Two years earlier:
Phoebe awoke to the quiet sounds of a small beep, very rhythmic and determined. She blinked her eyes several times to get them to focus. She could feel someone's hand holding hers. Then she saw him. He was rubbing the back of her hand saying something but she couldn't make it out. She finally found her voice. "Clay?" she whispered
Looking up into her warm brown eyes he almost cried. Or wait….he was crying. "Oh God Phoebe. You're ok."
"Yeah I think so. My shoulder is a bit sore though." She said softly. Then the realization of everything came back to her like being hit by a truck. Trying to sit up, "Oh God Marcia."
Clay gently pushed her back down to the bed. "Oh Pheebs. I'm sorry. There was nothing they could do."
"No. You're lying. She's not dead. She can't be." She cried
Clay pulled her close to him and she let it out. More tears then she thought she would ever cry. It was all too much for her. First she has a big fight with Prue, then she loses Grams, now this. Her emotions were in turmoil and she didn't know what to think any more.
Pulling back from Clay after several minutes she regained her thoughts and composure. "I'm sorry Clay."
Looking her in the eyes, "For what? You've been through a lot lately. I'm just glad I could be here for you."
"Clay you know I still love you right?"
Taken back a bit, he looked into her eyes. He could always see so much in her eyes. From the first day they met, it was as if they were doorways to a totally different world. "Yeah Pheebs I know." He paused a few minutes. "Right now you need to concentrate on getting better,"
Phoebe didn't say anything, she seemed lost in a thought that she couldn't tear herself away from. 'What if I had died and not Marcia? What if I had been more seriously injured? What would become of Piper? She would be devastated. And Prue, How would she handle all this knowing that the last time we spoke it was in hate and anger?' "Clay?"
"Yeah Phoebe?"
"I have to go."
"Go? Go where? In case you forgot you just got shot."
Laughing a little Phoebe took her one hand and placed it on Clay's face. "Oh my sweet Clay. I will miss you."
Looking at her with love. "I don't understand Phoebe."
Taking a deep breath and looking away from him towards the window. "I have to go home Clay." She paused. "I have to go home to my family. Back to San Francisco."
At first there was silence. Neither one wanted to say anything. Then finally Clay found his voice. "I knew this day would come." He said softly. "I just hoped that I would have more time."
Phoebe just starred into his eyes. "I love you Clay."
"I know Phoebe. And I love you." He bent over and kissed her. "So when are you leaving?" he asked after he broke the kiss.
"As soon as I can get some money together." She answered quietly.
"Look Phoebe I can help you with that. It's the least I could do after what I did. And I'm sure that all our friends would pitch in a bit as well."
"I don't want hand outs Clay."
"Phoebe they are not hand outs. They are friends helping friends."
"I just…"
Clay put his two fingers over her mouth, "Phoebe. You have no idea how you touched the lives of all of us do you? You are like a little sister that we never had. When Marcia introduced you to us you had this energy that we wished that we could capture and reproduce. You were the innocents that we had lost years before. We want to help you through this. And if that means pushing you on a plane or bus we will do it. Got it?"
Phoebe was shocked that her friends felt that way. For in many ways she also felt the same about them. They were her big brothers and sisters. A group that hung around and did everything together; it would all change now. The sound of a gun that would change all their lives forever: Marcia was gone and Phoebe was going back to a family that for right now she needed.
"I love you guys Clay. And if you are ever in San Francisco you had better call me."
"Count on it. Now get some rest."
Phoebe could no longer hold her thoughts together as the hospital drugs kicked in and she fell into a deep sleep. Dreaming of the times that she shared with her sisters: both of them. Before she drifted off however she managed to get out a few words of love. "I love you Prue."
Present Day:
Piper watched as her sisters slept. Only once had Phoebe stirred during the night, and the only words that she spoke were those of love for her big sister. Four simple words that would shatter most barriers; 'I love you Prue'. Some how Piper knew that those words were not spoken of this time but of a time long ago, A time when they had been separated. Piper realized then that the dreams that Phoebe were having had everything to do with her stay in New York. Looking down at her sleeping sister, "Oh what hardships did you go through that you feel that now you have to torture our big sister?"
--- ----
Morning came to the Halliwell Manor quietly. Piper had spent the night doing the books for P3 and then settled onto the cushions of Phoebes window seat with her novel. She looked up when she could feel someone watching her. She was looking back into the blue eyes of her big sister. "Morning. How'd you sleep?"
"Not bad actually. She kicks less when she's sick." She chuckled lightly.
Piper laughed back, "Yeah, I guess she does."
"How did she sleep? No more bad dreams I'm assuming?"
"Nope she never woke again. She only stirred once." Piper told her as she turned towards the window and watched as the rain run down the window.
Prue however knew something was up. She could always tell when either one of her sisters kept something from her. "Piper. What aren't you telling me?"
Piper was silent at first and Prue knew to let her speak on her own time. "She only stirred that once honestly Prue but she did say something." She paused a few minutes. "All she said was 'I love you Prue'. But there was something in the way she said it."
Prue just starred at Piper. "What do you mean?"
"I'm not sure. But I have a feeling that these dreams she is having have everything to do with when she was in New York."
At first Prue was shocked. Then she too could start to see the pieces.
"Think about Prue. She kept say I'm sorry Prue, I love you Prue. Then it was, don't leave us Grams. Then this."
"So what you're saying is she is reliving her time in New York?"
"I think so."
"Ok then what the heck happened last night? She was terrified Piper. I've never seen her that scared or upset. It was as if something had happened to one of us. And I know that nothing happened to us when she was gone. Can you think of anything? You talked to her when she was back there."
"I can't think of anything she told me that would have scared her like that."
"I guess well have to just wait for her to tell us when she's better."
"I guess so." Piper watched her baby sister sleep. She looked so cute curled up there with her teddy bear in her arms. So innocent. What happened Pheebs and why didn't you tell me? she thought.
Two years earlier:
"Guys I can to this myself. I'm not a complete cripple. I have sore shoulder that's it."
"Phoebe you just got out of the hospital and it's more then a sore shoulder. Now sit there and relax while we help you grab your stuff." Clay told her as he guided her to the couch and sat her down.
Clay, Mike and a few of their friends had met her at the apartment that she had shared with Marcia. She couldn't face it alone. There were to many memories.
"Pheebs have you called your sisters yet to let them know you're coming home?" Mike asked her.
Phoebe sat there not saying anything, lost in memories of another lifetime she had shared and lost with a friend. While in the hospital she had time to reflect on her situation with Prue. She had made up her mind that no matter what happened she would make up with Prue. After all they are sisters.
"Pheebs?"
"Uh. Sorry Mike. What was the question?"
"Have you called your sisters?"
"No. I didn't even call them from the hospital."
"What?" everybody seemed to say at once.
"It's hard to talk to them sometimes and this didn't seem to be the thing to tell them over the phone. I'll tell them when I get home." Right after Prue and I make up, she said to herself.
"Well you should at least let them know you're coming back." Mike added
"Ok where's the ph..."
She had barely asked the question when someone handed her the cordless.
"Thanx."
"Well give you some privacy Phoebe. Come on guys, bedroom."
Phoebe took a deep breath and dialed the Manor. Oh Piper please pick-up. Please let it be Piper. Three rings she was starting to think nobody was home.
"Hello. Halliwell residence."
"Hey Piper it's me." Phoebe was trying her best to sound cheerful
"Pheebs? Oh my God how are you?"
"I'm ok Pipe. How are you?"
"I'm good. I was starting to get worried about you."
"How so?"
"Well I hadn't heard from you since the day of Grams funeral. I was starting to think that you forgot the number to the Manor."
Phoebe laughed at this. She knew it had been a long time since she called. It was mostly because she didn't wasn't to have Prue answer it and have a repeat of last time.
"Yeah well I was busy, looking for a job and all." Something else I never told them. How I've been working full time almost since I got her and was making great money.
"So what's up? Why call now? Is everything ok?"
Phoebe just laughed at her big sister. Always worrying about me, and everyone else.
"I'm good actually. Um I called to say." She paused a few minutes. "I'm coming home Piper." There she said it.
"What did you just say?" Piper asked shocked
"I'm coming back to San Francisco."
Piper was shocked to say the least. She never knew Phoebe to be a quitter at anything, and her and Prue, well that was another story. How was she gonna tell Prue that Phoebe was coming back. Oh this is so not going to go over well. "Wow Pheebs, that I wasn't expecting that. How come? I thought you loved it out there?"
"Well let me see I broke up with Clay, I lost my job, and the funds are starting to get very low. I have enough money to get me home. If I don't do it now then I won't have that money to get me home."
Phoebe hated lying to Piper, but it was the only thing she could come up with that made sense as to why all of a sudden she wanted to come back. She couldn't tell Piper what she had just gone through. That the real reason was she had been shot, and she had witnessed her best friend get gunned down in front of her, trying to protect her. The city had to many memories now. Memories she wanted to forget, leave behind her and start over again back on her own turf.
"Phoebe you know you're welcome back. When are you coming?"
"In a few days I just have to straighten a few things out here first. And Piper?"
"Yeah honey."
"Can you do me a favour?"
"Depends?" Piper had a bad feeleing and she knew what Phoebe was going to ask her.
"Can you tell Prue?"
"That's a big favour sis."
"Piper I can't even get her to talk to me. How am I suppose to tell her that I'm coming back?"
"Ok you have a point there. But you so owe me, big time."
"Thanx Piper. Look I gotta run. I'll see you in a few days. I love you."
"I love you too honey."
Hanging up the phone Phoebe caught her eye on a picture of Marcia and her that Clay had taken one day at Central Park. They were laughing and rolling on the ground. She remembered that day as if it was yesterday. They had been laughing so hard they fell down and Clay couldn't resist taking a picture. Picking up the picture frame Phoebe traced over it with her thumb as a single tear ran down her cheek, that was soon followed by several more. She had slid down into the couch crying herself to sleep, thinking of the friend she lost and the sister she had to find. As she slept her thoughts were again of her sisters. How would Prue react when she found out that she was coming home?
