It was a rainy day in London and Patricia was wondering why she had agreed to come here. Of course it was a chance for her carrier but couldn't it have been at least a sunny place. She missed the sun of San Francisco on her skin. She had cast a protective spell over herself so she felt only a slight drizzle. Still she hurried to get through the overcrowded streets of the city, than as usual she was late and especially today she couldn't afford this, it was her first day after all. On her way she crashed into a big, dark skinned man, who dropped the documents he had carried under his arm to the ground. "Hi!" he shouted after Patricia. "I'm sorry", she called back over her shoulder. Normally she would have helped him to pull the documents together, but she hadn't time for it. Finally she reached her destiny. She stepped into the red phone box and dialed the number she had been given. The phone box started to lower and brought Patricia into the ministry of magic. The young woman was astonished when she entered the atrium. She didn't knew what she had imagined but it wasn't this. She stepped to a counter. "Excuse me where do I found the headquarters of the aurors?" Patricia asked the older witch. She described her the way and Patricia went on her way. As she entered the headquarters it was already busy. Her new colleagues were chatting or were working on their paper work. Nervously Patricia knocked on the door and was asked to enter. Behind a massive wooden desk sat an older wizard who was looking up from his file. "Ah Miss Halliwell take a seat", the head auror said. Patricia quickly sat down. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity Mr. Stillman." "Jeffreys told me that you're one of the best. I hope you want disappoint me", Stillman said. "No Sir", Patricia said and shook her head. "Very well. As you know none of my aurors works alone, but in a team and I hope you will quickly fit in." "Of course Sir." Stillman nodded and laid back in his chair. "As you're still pretty new I thought that I put you with one of my most experienced aurors", he continued and looked at Patricia over his glasses. "Understandable Sir", Patricia said and nodded. "Good than follow me", Stillman said and stood up. Stillman guided Patricia through the open plan office and stopped in front of a table. A young man about Patricia's age sat on top of it and beside it stood a women with blond hair who seemed already a bit older. "Good morning", he greeted the two. "Morning Boss", they returned. "That's auror Halliwell she will join your team from now on. Halliwell this are Auror Salvatore and auror Gilbert", Stillman introduced them and looked around. "Where in Merlin's name is Smith?" he asked. Salvatore shrugged. "He hasn't shown up yet boss." At this moment the dark-skinned men Patricia had bumped into before entered the office and headed straight for their table. Patricia swallowed that could be funny. "Ah Smith there you are, may I introduce you to your new colleague auror Halliwell." Smith laid his documents on the table and looked at Patricia with a snarky glance. "We already had the pleasure", he said coldly. "However you're responsible for her and Halliwell keep to Smith." With this words Stillman left them. Smith rolled his eyes and stood in front of Patricia, a little intimidated she looked up at him. "I hope you're more reliable in your work life than in your private life Halliwell", he said and pointed at the documents who were still a little damp. Patricia swallowed and nodded. She certainly wouldn't mess with him.
Bored Patricia leaned against a wall in nocturn alley and watched their target. They were following this guy for weeks now, but still couldn't prove something. About two months had passed since her transfer. By now she had figured out that Damien Salvatore and Elen Gilbert were engaged and wanted to marry the next summer. She got along with her two colleagues especially with Elen. She looked to her side and sighed. Smith who stood beside her and was watching the target as well was the only one she couldn't warm up to. He had come once or twice into the leaky caldron with her and the other two, but they hadn't talked much. Their target disappeared into one of the stores and Smith sighed. "That will take a while", he said and looked down at Patricia. She crossed her arms in front her chest and kept a close eye on the shop. "Tell me something about you Halliwell", Smith said and Patricia looked surprised up at him. "Excuse me?" she said astonished. "You shall tell me something about you, we're partners after all." Patricia's eyebrow moved up. "What about the sudden change of heart Smith?" she asked and looked back at the store. "Don't be like that Halliwell or do you want to stand here in silence?" he said with a huff. Because Patricia really wasn't in the mood to stand beside him in silence and it annoyed her that he was still addressing her with her last name she stepped away from the wall. "Patricia", she said and reached her hand out to Smith. Bewildered he looked from her face to her hand and back to her face. "Shade", he returned and shook her hand. At this moment a crash sounded from the shop and they both burst into it. The next thing Patricia knew was that she woke up with a headache in a brightly light room. "What happened?" she asked and blinked. "You saved my life", she heard Shade's voice beside her. Patricia looked at him. He had some scratches but otherwise looked unharmed. Apparently she had thrown herself between him and a curse when they had stormed the shop. "Thanks Patty", Shade thanked her and kisser her hand.
After this the relationship between Shade and Patricia changed. They made fun while doing their paperwork and occasionally went out for a drink just the two of them. In the auror department the rumor was going around that something was going on between the two of them, but it wasn't like that. It was Christmas by now and the ministry had organized a party for the employees like every year. "Where's Patricia?" Shade looked down at Damian and raised his eyebrow. "From where should I know that, she isn't my girlfriend after all." "Come on you like her, everybody can see that." Even if it didn't look like it, Shade and Damian were friends for a long time. "Shut up Damian, you know exactly that I can't be with her", the dark-skinned man said and took a sip from his whiskey. "Does she know about it?" Damian wanted to know. Shady simply shook his head. Damian sighed. "Well you have to know it, but there she comes." Indeed Patricia came to them. Shade's heart was beating up to his neck, Patricia just looked gorgeous. She wore a simple silver blue dress, which let her eyes shine. "Hi", she said as she reached Shade, Damian had vanished into thin air. "You look great", Shade said smiling and saw how Patricia blushed. "Would you like to dance?" Shade asked after a while and guided Patricia after her nod on to the dance floor. For a while the two danced and Shade had to admit that it felt good to hold Patricia in his arms like this. Patricia looked up at him and smiled. "Oh ", she said surprised and pointed up. Shade followed her gaze and swallowed as he saw that a mistletoe was hanging above their heads. He looked down at Patricia and he knew that he would dig his own grave now, but there was no way around it, because if he was right, they would only get away when they kissed. Slowly he bent down to her while Patricia came towards him slightly and their lips touched.
"Elen" Patricia called excited and hugged her friend fiercely. "Congratulation." Elen laughed while Patricia hugged Damian. Shade stood by shaking his head and smiling at his girlfriend's childlike joy. While Elen was speaking with Patricia Damian came to him. "And have you told her by now?" Damian wanted to know. Shade shook his head. "Shade dude you've been together for half a year, she has a right to know." "Let me worry about this and you enjoy your wedding", Shade said clapped Damian on his shoulder and went to Patricia and laid his arms around her. Damian sighed. "He still hasn't told her?" Elen asked her newlywed husband. "No and that's irresponsible he could put her in mortal danger." Elen took Damian's face into her hands. "You know how he is", she said and kissed him. Yes, Damian knew that all too well.
Shade could barely believe that he and Patricia had been together for a year. Time really went faster if you were happy. They just got home from the annual Christmas party and wanted to end the evening on a cosey note. As Shade entered the living room with two glass of wine Patricia sat on the ground in her lap laid a little package. "What's that?" Shade wanted to know and handed her one glass and took sat opposite her on the ground. "A Christmas present for you", she said and handed him the package. "Patty, didn't we say we weren't going to give each other anything?" Shade saw how Patty blushed. "Now open it", she insisted. He laughed and pulled at the bow. He was wondering what she would give him. According to the size of the package it would be a tie or gloves or something similar. Patricia bit her lower lip while she watched how Shade lifted the lid from the package. He frowned as he took out its content. It was a pacifier and some baby socks. His hands cramped and he looked at Patricia. "Pat what's that?" Shade wanted to know. "What are you thinking?" Patricia said with a soft smile. "Please don't tell me that you're pregnant." Shade's breath was swallow and Patricia felt like he was about to have a panic attack. "Yeah", she whispered. Shade dropped the pacifier and the socks and jumped up. "Dam that shouldn't have happened", he shouted and started to pace the room. "You're going to abord it." Patricia's eyes went wide, automatic she laid a hand on her belly. "What! Certainly not!" she called out. "Patty please understand this child could kill you." Shade seemed desperate; his eyes reflected pour fear. Slowly Patricia stood up and went to Shade, she laid her hands on his arms. "Shade what's wrong?" she wanted to know. Shade sighed and said: "There's something you don't know about me Patty." "Are you married?" Patricia asked half serious. "It's not like that. I'm a shapeshifter. Patricia looked confused at her boyfriend she had never heard this term. "You know what an animagi is?" Shade wanted to know and Patricia nodded. "Well a shapeshifter is something similar, but we don't have to learn this ability we're born with it", he explained. "I see and you're scared, that the baby could hurt me somehow." "Yeah that's possible." Patricia looked skeptical at Shade. "Listen Patty my race just reproduce amongst themselves. I never heard about a hybrid, so I don't know what exactly can happen", Shade said. Patricia took his hand and laid it on her stomach, where their baby was growing. "It will go well", she said determined. "How can you be so sure about this?" Shade asked with doubt. Patricia shrugged. "My gut feeling tells me this", sha said and kissed Shade quickly.
Patricia had been right it had all gone well and so her daughter was born on the 2. August 1960, even though the little girl was only a few hours old she had already bewitched her father completely. Shade sat on the hospital bed of his girlfriend and held his daughter in his arms. "She already got you wrapped around her finger." Shade turned his head and saw that Patricia was awake. "Yeah, but she's so precious", he said and stroked the cheek of the little girl. "So you're glad that I didn't aboard her?" Patricia asked and laid against Shade's shoulder, so that she could see her daughter. "You can bet", he said and kissed Patricia. "She still needs a name?" Patricia said and let the girl grab her finger. "What do you think about Aria?" Shade wanted to know. "That's a beautiful name, but we have a tradition in my family, that the name should start with a P." Shade nodded and asked: "Du you have a suggestion?" "Yeah Prue." Patricia took the girl carefully from Shade. "Prue?" "Yes Prudence Aria Halliwell", Patricia said. Shade grinned and kissed Patricia. Even tough his daughter didn't carry his name he was incredibly happy.
The joy was only short lived. Few weeks after Prues birth Damian knocked at Patricia's door. She led her former colleague into the living room where the girl was taking a nap. "What's wrong Damian?" Patricia wanted to know. "You should sit down", Damian answered. "It's about Shade isn't it?" asked Patricia and stood beside the crip. "Patricia please sit down", Damian requested. Patricia shook her head. "Damian I've been in the service long enough to know what that means, just tell me what happened." Damian sighed. "I'm sorry Patricia. Shade and I had had a mission and then suddenly more black mages appeared from an ambush. Shade was hit by a death curse. Patricia bit her lip and silent tears streamed across her cheeks. "If you need any help Elen and I are always there for you and the little one", Damian said. "Thanks, that want be necessary. I will go home with Prue", Patricia said determined. "You want to go back to San Francisco?" Damian asked surprised. "Yeah it's saver there for us." Two weeks later, after Shade had been buried and Patricia had taken care of everything she returned to San Francisco.
