A/N: Previously on Coming Home... Hey, are you really expecting me to tell you?! Read Chapter One! Sheesh.
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Coming Home Part 2
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"Leo! Leo! Don't just stand there, heal her!" Phoebe screeched, grabbing Pipers hand which was clenched so tightly in a fist her fingernails were cutting into her palm. It was then the premonition exploded into Phoebe's head.
Observing the doctor writing the death certificate from over his shoulder, Phoebe could also see the detailed autopsy report. The doctor actually looked sad as he looked over at both the bodies lying on the slab, side by side. However many deaths he encountered as a professional, a mother and child dying in childbirth was always heart wrenching. He sighed and checked the time on the report before filing in the 'time of death' line. Phoebes power had grown to level that she actually knew what he was thinking, and somehow possessed the expertise behind the thinking.
'Once the eclampsia is full blown it's a race against the clock. Such a shame. Such a shame.'
In the ten seconds it took for the premonition to race through her consciousness, Phoebe knew every detail of what was about to happen in the next twelve hours. Both Piper and the Baby were about to die.
Phoebe jolted backwards as the premonition flashed away. Leo was looking stricken, as one hand hovered over Pipers head and the other over her stomach.
"It's not working, IT'S NOT WORKING!" he desperately rasped, tears streaming down his face as Piper continued to repeatedly bash her head backwards, her body as stiff as a board, teeth and hands clenched. Slipping his hand under her legs he went to lift her into his arms as he said, "The hospital." Phoebe, her mind racing for an answer, a way out of this destiny playing out in her head laid her hand on Leo.
"No, it will be too late. If we don't get the baby out within minutes they will both die. She's developed eclampsia; the baby is breech and stuck in the birth canal. The only way we can save them is with magic."
"But... how? They can't do this to me," he spat through gritted teeth, "Do you hear me!?" he shouted to the ceiling "You can't take them from me, not now!" Phoebe, however, was pacing.
"What can we do, oh God, what can we do?" she was muttering over and over, hoping that the inspiration would hit her. "Paige!" she called, "get over here and think, quick!"
"Huh?" Paige shook her head and 'came to'. She surveyed the scene before her and instantly her throat constricted so that it became hard to breath. Her eyes widened in shock, and at the same time a feeling of inadequacy washed over her. She was the youngest, still a novice really, and only half a witch at that. How could she possibly help?
"PAIGE!" Phoebe yelled, and Paige's head snapped round to look Phoebe in the eye, "We need to formulate a spell, NOW!" The room seemed to fall into slow motion as Paige stepped forward to go to her sisters' side, until incredulous, Paige realised the room had frozen. Everything. Even Phoebe and Piper.
"Paige..." her name echoed softly around her and a feeling of warmth spread slowly from within her core. The feeling of helplessness was fading, being replaced by a confidence, a knowing, and a belonging. "Yes, half a witch," breathed the voice, "but unique... Save your sisters... call for the baby."
And suddenly, the room snapped to life again. Leo cradling Pipers face, desperately trying to prevent the thud, thud, thud of the back of her head hitting the cushions. Phoebe seeing her premonition coming true before her eyes, unable to stop it. Her face devoid of colour, she wailed "Somebody help us!" Paige felt self-doubt creep back, slowly, stealthily.
"I've never done anything like this before-" yet she stepped forward. Phoebe was now shaking her head, the tears forming,
"No... no." she softly whispered, "Not again."
Shaking, Paige held out her hands and said, she hoped confidently, "Baby!" She watched in wonder as Piper's stomach glowed white. Phoebe gasped, her hands travelling to her mouth, knowing this was not part of what she had witnessed just moments ago. Something was changing. Leo stepped back, and also looked on, stupefied. Bright pure white tiny orbs gathered above Pipers stomach as her body fell still. The room seemed to glow, as the miracle that was being witnessed concluded with the orbs travelling to Paige and forming into a small perfect baby in her hands. Unaware that she had been holding her breath, Paige sucked in a lungful of air before looking down. Phoebe came to her side to also look down on this child she has fully expected to die. It hadn't yet cried, but as Phoebe stood beside Paige, and wondered at it's dear little face all screwed up and red, it opened it's eyes. Once again, Phoebe gasped. She had already noticed a shock of black Halliwell hair, and now the baby observed her with green eyes.
"Leo, come see." she whispered, turning to him. He was on his knees next to Piper, who had now opened her eyes; she looked across at Paige holding her daughter and said just one word: "Prue."
And so, that is how I was born. Maybe one day I will tell Paige it was me who gave her the nudge in the right direction she needed. Piper doesn't remember saying my name as she awoke. Maybe one day, I will explain to her that in her moment between life and death, she actually saw my soul rather than the body she had lovingly nurtured for me. I'm home again. That's all that matters.
*
Coming Home Part 2
*
"Leo! Leo! Don't just stand there, heal her!" Phoebe screeched, grabbing Pipers hand which was clenched so tightly in a fist her fingernails were cutting into her palm. It was then the premonition exploded into Phoebe's head.
Observing the doctor writing the death certificate from over his shoulder, Phoebe could also see the detailed autopsy report. The doctor actually looked sad as he looked over at both the bodies lying on the slab, side by side. However many deaths he encountered as a professional, a mother and child dying in childbirth was always heart wrenching. He sighed and checked the time on the report before filing in the 'time of death' line. Phoebes power had grown to level that she actually knew what he was thinking, and somehow possessed the expertise behind the thinking.
'Once the eclampsia is full blown it's a race against the clock. Such a shame. Such a shame.'
In the ten seconds it took for the premonition to race through her consciousness, Phoebe knew every detail of what was about to happen in the next twelve hours. Both Piper and the Baby were about to die.
Phoebe jolted backwards as the premonition flashed away. Leo was looking stricken, as one hand hovered over Pipers head and the other over her stomach.
"It's not working, IT'S NOT WORKING!" he desperately rasped, tears streaming down his face as Piper continued to repeatedly bash her head backwards, her body as stiff as a board, teeth and hands clenched. Slipping his hand under her legs he went to lift her into his arms as he said, "The hospital." Phoebe, her mind racing for an answer, a way out of this destiny playing out in her head laid her hand on Leo.
"No, it will be too late. If we don't get the baby out within minutes they will both die. She's developed eclampsia; the baby is breech and stuck in the birth canal. The only way we can save them is with magic."
"But... how? They can't do this to me," he spat through gritted teeth, "Do you hear me!?" he shouted to the ceiling "You can't take them from me, not now!" Phoebe, however, was pacing.
"What can we do, oh God, what can we do?" she was muttering over and over, hoping that the inspiration would hit her. "Paige!" she called, "get over here and think, quick!"
"Huh?" Paige shook her head and 'came to'. She surveyed the scene before her and instantly her throat constricted so that it became hard to breath. Her eyes widened in shock, and at the same time a feeling of inadequacy washed over her. She was the youngest, still a novice really, and only half a witch at that. How could she possibly help?
"PAIGE!" Phoebe yelled, and Paige's head snapped round to look Phoebe in the eye, "We need to formulate a spell, NOW!" The room seemed to fall into slow motion as Paige stepped forward to go to her sisters' side, until incredulous, Paige realised the room had frozen. Everything. Even Phoebe and Piper.
"Paige..." her name echoed softly around her and a feeling of warmth spread slowly from within her core. The feeling of helplessness was fading, being replaced by a confidence, a knowing, and a belonging. "Yes, half a witch," breathed the voice, "but unique... Save your sisters... call for the baby."
And suddenly, the room snapped to life again. Leo cradling Pipers face, desperately trying to prevent the thud, thud, thud of the back of her head hitting the cushions. Phoebe seeing her premonition coming true before her eyes, unable to stop it. Her face devoid of colour, she wailed "Somebody help us!" Paige felt self-doubt creep back, slowly, stealthily.
"I've never done anything like this before-" yet she stepped forward. Phoebe was now shaking her head, the tears forming,
"No... no." she softly whispered, "Not again."
Shaking, Paige held out her hands and said, she hoped confidently, "Baby!" She watched in wonder as Piper's stomach glowed white. Phoebe gasped, her hands travelling to her mouth, knowing this was not part of what she had witnessed just moments ago. Something was changing. Leo stepped back, and also looked on, stupefied. Bright pure white tiny orbs gathered above Pipers stomach as her body fell still. The room seemed to glow, as the miracle that was being witnessed concluded with the orbs travelling to Paige and forming into a small perfect baby in her hands. Unaware that she had been holding her breath, Paige sucked in a lungful of air before looking down. Phoebe came to her side to also look down on this child she has fully expected to die. It hadn't yet cried, but as Phoebe stood beside Paige, and wondered at it's dear little face all screwed up and red, it opened it's eyes. Once again, Phoebe gasped. She had already noticed a shock of black Halliwell hair, and now the baby observed her with green eyes.
"Leo, come see." she whispered, turning to him. He was on his knees next to Piper, who had now opened her eyes; she looked across at Paige holding her daughter and said just one word: "Prue."
And so, that is how I was born. Maybe one day I will tell Paige it was me who gave her the nudge in the right direction she needed. Piper doesn't remember saying my name as she awoke. Maybe one day, I will explain to her that in her moment between life and death, she actually saw my soul rather than the body she had lovingly nurtured for me. I'm home again. That's all that matters.