Disclaimer: The Charmed characters are the property of Constance Burge and Aaron Spelling. I just borrow them for yours, and my, enjoyment.
The electrical stream shot out towards them as they all hit the ground in various directions, trying to get away from him and his powers.
"Phoebe?"
"I'm ok. Where's Piper?"
"I'm here. Who the hell is this guy anyway?"
"I don't know, but he is starting to piss me off." Prue shouted back to her sisters.
What had started out as a sister day down at the docks, had turned into a disaster.
"Prue would you hurry up all ready." Phoebe called up the stairs to her sister.
"Phoebe the park is not going anywhere. What's the panic here?" Prue laiughed as she walked down the stairs, to an anxious looking Phoebe
"Oh she just wants to check out the guys down there. Isn't that why you wanted to go to gold Gate Park in the first place Phoebs?"
"No." Phoebe looked at her middle sister in her own defense. But the look on Pipers face told all. I've been your big sister for 26 yrs. There is nothing that you can put past me
Phoebe turned to Prue who raised her eyebrows in curiosity. Curiosity as to what her baby sister would come up with as a reason for going there.
"Ok I give. My friend Samantha told me about this really cool spot down there."
"Where the boys are?" Piper laughed, as she tossed Prue her purse and made her way towards the door.
"Come on Phoebs. This whole sister thing today was your idea and now you're telling us that you only did it to check out the guys?" Prue said as she walked down the steps of the Manor, "I'm hurt." She feigned hurt as she held her hand to her heart.
"Yeah not hurt enough that you're laughing big Sis." Phoebe laughed as she placed her arm over Prues shoulders. "Now come on, there'll be enough for all of us." She added as she ran towards Pipers jeep jumping in the front seat.
They set up the blanket and Piper pulled everything out of the basket and cooler.
"Oh man. Piper you forgot my Dr. Pepper." Phoebe whined at her sister
"No I didn't Prue did."
"Me. I wasn't suppose to get that."
"Yes you, you were on your way home from Bucklands. You said you'd pick it up for her as the store was right on your way home."
Phoebe crossed her arms and glared at Prue with a look of 'how could you on her face.'
"Look Phoebs I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you."
"No. You'll go get me some Dr. Pepper."
"Phoebe I'm not leaving now. We can pick some up on the way home."
"Prue." Phoebe oput on her best sad face and pouted at her sister
Prue looked at her youngest sister. "Fine. But I have no idea around here where to get some, so I may be a while." Prue got up from the blanket.
"Phoebe go with her." Piper suggested
"What? Why? She was the one that forgot it not me." Phoebe protested, but saw the look in Pipers eyes. "Fine I'll go. But you better save me some lunch." Phoebe got up and ran after Prue, "Prue wait up. I'll come with you."
Prue turned and saw Phoebe jogging after her and thought to herself why her sister would want to come with her. "And why are you coming again?" Prue asked as she continued her walk towards the shops.
"I don't know Piper made me."
"Oh gee thanks Phoebs."
They walked in silence neither one having really anything to say.
"Prue. We're ok right? I mean your ok with me coming home from NYC right?" Phoebe always wondered deep inside what Prue thought of her returning to San Francisco after all this time.
Prue looked over at her sister walking beside her, she couldn't believe that Phoebe was even asking that. Placing her arm over her sisters' shoulder and pulling her in for a hug, "Yes honey I'm ok. In fact I'm glad your back. All I did when your were gone was worry."
"Really?"
"Yes really. Don't act so surprised. You're my baby sister Phoebe and no matter what happens, or has happened in the past, I will always love you and want to protect you. Now what do you say we find this Dr. Pepper stuff that you like so much."
Phoebe pulled Prue in for one last hug before they linked arms and continued their journey.
Piper had seen the display of affection between her sisters. It was that affection that she was hoping for when she sent Phoebe after Prue. She knew the youngest was holding back something ever since she came back from NYC. She just needed a little push to let Prue know how she felt and the same for the oldest. Piper knew Prue was happy that Phoebe was back, it would just take a bit to get it out of her. But it would seem that her two sisters where on their way to a true sisterly relationship. Well at least it was a start and for them that was a huge step.
They stepped against the wooden planks of the pier and where making good progress when Prue stopped in her tracks.
"Prue what is it?"
"I can't Phoebe."
Phoebe looked from her sister then towards the end of the pier.
"Sure you can Prue. Its not a dock, we are far enough from the water and I won't let anything happen to you, I promise,"
Prue reluctantly followed her sister with caution, as they made their way to the pier. She wasn't really afraid of the pier or anything happening to her. It was just a reminder of what happened to their mother that really bothered her.
"Look see, I told you we'd find it here." Phoebe looked over at Prue with a big smile. She had found her Dr. Pepper and now she was happy. And Prue was happy for her.
"Ok great. Now pick up a few extra bottles and lets get out of here. Piper is going to think we got lost."
Phoebe picked up the small bag as her and Prue started back towards Piper. But as she stepped from the small shop something caught her attention.
"Prue. Go get Piper."
"What? Why?" Prue looked down towards where Phoebe was looking.
"Just go get her. NOW!" Phoebe ordered her sister, as she quickly dropped her bag and ran down towards the end of the pier.
Prue watched as Phoebe took off, not really sure what was going on. But she took Phoebes advice and ran towards where they had left Piper.
"PIPER!" Prue yelled out as soon as she saw Piper sitting on the blanket.
Piper, hearing Prue yelling quickly stood up and started towards her, "What? What is it?"
"I don't know, Phoebe saw something at the pier and told me to come and get you. Come on." Prue grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards the pier.
After nearly a year they had each come to trust each other when it came to instinct. They were after all, the Charmed Ones; the most powerful witches ever in the world. Three sisters bound by their bond as sisters and their magic as witches.
Prue and Piper soon caught up to Phoebe, who was hiding behind a stack of crates at the end of the pier. Just before they got there they saw the bolt of electricity flash towards them.
"Phoebe?"
"I'm ok. Where's Piper?"
"I'm here. Who the hell is this guy anyway?"
"I don't know but he is starting to piss me off." Prue shouted back to her sisters.
Phoebe looked across to her sisters. "Starting to. He only just throw one shot."
"And he is starting to piss me off." Prue shot back at her sister across the passage from her and Piper.
"Ok. So what the power of three?" Phoebe asked hoping that Prue would have an answer. She was the big sister the un-proclaimed leader of the three.
Prue looked at each sister, "We could try it."
"Oh that's good Prue. Try it." Pier said sarcastically
"Any better ideas Piper?"
"No. Come on." Piper quickly thrust her hands from behind the crates she was hiding behind. Freezing the warlock or demon before them.
They each came out from where they hid as they took each others hands forming a bound no demon or warlock had yet broken.
They looked at the demon before them reciting the one spell that had always worked for them.
"The Power of Three will set us free." They kept repeating it, but instead of the spinning demon screaming out in pain, he seemed to break through Pipers freeze and laugh at them as he shock off the last bit of freezing power.
"You can't defeat me witches. You are not strong enough. After all there is just two of you." He threw the electricity towards them, only this time they went in three separate directions.
Phoebe felt her back hit the edge of the pier as the pain ripped through her back with the thud.
Piper found herself quickly covered in crates as she landed right in the middle of them all.
Prue felt herself flying through the air. But what scared her most was she saw where she was about to land; right into the waters that were breaking against the pillars below.
He watched as they ended up in their own separate heaps of debris and pain. "Until next time witches." He laughed as he soon disappeared from the pier leaving them to get re-oriented to where they where and where each other was.
Piper got up and pulled herself together as she stood up and looked at where Phoebe was trying to stand. "Phoebs. You ok honey?"
"I will be. Once I get this kink out of my back. Owwwey."
Piper placed an arm around her sister and helped her stand up, "Where's Prue?"
"I thought she was with you." Phoebe felt her heart tighten as her worry for her sister increased. But as she stepped away from the edge she heard the scream that ripped to her soul.
Looking over the edge they both saw Prue trying to fight to stay above the surface of the water and realized her situation, as they saw her heading for the pillars.
Without even thinking of her own life and safety Phoebe was soon over the side of the pier and heading straight down to the breaking water.
All Piper could do was watch and pray that they were both ok.
Phoebe felt the air as soon as her head broke against the surface again. Taking in a gulp of air she dove back under in search of her sister.
Piper seemed to hold her own breath with each time Phoebe went under. She had lost count on how many times it had been and she felt the hot tears working their way down her face. She let it all out when she saw them both appear below her. Phoebe holding tight to Prue as if she had found a lost treasure. Though even from there, Piper could see Phoebe getting tired and Prue was fighting to stay conscious.
As Phoebe made her way slowly to the shore Piper followed their progress from the pier. With each back stroke Phoebe took, Piper took another step towards the beach.
Neither sister even noticed the lifeguards that had gathered around the shore and pier. They had seen that the person needing rescuing was in good hands so they just kept a keen watch on them. Navigating the pier with the tide was a hard enough job without someone yelling at you.
Phoebe had cradled Prue against her chest and swam into shore, holding her sister with one arm and taking strokes with the other. "Come on Prue. You can work with me here. I'll get you your favorite drink when we get back, but you have to help me a little her." Phoebe talked to her sister.
She had felt the panic in her sister as soon as she grabbed her arm when she found her. But now it was up to her to get her sister to safety.
She rode the waves to a point, but didn't want to get caught in the current that could swirl between the pillars. Phoebe knew if she got caught in that then she would be as good as dead. As she thought this, she felt the pull. It was trying to pull them under. But Phoebe had other ideas. "Not today current." She cursed under her breath, but as she said it she felt it again, pulling her further under the pier.
She had taken lifeguard instruction as a teenager and knew what she had to do. But this was her sister. She couldn't do it. She felt the force of the wave smash against her and then the pillar slam into her back. She lost count of how many times she had been forced against the pillars, but she soon found her world getting darker as she loosened her grip on Prue and slowly sunk beneath the waves feeling one last crush as she lost to the darkness that was consuming her.