A/N: I'm trying to finish this off in one afternoon. Ergo, much updates. Also, I cannot deal with mini Andy, so he's leaving soon. If you like Throwback style fics, check out 'Crayonbreaky Chaos' on my profile page.
Oh, Andy's appearance was due to the lovely plots of gidgetgirl, so thank her for that. Next chapter, there will be some interaction with mini Prue.
It was only when mini Andy was happily settled in front of cartoons, having met all of Pru's 'babysitters', and a long and complicated story had been told to him explaining exactly why Pru, Piper and Phoebe were out while the babysitters were there that the sisters and Leo were able to discuss what had just happened. Even then, Andy's little sheriff instincts had been on red-alert, and it was only Piper showing him a couple of places which Pru had shared with her to stash secret stuff, that got him fully convinced they were legit.
"Okay, what just happened?" Piper said, tossing aside the newspaper as she sat down at the kitchen table. Paige leant against the countertop, absently twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
"That's happened before," Phoebe noted, looking down at her stomach. "It's sorta strange."
"Sorta?" Piper asked, folded her arms across her chest. "We need answers. As to why Andy showed up, in addition to Prue." All three turned to Leo.
"I can go and find out from the Elders," he offered. Piper waved a hand dismissively. "Go. Find out things."
"He's so cute in his little cowboy outfit," Paige enthused, peeking around the conservatory door.
"Psst," Piper hissed. "Paige, come back. We'll have to send him back. Exactly how, I'm not sure."
Phoebe looked thoughtful. "Hey Piper, you remember when I summoned the little me?" Piper nodded, an expression of wry amusement crossing her face.
"Oh yeah. How could I forget mini-you?" she teased.
"Well," Phoebe continued, ignoring her sister's comment, "Remember how she only went when she'd carried out what I'd summoned her for?"
"Uh, Phoebe, I hardly think Andy is here to show you your heart's desire," Piper shook her head, pushing back a stray piece of brown hair behind one ear. Phoebe sighed, propping her chin on her hand.
"No, I mean, she was here until the spell was carried out. And if we didn't summon Andy, then-"
"Prue," Piper finished, grimly, following the thought to the logical conclusion. "I think that someone has a much needed talk due on personal gain."
"What was with the light, though?" Paige interrupted, puzzlement wrinkling her nose slightly. She looked from Piper to Phoebe, an odd look in her brown eyes. "I mean, it only affected you two. Maybe it's an old Charmed One thing."
"Sweetie, you're a Charmed one," Phoebe reminded her sister, giving her a hug, having guessed at the meaning behind the words. "A real one. I know you never met Prue, and it's sad, because she'd really have liked to have met you, and I know that this thing with mini Prue is hard, because she was one of the Trio before, but whatever happens, you'll still be one of us." Paige nodded, hugging Phoebe back.
"I know, guys. Maybe you're right, maybe, I don't know, it's a warning or something of a demonic attack." She broke off as Leo shimmered into view again.
"News?" Piper asked, instantly. He nodded.
"We figured out that Prue must have summoned Andy," Phoebe volunteered, from beside Paige.
"Leo, what's the matter?" Piper stood up, and went to her husband, noticing the odd expression on his face. "What happened?"
He looked down at her, and tried to smile. "I found out what's being going on. You.. might want to sit down."
"Leo," Piper said firmly, "Explain."
The Charmed ones looked expectantly up at Leo. The Whitelighter swallowed, not exactly sure how to communicate what the Elders had told him.
"Prue came back," he stated. "And there wasn't a balance, as Prue had magic, and that magic came from the Charmed Ones. But the Charmed Ones were complete. When you went to get Prue to stay, the Elders said that circumstances had to fit. So they made them fit. For Prue to exist in this dimension," he paused, swallowing again. "Piper, you're pregnant, and carrying a magical baby, the next generation of Charmed Ones. The Elders made Prue become part of this next generation, so her place would fit. But the Charmed Ones are a trio, so Phoebe," Leo looked towards his sister-in-law, and gave her a lopsided smile. "Congratulations."
"What are you saying, Leo?" Phoebe asked, too calmly. Leo took a breath.
"The Elders needed a third child to complete the circle. You were supposed to have had a child with Cole, but that child was taken from you magically. That supposed-to left an imprint on the magical universe, a balance. They used that to create the child that you're carrying."
Phoebe touched her stomach lightly, almost in awe, then looked up at Leo, angrily. "So they just made me pregnant, like that?" she clicked her fingers. "The immaculate conception?"
"No," Leo said, gently, "As the baby you were supposed to have was Cole's, the baby you have now is Cole's." As Phoebe sat in stunned silence, memories of her ex-husband racing through her memory, Leo hastily carried on, letting the woman take it all in.
"The blue light came from you both when Prue drew heavily on the Charmed magic. As the babies are not yet here, the light represented the magical draw of the Charmed Ones not being together. Because they could not physically form the incantation, Prue's spells, whatever they were, literally functioned as the Charmed Ones in unison. The last spell was a summon for Andy," he finished.
"It's almost three," Piper noted, looking at the clock. "I need to go pick up Prue from school. And have a little talk with her on spells and magic," she added, with a pointed look at Leo. "You coming?"
"No," he said, glancing at Phoebe. "I've got to go back up there." He orbed out, leaving the three sisters alone.
"Are you going to be okay, Phoebe?" Piper asked, slipping an arm around her shoulders. Phoebe raised her head, tears glistening in her eyes. She wiped them hurriedly.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered, trying to smile brightly. "Why wouldn't I be?" She moved past them, and towards the stairs. Piper and Paige exchanged a look.
"I'll keep an eye on her," Paige promised, as they walked toward the door. "And I'll see if there's a way to send Andy back."
She looked toward the conservatory, from which noises of cartoon style crashes, and bangs eminated. Piper rolled her eyes.
"From what we saw, Grams wiped his mind of magic a fair few times," she commented wryly. "At least he's not seeing demons and warlocks."
"Don't think about it," Paige warned, half teasingly. "Or they'll come. Go pick up Prue."
The elder witch left, and Paige closed the door, called for the Book of Shadows, and sat down for some serious study time in the kitchen, while keeping an ear out for little Andy.
A/N: I'm going to be moving fast, as I'm determined to finish this story either today or tomorrow. Therefore, you'll get about five chapters or so in one sitting.
Next chapter, mini Prue and mini Andy, a magical temper tantrum at being forced to send Andy back, and some fluff.