Disclaimer: The Charmed Characters are the property of Aaron Spelling and Constance Burge. I just borrow them for your enjoyment and my writing addiction.
Set right after Pipers wedding...
The clock struck midnight as the sparkles rained down on them. It was pure good magic at it's best.
"We have to go now Patty." Penny looked at her daughter, before turning to her grand-daughters, "Good bye my darlings. I love you." Penny Halliwell said as she reached out for her grand-daughters to embrace them.
"We love you to Grams." Prue and Phoebe said.
"Thank you Grams, for everything. I love you." Piper added
"Take care of my baby Leo." she looked over at him.
"I will. Don't worry."
Grams disappeared in a bask of golden light.
"I guess I'm next. Oh my beautiful babies." Patty said. "You are truly a beautiful bride Piper. I wish you all the luck in the world. You have a wonderful man there, don't ever let him go."
"I won't Mum thank you." Piper hugged her mother tight resting her head on her shoulder, not wanting the moment to end. But she knew that her mother could not stay and that she had to say her good-byes to her sisters. "I love you Mum."
"And I love you too sweetie."
Patty then turned to Prue. Placing her hands on either check she looked Prue in the eyes. "You did such a wonderful job helping Grams raise your sisters. I am so proud of you." She then pulled Prue into a hug as well. "I love you my big girl."
Prue just snuggled her face into her Mothers neck not wanting to show anyone the tears that were cascading down her face. "I Love you too Mum." Prue too did not want to let go of her Mothers embrace. It had been to many years since she felt that safe and loved. She knew her sisters loved her unconditionally, but when she was a child there was always a special hug waiting for her when her Mother was alive. It was the kind of hug that her sisters could never give her. The love of a Mother. She pulled away realizing that she had to say good bye to Phoebe.
Patty turned then to her youngest daughter. Her little miracle, as she had sometimes called her. The doctor had told her that she couldn't have anymore children. So she had been content with her two beautiful girls. Then she had her miracle: Phoebe. The two just starred at each other at first. Then Patty just opened her arms and Phoebe gladly stepped forward and embraced her. Her head just under her mother chin as she cried softly, for the love of a parent that she was never able to remember.
"Oh my baby girl. You were the light of my life when I had you. I'm sorry that I was never able to see you grow up to the beautiful woman that you are now. Or to see you grow through your child years."
Phoebe couldn't speak, as her tears kept coming. She didn't want to let go of her mother. She didn't want her to go again. Maybe if I just hold her like this they can't take her away from me.
"I love you baby don't you ever forget that."
"I…I won't. I..I lo..love you Mum." Phoebe finally managed to get out.
Prue had approached Piper and wrapped her arm over her sisters' shoulders pulling her to her, as Patty held Phoebe in her arms. They looked on to their mother and baby sister. Relishing the moment that unfortunately would not last. But they were ready to be there for their sister when it was time for their mother to go.
Patty finally pulled back a bit from Phoebe yet still holding her. "Phoebe I have to go." She said it so quietly that only Phoebe heard her.
"Please stay." Phoebe whispered back with tears still in her eyes
"I can't baby. As much as I want to." She placed her hands on Phoebes cheeks and looked at her much as she had with Prue, whipping away Phoebes tears with her thumbs. "Phoebe I will always be with you. As long as you hold on to this moment in time I will be here," She tapped lightly on Phoebes heart, "forever."
Phoebe threw her arms around her Mothers neck, hugged her tight and kissed her on the cheek. "I will Mum. I love you." With that she let go of her Mother and ran up the stairs. She couldn't bare to watch her Mother leave.
Prue and Piper watched as Phoebe ran up the stairs. Turning back to their mother. "Love you Mom." They both said.
"I love you too my beautiful girls. Take care of Phoebe." As she nodded up stairs.
"We will." Prue answered.
With that their mother was also basking in a golden glow of light. The last thing they saw was her blowing them a kiss, then she was gone.
Victor, Leo and Cole stood by and watched the heartbreaking scene in front of them. Each man wanting to hold their girl. When Phoebe ran upstairs Cole started towards them, yet Leo stopped him.
"She needs to be alone right now Cole. Let her sisters go first."
For the first time in long time Cole was getting it. What Love was all about. He nodded his understanding to Leo and watched as Prue and Piper embraced each other after their Mother left.
Prue pulled back a little and took Piper by the hand as the two older P's headed upstairs to comfort Phoebe. No words were spoken they each knew what they had to do. They also knew that it would not be an easy task. They both knew that their baby sisters' heart was shattering into a million pieces.
They approached Phoebe bedroom with caution, as they knew how upset she would be. Knocking softly the open her door.
"Pheebs. Sweetie." Prue wasn't going to ask her if she was ok, she knew that she wasn't. It broke Prues heart to see her sister like this. She was lying down on her bed with her back to the door. Curled up hugging her teddy bear. It was the bear that her mother had given her when she was born. Prue could hear Phoebe crying softly behind the bear.
They both approached her bed and sat down beside her. Piper reached over and rubbed Phoebe back. They didn't want to calm her just let her know that they were there for her. They stayed like that for about 20 minutes. Nothing needed to be said. Piper rubbing her back and Prue stroking her head pushing the odd piece off her face. Her makeup had now run down the side of her face in streaks. After another 10 minutes Prues heart got the better of her. She pulled herself up onto Phoebe bed more and pulled her sister on to her lap.
Phoebe wanted to be alone, but she also wanted her sisters. She cried quietly as Prue picked her up. Tucking her head under her sisters' chin she continued to cry. After a few more minutes Phoebe found her voice, though shaky and quiet. "Is she gone?" she knew the answer but she was hoping that her sisters would tell her something different. That maybe they had let her stay longer.
"Yeah sweetie she is. She even blow you a kiss." Prue said soothingly with love
"I couldn't watch her go."
"We know Pheebs and she understood. She didn't want to go either."
"It hurts Prue."
Pulling Phoebe a little tighter. "I know baby. I know."
Both Prue and Piper had as many tears as Phoebe did. For them it was like reliving the past all over again. Though at least they had some memories of their Mother. The only ones that Phoebe had were from the time they went back to the 70's and today.
Phoebe whipped away her tears as best she could and pulled herself from Prues lap. "I Love you guys" as she wrapped her arms around both sisters.
"We love you to Phoebe." They replied.
"Can you give me some time?"
They looked at her a second.
"Are you sure honey?"
"Yeah I'll be ok. I just need to be alone for a bit. Don't worry. Besides Piper don't you have a honeymoon to get to?"
"Hey that can wait. You are more important and Leo would totally understand. Besides it's not like we booked a flight or anything."
"Phoebe is right though Piper. You guy's go. I'll keep an eye on Pheebs. We'll be ok."
"Prue.." she never finished
"Piper go please." Phoebe said. "I don't want to be the one that ruined your honeymoon."
"Yeah after all it's bad enough that I ruined your wedding." Prue added
"What would I do without you two?"
"Lead a boring life, I'm sure. Now go. I'll be fine. I just need a bit of time to myself." Phoebe said as she gave Piper a hug.
"Ok, I'll leave the number. I love you Phoebe." She said as she got off the bed and kissed her sisters' forehead. She got up and headed back downstairs.
"Pheebs you sure you're going to be ok?" Prue asked her quietly.
"Not right away Prue. But over time I will. And I have you and Piper here for me. Just give me sometime right now. Please."
"Anything baby girl. I'll be downstairs cleaning up if you need me, Ok?"
"Thanx Prue."
"Your welcome." She leaned over and kissed Phoebe on the forehead and headed downstairs to start the clean up of the mess that she had help cause.
--- ----
Meanwhile downstairs Victor, Leo and Cole had started to clean up the mess that was caused from the biker driving through the house; starting with the cake. Cole was distracted the whole time as he kept looking up the stairs. He wanted to go to Phoebe but as Leo had said it was a time for the girls. Cole didn't know the whole story around Patty's death. But he was sure that after a few days he would find out. Suddenly he looked up as he turned his head right then left.
"Leo I gotta go."
Leo turned, "What? Look Cole if it's about Phoebe." He never finished
"No it's not that. Someone is close, someone who is looking for me. I have to go or I risk putting Phoebe and her sisters in danger. Look tell Phoebe I love her and I'll be back as soon as I can." Suddenly he shimmered out. Leaving a stunned Victor and slightly confused Leo.
Just then Piper came down the stairs. Her makeup also smudged down her face from crying. She walked over to Leo and he just held her. Their love for each other being the only word that need to be said, yet they were unspoken words.
"How's Phoebe?" he finally asked
"She'll be ok. She needs sometime to herself right now. She insisted that we still go away, but I don't want to leave her right now Leo."
"Ok, so we postpone the honeymoon until later."
"No you won't."
They turned and saw Prue walking down the stairs. "She wants you to go. She doesn't want to be the reason for any wedding problems. Go have fun in some tropical oasis. I'll keep an eye on Pheebs. Then when you come back you can spend some time with her."
"She's right Piper." Their Dad added.
"I know she is I just don't..."
"Piper go have fun. Besides if anything comes up Leo can bring you right back."
"Ok. I give I'll go. But we're only going a week."
--- ----
After her sisters left Phoebe stayed on her bed a few more minutes. She then changed from her bridesmaid dress to her more comfortable sweats and top. She then left her room and headed for the attic. She had always gone there to feel closer to her Mother. Tucking her bear under her arms she headed there again. Sitting on the old bed that was there, she traced the lines of an old picture of her and her Mother when she was a baby. Prue had told her many a times that that picture was taken only weeks before she had died. It was the last picture of the two of them. She curled up on the bed clutching her bear and the picture and cried herself to sleep.
Everyone had changed and was either cleaning up or packing for their trip. Leo still had not told Piper where he was taking her, it was a surprise. As Piper and Leo came downstairs Cole shimmered back in startling Prue.
"Oh you are as bad as Leo." Prue scolded him
"Sorry but we have a problem."
Prue and Piper exchanged looks. "What kind of problem?" Prue asked afraid of what the answer was.
"Demon problem. I just heard through my sources that the Source has sent a demon back in time to get the Charmed Ones BEFORE they receive their powers. But it has to be done at a certain point in their lives. A point of great weakness."
"Oh god Cole that could be anytime. I mean when did three kids not have points of weakness?" Piper asked.
"You don't understand. It has to be at a point when all three of you are vulnerable."
Prue and Piper exchanged glances. When were all three of us vulnerable? They both thought.
"Ok, Let's go up and talk to Phoebe. Maybe between the three of us we can figure it out." Piper suggested.
They all headed upstairs to Phoebes room. Opening the door they were a little surprised to find her room empty. Prue and Piper looked at each other. "Attic." They both said. So the small party went a little further up the stairs. As they were about to enter the door they paused
"Uh. Guys can you give us a minute here?"
"Sure." They all said.
Prue and Piper entered the attic not sure what they would find. When they spotted Phoebe she was curled up on the old bed with her back to the door. Walking over to the bed Prue sat down on the edge and looked down at her sleeping sister.
"Piper she's sleeping. I don't have the heart to wake her. Especially after what she is going through."
"Prue we don't have much choice. Some demon is going after us as kids and we have to stop him or we will cease to exist. I don't want to wake her either, but when you consider the alternative."
"I know. But look at her, she looks so adorable."
"Prue just wake her."
"Pheebs sweetie you need to wake up honey we have a demon problem."
"Prue?"
"Yeah sweetie. Look we have a problem that we need to figure out right away."
"What?"
Prue and Piper relayed the information that Cole got to Phoebe.
"So any ideas?" Piper asked
Phoebe thought for a bit and then it hit her. Looking up to Piper and then over at Prue. "Yeah I think so."
"Care to share?" Prue asked gently.
"When we had our car accident." She answered quietly.
Prue was stunned, as was Piper. Then Piper put it together as to what Phoebe was saying.
"She right Prue. You were fighting your guilt, I was worried that I was going to lose both of you and Phoebe was."
"Looking for the love of my big sister."
The last comment stung Prue a bit. She remembered that time all to well. Her and Phoebe were going through a tough spot in their relationship. She loved Phoebe with all her heart but sometimes they just seemed to be butting heads.
"Leo." Piper called out
The guys all came in. "Yeah."
"We figured it out." Piper said, "What do we do know?"
"I'll be right back." As he orbed out
Cole caught Phoebe eyes and she gave him a weak smile. Just enough to let him know that she would be ok.
Leo was back within 3 minutes
"Wow. That was fast." Piper said
"Yeah well it would seem that our honeymoon will be postponed afterall. You three have to go back to your past and stop this guy. Only catch is you can not change history. Phoebe had the point in history right."
"So what are we missing here Leo."
"You have to go back in time as you did before. But it will be right before the accident. You can't stop it from happening. You go there, you find the demon and you vanquish him. As soon as you do you come back."
"Ok so we get to see ourselves as teenagers living out one of our most scary point in our lives?" Prue said
"Exactly."
Phoebe got off the couch and started towards the BOS looking for the spell that they used before.
"Oh this could be fun."