No Place Like Home (Sequel to "Munchkin 'Cisco")

[jenna]

All I can say is "Wow!!!"

[noazmale]

SIXTEEN

“He’s been gone a long time,” said Paige.

“Well, he can’t orb up there any more,” said Jerrod. “It might take a while to find what he’s looking for. At least he can still orb around down here. Otherwise it might be near impossible to find it.”

“He’s not happy with my suggestion,” said Cole. “You think he’ll make a real effort to find it?”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” said Piper. “He doesn’t always agree with our decisions but he supports us even when he thinks we’re wrong. He’ll do his best to find what he went after.”

“Besides,” said Phoebe, “he really doesn’t have any choice. He’s our White Lighter and it’s his job to help us if he can. And if he doesn’t find it Piper and Paige might have to strip their powers. This is definitely the lesser of two evils.”

“I’m still not comfortable with that idea,” said Cole.

“Just relax,” said Piper. “Leo will find it. Now, when he gets back with it do we have the spell ready?”

“Yeah,” said Phoebe, holding up a piece of paper. “We couldn’t use the spell in the Book of Shadows because it would have stripped all of our powers. So I sort of modified it for the occasion.”

“Is that wise?” Jerrod asked. “If it’s not worded just right you might inadvertently cast that spell instead.”

“I’m sure it will work,” said Phoebe. “I have done this a time or two, you know.”

“Okay, explain to me again just how this is supposed to help,” said Darryl.

“It’s really quite simple,” said Cole. “Leo’s going to get a special box. It’s made from a very rare material that is immune to magic. It was brought here from another dimension centuries ago. Now, once Leo brings it here, the girls will cast a spell that will draw their magic out of Piper and Paige. They’ll then put the magic in the box where it will be kept safe and sound until we put an end to Abby after which they can take the magic out of the box and get their powers back.”

“What was this material brought here for?” Paige asked.

“It was used to make another box just like the type Leo went after,” said Cole, glancing uneasily at Jerrod. “The witch that brought the material back didn’t know how much would be needed so she made sure they brought back plenty of it. As it turned out she brought back more than enough. Once the box that was needed was made the rest of the material was used to create three more boxes nearly identical to the first one. To my knowledge the other three have never been used. They’ve been held in reserve, as it were, for special occasions.”

“Just what was the original box used for?” Piper asked. “It must have been something pretty powerful.”

“You have no idea,” said Jerrod. “As Cole said, it was centuries ago. And suffice it to say that if it weren’t for that box none of us would be sitting here now.”

“So what was this powerful magic?” Phoebe asked.

“That’s not important,” said Cole nervously. “It’s locked away forever now, thank goodness. It’s not something you’ll ever have to worry about. The box is locked in a nether region outside of time and space and neither good nor evil would dare release it. The results would be. . . . disastrous to say the least.”

“So if we never have to worry about it why not just tell us what it is?” Piper asked.

“Extraneous information,” said Cole. “Right now we have to worry about Abby. And it’s probably best if you aren’t distracted.”

“Cole’s probably right,” said Phoebe. “We can discuss what this great magic is later. Right now I’m worried about Leo. He should have been back by now. How hard is it to find one box?”

“Harder than you might think,” said Jerrod. “According to legend, the boxes were distributed around the world for safekeeping until – and unless – they were ever needed.”

“Distributed where?” Paige asked.

“No one knows for sure,” said Cole. “The legends say that the Elders were tasked with protecting the boxes in case they were ever needed. Only they know for sure where the boxes are located.”

“So that means Leo will know, right?” Phoebe asked.

“Probably not,” said Jerrod. “As I understand it there is a great deal the Elders don’t tell even to their White Lighters. This would be one of those things. But Leo’s been around long enough to know where to look. And who to ask for permission to use the box.”

“Ask permission?” questioned Piper. “What do you mean ask permission?”

“Technically,” said Cole, “only the Elders have the authority to authorize the use of one of the boxes. That way they’ll only be used for the most important situations.”

”Well, I’d call this one of those situations,” said Paige. “I mean if we don’t stop Abby all of reality goes to hell in a hand basket. I’d call that pretty important.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see what happens,” said Jerrod. “Once Leo gets back we’ll know.”

“Well, I’m going to put on some coffee,” said Piper. “It could still be a while before Leo gets back. We might as well be comfortable while we wait.”

“I’ll help,” said Phoebe. “I’m kind of hungry anyway. I think I’ll make myself a sandwich.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” said Paige. “I’ll help you make enough for everyone.”

“Excuse me,” said Darryl, as the girls left the living room. “Nature calls.”

“You don’t want to tell them?” Jerrod asked Cole when they were alone.

“Not right now,” said Cole. “They have enough to worry about for the moment. Like I told Phoebe, there’s no sense in burdening them with extraneous information right now. You know as well as I do that even if they knew about it it couldn’t help them. We have to concentrate on Abby right now.”

“I suppose you’re right,” said Jerrod. “The Hollow has been locked away for more than three millennia. Too bad we can’t use it. It would solve all of our problems.”

“And create a whole slew of others we don’t need. Trust me it’s best if we just don’t say anything about it for now.”

“Okay. I’ll defer to your judgment. You do know them better than I do.”

Suddenly Leo orbed into the living room. He looked around seeing only Cole and Jerrod in the room.

“Where are the girls?”

“They’re in the kitchen getting something to eat,” said Cole. “Were you able to find one?”

Leo held up a small rectangular box. As he did the girls and Darryl came back into the room.

“You got one,” said Piper, kissing her husband. “You were gone a long time. You must have run into some problems.”

“You have no idea,” said Leo. “But suffice it to say that I was able to convince the guardian of the box to let me borrow it until this is all over. But I have to return it as soon as we’ve stopped Abby.”

“And if we can’t stop her?” Paige asked.

“Well let’s just say that in that event returning it won’t be a high priority. On anyone’s list.”

“What do we do now?” Phoebe asked.

“You use the spell you wrote,” said Jerrod. “If I understand it correctly, the box will instantly draw in the magic once it’s been removed from Piper and Paige. It will be protected until we stop Abigail and then it will be a simple matter to restore their powers.”

“Are you sure this is going to work?” Piper asked, looking at the box. “You said yourself that as long as the Power of Three exists Abby will continue to gain power. Won’t it still exist even if it’s been removed from us?”

“Technically, yes,” said Jerrod. “But the material this box is made from is immune to magic. It comes from a dimension where magic doesn’t exist. No form of magic, no matter how powerful, can penetrate the box. So even though the magic inside still exists Abigail won’t be able to draw on it. She’ll effectively be cut off from it as if you powers had been stripped from you.”

“Which means we won’t have access to it either,” said Paige.

“That’s true,” said Jerrod. “But between Phoebe and me we should be able to stop her. Remember, our powers have been increased as well. Alone neither of us is a match for her. But together we should be able to stop her. Together our power is greater than even hers. And since we’re linked because of the slippers we should be able to use our powers together just as the three of you use the Power of Three.”

“If everyone is cut off from the Power of Three,” asked Paige, “won’t that mean that the power increase should be negated? It is the source of the power increase after all.”

“Yes, but it’s like increasing the memory in your computer,” said Jerrod. “Once you’ve upgraded the memory it stays upgraded. That’s essentially what’s happening here. The Power of Three is increasing our power. Cutting off that power won’t affect the increase we’ve all ready received. It will just prevent it from increasing any further.”

“Let’s get this over,” said Piper. “It’s gone on long enough. I want to put an end to Abby as soon as possible.”

“Okay,” said Jerrod. “First, you cast the spell. That should draw the magic out of Piper and Paige. More than likely it will rise above you and hover for a few seconds before it dissipates. Before it can dissipate Leo will open the box. The magic will be drawn into the box and Leo closes the box trapping it inside. If the legends are true.”

“They are,” said Leo. “That’s pretty much what happened the last time one of these boxes were used.”

“Yeah, we covered that all ready,” said Cole. “Once we’ve trapped their power inside the box we’ll need to find Abby.”

“That won’t be hard,” said Jerrod. “Phoebe and I should be able to home in on her power level. Then we can go finish this.”

“Okay,” said Piper. “Phoebe where’s the spell?”

Phoebe pulled out the piece of paper she had written the spell on.

“I made it a Power of Three spell,” she said. “I figured it would be the only thing powerful enough to remove Piper and Paige’s powers.”

They looked the spell over for a moment and then the three sisters intoned the spell together.

They all watched as Piper and Paige began to glow. For a few seconds nothing happened. Then slowly the glows separated from them and rose above their heads. The magic combined into a single entity. Leo opened the lid to the box and almost instantly the magic was drawn into it. Leo then closed the lid to the box and the magic was trapped inside.

“That’s it,” said Jerrod. “Abby shouldn’t be able to draw on the Power of Three any more. All we have to do now if find her and stop her.”

“Let me save you the trouble,” said Abby suddenly appearing in the entryway to the manor. “You’re a fool, Jerrod. As are the rest of you. Oh, we’re going to put an end to this, all right. You’ll pay for killing Zile. And it won’t be a quick or painless death, either, I can assure you of that.”

[noazmale]

SEVENTEEN

Everyone was on their feet in an instant. They faced off against Abby as she stood in the entryway smiling at them.

“It’s over,” said Piper. “We’ve cut off your power. Whatever you have planned is over. Just give us the slippers and we won’t have to kill you.”

“You think you have the upper hand?” Abby asked. “You are all such fools. You think you have it all figured out don’t you? You’re not even close. Oh, I do get additional power from the Power of Three. And locking it away in that box won’t do you any good. My power will continue to grow no matter what you do. Unfortunately you won’t be around to see it.”

She held out her hand and a blast of energy shot out and struck Leo. He was knocked back and the box he was holding fell to the floor. The box fell open and the magic inside suddenly rose in the air. Abby stretched out her hand again and the magic moved to her and enveloped her. Within seconds she had absorbed all of Piper and Paige’s magic.

“You really didn’t think that simple box would stop me did you?” she asked. “I’ve spent a long time planning my revenge. I knew it was only a matter of time before you figured out the connection between the slippers and the Power of Three. And I knew if I waited long enough you’d strip that from you to stop me. Now I have two-thirds of that power. When I’m finished here I’ll have it all.”

Phoebe raised her hands and tapped into her telekinetic power. The power simply passed around Abby harmlessly.

“You never learn,” said Abby, turning to Phoebe. “Magic can’t hurt itself. Your strength comes from the Power of Three which I now control. My power, on the other hand, is a different matter.”

Abby raised her hand and an energy ball flew at Phoebe. It barely missed her as she dived to the side to avoid it. At the same instant Cole jumped for Abby. But just as before the magical barrier surrounding her protected her. Cole slammed against the barrier and was knocked back. Abby turned on Piper and Paige. She formed another energy ball and smiled.

“Now to put an end to this,” she said. “Once the two of you are dead there will be no way to reconstitute the Power of Three. Then I can finish the rest of you and get on with my plans.”

“Not today,” said Jerrod.

He created an energy ball and cast it at Abby. Just as with Phoebe’s telekinetic power it impacted the shield around her and dissipated harmlessly away. Abby turned on Jerrod.

“It looks like I’ll have to take care of you first,” she said, forming an energy ball. “The others are no matches for me. But you and the middle sister seem intent on stopping me. I find it very annoying. Too annoying to deal with.”

She cast the energy ball and Jerrod was knocked back against the wall of the living room. He slumped to the floor. None of them could tell if he was simply unconscious or dead.

“One down one to go,” said Abby turning on Phoebe who was just now gaining her feet.

Suddenly a shot rang out. Abby grabbed her arm and screamed in pain. She turned to see Darryl holding a smoking gun pointed at her.

“Don’t move,” said Darryl.

“This isn’t possible,” said Abby in disbelief. “You’re a mortal. You have no power over me.”

“A mortal with the gun,” said Darryl. “You so much as twitch and the next one won’t be to wound you.”

Abby howled in anger and then simply vanished from the manor before anyone could move. Piper and Paige moved over to see if Phoebe was okay while Cole went to check Jerrod. Leo bent down and picked up the now empty box that had contained Piper and Paige’s powers.

“This is just great,” said Piper, seeing that Phoebe was unhurt. She moved over as Cole helped Jerrod to his feet. “You said that if we stripped our powers you’d be able to stop her. Now, not only is she not stopped she has our powers to boot. And without the Power of Three we have no way to stop her.”

“I don’t understand it,” said Jerrod. “It should have worked. I don’t understand how she could have that much power once you stripped your powers. It should have affected her just as I said.”

“Well it didn’t,” said Piper. “Now we’re even more screwed than we were before. Abby is stronger than ever and we’ve lost our only chance of stopping her.”

“That may not be entirely true,” said Jerrod, looking at Darryl. “Abby was right. He’s just a mortal. He should have been less effective against her than you are even without your powers.”

“I did have this gun,” said Darryl, holstering his pistol. “Good think I carry a backup weapon. I should have killed her. But I figured if I just winged her maybe she wouldn’t offer any resistance. I guess I was wrong.”

“That’s just it,” said Jerrod. “With her power you shouldn’t have been able to hurt her at all. You saw what happened when Phoebe and I used our powers against her. They passed around her like they weren’t even there.”

“A pistol is a different matter,” said Darryl. “Obviously she couldn’t protect against that.”

“No, Jerrod is right,” said Cole. “With her power that pistol shouldn’t have had any affect on her. The bullet should have bounded off that shield just as your powers did. The question is why didn’t it?”

“Wait a minute,” said Paige. “Are you saying that even though we can’t fight Abby Darryl can? That’s just crazy. Darryl is an innocent. He doesn’t have any powers. How can he fight against someone with Abby’s powers?”

“That’s a good question,” said Leo. “There must be something about Darryl that insulates him from the changes somehow.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” said Cole. “Unless someone cast a spell on him he shouldn’t be insulated. And even if someone did cast a spell, the combination of the real magic with the fantasy magic should have overcome that spell.”

“Unless it’s the prophecy,” said Jerrod.

“You mentioned this prophecy before,” said Piper. “Just what is this prophecy anyway?”

“As I said,” said Jerrod, “there’s an ancient prophecy. It tells of a great power that will combine real and fantasy and become an unstoppable force. No one knows exactly what the prophecy means but it’s always been interpreted to mean the Grand Mystic.”

“Why do you think Darryl might be involved with this prophecy?” Phoebe asked.

“The prophecy goes something like this,” said Jerrod. “’In the time of the great battle a power will rise. It will be a terrible power that will blend that which is tangible and that which is intangible. The three in one will strive to vanquish the evil but the power will prove relentless And they shall be overcome by the joining. And their power will be added.’”

“That certainly sounds like our situation right now,” said Leo.

“What about this great battle?” Paige asked. “What great battle?”

“The battle between good and evil,” said Jerrod. “In the past there have always been battles between the two. But since the three of you have come on the scene those battles have become more intense. Every demon wants to put a stop to you. They all realize how powerful you will eventually become and they want to stop you before that happens.”

“Okay, that much we understand,” said Piper. “And that part about us being overcome by the joining. Like Leo said, it certainly describes what’s happened with Abby. She’s beaten us at every turn.”

“What does any of this have to do with Darryl?” Paige asked.

“That’s not the entire prophecy,” said Jerrod. “As I told you earlier, we’ve always thought the prophecy was in reference to the Grand Mystic. No one has the power he does so it was always believed he’d be the one to be able to combine real and fantasy magic – the tangible with the intangible.”

“And the three in one,” said Cole. “That would describe the girls perfectly. Three witches able to combine their magic into the Power of Three – the one.”

“Exactly,” said Jerrod. “When the three of you came on the scene the Grand Mystic believed you were the fulfillment of that prophecy. The three in one whose power will be added to his. But obviously that’s not what the prophecy means. It was in reference to Abigail. She’s the great power that’s been able to join the tangible with the intangible.”

“That doesn’t explain how Darryl fits into all this,” said Piper.

“The rest of the prophecy goes like this,” said Jerrod. “’No force shall survive the power of the joining. Save for the boundary where the intangible meets the tangible. Against this the evil will have no power.’”

“That doesn’t make sense,” said Paige.

“I think it does,” said Jerrod. “Everyone has always thought that the boundary where the intangible meets the tangible is a place. But what if it isn’t? What if it’s not a place but a person?”

“How is that even possible?” Phoebe asked.

“Have you ever used your magic on him?” Jerrod asked.

“Once or twice,” said Piper. “As long as we’ve known each other it’s hard not to occasionally.”

“And I usually regret it every time they do,” said Darryl.

“Whenever you use your magic,” said Jerrod, “there’s always a residual affect left behind. Usually it’s not enough to even be noticeable. It would probably not even interact with magic that’s used on him later. And I used my magic on him when I first transported everyone into that movie. That would also have left an almost imperceptible residue in him.”

“So you’re saying that the two residual affects would have combined in him to make him immune to Abby’s power?” Piper asked. “Surely it’s not the first time a mortal has had real and fantasy magic used on them. Why would it affect him that way?”

“Sure other mortals have had both magic used on them,” said Jerrod. “But not the Power of Three. And not enhanced by the magic of the slippers which is arguably one of the most powerful magicks in the fantasy realm. That would have enhanced the magic in him. And just like with Abigail, Phoebe, and me, that power would grow stronger with each passing minute.”

“Which means that Abby has no power over Darryl,” said Leo.

“Exactly,” said Jerrod. “That’s why he was able to shoot her with his pistol. The magic surrounding him would have surrounded the pistol as well. When he shot her not even her shield could protect her from it.”

“Which means we have a way to fight her,” said Cole. “You saw how she reacted when Darryl shot her. She was dumfounded. And she ran from him. Which means she frightened of him.”

“But if we figured it out won’t she?” Phoebe asked. “And when she does she’s bound to figure out someway to protect herself from him.”

“She might figure it out,” said Jerrod, “but there’s no way she can protect against it. There is no protection against him. The only thing she can do is try to kill him and put an end to his threat.”

“Which means we have to stop her before that happens,” said Leo. “Darryl is an innocent. We can’t put him in harms way even to defeat Abby.”

“It seems to me I’m all ready in harms way,” said Darryl. “As much as I may hate to admit it, it seems like I’m the only chance we have of stopping her.”

“He’s right,” said Jerrod. “If we hope to stop Abigail our only chance is with him. Now all we have to do is figure out how to best use our advantage before Abigail strikes again. And she will strike again. If for no other reason than to stop your policeman friend from posing a threat to her.”

“I do have a name,” said Darryl, annoyance in his voice.

“Of course, forgive me,” said Jerrod. “I guess I’ll have to learn some manners now that I’m good. It’s not something I have a whole lot of experience with. Manners are usually considered a form of weakness among evil creatures. They only understand power.”

“Well, once this is over we’ll help with that,” said Phoebe. “Now, what are we going to do about Abby?”

[noazmale]

EIGHTEEN

Abigail used her magic to heal the wound Darryl had given her. She cursed herself for being taken by surprise. But then, how could she have known that a mere mortal could harm her? It was inconceivable. Even as a Mystic she was more powerful than mortals. None should have even been able to challenge her. And with her increased power from the joining not even the most powerful of magical beings should have been able to harm her.

So how was it that a mere mortal could have inflicted such a grievous injury on her? He was a policeman so she was sure he hadn’t missed his target. Especially at the short distance between her. He had meant only to wound her not kill her. But that should not have been possible. Her shield should have protected her.

The prophecy. That had to be it. The boundary mentioned in the prophecy. It wasn’t a place as everyone had always thought. It was a person. More specifically, it was that policeman friend of the Charmed Ones. Everyone had been wrong about who the prophecy had foretold. They had all thought it meant the Grand Mystic. That had been proven wrong when she had successfully combined the fantasy magic with the real magic.

So if that part had been misinterpreted, obviously so had the boundary. The boundary where the intangible meets the tangible. Where real magic and fantasy magic coexisted. It was the only thing that would be immune to her power. Immune because, since it comprised both fantasy and real magic, the change would be nothing new to it. Or rather, to him. But how was it possible that a mere mortal could be that boundary?

He was a friend of the Charmed Ones. That had to be it. In their long association it was almost assured that they had used their magic on him at one time or another. And when they had been trapped in the movie he would have been subjected to fantasy magic as well. The combining of those two magicks had to be the answer.

Which meant that he was a threat to her. The White Lighter was no threat to her. He had no offensive powers. As of now, Piper, Paige, and the demon were nothing but mortals. They had no powers at all. Phoebe and Jerrod might prove a problem. They could conceivably be a problem with their increased powers. But she was confident she could handle them.

The policeman was the problem. If he was the boundary mentioned in the prophecy her magic would be useless against him. As she had told them, magic can’t hurt itself. No matter what she did no magic she used would hurt him. So she would have to take care of him in a more conventional manner. Since he was human just about any method would be sufficient.

That shouldn’t be too difficult. Enough reality still existed that it would be simple for her to get what she needed. She closed her eyes and concentrated for several seconds. Suddenly a pistol simply appeared in her hand. She checked it to make sure it was loaded. She had never used one of these before but they didn’t appear to be too difficult. Just point and pull the trigger.

Now it was a simple matter to finish them all off. She knew she wouldn’t have to wait long. They would have figured out what was going on by now. And with renewed confidence in their new “secret weapon” they wouldn’t hesitate to come after her to stop her. All she had to do was sit and wait for them to show up.

* * *

“She’s bound to be ready for us when we get there,” said Paige. “You said yourself she’ll probably figure out the prophecy just as we did. I’m willing to bet she’ll have some kind of contingency plan to deal with Darryl since her magic won’t work on him.”

“I’m counting on it,” said Jerrod. “If magic won’t deal with her problems she’ll have to come up with something else. That’s why we should be able to take her by surprise. She’s not really very imaginative. If she were her plan to replace Prue would have worked better. She’ll be expecting us to try some kind of subterfuge. So we’re just going to give her what she wants.”

“I don’t know about this,” said Darryl. “What if something goes wrong? What if she figures out what we’re up to?”

“She won’t,” said Piper. “I have to admit it’s a pretty good plan. She shouldn’t know what’s going on until it’s too late.”

“You’re sure she’ll go after Darryl first?” Phoebe asked. “If he doesn’t one of us could get killed.”

“She won’t have any choice,” said Jerrod. “Darryl is the main threat to her. Her magic doesn’t work against him. As long as he’s around he can oppose her. And trust me. The one thing evil doesn’t want is someone who can oppose them.”

“He’s right,” said Cole.

“Is everyone sure on what they’re supposed to do?” Jerrod asked.

“I’m still not comfortable using a plan you came up with,” said Piper. “Despite what Phoebe and Leo say I’m not convinced you aren’t still a warlock with some ulterior motive. And your last plan was so helpful.”

“Piper, he’s done nothing but help us,” protested Phoebe.

“No, it’s okay,” said Jerrod. “I understand her concern. And I can understand her reservations. Trust isn’t something you can give or take. It has to be earned. I can only hope that by my helping you I can earn that trust. I know my idea for stripping your powers didn’t work out and I’m sorry for that. But you wait and see. This one is going to work.”

“We’ll see,” said Piper. “But don’t think I’m about to give you free reign just because you’ve been helping us. You double cross us and powers or no powers I’ll find a way to vanquish you.”

“Fair enough,” said Jerrod. “And I hope you’ll soon realize that my only motivation is helping you and stopping Abigail. Now, I think we’d better get ready. Abigail is going to be expecting us to attack soon. And I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep her waiting.”

* * *

Abigail sat in her throne-chair waiting. It wouldn’t be long before they came for her. And she was ready. First she’d deal with the policeman. She didn’t much care for policemen anyway. They represented law and order and everything that was good. The very antithesis of what she believed in.

When he was out of the way she’d finish the others. She’d kill Phoebe first. That would forever prevent the Power of Three from being reconstituted no matter how remote that possibility was. Then she’d finish Jerrod. He was as much a threat to her as the Power of Three. As a Mystic he might possibly be able to tap into her newfound power. She couldn’t have that.

Then she’d finish the others. Piper, Paige, and the demon wouldn’t be a problem. She could kill them as easily as any other human. The White Lighter would be more of a problem. Only the poison from a Dark Lighter could finish him. Once the others were finished it should be easy for her to find a Dark Lighter who’d be glad to take care of him.

“Sitting in the dark isn’t a good thing even for you, Abigail.”

Abby watched as Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Cole, and Leo came walking out of the darkness beyond. She glanced around noticing that Jerrod and Darryl were conspicuously absent.

“Where are the others?” Abby asked. “Surely you haven’t come here alone to oppose me.”

“We thought we might try to talk some sense into you,” said Piper. “You have to see that what you’re doing can’t possibly succeed. Even if you are successful in defeating us you can’t keep all these changes going forever. Not even the Power of Three is strong enough to sustain them indefinitely. Eventually you’re going to start loosing control of it. And from what Jerrod tells us when that happens the power is going to backfire on you and destroy you.”

“I don’t have to keep it going forever,” said Abby. “Only until I have my revenge. And once that’s complete everything can revert back to normal. I’ll have enough power by then that no one – not the Grand Mystic, not even the Source of All Evil – will be able to stand against me. Speaking of Jerrod, where is he? I expected him to be with you. As well as your policeman friend.”

“They’re at the manor,” said Phoebe. “Sort of a backup plan, so to speak. If we can’t stop you they’ll be our second line of defense.”

“How very thoughtful of you,” said Abby. “A contingency plan. I’m afraid it will do you no good, however. I know about you policeman friend. I figured it out just as I’m sure you have. The boundary. But he’s at a distinct disadvantage. While my magic may not work against him he has no powers with which to defend himself. I’ll be able to deal with him quite easily.”

“There’s no reason for that,” said Piper. “He’s an innocent. He’s no threat to you. He doesn’t even like being involved with magic. If you leave him alone he’ll leave you alone. He has a wife and family to worry about.”

“I’m afraid that’s not a consideration,” said Abby. “As long as he’s alive he is a threat to me. Very much a threat. As for leaving me alone your little ploy won’t work. We both know he’s just as anxious to have me out of the way as you are.”

Suddenly Abby spun facing the opposite direction. Standing several feet behind her were Leo and Darryl. They had been making their way toward her as the others had been keeping Abby occupied. As she spun to face them they stopped abruptly.

“Did you really think you could sneak up on me?” Abby demanded. “I could tell the instant you orbed in. It really was quite ingenious. Having the others keep me occupied while you attempted to creep up on me from behind. I suppose you thought you were being quite clever.”

“Something like that,” said Darryl. “They say I’m the only one who can stop you. Since I don’t have any powers we thought it was best not to give you a chance.”

“Which has failed miserably,” said Abby. “Quite the dilemma you have here. The only ones with powers can’t possibly hurt me. And the only one who can stand against my power has no powers with which to defend himself. I suppose you planned to shoot me as you did back in the manor.”

“I was hoping it wouldn’t come to that,” said Darryl. “That you’d listen to reason and stop all this foolishness.”

“Not likely,” said Abby. “I’ve planned this for a long time. And no one is going to stop me. Least of all some pathetic human with no powers. You may be immune to my powers. But there are many other things you are quite vulnerable to.”

Suddenly Abby pulled the pistol she was concealing in her dress. She pointed it at Darryl and fired three shots. The bullets struck Darryl in the chest and he collapsed to the floor unmoving. Abby just looked at Leo.

“Don’t interfere, White Lighter,” she said. “I may not be able to kill you yet but I can cause you a great deal of pain. And my magic would protect me from you in any case.”

She turned back toward the others.

“Now, it’s time this ended. With the policeman out of the way no one can stand against me.”

[noazmale]

NINETEEN

Abby dropped the pistol on the floor at her feet.

“This would be too easy,” she said. “Too quick. Besides, I want to savor killing you myself. With my new power. Of course you could try to get the gun. One of you might actually be lucky enough to get it before I kill all of you. But then it really wouldn’t do you any good. My shield protects me from all physical harm. Nothing can touch me as long as I have it in place. Good-bye now. I wish I could say it’s been a pleasure. But it hasn’t been.”

Abby raised her hands and two energy balls formed. She smiled an evil smile as she prepared to cast the weapons. None of the other could do anything but stand and watch her.

Suddenly Leo leapt at Abby tackling her and dragging her to the floor with him. The two energy balls she had formed evaporated as the two tumbled to the floor. They rolled for several feet before they rolled apart. Leo seemed to be cradling his stomach as if injured. Abby rose on her knees and formed another energy ball.

“That was quite foolish,” she snarled at Leo. “I may not be able to destroy you permanently but believe me I can make your life a living hell.”

Before any of them could move she cast the energy ball at Leo. The weapon struck Leo and the magic from it enveloped him. Then suddenly the magic from the energy ball simply evaporated causing no harm to Leo.

“That’s not possible,” Abby gasped. “You should have been vaporized by that energy ball.”

“Magic can’t hurt itself, remember?” said Leo.

Suddenly Leo shimmered slightly and changed form. Darryl lay on the floor where Leo had been only moments before. At the same time the Darryl that Abby had shot with the pistol walked over and glamoured into Leo.

“Sorry for the deception, sweetie,” said Piper. “But we figured you’d try to take out Darryl first. So it was a simple matter to have them ‘switch places’, so to speak. We knew that no matter what you did to Leo you couldn’t hurt him. And with Darryl looking like Leo we knew you wouldn’t consider him a threat. I’m actually surprised the illusion Jerrod used to change Darryl into Leo worked against you.”

“It’s like I told you,” said Jerrod. “With my increased power my illusions are even more effective. Plus thinking Darryl was dead she wouldn’t have been concerned with him so she probably wouldn’t bother to use her power to pierce the illusion. Which she could have done easily. You can be so predictable Abigail.”

“It will do you no good,” said Abby, rising to her feet. “I still have the power to destroy all of you. Nothing will stand in the way of my revenge against you and the Grand Mystic.”

“Except maybe these,” said Darryl, holding up the ruby slippers. “They kept saying these things made you this all-powerful bitch. So I figure without them you aren’t any more powerful than you’re supposed to be.”

“No!!” screamed Abby. “It can’t be. The slippers can’t be forcibly taken. It’s not possible for you to have them.”

“It’s perfectly possible,” said Jerrod. “Remember the prophecy? ‘Save for the boundary where the intangible meets the tangible. Against this the evil will have no power.’ He’s the boundary. That means the slippers don’t see him as foreign. They accept him as part of the magic. And that means he’s not forcing them from you.”

“Well, it seems the shoe is on the other foot, pun intended,” said Paige. “Now let’s see how well you do without your increased power.”

“I still have two-thirds of the Power of Three,” said Abby. “That is more than enough to destroy you.”

She formed another energy ball and cast it directly at the three sisters. Before any of them could move Cole grabbed Phoebe and Paige and pulled them to one side. Piper wasn’t fast enough and the energy ball struck her a glancing blow, sending her reeling.

Jerrod cast his own energy ball striking Abby as Leo rushed to help Piper. Darryl backed away holding the slippers since he knew without any powers he would be of little use in the battle. But he could keep the slippers away from Abby.

Abby was knocked back by the energy ball Jerrod had cast but it did little to harm her. She started to form another energy ball when suddenly she froze in place. The freeze lasted only a moment as she broke through it easily. Again Phoebe tried to freeze Abby but this time it had no affect. Abby turned toward Phoebe.

“I don’t need to physically possess the slippers to utilize their power,” said Abby. “I grow stronger by the minute. Nothing you can do can harm me. And in a few moments I’ll be so powerful I’ll be able to destroy all of you. It’s only a matter of moments now.”

Leo helped Piper to her feet and she seemed groggy but essentially unharmed. They moved over and stood next to Phoebe, Paige, and Cole. Abby smiled at them and formed another energy ball. She was getting stronger and they all realized it. Suddenly Cole looked at Darryl.

“The slippers,” he said. “That’s the answer. The way to stop her.”

“Darryl,” said Phoebe. “Throw the slippers.”

“What?” Darryl questioned.

“Just throw them,” said Phoebe. “Now.”

Confused Darryl tossed the slippers into the air. Abby howled as she cast the energy ball. In the same instance Phoebe brought her hands up and tapped into her explosive power. The magic from the attack struck the slippers and they exploded into a thousand shards. At the same instance the energy ball Abby had cast suddenly vanished in mid-air. Abby began to scream as some form of magical energy enveloped her. In seconds the magic flashed and Abby was vanquished in a conflagration.

“It’s over,” said Jerrod. “Destroying the slippers destroyed her. She couldn’t withstand all the magic she had gained from using the slippers. No one could. It consumed her when it had no place to go.”

“I don’t understand,” said Piper. “You all kept saying that magic couldn’t hurt itself. How was Phoebe able to destroy the slippers? Weren’t they part of the magic Phoebe was controlling?”

“She didn’t destroy the magic,” said Cole. “Only the slippers. The physical manifestation of that magic. The magic still exists. It’s like when Piper destroyed the athame that killed Zile. Phoebe couldn’t affect the magic of the slippers but she could affect the slippers themselves.”

“And just how did you know that?” Piper asked, turning to Cole.

“It was the only answer,” said Cole. “The slippers were what started all this. It just stood to reason they were the way to end it all. And the only way to do that was to destroy them.”

“So if I was connected to these slippers,” asked Darryl, “why wasn’t I destroyed when she was?”

“Because you’re human,” said Jerrod. “You were connected to the joined magic but you weren’t a part of it. Or relying on it as Abigail was. She was so convinced she was invincible with that magic she began to rely on it more and more. In the end she was relying on it almost totally. Destroying the slippers stripped her of that magic. Only it had nowhere to go with the slippers gone and it backed up inside her. Instant overload.”

“So how did Phoebe know all this?” Paige asked. “I understand how Cole could know. He’s over a hundred years old and an upper level demon.”

“Former demon,” corrected Cole.

“Former demon,” Paige repeated. “But none of us knew any of this. How could Phoebe have known.”

“I don’t know,” said Phoebe. “I just did.”

“The psychic link,” said Jerrod. “It allowed me to communicate it to her telepathically. I couldn’t say anything out loud. It would have warned Abigail. And she might have found a way to protect herself. I had to rely on your fast thinking.”

“About that psychic link,” Phoebe started.

“I’ve all ready severed it,” said Jerrod. “Once Abigail was vanquished there was no need to keep it in place. But I left it in place this long in case we needed it. Looks like it was a good thing I did.”

“Well,” said Piper, looking at the shards of ruby scattered all over the floor, “I guess it’s finally over. With Abby vanquished there’s nothing to keep this fantasy hell of hers going. So everything should be back to normal.”

“Except they aren’t,” said Leo looking around. “This is city hall. But it still looks like that fantasy castle Abby created. If she’s not controlling it it should have reverted to normal but it hasn’t.”

“It probably will in a short time,” said Jerrod. “It will just take a few minutes for reality to assert itself.”

“Uh, guys, is that supposed to be happening?” Paige asked.

They all watched as the shards of ruby scattered across the floor suddenly rose into the air. They reformed into the slippers and hovered in mid-air and began to glow. Suddenly a disembodied voice boomed throughout the entire hall.

“All is as it should be. There is nothing to assert itself.”

[noazmale]

TWENTY

“Okay, who said that?” Piper asked.

“I don’t know,” said Phoebe. “There doesn’t seem to be anyone else here.”

“I am here,” said the voice. “I am always here.”

“Who are you?” Jerrod asked.

“I am the spirit of all that is,” said the voice. “I am that which was and which is to be.”

“Speak in riddles much?” Paige asked.

“Why have you come to my domain?” asked the voice. “You have crossed the threshold. The threshold must not be crossed. It is not the natural way of things.”

“What threshold?” Piper asked.

“That which is from that which is not,” said the voice.

“What do you mean that which is from that which is not?” Phoebe asked.

“Simply that,” said the voice. “That which is must not join with that which is not.”

“Fantasy and real magic,” said Jerrod. “I think that’s what this voice is talking about. The joining of the two magicks.”

“So just who is this mysterious voice anyway?” Leo asked.

“I think it’s the slippers,” said Jerrod.

“What?” Cole questioned. “That’s crazy. They’re just slippers.”

“Not any more,” said Jerrod. “With all the magic that’s been going through them – and the joining of the real and fantasy magicks – I think that somehow all that combined magic has caused the slippers to become sentient.”

“Okay, that just sounds crazy to me,” said Paige.

“No, he might be right,” said Leo. “In a way, it happens all the time. When a baby is born it’s just an empty slate so to speak. No memories or experiences. But then the baby begins to learn things. Slowly at first and then faster as time goes on. At some point most small children exceed the sum of what they’ve learned. Begin to think for themselves.”

“And you think that’s what’s happened here?” Piper asked.

“It makes sense,” said Leo.

“More than that,” said Jerrod. “It was inevitable. The magic being drawn through the slippers would also draw the thoughts and memories of those using the magic. Including the sisters, Abigail, Darryl, and me, those are a lot of thoughts and memories. Combined with the magic it would be inevitable that it would eventually exceed the sum of its parts. To become sentient.”

“So what does it mean we’ve crossed the threshold?” Cole asked.

“You have crossed from that which is not into that which is,” said the voice. “You must be returned to your natural realm. To restore the natural way.”

“We haven’t crossed over anywhere,” said Piper. “If anything, you’ve crossed over. This is the real world.”

“You are misinformed,” said the voice. “I am that which was and which is to be. I have existed since the dawn of time. I will continue.”

“Okay, just what does that mean?” Paige asked.

“I think,” said Jerrod, “that it thinks it’s real. That we’re the fantasy. And it thinks we’ve crossed over from the fantasy world into the real world.”

“So what does it plan to do about it?” Darryl asked.

“I shall do nothing with you,” said the voice. “You are as you should be. It is the others who have crossed the threshold. They must be returned to their natural state.”

“Oh, this isn’t good,” said Jerrod. “If the slippers have become sentient then they have complete mastery of the magic in them. If it thinks we are fantasies and should be returned to the fantasy world, there’s no telling what they’ll do.”

“You mean they might kill us?” Phoebe asked.

“Worse,” said Jerrod. “They’ll send us to the fantasy world thinking that’s where we belong. Only we don’t belong in the fantasy world but there won’t be any way to get out of it. We’ll be trapped there forever.”

“Especially since we don’t have the Power of Three any more,” said Piper. “What can we do to stop the slippers?”

“You can do nothing,” said the voice. “I am the power. I must return that which is not to where it belongs.”

“Wait a minute,” said Darryl. “Are you saying we’re all going back to the Land of Oz? That’s just crazy.”

“As I said,” said the voice, “you are as you should be. It is only the others who have crossed the threshold. It is they who must be returned that which is not.”

“It sees Darryl as real,” said Jerrod. “Probably because he has a mingling of real and fantasy magic in him. It won’t do anything to him because it believes he belongs here. But the rest of us are in real danger unless we can convince it we’re real.”

“Just how do we do that?” Piper asked.

“I wish I knew,” said Jerrod. “Since it’s become sentient the only thing it’s known is the joining of the real and fantasy magicks. Since it’s essentially fantasy magic it believes that fantasy is reality.”

“So what we have to do is convince it that we’re real and it’s fantasy,” said Paige. “Oh, no pressure there. I’m not sure that’s even possible.”

“Maybe it is,” said Cole. “It has to be able to distinguish between real and fantasy. Otherwise it wouldn’t see us as different.”

“That makes sense,” said Jerrod. “It’s how it would think of us as fantasy.”

“So, doesn’t that mean it can distinguish between real and fantasy magic?” Cole asked.

“Of course,” said Jerrod.

“Wouldn’t the powers we stripped from ourselves be part of the magic of the slippers?” Piper asked.

“Of course,” said Jerrod. “Once Abby was vanquished the magic had to go somewhere. It would just naturally gravitate to the most powerful magic around.”

“So why doesn’t it see itself as partially fantasy at least?” Phoebe asked. “Surely it must sense the stripped powers mingled with it.”

“Of course,” said Jerrod. “That might be the answer. If we can convince it that part of it’s magic is fantasy magic and not real then it would have to return that power to where it rightfully belongs. Namely to you.”

“And once we have our powers back maybe we can stop it,” said Piper.

“It’s worth a shot,” said Phoebe. “Without their shares of the Power of Three it should be severely weakened.”

“Well, it seems that Jerrod has the best chance of convincing it,” said Cole. “He is – was – the mystic warlock. It should see him as more like it than any of us. I’m willing to bet it will listen to him before it listens to any of us.”

“Sounds reasonable,” said Jerrod. “I’ll do my best.”

Jerrod turned and faced the slippers.

“My name is Jerrod,” he said. “If we have crossed the threshold so has much of our power. That power resides in you. It will be necessary to return that power to its rightful place. Otherwise all that you are could be corrupted.”

“You are that which is not,” said the voice. “Your words belong to that which is not. Your words have no import in this matter.”

“Well that’s great,” said Jerrod. “It won’t even listen to me. If it won’t listen to me there’s no way I can convince it to return your powers. And I’m fresh out of ideas.”

[noazmale]

TWENTY-ONE

“Wait a minute,” said Darryl, moving over to the group, “you mean it plans to put us back in that movie? That’s not something I’m looking forward to. There has to be something you can do to stop it.”

“We’re open to suggestions,” said Piper.

“Move from them,” said the voice. “You must remain with that which is. It is they who must return to that which is not. To restore the balance.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Paige.

“It means it still sees Darryl as real,” said Jerrod. “And it doesn’t plan to put him back in the fantasy world where it thinks we belong. That could be the key. It won’t listen to me but I’ll bet it will listen to him.”

“I’m no witch or demon,” protested Darryl. “I don’t even have any powers like the rest of you. Why should it listen to me?”

“Because it thinks you’re part of reality,” said Phoebe. “You don’t need any powers, Darryl. All you have to do is convince it to return Piper and Paige’s powers, that’s all. Think of it as a hostage situation and their powers are the hostages.”

“Not that far from the truth, really,” said Cole.

“How do I convince it to do that?” Darryl asked.

“It must sense their powers mingled with its own,” said Jerrod. “You need to convince it that those powers have crossed the threshold with us. And to set things straight those powers need to go back where they belong.”

“Okay,” said Darryl hesitantly. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Darryl turned to the floating slippers.

“Look here,” he said feeling very self-conscious, “if you’re going to put them back where they belong you need to give them back the powers they had, too. It’s part of who they are.”

“All will be put right when they have been returned,” said the voice. “Move away from them. The balance must be restored.”

“And how do you plan to accomplish that?” Darryl asked. “Once you’ve returned them to wherever it is you plan to put them, how will you get their powers back to them?”

Darryl was met with silence. He had been in enough hostage negotiations to know what that meant. He was making sense to the “abductor” and it was thinking about what he said. At the moment it had no answer to his question.

“It’s very simple,” said Darryl. “In order to put things back the way they are supposed to be you have to return what is rightfully theirs. This mingling of real and fantasy magic has screwed things up completely. You want to put things back the way they’re supposed to be? Just separate the real from the fantasy. Then you can put everything back where it belongs.”

“There is much that has been joined,” said the voice. “Much that is out of place. All must be set right.”

“Well, if you don’t return their power first,” said Darryl, “you may not be able to once you’ve returned them where they belong. You won’t be able to undo the joining. If you want to do it right you have to start there. Then you can move on to everything else.”

“There is sense in your words,” said the voice. “I will return the magic that is not to its rightful place. Then the unjoining may begin.”

A beam of energy shot from the slippers and engulfed Piper and Paige. They stood there for several seconds bathed in the beam. Suddenly the beam ended.

“I have returned that which is not,” said the voice.

“I don’t feel any different,” said Paige.

“That may mean nothing,” said Jerrod. “Your powers are a part of you. There’s no reason to think you’d feel any differently by getting them back.”

“Okay, so we have our powers back,” said Piper. “What do we do now?”

“Not we,” said Jerrod, looking at Darryl. “Him. Darryl, you need to convince the slippers not to try and put things back. Just separate the real magic from the fantasy magic. If it does that then things should reassert themselves.”

“And that will put everything back the way it’s supposed to be?” questioned Darryl.

“It should,” said Jerrod. “Theoretically once the two magicks are separated they should naturally return to their respective realms.”

“Should?” questioned Phoebe.

“Look, there are no guarantees here,” said Jerrod. “We’re in uncharted territory. I’ve told you that no one has successfully mixed real and fantasy magic. So there’s no way to tell exactly what’s going to happen. And you know as well as I do that magic can do unpredictable things. All we can do is follow our instincts and hope it works.”

“What he says makes sense,” said Cole. “Real magic belongs in the real world while fantasy magic belongs in the fantasy world. If they’re separated they should return to where they belong.”

“It does make sense,” said Leo. “Magic does have the tendency to gravitate toward its natural source.”

“Okay, so what do I do?” Darryl asked.

“Convince the slippers not to put things anywhere,” said Jerrod. “Just get them to separate the real magic from the fantasy. That should solve everything.”

“I’ll try,” said Darryl. “This is crazy. Talking to a pair of slippers.”

“Actually the slippers are just the physical manifestation of the sentient magic behind them,” said Jerrod. “From what I’ve seen you’re a good cop. Just trust your instincts. You can do this.”

Darryl took a deep breath and turned back to the slippers.

“Look,” he said, “it’s not necessary for you to put anything back. Uh, this joining you keep talking about. All you have to do is separate the, what did you call it? That which is from that which is not? If you do that then things should go back to the way they’re supposed to be.”

“Your words make sense,” said the voice. “But those gathered here have crossed the threshold. It is necessary to return them to that which is not.”

“No, no,” said Darryl. “They’ve only, uh, crossed over because of this joining. If you just separate the real magic from the fantasy magic they should return to where they belong. Just like everything else.”

There was a moment of silence. Everyone stood watching the slippers wondering what the magic would decide.

“Very well,” said the voice finally. “I shall unravel that which has become intertwined. But all must be set right. The natural order must be maintained. I will return that which is not returned. It is the way it should be.”

“Fine, fine,” said Darryl, “just separate the magicks first. That’s supposed to put everything back the way it’s supposed to be.”

The voice didn’t speak again. Instead the slippers began to glow. The light became so bright that everyone had to shield their eyes from it. Suddenly the light flashed and everyone became dizzy. Then everything went blank for all of them.

[noazmale]

TWENTY-TWO

The group looked around at their surroundings. They were all standing in the living room of the manor. Phoebe was holding the bags of art supplies she had purchased for Paige several days before. And they all seemed to be dressed differently.

“What happened?” Piper asked as everyone looked around in confusion.

“I don’t know,” said Phoebe. “This was the same outfit I was wearing when I bought the art supplies for Paige.”

“I was wearing this suit the other day,” said Darryl, looking at the front of his suit coat. “I spilled coffee on it and haven’t had a chance to get it cleaned yet.”

“What about the ruby slippers?” Paige asked. “Do you think it got the magicks separated?”

“Apparently,” said Jerrod. “I would imagine that everything has been put back the way it’s supposed to be. But as for the changes I can’t account for them.”

“That which is and that which is not have been returned to their rightful places. All is as it was.”

They all turned to see a young girl standing in the entryway. She looked like Dorothy from “The Wizard Of Oz”. She was also wearing the ruby slippers.

“Who are you?” Piper asked defensively.

“I am what you would call the spirit of the ruby slippers,” said the young girl. “I am the sentient magic of the fantasy world.”

“Then you realize you aren’t real?” Jerrod questioned.

“I am as real as you or the others,” said the young girl. “But my reality is of a different nature from yours. My reality is within the dreams and fantasies of those who live in what you would call the real world.”

“What do you want?” Leo asked.

“I have come to advise you that all is as it was,” said the young girl. “The intertwined magicks have been separated. One will no longer encroach upon the other. As it should be.”

“Our clothes are different,” said Phoebe.

“I have returned you to a time before your ordeal began,” said the girl. “So that the natural order of both realms may be preserved.”

“Then that means we still have Abby and Zile to contend with,” said Cole.

“No,” said the girl. “Their fates remain as they were. It is a necessary safeguard to preserve what is. If not for those two the joining would not have happened. If I were to return them the joining would simply occur again. That must not be allowed. That which is and that which is not must forever remain separate.”

“What will you do now?” Jerrod asked.

“I will return to that place which is my natural domain,” said the girl. “There I will watch guard between that which is and that which is not. The bridge which joins the two will never again be crossed.”

“That’s good,” said Paige. “I think I’ve had enough merging of real and fantasy magic to last me a lifetime.”

“You may rest in the knowledge that such a thing will not again happen,” said the girl. “So long as I stand guard at the bridge no being will join the magicks again. Farewell.”

Suddenly the girl simply faded away.

“That’s it?” questioned Piper. “It’s really over?”

“It would seem so,” said Jerrod. “Fantasy and real magic are back where they should be. And from the sounds of it I don’t think we’ll have to worry about it ever happening again.”

“I wish I could believe that,” said Phoebe.

“You can,” said Cole. “From what I know about fantasy magic that – being – will have enough power to stop anyone from joining the two ever again.”

“You think she can really do that?” Leo questioned.

“Absolutely,” said Jerrod. “Remember, she belongs in the realm of fantasy magic. There is no more powerful magic in existence. And she seems to control fantasy magic. I think we’ve seen the last of the joining between real and fantasy magic.”

“Is that true?” Darryl asked. “We don’t have to worry about being put back into that stupid movie?”

“Apparently not,” said Piper. “And we all have you to thank for it. If not for you we might have ended up in the fantasy world forever.”

“I didn’t do that much,” said Darryl.

“You did more than you know, my friend,” said Jerrod. “When she was filled with the joined magic she may not have been able to distinguish completely between real and fantasy magic. There’s no telling how she would have separated the two. You were able to convince her to simply separate the two magicks. That not only set things right but she didn’t have to decide what went where. Both the real and the fantasy realms owe you a debt of thanks.”

“Well you can thank me by just keeping me out of your magical plans in the future,” said Darryl. “I have enough problems with the regular ones.” He looked at his watch. “I’d better get going. I’m supposed to be meeting with my lieutenant in ten minutes. I certainly hope it goes a bit differently from how it went last time. I don’t think I could take that again.”

“A little weird was it?” Cole asked.

“You have no idea,” said Darryl.

“Go on,” said Piper. “I think the crisis is over.”

Nervously Darryl opened the front door. He peered out cautiously and then stepped outside.

“Is it really over?” Phoebe asked.

“Yes, it is,” said Jerrod. “It’s kind of poetic really. It all started when you three cast a Power of Three spell to get us out of that movie. It caused the ruby slippers to combine real and fantasy magic in the first place. Somehow it’s fitting that it should all be ended by the slippers.”

“It’s still weird thinking that the slippers might actually be a living being,” said Paige. “I don’t think I’m ever going to look at ‘The Wizard Of Oz’ again.”

“Oh, I think it’s going to be a long time before we even watch that movie again,” said Piper.

“What will you do now?” Leo asked Jerrod. “If you really are good you can’t go back to the Mystic Order.”

“I’m sure I can find something to do,” said Jerrod. “Especially if I had the aid of a White Lighter to help me.”

“Uh, I have my hands full with the girls,” said Leo, glancing around. “But I’ll talk to the Elders and see if I can get one assigned to you. You might even be able to fill them in on things they don’t all ready know about. Things that I’m sure they’d like to know about Mystic Warlocks, for instance.”

“I’m sure that can be arranged,” said Jerrod. “I guess I should be going, too. The Grand Mystic is going to know that I’ve changed sides, so to speak. I’ll need to find some place to hide out until his attention is turned to something else.”

“I can help with that,” said Cole, looking at Phoebe. “I have a little experience with hiding out. I could give you some pointers and maybe even a couple of places no one else will think to look for you.”

“Thanks,” said Jerrod. “I really appreciate it. Leo, you did a great job with your glamour ability. I never knew it was so effective.”

“I just did what I could,” said Leo. “It was your plan. I’m just glad it worked out the way it did. Although I wouldn’t want to go through that again. Bullets may not be able to cause me any serious injury but they still hurt like hell.”

“I have no doubt,” said Jerrod. “Piper, Paige. I’m glad you finally trusted me. I know it may be a bit hard to accept even now but I hope you understand that I’m no longer evil. And I’ll continue to do whatever I can to convince you of that.”

“Well, you’ve got a good start, Jerrod,” said Piper. “By the way, we never did apologize for having to kill Jeremy. We didn’t want to but he really didn’t leave us any choice.”

“I know,” said Jerrod. “He and I were never that close to begin with. And at the time I was glad you did it. But I do understand you were just protecting yourself. I can’t hold that against you.”

“Well he was a warlock, wasn’t he?” Paige asked.

Jerrod just smiled. Then he turned to Phoebe.

“It seems you have more of an affect on me than even I originally thought,” he said. “Maybe, under different circumstances….”

“I’m with Cole,” said Phoebe. “But I appreciate the sentiment. I’m sure there’s someone out there for you. Especially now that you’re good. Women are attracted to strong men, you know?”

Jerrod just laughed.

“Only now I’ll have to be sensitive and caring,” he said. “I guess it’s something else I’ll have to learn.”

“Come on,” said Cole. “I can help you with that, too. I think I’d better give you those tips I mentioned. The sooner you’re out of here the better I’ll feel. I really don’t think any of us wants the Grand Mystic coming here looking for you.”

“Is this Grand Mystic really that dangerous?” Paige asked as Cole and Jerrod went to talk.

“From what I’ve heard he is,” said Leo. “There should be an entry on him in the Book of Shadows. I would suggest you read up on him in case he shows up looking for Jerrod. Jerrod did say he was after your powers.”

“Who isn’t?” said Phoebe. “I’ll go check the book. We’ll need to be prepared as soon as possible.”

“In the mean time,” said Piper, “if this is the day I think it is, I think I was planning to fix my vegetarian lasagna. Which means I’d better get to the kitchen before the ingredients I have set out become unusable.”

“Need some help?” Paige asked.

“Sure,” said Piper. “I can show you my secret ingredient.”

“I’ll be back as soon as I check in with the Elders,” said Leo. He picked up the box he had brought to hold Piper and Paige’s powers. “Besides, I need to return this to the guardian. It may be needed again in the future and it should be there in case it is.”

“Take your time,” said Piper. “It’s going to be a while before dinner is ready anyway. And I think we all need a good long rest after everything we’ve been through the last few days. Or the few days coming up. Or whatever.”

“Okay,” said Leo, smiling. “Try not to think about it. It will just confuse you.”

Phoebe headed upstairs while Piper and Paige went into the kitchen. As Leo orbed to the White Lighter realm Cole and Jerrod seemed to be sharing a private joke as they both tried to stifle laughs.

The End

If you’ve enjoyed this story, you can find more “Charmed” stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/. You can also post your own “Charmed” stories if you like to write fan fiction.