DISCLAIMER: All characters in this story belong to Spelling Television and Constance Burge except for Jonathan, Adam, Dennis and Zachtor. Unauthorized reproduction of text is not allowed. You can contact me by clicking on my name above.

Phoebe had never felt this way about a guy before. She had been in love before, but something always derailed the relationship. Jonathan thought the world of Phoebe, he was thoughtful and considerate, and was, oh, so handsome. She had met him at the Enchantment Bookstore when he came in looking for a book on astrology. He was working on his masters at Berkley and just happened to pass by thinking of the book he needed. His eyes locked with Phoebe's and they talked long past the end of her break. They both liked the same music, clubs, he was spontaneous and could make her laugh and laugh. They had dinner that night and went dancing afterwards. The moon was full and the sky was crystal clear. They found a secluded bench in Golden Gate Park and they got as passionate has she ever had in public. Stopping before anything embarrassing happened, he took her home. She had had one of the most romantic evenings ever. Phoebe just floated into the house. Prue saw her walk very lightly up to her room with a gentle, "Good night, dear sister," and she closed her door behind her. Prue drew the correct conclusion that Phoebe was in love beyond her usual infatuation and hoped she didn't get hurt. The next day, Phoebe worked late and Jonathan picked her up at the bookstore. Dinner was at Fisherman's Wharf and what a wonderful fish dinner they had. Course after course of all kinds of fish and seafood. He kept Phoebe in stitches with his funny stories. She also learned about his lonely life on campus and how he got interested in adapting mathematics to astrological prophesies. Phoebe found it fascinating since she had been a mystic herself. He also told her how he never been out much since he was working on his masters and how much Phoebe meant to him. That night they ended up at his place. She was completely and totally in love with Jonathan and would do anything for him. Very early in the morning she didn't float, she flew into her house, changed and flew out to work. She didn't even notice a worried Prue and Piper looking out from their bedrooms.

Piper had had a bad month financially at the club, but this was on top of two very good months. She was still worried that a another couple of bad months might send the club under. The old plumbing was requiring repairs every other week and so it was time to replace it. She had called in a new contractor that a friend of hers had used to get an estimate. She did not want just another patch that would require replacing in six weeks, she wanted a complete overhaul. At least the cheapest one she could find. Adam, was really a mechanical engineer that had is own contracting business. When his eyes met Piper's her heart jumped like with no other man. He was "number ten" cute, and had the best disposition. He held her attention all afternoon and not only got the contract then and there, but they had dinner that night at the club. It was the first time Piper had anyone at her club that met so much to her. The band sounded great, the lights danced off her date and she never felt so good before. The club got little attention that night as the two of them walked off into the night. He was very down to earth and spoke his mind implying that he could very easily fall for a girl like her. Piper already had, very hard, very fast. He took her home. They had lunch the next day at a small French cafe not far from his apartment. They laughed and laughed and Piper got dreamier and dreamier. She never made it back to work. They spent the rest of the afternoon at his place. Piper was never happier and forgot about any past bad relationships. When she got home, both she and Phoebe picked at their meals. Prue had only whipped up a quick casserole and almost felt alone in the house. Neither of her sisters had much to say. Phoebe had a lunch date the next day and Piper was meeting her beau at the club later. Prue thought, it must be nice to be that much in love. Oh well, maybe someday.

Buckland's had been quiet all week, which was fine since three large auctions had taken place over the last two weeks. Prue had been catching up on her paperwork when Claire asked Prue to sit in on a meeting with a new client. He was a dealer in Middle Eastern antiquities. He wanted to have an auction on the West Coast and hoped that Buckland's would be suitable. His name was Dennis and Prue had never seen such a striking figure of a man. They met for about two hours and Claire could see there was some chemistry between them. He offered to take them all to lunch and Prue and he spent most of the time getting to know each other. Prue was never one to quickly fall for someone, but she did find herself catching her breath in the ladies room. She had forgotten all about Andy and could only think of Dennis for the rest of the afternoon. That night Phoebe was off with her date and Prue and Piper stayed home comparing notes. "All of us are smitten at the same time. That not only unusual, but the odds or astronomical." said Prue. Piper said, "But if you could only she his big puppy dog eyes and his sense of humor, wow! I'd say "yes" if he asked me tomorrow." "Slow down," said Prue. "Ta-ta," said Piper as she went off to the club. Dennis called later inviting Prue to dinner and an art exhibit the following night. Of course she said yes. After the marvelous dinner and very spectacular art show, Prue found herself swept up by this knight in white armor. They spent the rest of the night in his hotel. What a wonderful evening, thought Prue. The Halliwell sisters had been knocked out, one, two, three.

At breakfast the next morning hardly a word was spoken. Each of the sisters just stared off into space. Each had fallen hopelessly in love with their guy and were almost completely oblivious to their sisters' presence. They each fixed their own meals and headed off to work without even a farewell to one another. Phoebe asked Jonathan if they could visit Piper's club that night. Prue was going to be there later and at least one of their guys could meet the other sisters tonight. Piper was working behind the bar while Prue sat listening to the band and, of course, dreaming about Dennis. Phoebe came in with Jonathan and went over to see Prue. She woke up quickly and her face lit up when she saw the gentlemen approach. "Dennis," she said joyfully, "how did you know I was here? Oh its, so good to see you." As she kissed him passionately. Phoebe said, "Excuse me, Prue. This is my date and the love of my life, Jonathan." Prue getting more angry then Phoebe had ever seen said, "This is my guy. There you are trying to steal my boyfriends again, you little hussy," Phoebe tried to explain that she had been seeing him for several days, but Prue waved her arm and Phoebe flew across the dance floor. Prue wanted to kill Phoebe. Piper ran over to Phoebe, but instead Phoebe ran out of the club and headed straight home with a broken heart. She went straight to her room, packed one small bag and was on her way to the airport, again. "How could Prue do this to her," she thought, "I loved Jonathan like no other man." She took a cab to the airport and was on the next plane back to New York City. This time she was never coming back.

Back at the club, Piper wanted to know what Adam had done to her sisters after looking at the guy standing with Prue. Prue stood there in shock as she accused Piper of also stealing her guy. Then she started going after Piper calling her every name in the book. Piper's heart completely sunk as she realized that she too had had such a wonderful man stolen from her. By now the gentleman in question had left and Prue went running from the club. All she could think about was the treachery of her two sisters and her lost love. She got home after Phoebe had left and also packed a small bag headed out the door. She had never felt so dependent on one guy and so betrayed. She headed to the airport and got on the first plane out which was to Seattle. On the plane she cried herself to sleep. When Piper went in the house she saw her two sisters' rooms ransacked and their suitcases missing, she really felt alone. No guy, no sisters nothing left for her. She cried herself to sleep. In the morning she could barely drag herself from her bed. She dressed and started making breakfast when a knock came at the door. Her heart jumped when she saw it was Adam! "Oh darling, I'm so glad to see you. I thought I had lost you. If it weren't for my sisters, we might have never been together again. I don't want us to ever be apart again." He dragged him into the living room and started to make love to him, but he didn't seem to respond. Piper was hurt and asked him "What's wrong, darling?" "Oh, you silly little witch. Do you really think you mean anything to me? I just was merely trying to break up the Charmed Ones and it worked quite well. You mortals are so foolish when it comes to your heart." "Who-o are you-u??" asked Piper now crying almost to the point of hysteria. "I am Zachtor, the Mind Master, a warlock who has the power to affect one's emotions. I could have had you kill each other through hate and jealously, but I find the power of love to be more effective and much more pleasurable. And now I will have each of your powers and..." "Freeze," said Piper. "Think... think... think, something is not right about this situation. Phoebe might run off, but Prue? Prue isn't one to act like a lovesick teenager, which is just the way I feel and am acting. How is it each of us fell so hard for the exact same guy, who lied to us. He couldn't have had the exact qualities that each of us was looking for, each of us sisters is so different. He must have read our minds and then became exactly what we wanted. It's him that did it to us and not each sister to each other, but I am still crazy about this guy. Wake up and smell the coffee, Piper, this is just another warlock out to get us. He split us up and now how do I get us back together? I don't even know where they went and they surely wouldn't listen to me in their present state. I need the full power of three to get rid of this warlock and his spell over us." Piper froze him again and went to look in the Book of Shadows. She found a spell that would force someone to come to you. First she called Phoebe, and then she called Prue. Phoebe would be easier to deal with, but Prue with her power could be a problem. She went downstairs and kept an eye on Zachtor- Jonathan-Adam-Dennis; that heel. She had to keep him frozen and also fight her own strong feeling for him. He was right that love was a powerful ally. It would be a very long day.

Phoebe reached New York City very early in the morning. She left JFK in a cab and went to Clay's apartment. He was alone for once and was very glad to see Phoebe. She told him what happened and said that she was never going back to California or wanted to see her two treacherous sisters again. She had really found true love and they took him from her. Clay brought her close to him and they spent the rest of the night and early next morning just cuddling. She cried herself to sleep. Clay wondered if she had returned to him or was she just escaping to him. In the morning she fixed them breakfast. She still felt the same way about Jonathan and her sisters, but she knew she had to figure out what to do with her life now. She would stay with Clay for a while, but had to find a new job. She still had her old debts and now left most everything she owned back in San Francisco. After lunch she all of a sudden got a feeling that she needed to go somewhere. Clay had gone to work. Phoebe picked up her bag called a taxi and was on her way back to the airport. Earlier she felt nothing but a need to flee. Now she felt more like an empty shell and was on her way back to San Francisco.

Prue had reached Seattle very early in the morning. She was still very much in love with Dennis and could not believe her sisters would take him away from her especially after the death of Andy. She checked into the Ramada and fell fast to sleep. In her dreams she saw the love of her life standing there with her two sisters. They were all laughing at her. She sent all of them flying so far that she couldn't see where they went. Then Prue woke up in a cold sweat. She had to get him back, she thought, but how? She went downstairs, bought her self a swimsuit and jumped into the pool. She had to work off her emotions and think straight. Around and around the pool she swam, but nothing could shake how she felt about all the people involved. She got out of the pool exhausted, showered, changed and had a late breakfast. She felt, oh, so alone. When finishing up her orange juice and paying for her meal she got a sudden urge, she had to go back. She did not know why or for what purpose, but she had to go back. She checked out of the hotel headed to the airport, and was on her way home.

Piper was very tired. She had to keep freezing the warlock and remember not to forgive him for everything. Piper's power was getting weak as the day wore on. Prue showed up after lunch and was furious when she woke up from her zombie-like state. "There you are you little witch," screamed Prue, as she sent Piper flying across the room. "You wanted him all along and I..." "Wait Prue," said Piper as she rubbed her sore back, "It's a trick, he's a warlock and he had us all falling for him. Remember he lied to all of us, he's the one, not your sisters, which did this to you." "You're lying," said Prue as books and pictures started to fly off the shelves and hit Piper. "He is in love with me. And I want him back, he said he loves me. He said he loves ME." said Prue. "He said he loved me, but, he also said he loved you and Phoebe and... and.... and...," She suddenly realizes what happened and Prue broke down and was almost hysterical. Piper had never seen her older sister loose it so badly. She was always in control and was not this time. Piper went over and held her and tried the best to comfort her even though they were both still madly in love with this creep. Two of the sisters were back together, but they still needed Phoebe before they could get rid of HIM. Phoebe came in the door near dinnertime. Prue was a little more like her old self. Phoebe awoke from her trance and burst into tears. "Why am I back here? I never wanted to see any of you people again and..." "Phoebe," they said in unison, "It's not our fault." Piper continued, "You're under the spell of this warlock. We all are. He lied to all of us. He is not Jonathan or Adam or Dennis, he is an all- powerful warlock named Zachtor and he plays on people's emotions. In our case he got us all to fall in love with him and make us feel betrayed to split us up and take our powers. Isn't that how you feel? All three of us are still madly in love with him, but we must send him away to break the spell." Not fully convinced Phoebe went over to the frozen warlock and put her hand on him. She received visions of women and men torn apart by a full spectrum of emotions all used to his own end. She now understood. "So let's get it over with," said a reluctant Phoebe. Prue showed her the Book of Shadows and they all recited the spell, "Demon of love and hate and fear, go away, go away far from here." A pale blue mist surrounded him and he seemed to melt into nothing and with it went their feelings for him too. Prue spoke first, "Piper, thank you, if it hadn't been for you we would have wound up split up in separate cities regretting the loss of that man for the rest of our lives." Phoebe said, "And I would probably ended up back in Clay's arms and no better off than before I came back to San Francisco. And yet, there was something, something about caring that much for a guy that I'm going to miss." Piper concluded, "Yes, but someday we'll do it on our own. Now let's get this place picked up and go out and have some dinner. It's on me." And with the Charmed Ones were together again.