Wishes Unmade

After the sisters vanquished Nicholas, Phoebe took a deep breath and headed to her room silently. She was reeling from seeing her mother. So many thoughts and emotions ran through her. Hoy, peace, sadness, and many other emotions that she couldn't put a name to. She closed the door of her room and went to sit by her window. She needed some time to let everything sink in.

Her entire life, when she would make a wish, she'd always wish for time with Patty. Unlike her older sisters, Phoebe had no memories of their mother, and perhaps the reason she was always rebellious and free-spirited was because she didn't grow up with a mother. Of course Grams wasn't a pushover, but Grams was Grams not mom.

Phoebe's thoughts turned to what Patty had said to her about having been a miracle. It had been true Phoebe was a miracle, the baby that came when pregnancy was thought to be impossible. Phoebe felt a swell of pride as she thought of that. Patty had named her after her favorite aunt, but the meaning of her name, which was bright and shining, really showed why Patty had chosen the name. Patty had always felt Phoebe was her shining star and Phoebe couldn't help but to feel special.

Being able to see Patty back just when she found out she was pregnant gave Phoebe a sense of peace that she hadn't known before. However, at the same time she felt sad. Both Prue and Piper got years with their mom whereas Phoebe only got a few hours. What hurt the most was having been given the chance to see Patty, and then having to say goodbye again.

Not long after those thoughts crossed her mind there was a knock at her door. "Phoebe? Can I come in?" It was Prue, though Phoebe had a feeling Piper was there too.

"Yeah, come in," Phoebe responded, her voice soft and thoughtful. The door open and both of her sisters came in.

"You disappeared quickly. Are you ok?" Piper asked. Phoebe shrugged a shoulder.

"Yes and no. I'm just really overwhelmed after seeing mom."

"I can understand." Piper said as she went to stand beside Phoebe and gently stroked her hair. A slight twinge of jealousy ran through Prue at the gesture, but quickly brushed it aside since Piper meant nothing except comfort by the action. Phoebe gave a soft half smile in return.

"Thanks, but I just want a little time to myself right now, if you don't mind. I need some time with this." Phoebe said.

"We understand. We'll be downstairs if you need anything." Prue said as she reached out and gently brushed her fingertips along Phoebe's cheek. Phoebe caught Prue's hand with hers, squeezed it and gently kissed the back of it.

"Thanks, I'll be down in a little while." Phoebe replied. Prue and Piper smiled then took their leave. Once in the hall, Piper gave Prue a worried look.

"Should we be worried?"

"I think we should. It was obviously quite the shock to her to have seen mom. But I'm happy that she finally got some memories of her, even if she got them now as opposed to when we were growing up." Prue replied and sighed softly. Her and Piper headed downstairs to the living room and sat down.

"You're right. I have to say it was interesting to go back and see mom before Phoebe came along. I didn't remember that mom couldn't get pregnant after she had me." Piper said as she reflected on what Patty had said to them in the diner about it being medically impossible to get pregnant.

"I remember something like that. I didn't understand the concept of being pregnant and how one got pregnant at that age, but I had heard Grams and mom talking one night. Mom was really devastated that she couldn't get pregnant again." Prue paused as she reflected on the memory. She had only been four years old at the time so it was hard to focus the memory and get a complete picture from it. It was at this point that she wished she had Phoebe's power so she could see exactly what she needed to. "You were only one at the time. I can't really remember, but I think mom had a rough pregnancy with you. Or else some demon did something to her after you were born."

"I'd put my money on a demon doing something." Piper then smiled. "It was really nice to see mom again, and I'm very honored to have the same power she did." Prue smiled.

"I'm honored to have Grams' power and hopefully some day we can be as powerful as they were." Prue said, then she wondered something. "Since I got Grams' power and you got mom's, who did Phoebe get her power from? As far as I know, I can't remember anyone in the family, aside from Melinda, having the power of premonition."

"You know, I don't know either. We could pull out the family tree sometime and see if we can find the answer." Piper and Prue continued chatting and reminiscing about Patty and their memories of her.

Meanwhile, Phoebe remained at her window. She rested her head against it and gazed out at the sky. Her greatest wish had finally come true, but she hadn't expected to feel this storm of emotions inside her after it.

Phoebe remembered when she had run into Patty outside of the diner and how Patty had said she was a klutz. Another sense of pride swelled inside Phoebe as she had something in common with her mom. As she'd grown up, she always thought she was a lot like her dad and nothing like her mother. But now she had something of Patty to hold on to and be able to say she got something from her mom other than her powers and looks. Her brown eyes and brown hair definitely came from Patty and she always prided herself on that fact.

As she sat there thinking over everything that had happened during the visit to the past, Phoebe found herself wishing Patty was still here again. She had written a note warning Patty about staying away from water on the day she died, but knew if she changed the past, the present and future would be messed up. She also knew things happened for a reason and even though it wasn't fair that she'd been robbed of a mother, she had pieces of her in Prue and Piper and their memories and photographs.

She had secretly always been envious of her sisters for having actual memories of Patty, but now she knew she couldn't hold any more grudges. She had to let go and find peace within herself. Somewhere inside, she also knew that Patty would always be there with her.

Patty had always been with her, Phoebe could sense that now. Before she had been blinded by her anger at being robbed of her mother at a young age. She had taken her anger out in many different ways. Fighting with Prue, fighting with Grams, being a rebel, and last but not least, being what her classmates in high school would nickname Freebie. At these thoughts, Phoebe felt a pang of disgust and hating how she had demoralized herself for so many years. She owed apologies to so many people, most of all Grams for having been such a terror. Next in line would be Prue for all the fighting.

Her thoughts suddenly turned to her relationship with Prue through the years. She had been truly heartbroken when Prue got angry at her for "seducing" her fiancée a while back, when in fact the guy had come on to Phoebe. Being a man and the dick he was, he of coursed blamed it all on Phoebe and Prue had done the same. Heartbroken, Phoebe had run all the way to New York City where she tried desperately to make a living, but only found herself in debt and in bad relationships. If it hadn't been for Piper, Phoebe probably wouldn't even be here right now. She'd probably be living in some alley in New York.

It had been nearly a year since she came back home and in that time so much had happened. Her and Prue had found a middle ground with each other, though they did still fight occasionally. Not only that, but her and Prue had found their way into each other's hearts. Now more than ever, Phoebe was going to focus on being happy and focus on the things she had instead of focusing on what she didn't have. Patty would want her to be happy, not sad or angry.

After a while longer, Phoebe got up and headed downstairs, finally having settled her emotions down. She found Prue and Piper looking through photos in the sunny sitting room.

"Hey, no looking at family memories without me!" Phoebe said in a mock pout as she sat down at the table.

"Sorry about that, but you were otherwise occupied." Prue said with a giggle.

"Besides, we just brought these down from the attic." Piper said. Phoebe started looking through some photos, the majority of them being of Prue and Piper. As they looked through the photos, Phoebe talked about how she had left Patty a note, but then thought better of it and how she had to let go.

"But it does have rewards…" Piper said as she handed Phoebe the picture of Patty, Prue and Piper that Phoebe had taken.

"Oh that is the best picture of me ever!" Phoebe said as she took in the picture. A wide smile crossed her lips as she gazed at Patty. Prue and Piper smiled warmly at seeing the way Phoebe's face lit up.

"Now you can have that memory." Prue said with a smile. Phoebe smiled at her.

"Yes I can." Phoebe gazed at Prue for several moments. Prue leaned over and placed a gentle kiss to Phoebe's lips.

"Do you want to add that to the album or keep it somewhere special?" Prue asked.

"The album is fine. The memory of having been there is all ready somewhere special." Phoebe turned her attention to the album and found a spot for the picture. Prue could all ready see a change in Phoebe as though she had let go of something holding her back. It made her happy to see that and was glad seeing mom seemingly made that possible. Prue reached over and gently set her hand on Phoebe's forearm.

"I'm glad that you got to see mom." Prue said gently.

"Me too. I've always been so jealous of you two for having memories of her. Now that I finally have some of my own, I think I've let go of that jealousy." Phoebe looked at the photo she just added to the album and smiled warmly at it.

The sisters sat looking through pictures for a while longer, before they set them aside and went to have dinner. After dinner, Phoebe went to her room and sat by the window again, gazing up at the sky. Not longer after, Prue slipped in the room and smiled as she saw Phoebe.

"I hope you don't mind some company?" Prue asked as she closed the door. Phoebe looked at her and shook her head.

"No, not at all." Phoebe shifted to make room for Prue, who sat down on the window ledge facing Phoebe.

"You seem different, like you've let go of something that was suffocating you." Prue said softly.

"I have. I was so jealous of you and Piper always talking about memories of mom. It always made me angry and I always wondered why I had to be the one who didn't get to remember anything of her. After all, she had been my mother too." Phoebe took a deep breath. "But after seeing mom and realizing how special I am and getting to talk to her, all of that jealousy and anger faded away. Of course, I wish that I could have talked to her longer."

"Of course you do. But you know what? I think you can talk to her any time you want. I'm pretty sure you've always talked to her at night, and while you may not be able to hear her, she always listens to you."

"Have you been listening outside my door again at night?" Phoebe asked as she gave Prue a playful glare.

"Not recently, but in the past I did sometimes." Prue giggled. "But that's not the point. I'm glad to see this change in you, Phoebs, and it's finally a change for the better."

"Hey I've made other changes for the better, so keep your trap shut." Phoebe said defensively and pointed a finger at Prue. Prue stuck her tongue out at Phoebe, then shifted so she was sitting behind Phoebe and wrapped her arms around her middle. Phoebe smiled and leaned back against Prue, resting her hands over Prue's. Prue rested her chin on Phoebe's shoulder and looked up at the sky.

"Tell me Phoebe, what is it that you wish for now?" Prue whispered.

Phoebe was silent as she thought that question over. In all honesty, what else did she have to wish for? She got to spend time with her mother, she had love, she had her sisters. After a minute, Phoebe took a breath. "You know, I don't know. I have the things I want the most and that mean the most to me." After another moment a thought occurred to her. "Actually, I know what to wish for. I wish that Piper would find love and be as happy as you and me are." A grin spread across Prue's face.

"That's a very unselfish wish."

"Yes I know, but Piper deserves happiness too." Phoebe turned her head and gazed at Prue. "Having all three of us be happy is my greatest wish."

"You sound like mom," Prue said and loved watching the way Phoebe's smile widen and the way her eyes sparkled proudly. "Mom would be very proud of you." She leaned in and kissed Phoebe gently and held her close against her.

Where one wish becomes fulfilled another is born. Phoebe and Prue were blissfully happy and didn't care about what the future held. Like every other relationship, theirs would encounter tests of faith and strength. Only time will tell if their relationship can remain true or if it will burn to ashes in their hands.