Chapter Twenty-Nine

Leo watched Ava hold the small brown paper bag over Phoebe's nose and mouth while Cole supported the back of Phoebe's head. One of Phoebe's hands was still tangled in Cole's shirt while the other was pressed to her chest. Leo felt helpless and as he continued to watch, he said in a quiet voice, "That was quick thinking, Paige, orbing that bag to Ava."

Paige dismissed the praise as she saw her sister struggle to breathe properly. "When I was fifteen, I had a friend that was prone to panic attacks. She carried an empty lunch bag with her wherever she went."

"Phoebe will be fine," Patty stated as she tightened her hold on her grandson and nervously rocked him, "she'll be fine."

"Of course she will," Victor agreed as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and looked over at Phoebe with concern.

Prue stood watch nearby and linked her hand with one of Piper's. "You know how strong Phoebe is"

"She's been through so much," Piper whispered and winced as her younger sister continued to pant into the bag. "A lot of which was my fault."

"No one's fault," Prue insisted. "We're sisters, we argueIt's a fact of life, Piper."

"We said so many things to each other," Piper shook her head. "It was never this bad with us."

"Wasn't it?" Prue smiled. "Need I remind you how I barely spoke to Phoebe all the while she was in New York?"

"We've been trying so hard to get our relationships back on track but we still sometimes forget and let off a shot at the other," Piper considered. "If I hadn't made that crack about Cole"

"Then something else would've set her off," Paige said as she stepped closer to her sisters. "Phoebe's been trying so hard not to be afraid and to be strong for everyone else that it wasn't going to take much to push her over the edge. And after the torture she went through today"

"She's going to need her sisters more than ever," Penny quietly told them as Melinda stuffed the pendant again into her small mouth.

"That's it, Phoebe," Ava encouraged as Phoebe's rapid wheezing finally began to slow, "deep breaths."

"It's okay, honey," Cole whispered in Phoebe's ear before he lightly kissed it, "you're safe. We're all safe." He felt her grip on his shirt loosen and, with his free hand, he lightly grasped her hand. After a few more deep breaths, her head began to push back against his other hand. "Can you do it on your own?" he asked in concern and sighed when she nodded slightly.

Ava cautiously pulled the bag away from Phoebe. "No," she advised, "don't try talk. Not yet. Just keep taking those nice slow deep breaths."

Phoebe barely managed to nod and closed her eyes as she followed Ava's instructions. She was sore and felt so drained and realized that Cole was the only reason she was sitting upright. She let her free hand fall limply to her lap. "'m 'kay," she mumbled as she turned her head and pressed her face against Cole's chest before she inhaled deeply again.

"Will she be okay?" Piper anxiously questioned.

Ava nodded as she turned to the others, "But I don't want to wait any longer. I want to get her and the baby to the hospital which means"

"That it's time for us to go," Penny agreed as she lightly grasped Melinda's hand and pulled it away from her dangling earring.

"No," Piper whispered as she looked at Prue, "not yet."

"Not yet," Patty announced as she turned to her daughters, "there's one more thing left to do."

Penny nodded with a smile and stepped aside as her daughter joined her. "Come, Prudence," she invited, "consider this your initiation."

"You mean it?" Prue asked excitedly and quickly left Piper's side. "No more waiting around? No more lectures?"

"What's going on?" Paige asked suspiciously.

"We are correcting a lapse of judgment on our part, too," Penny replied.

"Our family has a ritual for every new baby born," Patty explained as she smiled to her wakening grandson. She lightly stroked his cheek and added, "But when Melinda was born you were so involved in preparing for Hasoaf that the timing didn't seem appropriate."

Piper glanced at Leo, "It's okay, Mom. We didn't even know about it."

"I've never heard of any ritual," Prue commented.

"It's in the Book," Penny told her. "It's not so much a ritual as it is a blessing."

"A multi-generational thing, if I recall. Weren't rose petals involved?" Victor asked.

Surprised by her ex-husband's memory, Patty happily nodded, "That's right. You remember?"

"How could I forget? We named each of our girls at the ceremonies," he smiled as he glanced at his three daughters. "I also remember how the two of you went overboard with the preparations."

"We did not," both Penny and Patty exclaimed together.

"Please," he snorted, "I couldn't see the carpet for a week and there were enough leftovers for a month after each ceremony. To this day, I still can't stand those little cocktail wieners."

"How'd you like me to re-open that split lip of yours?" Patty threatened.

"Any doubt about where we get our tempers?" Piper joked to Leo.

Victor smiled at this former wife, "You oughta see the other guy."

"Dad!" Piper gasped. "Not nice!"

"We don't have time for this," Cole interrupted, "or for any preparations." He was concerned about Phoebe, who was much too pale and quiet, and wanted to get her to the hospital. His arm was around her shoulders and he pulled her closer and rubbed her upper arm. She barely reacted and he kissed the top of her head.

Penny acknowledged his concern, "Most of it's for ambience anyway. The blessing's what's important and we can certainly do that here, right now."

"Prue," Patty suggested, "why don't you begin?"

"I don't remember seeing the page in the Book," Prue hesitated, "I'm not sure what to do."

"It's not the words that are important," Penny encouraged, "but the feelings and intent behind them. Say what comes from your heart."

Prue nodded and thought for a moment. She then reached out and gently took Melinda's and Adam's hands in each of hers.

"In this time and in this place,

these precious ones we now embrace."

Patty smiled at her eldest daughter and continued,

"Melinda Prudence Halliwell-Wyatt

and Adam Coleridge Turner,

added to the blossoming Warren tree,

of blessed promise forever shall they be."

Penny nodded proudly and kissed her great-granddaughter before she concluded,

"Both filled with goodness and light,

with destinies to fight the evil of the night.

Guided by gentle spirits at home and above,

strength shall they find within their bonds of love."

"Amen," Paige softly whispered.

"Thank you," Piper wiped her eyes, "that was beautiful." She turned to Prue, "I don't want you to go."

"Neither do I," Prue said as she quickly embraced her sister, "but I have to. I don't belong here anymore."

"You'll always belong here," Paige adamantly stated.

Prue pulled her youngest sister into the embrace too and said, "Thank you."

Patty stepped in front of Phoebe and carefully placed Adam in her daughter's arms. She caressed her daughter's pale cheek and planted a firm kiss on Phoebe's forehead. "I love you," she tearfully told her daughter, "and I am so proud of you."

"Love you, Mom," Phoebe responded in a voice barely above a whisper.

Patty kissed her once more and then, before she completely turned away, she kissed Cole's cheek. He looked back at her with surprise and she smiled kindly, "Be happy."

Cole didn't know what to say and merely nodded. He looked down at his son who was now staring wide-eyed at Phoebe who had managed a tired, slight smile. He lightly squeezed her shoulders and kissed her temple.

Penny handed Melinda to her daughter and, while Patty said goodbye, she knelt before Phoebe and kissed the baby's head. She then kissed her granddaughter's cheek and glanced at Cole, "Hold onto your love lest it slip away."

Again, Cole was surprised by such open acceptance into the Halliwell family. "Thank you," he said in a quiet voice that cracked.

Penny patted his cheek and stood. She smiled once more at her great-grandson before she pulled her two remaining granddaughters into a hug. "It's so easy to hate," she commented, "but to love, that's what takes work." Both Piper and Paige nodded and she continued, "Never forget. Never let go. Fight for it and hold onto it because love is what sustains you." She kissed them both and stepped away.

Ava hesitatingly approached Penny. "I don't know how it works but if you seethat is, I mean, if she somehow"

Penny hugged Ava, "Of course I will, my dear, but Lydia already knows. She's been with you, always."

"Thank you," Ava responded as Penny pulled back.

Patty handed Melinda back to Leo and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for everything." She then turned to her daughters and hugged both Piper and Paige. "I love you both and I'm proud of you." She then spoke to all four of them, "You've all been hurt but you've endured and are stronger for it. Be kind to one another and never forget, above all else, you're sisters." She stepped back and joined her mother.

"Prudence," Penny quietly said, "it's time."

Prue nodded reluctantly and knelt in front of Phoebe. She kissed the baby and whispered, "Aunt Prue loves you very much." She brushed away a few of Phoebe's tears and gave her sister and awkward hug, "I love you, Pheebs."

"Me too," Phoebe whispered.

Prue laughed and kissed her sister. She stood and paused in front of Cole. She pointed her finger at him and began, "You'd better take care of her, of them, or --"

"Or I'll have to face the wrath of Prue. Don't worry, we'll make it work this time," Cole declared as he grabbed her finger and brought it to his lips.

Prue yanked her finger back but smiled, "Good because I'll be watching." She then turned to her father and slowly went into his open arms.

"I miss you every day," he quietly told her. "I love you and I'm sorry I missed --"

"No," Prue shook her head, "no more apologizing. I think we've all learned how life leads us on unexpected roads. We may not be happy with what comes our way but it all happens for a reason and we have to learn to accept these changes. Adapt to them and move on."

"She's learning," Patty whispered proudly to her mother.

"I love you, Dad," Prue said as she finally pulled away, "I always have." She turned away and reached for Paige, "I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to be a part of your life but I'm glad you're my sister."

Paige hugged her sister and responded softly, "Me too, Prue."

When Paige stepped back, Prue faced Piper, "Thank you for being my sister. I don't know how I could've gotten through half of what I did without your support and your love."

"And I don't know how I could've managed without you as my big sister," Piper brushed away a few of Prue's tears. She sniffled, "I'll miss you so much but I really think, for the first time, it'll be okay."

"Of course it will," Prue assured her as she tightly embraced her sister and glanced at Paige, "because we're the Charmed Ones."

She slowly stepped away and Piper reached for her daughter from Leo. She waved Melinda's hand at her older sister, mother, and grandmother. "Love you"

The trio smiled and glanced at the others and replied together, "Blessed be."

As their forms faded, Prue waved her arm dramatically and multi-colored rose petals rained down on the others.

"Prudence" Penny's voice echoed.

"Show-off," Piper muttered.

"Love you all," Prue's voice was heard as a whispering breeze.

Melinda caught one of the petals but her mother grabbed it before she could place it in her mouth. She let out an unhappy cry.

Ava glanced at Phoebe and frowned, "All right, time to go."

Phoebe looked back at Cole nervously and he kissed her forehead. "You and Adam will be safe, I promise."

"Look, why don't Leo and I just orb all of you there?" Paige asked. "It'll be faster and more comfortable."

Victor shook his head, "Too many questions to answer. It'll be hard enough coming up with a reasonable story about how Phoebe ended up delivering here."

"We'll decide on the way," Cole said as he helped Ava lift Adam. He stood and stretched his cramped muscles before he bent down to lift up Phoebe.

Leo suddenly looked up upward and then to his wife. He shrugged his shoulders, "A chargeI'll meet you at the hospital as soon as I can."

Melinda let out another unhappy cry and he kissed her cheek.

"Yeah, well," Piper realized as she wrinkled her nose, "we're gonna be there in a bit too. I think someone needs to be changed." She kissed Leo and told her daughter, "Say goodbye to Daddy." But Melinda only fussed more and Piper shrugged, "See you later."

As Leo orbed out, Paige took hold of Piper's hand and told the others, "We'll be there soon as we can."

In Cole's arms, Phoebe nodded slightly and snuggled closer to him. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh.

"C'mon," Cole quietly said with concern, "let's go."

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