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By Doug
DISCLAIMER As usual, none of these characters who appeared on the series are mine. This story is written for the enjoyment of the Internet reader. Print it out if you like, but please don't reproduce it or post it on your site without notifying me first.
"Darryl, please come in." invited
Piper one
afternoon while she was about to
leave for the
club. Darryl looked a little more
worried than
usual.
"Hi, Piper. I have a strange request.
Nothing
supernatural this time. Just strange."
sighed
Darryl.
"Strange? That's our specialty!
What can I do
for you, Darryl?" asked Piper sweetly.
"The Twenty-third Precinct picked
up a robbery suspect
this morning. Clara Bingham. She
allegedly walked into
the Pacific Merchant's Bank, pulled
out a gun and walked
out with $8000. The police found
her around the corner
about twenty minutes later completely
unconscious. She
was very confused as they booked
her. When the officers
asked if she wanted a lawyer, she
said that she wanted to
talk to me. I spoke with her on
the phone and she begged
for me to bring you or Prue down
to meet her. She refuses
to talk to anyone until YOU speak
to her." explained
Darryl.
"UH, me? Why me? I certainly don't
know any bank
robbers. I never even heard of
this person." said
Piper.
"I know it is a strange request,
but would you please
come down to help out the SFPD?
Maybe she has a
confession or MAYBE something more
in your line.
I don't know and I won't until
she starts talking."
said Darryl pleading with Piper.
"Ahhh. All right. Let me get my
purse. I'll stop by on
the way to the club." Piper said
hesitantly.
"Great. Follow me." said Darryl with a slight grin.
"Yea, but to where?" thought Piper
while Darryl held
the door for her.
Piper was escorted into a small
visiting room and sat
at a desk with a glass partition
and a telephone on
either side. A woman in her late
thirties with dirty
dark brown hair, dark eyes and
rather plain features
was brought to the other side of
the partition. She looked
very worried and then lit up like
a firefly went she saw
Piper. She raised her forehead
and had the most infectious
grin.
She picked up the phone, as Piper
did likewise and exclaimed
"Piper! Great! Am I glad to see
you!"
"Excuse me. Um. Where have we met?
I can't place the face!"
Piper said rather stiffly.
"Hey, neither can I! It's me. Phoebe!"
she said with pleading
eyes.
"Wow. No. My sister is at school
now. I don't know what your
game is. Unless you have something
to tell me that makes sense
I have other business." said Piper
as she began to hang up.
"No, Piper. It's really me. Something's
happened to me." said
the other woman.
"It's nothing I can help you with. Good-bye." said Piper.
"WAIT! YOU'RE A WITCH!" she whispered.
"What? That is known in certain
circles." said Piper now
getting nervous but now listening
carefully.
"Oh lord. Let's see. Secrets. When
I was thirteen years old
I told Grams that I had stomach
cramps she and rushed me off to
the emergency room. I faked the
whole thing so you and Marty
Lawson could be alone together.
IN BED! Remember that. Piper?"
the other woman said tilting her
had forward like saying
"Hey, come on!" in typical Phoebe
fashion.
"Only Phoebe could know that! Or
Marty or Prue. Scratch that.
I never told Prue." said Piper
shaking her head.
"Do you want more details? Piper,
I'm in BIG trouble here!"
said Phoebe leaning forward.
"PHEEBS! What happened?" cried Piper.
"That's the number one question
of the day! Well, this morning
I was heading for the Wicca store
on the north end of Market,
when I had a premonition. I saw
the Pacific Merchant's Bank
being robbed. It was just around
the corner so I went to see.
This woman <Phoebe points to
herself.> comes running out of
the bank with a sack and a gun.
I tried to stop her, but she
knocked me out. One more belt than
I have, I guess. When
I come to these policemen are cuffing
me. I was taken down
here and interrogated. You can
imagine my shock when I looked in the mirror with this face!" explained
Phoebe.
"Didn't you tell them you were innocent?" asked Piper.
"Piper, they have pictures of this
person robbing the bank!
They aren't letting out their prime
suspect. Besides, I don't
want to end up in the psycho ward
after telling that story.
I'm in somebody else's body and
if we can't fix it, I'm
going to spend 20 to 30 at San
Quentin!" said Phoebe very
agitated.
"Settle down, Pheebs. We'll get
you out of this.. ah.. body. I'll
get Prue and we'll check the Book
of "you know what"." reassured
Piper.
"I'm worried that this isn't a demon
thing. You might not find
anything. AND if you don't find
her.. uh.. me.. uh.. my body at all
I'm like totally screwed and so
are the CHARMED ONES!" concluded
Phoebe.
"Right. OK. Sit tight." said Piper getting up.
"That's not funny from in here!" said Phoebe shaking her head.
"I'll be back, soon. Take care. Love, you!" said Piper.
"Thanks, Pipe. Love you too!" said
Pheebs as she was escorted
away.
"So what's her story?" asked Darryl.
"Your robbery suspect is still loose
and that person in there
is Phoebe. Somehow, she's been
switched." said Piper.
"That is very hard to believe. But
then after knowing you three,
nothing is impossible. If that
is Phoebe, there is no way they are
going to release her." explained
Darryl.
"I know. At least she's safe. Can't
you put out an all points
bulletin for Phoebe? She was a
material witness, I guess."
asked Piper.
"I can try. All of the real witnesses
were in the bank. Phoebe
obviously ran into her at some
point. What's next?" asked Darryl.
"Prue and I will try and find her,
too, using some of our tricks.
So thank you, Darryl. Just keep
our little sister safe and we'll
help you find the real bank robber.
Poor Pheebs!" sniffed
Piper as she left the police station.
"Are you sure?" asked Prue as she
stood in front of the
Steinhart Aquarium taking pictures
for a "914" magazine
article.
"She knows things only Phoebe could
know. Like my little
rendezvous with Martin Lawson when
I was fifteen. She
kind of helped me with it." said
Piper timidly.
"You and Martin Lawson? Never mind.
So this woman robs a
bank, steals Phoebe's BODY and
takes off?" asked
Prue astonished.
"And her powers, too. Pheebs currently
can't sense a thing."
said Piper throwing her hands up.
"Great! Our magical eyes are blind
and the one person who
knows the book and does our spell
casting is sitting in
jail!" said Prue exasperated.
"With a heavy sentence over her head, too." reminded Piper.
"Let me get these shots to the lab
and we'll head for the
Manor. At least this mess wasn't
the results of a demon
or Phoebe's own consequences. Come
on Piper!" said
a worried Prue throwing her bag
over her soldier and
headed for the car.
"Phoebe was wrong. We have six demons
and seventeen
magic thingies that could be it."
said Piper finishing
her notes from the Book of Shadows.
"And unless we
find our "body snatcher," we haven't
a KAW-LOO where to
begin!"
"From what we know about demons,
I doubt one of them
was robbing a bank. So that leaves
the magical tokens.
And if I had just pulled off a
robbery and thought I had
completely gotten away with it,
what would I do?" asked
Prue hypothetically.
"Pay off all my debts?" shrugged Piper.
"WE would do that! She would be
celebrating with a lot
of loose cash!" said Prue lighting
up.
"Ah, there's a lot of bars and lounges
in this city, that is
unless she LEFT the city." said
Piper. "Maybe I can try
Phoebe's little map and crystal
trick. She's kind of tied
up right now."
Out came the map and out came the
crystal. Piper concentrated
on Phoebe and it swung back and
forth over the map.
"How does she do it? Oops. I got
a tug." explained Piper
with excitement. It pulled left
and right and then settled
on...
"Mulberry Street. The 2300 block. That's a rough area." said Prue.
"We've handled worse. I'll contact
Darryl, before we go down
there." said Prue.
Piper and Prue walked down the street
dressed in pizza delivery
uniforms.
"I hate this disguise!" complained Prue.
"We need some reason to get into
her apartment. We don't know
which one it is." reminded Piper.
"Excuse me." said Piper to an older
woman. We are looking
for Clara Binghamís apartment."
Do you know which it is?
"Buzz off!" she replied.
"Well, that far from fruitful." said Piper timidly.
"Let's me try." said Prue holding
up her finger. "Excuse me, sir.
I am lost and I HAVE to get this
delivered to Clara Bingham
right away. Can you PLEASE tell
me which apartment she is in?"
said Prue smiling.
"Hey, mama. What's a foxy chicky
like you panning around
pies for?" said a young punk much
too please with himself.
"Oh," said Prue trying to act dumb,
"Just working my way
through college! Clara Bingham,
please."
"NEVER HEARD OF HER. AND since you
got those pies there."
said the young punk as his friends
stood up and encircled
Prue and Piper.
"Phoebe, where are you when we need
you?" thought Piper.
"What would Phoebe do? Oh, yea."
"Prue, follow my lead!" she whispered.
Piper yelled "HIGH-YA." and tried
kicking the first young
punk. Prue lowered her head, concentrated
and he flew back.
Piper positioned herself in front
of the next two guys
who smirked at her. Piper swung
again with her foot missing,
but Prue sent both of them reeling
backwards.
The others started to run and Piper
froze the last of one of
them.
When last one awoke he found himself
on the ground with Piper over
him. "Clara Bingham?" she still
asked nicely.
"Apartment 3B. But I haven't seen her. Honest!" he pleaded.
"Thank you." Piper said backing
off. The punk took off like a
scared rabbit.
"We make a good team. There are
serious mortal kicking possibilities
there." said Piper.
"Absolutely." said Prue.
"Working my way through college?" asked Piper amused.
"I didn't look like I was going
to take pictures, Piper!" said Prue.
"I must have Phoebe show me that
leg thingy you did."
Up two flights of stairs to apartment 3B, they knocked and no one was home. Prue flicked her finger and the door swung open. The apartment was old, cramped and a mess. The furniture was garage sale rejects and the floor was covered with junk.
"Whoa! What a mess? Who could have done all of this?" asked Piper.
"We did!" said a voice behind them.
"Whoa!" cried Piper and "Whoosh!" went her hands.
Holding her head, Prue said, "Piper. Young just froze Darryl."
Whoosh!
"What happened?" Darryl asked puzzled.
"Ah, sorry! I froze you. I still
panic from time to time." said
Piper sheepishly.
"Ah, that's OK. I think. So as you
can see, the SFPD have already
been through this place picking
up evidence. I don't know what
you expect to find." said Darryl.
"It looks like Clara did pack a
suitcase before the police got
here. No personal items left. What
do we have here?" asked Prue
picking up a newspaper.
"That's the local racing form. She
must play the horses." said
Darryl.
"And if she got a premonition from
the paper?" said Piper as a
light went off in her head.
"Then she probably went to the track
to turn her $8000 into a
fortune!" concluded Prue.
"But there are always consequences!" reminded Piper.
"Consequences?" asked Darryl.
"Contrary to what people might believe
witches can't use their
powers to help themselves. Things
happens that negate or
eliminate any gain." explained
Prue.
"If we could that, we could control
the world. And if you do try
to do that you turn into a warlock.
Which we don't want Clara to do." said Piper.
"So let's head to the track." said Darryl.
Whoosh!
"Sorry Darryl. Do we want to take
a mortal policeman, again?" asked
Piper.
Prue thought of Andy for a moment.
"Phoebe has no active power. I think
it's safe." said Prue crossing
her fingers.
Whoosh!
"Let's go!" said Prue.
"Did I miss something again?" Darryl puzzled.
"Forget about it! What about the pizza?" asked Piper.
"Leave it!" yelled Prue from the hall.
Piper went over, grabbed a slice
and left. "Oh, that's good!"
she exclaimed licking her fingers.
Back at the police station Phoebe
was washing her hands. She looked
in the mirror at an unfamiliar
face. This woman was not the beauty that
Phoebe sort of knew she was. And
she must have been pushing forty.
Phoebe pushed her hair back, stood
up straight trying to fine some-
thing of Phoebe Halliwell. The
woman in the mirror looked so morose that she didn't even have the twinkle
in the eye that Phoebe always
seemed to have. Phoebe dreaded
the thought of years in prison paying
for another person's crime. Tears
came to her eyes and she fell down
on the cot.
Prue, Phoebe and Darryl pushed there way through the crowd.
"I don't see her anywhere!" said Piper hopping up to see over everyone.
"Let me try." said Darryl who knock on the betting office door.
"Yea, what is it?" asked the supervisor.
"SFPD. Have you had any suspicious
large winners this afternoon?
More specifically, a young woman,
25, light brown hair betting
large amounts of cash!" asked Darryl
very official-like.
"No, Inspector. Our take has been very good today. No one fitting that, description. Sorry." he shrugged.
"No problem. Thank you for your time." he finished and turned to the sisters, "No luck. We should still look for her. The sixth race just ended." said Darryl.
They wandered through the crowds
looking every which way. Piper heard
it first.
"God damn this stupid parlor trick.
It's not worth a bucket of warm spit." a familiar voice was heard in the
corner. They saw their sister
cursing and tearing up some betting
tickets. Only it didn't act like her. She was dressed in a gaudy new moo-moo
and was slumped over instead of standing up straight as usual.
"Prue!" yelled Piper pointing in the direction of the phony Phoebe.
Prue nodded and circled around to
the left while Darryl and Piper
came in from the right.
"Excuse me, Miss. SFPD. I'd like to ask you some questions." asked Darryl politely.
A look of terror came over her face.
She pushed him away as Prue and Piper took after her. Darryl was right
behind. Phoebe/Clara pushed
her way through the crowds, but
the crowd was getting heavier and
she couldn't move as fast.
Darryl reached her first and grabbed
her tight. She kicked and
screamed.
"Settle down, Miss Bingham. We want
to take you in for questioning."
said Darryl.
"Let me alone you lousy cop. You
have the wrong person my name
is Fifi Hallibell." she cried.
"If you mean Phoebe Halliwell, she
is in jail and YOU are going to
fix things were her." demanded
Prue.
"Who are you two?" Clara sneered at her.
"Just two sisters who love her.
How do you do that trick anyway?"
asked Piper.
"Like this!" Clara said as Phoebe's
eyes glowed red. Piper felt
woozy for a moment and Phoebe fainted.
Piper looked ecstatic and
took off.
"Oh, no not again." said Prue.
"I'll get her," said Darryl.
"Uh, no. Stay here with Phoebe, uh, Piper, whatever!!!" said Prue taking off after her possessed sister.
Piper came around quickly. "Whoa!
What was that? I feel so
strange."
"Are you OK, Phoebe?" said Darryl.
"Piper." she corrected.
"Piper?" Darryl asked perplexed.
"AHHH. Wait a minute. That's not
my voice. Those aren't
my arms. My Lord. I'm Phoebe!
I'm Phoebe! I'm Phoebe! Whooooaaa!
This can't be happening!
If I'm Phoebe, then where am I
or she or they?" asked
Phoebe/Piper.
"It looked like Prue took off after
Piper!" said Darryl. "I don't
know where they went!"
"I should. THINK PRUE! THINK PRUE!"
said Phoebe/Piper as she called
up a premonition. She saw Prue
still chasing after "Piper" and getting on the BART train.
"They're heading for the BART station. Let's move it." said Phoebe/Piper. "Not bad for my first premonition." she thought to herself. Phoebe/Piper and Darryl left the track and headed for the station. They were right behind Prue and their objective. All of them squeeze on the same train car. Darryl grabbed her arms and Prue covered her head with her coat.
"There that should do it. She can't
channel anything now." said Prue
with confidence.
"Hey, man. What ëcha doing to the lady there." said one of the passengers.
"Police business," said Darryl and others left them along.
Piper/Clara just stood there cursing.
"I would never use such language!" said Phoebe/Piper.
"You just did!" said Prue cutely.
Phoebe/Piper gave Prue a dirty look.
"Open up her cell," said Darryl.
Clara/Phoebeís cell was opened and in walked everyone.
"You caught her!" said an excited Clara/Phoebe. "How could you do this to me?" she said to Phoebe/Piper.
"Phoebe, it's me, Piper!" she said
with irony in her voice. "I did
say I'd get your body back for
you. Our plan had a little flaw in it.
Like we didn't know HOW SHE USED
HER POWER!" said Phoebe/Piper looking at Prue.
"Oh, Piper. Do I look that cute when I'm that peeved?" said Clara/Phoebe not trying to laugh.
"No, Pheebs, this is the way I look
when I'm peeved! Can we change
things back?" asked Phoebe/Piper.
"Clara, you are now going to do it!" said Prue sternly.
"And why should I? I can get a lawyer
and walk right out of here.
Piper isn't charge with anything.
Nothing can be proven in
a court of law." said Piper/Clara
smiling.
"No, but the we sisters can send
you some place that is not nearly
as pleasant as a nice dry cool
jail cell." said Prue.
"You witches, yes I know what you
are, would only be sentencing
your sister to be left like they
are now and Phoebe will spend
the rest of MY LIFE behind bars.
Ha-ha-ha." said Piper/Clara.
"So how did you get that power?" asked Prue.
"I'm half warlock. It's the only
trick I can do. And it has
served me will for a long time.
You don't really think I'm
Clara Bingham, do you? It's been
so long, I don't know who I am."
laughed Clara.
"Then it should be easy for us to
vanquish him. He's not even
a full warlock." said Clara/Phoebe.
"All together!"
"Here me spirits.."
"Wait. What are you doing?" asked Piper/Clara.
"We will be administering magical
justice. If I spend my life
as my sister, I can think of worse
fates." said Phoebe/Piper.
"Thanks, middle sister!" said Clara/Phoebe.
"And we will get Phoebe out before
even she gets to trial. I
know a judge that doesn't mind
supernatural justice as long as
we keep it quiet. I have had my
share of that lately."
said Darryl.
"Or we will leave you here stripped of your power." said Prue.
"SO what will it be? Hell or San
Quentin? Huh?" asked Clara\
Phoebe.
"All right. All right. Unbind me.
Ill take care of everything,"
said Piper/Clara giving up.
"Wait a minute. Darryl. You and I must leave the cell or we could be worse off." said Prue.
They left and Piper/Phoebe unbound her eyes. "No tricks!" she reminded her.
She lowered her eyes and Piper felt faint.
"Piper. Wake up Piper!" said Clara/Phoebe. "Are you al right?"
"Whoa. What a kick. Look at me, I'm home! Yippee." Yelled Piper as she jumped up and down.
"Clara?" asked Clara/Phoebe.
"Yea, yea, yea! You know that power
of yours really s***s. I kept
seeing all these great payoffs
and every time I bet on them the
odds went down to less than two
to one." groaned Clara.
"The consequence of a witch's actions always catches up with them. It probably won't let you win big. It's just trying to keep the playing field even." said Piper. "Now change Phoebe back!"
"Whatever!" said Phoebe/Clara as her eyes glowed again and Phoebe fell to the floor.
"You sure take that transition better than us," said Piper as she knelt down and comforted Phoebe.
"I've been doing it for centuries." said Clara now looking like her mean old self.
"And that's the last time. From now until the final hour, I thee bind thy magic power." recited Prue. "There, later we'll strip you of it entirely. I don't want you leaving this jail as some guard or police officer."
"Good precaution, Prue." said Darryl still mystified.
Clara just growled at them.
"Come on, Pheebs, wake up" said Piper.
"What a weird dream. I looked in the mirror and saw AHHHHHH.. THAT reflection! Piper, Piper!" said Pheebs scared.
"Settle down. Everything was fixed
right down to the last soul.
You'll be fine," said Piper stroking
her sister's hair.
"So how did you like being Pheebs?" asked Phoebe to Piper.
"Except for the strange voice in
my head, it wasn't long enough
to really make a difference." said
Piper.
"It was weird hearing someone else's
voice when you spoke." said
Pheebs.
"I meant the one in my head that kept telling me" GO GET IN PRUE'S CLOSET! GO GET IN PRUE'S CLOSET!" said Piper giggling uncontrollably.
Pheebs just threw a pillow at her
as everything was truly back to normal at Halliwell Manor.
THE END