Assumption
Dis: Nope, no Charmed ownership.
A/n: A tiny little drabble based on the prompt 'But I though that's what you wanted.' Centered on Paige.
Paige worked hard, tirelessly. The Book of Shadows lay open before her as she worked on perfecting yet another spell, another one of hers. It seemed like almost every spell was hers, even though she knew that wasn't true. But every spell had her mark on it. She had learned it, or created it, or saved someone with it. She had been perfect after all. She had saved innocents, kept a steady job, and put the power of three before all else, she had even managed a social life. Paige had enough problems just being a witch.
She had quit her job, her social life was nonexistent. She was a full time witch and struggling to keep up with that. Her hair had ever turned red in a potion mishap last week. She wrote it off with good humor when confronted, but in reality she was mad. Things never seemed to come easily to her, not where magic was concerned. Still Paige worked tirelessly; she had to do something after all. Piper had a baby on the way and Phoebe had her own problems. Paige was the only one who could focus one hundred percent on being a witch.
Her sisters had noticed that something was wrong. Paige was no longer herself. The real Paige was artsy, energetic, and compassionate. This Paige was familiar, but it was not who she should be. After weeks of watching silently they would confront her. "Paige we need to talk." Piper said carefully as she stepped through the door to the attic. "Give me just a sec Piper!" Paige said as she dropped one last ingredient into the cauldron. A small explosion sent her flying back into a couch. "Mandrake root… no. So what's wrong Piper?" Paige asked as she looked up with a seemingly refreshed grin.
"This!" Phoebe interjected sweeping a hand across the attic for emphasis. "Paige, hunny, what is going on with you?" She asked as she plopped down onto the couch next to her. Piper followed suit, waving smoke away from her face with a hand. Paige continued to grin. "What are you talking about?" She asked. "This… wonder woman kick you're on!" Piper drawled as she waited for yet another evasive answer. Paige stood and stared at her sisters. "Well somebody's gotta do it! Piper, you have a baby on the way and Phoebe well… you know." She explained as she began to clean up her ingredients.
"Besides, if Prue was here…" She murmured just a little too loudly. "Is that what this is about?" Phoebe asked, jumping to her feet. "Hunny no, nobody expects you to be Prue." Phoebe assured her younger sister. "Maybe not consciously." Paige retorted as she spun around. "It's always 'Prue did this' and 'Prue did that' or 'Paige, why can't you be more like Prue!'" She replied hotly. Piper was on her feet now. "I never said that!" She exclaimed. "You didn't have to!" Paige shouted back as she started towards the door of the attic.
As Paige left Piper looked to her sister, still incredulous about what Paige had said. "I never said that!" She repeated to Phoebe. Phoebe waited for a minute, thinking back on just how often they would reference Prue. "I know you didn't… but I think that's what Paige heard. Every time we mention Prue she thinks that's what we want, her to be Prue." Piper scoffed slightly and folded her arms, looking towards the window in the attic. Maybe deep down, somewhere in the hidden depths of her heart, that was what she wanted.