A/N: Susie, I don't think so... we'll see.
*Uniforms are like Barbie Town Houses*
'It is almost time for us.' Sharuq turned to his assistant. 'Start getting things for the ritual.'
'The girl is being sent away.' His assistant said, confused. 'How are we to do the ritual with her apart from the other two?'
'Haven't you been paying attention?' Sharuq said in annoyance. 'They're going to make this easy for us. The little one already suggested they meet up in the Dream plane. This will make it even simpler. Now stop arguing with me, and go!'
His assistant bowed his head and hurried on, pulling his hood up.
* *
'Know what I think?' Melinda asked, a few days later.
'No.' Grace said dully, as she sat in her room.
'I think they'll bring you home in five minutes.'
'Hmm.' was all Grace said. She knew her parents. If that was actually the case, then Grace wouldn't have stayed at the penthouse for weeks, a few years ago when Phoebe got too tied up in her work.
'No I bet they won't even send you off at all!' Wyatt declared.
'Huh.' Grace replied.
There was a knock, and Phoebe opened the door. 'Hi honey. Oh good, you got your suitcase out. Look what I've got!' Phoebe stepped into the room and dropped a plastic bag she held on the ground. She knelt down and pulled out several items.
A lot of it was clothes. A pleated blue plaid skirt, blue long sleeve and short sleeve blouses, blue V neck sweater, navy blue jacket with the school's logo on it, plus a dark blue hat with a wide, stiff brim.
'Isn't it cute?' Phoebe pulled out white knee socks, shiny black shoes and several blue hair ribbons and elastics, and then a few more school items Grace would need.
'A uniform?' Grace asked in disbelief. Her school... correction, it would be her old school soon. Well anyway, the school she was at now had no uniform, though it did have a dress code. It made Grace feel proud, because she was like a high school student, having no uniform. 'I have to wear that?'
'Yup, isn't it cute?' Phoebe asked excitedly.
Grace didn't say anything. Phoebe frowned a bit, leaned forward, and brushed a lock of curly brown hair off of Grace's frowning face.
'I've got to run to the office to pick up some things for the weekend.' Phoebe said vaguely. 'It's a Friday so I can't get them tomorrow. I'll see you soon okay? Why don't you start your packing, hmm? You leave on Sunday you know.'
Grace nodded then waited till Phoebe was out of the room before she burst into a fit of screams and sobs at the same time.
'It's okay Gracie.' Melinda cuddled up to her. 'They won't really send you away... will they?' Melinda looked to Wyatt for assurance.
He uneasily picked up the bag holding all the things inside. There was a receipt – Wyatt gaped at it. 'They have their own shop at the school.' He mumbled. He frowned. 'Gracie, you know your uniform cost $200 all up?'
'$200?' Grace spat in disbelief. 'Now I'm going for sure.'
Melinda looked confused. 'How does that mean you're going?'
'Mellie, do you remember that time you wanted a My Little Pony Play set and it cost $35? Remember that?'
'It was a Barbie Town House, and it cost $45.50.' Melinda clarified.
'Whatever.' Grace shook her head. 'Anyway, it was expensive as far as toys go, so your mom said you better play with it? Because it cost a lot of money so it was a waste if you abandoned it after a week.'
'Yah huh.'
'Well my uniform is like that. It cost lots of money so it means they're serious about me going. And now they've bought the uniform it was expensive so see, I'd better wear it. And for me to wear it, I wear it to the school.'
'Oh.'
Grace nodded and sniffled a bit. Wyatt handed her a tissue. 'I guess I better start packing.' Grace said slowly.
'Do you want help?' Wyatt asked.
Grace shook her head.
'Okay. Come on Mellie.' Wyatt herded his little sister out. 'Let's go find Rena and keep her entertained.'
Grace wiped her eyes as her cousins left, and then slowly began to put the uniforms into her suitcase.
* *
'I'd burn them if it were me.' Wyatt commented. He sat in the family room with Melinda, Leo, Piper, Paige, Glen, Serena, Prue, Andy, Charlotte and Jamie.
Andy laughed. 'Good one.'
'Don't encourage him.' Piper told him, but she didn't look like she really cared – she was smiling too.
'Where are Phoebe and Cole on this glorious night?' Paige asked.
'They went for dinner.' Leo answered.
'Couldn't stomach my sauce.' Glen said with a grin. They'd had the famous 'Uncle Glen's Special Spaghetti' for dinner.
'You should sell that sauce.' Melinda declared. They all laughed, but Piper looked thoughtful.
'Maybe I can incorporate it into the menu?' Piper was a head chef.
'No. It stays within this household... oh and my mother's. And my sister's. It's a secret recipe for a reason you know.'
'Daddy, can we have spaghetti again tomorrow? For lunch? N breakfast? N Dinner?' Serena begged, climbing onto Glen's lap.
'It's a very filling sauce.' Prue commented.
'Yeah, not for breakfast or lunch Rena.' Glen agreed, ruffling her black hair.
Serena scowled at Prue. 'Thanks a lot Auntie Prue.' She pouted.
'Hey, don't give her that look!' Paige cut in. 'Say sorry Serena.'
'Sorry Serena.' She said solemnly. They all laughed, though Paige still had on her mother-face.
'Serena Halliwell Belland...' Paige warned.
'O-Kay mommy!' Serena let out an exaggerated sigh. 'Sorry Auntie Prue.'
'That's okay munchkin.' Prue said, smiling. She patted her sleeping son's head. 'You know, there's been no evil or innocent saving required around for months.'
'Touch wood.' Andy said quickly.
'I like it. It's peaceful.' Piper said, smiling.
'Hey, don't diss magic. Without it, you wouldn't have me!' Leo joked. Piper laughed, but gave him a very passionate kiss, until Paige cleared her throat.
'I miss it.'
'That's because you adore it. Were you almost killed by Shax?' Prue asked.
'Uh no, but I was stabbed at Phoebe's evil wedding, and I turned into a vampire queen.' Paige reminded them. 'Among other things.'
'Hey, I can go one better. My sister killed me with a knife!' Piper laughed.
'Only because you were possessed.' Prue said, making a face.
'You're never really a Halliwell till you've been possessed.' Recited the three sisters, and then laughed.
'Don't curse the kids.' Glen said with a wink.
'Yeah mommy, don't curse me.' Jamie agreed.
Charlotte yawned sleepily and snuggled further into Andy, only half-awake.
'Okay, clearly it's bedtime.' Prue announced. 'Come on munchkins.' She gathered up Jamie and headed for his bedroom, Andy following with Charlotte in his arms.
'Oh great.' Serena declared. 'Sleep time.' She mumbled under her breath about how evil sleep time was, while Paige and Glen led her out of the room. Little did they know how right she was.
*Uniforms are like Barbie Town Houses*
'It is almost time for us.' Sharuq turned to his assistant. 'Start getting things for the ritual.'
'The girl is being sent away.' His assistant said, confused. 'How are we to do the ritual with her apart from the other two?'
'Haven't you been paying attention?' Sharuq said in annoyance. 'They're going to make this easy for us. The little one already suggested they meet up in the Dream plane. This will make it even simpler. Now stop arguing with me, and go!'
His assistant bowed his head and hurried on, pulling his hood up.
* *
'Know what I think?' Melinda asked, a few days later.
'No.' Grace said dully, as she sat in her room.
'I think they'll bring you home in five minutes.'
'Hmm.' was all Grace said. She knew her parents. If that was actually the case, then Grace wouldn't have stayed at the penthouse for weeks, a few years ago when Phoebe got too tied up in her work.
'No I bet they won't even send you off at all!' Wyatt declared.
'Huh.' Grace replied.
There was a knock, and Phoebe opened the door. 'Hi honey. Oh good, you got your suitcase out. Look what I've got!' Phoebe stepped into the room and dropped a plastic bag she held on the ground. She knelt down and pulled out several items.
A lot of it was clothes. A pleated blue plaid skirt, blue long sleeve and short sleeve blouses, blue V neck sweater, navy blue jacket with the school's logo on it, plus a dark blue hat with a wide, stiff brim.
'Isn't it cute?' Phoebe pulled out white knee socks, shiny black shoes and several blue hair ribbons and elastics, and then a few more school items Grace would need.
'A uniform?' Grace asked in disbelief. Her school... correction, it would be her old school soon. Well anyway, the school she was at now had no uniform, though it did have a dress code. It made Grace feel proud, because she was like a high school student, having no uniform. 'I have to wear that?'
'Yup, isn't it cute?' Phoebe asked excitedly.
Grace didn't say anything. Phoebe frowned a bit, leaned forward, and brushed a lock of curly brown hair off of Grace's frowning face.
'I've got to run to the office to pick up some things for the weekend.' Phoebe said vaguely. 'It's a Friday so I can't get them tomorrow. I'll see you soon okay? Why don't you start your packing, hmm? You leave on Sunday you know.'
Grace nodded then waited till Phoebe was out of the room before she burst into a fit of screams and sobs at the same time.
'It's okay Gracie.' Melinda cuddled up to her. 'They won't really send you away... will they?' Melinda looked to Wyatt for assurance.
He uneasily picked up the bag holding all the things inside. There was a receipt – Wyatt gaped at it. 'They have their own shop at the school.' He mumbled. He frowned. 'Gracie, you know your uniform cost $200 all up?'
'$200?' Grace spat in disbelief. 'Now I'm going for sure.'
Melinda looked confused. 'How does that mean you're going?'
'Mellie, do you remember that time you wanted a My Little Pony Play set and it cost $35? Remember that?'
'It was a Barbie Town House, and it cost $45.50.' Melinda clarified.
'Whatever.' Grace shook her head. 'Anyway, it was expensive as far as toys go, so your mom said you better play with it? Because it cost a lot of money so it was a waste if you abandoned it after a week.'
'Yah huh.'
'Well my uniform is like that. It cost lots of money so it means they're serious about me going. And now they've bought the uniform it was expensive so see, I'd better wear it. And for me to wear it, I wear it to the school.'
'Oh.'
Grace nodded and sniffled a bit. Wyatt handed her a tissue. 'I guess I better start packing.' Grace said slowly.
'Do you want help?' Wyatt asked.
Grace shook her head.
'Okay. Come on Mellie.' Wyatt herded his little sister out. 'Let's go find Rena and keep her entertained.'
Grace wiped her eyes as her cousins left, and then slowly began to put the uniforms into her suitcase.
* *
'I'd burn them if it were me.' Wyatt commented. He sat in the family room with Melinda, Leo, Piper, Paige, Glen, Serena, Prue, Andy, Charlotte and Jamie.
Andy laughed. 'Good one.'
'Don't encourage him.' Piper told him, but she didn't look like she really cared – she was smiling too.
'Where are Phoebe and Cole on this glorious night?' Paige asked.
'They went for dinner.' Leo answered.
'Couldn't stomach my sauce.' Glen said with a grin. They'd had the famous 'Uncle Glen's Special Spaghetti' for dinner.
'You should sell that sauce.' Melinda declared. They all laughed, but Piper looked thoughtful.
'Maybe I can incorporate it into the menu?' Piper was a head chef.
'No. It stays within this household... oh and my mother's. And my sister's. It's a secret recipe for a reason you know.'
'Daddy, can we have spaghetti again tomorrow? For lunch? N breakfast? N Dinner?' Serena begged, climbing onto Glen's lap.
'It's a very filling sauce.' Prue commented.
'Yeah, not for breakfast or lunch Rena.' Glen agreed, ruffling her black hair.
Serena scowled at Prue. 'Thanks a lot Auntie Prue.' She pouted.
'Hey, don't give her that look!' Paige cut in. 'Say sorry Serena.'
'Sorry Serena.' She said solemnly. They all laughed, though Paige still had on her mother-face.
'Serena Halliwell Belland...' Paige warned.
'O-Kay mommy!' Serena let out an exaggerated sigh. 'Sorry Auntie Prue.'
'That's okay munchkin.' Prue said, smiling. She patted her sleeping son's head. 'You know, there's been no evil or innocent saving required around for months.'
'Touch wood.' Andy said quickly.
'I like it. It's peaceful.' Piper said, smiling.
'Hey, don't diss magic. Without it, you wouldn't have me!' Leo joked. Piper laughed, but gave him a very passionate kiss, until Paige cleared her throat.
'I miss it.'
'That's because you adore it. Were you almost killed by Shax?' Prue asked.
'Uh no, but I was stabbed at Phoebe's evil wedding, and I turned into a vampire queen.' Paige reminded them. 'Among other things.'
'Hey, I can go one better. My sister killed me with a knife!' Piper laughed.
'Only because you were possessed.' Prue said, making a face.
'You're never really a Halliwell till you've been possessed.' Recited the three sisters, and then laughed.
'Don't curse the kids.' Glen said with a wink.
'Yeah mommy, don't curse me.' Jamie agreed.
Charlotte yawned sleepily and snuggled further into Andy, only half-awake.
'Okay, clearly it's bedtime.' Prue announced. 'Come on munchkins.' She gathered up Jamie and headed for his bedroom, Andy following with Charlotte in his arms.
'Oh great.' Serena declared. 'Sleep time.' She mumbled under her breath about how evil sleep time was, while Paige and Glen led her out of the room. Little did they know how right she was.