Pre-Witched/Script

Written by: Chris Levinson

Season 3, Episode 17

Episode No. 61

[Scene: Manor. Bathroom. Piper and Leo are in the shower. They are giggling.]

Piper: See, we finally found a place where we can be alone.

Leo: Yeah, his is perfect. Now all we have to do is move all our stuff in here and nobody will bother us.

Piper: Yeah.

(They kiss. There's a knock at the door and Phoebe walks in covering her eyes.)

Phoebe: I'm not looking at anything and I do not see anything. No one's looking, no one's looking at anything. (She peeks through the gap between her fingers.) I just need to get my gloss.

Piper: Phoebe!

Phoebe: I'm sorry, were you guys in the middle of the... ew!

Piper: No, not yet. Phoebe, would you just get out of here!

(Phoebe gets her gloss out of a drawer.)

Phoebe: Found it. Okay, I'm going now. Outta here. Found the gloss.

(She heads towards the door.)

Piper: Watch out for the...

(Phoebe runs into the wall.)

Phoebe: Ooh! Ow, I'm okay.

(She leaves.)

[Time lapse. Piper's room. Piper and Leo are in their robes. Prue walks in.]

Prue: Hey, you guys.

Piper: Heya, Prue, are you lost?

Prue: Uh, no, but my keys are. Have you seen them?

Piper: No, have you seen the way out?

Prue: Uh, I-I-I knocked didn't I?

Piper: But you didn't wait for an answer.

Prue: Oh, right, god, I'm really sorry. Look at me. Look at me, I'm leaving, I'm leaving.

Piper: Yes. (Prue leaves.)

Leo: Well, we knew what we were getting into.

Piper: So maybe it's time we get out of it.

Leo: What do you mean?

Piper: Okay, once upon a time before we were witchy women, Prue and I shared this amazing apartment in North Beach. But then when Grams got sick, we decided to move back to the manor for a while, and we gave up the apartment to friends and your wife was smart enough to keep in touch with them.

Leo: Should I be taking notes?

Piper: They're moving out. They're moving out and they will give us first shot at taking over the lease.

Leo: Whoa. Are you sure we can?

Piper: Well, the rent's a little steep but...

Leo: No, no, no, I mean, the bigger are you sure we can. You guys didn't get your powers until you all moved back in together. There might be some supernatural ramifications to living apart.

Piper: Okay, but what about the marital ramifications to living together? I mean, Leo, everything we do is about navigating our charmed lives. I mean, when do we get to concentrate on our married life? Maybe this apartment falling into our laps is a sign. A sign that it's time to move out of the manor and in together. (They kiss.) What do you think the odds are of pulling this off before the next demon attacks?

[Scene: A witch's apartment. A witch is kneeling in front of her altar, chanting. Five candles are floating around her. Something lurks behind her. Her black cat jumps on her lap and gives her a fright.]

Witch: Oh! Shadow. You gave me a fright, little one. You know better than to interrupt me during ritual. Now go. Go. (The cat walks away. The witch continues chanting. The cat jumps on the bar and knocks off a bottle.) What on earth are you doing? (The cat knocks another bottle off.) Shadow? (The cat hisses at her.) Don't do this. Please. (It pushes another bottle full of black liquid closer to the edge.) No!

(The cat pushes the bottle off with its paw and it smashes on the floor. The cat jumps on the floor and stands in the liquid. Mist surrounds the cat and it changes into a human.)

Man: What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?

(She screams and disappears.)

Opening Credits

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Leo are sitting around the table. Prue, Phoebe and Leo are reading the different sections out of the newspaper. Piper's just sitting there.]

Phoebe: Flakes.

(Leo passes Phoebe the Corn Flakes.)

Prue: Ugh, the Warriors.

Phoebe: Pathetic defense.

Leo: Someone pass the, uh...

Phoebe: Yeah, I got it. Hey, what time does the BART...?

Prue: Every fifteen minutes on a Saturday.

Phoebe: Good. Mamma needs a new pair of shoes. I know, limited funds. I'll limit my shopping to window, I promise.

Prue: I will gladly trade somebody for the opinion page.

Piper: Leo and I are moving. (Everyone puts down their papers.) Thinking of moving, out of the manor. Um, milk?

Prue: Excuse me?

Phoebe: Wait a minute. Life altering plans can not be squeezed in between 'pass the newspaper' and 'who ate the Special K?'.

Piper: Okay, look, we all knew this would happen sooner or later. It's just sooner. Well, actually, it's later because I've been married for weeks and we're still living in a bedroom with the wallpaper I picked out when I was nine. Not to mention the bathroom sharing and the family breakfasts.

Prue: And the whole saving the world on a weekly basis thing. I mean, Piper, we don't live here just for sentimental value, alright. We live here because we're the strongest here.

Piper: Right, I know. Leo, a little assist?

Leo: Well, there have been times when you've handled things on your own, I mean, without Piper.

Piper: Like when I went to Hawaii or when I went away with Leo and everything was fine.

Phoebe: Do I get to kick her first?

Prue: Everything was not fine, Piper, alright. The charmed gig is all about being a trio, alright. Without you...

Leo: Well, you'd still have her. We wouldn't be moving far.

Piper: Just far enough so I can have my own life. Our own life. We all knew this would happen, I'm just the one that's saying it first. We can't live together forever.

Prue: Right, and we also can not ignore the responsibility that we inherited from our family.

Piper: Well, you guys have to try and understand I have two families now. Besides, wasn't it you, Miss Phoebe, who moved to New York three years ago?

Phoebe: No, no, that doesn't count. That was before the whole destiny thing kicked in. We didn't get our powers until six months after Grams died. Speaking of, what do you think she would say if she knew you were even considering this?

[Flashback: Three years earlier. Manor. Kitchen. Prue is there talking on the phone. Grams walks in holding the newspaper.]

Grams: Morons! Why does that pre-pubescent have to throw the paper in the shrubbery?

Prue: (on phone) Roger seems to have forgotten an entire forest of his family tree so now the head count for the ceremony is up to 180. I know…

(Piper walks in.)

Piper: Grams! The doctor was very clear when he said no caffeine. Here, have some nice tea.

(She gets the tea out of the cupboard.)

Prue: (on phone) No, that would just be my sister yelling and it will be a lot easier when I move out.

Piper: (Yelling) Grams, where’s the paper?

(Grams hands her the paper. Piper smiles.)

Prue: (on phone) Can I call you back? Thank you.

(Prue hangs up.)

Grams: You know, I’m so glad to have the two of you in the same place. It’s a rarity. Oh, listen, do me a favour, I just treated myself and bought…tada! (Holds up a camera.)

Prue: A great new camera. Even though it’s last years model. What is it? A ’96?

Grams: Well, I just like to just get a picture, you know.

Piper: Did you say you were moving out?

Prue: Yes, I did. We can’t all live here with Grams forever.

Grams: Yeah, uh, maybe just a couple of quick shots, you know, candids.

Piper: Uh, when was this decided?

Prue: Oh, I don’t know, probably when I was proposed to.

(Grams grabs her chest.)

Grams: Uh, maybe later.

Piper: Grams? (They go over to her.) Please sit down.

Prue: You only just got back from hospital.

Grams: Okay, I’ll take it easy. (The doorbell rings.) After I get that.

[Cut to the foyer. Prue and Piper follow Grams in. Grams opens the door. Phoebe and two policemen are standing there.]

Phoebe: Oh, you guys didn’t have to get out of bed for little old me.

Cop: Mrs. Halliwell?

Grams: Can I hear what she did first before I answer that?

Cop: She was caught shoplifting.

Phoebe: Oh, that is so not true, I just forgot to pay for them, Grams. The store’s not even pressing charges.

Grams: Phoebe.

Phoebe: Oh, please don’t sound so disappointed. Look, you’re always talking about how we should spend more time together and, well, here we all are. Okay, that was really fun.

(Phoebe walks inside.)

Grams: Phoebe, what is the matter with you? How can you behave so recklessly? What about your destiny, your-your future?

Phoebe: Well, maybe my future plans don’t match up to the ones that you’ve mapped out.

Cop: We’re, uh, gonna need to take back those shoes that you…

Phoebe: Forgot to pay for?

Cop: Right.

(Phoebe takes off the shoes.)

[Cut back to the present. Phoebe is at a shoe store. She hands a pair of shoes back to the salesman.]

Phoebe: They’re just out of my price range.

Salesman: But they’re…

Phoebe: Perfect, I know. And I’m sure all these will be perfect too. (She hands back more shoes. The salesman walks away. Phoebe picks up another shoe.) Okay, I’m weak, can you show me this one too? (The warlock stands behind Phoebe and takes the shoe off her. He throws it away. Phoebe turns around and his eyes glow.) Or not.

Warlock: Those were so last season.

(Phoebe swings a punch and he blocks it. He flips her over. He then levitates her in the air.)

Phoebe: Whoa, down boy. (He drops her on the floor.) Whoa, who’d you steal that power from?

Warlock: That’s for me to know and you to find …(Phoebe kicks him and he falls into a chair.)

Phoebe: I hear spikes are making a come back. (She throws a high heeled shoe at him and it sticks in his forehead. He disappears.)

[Scene: A box store. Piper and Leo walk out carrying a pile of flattened boxes.]

Piper: I think we got too many boxes.

Leo: No, we didn’t.

Piper: Are you saying I have too much stuff?

Leo: Yes, I am.

Piper: You do realize the only reason I’m letting you get away with that is because you’re the only one on my team right now.

Leo: Yes, I do. They just need a little time to get used to the idea.

Piper: Well, moving out is a big deal for me too. I could use some support right now. (The same warlock as before walks up to Piper and makes her fly up into the air. She freezes him and she lands on the ground. He starts to fight through her freeze.) Leo, help!

(Leo throws her a Stanley knife.)

Leo: Piper.

Piper: What am I supposed to do with this? (He motions to stab the warlock.) No, no way. Too messy. Too violent.

(She stabs the warlock anyway and he disappears.)

Leo: You okay?

[Flashback. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are standing outside the manor, while Grams is trying to take a photo of them.]

Phoebe: I’m fine. Whatever.

Grams: Okay, girls, now if you could just move a little closer, okay? Uh, Phoebe, turn to me, I wanna be able to get your good side.

Piper: I don’t think she has one today, Grams.

Phoebe: Can we please get this over with?

Prue: Why? You got plans?

Grams: Prue, all I’m getting is shoulder.

Prue: Anyone that I know?

Phoebe: I’m sure lying beneath all that sarcasm there is a point. And if it has anything to do with Roger…

Prue: Well, I mean, he said that you called him yesterday.

Phoebe: Looking for you. Prue, I’m not gonna defend myself when I didn’t do anything wrong.

Prue: Really?

Phoebe: Just trying to be nice to the guy considering he’s gonna be part of this family soon. You know, which I’m not even sure I wanna be part of this family.

Grams: The sun is shifting. Could you move down a step please?

(They do so.)

Phoebe: And why would I spend my time on a wimp who’s got mother issues?

Prue: I don’t know, but why should I believe anything that you say? I mean, you don’t even know what the difference between what belongs to you and what belongs to, oh, let’s say Macy’s.

Piper: Alrighty then. Are we done?

(Grams gasps and grabs her chest.)

Phoebe: Grams.

(They go over to her.)

Prue: Grams.

Piper: Okay, okay, take shallow breaths.

Prue: Should I call the doctor?

Grams: No doctor. Just a picture. Is it too much for an old lady to ask her granddaughters to retract their claws, stand still and look at me long enough to take one lousy picture?

(The girls stand on the lawn and pose for the camera. Grams takes the picture.)

[Cut back to the present. Prue walks in the foyer from the living room. Phoebe comes through the front door carrying two shoeboxes.]

Prue: Hi, what happened to the window when you’re shopping?

Phoebe: Turns out these were a ride off. Who knew product spring line could be used to fight evil? I killed a—

(Piper walks in.)

Piper: Warlock appeared outta nowhere, had to kill him.

Phoebe: Wait, you too?

Prue: Uh, me three. Warlock attacked me in the attic.

Piper: Did we miss a convention?

Phoebe: Well, if so I got the runt. Bad teeth, funky clothes and way easy to kill.

Prue: Black hair?

Piper: Bad breath?

Phoebe: You know him?

Prue: Uh, I think I killed him.

(The warlock appears.)

Warlock: Care to try again?

(The warlock makes Piper fly up into the corner of the room. Phoebe stabs the warlock in the back with the tip of an umbrella. Piper falls to the floor. Prue helps her up.)

Phoebe: Okay, so that does it.

Piper: Again?

Phoebe: Okay, does anyone else think that was weird? Like he wasn’t even trying?

Piper: Almost as if he wasn’t even interested. What do you think he was up to?

Phoebe: Or is up to? How do we know he’s really gone?

Prue: We don’t. But we all have vanquished him once today.

Phoebe: And?

Prue: Well, what if he can’t be vanquished?

Commercial Break

[Scene: Attic. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are there looking through the Book of Shadows.]

Phoebe: (singing) Ahh, we’re gonna vanquish… all the live…(Prue gives her a look. The pages of the Book of Shadows flip by themselves. It stops at a page.) Whoa.

Prue: Okay.

Piper: Thanks Grams.

Phoebe: It’s so weird that we listed to her more now than when she was alive.

Prue: (reading from the Book) “How to perform a Séance. A ceremony to contact the dead.”

Piper: But the guy we’re dealing with won’t die. So that’s not gonna help.

Prue: Yeah, I don’t know, Grams must be very, very, very confused.

(Prue closes the Book but it opens back up.)

Phoebe: Very testy also. Hmm. Okay, we’re gonna need six candles white and purple, some burnings, cinnamon, frankincense, and sandalwood. Piper, you wanna grab the white cloth?

(Prue and Phoebe search in a trunk for the ingredients. Piper goes over to another trunk.)

Piper: You know, this trunk would go great at the foot of our bed.

Prue: Yeah, my foot would look great on your butt. You are so not taking that, okay? It holds all of our ritual stuff.

Piper: I just want things to remember this place by. (She picks up a bottle.) How about this? Something to bring a piece of Grams to my place.

Prue: Okay, Sweetie, can we try to contact the dead now, please?

[Time lapse. The girls have everything set up and are sitting around a table.]

All: “Beloved unknown spirit. We seek your guidance, we ask you to commune with us and move among us.”

(They repeat it. A witch appears.)

Witch: Forgive me, but why…?

Phoebe: We don’t know.

Piper: We were told in a round about sort of way that you might be able to help us.

Witch: Are you witches? You’re the three sister witches, the Charmed ones, aren’t you?

Phoebe: And you’re a witch too?

Witch: I-I was. I’m sorry, this is so new. I haven’t exactly figured it all out yet.

Prue: We think that we’re against an evil that can’t be killed. We’ve nixed him four times but…

Phoebe: And since you’re the only one that answered our call…

Witch: The spirits must think I know who you’re up against.

Phoebe: Right.

Witch: You said you’ve killed him four times?

Prue: Yeah, and it’s like he just keeps on coming back for more. Like he…

Witch: Wants to die.

Piper: Do you know who he is?

Witch: He was my familiar. A feline I called Shadow. He’s a warlock now. A familiar he becomes when he betrays his witch.

Prue: That must be why we can’t kill him. The whole nine lives thing.

Piper: So if we kill him five more times he should be gone though, right?

Witch: No, that’s exactly what you can’t do. See, once a familiar becomes a warlock, they have until the next new moon to purge itself of its new life. If it succeeds, it becomes immortal. If it fails, it returns to its animal state for eternity. Shadow was a cat. So it has to shed all nine of its familiar lives.

Phoebe: So why bother us? Why not just jump in front of nine buses?

Prue: Because we’re the only ones strong enough to kill him.

Piper: And he knew where to find us. What, are we like in the Warlocks Guide of San Francisco?

Phoebe: Okay, so this should be a piece of cake. All we have to do is make sure we don’t kill this guy five more times before the next full moon.

Piper: That’s two days, no problem.

Prue: I’m sorry, this just seems so callous. I mean, you just lost your life and we’re treating you like 411.

Witch: It’s okay. It’s just, I’m at peace now. The one’s I loved…When someone’s taken from you, suddenly there are no goodbyes.

Prue: Something we’re all too familiar with.

Witch: At its core, evil exists for one reason, to spread loss. Be careful not to lose each other. Take care and blessed be.

(She disappears. Piper blows out the candle.)

[Flashback. Attic. Grams closed a window]

Grams: Damn wind keeps blowing out my candles. I’m sorry, Patty, I got cut off. (She lights a candle and Patty appears.) It’s just what troubles me about your daughters is not where they came from, it’s where they’re going.

Patty: It’s just a phase. When their destiny’s revealed, they’ll come together.

Grams: But what if they don’t? What if they never do? What if the gift is too much for them to handle and they…? Well, regardless, I fear there may be only one option if I can’t find a way to bring these girls together.

Patty: Mother, that’s nonsense.

Grams: Perhaps. Good night my darling.

(She blows out the candle.)

[Cut to the present. Manor. Kitchen. It’s pitch black. Phoebe walks in.

Phoebe: Hey, who turned out the lights? (Phoebe turns on the light and the warlock attacks her. He throws her over the table. She kicks him and he falls on a knife. He disappears.) Uh-oh!

(Prue and Piper run in.)

Piper: What happened?

Phoebe: I think I killed a warlock again.

Prue: Ugh, Phoebe!

Piper: Phoebe!

Phoebe: Well, I didn’t mean to. It was a gut reaction. You know, self preservation and stuff.

Prue: Hmm. (Prue leaves the kitchen. Phoebe and Piper follow.) You know, I've been thinking. I’m pretty sure he won’t actually hurt us. I mean he needs us. So, let’s just say he knocks one of us off.

Piper: Then the power of three will be broken and we wouldn’t have the strength to kill him.

Phoebe: And then he takes a permanent cat nap. But we’re assuming that he’s smart enough to know this. I mean, what if he shouldn’t kill us and we just sit there and watch it happen?

Prue: Yeah, well, what other choice do we have? I mean, we kill him four more times, he wins, becomes more powerful that we can handle. Either way we lose.

Piper: I vote for not losing at all.

(Phoebe sees boxes of Piper’s stuff sitting in the foyer.)

Phoebe: Wow!

Piper: Uh, yeah, sorry. I’ll get all that stuff out of the way as soon as…

Phoebe: You’re really doing this, huh?

Piper: Yeah. You know, we have lived apart before.

Prue: Our lives were apart, Piper. It’s different now. I just think that we need to talk this through, that way we all know exactly what the consequences are for all of us.

(Kit meows.)

Phoebe: Ooh, saved by the meow. You know, I don’t think I’m ever gonna be able to look at Kit quite in the same way. Or get undressed in front of him for that matter.

Piper: You guys are right, we should talk this through.

(Piper heads for the door.)

[Flashback. Piper opens the front door and Kit is standing on the porch.]

Piper: Ugh, why does this stupid cat keep hanging around? Who do you belong to? Go home. Shoo! (Prue walks out.) What did you wanna talk about?

Prue: Uh, let’s just go for a walk. (They start walking down the stairs.) Hi, Kitty. So, there’s just a little detail about the wedding. It hasn’t been worked out yet. Just listen to me, okay? I want you to be my maid of honour.

Piper: Me?

(They start walking down the street.)

Prue: I mean, it’s not like I would actually ask Phoebe.

Piper: So I win by default? Wow, Prue, you really know how to flatter a girl.

Prue: Piper, can you just give me the tiniest of breaks here, okay? This is not how I would ever thought this whole thing would happen. Oh my God, I would love for both of my sisters to be my best friend but clearly that is not the case. And maybe one day things will change but…

Piper: Prue, it’s gonna take more than time. I mean, I’m happy for you, I-I am and I know you have all these big plans but what about the rest of us? I mean, you move in with Roger and then I’m stuck here alone taking care of Grams and Phoebe’s out of control. What if, what if there’s an emergency? What if something happens?

Prue: Okay, I won’t be far away, it’s not like you guys won’t be able to get a hold of me.

Piper: I just think we should talk this through so we know what the consequences are. Okay, look, maybe a part of me is jealous because, I mean, you’ve got this great guy and you’re gonna have this beautiful wedding and I’m just not very good with guys. Sometimes I think I’ll never find true love.

Prue: Piper…

(Leo walks past and bumps into piper.)

Piper: Oh, sorry.

Leo: No, it’s my fault, sorry.

(Piper looks back at him and then continues walking. Leo orbs out.)

[Cut to the present. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are having coffee at a café.]

Piper: You know, just because I’m moving out doesn’t mean we still can’t do this.

Phoebe: What? Mainline caffeine while waxing on warlock issues?

Piper: No, hangout. You know, I don’t wanna be one of those old married lepers that nobody thinks if fun anymore.

Prue: You’ve never been fun, Piper.

Piper: I’ve always been fun, Prue. I am just Mrs. Fun now.

Prue: Oh, Mrs. Fun. You know, the life changes from the move will work it self out, it's the supernatural ones we’re concerned about. Piper: But we get attacked separately all the time. Like yesterday, and we just came together and sorted it out then.

(The warlock appears in the chair next to them.)

Warlock: You know, you girls are getting harder and harder to find. I was beginning to think you were trying to avoid me.

Prue: Wow, you've been thinking. That's a pretty big step for a warlock. Ugh, god, I am so sorry, that was awfully catty of me, wasn't it?

Warlock: Is this the part where I'm supposed to go 'whoo, they did research' and run away?

Phoebe: Might be a good idea.

Warlock: Or what? You'll kill me?

Piper: No, actually, we'll do worse. We won't touch you.

Warlock: Look at that. Witches think they have this one figured out. Well, let me tell you all something. (He grabs a woman who walks past.) You'll dance if you don't notice death.

(The warlock stabs the woman in the back. Piper freezes everyone. Phoebe picks up a knife and stabs the warlock. He disappears and the woman falls to the floor.)

Phoebe: Oh my god.

Prue: Call 911.

Commercial Break

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are there. Piper is putting ingredients in a pot.]

Phoebe: That girl. There's just no reason. I got used to there being a reason, you know, an explanation. But she didn't even...

Prue: Stand a chance. But there was a reason, Pheebs, he was sending a message.

Piper: Yeah, and we got it loud and clear. But there's nothing we can do that we haven't already done.

Phoebe: So, what, he just keeps killing until we kill him?

Piper: Which is exactly what he wants.

Prue: Exactly what we can't do. Uh, is that a potion?

Piper: I wouldn't know where to begin. I'm just keeping my hands busy. It's something Grams taught me, actually. To improvise. But all I've come up with is mud.

Phoebe: So how do we kill a warlock we know we shouldn't be killing?

Prue: Well, we've only got three more chances to figure that out.

[Flashback: Manor. Kitchen. Grams is there making a potion. Piper walks in.]

Piper: I am going to finish the brownies and don't even try and stop me.

Grams: Well, I'm afraid Prue's beaten you to it. But I've got a back up. What do you say we whip up your favourite double chocolate decadence cake.

Piper: Isn't decadence French for 'don't even think about it'? What are you making?

Grams: Oh, just keeping my hands busy. (Phoebe walks in and gets a key off of the hook.) Oh, Phoebe, uh, Piper and I were just thinking of whipping up something we'll regret tomorrow. Care to join us? (Phoebe doesn't answer.) Where you headed?

Phoebe: Out.

(She leaves.)

Piper: On second thought... do you need a hand? (She throws some ingredients in a pot. Grams smiles.) What?

Grams: How do you know what to add?

Piper: Well, you needed to balance the mustard seed which can be kind of harsh, and the sea salt brings out the flavour of the, um... Grams...

Grams: Piper, you were born for this, literally. Why do you insist on wasting your talents behind some counter in a bank?

Piper: Because my talents don't come with health benefits. Prue's getting married and Phoebe's, well, Phoebe. You know, somebody has to be practical.

Grams: Not at the expense of her dreams.

Piper: No, at the expense of losing this house and not being able to pay your hospital bills. I'm sorry if I'm disappointing you.

(They hug.)

Grams: You could never do that.

Piper: I'm just doing what I have to. It's okay.

(She leaves the room.)

Grams: So am I. (She fills up a small bottle with the potion. She holds it up.) My sweet girls. You're just not ready. I've got to stop you from becoming...

[Cut back to the present. Manor. Living room. The warlock is sitting on the couch.]

Warlock: The Charmed Ones. What does a fella have to do to get killed around here?

Prue: Not gonna happen.

Warlock: Hmm, I could sever a head. Only take a second.

(He stands up.)

Piper: Don't even think about it. (She freezes him.) Wait a minute, that's it. I'll just keep freezing him until midnight. A new moon means bye-bye bad guy, right?

(He fights through her freeze.)

Warlock: I'm just going to keep getting better and better at this.

Phoebe: Oh, it was a thought.

(They run into the foyer.)

Warlock: Come on, time's wasting. You know, I'm just going to keep on killing. And the next one won't go so fast. The next one I'll saver. You're telling me all you're gonna do is stand back and watch? How many people have to die before you do what I ask?

Prue: None. (Prue uses her power and a letter opener stabs the warlock. He disappears.) I'm sorry, I...

Piper: Had to.

Phoebe: I would've done it first but you beat me to it.

Prue: Alright, well, he's only got two more lives left.

Piper: And we've only got one option.

Phoebe: But we already looked in the book.

Prue: We look again. No more pussy-footing around.

[Flashback: Attic. Grams is flipping through the Book of Shadows. Patty's spirit is there.]

Patty: Why now, mother?

Grams: We both know why. We're just not willing to say it.

Patty: Please dont.

Grams: I'm not well, Parry. When I die...

Patty: Mother.

Grams: When I die, the girls will receive their powers. I have to stop that from happening.

Patty: But it's their destiny. It's what they're meant to be.

Grams: Who are we to decide that they're meant to be witches?

Patty: Who are we to decide that they're not? This isn't your choice to make.

Grams: But the girls are mine to protect.

(Grams grabs her chest.)

Patty: Mum, are you alright?

Grams: I'm fine. Don't change the subject. Patty, they're not ready. Do you really want me to put them directly in harms way? Goodnight. (She blows out the candle and Patty disappears. She uses telekinesis to open a chest and puts the Book of Shadows in it. She picks up the small bottle.) It's now or never.

(She walks out of the attic and locks the door. She goes to the stairs. She screams out in pain and grabs her chest. She drops the bottle and falls to the bottom of the stairs. Piper runs over to her.)

Piper: Grams? Grams? Prue! Phoebe! Somebody help!

(Prue and Phoebe run up to them.)

Prue: Oh my god, Grams.

Piper: Oh, god, Grams.

Commercial Break

[Scene: Manor. Attic. The warlock is there yelling. He disappears.]

Prue: Well, that's number eight.

Piper: One life to live.

Phoebe: I know life isn't fair, but this sucks.

Piper: I know, he left a stain, but I think with a little water and...

Phoebe: Uh, no. Death isn't brief, it's permanent, and this guy gets to cheat it not once but nine times.

Piper: Yeah, cheaters aren't supposed to profit.

Prue: You know, if he had any idea what death is really like, you know, the real thing not the abridged version, he wouldn't be so hot under the collar to do it again.

Phoebe: What if we showed him.

Piper: What do you mean?

Phoebe: Well, every time he dies he feels pain, right?

Prue: Yeah, but only for a second.

Phoebe: But what if somehow we could catch him in that second? The instant of death in that one moment where he actually feels pain, and then magnify it nine times.

Piper: Then he would feel the pain of nine deaths and it actually might be enough to kill him. I like it.

Prue: Well, we've only got one shot. Any other ideas? (Phoebe shakes her head.) Then lets do it.

[Flashback: Manor. Piper picks up the bottle on the stairs. Prue stands at the bottom of the stairs.]

Prue: Hey.

Piper: Hey.

Prue: You okay?

Piper: I'm... I'm not really. I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with this, Prue. I mean, not just losing her, it's the funeral arrangements and the doctors and the lawyers... and there's nobody left to help us.

Prue: For what it's worth, the service today was really beautiful.

Piper: (starting to cry) She would've liked what you said.

Prue: Thanks. I know that this is gonna sound strange but... do you think that she heard?

Piper: Yeah, I think she did.

[Cut to the living room. Phoebe is sitting on the couch. Prue and Piper come down the stairs.]

Prue: I'd still like to know what she was doing up there.

Phoebe: Up where?

Prue: Piper thinks that Grams was up in the attic before she died.

Phoebe: That's not possible. She always told us that the attic was sealed off.

Piper: Yeah, well, then what was she doing coming down the stairs?

Phoebe: Um, I think the more important question is what are we doing?

Prue: What do you mean?

Phoebe: I mean, precisely what Grams was always concerned about. Our future. The only reason we're all still here together is because of her and now, Prue, you've already got one foot out the door, and Piper, I know you don't wanna bunk with me any longer than you have to, so let's just face it, she was the glue.

Piper: Why don't we talk about this over dinner. I'll make one of Grams' favourite meals. She always liked the idea of me being in the kitchen.

Prue: Uh, actually, I'm sort of supposed to spend the night with Roger.

Piper: What about you, Pheebs? Table for two?

Phoebe: Uh, actually, I was thinking about getting outta here.

Piper: Are you going out?

Phoebe: No. Going away. I, um, I'm not sure what my future holds but I do know it's not in San Francisco.

(Phoebe picks up a bag.)

Prue: Phoebe, you don't have to...

Phoebe: It's okay. We all know that the only thing that I contribute to this threesome is trouble, so... I'm gonna go and see what New York thinks of me. Whatever my destiny may be, I might find it there.

Piper: Phoebe, what about school?

Phoebe: Well, school will still be there if I come back. Grams always said that we all had a purpose. Maybe we'll have an easier time finding it on our own.

(Phoebe leaves.)

Prue: Uh, I guess I'm gonna...

Piper: Yep.

(Phoebe leaves.)

Commercial Break

[Scene: Manor. Foyer. Prue comes out of the living room, Phoebe comes down the stairs and Piper comes out of the living room.]

Prue: Spell?

Phoebe: Check! Potion?

Piper: Check! Sharp painful implement?

Prue: Check.

(Prue holds up a fireplace tool.)

Phoebe: Ooh, nice choice.

Prue: Thank you.

Piper: So what is our level of confidence in this plan?

Phoebe: Well, on a scale from one to ten, ten being we whip ass, one being he laughs at us while we're on fire and naked...

Piper: Maybe you should lie to me.

(The warlock bursts in.)

Warlock: Hello, ladies. Hmm, I love the smell of defeated witch in the evening.

Prue: Yeah, can we just get this over with, please?

Warlock: Oh, it's fine when you want to have coffee, but when I want to exchange pleasantries, you're in a hurry to kill me. Where are your manners?

Phoebe: We lost them when that girl lost her life.

Warlock: And who's fault is that? Wait a minute, do you think I'm an idiot? You've got something up your sleeve.

(Phoebe looks at Prue and Piper.)

Phoebe: Hello? Sleeveless.

Warlock: You know the moment that I gain immortality, I'm coming back here to mangle your pretty little faces.

Piper: You wanna die or not?

Warlock: Do it.

Prue: Alrighty then. Ready? (Prue throws the tool at him.) Now!

(Piper freezes him and throws a potion at him.)

All: "Nine times this evil's cheated death, felt no pain and kept his breath, this warlock standing in our midst, let him feel what he has missed."

(Black ghostly shadows float around him.)

Warlock: No! No! No!

(The warlock explodes and disappears.)

Piper: Okay, was that for good?

Prue: Well, if it wasn't, he's really gonna miss his ear because it looks like part of it's dripping off the clock.

Piper: Yecch.

Phoebe: Um, ninth time's the charm. That was definitely different, he's gone for good.

Piper: And yet somehow we're still here, still together.

Phoebe: Not for long. Is there anything special you wanna do on your last night here?

Piper: Um, I don't know. I guess, can I have a couple of minutes alone?

Prue: Yeah, uh, we'll be upstairs if you, you know.

(Prue and Phoebe go upstairs. Piper sits down and pulls a small bottle out of a box. She sees a note stuck to the bottom of it.)

[Cut to outside. Leo is packing the car. Piper comes out.]

Leo: Everything okay?

Piper: Am I that obvious?

Leo: No, I'm just incredibly perceptive. You wanna pull up a tailgate?

(They sit on the tailgate of the car.)

Piper: Um, something just doesn't feel right. I mean, I know this stuff has to happen and I want it to happen, it's just that when Prue, Phoebe and I moved back in together, it made us sisters again. And I don't think we're ready to test that yet. And then there's this. (She hands Leo the note.) I think we both know what those ingredients would do to us. And the fact that Grams was willing to keep us from being witches, to keep us together. Well, that should mean something shouldn't it? Are you gonna hate me?

Leo: not if we can hire movers to move everything back in.

(She hugs him.)

Commercial Break

[Scene: Manor. Prue and Phoebe are sitting on the couch. Piper walks past.]

Prue: Hey, can we talk to you for a second? It's kind of important.

Piper: Sure. Everything okay?

Phoebe: Yeah, it's, um, it's just we're more than excited that you and Leo decided to move back in... Um, we sort of have to ask you to move back out again.

Prue: Of your room. And into mine. I mean, it is twice as big and you now are twice the people.

Piper: Really?

Prue: Really.

Piper: That would be great. (She sits on Prue and hugs her.) That would be so great.

Phoebe: Hey, you know what? I deserve hugs too because I'm moving all of my stuff out of your bathroom so you and Leo could do the...

Piper: That would be really great.

Prue: See? It will just be like having your own place.

Phoebe: Yeah, only with your sisters right down the hall.

Prue: Yeah, I mean, I know we can't be together forever.

Piper: But it feels good that forever isn't today.

[Cut to the attic. The Book of Shadows closes itself. The triquetra on the front glows.]

End