Disclaimer – I own none of the people or things you recognize from Charmed or Dr. Giggles. Everything else is all mine.

By the way…this is a Prue, Piper and Phoebe story. It takes place after All Hell Breaks Loose, however, Prue didn’t die.

Warning – It’s a scary movie people, thus rated-R. R for Violence, language, and all that bad stuff. But it’s soon to be Halloween, so kick back, take off your shoes grab some popcorn and read on…enjoy the darkness before the darkness enjoys you!

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Dr. Giggles Gets Charmed
Prologue

She kept her hand silently still on the receiver of the phone. Time passed by slowly like molasses on ice as she turned to face him. Her heart stuttered with every breath. Her breath was cold, like the winter air seeping in through the open windows. Her first instinct after hearing the unsettling noises outside was to call the police. As she had picked up the phone she had heard the soft tap of a foot stepping onto the hardwood behind her.

Her breath escaped from her lungs as she dropped the phone backed to its cradle where it now lay with her hand on it. Ever so gently she lifted her hand from the phone and turned to face the man that stood behind her. He was large, not muscular but large. She could tell he was close to 6’5” if not taller. He wore scrubs and a surgical mask hung around his neck. A stethoscope was in one hand. A surgeon’s scalpel was in the other.

He cocked his head to the left side and gave her the once over. It gave her the chills. Too many horror movies, too many bloody scenes laid out on screen, too many moments just like the one that lay covered in reality before her. She could see his cold, pale, blue eyes staring back at her. She wished to be home in San Francisco. She wished away the trip to the cabin in the mountains. She only hoped her friends would not come as they had promised. She only hoped if her blood were to be shed, it would serve as a warning, guiding them away from the man in front of her.

It felt as though he was trying to decide exactly how to kill her. She wanted to scream, she wanted to run but the movement was gone. The fight never came. The fright took over and froze her to her place in the room. She could only watch with fear, sheer panic, and quiet amazement as he stepped toward her with the scalpel and began to carve a line into her throat.

The last sounds she heard before death consumed her were that of a child’s giggling. As she looked to find the child she could see only her killer, his belly shaking up and down like Santa Claus as he broke into more fits of laughter, of giggling. And then she was gone.

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He looked down at his newest victim. The blood was still fragrant in his nostrils, still wet and warm on his hands. He thought of her as pretty. He needed money for food so he decided to rummage through her purse. He withdrew her wallet from its place and read the name from her business card. Gina Walters, P3 Downtown, Bartender. He giggled again as the phone rang. He listened as the machine picked it up.

“Hi no one’s here right now. We’re enjoying the view and the vacation. Hope to see you soon!”

He heard the beep and then cell phone static and then a voice so soft and sweet, so sad, so seemingly, unhealthily weak.

“Gina. It’s Piper. We’re running a few hours behind. What do you expect with three sisters and a few good men? We should be there before it gets too dark though. I hope you are okay up there all by yourself and we really do appreciate you sharing the space with us. Anyway, we’ll see you soon.”

The machine beeped again and there he stood watching the flashing red light. He looked again at the girl on the floor. His voice was loud and eerie, even to himself, as he spoke to his recent victim.

“Well, there’s nothing more we can do for you now. We should clean this place up and get ready for our next round of patients shouldn’t we?”

His giggle echoed through the cabin and into the woods beyond, woods that went on for miles. There was just one lonely dark road to lead back down the mountain to any semblance of civilization. He giggled harder knowing that within hours he would have at least three more people to kill. And they were headed up that dark lonely road where in the forest a giggle echoed, the giggle of murder.

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The road curved in front of them sharply. Prue carefully guided the car around the bend and continued to accelerate up the hill glancing in her rearview to see Piper and Leo still behind them in the jeep. The road was much crueler on the BMW than the new Jeep, Prue surmised as she continued up the curvy road.

The thoughts of the previous months raced through her mind. She thought about how she and Piper had almost died and how Phoebe was almost taken by the dark side. She had a lot to celebrate and she knew that a group trip to the mountains in the fall was perfect.

She looked to her right and took in the sight of her newest flame, Garrett Becker. She loved the curve of his lips and the cut of his dark brown hair. His eyes were green like spring grass, and when he caught her looking at him he smiled showing her his perfectly straight and bright-white teeth. She returned the smile and gave all of her attention once again to the treacherous road. She had only been dating Garrett for a few months, and she knew sooner or later she would have to tell him about their powers but she decided it shouldn’t be sooner. She had to learn that she could trust him first.

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Piper watched Prue speed to a few car-lengths ahead of them. She felt Leo’s hand on her knee and she smiled. She knew they had all needed a getaway from the demons and daily doses of destiny. So much had happened with the Source and Shax. It had been a hard battle but they had finally defeated Shax. The Source remained elusive and that bothered Piper.

She knew they all needed to just breathe and to hold onto at least one fun memory, something to pass along to future generations. Piper knew things were going to change a lot in the next year. She knew Prue was very serious about Garrett and that Phoebe and Cole were planning their wedding. She knew the Source would continue to hunt them and send assassins after them. And she knew soon enough she would be too weak to be of any help.

Piper looked around the road and felt a chill move over her back and up her neck. It was a forewarning but Piper didn’t understand it, so she shrugged it off. She pushed a CD in turned up the radio. They listened as instrumental music filled the Jeep. “Sleepwalk” was one of Leo’s favorite tunes. Piper had seen the movie Sleepwalkers and knew the song was on the soundtrack so she had bought it for Leo.

“That song always reminds me of something, but I can’t figure it out.”

Piper gave Leo a strange look and continued to watch the road, her mind on the days ahead of them. She wanted Kodak moment after Kodak moment. She wanted albums filled with their smiles and happy moments. All so she could hold them close when the time came.

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Phoebe stared at the back of Prue’s head and smiled. She was so happy to see her oldest sister at peace and alive. Phoebe thought about the things she had endured in the underworld without Prue or Piper to protect her. The shame and injuries she had incurred while a prisoner of the Source, were wounds even Leo wasn’t able to heal. But the biggest hurt was when they finally made it back to the surface and she felt she couldn’t tell her sisters what had happened. She had felt as though they couldn’t shoulder that time she spent in the darkness.

Phoebe glanced behind them to see Piper and Leo not far away. She felt whole for the first time since the Source’s deal, as she looked from the Jeep to Cole whose head was in her lap. She had everything she needed, her sisters and her soul mate. Cole smiled up at Phoebe and she smoothed out his hair. She sighed happily feeling as though the trip would be a monumental one. Perhaps even bittersweet. The word crossed her mind and she couldn’t think where it possibly could have come from.

“Hey Prue?”

“Yeah, Pheebs.”

“How much further is the cabin?”

“About ten more minutes at this speed.”

“Okay, good.”

“Why? Do you have to pee?”

Phoebe could hear Garrett snickering in the front.

“No, goofy, I don’t have to pee. I just have this sudden urge to hug you and Piper.”

“You guys are way too close,” Garrett said laughing. Phoebe popped him with the back of her hand over the seat.

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Prue could see her little sister in the rearview mirror. There was a serious appearance to Phoebe, a look she didn’t often have. Prue wanted to pull over and hug her little sister but she knew they could wait 10 more minutes. She wasn’t sure though what Phoebe’s sudden sad expression was about but she intended on finding out.

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He could see the headlights through the darkness coming toward the cabin. He finished writing and laid the pen down. Giggling, he picked up his medical bag and headed out the door. He still had time to get to his hiding place before they arrived. His plan was to take his time.

“There’s nothing better than a doctor who gives his patients his undivided attention.”

He glanced one last time and was satisfied that the room looked untouched and clean. The door closed behind him as he headed off the back porch and into the woods, his temporary office not too far in the distance. He knew he would be back later to see what the people were like, if they were worth his time.

The soft voice, calling herself Piper, rang through his mind as he made his way through the woods. He knew she would be best saved for last.

“Extra special care for you my dear, extra special care for you.”

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The group stretched and yawned as they got out of the cars. The men began automatically unpacking as Prue held Phoebe’s hand and they walked to Piper.

“Phoebe? What’s wrong with you?” Piper asked seeing the tear in the corner of Phoebe’s eye.

“It seems really stupid now. I feel like a big baby.”

“Well, what is it?” Piper was growing concerned.

Prue interjected before Phoebe could speak, “You aren’t a big baby Phoebe. We’ve all been through a lot the last few months, and it’s only normal that you’d feel the need to hug us.”

Phoebe nodded and looked to the ground. She could feel the arms around her and took in the scent of their perfumes. For a moment, she was at peace. And then intuition kicked in.

“Uh…guys…Gina isn’t here.”

“Sure she is Pheebs, her car is here.” Prue pointed to the Blue Mustang.

“No, she isn’t here.”

Piper looked puzzled, “Well, let’s go inside and see.”

The girls walked inside as the guys finished unloading their luggage. Piper was the first to see the note by the phone.

“Hey guys! I had an emergency family thing come up so I had to go. But please stay and feel free to use everything. Just be sure to lock up when you’re done. Thanks and see you at work, Gina.”

Piper cocked an eyebrow and looked questioningly at the note.

“What is it Piper?”

“I don’t know Prue. It just seems odd. Too much demon hunting I guess. But we’re here to have fun and that’s what we’ll do.”

Phoebe smiled at her sister’s words but then frowned as her eyes moved over a dark spot on the hardwood floor where they were standing.

“Guys, look. Is this blood?”

“Blood? Phoebe, what are you talking about?”

“Here on the floor, this spot, what is it?”

“Touch it and find out.” Prue said half-worried, half-jokingly.

“Ew, no way you touch it.”

“You two are such wimps. I’ll do it.” Piper said kneeling down next to the spot. She pressed her finger onto the discoloration and looked up grinning.

“Phoebe, honey, it’s just a place where the wood stain was spilt therefore making it darker than the rest of the floor.”

Prue smiled, “Thank you Bob Vila.”

“Hey, it’s a good show, don’t knock it.” Piper said pointing a finger at her oldest sister.

“Oh sure, Bob Vila, right up there between Emeril and Oprah.” Prue retorted.

“Are you saying I’m a typical housewife?” The middle sister grinned.

“Piper, honey, there’s nothing typical about you.”

Phoebe laughed at her sisters still unsure of the feeling in the pit of her stomach. But she relaxed as she watched her sisters turn a pointing contest into a thumb-wrestling war. She was only slightly startled as Cole, Leo and Garrett walked in the door, carrying luggage.

Piper reached for a suitcase in Leo’s hand.

“Oh, honey, we’re sorry. We didn’t mean to make you do all that yourself.”

Prue laughed again, “Uh…yeah we did.”

Garrett rolled his eyes as Prue took her suitcase from his hand. She kissed him on the cheek and he smiled. She was already having the time of her life. She watched him as he walked back out to the car followed by Cole. She turned around to see Piper’s coloring fade to a pale, chalky pallor.

Piper felt the pain rise in her chest and gasped before she could suppress it. She sat down quickly on the chair. She looked up to see the startled faces of her sisters and Leo. She smiled weakly afraid that her secret was obvious.

“Honey, are you okay?” Leo kneeled in front of Piper.

Piper cleared her throat to be sure her voice was normal and steady, “Um, yeah, I just got a little dizzy. That’s all. It must be the altitude.”

She looked to her sisters to see if belief passed their eyes. Prue visibly relaxed dropping her shoulders and smiling.

“Altitude sickness? You know what they say Piper, if you can’t hang with the big dogs get off the porch.”

Piper smiled wide. She was still hurting but it was dissipating as her sister’s smile and misplaced phrase healed her. She glanced to her younger sister and quickly took note of the lingering look of doubt. She knew Phoebe worried much more deeply since she returned from the underworld.

Piper smiled at Phoebe. She raised an eyebrow at her little sister and again cleared her throat.

“Pheebs. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, Piper, as long as you are.”

Piper nodded her head. “I’m fine. I could use some water though.”

She heard Phoebe in the kitchen, watched Prue saunter outside to Garrett, followed Cole with her eyes as he put the last of the luggage in one of the three bedrooms, and sighed as she looked down at Leo who was still holding her hand in front of her on one knee.

“Leo, honey, I’m fine. Really. Why don’t you go get us the best room?”

“Piper, what’s wrong?”

“Leo, I told you guys it must be the altitude, thin air, all that stuff.”

“Are you sure?”

“Aren’t I always?” She smirked at her husband and kissed him on the lips, wishing away all the bad things of the previous months. Hoping away all the bad news, the pain, the loss she knew her sister must have suffered. She eyed Phoebe as she walked toward her with the glass of water.

Leaning down Piper whispered into Leo’s ear. “Why don’t you go unpack for us? I need to talk to Phoebe. Something’s wrong with her and I can’t figure it out.”

Leo glanced over his shoulder at Phoebe and fumbling for words he excused himself.

“Your husband’s not real good with the subtle things is he?”

Piper examined Phoebe’s face closely. It was as if she were seeing her baby sister for the first time. As though the sadness and uncertainty was new, although the tell-tale signs of dark circles and creased forehead proved only that the worry in Phoebe had been there for a while.

Before speaking she looked around to see who was in the room with them. Somehow in the seconds that had passed everyone had disappeared.

“Where did everyone go?”

“Well, Piper, Prue and Garrett are in their room doing God knows what. Cole said he was going to get in the shower. And you sent Leo off so you could talk to me.”

Piper took Phoebe’s hand together they moved to the couch. She sat face to face with Phoebe and held her hands tightly.

“Phoebe. I know you don’t want to talk about it. I mean, about what happened in the underworld. But I see how it has affected you. I see the constant pain in your eyes. It’s like watching you being tortured with no knowledge of the weapon. You know?”

Phoebe studied Piper’s serious countenance with hesitancy. She wanted to tell them but she wanted the past to disappear. It wasn’t necessary that her sisters suffer with her.

“I see what you’re thinking Phoebe. You don’t want to burden Prue nor I with your secrets. I can understand that better than anyone right now.”

Phoebe’s brow creased further at the revelation that Piper had a secret. She had been worried when Piper had paled and then had to sit to recover. She knew that someone who had orbed to the heavens and back would never be affected by the height of mountains.

“You have a secret?”

Phoebe listened as Piper inhaled at the sound of the question and exhaled.

“Phoebe? We aren’t talking about me. We’ve talked enough about me and Prue. It’s your turn, Pheebs. What happened to you down there?”

Phoebe stalled. She wanted to wrap herself in Piper’s arms and let it all out, but something within wouldn’t let her. She could feel Piper’s hand shaking in her own. She looked into Piper’s eyes to see that the brown was lighter than usual, that Piper’s dark circles matched her own. She knew her sisters were worried. But she knew that the pain she saw in Piper was something more. It was physical.

“When I was in the underworld he came to me every…”

Phoebe was interrupted by the sound of Cole singing. He entered the room wearing his jeans, red flannel shirt and hiking boots.

“Hey, Pheebs. Want to go hiking with me?”

“It’s dark outside, and I thought you just took a shower.”

“I did but it’s chilly outside, it’s not like I’m going to sweat or anything. Plus I have a super, duper flashlight. Maybe we can go all Blair Witch out there. Unless you’d rather go to our room and…you know.”

Piper allowed the look of feigned disgust cross her face, “Eewww!! You two take it elsewhere.”

Piper smiled up at Phoebe who was now standing and realized that Phoebe wasn’t smiling. She appeared completely un-amused by Cole’s statement. Piper took note of the moment and knew there was a long story there and one that would have to be told when Phoebe was ready to talk about it.

“Okay, well, uh…I think I’m going to help Leo unpack. Phoebe, Cole, you two do not get lost walking in the woods. It’s dark, it’s cold and if you lose her Cole I swear I’ll have a heart attack.”

Phoebe blinked at Piper’s words. A memory flashed in Phoebe’s mind from the day before. She had been packing for the trip and had run into the bathroom for some of her toiletries. She walked in to see Piper downing a pill. Piper had looked surprised and had casually put the pill bottle in her bag. Phoebe had smiled and asked what the medicine was, and Piper had replied that it was merely a vitamin. “Makes the heart stronger you know.”

Phoebe looked at Piper and shook away the thought. She took Cole’s hand and together they walked off the porch into the cold dark night. Phoebe let go of Cole’s hand quickly and wrapped her arms around herself, afraid of the darkness.

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He watched from the woods, his heavy, long coat covering his bright blue scrubs. The surgical mask around his mouth and nose doing double duty of keeping him warm and hiding the puffs of visible air that escaped with each of his breaths.

He suppressed a giggle as one of the girls he had watched earlier left the cabin with a man. He looked down to his gloved hand and again suppressed a giggle. The scalpel was sharp and gleamed in the moonlight. He knew with one quick motion of the hand, a life could easily be taken, without one scream, one uttered cry for help.

He walked softly as he followed the unsuspecting couple into the deep woods. He saw that the man was strong and muscular, not easily overcome. As he looked over the girl he knew she would be an easy target. Her pain was apparent in her voice as she spoke to the man.

“Cole, I’m really worried about Piper.”

“Well, I’m really worried about you.”

“Cole, I don’t want to have this discussion again.”

“Well, we’re going to have to Phoebe. We haven’t been together since we escaped from the underworld. You rarely let me touch you, or hold you, or kiss you. What did that bastard do to you?”

“Cole, please. Everything is fine with me, okay, nothing happened. I’m worried about Piper.”

“Fine. What about Piper?”

“I think she’s sick, like ‘something’s-wrong-call-in-a-specialist’ sick. I saw her taking some little pink pill at home and then she had that dizzy spell just a few minutes ago.”

He listened closely to the conversation and his heart thundered at the possibility that one of them was truly, physically ill. He watched the young girl lean into the man. He decided to give it more time to devise a better, more entertaining plan for himself. He thought again about the soft voice on the phone and the sister with an illness. His giggles attacked his throat and mouth and he could no longer suppress them.

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Phoebe turned around at the sound.

“Cole? What was that?”

“Probably some wild animal. It’s okay Phoebe.”

“Never-the-less, can we go back now?”

Cole nodded and Phoebe followed him and the beam of the flashlight as they made their way through the woods to the cabin. She heard the noise again. She swore to herself as they entered the cabin that someone was out there watching, waiting.

Piper watched as Phoebe and Cole walked out the back door and into the night. A strange sensation crept up the back of her neck as she continued to peer into the darkness. She shook it away and went to the bedroom she was sharing with Leo. Her husband was lying on the large king size bed reading a thick hardback novel. Piper gazed at him lovingly and silently thanked the Elders for giving him to her. He looked up from his reading and smiled.

“Hi, honey, what’s going on with Phoebe?”

Piper sighed in frustration and exhaustion. “I don’t know. Whatever happened to her down there was something we may never be able to imagine.”

“Do you want me to ask the elders to try to find out?”

Piper looked at him thoughtfully, “No. No, not yet. I think Prue and I need to do this one on our own. Not witches to witch, but sisters to sister.”

Leo nodded. Piper sat next to him on the bed and cuddled close to him, his arms wrapping around her. She breathed in his love and his concern.

“Piper? I can feel your heart racing. Are you sure you and Prue can handle this?”

“Yeah, Leo. Whatever it is, Phoebe needs us right now, not Whitelighter intervention.”

Piper relaxed in her husband’s arms and thought about the past few months. She mindlessly let her hand wander to her chest as she placed her hand over her heart. She could feel it racing as well. She closed her eyes as she just listened to Leo’s heart beating steady and strong. Healthy. Her relaxation was instantly broken by the slamming of the back door.

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Phoebe let the door slam behind her. She knew it was early still and her sisters would not yet be sleeping. She followed Cole down the hall. She could tell he was slightly perturbed but silence was the only way she knew how to handle it at the moment. She followed him into their bedroom and shut the door.

Phoebe wanted nothing more than to go to sleep. Undisturbed. She changed into clothes for the night and could feel Cole’s eyes on her. She knew it wasn’t him she had to worry about, but she knew that there was a part of him that would always scare her. She pushed the thought back and she smiled at Cole as she finished slipping on her flannel pajama bottoms.

She could feel her breath become shallow as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her. His touch was soothing and gentle. Phoebe knew she would always love Cole. He was essentially good and eternally protective. She broke the embrace before it was over.

“What is it Phoebe?”

“Cole, don’t. I already told you I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Phoebe, what did the Source do to you to make you hate me so much?”

His words stung her soul. Tears welled up at the rims of his eyes and the sight of them broke Phoebe’s heart. “Maybe it is for the best,” she thought, remembering words from the Source. Words he had used echoed through her mind on a second to second schedule leaving her worried and scared, and at times