Welcome to my new reviewers: ShadowWren and PaytonPaigePatriciaHalliwell. It's good to have you on board and I'm glad you like the story.
Chapter 13: Divided We Stand
Piper stood behind the podium with the Book of Shadows opened up in front of her, worry etched across her face as she continued pacing back and forth. She was prepared to enter the Underworld alone, with a potion she had conjured up, if the others were not back in ten minutes. Granted, she wasn't positively sure the potion would work but it was worth a shot. She already knew the location. However, after Piper looked back up, the familiar blue and white orbs suddenly appeared in the attic. She took in a deep breath of air and sighed with relief.
Thank god.
As Leo and Paige orbed in with the others, they all took a moment to catch their bearings. Prue felt herself grow dizzy and reached out to the nearest wall for some support. Paige reached out to steady her from the other side.
"You okay?" Paige asked.
"Whoa!" came Prue's response to the sudden rush she felt as Paige steadied her by the arm. "Does that happen all the time?" she asked.
"Nope, just 'til you get used to it!" reassured Paige.
Suddenly, everybody in the room was alerted to the fact that they were now standing in the company of two Pipers. Phoebe, Paige, and Billie each looked between the Piper standing beside them and the Piper standing in front of them.
"Uh, okay, what's going on?" Phoebe voiced in a high-pitched tone of concern. "Did we just bring a shape-shifter demon back home with us?"
Prue remained in the shadows, shielded behind the other four, but she could still make out the presence of the two identical women. What was going on?
All the women backed away from the Piper standing next to them.
"Relax," declared Leo with a smile. "Trust me, it's not what you think."
The Piper who was standing nearest to them suddenly materialized back into the form of a young man. They didn't recognize him. He smiled in their direction.
"Um, okay! So who the hell are you?" came Phoebe's very forward inquiry to this complete stranger.
"This is Dimitri," Leo jumped in. "He's an Elder, actually, he's just been appointed one very recently."
"Ha! Good luck!" mocked Phoebe while rolling her eyes and sticking both hands into her back pockets. The Elders. They weren't exactly on their list of favorite people these days, she thought.
The real Piper, who was still standing by the podium, released a wide grin. After all, it had been slightly amusing to watch the shocked expressions coming from her sisters in response to her double.
Prue stepped out from behind the shadows, coming into full view. Her brows furrowed, creases appeared across her forehead, while she surveyed her new surroundings. It was the oddest feeling washing over her. Had she been here before?
No. That wasn't possible.
As suddenly as the feeling had come, it had also passed. Prue's line of sight landed on Piper and then their stares met and locked with each other.
Piper's grin faded. A serious glare emerged in its place. That familiar pair of blue-green eyes, which could appear grey under certain lighting, seemed so foreign to Piper. The eyes staring back were the eyes of a complete stranger. No recognition of Piper flashed through them. In that moment, Piper didn't know what bothered her more: that blank and questioning look or the betrayal itself?
Piper opted to remain silent but also quickly averted her gaze. She couldn't look at her. At the very least, it seemed as if she were being spared from delivering the most difficult of the news to both Phoebe and Paige. Apparently, they had already found out about Prue being alive because here she was rescued with them. The Elders must have been right about their conclusions when they told Leo that Prue had gone missing too, most likely held captive in the Underworld.
"Dimitri's also been helping me to reorganize the Magic School. To get it back in operation again," explained Leo, completely oblivious to his wife's thoughts. "He offered to help us get you back without exposing Piper to any unnecessary danger."
"Unnecessary danger?" Paige questioned.
"Well, Piper scried and then used a glamouring potion to alter our appearances and that's how we were able to rescue you." Leo opted for some half-truth because he knew this new-found revelation about the Ultimate Power should be a discussion to take place with Piper first. Hopefully, he had just provided her with an opening to break into that conversation.
However, Paige assumed differently, believing Leo was referring to Piper and her current condition. She opted to reassure her brother-in-law that no harm would come to either Piper or the baby. That their welfare would always be top priority.
"Leo, everything will be fine. Piper will be fine. We promise not to let anything happen to either one of them," Paige offered with an easy smile in order to help ease his worrying. Only now, Leo was left feeling confused on how Paige reached that conclusion.
"Uh, no, it's not that. I trust you guys with that but it's ..." he let his voice trail off, hoping his wife would jump in and take it from there. As he looked over to her, he noticed how distracted she appeared.
Then it dawned on him. In fact, as impossible as it may seem, he himself had almost forgotten that she was standing there with them.
Prue.
Piper tried to pour all her concentration into the others. "Um, well, I should probably take it from here," she sighed. "What can I say except you guys missed alot in the short time you were gone," Piper began, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath.
You can do this, Piper.
Phoebe suddenly interrupted the flow before she had the chance to finish. "Uh, Piper, maybe there's something we should tell you first," she announced nervously glancing over in Prue's direction. She was clearly in view, Piper had to have already seen her.
Piper shook her head, eyes closed. She knew what was coming. "Phoebe," she stressed. "Don't. I really need to get all this out first." She had to share the information while she still felt an assemblance of rationality coarsing through her veins. There was no going back once her own emotional dam broke.
"I know, Piper, but - " Phoebe pushed. Piper cut her off.
"Phoebe! I don't care right now, it can wait!" she exclaimed a little louder. Her heart just wasn't ready to handle it. Honestly, she had no idea how she was going to react when she was finally forced to confront Prue, memory intact or not.
"But, Piper, it can't wait because it's about Prue. She - " Paige tried jumping in to help Phoebe deliver the news.
"I already know that Prue's alive, Paige, and I don't care!" Piper finally exploded.
Dead silence filled the room; everybody was speechless.
"So can all of you please just shut up long enough for me to get out what it is I need to say here? Is that too much to ask?" Piper slammed her hands on the podium.
"Piper?" Leo scolded.
"Don't Piper me!" she countered her husband.
"But Paige was just trying to share what happened to them, what they found out, she didn't know that you and I already knew," defended Leo.
"Well, Paige is a big girl now, Leo," Piper nodded at him. "I don't think she needs you acting as her whitelighter buffer anymore," she spat back. "This isn't five years ago. But, hey, just ask Prue!" Piper's snark and her glare got redirected at Prue.
After registering that Piper meant to address her, Prue's face contorted into a mask of total confusion. "Excuse me?"
"No, you're not excused, not now, not ever!" Piper's temper raged to life. "What are you even doing back here?"
Prue shook her head, looking around at the group. What the hell was going on?
"Piper, you're not being fair," argued Leo.
"It's a simple question, Leo," Piper countered right back.
"Piper, you need to seriously chill out!" Paige folded her arms. "Where else was she supposed to go?"
"Yeah, um, I think home sounds real good right about now," Prue interjected. "Where exactly am I right now?" she eyed the others, hoping for an answer.
Piper huffed in response to Prue and then sent a glare Paige's way for good measure. "Actually, better yet," she addressed Prue, "maybe after you find the time in that new life of yours to smarten up first, you can at least manage to not let yourself get grabbed by demons again. That way we won't have to end up SAVING your ass," she stressed with sarcasm.
Prue flinched in response. "Hey, look! I didn't ask for your help, okay?" she became defensive. "Not from any of you," she looked around at all the others.
"Piper, hello!" Paige waved her hands at her sister for dramatic effect. "Did you suddenly go senile and forget we're The Charmed Ones or something?" Paige reminded her. "Saving innocents is what we do."
"Innocents?" Piper repeated, then laughed incredulously at the thought of this applying to Prue of all people. She took a moment before directing her next snide comment at Prue. "You know what, perhaps you and Paige can get together some time soon and compare notes on what it feels like to be a substitute Charmed One? Phoebe and I never got that option."
Phoebe finally intervened before anybody else could. This whole encounter was quickly spiraling out of control. "Okay, Piper, stop it!" She glanced quickly between Piper and Prue and then over to Paige, who already looked completely stricken. "What's the matter with you?"
Emotions were erupting fast, Phoebe noted. Piper's reaction had taken her completely off guard. She didn't know what to say or what to do. She then shared a forlorn look with Leo. Was she missing something here? How had things suddenly spiraled so out of control between all of them? Prue's return should have given them a reason to celebrate; not provided an excuse to tear each other apart. It was too late, though.
Piper's sharp words had pierced the air and her sister's fragile heart. Paige was absolutely speechless, crushed by the insinuation that she was merely a replacement in the Power Of Three. She inferred just as much about Prue as well but that didn't make it any better. Her response was to turn around and walk out of the attic as fast as her two legs could carry her. Paige finally had enough with being her sister's personal punching bag to take out all her pent up frustrations on. That was it, she was out of there. Besides, it's not like she didn't have her own life to live.
I've been treating Henry and my marriage like second fiddle to put up with this crap, she thought. I don't think so, not anymore!
"Paige, wait!" came Piper's plea. It was laced with regret. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean - " but it was too late. The sound of the attic door slamming shut could be heard.
"Damn it!" Piper shouted. She rested her elbows against the podium as she brought her hands up to cover her face. She didn't mean to take it out on Paige like that. For the first time, she actually began to acknowledge that she had been doing that alot, albeit not so intentionally, but it needed to stop.
Piper's sudden outburst still held the attention of everybody else left in the attic. Phoebe was the first one to break the silence and let loose on Piper before making her own move to go check on Paige.
"Piper, what the hell is your problem?" she stressed, feeling her own anger rise. "Get it together, will you!" The reaction had been totally uncalled for.
Phoebe exited the attic, calling after Paige, and Piper didn't try to stop her. Paige needed Phoebe more than she did right now. Instead, she let her attention return to the source of her anger, to what it was that put her on edge in the first place.
"Okay," Billie finally breathed. She felt like she had been holding her breath far too long through out the altercation.
Prue and Billie, alongside Leo & Dimitri, were left standing in the attic, observing Piper's unpredictable reactions. Prue felt out of place, though. This whole exchange made her extremely uncomfortable, she just wanted to get back home.
Leo, himself, was at a loss for words. He wanted to get involved, but ultimately concluded his attempts would prove to be ineffective. Piper needed to cool down on her own. He wasn't going to be able to make things right.
Piper approached their direction. However, nobody expected what happened next. Without warning, Piper suddenly slapped Prue across the face with one quick swipe of her hand. Prue instinctively brought her hand up to smother the stinging sensation left behind. She felt pure shock; her eyes widened. No words were exchanged. Prue only got a brief glimpse of the other woman's eyes misting over before Piper made her hasty exit from the attic.
Billie covered her mouth in complete surprise. A slap in the face wasn't exactly the reaction she was expecting when someone was encountering their long lost sister presumed to be dead. Why was Piper so angry about this? She stood still and waited for Prue's reaction.
Prue felt her anger growing. What the hell had she ever done to that woman to deserve that? Prue didn't even know her; she had no idea what all her crazy rantings were supposed to mean. Maybe it was her own stubborn nature or maybe she was just a glutton for punishment but she wanted some answers and she wanted them now. Over the course of the past week or so, some unknown identity had gotten her into serious trouble. Both she and her husband were attacked in their own apartment. Then she was receiving mysterious phone calls and being lured away from her apartment to abandoned buildings by strange beings who could change their form and launch fire balls through the air. If all of that wasn't bad enough, she was abducted and held prisoner in some sort of weird underground cavern until she was rescued by some weird form of magic. All while in the company of these complete strangers who believed her to be somebody named Prue? She was NOT this Prue. Why couldn't they just understand that?
"Okay, I've had it!" Prue marched for the door.
"Um, Prue, maybe you should let her cool off first?" Leo stepped forward in protest but his suggestion went unheard. Right, I forgot. She can be just as stubborn as Piper. God help us!
Billie, Leo, and Dimitri looked to each other before parting ways.
"Uh," stuttered Billie. "I think I'm just going to spend the night at my dorm. Things are going to be a little tense around here for awhile, I can tell," she conceded gently.
Besides, this way she figured she could check in with her roommate so she wasn't making anymore unexpected appearances at the manor. However, Billie also needed some time alone. She had alot to come to terms with regarding her own identity, her relationship to the people around her, and the resurrection of a birth mother who knew nothing about her. Someone she didn't know either. What would her place be in the woman's life anyway? She didn't even remember anything about her life and how would she react once she found out?
"It's late Billie," Leo argued. "How are you even going to get there?"
"Well, if I hurry, I thought maybe I could catch a ride with Paige," she reasoned, a small shrug of her shoulders accompanying her response.
Leo thought about her suggestion but decided to argue against it. "No, better not," he advised. "Things are a little heated with the sisters right now. Let's just give them some space so they don't take it out on anybody else. I'll take you," he offered.
"Um - " Billie hesitated, not feeling like it was the best idea to risk orbing anywhere near the school. What if they were seen by somebody?
"I'll be careful," Leo reassured her, picking up on why she was hesitant. "Come on." He then reached out his hand to her and she grabbed onto it.
"I'll be going too," supplied Dimitri. "And I do hope the sisters will be able to sort out their differences soon," he replied solemnly.
Leo turned to address Dimitri before orbing. "Yeah, me too," agreed Leo. "See you at Magic School."
Dimitri looked up and exited the attic in the traditional swirl of blue and white orbs. Leo and Billie proceeded to do the same, leaving the attic silent and empty.
X
Piper rushed down from the attic to the second floor landing. She was determined to make it to her bedroom, lock it, and to stay there away from everyone.
Her dark emotions quickly morphed into physical manifestations as the feelings built up in the pit of her stomach, traveled down her skin, and then finally caught in her throat. Her body was begging for a release; she needed to cry, shout, and curse at the world for how unfair it all had been. However, those plans were put on hold when she heard the closely approaching footsteps behind her.
"Hey!" came Prue's yell while she continued to follow her.
Piper stopped, turned around, comeing face-to-face with the last person she wanted to see right now. For a few short seconds, the two women stood there engaging in a glaring match, the tension in the air so thick that a knife could cut through it. After one hard look in her direction, Piper spun back around attempting to walk away.
"Mind telling me what the hell that was all about up there?" Prue demanded.
Piper stopped, turning around once again. She took a few steps back in her direction until they were only a few inches apart from each other. "Actually, I do mind!" she retorted, her voice carrying its own distant and very cold edge to it. "I thought that I would but I have absolutely nothing to say to you!" she exclaimed angrily.
Prue fumed. "Well, I do have something to say," she retorted. "I happen to mind being struck in my face for no apparent reason. What is your problem?" she demanded to know. "I don't even know you!"
Piper's taunting laughter mixed in with tears born of her frustration. "You deserved it!" she threw back. "And it's your own damn fault that you can't remember any of us! So I absolutely refuse to feel sorry for you. You made your own bed and you can lie in it as far as I'm concerned," she spat out.
"Excuse me, but did I just enter the Twilight Zone or something because I think you've lost your mind!" Prue cracked. "What the hell are you rambling on about?"
"What am I rambling on about?" Piper reiterated incredulously. "I'm talking about how completely selfish you've been by playing dead and taking the easy way out these last five years! You've been reaping the benefits of a normal life while the rest of us have been left to deal with all the dirty work. And now here you are again and we're just supposed to welcome you back with open arms? Pretend like what you did never happened?"
Prue silently internalized each word Piper hurled in her direction. How dare she? This woman had no idea what her so-called normal life had been like over the course of the last year. It had practically been a nightmare between her daughter's abduction and the accusations she had been forced to live with resulting from it. And now all this?
Piper just watched as different emotions appeared to dance across her face.
"I don't need you to welcome me back with anything," Prue answered back defiantly. "And how dare you presume to know anything about my life?" There was a touch of animosity laced into her tone as she spoke the last sentence. "So in case you haven't gotten the message by now, here it is for the last time. I am not whoever the hell you think I am so you can take your pent up attitude elsewhere and shove it."
"Hm, right," Piper folded her arms. "Well, the good thing is at least the feelings are mutual. You certainly wouldn't have a damn clue about my life right now or what we've had to go through!" retorted Piper, in response to her sister's remarks. "And you're right, I don't know anything about your life either," she conceded. "But you know what? I don't want to and I don't care. Because it was your decision to make it that way, not mine! Not Phoebe's!"
Prue felt frustrated by this incessant need to speak around the truth. Why couldn't this woman just come out and tell her what she thought she had done that was so wrong? Who exactly did this woman think she was? The woman before her was too emotionally entrenched in her own ranting that all she managed to do was cast empty accusations in Prue's direction. Unfortunately, accusations Prue couldn't defend herself against because she had no idea what this woman was talking about. She wanted the answers but this wasn't helping her to get them. It left her feeling more lost, more angry, and even more confused.
"Look," Prue managed a deep breath. "If there's something you think you have to say to me, why don't you just say it?" Prue challenged. "Stop talking in circles."
"I have nothing else to say to you and I wouldn't even waste my time trying to explain it," Piper countered heatedly. "Because as far as I'm concerned, my sister died five years ago and she's still dead."
"Your sister?" Prue parroted, her brows contorting. "What exactly does she have to do with me?" she interrogated.
Piper shook her head, her voice suddenly taking on an eerie sound of calamity. "Nothing. That's the problem. Because the sister I once knew was nothing like the woman I see standing before me right now. My sister never would have taken the coward's way out."
Prue huffed. "Ho ho," she laughed bitterly. "I don't know who you're calling a coward but I know one thing for sure. I certainly didn't see you coming to the rescue a little bit ago when I was stuck god knows where for hours," she challenged, referring to her time spent in the Underworld with the others. "You sent in, what, a magical decoy in your place who could make himself look like you?"
Piper blanched; however, she very quickly regained her composure. The accusation had hit close to home after she had walked away hours ago, letting Phoebe & Paige walk into danger alone, but she also acknowledged that she shouldn't have been caught that off-guard. Prue had always been quick with a come-back, or some kind of retort when arguing, and anyone who knew her from their past knew that she would argue to win. Some things never change, she reflected. However, Piper had rarely found herself on the receiving end of Prue's stinging retorts, not like Phoebe anyway. So it still hurt.
"Think whatever you want to about me," Piper sighed. She really just wanted this confrontation to come to an end. "I don't even care what you think about me anymore. Because I may not have been a perfect older sister and god knows I've made my share of mistakes but at least I was there. I never ran away when things got tough. Phoebe and Paige always knew they could count on me and that they still can. Leo and both of my boys know that I'll do anything in my power to be there for them. But you? You did run away. You can't be counted on anymore. So who is the real coward here?"
Prue shook her head, deciding that this was getting her nowhere. "Fine, whatever you say," she relented. "I run and I'm a coward," she mocked. "Okay, well, now that we've established that and you know me so damn well, I'm out of here!" she declared, making her way to walk around Piper.
"Good idea!" Piper shot back as she turned around to watch her sister's retreating form. "And don't come back either. We've done fine without you and we don't need you here anymore!"
"No problem. Consider me gone!" came Prue's final say on the matter as she continued down the hallway.
Piper immediately regretted the words after they left her mouth. They did need her whether she liked it or not. Why couldn't she just tell her the whole truth? A part of Piper was tempted to run after her and admit to her that they were in fact sisters, argue that she really was Prue, tell her that she didn't mean everything she said and then beg her to stay. After all, as pissed off as she was with Prue, she didn't wish any harm to come to her. There was the more troubling fact that Prue was still at serious risk without her memory or powers intact. On the other hand, those hurt and angry feelings stemming from what she considered Prue's ultimate betrayal wouldn't go away either. Predictably, the stubborn part of Piper won out as she continued in the direction of her bedroom. She wiped at her eyes, her feelings completely torn in two.
She's done just fine without me for the past five years. What's a little more time going to do?
X
Paige rushed down the stairs and into the foyer, preparing to make her way out the front door. However, Phoebe was close on her trail as she shouted over the staircase banister.
"Paige, wait!" she shouted. "Please stop!"
She finished making her way completely down the stairs, following Paige into the foyer. But just as Paige was about to open the door, she stopped.
"Leave me alone, Phoebe!" came Paige's brush off reply. "I'm outta' here and there's nothing you can say to stop me!"
"Paige, Piper was way out of line up there," she asserted. "But please don't leave upset!"
Paige huffed. "You know what?" she finally vented for the first time in a long time. "I realize that you and Piper got this cool super-duper longer history together that has nothing to do with me, but that doesn't give Piper the right to rag on me anytime she feels like it while you get a free pass!"
Phoebe shook her head in denial. "Paige, that's not it! You know that's not it!" She hated playing the middle sister at times like these.
"Do I?" came Paige's inquiry.
Unfortunately, the fact that Prue had suddenly resurfaced out of nowhere was starting to play on Paige's own doubts and insecurities when it came to her other two sisters. And it wasn't at all like she wanted to blame it on Prue. How could she? The poor woman didn't even remember her own life from her own name. But she couldn't help the questions that kept swimming around in her mind, threatening to drown her at every turn. She contemplated these questions with worry.
Will Piper and Phoebe even need me anymore? And what will this mean for the Power of Three?
Phoebe gave her a sympathetic look. "No. It's just that so much has been happening lately and I know that's not an excuse to take it out on you. But I just think Piper's had way too much on her platter to deal with all at once."
Paige stood in her position and remained contemplative for a brief moment, absorbing Phoebe's words. That all made sense but she was sick of putting her feelings on the back-burner and pretending like she was fine every time Piper had one of her moments. Besides, they were all dealing with the same things and coming to terms with the same startling revelations.
"Look, I gotta' go. I'm tired and I just don't want to talk about this anymore tonight," concluded Paige. All she wanted to do was wallow in some self-pity by herself for one night. Was that too much to ask for? "I'll see you later."
However, just as Paige was about to leave, they were drawn to the sight and sound of Prue making her way down the staircase in quite a hurry. She brushed by them without saying a word and without making any eye contact. She looked upset. Phoebe threw her hands up in the air feeling the need to just give up.
Now what's with her?
"Okay, now where are you going?" Phoebe spoke up and addressed Prue after her sister swiped past her. Unfortunately, Phoebe had left the attic in such a haste that her concern for Paige momentarily blotted out Prue. God only knows how Piper reacted to Prue about her sudden return.
"Anywhere but here!" she answered in a strained voice. She brushed past Paige and exited the manor while Paige and Phoebe were left behind feeling bewildered.
"Whoa, Tornado Piper strikes again?" Paige half-joked at the sudden retreat made by their oldest sister from the manor.
Piper probably used me as warm up practice so that she could really lay it into Prue.
"I don't know but we can't let her wander around out there alone!" announced Phoebe in a concerned tone as she made her way to follow behind Prue. "She has no memory, nowhere else to go, and the Triad wants her!"
"I got it!" declared Paige as Phoebe stopped in her tracks.
"Paige, are you sure?" Phoebe asked, feeling unsure. She released a skeptical look in her sister's direction.
Paige sensed the doubt flowing off of her in waves. What? They didn't think she was capable of handling Prue just because they knew her from before and she didn't? Who were they kidding? The woman didn't remember them anymore than she ever knew her.
"Look, I'm on my way out of here anyway. I'll follow her and check up on her. So don't worry, I won't screw it up," Paige barely made herself audible. She wasn't in the mood for another confrontation. "You stay here with Piper," she suggested solemnly. She moved to exit the manor just a few minutes after Prue.
Phoebe released a heavy sigh filled with weariness. After Paige's departure, she turned back around and slowly made her way back upstairs, realizing that they all had a long road ahead of them before anything felt normal again or as normal as life could get living as a Charmed One.
X
Darryl made the final turn onto Prescott Street in the dead of night.
Andy sat in the passenger seat, just watching out the window, as they approached their destination point. They had actually planned on making it to the house earlier in the evening while it was still light out but had run into some trouble catching any flights into San Francisco and renting a car. Darryl had figured it would be more convenient to have a car available to them rather than using a taxi cab for a one way trip.
"We're almost there. It's that house on your right," Darryl announced to his former partner.
As the car approached, both men thought that they could make out the silhouette of a woman leaving the home. She looked to be in a hurry. Darryl assumed she had to be one of the sisters but he couldn't quite make out which one. It was too dark and they weren't close enough to see her. As the car was parked to the side of the road, they could barely make out the woman in the distance, walking down the sidewalk. After Andy got out of the car, he took some time to take in his surroundings. He was hoping for some sense of recognition to overtake him, some feeling of familiarity to assail his senses. But it didn't come. Both men proceeded to make their way up to the front door of the house. However, when the door bolted open and another woman exited, she crashed straight into Andy.
"Oh, sorry about that!" she apologized, having seen the man only after she made contact with him. Instantly, she recognized the other man standing with him. "Darryl!" she exclaimed in surprise.
X
Wyatt and Molly had awoken to the sounds of shouting close to the bedroom. Wyatt was the first to get out of bed and he made his way to open the door as Molly had followed close behind. He heard his mommy upset. Molly also recognized one of the voices. It had been some time but her small mind retained the memory of the one voice that had once brought her comfort and security. That voice was the same voice that had laughed with her, played along with her, read to her and rocked her to sleep at night. A voice she hadn't heard for such a long time but the voice seemed different too. It sounded mad.
Wyatt peeked out the door before Molly pushed herself out. However, as they made their way into the hallway, they were caught by Phoebe who had just made her way around the corner. She immediately caught sight of both of them.
"Hey, what are you guys doing up this late?" she gently interrogated in a soothing voice, as she bent down to meet their eye level.
"Mommy was crying," came little Wyatt's explanation. Molly looked between Wyatt and Phoebe.
"Aw, well, I'll tell you what?" Phoebe sympathized in an effort to gain their cooperation. "I'll go check on mommy to make sure she's not crying anymore but the both of you need to stay in bed and get some sleep, okay? Because only good little boys and girls who get their rest get to go to the park and play," she bargained.
Both children were excited. "Yay!" Wyatt and Molly jumped up and down excitedly, clapping their small hands together.
"Okay, ssh," she emphasized while bringing her finger to her lips.
Phoebe silently thanked the heavens that it worked while she led both children back to the bedroom and to bed. She was too physically exhausted and mentally drained to have to reason with them. But of course, she acknowledged that she would have to keep that promise to the kids.
X
Paige was shocked that she was staring at the man before her. After all, he had transferred to New York over a year ago and they hadn't seen him since.
"Hey Paige," came Darryl's quick and urgent greeting. "Look, are either of your sisters around? I'm sorry it's so late but this is really important. We need to talk!"
"They're inside but I'm on way out so whatever it is will have to wait for me. They can fill me in with the details later," she replied.
She really didn't mean to brush Darryl off. And honestly, she was curious as to what could be so important that it would drag Darryl all they way back out to California. But she needed to get to Prue before she lost her. That was the last thing she needed after she assured Phoebe she could handle it.
Darryl, feeling somewhat confused by her admission, thought of the woman they witnessed scurrying away just moments before while they were pulling in front of the house. He turned to look over his shoulder and then turned back at Paige, pointing his finger back in the same direction.
"Uh, wasn't that one of your sisters high-tailing it out of here a few minutes ago?" he questioned.
Andy just stood there silently, watching the entire exchange. He was sure he didn't recognize this woman but there was something strangely familiar about her. He wasn't sure whether it was her mannerisms or the woman's look. She reminded him alot of his wife.
"Um, yeah, actually it was," she began nodding her head. "I mean no! No," she squinted her eyes and shook her head vigorously. "Look, I really got to be going now! Great to see you again, Darryl," she waved over her shoulder.
Damn, I sound like a rambling idiot, she thought to herself.
Paige rolled her eyes while scurrying down the cemented steps, looking for any sign of her sister. When she didn't see her, she jumped into her green buggy parked in the driveway.
"Okay!" came Darryl's response to Paige's strange behavior. Both men watched her pull out onto the road and take off. Then Darryl reached for the door bell and turned to Andy. "Sisters," he joked, shaking his head. He earned a small smirk from Andy as well while they waited for one of the other sisters to answer the door.
X
Paige drove down the dark road.
The street lights were casting a dim glow over the blackened pavement. She could barely make out the trees let alone anybody walking on the sidewalk. Still, she eagerly continued on with her search as she glanced back and forth between the two sides of the street.
"Prue, where are you?" she pleaded out loud.
How could she have gotten that far ahead? Prue was only a few minutes ahead of her and on foot. Suddenly, she caught a figure just ahead, making her way past a white-painted fence in front of a neighbor's property.
Ha ha! Got'cha! Paige rejoiced triumphantly, while pulling up ahead of her and over to the side of the street. She rolled down the window and leaned across the passenger's side. "Hey!" she shouted out to grab Prue's attention as she passed by.
Prue continued walking while Paige kept the car sliding along slowly at the same pace.
"Forget it!" Prue announced. "I'm not going back!" She didn't even turn to look at Paige.
"Why? Do you have some place better to go?" teased Paige.
"Yeah, I do actually. Home!" Prue answered back with a light ripple of laughter. Then she smiled for the first time in what felt like days.
"Look, I won't take you back to the Manor if you don't want to go. But can you get in?" Paige beckoned. "Please? It's way too dangerous to be out here alone," she reasoned, referring to their very recent time spent in the Underworld.
Prue stopped walking. She turned to look at Paige, considering what she had said. In truth, where was she supposed to go? She didn't know anybody else from around here, she had no money, and no identification on her. And she certainly had no intentions of stopping by the local police department with a tale about a demonic abduction that left her stranded out here in the first place. But she knew one thing was for sure. She needed to get into contact with her husband so he knew she was alright. So it was either this woman's offer or going back to that house.
"Hey, I've even got a couch you can use for the night," Paige tried persuading some more, albeit, in good humor. "It ain't much but it's better than a cardboard box in an alley somewhere!"
Prue cracked a smile and shook her hand. "Yeah, sure. Why not?" she finally relented, reaching for the door handle and sliding into the passenger's side.
"Good choice," Paige remarked while putting the car into reverse.
She made a quick U-Turn and then drove back down the road into the night heading for her apartment.
X
Phoebe knocked on the door to the master bedroom.
"Piper?" she called out.
"Leave me alone," came the reply. "I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone!"
Phoebe turned the door knob gently to find out whether or not it was locked. To her surprise, it wasn't. She opened the door to find Piper on the bed, lying on her side. Piper didn't have to turn around to know that her sister was in the room because she felt her hovering presence.
"What? Is English suddenly your second language?" Piper retorted, sitting up to face her sister. "I said that I wanted to be left alone. I meant it."
But that didn't deter Phoebe. "Yeah, I know you meant it," commented Phoebe. "And that's what worries me." When silence continued to ensue, Phoebe pushed some more. "Sweetie, what's the matter?" came the inevitable question on her mind. "Something has got you really upset. You came down really hard on Paige and she's just as confused as the rest of us. And it can't just be about Billie." She stopped for a minute, giving Piper a chance to answer her. When she didn't, she pushed more. "Is it Prue?"
Piper sighed heavily and was about to respond when they were interrupted by the door bell ringing downstairs. Piper threw Phoebe a questioning look. "Paige?" she questioned.
Phoebe shook her head. "I don't think so. Why would she ring the bell? I thought she was going home but - " she trailed off as she headed downstairs with Piper following closely behind.
"But what?" Piper questioned.
"Well, she said she would check up on Prue first," she finished.
"Alone?" Piper asked incredulously.
Where was Prue even going to go and how exactly was Paige supposed to stop her? Piper felt some of the guilt return. When they reached the foyer and the first floor, Phoebe reached out to open the front door.
"Yeah," Phoebe defended the decision to let Paige go after Prue. "But don't worry. I'm sure she'll call if anything goes wrong. Or orb!" she concluded on second thought.
Then as the door swung open, Piper and Phoebe were greeted by the sight of Darryl and another man. When they took a closer look at the man standing at their front door, they realized they were looking a dead man straight in the face. He stood there waiting; however, his body language appeared to indicate that he had no idea who they were. Phoebe made it a point to take note that while Piper seemed surprised to have their sister's former beau standing on their doorstep in the flesh, she didn't appear all that shocked.
"Um, uh - " Phoebe stuttered. Phoebe blinked her eyes and couldn't help but to stammer. She looked over her shoulder, glancing between Piper and Darryl and then finally allowed her eyes to land back on the man they all once knew as Andy.
"Yeah, it's nice to see you too!" mocked Morris. He plastered a big, fake grin on his face. "Answer your phone much or does voice-mail not register out here in this part of the country anymore?"
"Messages. What messages?" Piper asked, shaking her head back and forth.
"What? Are you telling me you didn't get them?" Darryl responded in disbelief. "All ten to fifteen of them?"
Piper didn't know what to say. She certainly hadn't received any voice-mail messages from Darryl over the course of the past weeks. Granted, they did have alot going on but she wouldn't have missed one of his calls. She turned to look at Phoebe who just looked as bewildered as she did.
"Okay, Darryl, what's going on?" Phoebe laughed nervously. "What are you doing back here and what is a dead man doing on our front doorstep?" Her face turned serious.
"Well, now, if you answered your phone calls you would know already, wouldn't you?" he supplied. "This is what's going on," Morris explained as he pointed in Andy's direction. "And that's not all!" he exclaimed.
Piper quickly jumped in. "Um, yeah, not here!" she exclaimed.
Immediately connecting the dots, both Piper and Phoebe knew exactly where this revelation was leading. To Prue. Quickly, Piper and Phoebe ushered the two men inside the manor before anyone saw anything that appeared suspicious to them. Phoebe took one last look around outside before closing the front door and joining the others back inside the house. There was still no sign of Prue or Paige anywhere. She silently prayed that they were both okay as she closed the door.
To Be Continued: Okay, the reunion with the sisters is a bit tense right now but that will change in time. I honestly have nothing against mushy reunions but, for the purposes of my story, I felt this was more realistic. After five years and the complicated circumstances that led to Prue's departure, I figured it would only make sense that there would be more complex emotions involved rather than just feelings of joy accompanied by alot of non-ending hugs and kisses. Also, didn't get to the Andy/Prue/Molly reunion yet but that's coming soon.
Stay tuned.