Love Triumphant
Chapter XIX
Conflicted Sisters
The Halliwell sisters and their family sat at their favorite table at P3 or rather the newly recreated P3. A Barenaked Ladies CD was on the sound system and several couples were dancing. Phoebe looked at her sister Prue scribbling away in a notebook and frowned. "Prue what the heck are you doing?"
"You heard Zeus! I am going to be co-heading the demon fighting division with your new husband here, and we have to start developing a mission statement, our new plan of operation, our... "Yadda, Yadda, Yadda," Piper interrupted. "Excuse me?" Prue said a mixture of surprise and annoyance in her tone.
"Prue, didn't you also hear Zeus say that we were all entitled to three weeks of personal leave as well?" Phoebe asked her older sister. "There is plenty of time before we have to start working on battle strategies. Zeus was right it is time for rest, relaxation, and not to mention romance. We are long overdue for a vacation."
"And what do we tell our innocents? Sorry you're getting killed we just need a little break time here," Prue objected. Piper gasped. "Prue I hardly think that is fair. We have been working our Wiccan butts off for the past several years here without a true break. Heck, Leo and I didn't even get to take a honeymoon and neither have Phoebe and Cole. I hardly think we need reminders or scolding about our obligations."
There was a distinctly masculine throat clearing sound behind them. "Sorry to intrude on your conversation cousins but I think I have something to add that might help." Hercules, his wife Marianna, Iolaus and Nebula all joined the group. "We may be the old timers here but take my word most of us can still do some pretty serious damage to the bad guys when necessary and we are not alone. Morrigan also still does a pretty good job of kicking booty. Plus there are a lot of young guardians eager for action. You are not alone in your fight any more remember. Unlike the Elders we've got your backs covered. You've all more than earned a little time off. We will keep your charges safe in the meantime we promise."
"That is very nice offer Hercules and the rest of you but the Source is still out there and it is our job and destiny to vanquish him. Until he is gone we can't afford to let our guard down. Therefore we don't want or need a vacation."
"Hey wait a minute here, Prue, you can't just arbitrarily decide that for all of us. You may be the oldest sister, our new boss, and the head Charmed one again but this is still a democracy and not a dictatorship," Piper objected.
Phoebe hated to upset Prue so soon after their reunion but she felt she needed to take a decisive stand "Prue, I have to agree with Piper on this one. My vote is for the vacation."
"Surprise, surprise, the two married sisters standing up against the old maid in the family." "Now you sound like Paige," Piper said throwing up her hands. Prue's eyes darkened. Phoebe started to stammer wanting to say something but unable to gather the ability to do so. Finally Cole bless his heart let out a loud whistle.
"Time out," he called when he had their attention. "Darling, you wanted to say something," he prompted Phoebe. "I'd like too but I'm not sure whether it will make things worse or better so I don't know what to do," she whispered to him. "You do too! Just speak with your heart," he encouraged. "Okay, but I still don't think I'm too good at this mediator gig. I was really hoping to return that particular duty to Piper again, now she's back in the middle." "You'll do fine," he championed. He rubbed her back and further added, "I've got you covered from all sides always."
Taking courage from her husband's words Phoebe began to speak. "Piper that last comment was unfair to Prue. But Prue your remark was equally so to both Piper and I. We are capable of making decisions based on what we feel is right and not just our marital status. Plus you are not an old maid and you never will be. The right person is out there for you. You just have to trust that. You also need to be more open and trusting and a little less like a porcupine ready to shoot its quills first and ask questions later. Now as harsh as that may sound it is not meant to be. I know you have had to be defensive all your life to help protect not only yourself but Piper and I as well. We appreciate all you have done for us and love you all the more for it. The fact, however, is that Piper and I are all grown up now and are capable of taking on our share of responsibility for this family."
"I know for a long time that we believed that we could only trust and depend on our little sisterly circle, and that we were some how safer that way. I know we also thought that outsiders especially men could never fully be trusted to become full members of that circle. We were dead wrong though Prue. Leo and Cole have more than proven their trustworthiness and value as a part of our family. It is time to recognize them as full-fledged members who can be counted on when the chips our down. Dad has also showed us how much he loves and cares about us and has apologized again and again for his past mistake and I don't think we should keep making him or every other man we meet keep paying the price for it anymore."
"Now Grams and Mom the things I am about to say next may sound like I'm criticizing the two of you as well but I'm not. Grams, I appreciate the fact that you wanted all of us including Mom to be independent women who didn't have to stand around helplessly waiting for a man to come to our rescue. That doesn't mean, however, that men are the opponents in some sort of contest. They are equal partners and allies and while I certainly don't claim to be an expert on the Light's will it is my guess is that is what he intended all along."
"Mom I also for one have always admired your sense of duty towards strangers. I may not have had many memories of my own of you while I was growing up but Grams always told us how proud she was of that quality in you. I'm glad Piper, Prue, and I all have a sense of it instilled in us. As much as it is a blessing, though, it can also be a hindrance. It can make us blind to other equally important things in life. This may be the Associate Goddess of Love in me talking or maybe I've just watched too many episodes of Dr. Phil and Oprah but I believe true power comes from a healthy sense of self and family. It only makes sense that if your own strengths are depleted that there is no possible way that you can have any left to share with others. I'm not saying that those things like self, love, and family weren't important to you and Grams, it's just maybe they were a little skewed on the priority list."
"Now I'll promise I'll shut up right after I make this last point. I've realized we Halliwell women are not cursed in our love lives as we've always fooled ourselves into believing. Our relationships and marriages can survive just fine but we have to take more time and effort to nurture them."
"If I learned one thing from that whole nightmare we just went through with Paige, it's that my marriage is essential to my sanity and sense of well -being. I not only disliked the woman I was without Cole in that whole hallucination, I quite literally despised her, and I guarantee none of the rest of you would have liked her either. She was not the type of woman innocents would want or need on their side.
The woman you see standing before you right now is! And since I was privy to Piper's hallucinations too, I think I speak for her as well. Phoebe turned toward her sister, who nodded her assent. "So please forgive me Prue, for disagreeing with you, about Piper and I being selfish for asking for time off to have some private time with the men we love," Phoebe continued.
"I think we are not only looking out for the well being of ourselves, our husbands, and this family, but also for all the people we are meant to help in the future as well. Okay, I'm through now, I hope no one hates me or is hurt or angry over what I've said, as that was not my intention. I'm not very good at this sort of thing."
"I disagree Phoebe," Patty said standing up. "You do?" Phoebe said with uncertainty in her voice. "Oh not with much of the content of your speech, in fact it is only that last sentence I take issue with. You are very good at this sort of thing. I only wish I had the courage to say something similar a long time ago. I absolutely adore the woman you are now and am so glad that you are my daughter."
Victor stood beside Patty. "Ditto what your Mom said. My only issue with you is that I wished you were able to talk from the womb. Maybe your mother and I wouldn't have been so willing to let go of what we had without much more of a fight." Phoebe smiled through misty eyes. "Well even if I could have given a speech then it probably wouldn't have been the same. I've only learned most of this stuff for this lifetime in the past few years. The past five years to be exact she said with a nod towards her husband. Cole stood and gave her a bear hug. When they pulled apart Victor shocked everyone by patting his new son-in-law on the back.
Grams was the next to rise to her feet. "I want to apologize to you all my dearest family. I'm more than partially responsible for the messed up view on relationships. When Patty and the girls started to protest she raised her hands to stop them. "No, it is true and I accept my responsibility. I tried to make it right when I spoke to Phoebe when she had reservations about Piper marrying Leo, I just also should have done it sooner, and I should have talked to all three of you. Not to mention I should never been as closed minded to your relationship to begin with she said pointing to Patty and Victor. "And here I was always so infuriated with the portrayal of Endora on that silly Bewitched. "I never knew I was becoming just like her." "Mother you weren't as bad as Endora, although there were times... "Patty teased.
Everyone looked expectantly toward Prue. She rose up as well. "Look I apologize for sounding so bitchy. I know that you are right about having earned a vacation. You've been through a horrendous past few weeks and I didn't mean to add to that. I also don't begrudge you your relationships or your happiness and I'm sorry if I made it sound as if I did. You also have every right to do what works for you. However, some of us have no choice to make. There is no husband in my life to put first, second, or third, and there probably never will be. So my duty is the only thing I have to concentrate on. I shouldn't have tried to force my will on the rest of you, however, and for that I sincerely apologize. She burst into tears and then disappeared.
Piper and Phoebe started to go after her but Patty quickly stopped them. "I know the three of you are used to being there for each other and you will be again but this is a Mom job. "Correction Patty," Victor spoke up. "It's a job for both we parents, wouldn't you agree?" "I stand corrected," she nodded.
"Besides, the four of you have honeymoons to go on don't you?" he added. So get going. Just don't fill us in on the details. There are some things a father would still rather not think about if you know what I mean."
Phoebe blushed and leaned up and kissed her father on the cheek. "Oh daddy, don't worry there are some things a daughter doesn't want her father to know about either," she laughed. "I'll second that," Piper added and now if you'll excuse us Leo and I are out of here!
She hugged her parents, grandmother, Cole, and then Phoebe. "Be good," she whispered to her sister. "Oh I intend to be very good," Phoebe whispered back. The two sisters shared one last good giggle before bidding each other goodbye for three weeks.
Phoebe sighed then turned and gave her husband a sultry look. "Are you ready?" she asked. "What do you think?" he asked. She jumped towards his arms; he anticipated her move and caught her expertly. Phoebe cooed back, "I think you are always up for anything," she said for his ears only and with that they were gone.
Chapter XIX
Conflicted Sisters
The Halliwell sisters and their family sat at their favorite table at P3 or rather the newly recreated P3. A Barenaked Ladies CD was on the sound system and several couples were dancing. Phoebe looked at her sister Prue scribbling away in a notebook and frowned. "Prue what the heck are you doing?"
"You heard Zeus! I am going to be co-heading the demon fighting division with your new husband here, and we have to start developing a mission statement, our new plan of operation, our... "Yadda, Yadda, Yadda," Piper interrupted. "Excuse me?" Prue said a mixture of surprise and annoyance in her tone.
"Prue, didn't you also hear Zeus say that we were all entitled to three weeks of personal leave as well?" Phoebe asked her older sister. "There is plenty of time before we have to start working on battle strategies. Zeus was right it is time for rest, relaxation, and not to mention romance. We are long overdue for a vacation."
"And what do we tell our innocents? Sorry you're getting killed we just need a little break time here," Prue objected. Piper gasped. "Prue I hardly think that is fair. We have been working our Wiccan butts off for the past several years here without a true break. Heck, Leo and I didn't even get to take a honeymoon and neither have Phoebe and Cole. I hardly think we need reminders or scolding about our obligations."
There was a distinctly masculine throat clearing sound behind them. "Sorry to intrude on your conversation cousins but I think I have something to add that might help." Hercules, his wife Marianna, Iolaus and Nebula all joined the group. "We may be the old timers here but take my word most of us can still do some pretty serious damage to the bad guys when necessary and we are not alone. Morrigan also still does a pretty good job of kicking booty. Plus there are a lot of young guardians eager for action. You are not alone in your fight any more remember. Unlike the Elders we've got your backs covered. You've all more than earned a little time off. We will keep your charges safe in the meantime we promise."
"That is very nice offer Hercules and the rest of you but the Source is still out there and it is our job and destiny to vanquish him. Until he is gone we can't afford to let our guard down. Therefore we don't want or need a vacation."
"Hey wait a minute here, Prue, you can't just arbitrarily decide that for all of us. You may be the oldest sister, our new boss, and the head Charmed one again but this is still a democracy and not a dictatorship," Piper objected.
Phoebe hated to upset Prue so soon after their reunion but she felt she needed to take a decisive stand "Prue, I have to agree with Piper on this one. My vote is for the vacation."
"Surprise, surprise, the two married sisters standing up against the old maid in the family." "Now you sound like Paige," Piper said throwing up her hands. Prue's eyes darkened. Phoebe started to stammer wanting to say something but unable to gather the ability to do so. Finally Cole bless his heart let out a loud whistle.
"Time out," he called when he had their attention. "Darling, you wanted to say something," he prompted Phoebe. "I'd like too but I'm not sure whether it will make things worse or better so I don't know what to do," she whispered to him. "You do too! Just speak with your heart," he encouraged. "Okay, but I still don't think I'm too good at this mediator gig. I was really hoping to return that particular duty to Piper again, now she's back in the middle." "You'll do fine," he championed. He rubbed her back and further added, "I've got you covered from all sides always."
Taking courage from her husband's words Phoebe began to speak. "Piper that last comment was unfair to Prue. But Prue your remark was equally so to both Piper and I. We are capable of making decisions based on what we feel is right and not just our marital status. Plus you are not an old maid and you never will be. The right person is out there for you. You just have to trust that. You also need to be more open and trusting and a little less like a porcupine ready to shoot its quills first and ask questions later. Now as harsh as that may sound it is not meant to be. I know you have had to be defensive all your life to help protect not only yourself but Piper and I as well. We appreciate all you have done for us and love you all the more for it. The fact, however, is that Piper and I are all grown up now and are capable of taking on our share of responsibility for this family."
"I know for a long time that we believed that we could only trust and depend on our little sisterly circle, and that we were some how safer that way. I know we also thought that outsiders especially men could never fully be trusted to become full members of that circle. We were dead wrong though Prue. Leo and Cole have more than proven their trustworthiness and value as a part of our family. It is time to recognize them as full-fledged members who can be counted on when the chips our down. Dad has also showed us how much he loves and cares about us and has apologized again and again for his past mistake and I don't think we should keep making him or every other man we meet keep paying the price for it anymore."
"Now Grams and Mom the things I am about to say next may sound like I'm criticizing the two of you as well but I'm not. Grams, I appreciate the fact that you wanted all of us including Mom to be independent women who didn't have to stand around helplessly waiting for a man to come to our rescue. That doesn't mean, however, that men are the opponents in some sort of contest. They are equal partners and allies and while I certainly don't claim to be an expert on the Light's will it is my guess is that is what he intended all along."
"Mom I also for one have always admired your sense of duty towards strangers. I may not have had many memories of my own of you while I was growing up but Grams always told us how proud she was of that quality in you. I'm glad Piper, Prue, and I all have a sense of it instilled in us. As much as it is a blessing, though, it can also be a hindrance. It can make us blind to other equally important things in life. This may be the Associate Goddess of Love in me talking or maybe I've just watched too many episodes of Dr. Phil and Oprah but I believe true power comes from a healthy sense of self and family. It only makes sense that if your own strengths are depleted that there is no possible way that you can have any left to share with others. I'm not saying that those things like self, love, and family weren't important to you and Grams, it's just maybe they were a little skewed on the priority list."
"Now I'll promise I'll shut up right after I make this last point. I've realized we Halliwell women are not cursed in our love lives as we've always fooled ourselves into believing. Our relationships and marriages can survive just fine but we have to take more time and effort to nurture them."
"If I learned one thing from that whole nightmare we just went through with Paige, it's that my marriage is essential to my sanity and sense of well -being. I not only disliked the woman I was without Cole in that whole hallucination, I quite literally despised her, and I guarantee none of the rest of you would have liked her either. She was not the type of woman innocents would want or need on their side.
The woman you see standing before you right now is! And since I was privy to Piper's hallucinations too, I think I speak for her as well. Phoebe turned toward her sister, who nodded her assent. "So please forgive me Prue, for disagreeing with you, about Piper and I being selfish for asking for time off to have some private time with the men we love," Phoebe continued.
"I think we are not only looking out for the well being of ourselves, our husbands, and this family, but also for all the people we are meant to help in the future as well. Okay, I'm through now, I hope no one hates me or is hurt or angry over what I've said, as that was not my intention. I'm not very good at this sort of thing."
"I disagree Phoebe," Patty said standing up. "You do?" Phoebe said with uncertainty in her voice. "Oh not with much of the content of your speech, in fact it is only that last sentence I take issue with. You are very good at this sort of thing. I only wish I had the courage to say something similar a long time ago. I absolutely adore the woman you are now and am so glad that you are my daughter."
Victor stood beside Patty. "Ditto what your Mom said. My only issue with you is that I wished you were able to talk from the womb. Maybe your mother and I wouldn't have been so willing to let go of what we had without much more of a fight." Phoebe smiled through misty eyes. "Well even if I could have given a speech then it probably wouldn't have been the same. I've only learned most of this stuff for this lifetime in the past few years. The past five years to be exact she said with a nod towards her husband. Cole stood and gave her a bear hug. When they pulled apart Victor shocked everyone by patting his new son-in-law on the back.
Grams was the next to rise to her feet. "I want to apologize to you all my dearest family. I'm more than partially responsible for the messed up view on relationships. When Patty and the girls started to protest she raised her hands to stop them. "No, it is true and I accept my responsibility. I tried to make it right when I spoke to Phoebe when she had reservations about Piper marrying Leo, I just also should have done it sooner, and I should have talked to all three of you. Not to mention I should never been as closed minded to your relationship to begin with she said pointing to Patty and Victor. "And here I was always so infuriated with the portrayal of Endora on that silly Bewitched. "I never knew I was becoming just like her." "Mother you weren't as bad as Endora, although there were times... "Patty teased.
Everyone looked expectantly toward Prue. She rose up as well. "Look I apologize for sounding so bitchy. I know that you are right about having earned a vacation. You've been through a horrendous past few weeks and I didn't mean to add to that. I also don't begrudge you your relationships or your happiness and I'm sorry if I made it sound as if I did. You also have every right to do what works for you. However, some of us have no choice to make. There is no husband in my life to put first, second, or third, and there probably never will be. So my duty is the only thing I have to concentrate on. I shouldn't have tried to force my will on the rest of you, however, and for that I sincerely apologize. She burst into tears and then disappeared.
Piper and Phoebe started to go after her but Patty quickly stopped them. "I know the three of you are used to being there for each other and you will be again but this is a Mom job. "Correction Patty," Victor spoke up. "It's a job for both we parents, wouldn't you agree?" "I stand corrected," she nodded.
"Besides, the four of you have honeymoons to go on don't you?" he added. So get going. Just don't fill us in on the details. There are some things a father would still rather not think about if you know what I mean."
Phoebe blushed and leaned up and kissed her father on the cheek. "Oh daddy, don't worry there are some things a daughter doesn't want her father to know about either," she laughed. "I'll second that," Piper added and now if you'll excuse us Leo and I are out of here!
She hugged her parents, grandmother, Cole, and then Phoebe. "Be good," she whispered to her sister. "Oh I intend to be very good," Phoebe whispered back. The two sisters shared one last good giggle before bidding each other goodbye for three weeks.
Phoebe sighed then turned and gave her husband a sultry look. "Are you ready?" she asked. "What do you think?" he asked. She jumped towards his arms; he anticipated her move and caught her expertly. Phoebe cooed back, "I think you are always up for anything," she said for his ears only and with that they were gone.