Charmed: The Faith Chronicles

by Brenna's Urbangirl Projects

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

17. Chapter 16: Enter the Freshman

Chapter 16: Enter the Freshman

August 27, 2001 – Monday

Halliwell Manor

Phoebe and Cole sparred, throwing punches and kicks at one another. He kicked out that caught Phoebe in the stomach doubling her over. "Don't be tense. Be ready," he advised calmly. "When you see your opponent expand, you contract. If your opponent contracts, you expand."

Phoebe looked up at him through her eyelashes and glared as she caught her breath. She pushed herself up to her full height and they started again. He flipped her on the ground and then straddled her while she smirked. "If you wanted to be on top, all you had to do was ask," she said teasingly.

An amused giggle from behind snatched both of their attention and they turned to find a giggling Paige sitting on the stairs.

Phoebe gawked for a second, "Paige," she cried smacking Cole's leg to move him and jumped to her feet. "What are you doing down here?" she asked walking over to her little sister. "Shouldn't you be upstairs studying for Piper's quiz?" she asked with a tone that said 'you should be.'

"Well, I was kind of hoping to go a couple of rounds with the demon first," Paige replied only half joking. What she would have loved to done was actually spar with Faith or Buffy. But they were in Sunnydale for their first day of classes at U.C. Sunnydale.

"I should tell you; Piper takes her witchcraft quizzes very seriously. As both Faith and Buffy can attest to. You better be prepared," Phoebe informed her sister knowingly. "What's the subject?"

"Potions basics," Paige replied with a grimace.

"Ew." Phoebe grimaced too, sympathizing with the youngest, "Well, you got to start somewhere," she reasoned.

"I know. It's just all book learning," Paige huffed.

Cole leaned down close and said, "Phoebe?" his voice demanding and gruff.

Phoebe nodded ever so slightly. "Paige…Piper, Prue and I had to learn how to be witches the hard way and it took…" she paused remembering what it had cost them, "Well, it took too long. We need you to get there faster, about as fast or faster than Buffy and Faith did. Our lives might depend on it."

"Appealing to my conscience: such a low blow," Paige mused then stood abruptly. "I just want to know when the fun stuff starts." She sighed then turned and started climbing the stairs.

When she was out of sight Phoebe smirked, turned around slowly asking, "So where were we?" raising her eyebrows suggestively.

Cole raised his own eyebrows but for a very different reason. "Training," he replied simply.

Phoebe groaned loudly and fell against him. "Come on Cole. You were gone for a whole week," she reminded him placing her hands on his chest and running them up down. "That is seven long, lonely nights."

Cole smiled at her, grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands from his chest. "I was on a fact-finding mission," he answered completely business like. "We can't ignore what I learned."

Phoebe glared. "Yeah I know. The Source wants us dead," she replied tersely.

"No, you don't know. He needs you dead," Cole corrected her frustratedly and Phoebe sighed. "For multiple reasons. The first ever since we escaped, factions have been forming to challenge him. He must finish what he started if he expects to survive. The second is because of Faith, for his plans with her to come to fruition she can't turn good. As long as you, your sisters and Buffy are alive, she will remain good. So, he needs you all dead." Phoebe dropped her head in defeat. "Which means that you need to be prepared," he concluded then walked to one of the walls and lifted down a sword.

"You think the Source is going to challenge me to a sword fight?" she asked not even attempting to mask her amusement.

"Hand-to-hand combat is to safe," he informed her. "Sword fighting teaches confidence, intensity." He threw the sword at her.

Phoebe caught it easily and rolled her eyes. "You know…I'm not the only member of this family who knows martial arts Cole," she reminded him.

Cole nodded, as he pulled the sword free of its casing, "I know that, which is why I'm giving both Faith and Buffy the same training as I'm giving you, although…." He turned to her with a disapproving look, "…Faith and Buffy doesn't complain." Phoebe narrowed her eyes and watched him approach her slowly, "You need to learn to fight like a demon Phoebe."

Phoebe's eyes widened and she backed away from him slowly.

"Training must come before everything…including us," he informed her wrapping his other hand around the handle. "Are you ready?"

Phoebe looked at the sword in his hand fearfully. "Uh….do I have a choice?" she asked shakily.

Cole gave no second for a reply as he swung the sword towards her head.

"AH!" Phoebe yelped and hit the deck. She looked up at him in shock before pulling her own sword free.

U.C. Sunnydale

Buffy and Faith were looking for Weisman Hall. One of the things they forgot was getting their student IDs. Thankfully their first classes started later that day. Around them was a cacophony of students, shouting, greeting each other, running around, protesting this, leafleting about that, otherwise being college students.

"Freshmen!" someone called out. "We're doing this by folder color! If you're not holding a yellow folder, you're in the wrong group! You belong up by Weisman Hall."

Buffy and Faith glanced at their folders. They were both green. "I wish I remembered where Weisman Hall was," Buffy told her fiancée.

"So, do I," Faith admitted. "We really should have come down last week and done all of this."

They passed a group of at least twenty people protesting something.

"What do we want?" a girl shouted into a megaphone. The twenty people had different answers to the question. "When do we want it?"

"Now," the twenty people yelled back in unison.

As Buffy and Faith fought to get through the back of the crowd, they were both handed a leaflet.

"Rally tomorrow night," the guy with the leaflet said. "We have to let the administration know how we feel."

Buffy and Faith glanced at each other with a roll of their eyes. They walked a few more steps before a conservative young woman handed them another leaflet. "Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior?" she asked them.

"We're Wiccan," Faith answered with a roll of her eyes as she pushed the woman out of the way. They passed another guy who handed them another leaflet.

"Party Thursday at Alpha Delt. Got to be there - free jello shots for freshmen women. That's our guarantee," he said.

"Ooh that one says good," Faith admitted as Willow came bounding up to them.

Willow's hands were also full of leaflets and folders. "Buffy! Faith!"

"Hey, Will!" Buffy greeted as Faith said, "Hey, Red!"

"Isn't it cool?" Willow asked excitedly. "There's so much stuff going on! I got all my courses, except I had to switch Modern Poetry for Ethnomusicology, but that's cool, West African drumming, I think it's going to change everything for me."

"Red, breath," Faith said with a chuckle. "Your babbling."

"I see you got ticketed too," Buffy said looking at the leaflets in her hands.

"Oh yeah! It's great. I've heard about five different issues and I'm angry about each and every one of them," Willow said as she looked at Buffy and Faith's leaflets. "What'd you two get?"

"Jello shot," Faith answered with a grin. "I think I might actually attend that one."

"I didn't get jello shots..." Willow pouted as she looked through her leaflets. "I'll trade you a Take Back the Night..."

Buffy handed over all of her leaflets which Willow happily took. "Are we headed anywhere near Weisman? Faith and I need to get our student IDs."

"Oh, I got mine first thing. The lines are really long now," Willow told them. "You both should have gone early."

"We intended to," Faith admitted. "But Aunt Piper wanted to throw us a welcome to college breakfast."

"You know in high school, knowledge was pretty much frowned upon," Willow said changing topics. "You really had to work to learn anything. But here, I mean, the energy, the collective intelligence - it's like this force, this penetrating force, I can feel my mind just opening up, you know, letting the place just thrust into it and…spurt knowledge…into…that sentence ended up in a different place than it started out in." She smiled. "Boyfriend!"

Oz smiled as he wandered over. "Hey, guys," he greeted.

"It's my on-campus boyfriend!" Willow said excitedly as she and Oz kissed.

Buffy and Faith chuckled. "We know how that is," she admitted looking over at her fiancée. "Don't we, Faith?"

"Yes, we do," Faith agreed. "It's nice going to the same school as the person you love."

"It is," Willow agreed when she and Oz broke their kiss. She looked at her boyfriend. "How are you doing?"

"Good. This is pretty much a madhouse, a madhouse," Oz answered.

"Hey, Oz," Faith said. "I gave Aunt Piper that tape you guys made. She wanted to know if you would be willing to swing down to San Francisco and play at P3?"

"I'd have to ask the guys, but I think we can do that, Faith," Oz admitted. "Give her my cell phone number and we'll arrange something."

"Will do," Faith admitted.

Halliwell Manor

Piper and Paige sat directly across from one another at the kitchen table, potion vials and bottles filled with ingredients cluttered the table space.

"Okay, after mixing your potion, what's the best method to preserve unused sea slugs for future use?" Piper asked, glasses on and red marker pen in hand. "A: pickle them. B: sugar them. C: smoke them. D: freeze dry them."

Paige pondered the idea while sucking on a lollipop, "Well, now you see if I had extra sea slugs, I'd let those little suckers go right on back into the ocean." She replied in all seriousness.

Piper stared utterly unamused before announcing, "D: freeze dry them, is the correct answer."

"I was going to guess that." Paige defended pointing her lollipop at Piper.

"Why are you guessing at all?" Piper asked looking up from her papers.

"To pass?" Paige suggested unsure of how to answer, or more specifically, the answer Piper wanted her to give.

Piper took a breath. "Paige," she began, capping her pen and removing her glasses. "This isn't like Trig, you know. It's not like you're never going to use it again," she informed Paige, who looked down slightly ashamed, feeling a lecture coming. "If you blow a potion, innocent people could die. Did you study at all for this test?"

Paige bit her lip. "Well, I started too last night. It's just a friend from work came over and she knew this bouncer at this club and…I'm sorry," she apologized sincerely.

Piper nodded slowly and sighed. "It's okay. I was single once." She stared off into the distance then turned back to Paige. "Why don't you study tonight—"

"I can't," Paige interrupted quickly. "I have a guy coming over here, and we're going out."

Piper blinked rapidly in confusion. "Here? What's wrong with your place?"

"Uh…this place is slightly more impressive than mine," Paige replied like it was the most obvious reason in the world.

Piper leaned forward in an intimidating manner. "Look, Paige. I really, really want to be the cool big sister," she said matter-of-fact and Paige looked slightly taken aback. "This is ridiculous. You have no priorities."

"That is not true." Paige jumped to her own defense. "I've left work to fight demons. That's why I have to go out tonight. The boss's son is in town for the weekend."

Piper smirked. "And you think showing him a good time is going to improve your career standing?"

"Well, yeah." Paige smiled and popped the lollipop back into her mouth.

Prue nodded very slowly, "Okay, listen to me very carefully. There is nothing more important than learning your craft right now. We could be attacked at any moment and I'm pretty sure Piper's had this conversation with you before and so have I."

Paige nodded then backed up to what she had said right before that. "Then why am I stuck here reading? I should be learning how to body-slam sweaty demons, like Phoebe. Or sparring with Buffy and Faith."

Piper suppressed a chuckle. "Phoebe, Buffy and Faith have all been at this a lot longer than you. Study hard and one day, you will get a big, sweaty demon or Slayer of your own. Though I wouldn't hold out on the Slayer because I don't want to see Faith die any time soon. Oh and, while I'm on a roll here, you should get rid of that lollipop habit because, it's going to rot your teeth."

Paige frowned and pouted then stuck the lollipop back in her mouth defiantly.

Piper stood and walked toward the counter where her car keys were.

"Where are you going?" Paige wondered.

"Chinatown," Piper answered. "I need to stock up on some of these herbs."

"Ooh can I go?" Paige asked rising. "I can get my nails done."

Piper laughed then shook their head. "You need to work on your potions," she informed her tightly and Paige's face fell.

U.C. Sunnydale

Faith and Buffy followed Willow up the steps to the entrance of the campus library. "Library!" Willow called after her. "Come on."

They entered the front doors of the library and walked across the foyer and up the stairs.

"It's too bad Giles couldn't be librarian here. Be convenient," Buffy admitted.

"Well, he says he's enjoying being a Gentleman of Leisure," Willow retorted.

"Gentleman of Leisure? So he's a slacker." Faith chuckled. "Can either of you actually see him sitting back and doing nothing?"

Willow and Buffy glanced at each other. They actually couldn't see Giles just slacking off. "Not to change the conversation," Buffy said. "But have you heard anything from Xander?"

"He was going on his cross-country road trip, wasn't he?" Faith questioned.

"He was," Willow answered. "And not for a while. He's still on the road. He said he wasn't coming back until he'd driven to all fifty states."

"Did you explain about Hawaii?" Buffy wondered.

Willow smiled and shook her head. "Well, he seemed so determined..."

"I hope he gets back soon. It'd be fun to get the gang together, you know, hanging out in the... library..." Buffy started as they entered the library proper.

"No offense to G-Man," Faith said. "But this place is like wow."

"Isn't it amazing?" Willow agreed.

"Are you okay, babe?" Faith said noticing that Buffy looked uncomfortable all of a sudden.

"I'm okay, Faith," Buffy answered.

"You know, I never wanted to hurt Giles' feelings, but occult books aside, our old library didn't have the greatest selection. But this..." Willow admitted. "It's like a real library!" she said excitedly as someone told them to be quiet. "See!?" She took off with manic glee.

"Buffy, talk to me," Faith said.

"Just a little overwhelming," Buffy admitted looking at the library.

Halliwell Manor

Phoebe and Cole were still sword fighting intensely until Phoebe stumbled backwards onto the stairs, with a little help from Cole. "Ow…I think it's twisted," she said grabbing her ankle.

"Stand up," Cole commanded.

"I just need a time-out," Phoebe insisted.

"The Source won't give you a time-out when you ask now get up!" he commanded again more harshly.

"I said that I can't!" Phoebe snapped tiredly. "Jeez Cole, what's the matter with you?"

"Demons worship strength, power, nothing else," Cole told her coldly. "To beat the Source, you have to channel all your energy into your strength, including pain."

Phoebe glared at the floor, braced herself on the banister then pushed herself to her feet. "AH!" she cried out but kept her balance.

Cole lurched forward and grabbed her arm to steady her.

"Let go of me I can do it!" Phoebe snapped instantly.

"I don't want anything to happen to you," Cole whispered huskily.

Phoebe dropped her head against his chest breathing hard then pushed him away, raising her sword and resting the tip against him. She limped forward driving him back. "Let's go. I'm ready."

Cole knocked her sword out the way and they continued.

U.C. Sunnydale

Faith and Buffy made their way through the shelves of books in the campus bookstore. They both had several books stacked in their arms. Willow came up beside them, basket in hand.

"Here," Willow told her friends.

"Thanks," Buffy said as she gratefully dumped her books on top of Willow's. "I can't wait till Mom gets the bill for these books. I hope it's a funny aneurism..."

"Not something to joke about," Faith said looking at her fiancée. "Especially after losing my mom."

"Sorry, baby," Buffy said as she leaned over and kissed Faith.

"Introduction to Psychology. Up there," Willow said looking at the top shelf where the psychology textbooks were. She tried to reach them, but they were clearly out of reach.

"Here," Buffy said as she stretched to try and reach them herself. "This store discriminates against short people."

"I think there's a protest next week," Willow admitted.

"Buffy," Faith said drawing her fiancée's attention to her. "Just…" she made a motion with her hand to indicate it might be easier to just telekinetically pull them off the shelf.

Buffy nodded as she glanced around trying to make sure no one was watching. She then flicked her wrist and three textbooks flew off the shelf and landed on the head of a kneeling student. "Oh! Oh god, sorry!"

"I'm okay. It's okay," he said as he stood up and smiled wryly at the trio. "Well. That was bracing."

"I'm so, I just... the books were too high, and then everything was bad," Buffy said scrambling to pick the textbooks up.

"Let me give you a hand," Riley said as he knelt down. He picked up the books and handed them to Buffy, Faith and Willow. When he stood back up he reach up the shelf the other books were on. "Let's put a few down here," he said as he moved several down. "So, are you girls taking Intro Psych, or do you just want me dead?"

"We are," Faith answered.

"Well, you'll have a lot of fun. Professor Walsh, she's quite a character," he told them.

"You've taken it?" Willow asked.

He smiled. "I'm a T.A. I'll be helping the professor out. I'm sorry, I've forgotten my manners
in all the concussion. I'm Riley."

"Willow," Willow said introducing herself before motioning toward Buffy and Faith. "And these are my friends Buffy and Faith.

"It's nice to meet you all," Riley said.

"And you," Faith said.

"Do you know if we're going to cover operant conditioning in the first semester?" Willow asked. "I heard that was kind of Professor Walsh's specialty."

Riley smiled at Willow. "Absolutely. You know her treatise on Dietrick's work?"

"I know of it..." Willow admitted.

"It's not on the syllabus but it's a fascinating read, if you're into that sort of thing," Riley informed the redheaded witch. "They have it here."

"Ooh! Where?" Willow said excitedly.

"I'll show you," Riley said as he led the trio through the store. "I don't meet a lot of freshmen that
know that much about psychology."

"Well, it's fascinating," Willow admitted.

Halliwell Manor

Paige sighed as she looked at her pot. "Next up, some powdered toadstool," she said with enthusiasm thinking that she might as well enjoy herself while practicing. "BAM!" she cried throwing it in. "Let's kick it up one more notch!" she said loudly.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" Leo asked warily as he walked into the kitchen.

"You know, just preparing for the Source." Paige replied chirpily.

"Oh, is he coming over for dinner?" Leo asked sarcastically.

"No, Piper's got me mixing potions. Why? I don't know," she snapped. "Phoebe, Faith and Buffy all get to fight. And I get to cook."

"Well, you know, your sisters' active powers took a long time to develop." Leo explained as he headed for the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, "And uh…Phoebe's been studying martial arts for years. Faith and Buffy are both Slayers, with instinctual knowledge on how to fight."

"Yeah but we're magic," Paige stressed. "We should be able to skip over all that crap."

"Well, there are no shortcuts. Even with magic," Leo pointed out. "Anyway, you're half-Whitelighter, which means your half-pacifist. You may never develop the power to fight like Phoebe, Faith or Buffy."

Paige stared, blinking rapidly in serious dissatisfaction.

"Oh, and you might, want to check your potion." Leo gestured to her pot. "It's bubbling over." He then left the room.

Paige looked down and sighed. "Just once, I'd like to know what it's like to be Phoebe, Faith or Buffy and be able to kick some serious ass," she muttered then lifted her next ingredient once again and. "BAM!" She threw it into the pot.

It exploded and smoked up into Paige's face as she moaned softly and slipped to the floor, her body glowing.

While at the same time Phoebe hit the floor in the basement, her body glowing too as a white essence entered her and another left entering Paige upstairs.

U.C. Sunnydale

Willow led Buffy and Faith into her dorm room and found her roommate setting up her side of the room.

"Hello?" Willow said.

"Oh!" the roommate said. "Are you Willow?"

"Yeah," Willow replied.

The roommate smiled. "Kathy," she introduced herself.

"It's nice to meet you," Willow said.

"This is a nice room, Will," Buffy said as she and Faith looked around.

"I was surprised," Kathy admitted. "Because you hear horror stories about freshman housing."

"Kind of makes me wish Faith and I had chosen to stay on campus," Buffy admitted as Kathy looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "We're engaged to be married. Faith and I are living off campus."

Kathy smiled and turned back to Willow. "You took the right side," she said motioning toward the other bed.

"Yeah, I hope you don't mind," Willow admitted.

"No," Kathy admitted. "I just wanted to make sure that was what you wanted. Are you guys excited for classes tomorrow?"

"Somewhat," Faith admitted.

"I bet there's a lot of parties to go to this week, too," Kathy admitted. "Not that I'm a crazy partier - and I'm not always this hyper, either. I'm just excited."

"Me too," Willow agreed.

"I'm really glad they put me with someone cool," Kathy said as she put up a Celine Dion poster. "I can tell you're cool. I just know this whole year is going to be superfun!"

Halliwell Manor

Phoebe frowned as she pushed herself up and shook her head looking around. "How did I get down here?" she asked confused.

"Never drop your guard," Cole advised from above holding out her sword.

Phoebe's eyes widened and she crawled away from him and hid behind a punch bag.

Cole frowned. "What is wrong with you, Phoebe?"

"What did you just call me?" Phoebe asked.

"You really took a shot if you can't remember your name," Cole mused looking concerned.

Phoebe looked down at herself and gasped. "Oh, no. I am so screwed," she said grabbing her hair. "And so frosted," she added in disgust as she examined the ends of her hair.

"Are you okay?" Cole asked looking increasingly concerned.

"No," Phoebe replied quickly then looked at him sharply, "I mean…yes." She smiled. "Just, wait here," she instructed.

"I told you, no unscheduled breaks during training," Cole called after her.

"I am training," Phoebe replied. "I'm doing stairs." She ran up them and into the kitchen. "Oh, I don't look so good."

Paige groaned as she pulled herself to her feet. "What's going on?" she asked then gasped upon seeing Phoebe.

"Don't worry, Phoebe. It's me Paige. We switched bodies." Paige, in Phoebe's body, said calmly.

"What? What did you do?" Phoebe, in Paige's body, demanded sternly.

Phoebe/Paige frowned, "Why do you automatically assume it was something that I did?" she asked offended.

Paige/Phoebe glared. "Paige!" she cried slamming her hand down in the counter top.

"Alright, alright, I did it." Phoebe/Paige admitted. "But it was an accident I swear. I just wanted to know what it was like to be you, Faith or Buffy. And since neither Faith or Buffy are here and when the potion I was working on blew up, we switched bodies."

Paige/Phoebe looked astounded, "You wanted to be me, Faith or Buffy? Are you crazy?" she asked snappishly and Phoebe/Paige shrugged. "Okay, okay. We got to fix this," she said calmly. "What ingredients did you use?"

"I'm not sure," Phoebe/Paige replied and Paige/Phoebe glared at her hard. "Just please don't tell Piper," she begged. "She already thinks I'm a screw up as it is."

"Hello! Paige!" Paige/Phoebe exclaimed. "We are in each other's bodies. I think Piper is the least of our problems."

Phoebe/Paige sighed and jutted out her bottom lip.

"Okay fine!" Paige/Phoebe relented with a roll of her eyes. "I won't tell her."

"So…." Cole's voice flowed into the room as he climbed the stairs, "Ready to get back at it?" he asked.

"Yeah just a minute sweetie—" Paige/Phoebe replied out of habit, eyes widening.

"Not you, Phoebe." Cole dismissed as he approached his girlfriend.

"Uh…sure, sugar." Phoebe/Paige replied uncertainly. "Whatever you say. Let's go work up a sweat."

Paige/Phoebe stepped out in front of them. "Ah just a minute." She grabbed Phoebe/Paige's shoulders. "Actually, Phoebe has to stay with me. She has to help me uh…with the potion. It blew up in my face."

Cole frowned, "Is that true?" he asked Phoebe/Paige who nodded with a small shrug.

Cole furrowed his brow. "Well, so let me ask you something, Phoebe. Um…why did you ask me to train you?" he looked at her expectantly. "At least Faith and Buffy are putting in the hours and actually trying, at least they want to be better. Why are we wasting our time?"

Paige/Phoebe shook her head. "You're not wasting your time Cole," she assured him quickly. "Phoebe told me how much she's learning," she tried to convince him.

Cole held up his hand to silence her. "I'm sorry, Paige. This is between me and Phoebe. If it's more important for you to help out in the kitchen, than to, train for the Source then, you don't have what it takes to vanquish him." He all but growled at her. "Let me know when that changes." And he shimmered out.

"If we don't fix this soon." Paige/Phoebe pulled on her hair. "I am going to perm your hair," she threatened and Phoebe/Paige's eyes widened.

U.C. Sunnydale

Buffy and Faith were walking around the campus trying to gauge places where a vampire might hide for passing students. Not watching where they were going Buffy bumped into a student.

"Good job, babe," Faith quipped. "You bumped into someone just as lost as we are."

"I'm so sor…" Buffy stopped as she realized who she had bumped into. "Tara?"

Tara Maclay smiled at her cousin. "Hey, Cousin Buffy."

Buffy smiled as she pulled her cousin into her arms and hugged her. "Tara, oh my god. When did you move to Sunnydale? Is Aunt Sabrina with you?" she asked as Tara looked down at the ground. That one gesture told Buffy everything she needed to no. "Oh god, Tara. When?"

"Three years ago," Tara admitted looking up at her cousin. "My dad only told me you moved from Los Angeles. He refused to give me your new address or phone number to let you and Aunt Joyce know that mom had died."

"Hey, Buffy," Faith interjected as her fiancée looked at her.

"Oh, sorry, Faith," Buffy said as she wrapped an arm around Faith's waist. "Tara, this is my fiancée Faith Halliwell. Faith this is my cousin Tara Maclay."

"It's nice to meet you," Faith said. "Buffy since this is kind of a private conversation. Shouldn't we go someplace a little more private."

"Your right, Faith," Buffy agreed as she held out her hand to Tara. "If you will take my hand, Tara." Tara looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Trust me."

Tara took her cousin's hand and after making sure no one was watching Buffy disappeared with her and Faith in a swirl of fiery flames.

Chinatown

"Please, just listen to me. You have no idea how important this is to me."

Piper frowned as she entered her favorite Chinese herb store, walking around slowly, trying to eavesdrop on the very loud conversation going on at the counter.

"Come back later," the store clerk advised.

"If I could come back later I would but I can't. I need it now," the young woman responded,

Piper pulled her list from her coat pocket and walked past the bickering pair.

"That dagger is a family heirloom," the clerk replied pointing behind him to the beautifully carved dagger on the wall. "It's not for sale."

"Excuse me?" Piper called, interrupting them. "Do you have any wormwood?"

The clerk nodded and turned. "You don't understand," the woman insisted. "I don't want to buy it. It's all right here in the note," she gestured to the parchment in her hand.

The clerk leaned forward and shook his head. "I don't read Chinese."

Piper sighed and interrupted them again. "Uh…wormwood?"

"You have to help me," the woman distracted him again. "My father needs the Dragonblade. He said your father—"

"My father's out of town till Tuesday," the clerk cut her off, beginning to sound a little frustrated. "You'll have to come back then. Excuse me, I have costumers," he said turning to Piper.

"Yes," Piper said sounding relieved and slid up to the counter. "Thank you. Hi. I need a sprig of wormwood, preferably small stemmed."

The woman rolled her eyes, glanced between the clerk and the dagger before jumping onto the counter then up onto the wall, grabbing the Dragonblade.

"HEY!" the clerk yelled but she ignored him falling back onto the counter in front of Piper who stared at her with wide eyes.

The woman rose into the air and sun over Piper who gasped and threw her hands up, freezing the clerk but not the woman. The woman went flying through the window and disappeared down the street. Piper turned toward the broken window looking extremely confused then raced after her.

"Hey!" Piper yelled coming up behind the woman, who kept on walking so she threw out her left hand and flicked her wrist, blowing up the crate of vegetables in front of the woman.

The woman jumped in surprise and turned to Piper. "Who are you?" she asked.

"An'ling." A man appeared in front of them, stopping next to a puddle of rain water.

An'ling turned to him. "I have it, Father," she answered walking towards him.

At that moment another man rose up from the puddle of water and stabbed An'ling's father in the back.

"NOOOO!" An'ling screamed.

"Like I said…." Yenlo smirked holding onto An'ling's father tightly. "…we're just getting started." Then they both disappeared back into the water.

"Father!" An'ling yelled but it was too late, they were gone.

Piper stood there, dumbfounded by what had just happened until An'ling started running and she took off after her.

Summers Home

Buffy, Faith and Tara appeared in the middle of the living room in a swirl of fiery flames. Tara stepped away from her cousin as she remembered her father's teachings that she and her mother had demon in her. But she remembered that both her cousin and aunt's powers had been bound years ago. "That's a demonic power, Buffy. How? How did you do that?"

"It's a long story," Buffy admitted as Joyce walked into the room, having heard the voices.

"Girls?" Joyce said looking at Faith and Buffy. And then she saw someone she had not seen in three years. "Tara?" she asked in surprise.

"Hi, Aunt Joyce," Tara said as she moved to her aunt and hugged her. "How are you?"

"I'm good, sweetie," Joyce said returning Tara's embrace. "How's your mom?"

"Mom," Buffy interjected with a sigh. "Aunt Sabrina died around the time we moved to Sunnydale."

"What?" Joyce said in surprise. "I could've used her help with my powers."

Tara looked at both her cousin and her aunt in surprise. Not only did Buffy have powers, but her aunt had gotten hers back as well? "You got your powers back?" she said in surprise.

"You knew we had powers?" Buffy asked.

Tara nodded with a sigh. "Yes. Around the time your powers started to manifest. You were getting visions of a young girl about our age. Do you remember getting those visions?"

"I do," Buffy admitted.

"Great Aunt Zelda didn't want this revealed to either of you," Tara said. "I remember when you and I were four-years-old, Buffy. When the visions of the girl started. Dad and Uncle Hank were both out at a bar. My brother Donny was at a friend's house. You and I were having a sleepover." She looked Joyce. "Aunt Joyce…you, mom and Great Aunt Zelda were in the kitchen talking about the girl. So, you got the idea of using your Projection power coupled with Buffy's visions to locate the girl."

Faith listened to the story knowing that Tara was talking about trying to find her since they knew that the visions had been about her.

"A portal was opened and we all saw the little girl dressed like a baby and being whipped. You were going to try and get her out of there when a voice called through the portal. It said something about the girl being made stronger and removed the imperfections of the light. That the girl was its heir and we would never save her. I never saw either mom or Great Aunt Zelda so scared before. Great Aunt Zelda used her magic and closed the portal."

Joyce sighed, she was sure she knew where this was going, why she had forgotten about her magic and why neither she or Buffy had gotten their powers back till recently.

"You, mom and Great Aunt Zelda got into a fight," Tara continued. "That night after you had gone to bed, Great Aunt Zelda used Whitelighter dust to erase your memories of magic, Aunt Joyce. Then she gave you both a binding potion and bound your magic. Mom and I were instructed never to talk about magic in front of either of you ever again."

"My mother and grandmother had no right," Joyce snapped angrily. "They violated my mind. Bound my magic as well as Buffy's. And forced Faith to live in a home that was extremely cruel to her."

"Faith?" Tara questioned and then her eyes went wide in realization as she looked at the brunette Slayer. "You're the girl."

"Yes," Faith answered. "From what we've gathered, Buffy and I are destined. No matter what we would have always found each other."

Joyce turned and looked at Faith. "Faith, do you know the summoning spell to summon a spirit or do we need to see Piper, Phoebe and Paige?"

"I know it," Faith admitted.

Joyce nodded. "Cast it, I have a bone to pick with my mother and grandmother."

Halliwell Manor

"Yenlo was a powerful disciple but he used my father's teachings for evil." An'ling informed Piper and Leo as the three of them sat in the living room around the coffee table. "That's why my father passed him over for master. And because he did, Yenlo swore vengeance on him."

"But didn't you say you stab Yenlo, when he first attacked?" Leo questioned from the other side of the table.

"Yes." An'ling answered, "But he used his knowledge of the teachings to escape before he died."

"Escape to where?" Piper asked from beside her.

An'ling turned to Piper. "To a place where souls pass on their way to reincarnation," She replied. "It's a mystical region between life and death."

Piper looked to Leo for an explanation. "Limbo," he answered simply.

"Yenlo somehow figured out a way to hide out there," An'ling continued.

Piper still looked slightly puzzled. "But…if you stabbed him…"

"Metaphysical and magical laws are amplified in limbo," Leo jumped in with an explanation. "As long as he stays there, his wound will never advance. He can literally cheat death forever."

"That's why I took the Dragonblade. It has the power to trap human souls," An'ling justified her actions. "Now it's the only way to save my father." She added sadly.

Piper sighed and picked up the Dragonblade to examine it. "You think he's still alive?"

An'ling looked at Piper. "Yenlo doesn't just want to kill my father, he wants to punish him," she informed, hatred evident in her voice. "Holding him in limbo does that, it keeps his soul from being reborn," she elaborated.

Piper placed the Dragonblade back down on the table and asked, "Do you know, how to get to this limbo?"

An'ling looked down, slightly ashamed. "No." She shook her head. "I never mastered that skill."

"Well, then, we'll have to figure out our own way," Piper said with a kind smile. "Phoebe! Paige!" She debated calling Faith and Buffy back but decided against it as her niece was busy with her first day of college. If they needed them, they could call for them later.

An'ling shook her head. "I can't let you do that. I know your powerful witches, but I can't put you in danger. Yenlo will be coming for me next."

"All the more reason you should be here, where it's safe." Piper countered not willing to take 'no' for an answer.

"No place is safe from Yenlo. He can use any surface of water as a portal." An'ling protested.

"Maybe, but he can only stay in our world for short periods." Leo chimed in, "Otherwise his wound will ultimately kill him."

Phoebe and Paige entered from the kitchen and stood awkwardly, "Um…you called?" Paige/Phoebe asked.

"This…" Piper rose to her feet, "…is An'ling." An'ling turned to them and smiled.

Phoebe/Paige smiled widely at her. "Hi. I'm Paige—" and froze, while Paige/Phoebe stiffened beside her. Piper and Leo turned to her frowning. Her eyes widened. "I mean, Paige's older sister, Phoebe," she corrected with a smile. "This is Paige." She gestured to Paige/Phoebe beside her. Piper's frown deepened while Leo looked between the youngest two and the eldest.

"Howdy. Hi. Paige here," Paige/Phoebe replied with a forced smile. An'ling smiled in amusement at the two's behavior.

"Um…okay." Piper shook herself. "We've got a water-loving demon, so Phoebe, can you take Paige to the water main. It takes two to turn off that rusty valve," she asked as Paige and Phoebe looked instantly panicked.

Phoebe/Paige narrowed her eyes. "Water main," she repeated. "Right." And turned left and right uncertainly then walked in the completely opposite direction. Paige/Phoebe laughed nervously and grabbed her shoulders, directing her the right way.

Piper's frown returned.

"Okay, Book of Shadows." Piper said with a nod. "There's got to be another way to get into limbo."

Leo nodded and walked after her and An'ling, in the direction of the stairs.

Summers Home

"Hey, Blondie," Faith said as she stood in front of the circle of candles. She saw a quizzical look on Tara's face. "Sorry, I tend to give nicknames to people I do like. And you are Buffy's cousin so. You get one automatically."

"Thanks," Tara admitted.

"Now as I was about to say. Don't worry about going back to your dad, okay," Faith told Tara.

"Faith, why did you say that?" Buffy asked confused.

"Let's just say I can see the signs," Faith said. "Of someone who has been through something similar to what I have."

Buffy's eyes went wide as she turned and looked at her cousin. "You were abused?"

"Not physically," Tara answered slightly reluctantly. "Not like your fiancée. More mentally. Dad has been saying for years that mom, Celia and I all had demon in us. And that was where our magic came from. It actually started not long after Celia died. I don't know, maybe her death pushed him over the edge. After then he became cold, distant. So did Donny and my cousin, Beth. I don't know exactly how mom died, I have my suspicions, but no real proof. I think he did it. I never saw it, but I'm almost sure he was beating mom."

"Why didn't you or Sabrina call me," Joyce asked. "I would have come and helped."

Tara sighed. "Mom thought that since she didn't stop grandma from taking your memories and binding yours and Buffy's powers that she deserved what was happening."

"Sabrina and I were always so close," Joyce countered. "Just like you, Celia and Buffy were. That didn't start to change till after your sister died."

"I remember that dad and mom argued a lot after Celia died. He slowly began pushing mom to distance herself from you, Great Aunt Zelda, Great Aunt Hilda and Aunt Arlene."

Halliwell Manor

"Careful!" Phoebe/Paige exclaimed as they struggled with the water main which was located in the basement. "Don't break my nails."

"Forget your nails," Paige/Phoebe snapped. "You almost got us busted. Next time, smile and nod when we're together."

"Well, that might work for Piper and Leo, maybe not Prue, but what about this demon that's on the loose?" Phoebe/Paige asked they finally won their battle with the water main and she popped a lollipop into her mouth in triumph.

"You're right," Paige/Phoebe agreed. "We may have to fight. Can you levitate?"

Phoebe/Paige shrugged. "Haven't tried."

"There, levitate and kick." Paige/Phoebe pointed to the punch bag. "But first, could you lose the lollipop? My teeth have enough cavities."

"Argh! Sorry, nervous habit," Phoebe/Paige replied and ditched the lollipop. She took a deep breath then ran for the punch bag and jumped, dangling for a second on it then hit the floor.

Paige/Phoebe closed her eyes briefly. "Oh my god, you are so bad for my image."

Phoebe/Paige sat up. "Oh!" she cried as the punch bag hit her on the side of the head. "Piper is never going to trust me with magic again," she said sadly.

Paige/Phoebe nodded sympathetically, "Piper won't find out anything as long as we reverse the potion," she said ever the optimist.

Phoebe/Paige nodded and stood up. "Well, I think I figured out how to mix a new batch but, we're all out of powdered toadstool."

"I know where to get some," Paige/Phoebe assured with a nod. "You stay here, avoid Prue and Piper at all costs and practice my power. We may need it," she instructed then headed upstairs.

Summers Home

"Hear these words, hear my cry. Spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the great divide," Faith chanted.

Sabrina Spellman-Maclay and Zelda Spellman appeared in bright light in the middle of the circle of candles.

"Aunt Zelda…Brina," Joyce greeted. "We need to talk."

"Yes, we do," Sabrina agreed as she stepped out of the circle and became corporeal. She hugged first her daughter and then Joyce.

"First, Brina," Joyce said when Sabrina had released her. She brought up her hand and slapped Sabrina. "That is for not telling me the truth and for not coming to me when you needed me, little sis."

Sabrina and Joyce turned to their mother who had remained within the circle, which also meant she remain intangible. "Now, Aunt Zelda."

"Joyce," Zelda said with a sigh. "I know you are angry with me. But what I did was for the best."

"The best!" Joyce yelled at her aunt, who had been a mother to her and Sabrina since they had been left with them shortly before they turned sixteen after their parents had died. "No Aunt Zelda that was not for the best." She motioned toward Faith. "You see this young woman, who your grandniece is set to marry in just under two weeks. She went through hell because of you, Aunt Zelda. All we had to do was save her from that woman and take her back to her family where she belongs. But you wouldn't let me try. And I have to ask, why?"

Zelda sighed. "We wouldn't have been able to get her away from him."

"From the Source?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, Buffy," Zelda answered. "He's too powerful so I did what I thought was right."

"How dare you," Buffy yelled, clearly seething. "You left the woman I love to a fate worse than hell and you have the audacity to say it was the right choice Great Aunt Zelda."

"Buffy," Zelda said with a sigh. She finally stepped out of the circle of candles and became corporeal. "I know you are angry, and I am sure I have earned it. But there is nothing we could have done. We would need more power than our family has to fight him."

"You can't say that for certain," Buffy countered. "While you may not be as powerful as the Charmed Ones when it comes to the Source. You, mom and Aunt Sabrina could have had the power to take Faith from that bitch. I could have had a chance to grow up with my soulmate."

Halliwell Manor

"Can I help you?" Paige/Phoebe asked as she opened the door to reveal a young and handsome black man on the other side.

He laughed. "Sense of humor. I really like that in a girl," he replied with a smile. "So, are you ready to go Paige?" he asked.

Paige/Phoebe's eyes widened. "Paige!" she exclaimed with an obvious tone. "Uh…."

"Mason! Hi, how are you?" Phoebe/Paige asked as she came up behind her sister.

"I'm fine," Mason replied. "Do I know you?" he asked confused.

"No, no, but I know you," she replied quickly. "At least I feel like I know you, seeing as how Paige can't stop talking about you, Mason the boss' son," she said with a subtle nudge to Paige/Phoebe's side. "He's as cute as you said he was."

"Well, nice to see you." Paige/Phoebe smiled. "Bye." She went to close the door which Mason caught.

"No, wait," Phoebe/Paige cried. "Aren't you guys going for dinner?"

"Yeah is Italian okay?" Mason asked with a smile.

"Chinese," Phoebe/Paige said adamantly. "You must have Chinese. Chinatown Chinese, even better." She nudged Paige/Phoebe again.

"That, that's cool," Mason replied slightly freaked out.

Paige/Phoebe nodded. "Oh-kay."

"Okay." Phoebe/Paige said as she handed Paige/Phoebe her jacket, "You two kids have fun." Then she leaned in close and added in a hushed whisper as they left, "And keep my face out of the sun."

Phoebe/Paige turned to see Piper running down the stairs. "Who was at the door?" Piper demanded.

"Mmm…oh just Paige's date," Phoebe/Paige replied with a smile.

"She's still going on her date?" Piper asked incredulously and Phoebe/Paige shrugged. "What's with the lollipop?"

Phoebe/Paige stilled in a temporary state of panic then quickly covered with. "Paige, sort of got me into them."

"Um…I've got to be honest here. I'm really starting to worry about Paige," Piper admitted.

Phoebe/Paige frowned, "Why? What's wrong with Paige?" she asked warily.

"Well, first of all, she reminded me, how much I hate, being the big sister." Piper said folding her arms across her chest and Phoebe/Paige sighed sadly, dipping her head. "Also, how it's suddenly my responsibility to teach her how to be a witch. And she won't even listen to me!" she cried in frustration.

Phoebe/Paige looked up. "Oh, she listens…sometimes."

"Well, sometimes, isn't good enough, Phoebe. You know that. Sometimes, could get us killed!" Piper nodded. "And it's a shame too," she continued referring to Paige's inability to listen. "Because she might actually have a lot of potential," she mused with a thoughtful expression. "But the problem is, I don't think she really cares about anything."

Phoebe/Paige shook her head. "Oh, no she cares. I know she does. You just have to give her a chance. I think Paige is the kind of person that…needs to learn from her mistakes. And believe me, she's learning fast."

Piper looked at Phoebe with a smirk. "So, uh…" she said. "In that respects she's kind of, sort of, like…you huh?"

Phoebe/Paige looked mildly confused then cottoned on and began to smirk herself before remembering that she was supposed to be Phoebe, who would most likely take offense to that so chose to glare at them instead, sighing with relief inside when they laughed.

Summers Home

"Also, without my true memories and knowing magic, demons and vampires were real, Aunt Zelda. I had Buffy committed in a mental hospital because I thought she has a break in reality. If anything had happened to Buffy while she had been in there. It would be my fault and yours."

Sabrina looked at Zelda with a frown. "Aunt Zelda. You know as well as I what could have happened with Buffy in a place like that. And no one would have ever known either. They would have just assumed she had a psychotic break and killed herself."

Zelda sighed knowing her niece was right. That said she was still sure what she done was right. "Buffy, first let me apologize for that. Second I would like to know what you were thinking when you slept with Angel."

"That I was in love," Buffy admitted. "I know of course now, it was a crush, but back then. He was all I could see of tomorrow. And before you mention anything about the curse, I know afterwards how bad it could have been. But at the time I didn't even know he was under a curse."

"Then you know that Darla sired him," Zelda questioned.

"I do," Buffy answered. "And I know from stories Angel told me of when he was Angelus what he was like."

"Then you are aware that if Darla had been alive that the Whirlwind, that comprised Darla, Angelus, Drusilla and William the Bloody also known as Spike, could have decimated this town. Only one vampire hunter ever survived them. All others including a couple of your predecessors went up against them and died. You should be more devoted to you calling than your wedding to the Source's daughter."

Buffy moved quickly, getting in her great aunt's face. "Faith is not the Source's daughter," she snapped. "She is the daughter Prue Halliwell. Or have you not heard of the Charmed Ones? She was kidnapped and abused by the people who took her from her parents. From Prue and her father, Andy Trudeau. I love her and you can't handle that, then I highly suggest you go back to the heavens or wherever you were and never ever come back."

Sabrina looked at her aunt with a sigh. "Aunt Zelda, that was a low blow even from you. I would love to know what exactly turned you. When Joyce and I were first placed with you. You were a kind woman, but now… Faith is not the same as the Source and if you don't believe me then believe Tara." She looked at her daughter. "Sweetie, would you do an Aura read on your cousin's fiancée?"

Tara nodded as she looked at Faith. "I see darkness, but its not pure. It's a result of Faith's life, the Slayer and what the Source did in making her his heir. But I also see light. And when coupled with Buffy that light becomes blinding. Their love strengthens them. Together they are a powerful force for good."

Chinatown

"Ah! What is this place?" Mason asked with a grimace as he made his way over to Paige.

"I just…got to find some powdered toadstool," Paige/Phoebe answered as she looked around the herb store. "Ah-ha here it is."

"Uh…okay, I got to warn you," Mason started looking at the bag of powdered toadstool in Paige's hand. "I'm not into the whole, herbal scene," he stated honestly.

"Well, neither is Paige, I don't think," Paige/Phoebe mused aloud.

Mason frowned. "You always talk about yourself in the third person like that?"

Paige/Phoebe smiled tightly. "It's kind of a, character flaw of mine."

"So…what's the toadstool for?" he asked intrigued.

"It's an aphrodisiac," Paige/Phoebe replied quickly.

"Really?" Mason said not entirely convinced and followed her to the counter. "My dad was right. He said you were…'unique', I believe is the word he used."

"Oh yeah? What else did he say about me?" Paige/Phoebe asked amused.

"He said that if he doesn't hurry up and make you a social worker, you'll probably start your own agency," he said in all seriousness and Paige/Phoebe smiled. "That, or end up in jail, he wasn't sure which." still serious.

Paige/Phoebe nodded slowly taking money from her purse. "Sounds like me at that age."

Mason frowned once more. "You lost me again," he admitted.

Paige/Phoebe sighed, hand moving to her right hip. "I'm not showing you a very good time, am I?" she stated more than asked.

Mason shrugged. "I don't know. We're in Chinatown, shopping for a sexual stimulant. I'm surrounded by chicken claws and goat brains. I haven't had this much fun in a long time," he told her with a smile.

Paige/Phoebe smiled back. "Come to think of it, neither have I. My boyfriend is not really big on the fun factor lately."

Mason's eyes widened and he looked away. "Your boyfriend?"

"Ex-boyfriend," Paige/Phoebe corrected herself quickly then jumped as thunder and rain sounded outside. "Uh-oh, Yenlo."

"What's that?" Mason asked, "Another aphrodisiac?"

"I…I got to go," Paige/Phoebe informed him suddenly then ran out.

Summers Home

"Tara," Buffy said as she smiled at her cousin as they heard a clap of thunder outside. "I would be happy if you would be one of my Maids of Honor at my wedding in two weeks."

Tara smiled as she hugged Buffy. "I'd like that."

"Buffy, I have a wicked idea if your up for it," Faith told her fiancée.

"What is it?" Buffy wondered.

"When your mom accidentally turned us into kids, it showed me I need practice…"

"Taking care of a baby," Joyce finished for her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. "Faith, no new parent knows how to take care of a baby. Some are better prepared yes. But no new parent knows how to truly take care of a baby till they become a parent themselves."

"I know, Joyce," Faith said looking at the Summers matriarch. "But you also have to remember my childhood. I need to know how to take care of a baby before actually having one." She looked back at Buffy. "Would you let your mom turn you into a baby so that I can practice being a mom. I will even let you do the same with me."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Buffy questioned.

Faith nodded. "If we are going to be mothers one day. I think we should practice, don't you?"

Buffy thought about it and then nodded. "When would you like to do this?"

"After the wedding," Faith said. "In the days or weeks after."

Halliwell Manor

Phoebe/Paige put on her best face of concentration, stood on the fourth step of the basement stairs and jumped, attempting to levitate but failing miserably.

"What are you doing?" Cole asked from behind as he shimmered in unnoticed.

Phoebe/Paige spun around. "Uh…just…some exercises." She nodded with a small smile. "Levitating exercises."

"So, you've decided to make training your priority?" he asked sounding hopeful.

"Yes," Phoebe/Paige answered straight away. "Absolutely."

"Good. We'll pick up where we left off," he said walking toward her.

"Great," Phoebe/Paige agreed with a nervous nod. "Cool."

"I'll throw a couple of, low voltage energy balls at you," Cole began watching her carefully. "You just try to avoid them."

"Energy balls?" Phoebe/Paige repeated incredulously. "Oh!" she yelped when Cole threw one at her shoulder, striking her then another at her backside. "Ah!" she yelped jumping then spun to him. "Okay, now that's just rude. I am not having fun!"

"Fighting the Source isn't supposed to be fun," Cole shot back heatedly.

"That's it pal!" Phoebe/Paige exclaimed. "You are not the Source and you do not treat your girlfriend this way," she reprimanded with narrowed eyes. "Murderers, demons, phone solicitors maybe, but not your girlfriend."

Cole frowned. "What's gotten into you?"

"Paige," Phoebe/Paige told him matter-of-factly. "I mean, I told Paige how you've been treating me and, she just thinks your way out of line buddy."

Cole stepped closer to her and looked right into her eyes. "Phoebe you're the most important thing in my life. If I don't push you hard, I will lose you," he told her matter-of-factly.

Phoebe/Paige nodded and said gently but firmly. "Keep pushing her that way…and you'll push her right out the door."

Cole frowned again. "What do you mean 'her?'" he asked confused.

Phoebe/Paige looked panicked. "I mean…me."

"You said 'her.'" he countered quickly.

"Did I?" she said feigning ignorance, "Well, I'm, I, I'm just very angry, you know, because…" she trailed off looking down. "Well, you tore my jog bra." She indicated to the rip in the bra strap. "And now I just….I have to go change," she said then walked away.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"There is actually nothing in here on how to reach limbo." Piper sighed in frustration as she and Leo stood around the book. She turned at she saw the swirl of fiery flames that heralded Buffy, Faith and a young woman's arrival.

"Buffy? Faith?" Piper said looking at the young woman. "Who is she?"

"Piper, I would like you to meet my cousin, Tara Spellman," Buffy said introducing Tara. Given what she had learned of Tara's dad she was sure that Tara didn't want to acknowledge her father's name. She was even tempted to take the Spellman name herself.

Leo looked at the blonde witch in front of him. "You are Sabrina Spellman's daughter?" he asked.

"I am," Tara answered. "You knew my mom?"

"By reputation only," Leo answered.

"Leo?" Piper questioned looking at her husband.

"The Spellman family are powerful line of witches," Leo said. "Sabrina came into her powers at the age of sixteen not long after her parents' deaths. She was then placed with her aunt on her father's side."

"Apparently we were wrong about me and mom," Buffy said. "Our Great Aunt Zelda bound mine and mom's magic and using Whitelighter dust erased mom's memories of magic. Our magic became unbound when Great Aunt Zelda passed away a few months ago."

"Which means you are a Spellman," Leo said looking at the blonde Slayer.

"Yeah," Buffy answered.

"It's nice to meet you," Piper told Tara. "I'll welcome you more properly later with a nice dinner. Right now…" she looked back at Faith and Buffy, "…we have a demon issue." She motioned toward An'ling who was looking into a bowl of water. "Her father was kidnapped by a water-loving demon."

Leo turned his attention to An'ling and frowned, "Should you have that water up here?" he asked in regards to the bowl of water. "What if Yenlo uses that as a portal?"

"It's okay," An'ling assured. "The surface if too small for him to enter."

"So…what are you doing?" Piper asked walking towards An'ling.

"My father could use water as a looking glass into other worlds," An'ling explained then smiled. "Once, when I was young, he reached into a bowl of water and picked me a plum from the Garden of Eden."

Faith, Buffy, Tara, Piper and Leo smiled sadly at An'ling, seeing her conflicting emotions shinning behind her eyes as she tried not to cry.

"Can you see your father now?" Leo asked curiously.

An'ling's smile disappeared. "No," she answered tightly placing the bowl of water back down again. "I only see water. I wish he were here. He'd know what to do."

"I know how that feels," Tara said as she sat down next to An'ling. "My mom passed away a couple years ago. I miss her so much. I miss hearing her, giving me advice. Like your father, she would know what to do."

"I better go check with the Elders. Maybe they can help us reach limbo," Leo suggested then orbed out.

"Sometimes I think Yenlo was right," An'ling said sadly. "My father made the wrong choice. Yenlo was always the better student."

"Oh, I doubt that," Tara and Piper said together as An'ling laughed lightly. Piper took a seat across from An'ling next to Tara.

"You beat him in battle," Piper pointed out gently.

"But I didn't kill him. I made him stronger," An'ling countered, anger toward herself and Yenlo evident/ "Strong enough to remove my father's magic and wisdom from the world. I don't feel worthy of following in his footsteps."

Piper and Faith traded saddened looks with one another. Faith knew how it felt to not feel worthy of following in someone's footsteps after all. For a while she had felt unworthy of baring her grandmother's name.

Piper reached out to grasp An'ling's hand from across the table.

"It's hard," Faith admitted as Piper and An'ling looked at her. "Living your life feeling like a failure, trying so hard to be something you're not. To be someone you can never be and failing every damn time." She inhaled and looked at An'ling, "I understand," she said simply. "I um…." She glanced at Buffy and Piper quickly, "…I lost my mother recently, not long after being reunited with her after sixteen years," she told An'ling, who's eyes grew wide. "You see I was kidnapped, treated terribly and promised to a demon as his heir by the wife of the man who kidnapped me. When she died I was angry. Tried to bring her back. I reversed the spell when I saw what it was doing to my Aunt Phoebe."

An'ling inhaled deeply and looked Faith in the eyes. "Where did you find the strength?" she asked sounding hopeful.

Faith shrugged and shook her head. "My aunts helped and my fiancée helped. But I didn't not completely," she admitted.

Anling frowned looking confused.

Faith took Buffy's hand and they walked around An'ling and sat beside the woman.

An'ling turned to face the couple expectantly.

Buffy smiled and took the woman's hand. "An'ling…you're never going to be as good as your father," she said softly and An'ling's face fell, Piper frowned not understanding how this was supposed to help. Then she noticed that while Buffy was talking to An'ling that she was looking at Tara. "Because you're not him. You're you. Which means, you can only be as good as you can be," she said softly as Tara and An'ling looked at her with watery eyes. "You can do this…I know you can."

Piper smiled kindly. "And so, did your father," she added addressing An'ling. "I know we've never met him but…he sounds like a pretty smart man, wise…" An'ling nodded, "…do you really think he would have passed Yenlo over for you, if he didn't truly believe that you were the best?" she asked and An'ling frowned, contemplating the question. "Your father believes in you An'ling…now you got to believe in yourself."

An'ling smiled at Buffy and Piper as she nodded, "Thank you," she whispered.

"Come, on," Piper said, "With all this rain, we have to protect the house from Yenlo," she said as another batch of thunder struck. Piper led An'ling and Faith out of the attic leaving the cousins alone.

"You did notice I wasn't just talking to An'ling," Buffy said.

"Yes," Tara said. "Thank you, Buffy. You are right. I am a good witch, I am not part demon as he wanted me to believe. You never did tell me how you got that power."

"Well you can blame Faith," Buffy chuckled as she led Tara out of the attic. As she began to explain what had happened several months before they didn't notice the puddle of rain water beside the window. Seconds later Yenlo jumped up through the water, looked around the now deserted attic and smirked.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Paige/Phoebe came running through the Manor's front door, purse clutched tightly to her chest, hat on her head and raincoat pulled tight. She placed her purse down on the table and fished out the bag of toadstool, oblivious to Yenlo creeping down the stairs to her left, stopping in his tracks when he laid eyes on her, watching silently.

Paige shook of her coat and pulled her hat down, turning to her right and crashing right into Cole. "Ah! Cole, you scared me."

"Sorry," Cole apologized quickly. "I didn't mean to."

Yenlo crouched down further hiding himself from view and listening intently.

"With the rain outside and everyone on Yenlo alert…" Cole continued casually leaning against the doorpost.

"Yeah Yenlo," Paige agreed. "That's why I rushed home."

Yenlo pressed his palm down against his now bleeding wound.

Cole walked toward her. "You're chilled," he stated. "Here. Put this on," he instructed shrugging off his own coat.

Paige/Phoebe took a large step backward. "Eh…you keep it."

Cole shrugged it back on. "I'm sorry. Am I making you uncomfortable?" he asked trapping her between his body and the wall.

Paige/Phoebe frowned. "No. of course not," she answered tersely. "I was just wondering what Phoebe would think about this."

Yenlo saw that they were distracted and swiftly moved from the stairs and around the corner.

"Phoebe?" Cole questioned puzzled.

Paige/Phoebe placed one hand on her hip, glaring at him. "Yeah, your girlfriend, Phoebe. Remember?"

Cole sighed. "Yeah, you see the problem with Phoebe is, she's so obsessed with training, she's not interested in romance anymore."

"That's not true!" Paige/Phoebe snapped. "I mean, she—"

"You on the other hand, " Cole interrupted her. "Strike me as being, full of passion, desire. I miss that."

Paige/Phoebe stared at him in disgust then pushed him away. "I got to go." But Cole grabbed her, pinned her to the wall and kissed her passionately just as Phoebe/Paige came down the stairs.

"HEY!" Phoebe/Paige yelled eyes wide in surprise.

Paige/Phoebe grabbed Cole's hand that had moved to her waist and flipped him onto his back on the floor.

"How could you do this to me?" Paige/Phoebe demanded, clearly hurt and very angry.

Cole held up his hands. "Oh, come on. I'm just trying to have a little fun, Phoebe," he defended casually. "Isn't that what you were complaining about me not doing?" he asked smugly.

"Yeah, but I never meant for…." Paige/Phoebe trailed off as she realized what he'd called her. "Did you just call me Phoebe?"

"Would you rather I kissed her?" he asked jumping to his feet.

"No," Paige/Phoebe answered, hands on her hips.

"You know?" Phoebe/Paige asked shocked. "How do you know?"

Cole turned to her. "Well, for one thing, you suck at levitating," he said simply. "And for another, you set me straight about the way I've been treating the real Phoebe, as only a sister could."

Paige/Phoebe smiled. "You did?"

Phoebe/Paige shrugged. "Someone had too."

"Okay, I'm going to go," Cole announced. "Let you guys sort this out." He turned to Paige/Phoebe. "When…you're yourself again, give me a call," he said grabbing her backside and pulling her against him. "We'll have some fun."

Phoebe/Paige groaned and shuddered at the sight of them as Cole shimmered out.

Paige/Phoebe turned to Phoebe/Paige. "Okay. We've got to get back into our own bodies," she said determinedly. "I am even getting confused," she said with a frown.

"Piper look out!" they heard An'ling and Faith shout from the kitchen and a loud crash.

"Oh no!" Paige/Phoebe gasped and they ran in the direction of the noise, meeting Buffy and Tara as they came out of the conservatory heading in the same direction.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Aunt Piper!" Faith yelled and ran toward her.

Yenlo turned and slashed her on the stomach with his sword, spinning her around and backward.

"Ah!" Faith screamed as the blade sliced her flesh and she hit the ground.

Yenlo turned his sword on An'ling who drew the Dragonblade, tilting it from side to side until it glowed green.

Yenlo's smirk faltered. "The Dragonblade," he stated before lunging and they began fighting again.

Buffy, Tara, Paige and Phoebe came running around the corner and into the kitchen to see both Faith and Piper down and An'ling engaged in a sword fight with Yenlo.

"Phoebe stop him!" Piper yelled pointing to Yenlo as he slashed An'ling's forearm, causing her to cry out in pain and drop the Dragonblade.

Phoebe/Paige jumped into the air, Yenlo ducked anticipating a kick, but instead she started spinning around in a circle.

Buffy and Faith looked at Phoebe/Paige in confusion as Piper frowned and Paige/Phoebe groaned. Yenlo smirked flipped backwards over Tara and disappeared into the sink water as Paige/Phoebe grabbed Phoebe/Paige and pulled her back down to the ground again.

"Faith?" Buffy said looking at the wound in Faith's side she hadn't noticed till now.

"I'm okay, Buffy," Faith said.

Piper pushed herself up and went to An'ling, "Leo!" she yelled sharply and he appeared instantly, "An'ling's hurt," she informed him. "Faith too." She nodded at her niece.

Leo's eyes widened and Faith waved her hand dismissively. "I'm a Slayer, remember, I'll be fine," she said.

Piper rounded on her younger sisters looking beyond pissed off. "You two," she pointed at them threateningly. "Follow me!"

Paige and Phoebe jumped a little, looked at Faith with concern before following Piper out of the room.

"Alright!" Piper exclaimed as she stormed into the sun room. "What the hell is going on?" she demanded tersely.

"I was soaking some potion pots in the sink and…forgot to drain them," Paige answered sheepishly.

Piper shook her head, "That is not what I mean. I smell something witchy. Phoebe, what is wrong with your powers?" she demanded, her anger increasing when Phoebe remained silent. "Phoebe?" she tried again.

"Uh…I'm over here," Paige/Phoebe said sheepishly raising a hand in the air.

Piper frowned, her eyes skirting over to her youngest sister, looking very puzzled.

"Don't get mad at her," Phoebe/Paige jumped in to defend Phoebe. "This is all my fault."

"Yeah but Paige, I agreed to keep it secret," Paige/Phoebe argued.

"Yeah but I was the one who messed up the potion. I wasn't concentrating, I just guessed," Phoebe/Paige argued back.

Piper flicked between them both utterly confused and really freaked out by what was going on. "Oh. My. God!" then came the anger.

"Oh my god what?" Faith asked as she followed by Buffy walked toward them. Tara had remained in the kitchen to help Leo with An'ling.

"Oh, are you okay?" Paige/Phoebe asked looking Faith up and down.

"Yeah, that looked like it hurt," Phoebe/Paige said with a shudder.

Faith nodded. "It did. I'm fine. Oh my god what?" she asked Piper.

Piper shook her head and pointed at Phoebe and Paige, "They switched bodies!" she exclaimed incredulously.

Faith and Buffy froze, staring at Piper blankly then slowly turned on Phoebe and Paige who instantly looked at their shoes. The couple looked at Piper again then back at Phoebe and Paige. "What?" Faith said in surprise. "Aunt Phoebe…you, mom and Aunt Piper were the ones who told me and Buffy it was bad to do stuff like this."

"It was an accident," Paige/Phoebe defended weakly.

"Accidents like that get people killed," Piper said sharply, looking extremely disappointed. "We could've lost an innocent in there," she said pointing at the kitchen. "Or a niece." She pointed at Faith. "What, what if it wasn't Yenlo? What if it was the Source that broke in?" she asked angrily. "You could've gotten us all killed!"

"Okay!" Faith said loudly. "Aunt Piper…Buffy and I had to make mistakes didn't we. To learn?"

"Yes, but…" Piper started.

"No buts," Faith interjected. "Aunt Piper, yes it was a bad time for this to happen. I get that. But how else is Aunt Paige supposed to learn if she isn't allowed to make her own mistakes."

"You better not be saying that because Paige was your friend long before she became your aunt," Piper interjected.

"I'm not," Faith answered. "I'm saying that as a daughter of a Charmed One who had to learn from her own mistakes."

Paige/Phoebe nodded, "I'm sorry, Piper," she said looking at her shoes.

Phoebe/Paige nodded. "Yeah, me too."

Piper shook her head, closed her eyes and sighed. "We've lost our shot at Yenlo. We have no idea how to get too Limbo—wait," she said suddenly as she instantly became more chipper. She pointed at Phoebe/Paige, "Do you remember what you put in that potion to switch bodies?"

"Phoebe just picked up the ingredient we were missing," she answered pointing at Paige/Phoebe.

"Good," Piper replied. "Let's go." And they all headed back into the kitchen.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Alright, what else did you….?" Piper asked looking at Paige/Phoebe; they were all gathered around the pot in the kitchen, then turned to Phoebe/Paige. "I mean you, put in this?" she corrected herself with a roll of her eyes.

"Just the powdered toadstool," Phoebe/Paige replied as she stopped stirring.

"Alright soul sisters, back in your own bodies," Piper said deadpanned as Buffy, Tara and Faith chuckled.

Phoebe/Paige nodded and lifted up some powdered toadstool. Paige/Phoebe took her hand and together they chanted, "I wanna be me again." Phoebe/Paige dropped it in the pot and the potion exploded. They both jumped, their souls going back into the right bodies. Everyone watched on with baited breath, hoping that the potion worked and the confusion ended.

"Oh, it's nice to see you, Paige." Phoebe said happily with a sigh of relief.

"It's nice to be seen, Phoebe." Paige replied with a smile then frowned. "God, what did you have for dinner?" she asked rubbing her stomach.

Phoebe grinned. "Kung Pao Chicken, sorry," she apologized not sounding sorry at all.

"Okay. Not to cut this reunion short," Piper interrupted. "But we don't have a lot of time. The only person who knows how to enter limbo is in limbo himself. And since we can't get to An'ling's father down there…"

Leo frowned. "Wait, you want to swap souls with An'ling's father?" he asked seeking confirmation.

Piper turned to her husband. "He's the only one who knows how to get in."

Leo shook his head. "It's too risky. There's got to be another way."

"I have to second that," Faith agreed.

"Did the Elders have any other ideas?" Piper shot back at Leo.

"No," Leo replied regretfully.

"Then there's not," Piper pointed out smugly.

Paige frowned. "Who's going to do it?" she asked looking at Piper.

"I'll do it." Piper said firmly with a nod.

Phoebe hesitantly held out the bowl of powdered toadstool to Piper. Piper took a deep breath, taking some into her hand.

"Be careful, Aunt Piper," Faith begged.

"Promise," Piper said as she took Faith's hand in her free one and squeezed it. "After all isn't tomorrow your dress fitting? I don't want to miss that. Okay…." she breathed nervously. "I, want to be the Zen master," she said then dropped the toadstool into the pot. It exploded and she jumped back, her soul switching with the Zen master's.

"You okay?" Faith asked warily.

Piper turned sharply to An'ling then back to Faith, "You have a very brave aunt."

"Father?" An'ling asked hopefully.

Piper/Zen master turned to her. "Yes, An'ling, I'm here. We don't have much time," she said with a small smile. "Where is the Dragonblade?"

An'ling looked instantly ashamed. "I used it to fight Yenlo but he knocked it out of my hands. Faith did you pick it up?" she asked.

Faith shook her head, "No. Aunt Phoebe? Aunt Paige? Buffy? Tara?" she asked and they all shook their heads.

"Then, who has the Dragonblade?" Piper/Zen master asked the silent room.

Limbo

Yenlo stared at the Zen master/Piper, playing with the Dragonblade in his hand, "What happened old man?"

"I don't know," The Zen master/Piper replied. "What happened?"

Yenlo narrowed his eyes. "I was telling you how I stole the Dragonblade from your useless daughter when you blacked out."

"I did?" he asked feigning ignorance. "I mean, I did. If you say so."

"Who are you?" Yenlo demanded pointing the Dragonblade at his neck.

The Zen master/Piper eyed it nervously. "I…am one with the universe," he replied uncertainly.

Yenlo laughed. "You think you can fool me? I was his disciple for twenty years." He dropped the blade to his side. "An'ling doesn't have the power to switch souls," he mused aloud. "So, you must be one of the witches," he concluded. "Which means that An'ling and her father will come to rescue you. The question is: how are they going to get your soul back, when I've got it?" he asked holding up the Dragonblade as it glowed green again. He touched it to the Zen master/Piper's chest, over the heart, sucking out the Charmed One's soul.

Halliwell Manor

"This is all we could find," Phoebe announced holding up the Dragonblade's case as she, Paige, Faith and Leo came running into the attic and over to Buffy, Tara, An'ling and Piper/Zen master who were crowded round the puddle on the floor.

"Then Yenlo must have the Dragonblade." Piper/Zen master concluded gravely. She waved her hand over the puddle and the body of the Zen master appeared in it. "And used it to capture your Piper's soul."

"What does that mean?" Leo asked wide eyed/.

"How do we get Aunt Piper back?" Faith added.

"We need to get the Dragonblade away from Yenlo." An'ling answered them.

"Okay," Phoebe spoke again. "So, what are we waiting for? Show us the way."

"I should go alone." An'ling insisted, "Piper did this for me, to save my father's life."

"No." Faith and Paige said in unison. "She's mine and Phoebe's sister and Faith's aunt," Paige continued. "Well all go." She smiled.

Faith turned to Piper/Zen master. "We are not staying here, while Aunt Piper is in trouble so…." She gestured to the puddle, "….do your thing. Show us how to get to Limbo."

"Is that what you were fighting to save?" Piper/Zen master asked An'ling. "My life?"

An'ling smiled. "Of course, Father," she replied. "When we bring you back, their Whitelighter can heal your wound," she said gesturing to Leo. "He's a miracle worker. I've seen him." She smiled broadly.

Buffy bit back a chuckle and raised her eyebrows at Leo. "You hear that, Leo? You're a miracle worker." She winked at him and he chuckled.

Piper/Zen master said nothing to that. "You are right," she said to Paige. "We should all go but it is a different realm down there," she warned. "With new rules. Yenlo has had time to learn and adjust."

"Fine then, let's go," Leo said impatiently.

Piper/Zen master turned to him. "If you go, you risk being pulled into the vortex. Who would heal our injuries?"

"She's—he's right Leo." Phoebe corrected herself quickly, handing him the case. "You should stay here."

Faith tugged on his arm lightly. "Don't worry, Uncle Leo. We'll bring Aunt Piper back," she told him, voice filled with conviction and determination.

Piper/Zen master stepped forward and into the puddle, disappearing into it, followed by An'ling.

Phoebe inhaled deeply, "Okay, here goes nothing." Then jumped in too. Paige screwed up her eyes and pinched her nose then jumped after Phoebe.

Faith smiled at Leo. "I promise," she reassured and he nodded. Then she and Buffy took each other's hands and jumped into the puddle together.

Tara smiled. "I'm proud of my cousin."

"Why didn't you go with them?" Leo wondered.

"My power is more passive," Tara admitted. "I see auras. And because of my father I never learned to truly protect myself from a demon."

"Sabrina didn't teach you before she died?" Leo questioned.

"My father wouldn't allow it," Tara said with a sigh as she sat down to await her cousin's return. "Since my sister, Celia, died to the demon der Kinderstod. My father, brother and paternal cousin have all chosen to believe that my magic, mom's magic, Buffy's magic, Aunt Joyce's magic came from demons that was why Celia died. Because her magic drew the der Kinderstod to her."

Leo nodded as he sat down next to the blonde witch. "What about our Whitelighter?"

"I don't have one," Tara admitted. "Father chased every one the Elders sent away. He refused to allow anything magical in the house."

"Then, Tara, consider me your Whitelighter," Leo offered as Tara smiled at him.

Limbo

Piper/Zen master, An'ling, Phoebe and Paige stepped out of the misty smoke and into the vast land of limbo, Phoebe reaching back to grab Paige's hand.

"Hey," Phoebe said with a frown. "Where's….?" but her questioned died in her throat as Buffy and Faith emerged from the smoke. "Oh. Hi."

Faith chuckled. "Hi." She smiled back at her aunt before noticing the Zen master's unconscious body. "Aunt Piper," she said as she walked past the rest, dragging Buffy behind her, and towards him.

"The Dragonblade. Where is it?" Paige asked looking around the ground beside the Zen master/Piper.

"Quiet," Piper/Zen master commanded gently.

"LOOK OUT!" Phoebe exclaimed as Yenlo appeared behind them sword raised. Piper/Zen master jumped and ducked while An'ling blocked the sword and kicked Yenlo. Yenlo quickly recovered, knocked An'ling off of her feet then flipped in the air, striking Piper/Zen master and sending her flying backwards and toward the vortex.

"FATHER!" An'ling yelled as Piper/Zen master gripped the side of the opening so she wasn't sucked in completely.

"Welcome to my turf," Yenlo smirked. An'ling raced toward Piper/Zen master and tried to pull her back.

"Look! Yenlo's belt," Paige cried pointing towards the Dragonblade concealed there which instantly appeared on her outstretched hand in a swirl of blue and white orbs. "I didn't even call for it. It just happened."

"Our powers must be expanded here," Faith replied tensely watching Yenlo like a hawk.

Phoebe turned to Paige, "You get Piper's soul, out of the Dragonblade. I'm going to keep Yenlo busy."

"Faith," Buffy said. "Why don't you protect Paige, while I go help An'ling with her father.

"Good thinking, Buffy," Faith agreed.

"Oh, it's you." Yenlo said in mock fear as Phoebe approached him. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Buffy rush past toward Piper/Zen master. "Black belt Barbie."

Phoebe glared. "You're going to be sorry you said that," she warned him confidently then rose into the air and struck him on the chest sending him soaring backwards, dropping his sword. She smirked then rose up to his level to fight.

Paige looked at the blade in her hands bewildered. "Faith, what do I do?" she asked.

"You're asking me," Faith said in surprise.

"You are not only my niece but you are still my friend, who else would I ask?" Paige countered with a chuckle.

Faith nodded. "Try orbing Aunt Piper's soul," she suggested. She noticed that Buffy was pulling on Piper/Zen master's arm. "Hold on, B," she whispered using her fiancée's old nickname.

Paige closed her eyes tightly and orbed Piper's soul into her hand, "Now what?"

"Put it back in his body till we can get them straightened out," Faith replied.

Buffy yanked on Piper/Zen master's arm. "Come on damn it!"

Paige closed her eyes and did as she was told. The Zen master/Piper gasped, opening his eyes. "Thanks for the lift," he said then looked at the rope. "Untie me."

"Already on it, Aunt Piper," Faith said as she went to untie her aunt. "And I may I say. Mom was bad enough. I don't want to have to…"

"Sorry, Faith," the Zen master/Piper replied in understanding. When he was untied he hugged the brunette Slayer.

"We got to do something." Paige said as Phoebe was struck with a nasty blow to the side of her face.

"What?" the Zen master/Piper asked her. "I don't have the power in this body."

"I don't want to risk a fireball for fear of hitting Aunt Phoebe," Faith admitted, then a thought occurred to her. "Buffy!" she yelled and Buffy whipped her head around.

"What?" Buffy yelled back.

"Aunt Phoebe!" Faith replied pointing to Phoebe as Yenlo kicked her off the rock and onto the ground.

Buffy followed her fiancée's hand and swung out her hand sending Yenlo telekinetically flying off of the rock and across the ground.

Phoebe smiled as she rolled over, she glanced at Buffy silently thanking the blonde Slayer for giving her enough time to catch her breath. Yenlo jumped to his feet and advanced on her. "Ow! My ankle," she cried gripping it tightly. "I think it's twisted. I need a time-out."

Yenlo chuckled. "A time-out?" he repeated. "This'll be easier than I thought." He said grabbing his sword.

"For me too." Phoebe muttered, "Paige!" she yelled behind her. Paige, catching on, orbed the Dragonblade into Phoebe's hand.

Yenlo dived at her and Phoebe lunged forwards, stabbing him right in the shoulder sucking out his soul. Yenlo fell to the floor beside her as the vortex disappeared and their surroundings turned from dead and depressing to colorful and beautiful.

"Oh, my god, it's so beautiful," Paige mused as she, Faith and Phoebe came to a stop beside Buffy, "What happened?"

"Beats the hell out of me." Piper said walking down to Buffy.

"Aunt Piper?" Faith asked uncertainly.

"Hello," Piper replied and they all smiled.

An'ling walked toward her father as he said, "The natural order of things has been restored, including our souls," he explained addressing Piper.

"But, how?" Buffy asked confused.

The Zen master gestured around them. "This was all a reflection on Yenlo's fears, of a man afraid of crossing over," he explained. "In truth, this is a peaceful place, welcoming."

An'ling smiled taking his hand. "We need to get you home and heal your wound."

"No," the Zen master shook his head. "I was mortally wounded. It is my time to die. To be reborn."

"Their Whitelighter can heal," An'ling persisted.

He shook his head again, "An'ling…you know better than to cling to the physical world, the way you clung to my hand at the bridge."

"But you're my father," An'ling said fighting tears.

"I'm no grater or less than anyone facing death," he stated simply. "That's the only lesson that keeps you from being a true Zen master," he informed her then looked over at the Halliwells and Buffy. "Death is a part of life. A transition, a rebirth. Something that your young friends here, have had to learn far too many times," he said sadly.

Phoebe took a deep breath and held out the Dragonblade which he took with a kind smile.

"Yes. Yenlo must be reborn too," the Zen master said calmly. "It is the natural order of things." then began walking to the opening.

An'ling grabbed his arm. "I love you."

"And I'll always love you, An'ling," he replied sincerely then continued walking.

Faith squeezed Piper's hand then broke away from their group to stand beside An'ling, not touching her directly but standing near enough that their hands brushed one another's', as An'ling watched her father disappeared. An'ling closed her eyes and grasped Faith's hand tightly.

"Does anyone know how to leave here?" Paige asked with watery eyes.

An'ling nodded and smiled. "I think I know how to do it now." She held out her other hand for Piper who took it as well as Phoebe's who then took Paige's. Faith reached out for Buffy who reached out to Paige. An'ling looked heavenward and they all rose into the air.

August 28, 2001 – Tuesday

Golden Gate Park

"Aloe plant: medicinal uses. Taro root: magical herb. Saint-John's-Wart: medicinal herb. Ragged robin: magical herb. Cupid's dart: strictly aromatic." Paige listed off on her fingers as she and Piper walked down the path leading to a small picnic area.

"And that one?" Piper asked.

"That is angelica." Paige answered.

"And it's use?" Piper pried.

"Um…I think it's used mostly to flavor fish." Paige answered amused.

Piper took a breath and turned to her left, "She got every answer right!" she announced proudly to the rest of the family and Paige took a bow as they all cheered.

"So, uh…what inspired the turnaround?" Leo asked from his place on the picnic rug.

"Well…" Paige began as she and Piper took their seats, "…I kind of liked the power boost I had in Limbo, so it kind of made me want to work harder, faster," she answered honestly.

"Don't be in too big a hurry." Phoebe advised from her spot, "Trust me, you want to fight like hell to keep a life separate from magic."

"Hear, hear." Piper agreed.

"And having a guy around the house like Mason is not such a bad thing." Phoebe added under her breath but loud enough for all to hear.

"Oh, you liked him?" Paige asked with a straight face.

"Yeah." Phoebe answered a bit too enthusiastically.

"Yeah? That's too bad." Paige replied, "He cancelled on me for tonight," she informed her big sister with a small glare. "He said I was, trying too hard and that I was not comfortable in my own skin." She folded her arms and Phoebe laughed.

"So much for impressing the boss huh?" Leo quipped.

"Well, I can take comfort in the fact that he cancelled on Phoebe and not me," Paige pointed out with a smirk and a giggle.

"Hey," Phoebe shot back throwing a piece of fruit at Paige.

"Well, here comes your personal trainer from hell," Leo said as Cole approached the group.

"Literally," Piper added under her breath.

Phoebe, Faith and Buffy turned in his direction. "Faith and I have classes later," Buffy told him.

Faith smiled as she threw her arm around Buffy.

"Ooh," Phoebe said jumping to her feet. "Got to go. Hi," she said happily stopping in front of him.

"Wait a minute," Cole stopped her. "Who are you?" he asked as a joke.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes and pulled him down for a very passionate kiss.

"I know," Cole whispered huskily. "Faith." He winked at the brunette Slayer.

Phoebe gasped and hit him on the chest. "So, what's in our training schedule for today?" she asked him seriously. "Lightsabers," she joked.

"And as I said Faith and I have classes today," Buffy interjected. "Between patrolling Sunnydale and classes, we can only train on the weekends."

Cole chuckled and bent down close and whispered something in the blonde Slayer's ear. She nodded and smiled at him in thanks. He then stood upright to face Phoebe. "Actually, I was thinking we could have a private picnic of our own," he informed her with a smile.

"But what about training?" Phoebe asked with a small smile.

Cole shrugged. "Training can wait. I was thinking I could take you to this great little picnic spot in the south of France," he said walking away with her.

"Really?" Phoebe asked excitedly.

"Really," Cole replied then kissed her slowly as he shimmered out with her.

The others watched them go with smiles on their faces.

"What did he say?" Faith wondered.

"Well its our wedding gift," Buffy admitted. "He heard of a vampire nest on campus. Took care of it for us."

---

Author's Note: The mention of the vampire nest on U.C. Sunnydale campus that Cole took care of, is a reference to the vampires that Buffy tackled in the BTVS episode The Freshman.