when the past comes back to love you chapter 1, a charmed fanfic

CHARMED

"When the Past Comes Back to Love You"

by shel

disclaimer: the charmed ones, cole, and leo, and the rest of the cast of characters we've come to know and love, belong to spelling television, inc. and possible other copyright holders. i intended no true infringement on their copyrights; i only wanted to borrow these marvelous characters for a short time in my own scenarios and hopefully return them no worse for wear; the only things i've gained from this story are the satisfaction and pleasure of having written it and in knowing that others may have enjoyed it too...

rating: pg-13

summary: phoebe's vision in season six's 'the legend of sleepy halliwell' comes true (my way)...

timeline: five years in the future...

archive: please don't without expressed permission...

notes: i came up with this idea and outlined it right after viewing that episode but needed to finish 'when you wish upon a dark star' before formally writing it up so, finally, here it is...specific references to season two's 'morality bites,' season six's 'crimes & witch demeanors,' and season five's 'centennial charmed'...it wasn't clear to me just how old wyatt and chris were supposed to be in phoebe's vision so i've taken the liberty of making them six and five, respectively...please let me know if you enjoyed my tale and why and, if not, why not...and, please, don't bother wasting your time or mine by sending any flames...

Chapter One

Tuesday, July 21, 2009...

Late Afternoon...

"Sure you're okay, honey?" Piper asked as she entered the kitchen from the back door. "You've seemed a bit off since this morning's bit of déjà vu."

"For the zillionth time," Phoebe complained as she followed her sister, "I'm fine." She faced her sister and patted her belly, "Didn't you hear the doctor say your niece couldn't be better?"

She knew her sister was forcing that smile and felt guilty for being such a nag. Instead of pressing, Piper teased instead, "Look, I know I tease you about having my Melinda but don't start buying teeny dresses yet. You know very well we can't rely on visions and trips to the future to predict our babies' genders." She gently poked Phoebe's belly, "That one in there's being very shy about letting us know whether we need to decorate in pink or blue."

"The baby's a girl," Phoebe announced before she turned to the fridge and retrieved a bottle of water. "She has to be," she whispered to herself before gulping down some of the cold liquid. "Listen, I'm gonna go to Alicia's and pick up the mortar and pestle I asked her to hold for me. I don't know why I didn't think of that when we were already in the neighborhood," she added before wiping her lips.

Piper warily eyed her sister and instructed, "You should go upstairs and lie down. I did hear the doctor say that your blood pressure's a little higher than it should be."

Phoebe kissed her sister's cheek, patted Piper's arm, and put the bottle down on the counter. "The important thing is that the baby's okay. She's getting bigger and more active and that's all I care about. And except for the constant trips to the bathroom, I couldn't be happier...Speaking of which..."

"What about the twinges?" Piper called out after Phoebe headed for the doorway.

Phoebe stopped and sheepishly said, "Didn't think you heard that." She turned to her sister, "Don't worry, it's nothing."

"Something's wrong with this picture," Piper frowned. "You're the one who's obsessed over every aspect of this pregnancy but now you're telling me that a few twinges are 'nothing'? What's going on, Phoebe?"

"Nothing, Piper," Phoebe whined. But Piper only gave her that 'older-sister-knows-better' stare and Phoebe rolled her eyes, "Just a feeling I've had for a few days. Nothing more than that."

Despite the six-month lull in evil, Piper's Charmed senses instantly went on alert. "Are you sure?"

Phoebe recognized the worry in her sister's eyes and quickly assured Piper, "No premonitions, no bad vibes or emotions. Maybe deep down I knew about this afternoon, that it was the day from my premonition five years ago. That's all."

"It came true," Piper hugged Phoebe and rubbed her sister's back, "just like you saw it. No evil, Wyatt and Chris happy, Paige working at Magic School, and you with a baby on the way." She smiled when Phoebe moaned softly with pleasure. "Yeah, I remember what it meant to have a backrub when I was six months pregnant."

"I'm yours for life," Phoebe purred with her eyes closed. When Piper chuckled, she pulled back, "But I really gotta go..."

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"Her vision from a couple of years ago," Piper nodded to Paige as she began pulling some pans from one of the island cabinets. "You remember, back with the headless horseman, she saw herself pregnant..."

"Right," Paige nodded when it all clicked into place for her. She'd had a whirlwind day at work, what with exams and parent meetings, and hadn't thought twice about Phoebe's odd reaction in the sunroom. She snapped her fingers, "Wasn't that was right before she went on that speed-dating frenzy?"

"I did not," Phoebe indignantly declared when she returned from the bathroom. Acknowledging her sisters' sarcastic looks, she blushed and conceded, "All right, I admit, maybe I went a little overboard --"

"Maybe?" Paige interrupted.

"A little?" Piper teased. "Honey, you went through the local phone book in about three months."

Phoebe slapped her sister's arm, "I wasn't that bad!" She then reached for her water bottle and chuckled, "Although, now that I think about it, I guess it did get confusing somewhere around the 'M's." Her eyes suddenly welled with tears and she quickly wiped them away before taking a sip of water. "I was so anxious to make this vision come true that I think I lost sight of what I really wanted which's how I ended up losing my powers for all that time."

"You haven't been thinking about that trial again, have you?" Piper asked in concern. "You've had your powers back for years now and you're centered. You don't need to worry about Them taking them away again."

"No, it's not the trial, it's just...I basically want the same thing I did then. Someone to love and share a life with," she whispered sadly. "Someone so incredible that I'd want to make a new life with...literally."

Paige immediately hugged her sister from behind and rubbed Phoebe's belly while she rested her chin on Phoebe's shoulder. "Being single's not exactly how you planned to have this baby, huh," she commented. "You've been so good about all the gossip and speculation but you need to relax as much as possible. All the stress isn't good for either of you."

Phoebe realized Paige had already been filled in on her doctor's visit and, as she stepped out of Paige's embrace, she glared at Piper and warned her younger sister, "Piper exaggerated."

Paige, though, caught Piper's meaningful glance and offered, "Why don't you let me assign one of the students to run to Alicia's for you? I know a few that could use the practice and the extra credit."

Phoebe shook her head and insisted, "You're both making too much out of this. I'm fine." She suddenly grabbed Paige's hand to feel the baby kick. She grinned and looked to her older sister, "I have it easy compared to you, Piper. Each time you were pregnant, we had demons coming after us every week. This's just part of the normal stresses of being a working, single, mother-to-be."

"Yeah," Piper slowly considered as she reached over to feel the baby, "I gotta admit, I'm wondering about the lack of demonic activity these days. I know Leo said that no news is good news and I'm not anxious to keep asking him to check it out down there but maybe your powers are warning you about something coming..." After a quick glance to Paige who shrugged in return, she quietly added, "Maybe you should consider talking to the baby's father."

Phoebe immediately stepped back from both sisters and glared at them. "That topic's off-limits. You know that."

"We're just worried about you," Piper apologized. "Sweetie, I know you're still embarrassed that a drunken one-night fling got you in this condition but I've watched you whenever you see Leo with the boys and I saw the tears in your eyes during the ultrasound today."

"Hormones," Phoebe retorted. "I burst into tears at work the other day because my printer jam cleared."

Paige couldn't let the matter drop. "I know part of the stress you're under is because you're doing this all alone."

"I'm not alone," Phoebe insisted, "I've got both of you."

"And we love you for letting us share everything about this pregnancy with you but," Paige continued, "sisters aren't always the best substitute for a father."

"Remember all the difficulties I had after Leo became an Elder?" Piper agreed. "And then when I became pregnant with Chris when Wyatt had barely turned one? How many times did I cry on your shoulder, Pheebs, thinking I couldn't handle it by myself?"

"Call him, Phoebe," Paige gently pushed. "Tell him about the baby. Even you don't want a relationship with him, he has a right to know about his baby. About what he's missing. Unless, you..."

"Unless I what?" Phoebe warily asked.

Paige first glanced nervously at Piper, "You do know who the father is, don't you?"

Phoebe tensed and informed her sisters, "Of course I do and, for your information, I did tell him. I've kept him up-to-date on everything except for today's appointment."

"You did?" Paige uttered relief. Maybe she and Piper were over-reacting. "What'd he say?"

Piper saw the look on Phoebe's face, "He doesn't want to be involved, does he? Oh, Pheebs, I'm so sorry."

"He can't be involved," Phoebe replied as she stared at the water bottle on the counter. Suddenly grabbing it, she spun from her sisters, "I'll be back soon."

"Don't be mad," Piper reached out to grab Phoebe's arm.

Phoebe turned around and sighed, "I'm not. I know you love me and that you're worried about me. But I'm fine and so is my baby. Honest." She smiled slightly, "Paige, I'll take a rain-check on your student loan offer. Piper, why don't you check on your sons and make sure they haven't been exploding potions in the attic again."

This time, Paige sighed, "We didn't mean to upset you."

Phoebe hugged her sister, "I know and I love you both for risking my hormonal wrath by nagging me about it. This afternoon just threw me, that's all." She pulled back and straightened Paige's black robe, "But I'm okay. Honest. Just...no more talk 'bout this, okay?" Both sisters nodded and she turned to go, "I won't be long." She rubbed the side of her belly and considered, "Maybe I'll stop off for some pizza." She licked her lips at the thought, "With the works."

Knowing they'd stopped for coffee and danishes not twenty minutes before, Piper chuckled. "Good, that baby might just put a few pounds on you yet. Remember, dinner's in two hours."

Phoebe stuck her tongue out at her sister, "Love you both."

"Love you too," both replied just as the kitchen door slammed shut behind Phoebe.

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"Thanks, Alicia," Phoebe smiled while she waited by the register and watched her red-headed friend wrap up her package, "for holding this for me 'til I had the chance to come in."

"Not a problem," Alicia politely responded. "Always handy to have an extra one around 'cuz you never know when you'll have to make one of those double-based potions."

Knowing her friend was always careful not to bring up anything Wiccan in public, Phoebe looked more closely at Alicia and suddenly noticed the dark rings under her eyes. "Is everything okay? You seem a little tired."

Alicia continued ringing up the purchase and gave a quick nod, "Just a late night, that's all. Haven't gotten my bearings from my quick trip up to Seattle."

But Phoebe wasn't convinced and almost guiltily enjoyed badgering someone else for a change. "C'mon Licia, it's me. Seattle's still the same time zone." But Alicia didn't respond and she realized in a quiet voice, "His anniversary's coming up, isn't it?"

Alicia paused and turned to Phoebe before finally admitting in a whisper, "Today. It's today."

Phoebe quickly went around the counter and hugged her friend. "I'm so sorry, sweetie. I know how much it hurts."

"A year since he was killed in that fight with Zarlak." Alicia pulled back and wiped her eyes. "I didn't know Cole or what you went through with him but how'd you get over it? I dream about Frank all the time. I miss him so much."

"I know you do," Phoebe sympathetically nodded. "But my situation with Cole was different. I had a lot more anger going on so it was easier."

"But you loved him," Alicia countered. "How could it be easy?"

"Poor choice of words," she apologized. She thought a moment and replied, "It's not that it was easy getting over Cole. I did love him. But I was so angry and hurt by how it ended that it was easier to bury those good feelings and not deal with them. It wasn't until much later that I started feeling his loss but, by then, so much had happened in my life that it was...different, I guess."

Alicia nodded silently and blew her nose into a tissue. She scanned the store until she spotted her assistant and called the young brunette over. "Tory, take over the register, I'll be back in a few minutes." She then led Phoebe to a back room in the store used mainly for storage. She closed the door behind them and went to a large carton filled with Styrofoam peanuts and reached in. She pulled out a small wooden box and opened it for Phoebe. Inside, on the black velvet lining, was a small gold dagger with inlaid jewels in the hilt.

"Wow," Phoebe uttered. "But isn't that a little much for your little shop of trinkets?"

"Good trinkets," Alicia corrected with a smile at Phoebe's familiar tease. Her smile faded, "Actually, it's one of the reasons why I flew off to Seattle in such a rush. I was afraid someone else would buy it first."

"Alicia..."

"What if it can help?" Alicia asked eagerly. "It's over a hundred years old and the story goes that it belonged to a witch who used it to call back the dead. It's as good a shot as any I've already taken."

Phoebe lightly squeezed her friend's arm, "Piper and I tried everything to bring back Prue but nothing worked and we were the Charmed Ones. Frank is gone, Licia, and not even this dagger can bring him back."

"This dagger's powerful," Alicia whispered hopefully, "and I owe it to Frank, to myself, to try."

Phoebe's heart nearly broke and she hugged Alicia, "Maybe some Charmed blood will shove the odds in your favor."

"Do you mean it?" Alicia sniffled as she pulled away. "You'll help?"

"Yeah," Phoebe nodded, "but just don't, you know...it probably won't work."

Alicia clutched the box and pressed it close to her chest, "All I want is the chance, that's all."

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