A/N: I'm loving writing this, there's so much I could do here but... well, you know, so much to do, so little time. And, with that, I'll stop babbling.

Another week passed before Paige seriously considered calling Maddy. She had enjoyed talking, finding out about Prue from someone who didn't think the sun shone out of her backside had been nice.

But she was wary of being friends with someone who knew Prue, it'd be constant comparisons just like at the manor. And her sisters would blow a fuse if they found out.

Then again, she didn't have many friends and the thought of having a friend who knew all about the witchy stuff was very appealing.

So she threw caution to the wind, rang Maddy and arranged a meeting in the park where they'd taken their walk together.

Maddy was already waiting when she got there. 'I was starting to think you'd never ring.'

'Been waiting by the phone?' Paige joked awkwardly.

'Something like that.' Maddy smiled. 'How've you been?'

'Fine, I guess,' Paige said. 'Everything's been a bit strained since...'

'Since I turned up?' Maddy finished helpfully.

'They're planning to vanquish you on sight,' Paige confided. 'It's not good for Piper to be stressed.'

'I never meant to start a family war.' Maddy said.

'You didn't,' Paige insisted. 'Prue did this, not you.'

'Why did you change your mind about being friends with me?'

Paige suppressed a blush. 'A girl's gotta have friends, right?'

'Especially friends who know the big secret, right?' Maddy smiled.

Paige nodded. 'It's just nice to be able to talk freely, you know?'

'What about the Prue connection? Doesn't that still worry you?'

'Just don't treat me like I'm Prue,' Paige warned. 'I'm not.'

'I know.'

'Are you sure we should be here?' Maddy asked taking yet another nervous glance around the attic.

'It'll be fine,' Paige flipped through the pages of the Book of Shadows. 'I just thought you might wanna see the Book.'

'I know,' Maddy said. 'But what if your sisters come back?'

'Piper's taken Wyatt out for the day, Phoebe's at work, there's no one home.'

A door slamming downstairs contradicted her immediately.

'Oh, no!' Maddy hissed. 'I'm gonna die.'

'No, you're not.' Paige took her hand and pulled her to the door only to hear footsteps on the attic stairs. 'Er... let's orb.'

Madeline fell onto the bed when the pair materialised, Paige kneeled by her side. 'Are you alright?'

'I j... just haven't got used to orbing yet.' Maddy whispered weakly.

She really didn't look good, Paige observed. She was deathly pale, she actually reminded her a picture she'd just seen in the Book of a banshee. 'Er... you really don't look great.'

'I'm fine,' Maddy took a few deep breaths and sat up. 'Really, I am.'

Paige wasn't convinced and pressed the back of her hand to Maddy's forehead- she was burning up. 'You're sweating.'

'I think maybe I was scared of getting caught.' Maddy smiled shakily.

'We weren't really doing anything wrong.'

'I don't think Piper would have seen it like that.' Maddy said with a hint of shyness that the situation really didn't merit. After all, it was just a forbidden friendship not a forbidden... love or anything.

Suddenly Paige felt very shy herself. 'It's dangerous for you to be here, I was stupid to bring you. I'm putting you in danger just cos I'm lonely, I shouldn't be doing that to you.'

'Paige,' Maddy laughed patiently. 'You're babbling, why are you babbling?'

Paige stood and walked over to the window. 'I'm not babbling.'

'I admit I don't really know you but I know when someone's babbling.' Maddy said. 'Maybe I better go.'

'No!' Paige turned back. I don't want you to go.'

The two women descended into silence as they locked eyes and stared each other out. Paige wondered what was going on in Maddy's head, she wasn't sure about the thoughts swirling around in her own mind so how was she supposed to figure out what Maddy was thinking?

'I really better go.' Maddy said awkwardly. 'Maybe you could orb me? I don't wanna run into Piper or anything.'

Paige smiled weakly and took her hand, ignoring the unknown emotion shooting through her body and orbed her to a secluded park of the park and orbing back home instantly.

She was going to have to be careful around Maddy now. Being friends was one thing, being... best friends was quite another.