Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed, unfortunately. I do not presume to, I simply use the characters that I love in my own stories. It's harmless fun.
AN: Thanks everyone who has reviewed. I know I haven't been so great at updating lately. I'm really sorries, but, well, writer's block has a strong grasp on me. I have been struggling to get out the low-quality chapters you've gotten so far..Y'all have been great, though. Thanks.
Charming Tess: I did so! There wasn't another option! :P:P I hope you like this chapter...maybe it'll answer some of your questions.
ProtectionPaige: Thank you!
lmcheese: Yay! You're still liking the story! :D:D Hope this one pleases you as well...
soccerstar11-5: aw, thanks. I'm glad you like it!
Fury Piper: Heh, I'm partial to her myself...lol, I'm jsut a bit predictable, ain't I?
pippergurl: Well, to find out, you'll have to read on...Thanks for your review!
Starring Piper: Yes I did, and no I didn't! (look I'm being that C word again...nope, not contraceptive, Silly...:P:P) I don't know, am I? :P:P Lookie, it's the next chapter. It's your reward for UPDATING!!!!!!!! lol. Sorry reward, I know. I'll do better next time...On second thought, I'll give you CCCs instead. This chapter isn't reward material...It sucks. *ducks twin's oncoming arguments* yeah, yeah...bring it on! :P:P *megamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegahugz* LYLAL! PTTT!!!
Piper couldn't stop her defenses from crashing down around her, couldn't stop the barriers she'd worked so hard to build from cracking and breaking away. Her heart clenched, then began to hammer in her chest. She had needed those walls to shelter her from the staggering emotions propelling themselves at her from every direction. Now, unprotected, she felt each hit her with renewed force and gave in to them. Acting on feeling alone, Piper held her hands shakily over Paige's wilting form.
"Please, let this work," she murmured, hot tears slipping down her cheeks at an increasing rate. The familiar warm glow spread from her body into her sister's, slowly rebuilding broken tissue and restoring a withering supply of blood. Piper knew she was sobbing loudly, but her ears could not hear the sound over her heart slamming against her ribs. Slow moments passed, seeming to be hours to Piper, and finally Paige gasped and opened her eyes.
"Thank God," Piper whispered, dropping her hands, "Oh thank God...."
Paige blinked several times, trying desperately to take in the world around her. A few memories clicked into place, leaving her with a chilling terror that reached deep and caused her to shudder involuntarily. More images flashed through her mind, forming a long nightmare that Paige was unable to clear away. Whimpering softly, Paige clung to Piper fiercely. She calmed herself quickly, forcing away the past with stubborn determination, and released the death grip she had on her older sister.
"Piper," she said gently, concerned. Piper was staring, almost trance-like, at nothing that Paige could see. Piper seemed to recognize that someone had spoken and turned her gaze on Paige. "Are you alright?," Paige asked uncertainly. Piper nodded briskly and got to her feet. All of her mental walls slammed back into place with a force that rattled her teeth.
"Fine," she answered icily, resenting the disbelief written across Paige's features. Paige got to her feet, preparing to leave the Manor. Clearly, nothing had changed between Piper and herself. That fact alone was enough to bring tears to her eyes, but Paige allowed only to escape. Wiping it away abruptly, she hurried towards the front door. A question popped into her mind that she found impossible to ingore, and she turned to face Piper once more.
"Where's Phoebe?," she inquired. Color fled from Piper's face in an instant. "What? What's happened?," she demanded weakly. She could tell that whatever Piper had to say would be awful from the shuddering breath her sister took before responding.
"She's...I...I need to call Darryl. Phoebe's trapped with some psycho who's holding her hostage. Oh God, how could I have forgotten?," Piper replied, the last part directed more towards herself than to Paige. Paige resisted the urge to embrace Piper, knowing any attempt at comfort she made would not be appreciated.
"I'll call him. I think you need to sit down," Paige said after a minute of processing the new turn of events. Piper looked ready to concede, but a glimpse of worry from her baby sister had her snapping back into her old routine.
"I don't need to sit down," she retorted crisply, "I will call Darryl. There really isn't anything more for you to do, so if you would like to go home..." Paige inwardly winced at the cold dismissal. Piper was only worried for her sister, the hostility wasn't directly because of her. Paige tried convincing herself of this, but soon gave it up. Piper obviously despised her for reasons unknown to Paige. Somehow, she doubted if Piper completely knew herself.
"I would rather wait and see what Darryl says. She IS my sister," she muttered, her final sentence peppered with a bitterness she couldn't quite cover. Piper didn't acknowledge her words, only made her way to the phone. While Piper was gone, Paige had the chance to really ponder what was happening. Fear tied her stomach in knots, leaving her to imagine all of the terrible possiblities. Piper's reappearance was a welcome change, regardless of the tension crackling between them.
"She's fine," Piper said immediately, "Want to go with me to get her?" Paige nodded gratefully, unwilling to analyze Piper's sudden kindness. Piper appeared near to tears. Paige let impulse control her, quickly moving to hug her sister. Piper allowed it briefly before pulling away.
"Phoebe needs us," she said quietly, making an attempt to soothe Paige's feelings. Paige wondered how long Piper's attitude would stay friendly as she followed her outside. With any luck, it would be a turn of events for her. Paige prayed that would be true, though she knew in her heart of hearts it was highly unlikely. Piper was simply reeling from the release of so much stress, and would probably be back to normal as soon as she saw Phoebe. Even more likely, Piper would completely shut Paige out of her life for good once she realized things were going to be fine. The new behaviour was an emotional reaction. It wasn't going to change the destined outcome.
Paige knew all of this, yet she still couldn't disguise the glimmer of hope she felt when Piper reached across the car to squeeze her hand. Perhaps she really would have two sisters that cared for her. Perhaps she was finally getting the family she had wished for after all. That thought was enough to put a small smile on her face, which lasted until Piper pulled up in front of a building and turned off the car. Piper emitted a small gasp, causing Paige to follow her sister's gaze.
"Oh my God," Paige whispered, her eyes widening in shock.
AN: I know this was short and sucky, and it ended in a kinda/sorta cliffhanger, but hopefully y'all won't feel the need to tar and feather me jsut yet...I promise to do better next time! Please don't hurt me? *begs with pleading eyes...*
AN: Thanks everyone who has reviewed. I know I haven't been so great at updating lately. I'm really sorries, but, well, writer's block has a strong grasp on me. I have been struggling to get out the low-quality chapters you've gotten so far..Y'all have been great, though. Thanks.
Charming Tess: I did so! There wasn't another option! :P:P I hope you like this chapter...maybe it'll answer some of your questions.
ProtectionPaige: Thank you!
lmcheese: Yay! You're still liking the story! :D:D Hope this one pleases you as well...
soccerstar11-5: aw, thanks. I'm glad you like it!
Fury Piper: Heh, I'm partial to her myself...lol, I'm jsut a bit predictable, ain't I?
pippergurl: Well, to find out, you'll have to read on...Thanks for your review!
Starring Piper: Yes I did, and no I didn't! (look I'm being that C word again...nope, not contraceptive, Silly...:P:P) I don't know, am I? :P:P Lookie, it's the next chapter. It's your reward for UPDATING!!!!!!!! lol. Sorry reward, I know. I'll do better next time...On second thought, I'll give you CCCs instead. This chapter isn't reward material...It sucks. *ducks twin's oncoming arguments* yeah, yeah...bring it on! :P:P *megamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegamegahugz* LYLAL! PTTT!!!
Piper couldn't stop her defenses from crashing down around her, couldn't stop the barriers she'd worked so hard to build from cracking and breaking away. Her heart clenched, then began to hammer in her chest. She had needed those walls to shelter her from the staggering emotions propelling themselves at her from every direction. Now, unprotected, she felt each hit her with renewed force and gave in to them. Acting on feeling alone, Piper held her hands shakily over Paige's wilting form.
"Please, let this work," she murmured, hot tears slipping down her cheeks at an increasing rate. The familiar warm glow spread from her body into her sister's, slowly rebuilding broken tissue and restoring a withering supply of blood. Piper knew she was sobbing loudly, but her ears could not hear the sound over her heart slamming against her ribs. Slow moments passed, seeming to be hours to Piper, and finally Paige gasped and opened her eyes.
"Thank God," Piper whispered, dropping her hands, "Oh thank God...."
Paige blinked several times, trying desperately to take in the world around her. A few memories clicked into place, leaving her with a chilling terror that reached deep and caused her to shudder involuntarily. More images flashed through her mind, forming a long nightmare that Paige was unable to clear away. Whimpering softly, Paige clung to Piper fiercely. She calmed herself quickly, forcing away the past with stubborn determination, and released the death grip she had on her older sister.
"Piper," she said gently, concerned. Piper was staring, almost trance-like, at nothing that Paige could see. Piper seemed to recognize that someone had spoken and turned her gaze on Paige. "Are you alright?," Paige asked uncertainly. Piper nodded briskly and got to her feet. All of her mental walls slammed back into place with a force that rattled her teeth.
"Fine," she answered icily, resenting the disbelief written across Paige's features. Paige got to her feet, preparing to leave the Manor. Clearly, nothing had changed between Piper and herself. That fact alone was enough to bring tears to her eyes, but Paige allowed only to escape. Wiping it away abruptly, she hurried towards the front door. A question popped into her mind that she found impossible to ingore, and she turned to face Piper once more.
"Where's Phoebe?," she inquired. Color fled from Piper's face in an instant. "What? What's happened?," she demanded weakly. She could tell that whatever Piper had to say would be awful from the shuddering breath her sister took before responding.
"She's...I...I need to call Darryl. Phoebe's trapped with some psycho who's holding her hostage. Oh God, how could I have forgotten?," Piper replied, the last part directed more towards herself than to Paige. Paige resisted the urge to embrace Piper, knowing any attempt at comfort she made would not be appreciated.
"I'll call him. I think you need to sit down," Paige said after a minute of processing the new turn of events. Piper looked ready to concede, but a glimpse of worry from her baby sister had her snapping back into her old routine.
"I don't need to sit down," she retorted crisply, "I will call Darryl. There really isn't anything more for you to do, so if you would like to go home..." Paige inwardly winced at the cold dismissal. Piper was only worried for her sister, the hostility wasn't directly because of her. Paige tried convincing herself of this, but soon gave it up. Piper obviously despised her for reasons unknown to Paige. Somehow, she doubted if Piper completely knew herself.
"I would rather wait and see what Darryl says. She IS my sister," she muttered, her final sentence peppered with a bitterness she couldn't quite cover. Piper didn't acknowledge her words, only made her way to the phone. While Piper was gone, Paige had the chance to really ponder what was happening. Fear tied her stomach in knots, leaving her to imagine all of the terrible possiblities. Piper's reappearance was a welcome change, regardless of the tension crackling between them.
"She's fine," Piper said immediately, "Want to go with me to get her?" Paige nodded gratefully, unwilling to analyze Piper's sudden kindness. Piper appeared near to tears. Paige let impulse control her, quickly moving to hug her sister. Piper allowed it briefly before pulling away.
"Phoebe needs us," she said quietly, making an attempt to soothe Paige's feelings. Paige wondered how long Piper's attitude would stay friendly as she followed her outside. With any luck, it would be a turn of events for her. Paige prayed that would be true, though she knew in her heart of hearts it was highly unlikely. Piper was simply reeling from the release of so much stress, and would probably be back to normal as soon as she saw Phoebe. Even more likely, Piper would completely shut Paige out of her life for good once she realized things were going to be fine. The new behaviour was an emotional reaction. It wasn't going to change the destined outcome.
Paige knew all of this, yet she still couldn't disguise the glimmer of hope she felt when Piper reached across the car to squeeze her hand. Perhaps she really would have two sisters that cared for her. Perhaps she was finally getting the family she had wished for after all. That thought was enough to put a small smile on her face, which lasted until Piper pulled up in front of a building and turned off the car. Piper emitted a small gasp, causing Paige to follow her sister's gaze.
"Oh my God," Paige whispered, her eyes widening in shock.
AN: I know this was short and sucky, and it ended in a kinda/sorta cliffhanger, but hopefully y'all won't feel the need to tar and feather me jsut yet...I promise to do better next time! Please don't hurt me? *begs with pleading eyes...*