I own nothing even associated with the television series "Charmed." That all belongs to Constance M. Burge, the producers, Spelling Television, etc.

I wrote this for a mother who recently lost her child to natural but unexpected causes. Rest in Peace, Melissa. And to her mother Diane and their family, Good Luck and God Bless.

A MOTHER'S OUTRAGE

Breathe, Patty. You can do this. Patty Halliwell exhaled as she stepped closer to the dock. As her first foot touched the wooden planks, white orbs appeared in front of her, taking the form of her whitelighter Sam.

"Patty, stop!" Sam put his arms up in an attempt to stop his most beloved charge. "This isn't your destiny."

The witch pushed past her lover and continued walking. Sam grabbed her arm tightly. "Let me go, Sam!" She looked at him with anger for the last time.

"Patty, I love you. If you won't turn back for me, turn back for your daughters. Turn back for our daughter, for Paige." He regretted that sentence the moment he said it.

Pangs of sorrow and longing washed over Patty as she thought of her youngest child.

"Patty, I'm sor--" His apology was cut off as Patty froze him. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Paige. I'm making the world safer for you. She turned to the motionless figure beside her. I love you, Sam.

Patty exhaled again as she reached the end of the dock, looking out over the lake that had claimed so many lives. She attached the cables to the battery and spread the potion over the still waters.

The Water Demon surfaced, looming over the mother of the Charmed Ones. Patty stood confidently, her resolve unwavering. The witch and the demon both tensed, waiting for the other to move. Her confidence rising, Patty raised her hands to freeze the demon. But it was too late. The liquid monster jumped down her throat before she could even scream. She collapsed to the dock as her lungs began to burn.

Sam! Sam! Help me! It hurts, Sam! Patty's mind cried out for her whitelighter, still frozen by her powers. As darkness blanketed her eyes, Patty's final thoughts ran through her mind. Prue! Piper! Phoebe! Paige! My girls. Oh my sweets, how I love you all so much! I love you and I am so very sorry! Please forgive me! She relaxed as she felt the Elders call her.

"Patty! Oh God!" She looked down and saw Sam try to heal her lifeless body. His face contorted in rage as the Water Demon slithered out of his lover's mouth and back into the lake. Defeated, Sam went up to the camp office to call an ambulance.

"Grams, can I get a Popsicle from the ice cream man?" Little Piper Halliwell asked, tugging on her grandmother's dress.

Penny Halliwell placed her baby granddaughter Phoebe in her playpen and turned to her daughter's second-born. "Sweetie, you just had lunch. Maybe tomorrow. Why don't you go by the window and see if Mommy and Prue are home yet?" The Halliwell matriarch suggested sweetly.

When she was sure Piper wasn't looking, she used her power to grab one of Phoebe's bottles from the kitchen. Holding the bottle to the playpen, Penny smiled as the baby girl reached for her. "Gam, Gam!" She cooed.

"That's right, Phoebe. I'm your Grams," she said laughing. Again she glanced to ensure Piper wouldn't see. Then she used her power to make Phoebe's mobile spin very fast. Patty would kill me for using my powers in front of the girls, but Phoebe won't remember. Besides, someday they'll be the Charmed Ones. She smiled at the baby again. "Someday Phoebe, you'll be one of the most powerful witches in the world. Yes you will, yes you will," she said in baby talk.

Suddenly, she saw orbs in the kitchen and nearly panicked. "Piper, will you watch Phoebe for a minute?"

"Sure Grams," the little girl said as she hopped off the couch and ran over to her baby sister's playpen, her hair bouncing.

Penny hurried into the kitchen and came face-to-face with her whitelighter, Olivia. "What are you doing here? I told you to only orb in the attic! Patty would kill me if the girls saw any magic," she began to whisper. She stopped abruptly when she saw the solemn look on Olivia's face. Worry came upon her. "What is it, Olivia? Is a demon coming? Is someone after the girls?" She glanced back at the living room to make sure her granddaughters were still there, then turned back to her whitelighter.

"The Charmed Ones are safe. But something terrible has happened. It's about Pa--" Olivia was interrupted when the doorbell rang. "I'll wait in the attic." She orbed out.

Smoothing Piper's hair as she passed, Penny grasped the doorknob and prepared to vanquish any demon on the other side of the door.

On the front steps she found a policeman holding her oldest granddaughter Prue in his arms. The girl was crying. Penny took the child from him. "Prue, what's wrong?" When she got no answer, she turned to the policeman. "What's wrong with Prue? What happened? Where's her mother? Where's Patty?"

"Mrs. Halliwell, there was an accident. Your daughter was apparently at Camp Skylark to bring Prue home early. But--" he trailed off.

"What happened to my daughter?!"

"Your daughter Patty was found dead on the dock of Lake Skylark. She'd drowned."

In that moment, Penny's face, as well as her heart, broke. She stepped back from the doorway.

"Mrs. Halliwell, I'm so very--" His condolences were cut off as the door magically slammed in his face. She carried Prue to Phoebe's playpen and set her down beside Piper. She looked at her granddaughters, the Charmed Ones, and prepared to give the world's most powerful witches the worst news of their young lives.

TBC

Read and Review ~ SS