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

25. Chapter 24: Trial by Magic

Chapter 24: Trial by Magic

November 12, 2001 - Monday

Halliwell Manor

"Okay, move it or lose it, people." Phoebe commanded as she strode into the kitchen where her sisters and nieces were situated, taking what they wanted from the breakfast feast on the Island counter-top. "Coming through." She snatched the mug of coffee from Paige's hands as she slipped in between her and Piper.

"Hey, I was using that!" Paige chided with a frown.

"Yeah well, I'm late and I need caffeine," Phoebe retorted with a shrug. "Sue me."

Piper looked up at that comment and turned to Faith on her other side. "Two weeks of jury duty, and suddenly she's lawyer-y," she quipped with a smirk and Faith chuckled.

Phoebe smiled. "You know, normally, I would have a witty comeback for that, but I am too tired," she sighed shaking her head.

"I'd be tired too if I had to decide whether or not someone lived or died." Paige stated, fishing for information that her older sister was still refusing to give. "What's your decision?"

Phoebe sighed. "Paige, you know I can't talk about the case."

"She's right," Buffy agreed coming into the kitchen straightening her dress. Like Phoebe, she had also been selected for jury duty. "Neither of us can talk about it." She looked at Paige pointedly, who sighed sadly.

Phoebe smiled at them sadly. "The case isn't why I can't sleep," she stated then took a gulp of coffee. "I can't sleep because I miss Cole too much," she sighed shoulders slumping. "If he doesn't come home soon, I'm going to turn into a vampire," she promised, eyebrows raised and all of her sisters' ceased movement.

Faith tilted her head slightly. "Not funny, Aunt Phoebe. Because then Buffy or I would have to slay you," she pointed out.

Piper also shook her head frowning, "Not funny at all," she agreed taking a bite of her bagel. "When do you think he's going to come back?" she asked gently, watching her younger sister closely as she popped the rest into her mouth.

Phoebe shrugged. "Who knows? He said he needed some time to find himself and figure out who he was without his demon side," she relayed the speech he'd given her before he'd vanished.

Paige frowned. "Does that mean he's off banging on drums in the woods somewhere?" she asked only half-joking and the three laughed.

Phoebe frowned slowly, "God I hope not."

Faith rolled her eyes at them. "Leave him alone. Believe me when I say it's a major adjustment. He just needs time." She shrugged picking up another strawberry.

"Oh, Buffy, we got to go," Phoebe announced looking at her watch and Buffy nodded.

Buffy kissed Faith quickly as Phoebe attempted to gulp down the full cup. "I'll give you a ride."

"Thank you!" Phoebe said gratefully then sighed. "Damn it," she cursed placing the mug down accepting that she'd have to function on minimal caffeine this morning. "Let's go?" she asked.

Buffy was about to flamed her and Phoebe out when Piper cut in, "Wait!" she said, a glint in her eye. "Who's testifying today?" she asked eagerly.

Buffy sighed. "Nobody, it's closing arguments."

"Already? That was fast," Piper observed with a frown and both Buffy and Phoebe resisted the urge to cry.

"Oh no, not you too?" Phoebe begged shaking her head.

"Oh, come on," Piper whined. "It's only natural to be curious."

Phoebe narrowed her eyes in consideration and they looked at her hopefully but she shook her head. "Forget it."

"Listen," Paige ordered firmly. "Nobody keeps secrets better than us," she pointed out smartly, "We are the mistresses of secrets."

"Well?" Faith coaxed with a smile.

"Well...let's just say it will be my supreme pleasure to send that murdering bastard straight to hell," Phoebe relented. "By legal means not magical," she added quickly.

"Yeah sadly its an open and shut case," Buffy added.

"You know…" Piper looked Buffy and Phoebe up and down. "You two might actually be the first people who enjoy jury duty," she observed dubiously as Phoebe pulled on her long cardigan.

Phoebe nodded. "You know what it is? It might actually be nice for a change to get some kudos for vanquishing the bad guy." And everyone froze. "Punishing," she corrected herself. "I mean punishing. You know what I mean."

"Can we go?" Buffy asked and Phoebe nodded.

"Sorry," Phoebe apologized then turned to her sisters and niece. "Bye." She smiled as she took Buffy's hand and they disappeared in a swirl of fiery flames as a knock came at the front door.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Glenn walked through the door to find a beaming Paige/ "Hey." He smiled that charming, Hollywood-white, smile.

"Glenn!" Paige squealed throwing her arms around him. "It's so good to see you. What are you doing here?"

Glenn shrugged. "I'm done with Australia, finally and I'm actually thinking about Nepal," he replied with a smile. "I just wanted to stop by and see how you're doing?" he asked pointedly.

Faith stood beside Piper as they watched the exchange with knowing smirks.

"It's so great to see you," Paige replied biting her lip and staring up at him, one hand on his neck.

Faith looked at Piper with wide eyes and raised eyebrows, Piper's expression the same as she cleared her throat loudly and the two love birds turned to them.

"Oh, that's my niece Faith and my sister Piper," Paige introduced again.

"Of course." Glenn smiled and shook both their hands. He looked back at Paige and chuckled. "I still can't believe you've got sisters and a niece," he admitted.

"Yeah," Piper agreed. "It takes some getting used to."

"So, where are you staying?" Paige asked with a smile.

Glenn went to answer then frowned. "I uh…don't know yet actually."

"Good. You'll stay here!" Paige chirped grinning widely and her sister and niece blanched.

"What?" Piper and Faith asked.

Paige nodded. "Yeah, very last door on the second floor," she instructed him with a kind smile.

Glenn glanced at the startled Faith and Piper, "Are you sure that's alright?" he asked carefully.

"Yeah!" Paige insisted enthusiastically. "Don't be ridiculous." She started pushing him toward the stairs, past Faith and Piper. "I'll be right up," she promised.

Glenn turned back and smiled at them all, "Great. Thank you." Then he disappeared up the stairs.

"Uh…Aunt Paige?" Faith called and Paige turned slowly.

"What?" Paige asked, one hand on her hip.

Faith chuckled uncomfortably. "Your boyfriend staying here? Not a good idea," she finished shaking her head.

"He's not my boyfriend," Paige insisted then paused. "Well, sometimes he's my boyfriend but mostly he's just my really good friend," she explained.

"Paige, uh…we usually don't have house guests because of all the…obvious reasons," Piper informed her sister.

"You can trust Glenn," Paige promised. "He's been my friend since—god, kindergarten."

"Yeah but you haven't been a witch since kindergarten," Faith pointed out. She looked at Piper. "I don't think she understands—"

"I understand," Paige cut her niece off, insistently. "I also pay rent here."

"There is no rent." Piper smirked; her tone serious.

"It's an expression." Paige rolled her eyes.

"Not it's not," Piper corrected her and Faith shook her head in agreement.

"Well, it should be," Paige fired back then stormed upstairs leaving behind a extremely concerned sister and niece.

"As much as I agree with you," Faith said as she looked at Piper. "Aunt Paige has a point too."

"I know she does," Piper agreed. "But its too dangerous for him to be here. If yours and Buffy's friend Xander had wanted to stay after the wedding, I would have said no to him also. Even though he does know about magic and demons, because it's dangerous for him as a mortal to be around us full time. The demons that are attracted to Sunnydale are not upper level like we deal with. They can't create fireballs and energy balls in their hands."

"I see your point, Aunt Piper," Faith agreed. "And as I said I agree with it. I just happen to see Aunt Paige's point also."

Courthouse

"There's no excuse, ladies and gentlemen of the jury." The prosecutor stated as she approached them slowly, "The defendant has no alibi, no credible explanation," she continued, making eye contact with every member, including Phoebe and Buffy, as she talked, "For how, he was able to lead the police directly to his ex-wife's body. Other than his—" she paused to recall with a humorless chuckle, "—How did he describe it? Psychic vision? No. Premonition," she corrected herself looking at them pointedly, her disbelief clear. "That's it. That was his alibi." She pointed over to the defendant across the room. "That's what Mr. Provozoli expects you to believe to counter the overwhelming evidence against him, including—with the court's permission—" she turned to the Judge who nodded, "—people's 17, the murder weapon," she declared presenting to the room a sharp bladed dagger of sorts. "One that he had admitted to using in his own magic show. And then he used it, to rob Angela Provozoli of her life." She passed the weapon over to the first juror, "Return the verdict you know you must. Murder in the first degree," she concluded as the weapon reached Phoebe's hands and she was instantly pulled into a premonition.

Angela Provozoli lying on the floor. Unidentifiable man on top of her, the murder weapon in hand. He stabs her over and over again with his right hand on which there is a very clear Medusa tattoo on his forearm.

Phoebe's eyes flashed open as the vision ended and the weapon fell from her hand to the floor with a clatter.

"Are you alright, ma'am?" the Judge asked Phoebe kindly, brow creased with concern but Phoebe's eyes were on the defendant, who at that moment, reached up with his right arm to drag his hand through his hair, his forearm tattoo free.

"Phoebe?" Buffy whispered. "Premonition?"

Phoebe nodded in confirmation.

Courthouse - Jury Deliberation Room

Phoebe walked blindly into the room, taking the chair at the head of the table at the opposite end of the door and falling into the chair with a heavy sigh, her head cloudy, as Buffy sat next to her.

"Hey! Hey!" one juror called, cigar in hand, "I just got a premonition. We'll be out of here by lunch," he declared laughing loudly, a few others joining in.

The head foreman spoke up. "Okay uh…I think that the proper procedure is that first, we review the evidence—"

The cigar guy rudely interrupted. "Well, we heard the evidence, so let's take a vote and get out of here," he insisted then took a drag from the cigar.

"Still, as the foreman, it's my job—"

"All those in favor of guilty," the cigar guy cut him off once more, raising his hand and every hand in the room went up, all except for Phoebe and Buffy.

Buffy stared at Phoebe.

"Come on ladies." The cigar guy called to them irately. "What's it going to be?"

Phoebe looked up and around the room at the ten other sets of eyes on her and Buffy. She glanced at Buffy as if to say stall them. Then she opened her mouth, "I have to go to the bathroom," she announced quickly standing to her feet and disappearing behind the door.

"Sorry," Buffy said sheepishly. "My aunt…"

"Aunt?" the foreman questioned and frowned.

"By marriage," Buffy interjected. "That's how we were able to wind up on the same jury because we're not actually related by blood."

The foreman nodded. "You were saying."

"She…" Buffy started, "…it's kind of embarrassing."

"Say no more," the foreman said in understanding.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Leo," Phoebe stage whispered, trying to be loud enough for him to hear but as to not alert those on the opposite side of the door. "Leo!" she tried again, sighing in relief when orbs appeared.

"Phoebe, what?" he asked when corporeal.

"Quick!" Phoebe grabbed his arm. "Orb me too the manor," the urgency in her voice apparent.

Halliwell Manor

"I thought you Buffy said it was an open and shut case?" Paige questioned as she, Piper, Faith and Leo headed into the TV room.

"So did we," Phoebe nodded. "But the killer in my premonition, was definitely not Stan Provozoli," she informed them sitting in one of the over-stuffed chairs. Paige sitting in the chair next to her. "I didn't see his face but he had this tattoo on his arm, like a Medusa's head with snakes," she relayed her premonition to them hastily.

"What are you and Buffy going to do?" Paige asked and Phoebe sighed.

"Well, Buffy and I are going to stall while you persuade Darryl to get you guys a meeting with Stan. Describe the tattoo, maybe he knows the real…killer. It's strange though that he didn't see him in his premonition—"

"Wait," Leo interrupted frowning also, "Stan had a premonition?"

"Yeah." Phoebe nodded. "That's how he claims to have known where the body was," she explained quickly.

"And you and Buffy, of all people, did not believe him?" Piper asked in surprise.

"Piper, he's just a club magician," Phoebe defended herself and Buffy, feeling guilty enough already. "We assumed he was a fraud. Believe me, I feel horrible about this. And I assume Buffy will too when I have a chance to inform her."

"Alright," Piper soothed with wide eyes. "We'll fix it…somehow."

Paige frowned, shaking her head in confusion. "Do we hunt killers that aren't demons?"

"Well…" Phoebe spoke up when no one else had an answer. "I had that premonition for a reason," she reasoned. "Just because the killer isn't supernatural—"

"Hey there, Glenn!" Leo greeted loudly, drowning out Phoebe's voice who turned sharply.

"What did you hear?" Piper asked with a fake smile.

"Excuse me?" Glenn asked puzzled.

"Never mind." Faith quickly dismissed with a wide smile.

Phoebe smiled at him. "She said 'what are you doing here?'" she covered and Glenn shrugged.

"Oh, I was just looking for the kitchen," Glenn explained looking lost.

Phoebe rose to her feet. "I better get going before somebody wonders what happened to me," she hinted pointedly at Leo.

"I'll uh…just take Glenn to the kitchen," Paige suggested turning towards him. "And uh…show him where to make a sand-witch." And then they disappeared.

Once out of sight Phoebe turned on her older sister and niece. "Is he staying here?" she asked in extreme disbelief, pointing in the general direction of the kitchen and both her sister and niece nodded. "I think you need to talk to her," she stated looking directly at Piper.

"I did already, but apparently Faith and I were the only ones paying attention," Piper informed her sister.

Courthouse - Jury Deliberation Room

"What the hell's going on in there!" the cigar guy demanded as he loudly banged on the bathroom door. "Come on, open the damn door!"

"Maybe something's wrong," the foreman suggested. "I'll call for the bailiff."

"Just give her a moment," Buffy pleaded.

"I am so sorry," Phoebe apologized after yanking the door open. "It's just…that time of the month."

The cigar guy cringed turning away. "Look, the rest of us finished voting, ten guilty. What's it going to be?"

"Well…" Phoebe began hesitantly. "Before I cast my vote, I think that we should all consider the possibility…that the defendant might actually be a psychic."

"What?" the cigar guy yelled loudly, not the only one unhappy.

"Really?" Buffy questioned.

Phoebe glanced at Buffy and nodded as she mouthed to her niece, 'He's innocent…framed.' She turned back toward the rest of the jurors as she took her seat again, "And all he is guilty of is having a special gift," she continued.

"You're the foreman," a woman with an angel broach pointed out, turning to him, "Make them vote."

Buffy shook her head. "Not until we review the evidence," she stated reaching for a sheet of paper and pencil. "Every single piece."

Halliwell Manor

"Thank you." Glenn said with a smile as Paige placed a plate full of sandwiches down in front of him.

"Sure." Paige smiled back. "So I have to go to work, but if you want, you can drop me off and then use my car," she offered with a shrug.

Glenn shook his head. "Oh no, I'm wiped," he declined. "I'm just going to hang here if it's cool?" he asked unsure.

"Oh," Paige replied nodding her head but silently cursing.

"Paige, is everything okay?" Glenn asked sounding extremely concerned. "What was going on in there?"

"Oh that?" Paige smiled and shrugged. "That's just a family meeting you know...deciding who's going to take out the trash or whose turn it is to clean the bathroom," she lied but he remained unconvinced.

"Yeah. I heard words like 'killer' and 'supernatural,'" Glenn stated bluntly. "That doesn't really sound like housework to me." He smirked at her. "We never really could lie to each other very well."

Paige was silent for a moment then retorted with. "Well, maybe that's why we didn't make it as a couple."

"I've been worried about you," Glenn continued, refusing to let it go and back down. "Since the last time I saw you, just before you moved in here and the vibe that I've been getting since I got here doesn't make me worry any less."

Paige smiled, folding her arms. "Everything is fine, Glenn, just fine," she assured him honestly. "Things are just…different now."

Glenn nodded. "Yeah you have sisters and nieces to talk to and I think that's great, I really do," he assured her honestly. "But that doesn't mean that we still can't be there for each other, does it?" he asked and Paige's smile fell. "Talk to me Paige. What's, what's going on?"

Paige looked at him closely, desperate to tell her best friend her huge family secret. She opened her mouth but Piper interrupted.

"Paige?" Piper asked using the tone that says, 'we have to talk' as she entered the kitchen with Faith and Leo in tow. "Uh…" Her eyes fell on Glenn and she inwardly winced. "Darryl just called. He got us that thing…with the guy…that Phoebe was talking about," she informed her slowly, careful with her phrasing around Glenn. "Are you coming?"

Paige nodded but bit her lip, "Yeah I can't. I have to go to work," she replied apologetically. "Speaking of, Faith, don't you have class?"

Faith shook her head once, "No," she answered. "Uncle Leo drove me to campus earlier, so I could hand in my assignment and let the professor know that I needed a personal day," she explained and Paige nodded.

Glenn looked between them curiously, "Where do you go to school?"

"U.C. San Francisco," Faith lied.

"Cool." Glenn grinned and they both nodded.

"Okay well, keep your cell phone on you, just in case anything comes up," Leo asked and Paige nodded.

"I'll see you later," Paige said over her shoulder to Glenn as she slipped past Piper who sighed.

"I hate doing this," Piper muttered to Leo and Faith. "I hate being the bag guy."

Leo gave her a look, "You're stalling," he stated then jerked his head. "Go." Piper followed by Faith stormed out.

Leo smiled at Glenn. "Uh...excuse me." And then he marched out after his wife and niece.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Paige." Piper called sharply as she and Faith caught up to her younger sister who was heading for the front door, "You're going to leave him here alone?" Her tone alone letting Paige know how much she disapproved.

"Well, he can't fit in my cubicle with me at work," Paige quipped with a smile.

"Paige, keeping your secret has to be the most important thing," Leo added as Paige marched on in front of them, snatching up her coat and bag on the way.

"I know," Paige replied tersely spinning back to face them. "Which is why I just lied to my best friend!"

"I thought I was…" Faith started.

"You are, Faith," Paige informed her niece. "Doesn't mean I can't have other people who are also my best friend." She turned back to Leo. "Anyways it didn't feel good, Leo, but I did it."

"That's not good enough," Piper chided. "It's irresponsible to leave him here."

Paige frowned, "You told me when I became a witch, I'd still have a life," she reminded her older sister. "No offense, Faith, but I call having a friend outside of the family, having a life."

"Yeah but that doesn't mean that you can—"

"Paige?" Glenn called walking toward them and effectively cutting Piper off. "Oh." He cringed. "I'm interrupting again." He chuckled trying to make light.

"Yeah," Faith said as Paige smiled at him. "Aunt Piper…Uncle Leo, we got to go."

"Be sure to lock up all the doors before you go," Piper added pointedly glancing toward the ceiling, indicating the attic then she, Faith and Leo walked out the door.

Glenn approached Paige slowly. "She always that…friendly?" he asked and Paige nodded.

"Yeah, pretty much," Paige admitted. "I'll see you later," she said with a small smile, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek then disappearing out the door, completely forgetting Piper's earlier underlining comment about the attic door.

Jailhouse

"I still don't understand exactly who you people are," Provozoli's lawyer admitted as he, Faith, Piper and Leo entered a small guarded room.

"Did Inspector Morris vouch for us?" Piper asked as she and Faith took seats at the table, Leo standing behind them protectively.

"Yes," the lawyer nodded. "But that doesn't really—"

"Look," Faith interrupted rudely. "All you need to know right now is that we are here to help your client. We're on your side," she stated clasping her hands in front of her, "Now, I'm just guessing here, but I'm pretty sure it would be a safe assumption that you don't really have very many people on your side, correct?" she asked, one eyebrow raised and the lawyer sighed. "That's what I thought. You done with the questions?" she asked and he nodded. "Good."

Piper leaned into her niece's side, "That was impressive." She smirked. "Maybe you should think of changing your major hmm?" she chuckled and Faith rolled her eyes but smiled at the compliment.

"Look," The lawyer said dejectedly drawing their attention back to him. "The jury's deliberating. Nothing short of a miracle can help him now."

"Precisely," Piper agreed as the door opened and Stan Provozoli entered the room.

"Don't tell me they've reached a verdict," he pleaded as the guard relieved him off his handcuffs.

"No, they haven't," the lawyer replied. "These people wanted to talk to you."

"Who are you?" Provozoli asked, regarding the carefully.

"We're the people who believe you're innocent," Piper informed him with a kind smile.

"And your only hope of not spending the rest of your days locked up in this place," Faith added watching him carefully.

"Care to sit down and talk?" Piper asked tilting her head slightly.

Provozoli narrowed his eyes but sat down across from them regardless of his doubt.

"Would you mind answering some questions?" Piper asked looking him in the eyes and he nodded. "Great," she drawled sitting forward in her seat. "Was there anything in your premonition to indicate who the killer might be?"

"Yeah, alright, that's it," the lawyer stopped them there. "Out!" he ordered pointing to the door.

"Excuse me?" Piper blanched eyebrows hitting her hairline.

Faith frowned. "Why?"

"Because we're not hanging any more of this case on that so-called vision of his, unless you want him to plead insanity," the lawyer replied, his tone agitated and frustrated.

"Huh." Faith turned to Provozoli. "You should've gotten yourself a different lawyer. This one doesn't believe you and he thinks you're insane." She tilted her head towards the agitated man and glared at him standing up slowly.

"No, wait, wait!" Provozoli stopped Faith and silenced his lawyer, his eyes staying on Piper's kind ones, "You actually believe me?" he asked shifting his gaze to Faith who sat down again. "About having had a premonition?"

"Yes." Piper smiled then turned to the lawyer. "We do."

"Yeah so maybe you should listen to us instead of Mr. Negative over there," Faith pointed out jerking her head in the direction of his lawyer.

"You need to tell us exactly what you saw, if we have any chance of saving you," Piper instructed kindly.

Provozoli shook his head. "I don't need a premonition to know who killed Angie," he told them determinedly. "It was Wyke, Andrew Wyke. He owns the magic club where I perform."

Faith narrowed her eyes. "Why would this…Andrew Wyke, kill your ex?"

"Angie kept the books for the club, even after we got divorced," Provozoli explained. "She found out that Wyke was using the club to launder dirty money and when he found out that she told me about it, well he…he killed her with one of my knives to frame me." He sighed shaking his head. "Then I go and help him by telling the police where Angie's body is."

"Do you know if Wyke has a tattoo of…a Medusa head on his arm?" Piper asked, her voice sympathetic.

"I don't know," Provozoli replied shaking his head in defeated.

Piper sighed, "Well let's hope he does," she muttered as they stood up. "Thank you." She smiled at both the men.

Faith paused in front of Provozoli, "Why didn't you tell the police?" she asked bewildered. "This Wykes guy has a much stronger motive for killing Angela than you. It would have at least given the cops another direction to go in."

Stan Provozoli sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "I figured they wouldn't believe me," he explained and Faith smiled sadly at him.

"Look out!" Piper called as the three of them exited. "Nancy Drew, coming through."

Wyke's Magic Club

"Maybe we should come back at night, when they're open." Leo suggested in a whisper as the three of them entered the club.

"Provozoli is running out of time, Uncle Leo," Faith countered her eyes scanning the room.

Piper's face was the picture of disgust as she asked. "How the hell does this place stay in business?" She turned sharply as a squeaking sound caught her attention and shrieked at the sight of a rat, throwing up her hands and freezing the disgusting rodent.

Leo chuckled. "Demons you can handle but not rats?" he asked as Piper glared at him then unfroze the rat.

"Hey! Hey what are you doing in here?" a booming voice demanded and they turned to find a large man striding purposefully toward them. "Who the hell are you?"

"Um…" Piper glanced quickly at her niece who shrugged, "…we're friends of Stan Provozoli's."

"Good for you," he replied uninterested. "We're closed."

"Yeah…we can see that." Faith spoke up. "We were just wondering—"

"I said we're closed!" he snapped loudly. "Now leave!" he ordered pointing to the door with his right hand, revealing a Medusa's head tattoo.

"Faith," Piper whispered and she nodded slowly.

"Andrew Wyke, I presume," Faith stated hands on her hips, her demeanor changing instantly.

"Who wants to know?" he asked then stepped toward Faith. "Look lady if you don't get out of here now, I'm going to—" he threatened but Faith cut him off.

"What?" Faith asked invading his personal space. "What are you going to do?" she taunted and he clenched his fist.

"Okay!" Piper broke it up loudly. "It's okay, we're going," she told him with a smile and pulling her niece back by the hips. "Come on, Faith," she whispered harshly.

Faith glared at Wyke as they walked to the door. "Nice tat," she threw at him pointedly before they left the club.

Courthouse

"All Buffy and I are saying is to reach a fair and just verdict, we have to analyze every aspect of this case," Phoebe insisted looking around the table.

"We've done that," the foreman informed her.

"Twice," the woman with the angel pendant added.

"You know what?" Buffy snapped as she and Phoebe rose to their feet. "Maybe we should do it a third time because it seems to me that you people care more about getting home for dinner than about the fact that the evidence against Stan Provozoli is entirely circumstantial," she reprimanded heatedly.

"He led the police to the body!" cigar guy exclaimed. "You heard the shrink say that's as good as a confession."

"Unless it was a premonition," Phoebe threw in, walking towards him.

"They're back to that again."

"Is it so hard for you to believe that that's possible?" Buffy cried as she came up beside Phoebe. "That there are powers beyond what we can see?"

He shook his head and walked away from them.

Phoebe sighed rubbing her forehead in frustration as she glanced at Buffy. "Okay um…haven't any of you ever known who's calling before you answer the phone?" she asked as she and Buffy walked slowly around the large table.

"That's not magic."

"Oh, no?" Buffy retorted. "Then what is it?" she asked but no one answered.

"Look, just because you don't understand magic, doesn't mean that you have to be afraid of it. It's around us all the time," Phoebe insisted, "Like a friend, guiding us, giving us inspiration, helping us fall in love." She gave examples hoping to convince them that what she was saying was possible.

"Giving our lives meaning and I'm sorry but I think that we all need to believe that magic exists." Buffy's eyes fell on the woman with the angel pendant. "Tanya?" she called the woman's name stopping next to her. "Why are you wearing an angel pin?" she asked purposefully.

"I don't know." Tanya shrugged. "Just because my mother gave it to me."

"But why did she give it to you?" Phoebe pressed.

"To watch over me," Tanya answered honestly.

"That's magic." Phoebe insisted with a smile, "Something that you can't see. You can't quite put your finger on it, but you know that it's there."

"THE MAN KILLED A WOMAN!" cigar guy yelled over at Phoebe and Buffy. "Period! End of story!"

"All those in favor of another vote?" the foreman asked tiredly, the heat in the room getting to everyone and everyone raised their hands.

Phoebe and Buffy shook their heads and sighed, looking to the floor, their eyes catching the tell-tale blue and white orbs from underneath the bathroom door.

"Oops," Buffy exclaimed, "Nature calls," she announced heading to the bathroom.

"Oh no." Cigar guy shook his head. "No, no you don't." He said running towards the door.

Buffy put in a small bit of her Slayer speed and ran faster reaching it before him and closing it in his face, flicking the lock.

"We got to do something about this." He growled pointing to the door.

"About what?" Phoebe countered.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Faith and Piper looked at Buffy with wide eyes. "Hi," they chorused.

"Hi," Buffy said as she leaned in and kissed Faith.

"Miss me?" Faith chuckled, returning the kiss.

"We found the real killer." Piper informed Buffy with a smile and Buffy grinned.

"The owner of the magic club," Faith elaborated. "Name is Andrew Wyke."

"Can you prove it?" Buffy asked hopefully.

"That's the next step," Piper whispered.

"Okay well, you got to hurry because Phoebe and I are dying in there," Buffy begged pointing to the door behind her.

"It would be so much easier if we could just vanquish him," Piper stated turning to Faith and Leo.

"Ha. Ha." Leo joked, "You can't do that but you might be able to use your magic."

"Well, there is one guy I think Phoebe would agree that we'd love to turn into a warthog," Buffy informed them with a one shoulder shrug and Faith laughed quietly.

"Not on the jury," Leo corrected. "On the killer."

Faith turned to her uncle. "What like, scare him into confessing?" she asked.

"Is that smart?" Buffy wondered. "Showing our powers to the guy?"

"You think anybody's going to believe him if he says anything?" Leo asked looking skeptical.

"Not this jury," Buffy shook her head, indicating to the door just as cigar guy banged loudly on the other side. "Uh…Sorry!" she yelled through the wood. "Um…Can somebody find me a plunger?"

Piper face contorted in disgust while Faith's eyebrows rose at the words and they looked down at the toilet.

"What?" Buffy asked hands up, "Got to buy some time somehow and you should call Paige," she added as an after-thought. "Maybe there's a spell in the Book of Shadows we can use?" she suggested and Faith shrugged. "Okay go, go, go, go!" she ushered as Faith quickly kissed her before Leo orbed them all out.

Halliwell Manor

"Piper? Are you up there?" Paige yelled up to the attic as she climbed the stairs quickly, "What's the emergency? Faith?" she called walking through the attic door and stopping dead at the sight of Glenn sitting causally, his feet up and the Book of Shadows in his lap. "Oh my god, Glenn." She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she walked slowly toward her friend. "What are you doing up here?" she asked, sheer panic setting in.

Glenn's eyes remained on the book before him as he replied. "It's funny. See, after you left, I was still hungry so I opened the fridge," he explained nonchalantly. "I found some bags labelled, 'pig's feet' and 'rabbit blood' and 'frog's tongue.'"

Paige cringed, as he listed the potions ingredients that were in the fridge, wringing her hands nervously,

"So…" Glenn continued still looking at the book. "I decided to take a little look around. Found more than what I bargained for," he stated finally looking up to meet her panicked gaze.

"Look, I can explain everything, okay," Paige assured him closing the distance between them. "I really can. I'll just have to explain it later because if Piper finds us up here, she's going to…"

"Going to what?" Glenn asked his eyes wide in disbelief. "I just found out that your new sisters and nieces have you messing with the occult in a pretty serious way and you're worried how they're going to react?"

Paige sighed. "Okay 1: Faith and Buffy are going to freak. Phoebe is going to panic and Piper…" Her eyes widened as she stared Glenn in the eyes. "Piper is going to kill us both when she finds out and 2: we are not 'messing around' with the occult okay," she insisted rolling her eyes slightly, "We're…witches," she revealed and Glenn recoiled in his chair slightly. She bit her lip and continued, "My sisters, my nieces and I are born good witches. We do good magic."

Glenn shook his head and lifted the Book of Shadows sitting up straight. "This book is full of pictures of demons and warlocks."

"Well, demons and warlocks that we fight and destroy," Paige said elaborating on his statement.

Glenn scoffed. "These girls have you brainwashed. I mean how do you even know these are your sisters and nieces?"

Paige closed her eyes. "Glenn, you got to trust me, please?" she begged opening them again. "I am not brainwashed. I am still the same old Paige, only now if I…make a rhyme, magic happens." She chuckled hoping to lighten the mood a little.

"Paige," Glenn said seriously and her smile was gone.

"Look, you've been to Africa," she reminded him. "You've met those witch doctors on your travels, right?"

"Yeah but these guys were like one hundred years old, and they speak in tongues and…you're you," Glenn countered looking her up and down.

Paige exhaled sharply and dropped down beside him. "There is a spell in here…" She flipped through the pages purposefully.

"What?" Glenn cried shaking his head.

"To…stretch the imagination," she finished turning to him. "It should be able to help you understand and accept the truth about me."

Glenn frowned, "So…you're going to cast a spell on me?" he asked pointing to the book.

"With your permission," Paige added.

"And when nothing happens…" Glenn fished.

"When nothing happens, you can drag me off to the funny farm, tell them I've been brainwashed," Paige promised him then smiled wryly. "Believe me, I could use the vacation." She quipped turning another page. "Here it is," she announced taking Glenn's hand in hers and chanting. "Let mind and body soar to heights not reached before. Let limits stretch that you may catch. A new truth to explore"

Glenn lifted his shoulders and shook his body. "I don't feel any different," he informed her with a smirk.

Paige frowned. "That's weird. It always works."

"Aunt Paige? Where are you?" Faith's voice floated up the stairs and Paige cut her eyes to the attic door, her body visibly tensing.

"Oh god," Paige muttered turning to Glenn.

"Paige?" Piper's voice called sounding closer and Paige shot up.

"Oh god!" she cried and pulled Glenn to his feet. "We got to hide you," she informed him heading for the door. "Come on," she called sharply over her shoulder.

"No wait—whoa!" Glenn reached out to stop her and his arm stretched the few feet that was between them, his hand resting on her shoulder.

Paige turned her head to him, eyes wide and mouth agape. "Uh…it's the spell. Just pull it back," she instructed as calmly as possible.

Glenn remained panicked but did as she said and his arm came back to him. He raised his hand in front of his face and stared at it silently.

Paige spun around as she heard footsteps behind her and saw Faith, Piper and Leo enter the attic. "Oh!" she gasped then smiled sweetly. "I was uh…giving Glen a tour of the house," she lied and badly. "Next stop the basement. Come on, Glen. Why don't you get a head start?" She turned to him with a pointed stare and he slowly moved toward her still glancing at his hand in astonishment then sped by Piper and Faith.

Faith narrowed her eyes. "A tour? Of the attic?" she questioned and Paige nodded, shrugging slightly.

Piper squinted past her younger sister. Her hand flew out and gripped Faith's arm as she stared at the open Book of Shadows resting on the table in front of the couch.

Faith jumped when her aunt grabbed her arm and slowly followed Piper's line of sight. "You showed him the book?" she cried as Piper shifted her gaze back onto Paige, glaring at her menacingly.

Paige shirked away from the two deadly glares and cringed. "Well, he went into the fridge and he saw the potion ingredients so understandably he started looking around and he found the book."

"So…you didn't lock the attic?" Leo asked her and she shrugged.

"It didn't occur to me," Paige answered honestly, shrugging again.

Piper gawked. "What do you mean? I told you to lock all the doors before you go!" she reminded her youngest sister, gesturing wildly with her hands.

"Well I thought you meant the front door," Paige retorted going on the defense. "Maybe you should have been more specific."

"I was speaking in code!" Piper exclaimed throwing up her hands. "How can you be so nonchalant about this Paige? Glenn knows our secret! Do you have any idea how dangerous that is, not only to us but to him too?"

Paige placed her hands on her hips defiantly. "How is that any different than Buffy and Faith's friends knowing they are…"

"From what Buffy told me, she saved their lives from several vampires. She was against them knowing too much and even against them helping her at first," Faith informed her youngest aunt. "But they insisted. Buffy and Giles agreed it was better to put them to use helping Buffy than to have them go off fighting demons alone. Also, Buffy and I trust them with our lives."

"I trust Glenn," Paige reiterated stubbornly.

Piper shook her head. "But you're trusting him with a secret that is all of ours not just yours. I was even against Buffy and Faith's friends knowing we were the Charmed Ones let alone witches in the beginning. But when I learned that Willow, Xander and Oz had been helping Buffy for two years…"

"Honey, she didn't tell him about it," Leo mediated, placing a hand on the small of his wife's back to calm her. "He discovered it."

"Because P gave him the means to do so, Uncle Leo!" Faith said before Piper could reply.

Piper nodded, "Exactly!" she smacked her husband's chest, "If she hadn't let him stay here without discussing it first then we wouldn't even be having this conversation!"

"Okay so you're saying I have to choose between having any friends and being a witch?" Paige spat distastefully.

"Yes!" Piper yelled.

"No!" Faith countered as Piper looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Need I remind you, Aunt Piper, that my wife would be dead right now if not for Xander being her friend?" She looked back at Paige. "That said we should know who your telling because its not just your secret it's all of ours. We don't want the wrong person to find out. I remember a story mom told me of when she, Aunt Piper and Aunt Phoebe first became witches. Aunt Piper was dating a warlock, that she didn't know was a warlock at the time."

Paige sighed. "I see your point, Faith," she agreed.

"Now don't we have a job to do and a man to save?" Faith said looking at Piper. "I now have a migraine, I'm nauseous and really dizzy and all I want to do is go to bed and sleep but I can't do that until we fix this mess."

Piper nodded rubbing Faith's arm gently. "Okay, okay shh," she soothed calming herself. "You're right," she agreed then looked at Paige, "She's right. We do have a job to do so…let's go do it."

Paige nodded, "What do we have to do?" she asked looking to Leo for an answer.

Leo dipped his head towards his wife. "Piper will fill you in on the way. I need to go check on Buffy and Phoebe." And with that he orbed out, leaving them alone.

Courthouse - Jury Deliberation Room

"So actually, the origin of magic dates back to prehistoric times," Phoebe, who stood next to Buffy, concluded her long winded explanation of the history of magic.

The rest of the jurors sat around the table, now littered with balled up pieces of paper, cups of water and empty wrappers, stared at her desperate for the woman to just shut the hell up.

"Let's vote!" The foreman exclaimed jumping to his feet.

"Wait—" Buffy started

"No!" He cut her off, shaking his head. "No, we vote. Okay? If we can't agree we declare a hung jury." Everyone nodded while Phoebe and Buffy glanced at each other and shook their heads helplessly. "All in favor of a guilty verdict?"

"People please?" Phoebe yelled. "There is magic in the world. There are angels."

"Tanya…" Buffy turned to the woman, "…you could tell your mother that's she's right they're real. And there are fairies, they're real too," she insisted looking form person to person.

"Just think back to your childhood before you were too jaded to believe in them. And, and, and Cupid!" Phoebe cried eyes widening, "Not a myth! I mean, he doesn't actually use arrows, but, but he's real too!"

The foreman nodded with a smile then turned his head and yelled, "Bailiff!" shattering Phoebe and Buffy's momentary hope.

Buffy and Phoebe frowned, "What are you doing?" Buffy demanded.

The foreman smirked. "We don't have to declare a hung jury after all."

"We don't?" cigar guy questioned confused.

The door opened and the bailiff stepped inside. "Foreman?"

"Tell the judge that we have two jurors who's um..." he turned to Phoebe and Buffy, both of whom raised their eyebrows at him, "...not quite right. We're asking that they be dismissed and that you bring in two of the alternates."

"Are you kidding me?" Buffy exclaimed, one hand moving to her hip.

"And you all agree?" the bailiff asked, looking around the room at the nodding heads. "Okay."

"No, wait, wait, wait," Phoebe stuttered holding up her hands. "I have an idea. If Buffy and I can convince you, all of you, that magic really does exist, will that be enough reasonable doubt for an acquittal?"

"Ladies, you both are late for your shrink," cigar guy laughed shaking his head. "Like two years late."

Tanya narrowed her eyes at Phoebe and Buffy. "Well, what do you mean 'magic' like Siegfried and Roy stuff?" she questioned intrigued by Phoebe and Buffy's persistence.

"No," Buffy shook her head. "Phoebe means real magic."

"No trap door, no smoke, no mirrors, just real, supernatural magic," Phoebe promised wholeheartedly.

Cigar guy shook his head. "Come on, they're stalling."

"What's the matter?" Phoebe chirped leaning towards him. "Are you afraid we might actually be able to pull it off?" she taunted with a smirk.

Tanya shrugged, "Well, we've been here this long," she pointed out. "I say we let them take it on home."

Buffy and Phoebe beamed at her, feeling hope rising in their chests once more.

"Alright," the foreman relented. "But if you fail, you both vote guilty with the rest of us," he bargained and they remained silent. "Call the judge," he ordered.

"Okay," Buffy agreed as Phoebe sighed. "It's a deal."

"Alright." Tanya smiled sitting up straight and leaning forwards. "Show us some magic."

Phoebe turned to the bailiff, "We're going to need a few things. A sage stick, five white candles and—"

"A magic wand," cigar guy cut in laughing at his own bad joke.

"No." Buffy glared knowing what Phoebe intended to do. "Incense. We're going to summon the dead."

Wyke's Magic Club

Piper pocked her head through the door to the club, her eyes scanning the area for Wyke, "Clear," she announced and she, Paige and Faith slipped inside. "Okay, so the whole good witch bad witch thing?" she turned to her sister and niece, pointing at Faith. "You should be the bad witch cause, well, he already hates you so..." she shrugged her shoulders and smirked.

Paige frowned, "Wait, why does he hate you?"

"I got in his face," Faith answered looking around carefully.

"I'll back you up," Piper continued and glanced at her younger sister. "Paige, you play good cop."

Paige nodded, but her puzzled expression never wavered. "Okay but…wouldn't that risk exposing our powers?"

Piper shook her head. "No, we're only showing our powers to Wyke and once we get him to talk, we'll use the tape to force him to confess to the police," she explained.

Paige pulled out the tape recorder just to make sure she still had it, then concealed it in her bag once more. She then narrowed her eyes at her sister and niece. "So, it's okay to show our powers to a murderer but not to Glenn?" she asked.

Piper turned sharply. "Saving an innocent's life is worth the risk, Paige. Entertaining friends is not," she snapped as the closed curtains in front of them flew open to reveal Wyke.

Faith tilted her head toward Piper who slowly moved toward Wyke who had his back to them. Wyke felt eyes on him and turned around slowly.

Piper smirked. "Boo." She flicked her wrist at him, blowing up the bucket in his hand.

Wyke drew his hand towards him as he shielded his face. "What the hell!"

Faith smiled at him, "Remember us."

Wyke's eyes widened. "What are you?" he demanded stepping forward. "What do you want?"

"We want a confession," Piper answered. "That's what we want." She smirked then flicked her wrist again and blew up the large box behind him.

Paige leaned into her sister. "Careful Piper, you might kill him."

Piper bit her lip. "Right, that would not help." Paige shook her head in agreement and she nodded, "Right."

Faith took a step toward him as he insisted, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Faith's eyebrows rose, "Oh really?" she asked and he nodded, "Huh, hey Wyke?" she called and his eyes strayed back to her, "You ever wandered what it was like to be on fire?" she asked him, one hand on her hip.

"What?" Wyke cried shaking his head.

Faith raised her arm, hand out in front of her as a fireball formed in it. She tossed it narrowly missing him. "Next time I won't miss unless you admit that you killed Angela Provozoli."

Wyke shook his head. "I didn't."

Faith narrowed her eyes. "Yes, you did. Angela found out about your money laundering operation, threatened to report you so you killed her, didn't you?" When he remained silent another fireball formed in her hand.

Paige's eyes widened. "I've never seen her like this, pal. You might want to talk," she advised him glancing at Faith.

Piper nodded, "Yeah, buddy. She will kill you and…" she glanced at Paige, "Paige and I won't stop her." But he still remained quiet and Faith threw the fireball.

Wyke dove to the ground thinking Faith threw it at him as promised. It flew beside him once again narrowly missing him. He shakily pushed himself to his feet.

"Alright, this isn't working," Faith announced then tilted her head. "And I'm bored, so let's just kill him and go home," she addressed her aunts who nodded.

Wyke's eyes widened and he shook his head. "You wouldn't."

Faith cut her eyes to him; her voice dangerously low as she spat, "I would." As a fireball formed in both of her hands this time, her eyes focused solely on Wyke.

If possible, Wyke's eyes bulged even further as she readied to throw them both.

Faith cocked her head to the right, "You going to start talking now? Or are you going to be burning to death?" she asked.

Wyke started nodding his head vigorously.

"Is that a yes?" Faith asked and he nodded more. She smiled as she extinguished the fireballs. She folded her arms across her chest. "Well? We're waiting."

"I admit it," he said. "I admit it I killed her. She was ready to march the cops down to Pier 86. If I hadn't killed her, they would've and then they would have killed me!"

Piper, Paige and Faith frowned, glancing at one another curiously.

"Who? The cops?" Piper demanded and he shook his head.

"No. No, not the cops," he replied fearfully. "They—look, believe me, you don't want to know." He warned walking backwards.

"Try me!" Faith snapped lifting her hand threateningly.

Wyke pulled something from his back pocket and smashed it on the ground, smoke surrounding him and he disappeared.

"What the—" Piper turned quickly in a circle, looking around the room.

"He's pretty good," Paige commented offhandedly.

"Son of a bitch!" Faith fumed.

Piper creased her brow and jumped up on the stage. "Where'd he go?" she asked as her sisters joined her, "There's got to be a trap door," she muttered.

Faith lifted the rug off the stage and dropped it on the floor. "Oh! Here." She pointed to the small trapdoor and Piper tugged on it.

"How does this thing work?" Piper asked trying again.

"There's got to be stairs here." Paige summarized looking around and then pulling her sister and niece to the left.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

Wyke jumped to his feet and his body froze as he caught sight of the red-eyed black rat across from him. He held up his hands, "Alright, don't," he begged watching the rodent carefully. "I can explain," he assured it as the rat was engulfed in a bright red glow, transforming into a red-eyed man in black.

"You stupid human!" the rat-man seethed. "You told the witches and the Slayer everything and they got it on tape."

"So what?" Wyke asked, with a small shrug. "They'll never find out anything about you guys."

The rat-man glared. "Not from you they won't," he agreed maliciously then outstretched his hand and Wyke was engulfed in the same red glow only he turned into a rat. The rat-man smiled wickedly. "Dinner time," he called with an evil cackle as numerous rats scurried out of their holes and attacked Wyke, nibbling at him as his fur turned red, turning him into their meal.

The rat-man froze as he heard movement from behind then quickly morphed back into his rat form as Piper, Paige and Faith came clambering down the wooden stairs.

"Ah!" Paige squeaked as she spied the rat which quickly scampered.

Piper smirked in amusement. "What, demons you can handle but not rats?" she teased then caught sight of the small group devouring Wyke in his now rat state. "Oh!" she screamed, covering her mouth in shock.

Paige smirked but grimaced at the sight. "Right back at you," she retorted nudging her sister with her elbow.

Faith turned to what they were staring at. "Oh my-urgh!" she cried shuddering and turning away, the smell of the rats making her nauseous. "Okay, that smell is…urgh!" she shuddered again and walked briskly towards the stairs

"Come on," Paige muttered pushing Piper towards the stairs after Faith.

Halliwell Manor

"I don't get it," Paige stated as she and her sisters came through the door. "Where'd he go?"

"Is hell too much to hope for?" Piper asked deadpanned.

"Maybe the killer rats ate him," Faith cried shaking her head and shuddering.

"Ew!" Piper screwed up her face in disgust and whirled to her niece. "Why would you say that!"

Paige rolled her eyes at her sister and niece and moved on. "Well, at least we got his taped confession," she pointed out, looking on the bright side.

"Yeah," Piper agreed but her tone was grim. "But that's not gonna save Stan, or Buffy and Phoebe for that matter."

"Why don't we just give it to the police?" Paige asked as she followed her older sister and her niece into the sitting room, none of them noticing Glenn sneaking down the stairs to listen in.

"Because without Wyke, the confession is no good," Faith answered. "Uncle Darryl could open an investigation but not in time to exonerate Stan Provozoli."

"So what? We're supposed to go find Wyke?" Paige asked sounding unconvinced. "How are we going to do that? We have no idea where he is," she pointed out as Glenn crouched down behind the Grandfather clock.

He stretched his arm into the room and squeezed Paige's ass to get her attention.

"Ah!" Paige shrieked and turned her head, glaring at him as he smirked.

"What?" Piper asked as she stood up from lighting the fireplace.

"What?" Paige uttered.

"That noise," Faith elaborated from beside Piper.

"Noise?" Paige echoed again shrugging her shoulders and looking around.

"I feel like I'm in Switzerland," Piper commented as she and Faith approached Paige slowly.

"Switzerland?" Paige questioned and Piper pointed.

"There it is again," Faith nodded at her.

"What?" Paige asked eyes wide.

"That annoying echo." Piper answered her eyes narrowing. "Paige, what's going on?"

"Nothing. Nothing's going on, Piper," Paige assured her as Glen stretched his arm again and squeezed Piper's leg.

"Ah!" Piper cried turning around.

Faith frowned. "What the hell?" she demanded just as Glenn grabbed her leg too. "What the—Hey!" she yelled as she and Piper moved towards the clock.

Paige shook her head. "No! You guys, don't!"

"You!" Piper cried pointing an accusing finger at Glenn who shot to his feet. "You cast a spell on him! Are you crazy?" she exclaimed loudly turning on Paige.

Paige sighed. "I'm not but somebody is." She cut her eyes to Glenn who shrugged.

"I was just trying to have some fun," he defended himself. "Sorry," he apologized with a smile.

"Ooh." Piper seethed her hands moving to her hips. "It's not supposed to be fun for you okay? It's not for you at all! Magic is not a toy. It's a responsibility with dangerous consequences," she reprimanded him seriously.

Glenn stuffed his hands in his pockets and sighed. "Well then…I guess I better call off the tabloids."

Faith's eyes narrowed and she took a dangerous step forward. "What did you just say?" she growled in anger just as Piper flicked her wrist freezing the irritating boy.

Paige regarded her sister and niece carefully. "He was just making a bad joke," she defended her best friend.

Piper scoffed. "Yeah, funny how that's the first thing that came to his mind," she snapped her eyes still on the now frozen Glenn.

"He just thought he was being funny," Paige continued, her voice calm and understanding, knowing how her friend worked. "Nobody got hurt."

Piper glared. "Maybe you'd feel a little differently if you'd been around longer."

Paige winced inwardly, the dig at her absence stinging and she closed her eyes.

Faith sighed. "P…jokes like that are not funny in this house," she explained gently, seeing that her eldest aunt was upset. "We were exposed because somebody found out our secret and me, Aunt Piper and Buffy all almost joined mom." She reached out and squeezed Paige's hand to let her know that she and Piper weren't angry at her, well not much.

Leo orbed in at that moment and pointed to the frozen Glenn as he approached his wife who waved a dismissive hand. "Don't ask."

Leo nodded, knowing when to push and when to let go. "Did you get Wyke to confess?" he asked looking between the three.

"Yeah and then we lost him," Faith informed him bitterly. "How's Buffy and Aunt Phoebe?" she asked as she softly rubbed her hand up and down Piper's back.

"Not so good." Leo shook his head, eyes lingering on his wife who was looking at the floor. "They're trying to summon the victim, Angela."

Piper's head shot up at that. "What?" she gasped as Faith's eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"Wait a minute," Paige held up one hand. "So, it's not okay for me to tell my best friend Glenn that I'm a witch, but it's okay for Phoebe and Buffy to tell an entire room of strangers?"

"P, enough!" Faith barked, hands on her hips. "I love you; you know I do. But this is going too far. I am fairly certain Aunt Piper is going to have some words later about your friend."

Leo looked between Piper, Paige and Faith. He continued, hoping to ease some of the sudden tension. "The other jurors were going to kick them off the jury," he explained why Phoebe and Buffy were doing it. "I think it was worth a try, only it's not going so good. I believe they need the Power of Three."

Piper shook her head. "Yeah well, they're not going to get it," she resisted. "It's better for them to think Phoebe and Buffy are a nut job than think they're witches."

Leo frowned in disbelief. "There's an innocent man at stake, Piper."

"They'll convict him and then we'll go to the police. There'll be a new trial and they'll release him," Piper insisted.

"You don't know that," Leo told her and she sighed.

"He's right, Aunt Piper," Faith agreed and Piper looked at her in outrage. "I know, I don't like it either but we have no other choice." She smiled at her eldest aunt who shook her head but took her hand. "Good. Now I have an idea."

Piper chuckled this time as she looked up, "Of course you do."

Faith smiled proudly. "Of course, I do and I'll explain on the way."

"What about him?" Leo asked pointing to Glenn and Piper huffed.

"Just unfreeze him," Paige told her. "He won't tell anybody," she promised and Piper reluctantly waved her hand.

Glenn frowned. "What—?" He looked at Leo. "Where'd you come from?"

Paige stepped forward. "Just stay here, order a pizza. I'll be back soon," she said with a smile and kissed his cheek then she orbed out with Leo, Piper and Faith.

"What?" Glenn's eyes bulged as he watched them disappear in bright blue lights. "Where did they go?" he asked aloud as the same re-eyed rat scurried towards him.

Courthouse - Jury Deliberation Room

"Beloved spirit Angela, I seek your guidance." Phoebe and Buffy chanted loudly and clearly, "I ask that you commune with me and move among us," they concluded looking at the circle with hopeful eyes.

Phoebe and Buffy glanced at each other when nothing happened and made to begin again, "Beloved spirit Angela—"

"That's enough," the foreman announced. "Bailiff!" he called and the bailiff entered. "Tell the judge that we've reached a verdict."

"Yeah," cigar guy agreed. "A deal's a deal. All those in favor of guilty?" he asked and everybody raised their hands.

"I'll get the lights," Tanya informed them pushing out of her seat.

"Beloved spirit Angela, I seek your guidance." Phoebe and Buffy tried again, loudly. "I ask that you commune with me and move among us," they said quickly, desperately, just as the bathroom door opened and a hand peeked out and the room froze.

Phoebe and Buffy spun toward the door as Piper, Paige, Faith and Leo stepped out.

"Phoebe…Buffy." Piper glared. "Eleven jurors?"

Phoebe nodded. "I know. I know, but this guy is innocent," she insisted firmly. "And he's being persecuted for having the same gift that I do so if you guys aren't here to help us summon Angela—"

"We are," Piper interrupted her little rant and Phoebe's eyes widened in surprise while Paige's brow furrowed in confusion.

"We are?" Paige questioned turning to her older sister.

"Yes," Faith nodded then she and Piper turned to Leo. "But only if you help us clean it up after we're done."

"No," Leo replied instantly.

Piper's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean 'no?' You've done it before!" she snapped, hands on her hips.

"No," Leo repeated firmly. "It is completely forbidden, except in cases of dire emergency."

"What's forbidden?" Paige interrupted, arms folded and glancing between all four.

"Using memory dust on people," Piper replied, keeping hard eyes on her husband.

"Oh my god!" Phoebe exclaimed. "That is brilliant." She smiled slightly. "We'll erase their short-term memories after they vote not guilty."

"Wait a second," Buffy turned to Leo questioningly. "Whitelighters can erase people's memories with some sort of special dust? Why don't you just use it all the time?"

"Because you don't know what you might be erasing," Leo explained looking pointedly at his wife. "Doctors' appointments, children's birthdays..."

"Leo, this is an emergency," Piper insisted. "I cannot live with these people knowing our secret, knowing that at any minute we could have to relive the exposure hell that we went through when Prue died." She met his eyes and stared into them pleadingly. "How are we supposed to take the next step together if we have that hanging over our heads?" she asked with a pointedly raised eyebrow, the next step being kids.

"Aunt Piper has a very good point, Uncle Leo," Faith agreed. "How are Buffy and I going to raise our daughter in a world like that?"

Leo sighed and nodded, "Okay." And with that Phoebe and Buffy moved back to the head of the table, Buffy on her right and Piper and Paige on their left.

"Here these words, hear our cry, Spirit from the other side. Come to us, we summon thee, Cross now the great divide." They chanted together and then Phoebe and Buffy continued on their own. "Beloved spirit Angela, we seek your guidance," Buffy and Phoebe chanted still holding hands with the other Halliwells. "We ask that you commune with us and move amongst us."

"Cold wind," Leo stated. "That's our cue."

"See you later." Piper nodded then moved toward Leo, Faith and Paige disappearing into the bathroom again.

Buffy and Phoebe smiled. "Okay. Thank you, thank you," Phoebe said as she and Buffy grinned.

Piper and Leo disappeared inside too and Piper quickly unfroze the room before closing the door and orbing out.

The eleven jurors unfroze as a ghostly mist appeared above the table in the circle.

"Are you all seeing that?" Tanya asked, back in her seat and staring at the mist with wide eyes.

"Dear god!" the foreman exclaimed as a bright light appeared in the center of the mist, the two combining to create the transparent form of Angela Provozoli.

"What happened?" Angela asked looking around. "Where am I?"

"We summoned you, Angela," Buffy informed her gently, "We need your help. Actually, your ex-husband needs your help."

"Stan? Why?" Angela asked, frowning in concern.

"He's on trial for your murder," Phoebe explained as the cigar guy moved around the table looking for anything that would explain this occurrence other than the existence of magic.

"Stan?" Angela gasped. "Are you kidding? He couldn't hurt a fly. Even his gift terrified him."

"His gift?" Buffy echoed and Angela nodded.

Cigar guy sliced his hand through Angela's form and Phoebe frowned.

"What are you doing?" Phoebe demanded tersely.

"I'm looking for wires," he told Phoebe. "This is some kind of trick."

"Did you find any?" Phoebe asked and he slowly moved away.

"What about his gift?" Buffy asked.

"Stan could see things: the past, the future," Angela explained. "It scared him. He hated it. That's why he never nurtured it. All the good he could've done…wasted," she mused sadly.

"So, he didn't kill you?" Phoebe asked, getting to the reason for summoning the dead spirit.

"No," Angela replied firmly. "The club owner did. Andrew Wyke," she revealed looking Phoebe and Buffy in the eyes. "I found out he was laundering money from some company at Pier 86. Stan warned me to keep it to myself," she told Phoebe and Buffy, tears stinging her eyes as she shook her head. "But I didn't. He…is a good man. He is an innocent man." And with that she began to fade away. "Blessed be."

"Blessed be," Buffy echoed as Angela disappeared into the light.

Phoebe looked from one juror to another before asking, "Shall we vote?"

Courtroom

"Not guilty," the foreman announced to the room.

"Unbelievable," Provozoli's lawyer whispered to himself, shaking his head.

The judge turned to the panel of jurors. "So, say you one?" he asked and they nodded, "So say you all?" the judge nodded. "This case is dismissed. The defendant is hereby released, and this court is adjourned," he concluded with a bang of his gavel and everyone stood.

"Dust 'em, honey." Piper smiled to her husband and he nodded standing to his feet.

"Don't forget the bailiff," Paige whispered as he went past standing up also, along with her sister and niece.

"I don't understand," Provozoli exclaimed shaking his head as he approached Faith and Piper. "How'd you do it?"

"We didn't," Faith answered and he turned to her quizzically. "Angela did," she informed him with a smile.

"Hi," Phoebe and Buffy greeted as they approached the small group.

Stan Provozoli turned to them. "Hi." He reached out to shake first Phoebe and then Buffy's hands.

"You have a very special gift," Phoebe told him with a smile. "And you did the right thing by going to the police. It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks all that matters is that you used your gift to help people." She smiled at him, "That's a beautiful thing," she assured him and he smiled.

Halliwell Manor

"So, you guys have told people about being witches lots of times?" Paige asked as they arrived back home.

"Yes, innocents," Piper replied. "And only when we didn't have any other choice."

"The same is true with me as the Slayer," Buffy added. "The only reason Xander and Willow know is because I saved their lives from some vamps. And they wanted to help me protect Sunnydale. We became the best of friends. I never really mentioned that I was the Slayer to anyone else, but people knew. I even got this little award by the graduating class for saving so many of my fellow classmates."

"Our secret is never more important than saving somebody's life," Phoebe added seriously.

"Can't you guys just enjoy saving this innocent for a minute and a half before getting back to the great debate?" Leo asked.

"Leo's right, we got the guy," Buffy agreed as everyone nodded.

"Yeah and now…" Faith fell against Buffy and rested her head on her wife's shoulder. "I am so ready for bed," she sighed closing her eyes.

Buffy frowned. "You okay, baby?" she asked and Faith shook her head. "You're a little clammy," she said placing one hand on Faith's forehead.

"Maybe she's coming down with something?" Phoebe suggested moving to Faith's side.

Faith sighed then looked longingly towards her wife only to jump out of Phoebe's arm with a gasp at what she saw over Buffy's shoulder, causing everyone else follow her gaze toward the stairs.

"Oh my god!" Phoebe gasped eyes wide, as Piper's hands went to her mouth.

"Glenn!" Paige exclaimed, panic setting in as she saw her best friend hovering in the air with a red ring around his neck, gasping for air.

"Rat!" Phoebe squeaked pointing to the stairs before the landing and it morphed into the red-eyed rat-man.

The rat-man raced toward Glenn and sneered. "You have one hour to deliver the tape, or stretch here is dead." He smirked before speeding down the stairs and past the Halliwells knocking Phoebe, Faith and Buffy to the ground as he sped out of the door, smashing it to smithereens.

0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0

"Paige it's going to be okay," Piper assured her panicked and pacing youngest sister calmly. "Just try to breathe."

"Oh my god. If anything happens to him—" Paige shook her head.

"We won't let it," Piper promised her determinedly.

"Yeah people get captured around us all the time," Faith said offhandedly with a shrug.

"Faith!" Phoebe snapped with wide eyes.

"What she means is that this has happened before and we've dealt with it," Piper interjected. "Glenn is going to be just fine; I promise you that."

Paige exhaled sharply. "When did this demon become involved? I thought this killer was supposed to be human?"

"He was," Buffy replied. "But apparently he was fronting for demons."

"That would explain how Wyke just…disappeared," Faith pointed out and Phoebe nodded.

"Since when do demons give a rat's ass-no pun intended-about laundering money?" Piper demanded tersely looking to her husband.

"Because they need money to insinuate themselves into our world," Leo explained calmly. "To buy clothes, rent apartments, to fit in with us."

"That's probably the same way they made Cole legitimate when he was a demon," Phoebe added. "I mean they put him through law school."

Piper nodded. "Which put him in a position to hurt us," she stated as Phoebe kicked her leg.

Piper held up her hands. "Water under the bridge," she assured Phoebe, who narrowed her eyes turning to Faith and Buffy, both of whom nodded reluctantly.

"How is any of this going to help us get Glenn back?" Paige demanded, sick of their counter-productive conversation. "Even if we give that rat-demon thing the tape, what's to stop him from killing Glenn? We have no leverage." She cried desperately.

"Okay, do we have to call him the rat-demon?" Phoebe asked looking around. "Because it's very hard to be appropriately frightened." She chuckled and Paige glared.

Faith approached Paige, rubbing her arms comfortingly. "Breathe, remember," she whispered and Paige shook her head.

"We could go over his head?" Leo suggested and the Halliwells all turned to him blankly. "Look I guarantee you that this club is just the tip of the iceberg. I mean if we went to rat-demons—But what are we supposed to call him?" he asked Phoebe who shrugged.

"One-hour Leo," Paige reminded him. "We have one hour."

"Right." Leo nodded getting back on track. "Look, so if we go to their bosses and we threaten to expose their entire operation, they're not going to be very pleased with him."

"So, we offer him up in exchange for Glenn," Piper concluded. "Might work." She shrugged.

"Might work?" Paige uttered incredulously. "It has to work."

"It will work," Buffy assured shooting Piper a look.

"Right, so the only question is, where is demon central?" Piper asked the room.

"Angela said something about Pier 86," Phoebe said sitting forward in her seat as Buffy nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, so did Wyke," Faith added looking at Piper who nodded. "So, I guess we split up. Aunt Phoebe…Buffy, since you two have stalling down to a fine art, you two and Aunt Paige go to the club and buy some time. Me and Aunt Piper will go down to—"

"No," Paige interrupted with a shake of her head. "No, I'm going to go," she insisted.

"Well, Piper and Faith have more firepower—" Phoebe tried to reason.

"I'll just have Leo orb me out of there if it gets too hairy," Paige promised but the rest of her family remained unconvinced. "I'm the one who put, Glenn, my best friend in mass amounts of danger. So, I'm going to get him out."

"No, we're going to get him out," Faith corrected turning to Paige pointedly, "You can switch places with Piper: we'll go down to the pier and you three—" she turned to Piper, Buffy and Phoebe, "—can stall. It makes more sense, splitting up the two most active powers, it's safer. So does splitting the people who can teleport," she explained and Paige nodded eagerly in agreement.

Piper nodded. "Maybe, if you were 100% but you're not."

Faith smiled. "I will be fine. It's Glenn I'm worried about."

"Alright," Paige grabbed her and Faith's jackets from the back of the couch. "Just do me a favor and keep him alive at the club until we get back."

Pier 86

"I don't know if this is the right place." Leo queried as he, Paige and Faith materialized at their destination.

"Rats," Leo surveyed. "Listen," he instructed and Paige shivered at the squeaking.

"Yeah, we're definitely in the right place," Faith assured her aunt who started forward pulling her with her.

"Oh!" Faith cried grabbing Paige's hand, halting her.

Paige turned back to Faith and frowned seeing her niece holding her head, "You okay?" she and Leo asked at the same time.

"Dizzy," Faith mumbled then straightened up and walked forward. "I'll be fine, c'mon."

Leo and Paige nodded staying close to Faith as they looked around. "There are a lot of rats," Paige said.

Leo turned to Paige. "Yeah, maybe we should go."

Paige's eyes widened, "No! They've got Glenn," she reminded them. "Okay uh…listen up!" she yelled loudly getting the rats' attention. "We know what you're doing. We're prepared to tell everyone and just so you know, killing us won't help! My sisters and my niece's wife will take you down!" she looked around her. "Maybe you've heard of me and my sisters…The Charmed Ones? Or my nieces…both of whom are Slayers?" she yelled with a small smirk. "Now who am I talking too!" she demanded looking around and three of the rats glowed red and morphed into very large men, followed by the rest of the rats surrounding them.

Faith turned behind her and placed her hands on her hips. "I knew we were being surrounded. And just so you know I am not only a Slayer, but I am the Source's chosen heir."

They looked forward as three more rats morphed into men, the one in the middle appearing to be the boss. He walked forwards slowly and leered at the two women, "We're listening."

Wyke's Magic Club

Piper, Phoebe and Buffy walked slowly through the darkened and deserted club, eyes alert as they listened for any signs of movement.

"The tape," the rat-demon commanded from the stage, holding out his hand expectantly.

"Where's our friend mouse-man," Piper demanded.

"After I get the tape," he retorted.

"No," Phoebe shook her head sharply. "Before." She glared at him sternly and Piper folded her arms defiantly.

"I could take it from you," he threatened.

Buffy tilted her head. "You could try," she said as she disappeared from beside Phoebe in a swirl of fiery flames to reappear next to Piper.

The rat-demon glared at them before dipping his head and magically pulling back the curtain behind him to reveal Glenn, still hovering above the ground and still struggling for air.

"Just so you know…" the rat-demon sneered, "…if anything happens to me, anything at all, the ring will decapitate him," he informed pointing to the red circle around Glenn's throat.

"That's new," Piper panicked and Phoebe turned to her.

"So much for a quick getaway," Phoebe whispered back.

The rat-demon stepped forward again and held out his hand.

Phoebe took a breath and walked forward, reluctantly handing over the tape.

"Are there any copies?" he demanded.

"No," Phoebe shook her head.

"Now let him go!" Buffy ordered scowling but instead the rat-demon clenched his fist and tightened the ring around Glenn's throat.

"Hey!" Piper yelled jumping forward.

"What are you doing?" Phoebe gasped, her eyes on Glenn.

The rat-demon shrugged. "I'm a rat. What'd you expect?"

Piper raised her hands but Phoebe grabbed them. "Don't. Don't. It might chop off Glenn's head."

"Well what am I supposed to do?" Piper cried; eyes wide.

"Enjoy the show!" the rat-demon laughed wickedly which quickly turned into a pained cry as his body caught fire and he burned into nothing.

Piper frowned while Buffy and Phoebe's eyebrows rose. Phoebeleaned towards her sister, "Did we just do that?" she asked as three more demons appeared on stage, one holding up his hand to Glenn, keeping the ring in place.

Leo, Faith and Paige orbed in by the stairs and Paige ran up them to Glenn.

Faith's eye's narrowed dangerously as she followed, staring at the three other demons. "Let him go!" she ordered and he held up the tape.

"This the only copy."

Faith nodded. "Yes."

"How do we know?" he queried, black eyes becoming slits.

"You don't," Faith replied simply. "But we had a deal and if you don't hold up your end then I swear to god I'll kill you," she threatened as a fireball formed in her hand.

The demon merely chuckled. "But then that would kill the boy," he snarled, tilting his head towards Glenn. "And apparently your aunt does not want that."

"Faith," Paige said desperately as she gripped Glenn's hand tightly.

Faith glanced toward Paiger and then back to the rat-demon boss, who smirked and tightened his hold on Glenn further.

"He's a rat!" Piper snapped addressing her older sister, "Apparently they aren't trustworthy."

Buffy's eyes fell on the two rat-demons by his side, his most trustworthy and she smirked. "Well, I suppose that would kill him but, if you don't release Glenn…" she said stepping up beside her wife. She turned her eyes on the nearest demon and raised her hand, slowly curling it into a fist.

The rat-demon boss turned sharply to his fellow demon as he began gasping for air and clutching at his neck. He glared at Buffy dangerously, "What are you doing to him?"

Faith smiled. "My wife is chocking him to death." She nodded to Glenn. "Kind of like you're doing to our friend over there. Now, unfortunately Buffy cannot decapitate your little friend like you can ours but, she can, however snap his neck."

Buffy smiled and tightened her hold on the demon who fell to his knees.

Phoebe stood watching with wide eyes while Piper merely watched, a smirk firmly in place. Phoebe glanced behind her to Leo whose expression, she was sure, mirrored her own. "Piper?" she whispered leaning close. "Since when can she do that?"

Piper leaned closer also. " Buffy has likely been practicing."

The rat-demon glanced between the two captives and growled, "What do you want?"

Buffy chuckled, "You already know what we want. Release him," she ordered jerking her head in Glenn's direction.

"And you'll release my demon?" he asked and Buffy nodded, "How can I trust you?" he queried.

Faith shrugged. "We're the good guys remember," she pointed out and the demon sighed before releasing Glen with a wave of his hand.

Glenn dropped to the ground hard, Paige by his side in an instant.

Buffy smiled. "Thank you." She slowly unclenched her fist, releasing her hold on the demon.

The rat-demon boss smirked. "I guess we'll call this one a draw." He nodded to Buffy and Faith and then shimmered out.

Phoebe turned to her nieces with wide eyes. Buffy and Faith shrugged smirking proudly to her before shifting her eyes towards Paige and Glenn, who was still gasping for air.

Paige smiled and mouthed 'thank you'

November 13, 2001 - Tuesday

Halliwell Manor

"Almost done." Leo smiled as he stood to his feet in front of the newly installed double doors.

Piper placed her hands on her hips. "This is taking too long," she whined with a smile. "Can't you just use a little magic?" she asked with a sweet smile.

"Well, don't you think we've used enough magic lately?" he asked pointedly and Piper shrugged. "Besides I like working with my hands," he told her, walking toward his wife.

Piper smirked. "Yeah...I kind of like a guy in a tool belt."

"Really?" Leo smirked and she nodded as he grabbed her hips and pulled her toward him until her lips met his.

Paige cleared her throat loudly as she and Glenn approached the couple.

Piper turned to the sound but kept one arm around her husband's neck. "Oh, leaving so soon?" she asked Glenn with a smile.

"Yeah," Paige replied leaning into his side. "Glenn's going to go stay with a friend of his across the Bay."

"Hmmm," Piper replied slipping her arm from around her husband's neck and turning to them fully. "I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to hang around here." The sarcasm dripping as she crossed her arms casually.

Glenn laughed good-naturedly. "Yeah, well, I like adventure. Just not that much adventure."

"So, you're going to stick around a while then?" Leo asked and he nodded.

"Yeah." Glenn pulled Paige toward him. "Keep an eye on noogie here."

Piper's eyes widened and she laughed, "Noogie?"

"Glenn, I think it's time for you to go," Paige interrupted loudly, pushing him towards the door.

"Oh, you're going?" Faith asked as she and Buffy descended the stairs and approached the small group. "Huh...I wonder why." She smirked folding her arms also and elicited laughter once again.

Buffy smiled. "Goodbye, Glenn."

Glenn nodded. "Bye, Buffy…Faith, and thanks."

Buffy and Faith nodded. "You're welcome," they said.

Glenn offered his hand to Piper. "Thanks."

Piper nodded and shook it then pulled.

"I reversed the spell," Paige said knowingly.

Piper shrugged. "Just checking."

"Bye." He nodded to Leo before kissing Paige soundly on the lips.

"Bye, you." Paige smiled as he disappeared out of the door.

Paige turned to her sisters and nieces who were now standing side by side, arms crossed and sighed. "Okay, do you want it now?" she asked hands on her hips. "Or should I e-mail it to you?"

"What?" Piper asked with a smirk.

"My apology," Paige elaborated. "You guys were right. Keeping our secret is the most important thing and I should have listened to you." She narrowed her eyes. "Do you want more? Should I keep on groveling?"

"As fun as that would be..." Piper shook her head as Paige walked into her waiting arms. "I'm sorry too," she apologized. "I don't do the whole disappointed-reprimanding-big-sister rouse very often and I can be a little harsh but it's part of my charm. You'll learn to love me for it." She grinned, squeezing Paige's shoulder.

Paige smiled. "It's fine," she assured her. "Really but thank you anyway."

"Wow!" Phoebe exclaimed as she came through the front door. "We actually have a door." She smiled at Leo who grinned proudly. "Imagine that."

"Imagine that," Faith agreed and Phoebe looked at her. "What?" she asked, frowning.

"You're looking a little better," Phoebe observed with a pleased smile.

"Yeah we'll I'm feeling a little better I guess," Faith replied and shrugged.

Buffy smiled. "So, how's the jury?" she asked, addressing Phoebe.

"Fine," Phoebe nodded, "I knocked on Tanya's door and she thought I was the Avon lady." She smiled pulling off her jacket. "So, good job, Leo."

"Thanks," he replied but looked down. "But I don't want to talk about it, ever."

Paige bit her lip as she asked, "Can 'ever' wait for a minute or so?"

Leo's face fell. "Uh-oh."

"I was thinking maybe we should use some of that dust on Glenn." She shared glancing towards her sisters and nieces. "You know, I don't want you guys to have to be nervous."

"Aww!" Phoebe grinned at her little sister.

"Well..." Piper said slowly, angling her head towards Paige. "Do you think he's going to tell anybody?" she asked, eyebrows raised expectantly.

"No," Paige answered without a second's hesitation.

"And you trust him completely?" Phoebe asked with a smile.

"Yes." Paige nodded smiling.

"Then so do we," Piper concluded firmly.

"Thank god!" Leo muttered looking away.

"And whether we think it's smart or not..." Phoebe walked toward Piper and Paige, "...at least you have one person outside the family that you can talk to." She smiled, throwing an arm around Paige's shoulder.

Piper nodded, "Yeah...but uh...let's just keep it to the one hmmmm?"

"Why one?" Paige questioned. "Buffy and Faith got more than one."

"Its different with them though, Paige," Piper admitted. "With the exception of Xander and Rupert, their friends aren't mortal. Willow is a witch and Oz is a werewolf."

"On top of that," Buffy added. "They've been helping me since I moved to Sunnydale. But to be fair I never told anyone. Xander overheard me and Giles talking. Giles is my Watcher or was, since he was fired back in January. And I saved Willow's life. Giles gave them the talk about vampires and told them to keep my identity a secret. Suffice to say they insisted on helping me. Once their eyes had been opened…"

"They couldn't close them," Paige said in understanding.