NOTE: San Francisco City Councilman Peter Lifa, who appears in this story, is totally fictional.

The Halliwell kitchen is awash in the aroma of something delicious. Seeing no one around, Phoebe creeps in and walks over to the stove. "Mmmm!" she says to herself. "Piper is cooking pasta sauce. Think I'll take a sample." She picks up a wooden ladle, scoops a small bit of sauce out of the pot, and raises it to her lips. "Phoebe Halliwell!" Piper's voice rings out. "Get your grubby paws out of my sauce. Can't you wait until dinner time?" Phoebe turns and sees Piper standing in the kitchen door. "Sorry." she says with a weak smile. Piper stares at her for a minute and then says: "Okay, apology accepted. Just stay out of the kitchen until dinner is ready. Prue had to work late at Buckland's today, so this will be a special treat for her." Suddenly, Phoebe has an idea: "How would you like to come down to St. Joseph's and cook some of your pasta. I'm sure they would love it." At this point, the doorbell rings and Phoebe excuses herself to answer it. "That may not be a bad idea." Piper calls after her.

Phoebe goes to the front door and opens it. Standing there before her is Jessica (see my stories "Night of The Demons" and "Revenge of Kairos", plus Denny's story "Time and Again"). "Jessica!" Phoebe says with surprise in her voice. "What brings you by?" Jessica replies: "I just felt that I was needed here. I can't explain right now, just trust me."

Piper is still cooking the pasta sauce in the kitchen, when Phoebe bursts in. "Piper!" she says. "Look who's here!" Piper looks up and sees Jessica. Her reaction is much the same as Phoebe's was. "So how are things going?" Jessica asks. "Where's Prue?" Phoebe explains that Prue had to work late, but they are expecting her home any minute now.

At this point, Prue is pulling up to the house. She is not happy: "That Claire!" she growls to herself. "I swear she does this to me on purpose! Making me go over that whole shipment again. I'd love to..." Prue gripes and snarls as she gets out of the car and heads for the house.

Piper, Phoebe, and Jessica are still in the kitchen, when Prue comes in. Seeing their guest, Prue lightens up. "Jessica, good to see you again. Hope there is no emergency going on." Jessica replies that there isn't. "At least not openly." she adds cryptically. When asked what that means, Jessica again says that she cannot go into details right now, but soon all would be known.

The dinner is a smashing success. Piper's pasta is quickly devoured and Jessica entertains the Halliwells with past meals she has shared with their ancestors. "Thanksgiving at your Great, Great, Grandmother's house, I'll never forget it. The turkey was just right and the potatoes mashed just the way I like them." At this point, Phoebe says she envies Jessica. When Jessica asks why, Phoebe replies: "Because you have seen and done so much in the last three hundred years. I wish I could live as long as you have." Jessica smiles sadly at her and replies: "Just be careful what you wish for. Immortality is not always a picnic. I had to pay a heavy price." When Phoebe asks what she means, Jessica says: "One of the side effects of the immortality potion I took was that it made me sterile. I can never conceive a child." Phoebe thinks for a second and then adds: "But you could always adopt one." Jessica nods her head and replies: "I could, but what would be the point of it. I would have to watch that child grow up, get old, and die while I stayed young. I don't think I could bear it." At this point, Prue jumps in: "My offer to reverse the effects of the potion still stands, Jessica. It's all in the Book of Shadows, we can do it." Jessica just shakes her head. "Break my vow to Melinda? No, I can't do that. Only when the family line finally comes to an end will I allow myself to become mortal again." Phoebe speaks up: "But what if the family line never comes to an end?" Jessica replies back. "Well then I guess I am going to be around for a long, long time." At this point, Piper announces that nature is calling and excuses herself from the table.

Piper goes into the bathroom and locks the door. Certain that no one can hear her, she slowly sinks to the floor and starts weeping.

Back at the table, the conversation continues. "Are you sure about this, Jessica?" Prue asks. Jessica nods and replies: "Quite sure." Suddenly, the phone rings and Phoebe goes to answer it.

Picking up the phone, Phoebe hears the voice of Sister Mary on the other end. "Sister Mary." Phoebe says: "Do you want me to come in this evening?" Sister Mary says no and then adds something that upsets Phoebe: "WHAT?"

Prue and Jessica both look up as they hear Phoebe cry out. Soon she returns to the table. "What is it, Pheebs?" Prue asks when she sees the look of distress on Phoebe's face. Phoebe sits down and replies: "Some big land developer is interested in the site where St. Joseph's is standing. He wants to tear it down and build a mall! I can't let this happen!" Prue tells Phoebe to calm down, but Phoebe will not be calmed. "I can't let St. Joseph's down. They saved my life." For Jessica's benefit, Phoebe recounts the story of when she got amnesia and how St. Joseph's had taken her in (this happened in my story "Forget Me, Phoebe"). Phoebe continues: "Besides we are here to protect the innocent. Well those homeless people at the shelter are about as innocent as you can get."

Piper comes back to the table and wonders what all the shouting is about. Phoebe brings her up to speed on the latest news. "That's terrible, Pheebs. You have really poured your heart into the shelter." Phoebe replies: "You're damned right I have, and I do not intend to let this happen. Tomorrow I am going down to City Hall and see the City Councilman in whose district St. Joseph's is located, Peter Lifa. Maybe he can do something."

Later on, Piper is back in the kitchen, doing the dishes. Jessica is helping her. "So is everything okay?" Jessica asks after a few minutes. Piper replies: "I'm fine. Why do you ask?" Jessica replies that Piper looked a little flushed in the face when she returned to the table from the bathroom. "Well I have been feeling a little under the weather lately." Piper says: "Hopefully I'm not coming down with anything serious. The Quake would absolutely fall apart without me." Jessica nods and thinks to herself: I know something is wrong, Piper. I intend to stay with you and help you through it.

As evening sets in, Jessica announces that she would like to stay with the Halliwells for a few days. Prue says that it would be fine and Jessica will sleep on a cot that they will set up in Phoebe's room. "Looks like we are going to be roomies." Phoebe says, smiling.

The next day, Piper is at work at the Quake. It is very busy, with people bustling back and forth. Thankfully, Jessica has offered her services as temporary bartender, as the regular guy is out with the flu. When she finally gets a break, Piper comes over to the bar. "Jessica, you're a life saver." Piper says: "I swear I don't know how this place ever managed to stay open before I started working here." Jessica smiles back and says: "I know how you feel. You wouldn't believe some of the places I had to work at. Of course, some of those jobs had their moments. I ever worked as a maid at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. I was there the night of April 14, 1865." Piper takes the news in. "You mean you saw President Lincoln get assassinated?" she asks. Jessica grimly nods her head and says: "It's something I will never forget. Seeing an important man shot down like that. I can understand how the people who were present in Dealey Plaza in 1963 must have felt. I was in Boston when the Kennedy assassination happened, in case you were wondering." Piper thinks for a moment and then adds: "It's too bad we were not around back then. With the powers of the three of us, perhaps we could have done something." Jessica agrees somewhat, but then adds: "Don't forget that I had my powers and even then I couldn't save President Lincoln. Even we witches have our limits." Piper looks at her watch. "Well got to get back to work now. Talk to you later, Jessica." She walks away, with Jessica looking on.

Later on, Phoebe is at City Hall, waiting outside the office of Councilman Lifa. "What's going on here?" she growls to herself. "I've been waiting almost two hours for this guy." Finally the door opens and Lifa asks Phoebe into his office. "Just have a seat, Miss Hanson." he says. "It's Halliwell." Phoebe replies as she sits down. "I need to talk to you about something. This land developer, I think his name is Lawrence W. Calhoun, wants to tear down a homeless shelter in your district, the shelter is called St. Joseph's. I do volunteer work there, surely you can do something to protect the shelter." Lifa appears to study Phoebe for a second and then replies: "I understand how you feel, Miss Han...Halliwell. But the new mall will bring new jobs into the area. Surely you can understand that." Phoebe replies that she does understand, but then says: "But what about the homeless people who need the shelter? What's going to happen to them? Do they just get thrown away like garbage? That's wrong!" she slams her fist down on Lifa's desk. At this point, Lifa has had enough. "Look I'm a busy man, so if you don't mind." he gets up and urges Phoebe towards the door. In the process, he places a hand on her shoulder and Phoebe suddenly has a vision of the recent past:

It is a dark alley, Peter Lifa is there, looking at his wrist watch. Suddenly a limousine pulls up and Lawrence W. Calhoun gets out of it. "You alone?" Calhoun asks Lifa. Lifa replies that he is. "Good." Calhoun says and holds up a black briefcase. "Here is the amount we agreed upon." he opens the briefcase and stacks of money are revealed. "This should more than pay for that country house you want to build at Lake Tahoe." Lifa is delighted. "You don't need to worry about a thing, Mr. Calhoun. You'll have your building permit before long and you can begin construction on your mall." Calhoun then points out that a homeless shelter currently occupies the site. "Don't worry about it." Lifa replies: "I'll have the necessary documentation drawn up in no time. That shelter will soon be history." Both men begin to laugh.

The vision ends and Phoebe looks at Lifa with hatred and contempt in her eyes. "You son of a bitch!" she yells at him. "Calhoun has been bribing you!" Her temper gets the better of her and she slaps him across the face. Lifa is taken aback: "How could you possible know about... I mean, I know of no such thing! Get out of here, you little psycho, before I have you arrested!" Phoebe backs down. "I'll go. But you haven't heard the last of me." she vows and then heads out the door. Lifa goes over to his desk, picks up the phone, and dials a certain number." Soon he is speaking: "Mr. Calhoun please? No, I don't care if he is in a meeting, tell him it's an emergency!" Lifa waits and soon Calhoun is on the line. "Mr. Calhoun, I think we have a problem..."

The sound of smashing rings out as Peter, the head waiter at the Quake, drops some dishes. Piper lands on him like a meteor. "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOUR INCOMPETENCE! YOU ARE FIRED!" Peter can't quite comprehend the situation, so in a somewhat lower voice, Piper clarifies: "Termination of contract! Services no longer needed! You're out of here! What more do you need?" she sees the rest of the staff watching. "What the hell are the rest of you looking at? Get back to work!" Piper then turns and stalks off towards the nearest bathroom.

Piper is pacing in the bathroom, when Jessica comes in. "Little hard on him, weren't you?" she asks. Piper glares at her and replies: "No I wasn't. That idiot is always dropping things. I should have gotten rid of him ages ago." She puts a hand to her right temple. "Jessica, I'm not feeling well. Can you take over for me until my shift ends?" Jessica says she will. Piper thanks her and leaves.

At Buckland's Prue is working when Jessica calls her and tells her what just happened at Quake. "I agree." Prue says: "That's not like Piper at all. Finish her shift and then go home and keep an eye on her. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Piper arrives home and soon begins to weep again. However, she quickly pulls herself together when Phoebe comes barging in the door. Seeing the look on Phoebe's face, Piper asks: "What is it, Pheebs?" Phoebe hangs up her coat and replies: "You won't believe the day I've had." she proceeds to tell Piper about her disastrous meeting with Lifa. "That slimy bastard has been taking bribe money to build some summer home. He is going to get a nice comfy house, while Sister Mary and the homeless get tossed out into the street. It's not right!" Phoebe takes a breath and then continues: "Maybe normal people can't fight City Hall, but we're not normal. We have fought Demons and Warlocks, we have redeemed Rex and Hannah, we have traveled through time! Surely we can find some way to save St. Joseph's!"

At that same time, Lifa is meeting with Calhoun in Calhoun's penthouse suite. "What are we going to do?" Lifa asks with panic in his voice. "That girl somehow knew everything! How is that possible?" While Lifa panics, Calhoun is calm. "Now just take it easy." the land developer says. "What did you say her name was?" Lifa replies: "Phoebe Halliwell." Calhoun considers for a moment and then says: "Now listen to me. I want you to go down to the City Records and find out all you can about Phoebe Halliwell and then bring the information to me. I'll take care of the rest."

Prue and Jessica arrive back at Halliwell Manor and Phoebe brings them up to speed on the day's events. "We have to stop this, Prue. I will not see the homeless people who live in and depend on St. Joseph's for their very lives, thrown out onto the street." Phoebe then turns to head up the stairs. Before she goes, she turns back to the others and says: "Sometimes I wonder about people. Surely the likes of Lifa and Calhoun are just as evil as any Warlock we ever fought."

Later, Piper is alone in the kitchen, when Jessica comes in and asks how she is doing. "I'm feeling much better now." Piper replies. "I see." Jessica says, unconvinced. "You may be feeling better physically, but something is still bothering you. What is it?" At this point, Piper becomes somewhat defensive. "Look, Jessica, I really appreciate all the help you have given us in the past. However, I don't like you prying into my personal life. So take my advice and butt out!" Piper storms out of the kitchen.

Later that night, Phoebe and her new roommate, get ready for bed. "So what's up with you and Piper?" Phoebe asks. Jessica says she can't say right now: "Something is bothering her, eating away at her, I have to find out what it is. Do you know anything about it, Phoebe?" Phoebe thinks for a second and then says: "Well there was Leo." Phoebe then tells Jessica all about Leo, about his days when he was a seemingly simple handyman, of how he and Piper fell in love. She goes on to explain how Leo was revealed to be a white-lighter and how his romance with Piper was not allowed. "He finally came clean with the rest of the white-lighters about his relationship with Piper. They went easy on him, but he was ultimately reassigned, and not allowed to have any further contact with us. It broke Piper's heart when he went away (this event happened at the end of my story "The Hunted"). Prue and I comforted her, and she seemed to get better, but I guess she was hiding the worst of the pain from us." Jessica looks out the window and says: "That's it then. Piper is still in pain, she was able to hide it from you and Prue. But I can see things more clearly. At least now I know where to begin."

Piper is tossing and turning in her bed, when someone knocks on the door. "I'm asleep!" she calls out, hoping whoever it is will get this message and go away. No such luck, the door opens and Jessica comes in. Before Piper can say another word, Jessica says: "I know all about you and Leo. Phoebe told me the whole story." Piper is not ready to break yet. "What of it? He left me. What more is there to say." Jessica counters that Leo had no say in the matter. Piper just snorts: "Isn't that just like a man. Excuses, excuses! Wham, bam, thank you ma'am!" Jessica then comes over, pulls Piper up and says right into her face: "Stop it! You can fool Prue and Phoebe with this tough attitude, but you can't fool me. I've lived far too long for that. I have no family left, you three sisters are all I have and I am not going to let one of you go on hurting when I can help them. Tell me the truth, Piper, you loved him didn't you." This statement breaks down the barriers and soon tears flow from Piper's eyes like a waterfall. "Yes!" she says as she embraces Jessica. "It's just not fair, Jessica! How can fate be so cruel? I finally met the man of my dreams, only to have him taken from me forever. Why? How could this happen?" Jessica embraces Piper soothing her. After a few minutes, Jessica looks into Piper's eyes and says: "I know how you feel, Piper. It happened to me once." Despite her current state, Piper is curious: "Really?" she asks. Jessica nods her head and removes a locket she has around her neck and hands it to Piper. Piper opens the locket and sees a picture of Jessica on the right and the picture of a young man on the left. "Who is the man?" Piper asks. Jessica takes a deep breath and replies. "His name was Billy Llewell, he was my husband." Piper is blown away. "Your husband? You were married?" Jessica manages a sad smile and says: "I'm immortal, not celibate!" Jessica then tells her story:

"Billy and I met in 1858, when I was living in Boston. We instantly fell for each other, we became inseparable. Six months after we first met, Billy proposed to me. Before I could accept, I had to tell him the truth about myself, so I did. I told him that I was a witch, that I was immortal and could never have children. To my surprise, Billy said he didn't care, he just wanted to spend the rest of his life with me, no matter what. We were married the very next day and for the next few years, our lives were happy. Then the Civil War started and Billy, eager to fight for his country, joined the Union Army. He sent me a letter as often as he could, telling me that he couldn't wait for the day when he would come back to me. He never did, at least not physically. He was killed in 1863, in the Battle of Gettysburg. Once he died, his spirit came back to me, and being a witch, I was able to see and hear him. He told me he had to go away forever, of course I already knew that. Just before he left for the spirit world, Billy told me that he would forever love me. I said it back to him and I always have, to this very day."

Jessica points to the locket which is still in Piper's hands. "Billy gave that to me just before he left for the Army. I have kept it ever since, for over a hundred years. Although I have met other men since, none of them has ever come close to Billy in my heart." Tears are now flowing from Jessica's eyes: "So you see, Piper, I do know what it is like to have someone you love taken away from you forever. The worst part of it was that I had no one to turn to at the time. You, on the other hand, have two wonderful sisters who love and care for you. Don't shut them out." Piper is once again overcome by emotion. "You're wonderful, Jessica." The two women embrace each other.

A short time later, Piper fills Prue and Phoebe in on what has been going on. "I guess I just didn't want to face the pain. I tried to hide it, until Jessica made me realize how stupid that was. Can you two forgive me?" Prue and Phoebe come over and give their sister a group hug. "Of course we forgive you." Phoebe says and then looks over at Jessica. "What are you waiting for, get over here!" Needing no further encouragement, Jessica joins the hug.

At that same time, Calhoun is meeting with a sinister looking man. "You know what to do." Calhoun says: "Kill Phoebe Halliwell. If her two sisters get in the way, get rid of them too. Do it right, and you'll be a hundred thousand dollars richer." The evil looking man, Vinnie the Viper, a hit man, says: "Consider them dead."

The Halliwells and Jessica are ready to return to bed, when Phoebe has a vision of Vinnie breaking into the house. "I think we're going to have some company." she says.

About half an hour later, Vinnie pulls up to the house and gets out of his car. Seeing the lights out, he thinks: Guess they are all asleep and soon they'll be asleep forever!

The sisters are ready when Vinnie breaks the glass of the front door. He reaches in, unlocks the door, and proceeds into the house. Seeing Phoebe, Vinnie raises his gun. Quickly, Piper freezes him and Prue uses her powers to yank the gun out of his hand. When he unfreezes, Vinnie sees that he has somehow lost his gun. He tries to make a run for it, but Phoebe tackles him. Soon all four witches are on top of him.

Ten minutes later, Vinnie is securely tied up and is now sitting on the Halliwell's couch. "Okay, just who sent you here?" Prue asks. Vinnie looks at her and replies: "Bite me!" At this point, Jessica steps forward. "I can make him talk. Phoebe, get something to record this." Phoebe goes away and soon returns with a mini tape recorder. Quickly she presses the record button. "Now then." Jessica leans down towards Vinnie and soon something in her eyes seems to subvert his will. "Who sent you here and why?" she asks him. Vinnie finds himself spilling his guts about the whole thing, "Lawrence W. Calhoun. He sent me here to kill Phoebe Halliwell because she had found out about his bribing Councilman Lifa in order to build a new mall." Phoebe then asks: "Have you worked for him before." Vinnie, still under Jessica's powers, replies: "Sure, dozens of times. I'm always willing and able to get rid of his enemies for him. For a price that is." Phoebe then turns off the tape recorder and Jessica snaps her finger, Vinnie regains control of himself. "What the hell have I just done?" he asks. "Sold yourself and your boss up the river." Prue replies: "I think it's time to call Andy."

Later, Calhoun is still in his office when his intercom buzzes. "Who is it?" Calhoun asks after pressing the talk back button. "Detective Andrew Trudeau, San Francisco Police Department." Andy's voice replies. "I need to ask you some questions. Particularly about a man called Vinnie the Viper and some business he does for you. I have a wa..." Calhoun switches off the intercom and realizes what has happened. Somehow Vinnie has cracked and blabbed everything. "I'll never go to jail." Calhoun vows. He opens his desk drawer, pulls out a revolver, puts it to his left temple, and pulls the trigger.

The next morning, Andy is at Halliwell Manor, filling the sisters in. "We searched Calhoun's office and found a whole bunch of secret computer files. The evidence they provided was enough for us to arrest all of Calhoun's confederates, including Councilman Lifa. As for Calhoun's estate, well he had no family and no will that we can find, so his money will probably be tied up in probate court for the next fifty years or so." Andy turns to Phoebe. "St. Joseph's is safe." Phoebe is very grateful, but Andy presses on. "I still can't see how you girls made Vinnie talk. It's almost like..." he breaks off. "Oh never mind. With you three, anything is possible."

Later on, Jessica is getting ready to leave, when the Halliwells call her into the living room. Once they are all seated, Prue speaks up: "Jessica, you have saved Phoebe's life a few times and now you have helped Piper work through a difficult emotional trauma. We cannot let that go unrewarded." Prue looks at Piper and Phoebe and then continues: "For the past three centuries, you have helped our family, yet have always been apart from it, well no more. Phoebe, Piper, and I have discussed it and, Jessica, we would like to adopt you, make you the fourth Halliwell sister, kind of." Jessica is sincerely touched by this. "I really don't know what to say." she tells the Halliwells. "Say nothing." a smiling Piper replies: "Just give us a hug." Jessica gets up and they once again engage in a group hug. "As for what you told me, the answer is yes." Jessica says, the tears starting to flow. Prue gets in the last words: "Then it's settled. Welcome to the family, Jessica Llewell Halliwell."