Two Against Time
Chapter One
The Recital
No one on Prescott Street was ready for the double trial of two young Halliwell women, that started with Patty, and then Phoebe after her. Grams and Patty are still with them all, and Prue is 15, and in Driver's Ed, Piper is 13, and trying to master roller blading during the summer time and on weekends, and Phoebe is 10, and in a summer dance program. Grams walks into the living room on a Saturday and hears some music playing. It's the song "Apple Bottom Jeans" and she sees Phoebe dancing to it.
"Hey, are you practicing or getting ready to go to the suburbs dressed like that?" Grams asks her.
"This is the song we are doing next week and we're even dressing in hip hop clothes. That's what lable this song is under is hip hop so, our instructor thought it would be neat to do this." Phoebe explains. Grams sits and watches her for awhile until Prue comes downstairs and asks if someone could take her to Driver's Ed for the afternoon.
"I'll take you Prudence, just hang on for a second." Grams tells her and Phoebe continues her dance.
"Wow Pheebes. You're really getting good. There's no way in the world that you'll ever stop dancing is there?" Prue says, and she sits down for a minute to watch the rest of it.
"Nope." Phoebe replies, and she really gets into it then. Little did Phoebe or any of them know, that the events of the upcoming six months, would put a stall on her dancing, and their lives in general. Grams takes Prue to her driving class, and lets Phoebe continue to practice, and she lets Patty know when she gets outside that she's going to take Prue over to the school.
"Thanks Mom. Where's Piper?" Patty asks.
"I think she went to the local skate park with a bunch of neighborhood kids. Phoebe's still in there practicing for next week's recital. Please make her stop soon and eat something." Grams tells her.
"I'm well capable of feeding my children Mother, Thank You for your concern." Patty replies when Prue says, "Hey, I'm going to be late. Come on Grams, and Mom's right. She's doing fine."
"I didn't mean any harm dear. She's just got so much going on with her job and then helping me around the house. I'm sorry. I'll be back soon Patty." Grams says, talking to the both of them.
The weekend of Phoebe's dance recital, she's in her room getting ready, and she can hear her Mom down the hall trying to check something out.
"Hey Mom! Would you please come here for a minute?" Patty calls down into the kitchen.
"What's the matter hon?" Grams asks when she gets up to Patty's room, and she finds her pushing around on something underneath her arm.
"I can't figure out what this is. It's a small knot, and it's right here beside my right breast. That's so weird, like maybe I pulled a muscle at the diner a few days ago during the lunch rush." Patty tells her, and Grams checks it out even.
"That's what it appears to be. I'm no expert though, so just make an appointment Monday at the doctor's. Go from there. I'll round up the girls and see if they are ready. Phoebe Jayne, you ready to go yet?" Grams replies, while switching her attention to the girls, and seeing if they are even half way ready to go yet.
While they are at the recital, Phoebe even starts to act kind of funny. No one really notices yet until the dance instructor takes one look at her and sees that she looks a little off in color. The girls take the stage and everyone applauds when they see their outfits. The music starts and they end up doing three songs. They do "Apple Bottom Jeans" "Love Shack" and "Cha Cha Slide" and everyone loves their performance. Just as the last song ends and all the girls bow, when they go to walk off the stage, Phoebe stops for a minute. The instructor asks her if she's okay, and she just nods her head and continues to walk off the stage. She doesn't take but two or three steps, gets light headed, and just drops, and is out like a light.
Chapter Two
The Best Of Friends
Phoebe wakes up in the hospital, dressed in a hospital gown, covered up, and an IV in the back of her hand. She starts looking around, and when she tries to sit up, it doesn't go so well. She gives it one more shot, and when she's to her feet, she walks out in the hall, and asks, "Excuse me? Why am I in here?"
"Get back into bed baby. You're one sick little girl. Come on, come on, in ya go." A nurse by the name of Laura Johnson tells her, and she takes her back into her room.
"What's going on? What am I doing here and where is my family? Where's my Mom?" Phoebe asks her.
"Honey, I'll go and get your Mom and see if the doctor's done with her. She had to be seen tonight in the E R as well. I don't know much else, but she'll be up here as soon as she can." Nurse Johnson tells her.
About thirty minutes later after Phoebe has gone just about nuts, Patty walks into her room and they have a long talk.
"So, as you know, the nurse has explained to you that you're pretty sick. What you have is the most severe form of childhood leukemia. You're going to need a bone marrow transplant in order to make it, and they think that I may have Breast Cancer. This is one heck of a think for me to tell you isn't it?" Patty says, taking Phoebe's hand in hers.
"Yeah. It is. But, one good will come out of this." Phoebe replies.
"What's that honey?" Patty asks.
"The good thing is, that even if we die from this, we'll be the best of friends. We're both going to be going through some really hard things, but we'll have each other, and we'll go down together." Phoebe tells her, while lightly squeezing her Mom's hands.
"Together baby. That's how we will always, do things. I promise you that too. I won't give up though, and neither will you." Patty says, and they hug each other and cry for awhile.
Two weeks later, Phoebe's still in the hospital when Patty gets a phone call from her doctor.
"Can this wait for a little bit? I'm on my way out the door to go visit with Phoebe at the hospital." Patty tells Doctor Tracy.
"Well, it could but, since you're going to the hospital anyway, I want for you to check yourself in. Your results are back and you do have Breast Cancer. Stage two in fact. I'll be over there when I get out of my office today and get things started on you." Doctor Tracy replies, and Patty's heart sinks down to her feet.
"Hey Mom, guess what? I got my grades for my Driver's Ed course. My driving grade was about the same as my class grade, and I passed with flying colors." Prue says, while coming in and seeing the look on her Mom's face.
"Mom, Prue, Grams. I have great news. I can finally roller blade with the best of them. We're all headed over to Willow Lake to skate there on the path for awhile. Unless, you are headed to the hospital to see Phoebe, then I want to go too." Piper tells everyone, as she bounces in through the kitchen door and finds them all in the living room.
"Girls. Sit down. I have some devasting news to tell the both of you. Your Grams should be back from the yard anytime. Doctor Tracy just called me and my test results are back. If you girls go to the hospital with me to visit with Phoebe, you'll have to have Grams come too so she can bring you back home." Patty starts to explain to them.
"Mom, what's the matter? Is everything okay?" Prue asks her.
"No. Not with either one of us. Your sister is still waiting to be on the donor list, and I've got stage two Breast Cancer. I'm heading to the hospital to be admitted and then Doctor Tracy said she's going to be over there as soon as she closes her office today. I know this sucks, but there's still hope for the both of us." Patty tells them and when Grams gets inside, they tell her what's going on, then drive over to the hospital to register and admit Patty, and visit with Phoebe, who insisted that her and her Mom are in the same room, no matter what.
Three days pass with Phoebe doing nothing but sleep and when Prue comes in one day, Patty's telling her to please be quiet since Phoebe's still not awake.
"How did you get here? Where's your Grams at?" Patty asks.
"I drove over on Dad's old moped. I had a friend come by to take a look at it when it wasn't running this past week, and he got it going. How are you guys today?" Prue replies.
"Not good. They don't see much hope for me, but Phoebe got some good news today. They finally have her on the donor list, but there's not been any matches yet. How are you and Piper doing with all of this?" Patty tells her.
"The best that we can. It's anything but easy. Do they know if they are going to let the two of you out for awhile to go and have some fun?" Prue asks, when Phoebe starts to wake up a little bit, but rolls over and goes back to sleep.
"Not yet. The doctor came by and said something about the two of us going to the beach like we used to do before it turns cold. You girls are supposed to start school next week, and I've done told them, that I'm taking all three of you school shopping." Patty says, when the nurse comes in to do some lab draws on the both of them. Prue asks her what she's doing, and she tells her, "Well. There's someone downstairs in the waiting room who may be a possible match for your sister. He's dying of Congestive Heart Failure, and when his parents found out about your sister, they talked to him and he said that if he passes anytime soon, he wants to do this for her before his time comes. Phoebe, wake up honey." When she doesn't get her to wake up, she just does lab draws through her IV. Patty calls her Mom and has her to bring Piper over for a visit and while they are there, they start asking when Phoebe and their Mom can come home. The nurse tells them that she has to check with the doctor first, and Prue sits on Phoebe's bed, trying to talk to her.
"Hey, how about you wake up for a little bit and see us?" Prue tells her, and she only opens her eyes for a second, but that's enough for Prue to get a look at her eyes.
"What's the matter?" Patty asks from her bed.
"I don't know. Her eyes look all bloodshot or something, like she's either sleeping too much or not enough. She's really pale today too. Phoebe, are you having trouble breathing too?" Prue replies, and then she asks Phoebe about her breathing. Phoebe just nods her head yes, and asks for Prue to get the doctor.
Twenty minutes later, the doctor tells them that Phoebe's left lung has been affected by the leukemia and she's going to need half of it removed, plus do more rounds of Chemo than what she's already on. They check Patty as well, and schedule the both of them for surgery, on the same day.
Chapter Three
A New Normal
Phoebe is still on 24 hour watch around the clock, and Patty's had surgery to remove both breasts, and while they are at home one afternoon, Victor drops by to see them, making sure that Grams is nowhere to be found first.
"Hey. How are you ladies doing?" Victor asks, while coming into the living room where they were watching Lifetime Movie Network. Phoebe jumps up, hugs him, and says, "Daddy! I miss you so much. You've got to come back home."
"Honey I'm sure he would, and as much as I want him to come back, I don't think your Grams would like that very much." Patty tells her, while getting up to go get her and Phoebe something to drink. Phoebe stays in the living room to talk to her Dad for awhile, when Grams comes in from the store.
"Patty? Who's car is that outside honey?" Grams asks.
"Hey Penny. How are you doing?" Victor asks, as he gets up to hug her for support for what all she's taking on. She accepts his hug, and tells him to make himself comfortable.
"I'm actually glad you're here right now. I need some help. Prudence just got her license, Piper got hurt on those damn roller blades, and you already know what's going on with Patty and Phoebe. I hate to ask it of you, but would you be willing to stay here for a few days and let me disappear and take a break?" Grams explains to him, and the first word out of his mouth is, "Done." Patty comes back in the middle of the conversation.
"Done? Just like that?" Grams asks.
"Just like that. You don't actually think that I would not be here do you? In fact, Piper called me from her room and told me what all had been going on." Victor replies.
"Well. I really do appreciate everything. Just make yourself at home, get ya something to eat, or whatever. I'm going up to pack and I'll be at a motel for a few days to relax if anyone needs me or if anything happens." Grams tells them all.
"So. Tell me about Trevor." Victor says, and Phoebe walks over and sits on his lap to tell him about her donor.
"Well see, he has a heart condition that he's dying from and when his Mom and Dad found about me, he told them that he wanted to get tested to see if he was a match or not because he said that if and when something happens to him, He wants to do this for me before anything does happen to him. I hate it that it's going to happen to him, but I'm grateful to him and his family too." Phoebe tells him and he puts his arms around her, allowing her to lean toward him, and he tells her, "Well honey. God sends us angels in all shapes and forms. The Lord knew it was just his time soon, and as much as it sucks, you have to just remember, that Trevor was sent to you."
"Oh Victor. Did she ever tell you that she has one more issue? She's had to have half of her left lung removed. I think they said it was because of her leukemia being so bad and her blood platelets being so low, it caused part of the lung to collapse, which she's on medicine to prevent any further infections, and if she wants to stay out of the hospital for awhile, she better go take it. Go on Pheebes, get." Patty says, and Phoebe only smiles and says, "Mom, that medicine leaves a bad taste in my mouth."
"You heard your Mother, get." Victor tells her. While Phoebe's getting her medicine, she sits down at the table in the kitchen and realizes, this is to be hers and her Mom's new normal. Relying on medicine and constant watch around the clock when they really want to be left alone a lot of times.
The next morning, Phoebe was feeling like going to school so they let her go. It's 6:15 and instead of Patty or Grams making breakfast, Victor's in there. He hollers up the stairs and tells the girls to get a move on, and then he hears all three of them rushing down through the house and into the kitchen.
"You've missed so much already. Are you sure you really wanna go back right now?" Piper asks, and she's still in the sling from where she sprained her arm on her roller blades.
"Yeah. Piper, think about it. If I don't go back right now, I'm going to get so far behind it's going to take me a year to catch up." Phoebe tells her.
"Maybe not a year. More like two weeks at the most." Prue says, as she pours her a glass of orange juice.
"Thanks Prue, but I can't have that. I have to be really careful of what I drink. I'm afraid of it making me sick or something." Phoebe reminds her.
"Oh yeah. Sorry, I did forget." Prue replies, and she gets her a nice cold, bottle of water instead.
Later that day, Phoebe's at lunch when one of her teachers comes to get her.
"What did I do?" Phoebe asks her.
"You didn't do anything wrong honey. I just need you to come with me back to the class room and get your stuff to go home. Your Mom just called me from the hospital. She had to be put back in there, and she said that the boy who was going to be tested as a match for you, well, he got tested but the problem is, he wasn't a match. So, Doctor Tracy said you are to go back to the hospital to be monitored there for awhile until they can bring in more people for testing." Mrs. Stevens tells her.
While Phoebe's being registered all over again, and being hooked up to more monitors and an IV, Patty keeps looking more and more distant like she's not even there with them.
"Mom? Are you okay?" Prue asks, while sitting next to her. Patty leans over and rests her head on Prue's shoulder and shakes her head no. Prue signals to Piper for her to go and get a doctor.
"You really don't want to hear what I've been doing this whole time. I'm going to tell you anyway. I've known for awhile that something wasn't right with me. I didn't know what was wrong though. I felt that knot and kept quiet for way too long. A Mother also knows when something's wrong with her child. I've been holding out on my treatment and such, so Phoebe could be taken care of first." Patty explains to her.
"Mom, that's understandable. You wanted to make sure that your children were okay. Every good parent does that. It's okay." Prue replies, and just as a doctor starts making his way toward them, Patty whispers to Prue and Piper, "Make sure she's taken care of, and find your other sister. Talk to your Grams about it. She knows all about her. You have another sister. There were four of you in total."
"Mom? Mom, are you okay? Someone help us!" Piper hollers and the doctor takes her back into the E R and checks out everything. He gets her hooked up and starts doing everything he can, and when he gets her somewhat stable, she tells him, "Please, go get Phoebe for me. Get Prue and Piper too."
"Ladies, I need you to come with me. Your Mother's asking for you, and for Phoebe. It doesn't look good either." The doctor tells them, after getting Patty settled down.
Chapter Four
Finding Paige
Phoebe, Prue, and Piper, are in with Patty and when they see how bad everything has gotten for her, she explains to Phoebe what she told her sisters about them having another one. Phoebe was of course happy to find her and meet her, and get to know her, but Prue and Piper just knew how hard that was going to be all around, for everyone involved. Patty told them the whole story of her white lighter named Sam, and that the baby was in danger, and her name started with a P like the rest of them.
"What's her name?" Phoebe asks.
"I don't know baby. All I asked Sister Agnus was, if the people who took her, would have her name start with a P. She said she would do that for us. I hated having to give her up. I'm not even going to get to meet her, or anything. I made your sisters make a promise to me. I made them promise that they would take care of you and your sister. They said they would. My time here's done." Patty explains.
"Momma, what are you saying?" Phoebe asks her again.
"They promised me that they are going to look after you and your baby sister. Now, you make me a promise that you're going to get better and that you're not going to join me until you're old and gray. You're not leaving this world yet. Promise me." Patty tells her, and Prue and Piper hug one another, knowing it's coming. They go over and sit on Patty's bed, and put Phoebe on the other side of her.
"We love you Mom. We'll take care of Phoebe, and the baby." Prue says, with her hand on Patty's shoulder.
"I promise to do the same Mom. They'll be okay. We all will." Piper tells her, and Phoebe looks like she's going to cry anytime.
"Pheebes, come here honey." Patty says, while holding her arms out to her. Phoebe lays across her Mom and says, "I love you Mom, please don't leave us. You can't, not yet." Patty tells them all again that she loves them, and with her last breath, she says, "Find your sister. Take care of each other. I love you." All of the girls are just crying and hysterical and by the time a doctor and some nurses get in there, it's too late. They call Grams and their Dad, to let them know what happened.
A month's gone by since they lost Patty, and when Phoebe is finishing with her last Chemo treatment for the year, Grams is there at the hospital, waiting for her to get done so she can take her back home for some vacation time from being at the hospital for so long, and Piper calls her.
"What's the matter honey?" Grams asks, answering her phone.
"I did some snooping that you and Mom asked me to do before she passed away, and I think I found Paige." Piper tells her.
"Who?" Grams asks.
"Well I called Sister Agnus at the Catholic Church, and she told me what all I needed and wanted to know. I explained to her who I was, and what all had happened with Mom, and the whole situation behind our sister's being adopted and what not. She told me I was right on everything I said to her, and she said that she is still in this area, and that her name is Paige Matthews. She's seven years old, has a birthday in about two weeks. She was adopted by very good people, and I still want to meet her." Piper replies, explaining everything in full detail.
"Where do they live at dear? I have to wait on Phoebe to get done with her last treatment for this year, and then she has to be back in here in six months for evaluation. She's just about done. I think another ten minutes they said. If you and Prue are hungry, be ready by 2:45, and we'll come by the manor, pick the two of you up, and go hit Burger King or something." Grams says.
"Their address is right here too. Like I said, they live in the Bay area, and the physical address is downtown, by the post office, and it's 589 Cadbury street. I've looked that place up, and it's a big white house, with a two car garage, and a swing set in the side yard, and a pool in the back." Piper replies.
"Seems I know where that is. Okay, they just came and said she's done, and that she is just adjusting to everything, and she's on her way out here to the waiting room. We'll go check everything out as well with Paige." Grams tells her.
Two days later, Piper and Prue are planning their move on how they are going to meet their long lost sister and if her adopted parents will even let them meet her, and talk to her.
"You know that this is not going to work don't you? Grams is going to kill us. She said she drove by there yesterday and Paige looks happy and healthy, and that we should leave her alone." Piper says, and Prue is still looking for the moped keys.
"I don't care. We promised Mom, right before she took her last breath, that we were going to find Paige, and take care of her and Phoebe. Piper, she wants us all together. I hate to bother the Matthews's, I really do. We promised a dying woman, and I'm not going back on that promise, and neither are you. Go get your jacket and meet me downstairs in three minutes. I have the key to the moped." Prue tells her, and Piper lays back on her bed and just sighs and groans, when Prue's already in the hallway and says, "Move it Piper."
Around a half hour later, Prue and Piper are on the moped looking for 589 Cadbury Street, and when they find it, they park across the road behind a dumpster and they see a little dark haired girl that is identical to them and Phoebe, and their Mom, and she's climbing up on her swing set, and hanging upside down by her legs, across the top bar, then flipping backwards.
"She acts just like Phoebe doesn't she? She's not afraid of anything." Prue says, and Piper just leans up against the dumpster and watches her flip off of the bar, and climb up to do it all over again. Next, Paige starts on one side of the swing set, and times herself on going across the whole thing like it's an obstacle course or something.
"That's it. I've had enough of just standing here watching her. I've got to go and talk to her, and her adopted parents." Piper replies, and they both take off across the road, walk up on the porch, and ring the door bell, fearing the worst.
Chapter Five
Finally Meeting Each Other
When Paige's adopted Mom answers the door, she is just grinning from ear to ear.
"Well good afternoon girls. What can I do for you today?" Mrs. Matthews asks, and she welcomes them inside for something cold to drink.
"My name is Prue Halliwell, and this is my sister Piper. I know this is going to sound really stupid, and we don't mean to make anyone upset or hurt anyone." Prue tells her.
"It's okay honey. Go ahead, take your time. What's the matter?" The lady replies.
"We know that your daughter, Paige, is our sister and we would like to meet her. Our Mom and other sister, Phoebe, both had Cancer about the same time, and we just lost our Mom last month to Breast Cancer. Phoebe's almost in remission for her leukemia. We don't mean you any harm, we just promised our Mom that we would find Paige and meet her, and get to know her." Prue explains.
"Honey. I always knew this day would come. Sister Agnus told me about how Paige was brought in to her. You girls all came from angels, and I would be very happy to have you meet Paige and get to know her. I'm so sorry for the loss of your Mom. She was an awesome lady. Unfortunately, I never got the pleasure of meeting her myself, and my husband didn't either, but Sister Agnus said that she had a smile that lit up the room, and an all around beautiful smile, and personality. Are you ready to meet your sister?" The lady replies, telling them everything.
"Yeah. If we can." Piper says, finally speaking up.
"I'll go get her. Would you two like something to drink other than that water?" Mrs. Matthews asks them.
"This is fine. We probably can't stay too long. Grams is home with Phoebe and even though she's doing pretty good, I know Grams still needs our help with her." Prue replies. The lady goes and gets Paige from the back yard, and when she brings her inside, the very second that Paige sees them, she cries.
"Oh sweetie, you don't need to cry. It's okay. Come sit and talk with us for a minute or two." Piper tells her.
"How about for a lifetime instead of just a minute or two. I've been kind of leary too of who I really was, or where I came from. I mean, I don't look anything like my family members, but I look like the two of you." Paige replies, and her adopted Mom is writing down something. Prue glances over to see what she's doing, and she gets a warm feeling deep inside of her.
"Here honey. Take this home to your Grams, and have her to call me as soon as possible. Would you like to call her from here and let her know where you are, or have me to talk to her now and maybe have her and Phoebe, come over to talk?" Mrs. Matthews asks, and she hands the papers to Prue.
"That sounds like a plan. Since we are going to be here for awhile, do you care if I slip my shoes off? I have a sore ankle and it's really giving me some problems." Prue replies, and while Mrs. Matthews is getting the house phone for Prue, she tells her, "Sure. Go ahead honey. I don't mind. If you would like, I can take a look at it. It's looking pretty swollen."
By the end of that evening, Grams and Phoebe are getting to know the Matthews's and getting to know Paige and Grams tells her all about her biological Mother, and her passing like she did.
"I really like all of you. I've enjoyed getting to meet all of you tonight, and I hope we can get together again sometime." Paige tells them all while her and her sisters are still playing Monopoly, Paige's adopted parents take Grams into the kitchen where they have a talk of their own.
"What can I do for you guys?" Grams asks them.
"Take her home with you and we'll work out the details later." Mr. Matthews tells her.
"Jake. I can't do that to the two of you. You've had her since birth. You're all she knows. Yes, my two oldest granddaughters, promised their Mother on her death bed in the hospital, that they would find Paige, get to know her, and take care of her and Phoebe, but I don't think that Patty meant like this. Sister Agnus told us how Sam and Patty showed up with Paige. That alone should make you want to keep her here." Grams explains.
"We know all about that. We've done research on the matter too. My wife and I want the best for Paige, and we'll always love her but Penny, look at her in there. Do you hear that? Do you see that? That there honey, is the look and sound of pure love and excitement of four young sisters, enjoying each others company. Why can't they continue that for the rest of their lives? We don't want them to be seperated for anymore than what they have already. We just have one request, and that is, that you still let us see her once in awhile, and just, you all keep in touch. Take her home Penny. She belongs with her family. Her biological family, and we know you're all good people." Jake tells her.
"You mean? You know all about what the Halliwell line is and what my daughter and I do, or used to do?" Grams asks.
"Mm hmm. We do. When Paige was only three years old, she had a cold that was so bad, she got into a sneezing fit one night. We went in there to check on her in her room, and she sneezed so hard that she literally orbbed herself out of her bed, and out into the hallway. No normal child could do that. She has a magical gift, and she needs to be with the rest of you, so she can put her goodness to use, and help save people." Lilly tells her. Grams hugs the both of them, thanks them, and then goes and tells the girls that they all need to get Paige packed up and that she is going home with them. Grams explains to them what all was said in the kitchen and while Prue, Piper, and Grams, are packing Paige's stuff, Phoebe and Paige are in the kitchen with Lilly and Jake, having some last visiting time, when Phoebe starts getting sick all over again.
Grams went ahead and just took all four of the girls home, and while Prue and Piper are getting Paige settled into her new room, she keeps telling them how happy she is to be home with her natural born family. When Paige puts a box on the bed to unpack it, and sort through some clothes, they hear Grams holler up the stairs, "Hey girls! I have to get Phoebe back to the hospital. She's not doing good at all. Come on if any of you want to go."
Chapter Six
Don't Take Her Patty, Please
At the hospital, all of the doctors and nurses have hooked Phoebe up to more Chemo and units of blood, even though she was finally able to have her bone marrow transplant. When she had that done, they had her to stay in the hospital for at least a couple of days to make sure her body didn't reject it, which it did. Now, they are all trying to figure out how to tell her family, that at this time, there's nothing more they can do.
"Well, one of us has to go out there and tell them something. I'm pretty sure this little girl doesn't want to pass away in the hospital. Her being at home, where she's surrounded by her sisters and Grandma, and being comfortable, is what's going to make her last weeks the best she's had." One nurse named Kayla Wilson, tells everyone.
"I agree. Telling the family of a 10 year old, that the child has less than a month to live, is not something any of us has had any training for." Doctor Adams replies.
"I'll go. I need someone to go with me though. They're just around the corner, going nuts, waiting for one of us. Come on Kayla, please." Another nurse named, Laura Jackson, says.
"How's our girl?" Grams asks, when she sees them.
"We need to speak with you, and you alone for a minute. You can explain everything to the others, shortly." Kayla tells her. They go off down the hall a little ways, where Kayla and Laura, break the news the best they can.
"There's no easy way to say this Ms. Halliwell. Phoebe has been given less than a month. The Chemo isn't working on her anymore, the bone marrow was rejected by her body, and by this time, there's nothing more we can do for her. The best thing to do now, is just take her home and make her as comfortable as possible. We know that no one wants to pass away in the hospital where they are all alone. At least, this way she'll be able to be with family. I'm so sorry, I hate giving news like this." Laura explains to her. Grams takes only a minute or two to pull herself together, and then she tells them, "It's not your fault. You all tried everything you knew of. Is she ready to go home yet?" They let her know that she has ten minutes left of her Chemo treatment, and blood transfusion, and Grams goes and talks to Prue, Piper, and Paige.
Phoebe's been mostly laying around for about three weeks since she got her news in the hospital that her time was coming soon. While she's watching a movie on a Saturday afternoon, Paige comes bouncing into her room and jumps on her bed.
"Whatcha doing sissy?" Paige asks, while throwing her arms around her for a hug.
"Just watching a movie. What are you doing sugar bug?" Phoebe replies, calling her by the nick name that she gave her. Paige had already told everyone that only Phoebe is allowed to call her sugar bug. They lay there and watch about ten more minutes of Cinderella when Paige says, "Hey. I'm going outside. Wanna come?" Phoebe turns her movie off and heads downstairs with her, and they run into Prue.
"Where are you ladies going?" Prue asks, while hugging them.
"Outside for some fresh air. Don't worry Prue, I feel great today." Phoebe tells her, and Prue just smiles and lets them go outside, even though when Prue seen how pale Phoebe's getting, she knew she didn't have a whole lot of time left. Just as soon as the front door closes behind Paige and Phoebe, Prue says to herself, "This is what you call the calm before the storm."
"What's that dear?" Grams asks, coming in from the kitchen.
"Phoebe and Paige went outside for awhile, and Phoebe already looks like death all over. It's coming Grams, so I just let her go out and have some fun in the yard." Prue, who is now, only 16 replies, and Piper heard while still in the kitchen.
Just three days later, Phoebe's getting a good shower and settling in for the night when Grams comes in to see if she needs anything. They sit and talk for a few minutes and then Grams sees for herself, just how bad Phoebe looks.
"I've been wondering what Heaven's like Grams. Think I'll see Mom there?" Phoebe asks her.
"Oh I know you will honey. Your Dad's coming by tomorrow to see you again. He called and said that he really enjoyed getting to come and visit with you and your sisters, even Paige, when he was here after you came home." Grams tells her. About that time, Phoebe sends her Grams out by just simply saying that she's pretty tired and ready to go to bed. When Grams is already in her room with the door shut, Phoebe starts whispering to anyone up in the clouds that me be listening, that she felt like letting go anytime, and then her Mom shows up to get her.
"Go get Prue, Piper, and Paige please." Phoebe tells her. Patty goes and wakes up the rest of her girls, takes them into Phoebe's room, and has a small visit with them.
"Mom? Why are you here? Is she okay?" Piper asks.
"Mom? Are you, my Mommy? My real, Mommy?" Paige asks, and she reaches out to grab a hold of her.
"Oh my baby. I'm so glad you're home. There's not much time to visit this trip. I'm here to help your sister across. It's her time. The death angel usually does this, but I told him, this one's mine." Patty tells her, and Prue and Piper are doing their best not to cry. Paige goes and sits by Phoebe and says, "No Mommy. You can't take her. I just got to know her. Not now, please."
"Sugar bug, it's just a part of life honey. I have to go. I'm tired. I'm physically and mentally, exhausted. I'm done fighting. The hospital people said, there was nothing else that could be done for me. I'm ready for this. You do as Grams and Prue and Piper, tell you to do. Prue, take care of Piper and Paige, and help Grams. Piper, you don't settle for small dreams sis. Dare to go for the big ones. You'll own your own restaurant one day, I know you will. I love you all." Phoebe tells them all.
"Pheebes. I hate to say this, I really do. I know you're so tired of fighting for something that's not going to happen. You've fought the good fight, you've won the race. You can let go honey. We'll be okay." Prue says, taking her by the hand.
"I'll never forget the way you lit up the stage each time you performed a dance recital. Prue's right though. We will all be okay. We have Grams, and we still have each other. Take care of yourself up there. You and Mom take care of each other. We love you." Piper tells her, and she too, has a hold of Phoebe's hand. Patty walks over, wraps her arms around Phoebe, and Phoebe says, "Mommy. I see it. I see the clouds, and the bright sunshine." With that last sentence, Phoebe drew her last breath.
Chapter Seven
End Of A Journey
The day of the funeral, Grams is trying to hurry everyone along, and when they get down in the foyer, Grams sees Prue and Piper, but Paige is nowhere to be found.
"Where's Paige?" Grams asks them.
"I don't know. She was behind us upstairs, but she stayed behind to tie her shoe. She might still be in the hallway." Piper tells her. Grams goes back upstairs, and begins looking for her and she finds her in Phoebe's room, sitting on her bed, looking toward the window. She hears her talking to someone, so she gives her a second or two.
"Nothing about this is fair. You were only ten years old. I never knew any of you my whole life, and then I found you all last month, made friends of you all, got to know you, but I still feel like I was robbed of really getting to know you, and I hate it Phoebe. I want you to come back home." Paige says, and she starts to cry.
"Paige? Come on honey. It's time to go. Your sister wouldn't want you to miss the services. She also wouldn't like to see you like this. Did you have fun playing all those board games with her, or laying in here in her bed with her, watching movies sometimes?" Grams tells her, while setting her on her lap.
"Of course I did. She was my big sister. There's so many things I have to find out the answer too. Why was I adopted? What was so dangerous for me that I couldn't stay with everyone? Is there some big secret somewhere that I'm not catching onto yet? Did I do something wrong? Was I a bad baby?" Paige asks.
"No angel, you weren't. You was the best baby of all of you. You never cried or made very much noise at all. I was wanting to hold off on telling any of you girls this. Phoebe didn't even know. All four of you were born witches. Good witches, with good magic coursing through you. Now, you have white lighter in you, which makes you have the ability to heal people and" Grams starts explaining when Paige says, "Then why couldn't I heal Phoebe?"
"The reason you couldn't heal her honey, is because what she had, was not done to her by any bad people in the magical community. No one did this to her. It just happened. For right now, we have to get over to the funeral home. We're running late as it is, and I will set you, Prue, and Piper down, when we get back tonight, and explain everything in full detail then. Okay?" Grams replies, and Paige just nods her head, and they make their way downstairs to join Prue and Piper.
At the funeral home, Grams, Prue, Piper, and Paige, are all standing up there beside the casket, greeting people when they walk by. Grams is talking to an old family friend when she sees Victor come in through the back.
"Girls, stay here." Grams says, and she goes back there to him.
"How is everyone?" Victor asks her.
"They've been better. That's for sure. I wish she had more time with all of us, and with you. At least you got to see her about a week ago before she passed." Grams replies.
"Yeah but Penny. I should have came that night when she went. I could feel something deep inside, telling me that something wasn't right. Kind of like, intuition, if you want to call it that. The night she passed, I could feel something." Victor tell her.
"Don't go blaming yourself. None of us really knew that Tuesday, would be the last day she was with us. Come on up and see her and the girls." Grams says, and they both head back to the girls.
"It's not fair Daddy." Paige says, as she reaches out for Victor. Prue and Piper already know that he's not her biological Father, but he picks her up, holds her close, and says, "I know baby." Prue whispers to Piper, "Think he knows?"
"I'm sure he does Prue. Mom left him and went for her white lighter, Sam. Don't say anything though. He accepts her as his." Piper replies, and the rest of the services finally get underway.
"Folks, I wish I knew what to say about this whole situation. The preacher did a fine job today with talking about Pheebes, and all the things she did, and her undying faith. I wish I could say this all makes since. It doesn't though. I've sat in Phoebe's room many times with my surviving sisters, after Grams has gone to bed, and we'd all sit there on her bed, looking out the window, toward Heaven, and we'd just wonder, how things happened the way they did. I mean, how could someone who was so young and innocent, just die like this? She gave more to the world than she ever got back is all I have to say. She took care of herself, and those around her, and this is not the end." Prue says, telling everyone there about Phoebe. Then she turns toward the casket, motions for Piper and Paige, and when they join her up front, they all lean across Phoebe, where Prue says, "We love you Pheebes, and we will see you again one day. Tell Mom hello for us. Take care of each other up there."
"It seems that I was always mad at Phoebe for something. Ever since Phoebe hit her growth spurt when she was nine, she was always going through my closet and trying on my clothes. I was mad at her the day that Mom and Dad brought her home from the hospital, and I thought that their love had been taken away from me. I was mad at her when she got sick, and became the center of everyone's world once again, cause I thought, she would do anything to get attention. Now I realize that she had no control over this. She didn't ask for this to happen. When we lost our Mom, a month before Phoebe went, it was too late for me to make it right from all the bad feelings I had. I know she forgives me, and I know I'll see her again. I'm also kind of mad at her today, because she left us all way too soon. This too, was out of her control. She was just tired of fighting, and I completely understand that. I seen there at the end, just how exhausted she was getting, and I knew, that this would be a resting place for her. My greatest memory of Phoebe is when, Mom had just gotten through jumping my butt, for getting mad at her when she got grape juice all over my favorite white shirt. Mom reminded me that she only wanted to try on my clothes, because she idolized me so much, and she wanted to be like me. Those small, little precious, memories that I have of her, will stay in my heart for years to come. She never got to know just how much I love her, and always will. Darn it Phoebe, why didn't you just punch or slap me whenever I acted like that toward you? It wasn't right. I know that you were never one to hate or be aggressive, and whenever I'm all alone in the backyard, surrounded by Easter Lillies, and I smell the air after the rain, I'll think of you Phoebe Jayne, and I'll smile." Piper says, during the rememberance session of the funeral.
"I never will forget when I had just gotten my learner's permit, and Mom, just before her and Phoebe had gotten sick, well Phoebe came rushing down the street with her bike, and plowed right into the side of Mom's car. That sucker had a dent in it the size of Texas, and Phoebe started limping toward the manor, and when she got inside, she was a mess. She was bawling, blood running down her left leg and all over her right arm. She was so worried that Mom was going to ring her neck for messing up the car, or for being such a dare devil. We all tried to tell her that as long as she was okay, and not seriously hurt, that's all that mattered. Well, Mom of course took her on over to Bay General where they diagnosed her with nothing more than a bump on the head and a bruised knee, and a sprained arm. She really ate up the attention for a week until she healed up. That's what I'm going to miss about her. That little Evil Canevil dare devil side of her. She never was afraid to take the bull by the horns. Phoebe, take care of yourself, and Mom. Love ya girl." Prue tells everyone, with her rememberance.
"I didn't have much of a chance to get to know Phoebe like Prue and Piper did. I'm their youngest sister. No, I'm not adopted by the Halliwell's, I was born into the family, long story. Anyway, the only things I remember and always will remember doing with Phoebe is playing board games until Grams got onto us around 2:30 in the morning sometimes, when we should have been in bed by 10:00. I would also enjoy laying in her bed with her, and watching movies all afternoon. I hate it that I couldn't have had, any more time than what I did with her, but I will cherish the time I got to spend with her. I love you Phoebe, and although I didn't have much time with you, I'll miss you. Tell Mom that I love her too." Paige says, and when Prue picks her up, she starts to cry and says, "My sissy's gone."
Everyone's now back home from the graveside service, the dinner, and everything else they had to go through that day, and when Prue comes downstairs, Grams sees that her shirt's soaked. She asks her about it, and Prue tells her that it's because Paige cried her eyes out until she fell asleep on her.
"That poor baby. She's lost so much the past couple of months. I know you girls did too, as did I but, Paige never knew any of us, and then when we met her, brought her home for good, and she felt comfortable around us enough to stay, she had to be here without her real Mother, and then she loses a sister that she got close to. We're all, really going to have to keep an eye on her and cheer her up the best we can. For right now, someone needs to stay in there at least tonight. Do you girls want me to do it?" Grams tells them.
"No, that's okay. Prue's done enough for all of us lately, and she's got to have some time to herself. I've messed up my ankle again on those stupid roller blades, so, I'll make my way upstairs somehow, and I'll stay in her room tonight with her." Piper says.
"Piper. You will probably be more comfortable in your room. You've been limping around enough today as it is, and at least you won't have to worry about her accidently bumping your ankle in the middle of the night. I'll go." Prue replies. Piper finally convinces Prue to let her sleep in Paige's room, since they both made that promise to Patty to take care of their sisters, and once Piper hugs Prue and Grams and tells them both goodnight and that she loves them, she makes her way upstairs and into Paige's room. She hears the sound of her breathing, and she can tell just by the way she sounds, that Paige really had been crying severely, and now is stopped up in her nose.
"Goodnight sweetheart. I miss her too. We all do. Ya know Paige, Prue and I, both promised Mom before she passed away, that her and I together, would look after you and Phoebe. We got you home where you belong, and even though we lost Pheebes, we're still going to make sure that you get full grown one day, go off to collage, find the love of your life, and settle down with a family. You're going to be just fine, and that's one promise I intend to keep. I love you kid." Piper tells her, hoping that she didn't talk too loud to where it woke Paige up. It didn't really wake her up completely, but Paige rolls over, climbs into Piper's arms, snuggles up to her, and says, "I love you too sissy." As soon as Paige is good and asleep, Piper covers her up, making sure she's warm enough, then she goes out back and sits on the patio where she prays for awhile and talks to her Mom and Phoebe, just hoping they are listening.
"I really don't know if you guys can hear me or not but, I want the both of you to know how much we miss you guys. We love you, and always will. This has been so hard, and I know you both have reached the end of this journey, and now, you have a whole new one ahead of you. Nothing about this makes and since at all, but, we know you had to go and that your time here was over. Your work was done. We'll continue to take care of each other, and we'll never stop talking to the both of you. Take care of each other up there. The only thing I want to say now, is congratulations on finishing a long journey. It's now came to an end. You'll be missed, always. We love you Mom and Phoebe." Piper says, and for the first time since they've been gone, instead of her having to wipe away a few tears, there's actually a smile across her face this time. She knows know that death is not the end, but it's the start of a wonderful journey, and it can be a friend, and a resting place. Just as she's getting up to head back inside to go back to Paige's room like she promised to stay in there with her, she hears the voices of her Mom and Phoebe saying, "We love you too. Just continue to look after each other, cause we are just fine. Don't worry about us, for we are well."
The End