A/N: I'm sorry, I suck at updating, hope you enjoy this new chapter and thank you for all the feedback so far.
Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed. I don't wish I do, either- after all, "wishing only wounds the heart". Anyone remember that quote from a rather amazing musical? XD
For the love of her sister
Paige sank down onto the floor, head in hands, shoulders shaking with tears.
Prue walked over to her sister and sat down next to her; she wrapped one arm around Paige's shoulders and pulled her into a hug. Paige tried to push away but she just held her tighter, Paige struggled and cried out to no avail, Prue wouldn't let go. Eventually, Paige stopped fighting and gripped her back, needing at that moment, more than anything else, to feel loved and wanted- to simply be held.
They sat there, in the middle of the apartment, Paige frantically holding onto Prue, unable to stop sobbing, while the former Charmed One whispered soothingly into her ear.
Time seemed to stop for the two sisters, they sat there, clasped together, barely saying a word, even after Paige stopped crying. Possibly Prue needed the contact as much as Paige. She, after all, was always the big sister, the protector, the leader. And when she died, she didn't feel sadness at leaving her sisters, it was worse than that, she felt like a failure. She'd left them alone and hurt and there was nothing she'd ever be able to do to change that.
(It isn't difficult to imagine that Prue Halliwell does not take failure lightly).
And with Paige, in her mind at least, she'd failed again. She'd never been there for her sister; she'd never comforted her, or cared for her. And this was her chance to change that.
"Prue?"
Prue's head snapped up, she hadn't expected Paige to be the first to start talking.
"I'm sorry." And that made her eyes widen, she turned to Paige who refused to look up from her feet, so she gently tugged on Paige's chin, forcing her to her meet her eyes.
"Listen to me, Missy Paige," the corner of Paige's lips pulled into half a smile, "you have nothing, absolutely nothing, to apologise for. As your big sister I expect to be yelled out and was more than surprised that you didn't throw that picture at my head!" Paige did smile this time.
"Prue, I love you." She said it so with such honesty that the simple phrase brought tears to Prue's eyes. She was suddenly and completely filled with so much love for her baby sister, who she'd never met before and who was still so hurt, that a mild flash of anger crept up on Prue, aimed towards her other younger sisters.
Why can't they just love her like she deserves?
"Honey," she began, hoping that some great words of wisdom or reassurance would pass her lips. She so desperately wanted Paige to know how much she loved her, wanted to protect her, but it seemed (today, at least), that the vast intellect and vocabulary of Prue Halliwell was doomed to fail.
Instead, she continued with, "I love you, I always will," which, it just so happened, were the perfect words to say.
"Piper, left here, this is Paige's street, I know it!"
Piper allowed an honest smile to creep on her face, finally, they'd found Paige's apartment…then the smiled disappeared, a frown growing in its place…
What if she's not there? What do we do then? What if she is there? What would we say? What can I say?
Piper and Phoebe scanned the street before finally pulling next to a very familiar building.
"This is it."
"Yeah," Piper added, rather redundantly, but she felt the urge to break the ever increasing uncomfortable silence in the car.
"Piper…" Phoebe spoke after a few moments, her voice was unsteady, "what…what are we gonna do?"
What do you want me to say, Pheebs? Huh? What? You want me to give you all the answers? Is that it? Well, news flash, Phoebe, I'm just as clueless as you are, I don't know what to say or do if Paige is there an I know we're pretty screwed if she's not.
Instead Piper simply asked, "If she's there? Or if she isn't?
Phoebe frowned, "if she is. What can we really say? How can we make it okay?"
Piper sighed, already tired of the frustrating leader role. She wasn't all powerful or all knowing, she'd messed up with Paige just as much as Phoebe, probably more so. However, no matter how tired she was of being in charge, she knew she had to answer, because she was the leader, the big sister- the burden was hers and her hers alone- and she'd be damned before she didn't try to fix her terrible mistakes with Paige.
"We need apologise for everything that's happened," Piper started, hoping that her answer wasn't as feeble as it sounded. "Tell her we love her, I just…" Piper trailed off, unable- or unwilling- to finish her thought and show Phoebe her worries.
"What?" Phoebe prompted, "You just, what?"
"I just…I just hope that'll be enough."
"Paige, I have to go."
Paige looked up, stricken, "go? You can't go!"
Prue sighed, "Paige…" She brushed a lock of hair behind Paige's ear, "Piper and Phoebe," she felt Paige stiffen, "will be here soon. They can't see or know about me, not yet, and you need to talk to them…it wouldn't help if I was there."
Prue stood and helped Paige up; she looked to the ceiling and smiled sadly, "it's time."
"But, Prue," she faltered, tears welled in her eyes, "please, don't leave me," she added in a whisper.
"Paige…" Prue pulled her youngest sister into her arms and whispered into her ear, "I'm not leaving you, if you need me, I promise, I'll be there, okay?" She ended the embrace and brushed a stray tear from Paige's cheek.
"But…how? Are you…?"
"A Whitelighter?" Prue sighed wistfully and Paige couldn't quite work out the emotion in Prue's eyes. "If only."
Paige frowned, "I don't understand."
"You don't need to." Prue pulled Paige into her arms again, trying to take in as much as Paige as possible, desperately not wanting to leaving and hating that she had no choice. She kissed her gently on the forehead and tried not to let her voice shake, "I love you, Paige," White lights appeared circled Prue, shielding her from Paige, allowing her to let the tears fall, "be strong."
Dun, dun, dun!
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