Disclaimer: I have nothing to do with Charmed and I will receive no profit from writing this. Beyond reviews (I hope).
A/n: It's December, also known to me as fic-a-day month! Those of you familiar with this know my previous two stories, "What's in a Name" and "Tales of December" from the previous two years. This year I'm trying something a little different, but hopefully you'll all still enjoy it. This month I've decided to spend 31 days writing an AU fic about Paige growing up with her biological family. Each chapter will be a brief moment from the AU world, not necessarily in chronological order, that will wind together how the girls' lives would have been different. I'd love some feedback, so please let me know what you think.
-Katie
The Changing Wind
a story by Ryeloza
Chapter One
October 31, 1977
"Why do we have to go? I want to stay here with Grams!"
Patty sighed and shook her hair out of her face. Piper, usually the most content of her children, was in rare form today and Patty completely lacked the energy for it. With effort, Patty boosted Phoebe higher on her hip while trying to mind the baby slung on her chest. "I told you already, sweetie. We're going to live in our own apartment now. And it's going to be so nice. You'll love it."
"I will not!"
"Piper, honey, please don't argue with me right now. We have to get going."
To Patty's horror, Piper's eyes welled with tears and she crossed her arms; a classic pose of a temper tantrum in the making. "I wanna say goodbye to Grams!"
"Stop being a baby," Prue ordered Piper. "It's not like we're never going to see her again. Right, Mom?"
"Prue, hold Piper's hand." Patty averted her eyes from Prue's in addition to the non-sequitur in an attempt to dodge the question. She had purposely chosen Halloween to run away in order to avoid her mother. If Penny knew what she and Sam were doing, she'd kill them both. Or turn them in. Patty wasn't sure which was worse.
"How are we getting to the apartment?" asked Prue. "Grams has the car."
"My friend Sam is going to take us. You remember Sam, right girls?"
"I don't like Sam! I don't want to go!"
"Piper Calandra Halliwell, quiet down this instant! I am your mother; you're going to do what I say!" Patty swallowed; the words bitter in her mouth. She never yelled at her girls and doing so now she felt like a poor imitation of her own mother. Would this be her life from now on?
Piper leaned into Prue and stuck her thumb into her mouth, temporarily quelled into submission. Unwilling to give in entirely, she gave a loud sniffle to remind Patty that she was still upset. Unfortunately for Piper, Patty could hardly feel guilty in light of finally being able to think free of noise. Sam was supposed to have met them over an hour ago. Something had obviously gone wrong. For Patty, though, the back-up plan was almost unthinkable.
As if to reinforce her anxiety, the grandfather clock in the foyer rang in ten o'clock, defiantly reminding her that her mother would be home within the hour. It seemed that she had no choice. "Girls," she said, "wait right here. I'm going to call your dad."
"Dad?" echoed Prue. "Why?"
"I'm going to see if he can come pick us up."
"I thought Sam was picking us up."
Piper pulled her thumb from her mouth. "I'd rather have Daddy. Call Daddy, Mom."
Patty made her way to the kitchen without further comment, trying her best not to wake either of the sleeping children draped over her body. Somehow she managed to maintain her grip on Phoebe one-handed and use the other to dial the familiar number. On the eighth ring, miraculously, Victor picked up.
"Hello?"
"Victor. It's Patty. I'm in big trouble and I need your help."