CHARMED
"Halliday Greetings"
by shel
© december 2006
disclaimer: the charmed ones, cole, and leo, and the rest of the cast of characters we've come to know and love, belong to spelling television, inc. and possible other copyright holders. i intended no true infringement on their copyrights; i only wanted to borrow these marvelous characters for a short time in my own scenarios and hopefully return them no worse for wear; the only things i've gained from this story are the satisfaction and pleasure of having written it and in knowing that others may have enjoyed it too…
rating: pg-13
summary: a peek at christmas eve in the halliwell manor…
timeline: 2001 - midway between s4's 'muse to my ears' and 'paige from the past'…
archive: please don't without expressed permission…
notes: minor reference to s3's 'all hell breaks loose' and 'death takes a halliwell'…please let me know if you enjoyed my tale and why and, if not, why not…and, please, don't bother wasting your time or mine by sending any flames…
Christmas Eve - - - December 24, 2001
Phoebe sighed and rested her head on Piper's shoulder as they leaned back on the sofa and admired the decorated tree. This year, they'd selected a slightly smaller tree and, instead of moving the furniture from the bay window to showcase it, they'd placed it next to the fireplace. "Should we move the coffee table back now?"
Piper looked to the corner where they'd crammed the table. "After Christmas. It'll only be in the way when we sit on the floor and open presents. You know that Prue always --"
When Piper abruptly stopped mid-sentence, Phoebe nudged the angel she still held towards Piper and whispered, "You should put her up." She felt Piper's head shake and half-heartedly urged, "But you're ol--"
"Not oldest," Piper's voice cracked when she interrupted. "I'm not the oldest."
Phoebe snuggled into her sister's side and sniffled in a failing attempt not to burst into tears. "It's not fair."
Piper wrapped both of her arms around her sister and, as tears also trickled down her own cheeks, agreed, "No, it's not." She kissed the top of Phoebe's head and pulled back slightly as she took the angel. She fingered the delicate velvet and lace trim of the doll's dress, "Remember when we were little how we'd always beg Prue that it was our turn."
"But she declared that as oldest, it was her job," Phoebe murmured, almost hearing Prue's voice in her head as she did.
Piper gently pressed the angel back in her sister's hands, "Go on. New tradition, alternating years, youngest goes first."
"Then we should get Paige," Phoebe quietly reminded her.
"Sorry," Piper whispered to the sister who wasn't even home. Even though she loved Paige, she still wasn't completely used to thinking of Phoebe as anything but her baby sister.
Phoebe lifted her head and gazed into her sister's red eyes, "I can't."
Piper wiped away some tears from Phoebe's cheeks and tried to smile, "Prue would want you to." She understood Phoebe's reluctance but assured her younger sister, "She would." She got to her feet, "I'll get the ladder again."
"Don't bother," Phoebe told her before she stood. Without waiting for a response, she levitated to the top of the tree and carefully nestled the angel among the branches. She lowered herself to the floor and stepped back to look up.
Piper hugged Phoebe from behind, "Perfect."
"It's her job," Phoebe tearfully complained. "She should be here. I love Paige but I miss Prue. I miss her so much."
Piper kissed Phoebe's temple, "Me too." Then, drawing her sister back, she once again took in the strand of white lights and eclectic collection of ornaments, knowing there were still boxes unused in the attic. "Maybe less really is more."
"The tree does look nice," Phoebe admitted. "I'm sorry, Piper, for not being more, more…"
Piper squeezed her arms tighter around Phoebe, "Hey, I haven't exactly been exuding Christmas cheer this year either."
"You did make those cookies," Phoebe considered, "and those brownies, and that gingerbread house, and you still cooked an entire dinner fit for an army."
Piper rolled her eyes and pulled away, "You know what I mean."
Phoebe couldn't help but smile before she sighed, "Poor Paige. Her first Christmas with her new sisters and we're barely in the holiday spirit."
"She understands. They've been gone for some years but it's still hard for her to celebrate without her parents."
"She doesn't talk much about what happened to them. I get the feeling she's carrying a lot of guilt and I'm not sure why."
"Give her time," Piper advised. "We're still learning a lot about each other."
Phoebe nodded and turned around to face her sister, "Do you think it was a mistake to invite Dad for dinner?"
"Of course not! Look," Piper softened her tone, "Paige is family and there'll be plenty of time for her to get to know Dad. But she also needs to spend some quality time with her adoptive family. She said she hasn't seen her aunt and uncle in ages."
"So you don't think she's avoiding us? She barely helped with what little decorating we did do."
"Mainly because she's been so overloaded at work," Piper disagreed. "Besides, she'll celebrate all day with us tomorrow. Now, come on, we have to get changed for church. Leo will orb us there and Dad will drive us all home." She'd only taken a few steps before realizing that Phoebe wasn't following her. "Pheebs?"
"I'm, uh, I'm skipping church this year." Phoebe quickly continued before Piper could say a word, "It's just that Cole doesn't celebrate the holiday and he's had a rough time lately and I just…"
"Need to spend some quality time with him," Piper finished for her. "Okay then. I'll see you later. I love you."
"Me too," Phoebe smiled sadly as she echoed Prue's familiar response. But as Piper reached the staircase, she called out, "Could you tell Cole to come down and get one of his presents from under the tree?"
"You know we don't open any presents until tomorrow," Piper chastised, "and that goes for Cole too whether he celebrates the holiday or not."
"This's different," Phoebe promised.
Seeing something reflected back in her sister's eye, Piper frowned, "Phoebe, what are you up to?"
"Me? I'm not up to anything. Cole on the other hand…" Phoebe teased while she pulled her sweater over her head.
"What're you…" But then Piper spied her sister's red lace bra and uttered with new understanding, "Oh." Then, rolling her eyes, she warned as she turned away, "Santa doesn't bring presents for naughty little girls, y'know."
"Good thing mine're already under the tree then, huh," Phoebe giggled as she peeled out of her jeans.
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"Phoebe?"
"In here," Phoebe called out from her spot on the blanket in front of the fire. "C'mon and open a present." She smoothed one of her strategically placed bows. It hadn't been easy wrapping the ribbon around herself and tying it between her breasts in a big bow. She shifted position and wished he'd hurry down the stairs because the ribbon was itchy and it wouldn't be very sexy if he caught her scratching herself.
"Piper warned me about opening gifts before Christmas day and I'm currently without powers," Cole declined as he came down the last of the stairs.
"Don't tell me the former-Belthazor's chicken," she patiently teased while waiting for him to enter the room.
"Only where Piper's concerned," he muttered nearly in jest. "Now what's so important it can't wait until tomorrow?" Cole's voice faded as he'd turned towards the room and spotted Phoebe lying on the blanket near the tree. The red ribbons barely covering her essentials could hardly be considered decent attire. Frozen in place, he asked, "For me?"
She checked the gift tag she'd attached to the ribbon, "To Cole Turner. That's," she gazed up at him, "you, isn't it?"
"Last I checked. But," he considered as he slowly approached, "you know I don't celebrate Christmas, so why am I getting presents?"
"'Tis the season," she replied with a smile. "Besides," she patted the blanket in invitation, "Santa had it on good authority that you've been a good little boy."
Cole stopped in his place before taking a step back, "Now I know it's for someone else."
Her smile faltered, "Nope, it's for you."
He nearly apologized before deciding to tease her instead, "Well, I'm not about to risk being blown up by your older sister. I may not be able to shimmer or throw energy balls anymore but I still have will-power and I aim to use it."
Phoebe glared at him and propped herself up on her elbow, smushing the pillows she'd been resting on, too annoyed to be amused by the way his eyes nearly popped out of his head, "You should worry more about what my human father will do to you if he finds naked me waiting here still all wrapped up."
"Maybe I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth," he considered as he rubbed his chin in mock concentration.
"Are you calling me a horse?" she snapped.
"I've got a feeling some riding will be involved shortly," he mused.
"Or maybe not," she grumbled as she fluffed the pillows in annoyance and folded her arms across her middle.
He caught the way she'd rubbed her arm against the ribbon. "Itchy?" Then, grinning, he offered, "Maybe I should do something about that."
She glanced down at the bow before looking back to him. "Maybe you should," she still pouted.
Cole knelt on the blanket next to her, gently pushed her shoulder back to the floor with one hand while tugging on the ribbon with the other and agreed, "Maybe I should…"
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"I love you, Cole," she nuzzled his chest with her nose.
Propped on the pillows, Cole reached up behind him and tugged down the spare blanket from the sofa. Draping it over them, he wrapped his arm around Phoebe and kissed her forehead, "And I love my present." He lazily stroked her arm with his fingertips and, after a few moments of companionable silence, complimented, "The tree looks nice."
"And you can actually see the tree," she chuckled before explaining, "Normally it's covered with so many ornaments and lights you can barely tell it's there. But this year…Prue…"
"I'm sorry."
She tilted her head in order to kiss his lips, "I've told you before, it's no one's fault. Not mine for going after you and not yours for not --"
"But if I'd moved faster, I might've been able to --"
"The Source sent too many demons to trap us," she recalled with a shudder. Grateful for the arm that squeezed her comfortingly, she quietly murmured, "She'd seen the Angel of Death, Cole. Deep down we all knew Prue was on borrowed time."
"Still…"
Phoebe kissed his chest before pulling away and sitting up. "If you hadn't been as fast as you were, it might've been only Piper and Leo celebrating this year. You saved my life, Cole, and then, despite the danger, you came back to me. We're together and that's all that really matters, not sweaters or gloves or DVD's or…" Suddenly, she reached for his hand and pressed it to her heart, "This is what I want to give to you, Cole, the only thing that counts. I give you my love, my trust."
Tracing the contour of her cheek and chin, he spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, "And your gift saves me, Phoebe. After all we've been through, knowing I have your love, that's what keeps me going. I may have a lot to learn about being human but with you by my side, I can't fail."
"You won't," she promised before claiming his lips and pulling him back down with her.
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"Oh, look, another present for Paige," Paige declared as she rolled her eyes. "You guys, I told you not to do all this."
"We've got a lot of Christmases to catch up on," Piper reasoned with a smile as she cuddled close to Leo. "Let us spoil you."
"It won't last long, believe me," Phoebe teased, ducking just in time from the pillow Paige flung at her. Phoebe stuck her tongue out at her younger sister and grinned when Paige returned the gesture.
"Hot chocolate's ready," Cole announced as he entered the room carrying a tray of mugs.
"Didn't know demons could make hot chocolate," Paige teased distractedly as she ripped the wrapping paper.
"Paige…" Phoebe smiled to Cole as he set the tray down on the floor. "Thanks, baby, it looks delicious." She waited for him to sit and then wriggled her way onto his lap.
"Oh, wow, you guys, these are great!" Paige displayed her new set of paint brushes for everyone to see.
"We figured since you've taken up painting again," Piper explained, "you should have some new brushes to help inspire you."
"They're terrific, thanks."
"You're welcome," Phoebe smiled in return before turning back to Cole, "And I should send you back upstairs."
"Why?"
"Because the rest of us are in our pajamas and robes and you're in a sweater and jeans," Paige replied.
"It's red," he tugged at his sweater.
"And you know I love you in it," Phoebe pecked his lips with hers, "but it's tradition --"
"Not my holiday," he reminded them.
"Doesn't matter," Paige insisted, "if we're all dressed this way. You --"
"Why am I even arguing about this?" Cole muttered. "It's just a --"
"You're new at this, Cole, and may not have known that, in this family," Piper quickly interrupted in a light tone in an attempt to keep the holiday mood, "it's a tradition to wear your jammies when opening presents on Christmas day."
"Or not," Cole argued as buried his lips in the crook of Phoebe's neck.
Piper saw the blush spreading across her younger sister's cheeks and quickly tried to distract the amorous couple by loudly asking Paige, "Any more presents under the tree?"
Paige turned and stretched for a small wrapped box, "Just this one."
When Paige didn't announce who it was for, Piper wondered, "Something wrong?"
Paige hesitated to answer, "It's for Prue."
Phoebe immediately twisted in Cole's arms and exclaimed a warning, "Don't." She saw her sisters staring at her and apologized, "It's…I ordered it months ago before she…Then they ran out and it was on backorder and with her…I'd forgotten all about it until it finally arrived and I…" Grateful for Cole's hands squeezing her shoulders, she could barely finish speaking, "I know she can't be here today to open it but I thought, I thought maybe one day…"
"She will," Piper predicted.
Paige carefully set the package back under the tree, "We'll keep it for her, every Christmas, until she does."
Leo pulled away from Piper and leaned forward to take a mug of hot chocolate. Handing it to Piper, who passed it to Paige, he handed another one to his wife before taking one for himself. "A toast," he said as he waited for Phoebe to take mugs for herself and Cole. "A toast to light and truth, to good triumphing over evil."
"To love and those we miss today," Paige spoke up, "to my parents…"
"To Grams and Mom," Phoebe quietly added.
Her voice cracked as Piper looked from Paige to lock eyes with Phoebe, "To Prue."
"To the Charmed Ones," Cole finished before raising his mug.
Carefully clinking her mug to Cole's before clinking with her sisters', Phoebe softly wished her loved ones, "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas," her sisters simultaneously responded before sipping from their mugs.
"And happy New Year," Leo added before kissing Piper's cheek.
"Whatever," Cole muttered into the rim of his mug as he sipped the hot liquid.
Phoebe couldn't help herself and let out a giggle which led to a chain reaction resulting in the Halliwell manor being filled with laughter and light.
The End
wishing my readers happy holidays, no matter which you celebrate…with many thanks for your support and encouragement and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year…
- shel : )