A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! As an answer to one of the reviews: No, Barbas won't be targeting Paige at all in this episode. Look out for a Is There A Woogy In The House? reference in this chapter, which is like a foreshadowing for that episode.
Chapter Twenty Nine: From Fear to Eternity (And The Cold Shoulder/Shower)
Paige could be just as stubborn as her sisters. She had been giving them the cold shoulder for a whole week now. It was having an effect on Piper and Phoebe who felt guilty for their parts in lying to Paige. However Prue did not feel that her actions in lying to Paige had been at fault. Therefore, Prue ignored Paige's attempts at ignoring her, and in turn, Paige irritably tried to ignore Prue's efforts to ignore Paige's attempts at ignoring Prue.
It was the evening of Thursday the twelfth, a week after her fight with the Halliwells. Paige was in the kitchen eating a takeaway for dinner. In her attempts to avoid her sisters, Paige had not eaten a meal with them all week. She even refused to eat Piper's cooking. Instead to Prue and Piper's displeasure, Paige had been ordering takeaways all week.
Paige could hear Piper running from room to room looking through drawers and cabinets for something. Eventually Piper came into the kitchen and started looking through the kitchen drawers noisily.
Paige sighed noisily, trying to ignore Piper's presence in the room.
Piper stopped looking in the drawers and turned to Paige.
'Paige, do you know if we have any good luck charms in the house?' asked Piper.
Paige ignored Piper's question and continued to eat her food.
'Paige?' said Piper. 'Paige, I am sorry about what we did. Please speak to me.'
Paige swallowed her food and stood up. Piper's expression brightened with the expectation of her sister talking to her any second now. Paige walked up to Piper and pulled out a fork from the drawer that Piper had left open. Paige returned to her seat and began eating the noodles with a fork. She had previously been using a spoon which had not been very practical.
'That wasn't very nice,' Piper mumbled to Paige. 'You cannot ignore me forever.'
Phoebe walked into the kitchen.
'Phoebe!' said Piper, turning to her other younger sister. 'Can you tell me whether we have any good luck charms in the house?'
Phoebe shrugged. 'If we do they could be anywhere. I am always finding new trinkets lying around the manor.'
Piper let out a groan. 'I need to get to my shift any minute now. Do you think you could get me some good luck charms from that occult shop in Bay road at some point tonight?'
'Sure,' said Phoebe. 'Why?'
Piper did not answer. She found a piece of paper and jotted down the list of charms that she needed.
'Thank you, Pheebs!' said Piper.
'Paige, can I borrow your car?' said Phoebe.
Paige did not reply. She continued to chew on her noodles.
'Paige, you are going to tire of this soon,' said Phoebe tetchily.
'Phoebe, I would rather you did not take Paige's car with the state it is in at the moment anyway,' said Piper.
Phoebe shrugged and said, 'I will have to wait until Prue comes home from work and use her car.'
'That's fine. Thank you!' said Piper. 'I need to get to work now, so I will see you when I get back or tomorrow morning. Bye Phoebe.'
'Bye,' said Phoebe. 'I will come with you to the front door.'
As Piper and Phoebe reached the kitchen door, Piper added 'Bye Paige.'
Paige did not reply.
Piper and Phoebe left the kitchen, shutting the door, but they must have stopped in the corridor just outside because Paige heard Phoebe mutter, 'Why did you even bother trying to say bye to her?'
Paige also heard Piper's response. 'For the same reason that you asked her whether you could borrow her car. She may be mad at us, but she knows we love her and want to include her as part of the family because she is family.'
A minute or two later, Paige heard the front door close.
Paige finished her takeaway in peace and threw away the container. She had spent most of the week locked away in the attic to avoid Phoebe – out of the three Halliwells, Phoebe was home the most due to her lack of job. However Paige did not feel like hiding away in the attic this evening whether Phoebe was home or not.
Paige went into the conservatory, sat on one of the chairs, and turned the television on.
The window in the conservatory had been covered with planks. Although Paige knew she could get a hold of someone for her sisters that could fix the windows well and for little money (another of Leo's contacts), Paige was still too annoyed with her sisters to help them out.
Paige dozed off a little while watching the television. She woke up when Prue entered the conservatory followed by Phoebe.
'Phoebe, I am not letting you take my car,' said Prue.
'I promised Piper I would get her the charms tonight,' said Phoebe.
Paige turned the volume on the television up with the remote control.
'Phoebe,' began Prue, but she stopped as she could not talk over the volume of the television.
Paige noticed the volume button on the television monitor compress even though no one was touching it. Paige turned to see Prue squinting at it. She was telekinetically turning the television down!
With the remote in her hand, Paige pressed down on the 'increase volume' button.
Simultaneously Prue was telekinetically pushing down the 'decrease volume' button on the television monitor.
A tuft of smoke erupted from the television monitor and although the screen was still working, there was no sound coming from the television.
'The television speakers are broken,' Paige exclaimed to the room in annoyance.
Paige threw the remote across the conservatory floor and lay back on the chair in frustration.
'Phoebe,' Prue continued now that she had won her mini-argument with Paige. 'I will drive you there, okay?'
'Okay,' said Phoebe slowly.
'What time does the place close? Is there time for me to eat dinner first?' Prue asked.
'I think it is open until around one in the morning,' said Phoebe.
'Good. There is just enough time for me to eat first. I am starving. Did Piper leave me something?' asked Prue.
'Yeah, she left your meal on the top shelf of the fridge,' said Phoebe.
Hearing this Paige stood up and walked into the kitchen. She found the covered plate on the top shelf of the fridge and took it to the table. She picked up a knife and fork and placed it around the plate, removing the cover.
Prue walked into the kitchen. She looked stunned that Paige had set her plate out for her.
'Are we on speaking terms again then?' Prue asked cautiously.
'Of course we are,' said Paige. She did not mind talking to Prue considering what Paige was planning to do next to annoy Prue.
Paige sat down on the chair in front of the plate. She picked up the knife and fork and started to eat the meal.
'Paige, is that the meal that Piper left for me?' Prue asked as she wandered over to check the fridge in case she had been mistaken about whose plate was on the kitchen table.
Paige swallowed her mouthful. 'Hmm… This meal? For you? I think it was. I decided though that since Piper has been telling me to eat her dinners all week and to stop eating junk, I thought I might as well do as she said.'
'You are not doing this to comply with Piper,' said Prue with anger on her face. 'You are just doing this to spite me!'
Prue squinted at the plate and it came flying into her open hands. 'I think I will eat what remains of my dinner in my bedroom.'
Storming out, Prue left the kitchen. Paige did not know how long this argument was going to last, but she was determined to win it.
Phoebe walked into the kitchen, wide eyed and cautious.
'What happened there?' said Phoebe. Then she remembered Paige was not going to reply so went to the fridge to find some snacks.
Phoebe jumped almost hitting her head on the ceiling of the fridge when Paige suddenly spoke up.
'I was just trying to get my own back on Prue for breaking the television,' said Paige quietly.
Phoebe turned around slowly to see her little sister looking straight at her.
'Are we talking again?' asked Phoebe.
'Yes,' said Paige.
Phoebe smiled. 'And to Prue and Piper too?'
'Yes… Kind of,' said Paige. 'I have forgiven Piper and you. I still am heavily peeved at Prue.'
'So you won't talk to her?' asked Phoebe, her smile being replaced by a frown.
'I will, but she has not won the argument…' said Paige.
Phoebe hugged Paige. 'I am so glad that our family can almost be one again. Please forgive Prue too.'
'No,' said Paige. 'She has not even said sorry. I will forgive her when she says it.'
'Paige, she won't say sorry,' said Phoebe. 'She does not think that lying to you was doing anything wrong because we were trying to protect you.'
'All she has to say is that five letter word. That is when I will forgive her,' said Paige.
'Paige, I moved to New York and back before Prue and I started talking again after our Roger-based argument,' said Phoebe. 'This fight between you and Prue could last… I don't know how long. You two are just as stubborn as each other.'
'Well then, we will just have to see who cracks first,' said Paige. 'I am not leaving the three of you just because of this fight.'
'Good,' said Phoebe. 'I would not let you run off to New York just because you had a fight with Prue. I am suddenly seeing why Piper was so against me leaving. It must be an older sister thing.'
Phoebe sat down on the chair opposite Paige.
'Paige, I have an interview tomorrow,' began Phoebe, changing the topic.
'How did I not hear about this?' asked Paige.
'You have been ignoring us all week,' said Phoebe. 'You were hidden away in the attic when I first found out.'
'Oh yeah,' said Paige. 'Do you need any help preparing?'
'Well, while we wait for Prue, could you please ask me some practice interview questions?' said Phoebe.
'I will try,' said Paige.
'Thank you!' said Phoebe.
Over the next hour or so, Paige asked Phoebe questions and Phoebe answered them.
Once Paige had run out of things to ask, she said to Phoebe, 'You are so going to get that job.'
'Thanks,' said Phoebe.
Paige smiled. She could tell from Phoebe's expression how much this all meant to her. Similarly Paige had missed bonding with her sisters.
Prue entered the kitchen.
'Hey Phoebe,' said Prue, ignoring Paige's presence. 'Let me just wash my plate up and then we will go.'
Phoebe nodded as Prue went over to the sink and began to fill it with water.
'How's it going, Prue?' said Paige, rolling her eyes.
Paige heard the plate drop into the sink as Prue turned around to Paige.
'You are talking to me?' said Prue. 'No tricks this time?' She was referring to Paige's decision to talk to Prue while Paige stole her meal an hour or so earlier.
'No tricks,' confirmed Paige, holding her hands up in the air. 'It does not mean I have forgiven you though.'
'Good,' said Prue, turning back to the sink. 'I never had anything to apologise for, so there would be no reason for you to forgive me.'
'How's it going?' Paige repeated through gritted teeth.
Phoebe left the kitchen, feeling the awkwardness of the situation.
'I am okay,' said Prue. 'Works been a little busy recently, but it always is so I am not complaining. And yourself?'
'I have not done too much,' said Paige. 'I have pretty much relaxed all week. I have started meditating again.' The meditating had not been working due to Paige's angry emotions towards her eldest sister, but that did not mean that Paige had not been trying.
'Has it been working?' asked Prue.
'Yes,' lied Paige. She did not want to give Prue the satisfaction.
Prue finished washing up and called Phoebe into the kitchen.
Phoebe came in and said, 'Are we going then?'
'Sure,' said Prue.
'Are you coming with, Paige?' asked Phoebe hopefully.
Paige saw Prue grimace at this suggestion.
'Don't worry, Prue, I don't want to come with,' said Paige.
'Bye Paige,' said Phoebe.
'Bye Pheebs,' said Paige. Then she added 'Bye Prue.'
Forced to reply, Prue said, 'Bye.'
While Prue and Phoebe were gone, Paige returned to the attic. She was tired and just wanted to have a look through the Book of Shadows before going to bed.
Paige got ready for bed and then went over to the cabinet to take out the Book. It was not there. Paige searched through all the rooms in the house with no success. Lastly, Paige came to the door of Prue's room. Prue must have been using it while eating her dinner.
Paige turned the handle on Prue's door, but it would not open.
Paige swore. Prue had done this on purpose! She had taken the Book and locked it in her room on purpose in order to get back at Paige for eating part of Prue's dinner.
Paige kicked at the door, wishing there was a way she could get in there.
'If only I could orb,' Paige thought. She laughed at the thought of being a white lighter. She would never actually want that. She did not think she would ever want to be in a role that required listening to the Elders.
Paige kicked at the door again angrily, with no success at gaining access.
Paige slumped down against the door and began to think of a way to get Prue back for this.
Paige suddenly got an idea. She would wait until the next day to put her revenge plan into action.
When Paige came downstairs the next morning, she found Prue and Andy talking in the living room. As Paige sneaked past the living room on her way to the front door, Paige heard Andy say something about a woman dying of a heart attack. Paige sighed. That did not sound good. It also sounded like Andy assumed that Prue had a connection with this case, like she seemed to have with many of his cases.
Paige was about to continue to the front door when she heard Andy change the topic.
'Prue, I need to talk to you about Paige,' said Andy.
Paige stopped and returned to the living room entrance, standing just out of sight of Prue and Andy, but where she was still able to see and hear their conversation.
'What about Paige?' asked Prue.
'I spoke to Piper earlier on in the week,' said Andy. 'Apparently there is a disagreement in the manor…'
'Andy, you don't have to try and put it so subtly,' said Prue. 'Yes, Paige has been in a mood with Piper, Phoebe, and I all week.'
'Piper was saying how guilty she felt, but she did not tell me what this disagreement was about,' said Andy.
Prue sighed. 'Basically I refused to tell Paige something in order to protect her. Paige found out and now she is mad. Piper and Phoebe have no reason to feel guilty about taking part. It was the right thing to do.'
Andy frowned. 'Paige is a grown woman. Why do you need to protect her?'
Prue shook her head. 'All I can say Andy is that Paige is like a sister to me.'
'The point is Prue that she isn't your sister. She is an independent grown woman. You cannot just block her out of things when she is such a big part of your life,' said Andy.
'You don't understand, Andy,' said Prue.
Prue bit her lip and looked away from Andy towards the living room entrance. Paige was worried that Prue had spotted her peering around the side of the entrance for a second but Paige's worry was unnecessary as Prue looked back at Andy.
'Don't you have that 'weird, ritualistic' case of yours to be getting on with?' said Prue.
Andy let out a sigh. 'I will see you another time then, Prue. Be careful.'
Realising that Prue and Andy were about to go into the foyer – which is where Paige had been spying on them from – Paige had only one way to run. She did not want Prue and Andy to think she had been spying on them. Paige opened the front door, turned back around to take her coat from the coat rack, and –
'Paige, I did not hear you go out this morning,' said Prue with little emotion.
Paige turned around and shut the door to see Prue and Andy looking at her.
'Yeah…' said Paige. Prue had made the assumption that Paige had just gotten back in and was returning her coat onto the coat rack. 'I went out for… a morning jog…'
'You must have left before Piper and Phoebe,' said Prue, her eyes narrowing.
'Yeah, I was a bit of an early bird this morning,' said Paige, trying to sound convincing. Then she added, 'Hey Andy. On your way out?'
Andy nodded.
Loosening her grip on her coat, Paige held the front door open for Andy.
Andy smiled at Prue and Paige. 'It is good to see you two talking. Bye Prue. Bye Paige.'
Andy exited the manor.
Once Paige had shut the front door, Prue stared at her.
'Paige, don't think I don't know that you were listening to Andy and I just now,' said Prue coldly.
'Then why did you pretend to think I had just gotten back in?' said Paige annoyed that she had to lie her way out of an embarrassing situation for no real reason.
'It is not fair to Andy to let him find out that you were eavesdropping,' said Prue.
'So would you say you were protecting Andy?' said Paige.
'Yes,' said Prue. 'Paige, don't try and turn this around.'
'Ah, so you see where I want to go with this?' said Paige scornfully. 'So you know that I want to walk out this door right now and tell Andy that I was actually in the hallway the whole time listening in on your conversation? That way we can see how Andy feels about your trying to 'protect' people!'
'Paige,' said Prue. Her calm, firm voice was a contrast to Paige's rising volume.
'What? You heard Andy! He was on my side about this situation!' shouted Paige.
'Paige, this argument is silly,' said Prue. 'Don't think that I like making some of the decisions that I do, but I have to make them, whether I like to or not. Sometimes it involves keeping things from my sisters, I never like doing that, but if it protects them… I will do anything to protect my sisters… to protect you too.'
Before Paige could reply, Prue turned and went up the stairs. A minute later, Paige heard Prue go into her bedroom.
Paige was still annoyed at her. Prue had explained her actions, but Paige knew that Prue was wrong.
Prue came down ten minutes later telling Paige that she was off to run some errands for the day.
Paige said bye to Prue, but hardly looked up. Paige was lost in her thoughts.
Paige was sure she had forgotten something important – something about the day being Friday the 13th rang a bell, something magical… or demonic. If only Prue had not put the Book in her locked bedroom. Paige could have checked by now.
Paige decided to head out for some fresh air to clear her head. She had found that she was doing this quite often since moving in with the Halliwells. Before meeting them, she used to meditate with Leo to clear her mind or calm down. For some reason though, she always went for walks now.
Paige was walking along a path a few blocks from Prescott Street, on her way back to the manor. The road beside her was jam packed with cars due to a huge traffic jam. As she passed one of the stationary cars, she heard someone call her name.
'Paige, are you on your way to the manor?' Andy asked through the open car window.
Paige nodded, spotting Andy's partner, Darryl Morris, at the steering wheel.
'I will walk with you,' said Andy. Then he turned to Darryl and said, 'I will go ahead of you, Morris. Something tells me walking will be faster.'
'Sure thing, Trudeau,' said Darryl.
Andy got out of the car and joined Paige in walking along the path.
'So I hear you have been having disagreements with the Halliwells,' said Andy.
Paige shrugged. 'Maybe. Piper and Phoebe apologised so I forgave them,' said Paige. 'It is just Prue who still needs to say sorry.'
'Why are you still living there if you dislike them?' said Andy.
Paige looked offended at the suggestion. 'I don't hate them. I just am peeved at something they did. They are… like sisters to me.'
If Paige could have, she would have told him that they were sisters, but Paige did not want to risk her sisters losing their powers.
Paige continued, 'Besides it is only a small tiff.'
Andy laughed. 'If that is what you call a small tiff, then what do you call an argument?'
Paige smiled. 'What I meant was that I know Prue will come around at some point. I just want to hear her tell me she was wrong to do what she did.'
Andy laughed again. 'Paige, I have known Prue for way longer than you. She will never admit that she was wrong.'
Paige rolled her eyes and changed the subject. 'Why are you and Darryl coming to the manor?'
Andy's smile vanished and he coughed to clear his throat. 'We suspect that Prue is involved in some recent deaths. I am hoping she can give me a logical reason for why she keeps turning up around these crime scenes just before they happen.'
Paige was speechless and suddenly even more annoyed at Prue. Sure she had been arguing with Prue, but why had Prue not told Paige about any of this? Especially if it was concerning magic.
'She does not tell me anything!' snapped Paige.
'I am sure she had a good reason,' said Andy, not wanting to upset Paige anymore than he already had by what he had said.
They had reached the front door of the manor. Paige got out her keys and started to fumble at the lock. She had noticed Prue's car on the driveway which meant Prue was home.
Paige saw Andy looking out at the clear road that was Prescott Street.
'It is funny to see this street so clear in comparison to the one that Morris is currently stuck in a queue on,' laughed Andy. 'If I had staid with Morris in the car, I would not have been here yet. Walking is efficient.'
When they gained entry to the manor, Paige could hear the water running from upstairs.
'She must be in the shower,' Paige said to Andy. 'Wait in the living room. I just have to go and do something.'
Leaving Andy in the living room, Paige headed for the basement.
Now that Prue was in the shower, Paige could put her revenge plan in action. Prue had decided to hide the Book from Paige just because she had eaten some of Prue's dinner. Well, Paige was not going to let Prue get away with that.
Walking down the steps to the basement, Paige felt a shiver in her spine. Her instincts were telling her something bad about the basement. She decided to ignore it though.
In the basement, Paige located the water pipes and the boiler. She knew a little bit about plumbing thanks to Leo. She knew enough to do what she wanted to do right now. She found the correct pipe and the lever that switched on and off the hot water supply. Flicking the switch, Paige turned off the hot water.
'How do you like your shower now?' Paige thought smirking.
As Paige returned to the living room, she knew that it would take a few minutes before the supply of hot water already in the pipes ran out. Therefore she sat down next to Andy, waiting to hear Prue scream.
Andy stood up noticing Darryl's car pull up outside.
'I better let him in,' said Andy.
Paige nodded and went with him to the foyer. She would be able to hear Prue scream better standing near the bottom of the stairs in the foyer.
When Andy opened the door, Darryl walked in and said, 'How long have you been here for?'
'Around ten minutes,' said Andy grinning.
There was a scream from upstairs.
'Prue?' shouted Andy, worried rushing up the stairs.
Paige giggled, following Andy. 'Don't worry. I have played a prank on her. She is fine, just a little cold water is all.'
'Are you sure?' asked Andy. He still looked extremely worried as they reached the upper landing. Darryl was a few steps behind them.
'She is fine,' said Paige. 'It was just a joke. I turned off the hot water five minutes ago and she obviously just ran out of what was left in the tank.'
'She did not sound fine to me,' said Andy, continuing to the bathroom door.
Andy got his gun out and kicked the door open.
Prue was standing on the bathroom floor looking pale.
'Prue? You okay?' said Andy.
'I don't know,' said Prue.
'I will wait for you downstairs,' said Andy blushing, following Darryl back down the stairs.
Prue picked up a towel, wrapped it around herself, and wandered onto the landing. She stopped by Paige.
'That cold shower prank was own back for hiding the Book of Shadows from me,' said Paige.
Prue did not react. She gulped. Lost in thought.
A/N: Tut tut Paige. She is so blinded by anger and revenge that she cannot even tell the difference between a prank going well and a demon attack. Or is Prue more in the wrong than Paige, considering she has not told Paige about the Friday the 13th stuff that she would have read in the Book of Shadows already? Please review.
