Without you
---by totem---
Summary - Paige is trying to bning up her young son in a world which is fighting against her. Prue doesnt like her PAige's boyfriend and still doesnt deal well with the fact PAige had a kid at 18. Phoebe gets in some trouble and Piper learns that love's not always expected.
Disclaimer - i don't own the charecters of charmed i onlywrite, using them and mixing them with the crazed ideas that form in my head.
WARNING! - sontains strong language and refers to Drugs (READ AT OWN RISK)
Part 1
---your not alone---
As the car turned the corner the young woman sat in the drivers seat stopped the ignition, looking over she smiled to the guy sat in the seat next to her who was holding her hand. "What you looking at?" She asked smiling as she turned so she was facing him.
"My great girl" He smiled, as he to turn to face her, "P are you sure about this?" HE asked her, "I mean isn't your dad and mom in there"
"Dude we are just going to pick Hunter up is all, and then we'll head back to mine"
"Yeah but – your dad I mean what if he asks about me?"
"You tell him" Paige explained as she took his hands in hers, looking into his powder blue eyes, "Dude, I've been with you for three months now we can't keep avoiding my Dad. Come on, I promise I'll protect you" She smiled leaning forward their lips locked as her hand ran through his dirty blond hair. She lent back, "Love you babe"
"You to P" He smiled. She nodded and stepped from the car; he followed and stepped out shutting the door.
------------
"Victor can you go grab Hunter for me? – Paige should be home soon" Patti asked her husband who was sat at the kitchen table.
He stood up, "Sure thing…so where's Paige been?" he asked as he walked away.
"God knows, she jut asked for a sitter and I accepted" Patti explained, "He'll be with Phoebe In the other room" Victor nodded and headed towards the living room.
As he walked in he looked at Phoebe who was lay on the sofa with the three year old sat on her stomach as the two played with a car. He smiled as he lent against the door frame, he hadn't thought it would all turn out how it had…everything seemed to be going okay thankfully. He couldn't believe that his youngest daughter had a kid of her own. "Hey you two…Dinners nearly done…" He said walking over, "Hunter come on soldier lets go get you washed up"
"Granddad, Aunty Phoebe…gots wed car"
"She has the red car huh? Well I like the Blue one better, so grab one and we'll head into the kitchen" Hunter nodded as he took the blue one. "You okay Phoebe?" Victor asked
"Yeah I'm good…so what's for dinner?" She asked, knocking herself from the thoughts she had been pulled into – she didn't want them knowing, not now not ever.
"Stew I think…"
"Sounds good, call me when it's out?" She asked,
"Okay then" He lent forward and took Hunter from where he was sat on Phoebe's stomach, "Come on Hunt, lets get some food" Hunter complied and as Victor left started to mumble about the cars and what have you.
Phoebe went back into a stare, her thoughts which pounded against her head. She tried to close her eyes to get rid of the thoughts but it was useless. The only one who she could tell, who'd understand was Paige –
The kitchen door opened just as Victor walked in with his grandson, "Hi Paige – and…" He looked to the man standing with his daughter.
"Carter" The guy said as he out stretched his hand towards Victor, "Carter Jason sir"
"Well Hi Carter" Victor shook Carters hand,
then he looked at Hunter and smiled, "Hey buddy" HE out stretched his hand, "Give me pay dude" HE smiled
Hunter brought his hand down slapping Carters, "Fives" HE smiled happily
Paige watched her boyfriend and son playing with a smile on her face, then turned to her mother, "HI mom, dad – sorry I couldn't get here sooner – how has he been?"
"Great like always" Patti smiled, "Would you like to stay for dinner you two?" She asked
"You sure?" Paige asked
"More than sure" Victor offered, he then looked to Cater, "Here son, take Hunt for me?"
"Sure" He said pulling him into his arm, Victor then walked over to where Paige was stood at the island. "Plus I promised hunt some ice cream after so…" HE explained with a smile
"Gotta STAY" Hunter called over hearing what his grandad said Paige were saying,shelooked over to Carter and her son,
"Well looks like we are staying then"
"Looks that way" Carter smiled
Paige turned back to her mother and father, "Thanks guys…you sure it's no trouble?"
"Not at all" Patti smiled, "It'll be nice to have all my girls under the same roof for the night?"
"All your girls…Prue and Piper are coming?" Paige asked
"Yeah, they are coming over for dinner…should be here any minuet" Paige nodded; it had been a while since they had all spent time together.
"So did you have to work today?" Victor asked his daughter
"Yeah, they called me in…what can I say I'll do any extra shifts that I can" Paige explained. "Sorry I dumped him on you guys"
"Hey don't be…" Victor smiled towards her.
Victor hated seeing Paige working herself to death but he also knew that she wouldn't have had it any other way. Ever since Hunter was born Paige had made sure she was the one looking after him. She had provided him with a home, and then she had made sure she was home every night to tuck him into bed and there every morning to get him up. She loved that kid and he was her life. She wouldn't have it any other way.
"SO how long have you two known each other?" Patti asked sweetly,
"Oh about three months…" Paige explained, she looked to Cater and smiled. He smiled back, as Hunter sat in his arms playing with the car.
"Thought I hared voices, hey guys…"
"Hi Pheebs" Paige greeted
"Hey" Carter smiled
"Wow, taking a big risk coming up in here with the parents" She laughed, earning a slap from Paige. Phoebe was the only one who knew about Carter, and the only one who knew about Carters past. "And you're going to meet the rest of the sisters tonight…warning there not as nice as us two" Phoebe joked as she slung her armed around her younger sister.
"Should I be scared?" He asked
"Only if you do something to upset Prue" Victor smiled.
"Victor stop teasing the boy, Guys you can all go in the room to wait till dinner if you like" Patti smiled, "Shouldn't be long"
"Thanks mom" Paige smiled as they started to walk of into the room, followed by Carter who was joking with Hunter. Phoebe watched them leave then looked over to her parents, "He's a good guy" She said, as to assure them - then walked over to the fridge and from it took two beers, "Dad?" She asked.
"No I'm good thanks" He said, frowning slightly knowing Phoebe was starting the drinking early. Having already had one of his daughters get over alcohol, now a recovered alcoholic he didn't want to have to go threw that again with another daughter.
Phoebe took the two bottles and left the kitchen, "Dude, Drink?" She asked Carter,
"Yeah thanks" He said as he handed Hunter, who was now sat on the floor with him the car and reached up to Phoebe, "You're starting early" He smiled.
"yeah well, you know me…" She said back. She then turned to Paige, "You want anything to drink?"
"Nah, I'm good thanks"
"Err Paige…Could I maybe speak to you a moment?" Phoebe asked her in more of a low mumble.
"Yeah, sure" Paige instantly became concerned, She stood up from the sofa "I'm just going to talk to Phoebe, will you be okay?" She asked Carter who was playing with the young boy.
"Yeah sure"
"Hunt be good" Paige warned, then she walked out of the room.
Phoebe and Paige found themselves stood on the Porch, "What's wrong?" Paige asked concern visible as Phoebe shut the door and turned to face her.
"Walk and talk?" She asked.
Paige nodded, Phoebe put her beer on the side and the two started off down the steps, "So your okay right?"
"Yeah, I am…just…" Phoebe stopped as they got to the bottom of the steps, "Left or right?"
"Left" Paige indicated and the two started off in that direction "Just?" Paige encouraged.
"Clay, he's skipped out on me again and I kind of need to sort out some problems he left behind…"
"Phoebe I'm not into that anymore…"
"I know, and I'm not pulling you back into it I Just, kind of need some money…before tonight, before twelve tonight otherwise I pay" Phoebe stopped and turned to her sister, "I'm sorry to ask you but – I don't have anyone else, I don't want Mom and Dad to know and…as for Piper and Prue…I just…"
"Phoebe" Paige said stooping her sisters rambling, "How much?"
"Five…"
Paige couldn't believe this, Phoebe wasn't saying it straight but Paige knew what she meant, there was more to this…Phoebe was covering for her boyfriend and Paige knew it. "He left you with this shit?"
"He had to" Phoebe defended, "Because he couldn't have stuck around – they would have killed him."
"Yeah and now, if you don't get this to them you pay right? They kill you?"
"I…"
"Yeah, well I know how this works … Phoebe, shit…what's been going on?" Paige knew her sister had been going threw a lot. She moved forward seeing a visibly upset Phoebe needed a hug she wrapped her arms around her neck, Phoebe rested her head on Paige's shoulder.
"He's gone for good this time, skipped town and headed to New York leaving me a note that said – 'I'm sorry I left you with this' I have to pay off his debts."
Paige knew that Phoebe was hurting; she also knew that she couldn't leave her sister out in the middle of this mess. Comfortingly she ran her hand down Phoebe's arm a few times then pulled back and looked into her eyes, "it'll be okay Phoebe…I promise"
"I hate asking you Paige but…"
"Look, you've always been there for me Pheebs I mean hell who was the one who stuck up for me when I told you I was pregnant. I'll help you…" Phoebe mover into her sister, happy for the comfort – not only was she having to deal with the guy who she loved and would give everything to but also she had to deal with the shit that he left behind. Paige knew Phoebe was trying hard to deal with this, she remembered many a nights when Phoebe and Paige would have the same convocations over and over about Clay, Paige had always known eventually he would go all the way and totally break her heart, she was actually surprised it hadn't happened sooner.
"You know where he is?" Paige asked
"No, he never said…just... left. I slept with him the night before and he told me he loved me Paige and he wanted to make a life…" Phoebe stood back from Paige and looked at the floor. "I really believed him"
Walking further down the street Paige followed her, "I'm sorry Phoeebs"
"Me to – sorry I am dragging you into this shit, sorry that last night I was planning my future with Clay, this morning I found that god damn note, and that tonight I'm trying to make sure I have a future at all" Phoebe growled.
Paige grabbed her arm and dragged Phoebe to her, "Look, you'll have a future…you don't give up on me. Right now what I'm seeing is you giving up because your shit head boyfriend bailed and you're stuck with the shit he's left behind. Sure there are reasons to give up, you boyfriend broke your heart, and don't think I don't know your doing dope, your contacts are closing around you and there are a load of dealers that are on your case."
"Hell Paige, great pep talk" Phoebe growled as she pulled her arm free,
"This isn't a pep talk it's the truth, he screwed you over" Paige shouted back as she looked menacingly at Phoebe, "You have reasons to give all this shit up but you know what, you need to fight – fight for me, f your nephew because he needs his aunt Phoebe, you fight to show your oldest sisters your not a fuck up and make me proud of you Phoebe, I know you can do it…I know you can. Show me; show Prue, show Clay but most of all show you"
"He hid it all from me Paige; I didn't know he was this deep. I sold my apartment to some guy this morning to pay the debt to some loan shark, I paid off his gambling debts. I, I sold my mustang to pay for the drugs and he still wants more off me…he wants another five hundred and I'm so sorry to have to do this to you but I have nothing else to sell, to give. I have nothing Paige, I can't ask dad to move back in because I'll have to tell him what's happened…don't tell me I'm giving up, I'm fighting Paige. And I'm losing, I can't do it anymore"
"You're not losing; you have me now…we are going to sort this out." Paige said as she pulled Phoebe into her. Phoebe was again more than happy to have the support. "Why didn't you come earlier Phoebe, you could have kept your mustang, your home. I would have found a way"
"There isn't a way Paige…that's why he left and why I'm doing this"
Paige saw over Phoebe's shoulder the car of none other than her oldest sisters, "Okay honey you need to do me a favour…go do a beer run, get the beer and then do that fake happy you do so well. Prue and Piper just pulled up at the manor, so don't look back, just walk and then come back to the manor when we get threw dinner, we then we sort all this out."
Phoebe did what Paige said, with a "Thanks" and another hug she left off in the opposite direction form the manor. Only to stop and turn back, "Paige, got any money?" She asked. Paige took a twenty from her pocket and gave it to Phoebe, and then Phoebe left.
Paige headed back up towards the manor where she met Prue and Piper getting out of the car. "Hey little sis" Piper smiled as she hugged Paige tight,
"Hey Pipe…how are you doing?"
"I'm good, you"
"Yeah same"
Paige then turned to the oldest, "hi Prue"
"Hey, where did she run off to?"
"Beer run" Paige sighed; it looked like it was going to be another night of tension. Ever since Paige had become pregnant – or as Prue often referred to as her – got knocked up by a low life mother fucker who was now doing time behind bars' she had been different around the youngest - Colder in some way. Paige learned to deal though, hell they all had.
Piper did what she was so used to doing, broke into the tension, "Well how about we go see what's happening in there. And I think we need to catch up…don't you" She said as she linked arms with Paige. The three of them made there way up the steps of the manor.
TBC...tell me what you think guys! love to hear your thoughts.
THANKYOU SOOOOO MUCH FOR READING
