6x02: A Middle Sister's Night Dream, Part Two

[The Virtual Series]

CHARMED: RESET REALITY (A new Alternate Universe series brought to you by Daniel, 4Ever, Drama, Xenith, and a host of others!)

STARRING:



SHANNEN DOHERTY...Prue Halliwell
HOLLY MARIE COMBS...Piper Halliwell
ALYSSA MILANO...Phoebe Halliwell
ROSE McGOWAN...Paige Matthews

CO-STARRING:



BRIAN KRAUSE...Leo Wyatt
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.

6.02 A MIDDLE SISTER'S NIGHT DREAM--Part Two

GUEST-STARRING:
JAMES READ
BILLY ZANE
JANE SEYMOUR
KRISTA ALLEN
LESLEY STAPLES
CHELSEA BRUMMET

MUSICAL GUEST:
REBEKAH RYAN

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...Billy Zane

[The Virtual Series]

A Middle Sister’s Night Dream, Part Two

Teaser

[Scene: Underworld. THE QUEEN is in a secret lair, exactly like the one in PHOEBE HALLIWELL’s dreams. However, she’s not alone. In a corner of the lair, an old woman is hunched over a bubbling pot. She has stringy, greasy gray hair that extends to her waist, wrinkled ashen skin, and eyes of different colors; the left the color of lead and the right the color of gold. The woman’s boney hands are wrapped around a heavy wooden spoon, which she’s rowing in a bubbling cauldron. THE QUEEN is turned away from the ALCHEMIST, narrowing her eyes at a cluster of rocks where, in PHOEBE’s dream, the Charmed One had been hiding. THE QUEEN sneers.]

THE QUEEN: Someone’s watching me.

(The ALCHEMIST looks around.)

ALCHEMIST: Only I know you’re here, Your Highness. The lair’s been prepared with thick wards to keep both good and black magic out. I’ve even been careful to set up curses in case someone were to accidentally stumble upon it. They’d vaporize before they knew what they’d found.

(THE QUEEN spins around, her eyes replaced with searing flames.)

THE QUEEN: I know what I sense! Someone has penetrated your magic, Alchemist! (She curls her fist.) Someone is trying to spy on me, but I can’t tell who.

(THE QUEEN moves across the room to a stone slab where her crystal ball is stationed. She begins to knead the crystal with her fingers. Foamy white clouds churn inside the prophetic sphere. THE QUEEN looks up briefly to see the ALCHEMIST hunched over a cauldron again, her old face a flood of concentration. The ALCHEMIST briefly tilts her head to the side, sensing THE QUEEN’s leering eyes.)

ALCHEMIST: Life-prolonging elixirs take time, Your Majesty. You’ve summoned me to make one because you know I only provide the best… (She stops stirring and reaches for a jar containing something bloody. Her long and chipped yellow fingernails wrap around the bloody clump and pull it out, dropping it into the pot.) But you must remember that quality requires patience.

(The cauldron sizzles in time with the old ALCHEMIST’s words. The edge of THE QUEEN’s lip twitches.)

THE QUEEN: I’m all out of patience! (She doesn’t notice the crystal ball becoming clear.) You’ve already cost me a month of precious time. I need that elixir today! (She notices an image forming in the ball and turns her head. The scene of COLE TUERNER’s death plays in the sphere. She breaths furiously, almost like an angry bull.) What is this! (Clouds of fog swirl in, swallowing up the image of COLE’s ashes falling before PHOEBE’s eyes. THE QUEEN growls in frustration.)

ALCHEMIST: What seems to be the trouble, Your Majesty?

THE QUEEN: That’s none of your concern. (She motions her hand.) Continue working on the elixir.

(The ALCHEMIST ignores THE QUEEN’s testy voice and continues stirring the cauldron, but this time she uses her index finger.)

ALCHEMIST: If your visions are the problem, perhaps you should give a little less thought to what you see and a little more to what they tell you.

THE QUEEN: Don’t riddle with me. You know nothing about visions.

(The ALCHEMIST bows her head.)

ALCHEMIST: Perhaps not… (She retrieves her hand from the boiling elixir and dips it into the deep pocket of her dirty gray robe. She extracts a small bottle of purple liquid and holds it up for THE QUEEN to see.) Maybe this will help?

(THE QUEEN snatches up the bottle and examines it.)

THE QUEEN: What is it?

ALCHEMIST: It’s something I created a millennia ago, yet, until now, have never had an appropriate subject to use it on.

THE QUEEN: What does it do?

ALCHEMIST: It binds the mind with reality. (She points a mustard colored nail at the crystal ball.) Begin there.

(THE QUEEN pauses, as if trying to figure out whether or not to trust the ALCHEMIST, then she uncorks the potion and moves to the crystal ball and begins to pour the purple liquid over it. Gradually, the liquid runs down the glass like a claw, devouring it. THE QUEEN can no longer see anything inside the crystal ball.)

[Cut to inside the crystal ball. Clouds of rolling deep purple fog part to reveal PHOEBE HALLIWELL walking into P3. PHOEBE stops suddenly, with her hand on the door. She momentarily touches her forehead, almost out of breath, and then shakes it off and walks inside.]

Clickable Credits.

[The Virtual Series]

{SCENE: The song “In My Dreams,” written and sung by Natalie Brown, is heard as stock shots of San Francisco are shown while the Guest Credits are rolled.}

Act One

[Scene: P3. Back room. PHOEBE, PRUE HALLIWELL, PAIGE MATTHEWS, PIPER HALLIWELL, LEO WYATT, and VICTOR BENNETT are sitting around. MELINDA HALLIWELL and CHRIS HALLIWELL are in their car seats, seated on the floor between PIPER and LEO. Everyone is looking at PHOEBE.]

VICTOR: But I don’t understand, I thought you already said that you didn’t feel like they were premonitions; just dreams?

(PHOEBE throws up her hands in frustration.)

PHOEBE: They were. Are. (She presses her fingers to her temples.) God, I don’t know! I just…they’re more than dreams-

LEO: But not quite premonitions?

(PHOEBE nods.)

PIPER: And you feel Cole’s presence in these dreams?

(Again, PHOEBE nods.)

PAIGE: So, you think Cole’s trying to tell you something from beyond the grave?

PRUE: Andy contacted me through a dream. (She dips a soggy fry into the vanilla ice cream scoop on her cone and eats it.) I think it’s entirely possible. Plus, (she motions to her second youngest sister) Phoebe’s psychic, I think that only makes things even more feasible.

PIPER: So, if Prue’s right, what’s he trying to tell us?

PAIGE: That The Queen’s alive?

PRUE: But we already assumed that. I mean, it took the entire Warren line to vanquish The Source last time and since she’s his female equivalent, not even counting the power boost she got from the power oscillation, why would Piper - who isn’t even Charmed anymore - and I be able to vanquish her by ourselves?

PIPER: Prue’s right, there’s no way we could’ve vanquished her. Severely wounded, yes, especially after Prue projected into her and literally whooped her prophetic ass from the inside out, but killed…no.

LEO: So, what if that’s it? (The sisters look curiously at him.) If Cole really is trying to contact (to PHOEBE) you through your dreams, and he’s giving you visions of The Queen, maybe he’s trying to say that you need to vanquish her?

VICTOR: But I thought you couldn’t find her?

PAIGE: SO, maybe Cole’s trying to show Phoebe where The Queen is?

PHOEBE: Too bad the Underworld is evil’s equivalent of a corn maze.

VICTOR: What if she were to go back to sleep? Maybe she could have another vision or dream or whatever psychic thing it is that she’s having?

(The sisters look at each other.)

PAIGE: It’s worth a shot.

PIPER: (to PHOEBE) Are you okay with that?

PHOEBE: Do I really have a choice? (pause) If Cole’s trying to contact me from the afterlife, how can I not answer his call?

[Time lapse. PHOEBE is sitting in a meditative position in her room, on her bed. There’s a knock at the door. She opens her eyes.]

PHOEBE: Come in.

(The door cracks up and VICTOR peeks his head in. PHOEBE smiles weakly. VICTOR walks in and shuts the door behind him.)

VICTOR: How are you doing?

PHOEBE: Just trying to prepare myself. (Her shoulders slump forward.) I keep thinking, what if I see him?

VICTOR: Wouldn’t that be a good thing?

PHOEBE: I don’t know…I see him in my head all the time, but at least that’s when I know he’s not real. If we’re right about him trying to spiritually guide me, then I’d be seeing him for real, right? (She shakes her head.) I don’t know if I could take that…seeing him again, briefly, only to know he can’t stay.

VICTOR: Maybe that’s why he decided to come in the form of a gust of wind? Perhaps…that’s why when you’ve tried to summon him, it didn’t work? Maybe he knew it would do more harm than good?

(PHOEBE chews her lip.)

PHOEBE: I never thought of that before. (She stares down at the green comforter on her bed.) I guess I just assumed The Elders weren’t letting him come through.

(There’s another knock at the door. VICTOR and PHOEBE look up as it opens. PRUE and PAIGE walk in.)

PAIGE: Hey. (She smiles lightly as she walks over to sit down at the foot of PHOEBE’s bed.)

PRUE: Piper should be up any minute. (She points her thumb over her shoulder at the door.) She’s just checking in on Tricia. (She sits down next to PAIGE.) Do you…think you’re ready?

(PHOEBE nods.)

PHOEBE: The meditation you suggested really helped to calm me down.

(PRUE pats PHOEBEe’s leg comfortingly.)

PRUE: Glad I could help.

[Cut to the hallway. PIPER has one hand holding the cordless phone to her ear and the other arm wrapped around MELINDA.]

PIPER: Okay, thanks for the update. If there are anymore problems, you know where to reach me. (LEO orbs in, in front of her. She stops abruptly.) Bye! (She presses the button to end the call with her thumb.)

LEO: I just got Chris down for a nap.

PIPER: Great, thanks. (She hands him both MELINDA and the cordless phone.) Can you try to put her down too? And, if Tricia calls back, please just take the call for me.

LEO: Uh, sure. (He adjusts MELINDA in his arms. PIPER moves to open PHOEBE’s door, but pauses. LEO touches her shoulder.) What’s wrong?

PIPER: I just… (She shakes her head.) I don’t know. I’m just worried.

LEO: She’ll be fine.

PIPER: I hope you’re right.

(LEO kisses her on the cheek. PIPER walks into the bedroom. She sees PHOEBE trying to get into a comfortable lying down position. She walks around the bed and pulls up a chair from PHOEBE's vanity and sits down.)

PIPER: You ready to do this?

PHOEBE: As ready as I’ll ever be. (She lays her head on the pillow.) Do you have that sleeping potion?

(PAIGE reaches into her pocket and hands the requested potion to her sister.)

VICTOR: Does she really need that?

PRUE: It’s not that easy to fall asleep when you’re trying to.

VICTOR: But…will she be able to wake up from it if she wants to?

PAIGE: We made the sleeping potion in a low dosage, so that Phoebe can wake up when she needs to, as opposed to the kind we’ve used on innocents, which are made specifically to keep them asleep for lengthy periods.

PRUE: But just in case, (she produces a vial from her own pocket) we also made a reversal potion that, in the case of an emergency, will wake her up immediately.

(PHOEBE uncorks the sleeping potion and drinks it. Her eyes become heavy as PIPER takes the empty vial and places it on PHOEBE’s nightstand. PIPER takes PhHOEBE’s right hand in hers, feeling PHOEBE consciously clamp onto it as PHOEBE’s head touches the pillow. PHOEBE’s eyes shut and her form relaxes. PRUE, PAIGE, and VICTOR share tense looks, but PIPER’s gaze remains only on PHOEBE.)

[Dream: PHOEBE is back in the secret lair, hiding behind the cluster of rocks. She pokes her head up, but she doesn’t see THE QUEEN. She looks confused. Cautiously, she rises to her feet to get a better look, but she still doesn’t see THE QUEEN.]

PHOEBE: Hello? (Her voice just echoes back at her. She shifts her eyes, waiting for the breeze indicating COLE’s presence, but she doesn’t feel it.) Cole? (She walks out from behind her hiding place.) Cole, where are you? What am I supposed to be doing? (Something catches her eye. She sees THE QUEEN’s crystal ball on a slab of rock, but the odd thing is the crystal sphere is a royal purple color. She squints.)

[Cut back to the present. PHOEBE is still lying stationary on the bed.]

PHOEBE: What in the world…

(The sisters exchange strange looks.)

PAIGE: Do you think that’s normal?

VICTOR: It’s what she did in the car.

[Cut back to the dream. PHOEBE walks over to the crystal ball. The purple fog is whirling inside, reminding PHOEBE of an ever ominous forming hurricane. She shivers.]

PHOEBE: Is this what you want me to see? (Still, COLE’s prompting breeze doesn’t respond. She rubs her bare arms as if she’s cold. Nothing else seems to happen, so PHOEBE finally reaches out her hand and touches the purple sphere.)

[Cut back to the present. A purple energy ripple explodes off PHOEBE's right hand, blasting PHOEBE’s and PIPER’s hands apart and sending PIPER and her chair falling backwards onto the floor.]

PRUE: Piper! (She bounds off the bed to PIPER’s side.) Are you okay?

(PIPER looks at her hand.)

PIPER: Fine…I think. (PRUE helps her up.) What about-

VICTOR: Uh, is this normal?

(PRUE and PIPER turn around to see PHOEBE floating five inches above the bed. Her hair is blowing without wind.)

PAIGE: What the hell…

(PHOEBE’s eyes suddenly open and to the shock of her sisters and VICTOR, her irises are no longer brown, but a deep violet. A gasp suddenly escapes PHOEBE’s throat and then a purple smoke exhales out of her mouth and nose. The fog swirls into a circular cloud around PHOEBE.)

PIPER: Prue…

(PIPER taps her sister’s arm. PRUE raises her hand to try and move the smoke, which is blocking their physical view of PHOEBE, but instead of moving it, the invisible telekinetic energy seems to hit an invisible barrier around the purple fog and bounce back, knocking PRUE into PHOEBE’s vanity.)

VICTOR: Leo!

[Scene: Underworld. Secret lair. THE QUEEN is standing in front of her crystal ball, watching it eagerly as the purple fog within gently parts to reveal not just an image, but a miniature and very real PHOEBE trapped within the glass sphere. PHOEBE looks shocked and horrified. A Cruella DeVille smirk spreads across THE QUEEN's lips as PHOEBE finally notices her through the glass. PHOEBE begins to bang against the crystal to no avail.]

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Two

[Scene: Manor. Hallway. PAIGE comes flying out of PHOEBE’s room and crashes into the wall. She slides down with a thud as PRUE and PIPER race out to help her up. PAIGE groans.]

PAIGE: Looks like we can check orbing off our list of possible ways to get Phoebe out of that bubble. (She climbs to her feet with the help of her sisters.)

PRUE: God, I can’t believe I actually let her do this. I should’ve known it was a trap!

PIPER: Prue! (They walk back into PHOEBE's room.) Stop it. You couldn’t have known, we all thought-

PRUE: We’re the Charmed Ones, we should’ve given it more thought; consulted The Elders…something. (She throws out her hand in the direction of the fog bubble.) We - I - was reckless in letting her do this!

(LEO orbs in.)

PIPER: (anxiously) What did They say?

LEO: They’re not exactly sure-

PRUE: (angrily) They’re not sure? (She points her finger at bubble. PAIGE grabs it.)

PAIGE: I think you need to be careful with that, Prue. (She shoves PRUE's hand down. PRUE tries to calm down.)

PRUE: Leo, my sister is trapped in god knows what. (She flexes her fingers.) For all we know, that thing could be sucking her life force away right under our noses! You need to go back Up There right now and make Them find out what is going on and how we can get Phoebe out of there!

LEO: They think They have a lead.

PIPER: What lead?

LEO: They think it could be the work of an old alchemist that They thought had been vanquished a millennium ago.

PRUE: Alchemist? As in Kierkan kind?

LEO: No, this alchemist is far more experienced. When she was alive, she was highly sought after by demons for her specialty elixirs.

PAIGE: What kind of elixirs?

LEO: They didn’t elaborate.

PIPER: Well, why don’t you go back Up There and get the details? (She snaps her fingers in the direction of her sisters.) You two, go get the Book so we can check this out on our end. I’ll wait in here with Phoebe to make sure things don’t get worse.

(LEO sighs.)

LEO: I’ll be back as soon as I can.

(LEO orbs out again. PRUE and PAIGE leave the room. PIPER presses her hand to her forward and sits down on the chair next to the bed. She picks up a notepad on the corner of PHOEBE’s nightstand, which has a multitude of scribbles and the beginnings of spells with X’s and lines through them. She starts writing again.)

[Scene: Underworld. Secret lair. THE QUEEN is staring nastily at PHOEBE, who is trying to kick and punch her way out of the crystal ball.]

THE QUEEN: The Charmed Ones…I should’ve known you witches wouldn’t stay down for long.

PHOEBE: Let me out of here!

(THE QUEEN peers over the ALCHEMIST’s shoulder, staring into the sputtering brew that she’s been cooking up.)

THE QUEEN: Oh, I most definitely intend on letting you out. (She picks up her crystal ball and inside, PHOEBE falls onto her butt. PHOEBE wobbles around as THE QUEEN carries the ball over to the cauldron.) What’s that old saying? (She shakes the crystal ball, knocking PHOEBE around inside.) A Charmed One a day keeps the alchemist away?

[Scene: Manor. Attic. PIPER and PAIGE are behind the Book of Shadows. PIPER looks frustrated. She keeps turning back to the page on Kierkan.]

PIPER: I don’t see any other alchemists in here. (She tilts her head to the ceiling.) Anyone care to help?

(PAIGE stares at the Book, but the pages don’t do their customary flipping.)

PAIGE: Apparently we’re on our own.

PIPER: That must mean that none of our ancestors have ever come in contact with this particular alchemist before. (She closes the Book and folds her arms. PAIGE sighs.)

PAIGE: It sure would be nice to consult Cole right now.

(PIPER lifts her brow.)

PAIGE: I just mean that as many differences as we had…it was still nice to have him and all of his knowledge of the Underworld at our disposal. (She suddenly purses her lips.) You know what, (she raises her finger) I think I just got an idea!

PIPER: Wh-

(PAIGE starts to orb out.)

PIPER: Hey! (She grasps at the orbs, but her hand washes through them as they disappear. She stumbles forward and looks up at the ceiling.) Great, thanks for sharing!

[Scene: Drake’s penthouse. Living room. PAIGE orbs in. She looks around the room, but finds it empty.]

PAIGE: Drake? (She starts to walk around.) Anybody home? (She sees the near empty bottle of Scotch on the table near the shot glass and letter from Harper & Lee. She walks over to it and picks up the Scotch.)

DRAKE’s VOICE: Paige?

(PAIGE spins around with the Scotch bottle still in hand. She sees DRAKE DE'MON standing across the room with a bare chest and the lower half of his body wrapped in a scarlet towel. PAIGE stares and then makes a noise and covers her eyes.)

PAIGE: Uh, sorry!

(DRAKE looks down at himself and waves his hand. Khaki slacks with a brown leather belt, a grey cotton shirt, and a matching khaki jacket appear on him. He tilts his head, eyeing his feet motions his hand again, making a pair of brown loafers appear.)

DRAKE: You can open your eyes now. (PAIGE peeks between her fingers and sees that he’s dressed. She lets out a breath and pulls her hand down from her face.) Uh…what are you doing with my Scotch?

PAIGE: Uh… (She looks at the bottle and quickly replaces it on the table.) Actually, I came to ask for your help.

(DRAKE looks amused.)

DRAKE: Really? (He runs his fingers through his thick mess of shiny dark brown hair.) What on earth for?

PAIGE: Phoebe.

(DRAKE’s amused expression turns serious.)

DRAKE: Phoebe? What’s happened to her?

PAIGE: How much do you know about alchemists?

DRAKE: They come in different levels. The bad ones usually can’t do more than raise zombies, but the good ones can bring people back to life depending on how long their victims have been dead. (He shrugs.) The longer someone’s been dead, the harder it is to bring them back. (He pauses and his face turns grave.) Phoebe hasn’t tried contacting an alchemist to bring Cole back…has she?

PAIGE: What? No!

DRAKE: Good! Because they’re very dangerous creatures; asking dark magic for that kind of help could never result in anything good for Phoebe. (pause) Why are you asking about them?

PAIGE: The Elders think one may be working with The Queen.

(DRAKE looks contemplative.)

DRAKE: She must want an elixir.

(PAIGE nods.)

PAIGE: That’s what Leo said, but he didn’t know why or for what. He sent him back to-

DRAKE: For life. (He begins to pace.) Alchemists don’t just raise the dead, Paige. You know the stories about alchemists changing lead into gold? (PAIGE nods.) Some specialize in that as well. They’re masters at potions. It’s rumored that a select few even have the power to create a Life Elixir-

PAIGE: Well that makes sense, if they can bring people back from the other side, then why wouldn’t they have a Life Elixir?

DRAKE: You don’t understand, a Life Elixir can grant immortality. It has to be taken by the living, though.

(PAIGE’s mouth drops open.)

PAIGE: That must be why The Queen wants it! She had to have been near death the last time we saw her and she’s probably been holding out this entire time, waiting to get her hands on the right alchemist who can give her that elixir. (pause) You wouldn’t happen to know which alchemists possess that knowledge, would you?

(DRAKE shakes his head.)

DRAKE: Alchemists are loners in the Underworld. They’re sought out for their expertise and even I don’t know where to find one…I’ve never wanted to delve that far into darkness.

[Scene: Manor. Phoebe’s bedroom. PRUE is pacing with her arms folded at the foot of PHOEBE’s bed when LEO orbs in. As PRUE notices movement from the corner of her eye, she throws up he hand defensively. LEO throws his hands up as if someone’s pointing a gun at him.]

LEO: (quickly) It’s just me!

(PRUE lowers her hand.)

PRUE: What did you find out?

LEO: Her name’s Aquina. In her youth she was the apprentice to the most notorious alchemist in the magical world until he betrayed the Old Source and was killed for it. The Elders were under the assumption that Aquina had also been killed in the attack-

PRUE: And now They think she escaped.

(LEO nods as PIPER peeks in.)

PIPER: (to LEO) Anything?

(LEO and PRUE share looks.)

PRUE: Has Paige come back yet? I’d like her to be here so we don’t have to recap twice.

(PIPER shakes her head.)

PIPER: I haven’t heard from (DRAKE and PAIGE shimmer in together) her. (She folds her arms.) Speak of the angel.

(PRUE eyes DRAKE.)

PRUE: And the demon.

DRAKE: I hope that’s not cynicism lacing your tone.

(PAIGE raises her hand to DRAKE.)

PAIGE: (whispering) Mood swings…now’s not a good time.

(DRAKE notices PHOEBE floating in the fog bubble. He forgets both PRUE and PAIGE and walks towards it.)

LEO: (warningly) Drake, I wouldn’t do that if I were-

(DRAKE reaches out to touch the bubble, but it shocks him and blasts him into PHOEBE’s closet. He grunts as PAIGE leans over to help him out. As she helps him out, he emerges with a feather hat sitting awkwardly on his head. He pulls the hat off and examines it. PIPER snatches it away.)

PIPER: Saloon girl costume. (She stuffs it back in the closet and slides the closet door shut.) Back to my sister. (She points to PHOEBE to emphasize her point. LEO clears his throat to get everyone’s attention.)

PRUE: I think Leo was just about to update us. (They all look at him expectantly.)

LEO: (to DRAKE) I tried to warn you. (He lightly touches his left temple.) They theorize The Queen must have discovered Phoebe’s psychic link to her whereabouts and intercepted it.

PIPER: And somehow trapped her there?

(LEO nods.)

PAIGE: Since when did The Queen get that kind of power?

PRUE: She could’ve picked it up during the power oscillation.

(DRAKE shakes his head as he stares at the lavender fog surrounding the middle Charmed One.)

DRAKE: That doesn’t look like any kind of active power to me. That (he points) is the work of an alchemist.

PAIGE: I thought you said you didn’t work with them?

DRAKE: I said I didn’t know where to find one, not that I wouldn’t know the aftermath of one if I see it. (He nods.) That’s an alchemist and if I had to guess, I’d say she’s done something to trap Phoebe in those dreams Paige told me about.

PIPER: So how do we get her out?

DRAKE: Only the alchemist can do that.

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Three

[Scene: Underworld. Secret lair. Inside the crystal ball. PHOEBE has her hands pressed against the glass, staring out at THE QUEEN who is talking to AQUINA across the room. She angrily hits the glass, but to no avail. She turns away and presses her hands to her forehead.]

PHOEBE: (whispering) What have I done?

(The lavender swirls of fog curl around her. She takes an unconscious step forward and the fog begins to separate. PHOEBE lifts her head, not paying much attention to it. Then she notices an image, something like a hologram, beginning to appear in the fog’s clearing. She stops abruptly and watches the hologram-like image unfold.)

[Cut to the vision. A young woman and her mentor, an elderly white haired alchemist in brown robes, are bent over a cauldron in the Underworld. A column of flames appears behind them and YOUNG AQUINA turns around with wide eyes as the OLD SOURCE marches towards them. He extends a claw from his blood colored robes and twists it, telekinetically blasting AQUINA out of the way as the OLD ALCHEMIST turns around. The OLD ALCHEMIST begins to shake his head, still guarding his boiling cauldron. The OLD SOURCE wraps his claw around the OLD ALCHEMIST’s neck and raises him into the air. His neck begins to turn red as intense heat transfers from the OLD SOURCE’s claw into the OLD ALCHEMIST. His face begins to contort and steam begins to rise from his flesh. Flames erupt on him and his cloak and slowly, his skin begins to melt away to muscle and finally to bone. When only a skeleton remains in the OLD SOURCE’s clutches, it quickly turns black and dissolves into dust. On the floor across the cave, YOUNG AQUINA looks up blearily from her place on the floor; she has one lead colored iris and one gold iris. YOUND AQUINA sees the dust fall to the ground and gasps. The OLD SOURCE turns quickly and stretches out his arm, but she makes a quick motion of her hand, retrieving a potion vial from her dress pocket and smashing it onto the ground. Thick grey smoke fills the air and when it clears, YOUND AQUINA and the cauldron are gone, leaving the OLD SOURCE by himself.]

[Cut back to Phoebe. She watches as the image fades away and the lavender swirls quickly fill the space. She looks over her shoulder and sees that outside of the crystal ball, THE QUEEN is still busy with AQUINA. She chews her lip warily.]

PHOEBE: If I can see that…I wonder what else I can see?

[Scene: Manor. Attic. PRUE, PIPER, and PAIGE are chanting the last of the To Find A Lost Witch Spell, but DRAKE is shaking his head. When nothing happens, PRUE pulls her hands back.]

DRAKE: I told you it wouldn’t work. An alchemist’s enchantments are some of the most powerful kind. And if Leo is right about this Aquina character, if she really was the apprentice to Cian, then her powers are far beyond anything you’ve ever dealt with before.

PRUE: We’ve vanquished The Source before. I’d say that’s more powerful than an alchemist, so I think we can handle it.

DRAKE: That was also when you had the Power of Four at your disposal.

PIPER: Not the point. We could’ve done it without the Power of Four and we can still save Phoebe without it.

DRAKE: You don’t even have the Power of Three without her!

(PAIGE claps her hands, silencing DRAKE.)

PAIGE: We’ve been in tighter jams than this before. (She grabs the Book of Shadows from its pedestal.) We’ll triumph with this time too.

(DRAKE folds his arms.)

DRAKE: Fine, don’t believe me, but if alchemistic magic is cloaking The Queen, you’ll never find her that way. (He starts to shimmer out, but LEO grabs his arm.)

LEO: Where are you going?

DRAKE: To the Underworld, where else?

LEO: I thought you just got done saying-

DRAKE: That doesn’t mean I can’t do a little investigating, does it? (He looks at the sisters.) Well, (he bows his head) I’ll be back then…hopefully. (He shimmers out. PAIGE scratches her head.)

[Scene: Underworld. Secret lair. Inside the crystal ball. Vision. THE QUEEN drops the crystal ball into AQUINA’s cauldron. The potion rushes over the crystal sphere and the glass begins to dissolve, allowing the potion to sweep in and begin to drown PHOEBE. When it completely consumes her and she disappears beneath its black depths, it bubbles over and the remainder of the potion turns a chilling shade of red. THE QUEEN dips a ladle into the cauldron and lifts the Life Elixir from it. She drinks it and some of it spills down the corners of her mouth, making her look almost vampiric. A red sheen washes over her and her eyes flame more brightly than ever before.]

[Cut back to Phoebe. As the vision dissolves into the lavender fog, she hugs herself.]

PHOEBE: That doesn’t look good…

[Cut to The Queen. She’s rubbing her hands together.]

THE QUEEN: Once I sacrifice the witch for my elixir, (she looks over at the crystal ball) I’ll never be tied to that thing again. Her powers will be mine. (Her eyes gleam.) The powers of the Charmed Ones will be mine and I will rule the Underworld for eternity!

AQUINA: You believe in eternity?

THE QUEEN: (annoyed) What kind of question is that? Immortality and eternity are practically one and the same. You should know that.

AQUINA: I have been around long enough to know that nothing is eternal.

(THE QUEEN sneers impatiently.)

THE QUEEN: Just focus on the elixir! I have no time nor patience to engage you in debate.

[Cut to a long Underworld passageway. DRAKE has a skinny demon with reptilian eyes pinned against the passage wall, clutched at the throat. The SCAVENGER DEMON’s legs are wriggling above the ground.]

SCAVENGER DEMON: (hissing) Pleassse De’mon, I don’t know anything! I’m nothing more than a Ssscavenger!

(DRAKE shakes his head.)

DRAKE: Now see? That’s exactly why all the big demons go around underestimating you guys. (He tilts his head, studying the squirming SCAVENGER DEMON.) This is precisely why I came to your kind. Scavengers have the ability to sense great magic, you just don’t have the ability to fight it. (He squeezes the demon’s neck a little tighter.) Which means at the moment, you have an advantage I don’t. Now, you can either help me, or I can vanquish you right now and move onto the next scavenger-

SCAVENGER DEMON: No! No, pleassse no vanquisssh!

DRAKE: Alright. (He loosens his grip.) Then tell me, where have you sensed the greatest concentration of magic in the Underworld in the last…oh…two months or so? (The SCAVENGER DEMON swallows uncomfortably. DRAKE groans and suddenly his left arm begins ablaze.) Fine, I guess I’ll just-

SCAVENGER DEMON: (frightfully) I’ll ssshow you!

DRAKE: Really? (He inches his burning hand closer to the lesser demon’s face.) Do I have your word?

(The demon nods feverishly. DRAKE deflames his arm and moves his other hand, dropping the SCAVENGER DEMON to the ground. He reaches down and grabs the demon by the scruff of his shirt.)

DRAKE: Take me there.

[Cut to an open stretch of the Underworld leading to different passageways and caverns, yet the area is completely vacant. The SCAVENGER DEMON and DRAKE appear in a green flare. DRAKE looks around.]

DRAKE: The Underworld slums…not quite where I would’ve thought for Her Highness. (He looks down at the demon.) Which way?

(The SCAVENGER DEMON fearfully points directly across the vacant rocky lot to the middle passageway.)

SCAVENGER DEMON: That one. (DRAKE eyes the directed passageway cautiously.) C-c-can I go now?

(DRAKE considers it, then shakes his head.)

DRAKE: No. I want you to come with me.

SCAVENGER DEMON: No!

(DRAKE glares.)

DRAKE: I thought so.

SCAVENGER DEMON: Th-thought what?

DRAKE: That there was something you weren’t telling me. (The SCAVENGER DEMON looks away.) What is it? Why are you so afraid of going down there?

SCAVENGER DEMON: It killsss.

DRAKE: The Queen?

SCAVENGER DEMON: No, the corridor! The firssst of usss to ssstep inssside were vanquissshed inssstantly! We don’t know where it leadsss, only that we sssense great power radiating from it…

(DRAKE rubs his chin thoughtfully.)

DRAKE: I see. (He releases the demon.) You can go.

(The SCAVENGER DEMON stares.)

SCAVENGER DEMON: Jussst like that?

DRAKE: That was the plan. (He shrugs.) I told you that if I provided me with what I wanted, I’d let you go, didn’t I? I’m a demon of my word. (pause) Unless you want me to vanquish you-

SCAVENGER DEMON: No-no! (He holds up his hands.) I’ll leave.

(The SCAVENGER DEMON disappears in the green flare he brought DRAKE in. DRAKE turns his attention back to the corridor. His arm lights on fire and he aims a blast of flames into the corridor. The corridor lights up as electrical surges attack the flames and a mighty explosion erupts from the corridor. DRAKE taps his chin.)

DRAKE: Interesting… (He shimmers away.)

[Time lapse. DRAKE, PRUE, PIPER, and PAIGE are back in the vacant stretch of Underworld. PIPER has a potion clenched in her hand and PAIGE is shifting her eyes around the various tunnels warily.]

DRAKE: Just throw it there, you’ll see what I’m talking about.

(PIPER takes a step forward, but DRAKE holds out his arm to stop her.)

DRAKE: You don’t want to get too close though.

(PIPER arches her arm back and throws the potion. As it enters the tunnel, a bolt of electricity snakes out from the wall and hits the vial dead on. An explosion billows from the tunnel. The sisters exchange worried looks.)

PAIGE: And a Scavenger Demon found this for you when we couldn’t?

DRAKE: Even pests have their uses.

PAIGE: (to PRUE and PIPER) Maybe we could do a spell to disarm?

PIPER: If it’s as powerful as Drake says - and it tends to look that way - then I’m thinking the only way a spell would disarm that thing is if you had the Power of Three and unfortunately, I can’t stand in for that anymore.

[Cut to Phoebe. The fog in the crystal ball is clearing again. PHOEBE inches closer as an image develops.]

[Cut to the vision. PRUE, PIPER, and PAIGE are sitting in the sun room with LEO, DRAKE, and the TWINS in their portable playpen. The Book of Shadows is on the white whicker table and PRUE is thumbing through it. As LEO walks towards the playpen, THE QUEEN flames in. The TWINS’ blue force field rises up around the playpen as she aims a fireball at LEO, hitting him in the back. LEO explodes into a shattering of orbs. PRUE jumps to her feet and waves her arm, but THE QUEEN blocks the attack by countering it with her own telekinetic attack, throwing PRUE through one of the windows. PAIGE grabs for PIPER, but THE QUEEN raises her arm.]

THE QUEEN: Not this time! (She telekinetically blasts PIPER and PAIGE apart. DRAKE’s arms light on fire and he aims them at THE QUEEN, producing a powerful pyrokinetic funnel. THE QUEEN deflects the blast telekinetically, sending it back at DRAKE. DRAKE catches on fire and THE QUEEN claps her hands and he explodes. As PAIGE attempts to shakily recover and rise from the ground, THE QUEEN aims a fireball at her as LEO reforms. The fireball hits PAIGE and she turns into a pile of dust. The attack stops PIPER in her tracks and screams. THE QUEEN turns her head excitedly.) I guess time isn’t on your side anymore!

(Powerless and still in shock, PIPER is hit with a fireball, turning her into a pile of ashes.)

LEO: (screaming) No!

(LEO runs at THE QUEEN, but she claps her hands twice and a darklighter smokes into LEO’s path and fires his crossbow, hitting LEO through the heart. He drops to the ground and THE QUEEN looks like she’s on top of the world. At that moment, she notices the force field and walks over to it. VICTOR walks in and sees LEO on the floor and snaps his attention towards the playpen.)

VICTOR: Get away from them!

(THE QUEEN raises her arm and flames ignite on VICTOR. He screams and explodes, leaving nothing but a scorch mark behind on the floor. She holds her hands above her head and begins to conjure a fireball of epic proportions. She begins to breath heavily.)

THE QUEEN: All good magic has to fall sometime!

(THE QUEEN produces a small vial from her dress and uncorks it, pouring it over the force field. A black liquid trickles down it and soaks into the blue shield, turning the shield a dark gray color. She then holds her hands over her head and produces a fireball of epic proportions and throws it at the force field. The gray shield flickers and crackles before exploding with an ear popping bang, leaving MELINDA and CHRIS open to attack. THE QUEEN begins to cackle manically as she summons two fireballs to her hands and aims them at the TWINS.)

[Cut back to Phoebe.]

PHOEBE: No! (She runs at the vision, but as she grasps at it, it fades away, replaced by the mystical fog. Her face looks flushed and she’s breathing erratically.) I have to warn them! (She rakes her hands through her shoulder length hair frantically. She sucks in a deep breath.)
“In this place of psychic power,
I call upon all future hours,
Grant these visions to my sisters three,
They need the power,
Give them the power!”

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Four

[Scene: Underworld. Vacant spread. DRAKE, PIPER, PAIGE, and PRUE are still there. Another loud explosion erupts from the tunnel. This time PAIGE coughs as she waves her hand, clearing away the smoke.]

PAIGE: We’ve been at this for fifteen minutes, I don’t think we’re going to get through there with an impromptu spell by the Power of Two plus one.

PIPER: I vote for heading back to the Manor and consulting the Book on Plan B.

(PAIGE raises her hand.)

PAIGE: Make that two votes.

(PRUE growls in frustration.)

PRUE: Fine.

(PAIGE holds out her hands. PRUE and PIPER reach from them at the same time and they touch, each sister tenses up. DRAKE looks apprehensively.)

DRAKE: Prue? (He waves his hand in front of her face.) Piper? Paige? (He claps his hand in front of PIPER’s face and then touches PAIGE’s arm, but each one is unresponsive.) Oh (he shakes his head) I’m sensing this is bad…

(All at once, the sisters awaken from their stiff positions. Each one is wearing the same look of worry and fear on her face.)

PRUE, PIPER, & PAIGE: I think I just had a premonition! (They look at each other in shock.) What? You too?

(PRUE throws up her hands.)

PRUE: Whoa! Wait a minute! (She makes a piece sign and tilts it down, pointing simultaneously at both of her sisters.) You both had a premonition?

PAIGE: How can that be? We (she waves her hand in a circle) don’t get premonitions and Piper doesn’t even have powers at all!

PIPER: It must be Phoebe. I don’t know how, but she must have sent one of her visions to us. (pause) I’m betting we all saw the same thing, right?

PAIGE: The Queen.

PRUE: And our deaths.

PIPER: At the Manor.

PAIGE: We can’t go back there then. That’s where it takes place.

PIPER: But we have to get the Book. And Leo, he has to get the Twins somewhere safe!

DRAKE: I’ll go.

(The sisters look at him. PRUE shakes her head.)

PRUE: You won’t be able to take the Book out of the Manor…you won’t even be able to touch it. One of us has to come with you.

PIPER: I will!

PRUE: No, you won’t! You don’t even have powers. I’m the oldest, I’ll go.

PAIGE: Absolutely not! You’re pregnant, you can’t go. It has to be me. I can orb…and turn back time if anything goes wrong.

PRUE: Obviously that didn’t help in the vision.

PAIGE: That’s because it was a surprise attack. Right now, I know what’s coming and I’m prepared. (She pulls a potion from her jacket pocket and grabs DRAKE’s hand.) You stay here, we’ll be back soon. (DRAKE eyes PRUE and PIPER for approval. PAIGE impatiently shakes his arm.) Well?

(PIPER nods, though DRAKE can see the confliction in her face.)

DRAKE: Everything’s going to be fine. (He shimmers out with PAIGE.)

[Scene: Manor. Sunroom. MELINDA is in the portable playpen, crying. VICTOR leans over the edge and scoops her out, bouncing her lightly in his arms.]

VICTOR: There, there. (He tickles her under the chin and MELINDA stops crying. He smiles.) That always used to quiet your mother down too. (He shifts her to a more comfortable position enabling him to check his watch.) I bet you want your bottle right now, don’t you? (He heads towards the living room when DRAKE and PAIGE walk in, cutting him off.)

PAIGE: (anxiously) Where’s Leo?

VICTOR: Uh… (He shakes his head looking caught off guard.) Upstairs, I think, still watching over Phoebe.

(PAIGE hurries over to the playpen and scoops CHRIS out of it.)

PAIGE: You guys need to get out here and fast!

VICTOR: (alarmed) Why? What’s going on?

PAIGE: There’s not a lot of time to explain. (She looks up at the ceiling.) Leo! (She heads into the living room. VICTOR and DRAKE follow her.)

VICTOR: What happened? Where’re Prue and Piper?

PAIGE: Waiting for us. (They get to the stairs and PAIGE sees LEO at the top of them, coming down. PAIGE hurries up the stairs and shoves CHRIS into LEO’s arms.) You need to get the Twins, Victor, and yourself out of here. The Queen plans on coming for us soon and you’ll end up being in the crossfire.

LEO: What? (He looks at VICTOR and DRAKE.) Did you find Phoebe?

PAIGE: No, she found us…in a sense. (She rushes past her brother-in-law, but LEO goes after her.)

LEO: You need to explain!

PAIGE: No, you just need to get them somewhere safe. (pause) Take them back to your house, but stay in one room. The crystals will sense if anyone comes after you there and if they go off, orb immediately! (She turns around, raising her finger warningly.) I don’t know what she has, but don’t count on the Twins’ force field. The Queen’s found a way around it.

VICTOR: (shocked) But that’s impossible! (He looks at LEO.) Isn’t it?

DRAKE: Nothing’s impossible with magic.

(LEO nods.)

LEO: (to VICTOR) Drake’s right. (He holds out his hand.) If they say we need to hide, we do.

VICTOR: What about Phoebe? We can’t just leave her alone in that…that thing!

PAIGE: We’re working on that.

(VICTOR hesitatingly takes LEO’s hand.)

VICTOR: (to PAIGE) Tell them I love them.

PAIGE: The situation isn’t that dire, Victor. You’ll be able to tell them yourself.

(PAIGE nods to LEO. LEO orbs himself, the TWINS, and VICTOR away. PAIGE resumes her way to the attic, with DRAKE right on her heels.)

DRAKE: It sounds like you have a plan.

PAIGE: More like a plan in the making. (They reach the attic and head inside.)

DRAKE: What’re you thinking?

(PAIGE grabs the Book of Shadows and tucks it safely under her arm. She slaps her hand down on DRAKE’s shoulder.)

PAIGE: You’ll see.

[Scene: Underworld. Secret lair. THE QUEEN sniffs the air.]

THE QUEEN: It smells like bile.

AQUINA: That means it’s nearly ready.

(THE QUEEN peers into the cauldron.)

AQUINA: In a few moments, it’ll turn black, (she looks at the crystal ball) and that’s when we add the secret ingredient.

(THE QUEEN anxiously stares into the bubbling mess, which is a dark gray color and becoming darker and darker with each second.)

[Cut to Prue, Piper, Paige, and Drake. PAIGE opens the Book of Shadows, revealing a hand drawn picture of THE SOURCE on one page and a calligraphy heading of “The Source Vanquishing Spell” on the other, with the spell written underneath it.]

PRUE: Since when did that get put in the Book?

PAIGE: Since I put it in there.

PIPER: (surprised) You drew that? (She taps the drawing of THE SOURCE.) It’s pretty accurate, right down to the creepy overgrown yellow nails.

PAIGE: Well, I figured someone ought to do it and since I have a knack for drawing-

PRUE: Paige! Can we please get to the point? What do we need this for? We can’t exactly vanquish The Queen if we can’t get to her.

(PAIGE pulls a pen out of her pocket and begins to write on her hand. PRUE and PIPER eye her curiously.)

PIPER: How is that going to help us?

PAIGE: We need a spell that (to PIPER) you can say that will pack a big punch, right? (She continues writing on her hand in blue ink. She chews her lip in concentration, then holds up her ink laden palm proudly.) So what better spell than a different version of The Source Vanquishing Spell? If we can summon our ancestors to put a smack down on The Source of All Evil, why not summon them to help us break down alchemistic magic too? It won’t be as powerful without Phoebe, but then again, we’re also not dealing with The Source…yet.

PRUE: Paige, that’s brilliant.

(PAIGE smiles cheekily.)

PAIGE: Thank you. (She grabs PIPER’s hand and cues PRUE, who takes PIPER’s other hand. PAIGE holds up her inky hand for her sisters to see.)

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

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

PAIGE: “Warren witches ask you help us!”

PRUE, PIPER, & PAIGE: “Destroy the magic we can’t erase!”

[Cut to the secret lair. THE QUEEN is carrying the crystal ball over to the cauldron. Abruptly, a colossal shockwave rocks the lair. AQUINA and THE QUEEN are knocked to their feet as a considerable chunk of the lair explodes and a wash of wispy white lights pours through the hole and into the lair. As the dust from the explosion clears, it reveals PIPER, DRAKE, PRUE and PAIGE standing in the hole. PIPER looks around anxiously, but she doesn’t see PHOEBE. However, on the floor next to THE QUEEN, is a group of broken glass from THE QUEEN’s shattered crystal ball.]

[Cut to the Manor. The lavender fog filled force field no longer surrounds PHOEBE and her irises have returned to their natural deep brown. She opens her mouth with a gasp and falls out of the air, landing on her bed with a particularly loud thud. She sits up quickly and sees that she’s back in her bedroom, but no one is around.]

[Cut back to the secret lair. PRUE waves her arm, throwing AQUINA across the lair. As THE QUEEN starts to stir, PRUE performs another telekinetic attack, shoving THE QUEEN up against the wall.]

PRUE: (demandingly) Where’s my sister?! (She curls her fist, beginning to choke THE QUEEN. THE QUEEN seems vulnerable at first, but then her eyes flame. PIPER grabs PRUE’s shoulder.)

PIPER: Prue-

(THE QUEEN suddenly raises her arm and discharges a fantastic telekinetic pulse from her palm. DRAKE and the three sisters are blown in different directions. THE QUEEN stalks across the lair, moving to the cauldron which now contains the inky black potion.)

THE QUEEN: I only need one sacrifice for this, so any one of you will do. (She clenches her fist and PRUE is dragged across the floor and lifted into the air, where THE QUEEN wraps her hand around PRUE’s neck.) The irony is that I also get to kill you by drowning you.

(THE QUEEN quickly shoves PRUE’s head towards the cauldron, but PRUE begins struggling. The ends of PRUE’s hair drop into the cauldron and it sizzles, eating away at her hair like acid. THE QUEEN presses her other hand over the top of PRUE’s face and presses down harder. Unbeknownst to THE QUEEN, a trail of orbs begin to encircle PRUE’s feet, working their way up around her ankles and legs in a spiral. As they reach PRUE’s waist, a loud smack is heard and THE QUEEN releases her grip out of shock. The orbs envelope PRUE and she disappears. THE QUEEN whirls around to see PHOEBE hovering in mid air. Before she has time to react, PHOEBE spins and kicks THE QUEEN in the face, sending her sprawling onto the ground. PHOEBE drops to her feet and she and DRAKE run over to PRUE, PIPER, and PAIGE. PHOEBE sees her sister’s singed hair.)

PHOEBE: (concerned) Are you okay?

(PRUE turns her head.)

PRUE: Fine. (She holds out both her arms and telekinetically knocks over the cauldron onto THE QUEEN. The brew covers her and it begins to eat away at her flesh. THE QUEEN screams.)

DRAKE: I think that’s your cue.

(PRUE, PIPER, PHOEBE, and PAIGE grab hands.)

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

(A fierce wind flares up and begins to whip the sisters’ hair. A twister develops around THE QUEEN.)

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

(A ring of flames shoot up around THE QUEEN, which grow due to the raging wind.)

PHOEBE: “Warren witches stand strong beside us!”

(The flames envelope the howling QUEEN, making her look like a human torch.)

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

(THE QUEEN shatters, sending particles of her body in every direction in the deafening explosion. DRAKE grasps PAIGE’s free hand and shimmers himself and the sisters away as energy ripples and flames from the vanquish destroy the lair.)

[Scene: Manor. Attic. DRAKE and the sisters shimmer in. The latter still look braced for the explosion and PIPER even has her eyes closed. When nothing happens, PIPER opens her eyes to find herself back in her childhood home. DRAKE releases his grip from PAIGE’s hand and claps.]

DRAKE: Congratulations, you’ve now vanquished The Source of All Evil twice.

(PRUE walks over to the empty pedestal and places the Book of Shadows on it.)

PRUE: Is everyone okay?

PIPER: Except for the bruises I’m going to have tomorrow, I’d say yes.

(PAIGE nods in agreement. PIPER looks at PHOEBE and then suddenly hugs her. PHOEBE looks awkwardly at first, then hugs PIPER back.)

PIPER: I’m so glad you’re back! I was so worried. (She lets PHOEBE go.) What happened?

PHOEBE: I’m not really sure… (She shakes her head.) One minute I was in my dream, but it wasn’t like the other ones, it was cold and I couldn’t feel Cole there…then I saw The Queen’s crystal ball and picked it up and the next thing I knew, I was trapped inside of it.

(PRUE, PIPER, and PAIGE share looks.)

PAIGE: Come to think of it, I don’t remember seeing the crystal ball in the lair.

PHOEBE: That’s because it got shattered and the next thing I knew, I was waking up back in my room and then (she turns to DRAKE) he shimmered in and said he’d take me to (she turns back to her sisters) you guys.

PAIGE: (to DRAKE) Well, that explains why you ditched us in the middle of everything.

DRAKE: I figured if Phoebe wasn’t there, you might have broken her spell when you broke the magic protecting the lair. (He shrugs.) Good thing, too, because apparently I was right.

(PAIGE walks over to the Book of Shadows and opens it to her entry on The Source Vanquishing Spell.)

PAIGE: I can’t believe it’s finally over…again.

PIPER: I guess you have another entry to make in there don’t you?

PAIGE: (nodding) I guess I do.

[Time lapse. PHOEBE is sitting at the island in the kitchen, sipping hot tea from her “Best Baby Sister” mug. She notices the mail nearby and reaches for it, pulling the stack to her. She starts to rifle through it when she sees the letter from Harper & Lee. She stops and stares at it then puts her mug down and picks up the envelope, flips it over, and tears open the back. She pulls out the letter and begins reading it.]

PHOEBE: “Dear Ms. Phoebe Halliwell, your presence is requested at the reading of Mr. Cole Turner’s Will…”

BREAK

[The Virtual Series]

Act Five

[Scene: Harper & Lee. Conference room. PHOEBE and DRAKE are sitting together at the table. DRAKE has his arm around PHOEBE’s shoulders and PHOEBE keeps balling a tissue in her hand, trying her hardest not to cry. She glances up at the circular clock on the wall, which indicates that the time is five til nine in the morning. The door opens and a man, EDWARD HAYHURST, in a crisp black business suit, carrying a brief case and a small antique wood chest, enters. He walks to the head of the table and takes a seat. PHOEBE watches as the man sets his brief case on the table, unlatches it, and begins to sift through various nearly stacked papers. He pulls out a handful, sets his brief case on the floor, and taps the papers on the table with a fine clicking sound in order to straighten them. He looks up at the clock and PHOEBE follows his line of vision. EDWARD turns towards DRAKE and PHOEBE and holds out a hand.]

EDWARD: Mr. De’mon and Ms. Halliwell, I presume?

(DRAKE shakes the man’s hand.)

DRAKE: And you are?

EDWARD: Edward Hayhurst, I’ll be dictating the contents of the late Mr. Coleridge Turner’s will. (He sits back in his chair.)

PHOEBE: (quietly) How long will this take?

(EDWARD glances at the clock again.)

EDWARD: It shouldn’t take very long as soon as all parties arrive.

PHOEBE: All parties? (She looks around.) I thought it was just me and Drake?

EDWARD: No. (He looks at the paper on the top of his stack.) A Ms. Abigail Perry was also summoned. If she doesn’t arrive by ten after, then I’m permitted to begin without her.

PHOEBE: (shocked) Abigail? (She looks to DRAKE.) Did you know she was supposed to be coming?

DRAKE: He’s known her a long time, Phoebe.

(PHOEBE looks as if she’s about to say something, but at that moment, ABIGAIL PERRY enters the room. She stoically sits down across from DRAKE, but doesn’t look at him. Instead, she keeps her eyes on EDWARD.)

EDWARD: Ms. Perry?

(ABIGAIL curtly nods. EDWARD shakes her hand.)

EDWARD: Edward Hayhurst.

ABIGAIL: I’ve heard.

(An awkward silence lapses in the room, then EDWARD removes the first paper from his stack and holds the remainder up.)

EDWARD: “I, Cole Benjamin Turner, being of sound body and mind, hereby state the distribution of my worldly assets. I am ashamed to admit that for the larger portion of my life, I was responsible for considerably more harm than I’ve ever done good.”

(PHOEBE starts to choke up. EDWARD pauses as DRAKE hugs PHOEBE.)

DRAKE: Shh…

EDWARD: “Like any mortal man, I’m unable to rewrite history, but I would still want it to be known that I regret all the pain I’ve caused. In a feeble attempt to apologize, I donate the sum of five-hundred-thousand dollars to South Bay Social Services…I’m confident that in the hands of South Bay’s able bodied social workers, my money can do more good than it ever could have done in my own hands.”

(PHOEBE covers her mouth in a mixture of shock, pain, and awe.)

DRAKE: (quietly) Cole never did give himself enough credit.

EDWARD: “For my Abby, if you’ve chosen to come, I’m afraid I can only offer up one thing you don’t already have, my thanks. You were the first person to show me that a - demon - could love. You also showed me that I could feel pain. You brought out a humanity in me that I thought I’d lost at the age of eight. Fortunately, we were not meant to be, and you had the courage to tell me so. So as a token of my appreciation, I’d like to leave you with the same reminder you left me. Rest assured, you will always be my plight.”

(EDWARD bends down and picks up the wooden chest from the top of his brief case. He hands it to ABIGAIL. DRAKE eyes her cautiously, noticing her nearly imperceptible intake of breath before she closes her fingers around the chest and returns her hands neatly to her lap. DRAKE notices PHOEBE unconsciously shredding her wet tissue in her lap. He places his hand gently on hers.)

DRAKE: (softly) Do you need to take a break?

(PHOEBE wipes her eyes with her sleeve, blotching her mascara.)

PHOEBE: No, no. (She shakes her head.) I-I’m o-okay.

DRAKE: (softly) If you do, just let me know.

(PHOEBE numbly shakes her head and DRAKE gives a nod to EDWARD to continue.)

EDWARD: “To my best friend, my best mate, my Brother - Drake De’mon - I leave a box containing half of myself. When you open it, I request you be alone, and I know that you will know what to do with its contents.”

(EDWARD leans over into his brief case again and retrieves a small crystal box that appears from the outside to be lined with blue satin. He holds the box out to DRAKE, who accepts it carefully.)

DRAKE: Thank you.

(EDWARD nods courteously.)

EDWARD: “And finally, and most importantly, I come to the love of my life. Phoebe, I know more than anyone what you’re going through, and there are no words to express how sorry I am that I’m making you suffer this way. But I want you to know that I will always love you no matter what happens. You made me feel, Phoebe. You made me realize what it was to be good. Know that if I could do it all over again with you, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

(PHOEBE finally starts to cry. EDWARD exhales quietly; his somber face finally expressing sympathy as DRAKE pulls PHOEBE into his arms and comforts her.)

DRAKE: (whispering into PHOEBE’s ear) What did I tell you? It was what he wanted, Phoebe. You were everything to him.

EDWARD: (cautiously) Ms. Halliwell?

(PHOEBE tries to inhale soothing breaths. She wipes and blots her eyes. DRAKE takes her hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.)

PHOEBE: I’m sorry. (She weakly composes herself.) Please… (She nods.) Continue.

EDWARD: “For the remainder of my estate – including stocks, bonds, and other holdings - I leave them in the gentle hands of my soul mate, Phoebe Elizabeth Halliwell. I love you.”

PHOEBE: He left it all to me? E-everything?

EDWARD: Everything. (He looks down at his papers.) The entire Turner estate comes to approximately two-million dollars. (pause) Not, of course, including the Dasey Mansion in London. (PHOEBE covers her mouth in astonishment.) That of course will require additional paperwork and legal proceedings, but…

(PHOEBE doesn’t hear the rest of EDWARD’s speech, instead she just stares down at the diamond engagement ring on her hand, thinking of COLE.)

[Scene: Manor. Paige’s bedroom. PAIGE is sitting on her bed with the Book of Shadows in front of her and a box of art supplies by her side. On the page in front of her is a hand drawing of THE QUEEN. PAIGE is using an orange pencil to shade in flames in THE QUEEN’s eyes. When she pulls the pencil back to look at her work, the words at the top of the page read “The Queen” and on the page across from the drawing, in PAIGE’s neat handwriting, is a summary of THE QUEEN. At the bottom of the page it reads, “Refer to The Oracle and The Source.” She drops her pencil into her box of art supplies and smiles proudly. She straightens her posture, takes one last look at her drawing, and then shuts the Book.]

[Scene: Piper and Leo’s house. Master bedroom. PIPER is standing in the doorway. LEO is laying on his back in bed, with the TWINS resting on his chest. She leans against the door frame, smiling as she watches the three of them sleep. She hears soft steps behind her, but doesn’t turn around as her father walks up.]

PIPER: (softly) I wish they could look that peaceful forever.

(VICTOR smiles.)

VICTOR: I know the feeling. (He lays his hand on hers and they watch LEO and the TWINS in silence for a time. Finally, VICTOR twists his head just an to look at his daughter.) I love you.

PIPER: I love you too, Dad.

[Scene: P3. PRUE comes down the stairs. The crowd at P3 is pumping to REBEKAH RYAN, who is on stage singing her latest single, “Can I Depend On You?” PRUE walks over to the bar and takes a seat. TRICIA BEATUS is behind the bar, serving a man in his early twenties a margarita. She walks over to PRUE and grins good naturedly.]

TRICIA: Hey! (She nods to the stage.) What a great night, right?

(PRUE nods.)

PRUE: I can’t believe how packed we are.

TRICIA: Tell me about it! She’s been here three nights and I think this one’s the best show she’s put on yet.

PRUE: The best for last, right?

(TRICIA laughs.)

TRICIA: So, can I get you anything?

PRUE: How about a seltzer water with a slice of lemon.

TRICIA: Coming right up! (She grabs a glass and begins to fill it up with fizzing seltzer water. PRUE watches REBEKAH singing on stage and begins to sway to the music until she hears the sound of TRICIA placing her glass on the bar. She turns and pick up her glass to take a sip.) So, where’s Piper?

(PRUE squeezes some of the lemon juice from her lemon wedge into her bubbly water.)

PRUE: Taking the night off for a little family time. (TRICIA nods.) It’s well needed, trust me.

TRICIA: The more time you have with your family the better I say. (She and PRUE share a smile.)

[Scene: Perry Mansion. Abigail’s study. ABIGAIL is seated at her desk. The sepia photograph of her and COLE is still sitting in its antique frame on the corner of her desk, as if watching her; waiting for her to open the miniature chest that’s sitting in front of her. Finally, she unhinges the lock and pulls back the lid. Her eyes are first pulled to a small red velvet box that is sitting atop a folded lumpy bump of gold fabric. She tentatively reaches inside and extracts the box. After a moment of hesitation, she opens it to find a deep fire red diamond seated within a shimmering golden ring setting, with arching flames holding the precious stone in place. Alternating along the flames are red enameling to emphasize the fire. She gently extracts the ring from the box and looks on the inside of the ring. An inscription reads, “To my first love; my Phoenix plight. Love, Cole.” ABIGAIL wraps her fingers around the ring, relishing COLE’s gift. A heavy sigh escapes her lips as she places the ring back into the box and sets it to the side of her desk. She dips her hand back into the chest and pulls out the lump of gold fabric. She unrolls it to reveal two crystal champagne glasses. She stands them up and it becomes clear that in gold calligraphy, the names “Abby” and “Cole” are written on each glass respectively. Finally, ABIGAIL looks back into the chest and retrieves the last item, a dusty green wine bottle. She brushes her hand over the seal and it says, “LAFITE 1887.” She studies it, then forcefully uncorks the cap and pours wine into the glass labeled “Abby.” She fills it and then picks up the glass and gazes at her and COLE’s photograph. She lightly clinks her glass against COLE’s glass and then tilts her head back and downs the entire glass of wine.]

[Scene: Drake’s penthouse. Balcony. DRAKE is leaning against the railing of the balcony, underneath a sea of twinkling stars in the velvet sky. The glass box he was given at the reading of COLE’s will is sitting on the railing next to him. He eyes it, then gently unlatches the gold lock and opens it. Sitting in the middle of the box is a burning white globe of light. DRAKE smiles as the light floats out of the box and drifts up to DRAKE’s eye level.]

DRAKE: Well, well, it’s nice to finally meet you Mr. Turner. (He bows his head respectfully.) I’m sorry we’ve never had the chance to formally meet until now. (He eyes the crystal box.) I’d invite you to stay a while, but I’m afraid you have someone waiting for you. (He raises his hand and with a quick flick, the sphere of light glides towards the stars and disappears in a twinkling flash.) Please don’t forget to tell him hi for me.

[Time lapse. It is morning and PHOEBE is waiting at the front door of the psychologist’s office, nursing a steaming cup of coffee as DR. LAURA BRENTON walks up. She notices PHOEBE and looks slightly confused.]

LAURA: Phoebe? (She reaches into her pocket to pull out her keys.) What are you doing here so early? (She opens the door and walks in. PHOEBE follows, but lingers by the door as LAURA moves to the front desk.) Is something wrong?

PHOEBE: I just wanted to thank you.

LAURA: (confusedly) For what?

PHOEBE: For everything you’ve done. You gave me a chance when you didn’t really want to, and then you went above and beyond to give me opportunities that I probably would not have gotten otherwise.

(A look of realization dawns on LAURA’s face. She starts to shake her head.)

LAURA: If you’re about to say-

PHOEBE: But I quit.

(LAURA raises her hand.)

LAURA: No. You can’t just quit when one patient dies. It happens; patients die. It’s sad and it hurts, but you can’t abandon the others because you lost one.

PHOEBE: I understand. Believe me, I understand more than you could ever know…but that’s not why I’m quitting. (pause) I thought this was my calling. I thought I could really help people through psychology, (she shakes her head) but recent events have taught me otherwise. (pause) There’s only so much loss a person can handle, and I realize now that while I still want to help people in my day-to-day life, this just isn’t the job for that. I get too attached to people, it’s just the kind of person that I am, and it’s debilitating. I can’t help everyone else if I’m still grieving for the person I lost, and the people I will lose... (She sighs heavily.) I don’t know what my calling is yet, but I do know that whatever it is, it isn’t here. (She locks eyes with LAURA.) I’m sorry.

(LAURA slowly nods her head.)

LAURA: Good luck.

(PHOEBE smiles weakly.)

PHOEBE: You too.

(A moment of silence lapses between them then PHOEBE turns and leaves.)

[The Virtual Series]

End Credits

Co-Starring
Brody Jo Hamilton --- Melinda Halliwell
Jackson Phillip Deveraux Kaufman --- Chris Halliwell
Poppy Montgomery --- Dr. Laura Brenton

Featuring
Steven Brack --- Edward Hayhurst
Stephanie Greco --- Young Aquina
Michael Bailey Smith --- Old Source
Lee Spencer --- Scavenger Demon

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