The Torn Identity/Script

[SCENE: DORM ROOM – DAY – CONTINUOUS]

(They enter.)

CHRISTY: Well, can't you just get a bigger dorm?

BILLIE: No, not the dorm. I mean school. (She closes the door.) So much has happened. (Billie puts her bags down and sits on the bed.)

CHRISTY: Billie, you can't quit now. You have to graduate. Mom and dad would want you to.

BILLIE: Well, mom and dad aren't here anymore, are they? (sighs) I'm sorry. Just a little tired right now.

CHRISTY: I know. This has been really ... hard for both of us. (Christy sits on the bed facing Billie.)

BILLIE: I just still can't believe they're gone. I mean, I feel like --

CHRISTY: It's not your fault, okay? A demon murdered them.

BILLIE: Yeah, but if I wouldn't have left them, maybe they would still be here.

CHRISTY: Or if Piper hadn't called you away.

BILLIE: This is not her fault.

CHRISTY: Oh, it isn't? (Billie looks at Christy, surprised she'd even say it.)

CHRISTY: You know what? You just stay here, okay? You rest. We're going to get through this. I promise. I promise, together.

BILLIE: (sighs) I would have never been able to get through this week without you.

CHRISTY: Well, I'd still be ... living in a cave without you. I'll be back. (Christy gets up and heads for the door.)

BILLIE: What? Where are you going?

CHRISTY: I'm going to help my little sister get some peace of mind. You know, I mean, the police might think that mom and dad are an unsolved case, but we know better.

BILLIE: The Noxon demon can't be vanquished.

CHRISTY: You know that. Then I'll hit him with a potion, and I'll send him to the astral plane like Piper did to the other demons.

BILLIE: But she can't find him.

CHRISTY: Then I'll help her, Billie. You let me worry about the demons. You just get some rest. (Billie accepts that as Christy leaves the dorm room.)

[SCENE  MAGIC SCHOOL – GREAT HALL --] (Creo and a group of demons are in the Great Hall.)

CREO: The Noxon won't be easy to find. He's on the run. He's cagey. But we will scour the underworld. Whatever it takes to find him.

RAHL: I don't like it. Vanquishing a fellow demon?

CREO: We're not going to vanquish him. Not until we can use him to separate the other sister from the Charmed Ones.

RAHL: (half to the others) Yeah, but why do we have to do what the Triad wants anymore? They're dead.

CREO: Nevertheless ... we do what we're told. (Rahl sits up, challenging Creo.)

RAHL: Says who? (Creo suddenly hurls an energy ball at Rahl, who bursts into flames as he screams in agony.)

(Christy walks into the Great Hall.)

CHRISTY: What's going on? (She looks at the demons.) Is there a problem?

CREO: No. Not anymore. (then deferential) We're here to help.

(Christy looks at the other demons to see if they're in agreement. She appears pleased by what she sees.)

[SCENE MANOR – MAIN HALL -- DAY] (The Grandfather clock face reads 11:47. Paige paces the floor as she waits for someone to return.The front door opens and she rushes over to meet Piper.)

PAIGE: Hey, there. (Piper closes the door.) What took you so long?

PIPER: Uh, I was dropping the boys off at dad's. Why? What are you doing here? (Piper removes her jacket and hangs it on the hallway hook.)

(Paige walks with Piper through the main hall.)

PAIGE: Oh, you know. Just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd drop by, see how you're doing. How go the battles?

PIPER: The battles?

PAIGE: Yeah, you know, ultimate power, ultimate threat. Ultimate stuff. Need any help?

PIPER: You just got back from your honeymoon and you want to talk about demons?

PAIGE: Well, it is what we do, isn't it? You're giving me a very suspicious look. You know what? You're a very suspicious person.

PIPER: And you're avoiding the question.

PAIGE: I am not. (Piper doesn't believe her.) All right, fine, maybe I am. But it doesn't mean I don't want to help out of the goodness of my own heart. (Paige gives her an innocent smile. Piper's no idiot.)

PIPER: Mm-hmm. I think you need to talk to Henry. (Piper heads for the stairs.)

PAIGE: About what? About demons?

PIPER: No, about whatever it is you came here to talk to me about that you should be talking to him about.

(Paige groans.)

[SCENE: MANOR – SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY] (Paige and Piper continue.)

PAIGE: I can't tell him about it 'cause it's just going to hurt his feelings.

PIPER: That's not a good enough reason.

(Paige groans.)

PAIGE: The problem is, is that it's not Henry's fault at all, okay? He's amazing. I love him.

PIPER: I can see why you're avoiding him. (Piper and Paige head up the stairs to the attic.)

[SCENE: MANOR – STAIRS / ATTIC]

PAIGE: See the thing is, it took me so long to forge an identity separate of you and Phoebe. I'm just -- I guess I'm kind of afraid of losing myself in the marriage.

(Piper stops and turns around.)

PIPER: So you're burying yourself in demons?

PAIGE: (nods) It could work for me.

PIPER: I don't approve of the way you're handling this. Anyway, I think I have a lead. (Piper turns and continues up the stairs to the attic. Paige follows her.)

(They enter the attic and head for the Book of Shadows.)

PIPER: If the Noxon demons killed Christy and Billie's parents, somebody else had to send them to do it.

PAIGE: Because they were originally after the magic school kids, right?

(Piper stops in front of the Book of Shadows.)

PIPER: Right. So why change their MO? Unless somebody told them to. Whoever it is that's after the key to the ultimate power.

PAIGE: Do you think they were really after Christy?

(Piper starts flipping through the Book of Shadows.)

PIPER: Absolutely, which means the Noxons know who's behind it all.

PAIGE: And maybe who we'll have to fight to get Leo back.

(Piper stops on the page for NOXON DEMONS.)

PAIGE: So, uh, what's the plan?

(Piper heads over to the potions table.)

PIPER: Going to find that genetic freak of a demon and tell him we're going to do to him what we did to his friend unless he talks.

PAIGE: What can I do besides ponder the state of my marriage?

PIPER: You need to go down to the underworld and see if you can find him.

PAIGE: (nods) Done. (Paige steps away.)

PIPER: Be careful. (Piper tosses an ingredient in the pot. It goes POOF!)

[SCENE: DREGS OF THE UNDERWORLD (JONDAR'S LAIR)] (Pator makes his way through the cave, glancing behind him as he goes as if he's being pursued. The cave widens and Pator makes a run for it and finds himself caught.A long, worm-like tentacle -- coming out from a hole in the ground -- wraps around Pator's ankle and traps him. He falls to his knees unable to get away.Pator turns around and sees the tentacle. He raises his hand and throws a fire ball at the tentacle. The end of the tentacle flares red and travels down the length toward the hole, but fizzles out as it disappears down the hole.)

JONDAR: What have we here?

(Pator whirls around and sees Jondar, a bottom-feeding demon dressed in tattered clothing, step out from the shadows. He's foul-looking and at home in the cave.)

PATOR: (scared) Who are you? Stay back!

JONDAR: Or what? (nods toward the tentacle still wrapped around Pator's ankle) She's not just clutching your leg. She's clutching your powers. It'll come in handy when I feed off of you. (Jondar scrutinizes Pator.)   What's a low-level demon like you doing in this neck of the underworld?

PATOR: I'm not low-level. I'm working with the Triad.

JONDAR: (scoffs) The Triad?

PATOR: Yeah, yeah. I'm helping them harness the ultimate power, so if you're smart --

JONDAR: (interrupts) The Triad's dead.

PATOR: (winging it) Right. Exactly. Which means I'm the only one left who knows where to find the ultimate power. Release me and all the power in the world is yours, I promise.

JONDAR: Well, why didn't you get it for yourself?

PATOR: The power has yet to emerge. Until it does I must hide. Demons are after me. And powerful witches. (beat) The Charmed Ones. (Jondar's intrigued.) I'm telling the truth, I swear.

JONDAR: Well ... seeing as how you're so neatly tied up at the moment, I think I'll just leave you here, see who comes looking. (Jondar shimmers out as Pator cries.)

PATOR: No. Come back! (shouts) They'll find me!

(PRE-LAP) COOP: (v.o.) I'm telling you, I found him.

[SCENE: PHOEBE'S LOFT – LIVING ROOM --] (Phoebe is sitting on her couch with her laptop, trying to ignore Coop who stands next to her, determined to get her attention. Her ankles are crossed and resting on the ottoman in front of her.)

COOP: I found you a match, and he could be the man of your dreams.

(Phoebe ignores him. Coop pulls the ear plug out of Phoebe's ear.)

COOP: Phoebe! Hello? Am I making myself clear?

PHOEBE: Hello, I'm working. Do you see me working?

COOP: Yeah, yeah. (Coop reaches out and closes Phoebe's laptop. Phoebe groans.)  So am I. How about Michael?

PHOEBE: Coop.

COOP: Also happens to be the style editor at your paper, no less.

PHOEBE: Which probably makes him gay, okay? I know who he is, and no, thank you.

COOP: He's not gay. Trust me, I wouldn't be setting you up with him. (Coop walks behind Phoebe and kneels down, resting his chin on the back of her chair.) So why don't you go out with him, huh?

PHOEBE: Well, maybe because I don't like to date people at the workplace. Did you ever think of that?

COOP: Mmm, yeah, yeah. Of course I thought about that. (He stands up.) I think about everything when it comes to matchmaking. Besides, you met Jason at work and Leslie and Dex. (He ticks the names off on his fingers.)

PHOEBE: Yeah, and those didn't go too well for me, did they?

COOP: Yeah, but not because you worked with them. It's because of, you know, other reasons. I mean, I'm not asking you to marry the guy. Just go out with him. Let me see how close I am to figuring you out, huh? What do you got to lose, huh? (He sits down in his chair.) Take a risk.

PHOEBE: It's just the whole process, you know? Like dating and then opening up to someone and then having to tell them that I'm a witch. Them fainting. It's just not fun.

COOP: Oh, you are so confusing to me. I don't get it. First you tell me you don't want to date magical beings. And then you don't want to date mortals. Who's left? (Phoebe laughs.)

COOP: Yeah, yeah. It's not funny. (Coop gets up and picks up Phoebe's feet as he sits on the ottoman in front of her. He puts her legs back down on his lap. An unconsciously intimate move. He continues to plead his case to Phoebe.)

COOP: You have any idea how hard it is to find a match for you, Phoebe? You are a smart, successful, gorgeous woman – (He picks up and holds her hands in his.) -- with a great sense of humor and amazing strength. Look at you. You're lounging around in a track suit with a pencil in your hair and glasses, and ... (He gazes at her as if realizing it for the first time. A dangerous realization.) (wondrously) ... you're so beautiful.

PHOEBE: Really? (Catching himself, Coop moves Phoebe's legs off his lap and stands up.)

COOP: Yeah, yeah. I'm just -- (Coop laughs nervously and puts even more distance between himself and Phoebe.) Just, you know, trying to see what Michael sees in you, or would see in you if you'd go out with the guy.

PHOEBE: Okay, well, what about my column? And everything Piper's going through? I mean, doesn't love pale in comparison to all of that?

COOP: No, you don't get it. I don't know how many times I need to tell you. (Coop moves toward her and kneels down next to her chair.)

COOP: Love doesn't pale in comparison to anything. It makes the world turn and the flowers grow. (He looks at her expression and stop.) Okay, smart aleck, do me a favor. Just be open next time love comes knocking, okay? (Before Phoebe can say anything. Someone is knocking at her door.)

(Impressed, Phoebe looks at Coop.)

PHOEBE: Hmm? (Coop shrugs.)  (Phoebe gets up to answer the door.)  Hope it's not my sister. (Coop stands up.)

(Phoebe opens the door and finds Billie standing out in the hallway.)

PHOEBE: Oh, hey, sweetie. How are you?

BILLIE: Hi, I've been better. (Billie walks in.)

PHOEBE: You look exhausted. Come in. (As she enters, Coop heads out.)

COOP: (softly) Hey. I'm going to be prepping Michael. (Phoebe gives him an unenthusiastic thumb's up.)

PHOEBE: Okay.

(Coop closes the door behind him.)

(Billie sits on the couch. Phoebe sits next to her.)

PHOEBE: So how was it?

BILLIE: Well, just about as good as a funeral can be. I just -- Can I hang out here? I don't want to be alone right now.

PHOEBE: Of course you can. Yeah, you could stay here as long as you want.

(Billie puts her head back and sighs. Phoebe puts her glasses on the table and settles back to watch over Billie.)

[SCENE: MANOR – ATTIC --] (Piper is putting a number of potions vials in a carrying pack when Paige orbs in.)

PAIGE: Hey, okay, so I found the Noxon, but we better hurry in case he moves.

PIPER: Well, uh, you might want to call Henry first. He's called three times since you left.

PAIGE: Yeah, he called my cell, you know, left a message, but I'll just get him when I come back. PIPER: So now you're avoiding his phone calls? Paige.

PAIGE: No, I'm not avoiding him, but I told you I don't really know what to say to him yet. And besides, it's not his problem; it's mine.

PIPER: Well, it is his problem if you're not taking his calls.

PAIGE: Do you want to let this demon get away, or what?

PIPER: Okay, fine.

(Christy walks into the attic.)

PIPER: Just let my years of marriage experience go to waste. Fine, let's go. Here. (Piper hands the spell to Paige. They turn and see Christy.)

CHRISTY: Go where?

PAIGE: Oh, hey, Christy. How you doing?

CHRISTY: I'm not doing very well.

PAIGE: Where's Billie?

CHRISTY: She's back at her dorm room. She's resting.

PIPER: That's weird. Phoebe just called and said she was at her apartment.

CHRISTY: I see. So where are you on finding the demon you let kill my parents?

PIPER: Whoa, hang on. We didn't let anybody kill --

PAIGE: (interrupts) Uh, actually we found him, but if we don't want to lose him we need to go right now. (Paige glares at Piper. Piper's not happy about it.)

CHRISTY: All right. Well, then, I'm going, but I get to be the one who sends his sorry ass to the astral plane.

PAIGE: Actually, uh, no. We don't want to vanquish him. We need to question him because it's more important to find out who put him up to this.

CHRISTY: Who cares? Who wants to talk to him? I want him dead.

PIPER: Well, I understand that, but we can't ignore the fact that this could be connected to something else, like saving Leo.

CHRISTY: So that's what this is about. Saving your husband.

PIPER: Well, yeah, but --

CHRISTY: (interrupts) If we don't vanquish him, he could escape.

PIPER: Well, I realize that, but we need to get some information out of him first. (to Paige) Let's go.

(Paige starts orbing out. Mid-orb, Christy steps forward, puts her hand on theirs and hitches a ride.) (They orb out.)

[SCENE: DREGS OF THE UNDERWORLD (JONDAR'S LAIR)] (Pator is sitting on the ground, his back against the rock. The tentacle is still wrapped around his ankle.The girls orb in. Pator opens his eyes. Paige pulls her hands away from Christy.)

PAIGE: What are you doing?

CHRISTY: I'm not going to let you take this away from me.

PIPER: You shouldn't even be here. The demons are after you.

CHRISTY: I don't care.

PAIGE: Look, stop it. We're not going to let him get away. You need to just back off. (exasperated) Gosh.

(Piper and Paige turn around to talk with Pator.)

PIPER: (to Pator) Okay, listen. You have one chance and one chance only to tell me who sent you and why. (Piper opens her pack and takes out a potion.)

PATOR: I don't know what you're talking about.

PIPER: The hell you don't. (Piper throws the potion and hits Pator in the chest. The vial explodes and Pator screams as he starts burning.The tentacle legs go of Pator's ankle and slinks back into the hole.)

CHRISTY: Say the spell.

PIPER: No.

CHRISTY: Say it! (Distracted, Paige turns around.)

PAIGE: (to Christy) Stop it!

(Christy grabs the spell from Paige and pushes her hard. Paige falls head-first against the cave wall.With the spell, Christy starts reading. Piper goes to help Paige.)

CHRISTY: Demon of fire, demon of pain, I banish you to the astral-- (Before she can finish, Piper blasts Christy to stop her. She hits Christy in the arm. Christy hits the cave wall and falls.)

(Pator regenerates. Piper helps Paige up. Christy is disoriented on the cave floor, her arm burned from where Piper hit her.Jondar shimmers into the cave next to Pator.)

JONDAR: (to Pator) Looks like you were telling the truth. (He quickly shimmers them both out.)

PIPER: (sighs) Damn it.

(Christy is still on the cave floor, panting, half-sobbing. The spell is still clutched in her hand.)

PIPER: Are you okay? (They both turn to look at Christy.)

PAIGE: Yeah, uh, it's not me I'm worried about.

(Christy gets to her feet and tenderly clutches her injured arm. Anger and hatred burn in her eyes as she glares back at them.)

[SCENE: MANOR – MAIN HALL --] (Paige orbs them back to the manor. As soon as they solidify, Christy steps away from them.)

CHRISTY: I knew he would get away!

PAIGE: Christy, just let me heal you, okay?

CHRISTY: Right, after she just tried to kill me?

PIPER: I didn't try to kill you. It was an accident.

CHRISTY: That was no accident.

PIPER: Okay, listen. You're right, it wasn't, but I didn't mean to hurt you, okay? I just couldn't let you vanquish him.

CHRISTY: Well, now he got away.

PIPER: Look, Christy, you didn't leave me a choice, okay? This is my husband, and that demon –

CHRISTY: (hard) Killed my parents. Why am I even explaining this to you? It's not like you care.

PAIGE: Of course we care. We care about you, and we care about Billie. Billie's been like a sister to us.

CHRISTY: Well, Billie's not your sister.

(Paige takes a step forward.)

PAIGE: Christy, please --

(Christy brushes past both Piper and Paige on her way to the door.)

CHRISTY: Look, just stay away from me. And stay away from Billie.

(Christy leaves, slamming the door behind her.)

PAIGE: Well, that went swimmingly.

PIPER: There was nothing else I could do. Right?

PAIGE: No, you did what you had to do.

PIPER: (sighs) Still, I don't expect her to understand. She doesn't know Leo, and she barely knows us, and all she wants is revenge. (Piper takes her potions pack off.)

PAIGE: Can you blame her?

PIPER: No, but it doesn't mean anything. We still have to find the Noxon again. (She puts the potions pack on the side table.)

PAIGE: We'll just figure out who took him.

PIPER: Okay, I'll check the Book. (The phone rings; Paige checks the caller ID.)

PAIGE: It's Phoebe. I'll fill her in.

PIPER: You know where to find me.

(Paige answers the phone as Piper heads for the attic.)

PAIGE: (to phone) Hello.

[SCENE: PHOEBE'S LOFT ] (Phoebe is working and on the phone.)

PHOEBE: (to phone) Any luck with Leo?

PAIGE: Uh, no, but we did manage successfully to get Christy to hate us.

PHOEBE: What? How?

PAIGE: Well, we were going after the -- (The second line beeps.)  Hold on a second, okay? (She switches lines.)

PAIGE: (to Henry) Hello.

[SCENE: HENRY'S OFFICE]

HENRY: (to phone) Hi, Paige. Where have you been?

PAIGE: (to Henry) Hey. Hi, honey. Um, just kind of a bad demon fight. Um, can you hold on a second?

HENRY: Wha--

(Paige switches back to line 1.)

PAIGE: (to phone) Phoebes, that's Henry.

PHOEBE: Okay, so quick, what happened?

PAIGE: Well, Christy wanted to vanquish the Noxon, but we needed to talk to him --

PHOEBE: Wait, you found the Noxon?

PAIGE: Kind of, sort of. He got away, but that was only after -- okay, this is going to take a minute. Hold on a sec. (She switches back to line 2.)

PAIGE: (to Henry) Hey, um, can I call you back?

HENRY: (to phone) No, that's why I'm calling you. Because you haven't called me back yet.

PAIGE: Yes, okay. Um, I'm sorry about that.

HENRY: (to phone) Paige, are you mad at me? Did I do something that I don't know I did?

PAIGE: (to phone) No, I'm not mad at you. Not at all. It's just --

HENRY: (to phone) What? What? What? What?

(Paige sighs.)

PAIGE: (to phone) Hold on a second. (She switches lines again.) Phoebe, forget about Christy. What I really need your help with is Henry. (There's no response.) Phoebe?

HENRY: (to phone) Still me, Paige.

PAIGE: Oh.

HENRY: What is going on? Talk to me.

PAIGE: Nothing. It's nothing. It's really nothing. You're completely perfect. (Henry smiles a little.) You are. Can I just call you later? That would really be the best thing. Okay, I'll do that. Bye. (Paige hangs up before Henry can get a word in.)

PAIGE: Phoebe?

PHOEBE: Yeah.

PAIGE: (sighs) I need professional help. Can I borrow your Cupid?

[SCENE: MAGIC SCHOOL – GREAT HALL --] (Christy holds her injured arm and yells for Creo.)

CHRISTY: A little help here please. Creo, where are you?

(Creo shimmers in.)

CREO: Sorry, I was looking for the Noxon.

CHRISTY: Well, you're a little late. The Charmed Ones already found him.

(He sees her injury.)

CREO: What happened?

CHRISTY: Piper attacked me. I followed her to the Noxon, and she wouldn't let me vanquish him.

CREO: But you're not supposed to vanquish him. We need him to turn your sister against the Charmed Ones.

CHRISTY: Yeah, I know. I know. But I was upset, okay? He killed my parents. (Christy walks over to the couch and sits down.)

CREO: But now you need to focus on your sister, and that wound just might help. It could help to convince her that the Charmed Ones are truly bad.

CHRISTY: I don't know. She's pretty attached to them.

CREO: All the more reason to try and save her from them as soon as possible, as the Triad said you must. (a reminder) They're using her, Christy. You know that, and you also know that the two of you are the only ones who can stop them.

CHRISTY: Do you really think so?

CREO: It is your destiny. One that you will not fulfill unless you get your sister away from them by any means necessary.

CHRISTY: (gets to her feet) Well, you better get to the Noxon before they do, or you'll have to come up with another plan.

CREO: I'll worry about finding the Noxon. You worry about saving Billie.

[SCENE: UNDERWORLD -- JONDAR'S LAIR ] (Camera follows the tentacle, stretched across a different cave and just as dingy as the first. The tentacle is wrapped around Pator's ankle again. Jondar walks around him, pleased with having Pator at his mercy.)

JONDAR: You're far more valuable than I imagined.

PATOR: Let me go. I wasn't lying about the ultimate power. I proved –

JONDAR: (interrupts) -- that I should be able to fetch a high price for you.

PATOR: They'll come back for me. It's just a matter of time.

JONDAR: I doubt that. My lair is a labyrinth of secluded caves. I should be safe long enough to figure out what to do with you.

(Pator looks around for an escape and sees the stalactites on the cave walls.)

PATOR: (stalling) But we aren't dealing with ordinary witches. The Charmed Ones --

JONDAR: -- Make you all the more valuable. I could trade you for immunity from them. (Jondar stops in front of Pator.) Or perhaps I could sell you to demons in exchange for powers. The possibilities are limitless.

(Taking the opportunity, Pator kicks Jondar with his free leg, sending him straight toward the stalactites. They pierce through his body. He screams as he's vanquished.The tentacle dissolves, freeing Pator. Pator gets to his feet and runs out of the cave.)

[SCENE: THE BAY MIRROR – BULLPEN --] (Coop has his arm around Michael's shoulders as they cross the bullpen.)

COOP: Come on, seriously. What's the harm in asking Phoebe out one more time?

MICHAEL: Look, I don't think she's into me. I don't want to push it.

COOP: Ah, see that? You're being sensitive. Phoebe loves sensitive.

MICHAEL: Yeah, then how come she has an excuse every time I ask her out?

COOP: She's just playing hard to get.

MICHAEL: Really hard to get.

COOP: Come on, isn't she worth it? Huh? Caring, funny, talented.

MICHAEL: Hot.

COOP: You -- you can't say hot, okay? Women want romance, poetry.

MICHAEL: See, I'm not much of a poet.

COOP: You don't have to be. Just think about Phoebe and let the poetry come to you from what you see. (As he talks, the couple walking past in the background, stops, listens and smiles knowingly at Coop.)

COOP: Oh, she's -- she's ethereal. You know? Rose-petal lips, slender neck. Fiery passionate eyes. And when she laughs, doesn't that just make you feel like you can fly? (That question hangs in the air as Coop realizes Michael and a few other people are staring at him.)

MICHAEL: Maybe you should ask her out.

COOP: (covering) Me? Pssh, no. (chuckling) No. It's against the rules.

MICHAEL: Well, then maybe you ought to go work for another dating service.

COOP: You're missing the whole point. If you want to go out with a woman like Phoebe, you can't just ask her out. You have to woo her.

MICHAEL: I don't usually woo.

COOP: Well, you're going to have to if you want to go out with her. It's easy. I'll walk you through it. Meet me at Phoebe's house with a dozen red roses. Long stem. Trust me.

(Coop takes out a pen and notebook to start writing. He turns around and sees Michael sitting there.)

COOP: What are you doing here – ? What are you doing here? Come on, go. Chop, chop. What are you waiting for?

(Michael stands up and heads out. He passes Paige in the doorway. She's coming in.)

PAIGE: Ah, Coop. I need to talk to you. (Paige grabs him by his arm and drags him to Phoebe's office.)

COOP: I'm right in the middle of something here.

PAIGE: Ok, but it's kind of an emergency.

(They enter Phoebe's office.)

[SCENE:THE BAY MIRROR – PHOEBE'S OFFICE –  CONTINUOUS]

(Paige shuts the door behind her.)

COOP: (suddenly concerned) What? What do you mean? Something happened to Phoebe?

PAIGE: No, no, no. Nothing happened to Phoebe. It's an emergency of me.

COOP: (relieved) Oh. Well ... the Elders didn't really send me down here to work with the whole family.

(Coop settles in the chair behind Phoebe's desk. He starts writing and listening absently to Paige.)

PAIGE: (sighs) Look, please? I really need your expertise, Coop.

COOP: How much help do you need after only two weeks of marriage? Does Henry keep leaving the toilet seat up?

PAIGE: No, it's not Henry – (She sighs.) It's me, okay? It's me. I'm so used to having my own identity, you know, and being super independent, and now it's -- it's not just a "me", it's a "we", and I'm kinda freaking out on that, and I'm taking it out on him, and I can't do that.

COOP: It will work itself out. You've talked to him about this, right?

PAIGE: I've tried to talk to him about it, but it just comes out wrong.

COOP: Paige ... (Coop stands up and walks around the desk to stop in front of Paige.) I'm really busy here. So ... give it some time.

PAIGE: I don't have time, okay? I really, really don't. Isn't there something you can do?

COOP: Well, yeah, there is one thing.

PAIGE: What? Please, I'm open to anything.

COOP: (nods) All right. You got it.

(He waves his hand as his Cupid's ring glows. Paige vanishes.Coop nods, satisfied.)

[SCENE: HENRY'S OFFICE -- ] (Henry is sitting at his desk going through some reports when a large, bright orb appears at his forehead and is absorbed into him. His face glows. He lifts his hand and bats the air in front of his face, feeling something, but not sure what it is.)

PAIGE'S VOICE: Henry?

(Henry looks around.)

HENRY: Paige? Where are you?

PAIGE'S VOICE: That's a very good question.

(Henry chuckles. He drops the report on the desk.)

HENRY: I know.

PAIGE'S VOICE: Oh, no. Uh ... go to a mirror.

HENRY: Mirror? Why?

PAIGE'S VOICE: Please just do this.

(Henry puts his pen down and gets up. He heads over to the wall mirror.)

HENRY: Okay. Why do I have to look at -- aah!

(Henry's shocked by what he sees. Henry sees Paige's reflection back at him.)

HENRY: What the ...

PAIGE: Oh, God ... I'm in your head.

HENRY: I can see that. Paige, what's going on?

PAIGE: (shouts) Coop!

(Henry flinches and covers his ears. Paige turns and looks at Henry. Henry shrugs. He doesn't know what to do either.)

[SCENE: PHOEBE'S LOFT] (Billie's still asleep on Phoebe's bed while Phoebe works on her column. Then there is a faint tap. Then, another. Phoebe looks around the room, wondering what she heard.Tiny pebbles thrown from below are hitting the glass.Phoebe takes her glasses off and goes to investigate.She slips out the open balcony doors and looks down to the street below and finds Michael standing with a huge bouquet of red roses.)

PHOEBE: Michael? (He smiles at her.) Hey! What are you doing here?

MICHAEL: What does it look like I'm doing? I'm wooing you.

PHOEBE: You're what?

MICHAEL: Well, you deserve it, don't you?

COOP: You're not just anyone, you're special.

MICHAEL:  You're not just anybody, you're special.

COOP: You're one in a million.

MICHAEL:  One in a million.

COOP: I'm not leaving here until I get you to go out with me.

MICHAEL: And I'm not giving up until I get you to go out with me.

PHOEBE: Wow. Michael, I had no idea you were such a romantic.

COOP: No, I'm not.

MICHAEL: I'm hot.

(Coop grimaces. In his hand, he has his pen and notebook.)

PHOEBE:  I'm sorry. You're what?

(Flustered, Michael looks at Coop.)

COOP: (wincing) No. I'm not.

MICHAEL: I mean, uh, I'm not.

COOP: I'm--I'm not really ... a romantic.

MICHAEL: (tries to keep up with Coop) Romantic. Really. It's just that, uh ...

COOP: You bring it out in me.

MICHAEL: You bring it out in me. Every time I see you, every—

COOP: -- every time you walk past.

MICHAEL: Every time you walk past. You're all I ever think about. And it's been that way from the moment I laid eyes on you.

COOP: (longingly) The way you walk. The way you smile. (Coop isn't looking at his notes anymore, as he just thinks about Phoebe ... )

MICHAEL:  The way you walk. The way you smile.

COOP: How you help so many with your words.

MICHAEL: The way you help so many with your words. I knew I had to do everything I could to get you to go out with me.

C OOP: And that's why I'm here now.

MICHAEL: That's why I'm here now.

COOP: Hoping that you can't turn me down.

MICHAEL: Hoping you can't turn me down.

PHOEBE: I don't know what to say.

COOP: (sadly) Just say yes.

MICHAEL: Say ... yes.

(Phoebe smiles.)

(Suddenly there is loud pounding on Phoebe's front door. She reacts, startled, concerned. But Michael can't hear it from the ground.)

MICHAEL: Well?

(The pounding continues, growing more frantic with every passing moment.)

PHOEBE: Uh ... you know what? I have to go.

MICHAEL: Wait – w-w-wait. But --

PHOEBE: Listen, thank you so much for coming. It means so much to me. And will you leave the flowers by the door? Okay?

(Phoebe turns and heads back into the loft.)

(Michael looks around, a little at a loss for what to do.)

MICHAEL: (to Coop) What now?

COOP: Just keep trying. She's worth it, believe me.

(Coop gets up and leaves.)

COOP: Come on.

(Michael sets the roses down next to the front door stairs.)

[SCENE: PHOEBE'S LOFT – CONTINUOUS] (The sharp pounding continues as Phoebe hurries to her door. She meets Billie, sleepy-eyed, emerging from the bedroom.)

BILLIE: What's going on?

PHOEBE: Uh ... I don't know.

(Phoebe opens the door to Christy, still pounding angry, and her eyes, red and puffy from crying.)

PHOEBE: Christy. Hey, what's wrong?

CHRISTY: Billie, I need to talk to you.

BILLIE: What happened to you?

(Christy shows them her injured arm.)

CHRISTY: Piper attacked me.

BILLIE: What?

PHOEBE: Okay, you know what? Come in and we're going to talk about this.

CHRISTY: (coldly) No, I'm not coming in. Billie's coming out.

(Phoebe turns and looks at Billie.)

[SCENE: STREET](Christy and Billie exit the building and head down the sidewalk.)

BILLIE: Look, I still don't know why you didn't let Paige heal you.

CHRISTY: Oh, right. After what Piper did to me? I don't think so.

BILLIE: But still -- okay, just -- please just stop and just tell me exactly what happened.

CHRISTY: It's real simple, Billie. I tried to kill the demon that killed mom and dad and she wouldn't let me.

BILLIE: It doesn't make any sense.

CHRISTY: Does this make sense? Listen to me, Piper is so obsessed with saving her husband, she doesn't care who gets in her way.

BILLIE: But I don't believe she'd ever hurt you.

CHRISTY: Yeah, well, believe it.

BILLIE: I have to be missing something.

CHRISTY: Fine. Then let's go to the house and you can ask them yourself.

BILLIE: No, I'll go. You're way too upset.

CHRISTY: Billie, you can't trust them!

BILLIE: That's not true.

CHRISTY: Oh, really? Face it. They don't care about what we want. They care about what they want.

BILLIE: Look, let me just go back to the house and talk to 'em myself. Just meet me at the dorm, okay? Please!

(Billie hurries away. Christy watches her, a pleased smile lights her face.)

[SCENE:  HENRY'S OFFICE]

(Henry looks at the mirror and talks with Paige.)

HENRY: I still don't understand why couldn't just talk to me about this. Why did you have to use magic?

PAIGE: I didn't mean to. Look, I don't have time to talk about this right now. I have to go help Piper.

HENRY: Well, you should have thought about that before you jumped in my head.

PAIGE: I didn't jump in your head! Coop put me there!

HENRY: Right, right -- because you were losing yourself?

(Henry turns away and continues to talk. His office door is wide open.)

HENRY: What does that even mean? I thought things were going great between us. Hey, Paige, I love being married to you, okay?

PAIGE'S VOICE: And I love being married to you, too. That's the problem.

HENRY: How could that be a problem?

PAIGE'S VOICE: Because I never loved someone so much before. And I love you so much that I'm afraid of losing ... me.

HENRY: But maybe you're going to find something new ... like I did.

PAIGE'S VOICE: You did?

HENRY: Yeah. Isn't that the point of marriage?

PAIGE'S VOICE: Henry, go to the mirror.

(Henry turns and goes to stand in front of the mirror so he can talk to Paige's image.)

HENRY: Paige, I want you to stay the women that you are. I fell in love with the woman that you are. But at the same time, I think we can make each other stronger.

PAIGE: That was Coop's point, too. Sorry I snapped at you.

(Henry lovingly touches the Paige's image in the mirror.)

HENRY: I'm sorry, too, my little baby, baby, baby, baby --

(Dennis walks past the door carrying a thick envelope. He stops when he sees Henry coo-ing affectionately to the mirror.)

DENNIS: Uh, you okay, Henry?

(Henry whirls around to see Dennis, one of his parolees, standing just outside the office door, holding a file envelope and looking strangely back at Henry. Henry leans against the door frame, blocking Dennis' view behind him.)

HENRY: (embarrassed) Dennis. Uh ...

PAIGE'S VOICE (IN HENRY): (to Henry) Trouble with the Missus.

HENRY: (out loud) Trouble with the Missus.

DENNIS: Oh. I guess that means I don't have to listen to you gush about her for once, huh? #PAIGE'S VOICE (IN HENRY): Aww. You gush about me?

HENRY: (out loud) Yeah, I do. (to Dennis) No, you don't. You won't. You checked in on time, so now you can go. And we'll see you the same time tomorrow. Great. (nods.)

DENNIS: Yeah. Right.

HENRY: Mm-hmm.

DENNIS: Yeah. See ya.

HENRY: Okay. Get home safe.

(Puzzled, Dennis leaves. Henry turns.)

HENRY: (to Paige) We have to do something about this fast.

PAIGE'S VOICE: I couldn't agree more.

(Suddenly, Paige orbs Henry out of the office.)

[SCENE: MANOR – KITCHEN] (Piper and Phoebe are in the kitchen. Piper is standing by the island while Phoebe is sitting on the counter in the corner. Both are completely surprised when Henry orbs in. Henry's just as surprised.)

HENRY: Whoa. (He looks around, finding himself suddenly in the kitchen.)

PIPER: Whoa yourself. How'd you do that?

PAIGE'S VOICE (IN HENRY): Ask if they've had any luck finding the Noxon --

HENRY: (interrupting) (to Paige) Hold it a second. I think it'll be easier if I just talk to them myself, honey.

PHOEBE: (amused) "Honey"? Are you okay?

HENRY: Uh ... yeah. I'm--I'm fine.

PAIGE'S VOICE (IN HENRY): No, you're not, and neither am I.

(Henry makes an impatient noise to Paige.)

PIPER: Why are you talking to yourself?

HENRY: No, I'm not. (points to his head) Uh ... Paige is in my head.

PAIGE'S VOICE (IN HENRY): Tell her I went to Coop for advice.

HENRY: (to Paige) Please. I can handle this, Paige.

(Guessing what's going on, Piper holds back a smile.)

PAIGE'S VOICE (IN HENRY): Sorry. (Henry looks at Phoebe.)

HENRY: Coop did it.

PHOEBE: Coop did it. (Phoebe slips off her perch on the counter) Of course he did. Great.

PIPER: Well, you need to get him to undo it because we need the Power of Three to find the Noxon.

PAIGE'S VOICE (IN HENRY): I might be able to do it from here. (Henry sighs.)

HENRY: Um ... Paige thinks that she – (He rubs his head and makes a sound.) Headache -- Paige thinks that she might be able to do it from where she is.

(They hear the front door open and close. Immediately, everyone turns. Phoebe and Piper head out of the kitchen. Rubbing his temple, Henry follows them.)

[SCENE: MANOR – FRONT HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS] (Piper, Phoebe and Henry meet up with Billie.)

PIPER: Billie.

BILLIE: We need to talk.

PIPER: I know. I'm sorry about your sister, but -- how are you?

BILLIE: How am I? I'm not so good. How could you attack my sister?

PIPER: She didn't leave me much of a choice. She was going to vanquish the demon.

BILLIE: So you just thought you'd vanquish her, too?

PIPER: No, I didn't --

PHOEBE: (interrupts) Look, we know how you feel, but revenge is not the only thing right now.

BILLIE: That's what Christy said. Look, I want to find Leo, too. I really, really do. But not at the expense of her.

PIPER: Okay, well, then she needs to understand that it can't all be about what she wants.

(As Piper talks, Billie turns and sees the potions pack next to the phone on the side table.)

BILLIE: Right. 'Cause it seems just to be all about what you want.

PIPER: That's not fair.

BILLIE: Isn't it?

PHOEBE: Okay, look, don't you want to figure out who killed your parents?

BILLIE: Yes, I do, but that not what you care about. All you guys care about is finding Leo. You don't care about me. (Billie grabs the potions pack, opens it and takes the vials out.)

PIPER: Billie, what are you doing?

BILLIE: I'm going to vanquish the Noxon.

PIPER: No, you're not.

BILLIE: What, are you going to blow me up, too?

PAIGE'S VOICE (IN HENRY): (to Henry) Hold out your hand and call for the potion.

PHOEBE: Nobody's blowing anyone up here.

BILLIE: That didn't stop her last time.

PAIGE'S VOICE: Now!

HENRY: Vial. (The vial orb out of Billie's hands and into his. Henry smiles.) That was coo

l. (Billie telekinetically grabs the vial from Henry's hands. The vial fly back into Billie's palm.She wiggles the vial smugly in their faces, turns and leaves.)

PIPER: Billie! You come back here!

(Ignoring her, Billie leaves, closing the door behind her.)

PHOEBE: Now what do we do?

PIPER: We gotta find that demon before they do.

(Piper, Phoebe and Henry head upstairs.)

[SCENE: DORM ROOM ] (The door opens and Billie returns. Christy is waiting for her, picking at her newly bandaged arm.)

CHRISTY: Is everything okay?

BILLIE: You were right. We are on our own. (Christy smugs) ...

[SCENE: MAGIC SCHOOL – GREAT HALL] (On a table filled with open books and lit candles, Billie is looking through the texts at Magic School. Christy enters.)

CHRISTY: Any luck? B

ILLIE: No, nothing. There's tons of potions to take us to the underworld, but nothing on the Noxon. Are you scared about being here? This place is usually crawling with demons.

CHRISTY: Well, I think between the two of us, we have enough power to defend ourselves. Besides, we can't count on anyone else. So, we don't have any other choice, do we?

BILLIE: Yeah, I guess, but it's still kinda creepy.

(In the back of the room, Creo shimmers in. Christy sees him.)

CHRISTY: (telepathically to Creo) Do you know where he is?

CREO: (telepathically to Christy) No, but I'm afraid the Charmed Ones are close to figuring it out.

CHRISTY: (telepathically to Creo) But what if they find him first?

CREO: (telepathically to Christy) You'll know where to find him, too ... if you use your powers to follow them. It may be your only chance to save her from them.

(Creo shimmers out. Billie sighs.)

BILLIE: It's no use. There's nothing here. What are we going to do?

CHRISTY: I wonder ...

BILLIE: What?

CHRISTY: Maybe I can listen in on them -- see if they've found him yet.

BILLIE: You can do that?

CHRISTY: Yeah. I mean, if it's okay with you.

BILLIE: Yeah. Why not? (Christy closes her eyes and concentrates. Then, she hears their voices ...

''PIPER, PHOEBE, HENRY: (voices only) Ancient powers, we summon thee. We, the power of three..''

[SCENE: MANOR – ATTIC -- CONTINUOUS] (Piper, Phoebe and Henry are holding hands around the bubbling potions pot.) 

''PIPER, PHOEBE, HENRY: and seek your help in finding the demon who is in hiding. ''

(They wait a beat, then ..)

''PIPER: Nothing. ''

(T'hey let go of each other's hands.) 

''HENRY: I'm sorry, guys. I think it's my fault. ''

''PAIGE'S VOICE (IN HENRY): Maybe I should try saying it again. ''

HENRY: Uh, Paige thinks that maybe she should try -- 

''PIPER: Forget it. We need to get her ... out of there. (to Phoebe) Call him. ''

(Henry looks at Phoebe.) 

''PHOEBE: (groans) Do I have to? (Piper nods emphatically.) Okay. (louder) Cupid! Look, I know you're out there ... watching everything I do. Coop?''

(Coop flashes in right behind Phoebe. He's carrying a box of chocolates and reciting from a piece of paper, surprising her so much that she whacks him on his arm.) 

''COOP: "Oh, lift me from the grass. I fail. I die. Let thy love in kisses rain on my lips." ''

(Piper and Henr'y exchange looks.) 

''PHOEBE: What are you doing? ''

''COOP: I'm just reciting what Michael wrote. He left this for you at the door. (Coop gives the box and note to Phoebe.) ''

''PHOEBE: (suddenly very interested) Really? ''

''PIPER: Yeah, never mind that. We need -- (''

''Phoebe holds out a finger to stop Piper from interrupting. She continues reading from the note.) ''

''PHOEBE: "My heart beats loud and fast. Oh, press it to thine own again, where it shall break at last." (Coop smiles, pleased.) Michael didn't write this.''

''COOP: Yeah, you're right. I wrote it, you know, a couple hundred years ago or so. Some of my best work. ''

(Henry shuffles his feet. Piper's through waiting.) 

''PIPER: Ahem! ''

''PHOEBE: Yeah, okay. Listen, um, we need your help. (Phoebe takes Coop's hand and pulls him toward Henry.) You gotta get Paige out of Henry. (Henry points to his head.) ''

''COOP: Uh, yeah, but are you sure they've worked through their issues? ''

''HENRY: Yes, they have. ''

''COOP: All right. (Coop waves his hand. His cupid's ring glows. Henry's face glows with a light that comes out of him and materializes into Paige.) ''

''PAIGE: Oh, dear. (She looks at Henry.) ''

''PAIGE: Hey. ''

''HENRY: Hey. You okay? ''

''PAIGE: I'm okay. ''

''HENRY: Good. ''

''PAIGE: But, um, you should probably go. ''

''HENRY: Okay. (He looks at them.) Good luck. (Henry leaves.) ''

PHOEBE: (to Coop) Well, you should probably go, too.

''COOP: What do you mean? But what about love? ''

''PIPER: Ugghh! Go! (She smiles at Coop. Coop leaves.)''

''PHOEBE: I mean ... really. ''

PAIGE: Oh, you got truffles!

''PHOEBE: Yes, I did. ''

(They hold hands over the potions pot and recite the spell again.) 

''PIPER, PHOEBE, PAIGE: (all) Ancient powers, we summon thee. We, the Power of Three..''

[SCENE: MAGIC SCHOOL](Christy is still channeling them.)

PIPER, PHOEBE, PAIGE: (voices only) and seek your help in finding the demon who is in hiding.

''CHRISTY: They found him. Hurry, throw the potion while I'm still channeling them. ''

(Billie throws the potion.) 

[SCENE: UNDERWORLD – JONDAR'S LAIR ] (Pator is running. Piper chases after him. He jumps over a rock.) 

PIPER: Oh, no you don't! (Piper freezes him, mid-air.)

(Piper, Phoebe and Paige walk around Pator. Piper unfreezes Pator's face. He looks around.)

''PATOR: What happened? What's going on? ''

PIPER: You have exactly five seconds to live unless you tell us who you're working for.

''PATOR: I don't know what you're talking about. ''

''PIPER: Four ... ''

''PHOEBE: Three ... ''

PAIGE: Two -- (Paige pulls her arm back to throw the potion in her hand.) 

''PATOR: All right! All right! I'll talk. ''

(Billie and Christy enter the cave.) 

''BILLIE: Not so fast. ''

(Piper, Phoebe and Paig e turn around.)

BILLIE: Leave him alone. He's ours.

PHOEBE: "Ours"? Billie, we're all on the same side here.

BILLIE: Are we? PIPER: We're not going to let you vanquish him.

PATOR: Works for me.

CHRISTY: And we're not going to let you take him alive, either.

(Paige steps forward.)

PAIGE: (to Christy) This is absurd. What are you doing? Why are you twisting what we're all about?

(Billie steps forward.)

BILLIE: She's not twisting anything. (points to Piper) And she's the one that tore me away from protecting my parents so she wouldn't bother the two of you.

PIPER: Billie, I swear if I knew what would happen --

BILLIE: You would have used me the same way to get what you wanted. And I'm sick of being used. (Billie throws her vial.)

(Piper blasts it mid-arc. Phoebe ducks to avoid the flames which hit Pator, unfreezing him.)

BILLIE: No!

CHRISTY: (telepathically to Billie) We don't need the potion.

BILLIE:  (telepathically to Christy)  What do you mean?

CHRISTY:  (telepathically to Billie)  You can use your power to amplify mine.

(In the silence, Paige gets antsy.)

PAIGE: Uh, what's going on?

(Christy takes ahold of Billie's hand – entwining their fingers and their arms -- the two linked together.Pator crawls to his feet.Christy and Billie close their eyes and concentrate.Pator starts to burn.He grabs his head and screams.He explodes.The force of the explosion ripples through the cave, knocking Piper, Phoebe and Paige off their feet.Billie opens her eyes and gasps. Christy smiles with triumph. The two girls look at each other.Billie drops the vial and they vanish.Piper, Phoebe and Paige get to their feet.)

PAIGE: Okay. Did they just vanquish a demon that can't be vanquished?

PHOEBE: What does that mean?

PIPER: I think that means we just found the ultimate power.

(They stare at her. Piper brushes the dirt from her hands and pants.)

[SCENE: PHOEBE'S LOFT – LIVING ROOM ] (Phoebe returns home, flicks on the lights and finds Coop sprawled out on her couch waiting for her.)

COOP: Hey. (

Phoebe closes the door.)

PHOEBE: Hey.

COOP: Tough day at the office?

PHOEBE: Well, you know ... (Phoebe sits down on the sofa.) You let a young witch into your family and teach her everything that you know, only to be betrayed by her. Yeah, it was a rough day.

COOP: I guess love is pretty low on the list then, huh?

PHOEBE: Actually, no. I mean, it can only make me stronger, right?

COOP: Yeah.

PHOEBE: There's something I want to tell you, but I'm not sure if I will be able to articulate it well.

(Coop gets up and moves to sit next to Phoebe.)

COOP: All right. Maybe I can help.

PHOEBE: No, actually, it's something that I have to say ... and that you have to hear. Uh, I've been having these feelings, these really intense feelings that I haven't had for a really long time. And it's ... it's scary. Mostly because the person that I'm having these feelings for is so unexpected. I don't know if it can work. But ... you've got to follow your heart, right?

COOP: Well ... you tell me.

PHOEBE: God, it has got to suck to be Cupid! You know, never finding a love of your own? It's got to be so hard for you.

COOP: (confused) I'm sorry ... what?

PHOEBE: You know, because of all the rules and stuff. It's just--I would think it's got to be really hard.

COOP: So, um -- so you're talking about you and, uh --

PHOEBE: Michael. (Coop hides his disappointment.) Yeah. Yeah. Who else would I be talking about?

COOP: (covers) No. No, um ... you just made it sound like it was someone ... unexpected.

PHOEBE: Well, yeah. You know, I don't want to be with anyone magical just because of everything that I've gone through in my life.

COOP: Yeah. What changed your mind?

PHOEBE: I think ... maybe watching what Paige and Henry are going through and how they're making it work and ... honestly ... you. I mean, you knew. You had to hear the things that he was saying to me ... on the balcony -- they were just ... so sweet.

(He turns to look at her, almost to confess that it was him ... )

COOP: Actually, uh ... (and he doesn't) ... yeah. I always knew he had it in him.

PHOEBE: I guess that's why you picked him for me, huh?

COOP: Yep. Sure is. So I guess my work here is done. I guess I better get going.

(Phoebe holds out her hands and Coop slips his hand between hers.)

PHOEBE: Thank you ... for everything you've done for me.

COOP: No, it was my pleasure. Good luck, huh?

PHOEBE: Bye.

(Coop flashes out, his heartlight rising up as Phoebe watches.)

[SCENE: MANOR – CONSERVATORY] (Wyatt and Chris are playing in the conservatory. Piper sits on the side, watching them and thinking.Paige walks in.)

PAIGE: Hey. It's going to be okay, you know.

PIPER: Oh, yeah? I'm not so sure. (shakes her head) It was right there in front of us the entire time and we didn't see it.

PAIGE: How were we supposed to see it? It's Billie. She's one of us.

PIPER: Still, with Christy and their powers, the Triad ... we just missed it.

PAIGE: Not too late for what exactly?

(Paige sits down. Piper looks directly at her. Her meaning clear.)

PIPER: To stop them.

PAIGE: No. No, Piper. You can't vanquish them. They're not demons. They're people.

PIPER: People the Triad targeted to take us out.

PAIGE: You don't know that for sure.

PIPER: Don't I? Think about it. It makes complete sense.

PAIGE: I can't give up on Billie. I'm not going to give up on Billie. Not yet. She's been through so much -- they both have. Maybe they'll come around. (It's clear from the look on Piper's face that she doesn't believe it. Paige gets to her feet.)  I have to go. Henry's waiting for me. Look, we're going to ... figure this out, okay? It's what we do.

PIPER: We'd better.

(Paige turns around and leaves. Piper sighs.)

[ SCENE:MAGIC SCHOOL – GREAT HALL] (Billie sits on the couch, lost in her thoughts. She looks up when Christ walks over and sits next to her.)

CHRISTY: It's just you and me now, sis. And it always will be. (Christy smiles. Billie nods sadly.)

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