Thank you so much for reading...and the reviews are great thanx.
oh and cc - glad you like this two. I'm still trying to write a perfect part for OH BROTHER assoon as i do i'll send it your way. Sorry. i'll try and do that soon. Thanksfor been agreat friend and sticking with my random postsand what have you! TOTEM
You light up my life – literally!
Part 2 - hotter than hell
Her hands still shaking, her mind still full of the horror she witnessed. As Phoebe Halliwell stood in the center of a blaze that threatened her very existence clutching a small bundle in her arms she knew right now she had to push everything else out the was in her mind. One thing she thought of was her love, but that lasted all of two seconds as a gas pipe blew next to her. The heat was excruciating. Pulling the bundle closer to her chest she made her way down the corridor, hoping that she got through this all.
A few seconds later Phoebe looked up and realized that a wooden beam had feel near the door, her heart stopped and her instincts took over. She turned on her heals fast and ran through the door on her left. A small room...not much could be seen, but she was sure of one thing, a way out of here. Moving through the ruble and rubbish that littered the floor she lifted the bundle in one arm and with the other, using her elbow, she put the old thin glass that was part of this old manor threw. As she did she heard a distinctive cracking sound as the roof started to fall through. Wasting no time she jumped onto the ledge and stepped out of the gap she had made herself.
The light hurt her eyes, the sun that had been blacked out in that house was still out. The world had continued moving as she was stuck in that living hell. Then she hared a voice, an absent voice that she did not really here. Looking next to her she saw Rich, geared up also like her. Phoebe glanced back down at her arms. Now stood a fair distance away from the burning home she fell to her knees. Placed the bundle on the floor and took of her gloves and mask as fast as she could. Wasting no time, she the peeled back the corner of the blanket. There he was, a young child no more than that age of two lay, lifeless.
The horror was in her eyes, Rich also fell to his knees next to Phoebe. Looking at her he disregarded his mask. Knowing full well this child was dead he did not need to ask. He just looked at his college, at her face. The sheer horror was enough. What Phoebe had endured in that house was playing on her mind. Every last movement she made. Step she took. Picking the bundle back up she rested it against her jacket, standing to her feet she moved forward, holding the child so carefully as if a new born. Hand rested on its small head.
She hared the orders been thrown from her friends, colleges, the men that were working to save lives had failed. Failed the small child, failed the family.
Then from her hand she felt the child been taken, looking up now focusing on her surroundings she saw who it was. Kissing the head of the child she passed it over to him, the guy that stood before her had sympathy in his eyes, for the child, and for Phoebe. He knew what horror that she had to endure.
Phoebe saw he was going to say something to her, try to comfort her. She shook her head "...Family" was all she could say. HE did that, turned around and headed of to the family.
Phoebe watched him leave, watched him turn and walk away. That the guy who on many shouts who had encouraged her and given her hope and faith. What hope was there in this, what faith, did she now have left? The San Francisco fire department, relied on the Chaplin to guide them and give them strength, he couldn't not today. Not now.
Phoebe stood in the center of that openness, looking at the mayhem unmoved from the heart ach that she felt. A few seconds, or hours, most likely many minuets passed, Phoebe still in the same place felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning she saw him, and just placed her head on his shoulder, unable to cry or even make a sound he just stood with his arms around her as he tried to offer comfort. This is where they stayed the whole world moving on around them, but they were still, so still and very much was Phoebe in the past.
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Prue come tumbling down the steps of the manor; she was dressed in a pair of jeans, white shirt and brown leather ready for a shoot. As she came to the bottom there was a knock at the door. She made her way towards it.
In pulling it open that's when she saw Phoebe, "Hay there, since when do you knock the door?" Prue then looked closer at her baby sister. The youngest was leant up against the door framed of the manor absent, and vacant. "Phoebe is everything okay?" she asked worry evident.
"I...can I come in?" she asked,
Prue moved to the side, Phoebe walked forward and into the manor. "Sure, go though to the living room can I get you a drink?"
"Beer good, spirits even better" Phoebe spoke still absent, as she walked into the living room. Prue looked at her baby sister worried something was not right. Not by a long shot.
A few minuets later Prue walked into the room with a beer in her hand, she took a seat next to her sister, "I have to admit Phoebe, your scaring me right now. It is just twelve and you want to drink."
"I'm sorry, I just...didn't want to be alone right now. Not at all... I went home and Piper was out. I had to come over here"
"I'm glad you did Phoebe, but why are you not at work?"
"They...they sent me home. I'm unfit to work..." Phoebe explained as she stared of into the distance.
Prue handed her the beer. "What do you mean? Why?"
"We got a call out early this morning...an old manor...things, they went so wrong..."
"Are you okay?" Prue asked, fearing her sister had been hurt
"Physically, yeah I'm fine..." Phoebe explained,
"What's happened Phoebe, tell me..."
Just as Prue said this there was a ringing that filled the air, Phoebe took a swig from the bottle and from her pocket took the mobile out. Looking at the screen she then flipped it open. "Hello" She spoke
"Hay you" the male voice sounded, "I couldn't stop thinking about you all morning"
"Hay..." Phoebe mumbled, this was the first time that she could ever recal not been happy at the sound of his voice, but she realized then that she did need him.
"Phoebe what is it? What's wrong?" Worry had over come all his emotions.
"Can't tell you over the phone...I'll...later okay?"
"Phoebe, is everything okay? Just answer that" He pressured, his voice firm and demanding
"No" she answered truthfully
"Are you alone? I'll get off work and come to you" He spoke fearing that she was hurt,
"Stop, listen. I'm not...I'm with Prue. I'll see you later okay" She explained as she took another swig from the bottle of beer.
"Are you sure? Phoebe I don't like this..."
"I'll see you later. Bye"
"I love you Phoebe" He spoke sounding so sure of it
"Yeah, you to" Phoebe said lastly before cutting off the call. When she did she turned back to Prue, "Do you think maybe I could go sleep for an hour or two? My head it's all over the place"
"What's happened Phoebe?" Prue asked
Phoebe knew that she had to tell Prue, "We, had a call out..." She took a deep breath and sat forward resting her elbows on her knees her head on her hands. "...things were bad, I could tell. I was one of three who went into the house...we were told that there was people still inside. I wasted no time. Full kit on, canister of oxygen on my back and axe in my hand. I remember thinking about those in side how they felt. Without hesitation I ran into the house, through the door, and into the flames..." Phoebe stopped for a moment, tears threatening to fall she pushed them away and continued with her account. "I saw a guy, lying on the floor. I ran to him and dragged him out of the landing and at the top of the stairs Rich was there he lifted the guy onto his back and headed out of the manor. He told me that It was to unstable to carry on. He was right the floor was heating up from the fire, it was falling apart. I just pushed him down and told him I'd follow. That's when a pipe or something exploded in the hallway. I looked..." Phoebe's voice was becoming lost as she relived the horror, "I looked down there and something told me I couldn't leave. So I didn't, I ran towards the room at the far end and when I...I rounded the corner there was a cot...a small baby in I ran to him, his face blackened with smoke, I lifted him, into my arms he was so light Prue. I wrapped him up in my arms and held him to my chest then made my way from the room and back to the stairs. The roof was falling now, large beams crashed, crashed sown around me. I pushed my way through. Literally pulling the wood away with my free hand the other holding the small..." Phoebe stopped and fell stood up, walking over to the mirror she looked at her self; she felt something deep down, something strong. "I got out eventually but he was dead Prue, that small baby was dead. I keep thinking about his mother, his aunts, his father. How do they feel?"
Prue was speechless; she didn't know what to say. She stood up and walked over to Phoebe. The youngest turned to her and she lost it, "It shouldn't have happened Prue? That kid should not be DEAD!" she screamed. "How could he let this happen PRUE? If there is a god, up there then how? His hands were so small, his face..." Phoebe sat down on the coffee table her legs giving way; she placed her face in her hands. "I failed, my job is to save these people and I failed..."
Prue knelt in front of Phoebe, she took the youngest hands in her own and forced her to make eye contact. Prue could see nothing but sadness in Phoebe's eyes, "You CAN NOT, blame you Phoebe. This is not your fault...it's an accident a terrible accident. NO one is to blame."
"You have know idea what it was like Prue, he was so, so small" Phoebe totally lost it now she fell into Prue. The oldest sister's heart broke. She lifted her sister up and helped her over to the sofa where Phoebe sat, head in Prue's shoulder letting it all out.
Everything that the day, so short not more than a few hours, had brought.
The day that was far from over