4x12: Picture Perfect

[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]

4.12 PICTURE PERFECT

GUEST-STARRING:
WILL SNOW

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...John Pare

[The Virtual Series]

Picture Perfect

Teaser[/center]

[Scene: January 1930. Manor. Living room. There’s a burst of smoke and when it clears, P. BOWEN is standing behind a very old box-like camera, dressed in a full length black lace evening dress with a plunging neckline, pink and green floral decoration just below the thigh, and a large black velvet bow on the right hip. Near the fireplace, a stoic looking couple dressed fancily in high society 1930’s garb, are standing up from their chairs. P. BOWEN hands them their picture and leads them to the front doors.][/b]

WOMAN: It is truly lovely, Miss Bowen.

P. BOWEN: My pleasure, Mrs. Dressler. I do hope to do business with you in the future.

MR. DRESSLER: We’ll be sure to pass along your talents to our friends back home. (MR. and MRS. DRESSLER leave. P. BOWEN shuts the door and turns to see P. BAXTER coming down the stairs.)

P. BAXTER: Was that the last of them, Phoebe?

PHOEBE BOWEN: Patience! (She shakes her head in a disapproving manner.) The doctor told you to stay in bed. (PHOEBE BOWEN moves towards the stairs as PATIENCE BAXTER gets off the last step. Through her white nightgown, a five month pregnant baby bump is visible.)

PATIENCE: I can’t very well do that with all the noise you’ve been causing down here, now can I? (She raises her eyebrows as she tries to move around her cousin, but PHOEBE BOWEN refuses to let her pass.)

PHOEBE BOWEN: I’m done for today. (She flicks her wrist.) Go along now cousin, you need your rest.

PATIENCE: Nonsense. I’m perfectly able to take care of myself. (There’s a knock at the door. PATIENCE frowns.) I thought you said they’d left?

PHOEBE BOWEN: It must be a Johnny Come Lately. (She lightly pushes PATIENCE back up the stairs.) I’ll take care of it and then I’ll be up to keep you company.

PATIENCE: Fine, but bring me some tea when you come up. (She pats her baby bump.) My stomach’s acting up again. (She heads back up the stairs. PHOEBE BOWEN opens the door to reveal a strikingly handsome man in a fashionable black suit, who’s holding a black bag.)

PHOEBE BOWEN: Can I help you?

MAN: Phoebe Bowen?

PHOEBE BOWEN: I’m Phoebe.

(The man holds out his hand.)

MAN: Vaklav. Charles Vaklav.

PHOEBE BOWEN: What can I do for you, Mr. Vaklav?

(PHOEBE BOWEN sees his eyes glow red and before she can stop him, he back hands her across the face and sends her flying across the room. PHOEBE BOWEN crashes through the stair rail and collapses on the steps. VAKLAV steps inside and closes the door. He pulls a camera from his black bag, much like the one PHOEBE BOWEN was using earlier. A stand magically appears beneath the camera, and VAKLAV turns the camera towards PHOEBE BOWEN.)

VAKLAV: I want your powers, witch!

(VAKLAV steps behind the camera. PHOEBE BOWEN gets up and blows across her palm, sending a freezing cloud of ice towards VAKLAV as he takes a picture. The explosion sounds like a gunshot and when the smoke clears, VAKLAV retrieves a picture from the back of the box, but it only shows the ice cloud coming at the lens of the camera. He growls as PHOEBE BOWEN recovers from the blinding flash. PATIENCE comes running down the stairs.)

PHOEBE BOWEN: Patience, no! (PATIENCE raises her hands to freeze him, but instead he goes flying into the living room, out of sight. PATIENCE looks surprised, then she touches her stomach.) The attic! (They run up the stairs.)

[Cut to the attic. PATIENCE and PHOEBE BOWEN run in. They run over to The Book of Shadows are start flipping through the pages.]

PATIENCE: Phoebe, look! (PHOEBE BOWEN looks down at a hand drawn picture of Vaklav.) It says he traps witches in an enchanted camera, and by destroying their pictures, he steals their powers.

PHOEBE BOWEN: Does it say how to vanquish him?

VAKLAV: There is no way to vanquish me! (PHOEBE BOWEN and PATIENCE look up to see VAKLAV standing in the middle of the room, with his camera in front of him.)A family photo, (he laughs) I don’t get those often. (He pulls a string to take the picture, but PATIENCE raises her hands and freezes him.)

PATIENCE: There is no vanquish. (She places her hand to her stomach and looks worriedly at PHOEBE BOWEN.) What do we do?

PHOEBE BOWEN: Trap him in his own camera.

(PHOEBE BOWEN pushes PATIENCE out of the way and walks over to the camera. She turns the camera around and points it at VAKLAV. He unfreezes and PHOEBE BOWEN pulls the cord. VAKLAV's eyes widen as he throws his arms into the air.)

VAKLAV: No!

(The smoke from the camera dissipates, leaving no trace of VAKLAV in the room. PHOEBE BOWEN retrieves a picture of VAKLAV from the back of the camera.)

Clickable Credits.

[The Virtual Series]

{SCENE: The song “If I Had A Talking Picture Of You,” written by Jack Hylton and sung by Sam Browne, is heard as nighttime stock shots of San Francisco are shown while the Guest Credits are rolled.}

Act One

[Scene: Present day. Golden Gate Park. The de Young Museum. The main event room is crowded with people, all of whom are dressed in evening wear, and many of which are holding a glass of champagne. Nicely dressed waiters are moving around the crowd with trays of champagne or small delicacies. Near the corner of the room, PRUE HALLIWELL is dressed in a shimmering, strapless, teal, evening gown, holding a matching purse with a rhinestone handle in her right hand and a near empty champagne glass in her left. She’s admiring a large black and white photograph of a blooming rose. MATTHEW CAPIELLO, dressed in a handsome black tux, walks up to her with a big smile on his face.]

MATT: The magazine really knows how to put on an art show, don’t they? (He gazes up at the photograph that PRUE’s looking at.)

PRUE: Actually, this is the first one I’ve been to.

MATT: Haven’t they thrown them before?

PRUE: I’ve always opted out of going. (They start walking.)

MATT: Why?

PRUE: My sisters just don’t see photography the way I do. (She shrugs.) I like to look at a piece and be able to talk about it with someone who can do more than nod their head. (She stops at another photo, this time a black and white photograph of a bride. Half of the picture is very shadowed, and the woman’s expression is not one of joy. PRUE motions towards the piece.) What do you think of this one?

MATT: The lighting’s magnificent. I love the way the shadows are covering more than half of her face, her body. (He leans forward.) And if you look closely at her facial expression, you know that there’s so much hiding beneath the surface. (He turns back to PRUE.) It’s symbolic, in a way.

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

PRUE: How so?

MATT: The dark half of the photograph, coupled with her lack of facial expression, specifically joy, says to me that something darker is hiding just beneath the surface…that she’s hiding something, probably from her significant other.

PRUE: Interesting… (She studies the picture.) Do you think she wants to tell him what is it?

MATT: Perhaps…

WAITER: Champagne?

(PRUE turns to the waiter and places her empty flute glass on the table.)

PRUE: I think I’ve had enough for tonight, but thank you anyway.

WAITER: (to MATT) Sir?

(MATT shakes his head.)

MATT: (to the WAITER) No thank you. (The WAITER nods and leaves. MATT holds out his arm.) Shall we? (PRUE doesn’t answer. MATT glances back at PRUE, who seems to be lost in the photograph of the bride.) Prue?

(PRUE shakes her head and looks at MATT.)

PRUE: Hmm?

(MATT jiggles his arm.)

MATT: What do you say to walking off that champagne?

PRUE: Sounds great. (She takes his arm and they walk slowly through the crowd, briefly looking at the photographs which span from the 1920’s to modern day. Suddenly, something catches MATT’s eye.)

MATT: Prue, look! (MATT points across the room, and PRUE follows his line of vision. She sees two photographs, side by side. One is of a woman in a 1930’s style dress, while the other is of a high society couple.) Have I had too much to drink, or does she look like you?

(PRUE breaks away from MATT and walks over to a wooden pedestal in front of the photographs. Atop of the pedestal is a glass box, and within it there’s a small biography. MATT walks up behind PRUE and looks over her shoulder. PRUE lets out a little gasp.)

PRUE: Oh my god…

MATT: “Phoebe Bowen was one of the most revered photographers of the nineteen-twenties and thirties. She made her living by photographing the most elite members of society in her Victorian home on thirteen-twenty-nine Prescott Street in San Francisco.” (MATT’s eyes widen as he looks at PRUE. PRUE stares up at the picture of her past life in disbelief.)

[Scene: Manor. Attic. PHOEBE HALLIWELL and PAIGE MATTHEWS are going through boxes. PAIGE turns to a large chest and opens it up. A cloud of dust comes out and she sneezes loudly.]

PHOEBE: You okay over there?

(PAIGE rubs her nose.)

PAIGE: Fine. (She waves her arm, clearing the dust away.) Tell me again, why we’re doing this?

PHOEBE: We’re trying to help Piper relax by fixing up the Manor.

(PAIGE starts to go through the contents of the chest.)

Paige: But this is an attic! Attics are supposed to be messy. (As PHOEBE opens her mouth to retort, PAIGE lets out a little gasp.) Hey! (She pulls out a rolled up paper and starts looking at it.) Is this what I think it is?

PHOEBE: What? (She walks over to PAIGE.) Oh! You found the family tree.

(PAIGE spreads it out on the floor and uses a couple of small boxes to hold down the edges of the top and bottom. PAIGE drags her finger down the tree until she comes to the bottom. She frowns, looking slightly hurt.)

PAIGE: I’m not on here.

(PHOEBE looks at the bottom of the tree.)

PHOEBE: Well, honey, we didn’t know about you until four months ago. (She pats PAIGE’s shoulder and then points to PIPER's name.) Don’t feel bad, we haven’t added Leo yet
either, and he’s been married to Piper for almost a year.

(PAIGE looks unconvinced. Instead of letting PHOEBE see her disappointment, however, she turns back to the chest. She starts pulling out some old, dusty clothing from the 1920’s and 1930’s. Then she sees a large, wooden box. She pulls it out.)

PAIGE: What’s this? (She turns it around and realizes it’s an old camera.) No way!

PHOEBE: That’s Prue’s old camera.

PAIGE: I know Prue loves photography, but what the heck did she need a classic for?

(PHOEBE bites her lip as she takes the heavy camera from PAIGE.)

PHOEBE: Uhm, not our Prue.

PAIGE: Not our Prue? How many other Prues are there?

PHOEBE: Two that I know of. Melinda Warren’s daughter Prudence, and Prue’s past life. (She taps the top of the camera.) This was Prue’s past life’s camera.

PAIGE: (shocked) Past life? As in, reincarnation?

PHOEBE: Yep. Prue, Piper, and I were all cousins in the twenties. (She sets the camera down and points to the names above “Penelope Johnson” on the family tree.) Piper’s past life was Grams’ mother.

(PAIGE wrinkles her nose.)

PAIGE: Ew.

PHOEBE: Yeah, don’t think about it too much. It’s a little creepy.

PAIGE: I wonder what else is in here. (She looks back in the trunk and finds a photograph. She takes it out and dusts it off, revealing the photo of VAKLAV waving his arms. She hands it to PHOEBE.) Who’s that?

(PHOEBE gasps as she touches the picture.)

[Premonition: PHOEBE BOWEN is kneeling in front of the trunk. A camera is at her side, and the picture of VAKLAV is in her hand. She shakes her head.]

PHOEBE BOWEN: Never again. (She puts the picture face down in the trunk, the camera on top of it, and then buries them under clothing. She stands up and closes the trunk, before walking out of the attic without looking back.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Two

[Scene: MATT’s Toyota Corolla. MATT’s driving. He and PRUE are in the middle of a conversation.][/b]

MATT: So how is she related to you?

PRUE: She’s uh… (She closes her eyes.) My first cousin, three times removed. She died in nineteen-seventy, the same year I was born. Phoebe was actually named after her.

MATT: That’s incredible. I don’t know many families nowadays that have close relationships with their…three times removed cousins or whatever.

PRUE: Well, my mother thought more of her as an aunt, as opposed to a distant cousin, so she just called her Aunt Phoebe.

MATT: I see. (pause) So…I guess a knack for photography runs in the family then, huh?

(PRUE laughs.)

PRUE: I can’t wait to tell my sisters about this. I still can’t believe they had her photographs at the art show!

MATT: I’m not. Her work was amazing, and it was done in the twenties no less! With the technology they had back then, I’d say being a photographer was an accomplishment in and of itself. (PRUE blushes.) What?

PRUE: Nothing. (MATT parks the car at the curb, next to the Manor. PRUE unbuckles her seat belt.) Thanks for the ride.

MATT: No problem. (They share a passionate kiss.) I’ll see you tomorrow morning?

PRUE: Bright and early. (She grins as she gets out of the car and heads up the driveway. MATT’s car pulls away and PRUE hurries to the front door. She walks in.) Piper! Phoebe! You’ll never guess what happened tonight!

(PHOEBE and PAIGE run down the stairs.)

PHOEBE: Thank goodness you’re home.

PAIGE: We were just about to call you.

PRUE: Uh oh. (She sets her purse on a small table by the stairs.) What’s going on this time?

PHOEBE: We’re not really sure yet. (She holds up VAKLAV’s picture.) But when Paige and I were cleaning out the attic, we found this. (PRUE takes the picture and looks at it.) I got a premonition from it.

PRUE: Have you told Piper?

PIPER’s VOICE: Told me what?

(The sisters turn to see PIPER standing at the top of the stairs.)

PRUE: (to PIPER) It sounds like we’ve got a demonic baddy on our hands.

PHOEBE: Actually…

PAIGE: We don’t really know what he is.

PHOEBE: All I saw was your past life putting that picture and her camera into an old trunk.

PAIGE: Which is where we found them.

PIPER: (to PHOEBE) Past life? As in the flapper cousins?

PHOEBE: (to PIPER) Yep.

PIPER: (sarcastically) Well, isn’t this just great. (to PHOEBE) We already had enough trouble with your past life.

PRUE: Have you checked The Book?

PHOEBE: No.

PRUE: Well, spit spot. (She flicks her wrist and ushers her sisters up the stairs.)

[Cut to the attic. The Charmed Ones walk in. PRUE notices the old camera sitting in the middle of the room.]

PRUE: What’s that doing in here?

PHOEBE: Uh, we already told you. It was in the trunk-

PRUE: It couldn’t have been!

PHOEBE: Excuse me?

(PRUE picks up the camera and examines it.)

PIPER: (to PRUE) What are you looking for?

PRUE: (to PHOEBE) This isn’t Phoebe Bowen’s camera.

PHOEBE: But-

PRUE: Her camera is in my room. And, (she holds the cord on the camera) this camera doesn’t have a black tassel on the cord. Mine does.

PAIGE: Well if it’s not Prue’s, then whose is it?

(PRUE sets the camera down and takes the picture out of her pocket. She wipes her hand gently over the surface, wiping off excess dust. Suddenly the picture glows in her hand and she drops it. A bright flash appears in front of her and VAKLAV appears. The photograph flutters to the floor, blank. VAKLAV looks around, confused. Then he sees PRUE. His face reddens and he hurls a fireball towards her. PIPER screams and throws up her hands, freezing the fireball inches from PRUE’s face. VAKLAV sees his camera and dives at it. He shimmers out.)

PHOEBE: I guess that answers that question.

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Three

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. The Book of Shadows is sitting on the table, opened to the page on VAKLAV. PRUE’s strumming her fingers. LEO and PIPER are sitting opposite her. PAIGE is looking in the refrigerator.][/b]

PRUE: I just don’t get it. How did I release him from the photograph?

PIPER: (sarcastically) Maybe the same way you freed Matthew Tate from the locket? (PRUE glares.) What? Picture, locket, it's all the same.

LEO: (to PRUE) Piper might be in the right track.If your past life trapped him inside the photograph, then it probably means that only she, you, can set him free.

PRUE: I get that, but what I don’t get is how I did it.

PIPER: Well, you were holding it.

PRUE: But I also held it when I walked in, and there we didn’t get a demon-in-the-box reaction then.

(PAIGE pulls out a plate with a leftover piece of apple pie.)

PAIGE: But didn’t you rub the dust off the second time? (She pulls the plastic wrap off the pie and grabs a fork from the drainer.) Maybe it works the same way as a genie bottle?

(COLE and PHOEBE walk in. PHOEBE has a worried look on her face.)

COLE: (to PRUE) You released Vaklav?

PRUE: Why does everyone keep saying it like I meant to? (She glares at COLE.)

PIPER: (to COLE) What do you know about him? (She taps The Book.) There isn’t very much in here.

COLE: He was a pretty powerful demon before he vanished from the magical radar in nineteen-thirty. (He walks over to the table and looks down at The Book of Shadows.) He killed an innumerable amount of witches between eighteen-eighty-eight and the time of his disappearance.

PAIGE: Eighteen-eighty-eight?

PRUE: The year the camera the invented.

PAIGE: Oh.

PHOEBE: (to COLE) Is there a way to vanquish him?

COLE: I know there have been several demons who’ve tried. (to LEO) What about your guys?

LEO: (to COLE) The Elders know about as much as The Book of Shadows does. They thought that when Phoebe Bowen imprisoned him in the photograph, that it would be the last of him.

(PIPER snorts.)

PIPER: Well, that right there should’ve tipped somebody off. (LEO glares at his wife. PIPER rolls her eyes.) Anyway, any ideas on how to find this guy?

COLE: He used to have an old studio back in the thirties. If it’s still there, (to PHOEBE) you might be able to get a premonition.

(PHOEBE looks at her sisters and LEO.)

PHOEBE: Lets go.

(PRUE frowns.)

PRUE: If you think I’m going demon hunting in this, you’re sorely mistaken. (She stands up.) I’ll meet you in the car.

[Scene: Chinatown. VAKLAV is walking down the street, looking quite confused. As a man walks by, he grabs him by the arm.]

VAKLAV: What year is this?!

MAN: Two-thousand-two. (He jerks away from VAKLAV and mutters under his breath.) Drunk.

VAKLAV: Seventy-two years!

TOURIST's VOICE: Smile for the camera! (VAKLAV spins around to see two kids and a MAN standing in front of Chinatown’s giant golden lion. A WOMAN is standing a few feet away, holding up a digital camera. A flash goes off as she snaps a picture. VAKLAV heads over as the WOMAN opens up her LCD screen, revealing the picture she just took.) Perfect!

VAKLAV: It is, isn’t it? (He grabs the camera from her hands and throws her to the ground, then stalks off as people rush over to see if the tourist is okay.)

[Scene: MATT’s apartment. The Ouija board is sitting on the kitchen table. The pointer is moving towards the letter “C.” MATT, now dressed in plain clothing, is sitting at the other end of the table. A plate of half eaten, leftover lasagna is sitting in front of him. He has a yellow writing tablet in his hand, and he’s copying down the letters. MATT looks up to see the pointer move to the “K,” then it stops.]

MATT: Chadwick Photo Stuido? (He walks over to his laptop, which is lying open on the bed. MapQuest has been pulled up on screen, and he types in “Chadwick Photo Studio.” After a few moments, a list of directions appears. He clicks “Print” and turns towards the printer on his desk, where the pages pop out. As MATT grabs them, he looks at the spirit board.) Thanks for the help.

(The pointer spells out, “You are welcome.” MATT smiles as he leaves.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Four

[Scene: Chadwick Photo Studio. The door is boarded up and black spray paint on the top board reads, “Do not enter!” PHOEBE moves to one of the windows, which also have crossing boards on them. She presses her face to a portion of the glass that the board is not covering, and tries to look inside. She rubs the window with the sleeve of her shirt, then leans back.][/b]

PHOEBE: I think we got here before him, if he was planning to come back at all. (She flicks her wrist towards the door.) Prue, if you don’t mind…

(PRUE squints her eyes and the boarded door squeaks open, followed by a plume of dust. PAIGE sneezes as she waves her hand.)

PAIGE: Well, isn’t this just the theme of my day? (She follows her sisters, LEO, and COLE into the abandon studio. PRUE sees a sign that reads, “Private.”)

PRUE: I’ll go check down there.

PIPER: (to PRUE) I’ll go with you. (She follows PRUE down into the private room. PHOEBE walks over to a pair of chairs at the far end of the room.)

PHOEBE: I bet this was where he took the pictures. (She touches the chairs.)

PAIGE: Anything? (PHOEBE shakes her head.)

[Cut to the private room. A single hanging bulb is on while PRUE and PIPER rifle through yellowed papers and old files. PRUE bends down a pulls a box out from under a table. She opens it up to reveal ashes, with bits and pieces of old photos.]

PRUE: Piper, look at this.

(PIPER bends down and tilts the box a little.)

PIPER: They look like burnt pictures.

PRUE: Why would he keep these?

PIPER: Why do serial killers keep possessions from their victims? (She puts the lid back on the box and picks it up.) Lets take this up to Phoebe. (As they start to walk out, PRUE notices the letters “en” sticking out from under some papers.)

PRUE: You go. I’ll be up in a minute. (PIPER leaves and PRUE pushes the top papers away, revealing a folder that reads, “Phoebe Bowen.” PRUE opens it up, revealing several pages of information on her past life.)

[Cut to the main room. PHOEBE plunges her hand into the box of ashes and grabs a handful. Her body goes rigid as she has a premonition.]

[Premonition: VAKLAV is standing in the private room, holding a picture of a young flapper. He strikes a match and lights the corner of the photo. It begins to melt and make its way up the photograph until it reaches the actual outline of the girl. Then the outline of the flapper begins to glow and a flash of light emanates from the photograph into VAKLAV. The rest of the picture burns up as the light fades away, and then the ashes fall from his hand into the box below. VAKLAV puts the lid back on the box and shoves it under the table.]

[Cut back to the present. The handful of ashes slip between PHOEBE’s fingers and she grips the edge of the box with her other hand. COLE gently wraps his hands around her shoulders.]

COLE: What did you see?

PHOEBE: He burned their pictures and then their powers would leave the picture and absorb into him.

(PRUE emerges from the private room. She holds up the file on PHOEBE BOWEN.)

PRUE: He’d been watching Phoebe for a while. After Phoebe’s past life was killed, my past life was the oldest living Warren witch. He thought that if he could kill her, then Piper’s past life would be an easy target.

VAKLAV: And yet you still managed to get away. (The Charmed Ones turn to see VAKLAV strumming his fingers over his new digital camera.) I guess things have a way of working themselves out, though, don’t they? Because the way I see it, a Charmed One’s powers are much more valuable then some ice sculpting witch’s. (to PIPER) But I’ve learned from my mistakes. This time you won’t get in the way. (He holds up the digital camera.) Smile!

PRUE: No! (She shoves PIPER out of the way as VAKLAV snaps the shot. PIPER falls to the ground.)

[Cut to MATT’s car. It’s parked across the street from the Chadwick Photo Studio. He has a pair of binoculars to his face. He’s using them to stare through the opened front door. He sees PRUE disappear, followed by VAKLAV shimmering out to avoid one of COLE’s energy balls. MATT drops his binoculars.]

MATT: Prue!

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Five

[Scene: Manor. Attic. LEO, COLE, and the remaining Charmed Ones are gathered around The Book of Shadows.][/b]

PHOEBE: What if we used a spell to summon her soul to us?

COLE: His camera is enchanted, Phoebe. It will act as a force field to your magic. Only the one who imprisons someone in the photo can take them out of it.

PIPER: (to COLE) Then what’s your Plan B? Because I refuse to just wait around here and hope that he hasn’t killed my sister yet!

PAIGE: If he’d already taken Prue’s powers, wouldn’t he have just come after us then? (to PIPER) I mean, Prue said that was his plan for your past lives.

PHOEBE: But then why would he be stalling?

LEO: What if he hasn’t been able to get to Prue’s picture yet?

PHOEBE: (to LEO) What do you mean?

LEO: He used a digital camera.

PAIGE: How? Last we saw, he was still using that box.

COLE: There are innumerable ways that he could’ve enchanted a new camera, or switched the enchantment to a new camera. He’s done it before.

LEO: Cole’s right. And if I am too, then Vaklav hasn’t figured out how to operate our technology. Seventy-two years have passed, and unless he’s a really fast learner, he probably hasn’t caught on to the idea of USB cables yet.

[Scene: Chinatown. Abandon building. VAKLAV is sitting on a chair, shaking the digital camera. He can see PRUE’s frozen picture on the LCD screen, but he can’t figure out how to get the actual photograph. His face turns red with rage and he raises his arm.]

MATT's VOICE: I wouldn’t do that if I were you.

(VAKLAV spins around as MATT walks out of the shadows. His blue eyes are narrowed to small slits and he looks incredibly threatening.)

VAKLAV: Where did you come from?

MATT: That’s none of your concern.

VAKLAV: Then get the hell out of here before I vanquish you.

MATT: You won’t.

(VAKLAV stands up and raises a fireball.)

VAKLAV: Won’t I?

MATT: Not when you need my help. (He motions towards the digital camera.) I can tell you right now that you won’t get that picture out without one of these. (He holds out his hand and a USB cable materializes. VAKLAV extinguishes the fireball and reaches for the cable. MATT pulls his hand back and shakes his head.) I want in.

VAKLAV: On what?

MATT: The witch’s powers. I know she has two of them, and I want one of them.

VAKLAV: She’s mine! Catch your own witch.

MATT: Suit yourself. (He turns to walk away.)

VAKLAV: Fine. But I get her strongest power.

MATT: Deal. (He waves his arm and a laptop materializes in his hands. He opens it up and inserts the USB cable.) I’ll need the camera.

(VAKLAV stares at MATT, unsure of just how much he wants to trust this man. Then, out of frustration, he finally places the camera in MATT’s outstretched hand.)

VAKLAV: If you try anything, you’ll be dead before you even know what hit you.

(MATT just smiles as he plugs the cable into the digital camera.)

[Scene: Manor. Attic. PIPER, PHOEBE, and PAIGE are gathered around a small table. A metal pot is set between them, filled with a few spell ingredients. PAIGE is holding an athame. She winces as she slices her finger and a drop of her blood falls into the pot. She puts down the athame and joins hands with PIPER and PHOEBE. COLE and LEO are standing near the doorway, watching the sisters.]

PIPER: “Phoebe Bowen, blood of our blood…”

PHOEBE: “Our first cousin three times removed.”

PAIGE: “We summon thee.”

(A swirl of white lights spins around in the attic, and then PHOEBE BOWEN appears. As PHOEBE BOWEN sees PHOEBE HALLIWELL, her eyes widen in fear. She blows across her arm and a blast of frigid ice flies at PHOEBE. PIPER quickly throws up her hands, freezing the ice.)

PHOEBE BOWEN: (to PIPER) Patience, why are you protecting her?!

PIPER: (to PHOEBE BOWEN) She’s not your cousin anymore, she’s our sister in our next lives...my life. (pause) She’s good now; she’s not in love with Anton. (PIPER picks up the blank photograph from the table and holds it out to PHOEBE BOWEN.) And we need your help, to save your future life.

(PHOEBE BOWEN looks at PHOEBE, unconvinced. Then she takes the blank photograph and looks down at it. She gasps.)

PHOEBE BOWEN: (worried) Who released Vaklav?

PHOEBE: You did…future you. (pause) She didn’t know.

PHOEBE BOWEN: What can I do?

(LEO walks over to the sisters.)

LEO: Your past and future lives are all connected through a psychic connection, being that you are all one and the same. (to PHOEBE) It’s why a past life can warn a future life of impending danger, like Pearl Russell did with you.

PAIGE: (to PHOEBE BOWEN) Leo thought that you might be able to use that psychic connection to lead us to our sister.

[Scene: Chinatown. Abandon building. MATT’s conjured laptop is now sitting on a desk, next to a printer. MATT is rubbing his finger along the small black square on the keyboard, making the mouse on the screen move. VAKLAV is leering over his shoulder, completely intrigued by such advanced technology.]

VAKLAV: What are you doing now?

MATT: Uploading the picture from the camera. (The computer beeps and a small message appears which reads, “Done.” MATT he clicks “Save.”)

VAKLAV: I think you’re stalling.

MATT: Do you want to try this yourself?

(VAKLAV looks down at the keyboard and all of the buttons. He glares and waves his arm as he turns away.)

VAKLAV: Hurry up, boy! My patience is wearing thin.

(MATT looks over his shoulder as VAKLAV paces the room. He turns back to the screen and moves the mouse up to the corner, where he clicks “Print.” The printer clicks as it comes to life, beginning to scan and print out PRUE’s digital picture.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Six

[Scene: Chinatown. Abandon building. Empty room. It appears as though a fire ravaged the room, leaving everything black and charred. COLE shimmers in with PHOEBE’s arms wrapped around him.][/b]

COLE: I don’t understand why we couldn’t have just followed them.

PHOEBE: Did you see the look in Phoebe’s eyes? She already doesn’t trust me because of what my past life did with Anton.

COLE: But that was your past life, Phoebe. This is your present.

PHOEBE: Not to her. We pulled that past life right out of time. (She shakes her head.) And she’ll be going back as soon as we find Prue, which means she doesn’t have to find out that I’m in love with you.

COLE: (darkly) You mean a demon.

PHOEBE: No, I mean a half demon who’s suppressed his demonic side for me. (She kisses him.) But somehow, I don’t think Phoebe would understand that. Not after what Anton and Pearl did to her and Patience. (She entwines her fingers with his.) So, please just go along with me here, okay? I want to keep you safe.

[Cut to MATT. VAKLAV is looming over his shoulder as the printer drops the page into the tray. VAKLAV goes to grab it, but MATTdoes first.]

MATT: Ah, ah. (He shakes his index finger.) You’re not cutting me out of our deal.

(A pack of matches appears in his hand. Across the room, a cloud of orbs deposits LEO, PIPER, PAIGE, and PHOEBE BOWEN. PIPER raises her hands.)

PIPER: (to VAKLAV) Hey asshole, kiss this! (As she flexes her fingers, she catches MATT’s face. Her eyes bug and her aim goes off, exploding the laptop MATT conjured instead of VAKLAV.)

PAIGE: (shocked) MATT?!

(PHOEBE and COLE burst through a pair of charred doors, just in time to have MATT backhand VAKLAV, sending him sprawling to the floor. PHOEBE sees MATT too. VAKLAV gets up while everyone is distracted.)

PHOEBE: (shocked) What the hell?

LEO: Piper! (He grabs her by the shoulders and spins her around, covering her with his body. A fireball blasts LEO in the back, causing him to explode in a burst of orbs. COLE hits VAKLAV with an energy ball, making a black scorch mark on his chest. LEO rematerializes.)

COLE: Piper, freeze him!

(As PIPER raises her hands, a puff of icy white-blue ice flies past her and connects with VAKLAV, literally freezing him solid to the point that tiny icicles are clinging to his body. PAIGE notices PRUE’s picture in Matt’s hands. Her eyes widen and she thrusts out her arm forcefully.)

PAIGE: Picture! (The picture orbs into PAIGE’s hand. MATT takes a step forward, but PIPER raises her hands.)

PIPER: (threateningly) Who are you?

(MATT raises his hands in a defensive gesture.)

MATT: I’m a witch.

PAIGE: Prove it.

(MATT holds out his hand and a white flag appears in his palm.)

PHOEBE: (distrusting) Demons can conjure too.

MATT: I’m not your enemy. (He looks at VAKLAV.) He’s the one you should be worrying about. (Water is seeping into a puddle on the floor.) You need to vanquish him…and I think I know how.

PIPER: (skeptically) How?

MATT: Destroy his camera. It’s the source of his power. If you destroy that, then it should vanquish him and set PRUE free. (PIPER, PHOEBE, and PAIGE share a look.) What have you got to lose?

PHOEBE: (to MATT) You had better be right, because if we lose Prue, you won’t be around much longer.

PAIGE: (to MATT) Where’s the camera?

(MATT motions his head towards the blown up laptop. She looks at PIPER. PIPER flicks her wrists and the digital camera explodes. Suddenly, the ice melts from around VAKLAV as magical flames rise up around him and he screams in agony before exploding as well. The picture in PAIGE’s hand starts to glow and she drops it. PRUE projects from the picture, leaving a blank piece of computer paper on the ground. PRUE looks around in a daze.)

PRUE: Where am I? (She sees MATT and looks surprised.) Matt? (She sees her sisters and her past life.) Wh-what’s going on here?

PIPER: (to PRUE) I think you need to ask your boyfriend that.

(PRUE turns to MATT.)

[Time lapse. The room’s dark, except for a fire burning in the fireplace. PIPER is sitting Indian style on her bed, with the flames reflecting off her face. She looks deep in thought. LEO orbs in, but PIPER doesn’t look up.]

LEO: Have you talked to her? (PIPER nods.) Where is she?

PIPER: (bitterly) She left with Matt. (She shakes her head.) Something about a gut feeling…she had to talk to him on her own. (LEO sits down beside her, and wraps his arms around her. She fidgets.) Of all people, I can’t believe she would be willing to talk to him after he deceived us.

LEO: If he truly is who he says he is, then he was just trying to keep his secret too, Piper. You of all people should know how hard that is.

PIPER: But he was with Vaklav. He had Prue’s picture in his hands!

LEO: He said he was trying to save her.

PIPER: You’re taking his side?

LEO: I didn’t say that. I just haven’t seen anything yet to prove that he’s lying. I mean, if he was truly a threat, don’t you think that Phoebe would’ve gotten a premonition by now? Or that Cole would know something, with all his demonic knowledge of the Underworld.

(PIPER sighs.)

PIPER: Think what you want, but I still don’t trust him, Leo. (LEO pulls her close to his chest and she takes a deep breath, then she buries her head into his shoulder. Her eyes never leave the crackling flames.)

[Cut to the hallway. PHOEBE and COLE are standing outside the attic door. They’re in the middle of a kiss. PHOEBE pulls away and COLE looks disappointed.]

PHOEBE: (apologetically) I’m sorry. It’s just… (She looks at the door.) I promised to help Paige with something and-

COLE: It’s fine. (He touches her cheek and PHOEBE closes her eyes, leaning the side of her face into his hand.) I’ll drop by later, okay?

(PHOEBE nods.)

PHOEBE: Thank you. (They kiss. COLE starts to shimmer out, but she touches his shoulder.) Cole, can I ask you one more favor?

COLE: Sure.

PHOEBE: Do you think you could check out Matt? In the Underworld, just to see if anyone knows anything about him?

COLE: Sure. (He shimmers out. PHOEBE heaves a sigh, then turns the door handle and walks into the attic. She sees PAIGE kneeling on the floor, studying the family tree.)

PHOEBE: What’re you doing?

(PAIGE jumps.)

PAIGE: Oh, hey. (She shrugs.) I was just going over the tree. (She traces the paper with her finger.) I’ve always been sort of interested in this stuff, but you guys have so much more information. (pause) It’s amazing.

(PHOEBE sits down next to her.)

PHOEBE: Yeah, it is. (pause) But there’s something wrong with it.

PAIGE: What?

(PHOEBE takes the tree from PAIGE with one hand, and pulls a pen out of her pocket with the other.)

PHOEBE: This. (She makes a dotted line from “Patricia Halliwell” and writes in “Samuel Wilder.” Then she creates a line running down from them, after her name, and writes in “Paige Matthews” and her date of birth. PAIGE smiles and PHOEBE wraps her arm around PAIGE’s shoulders and pulls her close.)

[Scene: MATT’s apartment. MATT’s bedroom. PRUE pulls something out of her photography bag and lays it on the bed; it’s The Book of Shadows.]

MATT: What’s that?

PRUE: It’s the thing that will make or break your story. (She takes a deep breath.) In order to believe you, I need you to lay your hand on the cover.

MATT: Prue-

PRUE: If you really have nothing to hide, then it won’t hurt you to do this for me.

(A long beat passes between them. MATT moves hesitantly towards the bed. He raises his hand, which is trembling, and then looks back at PRUE who is staring at him with bated breath. He holds his hand above The Book for a long moment, then lays it down on the cover, directly over the quadquetra.)

[The Virtual Series]

End Credits

Featuring
Shannen Doherty --- Phoebe Bowen
Holly Marie Combs --- Patience Baxter
Kirsten Nelson --- Mrs. Dressler
Jeff Ricketts --- Mr. Dressler
Chet Grissom --- Waiter
Jonathan Jaxson --- Man
Brooke Albright --- Tourist

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