As she woke, slowly as if emerging from a fog, she thought that maybe
everything had been a dream--what she had seen was only a nightmare. But
then she realized that she wasn't sleeping in her bed, in her bedroom. A
cold, alien feeling crept through her as she tried to lie very still even
though every fiber in her body was screaming for her to run. Then there was
a smell--a vaguely familiar scent that she couldn't quite place. Turning
her face into the pillow, she breathed it in, taking it deep into her body.
"Mommy," she murmured as she recognized the scent. She felt her grief well up inside of her, the pressure of it building and building, blocking all of her senses, until it forced its way out of her and she sobbed into the pillow.
All of the sudden there were arms surrounding her, someone lifting her up and pressing her close, giving her warmth and comfort. She clung to her faceless comforter and lost herself to her grief, tears falling until she had none left to cry, but still she sobbed.
Time passed, but she didn't know how much--it seemed like she cried for hours, but maybe just minutes had gone by. Eventually she managed to loosen her hold on her comforter and she pressed her hands to her damp face. She felt the weight on the bed lessen as the person sitting next to her stood up.
"Please don't leave me," she pleaded, panicked that she would be left alone again.
"I'm not leaving. I'm just turning on a light," a voice answered before a click sounded and light filled the room.
She knew from the voice who was standing beside the bed, waiting patiently for her to open her eyes. She drew an unsteady breath and forced herself to slowly raise her eyelids.
"Mom."
Piper rocked nervously from side to side. She had an idea of what she should do, but not an inkling of whether she had the strength.
As gently as she could, Piper asked, "Who do you think I am?"
For just an instant, Piper saw hurt flicker in the girl's wet, hazel eyes, but then it was replaced by understanding as the girl breathed deeply and replied, "You're Piper Halliwell, a Charmed One. And you're my mother."
Piper felt as though someone had hit her--not in the face, or in the stomach, but in her heart. She stared at the girl intently.
She has my eyes, she thought. My hair, Leo's chin...
"Leo," Piper said quietly and quickly orbs began to form until they took the shape of her husband.
"Daddy." The girl threw herself at Leo, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly. Overwhelmed with emotions, Leo looked over at Piper who was silently crying and she nodded. A little uncertainly, Leo placed his hands on the girl's back, gently pulling her closer to him.
Wordlessly, Piper embraced her husband and her daughter, tenderly stroking the hair back from her tear-streaked face, and Piper knew somehow that they were a family.
"Piper, is everything--" Paige called as she opened the door to the bedroom. She stopped short when she saw the three of them hugging. "I guess everything is okay."
Glancing around Leo, the girl noticed Paige and her eyes widened in surprise. "Paige!" she cried as she almost knocked Paige over trying to hug her.
"Okay," Paige stammered as she shot Piper and Leo a confused glance. They both just shrugged and drew close to each other, Leo draping an arm across his wife's shoulders and Piper sliding an arm around his waist.
"Hi, there." Trying not to be rude, Paige carefully disentangled herself from the girl's embrace. "And you would be...?"
The girl laughed, though a little sadly, and began wringing her hands self- consciously. Paige noticed the gesture and thought to herself that Piper made the same one when she felt insecure.
"Sorry. You're doubtlessly more confused than I am, and me running around hugging everyone probably isn't helping. It's just I'm so glad that--" She made herself leave her sentence unfinished. Knowing too much about the future could be dangerous--isn't that what Dad always used to tell her? "I'm just glad to see all of you."
"I think we're all just a little..." Leo searched for the right word.
"Overwhelmed," Piper finished for him.
The girl smiled warmly at her and said, "You have no idea, Mom." For the first time in many hours, she felt a surge of hope. Maybe she could make this work. Maybe she could keep it from happening.
"I feel a little silly for having to ask this question," Piper began cautiously. "But, what's your name?"
"Samantha," the girl replied. "My name is Samantha."
"Hmm, not a P," Paige noted.
"And not a relative." Piper glanced up at Leo. "Looks like we break the Halliwell tradition completely."
"You were going to name me Penelope, after great-grandma." Samantha told Piper before looking at Leo. "But Dad--and thank you for this, by the way-- talked you out of it."
"Oh really," Piper remarked, jabbing her elbow playfully into Leo's side.
"Oh," Samantha realized what she had just done and covered her mouth. "I shouldn't have told you that."
"No, it's okay," Leo reassured her. "I doubt anyone's future will be distorted because you told us how we chose your name."
"Except maybe yours, if we decide to change it," Piper acknowledged. "So, do we call you Sam or Samantha?"
"Usually Sam, but either is fine. 'Sam' gets a little confusing when... I probably shouldn't tell you that, either." Samantha furrowed her brow. "This is a lot harder than I thought it would be."
"Uh," Paige touched Samantha's arm to get her attention, "Not to seem rude, but how do we know you are who you say you are?"
With a sly smile, Samantha turned to Paige and crossed her arms over her chest. "You are Paige Matthews, not Halliwell, and you weren't raised by great-grandma like mom was. You were adopted because grandma and her whitelighter did...things they weren't supposed to do, which means you're half-whitelighter, half-witch like I am."
Paige, still hesitant, raised a questioning eyebrow.
Sensing her disbelief, Samantha continued. "Your first boyfriend in high school was named Phillip Lewicky, and he gave you a necklace that you kept in a box under your bed until you graduated from college." Paige's lips parted in surprise. "He's also the one who taught you that you could take your tongue and--"
"Okay!" Paige interrupted, realizing where the anecdote was headed. "I believe her. Let's move on."
"Wait, I'm still not convinced," Piper teased, "I want to hear the end of that story."
"That won't be necessary," Paige said, turning a little red. Samantha couldn't help but laugh quietly at her aunt, who glanced over at her. When their eyes met, Samantha recognized the astonishment and disbelief that must be apparent in her eyes as well, but she also saw understanding and acceptance.
Everything seemed so surreal to her. Samantha knew that this was her family- -these were people she had been raised by, grown up around--but they just felt like part of an elaborate dream that she was having. She half-expected to wake up any moment and find herself in her own time, with her mother making breakfast downstairs, her father off doing whatever it was he did all day, her aunt clomping through the kitchen bringing her mother whatever herbal remedy she had concocted the night before. But that reality was gone- -she couldn't go back to it even if she wanted to. She still had a chance to save it though.
"Piper, Paige? Where did everyone go?"
The voice floated up from downstairs and Samantha's muscles tensed. Piper noticed the sudden change in Samantha's demeanor, and squeezed Leo's arm, trying to determine if he had noticed too.
"Samantha, are you all right?" Leo asked, holding out a hand to her in concern.
A panicked expression crept across her face as Samantha grabbed Leo and Piper's arms. "Mom, Dad, you have to get out of here."
Piper stared at her daughter in confusion. "What are you talking about? Are you okay?"
Samantha ignored their concerned looks and questions, and tensed every muscle in her body. "I can't orb. Why can't I orb?" She was bordering on hysterical as she implored Leo, "What happened to my powers?"
Piper placed her hands on Samantha's shoulders, and gazed steadily into her eyes. "Samantha, calm down. Everything is okay."
"No, you don't understand. If I don't have my powers, I can't protect you and she'll kill you. I can't lose you again." As the meaning of her words sank in, Piper could only stare at her and feel Sam's body begin to shake.
"Dad, please orb us out of here!" Leo considered doing so as he watched his daughter fall apart in front of him, but before he could decide what would be best, Phoebe hurried into the room.
"Piper, what's going on?" she asked, alarmed by Samantha's distressed cries.
When Phoebe entered the bedroom, Samantha turned to face her, her grip on her parents' arms tightening, and she backed toward them protectively, trying to use her body as a barrier between them and Phoebe. Her face paled and her voice wavered, as she said, "Please don't take them. Please, don't take them from me."
Everyone was too stunned too move.
Piper looked to Leo, who was staring at Samantha, who couldn't tear her gaze from Phoebe even though she was trembling more each second. After a moment, Paige forced herself to act, taking hold of Phoebe's arm and leading her out of the room. Casting one final concerned glance at Samantha, Paige closed the door behind her.
Once the door shut Samantha's legs gave out from under her and she sank to the floor.
"Mommy," she murmured as she recognized the scent. She felt her grief well up inside of her, the pressure of it building and building, blocking all of her senses, until it forced its way out of her and she sobbed into the pillow.
All of the sudden there were arms surrounding her, someone lifting her up and pressing her close, giving her warmth and comfort. She clung to her faceless comforter and lost herself to her grief, tears falling until she had none left to cry, but still she sobbed.
Time passed, but she didn't know how much--it seemed like she cried for hours, but maybe just minutes had gone by. Eventually she managed to loosen her hold on her comforter and she pressed her hands to her damp face. She felt the weight on the bed lessen as the person sitting next to her stood up.
"Please don't leave me," she pleaded, panicked that she would be left alone again.
"I'm not leaving. I'm just turning on a light," a voice answered before a click sounded and light filled the room.
She knew from the voice who was standing beside the bed, waiting patiently for her to open her eyes. She drew an unsteady breath and forced herself to slowly raise her eyelids.
"Mom."
Piper rocked nervously from side to side. She had an idea of what she should do, but not an inkling of whether she had the strength.
As gently as she could, Piper asked, "Who do you think I am?"
For just an instant, Piper saw hurt flicker in the girl's wet, hazel eyes, but then it was replaced by understanding as the girl breathed deeply and replied, "You're Piper Halliwell, a Charmed One. And you're my mother."
Piper felt as though someone had hit her--not in the face, or in the stomach, but in her heart. She stared at the girl intently.
She has my eyes, she thought. My hair, Leo's chin...
"Leo," Piper said quietly and quickly orbs began to form until they took the shape of her husband.
"Daddy." The girl threw herself at Leo, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly. Overwhelmed with emotions, Leo looked over at Piper who was silently crying and she nodded. A little uncertainly, Leo placed his hands on the girl's back, gently pulling her closer to him.
Wordlessly, Piper embraced her husband and her daughter, tenderly stroking the hair back from her tear-streaked face, and Piper knew somehow that they were a family.
"Piper, is everything--" Paige called as she opened the door to the bedroom. She stopped short when she saw the three of them hugging. "I guess everything is okay."
Glancing around Leo, the girl noticed Paige and her eyes widened in surprise. "Paige!" she cried as she almost knocked Paige over trying to hug her.
"Okay," Paige stammered as she shot Piper and Leo a confused glance. They both just shrugged and drew close to each other, Leo draping an arm across his wife's shoulders and Piper sliding an arm around his waist.
"Hi, there." Trying not to be rude, Paige carefully disentangled herself from the girl's embrace. "And you would be...?"
The girl laughed, though a little sadly, and began wringing her hands self- consciously. Paige noticed the gesture and thought to herself that Piper made the same one when she felt insecure.
"Sorry. You're doubtlessly more confused than I am, and me running around hugging everyone probably isn't helping. It's just I'm so glad that--" She made herself leave her sentence unfinished. Knowing too much about the future could be dangerous--isn't that what Dad always used to tell her? "I'm just glad to see all of you."
"I think we're all just a little..." Leo searched for the right word.
"Overwhelmed," Piper finished for him.
The girl smiled warmly at her and said, "You have no idea, Mom." For the first time in many hours, she felt a surge of hope. Maybe she could make this work. Maybe she could keep it from happening.
"I feel a little silly for having to ask this question," Piper began cautiously. "But, what's your name?"
"Samantha," the girl replied. "My name is Samantha."
"Hmm, not a P," Paige noted.
"And not a relative." Piper glanced up at Leo. "Looks like we break the Halliwell tradition completely."
"You were going to name me Penelope, after great-grandma." Samantha told Piper before looking at Leo. "But Dad--and thank you for this, by the way-- talked you out of it."
"Oh really," Piper remarked, jabbing her elbow playfully into Leo's side.
"Oh," Samantha realized what she had just done and covered her mouth. "I shouldn't have told you that."
"No, it's okay," Leo reassured her. "I doubt anyone's future will be distorted because you told us how we chose your name."
"Except maybe yours, if we decide to change it," Piper acknowledged. "So, do we call you Sam or Samantha?"
"Usually Sam, but either is fine. 'Sam' gets a little confusing when... I probably shouldn't tell you that, either." Samantha furrowed her brow. "This is a lot harder than I thought it would be."
"Uh," Paige touched Samantha's arm to get her attention, "Not to seem rude, but how do we know you are who you say you are?"
With a sly smile, Samantha turned to Paige and crossed her arms over her chest. "You are Paige Matthews, not Halliwell, and you weren't raised by great-grandma like mom was. You were adopted because grandma and her whitelighter did...things they weren't supposed to do, which means you're half-whitelighter, half-witch like I am."
Paige, still hesitant, raised a questioning eyebrow.
Sensing her disbelief, Samantha continued. "Your first boyfriend in high school was named Phillip Lewicky, and he gave you a necklace that you kept in a box under your bed until you graduated from college." Paige's lips parted in surprise. "He's also the one who taught you that you could take your tongue and--"
"Okay!" Paige interrupted, realizing where the anecdote was headed. "I believe her. Let's move on."
"Wait, I'm still not convinced," Piper teased, "I want to hear the end of that story."
"That won't be necessary," Paige said, turning a little red. Samantha couldn't help but laugh quietly at her aunt, who glanced over at her. When their eyes met, Samantha recognized the astonishment and disbelief that must be apparent in her eyes as well, but she also saw understanding and acceptance.
Everything seemed so surreal to her. Samantha knew that this was her family- -these were people she had been raised by, grown up around--but they just felt like part of an elaborate dream that she was having. She half-expected to wake up any moment and find herself in her own time, with her mother making breakfast downstairs, her father off doing whatever it was he did all day, her aunt clomping through the kitchen bringing her mother whatever herbal remedy she had concocted the night before. But that reality was gone- -she couldn't go back to it even if she wanted to. She still had a chance to save it though.
"Piper, Paige? Where did everyone go?"
The voice floated up from downstairs and Samantha's muscles tensed. Piper noticed the sudden change in Samantha's demeanor, and squeezed Leo's arm, trying to determine if he had noticed too.
"Samantha, are you all right?" Leo asked, holding out a hand to her in concern.
A panicked expression crept across her face as Samantha grabbed Leo and Piper's arms. "Mom, Dad, you have to get out of here."
Piper stared at her daughter in confusion. "What are you talking about? Are you okay?"
Samantha ignored their concerned looks and questions, and tensed every muscle in her body. "I can't orb. Why can't I orb?" She was bordering on hysterical as she implored Leo, "What happened to my powers?"
Piper placed her hands on Samantha's shoulders, and gazed steadily into her eyes. "Samantha, calm down. Everything is okay."
"No, you don't understand. If I don't have my powers, I can't protect you and she'll kill you. I can't lose you again." As the meaning of her words sank in, Piper could only stare at her and feel Sam's body begin to shake.
"Dad, please orb us out of here!" Leo considered doing so as he watched his daughter fall apart in front of him, but before he could decide what would be best, Phoebe hurried into the room.
"Piper, what's going on?" she asked, alarmed by Samantha's distressed cries.
When Phoebe entered the bedroom, Samantha turned to face her, her grip on her parents' arms tightening, and she backed toward them protectively, trying to use her body as a barrier between them and Phoebe. Her face paled and her voice wavered, as she said, "Please don't take them. Please, don't take them from me."
Everyone was too stunned too move.
Piper looked to Leo, who was staring at Samantha, who couldn't tear her gaze from Phoebe even though she was trembling more each second. After a moment, Paige forced herself to act, taking hold of Phoebe's arm and leading her out of the room. Casting one final concerned glance at Samantha, Paige closed the door behind her.
Once the door shut Samantha's legs gave out from under her and she sank to the floor.
