4x17: The Skylark's The Limit

[The Virtual Series]

CHARMED: RESET REALITY (A new Alternate Universe series brought to you by Daniel, 4Ever, Drama, Xenith, and a host of others!)

STARRING:



SHANNEN DOHERTY...Prue Halliwell
HOLLY MARIE COMBS...Piper Halliwell
ALYSSA MILANO...Phoebe Halliwell
ROSE McGOWAN...Paige Matthews

CO-STARRING:



BRIAN KRAUSE...Leo Wyatt
JULIAN McMAHON...Cole Turner
DORIAN GREGORY...Darryl Morris
SHAWN CHRISTIAN...Matt Capiello

CHARMED: RESET REALITY is a concept conceived and copyrighted by Daniel Taylor and cannot be copied without his permission.[/i]

Based on the television show "Charmed" created by Constance Burge and featuring characters created by her and Brad Kern.


DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. If we owned Charmed, the last few seasons would be more like this! All characters and locations are fictitious or are used fictitiously. We only own the characters listed as "Original characters" within the credits. All others are products of the old WB and the new CW and belong to them and Aaron Spelling Productions. This work was not written for sale and is meant only to be read by visitors to websites for the fans of the television show, Charmed. [/size]

4.17 THE SKYLARK'S THE LIMIT

GUEST-STARRING:
JAMES READ
JENNIFER RHODES
IVAN SERGEI
ALISSA McANDREW
RICHARD DURYEA
ALICE CHAN WAI
EMMALEE THOMPSON
MEGAN CORLETTO
JAMEY GESTON

Script written by...CAMILLE (FOUREVER CHARMED), DRAMA (ASSASSIN WITCH)

Script edited by...DRAMA (ASSASSIN WITCH)

Script proofread by...CAMILLE (FOUREVER CHARMED), DRAMA (ASSASSIN WITCH), DTAYLOR (FOREVER YOURS)

Executive Producer...DTAYLOR (FOREVER YOURS)

Produced by...Drama, Fourever Charmed, Xenith

Directed by...James Conway

[The Virtual Series]

The Skylark's The Limit

Teaser[/center]

[Scene: Camp Skylark. All is quiet at the old campsite. The water is rippling gently with the wind while the camp flag is flapping. The whistling of the wind is all that is heard; the surrounding grass is in need of a mow. On the dock, something begins to glimmer on the wooden beams before shooting up in a fountain of glistening water and forming into a nude form of a woman. Her emerald green hair, streaked with cerulean blues and golden yellows, flows down to her knees and covers any revealing areas of her sea-foam white skin. She takes several barefoot steps until she is standing at the edge of the dock, with her perfect toes dangling over the edge. She suddenly arches her arms and places one hand over the other, high above her head like an experienced diver, and leaps gracefully into the water. The clear water, left like that since Phoebe’s spell over three months earlier, ripples with an unnatural green glow as she disappears into Lake Skylark’s depths. As the water begins to settle, a giant flowing green and yellow fin slices through the water and slaps the surface, causing a wave of water to run across the lake and smash into the land at the edge of the lake.]

[Scene: Psychology’s office. PHOEBE HALLIWELL is sitting behind her desk. A woman is sitting in a chair in the waiting area, reading a magazine. PHOEBE looks up from her work and spots the magazine.][/b]

PHOEBE: Oh, my sister is a photographer for that magazine!

[Scene: 415 Magazine. Photography Editor GIL CORSO is flipping through photographs of the beach. He throws them down onto the table in anger.]

GIL: This is crap. You can barely recognize the ocean. The waves shouldn’t be acting up that much on motion; you can’t take a decent photo. (He looks around.) Where’s Prue?

(MARY GRANT grabs her photographs and walks away from her boss. RUPERT MANNING comes up to GIL with a smirk.)

RUPERT: Prue called in sick.

GIL: Tell Matt to come here.

(RUPERT nods and walks towards MATTHEW CAPIELLO, who is looking in his camera of the photos he has just taken.)

RUPERT: Gil needs to speak with you, now.

(MATT lowers his camera, ignores RUPERT, and walks over to GIL. GIL spots him.)

GIL: Tell Prue that Mary didn’t come through. I need her to go to the ocean and take pictures of the water.

MATT: Mr. Corso, Prue isn’t feeling well.

GIL: I don’t care. I’m giving her this assignment.

(MATT opens his mouth, but GIL continues to talk.)

GIL: Tell her I need them by five. And, don’t attempt to do the job yourself, Matt. I can distinguish her work from others.

[Scene: Halliwell Manor. Kitchen. PIPER HALLIWELL is making a grocery list when the phone rings. She answers it.]

PIPER: Halliwell Residence. (pause) I’ll go get her. Hold on. (PIPER walks out of the kitchen and spots PRUE HALLIWELL walking towards the door with her key in hand.) Matt’s on the phone.

PRUE: Tell him I’m not feeling well.

(PIPER gives her sister a questionable look.)

PIPER: Where are you going, Prue?

PRUE: No where. (She continues to head towards the door. PIPER catches up to her and hands her the phone.)

PIPER: Then you can tell Matt you aren’t feeling well yourself. (She walks back towards the kitchen.)

PRUE: (sighing) Hello?

MATT’s VOICE: Hey, Prue. I know you said you weren’t feeling well today, but Corso wants you to take a couple of pictures for him.

PRUE: Of what?

MATT’s VOICE: The ocean for that relaxation article.

PRUE: I thought Mary was doing that.

MATT’s VOICE: She did, but Corso didn’t like them so he gave you the job. And he needs them by five.

PRUE: Couldn’t he assign it to you or Rupert?

MATT’s VOICE: I’m sorry, Prue. I tried to take it, but he specifically said he wanted you.

PRUE: Okay. Fine. I’ll see you later. (She hangs up the phone and closes her eyes.) Of all days to go near water…

Clickable Credits.

[The Virtual Series]

{SCENE: The song, “Walk On Water,” written by Jesse Harms and sung by Eddie Money, is heard as stock shots of San Francisco are shown while the Guest Credits are rolled.}

Act One

[Scene: A beach. The sun is peeking through the clouds, making the blue water in the distance glitter. The waves lap softly at the edge of the shore, leaving dark spots as they retreat back into the vastness of the ocean. Farther back, perched on a formation of rocks, PRUE sits, holdings her camera in hand. Her blue eyes gaze out at the blue waves and then she shifts her head, watching the water gently crawl up the sand.]

[Flashback: Nine-year-old PHOEBE giggles wildly as she runs across the crowded beach, dressed in a bright yellow one piece swimsuit. Right on her heels, an eleven-year-old PIPER, dressed in a black swimsuit with white poka dots, chases after LITTLE PHOEBE. Away from the water, a younger PENNY HALLIWELL, complete with a large brimmed hat and sunglasses, waves to her granddaughters.]

PENNY: Piper, Phoebe! Be careful near the water, it looks like it’s getting a little choppy!

(YOUNG PIPER stops and cups her hands around her mouth.)

YOUNG PIPER: Don’t worry, Grams! I won’t let her get too far out!

(PENNY nods and YOUNG PIPER turns back to LITTLE PHOEBE, who giggles as she grabs a red plastic bucket from the sand and motions to YOUNG PIPER.)

LITTLE PHOEBE: C’mon, Piper, lets go make a sand castle!

(YOUNG PIPER rolls her eyes slightly, but follows LITTLE PHOEBE to the edge of the water, where they plop down in the sand and begin to make a sand castle. Meanwhile, PENNY turns her attention away from YOUNG PIPER and LITTLE PHOEBE, and walks over to the rocks where YOUNG PRUE, about fourteen or so, is huddled with her head between her knees.)

PENNY: Prudence-

YOUNG PRUE: (muffled) Please go away.

PENNY: It’s a beautiful day, dear. You should enjoy it. (She reaches out her hand and gently places it on YOUNG PRUE's arm.) You don’t have to go near the water if you don’t want to.

(YOUNG PRUE swipes PENNY’s hand away and looks up with tears in her eyes.)

YOUNG PRUE: (angrily) Why did you bring us here?! (She motions towards the ocean, without looking at it.) You know how much I hate the water!

PENNY: Your mother wouldn’t want you to be afraid-

YOUNG PRUE: (angrily) I’m not afraid! (She climbs off the rocks and swipes her arm across her cheek, wiping away her tears.) And you don’t know what Mom would want. She’s dead, remember?! (She turns and starts running away from the beach.)

[Cut to the present. PRUE wipes her sleeve over her eyes, wiping away her tears. She holds up her camera and snaps several shots of the lapping waves and then a few of the horizon, before climbing off the rocks and heading away from the water.]

[Scene: Psychologist’s office. PHOEBE looks up at the wall clock, noting that it’s noontime. She glances around the empty office and then closes the files on her computer, before clicking, “Shut Down”. As she stands up, the bell above the door jingles and COLE TURNER walks in. PHOEBE’s eyes brighten and she runs over to him.]

PHOEBE: What a nice surprise! (They kiss.) What brings you over this way?

COLE: (teasingly) What? I can’t come see my girlfriend for lunch?

(PHOEBE smiles and walks him over to the front desk.)

PHOEBE: Actually, you’re just in time. I was just closing down my computer so I could take my break. (She grabs a jacket that’s hanging on the back of her office chair and then bends down to get her purse, which is sitting next to her desk.) What’s up?

COLE: I’ve got great news!

(PHOEBE tilts her head to the side, curious.)

PHOEBE: Oh? (She moves to the DR. LAURA BRENTON’s door and holds up her index finger to silence COLE for a moment. She knocks and then pokes her head inside.) Hey, I’m taking my lunch now. I’ll be back at one.

(LAURA looks up from the manila folder she’s holding and nods her head, smiling. PHOEBE shuts the door and looks back at her boyfriend.)

COLE: Things are still going pretty good between you and your boss?

(PHOEBE nods as they walk towards the door.)

PHOEBE: I think we’ve reached an understanding. (She wags her finger.) But that’s not to say that she can’t be, (she smirks) witchy, at times. (She shakes her head.) Anyway, you came here to tell me something. (They reach COLE’s car and he presses the button on his key ring to disarm it. PHOEBE shakes her head as she opens the door.) I still can’t believe they gave you a silver Porsche as a company car.

(COLE slips into the driver’s seat and slides his key into the ignition.)

COLE: They’re a powerful law firm. (He turns excitedly to her.) Which actually, is what I wanted to tell you about. (PHOEBE’s raises her brows.) They’ve given me my first high profile case!

PHOEBE: Oh my god! (She squeals and leans over to hug him.) That’s great! What’s it about?

COLE: Well, legally I can’t go into specifics, but the client contacted the firm in Miami, where the trial will be held.

PHOEBE: (surprised) Miami? As in, Miami, Florida? All the way across the country, Miami?

COLE: You’re not happy.

PHOEBE: No! No, it’s not that. It’s just…I’m surprised, that’s all. I mean, they must think pretty highly of you if they’re wanting to send you to a high profile case in Miami so soon.

COLE: Well, they know I can handle it, they’ve seen my work for the D.A.

(PHOEBE nods.)

PHOEBE: So, when does the trial start?

COLE: The client is flying out here in two weeks to meet and go over the specifics of the case, but the actual trial date isn’t until June.

PHOEBE: Four months. (COLE pulls onto the road and PHOEBE blinks.) Wow. (After a moment, she smiles genuinely and reaches over to gently squeeze his arm.) I’m really proud of you, Cole. You’ve come a long way.

[Scene: Manor. PRUE’s bedroom. The door opens, revealing PIPER. She steps in quietly and looks around. Her eyes instantly catch a calendar on the wall reading “February”, with a scenic picture of bare trees in front of a rising sun, dusted with white snow. In front of the trees is a flowing river, complete with the heat rising from the water and turning white due to the cold. All of the days are days on the calendar have a red slash through them, except for the last day, February twenty-eighth, which is circled in red ink. PIPER closes her eyes sadly as she shuts the door. Opening her eyes again, she looks to PRUE’s bed, where several photo albums are lying. She walks over to her sister’s bed and sits down. PIPER grabs the nearest album, sets it in her lap, and flips it open. The first picture is a Polaroid of PATTY HALLIWELL, LITTLE PRUE, and LITTLE PIPER, the same one PHOEBE took the night they traveled back to March 24, 1975. As PIPER turns the pages, she sees several pictures of PATTY holding BABY PHOEBE, and even a few of VICTOR BENNETT, PATTY, and BABY PHOEBE. A tear slides down her cheek and she lifts her head to the ceiling.]

PIPER: I remember Grams once telling me that you thought Phoebe would be the thing to keep you and Dad together. (She unconsciously touches her abdomen as she looks back down at the page revealing a photograph of PATTY sitting in a hospital bed with VICTOR at her side, holding BABY PHOEBE in his arms.) I guess some things just aren’t meant to be…

[Scene: South Bay Social Services. Copy Room. PAIGE MATTHEWS is copying papers at the copy machine. BILLY TANNON walks in.]

PAIGE: (annoyed) Why does Mr. Cowan always give me the busy work?

BILLY: It means he’s paying attention to you, Paige.

PAIGE: It’s not fair, though. He knows I can be a social worker, but he always passes over me.

(The copy machine stops, signaling that it is done making the copies. PAIGE grabs the papers and starts to head out.)

BILLY: Maybe if you calmed down about the position and let it go, he’ll notice that you’re mature enough.

(PAIGE glares at BILLY.)

PAIGE: I can’t just sit back while these children are in trouble.

MR. COWAN’s VOICE: Paige!

PAIGE: (wincing) Ugh. I’ll see you later, Billy. (PAIGE leaves and walks towards MR. BOB COWAN’s office. She sets the papers on the desks and spots HENRY MITCHELL.)

PAIGE: Henry, what are you doing here?

MR. COWAN: You two know each other?

(PAIGE and HENRY share a glance.)

MR. COWAN: Nevermind. (He turns to PAIGE.) Paige, I need you to keep an eye on a child for a bit.

(PAIGE’s eyebrow raises excitedly, despite having to do babysitter work.)

PAIGE: Sure. Where’s the kid?

HENRY: Toby should be near your cubicle.

(PAIGE nods and leaves them. As she heads towards her cubicle, she can hear MR. COWAN and HENRY talking. PAIGE looks around for a young boy as she gets closer. From the direction of her cubicle, giggling is heard and she walks in. A sixteen-year-old boy, TOBIAS CATTELL, is sitting in PAIGE’s desk chair. The voice is of LILA WRIGHT, a coworker, who is leaning over her own cubicle and PAIGE’s.)

PAIGE: What’s going on?

LILA: Oh, hey, Paige. We were just…

COWORKER's VOICE: Lila, did you make that call?

(LILA sighs, leans back into her cubicle.)

LILA: (shouting) I’m on hold!

PAIGE: Maybe you should make sure you catch them, Lila?

LILA: Yeah, right. (She sits down.)

[Scene: Camp Skylark. PRUE is standing behind the dock, gazing out at the green water that lays ahead of her. Hesitantly, she touches one of the beams with her hand and takes a cautious step onto the wooden dock. She holds up her other hand, revealing a white rose. Prue pads quietly across the dock, moving ever so slowly to the end, until she’s peering over the edge into the dark water below. She holds out her arm and loosens her grasp on the green stem of the rose, allowing it to fall from her fingers and land on the surface of the water. The weight from the stem sinks and begins to pull the white petals of the rose into the green water, before it sinks and disappears completely.]

ViICTOR’s VOICE: Like father, like daughter.

(PRUE whirls around, shocked and surprised as she sees her father standing behind the dock.)

PRUE: Dad…what are you doing here?

(VICTOR steps onto the dock and walks out to PRUE. He places his hand on one of the pillars and stares down into the water.)

VICTOR: Same thing as you… (He motions his hand towards the lake.) I’m honoring your mother’s memory. (He turns away from her gaze and closes his eyes.) I’ve visited this place every year since she died…it’s been a long twenty-four years.

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Two

[Scene: Camp Skylark. PRUE looks angrily to VICTOR.][/b]

PRUE: (angrily) You mean to tell me that you came every single year, without fail, but you never even bothered to contact your daughters?

VICTOR: Prue, that’s not what I meant-

PRUE: (interrupting) But it’s what you said! (She throws her arms into the air.) I can’t even believe you!

VICTOR: Prue-

PRUE: (angrily) Didn’t you think we were suffering too? I mean, she was our mother, for god’s sake! (She glares at him heatedly.) But of course, you only ever thought of yourself.

VICTOR: It’s not like I never tried, Prudence! I thought about it-

PRUE: Thinking is a long way from doing.

(VICTOR hangs his head.)

VICTOR: I know.

(PRUE turns on her heel and heads back up the dock.)

PRUE: Old habits die hard, apparently.

VICTOR: What’re you talking about?

PRUE: I think you know exactly what I’m talking about.

VICTOR: No, I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t.

(PRUE turns around so fast that VICTOR almost bumps into her.)

PRUE: You just keep walking in and out of our lives as you please! (He opens his mouth but PRUE holds up her hand to silence him.) Tell me, when was the last time we saw you? (Silence.) Come on, (venomously) Dad, when was it?

(VICTOR shakes his head.)

VICTOR: (quietly) I don’t remember.

PRUE: Piper’s wedding! That’s the last time you saw us, and that was almost a year ago! (She purses her lips as she stares at him.) Oh, but that’s not the last time you contacted any of us, was it? I’m sorry, you talked to Piper before Thanksgiving, didn’t you? (She scowls.) Do you have any idea how upset she was that you bailed out on Thanksgiving? (She tilts her head to the side.) Oh, wait, I’m sorry, of course you don’t…because you weren’t there!

VICTOR: Please let me explain-

PRUE: (interrupting) No. I’m tired of your excuses. The only thing I know you’re good for is bailing. (She curls her fist.) Like father, like daughter.

(PRUE turns on her heel without another word and starts to head down the dirt path, back to her car, without so much as looking back. VICTOR watches her disappear down the path, leaving him standing by himself in the middle of the camp. Unbeknownst to him, a WOMAN’s head emerges from the lake and stares at him. As she starts to open her mouth and emit a soft song, VICTOR takes off in PRUE’s direction. The WOMAN’s blue eyes glow an almost neon color as she sinks back into the water.)

[Scene: South Bay Social Services. PAIGE is standing over TOBY. He is smirking up at her from her desk chair.]

PAIGE: Wanna get up from my chair?

TOBY: I can see why they made you my babysitter. I bet this is the highlight of your week.

(PAIGE takes a deep breath and cocks her head to the side.)

PAIGE: And what’s the highlight of your week?

(TOBY stares directly into PAIGE’s brown eyes, still smirking.)

TOBY: Being hauled out of the house by the cops.

(A shiver runs down PAIGE’s spine, and a memory flashes into her mind.)

[Flashback: King High School. Two cops are dragging a TEENAGE PAIGE out of the school building, towards their car. The look on PAIGE’s face is of boredom; it obviously is not the first time this has occurred.]

[Flashback: San Francisco Police Station. MADELINE and HOLDEN MATTHEWS walk in, looking disappointed. TEENAGE PAIGE rolls her eyes and looks away from her adoptive parents.]

[Cut back to the present. PAIGE blinks away the memories.]

PAIGE: Why were you hauled out of the house by the cops?

TOBY: I found my parents dead in the kitchen.

PAIGE: You don’t look too disappointed.

TOBY: (shrugging) Should I be? (Their eyes lock again.) I can tell that you didn’t get along that well with your parents, either. (His tone shifts.) Wanna talk about it?

[Scene: San Francisco Police Department. A loud smack is heard as a manila folder falls onto Inspector DARRYL MORRIS’ desk. DARRYL looks up to see his new partner, a Chinese woman by the name of RAE EVANS, standing in front of him. RAE places her hands on her hips.]

RAE: We just got assigned a new body.

(DARRYL flips open the folder to reveal pictures of a corpse dressed in, what appears to be, a soaking wet wedding gown. He closes his eyes in disgust as he slides his chair back and stands up.)

DARRYL: Where’s the crime scene?

RAE: A Marriott downtown. (They start to briskly walk towards the exit.) Apparently the vic is a woman named Sonya Tatiana, who just moved to the states from Russia a few months ago. I suppose she’s what you might call a mail order bride.

DARRYL: And let me guess, nobody knows who the mysterious boyfriend is and the hotel room she was in was paid for in cash?

RAE: (smirking) Are you psychic or something?

(DARRYL smiles as he climbs into the driver’s seat of their squad car.)

DARRYL: Not me…I’ve just been at this a long time. (He starts the engine.) And I can tell you, I’ve seen things that you’d never believe.

[Scene: Manor. Entry way. PRUE stomps in as PIPER comes down the stairs, shuffling through a pile of mail. She looks up, surprised.]

PIPER: What’s the matter?

(PRUE holds up her hand as she drops her coat on the gold coat hanger and heads for the kitchen.)

PRUE: I don’t even want to talk about it.

PIPER: Did something happen at the magazine?

PRUE: No.

PIPER: Did you get the shots you needed?

PRUE: Yes.

PIPER: Is everything okay between you and Matt?

PRUE: Piper! I said I don’t want to talk about it. (She pulls an Evian from the fridge and takes a long swig. PIPER sets the mail on the counter and folds her arms across her chest, standing in the doorway. Her face softens.)

PIPER: Does this have to do with today?

PRUE: What’re you talking about?

PIPER: You know what I’m talking about. (Silence.) I saw the photo albums in your room, Prue. (pause) You act out every year. (PRUE turns away.) But I can tell something else is going on, because this isn’t your usual behavior. (She walks up behind PRUE and lays a hand on PRUE's arm.) What’s going on?

PRUE: (quietly) I went to the lake today.

PIPER: Where Mom…

(PRUE nods.)

PRUE: And…Victor was there.

PIPER: (shocked) What? Dad was there? (PRUE nods, a look of anger returning to her blue eyes. PIPER shakes her head, clearly confused.) What was he doing? I mean…the last time I talked to him, he said he’d be in Washington for two months on a field engineering assignment.

PRUE: Wait, he told you he’d be gone?

PIPER: Yeah, I got a call from him in January. (pause) But that doesn’t make any sense, because he wasn’t supposed to be back until mid March. (Her eyes widen.) Oh my god, he must’ve come back just to pay his respects to Mom!

PRUE: Then why didn’t he call us? It’s not like we’ve forgotten her.

PIPER: (shocked) That’s why you’re angry? Just because he wanted some personal time to remember Mom? Come on, Prue. That was his wife; he loved her just as much as we did.

PRUE: I’m not debating his love for Mom. (pause) I’m mad because he just disappeared again and then when he did come back, he didn’t even have the common courtesy to tell us! (PRUE leaves before PIPER can respond. After a moment, PIPER grabs the cordless phone from its charger, dials a number, and presses the phone to her ear.)

VICTOR’s VOICE: Hello?

PIPER: Dad?

VICTOR's VOICE: Piper?

PIPER: Yeah, it’s me…I heard you were in town, and I was wondering if you might want to come over for dinner tonight?

VICTOR’s VOICE: Tonight? (pause) Are you sure?

PIPER: Yeah, I think it would be a nice thing for all of us. (She lightly bites her lower lip.) How about eight? (A long beat passes.) Dad?

VICTOR’s VOICE: I’d love to.

[Scene: Cemetery. PATTY's grave. PHOEBE is standing there with a bouquet of fresh yellow daises in her hands. Her face is crestfallen as she bends down and places the bouquet at the base of the marble headstone. The first line reads, “Patricia Michelle Halliwell”. PHOEBE purses her lips as she stands back up. COLE takes a step closer to her and wraps his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. PHOEBE presses her head to COLE’s chest as she looks at the next line on the headstone. “April 5, 1950 – February 28, 1978”. PHOEBE places her hand on COLE’s chest.]

PHOEBE: Thanks for bringing me by here today. I didn’t think there would be enough time to take the bus during my lunch hour, so I thought I was going to have to come after work.

(COLE kisses the top of PHOEBE’s head as he wraps his other arm around her body.)

COLE: You’re welcome.

PHOEBE: Is it wrong to wonder how things would’ve been it my mom hadn’t died and my dad hadn’t left?

COLE: There’s nothing wrong with that at all. I always wonder how my life would’ve been different had my mother not killed my father. Or if I had been raised by him, living a mortal life, instead of by her. (pause) It’s only natural to wonder that, Phoebe. Why would you feel guilty about that?

PHOEBE: Because if Mom and Dad had raised us…we wouldn’t have Paige.

[Scene: Marriott Hotel. Outdoor hot tub. The entire pool area is flooded with police officers and cut off by yellow police tape. DARRYL and RAE duck under the tape and enter the crime scene. RAE motions her hand towards a black body bag next to the hot tub. They walk over and one of the officers walks up to them.]

DARRYL: (to the OFFICER) Can you tell me what happened here? (He bends down to the body bag and starts to unzip it.)

OFFICER: The victim was found face down in the hot tub. Nobody saw or heard anything, however we did find bruising on her shoulders, indicating someone held her under the water until she died.

RAE: Did anyone around her room see any frequent visitors? Perhaps the groom-to-be?

OFFICER: We’re interviewing the guests in the neighboring rooms right now. So far the only thing we have is the woman in the room to the right of hers saying that the victim was very superstitious.

(DARRYL, who’s looking at the face of the victim bride-to-be, suddenly looks up at the OFFICER with a curiosity.)

DARRYL: Superstitious? How so?

(RAE looks curiously at DARRYL.)

OFFICER: Just superstitious. For example, she believed that you couldn’t whistle in your house or car, otherwise you were whistling away your money. Or, you can’t go back into your house if you’ve forgotten something, because it’ll only result in something disastrous happening to you.

(RAE looks unconvinced.)

RAE: And she got this by, what? Talking to her once?

OFFICER: Actually, she said she was coming back to her room two nights ago when she saw someone delivering flowers to the victim. She was about to go inside when she realized the victim suddenly looked distraught, and was counting the flowers in the bouquet.

RAE: So let me get this straight. Someone sent flowers to her and this…upset her?

(The OFFICER shifts uncomfortably.)

OFFICER: They were yellow roses.

RAE: And?

OFFICER: According to the victim, yellow roses mean infidelity, and that her relationship with the groom was doomed.

RAE: (sarcastically) Well, that really helps us out.

OFFICER: There’s one more thing…

DARRYL: Yes?

OFFICER: There were a dozen roses. (DARRYL and RAE look confused.) When the neighbor asked what was wrong, the victim told her that when a woman gets an even number of flowers, it’s a sign that they’re going to die.

(DARRYL and RAE share startled looks.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Three

[Scene: Psychologist’s office. The bell above the door jingles as PHOEBE walks in. She heads over to her desk as LAURA pops her head out of her office.][/b]

LAURA: You sister called while you were out.

PHOEBE: Oh! (She bites her lip.) I’m sorry, they usually call my cell, but I didn’t realize the battery had died-

(LAURA shakes her hand dismissively.)

LAURA: Don’t worry about it. (She smiles.) She wanted to let you know that she invited your father over for dinner tonight and to be make sure to be home around eight.

PHOEBE: Oh, uh, thank you. (She slips off her coat and hangs it on the back of her chair. LAURA starts to close her door when she suddenly stops and pokes her head back out.)

LAURA: When’s my next appointment?

PHOEBE: Uhm… (She presses the “Power” button on her computer.) I’m not one-hundred percent, but I believe it’s Shirley Ackles, the thirteen-year-old with-

LAURA: Brief psychotic disorder. (PHOEBE nods. LAURA stares at PHOEBE for a moment.) I know I asked you to fax some papers to Dr. McPherson’s office, but I was wondering if you might like to sit in on our session.

(PHOEBE’s mouth drops open.)

PHOEBE: D-do you need me to take notes or something?

(LAURA tilts her head to the side, amused.)

LAURA: The reason you’re here is to further your experience in psychology, right? I can’t see a better way to do that than sitting in on an actual session.

(PHOEBE grips the back of her chair as the computer turns on.)

PHOEBE: Oh my gosh, I don’t know what to say. (She shakes her head.) I mean, I’d love to! Thank you!

LAURA: Just walk her in when she gets here. (She shuts the door. PHOEBE beams.)

[Scene: 415 Magazine. MATT’s office. GIL bursts through the door with an angry look on his face. MATT, who’s photoshopping an image on his computer, looks up with a disinterested expression.]

GIL: Matt! I thought I told you to have Prue take the pictures for the relaxation- (MATT grabs a yellow envelope and holds up to his boss, before returning his attention to his computer screen. GIL takes the envelope and starts to open it.) What’s this?

MATT: The pictures you asked for.

GIL: I thought I told you I wanted Prue to take them.

MATT: She did. (pause) Look for yourself.

GIL: I haven’t seen her come in today.

MATT: She dropped them off on her way home. I developed them.

(GIL sifts through the stunning pictures of the ocean and then slides them back into the envelope.)

GIL: Tell Prue-

MATT: (interrupting) Mr. Corso, today is the anniversary of Prue’s mother’s death. She took today off, like she does every year, to remember her mom. (pause) Look, she did what you asked, (he motions to the envelope) now can you please just let her mourn today?

(Silence.)

GIL: Tell Prue thank you for me. (He leaves.)

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. PIPER is standing at the stove. A boiling pot of water is in front of her and a fistful of uncooked spaghetti is in her hand. She releases the long, hard, straw-like spaghetti into the bubbling water as PRUE walks in. PRUE sniffs the air.]

PRUE: What’re you doing?

PIPER: What does it look like I’m doing?

PRUE: It smells like garlic bread.

(PIPER motions to the oven.)

PIPER: Good nose.

(PIPER walks over to the island, where a cutting board with a knife and several tomatoes are sitting. PRUE notices a piece of wrinkled, yellowed paper on the counter near her sister and picks it up. As she glances over it, she looks up again, surprised.)

PRUE: This is Mom’s old homemade spaghetti recipe. (PIPER nods.) I don’t recall you telling us that you were making it tonight.

PIPER: I didn’t…it was a last minute thing.

PRUE: What prompted that?

(PIPER picks up the knife and starts to slice the tomatoes.)

PIPER: You did.

PRUE: I did?

(PIPER nods.)

PIPER: And I…I invited Dad over for dinner.

(PRUE’s mouth falls into an o-shape.)

PRUE: (loudly) You what?!

(PIPER looks up with a stern expression.)

PIPER: Dad’s grieving too, Prue. He loved Mom just as much as any of us did, and I think it’s only right that he be able to mourn Mom with his family! (She holds up her hand as PRUE starts to speak.) I’m sure he had his reasons for not contacting us the last few months and we shouldn’t hold that against him. If he was really the same person he was when we were little, then he would’ve never tried to get back into our lives in the first place. (She shakes her head.) I thought you realized that last year.

(PRUE turns and leaves without acknowledgement of PIPER’s words.)

[Scene: South Bay Social Services. PAIGE is sitting in a chair opposite TOBY, and they are in the middle of a conversation about both of their high school times. TOBY’s eyes stare directly behind PAIGE. She turns around in her chair to see HENRY watching them, eyes directly on TOBY.]

PAIGE: Give me one second. Why don’t you go order some take out. (She stands up and walks over to HENRY. His face is stern looking.) Hey. Did you just now finish talking to Mr. Cowan?

HENRY: Yeah, just passing along the records for Toby. But, I was wondering if you’d like to grab some dinner with me.

PAIGE: I can’t. (She points back to TOBY.) We’ve having a good conversation and I don’t want to put him down by leaving him. After his parents died... (pause) I know what it’s like.

HENRY: He’ll be okay with someone else, Paige.

PAIGE: You don’t know what it’s like to lose your parents, Henry. I’m not going to drop him off with someone else who hasn’t been in the same situation. Cowan let me be in charge for a reason.

HENRY: (sighs and lowers his voice) Paige, be careful.

PAIGE: Why?

HENRY: Do you know why he’s here?

(PAIGE gives him a ‘duh’ look.)

PAIGE: Oh, yeah. His parents were killed.

HENRY: And we have reason to believe that he might have killed them.

PAIGE: If you really thought that, then why would you bring him here instead of the station? (She folds her arms in front of her chest.)

HENRY: Not enough evidence to prove it.

(PAIGE shakes her head.)

PAIGE: How about you do your job, and I do mine. (She turns away from HENRY and walks back into her cubicle. TOBY is still sitting in PAIGE’s desk chair as she stands by him. He wraps his arm around her waist.)

TOBY: Don’t worry, Henry. I’ll take great care of your girl tonight. (He winks as HENRY eyes him before leaving.)

[Scene: Quake. Women’s bathroom. A WOMAN is leaning over the sink as she looks into the mirror, applying a layer of thick red lipstick. She’s dolled up; her wavy hair is hanging down, and she’s wearing a form fitting, just above the knee length black dress and matching strappy heels. From the reflection in the mirror, she notices a growing puddle of water beginning to leak out from under one of the closed stalls. Her eyes grow wide and she turns around only to realize that the water’s gone. She blinks, but the floor is still dry. She shakes her head.]

WOMAN: (muttering) Lois, you’ve had one too many spritzers tonight.

(As she turns back to the mirror, the stall opens to reveal the creamy skinned, GREEN HAIRED WOMAN from Camp Skylark. This time, however, she’s wearing a revealing v-neck lacy white, knee length dress with a double layered ruffled edge and white sandals. A shell necklace is hanging down her bare neckline. The woman at the sink, LOIS, seems to gawk at the wild flowing green hair. The GREEN HAIRED WOMAN looks LOIS up and down. As LOIS looks down to drop her red lipstick into her purse, the shell on the GREEN HAIRED WOMAN's necklace glows. When LOIS looks up, she finds that she’s alone.)

[Cut to the bar. VICTOR is sitting on a stool with a shot glass in his hand. His eyes are glossy and tired. Suddenly, the GREEN HAIRED WOMAN walks up next to him, catching the corner of his eye. He turns his head, looking at her. She flashes a tiny smile as she sits down. The bartender walks over.]

BARTENDER: What can I get you, miss?

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: Sex on the Beach. (Her blue eyes twinkle as she turns to VICTOR.)

BARTENDER: Coming right up. (He walks away and begins to prepare her order.)

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: (to VICTOR) You look a little lost.

VICTOR: (tiredly) That’s one way of putting it.

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: What’s the matter? (She leans her elbow on the table and props her head up in her hand.)

VICTOR: It’s…it’s just been a long day…

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: Something eating at you?

(VICTOR sets down his empty shot glass and stares at the woman in front of him.)

VICTOR: It’s a long story.

(Out of the corner of her eye, the GREEN HAIRED WOMAN notices LOIS at a table across the room. She’s sitting with a dark haired man. Both of them look happy as they talk and laugh. Suddenly, the dark haired man pulls out a velvet box of medium size, as far as jewelry boxes go, and slides it across the table to LOIS. Eagerly, LOIS opens the box to reveal a dainty, gold and silver woman’s watch. The GREEN HAIRED WOMAN lets out a little smirk as she turns back to VICTOR.)

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: I’ve got nothing but time.

(After a moment, VICTOR shakes his head.)

VICTOR: I’d really rather not talk about it.

(The BARTENDER returns with a margarita-style glass filled with an orange liquid that gets gradually lighter at the top of the glass, where a few chopped ice cubes are floating. A large orange slice is hooked onto the edge of the glass, along with a pair of bright red maraschino cherries, and a thin straw leans against the other side. The GREEN HAIRED WOMAN smiles as she accepts the drink.)

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: (to the BARTENDER) Thank you. (The BARTENDER walks away as she presses her lips to the edge of the straw and takes a long, slow sip. As she removes her lips, a coral pink lipstick mark is left behind on the straw. She stares at VICTOR.) You don’t look like you’re having very much fun here.

(VICTOR gazes around the room before allowing his eyes to rest on her again.)

VICTOR: (sarcastically) How did you guess?

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: Wild guess. (pause) Are you opened to getting out of here?

VICTOR: (surprised) Excuse me?

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: You know, (her voice becomes more melodic) a change of scenery might be nice.

(VICTOR studies her, his resolve clearly weakening.)

VICTOR: I-I don’t know…that might not be such a good idea.

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: (melodically) Why not? It might be…nice. Just the two of us. You know, get away from the rest of the world.

(VICTOR’s eyelid’s slowly open and close, as if a drug is slowly working on him.)

VICTOR: Uhm…

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: (melodically) Come on. (She smiles a pearly grin.) You know you want to.

VICTOR: I- (His cell phone rings, causing him to snap out of his trance. He holds up his index finger.) I’m sorry, excuse me for a moment. (He pulls his ringing phone out of the back of his pocket and steps away as he opens it.) Hello? (pause) Yeah, Piper, I’m just downtown. (pause) Oh, not much. (He smiles slightly.) Sure, I’m heading that way now. (He flips his phone closed and turns back to the GREEN HAIRED WOMAN. She raises her brows.)

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: You wife?

(VICTOR laughs.)

VICTOR: No, actually, my daughter.

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: Daughter? (She takes another sip of her Sex on the Beach.) I see.

VICTOR: Look, it was nice speaking with you, but I really have to go. (He places a twenty on the counter and looks to the BARTENDER.) Take hers out of this too, please. (The BARTENDER nods as he takes the bill.) And keep the change. (He looks at the GREEN HAIRED WOMAN as he starts to walk away.) See you around.

(The GREEN HAIRED WOMAN lightly bites the tip of her straw as she watches VICTOR leave. She slides off the barstool and starts to walk towards the exit. As she does, she passes LOIS’ table, where only LOIS is sitting now. LOIS is wearing the watch she got from her earlier companion. The GREEN HAIRED WOMAN suddenly points her index finger to the time on the watch.)

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: (to LOIS) Better watch yourself, because time’s running out. (She walks away. LIOS stares, shocked, as she watches the mysterious woman leave. She looks down at her watch which reads, “4:45 P.M.”)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Four

[Scene: Manor. Living room. The Grandfather clock chimes 7:00 P.M.]

[Cut to the entry way. The front doors swing open to reveal PHOEBE, looking quite giddy as she rushes in with a folder tucked under her arm. She sniffs and air and quickly runs into the kitchen. PHOEBE spots PIPER stirring some homemade tomato sauce on the back burner.]

PHOEBE: You’ll never guess what happened today!

(PIPER glances over her shoulder, amused.)

PIPER: What? (She pulls her wooden spoon from the pot and holds it above her palm, blowing softly across the chunky red sauce.)

PHOEBE: Laura let me sit in on one of her sessions! (She drops the folder she’s been holding on the table and opens it.) Look! (She waves some lined papers with handwritten scribbles in the air.) I got to take notes and even ask a few questions.

(PIPER takes a taste of her sauce and then licks her lips. She sets her wooden spoon down on a paper towel and grabs a salt shaker and dusts the top of her tomato sauce with salt.)

PIPER: That’s great, Pheebs! (She moves to the sink and starts to wash off her hands.) Not to be a party pooper or anything, but what’s with the change of heart? I thought she hired you on a secretarial basis?

(PHOEBE shrugs as she leafs through her notes.)

PHOEBE: I don’t know, but I’m not about to question it. (She suddenly looks up from her notes.) Hey, is Dad here yet?

PIPER: He was, but then I realized that I was out of red wine, so he offered to go downtown and pick some up. (She glances at the clock on the wall.) He should be back any minute.

(PHOEBE takes a seat at the table.)

PHOEBE: What about Prue? (She slouches a little.) I know she takes this day the worst of all of us. (PIPER grimaces.) Ooh, I don’t like that look…What’s going on?

[Scene: San Francisco Police Department. RAE quickly stabs the keys on her keyboard as DARRYL walks up.]

DARRYL: Did we get a lead?

(RAE presses “Print” and then looks up excitedly.)

RAE: Yes. (She grins as she thrusts her chair back and walks over to grab the paper as it falls from the grips of the printer.) Danny Grumman. (She hands the sheet, which contains a picture and list of offenses of said man, over to DARRYL.) The name listed as the cosigner on the Marriott hotel was one of Grumman’s known aliases.

(DARRYL’s eyes move over the list of crimes.)

DARRYL: No murders, but fraud is on here. (He looks up.) So, where do we find this guy?

RAE: And that’s where we hit the dead end. (She frowns.) He’s been on the run for three years.

[Scene: Manor. Entry way. The doorbell rings and PHOEBE runs up to the door and swings one open, revealing VICTOR holding up a bottle of red wine. PHOEBE beams and throws her arms around her father.]

PHOEBE: Dad!

(VICTOR laughs a little as he returns the hug.)

VICTOR: Hey, you. (He walks in and PHOEBE shuts the door.) How’ve you been?

PHOEBE: Great! (She takes his coat and hangs it on the coat rack.) How about you?

VICTOR: I’ve been alright.

PHOEBE: So, Piper tells me you’ve been up in Washington?

(VICTOR nods regretfully.)

VICTOR: I’m sorry I haven’t been in contact, I’ve just been pretty busy with my job and all.

(PHOEBE waves her hand dismissively.)

PHOEBE: I understand. I’m a working girl now, I know how demanding they can be.

(They walk into the kitchen to find PIPER rolling some meatballs.)

VICTOR: (to PIPER) Hey Piper, I hope this is alright. (He sets the red wine bottle on the island.) They didn’t have the brand you wanted, so I just got a ninety-ninety-five Brunell di Montalcino.

(PIPER’s jaw drops.)

PIPER: Dad! That’s….that’s almost an eighty dollar a bottle of wine!

VICTOR: Well, it is imported from Italy, Piper.

PIPER: You didn’t need to spend that much!

VICTOR: Please accept it as an apology, for being absent the last few months. (PIPER frowns.) And flaking on Thanksgiving? At least let me make that up to you. (PIPER looks hesitant.) Please?

(PIPER sighs.)

PIPER: Thank you Dad, but I still stand by the fact that you didn’t need to spend that much. (to PHOEBE) Dinner will be ready shortly, a little earlier than I anticipated, so do you think you could go set the table now?

PHOEBE: Sure. (She moves to the cupboard and opens it.) Is Leo coming too?

PIPER: I think so. He’s out with one of his charges right now, though.

(PHOEBE nods and pulls down five wine glasses.)

PHOEBE: Dad, can you bring out two of them for me?

VICTOR: Sure. (He grabs two of the sparkling glasses and follows PHOEBE out to the dining room. The phone rings and PIPER moves to grab it.)

PIPER: (into the phone) Halliwell residence. (pause) Oh, Cole, hi. (She nods to herself.) Hold on. (She cups the mouthpiece with her hand.) Phoebe, phone call! (PHOEBE walks back in and PIPER holds out the phone.) It’s Cole.

PHOEBE: Thanks. (She places to the phone to her ear.) Hello? (pause) Hey, sweetie, what’s up? (She bites her lip.) But I thought you were having a meeting with one of your clients? (pause) Oh, well, tell him congratulations on the new baby for me. (PIPER looks up, but PHOEBE doesn’t notice. VICTOR walks back in.) Oh, I’m sorry, I can’t go to dinner tonight. Piper spent all day cooking a family dinner and-

(VICTOR walks over to PHOEBE and leans close to her ear.)

VICTOR: (whispering) Invite him over.

PHOEBE: (into the phone) Uh, can you hold on a sec? (She cups the mouthpiece.) What?

VICTOR: Is that Cole?

PHOEBE: Yes.

VICTOR: Invite him over.

PHOEBE: Isn’t it supposed to be a family dinner?

VICTOR: It’s fine. I mean, I think after the Bo incident, he’s proven himself, don’t you?

(PHOEBE smiles and places the phone back to her ear.)

PHOEBE: (into the phone) Tell you what, why don’t you just come over and join us for dinner? (She looks at VICTOR.) Yes, I’m sure. (She nods.) Okay, see you soon. (She hangs up.) Guess I’m going to need another glass, huh? (She reaches into the cupboard and pulls down another wine glass before hurrying into the dining room.)

PIPER: I'm going to head upstairs and tell Prue that dinner is almost ready. (She leaves.)

[Time lapse. Five people are gathered around the dining table. On the right side of the table, PHOEBE sits in between COLE and VICTOR, while on the left side, LEO sits opposite COLE and PRUE sits opposite VICTOR, with an empty chair in between. Aluminum foil is peeled down around a large loaf of garlic bread, which is sitting in the center of the table, so fresh out of the oven that steam is still funneling from it, and a bottle of red wine is sitting a few feet away, leaving an opened space between them. Suddenly, PIPER emerges from the kitchen, carrying a large casserole dish filled with homemade spaghetti and meatballs, with a serving spoon poking out the top. She sets it in the empty space between the garlic bread and the wine. PHOEBE licks her lips.]

PHOEBE: Piper, this smells delicious! My stomach’s been rumbling all evening.

(PIPER grins.)

PIPER: Just let me go put my oven mitts away (she holds up her gloved hands) and I’ll be right out. (She slips off her mitts as she disappears into the kitchen, only to pop out a moment later and take her seat between her husband and PRUE. She looks at her father.) Dad, why don’t you take the first plate?

(VICTOR glances at PRUE.)

VICTOR: (to PIPER) Honey, you made it, why don’t you do the honors?

(PIPER shakes her head.)

PIPER: No, really. (She motions her hand.) Please?

(VICTOR smiles lightly and stands up, all the while feeling PRUE’s dark gaze on him. He leans over and takes the handle of the serving spoon, before dropping a fistful onto his plate.)

VICTOR: (to PIPER) It really does smell wonderful. (PIPER grins as he holds the serving spoon out to PRUE, who shakes her head. PRUE motions to PHOEBE.)

PRUE: Just go around the table.

(PIPER shoots a glare at PRUE, but PRUE ignores it. VICTOR sits back down as he hands to the serving spoon to PHOEBE.)

PHOEBE: Thanks, Dad. (She narrows her eyes at PRUE as she scoops two large spoonfuls onto her white plate and then passes the spoon down to COLE.)

VICTOR: (to PIPER) You know, your mother wasn’t much into cooking, but one of the best meals she ever made was her homemade spaghetti and meatballs.

PIPER: I know…I followed Mom’s old recipe to make this. (She drags her hand through the air, indicating the main course.) It was one of my favorites growing up, but nobody ever made it quite the same way she did.

(VICTOR chuckles.)

VICTOR: (to PIPER) I remember when you went through your phase where you’d only eat things that were white, so your mom would always make spaghetti for you and sprinkle it with parmesan cheese in place of sauce and meatballs.

(LEO hands PIPER the serving spoon. PIPER laughs as she dips the spoon into the casserole dish and drops some steaming spaghetti onto her plate.)

PRUE: (to VICTOR) Hmm. My memories of her mostly revolve around her coming home late at night from Buddies, because she had to work all day just to make ends meat.

(PIPER clears her throat as she sneaks a glare at PRUE. PRUE turns her eyes away and lightly stabs her food with her fork. PHOEBE looks at PRUE and then to VICTOR, trying to figure out how to divert the conversation.)

PHOEBE: I wish I had more memories of Mom. (She twirls her spaghetti around her fork.) There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t wonder how things would’ve been if… (She looks down at her plate, not wanting to finish the thought.)

(VICTOR shakes his head.)

VICTOR: She never even suspected it, you know. (to PHOEBE) The day you were born, she had a premonition of Piper’s wedding day, and she never suspected that she wouldn’t…She always thought that she’d live to see that day.

PIPER: (quietly) She would’ve never gone had she known she wouldn’t be home in time to eat dinner with us.

(VICTOR angrily shakes his head.)

VICTOR: And she would have, too. There’s only one person that’s truly responsible for her death…

[Cut to the front steps. PAIGE is mumbling something to herself as she rifles through her purse before victoriously pulling out a small object which she holds up and it twinkles in the light from the porch.]

PAIGE: I really need to put you on a key ring. (She slides the key into the door and turns the handle.)

[Cut back to the dining room. VICTOR’s face is tinged with redness as he speaks, his voice getting faster and louder with each word.]

VICTOR: (angrily) Sam killed Patty!

(The room goes silent for several seconds, only to be broken by PHOEBE’s gasp. All eyes turn towards her line of sight to see PAIGE, practically frozen in place with her newly acquired house key in hand, staring back at VICTOR in shock.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Five

[Scene: Manor. Dining room. All eyes are on PAIGE as she stares at VICTOR, house key in hand. Her face is paler than usual.][/b]

PAIGE: (whispering) I uhm…I-I guess I must’ve interrupted something. (She turns to leave and PHOEBE bolts out of her seat.)

PHOEBE: Paige, wait!

(VICTOR looks around at the shocked faces, extremely confused by their expressions.)

VICTOR: Paige? (He looks at PAIGE and then back at his daughters.) Who is this? (He starts to stand up.) What’s with all the looks here? What’s going on?

(PIPER motions her hands, beckoning for her father to sit down. She looks at PAIGE from the corner of her eye.)

PIPER: Dad, please, just sit down.

PRUE: (to VICTOR) We’ll take care of things. (PRUE and PIPER push their seats back and start to walk over to their half sister.)

VICTOR: Piper, who is she? Why does she have a key to the Manor?

PIPER: I don’t think this is the best time to discuss this-

VICTOR: Discuss what? I just want to know who she is. (He studies PAIGE’s face, trying to place her.) Have I met her before? I could swear-

(LEO stands up.)

LEO: Victor, this isn’t the best time. I think Paige is here on a… (He looks at PAIGE.) An emergency?

VICTOR: A magical emergency? (He cocks his head to the side.) She knows about magic?

PAIGE: (quietly) No, actually. (pause) I just came to talk to Phoebe. I needed her professional advice on a case I was working on.

VICTOR: How does she know about magic?

(In the corner of the room, a BOUNTY HUNTER shimmers in. He’s wearing all black with a long, bushy beard and tribal tattoos on his bare arms.)

COLE: Look out!

(COLE knocks over his chair as he jumps from his seat, summoning a cackling energy ball to his palm. A fireball materializes above the BOUNTY HUNTER’s palm. PRUE raises her hand and knocks him back with a violent telekinetic force as he throws his fireball, causing it to fly off course at VICTOR, instead of COLE, his intended target.)

PIPER: Dad!

(PIPER raises her hands in panic and the fireball freezes, just inches from VICTOR’s face. The BOUNTY HUNTER climbs to his feet and flicks his wrist in PIPER's direction, sending her sailing out of the dining room. COLE casts his energy ball at the BOUNTY HUNTER, who holds out his hand, causing the energy ball to bounce off his skin and fly at PAIGE and PHOEBE. PAIGE’s hands fly up as she orbs out and PHOEBE simultaneously levitates to the ceiling, avoiding the weapon which impales the wall, leaving a gaping hole and knocking down an old picture of PENNY. PRUE squints her eyes and the frozen fireball reverses and smashes into the chest of the BOUNTY HUNTER, vanquishing him instantly. As PHOEBE lowers herself to the ground, PRUE slips into the next room to check on PIPER. At the same time, a cloud of orbs deposits PAIGE back in the dining room. VICTOR gawks as he watches PAIGE orb in.)

VICTOR: Orbing. (His eyes grow wide. PRUE and PIPER walk in. PIPER has a small cut on her forehead. LEO quickly moves to her and places his hand over her head and starts to heal the cut. VICTOR catches PIPER’s grateful look to her husband and then turns his attention back on PAIGE.) Paige. (His eyes move across the faces of his other daughters as he begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Then his eyes flicker realization.) Patty. (He swallows hard.) My god. I can’t believe I didn’t notice it right away. (He shakes his index finger, nearly unable to contain his emotions.) You have his face. And Patty’s eyes. (He shakes his head.) The only thing I can’t figure out is…how?

PHOEBE: Dad, you don’t understand-

VICTOR: Oh, no, Phoebe, I understand perfectly. (He points an accusatory finger at PAIGE.) That woman standing next to you isn’t a friend; she isn’t a colleague… (His hand shakes.) And the kicker is, it’s so obvious. (He shakes his head, hurt and furious.) She’s Sam’s daughter, isn’t she? (He closes his eyes.) Don’t even bother trying to think up an excuse, either. She can orb; I saw it with my own eyes. And more than that, I can see his face in hers. I could never forget that adulterous face! (He looks at the faces of his girls.) How long have you know? Huh? How long?!

PIPER: (shouting) Enough! (She lays a hand on PAIGE’s shoulder.) I understand that you’re hurt and angry, but you can’t blame this on Paige. She didn’t have a choice in what happened between you, Mom, and Sam!

VICTOR: (to PIPER) How can you defend them? (His eyes flick angrily to LEO.) Nevermind, I already know the answer to that.

(PIPER raises her finger angrily.)

PIPER: Don’t you dare bring Leo into this! Our relationship is entirely different from Mom and Sam’s.

VICTOR: You’re right, it is. (He sends a searing glare towards PAIGE and then turns back to PIPER.) You didn’t bother with an affair and a bastard child, you just outright married him! (PIPER gasps, shocked that VICTOR would be so bold as to say such a thing.) You know, I can see why Piper is defending (he flicks his fingers towards PAIGE) her, but Phoebe? Weren’t you the one who was just saying how you wonder what things would’ve been like if your mother and I had never divorced? (He motions to PAIGE.) Don’t you realize that, (venomously) that, Sam, is why your mother and I never made it?

(PHOEBE curls her fist as she catches PAIGE's pained face from her peripheral vision.)

PHOEBE: (to VICTOR) I think…I think that maybe you should leave now.

(VICTOR gawks.)

VICTOR: (shocked) You’re choosing your mother’s lover over your own father?

PRUE: (sternly) Paige and Sam are not one-and-the-same.

VICTOR: You too, Prudence? (He shakes his head.) I would’ve expected more loyalty from my own daughters.

PHOEBE: You have no idea what you’re talking about. Do you know that you wouldn’t have all us here right today had it not been for Paige?

VICTOR: And had it not been for Sam, Patty would still be here today. If he hadn’t distracted her that day on the dock, she’d still be alive!

(COLE walks up between PHOEBE and VICTOR and raises his hand towards the door.)

COLE: I think it would be a wise idea if you left, like Phoebe asked. Everyone needs time to cool off right now.

VICTOR: Oh that means a lot, coming from a demon.

COLE: (warningly) If you can’t leave by yourself-

(VICTOR raises his arms in mock defense.)

VICTOR: Fine, fine. (He glances at PAIGE, disgusted.) I’m going. (to PRUE) I hope you’re happy. (He leaves. PIPER places her hand to her mouth and LEOo embraces her.)

PIPER: (whispering) I-I’ve never seen that side of him before.

COLE: (to PIPER) In his defense, how would you feel if you suddenly found out that Leo had a child with a woman who broke up your marriage? (Silence.) I should go.

PHOEBE: Cole-

COLE: (interrupting) This is a family issue, Phoebe. You need to work this out among yourselves. (He dispassionately kisses her cheek.) Call me if you need me. (He shimmers out.)

[Scene: San Francisco Police Department. RAE runs up to DARRYL’s desk and slams a yellow sticky note down in front of him. DARRYL looks up, confused.]

RAE: You have no idea how lucky we just got.

(DARRYL looks down at the sticky note, which appears to have an address on it.)

DARRYL: How lucky?

RAE: Our killer slipped up! (She taps the yellow sticky.) He used his fiancé’s wedding ring for a grand, and the pawn shop owner recognized his face from the six o’ clock news!

(DARRYL grabs the coat from his chair and starts walking towards the exit, with RAE on his heels.)

DARRYL: Is this the address for the pawn shop?

(RAE nods.)

RAE: He’s down there right now, sitting in the back of a police car waiting for us to arrive.

[Scene: Manor. Dining room. PAIGE looks uncomfortable, even though VICTOR has left.]

PAIGE: Maybe I should go.

PIPER: No, stay. There’s still dinner left if your hungry.

(PAIGE shakes head her.)

PAIGE: I already ate at work. Speaking of, I need to get back.

PHOEBE: Wait. You said you came by because you wanted to talk to me?

PAIGE: Oh, yeah. Henry brought a boy over today and I’ve been talking to the kid and Mr. Cowan the entire day, and I need your expertise.

(They go into the living room and sit down on a coach.)

PHOEBE: (excitedly) Like psychological expertise?

PAIGE: (nodding) Yeah. What do you know about Anti-Personality Disorder?

[Scene: Camp Skylark. A 2001 black Honda Civic jerks as it comes to a stop, kicking up dirt and gravel as it slides into a parking position. The driver door flies open and VICTOR jumps out. His face is red and his eyes, although piercing and furious, are also red and glossy, as if he’s holding back tears. He pounds across the dirt path, under the camp sign, and starts heading towards Lake Skylark.]

VICTOR: (furiously) Patty! (His eyes flick towards the blue sky.) I knew things were going downhill for us for a long time before we got divorced. (He begins to fiddle with something on his finger.) I know I’m partly to blame, because I didn’t spend enough time with you and our girls like I should have. (He gets to the dock, but doesn’t step onto it.) I know that I couldn’t understand magic like, (venomously) he could…but that still never gave you the right to be unfaithful! Damnit, Patricia! Even during our roughest times, even when we separated before I found out you were pregnant with Phoebe, I never turned to someone else!

(VICTOR tugs something off of his middle finger. He holds it into the air, allowing the Egyptian crystallite to sparkle as it catches the sunlight.)

VICTOR: Do you see this Patty? Do you see this ring? (He clenches the seventeenth century ring between his thumb and index finger, and waves it at the sky.) This was the ring you gave me on our wedding day! It was supposed to symbolize our love. What ever happened to “’til death do us part” Patty? You left me long before you died! (As he squeezes his eyes shut, a tear runs down his face.) And he let you die! If you’d only stayed with me…

(VICTOR grabs one of the pillars with his hand, squeezing it until his knuckles turn white. He takes several deep breaths and then steps onto the dock, where he slowly starts to walk towards the water.)

VICTOR: Once upon a time, I could’ve forgiven you for a moment of weakness. Once upon a time, I could’ve accepted that you were only human and that you needed comfort that I, apparently, couldn’t give to you. (He shakes his head.) But now…this-this child? (venomously) His, child. (His eyes flick pleadingly to the sky.) How could you, Patty?! (He lets his wedding band fall into his palm and examines it, then he turns his head back to the sky.) Here’s to you, Patricia, here’s to you and what I thought we had.

(VICTOR suddenly casts the ring into the lake. It sparkles in the sunlight, just before disappearing into the dark green water.)

VICTOR: It’s dead to me now…just like you.

[Scene: Manor. Dining room. PIPER, LEO, and PHOEBE are clearing off the plates leftover from dinner. As LEO and PIPER walk into the kitchen, PHOEBE reaches for the bottle of red wine that VICTOR brought over for them. As her fingers wrap around the neck of the bottle, a sharp vision seizes her mind.]

[Premonition: As VICTOR watches the ripples spread out in the lake from where he threw the ring, a head of green flowing hair suddenly rises up from the water. Wide eyed, VICTOR jumps back as the woman, or mermaid-like creature as it appears, swims towards him.]

GREEN HAIRED WOMAN: Don’t be afraid. (She opens her mouth and a sweet, melodic song fills the air. VICTOR stops and watches her, transfixed. She then raises her hand and beckons him to take it.) It doesn’t hurt, I promise.

(VICTOR bends down and takes her hand. Suddenly her eyes glow red and she yanks him forward, pulling him into the cold green water. He struggles, but she shoos him under and holds his shoulders down as bubbles rise to the surface of the water and pop. Then the water stops thrashing and she pulls her hands back, allowing the shadowy silhouette of VICTOR’s body to disappear into the water. With a powerful splash of her green and yellow tail, she too vanishes into the green depths.)

[Cut back to the present. PHOEBE pulls her hand back, knocking over the wine bottle with a loud thud. The bottle breaks and the scarlet wine, almost eerily like blood, begins to pool onto the table and soak into the white tablecloth.]

PHOEBE: (gasping) Dad!

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Six

[Scene: Lake Skylark. Under the water. VICTOR’s wedding band sparkles as it sinks deeper and deeper into the dark water. Suddenly, a rush of bubbles appears, followed by the flipping of a massive green and yellow fin. Flowing green hair ripples through the water as the mermaid-like inhabitant of the lake sees the ring disappear. She smiles and begins to swim towards the surface.]

[Cut to the dock. PHOEBE and COLE shimmer in just as the GREEN HAIRED WOMAN’s head breeches the surface of the water, causing a wide eyed VICTOR to jump back. The mermaid creature begins to swim towards him as PHOEBE cups her hands to her mouth.][/b]

PHOEBE: (yelling) Dad, look out! She’s trying to drown you!

(VICTOR spins around to see PHOEBE and COLE running down the dock. The dock shakes with their heavy and simultaneous footsteps. COLE forms an energy ball as VICTOR moves towards them, clearing the way for COLE to get a visual of the GREEN HAIRED WOMAN. Suddenly, she opens her mouth and a sweet melody begins to fill the air. PHOEBE seems unaffected, but VICTOR starts to turn around and COLE visibly begins to fight against the pull of her hypnotizing song. His energy ball vanishes as he places his palms to his ears.)

COLE: (struggling) Phoebe, it’s a Rusalka!

PHOEBE: What?

(The RUSALKA’s song becomes louder and she holds out her hand to VICTOR.)

THE RUSALKA: (melodically) Victor, come with me. (She holds out her hand.)

COLE: (struggling) L-like a siren! (He sees VICTOR reach for THE RUSALKA’s hand.) No, Phoebe!

(PHOEBE dives at VICTOR, tackling him to the dock just before his fingers can touch THE RUSALKA’s. Struggling, COLE prys his hand away from his ear and forces himself to form an energy ball, which he hurls at THE RUSALKA. She dives out of the way as the energy ball flies at her, causing a loud splash in the green water. As she and the energy ball vanish, red blood sifts through the small waves, revealing that COLE got her tail.)

PHOEBE: Dad, are you okay?

(VICTOR rubs his head, looking confused.)

VICTOR: Wh-what was that thing?

COLE: We need to get out of here, and then I can explain. (He holds out his hand which VICTOR looks at and then, finally, accepts. COLE wraps his arm around PHOEBEand they shimmer out.)

[Time lapse. The eldest three Charmed Ones, LEO, COLE, and VICTOR walk into the attic. As PHOEBE moves to The Book, the pages suddenly begin to turn by themselves, until they come to a rest on a page labeled, “Rusalkas”. A beautiful mermaid-like creature with porcelain skin, flowing green hair with streaks of blue and yellow, and blood red lips is hand drawn under the title.]

PHOEBE: “Rusalkas are transformed women who have been murdered before their wedding night, and are cursed to live in a lake where they lure men with their siren-like powers and drown them. Rusalkas are mermaid-like creatures who can either take the form of a human or fish, and are sometimes said to leave their lake to chase after a victim.”

VICTOR: She’s the same woman who talked to me at Quake today.

PRUE: She must’ve seen you when you were at the lake this morning and tracked you there.

PIPER: Does it say how to vanquish them?

COLE: You have to avenge their death.

(PHOEBE nods as she points to the particular passage in The Book.)

PHOEBE: It also says that witches are the only creatures who can safely swim unprotected with them, otherwise you have to wear fern in your hair to be protected from them pulling you under the water and drowning you.

PIPER: So, we have to find her killer otherwise she’ll keep coming after him? (COLE nods. PIPER looks at VICTOR, still hurt by his earlier comments, and walks passed him.) I’ll go call Darryl. It’s a long shot, but if we lucky, maybe we can find something.

PHOEBE: (to PRUE) We should probably go back to the lake. I might be able to get another premonition.

VICTOR: That’s too dangerous, what if-

PRUE: We’ll be fine. The Book said that witches are immune to her powers. (She motions to PHOEBE.) C’mon, lets go. We’ll take my car. (She leaves. PHOEBE shares a look with VICTOR and then follows her sister, leaving VICTOR alone in the attic with COLE and LEO.)

[Scene: Downtown San Francisco. Larry’s Pawns. A squad car pulls in front of the pawn shop, next to another police car with flashing lights. DARRYL and RAE get out and walk over to the other police car and peer in the back seat, finding their suspect handcuffed and glaring at them. Suddenly, DARRYL’s cell begins to ring and he yanks it from his pocket. Looking down at the name it reads, “Halliwell”.]

DARRYL: Excuse me, I have to take this. (He walks a safe distance away as one of the officers in the squad car gets out of and begins talking to RAE. He flips open his phone.) Hello?

PIPER's VOICE: Darryl?

DARRYL: (whispering) I’m kind of busy right now, is this important?

PIPER's VOICE: Does a demon after my dad count as important?

(DARRYL sighs.)

PIPER's VOICE: We have to avenge the death of a woman who’s turned into something called a Rusalka. It’s only supposed to be a Russian myth, but-

DARRYL: (interrupting) Russian?

PIPER's VOICE: Uh, yeah. Why?

DARRYL: They wouldn’t have anything to do with brides-to-be, would they?

PIPER's VOICE: Rusalkas transform if they’re murdered before they’re married.

DARRYL: Do they have to die in water?

PIPER's VOICE: N-no…but they do turn into demonic mermaids.

DARRYL: I think you’re in luck, Piper. (He looks up and sees RAE waving him over.)

PIPER's VOICE: What? In luck? How?

DARRYL: I was just assigned a case that fits what you’re looking for this morning and I’m actually picking up the suspect right now. (whispering) Is he magical?

PIPER's VOICE: Not as far as we know, but in order to save my father, we have to make him pay for killing his fiancé.

DARRYL: You have to kill him?

PIPER's VOICE: No, we have to get him behind bars and show that he’s been charged with killing his fiancé. It has to be known to the public so her death doesn’t go unrecognized.

DARRYL: That’s all? (He starts walking towards RAE.) He’ll be behind bars within half an hour and I’ll have the media here in half that time. (pause) Will that do?

PIPER's VOICE: Thank you, Darryl!

(DARRYL hangs up and moves to the officer and RAE.)

DARRYL: I want him taken down the county jail and charged immediately for murder. (He starts to dial something on his phone.)

RAE: Who’re you calling?

(DARRYL smiles.)

DARRYL: The press.

[Scene: Camp Skylark. PHOEBE and PRUE run up to the dock. All is quiet and calm, except for a slightly breeze, as they look around. PHOEBE starts to place her hands on various parts of the dock and surrounding areas in a futile attempt to get a premonition.]

[Scene: South Bay Social Services. PAIGE’s cubical. PAIGE is tapping her foot impatiently as she stares at MR. COWAN’s office. Suddenly the door opens and HENRY emerges. He closes the door and walks over to PAIGE.]

PAIGE: What’s going to happen to him?

HENRY: We don’t have the evidence to convict him, and even if we could, he’d probably get off because of his age and/or his mental state.

PAIGE: So where are you sending him?

HENRY: We’ve got a judge to place him in a mental health facility for minors until his eighteenth birthday. (He shakes his head.) Unfortunately that’s all we can do…until he kills someone else.

(MR. COWAN’s door opens. MR. COWAN and TOBY walk out, along with two other people in business suits, obviously there to take him to the mental facility. As TOBY starts to turn the corner, he looks back over his shoulder and locks eyes with PAIGE. TOBY smiles at her, a smile that sends shivers down her spine, and then he hurries off out of her view to catch up with MR. COWAN.)

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. PIPER presses the “Power” button on the small white television in the corner of the kitchen and then starts to change the channels until she comes across the news. She smiles as she sees DARRYL and RAE standing in front of LARRY’s Pawns as reporters fire questions at them.]

DARRY: (from the television) Yes, we’ve officially charged a man by the name of Danny Grumman with the murder of Sonya Tatiana, his Russian fiancé.

REPORTER's VOICE: (from the television) Do you think you’ll be able to convict?

RAE: (from the television) His rap sheet is about a mile long. We’re confident that we’ll be able to convict him and get justice for Ms. Tatiana.

[Scene: Camp Skylark. Suddenly, the water in the lake begins to gurgle and PRUE slaps a motherly arm across PHOEBE’s chest, pushing PHOEBE behind herself. Suddenly, THE RUSALKA emerges from the depths of the lake and rises into the air. Her gorgeous green and yellow tail transforms into a pair of woman’s legs and her flowing green hair shortens and becomes long, blond tresses. A white gown appears over her body and she floats to the dock, where she takes a light step onto it. She looks passed PRUE and PHOEBE, who also turn around to see who she’s staring at, but they see no one.]

SONYA: (to an unseen force) Who are you?

(PRUE and PHOEBE exchange looks, and then PRUE gazes at the empty space. Suddenly, SONYA walks towards, and through them, and then seems to take the hand of whatever, or whoever, she sees, and disappears into a white light that suddenly comes down upon her.)

PHOEBE: (quietly) What just happened?

(PRUE purses her lips as she wraps her arm around PHOEBE’s shoulders.)

PRUE: I think Death just took her home.

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. PIPER turns off the television as LEO orbs in.]

LEO: The Elders just confirmed that Death crossed Sonya’s name off his list.

PIPER: Sonya?

LEO: The name of your Rusalka before she turned into a Rusalka.

(PIPER nods.)

PIPER: Good.

(LEO looks around.)

LEO: Where’s Victor?

(PIPER moves to one of the chairs and sits down.)

PIPER: He uh…he left. (She looks up sadly.) We decided that it’s probably best if we just take some time apart to cool off, you know? Emotions were running so high today…and everything he found out…that’s a lot to process. It’s just…better if we take some time.

LEO: I’m sorry.

PIPER: It’s okay. It’s not your fault. (She stands up.) Uhm, I’m just going to go up to my room, okay? I’m kind of tired right now.

(LEO nods and PIPER leaves.)

[The Virtual Series]

End Credits

Co-Starring
David Reivers --- Bob Cowan
Kent Faulcon --- Gil Corso
Poppy Montgumery --- Dr. Laura Brenton
Patrick Bristow --- Rupert Manning
Ben Tolpin --- Billy Tannon
Becky Wahlstrom --- Lila Wright
Julie Kaye --- Mary Grant
Lisa Darr --- Madeline Matthews
M. Scott Wilkinson --- Holden Matthews

Featuring
Ramiro Abad --- Officer
Paul Karle --- Bartender
Megan Waters --- Lois
Ron Gagnon --- Lois' Boyfriend
Danny Grigsby --- Danny Grumman

Production & Design
Daniel (Forever Yours) - Co-Casting Director
Camille (Fourever Charmed) - Co-Casting Director
Alex (Combustion) - Video Editor (Credits)
Alex (Combustion) - Set Designer