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Chapter II
A Father-Daughter Moment
Phoebe Haliwell looked up at the white clouds floating above the blue San Francisco skyline and hoped for inspiration. She was looking for the right words to tell her father that she was engaged to marry Cole. She knew without a doubt that he would not approve. Victor Bennett's own marriage had failed due to the magical world his wife inhabited and Phoebe knew that he wished his daughters would forsake it as well. Instead Piper had married her white lighter Leo and now Phoebe was wedding a one hundred year old former demon. It couldn't be easy for a father to take.
"So how is that new sister of yours doing?" Victor asked seemingly unaware of his youngest daughter's preoccupation. Phoebe knew she was a coward but she gladly latched on to the change of subject. "Paige is fine Dad. She still seems to be experiencing some confidence problems but I'm sure she'll settle into her new life just fine." "Piper seems a bit unsure of her," Victor replied. "Piper said that to you?" Phoebe asked. Usually topics like this one were held in confidence between Phoebe, Piper, Leo and Cole. Phoebe was a bit surprised that Piper had confided this much in their father. They had grown closer to him over the years but there was still a bit of a mistrust factor since Victor had walked out of their lives when they needed him most.
"Reluctantly of course," Victor replied. Given, the loyalty of the sisterhood and Charmed circle and all of that. I could tell she was troubled though so I finally dragged it out of her. And since you're here, I'm going to tell you exactly what I told her. I know Paige is your sister by blood and how much that kind of bond means to you girls, but you can't just act on blind loyalty either. Use your heads too, do not just automatically assume you can trust her."
"Dad, I know this has to be hard for you. Paige is Mom and Sam's daughter after all. That has to hurt you so much. But she was conceived after you and Mom split up and none of it was her fault. Plus Mom and Grams seem to think Paige is okay. I also think that both you and even Piper may look at Paige and think that the universe is somehow trying to replace Prue but that isn't true. Prue can never be replaced and Paige is her own person.
"Thank you for the history lesson and psychoanalysis, Phoebe," Victor said clearly hurt. But believe it or not this isn't about Patty, Sam, Paige or even Prue may she rest in peace. Well that's not exactly true. It is about Prue in a way. You see I have already lost one daughter to all this "charmed" craziness, and I sure as hell don't want to loose either you or Piper to it as well. Plus by the way, your Mom and Grams can hardly be objective in terms of Paige either but please by all means forgive a human father's concern."
"Dad, I'm sor... Phoebe started to say but the ringing of her cell phone interrupted her. She threw Victor an apologetic look. This was not going well at all. Her intention wasn't to hurt Victor but she obviously had. She looked down at the number and saw the call was from the manor. "I have to take this Dad she said. It could be an emergency. Victor motioned dejectedly. "By all means go ahead."
Phoebe nodded and picked up the phone. "This had better be good," she informed the caller on the other end before she even knew who it was. "Sorry sweetie, for interrupting you," Cole's voice came over the line. But we kind of have an emergency over here. Paige was experimenting with potions again and she sort of turned Leo into a jacka... Ouch.... sorry Leo, a donkey. Man for a pacifist you've got a nasty kick."
"Honey stay with me here," Phoebe pleaded unsure of whether she wanted to laugh or cry. This wasn't going to exactly soothe the already troubled waters between Paige and Piper. Suddenly she felt a stab of sympathy for Piper and all the times she had to play mediator when Phoebe had argued with Pure. "Sorry," Cole answered.
"Where's Piper?" Phoebe asked. "She's gone to the club. I was afraid to call her; I didn't want her to have a stroke or something. "Not to mention that Paige doesn't need another lecture," Phoebe responded.
" Well I'm not sure about Paige not needing the lecture, but I knew you'd feel that way so that's why I called you first, love. Not to mention the fact that I'm curious. Did you tell your father about our future plans?" "No, I haven't had the chance yet and it doesn't look like I'm going to today either, given the situation. "Well look on the bright side, I guess that means I don't have to hop a plane to Siberia just yet," Cole joked. Uh Pheebs hold on a minute, no Leo not in the kitchen. Outside, uh wait a minute, you can't go outside. You're just going to have to hold it. We don't have a permit for a donkey. Sweetie, I have to go. Oh crap, no, no, no, I didn't mean that literally. Leo!!!!!! Get here as soon as possible," Cole shouted into the line at Phoebe before he hung up.
"Dad," Phoebe said turning to her father, "I'm sorry but I have to go." "Is everything alright?" Victor asked clearly worried. "I heard you mention Piper is she okay. There hasn't been another demonic attack has there?" he whispered. "No, Piper's fine," Phoebe, said trying to calm her father. "At least for now," she added to herself. Piper wouldn't be if they didn't find a way to get Leo back to normal quickly. "There's just a little domestic crisis with Paige that's all."
Victor nodded. He didn't say anything but Phoebe could see the sadness in his eyes. He really was making an effort to be a part of their lives, and now it was her and Piper's lives that were constantly interfering. "We will talk soon, Dad, I promise." "Yeah, you said you had big news to tell me, can you give me a little clue before you go?" "No, I think it had better wait. I'll call as soon as I can Dad." Phoebe started to rush off and then quickly doubled back. She gave her father a reassuring hug and kisses on the cheek before running of again.
Chapter II
A Father-Daughter Moment
Phoebe Haliwell looked up at the white clouds floating above the blue San Francisco skyline and hoped for inspiration. She was looking for the right words to tell her father that she was engaged to marry Cole. She knew without a doubt that he would not approve. Victor Bennett's own marriage had failed due to the magical world his wife inhabited and Phoebe knew that he wished his daughters would forsake it as well. Instead Piper had married her white lighter Leo and now Phoebe was wedding a one hundred year old former demon. It couldn't be easy for a father to take.
"So how is that new sister of yours doing?" Victor asked seemingly unaware of his youngest daughter's preoccupation. Phoebe knew she was a coward but she gladly latched on to the change of subject. "Paige is fine Dad. She still seems to be experiencing some confidence problems but I'm sure she'll settle into her new life just fine." "Piper seems a bit unsure of her," Victor replied. "Piper said that to you?" Phoebe asked. Usually topics like this one were held in confidence between Phoebe, Piper, Leo and Cole. Phoebe was a bit surprised that Piper had confided this much in their father. They had grown closer to him over the years but there was still a bit of a mistrust factor since Victor had walked out of their lives when they needed him most.
"Reluctantly of course," Victor replied. Given, the loyalty of the sisterhood and Charmed circle and all of that. I could tell she was troubled though so I finally dragged it out of her. And since you're here, I'm going to tell you exactly what I told her. I know Paige is your sister by blood and how much that kind of bond means to you girls, but you can't just act on blind loyalty either. Use your heads too, do not just automatically assume you can trust her."
"Dad, I know this has to be hard for you. Paige is Mom and Sam's daughter after all. That has to hurt you so much. But she was conceived after you and Mom split up and none of it was her fault. Plus Mom and Grams seem to think Paige is okay. I also think that both you and even Piper may look at Paige and think that the universe is somehow trying to replace Prue but that isn't true. Prue can never be replaced and Paige is her own person.
"Thank you for the history lesson and psychoanalysis, Phoebe," Victor said clearly hurt. But believe it or not this isn't about Patty, Sam, Paige or even Prue may she rest in peace. Well that's not exactly true. It is about Prue in a way. You see I have already lost one daughter to all this "charmed" craziness, and I sure as hell don't want to loose either you or Piper to it as well. Plus by the way, your Mom and Grams can hardly be objective in terms of Paige either but please by all means forgive a human father's concern."
"Dad, I'm sor... Phoebe started to say but the ringing of her cell phone interrupted her. She threw Victor an apologetic look. This was not going well at all. Her intention wasn't to hurt Victor but she obviously had. She looked down at the number and saw the call was from the manor. "I have to take this Dad she said. It could be an emergency. Victor motioned dejectedly. "By all means go ahead."
Phoebe nodded and picked up the phone. "This had better be good," she informed the caller on the other end before she even knew who it was. "Sorry sweetie, for interrupting you," Cole's voice came over the line. But we kind of have an emergency over here. Paige was experimenting with potions again and she sort of turned Leo into a jacka... Ouch.... sorry Leo, a donkey. Man for a pacifist you've got a nasty kick."
"Honey stay with me here," Phoebe pleaded unsure of whether she wanted to laugh or cry. This wasn't going to exactly soothe the already troubled waters between Paige and Piper. Suddenly she felt a stab of sympathy for Piper and all the times she had to play mediator when Phoebe had argued with Pure. "Sorry," Cole answered.
"Where's Piper?" Phoebe asked. "She's gone to the club. I was afraid to call her; I didn't want her to have a stroke or something. "Not to mention that Paige doesn't need another lecture," Phoebe responded.
" Well I'm not sure about Paige not needing the lecture, but I knew you'd feel that way so that's why I called you first, love. Not to mention the fact that I'm curious. Did you tell your father about our future plans?" "No, I haven't had the chance yet and it doesn't look like I'm going to today either, given the situation. "Well look on the bright side, I guess that means I don't have to hop a plane to Siberia just yet," Cole joked. Uh Pheebs hold on a minute, no Leo not in the kitchen. Outside, uh wait a minute, you can't go outside. You're just going to have to hold it. We don't have a permit for a donkey. Sweetie, I have to go. Oh crap, no, no, no, I didn't mean that literally. Leo!!!!!! Get here as soon as possible," Cole shouted into the line at Phoebe before he hung up.
"Dad," Phoebe said turning to her father, "I'm sorry but I have to go." "Is everything alright?" Victor asked clearly worried. "I heard you mention Piper is she okay. There hasn't been another demonic attack has there?" he whispered. "No, Piper's fine," Phoebe, said trying to calm her father. "At least for now," she added to herself. Piper wouldn't be if they didn't find a way to get Leo back to normal quickly. "There's just a little domestic crisis with Paige that's all."
Victor nodded. He didn't say anything but Phoebe could see the sadness in his eyes. He really was making an effort to be a part of their lives, and now it was her and Piper's lives that were constantly interfering. "We will talk soon, Dad, I promise." "Yeah, you said you had big news to tell me, can you give me a little clue before you go?" "No, I think it had better wait. I'll call as soon as I can Dad." Phoebe started to rush off and then quickly doubled back. She gave her father a reassuring hug and kisses on the cheek before running of again.