A/N: Hello...to my fellow fanfiction writers and readers. I know I said that I'd have a different story up, but I'm still working on it. So for now would you please read and review on this one? I hope you like it.

Keeping Her Close

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

Chapter One: Cradle of Dreams

In the early hours of the night, Phoebe Halliwell sat in an old, worn rocking chair that had survived, from as far as she knew, four generations of Halliwells. She could hardly believe how her life had turned out despite everything that she had had to go through to finally get where she was now. She had seen the visions time and time again, of course, even doubted if they would actually happen to her, but yet there she was rocking her one-month-old baby girl to sleep in her protective, loving grasp.

Leaning on the doorframe, her sister watched intently as Phoebe's instincts finally surfaced. She knew, from watching her with Wyatt and Chris that Phoebe would make a great mother when the right time presented itself.

Still, all three if the Charmed Ones needed to watch their families carefully because they never knew when a demon or warlock or anything else in the "evil-good-witch-killing category" could shimmer in and destroy everyone they held dear in their hearts, but that didn't stop them from expanding the next generation of Halliwell witches. Both her sisters had their families and now, finally Phoebe had hers after so many years demon battles, warlocks...even a half-demon ex-husband.

"How long have you been sitting up here just staring at her, Phoebe?" Piper asked walking over and sitting on her sister's bed.

"I don't know." Phoebe told her walking over to the cradle and laying her sleeping daughter in it. "It's weird; I've wanted this for so long and now it's like some invisible force is telling me to spend as much time with her as I can." Phoebe told her older sister as she walked over to sit beside her. Piper could see the unmistakable fear in her eyes.

"Oh honey, don't worry; that's how I was too, but honestly with our lives who can blame you?" Her sister told her placing an arm on her shoulders. Piper didn't want to admit it right now, but she did get the feeling that her sister's newfound happiness was short-lived. 'Maybe I'm wrong; maybe it's just me being protective of Phoebe...' Piper thought as she let go of Phoebe and stood up.'I hope so.'

"Do you think Mom, Grams and Prue are trying to tell me something?" Phoebe asked pushing her hair behind her ear and looking up at the ceiling.

"Phoebe, all that they're probably trying to tell you is to be the best mommy that you can be to that brown-haired, hazel-eyed baby who is, at the moment, sleeping peacefully in your cradle." Her older sister told her getting a strange look from her.

"M—my cradle? You're joking, right? I mean, with three girls Mom couldn't have afforded three separate ones, could she?" Phoebe asked. Piper walked over to her sleeping niece and dropped to her hands and knees, motioning for Phoebe to follow.

"Look Phoebe, do you see something written on the bottom?" Piper asked as she ducked underneath it and ran her hand over it, wiping away a thick layer of dust that had accumulated on it over the years. Phoebe ducked her head under and looked at where her sister was pointing. Something was written on it in neat cursive script, but she couldn't read it, at least, while it was upright.

"Yeah, but I can't read it right now." Phoebe told her as they both backed out from underneath and stood up.

"Okay, so I'll hold her," Piper said pointing to her niece, "and you tip that on its side."

"Why should I have to do it?" Phoebe protested, trying to keep her voice low.

"I'm tired and you're stronger." Piper told her, grinning slightly.

"Yeah, sure you are. You're tired, but you still have enough energy to hold Paytin, huh?" Phoebe said grinning back just as much. "And, I suppose just because I know martial arts, you automatically assume that I'm stronger too then?"

"Okay, yes I want to hold her. You've barely put Paytin down in a week, Phoebe and I deserve the chance to be an aunt to a little girl. All I have are sons and so does Paige, not that I'm complaining, because I love them with everything I have, but still. Please Pheebs... pleeease?"

Paytin, an interesting name, especially for a girl, but Phoebe wanted to continue the "P" tradition to honor her mother and Grams, which wasn't a bad thing. After all, people couldn't very well forget the infamous Charmed Ones if their some of their descendants were named with the same letter. Phoebe knew that she couldn't very well deny Piper the chance to be an aunt any more than she herself could deny that she was the baby's mother. Smiling to herself, Phoebe turned around, picked up Paytin without waking her, and carried her over to Piper who sat on her bed waiting.

"Careful, she's a light sleeper." She said as her older sister gently took her from her mother's arms.

"She really does look like you more than Coop." Piper told her as Phoebe stepped back and over to the side to sit by her.

"You never miss a chance to tell me that."

"I know, but it's really true and with each day that passes I see more of a certain someone in you than you could ever realize, Phoebe." Piper told her looking like she was in a dream that she never wanted to end.

"Who?"

"Mom." Her older sister said simply. "Have you had her Wiccaned yet?"

"No, but I really want to…soon." Phoebe told her. She couldn't wait to see Grams again; it'd been quite a while since she'd seen them. 'The last time was probably at my wedding…wow it has been a long time.' "Piper?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Do you think that maybe someone else will come down with Grams this time?" Phoebe asked with uncertainty.

"You mean Mom?" Phoebe nodded. "I don't know, but it has been a while since we've seen either of them so maybe she will come down. I hope so as much as you do." Piper told her. She looked down at the sleeping infant in her arms. "So much has happened since we became witches ten years ago; it's hard to believe that it actually happened sometimes."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. So much has happened to all of us, Prue included." Phoebe told her.

"You lost Cole..." Piper stated.

"But I gained Coop."

"You had the Source's child stolen from you..."

"But look at who I have now. You know, even though he was my first real love, I wouldn't trade Paytin or Coop for anything. Being witch...my sisters and nephews...my husband and now my daughter...it just makes everything seem right in the world, know what I mean?" Phoebe asked as Piper handed her daughter to her and stood up.

"It just makes you want to fight...to protect them. Even though all three of us know that someday we won't be able to protect them anymore and that we have to pass down our legacy, we still have the need to protect and shelter them from this world full of demonic powers, warlocks, evil spirits or whatever else will come after them." Her older sister told her.

"It's not only witch-related things either. Death, sorrow and heartache are a part of life...and someday, little girl, you'll learn that but Mommy's going to try her very best to make sure that doesn't happen early on in your life. I had that experience and I'll fight everything that I have to just to make sure that never happens to you, I promise." Phoebe said as she stood up and walked over to lay Paytin in her cradle again.

"Phoebe, don't you want to see what's written underneath there?" Piper asked walking over.

"Nah, it can wait. I don't want to wake her up; if I did, she'd probably be up half the night."

"Well, aren't you just the expert all of a sudden." Piper joked, placing her hands on her hips to emphasize her point. Phoebe stepped back a few feet and Piper followed.

"I'm not," Phoebe whispered. "It's just that I've made the mistake of doing that and she was literally up for half the night; Coop and I took turns trying to get her back to sleep. She was up crying until at least eleven that night." Phoebe told her as they stepped out of the room and headed downstairs.

"Yeah, well trying to get Chris to sleep while Wyatt is asleep isn't a walk in the park either." Piper told her as they reached the very last step. "What's so funny about that?" She asked upon seeing her sister's grin widen.

"It's just that I would know; I heard him, but you're amazing you never yelled or talked firmly...just loved them and soon enough they'd be asleep. And you'd stand there for at least fifteen more minutes just watching them." Phoebe told her which earned her a curious look.

"You were watching, weren't you?"

"I never could sleep through that, but you were always up before I was." Phoebe and Piper walked out into the living room and Piper was about to sit down when the phone rang; she strayed momentarily from the path and picked up the cordless phone in the hallway.

"Hello? No, I've told you, I can't—but maybe you can—are you sure? Oh, alright I'll be there in a few minutes." Piper finished the call, hung the phone back on the receiver, and walked back over to Phoebe.

"What's going on?" Her younger sister asked.

"Pheebs, I'm sorry; I know that I promised you a night without any distractions other than maybe a demon, but the band that's supposed to play tomorrow night needs me to make sure there's nothing booked so they can come a half hour later." Piper told her sitting beside her. She didn't really want to leave, especially since she couldn't get the feeling of dread out of her heart. "I'll call Leo to watch the boys."

"It's okay. No, don't call for Leo; I'm sure he's busy. I'll watch them." Phoebe told her; she knew exactly what Piper was feeling, but was doing her best to ward it off.

"Are you sure? What if something happens?" She asked, concerned not only for the safety of her kids, but Phoebe and her new niece as well.

"Paige is just a call away, no matter how late it is, Piper, you know that." Phoebe stated although she was more worried than Piper was.

"Okay, if you're sure; I'll be back as soon as I can." Piper told her as she grabbed her coat from the closet, her purse from the end table searching for her keys, once found she then headed out the door.

Truth was, Phoebe wanted nothing more than to ask her not to leave, but she knew that Piper had a reputation to uphold, as well as being a sister, a witch, a wife and a mother. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling this night was going to be bad...very, very bad.

Underworld

"Are you crazy?!" One of his servants said. "Her mother's a Charmed One; she'll stop us long before we can get to her."

"Not if we do this right." The Source answered, "If we infect the child now and take her they'll immediately come for us..." He waited for an objection, but as there wasn't any, he continued. "But if we infect the child and wait one week, no one will be able to touch her; the demonic power will reject the touch of even her parents. I need two who work well as a team." Two demons in back walked to the front of the room.

The Source of All Evil smiled. "Yes, you'll do just fine."

A/N: So what do you think? Will Phoebe be able to save her daughter from demonic influences? Please R&R if you like it. Next chapter: Chapter Two: Seemingly Untouched. Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell