Chapter 1 Phoebes Home Coming
Piper Halliwell walked through the front door of her childhood home and called for her sister Prue.
"Prue?"
"I'm in here working on the chandelier."
"Sorry, I'm late." Piper said, meeting her sister in the foyer
"What else is new. You know Piper, I would've been here to meet the electrician myself, but you know I can't leave the museum until six. I didn't even have time to change." Prue told her as she stepped off the ladder.
"I know, I didn't realize how long I was in China Town...did Jeremy call?" Piper asked as they entered the kitchen together.
"No, but he had some roses and a package delivered." Prue told her, "What were you doing in China Town? I thought you had that interview in North Beach?"
"I did, but I went to Yung Le Market after my interview to get the ingredients for my audition recipe tomorrow." Piper said taking out the items she had bought.
"So that cook didn't hire you today?" Prue asked.
"No," Piper answered taking a bottle of wine out of the package her boyfriend had sent her, "but this, just may get me the job."
Prue took the bottle from her sister and looked at the label, "Jeremy sent you Port?"
"Yes, it's the ultimate ingredient in my recipe." Piper told her
Prue glanced at her and then back at the bottle. "Nice boyfriend"
"Oh my gosh," Piper said walking away from the table, "tell me that is not our old spirit board."
"Yea I found it in the basement when I was looking for the circuit tester."
Piper held the board up and read the inscription on the back. "To my three beautiful girls. May this give you the light to find the shadows. Remember the power of three will set you free. Love Mom." Piper turned to her sister, " we never did figure out what this inscription meant."
"We should send it to Phoebe," Prue said making her way into the living room. "that girl is so in the dark maybe a little bit of light will help."
Piper followed her "You are always so hard on her."
Prue turned around, "Piper, the girl has no vision..no sense of the future."
Piper hesitated, "I really think Phoebe's coming around."
Prue scoffed. "Well as long as she doesn't come around here, I guess it's good news." she turned and went into the living room. Piper, annoyed with her sister, turned and made her way back into the kitchen.
About an hour later both women went about the house checking the lights, after the storm blew them out..again.
"I don't get it" Prue told her sister, "I have checked everything. There is no reason the chandelier should not be working."
"Um, you know how you've been talking about doing something with that spare room we've got? I think you're right...we do need a roommate." Piper told her sister, leaning against the door frame as her sister walked out.
"Well," Prue said, walking into the kitchen, "we could rent out the room at a reduced rate in exchange for help around the house."
"Phoebes good with a wrench!" Piper blurted as she followed her older sister.
"Phoebe lives in New York." Prue told her while she rooted through a kitchen drawer.
"Not anymore"
Prue turned around, already sensing that something was going on behind her back.
"What?"
"She left New York, she's moving back in with us." Piper said quickly, preparing herself for her sisters wrath. Instead Prue turned and walked out of the kitchen glaring at her sister.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"Well I could hardly say no!" Piper called as she followed her sister, "it's her house too. It was willed to all of us."
Prue turned around to face her sister, "Yea months ago, and we haven't seen or spoken to her since."
"We'll you haven't spoken to her." Piper whispered.
"No, I haven't. Look maybe you forgot why I'm still mad at her." Prue shot back.
"Of course not." Piper said, "but she didn't have any where else to go. She lost her job, she's in debt-"
"And this is news? How long have you known about this anyway?"
"A couple of days...maybe a week..or two"
Prue's face was fuming, "Thanks for sharing. When does she arrive?"
Just then the front door opened and in came the youngest Halliwell, Phoebe.
"Surprise!" She called coming into the room. "I found the hide-a-key."
Prue didn't look at her, but Piper smiled and embraced her younger sister.
"Phoebe, welcome home. It's so good to see you." She turned to their sister, "Isn't it Prue?" she said through gritted teeth.
"I'm speechless."
Just then a cab honked. Piper grabbed Prue's purse and ran out to pay. While Prue was still glaring at her youngest sister.
Piper came in and asked if they were hungry, but neither one of them were. They both went up to their separate rooms upstairs. Leaving Piper alone.
Chapter 2. A New Surprise
Midnight
Patty Halliwell stood on the front step of the house she had grown up in. Where all her girls, except for two, had grown up. Now she was standing there with her youngest daughter, her baby. Three year old Penny stood next to her.
"Mommy, do I really have to go?"
"Now Sweetheart we've been through this. Mommy has to go back to Heaven. Her time is up and you are going to live with your sisters. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe, your going to have a wondrous time, Penny. I promise you." Patty bent down and hugged her daughter for the last time, rang the doorbell, and disappeared into the air. Leaving Penny to wait for her sisters.
Inside the house.
The three sisters were coming down the stairs arguing over Phoebes recent action with Witch Craft when they heard the doorbell ring.
"Who in the world could that be? It's midnight, for goodness sake." Piper said.
"I'll get it." Phoebe called out to them, running over to the front door.
At first she didn't see anything as she looked out, until a bolt of lightning lit up the sky, and she saw a little girl. Soaking wet, looking up at her.
"Prue! Piper! I think you need to come here!" Phoebe yelled for her sisters as she pulled the little one inside and closed the door.
"Phoebe who is it?-" Prue cut herself off when she saw the little girl, who looked just like her. She ran over and got on her knees to so she could look the child in the eye. "Phoebe, go to the attic and look in that box of old baby clothes and see if you can find some pajamas for her."
Phoebe nodded and ran up the stairs, almost running into Piper.
"What the-" Piper started to say, until Prue cut her off, as she picked up the little girl and headed for the kitchen.
"Piper get a towel please. She's freezing and get a blanket off my bed too." she told her sister.
The little girl stared up at her, while she shivered and Prue took the soaked t-shirt and jeans off of her.
"What's your name little girl?" Prue asked
"Penny. Penny Halliwell." she answered. Prue's eyes widened at the little one. But she smiled and took the towel that Piper had thrown at her on her way up to her room. Prue wrapped her up in it and dried her off.
"My Mommy, said that she had to go back to Heaven tonight and that you were gonna take are of me. My Mommy is Patty Halliwell, and you are Prue. My middle name is Prudence. I'm named after you. My name is Penelope Prudence Halliwell, and the lady that opened the door is Phoebe, Mommy said that she is funny, and Piper is a good cook."
Prue stared at the girl as Piper and Phoebe came back down.
"Prue? Honey what's wrong?" Piper asked her sister. Who was staring at the little girl.
"Phoebe, get her dressed. I need to talk to Piper. Wrap her in that blanket and take her into the living room." Prue turned back around to Penny and smoothed her hair back. "I'll be right back. Phoebe's going take you for a moment while I go talk to Piper."
Penny nodded and let Phoebe pick her up and take her into the living room.
"Prue, what's going on?"
Prue took a deep breath, "That little girl, is somehow our sister. Piper she knew my name, and yours, and Phoebes, and Moms. She has our last name and Piper, she's even named after me. Penelope Prudence. Penny. She knew you were a good cook and said that Phoebe is funny."
Piper looked at her sister and then in the living room where Phoebe was getting the girl dressed.
"She does look like you...a lot like you." Piper told her sister.