Muse to My Ears


"This isn't about saving our own lives, or even Melody's. It's about good versus evil, wrong versus right, and our job as witches to fight the good fight."
-Phoebe


    Cole walks into the kitchen, where Phoebe is cooking up a storm. "Surprise!" she says, taking off her apron and revealing a very beautiful black dress. She's ready for a romantic night, she's even sent her sisters away, but all Cole can talk about is the fact that demons and warlocks are going to start banding together to try to take out the Source. "And what better way to gain support for your faction than to kill the infamous Charmed Ones?" he says. Phoebe shrugs it off, saying she'll worry about it in the morning.
    At a government building, a congressman is writing a speech, with a little help from his Muse, who's standing in the corner, unseen. Devlin, the warlock, comes and steals his Muse, capturing her in a ring he's wearing on his finger.
    The next morning, Piper asks Phoebe about the night before. She complains that all Cole could talk about was demonic factions. Piper replies that it's probably easier than talking about what's really on his mind- whether Phoebe will reconsider his marriage proposal. Phoebe frowns, she thought he said he was okay with the postponing. "Uh-huh." Piper says, "Why don't you talk to him, again?" she suggests, then she walks into the foyer to prepare for work. "But what if there's an attack?" Phoebe asks, chasing after her. Phoebe wants her to make a protection potion, but Piper argues that she's got to go to the club, because she has a client that is throwing a party and she needs a theme. Phoebe gets an idea, she and Paige will go, and Piper can stay home and work on the potion. "Us theme, you potion!" she says, dashing out with Paige. "Me peeved, you annoying!" Piper calls after them.
    In an alley, Devlin and a sidekick kill a demon and steal his power. Devlin instructs his sidekick to go kill the Charmed Ones and bring him back their powers.
    At P3, Phoebe and Paige tell Piper's client, Bev, about their idea for a 40's night theme. She thanks them, and as she leaves, Cole arrives. Phoebe and Paige discover that he's got a gun, and reprimand him, saying they will not live with a gun in the house. Leo orbs in and says they've got trouble. Muses are disappearing and the Elders are very concerned. Before they all head back home, Phoebe gives Leo Cole's gun, and tells him to orb it to Mars. In the shadows, Devlin's sidekick is watching, and he smiles and morphs into Leo.
 At home, Piper is in the attic, flipping through the Book. Phoebe and Paige come home, and they read the Muse page. Piper says she can't figure out a way to summon a Muse, but Phoebe gets an inspiration. She says a spell, and the girls' Muse, Melody, appears. She tells them that a warlock wearing the Ring of Inspiration is using it to capture Muses. As they contemplate the new information, "Leo" comes in. When he doesn't know who Melody is, although it's clear Melody knows him, Piper gets suspicious. "Leo?" she calls. The real Leo orbs in and the Leo impostor stabs Phoebe. Then he goes to stab Paige, but she orbs out quickly. Piper blows up the warlock, and Leo heals Phoebe.
    Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Leo, Cole, and Melody rush downstairs. Piper says she can practically taste the vanquishing potion, Phoebe keeps hearing rhyming in her head, and Paige says she's going to draw the warlock. Cole wants Leo to orb him underground, but Piper and Phoebe quickly veto that idea.
    In the kitchen, Leo and Piper talk to Cole about marrying Phoebe. Piper explains that Phoebe's always been the youngest, and now she's been thrust into the position of middle sister and that scares her. Cole takes Leo aside, and convinces him to orb him underground, against the girls' wishes.
    In the attic, Paige is drawing the warlock, complete with a ring on his finger. Phoebe is writing a spell, with a little inspirational help from Melody. When Piper comes in, Paige explains that she's going to use the drawing as a focus object, and call for the ring. They're about to start, when Phoebe suggests they should tell the guys. "Cole? Cole?" she calls, walking towards the door.
    Cole and Leo are in the underworld, behind a boulder, watching the high counsel meet. "We listen long enough, we'll hear plenty." Cole says.
    At the Manor, Phoebe walks back into the attic, "Cole is nowhere to be found." she says. "And Leo still isn't answering." Piper says. Then the girls realize where they are, "The only reason Leo wouldn't hear us calling is if he went underground with Cole," Piper explains. They decide not to wait, and Paige calls for the ring. They use it as bait and a warlock comes. The girls, thinking it's Devlin, vanquish him. The real Devlin arrives, and since the girls have no potion left, grabs the ring and captures Melody. "Wh-wh-what just happened?" Piper cries.
    When Leo and Cole orb back in, the girls are sitting at the table, depressed. When the guys ask where Melody is, they reply that she was captured by Devlin, and now they've decided to just sit there and wait for Devlin to kill them. Leo tells them that they don't need inspiration to think of a plan, and Phoebe gets angry at Cole for not doing what she asked. He counters her, and before they know it they're kissing. Leo points out that, "Phoebe's passion for Cole is a natural way to get inspired." Phoebe agrees with him, and tries to steel her sisters, telling them that they need to fight this, "It's about our job as witches to fight the good fight." she says.
    Downstairs, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige prepare to go to the underworld. But once they arrive, they discover they're at P3. "Wait, so Melody's here?" Paige asks. "And so is Devlin, and probably his entire faction." Piper realizes.
    At home, Leo and Cole are talking, when Leo senses something, "The girls aren't underground, they're at P3." Leo says. They realize what that means and orb out to them.
    At P3, Piper has an idea. "The strobe lights. They'll work like the potion, and keep the warlocks from blinking," she says, and turns them on. She freezes all the innocents, and the girls begin vanquishing. Melody screams for Phoebe's help, and Phoebe saves her. The girls go out the back door, where Melody attacks Phoebe. Cole and Leo come just in time, and Cole fights off Melody, who turns into Devlin. The girls vanquish him, and let the Muses out of the ring, including the real Melody. "Now that was inspired." Melody says, smiling. "Well, should we go back in to the party?" Phoebe asks. "Actually, I'm inspired to spend an evening at home." Paige says.
    Later, at the Manor, Paige is painting in the attic. Leo and Piper are preparing a romantic dinner, and Phoebe and Cole are still at P3, dancing the night away.
Special thanks to Rose for writing this summary :)