From Fear to Eternity

From Fear to Eternity is the thirteenth episode of Charmed.

Summary
Phoebe and Piper wonder why Prue never says the words, "I love you." Barbas, the demon of fear, spends Friday the 13th scaring witches literally to death. As usual, Andy and Darryl wonder why Prue seems connected to a string of murders. Barbas tries to drown Prue in the shower, since Prue's greatest fear, since her mother drowned, is drowning herself. Prue is narrowly saved by Andy. Barbas realizes that Phoebe's greatest fear is losing a sister, so he tries to drown Prue again with Phoebe watching. This time, Prue feels the presence of her mother and manages to release her fear and vanquish Barbas. Prue tells her sisters that she loves them, and admits that the last time she said that was to her mother. Piper suffers from superstition on Friday the 13th, worrying about starting a relationship with a fabulous guy and then screwing up that relationship because he doesn't like superstitious women. Phoebe gets a job working for a woman in real estate, but quits when she has to lie to the woman's husband about an affair.

Plot
Prue and Phoebe are visiting an occult book shop. Phoebe has an upcoming job interview and wants a good luck charm. Tanjella, the proprietor, is anxious to close before midnight. The next day is Friday the 13th and Tanjella tells Prue and Phoebe of a convergence of negative energy. The clock strikes 13 and the sisters leave. Barbas appears as they drive away and slides through the closed door. Barbas gestures and names Tanjella's greatest fear: being buried in an earthquake. The shop shakes, and things fall down everywhere. Tanjella tries to move, but can't--Barbas tells her she's paralyzed by her fear. Tanjella falls down dead, her hair turned entirely white.

Phoebe talks to Piper and notes that Prue never says "I love you." Piper is planning a superstition-themed fund raiser at Quake. Piper is adhering to lots of superstitions, but Prue is skeptical.

Andy shows up and asks after Prue as Phoebe and Piper leave the manor. He notes the death of Tanjella and two others who died like her. Prue had been Tanjella's last customer. The three victims were all single young women involved with the occult. After he leaves Prue consults the Book of Shadows and finds the page on the Demon of Fear. The page is in her mother's handwriting. Prue meets Piper at Quake and tells what she found: Barbas must kill 13 single female witches to free himself, and can only do this on one Friday the 13th every 1300 years. He kills by exploiting a witch's greatest fear.

Phoebe interviews at a real estate firm, and easily lands the job. Her boss, however, wants her to cover if her husband calls. The boss leaves with her lover.

Barbas visits a witch named Zoe. Zoe claims to have no fear -- but she is wrong. She still fears fire, and Barbas conjures a ring of fire around her. Prue had found her name on a flyer that Tanjella had given her and enters Zoe's apartment, but she is a moment too late. Fearing that she might be suspected of involvement in the murders, Prue calls 911 and heads for home. Andy notes that Zoe is the fifth woman to die this way, implying one other besides Tanjella. Darryl has found Prue's name on the doorman's log.

The sisters are dining at Quake and Prue is trying to discourage Piper from relying on superstition. Phoebe finds a ladybug on a leaf and notes something Grams once told her: that a ladybug can lead you to your ideal mate. The ladybug lands on a young man on a nearby table, Lucas. After Prue and Phoebe leave, Lucas comes over and asks Piper out. Phoebe is conflicted about lying to her boss's husband. She flips the good luck charm, but it lands standing on its side. She has a vision of Prue drowning in the shower. She calls the manor, but Prue doesn't answer. Prue is in the shower and Barbas appears. Her greatest fear is drowning and soon the shower begins to fill with water. Her powers don't work because of her fear. At last her head is underwater. Andy and Darryl appear at the manor to ask Prue about Zoe. They hear her scream and kick the door in. They enter the bathroom, but Barbas disappears. The water recedes and Prue is saved. Prue is reticent, and tells the cops that she had soap in her eyes. Andy thinks that Prue might have been the next victim. Phoebe reaches the manor and the cops leave. Phoebe notices that a lock of Prue's hair has turned white--indicating just how close Barbas came to killing her.

Prue and Phoebe consult the Book of Shadows. Prue notices the attic smells of sandalwood, a scent that their mother had worn, and finds a new line on Barbas's page: "To let go of your fear, trust in the greatest of all powers." Prue says this line wasn't present before, and that she feels their mother's presence. Phoebe says "I love you" and Prue only says "me too". "I love you" turns out to be the last thing Prue had said to her mother before she died.

Piper is having a run of bad luck. In the kitchen at Quake, she tries to cast a spell, but the burning sage stick only sets off a smoke alarm.

The husband of Phoebe's boss appears at her desk. He asks where his wife is, and Phoebe is unwilling to lie. She says nothing definite, and instead tries to quit her job. The husband knows about the affair, but had been in denial. As he leaves, a client calls, wanting to bring Phoebe out to a large estate. Phoebe goes, only to find that the "client" is in fact Barbas. There is a pool on the grounds. Phoebe's greatest fear is losing a sister, not elevators as she thinks. Barbas ties Phoebe up. Barbas calls Prue using Phoebe's voice.



Piper has dinner with Lucas. After a while, she thinks Lucas is too good to be true. He mentions pictures of his nieces, and she freezes him. She checks out his wallet and finds that he is telling the truth, but feels wrong about choosing him based on superstitions. She unfreezes him and claims to be superstitious, intentionally turning him off.

Prue reaches the estate. Barbas shoves her into the pool. Prue, however, sees the ghost of her mother in the pool. Patty tells her that the "greatest power" named in the Book is love. Patty takes Prue's hand and she returns to the surface. Her power restored, she flings Barbas back. She declares that she is not afraid and Barbas vanishes in a cloud of sparks. Prue can once more say "I love you".

As midnight chimes, Prue is reading Barbas's page in the Book of Shadows. New writing appears: "Thanks for letting them into your heart."

Quotes

 * Andy: Hey. Is Prue in?
 * Phoebe: (calling out) Prue, there's a policeman here to see you.
 * Piper: See you later, Andy, we're running late.
 * (They leave. Andy walks in the living room. So does Prue.)
 * Prue: This must be bad news.
 * Andy: Why would you say that?
 * Prue: A little early for a social call.

Prue: Well, if he can kill thirteen unmarried witches by midnight, he'll be free from the underworld to wreck his terror every single day.
 * Piper: Unmarried. Like being single doesn't have enough problems. So how can we stop him?

Piper: Wait a minute, we're on the most wanted list and we're defenseless? Didn't mum say anything about how to get rid of him?
 * Prue: Just to release our fear.
 * Piper: How do we do that?
 * Prue: I don’t know. That’s all she wrote. Look, I know that you’re afraid of flying.
 * Piper: That’s not really a fear, I just prefer buses.
 * Prue: Well, as long as you stay in a crowded restaurant you’ll be fine. And since Phoebe’s afraid of being trapped in an elevator, I’ll tell her to take the stairs.
 * Piper: And you’ll stay away from pools. Ever since mum died you’ve been terrified of the water. That’s why you never took swimming lessons with us. We’ve always known that was the reason, it’s okay.
 * Prue: Yeah, well, don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. I’ve gotta go.

Prue: What exactly are you implying?
 * Andy: Prue, if you were in my shoes, what would you think?
 * (She looks at his sneakers.)
 * Prue: First of all, nobody should be in those shoes.
 * Darryl: Told you.

:Piper: How odd. So what's it like being one of the city's most eligible bachelor?
 * (He laughs.)
 * Lucas: That magazine article was so lame. I'm, uh, really a very simple guy. I value home and heart, I'd like to settle down, have kids. I've got two nieces I'm crazy about, I even carry pictures of them.
 * (Piper freezes him.)
 * Piper: You sound too good to be true. (She reaches in his jacket and pulls out his wallet. She opens it up and sees a photo of them.) You are too good to be true. (He unfreezes just as she's putting his wallet back in his jacket. He wonders what she's doing.) Lint. A little lint. (She brushes his jacket.)
 * Lucas: Oh, thanks.

:Piper: I'm just glad you're all right.
 * (Piper and Prue hug.)
 * Prue: I love you.
 * (Piper breaks the hug.)
 * Piper: What did you just say?(smiling)
 * Prue: I love you.
 * (Piper and Phoebe smile.)
 * Piper: I think that's the first time you've said that to me.
 * Prue: Yeah, I know, I wish I had of said it a long time ago. Ever since mum died I've been afraid to say it. I didn't want to lose anybody else.
 * Piper: Well, we're not going anywhere.
 * Prue: Okay. I'm exhausted. I'll se you two in the morning.
 * (Prue leaves the room.)