Blinded by the Whitelighter/Script

Written By: Nell Scovell

Season 3, Episode 11

Episode Number: 55

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Prue and Piper are making a potion.]

Piper: One teaspoon of baking powder.

Prue: One teaspoon bat guano. Ooh-hoo. It's starting to bubble.

Piper: And stink. Couldn't you have made that potion after breakfast?

Prue: No, I'm sorry, but Phoebe has a meeting with that D.A. Investigator, and I didn't want her to go there unarmed.

(Leo walks in.)

Leo: Morning. Whoa, what is that smell?

Prue: That would be the lovely smell of Piper's breakfast.

Piper: Hope you're hungry.

Leo: Uh, starving.

Piper: Probably 'cause you missed dinner last night.

Leo: Piper, I already said I was sorry I was late, okay. It's not like I was out carousing with the boys. I was out being a force of good in the universe.

Piper: A true force of good would have called or at least orbed.

Leo: I couldn't. Not under the circumstances.

Piper: Which were?

Leo: Work related, which means I can't talk about it. I mean, anything that happens between me and a charge is confidential. You know that.

Piper: Doesn't mean I have to like it. (Piper cuts her finger with a knife.) Ow!

Leo: Oh, let me see that.

(Leo heals her finger.)

Piper: You know, this all for the good of mankind stuff really puts me in an awful position. I have no choice but to be understanding.

Leo: You just have to accept that you're engaged to somebody that works for the CIA.

Piper: Oh.

(Phoebe walks in.)

Phoebe: Wait, you work for the CIA?

Prue: You know, ever since you became a blonde...

Piper: Do you want something to eat before your meeting with Reece?

Phoebe: Not hungry, too nervous.

(Prue hands Phoebe a vial of potion.)

Prue: Alright, well, this will help you with your nerves. Just a drop in Reece's coffee, and it will out any demon. Reaction will cause his throat to constrict. As he's choking, you run, got it?

Phoebe: Thanks. I hadn't even considered that Reece might be evil.

Prue: Then why are you so nervous?

Phoebe: Uh, because he's probing Cole's disappearance. I'm not exactly looking forward to being grilled about my demon ex, you know?

Prue: Well, as long as you don't blurt out, "I killed Cole," you'll be fine.

Leo: Why don't you practice saying, "As far as I know, Cole is alive and well and could be anywhere." See how it feels.

Phoebe: Okay, uh, "As far as I know, Cole is alive and well and could be anywhere."

Piper: Very believable.

Prue: Yeah, try not to look as guilty as you did just now. You'll give yourself away.

Phoebe: I just can't wait for this investigation to be over.

Piper: It will soon. It has to. There's nothing to find.

Prue: Is there?

Phoebe: Of course not.

Prue: Be careful.

[Scene: An alley. A witch runs from a warlock. The warlock runs after her. He throws a fireball at her and she reflects it with her power.]

Witch: You can't hurt me. I can deflect your power.

Warlock: All of them?

(He throws another fireball and she deflects it. It hits him and vanquishes him.)

Witch: Thank god.

(He appears behind her and grabs her. He holds a dagger against her neck.)

Warlock: You know, the ability to clone myself is just one of the powers that I've collected over my years of killing witches. And now I'm about to add one more. (He stabs her with the dagger and takes her power. She falls to the ground. Natalie, her Whitelighter, orbs in. She runs over to her.) You're too late, Whitelighter. Your charge is dead. I'll see you later.

(He blinks out of the alley.)

Opening Credits

[Scene: Manor. Dining room. Piper and Leo are sitting at the table having breakfast.]

Piper: So I've got lunch with this guy from the Chronicle who wants to do a story on the club, and then I've got a meeting with these dot com start up guys that want to do an internet thingy. What are you doing today?

Leo: You know, just the usual.

Piper: Care to elaborate?

Leo: Piper...

Piper: Oh, come on. Just a few details, a titbit.

Leo: It's against the rules.

Piper: Rules. Yes, see, this is my problem. Every time I turn around, we seem to be violating some stupid Whitelighter ordinance.

Leo: We just have to be careful as long as we're under probation.

Piper: Which is never ending. I don't know, Leo. I don't think they're ever gonna let us get married.

Leo: They will. They have to. Nothing is gonna keep us apart, I promise.

(They move in to kiss but Natalie orbs in, interrupting them.)

Piper: Aah!

Leo: Natalie!

Natalie: Leo. Sorry to interrupt, but we've got a major problem on our hands.

(Natalie is holding an athame. Prue walks in.)

Prue: Hey, I heard something... Ooh! Athame! Athame!

(Prue gets ready to attack Natalie but Leo stops her.)

Leo: No, no, no. It's okay, she's a Whitelighter. Natalie and I go way back. We were rookies together. Actually, we fought together in World War II.

Natalie: All your charges need to know is I'm a Whitelighter. This is not a social call. I've come to warn the Charmed Ones that a warlock just killed my most powerful charge with this athame.

Leo: Oh, I'm so sorry.

Natalie: Thank you. The real tragedy is that it didn't have to happen. I warned her to lay low, and she didn't listen. She always refused to let her magic interfere with her life, and now a warlock has her power of deflection.

Prue: Deflection. Wait a minute, does this mean he could deflect our powers?

Natalie: Yes, which is why all Whitelighters have been put on alert.

Leo: We have? Why didn't I hear about this?

Natalie: Because you missed this morning's staff meeting.

Piper: You have staff meetings?

Natalie: With mandatory attendance.

Leo: Unless a charge is in need, which Piper was. I had to heal her.

(Piper holds up her finger.)

Piper: Right.

Natalie: I'll assume a demon attacked your finger, since healing is restricted to such circumstances.

Leo: I believe the Charmed Ones deserve special attention.

Natalie: I've heard rumors about such special attention, and honestly, Leo.

(Natalie and Leo start talking to each other in their clickety-clack language.)

Prue: Whitelighter-ese?

Natalie: Clickety-clack, Piper, clicky-clack.

Piper: Well, I guess we know what they're talking about.

Prue: All right, you guys can (does the sound) all you want. Me, I'm gonna look in the Book of Shadows, okay?

Natalie: I'll go with you. I gotta look at the warlock. I might be able to identify him.

Prue: Oh, alright. Well, it's up in the attic.

Natalie: Attic? You mean the altar room, don't you? The rules are very clear. Every witch must keep their Book of Shadows in a sacred and protected spot.

Prue: Right, of course.

Leo: Maybe you can bring the Book down here?

Prue: Yeah, yeah. I'll just run up to the altar room, which by the way, is right next to the potions lab, and I'll be right back.

(She leaves the room. Leo picks up a piece of fruit. Natalie click-clacks at him.)

Leo: Not supposed to eat on the job.

[Scene: A diner. Phoebe and Reece are sitting at a table.]

Reece: You sure you don't want something to eat?

Phoebe: No, I'm fine. Uh, actually, I would like a bagel also. Thanks.

(He turns his back to Phoebe to talk to a waitress.)

Reece: Uh, excuse me, miss. Can we have another bagel? (Phoebe quickly pours some potion in his coffee. Reece turns back to face Phoebe.) It's a nice place. It's crowded. I guess that's why you picked it. That makes me think you're afraid of something. (Reece takes a sip of his coffee and coughs.) Allergies. So, so are you?

Phoebe: Am I what?

Reece: Afraid.

Phoebe: Afraid of Cole? No. Why should I be?

Reece: Well, several reasons. Not the least of which is he's a fraud, or a man who exists only on paper. Wormed his way into the DA office for reasons unknown, and who apparently has a very dark side. (He shows her some photos of Cole's altar.) We found blood stains on his carpet and a hidden cabinet full of occult paraphernalia. Now, you're telling me you don't know anything about this?

Phoebe: No... I mean, yes. I don't know about any of this.

Reece: Look, Miss Halliwell, see, I think you know more than you're letting on, but you're scared. You're afraid that if I find out the truth, you're gonna get in trouble. Am I right?

Phoebe: I wish I could help you, but I can't. I'm sorry. I really am.

(She stands up.)

Reece: Uh, listen. Cole's the kind of man who knows how to cover his tracks, okay? If he's alive and you know something, he could hurt you. He could hurt your sisters, too.

(Phoebe leaves.)

Commercial Break

[Scene: Manor. Conservatory. Prue and Piper are sitting on the couch reading the Book Of Shadows. Leo and Natalie are standing near by.]

Prue: "The power of deflection is a witch's best shield against the forces of darkness."

Piper: "Unless the forces of darkness already have it, in which case, it's the great shield against us."

Prue: Alright, how did he get close enough to get it from such a powerful witch?

Piper: Maybe he wasn't working alone.

Leo: Or maybe he possesses the power...

Natalie: Cloning. I was just thinking the same thing.

Leo: The ability to duplicate oneself, but...

Natalie: It can't be sustained for long periods of time.

Piper: That's cute how you guys finish each other's sentences.

Natalie: Happens when you work with someone for as long as we have.

Piper: I see that.

Leo: Maybe we should check the Book. See if the warlock stole the cloning power too.

Prue: Alright, cross-reference cloning with warlock. (Prue uses her power to flip the pages. It lands on a page about the warlock Eames.) Here it is. A warlock named Eames. Seems that, uh, ten years ago, he murdered a witch in Glasgow and stole her power of cloning. Do you recognise him?

Natalie: That's him.

Prue: Uh, well, cloning and deflection are not his only tricks. It says here that Eames also killed a witch in Kenya in '89 and took the power of transmogrification.

Piper: Trans what?

Leo, Natalie: The ability to change shape or form.

Prue: Okay, so, uh, what's his master plan?

Natalie: What makes you think he has one?

Prue: Well, the time and geography between kills suggest that he was hunting these particular witches, right? It's not sport, it's strategy.

Piper: So all we have to do to catch him is to figure out what that plan is and then beat him to the punch.

Prue: Right, or we can try and take him out first before he even has a chance.

Natalie: Leo, we should discuss the best way to approach this situation. (to Prue and Piper) I mean, in private if you wouldn't mind going into another room please.

Piper: Or how about this idea?

(Piper freezes Natalie. Prue grins.)

Prue: Hmm!

Leo: Piper, what are you doing?

Piper: Getting irritated. Who put Lady Attitude in charge?

Leo: She's not in charge.

Piper: Really? 'Cause she's acting like it. I thought Whitelighters were supposed to guide, not dictate.

Leo: She is just trying to help.

Prue: By what? Slowing us down and second-guessing us?

Leo: Introducing the concept of caution and organisation into the manor isn't a bad idea. Natalie's considered one of the top Whitelighters up there.

Piper: Oh, I bet they love her. She's never met a rule she didn't like.

Prue: Leo, we already have a Whitelighter. Besides, I don't really like anybody who doesn't trust us.

Leo: You've misread her. Natalie is cautious because she just lost a charge and she's worried the same thing is gonna happen to you. You can't question her heart.

Piper: Okay, how about everything else?

Leo: I'll talk to her. Now please, would you unfreeze her?

Piper: Sure. (Piper walks past Natalie and unfreezes her.) There you go.

(Piper walks into the kitchen.)

Natalie: Wait a minute, what's going on?

Leo: I gotta go talk to Piper.

Natalie: Leo.

Leo: I'll be right back.

(Leo goes in the kitchen.)

Prue: Piper froze ya.

Natalie: She-she what?

Prue: Yep.

(Prue grins.)

[Cut to the kitchen.]

Leo: Hey, you want to freeze me in bed for your own personal pleasure, that is fine, but freezing Natalie is not gonna make her or the Elders happy.

Piper: Well, I'm sorry, but how do you think I feel listening to you two clickety-clack about work when you don't tell me anything? I mean, she clearly knows things about you that I don't.

Leo: She's an old friend.

Piper: Well, obviously.

Leo: Come on, you're not jealous are you? Because there is nothing...

Piper: Leo, I'm not jealous of her. I'm jealous of the part of your life she gets to share with you that I don't. You know, like where you go all day, who your other charges are, what it's like up there.

Leo: I've taken you up there before.

Piper: Once, and I don't even get to remember it. It's just more rules. More stupid rules that exclude me, unlike you and Natalie, who literally speak the same language with each other.

Leo: It is just boring shop talk.

Piper: It's secrets, and if there's one thing I learned as a Halliwell, you don't keep secrets from the people you love.

(Phoebe walks in through the back door.)

Phoebe: Hi. Am I interrupting something?

Piper: Yes.

Leo: No.

Piper: How did your thing go with the investigator?

Phoebe: Uh, fine. At least he's not a demon. Leo, can I talk to you about something? Soon.

Piper: Take a number.

Leo: Maybe later, okay? Why don't you go meet Natalie?

Phoebe: Who's Natalie?

Piper: She's a...

Leo: Fellow Whitelighter. See? I finished your sentence.

Piper: Hmm. It's not what I was gonna say.

[Cut back to the conservatory. Prue's scrying with a crystal.]

Natalie: You're wasting your time. You can't scry for warlocks.

Prue: I'm not. I'm scrying for a witch. I'm focusing the crystal on your charge's power, which technically is still alive.

(Phoebe walks in.)

Phoebe: Hi. You must be, uh...

Prue: Oh! (The crystal points to a spot on the map.) Okay, here we go, I think I found Eames. Uh, Industrial District south of San Francisco.

Phoebe: A warlock? What's going on?

Prue: We'll fill you in on the way. Piper! Leo!

Natalie: Wait, you're not going after him are you?

Prue: Yeah, that would be the idea.

Natalie: You're not prepared, you're not--

(Phoebe touches the dagger and has a premonition of Eames killing a man.)

Prue: What did you see?

Phoebe: A warlock I think. Killing a male witch.

Prue: Not if we can help it. (Piper and Leo walk in.) It's three against one. We should be able to counter his power of deflection.

Leo: But he can also clone himself.

Prue: So then it's three against two. Still, the odds are on our side. Plus, we'll have the element of surprise.

Natalie: People, we're under an alert. You can't go running off half-cocked.

Phoebe: People?

Natalie: You must consult the Elders, find out what they know, what they want you to do.

Piper: And how long will that take? Long enough to lose another witch's life?

Natalie: Better one than four. You wondered what Eames' ultimate goal was. What if it's to kill the Charmed Ones? Think of the damage he could do with all of your powers.

Prue: Alright, Natalie's right. We should definitely check with the Elders first. Do it quickly.

Natalie: I'll be back as soon as possible.

(Natalie orbs out.)

Phoebe: So what, we're supposed to just wait?

Prue: No! I had to say something to get rid of her.

Leo: Didn't you hear what she said? Consulting with the Elders is for your own protection.

Piper: And siding with us is for yours.

Prue: Hmm!

[Scene: An alley. Eames is there chanting. Prue, Piper and Phoebe pull up in the car. They get out of the car. Prue uses her power on Eames. He gets back up.]

Prue: Oh, Piper, freeze him.

(Piper tries to freeze Eames but he deflects it.)

Piper: He deflected it. (Eames disappears.) What happened? Where'd he go?

Leo: I don't think that was Eames. I think that was his clone.

Phoebe: Alright, well, the real Eames must be around here someplace.

Piper: Okay, maybe we should get out of here.

Prue: No, no, no. What about the witch in Phoebe's premonition? We can't just leave him.

Piper: I was afraid you were gonna say that.

Prue: What did he look like?

Phoebe: Oh, I don't know. Kinda balding. (A Darklighter appears.) Sort of like that.

Darklighter: Who are you? Why'd you summon me?

Leo: That's no witch. That's... (A crossbow appears in his hand.) a Darklighter.

Piper: Leo! Leo, get out of here! (The Darklighter shoots an arrow at Leo but Leo orbs out. Phoebe kicks the crossbow out of his hand and kicks him. Piper freezes him.) Okay, I don't understand. Why is there a Darklighter here?

(Eames appears.)

Eames: Oh, did I miss all the fun? (Eames sets the Darklighter on fire. He blinks in front of the crossbow.) No, wait, I am the fun. Thanks for this.

(He picks up the crossbow and blinks out of the alley.)

Commercial Break

[Scene: Manor. Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk in. Leo is there waiting.]

Leo: Did you get the Darklighter?

Piper: No, but Eames did.

Leo: Eames? A warlock killed a Darklighter?

Phoebe: And took his crossbow.

Leo: Well, that doesn't make any sense. They both play for team evil.

Prue: Yeah, what I don't get is why Eames had no interest in attacking us.

Phoebe: Maybe he knew he was outnumbered.

Prue: No, he didn't really seem overly concerned. In fact, he seemed cocky.

(Natalie orbs in.)

Natalie: Good, you're still here.

Piper: Speaking of cocky.

Natalie: I consulted the Elders and they want you to hold back. They think the witch Phoebe saw might be a force of darkness.

Prue: A Darklighter actually.

Natalie: How do you know?

Piper: We went, we saw, we didn't quite conquer.

Natalie: You what? Leo, how could you let this happen?

Prue: This wasn't Leo's decision. It was ours.

Natalie: You'll take responsibility for a decision, but not for your lives? That warlock could have killed you.

Piper: He wasn't after us.

Natalie: That makes you lucky, not smart. You were reckless. As the Charmed Ones, you have an obligation to serve the greater good. You have a higher calling.

(The Whitelighters call Leo and Natalie.)

Leo: So do we.

Natalie: I think we better both go up this time.

Leo: Better lay low until we get back.

(Leo and Natalie hold hands and orb out.)

Piper: What's with the hand holding thing?

Phoebe: That's the least of our problems. We have to concentrate on finding and vanquishing Eames.

Prue: Yeah, and we can't count on scrying to locate him because it just could be his clone again.

Piper: I still think we need to decode his master plan and then that way we can figure him out.

Phoebe: I'll take book duty.

Prue: I'll do a flow chart, see where all this is leading.

Piper: I'll help. Anything to get rid of her.

Phoebe: You mean him.

Piper: Nah, I mean her.

(Phoebe walks into the conservatory and sits down at the table. She flips through the Book of Shadows and stops at the page about Belthazor.)

Phoebe: What am I gonna do about you?

[Cut to a white misty place. There are a bunch of Whitelighters standing around in white robes. Leo is there wearing jeans and a shirt. Natalie walks up to him wearing the robe.]

Natalie: I've never seen the Elders like this before. They're worried about what Eames is up to. Aren't you gonna change into your robes? The rules say...

Leo: I know the rules. I find my jeans more comfortable.

Natalie: That attitude scares me, Leo. I wouldn't be a good friend if I didn't tell you how concerned I am about the situation at the manor.

Leo: You haven't seen the Charmed Ones at their best. Trust me, they're talented witches.

Natalie: They're also sloppy, untrained, emotional...

Leo: And undisciplined, I know. That's part of what makes them great. They don't work by rote. They work on instinct, on passion.

Natalie: I'm all for instinct and passion, but they're too impulsive. They lead with their hearts, not their heads, and they're not the only ones.

Leo: You think I do too?

Natalie: I think it's clear that you love them.

Leo: Every Whitelighter loves their charges.

Natalie: Not the way that you do. Your feelings are clouding your ability to see their weaknesses.

Leo: Weaknesses? I think their record speaks for itself. They took out Belthazor, who took out the Triad.

Natalie: But Belthazor is a perfect example. He never should have gotten that close to them. I can't help but to think that your relationship with Piper...

Leo: Is none of your business.

Natalie: Actually, Leo, it is my business. The Elders want to know whether or not I think it's getting in the way of your job.

(Phoebe calls Leo from below.)

Leo: That's Phoebe. Rules say a charge's call takes precedent.

(He orbs out.)

[Cut to Phoebe's bedroom.]

Phoebe: Leo!

(Leo orbs in.)

Leo: Sorry, Phoebe, I forgot that you needed to talk. What's up?

Phoebe: Okay, just so I'm clear, this is confidential, right? I mean, anything that I'm about to say to you just stays between me and you?

Leo: Absolutely.

Phoebe: And they don't get to know? And they're not eavesdropping or anything right now?

Leo: Phoebe, what is it?

Phoebe: You need to sit. (She sits him on her bed and she sits beside him.) Okay, here goes. Leo, Cole is alive.

Leo: What?

Phoebe: Cole... Belthazor, I didn't really vanquish him. I know. I know it's horrible, and I've barely been able to live with Prue and Piper ever since, but I just couldn't tell them.

Leo: Phoebe...

Phoebe: I couldn't kill him, Leo. I had every intention of doing it, but when I got there and I was face to face with him, I just, I couldn't kill him, and I knew that my sisters were going to.

Leo: So you faked his death?

Phoebe: I didn't have a choice. Leo, I knew in my heart that he would never try and hurt us. Otherwise, I wouldn't have let him go you have to believe me. All I know is that I loved Cole. And if anyone understands forbidden love it's you, isn't it?

Leo: Oh my god, Phoebe. It's not even close to being the same thing. He is a demon.

Phoebe: He's half-human.

Leo: For god sakes, he's a killer. He has killed witches and innocents and anything that has gotten in his way. What is the matter with you? What makes you think that he is not gonna come back here right now and try and kill all three of you?

Phoebe: He won't. I know he's good.

Leo: No, you hope that he's good. You want him to be good. Why did you even tell me this?

Phoebe: I don't know, Leo. I was sort of counting on you for your guidance and support.

Leo: Well, it's my guidance and support that got you into this mess. I don't know how to begin to fix this.

(Leo walks out of her room and doubles over in pain. He groans.)

Phoebe: Leo? Leo, what's the matter?

(She goes over to him.)

Leo: I don't know. Feels like a witch is being hurt. I can feel her pain.

Phoebe: Is it one of your charges?

Leo: No.

(Prue and Piper walk in.)

Piper: What happened?

Leo: She needs help.

[Cut to a park. Eames has just stabbed a witch.]

Eames: Of course I've could have killed you, but it's not your powers I'm after. I've set my sights a little higher. I'm looking for a few good Whitelighters. Well, actually, just one. That's all I'm missing now. And yours'll do just fine.

[Cut back to the manor.]

Piper: Why isn't her Whitelighter helping her?

Leo: I don't know, but I have to go to her.

(Leo starts to orb out.)

Prue: No, Leo, wait. I just realised, how could we have missed it? The only reason Eames would have killed a Darklighter is so that he can use the crossbow to kill a Whitelighter.

(Natalie orbs in.)

Natalie: She's right, Leo, it's a trap.

Leo: I don't understand. Why would he even want to kill a Whitelighter?

Natalie: To gain the power to orb up there, the only way in. Once there, he'd be able to decimate all Whitelighters.

Phoebe: And that would leave all their charges unprotected. He would be able to wipe out all witches everywhere, including us.

Prue: Sounds like a master plan to me.

Natalie: The Elders have instituted a lockdown and recalled all Whitelighters from Earth. Leo and I are the only ones who have retained the power to orb so we can help you stop Eames.

Leo: Must be why I feel her pain. If you could only feel it.

Natalie: I feel it but I won't be ruled by it. A Whitelighter who's controlled by his emotions is useless. The greater good must come first.

[Cut back to the park. The witch is lying on the ground in pain. Eames is near by waiting.]

Eames: Well, this is boring. What kind of lame Whitelighter do you have?

Witch: They must be on to you now.

Eames: I think you're right. Which means what? They'll send witches to try and stop me? Well, if witches come, can Whitelighters be far behind? After ten years of chasing a dream, the dream starts chasing me. Of course, you know there is a down side. I no longer have any use for you.

(He stabs her again.)

[Cut back to the manor. Leo stumbles down the stairs.]

Piper: Leo!

Natalie: Leo, what is it?

Leo: He killed her.

Prue: What does your rule book say to do now?

Commercial Break

[Scene: Manor. Kitchen. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are there. Phoebe's making some coffee.]

Phoebe: I can't believe Natalie just let her die like that, we should have done something.

Piper: Like what?

Phoebe: I don't know. Something.

Prue: Yeah, but we need to figure out a way to stop Eames before he kills again. We should be working on a vanquishing spell.

Phoebe: It's gonna be a tricky spell, though. We have to counteract a lot of powers.

Piper: Plus, we need to do it fast, cause I don't like my boyfriend being one of the only two targets on Earth.

(The girls walk into the living room where Leo and Natalie are.)

Piper: We'd like to speak to Leo in private. So if you wouldn't mind going into another room?

Natalie: If it's work related, you can discuss it with me.

Prue: What do you mean?

Piper: Leo?

Leo: I asked Natalie to take over as your Whitelighter and she accepted.

Piper: What are you talking about?

Leo: Piper, nothing is more important to me than your safety, and my being here is putting all of your lives at risk.

Prue: Leo, you have done nothing but protect us.

Leo: You saw what happened upstairs. I would have rushed off to help that witch if you hadn't stopped me. Now I am supposed to be guiding you and you are guiding me.

Prue: Leo, we all make mistakes.

Leo: We can't afford to make them now.

Phoebe: Leo, if this is because of me...

(Prue and Piper look at her, confused.)

Leo: It isn't, Phoebe. It's because of me. Maybe Natalie's right. Maybe my feelings for you are clouding my ability to guide you, I don't know. But all I do know is that this is no time for self-doubt, not with Eames out there. (Leo walks over to Piper.) Piper, they want me to join in the lockdown. Until I return, I want you to do as Natalie asks. It's important for us.

(Leo and Piper kiss and he orbs out. Prue, Piper and Phoebe stare at Natalie.)

Natalie: I suggest you channel your anger toward the warlock you're meant to vanquish. Now, first...

Prue: Okay, could we just have a moment to process this, please?

Natalie: No. It's time you stopped focusing on yourselves and started focusing on Eames. You must prepare yourselves for battle. Mentally, physically, sartorially.

Phoebe: I'm sorry, what?

Piper: She doesn't like our clothes.

Natalie: You need outfits that are loose and move. That means no more braless, strapless, fearless attire.

Prue: Okay, but then I have nothing to wear.

[Cut to an alley. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are stretching. Natalie's also stretching in front of them.]

Prue: Okay, tell me again why we're doing this?

Piper: Because one bad word from General Goody-Two-Shoes, and I'm not getting married.

Prue: That's a good reason, I guess.

(Natalie turns to face the girls.)

Natalie: Alright, let's get going. Defeating Eames will require split-second timing and flawless teamwork. I can't tell you what you'll be doing but I can tell you what you won't. You won't be winging it. You won't be hoping for the best. The will to win is the will to prepare to win. Do you understand me?

Piper: Uh-huh.

Phoebe: I'm sorry, I didn't quite get that last platitude.

Natalie: You think you're so tough because you took out Belthazor, don't you? Let me tell you something. You're only as good as your next vanquish. This alley is a neutral battlefield. Our challenge is to fight Eames. Our primary goal is...

Piper: To win!

Natalie: No.

Piper: No.

Natalie: To get the crossbow. (She picks up a piece of wood.) A Darklighter's crossbow delivers arrows dipped in a poison that is lethal to Whitelighters. Get the crossbow, and the immediate threat is over. If you have the opportunity to vanquish Eames by all mean seize it. But keep your eyes on the prize. Alright, now let's pretend I'm the enemy.

Prue: Oh, that is way too easy.

(Phoebe claps her hands and Piper laughs.)

Natalie: Now talk me through how you plan to separate me from my crossbow.

Piper: Okay, first, I freeze you.

Natalie: I deflect that.

Phoebe: I guess I could levitate and kick you.

Natalie: You just kicked a clone.

Prue: Alright, how about I send in an astral Prue as a decoy and just, you know... (Prue uses her power and the piece of wood flies out of Natalie's hands.) Oh, I'm so sorry.

(Phoebe laughs.)

Natalie: Not as sorry as you would be if I just blinked behind you and stabbed you to death.

Prue: Well, that would be bad.

Piper: Ouch.

Phoebe: Alright, you know what? This is too hard usually in these situations, you know, everything happens so quickly, the adrenaline is pumping.

Natalie: I want you to think using your brains, not your glands. Now try again.

[Time lapse. Prue runs up a wall and flips over. Natalie taps her on the shoulder and she turns around. Phoebe levitates and Natalie spins her around in the air. She falls to the ground. Piper freezes lightning balls Natalie throws at her. She misses one and it shocks her.]

[Cut to P3. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are sitting at the bar writing a spell. Natalie is sitting at a table near by.]

Phoebe: Hey, if we don't vanquish Eames, can we at least vanquish Natalie?

Piper: Don't tempt me.

Prue: Alright, I've got the cloning portion of the vanquishing spell done.

Piper: I'm almost there with the transmogrification.

Phoebe: Mine came out a little country western. "I'm rejectin' your deflection."

Piper: Well, it works for me, but you have to get it past you-know-who.

Phoebe: You know, Leo never had to approve our spells. He trusted us.

Prue: Yeah, but she said that she needs to hear it.

Phoebe: You know what? What she needs none of us can give her, alright?

Prue: Alright, still, but personal feelings aside, you kinda have to admire her professionally, you know? She's very dedicated.

Piper: Yeah, but she's not Leo.

(Natalie walks over to them.)

Natalie: How's that spell coming along?

Phoebe: Great. All done.

Natalie: Good.

Phoebe: Here you go.

(Phoebe hands her a piece of paper and she reads it.)

Natalie: Okay, let's nail this warlock.

Prue: Alright, I'll start scrying for his location.

Natalie: No need. I've been working on a new plan, one that would allow us to fight on our turf, not his.

Piper: Make him come to us? How?

Natalie: What he wants is what you've got.

Prue: You're gonna use yourself as bait.

Natalie: If I orb in somewhere unprotected, Eames should be able to track me with his Darklighter powers. With the three of you in position, as soon as Eames shows up, I orb out. The advantage is all ours.

Piper: Nope. We can't let you do that. It's too dangerous.

Natalie: I appreciate your concern.

Piper: My concern is not for you, at least not just for you. My concern is if you fail...

Natalie: I won't fail. I've gone over every permutation. So long as we follow the rules, we'll succeed.

[Scene: Park. The dead witch is still laying there. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are hiding behind some bushes. Natalie orbs in. Eames blinks in.]

Natalie: Now!

(Eames tries to shoot Natalie with the crossbow but she orbs out. Prue uses her power to knock the bow out of his hands. Eames disappears.)

Phoebe: Clone!

Prue: Alright, be ready with the spell. He could be anywhere. Get the crossbow.

(Piper picks up the crossbow.)

Phoebe: Wait, where is he? Why isn't he fighting back?

Piper: Maybe because we got the crossbow?

Prue: No. Something doesn't feel right. This was way too easy.

Phoebe: And even worse, anticlimactic.

Piper: Well, who cares? We got the crossbow. Let's go.

(They leave.)

[Cut to the manor. Natalie is waiting in the foyer. Prue, Piper and Phoebe walk in.]

Natalie: Did you get it?

Piper: We got it.

(Piper hands Natalie the crossbow.)

Prue: Yeah, but we didn't get Eames.

Natalie: That's alright, he wasn't our primary goal. You've done well.

Prue: I don't know. I think he gave up too easily.

Natalie: Maybe you were just prepared and he wasn't. It was our setting, our timing, our plan to execute.

Phoebe: Yeah, but we didn't get a chance to execute it.

Natalie: We got what we wanted and no one got hurt. This is what happens when Whitelighters and witches work hard together. And thanks to you, they'll get a chance to do a lot more of it. I'll bring this up there.

Piper: Uh, does that mean Leo gets to come back?

Natalie: That's not my call. I'll see you later. (pause) So Eames didn't fight at all?

Prue: Not at all. I flung, he fled.

Natalie: Did you wait for him? Look for him?

Phoebe: No, we were playing by the rules.

Piper: And we grabbed the crossbow, just like you said.

Natalie: The crossbow...

(The crossbow changes into Eames. He grabs Natalie. Prue uses her power on him and he deflects it, sending her flying. Piper tries to freeze him and he deflects it, sending her to the floor.)

Eames: She was right. Way too easy.

(He stabs Natalie with an arrow.)

Piper: No!

(He blinks out of the room with Natalie.)

Commercial Break

[Scene: Manor. Living room. Prue, Piper and Phoebe are there.]

Piper: We followed the stupid rules and look what happened.

Phoebe: I hate rules.

Prue: I knew something was wrong. Why didn't I trust my instincts?

Piper: None of us did, but I am going to now. Leo!

Prue, Piper, Phoebe: Leo!

(Leo orbs in.)

Piper: Okay, look, we-we did everything she asked. I swear.

Leo: I know, I was watching. I wasn't supposed to, but enough said.

Phoebe: We're through playing by the rules, you know.

Prue: Alright, now we need to stop Eames.

Leo: Well, I know from experience Darklighter poison doesn't kill immediately, so there's still a window of opportunity.

Prue: Great. So we need a plan. What are our options?

Leo: There's only one. It breaks the rules big time.

Piper: You mean...

Leo: Uh-huh.

Piper: And we...

Leo: Yep.

Piper: And that will...

Leo: I hope.

(Prue and Phoebe look at each other, confused.)

[Cut to an alley. Eames and Natalie are there. Natalie's lying on the ground.]

Eames: You think dying would be easier the second time around, but it sure doesn't look like it. It's useless to fight the poison. Don't you know death is just the beginning? In this case, of a lot more death. How's it feel to know that you will be responsible for the end of Whitelighters and witches alike? The end of good. Do I hear someone coming? No. But I hear someone going.

(He pushes the arrow in Natalie and kills her. He takes her powers. He orbs up into the white misty place. Whitelighters, in their robes, are standing near by. He shoots the crossbow at one, which is really Prue, and she deflects the arrow with her power. Piper, also disguised as one, freezes the arrow in mid-air. Prue, Piper and Phoebe show their faces. Phoebe kicks him and the arrow stabs him in the back.)

Eames: What the hell are you doing up here?

Phoebe: Kicking your ass.

Prue: Don't even bother trying to orb out, it won't work. You see, you didn't just get the powers of a Whitelighter, but you get their vulnerability too, so the poison in that arrow is killing you just like you killed Natalie.

Piper: It's kind of poetic.

Phoebe: I'm kind of in a rhyming mood. How about you, girls?

Prue: Sure. This poison isn't working fast enough for me.

Prue, Piper, Phoebe: "Time for amends and a victim's revenge..."

Prue: "Cloning power, turn sour..."

Piper: "Power to change, turn to strange..."

Phoebe: "I'm rejectin' your deflection." (Eames burns and disappears.) Wow. It worked.

Prue: Nothing anticlimactic about that.

(Phoebe laughs. A Whitelighter approaches them.)

Piper: Uh-oh. Here comes one.

(Leo shows his face.)

Leo: You made your Whitelighter proud.

Phoebe: Thanks, but we were just winging it.

Leo: Well, whatever you did it worked.

Piper: Well, not as well as we would've liked. I'm sorry we couldn't save Natalie.

Leo: I know, me too. But she died for the greater good. I know she would've made that choice herself.

Phoebe: Although, I don't think that she would have been to keen on us orbing up here.

Leo: Which is why we got to get out of here before we all get in trouble.

Prue: I, okay, wait a second. No 5-cent tour? No meet the Elders?

Leo: We're going.

Prue: Leo!

Piper: It doesn't matter. It's not like we get to remember it anyway.

Leo: You will this time.

Piper: Oh.

[Scene: Box is playing. Piper and Phoebe are sitting in the alcove. Prue comes up to them.]

Prue: I just checked the messages at home and Reece called. Said he needs to talk to you about the case.

Phoebe: Really? Did he say it was urgent?

Prue: Well, what could be urgent about the case?

Phoebe: Nothing. Actually, I can't think of anything that would be urgent.

Piper: I can. I urgently want Leo to walk into this bar. He's been up there a really long time and I'm starting to get worried. I don't understand how they can be mad at him after we saved their butts.

Phoebe: Well, he broke some pretty big rules while doing it.

Piper: Yeah, well, if they hold that against him, I'm crossing over to the other side.

Prue: Ditto.

Phoebe: Yeah. Ditto.

Piper: I've gotta get back to work.

(Piper walks away.)

Prue: Alright, so what's in that head of yours.

Phoebe: Nothing. You know that.

Prue: Don't joke. Phoebe, if you wanna talk about it, I'm here. I just wanna help.

Phoebe: Um, I was just worried about Leo too, you know.

(Leo is near by looking around. He spots Prue and Phoebe.)

Prue: I'll go get Piper.

(Prue walks away. Leo comes up to Phoebe and sits down.)

Leo: Hey.

Phoebe: Hi.

Leo: How you doing?

Phoebe: Oh, I'm great. Actually, I'm lying. I'm awful. Um, I am so sorry that I am such a screw-up.

Leo: Hey, hey, I'm the one who should be apologising. I let you down. I should have been watching more carefully. It won't happen again, okay.

(Prue and Piper come back over.)

Piper: Hey, hey, hey. What took so long? What happened?

Leo: I have some news.

Piper: Okay.

Leo: Well, obviously, they found out that you've been up there, so they decided to review the facts of the Natalie's situation. And they unanimously decided to lift probation.

Piper: What?

Leo: Piper, we're officially engaged.

(Prue gets excited and hugs Piper.)

Prue: That's so great.

(Phoebe hugs Leo, then Prue hugs Phoebe. Piper and Leo hug while Prue and Phoebe look on, smiling.)

End