Chapter 14: Charmed Again Part 2

June 15, 2001 – Friday

Halliwell Manor

The next morning in the kitchen Piper retrieved an ice pack from the freezer and placed it gently on Leo's neck, "I don't understand how you can keep healing innocents, but you can't figure out a way to heal yourself."

"It's kind of hard to heal myself when I'm knocked out."

Phoebe, Buffy and Faith walked in, "Leo, how is possible for an angel to even get knocked out? I mean, you are, after all, technically dead," Phoebe questioned.

"You know," Buffy grabbed one of the muffins Faith had bought for her and that they kept in the cupboard. She turned back to the Whitelighter, "I've wondered that since I met you. How is that possible?"

Leo eyed them. "Three years together, Phoebe, a half a year for you, Buffy, and now you guys are asking these questions?"

"Well…" Faith smiled. "Better late than never."

"I think the more appropriate question is, how does a white-lighter get somebody knocked up?" Piper eyed him pointedly and the other two giggled

Leo looked up at her, pale, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Piper's brow rose, "What do you think it means?"

"If it's about Paige, I swear, the Elders had no idea that she even existed, or that she was your sister."

Phoebe smiled, "Sister witch."

"Half witch, half-Whitelighter." Piper added. "Let's not forget that little surprise." She fiddled with Leos ice pack, "I still can't believe that Mom kept that secret from us."

"Is that really any different than me, Aunt Piper?" Faith said looking at her aunt. "After all because of Grams you didn't know about me till she reversed her spell that restored our memories.

"No," Piper admitted.

"Well, it sounded like mom didn't have much of a choice," Phoebe informed them.

"You and I are her daughters." Piper countered, "She could've found a way to share that information with us." The doorbell rang and Piper glared as she walked to answer it. "That better not be another long-lost relative." She glanced at her niece. "No offense, honey."

"None taken," Faith said.

All of them went to the door and greeted Darryl when he came in, he nodded. "Piper."

"Hi," Piper returned as she closed the door.

Darryl started looking around, "Where's Cortez?"

Leo cocked his head, "Who?"

"Inspector Cortez - the one I hit over the head, the one you said you would take care of. He's missing. Police inspectors are not supposed to be missing. Where is he?"

"Well, uh," Phoebe looked at him, "I kind of sent him to…"

"Timbuktu." Piper finished, "It rhymed with undo."

"Timbuktu?" Darryl scoff

"It's okay." Leo dismissed, "Cole went to get him."

"Cole?"

Cole shimmered into the manor by the stairs, he stopped Phoebe from coming to him, "Wait." He readied an energy ball and a bounty hunter appears suddenly and strikes. The bolt of blue lightning misses Cole barely as he jumps out of the way and shoots his energy ball, killing the bounty hunter. He stood up smirking, "Damn bounty hunters… they're like gnats."

Darryl glared, "Where's the inspector?"

"Don't worry. I found him. Moved him to a place he can't tell a soul what he saw." He chuckled, "Literally."

"What do you mean?" Leo asked, "Where'd you put him?"

Cole gestured below him. "In the basement?" Buffy asked

"No." Piper answered, "I think he means a little bit further down than that."

"Huh?" Buffy said with a raised eyebrow.

"Hell, Buffy." Faith filled in

"Oh."

Leo motioned, "Cole, he's a cop. He's one of the good guys."

"He's also the one who can expose them as witches. I think that you, above anybody, would want to avoid that at all costs."

"Not at that cost." Leo argued, "We have to save him."

Darryl freaked, "Save him? What do you mean, save him? Wh-what's going on?

You know what, Darryl?" Phoebe offered a smile, "We are going to take care of this whole mess."

"Wait a second." He shuffled around them, "Hold-"

"No, no, no. It will all work out, Uncle Darryl. I promise." Faith patted his arm as she led him out. "Just let us handle it and you don't worry about it."

After Faith rejoined the group again Piper turned to Leo, "Okay. Maybe you can talk to the Inspector, reason with him."

Cole, who was hugging Phoebe, bristled, "And what if he can't? What if you two get exposed? What's to say the same thing won't happened to you that happened to Prue?"

"Cole." Buffy glared as she wrapped an arm around her fiancée. "Can you relax? Piper and Phoebe are witches while Faith and I are half-witch half-Slayer. We take these kinds of risks all the time."

"Buffy's right," Piper agreed.

"Yeah well, you know what?" Cole said. "There's another risk you guys have to worry about."

Faith sighed at him, "And what's that?"

"On the way back, I heard gargoyles."

"Gargoyles?" Piper repeated, "You mean like statues?"

"How do you hear statues?" Buffy asked.

"That's only in they're in their resting state." Cole explained, "They come alive to ward off evil. In this case, I think they're trying to ward off the Source. I think he's surfaced."

"Wait - what?" Phoebe squeaked, "He's here? Now? Where?"

"I don't know. Could be anywhere. Or anyone."

"Probably came for Paige…" Leo started.

"Or me," Faith interjected as everyone looked at her. "Think about. If he knew that she was my friend before we learned of her relation to us. What do you think he would do?"

"Get rid of her or come for you to reduce the temptation of you turning good," Cole answered.

"Exactly," Faith said.

"It doesn't matter why or who he is here for," Leo said. "Either way she doesn't stand a chance against him. She doesn't even know what her power is yet."

"Well we can't fight the Source ourselves," Phoebe scoffed. "Not without Prue."

"But you might with Paige - the new Power of Three."

Piper took a breath, "Can you sense her?"

"I don't think so." He shook his head, "She's too new."

"Well then we just have to start with the church Mom was talking about."

"Piper…"

"What? Phoebe, I'm not crazy about it, either, but we can't just do nothing about it - now. Mom wouldn't want us to... and neither would Prue."

"Aunt Piper is right, Aunt Phoebe," Faith agreed. "Mom wouldn't want us to."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Faith paced all throughout hers and Buffy's room sending a look here and there toward her mother's room. While thanks to Phoebe she had dealt somewhat with her mother's death. The ache was still there. She was sure that moment would be forever drilled into her memory and she hated that it was last time she would see her mother. Sighing she sat on her bed and absentmindedly fiddled with the pendent Prue gave her.

"You okay?" Buffy said as she walked into their room.

"You getting tired of asking me that?" Faith retorted with a small chuckle.

"No," Buffy answered. "After all, if I learned anything from your mom and your aunts…"

"Did Aunt Phoebe tell you I tried to resurrect mom?" Faith asked.

"Actually, I was there when Grams told Phoebe," Buffy said. "Cole and I were sent to find Leo and Piper while Phoebe was to…"

Faith nodded. "I miss her that much, Buffy. I've been having…"

"Nightmares," Buffy finished for her fiancée. She sat next to Faith and sighed. "I know." Faith looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "No one told me. You woke me the other night when I felt you thrashing in your sleep. Do you want to talk about it?"

Faith closed her eyes. "I dreamt that I sat on the throne of the Underworld next to the Source. You were standing beside me, not only as my wife or my queen but my general. All the demons answered to you. You and I had both turned. Then there is our daughter. I saw her as a teenager. She wasn't named Prudence Joyce, but Vixen. I'm afraid, Buffy, because mom is gone, my tie to good is also gone. That I and you could be turned irrevocably. Then my aunts would have no choice but to vanquish us."

"Oh, Faith," Buffy said as she pulled Faith into her arms. She pushed Faith's head to her shoulder. "We're not turning, that's not happening. I know there will be nothing to truly ease that worry. But I'm not letting you turn evil. My love for you will save you. Just like Phoebe's love for Cole saved him."

Piper ran in, holding the yellow pages, "Alright I think I found…" she stopped when she noticed that Faith and Buffy were cuddled together. "It can…"

"That's alright, Aunt Piper," Faith admitted as she looked up at her eldest aunt. "I was just telling Buffy about my nightmare."

"And I was just telling Faith that I won't let that happen," Buffy added. "That I will never let her become evil. That my love for her will save her."

"Our love with save her," Piper corrected. "You have nothing to worry about, Faith. We're not losing you. Buffy is not the only one who will save you, so will Phoebe and I."

Faith looked between her fiancée and her aunt and then nodded. "Thank you," she said.

"Your welcome, honey," Piper said as she pulled Faith to her feet and hugged her niece. Even though she did not mention it to either Slayer. She was afraid not for Faith but herself. She was afraid if Faith's nightmare came true that she would lose another member of her family and she wasn't sure she could survive it. "As I was saying I think I found the church. Come on."

Buffy and Faith followed Piper to Phoebe's room but the younger Halliwell sister wasn't there so they took a look in Prue's room. Phoebe was by the window.

"What are you doing in here?" Piper asked.

Phoebe turned around holding a leather jacket, her face tear stained, "Piper, do you remember the time I borrowed this from Prue without asking?"

Piper looked from Faith back to Phoebe. "Which time?"

"When my boyfriend's cat peed on it. Oh. She got so mad, I thought she was going to have a stroke." Phoebe whipped her nose, "But the funny thing was, she got mad at you because she thought that you were the one that had borrowed it. And you never told her the truth. She never knew it was really me." She sobbed and sat down on the red sofa. Piper, Faith and Buffy came over and sit beside her. Piper on Phoebe's left with Faith and Buffy on Phoebe's right. Piper pulled her younger sister to her and embraced her. "I miss her so much."

"I thought," Faith started.

"That was just the start, Faith," Phoebe said knowing what her niece was referencing. "That was when I started to let go."

"What are you two talking about?" Piper wondered looking at her niece and sister.

"I found a spell online," Faith admitted. "I got the ingredients and cast it."

"When Buffy and I came home," Phoebe said taking over the explanation. "Grams was waiting. She told us and Cole what Faith was trying to do. She was trying to…"

"Resurrect, mom," Faith finished. "I reversed the spell when I saw the effect it was having on Aunt Phoebe."

Piper nodded as she looked at Phoebe. "I was wondering when you were going to let go."

"I was just… I was trying to." Phoebe started as Piper handed her a tissue, "Thanks. Stay strong, you know, keep it together for you guys, and… then I put all my energy into trying to save… Paige because I figured only one of us could break down at a time. Otherwise, all of us, you too included, Buffy, would be useless." She sat up, "I'm scared. I mean… I'm really, really scared. She always took the lead. She was… yours and my big sister and Faith's mother. How are we supposed to go on without her? How are we supposed to go up against the Source without her?"

Faith sighed. "I've been asking myself that same question. Because I don't want my nightmare to come true. And I am afraid if he comes, that's it."

"You are protected, Faith," Phoebe admitted. "Piper, Buffy and I will protect." She looked at her sister and then at the blonde Slayer. "Right?"

"Right," Piper and Buffy agreed.

"We will protect not only you from him but Paige as well," Piper added. "No matter what we think or feel, she your aunt, Faith. And our sister, Phoebe. And family protect each other."

Grace Cathedral

Piper quietly knocked on the nun's office door before the girls entered. The nun turned with a smile, "Yes, may I help…"

"Hi." Piper froze Sister Agnes then turned to a very freaked out Paige, "Hey, what's up? We need to get you out of here."

Paige gaped, wide eyed, "What did you do to her?"

"Oh, she just froze her." Phoebe waved, grinning, "She'll be fine."

Faith laughed nervously. "Her powers have been off lately so it's lucky she didn't blow her up."

"Guys." Phoebe grew serious and pointed at the blanket Paige was holding.

"Is that one of our blankets?" Piper asked as she tried to touch it, but Paige pulled it away

"No! That's mine! Leave me alone!"

Piper looked taken aback, "All right! Geeze!"

Paige turned to leave but the girls hurried after her. "Aunt Paige, wait." Faith called. "Just listen to us. Give us five minutes."

"Stop or I'll freeze!" Piper threatened and Paige stopped, turning back to them. Phoebe, Buffy and Faith stop as well.

Buffy turned to Piper. "She's a witch. You can't freeze her."

"She doesn't know that."

"Will you please just leave me alone?" Paige said she turned and continues toward the main exit

"Look, we know what you're going through." Phoebe started, "We went through the same thing when we first found out we were witches, too."

"Well I went through it when I found out I was a Slayer," Buffy admitted.

"Look. You just got to trust us. Somebody very, very bad is after you." Piper added

Faith shouted, "And he's not going to stop until your dead, Aunt Paige! Trust me I know."

Paige stopped and turned around. "First off, Faith. Can you quit with aunt business."

"Well you are her aunt," Buffy interjected.

"Second," Paige continued, ignoring Buffy's statement. "Trust you? You just froze a nun. How do I know you're not the bad ones?"

Piper rolled her eyes. "Well if we are, then you are, sister."

Paige turned to leave and Faith took a breath stepping up. "Not helping, Aunt Piper."

"What?" At Piper's pointed stare she motioned, "Fine. Then you try."

"Buffy, would you mind," Faith said as Buffy nodded.

Buffy disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames only reappear between Paige and the door, causing the youngest Halliwell sister to come to a complete stop. "Look, I know how you feel. I was called as a Slayer before I ever learned that I was a witch. I was actually destined to die before I turned eighteen." She sighed. "I did die, briefly, and I was brought back by CPR. So, I know this is a lot to take in. But you need to listen to them. Its in your best interest."

Faith stepped up next to her friend and youngest aunt. She decided for the time being to do as Paige requested. "P, did you know you have powers to, just like we do."

"At least, if you're really a Charmed One, our sister, you do," Phoebe added. "And the sooner you learn it, the sooner you'll be able to protect yourself."

"I have a power?" Paige asked looking at Faith.

"You likely inherited my mom's power when she died," Faith replied. "You should be able to move things with your mind."

"How does it work?"

"Buffy, would you mind again," Faith said.

Buffy smiled and she turned Paige to face the nearby candles. "Watch," she said. She waved her hand and a candle floated over and into her hand. She then replaced the candle. "Now you try, just wave your hand at it. As if signaling for it to come to you."

Paige tried, but nothing happens. She looked at Buffy and Faith.

"From what mom told me," Faith said. "She used to squint her eyes in the beginning try that."

Paige waved her hand at the candle and squinted but nothing happened to the candle. She turned back to Faith. "Well, maybe I'm not one of you after all if I can't even make that candle…" She raised out her hand in the candle's direction. The candle was surrounded by blue and white bright lights and disappeared and reappeared in Paige's outstretched hand. She handed the candle to Buffy. "Oh."

Phoebe looked at Piper. "So…perhaps the Whitelighter in her makes it work differently?"

Buffy blew out the candle. "Well she is like me and Faith. So, it's a fair assumption her powers might not mimic Prue's exactly."

A terrible screech was heard from outside and all the girls looked at each other in shock. Paige backed up a little. "What is that?"

Faith shook her head. "I don't know."

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Outside, the Source, who was inhabiting Shane's body, stepped toward the door. "And you are sure that Faith is with her?"

"Yes," came the Oracle's voice. "Are you sure, you want to try and turn her as well."

"If I do not," the Source said. "All I have worked for could end if she remains with her family." He placed his hand up to the door. It glows red before blasting the door open. He stepped inside then fell to the ground in pain. "Paige."

Paige instinctively took Faith's hand as she rushed toward her boyfriend, dragging Faith behind her. "Shane? What's the matter? My god, what happened?

"I don't know. Someone's after me."

"Come on," Paige said. "Let's get out of here."

He looked at Faith for a brief second as his eyes flashed black. Unknown to Faith her eyes did as well. He smiled as Paige and Faith helped him to his feet.

Buffy's eyes went white and she was thrown into a vision.

Faith sat on the throne of the Underworld; the Source sat beside her. On either side of them stood Buffy and Paige, their eyes black as coal, no spark of humanity in either of them.

Buffy staggered as she came out of her vision. "Faith!" she screamed. "He's the Source!" She bolted toward the brunette Slayer.

"The Source?" Piper and Phoebe said as their eyes went wide in realization.

"Paige!" Piper called out as she and Phoebe bolted toward Paige. "Come back!"

"Paige! Faith!" Phoebe yelled. "That's not who you think it is!"

He turned and fired a red bolt at the Piper, Phoebe and Buffy. They screamed and went flying backwards, sliding their way to the front of the church.

Piper glared as they got up, "What the hell was that?"

Sister Agnes stepped out of her office, "Good question."

Halliwell Manor

Piper, Phoebe and Buffy sat on the couch relaying the events to Cole and Leo who were pacing in front of them with their arms folded.

"So, the Source was there, at the church?" Leo asked.

Phoebe watched him. "Well, the gargoyles weren't exactly whistling Dixie, Leo."

"On top of that, the vision I had clearly showed Faith on the throne of the Underworld. Paige and I standing on either side of her and the Source. We were both evil," Buffy added. "He was the Source. Why else would I have had that vision right at that moment if he wasn't?"

Piper nodded. "Also, something pretty powerful knocked us on our asses."

Cole sits down, "But if he was there, why did he take Faith and why didn't he try to kill Paige?"

"I remind you of my vision," Buffy interjected. "He doesn't want to kill Paige anymore."

"Buffy could be right," Leo agreed looking at the demon. "What if he's trying to lure her to his side? Maybe in doing so he can convert Faith as well somehow."

"Huh?" Piper said.

"Translation please?" Phoebe added.

Cole snapped, "The mythological window."

Buffy looked between them, confused, "Yeah that explains. Nothing."

"There's a window of opportunity, an opening. 48 hours."

"Right," Leo agrees, "48 hours where a nascent witch who hasn't chosen to use her powers for good or evil yet can be swayed either way."

"Wait, so all he has to do is cast a spell on Paige?" Buffy asked.

"No, he can't." Cole explained, "It has to be her choice, but he can tempt her, entice her. If he gets her to use her powers for evil…"

Leo sits, "She becomes evil forever."

"And how does that tie into Faith?" Piper asked.

"What if, Paige is the key," Buffy said. "A way to show Faith that she can come back from evil. He's killing two birds with one stone here. If he converts Paige. Then he converts Faith as well, forever."

"How does that get you though?" Phoebe wondered.

"Through Faith," Buffy answered. "Just like last time. Remember Faith and I are connected through the Slayer. If one of us goes evil so will the other. Which means we have less than twenty-four hours to find Faith and Paige."

"And no idea how to find them," Phoebe added.

Piper rose a brow. "But I bet the Source does."

Paige's Apartment

Paige sat on the couch next to Faith, both of whom were wrapped in a pair of Paige's blankets.

Shane brought out two glasses of water. "Here," he said handing them the glasses. He glanced at Faith and smiled, his control over her was holding. And as long as he could entice Paige to choose evil, the Oracle insisted that Faith would follow her down that path.

"Thanks," Paige and Faith said as they both took a sip of the water.

"I'm so sorry to involve you both in all of this," Paige admitted looking at Shane and Faith.

"It's okay, P," Faith said. "I understand. I do."

"All of what?" Shane asked as Paige put her glass down. "Paige…What's going on?"

Paige shrugged. "I don't know. I'm so confused. I don't know what to do."

"I don't either," Faith admitted. She wondered why she was so conflicted. Whatever the reason she felt she had to be with Paige. That she had to protect Paige.

Halliwell Manor

Cole looked at Cortez from the window, who was leaning against his car parked outside the Manor as the girls and Leo were at the Book of Shadows, "Are you sure you don't want me to turn Belthazor loose on Cortez just for a minute or two?"

"No." Leo answered, "He doesn't have anything on the girls yet. Besides, now is no time to be blurring the line between good and evil."

Cole rolled his eyes dramatically as Phoebe slammed the book closed, "This is useless." She cleared her throat and winked at them weirdly, Piper and Buffy eyed each other. She looked up at the ceiling. "We're never going to find Paige and Faith without a little help." The book opened on its own and flipped through the pages. It stopped on one page, Phoebe pointed, satisfied and grinning, "Works every time."

"Okay." Buffy came around, "But how is an enchantment spell going to help find them?"

"Well, maybe it's not to find Paige. Maybe it's to find Faith or maybe it's so we can ID the Source. See the last line?" Piper pointed, "It's, 'So she can reveal the evil within.'"

"But that'll only help if we can find either of them?" Phoebe said.

"Maybe we can, or at least, maybe you can." Leo looked at Cole

Phoebe looked to him as they all did, "What does he mean?"

Cole walked toward them and cleared his throat. "Demons can sense the Source's aura. It's how he reminds us of his power, his reach. It's even possible I could sense Faith's aura since she's his heir. Maybe if I focus on them…"

"Then the Source will know you're doing it. And he'll find you."

"Not if I was careful. It's your only chance at saving your sister and your niece."

"Okay. So, we need something to enchant." Piper clapped, moving on.

"Start looking people." Buffy commanded.

Everyone looked around and Phoebe spotted a pair of pink kiddy sunglasses on a shelf. "Oh!" she hurried over and picked them up. "How about these?"

Buffy giggled. "Nice!"

Piper rolled her eyes, "Oh great."

Piper and Phoebe held a part of the sunglasses as they chanted, "'Magic forces far and wide. Enchant these so those can't hide. Allow this witch to use therein. So, she can reveal the evil within.'"

The glasses glowed and they handed them over to Buffy. "Since it's your fiancée and our niece along with our sister," Piper suggested. "See if it worked."

Buffy took the glasses and put them on. She smiled at Leo, who motioned. "Well?" he asked.

"Nothing," Buffy told him. "You look the same."

"How 'bout me?" Cole called, Buffy turned and looked at him, she saw Cole as Balthazar.

"I'm seeing your demon side, Cole," Buffy said as he walked toward her, Piper and Phoebe.

"Enchanting," Phoebe remarked as Cole smiled. She looked up at the ceiling. "Thanks for the magical assist Grams."

"Or Prue," Buffy said, shrugging, "You never know."

"Actually," Phoebe said. "You could be right," she admitted. "Prue would want us to not only save Faith but Paige."

South Bay Social Services

Piper pulled up to Paige's job in her jeep with Buffy, Phoebe, Cole, and Leo in it. They all got out and looked around.

"Alright. Fan out." Buffy said looking around. "They got to be here somewhere."

Phoebe shook her head. "I don't see Paige anywhere."

"Are you sure this is the right place, Cole?" Piper questioned the demon.

"The Source and Faith are both here. I can sense them both," Cole answered.

"Wait." Leo pointed to where Paige and Faith were standing. Paige had her hand outstretched and in Faith's hand was an knife that Buffy recognized. "There they are."

Buffy slid the glasses on and frowned. "Okay, not good. Definitely not good. There is a black aura surrounding them both."

Leo looked at Buffy. "The Source?"

"All I see is an aura," Buffy told him. "Since Faith isn't actually a demon, she wouldn't have a demonic side to show. I would stake my life on it that, Paige's boyfriend is the Source. I still believe that I wouldn't have gotten that vision if he wasn't there."

They hurried across the parking lot and stopped in front of Paige and Faith.

"Faith, baby, it's me," Buffy said looking at her fiancée.

"Paige?" Phoebe said as she looked at her baby sister. "It's me, Phoebe. Piper and Buffy, Faith's fiancée, are here too."

Neither Paige or Faith faltered. "He's evil," Faith said.

"He's hurting his child," Paige added.

A woman screamed out again, "Oh God! Honey."

"No." Buffy said as she gently placed her hands-on Faith and Paige's arms. "You're being seduced into this, Paige." She then looked at Faith. "And I think your being seduced into following Paige. If she turns so will you. You both need to fight it. Use your instincts." She looked into their eyes. She was sure she had to get them away from here if they were to have any chance of saving either of them. "Leo, take, Paige," she instructed. "I will meet you back at the Manor with Faith."

Leo nodded as he orbed out with Paige. Buffy took Faith and they disappeared n a swirl of fiery flames.

Immediately the pain of Paige's victim lessened.

Cole turned to them and led them away. "Let's get out of here." When they made it to Piper's jeep Cole stopped. "You two go ahead. I'm going to stay behind. Make sure the Source doesn't follow you."

Halliwell Manor

Leo was dodging Paige's attacks and Buffy and Faith were sparring when Piper and Phoebe came through the front door. Piper looked at her husband as she ran over weirdly, "Wheres-" As they enter a hall, a knife was thrown, narrowly missing them as it lodged in the wall.

"Buffy is busy with Faith," Leo explained. "Trying to keep her distracted. "I've been busy with Paige. We're having a hard time convincing them they aren't evil!"

"If Faith believes she's evil then why is Buffy not?" Phoebe wondered.

"Because belief is not intent till she actually becomes evil," Leo answered.

"Lamp." Paige commanded and it disappeared in white orbs and reappeared. She telekinetically threw it toward Piper and Phoebe, who screamed diving out of the way. The lamp shattered against a wall.

"Bright side?" Phoebe offered, "At least she's getting the hang of her new power."

"That was Mom's crystal!" Piper tackled Paige to the ground and Phoebe joined her in holding Paige down,

Buffy deciding it was time to quit playing around tackled Faith to the ground. "Sorry, baby, but I love you."

"Okay. Relax. Relax." Leo took Piper's place in holding Paige down as Piper got up. "All right. Now what?"

"We just better hope there's some Wiccan exorcism in the Book of Shadows cause… yeah," Piper said as he went to up the stairs, but stopped when the lights flicker off and on.

Shane appeared by the corner of the stairs and Piper studied him. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Piper! Run!" Buffy yelled recognizing him from when Faith and Paige left the church with him.

His eyes turned black and he telekinetically threw Piper through the stair's banister.

"Piper!" Phoebe yelled as the Source threw two energy balls, one at Phoebe and the other at Buffy. She levitated to avoid it as Buffy disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames.

As Buffy reappeared, she watched as Phoebe kicked him. He disappeared causing her to miss him and crash into the Grandfather clock. He reappeared by the couch and Piper flicked her wrist blowing him up.

Paige and Faith stood as Leo helped Piper up. The Source reassembled himself. Buffy took a step toward him and he sent her flying into the wall by the stairs cascading with the family pictures. "Not long, Slayer, and you will find yourself at Faith's side forever," he chuckled.

Buffy stood up and walked over to Leo and Piper. "Not happening."

The Source turned to Paige and Faith. "Your powers are strong, but will they be enough without the Power of Three?"

"Shane…" Paige gasped, " What's going on?"

The Source used Shane's voice, "It's okay. I'm here now."

Paige and Faith backed up. "Stay away from me and Faith," Paige insisted.

"Paige still has free will." Leo glared, "You can't force her to choose. And we surmised your plan with Faith. As long as she has free will, Faith will not side with you."

The Source smiled, "Paige has already chosen." He looked at Paige. "Haven't you? And Faith knows who her true family is. Don't you my, heir. Come with me. You'll both be safe forever. I promise."

"Don't listen to him." Piper interrupted, "He's lying."

"They only want you for your power. You don't have to share it. It's yours." He turned into Paige's boss, Mr. Cowan. "You've already seen what you can do with it. You do what nobody else can do." He turned into a woman. "You nearly saved my son from his father. From all the pain and suffering he's put him through." He turned into a little boy. "Please help me. Don't let him hurt me anymore. You're my only hope."

After a moment Paige and Faith took the boy's hands and started to go with him. Phoebe rushes off the stairs and over to them. "No!" The Source glanced at Phoebe and she suddenly found herself suspended in mid-air. He smirked as he began shocking her with electricity. Phoebe screamed in pain and looked at Faith and Paige, "Help me!"

Paige pushed the boy down.

Faith made a knife known as the Jackal blade appear in her hand. The knife was one she was familiar with since the Mayor had given her one. She wondered if it was the same knife. It wouldn't surprise her any. "Did you really think you could sway me for long? You killed my mother and had a demon kill my father and made me go through hell. I am your enemy forever and by the way thanks for the powers, I'll be using them against you."

Faith thrust the dagger into the little boy's side and Phoebe fell to the floor. She joined Piper, Buffy, Leo and Paige as they helped Phoebe up. It was then that the clock chimed in the background.

The boy disappeared and the Source reformed into Shane, who stood up. Piper glared hatefully at him. "I guess blood's a little thicker than evil."

The Source looks at the clock and left Shane's body, which fell to the ground. "I've broken the Charmed circle before. I'll do it again and this time nothing will stop Faith from assuming her rightful place on the throne."

"The hell, I will," Faith snapped.

"Besides, it wasn't a complete loss," the Source continued. "Thanks to Belthazor."

Phoebe bristled. "What did you do to him?"

"Oh my God." Cortez's voice sounded behind them and they all turn to see Cortez standing near the front door with a video camera, amazed at what he sees

"On my god." Buffy groaned angrily, "Don't you ever knock?!"

"Would you get out of here?!" Piper yelled

As Cortez reached for his gun, the Source fired an energy ball at him, knocking him on the coat rack. He screamed as he was knocked on a hanger and fell down, revealing blood on the hanger. The Source disappeared in a blast of fire.

The others race to Cortez. Leo knelt down beside him and Cortez brought his gaze up. "Looks like evil wins again, huh?"

"Not if I can help it." Leo quickly healed him much to Cortez's shock

Paige gasped, "How'd you do that?"

Leo helped a shocked Cortez up, "That's what Whitelighters do. We heal good people."

"We have to go find Cole." Phoebe panicked

South Bay Social Services

"Cole!" Phoebe spotted him and ran over to her boyfriend. She knelt down beside him, "Oh no. No, no, no," she cried as she put his head in her lap.

Piper froze Cole and then turned to Leo, "Heal him."

Leo eyed them, "You know that it's against the rules."

"Uncle Leo, screw the rules!" Faith snapped. "The Elders, the Powers, whoever…owe us!"

"Faith is right," Buffy agreed. "They do."

"Even if I could, I could only heal his human half and that… wouldn't be enough power to save him," Leo said as he knelt down

"Aren't I half-Whitelighter?" Paige offered. "I mean, couldn't I use my half to offset his half?"

"It's worth a try. Take my hand," Leo instructed as Paige knelt down beside him, taking his hand. "Hold your other hand over his wound." They held their free hands over Cole and heal him.

Cole unfroze and gasped for air as Phoebe hugged him, happy he was alive.

"That was good, right?" Paige asked.

Faith grinned as she helped her youngest aunt up, "Definitely," she agreed. "That was more than good, Aunt Paige."

Piper nodded. "Let's just hope it wasn't all for nothing."

June 16, 2001 – Saturday

P3

Faith, Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Leo, and Cole sat in the owner's alcove as a waitress brought Cole and Leo their drinks.

Cole smiled. "Oh good, thank you."

"Thanks, too." Leo said before the waitress left. "Feels good be here again."

"Feels good to be anywhere again." Cole chuckled.

"I will drink to that," Phoebe said and they clink their drinks. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Promise," Cole replied as Phoebe smiled and took a sip of her drink.

"Are you okay?" Buffy asked looking at her fiancée.

"I'm not sure, Buffy," Faith answered.

"Prue?" Leo questioned. While his question was directed at Faith he was looking at Piper.

"Yeah," Faith and Piper answered as they took a deep breath.

"We barely got through the funeral and then everything started to go crazy and we haven't had a chance to mourn yet," Piper said. "And that's just not right."

Phoebe sighed. "I think we'll have the rest of our lives for that."

Piper shook her head. "I'm still not sure about continuing on with this destiny thing. I need some time to think about it. I hope you two are okay with that," she asked her niece and her sister.

"Absolutely," Phoebe answered.

"I'm of two minds, Aunt Piper," Faith said. "I want to vanquish the Source; I want to avenge mom. But at the same time, it's a lot for me. Right now, I want to have my wedding and start working on mine and Buffy's daughter. Talking about weddings." She looked at her fiancée. "I'm thinking this fall."

"I think that's perfect, Faith," Buffy admitted as she leaned in and kissed Faith passionately.

Piper turned to Leo. "And I hope you're okay with it too."

"They may not be," he motioned to the Heavens, "but I am." Leo took her hand just as Paige walked up

"So, does this mean I get free drinks now?" Paige questioned as Phoebe chuckled and Piper eyed her, "Oh, I didn't mean it like that. It's not that I really drink or… Okay. I'm just going to go." She began to leave.

Faith stood up and grabbed her youngest aunt's arm. "Hey, Aunt Paige. You belong with us, remember?"

"You sure?" Paige asked looking at her niece. "I don't want to intrude."

"Mmm. Come on. Come sit right here." Cole said as he and Leo both stood up. Paige sat next to Phoebe as Faith sat back next to Buffy. "Okay, so, uh, maybe Leo and I should go uh… pretend like we got something better to do."

Buffy smiled. "Probably a good idea, guys."

"Yeah." Cole nodded before he and Leo left.

"I won't stay long. I just wanted to, uh, come by and thank you."

Phoebe looked her younger sister over, "For what?"

"For what? You mean, beside from saving my life." Paige chuckled. "I feel like I should bake you a cake or something."

Piper leaned in excitedly. "Do you cook?"

Paige frowned. "No, no. Not really."

Faith looked Paige over, "So how's Shane?"

"He's okay, I guess, except I'm not too sure he wants to see me anymore."

"I'm sorry, Aunt Paige," Faith said as she reached across the table and squeezed Paige's hand.

Paige smiled at Faith, who had started out as her friend and was now her niece. "Can't say I blame him. You know? He doesn't know exactly what happened to him, but he knows it's something bad and he knows it's somehow connected to me."

"Yeah, well, you're not truly one of us until you've dated a demon, so, welcome to the club," Piper said.

"Can I ask you a question?" Phoebe wondered as Paige nodded. "Why did you really come to Prue's funeral? It wasn't just because you were friends with Faith, was it?"

"No," Paige admitted. "I don't want this to be taken the wrong way, but... I just feel like a part of me lost her too and I just... I felt drawn to her, to all you guys. I guess it was just a part of me trying to find out who I was."

"Aunt Piper," Faith said as she leaned over and whispered in her eldest aunt's ear.

"Good thinking, Faith," Piper said as she smiled at her niece. She turned toward her baby sister. "Come on. There's something we need to show you."

"Show me what?" Paige wondered.

"What good magic can do," Faith answered.

They walked into the back out of sight of curious onlookers and Buffy grabbed hold of them and they disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames.

Halliwell Manor

In the attic of the manor Phoebe lit the last two candles in a circle and then joined Piper, Buffy and Faith by the Book of Shadows as Paige watched. "'Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide.'"

Patty appeared in a bright light. "There's someone here we thought you should meet." Phoebe motions and Patty looks at Paige

"Paige."

"Mom?"

Patty stepped outside the circle and became corporeal. She hugged Paige, who smiled after the hug. "Welcome home." She hugged Paige again as Piper, Faith, Buffy and Phoebe watched the tender moment

It was at that moment that Joyce walked into the attic carrying a tray of chocolate chip cookies. "Hello, Patty."

"Hello, Joyce," Patty greeted the Summers matriarch.

"Ooh, someone after my own heart," Piper chuckled as she looked at the cookies.

"I didn't know you brought your recipe book with you," Buffy admitted. She had flamed Joyce back to San Francisco early that day so that her mother could spend some time with her and Faith.

"I did," Joyce said as she smiled at Buffy. "My mom's secret chocolate chip recipe."

Buffy smiled as she looked at Faith. "Your going to love them, Faith. They are the best," she and Faith each grabbed a cookie and ate them rather quickly.

Joyce blinked at the sudden blinding flash of white light, when she could see again her daughter and Faith had disappeared and, in their place, stood two four-year-old girls.

"What was that light?" Paige wondered.

"Uhm," little Buffy said. "I think we have a problem."

Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Patty turned at the sound of little Buffy's voice and their eyes widened at the sight of the two little girls. "Faith? Buffy?" Patty said.

"Yes, Grandma Patty," little Faith answered.

Patty looked at her daughters. "We have a problem," she echoed.

"Buffy, Faith," Joyce said looked at the little girls apologetically. "When I found my mother's cookie recipe book. I was thinking how adorable you were, Buffy, when you were about four-years-old. And it reminded me because of the Slayer how fast you had to grow up." She then looked at her daughter's fiancée. "Which got me to thinking about you, Faith. And how you had the worst childhood anyone could ever."

"It sounds like you may have been gifted after all, Joyce," Piper said. "Not a progenitor like we originally believed."

"I think you might be right, Piper," Patty agreed. She moved to the Book of Shadows and flipped through it to a page, titled: Projection. "I believe you have the power of projection, Joyce. You can project what you wish on to others."

"Hey," Victor said as he strolled into the attic. "Patty?" he said surprised to see his ex-wife. Though he shouldn't have been with how much Patty and Grams had been summoned since Faith had come back into their lives.

"Hello, Victor," Patty greeted her ex-husband. "The girls summoned me to meet Paige. But I stayed because we have a problem." She waved at little Buffy and little Faith.

Victor turned just as little Faith barreled into him. "Hi, Gramps."

Victor looked from little Faith to little Buffy and finally back to Patty. "I take it…"

"That's Faith and Buffy, yes," Patty said. "It appears that Joyce is a gifted witch after all. She used a power call projection when she was baking those cookies and enchanted them to turn at least Buffy and Faith into four-year-old girls. Though I would suggest no one eat anymore of them just in case the enchantment works on the rest of us."

"Probably a good idea, mom," Phoebe agreed.

"While its nice to see what my granddaughter looked like when she was four-years-old," Victor said before glancing at Faith. "Which by the way you are really cute." He turned back to the Charmed Ones and Patty. "Mark, Sam and Melissa are going to be here in twenty minutes to take Faith out to dinner. We need to reverse this spell now."

"That isn't going to be easy," Patty informed her ex-husband. "Since Joyce accidentally projected what she desired and enchanted the cookies. Only she can reverse it."

"And since I don't know how I did it in the first place," Joyce said sheepishly.

"So, this is where the magic happens." They turned and saw Melissa leading her parents into the attic, having arrived early.

"Magic," Piper interjected with wide eyes. "What magic?"

Patty looked at her daughter with realization. "I think they likely suspect…"

"Patty?" Samantha said in clear surprise at seeing Patty. "Aren't you…?"

"Dead," Patty answered. "Yes." She sighed as she looked at her daughters. "It was really only a matter of time before they began to figure it out. Especially when the spell was reversed."

"But it was only reversed on us," Phoebe countered.

"I don't think it was, Phoebe," Patty said. "I think it was reversed on everyone whom the spell was cast on."

"Which means we remember Faith," Melissa said. "We remember Faith being taken and how depressed Andy and Prue were as a result. Mom, dad and I also remember the spell that Mrs. Halliwell cast on us to erase our memories of Faith to help us through the grief of losing her." She looked around for her niece. "Talking about where is my wonderful niece?"

"Over here, Aunt Lissa," little Faith said.

"How did this happen?" Melissa questioned.

"And how old are you?" Samantha added.

"It appears I am a gifted witch," Joyce admitted. "Didn't know that till now. While I baked cookies for Buffy and Faith, I used my power to enchant said cookies which turned them back…"

"Into four-year-old children," Patty finished for the Summers matriarch.

Melissa smiled at her niece. "You are so cute," she said as she pulled little Faith into her arms.

"Mommy," little Buffy said as Joyce raised an eyebrow. She realized what she had said. "I think there is more going on with this enchantment."

"I think your right, Buffy," Patty agreed having noticed it also. "While mentally your still adults. You are also regressing slightly. Hence why you called Joyce, mommy." She looked at the Summers matriarch. "We don't know how far this regression could go before its reversed. They could theoretically forget…"

"How to go to the bathroom or even sleep in a bed," Joyce answered. She looked at Victor. "Could you drive me to the store?"

"Sure, Joyce," Victor agreed.

"I really hope we don't regress that much," little Faith admitted as everyone looked at her. "I remember the first time I was potty trained. With the drugs that woman gave me, I found it hard to hold it in. So I wasn't trained until after I made the wish that killed her. Then since I was in a coma after the final beating for a year, I wasn't potty trained till I was eleven-years-old by the hospital staff. They also had to teach me how to walk to prepare me for going into foster care. I didn't want to go into foster care so I took off."

"Where did you go, honey?" Piper wondered. "A friend's house?"

Little Faith looked down obviously ashamed. "Besides, Buffy, I've never had any friends as that woman said I wasn't good enough to have any."

"She lived on the street," little Buffy finished for her fiancée as she rushed to little Faith and pulled her into her arms.

Mark shook his head as he watched his granddaughter and her fiancée. "How dare she not allow my granddaughter to have even one friend!"

"Gramps," little Faith said looking at Victor. "I need my candy. I'm trying so hard to resist the urge to suck my thumb. But I think Grandma Patty is right, the recession is changing us. Mentally. And I fear if its not reversed and soon I will wind up with urges I had the last time I was this age."

"You ran out yesterday," little Buffy told her fiancée.

"You know, before Buffy told me she was the Slayer, I didn't believe in the supernatural even when I was regularly confronted with it," Joyce said. "Then I didn't believe in magic till after I almost burned my daughter at the stake because a demon cast a spell over me and a bunch of other parents. Now I know both are real and…"

"It's not your fault, Joyce," Piper said as she patted the older woman on the arm. She looked around the attic. "It's a good thing Grams was a pack rat. I found our old playpen and stroller with the intent of giving them to Faith and Buffy when they told us that one of them was pregnant."

"It is my fault, partly," Joyce told the eldest Halliwell sister. "I was so oblivious to what Buffy was doing that I didn't even know my daughter had drowned not long after we moved to Sunnydale till just recently. I'm like what else did I not know?"

"How about that I slayed the demon that killed Celia," little Buffy admitted.

"Celia was killed by a demon?" Joyce asked. "We need to talk, young lady!" She was about to take little Buffy to the couch when Faith spoke up.

"No," little Faith said as tears escaped her eyes. "Mrs. S, please don't Buffy. Hurt me, please. I'm a bad girl. Buffy is a goof girl."

Joyce and Piper glanced at each other as they made their way over to little Faith. "I'm not going to hurt Buffy, Faith," she told the brunette Slayer. "I just want to talk to her."

"Why did you think Joyce was going to hurt Buffy?" Piper wondered.

"Because that woman would take my doll, Kiko, away from me and would be about to beat her," Faith admitted. "Then I would beg to be beaten to protect Kiko. And so, when Mrs. S took Buffy away I thought she was going to beat her."

"Faith," Joyce said as she knelt down in front of the young girl. "I will not hurt Buffy or you, ever"

"Auntie Piper," little Faith said as she looked at her eldest aunt. "Am I safe from that woman? Are we sure she's really dead this time? Because I checked the book and I found a page about a demon called the demon of fear."

"Barbas," Piper and Phoebe said in unison. "We vanquished him, Faith," Piper admitted. "Not once but twice."

"But if he can return," little Faith admitted. "Then so can she, right?" She brought her thumb to her lips and began to suck on it.

Paige knelt down next to little Faith. "You have been a good friend since we met. And now you are my niece. No matter what. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"Neither will I," Piper and Phoebe added.

"You're safe, okay," Paige finished.