CHARMED TO MEET YOU

by Atticus Ewig

 "Charmed" is copyrighted by Warner Brothers, Aaron Spelling Entertainment, and Created by Constance M. Burge. All rights, characters, plots are theirs.

 "The X-Files" is copyrighted by Chris Carter. The X-files universe is Chris Carter's. Mulder and Scully are owned by Chris Carter. Chris Carter is the man.

 All characters and situations in this story are fictional, anyone believing otherwise is delusional.

 RATED "R" for language, sexually situations and violence (but not at the same time, of course!)

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CHARMED TO MEET YOU by Atticus Ewig

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Andy Trudeau couldn't sleep. Something about seeing your girlfriend in the morgue does that to you. Sure he'd seen his share of unnatural phenomenon, that was his job. Prue had thought he was a simple Homicide detective, which is what he was, until Seattle. When he came back from there he was given the job of investigating the strange and "unexplained". Which in San Fran means everything! Most of the time it could all be explained with a drug test conducted on the key witnesses. Then the strange lights they saw didn't seem too out of the ordinary. But when you mixed in the occult it really began to get messy. And to make matters worse Prue was right in the thick of it. Prue's flimsy excuses were getting on his nerves. If it wasn't the middle of the night, he'd call her right now and demand some answers.

RING...RING.. Who is the Hell is calling this late!

"Hello," Andy answered pretending to be half-asleep.

"Hello," the hurried, excited voice said, "Agent Fox Mulder of the FBI, I would very much like to come and talk to you concerning one Prue Halliwell."

 "What?!" Andy said. Now it was really bad. He knew he couldn't protect Prue forever, and now the Feds had her on something.

"Her alleged murder. It seems those lab samples that your coroner sent us, where quite unusual but I'm reluctant to discuss them over the phone. Could we meet in your office in 1 hour?"

Damn! He told that coroner to keep everything to himself. He knew he shouldn't have trusted him. He was the typical San Fran forensic employee. Californian coroners had bumbled the O.J. Simpson case by not handling the bloody glove properly, and now the coroner had sent tissue samples to the FBI without authorization. What could you expect? The coroner's last job was as a ship's doctor on some cruise ship. What did the coroner say it was called, the "Love Boat" or something cheesy like that?

Andy eyed his clock. It was 3:30 a.m. Since he normally started his day at 5, going in a little early wasn't all that bad.

"Ok, Agent Mulder, I'll be there in an hour."

"Thank you for your cooperation"

"Wake up Prue," Phoebe shook her sister, "Wake up!"

"Do you know what time it is...", Prue answered a little perturbed, and then blinking her eyes, "..Phoebe."

"Yes. Four o'clock. But I just had a vision."

Prue started to get worried. "Was I in it?" Phoebe nodded gravely.

"He chased you with a fireplace poker"

"Who was it a demon, a warlock, a what?" she shouted shaking her sister.

"It was Andy."

"What about Andy?" Piper yawned as she walked into the room. "Are you too getting back together?"

Prue giggled, "No, Phoebe here says she saw him coming after me with fireplace place poker."

"And it was glowing red hot!" Phoebe shuddered.

"You know Prue, Phoebe's visions are almost never wrong."

"Look, we're talking about Andy here. As in Andy the cop. Why would he want to hurt me? Are you sure it was Andy?"

"The face was clearly his"

"Wait, wait. When did you have this vision?"

"Just 30 minutes ago, it woke me from this great dream..."

"That's it! It must've just been a bad dream. Are you sure it was a vision?"

Phoebe hesitated, then said "yes".

"But your visions usually come during the day, Phoebe" Piper reminded her.

"Yes, that's right," Prue smiled then sung: "Go to sleep before its day, and all your bad dreams will be chased away."

Phoebe shot her a dirty look, turned on her heel, and left.

"Let's just hope it's a bad dream." Piper said.

"We're talking about Andy, Piper. Some detective he is, he still doesn't know anything about us being ..."

"Witches! So you think Prue Halliwell and her sisters might be witches"

The suit was sitting at Andy's desk with his Halliwell files blanketing it. And Andy was 10 minutes early.

"How the Hell did you get in here! And what thinks gives you the right to go through my files!"

"This," the man said tapping his badge with the name Fox Mulder on it under in big blue letters "F.B.I."

"I think I'm going to have to report this to your superiors."

"Go ahead, Detective Trudeau. Although you'll find that as far as X-Files are concerned I don't have any Superiors."

"X-Files? What the Hell are you talking about?"

"You heard of Project Bluebook, Roswell, The Mighty Morphing Power Rangers meet Barney the talking dinosaur. All are tax-payer supported programs guaranteed to waste money while investigating the truly bizarre. The X-Files is based on the same premise."

"I see, my apologies Agent Mulder."

"Call me Fox, the other network does."

"What other network?"

"Never mind. So you think the Halliwells are witches, do you?"

"No. I just think they are fooling around with that wicca stuff. I know that their mother was really into it, and I'm afraid they might get in too deep. The problem with that Wicca nonsense is that too many people don't practice it's central belief of not doing harm to others, and end up `casting spells' with 9mm's, drugs, blackmail, you name it. I'm not afraid of what they'd do, but rather what might happen to her by the other so-called witches."

"Her?"

"Prue and I used to go out"

"Interesting."

"In fact, we were going to go see the <BAY> awards tonight even."

"I see. Well I've seen what I've come for."

"But wait, what about the tissue samples. Didn't you need to talk about that?"

"Oh, yes, well we found some rather strange metallic powder in it, before it deteriorated. Weird metal at that. But seeing as she practiced witchcraft, that explains it. The stuff probably came from some occult store, they carry all sorts of strange `potion' ingredients that the lab has problems analyzing."

"The body disappeared."

"I heard, but sorry to say--this is San Fran It wouldn't be the first time your forensic team screwed up. It probably was released without a signature, or something like that."

"But what about the identical swirls in the fingers of Prue and the body. How could that be?"

"Don't tell your starting to believe in witchcraft."

"No," Andy said, but he wasn't too sure. "Charmed to meet you, Detective Trudeau, I hope we can collaborate on some of your other cases. They would make some excellent x-files. But time is of the essence. Goodbye."

They shook hands and left.

Phoebe was kickboxing her mannequin when the doorbell rang.

"Is Prue in?"

"Oh, helloooooooo Andy. You wouldn't believe the dream I had about you."

"Love to hear about it sometime, but actually I came to see your sister."

"It wasn't that kind of dream," Phoebe grumbled as she went to get Prue.

It was still morning, and although Piper had already left to work, Prue had just gotten out of the shower. She went to the door in her towel.

"Looking beautiful as ever" Andy said eyeing the towel clad witch.

"I know you didn't come over here just to tell me that." "Your right, Prue. I also wanted to ask you the <BAY> awards. I know it's a little last minute, but I just got my tickets in the mail. I think the postman has a grudge against me."

'What you have a one-night stand with your postman too?' she thought. But seeing that all the trouble Andy has go through to ask her out, she couldn't refuse. With all the demons and warlocks always after her, this might the one chance she would have to have a meaningful date with Andy. Heaven knows she had to turn him down all the other times, and now there were no current threats she knew she had better take advantage of it. And of course they were the <BAY> awards, and she would have gone to those with anyone.

"I'd be delighted. Pick me up at seven."

"Great! See you tonight."

"I'd appreciate it very much Mulder if you wouldn't smoke in my bed."

Mulder lay there naked thinking of the past 20 minutes. '

"You were even better than I thought" And looked much better than all those fake nudes he had seen on the Internet of her.

"Flattery will get you nowhere buster"

Mulder smiled ,took another slow drag, and then started blowing rings.

"Scully, what if I told you these were the cigarette smoking man's cigarettes."

"What?"

"They fell out of his pocket the last time he came a visiting, so I decided to see why he was always smoking them."

Scully yanked the cigarette out of his mouth, and threw it into a ziploc bag she had in her coat pocket. She would see what the lab had to say about these.

"I really wish you'd get dressed Mulder, if anyone found out about us we'd lose the x-files again."

"But wasn't it worth it?"

Dana smiled. It was. But she didn't say anything.

"Anyhow, I think the cigarettes must be made out of Tobacco that was grown with Roswell fertilizer, it was the best smoke I've had in years."

"Roswell fertilizer?" she cocked and eyebrow.

"Yeah, if you read the April `Sky Times' magazine you would have seen the list of items recovered from the Roswell saucer crash, and alien fertilizer was one of them."

"'Sky Times'? Isn't that edited by the same people that edit `High Times'?"

"I'll admit it, some of the people in the Conference I gave yesterday did look a little stoned. But I still think they saw the flying saucers they said they did. Then when noone believed them they probably turned to weed."

"You got the order mixed up. Anyhow how did your speech go?"

"Great, Great. I had all sorts of people come up afterwards shaking my hand and what not. There was this one guy who was the spiting image of Agent Spinder."

"Spinder is dead, Mulder."

"I know. It's just."

"Just what Mulder?"

"Nothing."

"So you and Andy have your first real date tonight?" Piper asked.

"After the awards, I really would like to have him over for dinner." Prue smiled.

"Well I can bring home some food from quake and.."

"I don't think that she had in mind," Phoebe said.

"I didn't want to sound rude, but I wouldn't mind having a quiet dinner with Andy"

"Translation -- Buzz off sisters." Phoebe said.

"I understand," Piper said, "if I had a guy over the last thing I would want is having my sisters walk in on me."

"That was purely an accident, Piper."

"We didn't know you were getting all hot and steamy with him."

"Perhaps," Prue smiled, "you'll be able to walk in on me this time."

"You go girl!" Phoebe said.

"Well I'm off to the theaters. Care to join me Phoebe?"

"Certainly. Do be careful Prue."

"Don't worry about me, have yourselves a fantastic time."

Andy arrived early. At least that was what she thought. She had showered, and was almost ready, when she realized the shower was still dripping from its faucet. Grabbing a lucky charm (a stuffed leprechaun that Melinda Warren found in her breakfast cereal while visiting Ireland) she headed into the bathroom. She had some bad experiences with demons and her shower. Unfortunately the demon was a leaky pipe, and she couldn't get any plumbers to come out to fix it until at least 3 o'clock tomorrow. She'd have to hear it all through their dinner. Maybe she'd put on some romantic music to mask it's telltale drip..drip..drip..

Andy took her to the awards, and they were wonderful. She even thought for a minute that she saw Aaron Spelling<sp?> but wasn't quite sure because too many lawyers were in the way. When they arrived home she saw that Piper had set the table and left a note telling Prue that she put the food in the fridge and how long to microwave it so it be too rubbery.

Andy momentarily excused himself to wash up.

"Let's see," she said to herself, "Dinner - check. Romantic music - check. Wine - check. Romantic fireplace - check."

Everything was ready when Andy came back.

"So what are they doing now" Phoebe whispered.

"They're STILL just talking" Piper whispered back.

"Let me look. You didn't tell me he was holding her hand."

"Well, I didn't think that," Piper said, "you would consider it such a big step."

"For me, no. But for Prue.. it sure is."

"wait, wait, I think he's asking her to dance."

The two spying sisters knew that this sure beat the theaters, and rushed to a better vantage point to watch the rest of the action.

"Care to dance?" Andy said extending his hand to her as her favorite romantic song came on.

"Delighted."

They went into the den and started to dance the firelight casting flickering shadows on their waltzing forms.

"Who waltzes, anymore?" Phoebe asked.

"Obviously there are many things we don't know about our little detective friend." Piper replied.

Then Phoebe noticed something. In their San Fran fireplace, which was remote controlled like so many modern gas jet ones are these days she saw the poker, its tip a red molten hot. A second later, Piper noticed it too because the waltz stopped although the music still played.

Prue stood looking at her frozen boyfriend. "Piper, where are you! You better have a good explanation for this!"

"How's this?" Phoebe said pulling the fire poker out of the fire.

"I saw him reaching for it, Prue." Pipe said coming out of her hiding place as well.

"But why, why Andy?" Prue asked the frozen dancer.

"Perhaps, it's not Andy." Phoebe said.

The poker was yanked from her hand. By Andy!

Piper was so shocked, she barely could stop Andy before the poker struck. But inertia is an unfortunate law of the universe, and although he was frozen the forward momentum of the swung poker hit the back of Piper's head with full force. Blood came out her ear as landed with a dull thud to the ground. Phoebe and Prue crouched beside their fallen sister.

"Mother?" she whispered right before she passed out. "I'll kill him!" Phoebe shouted and went into a flying kick at Andy.

He caught her foot.

She clawed his face before she landed on the foot of the fireplace and passed out. Some of the skin came off and revealed a grayer skin underneath.

"Who are you?!" Prue quivered, trying hard with her power, but too scared to adequately focus it. All she managed to do push it's shoulders back a little as it advanced on her iron in hand.

"I wish I didn't have to do this" Andy or whatever it was said, "Your power is too great to be taken by the black oil. It affects the eyes. There is only one way to stop it."

He brought the iron closer to her eyes. "NO!" A shimmering hand grabbed the poker now inches from her eyes. It then stripped Andy of his skin, to show a large humanoid alien with its eyes sealed closed. The alien ran.

"Leo? How?"

"It's bad enough I told Phoebe. I'm what's called a Whitelighter we're sort of guardian angels for witches."

"How did you know we were in trouble?"

"I didn't. But I did hear that dripping shower faucet all the way up in heaven and came down to fix it. I also installed a water softener. Hard water is terrible for your skin you know."

"Help me lift Piper, I'm taking her to the Emergency Room"

"The ER? You think I want George Clooney to hit on my girl?" Leo placed his hand on Phoebe's head, his hand lit up, and she started to get up. Next he bent over and kissed Piper on the lips ever so softly as the white light caressed the rest of her. Her breathing became less shallow, the bleeding left, and she grinned a big smile as she dreamed.

"Now Prue, don't tell Piper that I'm anything but a Handyman. Promise to keep my secret."

"Promise."

"Good, let's hope you can keep a secret better than your sister."

"They didn't believe me anyway" Phoebe whined.

"Sorry I gotta go."

"Stay, I'm sure Piper would love to see you." Prue said.

"Sorry, but I gotta fix Samantha Stevens dishwasher." Leo said.

Leo disappeared.

"What are you so happy about?" Phoebe asked as Piper woke up.

"I just had the most wonderful dream"

"What was it?"

"Leo and I were..." Piper began

"I bet you were wearing white cottons" Phoebe interrupted.

"No I wasn't" Piper said a bit too defensively. "What were you wearing then?"

"Nothing. And neither was he."

Andy felt like a grad A fool. After all his preparation for the <BAY> awards, he couldn't find the tickets and skipped asking Prue. That agent Mulder messed up all his files, and he spent at least three to four hours just putting them back in order. Not to mention, he could have sworn that he had already asked her once before. No he was left with only the stereotypical dinner and a movie.

Prue's phone rang.

"Hello Prue?"

"Hi Andy, how are you doing?"

"What are you doing Wednesday around 9 p.m.?"

"Sorry Andy, I kinda of have plans?"

"That's ok", Andy moped.

"No, I'd love to go out with you, it's just I have some people coming over for dinner then, and I really can't reschedule."

Rejected again, if he ever got his hands on the Agent Mulder, he'd... One last try. "

They're that important?" Andy asked.

"No, it's kind of a business dinner. Perhaps you know them their names are Zoe, Duncan, Jack, and Jane."

- THE END -