Since returning to the manor for the wake, Prue had been keeping an eye out for the girl who had interested her at the funeral. It wasn't easy because she kept getting drawn into conversations with the mourners, who were only too eager to share stories about Phoebe as they drank coffee and ate cold cuts.

Prue didn't want to seem disinterested, but the girl's face just kept coming back to her. She was sure they had met somewhere and knew it was going to bug her until she figured it out.

Walking over to Leo and Cole, she mumbled, “I don't see her anywhere.”

“Who?” asked Leo.

“The girl I told you about. I thought she would be here.”

“You sure you don't recognize her from anywhere?”

“Well, she did look familiar, like I've seen her somewhere before. But I think it’s more than that.”

“You mean something supernatural?”

“Maybe.”

“You’re probably just imagining it,” Cole suggested. “It would be understandable given what you’re going through. I know I—”

“I’m not imagining anything, and please don’t psychoanalyze me. Just stick to doing what you do best,” Prue sniped.

“And what might that be?” challenged Cole.

“Killing,” Prue said bluntly, earning her some looks of alarm from nearby mourners, and a reaction from Cole that resembled a boxer taking a body blow.

“Prue, you gotta be more careful,” Leo chastised, pulling her to a more private area.

Ignoring this, Prue asked Cole, “Speaking of, are you about ready to get going? You’ve cost us two chances at a Zotar already today, so I’m going to try Scrying again.”

“Why not?” said Cole stoically. “I suppose it's better than sitting around waiting for the next bounty hunter to attack.”

Carrying a tray of hors d'oeuvres, Piper watched in disbelief as Prue ascended the staircase at a run. Here she was, barely holding it together, feeding their guests with the food she had prepared for them alone, after planning Phoebe’s funeral alone, and spending the morning of the funeral and much of the last week alone, while Prue was swanning off somewhere again. Well, that was it, she was done…with all of it.

After laying down her tray, Piper crossed the room, and asked her husband in an accusatory fashion, “Where’s she off to?”

Leo sighed, “To Scry. I think she and Cole are heading out again.”

“To do what exactly?” Piper directed at Cole. “Even if you two find Shax, you can't defeat him without the Power of Three.”

“You and Prue did,” said Cole.

“Or so the Source told you,” Piper retorted, an eyebrow raised. “But you don’t know for sure that we beat Shax. Your old boss might have been lying to you to trick Phoebe into accepting his crazy deal. We don't know what happened in that other reality. Leo might have been able to tell us if he had stayed with you, but he didn't, did you, Leo?”

“Piper… None of that changes the fact that Shax is still active, taking out innocents left and right,” reasoned Leo. “You and Prue are going to have to deal with him eventually.”

“Says who? Why do we have to?”

“Piper…”

“What? Do you really expect us to keep doing this stuff after what happened? To keep risking our lives? Do they?”

“Piper, keep your voice down.”

“No, Leo, I won't. I don't want to do this anymore, okay? It-It's over! You can tell them that we buried their precious Charmed Ones when we buried our sister.” With that, Piper spun on her heel and stalked up the stairs.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Leo made to follow her, but Cole placed a hand on his chest. “I wouldn’t,” he suggested with a small shake of the head.

"I don't know what to do anymore," Leo admitted. "The Elders are pressuring me, but Piper barely communicates with me. She blames me for something I did, or didn’t do, in another reality! Then, there’s Prue, fixated on Shax… It would help if you weren’t encouraging her.”

Cole laughed, “You think I’m encouraging her? I want Shax and the Source gone more than anyone, Leo, but even I know we’re in over our heads. I’ve tried telling Prue that. She won’t listen. I’m only going with her on these suicide missions to make sure she doesn’t end up like…”

Seeing Cole lower his head, obviously succumbing to a pang of grief, Leo felt guilty. “I’m sorry, Cole. Like I said, I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“At least there are things you can do, Leo. You’ll figure it out. As for me? Well, it’s like Prue said. I’m only good at one thing, right?”

“She didn’t mean that, Cole. The girls know what you and Phoebe meant to each other. They understand that you did everything you could to protect her and bring her back.”

“Phoebe risked her life to free me from the Source’s control,” he said with some difficulty. “The least I could do was make sure he couldn’t parade her body around like a trophy.”

“And now, you’re doing what you can to keep her sisters safe. I know that Phoebe would be proud of you.”

Cole nodded solemnly, took a deep, steadying breath, then pivoted, “The question remains, if we find Shax, how are we going to stop him without the Power of Three to say the vanquishing spell?”

took a deep steadying breath, then pivoted, “The question remains, if we find Shax, how are we going to stop him without the Power of Three to say the vanquishing spell?”

“I’m betting a combination of the spell and a well-timed Energy Ball will do the trick,” Prue interjected, holding her map and Scrying crystal. “Come on, let’s go, I’ve got a hit.”

“I appreciate you coming over. It means so much to the girls,” Victor assured one of the mourners.

“Hey, Aaron. Excuse us,” said Prue, pulling her father aside. “Dad, we have to go. Will you be okay?”

“Go where?” asked Victor.

“Trust me, you don't want to know,” Cole answered.

Before Victor could react, they turned to see Darryl approach with a man they didn’t recognize. “Prue, Victor,” he said with a respectful nod to each, shifting uncomfortably as he introduced the man. “Sorry about this, but Inspector Cortez insisted on meeting today.”

“I just wanted to extend my deepest sympathies,” said Inspector Cortez, who Prue and Victor gave a perfunctory thank you.

“I'll get the car,” said Cole pointedly before departing, not a fan of police officers.

“Where's Piper?” Darryl enquired.

“Upstairs. She's not feeling well,” said Leo.

“Understandable. I lost a sister once myself, I know how hard it is,” offered the inspector. “We're going to find the monster who did this to your sister, Ms. Halliwell. I promise you this.”

“Thank you, inspector,” said Prue, her poker face on. “Now, if you'll excuse me.”

“I know what a difficult time this is for you and your sister, Ms. Halliwell, but we have to stop this guy before he strikes again. We really need to talk.”

“But not now,” Victor asserted strongly.

“Of course,” said Cortez after an uncomfortable moment, taking in how Prue, Victor, Leo, and Darryl were looking at him. He then stepped to one side, allowing Prue to pass. “Sorry.”

***

Up in the attic, Piper was busy placing five white candles in a loose circle on the floor, in front of the Book of Shadows’ lectern. "I'm a witch, damn it," she muttered angrily to the heavens as she lit the candles. "I've summoned people before, and I'm gonna summon Phoebe now, whether you like it or not! No more games, no more playing the good witch. I want to talk to my sister. I need to talk to my sister! At the very least, you owe me that.”

Moving to the open spell book, she took a soul-cleansing breath, and read from it aloud, "Here these words, hear my cry, spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide."

Piper looked up, her anger replaced by hopeful wonder as inside the circle, wisps of white light ever-so-slowly began to appear. She stepped closer, anticipating Phoebe's appearance, but was surprised and disappointed to see the translucent form of her deceased Grandmother. “Grams?” she exasperated.

“Hello, my darling. How are you?” said Penny Halliwell, her translucent ghostly form giving off a faint white glow.

“How am I? Are you kidding? Do you guys not get the news up there?”

“I meant…how are you holding up?”

“Not very well,” Piper admitted. “I'm a little lost. Why didn't you come before? When I called after…”

“I couldn't, Piper. I was...busy.”

“You were busy?” said Piper incredulously. When Grams didn’t respond, furtively averting her gaze, Piper filled in the blanks. “Oh, of course, you were with Phoebe. Well, that makes sense. Is she okay?”

“I'm…not allowed to tell you.”

“But, why? Why can’t I see her, or even know how she is?”

“Because…seeing Phoebe…” Grams started, apparently unsure of herself, which seemed odd to Piper, “Seeing Phoebe right now, speaking to her, would keep her alive for you, which would keep you from being able to move on with your life, to continue with your destiny.”

“What destiny?” Piper snapped, her anger returning. “It's over. It's done. Phoebe is gone. And I…”

“I know, sweetie. I know... But if there's one thing you've learned over the last three years, it's that there's a reason for everything...which means there's a reason for this, too. Your destiny still awaits. Blessed be.” With that, Grams disappeared in the same swirl of white lights that brought her to Piper.