4x23: Destiny Takes A Halliwell, Part Two

[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]

4.23 DESTINY TAKES A HALLIWELL--Part Two

GUEST-STARRING:
FINOLA HUGHES
SCOTT JAECK
KRISTA ALLEN
DAKIN MATTHEWS
SIMON TEMPLEMAN
IVAN SERGEI
WENDY PHILLIPS as "SISTER ANGES"

Script written by...CAMILLE (FOUREVER CHARMED)

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...Brian Krause

[The Virtual Series]

Destiny Takes A Halliwell, Part Two

Teaser[/center]

[Scene: Manor. Attic. The attic is completely charred and decimated, except for The Book of Shadows, which is lying in the center of the floor, unharmed. A swathe of orbs culminates in the room, forming into the youngest of the Charmed Ones, PAIGE MATTHEWS. PAIGE moves her head in a slow half turn around the room, her mouth slightly open and her eyes wide in astonishment. Then she catches the scorched, bent, and slightly melted metal wall. She takes a step toward it, hesitates, and then takes another step before she reaches it. She holds out her hand, ready to attack if necessary, and then pokes her head around the side of the metal wall. She gasps. On the floor, unconscious, is PHOEBE HALLIWELL.][/b]

PAIGE: Phoebe! (She kneels down and lightly shakes her sister.) C’mon Pheebs… (She presses her fingers to PHOEBE’s neck, checking for a pulse, and breathes a sigh of relief as she finds one. She pulls PHOEBE out from behind the metal wall and suddenly stands up.) P-Prue? Piper? (Across the room, PRUE HALLIWELL begins to awaken. Bruises and cuts are all over PRUE’s body. PAIGE sees the slight movement and runs over to her.) Prue!

(PRUE winces as she opens her eyes, realizing that her vision is quite blurry. She sees an outstretched hand and hears a voice.)

PRUE: (murmuring) Paige? (She blinks and her line of vision becomes clearer. She reaches out for PAIGE’s hand and climbs up from the black wreckage.) Paige… (She rubs her eyes.) Where are Piper and Phoebe?

PAIGE: Phoebe’s fine, she’s… (She flips around, realizing she hasn’t seen Piper yet.) Piper? Piper!

(PRUE notices a crumpled form near the adjacent wall and points. Then she dashes into a sprint over to the clump and falls to her knees, pulling PIPER’s head into her lap and softly shaking PIPER’s small frame.)

PRUE: (frantically) Piper. Piper!

(PIPER murmurs softly and her eyes flutter open, catching PRUE’s concerned blue gaze. Then a small gasp escapes her throat and her hands fly to her abdomen.)

PIPER: The baby! (She tries to get up, but she winces and falls back into PRUE’s embrace.)

MAN’s VOICE: You need not worry about your unborn. (PRUE, PIPER, and PAIGE all turn their heads at the sound of the voice. To their shock and surprise, they see a plump little man with white hair, a short white beard, and pale blue robes is standing in the former doorway. PRUE's face instantly hardens and she holds out a threatening hand, ready to send the man flying. He laughs and flicks his wrist.) Put your hand down, Prudence. Your magic won’t have any effect of me. I’m beyond your powers.

(PAIGE moves protectively over to PHOEBE and kneels down, guarding her unconscious sister.)

PAIGE: (venomously) Who are you?

(The MAN gazes at each of the four individuals and then clears his throat.)

MAN: (calmly) I’m the Angel of Destiny.

(PAIGE, PRUE, and PIPER exchange expressions.)

PRUE: Prove it.

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY holds up his hand and a white glow begins to pulsate from his palm. A hologram springs up before the sisters, hazy at first but then clearing into the image of the inside of a church. PAIGE lets out a little gasp.)

PAIGE: Th-that’s the church I was left at...

[Hologram: A nun is standing near the doorway, lighting a fresh white candle. Down the isle, near the front of the church, a stream of pulsating blue and white lights spiral down from the ceiling and coalesce into a plump formation of lights, catching the corner of the nun’s eye. She turns around, revealing herself as a much younger SISTER AGNES. Her eyes grow wide in a mixture of amazement laced with fear. She begins to tremble as two human figures appear from the lights, forming into a young, dark brown haired SAMUEL WILDER, with his arms wrapped securely around a weak looking PATRICIA HALLIWELL, with her arms clutched around a very tiny blue bundle. SISTER AGNES’ hand flies to her mouth, gasping. PATTY looks up, her face raw with tears and her eyes red.]

PATTY: (to SISTER AGNES) Please, we need your help.

(SAM squeezes PATTY’s shoulders, also with visible tears in his eyes. PATTY hesitantly holds out the sweet bundle in her arms, revealing a bright brown eyed newborn babe with a dark clump of brown hair.)

SAM: (struggling) She’s in grave danger.

(Upon the small whimper from the baby in PATTY’s arms, SISTER AGNES comes forward until she reaches the broken couple. She studies the faces of SAM and PATTY for a long beat and then down at the pink face wrapped in the soft and clearly handmade blue blanket.)

PATTY: (weakly) We can’t protect her ourselves. (She shakes her head as more tears fall from her eyes.) If there was any other way…

(SAM gently scoops the infant baby from PATTY’s outstretched arms and cradles her close to his chest, staring into her big brown eyes.)

SAM: We want to make sure she gets a good home… (His gaze flicks to SISTER AGNES.) A safe home.

(SISTER AGNES nods, not quite sure how to respond to such a heartfelt request. SAM softly kisses his daughter’s little forehead and then turns to PATTY, who looks into her daughter’s small eyes.)

PATTY: (to BABY PAIGE) We’ll always love you.

(PATTY strokes the side of her youngest daughter’s face with her index finger and then turns tearfully to SISTER AGNES. Hesitantly, SAM holds out his only child to the nun, who carefully accepts the child into her arm. SAM wraps his arms around PATTY as she starts to cry again, this time into his chest.)

SAM: She’ll come back one day, asking about us. (His eyes flick to BABY PAIGE.) We want you to keep the blanket that she’s in, and the day that she comes back, give that to her.

(Wordlessly, SISTER AGNES once again nods her head. She runs her hand across the soft material until her fingers feel something else on the side, a hand stitched letter “P”. She looks up, wearing a questioning look on her face.)

PATTY: (weakly) We only have one request… (She swallows hard, never taking her eyes off her daughter.) Please give her a name that starts with a “P.”

(SAM gently shakes PATTY and leans close to her ear.)

SAM: (whispering) We have to go.

(Crying, PATTY nods.)

SISTER AGNES: I promise you, she’s in safe hands.

SAM: Thank you.

(With one last look at BABY PAIGE, a culmination of white and blue lights devours himself and PATTY, carrying them up to the ceiling and disappearing, leaving SISTER AGNES all alone with BABY PAIGE.)

SISTER AGNES: (whispering in awe) Angels… (Upon the departure of her parents, BABY PAIGE starts to cry, filling the church with echoing wails. SISTER AGNES gently rocks the sobbing infant in her arms.) Shh, shh…You have a great destiny to fulfill, little angel, and this is only the first page of your story. (She pauses and studies the whimpering child, thinking.) Page… (She strokes the baby’s face.) That’s what I’ll call you, Paige.

[Cut back to the present PAIGE. Tears are running down her cheeks as the hologram fades away.]

PAIGE: H-how did you… (She stares up at the ANGEL OF DESTINY, unable to finish her sentence.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: I’m the Angel of Destiny, Paige. All things that are destined to be I know of. Despite it going against The Elders, you were destined to be born. It has always been your destiny to reconstitute the Power of Three upon the death of one of your sisters. (His eyes flick behind PAIGE, landing on PHOEBE.) However, with magic being as unpredictable as it is, destiny has been thrown off course and it’s starting to affect the Grand Design…which is why I am here today.

(There’s a low murmur as PHOEBE starts to awaken.)

PIPER: (weakly) What are you talking about?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: I am here to make sure that destiny stays on track and to do that…

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY's eyes move from PIPER, to PRUE, to PAIGE, and finally to PHOEBE. Next to him, a hazy swirl of midnight blue and black appears, forming into the black clad ANGEL OF DEATH.)

DEATH: One of you must leave with me today.

Clickable Credits.

[The Virtual Series]

{SCENE: The song "My Destiny," written by Harry Sommerdahl, Hanne Sørvaag, and Tim Baxter and sung by Katherine McPhee, is heard as stock shots of San Francisco are shown by the Guest Credits are rolled.}

Act One

[Scene: Manor. Attic. PRUE rises threateningly to her feet, keeping her hand clutched tightly around PIPER’s. Her blue eyes sear into DEATH’s.]

PRUE: (venomously) No. No! You have no right to be here! (Her arm flies out towards PHOEBE and PAIGE.) We’re all alive. You can’t take one of us.

(DEATH sneers at PRUE.)

DEATH: No, I can’t make you die. (His hand moves in the direction of the plump man beside him.) That’s his job. (His eyes land on PHOEBE.) I’m just here to clean up.

PRUE: (furiously) You can’t do this! (She and PIPER walk over to PAIGE and PHOEBE and PRUE takes a defensive stance in front of her three younger sisters.) None of us are supposed to die today, otherwise we wouldn’t all still be alive right now.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: But that’s not really true is it…Phoebe?

(PIPER shakes her hands, walking out from behind PRUE.)

PIPER: We stopped that premonition. As you can clearly see, Phoebe is alive and breathing, not some pile of ash on the floor.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Only because your friend intervened.

(PRUE’s eyes widen.)

PRUE: Matt…

[Flashback: PRUE’s head turns slightly as an explosion blows the attic door off its hinges. From the corner of her eye, she spots MATTHEW CAPIELLO run into the attic and then THE SOURCE’s explosion blinds her.]

[Cut to the present. PRUE shakes her head.]

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Phoebe was destined to die in the explosion today. (His hand motions to the battered metal wall.) Being the only one without powers to shield herself from the impact, she would have perished. However, at the last minute, your friend conjured a makeshift wall before her to shield her from the brunt of the blast, barely saving her life.

(PIPER emits a little gasp. Now, PHOEBE is fully awake and listening to the conversation.)

PIPER: The Elders’ solution…

PAIGE: What?

(PIPER shakes her head, staring in disbelief at the ANGEL OF DESTINY.)

PIPER: That was their plan all along, wasn’t it? They were never intending to find a way to fix our powers so that the Power of Four could exist; They were just planning on killing one of us!

ANGEL OF DESTINY: The Power of Four is too strong, Piper. It was never meant to exist. The four of you were never supposed to meet, at least not while you all were living. And as far as The Elders are concerned, They had no choice in whether you lived or died, They simply knew that the only way to truly fix your problem was to reinstate the Power of Three.

PAIGE: So then Piper’s right, They planned to kill one of us.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: No, They planned to let destiny run its course, but each time it tried to repair itself, an outside force derailed it again.

PHOEBE: (weakly) What do you mean by derailed?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: It was never your destiny to find Paige the way you did.

PHOEBE: Ever since becoming a witch, the idea of everything happening for a reason has always been ground into my head. So then tell me, if we weren’t supposed to find Paige when we did, why did you let it happen?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: I didn’t let it happen, Phoebe. The spell your sisters used was meant to find you, but you weren’t lost. Cole was bringing you back to your sisters as they cast the spell, which only did what it was supposed to do; find a lost witch. (The ANGEL OF DESTINY raises his arm and a white glow begins to pulse from his palm again. Another glowing hologram appears before the sisters.)

[Hologram: The headlights on PAIGE’s lime green VW Bug are illuminating the sidewalk outside the Manor. They turn off and moments later, a younger-looking PAIGE gets out of the driver’s side of the car. She looks nervous and she’s muttering to herself.]

PAST PAIGE: You can do this, Paige. You’ve come this far. You just have to knock on the door and ask them about their mother. (She walks up the front steps and stops at the front door.) Deep breaths, deep breaths. (She closes her eyes and breaths in deeply.) Okay. (She raises her hand to the door.)

[The hologram cuts to a different image, this time inside the Manor. Lost souls are flying around a demon trainer named KELLMAN. TOM PETERS, MRS. PETERS, PAST DARRYL, PAST PRUE, and PAST PHOEBE are watching.]

PAST PHOEBE: What the hell is happening?

PAST PRUE: I think there are some lost souls welcoming a new friend. Get rid of them.

PAST PHOEBE: “Return what I did not want to find, let it be out of sight, out of mind.”

(KELLMAN and the lost ghosts are sucked into the floor.)

[The hologram cuts back to PAST PAIGE. She puts her arm down and shakes her head.]

PAST PAIGE: What are you thinking? (She backs away from the door.) No, you can’t just bang on a stranger’s door at night and then ask them if they happen to know if their mother abandoned another daughter at birth. (She curls her fists.) I can’t believe I even did this! (She runs down the steps and back to her car, where she drives away.)

[Cut back to the faces of the present sisters. PAIGE shakes her head.]

PAIGE: I can’t believe I came that close to meeting you.

PHOEBE: (to PAIGE) You remember that?

PAIGE: I knew for years before I met you that there was a chance we could be related, but because it seemed like such a slim chance, I decided never to act on. And besides that, (she motions towards where the hologram had just played) how do you ask someone if their mother gave you up at birth? (to PIPER) So I just settled for going to your club on a regular basis.

(PIPER smiles.)

PHOEBE: (to the ANGEL OF DESTINY) But I don’t get it, why did she come to us in the first place?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: It was the effect of your Lost-And-Found Spell. It was a progressive spell, meaning the longer it was in effect the greater the thing it found. Had you not reversed it when you did, you would have met Paige that night.

PRUE: (to the ANGEL OF DESTINY) So what was the purpose in showing us that?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: To explain that with magical forces at play, not everything happens as it should, and meeting Paige was no exception. (pause) Paige’s destiny has always been to replace one of you, (he looks to PRUE, PIPER, and PHOEBE) but the specific sister she was meant to replace was never set in stone, so to speak. That’s why any combination of the three of you can wield the Power of Three.

PIPER: So why does one of us have to die? I mean… (hesitantly) What if one of us just stopped using our powers?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: That’s not how it works, Piper. Your powers would still be in existence, still active, which means demons and other evils can still track you. With no other way to defend yourself, you would have to use your powers. The Power of Four would continue to grow stronger and eventually destroy the careful balance between good and evil.

PRUE: And that’s so bad? A few less demons, less corruption, less killing…it sounds pretty damn good to me, actually!

ANGEL OF DESTINY: And that’s the problem. It would be too good.

PIPER: Too good?! How is a world that’s safe for my daughter to grow up in too good?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: (to PRUE) You’re right, there would be far less demons and far less corruption, but it would throw off the balance to a point that even the smallest of offenses would be punished in the most severe of ways. (to PIPER) Do you really want your children growing up in a world where speaking out of turn can get their tongues cut out? (to PAIGE) Or where a parking violation can get you shot?

(PIPER touches her stomach and then looks to PRUE. Her eyes become watery and PRUE wraps her arms around PIPER.)

PIPER: This isn’t right! We’ve saved countless innocents and vanquished so many evils, and now you’re trying to punish us. How is that fair?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: This has always been your destiny, Piper. Paige was born to replace one of you. (He sighs and raises his hand again. Another hologram appears in front of the sisters.) August of nineteen-ninety-nine…

[Hologram: PAST PHOEBE opens the door to reveal RODRIGUEZ.]

RODRIGUEZ: Inspector Rodriguez. I’m here to see Prue Halliwell.

PAST PHOEBE: Yeah, no kidding. Prue! Piper! Company!

(RODRIGUEZ’s eyes glow red. PAST PHOEBE gasps. RODRIGUEZ throws an energy ball into PAST PHOEBE, sending her flying over the stair railing and crashing into the wall. PAST PHOEBE rolls down the stairs and lands on her side. PAST PIPER enters the room.)

PAST PIPER: Phoebe! (RODRIGUEZ throws an energy ball towards PAST PIPER, but she freezes it just in time. PAST PRUE runs down the stairs.)

PAST PRUE: Phoebe! (PAST PRUE sends the frozen energy ball flying into RODRIGUEZ, who yells and then explodes.)

PAST PIPER: Oh my god!

PAST PRUE: Oh, god. Phoebe! (PAST PRUE kneels down and checks PAST PHOEBE's pulse.)

PAST PIPER: Prue, is she okay? (PAST PIPER falls to her knees beside PAST PRUE, breathing heavily.)

PAST PRUE: She’s dead.

[Cut to present PRUE, who still has her arms around PIPER.]

PRUE: But that never-

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Phoebe had been destined to die that day, not Andy. However, with Tempus aiding Rodriguez, they inadvertently changed fate, (he looks at PRUE) and Andrew suffered the consequences. (He motions his hand again.) This bumped Paige’s destiny back a full ten years. (Waving his arm, another hologram springs up.)

[Hologram: PAST PHOEBE, PAST PRUE, PAST PIPER, and a frozen NATHANIEL PRATT are standing in a futurist execution chamber, from the 2009 future in which PHOEBE had killed CAL GREENE with her powers.]

PAST PHOEBE: It has to end with me.

PAST PIPER: Phoebe, he was evil! He deserved what you-

(PAST PHOEBE starts to cry.)

PAST PHOEBE: Wrong things done for the right reason are still the wrong thing. Our job is to protect the innocent, not punish the guilty. And I crossed that line, I know that. And now you guys have to know that too.

(PAST PIPER starts to cry and then tears start to roll down PAST PRUE’s cheeks.)

PAST PRUE: We are not leaving here without you.

PAST PHOEBE: Prue, we were sent here for a reason. Maybe not to stop this like we thought. But maybe to understand why this has to happen. Why you have to let this happen. I don't want to die. But I don't want you to die because of me. (They hug.) I love you. (She stands back next to the pole. Everyone unfreezes. They turn on the flames and PAST PHOEBE starts to burn as PAST PIPER sobs into PAST PRUE’s arms.)

[Cut to present PIPER, who is looking away from the hologram, unable to watch PHOEBE burn to death again. PRUE rubs her back comfortingly.]

PRUE: (whispering) It’s okay.

PIPER: No. No it’s not! Phoebe changed so that she could become the person she is today. Why are you trying to take that away from her? From us?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: The Elders, unaware of Paige’s existence and her destiny, sent you to that future so that the only hope for good magic, the Power of Three, would not be lost because of your selfishness. It was supposed to end with Phoebe and begin anew with Paige, whom you would’ve found after Phoebe’s execution. However, when Phoebe’s destiny was changed a second time, (he looks at PIPER) fate turned its eyes on you.

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Two

[Scene: Manor. Attic. The ANGEL OF DESTINY and the ANGEL OF DEATH are standing before The Charmed Ones. PAIGE is kneeling on the floor next to PHOEBE, who is lying down, still looking quite weak. The ANGEL OF DESTINY raises his arm and another hologram blooms up before the sisters.]

[Hologram: PAST PIPER’s spirit rises out of her body. She rises towards the ceiling and then appears in a place that’s bright and golden. PAST LEO walks towards her.][/b]

PAST PIPER: Leo?

PAST LEO: Hurry, take my hands. We don’t have much time.

PAST PIPER: Am I dead?

PAST LEO: No, not yet. Not if you take my hands.

PAST PIPER: I don’t understand.

PAST LEO: It’s the only way I can heal you. The only chance I have of them not finding out. Hurry.

[The hologram cuts back to the hospital room.]

DR. WILLIAMSON: Give me the paddles.

NURSE: Charging.

(DR. WILLIAMSON gets the paddles and applies them to PAST PIPER’s body. PAST PHOEBE gasps as she cries into PAST PRUE’s arms.)

DR. WILLIAMSON: Clear!

NURSE: No response. I’m not getting anything.

DR. WILLIAMSON: Again!

NURSE: Charging.

DR. WILLIAMSON: Clear!

[The hologram cuts back to PAST LEO and PAST PIPER.]

PAST LEO: I don’t wanna lose you. (He holds his hands above her hands.)

[The hologram cuts to the hospital room. The heart monitor is beeping. DR. WILLIAMSON looks to the clock.]

DR. WILLIAMSON: Call it.

PAST PHOEBE: (sobbing) No!

NURSE: Time of death, nine-forty A.M.

(PAST PHOEBE breaks away from PAST PRUE.)

PAST PHOEBE: No, no!

[The hologram cuts PAST PIPER and PAST LEO. PAST LEO heals her.]

[The hologram cuts back to the hospital room. PAST PIPER’s spirit floats back in her body.]

PAST PRUE: Wait.

NURSE: EKG’s responding.

PAST PRUE: There’s a heartbeat.

(PAST PIPER starts coughing.)

DR. WILLIAMSON: Piper? What the hell? This is incredible!

PAST PIPER: (whispering) Leo.

[Cut to the present PIPER. Her hand is placed protectively to her stomach as the hologram fades away.]

PIPER: If Leo hadn’t broken the rules-

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Prue, Phoebe, and Paige would make up the Power of Three right now.

PIPER: And I was supposed to die last time, too, wasn’t I? (She looks at PHOEBE.) But Phoebe made the deal with The Source to save me.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Yes. (He turns his eyes to PHOEBE.) And today it was supposed to be Phoebe, but your friend saved her, which is why I have come to end this here and now. But unlike the Angel of Death, I’m giving you a choice.

PAIGE: What are you talking about?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: (to PAIGE) Since the discovery of your existence, white oracles and visionaries have come to debate which Charmed One you were supposed to replace. Some say it was Phoebe or Piper, so that the origins of the triquetra would be fulfilled.

PHOEBE: What origins?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: The triquetra is an ancient triple Goddess symbol representing the Maiden, (he motions to PAIGE), the Mother, (he points to PIPER and PHOEBE), and the Crone. (He looks at PRUE.)

PIPER: Meaning that Phoebe or I would have to die so that there would only be one middle sister.

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY nods.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Others, however, argue that because Paige and Prue share the ability to move objects with their minds, it was clearly meant to be Prue that Paige was supposed to replace, thus fulfilling Melinda Warren’s prophecy and explaining why all attempts to end your and Phoebe’s lives have all failed. (His hand extends, once again creating another hologram before the sisters.)

[Hologram: PAST PRUE is lying in a heap on the floor of the attic, just feet from The Source. A fireball is flying at her.]

PAST PAIGE: Prue! (PAST PAIGE dives at PAST PRUE as the fireball comes flying at her. Orbs engulf them and the fireball flies through the dancing lights, leaving a black scorch mark on the floor as the sisters disappear.)

[Cut to the present PRUE. She looks to PAIGE.]

PRUE: That was when The Oracle tricked Phoebe into revoking our powers…

ANGEL OF DESTINY: (to PRUE) And had Paige not been willing to save you from that fireball, not knowing that she still had her whitelighter powers to save you with, you would have died and the Power of Three would’ve fallen to your younger sisters.

PRUE: (frustrated) Just get to the point! What offer do you have for us?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Because things have turned out this way, I’ve decided to allow the four of you to decide who will be coming with the Angel of Death.

PIPER: That’s it? After all we’ve been through, that’s all you’re willing to give us?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Most people don’t get chances like this.

PHOEBE: So you think this is some kind of gift?!

PAIGE: Do you honestly expect us to thank you for forcing us to choose which of our sisters dies?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: No, but you should be thankful that I am giving you a chance to make your decision, to say goodbye. (He looks at the grandfather clock.) But there is something else you should know.

PAIGE: And that is?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: The Oracle.

PIPER: The Oracle? (She narrows her eyes.) What does she have to do with anything?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: She was only half truthful with you today. (He motions to PHOEBE.) It is true that the bullets that Phoebe was shot with her tainted with poison fatal to witches, however, it was not given to the Witch Hunter by demons, but a poison that has been passed down from Witch Hunter to Witch Hunter for generations.

PRUE: But we vanquished The Source-

DEATH: (interrupting) She lied to you. The poison didn’t void because you vanquished The Source, in fact, it didn’t void at all. (to PHOEBE) It’s still running through your veins, slowly killing you as I speak.

(PIPER's face pales.)

PIPER: Wh-what? (She turns slowly to PHOEBE, her eyes wide in shock mirroring her three sisters’. She kneels down and wraps her arms around PHOEBE, shaking her head.)

PRUE: Are you telling me that Phoebe is going to die anyway? (She shakes her head.) Then why did you come at all, with this choice, if Phoebe was going to die all along?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: For two reasons. One, I’m bound to make certain that nothing would happen, again, to interfere with destiny being fulfilled. And two, as I already told you, I decided to give you the chance to either keep destiny as it is now, (he points to PHOEBE) or choose to take the burden upon one of yourselves.

(PHOEBE weakly shakes her head.)

PHOEBE: No. (A tear slips from her eye.) I don’t want you putting that burden on them, if this is my destiny, just take me now.

(PRUE flicks her head towards the ANGEL OF DESTINY.)

PRUE: But that’s just it. (She shakes her head.) He doesn’t know who’s destiny it is, because something keeps happening. (She glares.) And so he’s making us choose for him. (She breaths heavily.) And if we have that choice, Phoebe, then I can’t let you make that sacrifice.

PIPER: (gasping) Prue!

(PRUE steps forward.)

PRUE: If you’re giving us the choice, then take me, not Phoebe.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: I’m not giving this decision solely to you, Prudence. (He motions to PIPER, PHOEBE, and PAIGE.) You must talk this over with your sisters and unanimously decide what you want to do. (Downstairs, the sound of the Grandfather clock chiming can be heard.) You have two hours to decide. (He holds his hand out to PHOEBE and a glow emanates from her.) I’ve slowed down the effects of the poison, but as time wears on, they will start to resurface. By the time I return with the Angel of Death, if you have not made a decision, then I will see to it that the poison fulfills destiny and thus preserves the Grand Design.

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY vanishes in a sparkle of white and golden lights. The ANGEL OF DEATH extends his hand and a long scroll of paper appears in his palm. He unrolls it and holds it out to the sisters, revealing the name “Phoebe Halliwell” at the top of the page.)

DEATH: Your time starts now. (He disappears in the same black and blue haze he’d appeared in, leaving the sisters to share confused and worried looks.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Three

[Scene: Manor. Attic. The Charmed Ones are still standing where DEATH and the ANGEL OF DESTINY had left them.][/b]

PRUE: (to PIPER) You should probably go wait in your room.

PIPER: (to PRUE) What?! He leaves us with two hours to make this-this choice…and now you’re trying to ban me from taking part in it?

PAIGE: (to PIPER) Prue’s right. You’re pregnant, Piper. And I know I speak for all of us when I say that you can’t, you won’t, go with the Angel of Death today. If we have to give up one life, it will be just that, one.

PHOEBE: We’ve all had a chance to live our lives, and despite some of the things that have happened, we’ve all had good lives. (She walks over to PIPER and places her hand on PIPER's stomach.) We’re not about to lose another niece, whose life hasn’t even begun yet.

PRUE: Look, Piper, we’re not telling you that you can’t stay here, but I’m only trying to think of you. Phoebe, Paige, and I are going to have to decide which one of us dies today, and if you want to stay, that leaves only two things for you to do; listen or help us choose.

(PHOEBE looks PIPER directly in the eyes.)

PHOEBE: We can’t ask you to choose one of us over the other.

PAIGE: And we won’t.

(PIPER wipes her eyes. Tears are now dribbling down her cheeks. She lays her hand over her stomach.)

PIPER: (crying) O-okay.

(PRUE kisses the top of PIPER’s forehead.)

PRUE: We’ll come get you when we’ve decided.

(PHOEBE and PAIGE nod. Without a word, PIPER heads out of the attic. PHOEBE moves quietly to The Book of Shadows, which is still lying in the middle of the charred floor. She kneels down and caresses The Book with her fingers. She opens up the cover revealing the yellowed first page and the old writing.)

[Flashback: PHOEBE gives up and turns to walk back down the stairs. She hears a creak and turns to see the attic door opening. She walks inside. A light shines on a trunk and she walks over to it. She opens it and there’s a book inside. She picks up The Book and blows the dust off. She opens it.]

PHOEBE: “The Book of Shadows.”

[Cut back to the present. PHOEBE’s thoughts are interrupted by the sound of PRUE’s voice.]

PRUE: Come on, we haven’t got a lot of time.

(PRUE and PAIGE head out of the attic while PHOEBE closes the cover and then jumps up to follow them out.)

[Cut to the hallway. As PIPER is walking to her room, a hand reaches out from behind and grabs her arms. She struggles, but another hand covers her mouth. She’s spun around and comes face to face with COLE TURNER. COLE pulls her into PHOEBE’s room as footsteps are heard in the distance. He shuts the door and lets her go.]

PIPER: (shocked) Cole-

COLE: (interrupting) I heard everything. (He looks away from her and doesn’t say anything, instead he chooses to pace. PIPER watches him, unsure of what to say. As he turns back, she can see the pained look in COLE’s eyes.) If I’d just said something sooner-

PIPER: (cutting in) You couldn’t have changed my mind, Cole.

(COLE looks up, confused.)

COLE: What’re you talking about?

PIPER: Facing The Source. You couldn’t have changed my mind, Cole. Even if you had said something earlier, I probably would’ve ignored you-

COLE: (interrupting) That’s not what I was talking about.

PIPER: It’s not? (She looks surprised.)

(COLE motions to PIPER’s hand, which is resting on her stomach.)

COLE: I understand why you did what you did, Piper, and no, that’s not what I’m talking about. (He walks over to PHOEBE’s bed and sits down. His hand moves to a photograph of himself and PHOEBE, that is sitting on the dresser. He picks it up and studies it.) I’m talking about the poison.

PIPER: From the Witch Hunter?

(COLE nods.)

Cole: After I realized you froze me, I was angry and I went to find you, but the damage was already done. I heard everything from the hallway. (He shakes his head angrily.) I knew there was something wrong with her, I could see it the night she got shot. (He suddenly stands up, his face turning a pale shade of red.) I should’ve trusted my damn instincts! I knew it was more than just a virus! (His fingers turn white as they clutch the photograph.) Why didn’t I just say something?

(PIPER starts to tear up.)

PIPER: It’s not your fault, Cole. You couldn’t have prevented it even if you wanted to. You heard what Destiny said…

COLE: He also said that things can interfere with destiny and change it. If I’d only said something, maybe we could’ve found a way to void the poison.

PIPER: You can’t think like that.

COLE: (angrily) Why not?! (He throws the picture face down onto the bed. His hand stretches out to the door.) I’m going to lose her, Piper! She’s the only thing that’s ever meant anything to me in this world and I’m going to lose her!

PIPER: (crying) You don’t know-

COLE: (cutting in) Phoebe would never let one of you take the fall for her. And if there was some way that someone convinced her she should, she could never live with herself afterwards. (He shakes his head.) If she dies today, I lose her. If one of you dies, it will kill a part of her that she can never get back, and in doing so, she won’t even be the same. (He closes his eyes.) I’ve seen it happen too many times before.

PIPER: (whispering) Maybe you should talk to her.

COLE: How is that fair to her? She already has enough on her mind right now. How can I ask her to put me before her sisters? What kind of person would I be if I asked her to make that choice?

[Cut to the living room. PAIGE is sitting on the sofa, PRUE is sitting opposite PAIGE, and PHOEBE is seated on an overstuffed chair. PHOEBE roughly shakes her head, causing her hair to fall in her face. She pushes it back behind her ears.]

PHOEBE: No! It should be me. I have the weakest powers. (to PRUE) You, Piper, and Paige have much more fire power. (pause) Where my niece is concerned, I want the strongest force available there to protect her and that’s you guys, not me.

PRUE: You can’t just write off your powers that easily, Phoebe. We would have been dead a long time ago had it not been for your premonitions. And for that matter, so would a lot of innocents.

PAIGE: Prue’s right, Phoebe. Your powers have helped countless innocents, not to mention saved our lives more than a few times.

PRUE: Your premonitions are critical in protecting our niece. Remember what Dad told us that Mom used to say? (PHOEBE shakes her head.) Premonitions are one of the most desirable powers. (PRUE begins to lightly pick at her cuticles.) And all of your powers are critical to the Power of Three and Melinda Warren’s prophecy.

PHOEBE: Prue-

PRUE: (interrupting) No. You had a chance to state your case, Phoebe, and now I want to state mine. I’m the oldest and I have had a great life. Sure, there are things that I regret and things I wish I could do over, but those things pale in comparison to how much I would regret it if I let Death take either of you. You two still have so many years ahead of you and I can’t let you give that up.

PHOEBE: But Prue, you’re the strongest!

PRUE: Says who? Each of us has our strengths and weaknesses, and each of our powers has its perks. Just because mine are the most active doesn’t mean that they are more important than yours or Piper’s or Paige’s.

PAIGE: But Piper-

PRUE: Can learn to live without me.

PAIGE: What if she can’t? I haven’t even known you a year, but I can already see that Piper relies on you for so much. What if she can’t handle it?

PRUE: I won’t always get to be there for her, Paige. None of us get to live forever. She has to learn to live without me some time.

[Cut to PHOEBE’s room. PIPER and COLE are sitting on PHOEBE’s bed, talking. PIPER has her hands wrapped around her stomach and she’s slowly rocking back and forth.]

COLE: (quietly) I’m sorry, Piper. (He flicks his gaze to her.) I’ve been thinking about how much losing her will affect me, but…I’m not the one losing a sister.

(PIPER reaches her hand out to COLE and places her hand on his.)

PIPER: (trembling) But you’re losing the one person who means the world to you. (Tears fall down her face.) I know how that is. I remember how I felt when I thought I’d lost Leo and (quivering) I know.

[Cut to the living room. PAIGE is starting to cry, causing PRUE and PHOEBE to stop talking and look over at her. Concerned, PRUE reaches out and touches PAIGE’s shoulder.]

PRUE: Paige, what’s wrong?

(PAIGE wipes her eyes with her sleeve. She shakes her head.)

PAIGE: I’m letting you down, that’s what.

PHOEBE: What are you talking about, honey?

(PAIGE throws out her arms in anger and frustration.)

PAIGE: This. All of this. (Another tear runs down her cheek.) I should be helping you, but I haven’t done anything but play the devil’s advocate. (She shakes her head.) I know what I should be saying, but…but I don’t know if I can.

PRUE: (concerned) What do you mean, what you should be saying?

(PAIGE swallows hard.)

PAIGE: I should be part of this debate, too. I should be willing to give up my life for you guys. I mean… (She moves her eyes away from them.) God, you’re my sisters for crying out loud. And it’s not like I haven’t been willing before, it’s not like that at all… (She motions to PRUE.) If I wasn’t, I never would’ve jumped in front of that fireball for you. But this…this is different.

PHOEBE: Oh, Paige, we never doubted that you love us. (She stands up and walks over to her younger sister and wraps her arms around her.) Why would you even think that?

PAIGE: Because I haven’t…offered the ultimate sacrifice. You both are so willing to give up your lives and yet here I am and I haven’t said a thing yet. I mean…I just keep thinking, wondering, what I would miss out on and I don’t know if I… (She looks away, ashamed.) I don’t know if I can do that.

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Four

[Scene: Manor. Living room. PHOEBE and PRUE are sharing worried looks and PAIGE is crying as she stutters strained sentences.][/b]

PAIGE: I-I know I should be saying how I’m the youngest and-and the newest to my powers, the weakest and (to PRUE) being half whitelighter passive and they’re nothing in comparison to yours, and-and…I should be saying how I’m most in-inexperienced… (She wraps her arms around her stomach, shaking her head shamefully.) I know I should be just as willing as you guys. (She shakes her head.) I don’t know what’s wrong with me…if I can’t be willing to sacrifice my life for my own sisters, then what kind of person am I?

(PRUE scoots over to PAIGE and wraps her arms around her, pulling her close.)

PRUE: Shh, shhh. (She looks at PHOEBE and nods her head in the direction of the open seat next to her.) Paige, there’s nothing wrong with you. What you’re feeling…that’s normal. You didn’t grow up with Phoebe and Piper and I, so it’s only natural that you wouldn’t feel the same way, but… (She pulls away and moves PAIGE’s head to make PAIGE look at her.) that doesn’t make you any less of a sister to us and we don’t want you to see it that way either. Do you understand, Paige?

(PAIGE swallows hard as she looks between PRUE and PHOEBE, then she slowly nods her head.)

PHOEBE: You know, Paige, I was relieved when you didn’t say anything. (She reaches across PRUE and places her hand on PAIGE’s.) What kind of sister would I be if I let my baby sister give up her life, and her destiny, for me?

PRUE: Phoebe’s right. You heard the Angel of Destiny, Paige. He said that you were born destined to step up and reconstitute the Power of Three. (She shakes her head.) You shouldn’t even have to be thinking about this. What kind sisters would we be if we took your destiny away from you?

PHOEBE: And what you said about your powers…Paige, that’s not true at all. You may have come to the craft later than us, but your powers are amazing in their own right. You’ve learned so quickly and I can only see more good coming from you. You’re a natural, Paige.

(Through tears, PAIGE manages a weak smile.)

PRUE: And just because you’re half whitelighter doesn’t make them any less effective. It’ll take a while, it did for all of us, but you’ll learn to master them. Just because they work differently than mine doesn’t mean you still can’t kick some demon ass with them.

(PRUE wipes PAIGE’s wet cheeks with her index finger. She smiles encouragingly. At that moment, the Grandfather clock chimes the new hour. PRUE turns to PHOEBE and places her hand on PHOEBE’s leg. PHOEBE bites her lip and weakly shakes her head.)

PHOEBE: (weakly) Prue, (she coughs) no…

(PRUE takes PHOEBE’s hand and gently squeezes it.)

PRUE: “What kind of sister would I be if I let my baby sister give up her life, her destiny, for me?” (She blinks back tears.) They’re your own words, Phoebe. (She tilts her head to the side.) And now you know what it feels like for me. (She shakes her head.) I made a promise to you and Piper a long time ago, when Mom died, that I’d always protect you. (PRUE glances at PAIGE and also takes PAIGE’s hand.) And you too, although I didn’t know about you at the time. (She smiles weakly.) I promised to protect my little sisters, always and forever. (pause) I have to do this. It’s the only way.

(PHOEBE finally breaks down too.)

PHOEBE: I love you, Prue.

PRUE: I love you, too, Phoebe. (She squeezes PAIGE’s hand.) And Paige. (She bites her lip.) I’m so sorry we didn’t meet sooner. There are so many wasted years that I’m so sorry we can’t get back. (She swallows the lump forming in her throat.) But you’ll have to promise me that you make up for them with Piper and Phoebe and (she chokes back a painful noise) our niece.

(PAIGE bites her lip, holding back a flood of tears as she nods and squeezes PRUE’s hand in return.)

PAIGE: (weakly) I’ll make sure she knows how amazing her Aunt Prue is.

(PRUE’s eyes get watery but she blinks them to avoid crying.)

PRUE: Look at it this way, I’m thirty-one-years-old, which is kind of the prime age for a Warren witch anyway.

(PRUE tries to smile at her dark joke, but her sisters don’t. PHOEBE and PAIGE each move very close to PRUE on the sofa, squishing her in the middle. PRUE wraps her arms around PAIGE and PHOEBE, pulling them close to her. She rubs PAIGE’s shoulders and stroke’s PHOEBE's hair as the three of them share a silent moment.)

PAIGE: (quietly) So, we’re really going through with this? (PAIGE looks up at PRUE, but PRUE doesn’t say anything. PHOEBE starts to get up.)

PHOEBE: I should go get Piper-

(PRUE grabs PHOEBE’s arm and pulls her back to the sofa.)

PRUE: No, I will. (She stands up.) She needs to hear this from me. (PHOEBE nods. PRUE leaves. PAIGE and PHOEBE look at each other, and then PAIGE takes PHOEBE’s hand and gently squeezes it. PHOEBE squeezes back.)

[Cut to PHOEBE’s room. COLE and PIPER are still sitting on the bed and COLE is leaning over onto the nightstand, writing out a letter on a lined sheet of notebook paper. He quickly signs his name and then folds up the paper, before stuffing it into an envelope which he seals and writes “Phoebe” across the front of. He turns to PIPER, who’s eyes are red from crying, and hands it to her.]

COLE: I want you to give this to her for me.

(PIPER shakes her head and tries to hand the letter back, but COLE won’t take it.)

PIPER: I can’t do this, Cole. You should talk to her yourself. You need to talk to her. She needs to see you.

COLE: No. I’m not going to put her through anymore pain, Piper. Just give this to her before…Just please give it to her. (PIPER clutches the envelope between her fingers and slowly nods.) Thank you… (He shimmers out. PIPER wipes her hand across her eyes and stands up from the bed with the envelope in hand. She quickly leaves the room.)

[Cut to the stairs. PRUE reaches the top step and starts to head down the hallway, stopping at PIPER’s bedroom, also her former bedroom. She curls her fist and lightly knocks at the door.]

PRUE: (softly) Piper. (Silence.) Piper. (She knocks again, but still receives no answer.) Piper, it’s Prue. (When all she hears is silence, she moves her hand to the door handle and jiggles it. The door swings open and PRUE steps in, but she doesn’t see her sister anywhere.) Piper?

(As she turns to leave, she spots the phone on PIPER’s dresser.)

[Flashback: PIPER is speaking to the Angel of Destiny in the attic.]

PIPER: Phoebe is alive and breathing, not some pile of ash on the floor.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Only because your friend Matt intervened.

[Cut back to the present. PRUE hesitates a moment, then she moves to the phone and picks it up, dialing MATT’s home number.]

[Cut to the attic. PIPER walks in and sees The Book of Shadows where it was left on the floor. She moves towards it.]

[Cut to PIPER’s room. PRUE has the phone to her ear. It rings once.]

OPERATOR’s VOICE: I’m sorry, but the number you have dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service. Please redial and try again.

PRUE: (shocked) What?

(PRUE pulls the phone away from her ear, shocked and confused. She quickly redials.)

OPERATOR’s VOICE: I’m sorry, but the number you have dialed-

(PRUE hangs up and dials MATT’s cell phone. There’s silence and then another operated voice picks up.)

OPERATOR’s VOICE: The mobile number you have dialed is no longer in service.

(PRUE slams the phone down, hurt and angry. She feels a wet droplet run down her cheek and wipes it away. As she does so, she catches her reflection in PIPER’s mirror. She stares at herself for a moment and takes a deep breath, regaining her composure. Then a noise, the faint sound of footsteps coming from the attic, catches PRUE’s attention. She tilts her head, listening intently to the sound of someone walking around in the attic. Quickly, she leaves PIPER’s bedroom and heads up towards the attic.)

[Cut to the attic. PIPER is sitting cross-legged on the floor, with The Book of Shadows in her lap. Her eyes are red and dried tear stains are visible on her face. Her hand is against her flat stomach. Suddenly, PRUE walks in. PIPER looks up and shuts The Book quickly.]

PRUE: What’re you doing in here?

PIPER: I was…looking for a loophole.

(PRUE walks over to PIPER and kneels down, taking The Book of Shadows from PIPER and sliding it away from them.)

PRUE: Piper, there is no loophole this time, honey. You saw how things were supposed to happen, we all did. (PIPER shakes her head defiantly and PRUE gently takes PIPER’s hands in her own.) This is our destiny.

PIPER: (crying) It’s not fair!

PRUE: Life isn’t fair, Piper. If it was, it wouldn’t have taken Mom from us. (She softly sways back and forth with PIPER as she strokes her little sister’s hair.) And it wouldn’t have made Mom give up Paige. (She swallows.) Or taken Andy.

(PIPER elicits a little gasp and jerkily pulls back from PRUE. Her eyes are wide as she staggers to her feet, shaking her head.)

PIPER: Oh my god… (PRUE stands up and tries to move towards her, but PIPER keeps stepping back away from her.)[/B] It’s you! (She shakes.) It’s you! You’re the one who’s going!

PRUE: Piper-

PIPERr: (terrified) No. No! (She starts to yell.) You can’t! (She backs up against the charred wall, holding her stomach and shaking her head as if it’ll make everything go away if she does it long enough.) You can’t go! You can’t be the one!

PRUE: I have to, Piper.

PIPER: No. (She places her hands to her ears in a vain attempt to block out PRUE’s voice.) You can’t. You can’t! (She looks up, teary eyed.) I can’t live without you, Prue. You’re my big sister, you’ve been there my entire life. (She slips to the floor, shaking and crying.) You can’t leave me. I can’t do it without you.

(PRUE moves to PIPER and bends down by her side, wrapping PIPER into a comforting hug. PIPER leans into PRUE's shoulder and sobs.)

PRUE: You have to, honey. I’m the only reasonable option. I’ve always vowed to protect my little sisters and I intend on doing that until my last breath. (PIPER hugs her stomach as she starts to sob, shaking her head defiantly. PRUE grabs PIPER and pulls her close.) Shh, don’t cry. I’ll always be with you.

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Five

[Scene: Manor. Entry way. PRUE, PHOEBE, and PAIGE are gathered there. PHOEBE and PAIGE are holding tightly to PRUE’s hands. The Grandfather chimes the new hour. In a swirl of white golden lights, the ANGEL OF DESTINY appears.][/b]

ANGEL OF DESTINY: I trust you’ve made your decision?

PRUE: We have. (She squeezes PAIGE and PHOEBE's hands and then breaks away from them. PAIGE and PHOEBE grab onto each other, both crying softly.) I’m going.

(In a black and deep blue haze, the ANGEL OF DEATH appears next to the ANGEL OF DESTINY, his white list is in his hands. The ANGEL OF DESTINY waves his hand and “Phoebe Halliwell” disappears from the list and then “Prudence Halliwell” magically inscribes itself onto the top of DEATH’s list. DEATH holds out his hand and a swirling gray vortex appears next to him. With a swift twist of the ANGEL OF DESTINY's hand, a sweeping glow moves from PHOEBE’s body to PRUE’s, giving her an almost angelic look. PRUE’s face pales and sweat beads form on her head as the full force of the poisonous effects take ahold of her all at once. Her blue eyes roll back in her head and her body drops lifelessly to the floor, beneath the chandelier. PRUE’s spirit rises from her body. DEATH holds his hand out to her. PRUE looks back at PAIGE and PHOEBE.)

PRUE: I’ll always be with you. (As PRUE reaches to take DEATH’s hand, PIPER appears at the top of the stairs.)

PIPER: (frantically) No, wait! (Everyone looks up at PIPER. PIPER eyes the ANGEL OF DESTINY.) I have a proposition for you.

PRUE: Piper-

PIPER: No! (She walks down the stairs.) No, I want to be heard! (She looks at the ANGEL OF DESTINY.) The least you can do is that.

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY looks at the ANGEL OF DEATH, and then he turns back to PIPER and nods his head.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: I’m listening.

PIPER: The only reason one of us has to die is because our magic has to be completely erased from existence to keep the balance, right?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Yes…

PIPER: So what if…what if I were to give up my powers instead?

PRUE: (shocked) Piper!

PIPER: No, it makes perfect sense! If I were to give up my powers, then I wouldn’t be a threat to evil anymore. I wouldn’t be able to use them, even if I wanted to. They’d be completely gone from existence, and you could still have your balance without taking my sister. (to PRUE) Besides, I’ve always wanted a normal life anyway.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: This is not how it was supposed to happen-

PIPER: And you weren’t supposed to come in the first place, remember? And we weren’t supposed to meet Paige when we did. But it still happened. (She folds her arms.) Just tell me if it would work. A simple yes or no.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: It’s not solely up to me, Piper. I would have to confer with other powers and they would also have to agree to such an unprecedented change in destiny.

PIPER: Then go ask them.

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY looks at the ANGEL OF DEATH.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: You’ll need to come too. (He disappears. DEATH looks down at his list, which PRUE's name is still on, and then disappears as well.)

[Scene: Inside PAIGE’s VW Bug. PAIGE’s cell phone is ringing in the passenger’s seat again. The LCD screen reads, “Henry Mitchell.”]

[Scene: San Francisco International Airport. HENRY MITCHELL is standing in the middle of a long line, waiting to go through a metal detector. His cell phone is to his ear.]

HENRY: Paige, it’s Henry again. I would rather tell you this in person, but obviously that’s not going to happen today. (He sighs. A woman behind Henry taps him on the shoulder and he looks at her.)

WOMAN: (impatiently) Can you move forward please?

(HENRY looks down the line and then bridges the gap that’s formed while he was busy talking on the phone.)

HENRY: I’m at the airport right now and I have to go up to Maryland for a few weeks. (He rubs his forehead, looking exhausted.) I just got an urgent call from my sister a few hours ago saying that my father suffered a stroke and he’s in a coma right now…they don’t expect it to be much longer, so I have to leave today if I want to see him before… (He takes another step forward.) Look, please, Paige, please just call me as soon as you get this. (pause) Bye. (He hangs up.)

[Scene: Underworld. THE SOURCE’s lair. THE ORACLE is standing in the middle of the room, staring at THE SOURCE’s vacant thrown. She’s now dressed in a slinky crimson gown with a halter tie v-neckline, triangular cupped bodice, and a skirt which extends to the ground but has a slit up the front of the dress all the way up to her mid thigh. A floor-length dark red velvet cape is fastened around her neck with a deep red ribbon and a diamond clasp, allowing the hood of the cloak to hang down her back. Her dark hair is loosely piled onto her head, with a few soft strings framing her face and accentuating her dark red lipstick and thick black mascara. Her crystal ball is wrapped protectively under her left arm, nearly covered by her cloak. She takes two steps towards the empty thrown and then a sickly sweet smile blooms on her lips. She turns promptly and seats herself on the throne. She places her crystal ball into her lap and then grabs the arms of the throne, never once ceasing to grin.]

THE ORACLE: Long live The Queen! (Suddenly, her eyes turn into empty black holes and raging flames dance within them.)

[Scene: MATT’s apartment. Living room. MATT is standing in front of the triple window, staring out at the expanse of the city before him. His hands are behind his back as he stares, frozen in position. Then he moves one arm out from behind his back and holds up a potion to the natural light of the window. He pinches his index and thumb against the cork and bottom of the bottle respectively. The red liquid inside casts a bit of a red glow on his face, reflective of the sun. MATT tilts his head towards the ceiling.]

MATT: I guess there’s only one thing left to do now, isn’t there?

(MATT turns around, revealing the spirit board sitting on the coffee table. He moves to the blue sofa and sits down. He begins to uncork the vial of red liquid. MATT places the tiny cork on the table and then moves the vial to his lips. As the edge of the vial makes contact with his lower lip, the pointer on the spirit board shoots across to the letter “I”. MATT freezes, waiting for the pointer to move again. Then, slowly, the pointer drags itself over to the letter “M”. MATT carefully removes the vial from his lips and re-corks it. His eyes flick to the ceiling.)

MATT: I-M.

(MATT gives a brief nod, beckoning the pointer to continue. The pointer moves over to “B”. MATT moves his hand to his breast pocket and pulls out a pen. He quickly scribbles the three letters in order onto the palm of his hand. He glances up at the board again and the pointer moves to “O” and then to “L”. He copies the letters down and then, finally, the pointer moves to “C” and stays there. MATT holds up his hand, staring at what he just wrote down.)

MATT: “Imbolc.”

[Time lapse. The ANGEL OF DESTINY and ANGEL OF DEATH appear. PIPER, who is sitting on the stairs with PAIGE and PHOEBE, looks up. She grabs the railing and then pulls to her feet.]

PIPER: (anxiously) Well?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: You understand that if you were to go through with this, you will never be able to have your powers back if you were to change your mind.

PIPER: I have no intention of changing my mind.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: (sternly) Your Charmed status will be completely ripped from you, Piper.

PIPER: I understand.

(PAIGE and PHOEBE stand up.)

Paige: S-so they’ll allow it?

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY waves his arm. PRUE's name disappears from DEATH’s list and her soul is sucked back into her body. PRUE awakens with a gasp. PIPER runs to PRUE and kneels down, hugging her. PAIGE and PHOEBE follow suit.)

PIPER: Thank god!

(DEATH gives PRUE a hard gaze.)

DEATH: (to PRUE) You were lucky. (He snaps his fingers, causing the portal to the afterlife to vanish.) Most people don’t get privileges such as yours. (He casts his gaze across the four sisters.) But never forget that death is inevitable. (He disappears into a black haze. The ANGEL OF DESTINY holds out his hands.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Piper. (PIPER gets up and walks over to him.) Take my hands.

(PIPER looks back at her sisters, then back to the man in front of her. She places her hands into his hands. Suddenly, PIPER begins to glow. She gasps as two spheres of white light fly from her body and then hover above her head, before exploding in a bright flash. As he releases PIPER’s hands, the house shakes and then the chandelier emits a bright white-blue light, which rains down over PRUE, PHOEBE, and PAIGE. PRUE stands up and joins hands with PHOEBE and PAIGE. LEO orbs in next to PIPER, who sways a little. He wraps his arms around her, stabilizing her.)

PIPER: (whispering) Where have you been?

LEO: (whispering) They wouldn’t let me come until now…They said you had to work something out on your own. (He stares in awe as the light glows around PAIGE, PHOEBE, and PRUE.) What’s going on?

PIPER: (whispering) The Power of Three.

(The light from the chandelier fades away. The ANGEL OF DESTINY smiles.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: It is done.

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY dissolves into a spray of golden and white light, resembling a shooting star, which flies over their heads, straight towards the front doors. The doors magically open, allowing the golden-white beam to fly out the crack, and then they close.)

[The Virtual Series]

End Credits

Co-Starring
Lorilai Boyle --- Baby Paige Matthews

Featuring
Adriana Wyckoff --- Rude Woman at Airport

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