A/N: thanks to Gryffindor620, Anarra, Piperleo4eva and lil- whitelighter111488 (your last review didn't get through but thanks for reading and reviewing again!) for reviewing the last chapter.
Chapter 9
It's unnerving
How just one move puts me by myself
There you go just trusting someone else
Now I know I put us both through hell
May 19th 2015
Phoebe
I'd gone through today a thousand times in my head; a hundred different scenarios, millions of words. But not once had I come up with this.
Lara
We stood outside the door for a while before Mom rang the doorbell. She was nervous and kept fidgeting; walking back and forth and pulling on her clothes, smoothing out invisible creases. She even had to take deep breaths to calm herself down as she pushed the bell. I'd never seen her like this before. I guess it must be hard coming back after all this time and knowing that she'll have a lot to answer. I'm not excusing what she's done, or saying that it's okay. I just understand a bit more, I guess.
Their house is huge. It's one of those big old Victorian styles with wooden boards painted red and stained glass around the windows. It's got a built up front garden and a back one too. I've only lived in one house with a garden, when I was 6. Other than that we lived in apartments.
After what seemed like forever, the door knob turned and the wooden door opened.
Melinda
I'd seen them both before but it was weird seeing them as my aunt and cousin. I smiled at Lara; after all, none of this was her fault. She recognized me, I could tell.
"Hi" I said it more to her than her Mom. I still wasn't sure how I felt about Phoebe yet. Mom hasn't told us a lot. She wants us to make our own opinions I guess. I don't know if I'd be that willing if I was in her position.
Lara
"Hi" I let out a breath that I didn't even know I'd been holding in. It was her; Melinda, the girl from the beach and school. She was my cousin. Ever since I knew about Mom's family she left behind I sort of knew she was my cousin. And now I was certain.
She stepped back and held the door open. Mom went in first and I followed. I loved the house the moment I stepped inside. It's sort of open plan downstairs with each room running into each other and there are hardly any doors. All the floors are wooden and are colored by the light as it shines through the stained glass around every window.
Melinda led us into the first room on the right. It was a sitting room and there were more people than I had expected or imagined. There were two women, one with shoulder length black hair and the other with long brown hair. She held onto a man's hand; the only man in the room. There were six children in total, including Melinda: two boys and four girls. They were all sitting on chairs or settees with the three youngest girls playing on the floor. They stopped their game when we came in.
Everyone stayed silent for I don't know how long. Just taking each other in.
Phoebe
She looks like Prue. The same hair and eyes. My half sister. My family. And the horrible thing is I only know two of them. I have six nieces and nephews that I don't know. A sister who I don't know.
Lara
"Okay, so I'm Melinda" Melinda started to introduce everyone to me. "That's my Mom, Piper and my Dad, Leo" she indicated towards the woman with the long brown hair and the man.; my Auntie and Uncle. "That's my Aunt Paige" the other women with black hair. Mom had told me in the car over about Paige. But she didn't know a lot. She'd only found out yesterday. It means more to her than me I suppose. For me, it's another member of my family who I'm meeting for the first time. For mom, it's a sister she didn't even know existed.
"That's my older brother Wyatt and my twin Chris" she pointed to the only two boys, who sat on a settee. Then to the three girls on the floor "My little sister Grace" she pointed to the one who was the middle in age of the three, with light brown hair and a huge grin on her face. She then pointed to the other two girls. "That's my cousin Charlotte, and my other cousin Helena." Both of them had black hair. Helena was the youngest, her hair was pulled into bunches and she looked quite shy. Charlotte was older than Grace but younger that Melinda. They were all my Cousins.
"Everyone, this is Lara." She introduced me to them all. Mom hung back. She'd stopped in the doorway. I knew she was nervous being here.
Piper
Lara, my niece and Phoebe, my sister. Phoebe kept her distance; she took everyone in, absorbed the information but didn't say anything.
"Kids, why don't you all go and show Lara around maybe get her a drink or something as well." I suggested. We needed to talk to Phoebe. Alone. And they needed to get to know their cousin.
"Okay!" Grace bounced up and grabbed Lara's hand, pulling her towards the kitchen. She's a friend to everyone, that child! The others followed and excited chatter followed.
Phoebe
The children had gone and the safety with it. Piper looked at me as I slowly made to sit down. A thousand thoughts, emotions and missed moments were held in that glance. This was going to be so hard.
Leo turned to Piper, one of his charges were calling him. He kissed her then orbed out. And everything almost felt normal; familiarity.
But it wasn't. Paige was there, not Prue and children's laughter was heard as they bounded upstairs.
"Do they know?" I wondered it and hadn't realized I'd asked it until I heard Piper answer.
"Know what?"
"The Children, do they know about Prue, Me, Magic. Everything."
"Yes. We couldn't keep it from them, and didn't want too. It's all part of them"
I must have looked guilty or something, by what she said next. "Don't worry. We told them not to show Lara their powers or talk about magic until she asked."
"I bound her powers when she was born. She only found out yesterday. God she hates me for this. She only just found out about you, magic, this whole thing."
"Huh" she bit her bottom lip for a second and nodded her head; something that felt like a ghost of my past. Then after a beat she continued "she's his, Cole's, isn't she?"
"Yeah"
"Does she know about who he was?"
"No. She'd totally freak out about being part demon. It'd make her more confused. He died when Lara was two. The source had killed him personally. When she got older and started to ask questions I had to lie to her, I told her he was shot. After he died I stopped practicing magic and we had to keep moving all around the country. I couldn't let them get her too."
Piper said nothing. She understood that part, what I'd done. I knew that. I didn't need her to say anything. I looked at Paige and Piper. They seemed so completely relaxed with one another. They trusted each other completely. That was obvious. I didn't know how I could be a part of that. I felt totally alone. I hadn't even spoken to Paige yet. I didn't know what to say. "Hi, I'm your sister. Yeah, I abandoned our other sister after our oldest sister died. How you doing?!" It doesn't exactly roll of the tongue.
Piper
She hadn't spoken to Paige yet. I knew it hurt Paige but I also knew that Phoebe wouldn't know what to say. There was another nervous silence. It's hard to believe that Phoebe and I were once so comfortable with each other.
"So... I guess you're Paige"
That was Phoebe's attempt to talk to her sister. She spoke in a cracked slightly embarrassed voice.
"I guess I am" Paige laughed.
"So...how...?"
"How did you not know about me?" Paige finished "Our mom and her whitelighter had me. They had to give me up at birth because of the Elders. Then when Prue died the Elders decided they needed me to reconstitute the Power of Three. But, of course, that never happened." She said the last bit quietly, almost to her self. But I know Paige, she wanted Phoebe to hear but she didn't want to hurt her
"Until now" Phoebe said, her voice low.
"What?!" that was me.
"I want to come back. I want to be your sister again, Piper, and I want to get to know you Paige, and my nieces and nephews. I want it to be how it was. That is if you'll let me."
I couldn't believe her!
"Phoebe...how. How can you leave for 14 years, make absolutely no contact and then turn up out of the blue and expect everything to be okay. It just doesn't work like that." That was me again.
Phoebe
"I thought I could live by myself. I thought I didn't need anyone, that I'd be perfectly fine. But I do need you. I need my family. Please let me."
I was breaking down. It had taken so long for me to realize that I wanted to come back that I knew u might have missed my chance. And that thought almost killed me.
Piper and Paige looked at each other. It was like they were communicating with out saying a thing. Like we used to.
"I don't know." Piper spoke with a heavy voice. She was conflicted and I knew that. She was hurting but so was I. She continued, "When you left, I didn't know if I'd be able to survive. But o did. It's because of Paige and Leo that I'm even sitting here today. But surviving that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I don't think I could do it again.
"But then, you're Phoebes. You're my little sister and sisters are supposed to look after each other. This is your family; they deserve to be able to know you. But it will take along time before I can trust you again."
I knew she meant that. I knew she'd let me get to know everyone but I also knew that things wouldn't be like they were, not for a long time.
A/N: next chapter will be how Lara is getting on with her new cousins. I was going to put it on the end of here but I didn't think I'd be able to do it justice in the time I've got left.
Lyrics: 'Leave' by Matchbox Twenty.
Please review!
Chapter 9
It's unnerving
How just one move puts me by myself
There you go just trusting someone else
Now I know I put us both through hell
May 19th 2015
Phoebe
I'd gone through today a thousand times in my head; a hundred different scenarios, millions of words. But not once had I come up with this.
Lara
We stood outside the door for a while before Mom rang the doorbell. She was nervous and kept fidgeting; walking back and forth and pulling on her clothes, smoothing out invisible creases. She even had to take deep breaths to calm herself down as she pushed the bell. I'd never seen her like this before. I guess it must be hard coming back after all this time and knowing that she'll have a lot to answer. I'm not excusing what she's done, or saying that it's okay. I just understand a bit more, I guess.
Their house is huge. It's one of those big old Victorian styles with wooden boards painted red and stained glass around the windows. It's got a built up front garden and a back one too. I've only lived in one house with a garden, when I was 6. Other than that we lived in apartments.
After what seemed like forever, the door knob turned and the wooden door opened.
Melinda
I'd seen them both before but it was weird seeing them as my aunt and cousin. I smiled at Lara; after all, none of this was her fault. She recognized me, I could tell.
"Hi" I said it more to her than her Mom. I still wasn't sure how I felt about Phoebe yet. Mom hasn't told us a lot. She wants us to make our own opinions I guess. I don't know if I'd be that willing if I was in her position.
Lara
"Hi" I let out a breath that I didn't even know I'd been holding in. It was her; Melinda, the girl from the beach and school. She was my cousin. Ever since I knew about Mom's family she left behind I sort of knew she was my cousin. And now I was certain.
She stepped back and held the door open. Mom went in first and I followed. I loved the house the moment I stepped inside. It's sort of open plan downstairs with each room running into each other and there are hardly any doors. All the floors are wooden and are colored by the light as it shines through the stained glass around every window.
Melinda led us into the first room on the right. It was a sitting room and there were more people than I had expected or imagined. There were two women, one with shoulder length black hair and the other with long brown hair. She held onto a man's hand; the only man in the room. There were six children in total, including Melinda: two boys and four girls. They were all sitting on chairs or settees with the three youngest girls playing on the floor. They stopped their game when we came in.
Everyone stayed silent for I don't know how long. Just taking each other in.
Phoebe
She looks like Prue. The same hair and eyes. My half sister. My family. And the horrible thing is I only know two of them. I have six nieces and nephews that I don't know. A sister who I don't know.
Lara
"Okay, so I'm Melinda" Melinda started to introduce everyone to me. "That's my Mom, Piper and my Dad, Leo" she indicated towards the woman with the long brown hair and the man.; my Auntie and Uncle. "That's my Aunt Paige" the other women with black hair. Mom had told me in the car over about Paige. But she didn't know a lot. She'd only found out yesterday. It means more to her than me I suppose. For me, it's another member of my family who I'm meeting for the first time. For mom, it's a sister she didn't even know existed.
"That's my older brother Wyatt and my twin Chris" she pointed to the only two boys, who sat on a settee. Then to the three girls on the floor "My little sister Grace" she pointed to the one who was the middle in age of the three, with light brown hair and a huge grin on her face. She then pointed to the other two girls. "That's my cousin Charlotte, and my other cousin Helena." Both of them had black hair. Helena was the youngest, her hair was pulled into bunches and she looked quite shy. Charlotte was older than Grace but younger that Melinda. They were all my Cousins.
"Everyone, this is Lara." She introduced me to them all. Mom hung back. She'd stopped in the doorway. I knew she was nervous being here.
Piper
Lara, my niece and Phoebe, my sister. Phoebe kept her distance; she took everyone in, absorbed the information but didn't say anything.
"Kids, why don't you all go and show Lara around maybe get her a drink or something as well." I suggested. We needed to talk to Phoebe. Alone. And they needed to get to know their cousin.
"Okay!" Grace bounced up and grabbed Lara's hand, pulling her towards the kitchen. She's a friend to everyone, that child! The others followed and excited chatter followed.
Phoebe
The children had gone and the safety with it. Piper looked at me as I slowly made to sit down. A thousand thoughts, emotions and missed moments were held in that glance. This was going to be so hard.
Leo turned to Piper, one of his charges were calling him. He kissed her then orbed out. And everything almost felt normal; familiarity.
But it wasn't. Paige was there, not Prue and children's laughter was heard as they bounded upstairs.
"Do they know?" I wondered it and hadn't realized I'd asked it until I heard Piper answer.
"Know what?"
"The Children, do they know about Prue, Me, Magic. Everything."
"Yes. We couldn't keep it from them, and didn't want too. It's all part of them"
I must have looked guilty or something, by what she said next. "Don't worry. We told them not to show Lara their powers or talk about magic until she asked."
"I bound her powers when she was born. She only found out yesterday. God she hates me for this. She only just found out about you, magic, this whole thing."
"Huh" she bit her bottom lip for a second and nodded her head; something that felt like a ghost of my past. Then after a beat she continued "she's his, Cole's, isn't she?"
"Yeah"
"Does she know about who he was?"
"No. She'd totally freak out about being part demon. It'd make her more confused. He died when Lara was two. The source had killed him personally. When she got older and started to ask questions I had to lie to her, I told her he was shot. After he died I stopped practicing magic and we had to keep moving all around the country. I couldn't let them get her too."
Piper said nothing. She understood that part, what I'd done. I knew that. I didn't need her to say anything. I looked at Paige and Piper. They seemed so completely relaxed with one another. They trusted each other completely. That was obvious. I didn't know how I could be a part of that. I felt totally alone. I hadn't even spoken to Paige yet. I didn't know what to say. "Hi, I'm your sister. Yeah, I abandoned our other sister after our oldest sister died. How you doing?!" It doesn't exactly roll of the tongue.
Piper
She hadn't spoken to Paige yet. I knew it hurt Paige but I also knew that Phoebe wouldn't know what to say. There was another nervous silence. It's hard to believe that Phoebe and I were once so comfortable with each other.
"So... I guess you're Paige"
That was Phoebe's attempt to talk to her sister. She spoke in a cracked slightly embarrassed voice.
"I guess I am" Paige laughed.
"So...how...?"
"How did you not know about me?" Paige finished "Our mom and her whitelighter had me. They had to give me up at birth because of the Elders. Then when Prue died the Elders decided they needed me to reconstitute the Power of Three. But, of course, that never happened." She said the last bit quietly, almost to her self. But I know Paige, she wanted Phoebe to hear but she didn't want to hurt her
"Until now" Phoebe said, her voice low.
"What?!" that was me.
"I want to come back. I want to be your sister again, Piper, and I want to get to know you Paige, and my nieces and nephews. I want it to be how it was. That is if you'll let me."
I couldn't believe her!
"Phoebe...how. How can you leave for 14 years, make absolutely no contact and then turn up out of the blue and expect everything to be okay. It just doesn't work like that." That was me again.
Phoebe
"I thought I could live by myself. I thought I didn't need anyone, that I'd be perfectly fine. But I do need you. I need my family. Please let me."
I was breaking down. It had taken so long for me to realize that I wanted to come back that I knew u might have missed my chance. And that thought almost killed me.
Piper and Paige looked at each other. It was like they were communicating with out saying a thing. Like we used to.
"I don't know." Piper spoke with a heavy voice. She was conflicted and I knew that. She was hurting but so was I. She continued, "When you left, I didn't know if I'd be able to survive. But o did. It's because of Paige and Leo that I'm even sitting here today. But surviving that was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I don't think I could do it again.
"But then, you're Phoebes. You're my little sister and sisters are supposed to look after each other. This is your family; they deserve to be able to know you. But it will take along time before I can trust you again."
I knew she meant that. I knew she'd let me get to know everyone but I also knew that things wouldn't be like they were, not for a long time.
A/N: next chapter will be how Lara is getting on with her new cousins. I was going to put it on the end of here but I didn't think I'd be able to do it justice in the time I've got left.
Lyrics: 'Leave' by Matchbox Twenty.
Please review!