Released

By: Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell

Chapter 1: Name Origins and Sibling Rivalry

"Prue! Paris! We're gonna be late!" Phoebe called, knocking on their bedroom door.

"Yeah, we're coming!" Paris called.

"Late for what? We're just going to the park." Prue answered.

"I'm going downstairs to find your sister's jacket."

"Meet in the entry?" She heard Prue ask.

"Yes, but you better hurry. Your sister's getting impatient." The twins heard their mother's footsteps decrease in volume as she trailed the stairs.

"Yeah, I just bet she is." Paris said, handing the hairbrush to Prue.

"She loves the park."

"We all do. Especially on Saturdays. It's the day Mom doesn't have to worry about getting a call from work." Paris said. "Does my hair look okay?"

Prue turned away from the mirror. "You look great!"

"Not as good as you."

Prue walked over and sat on the bed next to her sister. "What do you mean by that?"

"Everything you do is perfect, Prue. Nothing I do ever is. You have the perfect friends, straight A's, the teacher's pet—"

"HEY!"

"See? That's what I'm talking about. You have everything!" She screamed, pounding her fist into the bed.

"Dad!" Prue yelled. A puff of pink smoke entered the room.

"What's going—"

"YOU HAVE PERFECT EVERYTHING!" Paris screamed. "IT'S NOT FAIR!"

"I'll—go get your mother." Coop said, Hearting out. He loved his daughters to death, but Phoebe was better at dealing with these things than he was.

"Hey, ready to—what's wrong?" Phoebe asked as she pulled Paytin's coat on her.

"They need you. Paris is at it again. Claiming she's not perfect. Nothing she ever does is good—"

"MOM!" Prue screamed.

"Take me up now!"

"Mommy, are we going or not?" Paytin asked.

"Not yet, sweetie, wait here." They disappeared in a puff of pink smoke.

They reformed outside the room. Phoebe flung the door open, seeing Paris sitting on top of Prue. "Hey! HEY!" Phoebe ran in and pulled one daughter off the other, wrapping her arms tightly restraining her daughter as she stood up straight and walked over to the bed.

"Ow!" She exclaimed as her daughter thrashed about, knocking her head into Phoebe's jaw.

"Prue, are you all right?" Coop asked, grabbing her by the arms. "Uh, Phoebe, we've got a problem."

"I'm a—ow!—a little busy at the moment—ouch!—in case you haven't noticed!" She said, as she pinned Paris to the bed. Normally, she wouldn't have to resort to such drastic measures, but seeing as her daughter was hardly ever violent in this way, she had to stop her. She pinned her daughter's arms with her hands and her legs with her knees. "Paris Melinda Halliwell, STOP THIS!"

"M—Mommy?" Paris gasped. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't take being second best anymore."

Phoebe, stunned, but glad by her daughter talking again, rolled onto the other side of her. "But you're not second best, baby. I swear." She pulled Paris close to her. She looked around, noticing Coop, Prue, and presumably Paytin as she couldn't hear anything downstairs, had left.

"Yes, I am. Prue has everything and I – I've got nothing."

"Honey, don't say that. You have all you ever want. Me, your dad, your sisters, and aunts and uncles and cousins—we love you just like you are. If you don't like something, change it. But if you're angry, this won't help. Just talk to me, okay?"

"But you'll take her side!" She whined.

"I'll listen to all of you. I can't take sides. I'm your mom." Phoebe said as Paris rested her head on her shoulder.

"Mommy? Why is my name Paris?"

"Because Paris is where your dad took me a long time ago. I loved the city so much I just had to name you that because you reminded me of it."

"Really?" She asked in disbelief.

Phoebe sat up. "Yes, really. Now should we go to the park?" Paris looked at her with s pained expression. "What's wrong? Sweetie, why are you crying?" She asked, pulling Paris into her arms.

"I – I was bad, Mommy."

"Why, what happed?"

"I—I can't. You'll hate me." She cried as she sat in Phoebe's lap.

"No I won't. Just tell me what happened."

"I – I hit her. It was an accident, I promise!" She backed away.

"YOU WHAT?" She asked, shocked. "C—Coop!"

He Hearted in, Prue in his arms with a black eye and a cut lip. "This is what I was trying to tell you."

"Next time, just shout it out." Phoebe said, standing to grab Prue from him. "Baby, what happened?" She asked, sitting beside Paris.

"Phoebe, you're bleeding!" Coop pointed out.

"I am?" She asked. There was no pain, but when she pressed her hand to her mouth, few crimson drops stained her hand. "Oh yeah, I guess. It's okay."

"I'm sorry, Mommy!" Paris apologized.

"I know sweetie. I'm okay. Now, would the two of you like to explain how this started?"

"Paris was pretty mad and when Dad left the room she just lost it. I tried to calm her down…" Prue started.

"But it didn't work." Coop finished.

"No, I'm sorry Prue. I never meant to do this." Paris said, hugging her.

"I know." Prue answered, returning it.

"Auntie Paige, we need you!" Prue called.

Blue orbs formed in the form of their aunt, who was holding their younger sister.

"Fight, huh?" She asked, handing Paytin to Coop and healing Prue's eye and lip.

"Ah, I figured you had her." Phoebe answered.

"Paytin? Well, yeah, honestly Phoebe, if you can't trust your own family with your kids, who can you trust?"

"Yeah, true." Phoebe answered.

"Oohh, you look a little banged up too, Pheebs. Here, let me get that." Paige said as her hand cupped Phoebe's chin as the cut healed.

"Well, I really should get back." Paige said as she hugged her nieces.

"Bye!" She said, disappearing.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Paris?"

"Does this mean I don't get to go with you to the park?"

Phoebe looked to Coop. "Phoebe, you've been so stressed all week and have hardly seen the girls. I think punishment can wait until the beginning of the week, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess. But the start of the week means Monday morning! No phone or TV for the week and come straight home after school, understand?"

"Yeah."

"Mommy, let's go!" Paytin said, excited.

"Okay, we'll go!" Phoebe said as they Hearted to the park…

Elsewhere somewhere in the Underworld…

A demon clung to the grate in the pit of Tartarus. He'd been there for over five years and expected no chance of escape, so when he suddenly formed on the cavern floor, he was more than pleased.

"Wh—who are you?" Lucas asked. The familiar see-through box with the Seven Deadly Sins was thrown toward him.

"My name is of no importance to you. Just be grateful for a second chance."

"But the Charmed Ones defeated me! How am I supposed to win?"

"You've seen their lives since then, have you not?" The voice asked. "Hit the Empathic witch the hardest, but never – under and circumstance – use more than one. There are dire consequences."

The voice died away and Lucas found a reflection potion. "Ah, I see now. You will never see me coming and that will be your end."

Author's Note: This will be a 3-shot story. So what do you think so far? Who will get which sin and how?

Please read and review!

Also, my friend: That70sshowlova was the one who came up with the idea for this story. Thank you so much, by the way! She also helped develop this story into what it is!

Next chapter: Chapter 2: Infection of Pure Hearts

Piper Chris Melinda Halliwell