~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Treat me kind
Keep me safe
Show me love
I'll embrace
If you take me home
Where I was born
I'll find peace of mind
Somehow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leo was able to talk to Paige and bring her to the manor the next day. All four women agreed that the best thing would be to get the initial meeting over with as soon as possible, so they could start getting to know each other. Still, they were all extremely nervous.
"Oh my God, they're here," Phoebe exclaimed when she saw Leo's car pull up in front of the house.
At the same time, Paige murmured to Leo, "Oh my God, we're here."
They got out of the car, and walked toward the house. Inside, Prue, Piper, and Phoebe were trying not to panic.
"Okay, is everything ready?" Prue asked.
Piper nodded. "There's sandwiches in the kitchen, the house has been thoroughly cleaned, and Ava's upstairs sleeping."
"Okay, are we ready?"
Phoebe and Piper exchanged glances. This one was a little harder to answer. Fortunately, they didn't have to, because the doorbell rang. Prue answered it, with Piper and Phoebe close behind her.
Leo led Paige inside, and began the introduction. "Paige, these are your sisters, Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. Girls, this is Paige."
Prue was the first to step forward. Giving her youngest sister a warm smile, she said, "Nice to meet you, Paige."
Piper and Phoebe, who had their arms intertwined for support, also smiled and said words to that effect. The three oldest siblings awkwardly shook hands with her, not knowing what else to do. They were interrupted by the sound of the baby crying. Prue excused herself and ran upstairs, while Piper, Phoebe, and Paige went into the parlor. Leo disappeared into the kitchen.
"Hey, thanks for meeting me on such short notice," Paige started. "Leo told me that before yesterday, you didn't even know you had a younger sister, so I know this must be really weird for you, as opposed to me, who's been waiting for this for years, so yeah. Thanks."
"Oh, honey, it's okay," Phoebe said. "We're glad we got to meet you so soon. Regardless of how long we've known about you, you're still our sister, and we wanted to get to know you."
"Mom would have wanted us to come back together like this," Piper added.
Leo came back in, carrying a tray of tea. "I thought you all could use this."
"Thanks," Piper said, giving him a quick kiss as he began pouring. He handed a cup to each of them, leaving Prue's on the table for her.
Paige took a sip of her tea before asking, "Speaking of Mom, what was she like?"
"I was too young to remember her, but from what Prue, Dad, and Grams told me, she was amazing," Phoebe said.
"I was pretty young, too, so my memory is a bit fuzzy, but Prue reminds me a lot of her," Piper chimed in as the oldest Halliwell sibling came in, gently rocking the baby.
"Hey, look who's up," Phoebe said cheerfully.
Prue smiled at her half-sister. "Paige, would you like to meet your neice?"
Paige gasped, a look of awe mixed with joy on her face. "I have a neice?" she asked, getting up and stepping toward her.
Prue nodded, beaming down at the baby. "Viva, this is your Aunt Paige. Paige, this is your neice, Aviva Victoria Halliwell. Would you like to hold her?"
Paige nodded eagerly, and Prue placed Aviva in her arms. "Hey, Aviva," she cooed. She looked up, smiling at Prue. "She's so adorable. And Aviva is such a pretty name."
"We call her Ava for short," Phoebe told her.
"How old is she?" Paige asked.
"About two weeks, give or take a few days," Prue replied.
Paige looked genuinely surprised. "You look amazing for someone who just had a baby about two weeks ago."
Prue's smile became wider. "Thanks."
Prue and Paige rejoined their sisters in the sitting area, Paige still holding Aviva. Now that the baby had broken the ice, conversation between the four of them became easier.
"So, Paige, where did you grow up?" Piper asked.
"Right across town," Paige replied. "I still live near the house I was raised in, although I don't know the people who live there now. What about you guys? Leo told me you grew up in this house."
Phoebe nodded. "It's been in the family for generations. Grams used to love telling us stories about Melinda Warren, the first of our ancestors in America."
"I'd love to hear them sometime, if you don't mind repeating them to me," Paige said.
"Of course we wouldn't mind," Prue responded. "One of these days, we'll get all the family heirlooms out of the attic, and tell you the stories behind each of them."
"I'd like that," Paige replied.
They fell into silence for a moment, until Leo, who had taken it upon himself to play butler while the girls were talking, came in with some sandwiches that Piper had made.
"Hey, Piper, did you tell Paige about the club?" he asked.
Paige shook her head. "What club?"
"I own a nightclub," Piper replied, reaching for a sandwich. "P3."
Paige's jaw dropped. "You're kidding. You own P3? That's so amazing."
"You've been there?" Piper asked.
Paige nodded. "I go all the time. It's great. Wow, I can't believe I'm related to the chick who owns P3."
Piper laughed. "Thanks. That's quite a compliment."
Paige smiled. "So, Prue, Phoebe, what do you guys do?"
"Actually, I'm back in college," Phoebe said.
"That's great," Paige said. "I never really did the whole college thing."
"I dropped out the first time around," Phoebe replied. "This is my first year back."
"What about you, Prue?" Paige asked.
"My job isn't quite as interesting as theirs," Prue replied. "I work at Buckland's, the auction house. I don't come off maternity leave for another month, though. I don't even want to think about what they're doing to the place without me."
"Good," Piper said, "Don't think about it."
"Prue's a bit of a workaholic," Phoebe told Paige.
"Am not," Prue protested.
"Are too," Phoebe insisted.
"Nuh-uh."
"Uh-huh."
"You're mean."
"You love me."
"Okay, enough," Piper cut in. Rolling her eyes, she turned to Paige. "They do this. A lot. Did you have any siblings in your adoptive family?"
Paige shook her head. "I was raised an only child, although my best friend, Glen, was like a brother to me. It's kind of weird to think of him that way now, but he lived next door to me since kindergarten."
Prue smiled. "Sounds like an old friend of mine, Andy."
"Andy was Prue's first boyfriend," Phoebe told Paige.
"Glen was mine," Paige replied. "He still is, sort of. Whenever he decides to pop in. See, he travels a lot, so I never really know when he's going to show up."
"Taveling," Phoebe said dreamily. "That sounds nice."
"He's asked me to come along a few times, but I've never been able to," Paige said. She didn't clarify why she hadn't gone. She didn't know what it was that had held her back, but she suspected that it had something to do with wanting to find her family. This realization quited her for a minute. "Um, guys..." she started. "I just wanted to tell you again how much this means to me. I've wanted to know you for as long as I can remember. As much as I loved my parents, there was always a part of me that felt like something was missing."
Prue got up and and crossed over to the oversized chair where Paige was sitting. Squeezing in next to her new sister, she put an arm around her and the baby Paige was still holding. "Paige, I am so glad that you found us. I want us to be close. Okay?"
Paige nodded. "Do you really mean that?"
"We all do," Piper said.
Paige smiled at each of her sisters, and then looked down at her neice, who had just started to whimper. "I think she's tired," Paige said, gently rocking her.
"It's getting pretty late for her," Prue replied, glancing out the window. It was quickly getting dark. "Paige, would you like to put her down for the night?"
Paige nodded eagerly. "I'd love to."
They all got up and headed to Prue's bedroom, where she had temporarily placed the cradle, at least until Aviva started sleeping through the night. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe waited outside while Paige put Ava to bed.
"She's so good with her," Prue murmured.
"She reminds me of you," Piper replied.
Paige didn't hear them. She changed the baby into a pink sleeper that she found laid out on the foot of Prue's bed, and then laid her down in the cradle, all the while humming a lullaby that her mother had always sung to her.
"Hey, Ava," she said once she'd gotten the baby down. "I'll try and see you soon, okay? Go to sleep, honey. I love you."
Paige reached over and turned off Prue's bedside lamp, then turned and, after giving the baby another kiss, went to say good-night to her newfound sisters.
****************
A/N: I really, really want feedback on this chapter. Did the long-awaited family reunion thing go over well? I want to know what you people think. Review, please.
~from the song "Sometime" by Geri Halliwell~
Treat me kind
Keep me safe
Show me love
I'll embrace
If you take me home
Where I was born
I'll find peace of mind
Somehow
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leo was able to talk to Paige and bring her to the manor the next day. All four women agreed that the best thing would be to get the initial meeting over with as soon as possible, so they could start getting to know each other. Still, they were all extremely nervous.
"Oh my God, they're here," Phoebe exclaimed when she saw Leo's car pull up in front of the house.
At the same time, Paige murmured to Leo, "Oh my God, we're here."
They got out of the car, and walked toward the house. Inside, Prue, Piper, and Phoebe were trying not to panic.
"Okay, is everything ready?" Prue asked.
Piper nodded. "There's sandwiches in the kitchen, the house has been thoroughly cleaned, and Ava's upstairs sleeping."
"Okay, are we ready?"
Phoebe and Piper exchanged glances. This one was a little harder to answer. Fortunately, they didn't have to, because the doorbell rang. Prue answered it, with Piper and Phoebe close behind her.
Leo led Paige inside, and began the introduction. "Paige, these are your sisters, Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. Girls, this is Paige."
Prue was the first to step forward. Giving her youngest sister a warm smile, she said, "Nice to meet you, Paige."
Piper and Phoebe, who had their arms intertwined for support, also smiled and said words to that effect. The three oldest siblings awkwardly shook hands with her, not knowing what else to do. They were interrupted by the sound of the baby crying. Prue excused herself and ran upstairs, while Piper, Phoebe, and Paige went into the parlor. Leo disappeared into the kitchen.
"Hey, thanks for meeting me on such short notice," Paige started. "Leo told me that before yesterday, you didn't even know you had a younger sister, so I know this must be really weird for you, as opposed to me, who's been waiting for this for years, so yeah. Thanks."
"Oh, honey, it's okay," Phoebe said. "We're glad we got to meet you so soon. Regardless of how long we've known about you, you're still our sister, and we wanted to get to know you."
"Mom would have wanted us to come back together like this," Piper added.
Leo came back in, carrying a tray of tea. "I thought you all could use this."
"Thanks," Piper said, giving him a quick kiss as he began pouring. He handed a cup to each of them, leaving Prue's on the table for her.
Paige took a sip of her tea before asking, "Speaking of Mom, what was she like?"
"I was too young to remember her, but from what Prue, Dad, and Grams told me, she was amazing," Phoebe said.
"I was pretty young, too, so my memory is a bit fuzzy, but Prue reminds me a lot of her," Piper chimed in as the oldest Halliwell sibling came in, gently rocking the baby.
"Hey, look who's up," Phoebe said cheerfully.
Prue smiled at her half-sister. "Paige, would you like to meet your neice?"
Paige gasped, a look of awe mixed with joy on her face. "I have a neice?" she asked, getting up and stepping toward her.
Prue nodded, beaming down at the baby. "Viva, this is your Aunt Paige. Paige, this is your neice, Aviva Victoria Halliwell. Would you like to hold her?"
Paige nodded eagerly, and Prue placed Aviva in her arms. "Hey, Aviva," she cooed. She looked up, smiling at Prue. "She's so adorable. And Aviva is such a pretty name."
"We call her Ava for short," Phoebe told her.
"How old is she?" Paige asked.
"About two weeks, give or take a few days," Prue replied.
Paige looked genuinely surprised. "You look amazing for someone who just had a baby about two weeks ago."
Prue's smile became wider. "Thanks."
Prue and Paige rejoined their sisters in the sitting area, Paige still holding Aviva. Now that the baby had broken the ice, conversation between the four of them became easier.
"So, Paige, where did you grow up?" Piper asked.
"Right across town," Paige replied. "I still live near the house I was raised in, although I don't know the people who live there now. What about you guys? Leo told me you grew up in this house."
Phoebe nodded. "It's been in the family for generations. Grams used to love telling us stories about Melinda Warren, the first of our ancestors in America."
"I'd love to hear them sometime, if you don't mind repeating them to me," Paige said.
"Of course we wouldn't mind," Prue responded. "One of these days, we'll get all the family heirlooms out of the attic, and tell you the stories behind each of them."
"I'd like that," Paige replied.
They fell into silence for a moment, until Leo, who had taken it upon himself to play butler while the girls were talking, came in with some sandwiches that Piper had made.
"Hey, Piper, did you tell Paige about the club?" he asked.
Paige shook her head. "What club?"
"I own a nightclub," Piper replied, reaching for a sandwich. "P3."
Paige's jaw dropped. "You're kidding. You own P3? That's so amazing."
"You've been there?" Piper asked.
Paige nodded. "I go all the time. It's great. Wow, I can't believe I'm related to the chick who owns P3."
Piper laughed. "Thanks. That's quite a compliment."
Paige smiled. "So, Prue, Phoebe, what do you guys do?"
"Actually, I'm back in college," Phoebe said.
"That's great," Paige said. "I never really did the whole college thing."
"I dropped out the first time around," Phoebe replied. "This is my first year back."
"What about you, Prue?" Paige asked.
"My job isn't quite as interesting as theirs," Prue replied. "I work at Buckland's, the auction house. I don't come off maternity leave for another month, though. I don't even want to think about what they're doing to the place without me."
"Good," Piper said, "Don't think about it."
"Prue's a bit of a workaholic," Phoebe told Paige.
"Am not," Prue protested.
"Are too," Phoebe insisted.
"Nuh-uh."
"Uh-huh."
"You're mean."
"You love me."
"Okay, enough," Piper cut in. Rolling her eyes, she turned to Paige. "They do this. A lot. Did you have any siblings in your adoptive family?"
Paige shook her head. "I was raised an only child, although my best friend, Glen, was like a brother to me. It's kind of weird to think of him that way now, but he lived next door to me since kindergarten."
Prue smiled. "Sounds like an old friend of mine, Andy."
"Andy was Prue's first boyfriend," Phoebe told Paige.
"Glen was mine," Paige replied. "He still is, sort of. Whenever he decides to pop in. See, he travels a lot, so I never really know when he's going to show up."
"Taveling," Phoebe said dreamily. "That sounds nice."
"He's asked me to come along a few times, but I've never been able to," Paige said. She didn't clarify why she hadn't gone. She didn't know what it was that had held her back, but she suspected that it had something to do with wanting to find her family. This realization quited her for a minute. "Um, guys..." she started. "I just wanted to tell you again how much this means to me. I've wanted to know you for as long as I can remember. As much as I loved my parents, there was always a part of me that felt like something was missing."
Prue got up and and crossed over to the oversized chair where Paige was sitting. Squeezing in next to her new sister, she put an arm around her and the baby Paige was still holding. "Paige, I am so glad that you found us. I want us to be close. Okay?"
Paige nodded. "Do you really mean that?"
"We all do," Piper said.
Paige smiled at each of her sisters, and then looked down at her neice, who had just started to whimper. "I think she's tired," Paige said, gently rocking her.
"It's getting pretty late for her," Prue replied, glancing out the window. It was quickly getting dark. "Paige, would you like to put her down for the night?"
Paige nodded eagerly. "I'd love to."
They all got up and headed to Prue's bedroom, where she had temporarily placed the cradle, at least until Aviva started sleeping through the night. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe waited outside while Paige put Ava to bed.
"She's so good with her," Prue murmured.
"She reminds me of you," Piper replied.
Paige didn't hear them. She changed the baby into a pink sleeper that she found laid out on the foot of Prue's bed, and then laid her down in the cradle, all the while humming a lullaby that her mother had always sung to her.
"Hey, Ava," she said once she'd gotten the baby down. "I'll try and see you soon, okay? Go to sleep, honey. I love you."
Paige reached over and turned off Prue's bedside lamp, then turned and, after giving the baby another kiss, went to say good-night to her newfound sisters.
****************
A/N: I really, really want feedback on this chapter. Did the long-awaited family reunion thing go over well? I want to know what you people think. Review, please.
~from the song "Sometime" by Geri Halliwell~