NOTE: Part 6 of 23, in the Chronicle Series.

DISCLAIMER: As usual, none of these characters 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.

Two whole years came and gone as Phoebe Halliwell walked down the aisle. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Pomp and circumstance played in the background as several of her former college friends cheered her on. Some old friends were there too, but none were as proud as Phoebe Halliwell herself who had first gone to college eight years before. She had received her Bachelors in Business and was determined to go for her Masters. She owned two clubs now and was contemplating which direction to go in. Did you want to stay just in the entertainment field or did you want to diversify herself? P3 had been closed for her own private graduation party.

"Great party, boss!" cried Paul. "It's great letting the staff party while we get served for once. They're having a ball!"

"Hey, It's a time to celebrate! And happy employees make for a happy workplace. I want everyone to have a good time." said Phoebe letting loose for the first time in two years.

"You're looking especially beautiful tonight, darling." said Mark. giving her a passionate kiss.

"And you look wonderful too, my sweet young man. Everything looks wonderful." she said laughing out loud.

"There now that's the Phoebe I remembered." said Mark laughing too.

Suddenly Phoebe stopped to think. "Yea, that does sound more like my old self. Maybe I have finally recovered. Yes, maybe I am all right now. Everyone, everyone please listen up. I want to thank you all for coming. Most of you have known me for a long time. Some much better than others. I want to raise a toast, to the two people I wish who could have been here. To my sisters Prue and Piper, God rest their souls. They would have been so proud today. Thank you. Now please enjoy." said Phoebe. This time she didn't shed a tear. She just had a warm remembrance feeling inside of her. "Thanks, sisters." she said. "Wherever you are."

Phoebe took a few days off and flew away with Mark. They slept together for the very first time. Once Phoebe finally realized that she could just remember and not morn her sisters without it tearing her heart apart, she realized she could open her heart to someone like Cupid had said many years before. Mark and Phoebe were very happy together. He moved into Halliwell Manor the following month.

Then one day a couple of months later Mark went to answer the door.

"Phoebe," cried Mark. "Darryl is at the door."

"Darryl, what a pleasant surprise! I haven't seen you since my little graduation party." said Phoebe holding tightly to her beau.

"If that was a little party, Phoebe Halliwell, I'd hate to see you cater a big one!"

Phoebe laughed and kissed Mark.

"Pheebs this kind of a business visit." said Darryl.

"Business? What did she do? Steal my heart?" kidded Mark.

Phoebe pulled away in terror.

"What's wrong darling?" said Mark coming to hold her. She remained very stiff in he arms.

"I never thought you'd ask for help again, Darryl. We had been just such good friends these last couple of years. Mark, there's something you need to know about me. I guess this is should be the time." said Phoebe very sadly.

"Why? What's wrong? Are you in trouble, sweetheart?" he said confused.

"No. Just come up into the attic. Darryl, you come too." said Phoebe. She took Mark's hand tenderly

Up in the attic, Phoebe opened the trunk and took out the Book of Shadows.

"I just hope that when we are done. You still love me as much as you do now." said Phoebe. "I have a secret that makes my heart run cold to tell you about."

"I'll always love you. No matter what you do, no matter what you are." said Mark.

"And that's the thing. It's not what I am, it's what I was. There are things out there that no normal human can even suspect. Good things and evil things. They battle for good and evil. It is not just a myth. There are evil things like demons and warlocks out their trying to harm our world. AND there are good things out there like.. uum .. witches that protect the world from the evil." said Phoebe.

"What are you saying, Phee?" asked Mark.

"MAGIC is real. I know because I used to practice it. I used to be a witch!" said Phoebe lowering her eyes. "Every member of my family was a witch."

"No, it can't be." said Mark.

"Oh, yes, it's true. I have seen things that cannot be explained. Not by normal science and medicine. And the Halliwell's have helped me more than once. That is why I came to her this morning. I have a problem." said Darryl.

"You see this was our book of magic. It helped us identify the evil things and helped us get rid of them and send them into the shadows. See, this is the "Book of Shadows" handed down by Halliwell's for generations. Fighting these demons was very dangerous, so dangerous that it cost my sisters their lives. So dangerous I told myself I was through with it, until tonight." said Phoebe choking a bit.

"Phoebe, you have to be putting me on. There are no such things as witches!" said Mark.

"Not in this house there aren't any. This demon stripped us of all our powers. This book is little more than a memento now. Mark, please believe me. I am not crazy. But, I am through with all of this though." said Phoebe looking deep into his eyes.

"Are you serious, Phee?" asked Mark.

"Upon the graves of my sisters! That is what killed them!" said Phoebe.

"God almighty!" said Mark sitting down on the old settee.

"SO you believe it was those things that killed your sisters? It's not your fault?" said Darryl.

"I didn't believe it myself until now." said Phoebe "I truly NOW believe that it was the evil in the world that killed them and not my own folly."

"You don't know how long I waited for you to say that, Pheebs. You finally got rid of your own demons." said Darryl.

"Yes, I guess I have. Now what can I help you with?" asked Phoebe.

"For the last several nights several young college girls have been found dead in the woods around campus. Though they had a violent death, there were no signs of sexual assault. But they were mutilated. Their torsos were cut opened and their livers were removed. The department line is about a psychopath or Ripper type killer. I felt otherwise, so I came to see you." said Darryl.

"Good lord. You often dealt with such horrors?" asked Mark.

"Unfortunately, yes, darling. They seemed to come after us weekly. I seem to remember something. Here it is. Not bad after two years! There is a warlock named Pythos. To renew his power every forty years, he needs the liver bile, ugh, from seven young mortal females. I forgot how disgusting this occult stuff could be. Anyway here is a potion and a spell to vanquish him. That's all I can do for you, Darryl. Let me give you the names of a few witches who might be able to help you. Without my powers, you could do the spell just as easily." said Phoebe.

"Me? Me do magic? I think I'd rather have a professional." Said Darryl.

"Absolutely, you're right." said Phoebe. "I'm only doing this for you as a friend. I still want NOTHING to do with this stuff that killed MY sisters."

Mark stood there stiffly and said, "I still don't believe this. Phoebe you are a twenty-first century college graduate with two successful businesses. How do you believe.."

"Only from what I've seen and what I've done. Our line goes back over 300 years. Witchcraft contains a lot of superstition, but also a lot of fact. Facts not normally accepted in this world. Now let me get this potion ready. I want to end this business." said Phoebe nervously.

Later in bed Pheebs broached the subject again. "So do you believe me when I say I'm a witch?"

"Former witch? Right?" he reiterated.

"Former witch. Who's sworn off all magic and wants nothing more to do with it. It killed the THREE people dearest to me. Prue. Piper and my mother. And all I want to do is to live with you and make you happy. Can you live with what I told you, darling?" she asked a little worried.

"Um, I will always be a little skeptical, but I will never let it come between us. Never!" he proclaimed.

"Oh darling I love you so much. And I always will." said Phoebe.

"Me too Phee," said Mark as they embraced and became intimate.

Six months later after no other magic related incidents occurred, Phoebe Halliwell was having dinner at the Hyatt with her live-in boyfriend.

"What ever made you think of coming here? It's beautiful. I always wanted to try this place. Make's me want to start up something like it myself." said Phoebe.

"I thought Piper was the family chef." said Mark.

"Oh, I wouldn't cook in it. I'm still a long ways from even being a descent homebody cook. I just want to have a place and hire the cooks. Just to add to my businesses." said Phoebe.

"Whatever you want to do, I know you can do it. You're quite a wonder Phoebe Halliwell. I love you." he said.

"And I love you too very much." said Phoebe.

"AND you're not that bad a cook. I haven't been poisoned yet!" said Mark.

"Oh, you!" said Phoebe.

"And I'd love to have you cook for me for good." said Mark.

"Oh, come on!" said Phoebe.

"No, really. Phoebe. Would you give me the pleasure of becoming my wife and take care of me for the rest of my life? Please, darling?" said Mark as he got out a box with an engagement ring in it.

"Uh,uh. Mark this is awful sudden." said Phoebe.

"No it isn't. I fell in love with you back in physics class four years ago. I just never thought I'd ever get to this point." said Mark.

"Well, yes. My answer is yes." said Phoebe crying uncontrollably. "We'll be so happy! I'm so happy!" she said as they kissed each other.

The wedding was held six months later. Phoebe even found her father to walk her down the aisle. He even promised to come around occasionally, though Phoebe wasn't convinced and had to first see him do it. After the wedding and a honeymoon in Hawaii, the couple settled back in Halliwell Manor.

"Sweetheart, I hope you don't mind me not taking your name. It's easier for my business and I really didn't want to be Phoebe Freeby. That's another story I will tell you when we're old and gray. Besides there's been a Halliwell in his house for sixty years." said Phoebe lying next to her husband.

"What ever you want my darling. As long as you have me, I will be happy with whatever you do. I have my engineering firm and you have your little entertainment empire." said Mark caressing his wife.

"Four places is hardly an empire. I don't see how I can still finish my masters and still..." said Phoebe.

"Tut-tut. You will find the time. You always do. You always get what you want done, done. I've always admired that in you." said Mark.

"Prue, can you hear that now?" she cried to the ceiling laughing. "I'm a responsible human being, married and very happy! Can you hear that Prue and Piper?" she said snuggling again.

"Yes Phoebe. We can." they replied.