Something Wicca Another Way Goes

Summary: While flipping through the Book of Shadows, Paige accidentally summons a Prue from a very different alternate reality.

A/N: Just to let you all know, this might not be updated for a while. I'm currently working on two other chapter stories which are only half-way done. Don't press that 'back' button just yet, though, as I'm excited about this story and might make room for it in between, and will continue with passion once the other two are done. Even now, I should be finishing an essay, but this prologue has been driving me absolutely nuts.

Also, those of you might remember my one-shot, "Something Wicca This Way Came." Though this is not a continuation, per se, that piece could be thought of as a companion, thus the similar "Something Wicca…" title. Meaning, that one-shot actually happened in this story. Confused? Eh, just ignore everything I just said, it's not that important anyway.

One last note then I promise I'll get on with it. I'm still planning this story, and in order to correctly plot the other timeline I have to get the show timeline right. If anyone wants to help not with writing but with providing show facts as I need them, I'd be eternally grateful.

Halliwell Manor, 2011

Her arms full of grocery bags, Paige managed to unlock the manor door with her free hand, push it open with her hip, and stumble into the foyer. She, Piper and Phoebe were having their first dinner together in almost a whole month, and she had been looking forward to it for just as long. "Piper! Hey, Piper! I did the grocery shopping you asked me to do. Help me lug all this stuff in!"

"Hey Paige."

Paige looked up to see not her sister, but her brother-in-law standing in the living room doorway. When Leo took most of the bags from her, she gave him a hug in greeting. "Hey Leo! I've missed you and everyone so much!"

"We've missed you too," Leo assured her. "How's Henry and Henry Jr.?"

Smiling, Paige answered, "They're both great, taking the night without Mommy to do some male bonding. Honestly, I'm happy they didn't want to come. They might've gotten a little uncomfortable once the three of us started the good gossip."

Leo chuckled, balancing some of the bags on his knee. "Speaking of which, the boys and I are getting out of here too. I'm taking them to a baseball game with their grandpa – Victor's meeting us there. But they're in the living room if you want to say hi while I drop these off in the kitchen."

"Of course! When do I ever not want to see my nephews?" Paige replied, setting the bags she'd been left holding down while Leo headed towards the kitchen. Entering the living room, she laughed as she saw an eight-year-old Wyatt orbing around the room, with seven-year-old Chris struggling to keep up.

Paige watched for a moment in amusement, knowing it was a game Wyatt had invented called "Follow the Orb." More often than not, Wyatt started out the winner, but then Chris' determination would lead him to victory. Holding out her hand she called, "Boys!"

The two surprised brothers stopped mid-orb and fell to the ground in a heap. Glaring at his aunt, Chris whined, "Aunt Paige, what'd you do that for? A few more minutes and I would've caught him!"

"In your dreams, shrimp," Wyatt teased, referring to his small height advantage over his brother. "You should be thanking her for saving you from losing…again."

Chris redirected his glare to his older brother. "You only won that one time because I mis-orbed and crashed into that floor lamp."

'Not my fault you're hopeless when it comes to aim," Wyatt taunted again.

Paige put two fingers to her mouth and whistled. When they both turned to her, she said, "Hey! You haven't seen me for a month, and this is the welcome I get? Come here, you two!"

The boys resisted a bit when she pulled them both into a hug, but were excited to see her nonetheless. Confused, Wyatt asked, "Are you coming to the game too?"

Smirking, Chris retorted, "No, you idiot. She's here to talk with Mommy and Aunt Phoebe about girly stuff. That's why Dad's taking us to the game."

"Chris!" Paige exclaimed, chiding him for what he'd called his brother.

Chris' face turned red. "Sorry, Aunt Paige…and Wyatt…"

"Good, now you two have fun at your game," Paige said, kissing them both on top of their heads when she spotted Leo coming back into the room. "Do you know if your aunt Phoebe is here yet?"

Shaking his head, Wyatt answered, "No, Mommy said that Aunt Phoebe would be a little late, 'cause she's waiting for Uncle Coop to get back to watch Prue."

"Oh, okay then. See you when you when you get home!" Paige called as she went into the foyer, knowing both she and Phoebe were planning on sleeping over, just like old times. Prue was Phoebe's four-year-old daughter.

Once she reached the hallway, Paige hesitated before going into the kitchen. Piper was on the phone. While that wouldn't have stopped Paige normally, she'd heard a line or two of the conversation. Piper was talking to Phoebe about Prue, the one who passed away ten years ago.

"Yes, Phoebe, I know the anniversary is coming up…you think I would forget that?" Piper was saying, her tone filled with a mix of exasperation and sadness. "I know, I miss her too, Prue was a great big sister…it was ten years ago, Pheebs, we've both done our best to get over it…of course I'll never forget her! How could I? You're being ridiculous…we've tried summoning her spirit, and it hasn't worked in the last five years, what makes you think it will work now…alright, I'll think about it, but don't say anything in front of Paige. You know she still tenses up whenever we talk about Prue…what do you mean, you don't know if you can get through tonight without talking about her? Get your butt over here! Paige will be so disappointed…hell, I'll be so disappointed…alright, see you in a half hour."

Paige would've dropped the groceries if she hadn't been so intent on not alerting Piper of her presence. Quietly putting the bags on the floor, she turned around and ran up the stairs to the attic.

Wiping a tear from her eye, she closed the attic door behind her and went to the Book. How could she have been so stupid? Did she really think her sisters weren't constantly thinking about Prue, talking about Prue…But what hurt the most was that they'd tried to summon her spirit without even telling Paige. Didn't they think that Paige would've wanted to meet the lost sister? All she ever heard was how wonderful Prue was, how great a witch Prue was…it would be nice to get a chance to meet the witch's shoes she'd been trying to fill for the past ten years.

Now she was looking for the summoning spell. She hadn't used the spell in a few months, and needed to refresh her memory on how many candles to use.

Though she wasn't going to try and summon Prue. While she was angry, she knew her sisters deserved to be the ones to summon her. No, Paige was going to call for her grams. Often, when she was distressed about anything, and her sisters were too busy, she'd call for Penny to vent. Talking to her grandmother just made everything seem better, especially when she needed someone who wouldn't be afraid to be blunt. Giving a small smile, Paige remembered the one time Henry walked into their room to find her talking to Grams. The poor guy had been so stunned that Penny had an easy time of it ripping him to shreds.

When she had almost reached the spell, the pages started to turn in the other direction. "Whatever it is," Paige muttered, "Not now, Grams, okay? I need to talk to you." Still, the pages kept resisting whenever Paige tried to take control of them again. "Grams! Will you stop being so stubborn?"

Paige flipped the pages with all her might, only for them to be violently flung to another spell. The ghostly voice of her grandmother resounded through the attic. "Read the spell, Paige. Now."

"Oh, fine, be that way," Paige grumbled. Clearing her throat, she chanted,

"'Powers of the witches rise

Course unseen across the skies

Come to me who calls you near

Come to me and settle here'"

Staring at the page, Paige tried to figure out why Grams would ask her to read the "To Find a Lost Witch" spell. It slowly registered that whatever magic she had sent out into the world would produce some kind of result. Why the hell didn't I stop and think about this first? Or get my sisters? Why did Grams…

"Paige?"

Paige's head snapped up from the Book at the voice that addressed her…and stared in complete shock. The woman standing in front of her she'd recognize in a heartbeat thanks to all the pictures and home movies, though the designer jeans and expensive-looking blouse threw her off a bit. Clearing her throat, she sputtered, "P-Prue?"

"Well don't just stand there," Prue Halliwell retorted, going to stand by Paige in front of the Book. "We've got to vanquish that demon's sorry butt before he realizes I'm not where I'm supposed to be. Where's Piper? She had to be home to let you in…."

Oh my God. What have I done? Paige thought, frozen with shock. When Prue narrowed her eyes at her, Paige gave her a weak smile and ran to the attic door. "Piper! Get up here!"