Rock and A Hard Place
Prue and Andy stared at each other without saying a word for what felt like an eternity. She'd envisioned many times telling him that she and her sisters were witches. But now that it was staring her straight in the face, she had no idea what to do. All of the scenarios she'd reheard in her head couldn't help her now.
"So…what is it?" Andy asked, arms crossed over his chest.
"Um…have you ever noticed how…we don't really have a lot of people over?" she asked tentatively.
"Yeah…what's that got to do with anything?" he replied. Prue shifted slightly in the chair.
"A lot actually," she muttered.
In the sun room, Piper and Phoebe were spying on the conversation. Victor and Leo knew enough to keep away.
"She's really going to tell him?" Phoebe asked a hushed tone.
"Yeah…I can't believe it," Piper muttered.
"It's not like he's not here all the time," Phoebe retorted.
"She wanted to go tell Andy she couldn't study more than she wanted to find you " Piper hissed.
"She did not," Phoebe gasped. Piper just shook her head and put a finger to her lips so they could hear the exchange in the next room.
"Ok…care to elaborate?" he asked.
"I don't know how to tell you this but…what if I told you I was a little different than most girls," she began but he cut her off.
"You're not most girls, Prue. That's why I like you," Andy interrupted.
"Not exactly what I meant. My sisters and I…we're…special," Prue said, choosing her words carefully.
"I don't follow," Andy said.
"What would you say if I told you I had powers…I could move things with my mind?" she blurted.
"I…I don't know…" he answered with a shrug of his shoulders. Prue sighed loudly and looked around. She spotted the picture of Patty and the three girls on the mantle. They'd put it there years ago. She held out her hand and with a slight flick of her wrist the picture came to rest in her hand. She turned to look at Andy and he jumped back.
"How'd you do that?" he asked, trying to put distance between himself and his girlfriend.
"I'm a witch. I have powers," she said.
"She needs our help," Phoebe whispered from her position in the sun room. Piper sighed but they both headed into the living room.
"Witches aren't real," Andy exclaimed.
"Yes they are," Phoebe said.
"You're ten, of course you believe stuff like that," Andy accused. Phoebe glared at him and started to levitate in the air.
"How…" he started but stopped himself and looked at Piper.
"I freeze things and blow things up. I don't think you really want me to show you," she said dryly.
"Is it…something you can get rid of?" he asked.
"No," Prue answered.
"And we wouldn't want to either," Phoebe added.
"Why not?" he asked.
"Because it's who we are. It's in our family…all the way back to the Salem witch trials," Piper answered.
"Before you ask, we don't wear pointy hats or ride broom sticks," Prue added.
"This is crazy," Andy mumbled.
"I know it's a lot to take in…believe me. We didn't know we were witches until five years ago…when Grams died," Prue said, sitting down next to him.
"I…I don't know what to say…to think," Andy sighed.
"Just…take your time," Prue murmured.
"I should go home…leave you alone…to do whatever you have to do," he muttered and stood up.
"No…wait. We don't have to do anything," Prue said, reaching to take his hand.
"Actually…the Triad is still trying to—" Phoebe began but Piper shushed her.
"Kill us," she finished quietly.
"I really should go," Andy said and walked out the front door. The door shut before Prue turned on Phoebe.
"Did you have to say that in front of him?" she spat.
"What? It's the truth. They are still trying to kill us," the ten-year-old retorted.
"Not to mention Balthazar," Piper added.
"That didn't go at all how I wanted. And now I probably lost my first boyfriend," she shouted, storming upstairs.
"Why is it our fault?" Phoebe asked of Piper. Piper just shrugged.
"I don't know. She's probably PMS'ing or something," Piper muttered. Leo poked his head out from the kitchen.
"Everything ok out here?" he asked.
"Andy's scared to death of us and Prue hates us…oh and demons are trying to kill us…yeah we're fine," Piper answered and headed upstairs as well.
"Sisters," Phoebe sighed and went in search of the TV remote. Leo returned to the kitchen to look at Victor.
"It didn't sound like it went too well," Victor stated.
"No. They are trying to balance too many emotions right now," Leo said.
"Is there anything you can do?" Victor questioned.
"I can try and talk to them," the whitelighter offered.
"I'll handle Prue," Victor said and headed upstairs. Leo started first with Phoebe.
"What are you watching?" he asked, sitting down on the couch next to her.
"Commercials," Phoebe answered. She flipped the channel and looked over at him.
"I'm ok, Leo," she said. He smiled at her.
"You know you can talk to me about anything," he said.
"I know," she answered and turned her attention back to the TV.
Upstairs, Victor knocked on Prue's door. He didn't get a response at first. He knocked again and this time footsteps sounded and the door was yanked open.
"What?" she spat, not caring who she might be offending.
"I wanted to talk," Victor said.
"I'm not really in the mood to talk," she said, starting to shut the door.
"Please. Prue I can help," he said. She rolled her eyes but let him in. He pulled the desk chair over to the edge of her bed and she sat across from him.
"I know how Andy's feeling," he started.
"Great, you're taking his side," she spat.
"No. I'm just telling you that I know he feels; confused, in disbelief," he rebutted.
"For a long time I didn't know your mom was a witch," he explained.
"But you accepted it," she mumbled.
"I didn't want to…not at first. It scared me. But your mom showed me what it could do…to help people," Victor continued.
"Just give him some time. He'll come around," he said, pulling her into a tight hug.
'Thanks Dad," she breathed against his shoulder.
"Come on. I think pizza is in order tonight," he said, standing up.
"I'm not a little kid anymore," she laughed, her mood lightened by her father's reassuring words.
"Come on," he said again and they headed downstairs. Leo had left Phoebe to her TV and gone to check on Piper. He knew there was a lot more festering under the surface than just Andy.
"I don't want to talk about it," she said before he could even open his mouth.
"It's better to talk about your feelings rather than keep them inside," he reminded her.
"It's just all too much. It's Christmas time. We're not supposed to be worrying about whether we're going to end up in the Underworld. We're supposed to be spending with family," she said, her back still to him.
"Is that all that's bothering you?" he asked, moving closer.
"And…Prue just…how could she think about Andy before Phoebe? She's our sister," Piper continued to rant.
"You're all growing up. Things change…people change," he advised gently, finally sitting next to her on the bed.
"I guess I thought it would be easier than it is," she murmured, looking up at him.
"Growing up is never easy," he agreed. She cracked a smile.
"Come on. I think your Dad is ordering pizza," he told her and together they headed down to join the rest of the family.
Far below them, the Triad was conversing in low tones amongst themselves. Cole waited outside the cave, pacing anxiously. He knew they would be furious. But he'd been working on his defense. It would be easy to blame it on the shape shifters. They were expendable. He just hoped the excuse would be well crafted enough for him to escape being vanquished. Finally, after an agonizing wait, he was allowed in.
"What went wrong/" the Triad in the middle demanded.
"The guards couldn't handle one lousy witch," he said, sounding as angry as he could.
"You said you were going to kill her," the one of the right remarked.
"I was on my way there when they let her go," he answered.
"Why do we not believe you, Balthazar?" the third demon asked.
"I guess I didn't pick strong enough guards. But they were useful in the capture of the witch," he offered.
"This sort of failure will not be tolerated!" the center demon howled. Cole backed up a few paces. He could tell he was in hot water now. They hadn't bought his bluff.
"We will do this ourselves," the demon on the right stated. Cole could feel his body starting to swear.
"And you will learn what true power can accomplish," he added.
"Now go!" the boomed in unison. Cole shimmered out, grateful that they hadn't vanquished him. He rematerialized across the street from the Manor. He was well hidden by the bushes in the yard across the street but he could still clearly see the Halliwells enjoying their pizza in the living room. He shook his head. They were just witches, nothing more.
Christmas Eve arrived quickly for the Halliwells. The girls were still bickering about if and when to summon Grams and Patty. They were currently setting up last minute decorations when Victor walked in.
"Girls. Enough arguing," he called sternly.
"I still think we should summon them for the whole day," Piper remarked.
"We don't want to scar Andy," Phoebe reminded her.
"If he even comes over," Prue grumbled darkly. Victor set the single bag of groceries down on the foyer table and walked into the room.
"You need to be patient…all of you," he said. Just then there was a sharp knock at the door. Victor left the girls to finish setting up and pulled open the front door.
"Hi Mr. Bennett," Andy said, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"Do you want to come in, Andy?" Victor asked but the boy shook his head. Victor nodded and stepped outside, pulling the door shut.
"You…you know about them right?" Andy asked.
"That they are witches? Yes. So was their mother," Victor answered.
"I just…it's all so crazy," the teen murmured.
"Believe me, I know how you feel. It still amazes me sometimes what my girls are capable of," he said.
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. They're powers are always growing. When they first got them. All Phoebe did was have premonitions…visions of the past and future. Now she can levitate," Victor began to explain.
"What about Prue?" Andy asked.
"Well she can move things with her mind. Now she can also astral project. Send her spirit out of her body…make it go somewhere else," he answered.
"And Piper?" Andy inquired.
"She can freeze and blow things up. Her powers haven't progressed as much as her sisters," Victor said. Andy rubbed his neck a little. He was still unsure of what to think.
"They use their gifts for good. They help people…protect the innocent," Victor added, noting Andy's unease.
"And Prue still has time to date?" Andy laughed a little. Victor nodded.
"It's getting harder with them growing up," Victor conceded.
"I know that Prue would like it if you stopped by tomorrow. There's some people we'd all like you to meet," Victor offered.
"Ok," Andy agreed. The two shook hands and Victor went back inside. He found the girls all crammed onto the couch. He looked first at Prue.
"I think Andy is going to come over tomorrow. We had a little heart to heart," he said. Prue couldn't hide the smile and sigh of relief.
"What about Mom and Grams?" Phoebe asked.
"I think they can stay as long as they want," Victor answered.