Penny Halliwell Chronicles

The following is a fan fiction written about Penny "Grams" Halliwell, and her daughter Patty, mother of the Charmed Ones from the series Charmed. It tells of some of the events that preclude the TV Series. The first part of it will make the most sense if you have seen "That 70's Episode" from Season 1. All characters from the original series are the property of Warner Brothers, Spelling Entertainment, and Constance M. Burge. No copyright infringement is intended. Any characters created for this story are the property of the author. This is my first Fanfic, Please comment and let me know what you think!

Chapter 1: Family Ties

Penelope Halliwell sat perched in a large floral armchair, studying with her expert brown eyes at the table full of herbs and other potion ingredients. She glanced up at the door of the cluttered attic, to see her daughter Patricia entering.

"I finally got Prue and Piper to bed." Patty sighed, rubbing her now tired eyes.

Penny nodded reaching for a small purple pouch, "Lavender, mimosa, holy thistle…" She muttered, placing the items as she said them, in to the pouch.

"How is the spell coming? Anything I can do to help?" Patty asked

Penny looked up and smiled at her daughter. Next to her granddaughters, Patty was the most important thing in her life. After several failed marriages, and broken-off engagements, Penny had little trust for others, especially of the male variety. She and Patty had a strong connection, and they had been fighting demons together since Patty was a little girl. It was amazing to her at times, at how caring and compassionate Patty could be after all the things she had seen.

"Thank you, darling, but I am almost finished. You should get some sleep."

Patty sat down on a dusty old couch, and ran her hands through her wavy brown hair.

"I doubt that is possible" she remarked. She was still reeling after the events of the day. She had almost been killed by a warlock, named Nicolas, who was after her daughter's powers. Not only that, but her daughters had come to her and Penny from the future to warn them. Her thoughts and feelings were running wild. Patty's hand moved to her belly. "Phoebe" she mumbled.

Penny was now standing at the podium that held the Book of Shadows, the ancestral book of their families magic. She was penning an entry in to it, when she heard Patty. Smiling she said, "They truly were beautiful weren't they!"

Patty had tears of joy in her eyes as she nodded to her mother. "I know that we said we would erase our memories of seeing the girls future selves, but…I don't want to forget Mom…"

Penny eyes were misty as well now. "We wont," she stated firmly "We will just keep it between us!" She said with a mischievous grin.

Patty tilted her head and smiled at her mother, knowingly.

Penny continued, raising her index finger matter-of-factly "However dear, I really think I should continue the Protection Potion I have been working on…" She turned the page in the Book of Shadows and remarked quietly "If you are going to go off and be foolish again…"

"Mother!" Patty cried standing up and placing her hands on her hips, annoyed. "I told you, I thought I was going to see Victor!" Patty was referring to the absentee father of her daughters. She had been ambushed by Nicolas because of this mistake.

"If you ask me--" Penny began, studying the page

"I didn't" Patty interrupted, flatly.

"I'm telling you Patty, you'd be better off with a dog. More loyal and they die sooner…" Penny continued, impervious to her daughters interruption.

Patty rolled her eyes. Her mother had a million and one of these sayings about men.

"I don't think the potion can be done, Mom. You have been working on it for the last five years…"

"Nonsense my dear! I just need to change…" Penny trailed off, studying her ingredient list for the umpteenth time.

"Mother…" Patty had returned to her caring tone, "You need your rest…come on"

After a moment Penny nodded. The two women proceeded to exit the attic, locking the door behind them.

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Five months later…

Penny struggled for a moment with unbuckling three-year-old Piper from her car seat. She looked over her shoulder before waving her hand, using her telekinesis to unhook her granddaughter, and neatly fold up the belts.

Five-year-old Prue grabbed Penny's hand and the three made their way in to the doors of San Francisco Memorial Hospital.

"Come along, girls!" She scolded as they strained against her reach.

"Grams?" Prue asked "Do we get to see our baby sister?"

"Yes my darling…" Penny responded, slightly flustered, as she asked at the desk which room Patty was in.

Entering the room, she smiled brightly at Patty, who was cradling baby Phoebe in her arms. She was a small baby, she had dark brown eyes and dark hair like her sisters. She saw Penny, smiled and giggled.

"Aww, she recognizes her Grams!" Patty cooed.

"Oh she's beautiful!" Penny exclaimed bringing her hands up to her face. She put her arm around her daughter. She looked up at the other adult in the room.

"Victor." She stated in a greeting

"Penny." Victor responded. With Patty's pregnancy, he had come back in to their lives.

Very convenient Penny noted to herself.

The doctor entered, carrying a few forms with him. He smiled as he watched as Patty let Prue hold her sister.

"Well Ms. Halliwell, its been wonderful getting to know you these past few days, but I am happy to inform you that you and your baby are both in perfect health, and ready to go home!"

Patty smiled wide, revealing almost all of her pearly-white teeth.

"Thank you Doctor, you have been so wonderful to us, I am eternally grateful!"

"Maybe we will see you again?" the doctor asked, playfully.

Patty smiled, then looked at Victor as he nudged her "Maybe for a son or two?" he chuckled

Penny crossed her arms and looked down her nose at Victor. "Not in this family." her tone stated finality. Patty shook her head at her mother.

Doctor Roberts saw the situation getting awkward, and took his leave. The rest of the family helped Patty gather her things, for an uncomfortable ride home in Penny's Buick.

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Arriving at their ancestral home, Halliwell Manor, the family made their way up the steps and in to the front door. Victor carried Phoebe in her baby carrier, while Prue and Piper held Patty's hands.

"I'm telling you Victor, this is the place the girls need to be!" Penny was saying as she opened the door. Victor had suggested the girls and Patty coming back to live at his place.

Penny stopped and held her hand up to quiet everyone. She felt a presence. Three demons shimmered in to the foyer, hurling energyballs at the Halliwells. Gasping, Patty raised her hands, slowing down the molecules of the approaching projectiles. They stopped, suspended in time before them. Penny, who was shielding little Prue and Piper, waved her arm in an arc, sending the frozen energy balls back towards the attackers.

Two of the demons burst in to flame as they were vanquished by their own power. The third dived away from the energyball, hurling an athame at Penny. She dodged the knife, which embedded in to the wall behind her.

Penny raised her hand, her index and middle finger outstretched. She often channeled her telekinesis in this way, allowing for a precise 'blade' of force. The demon slammed against the wall, and fell to the floor.

With lightning quick reflexes, Penny reached under a nearby lampshade, removing a glass vial of vanquishing potion. She hurled it at the demon, who exploded in flames as well.

Satisfied, she placed her hands on her hips confidently. Patty crouched and was hugging her girls close to her, watching carefully for any remaining demons. Victor clutched baby Phoebe to his chest looking around, wide eyed.

Victor then turned his attention on Patty after a few minutes "You really want the girls raised around this? Is it even safe in a house where she has God knows how many potions stashed in every corner?!" He shouted, gesturing in Penny's direction. The older woman's arms moved from her hips to crossed over her chest in anger. Patty looked down sheepishly, unsure of how to proceed. She had a great deal of conflicting emotions about this whole situation.

"Nonsense Victor," Penny responded in a low tone "I know the power and location of all my potions in this house. I would *never* endanger the girls!"

"Yeah? Tell that to the demons that you just vanquished in front of them." Victor remarked, dryly.

"If you'd like, I can summon them back here and you can tell them yourself?" Penny responded, sarcastically.

"Mom…" Patty said in a scolding tone, standing up fully now. Penny waved her hand nonchalantly, before proceeding in to the dining room, then to the kitchen.

"Sorry honey, she is just being…" Patty trailed off, watching her mother.

"Just being Penny." He finished for her, looking down at baby Phoebe.

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As Victor took care of the girls, Patty entered the kitchen, to see her mother stirring a few pots on the stove.

"Mom, what are you making?" She asked, as a strange mix of smells assaulted her nose.

"Well this is some stew for dinner," Penny said, indicating the pot she was currently attending.

"And this?" Patty asked, looking in to the much less-appetizing looking pot. Penny straightened her crisply starched collar before replying,

"This is a potion to help strengthen the spell we are going to use to bind the girl's powers."

"Mother! We have had this conversation before!" Patty grumbled removing the pot from the stove, and placing it on the drain board next to the sink, "No potions while you are cooking dinner for the family! You are going to poison us all!"

"Oh for heaven's sake, don't be overdramatic Patty," Penny said, waving her off with her hand again "I clearly know what I am doing. Besides, there isn't time to waste!"

"Wait? Binding spell? I thought we didn't need to bind the girls powers anymore, with Nicolas' ring unblessed, he isn't immune to their powers…"

"I thought we had this conversation already Patty? Why the sudden change of heart?" her mother asked, tucking a loose wave of Patty's hair behind her ear.

"Its just… after what happened today…I am just scared, Mom…"

Penny set down the vial she was looking at and looked at Patty "Scared of what darling?

"Well, after the demons attacked today…maybe we are doing the wrong thing. Shouldn't we let the girls keep their powers, so they can protect themselves?" Patty asked

"Well, you know that I am the last person to want to bind their powers, but we need to maintain the flow of history. The girls came back in time a few months ago to warn us about Nicolas. We need to follow the same path, or we destroy their future."

"But, won't the future be better for them with powers?" Patty asked

"Nicolas may still come after them, just because he doesn't have immunity to their powers, he can still track them. We don't have the power to vanquish him."

"Ok, well what if other demons come after them?

Penny nodded at the statement, it was a concern of hers as well. "As long as we stick together Patty; you, the girls, and I, we can keep them safe."

After thinking for a moment, Patty nodded, causing her silver hoop earrings to click softly. "Ok. Maybe this will be for the best. Then they can atleast have a chance at having a normal childhood."

Picking up a turkey baster, Penny filled the large vial with her potion from the pot on the drain board. "We will bind their powers tonight after dinner…"

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A few nights later, Patty sat relaxed on the large wicker couch in the sunroom of the Manor. She looked out at the stars, still debating whether she and Penny had made the right choice to bind her daughters' powers. She replayed the rituals of that night again in her head.

She heard shuffling footsteps, to see Victor standing at the door to the dining room, holding two steaming mugs in his hand.

He grinned as he handed her the cup. She sipped and the hot chamomile tea. Looking up, she saw his facial expression.

"What's on your mind, honey?" She asked

He rubbed his chin and didn't answer right away. Looking up, Patty saw in the doorway, a few pieces of luggage.

"Are you going somewhere?" She asked, worried.

"I…I have been called away on business, Patty." he responded slowly, choosing his words carefully.

She sat up and set her mug down on the glass table with a resounding clink.

"Business? What? Where?"

"New York City." He replied

"For how long?" She asked, sadness creeping in to her words.

"Six months." He said somberly

"Six months!" Patty cried, standing up and putting her hands on her hips in agitation.

"Patty, I am sorry…I"

"Victor, how can you do this?" Patty asked, now pacing across the tiled floor "Phoebe is barely a week old! Now you are jetting off? Again?" She wasn't usually the type to get so angry, but she was furious at him for this. He moved to try to console her.

"I am sorry, honey. You know how important this merger is! I don't know what else to do, I cant lose my job!"

"No, but your family is a different story?" She growled, her back turned to him, looking out one of the stain glass windows.

"Don't be like this Patty! Don't make me choose like that. I never made you choose between being a wife and being a witch!"

She whirled on him. "Its not the same thing and you know it! If this is so important to you Victor then fine! Go!"

His face was red at this point. He stalked over to his suitcases, shot her one last angry look, and stormed out of the house.

Patty stood in the foyer, instantly regretting the things she had said to him. Turning around, she saw her mother in her floral bed robe, at the foot of the stairs, watching the whole scene unfold.

She found herself in Penny's arms, crying. Penny hugged her daughter tightly, one hand hugging the back of her head. She smoothed Patty's hair, wiped a tear from her daughter's eyes and said,

"There, there, sweetheart… It's alright… I am always here for you." she hugged her tightly once more.

Patty felt safe and secure in her embrace.

Thanks for reading Chapter 1, let me know what you think, stay tuned for Chapter 2!