Okay so this is my first Charmed fic. I hope you like it and i appologise if i get any of the American phrases wrong or it sounds slightly out but then I'm English. I know what's going to happen and have it all worked out. You'll get to see more of the children later on and even appearences from the future. Hope you like it and please R&R and for those who've been reading my other stories, The first one with the blob (can't remember what it's called) is finished and I may continue the other Merlin one but may not. The spy one (can't remember what that's called either) well I'll put up the next chapter soon, in the next couple of days i suppose and then possibly one a week as I've got quite a bit written now. Thanks for bearing with me and I hope you enjoy :)
Christmas in Halliwell Manner 2010
An unexpected visitor
"Phoebe, where are the decorations? I thought you were bringing them down from the attic? Phoebe!" Piper stood at the bottom of the stairs holding a screaming 3 year old Melinda. Leo came up behind her and kissed her lightly on the back of her neck.
"It's alright. I'm sure Phoebe's just finding them. You know we had to put them up high last year after Mellie tried to eat them."
"I know, I know. I think she got the 'eat anything' habit from Chris. He used to eat brillo pads before I worked out he was magically opening the kitchen cupboards."
Leo smiled. "Yeah. He was a little terror wasn't he? Still is. Here, let me take Mellie whilst you sort out the cookies."
Piper gasped and hurriedly gave Melinda to Leo. "The cookies! I forgot to take them out the oven…"
She raced into the kitchen, pulled on a pair of oven gloves and opened the oven, coughing and spluttering from the black smoke that was pouring out. She took the tray out and dropped it in the sink. She sighed, took of the gloves and wiped her forehead leaving a black smudge. Leo walked into the kitchen, put Melinda into a high-chair and gave her the bottle of milk that was sat on the table.
"It's alright Honey. Why don't you make a new batch? I'm sure Wyatt and Chris would love to help."
"If I can get them away from their computer games. They don't even seem that interested in magic anymore either."
"Piper. Chris is only 6 and does copy Wyatt. I'm sure they'll grow into their powers; they're just being normal boys right now. There's nothing to worry about." He hugged Piper and she laid her head on his shoulder.
"I know, you're right. Maybe I better go and see how Phoebe is first."
"Why don't you leave that to Coop. I'm sure he's on his way up there now."
"Alright. I'll go see if the boys want to help me with Christmas cookies." She sighed, let go, left the room and headed upstairs to the boys room.
Meanwhile Phoebe was stood in the attic trying to reach a large wooden box high up on a shelf. She stopped and slowly and wobbly levitated to the top of the shelf. She grabbed the box and smiled. Coop walked into the room and stopped, shocked.
"Phoebe! What are you doing?"
She turned to look at him and lost her focus. She fell and Coop ran forward to catch her.
"Well I had been getting the decorations for Piper."
"Phoebe! You just got out of hospital! Don't you think you should take a break and just rest like the doctor said? Do you want to leave Pansy and Peony without a mom?"
Phoebe slapped at Coop to make him put her down. "Of course not Coop. I couldn't reach the decorations and well this was the easiest way. Paige is still really upset about her miscarriage and Piper and I thought Christmas decorations would help cheer her up or at least put her into more of a Christmas mood."
"Well yes, but… Phoebe. Please, just take it easy alright." He placed her down and took the box of decorations out of her hands. "Alright, but I'm going to help Leo put these up around the house. Why don't you…"
Downstairs, baby Peony began to cry. Pansy joined in and began rattling the bars of her cot with an empty milk bottle.
"Why don't you go and see to the girls whilst we turn this place into a winter wonderland?"
Phoebe smiled. "Ok. But don't hurt yourself."
"Phoebe! I'm an angel. Of course I'll be alright. It's you I'm more worried about."
Phoebe stared at him. "Aww sweetie. But why would you be worried about me?"
"Well for one, you're a Charmed one so demons and warlocks attack left right and centre, secondly you've got a month old baby girl and you're acting like nothing's changed and three…"
"Three? What's three?"
"Um… that's it's nothing. I don't have a third point. It just sounded better having a third point. Come on love. Go and see to the girls. Their screaming's getting louder."
Phoebe smiled and kissed Coop on the cheek. She left the attic and skipped slowly down the stairs towards her old room which was being used as a nursery for her daughters and Melinda. Inside the room was 3 year old Pansy stood up in her painted white oak cot, screaming to be let out, the blankets thrown in a heap and a plastic milk bottle dangling in her left hand. Next to her in the brown weave Moses basket with pink fluffy blankets, one a pink replica of Wyatt's power of three baby blanket, lay Peony, her eyes squeezed shut and cheeks red as large wails escaped from her tiny pink mouth. Phoebe smiled again and stepped towards Pansy in her cot. Pansy stopped crying and held up her arms to be lifted out.
"Alright then missy." She lifted her eldest daughter out the cot and placed her on the ground. Pansy began to run towards the door. Chris appeared in the doorway and caught Pansy in a hug.
"Thanks Chris. Okay missy. First, you need to have your dress on else Auntie Piper may think Mommy forgot to dress you. Secondly, don't you want Bubby your bear?"
Pansy turned round and slowly walked towards her mom sucking her thumb, nodding. Peony's wails grew louder and Phoebe looked over at her. "Chris, can you put Pansy's dress on? It's on the chair by her cot and don't let her forget to take Bubby with her or she'll be back up here in a minuet. Oh and can you keep an eye on her. Why don't you, Wyatt and Mellie play with her in the sun room."
Chris nodded. "Okay Aunt Phoebe. Come on Pan. Let's get you dressed and we'll go play with the teeter-tots, yeah?"
The little girl nodded, her eyes shining. She ran over to the chair, picked up her dress and began to hurriedly pull it over her head. Chris laughed and walked over to her. "No, no. Slow down. That's better. Shall we start again? Yes okay. No, take your thumb out your mouth. It won't work otherwise."
Phoebe smiled again and turned her attention to her youngest daughter. "Alright then Peony. Let's get you up and fed. There we go. Shush shush sweetie." Gently and carefully she lifted the baby up out of the Moses basket and held her close, bouncing her up and down lightly. The baby stopped crying and opened her eyes, revealing the family trait of dark brown orbs under smoky lashes.
"There now. I told you there's no need for tears. Mommy's here. Shall we go see Daddy and get you a bottle?" She looked over at Chris and Pansy and saw Pansy stood by the doorway holding Chris's hand and sucking her thumb, Chris holding a slightly bedraggled white teddy bear. "Come on then."
Chris led Pansy out the door and down the hall towards the stairs. Pansy stopped and shook her head. Chris looked at her. "What's up Pan?" Pansy took her thumb out of her mouth. "Orb, Chris. Much very quick… quick… quick-er. We beat Mommy and Peony."
Chris laughed. "Alright. You want a pig-a-back or shall I just carry you?"
"Pig-a-back! Pig-a-back!" she cried, throwing her hands up.
"Ok but you need to hold Bubby and don't drop him ok? And don't hold too tight but don't let go of me either." She nodded and he knelt down beside her. Carefully she climbed onto his back and wrapped her arms round his neck, clutching the white bear and grinning widely. The pair disappeared in blue glowing orbs.
"Chris, be careful!" Called Phoebe down the stairs. She shook her head and made her way down the stairs. As she reached the bottom, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," she called back, knowing Piper would probably be busy in the kitchen and Wyatt helping her by licking out the bowl. "Who do you think that'll be Pea? Do you think that'll be Uncle Henry and Grandpa with the Christmas tree?" She stepped up to the door, rocking Peony slightly. She opened the door expecting her father and Henry, or even Darryl or a group of Carol Singers but instead she stood shocked, speechless.
"P-P-P-Prue? Andy?"
Prue stood smiling in the doorway, her black hair shining and lightly frosted with early snowflakes wearing a brown thick coat with a white fluffy hood. Stood next to her was Andy, alive as ever but slightly older from when she'd last seen him. Both of them were. What shocked Phoebe even more than the dead couple in front of her were the three little boys in front of them, all with dark hair and dark brown eyes and dimples except for the youngest, a little boy about one who had blond/brown hair framing the dark brown eyes in between the 8 year old and 5 year old boys wearing thick winter coats, scarfs and hats pulled tightly over their heads.
"Hello Phoebe. Can we come in?"