I cannot even begin to apologize for how long it's taken to update this story. But I'll try anyway: I'm so so so so so sorry!
But I have fairly adequate reasons, so please bear with me!
My parents threw a tantrum very reminiscent to that of my one year old cousin, about the internet (I can't remember their exact reasons, because I kind of zoned out after they said they were canceling it)
However, me being Daddy's little princess came in handy and after a three weeks or so of me pouting and batting my eyes, he finally gave in, and got it back…….just in time for us to go away on holiday. Yep, its official my dad has the worst timing. So after two blissful weeks in Greece, I returned to rainy old England.
This then meant I had to return to college, and as I'm sure you're aware, the first few weeks or so of school is just draining.
So once again I am really sorry for the delay.
I sincerely hope that you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Please don't forget to leave a review.
All my love……..
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"So Paige has had her powers all these years?"
"I believe so; yes"
Leo cast an anxious glance over at Kyle, slightly uncomfortable with discussing the ins and outs of the magical world with a relative stranger. Phoebe nodded in response to her brother in law, before looking over at her elder sister, in hopes that she would contribute to the conversation. So far, only Leo and she had been speaking aloud, Kyle listening intently (though bewildered) and Piper apparently immersed in her own thoughts, and only barely listening.
Having failed to give Kyle an explanation that they didn't have, they had managed to persuade him to return to the manor with them, assuring him, that Leo was the most likely person to give them a reasonable explanation. After a quick introduction to Leo, Coop and the rest of the children, they managed to settle the twins, Keira and Aiden in the living room with their new found cousins. Although slightly wary around them, Kyle felt safe in the knowledge that this was his wife's family, and his children were in no harm.
"But how?"
Leo let out a long sigh and leant back against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest as he did so.
"I can only guess at that"
Phoebe motioned for him to carry on speaking, apparently reassured that his guess would be relatively correct.
"Well, my best guess is that when the Angel of Destiny offered to relieve you of your powers, he was talking specifically about your Charmed magic. Therefore Paige's white lighter abilities were unaffected"
Before Phoebe could respond, Kyle broke his silence, his voice thick with emotions; the main one being bewilderment.
"What's a white lighter?"
Phoebe struggled to explain in terms in which Kyle could actually understand, before turning to Leo with a pleading expression.
"We're sort of like guardian angels; we help guide witches and future white lighters"
Kyle nodded his dark head, pretending that he understood when in fact he could barely comprehend the insanity of what they were saying. He turned to Phoebe, his tone not accusing but confused.
"I thought you said Paige was a witch?"
"She is" Phoebe frowned at her choice of words, before amending herself so as not to bewilder her new found brother in law, further. "I mean; she was"
Anticipating the young mans next question, Leo jumped in to answer, eager to finish the conversation, and discuss the whereabouts of his youngest sister in law.
"Paige was both a witch and white lighter, inheriting powers from both her parents, rather than just her mother, like Piper and Phoebe did"
Kyle stared at him blankly, steely blue eyes wide and his mouth agape. Gathering himself, he leaned forward, his words coming out in a shrill tone, which betrayed his usually rich voice.
"Are you telling me, that not only is my wife a witch, but she's also an angel?"
"Well yes but – what are you doing?"
Phoebe raised an eyebrow at the man before her, who had suddenly taken to pinching his arm repeatedly.
"Trying to wake myself up"
"I've got it!"
Phoebe and both men turned to Piper, surprised by her sudden outburst, to find her scrambling out her chair.
"Piper what -"
"Paige, I know where she is"
Apparently oblivious to the other three people, the eldest Halliwell sister rushed from the room, grabbing her car keys as she went. Reaching the front door she spun on her heel. Kyle was already halfway down the corridor, his obvious intention being to go with her. Phoebe was just behind him, but Leo had been distracted by his daughter's appearance. Piper waited until he had scooped the child into his arms, and taken her out earshot before speaking.
"You stay here"
Before Phoebe could protest, Piper sent her an intimidating look and turned to Kyle, this time pointing her finger, to further reinforce her words.
"And you; don't go anywhere"
Then, with a turn of the heel and a slam of the door, she was gone, leaving Kyle to mutter random curses under his breath. Rubbing wearily at his forehead, he returned to the kitchen and seated himself at the table.
"Uggh! My head is killing me"
A few seconds later he heard the tap run and a soft voice speak out.
"Here"
He raised his head from the table, eyeing the glass of water and two tablets in front of him. He gave Phoebe a weak smile, before picking them up.
"Thanks, but I have a feeling that in this family, I'm gonna need something a lot stronger"
- - - - - - - - -
The nauseating churning of her stomach had finally subsided, but her head was still spinning, the dull aching on the fringes of becoming a full blown headache. The past eight years had made the art of orbing a foreign concept to her, resulting in the dizzy state she was currently experiencing.
Her orbing had not only taken her family by surprise but herself as well. Having literally run away from her past and the people within it, Paige had never taken the time to consider the white lighter aspect of her magic, and whether or not it had been affected by the change in their 'Charmed' destiny. Unwilling to think about that, she allowed her mind to be taken over by a gnawing notion of guilt.
She couldn't even begin to imagine the confusion her children were feeling, at the disappearance of their mother, and yet she couldn't bring herself to return. To try and answer their childish questions would be a challenge unto itself.
Kyle.
How would she even begin to explain the concept of magic to him? Sure, he was vaguely aware of what she had once been but never had he experienced it firsthand. Never before had he seen his wife disappear before his very eyes.
And then there was them. The reason she had reverted to her instinctive way of orbing away from trouble whether it physical or emotional.
Her family, her sisters.
Such an unfamiliar word to her now. She had spent the last eight years pretending that they didn't exist and to some extent it worked. Just as many mothers do, she focused solely on her children, on the family she herself had created.
But it had never truly, completely worked. They had been such a significant part of her life; they had somehow managed to ingrain a part of themselves within her. They were the link to the mother she'd never known and the childhood she'd never had, with the sisters she'd always longed for.
And so, one a year for the past eight, she had found herself writing. She had never intended them to become letters but they always did. Phrases that expressed distant feelings and emotions; along with words that told of the mundane details of her life that she longed to tell them. She had once been determined to send them, but had always stopped herself at the last moment, making up feeble excuses. And so they remained tucked away in a box in the corner of their dusty attic, along with the few precious keepsakes she had brought with her.
No matter how hard she tried, she could still see them, hear them. Most prominently within her own children, which was perhaps the most bittersweet of all.
The dark, luscious haze of chocolate that resided within Warren's soulful eyes, a perfect match to those of Piper. The matching gingerbread complexions and cheeky grins of Aiden and Phoebe. Sinead's feisty nature and fiery temper; a constant reflection of her eldest living aunt. Keira's energy and never ending ramblings that Kyle claimed was all Paige, but reminded her incessantly of Phoebe.
They were there always; a constant reminder of the people she had left behind but had never managed to forget. And how could she? Because in spite of everything they were still part of who she was.
They were her sisters.
- - - - - - - - -
It had taken her a few moments to comprehend the thought that she had actually orbed and another few to gather where she had actually ended up. She wasn't all too surprised by the answer.
Running a hand up her bare arms, in a vain attempt to warm herself against the chill that had crept into the evening air, Paige stepped forward, her stylish black boots brushing through the wet grass.
Letting out a long nostalgic sigh, she came to stop before the large expanse of black marble. She crouched down in the grass, and hesitated for only a moment, before reaching out to press her fingers against the gravestone.
Paige pressed her hand flat against the marble, ignoring the cold that creeped its way up her arm. Without realizing it, she allowed her slim fingers to run errant patterns along the grave's shimmering surface before reaching the gold embossed calligraphy that adorned the middle of the marble.
Sinead Grace Matthews
James Michael Matthews
Left this world on November 14th 1994
Gone from the world they brightened
She'd hated this place to begin with, tried her best to avoid it. She hated knowing that they were so close and yet so far away. Couldn't comprehend the fact that just six feet below her, were the two people who had made who she was, molded her into the spirited, lively young woman that Paige Matthews was. They may not have shared the same DNA, but she was their daughter in every other way imaginable. It was them that read her fairytales, them that soothed her back to sleep after ushering away the nightmares, them that pushed her, loved her and shouted at her.
And that's what made her theirs unconditionally. It didn't matter whether she was magical, who she married, what she did with her life, who lived and who died. Because all that could change within the blink of an eye; something she knew from personal experience. But Paige being their daughter never would. She was their little girl, their little princess. And always would be.
She wasn't aware of how long she knelt there, her slim porcelain fingers running along the surface of cold stone but after a while she became conscious of a presence behind her. She wasn't sure how, but the anxiety that took her over gave her a good clue as to the identity of her visitor. It amazed her somewhat that after all these years she was still as finely tuned to their presence as she always had been.
Standing up slowly she took in a deep breath, gathering all the control and courage she had. After a few deep breaths she felt a nervous calm spread through, and closing her eyes momentarily she turned on the spot.
"Hello Piper"
The elder woman took her time before speaking, savouring the unfamiliar sight of her baby sister.
"How did you know it was me?"
"Subtlety never was your strong point"
