-1Cross Now The Great Divide
The sun peaked through the stained glass windows in the living room as Paige Matthews paced impatiently through the room, eagerly awaiting a phone call from her sister Phoebe. She sighed as she glanced at the crib containing Chris Halliwell. The young boy seemed at peace as he gently rested in his nest of pillows and blankets----shrouded from the usual Demon attacks that persisted throughout the Charmed Ones' redundant schedule. Ever since Leo had to be frozen alive in order to protect him from the Angel of Death, Paige could feel a growing fear lurking upon the horizon. She knew that their only hope was to stay true to their cause, and fight for the greater good of the human world and the magical world. The witch's mind kept lingering on Piper, who she knew was taking the loss of Leo very difficultly. They had been married for four years, and things became more difficult when Leo was taken away, leaving Piper with Wyatt and Chris as a single mother. Paige acknowledged the fact that Piper had so much loss and sorrow in her life, until she realized that all three sisters had suffered from loss and pain over the years as well.
Paige's distant thoughts were interrupted when she jumped at the sound of the front door of the manor bursting open. Phoebe Halliwell blazed into the room nearly tripping over several things as she rabidly conversed on her cell phone.
"Phoebe! You were supposed to call me." Paige muttered as she paced into the kitchen with her high heels clanking on the floor violently.
"Uh sorry gotta go, bye." Phoebe mumbled as she closed the cell phone and smiled as if nothing was wrong at all, "I'm so sorry honey…I was late handing in my advice column today…Elise nearly killed me!"
Paige shot a negative glance at her half-sister and placed her hands on her hips dramatically. If there was anything that irritated her, it was Phoebe's constant excuses in regards of her being late.
"How can you be concerned about something like that…when Piper is in her room in an emotional wreck from losing Leo?"
Phoebe threw her keys onto the counter and listened as Paige continued to belittle her for doing her job.
"It is a tad uncaring of you, don't you think?" Paige nagged as she tapped Phoebe's shoulder, trying to get her attention.
"Paige…enough…just because Leo is gone doesn't mean we can't live our lives. Yes, I miss Leo very much and it tears me apart that he's gone…but you know what? Leo would not want us to sit here and sob over his loss when we could be living our lives like we originally planned." Phoebe retorted as she walked out of the room, with Paige closely following her.
"Tell that to Piper! Instead of living our lives, we should be trying to look forward to this immense battle so we can get Leo back. Is it just me, or does it seem like I'm the only one here wanting to get this crap over with?" Paige scowled with sarcasm as she threw herself onto the sofa shortly after Phoebe sat down.
Suddenly, a vase on the other side of the room shattered and exploded everywhere as Piper's tear stained face entered the room slowly. She folded her arms angrily and stared at her sisters.
"ENOUGH!" she cried as she threw her hair behind her shoulder, "okay…CHILDREN…can a woman get some rest around here? Of all the people I expect to get along, it is you two….we can't afford losing anymore people in this family. So shut up, or I'm going to waltz out here and kick some ass? OKAY?"
Paige and Phoebe glanced at each other nervously and turned their gaze back towards Piper who scooped Chris out of his crib and held him.
"Piper…you are taking this situation with Leo too hard. At least he is not dead." whispered Phoebe, hoping to find some ounce of positive energy in her sister.
"Yet…" Piper's voice trailed off as she walked into her room and slammed the door behind her.
Paige and Phoebe sat on the sofa and stared off in the direction of the stairway and remained silent for several seconds.
"We need to help her Paige…." Phoebe sighed as she placed her hand on her sister's knee.
The half Witch half Whitelighter stared at the picture sitting on the table next to her----containing the original three sisters: Piper, Prue, and Phoebe. It was the only picture remaining out in the open containing Prue. Paige regretted ever since Prue's funeral that she never received a chance to meet the mysterious 'super witch' that Piper and Phoebe usually referred to her as.
"Phoebe….what was Prue like?" Paige asked curiously as her mind grew distant.
"She was like our mother…without her, Piper and I would not be the way we are today. She was an amazing, strong hearted person." Phoebe said empathically, as if she was sensing Prue's emotions right at the moment, "Piper's sun and moon rose and sat in Prue."
Paige wore a gentle smile on her face as she raised herself from her seat and paced out of the room.
"Watch Wyatt, I have an idea. If you need me I'll be up in the attic." whispered Paige as she began to clod up the stairs with her high heels.
The door of the attic gaped open and the Book of Shadows sat upon its pedestal open to a random page. The young Witch/Whitelighter paced into the silent room and ran her fingers down the pages of the book as she sighed and glanced down at the open page displaying the young face of the demon Zankou----the fiend that they had just recently defeated who threatened the entire magical world as well as the real world. Knowing that it was her duty to keep the Charmed One's in order, Paige took a deep breath and removed a few large white candles from a box at the edge of the room. Carefully she placed them in a decently sized circle at the center of the room over a massive carpet that covered the wooden floor.
Paige remembered the spell she was about to recite that was used during several occasions in which the Charmed sisters summoned their long lost relative, Penny Halliwell, or in their terms, "Grams." She took a lighter from her pocket, lit the candles and stood back nervously while crossing her fingers.
"Here goes nothing.." she muttered with humor.
"Hear these words, hear my cry,
Spirit from the other side.
Come to me, I summon thee.
Cross now the great divide."
Paige waited for a moment and held her breath, hoping that her spell worked like it always ended up working. Her face brightened when she began to notice spiraling white energy particles glistening within the magical circle. Slowly, the silhouette of a woman began to materialize and glow as the shimmering star-like energy particles began to diminish. In a matter of seconds, Grams stood gazing around as if it took her a moment to actually realize where she was. Her partially see-through body clinked with necklaces and bracelets as she turned her eyes onto Paige.
"Paige darling, I was busy…..I hope this is important." the aged woman's voice echoed throughout the room as she rested her hands on her hips.
"Oh what can possibly make you busy, you're dead granny-pie." Paige interjected as she squinted mischievously at her grandmother and moved her lips into a sarcastic kiss-like position.
"Even us dead ones have lives. So how can I help you honey? What's the problem?"
Paige kind of felt her body growing weightless as a cold shiver streaked up her spine at the question she was about to ask. Her mind lingered on Piper's condition as she began to ask the question to herself, hoping to think of a good selection of words.
"Um…it's Piper. You know what's been going on right?" Paige asked nervously.
"Yes I do, Leo has been taken by the Angel of Destiny until the Ultimate Battle has been fought and won. Yes, yes I know my dear….my head's not in the clouds all the time." Grams muttered as she closed her eyes impatiently and nodded.
"I need you to send somebody here….to help Piper….nothing here is helping her. So I thought that if someone from her past came back like you usually do----that it maybe able to persuade her not to give up." explained Paige.
"Who? Your mother….she's away." muttered Grams as she folded her arms.
"No….Prue." Paige whispered as the entire room went quiet.
Grams stared at Paige with perplexity.
"She is still adjusting to the afterlife."
"Grams, don't give me that excuse, it has been nearly five years since she was killed by Shax. How long does it take to be ready for death? I've certainly died a few times myself in that period of time, and I certainly did not have any adjusting time!" Paige raised her voice impatiently.
"Paige….I simply cannot go and summon someone at any whim."
"Yes you can, for the SAKE of your beloved Halliwell Legacy that you claim to be so concerned with all the time. Piper is not going to get through this until she sees that she must not give up. She's lost her mother, you, Prue, and now Leo. If Prue can return like you always do when we need you, then she may be able to convince Piper to go on so we can get Leo back!" Paige yelled as she slammed the Book of Shadows shut.
"Paige…."
The young witch cut her grandmother's sentence off as she began to speak critically and passionately.
"Grams…everything is at stake here….Piper needs your help….and Prue's help. Please."
Grams stared at her half-grand-daughter and her facial expression grew more emotional as she noticed the sheer determination in Paige's eyes. The young witch was so determined to help her sister.
"Just think…Piper or Phoebe never got to say goodbye to Prue before she died. This will give them both a chance to put a painful chapter in their lives behind them, and give them the confidence to continue the battle." Paige explained as tears began to well up in her eyes.
Grams released the tension in her arms and smiled at her grand-daughter. Part of her was aware that the entire Halliwell Legacy was under threat at the moment. The Charmed Sister's were losing hope in themselves, and someone had to give their hope a boost.
"Don't worry darling, things will work out." Grams whispered as her ghostly form spun away in a tornado of magical particles.
"Damn! That went swimmingly….!" Paige cried as she threw her hands down to her side and whipped her long hair behind her shoulder. She at least expected Grams to give her a bit more insight as to what to do.
The young woman sighed and began to walk towards the door----allowing her high heels to echo through the wooden walls and floor as she slammed them angrily.
"Paige." a voice said from behind as the young woman nearly stepped through the doorway out onto the staircase.
Paige instantly stopped in her tracks as she heard the feminine voice echoing behind her. She knew that it was not Grams, it didn't sound older and demanding like her voice. The Whitelighter slowly turned around until her eyes gazed upon a young woman with long black hair streaming down her shoulder's, shimmering in the ghostly aura that Grams too was under.
"Prue?" whispered Paige with amazement as the young woman stepped out of the magical circle into the real world, where she became real flesh and blood like any other living person.
"It is so good to be back here." the woman whispered as she admired the manor's attic and the Book of Shadows lying on the pedestal near the windows.
"Oh my God…it is really you…" Paige mumbled under hear breath as tears gathered in her eyes.
Prue Halliwell smiled and wrapped her arms around Paige warmly, feeling the warm tears on the Whitelighter's face as their cheeks brushed. Paige felt her heart aching with joy as she finally received a chance to meet Prue in person----the sister she had never met.
"I never thought I would meet you Paige…I am so happy you were there after I….well….died." Prue whispered as she released Paige from the embrace and stared into her face, nearly in tears herself.
Suddenly, footsteps could be heard clotting up the stairs slowly. Prue's heart froze as she heard Phoebe's voice crying out.
"Paige! I need you to help me take stuff out to my car! Can't you just orb everything?"
Phoebe was staring down at a envelope in her hand until she reached the top of the stairs, just close enough so she could see who was standing in the attic. As she squinted and stared into the room, her eyes grew and she dropped the envelope in her hand.
"Prue…oh my God…" Phoebe covered her mouth and broke down into tears as she laid eyes upon her elder sister.
Prue reached out and wrapped her arms around Phoebe gently and caressed her long hair as she continued to sob. Together the two woman embraced each other as Prue brought Phoebe into the attic.
"Prue…I am so…sorry!" Phoebe gasped as she began to cry aloud, "I wasn't there….to save you from Shax when time reversed…."
"Phoebe, you did the right thing." Prue whispered as her voice cracked with emotion as she glanced over at Paige, who also had tears cascading down her cheeks.
"Phoebe…we must take Prue to Piper. She's our only hope of remaining true to our cause." Paige whispered as she tried to smile and whip her tears away.
"She's right Phoebe. Grams sent for me to help you guys overcome this plague of hopelessness. I know you have been struggling with your premonitions lately Phoebe, but you must not lose hope in them. They are your power, and your powers are tied to your emotions. I remember when I was alive, you never lost hope in them----so why should you now? And I know you have been struggling with love----it will come to you. I've always remembered you as the heart of the family. You are such a loving person Phoebe, and someday you'll meet a man who will cherish you always." Prue whispered wisely as she wiped Phoebe's tears away with her fingers.
"Lets go to Piper." Phoebe smiled as she sniffled and ran her hand through her elder sister's hair, admiring the ebony black like she used to.
Slowly the three sisters steadily paced out of the room and down the stairs. Prue inhaled the aroma of the house and stared at every decoration with awe in her eyes. Nothing felt better to her than finally being back at home, where she and her sisters grew up. She could feel the air blowing through her hair again----the sensation of life tickled Prue's senses as she basked in the light of the Earthen day.
The door of Piper's bedroom was wide open and she could be seen standing at her dresser, organizing her second drawer containing make-up supplies.
"Go surprise her!" whispered Phoebe as she giggled.
Prue smiled in return and began to tiptoe into the room. The feeling of excitement tickled all over her body as she entered the doorway and slowly crept into the bedroom. Luckily for her, Piper did not have a mirror on the dresser----it would have instantly given Prue's presence away. Unfortunately though, the wooden floor under Prue squeaked raucously as she stepped past the bed. Piper reacted out of fear and swung around. She raised her hands quickly and sent a matter-sped explosion at her elder sister. Luckily, still possessing her powers, Prue raised her hands and deflected the blast with her telekinesis. The old chime of her telekinesis rang through the room like old times. Smoke drifted into the air after the explosion shimmered across the mental shield.
"Piper, are you insane!!" Phoebe and Paige cried in unison as they ducked for cover.
Piper's eyes grew large as the smoke cleared, revealing Prue's slightly Native American face.
"I love you too!" Prue laughed sarcastically as she wafted some of the smoke away with her hands.
"Pr…Pr….Prue…" Piper stammered as the expression on her face grew bright while at the same time her eyes collected tears.
Piper stumbled up to her sister and wrapped her arms around her while shedding tears at the same time. Her heart ached so badly when she met her sister's warm embrace----a feeling of reconnection instantly sparked in her emotions.
"I…thought I'd never see you again!" Piper sobbed as she buried her face in Prue's shoulder, while being comforted by her elder sister's gentle back rubbing.
"You know that isn't true. I'm always here, even when you don't see me. Who do you think closed the door after Darryl left after you three defeated Zankou? It certainly wasn't Grams." Prue tried to laugh, hiding her tears like she always used to.
"We…tried everything to save you…oh my God…I have nearly went insane without you!" Piper gasped for breath as tears stained her face.
"Piper, the past is the past. I was meant to die…remember everything happens for a reason, the Angel of Death helped me to realize that." Prue explained as her and her sister let go of each other.
"Oh God, please don't mention Death….if it wasn't for the Angel of Destiny and this freezing demon Leo would be dead by now. And for some GOD forsaken reason I have to wait for this mysterious great battle to occur before I can get my husband back!" Piper yelled as she sat down on her bed hopelessly.
Prue, Paige, and Phoebe sat on her bed with her and stared at each other curiously.
"Piper," Prue rested her hand on top of her sister's, "You have been through so much, and you have not given in. It is important that you never do. This battle has to be fought, and if I were alive…..well I am alive…but I mean REALLY alive then I would be here with you. You have two amazing sisters who are here and supporting you. You are not alone, Piper."
"But…I feel alone. Leo…the only man I've ever truly love is gone…" she whimpered in reply.
"No he isn't Piper! He can still be saved." Paige persisted, backing up Prue's point that she should not give up.
"Piper, you just need the hope of winning this final battle….do it for your sisters….for your children….and most of all for the man you love. Piper, love can prevail over the darkest evil in the world. You three have such an amazing amount of love in your hearts and that is what makes us Charmed One's so powerful." Prue explained critically as she persuaded all of the sisters to join hands with her, "if there is anything I have learned from death, it is that love prevails over everything----even death. That is why I can see you three now and that is why I have been summoned back to talk to you, because I love you all. You are my sisters."
"How can the world expect us to fight when we are losing so much….all we have to lose now is ourselves?" Piper replied critically as she tried to show respect for her sister at the same time.
"The loss helps us finish the fight. Come on Piper….have we have failed ourselves or the world? Now we haven't. We'll….I mean you'll get through this. Live through this my sisters….don't die like I did." Prue pleaded as she glanced at all three of them and smiled.
"We miss you, Prue." Phoebe whispered as she clung to her sisters.
"I miss you as well, but I do not have much time to remain here. I'm still getting a bit used to the afterlife so I need to return soon."
"What's the afterlife like?" asked Paige.
"That's a secret." laughed Prue as she raised herself off from the bed and stepped over toward the crib containing Chris and Wyatt. Her heart reached out to her two nephews that they didn't even know.
Piper walked over to the crib and picked up Wyatt and smiled uncontrollably as she faced him toward Prue.
"Look Wyatt, it's Auntie Prue!" Piper said in a high, child voice as Wyatt began to smile at Prue.
"Hi there squirt! And hi down there, little Chris!" Prue said excitedly as she bent down and hoisted Chris into her arms. The little baby smiled as largely as Wyatt had while he met eyes with his long lost aunt.
After cuddling the baby for a minute or two, Prue gently sat Chris back down in his crib then turned around to face her sisters. Warmly, she tried to smile.
"It is time now." she whispered.
Piper rubbed her arm as she stared down at the floor with melancholy. She found herself losing her sister once again.
"I'm so glad I got to see you guys again….and I'm very glad I got to finally meet you Paige. I've heard so much about you in the afterlife….without you the Charmed One's would never have come back to life after I died." Prue explained as she smiled, right before turning to Phoebe.
"You have grown so much since I last saw you. I'm so proud of you Phoebs. Continue helping people with their emotions----you were always the emotional one, it is a gift you must always cherish and love." Prue advised as she wrapped her arms around Phoebe and hugged her warmly.
"Thank you." Phoebe whispered as she could feel tears welling in her eyes once again as she smelled the flowery fragrance that Prue always wore.
The wise sister smiled as she released Phoebe and gazed deep into Piper's eyes next. She could see the pain built up over the years bestowed within them.
"My dear Piper….you've suffered so much since I died. I remember you crying out to me so long ago. I always want you to know that I'm here watching over you always. Remember to never give up, fight for the greater good and your lives. Fight to get Leo back. Love will not fail you. And even through death my love for you….all three of you; has never failed or been forgotten." Prue explained gently as she embraced Piper, feeling the heart-warming woman tremble sentimentally under her grasp. As she let go of Piper, Prue brushed her hand down her sister's cheek and smiled warmly before turning to Paige.
"I regret so much that I died before I ever got to meet you. I realize that the Charmed Sisters are as amazing as before, because they have the new addition----you. I wish you luck in the future Paige----in both being a Witch and a Whitelighter. You are still my sister, and I love you." Prue said emotionally as she hugged Paige warmly.
Prue released her younger sister and stepped back away, smiling. Of all the times she regretted leaving her family it was now. But now she knew that her sister's would be at more of a peaceful state knowing that she was giving the advice.
"Goodbye, I…love you. If you ever need help, or someone to talk to----just summon me. I'm as close now as Grams or mom are." Prue whispered as she gazed into the eyes of her sister's and nephews, before turning into a spiraling twister of sparkling energy and diminished.
Piper, Phoebe, and Paige held each others' hands as they gazed at the part of the room where Prue's image vanished. Deep down, the burden that they had been bearing seemed a lot lighter after Prue's words of comfort filled their hearts. The Charmed One's felt a bit more confident in regards of prevailing in the Ultimate Battle, and getting Leo back from the Angel of Destiny----leading to the dream of finally living out the rest of their lives in peace.