AN: This outtake is what happened in Bella's life before she became a witch. Hope you enjoy, please read and review :)
Pre-Witched
March 1987 (Three Months in the womb)
Patty Halliwell sat in her bedroom, staring at her at her ultrasound picture. Her beautiful baby. A baby that shouldn't exist.
What would the Elders do when they found out about this baby? Would they take her away? Would they take her and Sam away? But she had met her as a young women, so obviously everything turned out okay...but what if it didn't? Something had to be done and fast.
"Sam." She called out and he appeared in bright blue lights, smiling when he saw her. "There's something I have to tell you."
"What is it?" Sam asked, more nervous than before.
"I'm pregnant." She whispered and she watched as Sam's face crumbled.
"No, no, no, no. Not again. I can't do it again!" He sobbed, his legs giving way underneath him and she ran to his side quickly.
"We don't have to." She told and his head snapped up, his eyes meeting hers. "I met her. She came back from the future and she was with her sisters."
Sam's eyes instantly lit up and he smiled warmly at her stomach, placing his hand on the small bump.
"What was she like?" He asked.
"She was beautiful, talented, we named her Isabella but she prefered Bella." The coupld smiled wistfully at each other before a thought hit Sam.
"Was she with them?" He asked and Patty knew immedietly who he was talking about.
"No." It was silent again, both of them still mourning the child they lost, both of them determined not to lose this one.
"What can we do?"
"We'll think of something."
September 1987 (One hour old)
Patty smiled down at her daughter, watching as the same eyes as hers looked back up.
"You're going to be beautiful." She whispered.
"Mom?" She heard a voice say from the doorway and she looked up to see Prue standing there with Piper and Phoebe at her side.
"Come in my darlings." Patty smiled as Piper and Phoebe ran forward instantly but frowned when Prue made no effort to move.
"Prue, come here." But Prue shook her head firmly.
"I don't want to!" Prue spat, glaring at the baby on the bed. "I don't like her!"
"Don't be silly Prue! Come here and meet your baby sister!" Prue turned her glare to her mother.
"She's NOT my sister!" Prue said in a dangerously cold voice and Patty's eyes widened in shock. She had never seen Prue so cold. Prue's eyes softened when she saw her mother shock and she whispered, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
Patty watched as Prue ran from the room but she couldn't move her eyes from the doorway. What did she mean? Of course Bella was her sister, why would she feel differently? Was it because Bella was only a half sister?
She turned back to her three girls, Piper and Phoebe were smiling down at Bella obviously liking her much more than Prue had.
Patty sighed. Prue would soon get over it and accept Bella as her sister...she hoped.
November 1987 (Three Months old)
Everyone was crying, even Bella who didn't know what was happening but guessed it wasn't good. They sat in silence, no one really knowing what to say.
"Girls." Penny said, breaking the silence and they all turned towards her. "You must remember that your mother loved all of you very much and she will always be will us. Even if we can't see her."
Prue scoffed silently, staring at the baby in her cot. "Is it her fault?" She asked and Penny frowned when she noticed that Prue was staring at her little sister.
"Of course not Prue. Sweetheart, Bella didn't drown your mother, no one did. It was just something that couldn't be helped." Prue still stared at the crying baby, anger building inside of her. Why wouldn't the brat stop crying? Make her shut up!
"PRUE?" Penny screamed and Prue woke from her daze, looking around confused. Everyone was running to pick something up off the floor, it took Prue a minute to realise that the cot was over turned and everyone was running to pick up Bella-who was now wailing even more.
Prue stared at the baby in shock only just realising that she had caused that. It snapped her out of her anger and moved her into guilt. None of this was Bella's fault, she was a few months old. Penny stared at Prue's tortured expression as she rocked the crying baby, holding her to her chest gently.
"Hush now, Pacifica, hush." Penny whispered softly and Prue's eyes blazed with anger again.
"Her name is Bella!" Prue yelled before storming upstairs, leaving her shocked family behind her.
...
BANG BANG BANG
"Alright, alright! Keep your hair on!" Penny yelled as she made her way to the door. When she opened it her eyes narrowed at the person standing there. "What do you want?"
"I want to see my daughter." The man said firmly, pushing past Penny and searched through the rooms.
"She's sleeping Sa-Charlie." Penny lied, hoping he would go away. "Why don't you come back some other time." The man shook his head furiously, he wanted to see his daughter, she belonged with him.
Charlie Swan stopped dead when he caught sight of a basket on the kitchen side.
"Isabella." He whispered almost running towards her. His world felt like it stopped when he saw her. "Your mother was right, you are beautiful."
He picked her up gently, taking in more of her features before smiling. "I'm going to be warning off a lot of admirers, aren't I?" He asked her kissing the side of her head, she stared at him.
He grabbed the bag that was next to the basket, flung it over his shoulder and went back into the hall way.
"What do you think you're doing?" Penny snapped when she saw the bag but Charlie ignored her and made his way upstairs. He stopped at the first room to the stairs and was relieved to see that it was Bella and Phoebe's room. He grabbed the baby clothes from the dresser, the best he could with only one hand, and stuffed them into the bag he was holding.
"Who are you?" A quiet little voice from the doorway asked and he turned to see Phoebe, holding her blanket to her face as she watched the strange man holding her sister.
"I'm Bella's daddy. I'm taking her with me now." Apparently that was a bad thing to say as Phoebe started screaming at the top of her voice.
"Grams! A man is taking Bella!"
Charlie sighed, why wouldn't they just make this easier and let him have his baby girl?
"You can't do this Charlie!" Penny snapped as soon as he appeared back down stairs, making his way outside.
"Watch me." Was her reply.
"Patty left her to me!"
"Well, she's my daughter. I have more of a right to her than you do!" Charlie snapped, putting Bella in the back of his car.
By this time, the three other sisters were watching one. Only two of them with tears in there eyes.
"Please don't let him take her Grams!" Phoebe sobbed, wanting nothing more than to run at the man and make him give her back.
"Please Grams, we can't lose her too." Piper sobbed, thinking along the same lines as Phoebe. Prue however hid her sadness, wanting to get her back but at the same time hoping he would hurry up and leave.
"Don't do this to the girls Charlie, do you think Patty would have wanted them this upset. Just look at them." Penny said, willing him to look and change his mind. Charlie however didn't look, knowing it would stop him and he would probably never see his daughter again.
He drove off, taking one final look in the reaview mirror. His guilt was over welming when he saw Prue running after the car, tears finally falling down her face. He almost turned the car back there and then but shook his head and turned back to the road in front of him. He wasn't going to give her back. She was his.
September 1988 (One year old)
"Blow out the candle sweetheart and make a wish." Charlie said, as his little girl stared at the cake in front of her. Today was Bella's first birthday and she was getting so big. He helped her blow out the candles and smiled at her before looking around the restaurant. He half expected Penny to show up but they hadn't seen nor heard from her since he took her and that was the way he liked it.
He scanned the crowd before his eyes stopped and a beautiful women, smiling back at him. He smiled widely, he knew this women and was glad she had came, he had never seen someone so beautiful (except for Bella, of course) after Patty died. Renee waved as she walked over to their table and sat down in the free seat.
"Sorry, I'm late. I got caught up in work." Renee apologized as she kissing him on the side of the cheek and Bella on her forehead.
"Don't worry about it." Charlie said, knowing he was bright red.
Charlie watched as she smiled lovingly at the baby and he knew right there that he was in love.
But he was concerned about Bella, what would happen to her if Renee joined there lives? He sighed quietly, he was going to have to do something that would surely kill him.
...
Penny Halliwell got a surprise when she opened the door on a Saturday night to find Charlie Swan standing there with her youngest granddaughter in his arms.
"What wrong? Has something happened?" She asked immedietly, rushing him inside and taking the baby out of his arms.
Charlie shook his head and took a deep breath. "I've met someone and I don't know how the relationship is going to effect Bella. I think she needs to stay with you untill I've decided whether me and Renee are for keeps."
Penny stared at this man in disbelief. "You're choosing some cheap floosey over your own daughter?"
"NO! I'm not choosing her over Bella and don't call Renee a floosey! I'm doing this for Bella's sake! Or would you prefer her calling someone else mommy?" Penny flinched, holding the baby closer to her while giving Charlie looks that could kill.
"I hope she's worth it!" She snarled at him and he looked at Bella sadly.
"We'll see."
Early December 1991 (Four years old)
"Girls! Stop running round the house!" Penny yelled as Bella chased Phoebe into the dinning room. Though once they were gone she chuckled fondly. Bella had been with them for three years, Charlie had tried to get Bella back as he and Renee were now in a stable relationship and were hoping to get married next spring but Penny refused. Getting full custody of Bella over the fact that Charlie left her (in the courts eyes, abandoned her).
"Watch where you're going!" She heard Prue shriek from the kitchen and she sighed, making her way to see what all the fuss is about.
"Have you seen what you've done to my top?" Prue exclaimed, staring at the bright red stain.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I'll fix it." Bella said quickly, holding out her little hand for the top but Prue just smacked the hand away.
"You'll make it worse! You always do! You destroy everything you touch!" Prue snarled, getting into the little girls face.
"Prue." Penny said calmly but was slowly losing her patience.
"Why do you think your precious daddy left? Because he was sick of you! Everyone gets sick of you because you ruin everything! If you had never been born mom would still be here!"
"Prue!"
"You should have died instead of her!"
"PRUE!"
Prue looked at Penny in shock, as if she had just realised that she was there. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as Bella looked between the two of them, tears running down her face as she turned and ran ourside into the yard.
"That was out of order." Penny glared hard at Prue who just shrugged.
"It's the truth."
"Go to your room and stay out of my sight!" Penny snarled in disgust and Prue did as she was told.
...
"Why does Prue hate me?" Bella asked after Penny managed to get her back into the house and was now tucking her up in bed, Phoebe passed out on the bed next to hers.
"She doesn't hate you." Penny said but Bella didn't look convinced.
"Seems like it." She grumbled and Penny studied her as she sat slumped, her chocolate brown eyes burning into the floor and her lips pouted slightly.
"You know, you remind me a lot like your mother." That caught Bella's attention.
"I do?"
"Yes. The looks, the personality...even the clumsiness." Bella smiled, blushing furiously. "But most of all it because you have a kind and forgiving heart. It's something you use everyday, even when you don't mean too."
Bella was silent for a while before asking "why did my daddy leave me?"
"Because he had met someone who he loves dearly and he didn't want you to be upset about him being with her instead of your mommy."
"I won't be upset. It's good that he's not on his own." Bella said smiling happily. "Can I meet him?"
Penny's heart dropped, this was the conversation she had been dreading since Charlie had left Bella here and it was not the conversation she wanted.
"He lifes too far away."
"Can we take the car and see him tonight?"
"No."
"Tomorrow?"
"No."
"Saturday?"
"No!"
"Christmas?"
"FOR GOD SAKE BELLA NO!" Penny snapped and Bella cringed. "Goodnight Bella." Penny said firmly, kissing Bella's forehead before storming out of the room.
...
"Prue will you please wake your sister." Penny asked as she made breakfast.
"Not a chance, that brat needs to be independent. Get her an alarm clock." Prue said, sipping her coffee, ignoring Phoebe's glare.
"Lay off her will ya!" Phoebe snapped but Prue just rolled her eyes at her.
"Prue, go now or you're not aloud out of the house to see Andy or your friends." Penny threatened and Prue reluctantly got up.
"Oi! Get up, Grams is making pancakes!" Prue snapped at the lumb on the bed before turning and slamming the door behind her.
Penny watched the clock, how long did it take a four year old to get ready?
"Piper, could you-" Penny started but Piper had already gone, guessing her grandmother was worried.
"She's not listening Grams, she's just hiding under the covers." Piper told her when she got back and Penny put her cup down.
As Penny walked into the room she saw that Bella was, as Piper had said, hiding under the covers. Which is something she never did unless she had a nightmare. Penny sighed as she sat on the bed, placing a hand on Bella.
"Did you have a bad dream honey?" Penny asked but it was then that she noticed that the lump didn't feel right. It was too soft. So either Bella got de-boned by a demon or...
Penny pulled back the covers to reveal a pillow and a picture of the beach in San Francisco that they visited often, with the words 'my favourite place in the world.'
Penny frantically searched the room for her little girl but there was no sign of her. She was gone.
Christmas Eve 1991 (Four Years Old)
"Why aren't you searching for her?" Penny snapped at the police officers.
"We can understand why you are upset Ms but we are doing the best we can. In all fairness, finding a little girl in the middle of San Francisco is like finding a needle in a haystack." The police women said and Penny let out a frustrated sigh.
"Then have them searching faster and you'll find her quicker!" Penny snarled, blaming Bella's shield from stopping her scry for her.
The police officer just rolled her eyes and stepped outside.
"Where could she be?" Penny muttered to herself but jumped when she heard Phoebe's voice behind her.
"When I was little I wanted to run away to Forks, my most favourite place in the world."
Most favourite place in the world...most favourite place...
"The beach!" Penny shouted, laughing with happiness. She ran to the door and grabbed her coat, shouting up the stairs. "Prue, looking after your sisters!"
...
She ran across the beach. "Bella?" She yelled but got no reply. She ran further to the spot were they normally stayed and sighed in relief when she saw Bella playing in the sand.
"Oh thank god! You're okay!" She said happily, pulling Bella into tight hug.
"Hi, Grams! In a couple of hours it'll be christmas!" The little girl said in delight and Penny couldn't help but laugh with her.
"Where have you been staying?" Penny asked as she pulled back to look at the little girls face.
"There's a cave over there. I stayed there for a while." She said pointing across the beach before moving her head closer to Penny's and whispered. "I met daddy! He let me stay with him in his flat, he said I could go and life with him if I wanted to. Can I Grams?"
Penny stared at her grand-daughter before Bella turned her head to the right and smiled. Penny turned her head too and her eyes widened when she saw Charlie and a mousy brunette standing side by side holding ice creams.
...
"That was as good as kidnapping!" Penny hissed once they were back at the manor and Renee had took Bella into the livingroom.
"Look, it's your own fault for not letting me see her and anyway, I've done some research and as long as she wants to stay with me she can." Charlie shrugged and Penny shook her head.
"So what? You're going to fight for custody? Take her away from me, is that it?"
"Actually I was thinking that you'll just let me take her on Boxing day." Charlie said and she laughed at him in disbelief. "But if you don't then yes I will fight for custody and my lawyer says I have a better chance at getting it than you do. If it comes down to it Penny and I have to fight, then this will be the last you'll see of Bella. You'll never see her again...so what's it going to be? Give her to me on boxing day and see her occasionally or fight for custody and never see her at all."
Penny stared at him, shocked to see that he was completely serious. So she sighed and nodded. Atleast she would get to see her.
February 1995 (Seven years old)
Charlie and Renee Swan shifted uncomfortably under the stare of Penny Halliwell. This was a day they both dreaded.
Today would have been Patty Halliwell's birthday if she had still been alive and for the past three years the couple had to endure a long dinner with Penny, Prue, Phoebe, Piper and Bella.
Phoebe and Piper were easy to get along with, both polite and sweet. Prue glared at them, refusing to talk and Penny refused to talk to them too. She talked mostly to Bella, about what she liked and disliked but kept her eyes on Renee and Charlie.
"So what's the book called Bells?" Phoebe asked.
"Matilda, I love it." Bella smiled widely and Charlie couldn't help but smile with her. She loved that book so much she made him read it to her every night and once he was done she would make him start from the beginning and read it all over again.
"It's not that good." Prue said, picking at her food.
"I would love to be able to move things with my mind." Bella sighed.
"Me too Kid." Prue muttered and Penny hid her smirk, if only they knew.
"Mom, can we go to the beach this afternoon?" Bella asked Renee and everything went silent. Penny's face grew redder and redder and Charlie knew it would only be a matter of time before she exploded.
"We'll see sweetheart." Renee whispered but everyone heard her and this seemed to anger Penny even more.
"What did she just call her?" Penny exclaimed making Bella jump.
"Penny listen-" Charlie started but Penny was having none of it.
"She is not her mother, Patty would have cared a whole lot more than her!"
"Did I say something wrong mom?" Bella asked, holding back tears as she climbed onto Renee's lap.
"Of course not, baby." Renee said, rubbing circles on Bella's back.
"What more do you expect Penny? Renee's raising her, of couse she's going to think of her as a mother. What more can we do?"
"TELL HER THE TRUTH! OR BETTER YET, DON'T MARRY A CHEAP TART!" Penny screamed and Charlie's face was starting to go purple.
"You can forget seeing her! She doesn't need to be around you, poisoning her head!" Charlie said grabbing his coat before whispering so only Penny could hear. "And you can forget your precious charmed one's because as long as I'm alive she will never be a witch!"
"It's her destiny!"
"She's a little girl! Look at her!" Charlie snapped, pointing at Bella who was now playing with Renee's hair. "If you gave her back her powers she will most likely be dead by the time she's twenty! Do you want that for her? Because Patty wouldn't! But that's you all over isn't it Penny? Caring more about their god damned destiny than you do about them!"
"DON'T SAY THAT! I LOVE THEM VERY MUCH!"
"Then do us all a favour and leave her as she is!" Charlie snapped, passing Renee her coat and took Bella in his arms.
Penny watched fuming. How dare he! He would willingly take away his daughters destiny, her birth right! She watched as they headed for the door and her expression softened when Bella peered over her fathers shoulder to wave.
November 1997 (Ten Years Old)
Bella jumped as she listened to, yet another, plate smash into a wall. She could feel herself shaking, tears running down her face fast and all she wanted to do was pretend this wasn't happening.
"I want you out! I want you gone NOW!" She heard Charlie yell.
"Fine but I'm taking Bella with me!" Renee screamed back.
"No chance! In case you haven't noticed she's not your daughter!"
"HOW DARE YOU! When we met you told me to treat her like my own and I have! She's as good as my daughter and she always will be! Whether we break up or not so don't even try that on me!"
"She will never be your daughter Renee and thank god for that! Who knows what she'd have turned out like if she was!"
"She's as much my little girl as she is yours!" Renee screamed and Bella's tears came even quicker as she heard her parents storming up the stairs. Moving closer to her room.
"If you don't leave, I will!" Charlie snapped as he stormed into Bella's room and picked her up off the bed. He turned to leave but Renee quickly closed the door and stood in front of it. Looking more nervous than before. "Move Renee!"
"Please Charlie, don't do this. I love her. You can't take her away from me." Renee sobbed and Charlie's face fell slightly. He looked down at Bella before looking back up at Renee and he sighed. He placed her back on the bed and tucked her in before turning back to Renee, fury back on his face.
"I want a divorce." He snapped. "You have never been as good as Patty. As a wife and a mother, she will always be better than you and I can't stick with second best."
Renee flinched as he stormed past her, slamming the door closed behind him. Renee let out another sob as she saw Bella's brown eyes, peeking at her from under the cover and she went to lie down with her. Holding onto her tightly.
Bella lay there, wide awake as Renee shook with sobs. If this was what marriage was like then she never wanted to get married.
...
Bella heard her name being called and she turned away from her book to see Charlie standing by her doorway, watching her sadly. She smiled at him as he walked into the room and sat down next to her.
"Sweetheart, I have to go." Charlie told her and Bella felt her heart drop.
"Why?" She asked and Charlie held back the tears that were almost falling down his face.
"Me and your mom don't love each other any more and we don't think that you should have to put up with this." Charlie explained, not able to look his daughter in the eye.
"Please, stay."
"I can't baby girl." Charlie sighed, kissing Bella on the side of her head.
"Please, daddy. I promise I'll be better. I'll tidy my room when you tell me to. I won't fall over and break things again, I'll get better grades at school but please don't go." Bella sobbed and the tears that Charlie had been holding back slowly leaked down his face.
"I'm sorry baby, but I can't stay." Charlie said getting up. "Be a good girl."
That was the last time she saw him.
May 1998 (Still Ten Years Old)
Renee looked down at the baby in her arms. He had Charlie's eyes. That was the part she hated the most. Finding out she was pregnant after Charlie had left was hard. It was going to be even harder watching the baby grow up to look like her ex-husband.
"Mom? Are you okay?" Bella asked from beside her and Renee smiled, nodding slightly.
"Do you want to hold your little brother?" Renee asked and Bella nodded, smiling as Renee put the baby on her lap, telling her to support his head.
"What are you going to call him?" Bella asked as the baby gripped onto her finger.
"I want you to name him sweetie." Renee told her and Bella's eyes widened in shock.
"Really?" She gasped and Renne nodded again, as Bella looked back down on her brother.
"What about Danny?" Bella suggested and Renee smiled widely.
"Danny is a lovely name. Danny Swan." Renee watched as Bella leaned down to kiss Danny's head and she sighed.
Maybe things would get better...or not.
...
Renee's day had gone from bad to worse. She had just found out that her boss had given her job to someone else while she was on maternity leave, Bella's school called to tell her that Bella had been suspended for getting into a fight with a girl who said Danny didn't count as her brother, Danny had been crying all day and no matter what she did he wouldn't stop and Penny Halliwell decided to pay them a visit.
"Charlie's not here." Renee told her as she made tea.
"I know, which is why I'm here." Penny replied simply and Renee frowned.
"You said you needed to talk to me about something."
"Yes. I have only just heard about yours and Charlie's divorce and I think it's best that Bella stayed with family." Renee's heart dropped.
"She's with family. Me and her brother."
"She needs to be with her sisters. She needs to bond with Prue before it's too late." Penny said and Renee couldn't believe what she was hearing, already knowing about Bella's 'destiny'.
"Charlie was right. This is all about the Charmed ones. It had nothing to do with Bella's wellfair!"
"Lets cut the crap Renee." Penny said shortly. "I'm sure Danny is such an angel...and you wouldn't want to loose him would you?"
Renee flinched at the obvious threat and her eyes welled with tears as she knew that she was going to loose one of her children, one way or another.
March 2002 (Fourteen Years Old)
Penny watched her granddaughter read Pride and Predjudice not paying attention to any of them as Piper and Prue rushed through the room.
"Bella." Penny whispered after a while and Bella looked up reluctantly. "Why don't you read something else for a change. You've read that book over and over again. It must be getting really boring."
Bella didn't reply, just looked back at her book and turned the page. Penny sighed, stupid teenage attitude. She wanted her granddaughter back, not this moody, quiet one.
"Roger seems to have forgotten an entire forest of his family tree so now the head count for the ceremony is up to 180. I know..." Prue said down the phone and Penny sighed again, something wasn't right about that Rodger.
"Grams! The doctor was very clear when he said no caffeine." Piper said when she walked into the room. She took the cup out of Penny's hands and went to get some tea bags out of the cupboard. "Here, have some nice tea."
"No, that would just be my sister yelling and it will be a lot easier when I move out." Prue said down the phone and Bella smirked.
"Wish you'd hurry up and leave." She muttered but Prue heard her and gave her a dirty look.
"Grams, where's the paper?" Piper yelled, smirking at an irratated Prue as Penny passed her the newspaper.
"Can I call you back? Thank you." Prue hung up and Penny decided it would be a good idea to start talking so it wouldn't cause a arguement.
"You know, I'm so glad to have the three of you in the same place. It's a rarity. Oh, listen, do me a favour, I just treated myself and bought…tada!" She said, holding up a camera and Prue looked over the camera impressed.
"A great new camera. Even though it's last years model." Prue said and Penny just shrugged.
"Well, I just like to just get a picture, you know."
"Did you say you were moving out?" Piper asked Prue and Penny sighed.
"Yes, I did. We can't all live here with Grams forever."
"Yeah, uh, maybe just a couple of quick shots, you know, candids." Penny tried to get their attention but the were too busy.
"Uh, when was this decided?" Piper asked and Prue rolled her eyes.
"Oh, I don't know, probably when I was proposed to."
"Maybe later." Penny whispered, grabbing her chest and Bella finally looked up from her book.
"Grams?" She said, dropping the book and rushing to Penny's side. "Please sit down."
"You only just got back from the hospital." Prue said, frowning as she watched Bella tend to their Grams, doing something something for someone else for the first time in months.
"Okay, I'll take it easy." Penny said before the doorbell rang. "Right after I get that."
Penny walked towards the door, ignoring the girls protests as they followed and opened the door to reveal Phoebe and two police men.
"Miss Halliwell?" One of them asked and Penny sighed.
"Can I hear what she did before I answer that?" Penny said and Phoebe rolled her eyes.
"She was caught shoplifting." He told her as Piper and Prue shared a look.
"Oh, that is so not true, I just forgot to pay for them Grams. The store's not even pressing charges." Phoebe said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Phoebe." Penny sighed and Phoebe rolled her eyes again.
"Oh, please don't sound so disappointed. Look, you're always talking about how we should spend more time together and, well, here we all are. Okay, that was really fun." Phoebe said sarcastically as she walked into the house and stood next to Bella, who was the only one not glaring at her.
"Phoebe, what is the matter with you? How can you behave so recklessly? What about your destiny, your-your future?" Penny asked and Phoebe's jaw clenched.
"Well, maybe my future plans don't match up to the ones that you've mapped out."
"We're, uh, gonna need to take back those shoes that you..." the cop trailed off awkwardly and Phoebe smirked.
"Forgot to pay for." Phoebe said, taking the shoes off and throwing them at him, one by one.
"Right." The other cop said sarcastically before they left.
...
"Okay, girls, now if you could just move a little closer, okay? Uh, Phoebe, turn to me, I wanna be able to get your good side." Penny said holding up the camera once they were on the porch.
"I don't think she has a good side Grams." Piper teased.
"Can we please just get this over with?" Bella whined, shifting from foot to foot.
"Why you got plans?" Prue asked and Bella rolled her eyes, knowing where she was going with it.
"Prue, all I'm getting is shoulder." Penny said.
"Anyone that I know?" Prue asked, not paying attention to Penny.
"I'm sure lying beneath all that sarcasum is a point and if it's about Rodger-" Bella said but was cut off by Prue.
"He said you'd called him yesterday."
"Looking for you! Prue, I'm not going to defend myself when I didn't do anything wrong!"
"Really?" Prue asked sarcastically.
"She was just trying to be nice to the guy who's going to become part of this family. I'm not even sure I want to be a part of this family." Phoebe said.
"The sun is shifting, could you step down one step please." Penny asked and they did what they were told.
"And why would I want to spend my time with a wimp thats got mother issues?" Bella asked and Prue's eyes flashed.
"And why would I believe anything you say? You don't even know the difference between what you own and what me and Piper own."
"Okay." Piper said cutting into the fight. "Are we done?"
Penny gasped and clutched at her chest, bending over in pain.
"Grams!" Phoebe exclaimed and they all ran over to her.
"Grams!" Prue said nervously.
"Okay, take shallow breaths." Piper said.
"Should I call a doctor?" Bella asked, not really knowing what to do.
"No doctor. Just a picture." Penny gasped. "Is that too much for an old lady to ask. For her grand daughters to stand still and pose for some lousy picture."
The four girls shared a look before walking round the house on the lawn and posed ready from Penny to take the picture.
...
Penny was in the kitchen making a potion when Bella walked in.
"I'm going to finish the brownies and don't even try and stop me." Bella warned, knowing Penny disagreed with her cooking by herself at her age.
"Piper's beaten you to it, but I've got backup. What do you say we whip up your favourite double chocolate decadence cake." Penny suggested and Bella couldn't help but smile.
"That's Piper's favourite Grams and isn't decadence French for 'don't even think about it'? What are you making?" Bella asked, peering into the pot.
"Oh, just keeping my hands busy." Penny lied as Phoebe walked into the kitchen and grabbed her keys. "Oh, Phoebe, uh, Bella and I were just thinking of whipping up something we'll regret tomorrow. Care to join us?" Penny asked but Phoebe didn't answer. "Where are you going?"
"Out." Was Phoebe's reply before she walked out of the room without another word. Penny sighed and Bella looked at her sadly.
"One second thought." Bella said. "Do you need a hand?"
She grabbed some of the ingredients and chucked it into the pot while Penny watched her fondly. "What?" Bella asked when she noticed her staring.
"How did you know what to add?" Penny asked and Bella smiled.
"I picked a few things off Piper over the years."
"Why does that girl insist on wasting her talents behind some counter in a bank?" Penny muttered and Bella sighed.
"Because her talents don't come with health insurance. Prue's getting married, Phoebe's being...Phoebe and it's hard to get full time jobs when you're fourteen and still in school. Piper's just being pratical."
"She shouldn't at the expese of her dreams." Penny insisted.
"You know that and I know that but Piper won't listen. What's important is that we don't loose the house and we pay for you're hospital bills."
Penny was silent for a while and Bella could tell that she still wasn't happy that Piper wasn't following her dreams.
"Tell you what." Bella said suddenly making Penny turn towards her. "After you get better I'll help you convince Piper to quit. We'll gang up on her and then maybe she will finally get a better job. 'Kay?"
Penny smiled sadly as Bella left the room, knowing that Bella truely believed that she was going to get better.
...
Bella was in her bedroom listening to music when she heard a loud bang come from outside. She turned the music down and listened hard.
"Prue! Phoebe! Bella! Someone help!" She heard Piper scream and her heart dropped as she ran out of her room to find Piper holding Penny's body.
"Grams." She whispered, tears clouding her vision as she fell to the floor besides Piper.
...
Prue and Piper were sitting at the table going over the plans for Penny's funeral when Bella came downstairs and sat down next to them.
"So what flowers should we go for at the wake?" Prue asked. "I was thinking Lillies."
"What about sun flowers?" Bella suggested and both of her sisters turned towards her.
"What?" Prue snapped.
"Well...they were Grams favourite. So what if they aren't what people usually get for funerals, she should have her favourite flowers at her funeral." Bella said and Piper seemed to like the idea...Prue was furious.
"Are you kidding?" She exclaimed. "We're burying her! How can you even think we should have sun flowers at her funeral? Are you completely stupid?"
"Prue! The funeral is meant to be about Grams, not you! We should be thinking of things that she liked! The food she liked, the music she liked, the flowers she liked. The whole point is to celebrate her life! If it was me in her place then I would have liked to have things my way not yours."
"Well it should be you in her place!" Prue snarled. Piper's eyes widened as she looked at Prue in disbelief. Phoebe, who had been listening from the sitting room, glared murderously at her while Bella kept her eyes down. Prue's glare lessened as she realised what she said before busying herself with the funeral arangements.
"We'll go with Lillies." She muttered but Piper and Phoebe weren't going to let it go that easy.
"How dare you say that to her!" Phoebe snarled.
"Prue, she's our sister. She's family, how could you say something like that to her?" Piper said.
"She's our half sister. She doesn't class as family!" Prue snapped and Bella walked out of the room quickly as tears started to run down her face.
...
"I'd still like to know what she was doing up there." Prue said after the wake.
"Up where?" Bella asked.
"Piper thinks Grams was in the attic before she died." Prue explained, not looking Bella in the eye.
"That's not possible." Phoebe said. "She told us the attic was sealed off."
"Then what was she doing coming down the stairs?" Piper asked.
"I think the more important question is what are we doing?" Everyone turned to Phoebe confused.
"What do you mean?" Prue asked.
"I mean, precisely what Grams was always concerned about. Our future. The only reason we're all still here together is because of her and now, Prue, you've already got one foot out the door, Bella, all you really want to do is move back in with Renee and Danny, and Piper, I know you don't wanna bunk with me any longer than you have to, so let's just face it, she was the glue." Phoebe explained.
"Why don't we talk about this over dinner. I'll make one of Grams' favourite meals. She always liked the idea of me being in the kitchen." Piper said, smiling slightly in rememberance.
"Uh, actually, I'm sort of supposed to spend the night with Roger." Prue told her and Piper turned to Phoebe.
"I was thinking of getting out of here." Phoebe said and Bella's head snapped up, her eyes wide.
"What do you mean 'get out of here'?" Bella asked nervously.
"Are you going out?" Piper asked, sounding just as nervous.
"No. Going away." Phoebe said as she picked up her bag. "I don't know what my future holds but I know that it isn't in San Francisco."
"Phoebe, you don't have to-" Prue started but was cut off by Phoebe.
"No, it's okay. We all know that that the only thing I contribute to this foursome is trouble...I'm gonna go and see if New York thinks of me. Whatever my destiny may be, I might find it there." Phoebe said, hugging Bella tightly and whispered "be good and don't turn out like me."
"Phoebe, what about school. You're seventeen." Piper protested but Phoebe just shook her head.
"School will still be here if I come back. Besides, we all knew that I was never going to stick in school for very long." Phoebe smiled at all of them before leaving.
It was silent after she had gone, all of them not really knowing what to say.
"I guess I'm gonna..." Prue trailed off and Piper nodded.
"Yep." She muttered as Prue left and it was just Bella and Piper.
Bella looked up at Piper. "Table for two?" She asked and Piper managed to smile.
September 2002 (Nearlly Fifteen Years Old)
"Are you sure the other two are okay with this?" Phoebe asked Bella down the phone.
"Oh, yeah, sure." Bella said, glad she could lie better down the phone than she could in person.
"I'm surprised Prue hasn't got the house on lockdown." Phoebe joked down the phone not knowing that it was actually the reason why Bella hadn't told her that Phoebe was coming home.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Bella said before she and Phoebe hung up and Bella turned to Piper who was sitting on her bed.
"You really do need to tell her. She'll be more angry if you don't." Piper warned but Bella just shook her head.
"If I tell her she'll change the locks."
"Bella, I don't have a good feeling about this." Piper told her and she rolled her eyes.
"Piper, come on. What could possibly happen by letting Phoebe come home?"
I know Prue was a bit of a bitch in this and to those who like Prue I'm sorry but this is why Prue and Bella don't have a great relationship.
I don't know much about custody and stuff like that so if I got anything wrong, I'm sorry.
Please review and tell me what you think :)