Chapter 7

"Just tell us the truth Paige" pause "You're not the one in trouble here." Another pause "We know David Glass did it. Just tell us what happened." Another pause "It was your first night at Harding's wasn't it. I bet you're afraid of him aren't you. You don't need to be afraid of him he's going to prison for a long time" long pause "Think of that poor boy's family, what they must be going through. You need to speak up. It's the right thing to do."

Paige sat silently looking at the interview table. She had been sat there for over an hour as they said the same the same things over and over again. Eventually the social worker who was acting as her guardian spoke up.

"This is harassment and emotional abuse of a minor." Chloe Reynolds said urgently "She's too traumatised to speak as you can obviously see. If she was going to tell you anything she would have by now"

Paige looked up, her face white as ghost; she could still feel the coldness of his stare and the smell of blood hung in the air. But she had to say something, if only to prove to herself that she still could speak. That she still could function in this world and that she hadn't died in that room with the boy who she didn't even know the name of.

"You wouldn't believe me." She whispered, "Not if I told you the truth." Her hands shook as she spoke and she shivered although it was not cold in the room.

The police woman lent forward ever so slightly "Is this about Tiberius. The others have mentioned him too. We will believe you Paige, that's what we're here for. We're here to listen to you and to make things better. The last thing we want to do is hurt you."

Paige sighed. "No… you won't believe it… you just think that we were all on drugs. I heard some of the others talking last night in their rooms" Paige said defensively, "You think that Tiberius is a drug dealer or a pimp. You don't know the real story and you won't believe me. No one in their right mind would believe me. It's too crazy for anyone to believe."

"Try me." The woman's eyes met Paige's "We want to help you. Keep you safe from this man that you are so afraid of."

"I swear that if I were to make up the biggest lie in the world, you'd believe it more than you would this" Paige whispered softly "But can I ask you something before I tell you."

"You can ask me anything." The police woman promised solemnly. She felt that she was about to hear something that she didn't really want to. None of the other kids had really said anything. Tiberius had been mentioned a few times. The idea was that the murder had been part of some sort of test. They wouldn't say who this character was or whether they had met before or whether he had been at the home previously. Any trace of adults being involved in this had vanished, except for a name. This child was the key witness in all of this. She had been found leaning over the body.

"Do you believe in magic?" Paige asked, without letting her stare fall.

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Without really meaning to Prue brought up the subject of Paige while on her date with Andy, she guessed it was because she felt guilty about it.

"Did you hear about that poor kid who was murdered last night?" Prue asked Andy as she glanced over the menu.

"Of course Prue, It was all anyone was talking about down at the department." Andy replied as he took a good look at the wine list. It was a tough choice. He could only afford two of the red and three of the white. He changed the subject; he preferred not to talk about work when he was out with Prue. "Piper wasn't her usual self tonight. She seemed a bit snappy when you were getting ready… is everything ok."

Prue nodded, "Umm." Bit of a difficult one, did she tell her boyfriend that she would be supporting not only two irresponsible sisters, but a new baby as well in the foreseeable future? "Yes, she's ok, got a bit of a cold and I think and she's a bit stressed what with this being her final year, exams coming up."

"It's just that Jean Olden told me that Piper was Pregnant." Andy shook his head in confusion, "I don't know where she cooked that one up from and I don't get why she thought anyone would believe her. I mean come on. Piper's not that type of girl."

How the fuck did something that she herself had just found out about 2 days ago have reached that gossiping little bitch's ears. Phoebe, there was no one else it could have been. Someone probably came to the door and she gave them an earful about the whole sorry affair.

Prue smiled overenthusiastically, "Well it would be nice if her evil lies didn't involve my sister. When did you hear this utter nonsense?"

"Just today" Andy replied, thankfully he seemed clueless. Obviously his detective skills were switched off tonight. The evening would be ruined if he knew about this, sure he would be annoyed when he found out she had been telling him lies, but tonight was about them for once. Forget Phoebe, forget Piper. Forget Piper's offspring, forget child murderers, forget job applications, forget resigning from work the following day, and forget money issues, bills, braces for Phoebe, forget it all.

Andy noticed the stressed look on Prue's face, "Listen, no one believes a word of it. She's just jealous. Jealous of the fact that Piper is going to college… and she's going to be stuck here, probably married to that jerk of a boyfriend of hers and living in a trailer park."

"Meow" Prue laughed approvingly at Andy's bitchy comments about Jean, "Have you gone gay and didn't tell me?" she joked.

"No, it's just well I know the stress you're under at the moment. I couldn't imagine having to take care of 14 year old kid" he said in all seriousness, "Look I know what you've had to go through and well I'm impressed at how you've matured. A couple of months ago you would have gone round to Jean's house and tore her a new one if she had said anything about one of your sister's"

Prue raised her eyebrows, "Who says I won't. Who says that after we've had our date I won't go round to her house and rip her face off! The cheek of it. What business is it of hers whether or not my sister is…" She covered her mouth before she could say it.

"You're sister is what? gay? Or pregnant…I knew it." Andy grinned, and then explained himself when his girlfriend began to glare at him "Sorry. I don't think it's funny. What is funny though is you thinking you can still lie to me and get away with it. We've known each other since the age of about two."

"You're so not clever." Prue pouted her lips, and slapped him playfully on the arm. "Please let's not discuss it now, let's put it on the back burner. I have a brilliant idea… Let's get really drunk and make out at our spot like we used to. You interested, I mean we can eat here any day of the week. Also it's really boring. We used to be fun you and I…. "

"You're actually serious." Andy mused thoughtfully. Since becoming respectable adults they hadn't been to their spot in quite a while. It was near the beach, very secluded and private.

"Hell yeh." Prue replied.

"Well I must say… you're a cheap date Prue Halliwell." Andy joked and proceeded to put on his jacket.

"Oh I wouldn't bank on it." Prue winked at him and then they left the restaurant arm in arm. Phoebe would have a field day when she came home drunk on a Sunday night. But she didn't give a shit. Sure she had work at the bank tomorrow. She'd call in sick, she had to give up that job anyway and start work in a store, because she had made a promise to herself to take better care of Phoebe. Well Phoebe could look after her dam self for one night surely.

It was half past one in the morning by the time Andy's cousin Walter turned up in his pickup truck to collect them. Prue hadn't been this care free in years, she was absolutely blazing.

"Yah know what my sister called my today And." she slurred into Andy's ear as they staggered towards Walter.

"Whaaaaaat?" He laughed loudly, for no reason; he was so drunk everything was funny.

"She called me a teacher, a teacher, a fucking teacher. And then she accused me of blaming her for ruining my life." prue shouted quite loudly and almost fell over as they reached the car. She was starting to get very emotional and was almost in tears. "I am not a teacher. I am not and never will be a fucking teacher."

"Ok Prue. Calm down. I get it you're not a teacher" Andy soothed, sobering up a bit at the sight of Prue in distress, "Time to get you home I think. We need lots and lots of coffee…" He attempted to get her into the back seat but she pushed him off.

"I don't wanna go back to them. I'M SICK OF THE PAIR OF THEM! I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AFTER THEM ANY MORE." Prue screamed, and leaned against the bonnet of the car. She put her hand up, "Just give me a minute. I'm fine. I'm sooooooo sorry about this Andy and whatever your name is…"

"Look love. Some of us have got work in the morning, so could you stop pissing about and get in the truck!" Walter growled and slammed his door shut, he turned to his cousin, "Sort your girl out, or you can walk home. Thought you told me she was classy. She looks it…. Not."

Prue ranted at Andy for most of the drive, she just couldn't help herself. The frustration that had built up over the last six months just came flooding out due to the amount of alcohol she had consumed and the way she felt. She just couldn't cope any longer.

Just as they were heading over a quiet patch of road, Prue turned her tear stained face towards the windscreen just in time to see the headlights from another car. Walter had no time to react; the car came skidding towards them at a tremendous speed.

Dun dun dun. Sorry I wasn't gonna leave it there but I had to. More about Paige in the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews it's kind of you.