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Paige admitted looking at Buffy. "Faith told me a little bit about you."
"It's nice to meet you as well," Buffy said.
"This is my Aunt Phoebe," Faith continued with the introductions. "And this is…"
"Piper," Paige finished as a nervous smile came across her lips, "I know. I've been to your club. Pretty great."
"Thank you." Piper raised a brow, "And you are?"
"Her name is Paige," Faith answered.
"And you didn't that was suspicious, Faith?" Phoebe wondered.
"Didn't think much of it till now," Faith admitted. "Looking back there were plenty of little hints that I ignored. Such as the fact that P looks like mom."
Piper ignored the conversation between her sister and her niece. "It's nice to meet you," she told Paige. When she and Paige shook hands, a bright blue light shone over them dramatically.
"Okay." Paige took her hand back as she looked up at the chandelier a little taken aback, "What was that?"
"Destiny changing your path, Aunt Paige." Faith smiled at her new aunt, pain showing in her eyes, but also a shiny ray of hope. Maybe, just maybe with Paige's help her nightmare would not come true.
The door slammed open just then as a strong gust of wind knocked the girls back backwards. Leo was knocked down on the stairs as Shax materialized. He walked closer to the girls, ready to strike, but was momentarily thwarted when Leo jumped on his back.
"Get upstairs!"
Piper panicked, "Leo?!"
"Come on!" Buffy hurriedly grabbed Faith and Piper's hands they were the closest to her. Piper and Faith grabbed Paige and Phoebe and the five of them disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames.
Once they appeared in the attic Piper, Phoebe bolted to the book as Paige followed them. Buffy and Faith moved instinctively between the sisters and the door.
Paige was panicking and freaking out with each passing second. "How did we get here? What are we doing? What is that thing?!"
Phoebe dismissed Paige as Piper flipped through the book. "We'll explain later."
"Okay, just say this spell out loud with us, okay?" Piper asked.
"Spells?" Paige repeated with disbelieving eyes, "What are you guys, witches?"
Phoebe looked at her, "And so are you."
"Yeah so are you, Aunt Paige," Faith agreed. as the strong wind broke through the attic door bringing along Shax, "Okay, okay, let's hurry. Before we're assassin meat."
Piper, Phoebe and Paige quickly recited the spell together, "'Evil wind that blows, that which forms below. No longer may you dwell. Death takes you with this spell.'"
Shax instantly moaned in pain as he exploded. This time they vanquished him for good.
"It's not enough." Phoebe turned to them hurriedly, "Shax was just the messenger. We gotta get the Source."
"Before he has me assume the throne," Faith added.
Paige gaped at them in confusion, "The Source of what?"
Piper struggled to get the words out, "Mmm, uh..."
Buffy sighed and motioned to the new witch, "She's going to have to be told eventually."
Piper took a breath, "Of all Evil."
Paige scoffed in anger as she reeled from the news, "What have you guys turned me into?" She quickly turned around and bolted out of the attic and then out of the manor.
"Aunt Paige!" Faith called after the departing woman. "Don't leave!"
"Paige?" Phoebe added.
"Wait!" Piper and Buffy finished.