* * * * *
"Here's todays mail," Cameron Baker told Phoebe as he wheeled a cart full of mail into her office at The Bay Mirror newspaper. Phoebe was the author of the advice column at the newspaper, a job she was acceptionally good at.
"Thanks Cameron," Phoebe replied. "How's Julia? We haven't seen her in a few days."
Cameron smiled, Julia was his wife. "She went into false labor three days ago, all the stress Elise was putting on her. The doctor said she had to stay home and rest for a few days before comming back. She should be back soon though."
"That's great Cameron, I know you're excited huh? Becoming a daddy for the first time and all?" Phoebe grinned.
"Yeah, I can barely wait," he said, and clenched his fists in anticipation.
"I know what you mean, my sister's eight months."
He nodded and turned to leave, but stopped and turned back. "Hey, I was wondering about something... When you first started here, weren't you pregnant?"
Phoebe was silent for a moment. "Umm, yeah. But I lost him."
"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to open up an old wound," Cameron replied sympathetically.
"It's all right, no biggie," Phoebe shook her head dismissing it. "Tell Julia I said hi and can't wait to have my assistant back."
"I will, she'll be pleased to hear you care so much," he nodded. "She loves you."
"And I love her," Phoebe smiled. He smiled back as he turned and left her office.
* * * * *
Piper walked into the Bay Mirror sometime later in the afternoon. She walked past rows of desk with people sitting rediculously straight, and buisily typing. She walked on to the back corner of the building until she reached the last office on the right and knocked softly on the door. Through the blinds she saw Phoebe look up and wave her hand for her to enter.
"Hey," Phoebe greated her with a warm smile. "I'm almost done with this letter and then we can go."
"Okay," Piper nodded and sat down in the chair across from Phoebe's desk. "So... How's everything going here?"
"Fine, I got a lot more mail today than usual," Phoebe gestured to the cart of mail by her desk with a nod of her head.
Piper's eyes got big when she saw it. "Wow, that's a lot of mail."
"I know," Phoebe nodded. She typed a few more words then exclained, "Done!" She stood up and walked around to the door and grabbed her duster off the coat rack and held the door open for Piper. "Ready?"
"Ready," Piper confirmed with a nod and headed out the door. They were just about to leave the office when they heard someone calling Phoebe's name.
"Phoebe! Phoebe wait!" Phoebe turned around and noticed it was Cameron. "You have a call on line five."
"I can't take it now Cameron. Can you take a message for me?" she asked glancing at Piper. Cameron nodded and Phoebe waked out of the building with Piper leading.
* * * * *
"It won't be long now Mrs. Wyatt," Dr. Foster said as she examined the ultrasound of Piper's stomach. The rather large figure of a baby was displayed in black and white on the moniter as the doctor moved the wand around her stomach.
Piper sighed trying to control her excitement as she watched the baby on the monitor. She could see and feel his movements and was instantly filled with maternal love. She couldn't wait to hold her son in her arms, but you can't rush a baby she reminded herself. So wait is just what she'd have to do.
"Oh i can't wait!" Phoebe squealed from beside her. "Look at how cute he is!"
"Well you don't have to wait much longer. A week or two, maybe less, you never know with these things," Dr. Foster replied. She turned her attention from the screen to Phoebe. She had been looking through the files on her computer for Piper's when she noticed her sister, this sister, had a recent visit to the clinic. Curiousity had gotten the best of her and she'd taken a peak at the file. She wondered if Phoebe knew yet. She must have some idea.
"Somehting wrong?" Phoebe asked her when she noticed the doctor's gaze on her.
"No, nothing," Dr. Foster replied shacking her head and smiling.
"Well Piper I've got to get back to work, or else Elise'll fire me," Phoebe told her sister. She kissed her forehead and started to go for her stomach but stopped at the sight of the goo. "I'd kiss Junior there but..." she trailed off and Piper nodded smiling.
"Go," Piper pushed her lightly toward the door. "We'll be fine."
"See you at the club then, bye," Phoebe waved as she left the room.
* * * * *
Bera stood at an altar preparing herbs for future use when her minion appeared. "My Lady," he bowed at the waist.
Bear dropped the herbs and turned to him, smiling delightedly. "Well? Is Bethazar's witch with child?"
"Aye, but she doesn't know it," the minion replied. "She went with the eldest sister to a doctor's appointment, I read the doctors mind. His witch is indeed with child."
"Wonderful!" Bera clasped her hands together. "What about the other? What did her doctor say?"
The demon shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think it's such a good idea to go after this child my Lady."
"Why?"
"Because, after a few days of spying on them I've concluded that the father is a Whitelighter. That's a lot of good, are you sure you could turn it?" the demon asked.
"A Whitelighter?" Bera scratched her head in thought. "You're right, a Whitelighter-Witch child could prove difficult. Besides, it's getting to late to take this child anyhow. Bethazar's witch however..." she trailed off with an evil smile. She knew exactly what she was going to do.
* * * * *
Cole shimmered into Phoebe's bedroom later that night around ten. He noticed her in her bed as usual and walked over to her side and sat down next to her. He pushed a few strans of hair out of her face and kissed her softly on the lips.
Her eyes eyes fluttered open slowly and she smiled when seh noticed it was him. "Cole," she said through a yawn.
"Hey, Honey. I've got a surprise for you," he whispered as he kissed her forehead.
"Hummm?" she aksed sleepily.
"Take my hand," he held out his hand for her and she gently slid her hand into his, eyeing his suspisously.
"What is it?" she asked, now fully awake.
"You'll see," he replied teasingly and pulled her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her and concentrated on shimmering across town.
Two seconds later he and Phoebe appeared in a large apartment building twenty five miles from the manner. "Where are we?" she asked as she looked around the sparsley furnished room.
"Our apartment," he replied smilng. "I bought it last month, but I didn't wanna say anything until I got some stuff to put in it."
Phoebe smiled. "Ohmigod! Cole it's amazing! How can you afford all this?"
"You don't think I sit around doing nothing all day, do you?" he asked playfully as he watched her walk around the downstairs. "I got my old job back a Jack McCarter and Clyde. I used my first five paychecks to get this palce and the furniture. It's not finished yet but I'll bet it'd be nice and homey if it had a woman's touch."
She smiled at the last statement, but something he said earlier stuck in her mind. "They just let you come back?"
"I just told them I took a well needed vacation without telling anyone," he replied with a simple shrug.
"You are truly amazing," she told him as she came into his embrace and kissed him passionately on the lips.
He smiled. "Now what do you say we go give that bed a test. See if it can handle the likes of us?"
Phoebe grinned. "I thought you'd never ask!" She took his hand and he lead her upstairs to a loft she handn't notice at first. She was more excited than a little girl who recieved a pony for her birthday.
* * * * * One Week Later * * * * *
Paige Matthews rushed into the emergency room of Sait Rose Hospital through it's sliding doors. She had gotten a call from a nurse informing her that Piper had gone into labor. She had immediately jumped into her car a sped across town from her boyfriends house as fast a she could.
She rushed over to the closest desk and tapped her fingers urgently on the desk. "Where's delivery?" she asked the woman on the phone.
The woman pointed to a sign behind Paige. Paige silently cursed the woman, she didn't even have the decency to say anyhting, just point to a dam sign.
Paige pushed her feelings down and examined the sign, she wasn't to great with maps, but for now she'd have to be. Three doors down on the right, she guessed from the color-coded map and walk-ran the three doors.
The first two doors were regular pacient rooms, but the last was one of those major hallways leading to important parts of the building. She jogged down the hall until she came to another desk.
"Can I help you?" the woman at the desk asked her.
Finally some decency around here, Paige thought to herself and smiled at the woman. "My sister's in labor," she replied and couldn't help tapping her fingers nervously on the desk.
"Her name?" the woman asked as she reached for a clipboard not much different from the other five clipboards on the desk.
"Piper Wyatt," Paige replied.
The woman scanned the list. "Room 38, that's just down this hall on your left," The woman pointed down the hall at the right on the desk. Paige thanked her with a smiled and immediately jogged down it.
"32, 34, 36... ah ha! 38!" Paige mummbled to herself as she pushed open the door. It was a small room with double doors opposite the ones she'd just entered, but there was no sign of Piper. There was however, a young nurse standing opposite her next to the other set of doors.
"You one of the sisters?" she asked her.
Paige nodded, "You mean Phoebe's not hear yet?" she asked the nurse as she handed her a green smock and a mask to put on over clothes.
"No, you and the husband are the only ones so far," the nurse replied.
"Can you call her then?" Paige asked as the nurse ushered her though the other set of doors.
"She's already been contacted," she assured her as she closed the doors behind behind Paige, she guessed to wait for Phoebe.
A high pitched scream made Paige jump and she noticed Piper on a gourney, strattle positioned. Leo was beside her and three more doctors huddled together around her lower area.
"Leo! Where's Phoebe?" Paige asked as she came to the opposite side of Piper.
"I donno, they called her a few seconds ago," he replied as he ran his hands lovingly through Piper's hair.
Paige nodded and focused her attention on Piper. "Hey Sweety, how you doing?" she asked taking Piper's hand. Her face was contorted in pain and her whole body was drenched in sweat.
"How does it look like I'm doing?" Piper asked through clenched teeth.
Paige nodded, not taken aback by Piper's rudeness in the least. She figured she'd be a little moody if a baby was about to come out of her as well. Even though Paige had never experienced a birth herself, she still had heard enough about it to know it was extremly painful.
"Where's Phoebe?" Pier exclaimed over the pain she was feeling.
"She's on her way Sweety, she'll be here don't worry," paige said, wipping some of the sweat off Piper's forehead with the back of her hand.
"Ok, we need you to push now Piper," the doctor from the other end of the table told her.
"That's what I'm doing!" Piper screamed.
"Well we need an extra big push now, come on you can do it!" the doctor corrected himself.
"Not until my sister gets here!" Piper replied, her voice strained with pain.
"Piper you can't control when a baby's comming-" Paige began.
"Watch me!" she exclaimed angrily. She turned to Leo, "Leo, go get her, I need her here."
"Piper she's on her way, she'll be here any moment," Leo told her.
* * * * *
Phoebe's cell phone rang sharply, breaking the silence of the night. Phoebe tierdly sat up and reached for her purse on the nightstand nearest Cole. Cole felt the movement and woke up as well. Smiling at the sight of Phoebe hovering above him.
"Hello?" Phoebe asked into the phone sleepily as she glanced at the alarm clock, 1:48 in the morning.
"Is this Phoebe Halliwell?" a woman on the other end of the line asked.
"Yes," Phoebe replied.
"I'm Gene at Saint Rose Hospital. We have your sister, Piper, she's gone into labor and is requesting you presence," the woman explained.
"Ohmigod, how long ago?" Phoebe tensed, now fully awake.
She arrived thirty minutes ago Miss," the nurse replied.
"I'll be right there," Phoebe said and flipped the phone closed as she turned on the light next to the alarm clock. "I've gotta go Baby," she told Cole and jumped out of bed, hurrying around to get dressed.
"What happened? Is it a demon?" Cole asked concerned, as he began getting dressed himself.
"No Piper. She's in labor," Phoebe replied as she pulled a pair of jeans on that she'd left there a while ago.
"I'll shimmer you," he suggested.
No, they'll see you and I really wanna avoid a fight with Piper while she's in labor," Phoebe shook her head.
"They won't see me. I'll shimmer you into the bathroom and-"
"Cole," Phoebe said sternly.
"Do you really think Piper'll forgive you if you miss this?"Cole countered.
Phoebe stopped what she was doing. "Fine, but you have to leave right oafter you drop me off. No hanging around.... I'll call you and tell you how every thing plays out later. Okay?"
"Promise," Cole nodded pulling on a shirt as Phoebe grabbed her purse. "Ready?" he asked her. She nodded and he took a hold of her in a tight hug then shimmered across town to the hospital.
They appeared seconds later in a bathroom stall of the hospital. "I love you," Phoebe told him and kissed him.
"I love you too," he told her. "You owe me."
"For what?" she asked curiously.
"For cutting out evening short," he smiled.
"I guess I could find some way to pay you back," she smiled seductively. He returned the smile and kissed her passionately on the lips agian, then disappeared in a wave as Phoebe opened the bathroom stall, and ran out in search of Piper.
"Here's todays mail," Cameron Baker told Phoebe as he wheeled a cart full of mail into her office at The Bay Mirror newspaper. Phoebe was the author of the advice column at the newspaper, a job she was acceptionally good at.
"Thanks Cameron," Phoebe replied. "How's Julia? We haven't seen her in a few days."
Cameron smiled, Julia was his wife. "She went into false labor three days ago, all the stress Elise was putting on her. The doctor said she had to stay home and rest for a few days before comming back. She should be back soon though."
"That's great Cameron, I know you're excited huh? Becoming a daddy for the first time and all?" Phoebe grinned.
"Yeah, I can barely wait," he said, and clenched his fists in anticipation.
"I know what you mean, my sister's eight months."
He nodded and turned to leave, but stopped and turned back. "Hey, I was wondering about something... When you first started here, weren't you pregnant?"
Phoebe was silent for a moment. "Umm, yeah. But I lost him."
"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't mean to open up an old wound," Cameron replied sympathetically.
"It's all right, no biggie," Phoebe shook her head dismissing it. "Tell Julia I said hi and can't wait to have my assistant back."
"I will, she'll be pleased to hear you care so much," he nodded. "She loves you."
"And I love her," Phoebe smiled. He smiled back as he turned and left her office.
* * * * *
Piper walked into the Bay Mirror sometime later in the afternoon. She walked past rows of desk with people sitting rediculously straight, and buisily typing. She walked on to the back corner of the building until she reached the last office on the right and knocked softly on the door. Through the blinds she saw Phoebe look up and wave her hand for her to enter.
"Hey," Phoebe greated her with a warm smile. "I'm almost done with this letter and then we can go."
"Okay," Piper nodded and sat down in the chair across from Phoebe's desk. "So... How's everything going here?"
"Fine, I got a lot more mail today than usual," Phoebe gestured to the cart of mail by her desk with a nod of her head.
Piper's eyes got big when she saw it. "Wow, that's a lot of mail."
"I know," Phoebe nodded. She typed a few more words then exclained, "Done!" She stood up and walked around to the door and grabbed her duster off the coat rack and held the door open for Piper. "Ready?"
"Ready," Piper confirmed with a nod and headed out the door. They were just about to leave the office when they heard someone calling Phoebe's name.
"Phoebe! Phoebe wait!" Phoebe turned around and noticed it was Cameron. "You have a call on line five."
"I can't take it now Cameron. Can you take a message for me?" she asked glancing at Piper. Cameron nodded and Phoebe waked out of the building with Piper leading.
* * * * *
"It won't be long now Mrs. Wyatt," Dr. Foster said as she examined the ultrasound of Piper's stomach. The rather large figure of a baby was displayed in black and white on the moniter as the doctor moved the wand around her stomach.
Piper sighed trying to control her excitement as she watched the baby on the monitor. She could see and feel his movements and was instantly filled with maternal love. She couldn't wait to hold her son in her arms, but you can't rush a baby she reminded herself. So wait is just what she'd have to do.
"Oh i can't wait!" Phoebe squealed from beside her. "Look at how cute he is!"
"Well you don't have to wait much longer. A week or two, maybe less, you never know with these things," Dr. Foster replied. She turned her attention from the screen to Phoebe. She had been looking through the files on her computer for Piper's when she noticed her sister, this sister, had a recent visit to the clinic. Curiousity had gotten the best of her and she'd taken a peak at the file. She wondered if Phoebe knew yet. She must have some idea.
"Somehting wrong?" Phoebe asked her when she noticed the doctor's gaze on her.
"No, nothing," Dr. Foster replied shacking her head and smiling.
"Well Piper I've got to get back to work, or else Elise'll fire me," Phoebe told her sister. She kissed her forehead and started to go for her stomach but stopped at the sight of the goo. "I'd kiss Junior there but..." she trailed off and Piper nodded smiling.
"Go," Piper pushed her lightly toward the door. "We'll be fine."
"See you at the club then, bye," Phoebe waved as she left the room.
* * * * *
Bera stood at an altar preparing herbs for future use when her minion appeared. "My Lady," he bowed at the waist.
Bear dropped the herbs and turned to him, smiling delightedly. "Well? Is Bethazar's witch with child?"
"Aye, but she doesn't know it," the minion replied. "She went with the eldest sister to a doctor's appointment, I read the doctors mind. His witch is indeed with child."
"Wonderful!" Bera clasped her hands together. "What about the other? What did her doctor say?"
The demon shifted uncomfortably. "I don't think it's such a good idea to go after this child my Lady."
"Why?"
"Because, after a few days of spying on them I've concluded that the father is a Whitelighter. That's a lot of good, are you sure you could turn it?" the demon asked.
"A Whitelighter?" Bera scratched her head in thought. "You're right, a Whitelighter-Witch child could prove difficult. Besides, it's getting to late to take this child anyhow. Bethazar's witch however..." she trailed off with an evil smile. She knew exactly what she was going to do.
* * * * *
Cole shimmered into Phoebe's bedroom later that night around ten. He noticed her in her bed as usual and walked over to her side and sat down next to her. He pushed a few strans of hair out of her face and kissed her softly on the lips.
Her eyes eyes fluttered open slowly and she smiled when seh noticed it was him. "Cole," she said through a yawn.
"Hey, Honey. I've got a surprise for you," he whispered as he kissed her forehead.
"Hummm?" she aksed sleepily.
"Take my hand," he held out his hand for her and she gently slid her hand into his, eyeing his suspisously.
"What is it?" she asked, now fully awake.
"You'll see," he replied teasingly and pulled her to her feet. He wrapped his arms around her and concentrated on shimmering across town.
Two seconds later he and Phoebe appeared in a large apartment building twenty five miles from the manner. "Where are we?" she asked as she looked around the sparsley furnished room.
"Our apartment," he replied smilng. "I bought it last month, but I didn't wanna say anything until I got some stuff to put in it."
Phoebe smiled. "Ohmigod! Cole it's amazing! How can you afford all this?"
"You don't think I sit around doing nothing all day, do you?" he asked playfully as he watched her walk around the downstairs. "I got my old job back a Jack McCarter and Clyde. I used my first five paychecks to get this palce and the furniture. It's not finished yet but I'll bet it'd be nice and homey if it had a woman's touch."
She smiled at the last statement, but something he said earlier stuck in her mind. "They just let you come back?"
"I just told them I took a well needed vacation without telling anyone," he replied with a simple shrug.
"You are truly amazing," she told him as she came into his embrace and kissed him passionately on the lips.
He smiled. "Now what do you say we go give that bed a test. See if it can handle the likes of us?"
Phoebe grinned. "I thought you'd never ask!" She took his hand and he lead her upstairs to a loft she handn't notice at first. She was more excited than a little girl who recieved a pony for her birthday.
* * * * * One Week Later * * * * *
Paige Matthews rushed into the emergency room of Sait Rose Hospital through it's sliding doors. She had gotten a call from a nurse informing her that Piper had gone into labor. She had immediately jumped into her car a sped across town from her boyfriends house as fast a she could.
She rushed over to the closest desk and tapped her fingers urgently on the desk. "Where's delivery?" she asked the woman on the phone.
The woman pointed to a sign behind Paige. Paige silently cursed the woman, she didn't even have the decency to say anyhting, just point to a dam sign.
Paige pushed her feelings down and examined the sign, she wasn't to great with maps, but for now she'd have to be. Three doors down on the right, she guessed from the color-coded map and walk-ran the three doors.
The first two doors were regular pacient rooms, but the last was one of those major hallways leading to important parts of the building. She jogged down the hall until she came to another desk.
"Can I help you?" the woman at the desk asked her.
Finally some decency around here, Paige thought to herself and smiled at the woman. "My sister's in labor," she replied and couldn't help tapping her fingers nervously on the desk.
"Her name?" the woman asked as she reached for a clipboard not much different from the other five clipboards on the desk.
"Piper Wyatt," Paige replied.
The woman scanned the list. "Room 38, that's just down this hall on your left," The woman pointed down the hall at the right on the desk. Paige thanked her with a smiled and immediately jogged down it.
"32, 34, 36... ah ha! 38!" Paige mummbled to herself as she pushed open the door. It was a small room with double doors opposite the ones she'd just entered, but there was no sign of Piper. There was however, a young nurse standing opposite her next to the other set of doors.
"You one of the sisters?" she asked her.
Paige nodded, "You mean Phoebe's not hear yet?" she asked the nurse as she handed her a green smock and a mask to put on over clothes.
"No, you and the husband are the only ones so far," the nurse replied.
"Can you call her then?" Paige asked as the nurse ushered her though the other set of doors.
"She's already been contacted," she assured her as she closed the doors behind behind Paige, she guessed to wait for Phoebe.
A high pitched scream made Paige jump and she noticed Piper on a gourney, strattle positioned. Leo was beside her and three more doctors huddled together around her lower area.
"Leo! Where's Phoebe?" Paige asked as she came to the opposite side of Piper.
"I donno, they called her a few seconds ago," he replied as he ran his hands lovingly through Piper's hair.
Paige nodded and focused her attention on Piper. "Hey Sweety, how you doing?" she asked taking Piper's hand. Her face was contorted in pain and her whole body was drenched in sweat.
"How does it look like I'm doing?" Piper asked through clenched teeth.
Paige nodded, not taken aback by Piper's rudeness in the least. She figured she'd be a little moody if a baby was about to come out of her as well. Even though Paige had never experienced a birth herself, she still had heard enough about it to know it was extremly painful.
"Where's Phoebe?" Pier exclaimed over the pain she was feeling.
"She's on her way Sweety, she'll be here don't worry," paige said, wipping some of the sweat off Piper's forehead with the back of her hand.
"Ok, we need you to push now Piper," the doctor from the other end of the table told her.
"That's what I'm doing!" Piper screamed.
"Well we need an extra big push now, come on you can do it!" the doctor corrected himself.
"Not until my sister gets here!" Piper replied, her voice strained with pain.
"Piper you can't control when a baby's comming-" Paige began.
"Watch me!" she exclaimed angrily. She turned to Leo, "Leo, go get her, I need her here."
"Piper she's on her way, she'll be here any moment," Leo told her.
* * * * *
Phoebe's cell phone rang sharply, breaking the silence of the night. Phoebe tierdly sat up and reached for her purse on the nightstand nearest Cole. Cole felt the movement and woke up as well. Smiling at the sight of Phoebe hovering above him.
"Hello?" Phoebe asked into the phone sleepily as she glanced at the alarm clock, 1:48 in the morning.
"Is this Phoebe Halliwell?" a woman on the other end of the line asked.
"Yes," Phoebe replied.
"I'm Gene at Saint Rose Hospital. We have your sister, Piper, she's gone into labor and is requesting you presence," the woman explained.
"Ohmigod, how long ago?" Phoebe tensed, now fully awake.
She arrived thirty minutes ago Miss," the nurse replied.
"I'll be right there," Phoebe said and flipped the phone closed as she turned on the light next to the alarm clock. "I've gotta go Baby," she told Cole and jumped out of bed, hurrying around to get dressed.
"What happened? Is it a demon?" Cole asked concerned, as he began getting dressed himself.
"No Piper. She's in labor," Phoebe replied as she pulled a pair of jeans on that she'd left there a while ago.
"I'll shimmer you," he suggested.
No, they'll see you and I really wanna avoid a fight with Piper while she's in labor," Phoebe shook her head.
"They won't see me. I'll shimmer you into the bathroom and-"
"Cole," Phoebe said sternly.
"Do you really think Piper'll forgive you if you miss this?"Cole countered.
Phoebe stopped what she was doing. "Fine, but you have to leave right oafter you drop me off. No hanging around.... I'll call you and tell you how every thing plays out later. Okay?"
"Promise," Cole nodded pulling on a shirt as Phoebe grabbed her purse. "Ready?" he asked her. She nodded and he took a hold of her in a tight hug then shimmered across town to the hospital.
They appeared seconds later in a bathroom stall of the hospital. "I love you," Phoebe told him and kissed him.
"I love you too," he told her. "You owe me."
"For what?" she asked curiously.
"For cutting out evening short," he smiled.
"I guess I could find some way to pay you back," she smiled seductively. He returned the smile and kissed her passionately on the lips agian, then disappeared in a wave as Phoebe opened the bathroom stall, and ran out in search of Piper.