Revelations of the Ultimate Kind

by PrueAndyForever

NEW CHAPTER. Piper, Phoebe and Paige try to move on with their lives after the Ultimate Battle but come to learn some shocking truths about their oldest sister. A new prophecy is unearthed, an old evil is resurrected, and Billie uncovers a secret.

41. Old Foes And Family Alliances

Hi, everybody.

Well, as you can obviously tell, it's been many years since I touched this story. I was uncertain about returning to it and just never found the motivation to come back but given the time I've spent at home with recent current events, the reboot, and Charmed re-watches, I felt a jolt of inspiration to pick it up again. I originally had sort of a trilogy planned for this, but we'll see where it goes. I would like to at least finish this one.

Not sure who will still be reading but I wanted to make readers aware that there are definitely revisions in some of the chapters. I actually started looking at the story again over the summer and it took me months to go over the entire thing, chapter by chapter. I shifted some dialogue a little bit to sound better, added some stuff here or there but the story and its subplots are still the same. I went through the entire story to jog my memory with the direction I was going in and made edits wherever I felt it was needed. Obviously, this is a moot point to any new readers who may start the story from scratch and perhaps even to old readers since it's been so long anyway.

Whoever decides to read, though, hope you enjoy.

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Chapter 40: Old Foes and Family Alliances

(Present - 2007)

It happened fast and without any time to deliver a successful defense.

Evil Wyatt, Sarah, and a band of obedient demons began chanting and before the Halliwell residents could register what was happening, they were trapped. A huge electrical force field sprang up and surrounded everyone standing on the first floor.

"No!" Future Melinda pleaded taking some steps forward. She turned and saw Andy about to make contact with the force field. Future Molly saw it too.

"What the hell?" Andy exclaimed.

"No, Dad, wait. Don't!" Future Molly pleaded but it was too late.

Andy had reached out to touch it only to receive a blast. He was thrown back onto the floor unconscious.

"Dad?" Future Molly called out and ran to his aid. She knelt down beside him to check on him and then sent Evil Wyatt a venomous glare.

Evil Wyatt smirked.

Phoebe and Paige went into panic mode and Paige was about to attempt to orb her way out. Melinda caught it just in time to stop her.

"No, don't orb!" she warned. "It's no use; you'll be blocked."

Future Chris shook his head. "Wyatt, this is low, even for you. Seriously, terrorizing the non-magical family members now?" he glanced down at Andy.

Evil Wyatt turned his attention towards his brother. "Save it, baby brother. I warned you to stay out of my way. Now you all pay the price," he shrugged nonchalantly.

Future Chris feigned surprise. "You're kidding, right? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're the one in our way."

"No worries," Evil Wyatt sneered. "You won't be standing for long," he threatened.

Phoebe and Paige were darting their eyes back and forth between Future Chris and Future Evil Wyatt, anxiously watching the scene unfold. They were trying to wrap their heads around this newest revelation. Apparently, Evil Wyatt was no longer a threat of the past, no longer just a remnant or some distant memory of a future that 'their' Future Chris had so desperately tried to prevent. Evil Wyatt of the future, or one version of him anyway, was still living, breathing, and standing only a few feet away from them in the manor.

Future Piper shook her head in disappointment at her eldest son. Future Melinda wrapped an arm around her mother in a comforting gesture.

"Okay, hello, but somebody here want to tell us what's going on?" Paige finally spoke up. "What is he doing here?"

"Apparently, another little surprise Pandora's Box had to offer," Phoebe told Paige.

"No, apparently, he followed us here," Future Chris sighed.

"Followed you here?" Paige narrowed her eyes at him. "And you guys didn't think to maybe, oh I don't know, tell us?"

"Sorry," Future Melinda cut in and sent an apologetic look Paige's way. "We were kind of hoping to be out of here before he ever became an issue."

"Well, with the Triad already on our backs, again, I was hoping to be able to live another day," Phoebe laughed nervously, "so why would you think we didn't need to know about this, like immediately? Then maybe we could have been a little more prepared."

"Hey," Future Chris folded his arms. "It wasn't exactly in our control, okay?"

"But telling us was!" Phoebe refuted. "Now what would you suggest we do?" she waved up at the electrical force-field holding them all hostage.

"No clue," Future Chris shrugged, "but since you're the Charmed Ones, how about enlightening us," he stressed, "since you clearly have all the answers and we don't," he mocked, nodding at Phoebe and Paige.

Phoebe and Paige shared looks of annoyance with each other.

"Fine, if you want to play it like that," Paige narrowed her eyes, "no brainer, Sherlock. I vote for getting rid of him," she crossed her arms, taking a defiant stance. "Any suggestions on how?"

"If you really want to know what lead me to you," Evil Wyatt suddenly cut in, addressing both Phoebe and Paige, "I traced the magic here. Chris tried to recite a spell," he revealed, grinning at his brother. "So, I knew they were here at the manor," he nodded at the other future visitors.

Future Chris sighed and closed his eyes.

Future Melinda tensed at the revelation being given to the others. Her body stiffened and her mother felt it. Future Piper pulled away; her own frustration was growing. Melinda shot her brother a look. Her initial instincts had been not to do it but, in the end, she had gone along with it. Future Piper then looked between both of her grown children, her eyes silently scolding both of them for their carelessness.

"What spell?" Phoebe interrogated.

"Look, it wasn't a big deal," Future Chris confronted the judgmental stares head on. "It was just the time travel spell your mom and Grams created. We needed to try something to get us back home," he attempted an explanation.

"Not a big deal?" Phoebe laughed. "Chris, you're magically bugged!"

"Yeah, sorry, a little snag I wasn't counting on," Future Chris genuinely felt bad.

"What were you thinking not checking in with us first before using magic, any magic?" Paige scolded. "Piper," she stressed, "already expressly made it clear that this wasn't going to be a simple fix."

"When is it ever?" Phoebe snorted, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, and?" Future Chris shrugged, throwing Paige a look and not really understanding what the big deal was.

"And ..." Paige argued, "you know what we need first," she widened her eyes to bring the point home to him. She didn't want to bring too much to Wyatt's attention.

"Hey, trying something is better than just waiting around for some magical stones to reveal themselves, okay?" Future Chris defended his decision.

Future Melinda stepped in to defend her brother. "Don't blame this on Chris!" she addressed Paige. "Maybe if you guys were being a little more responsible in the first place, you would have known what Gideon was up to. Then this switch never would have happened."

"Hold up?" Phoebe came to Paige's defense, backing her sister up. "Are we seriously going to go there right now? Apparently, we did just fine consider you're all alive and well to be able to throw that in our faces."

Future Molly closed her eyes, sighing in exasperation. "Oh my god," she rolled her eyes, "can we please not do this," she ordered, not really in the mood for a confrontation. She was still distracted with her father. Her hand was placed underneath his head to provide support, but he was still unconscious.

Molly's plea went ignored while small arguments and bickering continued to erupt amongst the trapped family members with Phoebe and Paige taking aim at the future visitors and the future family becoming more defensive against what they perceived as accusations. Evil Wyatt watched, letting it play out for a bit, then groaned, finally rolling his eyes before interrupting it.

"Enough!" Evil Wyatt's booming voice put an end to the discourse. "Your insignificant family squabbling and moralizing is boring, not to mention, pointless." He turned to look at Paige. "And tsk tsk, Aunt Paige," he wagged his finger at her, enjoying the time he was taking to mock her. "Get rid of me?" he mocked her earlier suggestion against him. "Now, is that any way to treat family?"

"Wait, you're giving us tips on proper family etiquette?" Phoebe's eyebrows rose as she laughed. "Interesting, considering the reception we just got," she pointed out as she eyed the entire layout of the force-field.

Future Piper kept silent but made the decision to move and assist Future Molly and Andy. Evil Wyatt watched his mother change her position. She knelt down on the opposite side of her niece while both she and Molly attempted to rouse Andy, hoping he would regain consciousness. Piper refused to acknowledge her eldest son.

"Dad, wake up. Please," Future Molly pleaded.

"Molly, here, let's move him in a little closer," Future Piper suggested, hoping to give Andy a little safer distance from the perimeter of the force-field in case he woke up.

Suddenly, Sarah came back into the room. During all the arguing and the commotion, she had gone in search of the first floor to make sure nobody else was there. She made brief eye contact with Molly, took a quick glance at Andy, before averting her gaze.

Phoebe and Paige watched the stranger's movements with interest.

"All clear," Sarah reported back to Evil Wyatt. "But no sign of your father. Or the Cupid."

"No worries," Evil Wyatt accepted with ease. "We'll make a search of the rest of the manor then take what we came for."

Phoebe's heart rate picked up as her concerns immediately shot to Coop and his safety. He had chosen to leave just in the nick of time after their encounter with Inspector Richardson. Now, she found herself silently praying he wouldn't return looking for her, or the others, and walk straight into this trap with them. Billie and younger Prue were also upstairs. She hoped Billie would pick up on something being wrong and maybe find a way to get out of the manor undetected. However, she wasn't sure how well that would go over, not with the younger version of her oldest sister in tow.

"But if the Cupid is still here, he can teleport," Sarah reminded Evil Wyatt. "His connection to her," she nodded at Phoebe which caused Phoebe to flinch, "might lead him to sense something is wrong. He can alert your father and then what if your father alerts the Elders?"

"I'm sorry but who are you exactly?" Phoebe interrupted, making a face at Sarah.

Sarah turned to look at Phoebe. Phoebe thought there was something familiar about her, almost similar to how she felt about Paige when they first met at Prue's funeral all those years ago. But her eyes appeared almost ... lifeless.

"She," Evil Wyatt stressed to Phoebe, "is none of your concern." He turned back to address Sarah. "Go and get it," he instructed her.

Sarah moved to leave.

"Wait!" Evil Wyatt called out and she turned back around. "Make sure nobody else is upstairs. If you find anybody, you know what to do."

Phoebe and Paige shot each other very concerned looks. They knew they were powerless to do anything to warn the others.

Sarah nodded. "And what about them?" she inquired about everyone still held captive within the force-field.

"Oh, I think I know the perfect place for them," Evil Wyatt sneered. "Go with her!" he instructed to one of his demon goons.

The demon left to accompany Sarah.

Everyone inside the force-field, both the family members from the present and future, shared questioning looks with each other not sure what to expect next. They watched as Evil Wyatt shot up his hands and then, in a flash, a huge whirlwind encircled each person and zapped them to another undisclosed location.

x

Coop paced the length of the attic, completely lost in deep thought.

In truth, it was taking a long time for the others to return. He found himself hoping that everything was okay. However, in actuality, everything was pretty far from okay. He knew that. Phoebe and her sisters were split up, the timeline was all messed up because of Gideon and a box, and a troublesome Inspector, who was intent on harassing them, was making their lives hell.

Then there was Lana: the proverbial elephant in the room.

He was confused.

He wasn't quite sure what he should be feeling. Phoebe had vanquished her but with the current crises at hand, it wasn't something they had gotten the opportunity to really talk about. A part of him completely understood. Phoebe was a witch, a Charmed One, and it was her job to protect the greater good and vanquish demons. Unfortunately, one of those 'demons' turning out to be a long-lost relative wouldn't change that. How could he possibly fault her for doing what was necessary? However, there was also that other part of him he couldn't manage to squash. The part of him that felt hurt, hurt by the prospect that she wasn't willing to at least be open to his side of it.

He was conflicted.

All of a sudden there was a loud thud. It startled Coop, breaking him out of his thoughts, and he spun around to the source of the noise. He saw the Book of Shadows lying on the floor.

"What the ..." he muttered.

He looked around. He was alone; he knew he was yet somehow the Book of Shadows had gone from the podium and landed open on the floor.

Slowly, Coop closed the distance from across the attic and went to retrieve the Book. He bent down, picked it up, and was about to replace it back on the podium when he glanced down at the page it was opened to.

Coop furrowed his brows. "Bi location?"

An eerie feeling suddenly took over his senses. There was something not right, but he just couldn't put his finger on what it was. Was somebody or something trying to tell him something? He wasn't sure but he ultimately decided to go with his gut. He teleported out, taking the Book of Shadows with him.

x

Her eyes shot open at the loud thud that could be heard overhead.

"What was that?" Past Prue bolted up from the bed, staring at the ceiling. She had been attempting to nap but felt too on edge.

Billie reacted and jumped to her feet. She had been sitting at the dresser with some scrying tools, attempting a location on JD but to no avail. It was no use. This Marco demon had obviously planned way ahead and wasn't going to allow some parlor trick of a witch to ruin his plans. Nor his blackmail.

"That was the attic," Past Prue voiced her observation.

Billie looked up at the ceiling. She had heard it too and nervously shoved her hands into her jean pockets. "I'm sure it's nothing," she tried to reassure the other teenager.

Past Prue didn't look convinced. "Everybody else has been gone, like, forever."

"Um, well, there was something important they needed to take care of," Billie kept it vague. "But they should be back soon."

I hope, Billie thought. She was beginning to wonder herself. It had been a while, and she hadn't heard a word from anybody. She was asked to stay behind and keep an eye on younger Prue, so she had. But it was awkward. Very awkward. After revealing earlier what her connection was to the younger version of her mother, it seemed to have a silencing effect on Prue. Billie wasn't sure if it was just from the shock of the revelation or if she still believed they were all crazy. Honestly, if it were the latter, she couldn't blame her.

"You said that an hour ago," Past Prue complained.

"Yeah," Billie sighed. "I know," she bit down on her lip. "But maybe if you just ..."

"Oh my god, if you tell me to try and get some rest one more time, I swear I might start throwing things," Past Prue cut her off. She was clearly frustrated.

At least not with any telekinesis you won't be, Billie thought to herself. "Hey, no need to bite my head off," she defended herself. "The truth? I know just about as much as you do, okay? They don't tell me every little thing."

Past Prue didn't respond. Instead, she grabbed for a pillow and began pouring all her frustration into it by kneading it roughly with her fingers. Groaning, she threw it back against the bed. "Wake me up from this nightmare," she muttered to herself, throwing herself back down on the bed.

"Right, because this has been one big party for me," Billie got out barely underneath her breath. She sighed again. "I was actually just going to suggest that you try and relax," she offered after a few awkward seconds of silence had passed. "I mean, it can't be good for you to keep getting upset. Or to be so uptight. Especially in your condition," she nodded towards younger Prue's mid-section.

Past Prue glanced down at her expanded waistline.

Billie looked away and cleared her throat to distract herself from the awkwardness that took up space between them again.

"You're blond," younger Prue suddenly blurted out.

"What," the statement grabbed Billie's attention. "Uh, yeah."

Past Prue stared for a moment. "You tried to say you were my kid?" she smirked disbelievingly. "But you're blond."

Billie began fiddling with some of her hair. "So?"

"I'm not blond," Prue folded her arms. "Neither is Andy."

"Okay?" Billie drew out. "That doesn't really mean anything because ..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know how biology can work, thank you," Prue impatiently cut Billie off again. She closed her eyes and shook her head. Attempting to calm down, she tried to get her point across differently. "I just mean ..."

"You just mean you don't really believe I am who I say I am so you're looking for any reason to make it not make sense," Billie concluded for her, immediately picking up where the younger girl's thoughts were going.

Past Prue's silence confirmed it.

Billie nodded, a little despondently. "Okay, um, listen. How about this? If you can't wrap your mind around the idea that I'm your daughter in the future, then maybe for now you can just think of me as a friend?" she suggested.

Past Prue's eyebrows rose up in contemplation. At least she appeared to be considering it, Billie thought. She needed to be able to interact with her on some level until they could figure out a way to get everybody back to their own time quickly and safely. Billie came over to join her on the bed and sat down beside her.

"I know this is a lot," Billie tried to empathize with younger Prue's situation. This felt oddly similar to the time she was trying to counsel Christy, or at least, whom she had believed to be Christy at the time. "It was a lot for me too when I first figured out that I could do these things," she waved her hands around to express it. "Things that nobody else I knew could do. I had to figure it out on my own. Until I came ... here."

Past Prue held a puzzled expression. "So, what are you saying?"

"Just that you're not alone," Billie told her. "You don't have to figure it out on your own. We're all going to help you. Your sisters are going to help you just like they helped me," she shared. "They won't let anything happen. To you or your baby."

Instinctively, Past Prue brought her hands up to rest on her stomach.

Billie smiled.

Suddenly, they were interrupted by the sight of orbs appearing inside the bedroom. Past Prue was taken aback but Billie was on her feet instantly recognizing the new arrival.

"Leo!" Billie exclaimed. "Hey, you got your powers back," she took immediate notice.

"Yeah," Leo sighed. "Apparently, they decided it was too risky to keep me out of the loop for too long with Gideon and the Triad taking out one of their own." He was referring to the incident that had occurred recently with Emeritus. "The Elders reached an agreement with the Afterlife Council."

"What kind of agreement?" Billie was curious.

"I don't really know all the details," he admitted, "but whatever it was it was enough to get the Afterlife Council to reconsider. They lifted the punishment earlier."

"Well, welcome back," Billie smiled and folded her arms.

"Thanks, but do you know what's going on?" Leo questioned. "Where's everybody else? I can't sense for them."

"Going on?" Billie didn't understand what he meant.

"I just got back but I was only able to sense the two of you in the manor," he informed her. "Everyone else is gone."

Billie's eyes widened. "Gone?" she made a face. "As in, no longer in the manor?" She glanced up at the ceiling quickly remembering the noises they had heard not too long ago.

"You didn't know?" Leo looked concerned. His brows furrowed in contemplation.

Billie shook her head. "Hey, you weren't in the attic by any chance, were you?"" she decided to ask.

"No," Leo looked at her. "Why?"

"Thought we heard something up there but maybe it's them?" she suggested, hoping beyond hope that's all it was.

"You didn't go with them?" Leo was curious.

"No, I mean, I was supposed to wait with her," Billie pointed over at Past Prue, "until they dealt with something because I think somebody showed up at the manor," she informed him. "But nobody said anything about leaving."

Leo looked between her and Past Prue. "Any idea who showed up?" he asked.

Billie shook her head because she really had no idea and then instantly made quick strides for the bedroom door. As she opened it, she was startled to see a strange woman, and a man, coming down the hall.

"Start down that way," the woman could be overheard giving instructions to the man with her. "Check every room, every bathroom, every closet, then report back to me. I'm heading to the attic to get the Book," she finished.

The man and woman split up.

Billie reacted quickly by shutting the door as quietly as possible, hoping she hadn't been seen nor heard.

Leo caught her reaction. "What?" he voiced with concern.

"Demons!" she hissed back at him. "I thought you said the manor was empty?"

"It is," he stressed. "Or it was."

Past Prue stood to her feet immediately. "What's going on? Are we in trouble again?" worry was now starting to etch her face and she was thinking back to her unexpected arrival in what the others referred to as the Underworld.

"Uh," Billie stuttered and shot a worried look over at younger Prue, not exactly sure of what to say without lying to her.

Leo moved to the door to check things out for himself. "I didn't sense them," he opened the door carefully and caught sight of the male demon coming out from one of the other rooms down the hall. He was heading closer in their direction.

Billie felt confused. "Sense them? I thought you could only sense your charges?"

"And other magical beings, like darklighters," Leo emphasized strongly. "If they're demons, they must be magically cloaking themselves somehow. Maybe Gideon sent them."

Billie just shrugged. She didn't really know but certainly didn't want to find out.

"We need to go, right now," Leo replied urgently as he moved back away from the door, leaving it slightly ajar this time so that no sound would alert the closely approaching demon to their presence. "I'll take us to Magic School," he decided.

"Wait," Billie hesitated. "They're going for the Book of Shadows. Orb us to the attic first; we have to take it with us," she argued.

"We can't; it's too risky," Leo countered. "We don't know how many are already in the manor or where they might be.

"But we can't just let them have it," Billie felt panicked.

"The Book will protect itself," Leo reminded her. "Evil can't touch it, remember?" Of course, he fully realized there were exceptions to how and when evil found ways around it, but they would just have to chance it. "But what I do know is that demon outside the door," he nodded at it, "is only feet away. Do you want to get caught?"

Billie still hesitated but then shot into action by going over to the bed and dragging Past Prue by the arm back over to Leo.

"Hey!" Past Prue protested, trying to drag her feet.

"C'mon," he urged, reaching out for the both of them. "We'll have to come back."

Leo, Billie, and Past Prue vanished within his orbs.

X

(Past - 1988)

"Grams."

Standing completely frozen in place, Prue managed to get that one word out. She found herself speechless and not quite sure what to expect next or how she was supposed to explain her presence. Grams was a formidable woman all on her own and from what she could remember about her last trip to the past with her sisters, a pretty powerful witch as well. Prue also wasn't sure what her Grams may or may not remember about that time. Would she even recognize her?

Penny Halliwell came to stand in front of Prue, her eyes narrowing. She crossed her arms and was taking her time to size up the new 'intruder.' "Of course, I can't take credit for it. Your mother actually figured that one out," she reluctantly admitted, referencing the popper buds.

"You know who I am?" Prue released a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. "I wasn't sure you'd remember," her relief was obvious.

"Well, of course I remember who you are. I may be up in my years but I'm certainly not senile," her grandmother huffed.

Prue couldn't help but smile.

"I must admit, I wasn't expecting you back, and certainly not ... alone?" her grandmother made an immediate observation that her sisters were absent this time around.

"Yeah, that," Prue sighed and closed the Book of Shadows. "Something went really wrong, and I need to find my way back."

"You were separated?" Grams interrogated gently, with concern. "If they're here somewhere, then maybe we can just create a spell to locate them," she reached out for the Book of Shadows, "and then the Power of Three ..."

"No, wait, Grams," Prue interjected to stop her. "I don't think the Power of Three is going to be able to fix this," she explained to her. "It wasn't a spell backfiring that sent me here."

"What do you mean? What happened?"

"I can't tell you everything but there's another," Prue paused, considering how much to say, "another power," she finally settled on as the best explanation regarding the Ultimate Power. "Long story shot, a demon used some type of magical box, and we somehow got sucked into it."

Grams listened. "Sucked into it?" she repeated. "And it took you back in time? Well, that's a first." She took a moment to think. "So, we're dealing with magical artifacts," she concluded. "Any idea which one?"

Prue thought back to their confrontation with Gideon inside the Underworld. Piper had shouted something out about it, what the box may have been called, but Prue was now having a difficult time remembering. She, herself, had been distracted and preoccupied with the children who were being held captive by the former Elder.

"I take that as a no then," Grams observed her reaction.

Prue closed her eyes. "Sorry."

Grams sighed. "Then we do have our work cut out for us, that's for sure, but nothing to apologize for," she retrieved the Book of Shadows and returned it to the chest. "It just means it requires a little extra digging on our part."

Prue was grateful she wasn't going to be stuck figuring it out on her own but was confused as to why her grandmother was abandoning the Book of Shadows in their search. "Shouldn't we start with the Book, though?"

"I think I know some place better that might be able to help us," Grams informed her. "At least, magically speaking. If your sisters aren't here, sounds like we'll be needing it."

"Where?" Prue was curious.

"It's a place called Magic School," Grams revealed.

"Magic School?" Prue asked. That sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. After thinking about it some more, she started to realize she was losing memory to some of the details from her life. Nothing too big or drastic but she still found herself hoping it was nothing to be too concerned about.

"Yes, it's a relatively new concept, started by the Elders," Grams explained what she knew about the place. "It's protected by good magic so evil can't get inside. You don't think you were followed here by anything, were you?"

Prue shook her head. "No, not that I know of ..."

Suddenly, a voice interrupted them.

"I wouldn't necessarily say that's true," a man had shimmered into the attic.

Prue and Grams spun around and immediately went on the defense to confront the demon. He was a stranger to Penny Halliwell; however, Prue instantly recognized him from where she had been before coming to the manor.

Dumain.

"I tracked your orbs here, whitelighter," the demon smirked at Prue. "I take it you're a little new at the job otherwise you probably would have known to cloak yourself a little bit better," he mocked. "But thank you," he then laughed.

Confused, Grams glanced over at Prue. Prue didn't have time to explain to her that it wasn't actually her orbs, but rather her baby's, which had transported her to the manor. Clearly, the demon had no idea who she really was, but she quickly acknowledged that was probably a good thing. Instinctively, she waved her hand intent on sending the demon flying on his ass only to recall she no longer had her powers to use.

"Oh crap," Prue cursed under her breath. "I forgot!"

"Forgot what?" her grandmother held a puzzled expression.

Dumain sent an electrical blast that lifted Prue off the floor and sent her flying onto her back. "Where is she?" he demanded to know.

"Ow," Prue closed her eyes, contorting her face in pain, while she lifted herself up.

Grams, witnessing this, protectively stepped in front of her granddaughter and tapped into her power. She threw up her hands and sent the demon flying but he managed to escape by shimmering out in mid-air. On immediate guard, Grams spun herself all around to inspect the entire layout of the attic in case the demon reappeared. With no sign of his imminent return, she turned to help her granddaughter off the floor.

"What happened?"

"Yeah," Prue brought her hand to her back and flinched in pain. "I'm not going to be much help in the magic department. Did I mention I don't have my powers?"

"No, but ..." Grams was about to respond further to the news when the same voice interrupted them again.

"The girl may be your charge," Dumain spat, "but the baby is mine! You can't keep her hidden forever. I'll find her, that's a promise." Only this time, while he spoke to them, he remained invisible so that Prue and Grams were unable to get a location.

He was addressing Prue again, still presuming her to be a whitelighter rather than a witch. Apparently, he had drawn the conclusion that she had gotten to her younger 'self' first. They kept on guard; Grams readying herself in case she needed to use her power.

"Take it easy, Grandma," the demon mocked her. "I'm not here for you."

"Oh, but I'm certainly here for you, if you ever come after my granddaughter again," Grams threatened. "Back off or this 'grandma' will show you exactly what she's capable of!"

Dumain laughed. "Not if I get to your granddaughter first," he mocked. "Very well then. Until we meet again."

The demon departed.

"Grams, I ..." Prue began but was cut off by her grandmother.

"There's no time!" Penny Halliwell immediately put up her hand to stop the conversation, getting straight down to business. "Save any of the other explanations for later." Grams went back into the chest to retrieve a lock box. She then lifted a key that she had hanging on a string around her neck and proceeded to unlock it. "It's too risky for you to stay here without your powers and that demon will just keep coming back. I already know that Prue, the younger you, is missing," Grams shared with her.

That made sense to Prue, she overheard the phone call before she got here.

"So, we need to find out exactly what happened and fix this mess before he finds her ... you," Grams stressed.

"But even if we get me back home," Prue attempted to argue, "that doesn't mean he'll stop coming after me, the younger me."

Grams pulled out a potion vial. She held it up in the air and carefully examined the contents inside one of them. "You let me worry about that," she instructed. "Right now, we need to figure out why you're here and why she's not," she made reference to the younger version of Prue. "Here."

Grams handed Prue the vial and Prue accepted. "What's this for?"

"It should get us to the Magic School."

Prue watched Grams open her vial first and then throw it in front of herself. She disappeared within smoke. Prue repeated the actions.

"Here goes nothing," she muttered.

X

(Present - 2007)

Magic School

Coop sat inside the library scanning the Book of Shadows.

The school wasn't back in operation yet but after glancing around, Coop held much respect for all the work Leo had been putting into getting it reorganized and functioning again. The demons had run amok and left much destruction in their wake. It was a shame, because while Gideon may have turned evil and completely lost his way, the school itself was probably one of the few good accomplishments his reign as an Elder brought about. Now, that legacy would be picked up and carried out by Leo.

Bright lights suddenly caught Coop's attention.

He slammed the Book shut and stood up, immediately putting himself on guard. Seconds later, he felt relief pass through him when he saw that they were only orbs and they had brought along some familiar faces. However, his face dropped a bit when he realized one of them was not Phoebe.

"Don't grab me like that again," the dark-haired girl from the small group could be heard protesting. She stepped away from the others.

"Sorry, but we needed to get out of there," Billie tried to explain. "There was no time to convince you," she rolled her eyes.

"Prue, it'll be safer here," Leo broke in, trying to help Billie calm her down. "For now."

"Safer?" Prue laughed, her eyes beginning to water because she was clearly upset. "Nothing I've seen so far makes me think any of you are safe to be around," she looked between Leo and Billie.

"The demons can't get in here; it's protected against evil," Leo explained.

"Right, the demons," Past Prue nodded, folding her arms and mocking him. "No worries, I deal with them all the time."

Billie sighed, trying hard not to give into her frustration. She wasn't sure whether she preferred dealing with the original version of Past Prue, the frightened girl who was out of her element but kept to herself and stayed silent or this newer and bolder version of her who was argumentative but would at least talk. Glancing over at Leo, Billie could tell he wasn't even phased by the reaction.

"You can wait while Billie and I try to find the others," Leo told her calmly.

Past Prue made a face. "Wait," she repeated. "And do what?"

Leo glanced around and then nodded towards the school library. "Read," he suggested.

Past Prue rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she mumbled, moving away from them.

"Leo?" Coop cut in, walking out from the library.

Leo, Billie, and Past Prue turned to look.

"Coop," there was evident relief in the Elder's voice. He walked over to meet the Cupid and Billie followed. "Are the others here too?" he asked but his hope was soon dashed when Coop delivered the answer.

Coop shook his head. "No, sorry. I was hoping maybe you knew."

"Nobody else was in the manor," Leo informed him, "but we think demons are taking it over as we speak."

"Demons?" Coop perked up at the unfortunate news. "Well, that's not good. Last time I saw Phoebe and the others they had to deal with Richardson, but he left. I didn't see any demons."

"Richardson?" Billie repeated. "Ick," she stuck out her tongue.

Leo sighed, sharing a look with Billie. "Well, I guess that answers that."

"Demons can be super annoying but I really really hate that guy," Billie shook her head.

Everybody made their way back into the library. Prue went poking around, picking items up off desks and inspecting before placing them back down. Billie observed and then that's when she saw it. Her eyes lit up and she rushed over to the couch.

"The Book of Shadows!" she exclaimed, picking it up and then sitting down with it on her lap. "How did you get it?" she began flipping through the pages.

Coop sighed. "I took it with me," he walked over to Billie, hands in his pockets. "It was a bit weird," he looked down at the Book, "I was in the attic, and it was kind of like I was called to it. When I picked it up it was already opened to some spell."

Billie looked up at him. "What spell?"

"Not sure," Coop was uncertain. "I didn't really understand what it meant; spellcasting isn't really my thing."

This caught Leo's attention. "Do you remember what the spell was about?" he tried to inquire. "Usually when the Book guides the sisters to one of the pages, there's a reason for it. We might be able to use it."

Coop thought hard. "It might have had something to do with locating?" Then it popped in his mind. "Bi location. That was it," he nodded his head.

Billie began frantically turning through the pages. "Bi location, bi location," she repeated out loud. Finally, she landed on the page they were looking for. "Here it is!" she announced happily. She began reading. "Bi location. The ability to be in two places at once. Say these words; say them now, let me be both here and there ... yada yada yada," she trailed off, skimming over the spell. "Hey, this sounds a lot like astral projection?"

Leo leaned over the couch to read the page. "Kind of, except it looks like this spell lets your body be in two places at once."

"How does that work?" Billie felt confused.

"Well," Leo sighed. "Astral Projection allows the astral form to leave the physical body. Maybe this spell creates something like a clone body, one where you can shift your astral form between both?"

"Okay," Billie stammered, "but how exactly would that help us now?"

"I don't know," Leo sighed.

It suddenly came to their attention that Past Prue had been relatively quiet now for some time. Leo, Billie and Coop turned to discover that she was preoccupied and scanning the shelves with the books. She would stop, pull out a book, examine the cover, before placing it back.

"That should keep her busy, I hope," Leo noted.

Coop smirked.

Billie was suddenly struck with an idea. She grabbed for the Book and tore out a blank piece of paper. "Anybody got a pen?"

"Why, what are you doing?" Leo questioned.

Coop scanned a nearby desk and spotted a pencil. He grabbed for it. "Here, I take it this will do."

"Thanks," Billie took it and began writing down the bi-location spell. "I can try and use my projection power to get a location on them, but I'll also use the spell. That way my body can be both here and wherever there might be."

"Billie, that might be dangerous," Leo protested. "Especially if you don't know what you're walking into."

"But if I say the spell, I can still be here too, the real me will stay," Billie reminded him. "I'll project first to see but then leave with the other me. If I can find them and there's any problem, they can recite the spell too and then come back here with us at the same time they are wherever they are."

"But ... wouldn't the real them still be stuck where they are?" Coop made reference to their real bodies. "Sounds like they'll only be with us as doubles."

"Yes, but at least we'll have their help to fix it," Billie countered. "And if I run into any trouble before that, I'll just project back. It's something, right?" she was pleading with her eyes.

Leo thought about it. He really couldn't argue because it was something. Which was better than nothing at the moment. "Be careful," he instructed. "We've never used this spell before; we don't know if it can backfire or have unintended consequences."

Billie nodded and proceeded to tap into her power of projection. She concentrated hard but found she was having a difficult time reaching the sisters to find a location. Slowly, a complete image of Phoebe's face came to mind, then Paige's. Finally, she felt the shift. However, there was a darkness present, a shadow blotting out what she normally would have seen much more clearly. The moment she felt the spark of connection though, she began reciting the bi-location spell.

"Say these words, say them now; let the magic show me how; I seek to be both here and there, let my body be anywhere," she chanted.

Coop and Leo anxiously watched, waiting to see what would happen.

"Leo?"

Leo was pulled from his concentration. It was Past Prue approaching him. "Yeah, what's up?" he turned to acknowledge her.

"I found this behind the stacks," Past Prue informed him. "Didn't the others say something about needing to find some kind of stones?"

Leo reached out to take the book she was handing over to him. After looking down, his eyes widened after reading the title. He looked back at Prue and back down at the cover of the book. It read: How to Summon the Vicarian Stones.

x

Future Chris sighed, pacing the ground floor by the stairs.

Nobody knew what to expect when Wyatt used his magic to dispose of them. As it turned out, he hadn't disposed of them very far. They were stuck in the basement of the manor, magically sealed in without any conceivable way out.

Slowly reaching out, Future Chris attempted to breach the magical barrier for a second time. He received an immediate shock. "Ow, damn it," he pulled back and shook his hand.

"Nobody told you to try that again," Paige called out.

"No powers. This completely and totally sucks," he muttered.

"Yeah, feeling helpless does suck," Phoebe agreed, momentarily considering how Prue must be feeling without hers.

"Well, no arguments there," Paige chimed in.

Phoebe sat with Paige in a corner near the basement window. The early morning rays were just beginning to break through casting a bit of light into their surroundings. It was trying not being able to tap into any magic and hoping that some miracle would eventually present itself. Nobody had gotten much sleep but they had tried in shifts. Phoebe yawned, glancing over at Future Piper. She still appeared to be resting and Future Melinda sat sleeping beside her, her head resting against her mother's shoulder.

"This does suck," Paige groaned and drew it out in a raspy voice. Her eyes were closed, and her head was resting against the wall. "I'm having Underworld flashbacks right now," she was thinking to the time they got trapped and discovered Prue.

"It could be worse," Phoebe decided to enlighten her. "At least were not stuck down here with the Woogie," she took a quick peek over at the crack in the basement floor.

"The ... what?" Paige's eyes flew open, as she made a face.

"Never mind," Phoebe laughed. "Before your time."

"That doesn't seem to matter much these days," Paige sighed. "The Triad was before my time too but here we are on our what, third go around?"

"I know. You don't need to remind me how screwed we are," Phoebe shook her head, feeling discouraged by their current set of circumstances.

"Well, at least Billie can still use her powers," Paige tried to find something to be hopeful about. "Now if she can only find us."

"I just hope she made it out alive," Phoebe sighed. "That they all made it out alive," she stressed, including both her sister and Coop in her sentiments.

Paige looked over at her sister. "I don't think Wyatt would have killed her, or any of them for that matter. Do you? Because, if you think about it, he could have killed us but didn't."

"Yeah, probably because of the sheer enjoyment he's taking out of toying with us first," Phoebe rolled her eyes at the mention of their very wayward nephew.

"Well, maybe," Paige shrugged, considering it. "But what does he really gain out of keeping us locked up down here anyway? Most true demons, given the chance, would have made sure we were dead by now."

"The point?" Phoebe asked, not sure where her sister was going with it.

"The point being," Paige stressed, "maybe there's still a part of him that can be reached. I mean, maybe he's not as lost as we all think."

Phoebe laughed. "Okay, Paige, I may be the eternal optimist in this family, but I think you're taking it to places even I've never ventured before," she teased.

"Hey, somebody needs to be the optimist right now," she playfully pouted.

Phoebe nodded and then looked at another part of the basement where she saw Future Molly lying beside her father. Her heart went out to both of them. He still hadn't regained consciousness, and she knew Molly was worried. They all were. Phoebe knew she didn't need her power of empathy to be able to feel for this situation. Andy was at least still breathing, his heart still beating, and that had to be enough for the time being but the last thing either she or Paige wanted was any scenario that involved having to explain to Prue why Andy was never coming back.

The group was suddenly alerted to the presence of another.

"Oh my god, Billie!" Phoebe jumped to her feet as soon as she saw her.

Paige was on her feet next, along with most of the others who were now being stirred from their sleep by the sudden excitement and commotion.

"How did you get in?" Future Chris inquired.

"My projection power," Billie explained in a hurry. "But look, we don't have a lot of time. I'm using a bi location spell. So, I'm technically here and still back at Magic School."

"Eh, say what?" Paige scrunched up her face.

Billie pulled out the piece of paper from her pocket, the one with the spell scribbled on it. "It's one of the new spells from the Book. Your physical body can actually be in two places at once and then your astral form can shift between both."

"Okay," Phoebe muttered as she and Paige turned to share a look with each other. "But if you already said the spell, doesn't that mean you'll be stuck here too?"

"Yes, but only the clone me," Billie pointed at her body, "and only while the spell is needed," she nodded. Next, she looked around. "Speaking of which, how did you guys' wind up down in the basement?" she did a quick inspection.

"Yeah," Phoebe drew out while folding her arms. "Unexpected house guest."

Billie scrunched up her face. She didn't get it.

"More like an unwanted house guest," Paige broke in to clarify. "Seems like Evil Future Wyatt got to tag along with the rest of our, guests," she threw over at the future family visitors sharing the basement with them.

"Hey, we said we were sorry about that," Future Chris piped in.

Billie glanced between Chris, Phoebe and Paige. "Wait, what?" She had gotten a quick peek at that version of Future Wyatt, courtesy of Dumain last year. Dumain's intention had been to manipulate her against the Charmed Ones, but it also showed what unchecked power could potentially become.

"Pandora's Box must have tapped into that kind of timeline somehow," Phoebe shrugged, providing her best guess scenario.

"So, let me get this straight. We're now stuck dealing with bad ass grown up Wyatt AND Gideon along with the rest of the Triad?" Billie bit down against her lip.

"Exactly," Paige shook her head dramatically. "Sounds about fun, right?"

Future Melinda got to her feet. "You guys are free to leave, you know," she defended herself and the others. "Billie can take you and go and the rest of us will just deal. It's not like we haven't had to before."

Future Chris walked over to try and calm his sister. "Mel, hey. It's okay, really, we're all just on edge."

"No!" she shrugged her brother's hand away even though she knew he meant well. "What happened to being in this together?" Future Melinda was getting emotional. "All we've been hearing since Wyatt showed up is how everything is all our fault. We didn't bring ourselves here, Chris. We're stuck."

"Whoa, hold up," Phoebe tried to intervene.

"I know," Future Chris stressed to his sister. "And all emotions aside, I think they know that too."

Future Melinda crossed her arms defensively. "Unbelievable," she shook her head.

Future Molly had her attention now split between her unconscious father and the ensuing confrontation. "Mel, Chris is right. I don't think anybody is really saying that," she tried to get her cousin to look at it from a different perspective. "I think they're just worried because Wyatt isn't the only problem they have to worry about now."

"Yes, thank you," Phoebe chimed in and nodded in agreement with Molly.

"You're seriously going to defend them now too?" Future Melinda turned on Molly. "I mean, you were paying attention like I was to what they've been saying for the past three or four hours, right?" she looked down at the watch found on her wrist. It didn't actually work anymore but it held sentimental value. It used to belong to her mother years ago and was one of the few things of hers Mel had left in her memory.

"No, I'm not defending anybody," Future Molly denied. "But we're all clearly tired and very frustrated," she sighed. "We're saying things we don't even mean."

"Speak for yourself," Paige muttered, but was rewarded with a sharp jab coming from her sister's elbow. "Okay, look," she sighed and spoke up to try and smooth things over. "Not going to lie, I still think we should have been told about Wyatt, but I get that it's not your fault that you're here, or that he's here," she made reference to Evil Wyatt, "and we're definitely all in the same boat. So, if I said something to make you think otherwise, I'm sorry. Okay? There," she breathed out.

"Look, I don't want to fight either, you guys," Phoebe sighed wearily.

The room fell completely silent.

Future Chris looked over at Phoebe, Paige and Billie. "She gets protective when it comes to family," he shrugged, referring to his sister. "She's a lot like mom in that way." It was his attempt at trying to build back a small bridge from their end. They all needed to work together and even he accepted that.

Future Piper finally had enough and stepped in to take charge. "Look, what's done is done," she walked over to join both Billie and her sisters in finding a solution. "The only thing that matters now is finding a way out so we can fix this mess. Billie, can I see that spell?"

Billie handed over the spell she brought with her. "If you can say this and pull it off, Wyatt never even has to know that you're gone," she explained.

Future Piper read it over.

Future Melinda snorted. Clearly, she doubted the plan. Billie glanced over at her but decided to ignore her reaction.

"I don't know," Paige expressed her own doubt. She and Phoebe read over the spell after Future Piper passed it over to them. "What if we get stuck between bodies somehow?"

"Or what happens if we lose the wrong body in a demon attack?" Phoebe expressed.

"Don't you mean a Wyatt attack?" Paige snorted.

"Guys, look at me, I did it and I'm fine," Billie felt a bit frustrated that they were having a hard time believing the plan could work. "Leo, Coop, and your sister are all waiting back at the Magic School."

"Thank god for that at least," Phoebe sighed, closing her eyes. She was relieved by the news that her fiancé was alive and well.

"Maybe only you should go," Future Chris suggested after listening. "You and Paige," he told Phoebe while looking at both sisters. "And take Mom. You guys might need the Power of Three and there isn't much the rest of us can do anyway until you get those stones."

"You sure that's such a good idea?" Phoebe had doubts about leaving anybody behind. "I mean, we are all in this together," her eyes briefly met with Future Melinda's, and they gave each other a small smile.

"I think it's better if some of us stay behind and cover," Future Chris explained. "No point in Wyatt, or his goons, checking up on us only to find that none of us are using our bodies here. That could make things worse. A lot worse."

"Yeah, but at least if anything happens here, you'd still be free and alive inside your other body," Paige tried to point out.

"Ah, no," Future Chris thought about the spell. "If I remember correctly, I think that particular spell returns you to your place of origin after it runs its course. Meaning, your original body. And for all of us, that's here," he explained to the sisters. "Billie would be the only one to stay at the Magic School if anything were to happen since that's where she originally was."

"Oh," Paige's face fell.

"The clone body will vanish with the spell," Phoebe was finally understanding how it would all work. "Billie's clone body will be left here when we leave with her. She'll shift back to her original self, but it sounds like our original selves remain here until we return to them. We'll be using our copies when we leave?"

"Right," Billie nodded. "So, when you say the spell, just focus your intention on where you want yourselves to be. The Magic School."

Future Chris, Future Melinda, and Future Molly all shared looks. "You guys are okay with that plan, right?" Future Chris checked in with them.

Future Melinda just shrugged.

"I wouldn't leave him alone like this anyway," Future Molly nodded at her unconscious father.

"Mom?" Future Chris looked at his mother.

Future Piper sighed. She wordlessly walked over and pulled her son into a tight embrace. Then she pulled back, smiled, and cupped his face.

Future Chris gave her a small smile in return. "I love you too, Mom," he said. "We'll be fine," he assured her. "Promise."

"Okay, so I take it we're doing this," Paige nodded.

Future Piper backed away and went over to join Billie and her sisters. They huddled around Billie and the three sisters began to recite the spell together. Everyone watched a flash of light ignite from each body as Billie projected back in the direction of Magic School. Their bodies remained stationary, as if asleep and frozen in time.

X

(Past - 1988)

Magic School

Prue and Penny Halliwell reappeared inside a long stretch of hallway.

Looking around, Prue immediately noticed the archways in the ceiling and the many identical doors lining each side of the hall. "Where does this go?" she asked.

Grams held Prue back after she started to advance. "Wait, we can't just go wandering around," she let her granddaughter know.

"So, the alternative is we just wait around, possibly indefinitely?" Prue shook her head in confusion. "Does this hallway even have an end?" she squinted her eyes, trying to figure out where the hall actually started or stopped. "Or a beginning?"

"The school is borderless, but someone should be greeting us shortly," Grams told her. "Our arrival would have alerted somebody."

"Perfect," Prue gritted out, not completely comfortable yet with this idea. Grams was one thing but dragging strangers, or worse - students, into this mess? Granted, Grams had explained this place was cloaked against evil, but she also knew during her time as a Charmed One that demons could be resourceful when they wanted to be. She had no doubts this Dumain character would be doing anything he could to track her down.

Grams immediately picked up on her discontent. "Well, you can dial it back with the enthusiasm, you know."

"Grams," Prue attempted to argue her point, "it's not that I don't appreciate the suggestion to come here, but I just think with everything going on the fewer people involved the better."

"Right. Everything going on?" Grams narrowed her eyes at Prue.

Prue tried to offer an abridged version. "Look, all I can say to avoid future consequences is that The Power of Three becomes something more in the future. And the evil we're up against, the same evil behind sending me here, well - they're sharing our power right now. We just don't know what they will be able to do with it."

"Like breaching the Magic School?" Grams became contemplative.

"Maybe?" Prue wasn't sure but she certainly hoped not.

Silence ensued for a few seconds.

"The demon back at the house?" Grams questioned. "Did he come from your time?"

"Not sure," Prue admitted, "but I don't think so. He's a part of what has been going on; it's just that, where I come from, he was already supposed to have been vanquished way before I got here."

"So likely his past self, or rather," Grams shook her head, "the version of him from this timeline." She sighed. "And he was after you, the younger you."

Prue could see the concern written all over her grandmother's face.

"I don't understand how he found you, here, now," Grams voiced. "You and your sisters have your powers bound; they've been that way for years. Since your last ... visit. The demons couldn't have possibly known about you."

"Nicholas did," Prue reminded her grandmother.

"True," Grams rolled her eyes because she didn't like it whenever it got pointed out to her that she wasn't completely right, "but he knew about you before I bound your powers and after that there was nothing to take."

"Yeah, until we got them back ... " Prue inserted, thinking of her grandmother's passing. "Hey, on the bright side, at least he didn't seem to know that 'she' is actually me," she sighed in regard to Dumain.

"Well, all any of this means is the more magical hands in the pot, the better," the resolution coming from Grams became quite firm.

"And I still think we can manage the pot just fine by ourselves," Prue countered her with a tight smile.

"Prue, even a Charmed One can use a little bit of magical help every now and again," Gram lectured. "Don't take my pearls of wisdom and throw them into the fire. That's just your pride talking," she scolded her gently.

Prue became a little defensive with her. "This has nothing to do with pride, Grams," she denied, gritting down on her teeth. "It's reasonable."

Grams smiled. "But not practical. My Darling, you've forgotten that I know YOU," she stressed to her.

Prue just shook her head. She knew it was pointless to argue any further.

Suddenly, a man's voice rang out from down the hallway. "Welcome, welcome," he greeted merrily as he approached them.

When he came into full view, Prue's face blanched.

"Penny Halliwell," the new arrival recognized his guest almost immediately. His smile was wide, and he reached out to take her hands. "It's been quite a while. Too long actually, how are the young ones?" he inquired.

"Gideon," Grams returned his greeting. "Aside from a few growing pains here and there, they're perfectly fine."

Perfectly in the dark, Prue couldn't help but think to herself.

"Good, good," Gideon nodded in acceptance.

"And how are you? Being kept rather busy I presume?" her Grams conveyed.

Prue shot her eyes back and forth between Gideon and her grandmother.

Gideon lifted a finger. "Ah, yes, of course. With so many magical destinies on the line," he made reference to all the students, "one can never be too careful. Everything must be concise, kept in order, all for the greater good," he nodded.

The greater good? Prue shook her head. It took everything in her to bite her tongue.

"Yes, well, steering young magic is certainly no easy task," Grams shrugged and she bordered on sounding haughty.

"Indeed," Gideon clapped his hands together. "May I ask what it is that brings you here?" He turned to eye Prue next to her.

Prue immediately looked away, avoiding direct eye contact, while trying desperately to keep her emotions in check. Every instinct in her told her to turn and run from this place. If she still had her powers, she may have considered blasting his ass into oblivion but that just wasn't an option. Clearly, this was Gideon in the past, where he was still an Elder, oblivious to his future misdeeds and descending path over to the darker side. And, apparently, he had been in charge of the Magic School?

"I don't believe we've met," Gideon extended his hand to Prue.

"Oh, where are my manners, forgive me. Gideon, this is ..." Grams attempted an introduction but Prue cut in.

"Marie," she answered in place of her grandmother, by providing her former alias to the Elder responsible for giving it to her years back. "A whitelighter friend," she quickly made up, while nodding at her grandmother. She didn't want him knowing her real identity. What if it somehow affected her time?

Grams shot her a very questionable look.

"I see," Gideon nodded, his hand still outstretched to her.

Glancing down, Prue tightened up inside, not really wanting to touch him for any reason but very reluctantly reached out to shake his hand. "I have a charge in a bit of a jam," she told him in regard to their unexpected visit. "Seems they may have come across a magical artifact that opened up a time portal and we're trying to find a way to reverse it. Ms. Halliwell," she sent her grandmother a tight smile and a pointed look not to blow her cover, "said you might have some resources that could help?"

"Uh," Grams feeling a bit flustered, closed her eyes and shook her head to regain her composure and then played along. "Yes. Seems I couldn't be as much help in the situation as I would have liked," she sent her granddaughter a stern look back.

"Hmm, I see," Gideon thought about the request. "Well, magical time travel can certainly be tricky," he placed a hand under his chin.

"No kidding," Prue delivered some snark, directed back at him. "It's too bad when somebody we should be able to trust can't be trusted at all with something so important." Like our lives, Prue finished thinking to herself but didn't say aloud. "It's beyond selfish. Not to mention, careless." Of course, she knew what was meant behind her words, but it would almost certainly be lost on the Elder.

"Oh, well now," Gideon laughed. "Maybe a little advice is in order? Perhaps give your charge just a little room to learn from their mistake," he advised, assuming that was who her comment was in reference to. "Sometimes good intentions can get in the way."

"Hmm," Prue hummed, crossing her arms. "Or bad ones."

"Yes, well," Grams jumped in with a laugh to intervene, "we've all been there before, haven't we?" she attempted to halt the growing tension she was definitely receiving from her granddaughter's end of the exchange.

"Absolutely," Gideon nodded in agreement with Grams.

Prue cleared her throat.

Penny Halliwell had been observing the interaction between Prue and Gideon carefully and with interest. She was picking up on her granddaughter's disdain for the Elder, although Gideon appeared completely oblivious, and she was both curious to know and determined to find out what this entire charade was about.

"Do you happen to know what the artifact in question is?" he inquired next.

"If we did, we wouldn't be standing here," Prue smiled wide doing her best to pass it off in stride.

"Yes, of course, how mindless of me," Gideon apologized. "Let's see. My assistant from the Potions Lab may be able to better assist you. If there's a spell or potion that can help with this, matter," he settled on, "he should be able to find it."

"Thank you," Grams accepted.

"Of course, until then, you are free to peruse our vast library collection on magical knowledge and information," Gideon offered, pointing in the direction of the school library. "With a little luck, maybe you'll be able to identify your artifact. When my assistant is free from his teaching duties, I'll send him to you right away."

"Great!" Prue plastered on a fake smile which immediately vanished as soon as the Elder orbed away. "Ugh!" she let loose in disgust because she couldn't help it. She began to take steps in the direction of the library when she was halted.

"Hold it!" her Grams instructed.

Prue stopped. She should have already known better that she wouldn't be getting around an explanation to her grandmother that easily. She turned around to confront Grams, who was already approaching her.

"Explain that!" her grandmother ordered, folding her arms.

X

(Future - 2029)

It had been a strange twenty-four hours.

After a confrontation with Inspector Richardson, Piper had been arrested with Prue, separated from her other two sisters, thrown into the clutches of the Underworld, confronted by darklighters, only to then engage in a face-off with Gideon. If all that hadn't been bad enough, she was now stuck inside of a time and place she was completely clueless about and without any working knowledge on how to fix it.

We screwed up, she thought. Where the hell was Prue?

They had been desperate to rescue the kids but had definitely gone in unprepared. It turned out they had been walking straight into a trap without any idea of what the consequences might be or how to alert the others if they ran into any trouble. Piper's mind drifted to Phoebe and Paige, hoping they were okay. They would be vulnerable without the Ultimate Power. How would they even be able to figure out what happened?

Sitting against a wall, Piper observed the entire layout of the enclosure. Wyatt, Molly, and Chris were fast asleep and laying close by her. It was late and mostly everybody appeared to be sleeping. The darkness covered everything except for the small fire pits scattered around casting off their glow on the walls. Many were also using them to keep warm.

The others had gone out patrolling to search for some of their missing 'crew' who had never reported back. Earlier, Prudence, Julie, and Laura and been vague in their explanations to her. However, from the little she had been able to gather and from the small bits of information they had confirmed, neither she nor her sisters were still alive in this timeline. Billie wasn't either and things were clearly bad. Very bad. They wouldn't divulge the exact details of what had happened, what had cost all of them their lives, but this future was definitely under a grave magical threat.

Piper suddenly caught something flit by from out of the corner of her eye.

Something appeared to move. A shadow.

Slowly, Piper got up, careful not to disturb the kids. Looking around, she discovered that the few scattered people still awake hadn't appeared to notice it themselves. One woman was busy knitting a blanket. A man was rubbing both his hands together over one of the fire pits and two older kids, teenagers by the looks of it, were engaged in a game of cards close by to the light coming off one of the fire pits.

Then, it happened again. Movement, near the entrance, which was also the exit.

Piper sighed, cautiously moving to investigate. After reaching the entrance, she found it partially opened. "Now this can't be good," she muttered to herself. No way had the others been careless and left it open. She watched how methodical they had been, and magic had been keeping it sealed.

After taking one last look behind her to check on the kids, she ducked and stepped out into one of the sewer walkways.

The shadow reappeared.

"Okay, listen, whoever or whatever you are, I don't have time for games," Piper spoke out and straight to the point. "Who the hell are you and what do you want?"

The shadow figure started moving but turned in a direction that was now out of her direct line of sight. Piper began to follow and as she too turned around the same corner, she saw it was waiting in place. Then it resumed moving again so Piper had the realization that whatever this was, it obviously wanted her to follow it. Realizing it was a risky move on her part, she decided to oblige, knowing she needed to find some answers on what the hell was actually going on around here. At least she still had her powers, which she found a little reassuring; however, Prue didn't have hers. She prayed that whatever Prue's fate was at the moment, her sister wouldn't be needing them. After walking for what felt like a few blocks, she started to have serious doubts about her decision. Maybe following this 'thing' hadn't been the best idea after all.

"Okay, you know what, that's it. I'm done, done playing follow the shadow," she halted her movement. "Stop!" she demanded of the mysterious presence. "Tell me what's going on, what you want, or I'm leaving."

Piper watched with growing curiosity as the shadow figure stopped moving, appearing to consider her proposition. Then the shadow began to morph until it slowly transformed into the form of a young man. Piper's eyebrows shot up. While she had been expecting something, for some reason, she hadn't been expecting that.

"Wait a minute, you're human?" she blurted out.

The young man smirked. "Of course," he acknowledged, clasping his hands together in front of him. "About as human as someone such as myself can get."

"And what does that mean exactly?" Piper eyed him suspiciously. Upon closer inspection, she thought something felt oddly familiar about him.

"Nothing," he calmly refuted. "What were you expecting?"

"Well, a better answer than that for starters," Piper's eyebrows shot up. "But at least you're not a demon so it's progress," she thought about the many times they stuck their necks out to check something out only to encounter a nasty surprise.

"If I were a demon, you would have known," he assured her. "Believe me, they're not that hard to miss down here."

Piper was a little confused on what that meant but let it slide. "Have we met before?" she couldn't stop herself from asking.

The young man sighed. "You can say that," he acknowledged.

The young man's attire caught Piper's attention. She knew that was certainly familiar enough to her. "Wait just a second!" she exclaimed. "Are you an Avatar? I thought I recognized the less than appealing fashion statement."

"Well," he appeared to be carefully crafting his answer. "Yes and no."

"Yes and no?" Piper sent him one of her looks. "Care to elaborate on that one?"

The young man shook his head. "No, not really," he told her calmly.

"Okay, look, enough with the cryptic exchange crap," Piper scolded, getting frustrated by the fact that she wasn't getting anywhere with the conversation. "Listen, you lured me out here for whatever reason so the least you can do is be upfront and tell me why. I would like some real answers and I would like them now please."

The young man's face broke into a bright smile. "This part of you is certainly still the same and hasn't changed much over the years."

"Eh?" Piper shot him a confused look.

"Piper," he acknowledged her name.

"So, we have met before," she concluded. "How?" her eyes narrowed.

The young man looked down, considering how much he should actually reveal to her. "Let's just say, you're alive today because of me."

"Wait, what?" Piper found herself blown away by that particular revelation, especially considering her future nieces had just revealed to her not that long ago that she was supposed to be dead. Where was her future counterpart?

"I saved your life," he clarified again, but in a more solemn manner. "Much in the same way I'm doing right now."

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't return," he began to explain. "The other you, you from this time who belongs here. I've been checking in. She's gone."

"Gone?" Piper thought to herself.

"Some years back, we joined forces together to try and find a way to reverse what Wyatt had done, alter what he had become."

Piper closed her eyes. In the depths of her soul, she felt it, knew it, but didn't want to accept it. The others wouldn't confirm it but their reactions after they had first encountered her with the kids, after seeing Wyatt, had given it away. She also thought back to her dreams, the recent ones she was having with the children, with her own daughter, and then image she had encountered with an evil version of adult Wyatt.

"We were onto something," he sighed. "But Wyatt eventually caught on to the plan and your sisters got caught in the crossfire," he alluded to their deaths without giving away the actual details. "Billie lasted for a little while longer as a valuable ally but," he sighed, "in the end, it was either going to be you or her. She chose for you to go on since she knew you had the much better shot at succeeding."

"Billie sacrificed herself?" Piper felt saddened, especially after having just met Christie and Penny. They were essentially left motherless. As a young child herself, she had experienced the same thing.

"I cloaked you," the young man revealed. "So Wyatt wouldn't know you were still alive, and he'd stop sending demons after you. But in order to do that, everyone else needed to believe you had died too," he alluded to the rest of the living Halliwell's, including her other two children.

"Wait, I don't understand," Piper threw up her hands, clearly becoming upset. "You're saying Wyatt, my son," she emphasized, "still took this darker path somehow after everything. After stopping Gideon, and imaginary demon friends, and god knows what else in the coming years," her eyes were tearing up.

The Avatar didn't say anything in return.

"But I've seen the changed version, the good man," she thought back to the adult Wyatt who had crossed paths with not that long ago during the Ultimate Battle.

A mask of sympathy crossed the young man's face. "It's not anything you did," he tried to reassure her. "Or didn't do."

Piper shook her head in frustration. "Aren't Avatars supposed to be neutral in all of this?" she suddenly remembered. "You guys don't take sides, or at least you're not supposed to. How are you involved in any of this?"

He didn't answer her.

"Oh, right," she was recalling his earlier response. "Must have something to do with that elusive status you won't tell me anything about. The one where you are an Avatar but you're not an Avatar?" she made a face, contemplating exactly how that made any sense.

"I can't say," was the only answer he would give her. The young man seemed to hold a fondness for Piper that couldn't quite be explained but, for whatever reason, he still wouldn't budge and tell her what she wanted to know.

"Okay, fine," Piper relented but she clearly wasn't happy about it. "Then tell me this. You said that you saved my life before, like you're doing right now. How exactly is my life in danger?"

"The sanctuary is about to be under attack," he revealed to her.

"What?" Piper's eyes bulged. "Oh my god, the kids!" she went into panic mode and was about to turn around and make a run for it when somebody had already popped up behind her. She crashed into them.

"Aunt Piper! What are you doing out here?" the stranger exclaimed, and Piper realized she was looking into the face of one of her nieces. It was Julie.

"No time for that," Piper exclaimed. "The shelter is in danger, and we need to get back. Where are the others?"

"On their way back now," Julie told her. "We heard voices down this way, so I said I'd check it out first. We still can't find the others; we're worried. How do you know that about the shelter?"

Piper turned around to address the young Avatar. "Hey, do you mind ..." but she dropped mid-sentence when she realized nobody was there anymore.

He was gone.

"Okay, never-mind, go go go," Piper instructed. "Take us back," she shoved her niece along. All she cared about was getting back to the kids before it was too late.

X

(Past - 1988)

Explain that?

Yeah, Prue knew she couldn't tell her grandmother what she wanted to know. As much as she would have loved the opportunity to stop Gideon in his tracks a lot sooner, changing the course of history was just too risky. Sure, perhaps her arrangement with Gideon could have then been prevented. No fake death meant she would have remained with her sisters. Those precious lost five years could be replaced with more memories shared together, fighting as the Charmed Ones and forming an even closer bond. Gone would be the anger and hurt of Piper, the current gap of time with Phoebe, and also that buried feeling she tried to suppress of being like a fourth wheel inside a new sister relationship that had sprung up between her sisters and Paige.

What about Paige?

There was Andy and Molly.

There was no way of knowing for sure how Paige would have entered their lives, if she would have entered at all, or what kind of bond would have formed between the four of them. Things may be in an uncertain place for her at the moment, but she knew she wouldn't have Andy back in her life without the deal and Molly wouldn't be here. Although she missed what was lost, sometimes longed for what could have been, she also could never imagine giving up what she had gained in her life while being away from her sisters.

Everything happens for a reason.

Andy had told her that a very long time ago.

"You didn't mention Gideon was in charge of the Magic School?" Prue attempted to turn the interrogation back around on her grandmother.

"Why?" Penny Halliwell's eyes widened, walking closer to stand in front of her willful granddaughter. "Was I supposed to already know something that I clearly don't know and something you are very obviously trying to avoid telling me?"

Prue recollected herself. "Grams, it's nothing that serious," she lied. "We just, clash with the Elders a lot during my time. Gideon is one of them."

Grams narrowed her eyes. "Well, yes, I do know the Elders can certainly be a tad bit, suffocating at times. And arrogant," she acknowledged. "Are you sure that's all there is to it?" she interrogated further, not sure whether or not to believe Prue.

"Yes," Prue emphasized strongly. "Relax, you're way too suspicious of everyone and everything," she gently admonished, even though she felt bad for keeping the truth. Her Grams technically had something to be concerned about.

"I beg your pardon," Grams huffed, bringing her hands to rest against her hips. "Relax? I may have a very keen sense of intuition these days but I certainly wouldn't label myself as suspicious."

Prue's eyebrows rose.

"Okay, well, maybe a little," Grams relented, closing her eyes, shaking her head.

Prue smirked. "And a tad bit overprotective," she brought her fingers together to demonstrate, squinting her eyes.

"No, practical," Grams protested.

Prue shook her head. "Right," she smiled, heading in the direction of the library with her back to her. "That's what I told myself with Piper and Phoebe too, guess we know where I got that one from," she smirked at her grandmother. For such a long time in her life, Prue had been in the protective role over her sisters. It had been a challenge letting go.

"What was all that nonsense with, MS. Halliwell?" Grams mocked, suddenly shifting the focus of conversation.

"Would you have preferred MRS. Halliwell?" Prue asked in amusement.

Grams made a face of disgust, placing a hand on her chest. "Heavens, no."

"Didn't think so but I had to make up something to explain why a whitelighter would need help you weren't able to give," Prue elaborated.

"So rather than being married, I'm the witch matron for the Whitelighter Association of Useless Retirees?"

"It was just a cover, not any real reflection on you, Grams, you know that," she tried to offer reassurance, understanding her grandmother didn't care for the insinuation that she had been powerless to help.

"I would think not," Grams' ego readily agreed, "I mean, after all, experience comes with age not before it."

Prue entered the library with Grams close behind when an odd feeling of Deja vu suddenly come over her. It was weird, it was almost as if she had been here before. But that wasn't possible, was it? She scanned the shelves with her eyes. There were tons of books and she groaned internally. Where would they even begin?

"From the looks of it, we should probably get started right away." Obviously, Grams had made the same observation as Prue. "No point in waiting for anybody," her Grams walked past her. "I'll start on this part," she nodded one way, "and you can start over there," she pointed to the opposite side of the room.

"Right," Prue sighed and walked over to the expansive line of bookshelves.

Prue took hold of the rolling ladder and moved it to the left. She would start at one end and then slowly make her way down the aisle. Climbing up, she began to examine books at the very top while her Grams started at the bottom from her side of the room. Some time had passed in silence with neither one of them getting very far nor finding anything of any particular relevance. Prue had barely made her way to the middle section of the stacks while Penny Halliwell was still investigating books from the lower level.

"Don't they have a card catalogue or something?" Prue finally spoke up.

Grams held a book and began quickly flipping the pages. Sighing, she placed it back down. "It certainly would be useful but keep looking anyway."

"Something tells me this needle in the haystack approach isn't going to be our best bet," Prue cracked. "We've been at it for like, what, an hour already?"

"Be that as it may," Grams agreed, "Gideon at least gave us access."

With her back facing her grandmother from her side of the library, Prue shook her head and rolled her eyes. "How very big of him," she mumbled to herself.

"I'll pretend I didn't overhear that," Grams turned around to look over at Prue. "Instead, though, maybe you can share with me your thoughts on why you think that particular demon back at the house was after you?"

"Yeah, the thing is, I don't think I was the one he was tracking," Prue bit down on her lip and thought of Billie. She was distracted with pulling out another book when another one next to it fell down to the floor.

Grams kept her attention on Prue. "Why do you say that?" she narrowed her eyes.

Prue stopped what she was doing, turned around, and looked pointedly at her grandmother. "Grams, stop. I know what you did, okay?" she referred to the spell cast to erase her memory about Billie.

"What I did?" Grams became defensive. "Would you care to explain that accusation?"

Prue huffed and then closed her eyes, realizing it technically hadn't happened yet. "Okay, what you will do," she corrected, "remember I suck at tenses. I'm talking about the memory wiping spell. Dumain is after the baby. Yes, Grams, the baby that past me is going to be having soon. You should know, you sent me away."

"I didn't send you away," Grams tried to deny. "Don't be ridiculous."

Prue came back down the ladder. "Grams, I was sent to live with strangers for months," she laughed but not because she found it funny. "You took me out of school, I missed half a semester, I was away from all my friends and family," she vented, buried feelings arising within her she didn't even know were there. "And Andy was gone."

"Yes, well, fine," Grams relented. "You are, were," she changed the tense, "in no position to be raising a child at that age."

Prue didn't say anything back. She only shook her head.

"You're angry with me," Grams nodded.

"Grams, I don't even have all the memories to be angry over it," Prue shrugged. "But of what little memory and feelings I do have, you should have let me tell him."

Penny Halliwell took in a deep breath then released it. Of course, she knew exactly who her granddaughter was referring to. "I always liked Andy," she admitted. "But did you honestly expect him to give up what he was doing?"

Prue was getting upset. "No, I'm not saying that, and maybe we weren't ready, but we could have made that decision together. Now he ..." she cut herself off before she delved too much into the future. Her present.

Grams still caught it. "Now he, what? Knows?" she pushed.

"Grams, you know I can't," she shook her head.

"What? I can't know that he apparently knows about the baby. I can't know that you and he are obviously back together," Grams shook her head, turning around to resume her task with the books. "You hide it well, but you are still showing."

Prue took a brief glance down at her mid-section. Grams had noticed her pregnancy under the clothing that shielded it for the most part but that wasn't all too surprising. She was getting pretty far along and yet remembered they still had so much to work through: she and Andy. Thinking of him reminded her of the huge ugly mood ring still sitting on her finger. She lifted it to look at it.

When Grams heard no response back, she turned around again. "Well, I say things certainly can't be that bad, not if you got into the condition you're in," she nodded at Prue's belly.

Prue finally gave in. "You know what, screw the future consequences," she muttered to herself. "Grams," she began to argue. "Andy knows that I'm a witch, he knows all about the magic, and the demons, about Billie," she listed off, "and just about every other secret I've had to keep from him at some point, okay? And he's not fine with any of it. In fact, everything is pretty far from okay," she flashed her ring finger up so her grandmother could get a good look at it. "All in the name of the Charmed destiny because let's at least be honest, that's what it's always been about, right?"

Grams held up her hand. "Hold up. Back all that up just a little bit. Billie," she repeated. "Who is Billie?"

Prue lifted her brows in response.

Then it suddenly seemed to dawn on her grandmother. "Oh, I see." Her posture stiffened. "So, what you're telling me is you have a boy?" Grams looked almost appalled. "Well," she sighed. "Better luck with the next one," she indicated with a small nod towards Prue's pregnant belly before turning back around to busy herself again.

Well, that's Grams for you, thought Prue. It made her wonder what her reaction had been to the births of Wyatt and Chris. Prue hadn't been around at that time, but she was quite aware their grandmother kept tabs on them from the afterlife inside the present time. She decided not to confirm or deny anything. Grams could think whatever she wanted to and then find out the truth once Billie was born. That would be very soon anyway.

"Our magic in the hands of men. Oh good lord! A disaster waiting to happen," Grams could be overheard lamenting to herself.

Prue let herself calm down before responding. "I wouldn't worry too much about it, Grams. Trust me, the Charmed Legacy definitely lives on," she went to move but had forgotten about the book that had fallen from the top shelf minutes ago. She accidentally kicked it, and it grabbed her attention again.

"And of course, the Charmed destiny is important," Grams went into voicing her feelings. "It matters. It needed to be protected. But you girls always mattered more."

Prue picked up the book.

"And I know you love Andy, he's actually one of the better ones, but what have I always told you girls," Prue could vaguely hear what her grandmother was rambling on about in the background. Grams had been notorious for giving her many sermons against men and relationships to Prue and her sisters during their youth.

"It would be better to date an iron board?" Prue cracked, barely underneath her breath, as she remembered one of her grandmother's infamous monologues. "The iron can at least keep you warm and you can see the burnout coming," she rolled her eyes at the memory of Grams making that analogy with the appliance. Most of Prue's attention was now on the book she was holding in her hands and her eyes were on the title of it. It read: How to Summon the Vicarian Stones.

Grams continued on, completely oblivious. "They just can't handle it, not our magic, certainly not the job we do and when it's time to move on, it's time to move on. It's just the way it is for us."

"Not exactly looking to follow in your footsteps, Grams," Prue answered her in a distracted manner. Of course, she was referring to the many husbands and failed marriages her grandmother had acquired over the years of her own life.

"Ouch," her grandmother grimaced. "Granted, maybe I wasn't the best example but I'd much rather you girls learn from my mistakes."

This was it. Prue remembered that much. She tried to skim some of the pages but realized the book was rather thick. However, these were definitely the stones they were going to need to get their hands on in order to stop Gideon. He had been using them to empower other demons. Those demons were coming after her family, not to mention all the innocents, and then the whitelighters a certain darklighter was taking out. Quickly, she tried to assess what to do. How could she bring the book back home with her? Would the time travel allow it?

They were interrupted by a newcomer. "I apologize for the wait," a young man announced as he entered the library. "I'm Nathan Byron. Advanced Potions and Third Year Telepathy Instructor," he introduced himself.

It was Gideon's assistant.

Prue observed him silently and hid the book behind her back.

"Gideon said you could use some help with magical artifacts?" Nathan inquired, looking between the two women.

Grams walked right over and cut to the chase. "Yes, now which ones do you know of that would be particularly useful in assisting with time travel?" Then she thought about it some more. "Or rather, helpful with fixing it?"

Discreetly as possible, Prue slid the book underneath her shirt in the back while the assistant was distracted with her grandmother. She would figure out something later on how to get it home with her. Then it dawned on her. What if she hid the book in a spot where it could remain hidden for years until she could get to it back in her own time? Maybe some place only she would know about? She began scanning the layout of the library with her eyes.

"Hmm," the assistant thought about it. "Not very many that I can think of offhand," he shared. "But I do know the Baricoti Talisman has some time properties attached to it."

Prue kept herself vaguely aware of the ongoing conversation as she slowly began walking the length of the library.

"No," Grams could be heard shooting the suggestion down in the background. "Something more in line with a box, perhaps?"

Prue examined the bookshelves and then her sight landed on the wall behind a stack now directly in front of her. There was a vent. Prue looked over to the assistant and then back at the vent. She had an idea.

"Well, I don't know of any magical time boxes per say," the assistant was responding to her grandmother's inquiry. "Except the Hollow, of course, but that's locked away and guarded because of the inherent danger to all magical creatures, good or bad. And that doesn't involve time travel. But ..."

Prue was inching herself back towards the vent.

"I think," the assistant began walking in the opposite direction towards another stack of shelves with his back turned to them. Her grandmother followed behind. "Yes, I do believe there is something else ..." he was distracted with the shelves and trying to locate a book.

Prue took advantage of the distraction and dove for the vent. Kneeling down, she pulled on it, dismayed to find that it was quite securely locked into place. Sighing, she looked around and finally back over to her grandmother. Grams had just turned around trying to locate her when she suddenly noticed Prue on the other side of the room near the vent. Grams sent her another questioning look and Prue began pointing at the vent, signaling for her to use her powers to loosen it. It took a few seconds for her grandmother to catch on to what she was asking of her but when she did, she lifted her hand and waved discreetly. The magic loosened the screws, and the vent became partially removed on its own. Prue was then able to maneuver the rest.

"Nathan, dear, how about this section over here?" Grams moved to keep the assistant distracted by pointing at some books and asking some nonsensical questions.

Prue caught sight of a backpack slung over a chair. She went over and grabbed for it and luckily found that it was already empty. She quickly stashed the book inside and then bent down to stick the bag inside the vent, not too far in but far enough so nobody could see or know to go looking for it.

"Aha, here we go," Prue heard the assistant exclaim just after she placed the vent back in place. It was loose but back in place.

The assistant turned back around as Prue stood back up.

"Pandora's Box," he announced, and Prue's ears shot up at the name. "Now, it's not used for time travel, and it has its own guardian; however, the type of magic contained within can theoretically be, perhaps, manipulated into it?" he proposed.

"That's it!" Prue couldn't stop herself. "That's what Gid ... I mean, what my charge was talking about," she quickly covered up her almost slip of the tongue. She just hoped her Grams hadn't caught it.

Grams watched as Prue closed the distance and joined them.

"Well, then," the assistant sighed. "Here you go."

Prue reached out for the book.

"Is your charge the Guardian by any chance?" the assistant thought to inquire. "Because if they opened the box, we might have an even bigger problem on our hands."

Prue and Grams exchanged a look.

X

(Present - 2007)

Magic School

Coop stood in front of Billie's body. He began waving his hand in front of her face. "It's like she's in a trance," he made his observation.

Over by the book stacks, Past Prue was busy showing Leo where she had located the book. "In there," she pointed. "It was in this bag," she lifted it with her finger and then let it drop back to the floor.

Leo knelt down, inspecting the vent. "Okay," his face scrunched up. "Can I ask what even made you decide to look in here?" he stood back up. He was genuinely curious.

Past Prue shook her head. "I don't know," she thought about it. "I noticed it was loose."

"Yeah, apparently," Leo sighed. "Which is weird, considering the school always kept up with any magical repairs. Unless it happened during the time the demons took over."

"Right ..." Past Prue drew out. "The demons again. Well, ever heard the saying to never look a gift horse in the mouth?" she smiled big at him. "I mean, you guys do need the information, don't you?"

Leo's eyebrows were raised. "We do," he conceded. It seemed younger Prue was getting a little more comfortable with speaking her mind.

Suddenly, their attention was pulled back to Billie when a big gasping sound escaped her mouth. She was back in her own body with full awareness.

"Wow, that was so cool!" she exclaimed, getting up.

In a flash, three other bodies appeared behind her where she had been seated on the couch. It was Phoebe, Paige, and Future Piper.

"Hey, it actually worked," Paige nodded approvingly after she caught her bearings. She patted down her body. "I still can't believe I'm here ... but there?"

"Thank god for the Ultimate Power," Phoebe acknowledged because without it, they wouldn't have had access to that particular spell. She had never seen it in the book before.

Coop's eyes locked with Phoebe's. Wordlessly, she rushed over to him, and they embraced, both grateful to be in each other's arms again. Billie stood up from the couch, smiling at the scene before her. At least they were reunited. For now.

Future Piper walked over next to Billie. She reached out and put an arm around her. "I think thanking Billie is also in order," she nodded at her, "because without her bravery and courage to try the spell, we wouldn't be here," came the praise.

Billie was a little taken back by the open display. It was unexpected and she wasn't used to Piper being so openly approving of her actions considering all the mistakes she had taken her to task for in the short time they had gotten to know each other. Granted, she deserved it sometimes; however, Piper who was normally very protective and always on guard. This was a new side of Piper that would definitely take some getting used to.

Phoebe turned around, breaking free of Coop's embrace, and smiled. She bridged the small gap and reached out to hug Billie. "Awesome job, sweetie," she told her.

A little gun shy about all the attention she was receiving, she bucked it. "Oh, c'mon," she shoved her hands into her jean pockets. "I didn't really do anything you guys wouldn't have tried yourselves."

"Hey, learn to take a compliment, missy," Phoebe teased.

Billie smirked, turning her head away.

"Glad you're okay," Leo came over to join the rest of the group.

"Likewise," Paige returned in stride. "But you missed all the fireworks."

"Nothing new," Leo smirked. "Where are the others?" he looked around and noticed the rest of the group missing for the first time. "They didn't come back with you?"

"Uh," Phoebe shared a look with Paige. "Yeah. Unfortunately, while you were gone, another monkey wrench was thrown into the works. As if we didn't already have enough of those to worry about."

"Chris and the others decided to stay behind and play watch dog," Paige jumped in.

Leo looked between Phoebe and Paige. "Why?"

"Well," Phoebe hesitated. "Um," she really wasn't sure how to break the news. "Let's just say that evil can visit from the future in ALL forms."

Paige playfully rolled her eyes. "It's Wyatt," she said what Phoebe obviously couldn't get out. "He's back at the manor."

Leo's face lit up with surprise. "Wyatt's here? As in the grown version, like Chris?"

"As in the not so good version," Paige dropped the bomb. There was no point in hiding it or keeping it a secret.

Leo's face dropped.

"Sorry," Phoebe offered as her face fell along with his.

Leo crossed his arms. "Yeah, well," he sighed, "clearly that's a timeline we want to fix, still need to fix, so we should probably stop standing around and get to work to keep it from happening." He stepped forward, raising a book in the air. "We found something that might finally help in getting us there."

"You mean, I found something," Past Prue intervened and corrected him. She was sitting on the arm of the couch, looking down at her nails and picking at her cuticles.

"Right," Leo laughed, "so I think the Power of Three should probably take it from here," he looked at Future Piper first but then quickly turned away. She walked over to him and placed a comforting hand on his arm. Their eyes met and she smiled. He smiled back and then handed her the book. "I just want you to come home."

"I know," Future Piper closed her eyes and nodded. Next, she turned to address her sisters. "Alright, ladies, the time for chit chat is over. Time to haul ass," she started clapping and walking in their direction. "C'mon, chop pity chop chop, you know the drill."

Phoebe's eyes widened. Billie smirked.

Paige rolled her eyes. "Now there's the Piper we all know and love," she moved to follow. Future Piper held the book in the air and then went to hand it over to Paige. "Really?" she sighed. "Why me?" she pouted.

"Hey, I wasn't kidding earlier when I said there would be a lot of reading in your future," Future Piper teasingly admonished her youngest sister.

After Piper went to lay the book in Paige's outstretched hands, Paige made a face as the book weighed them down. "You're right, you weren't kidding. This thing is like the size of two encyclopedias combined."

"Have fun," Phoebe threw at her.

"Yeah, thanks," Paige made a face and turned around to find a table.

Phoebe was left standing with Future Piper. "So, what should we do now?"

"I think we should make a run to some of the potion labs here in the school. Pull together whatever we can find because I think we're going to need all the help we can get," Future Piper advised.

"Right," Phoebe sighed, getting more worried about the others who were still left behind. Not to mention, themselves. "Leo, potion labs?"

"They're on the other end of the school," he informed them, "but if you want, I can just orb you over there?"

"Wait, you have your powers back?" Phoebe was surprised by the news.

"Yes, but another story for another time," he brushed it off. "Are we going now?"

"Sure, um, Billie?" Phoebe called out for her. "You think ..."

Billie already knew what was about to be asked of her. "Yeah, yeah, I got it," she playfully rolled her eyes. "See, I'm already on it," she called back over her shoulder while moving in the direction of younger Prue. She would stay behind and keep an eye on her. Again.

"Thanks," Phoebe grinded her teeth, while giving two thumbs up. She did kind of feel bad that Billie was once again taking on the chore to watch over the younger version of her oldest sister when she could actually be helping them.

Paige was preoccupied with the book. Coop waved Phoebe off while Past Prue had found her way to the Book of Shadows and was scanning the contents.

"Alright, let's do this," Phoebe sighed.

Leo orbed away with both Phoebe and the future version of his wife.

X

(Future - 2029)

Piper and Julie moved at a swift pace through the sewer tunnels.

"You know, you're lucky you didn't run into any trouble down that way," Julie warned Piper. "It's dangerous, in fact, roaming the tunnels at night is never a good idea."

"Why?" Piper challenged. "Is your sewer home crawling with demonic rats? Maybe some supernatural quicksand disguising itself as water?" she mocked. "Don't worry, I think I can handle it."

Julie sighed. "I know you have your powers, Aunt Piper, that's not what I meant. It's just that the others sometimes use that area to congregate," she clarified, not sure how to explain since her sister had opted against giving Piper the details about Wyatt. "We're not alone down here and they certainly aren't friendly's."

"Friendly's?" Piper laughed. "What, you mean Wyatt's magical band of zombie cohorts?" she cracked, revealing what she knew but they were too afraid to share.

Julie shot her a look.

"Yeah, I know all about it," Piper gently scolded. "Next time, do me a favor and just give it all to me straight. Like I said, I can handle it."

"Sorry, I thought you should've known," Julie apologized. "P and Laura outvoted me."

"Yup, well, I know how that system works," Piper rolled her eyes thinking about the times things were decided by the sisters on a majority vote.

They finally reached the entrance to the sanctuary. Smoke was blowing out from it.

"Oh no," Julie mumbled, immediately running for the entrance.

Piper followed close on her trail and after they both entered the shelter area both were greeted by a devastating sight. Everything was mostly destroyed and dead bodies were strewn out everywhere. There were small pockets of survivors scattered around, and some sounds of scared children crying in the distance while Prudence and Laura could be seen trying to tend to the injured. Piper didn't want to be disrespectful to the dead but she was scurrying over and around any bodies found in her way. She desperately needed to get to Wyatt, Molly, and Chris to make sure they were okay. When she suddenly and unexpectedly came upon a small outstretched arm with a doll loosely clasped in hand, she stopped and closed her eyes. That little girl was who they had encountered after they first arrived. She hadn't survived this attack. The rest of her small body was hidden underneath some of the other corpses piled over her. Piper covered her mouth, she could taste the bile quickly rising up in her throat. She resumed her movements quickly.

Julie called out to her sister. "P, what happened? How did they find us?"

Prudence was kneeling down, holding a blood soaked cloth to the back of an elderly man's head. "I don't know," she answered.

Julie swallowed over the lump in her throat. Her sister sounded pretty shaken and that wasn't an easy thing to have happen.

"But we need to gather the remaining survivors and get to the Zone," Prudence told her sister.

"The Zone?" Julie shot her a skeptical look. "How? These people look too hurt and scared to want to go anywhere."

"We have to try," Prudence insisted. "We can't stay here, it isn't safe anymore. We're compromised."

"You think they'll be back?" Julie sounded a bit fearful.

Prudence didn't answer but instead glanced from her sister over to Piper, who appeared to be in the throes of a frantic search. "How did she get out of the sanctuary?" she nodded towards their aunt.

Julie turned around to look. "Not sure. I found her wandering in the forbidden sector and it sounded like she might have been talking to somebody. But when I got there, she was all alone."

"Wyatt? Molly? Chris?" Piper was calling out after reaching the area she had left them. "Mommy's here, where are you?" Unfortunately, they were nowhere to be found. Not a single sign of them anywhere. "No no no," she began chanting in a panic.

Piper headed back towards the draped area, the same location they were all gathered earlier. She roughly pulled back the curtain, her eyes desperately searching for any sign of her niece or her children. Nothing. This was a nightmare. She brought her hands up to cover her mouth and felt the first effects of hyperventilation taking over. Closing her eyes, she began taking deep slow breaths to counter it.

Relax, Piper, relax, she commanded herself.

The kids had to be around here somewhere. Piper couldn't help it but she was now mentally kicking herself for leaving and not staying behind to protect them. If she ever got back home, how was she going to explain to her sister that her irresponsibility and impulsive decision-making had gotten her daughter killed? Prue would never forgive her, hell, she would never forgive herself.

"Aunt Piper?"

"What?" Piper shouted, clearly upset. She turned around and felt bad when she recognized who it was. She lowered her tone. "What?" she repeated.

"I found them," Laura, Paige's daughter, reported to her.

Laura didn't have to repeat it twice. Piper was in instant motion, moving to follow behind her niece as they left the draped area and headed in the backwards direction of some copper rusted pillars and to the opening of a huge drain pipe found on the wall. They stopped in front of it and Christie and Penny could be seen crawling out, turning around to make sure three other faces were following behind them.

"Come on, you guys," young Penny could be heard instructing. "It's safe now."

Piper knelt down and held her breath as Christie exited first, followed by Penny. Laura assisted in pulling them out. They stood up, turned around, and then the next head of hair could be seen coming into view. It was Molly.

Oh thank god, Piper sighed in relief. "C'mon, baby, that's it, I got'cha," she told her as she reached out to finish lifting the little girl out.

Laura watched as Piper hugged Molly tightly, then moved to place the child down by her side so she could help her two young sons next. Chris was second to come out, followed by Wyatt, who helped push his little brother out from behind. Then Wyatt pushed himself out and was instantly greeted by the pull into his mother's tight embrace, just like his brother before him. She squeezed him and kissed the side of his head, tears of joy and relief slipping out beneath her closed eyelids.

"That's our secret safe space," Penny announced proudly with a big smile, her two missing front teeth noticeable once again. "We had drills. We have to go there if the bad people ever show up," she shared. "They never did before."

Piper smiled at her. "And you did a really great job," she praised her, "and with helping these ones out too," she indicated of Wyatt, Molly, and Chris. While she felt grateful, extremely grateful, that Billie's children appeared very well trained in what to do in the event of such a crisis, it also saddened her that this was their normal.

Prudence and Julie joined them.

"We're moving out," Julie announced.

"Where?" Laura shrugged.

"The Zone," Prudence and Julie answered at the same time.

"The Zone?" Piper questioned.

"Yeah, we can explain more later," Prudence kept it brief. "Right now, we need to figure out a way to get whoever is left ready for the move. But some of them are pretty badly injured and they might slow us down."

"Well, we're not going to leave anyone behind?" Piper crossed her arms. "Right?"

"I didn't say that," Prudence became a little defensive and Piper thought she picked up a little bit of an attitude change.

"Right, you didn't," Piper decided to keep it cool. "So then what's the plan? Because I really need to be finding a way back home. And soon." She reached down to pull young Chris up into her arms.

"Don't worry, we'll find a way to get you back where you belong," Prudence came across sounding a little harsher than she had intended.

Piper tried but she couldn't hold it in any longer. "Thanks, but do you mind explaining the sudden change of attitude?" she confronted her.

Prudence huffed.

Julie and Laura exchanged a look. "Uh oh," Julie silently mouthed at Laura.

"Do you mind explaining what you were doing when Julie found you?" Prudence countered Piper back. The accusation was clear in her voice.

Julie looked down when Piper threw a glance her way.

"That depends," Piper was quick with her comeback. "Any reason you didn't bother to tell me that Wyatt is the reason you're all holed up in this post apocalyptic sorry excuse that you call a bunker?"

"Hey, we did that to spare you!" Prudence went on the defense.

"Well, okay, but I don't need any sparing, thank you very much. Just the truth," Piper argued.

"The truth?" Prudence repeated.

"Yes, the truth," Piper nodded back emphatically.

"Fine, well the truth is, if it wasn't for your son, none of this would be happening right now," Prudence vented. "If it wasn't for your son, my mother might still be alive."

"P?" Julie tried to cut in and stop things from going in the direction they were headed.

"What?" Prudence turned on her sister. "It's true."

"Yeah, well, I don't think mom would see it that way," Julie countered, appearing hurt, and hating it when their mother got brought up and used to bolster an argument. "She would want to find a way to help. You know that."

"Help?" Prudence laughed incredulously. "Jules, Wyatt is way beyond helping. Has been for a very long time."

Laura sighed wearily, shaking her head. "Should I go take a head count?" she asked, trying to steer clear of the argument and throw herself into something more productive.

Prudence waved her off. "Sure, whatever."

Laura just rolled her eyes and turned around to leave. "Right, whatever," she mimicked.

They all knew there was a lot of hidden resentment regarding the entire Wyatt situation. Prudence and Chris had even gotten into some minor spats over it because Wyatt was actually his brother. When the fights became too heated, it usually ended in one of Mel's failed interventions and then her walking away upset. After all, Wyatt was her brother too, she couldn't help but feel some misplaced guilt, but they all needed her occasional reminder that none of it was any of their faults and they were all in the situation together. They needed to stick together; their family was already divided enough.

Laura would know, after the split, she didn't have neither of her siblings by her side. At least P and Julie still had each other just like Chris and Melinda. Molly had Billie before the event but at least she was left with her two nieces.

Piper just froze because she didn't know how to respond. Suddenly noticing that Wyatt was absent, she did a frantic search. "Wyatt?"

Finally her eyes landed on him and, when they did, she discovered he was with one of the survivors. She sighed in relief, bringing her hand to her chest. He had wandered off and now held his hands over the elderly man with the serious head injury. He was healing him.

Prudence, Julie, and Laura all turned to observe.

Piper smiled sadly. How had it all gone from this sweet helpful little boy to the future nightmare she was now participating in?

"Auntie Piper?" Molly tugged on Piper's shirt. She looked down at her. "What if the bad people come back? I want to go home."

Piper didn't say anything. Instead, she used one arm to pull her closer and then hugged Chris tighter, who was still hoisted up in his mother's arms.

"I want to go home because I don't like what they say," Molly kept talking.

"What they say? What do you mean, sweetie?" Piper questioned this time around.

"They don't talk but I still hear them," the little girl explained.

Molly's revelation had put the attention of both Prudence and Julie on her. "What's she talking about?" Prudence nodded at the child, while looking at Piper.

Piper held her hand up to halt her. "Hold on a minute," she knelt down in front of Molly and placed Chris next to her. She had forgotten that her niece was telepathic. "Do you mean, like, you can hear what they're saying in here," she gently guided her along and also pointed to the side of the child's head.

Molly nodded wordlessly to confirm it.

"Okay, that's good, that's very good," Piper smiled to encourage her. "Now, do you remember what they were talking about? What you didn't like?"

Prudence and Julie waited anxiously.

Molly nervously glanced between the others and back to Piper. When she was about to turn her head and look at them again, Piper stopped her.

"No, no, it's okay sweetie, look at me, not them," she firmly but gently instructed the child. When she had Molly's full attention, she continued on. "Can you tell me what they said? I promise that nothing bad is going to happen to you if you tell me, okay? I promise."

The little girl sighed and looked Piper directly in the eyes. "They said ..." she stammered, "they can keep us here forever. They said they can stop the others too. And they have a box."

Piper's eyes widened and she shot a look over at Prudence and Julie. Who were 'they' exactly and how did they even know Piper was here with the kids?

Prudence sighed and knew she was going to have to come completely clean about everything. "Look ..." but Piper cut her off.

"No, I don't think so!" her voice rose several notches. "I think you need to start explaining everything that is going on around here," she demanded.

"But ..." Julie tried to object.

"Eh eh," Piper put her finger up to cut Julie off next. "No buts, just explanations. Start talking. Who are 'they' exactly and do you know something about a box?" she instantly thought of Pandora's Box.

"Okay, fine," Prudence sighed annoyed. "You want to know everything, then I suggest you prepare yourself.

"Consider me prepared!" Piper countered.

"The family is split," Prudence revealed to her. "Some of us sided with Wyatt. Although, not really that willingly," she rephrased it.

"Not really that willingly?" Piper gave her look. "What does that even mean?"

"There's a box," Julie cut in to help explain. "We don't know where it came from but they've been using it to destroy magic. While keeping their own."

"I'm not following," Piper shot her eyes between both of her grown nieces.

"Well, follow this," Prudence jumped back in. "The box not only steals your magic, it robs you of your soul."

"Yeah, your zombie analogy from earlier?" Julie commented. "Actually not that far off."

Well, damn, thought Piper.

Pandora's Box was sounding better and better with each passing second she was learning something new from this abysmal timeline.

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To Be Continued: Okay, going to end it here. I don't have a specific timetable, but I will be working on the next chapter and will update chapters as I finish them. If you can, push the button and drop a review. Thanks.