~Here's the next chapter. It's kind of romantic, but I have this bright
star outside my window and I just had to put it in this story somehow. Also
I had to put parts of my own life in, me and my parents spend a lot of time
in front of our fireplace. Vivien's life at the moment seems pretty normal,
doesn't it? Well, she's got problems in her head, but she still doesn't
tell anyone so she's kind of a philosopher who thinks about a lot of stuff
and has a lot going on in that head of hers. Well, enjoy reading this and
tell me what you think. (As always) ;)~
Half a year later
Vivien was lying in the backyard of Halliwell Manor, starring up at the sky. Right over her head was a big, pulsing star and she wondered how far it was away and how old it was. It seemed as if it was burning, like a little sun. Vivien had started watching the stars a few weeks ago and couldn't stop. They were so beautiful, but so far away and seemed so near. Every time Vivien came out to watch them, she felt small and unimportant and for once the little shrieking voice in her head stopped trying to convince her that she was evil and didn't belong with her family. She could just be Vivien out here, not judged by anyone except the stars. She was neither Vivien the witch nor Vivien the demon. She tried not to think about magic out here, in her opinion the stars alone contained the magic and wisdom of the universe, no Book of Shadows needed. The pulsing star seemed to change colors, from yellow, to white, to orange, without order. It seemed like chaos, but it was beautiful and not ruled by good or evil. Vivien shivered at a soft breeze that came up from the bay and made the leaves of the trees planted in the backyard dance. There were two trees. One for her birth and one for Melinda's. Her tree, naturally was bigger than Mel's, it was 12 ½ years older. Melinda's tree showed its first small green leaves that were as fragile as the baby. Melinda had grown quite a bit the last half year. She now was crawling through the house and everything had to be glued down or else it was eaten or destroyed within seconds. She was a very active child and Leo had brought back out all the locks they had put on all the cupboard doors when Vivien had been a baby. Melinda already knew how to open them anyways. If it didn't open, she just used a little magic. How was a baby supposed to know that there were rules against magic used for personal gain. Vivien got up and went inside, where her parents were sitting in front of the fire, listening to its crackling noises. 'Hey honey. Getting cold out there?' Cole asked and held his hand out for his daughter. Vivien sat on the couch next to him and Phoebe and yawned. 'Yes. There is a cold breeze coming up from the bay. But the stars are so bright, I just love watching them. I fell so little compared to them. The stars seem like a big treasure to me, like the wisdom of everything is locked up in a big black box that we call universe. Even we are little treasures.' Vivien said, watching the sparks rise off the fire as a log broke and fell. 'You're right. Watching the stars is as if someone shares a big, maybe the biggest, secret of life with you. It makes you feel unimportant and special at the same time. It's a weird feeling.' Cole whispered, as if he was afraid to destroy the calmness of the moment. 'When did you have time to watch the stars?' Phoebe asked curiously. 'I used to watch them all the time when I was a little boy. I used to shimmer up here just to watch them. It made me feel safe, as if I was at home. And the stars were right. I'm at home here now, with my beautiful wife and the most special child in the world.' Cole kissed first Phoebe, then Vivien. Vivien smiled. Most of the time her dad seemed like a dangerous guy who didn't care much about stars and all the stuff that was supposed to be romantic. Moments like this proved his image wrong, this was the real Cole, the Cole her mother had fallen in love with, the one that wasn't dangerous and loved his family more than anything in the world. Sadly, Cole only showed this side when he was alone with them. 'I love you mom and dad.' Vivien said simply. Cole squeezed her shoulder and rested his head on hers for a few seconds. 'I love you too sweetie.' Phoebe answered. They stayed silent for a few minutes, then Vivien got up and stretched her muscles. 'Good Night. I'm going to bed. It seemed like it was a long day today.' Vivien kissed both Phoebe and Cole and went upstairs, where she quietly opened the door to Melinda's room and looked at the baby. She was sleeping, hugging a small sheep with fluffy fur to her chest. Vivien smiled and closed the door behind her. It was a routine since Melinda was born, to look into her room and check on her before she went to bed. In her own room, Vivien didn't bother to turn on the light, she put her pajama on in the dark and lay down in her bed under her soft, cool sheets. She immediately fell asleep and dreamt nothing the whole night.
Half a year later
Vivien was lying in the backyard of Halliwell Manor, starring up at the sky. Right over her head was a big, pulsing star and she wondered how far it was away and how old it was. It seemed as if it was burning, like a little sun. Vivien had started watching the stars a few weeks ago and couldn't stop. They were so beautiful, but so far away and seemed so near. Every time Vivien came out to watch them, she felt small and unimportant and for once the little shrieking voice in her head stopped trying to convince her that she was evil and didn't belong with her family. She could just be Vivien out here, not judged by anyone except the stars. She was neither Vivien the witch nor Vivien the demon. She tried not to think about magic out here, in her opinion the stars alone contained the magic and wisdom of the universe, no Book of Shadows needed. The pulsing star seemed to change colors, from yellow, to white, to orange, without order. It seemed like chaos, but it was beautiful and not ruled by good or evil. Vivien shivered at a soft breeze that came up from the bay and made the leaves of the trees planted in the backyard dance. There were two trees. One for her birth and one for Melinda's. Her tree, naturally was bigger than Mel's, it was 12 ½ years older. Melinda's tree showed its first small green leaves that were as fragile as the baby. Melinda had grown quite a bit the last half year. She now was crawling through the house and everything had to be glued down or else it was eaten or destroyed within seconds. She was a very active child and Leo had brought back out all the locks they had put on all the cupboard doors when Vivien had been a baby. Melinda already knew how to open them anyways. If it didn't open, she just used a little magic. How was a baby supposed to know that there were rules against magic used for personal gain. Vivien got up and went inside, where her parents were sitting in front of the fire, listening to its crackling noises. 'Hey honey. Getting cold out there?' Cole asked and held his hand out for his daughter. Vivien sat on the couch next to him and Phoebe and yawned. 'Yes. There is a cold breeze coming up from the bay. But the stars are so bright, I just love watching them. I fell so little compared to them. The stars seem like a big treasure to me, like the wisdom of everything is locked up in a big black box that we call universe. Even we are little treasures.' Vivien said, watching the sparks rise off the fire as a log broke and fell. 'You're right. Watching the stars is as if someone shares a big, maybe the biggest, secret of life with you. It makes you feel unimportant and special at the same time. It's a weird feeling.' Cole whispered, as if he was afraid to destroy the calmness of the moment. 'When did you have time to watch the stars?' Phoebe asked curiously. 'I used to watch them all the time when I was a little boy. I used to shimmer up here just to watch them. It made me feel safe, as if I was at home. And the stars were right. I'm at home here now, with my beautiful wife and the most special child in the world.' Cole kissed first Phoebe, then Vivien. Vivien smiled. Most of the time her dad seemed like a dangerous guy who didn't care much about stars and all the stuff that was supposed to be romantic. Moments like this proved his image wrong, this was the real Cole, the Cole her mother had fallen in love with, the one that wasn't dangerous and loved his family more than anything in the world. Sadly, Cole only showed this side when he was alone with them. 'I love you mom and dad.' Vivien said simply. Cole squeezed her shoulder and rested his head on hers for a few seconds. 'I love you too sweetie.' Phoebe answered. They stayed silent for a few minutes, then Vivien got up and stretched her muscles. 'Good Night. I'm going to bed. It seemed like it was a long day today.' Vivien kissed both Phoebe and Cole and went upstairs, where she quietly opened the door to Melinda's room and looked at the baby. She was sleeping, hugging a small sheep with fluffy fur to her chest. Vivien smiled and closed the door behind her. It was a routine since Melinda was born, to look into her room and check on her before she went to bed. In her own room, Vivien didn't bother to turn on the light, she put her pajama on in the dark and lay down in her bed under her soft, cool sheets. She immediately fell asleep and dreamt nothing the whole night.