~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've got responsibility, that is my liability
I'm questioning authority
They say there's not a chance for me
But tonight, tonight, it's on tonight
And I don't want your boring life
And I don't want your nine-to-five
Or anyone to tell me how to live my life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leo had been on his way to the manor when Paige called. He got there just as she hung up, and excitedly ran inside.
"Hey, you," Piper greeted, kissing him. "You look happy."
"I'm with you, aren't I?" he replied. He kissed her again, then looked past her. "Where are your sisters?"
"Phoebe's in the conservatory, and Prue's upstairs with the baby," she answered. "Why, what are you up to?"
"I've never been good at hiding things from you, have I?" he asked lightly.
She narrowed her eyes. "Oh, you have. It's just when you start using lines like 'I'm with you' to explain why you look so happy that I get suspicious."
He smiled. "Get Prue and meet me in the conservatory, I want to tell you together."
She looked at him strangely, then went upstairs to the nursery. Leo watched her go and then went to find Phoebe.
The younger Halliwell looked up from her magazine and smiled when he came in. "Hey, Leo. What's up?"
"Hi, Pheobe," he replied. Prue and Piper came in a second later.
"Okay, Mister I've-Got-A-Secret, spill," Piper commanded.
Leo laughed. "It's not exactly a secret. I just thought you should know that Paige just got a new job."
"Oh, that's wonderful," Phoebe said. "We should call and invite her over to celebrate."
"Well, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," Leo responded. "I want to bring her over to the club tonight for a kindof celebration. I was hoping you guys would join us."
"Of course," Piper replied.
"Wait," Prue said at the same time. "I can't bring Aviva to the club."
"My grandmother will watch her," Leo promised. "She's only seen Ava once since you brought her home from the hospital. She'd love to come look after her."
"But she's only two weeks old," Prue protested. "And she's a preemie, you know how careful we have to be with her. What if something happens, what if she gets sick, and I'm not there?"
"Prue, Aviva will be fine," Piper assured her. "Nothing is going to happen. You know Lily can take care of her."
"But I've never left her with a sitter before," Prue argued. "She's too young. She needs me."
"We're only going to be gone for a few hours," Phoebe responded. "It'll be good for you to get out, and that will be good for her, because Mommy won't be so stressed. Besides, don't you want to do this for Paige?"
Prue frowned. She knew in her head that what her sisters were saying made sense. Her heart was another matter entirely. She hated the idea of leaving Aviva alone, even with Lillian, whom she trusted immensley. However, she also wanted to congratulate Paige on her new job, and she knew that even a little thing like this could help her establish a relationship with her half-sister. In the end, she forced herself to calm down and trust her sisters. "Okay, I'll go. But don't you dare start lecturing me when I call home every five minutes, because you know I will."
Piper smiled. "No lecturing, I promise."
"I'll go call Gram," Leo said. "And Prue, don't worry."
Prue rolled her eyes. "Easier said than done," she called after him. He waved her off as he went into the kitchen to use the phone.
-x-
A few hours later, they were getting ready to leave. Leo, Piper, Phoebe, and Lillian were in the foyer, waiting for Prue, who was having a hard time leaving the baby.
"Are you going to be a good girl for Grandma Lillian?" she cooed. Aviva reached up and waved her hands toward her mother's face. "I know, baby," Prue said, "We've never been apart before. I don't like it any more than you do, sweet girl. I'll be home soon, I promise. I love you." She gave the baby a kiss, and then finally handed her over to Lillian.
"We'll be fine, I promise," the older woman swore.
Prue smiled weakly. "I know you will. And thanks again for watching her, Lily."
"Have fun," Lillian called as Leo, Piper, and Phoebe finally got her outside.
Lily closed the door behind them, beaming down at the baby. "I can see why anyone would have a hard time leaving you, angel," she fawned. "Oh, don't worry, dear. Your mommy will learn to relax in time. Until then, let's get you to bed, hmm?"
-x-
Paige pulled into the club parking lot at the same time as Leo and her sisters. They met up at the entrance, and walked in together, to the booth near the stage that Piper always reserved for her family. They were all seated before anyone really started talking.
"So, Paige, Leo says you've got a new job," Prue began. "Congratulations."
Paige smiled nervously. "Thanks."
"What kind of a job is it, sweetie?" Phoebe asked.
"I'll be an assistant at South Bay Social Services," she replied. "Mostly I'll probably just do filing and stuff, but eventually I hope I get promoted to social worker. That's what I really want to do: help people."
Piper smiled, reaching out to pat her sister's hand. "That's wonderful, honey."
"We're proud of you," Prue added.
Paige blushed, but sighed happily.
They all looked up as Abbey came over with drinks for Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Leo, and mineral water for Paige.
"Abbey, there's someone I'd like you to meet," Piper said just before the waitress started to leave. "This is my sister, Paige. Paige, this is Abbey. She's been with me since I started this place."
Abbey shook Paige's hand. "Nice to meet you. I've seen you around here before, haven't I? I never knew you were Piper's sister."
Paige gave a small laugh. "Yeah, neither did I."
Abbey smiled. As one of Piper's closest friends, she knew how they'd discovered their half-sister. "Well, now hopefully we'll see you around here more often."
Paige smiled back. "I'd like that."
Piper put an arm around her. "You can count on it."
Abbey left, and Prue got up to call Lily.
"Already?" Phoebe asked. "Prue, we just got here."
"Hey, you promised no lecturing," Prue reminded her.
"I'm not lecturing, I'm trying to get you to relax," Phoebe replied. "There's a difference."
Prue sighed. "Sure there is, Pheebs. Can I check on my baby now?"
Piper and Phoebe simultaniously rolled their eyes.
"She can't leave that child alone for five minutes without having a meltdown," Piper said to Paige.
"It's the whole new-mom thing," Paige replied. "She'll grow out of it. Hopefully before Ava goes off to college."
Piper, Phoebe, and Leo laughed. Prue, meanwhile, had taken her sisters' collective eye-rolling as a 'yes' and gone off to the back room to make the call. She came back a few minutes later, sliding quietly back into her seat.
"Well, is everything okay?" Phoebe asked.
Prue nodded. "Lily said Ava's asleep, although I don't know how long that'll last. This is around the time of night she usually wakes up."
"And when she does, Lily will give her a bottle and get her back to sleep," Piper told her. "I think she can handle that much."
"Okay, I get it. I'll relax," Prue promised, though she glanced nervously down at her purse, where she'd tucked her cell phone.
"Good," Leo said, preparing to change the subject. "Then I'd like to propose a toast. To Paige and her new job."
"To Paige," responded Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. Five glasses clinked together.
"Thanks, guys," Paige said when they'd all taken a sip. "Really, it means a lot to me that you're all here."
"It means a lot to us that you wanted us here," Prue replied.
There was a brief pause, as nobody knew quite what to say next. Paige looked around the table, half unable to believe that these women really were her sisters. They seemed to have a great relationship with each other. She couldn't help wanting to be part of that, but at the same time she wondered if she ever really could.
Sighing, Paige took another sip of water. She silently resolved not to worry about that tonight. She could become their sister later. Tonight, she'd settle for becoming their friend.
****************
~from the song "The Festival Song" by Good Charlotte~
I've got responsibility, that is my liability
I'm questioning authority
They say there's not a chance for me
But tonight, tonight, it's on tonight
And I don't want your boring life
And I don't want your nine-to-five
Or anyone to tell me how to live my life
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Leo had been on his way to the manor when Paige called. He got there just as she hung up, and excitedly ran inside.
"Hey, you," Piper greeted, kissing him. "You look happy."
"I'm with you, aren't I?" he replied. He kissed her again, then looked past her. "Where are your sisters?"
"Phoebe's in the conservatory, and Prue's upstairs with the baby," she answered. "Why, what are you up to?"
"I've never been good at hiding things from you, have I?" he asked lightly.
She narrowed her eyes. "Oh, you have. It's just when you start using lines like 'I'm with you' to explain why you look so happy that I get suspicious."
He smiled. "Get Prue and meet me in the conservatory, I want to tell you together."
She looked at him strangely, then went upstairs to the nursery. Leo watched her go and then went to find Phoebe.
The younger Halliwell looked up from her magazine and smiled when he came in. "Hey, Leo. What's up?"
"Hi, Pheobe," he replied. Prue and Piper came in a second later.
"Okay, Mister I've-Got-A-Secret, spill," Piper commanded.
Leo laughed. "It's not exactly a secret. I just thought you should know that Paige just got a new job."
"Oh, that's wonderful," Phoebe said. "We should call and invite her over to celebrate."
"Well, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about," Leo responded. "I want to bring her over to the club tonight for a kindof celebration. I was hoping you guys would join us."
"Of course," Piper replied.
"Wait," Prue said at the same time. "I can't bring Aviva to the club."
"My grandmother will watch her," Leo promised. "She's only seen Ava once since you brought her home from the hospital. She'd love to come look after her."
"But she's only two weeks old," Prue protested. "And she's a preemie, you know how careful we have to be with her. What if something happens, what if she gets sick, and I'm not there?"
"Prue, Aviva will be fine," Piper assured her. "Nothing is going to happen. You know Lily can take care of her."
"But I've never left her with a sitter before," Prue argued. "She's too young. She needs me."
"We're only going to be gone for a few hours," Phoebe responded. "It'll be good for you to get out, and that will be good for her, because Mommy won't be so stressed. Besides, don't you want to do this for Paige?"
Prue frowned. She knew in her head that what her sisters were saying made sense. Her heart was another matter entirely. She hated the idea of leaving Aviva alone, even with Lillian, whom she trusted immensley. However, she also wanted to congratulate Paige on her new job, and she knew that even a little thing like this could help her establish a relationship with her half-sister. In the end, she forced herself to calm down and trust her sisters. "Okay, I'll go. But don't you dare start lecturing me when I call home every five minutes, because you know I will."
Piper smiled. "No lecturing, I promise."
"I'll go call Gram," Leo said. "And Prue, don't worry."
Prue rolled her eyes. "Easier said than done," she called after him. He waved her off as he went into the kitchen to use the phone.
-x-
A few hours later, they were getting ready to leave. Leo, Piper, Phoebe, and Lillian were in the foyer, waiting for Prue, who was having a hard time leaving the baby.
"Are you going to be a good girl for Grandma Lillian?" she cooed. Aviva reached up and waved her hands toward her mother's face. "I know, baby," Prue said, "We've never been apart before. I don't like it any more than you do, sweet girl. I'll be home soon, I promise. I love you." She gave the baby a kiss, and then finally handed her over to Lillian.
"We'll be fine, I promise," the older woman swore.
Prue smiled weakly. "I know you will. And thanks again for watching her, Lily."
"Have fun," Lillian called as Leo, Piper, and Phoebe finally got her outside.
Lily closed the door behind them, beaming down at the baby. "I can see why anyone would have a hard time leaving you, angel," she fawned. "Oh, don't worry, dear. Your mommy will learn to relax in time. Until then, let's get you to bed, hmm?"
-x-
Paige pulled into the club parking lot at the same time as Leo and her sisters. They met up at the entrance, and walked in together, to the booth near the stage that Piper always reserved for her family. They were all seated before anyone really started talking.
"So, Paige, Leo says you've got a new job," Prue began. "Congratulations."
Paige smiled nervously. "Thanks."
"What kind of a job is it, sweetie?" Phoebe asked.
"I'll be an assistant at South Bay Social Services," she replied. "Mostly I'll probably just do filing and stuff, but eventually I hope I get promoted to social worker. That's what I really want to do: help people."
Piper smiled, reaching out to pat her sister's hand. "That's wonderful, honey."
"We're proud of you," Prue added.
Paige blushed, but sighed happily.
They all looked up as Abbey came over with drinks for Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Leo, and mineral water for Paige.
"Abbey, there's someone I'd like you to meet," Piper said just before the waitress started to leave. "This is my sister, Paige. Paige, this is Abbey. She's been with me since I started this place."
Abbey shook Paige's hand. "Nice to meet you. I've seen you around here before, haven't I? I never knew you were Piper's sister."
Paige gave a small laugh. "Yeah, neither did I."
Abbey smiled. As one of Piper's closest friends, she knew how they'd discovered their half-sister. "Well, now hopefully we'll see you around here more often."
Paige smiled back. "I'd like that."
Piper put an arm around her. "You can count on it."
Abbey left, and Prue got up to call Lily.
"Already?" Phoebe asked. "Prue, we just got here."
"Hey, you promised no lecturing," Prue reminded her.
"I'm not lecturing, I'm trying to get you to relax," Phoebe replied. "There's a difference."
Prue sighed. "Sure there is, Pheebs. Can I check on my baby now?"
Piper and Phoebe simultaniously rolled their eyes.
"She can't leave that child alone for five minutes without having a meltdown," Piper said to Paige.
"It's the whole new-mom thing," Paige replied. "She'll grow out of it. Hopefully before Ava goes off to college."
Piper, Phoebe, and Leo laughed. Prue, meanwhile, had taken her sisters' collective eye-rolling as a 'yes' and gone off to the back room to make the call. She came back a few minutes later, sliding quietly back into her seat.
"Well, is everything okay?" Phoebe asked.
Prue nodded. "Lily said Ava's asleep, although I don't know how long that'll last. This is around the time of night she usually wakes up."
"And when she does, Lily will give her a bottle and get her back to sleep," Piper told her. "I think she can handle that much."
"Okay, I get it. I'll relax," Prue promised, though she glanced nervously down at her purse, where she'd tucked her cell phone.
"Good," Leo said, preparing to change the subject. "Then I'd like to propose a toast. To Paige and her new job."
"To Paige," responded Prue, Piper, and Phoebe. Five glasses clinked together.
"Thanks, guys," Paige said when they'd all taken a sip. "Really, it means a lot to me that you're all here."
"It means a lot to us that you wanted us here," Prue replied.
There was a brief pause, as nobody knew quite what to say next. Paige looked around the table, half unable to believe that these women really were her sisters. They seemed to have a great relationship with each other. She couldn't help wanting to be part of that, but at the same time she wondered if she ever really could.
Sighing, Paige took another sip of water. She silently resolved not to worry about that tonight. She could become their sister later. Tonight, she'd settle for becoming their friend.
****************
~from the song "The Festival Song" by Good Charlotte~