A/N: Heya! This is the long-awaited for prequel to "To Save and Protect" These are the events leading up to Sky's reasoning for returning to the past to change what's been done. Also, Paige is in this, not Prue. Because in "To Save and Protect" Sky went to the past where Prue was still alive. In the prequel, she's in the future, three or so years after Prue died and Paige has taken her place. I hope everyone enjoys this as much as "To Save and Protect" !! Enjoy and please review!!!!

Sky stood in front of her mirror, modeling her outfit. It looked good on her. It was form fitting but loose enough for her to move freely. People would gawk at her as she went by. The outfit, for a fourteen year old, was almost too provocative. But she liked it.

It's not like she was going to do anything illegal.

No, unfortunately. Sky was dressed to kill, literally. She had picked out a pair of old, faded jeans that hung extra low on her hips and a black, long sleeved top that was cut just a bit too low, paired with her old Nike's. Her hair was brushed up in a sloppy ponytail. Her face was free of make-up and she wore no jewelry. She put on her denim jacket and stuffed bottles of potions and papers with spells written on them into the pockets.

Using her telekinesis, she locked her door and headed for her window. She had to sneak out. Her parents, aunts, and brother would never allow her to go out hunting alone at night, especially now when it was so dangerous for people of good magic to be out and about alone. It was especially dangerous for her since she was a Charmed Child. She and her brother Chris and cousin Faith were to be the next generation of Charmed One's. But they were only training right now. Their powers weren't at their strongest, especially for little Faith who was only ten. Chris, being twenty-three, was the most powerful of them. They wouldn't officially become the Charmed Ones unless the existing Charmed Ones – Piper, Phoebe, and Paige – were killed.

Halfway out her window, someone knocked on her door. She gasped and bolted upright, slamming her head on the top of the window. She cursed loudly, quickly stumbling back into her room and to her door. She opened it.

"Chris," Sky said, forcing a smile. "What's up?"

Chris frowned at her. "Going somewhere?" he asked, looking her up and down.

"Nope. I was just . . . trying out this outfit. It looks good, doesn't it?" Sky replied nervously.

"You were going to sneak out and hunt, weren't you?" he asked, sounding angry now. Not a good thing. Chris could get pretty nasty when he was angry, especially when it came to his younger siblings for whom he was very protective of.

Sky sighed, walking to her bed and sitting. Chris followed close behind, sitting beside her.

"Yeah. I was," she admitted reluctantly.

"You know it's dangerous!" Chris snapped. "Why would you do something so stupid? You should have at least told me. I would have come with you."

Sky shrugged, feeling stupid. Why hadn't she gone to Chris? She and him were very close despite their age difference. He was always there for her and no matter what she told him, he always kept it confidential. Just between them. That's what she liked about Chris. She could trust him fully.

"You aren't going to tell mom and the others, are you?" she asked nervously. Yeah, he kept everything just between them. But would he do the same now? She'd never tried sneaking out and something like this could have gotten her killed and weakened Chris and Faith. They might not officially be the Charmed Ones yet but the same rules still applied: if one went down, the others were weakened.

"No," Chris replied, shrugging. "I'd never betray your trust like that. But you have to promise you'll come to me if you want to go outside the protection of the Manor, okay?"

Sky nodded. "Thanks," she said, smiling.

"Don't get all mushy on me, please," Chris said jokingly, smiling back.

"What are you guys doing?" Faith asked. She was standing in Sky's doorway, already in her pajamas. It was after ten already and Phoebe always made sure Faith was at least in her pajamas by then.

"Just talking," Sky told her little cousin.

"About what?" Faith asked, entering the room. But instead of joining Sky and Chris on the bed, she moved directly to Sky's dresser and examined the make-up, perfume, and jewelry that was scattered about.

Sky smiled. Whenever Faith came into her room, she went right to the dresser to mess with her make-up and such. She didn't mind, actually. It was kind of cute.

Outside, the heavens seemed to open up and a downpour could clearly be heard. The wind was heavy, the thunder loud. The lightening was bright enough to make it seem like day outside. The rain was so torrential, it seemed as if hundreds of swimming pools were being dumped over them.

A very loud, very big boom of thunder, enough to shake the entire house, sounded. Faith screamed and ran to the bed, jumping onto it and hiding behind Chris and Sky. They glanced at each other, trying hard not to laugh.

"What's going on? We heard screaming."

Sky and Chris looked up. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige stood in the doorway looking alarmed.

"Faith got scared because of the thunder," Chris explained.

"Oh. Thank goodness that's all. We thought it was a demon attack or something," Paige said.

Sky felt a sudden pressure around her middle and looked down. Faith had locked her arms around Sky's stomach and it didn't seem like she was going to let go anytime soon.

"I guess I have some company tonight," Sky remarked, blinking a few times.

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige laughed. Paige left, saying she was tired from work and she wanted to sleep.

"Don't stay up late," Piper warned the kids, even Chris! He might be twenty-three but she still told him not to go to bed late. With that, she left.

"And take care of Faith," Phoebe joked, before leaving as well.

"Promise you won't try to sneak out again?" Chris asked Sky, frowning.

"I promise. It's not like I can go anywhere anyway," Sky replied, motioning at Faith.

Chris laughed and left the room. He said goodnight before closing the door.

Sky laughed as she detangled Faith from her. She got off the bed and walked into her walk-in closet where she changed for bed. By the time she had finished and come out, Faith had gotten under the covers and fallen asleep.

Sky smiled as she settled on the other side of the bed. She turned off the light and fell into an uneasy sleep.