Part 3
After Leo had orbed everyone to the manor, Piper and Phoebe got Paige settled into Piper's bed.
"Okay honey. You just get some rest and call if you need anything. We'll be right downstairs." Soothed Piper as she brushed back some hair off of Paige's face.
"Just sleep Paige. We'll be up later to check on you." Said Phoebe. "Sleep tight. " She said as she and Piper left the room with Paige about a minute away from sleep.
After they had gone downstairs, Phoebe asked, "Think she'll be okay?"
"Positive," was Piper's response. "Besides we have everything here to make her feel tons better. Don't worry, we got it under control. So, any idea what kind of soup she likes?"
"I think I remember her saying that her soup substitute were those Cup of Noodle things."
"She doesn't like soup?" Piper asked in horror.
"Yeah. Something about it being shoved down her throat when she was sick as a kid."
"Obviously not good Piper/Grams soup. Think we could try some of my chicken noodle with extra noodles? It ought to work as a decent substitute for her 'soup substitute'"
"Probably a safe bet. Are you going to start making it now?"
"I need to if it is going to be ready for lunch. Why don't you go upstairs and rest with Paige?"
"All over it. Do you need me to do anything first?"
"Nothing off the top of my head. If Paige wakes up before I bring up the soup could you take her temperature for me?"
"Sure. No problem. I call if I need help with anything. See you when the soup is done." Said Phoebe as she headed up the stairs to join Paige.
When Phoebe entered Piper's room she noticed Paige sleeping restlessly. Trying to get her to calm down, Phoebe snuggled next to Paige and began cooing in her ear, "Shhh, Paige. It's okay. Phoebe's here and you are fine. Shhh, sweetie. Just relax and rest." Phoebe continued in this vein until Paige finally calmed down. 'I wonder what it is that could have her so upset' Phoebe thought to herself.
Meanwhile in Paige's dream …
"You little bitch," screamed a man at a five year old Paige. "I asked you to have dinner ready for me along with my clothes when I got home from work tonight."
"Bu…but I…I do have your dinner ready. Sandwiches and milk are great for dinner. And your clothes are almost done, Mr. Gerdin. They are finishing drying and by the time your dinner is done they will be folded and ready for you to wear." Replied a cowering Paige who was extremely dirty and thin. She appeared to have bruises over most of her body along with cuts here and there.
"I didn't want sandwiches" yelled Mr. Gerdin. "I wanted a roast dinner tonight. Well you know what happens to girls who do not get their chores done. Go to your room. You will have no dinner tonight nor breakfast tomorrow. I will be there later to finish your punishment."
Paige quickly scurried out of the room and outside to her 'room' which was a falling down doghouse in the unkempt backyard. She was not looking forward to later that night.
End of dream
At lunchtime, Piper walked up the stairs carrying a tray that had her infamous chicken noodle soup on it along with a mug of hot tea, a water bottle, and two bottles containing two potions she had made with some of Grams' recipes. One was a powerful cough syrup/fever reducer and the other was a lotion Grams had often made for them growing up which helped to ease aches and pains. Quietly knocking on the door, she opened it to see her two younger sisters snuggled together on the bed. "Pheebs?" she asked quietly trying to not wake up Paige yet.
Phoebe sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Is it lunchtime already, Piper?"
"Yes it is sleepyhead. It's past one. So anything to report?"
"Well when I first came in she was sleeping pretty restlessly like she had a bad dream but after a few minutes she calmed down and I haven't noticed anything since then. She wasn't coughing while she was sleeping, but I do think that her fever is going up."
"I wonder what the dream was about. We can worry about that later. Right now let's wake her up so she can eat and get some fluids and medicine in her."
"Okay." Said Phoebe. Turning to Paige she began to lightly shake Paige's shoulder while Piper set up everything on a bedside table. "Paige, honey, it's time for lunch. You need to wake up for some medicine too."
"Yeah sweetie," added Piper. "Plus I made my famous chicken noodle soup which is what stopped the spread of the plague it's so strong."
"Auggg…" said Paige as she slowly opened her eyes to get them adjusted to the light in the room. "I think I'm sore just from sleeping."
"Well it's possible," said Phoebe with one of her big smiles. "You were tossing and turning for awhile there. Remember what the dream was about?"
"Naw," said Paige quickly trying to think up a way to change the subject. "So what's for lunch anyways?"
Piper and Phoebe shared a look wondering what their younger sister was hiding. They silently agreed to leave it alone until Paige felt better. "Let's see," Piper answered. "We have chicken noodle soup with extra noodles, some saltines, and water and tea to drink. Sound good?"
"Sounds great," said Paige relieved that her sisters hadn't brought up her abrupt subject change. "So where's the spoon?"