Disclaimers: Ah, I own Cassandra and the Professor, no one else. *sobs* All
Charmed people are owned by the people that own them, not me. Hehe.
Chapter Three - A Journey To The Past
Paige stared out the coach window, watching the snowflakes sticking to it, and traced her fingers across the cold glass, her heart aching. It was only two weeks until Christmas - and she had no idea now who she would be spending it with? People she was related to but knew nothing about? Or the family she was only related to by love? Sighing deeply, Paige watched two young girls having a snowball fight in the front yard with their father. She could see the mother standing in the doorway, holding what looked like a steaming apple pie. Rolling her eyes, Paige blinked, trying to get them out of her head.
"You only see stuff like that in movies." She scolded herself, turning away from the window. The coach was practically empty - many people were at home, celebrating the holidays with family. Family. Paige desperately wanted her family, but the confusion had set in. She no longer knew who her family where.
Feeling her cell phone start to vibrate, telling her that someone was phoning, Paige reached into her pocket and held it up to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Paige, you'd better get back here. Your parents have sent out the police. Didn't you phone them?" Cassandra demanded. "The police have already been over here. I had to say I didn't know anything, just thought that you'd gone home from school. Didn't you phone them?" She repeated. Paige's hand flew to her mouth.
"No - I completely forgot. Oh, God. Are they really upset?"
"Distraught, more like. It's been seven hours since you were supposed to get home from school, they're terrified, thinking you're dead or something. Stupid, how could you forget? I can't cover for you, Paige."
"I'll phone them now." Paige decided. "Cass, I'm really sorry. I can't believe I forgot. What did you say to the police?"
"Just that I'd waved you on the bus home. Which was true, kinda. You were taking the bus home." Saying goodbye, Cassandra hung up, and Paige stared at her cell phone in shock.
"I am." She said slowly, excitement building up inside her. "I am, I really am. I'm going home."
A smile spreading across her face, she hastily dialed her home number. Almost instantly her mother answered. "Mom?"
"Paige? Thank God - where the hell are you?"
"Uh - I'm on the bus."
"The bus? To where?"
Paige swallowed hard. "San Francisco."
"San Francisco? What the hell are you doing going to San Francisco? That's miles away! Paige, what are you doing?" Olivia demanded frantically.
"Mom, I - found the letter from my mother. Biological mother, I mean. And she left an address."
"Paige, I don't understand." Olivia was practically in tears. "It's almost Christmas. Don't you want to be with your family for Christmas?"
"Of course I do! But now that I've found out my biological parents and sisters are alive - I'm sorry, Mom, but I can't go through life never knowing them. I love you, and all that you've done for me, but I have to find them."
"Why now? Why not after Christmas? It's a time for family, and you're not even going to be here. Is it something I said? Or your father?"
"No, God, of course not!" Paige saw that she was getting nowhere. "Mom, I gotta go. Call off the police search - I'm not coming home until I've met my real - biological family." She winced at the slip of her tongue, knowing she had made a mistake. Olivia fell silent.
"Paige, I love you. Be careful, okay?"
"I'll try and be back before Christmas." Paige whispered, pressing the end call button and slipping the phone back into her pocket. With another deep sigh, she rested her chin in her hands and stared at the back of the seat in front of her. A passing sign gave her a jolt, and she stared at it in shock. It said:
"Welcome to San Francisco."
That was it. She was really home.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Keep it up! *grin*
Chapter Three - A Journey To The Past
Paige stared out the coach window, watching the snowflakes sticking to it, and traced her fingers across the cold glass, her heart aching. It was only two weeks until Christmas - and she had no idea now who she would be spending it with? People she was related to but knew nothing about? Or the family she was only related to by love? Sighing deeply, Paige watched two young girls having a snowball fight in the front yard with their father. She could see the mother standing in the doorway, holding what looked like a steaming apple pie. Rolling her eyes, Paige blinked, trying to get them out of her head.
"You only see stuff like that in movies." She scolded herself, turning away from the window. The coach was practically empty - many people were at home, celebrating the holidays with family. Family. Paige desperately wanted her family, but the confusion had set in. She no longer knew who her family where.
Feeling her cell phone start to vibrate, telling her that someone was phoning, Paige reached into her pocket and held it up to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Paige, you'd better get back here. Your parents have sent out the police. Didn't you phone them?" Cassandra demanded. "The police have already been over here. I had to say I didn't know anything, just thought that you'd gone home from school. Didn't you phone them?" She repeated. Paige's hand flew to her mouth.
"No - I completely forgot. Oh, God. Are they really upset?"
"Distraught, more like. It's been seven hours since you were supposed to get home from school, they're terrified, thinking you're dead or something. Stupid, how could you forget? I can't cover for you, Paige."
"I'll phone them now." Paige decided. "Cass, I'm really sorry. I can't believe I forgot. What did you say to the police?"
"Just that I'd waved you on the bus home. Which was true, kinda. You were taking the bus home." Saying goodbye, Cassandra hung up, and Paige stared at her cell phone in shock.
"I am." She said slowly, excitement building up inside her. "I am, I really am. I'm going home."
A smile spreading across her face, she hastily dialed her home number. Almost instantly her mother answered. "Mom?"
"Paige? Thank God - where the hell are you?"
"Uh - I'm on the bus."
"The bus? To where?"
Paige swallowed hard. "San Francisco."
"San Francisco? What the hell are you doing going to San Francisco? That's miles away! Paige, what are you doing?" Olivia demanded frantically.
"Mom, I - found the letter from my mother. Biological mother, I mean. And she left an address."
"Paige, I don't understand." Olivia was practically in tears. "It's almost Christmas. Don't you want to be with your family for Christmas?"
"Of course I do! But now that I've found out my biological parents and sisters are alive - I'm sorry, Mom, but I can't go through life never knowing them. I love you, and all that you've done for me, but I have to find them."
"Why now? Why not after Christmas? It's a time for family, and you're not even going to be here. Is it something I said? Or your father?"
"No, God, of course not!" Paige saw that she was getting nowhere. "Mom, I gotta go. Call off the police search - I'm not coming home until I've met my real - biological family." She winced at the slip of her tongue, knowing she had made a mistake. Olivia fell silent.
"Paige, I love you. Be careful, okay?"
"I'll try and be back before Christmas." Paige whispered, pressing the end call button and slipping the phone back into her pocket. With another deep sigh, she rested her chin in her hands and stared at the back of the seat in front of her. A passing sign gave her a jolt, and she stared at it in shock. It said:
"Welcome to San Francisco."
That was it. She was really home.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Keep it up! *grin*