The X-Philes - Charmed: Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble 5
Created | Updated Feb 17, 2005
San Francisco Police Department, 18th May 2003, 10.00am
Agent Doggett and Agent Scully are in an office in the station waiting for Agent Reyes. Doggett picks up the phone and is just about to dial her mobile when she comes staggering in carrying a pile of books which she drops on the desk covering herself with dust.
'Jeez Monica.' coughs Doggett 'You raid every antique bookshop in town or what?' Reyes grins as she brushes herself down.
'No, I just borrowed them. I ran into Lieutenant Cortez last night and he told me about his pet paranoia.' Scully groans.
'Not the Halliwell sisters again.' Reyes nods at this.
'He told me everything and believe it or not I have heard of them before, well a prophesy anyway.' she replies. She opens a book and starts to thumb through the pages. 'Yep, here we are. Three sisters born of a family of witches shall be the most powerful on Earth. They are The Charmed Ones yada yada yada. This bit says One shall be visited with the power of prophesy, seeing into the future, one shall be visited with the power of telekineses, moving things with the mind - y'know like Carrie - and one shall be visited with the power to stop time which is interesting 'cos didn't you say that you felt like you'd missed a few minutes yesterday, John?'
'That's what it seemed like to me. After reading all Mulders file's on time discrepency I guess I jumped to conclusions.' he remarks 'So what you're saying is that the Halliwell's are these Charmed Ones and Piper zapped me with some kind of time freeze spell.' Reyes shrugged.
'Could be, but after speaking to Cortez and listening to your tale about Long-Dead-Leo I think a visit to the Halliwell's home is in order don't you?' she says. The others nod.
'Where's our little shadow?' asks Scully. Doggett shrugs.
'Haven't seen him.' he replies.
'Do you mean the blond trainee agent? Quite a charmer isn't he.' says
Reyes. Scully grins.
'Ooh Monica that was a quick move!' teases Scully. Reyes blushes.
'I ran into him after speaking to Cortez. We had coffee and talked about the case. He seemed interested in joining my old department in New Orleans so I said I'd put in a good word after he graduated.' Monica replies.
'Faster than a speeding bullet.' laughs Scully. She notices the look on Doggett's face. He is trying to supress a spark of jealousy. 'You go girl.' she whispers.
'So where is he then?' asks Doggett. Monica shrugs.
'He said something about a two day armoury course.' she replies.
'What say we have a word with the sisters?' suggests Doggett. Scully and Reyes nod.
Halliwell Manor, 11.00am
Piper and Pheobe are in the attic. Piper is looking in the Book of Shadows and Pheobe is trying to write a vanquishing spell without much luck.
'Arrgh! This is ridiculous. I'm getting nowhere.' she groans as she screws up another peice of paper and throws it on the floor. 'Any luck with a potion?' Piper shakes her head.
'It looks like it'll have to be a combination of potions. You know, part demon-type potion, part Vanquish, part cleansing etc.' She gets up and starts for the door. 'I'll give this to Paige and see what she can do. She's coming on really well with her potion brewing.'
In the kitchen Paige is standing at the stove throwing things into a big saucepan. She spots her sisters coming through the doors.
'Stand back!' she calls and she throws a handful of leaves into the pot. A loud noise and a puff of blue smoke come out and Paige drops three crystals into it. 'That should do the trick.' she says as she hands the crystals to her sisters. They place them around their necks.
'Well, we're protected for the moment. All we need now are the spell and the potion.' says Pheobe. Paige screws up her face.
'No luck huh?' Paige replies. Pheobe shakes her head. Just then the
doorbell rings and Pheobe goes to answer it.
Outside Doggett and Scully are waiting. The door opens and Pheobe's face looks out.
'Hi, Agent Scully, what can we do for you?' she asks. Her mouth drops open as she sees Agent Reyes coming up the path.
'Ohmygod... um... oh boy... er... is she with you... ah, sorry you'll have to wait.' With that she slams the door and runs back to the kitchen. 'Uh guys... guys we have a major problem. The FBI are outside and Monica, the innocent, is with them. This is not good. This is definitely not good.' Piper and Paige start desperately to hide the signs of witchcraft.
'Stall them.' hisses Piper to Pheobe.
'Why me?' Pheobe retorts.
'Because you're good at it.' Piper replies.
'Will someone stall them!' yells Paige. Pheobe goes away muttering.
Outside the three agents look at each other.
'I don't believe this. They're mad to think they can shut us out like
that.' says Doggett. He bangs on the door. 'FBI OPEN UP!!!' He looks at
Scully and Reyes who nod.
'Let's not wait for an invitation.' says Scully. With that he kicks the door open sending Pheobe sprawling on her back.
'Come in why don't you!' she says getting up. Doggett is pointing his gun at her.
'Where's Leo?' he asks.
'Not here, he's out... somewhere.' she answers, vaguely.
'Where's Leo?' he repeats. Pheobe sighs.
'I told you he's not here. Why do you want Leo?' she asks.
'Inaccuracies in his files.' says Scully.
'And the fact that he's dead.' replies Doggett.
'Ah... I can explain that...' says Pheobe. They turn to face the kitchen as an explosion is heard.
'PHEOBEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!' Piper screams.
'Uh oh, gotta go.' says Pheobe as she runs off into the kichen followed by the agents. In the kitchen Piper and Paige are dodging two of Azrael's hitmen. Piper throws out her hands and a chair explodes.
'Oops sorry.' she says. Paige is on her knees looking in the cupboard under the sink.
'I know I left some spare potions in here.' she remarks. 'Ah, here we are.' She throws it at the feet of one of the demons who disappears in a ball of flame.
'What the hell is this?' yells Doggett.
'Occupational hazard.' replies Pheobe as she karate kicks the remaining hitman. Cole shimmers in.
'Be careful! Hitmen are... ah you know.' he starts. A ball of blue
light forms in his hand and he throws it at the demon hitman who ducks
and the energy ball bounces off the door. The three agents draw their guns.
'That's not going to work. You'll end up killing one of us. Guns!!!!!!' Paige yells. The guns disappear in a swirl of bright light and reappear in her hands.
'Get Down!!!!!!' shouts Piper. The agents duck behind the sofa as Piper raises her hands and the hitman explodes. 'You can come out now.' Doggett, Scully and Reyes peer out from behind the sofa as the sisters start to clear up the mess.
'Here we go again. More explanations to the insurance people. Why don't they cover demon damage?' moans Piper.
'Will someone please explain what the hell just happened.' says Scully.
'I will.' says Monica to the sisters surprise. 'Ok, correct me if I'm wrong. You are the Charmed Ones aren't you?' They nod. 'Three sisters born of a family of witches. One with the power of telekineses one with prophesy and one can freeze time right?' The sisters nod again dumbstruck.
'How did you know?' starts Piper. Reyes interrupts her.
'I studied mythology and folklore at Browns University. You're more well-known than you realise.' She smiles at them. 'It's a pleasure to meet you.'
'So what was all that about?' retorts Scully.
'Demon hitmen sent by Azrael to stop you.' says Cole. 'All of you.' He gestures to the agents. 'You're more involved than you realize.' Pheobe shoots him a warning look. 'He's on to you. He's in league with The Oracle and they've been following your every move.' Piper snorts.
'Ha, we'll kicked that two bit fortune tellers ass before they do it
again.' she says. Scully is standing by the door with an agitated look on her face.
'I can't believe I'm hearing this!' She turns on her heel and marches out slamming the door behind her. Doggett looks at Reyes and shrugs. He starts out of the door after her.
'Hey, Dana, wait up.' he calls. Scully waits for him to catch up. 'What's the matter with you?' She turns on him.
'Me?! Nothing's the matter with me apart from these women are making
complete fools of us. Demon hitmen, pyrotechnics, party tricks. I expected Monica to fall for this but I never expected you to take this laying down. What happened to the sceptic in you?' she spits. He recoils at the venom in her voice.
'I'm trying to keep an open mind like you and Mulder suggested several times. I thought this was the kind of thing you and Mulder were used to.' he remarks. Scully rounds on him.
'And this is mocking everything Mulder believed in. You should be ashamed of yourself.' Scully gets in the car and drives off leaving Doggett lost for words.
'What was that all about?' asks Reyes. Doggett shakes his head.
'I have no idea. I've never seen her like this. I thought she would be the one believing in the Halliwell's story and I'd be the one saying it was all BS.' he replies.
'And do you believe them?' she remarks.
'I couldn't say. I don't want to make any judgements yet.' he says. Reyes' eyes widen. He sighs. 'Remember the case of Jude, Vicki and the Brooklyn Devil Worshippers?' Reyes nods. 'Well it came back and bit me on the ass. Well it actually slapped my face but I got a first hand view of what my preconceived ideas and refusal to listen to other points of view had done. It left a bitter taste.' Reyes smiles.
'Humble pie usually does.' she says 'So?'
'So this time I'll listen to all sides then decide.' Reyes grins.
'We'll make a believer of you yet.' They go back into the house to question the occupants...
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