6x21: Magick The Gathering

[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
DORIAN GREGORY...Darryl Morris
CHELSEA BRUMMET...Melinda Halliwell
DREW FULLER...Chris Halliwell

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.

6.21 MAGICK THE GATHERING

GUEST-STARRING:
T.W. KING
FINOLA HUGHES
JENNIFER RHODES
MARISOL NICHOLS
TYLER LAYTON
SOPHIA BUSH
MATTHEW WOODWARD
SHAWN CHRISTIAN
DAKIN MATTHEWS
SIMON TEMPLEMAN
TIA CARRERE
DELLA REESE
BILLY ZANE

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...T.W. King

[The Virtual Series]

Magick The Gathering

Teaser

[Scene: A massive circular plateau which seems to levitate in space. M.C. Escher’s symmetrical “Angels and Demons” artwork adorns the giant space and is illuminated by a bright, ethereal glow. At the center of the plateau is a ridged gray circle, approximately five feet in circumference. Engulfing the black and white sphere is a black void, which stretches onto infinity, like its own universe. In a gray shadow of light, PRUE HALLIWELL, PHOEBE HALLIWELL, PAIGE MATTHEWS, PIPER HALLIWELL, LEO WYATT, CHRIS HALLIWELL, and BIANCA PERRY are transported onto the plateau. The sisters tilt their heads back as they examine their new surroundings in astonishment. PHOEBE spies the floor and points to it. Her mouth opens slightly, but PRUE quickly speaks up before PHOEBE can get the chance.]

PRUE: (angrily) Where the hell are we?

(The sisters look expectantly at LEO.)

CHRIS: The trial.

(PIPER arches her head towards her son.)

PIPER: The trial? You mean Andy’s trial?

(As if to answer her question, two glass tables appear on each side of the plateau. A gate appears, separating the sisters from the tables. Directly ahead of the glass tables, a towering court bench appears, like one belonging in the U.S. Supreme Court, though this bench only contains four empty chairs instead of nine.)

PHOEBE: (to CHRIS) If this is Andy’s trial, then where is he?

(PAIGE suddenly points to the left end of the court bench. A convergence of silver orbs twinkle in front of the chair, outlining the shape of a woman. The orbs quickly converge and die away, leaving a youthful, dark haired, olive toned woman who appears to be Filipina.)

PAIGE: (whispering) Who the heck is that?

(As she speaks, swirling navy blue and black shadows converge in the chair at the opposite end of the bench, filling the seat with the ANGEL OF DEATH. Beside him, a rainbow prism of light fills the next chair, shifting into the shape of a human sized diamond before depositing an older looking woman with rich brown skin and warm, plump features. Finally, from the black depths of the surrounding abyss, a golden comet of light rushes overhead and hits the final chair, transforming into the ANGEL OF DESTINY. PRUE takes a defiant step forward.)

PRUE: (demandingly) Where are we?

AFRICAN WOMAN: You currently reside in the Court of the Founders, Prudence.

(LEO’s mouth drops open.)

PIPER: The Founders as in…the ones in charge of The Elders?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: That would be correct, Piper. (He bows his head.) While we’ve met before, I’m afraid we’ve never been formally introduced. (He motions to his left, where the FILIPINA WOMAN is seated.) This is the ANGEL OF CHOICE, my counterpart if you will.

(The ANGEL OF CHOICE nods her head respectfully.)

ANGEL OF CHOICE: As my title may suggest to you, I protect humankind’s freewill.

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY then motions to the woman to his right.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: And this is the Angel of Life.

ANGEL OF LIFE: Just as the Angel of Death oversees one’s journey to the afterlife, I see a soul’s journey to conception and, if applicable, reincarnation.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: As you can see, we form a delicate balance. We are all neutral beings charged with protecting the Grand Design. If the Grand Design is destroyed, then so are we.

ANGEL OF LIFE: Which is why breaching the world of the living after one’s destiny is over is such a serious offense.

(She raises her hand and ANDREW TRUDEAU appears at the table on the right, dressed in a gray jumpsuit. His hands and feet are bound with glowing shackles.)

PRUE: (whispering in shock) Andy!

(ANDY looks up, painfully eyeing PRUE, but he doesn’t speak.)

ANGEL OF DEATH: And in equal offense is conspiring and aiding such a crime against the Grand Design.

(He motions his hand and the incorporeal forms of MELINDA WARREN, PENNY HALLIWELL, and PATRICIA HALLIWELL appear behind ANDY. Each of the women are dressed in gray dresses, also with translucent glowing shackles binding their hands and feet.)

ANGEL OF DEATH: Which is why in addition to the trial of Andrew David Trudeau, the following names will also be on trial…

ANGEL OF CHOICE: Melinda Grace Jackson-

MELINDA WARREN: (interrupting) Warren.

ANGEL OF CHOICE: You choose to be address by your maiden name?

MELINDA WARREN: I do.

ANGEL OF CHOICE: As you wish. (She glances down at her fellow Founders.) Let the record reflect Melinda Grace Warren, (she turns her attention back to MELINDA WARREN’s other two spiritual descendants) Penelope Lenore… (She looks questioningly at PENNY.)

PENNY: (monotonously) Halliwell.

ANGEL OF CHOICE: (nodding) Penelope Lenore Halliwell, and Patricia Michelle Halliwell.

(The sisters’ heads whip around.)

PIPER: (shocked) What does Mom have to do with this?

PRUE: (pointing) What do you mean they’re on trial! They can’t be on trial, this doesn’t involve-

ANGEL OF DEATH: Silence!

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY motions towards the five foot disc in the center of the plateau.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: All of your questions will be revealed in time. (Seven chairs appear behind LEO, CHRIS, BIANCA, and the sisters.) Please take your seats and the trial shall commence.

Clickable Credits.

[The Virtual Series]

{SCENE: }

Act One

[Scene: Piper and Leo’s house. Living room. MELINDA HALLIWELL is asleep on the couch. The DVD menu for “Music and Lyrics” is playing on a loop on the television screen and a bowl of half eaten popcorn is on the floor while MELINDA’s arm is hanging over the side of the couch, lying in the bowl. The sound of crying can be heard and MELINDA slowly begins to wake up. She moves her hand and the popcorn bowl knocks over, spilling the greasy popcorn onto the floor. MELINDA sits up and her hair is skew. A small wet spot is on the cushion where her face had been resting. She groans and runs her hands through her hair, then frowns and sniffs her hand, then licks her finger.]

MELINDA: Mmm… (She sees the fallen popcorn on the floor and groans. She notices the sun spilling in through the sliding glass door and frowns. The sound of crying continues from down the hall.) Hey! (She hops up.) Doesn’t anybody hear that?

(She wanders from the living room into the hallway, then follows the crying down the hall to her own room, where she finds BABY MELINA HALLIWELL bawling in her crib. She rubs her buttery hand on her Care Bear pajama bottoms and then scoops herself up from the crib.)

MELINDA: Oh man, I can feel that lumpy diaper from here. Geeze, where are Mom and Dad when you need ‘em?

(MELINDA strolls over to the changing counter and lays BABY MELINDA down. She pulls out a clean diaper, a box of wipes, and some baby powder from the changing table cupboard and sets them down beside BABY MELINDA. MELINDA sniffs the air.)

MELINDA: Well that’s unusual…I don’t even smell breakfast cooking. (She wads up BABY MELINDA's wet diaper and tosses it into the Diaper Genie, then she grabs a wipe and begins to wipe down BABY MELINDA.) In fact…I don’t even hear anyone else in the house. (She applies some baby powder to her infant self and then fits on BABY MELINDA’s fresh diaper.) Actually…

(MELINDA hoists BABY MELINDA onto her hip and carries her out of her room. They move to CHRIS' room, where MELINDA spies BABY CHRIS HALLIWELL still asleep in his crib, then she carries BABY MELINDA down the hall to her parents’ room where she knocks on the door and gets no answer.)

MELINDA: Mom? Dad? (She twists the door handle and walks inside to find the room completely empty. She turns quickly, eyeing the bathroom, but it too is empty. Then from the corner of her eye she spots the calendar opened to “December 2003” and her breath hitches.) The trial!

[Scene: The Founders’ Court. The ANGEL OF CHOICE is addressing the people on the plateau.]

ANGEL OF CHOICE: As a matter of procedure, we’ll need a being acting on behalf of the court-

PRUE: I thought you said the court was neutral?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: We are.

PRUE: But you are referring to someone who will act as a District Attorney, are you not?

ANGEL OF LIFE: Yes, this individual will be working only in the interest of the cosmic law. (She glances at her fellow Founders.)

ANGEL OF CHOICE: We’re in agreement, then?

ANGEL OF DEATH, ANGEL OF DESTINY, & ANGEL OF LIFE: Yes.

(The ANGEL OF CHOICE nods.)

ANGEL OF CHOICE: So be it.

(The ANGEL OF LIFE raises her hand and a corporeal version of the former whitelighter NATALIE FIELDS appears in the middle of the room. She’s wearing a crisp charcoal gray pantsuit. An audible gasp is heard from LEO and the sisters.)

PHOEBE: Wait a minute! If the court can have a D.A. then don’t Andy and Mom and Grams and Melinda have the right to have representation as well?

ANGEL OF CHOICE: Correct. (She looks at the defense table.) You may represent yourselves or you have the option of choosing representation…Choose wisely.

PAIGE: (disbelieving) Right now? Spur of the moment?

PATTY: (speaking up) We’ve already made our decision.

PHOEBE: (to PATTY) You have?

ANGEL OF DEATH: (to the sisters) You’re not permitted to speak unless addressed, thank you.

(The ANGEL OF CHOICE nods.)

ANGEL OF CHOICE: Are you all in agreement?

MELINDA WARREN, PENNY, & ANDY: Yes.

ANGEL OF CHOICE: So noted. Who shall represent you?

PATTY: Former San Francisco Assistant District Attorney, Cole Turner.

(PHOEBE’s eyes grow.)

PHOEBE: (choking) Wh-what?

(The ANGEL OF LIFE raises her hand, and standing opposite NATALIE, in front of ANDY’s glass table, COLERIDGE TURNER appears, dressed sharply in a charcoal gray suit and ruby red tie. He bows his head respectfully before The Founders.)

COLE: (respectfully) Founders.

(PHOEBE’s hands fly to her mouth as she stares, awestruck at her former lover, who appears just as alive as she remembers him.)

PHOEBE: (whispering) Cole!

(PIPER lays her hand on PHOEBE’s knee.)

PIPER: (whispering to PHOEBE) Looks like they’re gonna win this one after all, doesn’t it?

(LEO twists his head back and forth between NATALIE and COLE.)

LEO: (mumbling to himself) Of all the ways this could’ve gone, this has got to be the most ironic.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: (to COLE and NATALIE) Are you ready to present?

(COLE waves his arm to NATALIE.)

COLE: Absolutely.

(COLE slips around the table, without once looking behind him. A seat materializes next to ANDY, and COLE promptly sits down as NATALIE moves towards the disc in the center of the room, but stops three feet shy of it.)

NATALIE: I’d like to begin by calling up Melinda Warren.

(A chair materializes beside the disc and suddenly MELINDA WARREN disappears from behind the glass defense table and rematerializes in the chair. PIPER stands up in a rush.)

PIPER: Wait just one minute! Don’t they have the right to remain silent?

ANGEL OF DEATH: This is not the United States justice system, Mrs. Halliwell. Things work differently here. (He points.) Please take your seat…and I strongly suggest you and your family resist the urge to interrupt again or consequences will ensue. (Without waiting for a response, he returns his attention to NATALIE.) Continue.

NATALIE: Ms. Warren, for the record, what powers do you possess?

MELINDA WARREN: The power to move things with my mind, the power to freeze, and the power to see the past and future.

(NATALIE nods.)

NATALIE: Would you please pass you hand over the circle beside you?

(MELINDA WARREN brushes her hand through the air. Suddenly a bright hologram projects up from the disc on the floor.)

[Cut to the hologram. PRUE, PIPER, PHOEBE, and PAIGE are in the attic of the Manor with The Source of All Evil.]

PAIGE: “Patricia, Penelope, Prudence, Melinda!”

(Wind starts to pick up in the attic, causing the sisters' hair to fly in their faces. Then it turns into a tornado-type funnel surrounding THE SOURCE.)

PHOEBE: “Astrid, Helena, Laura, and Grace!”

(Around THE SOURCE, a blazing ring of flames erupts that grows more prevalent due to the raging funnel of wind. PRUE scrambles to her feet, grabbing a hold of PHOEBE’s arm again.)

PIPER: “Warren witches stand strong beside us!”

(The flames, empowered by the raging wind, leap onto his black cloak and spring upwards, disintegrating the black cloth.)

PRUE: “Vanquish this evil from time and space!”

(The fire seems to grow brighter as they claw their way up THE SOURCE. The flames finally reach THE SOURCE's black hood and it dissolves into dust, revealing the one-eyed, yellowed and scarred face of THE SOURCE. The sisters grip their hands together, bracing themselves. THE SOURCE roars as his body shatters outwards and its particles fly in all different directions. A nova-like blast that is so powerful that all four Charmed Ones are ripped apart from each other and fly in all different directions, momentarily whites out everything in sight until PAIGE appears. She is sailing for the windows as white hot flames come at her. Orbs engulf her body and she vanishes as the fire swarms the space where she just was and then shoots out the windows, instantly melting the colorful stained glass and disintegrating the wood. Meanwhile, PRUE’s body shatters into the wall and her hands fly up in front of her instinctively as the flames run at her. Suddenly, the flames curve and arch around her, impaling the wall and burning through it easily, but leaving the eldest witch unharmed. Again, in another part of the room, PIPER is thrown into a pile of debris and as the burning flames come at her, she raises her hands and clamps her eyes shut. The flames freeze in a white hot wall less than three inches away. And finally, against the opposite wall from PRUE, PHOEBE gasps as she flies across the room. The flames race at her, engulfing her completely. When they disappear, all that remains is a pile of ash.)

[Cut back to the present. NATALIE eyes MELINDA WARREN impatiently.]

NATALIE: Can you tell us about this hologram, Ms. Warren?

MELINDA WARREN: It was a premonition-

NATALIE: (pointedly) Yours?

MELINDA WARREN: Yes.

NATALIE: And when did you receive this prophetic vision?

MELINDA WARREN: In September 2001.

NATALIE: And when you discovered that one of the Charmed Ones was destined to die, what was your course of action?

MELINDA WARREN: I informed The Elders of my vision. I had hoped that They would inform the sisters so that they could be armed with the knowledge to protect themselves…Phoebe, specifically.

NATALIE: And what did The Elders tell you?

MELINDA WARREN: That They would not inform the sisters of my vision…and that I was not to either.

NATALIE: And why do you believe that was?

COLE: Objection! Speculation on part of the witness. She’s already testified about her powers, none of which are telepathy, and therefore could not know the reason for The Elders’ decision to not inform the Charmed Ones of her premonition.

(The Founders share quick glances with one another and then the ANGEL OF CHOICE nods.)

ANGEL OF CHOICE: Sustained.

(NATALIE pinches her lips together and takes a step to the side so she’s standing directly in front of MELINDA WARREN.)

NATALIE: Did you inform anyone else of your vision, Ms. Warren?

MELINDA WARREN: Yes.

NATALIE: Whom?

MELINDA WARREN: Two of my descendants, Penny and Patty Halliwell.

NATALIE: Before or after you told The Elders of your vision?

MELINDA WARREN: Before.

NATALIE: And when The Elders forbade you to inform the Charmed Ones, did you also let Penelope and Patricia know?

MELINDA WARREN: Yes.

NATALIE: And what were their reactions.

COLE: Again, objection. Ms. Warren is not an empath-

NATALIE: Withdrawn. (She pauses, then motions her hand.) Please, motion your hand over the Circle of Truth, once more.

(MELINDA WARREN swipes her hand over the disc and another hologram appears.)

[Cut to the hologram. MELINDA WARREN is standing with PENNY and PATTY in a picturesque setting, which looks like a Garden of Eden with lush, flowering bushes and fruitful trees. A stream can be seen in the distance, with a breathtaking majestic purple mountain range and paved golden pathways lined with colorful flowers. The three women are standing before a gurgling white marble fountain, which is drowning out part of their hushed conversation.]

MELINDA WARREN: They said no.

PENNY: (outraged) No?!

PATTY: But-but how? Why? Phoebe will die if they don’t know!

MELINDA WARREN: They said I wasn’t to intervene.

PENNY: (furiously) Insanity! I won’t accept this-

MELINDA WARREN: Maybe they’re supposed to come into this knowledge on their own?

PATTY: You think Phoebe will get the same premonition?

PENNY: Ridiculous. You had this vision for a reason-

PATTY: Maybe not. Perhaps Melinda’s vision was just complimentary? It’s not like it hasn’t happened before.

PENNY: (shaking her head) I don’t buy it. (She folds her arms stubbornly.) We need to talk to Them again, force them to understand the importance-

PATTY: (interrupting) Mother. (She touches PENNY’s shoulder.) You need to calm down-

PENNY: Or what? I’ll have a heart attack? (She raises her eyebrows.) I don’t need to calm down, I need to inform the girls-

PATTY: Why don’t we give it a while? We’ll watch them…see if The Elders and Melinda are right, maybe Phoebe will have a vision of her own? (She swallows, clearly a little uneasy with her own proposed solution.) But it’s no use going head-to-head with The Elders right away. We don’t know the whole story yet.

PENNY: (annoyed) Well you would know about going head-to-head with Them, wouldn’t you?

(PATTY glares.)

PATTY: Clearly we’re not going to get anywhere with you in one of your moods. Come find me when you’re more level headed. (She turns, smiles at MELINDA, and then stalks off.)

PENNY: (snorting) Children!

MELINDA WARREN: (staring at PENNY) Indeed.

[Cut back to the present. The hologram dies away and NATALIE smugly steps back.]

NATALIE: No more questions. (She glances at Cole.) Your witness.

(NATALIE slides into her chair behind her glass topped table as COLE rises from his seat and strolls towards MELINDA WARREN.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Two

[Scene: The Founders’ Court. MELINDA WARREN is still seated in the chair beside the Circle of Truth and COLE is on the floor, positioned with one foot on one of the floor’s demons and the other foot on one of the floor’s angels.]

COLE: How many times have you ever… (He darts a discrete glance towards the ANGEL OF CHOICE.) …willfully ignored one of your visions?

MELINDA WARREN: (offended) Never! I have always used my visions as they were intended, to protect innocents and the future. To ignore a vision would be like…like… (she eyes NATALIE) …like a whitelighter ignoring the call of her charge.

COLE: Thank you. (He turns back to his seat.) No more questions.

(NATALIE rises to her feet.)

NATALIE: Redirect?

(The ANGEL OF DESTINY nods her on.)

NATALIE: How many times have you used magic for personal gain?

COLE: Objection! Argumentative.

NATALIE: The defendant’s use of magic is on trial here, I do believe it is a valid inquiry.

ANGEL OF LIFE: Overruled. (to MELINDA WARREN) Please answer.

MELINDA WARREN: Never.

NATALIE: Never? (She frowns.) Not even to hide your illegitimate child?

MELINDA WARREN: That was not personal gain! I was protecting him from his father.

NATALIE: Ah, Matthew Tate, correct? The warlock who fathered your child due to an illicit affair while your husband-

COLE: Objection! (He rises to his feet.) Melinda Warren’s personal life is not on trial here!

ANGEL OF CHOICE: Sustained.

(NATALIE motions her hand.)

NATALIE: Ms. Warren, if you would-

(In annoyance, MELINDA motions her hand over the Circle of Truth.)

[Cut to the hologram. MELINDA is scooping potato soup into bowls at the table. In the corner of the room, BABY PRUDENCE is in her cradle, which is rocking by itself. MELINDA looks over at her daughter and smiles. The front door opens and MELINDA jumps and the cradle abruptly stops rocking as ADAM JACKSON and MATTHEW TATE enter.]

[Cut back to the present. NATALIE frowns.]

NATALIE: The mind that rocks the cradle… (sarcastically) Certainly no personal gain there.

MELINDA WARREN: (angrily) “Harm ye none, do what ye will!”

NATALIE: Harm. (She pauses beside her chair.) That is the exact reason you’re on trial here right now, isn’t it Ms. Warren? (MELINDA opens her mouth, but NATALIE quickly cuts her off.) No more questions.

(MELINDA rematerializes behind the defense table again. NATALIE uses her fingers to smooth the front of her pantsuit.)

NATALIE: I’d like to call my next witness to the Circle, Penelope Halliwell.

(PENNY now materializes in the chair beside the Circle of Truth. She gives NATALIEe a dark, defiant stare which NATALIE returns in earnest.)

NATALIE: Ms. Halliwell, you’re a skilled witch, are you not?

PENNY: I’m a High Priestess.

NATALIE: Then you’re well aware of the rules of Wicca and magic, correct?

PENNY: (sourly) Yes.

NATALIE: And you would know the policy on personal gain?

PENNY: Yes-

NATALIE: (sharply) Which you’ve ignored on multiple occasions. (She motions her hand.) Please, motion your hand over the Circle.

(PENNY doesn’t budge. NATALIE turns to look at the Founders.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: (to PENNY) Force may be used, if necessary.

(Angrily, PENNY swipes her arm over the Circle.)

[Cut to the hologram. A solar eclipse is in the sky, overlooking the back patio of PRUE’s ex’s house. DEREK and PENNY are on the patio.]

DEREK: (sputtering) I-I didn’t t-touch Prue!

PAST PENNY: Like hell you didn’t! (She waves her arm and DEREK’s feet fall out from under him, causing him to fall flat on his back with a loud crunch.) Didn’t your mother ever teach you any respect?!

DEREK: Please!

(PAST PENNY flings her arm and sends DEREK smacking into the side of the house.)

PAST PENNY: Did you think you could really get away with getting your kicks out of a 17-year-old girl? (She lifts her hand and DEREK is yanked off his feet, dangling in the air face-to-face with PENNY.) You make me sick! (DEREK’s face starts to turn red as he chokes, then PAST PENNY wiggles her fingers and he drops to the ground, gasping for breath.) Not so big now, are you?

DEREK: (whimpering) P-please don’t h-hurt me!

(PAST PENNY stares murderously at DEREK for several moments, then she produces a potion from pocket.)

PAST PENNY: Like you hurt Prue? (She throws the potion at his feet and a brown cloud rises around DEREK. DEREK begins to shrink and morph until he’s a miniature poodle. PAST PENNY bends down to the object she placed on the ground when she arrived and opens it up, revealing that it’s a pet carrier. She waves her hand and POODLE DEREK begins to yap as he slides into the pet taxi. PAST PENNY seals the door and stands up, glaring through the door as the little poodle cowers into the back.) Much better.

[Cut back to the present. NATALIE looks shocked, but recovers quickly.]

NATALIE: To be honest, Ms. Halliwell, that was not what I was expecting to view…but it does give us valuable insight into your true nature. (She motions her hand.) As a High Priestess, you know the laws against personal gain and you know your job is protect the innocent, not to harm others, yet you deliberately did so by turning that young man into an animal.

PENNY: (angrily) He was already an animal. He tried to violate my granddaughter!

NATALIE: Nevertheless, you are not in charge of punishing the guilty…and yet you purposely made sure to go behind the backs of authority figures to get your way, as evidenced by the previous act being accomplished during a solar eclipse, when you knew - as a High Priestess with such extensive knowledge as yours would be - that the world was unavailable to oversight by The Elders at that specific time.

PENNY: (through gritted teeth) He was a dog…the punishment fit the crime.

(NATALIE shakes her head, clearly looking pleased with PENNY’s emotional reaction.)

NATALIE: And when, exactly, did you become judge, jury, and executioner, Ms. Halliwell?

COLE: Object-

NATALIE: Withdrawn. (She glances back at COLE, purses her lips, and returns her attention to PENNY.) If you would, Ms. Halliwell, (she motions her hand) the Circle of Truth…

(PENNY snarls under her breath as she passes her hand above the disc.)

[Cut to the hologram. PENNY and MELINDA WARRENappear to be in a heated conversation in the garden again, only this time it seems to be dark and the fountain is lit by an angelic glow. Footsteps can be heard up the path, preceding ANDY’s approach. His face is pale and he looks worried.]

ANDY: Have you heard any news about the premonition?

(PENNY whips her head around, eyeing him warily.)

PENNY: How did you find out about that?

ANDY: Patty told me. (He shakes his head.) I can’t believe they’re sitting on their asses and doing nothing! They can’t just let Phoebe die-

MELINDA WARREN: Andrew-

ANDY: No, that’s ridiculous! Those girls are like sisters to me. And they’re the best line of defense for the innocent that anyone could ever hope for! How can they just let one of them die like that?

(PENNY and MELINDA WARREN share a grave look.)

PENNY: It’s been two weeks since your vision and the girls have not yet discovered it for themselves…

MELINDA WARREN: But what can we do? I’ve been forbidden-

PENNY: I happen to have an idea… (She purses her lips.) An old friend once taught me a secret about All Hallows Eve…perhaps it could prove useful?

ANDY: What does All Hallows Eve have to do with saving Phoebe?

(PENNY smiles slightly.)

PENNY: It’s the day when the veils between worlds are the thinnest; a day when demons who know how can come back from the dead, if they know the secret…

[Cut back to the present. As the image fades away, NATALIE folds her arms.]

NATALIE: Demons do return from the dead on Samhain, but the question is, how did you know about it?

PENNY: I told you, (she lifts her hand in exasperation, and while not meaning to, a part of her swishing sleeve accidentally activates the hologram) an old friend. (Her eyes widen as the hologram springs forth.)

[Cut to the hologram. A dashingly handsome man in an old fashioned tailored suit and inky black goatee has PENNY pulled to his chest. One of his arms is holding her hands behind her back and the other is coiled around in front of her, holding a glinting blade to her throat. PENNY grits her teeth as the handsome man leans his lips close to her ear.]

HANDSOME MAN: (whispering seductively) Surprised to see me, Penelope?

PENNY: I knew you’d come crawling back eventually…Necromancer.

NECROMANCER: Oh, I’m hurt. We’re no longer on a first name basis?

PENNY: How do you keep coming back?

NECROMANCER: It’s a secret… (He suddenly pushes PENNY up against the wall and spins her around to face him. They lock eyes and then the he kisses her. The blade he’d been holding falls from his fingers with a clatter. PENNY closes her eyes.)

PENNY: (moaning) Armand…

(ARMAND frees her hands and she reaches up and presses them to the sides of his face as he uses his free hands to grab her hips and trail his hands up the sides of her body. Her shoulders relax as they end the deep kiss. She keeps her eyes on his though.)

PENNY: Tell me your secret.

ARMAND: How badly do you want to know? (He presses against the small of her back, pushing her to his chest. He leans close to her ear.) I’ll give you a clue, it has to do with the power of your favorite Sabbat.

PENNY: (whispering) Tell me. (She bunches up his shirt in her fists. ARMAND grins.)

ARMAND: I’ll tell you…but nothing’s free, Penelope. (He scoops her into his arms and they shimmer away.)

[Cut back to the present. PENNY looks mortified, while everyone else except for the Founders, appear shocked. At the back of the platform, the sisters also have their jaws wide open, but no one more than PHOEBE. PHOEBE keeps switching her eyes from the back of COLE’s head to her grandmother.]

PHOEBE: (whispering) Did I just see what I think I saw?

PIPER: (whispering) Grams kissing a demon?

PAIGE: (whispering) Not just kissing, that was-that was…some serious foreplay!

(PIPER cringes.)

PIPER: (whispering) Ewwww…ewww….I never wanted the image of Grams doing the dirty with anyone, let alone with a demon! Why did we have to see that?

PHOEBE: (whispering) Because it does help to explain a few things-

PRUE: (quietly) Like why I met “Matt” at the Halloween party…

PAIGE: (whispering) And why he only came back after Drea was born-

PIPER: (realizing) On Halloween.

[Scene: Piper and Leo’s house. Kitchen. BABY MELINDA is in her high chair, slapping her hands into a puddle of wet applesauce. MELINDA has applesauce matted in her hair and spattered across her face. There is a baby monitor on the counter and blaring from it is the sound of screaming. MELINDA presses her hands to her head.]

MELINDA: I’m going to remember this day the next time I think about having children! (She gets up from her chair and points to her infant self.) Don’t make a move! If you do, I’ll know. (She forms her index and middle finger into a peace sign and then points them at her temple and waves them back and forth.) I’m watching you! (She walks out of the kitchen and down the hall to her brother’s room, where she darts in to find BABY CHRIS wailing in his bed. She picks him up and makes a disgusted face.) Oh. God. Toxic!

(MELINDA carries BABY CHRIS over to the changing table and lays him down. He continues to wail and thrash as she attempts to take off his diaper. Then from the other room, she hears the house phone begin to ring.)

MELINDA: Oh for Isis’ Sake! (The phone continues to blare as she struggles to get BABY CHRIS’ smelly diaper off. The phone stops ringing.) Finally! (Her face pinches up like a lemon as she slides the diaper out from under him and quickly disposes of it in the Diaper Genie.) Seriously, that one almost made me barf. I hope you’re proud of yourself! I would’ve aimed for you, you know. (She turns her eyes away as she tackles her brother with the wet wipes. From the other room, the phone begins to ring again. She looks up in annoyance.) What the Hades is so important? Can’t you people just leave a message! I’m only one witch here!

(MELINDA manages to wrangle BABY CHRIS into a fresh diaper and hauls him up from the changing pad. As she leaves his room, the phone starts over with a new series of rings. In utter annoyance, she marches into the kitchen and picks up the phone.)

MELINDA: (loudly) Hello? (Her face softens ever so slightly.) Monica? No, Piper’s not here- (She bites her lip.) No, this is Tricia. I’m…I’m… (She looks over at BABY MELINDA.) Babysitting. (Her face falls.) Uh, no, I have no idea where she is but- (BABY CHRIS starts to cry again.) Well, I guess I could come down if you really need me but- (She closes her eyes and lightly begins to hit the side of her head with the phone.) Yeah, I’ll finish giving the kids breakfast and I’ll see you shortly. Bye. (She hangs up and stares in dismay at the messy kitchen and screaming little brother in her arms.) Oh, I so better get a big fat raise on my allowance in the new future.

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Three

[Scene: Duncan Road. Two boys, roughly around the ages of 7 and 9, are riding and pulling tricks on their skateboards up and down the sidewalks, in the gutters, and even on a wooden ramp that’s on the side of the street. A little girl, about 4 years old, wearing a pink and white Barbie bicycle helmet tugs her hot pink Barbie bike with her training wheels out of a gate and onto the sidewalk. She climbs onto her bike and begins to peddle down the sidewalk.]

LITTLE GIRL: (yelling to the boys) Wait for me! Wait for me! (She hurriedly steers her bike towards the boys.)

[Cut to Piper and Leo’s house. The garage door is open and MELINDA is leaning into the backseat of PIPER’s green jeep.]

[Cut to inside the jeep. BABY MELINDA is already strapped into her seat, but MELINDA is trying to strap BABY CHRIS in. BABY CHRIS keeps putting his hands in the way and then BABY MELINDA giggles and proceeds to freeze him. As BABY MELINDA freezes BABY CHRIS again, MELINDA growls in frustration and blinks at BABY CHRIS, unfreezing him. She quickly grabs his wrist, freezes him again, and buckles him in, then she glances at her miniature self and shakes her finger.]

MELINDA: What is with you today? You’re nothing but trouble! We’re one in the same here, you should be on my side! (She places her hands on her hips as BABY MELINDA giggles.) Are we possessed?

(BABY MELINDA giggles again and points at her brother, who unfreezes. BABY CHRIS begins to wriggle, only to realize he’s already been strapped into his seat. MELINDA smirks and then shuts the door. As she rounds the car, she hears yelling coming from the street. MELINDA stops and looks up. She sees the two little boys who were playing on their skateboards standing over the little girl, who is flailing on the ground, with her bicycle thrown to its side a few feet away.)

LITTLE BOY #1: Kaylie!

LITTLE BOY #2: (cupping his mouth) Help! Somebody, help!

(MELINDA darts out of the garage and across the street to the three children. She pushes the boys aside as the first boy begins to cry and kneels down beside KAYLIE, who is gasping on the ground.)

MELINDA: (urgently) What happened!

LITTLE BOY #1: W-w-e were racing and she-she started gasping and fell off her bike.

(MELINDA is staring at KAYLIE as she struggles to breath. Her eyes widen.)

MELINDA: (realizing) Oh my gosh, Kaylie Summers?

LITTLE BOY #2: She has-

MELINDA: Asthma! I know. (She looks up.) Where’s her inhaler?

LITTLE BOY #1: At home-

MELINDA: Go get it! Now!

(The first little boy runs off down the sidewalk as MELINDA begins to rub KAYLIE’s back in slow circle.)

MELINDA: Shh, shh…it’s okay, breath (she raises her hand above KAYLIE’s chest) slowly.

(Under MELINDA’s power of molecular deceleration, KAYLIE’s erratic chest begins to slow down, until it’s rising and falling at an even pace. Within moments, LITTLE BOY #1 comes running down the sidewalk again, this time behind a frantic woman, his mother, who is clutching KAYLIE’s inhaler.)

MRS. SUMMERS: Kaylie! Oh my God!

(MRS. SUMMERS drops to her knees beside MELINDA and presses the inhaler to KAYLIE’s mouth and gives her two quick breaths of the medicine. KAYLIE’s eyes flutter as she grasps her mother’s hand.)

MELINDA: She’s okay. (She smiles.) She’s gonna be fine. (She brushes her hand over KAYLIE’s as MRS. SUMMERS squeezes her daughter into a hug.)

MRS. SUMMERS: (to MELINDA) Thank you! Bless you, you saved my daughter’s life.

(MELINDA nods as she rises to her feet.)

MELINDA: Just take care of her, okay? (muttering) Make sure she becomes the next Michaela Jordan after all.

(MELINDA heads back across the street and back into the garage, where she peeks into the back window to make sure the twins are still okay, and then climbs into the driver’s seat and fires up the car.)

[Scene: The Founders’ Court. PATTY’s spirit is seated in the witness chair beside the Circle of Truth. A hologram of PATTY and MELINDA is projecting from the circle.]

[Cut to the hologram. PATTY is standing before the fountain in the afterlife garden. Her eyes are focused on the water in the fountain, which is reflecting images of the Manor. MELINDA WARREN is standing before her. She lays a hand on PATTY’s shoulder.]

PATTY: You haven’t seen Mother have you? She’s been strangely absent today. She’s usually all over this fountain, living the Sabbat vicariously through the girls.

(MELINDA WARREN smiles softly.)

MELINDA WARREN: I have a feeling she is celebrating the Sabbat a little differently this year. (She smiles as she gazes into the reflective water.) How are they doing?

(PATTY sighs.)

PATTY: Prue is ever the distrustful one. (She runs her fingers through her hair.) She’s still furious with me for keeping Paige a secret from her all these years…and of course she has every right to be.

(PATTY gazes into the water where she can see a reflection of PRUE, dressed as Cleopatra, and PIPER, dressed as Little Red Riding Hood, and PRUE is becoming increasingly angry as PIPER informs her that PAIGE was invited to the Halloween party at 415 Magazine.)

PATTY: I just wish she wouldn’t take it out on Paige. She’s the innocent one in all this.

MELINDA WARREN: Paige can handle her own. She is just as stubborn as her sisters. And I know that Prudence will eventually come around. I have seen her strength; the way she protects her sisters at all costs…she will learn to protect Paige the same way. (She takes her hand off PATTY’s shoulders and wrings her hands together.) Are you going to be here a while? (PATTY nods.) Well, I have a few things I need to oversee…for the Sabbat. I will see you later, Patricia. (She walks away.)

[Cut back to the present. COLE makes a quick glance at the Founders.]

COLE: So you never had any knowledge of the plan to resurrect Andy in disguise so he could save your daughter?

PATTY: No.

COLE: And how is that possible? Didn’t you find it strange that Andy was suddenly not in the afterlife anymore?

PATTY: Not really… (She motions her hand.) You know how the afterlife works-

COLE: Please elaborate for the Court.

(PATTY sighs.)

PATTY: The afterlife isn’t just one vicinity with blue skies and golden roads and swirling clouds where spirits are crowded around talking to each other. As you’ve seen, we have gardens, places where we go to reflect, check in on our loved ones…we do things. The afterlife is our reward for a life well lived. And it’s not unusual to not see someone. Andy, for example, I run into from time to time. Usually it’s at the fountain, (she smiles fondly) checking in on Prue. (She shrugs.) But when I didn’t see him, I naturally assumed he was off doing his usual…visiting his father or other relatives or…whichever he chooses to do with his afterlife.

COLE: So just for clarification, you did not have any knowledge of your mother’s, Andy’s, or Melinda Warren’s plot to save Phoebe?

PATTY: No.

COLE: And you were not involved in their plan in any way?

PATTY: Absolutely not.

COLE: (to the Founders) No more questions.

(PATTY vanishes from the chair, returning to her place beside her mother. COLE returns to the defense table as NATALIE rises.)

NATALIE: I’d like to call Andrew Trudeau to the stand.

(ANDY materializes on the witness stand and NATALIE rapidly approaches him.)

ANDY: What is your relationship to the Charmed Ones?

ANDY: Prue and I used to date-

NATALIE: Just date?

ANDY: We were in love. We were each other’s first loves. And her sisters, Piper and Phoebe, were like sisters to me.

NATALIE: And so when you found out Phoebe was destined to die, what was your reaction?

ANDY: You’ve already seen-

NATALIE: In your own words?

ANDY: I was furious. And distraught. I knew Phoebe’s death would devastate Prue. And Piper. I also knew in my heart that Melinda had that premonition for a reason, to save Phoebe.

NATALIE: Did you ever stop to think that maybe Ms. Warren’s premonition had been to prepare her for Phoebe’s death and not necessarily been something that needed to be stopped?

ANDY: No.

NATALIE: Not even when Phoebe never received a vision of her own death?

ANDY: No.

(NATALIE motions he hand.)

NATALIE: I’d like the Court to see how you went about your plan to resurrect yourself.

(With a sigh, ANDY swishes his hand over the Circle of Truth. A projection of ANDY and PENNY springs up.)

[Cut to the hologram. ANDY is holding a piece of paper between his fingertips and his eyes are moving back and forth as he scans it. As he gets to the end, he lifts his head towards PENNY. She points proudly to the paper.]

PENNY: I took my inspiration from a spell my mother once wrote to stretch the imagination.

ANDY: So this is going to give me a completely new identity?

PENNY: Correct. Just envision who you want to become, and please do be original, you don’t want to draw attention to yourself by becoming a famous look-a-like. Or an old boyfriend.

ANDY: (dryly) An old boyfriend? If you hadn’t noticed, I dated Prue for over-

PENNY: (grumpily) I meant one of the girls’ old boyfriends. (She snatches the spell away from ANDY.) Are you ready?

(ANDY drops his arms to his sides and inhales a cleansing breath.)

ANDY: I guess.

PENNY: (rolling her eyes) “Let power and identity infuse,
To create a new face for Andy to use,
Let powers conjure,
That we may assure,
A Charmed sister we won’t lose.”

(A flush of dancing white lights surround ANDY, concealing him from PENNY’s view. As they swirl and skip away, a completely new man has taken the place where ANDY had formerly been standing. ANDY looks down at his hands, to find them much more tanned and different.)

ANDY: I take it, it worked. (surprised) I thought it was just going to be a mirage, though…I would still be able to see myself for who I am.

PENNY: The spell was to conjure a new identity, not to conjure an illusion.

(ANDY gingerly touches his face, feeling the new chiseled features of his jaw line and nose.)

ANDY: You don’t happen to have a mirror on you- (Clutched between his fingers, a hand mirror appears. Startled, ANDY drops the mirror and it falls to the ground and cracks.) What the!

PENNY: (frowning) Hmm… (She looks down at her spell.) I should’ve expected that.

ANDY: Expected what? What just happened?

PENNY: Well…the original spell I based this off of had one side effect…it stretched the body. (She shrugs.) I guess this one didn’t just conjure you a new identity, it-

ANDY: Gave me the ability to conjure?

PENNY: Precisely.

(ANDY stares down at his hands, still shocked.)

PENNY: Actually, this works out even better than I’d hoped!

ANDY: How so?

PENNY: You’ll have more ammunition to protect my granddaughters, of course. And yourself. (She shrugs.) It’s a little ironic, isn’t it? After all this time surrounded by magic, you finally have some of your own.

(ANDY stares at the broken mirror, then shakily bends down and picks it up. From the broken reflection, he studies his new face.)

PENNY: And you’ll need a new name for your new identity.

(ANDY nods without looking up from the mirror.)

ANDY: I know. I’ve been thinking about that…I think…I think I want it to be Matthew. Matthew Capiello.

PENNY: (curiously) Why?

ANDY: Matthew…it seems to be a running theme in their lives, haven’t you noticed? Matthew Tate-

PENNY: (annoyed) You want to name yourself after a warlock?

ANDY: No! Of course not. But Matthew Tate, the van Lewen baby, Paige’s adoptive parents… It just seems like an important name. Symbolic, anyway.

PENNY: And Capiello?

ANDY: Calliope. It's an anagram; you remember that restaurant don’t you? It was where I gave Prue my promise ring.

PENNY: Well you’ve certainly thought this out, now haven’t you?

(ANDY looks down at his hand and cups it as if he’s holding a credit card. A California driver’s license with his new appearance and the name “Matthew Capiello” materializes.)

ANDY: I believe I have.

(PENNY holds out her hand and the I.D. floats into her palm. She examines it.)

PENNY: I amaze myself. (ANDY raises his eyebrow.) Well I gave you your power, didn’t I? So I think I get to take credit for the craftswomanship. (She snaps her fingers.) No more chit-chat, we have to hurry. The Sabbat doesn’t last forever and I still have to finish your return potion…Mr. Capiello.

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Four

[Scene: P3. Parking lot. MELINDA is struggling to carry the twins’ car seats up to the front entrance. She sees a small line of people at the entrance, a few of them even dressed on flashy costumes. She scrunches of her face as she squeezes past them and sets BABY MELINDA's car seat down in order to pull her keys out of her purse and unlock the door. She pushes the door open and winks her eye as she bends down to pick up BABY MELINDA’s seat. The door freezes and MELINDA slips inside. With a wiggle of her fingers, the door unfreezes and slides shut as MELINDA fumbles down the stairs. She sees MONICA SINCLAIR wiping down a VIP booth. MELINDA waddles over to a booth and sets down the twins’ carriers on the table.]

MONICA: Thank goodness you’re here. I haven’t heard from Piper all morning-

MELINDA: Yeah, (she shakes her head) she had an emergency come up and left in a rush-

MONICA: (rambling) The bartender called in sick with the flu and we seem to have some sort of short in the wiring with the sound speakers, which is terrible timing considering we have over twenty people signed up for Open Mic Night tonight!

(MELINDA presses her hand to her forehead.)

MELINDA: Oh good gods… (The room freezes. BABY MELINDA giggles from her car seat. MELINDA begins to pace.) Okay, breeeathe, Mel. You’re Twice Blessed, you face demons every other day – sometimes twice a day – you can handle a little Murphy’s Law. No biggie! And by the time Open Mic Night begins, P3 and the future are both going to be fine. (She lifts her head and stares at MONICA’s frantic, frozen expression.) Or not…

[Scene: The Founders’ Court. NATALIE is standing before ANDY, with her hands clasped behind her back.]

NATALIE: Mr. Trudeau, when you died, can you please tell us what happened?

ANDY: When I died?

NATALIE: Did I stutter?

ANDY: Uh…I saw Prue. She was unconscious and I had to help her-

NATALIE: No, after you parted with Prue.

(ANDY seems confused, then his eyes widen. His blue eyes flick across the plateau, eyeing PRUE, then quickly move back to NATALIE.)

ANDY: I was asked if I wanted to become a whitelighter.

NATALIE: And your response?

ANDY: (quickly) No.

NATALIE: No? (She folds her arms across her chest.) To become a whitelighter is an honor; please explain why you declined.

(ANDY lifts his head to look at LEO.)

ANDY: It is an honor - and I was honored to be asked - but there is only room for one whitelighter in the Halliwells’ lives and that’s Leo’s position. (He narrows his eyes into NATALIE’s.) Besides, I was told that if I agreed to become a whitelighter, I would have to give up everything from my old life. I would never be able to see Prue again. (He shakes his head.) The choice was easy. I could wait for Prue, but I could never come back to life knowing that I was never allowed to be with her again.

NATALIE: So in other words, you defied The Elders?

(COLE jumps up.)

COLE: Objection!

NATALIE: On the contrary! In Mr. Trudeau’s own words he could never come back to life knowing he wasn’t able to be with Ms. Halliwell, so instead he circumvented The Elders to come back in a way in which he could be with her.

ANDY: To protect Phoebe!

NATALIE: No! (She points at ANDY.) I propose you came back with selfish reasons in mind. (She looks at the ANGEL OF CHOICE.) He chose to come back to be with his lover, directly defying cosmic law.

ANDY: (angrily) If demons can come back, why can’t everyone else?

NATALIE: If the Greater Good played by demonic rules, what would separate us from you?

COLE: Objection!

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Sustained. Ms. Fields, please refrain from arguing with the witness. We are here to get to the truth.

NATALIE: With all do respect, Sir, the truth is that beings who are rewarded with an afterlife aren’t meant to return to the world of the living. Not without a purpose. Whitelighters have a purpose, but Mr. Trudeau turned down that offer and thus turned down his only opportunity at resurrection. Now he’s committed an unprecedented crime and nearly destroyed the Grand Design. He and his conspirators should feel the full force of the cosmic law come down on them. (She takes a step back, so that she can clearly see ANDY, PENNY, MELINDA WARREN, and PATTY.) This type of offense doesn’t deserve a slap on the wrist, these violators deserve something far worse…to be recycled.

(At the back of the plateau, CHRIS closes his eyes as the sisters and LEO inhale simultaneously. PRUE begins to rise to her feet, but PHOEBE grabs her hand and pulls her back.)

PHOEBE: (whispering) Prue, don’t! You don’t want to make this worse than it already is. (She shakes her head.) They told us not to interrupt, remember?

(PRUE clenches her fist. Something glimmers briefly from the corner of her eye, but she quickly rubs the back of her hand over it and stiffly falls back into her seat. PHOEBE squeezes PRUE’s hand, but PRUE quickly pulls her hand away from her sister’s touch. PHOEBE releases a little sigh and sets her hands back into her lap.)

[Scene: P3. Stage. MELINDA is seated on the stage with one of the speakers in pieces around her and a cordless phone pressed between her shoulder and her ear. She’s using both hands to fiddle with a clump of wires from inside the speaker box.]

MELINDA: (angrily) ...what do you mean you’re having system failures? You’re supposed to be the ones who do this stuff, aren’t you? (Her face contorts into an angry scowl and then her jaw drops open.) You did not just hang up on me! (The phone starts to beep in her ear and she winces, moving her shoulder. The phone drops onto her leg and bounces, landing with a thud on the stage.) Agh! (She throws up her hands.) I’m not an electrician, I don’t know how to do this stuff!

(DRAKE DE'MON shimmers in. MELINDA’s mouth falls open as he turns around, seemingly looking for someone.)

DRAKE: Ah! Melinda-

MELINDA: What do you think you’re doing? (She jumps up and looks back and forth across the dance floor.) Someone could’ve seen you! (She stops and turns back, flustered.) What are you doing here anyway?

DRAKE: Looking for Paige. (He runs his hand through his shiny hair.) I dropped by the Manor, but it’s completely desolate so I thought she might be here. (He shoots MELINDA a cheeky grin.) I finally convinced her to sign up for Open Mic Night and I had wanted to have a few practice rounds before the crowd gets here.

MELINDA: Well even if she was here, (she motions to the broken speaker) that still wouldn’t be fixed.

(DRAKE kneels down and examines the speaker.)

DRAKE: What seems to be the problem with it?

MELINDA: A short. I think. (She throws up her hands.) I have no idea. Every time I turn around, there’s something else wrong.

(DRAKE smirks.)

DRAKE: I’ve got this.

(DRAKE begins to fiddle with the wires and a few moments later, he reattaches the cover of the speaker to the box and sets it up right, then he plugs it in. He skirts around MELINDA to the microphone and gingerly taps it with his finger, creating a sparking noise throughout the club.)

MELINDA: (shocked) How did you do that?

DRAKE: This isn’t the first club I’ve played in, darling. (As he speaks, his voice echoes from the microphone. MONICA emerges from the backroom to see MELINDA and DRAKE on stage. She rushes over.)

MONICA: (to MELINDA) You fixed it!

MELINDA: Actually, (she points to DRAKE) he did.

MONICA: (to DRAKE) Thank you. (She rakes her hand through her tangled brown hair.) How much do I owe you? (She starts to move towards the bar.)

MELINDA: He’s actually not the-

DRAKE: Piper’s a friend. (He winks.) It’s on the house. (He turns off the microphone and turns his attention to MELINDA.) Now where did you say Paige was?

MELINDA: (groaning) I didn’t. And you can’t reach her anyway, she’s…on a plane.

DRAKE: (confused) On a plane? Well which one?

MELINDA: Of existence. That’s not ours.

(DRAKE shoots her an inquisitive look.)

MELINDA: And no, you can’t shimmer there. (sighing) The Founders took them…

[Scene: The Founders’ Court. COLE is now standing before ANDY.]

COLE: The prosecution has suggested that you did not return for the Greater Good, but your own personal gain. (He raises his arm.) Let me ask this, did you have intentions of making your new life here, Mr. Trudeau?

ANDY: I never intended to stay.

COLE: And in fact, you did not.

ANDY: No. I left Prue twice in an attempt to spare her feelings. Watching her pain was worse than when I actually died. (He looks across the plateau at PRUE. COLE steps into his line of vision.)

COLE: If your only intention was to save Phoebe, then why did you stay after you had succeeded?

ANDY: I was going to leave…I had broken things off with Prue. She had originally been my way into their lives to save them, but before I could leave… (He reaches out, motioning his hand over the Circle of Truth.)

[Cut to the Circle, where a hologram springs up of ANDY’s alias, MATTHEW CAPIELLO, seated in his apartment ready to drink the potion that would take him back to the afterlife. As the edge of the vial makes contact with his lower lip, the pointer on the spirit board shoots across to the letter “I”. MATT freezes, waiting for the pointer to move again. Then, slowly, the pointer drags itself over to the letter “M”. MATT carefully removes the vial from his lips and re-corks it. His eyes flick to the ceiling.]

MATT: I-M.

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

MATT: “Imbolc.”

[Cut back to the present. COLE nods as the hologram fades away.]

COLE: Imbolc, February 2.

ANDY: (nodding) The day Piper’s twins were to be born. Melinda had had another vision…this time of The Queen succeeding in stealing the magic of Piper’s unborn child-children…I needed to stay to save them.

COLE: And you didn’t think the sisters were capable of handling that threat themselves?

ANDY: We feared that if Phoebe didn’t get the vision of her own death, she might not get the vision of what was to happen when Piper gave birth either. Like I said, Piper is like a sister to me. I couldn’t let her and her children be harmed.

COLE: But by that time the damage had already been done? Prue didn’t trust you anymore.

(ANDY shakes his head.)

ANDY: I thought it was better that way. I wouldn’t have to hurt her again.

COLE: But what happened?

(ANDY looks down at his lap and proceeds to run his hand over the Circle of Truth again.)

ANDY: A Cupid-

[Cut to the hologram. PIPER and MATT are at P3 and PIPER looks furious.]

[Cut back to Andy. His eyes are wide and he looks alarmed.]

ANDY: No! (He raises his hands.) This isn’t what I wanted to show!

[Cut back to the hologram.]

MATT: You’re making a huge mistake. (He takes a step towards her, but a blue shield suddenly erects itself between them. MATT stares warily at it and then backs up, although the shield remains in place.) Fine, but I promise you, you don’t know what you’re doing. (He starts to walk away and, finally, the shield vanishes. PIPER curls her fist.)

PIPER: Is that a threat? (MATT continues walking.) Matt! (He reaches for the back door and PIPER raises her hand.) Hey, I’m talking to you! Stop! (Suddenly, MATT stops mid-movement. PIPER’s eyes shift back and forth quickly and then she starts to walk over to him.) Matt? (She cautiously walks over to him, but he doesn’t move. As she walks around him, she waves her hand over his face, but it stares blankly at it - frozen. PIPER gasps.)

[Cut to the sisters, watching the hologram from the plateau. PIPER has her hand pressed to her lips, while PRUE, PHOEBE, and PAIGE lean forward in a mixture of interest and confusion.]

[Cut back to the hologram. PIPER is now standing threateningly over MATT with a knife from the bar pointed at his face.]

PIPER: (seething) Who. Are. You?!

MATT: (nervously) You know who I am!

(PIPER shoves the knife closer to him. From the corner of her eye, she sees his hand twitch. At the same moment, the blue force field flares up.)

PIPER: Don’t even try it! I may not have active powers, but I know a thousand spells that can send you to oblivion faster than you can blink! (She narrows her eyes.) You’re a warlock, aren’t you?

MATT: I’m a witch! I told you that before!

(PIPER laughs humorlessly.)

PIPER: Four words, “Matt.” Good. Witches. Don’t. Freeze. (Her knuckles turn white as she clutches the bar knife.) Now, tell me who you are!

[Cut back to the present day sisters. PIPER is shrinking back as her sisters stare at her.]

PRUE: (demandingly) That’s when it happened? (angrily When you found out and decided to keep that knowledge all to yourself? (She points accusingly at the hologram.)

PHOEBE: (hurt and confused) We’re still your sisters, Piper. I just- (pause) I wish you hadn’t kept this from us. Don’t you remember how betrayed you felt that Mom had never found a way to tell us about Paige? (She looks PIPER dead in the eyes.) Well that’s how the three of us are feeling right now.

PIPER: I-I… (She swallows, unsure of how to respond to what her sisters are saying.)

NATALIE: I’d like to call Piper Halliwell as my next witness!

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Five

[Scene: The Founders’ Court. PIPER is seated in the chair beside the Circle of Truth. Her hands are seated in her lap and NATALIE is standing ominously before her. She motions her hand.]

NATALIE: If you would, (tightly) Mrs. Wyatt.

(With her head down, PIPER swishes her hand over the Circle of Truth. Another hologram of her and MATT in P3 blooms into view.)

[Cut to the hologram.]

MATT: I’m not evil!

PIPER: Really? You sure have me and my sisters fooled.

MATT: The Book of Shadows let me touch it, remember?

PIPER: That hardly proves anything! Magic is constantly advancing, so it’s entirely possible that you found a way to trick it. (She stares.) The more and more I think about it, the more you’ve acted like Cole when he first came into our lives.

(MATT grits his teeth.)

MATT: (impulsively) I was sent here to protect you!

(PIPER recoils, but remains with the bar knife pointed at MATT's face.)

PIPER: Protect me? (pause) Why?

(Silence.)

MATT: Something horrible was going to happen in the future.

(PIPER’s eyes widen.)

PIPER: You’re from the future?

MATT: I was… (He pauses and looks at the floor.) I need a pen and paper.

(PIPER’s eyes gleam distrustfully, then she finally nods. MATT holds out his hand and a pad of paper appears. In his other hand, a pen appears. He quickly scribbles the words, “To stop Phoebe from dying.” PIPER blinks in shock.)

PIPER: To stop- (MATT holds up his hand, shaking his head wildly. His eyes flick to the ceiling and then back to PIPER. PIPER closes her mouth a moment, and then swallows carefully.) So then, if what you’re saying is true, why are you still here?

(MATT nods his head, his eyes on her stomach.)

MATT: To protect your unborn child.

[Cut back to the present.]

NATALIE: After having experience as a Charmed One for four years, what exactly about “Matt’s” story made you decide to trust him?

PIPER: He told me he was from the future-

(NATALIE holds up her hand.)

NATALIE: Actually, I believe he avoided the question entirely and instead requested a pen and paper.

(PIPER blinks, confused.)

NATALIE: Do we need to watch again?

PIPER: No.

NATALIE: Then I have to ask again, what made you trust him?

PIPER: Him being from the future – assumption or not – it made sense. Him knowing about and saving Phoebe and then him saying my child was in danger…and then he told me Melinda had sent him. I-I-I thought I should at least hear him out. (She looks down at her lap.) And Melinda backed up his story.

NATALIE: She did? Let’s have a look at that, if you will.

(Listlessly, PIPER complies by moving her hand over the Circle.)

[Cut to a hologram of MATT, PIPER, and MELINDA WARREN in the attic.]

PIPER: But how? I mean…why would you send someone from the future? And (she holds up her hands in frustration) how does he have powers? And why wouldn’t you just contact us directly?

(MELINDA WARREN frowns.)

MELINDA WARREN: It’s complicated, Piper-

PIPER: Now you sound like him. (She points to MATT accusingly. MELINDA sighs.)

MELINDA WARREN: There are powerful magicks here that had to be…circumvented, which is why we chose to send Matt.

PIPER: “We”?

(MELINDA WARREN’s eyes flick to MATT and back quickly.)

MELILNDA WARREN: We…as in myself and those who helped to bring him here. (PIPER folds her arms.) Obviously, (she motions to herself) I, being in the afterlife, couldn’t do everything myself.

PIPER: How did you even know about…the future?

(MELINDA WARREN laughs.)

MELINDA WARREN: Are you forgetting where the powers of the Charmed Ones come from? (pause) I had a premonition, of course. And…after careful deliberation, I knew that Matthew would be the perfect candidate to stop it from coming to fruition.

PIPER: But a complete stranger from the future? Not even a witch? (She narrows her eyes.) What is he, anyway?

MELINDA WARREN: Don’t you have faith in me, Piper?

[Cut back to the present. NATALIE regards PIPER with an air of disdain.]

NATALIE: You even questioned the validity of their story yourself.

PIPER: Yeah, I did! I didn’t know all the specifics, but-but it was Melinda Warren! She asked me for my help, (angrily) what was I supposed to do?

NATALIE: Question what these “powerful magicks” that needed “circumventing” were, perhaps? You yourself asked what “Matt” was, if not a witch. You questioned how and why he was from the future, yet you pursued none of these answers! Moreover, you agreed to keep this secret from even your own family! (She glances back PATTY.) Some traits really do run in this family.

COLE: (angrily) Objection! These off-handed comments, strike these, these off-handed (emphasizing) attacks, have nothing to do with the trial-

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Sustained.

NATALIE: (annoyed) Has Melinda Warren ever deceived you before?

PIPER: Of course not!

(NATALIE cocks her head to the side, amused.)

NATALIE: Not even keeping a son and by extension, an entire family lineage from you and the rest of your family?

(PIPER opens her mouth, then closes it, knowing that any answer she gives will only serve to prove Natalie’s point. The ex-whitelighter scoffs.)

NATALIE: I have no more questions for this witness at the present time.

(NATALIE returns to her desk. COLE stands up and smoothes his red tie as he approaches PIPER.)

COLE: Isn’t it true that you didn’t learn of Ms. Warren’s son until after you had agreed to keep hers and “Matt’s” secret?

PIPER: (eagerly nodding) That’s true! I didn’t know.

COLE: So you had no reason to not trust Melinda when she said keeping this secret was in your best interest?

PIPER: None that I could think of.

COLE: No more questions.

(COLE returns to his seat. PIPER looks at the Angels. The ANGEL OF DESTINY nods.)

ANGEL OF DESTINY: You may return to your seat.

PIPER: Thank you.

(As PIPER stands up and walks away, the edge of her foot brushes across the edge of the Circle of Truth and another hologram appears.)

[Cut to the hologram. PIPER, PRUE, PHOEBE, PAIGE, LEO, and MATT are all in the mausoleum. PIPER dips her hand into the bag and blows on the tips of her fingers, sending the dust spraying into her sisters’ faces.]

PIPER: (to PHOEBE and PAIGE) You were here to backup Prue as she used the Truth Spell on Matt. (to PRUE) And you’ve discovered that Matt is merely a good witch who does not pose a threat to us.

(MATT walks up behind PIPER.)

MATT: Is that…memory dust?

(PIPER nods as she turns to LEO and sprays him with only a touch.)

PIPER: You won’t remember that I’ve used the memory dust on my sisters.

MATT: How did you get a hold of that?

PIPER: How do you think?

(MATT looks away.)

MATT: Thank you, Piper.

(PIPER glares.)

PIPER: Don’t thank me yet. (She dusts MATT.) And you won’t remember that I’ve used the memory dust on my sisters either. (She bites her lip.) I can’t have you slipping up and causing them to remember any of this, which is why you won’t remember that the Truth Spell or the Anti-Truth Spell were ever cast.

[Cut back to the present. PIPER freezes mid-step, only able to stare ahead at her sisters and husband as she registers the betrayal simmering in their eyes.]

[Scene: P3. MELINDA is strewn across the seat of a booth looking exhausted. Her hair is rumpled and she still has rubber gloves on from cleaning. DRAKE walks up with BABY CHRIS tucked in his arm, who is slowly nodding off to sleep. In his other hand he’s holding what looks like a coke with a wedge of lime on the rim of the glass. MELINDA sits up.]

MELINDA: For me?

DRAKE: You are 21 aren’t you?

(MELINDA rolls her eyes.)

MELINDA: Oh, give me that! (She snatches up the drink and takes a gulp, then makes a face.) What is this?

DRAKE: Cola with a shot of cherry rum. And lime. Can’t forget the lime!

(MELINDA makes a disgusted pucker face.)

MELINDA: This is terrible! (Immediately, she takes another long swig of the drink and then pulls off the lime and sucks the juice out of it. Her face relaxes as she leans back into the booth and examines DRAKE holding BABY CHRIS.) Where am I?

DRAKE: She’s as tuckered out as you are. (He nods towards the stage.) You’re asleep in your carrier on the stage. (He looks down at BABY CHRIS.) This guy wasn’t so eager though. (He winks.) He wanted me to sing him a few tunes before his nap.

(MELINDA smiles in spite of herself as DRAKE makes baby faces at her brother.)

MELINDA: You look good with him.

DRAKE: (cheekily) Do I? (He cocks his head to the side, posing with BABY CHRIS.) I’ve always toyed with the idea of being a father, but then there’s always the problem of finding that right mate, you know? I can’t seem to hang onto one.

MELINDA: The demon thing?

DRAKE: Well, there’s that, and then you know what they say…the good ones are always taken.

MELINDA: (sympathetically) I’m sorry… (She sits up and swirls the ice cubes in her glass.) I know what it’s like to watch everyone else around you in love and not being able to find it yourself. It’s tricky business, especially when you’re a (at the same time as DRAKE) witch.

DRAKE: (at the same time as MELINDA) Demon.

(They share kindred smiles, only to be interrupted by the soft whirring of BABY CHRIS as he drifts to sleep in DRAKE’s arms.)

DRAKE: Better go put him down. (He begins to walk towards the stage.)

MELINDA: Hey, Drake?

DRAKE: Hmm?

MELINDA: (sincerely) Thanks for the help today. I really appreciate it. I think I would’ve lost my mind if you hadn’t been here. And I know Mom will appreciate it too.

DRAKE: My pleasure.

(DRAKE walks away. MELINDA downs the remainder of her soda and rum just as MONICA walks up, waving her hand in front of her face. MELINDA sniffs the air.)

MELINDA: Smoke break?

(MONICA smiles sheepishly.)

MONICA: It’s more like a guilty pleasure…I only have one when I’m really stressed out. (She takes a clump of her hair in her hand and sniffs it.) Do I really smell that bad?

MELINDA: I have a sensitive sense of smell. And it’s more noticeable to non-smokers. (She gives an off-handed shrug as she pulls herself out of the booth and drapes her arm around MONICA’s shoulders.) So I think between our frantic cleaning and Drake’s help, we’re pretty much caught up until the club opens tonight. Wanna go chill for a bit?

[Scene: The Founders’ Court. The Angels are conferring with each other as NATALIE and COLE stand before their bench. Finally the Angels move their attention to the defense and the prosecution.]

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Your request for a recess has been granted. We’ll resume in an hour.

NATALIE & COLE: Thank you.

(MELINDA WARREN, PENNY, PATTY, and ANDY all disappear as do all of the angels except the ANGEL OF CHOICE. COLE turns around to spy the sisters in a heated and huddled argument at the back of the plateau. With a deep inhalation of breath, he quickly speeds across the plateau.)

COLE: (interrupting) I think it might be a wise idea if everyone just took a little break here. (He sees PHOEBE staring at him, but he avoids eye contact with her.)

PIPER: I think I should leave.

PAIGE: Piper-

PRUE: (angrily) I think that’s a wise idea.

(PIPER eyes COLE.)

PIPER: You’re done with me, right? You don’t need me for anymore questions-

COLE: I don’t think so. Bianca, Chris, and possibly Prue may be called up to testify though which means they can’t leave.

(PIPER looks at LEO and then looks away.)

PIPER: Can someone send me back? I know we didn’t orb here-

(COLE glances back at the ANGEL OF CHOICE.)

COLE: (to PIPER) Are you sure you want to leave?

PIPER: (decidedly) Yes.

(PIPER's on the verge of tears as she shakes her head. COLE motions his hand towards the ANGEL OF CHOICE and guides PIPER towards the bench.)

COLE: You understand that if for any reason They do need you back, They will pull you back instantaneously, right?

PIPER: (rushed) Yes, fine…just send me back to my children! That’s all I want right now.

ANGEL OF CHOICE: As you wish.

(The ANGEL OF CHOICE raises her hand and PIPER vanishes the way she came. At that point, PAIGE comes running up to COLE. She shifts between the balls of her feet, slowing down as she approaches the bench.)

PAIGE: Where did you just send Piper?

COLE: I don’t-

ANGEL OF CHOICE: To her club, P3.

PAIGE: (to COLE) They weren’t planning to call me to the stand, right?

COLE: Not that I’m aware of.

PAIGE: So…can you send me to P3 too? (She looks between COLE and the ANGEL OF CHOICE.) Please?

(Once again, the ANGEL OF CHOICE raises her hand and PAIGE, too, disappears. As COLE turns, PHOEBE runs up to him, nearly knocking him over.)

PHOEBE: (pleadingly) Cole…

COLE: (avoiding eye contact) Phoebe-

PHOEBE: (pleadingly) I need to talk to you… (She presses her hand to the side of his face, forcing him to look her in the eyes.) Please… (COLE closes his eyes and relishes the feel of her hand on his cheek. Faintly, he nods in agreement to her request.)

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Six

[Scene: Manor. Phoebe’s bedroom. PHOEBE and COLE appear. Immediately, PHOEBE presses her hands to the sides of COLE’s face and leans in to kiss him, but he pulls away. Gently, he covers her hands with his own and looks her in the eyes.]

COLE: Phoebe, we can’t.

(Shimmers reflect in her brown eyes.)

PHOEBE: Why not? (She blinks, but is unable to contain a tear from running down her cheek. COLE uses his thumb to wipe it away.) It’s been so long…and-and I missed you so much, Cole! (Her breath is heavy, weighted like humid air.)

COLE: I don’t want to hurt you, Phoebe. That’s why I never came before. I knew seeing you…it wouldn’t be good for either of us. (PHOEBE begins to cry. Tentatively, COLE pulls her into his arms as she lets her pent up feelings out.) I’ve missed you too. You know I’ll always love you. But I can’t stay; I’m only here for the duration of the trial.

(PHOEBE gingerly wipes her leaking eyes with the back of her hand, smudging her mascara.)

PHOEBE: That doesn’t mean you can’t at least kiss me.

(COLE weakly shakes his head.)

COLE: What about Jason?

(PHOEBE blinks, confused.)

PHOEBE: You-you-

COLE: I know about him, yes. I check in on you and your sisters from time to time. (He turns his head away.) He seems like a good man. And I’ve seen that he makes you happy.

PHOEBE: (quickly) He’s not you.

COLE: Nor is he dead. (He strokes the side of her face, pushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.) I’m so sorry, Phoebe. You were starting to move on with your life - with love-

PHOEBE: (shocked) Love? Cole, (she grabs him by the shoulders) I don’t love him! I don't know how you could possibly say that-

COLE: But you like him. (He touches the side of her face, causing her to close her eyes and relish the feeling of his hand.) Damnit! (He pulls his hand away angrily.) I never had any intention of coming back to ruin it for you. I wish they hadn’t brought you to view the trial.

PHOEBE: How can you say that? I’ve wanted nothing more than to see you. I-I…the day you died- (She breaks out in another fit of tears. COLE pulls her close in an attempt to calm her quaking form.)

COLE: I know. I’ve always known. You don’t need to feel guilty, Phoebe. Trust me when I say that I’d do it all over again. (He presses his face close to her ear and begins whispering.) I love you.

[Scene: P3. PIPER comes bursting out of the backroom, with PAIGE hot on her tail.]

PAIGE: Piper! Piper! (She orbs in front of her sister with her arms out, causing PIPER to run into her, which almost knocks them both to the ground. PIPER grits her teeth.)

PIPER: I don’t want to talk right now, Paige! (She tries to get away, but PAIGE grabs a hold of her sister and won’t let go.)

PAIGE: No, we obviously we some issues we need to discuss!

PIPER: (angrily) Get in line!

PAIGE: Would you rather have to explain yourself to all of us at once? Because I’m giving you a chance to talk about what you did-

PIPER: What I did, what I did! I did what I thought I was supposed to do; what Melinda Warren told me to do! I never ever suspected anything like this would or could even happen! Now I’ve-

(MELINDA and MONICA come down the stairs laughing and chit-chatting, but stop cold when they see PIPER and PAIGE.)

MELINDA: Mo- (She bites her lip.) Monica, maybe we should go back-

MONICA: (to PIPER) When did you get here? We’ve been out front for the last fifteen minutes and-

PIPER: Alley door. (She smiles weakly.) I had some things I needed to dump. (She shrugs.) Anyway, (she takes advantage of the moment to get away from PAIGE) I’m sorry I wasn’t here this morning-

MELINDA: (quickly) I already filled her in on your emergency! (She laughs.) Things better I hope?

(PIPER and PAIGE share a look.)

PAIGE: Not really.

PIPER: I just came to pick up the twins. (She looks around, seeing no sign of her children.) They are here, aren’t they? I mean, (to MELINDA) you were with them?

MELINDA: Yeah, of course! Drake-

(DRAKE pops his head around the curtain from behind stage.)

DRAKE: Someone say my name?

MELINDA: -has got them backstage. They’re napping.

DRAKE: Actually, Mel just woke up; Chris is still out for the count. (He spots PAIGE.) Paige! Oh, fantastic! We can work on our songs-

PAIGE: (cutting in) Now’s not really a good time. (to PIPER) We need to-

(PIPER holds up her hand.)

PIPER: (to MONICA) I’m just going to take the kids home. I don’t think I’ll be able to make it in tonight, will you be able to handle the club without me?

(MELINDA and MONICA share looks.)

MONICA & MELINDA: Of course!

PIPER: Good. Thank you.

(PIPER is about to climb up on stage when DRAKE disappears behind stage and returns with the twins in their car seats. PIPER’s shoulders visibly relax as she sees her sleeping son and cooing daughter. She takes the carriers from DRAKE as MELINDA pulls PIPER’s car key out of her pocket.)

MELINDA: Why don’t I take one of those? (She takes BABY MELINDA’s carrier.) Come on.

(MELINDA pats PIPER on the back and the two begin to walk towards the stairs. PAIGE starts to follow.)

PIPER: Please, Paige, not now.

PAIGE: (demandingly) If not now, then when?

PIPER: Later. (She swallows.) I promise, one-on-one, (emphasizing) later.

PAIGE: (sighing) Okay, but you promised and I’m holding you to that.

(PAIGE slumps her shoulders as PIPER and MELINDA disappear up the stairs. DRAKE jumps down off the stage and wraps his arm around PAIGE’s shoulders.)

DRAKE: So I take it you’re not busy right now?

(PAIGE shifts her eyes to the left, giving the demon an annoyed look.)

PAIGE: No, I guess I’m not. But I’m also not really in the mood to practice right now-

DRAKE: Sure you are! Music always lifts the spirits. (He grabs the silver microphone stand from the stage, pulls it down, and turns it on. PAIGE cups her hand over the microphone.)

PAIGE: (irritably) I said I’m not in the mood!

(DRAKE looks hurt and her expression changes, immediately reflecting regret for her outburst.)

PAIGE: Look, I’m sorry, it’s just that a lot of things are going on right now and Piper and I just had kind of a fight and-

DRAKE: (sadly) I understand. (He slides the microphone back onto the stage and his shoulders slump a little.) If you change your mind, I’ll be backstage. (He turns and presses his palms to the sides of the stage, ready to jump up. PAIGE purses her lips.)

PAIGE: (guiltily) Drake, wait!

(DRAKE spins around, looking eager and slightly hopefuly.)

DRAKE: Yes?

PAIGE: (sighing) Maybe just...one song?

DRAKE: (laughing) I knew I could count on you! (He presses his finger to his chin in thought.) What’s a good one? (His eyes twinkle.) Oh, I know! (He wriggles his eyebrows.) What about-

(PAIGE raises her index finger.)

PAIGE: That one you asked me to help you with. (She bites her lip.) The one that I helped inspire when I was a muse? Uh, it was called-

DRAKE: (inanely grinning) “Everything’s Kind of Good!”

PAIGE: Yes!

(DRAKE hops up on stage and leans forward, holding out his hand to PAIGE. She accepts it and he helps her jump up on stage.)

PAIGE: I don’t remember how it all goes, though-

DRAKE: (winking) That’s why they call it practice. (He waves to MONICA.) Take a seat, Ms. Sinclair! You can be our audience; tell us how we’re doing.

(MONICA laughs and pulls out a chair to take a seat while DRAKE lifts the microphone to his lips. He cups the microphone with his hand.)

DRAKE: Just follow my lead. I know you, Ms. Matthews, you catch on quickly…

[Time lapse. PRUE, PHOEBE, LEO, CHRIS, and BIANCA are once again seated at the back of the plateau. The Founding Angels have returned to their bench as have NATALIE, COLE, and the defendants. NATALIE is in the middle of speaking.]

NATALIE: I’d now like to address the concern of the un-destined child.

(PRUE angrily jumps to her feet.)

PRUE: (through gritted teeth) Drea! Her name is Andrea!

ANGEL OF DEATH: Prudence!

(The ANGEL OF LIFE raises her hand.)

ANGEL OF LIFE: The child shall be referred to henceforth as Andrea.

NATALIE: I respectfully object. Naming the child creates attachment and the child was never supposed to exist to begin with, so there should be no attachment.

ANGEL OF LIFE: Nevertheless, Andrea does exist despite the uniqueness of her conception and will therefore be awarded the same respects as any in this court. (She raises her hand.) Please proceed.

NATALIE: (sighing) I would like to call the future Christopher Halliwell to the stand.

(CHRIS rises from his seat and moves across the plateau, past NATALIE, and takes a seat in the chair.)

NATALIE: Mr. Halliwell, why did you and your twin sister travel here from the future?

CHRIS: To save it.

NATALIE: From what?

CHRIS: Our cousin, Drea.

NATALIE: The child of…

CHRIS: My Aunt Prue.

NATALIE: And?

CHRIS: Andy Trudeau.

NATALIE: Who was conceived when?

CHRIS: You already know that.

NATALIE: Refresh my memory.

CHRIS: The day of my birth, when a Cupid decided to use his powers to lower their inhibitions and bring their true feelings for each other to the surface!

NATALIE: And how has this unprecedented conception effected your present?

CHRIS: Drea joined forces with our arch enemy, Volac, the Immortal Source, and together they destroyed everything.

NATALIE: Including the Grand Design?

CHRIS: No, that self destructed.

NATALIE: (challenging) Why?

CHRIS: Because Drea was never supposed to exist! Her very existence defies destiny and every life she comes in contact with, she changes. On top of that, she’s taken so many lives and destroyed so many futures…by the time everyone realized what was going on, it was too late to do anything about it and they were already too powerful to stop.

NATALIE: So in other words, the only way to save the future is to prevent Drea from being a part of it?

CHRIS: You’re twisting my words, I never said that. If Melinda and I didn’t think there was a way to save our cousin, we wouldn’t have come back when we did to try.

NATALIE: And yet you still failed.

CHRIS: Not yet. (He turns around, looking at the ANGEL OF DESTINY.) The first time this happened, in my timeline, you allowed Prue to keep Drea…you can do it again!

NATALIE: And repeat the history you fought so hard to change?

(CHRIS waves his hand over the Circle of Truth and a hologram appears, though this time it’s from an alternate timeline, from the past CHRIS came from.)

[Cut to the hologram. PRUE, PHOEBE, and PAIGE are standing before the Founders. PRUE is standing ahead of her sisters, looking angry and vulnerable all the same time. Her red eyes indicate that she’s been crying.]

PRUE: (sternly) I want you to know that if you take my daughter, you’ll lose the Charmed Ones.

ANGEL OF DESTINY: She does not belong here, Prudence.

PRUE: But that’s not her fault! Andy and I were the ones who brought her here, punish us, not her! She’s the Innocent.

(PHOEBE and PAIGE grasp hands and step alongside PRUE.)

PAIGE: Let her keep Drea or we step down too.

PHOEBE: You’ve already taken enough from Prue. Just let her have this. Please?

ANGEL OF DESTINY: Allowing this child to grow up in your world would drastically change your destinies. If this were to be allowed, not even I can foresee what your destinies might become.

ANGEL OF CHOICE: With every choice a person makes, one’s destiny can change. That’s the beauty of freewill. You say now that if Drea were to be taken from you that you would stop acting upon your duties as a Charmed One, allowing innocents to die for your cause-

PRUE: You’re mutilating my words. My cause is my daughter. As a Charmed One and a mother, I’m standing up to protect and fight for her life.

ANGEL OF DEATH: Even at the expense of innocent lives that you would otherwise save as a Charmed One? Is one life more important than multiple lives?

PHOEBE: We’re not saying that, we’re saying that a completely innocent life should not be punished because of the actions of someone else. How can you take the life of an infant? You call yourselves The Founders…so look inside yourselves and find a reason to let my niece live.

[Cut back to the present. PRUE rises to her feet.]

PRUE: I think that says it all. You know where I stand about my daughter.

NATALIE: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. (to The Founders) As Mr. Halliwell has to eloquently shown us, clearly letting Andrea live was the wrong choice to make. (to the ANGEL OF DESTINY) You yourself said that you would be unable to see how destiny would turn out. What is the point of an Angel of Destiny who cannot foresee destined paths? Yet somehow, by the threat of these witches (she motions across the plateau to PRUE and PHOEBE) to abandon their destined duties, they were able to get their way and look what happened! (She grabs CHRIS' hand and moves it over the Circle of Truth.)

[Cut to the hologram. A young woman is running downhill on a charred and pitted San Francisco street. She has a slight limp, split lip, and bleeding gash on her forehead. Her face is also covered in dirt. As she passes an alleyway, a silver probe floats out and shines its light over her and begins to follow her. As she makes it to the bottom of the hill, a wall of blue flames rises up, forming into ADULT DREA HALLIWELL and ADULT VOLAC. The woman tries to stop her momentum, but falls and clashes into the sidewalk, plastering her face to the blacktop. ADULT DREA raises her hand and aims a shrieking bolt of electricity at the woman. The latter raises her hand and purple glow emanates from her hand, deflecting the attack into a brick building, where it blasts away a chunk of crumbling wall. While she’s distracted with the explosion, ADULT VOLAC raises his hand, slinging the witch off the ground and pinning her against the wall, choking her to death with his powers. ADULT DREA removes an athame from her boot and stalks up to the witch.]

ADULT DREA: I like to be as truthful as possible. (She slides her finger across the edge of the blade.) This is gonna hurt like a bitch!

(ADULT DREA plunges the athame into the witch’s stomach and watches her convulse. Sadistically, she begins to twist the athame, watching it glow as it absorbs the witch’s powers. The woman’s head drops to her chest and the athame stops glowing. ADULT DREA pulls back on the athame and holds up her hand, creating a purple glow across her palm. Satisfied, she slides the bloodied athame back into her boot as ADULT VOLAC releases his telekinetic hold on the dead witch, who slides to the sidewalk in a puddle of her own blood. ADULT DREA wraps her hands around ADULT VOLAC's face and they passionately lock lips and disappear in a fury of blue flames.)

[Cut back to the present. NATALIE looks visibly sick at the scene she just witnessed. Without a word, she removes her hands from CHRIS' and steps back. Turning to face the Halliwells, she looks right at PRUE.]

NATALIE: I’m having a little trouble, maybe you could help me out. Could you point out the innocent you so badly want to protect please?

[The Virtual Series]

End Credits

Special Guest Appearance
Julian McMahon --- Cole Turner
Audrey Wasilewski--- Natalie Fields

Co-Starring
Brody Jo Hamilton --- Baby Melinda Halliwell
Jackson Phillip Deveraux Kaufman --- Baby Chris Halliwell
Jennifer Badger --- Monica Sinclair
Chris Sarandon --- Armand
Callie Thompson --- Kaylie Summers
Susan Walters --- Mrs. Summers

Featuring
Andrew M. Chuckerman --- Announcer
Gattlin Griffith --- Little Boy #1
Joshua Moore --- Little Boy #2
Amy Tipton --- Witch

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