"What do you want to know?" Penny asked staring into her cup. Piper could see that she was uncomfortable about being asked about who she was.
"Why don't you try telling me about you're name." she offered, "How did you come to be called Penny?"
"Well actually," Penny started looking up at Piper, "My full name is Penelope Patricia Grace D…" she paused biting her bottom lip, Piper could see the pain in Penny's face,
"Penelope Patricia Grace!" she repeated, "That's a lovely name! We're you named for anyone or did you're parent's just like the name?" she continued trying to coax a response.
"Well Penelope was my great grandmother, and Patricia was my grandmother and Grace is an old family name. It's not really spectacular, but I like it!" Penny explained.
Piper was definitely surprised, Penelope was her Grams' name and Patricia was her mom's name, glancing sideway's she saw Phoebe and Paige coming, Looking back she asked,
"So where are you from?", not entirely sure if she wanted to know.
"San Francisco!" was the blunt reply.
"Where about in San Francisco?" Paige asked coolly from the doorway. Penny's faced brightened and then just as quickly a deeply sorrow filled look washed over her face. She stood silently and walked over to the fire place , she traced one of the photo frames above it with her finger,
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." she said quietly as she picked the photo up and looked at it. Paige and Phoebe both took seats on the lounge, watching Penny as she stared at the picture. She knew this one was only taken recently, because the sister's hadn't changed.
"Try us?" Phoebe said, her tone whimsical, "You wouldn't believe some of the thing's we've heard."
Penny turned back towards them the photo still in her hand,
"I can only tell you so much without changing anything." she said as a tear fell from her eye. She looked at Phoebe and smiled weakly, "What's today's date?" she asked wiping the tear from her face.
"July 23rd!" Phoebe answered
"What year?"
"2009!" she answered again wondering what Penny was up to.
"Congratulations, Phoebe!" she said this time, with a wide grin on her face. Both Paige and Piper looked at Phoebe, then at Penny who was still grinning, then back to Phoebe.
"What does she mean congratulations?" Paige asked slowly. Phoebe stood up and walked over to Penny, scanning every inch of her trying to get a reading off her. When they were both face to face, Phoebe looked deep into the girl's eyes, searching. Grabbing her arm, she tried for a premonition.
"How did you know?" she whispered, "I haven't told anyone yet." Piper and Paige watched the two of them surprised and a little shocked.
"I know every major event that happens to this family for the next 25 years!" Penny told Phoebe. Phoebe's mind began to race, 'Is this my child?' she thought.
"No! I'm not." Penny answered, "But she's lovely all the same, a lot like you actually."
Piper sat back amused, at first she wondered the same thing, then she remembered when Chris was here. Penny was obviously from the future as well, 'I wonder if she knows how Chris is? If he's even there?'. Penny looked over to Piper and smiled.
"He's fine! A bit of a trouble maker, in a good way, but he's fine all the same."
Piper looked at both her sister's, Phoebe was still in shock and Paige looked quite amused as she ate on of the cookies.
"Thankyou!" Piper said, "But if you're not Phoebe's daughter who are you?"
"I'd rather not say, if it's all the same. It's not really relevant. But I am family!" Penny told them hoping that would quell the barrage of question's she knew was coming.
"Ok then." Paige said casually "Why are you here then? Is there some sort of imminent danger?"
"No, not danger, per se!" Penny laughed, "It's more of a personal/ family call!"
All of a sudden the kid's demon alarm went off upstairs. Paige orbed up stairs almost as soon as the first blast went off, Phoebe and Piper ran up the stairs double time, Penny in spite of the panic in the air, casually followed them knowing no harm had befell the boys. Upstairs Piper picked up Chris who was laughing at himself, amused at the trouble he had just caused. Wyatt was at the foot of Chris' bed watching everything, laughing with his brother.
"Wyatt Matthew Halliwell!" Piper said firmly, "Christopher Perry Halliwell! You know that's a no-no.". Penny stood in the doorway and tried to stifle a giggle,
"You might like to know that they never change!" she said giggles erupting from her. Piper just looked at Penny, who found the commotion the boys had just caused funny.
"This isn't funny! They've been doing it a lot lately and they won't say why."
Penny tried to calm herself as she walked into the room and sat on the bed. As she sat down, she took the impish youngster from Piper and beckoned Wyatt over with a wave of her hand. The three of them huddled close together, whispering. Piper, Phoebe and Paige all stood back and watched, wondering what was going on.
"Where's Un… I mean Leo?" Penny asked, as the three of them sat back.
"He's up there!" Paige said pointing upwards. "Is that why they've been doing this?" She asked crossing her arms. Penny nodded her head,
"Yep! They just want their Dad back." she said pushing the hair out of her eyes.
The boys both scampered off the bed, Wyatt took Chris' hand and the two of them ran out of the room, Penny stood up and started after them, pausing for a second she looked at Piper,
"Don't worry! They're going to be fine." then turning her attention back to the boys she continued after them in a slow jog. Phoebe who was back to her usual self put an arm around Piper's shoulder,
"Well if nothing else, at least we know that Penny's good!"
Piper and Paige both looked at her, continuing Phoebe laughed,
"Wyatt's force field! It didn't go up! She must be good!". Then she led her sisters out of the bedroom and back towards the sitting room.
Downstairs, Penny had caught up with the boys, and all three of them now sat on the sitting room floor playing with toy cars. Wyatt looked at Penny, then back at the toy's in front of him,
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I'm Penny!" she said. Not taking his eye's of the toy's in front of him,
"I'm Wyatt and this is my brother Chris." he said, smiling he continued "We're special did you know that?" Penny tried not to laugh.
"Yes I did know that." she told him smiling.
Piper, Phoebe and Paige all walked into the room, seeing that Penny and the boys we're playing quietly, they all took seats and watched them. Chris turned around and looked at his mom, flashing her a cheeky smile, he quickly turned back to the toys, as he did he orbed three cookie's off the plate, and into his hand. Without looking up Wyatt orbed the top two out of Chris' small hands, one appeared in his hand and the other into Penny's. She smiled at both of them,
"Thankyou, two." she said just loud enough for both of them to hear. Piper wanted to tell Chris off for taking the cookie's without asking, both he and Wyatt had been doing that a lot lately as well. But Piper couldn't mostly because he had shared, and that was plain good manner's, she decided to just give him a warning.
"Christopher Halliwell! Next time ask before you take something." she said sternly.
"Okay mom!" he said, still playing with his cars. Penny raised her right hand slowly and as she did the cars elevated, then concentrating hard she made the cars move around like they were on a race track. Both Chris and Wyatt were wide eyed, they thought that it was great.
"Whoa! That is so cool." they both chimed in unison. The three woman lent forward to watch a bit closer, they too were mesmerized by Penny's magical aptitude.
"Neat trick!" Phoebe said, "Where did you learn that?"
Looking at Chris and Wyatt, Penny gave them both a quick wink and set the cars back on the floor, getting up she looked at each of the woman, then back at the boys, who were now busy scooting the cars along the floor using their powers. Piper frowned slightly, 'Thanks for teaching them that one.' she thought.
"My cousin's taught me that when I was very young. It was one of the training tools we used to train our magical powers. And because I was a kid, I thought it was fun!" Penny told them.
"And where did they learn it?" Piper asked.
"Leo taught them. Or at least that's what I was told."
Piper smiled, as she watched the boys, then she looked at the clock on the wall, '4.30.' she thought, 'I have to start dinner soon.'
Penny sat her self down next to Phoebe, watching Piper she followed her gaze and looked at the clock, her eyes then fell to the photo below it.
"Where is he?" Penny asked.
"Hmmm?" was Piper's response.
"Leo? Where is he?"
"Up there. He'll be home soon." she answered.
Phoebe still wanted to know more about Penny.
"So without revealing to much, is there anything that you can tell us?" She asked.
"That all depends on what you want to know." Penny told her, "I don't know everything that happens, just the major things."
"Then tell us what qualifies as major." Paige said.
"The usual. Births, deaths and marriages. I know a few of the other little details that went with each event, but if it wasn't the be all, and end all. We weren't told." she explained.
"Well that's no help." Phoebe said, sounding defeated.
"What about demons?" Paige asked, she was curious about them and her future.
"What about them?"
"Are we ever rid of them? Do any of us ever live a fairly normal life?"
"You know better than anyone that you will never be completely rid of demons. Nevertheless, you should all know that any child of a Halliwell lives a relatively normal life. You all make sure of that."
Piper was not interested in finding out anymore. As long as her family we're safe, that is all that mattered.
"I'm going to go start dinner." She announced. "Who wants to help?"
The boys looked up and both shook their heads no, and then went back to playing. Phoebe nodded her head, since Penny couldn't tell her, what she was interested in she didn't really want to find out anymore either.
"I've got some marking to do." Paige said, "But I'd still like to talk to you, Penny."
Penny looked at Paige and smiled
"Okay."
Piper and Phoebe both stood, then they both walked towards the kitchen, as they reached the hallway Phoebe put her arm around Piper's neck,
"So what's for dinner, anyway?" She asked.
Upstairs Paige quickly got changed in the bathroom, Penny waited patiently in her bedroom. She looked at everything taking it all in, the look of the room, the smell. She walked over to the dressing table and picked up the bottle of perfume, putting it up to her nose she inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent, 'Mmm!' she thought. The smell was so familiar it was the same soft floral scent that she wore. She put the bottle back where she had got it from, and then she picked up the photo next to it. It was one taken after Chris was born, Penny knew the story of what had happened when Chris was born; it was a painful event in her family's past. Replacing the photo, she went over to the bed and waited for Paige to come back in. When Paige walked in a few minute's late, tying her hair back into a slick ponytail. She was casually dressed in a pair of faded blue denim jeans and a long sleeve lavender cashmere sweater; she walked towards where Penny was and sat down next to her. Paige noticed that she was watching her every move intently.
"What is it? Do I have something on my face?" she asked, joking.
"No, you don't." Penny answered slowly, "It's just that, you're so beautiful."
"Why thankyou." Paige said a little bit embarrassed.
Penny started crying she had been fighting these tears for so long now. Ever since she actually realised that Paige was in the same place as her. Penny's tears startled Paige.
"Honey! What's the matter?" She asked putting an arm around Penny's shoulders. This only made Penny cry harder, and Paige scared 'What have I done?' Paige thought.
"What is it? You can tell me!" She said kindly.
Penny opened her mouth to talk but she was still overwhelmed, 'Calm down! Your scaring her.' she told herself. Penny took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.
"I. I. I want to tell you." she sobbed "But I don't want to scare you. And Chris told me I couldn't."
"It's okay. You can tell me anything." Paige told her.
Penny knew that she was overreacting but she didn't care.
"When I congratulated Phoebe for a moment both her and Piper thought that I was their daughter, But you, You just thought it was funny." she cried.
Paige was confused,
"I'm very sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings…"
Penny cut her off,
"That isn't what hurt my feelings. And it's not my feelings that are hurt."
"Then what did I do?" Paige asked feeling frustrated.
"You didn't think that I could be your daughter!" she wailed, crying harder.
Paige was stunned into silence. She kept one arm around Penny, rubbing her shoulder, trying to comfort her. With her other hand, she slowly lifted Penny's chin with her her middle and index fingers, studying her face.
"Honey why did that hurt you?" she asked, although deep down she already knew the answer.
"Because!" She said, although all she could hear was Chris' warning in head playing over and over again. "Because I am YOUR daughter! You're MY mom!"
Paige wasn't sure what to do or say. Staring at Penny, she opened and closed her mouth several times to say something, but nothing came out. Letting go of Penny she slowly got off her bed and walked over to the window and looked out. Gathering her wits, She turned back towards Penny who had her head in her hands, Leaning back against the ledge she slowly let out a breath.
"I'm your mom?"
"Yeah!" Penny said quietly wiping her eye's, her shoulder's shuddering. "It's a shock to you isn't it?" she asked.
"Yeah I guess you could say that."
Penny's forehead creased, her eyes full of confusion.
"But why?" she asked shaking her head, "I don't understand, why are you shocked?" Tears started to well in her eyes again. Paige watched her, she was numb, she didn't know what to say. Penny looked back at Paige, her eye's full of questions. Paige walked slowly over towards her and crouched down in front of her.
"I don't want to hurt you." She said softly, taking both of Penny's hands in hers and looking into her eyes. "But I never thought that I would have children." She paused, thinking 'This is going to be hard on her, but she has to know the truth.' Shaking her head sadly she continued.
"And I'm not, or wasn't sure that I even wanted kids."
Penny snatched her hands back reeling in horror. This didn't sound like her mom. Paige gently put one hand on her knee.
"I don't want you to think that this is bad news. It's just a shock still." Paige tried to explain, tears forming in he eyes. Penny knocked her hand off of her knee, and crawled to the other side of the bed.
"Your not her! You can't be." She cried, jumping off the bed, "Your not my mom!"
Running out of the room and down the stairs, she didn't know where to go. Pausing when she got to the bottom, Penny looked around confused, everything was different. Penny had lied when she got there, she didn't want to worry everyone, right now she didn't care, she wanted out, NOW! 'That's not my mom. It can't be.' she repeated over and over again. She could hear Paige running down the stairs after her.
"Penny, wait! Come back." Paige called out.
Phoebe and Piper ran out of the kitchen.
"What's going on?" Piper asked.
Penny looked at her aunts,
"I lied to you! You're all in terrible danger." Penny sobbed. Then she orbed out leaving her two shocked and confused aunts and mother behind.