Chapter 1
The New Year
On the cold last day of December a New Year's Eve party was planned. Prue Halliwell and her husband Andy were decorating the living room. Their one year old daughter Payton was napping in the playpen. Prue's younger sister Piper was cooking up a storm with the help of her husband Leo and their three children: Wyatt, age 8, Chris age 7, and Melinda age 4.
Prue and Piper's younger sister Phoebe and her husband Coop were setting up crystals around the house to keep the demons out. Their four year old daughter P.J. was helping them with this task, and their two year old daughter Parker was watching cartoons on TV. P.J.'s springer spaniel Belle was curled up on Parker's lap.
Prue, Piper and Phoebe's younger half-sister Paige Matthews and her husband Henry were having trouble getting their four year old identical twins Tamora and Kat into their party dresses. Meanwhile their three year old adopted son Henry Junior, was already in his party clothes, and watching cartoons with his cousin Parker. Finally Tamora and Kat realized they weren't going to win, so they sucked it up and dressed themselves.
An hour before supper the party began. Prue, Piper and Phoebe's father, Victor, arrived, followed by Paige's father Sam. Then the families close witch friend Billie arrived, followed by the families close mortal friends Darryl and Sheila, along with their sons: Mikey age 12 and Darryl Junior age 9. Once they arrived, Prue and her sister's summoned grams and their mother Patty from the dead.
"Four our entertainment today please welcome my daughter, the dancing queen…Miss Melinda Halliwell" Leo introduced and started the music.
Melinda came down the stairs into the living room and began her dance. Melinda absolutely loved dancing and she was talented at it too. Melinda did her final step and bowed. Every one clapped at her then dug into the snacks on the party table.
The hour was spent laughing and remembering all the good moments of the year. Supper time came and everyone made their way to the table. Once everyone was seated and all the food was on the table, Prue stood up to make the toast.
"Here we are once again, surrounded by friends and family. It's almost the New Year. A chance to do better, to fulfill dreams, to enjoy life. So I say… here's to 2012.
"To 2012" everyone else said.
"Now before we begin our lovely meal Piper made us, Andy and I have an announcement… I'm pregnant" Prue announced.
At this news the girls jumped up and Prue screaming with joy. The children, most of which had no idea what was going on, joined in. The guys just simply patted Andy on the back.
"Well I have no idea how we're going to survive ten kids, but congrats" Phoebe once everyone returned to their seats.
Everyone settled down and stuffed their mouths with Piper's homemade cooking. The kitchen was filled with chatter and laughing. There weren't even any conflicts between the kids. Before they knew it, time flew by.
The children got into their pajamas and joined the others in the living room. The kids were fighting to stay awake, but Payton, Parker, and Henry passed out on the couch. Then it was time for the count down.
"10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Happy New year's!"
Right after the countdown the party ended. The guests left and the adults carried the tired children to bed. It had been a long night for them, and wasn't long before they were out cold.
Two weeks later Victor was babysitting the kids while the adults and Payton went shopping for Wyatt's birthday presents. Victor loved babysitting the children, and they loved spending time with him. He always had creative ideas to have fun.
"Who wants to build a fort" Victor asked.
"We do, we do" the children excitedly said.
"Then get lots and lots of blankets" Victor instructed.
Kat and Tamora took on this job and orbed down all the blankets in the house. Little Henry helped Victor set up some chairs. Then the others placed all the blankets on top of the chairs. They then all went under the blankets with Victor and Belle. Victor had the video camera on.
"Now we name a name for our awesome fort" Victor said.
"How about Macaroni and cheese" Parker suggested.
"Interesting choice, are we all in agreement" Victor asked.
"Yes" the others agreed.
"Ok then we are now the proud queens and kings of Marconi and cheese" Victor stated.
"Oh no, Belle the monster's here, she wants to lick out faces off" P.J. stated.
"No problem, all she needs is a good belly rub" Victor said.
P.J. rubbed Belle's stomach but Belle began licking her anyways. P.J. Giggled and squirmed trying to set herself free. After a moment Victor picked Belle up.
"Alright get out of here you little mutt, this fort's not big enough for the two of us" Victor said to Belle in a grumpy cartoon voice.
This made the children laugh as he scooted Belle out of the fort. Victor looked at the children and took it a step further. He knew this would make them laugh.
"What you laughing at you mangy brats" Victor said in his grouchy cartoon voice.
Just as he predicted, the children laughed harder. Victor turned into the tickle monster, and tickled the children who tried to escape the fort. Of course the kids turned to escape so Victor would tickle them. This made them all laugh uncontrollably.
"Get him" Wyatt shouted.
The children attacked Victor and tickled him. The attack caused all the blankets to fall of the chairs. The blankets all feel on top of them.
"Oh and Macaroni and cheese falls down" Chris said.
"Rest in peace macaroni and cheese, rest in peace" Victor said pretending to be sad.
Victor checked his watch it was already 12:30. So for lunch Victor served macaroni and cheese. Parker's next comment was over the top funny.
"Oh my gosh, we're eating our fort!"
After lunch Victor put his socks on his hands and preformed a puppet show. The show was about two brothers coming across a dragon. The kids gathered in the living room to watch.
"Hey righty, hey righty, hey" Victor said in a squeaky voice.
"What do you want Lefty" Victor said in a deep voice.
"Come play with me, please pretty please."
"ok fine."
"Hey did you hear something" Righty asked.
"No dummy, no I didn't" Lefty answered.
The kids laughed and Victor asked for a volunteer to play the dragon. Victor picked Melinda to play the dragon. Melinda put one of her socks on her hand and joined Victor.
"Ahh a dragon, I told you bird brain" righty said.
"A dragon, behind me, get real" lefty said.
"If you're so smart turn around."
"You were right…why are we still here run!"
To finish it off the dragon ate righty and lefty. The kids laughed as they clapped. Then until the adults got home, they coloured printed out dragon pictures.
The adults arrived home and each held two shopping bags in their hands. Victor said his goodbyes and headed home. Andy placed Payton in the play pen, Paige orbed the presents to the attic, and Coop orbed all the blankets and chairs to where they belong.
Piper found the camera on the table. She set it up with the TV and everyone sat down to watch it. They burst out laughing several times.
That night when all the kids were in bed, the adults sat down at the table for a money talk. The present shopping had cost them too much. With a new baby on the way, they needed to save up.
"For one, we could each only buy one present on the kid's birthdays" Andy suggested and Prue wrote it down on a piece of paper.
"We could sell all the things we no longer need" Piper suggested.
"I know to give haircuts that will save us a fortunate" Phoebe suggested.
"I could get a job, we can always leave the babies at magic school" Coop suggested.
"We can reuse all the kids' old baby stuff" Paige suggested.
"I can make the baby food so we don't have to buy it" Piper offered.
Prue went over the list, they had some great ideas. The next part of their meeting was to make a schedule for child care according to their work schedules. Once this was done the meeting was dismissed.