Charmed by Love

[adzpower]

I loved these chapters, when Piper and Leo were truly at their best, so great seeing it from other perspectives. Their love really meant something early on in the series.

[Esmeralda]

Jul 5, 2016 9:38:54 GMT -5 adzpower said:

I loved these chapters, when Piper and Leo were truly at their best, so great seeing it from other perspectives. Their love really meant something early on in the series.

It's why I continue to wish Leo had stayed away after "Love Hurts" - then their love story would've been my favorite of the entire series. As is... Oh, well.  Like so many stuff on Charmed, fantastic idea done horribly wrong!

In fact, originally my plan was to take this all the way through the wedding - actually doing it as a trilogy - "The Beginning"; "The Choice" and "The Rutabaga". But after I reached a certain point, both of them just rubbed me the wrong way when I knew they wouldn't rub Phoebe that way, so I had to stop. But I think I chose a good spot to stop...

In the mean time, here's more, my all-time favorite episode, although, oh, man, was it hard to write since no way I can see Phoebe telling her part in it, but I had to include it because the Leo and Piper part is so important (and special). I hope the way I did it works.

CHARMED BY LOVE - PART EIGHT: Morality Bites

Chapter One

Well, Piper, things got complicated when Leo returned, since the Elders decided that we needed his guidance. Once more you started going together, but things continued to get even more complicated, especially with Dan right next door, since it was very obvious that he was very interested in you. One particular day, when the doorbell ring, you greeted Leo with “Hello, stranger!” and he replied, “Is that what I am now?” and your younger sister, snooping as always - although this time I had a special reason for snooping - had to sigh with regret, because I knew it was true.

You asked him if he was playing hooky and he replied that They were making him work that night, so he had the afternoon off. As you two hugged, you teased him, “The old 'I gotta save the world' excuse again?” since he’d used it a lot since he’d been back, but as he reminded you, so had we. You looked sheepish and he smiled grimly, knowing that you were about to use it again and indeed you were, but before you could tell him, we heard that bell sound, the tinkle that we now knew meant the Elders had something important to tell Leo. So he told you to go ahead and do what we had to do, since there was something he had to take care of.

You held onto him, not wanting him to go. “Well, we really need to talk about things, you know, where we stand.”

He nodded. “Yeah, we do. Rain check?”

You sighed unhappily. “That's what we do best.” He then kissed you, a deep, warm, beautiful kiss, but then he orbed out right in the middle of it! You growled, “I hate when he does that,” and I had to bite my lip to keep from giggling.

No sooner was he gone, than Prue and I came into the foyer. “Come on, we’ve got to go find a spell that will help,” Prue told you, and we began climbing the stairs. “So, what did he want?” she asked.

“He canceled our date,” you replied, frustration in every word. “He's working again.”

“You didn't ask him what to do?” I asked anxiously.

“He had to fly ... literally,” as we walked into the attic. You stared at the Book. “Look. The pages were doing that flipping thing on their own again.”

We ran to the Book to see what the page said. It was two spells, one to take us to the future and one to bring us back. There’s no way you don’t remember why we had to go to the future and there’s no way I’m going to discuss it here! Not when I’d had a premonition about my future, seeing myself being executed - burnt alive, while you and Prue stood there watching! But I do want to discuss what happened to you, something you later told me about when we were all safely back in our own present.

As I knew a little too well, we all ended up going into our future bodies and you found yourself waking up from a nap, on the couch in the Manor's living room. Suddenly a beautiful little girl with long dark hair and bright dark eyes came running in. “Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!”

You smiled at her. “Uh, I think you have the wrong house. Certainly the wrong Mommy.”

She laughed, “Stop foolin'.” She gave you a big hug just as a car honked. “Car pool!” she cried out as she ran off.

Just then you saw on TV that although we tried to come back two weeks before my execution, it was now actually the day of it! I only had hours to live! As you tried to absorb that information, the little girl came running back in. “Mommy! I’m gonna be late!” and you walked to the door with her, where a woman stood.

“Morning, Piper. You all right?” she asked

“I guess,” you replied, still reeling from what you’d seen on TV.

“Yeah, with your sister, it's rough, I know,” she replied sympathetically. “So, don't worry about your little one. I'll get her to school like you asked but uh, are you sure you want me to take her to your ex's?”

“Ex?” you asked in surprise. “As in husband? As in mine?! Yes, if that is what I told you, then yes.”

“So, you and him are getting along better now?” she wanted to know.

You had no idea how to answer, so you simply said, “Maybe.”

“Okay,” the woman told the girl who you now knew was your future daughter, “Let's hit the road.”

But before she did, the little one hugged you tight and whispered, “Don't worry, Mommy. I promise I'll do what you asked. I won't use my magic again. Ever!”

Shocked by her words, but having no idea how to reply, you went outside to watch them drive off. Just then a limo pulled out, and Prue, complete with very long blonde hair and dressed in a tight leather dress with a ton of assistants surrounding her, got out of the limo. They fussed over her by brushing and touching her, so she told them to stop it and to stay put. Then she told you that she didn’t just work at Buckland's, she owned Buckland's now, besides three more branches, one in Paris, Tokyo and London! That, at Buckland's San Francisco, is where she woke up.

She wanted to know how you’d done and you sighed, saying that not bad, if one ignored your apparently failed marriage and the fact that you still lived in the Manor, because you had a beautiful daughter, and when you showed Prue her picture, she agreed. But when Prue asked what her name was, you realized that you had no idea, but then you told Prue that she had powers that you had told her not to use, still wondering why you had done that.

She wanted to know why you and she were in your future bodies and that made you realize that if that was the case, so was I!! Well, that sent you running up the stairs.

You laughed when you told me about that, as you remembered Prue saying, “Oh, surprise. Here we go, up the stairs, into the attic, grabbing the Book of Shadows; please tell me we're not gonna be doing this in ten years!”

But the laugh died in your throat as you remembered what you saw when you reached the attic - an empty pedestal! “Apparently not,” you replied, and when Prue wanted to know what had happened, you replied that the Book was gone!

”It's got to be here!” Prue cried, getting upset. “We need it to find the return spell.” When you tried to calm her, she got mad. “Piper, just help me look for it!” Again you tried to calm her, telling her to relax, that you two would find it, which just got her madder. “You don't know that. I mean, what if it's lost; what if we can't find it? Then we're stuck in our future bodies with no way of getting out of them and no way of saving Phoebe!”

While telling me about this, you shook your head, remembering how Prue just barely flicked her arm, and her power totally destroyed the attic! I shuddered at this little sample of what ten years could do to our powers, remembering what it had done to mine.

One nice thing came out of that power display - you spot a key underneath a turned-over table. Prue recognized it - it was the key to her safe at Buckland's.

“Do you think that means it's there?” you asked.

When you told me this, I was confused. “We've never taken the Book out of the house before.”

“Yeah, we haven’t,” you replied. “But as Prue told me, maybe our future selves had. The question is why?” and I wanted to know, too.

You reminded me what you then reminded Prue: “We still don't even know what we were like in that time, let alone what we think," and remembering what I had turned into - a murderer! - I had to agree.

"But we decided," you continued, "if the Book was at Buckland’s, maybe it would give us some answers, and Prue agreed, saying we’d go there first, then to you to see if you were all right,” and thinking how concerned you two were about me still makes me smile. ,"

As you drove, you grumbled about still having the same car while she had a limo and a driver, but Prue reminded you about your husband (ex, you reminded her) and a daughter. When you reached Buckland’s, you began walking along a busy sidewalk towards the door.

Suddenly a guy holding a steaming cup of coffee bumped into a woman, and my soft-hearted sister froze them before the coffee could spill. But not just the coffee, everything for a good city block froze, even the birds in the sky! Very obviously Prue’s power wasn’t the only one that had grown – as you put it, “What a difference a decade makes!”

“What the hell are you doing?”

You were both surprised by that voice, since you thought everything was still frozen. You were more surprised to see, “Leo, I'm so glad you're here! I have so many..."

You began to hug him, but he backed away, glaring at you in a most unLeolike way. “Uh ... what's wrong?” you asked.

He glared harder, angrier. “You know, I knew you'd do something stupid like this. You used your magic in public. What's the matter with you? Are you insane?”

“Uh, Leo ...” you started, but then Prue whispered, “Remember he thinks we know what's going on.”

Leo didn’t hear her, but continued to scold you. “You wanna end up like your sister? Huh? We had an agreement. No using magic for Melinda's sake.”

“Melinda?” you asked, confused.

“Our daughter!” he cried in frustration. “What's wrong with you?”

“Our daughter?” you asked in astonishment, while Prue asked, “Wait a second, you're Piper's ex?”

Before he could reply, a woman walked around the corner and saw everything frozen, and began screaming, “WITCH!!”

“Okay, what's going on here?” Prue asked, but you already knew. You pointed at a poster that declared, “Rid the evil. Turn in witches."

“Over there! WITCH!” the woman kept screaming as everyone else unfroze.

“All right,” Leo cried, “Hurry! We gotta get outta here before they see you!

“They?” you asked and he grabbed your hands, pulling you along as he yelled out in frustration, “The witch hunters!”

He took you two underground, where a lot of people were living. Prue tried to explain what was going on. “Leo, listen to me. The two of us, the Prue and Piper that you see before you, are from the past. From ten years ago.”

You nodded. “So, we have no idea what is going on.”


But Leo wasn’t listening. “Don't even lie to me. Right, Phoebe is set to die today and I only hope that this madness dies with her. Right, these people are in danger because of the witch trials she started.”

“How?” Prue asked. “How did she start them?”

Now he was really getting mad. “You know, I don't know what you hope to accomplish by pretending not to know...

When you told me this, I was getting a little frustrated myself, and I knew how frustrated you must have grown. So I asked you how you convinced him and you grinned.  “I walked up to him, grabbed him and kissed him passionately, as passionately as I possibly could, as passionately as I kissed him this morning!!”

I cheered over that and laughed when you told me about the shocked look on Leo’s face, as he rubbed his lips, saying, “You haven't kissed me like that since...”

You nodded, while I laughed as you repeated for me what you told him: “Since this morning. 1999, remember? We were supposed to meet; you had to leave; I went up to the attic; and this is where I came, the future. If you don't believe me, at least believe what you feel, trust that!”

And I cheered. No way would you have been able to do that or say that a year before, even six months before! You had definitely grown since we became witches, and I knew Leo’s love had helped you grow.

Now he nodded. “I remember that was the day They sent me up to the attic to open the Book of Shadows, the future spell.”

“Wait, that was you?!” Prue cried. “We just assumed it was Grams,” since Grams’ ghost had told us that that was how she kept an eye on us.

“No, it was me. They didn't tell me why. What, you don't know what's happened the last ten years?” and when you and Prue shook your heads, he continued, “These people, they're here underground because they've been accused of practicing witchcraft”.

Prue looked around, then asked what I wanted to know. “They're witches?”

“Some of them,” he replied. “Most of them have been falsely accused. They're safe here for now.”

That’s when Prue asked him what did I do and he told you what and why, which again, I won’t go into. Prue couldn’t believe that my power could kill, after all it was passive. As I was later to tell him myself, what did I do - premonition the man to death?

“Well, it can now!" Leo growled angrily. "It's been ten years. All your powers have grown,” so you said you’d have to get to me and explain.

Leo shook his head, “You can't. All right, as it stands, you and Prue are safe. The witch hunters checked you out and don't suspect you're witches. To get to Phoebe you'd have to use your powers and then they'll catch you then kill you.”

“Leo, she's our sister. We're not gonna let her die,” and I hugged you for that.

“Wait, I'll go,” he decided.

“Leo, this is our sister,” declared Prue. “We have to,” and when you told me that, I knew how much I deeply loved both of my big sisters, even our oldest one who before we became witches I was sure I hated.

He shook his head firmly. “No. I'm still your guide. I can orb in and keep you out of danger.”

You agreed, telling him that you and Prue would go to Buckland's and get the Book and get the spell to get all of us home, and Prue told him you guys would meet him back at the Manor.

But you couldn’t, Piper. You had to ask him, “Leo, um, we got married?” and for the first time since he walked up to you, Leo smiled.

But before he could respond, Prue insisted that you’d have plenty of time later. Well, I wanted to know right then and there, but since you ended up having to wait, you made me wait, too, so I’m going to be the meanie little sister and make you wait!

Well, once you got passed all of Prue’s underlings, including Anne, her personal secretary, Prue opened the safe and took out the Book, but that’s when you got the shock of our future lives--the spell to return to our present was gone! Our future selves must have already used it, and it could only be used once! We were stuck in 2009 with me still getting ready to die!

[Esmeralda]

Chapter Two

“You wanna tell me how screwed we are?” you asked.

“Pretty screwed,” Prue admitted.

“Thanks. I wonder what's taking Leo so long?”

Prue was looking at the Book, noting that some of the pages were marked; the top corners turned down and all of them were new spells, such as one to create a door, one to induce slumber, a glamour spell to change one’s appearance, a binding spell. Some of them had baggies attached, which you decided must be potions of some kind.

Prue figured it out – it was your future selves' plan to break me out.

Just then Leo walked in, but alone – he’d left me in prison where he said I belonged! Prue was shocked because she thought he was going to bring me back to the Manor, but he explained that he only said he’d go to me, which he did – to explain to me why I had to pay for my crime.

“You're our guide!” you exclaimed in disgust. “You're supposed to protect us and you're just gonna let her die!”

“You're signing her death warrant,” Prue accused.

Leo shook his head. “I'm to protect the greater good. If Phoebe lives, if you use your magic to save her, then the persecutions will continue. And our daughter will grow up in a world where her powers are punishable by death. Do you want that?”

You had to agree. “Of course not.”

“Well, then it has to end with Phoebe. She has to die.”

But Prue didn’t agree. “Like hell!”

Seeing how mad Prue was getting, you froze Leo. “Relax," you told her. "We've seen what your new powers can do when you're angry.”

“He's gonna stay frozen, right?”

You glared at him. “If he knows what's good for him, he'll stay frozen!”

Prue nodded. “All right, let's go.”

But before you two tried to rescue me, you drove over to Leo’s house. I’m not sure how you found it, but you did. But you just sat there in the car, staring at the spell in your hands - the binding spell.

“Piper,” Prue gently told you. “If you're gonna do this, you'd better hurry. Leo can unfreeze and be home any second. Besides, Phoebe has less than an hour.”

So you got out the car and walked up to the door. You looked through a window and saw pretty little Melinda playing, having a tea party with her dolls. You opened your mouth to say the spell, but no words came out, instead tears rolled down your cheeks, just like they rolled down mine when you told me about it.

“You can't do it, can you?” Leo had unfroze and was now standing behind you.

You shook your head. “No. Our grandmother did it to us for protection.”

“You don't have to bind her powers, Piper,” he gently told you. “We agreed that I'd take care of her and I will, I promise.”

“I know you will.” Then you turned to look at him. “So we were together? Does that mean you clipped your wings for me?”

He shook his head. “No. You wouldn't let me. We tried to make it work with our powers, and it didn't, and then all of this happened.”

The tears fell faster down both your cheeks and mine. “Were we happy?” you asked, begging for the right answer. “Just for a little while, were we happy?”

For the first time, he looked like the Leo you had left in 1999 as the angry lines faded into memories. Smiling, he softly answered, “Very.”

Then, even as the tears continued to roll down your cheeks, you stood straight and tall and demanded, “Are you gonna try and stop us?”

“I can't do that.”

“I hope you understand why I have to do what I'm doing,” and he had to agree.

“What are we gonna do?” you asked, helplessly.

He smiled wryly. “What we always do.”

And you smiled wryly back. “Talk about it later,” and you headed back to the car.


Well, you two managed to save me by not saving me, and thanks to that, we were sent back to our own time. That’s when we realized what we had done wrong - tried to punish the guilty rather than protecting the innocent, and that the wrong thing done for the right reason is still the wrong thing.

After what had happened, Prue decided that there was no way she was going to the office, that she was going out with us. After all, we all had a lot of changes to make if we wanted to avoid ending up where we just came from, which we’ve obviously done, since the present we now live in is nothing like that one.

Although as you reminded Prue then, “That future wasn't all bad. You were like Miss Fortune-Five-Hundred, and I had a beautiful little girl.”

That was when I wanted to know what had happened, and you smiled and said you’d give details later.

Prue nodded. “You know, we can still make the good things happen, Piper. We just have to make the right choices.”

You smiled. “So maybe Leo and I will end up together.”

That shocked me worse. “Wait, you and Leo?” as the doorbell rang.

You grinned. “Speak of the angel. I'll get that,” and you went to answer the door, while I followed behind. “Hey, stranger!“ as you grabbed him and pulled him into the house, giving him another passionate kiss, while I silently applauded.

Leo grinned. “I would have settled for a nice hello.”

You grinned back. “Didn't anyone tell you not to settle?”

“That's a good lesson.”

“I've been learning a lot of them lately.”

He smiled. “So I've heard. Look, honestly, I didn't know you were gonna get sent to the future. I don't even know what happened when you got there. All I was told was apparently you had something to learn.”

“So, that's why you're here?” you asked.

“No. That's why you're here. You were given a glimpse of your future to learn a valuable lesson. And I'm glad you learned it, because I know They wouldn't have brought you back if you didn't. Speaking of which, They're making me work tonight, so I can't really...

“This is always gonna be a problem for us, isn't it?”

“I'm willing to work on it.”

“Good. Make sure you never forget you said that,” as you two both kissed tenderly, and, Piper, you don’t know how badly I wish you both had remembered that; how badly I wish I could believe that you still remember that! Because only a couple weeks later, your feelings started to change again, and thinking back now, I wonder how much the Elders, who don’t like the idea of whitelighters and witches being together, had to do with it!

So?? Did that work out okay?

[Esmeralda]

CHARMED BY LOVE: PART NINE: The Devil’s Music

Chapter One

Your new club, P3, had been around for a couple weeks, but most nights it was deader than a doornail. You kept insisting that it would pick up once word of mouth kicked in, but Prue and I wondered. .Prue had actually found someone willing to invest, who was willing to give us a no-interest loan, but we were hoping to figure a way to make the club profitable without doing that, since we didn’t want to chance losing the Manor. Besides, the guy wanted something a little more personal from Prue, something she wasn’t sure that she was willing to give.

Just about the time when we truly thought Prue would have to give in to this dirtbag, just to save the club and the Manor, you came running into the kitchen with great news. Just before you did Prue had just gotten off the phone and told me that everything was set – the dirtbag was going to meet us at the club, hand over the check, and that would be that. I was still worried, since I knew that meant you would agree to his invitation for dinner and other stuff in Paris, so I asked her if we were doing the right thing, begging our big sister to convince me that we were.

How’s this, Piper? Our big sister replied, “Well, we’re helping out our sister. That’s always the right thing, right?”

Before I could answer, you came bouncing into the kitchen, as happy and as excited as I’d ever seen you. Dishwalla, a very popular group was going to playing at P3 that night! We could not believe it, so smiled, in pure delight, all your hard work finally validated. You told us that you networked; sent out feelers, sent off press releases and now Dishwalla decided to put P3 on their schedule, officially validating P3 as the place to be!

Then you hugged Prue and me. “I couldn’t have done it without you, you patient,” as you kissed Prue, “most generous,” as you kissed me, “sisters in the whole wide world!” and Prue and I laughed, since we couldn’t disagree.

Just then the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it!” and so off you floated, five feet off the floor (figuratively!), me close on your heels, but stopping at one of my favorite snoop spots--behind the conservatory door.

When you opened the door, I grinned. “LEO!” you cried in delight. “This day just keeping getting better! Hi!”

He wasn’t quite as enthusiastic. “Hi, uh, Piper, we haveta talk.”

You nodded, your enthusiasm slightly dampened. "Yeah...okay, uh... are you free tonight?” And your enthusiasm came back, as you shook your finger at him, grinning. “Better be, coz you’re my date! We have backstage passes, ALL ACCESS, BABY, to see DISHWALLA at P-THREE! I made it happen!”

Leo shook his head, regretfully. “Uh, no, actually, I made it happen.”

That made you fall back to Earth. Hard and fast! “WHAT?!”

“Yeah, look,” he tried to explain. “I wanted to tell you sooner, but I didn’t have time. I had to move fast. There’s a demon involved.”

“A demon?” you asked in total disbelief.

Leo nodded. “Yeah, he’ll be at your club, tonight.”

You still refused to believe it. “But, no! Their manager, Jeff Carlton, came to me and...and booked them himself!”

Leo nodded. “I know. I cast a spell on him.”

Now you got mad: “You WHAT?!”

I was also shocked – we had no idea that Leo could cast spells! But he was shrugging sheepishly, beginning to realize the sort of trouble he was in. “I sorta cribbed it from one of the other witches I look after. I suggested to Carlton that he get Dishwalla into your club.”

Prue, who had heard and started walking towards you two, now pushed me, so we both walked into the foyer together. “Why didn’t you just come to us?” she wanted to know.

“Because he knows I would have been pissed off!” you answered. Then you turned to him. “What are you doing?”

“My job.”

“Your job?” you cried in disbelief. “What, are we going to be like, Leo’s witches now? We’re supposed to kill a demon during a sold-out concert? ARE YOU NUTS?”

I tried to settle you down, but you turned on me. “NO! Anywhere else but not there... not my place!”

Leo was still trying to explain. “The band’s manager made a bargain with Masselin.”

“That’s the demon?” Prue asked.

Leo nodded. “Yeah. In exchange for human sacrifice, Masselin will make Carlton rich and powerful by attracting successful bands to him.”

I couldn’t believe it. “Are you telling me that Dishwalla is hooked up with a demon?”

Leo shook his head. “No, they don’t know anything about the demon.”

Prue, as always, was worried about the demon’s true victims. “So, these innocents ... what happens to them?”

“They’re devoured by Masselin. Consumed for their souls.”

I made a face in disgust. “EWWW!”

“The more souls Masselin collects,” Leo continued. “the more successful Carlton becomes. You can’t destroy the demon without first freeing those trapped within him.”

Prue and I were feeling for the innocents, but you were still concerned about your club, your club that finally had a chance to be successful. “All this freeing and destroying--is this in between sets or during the encore?”

Leo turned to look at you, his eyes begging for understanding. “Look, I know you’re upset.”

But you were in no mood to be understanding. “No. No! I skated past upset just after you came in the door. Right now, I’m at FURIOUS!”

“We have to talk.”

But Leo using that line that you two used so often just got you angrier. “You bet your whitelighter a$$, we do!”

But he didn’t have time to explain further as we heard that bell-tinkling sound again. “Later. I have to go,” and he orbed out.

There were a few seconds of silence, and then I tried to lighten the mood. “See, now this is exactly why you should never date a co-worker!” You turned to shoot that glare at me, at full-wattage. I backed up, putting up my hands in surrender. “Hey! It was a joke!” and then I hugged you. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry.”

You buried your face in my shoulder. “How could he do this?”

“Well,” and Prue tried to be practical. “It sounds like he didn’t have a choice, and quite frankly, I don’t think we do either.”

And we didn’t. While Prue went to check with the loan guy, you and I as always headed up the stairs to the attic to try to find our latest enemy in the Book of Shadows. You found Masselin first. Pointing at the page, you growled, “There’s Leo’s problem!”

I shook my head. “It’s our problem.”

You refused to be placated. “You want to know what the real problem is?”

“Oh, do tell,” I said teasingly.

Again you glared. “Never mind,” and I thanked you, even though I knew what, or rather, who, the problem was, although I wished he wasn’t.

“So, how do we vanquish this creep?” you asked.

To myself, I wondered which creep you meant, but aloud I said, “Let’s find out. Shall we?”

Again you glared at me. “And what is with that attitude?”

“What attitude?” I asked, as innocently as I could.

And you finally admitted what was really making you mad. “Leo... it was like he was angry that I was angry. I have a right to be angry, don’t I?" Then you shook your head in frustration. “I don’t wanna talk about it!”

I was getting frustrated with both you and Leo. “Then DON’T!”

But you were reading, not listening to me. “WHOA!” you cried in amazement and horror.

When I wanted to know what, you told me to look at the illustration in the Book. The illustration made me shudder as did the words: “Trapped within the demon. The unfortunate ones kept alive, their souls tortured for the pleasure he gets from their suffering." I looked at you. “We’ve got to get them out of there.”

“With what?” you asked, sarcastically. “Demonic Ipecac?”

“Actually, yeah,” I replied as you stare at me in disbelief. “That seems to be the idea,” and I read from the Book again: "The demons seeks willing, trusting souls, delivered by the one who sealed the pact."

“The manager,” you pointed out.

I nodded. “So we have to get close to Carlton.”

“Well, I’m already close,” you reminded me. “And as far as we know, I’m a willing, trusting soul... a sucker. Someone who falls for a quick line from a pretty face.”

“Will you please stop that?” I demanded, getting frustrated with you again.

“You’re right,” you admitted. “Fine. Leo is the least of my worries.”

I smiled. “Right. We’ll worry about that tomorrow.”

But you were still mad. “I don’t think I can wait that long.”

I hugged you. “Sorry, sweetie, you’re gonna have to. Because tonight we have some major demon-a$$-kicking to do.”

Later, you and I were in the kitchen, looking for something to help with the vanquish. We’d decided to slip Masselin a little extra-strength antacid, and if the Book of Shadows was right – as it usually was - he would disappear like a demonic gas bubble, freeing his victims, leaving them safe and sound. But you were still concerned. After all, we had troubles giving Kit our cat a vitamin, so how were we going to get the antacid down a demon’s throat, so I showed you the balloon I planned to fill with the antacid, but you wanted to know where was the spoonful of sugar big enough to hide the balloon, so I told you you were looking at her – after all, the only way to get to Masselin, was through Carlton the manager, so all I’d have to do is get close to Carlton, pretend I was some choice tidbit and then get Masselin to swallow the balloon
.
“Right before he swallows you, Phoebe?!” you cried out and shook your head. “No, it’s too dangerous!”

I shrugged. “Well, unless you have a better idea, it’s our only choice. You and Prue will back me up. I’ll be fine”.

You grabbed the blender and threw food into it. “I hate him!” you growled as you threw more food into it.

I shrugged. “Of course you hate him. He’s a demon. Wait, we are talking about the demon, right?”

You weren’t listening; you were too busy ranting, as you continued to throw food into the blender. “He didn’t even have the decency to ask me first. He at least could have discussed it with me.”

“Oh, Leo?” I asked.

But you still weren’t listening. “I mean, can you believe him?" And you threw more food into the blender." He acted as if we never had a relationship before! Like it was just business!” In a rage, you slammed on the blender. Food flew everywhere to your dismay.

I reached over and hit the off button, then hugged you. “Got to put the lid on, honey!”

You lay your head on my shoulder. “And I saw the future, too, you know. Leo and I get married. A marriage in the future imply some sort of relationship in the present. The question is: where’s the relationship?”

I patted your shoulder, asking, “Somewhere between confusing and complicated? Just talk to him, honey. It’ll be okay.”

“I’d rather just freeze him and kick him in the--"

DING DONG! Just then the doorbell rang. I had to bite back my laugh, but it just made you more mad. “That better not be him!” you warned, your eyes blazing.

“In the shins?” I asked hopefully, as seriously as I could.

“Not exactly,” and you marched to the door, me stopping at my favorite spy-spot.

But it wasn’t Leo at the door; it was Dan. When he greeted you, you managed to smile and greet him back and when he asked if he could talk to you for a second, you let him in.

“What’s up?” you asked.

“Jenny,” he replied. And after an uncomfortable pause, he just came out and asked you. “Did you tell her she could go see Dishwalla tonight?”

“No, no!!” you cried, thinking about both the laws against letting minors in bars and the demon. “She can’t go!”

“She said you said it was all right.

And you must have given her that idea, because you replied, “Well, I didn’t exactly tell her it wasn’t. But the things were happening kinda fast.”

“Well, she’s in her room right now, picking out her clothes.”

“Oh God!” you cried in fear. “Okay. I’ll go talk to her.”

You turned to open the door and there stood Leo. He greeted you and you greeted him back, but not as enthusiastically as usual and without your normal kiss.

“Listen,” he said. “I was hoping that we could,” but then he spot Dan and finished, “ uh... talk.”

“Sure,” you replied, then began to introduce them. “ Leo, this is--”

“--Dan Gordon!” cried Leo.

“Wait!” you cried in shock. “You know him?”

“What? Are you kidding?” Leo asked enthusiastically. “He used to play second base for the Mariners. He had an All-Star season going until he blew out his knee sliding into home.” He smiled at Dan. “I still think you were safe.”

Dan grinned back. “So do I.”

Leo stuck out his hand. “I’m Leo.”

Dan shook Leo’s hand and grinned. “Nice meeting you.”

“No, it’s not!” and you turned on Leo. “You follow baseball?”

“Yeah!” and he sounded just like any other American male who loves watching sports.

But that just made you angrier. “You have time for baseball, but you don’t have time to tell me
about you-know-what, before you-know-who shows up you-know-where?”

All of those “you-know’s” made Dan uncomfortable. “Uh, listen,” he decided. “If you two need to talk or something, I can--” and he began to leave.

But you shook your head. “No, no, NO! We don’t need to talk. Leo stops by occasionally to fix things. Phoebe can show him around.” That was my cue, so I quickly walked to the door. Then you grabbed Dan by the arm. “C”mon! Let’s go talk to Jenny.”

Dan looked back at Leo. “It was nice meeting you.”

Leo agreed, but the tone of his voice told me, “Not really!” as you and Dan left.

I tried to comfort Leo. “She’s just a little upset.”

He nodded. “Yeah. I don’t blame her,” and I knew he desperately wished he hadn’t put you and him into this situation, but also knew that he had to, in order for him and us to do our job, a problem that still continues to this day, a problem that I still wonder if the Elders exploit for their own agendas.

[Esmeralda]

Chapter Two

Later you told Prue and me about what happened up in Jenny's room. As Dan had told you, Jenny was busy picking out her clothes. You tried to reason with her. “Jenny, the state can shut me down."

But that didn’t work very well. “How are they gonna find out? Are you gonna tell ’em? Coz I’m not gonna tell ’em. Do you like the red or denim?"

“Jenny--,” Dan started.

She spun on him. “Yeah! Sure. Let’s hear from Uncle Dan. Who never in his life faked an I.D. or snuck into a bar. Who never did anything wrong. Ever."

“We’re talking about you,” he reminded her.

“No!” Jenny yelled back. “We’re talking about Piper, and she said I could go see the show!"

“I never said that,” you told her. “Jenny, I’m sorry, but I can’t let you in the club.”

“Your man and dad, they put me in charge,"

“Right. Everybody’s in charge. But not me. Not ever. Why is that?” and she ran out as she began to cry.

“I’m sorry,” Dan apologized. “She’s just feeling, you know, a little--"

You supplied the word for him. “Betrayed. It’s okay. I know the feeling,” and my heart ached for you when you told us.


Later, at P3, as we began trolling the dance floor, looking for the manager, Prue wanted to be sure that I had the poison pill. When I told her I was armed and dangerous, she spot Mr. Carlton, the manager, and told us to take our places. You walked up to him, greeting him. When he wanted to know if the band was already there, you told him, “Yep. They came in the back way. They’re right over there. Everything’s ready.”

“Better be,” he declared as he walked away. “I don’t want any problems.”

I heard you mutter, “That’s too bad.”

So did Leo. “Talking to yourself again?”

You spun and glared. “What are you doing here?"

“I’m watching over things. It’s what I do, remember?”

“I remember when it didn’t use to be a job."

That hurt him. “Look! This isn’t easy for me either, Piper, you know.”

“Leo, I really can’t talk about this right now. Excuse me,” and you walked away, while I exchanged a “Sorry!” look with him, just as I began to head for Mr. Carlton myself, to start the next part of our plan.. Unfortunately it didn’t work the way we wanted it to, and Masselin now knew there were witches after him.

You were hoping that we could take care of him before Dishwalla began to play, but no such luck. Just as they did, Leo appeared behind you again.

“I wish you’d quit doing that,” you grumbled.

What’s happening?”

You sighed impatiently. “We’re on it, Leo. We’re just waiting for Carlton to do his thing.”

But he was thinking about something else. “Look, you think I like this?”

You rolled your eyes. “Leo...

“Do you think I like not being with you?”

Now you spun on your heels, glaring at him. “Okay, can we cut the crap? I know what you have to do. I always have. The question is: What do you want? What do you wanna do? With me? With us? Do you ever think about that?"

He smiled. “All the time.”

“You ever want to discuss it with me?”

“Yes!” he insisted. “It’s just the timing always seems--”.

As he spoke, you spot Andy’s old partner, Darryl Morris. You knew that wasn’t a good sign, since Prue had tried to head him off at the pass earlier. You sighed, as you finished Leo’s sentence.. “--seems to suck. Okay, hold that thought. Don’t let go. Just hold it,” and you ran to Prue.

Well, we somehow managed to vanquish the demon, free the girls (including Jenny, who got caught by Carlton and fed to the demon), and make a hero out of Darryl when he “caught the kidnapper” - Carlton.


Later, back at the Manor, Prue and I walked up to where you were sitting at your desk, typing on your computer. “Paying bills?” Prue asked.

You grinned. “Every last one. For this month, at least.”

“Thanks to Leo,” I pointed out. You turned to give me your “evil eye”. I shrugged. “Well, technically if it wasn’t for him, you would’ve never landed Dishwalla.”

“I suppose,” you admitted, as the doorbell rang. “I got it,” as you went to answer it (with me following, of course) and it was Leo. After you greeted each other, he tried thanking you for everything.

“Just doing my job,” you replied, an ironic smile on your face. “Do you wanna come in, sit down?”

“I’d love to--.” he started.

And you finished. “--but you can’t. We got Jenny home safe. Dan doesn’t know she was at the club. But are you sure she won’t remember anything?”

He grinned. “I took care of it with a little Hocus-Pocus.”

But you weren’t impressed. “So you erase memories now?”

“No, I make pain go away. When I can.” Then he looked at you, his eyes begging for you to understand. “Sometimes, I can’t, no matter how hard I try.”

But you weren’t listening. “And Masselin’s other victims?”

He smiled, glad you were thinking of them. “They’ll be fine. No memories of Masselin or Carlton,” and you smiled. Then he changed the subject. “Piper, did you mean what you said?”

“When?”

“Couple of months ago, when I almost died and you saved my life. I left and you said... that you loved me."

Yes, I thought, yes, you did! You still do! I know you do!

“I thought you were gone,” you explained with a shrug.

“Well, sometimes I linger,” he explained with a smile. Then he became serious, urgent. “Did you mean it?”

You had to admit it. “Yeah, I meant it...." Then what he said struck you. "You... you linger?"

But he didn’t hear that part, he was too interested in the other. “What about now?”

“I still mean it--” you admitted.

But he heard what I heard. “But--”

“But we can’t keep doing this!” you exclaimed. “I can’t keep doing this. I feel like all I do is wait around for you to show up and then when you do, it’s just not quite right.”

“Well, I’m just,” he started. Then he stopped and tried again. “I’m doing what I thought you wanted me to do, Piper. You’re the one who didn’t want me to clip my wings."

You nodded. On this point you were both in total agreement. “And you shouldn’t. Not for me. But that doesn’t make it any easier for us.”

“What are we gonna do?” he asked, hopelessness in his voice, breaking my heart.

“I don’t know, Leo.” and that shattered my heart, as I'm sure it shattered his. Just then we heard that whitelighter tinkle. “Go,” you told him. “It’s okay. I understand," and I was glad that you still did.

He kissed you, saying, “I’ll see you,” and he orbed out.

You sighed sadly. Before I could run to hug you, you walked out onto the porch to pick up the paper. When you came back in, you had a smile on your face, looking a whole lot different than you had while talking with Leo, more relaxed, more calm. You looked happy for the first time in a long time.

“What happened outside?” I had to ask.

“Dan," and your voice caressed his name. "He was also picking up his paper. He smiled at me, so I smiled back,” and you looked dreamily at me. “He’s a nice guy.”

“Yes, he is,” I agreed, “But so is Leo,” but you weren’t listening; you were drifting up the stairs, and all I could do was think, OH, OH! We’re in trouble now! remembering the heartache Prue went through when she fell in love with Andy, a guy who couldn't accept our secret, the way Leo always could. No way I wanted to watch another sister go through that pain.

[Esmeralda]

CHARMED BY LOVE: PART TEN: She’s a Man, Baby, a Man

Chapter One

And I was right, as thing grew stronger and stronger between you and Dan, but you couldn’t find a way to tell him about our secret, something that kept popping up between the two of you. This was true just a couple weeks later when we ran into a different sort of demon, a demon that used my premonition power to psychically connect with me, so for a short while, I actually thought that I was a murderer! I almost panicked when I remembered what I had done in the future. Had I somehow made the wrong decision yet again?

Neither you or Prue believed that. You thought that maybe my powers were growing; maybe I could get premonitions in my sleep now. Prue thought that maybe I was just psychically linked to the demon on its wavelength or something. But I was afraid that I might be the killer.

Prue shook that aside, still thinking along her lines. The only other thing connecting the victims was that they all went to the same dating service, Fine Romance, so Prue thought that I was psychically connected to the demon, maybe I went to the dating service, touch some of the tapes of the potential suspects and see if I’d can get a psychic flash. You thought it was worth a shot, while you’d stay home and search the Book of Shadows.

I thought you were both nuts. I had just told you two that maybe I was some kind of man-killing demon and you wanted me to go to the bachelor central?! But when Prue pointed out that we had to do something or otherwise someone else would die that night, I had to agree.

Once we got to Fine Romances and met Darla, the receptionist, we told her that Prue wanted to sign up, since that would keep her busy while I looked around. As I did, I ran into a guy, and as I did I had a premonition--this guy, Owen Grant, dying the same way the others had! I ran back to where Prue was trying to convince Darla that she did not have man troubles (although at that point, she most definitely did, totally confused whether she was giving guys the right signal) and told her we were out of there.

When we got back to the Manor, we saw you staring out the window. When I asked you whether you’d found anything in the Book, you had no idea what we were talking out,

“Or were you too busy looking at something else?” Prue wanted to know as we walked towards you and the window.

You blushed, but admitted that you were looking and we should see what you found. So we joined you at the window and there was Dan washing his car, looking very sexy as he did so.

“Oh, I see what you found, all right!” Prue grinned admiringly. “Great tan, nice body!” and I had to agree.

You glared at us then went back to the Book of Shadows, which was sitting on the table. You read from it, “When a witch renounces all human emotions and makes a pact with darkness to protect herself from heartbreak, she becomes a Succubus...a sexual predator.”

“Let me see that,” as I joined you by the Book and read aloud. “She seeks out powerful men who become helpless against her magic, then feeds on their testosterone with her razor-sharp tongue.” I looked at the two of you. “So, this monster is an evil sexually-charged witch?”

“Yeah, but it’s not you, Phoebe,” Prue assured me. “Because you didn’t make a pact with Darkness, right?

“And as far as we know, you don’t have a razor-sharp tongue,” you pointed out. ”Here’s a spell to attract the Succubus and destroy it with fire.”

I stared at you, still thinking of what we saw in the future. “A flaming death for yours truly? I don’t think so!”

[Esmeralda]

Chapter Two

“Well, we have to catch this thing, right?” Prue pointed out. “So, what if I cast a spell to attract it, and if it turns out to be you who’s attracted to me, then Piper will freeze the room and we’ll go from there? Fair enough?” and I had to agree.

So we ran up to the attic. Prue drew on the floor with chalk the symbol for male, while you and I set candles around it in the shape of a pentagram, then lit them. Prue sat in the middle of it with the Book of Shadows and cast her spell:

“By the forces of heaven and hell,
Draw to us this woman fell,
Rend from her foul desire,
That she may perish as a moth of fire”.

Fire shot straight into the air around the pentagram, but then it vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and both you and I still stood there. “See?” you asked. “I knew it wasn’t you.”

I was ecstatic. “I didn’t burn! I’m okay!”

But then we heard a deep voice, saying, “I’m not!” and when we turned back to the pentagram, there stood Prue. But she no longer looked like herself - she looked just like a man, and remembering that deep voice, we knew we now had a new problem.

This became even more clear when you pointed out that there was no reversal spell, so it was apparent that Prue wouldn’t change back until she, I mean, he, I mean, well, you know what I mean, until Prue attracted the Succubus, an idea Prue didn’t like one bit! You thought our best way of capturing the Succubus was for Prue to sign up for the dating service like the rest of the guys. That convinced Prue more than ever that this was not a good idea. So you pointed out that Prue didn’t have to actually date anyone, just make herself, I mean, himself, I mean, well, you know, make whoever or whatever she now was available. Then I pointed out that the sooner we trapped the Succubus, the sooner Prue would become a woman again, and that convinced Prue to try.

So soon we were trying to teach Prue how to be more like a man, because we doubted that the Succubus would be attracted to one who wasn’t “Okay, confidence,” you instructed. “The walk, the talk, the handshake. It’s all about confidence.”

“Sports,” I reminded. “Men like sports.”

“And sincerity,” you added. “That’s the key.”

“But what really makes a man is the clothes he wears, the car he drives and the money he earns,” I added. Prue glared at me, and I shrugged. “Well, that’s according to Cosmo!”

Prue glared harder. “Okay, helping, you’re supposed to be helping!”

I shrugged. “Okay. Let’s work on your walk.”

You nodded. “All you have to do is visualize a man who you admire and then you emulate him. You know, the walk will follow.”

Prue thought about that. “A man who I admire.” She thought about it a little longer, then nodded. “All right. I got that,” and Prue started to walk across the hall, doing okay until she, I mean, he, no, this time I really do mean she, because she did a girlie turn at the end…

You stared at her in shock. “The man you admire is Richard Simmons?” and I had to laugh.

Just then the doorbell rang. “Okay, I’ll get Morris’ files,” I said. “I’ll try to put together a list of attributes the Succubus is attracted to. You two get the door.”

That shocked Prue. “WHAT?”

I nodded. “Well, think of it as a practice run for the dating service. Oh, oh, I know. Tom Hanks...Yeah, everybody loves Tom Hanks. Think of him.”

Prue nodded. “Tom Hanks.”

I nodded. “Everybody loves him,” as I headed towards the back door. But when I heard you cry, “DAN!”, I had to run back to my favorite snooping spot behind the conservatory door. Sure enough, it was Dan at the door.

“Hi,” he greeted you two. “I didn’t mean to interrupt but my freezer broke and I wanted to see if I could get some ice from you,” he looked at Prue, “uh, you guys.”

I bit my lip so I wouldn’t laugh, wondering how you guys would explain THIS one! You’re the one who tried. “Uh, oh, Dan, this is... this is... this is Manny. Manny Hanks. He’s my... uh... he’s my cousin,” and I silently congratulated you.

Dan put out his hand towards “Manny”. “Well, it’s nice to meet you,” and shook “his” hand.

Suddenly I screamed. “Piper, come in here, quick!”

“Okay, coming,” you yelled to me, then turned to Dan. “I’ll be right back with that ice.”

“Manny” grabbed you, “Oh, wait, no,” “he” whispered desperately, so you whispered back, “He’s a good man. Learn from him.”

As you headed towards me, I heard Dan ask, “Have we met before? You look familiar,” and “Manny” shrugged. “So, have you known the sisters long?” Dan asked.

“I’m, uh, the brother they never had,” “Manny” replied, and I had to cheer through my fear.

“What happened?” you asked as you walked into the conservatory, blocking my view of the two “men”.

“Oh, I just... I had one of those hot flashes, the Succubus visions. Piper, I think I really am psychically connected to that thing. I see what she sees, feel what she feels. I felt excited.”

“Excited happy or excited aroused?” you asked, as you walked into the kitchen, me following.

I sighed in frustration. “Piper, she’s in heat, okay? And so am I.” Just then I got another flash. “It just happened again! I saw egg sacs. Oh, my God! I think she’s pregnant or ready to hatch.”

“You mean, there’s gonna be a whole brood of them killing men?” as you took ice from the freezer.

I nodded, “Unless we stop her, I think that’s exactly her plan,” and we headed back towards the foyer.

As we did, we heard Dan ask, “So, Piper isn’t seeing anyone?”

“Manny” shook “his” head. “No, not really,” although I wished that wasn’t true – that you were still seeing Leo.

“So Piper IS seeing someone?” Dan probed.

“No, not really,” “Manny” repeated. Then Prue came through. “God. I would just hate to see her with a guy who, oh, let’s say on the third date just runs away. Don’t you just hate men like that?”

Dan stared at “him” in shock. “I don’t know any men like that.”

You and I glanced at each other, daring each other not to laugh, wondering how “Manny” would get out of that one.

[Esmeralda]

Chapter Three

“Uh, how about those Niners?” “he” asked, referring, of course, to San Francisco’s pro football team, the 49ers, and I silently both laughed and cheered.

I would’ve stayed in the hallway to watch Prue continue to squirm as Manny, but you walked right in and handed the ice towards Dan. He thanked you and then you told him, “Oh, you’re welcome. Okay, bye. Take care. Tell Jenny we said ‘hi’, okay?” and he took the hint and left.

“So?” I asked “Manny.”

“I tried copying Dan’s moves,” “he” told us.

“And so?” you asked.

“He” sighed. “We’re in big trouble - huge,” but when I told “him” what I had seen, we knew that “he” had no choice. So we went back to Fine Romance and “Manny” did “his” videotape. Jan, the salesperson helping “him”, thought it was fantastic - that “he” was really in touch with “his” feminine side, and “Manny” could only mutter, “You have no idea.”

Meanwhile, you and I were trying to get Darla the receptionist to help us find Owen Grant, who we now learned was Dr. Owen Grant. Darla thought we should join for $3,500 and view his tape.

You thought otherwise as you froze the room. While I was getting Dr. Owen’s file, I noticed another one. Much as I wanted him out of your life, I couldn’t stop being curious. I held it up towards you. “I do not believe it.”

“What?” you asked.

“Looks like Neighbor Dan signed up, too. Interested?” and you smiled, so I handed you the file, while hanging onto Dr. Owen’s file myself. I looked at the tape in my hand, worried. “Do you think the Succubus already got Owen? I mean, what if we’re too late?”

You were looking at the file in your own hands. “You would have had a psychic flash if we were and since you haven’t, we’re not.”

Just then Dr. Owen himself walked out and you quickly froze him, too. “Oh!” I cried. “There he is. Hey, you know, maybe I should take him back to the Manor to keep him safe.”

You looked at me as if I was nuts. “You and him? At the Manor? Alone?” remembering how excited my connection with the Succubus was making me.

I shrugged. “Well, I’m just gonna talk to him”

“Well, we can just talk to him here,” you insisted. “I’m gonna go back to the video area and, uh, check up on Prue.”

I nodded, so you walked in back, unfreezing the room as you did, while I headed for Dr. Owen.

But you weren’t really looking for Prue, I mean, “Manny”, I mean, Prue. No, you were looking for an empty video-viewing room. Later, when everything was okay again, you told Prue and me what you saw.

It started with Dan saying, “I’m sorry… I-I-I just - I can’t do this”.

“Oh, come on,” you heard Jan, the same salesperson who helped “Manny” tell him. “Your sister paid for this, Mr. Gordon. You can do it,” and I decided Jenny’s mom must be a pretty cool person to do that for her brother.

But Dan didn’t think so. “Oh - this just isn’t me.”

“Give it a try,” Jan cajoled. “Just speak from your heart. What are you looking for in a woman?”

And you remembered what Dan said, word-for-word. So do I. “What do I look for? I don’t know. I’m old-fashioned, I guess. I look for the girl-next-door. Someone with a good heart, good personality, and looks to match. The kind of girl that...when I leave for work in the morning...I wait just ...a little bit...till she leaves for work too. Just to catch a glimpse of that long dark hair, that great smile, hoping that maybe, one day... she’ll notice that I’m watching her. Then she’ll smile back at me,” and Prue and I couldn’t help smile, although I was just a little bit disappointed - I was so hoping that something in the tape would help you decide that he wasn’t the right guy for you, and you’d fix things with Leo.

Yes, Piper, if things were different, if you weren’t a Charmed One, maybe he would’ve been perfect for you, but you are and he wasn’t! But the fact that he could’ve been the man for you came through even stronger when “Manny” took care of the problem of how to keep Dr. Owen safe at a mixer by getting in a fight with him, landing both of them in jail until Morris let “him” go, while keeping Dr. Owen in protective custody. That, knocking him out cold, was so opposite of the way either Dan or Leo would’ve handled it! Both of us were shocked.

And then the next day, “Manny” told us, “All right, I got a plan. The dating service called. Turns out my video broke some kind of house record. 20 hits this morning. One of them might be the Succubus. So I lined up dates with all of them.”

“What?” you asked, surprised.

“He” nodded. “Yep! At your club. Starting at 6.”

You shook your head. “Oh, no, no, no, no. Not tonight. The Cranberries are coming in for a sound check before the benefit tomorrow. I can’t risk scaring them away.”

“Manny” shrugged. “That’s no problem. I’ll just nail the Succubus before they get there.”

That just got you mad. “Oh, you’re gonna nail her, are you? Oh, so this whole man thing, this sorta short-circuits the old ‘maybe I should consult my sisters’ wiring, now, doesn’t it? Just step right in and take over?”

I nodded. “Didn’t start happening until she sucker-punched Dr. Owen.”

“Manny” shrugged again. “You had a problem, I fixed it.”

That got me mad. “Oh, you bet your butt, you did. You nearly broke his jaw!”

And “he” shrugged again. “I saved his life.” “He” glared at me. “Look, you’re the one who told me I had to practice being a man, right? So I acted on instinct. And, to tell you the truth, the moment that I hit him, I felt powerful and strong. Like somehow that made me a man.”

That got you mad. “You wanna know how to be a real man? Look at Dan. Honest, kind, good heart. The type of guy who would risk being late to work just to make you smile. Not some bully who walks around thinking one punch is gonna change anything,” and you marched out, and again I found myself thinking that, hey, Leo’s that type of guy, too.

And, Piper, thinking about those two guys, I’ll admit that I found myself wishing that if you decided that Dan was the guy for you that Leo would decide he was the guy for me - even though I knew that was impossible - he never looked at another girl – me included - the way as he looked at you whenever you were in the room!

[Esmeralda]

Chapter Four

Later “Manny” found out that a guy who Prue had dated, but who hadn't called back, hadn't called back because he didn't like her like she thought, but because he did like her, but was afraid she'd say no. So “Manny” passed on that advice to you, telling you. “You know, men are just as afraid of being rejected as women are. Trust me. That's probably why Dan hasn't asked you out. He's afraid you'll say no.”

But you didn't believe “him”. “Like you'd know.” Then you thought about it for a moment and asked, “Do you?”

“I'm a guy, aren't I?” and as weird as it was agreeing with our sister that she was indeed a guy, you had to agree.

Well, we managed to vanquished the Succubus - who was actually Darla the receptionist and who almost killed “Manny” until I used my connection to the Succubus to convince “Manny” that “he” wasn't attracted to her, which is what finally led to that fiery death I thought was going to be mine. No sooner was Darla gone, than “Manny” turned back into Prue.


Later, at P3, you and I grinned as Prue walked in wearing a very sexy outfit.

“Oh - well, well,” I complimented, grinning. “And I thought the heat wave was over.”

“Yeah, Prue,” you agreed. “You look hot.”

Prue grinned. “I'm just grateful to be back in heels.”

“Let me see you walk,” I asked with another grin and she gladly did. “Oh, yeah. You definitely have that walk down.”

She grinned. “Well, we'll see if Alan agrees with that.”

“Alan?” I asked. “I thought you thought he wasn't interested.”

“Yeah, I was wrong. Just a little gender confusion.”

You grinned. “Looks like you learned a few things about being a woman by being a man.”

Prue nodded as she became serious. “Actually, I did. I mean, we're different, and I'm glad about that. But we're also similar in many ways. You know, we all feel the same emotions. It's just that if we don't communicate honestly, then we read between the lines and tend to get everything screwed up.”

You nodded. “And sometimes it's just up to us to open the door first...take a chance.”

Just then Dan walked into P3, looking around.

Prue grinned. “Oh, you finally called him, huh?”

You grinned back. “I got some good advice from the brother I never had. Excuse me.”

Prue grinned. “You're welcome.”

As you walked towards Dan, Prue asked, “So, what about you, Phoebs?”

I grinned, as I noticed Dr. Owen walking in. “Me? I actually have an appointment with a doctor I've been dying to see. I'm still running a little bit hot.”

Prue grinned. “I see that. He winked at you. You go, girl!”

So I went to greet Dr. Owen, just as the Cranberries started to play. As we began to dance, I directed us so we would be near you and Dan, just as you told him, “Glad you could make it.”

“Are you kidding?” he asked. “I'm just glad you called. Truth is I've been wanting to call you for some time now.”

“Really?” you asked. “I never would have guessed.”

“Well, I’m glad you called, Piper. I have to admit. I didn't think you would.”

“Well, I wasn't going to at first,” you admitted. “But then I met this really nice guy who encouraged me to go ahead.”

“Yeah?” Dan asked. “Who is he? I wanna thank him.”

You smiled over at Prue, who was now dancing with Alan. “Oh, no. I'll thank him.”

Dan asked you to dance, and soon all three of us were dancing with our new guys. And although again I found myself wishing that you were dancing with Leo, and knowing that we still had some rough waters ahead, I couldn’t help be glad that for a short time, we could all enjoy just being women!

However, you began to enjoy just being a woman a little too much. The very next day, I did some snooping out the window and what I saw made me call Prue at Buckland’s.

She wasn’t happy with the interruption. “Phoebe, we are televising this auction live. Can't it wait?”

“No,” I replied. “Prue, Dan's truck just pulled up outside.”

“Dan's truck?” she asked impatiently. “So?”

“So, Piper is with him and they're kissing. And I'm not talking about 'thanks for lunch' peck-on-the-cheek kinda kiss. They mean business,” and I turned away disgusted.

“Okay, what is the problem?” Prue demanded. “They like each other; this is a good thing.”

“No, I know, I'm just worried that she's moving too fast. Like she's too in a hurry to get involved with someone else. That’s not a Piper-kinda thing to do!”

“Look,” Prue insisted. “Piper's a big girl and really, I mean, it's none of our business. Right? Right!”

I disagreed. “Isn't it sorta our business if it affects the Charmed Ones?”

“Okay, Phoebe, look,” and I could almost hear her eyes rolling. “Piper cannot just sit around for the rest of her life waiting for Leo. She's trying to move on. Besides, Dan's a great guy.”

Just then I heard the director say, “Okay, we're on in five, Ms. Halliwell.”

“Uh, gotta go,” Prue told me. “Okay, bye,” and she hung up.

I hung up my own phone and then looked out the window and saw you and Dan walking towards the door.

I muttered to myself, “It's about freakin' time,” just as Leo orbed in, shocking the tar out of me. “Oh! Leo! Whatever happened to knocking?”

“I'm sorry, Phoebe,” he apologized. “But there's no time. Where's Prue and Piper? We have to talk.”

WHOOPS! “Uh, you know, now's not really a good time,” I tried to warn him. “Okay, I know, how about you orb back in say an hour, okay? That would be great - bye, bye.”

Leo shook his head. “I can't. The worst thing imaginable just happened.”

At that moment, the door opened and you and Dan walked in, arm-in-arm, laughing. You guys spot Leo, and shock replaced the laughter, fast. Leo didn’t just look shocked; he looked like he now realized that he was wrong before - the real worst thing imaginable had just happened!

I was going to post this whole thing, but I'm fading out fast, so it will have to wait til a different time. If anyone's reading, I'd love to know what you think NOW...

[Esmeralda]

I admit I'm not that nuts over the next episode, but it was fun writing it from Phoebe's point of view.

CHARMED BY LOVE: PART ELEVEN: That Old Black Magic

Chapter One

You marched Leo into the conservatory, while I was stuck with Dan. That was interesting, trying to talk with him, while also trying to listen to what you two were saying, but I managed. But so this won’t be as confusing for you as it was for me, I’ll first tell you what you and Leo said and then I’ll describe my conversation with Dan. I missed what you said at first, but then you said, “It's not that it isn't great to see you, Leo, because it is. But you can't just orb in whenever it's convenient.”

I could hear the shrug in his voice. “It's never been a problem before.”

“Yeah, well, things have changed.”

“I can see that.”

“Leo ...”

“Sorry, wasn't fair. Where's Prue?”

“At work.”

“Fine. Then we'll have to start without her, and your friend Dan has to leave now.”

“Oh, really? Why?”

“Because you and your sisters have a very big problem. A magical problem. Look, this isn't personal; it's business.”

“What else is new?” and again I found myself growling at the Elders.

Meanwhile, Dan was asking me, “You know, that handyman guy sure does hang around here a lot.”

My turn to shrug. “Well, it's an old house. Lots of things need fixing.”

“Then why does Piper look so upset?” he wanted to know.

“Because there are some things he can't fix the way she wants it.”

He looked at his watch. “You know, I'm late for a job. If you could just have her call me - ”<

Then I noticed something. “Oh-oh, oops,” and I wiped at his face. “Lipstick,” I explained.

He smiled, thanked me and opened the door. He began to walk out, then looked back, “Are Piper and Leo - ?

But I reminded him, “You're late,” and he left, just as you walked back in the foyer, calling out, “Dan, wait.” But seeing that he was already gone, you shrugged. “Well, I wouldn't know where to begin anyway.”

“Everything okay, sweetie?” I asked.

You shook your head just as Leo walked back into the foyer. “Come on, we gotta get going.”

“Going?” I asked. “Where are we going?”

“I'll explain on the way.”

You shook your head. “No, Leo, you'll explain now. We're not going anywhere.”

So Leo told us all about our latest magical problem. Do you remember Tuatha, Piper? I sure do! I felt like the Blair Witch Project had come to haunt us!! In case you don’t, here’s what I remember:

Two hundred years ago, a good witch turned evil, and started using her craft against innocents. She never killed a witch and stole the witch’s power, so she never became a warlock like Jeremy or Rex and Hannah, but she was just as evil as any warlock we ever ran into.

Fortunately she was tricked into a cave and entombed.

But unfortunately that very morning Tuatha escaped. Hearing that name, I knew why she’d gone bad – if Mom had stuck me with a name like that…

You didn’t think it was a big deal, because we’d just go find her and vanquish her. The problem is we couldn’t vanquish her - the only one who could was the Chosen One, a guy who was a normal person, except for the fact that he was born to use Tuatha's wand against her.

You wanted to know why Leo didn’t just go get him, but Leo said he needed us to protect him from Tuatha until the wand came to him, since lore had it that once the witch was free, the wand would find him. But if Tuatha found the wand first, she’d kill the Chosen One and then come after us for our power, becoming a warlock, making her even harder to vanquish – especially if we were dead!

And wouldn’t you know it, at that exact moment, our big sister was in the midst of trying to buy that very same wand! Just as she told the owner that she’d be able to get five hundred dollars at auction for an item that cost only five dollars at a flea market, a cute guy walked up, saying, “Of course an item is only worth as much as some is willing to pay for it. Isn't that right? ” He ended up being Jack Sheridan from Sheridan Internet auctions - ”If you own it, we can sell it.” - who just wanted to be on the same stage as “the famous Prue Halliwell of Buckland's”. Well, he ended up giving Betty the owner one thousand dollars cash for the wand. But Prue wasn’t about to give up on a sale. She used her power to move the sheet of paper with Betty the seller’s number and got the wand herself, but not before running into Tuatha herself!

Meanwhile, Leo helped us find this Chosen One, who ended up being a teenager named Kyle. We had a heckova time convincing him that he was truly someone special, someone meant to do great things. So since it didn’t seem like he was going to be able to get rid of Tuatha, we Charmed Ones decided we would. We checked the Book of Shadows, but there was nothing there about Tuatha or wands or Chosen Ones. But I did find a spell that did work - a scrying spell, the first time we used it. Scrying, of course, is what we witches use to magically find something or someone. And the crystal landed on the Lost Caves in Mura Woods.

As we walked downstairs, we heard Leo still trying to teach Kyle how to use the wand, but Leo was being no Obiwan Kenobi to Kyle’s Luke Skywalker, as Kyle was quick to point out. As we walked into the room, I told him, “Leo, we found her.”

“So," Prue stated in no uncertain terms, "we’re gonna go pay her a little visit.”

“No!” cried Leo. “Wait! Don’t! Please!”

You glared at him. “It’s nothing personal, Leo. It’s just business,” and we walked to the front door. Prue opened it and there stood a very cute blond guy.

Prue wasn’t impressed. “YOU!” she growled.

[Esmeralda]

Chapter Two

The blond grinned winningly. “Ah, thrilled to see me, I see. You know, this is a really nice house, Prue. Buckland’s obviously pays better than I thought. I may accept their offer to join them after all.”

“What do you want," Prue growled, still mad, "and how did you find me?”

He shrugged. “I followed your scent. That musk. Cartier, right? Now, that is a classy perfume, though I’m hardly surprised. Can I have my wand back please? See, Betty never called, and I couldn’t contact her because her address mysteriously fell out of my pocket somehow. You wouldn’t know anything about that, now would you?”

Prue glared. “You’re blaming me for something that you lost? Isn’t that a little juvenile? I mean what’s next? A shoving match under the jungle gym or war over juice cups?”

You poked her. “Prue, we really need to get going.”

“The wand is mine, Prue, and you know it! All is fair in love and war.”

As if on cue, who should appear behind this stranger than Dan. “Piper?” he asked, glaring at the new guy. You greeted him, just as Leo walked into the foyer, begging you to wait.

Now Dan glared at Leo. “Is he still here?”

Leo shrugged, a devilish look on his angelic face. “Never left, actually,” he said, a bit smugly.

The cute blond guy hadn’t given up on Prue yet. “Prue, I’m kinda in a hurry here, so if I could just get my wand…”

Despite both guys being cute (well, all three counting Leo), I’d had it with both of them, because we really had to try to find Tuatha. So Little Sister took over. “You know what? Dan, Piper will call you back later. You, whoever you are - sorry, no wand. Leo, keep working with Kyle, just in case. Us, out the back door!” and we did just that.

But as we left, I heard Dan ask Leo, “Don’t you have some other house to repair?” and Leo reply, “No,” and I thought, if these two guys decide to get in a pissing contest over Piper, man, are we in trouble now!


Well, we found Tuatha in the caves, but weren’t able to vanquish her before she vanished in a most spectacular way, which I thought was pretty cool, even though you two didn’t.

When we got back to the Manor, Leo was still working with Kyle. Somehow something didn’t go right and one of the conservatory windows crashed just as we walked in.

“What was that crash?” I asked. “What happened in here?”

Leo shrugged. “A little training, that’s all.”

“That’s all?” and Big Sister was getting mad. “Do you have any idea how much that’s gonna cost to fix?”

You glared at him. “Well, I know who’s gonna be fixing it. Leo, what if somebody saw you?”

Leo glared back. “Someone like Neighbor Dan?” Then he noticed a cut on your forehead, either caused by the glass or Tuatha. “Hey, you’re bleeding!”

You shrugged. “It’s nothing,” and wouldn’t even let him heal it.


Well, we managed to help Kyle defeat Tuatha thanks to a courage potion that was really just water. But before he did, Tuatha attacked all of us, even Leo. Once Tuatha was gone you cried out his name and helped him to a chair saying, “You’re hurt.”

He shook his head. “I’m okay.”

Prue, who was attacked with a sleep spell and was still asleep on the floor, made some little noises and rolled over.

You didn’t even notice; you were still worried about Leo. “Let me get you some ice,” you offered.

He smiled, but shook his head again. “Really, I’m fine.”

“Are you getting even?” you asked, a slight smile in your voice as you remembered your own cut.

Once more he shook his head. “No, just finally getting it. What you deserve. A normal life, or at least as normal a life as you can get, which means a normal relationship, which I can’t give you.”

He smiled wryly. “I guess we know now why witches and whitelighters aren’t supposed to fall in love, huh?” and he orbed out, and I felt like I was going to cry. You looked a little upset, but not very, and that hurt me even worse.


Later, at P3, we were walking down the steps. You were asking Prue, “What are you going to tell that guy, what did you say his name was?”

“Jack. Jack Sheridan.”

“Well, what are you going to tell Jack about what happened to the poor lady who owned the wand?” since Tuatha had killed her before Prue could grab the wand.

“Well, what can I tell him?” Prue asked. “Look, I called him because I just wanna get rid of this thing, that’s all,” since the wand’s crystal broke once its purpose was fulfilled.

I grinned. “Are you sure it’s just not an excuse to see him again?”

“Phoebe, don’t be ridiculous! This is business; it’s not personal.”

“Where have I heard that before?” I muttered.

Just then you spot Dan. Grinning, you told us, “Oh, got a date, gotta go!” and you ran off to greet him.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I think Jack is pretty cute,” I told Prue.

“Yeah, well, he’s a jerk,” she growled before spinning in a circle. “How do I look?”

And because she looked dressed to kill, I grinned. “Fab.”

She smiled, “Thanks,” then walked towards Jack who was at the bar. Although I was curious about how that conversation would go, I was more curious about what you’d say to Dan, so I drifted towards the booths, where you were leading him towards one that had a champagne dinner already set up. You looked absolutely beautiful and I could tell Dan thought so, too.

“Thanks for coming,” you told him as you both sat down. “I hope late, late dinner is okay with you.”

“Look, I’m gonna make this easier for you,” he told you. “I know that you and that handyman, Leon…”

“Leo,” you corrected.

“Right, Leo. I know you guys were more than just friends. I’m not dumb. I mean, he’s always around the house. Around you.”

And you came right out and told him. “Dan, it’s over,” and Dan looked ready to cry. “Oh, no, I don’t mean you and me, I meant him and me. That’s why I wanted to see you tonight. I didn’t want there to be any more confusion.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

You smiled, as you leaned towards him, “Yeah, I’m sure,” and the kiss you two exchanged told me that you definitely were - it was both sweeter and hotter than the one you’d exchanged in his truck! I could only hope that he would be just as sure and his kiss just as hot and just as sweet once he knew that we were Charmed!

Then, just a couple weeks later some very strange things started happening - not witchy stuff, but guy stuff, as just like we once wondered about Leo, we now began to wonder if maybe, just maybe, the two newest guys in our lives, Dan Gordon and Jack Sheridan, weren’t just interested in you and Prue as women...but also interested in you two (and me) as Charmed Ones...

[Charmed by Piper]

As a Piper/Leo fan - Of course I had to read this story.   Only read some for now. I hope to read more and more as I find the time. A few comments so far. 

Yes, Piper, you’'re right - it is a great promotion, one we know he couldn’'t turn down, and I know that you'’re strong and that you'’ll be able to raise young Wyatt as a single mother, especially because Wyatt has two doting aunties more than willing to help out, but I also know how very much you love Leo and how much you and Leo had to go through in order to become husband and wife and become parents of that adorable little boy.

Very interesting. I like that Phoebe is saying all of this. 

I was going to simply tell you all about this, but I'm afraid Chris, our new whitelighter, will overhear. Maybe it’'s simply that he’'s not Leo, but there'’s something about him I just don'’t trust. Besides, maybe the Elders are right. I remember your reaction when Prue was taken away from us and wouldn’'t want you to go through that again. So instead I’'ve decided to write out the full story and then put it where I know you’'ll eventually find it. I just hope that you'’ll find it when the time is right.

Phoebe not trusting Chris. Good girl! And I hope Piper finds it. 

I guess our story starts when I first came back to San Francisco. No, it starts earlier than that. It starts when Grams died.

Hmm Oh man! I am already excited to see how it plays out and is told. 

Remember, Piper? Grams had just gotten back from the hospital after having a heart attack and wanted to take a picture, just one picture of her three girls. She didn’'t choose a very good time.

Oh she didn't pick a good time, she didn't. I look forward to how the story plays out. If we are getting it through the eyes of Phoebe. Very VERY curious how she owns up for what she did in season 3 and 4. 

It might take me a while to get through this. But anything to kill boring work days when I am bored will be good for me. 

[Esmeralda]

Thank you, Charmed by Piper, I'm glad that you like it, and I hope that you keep liking it.

Fortunately for me, this story doesn't go beyond Season Two, mainly so Cole isn't part of the story - I'd hate to tell how my favorite character Phoebs turned into my least-favorite character, PhoeME.

[Charmed by Piper]

Aug 30, 2016 7:00:46 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

Thank you, Charmed by Piper, I'm glad that you like it, and I hope that you keep liking it.

Fortunately for me, this story doesn't go beyond Season Two, mainly so Cole isn't part of the story - I'd hate to tell how my favorite character Phoebs turned into my least-favorite character, PhoeME.

Thank you Esmeralda. I can't wait to read more when I can. Oh man! I was looking forward to how the story goes beyond Season Two. But I am not going to stop reading over that. 

[Esmeralda]

Aug 30, 2016 9:29:07 GMT -5 Charmed by Piper said:

Aug 30, 2016 7:00:46 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

Thank you, Charmed by Piper, I'm glad that you like it, and I hope that you keep liking it.

Fortunately for me, this story doesn't go beyond Season Two, mainly so Cole isn't part of the story - I'd hate to tell how my favorite character Phoebs turned into my least-favorite character, PhoeME.

Thank you Esmeralda. I can't wait to read more when I can. Oh man! I was looking forward to how the story goes beyond Season Two. But I am not going to stop reading over that. 

I'm glad you're going to keep on reading despite this not going beyond Season Two. I"m afraid someone who likes Piper & Leo and Phoebe & Cole (Prue, too) in Season Three a lot more than I do will have to do that!

I just don't like how Brad Kern changed everyone - see my signature!

[summerreading]

This one is being added to my Reading list! I skimmed through and like what I see.

[Esmeralda]

Mar 25, 2018 22:04:11 GMT -5 summerreading said:

This one is being added to my Reading list! I skimmed through and like what I see.

Oh, I'm so happy that someone wants to read my very first Charmed fanfic! Do let me know what you think!

[summerreading]

Jun 28, 2016 7:49:47 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

Our new librarian (congrats, StoryGirl!) found this in the Old Cafe Fanfics board and asked me to post it here since it's so badly formatted there. I was surprised to hear that - I was certain that I had posted it here, but I guess not.

This is my very first Charmed fanfic. It was written during the summer between Season Five and Six long before there was such a thing as a Charmed DVD (I don't even think they were doing TV show DVDs at that time) or Netflix or Youtube. Keep in mind that at that time, most people still had dialup. So if you wanted to see more than one episode or you wanted to watch a specific one, you were out of luck unless someone did something like what I did. Reading's not the same as watching, but... At the time I was writing this, my readers totally completely loved it, but once the DVDs came out, most new readers didn't, especially because everything in this one is exactly as it was on the show - just told from Phoebe's point of view. So you'll always know what's going on and what's going to happen. That - the fact that there wasn't a lot of interest once the DVDs came out - might be why I didn't post it in the "new" ProBoards Cafe, but at StoryGirl's request, I am now.

This story got started soon after "Oh, My Goddess" was aired. At that point, Piper and Leo was my favorite couple on Charmed (that changed during Season 6...) and I was very upset, thinking that Chris had murdered Leo and we'd never see him again. Well, I have some friends who got into Charmed late (during S4, in fact) who couldn't understand why I was so upset. I told them that they didn't realize what all Piper and Leo had to go through in order to get married and be together and now to have them separated...

Well, I totally love novelizations of movies and was wishing that there was one that told Piper and Leo's love story, but at that point the only ones of the Charmed books that were actual novelizations were 'Something Wicca This Way Comes' and 'Charmed Again', which I'd already shared with them.

Well, the next day, on my way home from work, I suddenly heard Phoebe's voice in my head - not Alyssa Milano's from the time of S6, but S1 Phoebs' much-younger, much-more-enthusiastic's voice - telling what's written in the Prologue of this story.

And that's when it hit me - *I* could write that novelization for my friends.

Well, fortunately for me, TNT started all over with Season One the following Monday. So every day, I'd VCR the show, then fast forward through it, looking for Leo. If he was there, I'd transcribe the scene and then Muse Phoebs would tell me how to write it from Phoebe's point of view. I ended up giving the full thing to my friends as a Christmas present and they totally loved it, as they finally realized why I felt the way I did - although by that point I was already changing my own mind so that now they're my least-favorite couple on the show.

But I still ended up having to share it with others at the old Cafe and at fanfiction.net to see their reaction and, now, I'd love to see yours...

Just because it's so long, I'm just going to post the Prologue and see if anyone is interested in reading more.

CHARMED BY LOVE
by Esmeralda

Disclaimer:

I do not own any of these characters; they are all products of The WB (now The CW) and at the time this was written belonged to them and Aaron Spelling Productions. This story was not written for sale and is meant only to be read by visitors to fanfiction websites. Also, all plot points and most of the conversations come directly from episodes of the TV show "Charmed", whose rights are now owned by CBS. Only Phoebe's thoughts come from my own imagination. Also some scenes are slightly changed to help the story go more smoothly. This takes place right after the episode 'Oh, My Goddess!'

PROLOGUE

Piper! This is your sister Phoebe writing to you. I'’ve been watching you the last couple of days, and I know there'’s something wrong, something terribly wrong. You keep acting as if everything is just great, but it'’s not! Piper, Leo is gone! He’'s really gone and this time, he'’s not coming back! Ever! After having been guided by our Whitelighter for five years, he'’s been snatched from us and made into an Elder, not only an Elder, but the Chief Elder!

Yes, Piper, you’'re right - it is a great promotion, one we know he couldn’'t turn down, and I know that you'’re strong and that you'’ll be able to raise young Wyatt as a single mother, especially because Wyatt has two doting aunties more than willing to help out, but I also know how very much you love Leo and how much you and Leo had to go through in order to become husband and wife and become parents of that adorable little boy.

And yet, Piper, you’'ve been so very calm, so very serene. You’'ve hardly mentioned Leo at all or even how much he helped us develop as the Charmed Ones, the most powerful good witches ever. It’'s almost as if your pain has been taken away. I don'’t know who did that, but I also know that whoever did that did you no favor, because this isn’'t your way, Piper - you fight! The way you fought when they tried to take Leo away from you before. The way you fought when our big sister Prue was taken from us. Now I’'m afraid that the Elders have taken away that pain by taking away all of those memories of all those things that you and Leo have gone through. You must admit, Piper, that’'s exactly the sort of thing the Elders would do; they fought your and Leo'’s union from the start, because witches and Whitelighters aren’'t supposed to get together like that. And yet I know you would want to remember, to treasure what happened. I also know that you would want to save those memories, so you can later tell Wyatt all about his daddy and how very much he loves both him and his Mommy.

I was going to simply tell you all about this, but I'm afraid Chris, our new whitelighter, will overhear. Maybe it’'s simply that he’'s not Leo, but there'’s something about him I just don'’t trust. Besides, maybe the Elders are right. I remember your reaction when Prue was taken away from us and wouldn’'t want you to go through that again. So instead I’'ve decided to write out the full story and then put it where I know you’'ll eventually find it. I just hope that you'’ll find it when the time is right.

I guess our story starts when I first came back to San Francisco. No, it starts earlier than that. It starts when Grams died.

As you well know, Piper, we lived with Grams, our maternal grandmother, in the Halliwell Manor - the large old house that always seemed to be falling on our heads - ever since our mother died when we were very young, so young that I didn'’t even remember her at all, while you did a little, and our big sister Prue, who remembered the most, chose to forget most of it to keep her from the pain of losing Mom.

Remember, Piper? Grams had just gotten back from the hospital after having a heart attack and wanted to take a picture, just one picture of her three girls. She didn’'t choose a very good time.

So? What do you think and would you like to read more?

I'm loving what I'm seeing so far. I'm looking forward to getting into the head of Phoebe, and that the story starts right with Phoebe's journey when Grams died. What a treat for me, because I'm really looking forward to seeing what you decide to do with her.

You really have set a good tone, and I think you have gotten the sisters written well already.

Apr 20, 2018 4:03:12 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

Mar 25, 2018 22:04:11 GMT -5 summerreading said:

This one is being added to my Reading list! I skimmed through and like what I see.

Oh, I'm so happy that someone wants to read my very first Charmed fanfic! Do let me know what you think!

 I love reading, I picked a few to add to my reading list. So I'll let you know, that your story is my very first Charmed Cafe story read, to be followed by Patty's Treasure Box. 

I hope you enjoy my reviews. I'll be reading a Chapter at a time. I don't think I have the time to do a full read through of it all in one sitting. So bare with me. 

[Esmeralda]

Apr 21, 2018 21:16:34 GMT -5 summerreading said:

Jun 28, 2016 7:49:47 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

So? What do you think and would you like to read more?

I'm loving what I'm seeing so far. I'm looking forward to getting into the head of Phoebe, and that the story starts right with Phoebe's journey when Grams died. What a treat for me, because I'm really looking forward to seeing what you decide to do with her.

You really have set a good tone, and I think you have gotten the sisters written well already.

Oh! I'm so very happy that you like what you've read so far and especially think that I have gotten the sisters written well already. I don't care for fanfics where the sisters don't act the way I think they would under those circumstances, so it's important to me to do that in my own stories, but then I also know that different fans see the sisters differently, so I'm glad they fit your idea of what they would be like at this point.

Apr 20, 2018 4:03:12 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

Oh, I'm so happy that someone wants to read my very first Charmed fanfic! Do let me know what you think!

 I love reading, I picked a few to add to my reading list. So I'll let you know, that your story is my very first Charmed Cafe story read, to be followed by Patty's Treasure Box. 

Wow! I'm honored that you decided to make mine your very first Charmed Cafe story read, and am also thrilled that you've chosen StoryGirl's "Patty's Treasure Box" as your second one, since it's one of my own favorites.

I hope you enjoy my reviews. I'll be reading a Chapter at a time. I don't think I have the time to do a full read through of it all in one sitting. So bare with me. 

Well, that's why I divided it into chapters - to make it easier for people to read some at a time. I'm definitely looking forward to your reviews - I love reading other people's reviews of my stories or of my own favorite stories. I just hope that you'll let me know what you like, but also what you don't like - that's what helps me become a better writer, even if I won't always agree with you.

So, here's hoping you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it.

[summerreading]

As I said I would. Time to after a long delay being busy with summer activities. Get my Summer Reading List into gear!

Jun 30, 2016 5:44:46 GMT -5 Esmeralda said:

CHARMED BY LOVE - PART ONE: PRE-WITCHED

I’ was just caught shop-lifting (hey, they were the perfect pair of shoes that I had to have!); Prue was getting ready to get married and moving out; and you were depressed about becoming stuck at the Manor, taking care of me and Grams. Do you remember what happened shortly before that picture, Piper? You went walking with Prue, and Prue told you that she wanted you to be her maid of honor because she and I didn'’t get along - she was too goody-two-shoes for me, always doing what she was supposed to do, while I was too much of a free spirit for her, always doing what I wasn’'t supposed to do. While you were talking, you ran into a handsome young man, and you both shared a look - the first time you looked Leonardo Wyatt in the eyes.

I wonder if even then Leo knew that we would become the Charmed Ones, that he would become our whitelighter and you two would share something special. I never got a chance to ask him, but it wouldn'’t surprise me.

Anyway, Grams wanted her picture. We were standing on the steps outside the Manor and Grams wanted us to move just a little closer (which I didn't want to do since I was standing right next to Prue - I don't think she wanted to either). Then she asked me to turn so she could get my good side, and you told her I didn’'t have one that day. You were right - I just wanted to get that picture done and over with.

Prue wanted to know if I had plans and if it was anyone she knew, since she was still upset that the day before I called her fiancé, Roger. Hey, I was just trying to be nice to the guy, considering he was going to be part of our family soon, when I wasn’'t even sure I wanted to be part of our family, not then! Besides, I wanted to know, why would I want to spend my time on a wimp who had mother issues? That got Prue mad, as she wanted to know why she should believe me when I didn’'t even know the difference between what belonged to me and what belonged to the shoe store.

I was all ready to stomp off, picture or no picture, when Grams suddenly gasped and grabbed her chest. We ran over to her, telling her to take shallow breaths and whether we should call a doctor and she told us, “"No doctor. Just a picture. Is it too much for an old lady to ask her granddaughters to retract their claws, stand still and look at me long enough to take one lousy picture?"

So we stood on the steps, tried to smile and Grams took the picture. It still sits on the table in the foyer, but we'’re standing a lot closer than I remember standing during the picture - proof how close we’ became as the Charmed Ones, when we were anything but back then.

Later, while I was getting ready to go out, I walked passed the steps leading to the attic, a room whose door was always locked, but I could have sworn that Grams was talking with someone. Only when we sisters, as the Charmed Ones, went back to the 70's to save our powers from a warlock and got to meet our mother, did I realize that's who Grams was talking with - the spirit of our mother. But their words and what those words almost led to, they haunt me to this day, Piper, showing how very close you came to never even getting to know Leo, much less getting together with him..

First, I thought I heard someone (who I now know was Mom) say, “"It’'s just a phase. When their destiny’'s revealed, they’'ll come together,” and Grams reply, "“But what if they don'’t? What if they never do? What if the gift is too much for them to handle and they...? Well, regardless, I fear there may be only one option if I can'’t find a way to bring these girls together.”"

Well, at the time, I had no idea to whom she was talking to or what they were talking about and personally didn’'t just rolled my eyes, thinking that nothing could bring us girls together, nor did I care, so I totally forgot about it until years later. So I just went in my room and got ready for my big night out.

Later, I waltzed towards the kitchen to get the keys for the car we sisters shared. As I drew near, I heard you asking Grams what she was making and she said she was just keeping her hands busy. You asked her if she needed a hand and you must have thrown some stuff into the pot, because Grams wanted to know how you knew what to add and you said you needed to balance stuff out and Grams said "“You were born for this, literally. Why do you insist on wasting your talents behind some counter in a bank?"” and you replied that your talents didn'’t come with health benefits and with Prue getting married and me, well, I was me, so someone had to be practical. Grams didn'’t think you should be practical at the expense of your dreams and you said, no, at the expense of losing the Manor and not being able to pay Grams’' hospital bills.

I remember being glad that you were the one willing to make the sacrifice, because I sure wasn’'t and at that, I walked into the kitchen, grabbed the keys and got ready to go out, even when Grams asked if I wanted to join you two with whipping up something you’'d regret the next day. Not me, I had my own ideas of doing things that other people might regret, but I sure wouldn’'t!

Only much later did we realize that what you’ helped Grams make was a potion that would totally bind our powers, so we would never receive them, not even when the time was right. Not even Mom'’s ghost had been able to convince Grams that we wouldn't blow our destiny as the Charmed Ones - she was certain it was best for us not even to try, which would've put you and Leo on totally different paths. But before she could give us that potion the next day, she had another heart attack and stumbled down the steps and was gone before we could do anything about it.

A couple days later, after the funeral, we were in the living room. You were holding that bottle of potion, the bottle you'’d found at the top of the steps. When you told us where you’ found it, Prue wanted to know what she was doing up there in the attic. Even though I’ heard her talking up there before, I didn'’t want you guys to think I was crazy, hearing things (which I still thought might have happened), so I said it wasn'’t possible, since Grams always told us that the attic was sealed off, but you wanted to know what was she doing, coming down the stairs, so to change the topic, I wanted to know what we were going to do about that thing that Grams was always concerned about - our future. The only reason we were still there together was because of her, and now Prue already had one foot out the door with her engagement and I knew you didn’t want to bunk with me any longer than you had to.

You didn’'t want to discuss that right then, instead you suggested that we discuss it over dinner - you’'d even make one of Grams’ favorite meals, since she always liked the idea of you being in the kitchen, but Prue was supposed to spend the night with Roger, and I’ decided that this was my perfect chance to escape. So I told you two that I was taking off, that I didn’'t know what my future held, but it sure wasn'’t in San Francisco. You both tried to talk me out of it, but I said we all knew that the only thing that I contributed to our threesome was trouble, so I was going to go see what New York thought of me. After all, Grams always said that we all had a purpose and maybe we’'d have an easier time finding it out on our own.

I knew that without Grams, the one who was always the glue who kept us together, that I couldn’'t stand sticking around a sister who refused to believe that I’ did anything with her almost-husband - as if I ever would - not only was she my big sister, almost a mother-figure, who along with Grams had practically raised me, but I knew from the beginning that he was a creep who was only using Prue from the start.

So I ran away to New York to try to find our father, Victor Bennett (at that point we had no idea why Mom kept her maiden name, the reason why we were also Halliwells and not Bennetts), who also left us when he left our mother. I know it wasn’'t fair saddling you with the Manor, since Prue expected to be married to Roger soon, but what can I say? You and Prue and Grams spoiled me, the baby of the family, rotten, and I was still very young and very foolish and very self-centered and didn’'t know better.

Within months, I did - I lost my job, was broke, was homeless, so I turned to you, Piper, the only person whom I felt I could trust. You told me that Prue was talking about finding a roommate to help share expenses, and after all, as you well know, Grams had willed the Manor to all three of us for a very special reason - —had we not all been in that house together, we would not have received our powers and you would have never met Leo!

So I came home in the middle of a thunderstorm. Remember, Piper? When I walked into the door, you and Prue were looking at something she found in the basement when she went looking for the fuse box to try to fix the entryway chandelier. It was our old spirit board that Mom had left us. We never knew what the inscription on the back meant:

“To my three beautiful girls.
May this give you the light to find the Shadows.
The Power of Three Shall Set You Free.
Love, Mom”

We would soon find out.

So?? What do you think now, now that you've read more of what you already know, but from Phoebe's point of view? Like I said, I know you know what's going to happen, so if you don't want to keep going, don't be afraid to say so.

I like Phoebe's point of view on all the past events. It's nice to get inside her head, especially her thinking about the past. Here's hoping that doing this, will knock some sense into her on her bad decisions she made across some seasons. 

Like that she admits she was very very foolish and very self-centered, of course, she was young.