A/N: Sorry about the agggges to update... there wasn't an exact reason or anything but meh.


Chapter Twelve: Happy Days





"Prue, what're you doing here?" Piper was the first to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled over the four Halliwell sisters. She walked a few paces further into the kitchen, but didn't move any closer.

Prue shifted her her weight. "Just thought I'd come by for a visit. You know, see how you were all doing. Just a sister thing I guess."

Folding her arms, Paige glared at Prue. She seemed to do that rather a lot. "We're fine," she said, her tone of voice indicating that Prue should leave. "All alive, all well."

Pulling in a shuddering breath, Prue looked away for a moment. How was she supposed to word this? They were all watching her expectantly, and she was positive she could actually *feel* the hostility! "I know," she said quickly.

Their faces were blank. "Know what?" Phoebe asked.

Prue sighed exasperatedly. "You know what. That you killed someone!"

"Oh that!" Phoebe said dismissively. "Well, it's not some 'one' anymore. It's more like some... three?"

"Four," Piper cut in. "Remember that guy who tried to charge us extra for those ice creams."

"He didn't try to charge us extra - he tried to charge us!" Paige snorted airily, and they all began to laugh.

Prue watched, her mouth slightly open. She was totally shocked and totally disgusted. What had happened to them? "You guys are kidding right?" she asked, trying to keep her voice joking and light-hearted. But it was hard when you suspected your sisters were admitting to actual murder.

They stared at her. "No," Piper shook her head. "Why?"

"Oh," Piper said, "I forgot - you guys have to remember, Prue's good!"

"Oh yeah!" Phoebe giggled. "So she is," her voice took on a mocking tone. "A beacon of good. A whitelighter."

"How swell for her," Paige said stonily. "Guys, we have things to do." She turned and left the room. Just before she disappeared out of eyeshot, she actually literally disappeared! She blinked out! Prue's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but she was quick to regain herself.

Piper cocked her head. "Fancy sticking around for some fun?" she asked, "I think we've got an afternoon of killing, stealing, killing, looking at some new property and, uh, killing." She glanced at Phoebe. "Did I miss anything?"

"Did you say killing?"

"Three times."

"Then no."

They saw Prue staring at them with a look of sheer antipathy. Piper stopped herself from laughing. "Oh Prue, you know what's it's like," she said in scolding tones, "you've done the evil gig before!"

"Yeah, been there, done that," Prue replied gravely, "So why not try something new? Why not give this one up and do something else?"

"Um, because it's not that simple?" Phoebe told her. "It's not like we chose this... well, it sort of is, but only sort of... Actually I don't even know who chose this, but it totally kicks ass."

Piper reinforced Phoebe's ideas. "Yeah, Prue, you're not going to become all like Leo was, are you? That's no fun. We want to keep you on good terms."

Feeling tears being to stab at the back of her eyes, Prue tore her eyes away from them. How the hell were they so easy-going about this? They'd killed four people, and didn't give a shit! These weren't her sisters, they couldn't be! They were supposed to be the mighty Charmed Ones but here they were, evil and commiting kills and petty crime.

"I think she looks better too," Phoebe said, completely out of the blue. "A lot more chilled out than she used to be. Well if she stopped frowning like that."

Both Piper and Prue faced her. "What?"

Phoebe frowned. "Piper just said she thought you were looking good," she told them. "Probably some, whitelighter thing, you look a lot less stressed than when you were-"

"Phoebe," Piper stopped her, "I didn't say that." She paused, wondering if she should continue. "I, well, I thought it."

Eyes wide, Phoebe's jaw dropped. "No kidding! I read your thoughts? That is so cool!"

"It is?" Piper said nervously. "You better not get in my head all the time. That'd just be freaky."

Prue waved her hands in the air. "Wait a minute... Phoebe just got a new power? Just like that?"

Nodding, Phoebe explained. "They just keep cropping up! We're all developing new powers. We can all blink now, Paige can throw energy balls-"

"I grew a wing the other day!" Piper cut in. On Prue's confused look, she continued. "You know, like a bird's wing. I woke up and it was there instead of my arm. Actually it was pretty freaky, I had to spend the entire day with a feather duster stuck to my side!"

Phoebe was laughing at the memory. "Maybe you'll actually turn into a bird!"

"As long as I can turn back, it's okay," Piper grinned. She saw Prue's face. "Oh Prue, don't look so disappointed with us. We did the best we could to fight against this, we really did!"

Prue scowled. "Looks like your best wasn't good enough."

This statement caught them unawares. They hadn't expected her to be nasty to them - after all, she was their sister! They stopped chattering and looked at her.

"Look, I know you're having fun being evil and all, but enough is enough. You've got to find a way to stop this. Or else you're gonna endanger more innocents and maybe, maybe even the world!"

Piper sighed. "Huh. I seem to remember asking you not to be like Leo," she said, her voice taking on a tone of menace.

Taking a few steps forward, Phoebe pleaded with her sister. "Come on, Prue. Don't be like that. Why don't you join us? After all, you're a Halliwell." She reached out her hand, waiting for Prue to take it.

Prue brushed her hand away. "I'm not that sort of Halliwell. You guys have gone too far. If you don't... if you don't stop this mess, then you can say goodbye to me as your sister."

They stared. An ultimatum? That was unexpected. Moments passed as the silence grew longer. The sisters stared each other out in the quiet as Prue waited for an answer.

Then Piper spoke. "Fine. Goodbye, Prue."

She blinked out. Phoebe glanced at Prue, shrugged, then followed suit.

Prue was left staring at an empty space.