Paige's POV (Emelie)

25. Sisterly Incantations

According to a judge we were on family. According to Prue it was us against the world…according to me – oh who am I kidding I have no idea how I feel…sometimes I just wish things were like they used to. With me and my sisters, with grams always yelling at me for bringing mud into the kitchen after a soccer game, or forgetting my schoolbooks in the living room. But sometimes maybe change is good…at least that is what they say…

--

"Life sucks" I flopped down onto my big sister's bed.

"And why is that?" Piper looked up from the book in her hands and scooted to the side to give me more room on the small bed.

"I don't know, my friends want nothing to do with me, my father doesn't want anything to do with me…oh and did I mention it's raining…again!" I pulled the dramatic act with the hands over my head but she just laughed. "My misery is funny to you?"

"Quite frankly, yes" Piper laughed even more and didn't stop until I slammed the nearby pillow in her lap. "Okay…" she relaxed a bit. "So why does your friends hate you?"

"Because they're stupid" I muttered.

"Paige" it always surprises me how Piper can put so much in just using my name.

"Okay so they helped me run away, they were there for me and just because we got caught they ended up on a foster home" I said.

"So they feel it's your fault" Piper stated. "Maybe you should talk to them?"

"Been there – done that" I let out a deep sigh.

"Too bad…the brown haired one was pretty cute" Piper said giving me a slight jab on the arm.

"Kyle?" I exclaimed. "That is just so…ewww."

"Right" Piper laughed.

"So how's Leo?" I shot back, pulling myself up on my elbow so I could look at her better.

"Hey Paigey how about a trip to the manor to check out our rooms?" Piper quickly changed the subject and got up from the bed.

"I know how the room looks" I answered, trying to keep my voice in a some what happy tone but failing miserably.

"So we go to see Prue" Piper stated.

"Who are we kidding, none of us really wants to see her" I said and sat up on the bed, starring at her. "Yes we will live together as one big happy family…but has she come once since then to talk to us?"

"She's been busy, this is hard on her too you know" Piper said.

"Fine we'll go."'

"Great" she took my hand and dragged me up from the bed, leaving me just enough time to grab my jacket on the way out of the room.

--

"Hey maybe if you went to see Henry and Kyle and threatened them…" I said thoughtfully as we walked down the street on our way to the manor. "You know like you did that time Melissa called me stupid in first grade."

"Aren't you too old to have your sisters do your dirty work?" Piper asked and tugged the umbrella closer to her, leaving me with less the half.

"No" I tried. I was about to add something more but the words got caught in my throat as Piper stopped on the sidewalk and only then did I notice we were at the manor.

"Okay, are you ready?" Piper took my hand and together we walked up the stairs to the front door.

We knocked and the door flew up only to reveal our sister who gave us both a master hug before she dragged us inside.

"Oh my God am I happy to see you" Phoebe said happily. "You will never believe who is upstairs" she was practically glowing, like always when she had something big to share.

"I am going to go with a very far out guess and say Prue" Piper said in a tired tone but Phoebe just sent her a glare.

"Nooo…." She laughed. "I'll give you a hint, the name starts with and A."

"Aaron Carter" I mocked and by now my sister was having major problems. She knew she shouldn't tell but she also knew we were not helping her at all.

"Funny" Phoebe said.

"Oh wait I know, Aretha Franklin" Piper said and I couldn't help but laugh. A laugh that died out as I saw a young man enter the hallway from the living room.

"Hi you must be Prue's sisters" he said with a smile. "I'm Marc…"

"Prue's…friend" Phoebe added the word friend in a way that showed she did not believe in it.

"Oh…" Piper suddenly realized who was upstairs and looked from Phoebe to Marc. "So he's upstairs with Prue?"

"Yes" Phoebe nodded. "And trust me, he did not look as happy as he used to. In fact I had a feeling he was mad at her for something."

"Probably that she didn't call" I mumbled. "That sure can make someone mad…" I moved past them and started up the stairs.

"Wait you can't disturb them" Phoebe grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back down.

"I want to say hi to Andy" I said.

"Then you wait" Piper stated. "We have no right to barge in on her."

"Fine" I sighed and started to walk towards the living room, only to turn around in the doorway as a thought hit me. "Is the attic unlocked yet?"

"Oh uhm Paige" Piper started. "There is something I haven't exactly told you yet."

"So talk" I said.

"Kitchen" Piper pulled both me and Phoebe with her, sending Marc a smile. "We'll be right back."

"When did you get so bossy?" Phoebe muttered once the kitchen door closed behind us.

"Somewhere around the time you were born" Piper shot back. "Now we need to talk."

"Talk" I sat down on the kitchen table, just like grams had hated and started to swing my legs back and forth as I watched Piper.

"Yeah talk" Phoebe jumped up next to me and mirrored my actions, leaving Piper standing in front of us.

"Okay so here's the thing" Piper took a deep breath. "Prue bound our powers."

"SHE WHAT?" I exclaimed.

"She said it was to keep us safe and all…" Piper trailed off.

"Safe my ass" I said and jumped off the table, storming out of the room.

"Paige!" Piper called as I reached the stairs. "You can not do this now, you hear me?"

I just continued up the stairs and soon found Phoebe next to me in just as much rage. But as I made my way past Prue's room and towards the attic she became confused.

"Where are you going?"

"To get our powers back" I answered.

"I thought we were going to yell at Prue" Phoebe said as I burst my way through the attic door.

"We are, I just want my powers back first so I can do some serious damage to her…" I spotted the old trunk in the back and quietly thanked Prue for being the neat freak and have everything in the right place. I didn't even try if it was open but merely kicked the lock away before I opened the trunk and lifted up the book.

"Paige are you sure about this?" Phoebe remained in the doorway and watched as I placed the book in my lap and started to flip through it for the right page.

"Yes…" I said and looked up at her. "So are you in or not? Because if you're not then please close the door on your way out" I turned back to the book and smiled as I found the incantation I was looking for.

"I'm in…" Phoebe said and closed the door before she moved towards me on the floor…

--

Change is a good thing when it means we can be a family again. But we are more then just sisters – or we were before Prue took away the one thing holding us together. I say it is time to take charge of things again…and Prue is not the only one prepared to make decisions…