The two and a half faces of Phoebe

Chapter 1

This day was going from strange to stranger for Phoebe Halliwell and she didn't understand why that was. Her life should be less complicated now: the Source was gone and she was engaged to a wonderful man.

But the man in question was making things difficult. He had been avoiding her and that was confusing. Instead of them being happy and organizing their upcoming wedding, they were drifting apart. She came to the point of wondering if she should really go with this wedding.

She had a bad feeling about all this. There was something wrong going on but she just couldn't put her finger on it. The worst part was that she had the impression that Cole had some big part to play in it. His avoidance just helped strengthen that theory up.

The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that magic was the means to getting the answer she needed to get through this.

Later that day, Phoebe stood over the cauldron, the piece of paper on which she had written her question in her hand. Even if Piper agreed with her, she had debated a long time if she should do this; fter all magic had a way of backfiring, especially in this family.

But she needed to know. That was the most important thing right now. Her future depended on it. With that thought, she made her mind and burned the paper as she recited the spell.

My body is strong and my spirit weak

It is an answer that I seek

The question burns within this fire

So I may hear my heart's desire

She finished just in time for her sisters and brother in law to come into the room and make her turn around to face them.

A gust of wind was heard from behind Phoebe and everyone turned to stare at it. When the fog lifted up, they were shocked to find in its place, a little girl of about ten years old and a teenager who looked to be seventeen or eighteen years old and had headphones on. She was dancing to the music only she could hear.

When the teenager realized that she wasn't where she had formerly been, she looked up at the audience. "Oh." She looked around her in confusion. "What's going on?"

"That's an excellent question!"

Everyone turned questioning eyes t Phoebe. "Phoebe?"

She stuttered, about to give an explanation but got interrupted. "Phoebe? That's my name too."

The little girl was confused and very scared. Her declaration generated even greater shocks around the room, especially from her apparently adult self.

Suddenly, the teenager got a smug look on her face. "Oooh, I smell personal gain here." And then she tut-ed. "I'm never going to let you live this one down."

The witch for whom the statement was directed got nervous. "Wh-who are you?"

"Oh, isn't it obvious? I thought you would have guessed by now." She only got raised eyebrows and blank looks from her audience. "Guess everyone is lying when they say I'm the spitting image of my mother."

Her muttered words did nothing but further confuse them and she sighed, resigned. She approached Phoebe and faced her directly. "My name is Victoria, Vicky for short. I am your daughter… well, future daughter apparently." She grinned at her reaction.

The others looked at her, mouths agape, not knowing what to think or say of the situation.

"Oh boy."