5x18: Of Witches & Men

[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.

5.18 OF WITCHES & MEN

GUEST-STARRING:
KRISTA ALLEN
JESSE WOODROW
SANDRA PROSPER
ALICE CHAN WAI

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...Jon Pare

[The Virtual Series]

Of Witches & Men

Teaser

[Scene: Manor. Phoebe’s bedroom. PHOEBE HALLIWELL is propped up in her bed, staring with her mouth agape at her older sister, PIPER HALLIWELL, who is watching her carefully on the edge of the bed.]

PHOEBE: W-what?

PIPER: Pheebs, (she squeezes her sister’s hand gently) I understand if you want to tell everyone in your own time, so if you don’t want me to say anything-

PHOEBE: No!

PIPER: Then I won’t.

PHOEBE: No. I mean no, I’m not pregnant!

(PIPER looks taken aback.)

PIPER: What?

PHOEBE: I’m. Not. Pregnant.

PIPER: But-

PHOEBE: Is this because of the vomiting?

PIPER: Well, there was that-

PHOEBE: Piper, that was a “mild case of food poisoning,” according to the doctor, (she rolls her eyes) though honestly, with all that upchucking, I don’t know how it can be considered mild. (She laughs.) It was because I happened to eat half of this grilled Portobello mushroom and cream spinach sandwich the other day on my lunch hour, before I realized that the date on it had expired two days earlier. (She shrugs.) I guess the out of date mayonnaise in the cream spinach got to me anyway. (She laughs good naturedly.) What a crazy misunderstanding!

PIPER: But…but what about the baby magazine?

PHOEBE: The baby magazine? (She tilts her head confusedly, then her eyes light up.) Oh! (She reaches over to her dresser and opens it, pulling out the “Baby 101” magazine PIPER saw her reading earlier.) You mean this?

PIPER: Yes. (She points.) I was going to talk to you earlier, but when I looked in, you were busy reading that.

PHOEBE: I picked it up for you. (She points to the top left corner of the magazine, which has a small picture of twin babies on it and a blue preview title reading, “Top Ten Twin Tips!” She hands it to PIPER.) I thought you might be interested in the article about twins. (She shrugs.) Being sick and all, I just guess it slipped my mind. Is that all? (PIPER stares at the magazine and then looks at her sister with a dumbfound expression.) Trust me, Piper, if I were pregnant, you’d know almost as soon as I would.

(PIPER fiddles with her pocket, then produces something in her hand.)

PIPER: Then, if it isn’t you, (she opens her hand to reveal the baggy wrapped pregnancy test) who is it?

(PHOEBE’s mouth drops open as she grabs the bag.)

PHOEBE: Whoa, where did you get that?

PIPER: The upstairs bathroom. (PHOEBE raises her eyebrow.) I accidentally knocked my wedding ring into the trash and then bam, there it was!

PHOEBE: When was this?

PIPER: About four days ago.

PHOEBE: And since it isn’t mine-

PIPER: It has to be either Prue’s or Paige’s.

Clickable Credits.

[The Virtual Series]

{SCENE: The song “Miss Independent,” written by Rhett Lawrence, Christina Aguilera, and Kelly Clarkson and sung by Kelly Clarkson is heard, as stock shots of San Francisco are shown while the Guest Credits are rolled.}

Act One

[Scene: The Belland residence. Living room. GLENN BELLAND is lounging on a reclining chair with a can of soda pop in one hand and the remote control in the other. He’s flipping through the channels when MRS. BELLAND walks in, smiling brightly with the cordless phone in her hand.]

MRS. BELLAND: Phone’s for you. (She holds it out to him. GLENN flicks off the television and puts down the leg rest on the recliner as he reaches and takes the phone from his mother.)

GLENN: Who is it?

MRS. BELLAND: Paige. (She winks.) Which of your other friends actually calls you at a decent hour?

GLENN: Mom! (MRS. BELLAND laughs as she disappears out of the room. GLENN puts the phone to his ear, smiling already.) How’s my favorite witchy woman?

[Cut to the Underworld. THE QUEEN is gazing at the image of GLENN talking on the phone through her crystal ball. The image becomes hazy and fades into swirls of white mist as she lifts her eyes from it to the demon kneeling before her throne.]

THE QUEEN: Make sure to bring him directly to me. (She waves her hand.) Now go!

(The demon bows his head and shimmers out. THE QUEEN looks up at as another demon, this time with glowing yellow cat-like eyes, steps up and kneels before her. She gives him a dark look and gazes back into her crystal ball, where an image of DARRYL MORRIS begins to take shape.)

[Cut to the San Francisco Police Department. DARRYL is walking out of the Captain’s office as RAE EVANS walks up to him.]

RAE: Must feel good.

DARRYL: What?

RAE: Actually closing a case.

DARRYL: I’ve closed plenty of cases before, Evans.

RAE: Oh, I know, you were at the top of your game right up until September of ninety-eight. (She shrugs.) When you got saddled with that Trudeau, right?

(DARRYL grabs her arm roughly and they stop walking.)

DARRYL: Andy was the best partner I’ve ever had. (He leans close to her face.) I suggest you don’t ever bring him up like that again. (RAE seems to pull back, but DARRYL keeps tight to her arm.) In fact, just don’t bring it up at all. (He lets go of her arm. DARRYL notices a few people nearby looking at him. He breathes heavily and walks away. RAE looks down at her arm and then glares at the onlookers.)

RAE: What’re you looking at? (She also leaves.)

[Cut to the doors leading outside the precinct. DARRYL pushes on one, unaware of a demon as he shimmers in behind him. The demon grabs his arm and DARRYL spins around.]

DARRYL: I mean it, Evans-

(DARRYL’s mouth drops open as he sees the yellow cat-eyed man who has a hold on him. He tries to pull away, but claws retract from the man’s hands and dig into DARRYL’s arm. DARRYL yelps as they shimmer off.)

[Scene: Manor. Phoebe’s bedroom. PIPER is sitting on PHOEBE’s bed, watching her younger sister sifting through her closet full of clothes.]

PIPER: I just can’t believe that neither of them has said anything yet.

PHOEBE: Well, it is kind of a big deal, Piper, and unlike with you and Leo, highly unplanned in either of their situations. (pause) And if I remember correctly, it’s not like you said anything to Prue and I back when you thought you might be pregnant with Jeremy’s warlock spawn.

PIPER: Okay, but that was a completely different situation, (she raises her index finger) that test was negative, so there was nothing to tell! And besides, hasn’t Prue always said that what affects one us, affects all of us? (She motions to PHOEBE.) Especially with you three being the Charmed Ones… (pause) I guess that just makes me wonder if it’s Paige, since, you know, she hasn’t grown up with us like Prue has, and thus might not feel comfortable coming to us with such a big announcement.

(PHOEBE nods.)

PHOEBE: Yeah, you’ve got a point. (pause) And it wasn’t exactly a secret what she and Glenn were doing in Vegas. (She pulls out a loose fitting top.)

PIPER: I know…I was almost a little jealous that they could be so carefree.

PHOEBE: But in the same token, it seems a little out of character for Paige to not insist on a condom or be on the pill…or both. I mean, (she shrugs) Paige is so young, she’s still got so much life still to live before settling down.

PIPER: But condoms can break…and there’s always the possibility of getting swept up in the moment.

PHOEBE: True. (She blinks her eyes wistfully.) Boy does that bring back high school memories. (PIPER makes a face and PHOEBE laughs, but then her face turns serious.) But there’s also Prue…you know, she did sleep with Matt before he disappeared again.

PIPER: But that was over two months ago! You know Practical Prue, if she thought she was pregnant, why not take the test a month ago, when she first missed her period?

PHOEBE: Well, stress can mess with periods too, and she sure hasn’t been stress-free lately…she could’ve blamed a missed period on that.

PIPER: Yeah…and it’s not like I’ve seen her exhibiting any of your classic symptoms of first trimester pregnancy either. (pause) Though I also don’t live here…

(PHOEBE shakes her head.)

PHOEBE: So far as I know, I’ve been the only one paying homage to the toilet god lately.

(PIPER snaps her fingers in frustration.)

PIPER: Well, great…how do we handle this?

PHOEBE: Well, since I didn’t get a premonition off of the test, I guess I can take Paige and you can take Prue?

(PIPER nods.)

PIPER: You sure you’re up to it?

(PHOEBE nods and holds up a pair of gray sweatpants.)

PHOEBE: As long as I’m playing detective in something comfortable today, I think I should be fine. (She throws the sweats on the bed and bends down to find some shoes.) Hey, (she turns and grins) if it is Paige, maybe I can use my recent nausea to invoke sympathy and loosen her into confessing?

PIPER: Leave it to you to think of the underhanded work.

(PHOEBE bows her head.)

PHOEBE: Well, I do try. (PIPER rolls her eyes as PHOEBE giggles smugly. There’s a knock at the door, causing PHOEBE and PIPER to look up.) Who is it?

COLE’s VOICE: It’s Cole.

PHOEBE: It’s unlocked.

(The door opens, revealing COLE TURNER.)

COLE: (surprised) I wasn’t expecting you to be up. (He sees PIPER.) Morning.

PIPER: Morning.

PHOEBE: Oh, yeah, I’m actually feeling loads better today.

COLE: Do you still want me to call in?

(PHOEBE shakes her head.)

PHOEBE: No! (She laughs.) You shouldn’t miss your job because of me. (She waves her hand.) No, I’m fine, really. Go to work. (She walks over and kisses him lightly on the cheek.) But thanks for offering.

COLE: (to PIPER) Keep an eye her?

(PIPER winks.)

PIPER: It’s what I’ve been doing for twenty-seven years.

COLE: (to PHOEBE) If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call, I’ll come straight over. (He leans in to kiss her, but PHOEBE pulls away.)

PHOEBE: Pukey breath, (she motions to her mouth) I need to brush my teeth first.

COLE: Right. (He kisses her cheek.) Well, I’m off. (He gives PIPER a good natured wave and then leaves. PHOEBE sighs a little as she flops down on her bed.)

PHOEBE: I love that man.

(PIPER gets up.)

PIPER: Okay, well, I’m going to go try and find Prue. (She reaches the door.) Good luck.

PHOEBE: Ditto.

[Scene: Underworld. DARRYL and the CAT DEMON shimmer in. DARRYL sharply jabs his elbow, catching the CAT DEMON in the stomach. He lets go of DARRYL’s bloody arm and staggers back as DARRYL reaches for his gun and aims, emptying three bullets into the CAT DEMON. The bullets enter the demon and he yowls like an alley cat, but then the wounds close up. DARRYL aims again, but this time the CAT DEMON pounces on him, causing the gun to fly from his hands and land with a clatter in the shadows. The CAT DEMON begins to scratch and claw at DARRYL, ripping his clothes and creating multiple bloody claw marks.]

DARRYL: Agh!

(DARRYL blocks himself with his arms, but the CAT DEMON continues to dig his claws into DARRYL’s flesh. DARRYL knees the demon in the gut and the demon yowls again. Across the room, THE QUEEN flames in.)

THE QUEEN: Stop!

(THE QUEEN raises her hand and the CAT DEMON floats into the air with a grimace on his face, similar to the ones worn by cats being held by the nape of their necks. With a second flash of her hand, the CAT DEMON is drawn back to her and deposited on the floor at her feet, where he begins to hiss in DARRYL’s direction. DARRYL sits up, scrambling backwards.)

DARRYL: Wh-who the hell are you?

THE QUEEN: I don’t think you really need to know that, do you? (She snaps her fingers and a massive rusty cage appears two feet away from DARRYL.)

DARRYL: What do you want? (He eyes his gun in the shadows and slowly tries to move backwards towards it.)

THE QUEEN: Oh, silly Inspector, you’ve been at this long enough. What does evil want?

DARRYL: (angrily) The sisters.

(THE QUEEN rolls her eyes.)

THE QUEEN: Just their powers…and those of their Blessed spawn, too.

(DARRYL shakes his head, still inching his hand towards his gun.)

DARRYL: They’ll figure you out.

(THE QUEEN laughs.)

THE QUEEN: Not without their powers, they won’t. (She holds out her hand and DARRYL’s gun flies into her palm.) Looking for this? (Flames rise up around the gun and it explodes in her hand. Then with an easy twist of her wrist, DARRYL rises off the ground and flies into the cage, which glows and magically seals itself.) How does it feel to be on the inside looking out for once, Inspector?

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Two

[Scene: Harper and Lee. Cole’s office. The door opens and COLE walks in, laughing and waving to a man who waves back as COLE shuts the door. He starts to walk over to his desk. In the corner of the room, the water in the water cooler barrel begins to bubble. As COLE sets his briefcase down on his desk, he hears a particularly large belch from the water cooler and his frame turns rigid. His fingers quiver at his side and then he whirls around, lighting an energy ball in his palm simultaneously. But before the energy ball can fully form, a funnel of flames erupts in front of his face and a long hand outstretches from the flames, swiftly swiping him across the left cheek and a forceful moment later, he ends up face down on the ground with the energy ball extinguished and THE QUEEN leaning over his unconscious form.]

THE QUEEN: I came to escort you personally, because I thought you’d be more fun. (She bends over and grabs the side of his face, pulling it up to look at the half-demon. She glares at him and then flames out with COLE’s body.)

[Scene: Manor. PHOEBE is coming down the stairs as she hears the front doors open.]

PAIGE’s VOICE: Glenn!

(PHOEBE stops, then curiously sneaks further down the stairs.)

GLENN's VOICE: I came straight over, what’s up?

PAIGE’s VOICE: We need to talk.

(PHOEBE peers over the railing, only catching quick flashes of movement.)

GLENN’s VOICE: Ooh, sounds serious.

PAIGE’s VOICE: It could be…

(PHOEBE raises her eyebrow. The sound of footsteps head her way and then she sees her baby sister and GLENN come into view. They head for the stairs and PHOEBE quickly resumes her walk down them. They meet in the middle and PHOEBE flashes a far too sunshiney smile.)

PHOEBE: Hey!

GLENN: Phoebe. (He smiles.)

PHOEBE: Hey…what’s up?

(PAIGE and GLENN look at each other.)

PAIGE: Nothing.

PHOEBE: Going somewhere?

PAIGE: Actually, (she grabs PHOEBE’s arm and pushes her aside) upstairs…if you don’t mind.

PHOEBE: Oh, uh, of course. (She steps back as PAIGE and GLENN pass her. As PHOEBE watches them leave, she sees GLENN lean close to PAIGE’s ear and whisper something, then PAIGE leans in and whispers back. PHOEBE makes a face. PAIGE and GLENN then disappear upstairs. PHOEBE makes a face.) Rude!

[Cut to Prue’s bedroom. PIPER is sitting on the bed, talking, while PRUE HALLIWELL examines herself in the mirror.]

PIPER: …and maybe you’d like to spend the day with me and the Twins? (PRUE doesn’t say anything. PIPER looks up.) Prue? (She waves her hand.) Prue!

(PRUE looks over her shoulder.)

PRUE: What?

PIPER: Have you been listening to anything I just said?

(PRUE purses her lips, then turns back to the mirror.)

PRUE: Sorry, Piper, I’m just a little distracted right now.

(PIPER raises a tweaked brow.)

PIPER: Something on your mind? (She pats the bed.) Wanna talk about it?

PRUE: It’s nothing.

PIPER: You know I’m a good listener.

PRUE: Really, it’s nothing. (She ruffles her shirt and smoothes her hair, turning back to PIPER.) So, uh, what did you need?

(PIPER groans.)

PIPER: Tomorrow afternoon, you, me, the Twins? Ringing any bells?

PRUE: Well, actually, I’m a little busy.

PIPER: Work?

PRUE: No…I’ve just got a lot on my mind right now and I need to work a few things out-

PIPER: Does this have to do with Matt again?

PRUE: (defensively) Matt? What? What would he have to do with anything?

(PIPER shrugs.)

PIPER: I was just asking, you don’t need to get upset about it.

PRUE: I just don’t-

(PRUE’s mouth drops open as a blue glow erupts between them, forming into a shower of orbs which turns into a pink and white bassinet. PIPER hops up and moves to the bassinet, finding MELINDA HALLIWELL and CHRIS HALLIWELL inside. Both babies are screaming. PIPER scoops CHRIS into her arms.)

PIPER: Shh, shhh!

(PRUE picks up her niece and rocks her.)

PRUE: Hey, hey, it’s alright, shh… (PRUE and PIPER exchange looks.)

PIPER: Leo!

PRUE: What do you think is going on?

PIPER: I don’t know, Chris has never just orbed to me randomly like that before. (She looks up, frustrated.) Leo! (She looks down at CHRIS, whose face is red and eyes are bright and glassy.) Leo, get your- (A loud scream, followed by a crash is heard. PRUE and PIPER share looks, then race for the door.)

[Cut to the hallway. PHOEBE runs up to PAIGE’s bedroom door.]

PHOEBE: Paige!

(PHOEBE karate kicks open the door to find the stained glass window is shattered, a painting on an easel is smoking from a gaping hole in the center, a purple lamp is in shards on the floor, and PAIGE nor GLENN is anywhere in sight. PRUE and PIPER run in behind PHOEBE and gawk at the destruction.)

PIPER: (worriedly) Where’s Paige?

(As if on cue, PAIGE orbs in on the floor, clutching her shoulder though blood is seeping between her fingers.)

PHOEBE: Oh my god! (She drops to her knees, helping PAIGE sit up.) What happened?

PAIGE: Th-they took Glenn!

(PHOEBE places her hand to PAIGE’s wound to help apply pressure.)

PHOEBE: Leo!

PRUE: Who took Glenn?

(PAIGE shakes her head, but holds up a clump full of wiry brown hair.)

PAIGE: Wh-whoever this belongs to. (She winces.)

[Time lapse. PIPER is standing in the nursery at her home holding CHRIS. CHRIS’s bassinet has been overturned and there are two scorch marks on the walls. PRUE walks in with MELINDA.]

PRUE: He’s not here, Piper.

(PIPER turns around.)

PIPER: I already tried to get Chris to orb me to him, but he won’t…or can’t.

PRUE: This can’t be a coincidence. Whoever took Glenn must have also taken Leo.

PIPER: Why? Why not just come after us?

PRUE: A lure? Trap? With evil, it could be anything.

(PIPER and PRUE walk down the hallway to the bathroom, where PAIGE is sitting on the toilet and PHOEBE is cleansing her wound with a antiseptic soaked cotton ball. PAIGE keeps gritting her teeth as PHOEBE dabs the burn.)

PHOEBE: Anything?

PIPER: The only room that’s been damaged in the nursery.

(PHOEBE tosses the bloody cotton ball into the trash and hands the gauze to PIPER.)

PHOEBE: You finish up with Paige, I’ll go with Prue and see if I can get a vision. (She scoops CHRIS out of PIPER’s arms.) C’mere, you don’t need to be inhaling that yucky rubbing alcohol. (PHOEBE and PRUE walk out. PIPER begins to wrap the gauze around PAIGE’s wound, causing PAIGE to emit painful noises.)

PIPER: Tell me again what happened.

PAIGE: There isn’t a lot to tell. Glenn and I were talking when this demon appears and starts throwing fireballs around, so I tried to jump him and he tossed me out the window, and when I orbed back in, they were gone and you guys were there.

PIPER: And your shoulder was the only thing to get hurt?

PAIGE: Besides scratches all over my back from being thrown out a window? (She winces.) Yeah. (pause) Why?

PIPER: Just making sure.

PAIGE: Oh.

PIPER: I’m thinking that since scrying with the hair didn’t work, he and Glenn are probably in the Underworld…and if I’m right, with Leo.

PAIGE: Can Chris-

PIPER: No, which makes me think that whoever this guy is, he’s working for a higher level demon. (pause) But maybe if we use the hair in a reverse summoning spell, maybe it could take us to him?

[Scene: Underworld. Cage. DARRYL, LEO, and GLENN are pacing around the cage, careful not to step on COLE, who is out cold on the metal floor. GLENN suddenly grabs the bars and tries to rattle them with no avail.]

GLENN: I can’t believe this is even happening.

DARRYL: It doesn’t make any sense. Why take us instead of going after the sisters?

LEO: It’s probably a trap.

GLENN: (to LEO) Why can’t you do that little orby thing to get us out of here?

LEO: The cage is blocking my powers.

GLENN: How did you even get caught anyway? (He motions to COLE.) And him?

(DARRYL frowns.)

DARRYL: Yeah, I get why they got us (he motions to GLENN), but how did you get caught?

LEO: I was ambushed me while I was with the Twins. (COLE starts to stir. LEO bends down.) Cole?

(COLE opens his eyes. He reaches for his cheek and squints up at LEO.)

COLE: Leo?

LEO: It’s me. (He helps COLE sit up, propped up against the bars of the cage.)

COLE: Where are we?

GLENN: Well, it kind of looks like hell, without the fire.

LEO: The Underworld.

(COLE rubs the side of his face painfully.)

LEO: You’ve got a nasty bruise there.

COLE: That bitch!

(DARRYL and GLENN look at each other.)

DARRYL: Wanna drop a few hints this way?

COLE: The Queen, she attacked me at the law firm. I barely picked up on her surfacing evil and the next thing I know, I’m here.

LEO: Wait, The Queen came after you?

COLE: She didn’t attack you?

LEO: No, this fireball throwing demon did.

GLENN: Me too.

DARRYL: Oh, (he raises his clawed arms with dried brownish bloody and ripped strips of clothing) I guess I was the only one to get the demonic cat. (bitterly) Don’t I feel special.

(COLE gets up and holds out his hand, summoning an energy ball. He rears back his hand, but LEO grabs onto his arm.)

LEO: Don’t!

COLE: Why?

LEO: My orbs bounce off these walls…we don’t need your energy ball doing that too. (COLE extinguishes the energy ball.) Thank you.

(COLE punches the bars and shakes his fist from the pain.)

COLE: Damnit! I can’t believe I didn’t act faster! (He curls his fists.) I could sense her, damnit!

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Three

[Scene: Underworld. Cage. GLENN is hanging onto the bars, COLE is brooding, LEO is floating with little bright orbs surrounding him in meditation, and DARRYL is pacing.]

DARRYL: We’re going to die.

GLENN: Would you quit saying that? You’re really bringing me down over here.

DARRYL: Well, I’m so sorry I can’t reach your level of optimism.

GLENN: I’m only being truthful. See, the way I figure it, you won’t die because Paige is going to find a way down here to save me. (He nods enthusiastically.)

(LEO cracks an eye open.)

LEO: The only problem is, this is clearly a trap. They are going to have to realize that, which might mean it could take them a while to get down here.

GLENN: Apparently not as long as you think. (He points towards a cloud of lights forming in the middle of the cave. The CHARMED ONES and PIPER appear with the Twins.)

PAIGE: Glenn! (She instinctively moves towards her boyfriend, but PRUE grabs her arm, pulling her back.) Prue!

(PRUE looks around cautiously.)

PRUE: Something about this doesn’t feel right. (She looks over at the cage.) Where are the demons?

DARRYL: They haven’t been here since we got trapped.

COLE: No sign of The Queen, either.

PHOEBE: (alarmed) The Queen was here?

COLE: She brought me here. (He turns to the bars.) How did you get here?

(PAIGE holds up the demon hair.)

PAIGE: Demon follicles.

PIPER: (suspiciously) But there are not demons.

PAIGE: (impatiently) Does that really matter? We just need to get them (she motions emphatically) out of here.

(GLENN raises his hand.)

GLENN: I concur! Now, if you wouldn’t mind…

(PAIGE runs towards the cage.)

PRUE: Paige!

(PAIGE reaches the cage.)

PAIGE: See? Nothing happened. (She starts to look around.) Now where’s the lock…

COLE: It’s magically sealed, we already looked.

(PRUE, PHOEBE, and PIPER exchange looks, then PHOEBE cautiously begins to walk over to the cage.)

PHOEBE: Maybe I can get a premonition?

PRUE: I’m really don’t feel right about this.

(PRUE steps towards her sisters and as she does, both the CAT DEMON and the FIREBALL DEMON shimmer in. The Twins’ force field instantly rises around them and PIPER. PRUE throws out her arm, sending the CAT DEMON sailing onto his back. Meanwhile, the FIREBALL DEMON aims a fireball at PHOEBE, who levitates over it.)

PHOEBE: (cockily) Well, if that’s all ya got…

(PHOEBE comes down hard with a left spin kick to the FIREBALL DEMON’s chest. She drops to her feet and lands a crescent kick at the FIREBALL DEMON. PAIGE yanks out a vial from her pocket and aims it at the fallen CAT DEMON, who, with amazing agility, dodges the potion, which breaks on the ground. PAIGE yanks another potion from her pocket and orbs out. However, with its cat-like senses, the CAT DEMON picks up on PAIGE’s plan of attack and whips around as she orbs in, swiping her across the face with his claw. The second potion drops and also breaks on the floor.)

PAIGE: (yelping) Prue, help!

(The CAT DEMON swipes at PAIGE again, this time she ducks and just barely avoids the demon’s claws. PRUE performs double standing back tucks, landing in a ramrod position with her fists curled before launching into a reverse side kick, dropping the CAT DEMON to the floor. She extracts a potion from her jacket pocket and casts it down on the CAT DEMON, vanquishing him in a fiery burst.)

PRUE: (to PAIGE) You okay?

(PIGE touches her swiped and bleeding face tenderly.)

PAIGE: Until we get Leo out, yeah. (She motions to the FIREBALL DEMON.) So, if we could just vanquish him, that’d be great!

(PHOEBE performs a three consecutive levitating butterfly kicks and then drops to her feet, pinning the FIREBALL DEMON to the ground. She drops a potion vial from her sleeve and looks down at the demon amusedly.)

PHOEBE: Honestly, my cat could do better than you. (She throws the potion onto his chest and pulls her leg back as the demon burns up. She breaths in, refreshed, and then turns to her sisters.) That wasn’t so hard.

(The force field around PIPER and the Twins fade.)

PIPER: Which is what makes it so anticlimactic. (She looks around.) If all you had to do was vanquish those goons, then why is the cage’s magic still holding? And…why was The Queen involved?

PAIGE: You know what, can we discuss the oddities after we save the guys, pleeease? (She snaps her fingers.) We need a spell. (She looks at the cage.) “Locked in…” (She looks back at her sisters.)

PIPER: Uh…“Boxed in?” (PAIGE glares. PIPER shrugs. PAIGE and PIPER look to PRUE and PHOEBE. PIPER also motions her hands in a slightly confused way.)

PHOEBE: Erm…“We lend our powers to the men within…” (She, PIPER, and PAIGE turn to PRUE. PRUE hesitates, still unsure of a potential trap, but upon PAIGE’s pleading look, she finally relents.)

PRUE: “To help them save their skin.”

(For a moment, nothing seems to happen, then a glowing sphere of white light pulls out of the chest of each of the sisters, leaving them looking shocked and even a little weak. The four spheres then fly into the cage, causing it to make a retched groaning and then fall out around them. The sisters jump back as the cage falls, while the light spheres fly into the chests of DARRYL, LEO, COLE, and GLENN. PAIGE’s fly one over the other to her chest.)

PAIGE: Ooh boy, I don’t feel so good.

(PHOEBE fans herself.)

PHOEBE: Is it just me, or is the Underworld spinning? (She starts to wobble. COLE moves to her, catching her as she falls.)

[Premonition: Demons appear, surrounding the sisters, DARRYL, LEO, COLE, and GLENN. THE QUEEN flames in with a particularly smug look on her face. She stretches out her hand and a fireball appears. She throws it at PHOEBE. PRUE waves her arm but her power doesn’t work. The fireball hits PHOEBE and she burns into flames in COLE’s arms.]

[Cut back to the present. COLE finds everyone staring oddly at him. PHOEBE, still looking a little weak, has wide eyes.]

PHOEBE: Cole, please tell me that wasn’t what I think it was…

COLE: We’ve got to get out of here!

(Demons appear, surrounding the sisters, DARRYL, LEO, COLE, and GLENN. THE QUEEN flames in with a particularly smug look on her face. She outstretches her hand and a fireball appears. She throws it at PHOEBE. PRUE waves her arm but her power doesn’t work. At the last possible second, COLE shimmers out with PHOEBE, causing the fireball to fly through his shimmers and create a scorch mark on the cave wall. THE QUEEN curls her fist.)

THE QUEEN: Meddling demon! (She flips furiously towards the sisters.) Attack them!

(The cave lights up with an array of energy balls and fireballs, and various other forms of magical weaponry. The Twins’ force field rises around them and PIPER again. As the pulsating spheres rain down at each group, LEO dives for PRUE and PAIGE while DARRYL and GLENN brace themselves in defensive positions. All of the sudden, the spheres reverse and fly back into the hands of their creators, DARRYL’s and GLENN’s hands move down, LEO leaps back into his original position, the Twins’ force field disappears, the magical attacks vanish, and THE QUEEN’s mouth moves, then she turns away from the sisters.)

PAIGE: (cautiously) P-Paige? Did you do-

THE QUEEN: Meddling demon!

GLENN: Not again!

(THE QUEEN flips furiously towards the sisters. The sisters look incredulously at GLENN.)

THE QUEEN: Attack them!

LEO: (yelling) Chris, orb! (He dives at PRUE and PAIGE as PIPER, MELINDA, and CHRIS orb out. The cave lights up with an array of energy balls and fireballs, and various other forms of magical weaponry. LEO grabs a hold of PAIGE and PRUE.)

PRUE: (in unison with PAIGE) Darryl!

PAIGE: (in unison with PRUE) Glenn!

(PAIGE and PRUE orb out with LEO. At the same time, GLENN also orbs out, leaving only DARRYL in the line of fire in every sense of the word. At the last moment, COLE shimmers in running, tackles DARRYL down, and shimmers out with him.)

[Scene: Manor. Living room. The sisters and LEO are there. GLENN suddenly orbs in next to PAIGE. PAIGE jumps up.]

PAIGE: Okay! What the-

GLENN: -hell is going on?!

(COLE shimmers in with Darryl.)

PHOEBE: How did they get our powers?

PAIGE: How is that even possible?

(GLENN looks a little woozy as he drops onto the couch.)

GLENN: How do we give them back?

PRUE: I knew there was a reason it was too easy. Paige, you should’ve listened to me, you can’t let your feelings get in the way of practicality.

(PAIGE’s mouth falls open.)

PAIGE: Whoa! So, this is all my fault for wanting to save my best friend?

(PIPER suddenly jumps up between them. She puts up her hands.)

PIPER: Hey, we don’t need to be arguing right now, we need to be working on fixing this situation.

DARRYL: (frustrated) Would someone please tell me what is going on?! (The coffee table suddenly slides across the floor and flips over. Everyone steps back.)

PIPER: Oh, (she motions her hands downward) Darryl, you might wanna calm down.

DARRYL: Well- (The mirror above the fireplace cracks. Everyone winces.)

PIPER: Alright, (she points) come to the kitchen with me. (She gets him up.) I think we need some soothing chamomile tea. (to PAIGE and PHOEBE) You two, follow me. Prue-

PRUE: I’ve got the Book, I know.

(GLENN waves his arms.)

GLENN: What about me?

PAIGE: Just follow us!

(GLENN hops off the couch and hurries after PAIGE.)

PRUE: (to LEO) Elders, now.

LEO: I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea-

PRUE: Leo, (she purses her lips) I’m perfectly capable of handling myself powers or no. Besides, (she motions to DARRYL) my powers are right there, remember? (LEO looks hesitatingly at DARRYL.) Just go! (LEO reluctantly orbs out. PRUE snaps her fingers.) Follow me to the attic. (She strides off. DARRYL looks at COLE.)

DARRYL: Please tell me this is a dream.

COLE: No. This, is a nightmare.

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Four

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. PAIGE is now wearing the sling containing the Twins, while PIPER is at the island with a cutting board, hurriedly chopping apples with amazing speed. GLENN leans towards PAIGE.]

GLENN: I’ve never seen anyone cut so fast before.

PAIGE: And you thought magic was amazing. (She nudges him playfully. PIPER looks up.)

PAIGE: Quit poking around and attach the laurel leafs to those apples!

(PAIGE makes a mock salute and then she and PHOEBE grab a couple apple halves and begin to attach the laurel leaves.)

GLENN: Is this some kind of spell?

PHOEBE: Just natural magic. (She holds up the apple half.) A nature made pentacle, see? This (she puts the laurel leaf in front of it) blocks evil.

PAIGE: And until we can get our powers out of you, we’ll need all the help we can get.

GLENN: Oh ye of little faith.

[Cut to the attic. PRUE shuts the Book of Shadows.]

PRUE: Oh, I’m gonna kick Phoebe’s ass!

DARRYL: Now what?

PRUE: “We lend our powers to the men within!” (GLENN and PHOEBE walk in.) And there’s the woman of the hour.

PHOEBE: What? (She folds her arms.) What did I do?

PRUE: Your line of the spell gave our powers away.

PHOEBE: What?

PRUE: Where are Piper and Paige?

PHOEBE: Putting the laurel apples around the house, why?

(Three demons flare in.)

PRUE: And apparently they aren’t done yet!

(DEMON #1 aims an electrical bolt at PRUE, who performs a back handspring with a full twist. The bolt hits the Book’s podium, splitting it in half, causing the Book of Shadows to fall to the ground. DEMON #2 runs at PHOEBE, who moves to roundhouse kick him, but is blocked as he grabs her leg and tosses her onto her back with a loud crack.)

COLE: (alarmed) Phoebe!

(COLE charges an energy ball and grazes DEMON #2 long enough to run to PHOEBE’s aid. DARRYL ducks behind the beaten sofa and GLENN scrambles to follow him, peeking over it only to watch as PRUE executes a triple handspring ending in a spinning hook kick, knocking her demonic opponent onto his back. She flips backwards to a wooden chair, grabs it by the legs, and cracks it over the demon’s large frame.)

GLENN: (whispering to DARRYL) It’s like watching a magically charged WWF match!

(The chair breaks over DEMON #1 and PRUE uses the broken leg to impale DEMON #1, vanquishing him in a fiery death. From behind, DEMON #3 advances on PRUE and DARRYL sees it. He holds out his hand.)

DARRYL: Prue, behind you!

(As PRUE turns around, DEMON #3 is thrown across the attic via PRUE’s telekinesis from DARRYL. PRUE waves her hand appreciatively.)

PRUE: Thanks!

(Meanwhile, DEMON #2 grabs a hold of PHOEBE’s neck and begins to strangle her while simultaneously sending an electrical current through his touch. COLE grabs DEMON #2 by the collar of his neck and aims his fist at the demon’s head, breaking his hold on PHOEBE. PHOEBE falls to the ground, gasping.)

[Cut to the backyard. PAIGE has a large bowl of laurel apples tucked under her arm and she’s throwing them down around the perimeter of the house. She no longer has the Twins with her. Suddenly, she arches her back and gasps, dropping the bowl and falls to her knees. As she turns her head, she sees a demon standing behind her, conjuring another energy ball.]

[Cut to the other side of the house where PIPER is also throwing down apples from a bowl, but now she is wearing the sling with the Twins again. As she throws down an apple, one of the apples she already threw down burns up. Immediately, the glowing blue force shield rises up around her. She stops and looks around, just as THE QUEEN flames in.]

THE QUEEN: Little pests. (She throws a fireball at the force field, but it bounces off and catches a nearby bush on fire. Angrily, she begins to throw a string of fireballs at the force field, but they only continue to bounce off ineffectively.)

PIPER: Chris, orb us-

THE QUEEN: No, I’ve got a better idea! (She lays her hand on the force field and she, the force field, and the three people inside the force field vanish in a wall of licking red-orange flames.)

[Cut back to the attic. COLE pounds DEMON #2 with a string of energy balls, causing him to combust in a black cloud. PRUE lands several punches to DEMON #3 until COLE comes to her aid, dealing the final blow with an energy ball. PRUE leans forward, slapping her hands to her knees in exhaustion. PHOEBE wipes her glistening brow, also breathing heavily. DARRYL and GLENN tentatively pop out from behind the sofa. GLENN creeps over to PHOEBE, in awe.]

GLENN: Where did you guys learn to do that?

PHOEBE: (breathlessly) Oh, uh, well, I took classes from this great guy down in Chinatown a few years ago. (She wipes her head again.) But Prue, (she looks at her sister) she learned in high school.

(GLENN gawks.)

GLENN: They taught kung-fu in high school?

PHOEBE: Kung-fu? (She bursts out laughing.) No! Kung-fu is easy! That, (she points to PRUE) was cheerleading.

(GLENN’s jaw drops.)

GLENN: Cheerleading?

PHOEBE: Yeah! (She rolls her eyes.) Prue didn’t become captain of the cheerleading squad for nothin’. (pause) You know, if you thought that was amazing, you should really see her when she pulls off a standing round-off back handspring double back ending with a reverse side kick, (she nods) now that, is cool.

[Scene: Underworld. The Queen’s lair. THE QUEEN squeezes blood from her palm onto a golden athame. The athame glows and absorbs the blood, then she walks over to the force field surrounding PIPER and her children, and stabs the shield. A white light wars between the field and the athame, before the athame is finally thrown from THE QUEEN’s hand. She growls in frustration.]

PIPER: You’re not going to get their powers, my children are too strong for you.

THE QUEEN: Oh, I see, apparently I went through all this trouble for nothing?

PIPER: I think your actions speak for themselves.

THE QUEEN: Really? (She claps her hands together twice and before the force field, a demon shimmers in with PAIGE’s limp form. PIPER intakes sharply.) Listen, I can be reasonable…your sister, for the powers of the Twice Blessed.

(PIPER grits her teeth.)

PIPER: You evil b-

THE QUEEN: Ah, need some time to think about it, do you? (She claps her hands. The demon drops PAIGE to the floor with a bone crunching noise and shimmers away. She waves her hand and PAIGE sails over to the wall, where chains appear around her wrists, holding her arms above her head.) I’ll be back within the hour, in the meantime, think hard on your decision.

PIPER: You won’t get won’t this.

THE QUEEN: Won’t I? (She motions to PAIGE’s sunken and bleeding form.) If you haven’t decided by the time I get back, your sister will die. And if you continue to refuse my request, one by one the people you and your family care for will perish around you. (pause) Remember your dear Inspector? And the little spiky haired one? What’s his name? (pause) Glenn? (She smiles wickedly.) Mortals can’t handle witches’ powers, if you recall...a certain doctor seems to come to mind.

(THE QUEEN flames out. PIPER’s eyes turn towards her children, clutched tightly together in her arms, then her eyes turn back towards her sister, hanging near-lifelessly on the Underworld wall.)

[Scene: Manor. Backyard. PHOEBE and COLE are walking around the house.]

PHOEBE: Piper! Paige!

(COLE touches PHOEBE’s arm.)

COLE: Phoebe, look. (He points out PAIGE’s broken bowl with the scattered laurel apples. PHOEBE’s hand flies to her mouth as she sees a small puddle of blood in the grass. PHOEBE grabs COLE’s hand.)

PHOEBE: You have to try and get a premonition from it!

(COLE kneels down next to the scene of the attack and places his finger into the blood.)

[Premonition: PRUE and PHOEBE are sitting around a copper pot. PRUE cuts her finger over the pot, passes the athame to PHOEBE who also pricks her finger, and then PRUE picks up a small vial of thick red liquid and pours it into the pot. A puff of scarlet smoke rises from the pot and clouds the vision.]

[Cut back to the present. Cole pulls his bloody finger back.]

PHOEBE: Is she-

COLE: I don’t know. (He stands up, revealing his finger.) But I think you need this blood for a spell.

PHOEBE: What did you see?

[Cut to the attic. LEO orbs in.]

PRUE: What did they say? How can we get our powers back?

(LEO produces a folded piece of yellowed parchment in his hand.)

LEO: They gave me this. Apparently it’s a one time only ritual and requires the Power of Three.

PRUE: And how is that supposed to help us? Without our powers, we don’t have the Power of Three! (pause) Unless….you, Cole, and Glenn-

(LEO shakes his head.)

LEO: We may have your powers, but the Power of Three bond lives inside you as sisters, and clearly Glenn, Cole, and I could never pull that off.

(PRUE snatches the parchment and unrolls it, ravishing her eyes across the swirls of brown handwritten ink.)

PRUE: It says it requires our blood. Okay, that shouldn’t be too hard. We just need-

PHOEBE’s VOICE: Paige and Piper are missing.

(PRUE’s head bobs up to see PHOEBE and COLE standing in the doorway.)

PRUE: What?!

(PHOEBE holds up a vial of PAIGE’s blood.)

PHOEBE: It looks like they were attacked; we found Paige’s blood outside. (She starts to head for the Book of Shadows.) And Cole had a premonition, something to do with a blood ritual using her-

PRUE: It’s right here. (She holds up the parchment.) From The Elders.

PHOEBE: What?

(PRUE snaps her fingers.)

PRUE: No time. (She points towards the kitchen.) We need to hurry! (They run out of the attic.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Five

[Scene: Manor. Prue’s bedroom. DARRYL and GLENN are there. GLENN is seated on a chair and DARRYL on the bed. Both have sweaty faces and eyes that are starting to grow red and glassy. GLENN wipes his wet forehead. DARRYL places his hands to his temples.]

DARRYL: What’s this damn migraine?!

(Everything on PRUE’s dresser is swept off and falls onto to the floor, with some things even breaking. He starts to rock back and forth, holding the sides of his head. Pictures on the wall begin to shiver and shake. A picture of the four sisters crashes to the floor and shatters. Upon the sound of shattering glass, GLENN briefly orbs out and back in.)

GLENN: (angrily) Shut. Up! Can’t you see I just want a little peace and quiet over here?!

[Cut to the Underworld. THE QUEEN is pleasantly watching DARRYL and GLENN argue from her crystal ball.]

THE QUEEN: Progressing just like I suspected. (She clicks her tongue and the picture fades away. The mist in the crystal sphere shrouds again and then a picture of cave where PIPER, the TWINS, and PAIGE are being held captive appears.) Time to go see how you’re coming along.

[Cut to the Manor. PRUE, PHOEBE, LEO, and COLE are running down the hallway. PRUE kicks open her door to find objects swirling around the room and DARRYL and GLENN screaming at each other.]

PRUE: What the hell is going on? (She ducks as a hair brush flies out the door.)

COLE: Your powers, they aren’t magical and thus can’t sustain them for much longer!

PRUE: (whispers) Like Dr. Williamson.

LEO: (to COLE) You get Darryl, I’ll get Glenn. (to PRUE) You go with Phoebe to finish the ritual.

(PRUE nods. PRUE and PHOEBE head up to the attic as COLE and LEO shimmer and orb respectively into PRUE’s room, attempting to grab onto DARRYL and GLENN from behind.)

[Cut to the attic. PRUE and PHOEBE are sitting around a copper pot. PRUE cuts her finger over the pot, passes the athame to PHOEBE who also pricks her finger, and then PRUE picks up a small vial of thick red liquid and pours it into the pot. A puff of scarlet smoke rises from the pot and clouds the attic.]

[Cut to Prue’s bedroom. DARRYL and COLE roll off the bed and DARRYL jabs him in the stomach, then COLE is telekinetically ripped from DARRYL’s back and is thrown into a dresser. All at once, every levitating object in the room drops with a loud crash. White spheres are yanked from the chests of DARRYL, COLE, and GLENN and disappear through the walls. DARRYL falls forward, exhausted, and passes out on the floor. GLENN passes out in LEO’s arms, against his hold.]

[Cut to the attic. As the smoke clears, the white spheres containing their powers emerge through the wall and enter PRUE and PHOEBE. They stiffen at first, then relax. The old parchment spell sent by THE ELDERS glows and then turns to dust, which is swept away by a magical wind. PRUE and PHOEBE share questioning looks, then PRUE wiggles her index finger and the copper pot rises from the table.]

[Cut to the Underworld. MELINDA has her miniature fingers curled around PIPER’s finger. With her other hand, PIPER is stroking CHRIS’s soft baby brown hair.]

[Flashback: PRUE, PIPER, PHOEBE, and PATTY are standing on the sidewalk outside of the jailhouse in 1975.]

PATTY: He tried to kill me. Phoebe, too. I had to give him immunity to your powers in exchange for your lives. I’d rather love you as mortal daughters, than have to mourn you as dead witches.

PIPER: But he’s gonna kill us anyway to get our powers.

[Cut back to the present. PIPER lifts her soft brown eyes to PAIGE, who doesn’t appear to have moved at all since she was brought to the lair. A white sphere suddenly descents from the cave and makes its way over to PAIGE, where it buries itself into her chest. PIPER’s breath hitches.]

PIPER: (whispering) Paige? (PAIGE manages a weak whimper.) Oh thank god!

(THE QUEEN flames in.)

THE QUEEN: Time has run out. (She grins viciously.) What’s your decision? (A fireball morphs into her hand and she aims at PAIGE.)

[Cut to Prue and Phoebe. PRUE holds up vial, containing the last bit of PAIGE’s blood. PHOEBE takes the athame she used in the blood ritual earlier and this time slices her palm. As red liquid oozes from the slit, PRUE also slits her palm. The sisters place their hands side-to-side and PRUE tilts the vial over their hands, emptying the last few drops of their sister’s blood onto their cuts. Once empty, PRUE and PHOEBE clasp their hands together.]

PRUE & PHOEBE: “The Power of Three will set them free!
The Power of Three will set them free!
The Power of Three will set them free!”

[Cut to the Underworld. PIPER stares defiantly at THE QUEEN.]

PIPER: I’ll die before you get your petty hands on my children!

(THE QUEEN shivers furiously.)

THE QUEEN: So be it! (She casts the fireball at PAIGE. But as it nears here, a shower of lights engulfs her body and she vanishes.) Wh-what?! (She turns to see PIPER and the TWINS also disappearing from inside the force field, also in the same winking white whirl of lights.) No! (She lunges at the force field, but it vanishes as PIPER and the TWINS do, causing her to fall and stumble to the ground, staring at the empty lair in defeat.)

[Cut to Prue and Phoebe.]

PRUE & PHOEBE: “The Power of Three will set them free!
The Power of Three will set them free!
The Power of Three will set them free!”

(Two columns of white twinkles deposit PAIGE and PIPER with the TWINS before PRUE and PHOEBE. PRUE and PHOEBE break hands excitedly and run to their sisters.)

PIPER: Hurry, where’s Leo?

(PRUE drops down next to PAIGE, pulling her moaning sister into her arms.)

PRUE: Oh, Paige, it’s gonna be alright!

(LEO runs in, looking like he’s in pain, obviously because of PAIGE’s condition. PIPER steps out of the way, allowing her husband to reach her sister. He places his hand over her drying wounds and his healing glow consumes her. She whimpers and moves listlessly under his hands as the blood disappears, the wounds close up, and her clothes knit themselves back together. PRUE, PIPER, and PHOEBE each seem to heave a sigh of relief as the glow vanishes, revealing their sister brand new again. PAIGE opens her eyes, meeting LEO’s.)

PAIGE: Leo?

LEO: Welcome back.

(PAIGE sees PRUE.)

PAIGE: Wh-what’s going on?

(PRUE hugs PAIGE.)

PRUE: All you need to know is that you’re home and you’re fine now.

[Time lapse. DARRYL, COLE, and GLENN are in the kitchen. GLENN has a bag of frozen peas stuck to his head. His eyes are fluttering tiredly. DARRYL is nursing a cup of chamomile tea.]

GLENN: Oh man, I feel like I got run over with a truck. (He removes the frozen peas, revealing a welt on the side of his face. He glares at DARRYL. He fingers his welt gingerly.) Man, (to DARRYL) did you really have to hit me with a shoe?

DARRYL: (defensively) It’s not like I did it on purpose ya know.

(The SISTERS and LEO come in, also with the TWINS. PHOEBE grins brightly.)

PHOEBE: We got Piper’s magic back from Leo and now everything is cosmically right again.

PAIGE: Except for the fact that The Queen is still out there and still wanting our powers and still wanting the Twins’ powers and-

PRUE: Alright, we get the point!

(PAIGE slumps down at the table.)

PAIGE: It just scares me, that’s all. She came really close to actually scoring today.

PHOEBE: And for once, The Elders actually turned out to be useful.

PIPER: A sure sign of the apocalypse, right?

(PRUE points her finger.)

PRUE: Don’t even joke.

GLENN: (to PAIGE) I don’t know how you live with those powers day in and day out…they’re exhausting!

LEO: Well, they also aren’t meant for mortals to handle, which is why they almost destroyed you.

(The doorbell rings.)

PIPER: That’s probably Sheila. (She turns around.) I’ll go let her in. (She walks out. PAIGE gets up and places her hand on GLENN’s shoulder.)

PAIGE: Do you want to hang out a little longer, or would you like me to take you home?

GLENN: No offense, but I think I’ve kind of overstayed my welcome here today.

PAIGE: That’s kind of what I thought you’d say.

GLENN: But uh! (He raises his finger.) Can you just drive me home instead? Given the somersault effect orbing has on my stomach, it might not be such a wise idea to do that right now.

PAIGE: Oh, (she bites her lip) yeah, of course. Sorry…

(PIPER and SHEILA MORRIS walk in. SHEILA sees DARRYL’s poor state.)

SHEILA: Darryl! (She walks over to him and touches his forehead.) What happened?

(DARRYL looks around the room.)

DARRYL: Uh…

GLENN: Bar fight.

SHEILA: (disbelieving) A bar fight?

GLENN: Yeah… (He reveals his face welt.) I guess you could say that this guy wouldn’t, uh, mind, his own business, and hit me with a shoe.

SHEILA: A shoe?

(GLENN shrugs.)

GLENN: I can’t really explain it, he was crazy. (DARRYL glares.) Anyway, Darryl broke it up.

(SHEILA nods.)

SHEILA: Oh.

DARRYL: (to GLENN) Well I’m sorry, again, about the shoe… (SHEILA looks a little confused, but says nothing.) Where do you live?

GLENN: Why?

DARRYL: Well I was thinking that if it’s on the way, Sheila and I could just give you a ride…call it even?

(Again, SHEILA frowns. PAIGE nods.)

PAIGE: Oh, that would be perfect!

(DARRYL smiles sheepishly at SHEILA.)

SHEILA: Well…I suppose that would be okay…

(PAIGE grabs a pencil and piece of scratch paper from the kitchen drawer and jots down GLENN’s address. She hands it to SHEILA. GLENN winks at DARRYL which goes unnoticed by SHEILA, then GLENN nods to SHEILA.)

GLENN: Thanks.

SHEILA: Of course, (she motions to the sisters) any friend of the Halliwells’ is a friend of ours. (She looks at her watch.) Are you both ready to go? (DARRYL and GLENN get up.) You’ll have to sit in the back with the kids though, I hope that’s okay.

(GLENN grins.)

GLENN: No problem, Mrs. Morris, I love kids.

(SHEILA shrugs.)

SHEILA: Alright then. (She waves to the SISTER, LEO, and COLE. PAIGE and GLENN share a quick kiss and then he leaves with DARRYL and SHEILA.)

COLE: I should probably get going too. I never finished finalizing some documents today and this is the deadline. (PHOEBE frowns a little, but kisses COLE on the cheek.)

PHOEBE: What time do you think you’ll be home?

COLE: Mmm, (he looks at his watch) probably around nine.

(PHOEBE nods, a little disappointed.)

PHOEBE: See you then, I guess.

(COLE kisses her cheek and shimmers out.)

PIPER: (to LEO) Uh, honey? Do you think you could take the kids back to the house for me? (She motions to her sisters.) We need to talk.

PHOEBE: We do? (PIPER hits PHOEBE’s arm.) Oh! Yes, talk, a big, long talk. (PAIGE and PRUE eye PHOEBE and PIPER suspiciously.)

LEO: Oh, uh, sure. (He scoops CHRIS and MELINDA out of the baby sling.) We’ll see you later…hopefully soon?

PIPER: It shouldn’t take too long, hopefully. (They kiss and LEO orbs out. PRUE sits down at the table.)

PRUE: So, what’s the big secret?

(PIPER folds her arms.)

PIPER: That’s what we (she looks at PHOEBE) would like to know.

PAIGE: What?

PHOEBE: Do either of you have anything you’d like to share with us? Any big news?

PAIGE: Like what?

(Silence. Piper finally digs into her jacket pocket and reveals the baggy wrapped EPT.)

PIPER: Like, who this belongs to, for starters?

(PAIGE’s mouth falls open.)

PAIGE: Where did you get that?!

PHOEBE: So it is you! Paige, why didn’t you tell us earlier? (She tilts her head.) Or were you just waiting to tell Glenn first?

PAIGE: Glenn?

PHOEBE: Well, it is Glenn’s, right? I mean, I heard you guys talking about “something important” today and-

PAIGE: Yeah, concert tickets!

PHOEBE: Concert tickets? (pause) So it’s-

PRUE: Mine.

(PIPER, PHOEBE, and PAIGE turn to PRUE in shock.)

PIPER: Why didn’t you say anything?

(PRUE gets up and swipes the bag from PIPER.)

PRUE: Why were you digging through our trash?

PIPER: It was an accident.

PHOEBE: (to PRUE) Stop avoiding the question.

(PRUE looks away.)

PRUE: I didn’t think there was anything to say.

PIPER: A baby is nothing? Prue, this is huge!

PRUE: I know. (pause) And I also know that I’m not ready for it.

PIPER: Not ready for it? Uh, Prue, that test is positive, it’s not a matter of being ready anymore, it’s a matter of preparing.

PRUE: (frustrated) This isn’t what I wanted, Piper!

PIPER: Really? What about that talk we had in Vegas? What about wanting to have a family like mine?

PRUE: And does a magical deadbeat dad and single Charmed mom sound like a family like yours, Piper?! (She throws up her hands.) Yes, of course I want a family some day, but not like this! Not an unplanned pregnancy with no man to speak of! I want a caring husband like Leo and I want children on my own terms! (She shakes her head.) I just…I don’t think I can do this, not now, I’m not ready to be a mother like this.

PIPER: So what? (She stares at her sister in disbelief.) You want to do what Mom did? (She shakes her head.) Oh, that’s just rich. You realize that Mom gave Paige up because she had no other choice! But you, you aren’t in a forbidden relationship and you have an entire family to help you, and yet you have the audacity to-

PRUE: (quietly) I’m not talking about adoption, Piper.

PIPER: What? Then what… (Her mouth drops open in realization.) Oh my god… (She puts her hand to her mouth and begins to shake her head.) All my life, I have looked up to you and idolized you, because I knew that you always did the right thing, but right now, (her bottom lip quivers) I can’t believe what I’m hearing. (She raises her finger.) You have been given a gift, a precious, beautiful gift and yet you’re actually considering throwing that gift away because things didn’t go according to the 'Great Plan of Prue Halliwell'? (She touches her stomach.) You know that some people get their gifts (yelling) ripped away from them-

PRUE: This is not about you-

(PIPER raises her finger.)

PIPER: (furiously) Shut up! (She breaths heavily as she eyes PRUE.) I can barely stand to look at you right now, Prue. I can’t even believe it…I never thought my own big sister could be so selfish!

PRUE: You don’t understand!

PIPER: No, I think I understand perfectly. (pause) You’ve been blessed and yet you’re willing to destroy that blessing…you know, some people would give the world to have their blessing back, and yet you just… (She turns away.) God, I can’t do this, I can’t be here listening to this!

(PIPER turns sharply and leaves, slamming the door to the kitchen behind herself. PRUE cringes at vibration the slam causes. She closes her eyes and swallows hard before looking at PHOEBE. PHOEBE looks anxiously between the door and PRUE.)

PHOEBE: (softly) You know I’m all about the freedom of choice, (she touches PRUE’s hand) so whatever you decide, I’ll back you up…but my only request is that you be absolutely positive one way or another. (She turns away.) I uh, I’m gonna go find Piper now. (She leaves. As the door shuts, PRUE turns to PAIGE with an emotionless expression. She waves her hand.)

PRUE: Go ahead, it’s your turn to tell me I’m wrong too.

(Silence.)

PAIGE: I hope you know what you’re doing.

(PAIGE turns promptly and walks out, leaving PRUE standing alone in the middle of the kitchen, alone.)

[The Virtual Series]

End Credits

Co-Starring
Jack Sauffer --- Cat Demon
Christopher Lofton --- Fireball Demon
Kristine Sutherland --- Mrs. Belland
Brody Jo Hamilton --- Melinda Halliwell
Jackson Phillip Deveraux Kaufman --- Chris Halliwell

Featuring
David Shumbris --- Demon
Drew Schwartz --- Demon #1
John Elsen --- Demon #2
Timothy Busfield --- Demon #3

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