Prue Alone Chapter 1, a charmed fanfic

End of the Road

The fall air was quiet and tranquil on Prescott Street with the
crispness of late October and a kiss of the smell of the summer green
grass still remaining. Flowers still bloom in the garden though their
lives were swiftly drawing to a close. Sharp low irregular sounds
came from a great distance growing stronger through the afternoon
stillness. Skidding around the corner was a white SUV weaving from
side to side creaking with the short sharp sounds of braking and of
the rubber sliding across the last curve with the unsteadiness of a
drunken driver. Swerving to the left and then the right, missing a
parked yellow car on one side only to run up on the curve and back to
the far side of the road swerving the other way. Watching the car and
the driver the motion of the car was not as random as a drunk driver,
but as one who had very poor control of the vehicle. Swerving one
direction, over correcting and braking seemed to the pattern. With
the final sharp turn of the wheel the car ran on to the sidewalk in
front of Halliwell Manor impacting the right front fender into the
stone wall holding back the terrace of 1635 Prescott Street. The car
door swung open and a hand reached to the roof helping the driver to
be pulled from the car. Standing hunched over and clutching her right
shoulder tightly to her chest was Prudence Halliwell. Her hair was
soaked with sweat and matted against her bloodied silk blouse and
torn leather pants. Her breathing was deep and irregular and her
dirty face was
alternating between pain and anguish. Leaving the car door open she
limped up the steps to the front porch holding tightly to the porch
railing. Disgusted that she couldn't reach for the doorknob with her
disabled arm, she squinted slightly and the door flew
open banging against the wall behind it breaking several pains of the
multi-colored glass. Prue walked into the front door breathing
erratically. Blood dripped on the steps as she walked up two flights
of stairs into the attic that marked the center of their witchy
activities. Hearing something Prue scanned the attic though nothing
seemed amiss. The remains of their last potion still emitted smells
of herbs and chemicals. The candles still stood vigil over the
cauldron, unlit and unused. Walking over to the ancient Book of
Shadows Prue seethed were her eyes blazing red.

"Why Phoebe? WHY?" she cried out to the ceiling.

With one flick of her hand the book flew off the stand twisting
through the air and crashed through the window landing on the lawn
below.

A small smirk of satisfaction appeared on her face.

"This is for PIPER!" she called out motioning toward the cabinet of
herbs and potions as it slid across the floor breaking into a dozen
pieces with glass bottles flying everywhere.

"And THIS IS FOR LEO!" she shouted as the furniture on the far side
of the attic flew against the wall breaking and splintering.

"And this is for PHOEBE!" she again shouted as their cauldron,
candles and table flew against the ceiling nearest her. Wind whistled
thought the new ventilation hole in the attic.

Prue's breathing became easier as she plopped down on the old attic
settee. Rubbing her sore and swollen shoulder she moaned and then
flew down on the arm of the chair crying uncontrollably. "Piper! Leo!
Phoebe! What possible purpose could it all mean? Why would it happen?
Why? Why?"

With one flick of her hand the book flew off the stand twisting
through the air and crashed through the window landing on the lawn
below.

A small smirk of satisfaction appeared on her face.

"This is for PIPER!" she called out motioning toward the cabinet of
herbs and potions as it slid across the floor breaking into a dozen
pieces with glass bottles flying everywhere.

"And THIS IS FOR LEO!" she shouted as the furniture on the far side
of the attic flew against the wall breaking and splintering.

"And this is for PHOEBE!" she again shouted as their cauldron,
candles and table flew against the ceiling nearest her. Wind whistled
thought the new ventilation hole in the attic.

White orbs filled the air round Prue and a young blonde women in her
twenties appeared behind holding a package.

"Prue. This will pass too. Hush," she said soothingly.

Prue embarrassed by her actions immediately sat up, pushed back her
hair and unconsciously wiped some of the dirt form her face. "Who the
hell are you?" she said coarsely.

"Jenny. I'm a whiter lighter who worked with Leo. I thought you could
still use this," she said opening the package and revealing the Book
of Shadows.

"Burn it. I won't need it any longer!" she said sitting up
stiffly. She had never sounded so determined. "I'm out of that
business for good. Now get the hell our ..of MY house!" Prue
concentrated on the blonde white lighter as she flew across the attic
landing in the remains of the potion cabinet.

"Ufff! Prue! I realize the pain you are in right now.." said Jenny
slowly as she picked herself up from the gooey mess of glass bottles
and splintered wood.

"PAIN? You don't know what pain is!" sneered Prue her eyes red with
the renewing of her tears. "Thanks to your all-knowing all-seeing
bastards we went to rescue some cursed
innocent and found ourselves in an ambush!" Prue wiped her eyes. "Now
my beautiful sister Piper, her husband and my free-spirited sister
Phoebe are now lying on the cold concrete floor of an abandoned
warehouse dead. DEAD and gone! That's why I QUIT and that's why
YOU'RE GOING TO LEAVE!"

"If you'll just settle down. Let's work out your anger in some
constructive manner,"
Jenny said cautiously. She knew the power of Prudence Halliwell when
her emotions were at their peak and did not want to feel her wraith
again.

"To hell with your whitelighter psuedo-pyscho-babble. Guides? Ha! It
was the guidance of your type that ended the Charmed Ones. We were
supposed to be the ones that ended evil? Well it didn't last long and
now you're not going to get any help from the last of the
Halliwell's," said Prue breathing hard still holding her painful
broken arm.

"Let me help you with your arm. Prue. I can heal your pain," said
Jenny smiling a bit.
Prue sneered looking deep into the white lighter's eyes. "Get away
from me you cursed being. Don't come near me with your blood stained
hands. Neither you nor any of your kind. To hell with you and your
precious elders. I want nothing to do with you. TO HELL WITH ALL OF
YOUR KIND!!"

"Prue I must warn you. If you cross the line, then you'll become a
warlock. We cannot help you then," she said with a slightly ominous
tone. In her present state, Prue could become one powerful demonic
personage.

"Is that what you think? I'm not stupid. I've seen enough demons to
know I don't want eternal damnation. I want my sisters back. That's
all! And no more of this hocus pocus mumbo jumbo magic either. In
fact, if I had my way, we wouldn't even ever have started, Jenny.
Yes, that's my wish right now. That's what I wish!" Prue yelled to
the ceiling with every last breath she had. It was her family that
mattered to her than any demon or consequence that might come up
against her now.

"Prudence. Careful with thy words. Magic is here and now and you
never know what direction your words might take," she warned.

"No. I will take my fate in my own hands. Destinies can be changed.
I've seen it myself dozens of times. Yes, I will make my own
destiny!" said Prue who felt a new surge of power through her body
and her emotions again reached a peak. Instead of the loss of her
sisters, now she was filled with a purpose and goal that will
hopefully undo the damage done this very day.

"Prue. What are you thinking of doing?" asked Jenny. The look on her
face had almost an evil smile as Prue lowered her head and
concentrated. A brief shine emulated from her body and then she was
silent. "Where have you gone. Prue?" Jenny asked as she waited in the
attic.

Prue opened her eyes and found herself in the parlor downstairs.
Feeling her body everything seemed to be in order. She knew she was
in her astral body since she could still sense a displaced presence
from where her real body still stood. The room looked about the same
as always except for the small calendar on the fireplace that read
October 1998.

"Good," she thought to herself. "Shimmering with old Cole has taught
me something about crossing time, space and astral planes."

Calmer now being before the tragedy took place, she looked around the
parlor lovingly fingering the pictures and precious figurines.
Walking into the dining room, Prue found flowers, a basket of fruit
several get well cards for Penny Halliwell.

"Oh, Grams," she sighed with a tear. Grams had only a few weeks left
to live having been in the hospital for quite sometime. "But this is
the perfect time to do this," thought Prue as she swung around when
she heard a noise behind her.

"Whoa, whoa! Prue! You scared the stuffing out of me. What are you
doing here?" said her sister Piper who had dropped the bag she as
carrying and now clutching herself tightly.

"PIPER!" Prue first screamed and then calmed down.

"And what have you been up to? You look like you've been in a
catfight and the cat won," she said calmer and lovingly. Piper calmly
picked up the bag. "I'm here on laundry duty. Grams insisted we
recycle her three favorite nightgowns everyday. I'll sure be glad
when she gets home. Between school and the hospital and taking care
of my apartment. Whoa! How did you get here? Jeremy gave me a ride."

"Jeremy? Oh right. Well, I was had an accident. I couldn't drive so I
took a cab here that was closer. An.."

"All right. Let me get the emergency kit and I'll take care of you.
Thinking you can do it yourself? Prue you'll never change. You know
the emergency room is where you belong. Where did you hurt your arm?"
asked Piper coming back from the kitchen with the kit.

"Um, some boxes fell on me," lied Prue.

"Poor Prue. Kinda brings you down on the humble meter a bit. And when
did you start this leather look? Kinda kinky to your normal suits.
But, Prue always knows best," sighed Piper starting to work on her
sister.

"I sure wish I did," said Prue wincing a bit at her sister's medical
attention.

"Oh, my poor dear. Little Piper's not going to hurt you," she teased.

Not wanting to run into another sister Prue asked, "Where's Phoebe?"
who did still live at home.

"DO we have head injuries too? Phoebes is up in the mountains with
Frank or Francis or Fred, whoever her current crush is. I can't keep
track of them. She does need someone to steady that girl. At least
you have Roger and I have Jeremy. You'll be married soon and if this
works out with me. Who know?" said Piper smiling to herself.

"Yea, who knows!" sighed Prue though see knew the answer to the
question.

"Here you go! Some of those nurse thingies are rubbing off on me. I
must be spending too much time there. You'll be with Grams when you
get off from work?" asked Piper snapping the lid shut on the kit.

"Sure. Can I help with the laundry?" asked Prue trying to move her on.

"Thanks, but I just need the clean ones. I'll run by before school
tomorrow and finish it. Jeremy has to get me back He is in the middle
of an assignment right now. Bye, Prue. See ya tonight!" said Piper
happily.

"Yea. Tonight," said Prue as Piper ran through the door. Meeting her
earlier sister threw Prue a bit.

Ascending the stairs Prue approached the attic door.

Taking one quick breathe and she pushed on it, but it would not give.
The attic had been magically sealed from her magic deprived
granddaughters. Prue concentrated for a moment and then tried to
force the door open. She waved both hands at the door and it still
refused to budge.

"You were good, Grams," Prue said softly to herself. "But I have more
tricks than you can imagine." Prue lowered her head and vanished
reappearing inside the attic. "Never seems to change," commented Prue
as she reached for the trunk that the book was hidden in. A faint
glow appeared from inside in. A thin layer of dust lay on it. Prue
pulled it out of the truck and tossed it onto the table. "Phoebe why
did you ever look in that damned trunk! It was the end of all of
you." Prue grabbed the caldron, some newspaper, broke up some wood
and some old charcoal she found in a corner. Mixing them in the
cauldron she soon had a blazing fire going. An evil smile came to
Prue's lips as she lowered the Book of Shadows over the red flames.

"Prue, what are you doing!" called out a voice from the dark corner.

Prue swung around squinting into the darkness. "Who is that? I am
doing what I have to do!"

"No, wait. Loose that book and it will mean your destruction!" came
another warning.

Prue shook her head. "It has already destroyed us. WHO ARE YOU?"
called out Prue.

A shadowy figure came from the darkness. The spirit of Patty
Halliwell.

"Mom?" asked Prue dropping every possible bit of anger.

"Why are you doing this, Prue? Do you know what it is? How did you
even get in here?" asked her mother who shimmered in the half-light
of the attic.

"I know who I am. And Piper and Phoebe. I came from a time before us.
A time..A time in which my beloved sister Piper and my wonderful
sister Phoebe are dead. Killed while defending someone, Mother,"
Prue said without a shred of emotion.

"But you're the Charmed Ones. You're the most powerful witches who ever
lived," said Patty.

"Powerful, yes. But still mortal and still subject to error. We made
a mistake. One that I intend to correct now. If we were never
witches, then we would at last be alive and happy. It was too high a
cost, Mother. You should know more than anyone what can happen while
you try to help the innocent," said Prue. "That afternoon by the
lake. I remember and have nightmares still about it."

"Oh my darling," said Patty putting a hand to her mouth. "Both my
younger daughters? Oh Prue, I wish I could hold you for just a
second. You've discovered both the blessing and the curse of the
Warren women. I died doing what I had to do. I had so wished you'd be
strong enough to survive. But you can't change what was meant to be
and you can't change the past."

"Just watch me mother!" called out Prue as she picked up the Book of
Shadows and tossed it into the glowing fire. The book spit and
sputtered and glowed but did not blacken or burn. "As I said you can
not change what was meant to be.

"The book represents powerful magic for good and it can't be
destroyed or taken form the house. Put it back in the box. Let
history be restored. Time must resume its course my dear. If you are
the only one left, then you must help others from now on," explained
Patty looking lovingly at her daughter.

"No, mother. I can't not on, not ever again. The practice killed my
sisters, her husband and your first grandchild. I don't have the
strength to go on," said Prue as she collapse on the old settee.

"Prue, you don't have the strength? I do not believe that of you. You
were stronger than us of all, except maybe Grams. If there is a way
to save your sisters, then you must find it. You cannot give up the
magic any more than you can give up thinking or doing what YOU think
is right. That trait is deeper in you than any of your sisters. Have
faith my darling," Patty told Prue.

"I'm doing what I THINK is right, Mother!" said Prue crossly.

"Only because you hurt now; the hurt will lessen with time. Though it
won't go away like the love for your sisters won't ever die. And if
you honor their memory, then you will accept that they died for what
they believe in, in what you truly believe in, Prue. So return. Leave
this place to those who live here. Be yourself, be happy and be true
to yourself, Prudence," said her mother who smiled as she did when
they were very young.

"Yes, mother," Prue, said quietly as her mother vanished.

"Be true to yourself, Prue," said Patty as she vanished.

Prue sighed put down the book and vanished returning to 2001.

Jenny had watched Prue carefully as she stood in the middle of the
attic silent, solemn and tall. Only when Piper applied the bandages
and the alter ego yelled in pain did the real Prue wince slightly in
her trance. It was not unlike when you see someone react to something
in a dream.

Prue opened her eyes and had a great sadness or loss behind them. She
sighed and went over to the Book of Shadows running her hand over the
rough leather cover.

"So you couldn't do it?" asked Jenny sympathetically.

Prue shook her head. "No, it wouldn't let me. The magic, the
tradition, the legacy was too strong. I cannot stop being what I am.
I realize that from something that my Mother said," replied Prue
reflectively.

"If you aren't who you are, then you're not true to yourself, Prue, "
said Jenny. "Even white lighters have the same vision and
responsibility."

"I won't deny who I am, but I can also control it and IGNORE IT!"
said Prue angrily. She picked up the Book of Shadows and placed it
back in the ancient trunk. Covering with some old clothes, Prue
slapped down the creaking lid and snapped the
latch shut. "I'm still through with this hocus-pocus, Jenny. I'm
going to do this cold turkey. No more magic!"

"But Prue, evil will still find you," pleaded Jenny.

"Maybe, maybe not. The Charmed Ones were major targets in the evil
shooting galley. I think I can hide behind one of the ducks. And if
someone should come my way,
they need to watch out. I'm pretty powerful when I'm pissed! And
speaking of that, I'd like to be alone. JENNY!" said Prue flashing
her eyes at the white lighter.

Jenny felt that she had done all she could for the time being. "Of
course Prue. I've been assigned to help you out so if something does
come up I'll let you know. Evil is there whether you acknowledge it
or not. Peace with you," said Jenny as she disappeared in those funny
white sparkles.

"It better be a long time," snorted Prue. She picked up the phone to
report the death of her family and then she called Darryl.

True Prue

Prue in her best black dress, black hat and veil stood in front of
her friends, Grams' friends, her father, Darryl and her sister's
friends and colleagues. Only a select few new the secret, knew about
their other worldly encounters. Prue approached the podium. With all
the other arrangements she had not even considered what to say so
without a thought Prue stood up in front of everyone naked and raw.
No front, no self-imposed facade, nothing to hide behind. Up there
was the true Prue.

"Piper, Phoebe, Leo. They were my sisters, they were my friends. All
full of life, but now gone. All gone. We four felt compassion, a
drive to help people. And we did. We felt we should give our all for
it. And we did. We gave Piper, Phoebe and Leo. Was that our all? Was
that everything we could give? No, because you kind people are here.
Because you respected them for what they did and what they stood for
they will not be forgotten. And I thank you for that. I love these
three people more than my own life. But here am I still living
without them. But I too will remember. I must remember.

Piper. Always in between us and always ready to spout off when she
thought things weren't just right. I was a lot like that, but I would
never show it. I think of the three of us she could express her
emotions most honestly. She had a great deal of love that
held us together but had no resting place for it until she found her
husband, Leo.

Leo. All he ever wanted to do was to help people. He was the
personification of kindness, warmth and good humor. And we even
though sometimes we would tug and tug at him, he was always there for
us. Especially for the one he loved even after death.

So full of life –

Phoebe, dear Phoebe. She had more life and love in her than all of us
combined. She seemed at times remote, distant and hard to understand,
but she was the complete opposite of me and it was very difficult for
me to know her. I wish that I could have
tapped fully into that free spirit of hers. She did help me break out
of my shell and made me a better person for it. Thank you Phoebe."

Now in an unaccustomed display of public emotion by the most
controlled of the Halliwell's, Prue just stopped entirely crying. Her
father tries to approach her, but she holds up her hand to stop him.
She daps her eyes, straightened her dress and veil and
then continues. "And now we all say good-bye. I can never forget
their impact upon my life. They may be gone, but the love I have for
them will always be there. Piper Phoebe. Good-bye until we meet again
my darling sisters."

Prue stepped down very stiffly with her father helping her. Sitting
down she broke down again in her arms while the minister waited. Prue
thanked her father, sat up and nodded to the pastor to go ahead. He
began to pray.