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 again.
People were scattered erratically over the street, some limping with support to the several available ambulances in the area, others lying prostrate on the cement and bleeding heavily from various gunshot wounds. EMTs and paramedics were rushing about, frantically attempting to help the victims, beginning with the worst off and working their way towards the less severe cases.
Piper soaked in the scene in dead silence, wondering what had happened in the mere ten minutes that had gone by since she had been informed that all was well. Paige touched her shoulder gently, bringing her back down to earth with a bang.
"Piper," she whispered faintly, "I'm scared. Phoebe is somewhere in there and we need to get to her...but what if...what if..." She could bring herself to go no further. Her eyes conveyed a terror that even her tone couldn't quite express, and Piper had to look away in order to avoid a full-on panic attack. Quickly, before she lost her nerve, Piper turned off the engine and clicked the button to release her seat belt. Crawling out of the vehicle, she made her way to the passenger side. She wrenched open the door, reached over Paige to unbuckle the seat belt, and dragged her sister outside.
"We should find Morris. He'll know where to find Phoebe. We don't need to get in the way," she said, her words seasoned with a take-charge confidence that she didn't truly possess. Paige nodded, staring out of wide, frightened eyes. Piper softened a little, clutching her sister's hand in her own. Purpose drove their steps, causing them to seem rushed. Piper couldn't stop her heart from hammering in her chest, or the wave of fear she felt when she caught sight of the puddles of blood surrounding the bodies on the ground. She refused to search the injured for her sister, turning away abruptly. Paige was trembling violently next to her, causing her nurturing nature to rear up. She wrapped an arm tightly around her sister, warding off the cold shiver wracking Paige's body. Instantly, Paige calmed, comforted by the gently act.
A male voice, louder than the rest, reached Piper's ears, and she turned her head in recognition. Darryl stood a few yards away, his face contorted with anger. Piper could hear a few of the words he was yelling. She was hesitant to interrupt, but worry for her sister's life superseded the reluctance. Darryl caught sight of her and nodded in her direction.
"Herreck, I gave you one simple order. 'Cuff the bastard with the gun. Instead, you let him shoot a dozen innocent people and TWO of our own men. You are a disgrace to the badge," Darryl said coldly to the short, stocky man in front of him. Anger hit Herreck full force and he turned on Darryl, fire leaping in his eyes.
"Do you think that I wanted him to shoot these people?," he demanded, then glimpsed one of the victims, lying in a pool of her own blood. His expression changed to sadness, and he turned his gaze to the ground. "I'm sorry," he apologized weakly.
"Tell that to the families we have to face. Tell that to the people whose lives were endangered because you couldn't do your job," Darryl spat, "Get out of my sight before I do something I would regret." Herreck walked away dejectedly. Piper and Paige had made it all the way to him and now stood only inches away. Darryl met Piper's eyes wearily.
"Phoebe is talking to one of my men...She's unharmed, thankfully. One of the only ones," he told the sister, glancing back and forth between them.
"Can...we...talk to her?," Paige asked softly, not trusting her voice enough to say more. Darryl nodded, then beckoned them to follow him. Piper could see the fatigue in his body language and felt a wave of sympathy. How horrible it must have been for him to watch so many people fall at the hands of a creep. She couldn't imagine the responsibility he felt, considering one of his team had been the reason. Paige looked at her, worry written in her eyes.
"I'm alright...now," Piper told her. Paige nodded and hugged her with one arm. Piper was grateful for the human contact, but a nagging voice asked her how long it would be until she pushed Paige away again. She didn't need to deal with that jsut yet, so she pushed the thought to the back of her mind.
"Patterson," Darryl was saying, "This woman has answered enough questions for now. I'll get the rest of her statement later." Phoebe looked up, gratitude obvious. Piper motioned for Phoebe to come to her, and Phoebe gladly collapsed into her sister's waiting arms.
"It was horrible, Piper. People screaming and crying...I couldn't do anything...I couldn't save them" she told her in a muffled voice. Piper quieted her, stroking her hair soothingly. Phoebe began to cry softly.
"Come on sweetie," Paige said, "Let's get you home."
Piper stood on one side of Phoebe, Paige on the other as they walked back to the car. Piper got Phoebe situated in the back seat, feeling the need to mother her. Paige sat in the back, feeling equally protective. Phoebe brought her knees up, curling into Paige. Piper repeatedly looked in the rearview mirror, checking on her sister. She could see the beginning signs of shock setting in and was preparing herself to deal with whatever was coming.
She pulled into the Manor driveway and scrambled out of the car, immediately opening the back door for her sisters. Paige crawled out, a chalk-faced Phoebe clinging to her side. Piper reached out, pressing the back of her hand to Phoebe's cheek.
"Come on, sweetie," Piper whispered, leading her sister into the Manor. Paige headed upstairs, retrieving a blanket, while Piper made Phoebe lay down on the couch. Paige came back and draped the quilt over her sister, then looked questioningly at Piper. Piper squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"We'll keep her warm for now. If she starts shaking or worse, we'll get her to the Emergency Room," she said softly, once she'd pulled Paige away from Phoebe. Paige nodded.
"Should we get her some water...or something?," she asked uncertainly. Piper shook her head rapidly.
"No! That's one of the worst things you can do for someone in shock," she barked, then softened her tone, "That's alright though...Jsut keep an eye on her." Paige nodded and quickly paced back over to the couch. Piper watched for a minute while Paige knelt beside Phoebe, grasping her hand.
"I'm going to go make us something to eat. Are you hungry?," she asked, turning her protectiveness on to Paige. Paige shook her head, but Piper knew she had to be.
"You haven't eaten for hours, I'm sure. You are going to eat!," she insisted. Paige nearly smiled at the bossy tone of voice Piper was using, but she didn't want to upset the sisterly atmosphere.
"Whatever you say....sis," she returned. Piper faltered at the last word, then continued on to the kitchen. Whether Piper was ready for it or not, Paige was already beginning to feel like family.
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 again.
People were scattered erratically over the street, some limping with support to the several available ambulances in the area, others lying prostrate on the cement and bleeding heavily from various gunshot wounds. EMTs and paramedics were rushing about, frantically attempting to help the victims, beginning with the worst off and working their way towards the less severe cases.
Piper soaked in the scene in dead silence, wondering what had happened in the mere ten minutes that had gone by since she had been informed that all was well. Paige touched her shoulder gently, bringing her back down to earth with a bang.
"Piper," she whispered faintly, "I'm scared. Phoebe is somewhere in there and we need to get to her...but what if...what if..." She could bring herself to go no further. Her eyes conveyed a terror that even her tone couldn't quite express, and Piper had to look away in order to avoid a full-on panic attack. Quickly, before she lost her nerve, Piper turned off the engine and clicked the button to release her seat belt. Crawling out of the vehicle, she made her way to the passenger side. She wrenched open the door, reached over Paige to unbuckle the seat belt, and dragged her sister outside.
"We should find Morris. He'll know where to find Phoebe. We don't need to get in the way," she said, her words seasoned with a take-charge confidence that she didn't truly possess. Paige nodded, staring out of wide, frightened eyes. Piper softened a little, clutching her sister's hand in her own. Purpose drove their steps, causing them to seem rushed. Piper couldn't stop her heart from hammering in her chest, or the wave of fear she felt when she caught sight of the puddles of blood surrounding the bodies on the ground. She refused to search the injured for her sister, turning away abruptly. Paige was trembling violently next to her, causing her nurturing nature to rear up. She wrapped an arm tightly around her sister, warding off the cold shiver wracking Paige's body. Instantly, Paige calmed, comforted by the gently act.
A male voice, louder than the rest, reached Piper's ears, and she turned her head in recognition. Darryl stood a few yards away, his face contorted with anger. Piper could hear a few of the words he was yelling. She was hesitant to interrupt, but worry for her sister's life superseded the reluctance. Darryl caught sight of her and nodded in her direction.
"Herreck, I gave you one simple order. 'Cuff the bastard with the gun. Instead, you let him shoot a dozen innocent people and TWO of our own men. You are a disgrace to the badge," Darryl said coldly to the short, stocky man in front of him. Anger hit Herreck full force and he turned on Darryl, fire leaping in his eyes.
"Do you think that I wanted him to shoot these people?," he demanded, then glimpsed one of the victims, lying in a pool of her own blood. His expression changed to sadness, and he turned his gaze to the ground. "I'm sorry," he apologized weakly.
"Tell that to the families we have to face. Tell that to the people whose lives were endangered because you couldn't do your job," Darryl spat, "Get out of my sight before I do something I would regret." Herreck walked away dejectedly. Piper and Paige had made it all the way to him and now stood only inches away. Darryl met Piper's eyes wearily.
"Phoebe is talking to one of my men...She's unharmed, thankfully. One of the only ones," he told the sister, glancing back and forth between them.
"Can...we...talk to her?," Paige asked softly, not trusting her voice enough to say more. Darryl nodded, then beckoned them to follow him. Piper could see the fatigue in his body language and felt a wave of sympathy. How horrible it must have been for him to watch so many people fall at the hands of a creep. She couldn't imagine the responsibility he felt, considering one of his team had been the reason. Paige looked at her, worry written in her eyes.
"I'm alright...now," Piper told her. Paige nodded and hugged her with one arm. Piper was grateful for the human contact, but a nagging voice asked her how long it would be until she pushed Paige away again. She didn't need to deal with that jsut yet, so she pushed the thought to the back of her mind.
"Patterson," Darryl was saying, "This woman has answered enough questions for now. I'll get the rest of her statement later." Phoebe looked up, gratitude obvious. Piper motioned for Phoebe to come to her, and Phoebe gladly collapsed into her sister's waiting arms.
"It was horrible, Piper. People screaming and crying...I couldn't do anything...I couldn't save them" she told her in a muffled voice. Piper quieted her, stroking her hair soothingly. Phoebe began to cry softly.
"Come on sweetie," Paige said, "Let's get you home."
Piper stood on one side of Phoebe, Paige on the other as they walked back to the car. Piper got Phoebe situated in the back seat, feeling the need to mother her. Paige sat in the back, feeling equally protective. Phoebe brought her knees up, curling into Paige. Piper repeatedly looked in the rearview mirror, checking on her sister. She could see the beginning signs of shock setting in and was preparing herself to deal with whatever was coming.
She pulled into the Manor driveway and scrambled out of the car, immediately opening the back door for her sisters. Paige crawled out, a chalk-faced Phoebe clinging to her side. Piper reached out, pressing the back of her hand to Phoebe's cheek.
"Come on, sweetie," Piper whispered, leading her sister into the Manor. Paige headed upstairs, retrieving a blanket, while Piper made Phoebe lay down on the couch. Paige came back and draped the quilt over her sister, then looked questioningly at Piper. Piper squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"We'll keep her warm for now. If she starts shaking or worse, we'll get her to the Emergency Room," she said softly, once she'd pulled Paige away from Phoebe. Paige nodded.
"Should we get her some water...or something?," she asked uncertainly. Piper shook her head rapidly.
"No! That's one of the worst things you can do for someone in shock," she barked, then softened her tone, "That's alright though...Jsut keep an eye on her." Paige nodded and quickly paced back over to the couch. Piper watched for a minute while Paige knelt beside Phoebe, grasping her hand.
"I'm going to go make us something to eat. Are you hungry?," she asked, turning her protectiveness on to Paige. Paige shook her head, but Piper knew she had to be.
"You haven't eaten for hours, I'm sure. You are going to eat!," she insisted. Paige nearly smiled at the bossy tone of voice Piper was using, but she didn't want to upset the sisterly atmosphere.
"Whatever you say....sis," she returned. Piper faltered at the last word, then continued on to the kitchen. Whether Piper was ready for it or not, Paige was already beginning to feel like family.