Disclaimer: Nothing in the Charmed universe belongs to me. I'm just borrowing it for awhile.
Author's Notes:
6/30/07: I updated!! I know most of you are probably frozen in shock at the moment, but believe it. I am back after a 13 month hiatus. And with the wedding chapter, no less!
To those of you who are reading this, I thank you for sticking with this story despite how long it has been since I've added to it. You guys are the best.
For the most part, I did not work on this story for so long because this has been the craziest, busiest year of my life. Last summer I took two classes as well as did an internship (unfortunately unpaid). In the fall I decided to take 25 credits, primarily because adding some stuff to my schedule gave me the opportunity to go to Spain for two weeks in December/January. That trip, of course, is why I didn't update over my winter break. And this past semester I student taught, which was basically a full time job without pay. I loved it, a lot, but it didn't leave me a lot of energy to be creative.
Excuses aside, I am proud to say that chapter 28 is finally posted. Hopefully my updates won't be as ridiculously far apart now, but we'll see.
Once again, thank you to those of you who didn't give up on this story. I really hope you enjoy this chapter.
Katie
5/27/06: I'm not actually convinced that I'm satisfied with this chapter, but I thought I'd post it anyway. Mostly, I think, because I'm extremely eager to get to the next chapter, which will be the LONG awaited wedding chapter. Yay!
Thank you all for the fabulous reviews. I greatly appreciate every one. You guys are amazing!
Katie
5/21/06: Oh boy. I really did it this time. I think that's a record wait.
For those of you who stuck with me through this ridiculously long hiatus, thank you so much. You are the most patient people in the world.
Like I said in my last a/n, my semester was absolutely insane. I have never had to do so much work and I am so thankful that it is over. Hopefully I will get a good deal of work done on this over the summer, and the updates will make up for my four month absence.
Once again, I'm really sorry that I was so horrible with this story the past few months. Hope you enjoy.
Katie
1/31/06: Ah! And I manage to take a really long time yet again. I'm so sorry.
Just as a 411 for what to expect about updates over the next couple of months:
I am currently taking 21 credits and working on my senior capstone for my major (it's like a thesis paper and will take from now until Thanksgiving to write). School, therefore, has become my life. Because of how crazy this is, I don't know how often to expect updates. Hopefully they won't be too scarce, but who knows.
Also, I decided to go crazy and add 2 other fanfiction projects to my time. Both of them are Charmed fics, and I hope if you have the time or inclination you'll check them out. One is an AU beginning at the end of season four, and the other is a series of missing moment from Piper and Leo's relationship (this will probably expand into 2 other series, one for Andy and Prue and one for Phoebe and Cole, so keep on the lookout if you prefer those pairings). This means that I'm splitting my focus between three projects, so that might also make the time between updates longer. I hope not, though.
Thank you all for the wonderful reviews. I'm so grateful for your feedback.
I hope you enjoy.
Katie
12/30/05: I'm sorry it's taken so long to get to this chapter, especially since I left the last one on such a cliffhanger. I knew I wouldn't get it up before I was done with finals, but then some unexpected stuff came up. On Christmas my mom and my brother both ended up in the hospital (my brother is fine; my mom had to stay there until yesterday, and they haven't figured out what's wrong with her yet, but all her tests have been okay so far.) This is probably entirely unnecessary and maybe inappropriate to post in this a/n, but I just wanted to explain why this chapter may be wonky. I've had little to no sleep this week, but writing has been the only thing remotely cathartic.
Anyway, thank you all for the wonderful reviews. They've really been helping brighten up this really crappy time. I appreciate it more than you know.
Enjoy the chapter.
Katie
12/3/05: Here is one of the chapters I've been dreaming up for a VERY long time now. I hope it lives up to my own expectations. Enjoy!
Katie
10/21/05: Oh my gosh! I am so, so, so unbelievably sorry that it has taken me this long to update. My only defense is that junior year of college is no less insane or crazy than junior year of high school. Between my classes, writing for my fiction class, trying to add a secondary education minor to my schedule (which I did...I'm going to be an English teacher!), band, my other activities, and my family, it has been a truly insane autumn. But I sincerely wish this was not the area I had slacked off in, and I'm so very sorry to make you all wait. I hope you'll still read.
Oh another note, I'm very glad to hear that my idea that Victor got the ring from Patience went over well. I had a very, very specific reason for doing this, which will be revealed shortly. Hooray!
Please enjoy this chapter. Thank you all for being so patient.
Katie
8/3/05: Ta da! I've finally returned from a looong hiatus! I'm so excited too!
Basically July was a terrible month for writing. I ended up going to Michigan to see where my brother's going to school next year, I worked a lot, I got my wisdom teeth out, but now, finally, I am back in the game.
I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It's a ton of dialogue, but it was fun to write and it's really the start of something big.
Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! You guys rock!
Katie
5/8/05: I've become terribly bad about updating this story more than once a month. I'm very sorry about that. I know I am very excited to announce, though, that I am officially done with my sophomore year of college! This means that I have four glorious months until I'm back at school for band camp! Hopefully this summer I will make a lot of progress with this story.
I'd just like to say thank you to all my wonderful, amazing readers and reviewers. You guys made it easier to get through all the end of the year junk, really. : )
I'd also like to thank all my profs, whom I won't have to see again until August. Hehe.
This chapter is longer than others, so I hope it makes up for the wait.
Katie
4/11/05: Wow. I am so very sorry about the month long wait for this chapter. There's no excuse for it, really, but here's a few anyway:
1) The past month has included pre-and-post-midterm craziness
2) Spring break left me sharing a computer with my entire family
3) The Incredibles came out on DVD, and since I am utterly, hopelessly addicted, I had no choice but to watch it 11 times
4) I've actually been getting sleep
So basically, bah to me. Fortunately, last night's 150th episode completely pumped me up on Charmed, this week I don't have a ton of things to do, and my roommate refused to let me watch The Incredibles again tonight (I'll have to do it while she's in class tomorrow, muahaha!). Therefore, I got around to writing a chapter tonight. Yes, it's short and fairly pointless, but it's a chapter nonetheless. And the next one should be out soon (crosses fingers).
And now to something of actual importance in the author's note. Right after I wrote the last chapter I sat up and wrote out very short chapter outlines of what I want to happen in the story. Once I started, I couldn't stop, and basically I came to the conclusion that this story is going to be insanely long. The first part, for example, spans from August 1969 to February 1979, and according to my calculations, it will be around 180 chapters.
Yeah.
So, I think in order to save this from being around 500 chapters long, I'm going to split it up into four parts, in four separate stories, instead of making it all one. So this is now, officially, "Legacy: Life Before They Were Charmed Part One." I may shorten the title to just, "Legacy: Part One," just so you all have a heads up.
Anyway, thank you all for your kind support and for keeping up with the story. Once again, I'm sorry it took so long to update.
Katie
3/11/05: Sorry this chapter took so long to put up, guys. My computer going completely wonky, combined with the hundred little things I've had to do the past few weeks hindered the writing process. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I think I'll probably have another up soon (I hope!), and that will be wonderful. I'm almost done with the beginning/set-up of this story, which thrills me, because it means some things I have been planning since I first came up with this idea are starting to come up. Yay!
Thank you all so much for all the encouragement and praise. I really, really appreciate it. You guys are awesome!
Katie
2/25/05: I'm sorry to say this chapter is very short, and doesn't progress anything much plot wise. But I thought it would be best to upload something. I'm having a tiny bit of writer's block with the present section right now (in addition to being very busy). I probably shouldn't be spending so much time thinking about what is going to happen later in the story then, but oh well. My mind keeps jumping ahead. Hopefully I'll get another chapter up soon.
Katie
2/13/05: Well, I think updates are going to return to their irregular spurts. I'm overloading this semester (22 credits - what was I thinking!) and until my spring break my life is going to be insane. But I'm trying to write when I can. I was planning to go farther in chapter twelve, but I thought a little now would make the wait less painful.
Thank you everyone for the awesome reviews! I love you guys!
Katie
1/29/05: Wow, this is a lot of updates in one week. I'm thrilled! Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed! You guys rock my socks, seriously!
Chapter 11 is one I've been looking forward to writing fora looooong time now. I hope you all enjoy it. I certainly enjoyed writing it.
Katie
1/25/05: Holy cow! Two chapters in two days! I'm so proud. : ) Enjoy, you lovely readers.
Katie
1/24/05: I'd just like to say thank you to everyone for the wonderful, encouraging reviews. They really make this story even more fun to write.
Also, someone pointed out that Patty said in "That 70s Episode" that she just started working at Buddy's, and that she didn't want Victor to know. I didn't realize this until after I started the story, but I have plans to work through my own continuity error. I do apologize for it though; it was simply a slip up.
Thanks everyone!
Katie
11/18/04: In response to a review I'm going to post the family relationships, in case it's confusing.
Three cousins: Penelope Russell (aka past Phoebe; vanquished by past Prue and past Piper); Phoebe Bowen (aka past Prue; referred to by Patty and Penny as Aunt Phoebe); Patience Johnson (aka past Piper; Penny's mom and Patty's grandmother; she was married to Gordon Johnson, Jr.).
Patience's children:Penelope Johnson Halliwell (Patty's mom); Gordon Johnson III (Patty's uncle and Penny's brother. I included this character because he is listed on the family tree shown on the show).
Other characters in the family: Gordon Johnson IV (aka Gordie; Gordon's son and Patty's cousin); also mentioned, Elizabeth Johnson (Gordon Johnson III's dead wife; Gordie's mom; a mortal).
I hope that clears things for anyone who was confused.
Katie
11/17/04: Sorry it's been awhile since I've updated. Chapter four was really difficult for me to write for some reason, and I'm still not sure I'm entirely happy with it. But I wanted to put something up, and I think this is about as good as it's going to get right now. I really hope you enjoy it, and thanks for all the wonderful feedback.
Katie
10/14/04: Wow. I can't believe it's been a month. I've been working on chapter two on and off, but things have been so hectic lately with school and such, it's been a bit difficult. I finally decided that since it's been so long, I'd just upload what I have and put the rest of what I want to be in chapter two in chapter three. Woo hoo.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I really appreciate it.
Katie
9/14/04: And thus begins a project I have been thinking about for a very long time now. I have always been intrigued with the Charmed Ones' lives before they were Charmed. What happened when they were younger that made them turn out the way they did? How did they relate to each other at a younger age? What was the turning point in Prue and Phoebe's relationship that made it so off kilter? Why exactly did Victor leave his daughters? These questions and many others have always fascinated me, and in this work I set out to try to recreate my own understanding of their youth.
This story begins before the Charmed Ones are even born, mostly because I also find Victor and Patty's relationship extremely interesting. And I think it helps set up a background for other characters in the story, such as Penny, and those three infamous cousins Prue, Piper, and Phoebe were in their past lives.
I tried to stay as true to Charmed canon as I possibly could. Sometimes it's hard, considering the continuity errors the writers of the show themselves make. Please forgive any mistakes. Anything explicitly changed will be explained in these author's notes.
I guess that's about it. Updates won't be regular (because they rarely are when I write), but I'll try to make them as often as possible. I'd appreciate any feedback you readers would be willing to give. It's very encouraging and helpful.
Hope you enjoy.
Katie
By the way, I want to note this now. I have read several fanfics where those three cousins are named Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. I never really understood this. Yes, they were Prue, Piper, and Phoebe in past lives, but that does not mean they were entirely the same people. In this story, I have chosen to name them Phoebe (Past Prue), Patience (Past Piper), and Penelope (Past Phoebe). Phoebe was the only name I chose to include, but I did not associate the name with Past Phoebe on purpose. In "That 70s Episode" Patty tells Phoebe she must have named her after her favorite aunt. Since it has never been implied in any way that Penny had a sister, I opened my own interpretation and made the term aunt more of an affectionate title for an older relative. In this case, it is Patty's grandmother's cousin, Past Prue. I explain this somewhat in the story too, but if there are any other questions I would be more than happy to answer them.