Disclaimer: The Charmed Characters are the property of Aaron Spelling and Constance Burge. I just borrow them for your enjoyment and my writing addiction

This is the final installment of Choices and Consequences..I'd like to say that originally I was only going to do the two fics. Choices and Consequences. But as I was writting Consequences my muse took off with an additional idea, which was outside the Consequences of Prues/Pipers choice to save both Phoebe and the Baby, but within the same idea.. if that makes any sense. That is why I left a few things unexplained, as in who reset time, and what, if anything, they remember. A few things that I hope will clear a few things up without giving to much away. Time was reset to right before Phoebe had the baby. In a sense time was set to the way things SHOULD have been...no car accident no bank robber running into them. I hope that clears up some confusion.. and that you enjoy the end.. I will give you one little clue.. It was not an Elder that reset time, it was a created character that I came up with that wil be related to a character that was tied in with the sisters during the early season( not realted to the sisters just a 'guest' spot lets say)...thats all i'm giving you ...Enjoy

April 24, 2005

Second Chances

She held the pillow close to her, squeezing the life out of it; if you could to a pillow. As her head rested on the fringe of it, she hadn't even really thought of the life and death of a pillow. She just wanted something to hug; something to love her back.

Prue made her way up the stairs with Patti in her arms. She was still in shock that she was able to enjoy the small infant in her arms. To feel the love of a mother. Sure she had with her sisters helping her Grams raise them, but this was different. This was a product of the love she shared with Bane. Though now as she walked up the stairs she missed the part that bonded her baby sister and her baby. Missing out on what Piper had said was the joys of pregnancy.

Shifting the crying girl in her arms she knocked softly on the door before her and eased it open. "Phoebs, someone wants something I can't give her."

Phoebe wiped away the tear that had fallen gently down her face and rolled over. "Well you can, you're bottle is just empty." She said sarcastically as she took Patti from Prue.

"Haha you're a funny girl." Prue laughed as she sat down beside Phoebe.

"I get it from my big sister."

"And I'll be sure to tell Piper you said that." She laughed again as she looked at her sister. "You ok?"

Phoebe looked up from Patti and into her sisters ice blue eye, "Yeah, why?" she cast her eyes away from her sister and back to the feeding niece in her arms

"You seem tired." Prue reached up and tucked a stray piece of hair off her sisters face.

"Maybe a bit, I was trying to get some rest."

"I'm sorry sweetie. You know I'd feed her if I could." Prue placed her arm around Phoebe and drew her towards her.

"I know, its ok. Honest." She sunk into the hug that was coming to her as her niece nursed.

--- ----

Prue sat at the kitchen table when Piper walked in.

"Prue perfect. You can help me decide on a colour." Piper dropped her bag on the counter, "I can't decide on these two colours. I mean they both look the same to me." Piper opened the cupboard and pulled out a glass and poured herself a glass of juice. "I mean this was Leo's idea anyway. He should pick it. What's wrong with the colours in Chris' room?" Sitting across the table from her sister she noticed then Prue hadn't moved or said anything since she arrived home. "Hello. Prue?" she waved her hand in front of Prue's face.

"Geez Piper. You scared the scrap outta me."

"Well I've only been in here talking to you for the last five minutes. Where were you?"

"Um I don't know."

"Riiiight Prue this is me you're talking to. Spill. What's going on?"

"Phoebe. I think."

"You think?" Piper raised her eyebrows not sure what Prue was talking about.

"Patti was hungry so I took her up stairs so Phoebe could feed her. Something is off Piper. She said she was just tired."

"Well yeah Patti feeds like every two hours. Geesh even Chris wasn't that bad. And every time she gets hungry Phoebe has to feed her. If you go anywhere Patti has to stay here, in case she gets hungry. Leaving Phoebe to take care of her."

"So she is just tired." Prue surmised.

"I'd say yes. You need to get Patti off Phoebes boobs and on to a bottle."

"We've been trying Piper. I don't want to keep waking her up in the middle of the night. And even now. She was trying to get some sleep and once again I had to interrupt her life to feed my baby."

"Well between the two of you, you need to figure something out." Piper got up and placed her glass in the sink. "I have to go to the club. I'll see you later?"

"Sure." Prue found herself falling back into the same thoughts she was having before. Deep inside she knew it wasn't just her sister being tired, there was something bothering Phoebe.

--- ----

Phoebe pulled the sweatshirt over her head as she made her way out of her room and down the hallway. She had to get out of the house away from everyone. Taking her keys in her hand she went quietly out the back door, into the backyard and down the driveway.

She looked around the neighbourhood but suddenly felt the urge to run back inside. Run inside to the safety of what she knew. The Manor, her sisters, everything. Turning quickly she rushed up the front steps back in the Manor. Closing the front door she pulled the sweatshirt off as she made her way up the stairs.

Prue heard the front door open and close, and made her way through the Manor. She caught the glimpse of her baby sister running up the stairs. Wondering what was going on she followed after Phoebe.

Walking through the attic doorway Prue paused as she saw Phoebe sitting on the sofa seemingly lost in her own thoughts. "Phoebs? You ok sweetie?" Prue asked as she walked slowly into the attic.

She didn't answer she just sat there starring at one page in the BOS.

Prue made her way towards her sister. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she intended to find out.

"Phoebs?" Prue eased herself next to Phoebe and wrapped her arms tightly around her.

Before Prue could say anything, Phoebes arms lashed out and pushed Prue away.

"Get away!"

Prue stood back and looked at her sister. "Phoebe."

"Don't Phoebe me. This is all your fault."

"Phoebe."

"NO! You left us. You felt it was ok to let Shax hurt you, kill you. To kill your chance of children. You let this all happen!!"

"You were the one to go to the underworld to save Cole!" Prue yelled back as she felt her own emotions and weariness take control. "You let Cole rule your heart and in doing so you cost me the one chance of having children."

"I cost you? I COST YOU? All you had to do was throw him. But NOOOOO you had to play the super hero and shove the Dr. out of the way. YOU were the one that caused this, not me."

Prue stood in stunned silence. Her sister was bring to her what she had felt all this time. She could have stopped it all. And now Phoebe was going through her lack of reaction. But she also knew now that her sister was going through something else, and this was just a reaction to that. She turned and walked from the attic. The verbal abuse she ignored as her sister went through something she never would.

"I can't reach her. No one can." Prue said as she twisted her fingers together.

"You're rightg you can't. She is going through a normal stage for a woman who has just given birth."

"Tired, moody, depressed?" Prue asked

"Exactly. And she may get worse. She may feel insecure at home or mostly outside of home. Its called 'Baby Blues' new mothers are prone to it. Though yes she isn't a new mother but she did give Patti life and she is up what, every two hours you said to feed her?"

"Sometimes more. So what can we do?"

"Be there for her. Let her know how much you love her, and for you for what she did for you and Bane."

"What about you?" Prue smiled as she looked at the man before her.

"Me?" he looked at Prue not really sure where she was going with her question

"Yes you. What are you going to do to get her through this?" she smiled as the man before her squirmed slightly. "James it's ok. I see how you have always looked at my baby sister. Trust me, I think its a good thing. Get her out more. Get her mind off other things."

"And people?" he said unsure of how Prue would react.

"Mostly about that." She said. "Look James she was hurt; badly. I won't deny that. I just want her happy. And right now I see how she looks at you too. And I think you make her happy. So I ask again. What are you and I going to do about her right now?"

Phoebe looked down at Patti as she once again fed. She loved her niece more then anything and would protect her to the ends of the earth. But she felt inside she needed something, something more.

"Hey you."

Phoebe looked up and saw Cole looking back at her.

"Always knew you would make a great Mum."

"What? Get away from me." she quickly stood up and place a table between her and her ex husband.

"Hey, I wouldn't hurt you Phoebe you know that. I just came to warn you."

"Warn me. From what, yourself?"

"No. From the demon that took our child. The one we made from our love."

She held his eyes as he looked at her, "What?"

"He is still out there Phoebe. And he isn't going away. You and your sisters need to stop him. Or he will become the next Source."