FIVE
Prue looked around her. She was standing next to a dumpster in
an alley. The same alley she had been in when she had first
confronted James. But the warlock was nowhere to be seen. Prue
didn't find this strange. She had vanquished him in 1888. Which
meant he wasn't alive to fight here in 2000.
She looked around but found no one on the street. Cautiously,
she made her way back to where she had left her car. She found it
sitting right where she had left it. A check of the clock in the car
showed her watch was only off by a few minutes. Thankful the ordeal
was finally finished, Prue started the car and drove immediately to
the manor. Phoebe was just coming down the stairs as Prue walked into
the manor.
"I hope you've cooled off some," said Phoebe.
Prue just hugged Phoebe close. She hugged her longer than she
normally did. She had missed the young Phoebe so much.
"I'm fine, Pheebs," said Prue. "I'm sorry about what happened.
I'm sorry you were caught in the middle of it."
"That's okay," said Phoebe, perplexed. "Usually it's you and me
at each other throats."
Just then, Piper came out of the kitchen. She looked at Prue.
"Prue," said Piper, a note of disgust in her voice, "I don't
want to argue any more."
"No, no, we won't," said Prue, hugging Piper as close as she had
Phoebe. "I was totally out of line. You were right, Piper. It
really wasn't any of my business. I should have kept my mouth shut.
"And you were right about something else. I was jealous. After
my engagement fell through and Andy's death and everything, I didn't
think it was fair for you to find a guy as wonderful as Leo. From now
on I'm not going to say any more about it. If you decide to marry
Leo, I'll support you any way I can."
"Okay," said Piper, totally confused, "who are you and where is
my sister?"
"Let's just say," said Prue, "I had a lot to think over. And I
didn't care for a lot of things I discovered. I don't want a stupid
argument to ever come between us. Any of us."
"I'll go along with that," said Phoebe.
"I'm kind of tired," said Prue. "Think I'll turn in early."
Halfway up the stairs, she turned back to here sisters.
"Guys," she said, "I just want you to know that, no matter what
happens between us, I'll always be here for you. I'd never abandon
you or just walk out on you. I want you to know that."
"We know that," said Piper.
"I just don't want you to ever forget it," said Prue.
"Okay, what was that all about?" asked Phoebe after Prue had
gone up to her room. "When she left here she could chew nails. When
she comes home, she's dripping honey. And what was all that about
never abandoning us?"
"I don't know," said Piper. "Something must have happened while
she was gone. Something she's not quite ready to tell us about. But
I'm sure she will when she's ready. Let's just give her some time."
* * *
"And then I returned to the present," finished Prue. "James was
nowhere to be seen."
"That's quite a story," said Leo.
"It's all true," said Prue. "I had to tell someone. That's why
I called you. Other than Piper and Phoebe, you're the only one who
could really understand."
"Why haven't you told them?" asked Leo.
"Leo, I've seen the future," said Prue. "I can't tell them how
things are going to turn out."
"They probably won't turn out that way," said Leo. "Everything
that happened happened because you didn't come home. Now that you've
come back, all of that's changed."
"You really think so?" asked Prue.
"Think of it this way," said Leo. "Think of time as an infinite
number of streets that intersect each other. As you drive down the
street each turn you make leads to a different destination.
When you came back, you turned a different way from the way you
had turned before. When you didn't come back. So, now, you're
heading in a different direction. With a different destination.
Everything you do from here on out will produce a totally different
outcome."
"I hope you're right," said Prue. "One thing I don't
understand. How come my powers and the spell worked when I was in the
past?"
"I guess it was the power of the spell that sent you back," said
Leo. "It must have allowed your magic to go with you. It's the only
thing that would account for your powers remaining intact while you
were in the past."
"And once I had finished James," said Prue, "the spell returned
me to the present."
"That's about the size of it," said Leo.
"Something else I don't understand," said Prue. "You've told us
we can't change the past. But I did change the past. James didn't
kill all those other victims after 1888 like he did before I
vanquished him. How is that possible if you can't change the past?"
"You must have been destined to vanquish Jack the Ripper," said
Leo. "That's the only explanation."
"How can I have been destined to vanquish Jack the Ripper when I
wasn't even born until ninety years or so after he murdered all those
women?" asked Prue.
"I can't answer that," said Leo. "But you can't second guess
fate. If you hadn't been destined to vanquish Jack the Ripper, you
never would have been able to do it. Just be satisfied that you were
able to save at least twenty-five innocents when you did."
"There's still a lot about this whole experience I don't
understand," said Prue. "Like how Heathers' power could be combined
with Pipers', Phoebes', and mine. It's supposed to be the Power of
Three. Even if she's Pipers' daughter, I don't understand how her
power could combine with ours."
"There's a lot you may never understand," said Leo, smiling.
"My advice: don't worry about it. Everything worked out for the best.
Just accept it."
"I'll try," said Prue. "At least now I can make sure that Piper
and Phoebe don't turn out the way I saw in the future. And Darryl
won't die because of us. After Andy, I'm not sure I could take
another innocent dying because of us. Thanks for taking the time to
talk with me, Leo. I know you have a lot on your mind right now."
"I'm still your White Lighter," said Leo. "No matter what else
may be going on in my life, I still have to be here to help you.
That's my job."
"Thanks anyway," said Prue. "I appreciate it all the same."
"Well, if that's all you needed me for," said Leo, "I think I'll
go see Piper. Things still aren't completely settled between us."
"I'm sure they will be," said Prue. "Go on. You've been a big
help to me. I'm going to be okay."
Leo smiled, and then left her room. Prue had left out the part
of her story about Leo becoming an Elder. For some reason, she felt
it best if no one ever knew that. If Leo was right, and everything
would change, he may not become an Elder. Especially if he and Piper
got married.
Somehow, she decided that would probably be for the best. Leo
had said himself that he preferred to be "in the field". That would
be another thing she could make sure stayed as it was.
Smiling to herself, Prue began to get ready for bed. Tomorrow
was another day. And she'd be there to experience it with her
sisters. As it should be.
The End
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.
Prue looked around her. She was standing next to a dumpster in
an alley. The same alley she had been in when she had first
confronted James. But the warlock was nowhere to be seen. Prue
didn't find this strange. She had vanquished him in 1888. Which
meant he wasn't alive to fight here in 2000.
She looked around but found no one on the street. Cautiously,
she made her way back to where she had left her car. She found it
sitting right where she had left it. A check of the clock in the car
showed her watch was only off by a few minutes. Thankful the ordeal
was finally finished, Prue started the car and drove immediately to
the manor. Phoebe was just coming down the stairs as Prue walked into
the manor.
"I hope you've cooled off some," said Phoebe.
Prue just hugged Phoebe close. She hugged her longer than she
normally did. She had missed the young Phoebe so much.
"I'm fine, Pheebs," said Prue. "I'm sorry about what happened.
I'm sorry you were caught in the middle of it."
"That's okay," said Phoebe, perplexed. "Usually it's you and me
at each other throats."
Just then, Piper came out of the kitchen. She looked at Prue.
"Prue," said Piper, a note of disgust in her voice, "I don't
want to argue any more."
"No, no, we won't," said Prue, hugging Piper as close as she had
Phoebe. "I was totally out of line. You were right, Piper. It
really wasn't any of my business. I should have kept my mouth shut.
"And you were right about something else. I was jealous. After
my engagement fell through and Andy's death and everything, I didn't
think it was fair for you to find a guy as wonderful as Leo. From now
on I'm not going to say any more about it. If you decide to marry
Leo, I'll support you any way I can."
"Okay," said Piper, totally confused, "who are you and where is
my sister?"
"Let's just say," said Prue, "I had a lot to think over. And I
didn't care for a lot of things I discovered. I don't want a stupid
argument to ever come between us. Any of us."
"I'll go along with that," said Phoebe.
"I'm kind of tired," said Prue. "Think I'll turn in early."
Halfway up the stairs, she turned back to here sisters.
"Guys," she said, "I just want you to know that, no matter what
happens between us, I'll always be here for you. I'd never abandon
you or just walk out on you. I want you to know that."
"We know that," said Piper.
"I just don't want you to ever forget it," said Prue.
"Okay, what was that all about?" asked Phoebe after Prue had
gone up to her room. "When she left here she could chew nails. When
she comes home, she's dripping honey. And what was all that about
never abandoning us?"
"I don't know," said Piper. "Something must have happened while
she was gone. Something she's not quite ready to tell us about. But
I'm sure she will when she's ready. Let's just give her some time."
* * *
"And then I returned to the present," finished Prue. "James was
nowhere to be seen."
"That's quite a story," said Leo.
"It's all true," said Prue. "I had to tell someone. That's why
I called you. Other than Piper and Phoebe, you're the only one who
could really understand."
"Why haven't you told them?" asked Leo.
"Leo, I've seen the future," said Prue. "I can't tell them how
things are going to turn out."
"They probably won't turn out that way," said Leo. "Everything
that happened happened because you didn't come home. Now that you've
come back, all of that's changed."
"You really think so?" asked Prue.
"Think of it this way," said Leo. "Think of time as an infinite
number of streets that intersect each other. As you drive down the
street each turn you make leads to a different destination.
When you came back, you turned a different way from the way you
had turned before. When you didn't come back. So, now, you're
heading in a different direction. With a different destination.
Everything you do from here on out will produce a totally different
outcome."
"I hope you're right," said Prue. "One thing I don't
understand. How come my powers and the spell worked when I was in the
past?"
"I guess it was the power of the spell that sent you back," said
Leo. "It must have allowed your magic to go with you. It's the only
thing that would account for your powers remaining intact while you
were in the past."
"And once I had finished James," said Prue, "the spell returned
me to the present."
"That's about the size of it," said Leo.
"Something else I don't understand," said Prue. "You've told us
we can't change the past. But I did change the past. James didn't
kill all those other victims after 1888 like he did before I
vanquished him. How is that possible if you can't change the past?"
"You must have been destined to vanquish Jack the Ripper," said
Leo. "That's the only explanation."
"How can I have been destined to vanquish Jack the Ripper when I
wasn't even born until ninety years or so after he murdered all those
women?" asked Prue.
"I can't answer that," said Leo. "But you can't second guess
fate. If you hadn't been destined to vanquish Jack the Ripper, you
never would have been able to do it. Just be satisfied that you were
able to save at least twenty-five innocents when you did."
"There's still a lot about this whole experience I don't
understand," said Prue. "Like how Heathers' power could be combined
with Pipers', Phoebes', and mine. It's supposed to be the Power of
Three. Even if she's Pipers' daughter, I don't understand how her
power could combine with ours."
"There's a lot you may never understand," said Leo, smiling.
"My advice: don't worry about it. Everything worked out for the best.
Just accept it."
"I'll try," said Prue. "At least now I can make sure that Piper
and Phoebe don't turn out the way I saw in the future. And Darryl
won't die because of us. After Andy, I'm not sure I could take
another innocent dying because of us. Thanks for taking the time to
talk with me, Leo. I know you have a lot on your mind right now."
"I'm still your White Lighter," said Leo. "No matter what else
may be going on in my life, I still have to be here to help you.
That's my job."
"Thanks anyway," said Prue. "I appreciate it all the same."
"Well, if that's all you needed me for," said Leo, "I think I'll
go see Piper. Things still aren't completely settled between us."
"I'm sure they will be," said Prue. "Go on. You've been a big
help to me. I'm going to be okay."
Leo smiled, and then left her room. Prue had left out the part
of her story about Leo becoming an Elder. For some reason, she felt
it best if no one ever knew that. If Leo was right, and everything
would change, he may not become an Elder. Especially if he and Piper
got married.
Somehow, she decided that would probably be for the best. Leo
had said himself that he preferred to be "in the field". That would
be another thing she could make sure stayed as it was.
Smiling to herself, Prue began to get ready for bed. Tomorrow
was another day. And she'd be there to experience it with her
sisters. As it should be.
The End
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction.