She stood on the docks as the rescue crews zipped up the bag. She just stood there and watched as they lifted her up to the gurney and strapped her down.
"Mommy. Mommy." Was all she could cry out.
"You Prue?"
All she could do was nod as she watched them start to wheel the gurney with the black bag on it up the ramp.
"Come on sweetie. Your Grandmother asked me to take you to her." He said as he lifted the small child in his arms.
She stood between her sisters, the middle one five and her baby girl two. It was just them now. Sure they had Grams, but she was responsible for her sisters. She had promised her mommy that she would take care of them.
People and faces passed by them at the cemetery, as well as in the Manor. Some she knew, most she didn't. She sat on the couch as her younger sister Piper leaned her head against her shoulderTheir baby sister, Phoebe, safe in her arms fast asleep. She felt bad for her sisters. Did they really know that Mommy wasn't coming back?
"I miss her Prue." Piper said shyly as a lone tear ran down her cheek
"I know Piper but I'll take care of you. You and Phoebe. I'll never let anything happen to you, I promise." Prue said as she placed her free arm over Piper and pulled her close. It was a promise she made to her mother, but was it a promise that a seven-year-old could keep?
Two years later:
"Gail I can't keep doing this. They are getting too active. And I know that every demon that attacks in the Manor is either trying to kill them or kidnap them for when they do get their powers back."
"Penny relax. They will not get them back until you unbind them or if you die. And you are to stubborn for the later."
"That may all be true, but you didn't see the glint in that last demons eyes when he had his arms around Piper." Penny told her friend, "And if it wasn't for Phoebe." She started to chuckle, "Well I think that evil would have succeeded in capturing one Charmed One for now."
"Ok you are laughing. What did she do?" Gail asked though having a fairly good idea of what the youngest Halliwell had done.
Phoebe was always the sister to take chances. From the time she could walk to now. She would barge right in feet first not worrying about the consequences. It was one of the things Gail loved about Phoebe. It some ways it reminded her of Phoebes grandmother when she was younger.
"Oh you know her usual 'charming' self. She ran up to the guy and sunk her teeth into his leg the whole time punching him with her little fist. The guy practically dropped Piper just to get Phoebe off him. You know Phoebe, she hung on to him. Finally he just shimmered out. I kind of felt sorry for him." Penny laughed as she shared her tail with her friend.
"Good for her. And I guess with that kind of perseverance you won't have to worry about her when she gets older and does get her powers." Gail finished.
Penny had known from the time, when she bound the girls powers, who would get what. And from that she knew, Phoebe would have an inactive powers. She always was reassured that her sisters would watch her back. Then again, Phoebe always did show that she didn't need an active power to protect herself or her sisters.
Penny sat on the couch after her grandchildren had gone to bed. She didn't even turn around at the sound that came behind her. She knew who it was, as she would recognize the foot falls of any of her grandchildren.
"Prue what are you doing up? You have school in the morning."
"No I don't Grams. Remember we have a day off tomorrow." Prue reminded her Grandmother.
Grams held out her arms to her oldest granddaughter. Even though Prue was nine and she kept insisting she was a big girl and didn't need any help from anyone especially her Grams, she walked into her embrace.
"What's the matter my dear?"
"Phoebe woke up again with a nightmare."
"She ok?"
"Yeah just the same old one." She said quietly.
"Your Mother." Penny said just as quietly as she pulled Prue closer to her. "She'll be ok."
"I hope so." Was all she could answer as she enveloped her grandmothers love.
Within that same year:
"Prue what are we going to do?"
"We are going to stick together Piper. We have to." Prue answered as she took her sisters hand in hers. "I promised Mom." She said quiet enough that her sisters never heard her.
The three stood by as they watched their grandmother being lowered into the ground. As her mother had nearly three years before, Prue was once again protecting her sisters.
They sat on the couch together once again, as Prue held Phoebe in her arms and Piper leaned against her. Its was the same scene that Gail had witnessed not that many years before. Only now the girls were older, and she had promised Penny that she would see to her wishes in that the girls would stay together.
She stood in front of them as she watched the tears once again flow from their eyes. "Girls. I need you to come with me. Your Grams had a special place in mind for you if this day was to have ever come to be,"
Prue looked over at Piper and down at Phoebe. "Can we stay together?" she asked before looking up at thier Aunt Gail
"Of course you can Prue. I promised her that you three would not be separated." She said as she held out her hand to Piper who took it reluctantly.
With Phoebe in her arms Prue followed beside Piper and their Aunt Gail. As long as they stayed together then Prue was ok. She just hoped that in the years to come that they could stay together. And that nothing happened to their Aunt Gail causing them all to be separated.
Prue stepped from the car and helped Piper take the small step to the ground, as Aunt Gail took a sleeping Phoebe from her car seat. Prue instantly went to her baby sister and took her from her aunt.
"Thank you Aunt Gail. I got her now." She said as she gathered her baby sister comfortably resting on her shoulder.
The three girls followed cautiously as Gail walked up the walk way to the steps that led to the grand house. It was bigger then the Manor, that much Prue was certain. As she walked up the steps she let her eyes gaze over the land behind her. The large acreage was fenced in by a low western style fence that was seen at many farm ranches across the land. The field held at least a dozen horses that Prue could see.
"Prue. Sheep." Piper said quietly as she followed her sisters gaze. "And horses. Is this where we're going to live now?" she added asking innocently to her big sister.
"I don't know Piper. Let's go after Aunt Gail and see. Then maybe we can get Phoebe to bed as well."
They sat in the living room and listened to Gail and the lady she was talking to. Prue was understanding that this was their new home.
"Girls you are going to stay here with Jane. She was a friend of your Grams and your Mothers. When you are older then you can move back to the Manor if you like. Your Grams as given it to you. Jane knows how to reach me if you ever need anything. And I promise to come visit when ever I can."
"Aunt Gail. Why can't we live with you?" Piper asked as she crawled into her Aunts lap.
Gail had taken them up to their room and was trying to say her good byes with out to many tears. But neither of the girls was making it easy. Even Prue.
"I can't honey I'm sorry. I'm old. And you three are too active. Jane will teach you everything you will ever need to know. And so will the others that are here.
"Others?" Prue asked as she locked eyes with her aunt.
"Yes others. Their are other girls here that are just like you."
"Ophans?" Phoebe said as she sat cuddled into Prue.
Gail had to laugh at her baby voice as she tried to say certain words. "Yes Phoebe. Ophans." She said as she repeated what the four year old said.
"And you promise to come and see us." Prue saked fearing that they would be left alone
"I promise Prue. You'll see. Everything is going to turn out great. And before you know it. The three of you will be back in the Manor where you belong." She said. Knowing that one day they would return to the Manor and receive their rightful heritage. The Charmed Ones would one day come to be and Gail knew that. But there were forces at work that no one could ever suspect and that alone could end the prophecies of the three most powerful witches in history.