Disclaimer: I don't own anything Charmed. They belong to Aaron Spelling and Constance Burge, I just borrow them for your enjoyment and my writing addiction. Enjoy

Coming Home

Piper walked in the house and tripped over Phoebes book bag. Augh I'm going to kill her. "Phoebe Marie Halliwell! What have we told you about dropping your book bag in the front entrance?" Piper yelled to the Manor, not knowing where hs sister was.

All she got was silence. "Oh Pheebs what are we going to do with you?" she said to herself, as her sister had not answered her. Picking up the bag, she carried it to the kitchen. "Pheebs?" still no answer. "Ok I know she is home. So where the heck is she? And why is she home anyway? She has a class right now." Piper spoke to herself

Piper started to look for her sister and was just starting up the stairs when she saw her. "Oh my god. Phoebe." She ran up the few steps and reached her sister "Phoebe. Pheebs please wake up."

Piper tried to shake her sister gently but got no response. "Ok Piper calm down, and think." She moved a stray piece of hair from Phoebes forehead and could feel the heat radiating off of her. "Pheebs. Come on sweetie you have to wake up. I can't carry you upstairs." She said with worry and concern. "Ok hang on baby, I'm gonna call Prue."

Piper ran down the steps and grabbed the phone that was sitting on the coffee table in the living room. Dialing Prues cell phone she headed back and sat with Phoebe. "Come on Prue pick up." She was almost in panic mode. "Pick up."

"Hello Prue speak..."

"Oh thank god Prue you have to come home right away." Piper said it almost as one word.

"Whoa Piper slow down, What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I came home and I found Phoebe passed out on the stair landing. I can't wake her up Prue and she's burning up."

"Ok calm down Piper. I was heading home anyway I should be there in about 20 minutes."

"Ok, just hurry."

"I will."

Piper hung up the phone, ran down the stairs, grabbed a blanket, and returned to Phoebe on the stairs. She gently shifted her so her head was resting on Pipers lap. She then threw open the blanket and placed it over her sister. Stroking her hair soothingly she just talked to her. "Ok Pheebs, Prue is on her way and then we can get you upstairs to bed."

Prue pulled in the driveway and ran out of her car not even closing her door. She burst into the house and headed straight for the stairs. "Piper? How is she?"

Piper looked up into the worried face of her oldest sister. "Same. She hasn't moved or made a sound."

"Ok, lets get her up to her room." Prue used her powers to lift her sister off of Piper and then up the stairs. She placed Phoebe on her bed and the with Pipers help they got her changed into her sweats and a top.

"Prue is that a rash on her back?"

Prue turned to look at Phoebes back that was red with what looked like a rash of some sort. "I'm not sure Piper."

Laying her down on the bed they threw the covers over her.

"Prue what are we going to do?"

"I don't know Piper. Right now one of us should stay with her in case she wakes up." She paused a minute and just sat on the bed looking down at her baby girl, as she gently stroked hair out of her face. "Look Piper you stay her a minute. I'll call work and tell them that I won't be back afterall and then I'll go down to the drug store and see what I can get her."

"You don't think this demonic do you?"

"I hope not Piper. Tell you what. Why don't I bring down the book and you can look while I'm out?"

"Ok."

Prue bent down and kissed Phoebe on the cheek. "I'll be right back baby. I love you."

"You gonna be Ok Piper?" Prue asked as she took Pipers hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah just hurry."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too."

Prue ran up the stairs and grabbed the book and took it to Piper in Phoebes room. She called the magazine and explained that she would not be back to work for the day. On her way to the drug store she couldn't help but think of Phoebe. Oh god please let her be ok.

Pulling into the parking lot she practically ran into the drug store. As she was unsure of what the problem was she asked the pharmacist what she should get. Explaining Phoebes symptoms to her and waited as she explained what the cause might be. But warned her that if it got worse they should take her to the hospital. Prue thanked the lady and started for home with what she hoped would help her baby sister.

Running up the stairs, Prue found Piper curled up behind Phoebe holding her against her body, both sound asleep. "Piper?" she whispered

Pipers' eye opened as she looked at Prue. "Hey your back."

"Yeah. Look we need to get this cream on her back and anywhere else she has this rash."

Piper shifted Phoebe back to the bed stomach down. "So what did you get?"

"Well I explained to the lady at the drug store Phoebes symptoms and she figures it's the Chicken Pox."

"Chicken Pox? That can't be right. We've all had the Chicken Pox."

"No, you and I have but Phoebe never did. Don't you remember? Phoebe was at summer camp when we came down with them. She was never exposed to the virus when it was in its contagious stage."

"Oh that's right. We were just getting over them when she came home."

"Exactly."

"But we were never this bad Prue." Piper stated worriedly

"It's because she's an adult. If you get them when you're older the results are worse then when you're a child."

"So what can we expect? Did she say?" Piper asked as her and Prue applied the cream to Phoebes back and sides. Then they turned her over and applied it to her stomach where the rash was starting to appear.

"Just that she'll get a high fever and could get delirious. And that if her fever got to bad or if it shows no sign of getting better in the next 24hrs, that we should take her to the hospital."

"Oh is that all." Piper said sarcastically.

"That was it. Now we have to get her awake for two seconds so she can take this medicine that she gave me."

"Phoebe, sweetie wake up." Prue said to her as she lightly slapped her face to get her to wake up.

"Come Pheebes we have something that will make you feel better." Piper urged her

"Uhh?"

"Pheebs honey take this and you can go back to sleep." Prue told her as she spooned some of the medicine in Phoebes mouth. Unfortunately she ended up wearing most of it as she was having difficulty swallowing.

Piper and Prue both had to stifle a laugh. "Ok, Prue new approach. You put that stuff in her mouth and we close her mouth and plug her nose."

"Are you nuts." Prue said in shock that Piper would even suggest that.

"Prue it's the only way to get her to swallow it. You know that as well as I do."

"Ok, but I don't have to like it." Prue poured out more of the mdicine on teh sppon, "But when she asks this was your idea."

Piper plugged Phoebes nose and held her mouth shut tipping her head back slightly so that she would have no choice but to swallow the medicine. Phoebe gagged at what her sisters were doing but they didn't have a choice.

"What are you guys trying to do kill me?" She asked wearily and weakly

"We're so sorry Pheebs that was the only way to get you to swallow." Piper told her lovingly.

"Oh." Was all she said in return. Closing her eyes she was soon back to sleep.

"So now what" Piper asked

"Well one of should be with her at all times tonight. Incase her fever gets worse. I say we take shifts. I'll stay with her until 4 and then the you can sit with her until tomorrow afternoon."

"Prue I'll sit here first, you've been up all day." Piper said

"Piper don't be crazy. You have to go to the club. I just called into work telling them I won't be back anyway. I'll stay with her. You go get some sleep before you go out tonight."

"Prue if you think I'm going to the club tonight you must think I'm heartless. My baby sister is in here running a temperature of god knows what and it could get worse. I'm not going anywhere."

"Piper she would not want you to sit around her all night going crazy. Besides now that she's asleep what can we do? Go."

Piper thought for a minute to what her sister had told her. She knew that Prue was right, but hated to admit defeat.

"Ok fine. But if anything, and I mean anything changes you call me right away?"

"I wouldn't dream of not calling."

"Ok then. I'm going to get some shut eye as it looks like it's gonna be a loooong night." She bent down and kissed Phoebe on the forehead. "I love you baby girl. Get better soon."

Prue had climbed up on to the bed and had Phoebes head resting beside her with her hand gently running through her hair. Grabbing a magazine she settled in for the night.

Three years earlier:

"Phoebe are you ok?" Phoebes roommate and friend asked her as she knocked quietly on Phoebes door.

Whipping away tears Phoebe lifted her head from her pillow. "Yeah I'm ok Marcia. Thanx for asking though."

Marcia walked into Phoebes room and sat on the edge of the bed, taking her friends hand in hers. "You miss them don't you?" She asked softly.

Phoebe looked away from her friend. "Yeah." She said it so quietly that her friend almost didn't hear her.

Marcia noticed right away that Phoebe had not come back with her usual answer. 'I miss Piper.' That gave her thought that she also missed Prue regardless of what may have happened between them 2 months ago. "Have you called them?"

"Just the once when I got here." She paused. "I'm afraid that Prue will answer and we'll have a big fight."

"Call them Phoebe. I know it's tough to break down those walls. But you have to let them know that your ok and doing great." Her friend told her with concern.

"Ok I'll call just to give you peace of mind." She said laughing at her friend. "What time is it?"

Looking at her watch, "Just after noon."

"Ok I'll call now, Prue is probably at work."

"Here." Marcia handed Phoebe the phone.

"Marcia what would I do with out you?"

"Probably never call your sisters and have them worried sick about you living in the Big Apple." She laughed at her friend

"Yeah whatever. Thanx for this." Phoebe said as she took the phone.

Marcia left Phoebe to make her call.

Sitting on the side of her bed, Phoebe took a deep breath and dialed the number to her sisters' apartment. It rang three times before anyone picked up and Phoebe was half hoping that nobody would be home. That was until the phone was answered.

"Hello, Halliwell residence"

Phoebe didn't know what do say. She sat there silent

"Hello?" The voice said again.

It had been so long since she heard that voice that she had almost forgot what it sounded like. She finally found her tongue. "Prue?"

At first there was silence. "Phoebe?"

"Yeah." She said quietly yet was still at a loss for words. They had left on such hateful terms that Phoebe was unsure where to go. Prue however wasn't

"So what are you calling to say you ran out of money and that you want us to send you some? God Phoebe you are so irresponsible I don't know how Piper puts up with your crap."

"No look Prue I just called to say." She never got to finish

"Oh what that you didn't come on to Roger. That it was his entire fault. God Phoebe I wasn't born yesterday. Why do I even bother with you?"

"No Prue that's not why I called."

"Oh so you just called to say hi to your big sister. I don't think so Phoebe. I don't want you calling here and I DEFINITELY don't want you around here." With that said Prue hung up the phone.

"No Prue I just…" Too late she hung up the phone hard in Phoebe ear. "Oh god Prue why? Why can't you just believe me? Why Prue? Why?" Phoebe sat on the bed breaking into a whole new set of tears.

Present day:

Phoebe was sleeping, though not peacefully, while Prue sat on the window seat. She turned to her sister when she noticed that she seemed to be having a bad dream. Getting up she walked over to the bed and pulled Phoebe close to her, careful not to wake her. Just wanting her to let her knew that she was safe and that she was there for her.

Suddenly Phoebe started mumbling, "No Prue. Why Prue? Why?"

Prue looked down at her baby sister, she didn't know what Phoebe was dreaming but it was obliviously not good for Prue. "Sshhh baby I'm here it's ok. I love you, and I'm not going anywhere."

Phoebe still mumbled, "Prue. Why?"

This was not sitting well with Prue but currently she knew there was nothing she could do until Phoebes fever broke. She reached over to the nightstand and wrung out the cloth that was there in the bowl of water and carefully placed it across Phoebes forehead. "Get better baby then you can tell me what's going on that head of yours."