DISCLAIMER: Based on the Spelling Productions television show, Charmed, created by Constance M. Burge and on The Sandman created by Neil Gaiman. All Charmed characters are the property of Spelling Productions. All Sandman characters are the property of DC Comics. The only exception to this is "Ian Bennett", whom I created. Copyright Andrew Nevill 2000.

Piper kissed Leo passionately on the mouth. Hungrily, he kissed her back, his hands moving round to undo her dress, which fell to the floor. Still locked in their kiss, she started to undo his shirt. He swept her into his arms and carried her over to the bed. He broke the kiss, dropping her gently on the mattress. Piper reached up, putting her arms around Leo's neck, pulling him down onto her. He kissed her neck, and then started moving slowly downward. "Leo," she panted, "Make love to me now."

They made love as if they were the first people in the world to discover it joys, reveling in each other's bodies. Suddenly, a sensation like an electric shock coursed through Piper. Emitting a soft moan of pleasure, she closed her eyes in ecstasy. She opened them to find herself in the embrace of a stranger.

The sudden appearance of the stranger hurled Piper out of her dream into wakefulness. She looked at the clock, 6:00am. Damn! Too early to get up, but by the time she'd get back to sleep, she'd have maybe half an hour before the alarm clock rang. Deciding she might as well get a head start, and for once, a hot shower, Piper got out of bed and donned her bathrobe. Opening her bedroom door, she crossed the hall to the bathroom.

When they emerged at about 7:00am, Prue and Phoebe were surprised to find Piper up, the coffee made, and breakfast on the table.

"What's this?" asked Prue

"I woke early," said Piper, at the sink, washing her breakfast things, "Figured I might as well get up."

Phoebe raised her eyebrows, but didn't say anything. Piper did get up on time, but usually needed the alarm clock's reminder. Although that was better than her. Phoebe was honest enough to admit, if only to herself, that she could sleep through an earthquake.

Prue and Piper left for work. At Quake, Piper found it difficult to concentrate. She couldn't shake that dream out of her head. Why, she asked herself, did the most erotic dream she'd ever experienced suddenly change so dramatically. It didn't make sense. But then again, Piper thought, trying to dismiss the dream, dreams never made sense.

That night, Piper dreamed the same dream, and was again shocked awake by the appearance of the stranger. She dreamt it again the following night. Piper had always been somewhat superstitious, although less so nowadays, since it had once lost her a potential boyfriend. Even so, Piper felt that the fact that she'd had the same dream three nights running deserved investigation. Heading up to the attic, she started looking through the Book of Shadows.

Wondering what their middle sister was doing, Prue and Piper joined her in the attic with the intention of being nosy. "What're you looking for Piper?" asked her youngest sister.

"Dreams," answered Piper distantly, as she perused the book.

"Dreams?" asked Prue.

Looking up from the book, Piper said, "Yeah, I keep having this really strange recurring dream. It's been three nights in a row now."

"So," Phoebe questioned, getting right to the point, "What happens in this dream?"

Piper turned away, attempting to hide her blush, but to no avail. Grinning widely, Prue demanded, "Come on sis, spill it!"

"You really don't want to know," Piper told them.

Looking at each other, her sisters nodded their heads, and replied in chorus, "Yes, we do."

Knowing she was beaten, Piper told them her dream, ending with, "…and when I open them, it's not Leo. That's when I wake up."

Phoebe waved her hand in front of her face, pretending to fan herself, "Wooh, I thought I was the only one who dreamt things like that." Seeing the disgusted look, bestowed on her by her sisters, she finished, "Except that mine don't have dumb endings."

"Thank you, Miss Sensitivity," came Prue's satire laden rebuke.

Mumbling an apology, Phoebe asked, "Is it always the same guy at the end?"

Piper nodded, "Yes, I only get a quick look, and then I wake up, but he's got short red hair. I don't know anyone with red hair. It's really freaking me out." Starting to cry, Piper finished, "I'm scared that maybe I'm not supposed to be with Leo, and that's why he turns into someone else."

Prue and Phoebe hugged their sister, "Honey," asked Phoebe gently, "Do you still love Leo?"

"You know I do."

"Then you're supposed to be together," Prue told her, with total certainty.

* * *

That night, it was a reluctant Piper, who lowered her head onto her pillow. She just hoped she didn't have that dream again. She did not.

She was walking along a road toward a vast castle, which seemed to comprise every style of architecture known. She had to be in a dream as a place like that could exist no-where else. Feeling drawn towards the castle, Piper continued along the road.

Presently, she came across two men; from their looks she could tell they were brothers. One had brown hair that stuck messily out at the sides and a thick beard that sprouted untidily from his chin. The other had neat black hair and a goatee. They were fighting, one intent on killing the other with the knife he held in his hand, while his sibling begged him not to. Waving her hands, Piper froze time and took the knife, before restarting time.

To her surprise, neither brother seemed startled by what would have appeared to them, her instantaneous appearance, or by the fact she held the knife one had been using.

"Oh you're finally here then," said the brown haired sibling, "Give me the knife back so I can get on with killing this brain-dead excuse for a sibling."

"I will not."

"Oh, it's OK. I'll be fine an hour later. All will be forgiven, until Cain and I fall out again," the black haired man told her, "You'd best go. He doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Handing the knife back, as she didn't know what else to do, Piper continued walking to the castle. As she approached she saw two massive gates, one of ivory, one of horn barring her path. Before the gates, were three guardians, a dragon, a winged horse and a griffin. As she reached the gates, their guardians moved aside and the gates opened, allowing Piper to enter the castle.

She found herself in a long lofty hallway. In the distance a figure came towards her. Thinking it was a welcoming committee, she headed towards it. They met in the middle of the hall. He was tall and thin with red hair that stuck out at the sides and top of his head. On the nose of his long thin face perched a pair of glasses with massive round lenses. He wore an old fashioned suit with a tailed coat, waistcoat and shirt. As he approached, he gave a slight bow, "Miss Halliwell I presume. My name is Lucien. Please follow me."

He led her through the castle, into a throne room. Enthroned on a breathtaking seat, which like the gates seemed made of horn and ivory was a man. He was tall and thin, easily 6 foot 4. From head to foot he was clad in a black robe that seemed somehow to have been cut from the fabric of night, its folds and pleats moving almost as if alive. At his waist hung a small drawstring bag. His skin was so pale as to appear white, His face, like his frame was long and thin, with strong cheekbones. His face was topped by a shock of black hair that grew in all directions. It was a handsome face but its most striking feature were his eyes. They were two black holes, and in their centres' where the pupils should be, was the glitter of twin stars. Piper, uncomfortably, found herself the object of their attention as his gaze raked her from head to toe.

"Welcome, Piper Halliwell."

"Who are you?" asked Piper, awestruck by the figure in front of her.

"I am Dream of the Endless. I am the Lord of the Dreaming. All that is dreamt by mortals, the places, the creatures, the situations they encounter while they sleep is of my dominion. I need your help."

"Mine?" said Piper in disbelief.

"Yes," answered the Dream Lord, "Ten nights ago, a mortal called Ian Bennett came, uninvited, here to the heart of my realm. He stole my Dreamstone, one of the tools I use to manipulate my fiefdom. Now he uses it for his own self-gratification, experiencing the dreams of others, like yourself."

Realization struck Piper, "That dream I keep having. The stranger was him?" Dream nodded and Piper continued, "You mean when I dreamed Leo and I were… He was watching?"

"No. He did not watch you and your lover. He was your lover."

Piper felt sick. She wanted to throw up until next year but her stomach was empty. She also felt unbelievably angry. Meeting Dream's gaze for the first time, she said, "What do you want me to do?"

"Even though what he does now is unpleasant, he uses only a miniscule amount of the stone's power. He knows not what he has. Still his mastery of it is enough that he has imprisoned me in my palace so that I may not pursue him and retrieve my property. However, that is the only obstacle he has been able to place in my path. It does not stop me from bringing others here. You must retrieve my Dreamstone, Piper Halliwell, before he unlocks it's power, or worse before one of the forces who know of its potential, dispossesses him, and releases it to their own ends. Fortunately, the stone no longer contains all my power, but if misused the consequences would be grave indeed."

"How?"

"Bennett will come to you again. In order to influence your dreams, he must use the stone. He will have it with him. You must take it from him. Imprisoned as I am, I cannot offer you much in the way of assistance, but I can give you two things."

Undoing the drawstring of the bag at his waist, the Lord of Dreams dipped his hand into it. When his hand emerged a small pile of sand rested on his palm. Bringing his hand to his lips, he blew. In Pipers palm, a handful of sand appeared. She closed her fist around it. "The sand is another of my tools. I gift you a small amount, it will enable you to see the reality of your dreams. You will see Bennett, not as your lover but as himself. The second thing is this. I am Lord of all things that are dreamt, they are mine. Aspects of them appear in your dreams, and for a while you become their Lord, for your dreams are just that. Yours." With that, Dream motioned with his hand, and Piper disappeared.

From the hall, a bird flew into the throne room. It was a raven. It glided over to the throne, perching on it, "Boss," the raven cawed, "Isn't she a witch? A powerful witch? If she gets your Dreamstone, she'll be able to unlock the power straight off. And if she decides to keep it you won't be able to get it back"

"True," conceded Dream.

"Aren't you taking a risk, Boss?"

"I think not, Matthew. Sometimes you have to believe in people. It is something my elder sister taught me."

* * *

Piper awoke. "That was the weirdest dream ever!" exclaimed Piper. Then she felt something gritty on her palm. Looking down she saw her hand was closed in a fist. She opened it to find herself holding a handful of sand.

Piper groaned, "Great! Being a witch means I'm unable to have an ordinary, boring day. Now it looks like ordinary boring nights are out of the question too."

On the table beside her bed was a small trinket box. Piper opened it and carefully poured the sand into the box, replacing the lid and putting it back on to the table.

Getting up, Piper washed and dressed and went downstairs. Prue was at the table reading her paper. Looking up she asked, "Sleep well?"

Piper smiled. She knew what Prue really meant, "Fine," she answered, "And no, I didn't have that dream again."

The day passed, and despite Piper's complaint that she never had them, it was an ordinary boring day. They went shopping, had lunch in the park, came home, had dinner, and crashed in front of the TV for the evening.

Finally, Piper yawned and stretched. "Ok, guys, I'm through. Good night." She went up to her room and changed for bed. She opened the trinket box; half expecting it to be empty but the sand was still there. Emptying it into her palm, she closed her hand around it and settled down to sleep.

Piper kissed Leo passionately, but as he started to kiss her back she broke it off. A confused Leo asked, "Piper, what's wrong?"

Piper backed away. The dream was the same but instead of being carried along by it, she was able to notice details such as the room she was in, the dress she was wearing, Leo stepped towards her as she continued to back away. "I know you aren't Leo," said Piper, "Time to see who you are." With that she flung the sand in his face. Instinctively, he threw his hand up to shield his face and when he brought it down, Leo was gone, replaced by a man in his twenties. He was tall with an average build, and red hair cut short into a crew cut. He was still wearing the shirt and jeans he was wearing as Leo but now Piper could see a pendant on a gold chain around his neck. It looked like a ruby in an oval shaped gold setting. Piper guessed that it was the Dreamstone.

"So you can see me," said the man, "I suppose I should introduce myself. Ian Bennett, at your service." Bennett smiled, "I'm rather glad you can see me. It was becoming boring, having to be other people."

Piper had kept backing away, as Bennett advanced on her, but hadn't looked where she was going, and as she went to step backwards, her foot hit something. Looking round she saw she was standing by the bed.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" He came in close and kissed her. Piper struggled but he was too strong. He started to push her down on to the bed. Piper managed to roll off the other side of the bed, but Bennett had a hold of her dress, and as she rolled it ripped. Bennett's gaze feasted on her nudity as he walked around to the other side of the bed. Piper made it to her feet, just as Bennett reached her. He swung his hand in a hard slap that knocked her onto the bed.

"Stupid bitch, you can't win. Not while I have this," he said, patting the ruby pendant, "You may be dreaming this, but it's my dream."

Suddenly Piper remembered Dream's final words to her. "No, it's mine." Piper gestured with her hand and Bennett froze. Getting off the bed, she grabbed the pendant around his neck and tugged. The chain snapped, leaving Piper holding the Dreamstone. The moment she grasped it, she knew what it was, what it could do. She knew also that she could use all of its power.

First though, she needed some clothes. She'd barely finished the thought when she found she was wearing a dress. But what a dress! It was midnight blue, and made of a material that shimmered in the light. It slanted down diagonally from the left shoulder, leaving the right shoulder and both arms bare. The dress extended to the floor, but was slit up the side from ankle to thigh. Examining the dress, Piper whistled in admiration. Pinned to the dress was a brooch. A ruby set in gold.

Crossing to the other side of the room, Piper unfroze Bennett. Seeing Piper, from his viewpoint, disappear he scanned the room for her. His eyes widened in shock as he saw the brooch, the Dreamstone, pinned to her dress. He'd used the stone and knew some of its power. Now it seemed that power would be turned against him. "What are you going to do to me?" he asked, an edge of fear in his voice

"Nothing," Piper answered, "Not in the way you mean. Whatever I did to you, no matter how unpleasant, you'd still remember all the dreams you invaded. You'll have the memories of what a great time you had. You'll think, I got caught, and I had nightmares for a month after, but it was fun while it lasted." Piper paused, and then continued, "So you're going to forget. You will not remember any of the dreams you had during the last ten nights. You will know only that they were the most wonderful, fantastic dreams you've ever had. For the rest of your life, you will know that you dreamt them, but will never be able to recall what you dreamt."

"No," pleaded Bennett, "Let me remember something, even if it's just one little thing. Please."

"One memory?" asked Piper, "A moment of your dreams to tantalize you, make you wonder what happened in all the moments you've forgotten?"

Bennett nodded. "OK," said Piper walking towards him provocatively. As she got close, she leaned towards him as if to kiss him. Bennett leaned forward eagerly to receive the kiss. "Remember this!" hissed Piper, as she lifted her leg and kneed Bennett sharply in the groin. He cried out in pain and collapsed to the floor in agony.

Looking at the pathetic figure at her feet, Piper said calmly, "Now, get out of my dreams." The figure of Bennett, still in a fetal position on the floor, started to fade away until it was gone. Piper watched him go, then said quietly, "I'd like to wake up now."

* * *

Piper awoke, to find herself still wearing the dress she'd created for herself. Although she was lying in bed, it looked liked she'd just put it on straight from the clothes hanger. Still pinned to the dress was the Dreamstone brooch. She got out of bed and went downstairs.

Prue and Phoebe were already up. Hearing her come down, Prue started to say, "You're up late this…" The dress stopped the sentence short and left Prue speechless.

Phoebe's eyes bugged out, "I know you don't have a dress like that," she said, "I'd have borrowed it by now."

Recovering her powers of speech, Prue asked, "Why have you got a dress on, first thing in the morning, and where did you get it? Not to mention the jewelry."

"In my dreams," smiled Piper, and told them everything.

When she'd finished, Prue asked, "So now what?"

"I give this back," Piper answered, indicating the brooch.

"Now I'd like to see that. This Dream seems intriguing," said Phoebe.

"Be honest, Phoebe, you want a date" teased Prue.

With that the sisters went upstairs to the attic. Prue and Phoebe stood either side of Piper, looking at her. Piper unpinned the brooch, and looked at it closely for the first time. The stone was cut flawlessly, without any imperfections. It was breathtaking, even without taking into consideration the power it had. For a moment, Piper was tempted to keep it, but she knew that she could not. "Dream of the Endless. I release you. Take back your own," called Piper.

"I am here, Piper Halliwell," came Dream's voice from behind her.

The sisters turned. In front of them stood the Dream Lord. Piper started to make the introductions, "These are my sisters…"

"Prudence Halliwell and Phoebe Halliwell," interrupted Dream, nodding slightly to each of the sisters, "I know who you are. It is a privilege, even for one of the Endless, to make the acquaintance of the Charmed Ones."

Piper looked down at her hand. The brooch was gone, "Where…"

"I have it," said Dream, opening his hand to reveal the Dreamstone, now safely in his grasp, "I note that you have punished Bennett. I can think of no sentence more fitting, so I am content to leave your decree in place. For that and the return of this, I owe you my thanks," he told Piper. Then he turned to face Prue, "And you also. Prudence Halliwell."

"Me?"

"Yes, Do you recall the individual who called himself the Dream Sorcerer?" Prue just nodded. That was one escapade she didn't like to remember. "He was no sorcerer," continued the Dream Lord, "But a mortal who used science to enter the dreams of women who rejected his romantic advances. In their dreams he took his revenge on those who spurned him, by first tormenting and then killing them. I should have intervened but I did not. And so four women died. You were nearly the fifth. Fortunately, you were able to defeat him. For the suffering you experienced at his hand, suffering that would not occurred if I had not been negligent, I can only apologize. I would also thank you for resolving a problem, which I failed to attend to."

"Call it professional courtesy," joked Prue, accepting Dream's apology, "From a Charmed One to one of the Endless."

"As you say," smiled Dream, "And now I must bid you goodbye." With that he started to fade away becoming a ragged smudge of black, which slowly dissipated, leaving the sisters alone in the attic.

"Will we meet again?" asked Piper, as Dream took his leave.

"Perhaps," said the Dream Lord, as he faded away completely, "In your dreams."