Awakened

Awakened is the 34th episode of Charmed.

Summary
Piper orders Kiwano from outside the country, illegal fruit that gives her Oroya fever, a rare disease normally only seen in parts of South America. She is sent to the hospital, but slips into a coma as the disease progresses. With little hope for her recovery, Prue and Phoebe cast a spell to transfer the disease to a ninja doll, resulting in Piper's amazing recovery. But a side effect of the spell brings the ninja doll to life, who then infects several people with the disease by stabbing people with its blade. Piper insists that Prue and Phoebe have no choice but to reverse the spell, halting the spread of the disease but putting Piper back into a coma. As she dies with Dan, Prue, and Phoebe at her side, Leo heals her, disobeying his orders not to interfere.

Plot
At P3, Piper slices some strange-looking fruit. She has a cough. Phoebe walks in and announces she's just enrolled in college. Piper identifies the fruit as kiwano; the bartender helped smuggle it in from South America.

At Buckland's, Jack and Prue examine a putative Monet. Prue notes the similarity to Monet's style, but thinks the brushstrokes around a train smokestack look suspicious and doubts that it is authentic. Jack tries to turn the conversation to their relationship.

Piper is worried that the crowd may be over capacity, but Phoebe insists that Piper go home. She says she's fine, but then she starts feeling lightheaded and collapses. She awakens in the hospital and finds Prue, who insists she take some time off after she gets out of the hospital. Phoebe goes to the hospital, and finds out a new doctor, Dr. Williamson, is attending Piper. Phoebe sits in the waiting room where she finds a young boy, Nathan, who has a ninja doll. She suggests that the doll is a wizard and can freeze, move and kickbox the "bad guys" in his body. She returns the doll as Dr. Williamson meets her, accompanied by four or five interns. He's an infectious disease specialist, something that worries Phoebe.

In Piper's room, Dr. Williamson tells Piper that she has Oroya fever, a disease common in South America and the Caribbean but rarely seen in the United States. Piper has not been out of the country lately, or even out of San Francisco, but Phoebe remembers the kiwano. Dr. Williamson says that a sand fly that carries the disease could have gotten in the crate. Piper notes a bite on her shoulder. The doctor orders an antibiotic. Phoebe wants to call Leo, but Piper won't hear of it; he isn't their Whitelighter anymore, and she's committed to Dan.

Prue goes back to Buckland's and Jack notes that there were indeed some suspicious thread markings on the painting. He hasn't told Mr. Cauldwell yet. Jack tries to encourage her to take the day off, as she is exhausted, and tries to reassure her about Piper. A nurse calls Prue's cell phone. Phoebe goes home and Dan tries to comfort her. Prue calls the manor and tells Phoebe to get to the hospital. Dr. Williamson says that Piper's condition has worsened and there is nothing more the doctors can do for her.

Prue desperately searches through the Book of Shadows; she doesn't want to let Piper die. Phoebe thinks this borders on personal gain, but wants to try Leo. Both call his name. He orbs in, startling them. He tells the sisters that "they" won't let him heal Piper since the illness didn't come from fighting evil. He has to leave, and orbs out. Prue and Phoebe try the Book again, and find an awakening spell.

Prue and Phoebe go to the hospital, where Dan is waiting in Piper's room. While talking to a nurse, Prue crooks her finger and swipes a vial of Piper's blood. Phoebe meets Nathan, who feels better now. Phoebe wants to borrow the ninja doll, and Nathan says she can keep it. Phoebe sends Dan after some sodas, and the three sisters are now alone. Prue and Phoebe cast the spell. Dr. Williamson tries to enter, but Prue holds the door closed. Piper is now healed, to the astonishment of Dr. Williamson. Phoebe tosses the ninja doll in an infectious waste bin -- where it comes to life. The ninja doll jams its katana into a nurse's leg and cuts its way out of the bin.

Hours later at P3, Piper has more energy than ever. Dan is exhausted and heads for home. Piper suspects that Phoebe and Prue cast a spell and that this might constitute personal gain. Prue goes off to further examine the Monet. Piper cleans up the bar, a dynamo at 2 AM, and Phoebe realizes that this may be the backfire.

At the hospital, the nurse stabbed by the doll has Oroya fever, and so do two others. Dr. Seiger from the CDC arrives. Dr. Williamson tells Dr. Seiger that he thinks there's been an Oroya outbreak--and it's somehow tied to the first patient, Piper.

Prue tells Jack that the paiting isn't a real Monet; one of his students painted it. Jack wants to pass it off as a Monet, but Prue is unwilling. Prue insinuates that their relationship is "almost perfect," like the Monet.

A squad from the CDC descends on P3. Dr. Seiger takes Piper and Phoebe into custody, and closes P3. Dan is watching a press conference conducted by the two doctors, and rushes to the hospital.

Piper and Phoebe are in an isolation ward, and aren't getting any answers. Prue walks in and says the CDC was waiting for her at the manor. She overhears that other patients are infected. Neither of the sisters got any sleep--and Prue thinks that might not be the only consequence of their spell. Dr. Williamson walks in. Although the disease isn't airborne, six people are now infected, and Dr. Williamson intends to keep the sisters in quarantine until he figures out how Piper survived.

The sisters draw blanks on how to keep other people from dying. Piper at last suggests reversing the spell. She is now willing to call Leo, but Prue tells her that she's already talked to Leo and he's not allowed to help. Phoebe doesn't know how they can get the spell, but Piper suggests that Prue astral-project to the attic. Prue doesn't think she has enough of a handle on that power yet, but Piper talks her into trying. Prue astral-projects into the attic and finds the reversal spell. Prue and Phoebe say the spell, and as the ninja doll is about to attack a boy, it becomes a lifeless thing again.

Piper collapses, and the doctors rush in. The doctors cannot revive her. Her spirit rises into a brightly lit realm, where Leo meets her. Leo thinks he might get away with healing her here. He places his hands on her hands. The doctors pronounce Piper dead, but as Leo heals her, she revives. She calls Leo's name -- in Dan's presence.

Prue cleans out her desk at Buckland's. Cauldwell wanted to wanted to pass off the "Monet" as real, and Prue resigned rather than go along. She also breaks up with Jack.

P3 reopens, with no cover charge and free drinks. Piper gets rid of the remaining kiwano. Leo comes in; "they" caught him healing Piper, and for at least a while he isn't a Whitelighter anymore. He's going to fight for Piper.

Guest Stars

 * Brian Krause as Leo Wyatt
 * Matthew Glave as Dr. Curtis Williamson
 * Andrew Ducote as Nathan
 * Lochlyn Munro as Jack Sheridan

Co-Stars

 * Daniel Reichert as Dr. Seigler
 * Monica Allison as Nurse
 * Faith Salie as Second Nurse
 * Chuti Tiu as Asian-American Nurse
 * Louisa Abernathy as Angie
 * Jennifer Massey as Female Reporter #1
 * Lisa Ann Grant as Female Reporter #2

Spells

 * 1) Prue and Phoebe cast a spell to awaken Piper.
 * 2) Prue and Phoebe reverse the spell that awakened Piper.

Quotes

 * (The doctor leaves. Phoebe sits on the bed. Prue and Phoebe stare at her smiling.)
 * Piper: I’ll be okay.
 * Prue: Yeah, I mean he didn’t seem too worried. Just prescribed antibiotics.
 * Piper: The tests are just to confirm his diagnosis I’m sure.
 * Prue: Yeah, don’t you agree, Phoebe?
 * Phoebe: I think we should call Leo.
 * Piper: Why?
 * Phoebe: Why not? He can heal you.
 * Piper: No. He’s out of our lives. He’s not even our white lighter anymore. Besides with Dan in my life.
 * Phoebe: But if Leo knew you were sick.
 * Piper: No, and that’s final. No demon or warlock did this to me. Just let the doctors do their magic.
 * Phoebe: I just wanted you to get well soon. (Phoebe rests her head on Piper’s stomach.)
 * Piper: I know and I will. Now you get outta here. Prue, go to Bucklands, Phoebe, go to wherever it is you got to and someone please call Dan so he doesn’t worry.
 * Prue: Okay. Bye. Love you. (They leave.)

:Piper: You have to reverse the spell.
 * Phoebe: No, Piper, we can’t reverse the spell because…
 * Prue: You could go back into a coma, you could die.
 * Piper: I’m not gonna die. Just reverse the spell and call Leo so he can heal me.
 * Phoebe: Leo? I thought you didn’t want us to call Leo.
 * Piper: Well, yeah, that’s when I thought I was sick, not dying.
 * Prue: Piper, um, we already talked to Leo, he’s not allowed to help.
 * Phoebe: They won’t let him.
 * Piper: Oh. Great. Well thanks for doing something I specifically asked you not to do.

:Piper: Hey.
 * Leo: Hey. How are you feeling?
 * Piper: Okay. A little tired. Which is actually a good thing. Leo, thank you for everything you...
 * Leo: Couldn't let you die, Piper.
 * Piper: I'm very glad you couldn't. Did you get in trouble?
 * Leo: Yeah, actually, a lot. They found out what I did. They clipped my wings.
 * Piper: What?
 * Leo: It's not permanent. It's more like a suspension... I hope.
 * Piper: Leo, I-I-I don't know what to say.
 * Leo: You don't have to say anything. You didn't do anything, I did. I guess in the back of my mind I always hoped someday, somehow you and I would get a second chance.
 * Piper: I'm with Dan now.
 * Leo: I know. But I also know now that I'm a mortal, I'm gonna fight for you. May the best man win.