5x16: V For Vanquish

[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

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

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.

5.16 V FOR VANQUISH

GUEST-STARRING:
BILLY ZANE
EMMANUELLE VAUGIER
TEAJ SANDERSON

Script written by...CAMILLE (FOUREVER CHARMED)

Script edited by...DRAMA (ASSASSIN WITCH)

Script proofread by...CAMILLE (FOUREVER CHARMED), DRAMA (ASSASSIN WITCH), DTAYLOR (ASTRAL ECHO)

Executive Producer...DTAYLOR (ASTRAL ECHO)

Produced by...DRAMA, FOUREVER CHARMED, XENITH

Directed by...Robert Ginty

[The Virtual Series]

V For Vanquish

Teaser

[Scene: Downtown San Francisco. Alley. PRUE HALLIWELL and PAIGE MATTHEWS are ducked down behind a dumpster. PAIGE has her hand over her nose.]

PAIGE: Are you sure this is the right place?

PRUE: Hey, I’m only going by what Phoebe said, if you want to question her about it, be my guest. (She holds up her cell phone. PAIGE pushes her hand away.)

PAIGE: PMS, much? (PRUE glares and PAIGE pokes her head up over the dumpster, but the alley is still empty.) Why is it that demons always have to use dark alleys? You’d think they’d realize what a cliché it is by now. (PRUE yawns.) Insomia?

PRUE: What?

PAIGE: You keep yawning.

PRUE: I was up late developing film.

PAIGE: (sarcastically) Right. (She digs into her pocket and pulls out a packet of saltine crackers, which she opens and starts to eat. PRUE squints her eyes.)

PRUE: Saltines?

PAIGE: So?

PRUE: You don’t eat saltines.

PAIGE: No, you’ve just never seen me eat saltines. (She exaggerates biting into one.) Now you have. (She smiles.) And just FYI, I do eat them when they’re free from a restaurant. (She holds out the remaining cracker.) Hungry?

(PRUE pushes the saltine away.)

PRUE: No…thanks.

PAIGE: O-kay.

(PRUE sees two men shimmer in, one with his hands wrapped around the throat of the other.)

PRUE: Snack time’s over! (She jumps up from behind the dumpster and PAIGE follows.) Hey!

(The demon turns his head and to see the sisters.)

DEMON: What is this?

(The demon raises his hand, continuing to choke the innocent with the other, and aims an energy ball at PRUE. PRUE ducks and the fireball hits the dumpster. She jumps back up and waves her arm, telekinetically breaking the demon away from the innocent and crashing him into the wall. The innocent falls to his knees, grasping at his red neck.)

PRUE: Paige, get him out of here!

(The demon gets to his feet as PAIGE reaches the innocent.)

DEMON: No! (He aims a fireball ball at PAIGE and the innocent, but it flies through PAIGE’s orbs as they vanish.) You won’t get away with this! (PRUE pulls a vial from her pocket and throws it at the demon. He turns just in time and shimmers out as the vial smashes on the ground. PRUE rolls her eyes.)

PRUE: Here we go again.

Clickable Credits.

[The Virtual Series]

{SCENE: The song “The Kill,” written by Jared Leto and sung by 30 Seconds To Mars, is heard as stock shots of San Francisco are shown while the Guest Credits are rolled.}

Act One

[Scene: Bay General. Hospital room. PIPER HALLIWELL is seated in the bed holding her son, CHRIS HALLIWELL. PIPER looks tired as she gently rocks her fussy baby. The door opens and DR. AVA NICOLAE enters with a clipboard in hand.]

AVA: Piper! (She smiles.) It’s good to see you again, (she eyes CHRIS) wow, he’s sure grown since I last saw him. (PIPER nods.) So, I understand you think he’s suffering from colic?

PIPER: Yeah, (she sighs) he’s been keeping Leo and me, and even Melinda, up for weeks. I’ve been online and to the library, but there doesn’t seem to be anything I can do and I was hoping that maybe since you’re, (she bites her lip) well, I was hoping you might know some alternative methods of dealing with this?

(AVA sets her clipboard down and reaches for CHRIS. PIPER hands her son to AVA and AVA smiles down at the baby.)

AVA: You know, I think I just might have a few ideas. (She looks at her watch.) If you have an hour, I could take my lunch break and take you to a homeopathic store a few blocks down-

PIPER: Done! (She jumps up.) I can spare an hour if you can help me sleep again.

(AVA laughs and tickles CHRIS’s chin.)

AVA: We’re going to help you and your mommy out, little guy. (She winks at CHRIS.)

[Scene: Drake’s penthouse. COLE TURNER slams the phone down as DRAKE DE'MON walks into the room. DRAKE lifts a questioning brow.]

DRAKE: Is she still ignoring your calls?

COLE: What do you think? (He slouches down into a chair. DRAKE laughs and flounces down in a chair across from his friend’s.) You think it’s funny?

DRAKE: You always take things so seriously. (A bottle of Bourbon and a mini glass appears in his hands. He pours COLE a glass and hands it to him.) Take a load off.

COLE: And this is supposed to make me feel better? (He downs the glass.) Just give me the damn bottle. (He reaches for it, but DRAKE pulls it back.)

DRAKE: I said to take a load off, not to drown your sorrows. (The Bourbon bottle disappears. COLE sneers.)

COLE: A lot of help you are. (He gets up and storms out of the room. DRAKE lightly strokes his chin.)

DRAKE: Good idea. (He shimmers out.)

[Scene: Manor. Living room. The innocent is sitting on the sofa as PAIGE walks in with a glass of ice water. She hands it to the innocent and takes a seat next to him.]

INNOCENT: Thank you. (He takes a drink.)

PAIGE: So, Ron, (the innocent nods) can you tell me who’s after you?

(RON closes his eyes.)

RON: It’s a long story-

PAIGE: Don’t worry, I’ve got nothing but time.

(RON nods. He rubs the back of his neck.)

RON: Her name was Jennette.

PAIGE: Her?

RON: My fiancé. (PAIGE nods.) We were supposed to be married next month, but he killed her-

PAIGE: I’m sorry-

RON: -his own sister.

(PAIGE blinks.)

PAIGE: She was a demon?

RON: She wanted to switch sides, for me…for us. But her family wouldn’t allow it.

PAIGE: I’m sorry.

RON: I’ve been trying to get justice for her ever since, but he’s just too powerful.

(PAIGE places her hand on RON’s shoulder.)

PAIGE: Don’t worry, (the sound of the front doors shutting is heard) you’re in safe hands now. (She stands up.) I’ll be right back. (She leaves.)

[Scene: Homeopathic Sweet Home. PIPER, holding CHRIS, is following AVA down one of the isles, which is stock full of herbs, spices, oils, ointments, etc…]

PIPER: I’m surprised I didn’t know about this place, what with all the searching around for potion ingredients my sisters and I have done.

AVA: It’s more a word-of-mouth store; they don’t go out of their way to advertise because the owner doesn’t believe in killing trees through paper advertisement. (She shrugs.) I happened to be aware of it because my mother and aunt frequently came here. (She turns to the next isle and walks halfway down.) Aw, looks like they’ve reorganized since I was here last.

(PIPER blinks in surprise.)

PIPER: They have a baby section?

(AVA picks up a green container labeled “Organic Infant Formula.” She shows it to PIPER.)

AVA: This is a soy milk formula. (PIPER takes the green container and examines it.) Sometimes colic can be contributed to infant allergies from breast milk, (pause) you are breast feeding, right? (PIPER nods.) If that’s what’s causing Chris’s crying, then this might do the trick.

PIPER: And if it’s not?

AVA: If it’s not… (She motions her hand and heads down the aisle with PIPER right behind her. AVA makes it to the last isle in the store and looks up and down the rows until she finds a small jar of anise seed.) Anise seed has antispasmodic properties, so by crushing up the seeds and making a diluted tea for Chris, it may also help him. Drinking it yourself might also not be a bad idea, because it does contain essential vitamins and can also be helpful to you and Melinda, if you continue to breast feed her.

PIPER: Well, that was the plan, since nothing’s gone wrong so far.

AVA: That’s good, it’s the best option if possible. (They start walking again.) But, just so you’re aware, if you don’t do so already, try to avoid processed or spicy foods, garlic, onions, plants from the cabbage family, as they have the potential upset the baby.

PIPER: Cabbage plants? (She blinks.) That’s good to know.

(AVA plucks a bottle of ginger oil from a shelf.)

AVA: You can also try rubbing warm ginger oil on his stomach, it can have soothing properties. (They walk a little further down the aisle.) And lastly, (she picks up a container of hops) this is for you. Add about two teaspoons of this to boiling water to make tea. It’s normally used to help people suffering from insomnia, so I think it should work well in your case.

PIPER: That sounds fantastic. In fact, all of this sounds great. (They head towards the front counter.) Thank you so much.

AVA: No problem, Piper, I really hope this helps. (PIPER lays out the supplies on the counter and the clerk begins to ring them up.)

PIPER: Me too!

AVA: Though, if you do have any future problems, definitely give me a call. (PIPER nods. AVA looks at her watch.) Ooh, I gotta get back now.

(PIPER waves her hand.)

PIPER: Absolutely. Thanks again.

(AVA leaves.)

CLERK: Colicky baby?

PIPER: How’d you know? (She digs into her wallet.)

CLERK: My sister went through the same thing with her son. (She puts the items in a brown bag with green text on the front that says, “Made from recycled paper.”) Thirty-eight sixty-five.

(PIPER’s mouth drops open.)

PIPER: What?

(The clerk shrugs.)

CLERK: Homeopathic therapy is pretty expensive. (PIPER looks hesitatingly between the bag and her wallet. The clerk studies CHRIS, then suddenly punches something into the register.) Thirty ninety-four. (PIPER narrows her eyes.) Twenty-percent discount, (she shrugs) it’s usually only for employees, but I know what my sister went through, so I thought it might help.

(PIPER places three bills, a twenty, ten, and one, down on the table and slides it towards the clerk.)

PIPER: Thank you. (She switches CHRIS to her other hip and grabs the recycled paper bag.)

CLERK: No problem. (She hands PIPER her six cents in change and PIPER leaves.)

[Scene: Psychologist’s office. Dr. Brenton’s office. PHOEBE HALLIWELL and DR. LAURA BRENTON are seated with DANIEL ARCHIBALD. DANIEL keeps looking at the clock while PHOEBE is trying to talk to him.]

PHOEBE: So, are you excited about going to LA with your mom?

(DANIEL shrugs dispassionately. He looks down at his shoes.)

DANIEL: She’s just going for her work, it’s no big deal.

PHOEBE: But aren’t you going to do something fun while you’re there?

DANIEL: I dunno…probably not. (He plays with the zipper on his jacket.) She doesn’t like to have fun.

PHOEBE: What do you mean by that?

DANIEL: She just doesn’t… (He looks at the clock again.) Can I go now?

(PHOEBE looks at the clock.)

PHOEBE: We still have five minutes.

DANIEL: Yeah, but (he shifts his eyes away from her and then puts his hand to his stomach) but I don’t feel good.

PHOEBE: Oh. (She looks at LAURA, who nods.) Well, alright. (She tucks her notepad into her briefcase and locks it. DANIEL stands up and heads for the door.) Do you want me to walk out with you?

(DANIEL quickly shakes his head.)

DANIEL: I can get to the car myself. (He leaves.)

PHOEBE: That reminds me of when I used to fake stomachaches to my Grams when I was trying to ditch school. I used to think my life was so tough, but now getting to know him, it makes me sick to think how easy I had it.

(LAURA gets up from her desk.)

LAURA: Don’t be too hard on yourself, Phoebe. He is warming up to you, whether or not you realize it. Today when he voluntarily brought up his friend from school-

PHOEBE: Jonny?

LAURA: Yeah, that shows that he’s feeling more comfortable sharing personal information with you. If you just keep doing what you’re doing, in time, he will begin to open up about the abuse. (She pats PHOEBE's shoulder.) You should be proud of yourself, you’re doing wonderfully. (She walks out. PHOEBE smiles to herself.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Two

[Scene: Manor. Attic. PRUE, PAIGE, and RON are there. PRUE is flipping through the Book of Shadows, while PAIGE and RON are sitting at the mini table with a map of the city. The scrying crystal is dangling limply from PAIGE’s hand.]

PAIGE: (to RON) Are you sure you don’t have anything of Daylen’s to scry with? (RON shakes his head. PAIGE sets the crystal down.) I’m not getting anything without something to help focus the scrystal.

(RON reaches around his neck and pulls something out from under his shirt. He dangles a silver necklace with a demonic horned silver head with tiny ruby eyes and three arrowhead-like points protruding out from it is hanging at the end.)

RON: Could this help?

(PAIGE takes the necklace.)

PAIGE: What is it?

RON: It was Jennette’s, her family crest. (He looks down.) It’s all I have left of her.

(PRUE walks over and takes the necklace from PAIGE.)

PRUE: This looks familiar, I think I might’ve saw this symbol in the Book. (She hands the necklace back to PAIGE and walks back to the Book. PAIGE holds the necklace and scrying crystal together.)

PAIGE: Well, it’s not exactly Daylen’s, but since they do share a familial connection, it just might work. (She swings the chains over the map.)

PRUE: “The Casziel Clan.”

(RON nods.)

RON: Casziel, that was her last name.

PRUE: “The heat of dragons has run through their veins since the thirteenth century.”

PAIGE: How did that happen?

RON: One of their ancestors conquered a dragon and stole his breath- (PAIGE and PRUE look at him.) Jen told me. She was…very opened to me about her family’s history.

PAIGE: Is there a vanquish?

PRUE: It depends on their power. The longer they live, the more powerful they become, and thus the harder to vanquish. (She turns the page.) But it looks like if we use a Power of Three spell, we can vanquish the entire clan.

PAIGE: Great, that means all we need is Phoebe…and a location.

RON: (worriedly) Why isn’t the necklace working?

PAIGE: Probably one of two reasons, either the connection isn’t strong enough, or Daylen is in the Underworld or some other magically sealed place.

RON: Probably the Tavern.

PRUE: The Tavern?

RON: The Casziel ancestral home.

PAIGE: Wait, there’s an ancestral home? Why didn’t you just say that in the first place? Do you know where it is? (RON nods.) It would’ve saved me the scrying time if you’d just-

RON: It’s protected, only those of Casziel blood can get in.

PRUE: I’m sure that’s something a little Power of Three spell can fix. (She motions her hand.) Paige, go call Pheebs, I’ll write down this spell.

(PAIGE gets up and heads for the door. RON hurriedly jumps up and follows her.)

[Scene: Piper and Leo’s house. Master bedroom. Bathroom. A large red and silver metal toolbox is seated on top of the toilet seat. The sink is filled with a mess of blackish-brown water and some whitish-yellow froth floating on the top of the water. A pair of legs are sticking out from under the sink. LEO WYATT climbs out from under the sink, holding onto a wrench. He wipes his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand and then peers out the bathroom door into the bedroom, where MELINDA HALLIWELL is happily swaying back and forth in a battery powered baby swing. He stands up and looks in the mirror, noticing how grimy his plaid shirt is. He hears the front door open.]

PIPER’s VOICE: Leo, we’re home!

LEO: In the bathroom!

(The sound of footsteps is heard down the hallway and then in the bedroom.)

PIPER’s VOICE: How’s my little girl?

(LEO sets the wrench on the side of the sink and walks into the bedroom to see PIPER holding CHRIS and talking to MELINDA.)

LEO: Hey.

(PIPER turns around and frowns.)

PIPER: No luck with the sink, I take it?

LEO: Not yet, but I think I know what’s wrong.

PIPER: Take a break? (She smiles.) I’ll fix up some lunch.

LEO: Sounds great. (He strips off his dirty plaid shirt, revealing a white undershirt.) How’d the appointment with Ava go?

PIPER: Good, (she turns to the side, revealing her recycled brown bag) she recommended a little homeopathic store and hopefully a few good remedies, all but expensive remedies, for Chris here.

(LEO slips on and buttons up a fresh shirt, then walks over to MELINDA, turns off the swing, and scoops his daughter out of it. He and PIPER head to the kitchen, where PIPER sets the bag on the table and pulls out the soy milk formula.)

[Scene: Psychologist’s office. PHOEBE is sitting behind the front desk, typing something down on the computer as she grips the phone between her ear and her shoulder.]

PHOEBE: We're looking forward to seeing you, too, Mrs. Ericson. (She hangs up and presses the “Save” button. From the corner of her eye, she sees a blue light gleam from under the bathroom door. Her eyes get wide as the door opens, revealing PAIGE.) Paige!

PAIGE: Hey-

PHOEBE: Someone could’ve been in there!

(PAIGE grabs PHOEBE’s arm.)

PAIGE: Come with me first, yell at me later, Prue and I need you for like…fifteen minutes. (They orb out as PHOEBE begins to protest.)

[Time lapse. PRUE’s black BMW X5 rolls up and stops at a curb. PAIGE is in the passenger seat while PHOEBE and RON are in the backseat. PHOEBE unbuckles her seatbelt and pokes her head between the front seats.]

PHOEBE: This is it?

RON: Yeah.

(PAIGE stares in awe at the massive building on the lot across the street, surrounded by an imposing gate.)

PAIGE: That’s a house? It looks like it should be some historical monument!

PHOEBE: (grumbling) Can we just do this? I’d really like if I could just get back to work on time for once.

(PRUE turns to RON and points.)

PRUE: You just stay out here, we’ll be right back. (RON nods. PRUE, PAIGE, and PHOEBE get out and head up the walkway until they reach the gate. They look at each other and then PRUE waves her arm.)

PHOEBE: It didn’t even flinch.

PAIGE: Well, Ron did say it was protected. (to PHOEBE) Hey, what was that one unlocking spell you used a couple weeks ago at the museum?

PHOEBE: “Door unlock, no mortal block”?

PAIGE: Yeah! (She grabs her sisters’ hands.) “Gate unlock, no magic block!”

PHOEBE & PRUE: “Gate unlock, no magic block!”

PAIGE: “Gate unlock, no magic block!” (Nothing happens.)

PRUE: Somehow I have doubts about this spell being able to break centuries old magic. (PHOEBE slaps PRUE.) Ow!

PHOEBE: (to PRUE) Good thinking!

PRUE: Excuse me?

PHOEBE: (to PAIGE) Orb home and get a broom.

(PAIGE looks confused and then raises her finger.)

PAIGE: Oh! Like when Piper-

PHOEBE: Yes! (PAIGE orbs out. PHOEBE shakes PRUE’s hand.) Keep saying the spell. “Gate unlock, no magic block!”

(PRUE shrugs.)

PRUE: I get it can’t hurt. “Gate unlock, no magic block!”

PHOEBE: “Gate unlock, no magic block!” (PAIGE orbs in with a broom.) Great, (she takes the broom from PAIGE) if a modern spell can’t out magic their power, then maybe centuries old magic can match their centuries old magic and then our spell could put us over the top?

PRUE: Ooh, I like you’re thinking.

(PHOEBE begins to sweep the broom.)

Phoebe: “Gate unlock, no magic block!”

(PAIGE and PRUE take hands.)

PRUE & PAIGE: “Gate unlock, no magic block!”

(A glow passes over the broom in PHOEBE’s hands. The ground begins to quake under their feet, causing small rips and tears in the pavement, then a blinding flash explodes off the surface of the gate. The gate suddenly turns red and rusty, then limply creaks open. PHOEBE props the broom up against the gate and motions.)

PHOEBE: I think we can get in now, (she frowns) though it’s possible they might know something’s up.

(A circle of CASZIEL demons appear around the sisters.)

PRUE: (to PHOEBE) Betcha didn’t need a premonition for that one.

PHOEBE: (to PAIGE) Oh, this is so taking more than fifteen minutes!

(PHOEBE levitates and lands a reverse roundhouse kick at the nearest CASZIEL. At the same time, PRUE backflips over a fireball and lands face-to-face with a female CASZIEL, and delivers a series of shovel punches to the demon’s face. PRUE then waves her arm, sending a wave of power at the circle and knocking them back. The sisters take hands.)

PRUE, PHOEBE, & PAIGE: “Drawing on the power of three,
Destroy this clan we call our enemies!
Drawing on the power of three,
Destroy this clan we call our enemies!
Drawing on the power of three,
Destroy this clan we call our enemies!”

(One by one, the CASZIELS begin to catch fire and explode with ear piercing shrieks. Over the noise of the vanquishes, the sisters suddenly hear laughter. They turn to find RON kneeling over DAYLEN’s burning body, dangling the demonic necklace over him.)

RON: I told you I’d destroy you! (DAYLEN explodes, leaving a long charred mark on the ground.)

PHOEBE: Why does our innocent not seem so innocent anymore?

(RON’s eyes turn yellow as the last CASZIELS explode. He turns towards the sisters with a wicked smile.)

RON: (demonically) Thank you for your assistance. (He shimmers out. The sisters stare at each other.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Three

[Scene: Pyschologist’s office. Bathroom. PAIGE and PHOEBE orb in.]

PAIGE: I can’t believe we just got demonically duped!

PHOEBE: Well, it’s not like it hasn’t happened before.

PAIGE: You’ve had innocent disguised demons before?

PHOEBE: They were kids, but yeah. (She opens the bathroom door, peeks out and doesn’t see LAURA, so she walks out with PAIGE.)

PAIGE: Kids?

PHOEBE: (dismissively) Long story. (She takes a seat behind the front desk.) The point is, we have to get over it so we can find this guy and vanquish him.

PAIGE: I want to know why he went through all the trouble of pretending to be an innocent just to get us to vanquish an entire clan of demons in the first place, though.

PHOEBE: Demonic turf war?

PAIGE: I suppose. (She glares.) I bet he planted your premonition earlier, too.

PHOEBE: Well, dwelling on that now doesn’t help matters, just go back to the Manor and help Prue. (pause) And then call me if you need the Power of Three.

PAIGE: Yeah… (She orbs out. A moment later, LAURA walks out of her office.)

LAURA: Phoebe. (She folds her arms.) I was wondering where you went.

(PHOEBE throws her boss a hasty smile.)

PHOEBE: Uh, my car?

LAURA: For twenty minutes?

PHOEBE: Er, heh, yeah, actually, I lost my- (DRAKE shimmers in behind LAURA.) Drake!

LAURA: Drake? (confused) What is a Drake?

(DRAKE waves to PHOEBE and then snaps his fingers. LAURA’s eyes close and she falls backwards into his arms. He smiles down at her.)

DRAKE: Ooh, I didn’t realize you had such a lovely boss.

PHOEBE: What did you do to her?!

(DRAKE looks around and then carries LAURA into her office, where he lays her on the couch.)

Drake: She’s just sleeping.

PHOEBE: Why?

DRAKE: Why? Why?

(DRAKE snaps his fingers and PHOEBE’s studded jeans and yellow jeweled halter top transform into deep V-neckline and backless dark red cocktail dress with a strappy silver sandals and a long matching silver necklace that’s almost the length of the neckline. PHOEBE gawks down at the clothes.)

PHOEBE: What on earth-

(DRAKE grabs PHOEBE’s wrist and they shimmer off.)

[Scene: Piper and Leo’s house. Kitchen. MELINDA and CHRIS are strapped into their pink and blue baby bouncers, which are sitting on the table as PIPER puts dirty dishes into the dishwasher. The phone rings and she moves to the wall and grabs the phone from its cradle.]

PIPER: Hello? (She backs from to the dishwasher with the phone cord dragging behind her. She grabs a dish from the sink and places it in the dishwasher, then her eased expression changes to alarm.) No, of course, I’ll be right there! (She closes the dishwasher and hangs up the phone.) Leo! Leo! (She runs down the hallway and meets her husband at the door to their bedroom.)

LEO: What’s wrong?

PIPER: I’m not exactly sure what happened, but I just got a call from Drew-

LEO: The delivery guy at the club?

PPIPER: Yeah, he said Monica cut her hand at work and so he’s driving her to the hospital. (She motions to the kitchen.) I need to get down to the club, so can you handle the kids?

LEO: Of course.

PIPER: Thank you! (She kisses him and then runs back down the hallway.)

[Scene: A candlelit restaurant with a single table with a red rose at its center. PHOEBE is there, pacing around the room furiously.]

PHOEBE: (yelling) Drake! Drake! You get back here right now! Draaake!

(DRAKE shimmers in with COLE. COLE, who’s wearing a tux, breaks away from him.)

COLE: I said I’m not- (He sees PHOEBE.)

PHOEBE: (at the same time as COLE) Cole.

COLE: (at the same time as PHOEBE) Phoebe.

DRAKE: Aw, love. (He smiles wistfully.) The courses of true love never did run smooth.

(COLE and PHOEBE turn to DRAKE.)

PHOEBE & COLE: Take me back!

DRAKE: So you can keep avoiding this tension between you? (He waves his hands.) No! I refuse to sit back and watch another epic love turn tragic.

PHOEBE: (angrily) So what, you’re suddenly a demonic Cupid now?

(DRAKE claps his hands and two chairs appear behind PHOEBE and COLE. The chairs push against the back of their legs, causing them to fall into the chairs, and then slide them across the floor to the table.)

DRAKE: Demonic Cupid…now that has an interesting ring to it.

COLE: We don’t need you playing matchmaker, Drake.

PHOEBE: This is something that we have to work out on our own.

(DRAKE nods.)

DRAKE: I see your point.

(PHOEBE starts to stand up.)

PHOEBE: Good, so you can-

(DRAKE points at PHOEBE and she falls back into her chair. A fancy silver platter appears in his arms and he rests it on the table, pulls the lid, and reveals garlic bread surrounding a mound of steamy spaghetti. A champagne bottle in a bucket of ice appears and he also sets it on the table.)

DRAKE: Bon appétit! (He steps back.) Just whistle when you’re ready. (He disappears.)

[Scene: Manor. Attic. The Book of Shadows is sitting on the table, open to a page with the name “Marchosias” at the top and a picture of a demonic ox head with red eyes and large bat wings protruding from each side of his head. PAIGE is sitting on the couch, writing something on a yellow notepad as PRUE walks in on the cordless phone. She hangs up.]

PRUE: Nobody’s answering at her work and she isn’t picking up her cell. How about you?

PAIGE: I’m not any closer to finding out anything about our Demonic Innocent other than the paragraph entry in the Book…or why he wanted the Casziels vanquished. (pause) You’d think that demons wouldn’t want of vanquishing their brethren, wouldn’t you?

(DRAKE shimmers in. He smiles politely and reveals PHOEBE’s cell phone in his hand. PAIGE jumps up and grabs the phone.)

PAIGE: Where did you get that? (She glares.) Where is Phoebe?

DRAKE: Busy. (He shrugs.) I figured since you were calling so much, you might need a little help, am I right? (He rubs his hands together and spots the Book of Shadows.) Ooh, what do we have here? (He walks over and looks at the page and picks it up.) Oh, hey, I know them!

PRUE: You do?

(DRAKE nods.)

DRAKE: I met them through some (he sets the Book down and makes air quotes) high society demonic get-together. They’re an old fashion lot.

(PRUE moves to the Book and turns to the page about the CASZIELS.)

PRUE: What about them?

DRAKE: The Casziels? Funny you mention that, their family has actually been at odds with Marchosias for centuries…at least up until a few years ago.

PRUE: What happened to end the feud?

DRAKE: Ron and Jennette.

PAIGE: Jennette? (to PRUE) I thought she was part of the ploy?

DRAKE: Oh no! They were the gossip of the Underworld for about a year after it happened-

PRUE: (frustrated) What is “it” that you keep talking about?

DRAKE: Love, of course!

PAIGE: (muttering) Shoulda seen that one a mile away.

PRUE: So, we’re talking about a Demonic Romeo and Juliet here?

PAIGE: So, what happened to reignite the feud?

(DRAKE winces.)

DRAKE: A terrible accident. Daylen, that was Jennette’s-

PRUE: Brother, we know. Skip ahead, please.

DRAKE: Well, he tried to kill Ron and Jennette saved him at the expense of herself in true romantic fashion and-

PRUE: And that’s why Ron came to us for revenge, because we were the only ones with the power to vanquish them all for good.

[Scene: P3. PIPER fills a glass of beer and slides it across the table to a man sitting with his girlfriend. She turns and spots another man at the other end of the bar, with his head and arms lying on the bar. She walks over to him.]

PIPER: Excuse me, sir, can I call you a-

MAN: (slurring) Anoser ones. (He pushes his shot glass towards Piper, but she shakes her head.)

PIPER: I’m sorry, but you’re too intoxicated for me to serve you anymore…can I call you a cab? (She reaches for the phone, but the man grabs her wrist.)

MAN: (enraged) I want a shot! (He looks up at her with bloodshot eyes, then he grabs his shot glass and throws it at her, but it misses and shatters on the ground behind the bar.

(BRUCE, the Bouncer, suddenly approaches and grabs the man at the bar, restraining him.)

BRUCE: I think you’re going to have to come with me.

PIPER: (relieved to see BRUCE) Thanks.

BRUCE: No problem, Piper. (He starts to walk the man away.)

PIPER: I’m going to call him a cab, can you wait with him?

BRUCE: Sure thing.

[Scene: Candlelit dinner. PHOEBE and COLE are sharing awkward glances. COLE pours himself a glass of champagne and holds up the glass to PHOEBE, but she lightly touches her stomach and holds up her hand.]

PHOEBE: I’m uh…not really in the mood.

COLE: Oh. (He gulps down his glass of champagne in two gulps.) Look, can we just talk and get this over with?

PHOEBE: What is there to say?

(COLE shrugs.)

COLE: Oh, I don’t know, (he grabs the champagne bottle and takes a gulp) maybe you’re right, you walked out on our wedding, I guess that says it all, doesn’t it? (He takes another drink from the champagne bottle.)

PHOEBE: It’s not like that! (Cole just keeps drinking.) Cole! (She forcibly grabs the bottle and throws it to the ground.)

COLE: Damnit, Phoebe! (He smacks his arm across the table, throwing the spaghetti and garlic bread to the ground and smashing the plates. PHOEBE jumps back in shock.) Do you have to take everything from me?!

PHOEBE: You just don’t understand!

COLE: You’re right, I don’t understand. I don’t understand why you don’t want to marry me if you’re as in love with me as you say you are.

PHOEBE: That’s not fair. (She points her finger accusingly.) You…you’re one-hundred and eighteen-years old, Cole, and I am twenty-seven. That means you’ve got ninety-one-years of living life on me! I’m sorry if your internal clock is ticking now, but the reality is, mine isn’t. God, Cole, (she presses her palms to her temples) I don’t want to lose my identity yet!

COLE: What? (His face twists into confusion.) Lose your identity? What are you talking about? (She turns away from him. He walks up behind her and puts his hands on her bare shoulders.) Is that really what you think I’m trying to do? (PHOEBE starts to whimper and COLE turns her to face him.) Why would you think that? What would ever make you think that you could lose yourself by marrying someone? (He wipes her eyes cheeks.) Look at Piper, she was still Piper after she married Leo, right?

(PHOEBE sniffs.)

PHOEBE: That’s different.

COLE: How?

PHOEBE: Because Piper was born to be a wife and mother. (Her eyes move to the ceiling and she blinks.) And I don’t mean that in a bad way, it’s just that…Piper’s always been the mothering type. Prue may have been our mother substitute in the sense that she devoted her life to raising and protecting us, but Piper was always the nurturing one. But me, (she shrugs) I’ve always had my freedom.

COLE: And you think I want to take that away from you?

PHOEBE: No…I just…I think about what happened to Grams it scares me. (She bites her lip.) I know she and I are a lot alike, and I grew up hearing about how every time she thought she was in love and got married, she felt trapped and-and I just don’t want history to repeat itself, you know?

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Four

[Scene: P3. PIPER is wiping down the bar as a brown haired man approaches. He reaches for something in his pocket.]

BROWN HAIRED MAN: Excuse me?

PIPER: Yes?

BROWN HAIRED MAN: This might sound a little strange, but uh, (he holds up a picture) have you seen this man by any chance?

(PIPER takes the picture and squints.)

PIPER: Uh, (she hands the picture back) may I ask who you are?

BROWN HAIRED MAN: Oh, (he laughs nervously) sorry, (he holds out his hand) Hunter Weathers. (PIPER shakes his hand.) And you?

PIPER: Piper Halliwell, club owner.

(HUNTER nods.)

HUNTER: Oh, okay. (He smiles.) Nice to meet you.

PIPER: Likewise.

HUNTER: Uh, (he holds up the picture again) this is my brother, Finn…he’s been frequently really any place you can get alcohol in this part of town and I was just wondering-

(PIPER nods.)

PIPER: Actually, you just missed him. I called a cab and it picked him up about ten minutes ago.

(HUNTER slaps his palm to his head.)

HUNTER: Do you know where it was taking him?

PIPER: Well, he didn’t really have a destination in mind, so I just asked to have him taken down to the SFPD. (She grabs a bar napkin and pen from and writes down “Darryl Morris” and a phone number.) Here, I’ve got a friend down there who said he’d keep an eye on him until he was sober enough not to.

HUNTER: Thanks so much. (He takes the napkin and leaves.)

[Scene: Manor. Attic. PRUE, PAIGE, and DRAKE are there. PRUE is eyeing DRAKE, looking very unpleased with him.]

PRUE: Look, whether you like it or not, we need our sister back so we can do our job. We can’t just let this demon trick us and then not do anything about it, and the only way to vanquish him is with the Power of Three.

DRAKE: I already told you, she’s working out a few issues right now-

PRUE: And she can get back to those issues, whatever they are, as soon as we finish our Charmed duties. (She snaps her fingers.) Now kindly, bring. Her. Back.

DRAKE: Oh come on, your Romeo hasn’t hurt anyone yet-

PAIGE: “Yet” being the operative word.

DRAKE: My point is, can’t you give Phoebe a little more time-

PAIGE: What, exactly, is she supposed to be working through?

(DRAKE shrugs a little.)

DRAKE: She just needed a bit of a helping hand, that’s all…her and Cole.

PAIGE: Cole? (She throws up her hands.) Hey, newsflash, whatever their fight was about, clearly the thing to do was not force them back together-

DRAKE: Who says I forced them?

PRUE: Did you?

DRAKE: Did I what?

PRUE: Drake!

(DRAKE holds up his hands defensively.)

DRAKE: Define “forced.”

[Scene: Candlelit dinner. COLE has his arms wrapped around PHOEBE. PHOEBE’s whimpering a little, but COLE is comfortingly rubbing her back.]

COLE: I never meant to hurt you.

PHOEBE: And I didn’t mean to hurt you either. That night in Vegas, I just kept remembering everything I saw in your fantasy in that magical book and I didn’t want to see you hurt again and so I just…I said yes, but when I got up there, I just couldn’t do it.

(COLE strokes her hair.)

COLE: I know, and that was my fault. I shouldn’t have asked again. It’s just, when I saw that there and I remembered everything you’d said, all those excuses, I thought it could be the perfect solution, you know? I guess I just wasn’t thinking about everything under the surface.

PHOEBE: The thing you said about not understanding how I can be in love with you-

COLE: That was stupid; it was just out of anger.

PHOEBE: You’re the love of my life, Cole. (She grasps his hand.) I’ve been dreaming of someone like you for as long as I can remember. I mean, it’s not like I would’ve risked my relationship with my sisters to fake your death if I didn’t love you, so please, don’t think for a minute that I don’t, I’m just not ready to put on ring yet, that’s all.

(COLE nods, more to himself than to PHOEBE.)

COLE: Well, I can wait as long as you want me to. (He smiles.) I swear I’m not going anywhere. (PHOEBE kisses him. COLE runs his fingers through her hair as he kisses her back. She laughs a little as they pull apart.) What?

PHOEBE: I’m just thinking about Drake.

COLE: While you’re kissing me?

(PHOEBE hits COLE playfully.)

PHOEBE: As nosey as he is, I’m glad he did this. This whole week has been awful for me.

COLE: You can say that again.

PHOEBE: So uh… (She looks around.) I guess we call him now?

(COLE shrugs.)

COLE: (yelling) Drake! Drake!

[Scene: Manor. Attic. PRUE, PAIGE, and DRAKE are still there.]

PRUE: Leo!

(LEO orbs in with MELINDA and CHRIS in his arms.)

LEO: What’s the problem?

(PAIGE wiggles her fingers at her niece and nephew.)

PRUE: Can you sense Phoebe, please?

(LEO scrunches his brow.)

LEO: (worriedly) Did a demon take her?

(PAIGE glares at DRAKE.)

PAIGE: You could say that.

(DRAKE makes a face a PAIGE, who glares back. LEO closes his eyes.)

[Cut to PHOEBE and COLE.]

COLE: Where the hell is he? I thought-

PHOEBE: Wait a minute, didn’t he say something about “whistling” when we were done?

COLE: You think he was literal?

PHOEBE: You think he wasn’t?

COLE: Good point. (He positions his fingers to the sides of his mouth and makes a loud whistle. PHOEBE does the same. They look at each other and then repeat their whistles.)

[Cut to LEO. He opens his eyes.]

LEO: I can’t sense-

DRAKE: (happily) Looks like they’re ready! (He grins.) See? I told you she only needed a little more time! (He shimmers away.)

PAIGE: Ooh, I swear, if he keeps meddling, I’m gonna have to start meddling with him!

(DRAKE shimmers back with PHOEBE. PRUE immediately notices PHOEBE’s red eyes.)

PRUE: Hey, are you alright?

(PHOEBE sniffs and nods.)

PHOEBE: Fine, (she brushes her hair out of her face) let’s go get this guy.

[Time lapse. PAIGE, PRUE, and PHOEBE appear in a glittery spray of green lights. They look around.]

PAIGE: A hotel room? (She looks down at the spell in PHOEBE’s hands.) Did we get the wording right?

(An energy ball zips by, lightly grazing PHOEBE’s arm. She shouts in pain and grabs her wound.)

RON’s VOICE: I knew you’d be coming.

(PRUE whirls around with her hand raised. PRUE sees RON seated across the room, holding a black urn and a picture of himself and a woman, JENNETTE. PRUE makes a quick motion of her hand, telekinetically forcing RON up against the wall. The urn and picture fall to the floor.)

PRUE: Phoebe, the spell!

(PHOEBE unfolds the spell and the three sisters take hands.)

PRUE & PAIGE: “Hellspawn demon,
Creature of death,
Fire shall take,
Your very breath!”

(PHOEBE stares at RON, almost entranced. RON appears to be smiling.)

PRUE: Phoebe, say the spell!

PHOEBE: “Hellspawn demon,
Creature of death,
Fire shall take,
Your very breath.”

(Fire swirls up around RON in a spiral. He flies to the ground as PRUE releases her telekinetic grip and instead of screaming, seems to revealing in the pain. PHOEBE looks away as RON’s body turns to dust. She shoves the vanquishing spell at PAIGE and walks over to the pile of ash on the floor. Then she looks back and reaches for the fallen picture of JENNETTE and RON. She uses the picture to scoop up the dust and then opens up the urn and pours them inside with the picture.)

PAIGE: Phoebe, what’re you doing?

(PHOEBE stands up with the urn in hand.)

PHOEBE: He may have been evil, Paige, but demons love too, you know. (She looks down at the urn.) He wanted us to come vanquish him.

PRUE: What’re you gonna do with that? (She motions to the urn. PHOEBE stares down at it.)

PHOEBE: I might have an idea…

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Five

[Scene: Cemetery. PHOEBE, COLE, and DRAKE are standing around a small patch of freshly upturned earth. A shovel is propped up against a tree nearby. COLE and PHOEBE are holding hands.]

DRAKE: My only love sprung from my only hate; too early unknown and known too late.

(DRAKE motions his hand and a headstone appears. The words “Ron and Jennette” appear at the top of the stone, under it the date, “April 3, 2003.” Below the date a rose has been carved into the marble and underneath the rose, the words “A rose by any other name…” is etched into the stone.)

COLE: (to PHOEBE) You ready to go?

(PHOEBE nods.)

PHOEBE: (to DRAKE) We’ll see you later.

(DRAKE nods.)

COLE: And Drake?

DRAKE: Hmm?

COLE: Thanks.

(DRAKE smiles.)

DRAKE: What can I say? I’m a sucker for love. (He pats COLE’s back and winks. COLE takes PHOEBE’s hand and they disappear. DRAKE turns his attention back to the headstone.)

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. PRUE is slowly walking around, humming gently as she feeds MELINDA a bottle. She gazes down at her niece.]

PRUE: I betcha didn’t know I used to do this for your crazy Aunt Phoebe when she was just as little as you are, did you? (MELINDA wiggles her tiny fingers, barely catching the edge of PRUE’s raven hair. PRUE laughs in spite of herself.) Like my hair, do you? (pause) Well, I bet you’ll have long dark hair of your own when you get older, just like your mom.

PIPER’s VOICE: What’s just like mine?

(PRUE looks up to see PIPER standing in the entrance to the kitchen.)

PRUE: Melly and I were just talking about you…how we think she’s going to grow up to be the spitting image of you.

(PIPER grins.)

PIPER: Oh really?

PRUE: Most definitely. Those little tuffs of brown hair aren’t there for nothin’ ya know. (She winks down at her niece. PIPER tosses her purse onto the kitchen table.)

PIPER: Well, I for one hope she also inherits my talent for the culinary. Speaking of, (she folds her arms) how does a homemade dinner sound for tonight?

PRUE: Ooh, we haven’t had one of those in the Manor for a while!

PIPER: Exactly my point. (She wrinkles her nose.) I figured since we’re all here, it’s the perfect opportunity.

PRUE: Well, actually, all but Phoebe and Cole.

PIPER: What?

PRUE: Yeah, she had something important to do.

(PIPER sighs.)

PIPER: Well, that puts a kink in things. (She drums her fingers on the island tiles.) Well, I already bought the food, so… (She points.) Maybe she’ll show up later? (pause) Anyway, I’m going to go wash up, I’ll be down in ten and then you and my favorite daughter will have to go join the whitelighter-fest in the living room. (She leaves.)

[Cut to the living room. LEO is sitting on the couch with PAIGE, with CHRIS in his lap. LEO is also feeding Chris a bottle.]

PAIGE: So, soy milk…how’s that working out?

LEO: Pretty good, actually. (He nods and rubs CHRIS’s tummy.) He hasn’t randomly cried since lunch when Piper first gave it to him. (to CHRIS) Was it just an upset tummy, little buddy? Was that all it was?

PAIGE: Luckily you guys can finally get some sleep now. (She shakes her head.) Man, I can’t even imagine trying to juggle all the things you guys do…frankly, it terrifies me.

(LEO frowns.)

LEO: Paige, somehow I doubt you came to me to talk about fatherhood, so…what did you need?

(PAIGE shrugs and leans back into the sofa.)

PAIGE: I’ve been thinking a lot about that other life, the one I had in that sorcerer’s book, where my parents never gave me up and I thought I was a whitelighter… (LEO nods.) Well, I kinda sorta wanted to ask you about it.

LEO: About the book? Well you and your sisters nullified the curse already, so-

PAIGE: I meant being a whitelighter.

LEO: Oh.

PAIGE: What’s it like? (She rolls her eyes.)

LEO: Hectic. (pause) Probably a lot like your job as a Social Worker, just with magical cases. (PAIGE nods understandingly.) In fact, that’s probably how you got interested in social work, because of your natural instinct to help people, which comes from your whitelighter half.

PAIGE: What’s it really like Up There?

(LEO looks down at his son.)

LEO: Formal. Strict. Orderly.

PAIGE: Oh, so I guess that’s one thing that doesn’t really change between reality and a whacked fantasy. (Upon LEO’s odd look, she rolls her eyes.) I kinda remember vague memories about my fake past, like the whole misty place and the columns and the clouds and stuff, but not really what happened, you know? It’s kind of like one of those dreams that you wake up from and remember some things, but not everything.

(LEO nods.)

LEO: Were you…thinking about wanting to get more involved with whitelighter duties?

PAIGE: Me? (She holds her hand to chest.) No. (pause) Is that even possible? I mean, the whole half witch thing and all.

LEO: I don’t know, after all, it’s never really been dealt with before, for obvious reasons. We could always ask, though-

PAIGE: No, no. (She chews her lip.) Well, not now, anyway. I’ve already got too much on my plate, but maybe someday…in the future.

[Cut to the upstairs bathroom. The sound of the toilet flushing can be heard as PIPER stands in front of the sink and takes off her rings and then pulls back her watch. She squirts some soap in her hands, turns on the sink, and begins to scrub her hands. A strand of hair falls in her falls in her face and she irritably tries to blow it away, but it keeps falling back. So, she flicks her head and her hair sweeps across the counter, causing her wedding ring to fall off the counter and into the trash bin.]

PIPER: Oh, great! (She wipes her wet hands on her pants and kneels down on the floor, looking at the top of the garbage. She doesn’t see the ring. She cringes and grabs the edge of the can, tilting it to the side and hears the ring scrape at the bottom. She starts to push aside the pieces of toilet paper on the top of the trash.) Ew, ew, ew!

(As she moves another clump of toilet paper, she sees the edge of a pink box. She grabs it and starts to use it to push aside other piece of garbage when she notices a large “E” on the front of the box. Curious, she pulls it out a little more and gasps at the letters “EPT.” For a moment she just stares at the box, then she pulls it out and finds the opened end. After a moment of hesitation, she pulls back the flap and tilts the box, causing the pregnancy test to slide out. She turns the box over and looks at the back and locates the key.)

PIPER: “A blue minus is a negative result and a pink plus is a positive result.”

(PIPER bites her lip and then looks down at the pregnancy test to find a very clear pink plus staring back at her.)

[The Virtual Series]

End Credits

Co-Starring
Brody Jo Hamilton --- Melinda Halliwell
Jackson Phillip Deveraux Kaufman ---- Chris Halliwell
Poppy Montgomery --- Dr. Laura Brenton
Jake Thomas --- Daniel Archibald
Sam Cohen --- Daylen Casziel
Jonathan Scarfe --- Hunter Weathers
Scott Michael Campbell --- Finn Weathers
Michael Patrick McGill --- Bruce

Featuring
Lucy Griffin --- Clerk

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