Pied Piper »

Debbie Vigui - holds a degree in creative writing from UC Davis. Her Simon Pulse books include the Wicked series, co-authored with Nancy Holder, and the Once upon a Time novels VIOLET EYES, SCARLET MOON and MIDNIGHT PEARLS. She lives in Hawaii with her husband Scott. Visit her at www.debbieviguie.com.

PIED PIPER

They come to you for guidance,

protection —

Innocents, facing nameless evil.

It is up to you to save their laughter —

Watch over them, protect them from

danger and peril.

At first Piper thinks it's just a coincidence that she's seeing kids everywhere; since she and Leo have been talking about starting a family, she thinks she's just noticing them more. But then the kids start showing up on the Charmed Ones' front porch and coming into the house uninvited. No matter where Piper dispatches them, they're right back at Halliwell Manor minutes later. And they seem to be forming an orchestra. No one will listen to Piper, or obey her, or even give her a moment alone. Piper starts to wonder if she and Leo can handle starting a family.

While Piper's contemplating diaper rash, Phoebe finds out about a rash of disappearances in San Francisco. Musicians have vanished all over the city, and they were all candidates to conduct a youth symphony. So how has Paige's new love managed to stick around long enough to be the symphony leader? And how does band practice at the Manor fit in with all of this? The Charmed Ones smell a rat, but can they lead all of their Innocents out of danger before the final note is played?