Something Wicca This Way Goes...?/Script

(Paige, Phoebe and Piper orb into Magic School.)

PHOEBE: Okay, how do we know Zankou's not here waiting for us?

PAIGE: Because Magic School's protected from him, that's how.

(Piper turns around and heads out the door.)

PIPER: (shouts) Leo?!

(Phoebe and Paige follow.)

[INT. MAGIC SCHOOL - HALLWAY-- NIGHT]

(They rush through the hallway and head for the Great Hall as they look for Leo.)

PHOEBE: Still, now that Zankou's got the Book of Shadows

PIPER: He can't use all of its powers, not without ours. (shouts) Leo!

PHOEBE: No, but he could use it to get our powers. I mean, it's been done before, right?

Paige: Look, as long as we're here, we're safe.

(Leo finds them in the hallway.)

Leo: What's wrong?

Piper: How are the boys?

LEO: They're fine. They're sleeping. Why?

PHOEBE: Uh, Zankou's got the Book of Shadows.

LEO: What? How?

PAIGE: Well, as soon as we figure that out, we'll let you know.

PHOEBE: He broke us down.

PAIGE: Okay, but how does that explain -

PHOEBE: (interrupts) Because our powers are tied to the Book and our emotions are tied to our powers, so by making us vulnerable, he --

LEO: He made the Book vulnerable, too.

PIPER: I guess he knew us a little better than we thought.

PHOEBE: The question is, what is he really after?

(Leo looks at Paige.)

PAIGE: What he's always after ... power.

(Piper knows.)

PIPER: The Nexus.

(Oh, no. This isn't good.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. HALLIWELL MANOR (STOCK) - NIGHT]

[INT. MANOR - MAIN HALL -- NIGHT]

(Zankou flames into the sitting room clutching the Book of Shadows in his arms. Behind him, about a dozen other demons flame in and shimmer into the sitting room.)

(Zankou smiles.)

ZANKOU: Ah, it's good to be back.

CUT TO END OF TEASER ROLL TITLE CREDITS

(COMMERCIAL SET)

FADE IN.

[EXT. VARIOUS SAN FRANCISCO CITY LIGHTS (STOCK) - NIGHT]

[EXT. HALLIWELL MANOR (STOCK) - NIGHT]

[INT. MANOR - BASEMENT -- NIGHT]

(In the basement, the demons work on digging out the hole in the floor.)

DEMON: There we go.

(Zankou rushes down the stairs and heads over to his Demon in Charge, Kahn.)

ZANKOU: How close are we?

KAHN: We'd be a lot closer if we could use our powers to open it.

ZANKOU: The nexus will view that as a threat, destroy us all. Remember it's neither good nor evil. It's just sheer unadulterated power, the kind The Charmed Ones have been harboring for far too long. Now it's my turn to play.

KAHN: What'll be your first move -- once you possess it, I mean?

ZANKOU: Oh, I don't know, uh ... I'll have full access to the Book of Shadows, of course, which means ... I'll have ultimate power.

(Zankou laughs at the mere thought of it.)

ZANKOU: I hope I don't get bored.

DEMON: The Nexus, milord.

(Zankou turns and finds the Demons standing out of the hole in the ground.)

ZANKOU: Step back.

(The demons step back. Zankou and Kahn head over to the hole in the ground. Zankou stops in front of the hole. He closes his eyes and starts the spell.)

ZANKOU: (chanting) Natum adai necral...

(Smoke starts to rise out of the hole in front of Zankou.)

ZANKOU: (chanting) daya intay layok!

(In the smoke, the Shadow rises. With an awful roar, it hovers in front of Zankou as if it were just looking at him. Zankou opens his eyes and looks back at the Shadow.)

(Suddenly, the Shadow slams into Zankou, seeping into him through his eyes. Zankou is pushed back as the Shadow fills him.)

(The Shadow and Smoke dissipate.)

(Zankou turns around, his eyes black pools of nothing.)

ZANKOU: (Shadow's voice) It is done.

(The demons in front of him, bow before him.)

KAHN: What are your orders?

(Suddenly, Zankou gasps in pain.)

ZANKOU: Ah!

(He staggers forward, raising his hands to his face as he screams. He turns and spews the Shadow out from his face and back into the ground.)

(The Shadow screams as it disappears back into the ground.)

KAHN: What happened?

ZANKOU: The sisters -- they cast it out of me with a spell.

KAHN: From the Magic School? Impossible.

ZANKOU: Nothing's impossible there!

(Angry, Zankou pushes the demons apart as he heads for the stairs.)

KAHN: Where are you going?

(He starts climbing up the stairs as he turns around.)

ZANKOU: To the Book of Shadows ... to find a way to stop them!

(Zankou leaves the basement. Kahn turns and looks down at the hole in the basement floor.)

CUT TO:

[INT. MAGIC SCHOOL - GREAT HALL -- NIGHT]

(Meanwhile, the camera swings a full 360 degrees around the Great Hall. We don't see any of the sisters there.)

(Camera stops on the sofa.)

(Paige slowly stands up from her hiding place behind the sofa.)

PAIGE: I think it worked.

(Piper slowly stands up from her hiding place behind the large chairs lined up against one side of the wall.)

(Phoebe stands up from her hiding place behind the large chairs lined up against the other side of the wall.)

PHOEBE: How do you know?

(Paige walks around the sofa and heads toward them.)

PAIGE: Well, because if he'd already tapped into The Nexus, he would have broken in by now. Good thing you remembered that spell.

(Piper heads toward the table.)

PIPER: Well, we can't just keep casting it because he's gonna figure out a way around it sooner or later.

(Phoebe joins them as they all gather around the table.)

PHOEBE: Well, we have to get the book back before he does.

PIPER: Okay. Any ideas?

PHOEBE: Oh, I was hoping you'd have some.

PIPER: Me? Why me?

PHOEBE: Well, because you're the only one who still has any confidence around here.

PIPER: Yeah, well, that's just 'cause I'm a good actor.

PAIGE: Well, I hope you can fool the Book because unless we get our confidence back -- and fast -- it may not let us get it back. And if Zankou gets The Nexus first, there won't even be a point of trying.

PHOEBE: Well, we can't let that happen. I mean, if he succeeds, then everything we've done in the last seven years means nothing, and I'm not willing to live with that.

PIPER: Well, you might not have to.

PHOEBE: Then we go down fighting.

PAIGE: Well, which brings us back to how do we stop him?

PHOEBE: Okay, let's think about this for a second. (Phoebe heads for one of the chairs.) We know Zankou as well as he knows us, right?

(She sits down. Piper turns around to look at her.)

PIPER: Yeah. So?

PHOEBE: So, what is the one thing that Zankou wants more than the Nexus?

PAIGE: (scoffs) Our heads on a platter?

PHOEBE: Exactly. He hates us. He wants to kill us. So why don't we give him a reason, you know, piss him off enough so that the focus is off The Nexus and onto us?

PAIGE: It could buy us time to get the Book back. It just might work.

(Piper turns and looks at Paige.)

PIPER: Yeah, unless he kills us first.

CUT TO:

[EXT. POLICE BUILDING (STOCK) - NIGHT]

[INT. POLICE STATION - BULLPEN -- NIGHT]

(Sheridan sits behind her desk looking through a file. Agent Keyes walks into the bullpen and heads over to her.)

AGENT KEYES: You Inspector Sheridan?

SHERIDAN: Yeah. Who are you?

(He shows her his ID.)

AGENT KEYES: Agent Keyes, Homeland Security. (Sheridan puts her file aside.) You called, didn't you?

SHERIDAN: Yes. Yes, I just was not expecting you until tomorrow.

AGENT KEYES: Let's just say I was anxious to hear what you had to say.

(Sheridan stands up.)

SHERIDAN: All right ... what do you know about what happened to your Agent Brody?

AGENT KEYES: You tell me.

SHERIDAN: He disappeared, and I think I know who knows why ... the same people who probably know what happened to three other cops who were either killed or mysteriously disappeared in the past seven years: Inspectors Trudeau, Rodriguez, and Davidson. Then there are all the civilian cases, including one of their own sisters -- Prue Halliwell.

AGENT KEYES: (unimpressed) That's it?

SHERIDAN: "That's it"? Are you kidding? What? You need more?

(By the look on his face, yes.)

SHERIDAN: Okay, how about I think they tried to make me disappear, too? They put me in a coma, tried to get me to forget what I knew about them.

AGENT KEYES: Actually, Brody's the one who put you in the coma -- on my orders.

SHERIDAN: What?

AGENT KEYES: We knew they knew you were onto them. We didn't want you messing up our investigation.

SHERIDAN: How dare you?!

AGENT KEYES: Easy, Inspector. This is bigger than you think, all right? Much bigger. Besides, I am here, aren't I?

SHERIDAN: What with Brody's tranq gun?

AGENT KEYES: No, with answers, the ones you've been looking for.

SHERIDAN: Okay.

AGENT KEYES: Do you believe in the paranormal, Inspector, that there may be forces, powers that exist beyond our own? That's what the Halliwells are involved in and we want blow the doors wide open on that little secret of theirs.

(Sheridan looks utterly surprised, but on some level, she believes him.)

CUT TO:

[INT. MANOR - ATTIC -- NIGHT]

(Kahn walks into the attic and finds Zankou looking through the Book of Shadows.)

KAHN: What are you looking for?

ZANKOU: A reversal spell to stop them from keeping me from The Nexus.

KAHN: But even if you find one, it might not work. You said yourself that without full access to the Book that it --

ZANKOU: I know what I said. There's a potion.

KAHN: Why not just keep trying to take in The Nexus ... outlast them -- after all, they can't keep pulling it out of you -- timing it just right? Sooner or later, you'll have the power long enough to break through the protection of the magic school, then you can kill them.

ZANKOU: You don't know them like I do. You can't take them head-on. It doesn't work. That's how demons die ... but not this demon, not this time.

KAHN: This is no time for personal vendettas. I think your focus should be The Nexus, not the witches.

ZANKOU: Are you challenging me, Kahn?

KAHN: You brought me on as your counsel. I'm merely acting as such. If you are displeased with me, then --

ZANKOU: No. No, you have served me well and will continue to do so. And to that end, go to the kitchen and bring me up some mandrake, henbane, and some hemlock root. I'm making a potion.

KAHN: To do what?

ZANKOU: To steal their powers. There are other ways of gaining full access to the Book of Shadows.

(Kahn turns and heads for the attic door.)

(Camera moves down to the page Zankou's looking at. The spell is: Separate a Witch from her Power.")

FADE OUT.

(COMMERCIAL SET)

FADE IN.

[INT. MAGIC SCHOOL - STUDY -- NIGHT]

(Phoebe is sitting at the desk writing something down as she looks through the various text books. Piper sits at another desk, more open books in front of her as she thinks.)

PIPER: Wasn't there a confidence spell in the Book of Shadows?

PHOEBE: Yeah. Remember we cast it on that waiter at Quake?

PIPER: Wow, Quake. That was a long time ago. Maybe we should cast it on ourselves. We could use a little confidence.

PHOEBE: Yeah, but that won't piss off Zankou.

PIPER: No, but it might help us get the Book back.

PHOEBE: What if we ... switched bodies with him instead?

PIPER: Can't. He'd be in Magic School.

PHOEBE: Ooh, right. How about a love spell? We could make him fall for one of us.

PIPER: (chuckles) Sorry. I'm taken.

PHOEBE: Yeah, well, I'm not.

PIPER: Yeah, but you're not that desperate ... are you?

PHOEBE: Well, those demons do have a way of keeping you warm at night.

PIPER: Yeah, but that's only because they have fireballs.

(Phoebe chuckles.)

(Piper looks down at the open book she's looking at.)

PIPER: (reading) "Hear secret thoughts ... stretch the imagination." (She looks at Phoebe.) What if we turn you into a banshee again and turn you loose on him?

PHOEBE: Ooh, too much screeching. It's hard on my voice. Hey, I have an idea. What if we humiliated him and turned him into an animal, like we did that one time to everyone at P3, remember?

PIPER: That spell backfired.

PHOEBE: Yeah, well, beggars can't be choosers.

PAIGE: (o.s.) Phoebe, Piper! Come here. I think I got something.

(Phoebe and Piper stand up.)

[INT. MAGIC SCHOOL -- GREAT HALL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS]

(Paige is looking at something in the room with a smile on her face.)

(Phoebe and Piper enter the Great Hall and find various magic beings inside - gnomes, valkyries, trolls, leprechauns, fairies - just to name a few.)

PIPER: What are they all doing here?

PAIGE: Reinforcements.

(Phoebe smiles as she turns to look at Piper smiling.)

CUT TO:

[INT. POLICE STATION - BULLPEN -- NIGHT]

(A line of agents stream into the bullpen. They file past Inspector Sheridan on the phone with Darryl.)

SHERIDAN: (to phone) You knew, didn't you?

DARRYL: (from phone) Knew about what?

SHERIDAN: (to phone) About the Halliwells, about who they really are.

INTERCUT WITH:

[EXT. STREET CURBSIDE -- NIGHT]

(Darryl stands just outside his SUV's open back door as he talks on the phone.)

DARRYL: (to phone) Listen, now Sheridan, no. I don't know what you're talking about.

SHERIDAN: (to phone) The hell you don't, Morris. Were you gonna keep your mouth shut, even if I got killed, huh?

DARRYL: Hey, Inspector, listen.

SHERIDAN: No, you listen to me! The only reason why I'm not busting you right now is because I can't prove that you really knew. I can't believe that you didn't tell me, and I can't believe that you let them put me in a coma.

DARRYL: Hey, hold it. I helped find you, okay? I'm the one who saved you.

(Behind Darryl, Sheila returns with their son.)

SHERIDAN: Look, you need to come in here, Morris, and you need to help us.

DARRYL: "Us"? Who's "us"?

SHERIDAN: Homeland Security -- they're all over it. It's a federal case now.

SHEILA: Is something wrong?

(Darryl glances back at Sheila.)

DARRYL: (to Sheila) No.

SHERIDAN: Morris, you can't run from this anymore, and you can't protect them anymore, either.

SHERIDAN: Darryl, who is it?

DARRYL: I don't -- I really don't have a choice.

SHERIDAN: Then you better not warn them that we're coming, or I will bust you.

(Sheridan hangs up.)

(Darryl pulls the phone away from him and looks at it. He closes it.)

SHEILA: Was that them?

DARRYL: No. That was, uh ... Sheridan.

SHEILA: Is everything okay?

(Darryl turns and grabs the suitcases. He puts them in the back of the SUV.)

DARRYL: It's not my problem, right? (trying to convince himself) They're on their own.

(Darryl turns and walks past Sheila as he heads back to the building.)

(Camera holds on Sheila.)

CUT TO:

[INT. MANOR - ATTIC -- NIGHT]

(The cauldron explodes as another ingredient is added to the pot.)

ZANKOU: Impressive. Hand me one of those vials, if you would.

KAHN: How do you know it will work?

(Kahn reaches for a vial and hands it to Zankou.)

ZANKOU: I don't, but I assume if it's in their venerable book, it should.

KAHN: But they're hiding in the magic school. How are you gonna get close enough to use it on them?

ZANKOU: They're not gonna stay hidden for long. That's not their style.

(Suddenly, there's a commotion downstairs. Zankou looks up, completely expecting it.)

ZANKOU: As I was saying.

(Zankou dashes out of the attic.)

[INT. MANOR - STAIRS TO MAIN HALL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS]

(Zankou and Kahn run down the stairs. In the background, we hear fighting going on.)

ZANKOU: What the hell?

[INT. MANOR - MAIN HALL - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS]

(There in the main hall and sitting room are the magical creatures wrecking havoc on the demons below. The trolls run around the rooms causing the demons to run into each other. The valkyries fight demons as do the fairies and leprechauns.)

(They're doing a good job of getting rid of several demons.)

(Zankou powers up and energy ball and throws it at the giant. Kahn throws an energy ball at the valkyrie near by. Zankou throws an energy ball at the gnome in the back.)

(A troll runs up to the base of the stairs. He looks up at Zankou and Kahn as they throw energy balls at the magical creatures.)

(The fairy flies into Zankou, weaving around his head. Zankou's distracted and bats the fairy away with his hand.)

(The troll takes the opportunity and runs quickly up the stairs. He runs circles around Zankou's feet causing him to trip down the short flight of stairs.)

(The troll stops running. Kahn looks down at the troll and throws a energy ball at him. The troll explodes.)

(Zankou is on the floor.)

[INT. MAGIC SCHOOL - GREAT HALL - NIGHT -- CONTINUOUS]

(A rainbow appears in front of the girls as they wait for word. The leprechaun appears.)

LEPRECHAUN: Now!

PIPER, PHOEBE AND PAIGE: Something wicked in our midst, in our home where he exists.

[INT. MANOR - MAIN HALL - NIGHT -- CONTINUOUS]

(Kahn walks down the stairs to check on Zankou.)

KAHN: Are you all right?

(A wave of orb lights pass over Zankou changing him into a pig with only his head intact.)

(The magical creatures stop and laugh at him.)

ZANKOU: (humiliated) Well, don't just stand there! Kill them all!

(The magical creatures float, fly and run across the sitting room. Then Zankou realizes what's really going on.)

ZANKOU: The Book! They're after the Book! (shouts) Stop them!

(Kahn shimmers out of the main hall.)

(Zankou closes his eyes as he thinks of the spell to restore himself.)

ZANKOU: Reverse the spell from whence I fell.

CUT TO:

[INT. MANOR - ATTIC - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS]

(Kahn shimmers into the attic.)

(Piper, Phoebe and Paige are there. Piper blasts Kahn, sending him backward out the attic door and through the hallway.)

PIPER: (to Phoebe) Hurry. Get to the book. Go, go, go!

(Phoebe runs to the book to grab it, but it raises its shield up against her. Phoebe falls down backward onto the floor, hitting it with a thud.)

PIPER: What happened?

(Piper helps Phoebe up.)

PHOEBE: It wouldn't let me take it. We should have cast a confidence spell.

(Behind them, we hear Zankou flame into the attic.)

ZANKOU: You're trespassing.

(They turn around and see him standing in front of the attic window. Piper moves to blast him, but Zankou moves faster. He throws an energy ball at her, grazing her shoulder and throwing her backward across the attic floor.)

(Piper hits the table with a thud.)

(Paige and Phoebe turn to run toward Piper. They both kneel down to help her.)

(Zankou sees his opportunity and throws the vial on the floor near Phoebe. It bursts and a cloud of white smoke rises up, unknown to her.)

(Phoebe's magic leaves her. The white orb lights come out from Phoebe's back without her knowing it. The orb lights head straight to Zankou's waiting hand.)

(Zankou absorbs Phoebe's powers.)

(The sisters orb out of the attic.)

(Kahn gets up and heads back into the attic. He appears dismayed that he's missed the sisters.)

KAHN: I failed you. Forgive me.

ZANKOU: Actually, it was a complete success. After all, we still have the Book, and, as an added bonus, I now have one of their powers.

(Zankou smiles.)

FADE OUT.

(COMMERCIAL SET)

FADE IN.

[INT. MAGIC SCHOOL - GREAT HALL -- NIGHT]

(Sandra, the Elder, heals Piper's wound. Piper is lying down on the couch.)

SANDRA: Does it hurt?

PIPER: Not any more than usual. (She glances over at Leo, Phoebe and Paige all standing nearby and watching.) This is getting old.

LEO: You were lucky to get out of there at all.

PAIGE: (sighs) Tell me about it.

PHOEBE: He threw something at me, maybe a potion or something.

LEO: Did it do anything?

PHOEBE: I don't think so.

(Sandra stands up and walks around them.)

SANDRA: The magic from your book is not available to him yet.

(Piper gets up.)

PIPER: "Yet" being the operative word.

PAIGE: Well, we wanted Zankou to focus on us. Now, uh, how do we survive that?

LEO: You gotta get the Book back.

PHOEBE: We tried, but it won't let us take it.

(Phoebe sits down next to Piper.)

PAIGE: Maybe he cast a protection spell on it?

PIPER: Or maybe the Book doesn't remember who we are.

PAIGE: Maybe it's because we don't remember who we are.

LEO: Well, you've got remember. Now, you gotta go back. You gotta try again, together.

SANDRA: Leo's right. You have to get the Book back if only to destroy the Nexus.

PAIGE: Excuse me?

SANDRA: There's a spell in the book, one you've never used before, called, "How to Banish a Suxen."

PHOEBE: A Suxen?

LEO: "Nexus" spelled backwards.

SANDRA: It was put in there a long time ago as a last resort, in case we lost control of The Nexus, to keep it from evil.

PIPER: But if we destroy the Nexus, good won't have access to it, either. We won't have access to it.

(Sandra doesn't say anything.)

PHOEBE: I don't think the elders think that we're gonna be around long enough to worry about that.

SANDRA: Not necessarily. We're simply taking precautions.

PIPER: Including -- let me guess -- sealing yourselves off from us in case we fail?

SANDRA: Be well.

(Sandra orbs out.)

PAIGE: Eh! Excuse me? That's what you're leaving us with? Now what?

LEO: Well, you can't just give up -- that's what.

PIPER: Uhh, Leo --

LEO: Look, I mean it. You can't just give up. Your plan is working. You got Zankou off The Nexus. Now you just need to distract him long enough to get the book back.

PHOEBE: He's too powerful.

LEO: The hell he is. Look, you guys are The Charmed Ones. No one is more powerful than you guys are. How many times have you proven that over the years? You can't just give up. Look, you have a legacy to carry on, to pass on to the next generation, to our boys, to your future kids ...

PAIGE: A bit wordy, isn't he?

PIPER: Well, you know him with the exposition.

PHOEBE: Doesn't mean he's not right. The question is, what's our next move? I mean, we can't just ask the leprechauns and the trolls for more help.

PIPER: But maybe we could ask some bats.

CUT TO:

[EXT. HALLIWELL MANOR (STOCK) -- DAY]

[INT. MANOR - SITTING ROOM -- DAY]

(Kahn talks with Salko, another demon in his collective. Salko sits in a chair adjusting the make-shift bandage around his arm. He doesn't appear happy at all.)

KAHN: Do I need to replace you?

SALKO: No. I can still fight. I just don't know why we have to.

KAHN: Meaning?

(Salko stands up and looks at Kahn.)

SALKO: Meaning Zankou has left us vulnerable to attack and for no reason.

KAHN: Are you questioning him?

SALKO: Aren't you? You know as well as I do that he should have taken in the power of The Nexus hours ago, but instead, he's given the witches an opening and we've lost demons ... friends.

KAHN: Hold your tongue, Salko, or you'll lose more than that.

(Zankou flames in.)

ZANKOU: Send the others away. They're no longer needed.

KAHN: You're going after The Nexus?

ZANKOU: Yes ... but only after I get the other sisters' powers. I set a trap.

(Salko and Kahn share a knowing look. Kahn turns and looks at Zankou. There's a long moment of Kahn not complying with Zankou's order.)

ZANKOU: Was I not clear?

KAHN: Perfectly. (Kahn turns to address his demons.) Away!

(All the demons except Salko leave. Salko stares at Kahn, then he, too, shimmers out.)

(Salko shimmers out.)

KAHN: Do you really think they'll leave the safety of the magic school?

ZANKOU: (confidently) I know they will.

KAHN: How do you know that?

ZANKOU: Because now that I have Phoebe's powers, I know exactly what they're gonna do next. They will not humiliate me again.

(Zankou turns and heads up the stairs.)

CUT TO:

[INT. POLICE STATION - BULLPEN -- DAY]

(Meanwhile, back at the police station, the feds have completely taken over the bullpen. They've set up a line of computers to monitor the various views of the Halliwell manor.)

(An ND agent walks in carrying a Styrofoam cup. Agent Keyes looks up and takes the cup from the ND Agent.)

AGENT KEYES: Thanks.

(The ND Agent leaves. He passes Sheridan on her way into the station. She looks up at )

AGENT KEYES: Well?

SHERIDAN: The judge denied our request for a tap. He wanted more evidence.

AGENT KEYES: If we had more evidence, we wouldn't need a tap. We've gotta get in there. Call the A.G. Tell him I need to speak to him right away. We'll circumvent this.

SHERIDAN: You're going to claim that they're terrorists?

AGENT KEYES: I'm gonna do whatever it takes to prove who they really are.

SHERIDAN: Then let me go in. Put the camera on me.

AGENT KEYES: No offense, Inspector, but I've got better-trained agents.

SHERIDAN: Nobody the sisters know, though. They'll let me in. They'll have to. I'll get you your evidence, live and in living color.

AGENT KEYES: How?

SHERIDAN: I'll provoke them. It shouldn't be too hard, seeing as how much they hate me already. If they've got these ... powers, as you say, I will make them use them.

AGENT KEYES: I'm not willing to risk it.

(Agent Keyes turns his back on her, dismissing her.)

SHERIDAN: Maybe you're not, but I am.

(Agent Keyes turns around and looks at her.)

SHERIDAN: Look, you can do whatever you want with them afterwards. You can expose them, hide them, dissect them. I don't care. I just want to be the one to bust them.

CUT TO:

[INT. UNDERWORLD - CAVES]

(Phoebe, Piper and Paige orb into the underground caves. Sleeping bats cover the ceiling underside.)

PHOEBE: Okay, now what?

PIPER: We draw out the Queen.

PAIGE: How?

(Piper starts blasting the bats hanging from the ceiling. The bats explode as she hits them one by one. They screech and scatter, attacking the sisters.)

PAIGE: Ok, uh ... get.

(Paige ducks from the bats.)

PIPER: Okay, ladies, a little bit of help here, please.

(Paige waves her hands at the flying bats.)

PAIGE: Bats!

(Two bats partially orb out as they're flying and smash into the other. They explode.)

(Phoebe throws a potions vial and hits a bat as it's flying. The bat explodes. One by one, they continue to attack the bats.)

(The Queen appears in the cavern.)

QUEEN: Who are you?

PIPER: Stop the attack before we kill you, too!

PHOEBE: And then I'll kill all of your vampires.

(The Queen raises her hand.)

QUEEN: Cease!

(All the bats obey and settle down on the ceiling.)

QUEEN: What do you want?

PAIGE: Actually, your help.

PIPER: We have something in common: Neither one of us wants a certain demon to take over the underworld, right?

QUEEN: I'm listening.

PIPER: Well, if you help us stop him, you can keep the underworld in disarray like you guys like it, and we'll grant you immunity.

QUEEN: Immunity?

PHOEBE: From us. We'll never come after your family again.

PIPER: And even better, you won't have to answer to Zankou. Interested?

QUEEN: Very.

PAIGE: Okay, well, then follow us.

(Paige, Piper and Phoebe orb out. Once they're gone, the Queen makes no move to follow.)

QUEEN: Fools.

CUT TO:

[INT. MANOR -- ATTIC -- DAY]

(Paige, Piper and Phoebe orb into the attic.)

ZANKOU: What took you so long?

(Zankou is sitting on the table in front of them, waiting for them. Kahn stands just behind Zankou's left side.)

PIPER: Where's the Queen?

ZANKOU: Oh, she betrayed you. (Zankou stands up.) I got to her first. I knew you were coming, thanks to your premonition powers.

(He looks at Phoebe.)

(Suddenly, he throws the potions vial at Piper's feet. The white cloud rises up. Piper glows white and her powers leave her. The white orb lights go from her and over to Zankou's hand.)

ZANKOU: And now I have yours.

(Piper waves her hands. Nothing happens.)

ZANKOU: Looking for this?

(Zankou blasts Piper sending her flying backward to the other side of the attic.)

PIPER: Unh!

(She crashes to the floor.)

(Paige and Phoebe rush over to Piper. Paige orbs them out.)

(Kahn looks at Zankou.)

KAHN: Why didn't you kill them when you had the chance?

ZANKOU: Because I don't have all their powers ... yet.

CUT TO:

[INT. MAGIC SCHOOL - GREAT HALL -- DAY]

(Piper, Phoebe and Paige orb into the Great Hall. Piper is clutching her injured shoulder.)

PIPER: Ow.

PHOEBE: Okay, easy, easy. Let's sit down right here.

(They lead Piper over to the couch.)

(Paige looks up at the ceiling.)

PAIGE: All right, a little help down here, please, little healing!

(Piper sits down.)

PIPER: They're not coming down. We're on our own now.

(Piper looks at the blood on her hand.)

PHOEBE: Yeah, two powers down.

PAIGE: Something tells me we're not getting out of this one, girls.

(Camera holds on Phoebe.)

FADE OUT.

(COMMERCIAL SET)

FADE IN.

[INT. MAGIC SCHOOL - GREAT HALL -- DAY]

(Leo tends to Piper's wound.)

PIPER: Ow.

LEO: Sorry.

(Piper looks at Phoebe and Paige.)

PIPER: Why does Zankou keep picking on me? Why can't he attack one of you two for a change?

PAIGE: If it makes you feel better, I think I'm gonna be next.

PHOEBE: He must've gotten the potion from the Book to steal our powers.

PIPER: Yeah, well, he's two-thirds of the way there -- that is, unless he's got enough already to get in here.

LEO: Well, he has more access to the Book now, which means he might be able to figure out a way soon.

PAIGE: Well, we wanted him to come after us, right? Looks like we got our wish.

LEO: You know, maybe I should get Wyatt to heal this.

PIPER: No. I don't want to traumatize him again.

PAIGE: Well, he's gonna be traumatized soon enough. I mean, who are we kidding? We're screwed.

PHOEBE: Okay, well, if we're going down, we are not going down alone.

LEO: We can't think like that.

PHOEBE: Leo, I mean, come on. Let's be real. It's over. He's got our house, he's got our Book, he's got two of our powers. I mean, the only real question is whether or not we could take him down with us.

PAIGE: I can't believe we're even having this conversation.

PHOEBE: Yeah. Well, believe it.

PIPER: How do we do it?

PHOEBE: We've got to get that spell from the Book, the one that destroys The Nexus.

LEO: And how is that gonna destroy Zankou?

PHOEBE: We let The Nexus take in Zankou first and then cast the spell -- hit two birds with one stone.

PIPER: Don't you mean five? We're gonna have to be in there to say the spell.

PAIGE: Can't we just say it from here?

PHOEBE: Not and get the timing right, no.

PAIGE: Well, it's been nice knowing you ladies.

(Suddenly, there's a loud explosion from outside the ceiling and a grunt of pain. Everyone looks up and around.)

ZANKOU: (o.s.) Ugh!

LEO: What was that?

CUT TO:

[EXT. HALLIWELL MANOR (STOCK) - DAY]

(Zankou yells as he falls.)

[INT. MANOR - ATTIC - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(We see Zankou flaming in as he falls from the attic ceiling. He lands on the floor with a thud.)

(Kahn is standing nearby.)

ZANKOU: Ugh! So close.

(Zankou gets up and heads over to the Book.)

ZANKOU: There must be another way in.

KAHN: You're wasting valuable time. You need to take in The Nexus now.

ZANKOU: No. I need to get into magic school and get their last power.

KAHN: (angry) Listen to me! It is a trick! They draw you to them so you won't go after The Nexus. Don't you see that? They're playing you! You're gonna get us all killed.

ZANKOU: I know what I'm doing.

KAHN: No, you don't.

(The two look at each other, both weighing and measuring their next move.)

(Kahn throws an energy ball at Zankou just as Zankou throws one at Kahn. The two energy balls meet and explode between them.)

(Kahn suddenly looks afraid of Zankou. Zankou walks over to Kahn.)

ZANKOU: And I had such ... high hopes for you.

(Zankou plunges his hand into Kahn's chest, a red glow of power going from Zankou into Kahn.)

KAHN: Uhh!

(Kahn explodes.)

(Zankou shakes his head as he heads back to the Book.)

CUT TO:

[INT. POLICE STATION - BULLPEN -- DAY]

(Agent Keyes stands in front of one of the monitors. On the monitor, we see a video cam view of the Halliwell's kitchen.)

INTERCUT WITH:

[INT. MANOR - KITCHEN -- DAY]

(Sheridan is inside the kitchen. On her lapel is a mini camera. The wall clock behind her reads 2:05p.)

SHERIDAN: (to mic) Do you have picture?

(Back at the bullpen, the monitor shows the Halliwell's kitchen.)

AGENT KEYS: Yeah. We're good. You be careful.

SHERIDAN: (to mic) Don't worry.

(Sheridan heads for the door to the dining room.)

(On the monitor, we see one of the dining room chairs overturned on the floor.)

AGENT KEYS: Go ahead.

CUT TO:

[EXT. MORRIS RESIDENCE -- DAY]

(The building door opens. Darryl, Sheila and their two sons leave the building.)

SHEILA MORRIS: Hold hands. Hold hands.

DARRYL: Why are you running?

(They laugh and smile, a relaxed family on vacation.)

(The door to the building closes and Leo appears in the pathway behind them.)

LEO: Darryl!

DARRYL: Oh. Leo.

SHEILA: Leo!

DARRYL: Where's you come from? How did you get here?

LEO: A little help from magic school. Look, we need to talk.

DARRYL: Listen, Leo, I am done talking, man.

LEO: (interrupts) It's not just about the girls. It's about Sheridan.

(Darryl looks at Sheila.)

DARRYL: What about Sheridan?

LEO: I know she's investigating the girls, but whatever you do, you've got keep her away from the house. Something big is gonna go down soon.

DARRYL: Are they okay?

(Leo's got a worried look on his face and opens his mouth as if to say something, but he stops.)

SHEILA: Leo, what is it?

LEO: Look, I know you're stuck in the middle of this, and for that, I'm sorry, but we need you to keep them away from the house until this is over, for Sheridan's sake, for everybody's sake. I gotta go. Take care.

(Leo turns and leaves.)

DARRYL: Hey ... Leo?

(Darryl watches Leo leave. He turns and looks at Sheila.)

DARRYL: Sheila, baby --

SHEILA: No, Darryl. You promised.

DARRYL: Baby, I -- I can't just leave them high and dry. Look, there is nothing more important to me than you and those kids, nothing, but if we're about building a better future for our family, then I have to help the sisters. Isn't that what they're fighting for?

SHEILA: Please promise me this'll be the last time.

DARRYL: I promise.

CUT TO:

[EXT. BUILDING (STOCK) -- DAY]

[INT. BENNETT'S RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM -- DAY]

(The door opens and Victor Bennett steps inside carrying a package of groceries. Suddenly, two women run out of the darkness, grab him and throw him over to the couch.)

VICTOR BENNETT: Hey! What the - uhh!

(Victor finds himself facing two leather clad women - one dark-haired, the other blonde. Neither one recognizeable.)

VICTOR BENNETT: What the hell's goin' on? Who are you?

PHOEBE (DISGUISED): Who are you?

(The Blonde-haired woman kicks the couch for him to answer.)

PIPER (DISGUISED): She asked you a question.

VICTOR BENNETT: Victor. Victor Bennett.

PIPER (DISGUISED): Do you think it's really him?

PHOEBE (DISGUISED): If it was Zankou, he would have attacked us by now.

(The dark-haired woman snaps her fingers. White orb lights swirl around the two women and they change back into Phoebe and Piper.)

VICTOR BENNETT: (confused) What?

PHOEBE: Sorry, dad. It was the only way we could be sure.

PIPER: And we didn't want Zankou to know we were coming.

VICTOR BENNETT: Zankou? Who is Zankou?

PHOEBE: Long story.

(Phoebe turns the lights on.)

PHOEBE: (loudly) It's safe!

(Paige orbs in carrying Chris while Wyatt stands next to her holding a large envelope.)

PAIGE: Hey.

VICTOR BENNETT: What the hell is going on?

(Piper walks over to Wyatt.)

PIPER: Thank you, sweetie.

(She takes the envelope from him.)

PAIGE: Is the guest bedroom that way?

VICTOR BENNETT: Uh, yeah.

PAIGE: (to Wyatt) Come on, baby.

(Paige takes Wyatt and Chris into the guest bedroom leaving Piper and Phoebe to talk with Victor. As he leaves, Wyatt glances back behind him.)

(Phoebe sits down on the couch arm rest.)

PHOEBE: Look, dad, we're running out of time. And there's no gentle way to break this to you, so I'm just gonna say it. We're in some serious trouble.

VICTOR BENNETT: What kind of trouble?

PIPER: The kind of trouble we can't get out of.

(Piper kneels down in front of Victor.)

PIPER: In here is the deed to P-3 and the house already signed, our bank accounts, power of attorney, and the schedule for the boys.

VICTOR BENNETT: Hold on. What are you talking about? I'm not gonna take that.

PHOEBE: Dad, you have to. We need you to. You're all we have.

PIPER: We can't explain everything right now. You just need to know this is our only way out. It's our only choice. Please, for them?

VICTOR BENNETT: I don't understand. Are you saying I'm never gonna see you again?

PHOEBE: No. Never say never.

(Phoebe gives Victor a hug.)

PHOEBE: Not in this family.

CUT TO:

[INT. BENNETT'S RESIDENCE - GUEST BEDROOM-DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(Paige is sitting in the guest bedroom with Wyatt and Chris. She holds Chris as Wyatt plays with his toys nearby.)

(Phoebe and Piper walk into the room.)

PIPER: Hey.

PAIGE: Hey. How'd it go?

(Piper smiles down at Wyatt.)

PHOEBE: As well as can be expected.

PAIGE: You know we're doing the right thing.

PIPER: I hope so.

(Piper kneels down in front of Wyatt.)

PIPER: Hey, baby, can I see you for two seconds? Come here, come here. Just two seconds. Come here. Come here.

(She stands Wyatt up.)

PIPER: Listen ... I want you to know that mommy will always be close, okay? I will always be with you. Okay, give me a hug. Quick, quick, quick.

(Piper hugs Wyatt. Paige cries as she watches.)

PIPER: I love you so much.

PHOEBE: We have to go, you guys.

PIPER: Okay. Be a good boy.

(Piper sets Wyatt down, then turns to Chris.)

PIPER: Baby, come here.

(She holds Chris.)

PIPER: Be a good boy for grandpa, okay? Please, sweet baby?

(She hugs Chris.)

PIPER: Okay.

(Piper stands up and carries Chris over to the crib. Paige stands up. Piper puts Chris down in the crib, then goes to stand next to Paige.)

PIPER: Let's get this over with.

(Paige orbs them out.

(Camera holds on Wyatt.)

CUT TO:

[EXT. HALLIWELL MANOR (STOCK) - DAY]

[INT. MANOR -- SECOND FLOOR -- DAY]

(Sheridan is in one of the bedrooms. She walks out and back into the hallway.)

SHERIDAN: I don't think anybody's home.

AGENT KEYES: Get out of there, Inspector. We'll try again later.

SHERIDAN: Let me just check the attic.

AGENT KEYES: No. I don't like it. Just turn around.

SHERIDAN: (ignores him) Look, it'll just take a second.

AGENT KEYES: No, Inspector.

(Sheridan heads upstairs.)

AGENT KEYES: Damn it!

[INT. MANOR - ATTIC - DAY - CONTINUOUS]

(Sheridan walks into the attic.)

(Zankou is standing in front of the Book. He looks at her. Sheridan is surprised to see him.)

SHERIDAN: Oh.

(Zankou doesn't say anything.)

SHERIDAN: I'm sorry. I was looking for Phoebe.

ZANKOU: Were you?

(From the monitor, we see Zankou leave the Book and start walking toward Sheridan.)

AGENT KEYES: Get out of there, Inspector.

SHERIDAN: (ignores them.) I'm Inspector Sheridan. Who are you?

ZANKOU: How'd you get in here?

AGENT KEYES: Damn it, Sheridan! Go! Now!

SHERIDAN: I should be going.

ZANKOU: You're not going anywhere.

AGENT KEYES: What are you waiting for? Go, go, go!

(Sheridan moves to reach for her gun. Zankou throws an energy ball at her.

SHERIDAN: No!

(On the monitor, they see Zankou throw the fireball.)

(The video cuts off. Static fills the monitor.)

VOICE: What was that?

AGENT KEYES: Call FBI, SWAT, Special Forces, Haz-mat, everybody. We're going in. Go! Go!

FADE OUT.

(COMMERCIAL SET)

FADE IN.

[INT. MAGIC SCHOOL - STUDY -- DAY]

(Phoebe talks with Paige and Piper.)

PHOEBE: Okay, we only have one shot at this. We can't miss.

PIPER: First we've gotta get to the Book, and convince it we still believe in ourselves.

PAIGE: Well, we do, don't we?

PHOEBE: Absolutely.

PIPER: Just feels kind of strange, you know, doing it this way.

PAIGE: Well, I kinda wish we'd learned how to do it earlier. Would've come in handy.

PHOEBE: Well, Prue was really protective of it. I'm just glad she showed Leo how to do it.

(Zankou flames into the Study. He looks around.)

ZANKOU: So this is Magic School. How quaint.

PIPER: What took you so long?

ZANKOU: Patience is a virtue. I can't even begin to tell you how long I've been looking forward to this moment, a moment no demon has ever enjoyed ... until now.

(Zankou holds out his hand, palm up and an energy ball forms.)

(Piper and Phoebe turn to run. Paige motions.)

PAIGE: Book!

(The book off the table and orbs it at Zankou. It hits him causing him to drop the energy ball.)

ZANKOU: Uhh!

(It hits the wall near the door, but the girls are gone.)

ZANKOU: Must we go through this?

(Zankou chases after them.)

[INT. MAGIC SCHOOL -- GREAT HALL - DAY - CONTINUOUS]

(Piper, Phoebe and Paige run into the Great Hall where they scatter. Zankou follows them. He throws an energy ball at Piper. It explodes against the desk she's running behind.)

(He throws another energy ball at Phoebe who is hiding behind the line of chairs. It hits the center of a chair, missing her as she moves.)

(Paige runs behind the pillar. Zankou throws an energy ball as he sees her running past the pillar. She ducks and it hits the couch.)

(Phoebe looks.)

(Paige once again ducks behind the pillar. Zankou heads for Paige.)

PIPER: Paige! Get out of here.

PAIGE: No. Not without you two.

ZANKOU: Inseparable to the end. But first things first.

(Zankou throws the potion at Paige. The vial breaks and white smoke rises up around Paige. Zankou holds out his hand.)

ZANKOU: Your power, please.

(Nothing happens.)

(Paige smiles.)

(She then disappears, her astral self vanishing from the Great Hall.)

(Zankou looks at his hand.)

ZANKOU: What's happening?

(He turns around and looks at Piper.)

(Piper smiles ... then vanishes.)

(Zankou turns and looks at Phoebe.)

(She looks at him, then vanishes, too.)

ZANKOU: What?

(Zankou is left standing alone in the Great Hall.)

CUT TO:

[INT. MANOR - SITTING ROOM - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(The girls are passed out on the couch when they return to their bodies.)

(They gasp and sit up.)

PAIGE: Ah, astral projecting worked.

PIPER: Thank you, Prue.

PHOEBE: The Book.

(They head upstairs.)

[INT. MANOR - ATTIC - DAY]

(They walk into the attic and head toward the Book of Shadows.)

PHOEBE: Okay. This may be the last time we have to say this.

(They gather around the book and hold hands.)

PIPER: I'll hold you to it.

PIPER/PHOEBE/PAIGE: The power of three will set us free. The power of three will set us free. The power of three will set us free.

(They let go and touch the Book. Nothing happens.)

(Piper opens the book and looks through it.)

(In the background, wailing sirens get louder.)

PHOEBE: What?

(Piper closes the Book and picks it up as they head to the attic window to see what's going on outside.)

(They look outside the window and see the officer cars headed down their street.)

[EXT. MANOR - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(A line of police officer cars, a yellow SPECIAL OPERATIONS DELTA SECTOR van, a black van and white van arrives and stops in front of the Hallwell manor.)

(The back of the black van opens up and SWAT Team members, geared up and carrying weapons, run out of the van.)

(Piper and Paige watch as even more officer cars stop in front of the house. The SWAT members scatter and run around the house.)

VOICE: Go, go, go, go!

(Above them, a helicopter flies overhead. The SWAT members takes up position around the house. There are even SWAT members on the roof of the neighboring house.)

(A black humvee with sirens blaring rushes down the street. It stops in front of the house. Agent Keyes gets out of the vehicle.)

AGENT KEYES: (to radio) All right, nobody gets in or out, you got that? Nobody. I want this place completely surrounded. Over.

(The takes up position behind one of the cars. Someone hands him a gun and he cocks it as he points it up at the attic.)

VOICE: Walkie-talkie: Copy that. VOICE: Swat 4, you've got the backyard. VOICE: Swat 2, the east side. VOICE: Swat 3, the west.

(He looks up and sees Phoebe, Piper and Paige through the attic window.)

[INT. MANOR - ATTIC - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(Phoebe, Piper and Paige look down at the activity below.)

PAIGE: What the hell happened?

PHOEBE: I don't know. But if they come in here before we get Zankou, it's gonna be a blood bath.

PIPER: Come on, we gotta find that spell.

(They all step away from the window just as Zankou flames into the attic.)

ZANKOU: I underestimated you. It won't happen again.

(He throws an energy ball at them.)

(Paige orbs them out.)

[EXT. MANOR - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(The fireball breaks through the roof.)

(The Officers and other personnel gasp.)

VOICE: What the hell was that?

AGENT KEYES: It's probably the same thing that got Sheridan. All right, everybody, listen up. On my command, we storm the place. Everybody in position.

WALKIE-TALKIE: Roger that. We are in position.

(Darryl appears next to Agent Keyes.)

DARRYL: I wouldn't go in just yet if I were you.

WALKIE-TALKIE: Awaiting your go command. Over.

CUT TO:

[INT. MANOR - BASEMENT - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(Piper, Phoebe and Paige hold hands in front of the hole in the basement. Zankou flames in.)

PIPER, PHOEBE, PAIGE: Natum adai necral ...

(He waves his hands and pushes Piper, Phoebe and Paige away from the hole. They crash onto the other side of the basement.)

(Zankou steps down from the stairs and closer to the hole in the basement floor.)

ZANKOU: Too late. You can't take The Nexus. It has been in me. It knows me now. I should've done this before.

(The turns his back to them and starts chanting.)

ZANKOU: Natum adai necral. Daya intay layok.

(The hole lights up and the Shadow rises out. It approaches Zankou.)

(Zankou waits. The Shadows enters Zankou through his eyes.)

(Finished, he turns around and faces the sisters.)

ZANKOU: You can't stop me now.

PAIGE: No? Watch us.

(Paige takes out the spell and they read it.)

PIPER / PHOEBE / PAIGE: From ancient time, this power came, for all to have, but none to reign.

(Something starts to happen to Zankou from within.)

ZANKOU: No!

(They continue to read the spell.)

PIPER, PHOEBE, PAIGE: Take it now, show no mercy. For this power can no longer be.

(Zankou turns red, unable to control it as the Shadow is destroyed from within him.)

(Zankou screams.)

(The sisters hold hands as the power intensifies.)

PHOEBE: This is it!

(Zankou explodes.)

(The wave of power washes through Piper, Phoebe and Paige.)

[EXT. MANOR - STREET - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(The basement explodes. White smoke billows and dissipates around the house.)

AGENT KEYES: Holy ... God ...

DARRYL: Aren't you glad I told you to wait?

(Camera holds on Agent Keyes.)

[INT. MANOR - MAIN HALL - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(The front doors burst open. Armed officers in black storm through the house in protective gear.)

VOICE: This way. VOICE: Yeah, this way.

(The officers search through the rooms downstairs. Some officers pauses at the base of the front stairs.)

VOICE: Upstairs. Upstairs. VOICE: Follow me.

(The officers head upstairs.)

(More emergency personnel in a white suit and carrying a hand-held device to measure radioactivity, sweeps through the main hall.)

(Agent Keyes follows them.)

AGENT KEYES: Watch your backs, team leaders. Nobody goes in any room alone.

(They make their way through the dining room.)

[INT. MANOR - KITCHEN - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(The officers walk into the kitchen. The men in white check their devices.)

AGENT: Air is good. It's all clear.

(Agent Keyes removes his mask. Darryl appears behind him.)

DARRYL: What happened?

AGENT KEYES: I don't know yet.

(The agents head into the basement.)

[INT. MANOR - BASEMENT - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(The basement is decimated. The beams are on fire and the contents turned into rubble.)

AGENT: Anthing? AGENT: We've got nothing yet.

(Agent Keyes and Darryl walk down the stairs.)

AGENT KEYES: My god. It looks like a bomb went off in here.

POLICE RADIO: (from radio) House is secure. Nobody's inside.

AGENT KEYES: (to radio) Copy that. What do you have?

AGENT: I have some hydrogen isotopes, plasma, no uranium.

AGENT KEYES: Damn. Nothing.

DARRYL: Thank god nobody was in here.

AGENT KEYES: Who said nobody was?

DARRYL: Your man just said the house was secure.

AGENT KEYES: But the Halliwell sisters were inside. I saw them myself.

DARRYL: What?

AGENT KEYES: Trust me. We would've spotted them if they had left the house. There's no way they got out of here alive.

(Agent Keyes steps away leaving Darryl thinking about it.)

DARRYL: There's gotta be another way out of here.

(He looks up and around.)

DARRYL: Oh, dear God, please.

[EXT. MANOR - STREET - DAY -- CONTINUOUS]

(A small crowd has gathered just outside the road blockade. Leo runs through the crowd and heads for the house.)

LEO: Let me through. I gotta get through. LEO: Let me through.

(An officer stops him.)

OFFICER: Hey!

LEO: I gotta get through.

OFFICER: Hey, where do you think you're going?

LEO: I gotta get in. It's my house.

OFFICER: You got any I.D.?

LEO: Uh, no.

OFFICER: Then you're not getting past.

LEO: Yeah, but it's my wife.

OFFICER: You're not getting past. (He puts a hand on his gun.) Understand?

(Leo backs off.)

LEO: Yeah.

(Leo turns around and leaves.)

(As he leaves, he walks past three women.)

NEW PIPER: What's going on?

(Leo turns around.)

LEO: What? I don't know.

NEW PHOEBE: Boy, sure hope nobody died in there.

LEO: What?

(Leo looks at the women who are smiling knowingly back at him. There's something about them.)

LEO: Do we know each other?

NEW PIPER: Yeah. I think so. After all, we're married.

(New Piper takes Leo's hand and leads him away from the crowds and over to the bushes nearby. New Paige and New Phoebe follow.)

(Once there, they snap their fingers and change back into themselves. Leo's completely taken aback.)

LEO: What?

PIPER: Shh, shh, shh. It's all part of the plan.

LEO: Plan? What plan?

PHOEBE: Our plan to die.

PHOEBE: It's the only way to get our lives back. Our normal lives.

PIPER: And stop everybody from coming after us, including all of them.

LEO: But--

PIPER: No. No buts. We're free. Nobody even knows we're alive anymore, not even the demons.

PAIGE: They think we died in there with Zankou. They were just our astral selves.

PIPER: Sweetie, we've got a clean slate. We can start all over again. No more demon fighting, ever again.

PAIGE: Unless the demons figure it out.

PHOEBE: Which may be never.

LEO: (impressed) I don't know what to say.

PIPER: Just say you're okay with it.

PHOEBE: So we can get the next generation ready to pick up where we left off.

LEO: How do I do it?

PIPER: You don't. We do.

PAIGE: Don't worry. We'll make you good-looking.

(Still a little confused, Leo looks at them. They snap their fingers and change back into their disguises.)

(New Piper snaps her fingers and changes Leo into New Leo. She smiles with approval.)

NEW PIPER: Cute. I can live with that.

(New Leo smiles.)

(Back at the house, SWAT members start leaving. Darryl exits the house. He stops on the porch and looks around. Something catches his eyes.)

(Just beyond the crowds gathered, three women and a young man are leaving. The young man has his arm around the shoulders of one of the women. They walk confidently from the scene. The blonde-haired woman turns and smiles.)

(There's just something really familiar about the women and he can't help but think he knows why.)

(Darryl chuckles.)

DARRYL: Well, all right.

(Darryl looks up and heads down the front stairs.)

DARRYL: All right.

(The open door closes shut.)

(Camera pans away from the Halliwell Manor.)