EARLY FEBRUARY, 2003

SAN FRANCISCO

Using an experimental spell that caused those around them to hear only idle chit-chat, the Charmed Ones sat in P3, openly discussing one of the more disturbing, albeit harmless, aspects of their existence. Piper shook her head.

"Seven people die in flames, and we're wrapped up in things that go bump in the night."

Phoebe wasn't allowing this.

"If we were supposed to have helped them, we would have. If gremlins had been involved, we'dve been in Florida before the launch. Scientific failure, Sis. Plus, I have some real bumps from those things that go bump."

Piper shook her head.

"We are never are top of anything outside that attic anymore. We missed most of season six of Buffy. Farscape's already being cancelled."

Paige raised her open palm.

"Nobody's saying good things about either of those past seasons. What I couldn't believe was, when we first met, and I asked you whether demons were behind 9/11. You didn't even know what I was talking about! Does it get that bad?"

Phoebe shook her finger.

"Paige? We were in the midst of burying Pru, finding out about you, vanquishing Shax, worrying whether Cole would end up back over--which he did--so again I say, human malfeasance. Had Bin Laden used a djinn to hijack those planes, it would have been us all over Tora Bora. I'm sad for all of us, for the dead, and for their families. But its our job to be in that attic, de-warlocking, out-Sourcing, demon-breaking, and I guess next is Avatar-tarring."

Paige raised an eyebrow.

"And what happens if and when the Elders tell us how unbelievably well we did 'tarring'?"

Phoebe gulped.

"Well, its all kind of vague. But the book indicates we three are among a series of failsafes in case a champion called The Stone Of Heaven fails to beat the multi-headed Wrecker Of Planets. Or something like that. Seemed like a long story."

Piper took in a few spoonfuls of soup before responding.

"I haven't seen a single episode of Enterprise. I have no idea how either DS9 or Voyager ended. Let's face it, witches. We have placed our heads permanently up that well-known place. Just like Columbia, back before the shuttles were privatized. We missed out on the Jupiter 2's launch, back in 97. I never even knew the Robinsons were lost til after that warlock-yuppie couple at the auction house went bye-bye."

Phoebe tried again.

"Piper, we missed out because we had just gained our powers and we were under 24-7 assault by every warlock who knew how to walk, talk, steal or lie. We soooo do not have our heads up there down there. Tragic as it may be, given our responsibilities, there is nothing of true  importance that we have missed out on in the last six years--end of story!"

A tall man walked up, friendly-looking--and with a large bald head spotted in certain areas.

"You must be The Halliwells. I'm Morris's partner for the next six months. From across town, Detective George Sanfrancisco. Tell me, are Newcomers allowed here at P3? Because my son and daughter complain there's no place for Tenctonese to hang out."

As The Charmed Ones would learn upon hitting the local library, Phoebe was wrong about at least one event of importance to world history.