Secrets and Guys/Script

Teleplay by: Constance M. Burge and Sheryl J. Anderson

Story by: Brad Kern and Constance M. Burge

Season 1, Episode 14

Episode Number: 14

[Scene: Mr. Franklin and Max's house. They are sitting on the couch and then thugs wearing balaclavas run in and grab Max.]

Mr. Franklin: Max!

(One of the thugs points a gun at Mr. Franklin.)

Thug: Don't move, don't breathe! Just listen. We're gonna borrow your kid just for a day. Now, if you're smart, you will not call the cops. We will have him safe and sound, first thing Monday morning, ready for school. Do you understand?

Mr. Franklin: Yeah, yeah.

Thug: Just our little secret, right?

Mr. Franklin: Yeah.

(The thug knocks Mr. Franklin out and they drag Max outside.)

[Scene: Attic. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe are sitting at a table spring-cleaning. Piper is looking through a box of toys and Phoebe is painting her nails.]

Phoebe: Can I just say I am absolutely enjoying this?

Piper: That’s because you’re not doing anything.

Phoebe: Not true. I’ve painted my fingers and my toes.

Prue: I just hope that this doesn’t fall under the personal gain category.

Piper: How could it? A good witch is a clean witch.

Phoebe: Yep. I think we should spring clean like this more often. You go girl.

(Prue uses her power to close drawers, put things in a box, clean the window, straighten toys and books on a shelf, and lift some trophies while dusting.)

Piper: Good job Prue. (Prue uses her power to put away a broom.) Oh look. More toys. I told you Grams wouldn’t throw them away.

Prue: Yeah. But we will. Why don’t you just put that stuff in the discard pile?

Phoebe: Wait. What's in there?

Piper: Stuffed animals without eyeballs. Dollies that look like they’ve been through the mill once or twice... and looky here. Miss. Phoebe’s diaries.

Phoebe: The place where I kept all my secrets. Give me those. (She takes her diaries and she giggles. Prue and Piper give her a look.) What?

Prue: The place where you kept your secrets?

Phoebe: Uh-huh.

Piper: Phoebe, you could never keep a secret.

Phoebe: Oh. That is so not true.

Piper: OK. Maybe Prue’s surprise birthday party.

Prue: Guess again.

Piper: You knew?

Prue: Mm-hmm.

(Piper hits Phoebe playfully.)

Piper: Phoebe, you swore you wouldn’t tell her.

Phoebe: I’m sorry. OK? It was an accident. (Piper sighs) I say we keep all the toys.

Prue: Subject changer.

Phoebe: For our children, for our future.

Piper: That’s a good idea.

Prue: Well, you can get rid of mine. (Piper and Phoebe give her the "what" look.) What? It’s just that, you know, we live in a world with so much violence and then you add the evil demons and it’s a pretty scary place to raise kids in. Besides, I don’t really think I’m cut out to be a mom.

Piper: How can you say that?

Prue: Why don’t we have this conversation later? Like say 5 years?

Piper: Good. Ooh. Ooh. I think dinner’s burning. Phoebe, lend me a hand.

(She leaves)

Phoebe: Don’t look in my diaries.

(She leaves.)

[Scene: Auto shop. The thugs enter with Max. Max is gagged and has his hands tied in front of him. Thug #2 pushes Max to the ground. He sits up.]

Thug #1: All right. If you try anything, you’re dead and so is your old man. You got that kid?

(Max nods.)

Thug #2: Come on. Ease up on him Mickey. Kid’s not stupid, are you Max? (Max shakes his head.) You’re going to do just like we tell you and everything’s gonna be fine, right?

(Max nods.)

Mickey: Yeah. You better be right or me and you got problems.

Thug #2: Look. That kid is a living, breathing winning lotto ticket. All I know is my kid brother said somehow, like magic, he turned off the arcade alarm system from across the street and got them inside.

Mickey: I don’t believe in magic.

Thug #2: So we test him out, we don’t like what we see, cut our loses.

(They leave. Max closes his eyes and slowly rocks back and forth.)

[Cut to attic. The spirit board is out. The pointer starts to move.]

Prue: Piper. Phoebe. Get in here.

(She begins writing down the letters. Piper and Phoebe enter.)

Phoebe: What is it?

(Prue points to the spirit board. Phoebe sighs.)

Piper: Oh no. Not again.

Phoebe: What’s it saying?

(Prue shows them the notepad that says HELP MAX.)

Prue: Help Max.

Opening Credits

[Scene: Parlor the next morning. Piper is on the phone. Phoebe and Prue come in with the spirit board and sit at a table.]

Phoebe: So maybe Max is a ghost. I mean, after all, that is a spirit board.

Prue: A ghost who needs our help? I don’t think so.

Phoebe: Well, it wouldn’t be the first time.

Prue: What if it’s just someone in trouble crying out?

Phoebe: Well, it would have to be someone with powers. That’s not exactly AT&T.

Prue: "Help Max." That’s not a lot to go on.

Phoebe: Yeah. I mean there’s nothing really you can do unless he sends another message. What... are you on hold or something?

Piper: It’s Harry, the new chef at Quake. He threw out all my Henckel knives. Apparently, he prefers Forschners!

Phoebe: You follow any of that?

Prue: No. Look, we wouldn’t have gotten the message if it wasn’t important.

Phoebe: OK. So what do you wanna do?

Prue: Maybe go see Andy. See if he knows anything about a Max needing help.

Phoebe: Can you say long shot? (Prue gives Phoebe a look.) All right. You’re obsessed. I accept that. I’ll thumb through the Book of Shadows. See if there’s anything in there about spirit board SOS’s.

Prue: And maybe Piper can…

Piper: Look. Wait. I’m the manager. If I say I want Henckel, then I want…hello? (She hangs up.) The jerk hung up on me. (She slams the phone on the table.) OK. How can I help you two?

Prue: I think we got it under control.

Piper: OK. Then I’m going to Quake before Harry does anymore damage.

(Piper leaves. Prue gives Phoebe a "what" look. Phoebe giggles.)

[Cut to foyer. Piper grabs her coat and opens the door to find Leo there.]

Leo: Ha. Ding-dong.

(They both laugh a little)

Piper: Leo. You’re back. Come in. (Leo hugs Piper.) It’s so good to see you. How are you?

Leo: Better now. (They stop hugging.) How are you Piper?

(In the background, Phoebe and Prue, who’s carrying the spirit board and pointer, enter.)

Piper: Uh, I’m better now too.

Phoebe: Leo!

Prue: Hey stranger. Good to see you.

Phoebe: Yeah. What brings you back?

Prue: Phoebe.

Phoebe: You know, the chandelier in the living room keeps flickering.

Leo: Yeah? Well, I’ll get my tools.

Phoebe: Oh no. No. Take your time.

Prue: Uh, attic. Remember? You have some reading to do.

Phoebe: Right.

Prue: Mm-hmm.

(Phoebe heads towards the attic)

Leo: Is that a spirit board?

Prue: Uh, this? Yeah it is. Um, I’m just talking it to the auction house to have it appraised. (She grabs her coat.) So, I’ll call if I hear anything.

(She leaves.)

Piper: I’ll be at the restaurant.

Leo: Do you have to go now?

Piper: Uh, yeah. Sort of, but I’ll be back soon. I promise. Uh, can you wait?

Leo: Uh, sure.

(They kiss.)

Piper: Ooh. So glad you’re back.

(She leaves.)

[Scene: Police Station. Prue is sitting by Andy’s desk.]

Andy: OK. Let me get this straight. You think a guy named Max might be in some kind of trouble, but you have no idea why. You’ve never meet him, and you really don’t have no idea who he is. Is that about right?

Prue: OK. Fine. See, I had a dream last night and uh, in my dream my sisters and I were cleaning the attic when we found this old ouija-type board and the pointer started to move until it spelled out " Help Max." (A couple of seconds pass.) That’s it.

(Andy types MAX on the computer and presses ENTER.)

Andy: You know, I hear a lot of stories in my line of work, but yours are always very entertaining.

Prue: Thank you.

Andy: You’re welcome. (He looks at the computer.) Sorry. Nothing on anyone named Max.

Prue: Oh. Thanks for checking.

Andy: Anytime.

(Prue and Andy stare at each other. Prue giggles.)

Prue: OK.

Andy: OK.

Prue: Bye.

Andy: Bye.

(Prue leaves.)

[Scene: Quake. Piper burst through the kitchen doors and goes to Harry, who is cooking.]

Piper: Harry!

Harry: Hey. You must be Pippy.

Piper: Piper, and...

Harry: You know, your voice doesn’t do justice. You’re actually attractive.

Piper: You cannot come into this restaurant, throw away all of our knives, and refuse to make the house specialty. (She notices he’s wearing shorts.) That is not a proper chef’s uniform.

Harry: Will be. I’m a trendsetter. (He goes and gets a bowl of ravioli.) In fact I, uh, decide to change the menu, so I threw out all the old ones. Now my crab ravioli, there’s a specialty. (He sniffs it.) Mmm. Straight from Eden.

Piper: You threw out all the menus?

Harry: Hey. Complain to your sister Phoebe. (He hands her a cell phone.) She’s on line 1.

(She takes the cell phone from him.)

Piper: You’re fired!

Harry: Ooh. Attractive and feisty. Um, you can’t fire me cause you’re just a manager. Unless you prefer to be the executive chef.

(He laughs and begins to walk away.)

Piper: Ooh. (She freezes him. She takes the knives out of the trash and dumps the ravioli in.) Take that. (She leaves.)

[Cut to the Halliwell Manor. Phoebe is walking down the stairs with the phone in her hand.]

Phoebe: Yeah. He sounds like a real piece of work. He has a nice voice though. What’s he look like?

[Cut to Quake. Piper is sitting by the bar.]

Piper: A complete and total jerk. Is Leo around?

[Cut to the Halliwell Manor.]

Phoebe: Yeah. He’s working away.

[Cut to Quake. There is a commotion by the kitchen.]

Phoebe: He wants to know when you’re gonna get back though.

Piper: Uh, I think it might be a while. Maybe I should talk to Leo.

[Cut to the Halliwell Manor.]

Phoebe: Sure. Hold on a second. (She walks into the living room and sees Leo floating by the chandelier with a light bulb glowing in his hands) (Into the phone) Oh my god!

(Leo looks at her)

Leo: Phoebe!

(He falls)

Phoebe: (Into the phone) Let me call you back.

(She hangs up the phone and turns it into a weapon and points it at Leo as he gets up with the light bulb still glowing and comes towards her while saying this)

Leo: Phoebe wait. I can explain.

(She starts backing up. Leo follows her)

Phoebe: You are a warlock, aren’t you?

Leo: No. (Phoebe stops at a table in the hall) Wait. Wait. Wait. (He tries to grab the phone while saying this but fails and draws his hand back when he says if) Think about it. If I was a warlock and I wanted to hurt you, don’t you think I would have done it the last time I was here?

Phoebe: OK. Good point, but still most, normal handymen use ladders to fix chandeliers. (She points the phone under Leo’s chin) Are you a witch?

Leo: No.

Phoebe: Then what are you?

Leo: Uh…

(Leo waves the light bulb, still glowing, in front of Phoebe accidentally. Phoebe’s eyes follow the light bulb. Leo makes the light bulb stop glowing and gives a goofy smile)

[Scene: Outside Microchip plant. Mickey and thug #2, known as David, are in a car with Max telling him a plan to break into the micro chip plant.]

David: These are the blueprints to the microchip plant. So the main security panel is in the room here. All you do is switch the system off. You start with zone one, ending up with zone five, OK? You got it?

Max: I can’t. My mom made me promise never to use my power for bad things.

Mickey: Yeah. Well, you ever read the book when bad things happen to good people?

David: Look, I got it Mickey. You broke into the arcade, right? This isn’t anything different, man. I mean, we’re not gonna actually take anything. We just want to see if you can actually do it. Look I’m... I’m really sorry about what happened to your mom, OK? That’s a tough break, but you want to make sure something doesn’t happen to your dad, don’t you?

(Max begins to slowly rock back and forth. David signal’s Mickey. He gets out of the car and goes to the front door. We see the control panel, inside the microchip plant open and the controls burn out. Cut to Mickey. He is waiting at the door by the card slot to wait for it to turn green. It does. He opens the door and goes in. No alarms go off.)

Mickey: Well I’ll be damned.

[Cut back to David and Max.]

David: I don’t know how you did that, but I got to say, I’m very impressed.

(Mickey walks out and a cop comes up to him.)

Cop: Hey!

(Mickey pulls out a gun and shots the cop in the leg. The cop falls to the floor.)

Max: No!!!!

David: Shut up!

(David covers Max’s mouth. Mickey runs to the car.)

Commercial break

[Scene: Manor. Parlor. Leo and Phoebe are they’re talking about who Leo really is. Phoebe has a mug of tea. I didn’t get the first couple of words for some reason.]

Phoebe: I mean up until today, I thought you were a handyman, and now I find out that you’re a...

Leo: White lighter.

Phoebe: A white lighter. What exactly is a white lighter?

Leo: Well, we’re really just messengers. Guides. (Phoebe is still confused.) Think of us as guardian angels for good witches. Your tea is cold.

(He leans forward and waves his hand and the tea becomes hot)

Phoebe: Ow. Well, you are handy. (Leo smiles a little.) So, all this time, you knew who we really were?

Leo: Yeah. I was sent to watch over you and your sisters when you first got your powers. You know, help out wherever I could.

Phoebe: Sent by who?

Leo: Whom. They’re a group of elder white lighters. They’re known as the founders. You were never supposed to find out. I screwed up and got caught.

Phoebe: So, what? You’re here again to help us out with something else?

Leo: Uh, actually I’m here to help a boy named Max.

Phoebe: Max? Wait. That’s the... the...

Leo: The spirit board. I know. See, Max is a budding good witch new to the powers. But he’s very young and vulnerable. And he’s in serious trouble. Someone wants to take advantage of his gift.

Phoebe: So why don’t you help him?

Leo: I did. I made sure Prue received his cry for help. That’s why I was sent here. That’s all I’m supposed to do for now. The rest is up to Prue.

Phoebe: Yeah, but Prue doesn’t know anything about him. She doesn’t even know that he’s a little boy.

Leo: Well, she will. In the meantime, you must help me keep my secret or I could get into trouble. (Phoebe smiles.) Piper and Prue can never know what I really am.

Phoebe: Me? Keep a secret? Hello? Wrong Halliwell. Wait, uh, you have to tell Piper because if I know her, she’s gonna think that...

Leo: I know. I know. And that’s where I need your help. See? (Leo gets out of his chair.) White lighters and witches aren’t allowed to fall in love. It’s like humans and angels aren’t. But I did. I fell in love with Piper.

Phoebe: And I know how much she cares about you.

(Leo sighs.)

Leo: It isn’t fair to keep her in the dark... but I have to keep this secret. (He sits back down.) So somehow I have to tell Piper that I can never see her again and I can’t tell her why.

Phoebe: You don’t need my help Leo. You need a miracle.

[Scene: Buckland’s. Prue’s office. Prue is typing on her laptop. Someone knocks on the door. The door opens and Andy comes in.]

Andy: Got a minute?

Prue: Uh, sure. (Andy closes the door. Prue puts the spirit board down so Andy can’t see. Andy comes to her desk.) Why don’t you just sit down here? (He sits down.) That’s perfect. So, um, what’s up?

Andy: I got some interesting information about a boy named Max.

Prue: A boy?

Andy: Named Max. Yes.

Prue: Whoa.

Andy: Curious huh?

Prue: Very.

(As Andy talks, the pointer on the spirit board starts spell out another message.)

Andy: Earlier today, a microchip plant was broken into but nothing was taken. (Prue sees the pointer move and begins to write down the message.) Stranger still, the alarms were turned off before the front door was opened on the outside.

Prue: Uh, what does this have to do with this boy Max?

Andy: Well, uh, security cameras picked up a car in the front parking lot with a boy in the back seat…matching this photo taken at an arcade last week... (He shows her a picture of Max and another boy.) ...where a couple of kids sunk in in much the same way. Same boy. Max Franklin.

Prue: Do you know who was in the front seat?

(Andy shakes his head.)

Andy: Just that they shot and wounded a security guard at the scene. This boy’s in serious trouble Prue. This is not a dream. (Andy leans closer.) I need to know what you know about this.

Prue: Well, I mean, why would I know anything? I think that you need to talk to his family.

Andy: (Leaning back in his chair.) I did. His father. He pretended not to know anything either. Clamed the boy was out of state visiting grandparents, will be back tomorrow, but something’s wrong. He wanted to tell me something, but he was scared. He was afraid to say anything. What are you writing?

(Prue looks up after completing the message.)

Prue: Nothing. I’m just doodling.

Andy: You’re not going to tell me anything are you? (Andy stands up.) One day, I’m going to figure out your secret Prue. Count on it. (He leaves. Prue looks at the message. It reads KIDNAPPED AUTO SHOP.)

[Scene: Quake. Kitchen. Piper is washing her knives. An employer brings Piper a cell phone.]

Employer: Telephone.

(Piper takes it as he leaves.)

Piper: Hello?

[Cut to Prue’s office.]

Prue: Hey. Um, look, Max is a boy, Piper, and he’s been kidnapped.

[Cut to Piper]

Piper: What?

[Cut to Prue]

Prue: Yeah. I got another message on the spirit board. I have to help.

[Cut to Piper]

Piper: Uh, I think we should call the police.

[Cut to Prue]

Prue: Uh, Andy’s already been here and I think I have an idea what to do.

[Cut to Piper]

Piper: Uh, OK. So you’ve got everything under control?

(Harry comes up and grabs the phone off Piper.)

Harry: Uh, no. Everything’s not under control. (He tosses the phone in the sink.) I need more crab for my ravioli because somebody threw it all away and I just got 5 more orders, Pepper.

(He tosses her the orders and she catches them.)

[Scene: Franklin’s house. Prue walks up to the door and rings the bell. Mr. Franklin answers the door.]

Prue: Mr. Franklin?

Mr. Franklin: Yes.

Prue: My name’s Prue Halliwell. I need to talk to you about your son.

Mr. Franklin: Sorry, um, you have to leave, OK?

Prue: Look, I know that he’s been kidnapped. I know that he’s in trouble.

Mr. Franklin: I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Prue: I think you do. What I don’t understand is why you won’t talk to the police.

Mr. Franklin: Please. You gotta leave. Alright? Thank you.

(He begins to close the door and Prue holds the door open.)

Prue: Unless you can’t talk to the police. The kidnappers won’t let you, will they? That’s why you wouldn’t say anything to Inspector Trudeau.

Mr. Franklin: Look, I don’t know who you are, but I’m begging you…

Prue: I can help.

Mr. Franklin: No. No. You can’t. Alright? Good-bye.

(He begins to close the door and Prue holds the door open.)

Prue: Mr. Franklin...

(Prue uses her power to send a picture flying into Mr. Franklin’s hand. He catches it.)

Mr. Franklin: Dear God.

[Scene: Quake. Phoebe and Leo are in front at a table. Leo puts his hand over a glass of water and it fills up.]

Phoebe: Thank you. Oh.

(Piper comes out to them.)

Piper: Hi. I know you guys have been waiting a long time...

(There is a crash in the kitchen.)

Phoebe: Hey. Have you heard from Prue?

Piper: Uh, yeah. Uh, she’s got everything under control. I’ll be right back.

(Piper goes to the kitchen.)

Phoebe: OK. It’s actually good that we have a few more minutes. We can go over your plan. You know. What you’re gonna tell Piper.

Leo: Oh, well. I thought that I’d tell her that, uh, as much as I love her and as much as I’d like to stay in San Francisco I can’t. A-and I don’t know how long my work will keep me away.

Phoebe: No. No. What you just said is as much as you’d like to stay and have sex with her, you’ve got a wife and kids in another part of the country. Try again.

Leo: Uh, Piper, um, you know how much you mean to me, and more than anything, I wish things could work out, but they can’t, and no one is more sorry then I am.

Phoebe: Translation-I found someone I like even better.

Leo: I’m completely confused.

Phoebe: Uh, look Leo. Its not that complicated. OK. Um, just avoid the following. We can still hang out. I don’t deserve you yet. I need more "me time" before we can have "we time". And my personal favorite, "It’s not you. It’s me." And whatever you do, do not start a conversation with "we need to talk". Other then that, you’ll do fine.

(She takes a sip of water.)

[Scene: Franklin house. Living room. Prue is sitting on the couch. Mr. Franklin is holding a picture of Max, Mr. Franklin, and Mrs. Franklin.]

Mr. Franklin: Then they hit me and I passed out. (He sits in an armchair and puts the picture down.) I’ve been going out of my mind crazy ever since last night. Should I go to the police? Should I do what they say? They promised to bring him back, but after what the police said happened this morning, I... I don’t even know if he’s alright.

Prue: No. I know that Max is OK right now. If he wasn’t, he couldn’t have sent me that last message.

Mr. Franklin: So I take it you’re a... a witch too huh?

Prue: Is that what your son says he is?

Mr. Franklin: It’s what Paulette, my wife, says he is. It’s what she was. You know, it would have been a hell of a lot easier to handle her family secret had it been revealed a lot sooner.

Prue: Maybe she was afraid of how you would react. Maybe she was afraid that you might not accept her or love her.

Mr. Franklin: Speaking from personal experience?

Prue: Yes I am.

Mr. Franklin: Well, when Paulette, she had to tell me, she was running out of time. She passed away 3 months ago. Then suddenly, Max, he starts having this power. I don’t have a clue what to tell him what it all means. And he uses it and he nearly gets busted at an arcade and now this.

Prue: I’m sure that Max...

Mr. Franklin: Do you have any children?

Prue: No, but...

Mr. Franklin: Then you possibly couldn’t understand what I’m feeling.

Prue: Still. I’m sorry... about what happened to Max and your wife, but if you could just find a way. Forgive her.

Mr. Franklin: Forgive her. She shouldn’t have told me. Maybe if she had I would have been better able to protect Max.

Prue: Do you know of anybody who owns an auto shop of any kind?

(Mr. Franklin shakes his head.)

Mr. Franklin: Why?

Prue: I think your son was trying to send me a clue.

Mr. Franklin: No I-I... although I think Max’s friend, Danny, his brother work at one over in Oakland.

Prue: Is Danny the friend that broke into the arcade with Max? (Mr. Franklin’s eyes widen.) Got an address?

[Scene: Auto shop. Max is trying to get free. Prue appears in the doorway.]

Prue: Max?

Max: Who there?

(As Prue talks, she goes to Max and tries to help get him free.)

Prue: My name is Prue. I’m here to take you home?

Max: But how’d you find me?

Prue: I had a little chat with your friend Danny. Look, you’re dad, he’s waiting for you.

Max: You know my dad?

Prue: Yeah, he...

(Mickey appears in the doorway. Prue stands up.)

Mickey: Hey. Who the hell are you? (Prue uses her power to push him back.) Aah!

(He hits the tire bend. And falls to the floor. Max looks at Prue with wide eyes. David enters. Prue uses her power to push him back too. He hits the tire bend and falls to the floor. Prue helps Max up.)

Prue: Come on. We need to hurry.

Max: You have powers?

Prue: Yeah. I’ll explain them to you in the car, OK?

Max: I can’t leave. They’ll kill my dad if I do.

(Mickey comes up and hits Prue in. Prue is knocked to the floor unconscious.)

Commercial break

[Scene: Auto shop. Prue is tied up next to Max. Mickey shakes Prue.]

Mickey: Hey. Naptime’s over. Wake up. (Prue wakes up.) I got a little surprise for you.

Prue: Max, are you OK?

(Max shakes his head.)

Mickey: He’s fine.

Prue: Look, don’t worry...

Mickey: (hits Prue on the shoulder.) I said he’s fine! Now before you go trying to pull any of that magical, uh, hocus pocus crap again, I wanna show you something. (He pulls out a little trigger with a red button on it.)

Prue: What is it?

Mickey: All that matters is what happens when I flick that little switch. Now I flick that little switch, and Max here takes a nap. A long one.

David: Mickey, why don’t...

Mickey: Shut up! (Mickey goes over to Max and kneels down beside him. David leaves. Mickey show Prue a bomb attached to Max’s waist.) Plastic explosives. Little trick I picked up in Corcoran. Prison system’s very educational.

Prue: Mickey, he’s just a child. He’s already proven that he’s not going anywhere. If you’re going to wire anyone. Wire me.

Mickey: What is it with the two of you? What are you, like magicians or freaks of natures? Aliens? What?

Prue: Witches. (Mickey laughs and leaves the room.) You OK?

Max: I’m scared.

Prue: I know. Just uh, do as they say and everything will be fine. They need you, remember?

Max: I’m sorry I got you into this. Sorry I have these stupid powers.

Prue: No Max. Don’t ever be sorry about that. It’s a gift. It’s like being a, uh, musician or athlete.

Max: It’s a pain. I’m a freak. My dad hates it too. He hates me.

Prue: No. No, he doesn’t. He just doesn’t understand it, that’s all. It’s new to him too. Don’t worry Max. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise. OK?

Max: OK.

Prue: OK.

(They both smile.)

[Cut to other room inside the auto shop where David and Mickey are discussing the plan.]

David: You really think it’s necessary? Wiring the kid like that?

Mickey: You saw what that chick did. Pretty cool actually. Might come in handy tonight. It’s the only reason she’s still breathing.

[Scene: Quake. Piper comes out of the kitchen and go towards Leo.]

Piper: Sorry. Small mutiny in the kitchen. (She sits down.) Where were we?

Leo: Piper there’s something I need to tell you.

Piper: Yeah?

Leo: Uh, look. Forgive me, but I could be summoned at any moment, so I have to tell you this now. I can’t…I can’t, uh…I can’t believe how much I missed you.

Piper: Well Leo, I missed you too, but what do you mean "summoned"? Summoned where?

(Harry comes out of the kitchen and stands by the door.)

Harry: Hey, uh…Piper. No respect I can live with, OK, but where the hell is my coriander?

(He goes back into the kitchen.)

Piper: OK. That’s it. I’m ending this now.

(Piper gets up and heads towards the kitchen. Phoebe enters.)

Phoebe: Oh my gosh. You know.

Piper: Of course I know. The whole restaurant knows. Didn’t you hear him scream across the room?

Phoebe: (To Leo.) I thought it was a secret.

Leo: Phoebe...

Piper: I wish. It will probably be in the newspaper tomorrow.

Phoebe: No. It can’t be. Look Piper, he never meant to hurt you.

Piper: Phoebe, please. You haven’t even meet the manic yet. What’s gotten into you?

(Piper goes into the kitchen. Phoebe looks questionably at Leo.)

Leo: She’s talking about the new chef.

Phoebe: Oh, right. So does that mean she took your news well?

Leo: That means she doesn’t know. I can’t tell her Phoebe. I can’t stand to think about it, much less, talk about it.

Phoebe: Well, here’s something else you might not want to think about. Piper said that Prue had everything under control. Well, I can’t find her.

[Scene: Police Station. Andy is at his desk. Darryl comes in with a picture of Mickey.]

Darryl: Say hello. Mickey Jackson. Security cameras digitally enhanced for your viewing pleasure.

(He hands Andy the photo from the security camera.)

Andy: Jackson’s a convicted bank robber. What’s he doing breaking into a microchip plant?

Darryl: And stealing squad. Good question.

Andy: A better one would be how he broke into the plant in the first place. (Darryl sits in a chair in front of Andy’s desk.) High tech's not exactly his style.

Darryl: Mmm. Unless this was just a dry run. Maybe Mickey’s looking to do big and better things.

Andy: Like another bank?

Darryl: Mmm. Like a big bank. It’s a leap. I know.

Andy: Agreed. But why the kid? How’s he fit into this? (Darryl shakes his head. Andy’s phone rings.) Trudeau.

Phoebe: Hey Andy. It’s Phoebe.

[Cut to Manor. Phoebe’s on the phone and Leo is sitting on the couch.]

Phoebe: Have you seen Prue since this morning?

[Cut to Police Station.]

Andy: No. As a matter of fact, I was about to ask you the same question.

[Cut to Manor.]

Phoebe: Really? Why?

[Cut to Police Station.]

Andy: Because I think she knows something about a boy named Max.

[Cut to Manor.]

Andy: Do you?

Phoebe: Uh. Ooh. Oh. That’s my call waiting. Gotta go. Could be Prue. Bye. (She hangs up and goes to Leo.) Uh…anything?

Leo: No. I can’t reach either Max or Prue telepathically.

Phoebe: Does that mean they’re in trouble?

(Piper enters.)

Piper: Who’s in trouble?

Phoebe: Oh. The 49ers. No secondary. They need a really good draft pick next year. Well I’m gonna go into the kitchen and see if I can get in touch with Prue. (To Leo.) Carry on.

(She leaves. Piper walks towards Leo and takes off her coat and sits by Leo while saying this.)

Piper: Alone. Finally. Don’t have to worry about any more interruptions from Harry. He, uh, quit. (She goes to hug Leo and he draws away from her.) OK. Not the enthusiastic response I was hopping for.

Leo: Look, uh, Piper, I’ve been searching all day for an easy way to tell you this.

Piper: Oh. Uh. (She freezes him.) Phoebe. Phoebe, I know you’re not in the kitchen.

(Phoebe comes into the living room)

Phoebe: That is so weird. I was just on my way back.

Piper: Is Leo about to tell me he doesn’t want to see me anymore?

(Phoebe sits next to Piper. She looks over at Leo and sees he’s frozen.)

Phoebe: You’ll have to ask him.

(She leaves. Piper turns back to Leo. Time unfreezes.)

Leo: And that’s the problem. I fell in love with you and I shouldn’t have.

Piper: You’re married.

Leo: No.

Piper: Engaged.

Leo: Um... I’m involved. But it’s not…the way you think. The truth is that I lead you on and made you believe that I was coming back.

Piper: Leo, you are back.

Leo: Yeah, but I... I have to leave again. Now, and…and it’s not because I want to, though. It’s because I have to. I’m sorry.

Piper: That’s OK.

Leo: It is?

Piper: Yeah. I mean Leo, you’re a nice guy and I like you a lot, but let’s face it. You’re, uh, geographically undesirable. I mean, you said you live really far away right?

Leo: Yeah. Pretty far.

Piper: Well I try never to get involved with guys I can’t see regularly. So, don’t feel bad. I mean, I understand. Really, I do.

(Piper kisses Leo and leaves. Phoebe enters.)

Phoebe: So how’d she take it?

Leo: Not bad. (The white lighters call Leo.) Oh. Um. Excuse me, but I have to go. (He grabs his coat and heads towards the door.)

Phoebe: Leo, what—wh—where you going?

Leo: (Stopping at the doorway.) I uh, have to leave. Now.

(He leaves.)

[Scene: Auto shop. Mickey is in a van preparing for the robbery. David walks over to him with the blue prints.]

David: So the thing is, once Max shorts out the alarm, we got like 3 minutes till the guard realize there’s a signal interruption.

Mickey: Just make sure the kid knows what he’s supposed to do. And keep an eye on that girl. I don’t trust her.

[Cut to Prue and Max on the other side of the room.]

Max: Has anything like this ever happened to you before?

Prue: Uh…not exactly like this. Usually the demons that I have to deal with...

Max: Demons?

Prue: Your mom didn’t get to tell you much about being a witch did she?

Max: No. I just found out about my power when she died.

Prue: You know, my mom died when I was young too. I know how much it hurts, and it doesn’t ever really go away. I didn’t even know that my power was coming. I had to figure it out all by myself, which means so can you. Especially with your dad’s help.

Max: He’ll never understand.

Prue: Max, you have to help him understand.

Max: You sound just like my mom.

Prue: Well, I care a lot about you too.

Max: I wish you could be my mom right now.

Prue: So, what is your power anyway?

Max: Mom called it psychokineses. It means I can move things I can’t see.

(Mickey comes to them.)

Mickey: All right. Remember, just do everything I say. And uh, nobody gets hurt.

David: Let’s roll.

(Mr. Franklin shows up.)

Mr. Franklin: Max?

Max: Dad. (Mickey and David point guns at Mr. Franklin.)

Mr. Franklin: Hold it. Hold it. Don’t shoot. I’m unarmed. Nobody else knows you’re here. I swear. I found you the same way she did. Through your brother.

Mickey: Your brother?

Prue: Gordan, they have him wired.

Mickey: Shut up.

Max: Dad?

Mr. Franklin: It’s alright son. Look man. I’ll give you anything else you want. Just... let me have my boy, please?

(Mickey lowers his gun.)

Mickey: Alright David. Go, um, go put them in the van. Do it.

(David, Prue, and Max walk past Mr. Franklin.)

Mr. Franklin: My son. (David pushes him aside.) Max. Max. (Prue, Max, and David go in the van. As Mr. Franklin takes, Mickey loads the gun.) Please man, let him go. I beg you. Please. He’s my son. I beg you. Please.

(Mickey points the gun at Mr. Franklin’s chest.)

Mickey: Sorry. (He shots him. Mr. Franklin falls down. Prue sees this. Max is burying his face in Prue’s coat. Mickey closes the door. He gets in the front.) Drive.

(He looks at Prue. Prue looks at Mr. Franklin as the van drives away.)

Commercial break

[Scene: Street by bank. David parks on the side of the road. David turns around and looks at Max.]

David: Alright. It’ll be just like this morning Max. (He shows Max the blueprints for the bank.) That’s where the alarm panel is. You know the rest.

(Max looks at Mickey.)

Mickey: What are you looking at?

Max: What are you going to do with my dad?

Prue: Max, the sooner this is over, the sooner we can get to him. We need to hurry.

(Max looks at the map. He then uses his power to short out the alarms, open the gate, and open the vault.)

Max: OK.

Mickey: Out.

(Mickey and David pull on their bank robbers masks. They get out of the van and make Max and Prue come with them. They go in the bank and to the vault.)

David: We got 2 minutes.

Mickey: Alright. You get the cash. I’ll watch them.

(David goes in the vault. Mickey watches him.)

Prue: Use your power.

(Max is confused. Prue uses her power to show him to use it on the bomb on himself. Mickey looks at them. He grabs Max.)

Mickey: I don’t want you two getting any ideas. (Max looks at Prue while Mickey looks at David. Prue nods. Max begins using his power on the bomb.) What the hell are you doing?

(Max shorts out the bomb. An alarm rings.)

Guard #1: At the vault!

(Two guards arrive on the scene. Mickey pushes Max away. Prue grabs him and holds him, making sure he doesn’t get hurt.)

Guard #2: Hold it right there!

(David and Mickey get their guns.)

Guard #1: Drop it!

(Prue uses her power to push the guards out of the way of the firing bullets. They stop.)

Mickey: Big mistake.

(Mickey pushes the button on the trigger. Nothing happens.)

Prue: Yeah. Right back at you. (She uses her power to push David and Mickey in the vault, closes it, and locks it.) Come on.

(They begin to leave.)

Max: Shouldn’t we wait for the cops? Explain everything?

Prue: No. Look, we cannot explain without telling and you have to protect yourself by protecting your secret. We really need to get back to your dad, OK?

[Cut to Auto shop. Mr. Franklin is lying on the ground weakly. A light comes towards him. It begins to form a person.]

Mr. Franklin: Paulette?

(The light turns into Leo. Leo walks to him and kneels down.)

Leo: It’s not time to be with your wife, Gordon. It’s time to be with your son.

Mr. Franklin: But...

(Leo puts his hand over Mr. Franklin’s wound and heals him. He takes his hand away.)

Leo: Raise the boy well. Heed Prue's advice.

(Leo orbs away. The van comes in. Max and Prue get out.)

Max: Dad, you OK?

Mr. Franklin: Max. (Max gets up and hugs his son.) Oh. Ooh. I’m fine Max. Thank you God. Thank you. Thank you. Ooh. You’re alright.

Prue: But I saw you get... you’re not bleeding.

Mr. Franklin: It's a miracle. Thank you... thank you for protecting my son.

Prue: I’m just glad it all worked out. Raise the boy well. (Mr. Franklin looks at Prue strangely.) What?

Mr. Franklin: There’s somewhere we need to go. (To Prue.) I’d like you to come with us.

[Scene: Cemetery. It’s morning. Max and Mr. Franklin put two pink rose with ribbons by Paulette’s grave. Prue is standing behind them.]

Mr. Franklin: I was so busy being angry at your mother for leaving, for not telling me her secret, your secret... it was like a... a weight on my heart. I hope you both can forgive me.

(Max hugs his dad.)

[Scene: Manor. Attic. A toy train goes across the floor. Phoebe picks it up. Piper is carrying a box of toys behind her. They go to a little table. Phoebe sits down. Piper puts the box down.]

Prue: Can you believe that? Dad’s old train.

Piper: I can’t believe you. You get mad at me for chasing monsters on my own.

Prue: Well, I figured I could handle it when I realized they weren’t demons, but I probably should have asked for help.

Phoebe: Even though that killed you, and it almost did.

Prue: Live and learn.

Piper: Yeah, you didn’t even get to say good-bye to Leo.

Phoebe: What is that supposed to mean?

Piper: I don’t know. It’s just weird. I felt like... he was holding something back form me.

Prue: Holding something back? What do you mean?

Piper: Who knows? It just seems like he wasn’t telling me the whole story. Like... he had some secret he was afraid I couldn’t handle.

Phoebe: Well that’s his call... (Prue and Piper give her the "what" look.) Uh, assuming that he had a secret. Might not have.

Piper: What are you talking about?

Phoebe: OK. OK. You don’t have to beat it out of me. Leo is a Whitelighter. They’re sort of guardian angels for witches. And they’re not supposed to get involved with witches. But Leo couldn’t help it. He fell in love with you and that broke all the rules and got him in all sorts of trouble. And even though he’ll love you forever, you will probably never see him again.

(Prue and Piper begin laughing.)

Piper: What? Phoebe, that’s... that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Oh god. Don’t be so silly. (Piper tosses Phoebe a doll.)

Phoebe: That’s me. Silly.

Piper: I gotta go get some more tea.

(She leaves)

Prue: Yeah. You know, Pheebs. With an imagination like that, you should be writing children’s books or something.

Phoebe: No. But I didn’t... I didn’t... even think of that. That’s a really good idea Prue.

(Phoebe moves the toy train to the box of toys going.)

Prue: Oh. Oh. (Prue grabs the toy train.) That stays here.

Phoebe: Wait. I thought all of the toys were going to the salvation army.

Prue: Well, like you said. We should save some for our children.

Phoebe: Do I scene a hormonal shift here?

Prue: It’s no big deal. I just had some time to think.

Phoebe: Yeah. In all that spare time of yours.

Prue: And I realize that I do want kids. I think that I’d make a great mom.

Phoebe: So, did you save Max or did Max save you?

(Prue doesn’t answer. Phoebe picks up the box and leaves.)

End