Chapter 21: Muse to My Ears
October 8, 2001 – Monday
Halliwell Manor
"Hey!" Cole greeted with a smile as he entered the kitchen to find Phoebe chopping away at the island, clad in an apron and everything, "Where is everyone?" he asked referring to the completely deserted house.
Phoebe smiled, putting down the knife and stepping toward him, pulling off the apron and throwing it onto the kitchen table. "Surprise!" she cried gesturing to herself.
Cole's eyes widened as he drank her in: the tight black number with practically no back. "You look beautiful."
Phoebe smiled, blushing ever-so-slightly. "Thank you. I sent everyone away so we could celebrate," she informed him picking up two tall glasses of Champagne and handing one to him.
Cole looked down at the glass in his hand. "What are we celebrating?" he asked confused.
"Cole!" Phoebe cried, barely able to contain her joy. "You're finally fully human!" she reminded him obviously. "No more demon half means no more obstacles for our relationship," she pointed out. "Yay, us!" she clinked their glasses and took a sip while Cole merely stared uncomfortably. She chuckled. "Um...that was a toast, and usually after the clinking part, you take a little sip." She explained kindly.
Cole took a breath/ "I don't know if, sending your sisters' away was a good idea," he told her seriously. "I don't have powers anymore and I can't protect you if there's an attack," he reminded her, placing his glass down.
Phoebe did the same as she answered/ "Well, my sisters and nieces are in calling range," she assured him walking closer. "And more importantly..." she drew her hands up his chest, "I am in kissing range," she smirked suggestively then attacked his neck teasingly.
Cole placed his hands on her waist and pushed her away. "Phoebe, you don't seem to understand that with the Source injured, you might be in more danger than ever before."
Phoebe sighed dropping her hands. "Well, you don't seem to understand that sometimes a girl needs a night off." She smiled at him walking closer again. "Now please, is there anything that I can do..." she trailed off planting light kisses to his neck, "...to help you relax?" she asked nibbling on his ear.
"Well, that helps a little," Cole answered eyes closing. "Maybe you should just...keep doing that," he suggested as she sucked on his ear lobe before moving back to assault his neck. Phoebe managed to distract him for a good thirty seconds before he regained his focus and pushed her off once again. "It's just that, without a strong leader, there's an anarchy in the underworld," he continued to explain and Phoebe rolled her eyes resisting the urge to groan in frustration.
"Oh, wow! You're a sweet-talker," Phoebe interrupted bitterly, her tone extremely sarcastic.
Cole, completely oblivious to the tone continued with his rant. "Demons who would normally compete, for the Source's favor—"
"Will start banding together to try to take out the Source," Phoebe interrupted looking at him pointedly. "Honey, you told me this part already."
"Well, I'm not sure you get it," Cole informed her. "Demons hoping to replace the Source will gather factions of followers," he explained in greater detail. "And what better way to gain support for your faction than to first kill the infamous Charmed Ones? Second would be to kill the Slayers, especially Faith. She is vulnerable now because she's his heir," his rant was interrupted by the buzzer signaling that dinner was ready. "I'll get that," he told her walking around the island and pulling down the oven door. He reached in and lifted the pot out. "Ah!" he seethed the pot burning his bare hand. "Damn it!" he cursed shaking it in an attempt to stop the stinging.
"Is it bad?" Phoebe asked hurrying around to him. "I could call for Leo."
"No, no, no, it's fine," Cole assured her, sounding frustrated. "I used to be able to hold fire in the palm of my hands," he reminded her with a sigh.
"We vanquished half of you," Phoebe pointed out. "That's a huge adjustment. But I promise, you'll figure it out." She smiled wrapping her arms around his neck. "We'll figure it out together."
Cole sighed. "I'm serious about the factions, Phoebe," he reverted back to their previous discussion. "If demons join forces..."
Phoebe sighed loudly and pulled away, taking his face in her hands. "I promise you; I will worry about the factions first thing in the morning," she promised sincerely. "But for now…I want us to join forces."
Halliwell Manor
"Uh...okay Bev." Piper said slowly into the phone as she poured herself the rest of the coffee with her free hand, "If that's what you really want." She sighed as she walked towards the kitchen table, "Bev! Take yes for an answer." Piper advised, rolling her eyes at the woman down the phone, "I'll get back to you." She assured her hanging up the phone as Phoebe bounced into the room, stole her coffee from her hands and sat down at the table.
Piper stared at her sister with raised eyebrows, "Uh...that was the last of the coffee." She informed her.
Phoebe grimaced, "I've had coffee, this is not coffee." She insisted, "Have you seen Cole?" she asked changing the subject.
Piper sat down, "He went out." She informed her, "He said he had some errands to run."
Phoebe frowned, "What kind of errands?"
Piper shrugged, "He didn't say."
Faith and Buffy walked into the kitchen at that moment, Buffy's arms wrapped around Faith's waist and Faith giggling as Buffy kissed her neck.
Phoebe and Piper raised their eyebrows at one another, Phoebe taking another sip of her coffee and grimacing at the taste.
"Hey?" Faith whined as she caught sight of the empty coffee pot. "Who drank all the coffee?" she asked turning to her aunts with a glare.
Piper smirked and looked pointedly at Phoebe. "Phoebe did," she chirped.
Phoebe glared. "Oh, you little." She turned in her chair to face Faith. "Don't worry, you're not missing out," she assured her niece. "It's vile." She cringed shuddering and pushing the mug away.
Faith and Buffy sat down next to their aunts. "Morning," they greeted, a contented smile gracing their features.
Piper smirked, raising her eyebrows, "Morning," she replied.
Phoebe turned to Faith expectantly. "Well?"
Faith raised her eyebrows and widened her eyes innocently. "Well what?"
"Don't play dumb." Phoebe smirked, slapping her niece's arm. "You know what."
"Its too early," Faith admitted. "Reading online says it takes at least two weeks before my body would start producing the required stuff to show if I was pregnant."
"I'm hoping Faith is," Buffy added. "Since I didn't turn back till after having sex with Faith. I would say you and mom were right, Piper. But Faith is right its too early to confirm or not. I would say let's give it a month before we start worrying if it worked or not."
Faith turned toward her younger aunt. "What about you, Aunt Phoebe?"
"Ooh yeah. How was date night?" Piper asked jumping onto the new topic of conversation.
"Great!" Phoebe exclaimed with a smile which fell instantly. "Fine," she sighed and slumped in her chair. "It was okay," she answered honestly. "He kept talking about demonic factions the whole time." Buffy, Faith and Piper frowned as she nodded. "I know," she sighed again. "God, it sucked!" She dropped her head onto her arms.
Buffy rubbed Phoebe's back comfortingly. "Phoebe, it's probably because it's easier for him," she pointed out. "I remember when Angel and I started seeing each other. It was easier for him to discuss demonic worries than what was really on his mind. Cole is likely the same way. It's easier for him to talk about demons than what's really on his mind."
Phoebe's eyebrows rose as she lifted her head. "Which is?"
"Whether or not you're going to reconsider his marriage proposal now that he's just a human," Piper concluded sharing a knowing look with Buffy and Faith.
Phoebe shook her head, "We talked about that and he's totally fine with it," she assured them. "He gets it."
Piper nodded slowly and looked to Buffy and Faith who were doing the same thing.
Phoebe frowned her eyes darting between the three of them. "Did he say something to you guys?"
"No," Faith replied quickly. "But it's kind of written all over his face, Aunt Phoebe."
Phoebe's eyes widened. "It is?" she asked turning to Piper and Buffy.
Buffy and Piper nodded. "Yeah and uh...truth be told, it's rare for a relationship to survive a rejected proposal," Piper told her sister as gently as possible.
Phoebe shook her head, sitting forward in her seat. "But it wasn't rejected," she corrected. "It was like Buffy and Faith's; it was just postponed."
Faith took Phoebe's hand. "The difference between Cole and Buffy is their egos," she explained. "Buffy knew I wasn't ready and was willing to wait. Cole when he popped the question didn't know you…"
Phoebe sighed knowing where her niece was going. "I'm not ready. You guys know that," she replied adamantly.
Piper nodded. "Yes, we do, but it's not our hearts that are involved."
"Or our ego's," Buffy added in lightly. "Don't forget the ego." She shook her head seriously, eyes wide.
"You should talk to him, again." Piper advised, pushing out of her chair.
"Where you going, Aunt Piper?" Faith asked following her eldest aunt with her eyes.
"P3," Piper answered, placing the phone back in its cradle.
"At 9 in the morning?" Phoebe asked confused. "Don't club kids sleep in?" she joked.
Piper sighed. "Corporate party, big money, total nightmare."
Phoebe frowned as she followed Piper out the kitchen.
Buffy and Faith stood up and followed them too.
"What if there's an attack?" Phoebe asked concerned.
Piper chuckled. "At 9 a.m.? Don't demons sleep in?"
"Piper, Cole thinks that the demons are going to start banding together to take out the Source," Phoebe informed her sister.
Piper smiled as she pulled on her jacket. "Great! Well, I say the only good Source is a dead Source."
"Except," Faith interjected as she moved in front of her aunt. "It likely also means their going to start gunning for me as well."
"Faith's right," Phoebe agreed. "He also seems to think that the best way for a faction leader to gain the support of the demonic masses would be to kill us."
"Who's going to kill us?" Paige asked as she descended the stairs.
"No-one," Piper answered sharply.
"That's new." Paige shrugged.
"Piper." Buffy sighed looking annoyed.
Phoebe grabbed Piper's hand to get her attention. "So, I was thinking, since you're the potions master," she complimented to butter her up. "Isn't there something you could whip up, some kind of protection potion maybe?"
Piper sighed. "Pheebs, if there was such a thing as a protection potion, we'd be mixing it in our morning coffee," she pointed out, gesturing to the kitchen.
Phoebe sighed. "I know, but there's got to be something that we can do," she persisted. "And by 'we' I mean you," she added with a wink and Buffy and Faith laughed.
Piper rolled her eyes at them. "Well, I say we just wait until we're attacked, like we usually do." She shrugged. "And then we deal with it then."
"Who's attacking us?" Paige as she returned with a box.
"No-one," Piper repeated firmly.
Paige grinned. "Right on! I get the weekend off."
Piper smiled. "See, now that is the spirit," she encouraged pointing to Paige as she raced back upstairs.
Faith took a deep breath. "Aunt Piper, if Cole's right, we have no idea how many of them we're going to be up against. After all their going to be after you guys and me. Before it was just you guys we had to worry about, me being the Source's heir gave me some protection. But if their trying to overthrow him, that means they are going to want me dead too."
Piper sighed tiredly. "Suddenly...I'm beginning to miss the Source."
"And even if you don't think we or Faith needs the protection." Phoebe picked up where her niece left off. "Just think about Cole. He's human with no magical powers living in a house that's constantly under demonic attack."
Piper sighed, throwing her head back unable to refuse her sister now. "Well, I guess I can make something..." she relented.
Phoebe jumped up and down, "Yay! Yay! Yay! I love you!"
Piper nodded. "After I go to the club," she added.
Faith nodded. "Yeah, Buffy and I ought to get to class."
Phoebe shook her head, "But—"
"No!" Piper cut her off, "We need the income and I've got this client who is insisting on a last-minute theme, and man do I hate themes."
Buffy pouted. "Aww, poor Piper." She rubbed Piper's back in small circles and Piper chuckled.
Phoebe perked up. "Oh, I am so good at themes," she said excitedly. "My prom theme, 'Almost Paradise,' totally my idea," she boasted proudly.
"And this is supposed to impress me how?" Piper retorted as Paige came back down the stairs with another box.
"Paige, are you moving out?" Buffy asked quizzically.
"No," Paige assured them dropping the box. "Just cleaning out."
"Your art supplies?" Piper asked shocked.
"Aunt Paige, you love your art," Faith reminded her lovingly.
Paige shrugged. "Well, between witch work and 'work' work, I just don't have any time anymore," she explained.
Phoebe grinned happily. "This is perfect. We need a theme," she informed Paige walking to her side. "You're an artistic, creative type."
Paige frowned. "A theme?" she questioned looking to Piper, Faith and Buffy for help.
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, I'll explain on the way," she ushered Paige toward the door. "Us theme. You potion." She pointed to herself then Piper, "You two hurry." she added pointing to Faith and Buffy.
"We can only hurry as fast as the professor allows," Buffy interjected.
Piper glared at Phoebe's retreating form. "Me peeved. You annoying," she snapped then looked at Faith and Buffy. "You two lucky."
"You see how well this worked out?" Phoebe asked as she and Paige grabbed their bags and coats.
"Aunt Phoebe, just go." Faith advised seeing Piper's eyes narrow and her two younger aunts quickly disappeared out the door.
P3
"Bev, I'm telling you, '40s Night' is perfect," Phoebe gushed as she and Paige sat with Piper's client at one of the tables. "I mean, think about it: the zoot suits, the saddle shoes, the patriotism, what more could you ask for?"
Bev shrugged, sitting forward. "Oh, I just don't know. I mean, weren't the '50s a little bit flashier?"
Phoebe turned to Paige for help who nodded slowly. "Yeah," Paige agreed eyebrows raised. "If you want something that's been done a million times."
"Excuse me?" Bev asked, looking insulted.
Phoebe held up one hand. "Honestly Bev...I think the '40s is your era." She smiled and Bev's eyebrows rose. "I mean, you already have this kind of Veronica Lake thing going on."
Bev chuckled. "I do?"
Paige nodded. "Oh yeah," she enthused. "Peekaboo hairdo, some nice pearl earrings...you're a dead ringer."
Bev smiled and flicked her hair. "Well...then..." She shrugged and laughed.
"Looks like someone has some shopping to do," Paige pointed out with a smile.
"Yup," Phoebe agreed digging through her bag and pulling out a card. "Here is the number for the costume place, and tell all your friends to dress there or be square." She smiled as they stood up.
"Thanks girls," Bev waved as she climbed the stairs and left the club.
"Oh!" Phoebe cried in surprise as Cole descended the stairs. "If it isn't Mr. Sneak-Out-Of-Bed," she shot teasingly.
Cole nodded, playing with his hands. "Yeah, I had some stuff to do."
"Yeah?" Phoebe asked pulling him close by his jacket. "What kind of stuff?"
"Well..." Cole hugged her tightly but Phoebe pulled away.
"What—what's that?" Phoebe asked frowning and pointing to the lump at his belt.
Cole looked down and pulled out a handgun nonchalantly.
The sisters gasped backing away from him. "What are you doing with that?" Phoebe demanded with wide eyes.
"Get that thing out of here," Paige ordered cringing away.
"Oh, come on, you guys see worse than this every day." Cole frowned.
"Where did you get it?" Phoebe questioned.
"Well, I may not be a demon anymore but I still know where to find bad guys." Cole smirked proudly.
"Well why don't you go 'find the bad guys' and give it back to them," Paige advised.
Cole sighed. "Look, I have to have a way to protect myself and the one I love." He gestured to Phoebe.
"Okay." Phoebe turned to him. "I am not living in a house with a gun, Cole," she told him firmly.
"Hey," Leo greeted as he orbed in behind Cole.
Phoebe smiled at him. "Hi. Piper's at home."
"I know I just talked to her," Leo replied. "I came here to find you guys."
"Was there an attack?" Cole asked instantly concerned.
"In a way..." Leo answered. "Muses have been disappearing and the Elders are very concerned."
"Muses?" Paige repeated surprised. "The ones who inspire creativity, they're real."
"Yes," Leo replied firmly. "And they are in a very real danger. It would be a powerful evil to find a way to hurt a muse."
"Factions," Cole added, his tone pointed and his eyebrows raised knowingly.
The four of them were so absorbed in their conversation they failed to notice the warlock sent to kill them blink in behind one of the booth curtains.
"We better get back," Paige told Phoebe.
"What about the '40s Night?'" Paige reminded her sister.
Phoebe waved her hand dismissively. "I'll call the decorator from the car."
"Alright, I'll meet you guys at home," Leo informed them. "I have to stop in Sunnydale and inform Faith and Buffy, then I'm gonna see what else I can find out."
"Oh, oh Leo!" Phoebe called, stopping him mid-orb. "Before you go, wait." She pulled the gun from Cole's hand.
"Come on!" Cole whined as she passed it to Leo.
"Can you orb this to Darryl, please?" Phoebe asked sweetly then she and Paige strode past them, up the stairs and out the door.
Leo turned to Cole. "I won't even ask."
Cole sighed as he headed out after the sisters and Leo orbed out shaking his head. The Warlock smirked as he morphed into the perfect replica of Leo and blinked out.
Halliwell Manor
Phoebe and Paige entered the attic and found their sister and nieces leaning over the Book of Shadows.
"Hey," Phoebe greeted them both brightly. "How's the protection potion?" she asked addressing Piper.
Buffy and Faith kept their eyes on the book while Piper glanced up at Phoebe. "Nonexistent," Piper replied.
"Hey, we kept up our end of the deal," Phoebe pouted, hands on her hips.
Piper nodded. "I know, Bev called and she's thrilled and I thank you." She smiled as Phoebe smiled back.
Paige read the page on Muses' over Piper's shoulder. "Muses," she spoke up clearly. "Which are: 'Beings of pure light whose sole purpose is to inspire people's passion and creativity. Like angels that guide us with an unseen hand of inspiration."
Phoebe frowned. "Wait, how can evil hurt someone who's invisible?" she asked confused.
"I have no idea," Piper answered as Buffy and Faith shook their heads. "A good place to start would be to ask a Muse but we can't figure out how to summon one."
"Do you guys feel that?" Phoebe asked suddenly changing the subject, her eyes widening slightly.
Her sisters and nieces looked her up and down with the same strange look and shook their heads.
"What?" Faith asked narrowing her eyes as Phoebe turned in a circle.
"I don't know," Phoebe replied, eyes darting around. "It's like a…wow it's uh…it's like, like a feeling."
Piper looked at her middle sister with concern as Phoebe spun in a circle again.
Paige leaned in close to Buffy and Faith. "I think she's officially lost it," she whispered to the couple, who chuckled clearly amused.
Piper narrowed her own eyes at Phoebe's circling form. "Honey? Whatcha lookin' for?" she questioned gently.
Phoebe looked around them, oblivious to her younger sister's teasing. "I think there's a muse somewhere in this room," she told them firmly. "Being of creativity, show yourself now to me. Your light which shines upon our face, let our vision now embrace," she chanted spontaneously and a beautiful woman with long brown hair dressed in blue appeared behind her and she grinned proudly.
"I was hoping I could inspire you to do that." The Muse smiled at Phoebe. "I'm Melody," she introduced herself.
"Wow!" Phoebe gushed grinning widely. "I'm Phoebe." She pointed to herself. "And this is—"
"I know who you girls are," Melody interrupted before Phoebe could continue. "I've been inspiring you your whole lives." She smiled walking toward Buffy, Faith, Piper and Paige, Phoebe behind her. "Now I was hoping you could help me."
"So, you know what's been happening to the Muses?" Paige asked, hands in her back pockets.
"Yes," Melody nodded. "We were inspiring a symphony and a friend of mine, a fellow muse, was captured," she explained sadly. "I was lucky to get away."
"Get away from what?" Buffy asked frowning deeply.
Melody's face fell. "A warlock claimed the Ring of Inspiration," she revealed grimly.
"The what?" Piper asked, her face the picture of confusion.
"It's a ring that enables the wearer to see and capture Muses,'" Melody elaborated. "I mean it was created by good magic, to channel inspiration in times of great need."
Paige pursed her lips. "A warlock, is that like a demon?" she asked her sisters and nieces.
"Pretty much, yeah," Piper replied.
"That's nice," Paige muttered with a fake smile.
"Hi," Phoebe greeted Leo as he strolled into the attic. "I thought you were orbing?"
"What?" Leo questioned.
"Melody, Leo," Paige introduced. "Whitelighter, Muse."
"Nice to meet you." Leo smiled.
"We go way back," Melody informed them at the same time.
Buffy, Phoebe, Faith and Paige frowned as Piper's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Piper regarded her husband with a scrutinizing gaze.
"Right," Leo corrected himself. "Good to see you again."
Phoebe shrugged a little then addressed her brother-in-law again. "Have you ever heard of the Ring of Inspiration?"
"I think so," Leo answered. "Red jewel?"
"Isn't that something you would have normally mentioned earlier?" Piper asked him, eyes narrowing further, one hand on her hip.
"Right um…yeah," Leo replied as he summoned an athame behind his back.
Piper tilted her head. "Leo!" she called for her husband.
"What?" Leo replied with raised eyebrows.
Blue and white orbs filled the room as Leo orbed in behind Piper.
Phoebe spun around and they all gasped.
The fake Leo lunged forward and plunged the athame into Faith's back.
"Faith!" Buffy yelled and threw up her hand sending the imposter and his athame across the room away from her wife.
Leo and Piper ran to Faith, Leo catching her in his arms as she fell to the ground.
The warlock blinked out and in again behind Phoebe and Paige, morphing into his own true form.
Cole ran into the attic as the warlock lunged for Paige.
"Paige, behind you!" he yelled loudly and Paige instantly orbed out.
The warlock turned on Phoebe who spun around and he embedded the athame in her right shoulder. Phoebe cried out as the warlock withdrew the athame sharply.
Piper shot up and threw up her hands vanquishing him before he could do any more damage, his athame exploding with him.
Buffy turned to Piper; her eyes filled with concern. Phoebe also turned to Piper, her left hand pressing hard against her bleeding shoulder as Leo healed Faith's potentially fatal wound.
"You okay?" Buffy asked as Faith shook herself slightly, shaking off the pain.
Faith nodded as Piper looked up at Phoebe. "You okay?" Piper asked her sister.
Phoebe nodded, shooting her a pained smile. "Will be as soon as Leo gets over here!" she snapped and Leo jumped up moving to heal her shoulder as Paige orbed back in.
"Ah!" Paige cried bringing her hands down from her face. "What was that?" she asked shaken.
"Warlock wasn't it?" Buffy asked as she glanced at Cole.
"That was a warlock." Cole agreed as Paige moved to stand next to Melody.
"Was that the warlock who captured your friend?" Piper asked Melody as she glanced between her niece at her feet and her middle sister by the book.
"No," Melody replied shaking her head and Piper sighed.
"They must be working together," Buffy commented as she and Piper helped Faith to her feet.
"Were," Phoebe corrected as she massaged her now healed but aching shoulder, "Were working together."
"That, ladies and gentleman," Cole spoke up again walking toward them. "Is what you call a faction," he concluded with a pointed smirk.
"Was he after me though or after Aunt Piper, Aunt Phoebe and Aunt Paige?" Faith wondered.
"Does it matter," Piper told her niece.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"Piper?" Phoebe called after her sister as the five of them descended the stairs rather quickly, Leo, Cole and Melody at their heels. "Where are you going? We have to make a plan," she continued as they reached the bottom.
"I have a plan," Piper retorted stopping and turning to face the stairs as the rest reached the bottom. "To cook, now that I know what we're up against, I can practically taste the potion," she explained then frowned. "I don't know what it does but it tastes pretty good."
Paige gasped quietly. "I can't believe I almost threw away my paints," she whispered walking towards her canvasses and Melody smiled.
"I'm going to write a vanquishing spell," Phoebe announced. "Actually, I have to write a vanquishing spell," she corrected herself walking toward the dining table and snatching up a large notebook and pen. "I keep hearing rhyming in my head. Are you doing that?" she asked head snapping up and eyes meeting Melody's briefly before returning to the paper.
Melody smiled. "Oh, no, you're doing that," she assured the middle sister. "I'm just helping it come out."
Phoebe nodded, "Oh yes you do, without a doubt," she agreed enthusiastically.
Melody looked to Leo, "I think I should probably leave," she suggested and he nodded.
"Yes," Faith agreed with a nod. "Go away," she ordered turning to Melody.
"Faith!" Buffy chided while their Piper, Phoebe and Paige gasped.
"I—" Faith shook her head and turned back to Melody. "I'm sorry, that was rude," she apologized sounding as distracted as her aunts. "It's just that...all I can think about breaking out my mom's camera and go out and just...take pictures of anything and everything," she explained with a wide smile.
"I think I see where Faith is going," Buffy admitted. "For me it's a case of multiple things pulling at me. One is I want to lace up my skates and go ice skating. The other part of me hopes if Faith is going to pull out Prue's camera that she will come and let me be her model. And that is not where our minds should be, because your presence is distracting us from the fact we should be focusing on the warlock."
Melody nodded, "I'm not meant to stay in one place for too long," she explained glancing between the five women. "The uh...inspiration gets a little intense."
"Okay but that's good," Piper interjected, "If the warlocks are enslaving other muses to inspire them, then we need all the help we can get," she argued looking pointedly at Melody.
Leo shook his head going to answer but Paige interrupted. "I think I know how to get the ring," she announced.
"You do?" Faith asked, turning to her youngest aunt.
Paige nodded. "Can you describe the warlock to me?" she asked addressing Melody.
"I think so," Melody replied with an eager-to-help smile.
"What are you going to do?" Leo asked from the stairs.
"I'm going to draw him," Paige replied indicating her canvasses.
"I think Leo or Buffy should take me underground," Cole announced suddenly, stopping everyone in their tracks.
"What?" Phoebe cried, looking up at him from her notepad.
"I can find out who the faction leader is," Cole explained enthusiastically. "I may not have my powers anymore, but I still know the terrain."
"Yeah, and you may just find yourself in everlasting pain!" Phoebe replied tersely.
"That's a rhyme," Buffy pointed out.
"Yeah," Phoebe cringed. "I'm sorry, now's not the time," she rhymed again. "Oh!"
"Cole," Piper turned to her sister's boyfriend. "If you go underground, you will be a sitting duck without your powers."
"I'm a sitting duck up here as well," Cole argued, obviously frustrated. He walked toward Piper and placed a hand on her shoulder. "At least this way…I can be useful."
Piper frowned and swiftly swiped his hand from her shoulder.
"Cole." Phoebe stepped forward. "You are useful, alive!" she exclaimed. "It's just now you have to be the brains behind the operation, not the brawn."
Cole frowned. "Well, is there some rule that says I have to choose?" he whined childishly.
"Well, I could make one up," Phoebe offered with a shrug. "But it would just be a ruse."
"But maybe I should point out that—" Melody attempted to jump in but Paige cut her off.
"I think Cole has a point," Paige informed her sisters and nieces.
"Excuse me!" Phoebe exclaimed angrily.
"Aunt Paige!" Faith warned glaring at her youngest aunt.
Paige held up her hands. "Well, he is a demon, right?"
"Was a demon," Phoebe corrected through gritted teeth.
"Before you get anymore—" Melody tried again but Paige interrupted.
"No," Paige said sharply. "He was a half demon that's probably lived for about a century, so that means he knows his way around 'down there' pretty well," she continued to defend her position. "And we can use all the help we can get."
"Leo!" Melody cried desperately.
Leo stepped down the last stair. "I think what Melody is trying to say is—"
Phoebe cut him off. "No! The point is bounty hunters haven't been attacking because they think he's dead!" she cried gesturing to Cole. "If he goes down to the underworld—"
"I'm still here!" Cole yelled.
"Cole!" Buffy cried striding toward him. "If you go underground, and anyone sees you, you will be back on the demonic radar!" she pointed out tersely. "Only this time you will not have anything to protect yourself."
"It's starting to seem like you have some kind of a death wish," Phoebe added.
"And it seems to me like you won't be happy until I don an apron and become your houseboy," Cole accused smartly.
"Hey!" Leo yelled loudly stealing their attention. "Here is the thing, guys, every time there is a muse around, passions tend to run a little higher."
"A lot higher," Melody added.
"So, let's keep that in mind in our communications with each other, okay?" Leo concluded looking from person to person.
"Phoebe go write your spell," Piper instructed her middle sister. "I'll do the potion and Paige, go do whatever it is you were going to do." She then turned on Cole, "You are going to join me in the kitchen and tell me everything you know about Warlocks, so I can make the potion."
"What about Buffy and Faith?" Paige spoke up pausing on her way to the stairs.
"Buffy, you help Phoebe," Piper informed the blonde Slayer. "Faith, you're with me and Cole."
Everyone scattered: Paige and Melody disappearing upstairs, Piper heading to the kitchen, Faith behind her.
"We'll talk about this later," Cole informed Phoebe quietly then turning away.
"Alligator," Phoebe added against her will and Cole whirled back around.
"Cole!" Faith called from the kitchen.
Leo shook his head as Phoebe and Buffy walked past him, climbing the stairs slowly, and he sighed, suddenly tired from the recent, heated exchange.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"What I don't understand..." Piper muttered as she threw ingredients into the numerous pots on the stove, "...is why a warlock would even want that ring." She shrugged; brow creased in confusion.
Cole shot Piper an incredulous look. "Are you kidding?" he questioned and Piper shook her head. His eyebrows shot up higher as he glanced between Piper, Faith and Leo. "Evil never gets to feel a muse's inspiration," he explained invigorated. "I can tell you; I've never felt anything like it in my life."
"What does it feel like?" Leo asked curiously, rising from his chair.
Cole turned to him, eyes wide. "It, it was like a power surge, an overdose of adrenaline. I can tell you, these warlocks must be sucking it up, so whatever you're doing, please do it fast," he urged looking serious. "Because I promise they'll be back."
Faith chuckled to herself, highly amused by his energetic behavior.
Piper scowled at him. "Look buddy," she snapped. "I'm makin' this up as I go along so power surge or no, you're going to have to be patient," she explained then her voice became more sympathetic. "Just like you're going to have to be patient with Phoebe on the marriage front."
Cole frowned startled by the sudden change of topic. "I don't think that's any of your business."
Piper and Faith froze, turning sharp and piercing glares on him, heads tilted to the side.
Leo cleared his throat. "You don't know sisters very well, do you?" he asked rhetorically.
"The fact that Phoebe's my aunt and Aunt Piper's sister makes it our business," Faith explained, tone abrupt.
"Cole, you're struggling, right?" Piper asked already assuming the answer. "Trying to figure out how to be this new person?" she asked and he laughed nervously.
"I thought we were here to talk about Warlocks?" he asked Leo desperately.
Leo exhaled sharply. "No," he answered sympathetically.
Cole frowned looking back at the eldest Charmed One and her niece to find them both shaking their heads 'no' too.
"What you don't get…" Faith continued, "…is that Aunt Phoebe is trying to do the exact same thing."
"Exactly." Piper nodded. "She's always been the youngest sister, the eternal child, carefree, fun-loving—"
"And?" Cole cut in impatiently and Piper frowned.
"And..." Leo answered instead, "In a minute, she lost Prue, discovered Paige and became a big sister," he explained calmly.
Piper nodded agreeing. "And to top it all off, you proposed," she emphasized the word pointedly. "The idea of marriage, being that much of a grownup, is terrifying to Phoebe."
"Did she say that?" Cole asked curiously.
"No, but she doesn't have to," Faith answered. "Because I know exactly how she feels. I was in her shoes, remember, just a few months ago. I was the one who wasn't ready. It was terrifying to me, for different reasons of course, but still terrifying. When Buffy asked, I was ready but if she had asked me when she originally intended, I would have very likely told her no. Because like Aunt Phoebe, I was terrified."
Cole leaned closer to Leo and muttered under his breath. "Can I talk to you?" He jerked his head to the side.
Leo's eyes glanced over Piper and Faith and he nodded knowingly and followed Cole out of the kitchen.
Piper threw something else into one pot and it exploded. She and Faith jumped in surprise and she smiled proudly, "See what a little patience will get you," she pointed out smartly, turning to the men only to find them gone. She glanced at Faith. "Where'd they go?" she asked and Faith shrugged looking around.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"A warlock is a funny thing." Buffy chanted cheerily, "He blinks from place to place. And when we say these words to him, his face they will erase."
Paige cringed. "Sounds more like a limerick than a spell."
Buffy sighed. "Damn," she cursed falling into a chair next to Phoebe who was working on her own spell.
"I think his nose was a little longer than that," Melody informed Paige, pointing to the drawing and Paige nodded. "Your work is wonderful," she complimented sincerely.
"Thanks to you," Paige chimed with a smile.
Melody shook her head. "No, Paige, I have nothing to do with the product. Only the inspiration to create it."
"I could use a little of that over here," Phoebe smiled and Melody walked over.
"Okay, close your eyes and concentrate," she instructed and Phoebe did so.
Melody closed her eyes then Phoebe smiled too her own popping open.
"Thank you," Phoebe ginned as she continued writing.
"So how come you stopped painting?" Melody asked walking back over to Paige.
"How come you stopped inspiring me to paint?" Paige quipped good-naturedly.
Melody laughed. "I also have no control over the world, Paige. You stopped painting because you stopped caring about your art."
"No, I didn't stop caring about my art," Paige corrected instantly. "I just…I don't know, I guess I'm a perfectionist and once I stopped having enough time to practice, well I just kind of…threw in the towel," she explained with a shrug.
"Art isn't about perfection," Buffy informed Paige, remembering one of her mother's lectures on the subject. "It's about expression."
"Buffy's right," Melody agreed. She looked at the blonde Slayer. "I assume you learned that from your mother?" Buffy nodded. "I've inspired her as well." She looked back at Paige. "The key is simply to love it." She smiled. "That's the call I answer."
"I got potions!" Piper answered walking into the attic with five vials in hand. "Who's got a spell?" she asked looking to Phoebe and Buffy who Faith had stopped directly beside.
Phoebe cleared her throat loudly, "Evil is a faithful foe but good does battle best," she began loud and clear. "We witches will, with these words waste the warlock's evil zest," she concluded proudly.
"Wonderful," Piper praised. "Witty, but wordy," she teased as both Faith and Paige chuckled.
"Definitely better than mine," Buffy admitted. She noticed Piper look at her with a raised eyebrow. "A warlock is a funny thing. He blinks from place to place. And when we say these words to him, his face they will erase. Paige said sounded like a limerick."
"It does a little," Piper admitted. "But it doesn't hurt to have a backup either."
Buffy and Phoebe nodded as they made copies and handed them to Piper, Faith, Paige and each other.
"Thank you." Paige smiled, placing her copies beside her drawing.
"Wow!" Phoebe cried, eyes widening as they fell on Paige's drawing. "Is that him?" she asked Melody who nodded.
"Precisely." Melody grinned at Paige as Buffy, Faith and Piper came to stand behind Paige, Piper handing out potions.
"Now that I've got something to focus on, I think I can call for the ring," Paige informed them.
"Oh that's brilliant!" Phoebe beamed at her younger sister. "The ring will orb to you and then if he wants it back, he'll have to follow it."
Faith nodded. "Which is when we hit him with the potion."
"And make a huge commotion," Phoebe added and Piper turned to her.
"Stop that," Piper ordered and Phoebe giggled. "The potion will flash in his eyes—which are very sensitive—this should keep him from blinking long enough to vanquish him with either spell."
"It's genius." Faith grinned looking at her wife.
"Blinking?" Paige questioned slowly, staring up at them.
"That's how the warlocks get around," Phoebe explained.
"I kind of miss that power," Faith said. "It was fun."
"It was," Phoebe agreed.
"Well, why don't you just, I don't know..." Paige shrugged. "Freeze him, or blow him up, or something?"
"Well, sometimes warlocks don't freeze or blow up," Piper explained grimly. "Power of Three spell is the only guarantee."
"Fabulous!" Paige exclaimed.
Phoebe nodded. "God, we're good!" she praised and they clinked vials. "Wait, I think we should tell the guys," she said on second thought.
"But why?" Piper whined frowning.
Phoebe ignored her and walked toward the attic door. "Cole?" she called but received no answer, "Cole!" she yelled louder but still there was only silence.
Phoebe frowned and turned back to her sisters and nieces.
Underworld
"What is this place, Cole?" Leo asked as they crouched behind a large boulder watching a group of figures dressed in black.
"High council meeting quarters," Cole replied quietly. "We listen long enough, we'll hear plenty."
"You two lost?" a booming voice questioned as two hands gripped the Whitelighter and former demon's shoulders.
"Rake?" Cole questioned slowly.
"Belthazor?" Rake replied, confusion clouding his eyes then he smirked. "Sorry, man, thought you were a warlock," he explained then turned to walk away.
Leo and Cole watched with bated breath as the large demon paused and turned back to them slowly.
"Didn't I hear you were dead?" Rake quizzed looking at them carefully.
"Yeah," Cole replied walking toward him. "And unfortunately I have to stay that way," he added before sticking an athame in the demon's stomach, vanquishing him quickly.
"He seemed like a friend," Leo commented searchingly.
Cole turned back to him. "In my old life he was."
"Feels different doesn't it," Leo said knowingly. "Killing now that you're human."
"Just keep an eye out will you?" Cole avoided the question, throwing his arm out towards the other demons.
Halliwell Manor
"Leo?" Piper called for the millionth time as she paced the attic floor. "Leo!"
"Cole is nowhere to be found," Phoebe informed them striding back into the attic
"Leo still isn't answering," Piper added, arms crossed tensely.
Phoebe shook her head. "I can't believe they'd do this," she muttered darkly.
"Do what exactly?" Paige asked looking between Piper and Phoebe.
"The only reason Leo wouldn't hear us calling is if he went underground with Cole." Piper answered, sounding furious.
"Should I go down there and see if I can find them?" Buffy offered.
"No," Piper replied. "We don't know where they are, you could be down there forever and not find them."
Paige's eyes widened, "I'd rather do battle with warlocks than do battle with the two of you," she mused.
"Call for the ring," Phoebe ordered.
"Shouldn't we wait for Leo in case we get hurt?" Paige reasoned carefully.
"Just call for the ring." Phoebe repeated and Paige sighed, standing up.
Faith watched as Piper picked up her potion and Phoebe stood up straight. "Uh-oh," she muttered to Buffy. "Stay back," she ordered and Buffy nodded.
"Ring!" Paige called loudly; eyes focused on the ring she had drawn on the warlock but nothing happened.
Melody stepped forward. "Breathe and focus," she directed closing her eyes.
Paige took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Ring," she called out again. She opened her eyes as the ring appeared on the table. "It worked!" she cried happily.
"Let all the muses out," Phoebe instructed and Paige nodded.
They paired off and hid themselves behind various piece of furniture as they lay in wait for the warlock to arrive, Piper and Paige together, Phoebe with Melody and Faith with Buffy.
A dark-skinned fool blinked in and reached for the ring.
They jumped up and threw their potions blinding him the Piper, Phoebe and Paige began to chant. "Evil is a faithful foe but good does battle best. We witches will, with these words waste the warlock's evil zest."
They watched in silence as the warlock went up in flames. Seconds later another warlock blinked in and snatched up the ring before blinking out.
"Wha, wha-what, what just happened?" Piper demanded as they all looked around in shock.
He blinked in again and held the ring out to Melody.
"Oh my god!" Phoebe cried as she attempted to shield the muse but it was no use, Melody screamed as she was sucked into the ring. "Piper, blow him up!" she yelled and Piper raised her hands.
"No!" Paige exclaimed grabbing Piper's hands. "You'll blow up Melody too."
Faith went for him but Buffy grabbed her by the waist and yanked her back, knowing it was too dangerous to risk it without Leo present to heal.
Faith glared at her wife but sighed, knowing that Buffy was right.
The warlock smirked as he blinked out triumphant.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
The five of them sat around the small table in the attic: Paige with her head on the table, Piper with her arms folded, Phoebe's chin resting on her hand and Faith with her head on Buffy's shoulder, who held her own head in her hands.
Leo and Cole orbed in then strode toward them.
Cole approached Phoebe slowly. "I know you're mad but before you say anything, we found out that the faction leader is a warlock named Devlin," he relayed their stolen information.
"Huh," Phoebe replied. "He looked more like a Joe to me."
"Uh-huh." Piper agreed tensely.
Cole turned to Leo who had a look of confusion. "Where's Melody?" Leo asked, hands on hips.
"Oh, she's gone," Buffy replied sweetly as Piper glared daggers at her husband.
Leo walked toward them. "Gone as in she left?"
Faith lifted her head. "Gone as in, she got sucked into a big red ring by a warlock named—what was it?" she asked looking to her aunts and wife.
"Devlin," Paige informed her, head still on the table.
Faith nodded sharply. "Right, Devlin."
The two men shared concerned looks as Leo stopped by his wife's side. "Okay, so what exactly are you doing now?"
"Basking in the brilliance of our failure," Phoebe answered this time, voice dull and uninterested and her sisters and nieces mumbled their agreements.
"What happened?" Cole asked looking at all of them.
"Oh, well, I called for the ring, it came to me and uh...we set the muses free," Paige explained lifting her head and slumping in her chair.
"Which was useless," Piper continued. "Because Devlin came and took it right back so he could capture them all again."
"And he took our own Muse," Buffy added, head back in her hands.
"And he's going to use her inspiration to kill us," Faith concluded miserably. "Ah, the irony."
"Okay," Leo said loudly/ "I understand that you guys have been on an inspiration binge and that you are wiped out, but now is not the time to give up."
Faith lifted her head, "Really?" she asked sounding unimpressed. "Is that the best you got?"
"He's right," Cole joined in. "Devlin will be back soon and stronger than before."
"We have no inspiration to fight him," Paige interrupted grimly.
"But you don't need it!" Leo cried in frustration. "Alright, Melody just inspired your own passion, creativity and talent. What you have to do now is find another way to tap into it."
"I say we head for the hills," Piper said instead.
"Great idea," Cole nodded. "Rhymes with kills."
Phoebe dropped her hand with a 'thud' and turned on her boyfriend. "You think that's funny?" she demanded furious. "If you'd done what I asked and stayed here, you might have been able to help."
"How?" Cole asked in disbelief. "The minute Devlin arrived; you would have sent me to my room."
Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Cole, I wasn't just being a nagging girlfriend. I actually had good reasons for asking you not to go."
"Which were what exactly?" Cole demanded tightly.
Phoebe jumped out of her seat. "I don't know, to try to keep you alive?" she snapped.
"Why, because I'm not capable of defending myself?" Cole shot back. "If that's the way you think, no wonder you don't want to marry me!"
Phoebe shook her head. "I can't believe that's what you think. Is that really what you think?"
"What am I supposed to think?" Cole snapped.
"You're supposed to know that I love you and that I—"
"And that what?" Cole cut in. "I have a hard time believing that any woman who is truly in love would really turn down a marriage proposal!"
"Low blow," Faith snapped.
"Uh, well, that's how little you know about women," Phoebe concluded. "Cole, there's still so much we don't know about each other. I mean, we don't know the new rules, we don't know what it means for you to be human and I don't know—"
"That you truly love me," Cole finished for her.
Phoebe held her hands to her chest. "No Cole. That's the one thing that I do know. Why do you think I'm so terrified of losing you?" she demanded throwing her hands in the air. "I've seen what losing the love of your life can do to a person."
"So, have I," Faith said she looked up at him. "It destroyed my mom when she lost my dad. She put up a brave front for me when I came back into hers, Aunt Piper and Aunt Phoebe's lives. But I saw in her eyes the sorrow that losing my dad did to her. I can only hope that they are together now."
Phoebe gazed at Cole, "I do love you Cole, truly and completely."
Cole shook his head. "Then, then what is the problem?"
Phoebe sighed shrugging her shoulders helplessly. "I don't know how to be a wife," she admitted quietly.
Cole stared at her in silence before yanking her towards him and slamming his lips against hers.
"But I can't live without you in my life," Phoebe whispered when his lips left hers then kissed him again.
"Did she rhyme?" Paige questioned. "I think she just rhymed."
Buffy and Piper nodded. "Mm-hm."
"This is what I'm talking about," Leo spoke, looking between his wife and her sister and nieces. "Phoebe's passion for Cole is a natural way to access inspiration."
Phoebe kissed Cole once more then approached her sisters and nieces, hands on the table. "Okay, you guys, we have a warlock to catch," she announced looking between them. "And I know we're beaten, and I know we're tired but that does not mean we can just lay down and play dead."
"I don't think we're going to have to play," Piper commented resting her chin in her hand and Phoebe sighed.
"Of course, we're not," Faith spoke up, her eyes locked onto her wife's and Phoebe, Cole and Leo turned to her while Piper and Paige continued to sulk. "Because he's not going to get us," she continued then reluctantly tore her eyes from Buffy's and stood to her feet. "Aunt Phoebe's right." She looked to middle aunt who was smiling in relief.
"We need to stop feeling sorry for ourselves because we screwed up and fight back," Buffy said seriously, throwing her weight in behind Faith and Phoebe.
"It's what we were born to do," Faith reminded them turning to Buffy. "We're better than this, we're better than him and we're going to win." She then pulled Buffy in and kissed her fellow Slayer and wife hard.
Piper frowned. "What just happened to you?" she asked curiously and annoyed that Faith and Buffy were on their side too.
Buffy looked around her then at Piper. "Faith and I remember what we're fighting for," she said simply.
"Buffy is right," Faith agreed. "You, Aunt Phoebe, Aunt Paige and of course my beautiful wife. You all are the reason I am standing here. The reason I keep fighting."
Phoebe smiled. "Piper, Leo said we could tap into our own inspiration and I'm feeling it," she agreed eyes wide. "And clearly Faith and Buffy are too, now you have to do whatever you have to do to feel it too," she encouraged firmly.
"I don't know, I kind of agree with running for the hills." Paige shrugged looking at Phoebe, Buffy and Faith.
"You can't run," Cole shook his head. "Not while Devlin still has that ring."
Faith narrowed her eyes at Paige. "You know, this isn't just about saving our own lives, or even Melody's," she informed them as she wrapped her arm around Buffy.
"Faith is right," Phoebe agreed as she walking around the table to stand beside Faith and Buffy. "It's about good versus evil and wrong versus right, and our job as witches to fight for the greater good."
Piper sat up straight. "Dr. Seuss, is that you?" she teased and her sister and nieces rolled their eyes.
"What if we didn't wait for Devlin to come to us?" Paige asked slowly, rising to her feet and Piper sighed heavily knowing she was completely outnumbered now. "What if we went to him?" she concluded.
Phoebe ginned. "See, now that's the spirit," she cheered. She then looked at Buffy. "We're going to need a new spell."
"We'll get it done," Buffy agreed with a nod at Phoebe. "But I don't think it should be a Power of Three spell."
"I think your right, Buffy," Phoebe agreed. "I think it should be a Power of One spell." She looked toward her niece.
Faith glanced back at Phoebe in understanding. Between being the daughter of the eldest Halliwell sister and the Source's heir meant she could even be as powerful as the Charmed Ones herself. She turned toward Piper. "Aunt Piper, we're going to need some more of your potion."
"Argh! I have no idea what I put in it," Piper moaned.
"Alright well, Faith, Cole and I were there," Leo pointed out. "Maybe we can help."
"Leo please! There were like, fifteen thousand herbs on that counter," Piper shot him down harshly.
"You've been wanting to teach me to cook," Faith interjected. "Someone you can share your love of cooking with, right?" Piper nodded. "So you and I will start cooking and you can use that to inspire you."
Piper looked at her niece for a long moment. She did love to cook and she had always hoped that in time someone in her family be it her own children or her nieces and nephews would take up her passion. Could Faith be the one to share in that passion? She looked up at her niece, at her sister's daughter and the smiled at the thought of sharing everything she loved with Faith, who could even in time help her teach her own children.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
"This doesn't feel right," Cole shared his opinion as he and Leo watched the sisters and the Slayers closely.
"Well, if anyone has a better idea, we're open to it," Paige replied as she and Piper sat on the floor around the coffee table and Buffy, Faith and Phoebe were perched on the couch.
"You could try calling for it again," Leo offered but they girls shook their heads.
"No. That won't work," Faith told him certainly.
"Yeah, he's probably figured out a way to protect the ring by now," Phoebe elaborated.
"Alright, let me just...think for a minute," Cole asked with a frown.
"We don't have a minute," Piper countered. "We need the ring back now."
"She's right," Leo agreed. "With all the muses afraid to come out of hiding, the world is going uninspired. Which is okay except..."
"Evil is inspired," Paige finished and he nodded.
"And we can't have that," Buffy chimed in.
"Right," Leo agreed dully. "It could throw off the whole balance, giving evil the upper hand."
"And we can't have that either," Faith chimed in.
Cole sighed. "I get that, but they've never been to the underworld without me to protect them," he pointed out turning to Leo.
"We have a potion, we have the vanquishing spell, we have the Power of Three, we have two witch-Slayers…one of which could be nearly as or as strong as the Power of Three by herself…and we have the element of surprise," Piper listed off all of the things that they did have.
"But you don't have any idea where Melody actually is." Cole brought the topic at hand back to the forefront.
"She's in the ring," Paige rolled her eyes at him.
"Which is on the finger of a warlock who could be anywhere, doing anything, with any number of demonic powers," Cole pointed out eyebrows raised. "I'm telling you it doesn't feel right."
Phoebe smiled at her boyfriend's concern. "I know," she told him gently rising to her feet and walking to him.
"Then don't go," he pleaded and she sighed.
"Baby, every time you went to the underworld, every time you shimmered out of here and I had to wonder if I'd ever see you again...it didn't feel right," she sympathized with him. "But you had to go, didn't you?" she asked and he sighed. She smiled and kissed him before she went to stand next to nieces, Piper and Paige joining them.
"Be careful," Leo pleaded and Piper nodded blowing him a kiss.
"Being of creativity." Faith chanted. "I call us now to thee. Your light now darkened in a ring. Shall feel the power we bring." She along with her wife and aunts disappeared in a swirl of white lights leaving the men to wonder if they were coming back.
P3
They appeared in the same white lights, standing on the stairs of the club.
"Oh no!" Phoebe whined as they descended the steps. "Did we get sent back in time again?" she asked panicking.
"No, Phoebe, we're at P3," Piper corrected then faltered. "I think."
"Oh my god! 40's Night looks amazing," Paige gushed looking around, eyes wide.
Buffy nodded with pout. "Why did warlocks have to suck inspiration from the world tonight?" she whined, stomping her foot petulantly as Faith wrapped an arm around her. "We would look good out there, wouldn't we?" she asked he wife.
"You better believe it, babe," Faith agreed.
Phoebe and Paige burst out laughing while Piper rolled her eyes but her smirk betrayed her. "Okay, focus please. We cast a spell to find our muse and it landed us not in the underworld, but in my club."
"So, then the spell didn't work?" Paige asked.
"The spell definitely worked, Aunt Paige," Faith told her aunt.
"So Melody's here then?" Paige asked looking around.
"And so is Devlin," Piper spat looking around. "And probably his entire faction."
Halliwell Manor
"I don't know how you do it," Cole muttered as he paced back and forth. "How do you sit by and do nothing, while your wife's life is in danger?" he asked Leo who was seated in the conservatory.
"Cole..." Leo spoke up, staring at the floor. "I get that this is hard for you but I need you to do me a favor and shut up," he snapped.
Cole froze. "Excuse me?" he muttered.
"I need to concentrate," Leo explained tersely.
"On the floorboards?" Cole quipped.
"No," Leo replied righting to stay calm. "I am listening for a call from the girls," he explained slowly. "So, I can be there in case they need me!"
Cole nodded once then began pacing again. "It's a trap," he said suddenly.
"What?" Leo asked.
"I knew this didn't feel right," Cole murmured to himself. "Why didn't the warlocks attack again after they got the muse?" he quizzed.
Leo looked at him slowly. "Evil isn't exactly known for its patience," he agreed.
"It's because they already failed twice," Cole continued taking a seat across from them both. "Not too many warlocks are stupid or brave enough to attack right here in the manor but plenty can be convinced to lay in ambush."
"Hang on," Leo interrupted, tilting his head slightly. "That's strange. The girls aren't underground. They're at P3."
"They can't use their powers in public," Cole jumped to his feet.
Leo shook his head. "I promised—"
"You only promised not to orb me underground," Cole reminded him.
P3
Paige sighed loudly, "Okay." She cried stopping in her tracks, "Looking for them this way is not going to work." referring to them walking around the club, eyeing every occupant.
"Oh, Piper!" Bev called from the bar, grabbing Piper's arm as she passed.
"AH!" Piper screamed throwing a potion at Bev's feet, causing a blinding flash of light.
"Ooh, love the fireworks!" Bev complimented squinting her eyes as they readjusted from the sudden flash.
Piper's eyes narrowed, "Fireworks." She repeated pointing one finger at Bev then turning to her sisters', "Yes, fireworks." She repeated and they shot her questioning looks.
"I just wanted to tell you..." Bev spoke up stealing Piper's attention again, "...I think the club looks great!" she smiled.
"Bev." Piper smiled, placing one hand on the woman's arm to silence her, "You're a genius." She announced with a nod then turned her back muttering, "Genius."
"How exactly is she a genius." Phoebe asked seriously as Piper pushed them in the opposite direction.
Piper smirked, "The strobe lights." She stated and the other three frowned, "They'll work like the potion, but on a grand scale." She explained and realization struck.
"Oh! It'll keep the warlocks from blinking." Faith clocked on nodding slowly.
"Yes!" Piper exclaimed pointing at her, "I'll freeze all the innocents, anyone you see still moving, feel free to vanquish them." She concluded glancing around.
Piper moved towards the bar and leaned over. "All right, here goes nothing," she muttered then flicked the switch plunging the club into darkness then flicking the other and flashing lights filled the place instead. She nodded then went back to her sisters and nieces and froze the innocents in the room leaving only the moaning warlocks mobile.
They scanned the room and Piper threw up her hands, vanquishing the first one she saw.
The next released an energy ball in their direction.
"Energy ball!" Paige called loudly, holding out one hand and throwing it back at the warlock, vanquishing her.
"Help me!" Melody screamed suddenly. "Phoebe!" she cried as one of the warlocks pulled her forcibly in the other direction.
Paige's eyes widened, "Melody!" she exclaimed moving forwards.
"Wait!" Buffy cried trying to grab Paige but the warlock rounded on Paige firing a bolt of energy at her.
It struck an unsuspecting Paige on the shoulder spinning her around until she bounced off of the bar and hit the floor.
"Aunt Paige," Faith gasped as she and Piper rushed towards her.
"You stay here, I'll go get Melody." Phoebe instructed running towards the warlock.
"Phoebe!" Melody pleaded and Phoebe levitated up and struck the warlock on the jaw, releasing Melody from his hold.
Faith threw a fireball at the warlock, he was engulfed in flames before exploding. She then turned and pulled Paige to her feet.
"Are you okay?" Phoebe asked Melody when she reached her and the muse nodded. "Okay, come on," she instructed, pulling her toward her sisters and nieces.
Faith passed Paige to Piper and flipped on the house lights. "Okay, so who here wants to take on the Source's heir and die?" she asked looking around the room as a fireball formed in her hand. One by one the remaining warlocks blinked out.
"Come on, let's get out of here," Piper said as she guided Paige towards the backdoor to the alley behind the club.
"We still don't have the ring," Buffy reminded them as Piper eased Paige down onto a stack of crates.
"That's okay, we have Melody." Piper replied, "We'll get the ring next." She assured her niece.
"Piper, aren't you forgetting something?" Phoebe asked pointing through the door to the soundless club.
"Oh!" Piper pointed towards the club. "Their still frozen aren't they," she asked rhetorically walking back inside.
"How you doing, Aunt Paige?" Faith asked Paige lovingly as she brushed some hair from her aunt's face.
Paige shrugged then winced at the pain the movement caused her shoulder. "Been better," she muttered and Faith sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around her protectively.
Buffy had her eyes trained on Melody, regarding her critically, eyes narrowing. "How did you get out of the ring?" she asked suddenly and Melody turned to her, eyes wide.
"Pardon?" Melody smiled sweetly.
Buffy approached her slowly as Phoebe, Faith and Paige watched. "How did you get out of the ring?" she repeated slowly looking the muse up and down.
Melody chuckled nervously then her face darkened, "Stupid Slayer," she growled pressing her palm to Buffy's face firmly, slowly burning.
Buffy's body shook as Faith jumped up a fireball forming in her hand. She threw it, hitting Melody on the jaw, causing the muse to release Buffy.
"Are you okay?" Faith asked her wife who had stumbled back into her arms.
"Oh!" Phoebe cried as Cole came out the door. She threw her potion at the warlock's feet, blinding her.
Cole then jumped forward, holding Melody down as he wrestled the ring from her finger.
Melody morphed back into Devlin who then proceed to throw Cole across the alley and into a stone wall.
Piper came running back into the alley at that moment, coming to a stop in front of Buffy, Faith and Phoebe.
"Blow him up. Blow him up." Faith ordered and Piper threw up her hands striking his shoulder which instantly healed.
"Uh-oh." Piper muttered stumbling back slightly.
Devlin smirked, "I'm too strong for you, witch," he spat smirking wider.
"Good thing I brought reinforcements." Piper muttered her own smirk forming slowly and Devlin faltered. She turned to Faith. "I think a Power of One. After all he did hurt your wife."
Faith nodded as she stepped forward smirking. "Evil is a faithful foe but good does battle best. We witches will, with these words waste the warlock's evil zest." she chanted watching as Devlin began to burn and exploded with an echoing cry of pain.
The girls sighed in relief, Leo moving to heal Paige's wound while Phoebe ran to Cole, hauling him to his feet.
"Thank you for coming," Phoebe breathed wrapping her arms around him.
"Thank you for having me," Cole sighed holding her close.
Buffy smiled. "And thank you, baby," Buffy said leaning into Faith and kissing her quickly.
"You're welcome, babe," Faith replied and Buffy chuckled kissing her again, slowly.
Piper and Phoebe grinned as Cole handed Paige the ring.
Paige smiled opening the latch and releasing the many muses trapped within, Melody the only one visible to their eyes.
Melody smiled at them gratefully, "Now, that was inspired."
"Here," Paige held out the ring. "I think you need to get this back to the good guys."
Melody took it from her with a nod. "I think it's time I should be going." She smiled at them.
"Don't be a stranger," Phoebe said sadly hugging Melody tightly.
"I wouldn't dream of it," Melody replied, hugging her back. "Bye," she said quietly hugging Piper and Paige together.
"Bye," Piper and Paige replied in unison.
"Goodbye, Melody." Buffy and Faith said with a smile as they hugged the woman in blue.
"Goodbye, Buffy, Faith." Melody smiled back as the Slayers released her. "And, Buffy, thank you for knowing the difference." She winked referring to Devlin impersonating her.
Buffy laughed lightly. "It's my job." She shrugged. "Take care okay?" Melody nodded.
"Okay, should we go back into the party?" Phoebe asked glancing around.
"Yes!" Buffy nodded eagerly, turning to her wife with a devious smile. "I do love a woman in a beautiful 40's inspired gown," she said suggestively with a wink.
"Actually, I think I'm inspired to spend an evening at home," Paige informed them with a smile.
"Um...aren't you guys forgetting something?" Leo asked pointing to Melody.
The girls turned to Melody. "Oh," Piper muttered.
"Oops." Phoebe giggled. "Let see um...Being of creativity," she started them off.
"Hide yourself now from me," Paige continued.
Piper smiled. "Your light that shines upon our face."
"From our vision, now erase," Buffy and Faith concluded with a nod and Melody disappeared slowly smiling.
Halliwell Manor
Phoebe turned when she heard a knock at her bedroom door, "Come in!" she called pulling away from a uniform clad Cole.
Faith pushed the door open slowly and peaked her head in. "Hi." She gave her middle aunt a small smile. "Just wondering if you both are ready to go?" she asked, entering completely.
Phoebe looked to Cole who nodded. "We sure are." He smiled.
Faith smiled back, her eyes glancing over them both: Phoebe dressed in a beautiful white ruffled dress, with a spit from mid-thigh on the left side and the traditional shoulder pads. "You look beautiful, Aunt Phoebe."
Phoebe beamed and twirled. "Thank you." She looked her niece up and down: Faith was dressed in a beautiful red off-the-shoulders dress, ruffles bunched slightly on her right hip, the split on the right slightly higher than Phoebe's. "You look hot," she informed her niece and Faith laughed. "Red hot." She smirked and winked.
Faith rolled her eyes. "Aunt Phoebe, stop," she ordered shaking her head.
"Twirl," Phoebe instructed and Faith's eyebrows shot up, "Twirl," she repeated indicating with her finger.
Faith shook her head but did it anyway.
"Yay!" Phoebe cheered clapping her hands.
Faith looked Cole up and down. "What?" he questioned shifting nervously under her stare.
Faith shrugged. "Nothing. You look good," she said nodding at the uniform.
Cole smirked. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Can you give us one moment, Cole," Phoebe said. "I want to give my wonderful niece a small gift."
Cole nodded as he left the room.
"My gift, Faith, is this," Phoebe said as she motioned toward her vanity. She had noticed that Faith, as normal, wasn't wearing any makeup.
Faith nodded as she sat down at the vanity.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Phoebe ran to Cole as soon as she descended the stairs and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.
"Wow!" Cole laughed, "What's this for?" he asked looking his girlfriend over closely.
Phoebe smiled cupping his cheek with one hand, "I just love you." She said simply with a shrug then turned to Buffy, who was dressed in a lavender ruffled dress, with a spit from mid-thigh on the right side. She hugged the blonde Slayer. "You too."
Buffy smiled. "I love you too, Phoebe," she replied.
Faith watched Phoebe's form disappear down the stairs, make-up flawless, not a hair out of place and smiled. She headed towards the stairs also but changed direction mid-step, heading towards the attic instead. She peered into the room silently and watched Paige as she worked swaying to the music in her head, her tongue stuck out slightly in concentration and she covered her mouth to muffle her giggle at the sight. She watched Paige silently for a few more seconds before she turned and descended the stairs. She watched Phoebe standing by the door laughing and joking with Buffy, Cole pressed up against her, arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
Faith smiled inching silently toward the kitchen and peering in to see Piper and Leo flirting and kissing occasionally while feeding one another whatever heaven Piper had concocted in the ancient stove. Faith's heart swelled seeing how happy her aunt was.
Faith jumped as Buffy spun her around and kissed her deeply, "The love birds are gettin' impatient," Buffy informed Faith jerking her head in the direction of Phoebe and Cole.
Faith rolled her eyes and pushed Buffy away. "Alright, alright I can take a hint." She smirked slipping her hand into Buffy's and entwining their fingers. "Let's go."
P3
Buffy led Faith onto the dance floor of the deserted nightclub, soft music playing loudly and pulled her wife to her.
Faith smiled snaking her arms around Buffy's neck as Buffy swayed them from side to side. She glanced to the side, her eyes catching Cole pulling Phoebe toward him and sighed happily: all of her aunts were happy and she was delirious.
Faith turned back to Buffy, their eyes meeting one another. Buffy kissed her slowly then Buffy rested her forehead against Faith's as they danced.
Phoebe placed one hand on Cole's shoulder, her other tightly entwined with his as they swayed gently. Looking up into his eyes Phoebe couldn't remember a time where she'd been happier than she was right now.
Glancing to her right Phoebe's eyes landed on her nieces, heads together and eyes closed, completely lost in their own world. She smiled widely: life was good, everyone around her was happy and she was insanely in love. She felt Cole press his lips to her forehead and sighed contentedly, laying her head on his chest and closing her eyes.