It was close to 7 AM when Piper heard her daughter beginning to whimper in her bassinet next to the bed. Rolling over and sitting up Piper had to smile. It was a beautiful day already, the middle of May the warm sun already starting to pour in the bedroom windows. Piper didn't mind the late nights when she got to wake up to her adorable little girl.
"Hey Sydney" Piper cooed as she picked up her tiny two-week old and cuddled her close to her chest. Continuing to coo Piper walked out of her bedroom, prepared a bottle and checked on Chris. She then found herself standing in her attic in front of the Book. She was perplexed to see it open to the Spirit Summoning spell as she distinctly remembered closing it after vanquishing the demon with Paige last night.
It wasn't unusual for the book to open itself, but usually the phenomenon occurred when help was asked for or desperately needed. Normally Piper was fine with casting this spell by herself but she didn't know why it was open so she'd rather have a sister with her.
"Paige! Paige!" She called loudly towards the ceiling as she placed her daughter in a playpen they kept in the corner of the attic.
A frazzled brunette appeared almost immediately in her customary blue orbs. Pinned to her hip was a light skinned brown-haired little boy.
"Henry!" Piper exclaimed gleefully grabbing her 18 month old nephew and spinning around with him till he started to giggle wildly.
"Piper I was just making him breakfast" Paige sounded tired and irritated and Piper couldn't blame her. The pair had had a late night hunting the latest demon without the help of Phoebe.
"I will make you two a delicious breakfast- promise!" Piper bribed wrapping an arm around her sister's slumped shoulders. She knew her baby sister wouldn't, no couldn't, refuse one of Piper's homemade meals.
"Chocolate chip pancakes?" Paige questioned her eyes narrowing as she turned to face her chipper sister.
"Anything you want!" Piper grinned "Now why don't you put Henry down in my room with Chris and some cartoons. Then we can get down to business"
Paige did exactly that before returning to the attic in a better mood and found Piper looking less chipper than before. She was sitting on the couch the Book in her.
"It won't let me turn the damn page!" she pronounced hefting the book into Paige's lap as she sat down.
Paige not completely getting Piper's frustration attempted to turn the offending page. She was surprised to find that it was as if the page was glued and weighed down.
"Well I guess someone wants to be summoned?" She chuckled at the annoyed look that suddenly graced her elder sister's pretty features.
"So we are yet again at the beck and call of some other being! Who in their right mind would just summon someone- or something- without any more information!?" Piper said loudly, sarcasm lacing her voice, trying and failing to slam their family tome shut.
"Looks like it!" Paige grinned having already grabbed the 5 white candles necessary to perform the spell. "We'll just summon whoever it is into a cage- want to grab the crystals?"
"Should you go and get Phoebe?" Piper asked rummaging through one of Gram's many trunks for a box of opaque quartz crystals.
"Piper they just finished moving to LA, we told her unless we really needed her we would handle it on our own." Paige stood patiently as Piper set the crystals before joining her.
"Fine" Piper grumbled her chipper mood dissipating more with each passing second. She glanced at her daughter to ensure she was alright and sighed heavily "Let's just get this over with"
The sister's joined hands and began to chant:
"Hear these words,
Hear my cry,
Spirit from the other side,
Come to me,
I summon thee,
Cross now the great divide."
When they had finished chanting three times – nothing happened.
They waited a moment before Paige announced "Well that was anti-climactic" The pair began to walk away from the alter "So do I get breakfast now?"
"Sounds good" Piper grinned picking up her baby when white orbs signaling the arrival of a spirit filled the room. Both sister's stopped in their tracks turning to the circle prepared for anything to come.
Well almost anything, when the bright light cleared revealing a raven-haired blue-eyed woman both were speechless. Paige regained her voice first, whispering "Prue?"
Prue waved a hand and jarred a crystal from its position causing the cage to collapse around her. She stepped forward from the candles becoming more solid with each step.
"Paige!" She smiled wrapping her baby sister in a tight hug "I'm so glad to see you" before turning towards Piper and simply said "I'm sorry"
Piper felt her knees shake and tightened her grip on her daughter "Prue?" She couldn't believe her eyes. When Prue nodded Piper rushed into her outstretched arms.
The sudden movement at soft cries from her mother made Sydney start to cry. Paige took her niece gently and allowed Piper and Prue to collapse into each other.
"I've missed you so much" Piper sobbed holding her older sister tightly as though if she let go Prue would disappear in a puff of smoke.
"I know sweetie I've missed you too. All three of you." Prue said holding Paige's gaze over Piper's head. Paige found herself crying too- for all the time she had missed with her elder sister.
"Mommy?" A little voice interrupted the reunion after a few moments. Chris looked between the 3 women baffled as to whom the woman he recognized but couldn't quite name was and as to why his mommy and Aunty Paige were crying and smiling at the same time. "Henry and me are hungry" He stood holding his little cousin's hand an even more confused look crossing his face when Piper started to laugh.
"You and Aunty Paige both" Piper laughed harder as her little sister's stomach growled loudly. "I guess it's time for breakfast but first Chris this is your Aunty Prue, Prue your nephews Chris and Henry and the little girl Paige is holding is one of your nieces, Sydney."
Each woman grabbed a child and headed to the kitchen. As Piper started pancakes and Paige poured juice Prue asked "Where's Pheebs?"
"Haven't you been watching us like mom and Grams?" Paige asked curious and unable to take her eyes off Prue.
"I haven't been allowed to since the ultimate battle but I will explain later. Where is my last little sister?"
"She and Coop, her cupid, moved with Lily and Ladybug to LA to syndicate her column." Piper explained "She's trying to escape magic" Piper flipped the pancakes skillfully piling them neatly onto a plate.
"But she was the one who wanted magic most!" Prue exclaimed looking astounded.
"After marrying Coop and giving birth to Laura and Lily she decided not to be a Charmed one anymore" Paige explained quietly knowing how hard Phoebe's abandonment had hit Piper.
"Why?" Prue asked.
"Laura, hasn't shown any development of powers."
"Oh," Prue looked a little surprised "And where's Leo and Wyatt?" Paige tensed as the toaster next to the sink exploded showering the room with sparks and the lights above the table flickered wildly.
"Leo and I are divorced. Wyatt chose to go to Magic School with his dad" Piper said through gritted teeth.
"When?!" Prue questioned regretting not being able to watch her sister's after the ultimate battle.
"A few months after the Battle they made him an elder again. He took Gideon's official post at Magic School. Wyatt had a choice and picked Leo.
Prue stood and hugged her sister "I'm sorry" Piper nodded almost imperceptibly "So who's Sydney's dad?" Prue teased gently but very curious.