"I'm telling you guys I would know if I was pregnant." Phoebe said
"Oh really. Have you ever been pregnant?" Piper asked her with a smile.
"No, but I think I would know something like that. Besides I haven't seen Cole in a few weeks."
"Phoebe it only takes once." Prue told her
"I know how it works Prue." Phoebe said. She was starting to get angry with her sisters. She loved the thought of being pregnant but she also knew that she wasn't ready for it. That was why her and Cole had been so careful. "Can you two drop this now. I'm not pregnant."
"Ok Phoebs. Then what else is it?" Piper asked her.
"I told you it's probably just a flu bug or something."
"That you only get in the morning?" Prue said
"Ok look what do I have to do to prove to you that I'm NOT pregnant?" Phoebe asked
"Well a trip to the doctor would be good. That way if you're not, then at least you could find out what is wrong." Piper suggested.
"That is NOT an option." Phoebe told her. Phoebe hated going to the doctor at the best of times. Now her sister was suggestiong to go there for something that she knew was not even true.
"Ok then. I'll go down to the drug store and get you a pregnancy kit. You can test it here. If it comes up positive then we'll know." Prue added in, "And if its positive, then you can go to the doctors."
"And if it come up negative, as I know it will, will you two quit hounding me?" Phoebe asked
"Yes we will." Piper told her.
"Ok then Prue, go." Phoebe told her big sis.
"Ok. I'll be back in a bit." Prue said as she got off the coffee table where her and Piper had been sitting.
Getting off the sofa Phoebe started up stairs.
"Phoebs where you going?" Piper asked
"To my room. I need to get caught up on some school work."
"Ok. I'll let you know when dinner is ready ok?"
"Sure, whatever." Phoebe answered her as she climbed the stairs.
--- ----
Closing the door to her room she sat on her bed thinking about what her sisters had said.
It can't be true. I'm not ready for that yet. I need to graduate from school first and then find a job. And Cole. Well how can he be a father when he can only stay for a few days before he has to shimmer away? And then he's gone for weeks, just to lose the bounty hunters that are looking for him. No I'm not. It's just a bug I picked up.
She finally fell to sleep as she thought of the possibilities of her and Cole being parents. She would love it, but not now.
--- ---- --- ----
Prue came back to the Manor awhile later with the pregnancy kit for Phoebe. "Hey Pipe. Where's Phoebs?"
"Upstairs catching up on her homework."
"Cool I'll take this up to her, and then we'll find out the truth." Prue said as she started out of the kitchen.
"Uh Prue?"
"Yeah." She asked as she stopped and turned around.
"Might be a good idea to hold off until after dinner."
"Why? She agreed."
"I know, it's just, I think she needs some time to let this sink in. If she is pregnant that's gonna send her future plans into a small whirlwind. I mean she needs to graduate first and then what about Cole, he's constantly on the run. Let's just wait, ok?"
"Ok. But she knows that we're here for her and that we will help her through it."
"Yes she does. But sometimes there are things that you just need to do with out your big sisters holding your hands."
"Ok. So we'll give it to her after dinner."
"Right. So now can you husk the corn while I make the salad?"
"Yep."
--- ---- --- ----
Prue knocked on Phoebes door for the second time that day. "Phoebs dinner is almost ready." Prue said. Getting no answer she slowly opened the door. "Phoebs, honey?" she peeked her head in to find Phoebe asleep on top of her bed. Laughing lightly she walked over to her sisters' bed. Sitting down, she gently shock her sister awake "Phoebs. Dinner is ready."
"Hmm?"
"Wake up sleeping beauty. Piper is almost done with the BBQ."
"Hmm let me sleep Prue, I'm tired." Phoebe said rolling over.
"Come on Phoebe you have to eat."
Rolling back over Phoebe looked up at her sister. "Ok, but I don't have to be happy about it do I?" She asked innocently.
Laughing at her sister, "No. Now come on. You know how Piper gets when we make her wait."
"Grrr." Phoebe laughed
"Exactly." Prue said pushing Phoebe hair off her face. "Phoebs about earlier. I'm sorry I pushed the whole baby thing."
"It's ok Prue I know that you guys just worry when I'm sick. Did you get it?"
Looking down at Phoebe Prue just nodded. "Piper said we should wait until after dinner though."
"Oh."
"Come on. Last one down stairs has to do the dishes." Prue said as she made a dash for Phoebes door.
"Hey no fair you had a head start." Phoebe yelled after her. 'Hey two can cheat at that game' Phoebe thought as she started down the stairs she jumped up to the railing and levitated to the bottom.
"Oh Phoebe Halliwell you are such a cheater." Prue said from the landing.
"Yeah well you started it." Phoebe yelled back as she entered the kitchen ahead of her sister.
"Whoa slow down you two. Where's the fire?" Piper said as she put the burgers on the table.
"She levitated over the railing." Prue accused
"Yeah well you called the last one down, when you were half way out my door." Phoebe said in defense.
"Using powers for personal gain." Prue pointed at her baby sister.
"I just made it fair."
"Ok you two stop it. You can both do the dishes. You for taking a head start on Phoebe." She pointed at Prue, "And you for using your powers to win a race." She said to Phoebe.
"Yes Mummy." They both said as they sat at the table.
--- ---- --- ----
After the dishes were done Prue and Phoebe joined Piper in the living room. Sitting on the sofa Prue curled up beside her middle sister and Phoebe sat across from them in the big chair.
"So Prue were did you put it?" Phoebe asked quietly
"It's on the kitchen counter." Prue said looking up to Phoebe as did Piper.
"Phoebe you don't have to." Prue said
"No it's ok. I know what it's going to say. Maybe then you two will stop worrying."
"That my sweet girl, will never happen." Prue told her.
"Ok then, I'll be right back." Phoebe said as she got up and headed to the kitchen. Picking up the kit she went upstairs to the bathroom.
Coming down the steps a few minutes later she sat back in the chair.
"Well?" Piper said.
"Well. Now we wait." Phoebe said.
They sat there for what seemed forever. Each sister thinking her own thoughts about the results of the test that Phoebe just took. The results could change their lives forever. Now that there was a possibility that Phoebe could be pregnant they now hoped it would be true. It would be a shame to get ones hopes up and then find out it's not true. Then again as Phoebe had thought earlier, was she really ready for motherhood.
Phoebe looked over at her sisters who were in their own world of thought she could tell. Standing up she headed for the stairs. Prue and Piper watched her go. They both knew that this was something that she would have to do on her own. And no matter what the result they would be there for her.
They waited for Phoebe to come back down stairs. When she hadn't showed up for a few minutes they started to get worried. Had she built her hopes up that she was pregnant and now she got the answer that she didn't want. That she wasn't pregnant.
"Prue?"
"Give her a few more minutes Pipe." Prue said knowing the question that Piper was going to ask her.
--- ----
Phoebe walked into the bathroom and closed the door. She knew that her sisters would wait until she came back downstairs. She leaned against the door and looked at the stick sitting on the far side of the counter. Her feelings were all mixed up. She wanted the results to be positive, but at the same time she wanted it to be negative. How would she react in either case? She thought to herself. How will my sisters react?
"Ok Phoebe lets just do this and cross those bridges then." She said to herself. Walking over to the far side of the counter she picked up the stick with her eyes closed. Taking in a deep breath she opened them looking down at the results.
--- ----
Prue heard her sister coming down the stairs. She didn't say anything; she just waited for Phoebe to tell them the results. Looking up at her sister over Pipers shoulder she feared the worse. She could see the look on Phoebes face. It held no emotion what so ever. Nudging Piper gently, Prue sat up on the couch.
Piper was waiting in her own thoughts of her baby sister. No matter what, she would be there for her every step of the way. Torn from her thoughts as Prue nudged her, she first looked at Prue and then followed Prues gaze to the stairs. She looked at Phoebe and tried to read her face, but it held nothing, she was completely blank. Piper sat up on the couch as Prue had, and watched her baby sister enter the living room.
Phoebe stepped on to the middle landing and could see Prue suddenly watching her. She held her face straight, for she knew that her sisters could always read her perfectly. It was tough though, she wanted to cry and scream all at once. Then she saw Piper too looking at her. Oh I can't do this she thought as a tear started to escape her eyes. Stopping briefly to wipe it away she continued to the living room. She could feel the gaze of her sisters on her. She knew that they wanted to grab the little stick from her hand. She also knew that they wouldn't do it. She sat down in front of them on the coffee table. They just starred at her. She knew that they would sit there forever until she either told them or she gave them the stick.
Prue and Piper watched as their baby sister came and sat down in front of them. They both saw the little stick in her hand, but they would wait. And they would be there for her no matter what happened.
"Prue, Piper." Phoebe started as she looked down at her hands, but she couldn't finish as the tears started down her cheeks. Prue reached her hands over to Phoebes, to let her know that she was there for her. Piper resting her hands on her baby sisters' knees. They had a feeling they knew what was on the stick, and they were supporting their sister the best they could.
"Phoebe do you want to show us instead?" Prue asked lovingly
Phoebe didn't say anything.
"Take your time honey. We're here for you always." Piper said
Phoebe continued to look down at her hands. Then she just opened her hands up so that Prue could take the stick out.
Prue hesitated at first making sure that Phoebe was sure this was what she wanted. Taking the stick from her sister's hand she pulled it back so Piper could see it as well.
Neither sister could say anything. They looked at each other and then they pulled Phoebe into a three-way hug as she cried in their arms.
