Author's Note: The timeline is the first couple of episodes of season five,
so there could be some slight spoiler-y issues if you haven't seen "A
Witch's Tail" or after. As a general rule, I try not to spoil too much, but
if you don't want to be spoiled in the slightest, this is just a warning ;)
And as this is my first story with Paige and not Prue, any feedback on
characterization, good or bad, would be much appreciated. Thanks!
**********
Paige sighed happily as she walked through the park side by side with her sisters. Piper had asked her earlier if she wanted to come along on her and Phoebe's daily walk, and Paige could find no reason to say no. She was even a little touched that Piper had thought of her. Things hadn't been the easiest for them, what with magic making the getting-to-know-you period much harder than it should have been. There were times when Paige got angry at the sheer unfairness of it all, but things had calmed down considerably over the past few months and the three of them had finally begun relaxing around each other. They were becoming more comfortable with each other every day, and Paige took each little gesture they made towards her as a teeny breakthrough.
"Whoa, you guys, wait a second," Piper called with a quiet groan.
Paige turned around just in time to see Piper sink into a nearby park bench. All the color had drained from her face, and her hands were shaking slightly. Oh, no, not again, Paige thought as she rushed to Piper's side. "Are you okay?" she asked, sitting down next to her sister and wrapping her arm around her shoulders.
"Yeah," Piper said, nodding as Phoebe settled on her other side. "Something tells me the baby doesn't like long walks on semi-hot days."
Paige shot her a sympathetic smile. Piper had been feeling lightheaded all afternoon, and this was the fifth time they'd had to sit down. "The car's just a little bit further," she said, brushing Piper's hair out of her face. "We could go get it and bring you home--"
"No. I'll be fine in a minute or two."
Paige nodded, smiled, then turned and looked straight ahead, focusing on the other people in the park. People-watching was a little habit of hers, one she could happily spend hours doing. She wasn't sure why she liked it so much, or even where she had picked it up, but she could remember even as a little kid, she was much happier sitting on a bench in the playground and watching the other kids play than she was playing herself. That was what she liked most: watching children playing. Luckily for her, it was still quite warm for the end of September, and a lot of the children who went to the elementary school down the street had stopped by the park on their way home. Backpacks in all colors were scattered among various games of tag and hide-and-seek.
As she watched a group of boys run past a tall tree, her attention was grabbed by a little girl sitting back against the trunk with a book open in her lap. She was too far away to see properly, but if Paige had to guess, she'd say that the girl was nine or ten. The sun was glinting off the two silver barrettes that were keeping her short light brown hair out of her face. Paige furrowed her brow and watched the girl more intently as she realized that she was mumbling to herself and casting tiny glances at the empty spot next to her every so often. Suddenly, the same group of boys ran past her again and one of them stopped, said something to the little girl, threw a crumpled wad of paper at her, and took off after his friends. When Paige saw the little girl make herself small against the tree trunk and drop her gaze to her hands, it was all she could do not to go over and see if she was okay.
"Paige!"
Paige jumped a mile and let out a tiny scream, Piper's voice jolting her back to reality. "My God, don't do that!" she exclaimed, placing her hand over her pounding heart. "You just about gave me a heart attack!"
"Sorry," Piper said with an apologetic smile. "I called you like, five times and you didn't answer. What's so interesting over there?"
"Look at that little girl," she answered, nodding her head in the girl's direction. "Doesn't it look like she's talking to someone?"
Phoebe, intrigued by the curiosity in her sister's voice, followed Paige's gaze. "Honey, maybe she just has an imaginary friend," she said after watching the girl for a moment.
"Phoebe, she's like, nine years old," Paige sighed. "She's too old for an imaginary friend."
"It does look like she's talking to someone, though," Piper said thoughtfully.
"And where are her friends? Why is she sitting there all by herself?" Paige looked at Piper first, then to Phoebe. "You think we should go up to her?"
"Paige, I don't think--" Phoebe started.
Piper gasped and smacked Phoebe's leg, then glared at her, quickly shutting her up. One of the things Piper was trying to work on was allowing Paige to follow her instincts. "I think she'll get nervous if the three of us go, but if you want to, go for it."
Paige grinned a thank you and carefully approached the little girl. As she got closer, she realized that the girl was smaller than she had originally thought. She was nine at the very oldest, and her gold-rimmed glasses were partially obscuring Paige's view of her dark eyes. "Hi," she said gently, kneeling down in front of the girl. "Who're you talking to?"
The little girl gazed next to her for a quick moment, then dropped her eyes to her book. "No one."
Paige sat down at the girl's other side and smiled. "My name's Paige. What's yours?"
"Mindy," she answered softly. "Well, it's Miranda, but everyone calls me Mindy."
"It's very nice to meet you, Mindy," Paige said with a kind smile. "How come you're not playing with the other kids?"
She shrugged almost dismissively. "Kids are mean."
"Yeah, I saw that little boy make fun of you." She gazed down at the girl, smiling sympathetically. "You know, sometimes kids do mean things even though they really like you--"
"But it's not just him!" she cried, tears of desperation springing to her eyes. "It's everyone. They all make fun of me. No one likes me, not even my parents."
Paige gasped. Even though she'd spent a few years in Social Services and as a result had heard plenty of kids say that more than a few times, it still never failed to surprise her. It was just amazing how kids that age interpreted the behavior of others, what they picked up on, and what they didn't. "Oh, I'm sure your parents love you very much--"
"Then how come they're never home?" she asked quietly. "They're both lawyers and they're never home. I come home from school alone, most of the time, I make my own dinner, and when I go to bed, they're still not home. I'm always alone except for . . . I mean, I'm always alone."
"Except for who?" Paige asked.
Mindy glanced next to her and shook her head very slightly, then she faced forward and shrugged. "No one. Forget it."
Paige regarded the little girl with both concern and curiosity. It definitely felt like Mindy at least thought there was someone sitting next to her. What Paige couldn't figure out was whether Mindy didn't want to say anything about it simply because she didn't know Paige or because she felt she couldn't say anything at all. But as concerned as Paige was with that, she was more worried about Mindy's home life. Career-driven parents like Mindy's seemed to be usually meant well. They wanted to make as much money as they could to provide for their children, and all that was needed to remind them that the children needed parental care more than money was a little priority check. Though no matter how much Paige wanted to go talk to Mindy's parents, she felt a little uncomfortable about approaching them, especially without her connection to Social Services. For the first time, she regretted quitting her job.
"Paige, what's the matter?" Mindy asked.
Paige started, then smiled, tousling the girl's hair. "Nothing, sweetie. I'm just trying to think of some way to help you." Suddenly, she smiled, realization hitting her. "Do you come to the park every day?"
Mindy nodded. "School gets out at two, and then I come here. Why?"
"Would you like it if I come, too? We can sit and talk or play or do whatever you want."
Mindy grinned and glanced beside her again. This time, it looked as if she was asking permission. After a quick moment, she turned back to Paige. "I'd like that very much."
Paige smiled again and picked herself up off the ground, holding her hand out to the little girl. "My sisters are sitting on that bench over there. You want to meet them?"
"I'd like that, too," she said. She stood up and slipped her hand into Paige's.
Paige gripped the little girl's hand and walked her down to meet Piper and Phoebe. As they were walking, Paige couldn't help but be concerned. Her little plan would help Mindy in the short-term by making her a little less lonely, but it wouldn't do anything for her in the long-term. She needed to find some way to talk to Mindy's parents, but she just didn't know how to even approach them. First things first, she thought with a sigh. Let's just get Mindy a little more confident in herself before we tackle the larger problem.
**********
Paige sighed happily as she walked through the park side by side with her sisters. Piper had asked her earlier if she wanted to come along on her and Phoebe's daily walk, and Paige could find no reason to say no. She was even a little touched that Piper had thought of her. Things hadn't been the easiest for them, what with magic making the getting-to-know-you period much harder than it should have been. There were times when Paige got angry at the sheer unfairness of it all, but things had calmed down considerably over the past few months and the three of them had finally begun relaxing around each other. They were becoming more comfortable with each other every day, and Paige took each little gesture they made towards her as a teeny breakthrough.
"Whoa, you guys, wait a second," Piper called with a quiet groan.
Paige turned around just in time to see Piper sink into a nearby park bench. All the color had drained from her face, and her hands were shaking slightly. Oh, no, not again, Paige thought as she rushed to Piper's side. "Are you okay?" she asked, sitting down next to her sister and wrapping her arm around her shoulders.
"Yeah," Piper said, nodding as Phoebe settled on her other side. "Something tells me the baby doesn't like long walks on semi-hot days."
Paige shot her a sympathetic smile. Piper had been feeling lightheaded all afternoon, and this was the fifth time they'd had to sit down. "The car's just a little bit further," she said, brushing Piper's hair out of her face. "We could go get it and bring you home--"
"No. I'll be fine in a minute or two."
Paige nodded, smiled, then turned and looked straight ahead, focusing on the other people in the park. People-watching was a little habit of hers, one she could happily spend hours doing. She wasn't sure why she liked it so much, or even where she had picked it up, but she could remember even as a little kid, she was much happier sitting on a bench in the playground and watching the other kids play than she was playing herself. That was what she liked most: watching children playing. Luckily for her, it was still quite warm for the end of September, and a lot of the children who went to the elementary school down the street had stopped by the park on their way home. Backpacks in all colors were scattered among various games of tag and hide-and-seek.
As she watched a group of boys run past a tall tree, her attention was grabbed by a little girl sitting back against the trunk with a book open in her lap. She was too far away to see properly, but if Paige had to guess, she'd say that the girl was nine or ten. The sun was glinting off the two silver barrettes that were keeping her short light brown hair out of her face. Paige furrowed her brow and watched the girl more intently as she realized that she was mumbling to herself and casting tiny glances at the empty spot next to her every so often. Suddenly, the same group of boys ran past her again and one of them stopped, said something to the little girl, threw a crumpled wad of paper at her, and took off after his friends. When Paige saw the little girl make herself small against the tree trunk and drop her gaze to her hands, it was all she could do not to go over and see if she was okay.
"Paige!"
Paige jumped a mile and let out a tiny scream, Piper's voice jolting her back to reality. "My God, don't do that!" she exclaimed, placing her hand over her pounding heart. "You just about gave me a heart attack!"
"Sorry," Piper said with an apologetic smile. "I called you like, five times and you didn't answer. What's so interesting over there?"
"Look at that little girl," she answered, nodding her head in the girl's direction. "Doesn't it look like she's talking to someone?"
Phoebe, intrigued by the curiosity in her sister's voice, followed Paige's gaze. "Honey, maybe she just has an imaginary friend," she said after watching the girl for a moment.
"Phoebe, she's like, nine years old," Paige sighed. "She's too old for an imaginary friend."
"It does look like she's talking to someone, though," Piper said thoughtfully.
"And where are her friends? Why is she sitting there all by herself?" Paige looked at Piper first, then to Phoebe. "You think we should go up to her?"
"Paige, I don't think--" Phoebe started.
Piper gasped and smacked Phoebe's leg, then glared at her, quickly shutting her up. One of the things Piper was trying to work on was allowing Paige to follow her instincts. "I think she'll get nervous if the three of us go, but if you want to, go for it."
Paige grinned a thank you and carefully approached the little girl. As she got closer, she realized that the girl was smaller than she had originally thought. She was nine at the very oldest, and her gold-rimmed glasses were partially obscuring Paige's view of her dark eyes. "Hi," she said gently, kneeling down in front of the girl. "Who're you talking to?"
The little girl gazed next to her for a quick moment, then dropped her eyes to her book. "No one."
Paige sat down at the girl's other side and smiled. "My name's Paige. What's yours?"
"Mindy," she answered softly. "Well, it's Miranda, but everyone calls me Mindy."
"It's very nice to meet you, Mindy," Paige said with a kind smile. "How come you're not playing with the other kids?"
She shrugged almost dismissively. "Kids are mean."
"Yeah, I saw that little boy make fun of you." She gazed down at the girl, smiling sympathetically. "You know, sometimes kids do mean things even though they really like you--"
"But it's not just him!" she cried, tears of desperation springing to her eyes. "It's everyone. They all make fun of me. No one likes me, not even my parents."
Paige gasped. Even though she'd spent a few years in Social Services and as a result had heard plenty of kids say that more than a few times, it still never failed to surprise her. It was just amazing how kids that age interpreted the behavior of others, what they picked up on, and what they didn't. "Oh, I'm sure your parents love you very much--"
"Then how come they're never home?" she asked quietly. "They're both lawyers and they're never home. I come home from school alone, most of the time, I make my own dinner, and when I go to bed, they're still not home. I'm always alone except for . . . I mean, I'm always alone."
"Except for who?" Paige asked.
Mindy glanced next to her and shook her head very slightly, then she faced forward and shrugged. "No one. Forget it."
Paige regarded the little girl with both concern and curiosity. It definitely felt like Mindy at least thought there was someone sitting next to her. What Paige couldn't figure out was whether Mindy didn't want to say anything about it simply because she didn't know Paige or because she felt she couldn't say anything at all. But as concerned as Paige was with that, she was more worried about Mindy's home life. Career-driven parents like Mindy's seemed to be usually meant well. They wanted to make as much money as they could to provide for their children, and all that was needed to remind them that the children needed parental care more than money was a little priority check. Though no matter how much Paige wanted to go talk to Mindy's parents, she felt a little uncomfortable about approaching them, especially without her connection to Social Services. For the first time, she regretted quitting her job.
"Paige, what's the matter?" Mindy asked.
Paige started, then smiled, tousling the girl's hair. "Nothing, sweetie. I'm just trying to think of some way to help you." Suddenly, she smiled, realization hitting her. "Do you come to the park every day?"
Mindy nodded. "School gets out at two, and then I come here. Why?"
"Would you like it if I come, too? We can sit and talk or play or do whatever you want."
Mindy grinned and glanced beside her again. This time, it looked as if she was asking permission. After a quick moment, she turned back to Paige. "I'd like that very much."
Paige smiled again and picked herself up off the ground, holding her hand out to the little girl. "My sisters are sitting on that bench over there. You want to meet them?"
"I'd like that, too," she said. She stood up and slipped her hand into Paige's.
Paige gripped the little girl's hand and walked her down to meet Piper and Phoebe. As they were walking, Paige couldn't help but be concerned. Her little plan would help Mindy in the short-term by making her a little less lonely, but it wouldn't do anything for her in the long-term. She needed to find some way to talk to Mindy's parents, but she just didn't know how to even approach them. First things first, she thought with a sigh. Let's just get Mindy a little more confident in herself before we tackle the larger problem.